Reading is a hobby for me. I am trying to diversify my reading experience but I primarily read recommended books, so I am unlikely to come across genuinely bad ones. This reflects on my rating scale. While I wouldn't recommend a 1 Star book myself I'm not trying to condemn it as a terrible story.
My reviews will reflect my personal taste. If I review a genre classic and don't particularly enjoy it I will say so, but I don't expect my opinion to somehow invalidate it's status as a classic. A vague interpretation of each of my ratings is given in brackets. I will rate every book that I read in the Speculative genre, regardless of whether or not I do a review.
I write content for other sites, so several of the links will take you to those sites. These have tags like @RD.
5 Stars (Best.book.ever.)
Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card MINI REVIEW
Grave Peril - Jim Butcher MINI REVIEW
The Lies of Locke Lamora - Scott Lynch FULL REVIEW
4.5 Stars (Innovative story that even non-genre fans should enjoy)
Before They Are Hanged - Joe Abercrombie SERIES REVIEW
Bitter Seeds - Ian Tregillis FULL REVIEW
Cold Magic - Kate Elliott FULL REVIEW
Mistborn: The Final Empire - Brandon Sanderson SERIES REVIEW
Storm Front - Jim Butcher FULL REVIEW
The City and the City - China Miéville FULL REVIEW
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms - N. K. Jemisin FULL REVIEW
The Painted Man - Peter V. Brett FULL REVIEW
4 Stars (Original book that all fans of the genre should enjoy)
American Gods - Neil Gaiman FULL REVIEW
Death Masks - Jim Butcher COMING SOON
Fool Moon - Jim Butcher
Last Argument of Kings - Joe Abercrombie SERIES REVIEW
Old Man's War - John Scalzi FULL REVIEW
The Blade Itself - Joe Abercrombie SERIES REVIEW
The Desert Spear - Peter V. Brett FULL REVIEW
The Graveyard Book - Neil Gaiman MINI REVIEW
The Hero of Ages - Brandon Sanderson SERIES REVIEW
The Name of the Wind - Patrick Rothfuss FULL REVIEW
The Well of Ascension - Brandon Sanderson SERIES REVIEW
Towers of Midnight - Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson FULL REVIEW
3.5 Stars (Great story for fans of the sub-genre)
Best Served Cold - Joe Abercrombie FULL REVIEW @RD
Consider Phlebas - Iain M. Banks FULL REVIEW
Elantris - Brandon Sanderson
Gardens of the Moon - Steven Erikson MINI REVIEW
Perdido Street Station - China Miéville MINI REVIEW
Revelation Space - Alastair Reynolds MINI REVIEW
Summer Knight - Jim Butcher
The Alchemist - Paolo Bacigalupi FULL REVIEW
The Shadow of the Torturer - Gene Wolfe FULL REVIEW @RD
3 Stars (Good book that I'm glad to have read)
Sabriel - Garth Nix FULL REVIEW @RD
The Claw of the Conciliator - Gene Wolfe
The Colour of Magic - Terry Pratchett FULL REVIEW
The Executioness - Tobias Buckell FULL REVIEW
The God Engines - John Scalzi
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams MINI REVIEW
2.5 Stars (Solid story that I found satisfying to read)
Good Omens - Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman MINI REVIEW
Neuromancer - William Gibson FULL REVIEW
Shadow's Son - Jon Sprunk FULL REVIEW
2 Stars (Formulaic but enjoyable enough book)
Legend - David Gemmell FULL REVIEW @RD
1.5 Stars (Just not to my tastes)
1 Star (I simply can't recommend this book)
