2025 was interesting reading year for me, different in many ways from previous years. I more-or-less finished writing my medieval novel (looking for a publisher now), so I read less medieval history than I have in the past. I’ve been on-again, off-again working on a historical fantasy novel set in Colonial Boston during the Golden Age of Piracy. The work is arguing with me over whether it is a meditation on middle age (Cotton Mather), or an adventure story with a young adult female protagonist – so I’ve been reading up on both.
Medieval stuff#
Between two fires, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Dissolution (and my story), Seven Myths of the Crusades, Real Pirates,
Colonial Boston & Pirates#
Act of Oblivion, Bunker Hill, Pirates of New England, Bone Rattler, The Republic of Pirates
YA books#
Nettle & Bone, Water Moon, The Hum and the Shiver, The Amalfi Coast, The Hunger Games
Fantasy#
Alif the Unseen Written on the Dark Lord Valentine’s Castle The War in the Dark
Classics#
The Count of Monte Cristo!
Spy stuff#
The Blonde Identity, The Collaborators, The Amateur, Ilium (found on a wonderful bookstore crawl during Google I/O), Black Water, A Bird in Winter, a good chunk of The Abbot’s Tale by Conn Iggulden,
Sci/Fi#
Dune (again), The Dispossessed, In Ascension (I’d wanted my book club to read this for a few years now. Never managed to convince anyone, so I read it on my own…), The Old Man’s War by John Scalzi, Ymir, The Ferryman (A new author for me)
This coming year#
Neuromancer
Oddities#
The Lost Books of the Odyssey The Searcher. Damn this book was good. All Fours (sheesh) The Ancient Minstrel, Jim Harrison
Alif the Unseen
“[A] Harry Potter-ish action-adventure romance” set during the Arab Spring, from the New York …
Between Two Fires
His extraordinary debut, Those Across the River, was hailed as “genre-bending Southern horror” …
Nettle & Bone
An instant USA Today & Indie bestseller From Hugo, Nebula, and Locus award-winning author T. …
Written on the Dark
'Kay is a genius. I've read him all my life and am always inspired by his work' BRANDON SANDERSON A …
Water Moon
A woman inherits a pawnshop where you can sell your regrets, and then embarks on a magical quest …
Lord Valentine's Castle: Book One of the Majipoor Cycle
The Classic Bestselling Saga by Science Fiction Grand Master Robert Silverberg Lord Valentine’s …
The War in the Dark
A genre-defying page turner that fuses thriller and speculative fiction with dark fantasy in a …
The Hum and the Shiver
The Hum and the Shiver by Alex Bledsoe is an enchanting tale of music and magic older than the …
The Blonde Identity
"A unique, delightful, hilarious, unputdownable romance… I’m wonderstruck by The Blonde Identity!" — …
The Collaborators
A brilliant young intelligence officer and a troubled heiress stumble into a global conspiracy that …
The Amateur
A spy thriller classic, soon to be a major motion picture starring Rami Malek, Rachel Brosnahan, …
Ilium: A Novel
Set in the dark world of international espionage, from London to Mallorca, Croatia, Paris, and Cap …
Black Water: A Novel
The author of Apple Tree Yard delivers a “powerful, probing [international thriller] in the …
A Bird in Winter
**AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER NOW** OVER HALF A MILLION COPIES OF APPLE TREE YARD SOLD 'Louise Doughty …
Sir Gawain And The Green Knight, Pearl, And Sir Orfeo
SIR GAWAIN AND THE GREEN KNIGHT, PEARL, AND SIR ORFEO THREE MEDIEVAL ENGLISH POEMS, WITH TRANSLATION …
Dune
A deluxe hardcover edition of the best-selling science-fiction book of all time—part of Penguin …
The Lost Books of the Odyssey
A New York Times BestsellerA New York Times Book Review Editors' ChoiceZachary Mason's brilliant and …
The Dispossessed
One of The Atlantic’s Great American Novels“One of the greats. . . . Not just a science fiction …
The Count of Monte Cristo
One of the most exciting and best-loved novels of all time, The Count of Monte Cristo is a timeless …
In Ascension
LONGLISTED FOR THE 2023 BOOKER PRIZE An astonishing novel about a young microbiologist investigating …
Old Man's War
John Perry did two things on his 75th birthday. First he visited his wife's grave. Then he joined …
Ymir
"Phenomenal, visceral, high-octane scifi... Altered Carbon unsleeves in a dystopian Beowulf."―Derek …
The Ferryman
“Next to impossible to put down . . . exciting, mysterious, and totally satisfying.”—STEPHEN KING …
The Ferryman
“Next to impossible to put down . . . exciting, mysterious, and totally satisfying.”—STEPHEN KING …
The Searcher
A DISAPPEARANCE. A SMALL TOWN. A QUESTION THAT NEEDS ANSWERING... 'One of the most compulsive …
The Amalfi Curse
“Sarah Penner transported me to the sea-swept cliffs of Positano and introduced me to characters …
Act of Oblivion
From the bestselling author of Fatherland, The Ghostwriter, Munich, and Conclave comes this …
Dissolution
Awarded the CWA Diamond Dagger – the highest honor in British crime writingFrom the bestselling …
Bunker Hill
The bestselling author of In the Heart of the Sea, Valiant Ambition, and In the Hurricane's Eye …
Seven Myths of the Crusades (Myths of History: A Hackett Series)
"Seven Myths of the Crusades' rebuttal of the persistent and multifarious misconceptions associated …
The Medieval Cookbook: Revised Edition
This book takes the reader on a gastronomic journey through the Middle Ages, offering not only a …
Real Pirates: The Untold Story of the Whydah from Slave Ship to Pirate Ship
The riveting story of the slave ship Whydah,captured by pirates and later sunk in a fierce storm off …
Sir Gawain And The Green Knight, Pearl, And Sir Orfeo
SIR GAWAIN AND THE GREEN KNIGHT, PEARL, AND SIR ORFEO THREE MEDIEVAL ENGLISH POEMS, WITH TRANSLATION …
From Here to Eternity
Selected by the Modern Library as one of the 100 best novels of all time THE COMPLETE UNCENSORED …
Richard I (The English Monarchs Series)
With the emphasis firmly on Richard's monarchy rather than on his personal life, Gillingham's …
Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War
The novel is set during the winter monsoon season of 1968-69 on and around a fire support base …
Pirates of New England: Ruthless Raiders and Rotten Renegades
Tales of swashbuckling adventure, murder, treachery, and mayhem! One would be mistaken to think of …
The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea
"The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With the Sea" tells of a band of savage thirteen-year-old boys who …
The Republic of Pirates
An entrancing tale of piracy colored with gold, treachery and double-dealing (Portland Press …
Special Operations in the Age of Chivalry, 1100-1550 (Warfare in History, 24)
The author of the international bestseller Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind looks at covert …
Bone Rattler: A Mystery of Colonial America
In a novel rich in historical detail, acclaimed author Eliot Pattison reconsiders the founding of …
Lord Valentine's Castle: Book One of the Majipoor Cycle
The Classic Bestselling Saga by Science Fiction Grand Master Robert Silverberg Lord Valentine’s …
Bunker Hill
The bestselling author of In the Heart of the Sea, Valiant Ambition, and In the Hurricane's Eye …
The Medieval Cookbook: Revised Edition
This book takes the reader on a gastronomic journey through the Middle Ages, offering not only a …
The Searcher
A DISAPPEARANCE. A SMALL TOWN. A QUESTION THAT NEEDS ANSWERING... 'One of the most compulsive …
Alif the Unseen
“[A] Harry Potter-ish action-adventure romance” set during the Arab Spring, from the New York …
The Blonde Identity
"A unique, delightful, hilarious, unputdownable romance… I’m wonderstruck by The Blonde Identity!" — …
Between Two Fires
His extraordinary debut, Those Across the River, was hailed as “genre-bending Southern horror” …
In Ascension
LONGLISTED FOR THE 2023 BOOKER PRIZE An astonishing novel about a young microbiologist investigating …
The Collaborators
A brilliant young intelligence officer and a troubled heiress stumble into a global conspiracy that …
Nettle & Bone
An instant USA Today & Indie bestseller From Hugo, Nebula, and Locus award-winning author T. …
All Fours
A NEW YORK TIMES TOP TEN BOOK OF THE YEAR A WASHINGTON POST NOTABLE BOOK OF THE YEAR ONE OF TIME …
Real Pirates: The Untold Story of the Whydah from Slave Ship to Pirate Ship
The riveting story of the slave ship Whydah,captured by pirates and later sunk in a fierce storm off …
Written on the Dark
'Kay is a genius. I've read him all my life and am always inspired by his work' BRANDON SANDERSON A …
The Amateur
A spy thriller classic, soon to be a major motion picture starring Rami Malek, Rachel Brosnahan, …
The Amalfi Curse
“Sarah Penner transported me to the sea-swept cliffs of Positano and introduced me to characters …
Old Man's War
John Perry did two things on his 75th birthday. First he visited his wife's grave. Then he joined …
Water Moon
A woman inherits a pawnshop where you can sell your regrets, and then embarks on a magical quest …
Act of Oblivion
From the bestselling author of Fatherland, The Ghostwriter, Munich, and Conclave comes this …
Ilium: A Novel
Set in the dark world of international espionage, from London to Mallorca, Croatia, Paris, and Cap …
Ymir
"Phenomenal, visceral, high-octane scifi... Altered Carbon unsleeves in a dystopian Beowulf."―Derek …
Black Water: A Novel
The author of Apple Tree Yard delivers a “powerful, probing [international thriller] in the …
Dissolution
Awarded the CWA Diamond Dagger – the highest honor in British crime writing From the bestselling …
The Hum and the Shiver
The Hum and the Shiver by Alex Bledsoe is an enchanting tale of music and magic older than the …
A Bird in Winter
**AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER NOW** OVER HALF A MILLION COPIES OF APPLE TREE YARD SOLD 'Louise Doughty …
The War in the Dark
A genre-defying page turner that fuses thriller and speculative fiction with dark fantasy in a …
The Count of Monte Cristo
One of the most exciting and best-loved novels of all time, The Count of Monte Cristo is a timeless …
Seven Myths of the Crusades (Myths of History: A Hackett Series)
"Seven Myths of the Crusades' rebuttal of the persistent and multifarious misconceptions associated …
The Ferryman
“Next to impossible to put down . . . exciting, mysterious, and totally satisfying.”—STEPHEN KING …
The Guards
Still stinging from his unceremonious ouster from the Garda Siochana, and staring at the world …
Henry V
The instant Sunday Times bestseller The UK's bestselling medieval historian brings unforgettably to …
Prince of Fire
Recalled to service in Israel after terrorists steal secrets about his past, art restorer and …
Ink Blood Sister Scribe: A Novel
NAMED A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK OF THE YEAR & ONE OF THE BEST FANTASY NOVELS OF THE YEAR …
Crusader Castles
This is a new edition (the first since 1936) of the classic text on Crusader castles and their …
Velvet Undercover
Perfect for fans of Jennifer Donnelly and Libba Bray comes this page-turning historical spy thriller …
Big Bear, Little Bear
“Brierley succeeds in escaping from John le Carré’s shadow and turning out a book marked by a full …
It Had to Be You
Two contract killers, each with a hit out on the other, must fight their growing attraction as they …
The Justice of Kings
'A stunning piece of modern fantasy writing' RJ Barker No man is above the law. The Empire of the …
The Troubadour's Song: The Capture and Ransom of Richard the Lionheart
On his long journey home from the Third Crusade, Richard the Lionheart--one of history's most …
Prince of Foxes: The Best-Selling Historical Epic
Set in the early 1500s in Renaissance Italy this novel is the story of Andrea Orsini, a peasant boy …
A Shadow Intelligence
“Oliver Harris is always pure quality and I’m loving the hell out of his foray into the contemporary …
The Mantis
From the award-winning, internationally bestselling author of Bullet Train and Three Assassins, The …
Sea People
"Who hasn't stayed up late reading South Sea tales? Christina Thompson's Sea People is a South Sea …
Luster: A Novel
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERA New York Times Notable Book of the YearWINNER of the NBCC John …
The Bones of Paris: A Novel of Suspense
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE SACRAMENTO BEE New York Times bestselling author …
Pride and Prejudice
"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be …
Mickey7
*Soon to be the major motion picture Mickey17* The Martian meets Dark Matter in Edward Ashton's high …
Damascus Station
Finalist for the 2022 ITW Thriller Award for Best First Novel "Damascus Station is simply marvelous …
The Life and Legend of the Sultan Saladin
An engaging biography that offers a new perspective on one of the most influential figures of the …
The History of William Marshal
The career of William Marshal (1146/7-12), who rose from being the penniless, landless younger son …
Ironfire: An Epic Novel of Love and War
From the acclaimed author of Empires of Sand comes a mesmerizing new adventure that Jean Auel cites …
Extraordinary People (The Enzo Files #1)
Half-Scottish, half-Italian Enzo MacLeod used to be one of the top forensics experts in Scotland, …
The Penelopiad
The internationally acclaimed Myths series brings together some of the finest writers of our time to …
The Great Leader
“A wild ride . . . [and] a thoroughly enjoyable tale of religion, sex and money . . . this is not …
Three Assassins
Named a Best Book of the Month by Apple By the internationally bestselling author of Bullet Train, …
The Secret Hours
A gripping standalone spy thriller from the #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of Slow Horses, with …
Knots and Crosses
Inspector John Rebus: His city is being terrorized by a baffling series of murders...and he's tied …
Cinnamon and Gunpowder
A gripping adventure, a seaborne romance, and a twist on the tale of Scheherazade—with the best food …
Every Drop Is a Man's Nightmare
From major new storytelling talent Megan Kamalei Kakimoto, a blazing, bodily, raucous journey …
A Quiet Place
"A master crime writer . . . Seicho Matsumoto's thrillers dissect Japanese society."The New York …
Kairos
Jenny Erpenbeck’s much anticipated new novel Kairos is a complicated love story set amidst swirling, …
Macbeth
Macbeth is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare, and is considered one of his darkest and most …
James
A brilliant, action-packed reimagining of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, both harrowing and …
The Candy House
Named a Most Anticipated Book of the Year by Time, Entertainment Weekly, Vogue, Good Housekeeping, …
Alle Thyng Hath Tyme: Time and Medieval Life (Medieval Lives)
An insightful account of how medieval people experienced time. Alle Thyng Hath Tyme recreates …
Museum of Hidden Beings
Now available in English so that the creatures of Icelandic legend might knock on new doors... …
The Charlemagne Pursuit
NEW YORK TIMES BESETSELLER • “Those who relish suspense in the Da Vinci Code vein will snap this one …
The Rare and Excellent History of Saladin or al-Nawadir al-Sultaniyya wa'l-Mahasin al-Yusufiyya by Baha' al-Din Ibn Shaddad (Crusade Texts in Translation)
Saladin is perhaps the one and only Muslim ruler who emerges with any clarity in standard tales and …
The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England: A Handbook for Visitors to the Fourteenth Century
The past is a foreign country. This is your guidebook. A time machine has just transported you …
My Effin' Life
The long-awaited memoir, generously illustrated with never-before-seen photos, from the iconic Rock …
Dune Messiah
DUNE MESSIAH: the extraordinary sequel to Dune, the greatest science fiction novel of all time. …
The Books of Earthsea: The Complete Illustrated Edition
Earthsea, also known as The Earthsea Cycle, is a series of fantasy books written by the American …
Agency
“ONE OF THE MOST VISIONARY, ORIGINAL, AND QUIETLY INFLUENTIAL WRITERS CURRENTLY WORKING”* returns …
The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida
Winner of the 2022 Booker Prize, The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida is a searing satire set amid the …
The Transmigration of Bodies
"Mexico's greatest novelist." Francisco Goldman A plague has brought death to the city. Two …
Gender Queer
2020 ALA Alex Award Winner 2020 Stonewall — Israel Fishman Non-fiction Award Honor Book In 2014, …
Sister Outsider
"Sister Outsider's teachings, by one of our most revered elder stateswomen, should be read by …
A World Lit Only by Fire: The Medieval Mind and the Renaissance-Portrait of an Age
This beautifully illustrated new color edition of the classic New York Times bestseller brings …
The Whispering Muse: A Novel
Already celebrated far beyond his native Iceland, the novels of Sjón arrive on waves of praise from …
Nuclear Family
APALA Adult Literature Honor Book Longlisted for the PEN/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel A New York …
Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot
A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER “The fights against hunger, homelessness, poverty, health disparities, …
Hawaiki Rising: Hokule'a, Nainoa Thompson, and the Hawaiian Renaissance
Attuned to a world of natural signs – the stars, the winds, the curl of ocean swells - Polynesian …
The Last Song of Orpheus
In the course of his extraordinary--and prolific--career, Robert Silverberg has made an enormous …
Two Nights in Lisbon
Tautly wound and expertly crafted, Two Nights in Lisbon is a riveting thriller about a woman under …
On Becoming a Novelist
"One of the greatest creative writing teachers we've ever had." ―Frederick Busch On Becoming a …
Steering the Craft: A Twenty-First-Century Guide to Sailing the Sea of Story
A revised and updated guide to the essentials of a writer’s craft, presented by a brilliant …
The Art of Fiction (Kapnick Lectures)
James Salter’s exalted place in American letters is based largely on the intense admiration of other …
A Moveable Feast
Published for the first time as Ernest Hemingway intended, one of the great writer’s most beloved …
Writing Tough Writing Tender
If only all writers could have an honest, experienced friend in the publishing business to tell it …
