Assassin's Apprentice - Robin Hobb

My first actual foray into the overcrowded genre of high fantasy (not counting Lord of the Rings or Dark Tower) and I loved it. The setting is vividly evoked but doesn't steal the show. Each character is very well-written. The story is all politics, espionage and assassination, but with a streak of the supernatural. The magic is very subtle (all about telepathy and empathy) and the "Red Ship Raiders" are superbly frightening. The spying and assassination stuff reminded me very much of the Dark Brotherhood in Oblivion. This is one writer I'll definitely be coming back to.

Letter to a Christian Nation - Sam Harris

Picked it up more as an enjoyable indulgence than for serious reasons. I already have all my opinions on this subject. not much to say, really. Punchy, well-written, a bit arrogant. Mostly agreed with him. Would still recommend The God Delusion over this. Reading this almost straight after No Logo has certainly straightened things out. Strong as my opinions are, religion is by no means the biggest problem facing mankind. Corporate greed is. Maybe I'll invite Dawkins, Harris and Klein for a dinner party and a debate.

All Hail the New Puritans - Various

Picked it up because of the very intriguing "manifesto" really. I thought the stories were not as groundbreaking and the manifesto and review quotes ("controversial" - really?) suggested, but they are very good, most of them. Immediate, plot-driven, straight-forward and totally unpretentious. Alex Garland's one especially, about a journalist at a Grand Prix race track, is so vivid and photographic (in more ways than one) that it has lodged in my head firmly. The world needs more short stories.

No Logo - Naomi Klein

Best non-fiction book I've ever read (not that I read that many). Calm, coherent, thorough, assertive and enlightening. Not only does it not come across as vitriolic left-wing ranting, it actually succeeds in showing the ultra-capitalist mentality to be the wrong-headed and crazed one. I found it simultaneously empowering - because it makes sense of so many things - and depressing - because it came out 12 years ago and the movement Klein observed seems to have fizzled out.

The Left Hand of Darkness - Ursula LeGuin

All-around brilliant. Interesting setting; good, developed characters (though not many); and ever third sentence is so good you want to read it aloud two or three times. And all the sociology and political stuff seems enduringly relevant. "A man who doesn't despise a bad government is a fool, and if there was such a thing on earth as a good government it would be a joy to serve it." It's (along with playing Final Fantasy XIII) made me keen to write some big fantasy or sci-fi story.

On Writing - Stephen King

Second time I've read it. It's lit a creative fire in my brain. Finished a first draft of a story a few days ago, just had a new idea today. I believe King will one day be recognised as the greatest writer of his generation, and will be studied on literature courses.

Peter and Wendy - J.M. Barrie

Not at all what I expected. Violent, bloody and full of tension. There's also an unexplainedness in both the story and writing style that I wouldn't expect in a children's book (especially not one that took over the world and got made into a Disney film). It's like it hints at a hidden world of meaning, a kind of semiotic Neverland, in the way the characters interact and the bizarre comments the narrator makes on them. It was never a big part of my childhood, so I'm glad I got to read it now. It's fascinating as well as fun.