I recently read the book Ever Shade by Alexia Purdy. The book was a little bit painful to get through, but ultimately the story won me over. At least, it won me over enough to finish it. I am even interested in reading the next book. I just hope the editing is better and the main character is a little less whiny and annoying.
The point in talking about Ever Shade, is that when I finished it I felt like I needed to read something I knew would be good. Do you ever find yourself doing that? You read a book that wasn't good, or was just ok. Or maybe you even read a book that is written well, but challenging or depressing or what have you.
I think sometimes what I read next is just as important as what I am currently reading. After Ever Shade, I decided I to read Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. After just a few sentences, I felt this sense of relief. Like being hot and sticky and sweaty and walking into a nicely air-conditioned room, or easing aching muscles into a hot tub. It was almost a physical sensation of peace and relaxation.
There are a few authors that are go-to authors for me. One is Phil Rickman, I still have a few books left to read in his Merrily Watkins series, and there are other books he's written that aren't part of a series. Another author I have started to use as a go-to is Rhys Bowen, she writes the Royal Spyness mysteries, Molly Murphy mystery series, and Constable Evans mystery series. I have read all the Royal Spyness to date and am working my way through Molly Murphy. Neil Gaiman is another go-to author for me, now that I have finally started reading his books, I still have several more of his that I have not yet read. Christopher Moore is yet another author who always writes well and I have enjoyed everything of his I've read, and there is still more that I haven't read.
My go-to authors aren't only used to recover from badly written books. I also pick up a book by one of these authors when I have read something which was particularly good and well written. If I read something that is really sticking with me, it can make it hard to choose what to read next. You don't want to go from reading something really great to reading something that is potentially terrible. Which is why I again reach for something written by one of the authors above.
Who are your go-to authors? Have you ever felt like reading the first few well-crafted sentences of a book are like soaking your aching brain muscles in a hot tub? Do you prefer to re-read a favorite book rather than something new by a favorite author?
About Me
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Monday, May 13, 2013
Spring Has Sprung!
Spring has finally come to Iowa. At least, we think it has. It is a little difficult to tell when the temperature swings from the 30s F to 90 F within a day or two. It is nice to throw the windows open and get some fresh air in the house. Our oldest cat, Ariel, is able to do some sunbathing in the fresh air now too. I hope spring is coming to where you are too, and I hope it's bringing a lower pollen count than here.
My oldest, Andrew, was doing math homework the other day, and had to use the Pythagorean theorem. Which reminded me of the movie Merry Andrew. I remember the Pythagorean theorem thanks to this movie. Merry Andrew has been impossible to find for years, but it is for sale on Amazon.com as digital content, or as a print on demand DVD.
My oldest, Andrew, was doing math homework the other day, and had to use the Pythagorean theorem. Which reminded me of the movie Merry Andrew. I remember the Pythagorean theorem thanks to this movie. Merry Andrew has been impossible to find for years, but it is for sale on Amazon.com as digital content, or as a print on demand DVD.
Tuesday, April 09, 2013
New Katie MacAlister series coming soon!
One of my favorite authors, Katie MacAlister has a new series starting soon! MacAlister is the author of the Dark Ones vampire series, the Dragons series featuring the Aisling Grey, the Silver Dragons, and the Light Dragons. She also has authored several contemporary romances, which I also love.
Here is the info about the new series, including the official blurb:
Katie Mac page: http://katiemacalister.com
Time Thief info page: http://katiemacalist...oks/time-thief/
Time Thief official blurb:
Outcast due to their ability to manipulate time, shunned by the mortal and immortal worlds alike, a Traveller’s life is anything but easy.
Traveller Peter Faa is a member of the Otherworld’s Watch tracking down a murderer, and unfortunately, the clues all seem to point toward his own estranged family. Any of his cousins could be guilty, but finding which one is tricky when they’re all experts in the art of stealing time.
After surviving a lightning strike, Kiya Mortenson is determined to get just one thing in her life right. And if that means taking a job as nanny to five pugs who live in a campsite in the Oregon wilderness, then so be it. It doesn’t hurt that the job comes with some pretty spectacular male eye candy, including her new boss’s gorgeous black sheep grandson. If only she didn’t keep having this strange sense of deja vu…
When Peter discovers that his own family is stealing time from Kiya, all bets are off. While she may drive him crazy at times, it’s clear to him that it’s not just lightning that’s creating some serious sparks between them. And he’s not going to let secrets, lies, or a devious murderer keep Kiya from where she belongs: at his side.
I am sure that this latest series will have all of Katie's trademark humor and hot guys. I'm looking forward to this original world and getting to know the characters who populate it, just as I have with her other series.
Look for Time Thief on May 7th, 2013!
Friday, March 15, 2013
Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
I recently read Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor. It was a pick for March for the Vaginal Fantasy Book Club on Goodreads or Google +. I admit I was reluctant to pick this one up because YA is so all over the place. I don't have much patience for the really angst-ridden, overly sappy romance that is present in a lot of the books. Anyway, after browsing a few reviews on Goodreads, I decided to read it. I have to say I am really glad I did!
Daughter of Smoke and Bone is the story of Karou, a seventeen year old girl living in Prague and attending art school. She is a talented artist, her fellow classmates love to look through her sketchbooks. She draws pictures of fantastical creatures like a woman whose bottom half is that of a snake. What her classmates don't know is that the creatures are real. They are called Chimera, and Karou was raised by them. Brimstone is the main chimera in charge of Karou's care. He runs some kind of business involving buying teeth from various shady characters that visit his shop.
Karou now has her own apartment in Prague and no longer lives in the shop, but occasionally is asked to run errands for Brimstone and collect teeth from people who aren't able to come to the shop. Karou has a friend, Zuzana, the first human friend that Karou has ever had. Karou feels terrible about disappearing and having to lie to her friend, but she would never believe the truth, would she?
While Karou is on assignment for Brimstone, she has a run in with Akiva, a seraphim. In the world where the chimera and seraphim live, they have been at war for centuries. It looks like the war may be encroaching on the human world, or at very least, on Karou's world.
This is a well-crafted world. I like the characters. Karou isn't one of those teenage girls that sees a cute boy and loses herself. She meets Akiva and wonders about him, but she goes on with her life. She is tough and strong, she is able to roll with whatever is thrown at her.
There is a section in the second half of the book that I wasn't as fond of, but I think it's a necessary evil for the series. By the time I reached the end, I immediately downloaded and read the second book in the series. The Days of Blood and Starlight, also by Laini Taylor, continued Karou's story. I won't say much about it here, because I don't want to spoil the first book. But, I thought the second book was even better than the first.
Daughter of Smoke and Bone and Days of Blood and Starlight are appropriate for older teens, there are some sexual situations in both books.
I am going to give Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor, 4 stars. and Days of Blood Starlight, 5 stars.
Daughter of Smoke and Bone is the story of Karou, a seventeen year old girl living in Prague and attending art school. She is a talented artist, her fellow classmates love to look through her sketchbooks. She draws pictures of fantastical creatures like a woman whose bottom half is that of a snake. What her classmates don't know is that the creatures are real. They are called Chimera, and Karou was raised by them. Brimstone is the main chimera in charge of Karou's care. He runs some kind of business involving buying teeth from various shady characters that visit his shop.
Karou now has her own apartment in Prague and no longer lives in the shop, but occasionally is asked to run errands for Brimstone and collect teeth from people who aren't able to come to the shop. Karou has a friend, Zuzana, the first human friend that Karou has ever had. Karou feels terrible about disappearing and having to lie to her friend, but she would never believe the truth, would she?
While Karou is on assignment for Brimstone, she has a run in with Akiva, a seraphim. In the world where the chimera and seraphim live, they have been at war for centuries. It looks like the war may be encroaching on the human world, or at very least, on Karou's world.
This is a well-crafted world. I like the characters. Karou isn't one of those teenage girls that sees a cute boy and loses herself. She meets Akiva and wonders about him, but she goes on with her life. She is tough and strong, she is able to roll with whatever is thrown at her.
There is a section in the second half of the book that I wasn't as fond of, but I think it's a necessary evil for the series. By the time I reached the end, I immediately downloaded and read the second book in the series. The Days of Blood and Starlight, also by Laini Taylor, continued Karou's story. I won't say much about it here, because I don't want to spoil the first book. But, I thought the second book was even better than the first.
Daughter of Smoke and Bone and Days of Blood and Starlight are appropriate for older teens, there are some sexual situations in both books.
I am going to give Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor, 4 stars. and Days of Blood Starlight, 5 stars.
Monday, March 04, 2013
The Night Circus and The Lady and Her Monsters
The Night Circus is a fabulous fairytale. The circus itself is created by two magicians, or perhaps wizards is the better word, as a field of challenge for their respective students. These wizards are not the Harry Potter variety, or the Merlin variety either. They have different approaches to their manipulations of the physical world. One is a showy stage magician, only his illusions are real. His tricks are not accomplished by way of the clever contraptions his contemporaries use. He is hiding real magic in plain sight, his audiences think he is better than other magicians, but they still believe it is slight of hand and tricks of perception. The other man is more comfortable behind the scenes, manipulation through charms, and is a believer in learning from books. If you read it, and live it, you will do it seems to be his motto. These two wizards are constantly trying to prove which of their approaches to magic is correct, which is strongest.
The stage magician is one day confronted with his daughter. Her mother is dead and Celia has been sent to the care of her father. Prospero, the wizards stage name, quickly determines that his daughter posses significant natural ability. He summons his friend Alexander and proposes a challenge. Alexander agrees and seeks out his own perfect student, a young boy from an orphanage.
The young people are trained in each of the wizard’s preferred methods. Eventually, it is time for the challenge to begin and the Night Circus is born. True to it’s name, the night circus is only open from dusk to dawn. During the day, there is no activity. The circus appears out of nowhere and no one knows where it goes when it’s time in a town is finished. The circus appears all over the world, and as it travels, new attractions are added as the young wizards compete with each other.
The circus is a fairytale come to life for those in the book who are lucky enough to visit it. One is able to wander from tent to tent and find which performances they are the most moved by. The actual name of the circus is The Circus of Dreams, and it lives up to its name. It is one of the few books that I absolutely wish I could spend time inside of.
The world that Erin Morgenstern creates is beautiful and magical. I would love to attend midnight dinners and wander through the circus. I could definitely become one of the dreamers, who follow the circus as much as they are able and meet with other dreamers in their home towns when they cannot be part of the show.
In many ways this is a kinder, gentler world of magic than Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, although there also some similarities between the two stories. Of the two I prefer The Night Circus. I love the hope and optimism that the circus and its story encompass.
Another book that I think there are some interesting commonalities with is The Lady and Her Monsters. Monsters is a nonfiction look at Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, specifically the scientific experimentation and other experiences that inspired Mary Shelley to write that story. In many ways Monsters is the story of a challenge, only this challenge is on a somewhat bigger scale. There are the alchemists competing to create the Philosopher’s Stone and the scientists who are looking for other ways to cheat death, perhaps by returning life to a body via electricity.
Both Circus and Monsters take place in the 19th century. Circus celebrates the beauty and artistry of scientific creation, like the amazing clock at the entrance to the circus. Other elements of the circus are built by a great architect and embellished by the competing magicians. Monsters, on the other hand, looks at the horror of the march for scientific knowledge. But, the science of Mary Shelley’s time borders on achievements that may only be possible through magic. The autopsies in Monsters take on a circus atmosphere of their own. From public executions to public autopsies, performed for entertainment of the masses and scientific study by the intellectuals.
Circus uses delicate gears and machinery, and magic to create beautiful things, like a carousel that is alive. Monsters uses crude autopsies and the terrifying jolt of electricity to make corpses move.
The Lady and Her Monsters is a fascinating look at our climb out of the dark ages and into a real understanding of the human body and science and medicine. I always find it interesting to wonder where our medical knowledge would be without the destruction and loss of knowledge in the early centuries over a millennium ago.
The Lady and Her Monsters is also a biography of Mary Shelley and the people and science that inspired her creation of Victor Frankenstein and his monster. I have finally chalked up my first non-fiction read for 2013.
It is pure coincidence that I read The Night Circus and The Lady and Her Monsters side by side. However, in a weird way they complemented each other.
I’m going to give The Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern 5 stars.
The Lady and Her Monsters by Roseanne Montillo gets 4 stars.
The stage magician is one day confronted with his daughter. Her mother is dead and Celia has been sent to the care of her father. Prospero, the wizards stage name, quickly determines that his daughter posses significant natural ability. He summons his friend Alexander and proposes a challenge. Alexander agrees and seeks out his own perfect student, a young boy from an orphanage.
The young people are trained in each of the wizard’s preferred methods. Eventually, it is time for the challenge to begin and the Night Circus is born. True to it’s name, the night circus is only open from dusk to dawn. During the day, there is no activity. The circus appears out of nowhere and no one knows where it goes when it’s time in a town is finished. The circus appears all over the world, and as it travels, new attractions are added as the young wizards compete with each other.
The circus is a fairytale come to life for those in the book who are lucky enough to visit it. One is able to wander from tent to tent and find which performances they are the most moved by. The actual name of the circus is The Circus of Dreams, and it lives up to its name. It is one of the few books that I absolutely wish I could spend time inside of.
The world that Erin Morgenstern creates is beautiful and magical. I would love to attend midnight dinners and wander through the circus. I could definitely become one of the dreamers, who follow the circus as much as they are able and meet with other dreamers in their home towns when they cannot be part of the show.
In many ways this is a kinder, gentler world of magic than Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, although there also some similarities between the two stories. Of the two I prefer The Night Circus. I love the hope and optimism that the circus and its story encompass.
Another book that I think there are some interesting commonalities with is The Lady and Her Monsters. Monsters is a nonfiction look at Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, specifically the scientific experimentation and other experiences that inspired Mary Shelley to write that story. In many ways Monsters is the story of a challenge, only this challenge is on a somewhat bigger scale. There are the alchemists competing to create the Philosopher’s Stone and the scientists who are looking for other ways to cheat death, perhaps by returning life to a body via electricity.
Both Circus and Monsters take place in the 19th century. Circus celebrates the beauty and artistry of scientific creation, like the amazing clock at the entrance to the circus. Other elements of the circus are built by a great architect and embellished by the competing magicians. Monsters, on the other hand, looks at the horror of the march for scientific knowledge. But, the science of Mary Shelley’s time borders on achievements that may only be possible through magic. The autopsies in Monsters take on a circus atmosphere of their own. From public executions to public autopsies, performed for entertainment of the masses and scientific study by the intellectuals.
Circus uses delicate gears and machinery, and magic to create beautiful things, like a carousel that is alive. Monsters uses crude autopsies and the terrifying jolt of electricity to make corpses move.
The Lady and Her Monsters is a fascinating look at our climb out of the dark ages and into a real understanding of the human body and science and medicine. I always find it interesting to wonder where our medical knowledge would be without the destruction and loss of knowledge in the early centuries over a millennium ago.
The Lady and Her Monsters is also a biography of Mary Shelley and the people and science that inspired her creation of Victor Frankenstein and his monster. I have finally chalked up my first non-fiction read for 2013.
It is pure coincidence that I read The Night Circus and The Lady and Her Monsters side by side. However, in a weird way they complemented each other.
I’m going to give The Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern 5 stars.
The Lady and Her Monsters by Roseanne Montillo gets 4 stars.
Thursday, February 07, 2013
Marion Zimmer Bradley's The Mists of Avalon
The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley is the last book from my Female Sci-fi/Fantasy authors list from last year. I think it was an appropriate book to end this list on. The book is definitely on an epic scale, covering the entire life of Morgaine, half sister to King Arthur. This is a King Arthur tale, but told through the eyes of the women surrounding Arthur.
I have to wonder if a better Christian than I would have a different take on this book. It comes across, at least for most of the book, as very negative on Christianity. There was a lot of conflict in the book. The conflict between fathers and sons, the conflict between Christianity and the Old Religion, between mothers and daughters, between brothers, between sister and brother.
My most recent exposure to the Arthur legend is through the BBC series "Merlin." There are many characters in common between "Merlin" and The Mists of Avalon. It is interesting how different a character can seem based on the point of view from which the story is told. Morgana in "Merlin" is very unlikable, but Morgaine in The Mists of Avalon is more sympathetic. I would say that a lot of their actions are similar, but we are more familiar with Morgaine's motivations. Morgaine may seem to not always be driven by pure service to the Goddess, she does believe that her actions will serve the Goddess.
"Merlin" does not really have the Christian vs. Old Religion dynamic. Uther has banned the Old Religion in Camelot, but because he believes magic corrupts and is always used for evil. However, it doesn't seem that the Old Religion has been replaced by a strong reliance on Christianity in the "Merlin" version of Camelot. In The Mists of Avalon, there are many different people that are pushing Britain, and Arthur toward being a wholly Christian country. The person with the biggest influence with Arthur is Gwenhyfar. She was raised Christian and believes in it completely. Although, at times her push to a stronger link with Christianity seems a bit of jealousy of Arthur's tie to Morgaine. Gwen feels she should be the biggest influence on Arthur, she feels she often has to take a backseat to Arthurs companions (knights) and his advisers, including the Merlin of Britain. Arthur is torn between wanting to please his wife and wanting to uphold the vow he made to protect Avalon as well as the Christian people of Britain.
The Mists of Avalon was definitely worth reading, and the feminine point of view was nice. Even though all the books on this list were written by women, they were not all so strongly feminist in their point of view. I am glad to have come across this list of women Sci-fi/Fantasy authors, and to have been introduced to new authors and new sub-sets of Sci-fi/Fantasy than I have read before. I think there are quite a few more modern female authors in this genre that will find themselves on this list in the future.
I'm going to give The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley, 4 stars.
I have to wonder if a better Christian than I would have a different take on this book. It comes across, at least for most of the book, as very negative on Christianity. There was a lot of conflict in the book. The conflict between fathers and sons, the conflict between Christianity and the Old Religion, between mothers and daughters, between brothers, between sister and brother.
My most recent exposure to the Arthur legend is through the BBC series "Merlin." There are many characters in common between "Merlin" and The Mists of Avalon. It is interesting how different a character can seem based on the point of view from which the story is told. Morgana in "Merlin" is very unlikable, but Morgaine in The Mists of Avalon is more sympathetic. I would say that a lot of their actions are similar, but we are more familiar with Morgaine's motivations. Morgaine may seem to not always be driven by pure service to the Goddess, she does believe that her actions will serve the Goddess.
"Merlin" does not really have the Christian vs. Old Religion dynamic. Uther has banned the Old Religion in Camelot, but because he believes magic corrupts and is always used for evil. However, it doesn't seem that the Old Religion has been replaced by a strong reliance on Christianity in the "Merlin" version of Camelot. In The Mists of Avalon, there are many different people that are pushing Britain, and Arthur toward being a wholly Christian country. The person with the biggest influence with Arthur is Gwenhyfar. She was raised Christian and believes in it completely. Although, at times her push to a stronger link with Christianity seems a bit of jealousy of Arthur's tie to Morgaine. Gwen feels she should be the biggest influence on Arthur, she feels she often has to take a backseat to Arthurs companions (knights) and his advisers, including the Merlin of Britain. Arthur is torn between wanting to please his wife and wanting to uphold the vow he made to protect Avalon as well as the Christian people of Britain.
The Mists of Avalon was definitely worth reading, and the feminine point of view was nice. Even though all the books on this list were written by women, they were not all so strongly feminist in their point of view. I am glad to have come across this list of women Sci-fi/Fantasy authors, and to have been introduced to new authors and new sub-sets of Sci-fi/Fantasy than I have read before. I think there are quite a few more modern female authors in this genre that will find themselves on this list in the future.
I'm going to give The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley, 4 stars.
Friday, January 18, 2013
Doris Lessing's Shikasta
I am wrapping up my Female Sci-Fi/Fantasy writers. I had Doris Lessing and Marion Zimmer Bradley left. They were both large books, and I decided to hit my 100 book goal rather than finishing out my F SF/F list by the end of 2012.
So, on to Shikasta. The beginning of this book was a huge struggle for me. It's not the type of book that I usually enjoy. I usually stray more to Fantasy than Science Fiction. Shikasta, was more Science Fiction, with a lot of social commentary thrown in.
Lessing's book tells the story of Earth, named initially Rohanda by the aliens who have taken it as one of their colony planets. Life had already started on this planet, but they bring some giant aliens from another colony to help speed the evolution on Rohanda. Everything is going along swimmingly until something in the cosmos upsets the harmonious balance on Rohanda. This give the aliens affiliated with Shammat a chance to disrupt the harmony and create a destructive force that they feed upon. So begins the history of Earth that we are familiar with, and the planet's name is changed to Shikasta.
From there we are given a history of earth through the eyes of the Canopeans, the aliens who initially colonized the planet. Johor has been to Shikasta several times, often thousands of years apart, and he is the main Canopean player in the last portion of the book. But, the book really looks at humans disregard for our planet and each other, except this book makes the problem out to be caused by this problem in the cosmos and the encouragement of the Shammat aliens of our most destructive tendencies.
The book was slow to get going, and then when I was seeing Bible stories played out with aliens acting as the word of God, I really started to wonder if I was going to finish the book. I was not offended by these Biblical references, I just wasn't sure if I wanted to read a book full of them. Luckily, the tone of the book shifted a bit. Once it hit the period after WWII, and got into some of the speculation portion of what the near future would hold for our planet and its people, it got more interesting.
This book was written in 1979, so there are a lot of doom and gloom predictions for what the Earth would be like during and after the 1980s. I remember, as a child there was always speculation that WWIII was just around the corner. This book has that, although doesn't give much in the way of detail about the war itself, just some of the lead up (told through journals, letters, and alien reference book chapters), and then ultimately what the planet would be like once the harmonious balance was restored.
Shikasta was a challenging read, but it was worth reading and finishing. I'm going to give Shikasta by Doris Lessing 3 Stars
The last book on my F SF/F writers list is The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley.
Let's see....one more thing here is a quick list of my favorite reads from November and December 2012:
The Woman Who Died A Lot (Thursday Next #7) by Jasper Fforde
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Grave Memory (Alex Craft #3) by Kalayna Price
Nightshifted (Edie Spence #1) by Cassie Alexander
First Grave on the Right and Second Grave on the Left by Darynda Jones
Cold Days (Dresden Files) by Jim Butcher
Nightshade on Elm Street (Flower shop mystery #13) by Kate Collins
Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer
Lethal Outlook (Psychic Eye mystery #10) by Victoria Laurie
All of the above were books I rated 4 stars or higher on Goodreads. There were others, but mostly romances, these were the standouts.
So, on to Shikasta. The beginning of this book was a huge struggle for me. It's not the type of book that I usually enjoy. I usually stray more to Fantasy than Science Fiction. Shikasta, was more Science Fiction, with a lot of social commentary thrown in.
Lessing's book tells the story of Earth, named initially Rohanda by the aliens who have taken it as one of their colony planets. Life had already started on this planet, but they bring some giant aliens from another colony to help speed the evolution on Rohanda. Everything is going along swimmingly until something in the cosmos upsets the harmonious balance on Rohanda. This give the aliens affiliated with Shammat a chance to disrupt the harmony and create a destructive force that they feed upon. So begins the history of Earth that we are familiar with, and the planet's name is changed to Shikasta.
From there we are given a history of earth through the eyes of the Canopeans, the aliens who initially colonized the planet. Johor has been to Shikasta several times, often thousands of years apart, and he is the main Canopean player in the last portion of the book. But, the book really looks at humans disregard for our planet and each other, except this book makes the problem out to be caused by this problem in the cosmos and the encouragement of the Shammat aliens of our most destructive tendencies.
The book was slow to get going, and then when I was seeing Bible stories played out with aliens acting as the word of God, I really started to wonder if I was going to finish the book. I was not offended by these Biblical references, I just wasn't sure if I wanted to read a book full of them. Luckily, the tone of the book shifted a bit. Once it hit the period after WWII, and got into some of the speculation portion of what the near future would hold for our planet and its people, it got more interesting.
This book was written in 1979, so there are a lot of doom and gloom predictions for what the Earth would be like during and after the 1980s. I remember, as a child there was always speculation that WWIII was just around the corner. This book has that, although doesn't give much in the way of detail about the war itself, just some of the lead up (told through journals, letters, and alien reference book chapters), and then ultimately what the planet would be like once the harmonious balance was restored.
Shikasta was a challenging read, but it was worth reading and finishing. I'm going to give Shikasta by Doris Lessing 3 Stars
The last book on my F SF/F writers list is The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley.
Let's see....one more thing here is a quick list of my favorite reads from November and December 2012:
The Woman Who Died A Lot (Thursday Next #7) by Jasper Fforde
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Grave Memory (Alex Craft #3) by Kalayna Price
Nightshifted (Edie Spence #1) by Cassie Alexander
First Grave on the Right and Second Grave on the Left by Darynda Jones
Cold Days (Dresden Files) by Jim Butcher
Nightshade on Elm Street (Flower shop mystery #13) by Kate Collins
Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer
Lethal Outlook (Psychic Eye mystery #10) by Victoria Laurie
All of the above were books I rated 4 stars or higher on Goodreads. There were others, but mostly romances, these were the standouts.
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