Valia, I found the book my dad was talking about!

Cool! No, I don't think we looked at that specific book, but I'm glad you figured it out. Excellent work, Sergeant Mel!
Yes, I think you shall consider it rather the hardship to reread Knife/Spell Hunter. I'm glad you mostly enjoyed my recommendation! And if it makes you feel any better, I'm quite enjoying your other recommendation (Keys of the Kingdom).

*waves to Mara* Hey, there! I love the lolcats!

And Mara's comment to lys reminded me that I'd meant to say something about Briar Rose: I agree with lys about it. It had the potential to be a really good story and Yolen kind of just destroyed it by adding in modern and politically correct stuff.

I just tended to avoid animal stories at all; they never seemed to be happy stories. I still haven't read, prepare yourself, Charlotte's Web.

I'm glad you enjoyed Inkdeath, DiGs; is it better than Inkspell? I liked the first well enough, but the characters and their actions in the second drove me to no end of distraction (there were two, maybe three characters I actually liked/could stand in it), which is why I haven't bothered with the third.

I hope you enjoy LotR, sandy! It's not the end of the world if you don't, but they're lovely books. I encourage you to perservere, though, and make it all the way through if you can.

Why don't you like Persuasion, Eustace+Jill? I think that one is actually my favourite Austen.
I liked the only Bronte I've read (Jane Eyre), and the few Dickens I've read. Which are your favourites?

I've actually just finished the prologue on Superior Saturday. The series has been rather interesting; Nix is rather clever, though I don't agree with what I've seen of his deeper implications, as it were. I had a question, though, about the world/series: I've currently got a hold on Lord Sunday; if it was checked out by the same person I 'stole' 4-6 from, they've got their revenge on me. I checked the library site on Friday and it was in, but when I went to check it out a couple hours later, someone had already got to it.
Oh, and I'm number 11 on the hold list for Mockingjay. *grumbles* At least there are two copies ordered (they said if the hold list gets much longer, they'll order more).

Valia, I'm fairly certain that

Eustace+Jill, I really like Dickens, and what I've read of Bronte. (Except for The Professor which was kind of boring.) Shirley had some interesting ideas, but Jane Eyre was the best, and is one of my overall favorite books. One of very few romance stories I like. As for Dickens, I love him to pieces. A Tale of Two Cities is another one of my very favorites ever. Otherwise, I've read A Christmas Carol (best Christmas story ever), The Pickwick Papers (hilarious ), David Copperfield (good, but long), Great Expectations (has some interesting things in it), The Chimes (a strange little New Year's story), The Cricket on the Hearth (sweet), Oliver Twist (good but creepy in places), and Hard Times (an intriguing critique of education and industrial practices of the time.)

I'm glad you enjoyed Inkdeath, DiGs; is it better than Inkspell?

Well, here are my thoughts. Inkheart has a brilliant plot. The storyline works really well, and it's very vivid, but it lacks really good characterization. Inkspell's plot goes a bit downhill, but what we lose in plot we gain in characterization. By the end of that book, I'm in love with the characters a lot more than I am with the book itself. And in Inkdeath. . . nothing really happens But the characters are so believable that I felt everything that they did.

So let me put it like this: If you like Elinor, you'll be much more pleased with the way she is used in this book, then how she's used in Inkspell. Meggie seems to go on a bit of a backburner, but her father and his relationship to every other character in the book are bursted out all over the place. I won't say any more lest I spoil anything for anybody

I've just finished reading the Attolia series, and I have to say that I really, really, really enjoyed them. They may be the only books that I've read written about that general time period that I've actually liked.

The characters of Gen and Attolia were quite well done. I think I'm going to read them all over again now that I've finished them.

DigoryKirke, I understand you not reading Lord of the Rings. It's a great story and the characters are interesting but Tolkien's writing style is very dry and focuses on extraneous details. Still, you should try them, even just once.

Okay, I've heard so many great things about this "Attolia" series. What's the name of the first book, and who's the author? I might give them a try once I finish Mrs. Jeffries on the Ball.

Sandy, amidst the plethora of people here who have read LOTR, there are those of us here who haven't read it, and have no intention to do so (like me ). I was in a boat similar to you, where I thought, "Gee. . . everybody on NarniaWeb seems to talk about this. Perhaps I should read it too!"

So I tried, and then I felt guilty for not liking them at all. (Sort of like when I couldn't stand another second of Les Miserables). I did end up reading The Hobbit which is like the prequel to LOTR, but I didn't even like that very much.

So I guess I'm trying to say this: Don't feel bad if you don't like them. You're not alone (Even though it may seem like that on this site )

Thanks! But I really am having a hard time on reading the LOTR because of lack of time management. The Part One has 2 books in one book! (hope you got what I just said). I am having a fun time reading it though, but sometimes I get so confused like, wait, who was talking again? Well. Thanks for the advice though.

Reading now the 4th Chapter of LOTR Part ONE! Hope to get halfway!!!

Keep up! Its worth it. The pace picks up more later. And personally, I love the writing style, and all the descriptions of forests and landscapes. They help me picture things in my head. Just wait till you get to Lothlorien!
On a related note, I bought a book on Tolkien the other day. Very interesting so far.

Why did you spoiler tag your sentences? They don't reveal anything.
Nevermind. Yes, but a good writer paces their story well, they give attention to what is needed and don't to what isn't necessary. In short, there's more description about nature than anything else. And it just bogs down the writing.

You can have your own opinions about that. I just happen to really enjoy well-done description like Tolkien's. And he doesn't describe as much, or as pointlessly, as other authors I've read. It does help me to visualize a scene.

To me, Tolkien is a "medium" on the description level. He's nowhere near as bad as Hugo (I quit reading Les Mis after 70 pages because he was STILL describing how good this pastor was!!!) but he's nowhere near as minimal as Lewis is. Lewis tells a reader what they need to know. . . and lets them fill in the rest.

I don't like to have a whole lot of description, because it makes me feel "boxed in." But. . . to each his own.

Hahaha! Tolkien was a bit thick for me and I stopped reading The Lord of the Rings because of the description. It can be enjoyable, I know, and I think that I might enjoy them now that I'm older. I do enjoy Tolkien's lighter works, like Smith of Wooten Major and Farmer Giles of Ham. They're quite amusing and interesting.

Oh, description? I've never read Hugo, but Christopher Paolini takes the cake for me, in what I've read. I was thinking, "Are you SERIOUS? We're on page five of describing the forest! Shut up already!"

I'm either a fan of minimalist description, painting in quick even strokes (as Lewis did), or of medium description. Less description just makes the whole work seem more light and breathable, somehow.

EDIT::

Okay, I've heard so many great things about this "Attolia" series. What's the name of the first book, and who's the author?

WHAT?!? You haven't read the Attolia books yet? Oh my! Heavens, good sir, you must!

They're by Megan Whalen Turner and the first book is called "The Thief". I think it's more of a medium-type description book, but I barely notice description unless it's really little or really alot-- so I figure it's medium. The characters begin to captivate you and just get better as you go! Sheesh, I need to buy those books!

I totally agree with you on Paolini, by the way. I could not stand his descriptions! He went on and on... He just seems like he's trying to write like Tolkien--but he can't.
Not really reading anything aside from college reading assignments.

Yeah, reading some parts was worth it, but very difficult to picture.