As I mentioned in episode two of my RedStarReviews Podcast I wanted to write a blog alongside the Podcast to share with you links to each of the twelve books I’m currently reading. If you didn’t know I have a Podcast: SURPRISE! I have a Podcast! It’s available wherever fine Podcasts are found! Here’s a link to it on Apple’s Podcasts: RedStarReviews

In my latest episode I’m discussing the books that I’m currently reading and I’ll be doing so each season of the year to give you a snapshot of what books I’m enjoying. I’m a PolyReader so I enjoy reading multiple books at once. I know this method isn’t for everyone so I’m not trying to convert anyone, just sharing what I’m reading. 🙂

On to the books! I’ll be sharing links to each one in case you’re interested in reading any!

First the books I’m reading on Kindle so I had to grab books of the same length to show off the pages “creatively” 😂

Book 1: Mad Wolf’s Daughter by Diane Magras is an amazingly fun adventure starring a badass Scottish girl in medieval times who lost her father and brothers into captivity and is now setting out to try and rescue them armed with her wits and a sword! I’m a quarter of the way in and this book is so much fun to read! It is a Middle Grade book so if you have early readers in your house this is perfect for them and if you like a good tale it’s perfect for you!

Book 2: Thistle And Spade by J Addison is an amazingly well crafted graphic novel in which the author is also the illustrated and the publisher! I got to meet them and was immediately impressed with both the art and story in the pages of this graphic novel! An alternate world reaching the end of a world war in which the regular soldiers suddenly turn on the mercenary forces. One merc survives and this is their tale!

Book 3: Another Bloody Love Letter by Anthony Lloyd is a nonfiction account of the author’s descent into heroin addiction and his coverage of the conflict in Kosovo. He’s quite biased but it is his perspective on events and I have to say the introspective look into why he’s a war corespondent and how he handles his addiction is interesting!

Book 4: Against A Dark Background by Iain M Banks is a SciFi written outside of Banks’ famous Culture Novels. It’s taken me half of the book to appreciate this work, but I’ve got the rhythm now. An intergalactic cult is chasing the heroine who is trying to find an ancient lost treasure which could destroy the universe while trying to work with her team which has been split by betrayal. It’s pretty good once you get past the first half 😂 with it being Banks I persevered knowing I’ll appreciate it in the end.

Book 5: Emperor Of Thorns by Mark Lawrence which is the third book of his Broken Empire trilogy. It’s a GrimDark Fantasy which follows the adventures of Jorg who isn’t a hero… he’s not really an antihero either… he’s really a villain and an awful person but he just might be our only hope as humanity is facing destruction! Dark and brutal but with surprising growth and insight!

Book 6: The Tower Of Living And Dying by Anna Smith Spark is the second book of her GrimDark Fantasy Empires Of Dust and it’s AMAZING. Bloody poetry, y’all. The first book Court Of Broken Knives was incredible and this continues on! Prose written in blood and gore and stream of consciousness. Beauty and horror all together. Can’t wait to see where this story goes!

Book 7: Deathfire by Nick Kyme which is the 32nd book of The never ending Horus Heresy and the only way to finish a never ending series is to never stop reading it! Slam bang Military SciFi action and intergalactic civil war!

Book 8: The Balkans Nationalism War And The Great Powers 1804-1999 by Misha Glenny and if you want to understand the Balkan region a little more then this is the book for you!

Book 9: Excession by Iain M Banks is the fifth book of his incredible Culture Novels and y’all, Banks is everything I’ve ever wanted in an author. His writing hits me on a deep level and this SciFi about AI Minds trying to communicate to sort out an issue facing the universe is engrossing and enjoyable!

Book 10: Embers Of War by Gareth L Powell was described as a cross between Iain M Banks and Ann Leckie so how could I pass that up? It’s living up to that promise with wonderfully crafted characters with deep flaws and AI driven starships battling issuers with their conscious. Truly enjoying this one!

Book 11: Winning The Hearts And Minds War Poems By Vietnam Vets is a collection of poems by Vietnam Vets during the Vietnam War and it’s a brutal collection of raw emotion that will break your heart.

Book 12: Poems by Iain Banks and Ken MacLeod is a collection of poems by these two excellent authors and I’m trying to branch out into more poetry by selecting authors and topics that fascinate me.

I’ll close this blog with a line from a Banks’ poem: “The bomb lives only as it is falling.”