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Post by Witcher Wolf on Feb 5, 2007 4:52:41 GMT -5
Is called Martha!*cackles...* Doctor Who humour there And talking of Doctor Who the new novels for the series are rather good, I quite enjoyed: The Clockwise Man.
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Post by Witcher Wolf on Feb 5, 2007 8:02:09 GMT -5
*grins* I couldn't resist it
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Post by Libby on Feb 5, 2007 9:46:37 GMT -5
And talking of Doctor Who the new novels for the series are rather good, I quite enjoyed: The Clockwise Man. I was poking around my local Oxfam bookshop today, looking for stuff to take on holiday, and they have an entire bookcase...prob'ly 6'x6' FULL of Dr Who novels! This visit I picked up Book One 'The Prodigal Son' of Dean Koontz 'Frankenstein', which I've heard good things about and what-I-suspect-is-a-Da-Vinci Code-type book called 'Labyrinth'.
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Post by Aedh on Feb 5, 2007 14:18:25 GMT -5
I was poking around my local Oxfam bookshop today, looking for stuff to take on holiday, and they have an entire bookcase...prob'ly 6'x6' FULL of Dr Who novels! GAAH! *anguished cry ... bangs head ... weeps a bit ... sends waves of raw envy at Libby and her local Oxfam bookshop* In other news, finished Mira's recommendation, "The Warriors of Dawn." 3 stars ... a bit knocked off for an (entirely gratuitous) inconsistency which caused me minor irritation ... still a better-than-average read, though; ahead of the general field, if not ahead of "Gameplayers of Zan."
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Post by Libby on Feb 5, 2007 17:54:07 GMT -5
[I've read Labyrinth...not bad at all...and much better than the Da Vinci Code in my opinion. ...and I see Kate Mosse is a West Sussex girl, too! Read the first chapter (and then put it in my suitcase)...sounds very promising. Da Vinci Code was so-overblown...much prefer Angels and Demons
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Post by ginxy on Feb 8, 2007 18:59:38 GMT -5
Ok....Full Moon Rising Review
I have to say that overall the book wasn't that bad. Granted the writing was nothing that put me in awe - but the characters were fairly interesting and the references to lots of other kinds of non-human races were a nice touch. The book is part of a four part series - and so I'm off to pick up the next book.
The author had different viewpoints about the meaning of the Full Moon cycle of the werewolf (hint it involves a lot of sex) and also had different definitions as to why vampires can't swing the sunshine - which made the book interesting to read - and it was a pretty quick read.
Again, it wasn't the best of books - wasn't the worst of books but it did touch on a lot of cool topics. Such as a vampire-run task force to take care of 'problematic' non-humans that worked with humans etc. The book is based in a world where humans know about non-humans and co-exist with them for the most part. The main character was a werewolf/vampire damphere female and she could kick some butt - so that is promising in my opinion when the female lead is able to take care of herself for the most part. There were also a few subplots running in the book - that I'm sure will carry to the next books - which also kept the book interesting.
So there you go - Now I'm reading Bitten by Kelley Armstrong. So we'll see if that's any good. ;D
I've also got Castle in the Sky and Howl's Moving Castle to read.
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Post by Aedh on Feb 13, 2007 10:23:15 GMT -5
Haven't read much lately aside from work-related stuff. Have been dipping into "Fireflies" by Sir Rabindranath Tagore, a collection of extremely short poems. One example:
"The faith waiting in the heart of a seed promises a miracle of life which it cannot prove at once."
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Post by Aedh on Mar 22, 2007 11:20:41 GMT -5
I'm cranked! The last of my collection arrived in the post yesterday ... I now possess all nine volumes of the original published work of Clark Ashton Smith! Ahhhhh ..... there's no one writing like him now ... not even close!
WHY his works ... among the finest of all fantasy ... remain out of print to-day, I have NO idea. Lawyers again, I'm sure. Arkham House, Chaosium or somebody would surely have acquired his catalogue by now but for legal issues.
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Post by ginxy on Mar 22, 2007 13:26:16 GMT -5
I just finished the follow-up book to Full Moon Rising - Kissing Sin....I went through that book in 6 hours. It's not the most thought provoking read but it is a good form of entertainment - I can't wait to get in the last two books for this series - quick reads and a decent escape from the every day. ;D
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Post by ginxy on Apr 2, 2007 8:55:20 GMT -5
Just finished Tempting Evil and Dangerous Games from the same book series I'd been reading. I have to wait til Aug for the next book in the series. The author is sure covering a lot of ground. She's gone from shifters (people who can change into various animals), to dhampires, to demons, to cloning, to S&M, to magic and it just keeps going. I like the characters but she's not the best writer in the world. I can read one of the author's books in one sitting (400 pgs in 4 hours) so I figure I'm not wasting time if I'm enjoying the read and the plots and characters are at least interesting.
;D
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Post by Aedh on Apr 2, 2007 10:38:19 GMT -5
Wow ... so these books are just basically candy then eh? mmm .... I likes me some candy.
Personally I'm getting started with the last of Mira's recommendations from Mike Foster, "The Day Of The Klesh." I'm also on the fifteenth and LAST ... at long last ... volume of the history textbook series I've been working on for about a year and a half now ... I think I was on Vol. Four or Five when I joined this site in May of last year. THAT will be a real achievement.
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Post by ginxy on Apr 2, 2007 15:33:33 GMT -5
Seeing your post Mira reminded me of one thing from the last book I read - someone in the book was working for the High Priest of Aedh.....lol......basically the good guy mage's. ;D
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Post by Aedh on Apr 2, 2007 22:20:41 GMT -5
Seeing your post Mira reminded me of one thing from the last book I read - someone in the book was working for the High Priest of Aedh.....lol......basically the good guy mage's. ;D I have noted with satisfaction the efforts of my followers. They do pretty well ... for mortals. The trick, I've learned over the aeons, is not to send a mortal to do an Immortal's job.
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Post by Walldude on Apr 2, 2007 23:24:57 GMT -5
Finally got to read the 2 new Star Wars books. Exile which is 4th in a 9 book series and Allegiance which takes place after Episode 4. Luke's learning the way's of the force, Han is struggling with his new role as a hero of the Rebellion and Mara Jade is a tender 18 years old and already yielding a Scarlet Lightsaber as the Emperors Hand. It was pretty bad ass really.
Next up is Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill. A horror novel with a basis in the music world. Joe Hill btw is really Stephen King's son.
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Post by ginxy on Apr 3, 2007 9:45:36 GMT -5
Finally got to read the 2 new Star Wars books. Exile which is 4th in a 9 book series and Allegiance which takes place after Episode 4. Luke's learning the way's of the force, Han is struggling with his new role as a hero of the Rebellion and Mara Jade is a tender 18 years old and already yielding a Scarlet Lightsaber as the Emperors Hand. It was pretty bad ass really. Next up is Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill. A horror novel with a basis in the music world. Joe Hill btw is really Stephen King's son. Cool! I haven't yet read either of those two SW books - I'll have to look into them. Never heard of Heart Shaped Box -I'll have to look it up on Amazon. I have noted with satisfaction the efforts of my followers. They do pretty well ... for mortals. The trick, I've learned over the aeons, is not to send a mortal to do an Immortal's job. LMAO - guess it'll disappoint you then to know that everyone was killed off of the 'House of Aedh' lol - except one man and he was the son of the high priest and he kicked evil's ass. Lesson to be learned - don't under estimate the evil of a dark lord over 10 centuries old who's into S&M.
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Post by Aedh on Apr 4, 2007 11:44:51 GMT -5
I have noted with satisfaction the efforts of my followers. They do pretty well ... for mortals. The trick, I've learned over the aeons, is not to send a mortal to do an Immortal's job. LMAO - guess it'll disappoint you then to know that everyone was killed off of the 'House of Aedh' lol - except one man and he was the son of the high priest and he kicked evil's ass. Lesson to be learned - don't under estimate the evil of a dark lord over 10 centuries old who's into S&M. *lifts eyebrow* Damn ... they're just not making followers like they used to, that's for sure. Maybe I should start offering recruitment bonuses ... *makes note* ... some virgins in the afterlife for the male enlistees ... a guest appearance on "Oprah" for the females ...
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Post by ginxy on Apr 4, 2007 16:36:04 GMT -5
^^ *snicker* - Uhm....I'm not an Oprah fan [ducks the flying objects] so I'll accept a nice uhm....how to put this.....manwhore.....is that too much...ahhahahahahahaha....jk
Currently reading some fanfic that friends have written.
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Post by Aedh on Apr 6, 2007 18:04:09 GMT -5
*snicker* - Uhm....I'm not an Oprah fan Personally I don't know anyone who is. And yet she has a top-rated show ... of course, you won't find anyone in America who will admit to having voted to re-elect President Nixon in 1972; yet he won with a 49-state landslide ... Currently have begin the third of Mira's recommended Mike Foster books, "Day Of The Klesh." I'm not sanguine about the beginning ...the first chapter, so far, is reading like a National Lampoon roast of Dungeons & Dragons/Star Wars. Characters named after kitchen appliances, combined with small, wise, furry aliens ... all I've gotta say it, I'll give it another chapter ... but it had better get better pronto!
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Post by Aedh on Apr 7, 2007 12:59:29 GMT -5
Don't worry...if it really turns out to be that shite, I won't be giving it space either! Really my dear ... your three-in one omnibus volume would look rather strange, methinks, with the last two hundred pages torn out!
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Post by ginxy on Apr 7, 2007 17:19:41 GMT -5
I hate books that are in a volume and one of the books sucks - then you either have to skip it or suffer through it. I usually suffer through it - just to pass onto others how bad it really was......and I mean if you took the time to check-out/buy the book, I feel I should read it at least once.......especially in a series, you never know what obscure detail will be in the crap book that you need for one of the future books........ Editing a newsletter right now - but once I escape work I will be able to finish reading Howl's Moving Castle.
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Post by Aedh on Apr 8, 2007 14:06:40 GMT -5
Currently have begin the third of Mira's recommended Mike Foster books, "Day Of The Klesh." I'm not sanguine about the beginning ...the first chapter, so far, is reading like a National Lampoon roast of Dungeons & Dragons/Star Wars. Characters named after kitchen appliances, combined with small, wise, furry aliens ... all I've gotta say it, I'll give it another chapter ... but it had better get better pronto!OK, I'm reading on. Like "Gameplayers," this looks to be a good read marred by a slow start. I'm still dubious about the kitchen-appliance names, though ... with Foster's language stills--he can devise great names, as witness all the Ler characters--he is obviously painting his human ("Forerunner") characters in intentionally deprecating terms. I don't see that he has any reason to do that ... so far in his universe, humans haven't really done anything to deserve condescension. But it's his story and he can ridicule the race if he wants to. Perhaps he's rather in love with his Ler charas ... a weakness in him as an author. it's the Pygmalion curse ... never fall in love with your own creations.
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Post by Aedh on Apr 8, 2007 16:48:06 GMT -5
Well. yeah ... but characters with names like Cuisinart ...? On the planet Tancred? Come on, dude ... those are names I'd have thrown around when I was a ninth-grade D&D player. However, I do admit that that IS small potatoes as criticism.
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Post by Witcher Wolf on Apr 10, 2007 16:01:15 GMT -5
Tancred?
Now he was a character in a PS2 game called: Summoner, as a bit o'trivia.
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Post by Aedh on Apr 10, 2007 22:36:46 GMT -5
Personally, "Tancred" for me carries memories of the Crusader leader (T. de Hautville). I believe it was also a novel by Disraeli--who perpetrated one of my favourite literary quotes: "When I want to read a good book, I write one." No ... I haven't read the Disraeli novel.
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Post by Witcher Wolf on Apr 11, 2007 6:46:26 GMT -5
In Summoner he's a thief, but I wonder if the writer was a fan of either, or none...?
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Post by ginxy on Apr 11, 2007 9:28:30 GMT -5
Currently reading The Etched City - after someone mentioned it on this board in one of the threads. Actually a pretty strange and interesting book - full review once I'm done reading it - which should be soon (quick read for me).
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Post by Aedh on Apr 12, 2007 2:31:59 GMT -5
In Summoner he's a thief, but I wonder if the writer was a fan of either, or none...? You mean the writer of "Summoner?" I don't know when that was written. I know "Day of the Klesh" was written in 1978-79.
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Post by Aedh on Apr 12, 2007 2:40:05 GMT -5
Just snagged a copy of a wonderful old Penguin anthology called "Cony-Catchers and Bawdy-Baskets" (speaking of thieves): a collection of ten writings from Elizabethan England about the whole underworld of the day, its ranks, trades, aparenticeships, and private jargons, together with accounts of the more notable patriarchs, palliards, and priggers of prancers, apple-squires and barnards, autem morts and walking morts, fraters, Abraham-men, and rufflers. I will enjoy this one.
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Post by Greyflower on Apr 12, 2007 2:48:04 GMT -5
Haven't read anything new recently... No time left for reading (at all)! Drooling for "The Gulag Archipelago" (I borrowed it from my friend a week ago but have no time to read it).
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Post by Aedh on Apr 14, 2007 14:34:05 GMT -5
It's a powerful read ... you will never forget it.
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