I like to read. A lot. I read several things at once. Here’s what my Kobo eReader  (a wonderful gift from my two lovely daughters)  has on it now.

• A Dance with Dragons , by George R.R. Martin. This is the 5th of several books in what he calls “A Song of Fire and Ice” series. This book is pldding along slowly and I might lose interest unless it picks up somewhere in the 1000 pages of this beast. Dragons were born 4 books ago, but have yet to be of use to anyone. Ho hum.
• Death of Kings, by Bernard Cornwell. This is the 5th in the “Saxon Tales” series. King Alfred is dead and the Danes and Saxons are fighting over who will rule the various kingdoms that eventually comprise England.
• The Vagabond, by Bernard Cornwell. This is the 2nd in the “Grail Quest”, this one takes the hero, Thomas Hooker to Scotland for wars against the English in 1346. I seem to have a penchant for series these days.
• Sharpe’s Fortress. by Bernard Cornwell. Number 3 in the Sharpe series and the last to take place in India.

Here’s what’s kept me in prose so far while I’m here in Korea. I started this list in early 2007.

• Sharpe’s Triumph. by Bernard Cornwell. Number 2 in the Sharpe series. Sharpe get promoted to Leuitentant for his efforts
• The Burning Land, by Bernard Cornwell. This is the 4th in the “Saxon Tales” series. Early England in 898 before its really England and the Danes are everywhere.
• A Feast for Crows , by George R.R. Martin. This is the 4th of several books in what he calls “A Song of Fire and Ice” series. Not as good as the previous three – a little meandering plot. But I still have 200 pages to go (each one in the series is a massive book) so I’m hoping it gets better
• A Storm of Swords, by George R.R. Martin. This is the 3rd of several books in what he calls “A Song of Fire and Ice” series.
• A Clash of Kings, by George R.R. Martin. The HBO series hooked me on this fantasy. This is the second of several books in what he calls “A Song of Fire and Ice” series. I’m wondering how this will play out on HBO as it becomes several stories intertwined as opposed to the first book which was fairly tight as a story.
• A Game of Thrones, by George R.R. Martin. We watched the first season of the HBO series and I was hooked on this fantasy that has some resemblance to olde England (although not much). I didn’t want to wait to find out what happens next season so I got the book. And, as the list clearly shows – I’m not reading anything else – a tribute to how enthralled I am with it.
• Harlequin by Bernard Cornwell. The first of the Grail Quest series. Can’t seem to get enough of Cornwell’s stuff these days. I downloaded this book for the nook reader I have on my smartphone. Makes me want an electronic book reader now as the phone really chews up its battery displaying constantly.  This is the 1st in the “Grail Quest”, although in America it was called Heretic so people woulnd’t confuse it with the bodice ripper romance novels.
• A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hosseini. Life through the eyes of two women in Afghanistan from the 70s through the first part of the 21st century. Excellent book, but it makes me more convinced than ever that the USA or (anyone else) should not have troops there. That is one fucked-up culture that will likely not change despite the wishes of so many “democracy” spreaders.
• The Mysterious Stranger, by Mark Twain. Another audio book to occupy the mind while the bike occupies the body.
• The Forest. A tale of Olde England, this one from 1099 to present day by Ernest Rutherford. A large novel of loosely related (by birth) short stories. Not the most interesting of books, unless one is into historical minutiae and trivia or a single locale.
• The Lords of the North by Bernard Cornwell. 3rd of Cornwell’s Saxon Tales series. Great story telling
• Sharpe’s Tiger by Bernard Cornwell. The initial tome of Cornwell’s Sharpe series. This one starts in India in 1799.
• Tortilla Flat, by John Steinbeck. A tale of down-and-outers in Monterry, CA, Circe 1935. I’m listened to this while I exercised my fat ass on the bike. This is sometimes funny, sometimes poignant, sometimes folksy.
• The Last Kingdom by by Bernard Cornwell. First of the Saxon Tales series. I read #4 first and loved it. So I started at the beginning
• The Pale Horseman by by Bernard Cornwell. 2nd of the Saxon Tales series.
• Purity of Blood, another Captain Alatriste novel by Auturo Perez-Reverte
• The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet Nest, by Steig Larsson. 3rd of the trilogy of books of extreme sex crimes. Also Larsson’s last book as he mysteriously died after submitting all 3 books to his publisher. This one is in need of editing, but since the author passed away I gather they published what they had. Still an exciting book that I can’t seem to put down. It’s a continuation of book 2 and would not likely stand on it’s own as 1 and 2 could.
• The Girl Who Played with Fire, by Steig Larsson. 2nd of the trilogy of books of extreme sex crimes.
• Blaze. A short story in audiobook by Stephen King, writing as Richard Bachman.
• The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, by Steig Larsson. The first of a trilogy that I was stuck on reading. I had a hard time putting this down. In fact, I read this alone and couldn’t even begin another book while reading this crime thriller.
• The Sun over Breda. Another Captain Alatriste novel by Arturo Perez-Reverte. This time the 17th century captain and his band of men are in Flanders.
• Sweet Thursday, by John Steinbeck. A sequel of sorts to his famous Cannery Row of pre-war Monterey. I listened to this while riding my bicycle.
• Sword Song, by Bernard Cornwell. Another tale of Olde England, this time from 885 a.d. involving the Saxons and Danes. This is #4 of the SAxon Tales series
• A Portrait of Battle, by Arturo Perez-Reverte. Same author who writes the Captain Alatriste series, this one is more a social commentary on war from the perspectives of combatant and observer. Actually, a very good philosophical novel on the aspects of photographer and the photographed in relation to war. Worth a read if you come across it.
• Sharpe’s Fury, by Bernard Cornwell. One of about 20 or so in the Sharpe series of 19th century British soldier. I read one a long while back and can’t remember which one, but I liked it. Craig gave me this one and it’s a page turner all right.
• The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. A futuristic novel of reproduction woes of a woman whose role is to have babies while many women can’t due to pollution, radiation, etc.
• A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, by Betty Smith. A coming of age story set in the early 20th century. Not a bad tale.
• Brave New World, by Aldus Huxley. Another one I read in High School. Seems different somehow. I don’t remember it being so…sexual. Maybe I read the high-school student approved version? I listened to it while on the bike in the mornings.
• The King’s Gold by Arturo Perez-Reverte. By friend Craig gave me the first in the “Captain Alatriste” series and I really liked it. Swashbuckling through 17th century Spain was quite fun. This one is just as good.
• The Sun Dog by Stephen King. Another audiobook to keep me pedaling in the mornings. This one is of a polaroid camera that only takes pictures of a dog, no matter what the camera is pointed at.
• Just After Sunset by Stephen King. A set of short stories from the master of horror. He’s still got it.
• Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith. A fantasy novel – a friend suggested I listen to this audiobook. Not sure I would have picked it up on my own. Decently written and way better than I suspected it would be.
• The River God by Wilbur Smith. A rather large novel of ancient Egyptian royals. The first part had good pacing. The last 200 pages was more like “let’s see how much action I can cram into each page”
• Moses, A Life, by Jonathan Kirsch – a scholarly piece. A description of the real Moses, from the bible as well as the rabbinical writings. This was hard to read – I sometimes fell asleep while reading. Interesting, but taxing, and has quite a bit of information on the authors of the Bible and the sometimes selfish motive for their writings. Lays out the many contradictions within the Bible of the guy most of us know as Charleton Heston.
• The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald. One the Great American novels of the earlier 20th century. I’m listening to the audio version while I ride the bike.
• The Fountainhead, by Ayn Rand. Another audiobook to keep me pedaling every morning. This one is a modern vs. established conflict using architecture as it’s premise. Lots of long monologues with the author expressing her views on capitalism and collectivism through her characters.
• Made in America by Bill Bryson – a series of anecdotes and vignettes on how American culture came to be – why we have one fox, one box, one ox, but two foxes, two boxes and two oxen. Lots of other strange things that people take as gospel on America and how they (surprisingly) evolved.
• Azincourt, by Bernard Cromwell. A tale of Olde England and Henry V as his people fight the French up to and including the famous battle of Azincourt. A page turner for me.
• House of Illusions, by Pauline Gedge. A fluff piece of ancient Egyptian times. A friend was moving home and asked if I wanted it. I probably wouldn’t have picked it up at the bookstore.
• 1984, by George Orwell. The Classic big-brother story of government gone too big. An audiobook that kept me wanting to peddle to find out what happened next. I read this in High school but it seems somehow different now. It all seems, so…so…Republican.
• Captain Alatriste, by Arturo Perez-Reverte. A swashbuckling, Spanish novel set during the Inquisition. A friend here in my neighborhood, also an avid reader, gave me a few books and this one was pretty good. Swords, international intrigue, and young love – what else does a boy need?
• Folly and Glory, by Larry McMurtry. The 4th and final story of the Berrybender narratives of the early American western frontier. Geez, I love this writer. Great but sad ending to a long saga. Perhaps a little overblown with all the historical figures of import the characters meet, but that’s an author’s prerogative.
• Justinian’s Flea, by William Rosen – another scholarly piece of the world’s first plague during the reign of Justinian in 600-something. A historical look at the military, biological, architectural and cultural issues of the fall of the Roman Empire.
• Duma Key – by Stephen King. Another audio book that occupies my mind whilst riding the bike. I have yet to read a King book I didn’t like. This one is about a guy who loses a limb and gains some ESP powers. Ends up being a haunted pottery piece.
• The Steel Wave, by Jeff Shaara – the 2nd book in Shaara’s historical novel trilogy of WWII. Good stuff. I like Shaara’s work and I usually chew through them quickly. This one didn’t take long to burn through.
• Straight Into Darkness, by Faye Kellerman. A serial killer is on the loose in pre WWII Germany. The brown shirts remind me of the Republicans these days. The story was great until the last 25 pages and then the author seemed to have forgotten she needed to wrap things up soon and it got weird.
• The Road, by Carmac McCarthy. Apocalyptic future with a man and his son fighting off all the scum that left on the earth while spending their days walking and finding food. This one was ok. I read it in short order. The movie wasn’t as good.
• Master and Commander, by Patrick O’Brien. – a swashbuckling adventure on Napoleonic-era English warships. Maybe you’ve seen the movie with Russell Crowe?
• Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand – conservatives love this for the free market thought. This is another audio book that occupied me while I rode the bike. A bit unrealistic, but its easy to see why the conservatives get their panties in a wad over Obama’s policies which they deem “socialist.”
• Midwives, by Chris Bohjalian – a story of a go-between accused of murder. A well done tale.
• Lost Lake, by Philip Margolin – a whodunit murder mystery. I bit too much BS, but I finished it.
• Stone Cold, by David Balducci - a spy tome. This one is took me some time to read. It wasn’t entirely boring, but the macho spy bravado was a tad much.
• Pilars of Creation, by Terry Goodkind. A bit sci-fi and magic, a bit sword-y and ax-y. Probably one of the biggest build-ups and largest let-downs I’ve ever read. I can’t believe I got through the first 700 pages to read the last 50 in disgust at the lameness. A real circ de so-lame.
• The Lost Symbols, by Dan Brown. Another symbology tome, this time he’s left the Catholics to lick their wounds and has focused on the Freemasons. I’m listened to this as an audio-book while I rode the bike. Completely wasted time as a serious book. Lots of metaphysical BS. The Freemason’s secret’s were lame, if Brown is giving the truth.
• The Lovely Bones, by Kathy Sebold first person view from heaven of a murdered girl’s family. I hear this might be a movie soon.
• Lord of the Rings; The Two Towers, J.R.R. Tolkein. I loved the movies. I found the 2nd and 3rd books while back home in the US and am engrossed in this one.
• Lord of the Rings; Return of the Kong, J.R.R. Tolkein. finally finished the 3rd
• All Things are Lights, by Robert Shea. A tale of knights and crusades.
• By Sorrow’s River, by Larry McMurtry, One of my favorite authors. McMurtry writes of the old and new west in this novel of exploration in America’s early days. This is the 3rd in the Berrybender series, following The Wandering Hill. I found this and the next book at a 1/2 price book store in Texas. I need the 4th and final book, “Folly and Glory” to round out the Berrybender Narratives. Anyone wanna ship me a copy?
• The Wandering Hill, by Larry McMurtry. McMurtry writes of the old and new west in this novel of exploration in America’s early days.
• 11 Minutes, Paulo Coelho -. A young brazillian woman goes into prostitution and finds true love.
• Victoria Decides to Die, Paulo Coelho, A failed suicide attempt leaves a woman wanting to experience life in the nuthouse
• Bluebeard, Kurt Vonnegut. An abstract painter in the Hamptons.
• The Pillars of the Earth, Ken Follett, another tale of Olde Englande, this time about how the building of cathedrals fared
• Slaughterhouse Five, Kurt Vonnegut. A must read anti-war story about an author who writes of the fire-bombings in WWII Dresden Germany – more dead than Hiroshima, far less media coverage. Tastes great, less filling.
• The Awakening, Kate Chopin. New Orleans, 1895-ish. A woman awakens to her own independence as a woman in society. Classic for its portrayal of society in that period and the beginnings of the women’s movements.
• Lord of the Rings; Fellowship of the Ring, J.R.R. Tolkein. I loved the movies. The book so far is, as expected, far fuller with details.
• Lady Chatterly’s Lover, D.H. Lawrence – This was banned in England until 1960. I think it was banned less for the porn and more for the way Lawrence treated the upper classes with their constant whining about how England was turning into a land of grubby iron and steel workers and rustic commoners. He wasn’t kind to the upper crust and imagine they resented him for it. For the minimal sex content, it was tame at best. I’m guessing the “F” word and the “C” word (which, incidentally, Lawrence used as a verb and not a noun as its used today) got the book its banning.
• The President’s Plane is Missing, by Robert Serling (Rod Serling’s bro) interesting, especially from a technology perspective. This was written in 1966 and reporters had to rush to find a pay phone to call in a story and teletype was the way to send things across the nation. Lame ending, however.
• Don Quixote, by Miguel Cervants. This one is an audio book that I listened to while riding the bike. Classical literature of derangement and knights errant.
• The Switch, by Sandra Brown. Identical twins change lives in mid-career.
• The One Percent Doctrine, by Ron Suskind. A tell-all, mea-culpa for the CIA and George Tenet during the first 3 years of the “war on terror.” Paints Tenet as a saint doing his best. Paints Bush as the bumbling ass that he is. Paints Cheney as the puppet-master pulling Bush’s strings.
• One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, by Ken Kessy. Classic tale of “modern” psychiatric treatment and the struggle of good vs. evil.
• The Loop Group, by Marry McMurtry.McMurtry is one of my all time favorite novelists, but book didn’t make it even close to being one of my favorite books. Its the story of two old hags in Hollywood trying to get by among dysfunctional families, shrinks and other tail ends of tinseltown.
• The Agony and the Ecstasy, by Irving Stone, the story of Michaelangelo. Gawd, it took me forever to finish that book and it wasn’t even worth it. The Artist, while undoubtedly very talented, was a whining cry baby with no personality and the book had even less. I take that back – he had a personality and it has a name: OCD
• The Rising Tide, by Jeff Sharra. Another historical novel, this one set in early WWII. Sharra is one of my favorite historical authors.
• Viking, Odinn’s Child. By Tim Severin. A tale of Vikings, as the name justly implies with ties into Queen Emma, (below)
• Lisey’s story, by Stephen King. Another dual world story with shades of autobiography
• Gone, by Jonathan Kellerman – a murder mystery set in LA
• Ivanhoe, by Sir Walter Scott – A Tale of Olde England
• 1812, by David Nevin – historical novel of America’s 2nd war with Britain
• The Devil in the White City, by Erik Larson – history documentary/novel of the 1893 World’s Fair
• Raging Silence, by Amanda Stone – self-published autobiography of backwoods W.VA girl and seriously dysfunctional family
• The Good Earth, by Pearl S. Buck – a Classic for anyone wishing to understand China
• The Devil and Miss Prym, by Paulo Coelho – another allegorical tale of greed and morals
• Deception Point, by Dan Brown – government conspiracy re: NASA
• Queen Emma and the Vikings, by Harriet O’Brien – Historical documentary of 980-1100s England
• The Historian, by Elizabeth Kostova – A different sort of vampire novel
• The Life of Pi, by Yann Martel – Life in a lifeboat with a tiger.
• Saving Fish from Drowning, by Amy Tan – A novel of South East Asia, particularly Myanmar.
• I know this much is True, by Wally Lamb – twin brothers, mental illness and family dysfunction
• The Street Lawyer, by John Grisham – atypical Grisham, stuff – small money, big morals
• Journey to the End of Night, by Louis-Ferdinand Celine – French boy turns man but never quite grows up during/after WW1
• Wild Swans, by Jung Chang – trials and tribulations of a Chinese Communist Party mid-level boss’s daughter after the Kuomintang were ousted.

Still on the night-stand but unable to read more :

• The Age of Turbulence, Alan Greenspan’s biography/fingerpointing
• The Man in the Mirror, by Patrick Moreley. A Christian-centered self-help book for men. I don’t need any help – the voices in my head told me so.
• The Witching Hour, by Anne Rice. I’ve liked most of the things she’s written. But this audiobook just didn’t get me. After riding the bike and listening for over 50 minutes I was ready to crash the bike into the river and end it all.
• Oliver Twist, by Charles Dickens. The orphan’s sad tale, in audiobook form. I tried listening to this libriVox.org recording while riding my bicycle. I wasn’t thrilled with LibriVox – each chapter is a different author and some voices are just not meant for wide distribution. I just couldn’t take the endless change in speakers, some, with excellent voices, but far too many with crap voices. But what really turned me off was the propensity of some to want to speak their chapter in dialect. Nothing more annoying than having a reader get his Brit accent half (with an American “a” as in apple) and half (with a British “a” as in ah ha) , or worse, become unintelligible gibberish. Charles Dickens is a great writer, but is more than just a little wordy. So listening to Americans muddle their way through highly verbose prose with a faux foreign accent was just too much. I may read Dickens, but I doubt I will listen to another librevox recording in which characters have heavy accents to fuck up. I gave it a good shot, though: I listened to 25 of 53 chapters.