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Big Planet by Jack Vance

I like "road trip" type stories, and one set on a titanic planet, where a stranded group of high-tech protagonists try to make their way through a series of low-tech nations, seemed up my alley, but I eventually figured out this novel is more of a Swiftian series of satires, without the epic scope I like, so I didn't finish it.

The Fellowship: The Literary Lives Of The Inklings by Zaleski And Zaleski

I made it through the first couple chapters on Tolkien and Lewis before concluding that their feet of clay were putting me off (Lewis' hypocrisy is vast and tawdry), and their attitude toward privilege doesn't come off well in the 21st century. Didn't finish.

Vatta's War by Elizabeth Moon

A five-book space opera series, comprising Trading In Danger, Marque And Reprisal, Engaging The Enemy, Command Decision, and Victory Conditions. Our hero is a young woman from a wealthy family, who falls into disgrace and is sent off with a crappy trading ship to get out of the way and, maybe, redeem herself. She ends up falling backwards into leading a war against a viciously organized group of pirates, and saving civilization. Ky Vatta is clearly skilled and noble, but her success depends a little too much on coincidence, and being friends with the right people. That said, I greatly enjoyed the books, the handling of space battles was pretty good, and the occasional dropped plot threads didn't bother me too much. Recommended.