I couldn't write too much this week. I have that weird cold/throat thing that everyone has. You know, the one that makes you congested, but you can't really blow your nose and is accompanied by a stabby throat feeling that is probably from post-nasal drip? Yeah, that cold. I've been working and sleeping.
The best thing that happened to me this week was being mentioned on this blog. I certainly can't imagine a more appropriate place for a shout-out than on the blog of a dude that runs 100 miles at a time in the Colorado mountains. Book bloggers + endurance runners = peanut butter and jelly. Looking forward to getting a sweet coffee mug from the Pikes Peak Library!
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| Photo: JT |
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Restaurant at the End of the Universe, Life, the Universe and Everything, So Long and Thanks for All the Fish, Mostly Harmless
Resistance is useless! This series is so damn smart, it's impossible to resist. It's hard to write about this series without giving too much away. Briefly, things are not what they seem on Planet Earth. In fact, we are little more than an experiment. Follow Englishman Arthur Dent as he travels through space with his buddy, Ford Prefect, a writer for the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. And, whatever you do, don't forget your towel.
The Proud Villeins, The Ruthless Yeomen, Women of Ashdon, The Faithful Lovers, The Cherished Wives, The Dowerless Sisters
This is one of those series that I found on accident. I had just read Pillars of the Earth and the follow-up, World Without End by Ken Follet and was looking for books about the 12th Century. Because of course I was. Beginning right before the Norman Conquest of England, the Bridges Over Time books follow the life of one family, starting with Sir Ivon de Clairpont, a Norman knight. Ivon is sold as a thrall (slave) to a wealthy landowner in Northern England and that is where the story begins. Bridges ultimately follows Ivon's family through English history ending (unbelievably) in the 1960s. You can read each book as a stand alone, but it is fascinating to follow generations of one family from slavery to modern-day England.
V.C. Andrews, Dollanganger Series
Flowers in the Attic, Petals on the Wind, If There Be Thorns, Seeds of Yesterday, Garden of Shadows
Oh yes, I went there. To this day I cannot think of a more compulsively readable series. I remember my best friend giving me Flowers in the Attic right before my 12th birthday. OMFG. And holy shit, there are four more? And I can get them at my local used bookstore for a quarter apiece? Beautiful family! Death! Evil religious grandma guarding a large fortune! Incest! Starvation! There is an absolutely brilliant review of this by "Alex" on Goodreads: "Ladies and gentlemen, this was your puberty. How our generation functions at all, with this in our pasts, is beyond me." I couldn't put it better myself.
Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games
The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, Mockingjay
Unless you live in a media-black vacuum, you have to be aware of the Hunger Game series (now a major motion picture!) The Hunger Games, sort of a Running Man for teenagers, is a gladiator-style competition pitting 20 young adults against each other in a fight to the death in a dystopian country called Panem. Katniss Everdeen is the heroine of our series- she can shoot a bow and arrow like nobody's business, survive in the woods, she's beautiful, kind to animals and children, and has two young men panting after her. While the first book feels a little precious at times, books two and three are far more entertaining and bloody. When my husband saw the movie with me, he was a little puzzled, as in, "This is a book for kids?"
Conn Iggulden, Conqueror Series
Wolf of the Plains, Lords of the Bow, Bones of the Hills, Empire of Silver, Conqueror
I go through reading phases. For a long time I was very interested in Genghis Khan and Mongolia. Iggulden's series is Genghis Khan from birth to death. His story is really interesting (what little is known; it was in 1100.) Born Temujin, his early life was very difficult. His father died while he too young to take over the clan. Instead he was abandoned (along with his mother and siblings) to survive alone on the brutal steppe. And survive he did. Not only did he rise to become Khan of the Mongol Empire- the largest contiguous empire in history- but he was tolerant of all religions (that wasn't happening too much in 1200) to the point where he consulted leaders from Islam, Christianity, and Buddhism, and adopted an official script for the whole empire. And he got with so many ladies that in 2013, there is still a 0.5% chance that you're related to him. Not too shabby.
Charlaine Harris, The Sookie Stackhouse Series
I've written about my love of this series before, as well as for the television show. I won't repeat myself, but let me reiterate how much fun the series is. Vampires, were-animals, fairies, Louisiana (the bayou and New Orleans), lots and lots of hot gratuitous sex and violence. Harris is a fine writer and her stories move along quickly- I read the first ten on a week long vacation.
Stieg Larsson, Millennium Trilogy
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest
Like The Hunger Games, if you missed this series you should probably come out of your cave. Aside from the fact that the trilogy is extraordinary, there is the whole controversy around the author's death and the rights to his novels. For the record, I'm on the side of his long-time girlfriend (32 YEARS), but that's neither here nor there. Lisbeth Salander is one of the greatest heroines in literature. I'm putting her right up there with Jane Eyre and Elizabeth Bennett. No joke. Larsson's trilogy is not only the story of Salander (although that is the over-arching story of all three novels), but three intense mysteries, as well. From a missing niece to sex trafficking, affairs and corrupt politicians, there is a little bit of everything.
George R.R. Martin, A Song of Fire and Ice
Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows, A Dance with Dragons
Where do you even start when describing five books that each come in at over 1,000 pages??? Huge, epic series that has spawned an HBO show and a million memes. There are even quizzes to determine what house you would be in (House Targaryan for me), what character you should marry, what character you are, the list is endless because the Internet is never over! There are multiple storylines throughout the series, but there are three main ones: the fight for control of Westeros, the journey of the Targaryen family who believe the throne of Westeros belongs to them and the threat of "The Others" that live behind an ice wall in northern Westeros. There are so many characters- and many to fall in love with (Jaime Lannister, don't judge) and hate with the burning intensity of ten thousand sons (looking at you Prince Joffrey)- to keep track and Martin has no problem killing off your favorites, so brace yourself. Winter is coming.
L.A. Meyer, The Bloody Jack Adventures
I love Jacky Faber! This is technically a children's series, but don't let that stop you from reading it. It's so much fun. Jacky Faber is a great heroine- sassy, smart, funny, bold- and each book also contains loads of historical details. Jacky "Bloody Jack" Faber is starving and living in poverty in 18th Century London when she finds herself a sailor on the HMS Dolphin. A huge improvement from dying in the street, Jacky loves the sailor life. Her only problem is that everyone on board thinks she's a HE named Jack. By keeping her secret, Jacky is in for adventure! Each book is based in a different part of the world and they are all wonderful reads.
Sharon Kay Penman, Welsh Princes & Henry the II & Eleanor of Acquitaine
Welsh Princes: Here Be Dragons, Falls the Shadow, The Reckoning
Henry II: Eleanor of Aquitaine, When Christ and His Saints Slept, Time and Chance, Devil's Brood
I enjoyed both of these series' so much that I decided to talk about both of them. The Welsh Princes series introduced me to a part of history that is fascinating: both in the historical context and as a story. Ever wonder why an Englishman is the Prince of Wales? These novels explain the Welsh loss of land and titles to the English, including through war and intermarriage. The second book is the story of Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester, one of histories coolest dudes. The Henry II series opens with the death of King Henry I and the long bitter struggle for throne of England. The nearly twenty year struggle between Maude, Countess of Anjou, daughter of King Henry I and her cousin Stephen is chronicled in a compelling voice, making the history vivid and immediate. In Time and Chance, we finally see Eleanor of Acquitaine and Henry II and the beginning of the Plantagenet dynasty. Devil's Brood is the implosion of the family; the passion, betrayal, and rebellion that colors most of their history in colorful and meticulous detail.
Happy Reading!
The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, Mockingjay
Unless you live in a media-black vacuum, you have to be aware of the Hunger Game series (now a major motion picture!) The Hunger Games, sort of a Running Man for teenagers, is a gladiator-style competition pitting 20 young adults against each other in a fight to the death in a dystopian country called Panem. Katniss Everdeen is the heroine of our series- she can shoot a bow and arrow like nobody's business, survive in the woods, she's beautiful, kind to animals and children, and has two young men panting after her. While the first book feels a little precious at times, books two and three are far more entertaining and bloody. When my husband saw the movie with me, he was a little puzzled, as in, "This is a book for kids?"
Conn Iggulden, Conqueror Series
Wolf of the Plains, Lords of the Bow, Bones of the Hills, Empire of Silver, Conqueror
I go through reading phases. For a long time I was very interested in Genghis Khan and Mongolia. Iggulden's series is Genghis Khan from birth to death. His story is really interesting (what little is known; it was in 1100.) Born Temujin, his early life was very difficult. His father died while he too young to take over the clan. Instead he was abandoned (along with his mother and siblings) to survive alone on the brutal steppe. And survive he did. Not only did he rise to become Khan of the Mongol Empire- the largest contiguous empire in history- but he was tolerant of all religions (that wasn't happening too much in 1200) to the point where he consulted leaders from Islam, Christianity, and Buddhism, and adopted an official script for the whole empire. And he got with so many ladies that in 2013, there is still a 0.5% chance that you're related to him. Not too shabby.
I've written about my love of this series before, as well as for the television show. I won't repeat myself, but let me reiterate how much fun the series is. Vampires, were-animals, fairies, Louisiana (the bayou and New Orleans), lots and lots of hot gratuitous sex and violence. Harris is a fine writer and her stories move along quickly- I read the first ten on a week long vacation.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest
Like The Hunger Games, if you missed this series you should probably come out of your cave. Aside from the fact that the trilogy is extraordinary, there is the whole controversy around the author's death and the rights to his novels. For the record, I'm on the side of his long-time girlfriend (32 YEARS), but that's neither here nor there. Lisbeth Salander is one of the greatest heroines in literature. I'm putting her right up there with Jane Eyre and Elizabeth Bennett. No joke. Larsson's trilogy is not only the story of Salander (although that is the over-arching story of all three novels), but three intense mysteries, as well. From a missing niece to sex trafficking, affairs and corrupt politicians, there is a little bit of everything.
Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows, A Dance with Dragons
Where do you even start when describing five books that each come in at over 1,000 pages??? Huge, epic series that has spawned an HBO show and a million memes. There are even quizzes to determine what house you would be in (House Targaryan for me), what character you should marry, what character you are, the list is endless because the Internet is never over! There are multiple storylines throughout the series, but there are three main ones: the fight for control of Westeros, the journey of the Targaryen family who believe the throne of Westeros belongs to them and the threat of "The Others" that live behind an ice wall in northern Westeros. There are so many characters- and many to fall in love with (Jaime Lannister, don't judge) and hate with the burning intensity of ten thousand sons (looking at you Prince Joffrey)- to keep track and Martin has no problem killing off your favorites, so brace yourself. Winter is coming.
I love Jacky Faber! This is technically a children's series, but don't let that stop you from reading it. It's so much fun. Jacky Faber is a great heroine- sassy, smart, funny, bold- and each book also contains loads of historical details. Jacky "Bloody Jack" Faber is starving and living in poverty in 18th Century London when she finds herself a sailor on the HMS Dolphin. A huge improvement from dying in the street, Jacky loves the sailor life. Her only problem is that everyone on board thinks she's a HE named Jack. By keeping her secret, Jacky is in for adventure! Each book is based in a different part of the world and they are all wonderful reads.
Welsh Princes: Here Be Dragons, Falls the Shadow, The Reckoning
Henry II: Eleanor of Aquitaine, When Christ and His Saints Slept, Time and Chance, Devil's Brood
I enjoyed both of these series' so much that I decided to talk about both of them. The Welsh Princes series introduced me to a part of history that is fascinating: both in the historical context and as a story. Ever wonder why an Englishman is the Prince of Wales? These novels explain the Welsh loss of land and titles to the English, including through war and intermarriage. The second book is the story of Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester, one of histories coolest dudes. The Henry II series opens with the death of King Henry I and the long bitter struggle for throne of England. The nearly twenty year struggle between Maude, Countess of Anjou, daughter of King Henry I and her cousin Stephen is chronicled in a compelling voice, making the history vivid and immediate. In Time and Chance, we finally see Eleanor of Acquitaine and Henry II and the beginning of the Plantagenet dynasty. Devil's Brood is the implosion of the family; the passion, betrayal, and rebellion that colors most of their history in colorful and meticulous detail.
Happy Reading!
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