I really like "Meet The Austins" and I read it all the time, but "A Wrinkle In Time" was really, dare I say boring IMO. it just wasn't the kind of plot I could get into...

[Levin] can come tackle my lawn when he's done with St. Petersburg.

I'm sure it helped that he actually knows how to use a scythe, and he wasn't using a cradle either. So, according to my limited knowledge on the subject that wasn't totally unreasonable.

On another track, would you consider the Time Quartet fantasy or science fiction?

I want to say that I've always seen it shelved as science fiction, and that's not a distinction I'd quibble with.

Is An Acceptable Time really considered part of the Time Quartet? I thought it was just a companion book, featuring some of the same characters, like House of Lotus.

The Austin books are really less weird than the Murray books, they just have more Zachary Gray in them.

But would you recommend them? I know I enjoyed the Christmas excerpt from, if I remember correctly, Meet the Austins. But it didn't really inspire me to run out and read the rest of the book since it felt complete in and of itself.

Is An Acceptable Time really considered part of the Time Quartet?

Yes. Kind of. It depends on the edition really. Acceptable Time was not originally considered to be part of the Quartet, but as you said, a companion piece. In recent years, it has been published as part of the Time Quintet which includes all of the Quartet plus that one. I think it's just a marketing gimmick to get more people to read it. I would never have known all that if I hadn't worked in a bookstore and a library in the past three years.

Re: The Austin books

I would recommend some but not others. I liked The Twenty-Four Days Before Christmas, Meet the Austins, The Young Unicorns, and A Ring of Endless Light. I did not like Moon By Night and Troubling a Star was merely okay. It's been so long since I read any of them though, so I can't really make any good judgement calls on the content of each. I just remember the general plots and whether or not I liked them.

I completed Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. I'm kind of proud of myself for finishing it. Once I was able to get into the story, it wasn't so hard to slow down my habit of speed-reading. If I read Dickens' novels fast, I get absolutely nothing out of them.

I also read Emma by Jane Austen and just started Northanger Abbey today. Austen's characters draw me in, I am finding!

Currently, I have Tolkien's Unfinished Tales on my reading list. Can't wait to read it!

I haven't read any books past A Wrinkle in Time. They seem particularly difficult to find in libraries. I enjoyed the first book very much in terms of content and the ideas portrayed therein. I was less impressed by the writing style - well-written but too sparse for my liking.

I think the sparseness in her writing is what really makes it appealing to younger children. I read it when I was very young and loved it. It was refreshing to have a book that delved into character development but didn't go way over my head at the same time.

While re-reading it, I was a little surprised at how simple L'Engle's writing style is...I remembered it being way more "loaded" I guess you could say, but I was very young and not into hefty works of literature yet. I still very much enjoy children's literature more so than a lot of adult fiction and literature. 'Tis a bit odd, I know.

The books that were weird for me were Many Waters, An Acceptable Time, and Troubling a Star. Dragons in the Water wasn't so bad...but I found the ending a bit unsatisfactory and the characters a little shallow. I haven't read it in a while, so I don't want to be too harsh. Many Waters was kind of the same...unsatisfactory ending with shallow characters.

Speaking of children's literature, now that I've finished reading my younger siblings A Wrinkle in Time, I'm reading the Redwall series to my little sister. My younger brother, eleven years old, has read all of the Redwall books, Lord of The Rings Books, Narnia--any good book you can think of--already. He's such a nerd. My sister has a more difficult time reading, like me at her age. I struggled with having the patience and found it very entertaining to have books read aloud to me or listen to audio versions. Redwall was really the first series I really got into. I was probably twelve-thirteen years old when I read all of the books--I mean I've read all of them! My sister in I got a little obsessed with them.

As much as I read the books, I really can't remember much about them...just that I loved them. Heh. My brothers are the same way--they remember liking the books but we've forgotten so much about them. So I'm re-reading the books and reading them for the first time to my sister. We started with Mariel of Redwall and I think she enjoys it!

I really liked Anna's husband toward the middle of the book. Then he sort of fades from view.

Spoiler

I would have been quite happy if the book had ended when he forgave her. I could have imagined a happy ending for them.

The scene with Levin mowing is one of my favourites too.

Oh, I know, the book should have ended there. Her husband was so wonderful in that scene, he made me so happy, and then she kept hating him. Ugh. Once more, I CANNOT bear her.

Amen, sister.

hehe, this made my day.
It didn't ever enter my mind to shed tears at the ending. I didn't come even close to feeling bad.
The scene with Levin mowing was probably my favorite scene from any book I've ever read. I could feel it all like he did, it was so clear. It was so very beautiful. I liked him better when he didn't think about Kitty . .

I'd like to start reading the Redwall books. Any suggestions on where to start? There are quite a lot of them!

I just finished reading "Heaven is for real" by Todd Burpo. It is an amazing true story about a pastor and his families near death experience with their 4-year old son, Colton, who slowly revealed months after emergency appendicitis surgery about a trip to heaven he experienced. He revealed details that he couldn't possibly know without flinching when questioned. It's a pretty amazing story.

sweeet, I'd say definitely read them in chronological order, but then I'm a C nut. That would mean Lord Brocktree first. Here's a link to the list. http://www.sullivanet.com/redwall/time.htm

As a publication order fan, I say start with Redwall.

(But I started with Mossflower myself, so that would also be an acceptable choice.)

When I first read them, I read Redwall first, and just went through them topsy turvy - but it's extremely cool to know about all the characters mentioned in some of the books,that were in the others. I get a whole lot more out of it that way.

I read mostly publication order the first time, but since most of the books are pretty independent of each other it almost doesn't matter. Few characters span more than 2 or 3 books with the exception of Martin the Warrior, one of the most legendary animal characters of all time (except perhaps Aslan). There does seem to be a pretty standard story line: meet hero, meet villain, hero goes on journey, battle, end of story, but each one has a unique flavor. It is unfortunate that there will be more more Redwall books as the beloved author Brian Jacques has passed.

Sweeet, it doesn't really matter the order you read Redwall books in, especially once you reach Taggerung, but I think Redwall is the best one to start with. That said, there are several "miniseries" that I think ought to be read together. Mostly these are because a character or two will carry over, or a legacy of sorts is carried on in the later books. Other Redwall fans, feel free to disagree on these.

Redwall
Mattimeo
The Pearls of Lutra

Martin the Warrior
Mossflower
The Legend of Luke
Outcast of Redwall

Mariel of Redwall
The Bellmaker

Salmandastron
The Long Patrol
Marlfox
Lord Brocktree

I will also say that L'Engle's Austin books are typically firmly set in reality. The Young Unicorns has an element of sci-fi to it, but not to the extent some of the Murray books do. I think An Acceptable Time is listed with the Time Quartet because

I enjoyed the Murray-O'Keefe books far more than the Austin books, with the exception of A House Like a Lotus, which deals with more adult issues than the other books. I'm still not certain how I feel about that book. That isn't to say that I dislike the Austin books; I don't. I just enjoy a bit more of the fantasy/sci-fi bend that the Murray-O'Keefe books have, particularly A Wrinkle in Time and A Swiftly Tilting Planet. Despite the heavily fantastic elements in the first four books, though, the later books (which focus on Polly) are mostly realistic (An Acceptable Time being the exception).

The final two books I ordered came in the mail today. Out of the Silent Planet and Perelandra, completing my Cosmic Trilogy set. I got a very nice paperback set all the way from the UK. The covers are gorgeous, and such an improvement from my old copies from the 80s. I can't wait to read them. I've heard so many good things about them.

~Riella

Yeah, I would recommend [reading Land of Dreams]. It's a very interesting foray into speculative fiction, and while it's not the most compelling plot that I've read in years it is well worth a read.

Thanks, shastastwin! I'll see if I can find it.

Oh, the author of The Girl with the Silver Eyes died? That book was so trippy to my eight-year-old self. I should try to find and read it again.

I didn't know you had published a book, FencerforJesus! Good for you!

I don't enjoy being creeped out and won't read a book for that goal. I will put up with being creeped out it if I am fascinated enough by the ideas.

This is exactly how I feel. I don't like scary or creepy books but if the story treats it well and it feels worthwhile, I can handle it (better).

One of my birthday gifts is that I get to pick out an e-reader. I'm trying to decide between a Kindle and a Barnes & Noble Simple Touch Nook. I'm up on the specs, but there's tons of little details to consider.

I've been reading D.M. Cornish's trilogy the Monster Blood Tattoo. Hilariously the title of the series had to be changed to The Foundling's Tale for the American market as it was deemed too dark (not paying out Americans, I just find it funny). Cornish is a local author (a South Australian - awesome!) and a Christian (even more awesome). Thankfully, he's also a quality writer and his faith breathes naturally through the pages. There are three books - Foundling, Lamplighter and Factotum. I finished the second book about a week ago and am now on the third and final book.
The Monster Blood Tattoo series is set in an intriguing part Dickens/part Full Metal Alchemist-type world. It's fantasy/sci-fi but so grounded in reality that it's almost historical fiction with a few strange creatures and technologies. The story is slow-paced but character-rich. Cornish is an excellent worldbuilder but he has a habit of making up words and this often makes for a difficult read. Thankfully he provides a glossary but it rivals even Tolkien's!
Check them out if you want something different and a bit of challenge.

Ooh, that sounds interesting. Funny they should change the name… Monster Blood Tattoo sounds more attention-grabbing and interesting than The Foundling's Tale, which could be about almost anything. It is a bit dark, but that sort of thing doesn't necessarily turn readers away, unless his books are primarily offered through Christian markets and to Christian readers? That might be it.

mara: Hello dear. I feel as though I haven't seen you in a while. Anyway, I'm glad you liked The Willoughbys. I read it and thought it was sweet, but that it just missed the mark. I felt like Lowry grew up reading all the charming orphan stories like the Bastables and the Boxcar Children and Mary Poppins and Roald Dahl and wanted to write her own quirky story, but it simply didn't have enough going for it other than the quirkiness. […] I also finally finished "The Ill Made Knight" portion of The Once and Future King. It was the really boggy part of the book. All the questing was told in retelling by the knights and it was so dull. I do love White's creativity with the legend though. This is the last time I disbelieve a NarniaWebber's advice. Certain people (Ly and Warrior, I think) told me not to bother with the rest of TOFK, but I didn't believe them.

Hello, Kate! Yes, I've been a bit busy. I completely agree with your assessment of The Willoughbys; it had quirkiness but little else.
It's been a while since I've read TOaFK. I remember liking The Sword in the Stone very much, but the other books left me feeling sad and/or horrified. They are very good, though, and if you can handle violence and sadness I'd recommend them. I'm sure most of the readers here are way less wimpy than me.

*loves Sherlock Holmes and Watson* I MUST find the BBC series. It sounds fantastic.

I know it is a bit off subject but if you guys don't mind me asking. 
Im writing a story that is aimed at teen to adult age group and In the writing topic I asked if it was good idea to illustrate my story even though it was aimed for an older audience.
So do you as readers like to see illustrations, or do you prefer no illustrations?

I like illustrations, but in a book for an adult they should feel like part of the story. Well, clearly they're going to be part of the story, but they should feel integral. I dunno. The genre and type of story should play a part in determining that, too. Illustrations would help a fantasy book a lot, I think. I like Adeona's suggestion of putting a small sketch or illustration at the beginning of the chapters, and putting a full illustration every so often in the book sounds good, too.

Thanks so much for the link to Megan Whalen Turner's short story, Adeona! (It's set right after The Thief.) I especially love her recommended reading list at the end. As for Costis, I liked him, but I agree he is not the most exciting. Next to Eugenides, though, few are.

Has anyone else read A Ring of Endless Light by Madeline L'Engle? I remember reading it a long time ago and really liking it. But my views on a good book have changed since then, and I can't remember if it was clean, etc. So if anyone has read it, how was it?

I read that book back in high school, several years ago now. I remember it was good (of course) but I was aghast at the teenaged protagonist cavorting about with young men much older than her (three or four years). I still don't like that aspect, although it is something that happens in real life. It's mostly clean, although there are some… more mature references. Mind you, my memory probably just magnified the stuff I didn't like; it's probably not that unclean or anything. That's the only one of the Austin books that I've read. I need to reread the Time books; those are the ones I liked the most. I consider those to be both sci-fi and fantasy.

I'd like to start reading the Redwall books. Any suggestions on where to start? There are quite a lot of them!

Mossflower was the first book I read. I'd start with that one or Redwall. Thanks for the chronological reading list, Elanor!

What I've read lately:
-The Call of the Wild-- this was a reread. It was good but sad. I loved this book when I was eight, which was interesting because I refused to read sad books. Oh well.
-The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes and The Further Rivals of Sherlock Holmes-- these varied in quality. Some were about as good as SH, although I think on the whole I prefer Conan Doyle. My favorite stories had lady detectives because they had more to overcome.
-A graphic novel called Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword. It's about an Orthodox Jewish girl who wants to fight dragons and lives near a witch. It is fantastic and has lots of Yiddish words and outlines Orthodox Jewish customs very well. I highly recommend it. It's the first in a series, hence the subtitle. I don't know when the next one will come out.
-All the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy books (THhGttG; The Restaurant at the End of the Universe; Life, the Universe, and Everything; So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish; and Mostly Harmless). These were funny and wry and I enjoyed them. I actually hadn't read the last two.
-Aesop's Fables on my Droid (I have the Kindle app)
-I just finished a collection of poems, The Golden Treasury. It was good. I liked some poems more than others.
-I've just started King Arthur and his Knights, which is a children's treasury based off Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur. The inside looks like an old-fashioned printed book, with reproductions of woodcut illustrations and Celtic designs and stuff. It's lovely. The writing is a bit old-fashioned and reminds me of the King James Version of the Bible.

Links!
Harry Potter as Disney characters
5 nice and quiet libraries in Europe
10 unconventional bookstores I really want to visit
Interesting article about censorship (brief mentions of what causes people to want to ban books, so)
An author I've never heard of recommends these books to read aloud. I approve of the ones I've heard of.
Minimalist posters for children's stories These are great.
The hidden meaning of pronouns
THERE IS A HOBBIT HOUSE IN MONTANA. That is still much too far away from me.