nother year passes. I had a very eventual year – earned an award from the Model Railroad association. Was involved with seventy model train operation sessions. Kept up with my writing commitments. Caught Covid (light version) and RSV (not so light, but ducked the associated Pneumonia). Went through two hurricanes. Usual stuff.

And I read a lot of books.

So the following list is not a New Yorker list or anything like that. It’s the books I’ve read and enjoyed. These are just the top selections from my own readings, managing (roughly) a book a week (or more) – I’ve got three stacked next to the desk I haven’t reviewed yet. So, the list…

Number 5: The Portable Curmudgeon. This shows the power of human writing and observation, snarky comments that make people who accept the foolishness of the world defensive and uncomfortable. This book was so well put-together that actor James Garner contacted the author to write his own memoirs. Cuttingly funny.

Number 4: This is how you lose the Time War. This is a sweet and tender novel about two agents on either side of a time war who are moving through time, trying to sway events so their side can win. Even through they don’t exactly know each other at first, they start communicating through clever messages, first to be snarky, then curious, then compassionate. I read this on an overnight train trip (as books should be read) and really enjoyed it.

Number 3: A Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet. This was the first book of Hugo-award-winning series, a great story about different beings all stuck on a long voyage together, heading to a dangerous destination. It’s like Han Solo with brains and tenderness, some laughs and some sorrow.

Number 2: Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City. A fantasy novel where a low-class, low-born officer of engineers finds himself in the capital city, the garrison destroyed, with nothing but the watch and some gladiators to defend miles of walls from a barbarian army sworn to put the city to the sword. Laugh-out-loud funny, and very, very clever.

And, drumroll…

Number 1: The Mercy of Gods. From the creators of The Expanse and a distant part of that universe (you wouldn’t know how true that is), the story of a research team on a lonely world which is easily conquered by an alien empire. Their goal? To carry off the best of all aspects of the humans, take them to their capital world, and put them to work for their own good. The hinted story to this new series is that the lowly lab assistant will be the one to bring the aliens down. And now I need to wait a year for the next one.

So that’s it. My favorites from the reading pile, great stories that made me laugh, cry and sigh. And you should do the same. Sit down with a cup of coffee and think about the books  from your past year, the ones you liked or tossed.

Reading is the most wonderful gift we can give to ourselves.

Have a great 2025!

>>>START OFF THE YEAR WITH A GREAT BOOK, ONE OF MINE!<<<