Gryphons & Dragons

Gryphons & Dragons No More

2008-03-27T15:10:00.001-05:00

I'm afraid I have a sad announcement. There just hasn't been enough interest in Gryphons & Dragons lately to support its continued existence. April (Thursday, 4/10, 7:00) will be our last time to gather under this name. We're reading The Hobbit, which is a classic and will be a movie in a few years, so I hope you can make it. Unfortunately, I won't even be able to join you. I'll be out of town, so Rachel, one of our other librarians, will be filling in leading the discussion. I hope to continue to see you at the library and hear about the good books you are reading.

Something to look forward to, though: we'll be having a visit from a teen fantasy author this summer. She lives in Kansas City and has just written her first book to rave reviews. Her name is Elizabeth C. Bunce and the book is A Curse Dark as Gold. www.elizabethcbunce.com. She'll be at Lackman Thursday, July 10 at 1:30. Put it on your calendar now.

Keep in contact,
Chris

What is a Hobbit? I suppose hobbits need some description nowadays, since they have become rare and shy of the Big People, as they call us. They are (or were) a little people, about half our height, and smaller than the bearded dwarves. Hobbits have no beards. There is little or no magic about them, except the ordinary everyday sort which helps them to disappear quietly and quickly when large stupid fold like you and me come blundering along, making a noise like elephants which they can hear a mile off. They are inclined to be fat in the stomach; they dress in bright colours (chiefly green and yellow); wear no shoes, because their feet grow natural leathery soles and thick warm brown hair like the stuff on their heads (which is curly); have long clever brown fingers, good-natured faces, and laugh deep fruity laughs (especially after dinner, which they have twice a day when they can get it). Now you know enough to go on with.

Don't Wait to Start The Hobbit

2008-03-14T11:13:00.001-05:00

So I have 7 copies of The Hobbit sitting on the Gryphons & Dragons shelf just waiting to be checked out and read. Don't delay coming by to get yourself one and risk running out of time to finish it. This is one of the classics, but it never grows old. It was one of my first fantasy reads in middle school and helped me fall in love with the genre. We'll be gathering to discuss it Thursday, April 10.

The Hobbit, if you don't know, is the story of completely unadventurous and timid Bilbo Baggins, who is unwillingly swept up into an adventure by the wizard Gandalf the Grey. In the company of 13 dwarves, he finds himself traveling over perilous mountains and through dark woods--encountering orcs and giant spiders and all manner of unfriendly creatures along the way--in their attempt to get to the lonely mountain to retrieve their treasure from the dragon who has stolen it. Bilbo discovers he is quite the master thief and may be better in a pinch than he ever imagined.

Tolkien wrote The Hobbit for fun, then spent years developing the world he had created before following it up with the much darker and more serious Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Dragon's Keep

2008-03-14T10:48:00.000-05:00

This is by no means an action-adventure book like, say, Eragon, yet neither is it slow or boring. A bit less personal and intimate, perhaps, more proper; it's a fairy tale, and told like a tale. I have to admit I wasn't that into it for the first half of the book, but I'm glad I gave it a chance. The second half, once the dragons really enter it, is much more gripping. By the end, I realized it was really powerful and I'd just enjoyed an excellent book. I recommend giving it a try, just realize you may need to be patient with it.

A Bit More About River Secrets Author Shannon Hale

2008-02-07T18:07:00.004-06:00

Recently I came across this article about the tour that Shannon Hale is currently on to promote the release of her newest book, Book of a Thousand Days. It is a joint tour with author Libba Bray. They sound like a fun pair. A few excerpts from the article:

. . . A defining feature of the tour, by all reports, was the entirely unscripted nature of the authors’ interactive presentations. Both have backgrounds in theater and Hale has done improv, so it stands to reason that booksellers refer to their school and store appearances as “performances.” The two regularly shot questions at each other, ranging from “Why are you so foxy?” to “When did you know you wanted to become a writer?” Hale says she prefers to be spontaneous while addressing young readers and “once I met Libba I suspected that she’d be game for it, which was terrific. We weren’t afraid of making utter fools of ourselves, so that helped. We mixed it up each time. Our goal was to keep each other laughing and that kept everything fresh. . . . ”

Part of their act—another ad lib component—includes singing, or as Bray explains, “a loose interpretation of singing” in which words and notes can easily get lost. The songsters’ debut was at a San Francisco school, when they found themselves with a piano and microphones and, Bray says, “We began fooling around and making complete idiots of ourselves. For some unknown reason, we suddenly began singing ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart.’ ” Off-key or not, their rendition was a hit and became their signature signoff at events, sometimes with kids from the audience joining in as backup dancers. . . .

Libba Bray, by the way, has also written some excellent books. I'm currently listening to the audiobook of the third title in her trilogy: A Great and Terrible Beauty, Rebel Angels, and The Sweet Far Thing. They're set in a Victorian era boarding school in England, so they're not traditional swords and sorcery fantasy, but I can't put them down. Highly recommended.

Hale's website

Bray's website

Bring a Date to Gryphons & Dragons

2008-02-07T12:48:00.000-06:00

In planning to have our monthly gathering on the second Thursday of each month, I missed that we'll be meeting this month on Valentine's Day. I understand if that's an issue for some of you and we wish you the best in your romantic endeavors. We'll see you in March, I hope. For those of you who can make it, perhaps we'll have some special treats to celebrate our independence from attachments.

We'll be discussing Shannon Hale's River Secrets. A brief description from Hale's website:

Razo--short, funny and not a great soldier--is sure it's out of pity that his captain asks him to join an elite mission--escorting the ambassador into Tira, Bayern's great enemy.

But when the Bayern arrive in the strange southern country, it’s Razo who discovers the first dead body. He’s the only Bayern able to befriend both the high and low born, people who can provide information about the ever-increasing murders. And he’s the one who must embrace his own talents in order to get the Bayern soldiers home again, alive.

This is her third book set in Bayern (and all have gotten excellent reviews). Goose Girl is about princess/queen-to-be Anidori (Isi) and Enna Burning is about her good friend Enna. Razo is another in their circle of friends. I haven't read these others, but just started River Secrets last night and am enjoying it.

Eragon News

2008-01-17T17:06:00.000-06:00

The official announcement has been made. The third book in Christopher Paolini's Inheritance series will be called Brisingr, and it will be released September 20. As of right now, we don't have a record for it in the catalog for you to place a hold on, but if you come in or call you can make a new book purchase request. That way you'll be one of the first to get it from the library when it comes out.

If You Enjoyed Revenge of the Witch

2008-01-14T15:18:00.000-06:00

You might want to check out the official website: www.spooksbooks.com. Some interesting things to explore. The books were first published in England under a different name (The Wardstone Chronicles instead of the The Last Apprentice), so you'll notice a few unfamiliar things, too. Have fun.

Authors Scott Westerfeld and Justine Larbalestier

2008-01-03T19:10:00.000-06:00

We read Peeps by Scott Westerfeld a while back. I've pulled a few exerpts from an article about him and his wife. Follow the link for the rest.

Meet the East Village "It" Couple of Young-Adult Lit

Teen-fiction authors Scott Westerfeld and Justine Larbalestier are living the dream. Major industry talents from Holly Black (author of Valiant) to David Levithan (Boy Meets Boy) routinely drink and schmooze in their spacious East Village digs. They cultivate fans and colleagues on their heavily trafficked blogs, enjoy upscale working vacations in Mexico, and migrate yearly between New York and Sydney. They rack up frequent-flier miles visiting libraries and book conventions to promote their latest literary efforts. And, most importantly, they finance this haute-bohemian lifestyle by writing speculative and fantastic adventures for smart adolescents. . . .

Justine's Magic or Madness trilogy (which ended this year with Magic's Child, Razorbill/Penguin) blends Australian Aboriginal folklore (and personal wish fulfillment) with the theoretical physics of a dimensional doorway leading from Australia to the mean streets of lower Manhattan. The reality of magic in this series simply gives its 15-year-old heroine a more cerebral perspective on the difficult choices she's forced to make. . . .

Between his dark-fantasy Midnighters trilogy, his teen-vampire books, and his speculative Uglies quartet, Scott has close to 2 million books in print. Besides his official website (scottwesterfeld.com), there are also growing numbers of user-generated message boards and fan sites where fans flock to discuss his characters and plots. "Teenage fans feel a lot of ownership over the books they love," says Scott. "They take me to task over decisions they don't like, they demand sequels, they dress up as characters. A lot of them already comment on my blog, so part of touring is meeting a community in live space that I already knew online. . . . "

Ranger's Apprentice News

2007-12-20T17:52:00.000-06:00

Some of you may remember reading The Ruins of Gorlan, the first book in the Ranger's Apprentice series. Your reviews were mixed; generally you thought it was a good book, but didn't feel it had enough substance. I suggested patience, as it was the first in a series and felt it had laid the groundwork for a good story if you wanted to keep reading.

I've read the second book (but not the third yet) and stand by what I said. I think it's a good series. Apparently I'm not alone. The following blurb was in the weekly email I get from Publisher's Weekly:

Film rights for the Ranger's Apprentice series by Australian author John Flanagan have been optioned by United Artists Films. Director and producer Paul Haggis will adapt and direct a series of movies, in a seven-figure deal.

Saint of Dragons Teaser

2007-12-07T13:12:00.000-06:00

The modern Dragon is that person at school or in the workplace who hides his true self, who secretly speaks badly of others, who can't be trusted, who brings misery to those around them, who delights in the failure of friends. The modern Dragon is not content to be rich, but wants others to be poor. Beneath this person't outward appearance, there is very likely Serpent skin. And a vast desire to do harm.

Share Your Thoughts

2007-11-05T20:16:00.001-06:00

So this is a Kris (lacking a handle), the blade popular in this part of the world. What did you think about Snow, Fire, Sword being set in a mythical version of Indonesia? Did you like the fact that it was different than the usual, or did you miss the usual and feel this was a departure from what you like about the genre? What are your other thoughts about the book? Tell us what you think.

Eragon News

2007-11-03T11:31:00.000-05:00

Christopher Paolini, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Eragon and Eldest, the first two books in his Inheritance series, will write an additional, fourth novel about his hero Eragon, it was announced today by Nancy Hinkel, Publishing Director of Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books. Originally planned as a trilogy, Inheritance will now include four complete novels written by Paolini and be named the Inheritance cycle.

Knopf also announced that it will publish Book Three, as yet untitled, in a national laydown in the United States and Canada on September 23, 2008. Book Four is not yet scheduled for publication. . . .

read more

I Enjoyed Reading

2007-10-25T17:03:00.000-05:00

Flora Segunda, by Ysabeau S. Wilce. Subtitle: Being the Magickal Mishaps of a Girl of Spirit, Her Glass-Gazing Sidekick, Two Ominous Butlers (One Blue), a House with Eleven Thousand Rooms, and a Red Dog. It's as quirky and complicated as that subtitle, but I had fun with it and recommend it. Click on the title above for an intro and the author's webpage.

Big Changes

2007-10-22T19:13:00.000-05:00

Things at Lackman have been in flux for a bit of time now. Since March, I have been working as the Branch Manager at the Cedar Roe Neighborhood Library in Roeland Park. For a while we thought someone new would be taking over Gryphons & Dragons and I was just filling in until we found that replacement. I ended up deciding to come back to Lackman, though, and resume my duties here. I will be back at Lackman full time starting November 13.

That's not the change that impacts you, though. Our attendance has been very sporadic for over a year now, and we need to do better for the group to continue. We're looking at what we might change to improve things, and have decided to try changing the night of the week we meet to see if that has any effect. Our next meeting will be Monday, November 5th. After that, we will meet the second Thursday of every month instead of Monday. I hope that works better for more of you and I get to see you then.

Nov 5 - Snow, Fire, Sword by Sophie Masson
Dec 13 - Saint of Dragons by Jason Hightman
Jan 10 - Revenge of the Witch by Joseph Delaney
Feb 14 - River Secrets by Shannon Hale
Mar 13 - Dragon's Keep by Janet Lee Carey
Apr 10 - The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
May 8 - The Rover by Mel Odom

Double Argh!!!

2007-10-18T09:34:00.000-05:00

Scratch that last post. I put the 12th on the right column of this blog and a couple of other places, but way back when originally working on the calendar I had taken Veteran's Day into account and scheduled us for the 5th. So forget everything I said about the 13th. Our printed materials and online calendar have us meeting November 5th, so that's when we'll meet. A week earlier than normal.

Argh!! Date Change for November

2007-10-17T18:46:00.000-05:00

That was quite an oversight on my part. I've been advertising our November gathering the usual second Monday, except I forgot the fact that we're closed the 12th in honor of Veteran's Day. So for this month we'll move it back to Tuesday, November 13. And since the meeting room is already booked that night, we'll be meeting in study room #1. Hope to see you there.

A Wizard of Earthsea

2007-10-08T19:37:00.000-05:00

A main theme of almost any fantasy novel is good vs. evil. The main characters, though often flawed, usually end up fighting against the forces of evil. And there's no question the good guys are good and the bad guys are bad. There's this clear-cut distinction between the two sides. This book, on the other hand, does just the opposite. Ged thinks he is fighting some foul shadow that represents evil, but he is only able to "defeat" it by accepting that it is a part of himself. He finally figures out that the shadow is his pride, impatience, anger--the evil within him, the evil that he is capable of doing. There is no clash between the forces of good and evil, there is the clash between the good and evil in Ged.

At first the shadow is an incredibly destructive force because Ged has released it upon the world. Ged fears it and that gives it power over him. Only when he decides to "hunt the hunter" and confront it does he begin to have some power over it, and only after he figures out what it is and accepts it is he able to contain it.

That, to me, is a lot more true to life than the more common fantasy clashes. I know there is evil in the world, yet rarely can I say that that person or country or thing is purely evil. I think everyone is a mix of good and bad. Sometimes we respond to our positive urges and sometimes our negative. Some people make a habit of one or the other, but both are there in everyone. That is the wisdom of this book, and what I especially enjoyed about it.

Other thoughts:

- The importance of names. Everyone has a birth name, a true name, and a public name. Kind of the way we give ourselves screen names online. Do you have any particular nicknames that are meaningful to you?

- This is the first book of Earthsea. It was originally a trilogy: A Wizard of Earthsea, The Tombs of Atuan, and The Farthest Shore. Later she wrote Tehanu, then The Other Wind and Tales from Earthsea. I've heard they are all excellent. Last year the trilogy was also made into a TV miniseries. You can get all of them from the library if you liked this one.

If You've Read Alice in Wonderland

2007-10-02T18:44:00.000-05:00

I just finished a recent book that I enjoyed quite a bit. I don't think it will be a G&D selection, but I want to recommend it. The Looking Glass Wars, by Frank Beddor. It takes the characters and ideas in Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland and reworks them into the "true story" of Alyss, Princess of Wonderland. It's imaginative, fast-paced, and a lot of fun. www.lookingglasswars.com

You Decide

2007-10-01T11:42:00.000-05:00

Links to Amazon: The Goblin Wood, The Rover, The Hobbit

Why Do You Read?

2007-09-25T09:59:00.000-05:00

So in Clerks II there is an ongoing argument between fans of the Star Wars trilogy and Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy over which is supreme. Both Lucas's movies and Tolkien's books were formational experiences for me, so I don't feel any need to make an either-or comparison. If push really came to shove, though, I think I'd have to come down on the side of LOTR. I don't make this decision lightly, but based upon the controlling mythology of the stories. I know I'm not the first to describe them in these terms and much more has been written than this, but here's my take.

In Star Wars your hero just happens to be magically imbued with a powerful force. We eventually find out he is the son of one of the great powers in the universe. He is destined for greatness and he fights the great. The prequel trilogy only expands upon this theme. This is a battle of the high and mighty against others who were born to power. This is an incredibly powerful mythology--How awesome would it be to discover you have this great power and can do incredible things? Everyone wants that in some form. But while I can fantasize about wanting to be a Luke Skywalker, I know there is no truth in it. Finally I must accept that I am just another ordinary person and that particular fantasy is just an escape.

While LOTR may have Gandalf and destined-to-be-king Aragorn, the true protagonists are the Hobbits. They are as down to earth and ordinary as they come. They don't succeed in their quest because they are inherently great, but because they are able to find extraordinary strength of character and courage within themselves. They are you and me succeeding in a crisis situation despite our mortality and weakness. This may be called a fantasy, but it is one that we can actually put ourselves into and identify with. Ideally, it is one that can inspire us to live our own lives like courageous Hobbits and discover our own versions of greatness. It is a story that might make us better people.

And that's what I'm really looking for in a good fantasy, not just escape, but something that will help me examine my own life and come out a better person because of it.

For October

2007-09-12T19:03:00.000-05:00

Our next book is a classic young adult fantasy. It's about a lonely teen who's had a difficult childhood and learns he has a natural affinity for magic. His wise, aged mentor suggests he attend a renowned school for wizards to hone his abilities. From there he has many adventures. It is not Harry Potter, however, but A Wizard of Earthsea, written by Ursula Le Guin in 1972, and has a much more mature sensibility than the stories about that recent boy wizard. It has been beloved by many and was recently made into a miniseries by the Sci Fi Channel (which the author didn't care for). I'm looking forward to reading it and hope you are too.

Of the Big Wee Hag

2007-09-12T18:49:00.000-05:00

The thing I appreciate most about The Wee Free Men and Terry Pratchett's other books about aspiring witch Tiffany Aching (A Hat Full of Sky and Wintersmith) is the role of magic-wielding witches. Magic is not something to impress or for personal gain or power. The most important thing to know about the proper us of magic, in fact, is that it should be rarely used. Instead, what makes one a good witch is an inquiring mind, common sense, and the ability to see beyond the obvious. Observe much and speak little but with authority. These are skills that anyone can develop, regardless of magic ability, and is a path to wisdom. The book is a lot of fun, but teaches a good lesson along the way.

Teaser

2007-08-15T19:35:00.000-05:00

"I expect you wouldn't have stolen it if you weren't so hungry, then," she said.
There were several hundred astonished looks.
"Oh, we would, mistress," said the helmet twiddler.
"You would?"
Tiffany sounded so surprised that the twiddler looked around at his colleagues for support. They all nodded.
"Yes, mistress. We have tae. We are a famously stealin' folk. Aren't we lads? Whut's it we're famous for?"
"Stealin'!" shouted the blue men.
"And what else, lads?"
"Fightin'!"
"And what else?"
"Drinkin'!"
And what else?"
There was a certain amount of thought about this, but they all reached the same conclusion.
"Drinkin' and fightin'!"
"And there was summat else," muttered the twiddler. "Ach, yes. Tell the hag, lads!"
"Stealin' an' drikin' an' fightin'!" shouted the blue men cheerfully.
"Tell the wee hag who we are, lads," said the helmet twiddler.
There was the scrape of many small swords being drawn and thrust into the air.
"Nac Mac Feegle! The Wee Free Men! Nae king! Nae quin! Nae laird! Nae master! We willna be fooled again!"

- - - - -

"But you are alive!" she said.
"Ach, no, mistress," said Rob, helping another pictsie to his feet. "We wuz alive. And we wuz good boys back in the land o' the livin', and so when we died there, we wuz borned into this place."
"You mean . . . you think . . . that you sort of died somewhere else and then came here?" said Tiffany. "You mean this is like . . . heave?"
"Aye! Just as advertised!" said Rob Anybody. "Lovely sunshine, good huntin', nice pretty flowers, and wee burdies goin' cheep."
Aye, and then there's the fightin'," said another Feegle. And then they all joined in.
"An' the stealin'!"
"An' the drinkin' and fightin'!"
"An' the kebabs!" said Daft Wullie.
"But there's bad things here!" said Tiffany. "There's monsters!"
"Aye," said Rob, beaming happily. "Grand, isn't it? Everythin' you could ever ask for, even things to fight!"

Rock Me, Bartimaeus

2007-06-20T19:34:00.000-05:00

We met last Monday and discussed The Amulet of Samarkand, the first book in the Bartimaeus trilogy, until after 8:30. It was a good time. It was also just me and two first-timers. I look forward to many more discussions with the two of them, but I also hope to see some of you "old-timers" back to join us in July. Neither of two knew anything about Gryphons & Dragons, they just knew how much they love the Bartimaeus books and wanted a chance to discuss them with like-minded readers. We're discussing the second book in the series, The Golem's Eye, July 9. Stop by the library to pick up your copy(ies).

(And if you've read the first book but couldn't make the discussion, feel free to leave your thoughts about it as a post on this blog.)

(Bonus points to anyone who knows what the title of this post is a reference to.)

It's Been a While

2007-05-11T15:31:00.000-05:00

. . . since anyone's posted here. It's natural since we're in transition between me and my replacement, but the show goes on. I finished reading Siberia a couple of days ago and am ready to discuss it on Monday. I liked it quite a lot. Anyone else?

See, They Are Real

2007-03-14T22:18:00.000-05:00

A legendary one-horn defense

The Associated Press

BILLINGS, Mont. | A man told police not to blame him for crashing his truck into a light post — it was that unicorn behind the wheel.

Prosecutor Ingrid Rosenquist said Phillip C. Holliday Jr. initially denied driving the truck involved in the March 7 crash in Billings. He told officers at the scene that a unicorn was driving, she said.

Holliday, 42, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to felony charges of criminal endangerment and drunken driving.

A pickup truck drove through a red light and nearly struck another truck, according to court documents. The driver made an erratic U-turn through a gas station, crossed the street and crashed into a light pole. Nobody was injured.

Of Wereswans

2007-03-13T14:47:00.000-05:00

I think I'll actually let someone else take the lead in discussing Murkmere since I've done the last few and I know of at least one person who read the book but couldn't make our discussion. I liked it, but it didn't make a huge impression. It's also what gave rise to this post's title (think werewolves).

I'm really excited about the next book, The Minister's Daughter, since I read it in the fall and liked it a lot. If the format works for you at all, I highly recommend listening to the book on CD since the reader does an excellent job with the variety of older English accents and really brings it to life.

And if you enjoyed reading Kai Meyer's The Water Mirror last November, we now have the second book in the series, The Stone Light. It looks much more epic in scale, with clashes of armies and the rise of more pivotal characters.

Rashish

2007-02-13T22:16:00.000-06:00

Instead of writing any specific thoughts on Rash, I thought I'd share this email I recieved from someone today. Click on the link above for something similar from Hautman.

Those Born 1930-1979:

First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they were pregnant. They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes.

Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-based paints.

We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors, or cabinets, and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking. As infants & children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, booster seats, seat belts, or air bags.

Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a special treat.

We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle.

We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle, and no one actually died from this.

We ate cupcakes, white bread, and real butter and drank koolaid made with sugar, but we weren't overweight because we were always outside playing. We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on. We didn't have cell phones and no one was able to reach us all day.

And we were O.K.

We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.

We did not have Playstations, Nintendos, Xboxes, no video games at all, no 150 channels on cable, no video movies or DVDs, no surround-sound or CDs, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet or chat rooms . . . we had friends and we went outside and found them.

We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents.

We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt and the worms did not live in us forever.

We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis balls, and, although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes.

We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them.

Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that.

The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law.

These generations have produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever. The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.

We had freedom, failure, success, and responsibility, and we learned how to deal with it all.

If you are one of them . . . congratulations!

You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids before the lawyers and the government regulated so much of our lives for our own good.

And while you are at it, forward it to your kids so they will know how brave (and lucky) their parents were.

Kind of makes you want to run through the house with scissors, doesn't it?

2007-02-06T21:03:00.000-06:00

HEy guys whats up? I'm looking forward to reading a trilogy this summer so what are u thinking we going to read???

An Enjoyable Rash?

2007-02-01T17:59:00.000-06:00

My skin's a little itchy from all the dry, cold weather lately and the chemicals in the swimming pool, but I don't actually have a rash. I did enjoy reading Pete Hautman's book Rash quite a bit, though. In fact, it won the Kansas City area mock Printz award in early January. It didn't win any actual awards, but it was good enough that the librarians in the area picked it as the best book of the year. No fire-breathing dragons in this one, but there are man-eating bears. And a society in which you can get sent to jail for hurting someone's feelings. It's got a really interesting look at the direction our society could be heading, a gripping story, and football. Drop by to pick up a copy if you haven't already. We meet to discuss it in eleven days. See you then.

(On a completely unrelated note, I recently read The Burning Bridge, the second book in the Ranger's Apprentice series by John Flanagan that we started with The Ruins of Gorlan. The characters are old enough now that they're out in the world doing things instead of stuck in school. It's got much more action, yet we have the depth of character development from the first book. I recommend giving it a try if you like the first one at all.)

Summer

2007-01-22T22:54:00.000-06:00

So I posed the question through email about reading a trilogy for the summer--book 1 in June, book 2 in July, and book 3 in August. The only voice of dissent so far has offered this thought:

im all for the trilogy idea...... except for one down side, if someone doesnt like the first book then they arent going to read the next two, OR if someone doesnt read the first one then they will be COMPLETELY confused for the next two month.

Very valid. It makes me quite nervous about the idea, in fact. But it's summer, so even if you miss the first one you should have time to read two in one month to catch up, right? :-) And they're not the type that would be completely confusing to read standalone. Somewhat confusing, but still manageable. And I could only hope you'd like them, but I don't know anyone who's read them and disliked them.

I think I'm willing to take a chance if only one person is concerned. This is your last chance to stop me, then. I have to have our summer plans turned in by February 15.

MBT

2007-01-08T20:29:00.000-06:00

Not all monsters look like monsters. Some everyday folk are the worst monsters of all.

While I felt a bit misled by the cover, I thought this an excellent book. I was expecting something edgier and darker heading into it and was at first disappointed at the age of the character and how it felt in some ways more like a "J" than a "YA." That's a mostly superficial reaction on my part, though, because there is blood and gore, plenty of nasty characters and evil deeds, and hints of some really dark magic. I think it feels a bit young because our point of view is Rossamund's. He has lived his entired life sheltered and isolated from the world in his orphanage, and all he knows of the world is what he's been taught and has read. He's experiencing the everything for the first time and is overly naive and trusting, so that's the perspective we get for our first encounter with the Half-continent. Looking through that perspective to his actual experiences, though, we find quite a lot of complexity. Characters aren't simply good or bad, but a mix of both.* And Rossamund struggles with moral and ethical questions without ever finding a simple answer. Both people and issues are characterized by three-dimensional shades of grey (as opposed to a simplistic black-and-white). A first scratch leaves the impression this might be a book for younger readers, but dig deeper and you'll find no lack of substance.

Another take on the book having substance is the plot itself. This is obviously just the beginning of Rossamund's story and our introduction to the Half-continent, but it feels like a full tale. Not a complete one, but I wasn't left feeling like nothing had happened. This is impressive especially in light of the fact that the book only represents a couple of weeks of Rossamund's life. And there's the fact that the last quarter of the book is a glossary. Cornish has obviously spent a great deal of time developing his setting and background for the book, and even though much of it doesn't directly impact the story, it's in there making things fuller.

Most importantly, though, is that I find myself lingering on the book and revisiting it in my mind. I read a lot of books and some I forget as soon as I put them down. Whenever one sticks with me for a while I know there is something commendable about it. This is one, and I'm eagerly awaiting the next volume in the series.

*Licurius, for example, seems a rather unreedeming character. He wanted to kill Rossamund and from that character's perspective he's obviously no good. But his chosen profession in life is intended as a noble one, protecting his fellow everymen from the monsters. And Europe, who obviously sees something good in Rossamund, also sees something good in Licurius. Even when the glossary describes him as having taken the lead in the "wicked and infamous" things he and Europe have done, I can't dismiss him as entirely bad. The quote I opened this post with is obviously central for the author since he uses it as the intro to the website. The story implies that Rossamund was thought of with special fondness by the adults who raised him, one of whom gave him this warning. And Licurius, who is ultra sensitive to the scent of monsters, smelled something about Rossamund that brought out his bloodlust. So I'm thinking one of the big revelations of the series will be that Rossamund is part monster in some way. Which means Licurius wasn't really wrong to suspect the boy, but in fact doing something good from his perspective. He still may ultimately be evil for judging people/monsters by their blood/appearance instead of their character, but it's a complex evil that takes a bit of analysis to get at.

Additional Reading:

Monster Blood Tattoo website (still a bit skimpy, but developing)

Monster Blood Tattoo blog (the second book has been submitted to the editors)

The Half-Continent (under construction)

January 8 Is Soon

2007-01-03T11:30:00.000-06:00

See you there.

Red Rider's Hood & Duckling Ugly

2006-12-27T20:11:00.000-06:00

I just finished these 2 books and the're really good but totally predictable if u know the childrens stories Red Riding Hood and the Ugly Duckling and if you inspect the front of Red Rider's Hood theres a werewolf on the front

if you like myths then i recomend Red Rider's Hood but if you like miracles read Duckling ugly

from:
Red Riders Hood
...... It was a skull a human skull ..... slowly the clouds beyond the skylight bruised deeper until the sky was dark still marissa stared at me then throush a black window a thin shaft of moonlight shone in hitting the table the dome of the skull glowed a faint blue in the darkness and what i saw then i will never forget for as long as i live
the skull began to change.....

Duckling ugly
........ Her face began to stretch in horror and disbelief. i took another step closer "A-B-O-M-I-N-A-B-L-E" She couldnt speak now her throat had closed up; she could barley breathe i grabbed her by her pretty little sweater pushing her hard against the wall and thats when as strange as they were went to a whole new level ......

hmm.....

2006-12-22T20:30:00.000-06:00

Does anybody else find it interesting that the author of Monster Tatoo is from Australia and he created a character called Europe, who is probably the most indifferent character in the book? Does anybody else think he was trying to tell us something, or am i just crazy?

If You Like Eragon

2006-12-18T19:51:00.000-06:00

. . . then don't click on this link. Hehe. Sorry for being so cruel.

Eragon

2006-12-15T11:04:00.000-06:00

Looks like our showtime will be 2:50 at AMC Studio 30 in Olathe (119th @ I-35).

Oh, And a Book I'm Looking Forward to Reading

2006-12-12T13:29:00.000-06:00

Is The Pox Party, The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Vol. 1, by M. T. Anderson (who's written lots of other great books). It recently won the 2006 National Book Award for best book published for young adults this year. It's still on order at the library so you can't get it yet, but you can get on the list.

Well, Well . . .

2006-12-11T20:29:00.000-06:00

In answer to your earlier question, Nick, about what other familiar tale is woven into the reworking of the Medusa myth--Does the nickname Baby Baer sound at all familiar? Or how about these quotes from chapter two:

Dad pointed to his leather chair.
"Someone's been sitting in my chair!" he said.

"Hey," she said, when she dipped her hand into the box. "Someone's been eating my cereal!"

"What's up, Parker?"
"Dad . . . someone's been sleeping in my bed."

The only other thing I'll say about this book is that it's the first in a series following this theme. The other two written so far are Red Rider's Hood and Duckling Ugly.

Since everyone was busy and Nick and David thought getting a good grade in band was more important than joining us, it was just Maggie and me tonight. We had a nice little chat, then broke out the Xbox and tested our new (used) copies of Sonic Mega Collection Plus to make sure they're not scratched. Very fun.

The next book is Monster Blood Tattoo: Foundling. It's a big, thick, meaty one, so don't wait until the last minute to pick it up. I figured everyone can handle it since you'll have two weeks with no school. It looks like a good one (and a more traditional swords and sorcery type, at that).

I'll send out an update about the Eragon movie once showtimes are published on Friday. You can count on meeting here at 2:00 Sunday afternoon, no matter what. If you're riding to/from the theater with me, I'll need parental permission. Friends and family are welcome to join us. See you soon.

Well.....

2006-12-11T16:03:00.000-06:00

since i'm not going to be at G and D tonight, i decided to say hi to everyone on here, and to expand on the post last time. first of all, i do not hate the book, but it wasn't my favorite. umm... if you want more of my thoughts on this book, read the last post. see you all next time.

NiCk

Dreadlocks are so out of style....

2006-11-30T06:16:00.000-06:00

Dreadlocks was WAY too predictable. I was practically shouting at the character that Tara was Medussa and when Tara told Parker where her sisters were and why they both were made of stone, it gave away the ending. It was an alright plot line, i like the fact that it was a modern day twist to an ancient myth. i also like the fact that they present the possibility that Perseus might have died in attempting to kill Medussa. In the end, the author gave away too many details, which didn't provide for the suprise ending which i had hoped would happen.

Other Thoughts

2006-11-15T11:28:00.000-06:00

One of the other things we discussed at our last gathering was book selection. The general opinion was expressed that we should read more traditional fantasy books—the kind with “fire-breathing dragons.” Some of the recent selections have been decent, but they’re not what we love about the genre. Would everyone agree?

When you’re at a computer with speakers, give this a listen and tell me what you think. Does it inspire any particular ideas?

We will meet at the library around 2:00 on Sunday, December 17 to see Eragon. We’ll pick a specific time and location once everyone arrives, but should be back between 5:00 and 6:00. RSVP if you want to be sure you’re not left behind.

Water Mirror Thoughts

2006-11-13T20:44:00.000-06:00

Other than one voice of dissent (who is welcome to rebut this with his/her own contributions), everyone basically enjoyed The Water Mirror. I'll share a few of my thoughts (including some of the contributions from our discussion that have influenced me):

In general, this is a highly original book. It's not every day that you have an alternate Venice with huge-mouthed mermaids and a water goddess protecting the besieged city from the mummy armies of the Egyptian Empire. Not to mention the envoys from Hell who show up seeking alliances and have hidden schemes. Oh, and the flying stone lions. Lots of original elements all woven nicely together into a fleshed-out story. Yet still with a well-developed main character to center the tale. Very enjoyable.

The one aspect that annoyed me with it's fantasy cliche was that main character being "chosen" for great things from birth. I much more enjoy ordinary heroes, like the hobbits in Tolkien, who haven't been fated for greatness but instead find something special within themselves. Still, it's kind of intriguing since we don't know if she's been chosen by the Flowing Queen, Hell, or both.

This really shouldn't be called the first book in a series, but the first part of a longer book. There's not even an attempt at a resolution and the entire book is just the set-up for the bigger story to come. I want to read the rest of that story, but would have liked a bit more substance from this one.

Overall, though, I'm glad to have read it. Does anyone else have thoughts to share?

(And it looks like the second book--The Stone Light--is set to be released December 26.)

Teens Vote for Favorite Young Adult Book

2006-11-07T14:02:00.000-06:00

Teen readers across the country voted “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” by J.K. Rowling as their favorite book to take the #1 spot on the annual Teens’ Top Ten (TTT), sponsored by The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), the fastest growing division of the American Library Association (ALA). The vote took place during Teen Read Week, October 15-21, 2006, and gave teens an opportunity to voice their choice of the best new young adult books. . . . (more)

The List:
1. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
2. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
3. Eldest by Christopher Paolini
4. Rebel Angels by Libba Bray
5. Peeps by Scott Westerfeld
6. 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson
7. Poison by Chris Wooding
8. Captain Hook: The Adventures of a Notorious Youth by J.V. Hart
9. If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where’s My Prince? by Melissa Kantor
10. Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin

(TTT voting groups include the CHS Book Club of Central High School in Grand Junction, Colo.; Middle Creek High School . . . and Young Adult Advisory Council (YAAC) of Johnson County Library in Shawnee Mission, Kan.)

Eragon Movie Outing

2006-11-06T21:05:00.000-06:00

It comes out December 15. I'm thinking maybe Sunday the 17th would be a good time to see it. Anyone else?

Questions and Warnings

2006-11-06T20:01:00.000-06:00

One week until The Water Mirror. I'm hearing good things from those who've finished it. We have two more copies just sitting here collecting dust and there is still time to read it. Come get one if you haven't.

Does anyone else read Lemony Snicket? I've finished The End, the thirteenth and final book in the series. Very nice. I don't want to spoil the ending for anyone, but can discuss it on the side if you're interested.

What else has everyone been reading?

In looking for books for us to read I've tried to find recently published ones that sound good and have gotten good reviews. I've been fairly happy with the results, but have noticed that we aren't getting too many traditional swords & sorcery, wizards & knights, dragons & castles type books. Does this bother anyone, or are you OK with the selections we've been reading?

My sister's right," Klaus said. "It's ridiculous to argue about volunteers and henchpeople when we're standing on a coastal shelf in the middle of the ocean."

"Don't be so sure, orphan," Olaf replied. "No matter where we are, there's always room for someone like me." He leaned down close to give Klaus a sneaky smile, as if he were telling a joke. "Haven't you learned that by now?"

the water mirror

2006-10-17T16:01:00.000-05:00

i started the water mirror the day we got it and i finished it the next day in 64 minutes TOTALY AWSOME

Ack!

2006-10-09T20:58:00.000-05:00

I was going to add my thoughts yesterday so the group could have them this evening, but this will have to do, I suppose.

I checked out and read Twilight towards the end of the school year because I had heard such positive things about it and was really eager to read a vampire story. In the end I was sorely disappointed, mostly with the writer of the story.

The opening idea was pretty intriguing. Girl moves to new place, there are strange people at the school, they turn out to be vampires. I liked that the vampires could travel out in the daylight and how the process of becoming one was much more complicated and painful than the more romantic authors tend to make it. The vampires themselves were fairly interesting - and this is where the problem with the romance came in. I don't remember the name of the narrator but I remember being specifically annoyed that she was such a flat person and yet had managed to catch the eye of a centuries old vampire. What about her was Edmund attracted to, exactly? The book never really gave a clear reason.

Also, their romance? More creepy than romantic. I wouldn't be happy to learn that somebody had been sneaking into my room at night to watch me sleep or was following me around at every corner. There are aspects of this that are sweet, but others that are just disturbing. Then the whole blood lust aspect that made it impossible for them to go beyond chaste kisses was an out to try and prolong the romance and make it more mysterious or something. I wanted some actual something there, not a whole bunch of build up and ultimately nothing.

Still, the book managed to hold my attention until the plot that came in towards the end. The vampires chasing after the narrator? That was a lame twist that I didn't find necessary and actually detracted from the story and then the ending with the prom and the whole "should I be a vampire or not" thing. I don't know. I felt that the vampires translated well, adapting to society as it grew and expanded. I would have liked to see more the tension between them and the native peoples expanded more rather than the rogue band that randomly showed up.

Overall the book promised more than it delivered and for that reason I felt cheated at the end.

Does Twilight Suck?

2006-10-09T20:40:00.000-05:00

No one tonight (male or female) much cared for Twilight. They thought the romance was artificial, superficial, and generally boring. Isn't there anyone out there in the blogosphere willing to defend the merits of this book?

If not, our next book is The Water Mirror, by Stephanie Meyer. We have copies reserved, so stop by to pick one up sometime soon.

And just so you know, we pulled out the Homework Help laptop and logged onto meebo in case anyone dropped by the site to chat with us. My Yahoo ID is jcl_lackman_ck if you'd rather use your traditional IM program than the meebo embed. I hope to chat some of you soon.

Why Do We Love Blood-Suckers?

2006-10-09T13:09:00.000-05:00

Thought #1

I read both Peeps and Twilight about six months ago, and scheduled them as back-to-back selections intentionally to see if my theory would hold true. I talked to lots of people who really liked Twilight and read a lot of good reviews of the book, but noticed a pattern: everyone who recommended it to me was female. Personally, I thought it was pretty good, but not great. The romance didn't get me nearly as excited as it did the girls/women who read it. I enjoyed the creepy/gross Peeps much more, but found that those who loved Twilight the most couldn't get through Peeps because it was too much. So my theory is Peeps is a boy book and Twilight a girl book. Nick and David's reactions (see previous post) would validate that theory, but I'm wondering if anyone else wants to weigh in on the matter.

Thought #2

For hundreds of years now, vampires in their various manifestations have been the stars of countless tales, legends, books, and movies. Why? Sometimes they are clearly the bad guys and must be defeated, but they seem to have a cool factor that makes them appealing despite their parasitic ways. More often, in recent years, they are tragic heroes (anti-heroes?) whom we are supposed to side with. What is so cool about being undead, running from the sun, and surviving only at the expense of others? Thoughts . . . anyone . . . Bueller?

The Twilight of this book... HOPEFULLY.

2006-10-02T20:19:00.000-05:00

This book did not appeal to me. Their relationship was TOO perfect. They get into a fight and then 1 second later they make up, and I believe the author could have made their love for each other quite lucid without informing us of every time they kissed or what not (do real couples even show their affection that much). It was a romance more than a fantasy story. The author, in my mind, also overplayed the fact that Edward was a dangerous person for Bella to be around, for example almost in every paragraph, Edward would say "You shouldn't be around me." or something to that effect, and it was like the author thought so little of our intelligence and memory that she felt the compulsion to remind us of that fact. Their relationship not being believable and the overstatement of facts already told to us made this one of my least favorite books. Although I have to admit, it did leave you wanting more at the end.

Twilight of the October Discussion

2006-10-02T18:28:00.000-05:00

Making that pronouncement with a week to go may be a bit premature, but it's beginning to feel that way. Forgetting to request this particular book not only meant it wasn't available at out last session, but that we had to wait behind 5 others on the request list. Between that and a couple of the copies being kept overdue, it's been a long wait. Nevertheless, 3 of you have checked out copies now and two more copies should be available tomorrow. I've already read it and Gabs might add her thoughts from Columbia. So we might yet have a good discussion.

What am I saying? Of course we'll have a good discussion. Even if no one's read the book, we can still have fun hanging out. The last two books have offered very different takes on vampires, and I thought it might be fun to consider the popularity of vampires in legend, literature, and cinema. Or we could hear about what else everyone has been reading (assigned or not). Or we could hear what you have going on beyond books. It's up to you. I'm just there to provide and room and some snacks, it's your group and you can determine the direction it takes.

Which goes double for this blog. I started it as a way to make announcements and extend the discussion about our readings beyond our actual gatherings, but it can be much more. We rarely stay on topic when we get together in person, so why should we have to on this blog? I invited each of you to be contributors so you'd have the power to control what gets posted; it's your blog and you can determine the direction it takes. Write a post and tell us what you're thinking.

Let the Trickle Begin

2006-09-25T19:04:00.000-05:00

I'm hoping two weeks will be enough time to read the book, because that's what we have. The first copy of Twilight finally showed up today and more are on the way. Give us a call (495-7540) before making the trip up to make sure we have one for you, but we should have most everyone reading by the end of the week. See you soon.

meebo me

2006-09-13T14:46:00.000-05:00

I've been contemplating Gabs' request to join us through chat or IM next month. I don't know if this will be a workable solution, but I've tried embedding a meebo widget in the sidebar of this blog. That way you can IM me anytime you have the blog up and I'm signed in. I expect I'll mostly be signed in while I'm at work during the day instead of at night like the rest of the world, but it's there if you want to give it a try.

College!

2006-09-11T22:09:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone. This is Gabs writing to you from the scenic foothills of Columbia, Missouri. Or something. Sorry I couldn't at least shoot you guys an email or something for the discussion but I've been swamped reading things like Descartes and Plato and in between I don't have time for much fun stuff.

However, I have read the next book which means that I'm golden. I'd like to an IM thing if at all possible for the discussion, or maybe a speakerphone type thing, but if that doesn't work I'll just send a long email with all sorts of bold opinions and unsupported claims. Because I just rock like that.

Yeah, so. Here I am.

WHERE IS EVERYONE??

2006-09-11T19:55:00.000-05:00

ok, id like to start out by apologizing for my bad spelling and gramer..... yes i know there is a spell check, but i dont like to use it......

anyway, back to the main topic of the post.... we need more members in G&D, invite your friends, and let them invite there friends, and let them invite ........ well, you get the point, we need more pepole. at our last meeting (Peeps)(a good novel that you should read if you have yet to.) there was 4 people, including chris, donna, and myself, we need more pepole, as you would guess, with only 4 people, the dissucion was not a very good one (especialy sience donna didnt finish the book) to make the meetings as fun as posible we NEED more pepole, so, invite everyone you know (to a point) so that we can have a better and more fun book disscusion on October the ninth. bring more people and read twilight by Stephanie Meyer ok? i understand that people are on vacation over the summer and some of us went to collage..... but schools started, so come to gryphons and dragons. ok, im done ranting now.......

King Casper (david)

What's Your Parasite of Choice?

2006-09-11T14:44:00.000-05:00

I'll start by saying I read Peeps a while ago and really liked it. I loved the fact that it was creepy and gross and almost believable. I loved the new and unique take on the vampire mythology. And I thought it had a really good story, but was a bit disappointed with the end.

At first I thought having every other chapter as a short nonfiction essay about a real parasite was kind of strange, but the further I got into it the more it made sense. Nonfiction, real parasites are scarier than anything you can make up, so it made the story all the more plausible. And then the whole idea of vampirism as a type of parasite. Cool. I really liked it.

The only thing I didn't completely get into was the ending. It was a personal story to that point, almost a mystery with Cal trying to figure out what he's become a part of. I know it completed the parasite theme, but it got too broad and unfocused, a bit too large in scale. I lost sense of the character development and the completion of his story, if you will.

What did everyone else think?

Asleep At the Wheel

2006-09-11T14:41:00.000-05:00

Eek! Ach! Oops! I'm getting things ready for our gathering tonight and just realized I have forgotten to request copies of our next book (Twilight, by Stephanie Meyer). I'll put the holds on ASAP, but won't have them tonight. You'll have to make a special trip in for your copy in a week or so. So sorry.

Welcome to Our Book Group

2006-09-08T11:41:00.000-05:00

I don't know if this will have any appeal, but I thought I'd try creating this forum for those who can't make our gatherings but still want to share their thoughts about the books we're reading.

What should we read this spring?
	The Goblin Wood, by Hilari Bell
	The Rover, by Mel Odom
	The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien
	Something else (What do you suggest?)

pollcode.com free polls