Here's my list. I had a pretty good month of reading.

1. TH1RTE3N, Richard K. Morgan. A dark dystopian SF novel in a future where genetic engineering is mated with the beginnings of human expansion through the solar system, mostly Mars. 13's are genetic throwbacks to a time when humanity was more of a "look out for me" sort of species, before cooperation was "bred" into the human race. They're good soldiers and great at being resourceful and living in harsh environments. Most of them have been more or less quarantined on Mars. But every once in a while one gets to come back to Earth, legally or illegally. It's when the illegal ones get back that Carl Marsalis, a 13 himself, gets into action, as a hunter of renegade 13's. In this book Carl has to unravel a plot that centers around a 13 coming back from Mars on a shuttle. This guy was "woken" up early, and he got hungry - and the only food on board were the other (hibernating) passengers. It was a long book, one of those that made me want to find out what was happening, but where I didn't much like it. I kept reading, and it was worth it, I think. It's well written and it tells an original and compelling story. I didn't like it enough to give it an 8, though...probably more like a 7.5

2. THE AUDACITY OF HOPE, Barack Obama. I finally finished this one, too, after starting it months ago. It's didactic, sort of reading a text book (Obama was a constitutional law prof at Univ. of Chicago Law School), and unlike some fiction, every word matters. It outlines his beliefs and his thoughts on problems facing the next generations and his ideas about how they might be solved. Even if you don't agree with him (I found myself agreeing more than I expected to, mainly because he presents both sides of the issues fairly and with clarity, and I understood how he came to his position), you have to be impressed by the man's ability to write and to THINK. I miss presidents who can think. We see so little evidence of a candidate's intellect in the campaign process, I think we all just figure that they aren't very bright. This book opened my eyes on Obama. NR

3. RUNNING BLIND

4. THE HARD WAY, Lee Child. Both good additions to the Reacher story. I'm not quite doing them in order, because I didn't have all of them, and I read the ones I got off bargain shelves and such, first. I don't remember specifics of either plot at the moment, but remember that both were "can't put down" type of books. I have more Child in the queue. 8.5

5. FEARLESS FOURTEEN, Janet Evanovich. This was a solid addition to the Stephanie Plum series, but not as good as the last one. Not enough Grandma Mazur. Still, I liked it. 8

6. CHASING DARKNESS, Robert Crais. Another "can't put it down" book for me. The latest Elvis Cole story finds Cole investigating an old case because he cleared the perp (with solid evidence) and now they've decided that the perp did it, anyway. And they've got even harder evidence. Cole is getting in the way of some pretty big boys with his own thorough investigation. But in the end, there are plenty of twists and turns, and a satisfying ending. 8.5-9

7. SCAVENGER, David Morrell. A sequel to CREEPERS, in this one Balenger and the girl he rescued from the Parago Hotel (Amanda) are invited to a lecture about time capsules, something Balenger has always had an interest in. The lecture progresses, then suddenly Balenger wakes up and he's again by the Paragon Hotel. And Amanda is again missing. It turns out that they are being forced into a game of sorts, by someone calling himself the Game Master. Frank has to find Amanda and reach the goals of the game, and Amanda is with several other people, all snatched from parties or situations, as she was. Their goal is to locate a time capsule, known as the "Sepulchre of Worldly Desires". And the penalty for losing is death. This was a good, taut thriller that kept me reading with interesting characters and lots of cool background information. 8

That was my month! Have a great week all!