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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 | 63 | | Alternate History | 73 | | Alternate History: Civil War | 2 | | Alternate History: Steampunk | 7 | | Alternate History: WWII | 12 | | Astronomy | 2 | | Beekeeping | 21 | | Computer | 1 | | Fantasy | 157 | | Fantasy: Contemporary | 77 | | Fantasy: Lost World | 2 | | Fantasy: Lovecraftian | 12 | | Fantasy: Post-Apocalyptic | 19 | | Fiction | 9 | | Fiction: Military | 3 | | Gardening | 0 | | History | 115 | | Humor | 2 | | Linguistics | 2 | | Mythology | 32 | | Non-Fiction | 1 | | Political | 4 | | Pulp Adventure | 11 | | Roleplaying | 3 | | Sci-fi | 405 | | Sci-Fi: Cyberpunk | 0 | | Sci-Fi: Dystopian | 3 | | Sci-Fi: Military | 76 | | Sci-Fi: Post-Apocalyptic | 17 | | Sci-Fi: Space Opera | 47 | | Sci-Fi: Time Travel | 9 | | Science | 15 | |
| | Covers | | hardback | 683 | | oversized hardback | 1 | | paperback | 296 | | softcover | 225 | |
| | Collections | | Borrowed | 104 | | Granddads | 170 | | Moms | 4 | | Shawns | 928 | |
| | Anthologys | | Anthology | 74 | | Not an Anthology | 1068 | | Multi-Author Anthology | 64 | |
| | Books per year | 2024: 39
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) 1355 | Total unique books: 1206 |
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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.
| Exiled: Clan of the Claw | | [24-Sep-2024]
by Fawcett Bill ed.
Alternate Fantasy: 294 pages
A world where dinosaurs didnt die off, cat became sentient and the Mediterranean recently flooded. Both cats and dinos have some limited magic of very different types. Rating: 6 (out of 8) |
| The Mote in Gods Eye | | [18-Sep-2024]
by Larry Niven
Sci-fi: 475 pages
A militant empire discovers its first alien civilization, one that experiences booms and busts because it cant travel faster than light and has to figure out how to contain them so their problems dont overrun then rest of the galaxy. Rating: 7 (out of 8) |
| Tongues of Serpents | | | [15-Sep-2024]
Tongues of Serpents by Naomi Novik.
Alternate Fantasy: 274 pages.
Volume 6 in the series Temeraire.
Temeraire and crew go to Australia when Laurence is sentenced to transportation. A forgettable book. Rating: 4 (out of 8) |
| Empire of Ivory | | | [04-Sep-2024]
Empire of Ivory by Naomi Novik.
Alternate Fantasy: 404 pages.
Volume 4 in the series Temeraire.
The crew goes to Africa, gets kidnapped and freed by Temeraire. Then cures a plague and Laurence commits treason to save the mainland dragons from the same plague. Rating: 5 (out of 8) |
| Victory of Eagles | | | [03-Sep-2024]
Victory of Eagles by Naomi Novik.
Alternate Fantasy: 332 pages.
Volume 5 in the series Temeraire.
With the assistance of the Chinese dragon the French invade England. Temeraire raises a militia becomes a colonel and saves them. Rating: 6 (out of 8) |
| Temeraire In the Service of the King | | | [21-Aug-2024]
Temeraire In the Service of the King by Naomi Novik.
Alternate Fantasy: 832 pages.
Volume 1-3 in the series Temeraire.
An alternate Napoleonic War where England has a Royal Flying Corps composed of dragons. A naval officer manages to become the captain of one being sent from China to be Napoleons companion. They eventually travel to China and back. Rating: 7 (out of 8) |
| A Canticle for Leibowitz | | [20-Aug-2024]
by Walter M. Miller, Jr.
Sci-fi: 291 pages
After WWIII a monastery collects information, and has a few miracles. Then the cycle repeats. Rating: 6 (out of 8) |
| Job: A Comedy of Justice | | [14-Aug-2024]
by Robert A. Heinlein
Sci-fi: 311 pages
World shifting retelling of Job with the interference of a Loki like Satan. Rating: 7 (out of 8) |
| Echoes of and Alien Sky | | [01-Aug-2024]
by James P. Hogan
Sci-fi: 422 pages
This had promise, Venusians land on a post apocolyptic earth and start investigating what happened. Then is devolves into interpersonal relationships about characters that are just horribly unentertaining while barely keeping in interesting plot in the background. The world building has promise, the writing doesnt. Rating: 3 (out of 8) |
| Stealers Sky | | | [27-Jul-2024]
Stealers Sky by Robert Lynn Asprin ed..
Fantasy: 240 pages.
Volume 12 in the series Thieves World.
I have nothing to say, I lost interest in the series because too many Cherryh stories and stories about characters I didnt care about. The volumes all run together. Rating: 4 (out of 8) |
| The Magician | | | [18-Jul-2024]
The Magician by Michael Scott.
Fantasy: Contemporary: 464 pages.
Volume 2 in the series The secrets of the immortal Nicolas Flamel.
The twins flee to paris and meet Count St. Germain and Joan of Arc while dealing with Machiavelli. Rating: 5 (out of 8) |
| Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi | | | [09-Jul-2024]
Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi by Aaron Allston.
Sci-fi: 328 pages.
Volume 0 in the series Star Wars.
Some book in the middle of the old Star Wars post rebellion series. Luke has a son and an apprentice, he has been kick out of the Republic, and isnt allowed to teach, meanwhile the Sith are growing in numbers. It made little sense. Rating: 4 (out of 8) |
| The Maya | | [30-Jun-2024]
by Michael D. Coe
History: 320 pages
Not very good for the tenth edition and supposedly best source on the Maya. All it really told me is we know very little about them. Rating: 4 (out of 8) |
| Reading the Maya Glyphs | | [19-Jun-2024]
by Michael D. Coe
Linguistics: 176 pages
Supposedly the best source in reading Maya glyphs. About as good as the Maya history (by the same author as a coauthor). Starts easy then just makes a massive jump into expecting you to have learned what is going on. Its got a lot of material and would make a good reference but its not any good at teaching. Rating: 4 (out of 8) |
| Applied Beekeeping | | [15-Jun-2024]
by David Macfawn
Beekeeping: 320 pages
The collected articles this guy has published over the years. Including the several near duplicate articles. Nothing special. Rating: 4 (out of 8) |
| Deep Sapce | | [05-Jun-2024]
by Robert Silberberg
Sci-fi: 183 pages
Carr, Ellison, Knight, oliver, Vance, Van Vogt. Nothing memorable Rating: 4 (out of 8) |
| The Eccentrics | | | [01-Jun-2024]
The Eccentrics by Tim Akers.
Fantasy: Contemporary: 295 pages.
Volume 3 in the series Knight Watch.
The Knight Watch team up with their steampunk counterparts, to fight vampires. Rating: 5 (out of 8) |
| The Alexiad | | [01-Jun-2024]
by Anna Komnene
History: 584 pages
A biography of Alexios I Komnenos as written by his daughter. Rating: 4 (out of 8) |
| The Alchemyst | | | [10-May-2024]
The Alchemyst by Michael Scott.
Fantasy: Contemporary: 375 pages.
Volume 1 in the series The secrets of the immortal Nicolas Flamel.
Strange but good. Al the characters except the main two are either historical or mythological. John Dee, Nicolas Flamel and the like. Kids get involved in a hidden magical world which of course they are destined to destroy or save. Rating: 5 (out of 8) |
| Uneasy Alliances | | | [20-Apr-2024]
Uneasy Alliances by Robert Lynn Asprin ed..
Fantasy: 258 pages.
Volume 11 in the series Thieves World.
I have nothing to say, I lost interest in the series because too many Cherryh stories and stories about characters I didnt care about. The volumes all run together. Rating: 4 (out of 8) |
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