Peace and Tea.

[Cornflower MM]

^ out of curiosity, how does a book referencing Christianity have any effect on your opinion of it? (Not looking to start an argument, I'm just curious)

I'm not a Christian. And sometimes, I just can't read and enjoy a book that references Christianity too often/too heavily. Like Life of Pi. I gave up after chapter two. *Shrugs* I'm sure there are great books out there I'm missing. . . . But I just can't read books like that. :-/

Horatio is an English naval officer in the war with Napoleon and it's about his career.

Cool! Who's it by?

Amber's American Heritage Girls penpal mentioned the DragonQuest series.  I think I'll have to look into it.
You should - It's really good. I think you'd really like the books. You'd probably get more out of them than I do.
Meanwhile, I'm rereading LotR, and reading fanfics and stuff.  Once I finish LotR (or it gets sent back to the library, whichever comes first), I plan on reading the Inheritance Cycle for the first time.
Are you ever BOT reading a LotR book? And can't you renew? OH MY GOSH PLEASE DO SO.

[Wylder Treejumper]

As for the Inheritance Cycle: It's good the first time you read it. Maybe. Whatever you do, don't read it more than that, or it will be ruined forever: you'll start seeing all the plot holes and bad writing and flat characters and you'll come to despise it.

I'm speaking from experience, if you can't tell. I have the entire book series sitting on my shelf in my room (it was a Christmas gift). I haven't touched any of them for years.

[Cornflower MM]

Pockets! Shush! Let Jukka judge for herself! She might really, really like the series. (Gosh, this going to be my Twilight topic all over again. . . . . Why must people take other people's opinions and make them their own without ever actually reading the books?)

And, if you're not going to read them, could you mail me your copies?

[Jukka the Sling]

I've heard they were badly written, but then other people love them, so....  Anyway, they were written by a teenage homeschooler, so that's cool.

And I actually haven't read LotR all the way through in about seven months.  It's a little bit boring, but largely interesting this time 'round.  And you're only allowed to renew books once at my library, so that would mean I only get six weeks to read it.

[Jetthebinturong]

^ out of curiosity, how does a book referencing Christianity have any effect on your opinion of it? (Not looking to start an argument, I'm just curious)

One of my favourite series of all time The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica by James A. Owen draws heavily from Christianity (even though you wouldn't have guessed from the first two books) but it was only really a problem for me in the sixth book, The Dragons of Winter. The final book (The First Dragon) returned to a comfortable level though. Ironically, I find The Dragons of Winter to  be one of the best books in the series (because of Aristophanes and Uncas probably). If I were to rank them it would go:
1. The First Dragon (Book seven)
2. The Indigo King (Book three)
3. The Dragons of Winter (Book six)
4. The Shadow Dragons (Book four)
5. Here, There Be Dragons (Book one)
6. Search for the Red Dragon (Book two)
7. The Dragon's Apprentice (Book five)
Though they're all fantastic.

So yeah, if you're Christian and like high fantasy (or if you just like high fantasy and aren't a Christian), check out The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica, it'll be well worth your while.

As for the Inheritance Cycle: It's good the first time you read it. Maybe. Whatever you do, don't read it more than that, or it will be ruined forever: you'll start seeing all the plot holes and bad writing and flat characters and you'll come to despise it.

I'm speaking from experience, if you can't tell. I have the entire book series sitting on my shelf in my room (it was a Christmas gift). I haven't touched any of them for years.

Well I'm loving Eragon thus far. Saphira and Murtagh in particular are awesome. If Murtagh goes to the dark side (I'm at the Tronjheim bit), I swear I'll flip a table. (And no, don't tell me if he does!)

[Cornflower MM]

I've heard they were badly written, but then other people love them, so....  Anyway, they were written by a teenage homeschooler, so that's cool.

And I actually haven't read LotR all the way through in about seven months.  It's a little bit boring, but largely interesting this time 'round.  And you're only allowed to renew books once at my library, so that would mean I only get six weeks to read it.

Only. Six. Weeks. Wow. . . . . We get to renew books three times, so we can get books for a month and a half-ish. I haven't needed that long to read my way through a bag of books in a long time. . . . . You read slow.

^ out of curiosity, how does a book referencing Christianity have any effect on your opinion of it? (Not looking to start an argument, I'm just curious)

One of my favourite series of all time The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica by James A. Owen draws heavily from Christianity (even though you wouldn't have guessed from the first two books) but it was only really a problem for me in the sixth book, The Dragons of Winter. The final book (The First Dragon) returned to a comfortable level though. Ironically, I find The Dragons of Winter to  be one of the best books in the series (because of Aristophanes and Uncas probably). If I were to rank them it would go:
1. The First Dragon (Book seven)
2. The Indigo King (Book three)
3. The Dragons of Winter (Book six)
4. The Shadow Dragons (Book four)
5. Here, There Be Dragons (Book one)
6. Search for the Red Dragon (Book two)
7. The Dragon's Apprentice (Book five)
Though they're all fantastic.

So yeah, if you're Christian and like high fantasy (or if you just like high fantasy and aren't a Christian), check out The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica, it'll be well worth your while. I'll see if my library would have it!

As for the Inheritance Cycle: It's good the first time you read it. Maybe. Whatever you do, don't read it more than that, or it will be ruined forever: you'll start seeing all the plot holes and bad writing and flat characters and you'll come to despise it.

I'm speaking from experience, if you can't tell. I have the entire book series sitting on my shelf in my room (it was a Christmas gift). I haven't touched any of them for years.

Well I'm loving Eragon thus far. Saphira and Murtagh in particular are awesome. If Murtagh goes to the dark side (I'm at the Tronjheim bit), I swear I'll flip a table. (And no, don't tell me if he does!)
Yes. Saphira and Murtagh are great! Oh, wait until you read Book 2. I bet you like Nasuada. And, okay, I won't. . . . . . Would you really, though? Also, I very nearly spoiled something for you. Oops. Do hurry it up - I want to talk to someone about one of my favorite series!

[Jetthebinturong]

Oh I forgot. I really like Solembum and Angela too. Especially Solembum.
"Knowing is independent of being. I did not know you existed before you bumbled in here and ruined my nap. Yet that doesn't mean you weren't real before you woke me."

The funny thing about Solembum is that I imagine him with a really deep, adult's voice so in his human form I'm just thinking of an Aladdin-looking boy with like Benedict Cumberbatch's voice.

[Cornflower MM]

Oh, yes. Angela is awesome. "Not all frogs are toads, but all toads are frogs." I think that's from the second book. That's a great Solembum quite.

Really? I've always pictured him with a cat-sort of voice, not too deep. Haven't given much thought to his appearance, though. Who's Benedict Cumberbatch?

Also, Jet, NEVER WATCH THE ERAGON MOVIE. DON'T. DO. IT. They ruined Angela! Solembum is non-existent! And Brom is a random homeless guy in the beginning! No traders, either! It's awful. On its own, I imagine the movie wouldn't be too bad. . . . . . . But just let me tell you this: When I first watched the movie, I didn't realize Angela was Angela. I thought they'd left her out, and stuck some random fortune-telling lady who was most definitely NOT Angela in her place.

[Jetthebinturong]

Yeah, I know about the movie, it's widely criticised.

Benedict Cumberbatch:

Voice example:

Except maybe a little deeper.

EDIT: Oh, and if you're going to try and read both, go for Skulduggery before Chronicles, it's better.

[Cornflower MM]

Oh, okay. So, the first guy right? I shall try! Going to the library tomorrow!

[Jukka the Sling]

I've heard they were badly written, but then other people love them, so....  Anyway, they were written by a teenage homeschooler, so that's cool.

And I actually haven't read LotR all the way through in about seven months.  It's a little bit boring, but largely interesting this time 'round.  And you're only allowed to renew books once at my library, so that would mean I only get six weeks to read it.

Only. Six. Weeks. Wow. . . . . We get to renew books three times, so we can get books for a month and a half-ish. I haven't needed that long to read my way through a bag of books in a long time. . . . . You read slow.

I am actually a very fast reader, I'll have you know.   But LotR is over a thousand pages, and meanwhile I have school to do and other random things.  And I thought six weeks was about a month and a half.

[Cornflower MM]

Oh? I must have more free time then I think. (No, seriously, lately it seems like five minutes after Is tart doing something, I have to jump up. When I get back to it, same thing.) It is, I was talking and typing at the same time and didn't realize my mistake until just now.

[Lady Ashenwyte]

The Lions of Al-Rassan. Guy Gavriel Kay is fantastic.

That sounds slightly familiar - What's it about?

It's about religious conflict and the Spanish reconquest of the Iberian peninsula. A few mature scenes, but a good book still. It also has religious diversity, there being Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Oh, yes. Angela is awesome. "Not all frogs are toads, but all toads are frogs." I think that's from the second book. That's a great Solembum quite.

Really? I've always pictured him with a cat-sort of voice, not too deep. Haven't given much thought to his appearance, though. Who's Benedict Cumberbatch?

Also, Jet, NEVER WATCH THE ERAGON MOVIE. DON'T. DO. IT. They ruined Angela! Solembum is non-existent! And Brom is a random homeless guy in the beginning! No traders, either! It's awful. On its own, I imagine the movie wouldn't be too bad. . . . . . . But just let me tell you this: When I first watched the movie, I didn't realize Angela was Angela. I thought they'd left her out, and stuck some random fortune-telling lady who was most definitely NOT Angela in her place.

Jeremy Irons is fantastic, though.

[Vilu Daskar]

^ out of curiosity, how does a book referencing Christianity have any effect on your opinion of it? (Not looking to start an argument, I'm just curious)

I'm not a Christian. And sometimes, I just can't read and enjoy a book that references Christianity too often/too heavily. Like Life of Pi. I gave up after chapter two. *Shrugs* I'm sure there are great books out there I'm missing. . . . But I just can't read books like that. :-/

Horatio is an English naval officer in the war with Napoleon and it's about his career.

Cool! Who's it by?

Amber's American Heritage Girls penpal mentioned the DragonQuest series.  I think I'll have to look into it.
You should - It's really good. I think you'd really like the books. You'd probably get more out of them than I do.
Meanwhile, I'm rereading LotR, and reading fanfics and stuff.  Once I finish LotR (or it gets sent back to the library, whichever comes first), I plan on reading the Inheritance Cycle for the first time.
Are you ever BOT reading a LotR book? And can't you renew? OH MY GOSH PLEASE DO SO.

It's by C.S. Forester.