lunacat's 2008 list........

I joined LibraryThing in June with the intention of just listing the books as I was reading them so I could keep track of how many I read in a year, but now I've discovered here!!!!!!!!

So........from June 21st 2008 I have read (and I'm not going to review these as there are too many, just going to put genre next to them!)

1. Ancient Evenings 2.5/5 - Historical Fiction (Egypt)

2. Before I Die 3.5/5 - Fiction (chick-lit)

3. A Canticle for Leibowitz 3.5/5 - Sci-Fi (Far future Earth)

4. The Children of Men 3/5 - Sci-Fi (Near future Earth)

5. The Clan of the Cave Bear 2.5/5 - Historical Fiction (prehistoric)

6. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time 4/5 - Fiction

7. Don't Run, Whatever You Do 3.5/5 - Travel Autobiography

8. Dragonfly In Amber 3/5 - Historical Fiction (18th Century/Time Travel)

9. Drums of Autumn 3/5 - Historical Fiction (18th Century/Time Travel)

10. The Fiery Cross 3/5 - Historical Fiction (18th Century/Time Travel)

11. Gods Behaving Badly 2/5 - Fiction

12. The Job 1/5 - Fiction

13. Magician 5/5 - Fantasy

14. Making Money 4/5 - Discworld Fantasy

15. The Mists of Avalon 3.5/5 - Arthurian Fantasy

16. Mortal Engines 4.5/5 - Fantasy (funny!!)

17. The Nazi Officer's Wife 4/5 - World War II Autobiography

18. Never Let Me Go - 5/5 - Dystopia/Sci-Fi

19. One Red Paperclip - 4/5 - Autobiography/Humour

20. The Other Queen - 3/5 - Historical Fiction (Elizabethan)

21. Outlander - 5/5 - Historical Fiction (18th Century/Time Travel)

22. The Perks of Being a Wallflower - 4/5 - Fiction (angst)

23. The Pillars of the Earth - 5/5 - Historical Fiction (Medieval)

24. The Private Lives of Pippa Lee - 2/5 - Fiction (Chick-Lit)

25. The Quest - 3/5 - Historical Fiction (Ancient Egypt)

26. River God - 5/5 - Historical Fiction (Ancient Egypt)

27. The Road - 5/5 - Sci-Fi /dystopia (near future)

28. The Seventh Scroll - 3/5 - Historical Fiction (Ancient Egypt).....but also present day!!

29. Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas - 4/5 - Fiction (Chick-Lit)

30. Sybil - 3/5 - Biography (psychological)

31. Three Cups of Tea - 5/5 - Autobiography (Adult/Travel)

32. Twenty Chickens For a Saddle - 5/5 - Autobiography (African Childhood)

33. An Utterly Impartial History of Britain or 2000 years of Upper-class Idiots in Charge - 3/5 - History/Humourous

34. Voyager - 3.5/5 - Historical Fiction (18th Century/Time Travel)

35. Warlock - 3/5 - Historical Fiction (Ancient Egypt)

36. Water For Elephants - 4.5/5 - Fiction (historical - early 20th century)

37. World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War - 5/5 - Sci-Fi (present day)

38. World Without End - 5/5 - Historical Fiction (medieval)

Very nice list...Welcome to our little group!

Hello and good reading!!!

A hearty welcome to you.

Welcome to the group! Hope you enjoy your time with us.

Glad to see another Outlander fan. One of my favorite series ever. She cannot write them fast enough to please me.

Just finished

39. A Wizard of Earthsea - 3.5/5 - YA Fantasy

Very good, I kept having to remind myself that it was a young adult book though, as I was craving more detail. Being used to reading books such as Raymond E. Feist's Magician and Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series, I found that at times, I wanted more explanation, more indepth characters and much more setting up of the places and action within the story. I enjoyed it, but found in lacking in establishing the people and storylines within this first book.

40. The Tombs of Atuan - 4/5 - YA Fantasy

Moving immediately on from A Wizard of Earthsea, I enjoyed this more than the first in the trilogy. Atmospheric, dark and moody, the scenes filled me with dread and hope, emotion and feeling, so vivid that I could almost smell the tombs. I was at first a little disappointed with the lack of Ged at the beginning, but soon found myself so drawn in that it didn't matter!!

41. The Farthest Shore

This was, for me, the best book in the trilogy. With a wider territory and an fascinating and deep character joining Ged, as well as a full scale threat to Earthsea, this book fulfilled my desire for more detail and more investigation of the world being revealed. I could have read a whole trilogy just on 'The Children of the Open Sea', the raft people who only touch land once a year.
This book is full of hope and despair, darkness and light and the obligatory, but none the less extremely well written, fight against an evil that is threatening the world.

Without offering a spoiler........the end almost left me in tears, so poetic and appropriate were the final scenes, and the relationship between Ged and Arren was by far the most touching and well realised of the series. This was most definitely my favourite in the trilogy, but all three are well worth a read, for young adults and the full grown among us, as well as fantasy fans and non-fantasy fans alike.

if you enjoyed Le Guin's Earth Sea trilogy you might check out Fionavar Tapestry a trilogy by Guy Gavriel Kay

42. Shadows and Strongholds - 4/5 - Historical Fiction (12th Century)

Thoroughly enjoyed this, full of everything a 'light' historical fiction read should have....plots and intrigue, love and romance, detail and war, a struggle, a war, and enough pace and enjoyable characters to make me rush through the last 50 pages, so invested had I become in the fate of the people of this world. Can't wait till I can get my hands on another Elizabeth Chadwick....I only hope it will be as good.

I have not read anything by Elizabeth Chadwick, so I will have to give that one a try. Thanks for the recommendation!

Shadows and Strongholds was the first Chadwick I read and I totally loved it. She is worth reading, alcottacre, just not awfully easy to find at a truly cheap price.

LOL! great, more books to add to my list.

Ok, yet another book to add to the HUGE tbr pile. Thanks for your description of Shadows and Strongholds. I enjoy historical fiction so I'm very interested in this one.

43. The First Man in Rome 4/5 - Historical Fiction (Ancient Rome)

After an initial struggle to get into this book and keep track of all the characters, who all seem to have 3 different names and get referred to differently throughout, I ended up loving this. A very strong main character in Gaius Marius, combined with excellent supporting characters and a combination of politics, gossip, war, intrigue and romance kept this going through the years it covered and its 800+ pages.

The political situation and hierarchy are a little difficult to grasp at first, but once I'd got a basic understanding, the pages flew by and I got caught up in the character's lives and well-being. Definitely felt that I cared so much about some of them that by the end, I wanted more!

Interesting group of books, and I see you've read all but one of the Outlander books (my favorite series). Did you read them out of order? I also loved The First Man in Rome, that too is one of my favorite series, especially the earlier books, Marius and Sulla are so engrossing, not to mention Julius Caesar's mother and Caesar himself in the later books! You're in for a great ride with this series! I see some books on your list to add to my growing TBR pile - thanks!

#14 ktleyed

I've just mooched The Grass Crown so hopefully that will come soon.........would certainly be interested in reading more about them, especially after what you have said. I was possibly going to leave it at the first!

have just finished

44. The Left Hand of Darkness - 3/5 - Sci-Fi (Other World)

Despite a slightly shaky start, and a difficulty in initially caring about any of the characters, by the end of the book I had become involved much more in the main character than I thought I would! The planet, Winter, wouldn't be out of place in any fantasy book, and I was fascinated with the world and the people. Could have done with less of the politics and technology but I guess that is what I get for reading Sci-fi rather than Fantasy!!!

45. Year of Wonders 4/5 - Historical (1666)

So glad I moved this book up my TBR pile, in terms of historical fiction, it doesn't get much better than this. The main character is a typical strong female battling against the time that she is living in. Apart from the fact I found her vaguely stereotypical, I thoroughly enjoyed this. The emotion, the fear and the hopelessness that were instilled throughout this are balanced by the 'wonders' that are found as well. I completely believed in the story, the setting and the events, and would thoroughly recommend it to ANY reader of historical fiction.

46. To School Through The Fields

A fascinating autobiography of a country childhood from a different time. The rural aspect and the pleasures from simple things shone through, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. My only complaint was that I rarely got the feeling I was in Ireland, for some reason I always felt that I was reading about growing up in a rural part of America.......can't pinpoint why though!

I loved Year of Wonders, too, so I am glad to hear that it has yet another fan.

To School Through the Fields sounds like something I would really enjoy, so on to Continent TBR it goes.

47. The Pirate's Daughter

A book of Jamaica and love, of heartbreak and a searching for the inner happiness that eludes. Ida was only a teenager when she falls in love with Erroll Flynn and becomes pregnant. This is the story of Ida and her child, of the repercussions of love and obsession, loss in life and trying to find somewhere to be content.

lunacat a Pirate's Daughter sounds like a good book. Thanks for your description

48. I Dreamed of Africa

A classic tale of the beauty of Africa, the disappearing wilderness of the country and the tragedy that can strike us all at any time. I came away from this book with a continued desire to see Africa, as well as amazement of the strength of the writer.

However, if you want a funnier and more 'homebred' version of living in Africa, I would always recommend The Wilderness Family above this. The writer is a South African whose husband becomes a park ranger. The stories she tells, and the variety of animals she has experiences with is amazing, and I come away from this book with huge smiles on my face every time. So if you have read I Dreamed of Africa and liked it, or you want to read about Africa, read The Wilderness Family !!!!

49. The Lords of Vaumartin

A very enjoyable book about France in the 14th century and the ways of Paris during war and the plague!!! A fast paced and enthralling tale with all the elements necessary of good historical fiction.

lunacat
Thanks for the two recommendations regarding Africa. I've added them to my list.

Lunacat. I also like Africa stories, just ordered Twenty Chickens for a Saddle from the library and put The Wilderness Family on my TBR list to order later.
Thanks for the recommendations.

I second the recommendation on The Wilderness Family. I read it a couple of years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it.

I will have to add I Dreamed of Africa to Continent TBR. Sounds like another one I would enjoy.

50. The Forgotten Beasts of Eld

I chose this because it was on the 'Fantasy Masterworks' list and I liked the sound of the title. Despite the fact it was nothing as I had imagined it was going to be, I really really enjoyed it. The desolation of Sybel on her mountain and her feelings and challenges were beautifully written, the characters well described and I really really really felt for them from almost the second I started reading. One of my biggest likes of it was the darkness that lay over most of the novel. It wasn't a 'happy happy' fantasy, and McKillip was so good with setting the atmosphere. Thoroughly enjoyed and would definitely recommend.

#25 lunacat: I have never read any of McKillip's work. Would The Forgotten Beasts of Eld be a good place to start?

#25 lunacat - You've hit upon one of my favorite fantasy books and certainly my favorite of hers! I've read The Forgotten Beasts of Eld a half-dozen times and enjoyed it each time.

#26 alcottacre - I think it would be great place to give McKillip a try.

If you like it, my second favorite of hers is The Riddle of the Stars...sometimes published as The Quest of the Riddle Master...and sometimes as one book and sometimes as three. If you get a single volume, try to make sure you're getting all three original volumes in it: The Heir of Sea & Fire, The Riddle Master of Hed and Harpist in the Wind. Much bigger in scope than The Forgotten Beasts of Eld, a bit less "atmospheric", it's still a very good fantasy.

Everything else McKillip has written, including her science fiction, I've enjoyed to one extent or another, but those two are her best, imo.

--Tad

PS - Ignore the dreadful cover art they're inflicting on FBOE lately. It makes the book look like something it's not.

#27: Thanks for the info, Tad. I checked and my library has The Forgotten Beasts of Eld so I will give it a try and go on from there.

The Forgotten Beasts of Eld is also one of my favorite McKillip's, along with the trilogy Tad mentions. As lunacats says, the first develops a truly magical atmosphere of words. But McKillip has been writing regularly since she first burst upon the scene in the mid-70's. (I had to pull my books off the shelf to look--Forgotten Beasts is 1975, the trilogy is 1978, 79, & 80). The RiddleMaster of Hed trilogy was very original--not a Tolkien spin-off at all as so many others were doing (Terry Brooks, Dennis McKiernan) One of my favorites of her more recent books is Od Magic. I think it is very well done, with interesting plot and characters along with her characteristic prose style, and shows the development of her writing well. I buy pretty much everything she writes.

And now I find myself wanting to go back and re-read a McKillip book but I must resist...too many books going right now. :-)

51. Dragonflight

Another fantasy book/author that I had heard a lot about so thought I would give it a go. It was pretty much what I was expecting, light fantasy with a reasonable storyline and enjoyable characters but didn't offer anything radical, so a big difference from The Forgotten Beasts of Eld.

#26 Alcottacre this was my first McKillip as well and I would definitely recommend it, I absolutely loved it.

#27 TadAD I had already found the third in the RiddleMaster of Hed trilogy but didn't realise it was a trilogy so have now mooched the first two. Will look forward to them when I a) receive them and b) get that far down on my tbr pile!!

#31 - Oh yes, make sure you read those books in order. It builds beautifully and, as ronincats said, it's quite original...something not that common in 70s fantasy. I've read it three or four times now and, even knowing the twists the plot will take, it's still a good read.

Since you like fantasy and historical fiction, you might want to try The Last Light of the Sun by Guy Gavriel Kay.

I see above that beeg recommended the Fionavar books by Kay and I certainly second that recommendation (the trilogy is: The Summer Tree, The Wandering Fire, The Darkest Road). In fact, they're marginally my favorites of his. However, they are more pure fantasy and if you like to combine a bit of genres, TLLOS is my second favorite of all of his stories.

I've one left of his that I've been hoarding for over a year for when nothing but a good fantasy will do...

#33 I own both The Last Light of the Sun and the Fionavar books but haven't got round to reading them!! So many books in my tbr pile (thanks to LibraryThing and BookMooch!) and so little time. I'm currently reading The Doomsday Book which is a combination of historical fiction and future/sci-fi. Have you read it?

#34 - Oh yes, and really enjoyed it.

Of course, if you like it, then you'll have to read her To Say Nothing of the Dog, which is hysterical. Then, having read that, you'll want to read the two books that she somewhat spoofs: Three Men in a Boat, To Say Nothing of the Dog by Jerome Jerome and Gaudy Night by Dorothy Sayers. Then, having read them, you'll...

It's a disease, I tell you!!!

Yes, it is a disease, TadAD, and I enjoy merrily passing it along just like you do!

Thanks for all the input regarding Patricia McKillip everyone.

I love McKilip's books. Most recently re-read Winter Rose which is not my favorite. Anyone read Kay's Tigana? I really like that one. And it makes a good intro to fantasy for non-fantasy readers.

I've read Tigana. It's not my favorite Kay, but I enjoy everything he writes.

Hi Lunacat

I'm adding The Forgotten Beasts of Eld to my tbr pile.
Thanks for your thought provoking comments.

Lunacat

I'm adding The Wilderness Family to my 999 Africa category--which now has more than 9 books! That means that I now can read one of them before the end of the year! Yay! :-)

suslyn

We are visiting our "fantasy guru" son in Chicago this week and last night he was going over my 999 list. He has suggested Tigana for my fantasy/scifi category. You've given me the nudge--on the list it goes! I've never read anything by Kay.

Msg 40 well I read a comment somewhere on here that Tigana, while enjoyed by that person, wasn't their favorite Kay book. I did start reading him with The Summer Tree and its sequels. I didn't like The lions of Al-Rassan. I really like Tigana, as you know, and find it to be a good teaser to interest folks in Fantasy. Hope you enjoy it.

That was my comment. Don't get me wrong, I liked Tigana. I just liked The Last Light of the Sun and the Fionavar Trilogy better...hence, "not my favorite Kay". I've got A Song for Arbonne sitting on the TBR pile as my last unread Kay waiting for just the right time.

51. Doomsday Book by Connie Willis

A fast paced, interesting and enjoyable book set half in the past, and half in the future. Students are sent to the past to truly study and experience what it was like. One girl gets accidentally sent to the 12th century, as the black death is hitting England. While she struggles to survive, things are happening in the future as well.

I thoroughly enjoyed this, being both a reader of historical fiction, and future societies. Its not a book with hidden meaning or deep thoughts, but is fun, with characters that make you care and a plot that keeps you reading. Would definitely recommend.

52. Maia by Richard Adams

A massive book, set in a fantasy world and charting the tale of a girl who was to become a legend. Sold as a slave to be a 'bed girl' for a man high up in the ruling party, she finds herself deep in the politics, the struggles for power, and the battle to stay alive and keep the hope.

A well realised world, with a tapestry of places and people that make it real. I found it hard going at times, and at over 1000 pages, felt that it could have been shorter. But for someone who wants an 'epic' tale set in another world, with a likeable and intriguing main character, I would recommend.

Nice reviews -- I didn't know about Maia, thx. Have you read Card's Pastwatch?

Doomsday Book sounds good! Several people have recommended Willis' To Say Nothing of the Dog to me (although I'm told you need to have read Three Men and a Boat first to get a lot of the references - so have to jump that hurdle first!).

re: To Say Nothing of the Dog would be better if you understood more of the subtleties, but I've never read 3 men & a boat and have enjoyed Willis' other book. Somewhere Roni gave a good explanation of the differences between Doomsday and the To Say Nothing. While set in the same universe, they aren't the same in tone.

BTW, a fair amount of the characters Ned and Verity are taken from Dorothy Sayers' Gaudy Night which is, itself, a hugely good book.

While having read the Sayers and Jerome book first would let you get some of the jokes, I don't think it will diminish your reading of the Willis book substantially if you haven't read them. I happened to read Gaudy Night, then To Say Nothing of the Dog, then Three Men in a Boat and it was fine.

TadAD, I've read (and adore) Gaudy Night... but the purist in me wants to get ALL the jokes. Plus I've always thought I ought to read Three Men... anyway. Nice to get the endorsement for something I put on my list on a whim, though.

You can certainly enjoy To Say Nothing of the Dog without reading Three Men and a Boat, To Say Nothing of the Dog first--it's just that it has a lot of allusions to the latter book. I read the first book two or three times before finally reading the latter. But both are a lot of fun.

Both TSNotD and Doomsday Book use the same time travel technology and are set in the same future, first introduced in Willis' short story Fire Watch. However, the first is a romantic comedy/mystery, while the latter is a great story, but given its subject matter of the black death, is gut-wrenching and powerful.

hmmm now I have not read Fire Watch but do own the other two (in storage in France). Another for my wish list I suppose :)

I too agree you don't need to read Three Men and a Boat, I didn't, and I still enjoyed To Say Nothing of the Dog very much. Still haven't the former yet, but one of these days I will. I haven't read Gaudy Night either, I didn't even know about the references to it until now!

Hopefully this will assist me in having more time to read!! oops.........

>52 lunacat: get well soon luna, (or not if you want more time for reading!)

:)

- TT

ouch!

awww... does it hurt much?
Get well soon!

Oh no! I hope that you are right-handed. (And, by the way, what a gorgeous cast!)

Hey, you look just like me last April! If you note, that was a good reading month because I was home for 2 weeks after surgery on my broken wrist.

ETA I almost went with the purple cast too, but ended up with the bright blue because it was more versatile with my wardrobe.

Oh no!!! And I just got your book in the post at last too.... get well soon.

Lunacat: I hope you get your arm back in functional shape soon, too! I understand the problem of being one-handed: broken wrist, broken finger, and dislocated finger back in June.

BTW - Did you ever get a chance to read the Pagan books? I just wanted to see if you enjoye them.

Going to just note the books read down at the moment, hopefully will have either the time or the brain power to review them!!!

53. Pagan's Crusade

54. The Summer Tree

55. The Diary of a Country Parson (which I would absolutely recommend totally to anyone interested in life in the 18th century/people/history/diaries/autobiography!!)

The Summer Tree...excellent! Though, I'm assuming it's a re-read since you have them all in your library.

#60 lunacat: Did you enjoy Pagan's Crusade? I read the entire series this past year and really liked it.

The Diary of a Country Parson sounds right up my alley, so I will hunt for a copy.

What is The Summer Tree? I have never read anything by Kay - is it any good?

The Summer Tree is the first of volume of the Fionavar Trilogy by Kay (followed by The Wandering Fire and The Darkest Road). The trilogy is my favorite of his works.

Yes Stasia, you should read Kay. My fav is Tigana.

Stasia

I have never read anything by Kay either, but I'm reading Tigana for my 999 challenge on the recommendation of my older son--the fantasy guru in the family. He even let me bring his copy home from Chicago to ensure I read it!

That arm (particularly the color) looks suspiciously like how my daughter's did last May. What a bummer. Were you playing hide-and-seek like my daughter was?

lunacat..
ouch..ouch..ouch.
I hope your pain is manageable and that you are getting rest.

Take care,
Linda