Joshua P. Simon - The Accidental Author

So far this year I’ve read 20 books. That’s pretty good for me when you consider everything else going on in my life. Part of what’s helped me knock out so many has been the length/genre of those 20. I expect my pace to slow down as I get into some of the longer books sitting on my TBR pile (The Crippled God, Wise Man’s Fear, Dance of Dragons, etc.)

Anyway, I thought I’d do a quick post of the three most notable reads I’ve finished in the last couple of months.


Leviathan Wakes (The Expanse)
This book blew me away. This is science fiction at its best. Characterization is strong and the plot is extremely original—starting off small and gradually expanding as the book goes on. You don’t have to like science fiction to enjoy this book…especially since the first third reads as a mystery. The ending is unbelievable and I can’t wait for the next in the series (which comes out this year).

As a side note, the book is up for a ton of Science Fiction/Fantasy awards.


The Hunger Games Trilogy
Really enjoyed the series. I thought the first book was the strongest and the second the weakest. The ending fit perfectly with the tone already established in the world. I had a few minor quibbles here and there, but nothing too major. The books are fast reads (I finished each in about two days) and really cheap.


Fight Club
Wow, this is such a great book. Its style and content are so unique I don’t even know if I can properly describe it. The narrative is immediately engaging and pulls you right into the story. Something is always going on and the more you read, the more you want to continue. I will say that I saw the movie years ago and for the most part the film stays true to the book. However, I think the book is much better. As a writer, I’m humbled that someone could pull off something so original and something so odd.

If you’re interested, you can follow my actual reviews on Goodreads. http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5254590.Joshua_P_Simon