Moved it here, I'm a big fan of the series having read all of them. For those who like the series, you might want to read the Word and Void series (Running with the Demon, A Knight of the Word, and Angel Fire East) as well as the series that the book Armageddon's Children as they seem to be leading to the events that changed the world to how it is in the Shannara series.


---Chantia SiTaros
The absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.

<<turning the girl into a tree and ruining true love was just a bit far>>

Not sure what that's referring to and won't ask since I may yet read it on my own, but how very Greek of him!

GM Reexa


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Currently Reading: The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks; Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes

<<you have a few books left to go before you get to that one Reexa. My advice is just to not get attached to anyone... easier said than done>>

Might be a while before I get there at this rate, but that's a good rule of thumb for a lot of series.

GM Reexa


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Currently Reading: The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks; Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes

I can't wait for the new Rowling novel: Harry Potter and the Truckload of Money.

---

System Announcement: As our gift to you, the players, items deposited in a trash receptacle will be placed into a random player's inventory. Please do not assist to thank us if you are suddenly overburdened with 400 globs of blocil pulp.

Terry Brooks is one of my favorite writers. Enjoy! I read Sword for the first time about 20 years ago, and have re-read it several times since.

And yes, the turning into a tree elven lass was sad. Took me a while to come to terms with that, being a true rose-colored-glasses wearer (which is the reason I refuse to watch Titanic).


Jubalee

"You can either complain that rose bushes have thorns - or rejoice that
thorn bushes have roses."

Unknown

>>What's up with Harry Potter? Never read any of them.

The latest scandal is that Albus Dumbledore (he's the crafty elderly Headmaster of Hogwarts keeping the evil magic at bay) dies in a Mace Windu-like (ie, snake eyes or open roll) way. Despite all his planning and knowledge of events happening around him, he still got ganked by a random spell at just the wrong moment (the spell was a paralysis spell, which hit just as he was leaning over a wall or something and thus his paralyzed self fell off the wall and broke his neck.)

This leaves the reluctant and not-very-skilled (or bright) hero, his girlfriend, and his best buddy/bumbling sidekick to face the most powerful wizard on the planet (who's xenophobically insane). If rumors and hints are to be believed, Harry kills himself or otherwise allows himself to be killed in the last book of the series (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, available July 21st) in order to destroy this wizard (they are magically linked together by a zee-shaped scar branded upon Harry when he was a baby, in a battle that left a giant smoking crater in the place where his parents died.)

J'Lo, I'm a ranger.. I'd believe anything.....
The Manipulation List -- http://symphaena.com/index.html

Heh, my wife and I just got done arguing about wether or not Albus actually died or not. Or if Snape double crossed and faked his death with help. Gonna be interesting to find out come July 21st I think.


~Dalkin~

Snape + Dumbledore = Imperius Curse... least that's my take


>dismantle chest bunny
While bunnies are useful for a great many things, they do not as a general rule serve well as janitors.
Roundtime: 3 seconds.

Is this the last book that we're talking about? I think I might start reading them.


~Purehand

You doubt that you'll be able to alter another person's features for at least 564 more roisaen.

You weirdos..


(goes back to reading his vampire: the masqeurade novels)

Farewell, remorse: all good to me is lost; Evil, be thou my good.
~Paradise Lost (bk. IX, l. 171)

<<Is this the last book that we're talking about? I think I might start reading them.

Yup the last one comes out in July. And despite the hype, they are all really good books. Many people that I know who have not read them, simply don't want to because everyone else has or they think they are only kids books.

My favorite aspect in the Harry Potter books is the mystery. Each novel is written so intricately that you are draw into what is happening to the character, trying to figure out what is going on along with them. Yet, Rowling is master of giving you just enough info to suck you in but hiding clues her clues so well that you don't really see them until after you know the big secret. Her books are one of the few novels that I've actually read more than once.

Nikpack
player of Celeiros

-At the cleric meeting-
DARTENIAN says, "I think we all need to get down and pray for bit-based experience."
>DARTENIAN clears his throat.

<<I got really into the Anne rice vampire series after reading one of the more recent ones, 'Blood and Gold', but didn't thinkt the writing in most of the others was nearly as good. These Masquerade ones are pretty good?>>

I was so furious at the end of Interview with a Vampire that I chucked the book across the room and scarred the paint on the opposite wall. I haven't read Anne Rice since, though I have several of her books somewhere in my TBR pile.

GM Reexa


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Currently Reading: The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks; Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes

That summary wasn't even accurate.

But since we're in spoilersville, it was the Avada Kedavra curse that killed Dumbledore, not the fall. He was dead before he hit the ground.

(more spoilers)

I think Dumbledore made Snape do it, honestly. Dumbledore has made it very clear throughout the series that he's not afraid of death, and he would be the sort of man to put his life over another's; keep in mind that if Snape had not killed Dumbledore, Snape would have died because of the Unbreakable Vow he made to Draco's mother to complete Draco's task for him should he fail.

Also look at what Snape says to Harry right after Dumbledore's death, while he's fleeing. He's not just jeering at Harry or trying to incense him, he's trying to tell him what he needs to do if he ever stands a chance at beating Voldemort. Just like in book five during Occlumency lessons.

(okay done now)

>> I got really into the Anne rice vampire series after reading one of the more recent ones, 'Blood and Gold', but didn't thinkt the writing in most of the others was nearly as good.

Blood and Gold was easily one of my favorites. Memnoch the Devil was also great, even though it was such a break from the usual style of the novels.

All in all I really enjoyed the Vampire Chronicles. I stopped reading at The Vampire Armand, though. Kept hearing bad things about the last books.

---

Rev. Reene

"Who provides the opportunity to cultivate patience? Not our friends. Our enemies give us the most crucial chances to grow."
- Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama

>> Why is it so hard to convince others of this?

It's really easy and satisfying to believe the absolute worst of a character like Snape, especially since the heroes of the story do too (and always have). Fits in with the pattern, though - Snape is suspected or gets blamed, Snape turns out to be a good guy in the end.

When in reality, he's probably going to end up being one of the biggest heroes and martyrs in the series - I mean, unlike Sirius or Dumbledore, he probably won't even be respected or admired even after he's dead. Assuming he's killed, of course... though I can't really see it ending any other way at this point.

---

Rev. Reene

"Who provides the opportunity to cultivate patience? Not our friends. Our enemies give us the most crucial chances to grow."
- Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama

Heh, I think there are more that think this way about Snape then you think. We are just not the vocal crowd and of course the point about wanting 'true' heroes goes a long way too... took forever to get my wife to see Snape in a different light even though the hints are there through out the books.

Anne Rice... I always get lost in the meandering back stories and forget what it was that the main story was about.

I liked Eddings, his new series is really bad though. It seems like you are expected to know and like the characters as though they were the same from the first couple of series <sigh>

Me 'n the bard

(On Laurell K. Hamilton's books)

Be careful of the Anita Blake series. It's gotten to the point now that the rating has gotten more severe, but I'm also at the point where I can't stop reading it because I want to know how it turns out.

I have my own opinions on what Anita is (if you keep reading, you'll understand), but I'll keep them to myself for now, don't want to get too spoilery.

-GM Obseden
"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven."
"Anything's possible. Especially since I'm rewriting the system."

Regarding the Anita Blake series...

I have read all of her books, and as they go along they get more and more risque, which would be ok if that didn't turn out to be THE theme of the book. Her writing seems to be getting more childish and the spelling errors are just atrocious, can't believe her proofreader (if she has one) lets them out to be published.

However, I'm completely torn about reading the next novel. I'm fairly sure it will be utter crap like Micah was, such a waste. But I still want to know what happens.

I haven't bought one from her since Obsidian Butterfly though...I just download the text files and put them on my PDA. Makes me feel a tad better.


Oh...if you like the concept in those books though try Jim Butcher's Dresden Files. I got hooked on the series on Sci Fi, then started reading the books. Extremely well done, really funny and interesting skewed reality.