Books

[Birdhead]

Well, I liked Ender's Shadow. But I though Ender's Game was better, not sure why.. I really loved it. The later Ender books I didn't get on with so well... I liked them and I'd reccomend them, I just thought they could have been condensed a little. Or even a lot. Ende's Game and Ender's Shadow were both much tighter. I like the Alvin Maker ones too... *bookmarks Treason for later. Much later.*

I've only read the Abhorsen trilogy by Nix. Soundtrack? What, pray? Shade's Children is also on my list. *adds College of Magics*
I know some people don't really get on with P&P, and I guess I understand why... for one thing it's a little slow and, if you're not particularly interested in the period or the country, it tends to miss the point: the whole point about the book is the background, not the story. (although the story's nice.)

I]Battle Royale[/I] sounds... bloodthirsty. Must read it. How long is it? (I really cannot read long books at the moment.)

Q: I think it's a potential followup of short stories... uh... go find a website somewhewre. Ask Agent M.

"We are philosophical geniuses [sic] who will one day rule the world!"
--Agent M
Ahahahaha, Ahahahaha, Ahahahaha!

[readingqueen]

*looks around frantically* AGENT M! AGENT MMMM!

Call me Q :-)

you never know who your real friends are until the hard times come. When it isn't all happy laughs and fun. sometimes your old friends will rough it & stay. but usuall they tend to fade away. If they fade, do not fear, bcuz better friends are always near.

[EWizard11]

Check it out!

Apologies for the small post, but there really is nothing more to say.

*Ella*

"'I wish none of this had happened.'
'So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.'"
-The Fellowship of the Ring

[Aurora]

I'm on about the 400th page out of about 600 pages. Out of the 42 students in this particular class, 22 are dead.

The thing to remember is, it's not FAIR. there's a lot depending on what's in your day pack, and what's in your day pack depends on what one you pick up, and it's all chance. Some kids have bullet-proof vests, and are armed with a belt or whip. Another student has a machine gun. and another one can have a fork. Fortunately though, you can take the weapon on whoever you come across or kill.

I'm taking the death toll now... Recorded how every one who died died. Great book... I loves it.

Kitsune Rei~In love and hating it~

[Birdhead]

Uh, you would. (Kidding. )

Oh! I remembered: I _have_read a new book recently. The Truly Great Diana Wynne Jones' The Merlin Conspiracy it's excellent, as is just about everything by DWJ. If you haven't read anything by her, do so. Now. No, I mean, now, don't stop to pack, don't eat, don't sleep, go directly to your library or bookshop and read something, anything, by her.

As you can see, DWJ is one of the many things that get me all excited.

Uh, I mean, few things. Very few. Uh. *nods* few!

"We are philosophical geniuses [sic] who will one day rule the world!"
--Agent M
Ahahahaha, Ahahahaha, Ahahahaha!

[db_pr]

I read Enders Shadow but not Enders Game and I liked it. I'm on Sabriel right now and loving it!

"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve." -Bilbo Baggins (The Fellowship of the Ring: J.R.R. Tolkien)
"Not all who wander are lost"- J.R.R. Tolkien
"Thanks, you don't look so hot yourself." - (Yogi Berra)after being told he looked cool

[Kathy Li]

Tui, you might wanna mention that Merlin Conspiracy is a sequel to Deep Secret.

I have done it! With only a few days to spare, I managed to read the entire Patrick O'Brian Aubrey/Maturin series before the Peter Weir/Russell Crowe Master and Commander film opens (this Friday) and could spoil any of the plot for me. That's 20 books. They average around 250 pages a piece. So, that's... golly, 5,000 pages of extremely cherce historical fiction I've read this year.

Aurora, while I love Austen, I can understand what you mean about it not sparking for you. The humor is really understated and if you tend to read things literally, it's not easy to find. I found the older I got, though, the funnier she became.

As for Jane Eyre, for me it's the pinnacle of romance novels. And an extremely funny book. I still giggle every time we get to the happy-ending scene, and Rochester asks, "Am I hideous, Jane?" And she replies, "Very, sir; you always were, you know." I always felt sorry for poor Charlotte Bronte, having dedicated the book to Thackeray out of hero-worship, never having met him. Or known that he'd been separated from his wife because of her mental illness...

[Birdhead]

It is!?!? I did NOT know that! *goes to find Deep Secret* see, boys and girls, this is why the Internet is a marvellous tool. Thanks, kli! And congratulations on your 5000 page landmark.

"We are philosophical geniuses [sic] who will one day rule the world!"
--Agent M
Ahahahaha, Ahahahaha, Ahahahaha!

[Kathy Li]

Well, it's a sequel in the way that Castle in the Air is a "sequel" to Howl's Moving Castle. Both are self-contained stories about different characters, but there are connections and a few characters in common. I actually prefer Deep Secret, but then I hang out at fantasy cons, and know which bits are based on Neil Gaiman.

[Birdhead]

*groans* I miss so much on this side of the world! When did it come out, do you know? And when did the Merlin Conspiracy some out in the States?

"We are philosophical geniuses [sic] who will one day rule the world!"
--Agent M
Ahahahaha, Ahahahaha, Ahahahaha!

,Yeah, actually Jane Eyre, isn't that bad. I like her sprit. I have only read Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow, I thought both were really good, although I liked Ender's Game, more. I guess its because Bean freaked me out in his book...Yeah well, I haven't been able to find any of the other books in the series besides those, but I'd like to read them. I've also read Dark Lord of Derholm, by DWJ, that was really good, haven't had the time to read any of her other books though...Shade's Children was AWSOME. I reread that book a dozen times. That was before Sabriel, but it is very different from what you would expect if you've only read Abhorsen series. Garth Nix is great. Anyway, The Mediator series by Meg Cabot (Jenny Caroll(sp?) is great if you want a relief from fantasy. I'll keep checking this page for more suggestions, you guys are really helpful!

" Duct tape, the stuff that holds the universe together."A Wizard Alone by Diane Duane
- Serena

[Kathy Li]

Oh, no worries, Tui. Merlin Conspiracy is brand new. Just came out this year. Deep Secret is ©1997. You might wanna check out the Dianna Wynne Jones website if you want a full bibliography, or to keep up with DWJ news.

[Birdhead]

kli, you are a cyber angel. THANK you. If TMC came out this year, then DS should (stress should) be available.. if I check in all the right places. Thanks! *fingers crossed*

Oh, I see, it's an adult book... OK, no wonder I didn't notice. *grins* I'm reading the bibliography, and it's reminded me-again- of how good she is: READ her. (Try The Homeward Bounders, Hexwood, Eight Days of Luke, A Sudden Wild Magic..

"We are philosophical geniuses [sic] who will one day rule the world!"
--Agent M
Ahahahaha, Ahahahaha, Ahahahaha!

[Quill]

Originally posted by Selden:
If you can locate any of the (out of print?) collections of short stories written by Zena Henderson, I think you might find them enjoyable. "The People -- No Different Flesh", for example. "The Ingathering" was the complete collection.

Try here for Ingathering: The Complete People Stories of Zenna Henderson.

[meteorite]

I noted a few parallels between DD's latest book and Zenna Henderson's People stories, especially the first story about the People having to get ready to leave their planet. I won't say more so I don't involuntarily spoil Wizard's Holiday for someone (I finally got a copy! yay, me!!), but if you are familiar with both... think about it.

I like Zenna Henderson's stuff.

"Thus is Balance maintained." A Wizard of Earthsea
"Condensing fact from the vapor of nuance." Neal Stephenson, Snow Crash