I didn’t read as many books this year as I normally do. I think this is largely due to the fact that I have had a lot of freelance work to deal with, which is clearly not a complaint. In total I read just 17 titles in 2016, compared to 24 in 2015. However, some of these were excellent and a few authors will certain make repeat appearances next year. Below is my complete list in the order in which they were read.
- Beowulf (Seamus Heany translation). I hadn’t read this since college and it was just as good as I remembered. I think going back to books you read in your youth should be a requirement of middle age. Books change as readers evolve.
- Grendel by John Gardner. An obvious paring with Beowulf this short book tells the same tale from the antagonist’s perspective. I think I may have enjoyed this more.
- The Jesus Dynasty by James Tabor. Yet another account of the historical Jesus. I am quite addicted to these types of books.
- From the Library of C.S. Lewis. Another reread as this classic collection is literally full of treasures.
- The Man of Bronze by Kenneth Robeson. This is actually a two-for as the book includes two short Doc Savage novels from the 1930’s. Fun to see how much pulp writing has changed in 80 years.
- Odd Apocalypse by Dean Koontz. The continuing saga of Odd Thomas, one of the best protagonists in fiction right now.
- Biblical Literalism by John Spong. Interesting take on modern biblical scholarship marred by the author’s condescension towards many of his coreligionists.
- The Damned by Andrew Pyper. Pyper’s Demonologist was my favorite book of 2014, so this one had a high bar. While The Damned didn’t keep me up at night (Demonologist did, seriously) it was still a great read.
- The Searcher by Simon Toyne. I loved Toyne’s Sanctus Trilogy and I think I will enjoy this new series just as much. Suspense with a dose of supernatural is my kind of beach book.
- Revival by Stephen King. King may not be in his prime any longer, but I’ll take 70% strength King over just about any other author for page turning fun.
- Night by Eli Wiesel. Holocaust classic right up there with Anne Frank. I read this because I had to teach it this year and I am very glad that I did. A hard but important book.
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. I teach this every year and therefore I periodically reread it. This was a reread year.
- Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire by Steve Perry. Between last year’s Force Awakens and the build up to this year’s Rogue One I felt the need to read a Star Wars novel. It was OK. These stories just play better on a screen than on the page.
- The Fireman by Joe Hill. Stephen King’s son shows why I’ll have plenty of fun reads to look forward to for a long time to come.
- The Apostle by Tom Bissel. Interesting travelogue about the supposed burial sites of all twelve apostles.
- Midnight Sun by Ramsey Campbell. I read this years ago and decided to revisit it. I am so glad I did. Campbell makes his haunting setting the star of the book.
- The Sandman Volume 1 by Neil Gaiman. This was my first attempt at understanding the lure of graphic novels. As much as I love Gaiman it will probably be the last.
