This may be hard to believe, but I read more than a “top ten” of books and series this year. So… what else did I read this year?
Tales of the Galactic Midway #2: The Three-Legged Hootch Dancer
by Mike Resnick
Thaddeus Flint is taking his circus to the stars! Showing human delights to aliens takes more conning than this conman is used to, though. Oh, and the dancing girl is determined to be something more than she is, or rather, something different? It’s hard to say, except that she’s not happy, and Flint really needs her to be doing her best or the aliens they’re trying to fleece might end up fleecing them…
A few years ago, I came across book four in this series and found it an odd delight. So when I saw book two at a random used book store, yeah I picked it up! I’m more than convinced I want to read the rest of the series now, too. It’s just so unique, the characters all have stunningly solid voices, and the cast is exactly what you would expect from a circus and yet totally different. If you want something like Bradbury and Shusterman having a child and then giving that child LSD, check this one out.
Turbo Cowboys #9: Duster Trouble
by Tony Phillips
Let me simply reproduce the tagline: “Guts, friendship, and radical dirt bikes keep the turbo cowboys alive in the post-holocaust Mojave Desert.”
That’s all you need to know. Seriously. That tagline perfectly encapsulates the book and tells you whether or not you’ll delight in it ironically or unironically. It’s aimed at middle school readers in the 80’s, and it knew its target audience well. It’s radical and cool. Kids are the good guys. Most adults are the bad guys. A few adults are allies. And all the action hinges on awesome bike riding. Honestly, it’s a fun curiosity, and if I come across more copies in used bookstores, I’ll likely pick them up.
Tales of the Mongoose and Meerkat, Vol. 2: The Heat of the Chase
by Jim Breyfogle
Barbarian Mangos and rogue Kat continue their journeys, taking jobs of various difficulties and getting into trouble both magical and mundane. They’re gritty sword and sorcery adventures, told in a gripping fashion.
I backed volume one on Kickstarter. Enjoyed it. Saw book two on Kickstarter. Now I’ve enjoyed that one, too. Volume three currently sits on my TBR, and I’ll definitely be reading it this coming year. If you enjoy sword and sorcery, I highly recommend this series!
Star Trek: The Next Generation #25: Grounded
by David Bischoff
The Enterprise is infected with a dangerous parasite that eats inorganic material! A scientist has a child with a disease! One of the Enterprise crewmen has a similar ailment! They all come together at the last moment to create danger and the possible end of the Enterprise!
So, this novel has a special place in my heart. It’s the first adult novel I ever read. Before this, it was only the kid section of the bookstore or library for me. Then, a babysitter gave me a copy of this book as a gift. I was amazed. I was allowed to read adult novels?!
And I loved this book. I remember taking forever to get through it when I was young. This time? I think I sped through it in a day or two. Back then, it was stunning. The Enterprise was in real danger! Now? I see it as a media tie-in that’s… okay?
This book in particular has some controversy in it. Two of the characters are coded as having autism, though they never use that word. And it’s… well, let’s just say it’s not the best commentary Star Trek has ever given on a modern issue.
That said, it was a kick of nostalgia for me, returning to this first novel. I’ll likely reread it, not because it’s good, but simply to remember where I started.
Fuzzy Sapiens
by H. Beam Piper
Humanity wasn’t alone anymore. The fuzzies were declared sentient, intelligent beings, and thus protected. Except… well, there are a lot of ways to get around a law. Would humanity respect these newfound creatures?
This novel is a continuation of Little Fuzzy which I read a few years ago. I didn’t remember any of the novel except the broadest strokes and that I enjoyed it. Thankfully, while this volume definitely continues the story, it doesn’t assume the reader was familiar with went before. All the information you need is right there.
This was another short book, but I continued to love it. Piper takes a fantastic concept and explores how humanity treats those that could be exploited. Do we stand up to protect them, or use them to our own ends?
Well, the answer is yes, but Piper gets there in some really neat ways.
The Chronicles of Starlyn
by Craig A. Price Jr.
Their people are immortal, but Starlyn’s mother is dying. Her sister seeks forbidden magic to keep their mother alive. Will Starlyn help save her mother or condemn her sister?
I received this book as a bonus for backing a different project on Kickstarter. I really, really wanted to like this book, but… it never felt like a book. It felt like someone writing about a story rather than actually writing a story. Like this was the prelude to The Lord of the Rings rather than the adventure itself. The plot is good, and the characters are actually good, but… sigh. Like I said, I wanted to like this so, so much more than I did.
That said, I have some other books by Price that I’ve not read yet, but I’m expecting them to be far better!
I, the Tribunal
by P. C. Hatter
Kaiser Wrench’s friend is dead. As a friend and a private eye, he’s going to find out who did it. Was it the seductive tigress, or someone else entirely?
I picked this book up at a con, buying directly from the author. She explained that she wrote about fursonas, and this was one such book. Honestly, I just saw the anthropomorphic animals on the cover in a noir setting and thought it looked neat. It really does feel like a relatively standard noir story with the twist that it could be set in Zootopia. It’s certainly not high literature, but it was a fun romp. If I see the author at the con this year, I may well pick up book two!
The Interstellar Slayer: Space Assassins, Book One
by Scott Baron
Something’s gone terribly wrong in Hozark’s order. Someone hunts the assassins, and the only way to end the bloodshed is to find a weapon that long ago ceased to exist.
I like supporting indie authors, and when I received this book as a Christmas gift, I was pleased. Except… well, the book’s okay. It feels like a lot of cool things strung together, and it reminds me not badly of Star Wars: Crimson Empire. However, it’s also so clearly book one in a continuing saga, that it feels unfinished. I realize that’s part of the appeal of sagas like this, but it didn’t do it for me, personally.
The Hungry Tiger of Oz
by Ruth Plumly Thompson
The Hungry Tiger must appease his appetite! He travels to lands far from Oz to finally have his fill, and winds up in a rebellion in the land of Rash. Meanwhile, Ozma is kidnapped by airmen!
Look, this is Oz. If you’ve never read the original books, go read them. Period. You generally don’t have to read them in order. There is continuity, but it’s pretty light. These books continue to delight me even years and years later. My wife has slowly been getting me the books of the second official Oz writer, Ruth Plumly Thompson. I generally like these books better than Baum’s. I’d argue this book isn’t one of her best, but it’s still fun!
Upon a Waking Dream
by J. S. Bailey
What happens when a flat earther gets abducted by aliens? Can a woman create a new universe just to meet her favorite actor? How much help can an imaginary friend really give? J. S. Bailey presents twelve short stories.
I believe this is the third year in a row of me reading and reviewing a book by J. S. Bailey. And for the first time, I can count her as someone I know personally! She’s a marvelous person, and this collection is just as marvelous. She’s got a knack for short stories that reel you in. Of what I’ve read of hers, this is by far the best. Check it out!
Gleanings
by Neal Shusterman
Death is no more. Humans have conquered it, along with anything else that might hold us back. To keep us in check, though, scythes can kill people permanently. Shusterman told the story of that world in his “Arc of a Scythe” trilogy, but now he returns in this collection of short stories set in that world.
Shusterman is win. I’ve never read anything by him that I didn’t like. Some books are stronger than others, sure, but they’re all good. That said, I wish I’d read this collection closer to the time I read the trilogy. The stories here are strong, but I have the feeling I’m missing a lot by simply not remembering a lot of the characters or events from the trilogy. Still worth your time, but read it as its intended, a companion to the trilogy.
Was Superman a Spy?
by Brian Cronin
Comic books are full of strange legends. The character Wolverine was originally not a human, but a super-evolved wolverine. The man who created Wonder Woman also invented the lie detector. How many times has Captain America been killed now? This book reveals a bunch of legends and whether or not they’re true!
Brian Cronin writes great comics history. I read his articles every week online. When I found his book at a used bookstore, I snatched it up! If you’re a comic book reader, this book will be full of fun stories and trivia. If you’re not a comic book reader, it still might have some great history!
Jonathon Mast: Author 