![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) stepstomarrow
When granddaughter, Jada, was born with leukemia, a donor-match was located and Jada made a miraculous recovery. In honor of her grandaughter's health, Jeanna has decided to walk across the country (in the dead of winter) to raise awareness and build support for the bone marrow registry (all that's required is a cheek swab). Follow Jeanna's remarkable journey as she travels the United States by foot.
7 Comments | Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
OK, everybody, I am SO lucky! I just finished reading our brand-new, shiny ARC of "A Conspiracy of Kings" last night, and I have posted a review over on my "real" blog (http://deirdrea.wordpress.com/ ). I hope you all enjoy it!
BTW, as I'm sure you well know, the book is great!
17 Comments | Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
One of the things that I've found most interesting about the latest update from Greenwillow (of course I wasn't caught swooning! Don't be ridiculous...) is the /inclusion of a map./ Ever since Eugenides, the Magus, Pol and the Uselesses trekked across all three borders in the Thief, I've been curious to know exactly how the Eddisian mountains are laid out. I've made a few attempts myself, based on the info we have in the books about the Dystopia, the Sea of Olivers, and the sparse mention of major bodies of water... but they don't seem coherent or book-jacket worthy. If anybody else has come up with a design, I'd love to see it!
--Theone
11 Comments | Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
Just in case you all thought I was dead - I am not. C: And holy pants you guys, the next book's first few chapters! Whoooo. No fanart of it in this post, but I shall be certain to do so in the future... under a cut, of course, haha. Anywho, nothing particularly spectacular here - realized I never really think about Eugenides' scar, so doodled what I think it looks like. Also, Attolia raising an eyebrow and Eddis with a glowy crown. I think they can be clicked to be enbiggened, if livejournal is behaving itself.
Oh and also some process doodles while I tried to figure out what Attolia looked like. They range from sort-of-looks-like-her to doesn't-really-at-all, haha.
10 Comments | Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
I have a question but I'm not sure if this has been discussed here before and I just can't find the answer. Anyway, I was wondering why Attolia, the country, is named that way and not Attolis so it would've been consistent with Eddis and Sounis? Or are the countries named after the current ruler?
30 Comments | Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
So, because of recent chapter leaks and whatnot, I can't seem to focus on anything but COK and now the months till April seem much MUCH longer.
So I just wanted to get my mind off what Gen and Sophos are up to in CoKs, I was wonder
who's your favorite character (besides Gen) and why? Which led to my next idea of...
Who would you nominate for following superlatives...
(All characters are fair game)
1 The one who is most likely to end up dancing on a table
2 The one who kicks-butt
3 The study geek (:
4 The one who's always confused
5 The the smarty pants
6 The jock/athletic
7 The most ambitious
8 The greediest
9 The laziest
10 The funniest
11 The reliable one
12 The cutest/ most adorable
13 The one who needs anger management
14 The one most likely to have 8 kids
:]
39 Comments | Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
Some folks hereabouts feel that the name Irene has an old lady vibe. It has been considered old-fashioned in some circles until recently, but maybe it's time we re-think it. Try pronouncing it differently. In French, it's pronounced EE-renn, in Spanish ee-RAY-na. This is extra-funny because the French & Spanish words for queen are pronounced renn [reine] & RAY-nah [reina]. So, in a way, her name says I-Queen [like we didn't already know--weg].
Another suggestion is to go out & read the Irene Adler mysteries by Carole Nelson Douglas, starting with _Goodnight, Mr. Holmes_ and _Good Morning, Irene_. Anything less old-ladyish than the intrepid Irene Adler would be hard to imagine. Best of all, by the time you find & read all 7 or 8 mysteries, ACoK will be out. I recommend earplugs to help with the inevitable squee.
41 Comments | Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif) taste_buds
Holidays provide a built-in excuse for indulgent entertaining. This all-purpose foodie community covers everything from homemade hangover cures to dinner party menus. Need quick advice? Get five-minute snack suggestions, low-fat ingredient substitutes, and even measurement conversions. Delicious recipes garnished with humorous advice. Yum.
3 Comments | Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
naturesbeauty
Always on the lookout for compelling images, we were delighted to discover this flourishing community of artists who share a love of nature. Honoring the subject with photographs, paintings, sketches, prose, poetry, and other creative works, you'll be simultaneously riveted to your monitor and inspired to run helter skelter towards the nearest wooded dale.
2 Comments | Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
Passing on this message from Megan Whalen Turner.
Christmas is coming and I could really use a latte. Is there anyone in the San Diego area who might like to meet up at Mysterious Galaxy bookstore which has a conveniently located Starbucks next door?
Megan
Sounds like a good time to get those books signed.
I highly recommend the Gingerbread latte--it's only out this time of year.
73 Comments | Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
I return to Sounis after months of absence to find chapters! That we can read! O frabjous day!
And, having no willpower, I immediately dived into them, and am now opening a thread where those spoilerly inclined can discuss and analyze and speculate and do all the other fun spoilery stuff, because I haven't even finished reading them and already I have comments.
Let the festivities commence!
157 Comments | Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
Hello! I'm a sort-of newbie- note my mood for almost-successfully posting! (I messed up in the end and hit the enter button before tagging.) A few years ago, I found MWT's books in a local bookstore when KoA came out in paperback and thought they looked interesting. So I checked them out at the library. After falling thoroughly in love, I saved up to buy the three sets. Then, in my enthusiasm about MTW, I found sounis and started lurking.
I hadn't planned on putting up any posts, but liereicarine advised me to share something which I had mentioned in drashizu1's earlier post. HarperCollins has put the first two chapters of CoK here on their page.
Hmm. Strange. I sound surprisingly calm. Let the hilarity begin!
50 Comments | Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
backpacking
Want to embrace your wanderlust on the cheap? If you're tall on adventurous spirit, but short on funds, this community can help you plan a trip to anywhere. Offering plentiful tips on how to travel light, you can post about bargain hotels and hostels if you're into urban exploration or discuss camping gear and mosquito netting for the great outdoors. Hitch your backpack, pitch your tent, and carpe diem!
9 Comments | Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
 |
|
I recently joined Sounis and well...I've just had so many questions, there is a good chance that they have all been throughly discussed already, but who doesn't love a good discussion?
The Theif
1. Gen says something about how his father came into the library and asked him if he knew about Sounis's purposal to Eddis, and then MoW leaves, leaving a bag of coins on Gen's desk. The scene is pretty vague. Did MoW want Gen to go out and find the H-gift? Is this when MoW accepts that Gen is a theif?
2. Gen says the magus couldn't possibly have known if he had a sweetheart because he changed his records...does this allude the possiblity that he has? had a sweetheart/s that is? Its a stupid question, I mean I dont think he has, but I think it was possible that everyone in Eddis's court expected a courtship with the Queen's cousin Agape?
KoA
1. In the Theif and QoA Gen is pretty pissed about Sounis trying marry Eddis but in the King, Gen actually suggests it.(that Eddis marry Sounis) WHY?
Eddis also asks the Magus himself, her reasoning is because Gen is the KING of Attolia. Does that pose a threat to her?
2. Gen goes into the prison cell to see Relius
a. He shouts "I CAN DO ANYTHING I WANT" is Gen messing with Teleus, or is he honestly upset?
b. Later when his Eddisian cousins come they ask "did he think that was the king of attolia talking" what do they mean? Did Gen say it out of anger, was it actually the Theif of Eddis talking?
c. Possible Relius and Attolia? (one sided of course)
Gen says to Relius 'you must hate her now' he seems pretty serious and almost hopeful (not sure exactly about the quote), was Gen actually hoping Relius would hate attolia?
in one scene he also kisses Attolia and laughs asking Rel if he's jealous (I'm assuming its because he gets to kiss the queen? but being Gen he kisses Rel on the head too :)
There is point when one of the Attolians brings up Gen's cousins and how they held him down in a catchet of water until he insulted his family...Ornon says something like "they didnt know how close to danger they had come"
would Gen actually have him executed? I dont think so, but then what possible danger could Gen have posed?
Oh and at the end of KOA Gen apologizes to Teleus for "what was done but not done well" or something like that...but I think he's done pretty well...so why apologize?
62 Comments | Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
Sorry if this has already been mentioned and I've completely missed it. But has anyone noticed that MWT's personal website has completely changed? She's changed the layout and added a schedule of upcoming appearances, a short "About the Author" section, and individual pages for each book in QT.
And there is a page for CoK. Which has a new blurb. Click the cut to read it!
( It has to do with grasshoppers... )
If anything, it's even less spoilerish than the one from Greenwillow, but it has characterization in it! And that's always a good thing.
Also, if you go snooping around (the way I did), you'll notice on the Novels page that she says the books can be read out of order, but later books spoil earlier ones. (Obviously.) But she also says The Thief might be spoilerish for KoA... I can't wrap my head around it. Did you guys feel like you knew what was going to happen in King because of Thief? I didn't. Someone explain! Now I have to know!
69 Comments | Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
Hello. I will be teaching The Thief to my eighth graders in a few weeks. Because I am just lazy, I was wondering if anyone has made a complete list of the characters (including the gods and godesses)and settings in the book.
I love the recordings of the book, I will use them as well.
I just read the book a few weeks ago and downloaded the other 2 to my Kindle- I finished those within a few days. If anyone has any suggestions on how or what I should do with them, I would love it.
22 Comments | Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
 |
|
Yes, another post requesting book recommendations. I don't know why I'm even doing this; my "To Read" list on Amazon is four pages long....
Anyway, I've been diligently considering all of the book recommendations that folks have named here (hence the really long reading list), and although there are many books that I'm excited to read, there is one thing that is bothering me...
Trilogies. And series.
Don't get me wrong, obviously I love a good series such as (*cough cough*) The Queen's Thief, His Dark Materials, Abhorsen, Airborne, etc......but what ever happened to single, stand-alone books? Fantasy in particular seems to have this fetish with trilogies. It's kind of driving me crazy. Not to insult fantasy writers, but it often seems to me that writing a series is a cheap way to sell a bunch of books without having to go through the trouble of developing new characters. Just come up with one set of characters and settings, and then spread a plot over three books, and then readers are duped into buying three books instead of one. OBVIOUSLY, this doesn't apply to all series and trilogies.....but seriously, I get a little tired of the same main character after a few books. (Thank god that MWT's characters are so awesome)
For example, I haven't even touched Tamora Pierce since finishing The Lioness Quartet. I mean, Alanna was a fun character and everything, but FOUR books felt a bit stretched to me, and now there are companion series?? Just looking at the Tamora Pierce section of the bookstore makes me feel exhausted. *prepares to be lynched*
When I go to a library to pick out books, series drive me nuts because often a library doesn't have all of the books (or only the middle ones), so I end up not checking out any for fear that I won't end up reading the rest. *sigh* My To Read list is littered with unstarted trilogies and series that everyone has recommended, but I haven't been able to commit myself to read for fear that I won't be able to read all three straight through and I'll get side tracked and never finish the series. *SIGH*
So, fussing and complaining aside....
What are some STAND ALONE books that you'd recommend? I don't mean books in a series that CAN stand alone...I mean pure, simple this-is-the-only-book-with-these-characters stand alone books.
And is anyone else tired of trilogies?
139 Comments | Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
|
|
To begin with I'm totaly new to lj (posting journals and icons and cuts and whatnot) and honestly joined when I found this brilliant group! I read The Theif this summer. It was merely on accident. I arrived at the library just before it was closing and ran around grabbing anything that looked good, unfortunately you can't judge a book by it's cover and I was really unfortunate to have picked out a pile of books only to read them half-way. It was my little brother who checked out The Theif. I had just seen Half Blood Prince in theaters and was on a bit of a Harry potter withdrawal. To my luck I found The Theif, sitting on my desk. Apparently my brother had checked it out with no plans of reading it and left it on my desk.
I went into reading it with the most ridiculous expectations hoping that it would help me through my post-potter syndromes, by the cover it looked like an epic. I remember reading the first chapter expecting Gen to be amazing theif with seriousness and self respect...But he didn't. He bragged about his skills but as the magus had pointed out...he was still in jail. I found myself laughing out loud at his antics and becoming indignant on his behalf (whenever Ambidaes would insult him) But in the end it was true love.
I remember feeling nervous about Attolia in the Theif, I felt like she in and odd way fancied him, and I (like Eddis) became very protective of Gen. I wasn't sure about reading The Queen of Attolia, but in time, I couldn't stay away and I got The Queen and the King and read them in a span of two days. I was beyond love. I was obsessed. (which is a very happy place to be when it comes to this series) But it was a loney place to be. I immediately sent out an email to everyone I knew about the books. I got very few e-mails back and most of them were a long the lines of 'oh okay, Elle maybe I will but have you seen the new TWILIGHT trailer?' I have nothing against Twilight..its just...well, I can hardly see how sparkly vampires can possibly compare to a one handed EX-theif of Eddis King of Attolia, and well...let's just leave it at that.
I had begun to get very lonely. Then I began my internet searches, overly suprised at how under-rated these AMAZING books are. I mean I love Harry Potter, but Megan's books command respect on a whole new level. And then one lovely, golden, sun-lit afternoon I found Sounis. With amazing people that were just as dedicated to the books as the books deserve. I rummaged through the archives and found lovely discussions that quelled the burning questions I had, why did Gen says such, and what was the meaning of this scene..etc. I even found lovely renditions of the King's Wedding Night. And to my great delight I found that the goddess herself, MWT comments from time to time. (Though I wasn't able to find any fan letters :[ )
This site is without a doubt a precious treasure for any stray QT fan, such as myself. You guys are awesome. :] So thanks so much for...existing? hehe, yeah that sounds about right :]
Elle W <3
20 Comments | Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
Thank you everyone who left book recommendations at my blog! Here is the list that resulted:
http://charlotteslibrary.blogspot.com/2009/12/list-of-book-recommendatios-by-and-for.html
I was rather pleased that the arc was won by a Sounisian, instead of some random arc hungry internet prowler....
9 Comments | Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
Hey! New person here. I finally (finally) found you guys! And boy is this going to be the start of a beautiful friendship. I mean seriously. An in-depth discussion of underware and Sophos's facial hair?! What is not to love?
The Queen's Thief series has been the love of my life for over 10 years now. And I am halfway (heh. maybe more than that!) in love with Gen. A friend introduced him to me and I will always remember the utter sadness I felt when I realized there were only two books and a third was very uncertain. And then the wait! My gosh the wait for KoA! Did any of you here have to wait between Thief and QoA? If you did how did you survive? Did you think there would be a sequel?
I finally let it go, resigned, until one day I walked in my library and KoA was waiting there for me in that gorgeous cover. Sheer bliss is an understatement. And since then I have never doubted a 4th (or 5th, 6th, 7th...ok that is my eternal hope speaking).
These are a part of a select minority (including everything Robin McKinley) of books that I read and re-read and read again. I daren't replace them but they are just falling apart because they are so well-loved. And I pimp these books like crazy. I try and (with infinite stealth *snorts*) put them on display when I go to libraries. I hope that at least one person has benefited from my craziness!
And I have been searching for ages (all in the wrong places of course) for fellow fans and aficionados. So I almost fell off my chair when I heard about Sounis and there was no way I was sleeping that night.
I am overjoyed, giddy to be apart of this comm, especially as March is slowly but surely, creeping up!
And here is my first (!!!) question: in the series we have seen how MWT uses myths specifically to parallel and inform Gen's story. For example we got her ( I don't have the books with me!) version of Persephone and Hades to parallel Helen's reluctance to let Gen go. But I cannot understand the significance of the myth of Basilius that Phersine tells Gen, especially since she made it up. Why was Gen so uncomfortable? Why was he comforted and humbled in the end? What was the myth saying about Gen's current circumstances?
And on a side note: How much do you adore Phresine?!
So there it is. I cannot wait to get to know all of you and share this and many other loves.
BTW, I choose my screen name before I knew of this comm! Excellent forshadowing, right?
49 Comments | Post A Comment | Add to Memories | Tell a Friend | Link
|
|
|
|
|
cold
excited
curious
thoughtful
accomplished
nerdy
giddy