*decides not to tell Alyosha and Valia just where she is in War and Peace* Why? Because it would probably discourage you both and I really wouldn't want to do that. Needless to say, though, I hope you both are enjoying it! I sure am!

(the below is not to be read unless you're in Book Three, Part One)

Oh, I've read most of those, I think. Well, four. I don't know how many there are now. Yeah, I was kind of squicked out with the protagonist being fourteen and her love interest being like thirty, but it was handled more or less well, I suppose. They're pretty well written in terms of characterization and stuff, but forgettable, more or less.

I think there's only four in the series, although there might be more now... I'm not sure entirely... I was rather pleased how it was handled in the end, but still I think it's a rather odd sort of thing to have in a "romance" book, if you know what I mean. (I think the author could have made Opal be seventeen or so and it still be believable, I never really felt she was fourteen anyways, to me she always acted to, er, old for her age. If that makes any sense.) *wonders if that all should be put in spoilers*

Bella: From what I understand (about Mansfield Park)

I really like John Christopher's Tripods Trilogy, and I particularly like comparing the ending of The Pool of Fire with the end of the much more recent Diamond of Darkhold by Jeanne Duprau. Pool of Fire was much more satisfying.

Glenstorm, did you know that there are sequels to Big Red? They're called Irish Red and Outlaw Red, and they're both good. *is a fan of Jim Kjelgaard's work*

I may have had half a clue once, but don't any more. What were your's and Mel's thoughts?

Half a clue would be so much better than no clue...

Which reminds me, I finally got around to reading The Ladies of Grace Adieu. I wasn't sure what I thought about the ending of the title story--it seemed a little vague and out there, but the others were all quite amusing.

okay, ya'll, I am completly hooked to "Ranger's Apprentice"! I got to the part in "The Ruins Of Gorlan" with

The last book I read (well, listened to on audiobook) was Daddy Long Legs. I liked it even more than what I expected. The way they wrote it- in an epistolary form- worked so well for the plot and character development.

Previous to that I listened to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Yup, took me this long to get around to it. 42!

Last book I actually read in print was Going Rogue by Sarah Palin. Enjoyed every page of it very much. And I am very happy and proud of her for her new job with Fox News.

okay, forget what I just said about "The Ruins Of Gorlan". it is a total rip-off of lots of books! I feel like I am reading LOTR, "The City Of Ember", and Narnia all at once! I will try to finish it though.....

I finally got Jane Bites Back yesterday. Currently reading it. It's very fluffy and fun. Vampire!Jane owns a bookstore, so she's constantly confronted with the latest rip-offs of her works making a fortune off of her name and she's not too happy about that. And she's a Grammar Nazi, of course. There's quite a bit of dryly sarcastic humor and snarkage, which is fun. The one thing I've come across so far that I disliked was the flashback in which Jane was turned. It's a bedroom scene, and while it's not horribly graphic (not talking Sunshine squicky-ness), it's definitely PG-13. Just seems out of character for Jane the character and definitely for the person.

Shorter post this time.

And you agree that Winter Rose is a difficult book to understand at times? I think I definitely had the wrong introduction to McKillip.

Definitely. And don't worry, I had the wrong introduction to McKillip too, although I was reconciled to her more quickly than you by virtue of reading the Riddle-Master trilogy next. As for Ysabo's parentage:

Yeah, my ER book was quite "meh" as well, Booky. I'm glad you seem to be enjoying Jane Bites Back, but I'm afraid I couldn't stomach it. No siree.

I always did want to read the Tripods books as a preteen, but never got around to the. I did read Christopher's Sword of the Spirits trilogy and enjoyed it, even though it was a bit sad for me at the time. I likes my happy endings.

Yay for reading Ladies, Mel! I wasn't a huge fan of the title story either; it had some great quotes here and there, but otherwise I thought it by far the worst story in the book.

And now for the big news ... I finally finished LotR! I loved it, of course, and just wished I had taken time out to finish it sooner. Reviews of it, The Phantom of the Opera, and The Magician's Nephew are still pending. Meanwhile, I've started Ann Patchett's Bel Canto, figuring that after the success of Cotillion, another dual recommendation from wisewoman and ChocolateMuse might not be a bad way to go. My grandmother also likes the book and had a copy on hand, so the notion proved irresistible.

I had three literature classes today - Renaissance Literature, Readings in Spanish, and Jane Austen and the Popular Imagination. The last is going to be a ton of reading, but also a ton of fun! I can just picture some of my fellow NarniaWebbers in that class, enjoying it along with me. I can also see ww wrinkling her nose at my teacher's description of the heroine in Cold Comfort Farm as "a Jane Austen heroine in the twentieth century." She passes muster as far as I'm concerned, though: her favorite adaptations are the BBC P&P, the Emma Thompson S&S, and the Root/Hinds Persuasion.

It's been too long since I was in here.

Skimming a bit:

I like the book, but the Count is so twisted and depressing that I don't really like him that much. I really really miss the original pre-treasure Edmund. He was earnest, naive, and generous. Now he's cynical, arrogant, and lords over everyone.

I agree! I really have trouble liking or sympathizing with the Count at all for the majority of the book. I realize he's been terribly wronged, but that does not justify him in playing God and seeking revenge the way he does. And it makes it a bit hard to fully enjoy the book when you can't care for such a central character.

McKillip especially; recommendations welcomed — I've only read the Riddlemaster trilogy.)

Lysander's listed nearly all of her best work, but my favorite McKillip is In the Forests of Serre. It reminds me quite a lot of a Grimm fairytale, only darker and richer and more complex. And I'd say it's just as gorgeously written as Winter Rose --but less vague and confusing than WR. Anyway, highly recommended!

I'm very confused by this statement that Utopia could be the first fantasy novel...I'm also currently reading both Beowulf and The Iliad and I would say that both contain far more elements of fantasy, especially Beowulf...Perhaps it's the word 'novel' that makes the differentiation? I suppose you could exclude both Beowulf and The Iliad from the novel category since they were originally composed and received orally, but once they were written down, they surely become 'novels'?

I'm not sure on this, but wouldn't both Beowulf and The Iliad be classified as epic poems? Or is it possible for something written in poetic meter to be considered a novel?
And I haven't read all of Utopia, but I would call it a mix of political commentary and satire, rather than fantasy. I don't think the "fantasy novel" really came into being until the 1800s.

Glenstorm, really nice finds! I'm jealous of your dump.

[quote="lysander about Winter Rose":n10ozdw5]Her prose may be at its most beautiful here, which is very beautiful indeed where McKillip is concerned; was there ever a more beautiful description of a sunset than that of the Meliors sitting on their porch “watching the day slowly bloom into night”? The characterization was amazing as well—for once I wasn't bothered by the love triangle/quadrangle—and the glimpses we get of Faerieland were quite chilling. This one is a bit difficult and obscure, so I wouldn't recommend it for a starting point for McKillip newbies, and for me the first half was better than the second. Still, brilliant.

Winter Rose was my first McKillip, and on first read, I hated it. Of all her books, it's probably one of the worst to start with. Even in more straightforward novels, her style takes some time to acclimate to (and I knew nothing about Tam Lin at the time, which didn't help). This year, I decided to go back and reread it and was blown away. It has to be some of the loveliest writing I've ever come across, and I love how quiet the danger is. Life seems to be semi-normal, and yet underneath something is utterly wrong. Which is far more terrifying than an open physical threat.
I think I'm due for another reread...

[spoiler=]who is Dr. & Mrs. Grant, Admiral Crawford, and Miss and Mr. Crawford and where did they come from and what relation do they have to the main characters? For me, they just, like, randomly popped out of no where in the book so explanation would be appreciated so much...

Glenstorm, really nice finds! I'm jealous of your dump.

hehe everyone is

lys: lucky! I suppose it is my fault that I'm still not done. I have less than 100 pages left in The Fellowship. I have been reading other books in between, though, which would be...

...The Young Royals Series. Amazing books, I love them! Written about different members of the Tudor family, it really brings the Queens of England to life (yes just Queens, unfortunately the author does not write about boys). But I just adore these books. Especially the one about Queen Mary, Mary, Bloody Mary. The emotion in this story is just gripping and it actually makes you feel bad for and like her, even though she did burn all those people...

yeah, GTG has a really awesome dump! I went with her to it once recently and I found a bunch of books:

Sparrow Hawk Red by Ben Michaelson

Dive book #3: The Deep by Gordon Korman

Because Of Winn Dixie (I forgot the author.....)

and she found Inkheart there and gave it to me (yay!)!

And now for the big news ... I finally finished LotR!

You...hadn't...read it before?? I-I don't think we can be friends! Well, I guess you deserve some congratulations for having read it at last.^^ I'm glad you liked it! You've heard enough about it, I imagine. What were some of your favorite parts??

Isn't The Moonstone a wonderful book? Equal doses of lovable characters and tragedy, a hint of Oriental mysticism, all the hilarious changes of voice when the author switches narration...I love that book. The Woman in White was good too, but less a favorite.

malkah, that Wind in the Willows quote is darling! And it is very Lewis-like. I read the quote before your paragraph, and I thought it was Lewis at first.

I am almost done with my reread of Les Miserables. I like it even more now...I'm able to understand it more as a narrative whole, and revisiting all these characters after they are already beloved is nice too. It's funny how my images of them have changed a little. At first, I imagined Enjolras to look more broody and dark-haired. Now I see him as the blond Apollo of Hugo's many descriptions.^^
But one thing I've noticed about Hugo's style is kind of funny. In his descriptions and especially in the philosophical bits, the sentences are often formatted like, "The ____ can be a ____." "When___, the _____is a _____." Sometimes I don't agree with them. In speaking of the Thenardiess: "Caressing the cubs soothes the beast of the woods" or something...um, no. A wild animal will not be soothed if you pet its babies. It's nitpicky but it's kind of amusing.^^

I have a good friend who loves reading but normally eschews "classics," though she is not afraid of length or dense writing. So, I agreed to read all the Harry Potter books if she would read Les Miserables. I'm thinking of starting on my end of the bargain soon. I've really sold my soul, haven't I...but it's for a good cause!

Oh no, kot, I simply meant that I finally finished the reread.

malkah, your description of In the Forests of Serre has made me determine that that will be my next McKillip - I'll probably pick it up from the library either over Spring Break or at the beginning of the summer. And I hope my return to my first McKillip (The Tower at Stony Wood) will prove as productive as yours. I, too, was not enamored of the first novel of hers I read.

Read Austen's Lady Susan for class the other day. This was my first time, and I found it both original and different. Mort thoughts later.

Today I read Belle by Cameron Oakey. It is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. However, Belle is a woodcarver this time- not a librarian. I like the fact that the mother is present the whole time. Sadly, too many fairy tales have a missing mother.

I have realized that retellings of fairy tales would be my favorite fantasy subgenre. I absolutely love Shannon Hale. I have read several of Gail Carson Levine's retellings as well. I think the next one I will pick up is the retelling of the 12 Dancing Princesses.

I think after finishing The Fellowship, I'm gonna take a little break from LOTR. It's boring me a bit and since I'm not hugely into fantasy anymore, reading it is punishment at the moment. And I don't like punishing myself . So I'm gonna give it a rest and read some other books on my reading list (aka Persuasion, which I have been waiting for months to read!). I mean, I will finish the series. I just wish I hadn't waited to read them...for so long. They would have been/be alot easier to read if I had been going through the same fantasty phase that I have been for the past 2-3 years but am now through...now I like historical fiction, though I've always enjoyed that

I liked Gail Carson Levine's books alot when I was younger. I haven't read any in a while though. I don't know if I would still like them...

Gazer, I look forward to your thoughts on the next QoA and KoA. Hope you get hold of copies somewhere (I still have to buy my own copies. . .). The Attolia stuff will make more sense as you get into the second book.

Mara, I don't want to admit how long it took for me to get that comic.

GtG, I can't believe the finds you get at your dump.

Bella, I completely agree with what you said about Anne Frank's diary. I've never been big on reading people's complaints about growing up (unless they're my own, in which case I can laugh at my immaturity ).

Ooh, I just read Mansfield Park. It's good but, the story isn't as strong or fascinating to me as some of Austen's others.

1. The Bell at Sealey Head—my favorite after the Riddlemaster trilogy; delightful and warm and Austen-like
2. The Alphabet of Thorn—some content in this one, and I'm not a fan of the two leads, but the plot is one of her strongest
3. Winter Rose—well, read the review I've posted below
4. Ombria in Shadow—I love the characters and setting of this one, not to mention the cover
5. last but not least, The Forgotten Beasts of Eld—her first big success and one of her best; most similar in tone to Riddle-Master

Not eager, eh? Thank you very much for the recommendations. I managed to snag The Bell at Sealey Head, The Alphabet of Thorn, and Ombria in Shadow at my library; the others are on my list.

Your HHB link was broken, but I poked around and found the review.

Lewis isn’t saying that the Calormene people are evil, but that their political system and culture may be, and that their religion certainly is. That’s not PC either, but there you have it. And there are certain aspects of Calormene culture that Lewis does seem to love; you can just hear the affection in his writing as he talks about their storytelling abilities, or as he describes the architecture of Tashbaan. This is not really surprising, considering his love for The Arabian Nights, which undoubtedly inspired this tale.

Very nicely said. Wonderful review. I'm afraid I didn't read any of your others, as I'm finicky about spoilers and have read a few too many in reviews before. I bookmarked several though.

I think some of the grammar mistakes and such depend on the edition of the book you have.

I'm sure; I hope I didn't sound too harsh? It's just something that jars me out of a story when I'm reading and triggers the urge to alter the page with a large quality of red ink.

Oy, did I forget to mention that about The Midnight Dancers? I was typing those thoughts up in a very rambling manner. What you mentioned in the spoiler bothered me as well. And, we were supposed to like Rachel? I thought that would come in another book, cause I didn't find her very endearing. I can understand what you're relaying from Aly though. And, I thought she was working on a book about Alex and Kateri (from Waking Rose). Here's the link that I got this from.

Ditto on the WR spoiler.

And, hey! You can still read War and Peace with us---I'm not anywhere near being done.

I'd love to, but I've got too many books open and/or sitting on my shelves needing to be read before the library can reclaim them (not to mention textbooks!) to pick up WaP right now.

Bella, others have answered your question about Mansfield Park, but I understand the confusion with the mentioned characters appearance; they just kind of appear in the story, without a whole lot of introduction.

Lysander's listed nearly all of her best work, but my favorite McKillip is In the Forests of Serre. It reminds me quite a lot of a Grimm fairytale, only darker and richer and more complex. And I'd say it's just as gorgeously written as Winter Rose --but less vague and confusing than WR. Anyway, highly recommended!

*scribbles this onto her list as well* Thank you for the recommendation!

*chuckles at kotwcs misunderstanding of Ly's LotR celebration*

That was more then I expected to write.

I'm still plugging through Anne Frank's diary; I've picked up Silas Marner for a long due reread, I will admit that I'm seeing a lot more of the Middlemarch Eliot then my memory recalled I'm at the part my brother described as "a bunch of drunks arguing over a dead cow" AKA

Now, it's a hundred fits and starts, sputtering ink nibs, stray ends going nowhere—like being a spider, most likely, on a windy day, tendrils always sailing off.