The Serpent Bride

I finished the Serpent Bride by Sara Douglass a short time ago. The book is the first in a new series: Darkglass Mountain, but also a continuation of her other series: The Wayfarer Redemption (using the same characters). I had started the Wayfarer Redemption series, but had to stop at Book 3 because the library no longer had Book 4.

Again, Sara has created a vast epic following numerous characters, all not what the seem to be. Everyone has secrets and the secrets threaten to stop the mission of the good guys. The Serpent Bride is not a bad book, but Sara tends to write the same book over and over again. If you need a good escapist book and don't mind waiting for years for the story to finish-then give The Serpent Bride a try.

Re: 1st BDG meeting: Harris & Me

The first meeting of the Summer Reading Program Book Discussion Group (SRP BDG) was held on June 13th in the Gold Room of the Civic Center Library, where 6 of us met to discuss Gary Paulsen's Harris & Me. The participation was great! Some very good points were raised, including the question of how this title had come to be chosen. Much spirited discussion ensued! It would be great if, next summer, we can plan an early meeting to decide jointly on the books to read and discussed. The Summer Reading Program theme will change, so the book choices can be completely different.
Just a reminder: if SRP BDG participants haven't picked up a "boarding pass" for the SRP at the Reference/Information desk, don't forget to stop & get one. The prizes, $100 gift certificates to three Old Town restaurants, will be drawn monthly, which means that the swift and excellent readers of the BDG can enter a boarding pass each month. And be sure to ask for the free coupon for a drink at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (at Miller & Indian School).

MMFW

In the "Wired" magazine, I came across an acronym that really caught my attention: MMFW. "Wired" was discussing JK Rowling and her being the first writer to become a billionaire based solely on the books she wrote (and related items like movies, action figures).

MMFW referred to the fact that Rowling had created a unique world read about by millions. Thus: Massively Multireader Fictional World (MMFW).

This is significant because of two things. Number one, writers can and do create new worlds that millions of people can enjoy (Dune, Redwall, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars). No electronics are required, just an imagination. Number two, the electronic worlds we create (like Halo, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars) don't have to be in conflict with books, but can add to the experience. Only a book can put you in the mind of Anakin Skywalker as he begins his evolution to Darth Vader as in the book "Star War: Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader" by James Luceno. Playing a game allows you to become Anakin/Darth and to make your own decisions. Combining different paths both electronic and paper will make your journey towards knowledge and entertainment more fun. Rick

"Choosers of the Slain" by James H Cobb

I just finished "Choosers of the Slain" by James H Cobb (one of our Anarctica books) and it was very good. It reminded me of early Tom Clancy novels like "Hunt for Red October" and "Red Storm Rising."
"Choosers" is not a long book and once I got started I couldn't put it down. The characters are believable, well-rounded, human. The action is well described, although the author uses a lot of jargon, there is a dictionary of the terms in the back of the book. Although the author never served in the Navy, he does a good job describing battle and tactics (this from a person who was in the Navy). A little bit of romance, but mainly an action novel.
If you are looking for a good Antarctic read, this book fits the bill. Rick

Antarctica Novels

The new Summer calendar is here! Specific information about the Adult Summer Reading Program is included. Participants are requested to read one book about each continent...which seems easy except for Antarctica. I have gone through the books in our catalog, looked up their description in Amazon.com and have composed a list of books available to read. Just as a heads up, the majority of books are action/adventure simply because that is the most believable plot line for the Antarctic.
In the order that they appear in our catalog:
Antarctica by Kim Stanley Robinson
The Brief History of the Dead by Kevin Brockmeier
Deep Current by Benjamin E Miller
Zero Hour by Benjamin E Miller
Black Ice by Matt Dickinson
Dark Winter by William Dietrich
White-Out by James Vance Marshall
Ice Station by Matthew J Reilly
Ice Reich by William Dietrich
Mrs Chippy's Last Expedition: the Remarkable Journal of Shackleton's Polar-bound Cat by Caroline Alexander
Choosers of the Slain by James H Cobb
Antarctic Navigation: a novel by Elizabeth Arthur

Personally, "Choosers of the Slain" looks great to me. It is the story of a lone destroyer that has the responsibility of stopping a Argentine invasion of the Antarctic. After I read it, I will be glad to give an update.
The Adult Summer Reading Program starts June 1. Stop by any branch of the Scottsdale Public Library and pick-up your lei and Boarding Pass (reading log). Rick

John Ringo

John Ringo writes sci-fi war novels. The series that I have read (and one book I am reading now) is the "Posleen Invasion." It takes place just a short time in the future and follows several characters, ala Tom Clancy's style, as they fight the invasion of aliens called Posleen (like centaurs with futuristic weapons). The books are well written and very enjoyable, although they tend to be very similar in content, the excitement of just how the main characters are going to get out of trouble makes the series worth reading.
If you enjoy the Halo game (and books by Nylund), you will like this series. The link to the first of the series is:

http://libcat.scottsdaleaz.gov/search?/Xhymn+before+battle&SORT=D/Xhymn+before+battle&SORT=D&SUBKEY=hymn%20before%20battle/1%2C9%2C9%2CB/frameset&FF=Xhymn+before+battle&SORT=D&1%2C1%2C

Tales Before Tolkien

I just finished the book "Tales Before Tolkien The Roots of Modern Fantasy." While the library does not own the book, it does own: "J.R.R. Tolkien: Author of the Century" by T.A. Shippey which does discuss the influences on Tolkien and how he took the fantasy genre to a whole new level.

That point, I think, is made pretty clear in the book "Tales Before Tolkien" where we see the fantasy at the time of the late 19th and early 20th was pretty simple. Tolkien brought an epic proportion to the genre and was amazing in the depth of the world he had created over his lifetime. The link below is to the Scottsdale Public Library and the info about the Shippey book. Rick

http://libcat.scottsdaleaz.gov/search?/Xtolkien&SORT=D/Xtolkien&SORT=D&SUBKEY=tolkien/1%2C174%2C174%2CB/frameset&FF=Xtolkien&SORT=D&14%2C14%2C