Thanks, Valia. I was expecting as much. I'm still rather sad about that though. I really want to know what happens next. Though, on the bright side that means it's not any closer to the series being finished!

I have Golden Daughter by Anne Elizabeth Stengl near the top of that list.

Do you know if Golden Daughter is connected closely to the rest of the series? As in, could it be read by itself or would it be better to wait until after finishing the earlier books?

I know Dragonwitch stands alone, and I believe Golden Daughter does as well.

Thanks, Mel. I hadn't realized there were so many books in the series until now!

@CSLewisNarnia: sorry for taking so long to respond to your question. I just haven't logged into the forum in weeks. I've read a dozen Christie novels since The Labors of Hercules. My favorite stories in that collection are "Augean Stables" and "Stymphalean Birds."

The Goldstone Wood chronology is a bit complicated, but I'll do my best.

Book 1 Heartless.
Book 2 Veiled Rose. Companion volume to Heartless.
Book 3 Moonblood. Sequel to Heartless and Veiled Rose.
Book 4 Starflower. Prequel to all of the above.
Book 5 Dragonwitch. Sequel to Starflower.
Book 6 Shadow Hand. Sequel to both Dragonwitch and Moonblood.
Book 7 Golden Daughter. Set in the past, but after Starflower, Dragonwitch, and part of Shadow Hand.

You could probably understand the most recent one without having read the rest, but there would be a few things you wouldn't get.

I just finished reading Dance with Death by Anne Noggle, a collection of short interviews with WWII Soviet Airwomen.

I have written this title down: it sounds so interesting!

a King Arthur retelling (I think? ... ) by Sigmund Brower.

I had no idea Sigmund Brouwer wrote an Arthur retelling. I have enjoyed anything else I have read by him, so, hmm, I should look this up.

The following is what I am currently reading (or have just completed):

*C.S. Lewis and Mere Christianity by Paul McCusker: the true story of "the dramatic events and personal sacrifice that went into the creation of this timeless work" - excellent!

*working again through a series of books you may have heard of called The Chronicles of Narnia. How come they get better and more meaningful with every read?! I have only to read The Last Battle, then I'd love to begin them all over again.

*in the midst of Helen Keller's autobiography: really interesting!

*reading, for the first time, The Narnia Code (a 'baby brother' of Planet Narnia). I was very skeptical when I picked it up, but I must admit, Michael Ward has some convincing arguments. He's kind of pulling me along against my will.

*Jan Karon's new book, Somewhere Good with Somebody Safe, which is a return to Mitford. Always delightful. What memorable characters!

*just finished The Boy Who Went to War by Giles Milton, written about his father-in-law, who was a German artist under the Nazis, very reluctantly pulled into WWII. We don't often read of the war from a German perspective, and it is powerful. And very disturbing.

To read (or re-read) soon:

*The Last Battle

*Uncle Tom's Cabin, which I have never read.

*The LotR

*John Buchan's GreenMantle

*Dance with Death when I can track it down

... and many others, but that's a start.

How are you getting along with The Book Thief, Mel? Then you need to see the movie!

And, Bella, how is Harry Potter going?

You know, I think I am the only NarniaWebber who isn't pulled into the Attolia series.

Oooh, you like Tales of Goldstone Woods Lady Haleth? Which one is your favorite? (I've read Heartless, Veiled Rose, Dragonwitch, and Goddess Tithe; so far Dragonwitch is my favorite.)

Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good was such a delightful read. (I tried to find a different adjective and failed. ) The quotes sprinkled throughout, one of my favorite bits of any Mitford book, were often reading related and really spot on, I thought.

Jo, I finished The Book Thief and I can see its appeal. It's gripping and moving and awful and hopeful at the same time. I'm not sure I really want to see a movie of it, though, even if (especially if) the movie is a good adaptation.

My most vivid memory of Greenmantle is sitting under a tree outside a museum, reading it while waiting to meet up with NWebbers.

Somewhere Good with Somebody Safe

Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good

You know, when I wrote out the title, I remember thinking I had better go and check to see if I had it right, but was too lazy to get up and go into the other room so left it, and behold, sure enough, it was the other way 'round. Yes, indeed, the quotes are priceless! And I, too, think the adjective "delightful" encompasses her story-telling to the full.

I'm not sure I really want to see a movie of it, though, even if (especially if) the movie is a good adaptation.

And this one is quite a good adaptation, and appropriately handled. But still, as expected, emotional and very poignant.

My most vivid memory of Greenmantle is sitting under a tree outside a museum, reading it while waiting to meet up with NWebbers.

Cool! (Uh, was that that 'infamous' July long weekend when Nellie and I were 4 hours crossing the border? So worth it, though! )

behold, sure enough, it was the other way 'round.

Is it? I didn't check either (in fact, I didn't even register that you'd typed the opposite of what I wrote), I just went, "Ooooh, I read that!" and typed out a title.

(That's the meet-up. )

On another note, would I be the only one alone in hoping Riordian would do a series based on Japanese or Chinese mythologies?

I'd read that! ...or someone else could write something similar and I'd read that.

I'm not sure which Goldstone Wood book I like best, but Dragonwitch and Shadow Hand tend to be at the top of the list, closely followed by Moonblood. I also have a soft spot for Starflower, because it was the first one I read.

I picked up Marissa Meyer's Fairest today, which may interest those of y'all who are reading her fairy tale retelling Lunar Chronicles series.

a King Arthur retelling (I think? It's been so long since I requested it ) by Sigmund Brower.

The book in question is The Orphan King: Book One of Merlin's Immortals which is why I made the King Arthur connection. However, neither Merlin nor Arthur figure into the story so... I was mistaken.

I think of published books as a finished product (with exceptions few and far between and notable like the Dark Island scene in VotDT and Riddles in the Dark in The Hobbit), so it can be interesting reading something by Sigmund Brower. I read the first book in the Wings of Light series and Merlin's Immortals is the same story expanded and revised and repackaged for (presumably) an older audience. On one hand that's kind of exciting 'cause I never found the rest of the series and I'm looking forward to finishing the story. On the other, it's weird because its the same story but it's not just the same words repackaged with a spiffy new cover and title...

How about the rest of you? What do you think of new titles/content for an old story?

I wasn't sure if I should post this here or on the Tolkien thread, but has anyone else read "The Marvelous Land of Snergs" by E.A. Wyke-Smith? Tolkien read it to his children, and it was a major influence when he wrote "The Hobbit." One can definitely see the connection; Snergs are little people around the height of a table, and one of the main characters is a Snerg named Gorbo. Almost all of the tense or violent situations are alleviated by humor, a tactic Tolkien uses frequently in "The Hobbit."

The plot is about two children who live in an orphanage for un-wanted children on a sort of magical island. They decide to visit the Snergs, who live a few miles away. Through a wild series of events and mis-haps (and their own naughtiness) they end up reconciling two enemy kings and defeating the villains. Of course the rather klutzy Gorbo is both a help and a hindrance, but eventually he heroically saves the children from the villains. I've read it a couple of times now and always enjoy it.

I'm currently reading The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie, which is the third novel I've read by her. I'm quite liking it so far! It's not nearly as good as And Then There Were None and Murder on the Orient Express, but considering it's her first mystery novel, it's still pretty amazing. Apparently she wrote it on a bet or something?

But when it comes to my favorite books (other than Narnia) I love The Great Gatsby! That book...wow.

I've just finished "American Sniper" by Chris Kyle and "Lone Survivor" by Marcus Luttrell. Wow...

SnowAngel, I don't know if you've read these but you'd really, really appreciate them.

I've just finished "American Sniper" by Chris Kyle and "Lone Survivor" by Marcus Luttrell. Wow...

SnowAngel, I don't know if you've read these but you'd really, really appreciate them.

Ah, just what I need an excuse to go the library! Seriously though I haven't read either of those and if SL says they're good, I have to read them. Right? Some people in my family think I read too much Christian fiction and that I need to read something different once in a while, although I am sure Scarlet was thinking something more along the lines of a business book or photography. But I am sure those will do.

I did read Partners in Crime by Agatha Christie recently, yes it was Scarlet's library book. It was very entertaining. Scarlet has developed into quite the Agatha Christie fan, last time we went to the library she got 4 A.C. books. That's a lot of fiction for Scarlet.

Our current batch of library books is due back on Friday, so someone has to go to the library this week. And there's a new Dani Pettrey book at my library! *fingers crossed*

SnowAngel