I mostly binged on thrillers and series I am already following.
Just one non-fiction!
I am currently reading / being stuck in these:
- Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values by Robert M. Pirsig - this is a reread. I read it as a teenager, and I am not getting through it at the moment.
- Obsessive Compulsive Cycling Disorder by Dave Barter - collection of articles. The title might be the best bit.
- Edges by Linda Nagata - I am not very excited.
Fiction
Mark Dawson
- Sandstorm (Charlie Cooper Thrillers #1) - a new series in the Group Fifteen universe. It is a short book and quite entertaining.
- The Red Room (Atticus Priest #3)
- Pistolero (Beatrix Rose #5)
- Uppercut (John Milton #22)
- The Chameleon (Charlie Cooper Thrillers)
Viveca Stern
A new series by Viveca. I confess, I only read them because of the cosy setting in Sweden. It is more "Nordic cosy", than "Nordic noir".
- Hidden in Snow (Åremorden #1)
- Hidden in Shadows (Åremorden #2)
William Gibson
I read this after watching the TV series. I tried when it first came out, but couldn't get into it. The series definitely helped, and now I love it.
- The Peripheral (Jackpot #1)
- Agency (Jackpot #2)
Becky Chambers
After reading Legends & Lattes last year, I was looking for more cosy books and these were recommended. It was a bit weird and deep, but nice.
- A Psalm for the Wild-Built (Monk and Robot #1)
- A Prayer for the Crown-Shy (Monk and Robot #2)
The follow is another cosy book. This time a truck stop in space.
The Galaxy, and the Ground Within
S.A. Cosby
All the Sinners Bleed - a recommendation by a book podcast. Very well written and quite gritty. The focus was very much on the racial conflicts in the US.
Tom Clancy
- Without Remorse (Jack Ryan Universe #1)
Patriot Games(Jack Ryan #1)
I gave up on the second one. The heroes are just unbelievable, the universe doesn't make any sense. The gun and military worshipping is annoying. And don't get me started on the UK and the royal family in the "Patriot Games".
My suggestion: stick to the film adaptions. (The "Without Remorse" film is pretty bad too, though).
John le Carré
His writing is great and I love the characters. I just can't get into the period it is playing it. And not a lot happens throughout most of the books, and then something happens quickly, short and mostly depressing. I am not sure, I am going to try more from him.
- Call for the Dead (George Smiley #1)
- A Murder of Quality (George Smiley #2) - this felt a bit Agatha Christie.
- The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (George Smiley #3)
- The Looking Glass War (George Smiley #4)
David McCloskey
I really like this series. It feels very realistic and gritty. I can't wait for the next instalment. I also follow the author on Instagram, which leads to more book discoveries.
- Damascus Station (Damascus Station #1)
- Moscow X: A Novel (Damascus Station #2)
Michael Connelly
You can't go wrong with the Bosch universe.
Resurrection Walk (The Lincoln Lawyer #7) - so much better than the TV series.
Travis Baldree
Bookshops & Bonedust (Legends & Lattes #0) - prequel for Legends & Latte, possibly even better. More cosy reading.
I.S. Berry
The Peacock and the Sparrow: A Novel - this might have been the best book I have read this year. It is another spy thriller, that starts so slow that I nearly gave up on it. Over the book, the speed increases exponential to bring everything together into a crash landing.
Comics
Just one comic sneaked into this list. It is a bit of an on/off romance story.
Batman/Catwoman by Tom King and others.
Non-fiction
I can't believe that I read only one non-fiction book this year.
Simplifying Coaching: How to Have More Transformational Conversations by Doing Less
This is probably more focused on professional coaches. I still took away many useful titbits that will help me approach coaching in my job in the future.
I love LeCarre though your assessment is fair. I suggest reading the Night Manager and watching the limited series. I also recommend (highly!) Ordinary Thunderstorms by William Boyd before work takes up all of your delightful reading hours.
ReplyDeleteI did read Ordinary Thunderstorms a while ago and enjoyed it. I had to check Goodreads first :-)
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