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sherry's bookshelf

I'm a fairly voracious reader, so I'm providing a list of books I've read over the last couple of years. If you'd like a short review of any book here, just e-mail me for my opinion.

What the rating symbols mean:
***** = Superb. Without reservation, one of the best things I've ever read.
**** = Excellent. Only a few minor quibbles, if any. Definitely recommended.
*** = Very Good. Some things I didn't like but still very readable.
** = Okay, but either had major problems or was not to my taste.
* = Managed to finish it.
*?!* = Mixed bag.
DNF = Could not make it to the end of this book.

Clickable titles link to either a review on this site or elsewhere, or my comments at the end of this page.

If this page isn't up-to-date, you can always check out my current reading list at All Consuming.

TitleAuthorGenreRating
2006
The Bone FlutePatricia BowYA Fantasy***
The Silver DoorTerry GriggsYA Fantasy****
Cat's Eye CornerTerry GriggsYA Fantasy****
Diplomacy of WolvesHolly LisleFantasy***
Shopaholic and SisterSophie KinsellaChick Lit****
Trading in DangerElizabeth MoonScience Fiction****
The AnybodiesN.E. BodeYA Fantasy***
From a Buick 8Stephen KingHorror***
SeekerJack McDevittScience Fiction****
HammeredElizabeth BearScience Fiction****
A Talent for WarJack McDevittScience Fiction****
ChokecherryNorma HawkinsMainstream****
Final OrbitS.V. DateScience Fiction***
Memory BookHoward EngelMystery****
PolarisJack McDevittScience Fiction****
MaelstromPeter WattsScience Fiction****
2005
The Physics of ChristmasRoger HighfieldNon-Fiction****
Miracle and Other Christmas StoriesConnie WillisSpeculative Fiction****
StarfishPeter WattsScience Fiction****
ClockworkPhilip PullmanYA Fantasy***
Going PostalTerry PratchettFantasy****
Doomsday BookConnie WillisSpec Fic****
Tapping The Dream TreeCharles deLintFantasy****
Harry Potter and the Order of the PhoenixJ.K. RowlingFantasy***
Harry Potter and the Goblet of FireJ.K. RowlingFantasy****
The Burglar in the RyeLawrence BlockMystery****
The Burglar on the ProwlLawrence BlockMystery****
The Balloon ManCharlotte MacLeodMystery*?!*
The Cup of The WorldJohn DickinsonFantasy*
A Hat Full of SkyTerry PratchellFantasy*****
Can You Keep a Secret?Sophie KinsellaChick Lit****
Shopaholic Takes ManhattanSophie KinsellaChick Lit(?)****
The No.1 Ladies' Detective AgencyAlexander McCall SmithMystery**
Confessions of a ShopaholicSophie KinsellaChick Lit(?)****
The City of EmberJeanne DuPrauYA Fantasy***
The Wee Free MenTerry PratchettFantasy*****
The Grand TourPatricia Wrede & Caroline StevermerFantasy****
Monstrous RegimentTerry PratchettFantasy****
Sorcery & CeciliaPatricia Wrede & Caroline StevermerFantasy*****
Night WatchTerry PratchettFantasy****
Eastern Standard TribeCory DoctorowScience Fiction***
Year's Best SF 9David Hartwell & Kathryn Cramer, Eds.Science Fiction*?!*
The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of The ApocalypseRobert RankinFantasy****
Best of F&SF 50th AnniversaryEdward Ferman & Gardner Dozois, Eds.Fantasy & SF*?!*
Metered SpaceM.D. BenoitSF/Mystery/Humor****
2004
Pattern RecognitionWilliam GibsonSociological SF***
DeepsixJack McDevittHard SF***
Northern SunsDavid Hartwell & Glenn Grant, Eds.YA Fantasy*?!*
Probability MoonNancy KressHard SF****
HappinessWill FergusonHumor****
StardustNeil GaimanFantasy***
Once Upon A MarigoldJean FerrisYA Fantasy****
A College of MagicsCaroline StevermerFantasy/Alt. Hist.****
Going for InfinityPoul AndersonHard SF***
Winning ColorsElizabeth MoonHard SF****
2003
American GodsNeil GaimanDark Fantasy***
PassageConnie WillisSF****
A Passion for NarrativeJack HodginsWriting****
The Eyre AffairJasper FfordeAlternate History****
Lost in a Good BookJasper FfordeAlternate History****
P is for PerilSue GraftonMystery***
Oryx and CrakeMargaret AtwoodLiterary SF(?)*
Thief of TimeTerry PratchettFantasy****
Callahan's KeySpider RobinsonSF****
Claws and EffectRita Mae BrownMystery*
Lemon Meringue Pie MurderJoanne FlukeMystery**
MindkillerSpider RobinsonSF***
Seven UpJanet EvanovichMystery****
Home From the Vinyl CafeStuart MacLeanCollection****
The Well of Lost PlotsJasper FfordeAlternate History****
Hunting PartyElizabeth MoonHard SF****
Sporting ChanceElizabeth MoonHard SF****
2002
Venus of DreamsPamela SargentHard SF**
The Far Shore of TimeFrederik PohlHard SF***
The Martian RaceGregory BenfordHard SF****
Absolute MagnitudeWarren Lepine & Steven Pagel, Eds.Hard SF***
The TruthTerry PratchettFantasy*****
Harry Potter & The Chamber of SecretsJ.K. RowlingFantasy***
Vinyl Cafe UnpluggedStuart McLeanCollection****
Waiting For GertrudeBill RichardsonFantasy***
2001
Telling Lies For Fun & ProfitLawrence BlockWriting***
Harry Potter & The Philosopher's StoneJ.K. RowlingFantasy****
Year's Best SF/17th CollectionGardner Dozois, Ed.SF*?!*
Calculating GodRobert J. SawyerSF****
Spider, Spin Me A WebLawrence BlockWriting***
Nebula Awards Showcase 2001Robert Silverberg, Ed.SF*?!*
Return to MarsBen BovaSF****
StingerNancy KressSF****
Science Fiction 101Robert SilverbergSF/Reference****
The Fifth ElephantTerry PratchettFantasy****
2000
Carpe JugulumTerry PratchettFantasy****
Echoes of The Great SongDavid GemmellFantasy****
VigilantJames Alan GardnerSF****
FlashforwardRobert J. SawyerSF****
Master Of Many TreasuresMary BrownFantasy***
Pigs Don't FlyMary BrownFantasy****
Maximum LightNancy KressSF*****
BloomWil McCarthySF****
1999
The Day The Men Went To TownRon Caplan, ed.Anthology*?!*
"N" is for NooseSue GraftonMystery****
A Window Over The SinkPeg BrackenMemoir*?!*
The Fallen ManTony HillermanMystery***
"M" is for MaliceSue GraftonMystery****
The Hippopotamus PoolElizabeth PetersMystery****
Year's Best SF/7th CollectionGardner Dozois, ed.SF Anthology*?!*
On Spec: The First Five YearsSF Anthology*?!*
DarwiniaRobert Charles WilsonSF****
Seeing A Large CatElizabeth PetersMystery*****
The Snake, The Crocodile & The DogElizabeth PetersMystery****
The Last Camel Died At NoonElizabeth PetersMystery*****
The Deeds of the DisturberElizabeth PetersMystery****
Lion In The ValleyElizabeth PetersMystery*****
The Mummy CaseElizabeth PetersMystery****
The Curse of the PharaohsElizabeth PetersMystery****
Crocodile on the SandbankElizabeth PetersMystery*****
The Long Dark Teatime of the SoulDouglas AdamsFantasy***
Good OmensNeil Gaiman & Terry PratchettFantasy/Humor***
The Last ContinentTerry PratchettFantasy****
Eternity RoadJack McDevittSF*****
Murder at the MendelGail BowenMystery***
Deadly AppearancesGail BowenMystery****
The Ape Who Guards The BalanceElizabeth PetersMystery****
New LegendsGreg Bear, ed.SF*?!*
Life, The Universe, and EverythingDouglas AdamsSF****
The Restaurant at the End of the UniverseDouglas AdamsSF****
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the GalaxyDouglas AdamsSF*****
ArtifactGregory BenfordSF****.5
The Nebula Awards #33Connie Willis, ed.SF****
CosmGregory BenfordSF***.5
MoonfallJack McDevittSF****
The Siege of EternityFrederik PohlSF***
Creating Short FictionDamon KnightReference*****
The Nebula Awards #25Michael Bishop, ed.SF/F*?!*
The Nebula Awards #29editorSF/F*?!*
The Nebula Awards #32editorSF/F*?!*
JingoTerry PratchettFantasy****
The Nebula Awards #31editorSF/F*?!*
The Nebula Awards #30editorSF/F*?!*
To Say Nothing of the DogConnie WillisSF****
1998
The Magician's WardPatricia C. WredeFantasy****
Mairelon The MagicianPatricia C. WredeFantasy****
The Darkest RoadGuy Gavriel KayFantasy*****
The Wandering FireGuy Gavriel KayFantasy*****
The Summer TreeGuy Gavriel KayFantasy*****
Time PressureSpider RobinsonSF***
The Reluctant SorcererSimon HawkeFantasy***
When Gravity FailsGeorge A. EffingerSF****
The High CrusadePoul AndersonSF***
A Cardinal OffenseRalph McInernyMystery***
IntellivoreDiane DuaneSF (Star Trek™)***
Zombies of the Gene PoolSharyn McCrumbSF/Mystery***
The Belgariad (series)David EddingsFantasy*****
The Burglar in the LibraryLawrence BlockMystery****
Polgara the SorceressDavid EddingsFantasy*****
The Best from F&SFEdward L. Ferman, ed.SF/F*?!*
Plotting the NovelMichael LegatReference***
GravelightMarion Zimmer BradleyContemp. Fantasy****
Cowboy Feng's Space Bar & GrilleSteven BrustSF***
The 38 Most Common Fiction Writing MistakesJack M. BickhamReference****
The Callahan TouchSpider RobinsonSF****
Beggars RideNancy KressSF*****
Too Many GhostsPaul GallicoSuspense****
Callahan's LadySpider RobinsonSF***
The World at the End of TimeFrederik PohlSF***
The Cyborg & the SorcerersLawrence Watt-EvansSF/F***
The Sunset WarriorEric V. LustbaderSF***
TangentsGreg BearSF (short stories)***
Queen of AngelsGreg BearSF***
The Craft of Writing Science Fiction That SellsBen BovaReference****
A Tangled WebL.M. MontgomeryMainstream***
Politically Correct Bedtime StoriesJames Finn GarnerHumor***
/ (Slant)Greg BearSF****
HogfatherTerry PratchettFantasy****
Year's Best SF 1996Gardner Dozois, ed.SF*?!*
Callahan's LegacySpider RobinsonSF***

Notes & Comments

Science Fiction 101 by Robert Silverberg
A wonderful book for both readers and aspiring writers of science fiction. Reprints of stories by classic SF authors and engaging essays by Silverberg, tracing his own progression as a science fiction writer and what the stories taught him.

The Fifth Elephant by Terry Pratchett
How does he continue to do it? Reading the Discworld series is a lesson in how much depth there can be in one setting. Each novel has fresh insights and lots of fresh laughs.

Carpe Jugulum by Terry Pratchett
The first Discworld novel that I actually found a little scary! But very enjoyable nonetheless. Fans should be intrigued by this look at the darker side of the Disc.

Eternity Road by Jack McDevitt
This is one of my best picks of the year. I found it absolutely superb and could not put it down.

Artifact by Gregory Benford
This book was even better than Cosm. The pacing was excellent, story was fascinating, and characters were believable. Science was handled with Benford's usual smoothness.

Cosm by Gregory Benford
My only reservation in recommending this book is that I found the pacing somewhat irregular; at times I was turning pages feverishly and other times I could put it down without difficulty. But it is a good read and the science is excellently handled.

Moonfall by Jack McDevitt
I found the first 75-100 pages just a little slow, but after that it was an intense page-turner that I couldn't put down. Definitely worth wading through the slow part to get to the good stuff!

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