To be a great writer is to be a voracious reader. I learn from every author I read, whether a literary technique or an archaic noun. But the best stories do more than entertain us; they take us to new horizons and broaden our minds, helping us to see the world with greater richness and clarity.

Book ratings are strange things. One reviewer’s ** star rating might equal another person’s *****, even if both readers enjoyed the book the same amount. Three stars might mean the book is trash or just plain average. Whether you see it on Amazon or Goodreads, what a critic means by their rating is often arbitrary. So, I have decided to overhaul my own system in a way that I hope my followers will find more useful.

Key to my rating system:

DNF — Did Not Finish: Despite a sincere effort, I simply cannot bring myself to read these books to the end, though I give each novel I start a minimum of one hundred pages to hook me.

NF — Non-Fiction: I tend to rate these a bit higher because knowledge is always important!

K — Kids: This book is intended primarily for younger readers. I tend to rate these books a bit higher because it matters more what they think than what a jaded writer like me thinks.

* — How Did This Get Published?: Boring, amateurish, or just poorly written. These books are typically written by beginner authors who haven’t yet mastered the art of storytelling.

** — Forgettable: The rudiments of style and storytelling are present, and there might even be a cult following for it, but I find these books to be cliché, formulaic, or, more often than not, just plain forgettable. Popular authors churn out books like these every few months.

*** — Great: This is a well-written book with an engaging story and many clever ideas. But there are a hundred others just like it, which makes it fall just short of a must-read.

**** — Mandatory (A Must Read): This kind of book comes around very rarely. It’s the kind of story that, when you finally get around to it, you’ll feel bad you didn’t read it sooner. These books transcend mere entertainment, changing how you view life, sometimes even going so far as to make you a better person. Yes, storytelling can do that!

Because I am fascinated by the evolution of literature, I have organized my reviews in chronological order, from the earliest publication date to the most recent. To browse the Story Matters Podcast archive, click on the orange link.

The Wager by David Grann (2023) **** NF | PODCAST
In the Lives of Puppets by T.J. Klune (2023) ** | PODCAST
Fairy Tale by Stephen King (2022) ** 1/2 | PODCAST
Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr (2021) **** | PODCAST
Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw (2021) * | PODCAST
A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat (2020) **** K | PODCAST
The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang (2018) ** | PODCAST
Circe by Madeline Miller (2018) * 1/2 DNF | PODCAST
The Fall of Gondolin by J.R.R. Tolkien (2018) ** 1/2
Beren and Lúthien by J.R.R. Tolkien (2017) ****
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by JK Rowling (2016) **
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by JK Rowling (2016) ** 1/2
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms by George R.R. Martin (2015) ***
The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro (2015) *** 1/2 | PODCAST
Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer (2014) *** 1/2 | PODCAST
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (2014) *** 1/2 | PODCAST
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel (2014) ** 1/2 | PODCAST
The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu (2014) *** | PODCAST
Baptism of Fire by Andrzej Sapkowski (2014) **
Doctor Sleep by Stephen King (2013) *** 1/2 | PODCAST
William Shakespeare’s Star Wars by Ian Doecher (2013) ** 1/2
The Wind Through the Keyhole by Stephen King (2012) ** 1/2 | PODCAST
Icefall by Matthew J. Kirby (2011) *** K | PODCAST
11/22/63 by Stephen King (2011) *** 1/2 | PODCAST
American Gods, 10th Anniversary Edition, by Neil Gaiman (2011) *** 1/2
The Martian by Andy Weir (2011) *** 1/2
Theft of Swords by Michael Sullivan (2011) ** 1/2
Never Knew Another by J.M. McDermott (2011) **
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (2010) * 1/2
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (2009) **
The Maze Runner by James Dashner (2009) *
Graceling by Kristin Cashore (2008) ** 1/2 | PODCAST
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (2008) *** 1/2
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (2007) ****
The Children of Húrin by J.R.R. Tolkien (2007) ***
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling (2007) *** 1/2
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss (2007) * 1/2 DNF (400 p.) | PODCAST
The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch (2006) ** 1/2 | PODCAST
Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson (2006) *** | PODCAST
The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly (2006) *** K | PODCAST
The Road by Cormac McCarthy (2006) ****
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling (2005) ** 1/2
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (2005) ** 1/2 K
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (2005) ****
The Dark Tower by Stephen King (2004) *** 1/2 | PODCAST
Song of Susannah by Stephen King (2004) ** 1/2 | PODCAST
Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell (2004) ****
The Darkness that Comes Before by Scott Bakker (2004) **
The Plot Against America by Philip Roth (2004) *** 1/2
The Dark Age of Enya by Nick Alimonos (2003) ** 1/2
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling (2003) ***
Lamb by Christopher Moore (2003) ***
The Land of Naked People by Madhusree Mukerjee (2003) *** NF | PODCAST
The Writer’s Book of Hope by Ralph Keyes (2003) **** NF
Wolves of the Calla by Stephen King (2003) *** | PODCAST
Coraline by Neil Gaiman (2002) **** K | PODCAST
Life of Pi by Yann Martel (2001) ****
The Other Wind by Ursula K. Leguin (2001) *** 1/2
The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman (2000) *** 1/2
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling (2000) ****
On Writing by Stephen King (2000) **** NF
Tides of War by Steven Pressfield (2000) * DNF
A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin (1999) ***
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling (1999) *** 1/2 K
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling (1998) *** K
Wizard and Glass by Stephen King (1997) *** | PODCAST
Stardust by Neil Gaiman (1997) *** | PODCAST
Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier (1997) *** 1/2 | VIDEO
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling (1997) **** K
The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman (1997) ***
A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin (1996) ***
The Demon-Haunted World by Carl Sagan (1996) **** NF | PODCAST
Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer (1996) *** 1/2 NF | VIDEO
The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman (1995) **** K
The Giver by Lois Lowry (1993) ***
The Wastelands by Stephen King (1991) ** | PODCAST
The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan (1990) ** 1/2 DNF (300 p) | PODCAST
The Langoliers by Stephen King (1990) *** | PODCAST
The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro (1989) **** | PODCAST
The Sandman by Neil Gaiman (1989) ****
The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho (1988) * 1/2 | PODCAST
Misery by Stephen King (1987) **** | PODCAST
The Drawing of the Three by Stephen King (1987) *** | PODCAST
Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones (1986) ** 1/2 | PODCAST
IT by Stephen King (1986) **** | PODCAST
Skeleton Crew by Stephen King (1985) *** 1/2 | PODCAST
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood (1985) *** 1/2
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card (1985) ** 1/2
Mythago Wood by Robert Holdstock (1984) ***
Pet Sematary by Stephen King (1983) *** 1/2 | PODCAST
The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett (1983) ***
The Body by Stephen King (1982) *** 1/2 | PODCAST
The Gunslinger by Stephen King (1982) ** 1/2 | PODCAST
The BFG by Roald Dahl (1982) ** 1/2 K
Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King (1982) **** | PODCAST
The Mist by Stephen King (1980) *** | PODCAST
MAUS by Art Spiegelman (1980) **** NF | PODCAST
The Dead Zone by Stephen King (1979) *** | PODCAST
The Long Walk by Stephen King (1979) *** 1/2 | PODCAST
The NeverEnding Story by Michael Ende (1979) ****
The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien (1977) ****
The Shining by Stephen King (1977) *** | PODCAST
A Spell for Chameleon by Piers Anthony (1977) ***
Carrie by Stephen King (1974) ** 1/2 | PODCAST
Inverted World by Christopher Priest *** (1974)
Child of God by Cormac McCarthy ** 1/2 (1973) | PODCAST
The Princess Bride by William Goldman (1973) ***
Watership Down by Richard Adams (1972) ****
Grendel by John Gardner (1971) ** 1/2
The Great Book of Amber by Roger Zelazny (1970-1992) ** DNF
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut (1969) *** 1/2
The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle (1968) ****
Dune by Frank Herbert (1965) ****
Planet of the Apes by Pierre Boulle (1963) **** | PODCAST
The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick (1963) *** | PODCAST
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle (1962) * K
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (1960) **** | PODCAST
The Once and Future King by T.H. White (1958) ****
The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis (1955) ** 1/2 K
Lord of the Flies by William Golding (1954) **** | PODCAST
The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway (1952) **
Foundation by Isaac Asimov (1951) ** 1/2 | PODCAST
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger (1951) ****
The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury (1950) ****
1984 by George Orwell (1949) ****
Animal Farm by George Orwell (1945) ****
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck (1939) ****
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (1937) ****
Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers (1934) ** K
The King of Elfland’s Daughter by Lord Dunsany (1924) ***
Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs (1914) ** 1/2
A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs (1912) ** 1/2
Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie (1904) **** K | PODCAST
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (1865) ** K
Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (1818) ****
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (1813) *** 1/2 | PODCAST

Modern Masterpieces

Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr (2021)
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (2007)
The Road by Cormac McCarthy (2006)
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (2005)
Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell (2004)
Life of Pi by Yann Martel (2001)

Greatest Novels of All Time

The Once and Future King by T.H. White
Dune by Frank Herbert
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Greatest Fantasy Novels of All Time

The Once and Future King by T.H. White
The NeverEnding Story by Michael Ende
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by JK Rowling
The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle

Dishonorable Mentions (Popular Books I Loathe)

The Name of the Wind — A meandering, directionless 650-page slog about a “Gary Stu” who’s just oh-so special in every way.
The Poppy War — Tonally inconsistent, offers some of the worst examples of “power creep” in fantasy, and involves racist caricatures of a thinly veiled real-world people.
Circe — A “feminist” heroine sits on an island waiting for things to happen. The 11th hour conclusion is inconsistent and utterly contrived.
The Maze Runner — Flat characters are trapped in a mystery that makes little sense and is never resolved.
A Wrinkle in Time — A bland group of kids embark on an adventure where nothing is explained and every event is incidental.