Recent Reads

[WonderWomanGoddess]

or 'read' really.

While I was away last week, I didn't have much to do during the day except wait for my mom to get out of her meetings and watch tv. My email was right out. the first few days the cartoon network was pretty sweet but then ....

So I stopped in a local bookstore and picked up Neil Gaiman's American Gods. I had heard such good stuff about this guy. I have never read a Sandman comic, nor any of his other work. I just heard he was amazing and that American Gods was esp. epic. And since he's the only person I know of to have done what I want to do (write both comics and mainstream novels) I've been dying to read him.

Well, let me say I was not disappointed. I'm about 3/4 of the way through the book (the comic book convention took up my time the last few days I was up there). I can already tell it's going to be one of those books that I'm sorry to see end. You know, one of those that you are at the last page going, but I want more!

His knowledge of mythology is seamless. So far not one mistake or grey area (you know, where the author bends something to make it fit the story, which is okay, but takes away from the experience a bit). I loove love love the little stories scattered throughout the book.

This book is really a contender for my favorite book of all time spot. Depends on the ending.

Anyway, it's great, I think everyone should read it!

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"The Goddess has spoken..."

[Kwick22a]

American Gods is definitely a great book, and Neil Gaiman is a great writer with a lot of talent and range. If you want to read some more of his work I'd like to recommend:

Neverwhere, which is about a man who discovers a whole different world beneath the streets of London.

Good Omens: which is a funny story about the Armageddon. The way it's written and the story itself made me think of Douglas Adams.

And finally Smoke and Mirrors, this is a collection of short stories. I think it's in this book that you really get a feel for how talented Gaiman is because each story is so much different from the others (except for a couple, which are supposed to be similar).

He has other books and graphic novels out there, but I haven't read any of them yet so I can't really comment on them. But I'd be willing to bet they're good.

Anyway that's all I had to say. Hope you enjoy the rest of the book.

[DrZaius]

Yep Neil Gaiman is awsome. I have also read: American Gods, and Neverwhere. I loved them both. I can also recommend Star Dust. It's a great book, not your average Fantasy novel or love story. I just finished Coraline Gaiman's novel for older kids and adults in touch with their inner kids. It's fun, creepy and macabre. It's also downright scary in a few places. A review on the back says you will never look at buttons the same way again. i wholeheartedly agree.

i'm also about half way done with the Sandman trades. The comic does live up to all the hype surrounding it. it's great I recommend it to anybody who has enjoyed any of Gaiman's work or enjoys good stories in general.

Next year Gaiman does his first Marvel Comics work. details are being kept top secret. it supposedly involves a lot of Marvel characters. it's working title is 1602.

Neil Gaiman is one of my favorite authors .

Thanks,
Dr.Z

[This message has been edited by DrZaius (edited 11-02-2002).]

[daysleeper]

http://www.neilgaiman.com/exclusive/essay04.asp
this link should show you a well-written description of the sandman comics. being that i am a huge neil gaiman fan, i want everyone else to see and appreciate his genius as well. i hope you continue to explore his works and enjoy it all as much as i do!

[jooser]

Enjoy the book while it lasts Goddess! I LOVED this book - but then I'm a long time Gaiman fan. I've read most of his stuff and can highly recommend pretty much everything he's done! Even 'The Day I Swapped My Dad For Two Goldfish! (I lent it to my ex-girlfriend and she refuses to give it back!!)


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"I'm in the mood for basic vocabulary" King Mob

[WonderWomanGoddess]

Well, since my post on this, I took some advice from this thread and picked up Neverwhere. Another great novel, although American Gods is still my favorite.

And Guess what? I sent my best friend American Gods in the 'holiday package' I mailed to her and she loved it too! I put in the note "I know this isn't your normal fare, but give it a try and I promise you won't regret it" and she was just as drawn in by it and loved it just as much as I did.

So far, I have shared this book with my husband (loved it too) and her, and when I was reading it myself on a bench in a lobby, an old lady comes up to me and tells me how great the book is! I wonder if Gaiman has any idea the diversity in his readers? It's like something in his stuff appeals to nearly every person, albeit on differing levels.

Anyway, thanks for the other suggestions too. Smoke and Mirrors is next on my list to acquire.

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"The Goddess has spoken..."

[StrangeFish]

Yeppers, I just read that novel a few weeks ago because I remember seeing it mentioned here.

I'm going to start "Stranger in a Strange Land" by Robert Heinlein (sp?). I've heard it's good, and I liked "The Cat who Walks Through Walls" and "Friday", so wish me luck! http://www.comics2film.com/UBB/biggrin.gif

[WonderWomanGoddess]

Here's another I recently read that I think was good. It's called The Beach by Alex Garland. It's one of those books I didn't buy myself but ended up with anyway and I really enjoyed it.

It's the first book I have ever read that's author is close to my own age. It's really interesting, for the observations on our generation. There's a lot more I could say about it, but sufice to say it's really worth the read.

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"The Goddess has spoken..."

[ali786]

Slaughtermatic by Steve Aylett
Effendi by Jon Courtenay Grimwood
Motherless Brooklyn by Jonathan Lethem

also:
At the Mountains of Madness by HP Lovecraft

reading now:
The Clay Machine-Gun by Victor Pelevin

[This message has been edited by ali786 (edited 02-20-2003).]

[Soccerdude]

a series i've recently started is UNFORTUNATE EVENTS,or,as our school calls them,the snicket books.

i'm on #9,and i only read them 2 hours a day,starting on the 21st of february,and of course(if you did the math)i skipped a week or a few days or something.
but i have a ?-

the notebooks(of the Quagmires)were in klaus's hands.he ran and dropped them.duncan said VFD,LOOK IN NOTEBOOKS!!at the end,did klaus have the books?i thought he did,but at the 7th book,the quagmires have them....
did olaf pick them up????it didn't say..he must have..explain this to me..

and if you don't read these,you should...just get the first book..it's easy,and called the bad beginning....

their kids books,but who cares???unleash your inner child!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[StrangeFish]

I've been hearing a lot about those Lemony Snicket books lately... Unfortunately there are 78 people on the public library hold list, so I'm not going to be able to read them any time soon...

The Beach is an excellent book. I loathed the movie though. Maybe it's because I can't stand Leo...

I've just finished White Oleander, by Janet Finch (?). Beautifully written, but the plot is a little bit melodramatic in parts. And not in a good way. She's got some lovely imagery, though.

I'm going to read Atwood's The Blind Assassin soon. Or possibly Graham Green's The Human Factor.

Those are my serious reads. Apart from those, I've finished the Song of the Lioness quartet and the Immortals series by Tamora Pierce. *goes to hide her face in the corner* What? I'm just unleashing my inner child, dammit!

[WonderWomanGoddess]

BIG bump.

Since last posting here, I've read Stardust, as you suggested Dave, and it was pretty good, I enjoyed it. I also have bought but not read yet, Good Omens by Gaimen and Terry whatisname.

Also, finally finished False Memory by Dean Koontz. Still not sure what bothered me so bad about that book, normally I find Koontz great for a good quick read.

I also read On Writing by King and it was insightful and interesting. I'd recommend it to fans of his who want to write.

I also got a big picture book called Yoga for Sex that's cool. It basically has a section for sometimes inimate two person exercises that prepare the body for sex and are kinda like forplay-ish as well. The second section is new positions. It remains to be seen how many of those I'll actually be able to put into practice...


What's everyone else reading?

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"The Goddess has spoken..."

[Soccerdude]

Guys.........when you're on vacation(i HOPE that's why no one's posting anymore!)you can bring books.

exactly what I've done. I decided to take a break from horror and read Seabiscuit. Then I thought that I should really read another bok,diffrent from my usual intrests. But i didn't want to. Instead,for the 1st time,I read the book that SPACE ODDESSY was based on. I then read the sequels. Where's those films? I then read Desperation(by Stephen King)then it's counter timeline(same names)book,REGULATORS. Good books. Desperation much better.

i hope i'm not talking to myself!

[WonderWomanGoddess]

I read Desperation and Regulators too. But now I can't recall which was which...it was a cool and interesting idea though and I enjoyed both of them for the novel approach. I wish I'd read them like back to back on the same day though.

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"The Goddess has spoken..."

[Kwick22a]

Desperation was the one that took place in an abandoned mining town out in the desert. Regulators took place in a suburban neighborhood and a bunch of cartoon characters came to life. Of the two I think Desperation was better, but it was a neat concept though. Kind of an alternate timeline kind of thing.

I've been reading this whole time, and I've been planning to post something here but I keep forgeting.
Most recently I've been reading the Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series by Laurell K Hamilton which are pretty good when they focus more on the monster fighting and less on Anita's sex life. Sadly the bulk of the last few books have been nothing but her sex life.
I finally read the rest of the Hannibal Lecter series and Black Sunday after my friends girlfriend yelled at me about it. Richard Harris' early books were pretty good, except for the endings which seemed a little rushed almost like he had gotten to a certain point in the story and just wanted to stop. He improves on this in his later works and the endings don't feel so forced.

Finally got around to the new Harry Potter book, and all I'll say about it is that I enjoyed it as much as all the others but the ending was very sad.

I've read a bunch of other books recently but I think I'm going to leave them till later.

[WonderWomanGoddess]

Okay this isn't a recent read, it's a going to read.

I was noticing on this profile thingie that everyone who had my same general favorite books, esp. Animal Farm, also had listed this Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt
Vonnegut. So I went to the cheap book store to see if I could find it but no luck. Anyone here read it? I'm still planning to get it.

So, since I was already there, I decided to look for another book that Thom recently recommended. It's called Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. So I found it and got it for a buck! muwhahahaha!

So I am going to read that this week. I also picked up a Dean Kootnz book called Strangers for 39 cents. I'll read that one night this week to, just for a relaxing fun read.



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"The Goddess has spoken..."

[fhqwhgads]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by WonderWomanGoddess:
<B>BIG bump.

Since last posting here, I've read Stardust, as you suggested Dave, and it was pretty good, I enjoyed it. I also have bought but not read yet, Good Omens by Gaimen and Terry whatisname.

</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Terry Pratchett... Remember it; he's the funniest man alive (except maybe Dave Barry). This is not Neil Gaiman's usual dark stuff. It's really funny, and a book that I have given to many many people. Gaiman in general is really good though.

I just saw today, in fact, a (really expensive) CD of some... poetry? short stories?... of Neil Gaiman's set to music by I think Dave McKean. Anyone hear it yet? Any good?


BTW back to Terry Pratchett- if you haven't read any of his work, it's tough to know where to start. He's got a great new one out called "Wee Free Men" and it's the second of his young adult novels. It's already one of my favorites.


OK, other suggestions:
Boy's Life by Robert McCammon- it's in the horror section but shouldn't be- it's got a lot of magical realism, and is probably my favorite book ever.

To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis- about history students in the future whose final exams are to be sent back in time to their area of study. It follows the student who returns to Victorian London to discover what happened to an ugly statue in St. James' cathedral which disappeared in WWII. It's funnier than I am making it sound. Really.

anything by the author Charles DeLint, who, like Neil Gaiman, blends a lot of mythology into his stories. Skip any of them though that aren't a "Newford" book (his imaginary but very realistic city). His short stories are also great.

The above authors (especially DeLint) have inspired me to create a great many drawings and paintings- very visual, with moments that really stand out.

I could go on for PAGES about great reads, recent or otherwise, but instead I ask: read any good teen/young adult lit lately? I'm helping design a curriculum for a college class on the subject.

[fhqwhgads]

OOh, OOh, I almost forgot! They're making a movie of Good Omens (have been, for a while) but I haven't heard anything about a release date yet.

ok, that's all.

[WonderWomanGoddess]

Thanks for reminding me I had Good Omens! I forgot all about it, but I'm feeling sick and I already devoured the two I mentioned above. Fiction books (the only kind good for a Nyquil muddled brain) that I haven't read are in short supply around here.

Yeah I heard about that Good Omens movie too, but it's been ...9 months? A year, maybe since anything on that. And was it a US released movie? I seem to recall it may have been a british television project, but I may be confusing it with another Gaimen project.

As for young adult, sorry can help you there. I never read young adult books when I was a young adult. By ten I couldn't stand them anymore. BUT I do recall...Christopher Pike was pretty good, as for the young adult horror genre...but he tended towards the more mature side (the single book I read anyways).

I also can never recommend the Wrinkle in Time series enough but I am unsure what reading level that is at. Maybe younger than 'young adult'. What is young adult? I would assume 12-16...

Anyways, here's some of my favorite children's books, and you can weed out the ones that are too high or low a reading level.

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Patterson- If you haven't read it, read it. Even adults, it's one of those books that gives me goosebumps NOW. 14 years later.

A Dog Called Kitty by Bill Wallace- may be too young

The Cay by Theodore Taylor

The Pearl by Steinbeck- not young adult but it was class reading when I was in 8th grade.

Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George- also maybe too young...

The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton

Pigman by Paul Zindel

My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George

Most things by Roald Dahl, esp the darker stuff.

And that's all I can think of right now...but if it's never to early to introduce classics you know, like Mark Twain, Shakespeare, George Orwell...



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"The Goddess has spoken..."

[WonderWomanGoddess]

Oooooooh Yeah! I read this one when I was about 8 and it was my favorite book for the looongest time. So anyways, I just went and checked and it's a young adult. Says so on the reading level: thing on the back.

Just a Little Bit Lost by Laurel Trivelpiece- It's a romance, and it's pretty good. Doesn't dumb down the characters or the language, and has excellent character development. I actually re-read this book several years later, and still liked it. And I can count the books I've re-read on one hand.

Still, I was A LOT more inclined to romance, as a genre between the ages of 8 and 10.(I read all Granny's elicit romance novels in secret during those years too) Sooo...boys may not love this book as much. But they might! because of the survival element.

Ya, I'm outta here.

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"The Goddess has spoken..."

[fhqwhgads]

Hey thanks.
The class is supposed to teach future teachers how to use literature in classes other than English, so we're looking for diferent genres, cultural and historical stuff, etc. We have read a TON of young adult (13 yrs and up)and intermediate (8-12 yrs)so I probably know most of the titles; looking for something I might have overlooked/forgotten?

Btw if you like/liked romance and fantasy there's a good series out, first book is "Kushiel's Dart." It's pretty hardcore at times but it's on an imaginary world, so I guess they can get away with it? The third and last book just came out in hardcover.



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"They'll be all up ons!"

[StrangeFish]

I'm currently reading:

"Zeitgeist" - Bruce Sterling. Very good, but I'm not sure where the plot is going, and I'm already half way though it.
"Neuromancer" - William Gibson. Good if you like the genre.
"Harry Potter: OotP" - JK Rowling. Reread. Harry is bugging me.
"Princess Diaries: Princess in Love" - Meg Cabot. *dies laughing* Reading this series for the online teen book club I'm helping out at. VERY good, but very girly. ^_^

It's a trashy, escapist novel kinda month this month. -_-;;

After that, I've got "Holy Fire" - Bruce Sterling.

Hmm, that's the third time I've heard of Kushiel's Dart. I should check it out.

[fhqwhgads]

Hey you Sandman fans...

"The graphic novel event of the year" has arrived. Haven't bought it yet, but.

New Sandman, "Endless Nights," with art done by Bill Sienkiewicz of Elektra, Glenn Fabry of the Preacher, and Frank Quitely of JLA.

Should be good.

BTW It's been, like, a month since anyone posted here, I guess this isn't "recent" reads anymore.

[StrangeFish]

I read Kushiel's Dart... I got VERY confused with all the politics because I read the book very quickly. Wasn't really paying attention to the book. &gt;_&lt; I'll read the next one a bit slower.

[Iceman]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by WonderWomanGoddess:
<B>

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Patterson- If you haven't read it, read it. Even adults, it's one of those books that gives me goosebumps NOW. 14 years later

The Cay by Theodore Taylor

The Pearl by Steinbeck- not young adult but it was class reading when I was in 8th grade.

Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George- also maybe too young...

The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton

My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George George Orwell...

</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

You rock!

Just finished Animal Farm......great read.Your other suggestions.......LUV EM ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!


P.S. off the topic but i heard Jim Carrey could play Count Olaf in the UNFORTUNATE EVENTS adaption. He doesn't fit my pic in my mind.

[StrangeFish]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Iceman:
P.S. off the topic but i heard Jim Carrey could play Count Olaf in the UNFORTUNATE EVENTS adaption. He doesn't fit my pic in my mind.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Ugh. No! That's terrible casting! I've always pictured Gary Oldman as Olaf, for some reason. :\

Back on topic, I'm reading a whole slew of "Young Boy Growing Up in Rural [insert name of country here]" books. Very interesting.

If you can find it, I'd recommend "The Smell of Apples" by Chris Behr.

[Iceman]

ok,i've now finished flowers for algernon....
dont think ive read tjhat deep a book in a long time....it touched me.

guys,i have a question:

Im in the Junior Beta Club in murfreesboro TN.there is the state beta convention on monday and im in battle of the books.
they ask ?'s on books that i've read.

how do i prepare for this?

[ALA)V(O]

I couldn't help you there Iceman.....but since we are on a topic about current reads I recently read a historical fiction book called THE GATES OF THE ALAMO (Sorry,Im a history buff lol).This book is not just a historic novel ,but has a great love story and very very detailed battle scenes.The details are around the lines of Saving Private Ryan like gore and it's very good.It's around 450 pages,but it kept me glued the whole way.Thought I'd just inform yall.

Good luck iceman.

[Iceman]

well im back.........
our team sucked but was better than cannon county who got 17 out of 100.....we got 79 out of 100........

i'm going to read a book called Seventh Tower 1:the fall next.

and im gonna read the alamo book u said u read during xmas break........

since i might not be here tomorrow....
HAPPY THANKSGIVING! remember:
eat alot,dont waste and when grandmas beans get to ya,wait until halftime of the game to use the restroom!

[Jedi Master Khalel]

Merry X-Mas, everyone!

Greetings,
Jose a.k.a. Jedi Master Khalel

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So what!? IT'S MY LIFE!!

[shaneT]

I just started Something of myself, Rudyard Kipling's autobiography, and Disturbing Remains, Memory, History, and Crisis in the twentieth Century Edited by Michael S. Roth and Charles G. Salas. I tend to read about two books at a time.

I just gave up on Baelzabub's Tales to his Grandson. It was complete tripe, and just utterly rediculious concepts.

[WonderWomanGoddess]

Hmm, sometimes I like biographies or autobiographies, the best I've read recently is Lady Sings the Blues (Billie Holiday's life story).

Lately, I've been reading tons of non fic, but I guess that's not banned from this topic or anything.

For research purposes I've been reading everything from Neuropsychology of PTSD, by Vasterling and Brewin, to the DSM-IV training guide, with a whole host of varied medical and biological studies. I like reading the actual studies, rather than reading about them, because it gives me a chance to validate them myself. I'm finding another approach that works well is to read older works that are 'out of date' because it's like reverse engineering...you can learn a great deal by reading the theories and observations before a certain 'truth' was set. Next up, the big baby, DSM-IV-TR itself, along with about 15 other books I'm reading or going to be reading in this general arena sitting on my desk right now.

Also, I've been reading books with various spiritual subjects. Namely books on vibrational (sound or frequency) healing and bio-magnetic healing, some scientific but already understanding those principals, I usually prefer to read those that are more rooted in spirituality, tradition, history and ritual. You know chakra, prana, kundalini, chi ....the force, lol. I'm having great success with this as a whole, esp with my (new to me) Tibetan singing bowl. It has some awesome results...much good is happening with the rest as well. One I esp like, for beginners and experienced is called A Handbook for Chakra Healing by Govinda. Another awesome one, which focuses on an area of special interest to me, using intuitive counseling based on Jungian psychology with chakra balancing. It's even more in depth, dealing specifically with Jungian psychological perspectives, it's called Chakras and their Archetypes by Ambika Wauters.
Also, I've been reading and being fascinated by Gnostic history and am reading the Nag Hammadi. Slowly.

For fic, I'm supposed to start reading Geek Love by Katherine Dunn, loaned to me by my sister.

Oh, and I got an instructional book to teach me chinese brush painting. So lately, my lack of fiction reading is just sad...

[shaneT]

Billie Holiday, I'll have to look for that some time, sounds like it could be interesting. is there anything about the song strange fruit in it?

I also am intentionally drifting from fiction for many reasons. most of all just knowledge.

oh and by the way, You've got me listening to Billie Holiday now.

[WonderWomanGoddess]

Yes, actually, the book does go into Strange Fruit. It's a really well done book, it gives you a feel for the whole generation culturally speaking, and insight into the racial and socioeconomic issues she had to face, plus, she pulls no punches about telling how it was. There's a blatant honesty in her portrait of her life.

[shaneT]

I am going to look for it. I'm sold. But it will be a while before I'll read it. Being a father of three really limits your reading time.

I Read Johnny Cash's Autobiography about four or five years ago, that's the last biographical thing I've read until I just started on Rudyard Kiplings.

I find I really get into hearing about Kipling and Cash's childhood alot more than anything.

[easy D]

Rarely are we asking ourselves, &quot;is we learning&quot;?

bumping this up a lil

Right now I'm reading Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk. It's that book with that one story (&quot;Guts&quot;) that had people fainting and blacking out while hearing it being read by Palahniuk, himself.

It's pretty good. Almost as good as Fight Club, but still freaky.

[norrinraad]

I've recently discovered Piers Anthony, or specifically his Xanth series. For those not in the know, Xanth is a magical land where mythical creatures like elementals, centaurs, and cyclops co-exist with humans. Every human citizen has a special magical talent. It could be something as mundane as changing the colour of your tears or something as elaborate as being able to control time. The stronger your magic, the higher you are on the social hierarchy. The most powerful citizens are knighted as Magicians, with the most powerful of all becoming King of Xanth. The only catch is, if you don't manifest any special &quot;talent&quot; by the time you reach adulthood, you are considered a normal human and are banished from Xanth to live among the commoners.

So far I've read the first two, Spell for Chameleon and Source of Magic, which centre around the Bink character, who faces banishment for not manifesting any obvious abilities as a young adult. The writing style is very simplistic. These books were obviously written for younger kids. However, I find them mesmerising. The land of Xanth is as rich and fully realised as Middle Earth, only without the same sense of gravity inherent in Tolkien's work. Having said that, Anthony's world may be even richer in detail than Tolkien's. Besides, I'm a sucker for any universe that defies the laws of physics. Living pine trees that shoot poisonous needles at you? Mermaids, zombies, and elfs? Magicians who can turn you into a mushroom? Sign me up.

Highly recommended.
_______________
&quot;Make a whole new religion
A falling star that you cannot live without.&quot;

[easy D]

Man, there's a lot of Harry Potter type fantasy books out there.

Eh, what sells, sells, right?

[norrinraad]

Man, there's a lot of Harry Potter type fantasy books out there.

Ya know what's funny, Mr D? Even though I'm a life-long comics fan, I've never been much of a fantasy novel reader. I only discovered Piers Anthony after my sister gave me a collected volume of the first four Xanth novels. One night I was bored and just started thumbing through it, and I couldn't put it down. Check 'em out if you get a chance. You and I seem to have similar tastes in movies and comics. You may dig this too.

Eh, what sells, sells, right?

Actually, Anthony deserves more of the blame for this than Rowling does. His first Xanth novel predates the first Harry Potter novel by almost 20 years. Maybe Rowling should be paying him royalties :P
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&quot;You don't believe in anything, that you can't waste.&quot;

[easy D]

Man, there's a lot of Harry Potter type fantasy books out there.

Ya know what's funny, Mr D? Even though I'm a life-long comics fan, I've never been much of a fantasy novel reader. I only discovered Piers Anthony after my sister gave me a collected volume of the first four Xanth novels. One night I was bored and just started thumbing through it, and I couldn't put it down. Check 'em out if you get a chance. You and I seem to have similar tastes in movies and comics. You may dig this too.

I don't know.

I remembered trying to read The Hobbitt for a school project, and was just bored with it. Also, other books like The Chronicles of Narnia, and there probably some other ones, too.

I guess if I see it in a library I might pick it up, but those other books I mentioned did kinda scare me off fantasy novels.

[norrinraad]

I guess if I see it in a library I might pick it up, but those other books I mentioned did kinda scare me off fantasy novels.

Hah! You sound like me with the first Harry Potter novel. I don't even know why I attempted to read it. Bandwagon jumping I guess. Suffice it to say, I couldn't even get through it, my interest level was that low.

I'm with ya on the Hobbit. I too found it incredibly boring, though I loved the LOTR trilogy. Luckily I read those first otherwise the Hobbit would have turned me off Tolkien permanently. It didn't even seem like it was written by the same person.
_____________
&quot;A million lies to sell yourself
Is all you ever had.&quot;

[easy D]

Ok, I just finished Chris Elliot's Shroud of the Thwacker. Very funny. (I liked the gas-powered cell phones, in 1882. And Teddy Roosevelt constantly bringing up the Spanish-American War, even though he's constantly reminded that it won't happen for another 16 years).

Right now I'm reading Cole Thompson's Chocolate Lizards. Not as funny as I thought it would be.