Reading list 2019

Well here we are again: what appears to be my annual return to blogging, despite my constant teasing at the end of every year that next year might just be the one where I get back to it more consistently. Actually, it's becoming less of a tease and more an outright lie, but hey ho, here we are again. I feel like an A-list star making a cameo appearance on a C-list sitcom.

As is customary at the end of the year, I'm rolling out my reading list, not just because I sincerely hope it will inspire some of you (who am I kidding, dear sole reader) to pick up some of the books on this list, but because it stops me buying the same book each year because the publisher wheels out a version with a jazzy new cover and I'm too stupid to remember I've read it.

I wasn't quite the Olympic-level reader I was last, with 2019 numbering just 82 books to 2018's 92 (what happened last year? Did I do *nothing* else?!); that said, the Tintin boxset I read early in the year was comprised of multiple books each containing three Tintin albums, so if I were to split those up as individual books as they were originally published I would actually have read bang on 100! BOOM - in your face 2018! As usual there were some amazing books, some good books, some OK books, and some occasionally really quite fucking awful books. You'll have to read the list to find out what they were.

So let me don my familiar sexy glasses and tweed jacket with the worn leather elbow patches as I plonk myself into an over-stuffed chair beside a crackling fireplace and regal you with all the books I read this year. As always, I'm grading them from A+ (you fiiiiiine!) to C and below (yo' trash!), and like last year, I won't be providing links to that giant online retailer because a) I can't be arsed, b) buy from book shops and c) I'm google them yourself!

ONWARDS!

01. The Vertical Plane by Ken Webster - An enthralling recollection of events that took place over a period of two years in the author’s life where he received a series of messages pertaining to be from someone in the 16th century. Whether it’s true or not, this is a fascinating book, and the unusual events only get stranger when an unknown entity named 2109 begins to send their own messages: A 

02. The Adventures of Tintin Vol. 3 by Herge - The third book in the beautiful compact boxset contains the following three stories: * The Black Island, in which Tintin and Snowy find themselves in the trail of fake money that leads them to a mysterious castle on a remote island: A * King Ottokar’s Sceptre, where Tintin must retrieve a stolen antiquity to prevent the king of a small country from being deposed: A * The Crab with the Golden Claws, another story in which Tintin finds himself on the tail of opium smugglers, and the first story to introduce Captain Haddock: A

03. The Adventures of Tintin Vol. 4 by Herge - Book four of the Tintin boxset contain: * The Shooting Star, where Tintin leads an expedition to claim a fallen meteorite before a rival team can reach it first: A * The Secret of the Unicorn, in which Tintin tries to unravel the mystery of a missing model ship that holds the clue to locating treasure hidden by Captain Haddock’s ancestor: A * Red Rackham’s Treasure, which follows on directly from The Secret of the Unicorn and tells the tale of Tintin’s expedition to find the missing treasure: A

04. Live Long And... Things I Learned Along the Way by William Shatner - A wonderful book detailing Shatner’s philosophy on life, using instances and examples from his nine decades on this planet. It’s a quick read, packed full of wit, warmth and countless anecdotes brought vividly to life in Shatner’s unmistakable voice. My only complaint is the number of typos that have crept into its pages, but get past those and it’s a treat: A

05. The Adventures of Tintin Vol. 5 by Herge - The three Tintin stories contained in this book are: * The Seven Crystal Balls, in which Tintin investigates how seven members of an expedition to Peru have all been stricken by coma, and how the kidnapping of Professor Calculus ties into the affair: A * Prisoners of the Sun picks up the story as Tintin travels to Peru in search of the missing Calculus. A great conclusion to this two-part adventure: A * Land of the Black Gold, where Tintin’s investigation into petrol contamination leads him to the Middle East and the search for a missing prince. Perhaps not quite as entertaining as the last two stories, but a decent adventure tale nonetheless: B+

06. The Adventures of Tintin Vol. 6 by Herge - This book contains the following stories: * Destination Moon, in which Tintin and the gang prepare themselves for a mission into space. It’s a decent tale, but very much feels like a prelude to the one that follows: B+ * Explorers on the Moon picks up the story, with Tintin and his friends exploring the lunar surface, unaware that a saboteur is hidden aboard their moon rocket. A great continuation that really ramps up the thrills after a relatively uneventful first part. Beautiful artwork, too: A * The Calculus Affair, in which Tintin and Captain Haddock race to save Professor Calculus after he is abducted in order to procure a deadly weapon he has created. A stereotypical Tintin adventure that works well after the epic moon adventure: B+

07. The Adventures of Tintin Vol. 7 by Herge - The penultimate book in the boxset are: * The Red Sea Sharks, in which Tintin and Captain Haddock find themselves embroiled in Middle Eastern coup and a plot to smuggle slaves. Another strong adventure tale: B+ * Tintin in Tibet - apparently Herge’s favourite of his books, this adventure sees Tintin and Captain Haddock travel to Tibet in search of the survivor of a plane crash. A great story, beautifully illustrated - definitely one of the series’ best: A * The Castafiore Emerald - a farcical tale set within Captain Haddock’s country estate that follows efforts to trace a stolen jewel. Broader in comedy than other Tintin stories, and while it’s not one of the best, it’s a decent read: B+

08. The Adventures of Tintin Vol. 8 by Herge - the final book in the complete Tintin boxset contains: * Flight 714 to Sydney, in which Tintin finds himself stranded on a remote island after being caught up in an elaborate plan to steal money from a millionaire. This story introduces extra-terrestrials to the Tintin canon in a brilliantly inventive way: A * Tintin and the Picaros, in which Tintin, Captain Haddock and Professor Calculus become involved in a coup in a South American country. Herge’s last complete story is a typical rollicking Tintin tale with some stunning artwork: A * Tintin and Alph-Art - An incomplete story told in script form and accompanied by early pencil drawings has Tintin investigating the death of an art gallery owner. What exists is a great Tintin story, and shows that Herge was still at the top of his game even at the end of his life. Who knows how he would have resolved this story: A

09. From the Depths edited by Mike Ashley - A British Library collection of spooky maritime stories, featuring everything from weird creatures to ghosts and murderous ships. A Wonderful collection of forgotten stories that I devoured in just a few days: A

10. Haunted Houses by Charlotte Riddell - A British Library book collecting two ghostly novels - Fairy Water and The Uninhabited House - by this forgotten author. The first story I found somewhat unexceptional, with the notion of a haunting being somewhat secondary to a tale of Victorian class principles; the second, in which a young legal clerk resolves to uncover the truth behind a haunted house, was much more enjoyable, however. A good read, but not my favourite in this series: B-

11. Star Trek: Discovery - The Way to the Stars by Una McCormack (Kindle) - The fourth Discovery novel focuses on young Sylvia Tilly, one of the show’s standout characters. Disappointingly, this was the weakest of the series’ books so far. Although the author absolutely nails Tilly’s voice, the first half of the book dragged as it delved into her school life and routine. It picked up in the second half when Tilly leaves school and heads out into space, but the reader is never made to think that there’s any real threat; even then when there is a hint of danger it’s swiftly dealt with (most notably by an ancient alien who starts bantering with Tilly when it discovers she can speak its language). This felt like a young adult short story dragged out to full-length, but lacking the power that many of the YA books I’ve read have possessed in abundance: B-

12. The Outward Urge by John Wyndham and Lucas Parkes - An out of print novel that I sourced online, eventually finding a pristine 57 year-old copy. This book tells the tale in five parts of members of one family who feel the urge to go out into space. A thrilling, brilliant read - I loved this: A

13. The Platform Edge edited by Mike Ashley - Another British Library anthology of weird short stories, this time focusing on spooky train journeys. There are some great stories here - some chilling, others more thought-provoking, but all very effective: A

14. Tintin and Alph-Art by Yves Rodier - Hergé’s final, unfinished Tintin book is brought to completion by Rodier in a self-published volume. The art is startling Hergé-like, if lacking perhaps in a degree of finesse, while Rodier does a good job of giving the story the conclusion it lacked in the notes its creator left following his death. Whether the final product is anything like the way Hergé would’ve actually finished this story will never be known, but Rodier’s interpretation is, I imagine, as good as a final Tintin book will ever get. My only real complaint is that the print on demand publishing results in quite low resolution artwork that mars an otherwise strong volume: A

15. Planet of the Gawfs by Steve Vance - An utterly charming, highly entertaining sci-fi novel from 1978 that I bought second hand off a bookshop on Instagram. Years after a devastating plague swept the Earth, mutated humans are shipped off to a seemingly idyllic distant planet where they can be with their ‘own kind’ - but the reality is they’re dumped there and left to fend for themselves. That is until a group devise a plan to return to Earth. Told in the first person via the brilliantly realised voice of the main character, this was a fun read with a nice line of humour throughout: A

16. Calling Captain Future by Edmond Hamilton - I managed to source online a pristine 1967 paperback of the second Captain Future novel, having read and thoroughly enjoyed the first last year. This second story, in which Captain Future and his team try to stop the dastardly Doctor Zarro from his attempt to seize control of the solar system, is a brilliantly fun romp that takes us from Earth to Mars, and then onto distant Pluto. Inventive and imaginative, this was an utter joy to read: A

17. The Tide Went Out by Charles Eric Maine - This volume in the British Library’s classic science-fiction series is a story about what would happen if all the Earth’s water supplies suddenly vanished. The crisis is seen through the eyes of a journalist who is drafted into the government’s propaganda department and witness to the crumbling of society. A riveting, wonderfully written tale, and one that seems ever more prescient as the effects of climate change and human influence on our planet take hold: A

18. The Mothman Prophecies by John A. Keel (Kindle) - A fascinating exploration of the real life events involving UFOs, strange visitations, men in black and a towering, winged man that preceded the tragic collapse of a bridge in Point Pleasant, West Virginia that claimed dozens of lives in the late 1960s. Though it meandered in places and sometimes felt like the author was trying to fit a number of disperate incidents into the larger story, it was on the whole gripping and terrifying… utterly impossible and yet you can’t help feeling there’s an element of truth to it: B+

19. Jack of Hearts (And Other Parts) by L.C. Rosen (Kindle) - Jack is a confident, outgoing gay teenager who finds himself writing a sex column for his friend’s website, only for the column to attract the attention of a mysterious admirer who soon becomes a stalker. A good read, with some strong characters, and the identity of the stalker kept me guessing right up until the end. I enjoyed this: B+

20. The Darkest of Nights by Charles Eric Maine - Another British Library reprint of an apocalyptic tale by this author, and another brilliant read. In this book, Maine tells the tale of civilisation’s fall after a deadly virus sweeps the planet. It’s a thrilling story and hard to believe it’s almost 60 years old: A 21. The Face in the Glass by Mary Elizabeth Braddon - A collection of gothic tales, some of which I enjoyed thoroughly, others which dragged somewhat. For the most part a decent read, though: B-

22. Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury - I’ve been meaning to read this classic tale of a dark carnival arriving in a small American tale for years, and for the most part it didn’t disappoint. Bradbury’s style of writing is unique and not always the easiest to read, but I enjoyed the spooky horrors faced by young Jim and Will when they encounter Mr. Dark’s circus. Worth noting that I read this as a Folio Society edition - a beautiful slipcased book with stunning illustrations: B+

21. The Face in the Glass by Mary Elizabeth Braddon - A collection of gothic tales, some of which I enjoyed thoroughly, others which dragged somewhat. For the most part a decent read, though: B-

23. Tales From The Loop by Simon Stålenhag - A large, oversized coffee table book that showcases the author’s stunning artworks of strange machines in beautiful landscapes. Around these images he spins a tale of a young boy growing up in a world that’s becoming stranger and more dangerous. A fantastic book - the story is small in scale and personal, while the art is simply jaw-dropping: A

24. Things From The Flood by Simon Stålenhag - The follow up to Tales From The Loop sees ever stranger incidents happening in the landscape of The Loop, and our protagonist moving into his teenage years. More stunning artwork and a thrilling expansion of the ideas set forth in the first book: A

25. The Electric State by Simon Stålenhag - Although similar in concept to Stålenhag’s two previous books, his latest one takes place in a America and follows a girl’s cross country journey amid a landscape of towering robots. An even stronger narrative than Tales From The Loop and Things From The Flood, with a heartbreaking conclusion I did not see coming. This is a brilliant book: A+

26. Star Trek: The Next Generation - Possession by J.M. Dillard and Kathleen O’Malley (Kindle) - This sequel to Dillard’s earlier TOS novel, Demons, sees the malevolent brings that once almost seized control of the planet Vulcan takeover the crew of the Enterprise-D. Something of a disappointment, this novel never really feels like it gets going and generally underwhelms: C+

27. The Art of John Carter by Josh Kushins - I’ve long wanted to read this visual guide to one of my favourite movies, and finally managed to get my hands on a copy. Packed full of gorgeous artwork and interviews with the creative team responsible for the design of the film, this was well worth the wait: A

28. The Nest by Gregory A. Douglas - The first in a subscription series of five ‘Paperbacks from Hell’, this novel tells the story of an outbreak of giant mutated cockroaches on a island off the U.S. coastline. Not the best novel ever written, but the stereotypical characters and outlandish plot are all part of its charm. A thoroughly enjoyable horror read: A-

29. The Dangerous Journey by Tove Jansson - A children’s picture book, yes, but one I felt compelled to read as it was Jansson’s final Moomins book. It’s a slight volume, but a beautifully illustrated one as a young girl named Susanna finds herself transported to Moominvalley and into the heart of danger and adventure. Joyful: A

30. Garfield: Complete Works Vol. 2 by Jim Davis - Another collection of Garfield strips, this time spanning 1980 and 1981, and a reminder of just how amusing these early years of the fat orange cat were: A

31. Star Trek: Enterprise - The First Adventure by Vonda N. McIntyre - A novel detailing Captain Kirk’s first mission aboard the Enterprise should be a rollicking great adventure, but this is a disappointment. The normally professional crew members of the Starship Enterprise come across as bitchy and unable to do their jobs, and for the first 200 pages they have nothing more to do than ferry a vaudeville act through space. When something does happen in the last 140 pages it’s just underwhelming. A huge disappointment: C

32. Dick Tracy Vol. 4 by Chester Gould - The fourth volume collecting all the old Tracy newspaper strips features more serialised crime-busting by the famed detective, but also marks the first appearance of one of the grotesque villains that will ultimately become the series’ trademark - in this instance, the faceless villain known as The Blank. Hugely enjoyable: A

33. When Darkness Love Us by Elizabeth Engstrom - the second book in the ‘Paperbacks from Hell’ subscription series is a book containing two stories, both of which deal with women finding themselves in horrific circumstances. The first sees a woman called Sally-Ann trapped in an underground labyrinth for years, while the second sees a mentally challenged woman start to emerge from the darkness of her own mind. Both, inevitably, become the monsters of their own stories, and both are stories worth reading. I thoroughly enjoyed this book: A

34. Dick Tracy Vol. 5 by Chester Gould - Another collection of newspaper strips from the late 1930s see Tracy on the hunt for ever more nefarious villains. This volume sees more improvements in Gould’s artwork and in the nature of his storytelling. A joy: A

35. Star Trek: Yesterday’s Son by A.C. Crispin - A semi-sequel to the classic episode All our Yesterdays, this novel sees Spock discovering that his brief trip 5000 years into the past of the planet Sarpeidon resulted in the birth of a son, and he resolved to go back and rescue him. A thoroughly entertaining book that feels like an episode of the original series inbound by the limits of a television budget: A

36. Menace of the Machine edited by Mike Ashley - The latest collection from the British Library’s science fiction classics range features stories based around artificial intelligence. There’s some real gems in here, from authors both familiar and unknown: A

37. Dick Tracy: Dead or Alive - A new original Dick Tracy graphic novel that serves as something of a reboot of Chester Gould’s classic comic strip. Overall, this was a bit of a disappointment. The story was simplistic, lacking the depth and twists that Gould weaved into his own tales, while the artwork was similarly unappealing. A missed opportunity: B-

38. Dick Tracy Vol. 6 by Chester Gould - More adventures for Gould’s crimefighter. While the artwork starts to more closely resemble the familiar style that would become Gould’s trademark on the series, the stories in this volume are not quite as brilliant as those of the last. Riveting entertainment nonetheless: B+

39. The Reaping by Bernard Taylor - Book three in my ‘Paperbacks from Hell’ subscription is the story of a painter who is hired to paint a portrait at a secluded country house, only to discover there’s more to his being hired and it has something to do with some creepy nuns scurrying around in the gardens… A really good book - no sudden horror scares, just a quietly building sense of dread as events unfold. Reminded me a lot of Jonathan Aycliffe’s stories: A

40. The Mexican by Robert Westbrook - I never knew there was a novelisation of The Mexican, one of my favourite films, so after discovering that it existed I hunted a copy down. A quick, easy read that perfectly captures the fun of the film - thoroughly enjoyable: A

41. Dick Tracy Vol. 7 by Chester Gould - Another collection of classic newspaper strips featuring the heroic detective, with famed villains including The Mole and B.B. Eyes featuring. Very enjoyable, although not the strongest stories of the series so far: A

42. Kill Creek by Scott Thomas - A brilliant horror novel in which four horror writers are brought together for an interview in a supposedly haunted house… only to find that there’s a truth to stories about the house. A brilliant page-turner with some strong supernatural moments: A

43. Dick Tracy Vol. 8 by Chester Gould - This volume hits a rich seam of classic Tracy stories, with villains including Pruneface and Flattop making their debut. A great volume: A

44. The Weird Tales of William Hope Hodgson edited by Xavier Aldana Reyes – The latest collection in the British Library’s spooky classics range focuses on stories by the creator of Carnacki. There are some good tales here, but reading Hodgson’s work in a collection highlights how formulaic he was in his storytelling and ultimately I became a little bored towards the end: B

45. Star Trek: The Next Generation - Terra Incognita - The latest collection of comics dealing with the mirror universe versions of the TNG crew sees the mirror Reg Barclay infiltrating the Enterprise-D. It’s a solid read and very well illustrated, but a bit aimless - the mirror plotline feels like it falls by the wayside for a few issues to the point that the mirror Barclay doesn’t appear much. The events of the final chapter boost excitement levels, but very much leave this volume feeling like a prelude to something bigger that’s still to come: B+

46. Alien Echo by Mira Grant - A new young adult novel set in the Alien universe. It’s a decent enough story, but one that lacks a certain something. The Alien doesn’t arrive until 100 pages in, and when it does there’s a lot of repetition in the description. Add to that some overly familiar YA story tropes constantly being rolled out (the young protagonist constantly thinks about kissing her girlfriend even while the Alien pursues them) means that this book falls down compared to much more intricately plotted fare such as the Illuminae trilogy. Fun, but could’ve been better: B

47. E.T. The Book of the Green Planet by William Kotzwinkle - A novel sequel to the Spielberg blockbuster. I’ve wanted to read this for years, so tracked down a copy and bought it. And its… an odd book. At times a child’s book, at others peculiarly adult, with a plot that’s not always easy to follow as E.T., demoted and shamed following his exploits on Earth, seeks a way to get back to his beloved Elliot – now a troubled teen experiencing the first pangs of puberty. It’s not a great book, but it’s strangely compelling in places, and the ending is unexpectedly good: B

48. The Tribe by Bari Wood - The fourth book in the Paperbacks from Hell series and the one I’ve enjoyed least. A decent premise - former captives of a Jewish concentration camp bring a golem to life in 1980s New York - never really feels like it ever comes to life. I didn’t really feel like I liked the characters, and the conclusion felt rushed and convenient: B-

49. The Spirit by Thomas Page - The fifth and final book of this Paperbacks from Hell subscription is a tale of two men’s obsession with tracking a Bigfoot across the U.S. A decent read, but it didn’t always hold my attention as some of the earlier books in the subscription did: B

50. The End of the World edited by Mike Ashley - A collection of classic stories focusing on world-ending scenarios. There’s some great tales included here - I rattled through this book in just a few days: A

51. Alien: Isolation by Keith R.A. DeCandido - A novelisation of the acclaimed Alien video game in which Ellen Ripley’s daughter sets out in search of her missing mother only to find the deadly xenomorph. It’s a quick and entertaining read that I enjoyed for the most part, although there were additional storylines used to expand the book that felt somewhat shoehorned in, and sections of the book read very much like an explanation of how you would progress in the game. A solid read nonetheless: B+

52. The Enterprise War by John Jackson Miller (Kindle) - A new Star Trek: Discovery novel that explains just where Captain Pike’s Enterprise was during the Klingon war of the TV series’ first season. Of all the Discovery novels so far, this is perhaps my favourite: a good story, a real sense of threat, some great action sequences and a strong tie-in to the events of season two. Not perfect, but a good read: A-

53. Trolls by Stefan Spjut (Kindle) - A sequel to Stallo, a wonderful novel I read a few years ago about missing children and trolls in Sweden. This books picks up some of the characters from the earlier novel 10 years later, and adds werewolves into the mix. Not quite as engaging as the original, but an entertaining and subdued horror nonetheless: B+

54. Alien 3: The Unproduced Screenplay - A graphic novel adaptation of William Gibson’s script for the third Alien movie. Hugely different to the film we ended up with, this story focuses more on the characters of Hicks and Bishop and sees the alien loose on two different space stations. My issues with this are less to do with the adaptation - the artwork is fine - and more to do with a story I found serviceable if less than compelling; the actual Alien 3 movie that we got is a far superior (if itself, flawed) story: B

55. Dick Tracy Vol. 9 by Chester Gould - The next book in the comprehensive collection of Tracy newspaper strips features some of the character’s best storylines and most iconic villains, from Flattop to The Brow – the latter of which is a personal favourite – to Shaky and Breathless Mahony: A

56. The Question Mark by Muriel Jaeger - A 20th century man finds himself awakening in the utopian civilisation of the 22nd century, but all is not as it seems. An interesting story, but one that failed to fully engage me: B-

57. Wild Harbour by Ian McPherson - A couple retreat to the Scottish highlands fearing that war is closing in on them, but as the months pass their hideaway becomes threatened. A good read, but not one I’m sure falls within the realm of the British Library science-fiction classics it’s published under. Tense and unnerving, nonetheless: B

58. Doorway to Dilemma edited by Mike Ashley - A British Library collection of dark fantasy short stories, and the volume of this series I’ve connected with the least. There are some decent tales within, but the title of dark fantasy almost feels a little misleading: B-

59. To be Taught if Fortunate by Becky Chambers (Kindle) - A new novella from the author of the acclaimed Wayfarer series, and the first set outside of its continuity. The book follows four astronauts on a decades long mission to explore four alien worlds, the changes made to them to ensure their ability to survive their mission, and the possibility of how humanity has moved on without them. Short but brilliantly told - Chambers’ best book since The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet: A

60. The Black Cloud by Fred Hoyle (Kindle) - A 1958 ‘hard’ science-fiction novel thy explores humanity’s response to a massive cloud that obscures the sun. A highly acclaimed novel, but for me this is definitely a book of its time - too dense in places, limited characterisations and lacking that special something that would really pull me in: B

61. Dark Sublime by Michael Dennis - The script of this play that ran at Trafalgar Studios over the summer months gives me an additional opportunity to appreciate its story, with time to linger on dialogue I may have missed at the theatre. It’s a terrifically enjoyable, witty and emotional piece that focuses on the former star of a 1970s science-fiction show, her relationship with her best friend, and a young fan that comes into her life: A

62. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz - The complete collected edition of Schwartz’s scary stories. Intended primarily for children these stories are slight and not terribly scary for adult readers, but remain entertaining and the illustrations are gorgeous: B+

63. Dick Tracy Vol. 10 by Chester Gould - The master detective battles villains Itchy and Influence in this collection, which also sees the debut of the iconic two-way wrist radio beloved of Tracy fans: A 

64. Evil Roots edited by Daisy Butcher - A British Library collection of weird tales focusing on the botanical gothic. There are some good stories here, but also a couple that have already appeared in previous volumes, and on the whole this was one of the less engaging volumes in the series for me: B-

65. Pumpkin Heads by Rainbow Rowell; illustrated by Faith Erin Hicks - A graphic novel telling the tale of Josiah and Deja as they work their last shift at a pumpkin patch theme park before going to college. An utterly charming, quick and easy read - thoroughly enjoyable: A

66. Fury from the Tomb by S.A. Sidor - A retro pulp novel in which an Egyptologist is recruited to find a lost tomb and transport the mummies within back to the United States - only to find he unleashes an incredible evil instead. A terrifically fun book - great characters, humour, a riveting story and a stunning cover; I loved this: A

67. The Beast of Nightfall Lodge by S.A. Sidor - A fantastic follow-up to Fury from the Tomb that sees Romulus Hardy reunite with his companions from that book to track down a monster lose on an isolated mountain. An equally thrilling adventure to its predecessor that does everything you’d want from a sequel while adding more layers to the characters and leaving the door open for further adventures. A highly recommended pulp read: A

68. Menace of the Monster edited by Mike Ashley - A British Library collection of sci-fi monster stories, containing some wonderful tales. Thoroughly enjoyable: A

69. Supermarket by Bobby Hall - The debut novel from rapper Logic is about an aspiring author who takes a job in a supermarket to gather ideas for his first book, only to find his main character taking over his life. A dark comedy with hints of Fight Club, this was an engrossing, well thought out story and genuinely brilliant debut; Logic also released a soundtrack to accompany the book that I also recommend highly: A

70. Black Ambrosia by Elizabeth Engstrom - The first book in Valancourt Books’ second wave of Paperbacks from Hell. This was a slow burner for me; initially I wasn’t too into it, but as this story of a young woman turning to vampiric ways unfolded I became increasingly enamoured of it as it built to a wonderful conclusion: B+

71. Star Trek: The Q Conflict - A graphic novel that sees the crews of the original series, TNG, DS9 and Voyager brought together at the whim of the omnipotent Q. It’s a lot of fun, but ultimately few of the expansive cast get a moment to shine and there feels little sense of an actual threat. Worth a read though, and the artwork is gorgeous: B+

72. Dick Tracy Forever by Michael Avon Oeming - Collected edition of the recent four issue comic series in which Tracy is tasked with bringing down a crime ring that hacks rich people’s minds. An odd one, this; the art is great, but the story, which takes Tracy into the future, seems at odds with Chester Gould’s original setting for the famed detective. Better than the Dead or Alive paperback I read earlier in the year (no. 37 on this list) but still lacking something: B

73. Maria M by Gilbert Hernandez - A new graphic novel that collects the original Maria M book and the never before published second volume. Not one of Beto’s best works, but it’s still a good read, as the titular character moves to the States and becomes embroiled in mob affairs: B+

74. The OC: The Outsider - Decided to revisit one of my favourite TV shows via this novelisation that encompasses the first seven episodes of the debut season. It’s a perfectly serviceable adaptation, but one that lacks the flair and humour of the show itself: B-

75. Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Missions Continue - Huge hardback collection featuring a number of IDW’s TNG comic miniseries. Only one of the included stories (‘Ghosts’) fails to impress, all the others are beautifully illustrated and brilliantly told: A

76. Penguin Highway by Tomihiko Morimi - A young Japanese boy tries to work out why his home town is being invaded by hordes of penguins, while also investigating a mysterious woman, a strange sphere in the forest, and avoiding the attention of the school bully. A terrific book that translates that 80s Amblin movie vibe into a Japanese setting, like Strange Things with penguins. Kooky, endearing, and beautifully told: A

77. The Adventure of the Peculiar Protocals by Nicholas Meyer - A simply brilliant new entry in Meyer’s series of Sherlock Holmes pastiches that began in the 1970s with The Seven Per Cent Solution. Here, Holmes and Watson are tasked with discrediting The Protocals of the Learned Elders of Zion, a document that suggests a plot to takeover the world. Wonderfully written and clearly exhaustively researched, the tale weaves Holmes into - frighteningly - actual events that unfolded in 1905. A fantastic read, and I can only hope Meyer will follow it with further tales of the great detective: A+

78. Ghost Train by Stephen Laws - A horror novel about an ancient evil seeking to enter our world through the train tracks running the length of the UK, and the one man who can stop it. A slow burner, and one I struggled to get into initially, but things pick up in the latter part of the book. A decent horror read, if not as exceptional as I’d hoped: B

79. Detective Comics 1000 - Yes, it’s a comic book, but it’s a big one and DC are actually selling it as a hardback deluxe edition, so I’m classing it as a book. This celebratory 1000th issue presents short Batman stories by some of the industry’s finest writers and artists. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, but on the whole enjoyable: B

80. Almost Midnight by Rainbow Rowell - A wee little book containing two of the author’s festive themed short stories, one set around New Years and the other around the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens in 2015. Utterly charming tales - I thoroughly enjoyed: A

81. Alien Next Door by Joey Spiotto - A fun picture book in which the deadly Alien from the films is placed in domestic situations. Beautifully illustrated and fun: A

82. Batman: The 1989 Movie Adaptation Deluxe Edition - Gorgeous new hardback edition of the comic book adaptation of Tim Burton’s classic movie. Original inked art sits alongside the finished pages, giving a never before seen insight into the creative process, and this remains one of the very best movie-to-comic works I’ve ever read: A+ 83

So there we have it - 82 books (or 100 if you want to cheekily count the Tintins as individual stories. And already 2020 is looking like a stellar year for me - I've got a huge stash of books waiting to be read, including 17 more Dick Tracy collections and a massive wedge of paperbacks. And that's before I even take the books I've written on my special list of 'books I want to read'. Seriously, someone needs to employ me as a professional reader. I promise I'll wear the tweed jacket everyday, and I might even pop on a bow tie or something.

ANYWAY. That was 2019. A new year awaits, so time for me to wish you all (sole reader) a Happy New Year!

And maybe/possibly/definitely* not a return to blogging!

*delete as appropriate, we can discuss this time next year