Hey, YA People

[Chimera]

Nope, that's not it. But it does sound interesting. Was it any good?

[Pink Bunkadoo]

The Straight Dope's Cafe Society board is a great place for book ID's.  You can get a free guest membership for thirty days, I think.  (If you do post, bookmark the thread, because guests can't search.)

[fuzzyoctopus]

I'm proud to say that I managed to ID my own lost book this time.  Now I'm just wondering if anyone else has read them.  The book in question is "Mists of Time" by Margaret Anderson.  There are two others "In the Circle of Time" and "In the Keep of Time".  My grade school library had them and I read them many many times.

As I *recall*, the three books all tell the same story, but from the POV of different parties. I know at least two of them - Circle and Mists - are that way.

Anyone else read these books?

[stacer]

No, but they sound interesting, just from the titles. What's the story?

[fuzzyoctopus]

These two kids from Scotland find a magical circle of stones that take them in the the far future.  The people they run into live in a standard primitive utopian society of peace and brotherhood and whatnot.  Then the barbiarans from the next isle over come and kidnap a bunch of them into slavery (coal mines??).  Um... and then I don't remember because it's been a long while.  The kidnapped people (and I don't think the modern kids are in there) have to escape and get home.

Circle of time was from the kids point of view, starting in modern day and how they got into the future.  Mists of time was always my favorite and told from the viewpoint of the utopian people in the future. Keep of time, I don't remember much at all.

They're out of print, but half.com has listings for very reasonable prices. I bought a copy of Mists of Time right now, since that was always my favorite, and I'll pick up the other two someday.

[Entsuropi]

So it was HGWells time machine, but with scottish kids?

[fuzzyoctopus]

Kind of, but it was much less sucky than the Time Machine. Also, not *that* far into the future.  300 years max.

[Chimera]

Has anyone read Peter and the Starcatchers? It is supposed to be a new Peter Pan prequel. I read Peter Pan for the first time last fall and enjoyed it, and I thought I heard that this new spinoff was good. The main reason that I was attracted to Starcatchers is that the book on tape is read by Jim Dale, the same British guy who does an amazing job of narrating the Harry Potter books on tape. I am thinking of buying Starcatchers for my drive to Cali on Thurs, and didn't know if anybody had read it, and if they gave it a yea or a nay.

[stacer]

Dave Barry is the other coauthor. I heard it sucked big time, after being hyped big time. I haven't ever picked it up, though, so I couldn't give you a definitive answer.

[Chimera]

I think I'll read it then before I break out the cash and purchase the book on tape.

[stacer]

If you can renew books online at the local library, I'd recommend checking out audiobooks from the library for your trip. The Orem library has a good selection, and I've heard Provo has been getting better since they built the new building.

[fuzzyoctopus]

Stacer, two things:

1) Have you read the book "Beast" by Donna Jo Napoli, in your research?

2) Would you send me a copy of the paper you read at LTUE?

[stacer]

Beast is awesome. I actually think it's one of her best. It was one of the major books I used in that LTUE paper. I'll send it to you.

[fuzzyoctopus]

Sweet. I got it at DI for $1.

[Chimera]

The only Donna Jo Napoli books I've read so far are Sirena and The Magic Circle. The Magic Circle, a retelling of Hansel and Gretel from the witch's perspective, was very good, I highly recommend it--especially if you like stories where the villian is given a different take. Sirena was so-so--I liked it because of the Greek Mythology, but I thought the characterization was a little weak and the story a little simplistic.