Annual list of the novels, audio books, graphic novels, and trades I read—as I go.

CALL OF THE WILD

Jack London

Not since freshman year of high school had I read this rough and unique POV tale of life in the Gold Rush Yukon as Buck struggles free from the trappings of modern life.

WHAT I TALK ABOUT WHEN I TALK ABOUT RUNNING

Haruki Murakami

Nothing has inspired AND shamed me as a writer and a runner than this book.

TENDER

Beth Hetland

A well-done psychological goor graphic novel that grapples with the power of internal and external self-image.

FOUNDATION

Issac Asimov

Nothing more to say than, a benchmark that inspired so many tales in the genre. It was long past time I read this.

THE WAR OF ART

Steven Pressfield

While familiar with much of Mr Pressfield's creative manifesto through articles and podcasts, I found reading the entire collection empowering—and it's a super quick read.

MUD MAN

Paul Grist

I've admired Paul's, KANE series from afar, so when I spotted this on the shelf of my LCS, I snapped it up. It's an enjoyable teen superhero origin story with as many questions as fun character and action bits.

TO SLEEP IN A SEA OF STARS

Christopher Paolini

This one came recommended as companion book to my own novel, and damn, they would make for a great pairing. This one blossoms into a grand interstellar conflict that resolves in an unexpected sacrifice.

FULL TILT

Jason Copland

This massive, non-stop, action-packed expression of the author's passion for comics took years to make, and packs three-hundred-plus pages with love, betrayal, and dozens of double-page spreads.

AGENT RUNNING IN THE FIELD

John Le Careé

Following a quick choice to put aside my SFF trilogy, and begin the first draft of a mystery, this was the first book I devoured as I wrote. Le Careé was an author I'd wanted to read for a while, and I'm glad I had the "excuse." He displays masterful control of the form and crystalline prose. I will return to this literary world, but start at the beginning.

PHENOMENA; THE GOLDEN CITY OF EYES - BOOK ONE

Brian Michael Bendis & André Lima Araújo

The first book of a science fiction fantasy adventure trilogy that springs from the grounds of this fertile genre, and comic masters like Ottomo and Mœbius. I can't wait to read the next installment!

PHENOMENA; MATILDE'S QUEST - BOOK TWO

Brian Michael Bendis & André Lima Araújo

The second book in this trilogy. Bendis and Araújo pull off a tightening-in on the characters, yet pull-back and show more of the story world. Hard to put down between the unfolding story and breathtaking art.

SHAZAM!

Jeff Smith

The Monster Society of Evil is a modernized primer, to introduce any young reader to the world of Shazam!

THE DARK HOURS

Michael Connelly

I'm a sucker for high-paced page turners and my first visit into mister Connelly's LA, did not disappoint. Detective Renée Ballard is a strong protagonist who navigates the turbulent waters of LAPD politics with a moral compass and instinct to deliver justice.

TIME UNDER TENSION

M. S. Harkness

A deeply ambitious work where a protagonist struggles backwards and forward. Elevated cartoon strip page designs bend and stretch into elaborate spreads of labyrinthine complexity, that reflect psychological & emotional struggles.

THE ROAD

Cormac McCarthy

A father and son scrape out an existence in a dying world of unknown creation—walking through the cold gray toward an undefined hope. The prose is stripped bare as the ashen wasteland of the book.

GONE GIRL

Gillian Flynn

A veiled epistolary mystery filled with sumptuous prose about two pathologically selfish people, who get what they deserve.

LEAN MEAN THIRTEEN

Janet Evanovich

An agenda-less lead living in a "colorful" New Jersey, filled with all the crime, oddities, and personalities that would make Carl Hiaasen smile. Auto lovers beware.

ECHOLANDS VOL 1

JH Williams III & W Haden Blachman

The ultimate mash-up, not only in genre, but, layout, and artistic style. A glorious adventure through a familiar and mysterious world, in one hardcover edition.

THE LATE SHOW

Michael Connelly

First in the Renee Ballard line-up, and a fitting start for this surfing LAPD detective. For Ballard, the late show bleeds into the day, and she puts everything on the line for the victims, to the point of becoming one.

BARBARIAN DAYS

William Finnegan

A rich and informative memoir about the author and people outside the spotlight. Mr Finnegan’s impact on the world in and out of the ocean is inspirational. This is an unvarnished love letter to the next great wave.

THE ENFIELD GANG MASSACRE

Chris Condon & Jacob Phillips

A western comic that kicks over the social apple cart in this remote patch of fictional 1875 Texas. While players have roles, the author shifts them against type, to bloody effect, as the artist's bold use of black set upon a fauvist palette amplifies this tale.

EQUAL RITES

Terry Pratchett

Book three in the Discworld, and the introduction of the Witches. A wealth of hilarious characterization and brilliant twists packed into this cozy fantasy series.

SUBURBAN DICKS

Fabian Nicieza

A deadly neighborhood mystery, filled with a wealth of honest characters, that digs deep and uncovers more than the town can handle. Come for the murder, stay for playgroup, and lunch buffet.

BLUE IN GREEN

Ram V & Anand RK

A dark tale of nature versus nurture, and jazz. Can we escape out fate, or are we destined to compete the circle? And, how real are our inner demons? This comic team tackles these heavy subjects with beautiful words and images.

FOUNDATION AND EMPIRE

Issac Asimov

Book two in the verbose series of cosmo-political evolution. Is fate or behavior the enemy?

TRANSFORMERS VOL 1

Daniel Warren Johnson & Mike Spicer

The '80s toy/cartoon sensations are back, again, in a grittier world with stakes, and non-robotic vans. While the Autobots' deadly plight is the story's engine, the human characters are its heart.

MURDER FALCON

Daniel Warren Johnson & Mike Spicer

Metal, monsters, mayhem, and meaning! A heart warming/breaking tale, packed full of passion and hope in the face of hopelessness. An amazing first-time art collaboration.

LOCK IN

John Scalzi

A painfully prescient, post-pandemic, near-future mystery packed with familiar detective novel vibes, but sealed in plastic and steel.

DREYER'S ENGLISH

Benjamin Dreyer

The most accessible treatise on the often befuddling subject. Unlike a dry rules and regulation manual, this is a witty and memorable read. One that shall remain within arm's reach from now on. A must for writers and editors.

LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES; MILLENNIUM

Brian Michael Bendis, Ryan Sook, Wade Von Grawbadger

This timeless DC title, filled my childhood with possibility, then—through high school and college—taught me about darkness and betrayal. They return in a lively, but epic tale of pantheon proportions.

FILTH & GRAMMAR

Shelly Bond

With myriad craft books on writing, drawing, storytelling, inking, lettering, and coloring comics that date back to the '70s, none have tackled the invisible art of editing. Bond and co., built a manual to be read, dogeared, and on-hand for—not only editors—but all comic creators.

THE FOURTH TURNING

William Strauss & Neil Howe

A fascinating sociological and historical study of macro behavior, and a sobering look at each generation’s role. A near fantastic book, filled with hard to shake Nostradamus-like predictions written in the mid-'90s.

THE HOTEL NEW HAMPSHIRE

John Irving

A rich and humorous tale, anchored in familial identity, yet a challenge to convention at nearly every turn. As much a modern classic, as an unvarnished reflection of an fully-expressed Americana.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE'S STAR WARS: VERILY, A NEW HOPE

Ian Doescher

A joyous telling of this intergalactic tale in iambic pentameter. Each character comes alive in a new, yet familiar, way. The beauty of the form asks the reader to envision this live, on stage.

FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING

J R R Tolkien

Though I've read and re-read this book since the '70s, when I heard Andy Serkis narrated the unabridged Lord of the Rings, I bought the audio series. Sheer magic. If you LOVE the books, this is a must-listen.

DARK SACRED NIGHT

Michael Connelly

Connelly's separate series police-detectives unite to stoke the faint embers of a cold case that ignites one of the best partnerships.

BATTLING BOY

Paul Pope

A new type of superhero, birthed from the spirit of Jack Kirby, set in familiar unreality of European comics, and crafted by Pope's humanist hand and heart. Sure to be a curled and dogeared favorite for a few generations.

ULTRAMEGA VOL. 1 STAND WITH HUMANITY

James Harren

Nobody, and no extremity is safe in this post-apocalyptic/kaiju/superhero/psycho-urban fantasy, told in pure grimdark fashion. A cult favorite in the making. Considering the cult is anyone who reads this.

JADE CITY

Fonda Lee

A modern urban fantasy that weighs familial responsibility as powerful as the magic found in jade wielded but the characters. This colorful tale reaches back into tradition while reaching toward a new future.

THE NAME OF THE WIND

Patrick Rothfuss

First book in the Kingkiller Chronicle. The bulk of the tale is told through the protagonist’s recollections to a chronicler. The balance between a self-aggrandizing past and interesting current story weighs more toward the former.

MORT

Terry Pratchett

Book four in the deeply entertaining Discworld series. Yet another introduction of unique and enjoyable group of characters, mixed with the ever-expanding chorus in this magical world.

SHOP CLASS AS SOULCRAFT

Matthew B Crawford

A revealing look into the value of working with your hands AND mind, and how this endeavor connects us with our past. If you dream of pursuing work that requires a clean up at the end of the day, this is the book for you.

MONSTERS

Barry Windsor Smith

A grim tale penned by a master of the form, committed to pushing the internal and external boundaries of the comic books. Lushly rendered and painfully told. What would it have been like, were it The Incredible Hulk?

DARK MATTER

Blake Crouch

A page turning, parallel universe thriller, that simmers like a pot of hot oil, then explodes when the author tosses in a handful of corn. The novel raises profound, and dark, questions about the results of our unexplored thoughts.

SMALL TOWN SINS

Ken Jaworoski

A bleak and interconnected tale of loss, addiction, greed, hope, and failure. The book is a cascade of compounding problems where the main characters struggle to stem the tide, and leaves the reader wondering, what happens next.

THE YIDDISH POLICEMAN’S UNION

Michael Chabon

Re-read of the Hugo and Nebula award-winning alt history detective novel that, is as clever in concept as it is in it’s brilliant prose. Rich in chess metaphor, and I wonder how many moves behind I am as I turn the pages.

DARK RIDE

Lou Berney

Can we rise above our, and others, expectations of ourselves? And, will any change from who we are actually be for the better?

ALEX TOTH; GENIUS ILLUSTRATED

Dean Mullaney, Bruce Canwell

Book two in the encyclopedic biography and art collection for [arguably] one of the most influential comic book, and animation artists. Come for the personal struggles and stay for the brilliant artwork.

KAYA

Wes Craig & Jason Wordie

A rich post-apocalyptic comic series where Craig synthesizes his literal and visual influences into a fresh and exciting adventure. Huge shout out to Wordie’s phenomenal color work. Made for adults, but suitable for all ages.

FAFHRD & THE GRAY MOUSER OMNIBUS

Howard Chaykin Mike Mignola, & Co.

A seminal mini-series adaptation of the Fritz Lieber fantasy stories, and earlier efforts by many future heroes in the comic book industry. A must for fans of comics and fantasy.

BEFORE THE FALL

Noah Hawley

A thriller of unexpected loss and recovery that connects lives that would never come into contact without an unbelievable tragedy. If you like your books to read like television dramas, then this is for you.

NOVELIST AS A VOCATION

Haruki Murakami

Another digestible craft book by the self-deprecating and miraculous Murakami, who’s words always find the place they’re needed. The writer raises the bar for what it takes to be a novelist. Great fuel for charge your creative battery.

LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES; THE TRIAL OF THE LEGION

Brian Michael Bendis, Ryan Sook, Wade Von Grawbadger & Co.

The final collected edition for this creative team featuring two issues—in the middle—with top talent on each page, giving Sook the time to wrap-up the run in grand style.

ZORRO: MAN OF THE DEAD

Sean Murphy

A modern telling of this classic masked hero, by a contemporary—writer/artist—powerhouse. While enjoyable, it begged for deeper plot and character development to anchor this world riddled with as much technology as narco bullets.

THE CREATIVE ACT

Rick Rubin

Observational and encouraging wisdom shared by one of the greatest catalysts for creativity in the past forty years. Delivered in digestible nuggets, and applicable well-beyond music. Not scientific in approach, but internal. Worth it.

ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF SOLITUDE

Gabriel Garcia Márquez

This [now] classic magical realism novel reads like a series of tall-tales handed down through generations in a jumble of free-associative myths like the patriarch’s name, until the last thread of the family is gone.

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