Non-fiction
| 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 |
| 37 | 47 | 48 | 46 | 53 | 69 | 66 | 88 |
| 17% | 16% | 16% | 19% | 20% | 23% | 24% | 26% |
Best non-fiction read in 2016: Between the world and me, by Ta-Nehisi Coates -tremendous (and short) polemic about racism and violence in the United States.
Runner-up: SPQR, by Mary Beard - great account of the history of Rome.
The one you might not heard of: Baptism of Fire: The Birth of the Modern British Fantastic in World War I, ed. Janet Brennan Croft - fascinating essays on at the influence of the global conflict on the origins of the fantasy genre.
Non-sfnal fiction
| 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 |
| 28 | 42 | 41 | 44 | 48 | 48 | 50 | 57 |
| 13% | 14% | 14% | 19% | 19% | 16% | 18% | 18% |
Best non-sff fiction read in 2016: Alice Munro's short story collections, The Love of a Good Woman, Selected Stories, and The Beggar Maid: Stories of Flo and Rose - all fantastic vignettes of Canada.
Runner-up: Nemesis, by Philip Roth - the effects of polio on middle-class America in the 1950s.
Welcome rereads: A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, by James Joyce; Walking on Glass, by Iain Banks; also The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas.
The one you might not heard of: Dark Horse, by Fletcher Knebel - the Republican candidate dies just before the Presidential election; his swiftly conscripted replacement is an obscure New Jersey politician who starts shaking the political system.
Non-Whovian sff
| 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 |
| 80 | 130 | 124 | 65 | 62 | 78 | 73 | 78 |
| 38% | 45% | 43% | 27% | 24% | 26% | 26% | 23% |
Best non-Who sff read in 2016: Cuckoo Song, by Frances Hardinge - creepy doppleganger story set in England just after the first world war.
Runner-up: Wylding Hall, by Elizabeth Hand - I never write this up properly, but it's an excellent fantasy/horror story, again set in England.
Welcome re-reads: Watership Down, by Richard Adams; the Alice books by Lewis Carroll.
The one you might not heard of: Time Bangers #1: One Does Not Simply Walk Into Tudor, by Luna Teague and Ivery Kirk - OK, this is not exactly great art, but the authors clearly had a lot of fun writing it.
Doctor Who (and spinoff) fiction
| 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 |
| 39 | 43 | 59 | 72 | 75 | 80 | 71 | 70 |
| 18% | 15% | 20% | 30% | 29% | 27% | 26% | 19% |
Best Who book read in 2016: The Legends of Ashildr, by James Goss, David Llewellyn, Jenny T. Colgan & Justin Richards - all good stories, some really good
Runner-up: The Mike Tucker (and Robert Perry) Seventh Doctor/Ace novels, Illegal Alien, Prime Time and Loving the Alien - great examples of respect for continuity and also bringing more.
Worth flagging up for Whovians: Drama and Delight: The Life of Verity Lambert, by Richard Marson - excellent biography of the show's first producer.
Comics
| 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 |
| 27 | 18 | 19 | 30 | 21 | 27 | 18 | 28 |
| 13% | 6% | 7% | 13% | 8% | 9% | 6% | 8% |
Best graphic story read in 2016: Alice in Sunderland, by Bryan Talbot - brilliant exploration of the town and its links to literature in general and Alice in particular.
Runner-up: The Sandman: Overture, by Neil Gaiman, J.H. Williams III, Dave Stewart, Todd Klein - very satisfying prequel/sequel to the classic story, which won the Hugo
The one you might not have heard of: Toch Een Geluk, by Barbara Stok - fun Dutch comics writer, sadly not translated into English yet.
Plays
One is slightly comparing chalk and cheese here. I was lucky enough to see Hamilton in Chicago this month, but had also read the Hamiltome which has loads of information and is a must-have for any fan.
However I also read the complete Christopher Marlowe, and particularly enjoyed Edward II and The Jew of Malta.
Worst books of the year: To be found on the Best Related Work ballot for the Hugo Awards.
Now your turn. How much has your reading overlapped with mine this year? People with Facebook, Twitter, Dreamwidth and maybe even Google accounts should also be able to participate.
Which of these 81 sf books have you read?
Watership Down, by Richard Adams
37(7.3%)
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland: AND Through the Looking Glass, by Lewis Carroll
43(8.4%)
Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions, by Edwin A. Abbott
27(5.3%)
The Stars My Destination, by Alfred Bester
20(3.9%)
Uprooted, by Naomi Novik
15(2.9%)
Seveneves, by Neal Stephenson
9(1.8%)
Robot Dreams, by Isaac Asimov
13(2.5%)
Whispers Under Ground, by Ben Aaronovitch
20(3.9%)
Banewreaker: Volume I of The Sundering, by Jacqueline Carey
3(0.6%)
Alif the Unseen, by G. Willow Wilson
5(1.0%)
The Last Man, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
6(1.2%)
Merchanter's Luck, by C. J. Cherryh
10(2.0%)
Earthlight, by Arthur C Clarke
10(2.0%)
The Sands of Mars, by Arthur C. Clarke
8(1.6%)
The Collected Stories of Arthur C. Clarke
10(2.0%)
A Voyage to Arcturus, by David Lindsay
5(1.0%)
Ancillary Mercy, by Ann Leckie
25(4.9%)
The Fifth Season, by N. K. Jemisin
7(1.4%)
A Princess of Roumania, by Paul Park
5(1.0%)
Godslayer: Volume II of The Sundering, by Jacqueline Carey
2(0.4%)
Naamah's Curse, by Jacqueline Carey
4(0.8%)
Islands in the Sky, by Arthur C Clarke
6(1.2%)
Angels & Visitations, by Neil Gaiman
9(1.8%)
Quantico, by Greg Bear
3(0.6%)
Bitter Seeds, by Ian Tregillis
4(0.8%)
Galileo's Dream, by Kim Stanley Robinson
6(1.2%)
Sorcerer to the Crown, by Zen Cho
16(3.1%)
Cauldron, by Jack McDevitt
2(0.4%)
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet, by Becky Chambers
14(2.7%)
The Last Theorem, by Arthur C. Clarke and Frederik Pohl
2(0.4%)
Peter & Max, by Bill Willingham
2(0.4%)
Corona, by Greg Bear
1(0.2%)
Planet of Judgement, by Joe Haldeman
2(0.4%)
Songs of the Dying Earth: Stories in honour of Jack Vance, eds. George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois
4(0.8%)
The Star Rover, by Jack London
3(0.6%)
Frankenstein Unbound, by Brian W. Aldiss
9(1.8%)
The Ragged Astronauts, by Bob Shaw
5(1.0%)
Tik-Tok, by John Sladek
9(1.8%)
Binti, by Nnedi Okorafor
8(1.6%)
Cuckoo Song, by Frances Hardinge
9(1.8%)
The House of Shattered Wings, by Aliette de Bodard
12(2.4%)
The Traitor's Blade, by Sebastien De Castell
3(0.6%)
Touch, by Claire North
3(0.6%)
Doctor Dolittle in the Moon, by Hugh Lofting
10(2.0%)
Streetlethal, by Steven Barnes
1(0.2%)
George's Cosmic Treasure Hunt, by Lucy Hawking
2(0.4%)
The Sea and Summer, by George Turner
1(0.2%)
The Philosopher Kings, by Jo Walton
6(1.2%)
The Magic Cup, by Andrew M. Greeley
4(0.8%)
Unquenchable Fire, by Rachel Pollack
5(1.0%)
Gorgon Child, by Steven Barnes
1(0.2%)
Slow Bullets, by Alastair Reynolds
4(0.8%)
The Secret History of Science Fiction, eds. James Patrick Kelly and John Kessel
2(0.4%)
Ghastly Beyond Belief, eds. Neil Gaiman and Kim Newman
4(0.8%)
Witches of Lychford, by Paul Cornell
6(1.2%)
Perfect State, by Brandon Sanderson
1(0.2%)
This Mortal Mountain - Volume 3: The Collected Stories of Roger Zelazny
1(0.2%)
Mother of Eden, by Chris Beckett
3(0.6%)
Last Exit to Babylon - Volume 4: The Collected Stories of Roger Zelazny
1(0.2%)
Wylding Hall, by Elizabeth Hand
4(0.8%)
Winter Song, by Colin Harvey
2(0.4%)
Europe at Midnight, by Dave Hutchinson
7(1.4%)
George and the Big Bang, by Lucy Hawking
2(0.4%)
The Builders, by Daniel Polansky
1(0.2%)
Glorious Angels, by Justina Robson
2(0.4%)
Christmas Days, by Jeanette Winterson
1(0.2%)
The Apex Book of World SF: Volume 4, ed. Mahvesh Murad
1(0.2%)
The Host, by Peter Emshwiller
1(0.2%)
Oracle, by Ian Watson
1(0.2%)
Kings of the North, by Cecelia Holland
2(0.4%)
Gráinne, by Keith Roberts
5(1.0%)
AfroSF: Science Fiction by African Writers, ed. Ivor W. Hartmann
1(0.2%)
The Hidden War, by Michael Armstrong
1(0.2%)
Space Raptor Butt Invasion, by Chuck Tingle
3(0.6%)
Rupert Wong, Cannibal Chef, by Cassandra Khaw
1(0.2%)
One Does Not Simply Walk into Tudor, by Ivery Kirk and Luna Teague
2(0.4%)
Jews vs Aliens, eds. Lavie Tidhar and Rebecca Levene
1(0.2%)
A Day in Deep Freeze, by Lisa Shapter
1(0.2%)
Wings of Sorrow and Bone, by Beth Cato
1(0.2%)
Nethereal, by Brian Niemeier
1(0.2%)
Prime Minister Corbyn, and other things that never happened, eds. Duncan Brack and Iain Dale
1(0.2%)
Which of these 29 non-genre fiction books have you read?
Holes, by Louis Sachar
15(9.1%)
The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas
24(14.5%)
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, by James Joyce
24(14.5%)
Diary of a Wimpy Kid, by Jeff Kinney
5(3.0%)
Prodigal Summer, by Barbara Kingsolver
7(4.2%)
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules, by Jeff Kinney
3(1.8%)
The Dinner, by Herman Koch
1(0.6%)
Mister Pip, by Lloyd Jones
4(2.4%)
Valley of the Dolls, by Jacqueline Susann
11(6.7%)
The Love of a Good Woman: Stories, by Alice Munro
2(1.2%)
The Case of the Missing Books, by Ian Sansom
2(1.2%)
Walking on Glass, by Iain Banks
11(6.7%)
Lila, by Marilynne Robinson
2(1.2%)
Nemesis, by Philip Roth
5(3.0%)
Selected Stories, by Alice Munro
3(1.8%)
Tales from the Secret Annexe, by Anne Frank
5(3.0%)
The Folding Star, by Alan Hollinghurst
4(2.4%)
The Beggar Maid: Stories of Flo and Rose, by Alice Munro
1(0.6%)
A Delicate Truth, by John le Carré
3(1.8%)
The Unicorn Hunt, by Dorothy Dunnett
8(4.8%)
Brother and Sister, by Joanna Trollope
1(0.6%)
The Quarry, by Iain Banks
8(4.8%)
Even Dogs in the Wild, by Ian Rankin
5(3.0%)
Seventeen, by Booth Tarkington
2(1.2%)
Travelling Light, by Tove Jansson
3(1.8%)
Dark Horse, by Fletcher Knebel
2(1.2%)
The Listener, by Tove Jansson
2(1.2%)
Kramer's War, by Derek Robinson
1(0.6%)
The Commissioner, by Stanley Johnson
1(0.6%)
Which of these 35 non-fiction books have you read?
1491, by Charles C. Mann
8(9.0%)
Boy, by Roald Dahl
9(10.1%)
The 4-Hour Workweek, by Timothy Ferriss
2(2.2%)
The Cuckoo's Egg, by Cliff Stoll
8(9.0%)
Between the World and Me, by Ta-Nehisi Coates
5(5.6%)
SPQR, by Mary Beard
9(10.1%)
Sex at Dawn, by Christopher Ryan and Cacilda Jethà
1(1.1%)
Voices from Chernobyl, by Svetlana Alexievich
1(1.1%)
A History of the World in Twelve Maps, by Jerry Brotton
3(3.4%)
Tolstoy, by Henri Troyat
1(1.1%)
Alexander the Great, by Paul Cartledge
1(1.1%)
What Makes This Book So Great?, by Jo Walton
13(14.6%)
The Insurrection in Dublin, by James Stephens
1(1.1%)
Tove Jansson: Work and Love, by Tuula Karjalainen
1(1.1%)
How Loud Can You Burp?, by Glenn Murphy
2(2.2%)
A History of Anthropology, by Thomas Hylland Eriksen and Finn Sievert Nielsen
1(1.1%)
Empire of Mud, by J. D. Dickey
1(1.1%)
The Road to Ruin, by Niki Savva
1(1.1%)
SJWs Always Lie, by Vox Day
1(1.1%)
The Life and Scandalous Times of John Nathan-Turner, by Richard Marson
2(2.2%)
The Story of Ireland, by Brendan O'Brien
1(1.1%)
Perilous and Fair: Women in the Works and Life of J. R. R. Tolkien, eds. Janet Brennan Croft and Leslie A. Donovan
1(1.1%)
Lois McMaster Bujold, by Edward James
3(3.4%)
Not the Chilcot Report, by Peter Oborne
1(1.1%)
Baptism of Fire: The Birth of the Modern British Fantastic in World War I, ed. Janet Brennan Croft
2(2.2%)
The Sinn Fein Rebellion, As I Saw It, by Mrs Hamilton Norway
1(1.1%)
Drama and Delight: The Life of Verity Lambert, by Richard Marson
1(1.1%)
On the Way to Diplomacy, by Costas M. Constantinou
1(1.1%)
Fanny Kemble and the lovely land, by Constance Wright
1(1.1%)
Between Light and Shadow, by Marc Aramini
1(1.1%)
A People's Peace for Cyprus, by Alexandros Lordos, Erol Kaymak and Nathalie Tocci
1(1.1%)
Legacy: A Collection of Personal Testimonies from People Affected by the Troubles in Northern Ireland, by BBC Northern Ireland
1(1.1%)
Between structure and No-thing: An annotated reader in Social and Cultural Anthropology, ed. Patrick J. Devlieger
1(1.1%)
No Official Umbrella, by Glyn Idris Jones
1(1.1%)
Easter 1916: From the New Statesman Archive, by New Statesman
1(1.1%)
Which of these 33 comics / graphic novels have you read?
Saga, Vol. 5 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples
5(6.8%)
Thing Explainer, by Randall Munroe
5(6.8%)
Alice in Sunderland, by Bryan Talbot
6(8.1%)
The Sandman: Overture, by Neil Gaiman
16(21.6%)
Ms. Marvel Volume 2: Generation Why, by G. Willow Wilson
6(8.1%)
Sex Criminals, Vol. 2: Two Worlds, One Cop by Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky
4(5.4%)
Paper Girls Volume 1 by Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang
3(4.1%)
The Unwritten Vol. 6: Tommy Taylor and the War of Words by Mike Carey
2(2.7%)
Thor Volume 1: Goddess of Thunder by Jason Aaron
2(2.7%)
Adolf: An Exile in Japan, by Osamu Tezuka
1(1.4%)
Bételgeuse, tome 3: L'Expédition by Leo
1(1.4%)
Bételgeuse, tome 4: Les cavernes by Leo
1(1.4%)
Bételgeuse, tome 5: L'autre, by Leo
1(1.4%)
Antarès, Épisode 1, by Leo
1(1.4%)
The Divine by Boaz Lavie, Asaf Hanuka and Tomer Hanuka
1(1.4%)
Het Spaanse spook by Willy Vandersteen
1(1.4%)
De maagd en de neger by Judith Vanistendael
1(1.4%)
Invisible Republic Volume 1 by Corinna Bechko and Gabriel Hardman
1(1.4%)
Doctor Who: Prisoners of Time by Scott and David Tipton
1(1.4%)
Les Lumières de l'Amalou #1: Théo, by Christophe Gibelin and Claire Wendling
1(1.4%)
Les Lumières de l'Amalou #2: Le Pantin, by Christophe Gibelin and Claire Wendling
1(1.4%)
Les Lumières de l'Amalou #3: Le Village Tordu, by Christophe Gibelin and Claire Wendling
1(1.4%)
Les Lumières de l'Amalou #4: Gouals, by Christophe Gibelin and Claire Wendling
1(1.4%)
Les Lumières de l'Amalou #5: Cendres, by Christophe Gibelin and Claire Wendling
1(1.4%)
House Party by Rachel Smith
1(1.4%)
Chooz by Santi-Bucquoy
1(1.4%)
Toch een geluk by Barbara Stok
1(1.4%)
Apostata #1: De purperen vloek, by Ken Broeders
1(1.4%)
Apostata #2: De heks, by Ken Broeders
1(1.4%)
Apostata #3: Argentoratum, by Ken Broeders
1(1.4%)
Apostata #4: Paulus Catena, by Ken Broeders
1(1.4%)
Apostata #5: Caesar Augustus, by Ken Broeders
1(1.4%)
Apostata #6: Neshrakavan, by Ken Broeders
1(1.4%)
Brain Fetish, by Kinga Korska
1(1.4%)
Which of these 9 plays have you seen or read?
Dr. Faustus, by Christopher Marlowe
22(27.8%)
Edward II, by Christopher Marlowe
13(16.5%)
Hamilton: The Revolution, by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jeremy McCarter
7(8.9%)
The Jew of Malta, by Christopher Marlowe
9(11.4%)
Tamburlaine Part One, by Christopher Marlowe
9(11.4%)
Tamburlaine Part Two, by Christopher Marlowe
9(11.4%)
Dido, Queen of Carthage, by Christopher Marlowe and Thomas Nashe
7(8.9%)
Cyprus Avenue, by David Ireland
1(1.3%)
The Massacre at Paris, by Christopher Marlowe
2(2.5%)
And finally, which of these 39 Doctor Who books (here in continuity order) have you read?
Lethbridge-Stewart: The Schizoid Earth, by David A. McIntee (Brigadier)
1(2.2%)
Lethbridge-Stewart: Beast of Fang Rock by Andy Frankham-Allen (Brigadier)
2(4.4%)
Lethbridge-Stewart: Mutually Assured Domination by Nick Walters (Brigadier)
1(2.2%)
Relative Dementias by Mark Michalowski (Seven/Ace)
1(2.2%)
Citadel of Dreams by Dave Stone (Seven/Ace)
1(2.2%)
Illegal Alien by Mike Tucker and Robert Perry (Seven/Ace)
1(2.2%)
Prime Time by Mike Tucker (Seven/Ace)
2(4.4%)
Heritage by Dale Smith (Seven/Ace)
1(2.2%)
Loving the Alien by Mike Tucker and Robert Perry (Seven/Ace)
1(2.2%)
The Algebra of Ice by Lloyd Rose (Seven/Ace)
1(2.2%)
Atom Bomb Blues by Andrew Cartmel (Seven/Ace)
1(2.2%)
Independence Day by Peter Darvill-Evans (Seven/Ace with a bit of Two/Jamie)
1(2.2%)
Companion Piece by Mike Tucker and Robert Perry (Seven/Catherine)
1(2.2%)
Bullet Time by David A. McIntee (Seven/Sarah)
1(2.2%)
Short Trips: Zodiac, ed. Jacqueline Rayner (1-8)
1(2.2%)
Short Trips: The Muses, ed. Jacqueline Rayner (1-8)
1(2.2%)
Short Trips: Steel Skies, ed. John Binns (1-8)
1(2.2%)
Short Trips: Life Science, ed. John Binns (1-8)
1(2.2%)
Short Trips: Monsters, ed. Ian Farrington (1-8)
1(2.2%)
Short Trips: 2040, ed. John Binns (1-8)
1(2.2%)
Short Trips: A Christmas Treasury, ed. Paul Cornell (1-8)
1(2.2%)
Short Trips: Seven Deadly Sins, ed. David Bailey (1-8)
1(2.2%)
Short Trips: A Day in the Life, ed. Ian Farrington (1-8)
1(2.2%)
Short Trips: The Solar System, ed. Gary Russell (1-8)
1(2.2%)
Short Trips: The History of Christmas, ed. by Simon Guerrier (1-8)
1(2.2%)
Dry Pilgrimage, by Paul Leonard and Nick Walters (Benny)
1(2.2%)
The Sword of Forever, by Jim Mortimore (Benny)
1(2.2%)
Another Girl, Another Planet, by Martin Day and Len Beech (Benny)
1(2.2%)
Beige Planet Mars, by Lance Parkin and Mark Clapham (Benny)
1(2.2%)
Where Angels Fear, by Rebecca Levene and Simon Winstone (Benny)
1(2.2%)
The Mary-Sue Extrusion, by Dave Stone (Benny)
1(2.2%)
Dead Romance, by Lawrence Miles (Benny)
1(2.2%)
Tears of the Oracle, by Justin Richards (Benny)
1(2.2%)
Return to the Fractured Planet, by Dave Stone (Benny)
1(2.2%)
The Joy Device, by Justin Richards (Benny)
1(2.2%)
Twilight of the Gods, by Mark Clapham and John de Burgh Miller (Benny)
1(2.2%)
In the Blood by Jenny T. Colgan (Ten/Donna)
3(6.7%)
Royal Blood by Una McCormack (Twelve/Clara)
2(4.4%)
Legends of Ashildr by Justin Richards, James Goss, Jenny T. Colgan and David Llewellyn (Ashildr)
2(4.4%)
And if you have time, I'd appreciate your input on my 2017 reading poll.
