Timewaster's Guide Archive
Departments => Books => Topic started by: EUOL on May 10, 2004, 12:16:04 AM
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My sister's trying to find out what the name of a book is. She remembers reading the summary on the back cover, but was never able to find it again.
It was a fantasy book about two sisters, one who was adventurous and one who wasn't. The adventurous one gets sick, and the other one has to go find some kind of magical flower/medicine that will cure her.
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And that narrows it down to... how many books with that storyline are there? I mean, even Redwall cashed in on that. But anyway, no idea. Is it a recent one? Whats the cover art?
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Yeah you're going to have to give us a LOT more than that. Heck, I've been looking for a YA book for almost 10 years now that I can't find the name of, and I even remember the name of one of the main characters.
Edit: While the topic is here, my book is about a girl whose family takes in foster children, and one day a little boy is left on their doorstep. His name is Floris (I remember because strangers in the book kept making 'florist' jokes) and he turns out to be a prince from some sort of fairie realm, and the girl protagonist ends up helping him get back and goes there for a little while.
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Actually, EUOL, I think I know the name of that book. It's The Two Princesses of Bamara, by Gail Carson Levine, who also wrote Ella Enchanted. I've never read it, so I could be wrong that it's exactly the right book, but I know that's the plot of the book. Their father is off on some hunt and the sister has to go find him or something.
But fuzzy, don't know yours.
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Oh that's great; you know that one off the bat, but an entire library, 10 years of searching and Google can't find my book.
I swear, I'm giving it another year and then I'll figure it never existed, and I'll write the darn thing myself. Then at least if it exists I'll get hit with a lawsuit.
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Well, sometimes my memory's hit or miss. ;) Plus, it helps that Two Princesses of Bamara is a relatively recent book that I've nearly bought three times, but put back on the shelf because I was able to buy three paperbacks for the price of the one hardback. Come to think of it, it might finally be out in paperback. But I digress.
If you want, I can pass the description on to my childlit list. They're a bunch of children's librarians, teachers, and people like me, and they're great at stumpers.
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Good job, Stacer! Lauren (Moriosta on the board) said that that was the right book. She recognized the cover.
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If you want, I can pass the description on to my childlit list. They're a bunch of children's librarians, teachers, and people like me, and they're great at stumpers.
Please do! I would love to know if I hallucinated the story or not.
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Isn't that book written by a french 14 year old girl Stacer?
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This is the reply I got:
Hi Stacy
This is a book by Annie Dalton, called Out of the ordinary.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0064470814/ref%3Dnosim/speculativefic05/002-3688227-6868851
Is this it?
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Isn't that book written by a french 14 year old girl Stacer?
No, Gail Carson Levine's a 50-something mother. She's been writing since the late 80s.
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ok, this is the one I was thinking of. All I could remeber from the article was that there was a sick girl. http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/books/04/22/teen.author.ap/index.html
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and she's french you idiot! WHy do you think she has zis outrageous accent?
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Is this it?
*points hysterically*
Yes! That's it! I even got most of it right, after only having read it once, 10 or more years ago.
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Hehe, I just went through the same thing. I'd read a book in fifth grade that I really liked but couldn't remember now. I looked on google and asked all the people I knew if they could remember a book about a fairy who gives a couple a little girl with a pink lock of hair. At one point, the girl wishes for too many toys and is almost crushed by them.
Anyway, I finally found the book by browsing around DI. I was so excited I almost shouted out for joy right there in the store! The Fairy Rebel by Lynne Banks.
While on the subject, there's this fantasy book, and the main hero starts off by running around the streets (I get the impression he was a bit of a street rat) and it talks about how he can smell blood and death all around him. Then the plot goes to other characters, blah, blah, blah, main character is now with a girl and they are travelling to the main bad guys. A black gryphon attacks him, he kills it, and it is reborn as a white, good gryphon. Something about the bad guys tower, but instead of going up, they go down, tower is destroyed and they get out just in time.
Well, if it sounds familiar to anyone I'd really appreciate the help. Sorry, but I don't know any of the characters names. I know, I know, not enough to go on, but maybe someone here has read the story and will know what I'm talking about. :)
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i don't know what book it is, but I think that description is more or less the main reason why fantasy fans have a hard time converting non-fantasy fans to the genre.
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While on the subject, there's this fantasy book, and the main hero starts off by running around the streets (I get the impression he was a bit of a street rat) and it talks about how he can smell blood and death all around him.
I find myself saying this far too often... but I think I saw an X-Files episode like that.
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Hey! I am EUOL's little sister. I was woundering if someone knows any good teenager fantacy books? Or you can call them young readers. :)
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You'd call them YA, or young adult. I have a list, but I don't have time to post it tonight. I'll try to get to it by the weekend.
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Patricia C. Wrede's dragons series- "Dealing with Dragons", "Calling on Dragons", and "Talking to Dragons". (Possibly those last two are backwards, it's been a while.)
Anything by Dianna Wynne Jones, especially "Howl's Moving Castle"
Monica Furlong's series is good too, - "Juniper", "Wise Child", and "Colman"
If you can find a copy (it's out of print and highly-sought, but a lot of libraries carry it) read "Winter of Fire" by Sherryl Jordan.
Stacer's list will be impressive, and so I won't even try to approach it. This is just what comes to mind right now.
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I had already read Lord of the Rings long before I was a teenager. therefore, I didn't see a need to read anything that was not "adult." I don't think my reading level was unique, esp. among those on this board. So I was reading "adult" fantasy, not "young adult." My suggestion list for teens is about the same as it is for adults.
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"adult" fantasy
Which, according to the literary segment of the population, IS young adult literature. In my library back home, all fantasy was put in the teens section, no matter what it was.
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If you're looking for good fantasy-type books try his dark trilogy by Phillip Pullman; The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass.
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"His Dark Materials," to be more exact. They're very well-written, though personally I disagree with the sentiments expressed in them. Okay, here's my list. Some middle-grade books may have slipped on the list, as I read it all. If I recommend it, it's a great story, period, no matter what age group it's marketed to.
Retellings of folk and fairy tales:
Maguire, Gregory. Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister. New York: HarperCollins, 1999.
Levine, Gail Carson. Ella Enchanted. New York: HarperCollins, 1997.
Napoli, Donna Jo. Beast. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2000.
McKinley, Robin. Rose Daughter. New York: Greenwillow, 1997.
McKinley, Robin. Beauty. New York: HarperCollins, 1978.
Napoli, Donna Jo. The Magic Circle. New York: , 1993.
Napoli, Donna Jo. Zel. New York: Penguin Putnam, 1996.
Yolen, Jane. Briar Rose. New York: Tom Doherty Associates, 1992.
McKinley, Robin. Spindle's End. New York: Penguin Putnam, 2000.
Haddix, Margaret Peterson. Just Ella. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1999.
Levine, Gail Carson. Princess Sonora and the Long Sleep. New York: HarperCollins, 1999.
Levine, Gail Carson. The Fairy's Mistake. New York: HarperCollins, 1999.
Levine, Gail Carson. The Princess Test. New York: HarperCollins, 1999.
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Using the old stories--fairy, myth, and legend--to fuel new ones
Billingsley, Franny. The Folk Keeper. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1999.
Corbett, Sue. 12 Again. New York: Dutton Children's Books, 2002.
Colfer, Eoin. Artemis Fowl. New York: Hyperion, 2001.
Colfer, Eoin. Artemis Fowl: The Artic Incident. New York: Hyperion, 2002.
Jones, Diana Wynne. Fire and Hemlock. New York: HarperCollins, 1975.
Garner, Alan. The Owl Service. New York: Henry Z. Walck, 1967.
Cooper, Susan. Over Sea, Under Stone.
Cooper, Susan. The Dark is Rising. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1973.
Cooper, Susan. Greenwitch.
Cooper, Susan. Silver on the Tree.
Cooper, Susan. The Grey King. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1975.
Alexander, Lloyd. The Book of Three. New York: Holt, Reinhart and Winston, 1964.
Yep, Laurence. Dragon of the Lost Sea. New York: HarperCollins, 1982.
Dalkey, Kara. Little Sister. New York: Penguin Putnam, 1996.
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Satire/tall tale/humorous
The Princess Bride
Dahl, Roald. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. New York: Knopf, 1964.
Witches, sorcerers, and dragons (and other magical people/creatures)
Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 1997.
Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 1998.
Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 1999.
Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 2000.
Fletcher, Susan. Dragon's Milk.
Fletcher, Susan. Flight of the Dragon Kyn.
Fletcher, Susan. Sign of the Dove. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996.
Wrede, Patricia C. Dealing with Dragons. New York: Scholastic, .
Wrede, Patricia C. Searching for Dragons. New York: Scholastic, 1990.
Rita Murphy, Night Flying (2000)
Rees, Celia. Witch Child. Cambridge, Mass.: Candlewick, 2000.
Rees, Celia. Sorceress. Cambridge, Mass.: Candlewick, 2002.
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Quest/High Fantasy
Ursula LeGuin, A Wizard of Earthsea (1968)
Phillip Pullman, The Golden Compass (1995)
Megan Whalen Turner, The Thief (1996)
Cynthia Voigt, Elske (1999)
Nix, Garth. Sabriel. New York: HarperCollins, 1995.
Nix, Garth. Lirael. New York: HarperCollins, 2001.
Nix, Garth. Abhorsen. New York: HarperCollins, 2003.
McKinley, Robin. The Hero and the Crown. New York: Greenwillow, 1984.
McKinley, Robin. The Blue Sword. New York: Greenwillow, 1982.
Tolkein, J.R.R. The Hobbit. New York: Ballantine, 1937.
Tolkien, J.R.R. The Fellowship of the Ring. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1955.
Tolkien, J.R.R. The Two Towers. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1954.
Tolkien, J.R.R. The Return of the King. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1955.
Dickinson, Peter. The Ropemaker. New York: Delacorte, 2001.
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Lewis, C.S. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. New York: MacMillan, 1950.
Elizabeth Pope, The Perilous Gard (1974)
Michael Chabon, Summerland (2002)
Clive Barker, Abarat (2002)
Neil Gaiman, Coraline (2002)
Diana Wynne Jones, Witch Week (1982)
Joan Aiken, The Wolves of Willoughby Chase (1962)
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Leaning more toward science fiction, though some are debatable:
Farmer, Nancy. The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm. New York: Penguin Putnam, 1994.
Maguire, Gregory. I Feel Like the Morning Star. Cambridge: Harper & Row, 1989.
Haddix, Margaret Peterson. Among the Hidden. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1998.
Haddix, Margaret Peterson. Among the Imposters. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2001.
Nix, Garth. Shade's Children. New York: HarperCollins, 1997.
Lowry, Lois. The Giver. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1993.
Haddix, Margaret Peterson. Running Out of Time. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1995.
M. T. Anderson, Feed (2002)
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Science fiction:
Card, Orson Scott. Ender's Game. New York: Tom Doherty Associates, 1977.
Card, Orson Scott. Ender's Shadow. New York: Tom Doherty Associates, 1999.
L'Engle, Madeleine. A Wrinkle in Time. New York: Farrar, Straus, & Giroux, 1962.
Herbert, Frank. Dune. Chilton Way, Pa.: Chilton Book Co., 1965.
New Technology/Biotechnology
Farmer, Nancy. The House of the Scorpion. New York: Atheneum, 2002.
Haddix, Margaret Peterson. Turnabout. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2000.
Peter Dickinson, Eva (1989)
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Other miscellaneous:
Boston, L.M. The Children of Green Knowe. San Diego: Harcourt, 1955.
Margaret Mahy, The Tricksters (1986)
Nesbit, E. Five Children and It. London: Penguin, 1902.
Billingsley, Franny. Well Wished. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1997.
Edward Eager, Half Magic (1954)
Funke, Cornelia. The Thief Lord. Frome, England: Chicken House, 2002.
Allende, Isabel. City of the Beasts. New York: HarperCollins, 2002.
Babbit, Natalie. Tuck Everlasting. New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1975.
Almond, David. Skellig. New York: Random House, 1998.
Janet Taylor Lisle, Lost Flower Children (1999)
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Okay, so I think some not-so-recommended might have gotten onto the list, because this is a list I made for my fantasy class as a suggested future reading list. I'll see if there's anything on my shelf that I've bought since I wrote this up. But this is pretty exhaustive.
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Here are some annotations class members put together that describe some of the books mentioned above. Sorry about the apostrophe problem. I'll fix it in a minute.
MAGICAL ADVENTURE
Edward Eager, Half Magic (1954)
Four children find the cure for a boring summer in a magical coin that grants half a wish at a time. A clear homage and near plagiarism of E. Nesbitt's works, Half Magic disturbs the modern reader with the mother's strange and sudden housewife reformation. The episodic format and magical object place the title comfortably within the subgenre. (Jo Biviano)
Rita Murphy, Night Flying (2000)
The women of Georgia's family can fly. As her first solo flight approaches, Georgia uncovers the past and has to stand up for her birthright. Although Murphy could have filled out her story more, Night Flying is a lovely coming-of-age tale. Set in what appears to be today's world, the fantasy element is small, but Georgia's nighttime adventures are truly magical. (Jenn Bittorf)
Eoin Colfer, Artemis Fowl (2001)
Twelve-year-old genius Artemis Fowl gets more of a "magical adventure" than he bargains for when he attempts to reestablish his family's corrupt fortune by stealing from the fairy People. Action-adventure meets hard-boiled comedy as the ever-intrusive narrator and detailed character development further the plot and lend to the believability of the fantastic secondary world. Gratuitous violence contrasted with mildly sophisticated, lighter humor, however, proves a dangerous juxtaposition. (Meredith A. Reed O'Donnell)
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ANIMAL FANTASY
Dick King-Smith, Babe: The Gallant Pig (1983)
Raised by a sheepdog mother, Babe the pig works hard to be the best sheep-pig he can. His work ethic and respectful manner alter the way of life on his English farm. Babe is a simple, moving story with entertaining and memorable characters. As animal fantasy, it is somewhat more realistic than others, as the animals only communicate with other animals, not humans. (Sarah Imholt)
Jacques, Brian Redwall (1986)
Redwall features likeable characters and an engaging plot; however, there are several worrying inconsistencies and editorial errors which detract from the story. More egregious is the portrayal of a sparrow tribe whose language is disturbingly stereotypical of the broken speech of non-native English speakers. Despite its flaws, the book provides an accessible introduction to high fantasy for inexperienced readers. (Hilary Kissel)
Kenneth Oppel, Silverwing (1997)
The runt of his colony, Shade becomes a nervous warrior in the battle between bats and the rest of the animal kingdom, while searching for his lost father. This brilliantly written coming of age story about a young bat who dares to disturb the universe contains lyrical explanations of echo-vision and other batty characteristics. A sophisticated animal fantasy, less comic and more philosophical than most. (Meera Sethi)
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TRAVELLING TO OTHER WORLDS
Pope, Elizabeth The Perilous Gard (1974)
Exiled to Elvenwood Hall, deep in the forests of Derbyshire, Kate Sutton becomes embroiled in an age-old conspiracy between the Wardens of the Holy Well and the Fairy Folk who live below it. This high-fantasy (or is it historical conjecture?) set in Tudor England is notable for its richly drawn settings and its Austenesque heroine, whose self-respect, pluck and composure are effective means and admirable ends. (Dylan Ward)
Michael Chabon, Summerland (2002)
Chabon's bloated, self-indulgent attempt to create an all-American Middle Earth or Narnia uses baseball as a metaphor for the meaning of life. A myriad of culturally diverse myths and legends fill out the 500 page epic about a boy's quest to save his father -- and the universe -- from a slippery Coyote. This richly archetypal fantasy suffers from a case of too many frills and not enough attention to plot and character. (Meera Sethi)
Clive Barker, Abarat (2002)
SUMMARY: Tired of her school and home life, Candy walks out of school to a grassy field at the edge of town where she begins an unexpected trip to Abarat, a world made up of islands that represent each hour of the day. This "other world" struggles more between evil and less evil than it does good versus evil, and Candy is caught in the mix.
COMMENTARY: The "otherness" of this book is filled with jaw dropping imagination and detail. The book itself ($25!) is beautifully illustrated by Barker. The visual depiction of certain characters, while stunning, sometimes felt redundant and/or imposing. The landscapes, however, were both beautiful and helpful. In his anticipation of the next book, Barker leaves a lot of questions unanswered and there is a general lack of central conflict. The story is dreamlike and multi-layered but some sections were down right gruesome and while I don't think kids are that easily "damaged," I wouldn't recommend it to kids under 12 (and even then it wouldn't be a child with a weak stomach.) But I would recommend it to any adult fan of fantasy. (Vanessa Valliere)
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Garth Nix, Sabriel (1995)
Something has happened to Sabriel's father, a necromancer called the Aborsen and she must travel into the Old World to find him. The Old World is full of magic, and Sabriel's own knowledge of the world of the dead is put to the test. Nix creates a vivid secondary world, and the unique concept of seven bells that can command the dead is fascinating. (Kristen Schliefer)
Megan Whalen Turner, The Thief (1996)
In this tale the reader journeys with Gen, a skilled thief, as he is forced by the king's advisor to search for an ancient treasure. Gen's story is interspersed with creation stories from the land's pantheon to give the reader an almost tangible view of Turner' fantasy world. Although there is a group on a quest, this is not high fantasy in the traditional sense as the reader is blind to many of the characters' true motives, including Gen's. (Christi Showman)
Cynthia Voight, Elske (1999)
Raised by a ruthless warrior tribe, Elske escapes through her grandmother's self-sacrifice; the boldness of a woman raised without compassion gives her an honesty unfamiliar to the mercantile society she joins. Becoming the liberator of an exiled Princess, she returns with her to recapture her kingdom (and find true love). Although Voigt explains too much in this feminist quest, she's a masterful stylist. But does the imaginary historical setting qualify it as fantasy? (Alison Corning Clarke)
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TRAVEL TO THE PAST
Jill Paton Walsh, A Chance Child (1978)
A neglected child, Creep slips through time and emerges a witness to the horrors of the (child) labor during the Industrial Revolution in England. Creep's brother, Tom, pursues Creep in the present, and finds him not in his physical person, but in his written testimony. Paton Walsh's time travel fantasy is remarkable for its lack of sentimentality, and for the agency it grants its child characters and its implied reader. (Dylan Ward)
Jane Yolen, The Devil's Arithmetic (1988)
At her family's Passover Seder, Hannah is transported back in time. Taking on the persona of Chaya, an orphan sent to live with her aunt and uncle, Hanna is captured with a wedding party and sent to the camp via cattle car. Hanna witnesses firsthand the horrific life of Nazi Poland death camps. Though conversations right after Hanna's transportation often give too much information, making them seem stiff and unrealistic, the overall arc of the story and Chaya's eventual sacrifice are touching and hopeful. (Stacy Whitman)
Susan Price, The Sterkarm Handshake (2000)
A complicated time-travel story about Andrea, a modern American anthropologist, who is transported back to the 16th Century Scottish lowlands. There, she falls in love with Per, the son of the Scottish clan leader, and must choose between the two worlds. The book provides a gritty look at issues concerning the evils of capitalism, the environment, intimate relationships, culture, and the contrast of life-style in terms of modern technology. (Alicia Peralta)
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WITCHCRAFT AND SORCERY
Patricia Wrede, Dealing with Dragons (1990)
In this cross between fairy tale revisioning and tale of witchcraft, Wrede's unconventional heroine abdicates her role as fairy tale princess and decides to work for a dragon. Although Wrede seems to be striving for a theme of independence and feminism, Cimorene's reward for saving the dragon kingdom, permanent employment as the dragon's housekeeper and cook, weakens the message considerably. (Hilary Kissel)
Patrice Kindl, Owl in Love (1993)
This intriguing tale is the story of a girl who is more owl than human and who can shift between the two forms. As Owl struggles to resolve her dual natures she also learns about love and friendship. This story is both haunting and humorous. However, Owl's almost complete inability to comprehend human behaviors is not always convincing. (Jenn Bittorf)
PARALLEL WORLDS
Joan Aiken, The Wolves of Willoughby Chase (1962)
Cousins Sylvia and Bonnie enjoy the riches of Willoughby Chase -- until Bonnie's parents leave them in the care of the ill-willed Miss Slighcarp. With the help of their friend Simon, the two escape an orphanage and devise a plan to regain the estate (Willoughby Chase). The Victorian parody went over my head, but I enjoyed the story. Where is the fantasy -- wolves jumping into trains? (Kristin Schleifer)
Neil Gaiman, Coraline (2002)
SUMMARY: Coraline is living a "boring" life with her work absorbed parents and elderly neighbors until she explores the previously undiscovered parallel world that exists on the other side of a door in the family's study. From the moment she discovers this threshold until the story's fascinating conclusion, Coraline lives a riveting and horrific adventure.
COMMENTARY: In this, my favorite book of the semester (excluding Tuck Everlasting), the language is spare, concise and tight. The mood is expertly created and appropriately eerie. The images are vivid and grotesque. The story is fast paced and the stakes are high. Class discussion revealed that the story is multi layered and complex, especially with regard to this particular "parallel world" and the continual spider images. Does the "other world" exist in the belly of a spider? Is there a will at work that is bigger than the "other mother"? Creepy and fantastic. (Vanessa Valliere)
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MYTH FANTASY
Alan Garner, The Owl Service (1967)
Set in a Welsh valley, three teenagers, Alison, Roger and Gwyn, are involved in a love triangle tragedy that happened a long time ago. Their love, hate and bitterness relates to not only a past mystery but also social class issues. Alan Garner successfully weaves a Welsh myth into his modern tale, creating the tension among the characters from two generations. (Winnie Shen)
Virginia Hamilton, The Magical Adventures of Pretty Pearl (1983)
The goddess Pretty Pearl descends from Mount Kenya, travels and settles in the American South during the Reconstruction. Pretty Pearl learns a hard lesson when the settlement is up-rooted and must find a new home. A borderline picaresque novel, Pretty Pearl is infused with too much mythology, and folklore to be satisfying for the common reader. The story is also slow going -- it starts specifically on page 190. (Alicia Peralta)
Franny Billingsley, The Folk Keeper (1999)
When Corinna is assigned as the Folk Keeper of a grand estate, her only thought is to do all she can to keep the vicious Folk at bay. But there are secrets that both she and the estate have that may change her whole world. Billingsley weaves Celtic myth into this coming of age story, creating a fantasy world that is at once new and exciting, yet still familiar. The first person narrative in journal form, however, is not always effective. (Christi Showman)
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SCIENCE FICTION
Peter Dickinson, Eva (1989)
Eva awakes disoriented and confused; she has been in a car wreck. Her body was mangled beyond recovery so her consciousness was transferred to the body of a chimpanzee. A novel of the near future, Eva questions the connections between human and primate relations and carries a strong ecological message. It is not overly technical but delves heavily into primate society. (Sarah Imholt)
Lois Lowry, The Giver (1993)
Lowry is chillingly thorough in her depiction of a futuristic world devoid of feelings and color, where rigidity and order are emphasized and individuality is minimized. When he turns twelve, protagonist Jonas is selected to be the honored Receiver of past memories. Experiencing both pleasure and pain beyond his previous grasp of emotion, Jonas discovers everything that his "perfect" world is missing and dares to become a reader's hero. (Susan Warhover)
M. T. Anderson, Feed (2002)
In a highly commercialized, consumerist culture, this dystopian novel follows Titus, who travels to the moon on spring break with his buddies, meets Violet, and gets his internet implant (the "feed") hacked. Violet doesn't buy into the teen culture and is much more verbal, creating an interesting contrast between her intelligence and Titus's inability to use an already devolved language. Frequent use of expletives, though offensive, is appropriate in this case: when the characters don't have the words for a thought, they resort to meaningless curses and phrases, an extrapolation of current trends. (Stacy Whitman)
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/me watches Stacer's post count take off.
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Yeah, I don't normally talk this much, do I? Sorry about the large number, but I do hope the info helps.
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eh, it wouldn't all fit in one post anyway. it's fine to me. It's not like you're jsut posting tons of useless info that no one asked for. I just find it amusing.
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wow.
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Thank you so much Stacer! Wow! Now I do not have to worry about finding any more books. Thanks that helped alot! Oh and thank you to the others that recomended books. I appreciate it. :D
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Just out of curiousity, which sister are you, and what does your nick mean?
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Oh! I am the youngest sister. The weird one. My nickname means Dark Defender in Elvish. What does your nickname mean?
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it's sort of a hairy 8-legged invertibrate
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Oh, there's another book that's not on my list which I love. It's called Goose Girl, it's by Shannon Hale, and it's a retelling of the fairy tale by the same name. Come to find out the other day that she's actually a local Utah author, too. I'm guessing the Hale is some relation to those of Hale Theater fame.
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yeah, fuzzyoctopus just kind of started our as a joke when I was in high school, and I've grown attached to it because it's 1) quirky and 2) never taken by anyone else
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Oh thanks Stacer I will add that onto my list.
Really, fuzzyoctopus, that's cool.
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*bump*
Chimera, this is the thread with all the fantasy recommendations.
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Thanks, stacer, for reviving these threads for me. There's a lot of good recommendations, some I've read and some I haven't. I'll have to get going
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Ok, this is probably a better question for HoM, but there's an LDS authors named... er.. something Skye. He's written a fantasy novel about a kid from Oklahoma with an impossibly ridiculous name (possibly more odd than "Alcatraz") who discovers the world of "foo" (which makes one wonder if the author KNOWS how this term is used by programmers). But, since it's fantasy, I thought I'd poke around and ask if anyone had heard of it, and knew whether it was worth reading.
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I've seen the book and it's cover and title caught my intrest, it's called Leven Thumps And The Gateway To Foo.
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Yeah, that's the one. I saw it yesterday while at the This Is The Place bookstore.
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OK I came to this thread late, but it seems to be the place for this question:
I read a series lo many years ago when I was young and charming that had an orphan prince named something like Tab or Teb or Tad or something and he lived with talking Otters for a while at the start of the first book, but then somehow he hooks up with a dragon, and has to go and defeat the evil guys who have taken over his kingdom. And on the way he meets up with other dragons, and their special people (one of whom has had his tongue cut out by the bad guys), and gets a magic harp, and then in order to get close to the bad guys, the dragons all turn into special white horses, and... I don't remeber what else, but is any of this ringing a bell?
I totally know how fuzzyyoctopus felt in the following post:
I swear, I'm giving it another year and then I'll figure it never existed, and I'll write the darn thing myself.
Most of my own writing has been trying to make a book that comes close to being like what I remember this series to be. I'd very much like to read it again and see if it's any good at all, or if I've just imagined it all.
By the way, I also read a fantasy about somebody who actually did that -- evidently there was this fantasy book, and the characters in the story all have their own little lives while the book is closed, but have to go and act out the story when the book is opened. But then there's a fire or something and all the copies of the book are destroyed (there weren't many to begin with evidently), and then the characters are only left in the mind of the girl who used to read the book, and years later she finally gets around to writing it down, but the stroy is a little garbled with other people she's known in her life. It was kind of cool, but I can't remember its title either.
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I read a book when I was about seven or eight that I tried to find for years afterwards--I asked librarians, bookstore employees, teachers, fellow geeks, and never found anyone who'd ever heard of it. Then the internet came along and I got an answer from a kidlit list--The Mystical Beast by Alison Farthing. So I got it on interlibrary loan and read it, and it was pretty lame. Ah well. At least it's not haunting me anymore!
Karen's series sounds cool, though!
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Karen, I wish I could help you with your book but it's not ringing any bells. Sorry.
However, since this is the place to ask about books you can't remember the author/title of, I think I'll jump on the bandwagon.
I have a hard time studying at the BYU library because it is like putting an alchoholic into a liquor store--being surrouunded by books is just too tempting, and I inevitably get bored with what I am supposed to be studying and pick up an interesting-looking book instead. It was in one of these fits that I stumbled upon a book that still haunts me today. The main character was a boy (I *think* his name started with a "T") and he had the power to enter paintings. Once he was inside the painting, he was in the world that it depicted. There was one particular painting that he loved and frequented all the time. It was a peaceful world, possibly with fields of golden wheat, but there were occasional fantastic characters. I can't remember the conflict but I'm sure it must have been along the lines of having to save the world/painting from an evil person who wanted to destroy it. There was also a girl that he liked, and I remember her name because it was Heather (my name :)). And there was a windmill.
The funny thing is that I don't remember being overly thrilled with the book yet I haven't been able to ever get the idea out of my head. If anyone has any guesses, let me know, because I would like to read it again and put my mind to rest.
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There's a book called "Monet's Ghost" by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, but it's about a girl who can project herself inside paintings.
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Nope, that's not it. But it does sound interesting. Was it any good?
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The Straight Dope's Cafe Society board (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/forumdisplay.php?f=13) 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.)
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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?
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No, but they sound interesting, just from the titles. What's the story?
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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.
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So it was HGWells time machine, but with scottish kids?
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Kind of, but it was much less sucky than the Time Machine. Also, not *that* far into the future. 300 years max.
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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.
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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.
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I think I'll read it then before I break out the cash and purchase the book on tape.
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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.
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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?
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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.
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Sweet. I got it at DI for $1.
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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.
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I read it today at work (Fridays are slow) and you were right; it was very good. Extremely well-done. Now I need to sit down and re-read your paper
I think next I'll read Robin McKinley's "Deerskin" which I also got at DI. I've gone a little book-crazy.
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Deerskin may be my favorite Robin McKinley. I know that sounds like blasphemy in light of Hero and the Crown and The Blue Sword (which I absolutely love), but Deerskin struck a nerve at the time I was reading it and I've never been the same since.
Fair warning though: there is a graphic rape scene. You can skim over it, but it does serve a major purpose in the novel, so don't throw the book away just because it is there. For me, this was one of the most thought-provoking and moving books I'd read to date. It may not be so for you. But I thought I'd give you a heads up, in case you had no idea--McKinley doesn't usually have sex in her novels.
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I didn't, but going from the source material I thought it was a possibility.
Thanks for the heads up.
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I never know whether to dig up a 6 month old thread or start a new one. Oh well.
So in my last rash of book buying I got a copy of a book called "Keeper of the Isis Light" by Monica Hughes. (Kristy and I are both huge fans of her "Invitation to The Game" and I wanted to see what else she had written.)
I like it quite a bit - Anyone else read this? Also in this batch is a nice hardcover copy of Pamela Sargent's "Alien Child". One of the first sci-fi novels i remember reading as a kid.
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Wow, you're always coming up with titles I've never heard of. Just goes to show that 1) I never remember titles, and I might well have read it. (I recently got 1/4 through a book before I realized it was something I'd read in high school. The title didn't sound familiar.) and 2) There are a TON of good books out there.
One of these days, I'll read the old ones. I can barely keep up on the new ones.
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This is a good place to post this.
So I want to get my little sister a YA fantasy novel or two for Christmas. So before I make the trip to Barnes and Noble, any suggestions?
My little sister is very well read (she reads about 4-5 novels a month).
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If she hasn't read Garth Nix, go with the Abhorsen trilogy (Sabriel, Lirael, and Abhorsen). Or there's Howl's Moving Castle and its sequel by Diana Wynne Jones. I don't know--it depends on what she's already read. Sometimes with the well-read a B&N gift card is the best thing you can get them, so they can pick it out themselves.
However, I would also browse the "new" shelf--perhaps there's a brand-new YA fantasy she hasn't read yet. Perhaps the new Shannon Hale, Princess Academy. I haven't read it yet, but I love Goose Girl and Enna Burning, and she got a starred review for this latest.
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Shannon Hale sounds like a good choice. If she has read anything by her, perhaps she's forgotten by now.
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How old is she? I know that doesn't necessarily tell me what reading level she's at, but do you know some things she's recently finished?
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How old is she? I know that doesn't necessarily tell me what reading level she's at, but do you know some things she's recently finished?
My little sister is 24. I'm sure you've met her before. I know recently she's read all of the Harry Potter books again, including reading one of them in Russian. Lately, she's been reading a lot of mystery novels.
She like YA books and has a lot of time to read.
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There's a lot of buzz going around about a YA mystery called Lulu Dark Can See Through Walls. I have it at home, but haven't had a chance to read it, so I can't say one way or the other, but you might want to look for it. I *believe* it's got a paranormal aspect to it, but I'm not sure.
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I love Shannon Hale. But if your sister is 24 (the same age as me, incidentally) and not 14 than I would suggest you start with Goose Girl. Princess Academy is the newest and pretty good, but I still think Goose Girl and Enna Burning are superior.
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Goose Girl wasn't in stock at Barnes & Noble. grrr...
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Try your local independent bookseller! :)
The Read Leaf in Mapleton has a great selection of children's books usually.
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Yes, go with Garth Nix. The Abhorsen Trilogy is good. He has a new one out set in that world called Across the Wall, which is a collection of short stories. Other than that I don't really know, I sort of skipped over YA fantasy and moved on to college level really quickly.
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Or local on-line retailer. :D
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Yes, go with Garth Nix. The Abhorsen Trilogy is good. He has a new one out set in that world called Across the Wall, which is a collection of short stories. Other than that I don't really know, I sort of skipped over YA fantasy and moved on to college level really quickly.
I highly recommend you look further into YA fantasy. It's a golden age right now for YA books, both for your age group and for older teens. Just plain good stories. There's a thread here somewhere in which I made a bunch of recommendations, but I'm too lazy to look for it right now.
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[/quote]
By the way, I also read a fantasy about somebody who actually did that -- evidently there was this fantasy book, and the characters in the story all have their own little lives while the book is closed, but have to go and act out the story when the book is opened. But then there's a fire or something and all the copies of the book are destroyed (there weren't many to begin with evidently), and then the characters are only left in the mind of the girl who used to read the book, and years later she finally gets around to writing it down, but the stroy is a little garbled with other people she's known in her life. It was kind of cool, but I can't remember its title either.
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Just thought I'd say, this is The Great Good Thing by Roderick Townley. There's a sequel where the story is put online called Into the Labyrinth.
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I highly recommend you look further into YA fantasy. It's a golden age right now for YA books, both for your age group and for older teens. Just plain good stories. There's a thread here somewhere in which I made a bunch of recommendations, but I'm too lazy to look for it right now.
Well if you're to lazy and I'm to lazy it looks like I'll never find any good ones does it?
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Wow, just goes to show my laziness. It's this thread.
So, read this thread all the way through. Find some great books. I must warn you, though, most of the YA I've recommended is aimed at teen girls, but it shouldn't stop you from reading most of them, because they're great books regardless. I'd start with something like Scott Westerfield's Midnighters series, which starts with The Secret Hour. Both guy and girl characters, and a lot of mystery in the fantasy.
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Any Diane Duane fans, she's selling off lots of surplus autographed copies of old books right now. Doing some spring cleaning so to speak and found a lot of surplus author's copies.
http://stores.ebay.com/Diane-Duanes-Autographed-Book-Sale
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Cool, but unfortunately I don't have the $150 to get her first book, or even the $75 for the sequels. The only cheap-ish ones are the Star Trek books, and I'm not interested in those.
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You should be, they're fabulous. They're the reason I started reading her work in the first place.
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Even if you've never been a fan of Star Trek, haven't even seen a whole episode, and all knowledge of Star Trek comes from cartoons/sitcoms poking fun at them?
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Ummmmm........ Sure! ;D
(Seriously, though. I know not everyone is a ST fan. But if you ever try one, try "The Wounded Sky", because Diane Duane rocks.)
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Anything I've read of hers has been good. There are some crappy, cookie-cutter Star Trek books out there, but Diane Duane's are not among them.