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I have a collection of over 500 hard back science fiction and fantasy books, as well as numerous other books; history, mythology, and role-playing. Most of the Sci-Fi were originally my grandfathers. I am inputing them all here as I read them stating in 1999. There are many books in the collection I have read before 1999 and a lot of books here that I read that I don't own. The rating system only goes back to 2004.
Oh and there are plenty of mistakes in here, spelling, categories and such.
| Statistics on the books I've read since 1999 | | Categorys | | Alternate Fantasy | 68 | | Alternate History | 73 | | Alternate History: Civil War | 2 | | Alternate History: Steampunk | 7 | | Alternate History: WWII | 12 | | Astronomy | 2 | | Beekeeping | 21 | | Computer | 1 | | Fantasy | 175 | | Fantasy: Contemporary | 77 | | Fantasy: Lost World | 2 | | Fantasy: Lovecraftian | 12 | | Fantasy: Post-Apocalyptic | 19 | | Fiction | 9 | | Fiction: Military | 3 | | Gardening | 0 | | History | 119 | | Humor | 2 | | Linguistics | 2 | | Mythology | 32 | | Non-Fiction | 1 | | Political | 4 | | Pulp Adventure | 11 | | Roleplaying | 3 | | Sci-fi | 409 | | Sci-Fi: Cyberpunk | 0 | | Sci-Fi: Dystopian | 3 | | Sci-Fi: Military | 77 | | Sci-Fi: Post-Apocalyptic | 17 | | Sci-Fi: Space Opera | 47 | | Sci-Fi: Time Travel | 9 | | Science | 15 | |
| | Covers | | hardback | 696 | | oversized hardback | 1 | | paperback | 312 | | softcover | 228 | |
| | Collections | | Borrowed | 104 | | Granddads | 171 | | Moms | 4 | | Shawns | 959 | |
| | Anthologys | | Anthology | 76 | | Not an Anthology | 1098 | | Multi-Author Anthology | 64 | |
| | Books per year | 2025: 26
2024: 58
2023: 62
2022: 48
2021: 47
2020: 58
2019: 58
2018: 33
2017: 36
2016: 56
2015: 41
2014: 47
2013: 28
2012: 50
2011: 54
2010: 65
2009: 62
2008: 57
2007: 50
2006: 43
2005: 35
2004: 54
2003: 92
2002: 53
2001: 41
2000: 64
1999: 40
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| | Total books read: (includes rereads) 1400 | Total unique books: 1238 |
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The rating system I'm using is:
- I'll be getting rid of this one
- Really bad
- Bad
- Average
- A good book
- I'll probably read it again
- I recommend reading this
- Read it twice in the first sitting
Categories
I am using 3 main categories, Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Alternate History. The great decider in whether a book is Sci-Fi or Fantasy is the use of the supernatural. That makes it Fantasy. So The Dragon Riders of Pern series is Sci-Fi there are not gods, magic, or supernatural, its all science based. Star Wars on the other hand (at least before Lucus retconned it with midicholians) is Fantasy because the Force is supernatural. Alternate History falls in a separate category. These are books purposefully set in the past where history changes and goes down an alternate timeline. The change can be due to science or the supernatural.
- Alternate History: A story that takes place in the past in our world which was the same until a certain point. This Point of Departure is the instance where the timeline between our world and the one in the story diverge. The PoD can be caused but time travel or supernatural means but the cause is not generally relevant to the story.
- Alternate History: Steampunk: The Point of Departure causes the world to develop super science in the Victorian Age. Usually developing steam powered devices and computing machines early. The story is generally set in the Victorian Age or immediately after.
- Alternate History: WWII: An Alternative WWII takes place. Hitler dies, Hitler lives, America never enters the war etc.
- Alternate History: Civil War An Alternative American Civil War takes place
- Alternate Fantasy: A story set on a parallel world in a semi-historical time where the supernatural exists. This differs from an Alternate History in that the world was always different from ours but developed along similar lines.
- Sci-Fi
- Sci-Fi: Apocalyptic/Post-Apocalyptic: The world ends, or nearly does drastically changing things.
- Sci-Fi: Cyberpunk: near future, dystopian, ai and prostecics are common
- Sci-Fi: Time Travel: Time Travel can cause an Alternate History or enter a Parallel World but the focus of a Sci-Fi Time Travel story is going back and forth in time not the world created.
- Sci-Fi: Space Opera: A story that occurs in space with the focus on action rather than science tend have larger than life heroes.
- Sci-Fi: Military: Involves future weapons and warfare with the focus being on the super technology. Often crosses over with Space Opera but the characters tend to be more normal and the emphasis is on warfare and weapons rather than action.
- Fantasy: Requires the existence of the supernatural. Stories that seem Sci-Fi can be Fantasy because a large portion of the story is explained as supernatural (ie the Force in Star Wars before Lucus retconned it).
- Fantasy: Contemporary: A story set in the modern world but where the supernatural exists. This is the same as a Alternate Fantasy, but is not a historical story.
- Fantasy: Post-Apocalyptic: The Apocalypse caused magic to reenter the world, so its in the future but the supernatrual exisits also making it more Fantasy than Sci-Fi.
- Lovecraftian Fiction: Involves Chthulu, the Great Old ones, and people fighting unspeakable evil which is trying to enter and take over the world. The original genre was Horror but more contemporary literature tends to be campy.
- Pulp Adventure: Typically 1920s and 1930s the heroes don't have supernatural powers but are the top end of what humanity has to offer. Typically Tarzan and Doc Savage.
| Mission to Moulokin | | | [21-Apr-2025]
Mission to Moulokin by Alan Dean Foster.
Sci-fi: 282 pages.
Volume 2 in the series Icerigger Trilogy.
This is well written enough I had to look up whether it was a squeal or just starts in med res. The crew of an ice rigger on an alien planet discover that the plant freezes and thaws in 10,000 year cycles. Rating: 4 (out of 8) |
| Mindbridge | | [19-Apr-2025]
by Joe Haldeman
Sci-fi: 189 pages
The story want bad, the ending was a little weak. People discover an alien species that allowed for some telepathic communication. I wish there was more on the ancient god race. Rating: 5 (out of 8) |
| Ithanalins Restoration | | | [12-Apr-2025]
Ithanalins Restoration by lawrence Watt-Evans.
Fantasy: 238 pages.
Volume 8 in the series Legends of Ethshar.
A wizard miscasts a spell and is apprentice has to solve the problem. Rating: 6 (out of 8) |
| Celestial Matter | | [07-Apr-2025]
by Richard Garfinkle
Alternate Fantasy: 348 pages
This was just weird. Its an alternate world where Greek philosophic ideas about physics just work. The planets are in crystal spheres and the Empire of Alexander is a at war with the Chinese thousands of years after Alexanders passing. Rating: 5 (out of 8) |
| In Fury Born | | [05-Apr-2025]
by David Weber
Sci-fi: 848 pages
Related to the Ascent to Empire series but set much later in its history. Follows a girl in the special forces who then gets possessed by an ancient Fury. Rating: 6 (out of 8) |
| Too Many Curses | | [02-Apr-2025]
by A. Lee Martinez
Fantasy: 316 pages
A wizard dies, his castle maid is forced to take over the castle and stop the curses from destroying them all. Rating: 4 (out of 8) |
| When the Moon Hits yuor Eye | | [01-Apr-2025]
by John Scalzi
Sci-fi: 323 pages
Scalzi finally wrote a klunker. There is not story here. The moon becomes cheese. Then stops being cheese. Pointless. Rating: 4 (out of 8) |
| Bolo! | | [27-Mar-2025]
by David Weber
Sci-fi: 483 pages
Future sentient Supertanks. Rating: 6 (out of 8) |
| Rebel | | | [24-Mar-2025]
Rebel by David Weber.
Sci-Fi: Military: 483 pages.
Volume 2 in the series Ascent to Empire.
The governor transforms into a full on rebel and is clearly going to have to defeat the Empire in order to live. Rating: 5 (out of 8) |
| The Blood of a Dragon | | | [21-Mar-2025]
The Blood of a Dragon by Lawrence Watt-Evans.
Fantasy: 232 pages.
Volume 4 in the series Legends of Ethshar.
Dumery is an idiot, who probably gets rich beyond belief. Rating: 6 (out of 8) |
| Governor | | | [20-Mar-2025]
Governor by David Weber.
Sci-fi: 484 pages.
Volume 1 in the series Ascent to Empire.
A scion of rich families in an oligarchic empire is sent to the frontier to be a military governor, and properly oppress the colonials. Which he doest do. Rating: 5 (out of 8) |
| Friends Indeed | | | [14-Mar-2025]
Friends Indeed by David Weber.
Sci-fi: 561 pages.
Volume 5 in the series Honorverse: Star Kingdom.
The Treecat Conspiracy Grows. Rating: 5 (out of 8) |
| The Sorcerers Widow | | | [08-Mar-2025]
The Sorcerers Widow by Lawrence Watt-Evans.
Fantasy: 157 pages.
Volume 12 in the series Legends of Ethshar.
Just because you cant do magic doesnt mean you dont pick things up by being around magicians. Rating: 6 (out of 8) |
| Tales of Ethsahr | | | [08-Mar-2025]
Tales of Ethsahr by Lawrence Watt-Evans.
Fantasy: 222 pages.
Volume 13 in the series Legends of Ethshar.
Eleven short stories in Ethshar. Rating: 6 (out of 8) |
| The Unwelcome Warlock | | | [07-Mar-2025]
The Unwelcome Warlock by Lawrence Watt-Evans.
Fantasy: 328 pages.
Volume 11 in the series Legends of Ethshar.
Vond as well as all the other called warlocks are back. Rating: 6 (out of 8) |
| The Vondish Ambassador | | | [06-Mar-2025]
The Vondish Ambassador by Lawrence Watt-Evans.
Fantasy: 230 pages.
Volume 10 in the series Legends of Ethshar.
The Empire of Vond, without Vond, is trying to find its way in the world but no one trusts it most of all it neighbors. When the Empire sends and ambassador to stop warlocks from coming to Vond everyone suspects the worst. Rating: 6 (out of 8) |
| The Spriggan Mirror | | | [05-Mar-2025]
The Spriggan Mirror by Lawrence Watt-Evans.
Fantasy: 280 pages.
Volume 9 in the series Legends of Ethshar.
Tobas tries to fix the Spriggan problem he created in With a Single Spell. Rating: 6 (out of 8) |
| The Night of Madness | | | [03-Mar-2025]
The Night of Madness by Lawrence Watt-Evans.
Fantasy: 376 pages.
Volume 7 in the series Legends of Ethshar.
Warlocks didnt always exist, this is when they showed up. Rating: 6 (out of 8) |
| The Spell of the Black Dagger | | | [03-Mar-2025]
The Spell of the Black Dagger by Lawrence Watt-Evans.
Fantasy: 290 pages.
Volume 7 in the series Legends of Ethshar.
Wizardry gone wrong can do nothing, or produce an all power magician capable of toppling empires. Rating: 6 (out of 8) |
| Taking Flight | | | [23-Feb-2025]
Taking Flight by Lawrence Watt-Evans.
Fantasy: 269 pages.
Volume 5 in the series Legends of Ethshar.
Immortality isn't always perfect. Sometimes the immortal are little more than 15 year old girls stuck that way. Rating: 6 (out of 8) |
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