2023 Reading Recap
In 2023, I set a very moderate goal of reading more fiction. I always made time to read theology and philosophy books, but as an adult I lost the joy of reading fiction. So in 2023 I read 10 fiction books. I know 10 books pales in comparison to some of these posts we’ve all seen on Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit. Posts showing off how someone read over a hundred books in 2023. Well, I read 10 fiction books. And I want to talk about them.
The first book I read, and one I already did a write up for here was Recursion by Blake Crouch. I read two books by Crouch in 2023, the other being Dark Matter which I also reviewed. I won’t dive too much into these, but I loved them. Some of the best modern “near-future” Sci-Fi. I think both are considered Thrillers as well. Highly recommend if you’re looking for a Sci-Fi or Thriller. I tried reading Upgrade also by Blake Crouch, but couldn’t finish it after getting about half way through.
I then read two Star Wars books. Master & Apprentice and Thrawn (2017). I really enjoyed Master & Apprentice (M&A), it takes place a few years before Episode 1 and focuses on Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan’s relationship. I’m always a sucker for my Qui-Gon content.
The 2017 introduction to Thrawn is suppose to be one of the critically acclaimed books of the new Star Wars canon, nominated for the 2017 best Sci-Fi book on Goodreads. However I couldn’t really get into it. It wasn’t bad perse, but felt more like a chore. It did get better as it went on but not enough to get me to read the rest of the series.
It was around this time that my personal life went crazy and reading to away from me. My son was hospitalized on his first birthday with breathing problems. I was laid off from my job. Our church dissolved after spiritual abuse and financial malpractice was brought to life. Overall it was a very challenging 2023.
However in November I decided to get back to the books and picked up The Poppy War by RF Kuang and I’m so glad I did. It’s the first book in The Poppy War trilogy and I burned through those three books in about two weeks, about 1,600 pages total. The story takes place in fantasy land heavily inspired by late 1800’s/early 1900’s China and has a huge focus on shawman’s and various “gods” from which they draw the power of their magic. Without spoiling too much we have a poor girl who tests into the most prestigious military academy in the country. She makes some dear friends and learns some magical secrets. Her country is then plunged into war after war. How she deals with friendships, her people, her hopes, people’s expectations, it’s just genuinely a fun read. Though it depicts war in a very realistic light, so not for the faint of heart.
After this series, I wanted to explore more fantasy books. And my secret santa delivered by gifting me one of the most talked about books of the year in Fourth Wing.
Let me start by saying I did enjoy Fourth Wing and Iron Flame. I read them each in about a week and will continue on with the series. However, the actual writing for these books does not feel “good”. I think the author has a cool story to tell but isn’t really a good enough author to tell the story. I was taken aback by some of the dialogue, especially in the first book with how cringy it was. When the main protagonist said “For the win!”, I had to put the book down and laugh. At the end of the day though, I did find the plot interesting and enjoyed the world that the author is building. I’d give both books a solid 3.5/5.
In between Fourth Wing and Iron Flame I read Out of the Silent Planet by CS Lewis. It was bizarre reading a Sci-Fi book about space travel and other planets that was written before we went to the moon. Not bizarre in a bad way mind you, just strange seeing how Lewis handled something before it became common place. Overall I did really enjoy this novel. It was shorter than I typically read but the pacing felt good and the plot kept me entertained and ended before it became too long.
My definitive 2023 Reading Ranks
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The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2)
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The Poppy War (The Poppy War #1)
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Recursion
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The Burning God (The Poppy War #3)
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Dark Matter
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Master & Apprentice
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Out of The Silent Planet
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Iron Flame
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Fourth Wing
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Thrawn
As I look into the literary horizon of 2024, I've set some ambitious targets for myself. The plan is to devour 24 books, maintaining a steady pace of two per month. While I'm currently on track to exceed this goal, life's unpredictability adds an element of uncertainty. Currently immersed in the gripping Red Rising series, I'm eager to share my upcoming reviews. Additionally, I have my sights set on delving into the Cosmere universe and initiating the first Mistborn series. As Arthur wisely remarked, "Having fun isn't hard when you've got a library card!" – a sentiment that perfectly encapsulates my enthusiasm for the reading adventures that lie ahead.