I know, since I stopped writing this blog so regularly, it's the time that many of you fire-up the dial-up and hang off your screechy modems with expectation to a) know that I'm still alive and b) find out what incredible books I've been devouring this year (I don't mean that literally; 2020 has not quite reached the stage where I'm eating books to survive, and let's hope that trend continues into the new year. Mind you, if it doesn't at least my pantry is well-stocked).
This year has been an interesting one for books. I've been continuing with the huge Dick Tracy collections (I have a complete library to date, with one more to come in the new year, but have yet to read half of them) and also found myself retreating into more sci-fi than normal, perhaps, as a psychologist might suggest, in response to the utter world-wide cluster-fuck that was taking place outside my front door. I also started picking up a lot of books – mostly movie novelisations, as my regret at giving loads away 15 years ago leads me to start rebuilding my collection – from a brilliant website called All Data is Lost, which deals in secondhand books, most of which are in stupendously good condition at decent prices. Honourable mention too, to Blindspot Distro, another online second-hand bookshop which sadly closed its digital doors just a few weeks ago.
That being the case, if you do look down this list and something catches your eye, apologies if it's a daft sci-fi book from the 1960s that is nigh-on impossible to get your grubby mits on now. And no, you can't borrow mine. Timmy doesn't lend books.
Weirdly, given the fact that I've spent a decent chunk of this year with nothing to do BUT read books, I actually ended up reading only one more than last year: 83 vs 82 (let's put that down to book four on the following list, which was a hefty 750 pages long). That said, I did do a load of work for a lovely publisher this year that required me to read a number of classic books as part of their line of gorgeous collectible classics, so to that 83 we can add: a collection of Hans Christian Anderson tales, Frankenstein, Jekyll and Hyde, Peter Pan, The Jungle Book and a whole host of short story anthologies. I'm not going to grade them along with my regular reads because I worked on them, but they're obviously all A+ and you should all go and buy them.
ANYWAY. Let's not faff about any longer. I'll put on my sexy glasses and moth-eaten tweed jacket with the leather elbow patches (I really should get a new one after all these years), pour myself a drink (it's chocolate milkshake masquerading as whiskey) and settle into an over-stuffed armchair and prepare to regal you with my books of the year. As usual, I'm grading on a sliding scale of A+ (smouldering kissy face expression) to C and below (puckered up face like a dog's bottom). I'm not providing links because a) it takes an age to cut and paste and b) you've all got google at your fingertips so stop being so lazy. As always, if there is anything you like the look of, I'd encourage you to buy from an actual book shop, whether in-person or online, rather than a giant all-seeing behemoth.
LET'S DO THIS!
02. The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy - A simply gorgeous picture book suitable for - and should be enjoyed by - all ages. Full of sumptuous artwork and life-affirming words, I’m not ashamed to say this brought a tear to my eye. Beautiful: A+
03. The Enemy Stars by Poul Anderson - A terrific science fiction novel in which four men are transported to a distant spaceship to continue a decades-long mission of exploration, only for events to take a turn for the worse, potentially leaving them stranded far away from home. I thoroughly enjoyed this book - made even more special by reading a 1958 first edition of it: A
04. The Company of the Dead by David J. Kowalski - A huge 750 page novel where a time traveller’s efforts to prevent the sinking of the Titanic results in an alternate reality where Germany and Japan rule the world, and a handful of operatives from the Confederate States of America assign themselves the task of restoring history to its correct path by going back to that fateful night in April 1912. Meandering at times, but on the whole an utterly gripping story: A-
05. Star Trek: Discovery - Dead Endless by Dave Galanter (Kindle) - A new tie-in novel to Discovery, this one focusing on Stamets and Culber, taking place after the good doctor’s death in season one and before his discovery in the Mycelial plane in season two. It’s a decent enough tale, with the relationship between the two men explored well, but the overall story felt slight and it took a while to really get my attention: B
06. Star Trek: Year Five - Odyssesy’s End - The first volume collecting issues of the new comic series that explores the final year of the Starship Enterprise’s five year mission under Captain Kirk. Great art and storytelling help bring these new adventures of the original crew to life - can’t wait for the next volume: A
07. Star Trek: Picard - The Last Best Hope by Una McCormack (Kindle) - The first tie-in novel to the latest Star Trek series and a brilliant read that dovetails beautifully into what we’ve seen of the television show so far (episode four at the time of writing). The book deftly explores a number of storylines, from Picard’s mission to save the Romulan people from the imminent destruction of their home world’s star to the politic machinations taking place on Earth and throughout the Federation at the time. An absolute page-turner, and one of the finest Trek novels I’ve read in years: A
08. Nightshade and Damnations by Gerald Kersh - A wonderful collection of short stories from this somewhat forgotten master of the art. There’s a wide variety of tales contained within, ranging from science-fiction to horror and mystery, but they all share one trait - they are beautifully written and utterly enthralling: A
09. Moomin: The Deluxe Lars Jansson Edition - A massive hardback collection of Moomin comic strips written and illustrated by Lars Jansson after he took over work on the strip from his sister, Moomin creator Tove. Despite the change in creator, there’s no obvious difference in the strip itself - the art remains clean and precise, and the stories fun and engaging: A
10. The Conference of the Birds by Ransom Riggs - The fifth novel of the Miss Peregrine’s series picks up directly from the events of the last book, A Map of Days, with main character Jacob having rescued a new Peculiar named Noor from sudden death. An enjoyable addition to an engaging series: A
11. Star Trek: The Motion Picture by Gene Roddenberry - A 40th anniversary edition of the novelisation of the first Star Trek movie. I read this just a couple of years ago as an eBay-sourced paperback, and nothing changes in this new version - it remains a decent read, ably transferring the not-quite-so-well-loved film to prose form, and adding some lovely additional scenes and insight in the process. It’s also surprisingly randy, bearing in mind the film definitely wasn’t! Enjoyable: A
12. Beyond Time edited by Mike Ashley - A British Library short story collection featuring tales about time travel. There are some really good stories included in this volume, many of which are from lesser-known writers. A good read: A-
13. Nightblood by T. Chris Martindale - One of Valancourt Books' second wave of Paperbacks from Hell, this long-out-of-print horror novel finds a monster-hunting Vietnam veteran (and the ghost of his brother) arriving in a small American town that is overcome by a wave of vampires. A fun read, but one that took me longer to get through than I thought it would: B+
14. A Nest of Nightmares by Lisa Tuttle - Another Paperback from Hell, this time a collection of short stories. Not necessarily traditional ‘spooky’ horror tales, many of these stories tread a more psychological line, and are all the more enjoyable for it: A-
15. Let’s Go Play at the Adams’ by Mendal W. Johnson - Another Paperback from Hell, this time a novel about a group of children taking their babysitter hostage and torturing her over the course of several days. Truly gripping, terrifying, and shocking, this was a book I couldn’t put down: A
16. The Pack by David Fisher - The last book in this run of Paperbacks from Hell, Fisher’s novel sees a New York couple take their children to an isolated island to see the husband’s elderly parents, only to discover the island has been overrun by a pack of bloodthirsty dogs. One of the shortest books in this collection, and also one of the best - a gripping, fun read: A
17. Tales of the Tattooed edited by John Miller - A British Library ‘Tales of the Weird’ short story collection focusing on stories featuring tattoos. For the most part a decent read - particularly the novella-length ‘The Tattooed Eye’ - but I do question whether this should fall under the Tales of the Weird umbrella when most of the stories are actually crime drama featuring tattooed characters, rather than fantasy or horror as I expected them to be: B+
18. Star Trek: Discovery - Aftermath - A fun, if short, graphic novel detailing Captain Pike and Lt. Spock’s efforts to negotiate a lasting peace with the Klingons following the conclusion of Discovery’s second season. Includes a decent Captain Saru back-up story: B+
19. Star Trek: The Klingon Gambit by Robert E. Vardeman - A classic Star Trek novel in which Captain Kirk and his crew start to experience personality changes while trying to protect a Federation archeology team from Klingon attention. A quick read, but a decent tale: B+
20. Star Trek: The Unsettling Stars by Alan Dean Foster (Kindle) - The first Star Trek novel set in the Kelvin Universe of the JJ Abrams movies finally sees publication after a decade on hold. It’s a good read, with Kirk and his crew facing the question of what to do with a ship of alien refugees. Foster handles the nu-Trek crew well, with the voices of Chris Pine et al coming across clearly, while the plot takes some interesting twists and turns along the way: A
21. Bowie’s Books by John O’Connell - A fascinating book listing David Bowie’s 100 essential reads. I’ve always been unsure about books that are about other books, but this is a brilliant read; concise, thought-provoking and littered with snippets of obscure trivia about the great man himself. Loved this: A
22. Dick Tracy Vol. 11 By Chester Gould - A thoroughly enjoyable collection of the great detectives daily newspaper stories; aside from Mumbles, there are no really memorable villains from Tracy’s rogues gallery in this volume, but that doesn’t detract from the fun one bit: A
23. Licensed to Revolt by C.D. Payne (Kindle) - The ninth book in the Youth in Revolt series. After loving the earlier books in this long-running series, I’d vowed to stop reading newer instalments after the previous volume left me a little underwhelmed. But for little more than a couple of quid on Kindle I thought I’d jump back in. Licensed to Revolt continues the story of original series star Nick Twisp’s teenage son, also called Nick, as he negotiates teenage life in Los Angeles; as expected it does not mark a return to the laugh out loud hilarity of the earlier books, while too many similar characters, rather too much continuity and too little in the way of memorable plot left me feeling a little cold. There’s still a charm to it, and Payne’s style can still raise a smile, but
it does now seem a little too formulaic: B
24. Star Trek: World Without End by Joe Haldeman - A fantastic Trek novel from the late 1970s. This was Haldeman’s second Star Trek tale, and one apparently he wasn’t terribly enthusiastic about writing; but that doesn’t come across in this tale of the Enterprise encountering a massive generational ship from which there seems to be no escape: A
25. Star Trek: Planet of Judgment by Joe Haldeman - The author’s first Trek novel is a story of the Enterprise discovering a mysterious world inhabited by powerful telepathic beings who must prepare Captain Kirk and his crew for the coming of a deadly invasion force. Only 150 pages long, but this packs a punch - great characterisation and a gripping story. It’s a shame Haldeman didn’t write more than these two Trek books: A
26. Revolting Obsessions by C.D. Payne (Kindle) - Book 10 in the Youth in Revolt series continues the misadventures of Nick Twisp II. My comments for the previous book apply here - it’s a breezy, mildly amusing read, but not one that really feels as if it has a discernible plot, rather a series of incidents loosely strung together. So, lacking the joy of the earlier books in the series, but diverting enough: B
27. Fight Club 3 by Chuck Palahniuk; art by Cameron Stewart - The third instalment in Palahniuk’s Fight Club series, and the second as a graphic novel. Lovely artwork, but the story - something about the coming of a new messiah - wasn’t always terribly easy to follow. That said, I enjoyed it: B
28. Captain Future in Love by Allen Steele (Kindle) - Author Steele returns to the character of Captain Future, created by Edmund Hamilton during the pulp sci-fi era of the 1930s/40s, after his book Avengers of the Moon from a few years back. The first in a series of shorter, linked novellas, this tale sees Captain Future stopping an attack on a station orbiting Venus, while elsewhere in the solar system a masked villain sets a plan in motion. Short, but great fun; Steele has a wonderful handle on these characters and it’s a joy to see them in new adventures: A
29. Captain Future: The Guns of Pluto by Allen Steele (Kindle) - Picking straight up where the last book left off, this second instalment of new Captain Future adventures sees the action move to Pluto, where the masked villain and his devious plan are revealed. A great story, but there were some noticeable errors in this book that should have been picked up in an editorial check (most noticeably a character mistakenly noted in one scene where he wasn’t present, and a fair few typos); still they didn’t detract too much, and I can’t wait to see where the story goes next: A
30. Dick Tracy Vol. 12 by Chester Gould - A very difficult volume to get hold of, this one. It was a rather large gap in my Dick Tracy collection until one popped up on eBay at an unexpectedly reasonable price. And it proves to be another solid collection of newspaper strips that see the daring detective battling more classic villains from his rogues gallery: A
31. Revolting Relations by C.D. Payne (Kindle) - Apparently the final book in the Youth in Revolt series, and much the same as its last few predecessors. A new aspect here is Nick Twisp II’s ability to hear his baby brother Teejay’s volatile thoughts - think something along the lines of Stewie in Family Guy - but while amusing this isn’t given much prominence. Enjoyable, but far from the series’ best: B
32. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier by J.M. Dillard - On a whim I decided to pick up hardback editions of the Star Trek movies. Having not read this book in 30 years, I was pleased to discover once again how good a job Dillard made of this novelisation. Key moments from the movie are expanded upon, and extra scenes included that bring more excitement and understanding to the fifth film’s story. While the movie of The Final Frontier is generally regarded as one of the franchise’s weakest instalments, this book is a true gem: A
32. Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea by Theodore Sturgeon - I’ve long wanted to get my hands on a copy of this book, due in part to fond memories of the TV show, but also because I love the artwork used on the front cover. Secondhand editions were either exorbitantly expensive or hugely tatty, until I found a mint copy on eBay that was reasonably priced. I’ve not seen the film this is based on in years, but Sturgeon’s writing makes this a strong read in its own right: A
34. Sarek by A.C. Crispin (Kindle) - I’ve meant to read this story of Spock’s father uncovering a secret conspiracy in the wake of the events of Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country for over 20 years now, and finally got around to it. It’s an enjoyable enough story, but not as hugely compelling as I’d hoped nor as insightful of his relationship with Spock’s mother Amanda, but it’s saved by Crispin having a beautiful hold on Sarek’s voice: B
35. Corpus Earthling by Louis Charbonneau (Kindle) - A classic sci-fi novel in which a man hears the telepathic voices of Martians planning to take over the Earth. It takes a while to get going, but the conclusion is a taut exercise in building tension. A good read: A-
36. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan by Vonda N. McIntyre - Another hardback edition of one of the Star Trek movie novelisations. It’s been years since I last read McIntyre’s prose version of what’s widely regarded as the best Trek movie, and it was a real pleasure to enjoy it all over again. What could have been a by-the-book offering is instead a gripping, well-written page-turner packed out with expanded and additional scenes that give added dimensions to what’s seen in the film. A real example of how a novelisation can enhance its source material. Masterful: A+
37. Star Trek III: The Search for Spock by Vonda N. McIntyre - Picking up the baton from where she left it at the end of Star Trek II, McIntyre’s work on the sequel gives no indication that two years passed between writing this book and the previous one. Once again she includes extra scenes that bring real value to the story – in particular more of McCoy’s descent into madness as Spock’s katra takes hold of his mind, while Carol Marcus’s absence, which is completely ignored in the film, is more fittingly explained. Another brilliantly written novelisation: A+
38. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home by Vonda N. McIntyre - Completing the trilogy that began with The Wrath of Khan and continued in The Search for Spock, McIntyre’s third Star Trek movie novelisation is another treat. Again, she picks up the storyline we’re all familiar with from the film and imbues it with additional touches, scenes and moments that bring it to life on the printed page. A wonderful read: A+
39. Star Trek: The Eugenics War Vol. 1 by Greg Cox - A book I’ve had a copy of for years, but have never read. I thought I’d give this a go to see how Khan’s backstory is brought to life in this first book of a trilogy of novels. For the most part it’s a good story, with Gary Seven and Roberta Lincoln from the episode Assignment: Earth taking the lead in a story that deals with genetic manipulation in the 1970s. Attempts to tie-in moments and characters from other Trek series – such as Gillian Taylor from Star Trek IV and Shannon O’Donnell from the Voyager episode 11:59 – are not always successful, running the gamut from fun to distracting fan service, but on the whole this is an enjoyable book: B
40. Devolution by Max Brooks (Kindle) - The author of World War Z, a book I adored years ago, returns with a novel about a Bigfoot attack on an isolated eco-community. It’s good fun, the tension building slowly in the first 100 pages before things really get going – so much so that I whipped through it in just a few days. While not quite hitting the giddy heights of WWZ, Devolution is still worth a go: B+
41. Dick Tracy Vol. 13 by Chester Gould - The thirteenth collection of Tracy newspaper strips spans the first two years of the 1950s and includes villains such as TV Wiggles and Crewy Lou, as well as the birth of the famed detective’s daughter Bonny Braids. A strong collection: A
42. Aliens vs Predator: The Complete Original Series - A 30th anniversary collection of the original Aliens vs Predator comic book series in which the two alien species fight it out on a desert planet that’s home to a human colony. I’ve not read this in, well, 30 years and was delighted to find it’s as enjoyable as I remember it being. If only the movies had been based off it: A
43. Dick Tracy Vol. 14 by Chester Gould - Picking straight off where the previous volume left off, this book continues the Crewy Lou storyline before moving into an epic nine-month long caper involving a singer turned criminal named Tonsils. Great fun: A
44. Star Trek: The Eugenics War Vol. 2 by Greg Cox (Kindle) - Continuing the story of Khan’s rise to power and ultimate downfall begun in the first book, volume 2 sees Roberta Lincoln and Gary Seven once more try to quash the genetically enhanced superhumans in place around the world. Less enjoyable than the first book, this volume seemed to drag in places, and appeared rather more slavish to attempts to tie in with real life events. Add in what feels like a rushed conclusion and unsatisfying resolution of the B-storyline featuring Captain Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise and this book really does feel like the middle part of the trilogy it is part of. Still, all the pieces are in place for the last book in the series: B-
45. Stage Fright by Garrett Boatman - The latest in Valancourt Books’ Paperbacks from Hell range is the story of a superstar dreamer who projects his wildest thoughts on stage for audiences to experience - but when his experiments with a potent drug lead to his thoughts becoming real and committing murder, how will he be stopped? A decent read, with some great ideas and imagery, but lacking that special something to make it a true classic for me: B
46. Dick Tracy: The Making of the Movie by Mike Bonifer - I never bought this back in 1990 when the film was released, but always wish I had so I picked up a copy on eBay. Was it worth the 30 year wait? Yes and no. There are some insightful glimpses into the film, but unlike the similar Batman making of book from 1989, it lacks any real depth. It would’ve been improved with more colour photos and production artwork; you also get the impression the author had little access to Warren Beatty, the only real cast interview being with Madonna. Still, for a Tracy fan like me it has its moments: B
47. Dick Tracy by William Johnston - Another online find, this is the first novel featuring Chester Gould’s famous detective, written all the way back in 1970. Here, Tracy and Sam Catchem are on the tail of Mr. Computer, a villain who is kidnapping historical and scientific experts and stealing their memories. In all honesty, it’s not a particularly well-written book: the characterisations are slight – almost as if the book was written as a generic thriller and the Dick Tracy characters were added in later – and it lacks many of Gould’s famous touches such as the two-way wrist radio, but this was a quick read that didn’t outstay its welcome, and one I found myself enjoying despite it’s faults: A-
48. Star Trek: To Reign in Hell by Greg Cox (Kindle) - Following the two Eugenics Wars volumes, Cox turns his attention to Khan’s exile on Ceti Alpha V, following the events of the original series episode Space Seed. Decent characterisations abound, and Khan’s descent into madness is dealt with well, but the whole proved not quite as gripping as I had hoped, while a framing story featuring Captain Kirk felt tacked on. A solid read, but one that could have been better: B
49. SeaQuest DSV: The Novel by Diane Duane and Peter Morwood - Having had a bizarre desire to rewatch the television show, I ended up sourcing copies of the three SeaQuest books released back in 1993. This first one is a novelisation for the pilot episode. On television, I found the story rather dull, but in the hands of Duane and Morwood It comes alive, with greater depth and more insight into Roy Scheider’s Captain Nathan Bridger. A well-written, enjoyable book: A-
50. Indiana Jones and the Hollow Earth by Max McCoy - Having recently rewatched all the Indiana Jones movies I thought I’d give one of the novels a go, randomly picking this one as I liked the cover. What a read! A sprawling tale that takes Indy everywhere from the deserts of New Mexico to the Arctic wastes of the North Pole, pitting him against his familiar Nazi foes. Clearly some plot-lines flow on from previous novels, but this book was easily enjoyed as a standalone, and indeed it makes me want to track down copies of McCoy’s other novels. Superb: A
51. Star Trek: Year Five - The Wine Dark Deep - The second volume of the Year Five comic book storyline sees the Enterprise encounter a world of aquatic beings and continues the ongoing Tholian arc, while also introducing a greater enemy. It’s a good read, but the diversion to the water world seemed somewhat unnecessary and unfulfilling, though maybe it will come into play more in future volumes: B
52. Star Trek: Agents of Influence by Dayton Ward (Kindle) - A cracking idea - the Enterprise is deployed to find a Starfleet vessel that’s gone missing after retrieving three agents from the Klingon home world - but this book ultimately proved unsatisfying to me. The plot felt as if it was spread too thin, and there were far too many distracting instances of characters named after real-world people which knocked me out of the narrative. A disappointment: B-
53. The Rocketeer by Peter David - The novel of the 1991 Disney film adds little to the story of a pilot who finds a rocket pack suddenly falling into his hands, but is nevertheless a very well-written movie novelisation: A-
54. Star Trek: More Beautiful Than Death by David Mack (Kindle) - The second Star Trek novel to be set in the alternate reality Kelvin Universe sees the Enterprise dispatched to a non-Federation planet whose inhabitants claim they are being attacked by demons. Like the first Kelvin book, this is a solid read, with the voices of the movie actors coming through strong and a decent plot with shades of a familiar Original Series episode: B+
55. The Bright Lands by John Fram - A troubling text message from his star football player younger brother leads a gay man to return to the small Texas town where he grew up. Part murder mystery, part supernatural thriller, this was brilliantly written and thoroughly absorbing. A real page-turner and one I can’t recommend highly enough: A
56. Born of the Sun edited by Mike Ashley - A British Library anthology collecting classic stories focusing on the planets of our own solar system. There are some decent tales within, and only a couple that didn’t hold my interest. An enjoyable enough read, and while it’s not one of the series finest books it is far from the worst: B+
57. Burro Hills by Julia Lynn Rubin (Kindle) - A young adult novel about a high school kid from a broken home finding himself unexpectedly falling for a new guy in his classes. With strong language and scenes of drug use, this feels a little bit like a grittier, queer version of The O.C. It’s enjoyable enough and a quick read, though rather a lot of typographical errors distracted me from the story: B
58. Red Noise by John P. Murphy - A rollicking sci-fi with shades of western movies that sees a mysterious miner arriving at a rundown space station where she soon finds herself involved in setting to rights the various opposing factions that call the station home. Funny, action-packed and involving, it’s an entertaining read: A
59. Captain Moxley and the Embers of the Empire by Dan Hanks - A cracking Indiana Jones-esque tale that pits the titular Captain Samantha Moxley against a mysterious group known as The Nine on a race to find a hidden Hall of Records that promises to lead to the lost content of Atlantis. A thrilling ride from start to finish and an ending that’s left wide open for a sequel: A
60. The Return of Jack the Ripper by Mark Andrews - An old book from the seventies that weaves the story of Jack the Ripper’s killings with the contemporary (well, 1970s contemporary!) tale of a copycat killer in New York. Not the most refined crime thriller, but it kept my attention for most of its 191 page length: B
61. Herobear and the Kid: The Heritage Edition by Mike Kunkel - When I discovered that one of my very favourite graphic novels had been reissued as an expanded, slipcased hardcover edition I had to have it. Containing the original Herobear story, ‘The Inheritance’, along with a new time-travel tale and an extensive sketchbook section, this was an absolute joy to read: A+
62. Your Still Beating Heart by Tyler Keevil - A recently widowed young woman finds herself on the run after agreeing to collect a package while on a trip to Prague – that package being a young boy who she is unwilling to give up after learning why she has been sent to retrieve him. A real slow burner and beautifully written from another, unnamed character’s point of view. Some brilliant twists and turns along the way make this absolutely riveting: A
63. Star Trek: Picard - Countdown - The three-issue comic book series leading into the recent television series is a slight adventure for Admiral Jean-Luc Picard, but a decent companion to the show and prose novel released earlier in the year. Enjoyable, but I can’t help but feel it would’ve been better with another issue or so for the story to unfold over: B
64. Short Circuit by Colin Wedgelock - One of a handful of old movie novelisations I picked up, this is a fun read, but a very straightforward retelling of the 1986 film about a military robot finding itself truly alive after a lightning strike. By no means the worst novelisation I’ve read, and a quick read, but more layers could have been added to the story: B-
65. Nature’s Warnings edited by Mike Ashley - A wonderful British Library collection of science-fiction stories focused on ecological tales, both on Earth and other worlds. Some great classic stories here, making this volume a decent addition to the growing British Library sci-fi range: A
66. Indiana Jones and the Philosopher’s Stone by Max McCoy - After thoroughly enjoying Indiana Jones and the Hollow Earth a few months earlier, I decided to track down McCoy’s other Indiana Jones novels. This, the first in the series that he wrote, sees Indy on the trail of the Philosopher’s Stone, a fabled artifact that can turn lead into gold. A really enjoyable read, and one that sets up plot-lines that I recall paying off in Hollow Earth. Great fun, if you can find a copy: A
67. Indiana Jones and the Dinosaur Eggs by Max McCoy - The next book in McCoy’s Indy series sees the famed archeologist heading to Mongolia to track down a missing explorer and discover if dinosaurs still roam the Earth. Another rollicking read – great characterisation, lots of action and a fun story: A
68. Indiana Jones and the Secret of the Sphinx by Max McCoy - McCoy’s final Indiana Jones novel finds Indy in the Far and Middle East on the hunt for the Omega book, a tome that records the entire life of everyone who has ever lived. A shorter book than the author’s previous instalments, and one that I found myself a little less enthusiastic about; it’s nevertheless a fun read and ties up all the ongoing storylines from the previous books: A-
69. The Dark Knight Returns: The Golden Child by Frank Miller; art by Rafael Grampa - A deluxe hardback edition of the one-shot story set in Miller’s DKR universe. It's a short read that adds little to this corner of the DC universe, having little to do with any of the characters (i.e. Bruce Wayne or Carrie Kelley) we really care about. Like the original, it tries to be political (imagery of Reagan in the original being replaced here with Trump), while the return of the Joker (famously killed off in this universe) is confusing. Incoherent and somewhat unnecessary, though that could be said about everything that's followed the 1980s original masterpiece. Nice art though: C+
70. Tek Secret by William Shatner - twenty-five years after reading the first five books in Shatner’s Tekwar series, I finally decided to read those I’d missed back in the mid-90s. A quick search on eBay and Amazon marketplace turned up pristine copies of those I'd not read, and I soon delved back into the world of private detective Jake Cardigan. As I remembered, the Tek novels are huge fun, with this book finding Cardigan embroiled in the mystery of a missing woman. Definitely worth the wait: A-
71. Tek Money by William Shatner - The next book in the Tekwar series finds Cardigan and his partner Sid Gomez trying to track down a missing shipment of outlawed weapons, destined by all accounts to fall into the hands of the Teklords. Fast-paced, easy to read and huge fun: A
72. Millennium by John Varley - Having fond memories of the 1989 film on which this was based, I snapped up this novel after seeing it on the wonderful All Data is Lost second-hand book website. And what a delight - a truly engrossing time travel tale in which an air crash investigator finds evidence of involvement by visitors from the future in an accident between two planes. Recommended if you can find a copy: A
73. Star Trek: The Motion Picture – Inside the Art and Visual Effects by Jeff Bond and Gene Kozicki - An oversized coffee table book exploring the artistry and groundbreaking effects work that went into making the first Star Trek movie. There are some gorgeous pieces of art contained within, but if I’m brutally honest the actual text delivers nothing that wasn’t already explored in the exhaustive book Return to Tomorrow a few years back, and in places it feels like the writing was rushed. In addition, there are a number of glaring typos and a truly shocking example of photoshopping in a photo of the Klingons. On the whole, for completists it’s worth having, but I can’t help feeling it could have been better: B+
74. Tek Kill by William Shatner - In this penultimate Tek novel, detectives Jake Cardigan and Sid Gomez race to clear their boss, Walt Bascom, after he’s accused of murder. A fun, action-adventure read: A
75. Tek Net by William Shatner - The final Tek novel has the agents of the Cosmos Detective Agency trying to uncover a global plot to unleash a new strain of the highly addictive Tek digital drug. The series finishes on a high (no pun intended); I’m so glad to have finally finished reading these books after a 25 year gap, and while I would happily read further adventures in the Tek War universe, this is a suitable conclusion to Shatner’s nine-book series: A+
76. Chill Tidings: Dark Tales of the Christmas Season edited by Tanya Kirk - The second British Library collection of haunting festive tales, ranging from the 1800s to the 1950s. This is a slimmer volume than the first (published two years ago), but for the most part the stories within are enjoyable reads: B+
77. Paul in the Country by Michel Rabagliati - Okay, so this is more of a comic book than an actual book, but I’m including it here as it’s the precursor to Rabagliati’s Paul series which I’ve been reading over the last 15 years or so. A slight tale, obviously, given that it lasts just 28 pages, but it’s packed full of the cheerful art and emotional storytelling that the subsequent graphic novels feature in abundance. Never thought I’d actually get my hands on a copy of this, but glad I did eventually - well worth the wait: A
78. The Fugitive by J.M. Dillard - A novelisation of the 1993 film, itself based on the sixties TV show. I wanted to read this due to it being written by J.M. Dillard, probably best known for her novelisations of some of the Star Trek movies, and she doesn’t disappoint. While not bringing anything new to the story of the film, it’s a gripping, well-written thriller that Dillard translates to the page with verve: B+
79. RoboCop by Ed Naha - I’d long wanted to read the novelisation of the 1987 film RoboCop, so snapped up a copy in decent condition for a good price on eBay. And it’s a fun read; much like The Fugitive, little new is brought to the story (aside from, perhaps, Murphy’s wife and child moving to the Moon and RoboCop himself gaining a canine sidekick at the end) but it’s a well-written, quick read: B+
80. RoboCop 2 by Ed Naha - After reading the book of the first film, I had to reread the second. Frustratingly, I bought a copy of this back in 1990 but had given it away when I moved house the first time. Fortunately, eBay was again my saviour, and again Naha writes a decent novelisation, albeit one that ignores the Moon move and dog sidekick elements he introduced in the first book! B+
81. The Shrouded Planet by Robert Randell - An old science-fiction novel in which the arrival of seemingly benevolent Earthmen on the planet Nidor starts to have an adverse effect on its people and their culture over the course of three generations. I wasn’t sure what to make of this at first, but eventually found myself drawn in; unexpectedly, though, it finishes on something of a cliffhanger so I'll have to track down the sequel if I want to find out how the Nidorians deal with the human threat: B
82. Adventure Time: The Art off Ooo by Chris McDonnell - A sumptuous coffee table book revealing the development and production of the acclaimed TV show. I finally got around to watching and falling in love with Adventure Time during this year's lockdown, and this book adds more to my appreciation of the world Pendleton Ward created. My sole complaint is that it was written before the series ended – but that just means there's more ground that could be covered in a second volume! A+
83. Invasion from 2500 by Norman Edwards - Another old sci-fi, this one a paperback from 1964. Although little more than 125 pages long, it tells the tale of invaders from the future taking over the world in 1964, and one man's efforts to thwart their plans. Short, and very much of its time, this book is nonetheless brilliant fun: B+
Not a bad haul, I think you'll agree, and thank fuck 2020 is done and dusted (the year itself, not the books; the books were on the whole great). Let's hope for a better 2021 ahead, and maybe a bit more blogging for me if the stars align. I do kinda have the urge…
Happy New Year!
**UPDATE**
I read another one.
84. The Art of Star Trek Discovery by Paula M. Block and Terry J. Erdmann - After the slight disappointment of the Star Trek: The Motion Picture art book, this served as a true example of how to do a Star Trek coffee table book the right way. Full of gorgeous artwork, informative text and even the occasional surprise piece of information from the show's early development, this is an absorbing read and one that deserves a place on every fan's bookshelf: A
