2012 of words

Different from the first years in China (2011 – 2010), I finally made full use of Amazon China, that has several cheap English books as well!

I have been told that often the books are much cheaper because printed in some not official ways (like printed version of ebooks or cheap picture copies that would miss several pages or sort of rewriting that would contain many errors). The books I bought  seemed all quite original, only once or twice I experienced grammar mistakes, more than usual printing errors. But never missing pages in the narration!

Anyway, this year I enjoyed the following:

• George R R Martin – A Storm of Swords: Book 3 – A song of ice and fire (2nd time)
• George R R Martin – A Feast for Crows: Book 4 – A song of ice and fire (2nd time)
• George R R Martin – A Dance with Dragons: Book 5 – A song of ice and fire (finally the new book of the series!! Let’s see how long to wait for the next one!)
• Peter F. Hamilton – Void Trilogy Book1: The Dreaming Void
• Peter F. Hamilton – Void Trilogy Book2: The Temporal Void
• Peter F. Hamilton – Void Trilogy Book3: The Evolutionary Void
• Haruki Murakami – 1Q84
• Stephen King – The Dark Tower, Book1: The Gunslinger
• Stephen King – The Dark Tower, Book2: The Drawing of the Three
• Stephen King – The Dark Tower, Book3: The Waste Lands
• Stephen King – The Dark Tower, Book4: Wizard and Glass
• Stephen King – The Dark Tower, Book5: Wolves of the Calla

One note about “The Dark Tower”: I had read the first 3-4 books ages ago, probably all of them in Italian only. Then at some point I think I had also read book5 (because when reading it this time I felt like some little deja vu here and there). I always wanted to read the full series because in the ancient time that my eyes fell on “The Gunslinger” I had loved the story. Reading again especially the first 2 books had been hard. I did not like so much anymore King’s old writing style. It got better afterwards, but getting to the end (that I am actually reading now) I (tiny spoilers!) did not like the way King put himself in the story and how he manipulated the deus ex machina concept, as if he had to find some trick in order to finish the series that otherwise would have got stuck. Even if I got interested to read again other King’s books (he is one of my favorite writers, since my youth!), at the same time I got quite pi$$ed with some parts of books 6 and 7.. Anyway, I’m glad I got the full series and finally, soon, I will reach as well the tower and see what there is in the room at the top..

Anyway, a good year, finally back reading a fair amount of books.. one of the few ways I have to keep up with my English that otherwise get worse and worse here in China where I have to simplify my speaking in order to be understood!