calm reading 75 and beyond

Hi I'm calm and I have been a member of LT and the 75ers since 2009. I live in West Wales with two cats, Xander and Lexa, and a houseful of books. I mainly read fantasy; speculative fiction and some historical fiction.

I don't post much. Though I do lurk on a number of threads.

I will keep a list of books read in the 2nd message and tag "read in 2021"

Last year I read 150 books. Given the circumstances there were a lot of re-reads, including a lot of old favourites :)

Best New to me

Galilee by Clive Barker
Great North Road by Peter F. Hamilton
The Binding by Bridget Collins
We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler
Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield

Books read in 2021

1 Reamde by Neal Stephenson
2 The Familiars by Stacey Halls
3 Angel Mage by Garth Nix
4 Our Tragic Universe by Scarlett Thomas
5 The Distant Hours by Kate Morton
6 The Riddle of the Wren by Charles de Lint
7 American Gods by Neil Gaiman
8 Bending the Boyne by J S Dunn
9 Cloven Hooves by Megan Lindholm
10 People of the Fire by Kathleen O'Neal Gear
11 People of the Lakes by Kathleen O'Neal Gear
12 Gate of Ivrel by C. J. Cherryh
12 Well of Shiuan by C. J. Cherryh
13 Fires of Azeroth by C. J. Cherryh
14 Exile's Gate by C. J. Cherryh
15 The Riddle-master of Hed by Patricia McKillip
16 Heir of Sea and Fire by Patricia McKillip
17 Harpist in the Wind by Patricia McKillip
18 Lord Foul's Bane by Stephen Donaldson
19 The Illearth War by Stephen Donaldson
20 The Power That Preserves by Stephen Donaldson
21 The Wounded Land by Stephen Donaldson
22 The One Tree by Stephen R. Donaldson
23 White Gold Wielder by Stephen R. Donaldson
24 The Elder Gods by David Eddings
25 The Treasured One by David Eddings
26 Crystal Gorge by David Eddings
27 The Younger Gods by David Eddings
28 The Mirror of Her Dreams by Stephen R. Donaldson
29 A Man Rides Through by Stephen R. Donaldson
30 Tiger Burning Bright by Marion Zimmer Bradley, Andre Norton and Mercedes Lackey
31 Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind
32 Stone of Tears by Terry Goodkind
33 Blood of the Fold by Terry Goodkind
34 Temple of the Winds by Terry Goodkind
35 Soul of the Fire by Terry Goodkind
36 Faith of the Fallen by Terry Goodkind
37 The Pillars of Creation by Terry Goodkind
38 Naked Empire by Terry Goodkind
39 Chainfire by Terry Goodkind
40 Phantom by Terry Goodkind
41 Confessor by Terry Goodkind
42 The Firebrand by Marion Zimmer Bradley
43 Fairyland by Paul J McAuley
44 The Mask of Apollo by Mary Renault
45 Farmer in the Sky by Robert A Heinlein
46 The Heart of the Mirage by Glenda Larke
47 The Shadow of Tyr by Glenda Larke
48 Song of the Shiver Barrens by Glenda Larke
49 The Praise Singer by Mary Renault
50 Farnham's Freehold by Robert A Heinlein
51 Magi'i of Cyador by Jr. L. E. Modesitt
52 Scion of Cyador by Jr. L. E. Modesitt
53 Fall of Angels by Jr. L. E. Modesitt
54 The Chaos Balance by Jr. L. E. Modesitt
55 The Towers of the Sunset by Jr. L. E. Modesitt
56 The White Order by Jr. L. E. Modesitt
57 The Magic Engineer by L. E. Modesitt Jr.
58 Colors of Chaos by Jr. L. E. Modesitt
59 Natural Ordermage by Jr. L. E. Modesitt
60 The Order War by Jr. L. E. Modesitt
61 Wellspring of Chaos by Jr. L. E. Modesitt
62 Ordermaster by Jr. L. E. Modesitt
63 The Magic of Recluce by L. E. Modesitt Jr.
64 The Death of Chaos by Jr. L. E. Modesitt
65 The Mouse God by Susan Curran
66 Tunnel in the Sky by Robert A Heinlein
67 Shadow by K J Parker
68 Pattern by K J Parker
69 Memory by K J Parker
70 Godiva by Nerys Jones
71 The Puppet Masters by Robert A Heinlein
72 The Curse of the Mistwraith by Janny Wurts
73 Ships of Merior by Janny Wurts
74 Warhost of Vastmark by Janny Wurts
75 Fugitive Prince by Janny Wurts
76 Grand Conspiracy by Janny Wurts
77 Peril's Gate by Janny Wurts
78 Traitor's Knot by Janny Wurts
79 Stormed Fortress by Janny Wurts
80 Burn by Patrick Ness
81 Laurus by E. G. Vodolazkin
82 Virtual Light by William Gibson
83 Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
84 Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline
85 Lud-in-the-Mist by Hope Mirrlees
86 People of the Earth by Michael Gear and Kathllen o'Neal Gear
87 The Ambassador's Mission by Trudi Canavan
88 The Rogue by Trudi Canavan
89 The Traitor Queen by Trudi Canavan
90 Forerunner Foray by Andre Norton
91 Blood Heritage by Sheri S Tepper
92 The Bones by Sheri S Tepper
93 2312 by Kim Stanley Robinson
94 The Left Handed Booksellers of London by Garth Nix
95 Orfeia by Joanne Harris
96 The Library of Lost and Found by Phaedra Patrick
97 The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic by Emily Croy Barker
98 Dreams Underfoot: A Newford Collection by Charles de Lint
99 The Dreaming Place by Charles de Lint
100 Memory and Dream by Charles de Lint
101 The Ivory and the Horn by Charles de Lint
102 Trader by Charles de Lint
103 Someplace to be Flying by Charles de Lint
104 Moonlight & Vines by Charles de Lint
105 Forests of the Heart by Charles de Lint
106 The Onion Girl by Charles de Lint
107 Tapping the Dream Tree by Charles de Lint
108 Spirits in the Wires by Charles de Lint
109 The Blue Girl by Charles de Lint
110 Widdershins by Charles de Lint
111 Vurt by Jeff Noon
112 The Drowning Season by Alice Hoffman
113 The Mystery of Grace by Charles de Lint
114 Duncton Wood by William Horwood

Books read in 2021 (continued)

Happy New Year to all visitors and lurkers. I hope everyone has a great reading year.

Happy new year, calm. Good to see you back.

Thank you Stephen.

Happy to see you around these parts, calm, and wishing you a COVID-free 2021.

And keep up with my friends here, Calm. Have a great 2021.

Welcome back!

Welcome back and happy reading!

Happy reading in 2021, calm!

Happy new thread!

I did a lot of rereading as well, Calm. Your first book of the year has been on my tbr shelf since it came out. What did you think of it?

Hope 2021 is kind to you!
I see that Once Upon a River made your best list! I've been eyeing that one so perhaps it's time that I finally picked it up!

>7 richardderus: Same to you Richard.

>8 PaulCranswick: Hello Paul, I hope you have a great 2021 as well.

>9 drneutron: I'm pleased to be back Jim.

>10 thornton37814: Thank you Lori

>11 FAMeulstee: Happy reading to you as well Anita

>12 quondame: Thanks Susan

>13 ronincats: Hi Roni, I liked it - a good variety of characters (including 3 female characters in pivotal roles) and a fast paced story. A bit gory in places and lots of gun talk that I didn't understand stopped it being a 4 and a half star read.

>14 ChelleBearss: Thanks Chelle and I hope you and your family have a good 2021. I was a bit limited on my new to me read selections but Once Upon a River was good.

Hello! Dropping off a star :D

I hope you are keeping warm in West Wales, Calm. xx

Belated happy new year to you calm! I have a couple of your favourites from 2020 on my shelves which I should try to get to sooner rather than later: Great North Road and Once Upon a River. And I've heard good things about The Binding.

Sorry not to have been around for a while but I haven't been able to type:(

>16 archerygirl: Thanks for stopping by

>17 PaulCranswick: Not going out helps keep things warm, Paul :)

>18 souloftherose: Good to see you Heather. Books on the shelves will always wait for you:) Great North Road is a chunkster but I enjoyed it. Once Upon a River was worth a read. The Binding was a good debut and I would like to read a prequel set in the same world, as some of the more interesting ideas (to me) were in the back story.

>19 calm: Sorry to hear that you are again having trouble with your hands, Calm. Hope that the discomfort has diminished.

>20 PaulCranswick: thanks Paul, a bit better ... at least I can bend my fingers today. So thought I would try a bit of LTing. Mostly lurking as usual though :)

>21 calm: Glad to hear that. My mum for all her cancers and covid managed to treat her painful joints with some form of omega fish oil supplements. She told me that the constant pain in her hands had been worse than some of the more life threatening illnesses she had faced down.

>22 PaulCranswick: It is definitely one of my most life limiting problems. Not being able to write or cook is very inconvenient but I can still manage to read :)

I do take the supplements that the doctor recommended - cod liver oil and glucosmaine and use pain killers and an anti-inflammatory gel but I still get flare-ups.

Your mother is a trooper and I hope that things in the world improve so that you can get to see her soon.

>23 calm: Sorry to hear about your trouble with your hands. Glad things are a little better now. Also glad that you were still able to read.

>24 sirfurboy: Thanks Stephen. Hope things are going well for you.

Good to see you back! Hope your hands continue to improve.

>25 calm: Thanks, yes. All is well here.

Sorry to hear you're hands/wrists have been bad again and hope this flare-up passes soon.

So so sorry to know you're suffering from hand pain. I'm hoping for a knock-down soon.

Enjoy the reads!

Wishing you and those hands a great Sunday, Calm.

Calm, I'll add my good wishes that you have some improvement with your hands.

I like seeing your Megan Lindholm story up there at the top. I read that book sometime in the 90's and have completely forgotten the story (true of most books for me as time goes by) but I do remember liking it. I looked avidly for her stories written under the Lindholm name for many years. The story of hers that really got my attention long ago was "A Touch of Lavender." It missed out on the Hugo award for best novella in 1990 but it had some very tough competition.

Sorry for the delay in replying. Hand still not right:( Anti-inflammatory not working and I don't want to bother my doctor at the moment for a long-standing undiagnosed problem.

> 26 Thanks Susan

>27 sirfurboy: Good to hear Stephen

>28 souloftherose: If only Heather, still troublesome :(

>29 richardderus: Thanks Richard. It's not gout or arthritis which I am sure are worse. Books read list is now up-dated, more re-reads :)

>30 PaulCranswick: Thanks Paul

>31 RBeffa: Hi Ron. It was a SantaThing staff pick off my wishlist. I do like Megan Lindholm though I'm haven't read all her stuff and definitely no short stories or novellas. I think my favourite is still Wizard of the Pigeons

>32 calm: Nice to see you posting, Calm, even though I do wish you were able to do so painlessly.

>33 PaulCranswick: Thanks Paul. I hope all is well with you and yours and that your mother is out of the hospital soon. Also that things work out for your re-location to the UK later this year.

Oh sorry to hear you're still in pain :-(

>36 calm: Thanks Heather, slightly better today. Still a bit sore but not as swollen.

>32 calm: You know, lots of doctors are experiencing a drop-off in patient visits because people aren't comfortable going into a doctor's office in spite of all protocols. Is your doc a specialist? It sounds like you might need to see one, and the same patient drop-off applies. Maybe this is a good time to get an appointment?

>37 ffortsa: Thanks for your post. Fortunately the swelling has now disappeared.

I don't think it is bad enough to warrant visiting a specialist. As it is an intermittent problem and when it occurs life limiting but not life threatening. There is also no guarantee that if I got an appointment that I would have any symptoms at the time.

Sorry you are suffering. I missed what your symptoms are but could it be carpal tunnel? I had that while pregnant with my kids and sleeping with a wrist guard at night helped.

>39 ChelleBearss: Hi Chelle. Yes I have got carpal tunnel but the swelling occurs in my index, middle and ring fingers which is not a typical reaction. I do use a wrist brace when I get the numbness and tingly feelings that are more common for carpal tunnel.

Missing you around here, Calm.

Hope all is well in your part of West Wales.

>41 PaulCranswick: I'm echoing that post. x

Not sure if you're able to post at the moment calm but stopping by to say hello in case you are lurking.

Have a lovely holiday, Calm. Missed you.

May all your surprises be good ones this Holiday season.

Happy Holidays Calm!

Forget your stresses and strains
As the old year wanes;
All that now remains
Is to bring you good cheer
With wine, liquor or beer
And wish you a special new year.

Happy New Year, Calm. I'm missing my friend from West Wales.

It has been a long time since you posted. I hope all is well.

Hi Ron, still lurking :)

Didn't feel up to posting and definitely not up to having a thread for 2022. I am cataloguing my reads - tagged "read in 2022" if anyone is interested.

>50 calm: That's good to know.

>50 calm: Good to know. Take care.

Hi Calm,

Not seeing a 2023 thread for you, but if you make one, just drop me a heads up as I would love to star it and might miss it otherwise. I hope you had a good Christmas and happy new year to you.

Welcome back, calm! Happy New Year! I also wish you a great year of reading with Xander and Lexa!

I'm in 2023! Here https://www.librarything.com/topic/348068