Book Reviews and More: TaylorRMarshall

Showing posts with label TaylorRMarshall. Show all posts

Sunday, 31 December 2023

Top Ten Fiction Books 2023

Top Ten Fiction Books 2023

It has been a very good year for reading, in fact it is my best to date, and not likely ever to be matched. I have read 455 books this year, many great reads, and a few new authors that I had not explored yet, with plans to read more from some of them. I have read just over a book and a quarter a day, in comparison with the last 7 years:

455 - 2023

438 - 2022

365 - 2021

317 - 2020

392 - 2019

359 - 2018

380 - 2017

272 - 2016

But back to this year by the numbers:

Books Read: 455

First Time Reads: 346

Fiction: 210

Non-Fiction: 246

5/5 Stars: 346

The first half of this year was exceptional. The second half work got fairly busy with a lot of overtime and weekend implementations that cut into reading time. I can state again that looking back 2016 is a bit of an outlier as late that year I switched jobs and have since had much better work – life balance. In the spring of 2016, I worked through Brandon Vogt’s course Read More Books Now (now available on ClaitasU). The year before that I removed all games from my phone and tablet and my reading had doubled.

Top Ten Fiction Books 2023:

1. Love at First Bite - Declan Finn

Honor at Stake

Demons Are Forever

Live and Let Bite

Good to the Last Drop

2. The Rocking Chair Prophet - Matthew Kelly

3. unSPARKed Books - Corinna Turner

A Very Jurassic Lent

Three Clawsome Tales

What's Done is Done

A Truly Clawful Christmas

4 Starquest 4th Age Series - Richard Paolinelli

Galen's Way

Galen's Blade

5. Dragoneye PI Series - Karina Fabian

Siren Spell Book 6

Good Intentions Book 7

Idol Speculation Book 8

6. Phoenix - Lori Janeski - The Carter Files 01

7. The Groundskeeper Series - Cedar Sanderson

Raking Up the Dead

The Hoodoo That You Do

My Ghoul

8. Dreams of the Storyteller - Richard Paolinelli

(Note there are 14 volumes in this collection, a mix of Novellas and short stories.)

Barn Wars: The Rise Of Brooster Motherclucker

The 13th Medallion

The Enemy Of My Enemy

The Invited

Polar Shift

The Last Human

Nothing Ever Happens Here

At Homeworld's End

Icarus Falls

9. Nikolaos - Taylor Marshall - A Sword and Serpent Story

10. God Save The King - Josh Griffing

Bonus Books 2023:

A Printer’s Choice - W.L. Patenaude

The Superteacher Project - Gordon Korman

Sherlock Holmes Pastiches - Richard Paolinelli

A Lesson In Mercy

The Substitute Thief

Nevermore or, The Mystery Of The Albino Raven

The Misplaced Mystery Writer

The Assassination Of Alan Pinkerton

The Woman Returns

As can be seen by the numbers, my reading has been up over each of the last few years, thought I doubt I will ever match this years total of 455 volumes. And I thought last year would be a high watermark. But this year is proved me wrong, but I doubt I will ever match this level again. This reading success I in part attribute to Brandon Vogt’s course Read More Books Now, removing all games but 1 brain game from my devices. And I was commuting to work on a bus and read on the bus every day. Working from home reading took a little more discipline, and we are now back to a hybrid model with 5 days a month in the office, so things are changing again.

In April of 2023 I wrote a piece called How I Read So Much? Because I get asked the question so often, read the piece linked above if you are looking for some ideas on ways to read more.

Note: I do not include books that have been read in previous years and were reread this year in my top ten lists, they are sometimes in the bonus section. But if you want more options check out my favourite books year by year list. Or this year not to flood the list with one specific author.

Top Ten Books Third Quarter 2020
Top Ten Books Fourth Quarter 2020

Top Ten Non-Fiction Books 2020

Top Ten Fiction Books 2020

Top Ten Books First Quarter 2021

Top Ten Books Second Quarter 2021

Top Ten Books Third Quarter 2021

Top Ten Books Fourth Quarter 2021

Top Ten Non-Fiction Books 2021

Top Ten Fiction Books 2021

Top Ten Books First Quarter 2022

Top Ten Books Second Quarter 2022

Top Ten Books Third Quarter 2022

Top Ten Books Fourth Quarter 2022

Top Ten Non-Fiction Books 2022

Top Ten Fiction Books 2022

Top Ten Books First Quarter 2023

Top Ten Books Second Quarter 2023

Top Ten Books Third Quarter 2023

Top Ten Fiction Books Fourth Quarter 2023

Top Ten Non-Fiction Books 2023

Top Ten Fiction Books 2023

Top Ten Books First Quarter 2024

...

All Top Ten Lists on Book Reviews and More

Statistics Books Read By Year:
455 - 2023

438 - 2022

365 - 2021

317 - 2020
392 - 2019
359 - 2018
380 - 2017
272 - 2016
177 - 2015
130 - 2014
88 - 2013
176 - 2012
163 - 2011
302 - 2010
142 - 2009
98 - 2008
83 - 2007
191 - 2006
151 - 2005
60 - 2004
52 - 2003
97 - 2002
50 - 2001
41 - 2000
71 - 1999
73 - 1998
131 - 1997
101 - 1996

Friday, 29 December 2023

Top Ten Fiction and Non-Fiction Books Fourth Quarter 2023

Top Ten Fiction and Non-Fiction Books Fourth Quarter 2023

It has been a very good year for reading, in fact it is my best to date, and not likely ever to be matched. I have read 455 books this year, and 88 of them this quarter, which is right about on part for the fourth quarter. Many great reads, and a few new authors that I had not explored yet, with plans to read more from some of them. I have read just over a book and a quarter a day. I read eighty-eight books this quarter, in comparison with the last 7 years:

2023 – 88

2022 – 94

2021 – 83

2020 – 65

2019 – 95

2018 – 78

2017 – 104

2016 – 89

But back to this quarter by the numbers:

Books Read: 88

First Time Reads: 55

Fiction: 48

Non-Fiction: 39

5/5 Stars: 56

So about on par with most of the years. I can state again that looking back 2016 is a bit of an outlier as late that year I switched jobs and have since had much better work – life balance. In the spring of 2016, I worked through Brandon Vogt’s course Read More Books Now (now available on ClaitasU). The year before that I removed all games from my phone and tablet and my reading had doubled.

Here is my top ten fiction and non-fiction books of the fourth quarter of 2023.

Top Ten Non-Fiction Books:

1. Clothed with Power from On High: A Short Catechesis on Charisms in the Life and Mission of the Church - Bishop Scott McCaig CC

2. Beautiful Eucharist - Edited by Matthew Kelly

3. A Year With the Bible 365 Daily Reflections - Dom Henry Wansbrough OSB - CTS Books

4. Elizabeth of the Trinity The Great Carmelite Saint - Jennifer Moorcroft - CTS Great Saints

5. The Confessions of St. Augustine - Ascension Catholic Classics

6. Stories about Purgatory & What They Reveal - TAN Books

7. Companion to the Sunday Gospels - Year B - Dom Henry Wansbrough OSB - CTS Companions

8. Praying the Nicene Creed - James Matthew Wilson - CTS Books

9. What Will Hell Be Like? - Alfonso María de Liguori

10. What is Truth?: Evangelising the Post-Modern World - Joshua Madden - CTS Explanations

Bonus Books:

Catechism of the Catholic Church Second Edition - Pope John Paul II

The Great Adventure Bible - Ascension Press

Top Ten Fiction Books:

1. unSPARKed Books - Corinna Turner

A Very Jurassic Lent

Three Clawsome Tales

What's Done is Done

2. Nikolaos - Taylor Marshall - A Sword and Serpent Story

3. Dreams of the Storyteller Series - Richard Paolinelli

CAG

Extinction Point

Barn Wars: The Rise Of Brooster Motherclucker

The 13th Medallion

The Enemy Of My Enemy

The Invited

Polar Shift

The Last Human

Nothing Ever Happens Here

4. God Save The King - Josh Griffing

5. The Groundskeeper Book 3 My Ghoul - Cedar Sanderson

6. Sherlock Holmes Pastiches - Richard Paolinelli

A Lesson In Mercy

The Substitute Thief

Nevermore or, The Mystery Of The Albino Raven

The Misplaced Mystery Writer

7. Space Traipse: Hold My Beer: Season Seven - Karina Fabian

8. Christmas Evil: A Heavy Metal Holiday Novella - N.R. LaPoint

9. Catholic Teen Books Stories

A Fowl Christmas

A Saint Nicholas Eve Carol

10. Tsalmoth - Steven Brust - Vlad Taltos Book 16

Bonus Books:

No Coins, Please - Gordon Korman

The Holiday Special - Barry J. Hutchison - Space Team Book 2.5

My reading has been up over each of the last few years, thought I doubt I will ever match this years total of 455 volumes. And I thought last year would be a high watermark. But this year is proving me wrong, which I attribute in part to Brandon Vogt’s course Read More Books Now, removing all games but 1 brain game from my devices. And I was commuting to work on a bus and read on the bus every day. Working from home reading took a little more discipline, And we are now back to a hybrid model with 5 days a month in the office, so things are changing again.

In April of 2023 I wrote a piece called How I Read So Much? Because I get asked the question so often, read the piece linked above if you are looking for some ideas on ways to read more.

Top Ten Books Third Quarter 2020
Top Ten Books Fourth Quarter 2020

Top Ten Non-Fiction Books 2020

Top Ten Fiction Books 2020

Top Ten Books First Quarter 2021

Top Ten Books Second Quarter 2021

Top Ten Books Third Quarter 2021

Top Ten Books Fourth Quarter 2021

Top Ten Non-Fiction Books 2021

Top Ten Fiction Books 2021

Top Ten Books First Quarter 2022

Top Ten Books Second Quarter 2022

Top Ten Books Third Quarter 2022

Top Ten Books Fourth Quarter 2022

Top Ten Non-Fiction Books 2022

Top Ten Fiction Books 2022

Top Ten Books First Quarter 2023

Top Ten Books Second Quarter 2023

Top Ten Books Third Quarter 2023

Top Ten Fiction Books Fourth Quarter 2023

Top Ten Non-Fiction Books 2023

Top Ten Fiction Books 2023

Top Ten Books First Quarter 2024

...

All Top Ten Lists on Book Reviews and More

Statistics Books Read By Year:
455 - 2023

438 - 2022

365 - 2021

Friday, 22 December 2023

Nikolaos A Retelling of the Saint Nicholas Story - Taylor R. Marshall - A Sword and Serpent Novel

Nikolaos: A Retelling of the Saint Nicholas Story

A Sword and Serpent Novel

Taylor R. Marshall
Saint John Press
ISBN 9780999658673

ASIN B0CNYJRKXP

Nikolaos A Retelling of the Saint Nicholas Story - Taylor R. Marshall - A Sword and Serpent Novel

I read the original Sword and Serpent trilogy and through that it was an epic story. This latest offering in the same historical fiction world hits it out of the ball park. In this work Taylor Marshall takes on the legend of Saint Nikolaos is amazing! Dr. Marshall in the acknowledgements states:
“I still believe in the real Saint Nikolaos. May this short novella remind people of the countless miracles that God accomplished through his servant Nikolaos who died as a revered bishop at the age of 73 on December 6 AD 343. The plot of this book takes place 44 years prior when he was a newly ordained Christian presbyter ministering in Myra. The novella retells the famous story of Nikolaos assisting three poor daughters on the brink of being sold into prostitution and is the origin story for Nikolaos’s reputation of sneaking into homes and leaving gifts on Christmas morning.”
The description of this book is:
“In the heart of the Roman Empire, presbyter Nikolaos faces an otherworldly battle far beyond anything he has ever experienced.
Melitta, daughter of a fallen merchant, teeters on the precipice of slavery, her family's fate entwined with a demonic force gripping her father's soul. Nikolaos is tasked with the impossible: to free Melitta’s father from the demon’s malevolent clutches and save Melitta and her sisters from a life of shameful servitude. Can he overcome his own uncertainties to confront the demon and unravel the secrets binding Melitta's family to a fate worse than death?
As the feast of the Nativity approaches, the boundaries between faith and fear blur, and miracles are forged in the crucible of desperation. Will love, courage, and the spirit of the season prevail over the evil threatening the Empire’s very soul?”
We encounter many new historic figures in this book, and also get to visit with old friends including Georgius aka Jurian, Christophorus - Menas, Mari, and Macarius. The dedication of the book states:
“This book is dedicated to all the good bishops and priests who, like Saint Nicholas, have lovingly served our family as good shepherds of the sheep.”
This story is very well written. Each of the 4 novels I have read from the pen of Marshall have great characters, a solid plot, and excellent prose. The story draws you in and keeps your attention. IT presents the reality of the spiritual battle and the spiritual realm. About thirty years ago Frank E. Peretti was very popular in evangelical circles; I loved his books This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness but by the time I read his book The Oath I felt like I was reading a Christianized Stephen King, just sprinkle some Jesus on it. When I finished The Oath I felt slimed, like I needed to go to confession. This volume does an amazing job of showing the darkness we fight against, in a fictional manner, and yet does not cross that like to where the focus becomes the strength and power of evil. It is a delicate balance and Marshall handled it masterfully.
It was wonderful to read about Nikolaos and his experiences serving his people. His turning to prayer again and again, his bilocation to help save friends at sea. His battling evil and demons in the name and power of Jesus. And his seeking for God’s guidance and will for how to save three young women of his flock from a fate worse than death! Nikolaos’s invocation in his final confrontation with the demon are moving and powerful. Even though this is a fiction offering it has helped deepen my prayer life this advent, as I have read this story and continue to reflect upon it.
As of the writing of this review I have read 446 books so far this year. Of the novels this one is one of the best. It is a wonderful read. It will be appreciated by those who are into historical fiction. Buy those who are Christian or Catholic and want a real glimpse of what like would have been like prior to Christianity becoming an approved religion. It is part of an epic story and that really is the best kind! This piece of the Sword and Serpent series is an excellent offering.
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2023 Catholic Reading Plan!

Books by Taylor R. Marshall:
Thomas Aquinas in 50 Pages: The Layman's Quick Guide to Thomism
Saint Augustine in 50 Pages: The Layman's Quick Guide to Augustinianism
God's Birthday: Why Christ Was Born on December 25 and Why it Matters
Infiltration: The Plot to Destroy the Church from Within
The Rosary in 50 Pages: The Layman’s Quick Guide to Mary’s Psalter

...

Sword and Serpent Series:

Nikolaos

…

Sword and the Serpent
The Tenth Region of the Night
Storm of Fire and Blood

...

The Origins of Catholic Christianity Series:
The Crucified Rabbi: Judaism and the Origins of Catholic Christianity
The Catholic Perspective on Paul: Paul and the Origins of Catholic Christianity
The Eternal City: Rome & the Origins of Catholic Christianity

...

Monday, 2 December 2019

God’s Birthday Why Christ Was Born on December 25 and Why it Matters - Taylor RMarshall

God’s Birthday:
Why Christ Was Born on December 25 and Why it Matters
Taylor R. Marshall
Saint John Press
ISBN 9780988442528

First this book is available for free via Dr. Taylor Marshall’s website. Second as it states in the conclusion it is taken mainly from the third volume of his Origins of Christianity series, The Eternal City: Rome & the Origins of Catholic Christianity. I have not read that volume yet but did some quick searching in it appears to come mostly from chapter three of that volume The Birth of Christ Under Caesar. A few things sparked my reading of this book. First it has been on my radar for a few years, and I kept forgetting to read it before Christmas. Second a friend, a Catholic Podcaster was asking for recommendations for a panel discussion on Christmas and if it was relevant. I suggested Dr. Marshall, and even provided the link to the free copy of this book. Both were quickly deleted and I was informed the person did not want Dr. Marshall representing Catholicism.

Now I am not a Traddie in any sense, I have never been to a Latin mass, and have never felt the need to. But I love the Catholic church, I love mass, I love communion, and I desperately need sacramental confession frequently. My conclusion when I read Infiltration: The Plot to Destroy the Church from Within, was to pray even more. Recently Dr. Marshall’s Wikipedia Page was even attacked by a Vatican IP address. So I know that Marshall is considered a controversial figure. But he has written some excellent books, and this little free volume is among them. I have a Religious Studies degree with a specialization in Roman Catholic Thought. And like Marshall I had heard all the theories. Marshall states:

“I once believed all these arguments. I considered myself an enlightened man. I had heard these arguments in college, graduate courses, and even in seminary. I had heard it preached from pulpits. I assumed that everyone, everywhere knew that Christmas was not really the historical birthday of Christ our Lord.”

What this volume does is outline some pretty solid historical arguments to change that popular opinion. And as the subtitle of the book indicated, what it really matters. He also states:

“This book in your hand challenges the claim that Jesus was not born on December 25. Even more, I challenge the claim that we cannot know the year of Christ’s birth. As you will see, the expert arguments above are as anachronistic as claiming that Coca-cola invented Santa Clause in the 1930s in order to compete with Kwanza celebrations.”

At 57 pages it is a quick read. I truly believe it will challenge your thinking and open your eyes. It is a great read, and you cannot beat the price! And hopefully it will inspire you to go deeper with The Origins of Catholic Christianity Series by Dr. Marshall. If you are looking to add something different to your advent reading this year. Add this to the list of resources you are using I know you will not be disappointed. And you might just never experience Christmas ever or morning the same way ever again.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2019 Catholic Reading Plan!

...

Sword and Serpent Series:

Nikolaos

…

Sword and the Serpent
The Tenth Region of the Night
Storm of Fire and Blood

...