2012: Non-Fiction

I did not read a lot of non-fiction this year, and what I did read was mostly personal narratives, biographies, and books about science fiction and fantasy.


Thelma J. Shinn, Worlds Within Women: Myth and Mythmaking in Fantastic Literature by Women
Gwyneth Jones, Imagination/space: essays and talks on fiction, feminism, technology and politics
Margaret Atwood, In Other Worlds

Barbara Ehrenreich, Dancing in the Streets: A History of Collective Joy

Suzie Bright, Big Sex, Little Death: A Memoir
Nancy Mairs, Dynamic God: Living an Unconventional Catholic Faith
George Takei, Oh Myy! There Goes the Internet

Jack G. Shaheen, The TV Arab

Alison Weir, The Princes in the Tower
Tracy Borman, Elizabeth's Women
Stacey Schiff, Cleopatra: A Life

A breath of history

In the realm of historical fiction, I re-read Sharon Kay Penman's excellent trilogy focused on Richard III and the end of the Wars of the Roses. As fond as I am of the often larger-than-life Tudors, I also have a soft spot for the much-maligned last Yorkist king.

Sharon Kay Penman, The Sunne in Splendor
Sharon Kay Penman, Falls the Shadow
Sharon Kay Penman, The Reckoning

I also read the very excellent first novel in a series about the almost legendary Genghis Khan, another of those historical figures that I find fascinating.

Conn Iggulden, Wolf of the Plains

My yearly dose of Lackey

As usual, Mercedes Lackey published a number of books this year, and as usual, I read most of them: new entries in the Five Hundred Kingdoms series, the Valdemar corpus, and the rather Manichean Obsidian universe series she's co-writing with James Mallory. also, a rather nice stand-alone novella.


Mercedes Lackey, The River’s Gift

Mercedes Lackey, Beauty and the Werewolf

Mercedes Lackey, Collegium Chronlcles: Redoubt

Mercedes Lackey & James Mallory, Crown of Vengeance

All about Austen

i indulged my passion for The works of Jane Austen by re-reading two of Austen's novels, and dipping into some derivative novels (that is to say, fan fic that found a publisher). I have to admit, I was disappointed with P. D. James' offering. the murder mystery part was interesting, but James spent at least one-third of the book simply paraphrasing sections of Pride and Prejudice. Less of that and more new mayerial would have improved the book immensely. Altman's offering was much more fun, despite being fluffier - it's mostly a mild sex farce about the role a certain exotic book from the scandalous East plays in preparing the soon-to-be wed couples from Pride and Prejudice for their wedding nights.


Marsha Altman, The Darcys and the Bingleys

P. D. James, Death Comes to Pemberley

And Austen herself, the grand originator of so many beloved characters.

Jane Austen, Emma
Jane Austen, Persuasion

A few farewells

This year I read the final volumes in some series I had enjoyed: Jes Battis' interesting and original urban fantasies featuring Occult Special Investigator Tess Corday; the Vampire Princess of St. Paul series, a young adult urban fantasy about witches and vampires in the twin cities, by Tate Hallaway aka Lyda Morehouse; and the angels of Samaria series by Sharon Shinn.

While these series did come to conclusions that seemed appropriate, I rather hope that I'll see Tess Corday again, and I do want to see what lies in the future of the first Vampire Queen.


Jes Battis, Bleeding Out

Tate Hallaway, Almost Final Curtain
Tate Hallaway, Almost Everything

Sharon Shinn, Angel-seeker
Sharon Shinn, Angelica