Books of July 2010

9 Books
3683 pages


The Golden Compass
The Subtle Knife
The Amber Spyglass
Philip Pullman
ISBN 0-345-41335-0, 351 pages, July 24
0-440-41833-X, 326 pages, July 26
0-440-41856-9, 518 pages, July 31

Picked up the first in the series a few years ago.  I had only heard about it because a school board had banned it.  As far as I'm concerned, banned books are must reads.  Its been sitting on my 'to read' shelf ever since, as I didn't want to start a series and not be able to finish.  Last week I lucked out at the local thrift store and found the second two books.
I can see why the religious twits were upset and the atheists were so happy with the series.  However, I don't need a fantasy book to tell me that organized religion is a hypocritical load of crap.  The story was mildly interesting for the first two books, by the third, I was reading to finish and not reading because I was entranced.  I did like "Every little increase in human freedom has been fought over ferociously between those who want us to know more and be wiser and stronger, and those who want us to obey and be humble and submit."


An Instance of the Fingerpost
Iain Pears
ISBN 0-965-86064-7
690 pages
July 21

A historical novel set in 1660s England.  I found it quite enjoyable.  The story is told four times, from four different viewpoints.

The Golden Trail
Pierre Berton
ISBN 0-7705-1053-1
110 pages
July 14th

The readers digest version of the Klondike gold rush apparently. 

Killing Floor
Lee Child
ISBN 0-515-12344-7
420 pages
July 13th

The first "Reacher" novel.  A quick enjoyable read.


Starplex
Robert J. Sawyer
ISBN 0-441-00372-9
289 pages
July 13th

I very much liked this.  Some mind stretching ideas rather than just standard sci-fi fare.  And he's Canadian!

The Man in the High Castle
Philip K. Dick
ISBN 0-679-74067-8
259 pages
July 10th

Been on my 'to read' list for years, completely lucked out finding it the local thrift store of all places.  Another one crossed of the top 100 science fiction books of all time.  It was interesting, but I didn't think it was anything spectacular, and certainly not 29th of all time.

A Mighty Fortress (4th in the Safehold Series)
David Weber
ISBN 978-0765315052
720 pages
July 5th

I've lived in towns that had phone books with fewer characters.  I'm not kidding when I say the list at the back has over 500 characters.  I often found myself confused.  Partly because its been 3 months since I read the first three in the series, partly because every character seems to have a first name, last name, and title, and they are interchanged.  Not as exciting as the first of the series, but somewhat of a disappointment.  Some naval battles, some intrigue and politics.  Less science fiction than I would have liked.  No resolution, so obviously more books coming.  A long book for the seemingly little that happened.