The Biblomaniac Army (booklovers, UNITE!) v.2

[Amberfly]

Hullo! 've suffered a book windfall recently, as Christmas has just passed (although "suffered" mightn't be the word of choice). And, I was thinking to ask a few questions about some of my new children belongings. Firstly: Has anyone here read Game of Thrones (or anything else in the Song of Ice and Fire series)? If so, what did you think of the book/series? I'm only a couple hundred pages in at the moment, and I'm quite enjoying it, aside from the (in my eyes) rather gratuitous descriptions of... graphic events.
As well, are there any Neil Gaiman fans around? I've recently become absolutely enamoured with his writing style and creativity, and so find myself in possession of three of his short story collections, and Anansi Boys. (I read Neverwhere a few months ago, and positively adored it. His children's books -namely Coraline and The Graveyard Book, are fantastic as well.)
And, lastly: opinions on short story anthologies? Yay or nay?

Thanks! c:

Hi there, s e v e n. I've read the first four Song of Ice and Fire books (#5 is waiting on my shelf) and thought they were really great, one of the best things I read this year. If you like epic fantasy they'll be right up your alley. The characterization is great--all the characters have tons of depth and at times I even found myself sympathizing with several of the characters I hated. There is a lot of graphic stuff, mostly violence, but it didn't bother me too much--after the initial surprise I got more used to it.

I've also read quite a bit of Neil Gaiman's work, and I actually prefer his short fiction over most of his longer works, except for American Gods, which I just adored. I thought the short works had a more surreal, dreamlike quality than most of his novels, which I absolutely loved. Let us know how you like them!

@Electra Heart: I think the author of Beware, Queen Elizabeth has another book called Doomed Queen Anne, which I read several years ago and really liked. Queen's Own Fool is very good (it's about Mary, Queen of Scots), as is The Edge on the Sword (set in very early England, when the Saxons were in charge). If you don't mind fantasy, you could try Jo Graham's works (Black Ships is the first one) about ancient Greece and Egypt, and she's got a newer one on the Napoleonic era in France that I haven't read yet. Beware, though: her works aren't always PG-13, so if that bothers you then you may want to skip her.

[Roonil Wazlib]

Thanks, Amberfly!
I actually think I own Doomed, Queen Anne (Though I haven't read it). I enjoyed the other books by that author (the name is eluding me at the moment- I know her last name is Meyer). I'll have to check Jo Graham's books out, I love books about ancient Greece (and I adore fantasy too). Thanks again :3

[Amberfly]

Thanks, Amberfly!
I actually think I own Doomed, Queen Anne (Though I haven't read it). I enjoyed the other books by that author (the name is eluding me at the moment- I know her last name is Meyer). I'll have to check Jo Graham's books out, I love books about ancient Greece (and I adore fantasy too). Thanks again :3

You're welcome! I can give book recommendations all day I hope you enjoy them--Graham in particular is one of my favorite writers. Her books often have some adult content in them, as I mentioned before, but I just love them. I just looked up the author of the Queen Anne book and you're right, her name is Carolyn Meyer. I always meant to read some of her other works but somehow never got around to it. Maybe I should try again when I have the time.

[Lady Ligeia]

Just found out that bookworms are an actual thing that used to eat holes in books back when paper was made from rags. I always thought it was just an expression. I've been enlightened ^^...

[King.Thranduil]

Username: King.Thranduil
Nickname (if any): I don't have one.
Top Ten Favorite Books: The Hobbit, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Great Gatsby, A Wrinkle in Time, The Chronicles of Narnia books(all of them), the Leviathan series by Scott Westerfeld, Dracula, Journey to the Center of the Earth, The Graveyard Book, and Island of the Blue Dolphins.
Average amount of time it takes you to finish a book: Anywhere from one day to a week depending on how busy I am.
How many of the above symptoms you regularly experience: Pretty much all of them!

[A*Viola*Named*Steve]

Cool!

Has anyone read "The Passage of Zarahemla" or "Escape From Zarahemla"? I got the second one for Christmas and I want to read "Passage" first. How good was it?

[rothbart.]

//groans loudly//

My mother's taking so long to finish Doctor Sleep. ;-; I wanna read it so bad. On the bright side, I got Ender's Game for Christmas. uvu

[HeartOfCoal]

Okay, I have two questions.

1. In what order do I read the Chronicles of Narnia?

and 2. Game of Thrones; yes or no?


Oh, by the way, finally got around to reading House of Hades and Allegiant.
Allegiant: I was fairly pleased with the ending, though I know most people didn't like it. I have appreciation for authors who do that. Frankly, I wasn't surprised, and I think she did the right thing. That's what should have happened to the character.
House of Hades: Honestly I thought it was a little boring, but OHMYGOD LEO!!

[Roonil Wazlib]

@HeartofCoal
It depends. I read them in the order they were written, and I understood it fine (they're kind of out of order chronologically), but most people prefer to read them chronologically. Most modern copies are numbered chronologically. I have a set from the 60's or 70's (it was my dad's I think) and it's in the order they were written.
So, I'll give you both lists.
Chronologically:
1. The Magician's Nephew
2. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
3. The Horse and his Boy (This one actually takes place in the middle of the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, but it makes more sense if you read it after)
4. Prince Caspian
5. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
6. The Last Battle

Publication order:
1. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
2. Prince Caspian
3. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
4. The Silver Chair
5. The Horse and his Boy
6. The Magician's Nephew
7. The Last Battle

I adore this series so much <3

[HeartOfCoal]

^Okay, thank you! We own a chronological copy (from the 70's I think) so I figured I'd just read it that way, but then my dad gave me a lecture on reading it the proper way. I didn't know if it really mattered either way.