A Look Back: Deuce's Books in 2020

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2020. Quite a year, eh? Speaking for myself, I actually had to work more overtime once the shutdown began. Thus, I had no more leisure than usual to devote to reading. Despite all that, I managed to devour my share of tomes.

Yet again, a fair amount of that time was spent reading publications from DMR. Dave Ritzlin—publisher and editor at DMR Books—has once more given all of us a plethora of quality books to enrich our year. You will see many of those in the list below. I can also announce some further glad tidings—namely, that despite Dave adding a couple more spires and gables to DMR Manor, the bursars at DMR Books deemed it fitting that several more Slim Jims be added to my monthly ration.

The list below is comprised of all the books I remember reading or rereading in 2020. There is certainly the possibility that I've forgotten some worthy books I read earlier in the year. Rest assured that all of the books listed are ones I actually liked—books I didn’t like simply became one with the dust of forgotten ages. If a book is listed, I consider it worth reading. YMMV. As in years before, this list is a mix of vintage and “just published yesterday” books. However, I have not tried to list various short stories I’ve read here n’ there. As always, please try to support small and independent publishers/authors—especially the ones who don’t hate you.

I would like to thank two good buds of mine who sent more books my way this year in order to rebuild my shattered and tattered personal library, which was mostly destroyed several years ago in a flood. Charles down in Mississippi and Lemdot over Saint Louis-way both went above and beyond. Numerous books that they sent are in the list below. A virtual tilt of the mead-horn to both men is called for. Many thanks, sword-brothers!

In general, I have tried to embed a link in each book title to the exact edition I read. That may not be so in many cases, however. In some cases, wherein I deem it more helpful, I’ve linked to a review by myself or others. Also, I'm not listing the books in any particular order, alphabetical or otherwise. More like, “Here’s the first bookstack. This is the top book on the bookstack.” Some of you might notice a few reoccurring entries from previous years’ lists. That’s because some books are traditional yearly rereads for me and others just needed to be read yet another time, Crom damn it.

I hope all of the stalwart readers of the DMR Books blog have a fun and safe New Year’s Eve. Here’s to another great year of worthy books in 2021!

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Roads by Seabury Quinn

The Barbaric Triumph edited by Don Herron

The Godblade by J. Christopher Tarpey

The Song of Kwasin by Philip Jose Farmer and Christopher Paul Carey

Flame and Crimson: A History of Sword-and-Sorcery by Brian Murphy

Brunner the Bounty Hunter by C.L. Werner

The Metal Monster by A. Merritt

Death Angel’s Shadow by Karl Edward Wagner

Shadows of the New Sun edited by J.E. Mooney and Jim Fawcett

The Lord of the Middle Air by Michael Scott Rohan

The Swordsman by Gardner F. Fox

Call Me Joe (NESFA edition) by Poul Anderson

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Cold Days by Jim Butcher

The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas

The Club Dumas by Arturo Perez-Reverte

Empires of the Sea by Roger Crowley

Casca: The Eternal Mercenary by Barry Sadler

The Usurper by James Alderdice [David J. West]

Lonely Vigils by Manly Wade Wellman

The Sea Hawk by Rafael Sabatini

Barbarian Life: Volume One by Roy Thomas

Barbarian Life: Volume Two by Roy Thomas

Letters from New York by H.P. Lovecraft

The Bruce Trilogy by Nigel Tranter

Mysteries of Time and Spirit: The Letters of H.P. Lovecraft and Donald Wandrei edited by S.T. Joshi and David E. Schultz

The Mystery of Doctor Fu-Manchu by Sax Rohmer

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The Devil Doctor by Sax Rohmer

Mayenne by E.C. Tubb

Boss (Falchion's Company Book 1) by Ken Lizzi

Dark Crusade by Karl Edward Wagner

Onward, Drake! edited by Mark L. Van Name

Imaro (DAW edfition) by Charles R. Saunders

The Reign of the Dragon Lord by C.J. Henderson

The Eye of Sounnu by Schuyler Hernstrom

The Collected Letters of Robert E. Howard Volume Two: 1930-1932 edited by Rob Roehm

A Night in the Lonesome October by Roger Zelazny

Beren and Luthien by J.R.R. Tolkien

Adventures in Arabia by William Seabrook

StoryHack , Issue Five edited by Bryce Beattie

Cahena by Manly Wade Wellman

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Three Black Deeds by David Hardy

The Spell of Conan edited by L. Sprague de Camp

Blasphemies & Revelations by Robert M. Price

The Blade of Conan edited by L. Sprague de Camp

Planets of Adventure by Murray Leinster

A. Merritt: Reflections in the Moon Pool edited by Sam Moskowitz

The Religion by Tim Willocks

Death Dealers & Diabolists edited by D.M. Ritzlin

The March of the Barbarians by Harold Lamb

Warlords, Warlocks and Witches edited by D.M. Ritzlin

Citadels of Mystery by L. Sprague de Camp

The Camelot Chronicles edited by Mike Ashley

Salammbo by Gustave Flaubert

Flaubert in Egypt edited by Francis Steegmuller

O Fortunate Floridian by H.P. Lovecraft

The Borgia Blade by Gardner Fox

Witch Hunter by C.L. Werner

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Raj: The Making and Unmaking of British India by Lawrence James

Lion of Ireland by Morgan Llywelyn

The Great Die Slow by Harry Piper

Blood of Ancient Opar by Christopher Paul Carey

The Complete Casebook of Cardigan (Volume One) by Frederick Nebel

Terrors of Pangaea by John C. Wright

The Conan Companion by Richard Toogood

Warriors of the Wildlands by Jim Cornelius

The Brethren by Robert Merle

Necromancy in Nilztiria by D.M. Ritzlin

Undaunted Courage by Stephen E. Ambrose

The Dancer from Atlantis by Poul Anderson

The Fyredrake’s Prey by James Reasoner

The Book of Fantasy edited by Jorge Luis Borges, Adolfo Bioy Casares, and Silvina Ocampo

The Grandest Adventure by Christopher Paul Carey