Sci-Fi/Fantasy Book Discussion/Appreciation Anyone..??

[AvatarIII]

I buy a lot of my nieces and nephews books for gifts. I am looking at a few series (series gives me lots of books to buy which I love), but haven't read any of them - yet. I have seen some of them mentioned here and I was wondering if those of you that have read them could give me some info like what age do you think the book level is at and if it was a good read, etc...

Some of the age levels are completely different when I look at books on amazon.com and our local book store.

These are the series I am interested in:

Septimus Heap

Percy Jackson and the Olympians

Artemis Fowl

Mortal Instruments (City of Bones, glass, etc..) for my oldest niece (almost 13), but she gets frightened very easily. She won't read Twilight, but Harry Potter was ok. I wanted to read it first but I don't think I'll have time, any scary/freaky parts?


Thanks!

my girlfriend has read percy jackson and says it is good. you know they are doing a movie of it?

[Care]

^^ Yes, I actually just read that. The series has been highly recommended by some teachers I know. Some book to movie adaptations are just cringe worthy, but then some I love. I think Chris Columbus is directing so we'll see how it turns out.

Very strange. If these books had been published when I was seven I certainly would have been reading them then, regardless of age recommendation. I work in a library so I tend to notice strange discrepancies between what is filed under YA and what is filed under children's- Artemis Fowl being one, Harry Potter being another. Bit frustrating, especially when trying to recommend something to a kid who has moved on to YAs, but you think there's a series they would like filed in with the children's- and the other way around.

The only thing with Inkheart is that it is such a big book that it would probably be a bit beyond most seven year olds, but I'm sure most seven year-olds would absolutely love to have it read to them. It is an absolutely wonderful book, and I think it's the best of the popular children's fantasies that have followed Harry Potter.

And one other series, as if you don't have enough recommendations, is the "Children of the Red King" series- but better known as the Charlie Bone series by Jenny Nimmo. I've only read the first three, probably for age eight and up, abouts, again depending on reading level. But I believe the series is coming to an end later this year (seven or nine books, can't remember how many). I really liked what I've read of it and keep meaning to get back them them.



Annnnnnd, my current read, I've just started Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series today, and I'm already hooked, Bought the first two books, need to get the rest. Very soon, even though it'll take ages to get through them all- they're huge! Anyone else read them?

Yesterday finished Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. It is a masterwork on English literature. Absolute classic.

I can never have too many book recommendations! By the time I find out what all of them have read (I have 13 to buy for) it will narrow my list down a bit. I also love to read YA so it gives me ideas as well.


I read the first Outlander book (I have friends that love the series), but it just dragged for me. I couldn't get into it so I didn't bother with the rest. I started City of Bones today (now I have 3 books on the go) and so far I am enjoying it. I am only about 100 pages into it so far. Definitely too mature for my oldest niece. Maybe in another year or two.

[Trek_Girl42]

I read the first Outlander book (I have friends that love the series), but it just dragged for me. I couldn't get into it so I didn't bother with the rest.

I can get that- events seem a little slow to unfold so far. But I just started it yesterday, and I've barely been able to put it down, I think I'm a little over 200 pages through. I love the setting, the characters, really can't tell where this story is going to go yet, but Gabaldon is a lovely writer and I'm so glad to have discovered her. I was a little hesitant to pick it up at first- I'd heard it mainly spoken of as a romance, but if that's what it is, I'm so far impressed because it hasn't felt like it. Unlike the last fantasy romance book I read which was basically one long string of will they/won't they moments followed by a string of "obsticles" and it turned out there were very few fantasy elements except what would conveniently force the hero/heroine together, and it drove me nuts.

And just remembered another series- The Pendragon series. I haven't read any yet, but they seem quite popular, and they're yet ANOTHER thing I keep meaning to pick up. I think there are nine books, not sure if the series is concluded yet.

[Betelgeuze]

I'm in a Forgotten Realms phase. I'm currently reading the War of the Spider Queen series.

[Girlbot]

Just finished "Off Armaggedon Reef" by David Weber, and I find it's a series, so I'm looking for the second book. It was pretty good.

[Mimzy]

Still reading The Darkangel, and I have to say, all the mythology and symbolism in it is AMAZING. In terms of vampire literature...WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYY superior to Twilight. Hopefully fans of that will find out about the DA trilogy and finally start reading something with SUBSTANCE

[Krichton]

I buy a lot of my nieces and nephews books for gifts. I am looking at a few series (series gives me lots of books to buy which I love), but haven't read any of them - yet. I have seen some of them mentioned here and I was wondering if those of you that have read them could give me some info like what age do you think the book level is at and if it was a good read, etc...

Some of the age levels are completely different when I look at books on amazon.com and our local book store.

These are the series I am interested in:

Septimus Heap

Percy Jackson and the Olympians

Artemis Fowl

Mortal Instruments (City of Bones, glass, etc..) for my oldest niece (almost 13), but she gets frightened very easily. She won't read Twilight, but Harry Potter was ok. I wanted to read it first but I don't think I'll have time, any scary/freaky parts?


Thanks!

What about the "Lord of the Flies"? This was the first book I was given to read back in elementary school.

[Mimzy]

Just started reading Bruce Coville's third book in The Unicorn Chronicles, Dark Whispers...Only on what? Chapter 2? and it's already so EPIC. I absolutely LOVE this series...I can't wait until he finally comes out with book 4 (hopefully it doesn't take another 10 years like it did for him to finish book 3!! )!

Anyway, if you've never read TUC, READ them. Even if you're "too old". They're SOOO good.

[Jason]

Lets see, right now I'm working through A Song of Ice and Fire, which is simply amazing. I also enjoy:

Star Wars novels
Narnia
Lord of the Rings
His Dark Materials(Which were amazing as well!)
Harry Potter

Want to read:

Anything by David Weber
Sword of Truth
Dresden Files
Stargate novels

[Trek_Girl42]

Lets see, right now I'm working through A Song of Ice and Fire, which is simply amazing. I also enjoy:

Star Wars novels
Narnia
Lord of the Rings
His Dark Materials(Which were amazing as well!)
Harry Potter

Want to read:

Anything by David Weber
Sword of Truth
Dresden Files
Stargate novels

ASOIAF is so awesome. I was actually screaming at my book when I read it. But read slowly, the wait for the fifth book is agony, I finished A Feast For Crows over a year ago, expecting the fifth to come out last September, alas.....no.

But it'll be worth it. One of the best things about G.R.R.M. is that he writes in his own time and writes to get it right. Not to rush the book out and please fans.

I've read the first Honour Harrington book by David Weber, and it was decent, but it didn't leave me wanting to read any more (the heroine was a bit too perfect for my taste- but the battle was pretty cool).

Tried reading the first Sword of Truth book and couldn't get into it at all.

And I read the first Dresden Files book quite awhile ago, and it was entertaining and I want to read more as soon as I'm finished the series that I'm on at the moment.

I also want to read Jacqueline Carey's second Kushiel trilogy (read the first three: Dart, Chosen, and Avatar)- anyone read them? Are they as good as the first ones? I still think that Kushiel's Dart is by far the best, Carey seemed to have spent the most time on it, the writing was positively beautiful.

[Iffy]

....snip.....

I also want to read Jacqueline Carey's second Kushiel trilogy (read the first three: Dart, Chosen, and Avatar)- anyone read them? Are they as good as the first ones? I still think that Kushiel's Dart is by far the best, Carey seemed to have spent the most time on it, the writing was positively beautiful.

I really enjoyed them, they revolve around Imriel though.

[Trek_Girl42]

I really enjoyed them, they revolve around Imriel though.

I don't think I'd mind that, makes sense.

[Care]

Finished City of Bones and City of Ashes, just starting City of Glass. Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child has been set on the back burner until I finish this series. I really enjoyed the second more than the first, but they were both fun to read. SPOILER for anybody that hasn't read CoB.

Spoiler:

Is is just totally sick that I really want Jace and Clary together?! Although from the end of CoB I thought that Valentine's idea of fatherhood wasn't quite as we expect. I don't really think they are brother and sister. After CoA it seems even more likely so I don't feel so bad wanting them to just give in to temptation.

What about the "Lord of the Flies"? This was the first book I was given to read back in elementary school.

That was my husbands first pick, but most (of the older ones anyway) have already read it.

Still reading The Darkangel, and I have to say, all the mythology and symbolism in it is AMAZING. In terms of vampire literature...WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYY superior to Twilight. Hopefully fans of that will find out about the DA trilogy and finally start reading something with SUBSTANCE

Hmmm, never heard of it. Or maybe I have. Is it an older book?

[Mimzy]

Hmmm, never heard of it. Or maybe I have. Is it an older book?

Yes. I think the Darkangel Trilogy books were originally published in the 70s or 80s. They just recently came back out in print again. The author is Meredith Ann Pierce, who also wrote the more recent Firebringer series.

Anyway, the first book so far is REALLY good. If you definitely want something "different" to read, this series is it.

....

In other news, I just finished reading Avi's The Seer of Shadows (again, another kids' book ). It's more of a horror story, but I thought it might fit since it's sort of fantasy/scifi-ish. The beginning was a bit dull and overly descriptive, but the end took such a unique turn that overall it was definitely worth reading. Here's the book description, b/c it's better than my attempt at a lousy summary:

The time is 1872. The place is New York City. Horace Carpetine has been raised to believe in science and rationality. So as apprentice to Enoch Middleditch, a society photographer, he thinks of his trade as a scientific art. But when wealthy society matron Mrs. Frederick Von Macht orders a photographic portrait, strange things begin to happen.

Horace's first real photographs reveal a frightful likeness: it's the image of the Von Macht's dead daughter, Eleanora.

Pegg, the Von Macht's black servant girl, then leads him to the truth about who Eleanora really was and how she actually died. Joined in friendship, Pegg and Horace soon realize that his photographs are evoking both Eleanora's image and her ghost. Eleanora returns, a vengeful wraith intent on punishing those who abused her.

Rich in detail, full of the magic of early photography, here is a story about shadows, visible and invisible, that are always lurking near.

At the outset, it sounds like your typical "ghost come back for revenge story", but the way Avi symbolically links the process of early photo development to the gradual evocation (is that a word? ) of Eleanora's ghost is very unique and makes the story that much more intriguing. I can honestly say I had never read anything like that before

And it is pretty creepy, by the end. Although nowhere near as terrifying as Mary Downing Hahn's Wait Till Helen Comes. THAT was probably the scariest kids' book I've ever read

[Kirdy_Mulder]

I'm a BIG Dragonlance fan... especially written by Weiss & Hickmann. Just love it. Just read Soulforge for the third or fourth time, and planning to read the original trilogy again. In my opinion, it's better than LoTR.

Also very much enjoyed the books of Otherland written by Ted Williams...