|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lily Fairbairn
Half-elven
Feb 17 2015, 3:29pm
Post #1 of 39
(720 views)
Shortcut
|
|
It's the post-Valentine reading thread!
|
Can't Post
|
|
I hope everyone is coming out of his or her chocolate coma 
My cut-up eye isn't out of the woods yet, and neither eye is seeing the trees very clearly, but the contrast of the computer screen makes it easier to read here than on the printed page. So, barring a problem, I'll be doing the reading thread again for several weeks, until time to cut up the other eye. (No, it's not going to be any easier psychologically next time, sigh.  )
Many thanks to Annael for keeping an eye on y'all for me!
I'm still listening to audio books. I thoroughly enjoyed Georgette Heyer's Venetia on my MP3 player, read by Richard Armitage , and didn't notice it was an abridged version until right at the end, when events seemed to wrap up too quickly. But then, that's my main problem with audio books, is how much longer it takes to listen to than to read the exact same material.
I'm now listening to the unabridged Tied Up in Tinsel, a Ngaio Marsh mystery, which, like the one I read in paper last month or so, seems to have been set in the 20s even though internal evidence points to a setting it the 60s. I think she was trying to contemporize her work, but kept reverting to the era that was comfortable for her. It's a country-house mystery set over the Christmas holiday, and works well enough, although I keep dozing off---a hazard with audio books, I discover.
On my CD player I just finished A Kiss of Fate, a historical fantasy romance. Its world is almost a prequel to the Harry Potter world, with a group of magicians working amidst the "mundanes" to control the damage caused by the Jacobite rebellion of 1745. The main characters are a Scottish lord and an English lady, both magic-workers, who marry and then find themselves on opposite sides of the conflict.
Normally I'm not a romance reader (Georgette Heyer to the contrary!), but the author, Mary Jo Putney, is a good friend of mine and very kindly sent me an entire box of her audio books. I won't offer an opinion about the quality of contemporary romantic writing, but I know for a fact Putney's books are very nicely written indeed. And I'm very critical!
I would have preferred reading this one to listening to it, though. For one thing, I'm not a fan of lingering descriptions of, er, passionate encounters between husband and wife 
What have you been reading?
Where now the horse and the rider? Where is the horn that was blowing?
Where is the helm and the hauberk, and the bright hair flowing?
Where is the hand on the harpstring, and the red fire glowing?
Where is the spring and the harvest and the tall corn growing?
They have passed like rain on the mountain, like a wind in the meadow;
The days have gone down in the West behind the hills into shadow....
|
|
|
NottaSackville
Valinor
Feb 17 2015, 3:41pm
Post #2 of 39
(613 views)
Shortcut
|
|
Dragons at Crumbling Castle by Pratchett
[In reply to]
|
Can't Post
|
|
Great to see you back, Lily! So glad this first surgery seems to have gone well (I think? Things aren't perfect, but on schedule, I hope?)
I finished with Steam by Terry Pratchett, it was full of Pratchetty goodness, of course.
Just as I was finishing up, Dragons at Crumbling Castle, also by Pratchett, was released. It's a collection of his early short stories written for young readers of a newspaper. You can definitely see some talent shining through, though he's clearly not quite found the footing that turned him into such a beloved writer. It's fun when the occasional familiar name pops up in a story. None of the stories are Disc World-related, but there are several short stories that eventually turned into the Carpet People book that Pratchett wrote long ago.
If a friend is going to send you her audio books in a genre you don't normally enjoy, a least she's a good writer!
Notta
 Happiness: money matters, but less than we think and not in the way that we think. Family is important and so are friends, while envy is toxic -- and so is excessive thinking. Beaches are optional. Trust is not. Neither is gratitude. - The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner as summarized by Lily Fairbairn. And a bit of the Hobbit reading thrown in never hurts. - NottaSackville
|
|
|
Eruvandi
Tol Eressea
Feb 17 2015, 5:21pm
Post #3 of 39
(604 views)
Shortcut
|
|
Heartless by Anne Elisabeth Stengl
[In reply to]
|
Can't Post
|
|
Heartless is Book 1 of the Tales of Goldstone Wood series. I only recently discovered the series, but oh my goodness, I LOVE IT SO MUCH I CAN'T STOP READING!!!!!!!! AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!
*calms down*
Now that that's out of my system... Tales of Goldstone Wood is a fantasy series written in "classic fairytale style" but they are fairytales made up by the author, not re-tellings of the fairytales we already know. In the case of Heartless, well, I'll just show you what the book jacket says about it:
The Dragon King Seeks His Princess Princess Una of Parumvir has come of age and will soon marry. She dreams of a charming prince, but when her first suitor arrives, he's not what she'd hoped. Prince Aethelbald of mysterious Farthestshore has travelled a great distance to prove his love--and also to bring hushed warnings of danger. A dragon is rumored to be on the hunt and blazing a path of terror.
Una, smitten instead with a more dashing prince, refuses Aethelbald's offer--and ignores his cautions with dire consequences. Soon the Dragon King himself is in Parumvir and Una, in giving her heart away unwisely, finds herself in his sights. Only those courageous enough to risk everything have a hope of fighting off this advancing evil. Okay, on one hand that^ description is accurate, but there is SO MUCH MORE going on at the same time!
The following ramble contains some SPOILERS. Read at your own risk:
First of all, there are actually two worlds in this story: the world of mortals where Princess Una lives and the World of Faerie where Prince Aethelbald is actually from (hence his mysteriousness because the mortals don't know he's from the World of Faerie at first). The reason the series is called Tales of Goldstone Wood is because, in the mortal world there is a place called Goldstone Wood that most mortals are afraid to even enter. There's an important reason for that, but I'm trying really hard not to give away everything.
Like the book jacket says, Aethelbald brings warnings of a dragon that he believes is heading towards Parumvir because it's hunting something (or maybe even someone *wiggles eyebrows*), but he gets ignored by Una's father, the King of Parumvir, because no dragon has ever shown interest in Parumvir before. Meanwhile, Una has decided she doesn't like Aethelbald for reasons that aren't entirely fair and ends up "falling in love" with another prince after Aethelbald has to leave to protect his own people from the dragon. I put falling in love in quotes because Una is rather young and naive and doesn't really understand at this point in the story what it means to truly love someone. Also, the reason why the book jacket says that she gave her heart away unwisely is because A) first of all, she didn't even know that the prince she gave her heart to was a prince when she first met him. He had been exiled from his own kingdom by the aforementioned dragon and had been masquerading as a jester for years. B) The guy had no proof that he even was a prince. Una just took him at his word. and C) He basically says, "I'm going to leave, defeat the dragon and take back my kingdom. Trust me and don't give your heart away to anyone else in the meanwhile." Yet at the same time as asking her to promise her heart to him, he didn't promise his heart to her. That backfires on her really badly later.
Anyway, as for the second half of the story. Dragon does come to Parumvir. Dragon is really creepy (it can shapeshift into super creepy human form). And dragon wants Una (for other purposes than to eat her). Then there's a really big twist that if anyone wants to know what it is, you'll have to ask so I can put it in a second spoilery post because, like I said, I'm trying not to give everything away.
/END SPOILERS
So, all of that is to say, I really love this book and I can't wait to read the whole series! In fact, I love this book so much, I've been reading it in record time (for me) because I hafta know what happens! Gaaaah!
"Your love is like radiant diamonds
Bursting inside us we cannot contain
Your love will surely come find us
Like blazing wild fires singing Your name.
God of mercy sweet love of mine
I have surrendered to Your design
May this offering stretch across the skies
And these Halleluiahs be multiplied"
-"Multiplied" by Needtobreathe
|
|
|
Lily Fairbairn
Half-elven
Feb 17 2015, 5:29pm
Post #4 of 39
(611 views)
Shortcut
|
I'm recovering on schedule, the doc says, but then, my movements are still restricted and I'm all too aware of the doc's own information sheets with long lists of side-effects and collateral damages and issues that will be with me from here on out. I need to take Indiana Jones as my model: Never tell me the odds!!! 
Early Pratchett stories sound like lots of fun, especially when you can see his later work waiting in the wings.
Where now the horse and the rider? Where is the horn that was blowing?
Where is the helm and the hauberk, and the bright hair flowing?
Where is the hand on the harpstring, and the red fire glowing?
Where is the spring and the harvest and the tall corn growing?
They have passed like rain on the mountain, like a wind in the meadow;
The days have gone down in the West behind the hills into shadow....
|
|
|
Lily Fairbairn
Half-elven
Feb 17 2015, 5:31pm
Post #5 of 39
(601 views)
Shortcut
|
...you're enjoying these books! Isn't it wonderful to find a new author and a great new series?
Where now the horse and the rider? Where is the horn that was blowing?
Where is the helm and the hauberk, and the bright hair flowing?
Where is the hand on the harpstring, and the red fire glowing?
Where is the spring and the harvest and the tall corn growing?
They have passed like rain on the mountain, like a wind in the meadow;
The days have gone down in the West behind the hills into shadow....
|
|
|
NottaSackville
Valinor
Feb 17 2015, 6:37pm
Post #6 of 39
(591 views)
Shortcut
|
We'll keep hoping/praying/positive thinking for a full as possible recovery as fast as possible!
Notta
Happiness: money matters, but less than we think and not in the way that we think. Family is important and so are friends, while envy is toxic -- and so is excessive thinking. Beaches are optional. Trust is not. Neither is gratitude. - The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner as summarized by Lily Fairbairn. And a bit of the Hobbit reading thrown in never hurts. - NottaSackville
|
|
|
Aunt Dora Baggins
Immortal
Feb 17 2015, 6:51pm
Post #7 of 39
(608 views)
Shortcut
|
|
Fifty Shades of Grey (the trilogy)
[In reply to]
|
Can't Post
|
|
I first got interested in this at a church retreat a few years ago. It's an annual tradition to talk about "the best book I read this year", and one woman mentioned this series. I had avoided it because I hate following the herd, and I had heard that the writing was awful (true, but more about that later.) This friend of mine is articulate, well-educated, liberal, beautiful, happily married for decades, and has a teenaged son any mom would be proud of. I thought if she could enjoy it, I might be able to too.
But the books were expensive, and the library waiting list was long, and I forgot about it until the recent hype. I checked kindle, and I could get the bundled trilogy for $15, so I went for it.
And couldn't put it down. I've just finished the first two books, mostly listening to them (and Lily, I sympathize about listening to steamy scenes. It does get old.)
Yes, they're not great literature. Yes the writing is laughable. But I'm finding that that's part of the charm. It's like the old 60s Batman series (which I also love). "It's faster if we run, Robin." (from Batman). "Laters, baby." (from FSoG) And I think it helped that I went in knowing that the writing was going to be like that. Because then I was able to see through the writing to the story.
And yes, the man is deeply flawed, and the woman saves him (classic romance novel trope) and I know that's a dangerous expectation in real life, but this is fantasy, not real life. I wouldn't want to live in a relationship like that, (the controlling man, not the kink, which actually hits my spot, so to speak.) But I wouldn't want to carry the Ring up Mount Doom either.
I don't have a crush on the hero, but I find him interesting. I'm more interested in the heroine, who knows her boundaries but is willing to expand them.
My friend coined the phrase "kink-shaming" to describe the vitriol that's been heaped on readers of these books. I've been called an "ignorant, sex-starved, frustrated soccer mom". Not true at all. I have a great marriage with a man who enjoys sharing fantasies with me. We would never hurt each other. But we like fun stories like this one. (Though I would never put up with a man calling me "baby". Uncle Baggins calls me "dear".)
I have to admit that I've started fast-forwarding through the sex scenes, because they get pretty repetitive. It's a bit much vanilla and not enough kink for my taste, but so it goes.
When I was a kid I was ashamed of my kinkiness. But dear Uncle Baggins was the first person to make me feel like it was all right, and that's one of the things I really love about him. Now that I'm almost 60, I'm done being ashamed of something I didn't choose. Including reading trashy novels and enjoying them sometimes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"A Chance Meeting at Rivendell" and other stories
leleni at hotmail dot com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(This post was edited by Aunt Dora Baggins on Feb 17 2015, 6:59pm)
|
|
|
Aunt Dora Baggins
Immortal
Feb 17 2015, 6:55pm
Post #8 of 39
(589 views)
Shortcut
|
|
Also remember the words of Piet Hein:
[In reply to]
|
Can't Post
|
|
TTT
Put up in a place where it's easy to see
The cryptic admonishment TTT.
When you feel how depressingly slowly you climb,
It's best to remember that Things Take Time.
--Piet Hein
Best wishes for a complete recovery!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"A Chance Meeting at Rivendell" and other stories
leleni at hotmail dot com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
|
|
Lily Fairbairn
Half-elven
Feb 17 2015, 7:20pm
Post #9 of 39
(584 views)
Shortcut
|
Where now the horse and the rider? Where is the horn that was blowing?
Where is the helm and the hauberk, and the bright hair flowing?
Where is the hand on the harpstring, and the red fire glowing?
Where is the spring and the harvest and the tall corn growing?
They have passed like rain on the mountain, like a wind in the meadow;
The days have gone down in the West behind the hills into shadow....
|
|
|
Lily Fairbairn
Half-elven
Feb 17 2015, 7:23pm
Post #10 of 39
(584 views)
Shortcut
|
...I saw TTT and thought you were suggesting I remember The Two Towers. Which I certainly do remember, of course, but the poem is good too.  Thanks!
Where now the horse and the rider? Where is the horn that was blowing?
Where is the helm and the hauberk, and the bright hair flowing?
Where is the hand on the harpstring, and the red fire glowing?
Where is the spring and the harvest and the tall corn growing?
They have passed like rain on the mountain, like a wind in the meadow;
The days have gone down in the West behind the hills into shadow....
|
|
|
Dame Ioreth
Tol Eressea
Feb 17 2015, 7:42pm
Post #11 of 39
(599 views)
Shortcut
|
I kind of wish the story was shorter, without so much detail, but that is also a trope of this genre. The fact that it is written in first person almost had me putting it down because I've rarely read things in first person that I enjoyed. But I got curious about the characters and that was what carried me through to the end. It's Not high art, but it was a fun read.
I'm not into that lifestyle but I know that a friend of mine said that the author either misunderstood or misused it. I don't know if it was deliberate to get the sales or she really did know and was trying to make a point about how it *could* be misused, as the character does, to control relationships so thoroughly that a real relationship is not possible. Reading these books gave me a way to talk to my friend and I got to know her better.
My daughter will not read it because she is of he mind that no amount of romance-novel-he-changes-in-the-end makes up for what she sees as domestic violence. I can see her point and I am glad she is thinking about what a healthy relationship includes for her. I can also see how this book would trigger folks who have had that kind of violence in their lives. Again, it's the length of time getting to the transition and those reading this as a primer for how to have a healthy relationship that is worrisome to me because of the issues my daughter raised.
I read the same comments about soccer moms and laughed. Whoever is writing that doesn't know the soccer moms I know. Even those I know that would never read this kind of book... well, sometimes folks need to pigeon-hole to make a point that isn't there. Every so often, I read a nice spicy, fluffy romance in an afternoon. My brain is engaged enough but not too much. It's fun.
.
Heed WBA when building blanket forts.
ITLs don't get enough FAS. :)
Where there's life there's hope, and need of vittles.
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings
|
|
|
Meneldor
Valinor
Feb 17 2015, 8:08pm
Post #12 of 39
(590 views)
Shortcut
|
by Bernard Cornwell. This one had Sharpe in 1820, retired from the wars and settled down as a happy farmer with a family, living in Normandy. Not a Sharpe I expected to meet! Of course adventure comes calling and he's off to St Helena to meet Napoleon, and to South America in the midst of bloody revolution.
They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters, these see the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep. -Psalm 107
|
|
|
Eruvandi
Tol Eressea
Feb 17 2015, 8:11pm
Post #13 of 39
(578 views)
Shortcut
|
It's been a while since I discovered a good new book series all on my own. It's great!
"Your love is like radiant diamonds
Bursting inside us we cannot contain
Your love will surely come find us
Like blazing wild fires singing Your name.
God of mercy sweet love of mine
I have surrendered to Your design
May this offering stretch across the skies
And these Halleluiahs be multiplied"
-"Multiplied" by Needtobreathe
|
|
|
Aunt Dora Baggins
Immortal
Feb 17 2015, 8:26pm
Post #14 of 39
(596 views)
Shortcut
|
|
I'm not really "into the lifestyle" either, except
[In reply to]
|
Can't Post
|
|
on a fantasy level. I do enjoy that. And I've had to shake my head at the people who say she's doing it "wrong". Who gives them the right to decide what the rules are?
And I'm sure that people who are "in the lifestyle" often enjoy really dark fantasies like "The Story of O" (which I'll admit I do too), where nobody's playing by any rules or signed contracts :-D
Certainly the book depicts a dysfunctional relationship, and could be a trigger for people who've had to deal with something like that in real life. But if the only romances we read were about perfectly happy couples, it seems like the books would be kind of dull. Like what Tolkien said about his Rivendell chapter in The Hobbit; that pleasant things aren't that interesting to read about. People (including me) enjoy reading about Scarlett O'Hara or Heathcliff, and they're definitely not models for healthy relationships.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"A Chance Meeting at Rivendell" and other stories
leleni at hotmail dot com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
|
|
Aunt Dora Baggins
Immortal
Feb 17 2015, 8:42pm
Post #15 of 39
(570 views)
Shortcut
|
|
Back when the movie was in the offing
[In reply to]
|
Can't Post
|
|
I had a hard time not thinking of the poem, which I've known for decades :-D
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"A Chance Meeting at Rivendell" and other stories
leleni at hotmail dot com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
|
|
Dame Ioreth
Tol Eressea
Feb 17 2015, 9:02pm
Post #16 of 39
(572 views)
Shortcut
|
I think the folks talking about the damage this kind of book could do are talking about those who can't tell the difference between the fantasy and the reality. That can also happen with any romance/fantasy/adventure/horror/psychological thriller... well, any book, come to think of it.
And according to my friend, it's not the rules as much as the fact that the relationship is dysfunctional in the first place so you can't have the trust needed for BDSM or any kind of fantasy to be healthy in a relationship.
.
Heed WBA when building blanket forts.
ITLs don't get enough FAS. :)
Where there's life there's hope, and need of vittles.
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings
|
|
|
Lily Fairbairn
Half-elven
Feb 17 2015, 9:03pm
Post #17 of 39
(583 views)
Shortcut
|
...is definitely one of those "takes a licking and keeps on ticking" heroes! I wouldn't expect to see him as a farmer either.
Where now the horse and the rider? Where is the horn that was blowing?
Where is the helm and the hauberk, and the bright hair flowing?
Where is the hand on the harpstring, and the red fire glowing?
Where is the spring and the harvest and the tall corn growing?
They have passed like rain on the mountain, like a wind in the meadow;
The days have gone down in the West behind the hills into shadow....
|
|
|
Lily Fairbairn
Half-elven
Feb 17 2015, 9:12pm
Post #18 of 39
(572 views)
Shortcut
|
|
I have neither read the books nor seen the movie
[In reply to]
|
Can't Post
|
|
And I have no intention of doing either, for just the issues your daughter raises. I never cared for the "bodice-ripper" novels of 30 years ago, either. (Which term, by the by, is disdained by contemporary romance writers.)
As the grandmother of three as yet very young girls, I, too, worry about this sort of story being taken by young, inexperienced women as a model of a healthy relationship rather than as a stimulating fantasy to be enjoyed by consenting adults, if you see my distinction.
Where now the horse and the rider? Where is the horn that was blowing?
Where is the helm and the hauberk, and the bright hair flowing?
Where is the hand on the harpstring, and the red fire glowing?
Where is the spring and the harvest and the tall corn growing?
They have passed like rain on the mountain, like a wind in the meadow;
The days have gone down in the West behind the hills into shadow....
|
|
|
Dame Ioreth
Tol Eressea
Feb 17 2015, 9:44pm
Post #19 of 39
(574 views)
Shortcut
|
is 23 years old with a good head on her shoulders. She works with a group that is advocating for the Yes consent laws which is I think why she is particularly in tune with the issues. And yes, just as I said, consenting adults in a healthy relationship are another thing. The genre is here to stay though so I think it is a good thing at least this book is starting conversations about who reads and why.
.
Heed WBA when building blanket forts.
ITLs don't get enough FAS. :)
Where there's life there's hope, and need of vittles.
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings
|
|
|
Aunt Dora Baggins
Immortal
Feb 17 2015, 9:56pm
Post #20 of 39
(574 views)
Shortcut
|
|
My friend who introduced me to the books said
[In reply to]
|
Can't Post
|
|
that the BDSM issue is completely separate from the dysfunctional issue. And I think a lot of people are mixing them up and getting offended from one side or the other.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"A Chance Meeting at Rivendell" and other stories
leleni at hotmail dot com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
|
|
Aunt Dora Baggins
Immortal
Feb 17 2015, 10:06pm
Post #21 of 39
(570 views)
Shortcut
|
|
I love those old bodice-rippers. But I understand why people don't.
[In reply to]
|
Can't Post
|
|
I think kids learn the most about relationships by watching their parents (or grandparents, or other adults in their lives.) But of course kids (and adults) vary a lot about how much disturbing fiction they can take. I have my own limits.
And sometimes limits are surprising. My mom loved "Psycho" but found "The Muppet Show" to be too violent and disturbing. It doesn't have to make sense.
I have no idea where my own penchant for kink came from, but I do know that at age ten I was turned on by the bondage in the Batman TV show. Oh, yeah. Every week I got to think about it all night before it got resolved the next night. But that was pretty light-hearted.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"A Chance Meeting at Rivendell" and other stories
leleni at hotmail dot com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
|
|
Meneldor
Valinor
Feb 18 2015, 12:30am
Post #22 of 39
(547 views)
Shortcut
|
by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter. Interesting scifi premise: a simple, cheap invention allows almost anyone to "step" to alternate Earths that are unpopulated. The social repercussions are well thought out, and the characters are interesting, realistic, and entertaining.
They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters, these see the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep. -Psalm 107
|
|
|
sevilodorf
Tol Eressea
Feb 18 2015, 3:51am
Post #23 of 39
(541 views)
Shortcut
|
I Am Number Four (there is a movie which did poorly so there aren't plans for more)
Power of Six
Rise of Nine
Fall of Five
so so -- I think there's so much potential that got wasted here.
But then the Pittacus Lore pen-name is a front for a "factory" of writers. Which leads to the unevenness of the books.
It's really bad collaborative writing where everyone writes separately (in the first person no less) and then the bits and pieces are smashed together with little consideration for continuity or common sense (and it's totally left to the reader to puzzle out which I is telling the story as the POV can shift in the middle of a chapter -- heck in the middle of a scene).
And if the characters get written into a situation they can't logically get out of then poof another "legacy" appears to help them out of the situation. (Annie Wilkes in Stephen King's Misery would be sharpening her hatchet)
Fourth Age Adventures at the Inn of the Burping Troll http://burpingtroll.com
Home of TheOneRing.net Best FanFic stories of 2005 and 2006 "The Last Grey Ship" and "Ashes, East Wind, Hope That Rises" by Erin Rua
(Found in Mathoms, LOTR Tales Untold)
|
|
|
Kim
Valinor
Feb 18 2015, 6:41am
Post #24 of 39
(538 views)
Shortcut
|
I finally finished The Goldfinch. It took me so long, partially as I haven't had a lot of time to read lately, and partly because I found it to be a major slog, so kept putting it down for long periods at a time. After a pretty interesting beginning, it veered off on a course that I thought was temporary, but just kept going. I have a hard time reading books where I don't like the characters or the story, but stuck with this one based on some comments I'd heard thinking it would be worth it. It was certainly not for me.
Nice to see you around post-op Lily! Hope your recuperation continues slowly but surely. I've been toying with the idea of getting Venetia, so may just have to do that now. That might be a good antidote. And A Kiss of Fate sounds interesting, I've put that on my to read list.
I live in a permanent chocolate coma. Having a few caramel chocolate kisses right now.
#OneLastTime
|
|
|
Old Toby
Grey Havens
Feb 18 2015, 8:48am
Post #25 of 39
(547 views)
Shortcut
|
I am finally getting around to reading this classic. My chain re-reading (three times in a row) of Mary Stewart's Merlin trilogy got me absolutely spoiled for a good while there. Now those three books are my favorite of all time, particularly the second, The Hollow Hills. I love her Merlin! But anyway, all this is to say that that is the reason I bought myself a copy of T.H. White's book. Arthurian legends and all that, so I heard.
My, my, my! I never in a million years would have expected this sort of story! I'm only on the first one, The Sword in the Stone, and found myself in hysterics over the so very Monty Pythonesque jousting scene between Sir Grummore and King Pellinore. I don't know if the other stories will be similar in tone to this one (and please don't tell me). If so, I think I might become bored with it after a while. This kind of humor is only good in small doses for me otherwise it becomes overkill. But so far, I'm having a good time!
"Age is always advancing and I'm fairly sure it's up to no good." Harry Dresden (Jim Butcher)
|
|
|
|
|
Yes!
[
1
