Holiday Reads 2015

I’m off on my annual holiday soon. As ever, my to read pile is massive and I’m always behind on most things, TV, films, comics and especially books because I’m not a fast reader. Partly I’m also behind because there is so much stuff out there, so some things have completed bypassed me and I’ll catch up at some point (Hannibal, Penny Dreadful, Justified). Partly I’m behind because I’m using the time to write instead of watch or read stuff. However, every year when I go on holiday I save up several books that I know are going to be great reads, and I take them with me. I am then able to read them without any interruptions, and I mean any. I could read for 8 hours straight if I wanted to, but I’d fry in the sun. So I take a few small breaks, to eat and maybe swim in the pool, but apart from that there’s no TV, no phonecalls, no internet, and it is bliss.

My holiday reads this year are:-

Royal Assassin by Robin Hobb – This is my first time reading these books. As I mentioned, sometimes things slip past me. I knew about Hobb, but it was one of my gaps that I wanted to sort out. Last year I read Assassin’s Apprentice and thoroughly enjoyed it, so this should be a real treat.

The Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi – I read Old Man’s War as part of a book club last year I think it was and I was aware there were several sequels. I picked this one up and have kept shuffling it off the top of my pile. I know it is going to be a fast read, very entertaining and a lot of fun, so I wanted to read it in big chunks of time.

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel – I heard a few podcasts talking about this and thought it sounded really good so I picked up a copy a few months ago. Then the Clarke award finalists were announced and it was on the list. Then it went on to win the Arthur C. Clarke award for 2015. I wish I could pick the winners like that every year!

Half The World by Joe Abercrombie – This is his second YA book set in the same world, which is totally new and different from his First Law trilogy world. I’ve seen a couple of people who were put off by the YA label and I reminded them who the author was. They’ve subsequently gone out and bought the books. The line between YA and adult fiction is wafer thin at times and this new series is full of the trademarks of Abercrombie which I really enjoy. Bold, well defined characters, great action, interesting scenes and lots of surprises. The books in the trilogy are coming out every six months so I’m behind as book 3 is already out, but I will get to it soon.

I’m currently reading 11/22/63 by Stephen King, so it will be my sixth book that I take in hand on the plane. In theory I’ll get through at least 5 books on holiday, but we’ll see. I also have a wildcard 6th book in there, but I’m keeping that one a secret for now.