This year in particular, I’m trying to be a bit more focused in my reading. There are a bunch of book series that have been on my ‘to read’ list for a long time which I’m looking to make progress on.
Chronicles of Narnia: I used to read this with my Mum when I was at primary school, but we only got as far as Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Reading it as an adult is also a different experience, as the religious connotations are more obvious. Current book: The Silver Chair.
Dune: The first book in the series is a strong contender for my favourite science fiction novel – it is to sci-fi what Lord of the Rings is to epic fantasy. In the past, I’ve never got past Children of Dune, but I’m planning to go to Chapterhouse (the last one written by Frank Herbert). Current book: Dune Messiah.
Foundation: Generally I enjoy Asimov, especially the Robot stories. For some reason I remember disliking the first Foundation book when I originally read it many years ago, but this time it’s gone down better. Current book: Foundation and Empire.
Discworld: I don’t know how I missed these the first time round, as fantasy, puns and footnotes are all good things from my perspective. Current book: Sourcery.
Eighth Doctor Adventures: I’m a massive Whovian, and I really like how full length novels explore the Doctor’s character in a depth which isn’t possible on TV. The only downside is that most of these are no longer in print, and can be expensive to buy second-hand. Current book: The City of the Dead.
Wheel of Time: Takes epic fantasy to the extreme. I’m enjoying the books, but it does feel like the plot is moving at a very slow pace – possibly because there are multiple threads operating concurrently. Current book: The Shadow Rising.
Culture: I’ve read a few books by Iain M. Banks and really enjoyed them. Whilst each novel in this series is self-contained, I’m planning to read them in order. Current book: Consider Phlebas.