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Post by Snake on Aug 14, 2009 15:30:14 GMT -5
I really like the first few books in the Earth's Children series, especially Clan of the Cave Bear. The series starts to go downhill about mid-way through the third book though. That book was mentioned in my anthropology class a lot, but I still haven't read it. Not sure whether it was because it was accurate or because it wasn't. Anyway, it's a manga, but I finished Ikigami Volume 2 yesterday night. It takes place in a dystopian Japan where a random citizen is killed every day so citizens can better appreciate life. Each volume has two stories, each about one of the people who has received an ikigami. Even though it sounds dark come of the stories do have happy endings, through there is at least one tragic and one...weird ending mixed in as well. Unfortunately there's a two or three-month wait between volumes, but it's definitely worth it. |
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Post by Butterscotch on Aug 15, 2009 11:03:00 GMT -5
I really like the first few books in the Earth's Children series, especially Clan of the Cave Bear. The series starts to go downhill about mid-way through the third book though. That book was mentioned in my anthropology class a lot, but I still haven't read it. Not sure whether it was because it was accurate or because it wasn't. Auel has done an incredible amount of research on the Stone Age; she can go on for paragraphs about the animals that lived in that time or the plants, or whatever. But then there are times when she seems to say "screw accuracry! I have artistic license!" or in some cases, because the oldest books were published in the early 80's, that information that was once accurate is no longer so. I really do reccomend the series, especially the early books. In the later books: Ayla becomes a Canon Sue in the last two books. The seeds are there from the beginning, but in the first two books, she's just an expectionally bright, active girl. She really makes the Sue turn in the third book, but it's more tolerable there. |
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Post by Pickle on Aug 29, 2009 2:58:06 GMT -5
The Missing by Sara Langan
Another horror book in the vein of the Rising. Basically, if you are adverse to cannibalism, especially children eating other children, then do not read. Also, fans of Phantoms might like it, too.
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Post by BorderWolf on Aug 29, 2009 11:50:46 GMT -5
Making Money by Terry Pratchett
The latest in the Discworld series. Former arch-swindler-turned- Postmaster General Moist von Lipwig has been asked by supreme despot Lord Vetinari to get the Royal Mint working so that it doesn't cost more then a penny to make a penny. Moist doesn't want the job, but a "request" from Lord Vetinari isn't much of a "request" but a "once-in-a-lifetime-offer-you-can-refuse-if-you-feel-you-have-lived-long-enough". So Moist does take over, and introduces a weird new idea called papaer money.
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Post by kirika on Oct 12, 2009 19:38:42 GMT -5
Vampirates! Black Heart - by Justin Somper was my last book.  |
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Post by Skittles on Oct 12, 2009 20:14:30 GMT -5
Beautiful Dead: Book One Jonas- by Eden Maguire
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Post by Butterscotch on Oct 13, 2009 9:21:06 GMT -5
Just a reminder, unlike the "last movie you watched" and "last tv show you watched" threads, this thread is supposed to include a short review  |
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Post by Pickle on Oct 13, 2009 18:27:03 GMT -5
I forgot, for books, can we also include books that are a bunch of short stories?
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Post by Butterscotch on Oct 13, 2009 18:42:10 GMT -5
I forgot, for books, can we also include books that are a bunch of short stories? Yes |
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Post by BorderWolf on Oct 15, 2009 22:16:52 GMT -5
THUD! by Terry Pratchett
Another book in the Discworld series.
Commander Sam Vimes of Ankh-Morpork's City Watch, is tring to keep the dwarfs and trolls that live in the city from hurting each other because of Koom Valley Day. The day where centuries ago, in Koom Valley, an army of dwarfs were ambushed by an army of trolls, or an army of trolls were ambushed by an army of dwarfs (it depends on who you ask). Then an influential dwarf Grag Hamcrusher who has been tring to stir up unrest between the two races, has been found killed, and a troll club is lying conveniently. Vimes is wanting to solve the homicide without delay. Also making sure he is home at 6PM sharp to read "Where's My Cow?" to Sam Vimes Jr.
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Post by Skittles on Oct 17, 2009 22:14:24 GMT -5
Red Rider's Hood- a book on gangs, violence, a grandma who thinks its still the 60's and keeps money at home, and werewolfs. But the main guy's red mustang *drools at the thougt of a convertable mustang* just got stolen. So he starts hiting the air. What did the air ever do to him, i dunno. It was pretty funny cause he was delivering some bread(money, but a resemblance to another wolf bad guy), noticing that the lights are off and that his grandma's fro is bigger "grandma what big hair you have" (starting to see resemblance) that looks at the dentures in the glass of water making them look bigger "Grandma what big teeth you have" "All the better to smile at you with" (see it yet?) " You're not my grandma, where is she?) His neighboor who's part of a gang jumps up looking hairy and with yellow eyes. And others appear. Takes money and throws the guy in the basement with his grandma smoking something 'funny'. Its kinda funny.
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Post by Butterscotch on Oct 23, 2009 8:01:18 GMT -5
When Rabbit Howls by Truddi Chase
It is the true story of a woman who was subjected to horrific abuse as a child and developed numerous personalities as a result. The book jumps around to her therapy as an adult, with frequent flashbacks to her abuse as different personalities remember different things. The woman struggles to learn her true place within the ranks of her personalities as well, and the answer is rather shocking. Although the book is well-written and interesting, it is hard to read due to its nature.
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Post by Juxapose on Oct 23, 2009 16:08:26 GMT -5
Last Book you read: The Last Song
Author: Nicholas Sparks
Plot: Girl who hates her parents goes to spend the summer with her father.
Out of ten: 4/10
Opinion: Not a great book. The narrator is confusing as all hell, reminds me of Jesus. He's everywhere and anywhere.The narrator tries to be a person in the story, but in the end, it's just Nicholas Sparks narrating the story himself, and throwing wise cracks about the characters he made up himself. The story itself in not very interesting, and it's hard to progress with the story since there is so mush spaw (Stupid Pointless Annoying Words). The story is pretty poorly written since I already guessed the outcome of the story even before I got to the middle. You would think that the #1 New York Times Best Selling Author would wow me with the great story I have been looking for. But I have seen better stories in an episode of Futurama.
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Post by Pickle on Oct 30, 2009 22:23:01 GMT -5
Well, with the Vampire's Assistant coming out, and since I'm familar with the series, I'll do some of the books.
Circe De Freak: Book 1 The Vampires Assistant.
It starts out in the bathroom, as stated in the book. Darren's best friend, Steve, wants to take his friend to a Circe De Freak. Contrary to the title, the Circus plays in the the background as a center stage with key mostly Non-Vampire character and is indeed a vampire series. Darren and Steve go and after seeing several acts, they become enthralled with the man with the spider. Darren himself is more interested with the brightly colored tarantula then anything, but his friend Steve becomes obsessed with the caretaker, Mr. Cresply, and claims him to be a vampire. And as teenage boys are known for, they decided to do something stupid; Darren and Steve goes to steal spider. And life goes down hill for the two.
If you only like vampires like Twilight, don't get this book. A lot of magic and glamor associated with vampires is pretty much thrown out, though magic plays around the whole scene in the later books. If you follow the whole 30 Day of Night scene, as in graphic and bloody horror, don't get this book, either. This is in your youth/middle school sections for a reason. Though there is a blood group of vampires later in the book, the more familar vampires are quite developed and have almost a code of honor that is quite interesting.
To sum up the series: "Vampires for Adolescent Straight Boys." Instead of a bunch of a bunch of antsy pretty boys, the main character is a regular skin on a journey to mature and grow into a roll he rejected first, but grows into it as well as the older vampires more mimic in looks and actions as ye old Knights and Vikings all rolled into one.
While this book is clearly geared to pre-teen boys, it truly has found it's own little niche in the literature community and if you just want a new twist to the vampire theme that is not a hard read, then I suggestion pick up the first book at least. It's fun and different, which is always something I love to find in the mist of the same old crap.
And I know that this was a slight summary of the series, but oh well.
And no, not playing Halloween with all of this.
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Post by Butterscotch on Nov 4, 2009 9:32:37 GMT -5
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King
Trisha Macfarland and her mother and older brother go for a hike in the woods. It's supposed to be a fun family outing but Trisha's mom and brother start arguing right away; they don't even notice when Trisha steps off the path to take a bathroom break. When she's done peeing Trisha decides that rather than backtrack to the path to instead cut across the woods to where the path forks. But, somehow, she makes a wrong turn, and gets very, very lost. It's bad enough to be a little girl lost in the woods for days on end, but to make matters worse, something is following Trisha...watching and waiting.
This is one of my favorite Stephen King books. It's pretty short (around 260 pages), but I've often felt that King is at his best with shorter works. I like that it's not just a story about being lost in the woods, though that would be good; and that it's not JUST a story about a strange monster stalking a lost little girl, though that too would be good. What really makes this book interesting are the frequent disscussions on the nature of Go. It's thought-provoking without being preachy.
My only real complaint is that Trisha, who is supposed to be a nine-year old girl, acts a bit older...more like a twelve year old boy. Though she is a bit of a tomboy and is supposed to be mature for her age, her thoughts and actions can be too adult at times.
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[M:9]
