Request/Challenge: Looking Back – 98 Reviews Done. Whose next?

Nov 8th, 2009

by gav.

This has been the full first week of NanoWriMo writing. I’ve just posted my Day 8 mini-update on NextWord.co.uk if you’re interested? So I’ve been concentrating on that. Not that I’ve been writing that much, if I had I wouldn’t be behind in my word count. Never mind. Will try harder this week. And will try harder to update NextRead. Juggling more than NaNo is hard.

I have though been looking back over the blog trying to fill all the gaps in the Review Index and out of curiosity I added up all the reviews I’ve written, including a few mini-reviews and unreviews, and the total is 98! That’s 98! I think that’s quite an achievement. Some were from an older incarnation of this blog but they still count

To be fair there is a mixed bag of quality and style and length but I was still quite chuffed when I realised.

The other thing is that these are most of my reading over the last few years. I’ve not really read much other fiction. At least not to the point were I’ve been able to get to the end of it. I’ve read more books that I’ve put down and not really had anything to say about them.

Anyway, I’ve read 71 different authors and hopefully given you all some idea of what their books are like, at least from my point of view.

There probably are some major gaps in my reading with some big names missing but I’ve had a great time doing them.

I wonder how long it’s going to me to reach 200… and who I’m going to be reading to get there?

OK, here is a challenge for you all:

Who is the one author or one book that you think I really have missed out on reading?

They have to be something that fits my tastes though. You’ll have to read the Index to check what I like!

I’m going to choose 3 and get them read and reviewed asap. Who they are is up to you!

UPDATE: Some suggestions from Twitter:

@nextread Hmm, you never reviewed The Name of the WInd by Patrick Rothfuss. His next book comes out next year from @ghostfinder

@nextread Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere is my all time favourite urban fantasy book – you will never look at London in the same way again from @BookZone
@nextread You are missing Tender Morsels (fantasy), The Red House Mystery by A. A Milne (classic crime) & Karin Fossum (Scandi crime) from @vintagebooks

Posted in: Comment.

Aidan Moher says:

9 November 2009 at 12:09 am

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon.

Read it. Love it. Lament the fact that you'll never be able to read it again for the first time.

Karla De Juan Romero says:

9 November 2009 at 12:45 am

Learn Spanish before reading it… it simply isn't the same book in English :-/ Buena suerte!

9 November 2009 at 1:09 am

9 November 2009 at 1:45 am

Troy says:

9 November 2009 at 2:31 am

Brent Weeks trilogy published last year in September, October and November.

Excellent fantasy series!

Troy

9 November 2009 at 3:31 am

kate Forsyth says:

9 November 2009 at 7:01 am

Have you read 'The Puzzle Ring' by Kate Forsyth? (that's me) It's children's historical fantasy – you might like it! Otherwise, books I've enjoyed recently – 'Heroes of the Valley' by Johnathon Stroud, 'A Corpse in Shining Armour' by Caro Peacock, and 'The Dark Vineyard' by Martin Walker. Enjoy!

9 November 2009 at 8:01 am

Xavier Blake says:

9 November 2009 at 3:02 pm

Nail Gaiman's Neverwhere – if you like urban fantasy books set in London then you will love this one.

9 November 2009 at 4:02 pm

Val says:

9 November 2009 at 4:19 pm

Hmm… for fantasy I'd say Daniel Abraham, in de SF department Ian McDonald.
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Yes, I know you asked for one name

9 November 2009 at 5:19 pm

ediFanoB says:

9 November 2009 at 10:39 pm

First of all The Shadow of the Wind as Aidan and Karla mentioned. Additionally I would recommend Lamentation by Ken Scholes and The Sword-Edged Blonde by Alex Bledsoe.