What I Read in 2026

I had intended to read more books in 2025 than in 2024, and I was on track todo that until I developed an eye problem (complicatioons from dry eye) that are making it difficult to read. Right now, I've started using the assisted reading features on my phone and tablets, as well as the text-to-speech reader on my Windows 11 PC. They're not ideal but I've been getting some reading done, though at a much slower pace than I like.

These were the books I managed to read in 2025.

• Failed State, Charles Brown
• Escape from Yokiland, Charles Stross
• Been So Long, Jorma Kaukonen
• Stealing Worlds, Karl Schroeder
• The Year's Best Science Fiction: 35th Edition (2017), Gardner Dozois
• A Conventional Boy, Charlie Stross
• Infinity Gate, M. R. Carey
• Echo of Worlds, M. R. Carey
• When the Moon Hits Your Eye, John Scalzi
• The Mountain in the Sea, Ray Nayler. This was my favourite book over everthing I read last year. 
• The Winds of Fate, S. M. Stirling
• Roots Reggae Traveler, Syd Perry. I did a bit of editing on this. It will be published soon. 
• The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year, Vol. 12 (2017), Jonathan Strahan
• The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year, Vol. 13 (2018), Jonathan Strahan

I am currently reading The Best Science Fiction Stories of the Year Volume 4 edited by Neil Clarke containing stories from 1

18 and Inventing the Renaissance by Ada Palmer, a wonderful and entertaining history of the renaissance. Up next in the queue are the next Neil Clarke anthology and Ray Nayler's Tusks of Extinction.

My vision problems have forced me to cut back on my involvement with social media, but I have been trying to get back to reading more magazines using both Apple News+ and Libby. Both work well for me on the iPad Air with its bigger screen.

Movie and TV Reviews - December 2025

Movies and TV shows that Nancy and I watched in November. I do these posts mainly so I can keep track of what we've been watching, so the reviews are cursory. 

Movies

• Jay Kelly: I've enjoyed most of George Clooney's movies in the past, and enjoyed this one, but it didn't quite work. It kept reaching for something more than it was, and falling short. It's quite watchable but just not very deep. Being a shorter and edgier would have helped (Netflix)
• Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. The third, and I think the best, in the franchise. The portrayal of the charismatic priest and his congregation was the best part of the movie and very well done.
• The Princess Bride: Our Christmas comfort watch. (Blu Ray)

TV Shows

• The Last Detective (seaons 1-4): DC Davies is a nice guy, which doesn't make his life any easier as a detective. Well written and acted. Light but with an edge to it. (BritBox)
• The Wild Ones: A natrue documentary/reality show about endangered species. The episodes about Caucasian leopards and Atlantic right whales were particularly good. (Apple TV)
• Antiques Road Trip (season 13). Our journey through England in search of treasure continues. (PBS) Episode 4 sets a new record for an auction item on the show. 
• Silent Witness (Season28): The best of the forensic shows returns with a new lab head. I suspect this show was an inspiration for NCIS, though it's much better.  (BritBox)
• Man vs. Bee:  Outright comedy, silly and implausible, but very funny if you like that sort of thing. (I don't). (Netflis)
• Bad Sisters (season 2): A bit darker than the first seaon and not as much humour, but still very watchable. (Apple TV)
• Blue Lights (season 2): A gritty police drama set in Northern Ireland. Best when it stays away from a tendency to soap opera. (Amazon Prime)