I got sucked down the black hole of fanfic again this past month, but still managed to do a good bit of reading off my lists for reading challenges. Just as an aside, I only include fanfics in this count if they're completed and at least 40,000 words long (it's a rather arbitrary number, but I figure a word-count in that range is the equivalent of at least a 150 page book). So I've read a bunch of Daredevil and Defenders fics lately that aren't on here but add up to many hours of reading... I have problems. I also don't include comics/graphic novels here, but I do rate and review those on Goodreads. Not that anyone reading this probably cares, but whatever.
30. How to Train Your Dragon, by Cressida Cowell
I hate exercising with a fiery passion. What does that have to do with this book, you ask? Well, I listened to this book during my daily walks, which are usually my least favorite part of my day. And I enjoyed the audiobook so much that I actually caught myself, more than once, looking forward to my walk. Which pretty much never happens. Part of that was due to the story itself, which is action-packed and humorous in an aimed-at-young-boys sort of way. And part of that was due to the exceedingly excellent narration. David Tennant gives every character a unique voice, and not only are the voices distinct, but they convey quite perfectly the personality of the characters. It was a great listening experience, and I'll be queueing up book two very soon here.
My rating: 8/10
31. Beowulf, translated by Seamus Heaney
I quite enjoyed this, although I'm curious as to what Heaney's translation sacrificed in favor of readability. Not that I'm complaining about the readability - after all, that's why, after a bit of research, I chose this translation for my first read through. Now that I've got the gist of the story, though, I'm itching to go try out some other translations for comparison, though that will have to wait until after I've made significant progress on my reading challenges.
My rating: 9/10
32. Firebirds Rising, edited by Sharyn November
(Read for the Mount TBR challenge.) Like many short story anthologies, this book was a mixed bag. I found the majority of the stories to be either uninteresting, awkwardly written, or both, which was disappointing. However, there were some stories that were decent, and a few stories that I enjoyed enough that I'll probably end up keeping the book just for them. Wintermoon Wish, Hives, and Cousins are all pretty good stories, What Used to Be Good Still Is has just the right tone and a bittersweet ending, In the House of the Seven Librarians is a delightful tale for anyone who loves libraries, and I'll Give You My Word is a clever story that will have you pulling out your dictionary. It's hard to rate a collection like this when the stories are all over the map, but I'll be generous and rate it more highly than it probably deserves, just because I liked the magical library so much.
My rating: 6/10
33. The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, by Robert Heinlein
(Read for the Read It Again, Sam challenge.) This is one of my top ten favorite books. Told in first person, the story takes place in a future where the Moon is a prison colony (much like Australia) settled by criminals, political dissenters, and their descendants. The narration style is unique, as the inhabitants of Luna have their own bastardized dialect, and the world-building is outstanding. I reread this book once every five years or so, and every time I appreciate it just a bit more. I also realized this time around that it definitely played a role in the development of my political views.
My rating: 10/10
34. Eaters of the Dead, by Michael Crichton
(Read for the Mount TBR challenge.) In the afterword, Michael Crichton states that this book was written to prove to a friend that the story of Beowulf doesn't have to be boring. If that was the goal, I think he succeeded (although I didn't find the original boring to begin with, so I may be biased). Written in the style of a historical manuscript, complete with annotations and a pseudo-scholarly introduction, this book does a wonderful job of creating a possible origin for the Beowulf legend. The matter-of-fact recounting of the story makes the creatures of the mist both more believable and more frightening, and though the dry style takes some getting used to, it serves to ground a fantastical tale of monsters firmly in reality.
My rating: 8/10
35. Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley
(Read for the Read It Again, Sam challenge.) This was the first time I had read this book for my own enjoyment. I'd read it twice before, first in high school and then again in college, but both times it was part of an assignment. I still liked it back then, but it was nice this time to be able to read without being expected to dissect the text afterward. Reading for fun allowed me to appreciate the writing more, without constantly making notes (mental or otherwise) of possible points of discussion or critique, instead simply immersing myself in the story.
My rating: 8/10
36. How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia, by Mohsin Hamid
(Read for the Mount TBR challenge.) This was a clever and sad book. I don't think I've ever read anything written in second person before, but the structure of this book worked well, and the writing was lovely, in a very real, very bittersweet sort of way. I wouldn't have tried something like this without a recommendation, so I'm grateful to my brother for giving it to me.
My rating: 9/10
37. Going Solo, by Roald Dahl
Dang, this guy had a crazy life! I really enjoyed the stories of his time in Africa, although the ones about snakes kind of freaked me out at times. It was interesting to get a snapshot of late British colonialism in Africa as well - it's easy for me to forget that it wasn't that long ago that Europe was sticking its fingers everywhere on that continent and elsewhere. Dahl's adventures in World War II, especially in Greece, were seriously intense, with numerous close shaves and narrow escapes. I kept thinking to myself how glad I was that he didn't die there, because then we would have missed out on all the books he would go on to write. The narration was also excellent, although now my mental picture of Roald Dahl as a young man looks like Dan Stevens, even though I went and looked Dahl up to find pictures from his RAF days.
My rating: 10/10
38. Devil's Own, by gaelicspirit
So I started reading Daredevil fanfic in the aftermath of The Defenders, because I'm a sucker for punishment. Written post-season one, this fic stays pretty true to character and does a decent job of capturing the mood and feel of the show. I liked the way the ties between Nelson and Murdock's newest case and Matt's past allowed for some good emotional exploration, as well as the fact that Father Lantom got to play a role, and of course Claire and Karen being badass. This fic also did a good job with Matt and Foggy's friendship, as well as with the other relationships.
My rating: 7/10
39. Steelheart, by Brandon Sanderson
(Read for the Mount TBR Challenge.) This was a fun, fast-paced adventure. I saw two of the major plot twists coming a long way out, but that didn't make the story any less enjoyable. I really like that the Epics are basically evil superheroes, even to the point where Steelheart's description makes it sound like he looks like a dark version of Superman - it's a nice twist on your typical superhero story. I also found all the bad metaphors to be hilarious, plus Cody's general ridiculousness had me frequently snorting with laughter. The action scenes were well-written, and I'm looking forward to seeing where the story goes from here.
My rating: 8/10
40. Just in Case, by Beguile
So this fic is basically a collection of twenty or so shorter hurt/comfort stories featuring Matt and Foggy. Given that h/c is one of my favorite fanfic genres, I greatly enjoyed this, especially because everyone is very in-character for the most part. I like fics like this because they give characters a chance to work through their issues in a way that doesn't always happen on the show. Plus, I needed a happier ending for my favorite avocados-at-law post-season-two than the show gave me.
My rating: 8/10
