In the same way that Laurie Laliberte has listed all of her reads for 2011 on her blog, along with those she’s looking forward to getting through in 2012, here are my own picks.
First, notable books that I read/re-read in 2011:
WILD SEED by Octavia E Butler
CONAN THE BARBARIAN (Novelization) by Michael Stackpole
TREASURE ISLAND by Robert Louis Stevenson
THE STARS MY DESTINATION by Alfred Bester
THE GUNS OF SENECA 6 by Bernard Schaffer
THE RESTORATION MAN by Simon John Cox
THE MEMORY COLLECTOR by Meg Gardiner
THREE SCOOPS IS A BLAST! by Alex Carrick
FOUR SCOOPS IS OVER THE TOP by Alex Carrick
CHILL RUN by Russell Brooks
LITTLE TREASURES (THE LADIES KILLING CIRCLE) by The Ladies Killing Circle
HEART SHAPED BOX by Joe Hill
SH*T MY DAD SAYS by Justin Halpern
FULL DARK, NO STARS by Stephen King
Second, a few books I hope to read in the coming year (2012):
LORD OF THE RINGS: Complete 50th Anniversary Edition (Currently reading) by J. R. R. Tolkien
WILD CHILDREN by Richard Roberts
NOBLE by David Hulegaard
A GAME OF THRONES by George R. R. Martin
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO by Stiegg Larson
I’d like to note a few Alan Dean Foster books I’m hoping will make an appearance. The first is his Blue Magic trilogy, yet to find a publisher. The other is his standalone Fantasy novel Madrenga. He also has an SF novel Reliquory which has been sent off. I know the chances of these hitting by the end of 2012 are slim, but if he chooses to self-publish via the Kindle, as he did with his novella ‘Box of Oxen’ then I may just get to read it soon…
Also, the highlight of my 2011 reading year had to be WILD SEED, the first in a series of about 5 books by Octavia Butler.
It absolutely blew me away and I have spent my time since recommending it to everyone I talk to. So if you haven’t read it yet, please seek it out and give it a go. It’s a sweeping, multi-generational story taking place during the days of slavery. It details the years of confrontation between an immortal and a shapeshifter, who are each possibly the last of their kind. However it’s not as clear cut as that, as the novel is also their love story.
WILD SEED. Read it.
Tony Healey 
I love when I get to be a positive influence.
I will not add more books to my list. Iwillnotaddmorebookstomylistiwillnotaddmorebookstomylist….
You have to add Wild Seed to your list.
*Waves hand suggestively*
You WILL add Wild Seed to your list.
I’ve only ever read one novel by Octavia Butler: Fledgling, which is the most original treatment of vampires I have ever encountered. I highly recommend it — and will try to get my hands on a copy of Wild Seed! : )
I’ve been toying with giving Fledgling a try. They do the whole sequence of the Wild Seed novels as SEED TO HARVEST too. That’s the option I’ll probably take when it comes to reading the other books in the series.
I’m adding it to my To-Read List! : )