The Year in Books, Part 2: Fiction

Here is my list of favourite fiction books from 2017. These are books that I read in the past year, not books that were published last year (some of them were much older). They show up, for the most part, in the order they appear on my reading challenge list.

1. Ben Hur by Lew Wallace: This is a classic, and it starts slowly (chapter 1: A man on a camel walks into the desert). It was actually relaxing at first, so I didn't mind it; eventually, more action started. My friend's son read it as well; I can still make him laugh with the words "a man on a camel walks into the desert". Spoiler alert: Eventually there is a man on a horse instead of a camel.
2. I'm going to put all the Lamplighter books together. Some of the children (and their moms) at church introduced me to these books and kept handing me more to read. They have been pretty good so far. They are:
1. Ishmael and Self-Raised (they go together) by E.D.E.N. Southwood. These were the more intense books, and probably better for older teen and adults.
2. Prisoners of the Sea by Florence M. Kingsley. I liked this one a lot.
3. The Hidden Hand by E.D.E.N. Southwood. This was also very good.
3. The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald: This is a classic, and while I'm sure I've read it before, it was long enough ago to enjoy it again.
4. A Witness for the Persecution, The Seven Dials Mystery, The Dumb Witness, and Third Girl by Agatha Christie: What can I say: I enjoy a nice mystery once in a while.
5. A Hat Full of Sky by Terry Pratchett: It was a nice story, a sequel to The Wee Free Men. I liked it for some lighter reading.
6. Weight of a Flame by Simonetta Carr: I never really know how to classify this one; it's one of the Chosen Daughters series. I usually call them "biographical fiction". They're a little more than historical fiction, and a little less than standard biographies. Anyway, this one was good.
7. Wonder by R.J. Palacio: The kids at work recommended this one. It was pretty good.
8. The Thunder by Douglas Bond: This is about John Knox, and I learned a lot about his life while enjoying a pretty good story.
9. The Little Silver House by Jennie D. Lindquist: I read this to see if it lived up to my memories from childhood. It did. It's a sequel to The Golden Name Day (which is also still a good story).
10. A Lantern in Her Hand by Bess Streeter Aldrich: This is an older book about a pioneer family (focusing on the mother) and her life watching Nebraska grow into a state. The story takes place over her lifetime from the 1840s through the 1920s. A lot happened in those years. 
11. The Secret World of Og by Pierre Burton: A friend recommended it. It's a nice story about children and an underground world. It's just fun to read.

There were others that I read, but these are the best. Of the rest, most of them were good, and some were mediocre at best. Basically, I'll try just about any book, especially if the kids ask me to (I'm a sucker in that regard, and they know it). There were also a few that I read the first few pages (or first 2 pages in the case of one book) and then toss it aside. 

Some time in the next week, I'll post my top nonfiction. That list will likely be longer.