Ever since I read The Way of Kings earlier this summer I've been wanting to make this post, and I have no idea why I haven't. It's a bit of a continuation of my comment on Kirsten's latest post.
So here's the deal. About 2.5 years ago, while I was in Baltimore, I picked up my first book by Brandon Sanderson, Elantris. I immediately fell in love, seriously, almost as much as I love LotR (yeah, fantasy geek, I know). I read the Mistborn Trilogy, which was AMAZING and Warbreaker, which was slightly less amazing, but still very good (also, you can read it free online).
Sidenote: I just checked Sanderson's website and apparently another Mistborn book is in final revisions. There was much squealing and waving of arms.
Sanderson has also taken over Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time (WoT) series, and is working on his own epics series, The Stormlight Archive. The first book in Stormlight is The Way of Kings, which I read this summer.
I think Sanderson is an amazingly talented writer, but I have not read the conclusion for WoT, I was extremely reluctant to pick up Way of Kings, and I was very distressed to hear that he wanted to write an epic. Why? Because after reading all of WoT including the last book that Jordan wrote, I'm completely burned out from long, epic stories. I much prefer stand-alones, trilogies, or other shorter series. Thinks like Brian Jaques' Redwall or Mercedes Lackey's Heralds of Vlademar, with many books set in the same world, but each is a stand-alone, are okay.
I know many people love epics, Sanderson himself sites WoT and A Game of Thrones as his influences to write Stormlight, so why don't I like them? I don't know. One reason might be that, growing up in the age of instant gratification I can't commit to one story of such a length. Another, perhaps more compelling reason, is that I don't think I really liked WoT. It's well written and terribly interesting, but the characters in it kind of terrified me. They all seem to have so much anger toward everyone else, everyone is trying to control each other, no one trusts anyone, especially men vs women. I find it to be terribly sad. And then, I tried to read Game of Thrones, but it looked like it was going to be much the same way, so I only read the first one.
Btw, even though I didn't really want to read Way of Kings, and was a bit bored throughout most of the book (which insisted on switching characters when there was only one that I really wanted to read about-seriously, every night I was like "I'm going to read until I get to the next chapter this person is in"), the last couple chapters completely hooked me, and I will probably read the next book to come out.
So that's my little story about epics.
Recently, I've been reading some Japanese fairy tales and various other free kindle downloads. Did you know you can get Jane Austen and Dostoyevsky for free? It's pretty exciting.
Friday, August 26, 2011
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Catching Up
I've read all sorts of things since the last posting, but these are the only ones I can remember:
Sister Frevisse Medieval Mysteries were perfect beach reading when we ended up in Duck, N.C. after non-stop events and responsibilities in May and June. I think I went through about five of these at the rate of one a day. They were on the Books for Fun rack at EMU. They are my kind of murder mysteries--the victims are almost always characters you want to see go, and there are lots of suspects. I think Margaret Frazer gets most of the medieval details right--or enough that it's believable. The perpetrator in The Servant's Tale had the best, most disturbing motive ever.
Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin. Now I know what all the fuss is about. I love all the politics, secret scandals, hints of dragons and impending wintry doom, complex characters...but if you read his GRRM, just know that he'll kill any character, any time, no matter whether you like them or not. He's no Margaret Frazer.
Cinderella Ate My Daughter: Dispatches from the Frontlines of the New Girlie-Girl Culture. I read this with the analog book club. Highly recommended to anyone who ever plans to interact with little girls. Hint: you don't have to be pretty/sexy and purchase things to be a fulfilled woman, but the marketers won't tell you that.
Bossypants by Tina Fey: A speedy read--also for book club. Entertaining and inspiring.
Book manuscripts by two different friends--I love these exclusives. Such a privilege to be friends with good writers.
When I was at the AWP (Association of Writers and Writing Programs) conference in D.C. this spring, I subscribed to great literary...journal? It's called One Story and that's what they send you every three weeks--a pleasingly simple little chapbook with one short story in it. Each time one arrives, it's like receiving a tiny gift in the mail. Most of the authors are new, and the stories are well-wrought. I'll keep trying to get some of my work in there...
Happy reading to all.
Sister Frevisse Medieval Mysteries were perfect beach reading when we ended up in Duck, N.C. after non-stop events and responsibilities in May and June. I think I went through about five of these at the rate of one a day. They were on the Books for Fun rack at EMU. They are my kind of murder mysteries--the victims are almost always characters you want to see go, and there are lots of suspects. I think Margaret Frazer gets most of the medieval details right--or enough that it's believable. The perpetrator in The Servant's Tale had the best, most disturbing motive ever.
Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin. Now I know what all the fuss is about. I love all the politics, secret scandals, hints of dragons and impending wintry doom, complex characters...but if you read his GRRM, just know that he'll kill any character, any time, no matter whether you like them or not. He's no Margaret Frazer.
Cinderella Ate My Daughter: Dispatches from the Frontlines of the New Girlie-Girl Culture. I read this with the analog book club. Highly recommended to anyone who ever plans to interact with little girls. Hint: you don't have to be pretty/sexy and purchase things to be a fulfilled woman, but the marketers won't tell you that.
Bossypants by Tina Fey: A speedy read--also for book club. Entertaining and inspiring.
Book manuscripts by two different friends--I love these exclusives. Such a privilege to be friends with good writers.
When I was at the AWP (Association of Writers and Writing Programs) conference in D.C. this spring, I subscribed to great literary...journal? It's called One Story and that's what they send you every three weeks--a pleasingly simple little chapbook with one short story in it. Each time one arrives, it's like receiving a tiny gift in the mail. Most of the authors are new, and the stories are well-wrought. I'll keep trying to get some of my work in there...
Happy reading to all.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
So Excited!!!!
K, so as you may or may not know, I follow several online comics, plus a couple that are completed.
One of the completed one's I've been following for years (no, seriously, at least four of 'em), and was finished in Dec. It is called Lint, and is awesome. Anyone who wants to check it out, go here: http://www.purnicellin.com/lint/
So the author started another short comic, called "Pygmalion in Space," or some such, which I was not such a fan of, and didn't read.
HOWEVER! I recently checked here website, and low and behold, she's begun another comic! The new comic, Linteir, is apparently a continuation of Lint, but is about a character that was only very briefly mentioned in Lint and never introduced: Teitnl, the evil illusionist that nobody likes. I was excited, but cautious. The first several pages are up, so i read them.
It seemed promising, and I was completely hooked by this exchange on page 6 (currently the most recent page):
Characters: Teitnl, Henry (his apprentice), Sangwine Schlöffel (the king)
After the rather flamboyant arrival of Teitnl in the throne room
Henry: You didn't tell me we were going to see a king!
Teitnl: Shut up, Henry. (to the king) Mr. Schoffel: Why are you hiding behind a butler?
Sangwine: He's a very good butler.
Teitnl: I don't care what sort of butler he is!
Sangwine: But, you see, I would never hide behind a bad one.
Teitnl: ...This is why we never go to see kings, Henry.
Henry: Yes, sir.
I practically died laughing. Seriously. you should check it out.
http://www.purnicellin.com/lintier/
One of the completed one's I've been following for years (no, seriously, at least four of 'em), and was finished in Dec. It is called Lint, and is awesome. Anyone who wants to check it out, go here: http://www.purnicellin.com/lint/
So the author started another short comic, called "Pygmalion in Space," or some such, which I was not such a fan of, and didn't read.
HOWEVER! I recently checked here website, and low and behold, she's begun another comic! The new comic, Linteir, is apparently a continuation of Lint, but is about a character that was only very briefly mentioned in Lint and never introduced: Teitnl, the evil illusionist that nobody likes. I was excited, but cautious. The first several pages are up, so i read them.
It seemed promising, and I was completely hooked by this exchange on page 6 (currently the most recent page):
Characters: Teitnl, Henry (his apprentice), Sangwine Schlöffel (the king)
After the rather flamboyant arrival of Teitnl in the throne room
Henry: You didn't tell me we were going to see a king!
Teitnl: Shut up, Henry. (to the king) Mr. Schoffel: Why are you hiding behind a butler?
Sangwine: He's a very good butler.
Teitnl: I don't care what sort of butler he is!
Sangwine: But, you see, I would never hide behind a bad one.
Teitnl: ...This is why we never go to see kings, Henry.
Henry: Yes, sir.
I practically died laughing. Seriously. you should check it out.
http://www.purnicellin.com/lintier/
Sunday, June 19, 2011
book review and mini rant
I picked up two books from the library the other day, one is The Child Thief by BROM, the other is The Fallen Blade (the first in a trilogy, just published this year) by Jon Courtenay Grimwood. So far, I've finished Child Thief and I'm about halfway through Blade. Not sure if I'm going to finish it, though. More about that later.
Child Thief is a modern interpretation of Peter Pan that I actually quite enjoyed. It incorporates not only the various legends of Peter Pan, but also old mythologies of the horned god, the tree of life, and Avalon. Fairly well written, but there's a couple points I'd like to discuss if anyone else reads this.
Blade is actually similar in style (I thought), at least as far as the characters go. Can we talk about morally ambiguous? It's a political novel (as in: everyone is trying to further themselves and manipulate everyone else in order to be the ruler) set in 1400's Venice.
Rant time!
BUT, I'm a little bit distressed at the use of three of the (currently) most common mythical creatures in each of the books. Child Thief as the zombies- they don't call them that, but let's think here: slow, shambling walk, living long after they should be dead, generally not terribly smart... Yup, sounds like zombies to me! Blade has werewolves and a vampire. Nothing against wolves and vamps. I just wish that the pretty boy w/ weird powers could be something else for a change. A demon maybe?
meh. anyhoo, sorry if is sounds weird. I wrote between playing a game...
Child Thief is a modern interpretation of Peter Pan that I actually quite enjoyed. It incorporates not only the various legends of Peter Pan, but also old mythologies of the horned god, the tree of life, and Avalon. Fairly well written, but there's a couple points I'd like to discuss if anyone else reads this.
Blade is actually similar in style (I thought), at least as far as the characters go. Can we talk about morally ambiguous? It's a political novel (as in: everyone is trying to further themselves and manipulate everyone else in order to be the ruler) set in 1400's Venice.
Rant time!
BUT, I'm a little bit distressed at the use of three of the (currently) most common mythical creatures in each of the books. Child Thief as the zombies- they don't call them that, but let's think here: slow, shambling walk, living long after they should be dead, generally not terribly smart... Yup, sounds like zombies to me! Blade has werewolves and a vampire. Nothing against wolves and vamps. I just wish that the pretty boy w/ weird powers could be something else for a change. A demon maybe?
meh. anyhoo, sorry if is sounds weird. I wrote between playing a game...
Monday, June 13, 2011
The Sound and the Fury
I just closed this one. Dear Faulkner with his many voices. I'll have more thoughts and questions later, but right now I'm noticing that he chose to tell the fourth and final segment of this novel not in various first person voices, like the first three segments, but in the third person attached to Dilsey. We don't ever enter her mind--she's a mute observer. For those of you who eventually read this...what do you make of that?
Also read: Marilynne Robinson's Home and the rest of the Hunger Games trilogy.
Also read: Marilynne Robinson's Home and the rest of the Hunger Games trilogy.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Oh, the joy of re-reading
I only enjoy re-reading very few books. Such as Wuthering Heights, my current bedside book. If you haven't read it, it's a must. The first several chapters are extremely difficult to get through, but once you make it, it's awesome.
In other news, I've finished The Lion Witch and Wardrobe. I feel like it would be way more entertaining if I was a kid.
I need to bookmark this page so that I keep checking it!
-Kaitlin
In other news, I've finished The Lion Witch and Wardrobe. I feel like it would be way more entertaining if I was a kid.
I need to bookmark this page so that I keep checking it!
-Kaitlin
Saturday, June 4, 2011
FAIL
Yeah, so I haven't touched my reading list at all...
I have The Sound and the Fury, but I'm pretty sure that's overdue... Also got Brandon Sanderson's new book. I still don't know if I'm really happy about his decision to try writing an "epic" series-you know, like Robert Jordan, et al. I liked his stand alone novels and the trilogy. Nice and short. Oh well. It was at the library, so I'm going to try it. I guess.
For my Japan trip, I down loaded a large portion of Amazon's free books to my kindle. I only finished one of them on the trip. I forget what it was called, but it was a collection of myths that was really quite good (as in, surprisingly good). It wasn't the simple children version of the myths and the translations were really good. Sometimes it was hard to remember that they weren't originally written in English.
Trying to reread LotR. So far, I've got through the Hobbit and to Weathertop. Rereading The Hobbit, I realized how undeveloped it was, in relation to everything else Tolkien wrote. Still good, but I really saw the children's book quality of it and noticed every time it didn't quite jive with LotR or the Silmarillion.
Speaking of rereads, yesterday I read through two teen romance books I gave to my sister awhile ago. Victoria and the Rogue, by Meg Cabot and 30 Guys in 30 Days, by Micol Ostow. The first was a typical historical novel: Victoria was raised by her uncles in India, comes to England to get married, is very independent and likes to help/interfere with the business of others. She meets an infuriating man, but comes to the realization that she loves him. meh. why can't she just be independent on her own? 30 Guys in 30 Days features a girl who begins college after breaking up w/ her HS boyfriend of 4 yrs, b/c a 4 hr distance between them equals a 'long distance' relationship. In order to learn how to talk w/ guys again, she decides to force herself to interact w/ at least on guy each day for 30 days. She was rather mature in her drinking and sexual habits for a freshmen, if you ask me. Somehow, the barkeepers will serve alcohol to anyone who asks? Also, she just became single! I can understand wanting to better your communication skills w/ the opposite sex, but why don't you just take a time-out for awhile? Rejoice in only answering to yourself! Suffice to say, I'm not sure why I gave my sister these books in the first place.
Also, found a new online comic (although it's not a comic, like funny. It's really a korean manga. But for simplicity's sake, we'll call it a comic). It's called Noblesse. You can check it out here in English:
http://www.mangafox.com/manga/noblesse/
Or the original here:
http://comic.naver.com/webtoon/list.nhn?titleId=25455
Basic plot: Some random guy stands looking down over the city. He disguises himself as a student and soon finds himself enrolled in a local HS. We soon find that he is a vampire who has been asleep for the past 800+ years. While he learns how to fit into the modern world, various things happen to him, which lead him to return to the home of the vampires, where he is currently in the middle of a hostile takeover (it's not finished yet). Has all the aspects of a good manga: humor, plot, advanced science/enhanced humans, nonhuman beings (vamps and wolves), good looking men... highly recommended.
Tried to post a pic, but can't figure out how. Any pointers?
I'm going to have to post more online comics in the future.
Well, that certainly got long enough. Signing off for now!
-Heather
I have The Sound and the Fury, but I'm pretty sure that's overdue... Also got Brandon Sanderson's new book. I still don't know if I'm really happy about his decision to try writing an "epic" series-you know, like Robert Jordan, et al. I liked his stand alone novels and the trilogy. Nice and short. Oh well. It was at the library, so I'm going to try it. I guess.
For my Japan trip, I down loaded a large portion of Amazon's free books to my kindle. I only finished one of them on the trip. I forget what it was called, but it was a collection of myths that was really quite good (as in, surprisingly good). It wasn't the simple children version of the myths and the translations were really good. Sometimes it was hard to remember that they weren't originally written in English.
Trying to reread LotR. So far, I've got through the Hobbit and to Weathertop. Rereading The Hobbit, I realized how undeveloped it was, in relation to everything else Tolkien wrote. Still good, but I really saw the children's book quality of it and noticed every time it didn't quite jive with LotR or the Silmarillion.
Speaking of rereads, yesterday I read through two teen romance books I gave to my sister awhile ago. Victoria and the Rogue, by Meg Cabot and 30 Guys in 30 Days, by Micol Ostow. The first was a typical historical novel: Victoria was raised by her uncles in India, comes to England to get married, is very independent and likes to help/interfere with the business of others. She meets an infuriating man, but comes to the realization that she loves him. meh. why can't she just be independent on her own? 30 Guys in 30 Days features a girl who begins college after breaking up w/ her HS boyfriend of 4 yrs, b/c a 4 hr distance between them equals a 'long distance' relationship. In order to learn how to talk w/ guys again, she decides to force herself to interact w/ at least on guy each day for 30 days. She was rather mature in her drinking and sexual habits for a freshmen, if you ask me. Somehow, the barkeepers will serve alcohol to anyone who asks? Also, she just became single! I can understand wanting to better your communication skills w/ the opposite sex, but why don't you just take a time-out for awhile? Rejoice in only answering to yourself! Suffice to say, I'm not sure why I gave my sister these books in the first place.
Also, found a new online comic (although it's not a comic, like funny. It's really a korean manga. But for simplicity's sake, we'll call it a comic). It's called Noblesse. You can check it out here in English:
http://www.mangafox.com/manga/noblesse/
Or the original here:
http://comic.naver.com/webtoon/list.nhn?titleId=25455
Basic plot: Some random guy stands looking down over the city. He disguises himself as a student and soon finds himself enrolled in a local HS. We soon find that he is a vampire who has been asleep for the past 800+ years. While he learns how to fit into the modern world, various things happen to him, which lead him to return to the home of the vampires, where he is currently in the middle of a hostile takeover (it's not finished yet). Has all the aspects of a good manga: humor, plot, advanced science/enhanced humans, nonhuman beings (vamps and wolves), good looking men... highly recommended.
Tried to post a pic, but can't figure out how. Any pointers?
I'm going to have to post more online comics in the future.
Well, that certainly got long enough. Signing off for now!
-Heather
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Take That, Nemesis Book!
I did it! After years and years of checking it out and returning it unread, I finished One Hundred Years of Solitude. I just had to build and maintain momentum.
Why so difficult? As I read and loved the first thirty pages and GGM's style, I wondered why I never seemed to be able to get past them in other years. Maybe it's because I'm so plot-oriented. While this book has distinct through-lines (or cycles), it's not about any single character's overarching goal. Another thing: I might not have survived the reading were it not for the family tree in the front.
I'm excited to discuss the OHYS in more depth if anyone else reads it.
I also finished The Hunger Games and Mortal Engines, both of which fed my double love of post-apocalyptic dystopian fiction and young adult literature. I can't wait to track down the rest of both series with my hyper-attuned senses, metallic exoskeleton, glowing green eyes, and once-human brain. (Stalker reference!)
But first, to book club books. Home, then Sound and Fury.
Why so difficult? As I read and loved the first thirty pages and GGM's style, I wondered why I never seemed to be able to get past them in other years. Maybe it's because I'm so plot-oriented. While this book has distinct through-lines (or cycles), it's not about any single character's overarching goal. Another thing: I might not have survived the reading were it not for the family tree in the front.
I'm excited to discuss the OHYS in more depth if anyone else reads it.
I also finished The Hunger Games and Mortal Engines, both of which fed my double love of post-apocalyptic dystopian fiction and young adult literature. I can't wait to track down the rest of both series with my hyper-attuned senses, metallic exoskeleton, glowing green eyes, and once-human brain. (Stalker reference!)
But first, to book club books. Home, then Sound and Fury.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Meg's book list
I have a gigantic ongoing reading list, but here are a few I've picked for the next few weeks/months:
1) The Chronicles of Narnia -- Kaitlin, I'm so excited you said that, because I've been wanting to reread them for a while.
2) The Lacuna (Barbara Kingsolver) -- I love Barbara Kingsolver SO much, and I haven't read this one yet. Thus, it is on my list.
3) The Sound and the Fury -- Since some of the rest of you have already mentioned this one, I'll go with it too. I like the group reading/discussion idea.
4) Water for Elephants (Sara Gruen) -- This is just a random one that people have been telling me I should read. And summer is a great time to read books for fun. :)
5) The Brothers K (David James Duncan) -- again, one that has been highly recommended and has been on my list for a while.
so that's a start. :) I hope you are all having a wonderful beginning to your summer!
Meg
1) The Chronicles of Narnia -- Kaitlin, I'm so excited you said that, because I've been wanting to reread them for a while.
2) The Lacuna (Barbara Kingsolver) -- I love Barbara Kingsolver SO much, and I haven't read this one yet. Thus, it is on my list.
3) The Sound and the Fury -- Since some of the rest of you have already mentioned this one, I'll go with it too. I like the group reading/discussion idea.
4) Water for Elephants (Sara Gruen) -- This is just a random one that people have been telling me I should read. And summer is a great time to read books for fun. :)
5) The Brothers K (David James Duncan) -- again, one that has been highly recommended and has been on my list for a while.
so that's a start. :) I hope you are all having a wonderful beginning to your summer!
Meg
So far...
I've started reading The Chronicles of Narnia, because (blame my parents) I've never read them! It's great summer reading because it doesn't take long to read. I've read The Magician's Nephew and I'm working on The Lion, Witch, Wardrobe now. yay!
-Kaitlin
-Kaitlin
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Kirsten's Summer Reading List
*Marilynne Robinson's Home. My analog book club is reading it next month. Her Housekeeping makes my top ten list.
*I'm looking for good kid's books that I missed the first time around or that have surfaced in the intervening years. Any recommendations? The Hungry City Chronicles and The Hunger Games series are already on my list.
*I'll steal The Sound and the Fury and One Hundred Years of Solitude (not in Spanish) from your lists. If I've read S&F, I've forgotten it. OHYS has been on my summer read list for years. I can't be left behind by my erstwhile students.
*The George RR Martin books. What's all the hoopla about?
Now--to the interlibrary loans!
*I'm looking for good kid's books that I missed the first time around or that have surfaced in the intervening years. Any recommendations? The Hungry City Chronicles and The Hunger Games series are already on my list.
*I'll steal The Sound and the Fury and One Hundred Years of Solitude (not in Spanish) from your lists. If I've read S&F, I've forgotten it. OHYS has been on my summer read list for years. I can't be left behind by my erstwhile students.
*The George RR Martin books. What's all the hoopla about?
Now--to the interlibrary loans!
Thanks for the invitation!
You inspire me to get to work on my own summer reading list.
Meanwhile, if you'd like to have your own sign-in, you can use the ID and password Heather provided, then go to Settings, select "permissions", and invite yourself (via your preferred email address) to be a blog writer.
(I think this works. I haven't tried it yet. Test post to follow.)
Kirsten
Meanwhile, if you'd like to have your own sign-in, you can use the ID and password Heather provided, then go to Settings, select "permissions", and invite yourself (via your preferred email address) to be a blog writer.
(I think this works. I haven't tried it yet. Test post to follow.)
Kirsten
Kaitlin's Summer Reading List
The Sound and The Fury, Faulkner
Harry Potter (maybe)
Reedeming Love, Francine Rivers (re-read)
Mill Creek, Omar Eby
anything by Jean Rhys
I feel like there were a lot more I had in mind...I've been out of school for like three days now and I haven't started reading anything yet! Also, we need to get Kirsten and Danielle and Kevin in on this blog.
-Kaitlin
Harry Potter (maybe)
Reedeming Love, Francine Rivers (re-read)
Mill Creek, Omar Eby
anything by Jean Rhys
I feel like there were a lot more I had in mind...I've been out of school for like three days now and I haven't started reading anything yet! Also, we need to get Kirsten and Danielle and Kevin in on this blog.
-Kaitlin
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Heather's Summer reading list
Well it's not very complete, but this is what I have so far:
1. My Christmas break project was to reread/read all the Redwall books, but I didn't finish, so I need to finish those
2. LotR
3. The Sparrow, by Mary Doria Russell (one of my roommates recommended it. Possibly a group read?)
4. Books I ordered for Kevin's class but we didn't read: Jonathan Swift and Candide
5. There's loads of books that I own but have never read. should go through all of those...
6. Also whatever the library has
7. Japanese language and travel books
8. 100 years of solitude (maybe in Spanish)
That's it for now. We'll see what else emerges
-Heather
1. My Christmas break project was to reread/read all the Redwall books, but I didn't finish, so I need to finish those
2. LotR
3. The Sparrow, by Mary Doria Russell (one of my roommates recommended it. Possibly a group read?)
4. Books I ordered for Kevin's class but we didn't read: Jonathan Swift and Candide
5. There's loads of books that I own but have never read. should go through all of those...
6. Also whatever the library has
7. Japanese language and travel books
8. 100 years of solitude (maybe in Spanish)
That's it for now. We'll see what else emerges
-Heather
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
We begin
Yay our blog, you guys! Guess who's procrastinating! Go me :) So, I think everyone should do an initial post with a reading list for the summer and suggestions about any books we should try to tackle together. First group book (after hearing a couple people express interest) is "The Sound and the Fury."
-Heather
-Heather
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