Pretty much the whole of 2008, in one go
Saturday, December 6th, 2008This year the blogging experiment hasn’t gone so well. But that doesn’t mean the reading experiment has necessarily failed too. In fact, a total of 55 books (phew! Just over the total…) were read during the year; some of them comic-strip collections and graphic novels, some read out loud and others downloaded or published in instalments online. In the spirit of looking forwards not backwards, and in ensuring this blog is ready and raring to go for 2009′s weekly book challenge, here are six-word reviews of the entire lot:
Reading challenge 2008
January (7 books)
- Pieces of Modesty – Peter O’Donnell (thriller)
- Shorter format: our heroine adapts well
- The Sandman: A Game of You – Neil Gaiman et al (graphic novel)
- Startling classic of graphic novel genre
- L is for Lawless – Sue Grafton (crime)
- Kinsey is forced outside comfort zone
- The Impossible Virgin – Peter O’Donnell (thriller)
- Modesty and Willie’s ambitious African adventure
- Emma – Jane Austen (classic)
- Technical masterpiece is astonishingly contemporary read
- Modesty Blaise: The Hell-Makers – Peter O’Donnell and Jim Holdaway (graphic novel)
- Social commentary from comic-strip master
- Sanditon/The Watsons – Jane Austen (classic)
- A poignant insight for completist fans
February (7 books)
March (5 books)
- Beggars’ Banquet – Ian Rankin (crime)
- Patchy story collection not ideal introduction
- The Xanadu Talisman – Peter O’Donnell (thriller)
- Splendidly-plotted caper examines Modesty’s past
- The Night of Morningstar (thriller)
- Encroaching modernity does not suit series
- Modesty Blaise: The Warlords of Phoenix – Peter O’Donnell, Jim Holdaway and Romero (graphic novel)
- New artist propels characters into Orient
- Modesty Blaise: Death of a Jester – Peter O’Donnell, Jim Holdaway and Romero (graphic novel)
- Modesty gets mediaeval on villains’ asses
April (2 books)
- Dead Man’s Handle – Peter O’Donnell (thriller)
- Series’ extremest villain – that’s saying something
- John Constantine: Hellblazer – Jamie Delano et al (graphic novel)
- Must-read classic of underappreciated genre
May (4 books)
- The Many-Coloured Land – Julian May (sci-fi)
- Overlooked gem fuses sci-fi and fantasy
- The Romance of the Forest – Ann Radcliffe (classic)
- Quintessential Gothic novel retains immense charm
- Northanger Abbey – Jane Austen (classic)
- Happy return to favourite Austen novel
- Modesty Blaise: The Puppet Master – Peter O’Donnell and Romero (graphic novel)
- Meta-adventures: Modesty’s reputation precedes her
June (3 books)
- The Age of Innocence – Edith Wharton (classic)
- Leaves reader ready to slit wrists
- The X-Files: Goblins – Charles Grant (sci-fi)
- TV tie-in somehow fails to satisfy
- The Golden Torc – Julian May (sci-fi)
- Seemingly prelapsarian paradise meets dreadful reckoning
July (4 books)
- The Non-Born King – Julian May (sci-fi)
- Imaginative telling of humanity’s Pliocene origin
- How to be a gardener – Alan Titchmarsh (non-fiction)
- Engagingly down-to-earth, practical read
- Over Sea, Under Stone – Susan Cooper (fantasy)
- Perennial children’s classic stands frequent re-reading
- The Dark is Rising – Susan Cooper (fantasy)
- In the fantasy novel top flight
August (4 books)
September (3 books)
- Courduroy Mansions – Alexander McCall Smith (serial novel)
- Acceptable anglicisation of Scotland Street novels
- Intervention – Julian May (sci-fi)
- Epic expands on Pliocene Saga’s themes
- Lara’s Book: Lara Croft and the Tomb Raider phenomenon – Douglas Coupland (graphic novel)
- Fanboy’s tribute: when worlds collide (successfully)
October (5 books)
- Going Postal – Terry Pratchett (fantasy)
- Reasonable outing, new cast of characters
- Thud! – Terry Pratchett (fantasy)
- Splendidly on-form Discworld political saga
- The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents – Terry Pratchett (fantasy)
- Impressive imagining of evolved rats’ society
- The West Wing: Inside Bartlet’s White House – Keith Topping (non-fiction)
- Exhaustive investigations of all individual episodes
- Can you crack the Enigma Code? – Richard Belfield (non-fiction)
- Fascinating survey of world’s unbroken codes
November (5 books)
- Emotional Intelligence in a Week – Jill Dann (non-fiction)
- Practical handbook imparting many useful skills
- Blink – Malcolm Gladwell (non-fiction)
- This psychological survey’s a stimulating read
- Making Money – Terry Pratchett (fantasy)
- Postal sequel keeps the pace up
- Alias: the secret origins of Jessica Jones – Bendis, Gaydos et al (graphic novel)
- Penetrating character study of alienated superhero
- Rothko (Tate Modern exhibition catalogue) – Briony Fer, David Anfam et al (non-ficiton)
- Official record of truly breathtaking show
December (6 books)
Breakdown by genre:
- Non-fiction: 12 titles
- Thrillers: 9 titles
- Graphic novels: 8 titles
- Sci-fi: 8 titles
- Classic: 5 titles
- Fantasy: 7 titles
- Crime: 3 titles
- Contemporary: 2 titles
- Horror: 1 title