Started this book this morning. Haven’t read enough to know if I am going to enjoy it, but I watched an interview with Matthew Reilly the other day and it sounded quite exciting. I didn’t realize that his latest books were part of a series (Jack West Jr). I usually enjoy his books, but I don’t like all of the cursing and swearing, so I hope he doesn’t go over board in these books!
I read the first Artemis Fowl book a few years ago and decided I would like to get back into his adventures. I am not disappointed in this book!
The Artemis Fowl books are a mixture fantasy and science fiction. Artemis is a teenage millionaire, a genius—and, above all, a criminal mastermind. He tries to steal fairy magic from Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon Unit. Fairies in these books aren’t those of bedtime stories—They’re dangerous!
In this book, instead of fighting against each other, Artemis and Holly have to work together to defeat some evil fairies and trolls.
I read this book when I was in high school, (way back in the dark ages) I am now having my Year 10 English class read it. I hope they enjoy reading it!
I love Bill Bryson books! He was originally a travel journalist but now he writes about lots of things. I have now read this book two times and I could read it again. I guess I am a “nut” for trivia facts, etc. and this book has loads of, what some people might call, useless information. But I love to learn where words come from and just plain history. The book is the history of the United States as seen through its language. I finally was able to find out why Americans drive on the right hand side of the road and use their knife and fork the way they do! It is the type of book that you can’t read silently when you are sitting near some because you have to keep saying, “Listen to this. Listen to this!”
There has been much comment about this series. Some people, usually adults, have said that the series should not be in a high school library, but the books are on the Victorian Premiers Reading List. What do you think? Are they a good read? What age should be reading it?
While I was in the States, last week, many of the people at the conference were excited about finally being able to read the last book. I haven’t read any of the books. Should I?
Mrs H
This book is book 1 in the ‘Cherub’ series written by Robert Muchamore.
This book introduces us to a boy called James and how he ends up at Cherub, a secret branch of British Intelligence with agents aged between ten to seventeen. James is a bit like a mini James Bond! I found these books easy to read and there is always something happening.
I would recomend giving this series a go.
This is the second book in the Cherub series by Robert Muchamore. The back of the book says that this series is Not Suitable for Younger Readers and I can understand why. Some of the topics are for teenagers only!!!!! Great adventures though. This book has the characters go on their first assignment of a drug bust.
Although, I wanted to start from the beginning and read all of the books again, I wasn’t looking forward to reading the first book. For some reason, I had in my mind that I didn’t really enjoy it the second time I read it. How wrong could I be!!! I am really into it, and find it difficult to get out of the car when I reach my destination.
What has really amazed me is how well the people that wrote and produced the film looked closely to the descriptions that J.K. Rowling wrote. I usually don’t like seeing a film before I read the book as I find myself “seeing” the characters as portrayed in the film and not in the book. With the Harry Potter films, I wouldn’t have to worry. How J.K. described the characters is how the characters look in the film, even to the fact that they were able to find a boy to play Ron, that when he grew up, would be taller than Harry!
It also amazed me that when she described Dumbledore with a broken nose, not just crooked, she must have realized that
Gee, it has been a LONG time since I wrote anything on my blog!!!! Now I need to catch up on all of the books I have read or are reading.
I am currently reading Uncle Tom’s Cabin. This is a VERY old book, written in the 1850′s in the United States. It was written to get people to fight against slavery. I have wanted to read it for a long time, as it is a classic, but never seemed to pick it up. Last year I found a VERY OLD edition of it at a second hand book sale. It was printed in the early 1900′s.
Although that book is on my bookshelf at home, it is not the copy I am reading. I am listen to it instead. Sometimes it takes a bit to get into it, as the recording isn’t the greatest, but the story itself is quite good, even if the language can be a bit “flowery” at times. NOT THE WAY WE SPEAK NOWADAYS!!. Another thing that can be quite confronting at times is the way the slaves are treated and the words they use to talk about and to them. It makes me cringe, everytime I hear a certain word!!!!!
I have just about finished 1/2 of the book (10 hours worth of audio so far). Uncle Tom, an old slave has been sold down South, the worst thing that can be done to a slave as the further south a slave goes, the worse his/her condition. Three other slaves (husband, wife and child) have escaped. They have fled because the husband and wife were on separate properties, with the husband and son being sold down South. Uncle Tom has also been separated from his wife and children. You see, slaves were the property of their masters and were thought not to have the same feelings towards their family as “white folk”.
When I decided to start reading the Harry Potter books again, I really wasn’t excited about starting the first one again. For some reason, I had the feeling that I didn’t like reading it the second time. But I was WRONG! I am thoroughly enjoying it and finding it hard to get out of the car when I reach my destination.
All of the CD’s are read by Jim Dale. I am sure he is the same person that speaks on the Harry Potter DVD extra bits. A very good reader. He won an Emmy for reading this book
Usually I don’t like watching a movie of a book before I read it. I like to imagine what the characters are like from the author’s description. No need to worry about that with this book and movie! The writers, producers, etc did an excellent job of READING Rowling’s descriptions and making their characters conform to them.
I was also in awe of Rowling when she gave her description of Dumbledore, saying that he had a broken (not just crooked) nose. This thread of the broken nose was kept throughout the entire series, knowing that it would be an important part of the final book!
Finally, it is interesting that my copy of the book is not called Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, but Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. I had been told that the name was changed from the British “sorcerer” to the American “philosopher” because the religious right felt that “sorcerer” was evil, while “philosopher” showed an educated person. Again, how wrong I could be! The titles are the other way around, so I have no idea why the American publishers would think that the American public wouldn’t understand the British title.
