My Reading List — September 2023
A Grave Talent by Laurie R. King
I am a huge fan of Laurie R. King’s Russell & Holmes series of historical detective fiction, and this will be my first foray into her Kate Martinelli series. I’m curious to see how this detective drama reads and flows compared to the two benchmarks I have for the genre: the sleuthy Russell & Holmes series and the police-procedural Cormac Reilly series by Dervla McTiernan.
Laurie R. King is the most linguistically advanced author I read, so this should be a pleasant, if not slightly challenging, change from the previous handful of books I consumed — all of which were by Brandon Sanderson.
Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree
I have heard many good things about this cozy and relaxed take on the fantasy genre. The gist of the story is that a fierce warrior Orc decides to trade in their life of adventure for a peaceful career as a barista.
I will probably start this book around the end of September, so I’m hoping this will be a very pleasant and smile-inducing read to go along with the arrival of enjoyable autumn weather.
Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson
Warbreaker is a standalone novel set in Brandon Sanderson’s fantasy universe, the Cosmere. I have spent a lot of time in the Cosmere so far this year; I recently finished two novels from the Stormlight Archive and completed the first era of Mistborn.
I’m taking a break from the Cosmere for now, but Warbreaker should provide a nice re-introduction to it, probably sometime around the end of October. I expect it to be another gripping, engaging, and easy-to-consume Sanderson fantasy. Brando Sando may not be the most advanced writer around, but I always trust his books to delivery great stories with very good characters.
Also, check out the international edition cover for this book! The white and gray-scale artwork with limited splashes of color is simply beautiful!
Murtagh by Christopher Paolini
It has been nearly 15 years since I first read Eragon, book 1 of what would become Paolini’s Inheritance Cycle. This almost stereo-typical epic was my gateway drug into the fantasy genre, and it was also a fun experience of seeing Paolini age and grow as an author as his characters aged and grew in their arcs. That second point is the main reason why I am looking forward to this book: I am excited to see how an older and more experienced Paolini progresses the characters from his hugely popular young adult series.
Murtagh releases on November 7, 2023. If my fall reading goes as expected, then I will be picking up this book shortly after its launch, perhaps in mid-November.
The Rest of the Backlog
The four books listed above should carry me through the next three months, so I won’t even begin to try to put an order on what I will be reading past that. The general items that are on my radar are:
- Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson
- To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini
- Dark Age by Pierce Brown
- The Lantern’s Dance by Laurie R. King
What are you planning to read in the coming months? Are there any suggestions for what to add to my list? Let me know in the comments!
