I got Green by Ted Dekker from the library yesterday, and was up until 2 in the morning reading it. I was honestly disappointed, and liked the series better when there were only 3 books. The idea of writing the series in a circle (so it can literally be read in a round) is unique, but in the end it does nothing to resolve the plot. I found the end to be rather anti-climatic, and when I finished it my reaction was pretty much "That's it? ... But it didn't end!" Overall, I found the book to be strange and unsatisfying, and there were several scene that I skipped over because they were just... very weird (most of the scenes with Billy and Janae).
And... what was with tying it in to that other book series (which I haven't read, btw)? Did they connect before this book, and I just missed it, or was this just some idea that he had when writing it? Is it set up in that series at all? Is Billy's story resolved in that series? Is anything ever resolved at all?
And... Was it supposed to be some sort of amazing revelation that

Just wondering, because I called that one 3 years ago.
And... I kept expecting Carlos to make an appearance, but he didn't. Whatever.
And... I never did find out if my theory about Svennson (sp?) was correct or not, but I'd be willing to bet it's probably not. It was a rather wild idea anyways.

So, yeah. In the end, I didn't care for it. If nothing else, it did remind me of why I stopped reading Dekker's books in the first place (No offense intended to any fans of Ted Dekker.).

Still wading through Ivanhoe. Still finding it rather dull. Still wondering why it's even called Ivanhoe considering that Ivanhoe has hardly been in the book enough to warrant being the main character. Whatever. Wamba's the most interesting character so far, and Rebecca's not bad.

I so need to find another author that I like. Preferably one that's not dead or in between books.

--- flambeau

flambeau, it's called Ivanhoe because Ivanhoe has the coolest name. (And someone else called Rebecca. Even though that was... later. )

Nionel, maybe your library got an ARC (Advance Reader Copy)? Or your librarian was able to pick one up at a conference? A year seems a bit early for them to be out, though... The other theory that suggests itself is that the series was originally published somewhere else and you got an imported copy. I know my library has done that, and I'm considering asking them to do it again for R. J. Anderson's Arrow.

I'm currently reading Between Silk and Cyanide by Leo Marks. It's the story of the British codemakers during WWII and it has just the right balance between technical jargon and events.

Ah yes, Meltintalle, that must be it. The second option that is - I doubt it was an ARC, and I just looked up the copy I read to check, and it was published in 2008. Funny, I had no idea before. Thanks!

I haven't read properly in ages... After NaNoWriMo was over I went and re-read Airman as a reward to myself, but before that the last time I'd read for enjoyment was when I read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in August. School is taking over my life. All I read these days is textbooks and The Christian Life by Sinclair Ferguson.

Wow, that was some catch-up post there, Booky!

The previews for the HBO series are almost making me want to read the Game of Thrones books. But they're super long and the series is incomplete -- both huge strikes against it. The last time I tried to tackle a fantasy series like that, Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time, not only did I get burned out over four volumes, but the author didn't even live to complete the series! I'm aware that George R. R. Martin's books are supposed to have a stronger literary basis than Jordan's, but still, I'm hesitant.

I agree with you that Twelfth Night isn't all that impressive. I had heard great things about it, but was generally disappointed in it. The plot didn't really make sense to me. Well, the two individual plots made sense, but not together. There wasn't really very much overlap. And I thought the characters were sort of annoying. Merchant is very interesting. There's a lot going on in that play, good and bad. I like Portia.

Sounds like you and I had a similar experience with Twelfth Night. The critics think it's one of his great mature comedies, and it was one of my advisor's/professor's favorites, but it just didn't do much for me. Magnificent wordplay, but that's about it. (And honestly, what Shakespeare plays don't have great wordplay? ) The movie version didn't do anything for me, either, although I do love the Celtic soundtrack to a recent NYC production. And yes, Merchant is a very thought-provoking play. I too love Portia ... her big speech during the courtroom scene is fantastic! And Shylock is also a fascinating character. The only problems for me are that his daughter is just flat-out annoying, and I don't think the clown works as well as some of Shakespeare's others.

I need to read more of the histories and tragedies. I've watched plenty of them, but aside from Macbeth, all my reading has been of the comedies. And I'm afraid my next couple will be comedies too -- I've been meaning to read As You Like It for, like, forever, and of course I want to sit down and make my way through The Tempest before I see the new movie version. I really want to read Henry V and Julius Caesar. Also, the sonnets. I was assigned a selection of those in my Renaissance Lit class, and I just fell in love with them. I definitely have the Shakespeare bug.

flambeau, it's called Ivanhoe because Ivanhoe has the coolest name.

Also, because Sir Walter Scott likes to confuse people. I'll have to ask my dad, but I don't think his title characters are ever the most central or interesting of the people in the book. The Bride of Lammermoor certainly should have been titled The Last of the Ravenswoods, or something like.

flam: Unfortunately, I found Ivanhoe pretty dull throughout, though it does have some sort of epic!battle type parts.

*Will probably cheat and just watch the Game of Thrones series when it comes out*

Ly: No, you're right. Launcelot is not one of Shakespeare's best. He's not funny at all. I really enjoyed Julius Caesar, so I'd recommend that. Mark Antony's speech is to die for. There's lots of great atmosphere in that play. I too am planning on reading The Tempest soon. I have an affinity for anything to do with the sea and though I'm not sure if it actually has anything to do with the sea, I've always been under that impression. I remember it was the favorite book/play of the protagonist of Roller Skates and I've wanted to read it ever since. Henry V is very kingly and warrior-ly and has a very lovely comic scene with a French princess. Other than that, I wasn't all that impressed. There are a lot of secondary characters who I didn't really understand the point of.

I finished Brideshead Revisited. To be honest, I think it's one of the most impressive books I've ever read. I was fascinated by it. It's not a story I can read, understand, and put away. I get the feeling that there are many, many layers and that Waugh has many subtleties that I didn't fully understand (along with his sometimes overly flowery similes). It's a book I will certainly return to later. The characterizations are so strong, yet I don't understand them. It's a character-based book, yet I couldn't tell you who the main character is. Charles is the narrator, Sebastian is the most memorable and perhaps the easiest to define, and Julia is the most complex and the most focused-on Flyte. It could be that the main character is the house. It's bittersweet and in the end

It's such an interesting picture of faith in the midst of the era of disillusionment and one of the most complex stories I've ever read. I'm still not sure what to do with it. There's not a lot to love, but I couldn't help adoring it.

I picked up The Queen of Attolia for my next reading. It's been ages, possibly years since I read The Thief and I'm having troubles with all the kingdoms. I need a map. Could some Attolian out there tell me if this assessment of Attolia-land is correct?

Also, why are all the monarchs named after their countries?

@ Kate, I believe that's correct - though I'm certainly not close to being a mega Queen's Thief fan. As for the kings'/queens' names: those aren't their actual names, for one thing. Just titles they get called by all the time - like Pharaoh, or Minos. Why they're called after their countries, though, I don't know! There has to be some sort of tradition in an ancient land, I guess.

I have a question for you all: has anyone read Leviathan, by Scott Westerfeld? I've got it on hold (recorded format) at the local library. If you have read it, could you give a non-spoilery opinion for me, if you've got a moment?

I finally got around to reading harry potter after 5 years. They are a lot better then the movies. The movies are still good but the books are a lot better.

That's a correct description of the countries as I understand it, Kate. I also have an explanation for why the monarch and country share a name, for what its worth. I think it ties in with the recurring theme of names being important in the series. You may have noticed that Eugenides is a name and a title as well. In the case if the monarchs, it's a reminder for the title-bearer and the people and the reader that the country is more than just the whims of the person in office. (I'm not sure that makes sense typed out... )

Tangentially, I went to the bookstore today to buy a copy of Conspiracy of Kings as a Christmas present but they didn't have any of Megan Whalen Turner's books on the shelf.

Adeona, I've heard a couple recommendations for Leviathan in this thread, but what I remember as standing out in those recommendations is the pictures.

I'll have to ask my dad, but I don't think his title characters are ever the most central or interesting of the people in the book.

Mmmm. I've read Ivanhoe and Rob Roy and The Lay of the Last Minstrel. I'm pretty sure Rob Roy had a bigger role than Ivanhoe. All I remember from Rob Roy for sure is the march hare quote. The Last Minstrel was telling the story, so I don't know if he counts or not...

Hello everyone! I don't believe I've post in this thread yet. Terrible, I know.

I'm currently reading Passion & Purity by Elisabeth Elliot and Persuasion by Jane Austen. I'm really enjoy P&P, it's the first book I have read by Mrs. Elliot. She has a easy to read and remember writting style.

As for Persuasion, I'm only reading it because I have to read one of Jane Austen's books for school and Scarlet said it's the shortest. I really don't understand why so many people like Jane Austen's books.

Next on my to-read list are One Shenandoah Winter by Davis Bunn, The Glorious Cause by Jeff Shaara, and Quest For Love by Elisabeth Elliot.

SnowAngel

In keeping with the conversation about the Queen's Thief series, I finished my reread of The King of Attolia last night. I had forgotten how much happened in the last third of that book, and how much I enjoy the last several chapters.

I'm next rereading Prince Caspian and Tad Williams' The Dragonbone Chair; PC for the Narnia study I'm continuing in the spring semester and TDC because I have been wanting to reread the whole trilogy for a while.

so I got a B&N Gift Card today. bought myself about 6 ebooks for my nook color. I won't begin reading them yet since I am reading the second book of CS Lewis's Space Trilogy.

Books:
Brian's Winter
Brian's Return
Brian's Hunt
(Books 3-5, sequels to Hachet and The River which I previously bought and read).

The Maze Runner
When Crickets Cry
A Game of Thrones (since it was mentioned here and sounded very interesting)

Adeona, I've heard a couple recommendations for Leviathan in this thread, but what I remember as standing out in those recommendations is the pictures.

Hmm... And I'm getting an audio... *note to self - put book on hold as well*
Thank you! Now I have gone back and found a few recommendations in the previous Book thread.

I really enjoyed Julius Caesar, so I'd recommend that. Mark Antony's speech is to die for. There's lots of great atmosphere in that play.

Ah yes, we and another home school family did highlights from Julius Caesar back when I was in elementary school, and I did that speech. Used it for an audition later, too. Actually, in the highlights performance, due to the scarcity of actors, I played both Julius Caesar (in the Ides of March and assassination scenes) and Mark Anthony (in the funeral scene). Oy. A regular little divo, I was.

Re: Henry V, you might try to watch the Kenneth Branagh movie. It is excellent, and is what made me want to read the play. I do love the scenes with Katherine, but then, Henry has some wonderful speeches of his own. And the prologue is one of Shakespeare's best.

I'm pretty sure Rob Roy had a bigger role than Ivanhoe.

Maybe. I haven't read the book. But I do remember my dad saying that the main character was really a young man in Rob Roy's camp/band/army/whatever. I'm sketchy on the details.

Yes, Turner's books seem to be really difficult to find! A pity, because I only own The Thief and would not mind having the entire series. Ah well -- good things come to those who wait, and go to book sales.

Still muddling through my anthologies/collections. Otherwise, I did read a YA fantasy book wisewoman "assigned" to me (and now I'm caught up to her in our respective challenges ), The Silver Crown by Robert C. O'Brien. Bits of it reminded me of Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising, Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time, and even some of George MacDonald's fairy stories. I was really enjoying it for the first 2/3s of the book, but unfortunately I found the last act somewhat of a let-down. I'll be writing a LibraryThing review of it sometime soon.

I've started catching up with my reviews on that site; you can read as many of them as you want here. I would post individual links, but I'm not sure how many of them are of interest, and some are discussing topics I normally wouldn't bring up on NarniaWeb (particularly the ones of Time Among the Dead and Dracula), although I think all in all I was pretty tasteful. I do believe, however, Kate, that you wanted to know what I thought of Alan Arkin's Cassie Loves Beethoven once I read it: well, here are my thoughts.

But I do remember my dad saying that the main character was really a young man in Rob Roy's camp/band/army/whatever.

Sounds about right. I think he was a cousin of some sort. However, I think I have a tendency to mix up Rob Roy and Kidnapped a bit in my head, despite a fairly recent read of Kidnapped and its sequel. (Maybe Lorna Doon as well? There was a similar feel to the excerpt I read in the horse story anthology...)

My sister and I read The Silver Crown last summer January. I think the group consensus was that it was pretty good; but I agree with your assessment. The last act is not the most memorable thing about the book. I'd love to read the review when you get around to it.

I got a fair bit of reading done yesterday. I finished Between Silk and Cyanide, picked up Ellis Peter's Mourning Raga for a light read (it was different from the other Inspector Felse mysteries; not so much about Dominic, and the landscape was almost as big a character as the mystery), and finished up with E. Wein's Winter Prince.

*enjoys the Shakespeare talk* I've just started to "get into" Shakespeare- I think it helped that a while back during a power outage two of my siblings and I sat around the table and read aloud the first act of Henry IV by candlelight. It was quite fun. Alas we've never got to finishing it though- apparently we're waiting for another black out.

I would comment on the Ivanhoe/Sir Walter Scott discussion (I've read Rob Roy, Waverley, and Ivanhoe), but it's been such a long time since I read the books I really can't remember my thoughts on them all other than I enjoyed them for the most part, which of course isn't all that intelligent and won't add anything to the conversation, now will it?

As for Persuasion, I'm only reading it because I have to read one of Jane Austen's books for school and Scarlet said it's the shortest. I really don't understand why so many people like Jane Austen's books.

Are you enjoying Persuasion, or no? *is curious*

I just finished reading a book by the Newsboys: Shine: Make 'Em Wonder What You've Got, or something along those lines. It was enjoyable, nothing too new, I would say, but just because I had heard many of the ideas presented doesn't make it bad (in any sense, really). I'm now re-reading Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and I have no doubts that I will enjoy that one very, very, much.