What are you readin?! (DESCRIPTIONS NEEDED)

[MorganaFang]

Give the title and brief description of the book.

Maybe include how you rate it too: Good, bad, twilightfanfic-esque asspaste... Not necessarily in that wording of course. :)

I'm reading Love in a Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

It's definitely a heavily latin romantic novel revolving primarily around two characters and their dealings with love. It's two separate journeys of romance and life that each character endures before they come together finally at last.

I'm near the end of it now but like most of Marquez's book it's definitely an "intense" book. I'm enjoying it and do recommend it to people who are fans of latin literature.

[Xavious]

I've been reading on and off from Tales From Watership Down by Richard Adams. Its mostly a collection of short stories about myths in Rabbit society. However one of the stories in the book is a short sequel explaining the events proceeding after the end of Watership Down.

Which itself is a very good read for its depiction of rabbit culture with very humanistic feelings and traits struggling to survive in a unique parallel mirroring humanities own struggles. Also the sheer amount of violence and death from rabbits killing each other is always a plus.

[UNODRAGONE]

'Deadly desire' by Keri Arthur. It is the last book in the Riley Jenson guardian series, she is half werewolf, half vampire and all badass :)

[Chiron Jackal]

I'm reading a Star Trek novel - Kobayashi Maru by Michael A. Martin & Andy Mangels. It's a sequel to another book they wrote, The Good That Men Do.

My favorite character from Enterprise dies in the last episode (in a pretty crappy way, no less) and in these books he's alive and well and their explanation is that he faked his death in order to go on some undercover mission.

Stories like that tend to suck, but between the weirdness of the death and how well written the stories are they actually make his death in the last episode make more sense.

PS, yes I'm that big of a dork. Dif-tor heh smusma, WW.com!

[Klark]

I'm currently half-way through Odd Hours.

Been a fan of the Odd Thomas character written by Dean Koontz since the first book, and Odd Hours is the fourth book.

Odd has left Pico Mundo and now is about in the world with his powers of seeing the undead. There are some really comical parts due to the fact that the dead cannot speak. So far, Odd is following his intuition which always takes him where he is needed the most.

[Binkx]

I am currently reading The Fifth Elephant by Terry Pratchett.

It's kinda hard to describe, lets just say it's a comedy about Humans, Vampires, Dwarves, Werewolves, Trolls, Politics, Royalty, and crime solving.

I give it a 4 on a scale of 5. I do highly recommend it :love:

[AngelicWolf]

im reading The Outlaw Demon Wails by Kim Harrison..ive read the other 4 er 5 in the series and the last one had me confused...im hoping the auther redeems herself with this one.

[McKitty]

im reading The outlaw Demon Wails by Kim Harrison..ive read the other 4 er 5 in the series and the last one had me confused...im hoping the auther redeems herself with this one.

Keep hoping. It just wasn't that good.

She's turning into Anita Blake 2.0 all over again.

On-topic: I haven't been reading as much as I used to, but I did pick up Rise of the Lich King by Christie Golden.

It was ...decent. Her other works were better, and this wasn't worth the hype built around it. Still, there was some nice character background finally filled in that made things easier to understand but nothing really worthwhile.

[greggchamberlain]

Paint Your Dragon (Tom Holt).

gotta love britcom humour!

:D

saw Tempest's request...sorry, folks.

thumbnail is: everyone knows the legend of St. George and the Dragon. now Holt, with aid from the Dragon, reveals THE REAL TRUTH BEHIND THE LEGEND. seems ol' St. George did not exactly play fair-and-square as the rep for Good in this classic battle of G vs E and the Dragon is thinking he was rooked after agreeing to "throw the fight" as the Evil emissary. well, now it is modern times and, with the unwitting aid of an activist sculptor and the witting, if slightly unwilling assistance of a motley crew of devils on holiday from Hell, these two old foes have at it again with the Dragon seeking to "set the record straight" about what happened and St. George doing everything he can... fair-square-or-otherwise...to make sure the original story stays status quo.

if nothing else, read it for the sake of finding out why Hell is actually just the same as Heaven, only less pleasant, as part of The Establishment.

:)

[Tempest]

Guys. Please provide a brief description of the book.

I'm rereading The Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede. I've finished the first two (Dealing with Dragons, Searching for Dragons) and am on the third (Calling on Dragons). There are four books in the chronicles, and all of them deal in some way with Princess Cimorene, a princess who is not an ordinary princess at all. She hates princessy things like embroidery and etiquette, and eventually decides to run away. She comes upon a group of dragons and volunteers to become a dragon's princess. Much humor ensues as Wrede describes Cimorene's adventures through the Enchanted Forest.

[Chriz]

Hey all, testing out a new recommendation feature. My test recommendation is Dracula (Enriched Classics Series).

You can find out how to use the Amazon item link in the BB Code FAQ here (http://www.werewolf.com/vb/misc.php?do=bbcode#aURL).

Edit: Well, it's not really a test recommendation. I do highly recommend the book. :p

[MorganaFang]

For our teens who have yet to be corrupted. I totally want bragging rights for taking your purity and increasing your annoying factor.

Blood and Chocolate


Ok, I'm done with that. Now on to books I actually recommend that are quality reads:

Grendel
A reinterpretation of the classic fable Beowulf that goes further into the story of the Grendel. You get his side of the story. I highly recommend it.

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman is kind of a modern day Alice in Wonderland. An unsuspecting average Joe nobody finds himself in another realm when he enters into the magical underground of London.

American Gods
Another Gaiman book. This one is rich with mythology. I just love it, horrible description but I'm going to overkill the hell of out this thread. I recommend it!

Special mention for Coraline which is another pretty modern take on AIW and TTLG.

[Klark]

I highly recommend Good Omens. It's one of funniest armageddon stories I've read. It's chock full of angels, demons, and everyday clumsiness of humans. It's written by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchet.

[Chriz]

A really great low-magic fantasy saga is George Martin's A Song of Fire and Ice series. He's up to book four in what seems like will be a seven-book series.

A Game of Thrones
A Clash of Kings
A Storm of Swords
A Feast for Crows
A Dance with Dragons (not out yet)

[greggchamberlain]

i recommend just about everything and anything that Charles de Lint writes, novels, short fiction, and poetry.

this ottawa-based writer is recognized as one of Canada's masters of fantasy, ranging from urban with his Newford novels and stories and his early Ottawa-sited urban fantasies like Jack the Giant-Killer and Yarrow, to his sole foray into sf (Svaha), and even that had fantasy elements, to his early efforts with sword-and-sorcery and high fantasy, and such standalone novels as The Little Country.

his characters live and breath, his plotting and action roll along so neatly and nicely that i DARE anyone to be able to resist the temptation to "just read one more chapter" of his novels.

[UNODRAGONE]

anything and everything by Kelley Armstong especially her 'Bitten' series. She has a whole website about all her novels from people who see ghost to demons and witch craft. My favorite has always been the 'Bitten' series mainly because it deals with werewolves. Got to be honest though I also love the series cause of the two main characters, Clayton and Elena they are crazy funny and cool together :)

http://www.kelleyarmstrong.com/index.html

[GhostBat]

This is just a heads up that we're trying to recommend books through the amazon system Chriz has set up, using the tags he described in the first post of this thread.

I've taken the liberty of adjusting previous posts to reflect this, but please keep this in mind for any further posts.

[Chriz]

I've taken the liberty of adjusting previous posts to reflect this, but please keep this in mind for any further posts.

To that end, we're not going to require that you use them (but we request that you do). However, if we put them in, we're going to be using our best judgment as to what book you're talking about. We might get it wrong. So if you to be sure, please put it in yourself.

There's a little Amazon.com "a" icon in the text editor bar to make things easier. Select the text you want to be the link (usually the title itself), click the "a" icon, and when it asks for an option, but the item's code number in. You can find that in the URL itself, so you'd have to head over to amazon.com first and look up the book in question. The code is usually a 10-character string, and if there seem to be multiple ones in the URL, it's most likely the first one.

Thanks!

P.S. I added a little how-to sticky (http://www.werewolf.com/vb/showthread.php?t=368) for this process, to help explain it.

[Tempest]

House of Leaves - A horror, satire, and romance novel that is not a light read but is very good. Contains codes, multiple storylines, and unusual page layouts. It's a difficult book to summarize, so I'd recommend reading the editorial reviews on Amazon.

The Complete Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm - If you haven't read the original versions of Cinderella, Little Red Cap (now known as Little Red Riding Hood), Rapunzel, and so on, you're doing yourself a great diservice. This stuff is way better than Disney.

A Dirty Job - My absolute favorite from Christopher Moore. It's about a man whose wife dies and suddenly strangers all around him drop dead and he begins to see things that shouldn't be there. It's a very funny book that got me hooked on Moore.

Edit - I can't believe I forgot The Book of the Dragon. It's filled with beautiful artwork and explanations of the different types of dragons and their customs. If you love dragons, this is a must-have.

Ok, I'm done...for now. :P

[Klark]

And because I'm currently reading through the fourth book, here's a good series that is a good read by Dean Koontz:

Odd Thomas
Forever Odd
Brother Odd
Odd Hours

Odd is a boy with powers that allows him to see the dead. The dead don't talk to him, so it's that much more difficult for him as he tries to help them finish their business. Good Reading!

[Chriz]

By strange coincidence, Lulu is now selling through Amaazon. This means my own novel, Ornth, is now available.

I'm still trying to figure out how to get the cover art and a description up.

[Klark]

Yeah, Chriz, good discovery.

Since Lulu is doing that, my own book A Dream-Induced Sleep is available, although the price seems a bit higher than if you locate it on Lulu.com.

It's a poetry book. I recommend it because I wrote it. :rockon:

And from what I can tell, you can add .jpg files to your Amazon account as product images. I'm thinking once uploaded, you can sort those out. Also, to add cover art and what have you, I think you'll need to give Amazon your ISBN number. I tried to sign up as under the Publishers and Authors join the Search Inside The Book club, but it required an ISBN, of which I didn't purchase one for my book. So, all we have is the Amazon link to it without pics.

EDIT: My Lulu book is here. (http://www.lulu.com/content/hardcover-book/a-dream-induced-sleep/1640539)

[Chriz]

I didn't think I had an ISBN, I didn't need one for Lulu. But I would have needed one for an Amazon listing, so maybe Lulu is taking care of that now.

And yes, there's a markup for being listed on Amazon, that was mentioned in the email from Lulu. For my book, the Lulu page is here (http://www.lulu.com/content/555628).

[Klark]

I didn't think I had an ISBN, I didn't need one for Lulu. But I would have needed one for an Amazon listing, so maybe Lulu is taking care of that now.

And yes, there's a markup for being listed on Amazon, that was mentioned in the email from Lulu. For my book, the Lulu page is here (http://www.lulu.com/content/555628).

It's not giving us an ISBN, but it is providing a number for our books so that Amazon can trace it. Mine looked like a "1234" 10-digit or so number. I do like that Lulu partnered with Amazon for it. I edited my previous post to include my Lulu location.

Just for anyone's reading pleasure, I also recommend Chriz's book. I read quite a bit of it some time ago.

[UNODRAGONE]

I can't believe I forgot to mention this one! I read it awhile back several times it is such an awesome read. It's about an unwanted little Chinese girl growing up in a family that labels her the 'bad omen' because their mother died giving birth to her. It is heart breaking but full of determination. It's called Chinese Cinderella

[McKitty]

You authors are making me feel like a slacker... /cry

[Destiny]

Forgive me. I knew I was forgetting something but I had to get offline.

Vampire Diaries By L. J. Smith. :)

Briefly: She's a human turned vampire turned angel. Strange.

I enjoy anything by L.J. Smith. She's a phenomenal writer.

Also, I found a new series...Or, at least, it will be a series. :)

Evermore By Alyson Noel

Briefly: After a horrible accident, claiming the lives of her family, Ever sees auras, reads other's thoughts, knows someone's life story by touch, and is haunted by her dead little sister who just won't leave her alone.

I think this was a great book for those who love first person reads. :)

[MorganaFang]

I'd like to ask that people make a habit of reading the first post of the threads they post in and even reading some of the other posts.

In this case, then you'd know that it'd be preferred if people would not only post the books but a brief description as well.

[UNODRAGONE]

I finished 'Deadly Desire' and I am now reading 'My sister's keeper' which is about a young girl who finds out her parents only had her to be a donor to her ill sister :( the movie is coming out soon and I wanted to read the book first and compare

[Destiny]

Vampire Kisses Series by Ellen Schreiber. It think it's a pretty good, laidback read. It's about a 16 yr old goth girl (with great style I think :D) who lives in "Dullsville" but then mysterious new visitors arrive, the handsome Alexander and his butler Jameson. They happen to live in the house she sought as a creepy place to visit from time to time, a mansion on Benson Hill. The books are short, but good reads, and there's already 6 of them. :)

[BlasphemousHeart]

Moonphase vol. 1

It's about a photographer who can see spirits and while at a castle he finds a little vampire girl who keeps giving him lip because he refuses to be called her slave.

[BlasphemousHeart]

MoonPhase vol.2

Continuation of volume one, but now the main characters are being hunted down by evil vampires

[MorganaFang]

Guys you're still missing what a brief description is. Not everyone has read the same books as you if you're discussing a sequel.

We're really trying to encourage more discussion than piddly one liners.

[Vendetta]

Dresden Files, great series if your into fantasy And mystery
Since I'm a pretty big fan of Butcher's I'll help.

The Dresden files books offer an interesting take on urban fantasy that is oft copied (I'm looking at YOU Lilith Saintcrow and Kim Harrison.) The stories focus on Harry (Blacktone Copperfield) Dresden, a practicing wizard and private investigator in the greater Chicago area, and the troubles he gets into. The books generally blend typical magical fantasy with hard-boiled detective faire. The first book in the series is Storm Front, although it is for the most part, the weakest book in the series. In later books I found the action to be fairly intense and very edge-of-your-seat, usually in the last third of the book(s).

[Shaun]

This is honestly going to sound ridiculous but I am currently reading Religion for Dummies. A friend of mine loaned it to me after we got into a discussion about religion and I was impressed with all the different religions he knew and their basic fundamentals just by reading this book.

[GoddessWolf]

I just finished reading "Salt & Silver" by Anna Katherine.

I picked the book up and had a darn hard time putting it down.

The book is about a formerly rich young woman whose mother takes off and leaves her penniless. She ends up working at a diner she later gets to take over and her and her friends open a doorway to hell. Due to the fact she opens up this doorway, a demon hunter basically moves into the diner basement to prevent the demons from escaping. It's got a little bit of a love story intertwined with the action, but I think overall that it was based more on the main story than romance. :)

[greggchamberlain]

just finished reading Kitty and the Midnight Hour (Carrie Vaughn), first in the Kitty Norville series of werewolf lit novels.

i am a bit bass-ackwards with the series...read the fourth and third books first (the only ones i could find), Kitty and the Silver Bullet and then Kitty Takes a Holiday but they got me hooked.

Norville is a lycanthrope...not her idea...she was a date-rape victim first who was soon attacked after that by a werewolf who saw her as "prey" but she escaped him and was taken in as part of the Denver, CO pack as their newest, "baby" member.

now she works as a graveyard shift talk radio host, specialty the paranatural, which insists on intruding into her topsy-turvy life no matter what she does. if it's not bounty hunters after her hide, it's religious and political wingnuts after her soul and sense. and those are just the human ones! their counterparts from the paranatural world are even worse.

characterization is strong, plots run wild and well, and i like how Kitty develops into a very strong kickass person, both physically and emotionally, in spite of all the psychological baggage that keeps getting dumped on her.

have got the rest of the books in the series and will begin Kitty Goes to Washington soon. for now, i am also starting a collection of short fiction (Jeanne Cavelos, editor) entitled...

wait for it...

The Many Faces of Van Helsing (Ace Books)...first story by J.A. Konrath is titled "The Screaming".

admit it, folks, we all have a little Van Helsing in us.

:D

[Tempest]

I'm making my way through Sharp Teeth, a book about werewolves (or weredogs?) who can shapeshift at will and create elaborate plots. It all starts when Anthony takes a new job as a dogcatcher and finds himself being questioned by a cop about the disappearance of a coworker and the man whose job he replaced. Then he falls in love with a runaway werewolf, though she makes sure to keep her true identity safe from him. The book is written in free verse, which was a little odd at first, but after a few pages I discovered that it works really well for the story.

I also have picked up Carpe Demon: Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom, which is kind of funny. Kate is a retired demon hunter who has spent the last 15 years focusing on her life as a mother and wife. That all changes when she discovers that the demons are back, and they're after her. She attempts to fight off demons while preparing a last-minute dinner party for her husband, all while trying to keep her past a secret.

[Layira]

I just finish reading the second volume of Night World Series by L.J. Smith. Each book has three individual stories in them. So far, I've read up to:

Secret Vampire (http://www.vampirelibrary.com/books/ljsmithn1.htm)
Daughters of Darkness (http://www.vampirelibrary.com/books/ljsmithn2.htm)
Spellbinder (http://www.vampirelibrary.com/books/ljsmithn3.htm)
Dark Angel (http://www.vampirelibrary.com/books/ljsmithn4.htm)
The Chosen (http://www.vampirelibrary.com/books/ljsmithn5.htm)
Soulmate (http://www.vampirelibrary.com/books/ljsmithn6.htm)

I highly recommend all of them; the stories are about a secret world (the Night World) of witches, vampires, and werewolves and how they try to fit in with humans. Very good. :D There's one more volume that I have to read, but like I said, so far, they're awesome.

[Klark]

To keep up the recommendations I made on reading the Odd Thomas series by Dean Koontz, I present this graphic novel to which Koontz helped in the creation of. It requires no foreknowledge of the characters or events and can serve as an introduction to the Odd Thomas character.


In Odd We Trust

[Vendetta]

Currently reading The Somnambulist by Jonathan Barnes.

Sort of a mix of preternatural mystery and urban fantasy mixed with a smidge of steampunk in Victorian-era London. It follows Edward Moon, a stage magician and sometimes (very Holmesian) investigator and his assistant, the Somnambulist of the title, as they attempt to unravel the mystery behind an odd murder. Strong nods to Poe and Doyle as well as Barnes' deft turn of a phrase make this an excellent read.

EDIT: Also, based on what I see some of you reading, you should really read this thread (http://www.werewolf.com/vb/showthread.php?t=1001). :D

[GoddessWolf]

I just finished reading "Skin Trade" by Laurell K. Hamilton. http://www.amazon.com/Trade-Anita-Blake-Vampire-Hunter/dp/0425227723

I was a bit leery of reading this installment of the Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series because several of her previous books almost bordered on too much sex and not enough story.

I was pleasantly surprised with this book however, especially when one of my favorite characters, Edward, reappeared after a long absence.

In this particular book, Anita receives a very creepy package at work, and ends up heading to Vegas to track down a serial killer vampire who's victim of choice is female strippers.

There is a lot of detective work in this particular book and I loved that it almost seemed to go back to some of the books in the beginning of the series.

Now, what I felt were the downsides. One, some of my other favorite character's weren't in this book such as Richard, Micah, and Nathaniel. Another complaint I had is that Anita seemed to repeat herself about certain things over and over and over just in different chapters. I don't want to say what this was because I don't want to give anything away.

Overall I highly recommend this book to those who were fans of her earlier Anita books. :)

[UNODRAGONE]

Finished 'My sisters keeper' and man, I hope the movie does at least some justice to the book, cause it was without a doubt an awesome read. Now reading, 'Speak' by Laurie Anderson about a girl who cannot find the will to speak and tell her story after she is raped at a high school party and is outcasted by her peers. I strongly feel this book should be required reading in high schools.

[greggchamberlain]

as a change of pace, and because i interviewed the young author and his dad for an article for the paper...which will get printed one of these days...

reading Demons at the Door: The Jake Lorde Chronicles by Colt and Randy Frid.

this is a self-published science-fantasy novel that is showing up in the Chapters outlets in the Ottawa area and may be available through Amazon but i cannot swear to it. anyone interested can go to www.fridpublishing.com and enquire about copies (about $20 Canadian).

premise is not original...the idea that at some point the Internet becomes "aware" and sentient...but the fact one of the two authors is a high school student in his mid-teens is interesting to me.

so far just read the prologue and the first chapter so cannot give a proper assessment whether this book is worth your time and investment.

[Tempest]

I have to recommend Sharp Teeth by Toby Barlow. The book follows three different packs of werewolves. Or they could be weredogs: "Dog or wolf? More like the one than the other / but neither exactly. Standing on four legs in her fur, / she is her own brand of beast." Barlow seemlessly connects a dozen or more characters, each with their own story, in such a way that involves murderous plots, plans to take over Los Angeles, love, death, and meth labs. Read the Amazon reviews for more cause I seriously suck at these summaries. :o The book is written in free verse and contains more unique metaphors and similes than I've ever seen in one book.

Something else I'd recommend--and this is going to sound weird but hear me out--is the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney. Yes, this is a children's book, but I've known many adults who have read it (including me) and loved it. I like this series because sometimes, I just want to laugh, and these books deliver. The title is pretty descriptive of the book. Interspersed throughout the books are funny cartoons. Don't hate until you read them!

[Chriz]

Thanks for all the recommendations, folks. You might have noticed that once a week I update the Bookshelf (http://www.werewolf.com/vb/showthread.php?t=830) thread with the next batch of five titles recommended in this thread (assuming they get linked so I can just grab the Amazon.com number).

The first post of the Bookshelf thread is also mirrored on the front page (http://www.werewolf.com/) in the right-hand column, so your recommendations are getting posted for people to see, so keep up the good work! :)

[BlasphemousHeart]

I know that most users on this site are a little mature to be reading teen fiction, but I would recommend the Bartimus trilogy by John Stroud. It's a pretty funny series about a smartmouthed demon.

[UNODRAGONE]

finished this book not too long ago and man it is an awesome read. I highly recommend it and truly feel it should be required reading in high schools. The book is called Speak. It is about a girl who refuses to speak because of an incident that occurs at a party which results in her being the school outcast. :cry:

[UNODRAGONE]

Fangoria gave a good review on this book so I decided to pick it up. 13 Bullets. It is about special deputy Arkeley who is determined to rid the world of vampires and kills all but one who he now holds captive. Some how he believes the vampire has found a way to make more vampires due to the recent vampire killing sprees and is on the hunt to kill her minions before they free her.

[Chriz]

I merged this thread with the Recommendations thread, since they're basically the same thing.

There are some double posts, but don't sweat it. We'll eventually clean them up at some point. I need to have something to satisfy Kat's OCD, anyway... <_<

[greggchamberlain]

besides yourself, i suppose?

:D

well, for me...still main focus is a lot of werewolf and vampire lit for a couple of my projects. interspersed with visits to the basement to see what there is in the library that i have not yet read.

at office have begun reading an old Fitzroy Ace paperback reprint of The Demon of Cawnporehttp://www.amazon.com by Jules Verne. this was originally published as The Steam House and the focal point of this 19th century early steampunk (yes, i am being facetious) is that a group of Commonwealth guys go on a trip through India in the days following the Mutiny in a pair of Victorian-design mobile trailers pulled by a traction engine in the form of a stationary elephant.

now this was written long before Ford set up his assembly line. the steam engine was still for the most part limited to the railway or the steamboat. traction engines did exist but they were still more of a novelty than a common method of locomotion.

so what i expect this will prove to be is a travel piece with a bit of intrigue tossed in as Verne extrapolates what might happen if one of the leaders of the Sepoy Mutiny (if i recall the name of the event right) had survived and plotted a new uprising.

okay. gonna go consult chriz' directions for doing the amazon.com link and see if this digital dinosaur can learn a new trick.

* * *

hmmmm...obviously i am a cyber idiot...

[Tempest]

I'm reading a non fiction book on Germanic Paganism: It's called Our Troth.

I just finished New Moon (NOT TWILIGHT) By: REBECCA YORK. It's about werewolves. She writes a ton of werewolf books and they're all good. Well I think so anyway. AND Carrie Vaughn writes about werewolves, this one is a little more realistic than New Moon. I liked it more.

--Ghost Wolf--

Please provide a bit more description on whatever book you're reading. A brief summary, similar to what would be on the back of the book, would be great. Also, if you think of it, please use Amazon links (http://www.werewolf.com/vb/showthread.php?t=368) for your books.

[Ghost Wolf]

Oh sorry!

New Moon By Rebecca York: Werewolf Logan Marshall has only ever known the other wolves in the Marshall clan and has never known of a female werewolf. When he gets caught in a strange trap he gets a new dose of reality or what he thought was. He is saved by the werewolf the trap was origanally set for, a female named Rinnah. When she takes him to a parallel dimension he realizes that all he thought was real was only half of it.

Can he save his life,Rinnah's life, and the world from the most powerful man in Sun Acres?

Can he travel between dimensions and time and space with the forces of an entire country chasing them?

LOVED THIS BOOK!
--Ghost Wolf--

[UNODRAGONE]

currently reading, 'The Rite: the making of a modern exorcist' by Matt Baglio. Its about a priest's dive into the realms of exorcism, what is taught and what it entails. Pretty interesting read so far, debunks a lot of misconceptions.

[Piscean Mora]

I'm currently in the Silver Wolf series by Alice Borschardt, who is funnily enough Anne Rice's sister. She writes about werewolves the way her sister writes about vampires. They are a cracking good read, taking place in medieval times when Hadrian was pope and Charlemagne the King of the Franks, dueling over Rome with the Lombards. The main character is a young shapeshifter named Regeane who inherited her powers from her barbarian father. She grows up in a Rome that is a shadow of its former glory, full of murder, misery, disease, and worst of all, torn apart by war.

It's very intriguing, very blunt, and very sexual, so do not get this book if you're squeamish. She doesn't exactly get into a ton of sexual detail, but there are some pretty graphic descriptions of gore and straightforward references to sex, drugs, and violence. I'd recommend reading as long as you believe you're mature enough to handle it.

[greggchamberlain]

you will enjoy that trilogy, Piscean Mora. i did.

i think Alice Borchardt is the superior writer of the two sisters by far. i have read just the one novel of Rice, her "breakout" book, Interview with the Vampire, twice now (one for curiosity and the second for a project) and both times i found her prose turgid, at best.

right now, reading Jeanne Kalogridis' Diaries of the Family Dracul trilogy (Covenant with the Vampire, Children of the Vampire...current...and then Lord of the Vampires). (chriz, will do the amazon.com link after i post this comment...seems to work best for me that way).

story takes place about two generations prior to the incidents related in Stoker's Dracula, and presents a nicely-written extrapolation of why Dracula was in the situation he was in, how Van Helsing first was inspired to become a vampire hunter, and also ties in later Dracula-inspired legend and lore like the Scholomance, and how Dracula differs as a vampire compared to what seems the standard idea now.

writing done through means of diary entries like the original Stoker novel. bit cleaner and crisper, though...Bram could get a bit wordy sometimes.

[Haga]

I've been on a J.D. Salinger kick lately. I've read Nine Stories several times over ("Perfect Day for Bananafish" easily my favorite, if you haven't read it, you need to (http://www.freeweb.hu/tchl/salinger/perfectday.html)). "Teddy" is also good. They are just short stories so you can knock each of them out in like fifteen minutes, and they are definitely worth it.

[Shaun]

I recently swiped from Uno These scars are sacred by Elliott Storm and so far it is an awesome read. It is about a Vietnam vet telling his story on what happened in Nam and all the struggles and emotional turmoil that he went through during the war. If you like biographies or books about war and history, you will love this book.

[Ghost Wolf]

I just finished reading: The Mortal Insturments by Cassandra Clare. It's three books:
1.) City of Bones
2.) City of Ashes
3.) City of Glass

This book is about a mundane (human) girl named Clary who can see things other people can't. She can see the unseen world. When she stumbles upon Jace, Alec, and Isabell as they kill a demon from another world, her life is turned upside down.

I really truly loved this series. Much more than any other series, including twilight or HON. They were wonderful, throughout these books they introduced many different creatures that no other author seemed to cover like Fairies, demons, nymphs, warlocks. Also includes the traditional werewolves and vampires. The vampires were traditional, no sunlight, drink blood, kinda physco at times. But I would suggest them to everyone. They were wonderful.

[MetaKittie]

I've gotten tired of everything in the young adult (gag) section and definitly tired of the dime store novels that would be nice and supernatural if the characters weren't jumping each other's other bones every five seconds (Or trying to). So I'm reading the entire Harry Potter series again.

[Ghost Wolf]

I've gotten tired of everything in the young adult (gag) section and definitly tired of the dime store novels that would be nice and supernatural if the characters weren't jumping each other's other bones every five seconds (Or trying to). So I'm reading the entire Harry Potter series again.

Have you read the Mortal Instrument series?

[MorganaFang]

I'm currently reading Kate Choplin's The Awakening for school. I just finished Tess of D'Urbervilles By Tomas Hardy, Also for school...

So far, The Awakening is so much better...

If you like that you should read Story of an Hour (http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~wldciv/world_civ_reader/world_civ_reader_2/chopin.html) by her. It's one of my favorite short stories.

Thomas Hardy is great and all but yeah that's not my favorite. Far from the Madding Crowd is way better. But I'm a sucker for his poetry (http://homepages.wmich.edu/~cooneys/poems/hardy.grave.html) too.


Eeeeeaaannnyhooo...

I just finished the latest book for League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Century 1910 and to be quite honest I'm completely feeling lost by all of what I read so now I'm going back rereading the entire series. I probably read it too fast too because I was excited to finally have something comic related to read after months of going without.

The other books in the series:
League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Vol. 1
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Vol. 2 (1401201180)
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: The Black Dossier

[greggchamberlain]

sometimes works best with a series like this to do your own fast recap before starting a new book if there has been any great length of time between publications.

[LucimOfTheMoon]

Just finished City of Bones... Lookin for a good one to pick up now... Any suggestions?

[greggchamberlain]

if you don't like the books, why force yourself to re-read them for no good reason?

i have long since gotten to the point where i do not waste my time reading something i do not enjoy if i have no good reason to do so.

too much to read and too little time to read to waste a moment on a book that i do not enjoy.

[Tempest]

I've noticed that some people still aren't giving a description of the book or series they're reading. We're trying to stray away from tiny posts that exist solely for increasing post count. For instance, I can say that I'm reading Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere, but that doesn't bring anything to the table because not everyone is going to know what that book is about, and I assure you that 99% of people aren't going to look up every book that's listed here. So please take the time to write a little more and summarize what you're reading, unless it's something like a short story book, or everyone who doesn't live under a rock knows what it's about (ex. Harry Potter, Twilight).

I'm not reading anything right now, but I do have a recommendation. For anyone who's even remotely interested in psychology, A Mind of Its Own is a fantastic book. We are lazy, vain, and immoral creatures, and this book uses research and anecdotes to drive this point home. Don't let the research part scare you: it's not hard or boring to read, and the author does a great job of balancing research with humor. We think we are highly rational thinkers, and that we are in complete control of our own thoughts. This isn't the case! Our brains deceive us, and we remain clueless.

[GhostBat]

I've noticed that some people still aren't giving a description of the book or series they're reading. We're trying to stray away from tiny posts that exist solely for increasing post count.

This has reached the point where future posts without descriptions will be deleted and the users given an infraction.

[UNODRAGONE]

Just purchased 'Personal Effects: Dark Art' by J.C. Hutchins and I highly, highly recommend this book. It is about an art therapist who has been assigned to analyze a blind audio engineer who is suspected of killing a famous singer and dozens of others. One of the reasons this book is so different and crazy interesting is because it is interactive. It comes with a fake drivers license, credit cards, an autopsy photo, photos of the victims, death certificate, an actual real number to call for clues, psychiatrist report and so much more. A little pricey but without a doubt worth it.

[GhostBat]

I highly recommend Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke for the sci-fi fans out there. It's about a large cylindrical object flying by Earth and appearing to head toward the Sun. What secrets surround this mysterious object, and what lies within constitute the well-developed adventure of Rendezvous with Rama.

There are several sequels to this book that are also enjoyable, but the first is definitely the best.

[Sinanju]

Finished this month:

The Dumbest Generation: How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes Our Future: Mark Beaurlin, pretty much 300 pages of fearmongering about how generation Y is retarded and web 2.0 is to blame. Makes great points and supports them well, but comes off way too hyperbolic and defensive.

The origins of the modern world: Robert Marks, pretty much a non-eurocentric look at history and the rise of western civilization, very silver-trade oriented. Excellent book

Guns, germs, and steel: the fates of human societies: Jared diamond, a look at the rise and fall of various empires. Excellent book

Duma bay: Steven king, typical pop horror fare. About a character who damages his brain and starts to experience paranormal phenomenon. good if you're a king fan, bad if you're not

Shadow divers: True story about a dive to a missing U-boat from WW2. I liked it alot and it really shed light on how terrifying deep-dives can be.

[MetaKittie]

I'm reading Cesar's Way, a weird ass dog book. Where Cesar mostly talks about illegally immigrating and how bad psychologically American dogs are.
._____. I thought it was gonna teach my stupid dog sit stay rollover crap.

[Ves]

Currently reading both "Creating Web Pages for Dummies" and "Visual Quickstart Guide to HTML, XHTML & CSS". I have to both learn CSS from scratch and then rewrite my folk's website before the end of next week... I may well lose my sanity long before I get to read a "proper" book again.

[Necro Mortis]

I'm reading Cesar's Way, a weird ass dog book. Where Cesar mostly talks about illegally immigrating and how bad psychologically American dogs are.
._____. I thought it was gonna teach my stupid dog sit stay rollover crap.

I was just watching the dog whisperer. Man I love that show.

[LucimOfTheMoon]

I just finished The Hunger Games. I highly recommend this one. It is about a young girl named Katniss who lives in what remains of the USA after a cataclysmic war. A government called "The Capitol", surrounded by 12 "Districts" holds an annual televised tournament called "The Hunger Games". This is a fight to the death between 24 children aged 12-17. Katniss's little sister (aged 12 years old) is selected to participate in the Games and Katniss takes her place.

I would rate it an 8.5 out of 10.

[Necro Mortis]

I just finished The Hunger Games. I highly recommend this one. It is about a young girl named Katniss who lives in what remains of the USA after a cataclysmic war. A government called "The Capitol", surrounded by 12 "Districts" holds an annual televised tournament called "The Hunger Games". This is a fight to the death between 24 children aged 12-17. Katniss's little sister (aged 12 years old) is selected to participate in the Games and Katniss takes her place.

I would rate it an 8.5 out of 10.

Sounds somewhat like Battle Royale?

[Binkx]

I'm currently reading Fall With Honor which is the 7th book in a series called Vampire Earth by E.E. Knight. I've been reading this series for a while now.

It's a post apocalyptic world where humans are knocked down on the food chain and are reverted to a somewhat primitive life style. The ones who knocked us down are called Kurians who are very weak but control beings called reapers from far. The reapers go and kill humans and send their "vital aura" to the Kurians who feast on it.

But opposite the Kurians are the Life Weavers who are helping the humans fight. They unlock certain innate abilities in the humans to make them "super humans". Most become wolves, which have enhanced sense of hearing and speed and are like the front line. Some become cats who are the assassins who have enhanced night vision and jumping. Then some become bears who are killing machines.

It has a lot of military lingo and many new species in the series. But it is very well written and is set in the United states. Even with all the military lingo, it's a page turner and not that hard to follow at all. I do recommend it to anyone.

[greggchamberlain]

finished Jeanne Kalogridis' Diaries of the Family Dracul trilogy (Covenant with the Vampire, Children of the Vampire, and Lord of the Vampires).

this dates back about a decade or so in publishing. unusual in that the trilogy starts out well, but the third book is the weakest of the lot to my mind. almost like the author reached a point where she was not sure how to write herself out of a plot problem and it shows in the finish.

premise: the "real" story not revealed in the original Stoker novel, starting about one generation before the events of Dracula, and presenting Dracula's then-modern day descendents who accept Vlad as a distant-but-still-living relative very wealthy and generous as long as the family does certain things "his way" until the current scion, Arkady Tspesh, discovers the dark secret of the Family Dracul.

the last novel in the series is Dracula, as seen through the "real version" of events. lets just say, Van Helsing comes off as a different sort of person in the end here.

finished Paint Your Dragon (Tom Holt) about the 'real story' about that little set-to between St. George and a Dragon...long story made short...the fight was rigged and the Dragon gets a re-match...oh, yes, and there is a stray band of demons on holiday from Hell who get roped into helping St. George put the kibosh on the dragon 'cause he likes the legend as it is right now and sees no need for any "revelations" involving Truth and The Real Facts Of The Matter. along with assorted other characters like a Zulu witch doctor with open-minded prescription habits, a computer genius (he likes to think) who deals in "bottled time" on the black market, his dragon-possessed home computer which he gets to tap for advice one piece of his soul at a time, various haunted living statues, and others...all subject to the best in British humour...GOD I GOTTA GET MORE OF THIS GUY'S BOOKS!

now reading Dracula the Undead (Freda Warrington), the original Penguin paperback edition from back in the 1990s when Dracula sequels were becoming a part of the literary scene. this one takes place seven years later, is done in diary and letters form like the original novel and so far reads not too bad. they are all back in Transylvania for some kind of "memorial" to get closure. not sure what is gonna happen yet but i am betting it ain't good for the Harkers.

also finished Dean Koont's last volume in his Frankenstein sequels trilogy; Dead and Alive.

again...Mary Shelley did not quite have the right story in her novel is the premise. this trilogy takes place in New Orleans a few days before Hurricane Katrina hits and features the Monster having a showdown with his megalomaniac creator and an army of New Humans...who are also experiencing their own genetic breakdowns. the entire series makes decent quick reading.

[GhostBat]

If you guys don't already know, all your recommendations will eventually be displayed on the front page of the site (the long vertical box on the right hand side), so keep them coming!

Chriz was originally updating these, but he's been busy with work (if you noticed the past 5 books have been the same for a while now). As a result, I'm going to go ahead and take over for him, so they will be updated once a week.

[Neuri]

I am reading The Bridge to Infinity Harmonic 371244. Its about Earth Grids and Harmonic mathematics.

So okay, it's not light reading, it sure does put an insomniac to sleep though. Interesting theory though.

[Vendetta]

Currently (re)reading Kinki Lullaby by Isaac Adamson, the fourth book in the Billy Chaka series. Basically the series revolves around Chaka and his misadventures in Japan. They're written in a really punchy noir style with lots of tongue-in-cheek Japanese cultural references. The first book, Tokyo Suckerpunch, is really the best of the lot though, and they get progressively darker in tone as the series progresses. Although you don't really have to have read any of the previous books to understand any given book in the series.


I am reading The Bridge to Infinity Harmonic 371244. Its about Earth Grids and Harmonic mathematics.

So okay, it's not light reading, it sure does put an insomniac to sleep though. Interesting theory though.
Oh for a second you were reading this for laughs, because, no offense, but Cathie is a nutjob.

[Neuri]

Oh for a second you were reading this for laughs, because, no offense, but Cathie is a nutjob
Undoubtedly. But you could say that for a lot of people. Nikola Tesla? Barns Wallis? Thomas Edisson?

[Vendetta]

Nikola Tesla? Barns Wallis? Thomas Edisson?
Tesla was nutty but not a nutjob, there's a distinct difference. All the rest were actual scientists, who used you know, SCIENCE to invent things and prove their ideas. Not some random retired-pilot, UFOlogist nutjob talking about earth grids and nuclear detonation prediction.

EDIT: "All the rest..." didn't mean to imply that Tesla WASN'T a prolific inventor and scientist. In fact Tesla was right about a few things that Edison was wrong about.

[Neuri]

SCIENCE to invent things
You don't have to be a scientist to invent things.
Name one Law in Science apart from Thermodynamics? Most are THEORIES. There's a big difference.
I'm not saying I believe what Cathie is true. It's just entertaining reading.

[Vendetta]

Name one Law in Science apart from Thermodynamics? Most are THEORIES. There's a big difference.
Uhhh what?! Dude there are OVER 10 basic fundamental laws. Hell I can think of at least 3 laws of conservation (I know there are more, but I'm not IN the sciences,) Einstein's Laws of Special & General Relativity, Newton's Laws of motion and gravity, the 4 laws of thermodynamics you mentioned, Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle is a law, and hell, even Ohm's Law. You might want to read a science book, instad of a psuedo-science book.

Anyway, back to the topic at hand. Having finished Kinki Lullaby I'm currently reading Hella Nation by Evan Wright, which is a collection of essays. They cover subjects that Wright, a journalist, has interviewed that exist on the fringes of society. From regulars at taxi dancing establishments to anarchists to the pastor of Aryan Nations to an internet fraudster. Wright was also the author of a series of articles in Rolling Stone called The Killer Elite, which he then turned into the book Generation Kill and was subsequently turned into an HBO miniseries of the same name. Wright's essays are reminscent of Hunter S. Thompson's first-person narratives, but in a lot of his essays Wright lets his subjects speak or themselves. The beginning of the book he describes in detail his first job, for Hustler magazine, where he reviewed porn videos, got passed-out drunk on a nearly nightly basis, and associated with some of the strangest people in the "biz".

[Golden Howl]

Currently I am reading 'The Rape of Nanking' by Iris Chang. It's a history document describing the event which is considered the forgotten holocaust of World War 2. In a simple, noncomplicated explanation, the Japanese desired to flex & test their new strength by dominating China. It's all tied up in bitter resentment toward the Western countries for their past actions. I won't dive into details, which would spoil reading the book, but if anything, the title is well matched with the subject. All those women being raped & how they were treated is completely brutal & quite upsetting.

The literary style is average, it didn't exactly capture my immediate interest at first. Although the diction in a few areas actually had me reaching for a dictionary. Usually by the 50th page or so, you're so engrossed in the subject itself that you forget about the writing style all together.

[Hoplite]

finished The Godfather by Mario Puzo...i loved it...it got a bit monotonous at some parts, but on the whole the book is great...i specially liked the delicate negotiations, especially of the Don...although some might disagree but i think Michael still has a looong way to go before he can be as good as Don Corleone....

started reading Gulliver's Travels by Swift...i don't like the writing style much (still it's better than LOTR!!!!)...let's see where it goes ;)

[Tempest]

I recently picked up Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater. Gracie, a 17 year old living in Mercy Falls, Minnesota, has seen the same yellow eyed wolf watching her every winter. Mysteriously, him and his pack disappear every spring and summer. She's utterly fascinated with the pack, especially her yellow eyed wolf, and every summer she eagerly awaits their return.

She soon finds out that the pack of wolves aren't wolves at all, and she actually has a pack of werewolves in her backyard. Meanwhile her yellow eyed wolf, Sam, relishes every moment of humanity he gets before winter sets in and he is forced back into wolf form. He and Gracie fall in love, but there's no knowing when Sam will be forced back into wolf form, perhaps forever this time...

I'm having a hard time casting judgment on this book so far. It's a paranormal romance, so I see parallels to Twilight (to be expected). The writing is better though, despite the fact that Stiefvater has an annoying tendency to overuse similes. I'm intrigued by the interesting twist on werewolf mythology and I find myself wanting to know how it turns out, but be warned that this is definitely a guilty pleasure.

[Vendetta]

Currently working my way through Richard Feynman's The Pleasure of Finding Things Out, which is a collection of short works, essays and speeches that Feynam gave over the course of his life. It is by no means comprehensive, but it certainly shows how far ahead of the game the man was.

[Revan]

Im currently reading

"The Catcher In The Rye" by JD Salinger.

Admittedly it's a cours ebook for higher English but it's so good I wouldn't mind reading it casually.

It tells the tale of Holdon Caulfields rejection of society and his slow descent into madness.

It is a true classic and is also infamous for being a book that the man who shot John Lennon was obssessed with.

[Wolfsangel]

Gormenghast by Mervyn Peake. A massive metaphor for post-Empire Britain, I think.
Have just finished Swords and Deviltry by Fritz Leiber and the marvellous Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys. Also read Mythago Wood, which is well worth a look for those who like their fantasy rooted in the relatively modern world.

[Golden Howl]

Im currently reading

"The Catcher In The Rye" by JD Salinger.


Who hasn't read that classic? :D I've met people who didn't even like reading claim they love the book.

I'm considering rereading The Kite Runner. I cannot precisely recall the names, but the main character bascially goes back into time (or rather his memories) and describes how his life completely transformed for the worse after his ulimate mistake (Can't reveal it or it'll ruin the story). It has such twists & turns you wouldn't be able to predict. I love how it is realistic and not sappy, happy ending sort of junk. When you read it, you'll find yourself gasping, "Whoa! No way!" several times, that's how much it surprises you :D

[greggchamberlain]

lifts hand regarding question of who has not read Catcher in the Rye

cannot honestly recall if i have read ANY J.D. Salinger even though i know the name.

reading The Kite Runner at the office. boss lent me the book. about two-thirds through now and at part where the author/narrator returns to Middle East in search of his past.

[BlasphemousHeart]

The Demon Lover by Elizabeth Bowen. It's a short story where a women is haunted by her ex-fiance.

[Ieliv]

Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury.
8/10 not as good as some of his other stuff...at least so far...it don't really pick up until towards the middle or so.

Its really hard to say exactly what its about, it kinda keeps you guessing at each turn of the story. (Also keeps it interesting though:3)
I'll try my best with what I got so far from it. In October a carnival arrives, but its one way by day and seems to be another by night. At the same time all kind of weird stuff starts to happen.

[MetaKittie]

Sabriel by Garth Nix.

I first picked it up because it said Nix, I assumed vampire culture. Then after reading I realized it about necromancers. Lo and behold, I like it.
The story starts with Sabriel, an 18 year old about to graduate from a college for young ladies (olden times, yes). Little does the prefect know her father, the great necromancer Abhorsen has been pulled into the clutches of death. To rescue him see must go and face untold dangers in the Old Kingdom. The problem about the Old Kingdom? She is going to have to wing it all. As in, she doesn't remember it from when she was about 4. With a little luck and a sly feline servant, who knows what the possibilities are.
This book is for sure humorous and inviting.

[LUCIDmoon]

I'm re-reading Tithe for the billionth-and-a-half time.
It's about a pixie girl who is a changeling. She is living in our world as a human and doesn't know what she is.
It's a really great book; I can quote most of the damn thing by heart, lol.

[Vendetta]

Sabriel by Garth Nix.
Fixed for you.

Currently, just finishing The Magicians by Lev Grossman. It's really hard for me to describe without making it seem trite, which it really isn't. Basically, it's a sort of Harry Potter/Narnia for adults. And when I say that, I don't mean that's it's a typical fantasy novel, with just more adult content (although there is that.) Main character Quentin Coldwater is a sort of genius version of Holden Caufield, who is obsessed with a series of novels set in a Narnia-esque fantasy land called Fillory. And instead of going to Princeton as was his intent, he ends up quite unexpectedly at a college for magicians. But instead of happy hijinks and good clean fun (as is typical) most of the book is filled with ennui as the meandering Quentin tries to figure out what he is supposed to do with his life and with magic. The book comes to a head when, after graduation, Quentin and a group of "friends" discover that the magical world of Fillory is real, but not the wonderland they were led to believe in the books.

While the story and characters are pretty straightforward (although sometimes unlikable,) to me it's really the subtext of the novel, which skewers everything from Rowling to Lewis to Dungeons & Dragons. Also, it is perhaps the most realistic portrayal of what things would be like for people who could wield real magic. If you can suddenly have anything you want, what is there left to strive for? It's another overarching theme of the book.

I really enjoyed it and can't recommend it enough. In fact if anyone else has read this I'd really like to start a seperate discussion thread on this.

[LV426]

Just Finished Frostbitten by Kelley Armstrong.

Latest novel in Women of the Otherworld series (book 10). Yep I admit it, I like these novels. Anyway the latest novel is Frostbitten. It's based on the werewolf Elena and her approaching ascension to being Alpha. In the meantime she's off to battle unseen and unknown forces, rogue werewolves, and man eating beasts in the wilderness and wilds of Alaska.

Also read Living With the Dead by Kelley Armstrong. Another Women of the Otherworld series(book 9). This one about the half demon Hope and her werewolf boyfriend Karl. When Hope's friend is accused of murder and then becomes hunted by an unknown supernatural force, Hope and Karl try to unravel the tangled skeins and find out where Robyn is and who is stalking her before she ends up dead. There are half demons, werewolves, and more in this one and it's got some twists and turns I never was expecting.

Also just finished Touch of Dead by Charlaine Harris. The latest in the Sookie Stackhouse vampire mysteries. Basically it's just a collection of short stories that Sookie has little mini adventures in. Not the most involved stories but a nice little addition to the collection if you happen to be a fan. I did think the Christmas story was a little on the hokey side. Also she sort of dumbs down Eric in one of the stories and I didn't really think Eric would be so dumb. But I guess it's her world. It's not fantastic and I probably won't read it again but if you are a Sookie addict then you won't mind reading it. And besides it's sort of a snack to tide you over till the next release of the new Sookie novel in 2010.

Another novel I read this week is Perfect Victim: The True Story of "The Girl in the Box" by Christine McGuire. It's a true crime novel about a woman who was captured and held captive and sexually assaulted for 7 years. During which her captor kept her in a box built under his bed with only a couple hours a day to come out and use the bathroom, maybe shower, and do some stretches. She was kept there for years and was subjected to unimaginable torture and depravity. Truly makes you wonder about people.

[GhostBat]

I'm reading The Lost World, by Arthur Conan Doyle.

It's about a prehistoric world separated from the modern world by a volcanic crater/plateau in South America. Two professors, an adventurer, and a journalist from England find themselves in over their head as they set off to explore this lost world, unable to escape the dangers that lurk within.

It kind of reminds me a bit of Jurassic Park and The Time Machine, mixed together in a fun and exciting adventure. I definitely recommend it for sci-fi fans.

[GhostBat]

I am Reading the Book Dexter, based off the tv series.

Who's the author, what's it about, etc?

[Raiden]

Currently, I'm going back and forth between two books in my spare time. One of which is "Winning By Losing" by Jillian Michaels, which is actually a book about living a healthier, less stressed life style. I've decided on losing some weight due to wanted to feel better, and overall to become healthier. Let's face it, there are some aspects of life that are just too fun to let slip by because you've died from a heart attack due to being over weight. If you're like me and just want to do something to better yourself, pick up this book. It's a no-nonsense, no fad-dieting system that is all about eating right, sweating and becoming a better you.

The other book is "Ghost Hunting" by Jason Hawes, Grant Wilson and Jan Friedman. While the title of this book might make you think it was a "how-to" piece of literature, it's actually nothing more than good ol' ghost stories and some insight to some of the cases that aren't aired on SyFy during the show "Ghost Hunters".

Shane

[Vendetta]

I am Reading the Book Dexter, based off the tv series.
Who's the author, what's it about, etc?
Coincidentally I just finished reading this on Monday, and I'd like to point out that Calico had some points wrong. First the book, Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay, is what the Showtime program was based on, not the other way around. And this is just the first book in the series (there are now four all together, with a new one that just came out in September.)

That being said, here's what I've been reading lately:

The aforementioned Dexter novel, if you haven't already heard about it or watched the excellent Showtime series, is about blood spatter forensic tech Dexter Morgan. But Dexter has a secret: he is also a sociopathic serial killer whose main targets are always killers themselves, who have somehow evaded justice. The book itself isn't the best written, but it's a very easy read. What bugged me the most was that sometimes Linday's characters contradict their own personalities, and half of them just aren't fleshed out enough. Otherwise Lindsay paints a vivid (albeit rushed) portrait of Miami and has a neat hook for a protagonist.
(NOTE: bear in mind that all my problems with the book are looked at after having watched 2+ excellent seasons of the show, which I think is vastly superior, and explores the characters in greater detail and has a stellar cast. The first season also changes the first book quite a bit, to its credit.)

The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks is the first book in the fantasy Night Angel trilogy. It focuses on a slum orphan Azoth who aspires to be a "wetboy" (which is sort of like an assassin supreme - one of the characters in the book describes it thus: "an assassin has a target, because assassins sometimes miss.") Basically they use subtle magic to enhance or mask their kills. There's also hints of larger conspiracies and plots, although this book only covers mainly the goings-ons of the city of Cenaria City (the capitol of, well, Cenaria.) All-in-all a pretty good fantasy read; the magic is well handled and unique and there are plenty of intrigues and plots to keep the story interesting. It's a pretty sizable book at just under 700 pages in paperback, so set aside some serious reading time.

[Schrodinger]

Reading Night Child (http://www.amazon.com/Night-Child-OSI-Book-1/dp/0441016022) by Jes Battis

Haven't gotten too far in it but from what I've gathered it seems like a series revolving around a secret division of law enforcement that deals with occult crimes (vampires found 'dead' in an alley). Seems pretty well written with a lot of details so far.

[Vendetta]

Reading Night Child (http://www.amazon.com/Night-Child-OSI-Book-1/dp/0441016022) by Jes Battis

Haven't gotten too far in it but from what I've gathered it seems like a series revolving around a secret division of law enforcement that deals with occult crimes (vampires found 'dead' in an alley). Seems pretty well written with a lot of details so far.
Read this a few months back and will soon put it in my thread for terrible urban fantasy.

[Hoplite]

finally completed 2 books of LOTR series....will start "The Return of the King" today...upto now (but i don't think it's needed):

The Dark Lord Sauron had launched war upon Middle-Earth eeons ago...after countless battles on many lands, however, the Dark Lord was defeated in the battle in the plains of Dagorlad to the combined army of Elves and Men...however, the Ring of Sauron corrupted the minds of Men, and finds it's way out of it's damnation...though the Elves urge the Men to destroy it, Men could not escape it's aura of corruption....tracing back to history, we find that King Elendil was the last Man who kept the One Ring in his possession....however, he had been ambushed ages ago, and no account of the Ring could be heard from then......
After lives of many Men, the Ring somehow makes it's way to Frodo Baggins, a hobbit from the peaceful lands of the Shire...Gandalf, a renouned wizard was aware of the Ring's whereabouts...he convinces Frodo to set out in a perilous journey, a journey of his lifetime, in which he is to go far West, in the Dark Lands of Mordor; where Lord Sauron has siezed power again...

[Vendetta]

Heat Wave by "Richard Castle". If you're wondering why the author's name is in quotes it's because this isn't so much a regular book (although it can be read as such,) as it is a meta-companion to the ABC show Castle starring Nathan Fillion (of numerous Joss Whedon shows.) So let me give a little backstory of the show before I talk about the book. Castle is about wisecracking and often womanizing author Rick Castle (played by Fillion) who starts working with the NYPD after scenes from his novels are copied by a killer (pilot episode.) He is teamed up with homocide detective Kate Beckett and her team to "solve" crimes. Most of the best parts are his interaction with Beckett and his family (he is a single dad with a precocious, intelligent 15-year-old daughter, and his grand damme of a mother who now lives at home with him as well.) That being said, Castle is apparently good friends with lots of people in high places and gets the mayor to assign him to Beckett's unit (much to her displeasure.) He then realizes what a great book this would make, leading to, you guessed it: Heat Wave.

Heat Wave is about New York detective Nikki Heat as she has to chaperone star wisecracking journalist Jameson Rook (who is writing an article about the NYPD.) So yeah, everything comes full circle. As a story it's pretty mundane and fairly cheesy, but that's where the true genius of this book lies. The fact that there is no author listed other than the fictional Richard Castle (although there are, I think, subtle hints in the Aknowledgements,) and that the characters of Nikki Heat & Jameson Rook, obviously fulfill some sort of fantasy within a fantasy, tickles me to no end.

So if you're a fan of the show Castle I'd recommend getting this book, and if you've never seen Castle I'd say: "what are you waiting for?" It's got great writing and it isn't really your typical police procedural.

[Tempest]

I recently started Self-Made Man by Norah Vincent. The author spent 18 months disguised as a man and recorded her observations and experiences during this time. It's interesting to read the lengths she went to to make her disguise convincing, down to packing a fake penis (which, I'll be honest, seems a bit excessive to me). Each chapter focuses on a different aspect of her life as her male persona, Ned. She joined an all male bowling league, went to strip clubs, worked, and even dated.

So far it's a captivating read, but I have to keep reminding myself that it's not meant to be a scientific experiment. I see several biases throughout the book, some that raise my hackles, but Norah made sure to add a disclaimer at the beginning of the book. It's meant to be a travelogue, not representative of all men/women in America. Overall, I'm enjoying it so far, although I'd be curious to see an Average Joe's opinion on her experiences.

[Pinnz]

Currently about a third of the way through the Wheel of Time series, by Robert Jordan. Would definitely recommend this series to fantasy fans, along with the Sword of Truth series. Wheel of Time is basically about the reincarnation of ancient heroes in a fantasy world, leading up to a grand battle against an evil force that plans on destroying the world. Definitely a must-read for fans.

[Vendetta]

Currently about a third of the way through the Wheel of Time series, by Robert Jordan. Would definitely recommend this series to fantasy fans, along with the Sword of Truth series. Wheel of Time is basically about the reincarnation of ancient heroes in a fantasy world, leading up to a grand battle against an evil force that plans on destroying the world. Definitely a must-read for fans.
Since I'm also currently rereading the series (currently on The Shadow Rising) I'll also comment. Instead of thinking of the WoT series as typical fantasy faire, think of it more as a overly broad, ridiculous stereotype of the differences between men & women. I swear Jordan spent more time on this (and in his last few books, just all his characters meandering around) than practically anythign else. Yes we get it Robert, men & women can't understand each other - oh how hilarious for the 200th time.

[Tempest]

I just finished Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. The movie version is coming out in February and the trailer looked good, so I decided to read the book first.

I just rewatched the trailer and am a little pleased to see some things that definitely were not in the book. Yes, that's right, I'm pleased. Usually I hate when they change the book, but in this case I think it's for the better because the book isn't that great.

Percy Jackson is a 12-year-old dyslexic ADHD kid who has been expelled from half a dozen schools in his short lifetime. Throughout his life, strange things have been happening to him, but he's been able to write it off until one of his teachers turns into a monster and tries to kill him and he discovers that his closest friend is actually a satyr. Surprise, all the Greek myths are real and Percy's father is Poseidon.

Percy is sent to a special summer camp that is designed to train children of the gods. As the only living child of the "Big Three" (Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon), he soon is sent out on a very important quest to find Zeus' stolen lightning bolt.

The main problem I have with the book is that, despite going to training camp, they exhibit ridiculous stupidity when coming across the real versions the myths. They have knowledge of the myths, yet can't apply it. Also, the book as a whole reminds me of a mix between Anne Ursu's Cronus Chronicles and Harry Potter (which is a suspicion reinforced by the fact that the director for the movie is the same who did the first Harry Potter).

I think if they wanted to do a movie where the Greek myths are real, Ursu's trilogy would have been a better choice. I'm still going to see the movie though, in hopes that the lame adventures of the book will be transformed with some good old Hollywood magic.

[Caladhiel]

I'm currently reading The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious by Carl Jung. From what I gather so far, the book states and explain's Jung's theory that asides from a personal unconscious, all humans have a shared collective unconscious and that within this unobserved unconsciousness there are common themes, or archetypes, which have appeared in many forms throughout the course of history. It's been absolutely fascinating so far, and I'd recommend it to anyone who's interested in the workings of the mind.

[Wolfsangel]

Caladhiel

If you like the Jung you might like Robert Holdstock's Mythago Wood - it's a superb novel that has a lot of Jung's ideas in it.

[Lycan_Saviour]

The Wanting by Campbell Black. interesting, but i'm unsure whether i like it or not. its about a family that moves to the country to escape their problems (mainly the fathers drugs, alcohol, and affairs) but the longer they stay in this house in which a little girl was killed the more concerned louise becomes for her sons safety. and just what is going on with the mysterious neighbours...

[Caladhiel]

Thanks for the suggestion Wolfsangel, I'll add it to my reading list :)

I recently finished reading VALIS by Philip K Dick. It's a semi-autobiographical work detailing the spiralling decline of his friend Horselover Fat as he suffers a mental breakdown. Despite the suffering of this character, the book is wonderful to read. There is so much in it.

I have started reading Last Chance to See by Douglas Adams and Mark Carwardine. As you may be aware thanks to the recent follow-up series by Mark Carwardine and Stephen Fry, this book is about Carwardine and Adam's journeys around the world in search of creatures on the brink of extinction. Adams is somehow even funnier when talking about real life issues than I've ever read him before, but the book never loses sight of its message or its poignancy, and Carwardine was clearly a fantastic choice of zoologist to team up with. I've been recommending it to pretty much everyone.

[demonic_monkey]

Started in on Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series by picking up Wizard's First Rule. I sincerely hope people have heard of it, because I find it really hard to describe at the moment. I give it an eight out of a possible ten.

[Nikki.]

Finally I've gotten around to reading Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking Glass. Quite good actually. I think the description is obvious, haha.

[Hoplite]

just finished reading The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown...i'll give it a 9.5 outta 10.

Although the writing style seemed to be the same, the structure is pretty different (i found an awkward resemblance in the previous stories). Nonetheless, i liked it.

The story revolves around the Freemasons and their mystries. A lunatic (loved the character) kidnaps one of the prominent masons in the DC and creates the plot for the most valuable secret unfold...I wouldn't say its a must read..however, i enjoyed the book very much :D

[Tempest]

Well currently I'm reading Peace Is Every Step, which is about living in the moment. It's a pretty good book so far, although some of it is a little too cheesy for my tastes. I figure it's one of those things where you take what you want and leave the rest.

Also on my plate is The Dragon Book, which is a compilation of short stories about dragons. I've only read a half dozen or so, but they all have different twists on dragons. In one story, they are pests (called "wyrmin"). In another, the dragon is a lover, while in another they cloak themselves as humans. I love the variety and I've always loved dragons, so it's a great combo for me!

[Vendetta]

OK, time to get this ball rolling again. especially so Bats has something to put in the Bookshelf thread. :D

So without further ado, here's what I've been reading:

Changes by Jim Butcher
Being the 12th book in the Dresden Files series. I'm not sure what to say about this book without giving too much away. I will say this: the title is VERY apt. Within the first page is a major revelation/change. And then things keep changing, in a major way, right up to the VERY end. My only real complaint about the book was that it seemed almost too focused the "changes" that it lost some of the white-knuckled fast-paced execution that Butcher usually brings to these books. But man this one ends on a MAJOR note. Thankfully Butcher has a series of short stories coming out this November called Side Jobs, one story of which covers events that occur 45 minutes after the end of this book.

Black Magic Woman by Justin Gustainis
At a recent signing, I heard Butcher recommend Gustainis as one of his favourite new authors, so I decided to check out this, his first book (in a series.) Gustainis is a capable, if sometimes ham-handed writer also in the urban fantasy genre. The book (and successive books in this series) focus on Quincey Morris a supernatural "fixer" (and descendant of the original Quincey Morris - of Dracula fame,) and his sometimes partner and white witch, Libby Chastain. In this book they are trying to hunt down an evil muti witch from Africa who murders children and is removing their hearts for use in powerful spells. Pretty standard stuff, but Gustainis has a decent writing style, and this, his first effort in the genre, is certainly a stand-out. Also, Gustainis is fond of inserting people and references to other urban fantasy and horror characters in his books (which is fun the first couple of times, but gets a bit old - and some of which I don't even recognize.) If you're looking for something new (or not terrible) in the urban fantasy genre, it's hard to go wrong with Gustainis.

Changeless by Gail Carriger
Second book in the Parasol Protectorate series (a sort of Victorian steampunk meets urban fantasy series.) This one follows our heroine Alexia Tarabotti as she tries to discover why all the supernaturals in London have suddenly become normal humans (and all the ghosts have disappeared.) To this end the follows her werewolf husband to Scotland and confronts his original pack. Pretty silly, but fun stuff. I mean nothing too heavy in here, and you really have to get a kick out of the Victorian speech and morals, to enjoy this book. There's a rather large cliffhanger at the end of the book, which I found a disappointing way to bring readers back. Luckily, we won't have long to wait, as the next book in the series, Blameless, is due out in September.

So yeah, I've been hitting a lot of urban fantasy again. Which probably means I will be getting back to this (http://www.werewolf.com/vb/showthread.php?t=1001) soon.

[Pyrante Tanpelt]

I am reading Frostbite: A werewolf Tale, which is pretty awesome sans the ending. It is an interesting twist to the usual werewolf legend because it is set in the artic circle. :3

[demonic_monkey]

I have finished Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind and will now be moving on to the next book in the series, Stone of Tears.

[MidgeBourbon]

The Church of Dead Girls was something I picked up for three dollars at a tiny bookstore near the bus station while I was waiting for the 248, and I have never been happier about an impulse purchase. I mainly bought it because it was in the trashy detective novel section and I wanted something mindless to pass the time on my two hour long commute. But it was wonderful and beautifully crafted and wholely unsettling. It exposed in perfect clarity the inner darkness of seemingly normal people and made sure that in the end no one was completely free of sin. Everyone was wrong and evil and no one redeemed themselves. And that was the point. It didn't depress you in it's condemnation of people, it just made you uncomfortable about the implications of having bad thoughts and it left me thoroughly creeped out when I finished it at 5:00 AM in an empty apartment. It was excellent and the best part was the fact that I went into it expecting nothing and got a nice surprise.

The book is about the small town of Aurelius and a series of kidnappings that take place. The security of the town and the surrounding area is shaken. The citizens form a vigilante group called the Friends of Sharon Malloy (the first missing girl), who become increasingly invasive and power mad and the look of suspicion is cast first on the local college's Marxist group, then the local gay community and finally on anyone who speaks against the extreme measures being taken to find the culprit. It's an excellent and intelligent look at the what-would-you-do-if... scenario that we have all turned over in our heads.

I recommend it highly. It's a great novel.

[demonic_monkey]

Just wrapped up Blood of the Fold by Terry Goodkind. Now waiting to get my hands on Temple of the Winds.

[Vendetta]

Apparently people don't read over the Summer?

Anyway, I've just recently finished the final volume (6) of the Scott Pilgrim series of graphic novels, Scott Pilgrim's Finest Hour by Bryan Lee O'Malley. It very artfully wraps up the series that started 6 years ago.

The series is about Scott Pilgrim and his life as he dates Ramona Flowers, but by doing so has to defeat her 7 Evil Exes. While there are a ton of classic gaming references, indie rock influences and over the top fighting, at its heart the story is really a coming-of-age romance.

So yeah, what are you waiting for? Go out there and buy it! And if you've never read Scott Pilgrim before, well...

Vol. 1 - Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life
Vol. 2 - Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
Vol. 3 - Scott Pilgrim & the Infinite Sadness
Vol. 4 - Scott Pilgrim Gets it Together
Vol. 5 - Scott Pilgrim vs. The Universe

[Chriz]

I recently finished For Us, The Living (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0743491548?ie=UTF8&tag=christbasken-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0743491548), Robert Heinlein's first (and until recently, unpublished) novel.

It's a quaint, dated story about a man thrown forward about 150 years (from the 1930s to the 2080s) and how he adapts to how society has changed in that time. Some of the seeds of Heinlein's later future societies are visible here, but it's also surprisingly non-Libertarian for the guy who wrote what is considered to be the Libertarian magnum opus (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0312863551?ie=UTF8&tag=christbasken-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0312863551).

It's also clear why the book was rejected. It's basically one long lecture, with Heinlein thinly disguised as protagonist Perry Nelson, alternating positions between dishing out his personal philosophy and being on the receiving end. All this with a course in economics tossed in on the side. I wouldn't call it great reading, but if you're a RAH fan, you might like checking out his early, halting steps.

[Vampirelordx]

Just got done reading the millennium trilogy (The late Stieg Larsson's "The Girl Who..." series) it was a wonderful series I'd suggest these books to everyone. The man wrote wonderfully, these characters feel as real as you or me, and the slowly intertwining threads of fate that connect Lisbeth Salander and Mickael Blomkvist all come togather in a way that makes these characters impossible to forget! This trilogy should be on everyones bookshelves

[Tempest]

I recently finished Jasper Fforde's Shades of Grey, which is the first book of his new trilogy. It's a somewhat complex novel that has tons of parallels to modern society. It's about a culture where people can only see certain colors. For instance, the main character can only see red; everything else is seen as various shades of grey. Your status in society depends on what colors you can see, as well as how much of said colors. There are strict rules that are often ridiculous, but no one questions them because questioning them is against the rules. The entire society relies heavily on strict conformity and compliance. The question that drove me the entire book was, "what happened to our current society?" There are hints of our culture, and hints of Something That Happened, although I ended the book with more questions about those tings than when I started. Overall a great book and it has me anxious for the release of the next one.

Now I'm working on The Brain That Changes Itself by Norman Doidge. It's about neuroplasticity, or how the brain is not completely set in its ways as was once thought. The book is essentially a collection of case studies, and examines people who overcame autism using a special computer game, a woman who healed her 5-year long vertigo spell using electrical stimulation on her tongue, and how people raised their IQs and lost the label of "mentally challenged". It's a very inspiring book.

[demonic_monkey]

I recently finished Soul of the Fire and Faith of the Fallen by Terry Goodkind and I'm now working my way through the pages of The Pillars of Creation, also by Goodkind.

[<\Mutt/>]

I am reading the Looking Glass Wars a story about the "real" Alice, spelt Alyss in the book, and the "real" wonderland. Alyss used to be princess of wonderland until her evil aunt Redd took over. Redd kills everyone and Alyss escapes to the real world, our world. She is trapped their as her guard Hatter Madigan trys his hardest to find her. Its very cool. But not as good as Lewis Carrol lol

[Pyrante Tanpelt]

Broken, a tale about a detective called Quinn and his raunchy affair with a lady down the beaten tracks

[Vendetta]

Broken, a tale about a detective called Quinn and his raunchy affair with a lady down the beaten tracks
I had to go through the descriptions of several books named Broken before I found the one you're talking about. Most of them sounded terrible or terribly depressing. No less than 7 books. (Dear Kelly Armstrong, stop using common 1-word book titles.)

[Vendetta]

Oh, and I'm currently reading Bad Science: Quacks, Hacks and Big Pharma Flacks by Ben Goldacre (based on his Bad Science column in the Guardian.) In the book Goldacre exposes fraudulent "medicine", biased or faux "scientific" studies, and how the media picks up the latest BS (Bad Science or the other kind of BS, your pick) and touts it as fact. It's at once incredibly enlightening and saddening (especially when you see the kinds of bullshit people will believe with absolutely NO proof.)

[Necro Mortis]

At the moment I am reading Domain by James Herbert.

It's about a post-nuclear holocaust London. Basically tension in the middle-east reaches breaking point when Russia invades Afghanistan for control of oil.
No one is sure who attacks but the sirens start sounding in London and it's not long before five nuclear bombs are detonated in and around the city. Not many survive the initial explosions, even fewer survive the nuclear fallout as radioactive dust rains down from the torn sky.

The book follows the story of one particular group who through design or luck end up in a bomb shelter hidden from the general public. Lucky though they are, they have something else to contend with.
As well as struggling to scratch up supplies necessary to live, a race of giant black rat has been breeding in the London underground in the darkness and un-checked. This mutant breed is huge, vicious and apparently without fear. As the black swarm starts killing the already stricken humans they recall rumours of government involvement in their creation.
Just what is this new horror and what is still unknown about them? Only one man seems to have the answers, a member of government amongst them who doesn't want to give away anything, a man who insists upon keeping his authoritative position despite the mutters and whispers of mutiny.

This rag-tag bunch of people clinging to life are, despite the odds, at least safe in their shelter.
That is until water begins flooding into the underground complex sweeping with it rubble, the reek of rotting bodies from above and sleek black shapes with sharp teeth and claws that has a newly acquired taste for human blood.

I'm just over half way through and really enjoying it.

[Vendetta]

Now I read a lot of urban fantasy. Most of it is pretty dreadful; some of it is passable, and a very rare, select few are actually quite good. Sandman Slim by Richard Kadrey, luckily, falls into this latter category. The book is about Jimmy Stark, a man who has spent the last eleven years in Hell. The thing is, he wasn't dead went he went there, and no one except Lucifer can leave freely. That is until he escapes when he discovers that someone killed his girlfriend. And now he wants revenge on the people that put him in hell and killed his girl. And 11 years in hell have made him a dangerous man.

The best part of this is Kadrey's writing which is VERY reminiscent of the L.A. that the story takes place in. Like a whore, it's pretty and attractive on the surface, but underneath it's foul, foul-mouthed and festering with dirt and disease. Also, Stark is anything but a typical hero. He does things for himself and for selfish motivations, and is a general dick to everyone (devils and angels alike.) But somehow through all this, I still found him likable (at least to a certain degree.)

This was part of my Christmas haul, so hopefully I'll have more here soon.

[demonic_monkey]

I finished The Pillars of Creation by Terry Goodkind last week. It was an interesting read, as the main character of the book was different from all the other books in this series.

I'm now a little over halfway through Naked Empire, the next book in this series and I'm rather engrossed by it. The hero, Richard Rahl, has come across a hidden empire filled with people who can't be touched by magic and has to help them free themselves from tyranny to save his own life.

[Cahalith]

Currently reading OWOD LARP books I got in exchange for all of my magic cards. Also reading AGAIN Stolen Child. I liked it enough to re-read which is rare.

[demonic_monkey]

Currently leaping through the pages ofChainfire by Terry Goodkind. It's the ninth book in the Sword of Truth series (following after all the other books I've already posted about). In this installment, our hero, Richard, finds himself facing a frightening twist of fate brought on by a spell that erased his wife, Kahlan, from everyone's memory but his. In addition to this problem, numerous books of prophecy about Richard and the battle against the evil Emperor Jagang and his Imperial Order have come up with blank pages due to Kahlan's important roles in those prophecies. Richard is searching desperately for Kahlan and trying to make his friends remember her, but they all think that he is going mad. It's a rather riveting novel, IMO. Certainly the best in the series so far.

[Soul]

Just finished reading Walls of Jericho by Jonathan Hopkins, a fantastic novel about a couple of cavalry recruits from very different backgrounds fighting in the Napoleonic Wars.

Now half way through Siege by Jack Hight. A novel set in Constantinople towards the end of the Holy Roman Empire. Up to now it's a very entertaining read with clear characters and story.

I like Historical Fiction.

[Fenris_brood]

I'm currently skipping from The Theory of Everything by Stephen Hawking (which I'm ashamed I haven't got sooner), that talks about, well, since I haven't got that much into it, about general universal theories, sliding into physical happenings, from the dawn of physics to the actuality of quantum physics, maybe wrong on this, but again, haven't read it...to an assorted collection of Edgar Allan Poe's poetry that goes by the name of Spirits of the Dead:Tales and Poems published by the Penguin Popular Classics, which I find a great publisher so far, and to scraps and bits from a Necronomicon, written by Donald Tyson, merely for the reason of further illustration on some of Lovecrafts universe...

On that note, I've just finished reading 2 of a 5 series/compendium of Lovecrafts works (translated, sadly, to portuguese, but it's the only thing I can get in libraries here) having read 1 other of that same series, and having become addicted to Lovecrafts tales...and finished reading The Picture of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde, also of Penguin Popular Classics publishing, that treats about the story of a young brittish gentleman that enters a life of vice encited by peers, and has his essence trapped in a portrait, which prevents him from aging...I liked this one alot, although the ending wasn't too much of what I was expecting, both the characters and the ideals presented by the book are very captivating...

[demonic_monkey]

Just brezzed throught Phantom and Confessor by Terry Goodkind, successfully completing the eleven books of his Sword of Truth series. The books, I felt, brought the series for a satisfying and touching end.

Now reading The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown, his third novel starring Robert Langdon and his famous tweed jacket. This installment follows him as he races to unearth a mythical Masonic treasure said to be hidden beneath Washington, D.C. in order to save his friend and mentor, a man named Peter Solomon (a thirthy-third degree Master Mason) from the clutches of an evil man hoping to unearth the Masonic secrets involving apotheosis, or transformation from man to god. Interesting read so far. Only a third of the way through, but I'm pretty impressed so far.

[J.L.R.]

Just finished reading "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins. The book is pretty good even though it covers some of the inane "love triangle" thing that seems to be prevelent in YA books these days. As an author Collins is a polar opposite of Stephenie Meyers. Hunger Games is brutal, heart wrenching and there isn't a "safe" character in the entire series.

Hunger Games tells the story of Katniss Everdeen, a 16-year-old girl who lives in a post apocolyptic nation ruled by a twisted president who amuses himself and his cohorts by hosting gladiator battles invovling children. When Katniss' sister gets chosen to compete, she volunteers in her stead.

There are three books in all, and for the most part, they are very good. The last book seems half-heartedly written though, but over all its a good series, if not a bit depressing at times.

[MorganaFang]

Ok so this is not currently reading because I finished it but I read the entire His Dark Materials series just because the movie came on Syfy and I needed to have an ending.

It surprised me. I thought it would be a completely downer but it was really interesting.

3 days I finished that sucker. 3 DAYS.

Brief Description: Girl, Polar Bears, Deamons, Multiple Dimensions, kids getting ripped in half, POLAR BEARS!!!!, Multiple dimension, evil fucking monkey, witches, angels, "God Dies", life goes on.

[Vendetta]

Ok so this is not currently reading because I finished it but I read the entire His Dark Materials series just because the movie came on Syfy and I needed to have an ending.

It surprised me. I thought it would be a completely downer but it was really interesting.

3 days I finished that sucker. 3 DAYS.

Brief Description: Girl, Polar Bears, Deamons, Multiple Dimensions, kids getting ripped in half, POLAR BEARS!!!!, Multiple dimension, evil fucking monkey, witches, angels, "God Dies", life goes on.
I got bogged down midway through the second book and stopped reading them. I dunno, I really WANTED to like this.

[J.L.R.]

I really liked "His Dark Materials" but I have to say that at times the author really bogs down his story with tons of extra information and unanswered questions, of which don't get answered until the last book. It doesn't have a rosy ending either. It's a good ending though, none the less.

[MorganaFang]

Moved onto Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor (http://www.amazon.com/Shipwrecked-Sailor-Gabriel-Garcia-Marquez/dp/067972205X). It's a short "nonfiction" book but really good.

It's about a naval sailor who has to endure floating alone on the ocean after being wiped off his boat. He eventually becomes a national hero. Definitely recommend it.

[Aerostel Trethiraz]

This is gonna make me feel really wierd but I am reading a book series called Warriors, do not know if you guys have ever heard of it but I think it is a really good series.

Series: Warriors

Basic Description: This series brings you through the life of a once normal cat named Rusty. He wanders into the Forest one day and meets a cat who lives in the forest named Graypaw, an apprentice to another cat. Rusty soon finds himself with two other cats, one a leader of one of the four Forest Clans, she offers to take him into the clan and he accepts within another day.

The rest of the Series and the beginning book are about his life in the clan, and everything else that happens. These books are Fiction, obviously, and I really like them.

If I were to rate this on a scale of 1 to 10, I would rate it 11 :D

[Sinanju]

I got bogged down midway through the second book and stopped reading them. I dunno, I really WANTED to like this.

Did you get the feeling the author suddenly became afflicted with ADHD about exactly 1/3 into book 2? thats how I felt.

Currently reading: I'm late to the Dresden party but thats what I'm reading now. I've gone through 5 books in about a week, and starting the 6th now. It's a really easy guilty pleasure type of read thats great about not taking itself seriously (for example, the main character shows up to a formal vampire masquerade ball dressed as a 70s cheesy vampire, complete with fake fangs and blood). Vampires, werewolves, demons, fairies, knights Templar, T-rexes, film noir style police investigations. This series has it all.

The boy who harnessed the wind: about subsaharan africa and the shit they face.

peace is every step: probably the only "self help" type book I've ever enjoyed and taken something out of. some zen ideas translated into a very western way of perceiving things.

Lisey's story: Steven king either tends to have amazing stories (shawshank redemption, green mile, etc) or absolute trainwrecks that make me want to fling the book out the window and demand my money back. This is the latter.

[Soul]

Just finished 'Deadlier...than the male' by D Michelle Gent. It's a book you just can't put down.
Fits in here perfectly being about werewolves.
Its based in modern times mainly in England and revolves around a plot to over-throw the wolf monarchy. It also contains a complete story about the history and rules involved in the werewolf legend and the making of the main character in the book.
It's a must read for anyone into werewolves.

Not sure what to read next but will let you know.

[<\Mutt/>]

Beastly, It is a modern rendition of Beauty and the Beast (the real version, not the disney). It follows the beast throughout the book. They are making the movie . . . but i really would reccomend reading the book. Way better.

[precious_angel]

Just finished reading Nightwalker by Heather Graham. It is about A woman who is at a casino and has a dead man fall on her. She meets this handsome private investigator. She begins seeing the dead mans ghost. As the private investigator comes close to finding the killer, more and more people are coming up dead. All to find out that it has some wierd link into the past.
Awesome book. Began reading it last night, could not put it down, and ended up finishing it an hour ago.

[Mistress_Kalika]

Terry Prachett is bitchin'

[Mistress_Kalika]

I just finished reading Sharp Teeth by Tony Barlow. It's about rival werewolf packs in LA, and somewhat a love story. It's written in free verse, more like poetry than a novel. I give it a 4.5 of 5. I'm fascinated with his choice of story structure, and it really is quite vivid and imaginative. I definitely recommend.

I also finished Frostbite by David Wellington. I enjoyed it more than Sharp Teeth. It's again, a werewolf story, but a bit different than ones I've read before. It's about a woman who goes in search of the werewolf that killed her father, and ends up a werewolf herself. I refuse to spoil this story any further, read it!

[Vendetta]

At the prodding of the GF I just finished We Have Always Lived In The Castle by Shirley Jackson (author of the famous short The Lottery and The Haunting of Hill House.)

It's a short story, but mobidly dark and sometimes amusing in turns. I don't want to give too much of the story away, suffice to say that it revolves around two sisters, the younger Mary Katherine and the older Constance, who live in Blackwood manor with their infirm uncle Julian. And about the incident 6 years ago when the entire rest of the family was killed when their sugar was laced with arsenic.

[BTR]

I have just finished the second book in the "Required Reading Remixed" series, skipped the first. Each book contains five stories each, each story being a collaboration of two other stories or topics, one such story being a cross-over between Snow White and Through the Looking Glass. These stories are not intended for children.

[Kishi-Dawi]

I'm currently on Clash of Kings, part of the Song of Ice and Fire series best known for Game of Thrones.

This series covers a different spectrum of fantasy than we are used to, where the supernatural is actually held in a mystical regard instead of it seeming ordinary and mundane, and it has quite alot of intrigue and interaction between noble families as it would've been during ancient times. I'd say it's on par with the Lord of the Rings for pure epicness, it has it's own genre almost of fantasy.

[Cahalith]

Well since I haven't read for quite some time I have decided today that needed to change and went to the library and picked up Iliad, by Homer.

I just started to read it, its been interesting how women where 'prizes' like an item or coin. and yet some women where not depending on who your father was, or if you where from a fallen city or not. (Haven't gotten that far but found that particularly interesting) More so how the God's would favor some one over anther due to them being either a priest or their child and convince other Gods to favor their child or what ever regardless of the consequences it may have for themselves.

So far its been a pretty good read.

[LV426]

I just started Spellbound last night. It's part of the Kelley Armstrong Women of the Otherworld series.

I really like those books for the most part. Werewolves, vampires, necromancers, witches, sorcerors, even angels and demons. What more can you ask for. :-)

But in this particular book it's the continuation of Waking the witch where a junior but powerful witch loses her powers just as a crazy cult of minor supernaturals decide they want to have a coming out party to the humans and take over. Of course this sends the supernatural community scrambling to head off the miscreants and find key members which have been kidnapped and our junior witch is right in the middle and still needs to find out why her powers are gone.

[Vendetta]

Finally finished up Side Jobs and going to start reading Ghost Story next.

Also, been reading both The Complete Joy of Homebrewing by Charlie Papazian and How to Brew by John Palmer, after a friend lent me his homebrewing equipment.

[LV426]

Love the Dresden Files, I haven't read Side Jobs or Ghost Story yet because the library has a mile long waiting list for them.

As for my hobby books:

Keeping Bees And Making Honey by Alison Benjamin and Brian McCallum

Natural Beekeeping: Organic Approaches to Modern Apiculture by Ross Conrad and Gary Paul Nabhan

And

The Compleat Meadmaker : Home Production of Honey Wine From Your First Batch to Award-winning Fruit and Herb Variations by Ken Schramm

Making Mead (Honey Wine): History, Recipes, Methods and Equipment by Roger A. Morse

Making Wild Wines & Meads: 125 Unusual Recipes Using Herbs, Fruits, Flowers & More by Pattie Vargas and Rich Gulling

[Bane]

Just finished The Divine Comedy again, it's like my 10th time reading it. Looking for a good fiction book to read, involving necromancers or witches of some degree. Preferably something without the cliche vampires and werewolves to back it up

Any suggestions?

[BTR]

And I finished the book Infinity not that long ago, it involves a number of supernatural beings, like zombies, but it wasn't created by the most skilled of writers...

[MorganaFang]

http://www.macrochan.org/images/D/C/DCYZT52J2ZNDACM4X53DE6T3H6LNICW4.jpeg (http://www.macrochan.org/view.php?u=DCYZT52J2ZNDACM4X53DE6T3H6LNICW4)

Aaaaaannnnyway, I just finished Geek Love.

Basically a book about two entrepreneurs starting home grown genetic advancement engineering and entertainment business that eventually evolves into the Machiavellian enterprise of one of their byproducts from their experiments. It later crumbles into nothing more than a inbred stripper with a pig tail.

:I

[GhostBat]

This thread is closed because you are all VERY NAUGHTY!

Also, it was getting a little long.