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Just finished the first three books in Tamora Pierce's newest series, Protector of the Small. It's about a girl who wants to be a Knight, in a world where girls just don't *do* that sort of thing. If you've read her previous series (I believe it's called Lady Knight, I'm not sure), it's NOT a repeat... just telling the story from a different perspective. It's *supposed* to be written for teens, but it's just a really really well told story. Highly recommended.
Oh, and Crazy, Dan's also been reading Asimov's short story collections. I think it's the third one, but I'm not sure.
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Am devouring "The Hopi Survival Kit" by Thomas Mails.
And glancing at "Zen Showed Me The Way" by Seusse Hayakawa (1961)
"Nightfall and other stories" by Asimov is terrific (not the split-up 2 vol version though, the complete thing...)
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I just got started on Glen Cooks "Black Company" A friend told me it was a great book so.....
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We haven't had one of these in a while.
I'm reading ISAAC ASIMOV PRESENTS: GREAT SCIENCE FICTION STORIES OF 1939.
Am in a sf mood right now and have a couple other collections waiting after this one. I also saw GREAT SF STORIES OF 1940 and will probably get that one too.
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just finished alice sebold's "the lovely bones" (creepy but excellent) and philip pullman's his dark materials trilogy (how do i always end up w/ books w/ serious religious allusions?) which i really liked.
i just started alexandre dumas' "the black tulip" and it's pretty standard dumas.
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I'm finally getting around to reading things I've seen rec'd here before.
I've just finished Good Omens, by Terry Pratchet and Neil Gaiman. I have a very, very hard time choosing between my books, but this has made the shortest list I've been able to come up with. I tried to buy three copies, one for me and two to give as gifts, but it's on backorder everywhere and the best I could get was a promise one copy would be held for me whent they come in. Picked up American Gods by Neil Gaiman immediately after. I thought I was going to be dissapointed at the beginning. It started out very...normal. That changed quickly. I'm still only half way through, but I think others should read it. I'm also in the middle of You Might As Well Live which is IMHO a very poorly written, vague, repetitive and pretentious biography of Dorothy Parker, by John Keats. The subject is interesting enough that I'm still reading, but if you can find a book about her by anyone else, go for that instead.
<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ July 21, 2002 08:14 PM: Message edited by: Orenda ]</font>
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I just finished "Band of Brothers" by Stephen Ambrose - I'm not sure I like his style & some things he said annoyed me but if you're interested in WWII or you saw the HBO mini-series the book is worth the read.
I'm about to start "American Empire: Blood And Iron" by Harry Turtledove. For anyone not familiar it's a scifi alternate history series that's very good if you like that stuff.
I've been reading Janet Evanovich's "Stephanie Plum" series of mysteries. very light, very entertaining, summer reading.
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Currently reading Michael Connelly's "The Black Echo", I believe it was his first novel. I like his writing style.
Am also reading Neil Gaiman's "American Gods". Had been wanting to read it for awhile (due to recommendations here) and have just started it. Glad to hear the pace picks up.
Finally finished all of Lord of the Rings. Getting very excited of the upcoming DVD release.
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Have just finished reading The Lost Continent - Travels in Small Town America by Bill Bryson. Typical Bryson in between frightening and hilarious observations of people and places, spent a good deal of time with my head resting in the middle of the book sniggering uncontrollably in the tea room. Could be interesting if I decide to come over next year on holiday.
Am in the middle of reading The Truth a recent Terry Pratchett release, a real classic I love Otto the vampire with a suicidal fascination for flash photography.
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I've just finished reading The Wasp Factory by Ian Banks. I've enjoyed his Culture novels but this was his first and its pretty sadistic with a lot of black humour. It recieved some good reviews but with others like :'Perhaps it is all a joke to fool literay London into respect for rubbish' and 'But there is nothing to force you, having been warned, to read it; nor do I recommend it' how can you go pass it?
Im just starting The Worm Ouroboros by ER Eddisom. This was written in 1926 so it will be good to read a fantasy novel that was before Tolkien. [img]wink.gif[/img]
Finally one book that everyone MUST go out and buy:
Pedrido Street Station by China Melville.
This is fantastic fantasy novel set a decaying city populated by several very different races. The plot, writitng style and the imagination used are all incredable. Just get it.
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Just discovered Amy bloom.
Not sci-fi- but strange stories of somewhat unorthodox family relationships. She was a therapist- and I'm sure used many of her cases as inspiration for her short stories.
"Come to Me" is a quick, light read. very entertaining if you like the offbeat. Each story sets you up to expect some traditional scenario- then suprises you with a reality that's completely off the wall. I'd almost say 'immoral' except that each of the stories manages this 'feel good,' 'family-values' quality (though god knows how!).
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Orenda, what did you think of Good Omens...I brought it up here a few months ago...couldn't decide if I really liked it or thought it was just okay...
Am currently RE-reading George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series (book #2 A Clash of Kings). READ THIS SERIES if you like hardcore fantistorical reading...
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i'm currently reading a collection of short stories by Frederick Busch called Don't say anything. They are all about families and things that go on withing families and very good.
if you don't know Fred Busch, you should go check him out. i recommend The Night Inpector and Girls. [img]smile.gif[/img]
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I loved Good Omens. And if you like epic fantasy, I'd highly recommend The Dragonbone Chair, by Tad Williams. It's the first in a trilogy called Memory, Sorrow & Thorn.
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I actually picked up The Dragonbone Chair last summer, to give myself something new to read...I can't say it really did a whole lot for me...I thought it was a little ponderous...heck, the third book in the Triology is two books long! [img]smile.gif[/img]
In any case...
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I finally got my hands on Masamune Shirow's Ghost in the Shell TPB. I went and seen the movie when it first came out several years ago, but the book really explains the story a lot more. The author has notes at the end to explain some of the pages. Really interesting perspective on cybergenics. I just presented the development of retinal implants to my Biomaterials class a couple of days ago.
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Just got the Kabuki Skin Deep tpb as gift. I'm a little lost in the storyline as I only have a few other random issues, but it's beautiful.This is the comic I use to defend the artform to those who say it's only for children.
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Now I'm reading From Hell (which GeekGirl was kind enough to loan me.) I'm liking the story line a lot... and the foot notes are very interesting, and almost as long as the story itself. I did like the one footnote about thanking his friend Neil Gaiman for the proper terminology in this case... he has a dirty mouth in 6 centuries. [img]wink.gif[/img]
I have to say, though, I severely don't like the art. I like black and white comics, often better than color comics... but it's damned hard to tell what the heck is going on in the story line. Surely the talented Moore can convince better artists than this to work with him?
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You wanna talk about Asimov: Pebble in the Sky, I, Robot,The Gods Themselves... I was first attracted by titles, but Asimov is a really gripping writer to me. Or maybe it's just that I have a thing for robots. [img]wink.gif[/img]
Also, Alexader Dumas - I finished The Count Of Monte Cristo recently and I was so sad that there wasn't any more to read at the end of this 500 page book!
