Friday, December 30, 2011
Awesome Word (Or Phrase) of the Unspecified Random Time Period
Zenzizenzizenzic: Noun: An obsolete term for the 8th power of a number, or the square of a square squared. The zenzizenzizenzic of 2, for instance, is 16. Now obsolete except as a curiosity, zenzizenzizenzic also has the most z's of any word in the Oxford English Dictionary. I ran across this word in the third Emily the Strange book, Dark Times, and, having verified that it is really a word, am sharing it with you. Enjoy!
Saturday, December 10, 2011
A Local Habitation
By Seanan McGuire
An October Daye Novel
After a shattering fifteen years, mostly spent as a fish, Toby's life is slowly staring to reassemble itself--she's got a PI licence in the mortal world, friends , and most importantly, she is not dead. However, that last one may change, and quickly. When her liege lord Sylvester Torquill, Duke of Shadowed Hills sends her to check up on his niece, it wasn't supposed to be overly dangerous. January O'Leary is the countess of Tamed Lightening in Fremont, and hasn't been in touch with Sylvester for a while, which is unusual. Sylvester wants Toby to check on her and make sure its all right. It isn't supposed to take more than a few days, and she is to take Quentin, the Daoine Sidhe page from Shadowed Hills, so he can get some experience. However, as we all know, nothing is that simple with Toby
When Toby gets there she finds an odd place, even by Faerie standards. She also finds blocked phones, dead Faeries, and lots of secrets. The most worrying thing, even besides the killer stalking Tamed Lightening, is that when the victims die, the night haunts don't take the bodies and switch them with human-seeming replacements. (For why this is so bad, check the Glossary for a description of the night haunts and their habits.) Now Toby must find the killer, hopefully before whoever or whatever it is kills her, Quentin, Connor, Tybalt or anyone else.
Well, once again, I loved, absolutely loved this book. I always appreciate novel forms of faeries and critters, and A Local Habitation did not disappoint. I had never heard of some of these creatures and concepts before. Seanan McGuire has created a wonderful sequel to Rosemary and Rue, with all of its predecessor's dark charm and gripping writing. I have read this entire series so far and am waiting with bated breath for the next one. If you don't like murder mysteries or dark worlds, this book may not be for you. However, if you don't mind a little violence, dark humor, and some creepy characters, this series can be funny, enthralling, and absolutely addictive.
An October Daye Novel
After a shattering fifteen years, mostly spent as a fish, Toby's life is slowly staring to reassemble itself--she's got a PI licence in the mortal world, friends , and most importantly, she is not dead. However, that last one may change, and quickly. When her liege lord Sylvester Torquill, Duke of Shadowed Hills sends her to check up on his niece, it wasn't supposed to be overly dangerous. January O'Leary is the countess of Tamed Lightening in Fremont, and hasn't been in touch with Sylvester for a while, which is unusual. Sylvester wants Toby to check on her and make sure its all right. It isn't supposed to take more than a few days, and she is to take Quentin, the Daoine Sidhe page from Shadowed Hills, so he can get some experience. However, as we all know, nothing is that simple with Toby
When Toby gets there she finds an odd place, even by Faerie standards. She also finds blocked phones, dead Faeries, and lots of secrets. The most worrying thing, even besides the killer stalking Tamed Lightening, is that when the victims die, the night haunts don't take the bodies and switch them with human-seeming replacements. (For why this is so bad, check the Glossary for a description of the night haunts and their habits.) Now Toby must find the killer, hopefully before whoever or whatever it is kills her, Quentin, Connor, Tybalt or anyone else.
Well, once again, I loved, absolutely loved this book. I always appreciate novel forms of faeries and critters, and A Local Habitation did not disappoint. I had never heard of some of these creatures and concepts before. Seanan McGuire has created a wonderful sequel to Rosemary and Rue, with all of its predecessor's dark charm and gripping writing. I have read this entire series so far and am waiting with bated breath for the next one. If you don't like murder mysteries or dark worlds, this book may not be for you. However, if you don't mind a little violence, dark humor, and some creepy characters, this series can be funny, enthralling, and absolutely addictive.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Awesome Word (Or Phrase) of the Unspecified Random Time Period
A Base Canard: Noun: An unfounded or baseless rumour or story, generally derogatory in nature. For instance: "A vampire? Me? That is but a base canard!" Not a phrase you run into very often, but it is fun, isnt it? *smug*
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Awesome Word (Or Phrase) of the Unspecified Random Time Period
Velocipede: Noun: A velocipede is any human-powered land vehicle with one or more wheels. A bicycle is the most common velocipede nowadays, but unicycles, tricycles, quadricycles--most cycles in fact--are velocipedes, as well as scooters and monowheels. A possible sentance containing the word is "Shall I escort you to your velocipede?"
Friday, November 4, 2011
Going Postal
By Terry Pratchett
A Novel of Discworld
The Post Office of Ankh Morpork is in disrepair, no one uses it, and it's Post Master Generals keep dying. And don't ask about the New Pie. They don't like to talk about it. Bergholt Stuttley (Bloody Stupid) Johnson was involved, which if you know anything about Ankh Morpork, should tell you quite a bit. Anyway, things went very bad, until the Post Office was where you put letters if you never wanted to see them again. Lord Vetinari wished to restore it to its former glory, make it useful again. And so, he appointed the best sort of man for any government job. A convicted criminal.
Now, Moist Von Lipwig ( Yes, that is his name. It is pronounced Lip Vick, and Moist is a perfectly common name in Uberwald) has never killed anyone, or even physically hurt anyone. All he ever did was trick people who though they were tricking him, and forge a few papers. His motto is "Never look back, you never know who might be catching up." He was a very successful conman until the police caught him, and sentenced him to be hanged. Which he was. He then woke up with a choice between honest employment, and the option of actually having the execution be SUCCESSFUL, if a bit late. He ran for it and was dragged back by a golem (huge clay man, literally fiery eyes, NEVER stops, EVER). So now he is the Post Master. And between all that buisness with the clacks, and the men on the roof, and the letters talking to him, and the secret organisation of postmen, and Moist's runaway mouth, adrenaline addiction, and instinct for conning people... well, things could get interesting. Oh, and the girl.
Well, Terry Pratchett has done it again! Yet another book, yet another few hours straight of hysterical laughter, yet another set of fantastic characters and caricatured reality. This book goes straight to the top of my reread list again and again, and again and again I love it. The mad genius of humor has brought forth another fabulous creation, and if I don't wind up reading it until I have large sections memorized, it won't be for lack of trying.
A Novel of Discworld
The Post Office of Ankh Morpork is in disrepair, no one uses it, and it's Post Master Generals keep dying. And don't ask about the New Pie. They don't like to talk about it. Bergholt Stuttley (Bloody Stupid) Johnson was involved, which if you know anything about Ankh Morpork, should tell you quite a bit. Anyway, things went very bad, until the Post Office was where you put letters if you never wanted to see them again. Lord Vetinari wished to restore it to its former glory, make it useful again. And so, he appointed the best sort of man for any government job. A convicted criminal.
Now, Moist Von Lipwig ( Yes, that is his name. It is pronounced Lip Vick, and Moist is a perfectly common name in Uberwald) has never killed anyone, or even physically hurt anyone. All he ever did was trick people who though they were tricking him, and forge a few papers. His motto is "Never look back, you never know who might be catching up." He was a very successful conman until the police caught him, and sentenced him to be hanged. Which he was. He then woke up with a choice between honest employment, and the option of actually having the execution be SUCCESSFUL, if a bit late. He ran for it and was dragged back by a golem (huge clay man, literally fiery eyes, NEVER stops, EVER). So now he is the Post Master. And between all that buisness with the clacks, and the men on the roof, and the letters talking to him, and the secret organisation of postmen, and Moist's runaway mouth, adrenaline addiction, and instinct for conning people... well, things could get interesting. Oh, and the girl.
Well, Terry Pratchett has done it again! Yet another book, yet another few hours straight of hysterical laughter, yet another set of fantastic characters and caricatured reality. This book goes straight to the top of my reread list again and again, and again and again I love it. The mad genius of humor has brought forth another fabulous creation, and if I don't wind up reading it until I have large sections memorized, it won't be for lack of trying.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Awesome Word (Or Phrase) of the Unspecified Random Time Period
Gallimaufry: Noun: A "gallimaufry" is either a confused jumble or medley of things or a hash made from minced or diced meats. I have no idea where I first heard this, as it is not a word in much common use. I find this to be a great pity, as it is an extremely awesome word!
Sunday, October 16, 2011
The Girl In the Steel Corset
By Kady Cross
The Steampunk Chronicles
The Girl: Finley Jayne outwardly seems a purely ordinary Victorian serving girl, apart from her beauty. What no one knows, however, is that she has a dark side--a split personality that enables her to knock out a man with one punch. A punch, or, in the case of the cruel, boorish son of her latest employer, a kick.
The Duke: Griffin King is the exeedingly rich, rather eccentric young Duke of Greythorne. His parents had discovered the Organites, tiny creatures able to exactly mimic the body's cellular behavior. Griffin takes Finley in after he runs her over as she is running from her employers' house after defending herself from their son. His friends protest, correctly believing her dangerous, but inncorrectly assuming her dangerous to their friend and themselves.
The Genius: Emily O'Brien is an amazingly talented inventor and mechanic, although unrecognised by the world at large. She lives in Greythorne House and in the course of the story creates a terrifing and beautiful mechanical cat, the fantastical corset mentioned in the title, and saves the lives of Sam and Griffin both.
The Mechanical Man: Sam Morgan was attacked and almost killed by an automaton gone berserk. Emily Saved him, but in the proscess replaced his heart, right arm, and parts of his shoulder and legs with metal and Organite. Sam now fears machines and sometimes almost hates Emily for what she did.
The Mechanist: A criminal mastermind who uses automatons, the Mechanist was behind the attack on Sam as well as several other crimes. He is currently carrying out a terrifying plot against Griffin and his band of strays, as well as stealing several objects relating the the Queen.
Will Griff and his friends survive the coming battles, and can Finley come to terms with her dark side before someone gets hurt or she loses her new friends? Read the book and find out.
I recently got into steampunk, and I must say I love it! Robots and airships and corsets, oh my! The Girl in the Steel Corset is a wonderful example of the genre, and the writing, plot, and characters are fantastic! A wonderfully shadowy London is revealed within, gleaming with rivets and steel. I love this book, I really do, and am waiting eagerly and rather hyperactively for the sequel. There WILL be a sequel, I must believe, or I shall be quite put out.
The Steampunk Chronicles
The Girl: Finley Jayne outwardly seems a purely ordinary Victorian serving girl, apart from her beauty. What no one knows, however, is that she has a dark side--a split personality that enables her to knock out a man with one punch. A punch, or, in the case of the cruel, boorish son of her latest employer, a kick.
The Duke: Griffin King is the exeedingly rich, rather eccentric young Duke of Greythorne. His parents had discovered the Organites, tiny creatures able to exactly mimic the body's cellular behavior. Griffin takes Finley in after he runs her over as she is running from her employers' house after defending herself from their son. His friends protest, correctly believing her dangerous, but inncorrectly assuming her dangerous to their friend and themselves.
The Genius: Emily O'Brien is an amazingly talented inventor and mechanic, although unrecognised by the world at large. She lives in Greythorne House and in the course of the story creates a terrifing and beautiful mechanical cat, the fantastical corset mentioned in the title, and saves the lives of Sam and Griffin both.
The Mechanical Man: Sam Morgan was attacked and almost killed by an automaton gone berserk. Emily Saved him, but in the proscess replaced his heart, right arm, and parts of his shoulder and legs with metal and Organite. Sam now fears machines and sometimes almost hates Emily for what she did.
The Mechanist: A criminal mastermind who uses automatons, the Mechanist was behind the attack on Sam as well as several other crimes. He is currently carrying out a terrifying plot against Griffin and his band of strays, as well as stealing several objects relating the the Queen.
Will Griff and his friends survive the coming battles, and can Finley come to terms with her dark side before someone gets hurt or she loses her new friends? Read the book and find out.
I recently got into steampunk, and I must say I love it! Robots and airships and corsets, oh my! The Girl in the Steel Corset is a wonderful example of the genre, and the writing, plot, and characters are fantastic! A wonderfully shadowy London is revealed within, gleaming with rivets and steel. I love this book, I really do, and am waiting eagerly and rather hyperactively for the sequel. There WILL be a sequel, I must believe, or I shall be quite put out.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
The Color of Magic
By Terry Pratchett
A Novel Of Discworld
Ankh-Morpork has just recieved its first tourist--Twoflower from the Agatean Empire--and the notoriously inept wizard Rincewind has volunteered to be his guide. Well, sort of volunteered, in the sense that he could, if he so chose, leave Twoflower to his fate, and he is not going to get paid for being his guide. He could leave the tourist, that is, if Rincewind wanted to die, as Lord Vetinari made perfectly clear. Now, Rincewind is not a wise wizard, nor powerful, nor brave. What he is, is so cowardly that he can survive almost anything, and he also has one of the Great Spells hanging out in his brain, causing him to be unable to learn any other spell and to be expelled from the Unseen University. So he is really the perfect guide for Twoflower. For, as Rincewind put it, "if complete and utter chaos were lightning, then [Twoflower would] be the sort to stand on a hilltop in a thunderstorm wearing wet copper armor shouting [uncomplimentary things about the gods]." After a misunderstanding in which Twoflower accidentally causes all of Ankh-Morpork to be burnt down, the tourist and his reluctant guide set off across the Disc, narrowly escaping dragons, Bel-Shamharoth*, trolls, and falling off the edge of the Disc. Of course, they do get--oops, can't tell you that, it would spoil the story. Go read it and find out for yourself.
Technically the first book in the Discworld series, The Color of Magic won't really give you any information on Discworld that you wouldn't get from starting with any other book in the series, so it really doesn't matter which you read first. Anyway, I loved (of course) this book! It is over-the-top funny, and just generally awesome! Terry Pratchett, as always, seems unable to write a single paragraph that doesn't poke fun at the world in general, and humanity in specific. The Discworld is a beautifully realised world with fantastic characters and well satirized cliches.Love it, read it, tell other people to read it, re-read it, repeat!
*Also known as the Soul Render, the Sender of Eight, and "the flip side of the coin of which Good and Evil are but one side." Whatever it (he?) is, it has too many tentacles for comfort.
A Novel Of Discworld
Ankh-Morpork has just recieved its first tourist--Twoflower from the Agatean Empire--and the notoriously inept wizard Rincewind has volunteered to be his guide. Well, sort of volunteered, in the sense that he could, if he so chose, leave Twoflower to his fate, and he is not going to get paid for being his guide. He could leave the tourist, that is, if Rincewind wanted to die, as Lord Vetinari made perfectly clear. Now, Rincewind is not a wise wizard, nor powerful, nor brave. What he is, is so cowardly that he can survive almost anything, and he also has one of the Great Spells hanging out in his brain, causing him to be unable to learn any other spell and to be expelled from the Unseen University. So he is really the perfect guide for Twoflower. For, as Rincewind put it, "if complete and utter chaos were lightning, then [Twoflower would] be the sort to stand on a hilltop in a thunderstorm wearing wet copper armor shouting [uncomplimentary things about the gods]." After a misunderstanding in which Twoflower accidentally causes all of Ankh-Morpork to be burnt down, the tourist and his reluctant guide set off across the Disc, narrowly escaping dragons, Bel-Shamharoth*, trolls, and falling off the edge of the Disc. Of course, they do get--oops, can't tell you that, it would spoil the story. Go read it and find out for yourself.
Technically the first book in the Discworld series, The Color of Magic won't really give you any information on Discworld that you wouldn't get from starting with any other book in the series, so it really doesn't matter which you read first. Anyway, I loved (of course) this book! It is over-the-top funny, and just generally awesome! Terry Pratchett, as always, seems unable to write a single paragraph that doesn't poke fun at the world in general, and humanity in specific. The Discworld is a beautifully realised world with fantastic characters and well satirized cliches.Love it, read it, tell other people to read it, re-read it, repeat!
*Also known as the Soul Render, the Sender of Eight, and "the flip side of the coin of which Good and Evil are but one side." Whatever it (he?) is, it has too many tentacles for comfort.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Awesome Word (Or Phrase) of the Unspecified Random Time Period
Luscious: Adjective: Luscious means: pleasurable to the senses or mind; rich; or luxurious. So you could say... She bit into the luscious peach, the room was lusciously furnished, or her writing style was rich with luscious descriptions. I generally get a mental image of biting into a perfectly ripe, juicy peach when hearing or using this word. This is one of those words that doesn't get used enough in casual conversation. Why not try it out?
Friday, August 19, 2011
High Wizardry
By Diane Duane
Book Three of the Young Wizards Series
Nita's younger sister Dairine just found out that wizardry exists, and that her sister is a wizard. Star Wars addict that she is, Dairine is thrilled, and she wants wizardry. Then Nita's family gets a new computer, and Dairine discovers that it has some unusual software. The computer is a Manual, and Dairine is a wizard. Not only a wizard, but a wizard more powerful than Nita and Kit together. And all that power attracts attention. Dairine gets herself halfway across the galaxy before anyone realizes she's gone, and attracts the Lone Power's attention. She gives Its minions the slip and finds a planet light years away from the known universe to hide out until she figures out the computer better. The planet she finds turns out to be basically a giant computer chip, and sentient. It plugs into Dairine's computer, and she gives it everything Spot--the computer- has got, including the wizardry. The planet then produces the mobiles with Dairines help; small robot like creatures linked to the Motherboard--the planet--and eachother. THIS is the reason for Dairine's power. Wizardry is not random. powerful wizards appear when needed, and now Dairine must face off against the Lone Power, aiding in the mobiles Choice. Nita and Kit meanwhile, have found her missing, and with Peach, the local Senior wizards' psychic macaw have set off to find her. Can they find her before the Lone Power destroys the mobiles--and Dairine?
I have been meaning to do this post for a while now, but somehow never got around to it. High Wizardry is my favorite book in an absolutely wonderful series. Amazing characters and world, facinating plot, brilliant writing, Diane Duane's Young Wizard series is a must read for any fantasy lover. LOVE IT! I know I tend to gush in these reviews, but truly, this book is that good. They all are! Anyway, read the series, and READ THE BOOK!
Book Three of the Young Wizards Series
Nita's younger sister Dairine just found out that wizardry exists, and that her sister is a wizard. Star Wars addict that she is, Dairine is thrilled, and she wants wizardry. Then Nita's family gets a new computer, and Dairine discovers that it has some unusual software. The computer is a Manual, and Dairine is a wizard. Not only a wizard, but a wizard more powerful than Nita and Kit together. And all that power attracts attention. Dairine gets herself halfway across the galaxy before anyone realizes she's gone, and attracts the Lone Power's attention. She gives Its minions the slip and finds a planet light years away from the known universe to hide out until she figures out the computer better. The planet she finds turns out to be basically a giant computer chip, and sentient. It plugs into Dairine's computer, and she gives it everything Spot--the computer- has got, including the wizardry. The planet then produces the mobiles with Dairines help; small robot like creatures linked to the Motherboard--the planet--and eachother. THIS is the reason for Dairine's power. Wizardry is not random. powerful wizards appear when needed, and now Dairine must face off against the Lone Power, aiding in the mobiles Choice. Nita and Kit meanwhile, have found her missing, and with Peach, the local Senior wizards' psychic macaw have set off to find her. Can they find her before the Lone Power destroys the mobiles--and Dairine?
I have been meaning to do this post for a while now, but somehow never got around to it. High Wizardry is my favorite book in an absolutely wonderful series. Amazing characters and world, facinating plot, brilliant writing, Diane Duane's Young Wizard series is a must read for any fantasy lover. LOVE IT! I know I tend to gush in these reviews, but truly, this book is that good. They all are! Anyway, read the series, and READ THE BOOK!
Friday, July 1, 2011
Awesome Word (Or Phrase) of the Unspecified Random Time Period
Frakking Gobfarks: One of Emily the Strange's unique and interesting expletives. I have no idea what it means, but it is cool.
Dealing With Dragons
By Patricia C. Wrede
The Enchanted Forest Chronicles, Book One
Cimorene has most emphatically never been a "proper" princess. She has, in succession, gotten people to teach her fencing, magic, Latin, cooking, economics, and juggling. Each series of lessons stoppped as soon as her parents found out. Such things are not "proper" for a princess. Simply not done. Then, the final straw. Her parent attempt to engage her to an idiot prince who is handsome and nothing else. A talking frog--not a transformed prince--tells her that he knows some people who can help her. These people turned out to be dragons.
That is how Cimorene came to volunteer as a dragon's princess, yet another thing condisered "not done". It suits her though. Well, apart from the knights constantly showing up to rescue her and refusing to tell anyone else that she doesn't want to be rescued. But she has a bigger problem than them. The wizards have been poking aroung the Mountains of Morning more than usual, and getting into places they shouldn't. Since they steal magic, which the dragons don't like, and tend to be rather sinister, this is bad. What are they up to, and why does soapy water with lemon juice make a good weapon? You'll have to read the book to find out.
No, really, read the book.
One of what I consider classics, this is a great book--series--that I have been in love with for quite a few years now. A great read for all ages, I heartily reccomend Dealing with dragons to anyone who likes fantasy and unconventional princesses. I just finished rereading it for the....uh....(insert large number here) time. REALLY GOOD BOOK, REALLY GOOD AUTHOR.
The Enchanted Forest Chronicles, Book One
Cimorene has most emphatically never been a "proper" princess. She has, in succession, gotten people to teach her fencing, magic, Latin, cooking, economics, and juggling. Each series of lessons stoppped as soon as her parents found out. Such things are not "proper" for a princess. Simply not done. Then, the final straw. Her parent attempt to engage her to an idiot prince who is handsome and nothing else. A talking frog--not a transformed prince--tells her that he knows some people who can help her. These people turned out to be dragons.
That is how Cimorene came to volunteer as a dragon's princess, yet another thing condisered "not done". It suits her though. Well, apart from the knights constantly showing up to rescue her and refusing to tell anyone else that she doesn't want to be rescued. But she has a bigger problem than them. The wizards have been poking aroung the Mountains of Morning more than usual, and getting into places they shouldn't. Since they steal magic, which the dragons don't like, and tend to be rather sinister, this is bad. What are they up to, and why does soapy water with lemon juice make a good weapon? You'll have to read the book to find out.
No, really, read the book.
One of what I consider classics, this is a great book--series--that I have been in love with for quite a few years now. A great read for all ages, I heartily reccomend Dealing with dragons to anyone who likes fantasy and unconventional princesses. I just finished rereading it for the....uh....(insert large number here) time. REALLY GOOD BOOK, REALLY GOOD AUTHOR.
Monday, June 6, 2011
The Fairy Godmother
By Mercedes Lackey
A Tale of the Five Hundred Kingdoms
Elena was supposed to be Cinderella, but things went a little askew. The local Prince was six, and Elena's stepmother left town, allowing her to try to escape. She was offered a job by what seemed like a kind, if a bit nutty old lady. Turned out, Bella was the Fairy Godmother for Elena's kingdom, and the job was to be her apprentice! Elena learns that Fairy Godmothers oversee the kingdoms, making sure that an invisible but overwhelmingly powerful force called the Tradition doesn't ruin too many peoples lives. The Tradition forces people's lives into fairy tales, songs and legends, but for every person who gets a happy ending, there are those who don't. Fairy tales don't always end happily, and even for those that do, people can die. And then there are the people who never get to finish their story, like Elena. Godmothers make sure that the bad stories don't happen, and steer the good stories to the proper outcome. They also make sure that the people who need to learn important lessons, become better people, and that sort of thing.
Elena becomes a Godmother, looking after several kingdoms. Of course, this means dealing with a lot of idiots. And unicorns. I'll explain the unicorns later. Anyway, while working out a part of one fairy tale--three princes, old lady (Elena in disguise), two of the princes are nasty to old lady, one is nice, the nice one get helped, the others get punished, blah blah blah--one prince is so nasty, she turns him into a donkey. Not exactly Traditional, but it'll do. Alexander--the prince--of course believes she's an evil witch, but at that point he's an arrogant numskull with a bad case of royal superiority, so whatever. He'll figure it out. Since she needs a donkey anyway, and she can't just let him wander around the forest on his own, Elena takes him home with her to work and hopefully learn something and get over his royalness.
This is going to be fun--for us readers at least. Maybe not so much for the characters. Heheheh.
I love this series. LOVE IT! Mercedes Lackey is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. The Fairy Godmother is a great book in a great series. Pure fantasy, not super dark either. Funny, inventive, and extremely well written, The Fairy Godmother is a must read fairytale mash-up.
p.s. I forgot the unicorns. They are very beautiful, but have no brains to speak of, especially in the presence of a virgin. They go all floppy and even more idiotic than usual. There is reason they are rare, despite the fact that they can fight if they have to and occasionally pull their heads out of the clouds enough to actually be smart. And they like to eat Elena's peas.
A Tale of the Five Hundred Kingdoms
Elena was supposed to be Cinderella, but things went a little askew. The local Prince was six, and Elena's stepmother left town, allowing her to try to escape. She was offered a job by what seemed like a kind, if a bit nutty old lady. Turned out, Bella was the Fairy Godmother for Elena's kingdom, and the job was to be her apprentice! Elena learns that Fairy Godmothers oversee the kingdoms, making sure that an invisible but overwhelmingly powerful force called the Tradition doesn't ruin too many peoples lives. The Tradition forces people's lives into fairy tales, songs and legends, but for every person who gets a happy ending, there are those who don't. Fairy tales don't always end happily, and even for those that do, people can die. And then there are the people who never get to finish their story, like Elena. Godmothers make sure that the bad stories don't happen, and steer the good stories to the proper outcome. They also make sure that the people who need to learn important lessons, become better people, and that sort of thing.
Elena becomes a Godmother, looking after several kingdoms. Of course, this means dealing with a lot of idiots. And unicorns. I'll explain the unicorns later. Anyway, while working out a part of one fairy tale--three princes, old lady (Elena in disguise), two of the princes are nasty to old lady, one is nice, the nice one get helped, the others get punished, blah blah blah--one prince is so nasty, she turns him into a donkey. Not exactly Traditional, but it'll do. Alexander--the prince--of course believes she's an evil witch, but at that point he's an arrogant numskull with a bad case of royal superiority, so whatever. He'll figure it out. Since she needs a donkey anyway, and she can't just let him wander around the forest on his own, Elena takes him home with her to work and hopefully learn something and get over his royalness.
This is going to be fun--for us readers at least. Maybe not so much for the characters. Heheheh.
I love this series. LOVE IT! Mercedes Lackey is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. The Fairy Godmother is a great book in a great series. Pure fantasy, not super dark either. Funny, inventive, and extremely well written, The Fairy Godmother is a must read fairytale mash-up.
p.s. I forgot the unicorns. They are very beautiful, but have no brains to speak of, especially in the presence of a virgin. They go all floppy and even more idiotic than usual. There is reason they are rare, despite the fact that they can fight if they have to and occasionally pull their heads out of the clouds enough to actually be smart. And they like to eat Elena's peas.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
The Serpent's Shadow
By Mercedes Lackey
Book One of the Elemental Masters Series
Maya Witherspoon has lived for most of her life in India where she was born, until the deaths of her parents. Before her death, Maya's mother warned her to beware "the serpent's shadow". Now, to avoid her parent's fate, Maya has traveled to England and become a doctor. She lives with a family of Indian servants who used to take care of her mother, and a menagerie of preternaturally intelligent pets she also inherited from her mother. Maya has powerful magic, but so does what she's hiding from, and she has never been trained. She has Western elemental magic, unlike that of her mother's people, and her father didn't believe in magic! Peter Scott, an Elemental Master, has offered to teach her, but will it be too late? The owner of the hospital is the uncle of an idiot, vindictive man who hates her for being smarter than him, many male doctors hate her fro being female and a better doctor then them, and Shivasani (the serpents shadows mistress, an Indian priestess, Maya's aunt, insane and evil) is searching for Maya and coming ever closer. With enemies closing in, magical and non-magical, Maya's time is running out. Will the help of her friends, her magic, and her pets(really, they belong in both of the other categories, but hey) be enough?
OK, I am like totally in love with Mercedes Lackey! She is one of my favorite authors now, or at least what I've read of her. This book is no exception, with humor, suspense, and action in just the right places. A beautifully detailed fantasy world just a couple of universes over from ours, with what is probably historically accurate details, mixed with brilliantly original magics and writing. Not an action novel, or humor, but an awesome fantasy novel, the first in a series that I am dying to finish. Absolutely fantastic. I know i say that about every book on here, but i put them on because o loved them, so that is to be expected.
Book One of the Elemental Masters Series
Maya Witherspoon has lived for most of her life in India where she was born, until the deaths of her parents. Before her death, Maya's mother warned her to beware "the serpent's shadow". Now, to avoid her parent's fate, Maya has traveled to England and become a doctor. She lives with a family of Indian servants who used to take care of her mother, and a menagerie of preternaturally intelligent pets she also inherited from her mother. Maya has powerful magic, but so does what she's hiding from, and she has never been trained. She has Western elemental magic, unlike that of her mother's people, and her father didn't believe in magic! Peter Scott, an Elemental Master, has offered to teach her, but will it be too late? The owner of the hospital is the uncle of an idiot, vindictive man who hates her for being smarter than him, many male doctors hate her fro being female and a better doctor then them, and Shivasani (the serpents shadows mistress, an Indian priestess, Maya's aunt, insane and evil) is searching for Maya and coming ever closer. With enemies closing in, magical and non-magical, Maya's time is running out. Will the help of her friends, her magic, and her pets(really, they belong in both of the other categories, but hey) be enough?
OK, I am like totally in love with Mercedes Lackey! She is one of my favorite authors now, or at least what I've read of her. This book is no exception, with humor, suspense, and action in just the right places. A beautifully detailed fantasy world just a couple of universes over from ours, with what is probably historically accurate details, mixed with brilliantly original magics and writing. Not an action novel, or humor, but an awesome fantasy novel, the first in a series that I am dying to finish. Absolutely fantastic. I know i say that about every book on here, but i put them on because o loved them, so that is to be expected.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Chime
By Franny Billingsley
"I've confessed to everything and I'd like to be hanged. Now, if you please." These are the words that begin the story of eighteen year old Briony Larkin, wicked witch. Since Briony was seven her stepmother told her that she is a witch, that everything bad that happens to them is her fault: that her sister's mind is shattered, the fires and the floods that destroyed the stories she used to write, the wave that injured her stepmother before she died. And she must never tell or she will be hanged. Then Eldric shows up. Lion-eyed, fidget-fingered, self-proclaimed bad boy, who can make a crown out of paper clips, a wolf-girl out of wire and pearls. Briony is a wolf-girl in the swamp, her mouth a cavern of stars, howling at the blood-red moon, snatching lightening from the gods, dancing her fists with Eldric's as she learns boxing. But the Boggy Mun is angry. The men are draining the swamp, and so the Boggy Mun sends the swamp cough, the ghost children tell Briony the day the girl who was thought to be a witch but wasn't was hung. Now Briony's sister Rose has the swamp cough, and the Boggy Mun will kill her if the swamp is drained. Briony must save her sister, but if she tell people how she knows that the swamp must be drained she will be hung. A wicked witch doesn't want to die, even to save people. A wicked witch would know that when she is jealous or angry bad things happen to people. A wicked witch would cause her sister to get the swamp cough on purpose. And Briony is wicked. Right?
Okay, so despite how morbid it is due to the fact that the person telling it is uttely conviced that she's evil, this was a really great book. I realized after I read it that this author had also written another book I love, about selkies. So it's not just a fluke. Great book! And I know I say that about every book on her, but seriously, this was an amazingly well written book. Magic, absolute magic. And despite what it may sound like, there is a happy ending. Great story, great characters, great magical creatures and such, and great writing. READ IT!
"I've confessed to everything and I'd like to be hanged. Now, if you please." These are the words that begin the story of eighteen year old Briony Larkin, wicked witch. Since Briony was seven her stepmother told her that she is a witch, that everything bad that happens to them is her fault: that her sister's mind is shattered, the fires and the floods that destroyed the stories she used to write, the wave that injured her stepmother before she died. And she must never tell or she will be hanged. Then Eldric shows up. Lion-eyed, fidget-fingered, self-proclaimed bad boy, who can make a crown out of paper clips, a wolf-girl out of wire and pearls. Briony is a wolf-girl in the swamp, her mouth a cavern of stars, howling at the blood-red moon, snatching lightening from the gods, dancing her fists with Eldric's as she learns boxing. But the Boggy Mun is angry. The men are draining the swamp, and so the Boggy Mun sends the swamp cough, the ghost children tell Briony the day the girl who was thought to be a witch but wasn't was hung. Now Briony's sister Rose has the swamp cough, and the Boggy Mun will kill her if the swamp is drained. Briony must save her sister, but if she tell people how she knows that the swamp must be drained she will be hung. A wicked witch doesn't want to die, even to save people. A wicked witch would know that when she is jealous or angry bad things happen to people. A wicked witch would cause her sister to get the swamp cough on purpose. And Briony is wicked. Right?
Okay, so despite how morbid it is due to the fact that the person telling it is uttely conviced that she's evil, this was a really great book. I realized after I read it that this author had also written another book I love, about selkies. So it's not just a fluke. Great book! And I know I say that about every book on her, but seriously, this was an amazingly well written book. Magic, absolute magic. And despite what it may sound like, there is a happy ending. Great story, great characters, great magical creatures and such, and great writing. READ IT!
Ballad: A Gathering of Faerie
By Maggie Stiefvater
Sequel to Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception
After the events of last summer, James Morgan was really hoping not to have to deal with faeries again. He thought all that mess would stop once he got to Thornking-Ash School of Music. Fat chance of that happening. Now he has Nuala, a "faerie muse [with] vaguely psychic vampire tendencies" as he puts it hanging around, insulting him and trying to lure him to his death, the king of the dead singing in the hills outside the school every night, someone killing solitary faeries for some unknown reason, and Dee falling apart completely. Oh, and anyone with half a brain can tell that James and Nuala are going to wind up in love. Which is a bit of a problem, seeing as every sixteen years she burns to death on Halloween and then comes back with complete amnesia (and she needs to suck the life out of someone to survive anyway, but the burning thing is the main problem). And guess what this Halloween is?
Alternating between James and Nuala's points of view, with some of Dee's unsent text messages, this is seriously one of my all time favorite books EVER. Seriously. James is so snarky and clever and FUNNY! Maybe not the most action-packed book, but when it's this well written, who cares? It's gripping and awesome anyway. LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT! I only read Lament once or twice, but I have read Ballad like five times already. Probably more, actually. Purr, purr, purr. YEEHEEHEEHEEHEE!
Sequel to Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception
After the events of last summer, James Morgan was really hoping not to have to deal with faeries again. He thought all that mess would stop once he got to Thornking-Ash School of Music. Fat chance of that happening. Now he has Nuala, a "faerie muse [with] vaguely psychic vampire tendencies" as he puts it hanging around, insulting him and trying to lure him to his death, the king of the dead singing in the hills outside the school every night, someone killing solitary faeries for some unknown reason, and Dee falling apart completely. Oh, and anyone with half a brain can tell that James and Nuala are going to wind up in love. Which is a bit of a problem, seeing as every sixteen years she burns to death on Halloween and then comes back with complete amnesia (and she needs to suck the life out of someone to survive anyway, but the burning thing is the main problem). And guess what this Halloween is?
Alternating between James and Nuala's points of view, with some of Dee's unsent text messages, this is seriously one of my all time favorite books EVER. Seriously. James is so snarky and clever and FUNNY! Maybe not the most action-packed book, but when it's this well written, who cares? It's gripping and awesome anyway. LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT! I only read Lament once or twice, but I have read Ballad like five times already. Probably more, actually. Purr, purr, purr. YEEHEEHEEHEEHEE!
Monday, March 28, 2011
The Stepsister Scheme
By Jim C. Hines
The Princess series, Book One
In all the old fairy tales, after the scary things are over and the good guys have won, they always end with the words "and they lived happily ever after". You know what? That's not true, as Danielle Whiteshore, also known as Cinderella, could tell you. A few months after her "happily ever after", everything goes to pieces. Teeny, tiny, very interesting, really COOL pieces. One of her stepsisters comes to the palace to kill Danielle, somehow has magic, and before escaping reveals that Charlotte and Stacia (the stepsisters) have kidnapped Prince Armand. One of the servants, Talia, saves Danielle, and turns out to be not only Sleeping Beauty and an extremely good fighter, but one of Queen Beatrice's secret agents, the other being Snow (White, as I'm sure you guessed). Snow knows magic, although she doesn't like being called a witch, and is a incorrigible flirt. After a few more revelations (Danielle is pregnant, her mother's spirit lives in a tree, Snow calls the queen Queen Bea, Snow's real name is Princess Ermillina Curtana, and Armand is probably in Fairytown) they set off to rescue the prince. As Danielle says "Well, it was my turn."
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this book! Seriously, this is one of the most original fairy tale mash-ups I have ever read. SO INCREDIBLY AWSOME! I loved the translation of Fairytown's real name, and here I will quote Snow: "The fairies name means something like 'Home away from home, trapped between two big rocks and surrounded by tasty mushrooms that make you feel like you're turning into a puddle.' But 'Fairytown' is shorter." LOVE SNOW LOVE TALIA LOVE DANIELLE! Do not love Charlotte or Stacia, although Queen Rose is a cool villain. Anyway, it's a really good book that you should read.
The Princess series, Book One
In all the old fairy tales, after the scary things are over and the good guys have won, they always end with the words "and they lived happily ever after". You know what? That's not true, as Danielle Whiteshore, also known as Cinderella, could tell you. A few months after her "happily ever after", everything goes to pieces. Teeny, tiny, very interesting, really COOL pieces. One of her stepsisters comes to the palace to kill Danielle, somehow has magic, and before escaping reveals that Charlotte and Stacia (the stepsisters) have kidnapped Prince Armand. One of the servants, Talia, saves Danielle, and turns out to be not only Sleeping Beauty and an extremely good fighter, but one of Queen Beatrice's secret agents, the other being Snow (White, as I'm sure you guessed). Snow knows magic, although she doesn't like being called a witch, and is a incorrigible flirt. After a few more revelations (Danielle is pregnant, her mother's spirit lives in a tree, Snow calls the queen Queen Bea, Snow's real name is Princess Ermillina Curtana, and Armand is probably in Fairytown) they set off to rescue the prince. As Danielle says "Well, it was my turn."
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this book! Seriously, this is one of the most original fairy tale mash-ups I have ever read. SO INCREDIBLY AWSOME! I loved the translation of Fairytown's real name, and here I will quote Snow: "The fairies name means something like 'Home away from home, trapped between two big rocks and surrounded by tasty mushrooms that make you feel like you're turning into a puddle.' But 'Fairytown' is shorter." LOVE SNOW LOVE TALIA LOVE DANIELLE! Do not love Charlotte or Stacia, although Queen Rose is a cool villain. Anyway, it's a really good book that you should read.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Kitty Kitty
By Michele Jaffe
Sequel to Bad Kitty
Jas Callihan is once again trying to be a Model Daughter. Remember the LAST time she tried that? Yep, nothing good can come of this. This is how it came about.
Apparently, after the whole Las Vegas episode (you know, the whole almost-getting-killed thing?), her dad (who has recently upgraded his super-villain persona in Jas's head from the Thwarter to Dadzilla, snacking on her dreams rather than just thwarting them) didn't like the idea of her roaming around LA, and decided to move. To Venice, Italy. The day before her senior year of high school started. Which is so totally unfair. I mean, she DIDN'T get killed that time, and the police departments of two states had THANKED her, and it TOTALLY wasn't her fault, and her friends and her boyfriend are all STILL IN LA!!
So, Jas figures, if they moved because she got into the TINIEST little bit of trouble, if she proved she could stay OUT of trouble, they could go home. Simple, right? Not for Jasmine Callihan, trouble magnet and crime scene just waiting to happen!
Instead, several very strange and worrying things happen: Her only friend in Venice, Arabella, says someone is following her and is going to kill her, the Evil Hench Twins Alyson and Veronique show up and ask to be called by their faerie names, and Jas decides to turn into Bad Jas, who later breaks off into a separate personality inside Jas's head. After she informs her friends of this fact and also refuses to stop associating with Arabella (like Polly told her to), her friends..... can you guess what they do? FLY TO VENICE FOR AN INTERVENTION INVOLVING MIND CONTROL GOGGLES, JAS'S DELTA WAVES, AND TEDDY GRAHAMS!! THAT'S WHAT THEY DO!! Oh, and by that point Arabella has been murdered, but the police think it's suicide and refuse to help. Read the book to find out about the soul-stealing glass kitty, Mutant Ninja Turtles, water wings, pizza, goldfish, and fully weaponized, mangy squirrel costume. Oh, and the Hench Twins latest Crimes Against Fashion.
THIS IS SUCH A GOOD BOOK! As with the previous book, hysterically funny, well written, and super cool! SO FUNNY! Jas's friends are nuts, but considering how often she gets into really weird trouble, that's probably a good thing.
Sequel to Bad Kitty
Jas Callihan is once again trying to be a Model Daughter. Remember the LAST time she tried that? Yep, nothing good can come of this. This is how it came about.
Apparently, after the whole Las Vegas episode (you know, the whole almost-getting-killed thing?), her dad (who has recently upgraded his super-villain persona in Jas's head from the Thwarter to Dadzilla, snacking on her dreams rather than just thwarting them) didn't like the idea of her roaming around LA, and decided to move. To Venice, Italy. The day before her senior year of high school started. Which is so totally unfair. I mean, she DIDN'T get killed that time, and the police departments of two states had THANKED her, and it TOTALLY wasn't her fault, and her friends and her boyfriend are all STILL IN LA!!
So, Jas figures, if they moved because she got into the TINIEST little bit of trouble, if she proved she could stay OUT of trouble, they could go home. Simple, right? Not for Jasmine Callihan, trouble magnet and crime scene just waiting to happen!
Instead, several very strange and worrying things happen: Her only friend in Venice, Arabella, says someone is following her and is going to kill her, the Evil Hench Twins Alyson and Veronique show up and ask to be called by their faerie names, and Jas decides to turn into Bad Jas, who later breaks off into a separate personality inside Jas's head. After she informs her friends of this fact and also refuses to stop associating with Arabella (like Polly told her to), her friends..... can you guess what they do? FLY TO VENICE FOR AN INTERVENTION INVOLVING MIND CONTROL GOGGLES, JAS'S DELTA WAVES, AND TEDDY GRAHAMS!! THAT'S WHAT THEY DO!! Oh, and by that point Arabella has been murdered, but the police think it's suicide and refuse to help. Read the book to find out about the soul-stealing glass kitty, Mutant Ninja Turtles, water wings, pizza, goldfish, and fully weaponized, mangy squirrel costume. Oh, and the Hench Twins latest Crimes Against Fashion.
THIS IS SUCH A GOOD BOOK! As with the previous book, hysterically funny, well written, and super cool! SO FUNNY! Jas's friends are nuts, but considering how often she gets into really weird trouble, that's probably a good thing.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Deep Magic
By Diane Duane
Book Two of the Young Wizards Series
Nita and Kit were SUPPOSED to be on summer vacation. Nita's family rented a beach house for a few weeks and she managed to convince them that Kit should come. Of course, magic never goes on vacation. When they help a fellow wizard--a whale--they agree to help a group of the underwater wizards perform an ancient ritual, a reenactment of when the Lone power offered death to the undersea peoples and was bound beneath the seafloor. The consequences if this ceremony fails? The Lone Power will break free. The catch? Whoever is singing the Silent Lord will die. You get one guess as to who agreed to sing that part, BEFORE finding out about that tiny snag. Here's a hint: Kit is upset and isn't singing, and Peach told Nita to read the fine print before she signed. Peach is Nita and Kit's local Seniors psychic macaw, and can tell the future. For those who are a bit confused as to how the Lone Power can be wreaking havoc in the universe (snuffing stars, convincing new species to take its"gift" of death, plotting the destruction of the universe, and so on) AND be bound on the bottom of the ocean, well, that's the usual confusion about time. All the Great Powers just dip into the time flow we live in. THEY live outside of it, in a place where things don't have to happen one after the other. Anyway, this is a really good book. I LOVE THIS SERIES! There are nine or so so far, and I am pretty sure there will be another one. They still haven't figured out what happened to Roshaun, although they are pretty sure he isn't dead.
Book Two of the Young Wizards Series
Nita and Kit were SUPPOSED to be on summer vacation. Nita's family rented a beach house for a few weeks and she managed to convince them that Kit should come. Of course, magic never goes on vacation. When they help a fellow wizard--a whale--they agree to help a group of the underwater wizards perform an ancient ritual, a reenactment of when the Lone power offered death to the undersea peoples and was bound beneath the seafloor. The consequences if this ceremony fails? The Lone Power will break free. The catch? Whoever is singing the Silent Lord will die. You get one guess as to who agreed to sing that part, BEFORE finding out about that tiny snag. Here's a hint: Kit is upset and isn't singing, and Peach told Nita to read the fine print before she signed. Peach is Nita and Kit's local Seniors psychic macaw, and can tell the future. For those who are a bit confused as to how the Lone Power can be wreaking havoc in the universe (snuffing stars, convincing new species to take its"gift" of death, plotting the destruction of the universe, and so on) AND be bound on the bottom of the ocean, well, that's the usual confusion about time. All the Great Powers just dip into the time flow we live in. THEY live outside of it, in a place where things don't have to happen one after the other. Anyway, this is a really good book. I LOVE THIS SERIES! There are nine or so so far, and I am pretty sure there will be another one. They still haven't figured out what happened to Roshaun, although they are pretty sure he isn't dead.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Dragonhaven
By Robin Mckinley
Fourteen year old Jake Mendzoa has never had what could be called a normal life--not that he wants one--due to the fact that he lives in Smokehill National Park. Which, by the way, is a dragon preserve. Draco Australiensis, eighty feet long plus tail, flies, breaths fire, may or may not be intelligent, extinct in the wild, raises its kids in a pouch, nobody knows anything much about them, and nobody can agree on whether or not it's really a dragon. On his first solo overnight hike into the park, Jake comes upon a dead dragon, and a dead poacher. And the dragon's one surviving baby. Now, there is only one thing more illegal than killing a dragon, and that's saving its life. So what does Jake do? Picks up the weeny little squidgy bruise colored fetal baby dragon that really should spend a year or so in its moms pouch right about now except its mom is DEAD and sticks it down his shirt, is what. It really should have only lived a day or so outside of it's moms pouch, but somehow it survives down his shirt drinking deer broth or sheep broth or whatever. And since Smokehill is HERE to keep dragons from going extinct, now they have a hugely secret baby dragon that thinks Jake is its mom and won't stay with anyone else, AND a dead poacher killed by a dragon when supposedly their fancy high tech fence keeps poachers out and dragons are safe and don't kill humans mostly. So basically everyone is stressing out in their little (huge) crises and Jake is going nuts trying to keep Lois (the baby dragon) alive and healthy and a secret AND keep the social worker and home school checker-uppers off his back.
Sorry about all the run on sentences. I do that even whenever i talk about books. Anyway, this is a really awesome book. I love Jake, Lois, and ROBIN MCKINLEY!! this is one of my all-time favorite books. Funny, original, and really well written. Now go get it from the library or the bookstore or something and read it.
Fourteen year old Jake Mendzoa has never had what could be called a normal life--not that he wants one--due to the fact that he lives in Smokehill National Park. Which, by the way, is a dragon preserve. Draco Australiensis, eighty feet long plus tail, flies, breaths fire, may or may not be intelligent, extinct in the wild, raises its kids in a pouch, nobody knows anything much about them, and nobody can agree on whether or not it's really a dragon. On his first solo overnight hike into the park, Jake comes upon a dead dragon, and a dead poacher. And the dragon's one surviving baby. Now, there is only one thing more illegal than killing a dragon, and that's saving its life. So what does Jake do? Picks up the weeny little squidgy bruise colored fetal baby dragon that really should spend a year or so in its moms pouch right about now except its mom is DEAD and sticks it down his shirt, is what. It really should have only lived a day or so outside of it's moms pouch, but somehow it survives down his shirt drinking deer broth or sheep broth or whatever. And since Smokehill is HERE to keep dragons from going extinct, now they have a hugely secret baby dragon that thinks Jake is its mom and won't stay with anyone else, AND a dead poacher killed by a dragon when supposedly their fancy high tech fence keeps poachers out and dragons are safe and don't kill humans mostly. So basically everyone is stressing out in their little (huge) crises and Jake is going nuts trying to keep Lois (the baby dragon) alive and healthy and a secret AND keep the social worker and home school checker-uppers off his back.
Sorry about all the run on sentences. I do that even whenever i talk about books. Anyway, this is a really awesome book. I love Jake, Lois, and ROBIN MCKINLEY!! this is one of my all-time favorite books. Funny, original, and really well written. Now go get it from the library or the bookstore or something and read it.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
The Ultimate Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
By Douglas Adams
The entire Hitchikers series in one big book. Yay!
Arthur Dent is really not having the best day. The city council has decided to demolish his house to build a bypass, and as his friend Ford Prefect tells him, the world is about to be demolished to make way for a hyperspatial expressway. Ford is a researcher for The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and is actually from a small planet in the vicinity of Betelgeuse. The Guide is probably the most remarkable book to ever come out of the great publishing corporations of Ursa Minor, and is regarded by some civilizations as the standard repository of all knowledge. It will tell you, for instance, how to mix a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster (the effect of drinking which is described as having your brains bashed out by a slice of lemon wrapped around a large gold brick,) and it has the words DON'T PANIC across the front in large, friendly letters. Anyways, Ford rescues Arthur from earth seconds before it is destroyed, and they embark on a completely insane journey across the Galaxy, including, if you read the entire series, a visit to the Restaurant at the End of the Universe, highly intelligent mice, the Babel fish (you put it in your ear and it translates for you), towels, very bad poetry, and a very depressed robot called Marvin. This is REALLY good book. I actually only have the Ultimate Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, so I regard the entire series as one book. Very well written, hysterically funny, and with really, really interesting characters. Read it, it's funny.
The entire Hitchikers series in one big book. Yay!
Arthur Dent is really not having the best day. The city council has decided to demolish his house to build a bypass, and as his friend Ford Prefect tells him, the world is about to be demolished to make way for a hyperspatial expressway. Ford is a researcher for The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and is actually from a small planet in the vicinity of Betelgeuse. The Guide is probably the most remarkable book to ever come out of the great publishing corporations of Ursa Minor, and is regarded by some civilizations as the standard repository of all knowledge. It will tell you, for instance, how to mix a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster (the effect of drinking which is described as having your brains bashed out by a slice of lemon wrapped around a large gold brick,) and it has the words DON'T PANIC across the front in large, friendly letters. Anyways, Ford rescues Arthur from earth seconds before it is destroyed, and they embark on a completely insane journey across the Galaxy, including, if you read the entire series, a visit to the Restaurant at the End of the Universe, highly intelligent mice, the Babel fish (you put it in your ear and it translates for you), towels, very bad poetry, and a very depressed robot called Marvin. This is REALLY good book. I actually only have the Ultimate Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, so I regard the entire series as one book. Very well written, hysterically funny, and with really, really interesting characters. Read it, it's funny.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Good Night, Mr. Holmes
By Caroline Nelson Douglas
Book One of the Irene Adler Adventures
After losing her job and being turned out of her lodgings, prim, proper, parson's daughter Penelope Huxleigh is wandering the streets of London wondering what to do next when a street urchin attempts to steal her carpetbag. The beautiful, well-dressed Irene Adler rescues her, takes her for tea, and after stealing the leftover pastries invites Penelope to stay with her. Thus begins Nell's (as Irene decides to call her) friendship with Irene Adler, opera singer and private detective. Irene, who supplements her opera career by taking care of other people's business, watches people as a hobby, has no known past, occasionally dresses as a man, has an ever so slightly skewed, but nonetheless firmly in place set of morals, shocks Nell quite often but nevertheless soon becomes her best friend. Nell's diaries are occasionally supplemented with Dr. Watson's unpublished notes and resound with Nell's refrain of "Irene, no!". Irene always been one of my favorite characters from the Holmes lore as one of the few people, the only woman, to defeat the infamous Sherlock Holmes, and in this book she is utterly in her element. Loved it, loved the sequel, loved the whole wonderful series! While this may not be my favorite version of Holmes, the well written and sometimes hysterically funny characters of Irene, Nell, Casanova (Nell's foul-mouthed second or third-hand parrot, but that's another story), "Willie" a.k.a the King of Bohemia, and Godfrey Norton more than make up for it.
Book One of the Irene Adler Adventures
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