Favorite Books

Well my two favorite series of all time would be "Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy" (the complete collection is called "The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide" and it is a really great buy at about 15 bucks...at least that I've seen), and the "Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter" series that Laurell K. Hamilton came out with and continues to write. God those books are wonderful and if anyone wants a peak into my psyche Anita's my type of heroine and in some ways is my complete alter ego...her and Darkstar (a character I created) are pretty much the gun toting women I like to read about. I also read romance (not so much now a days, but there are still some good romance novels with plot out there believe it or not), and one that I found absolutely wonderful was "Nighthawk" by Kristen Kyle (I THINK that's her last name). It was a futuristic romance and damn if it isn't a sci fi novel with just a few more "implicit" scenes in it for the censors of the sci fi books. It's a really cool book and I would recommend it to anyone who could take a couple of sex scenes in with a good sci fi novel. She won an award for the book and I found it just a great read.

There's a lot of futuristic romances like that if you are willing to take the challenge and search for them...I know men won't because they would die of embarrassment just BEING in that section of the book store, but if no one is looking take a couple of peaks *grin*. I also like vampires (NO I don't want to be a vampire, and no I don't want to date one, or otherwise share an affinity with them, I just like to read about them), and thus I would recommed Anne Rice's series of vampires up through "Tale of a Body Thief" to people who would like to read a really flamboyant vampire who likes to break the rules. "The Vampire Lestat" was the best one out of all of them, and instead of reading "Interview with the Vampire" I would suggest (I can't believe I'm saying this but it's true) going out and renting the movie. It was a good movie, hit all of the main points in the book, and wasn't half as boring and didn't drag like the book did. You just gotta know who Claudia is and so forth, and the movie does that...this way you aren't lost with some of the Lestat's comments in "The Vampire Lestat".

"Memnoch the Devil" was a warped view of theology from Anne Rice's point of view, didn't show Lestat for more then three pages total, and I found it utterly disappointing...not to mention disturbing (because it really made NO sense to me), and I couldn't wait to get it out of my house. "Pandora" picked up the pace a bit and I liked her greek friend in it, but at the same time...eh...it wasn't one of my favorites out of the series...nothing on scale to "The Vampire Lestat" and "Queen of the Damned" in my humble opinion.

Also, although I'm not one for young adult books since I'm past that reading level, if anyone wants to pick up some good books that go quickly and are about young adults with ultimate battles between good and evil (and they're good by the way) check out anything by L. J. Smith. Some of the earlier books aren't that great, but her Nightworld series as well as the series "Dark Visions" having to do with psychic powers is good and for those of you who read realitively quickly you can get one of those books done in a couple of hours. My sister picked up a couple of those when checking out new sci fi releases and after I read one I was hooked. L. J. Smith is really talented...now if she could get her new books OUT on time it would be doubly wonderful.

Anyhow, just thought I would pass that along as well as recommending the "Crystal Caves", and "The Hollow Hills" by Mary Stewart. It mixes history and relevance in with magic and legend with Merlin and all associated things with Excalibur and they are really good books to read...all through Merlin's eyes by the way.

The Harry Potter Series

Boy you would not believe how I've gotten flack from some people for actually reading this series of books, and you know what? By the time I finished with the first one I really didn't care. Yes, these books were originally written to hit at a younger audience, but I honestly believe that they transcend age groups and basically anyone would enjoy them. These books are actually a very good read if you like anything fantasy related and I've got to say that the books get better and better with every one that J.K. Rowling puts out. The fourth book had me on the edge of my seat through the entire book.

At any rate these books follow a young boy by the name of Harry Potter. He's not tall, he's not built like a wall and he's not perfect. In fact he's short, has glasses and his hair is constantly not doing what it is supposed to. Basically, he's a lot like most of us. He flounders through his adventures at Hoggwarts, knowing that he's supposed to have this destiny of being a great wizard, but instead of letting that reputation go to his head he actually sort of hates being famous at all and just wants to live a normal life and play with Harmoine Granger and his other friend Ron Weasley. Another neat thing? The Weasley family are great! I love reading about Mrs. Weasley and Fred and George tormenting their older brother Percey. The Weasleys aren't rich in money but they're rich in every other way that matters. They're a close knit family that, when they find out how horrible Harry's aunt and uncle are to him, just sorta adopt him in as an official Weasley like it is nothing.

Ahem. I could go on about the characters and what I like about them, but that would get boring. Needless to say, I suggest these books to anybody.

Sweet Treats

I've pushed this book on my site before, but one more time won't hurt anything. This is the greatest cookbook of all time, hands down. It's all recipes for desserts from a cartoonist by the name of Margaret Carspecken and is just wonderful. I would suggest going to Ozfoxes.com and ordering the book from these great people to add to your cookbook collection right away. Also, check out "Faux Paus" (spelling on that is off I'm sure) their daily cartoon strip. It is really funny and they have archives that you can paw through to get caught up. I'm still working on that, but I'm getting there. The Carspeckens are the nicest people to talk to and they have a really cool couple of sites. So, check them all out and see for yourself. AND GET THIS BOOK!

The Devil's Guard

This book is actually hard to get your hands on, so good luck if you decide you want to read it. This book is about a Waffen SS unit that, after World War II, join the French Foreign Legion to avoid prosecution by the allies. They later end up in Vietnam and are fighting the enemy using tactics that the allies would have really thrown a fit over, but ones that were necessary.

This book is probably one of my husbands all time favorite reads, and I can see why. The action is non-stop, the characters are real, and if this book isn't a real story...darn if the guy didn't do a good job with his research and other aspects in the making of this book, because it's a really realistic portrayal of what could have happened to a Waffen SS unit in the aftermath of WWII.

I would suggest this book strongly to anyone if they have an interest in history and/or war and how it's fought. Trust me it's worth the price of it if you can find it.

The Lord of the Rings Series

I can not believe how many people have not read this series, and so I feel a need to push it here. You might not be a fan of fantasy books really and you might not feel you need to read this series of books, but I really have to disagree with you there. This series of books is worth reading if for no other reason than Tolkien CREATED most of what our modern perceptions see as fantasy. Halflings, Dwarves, Elves, Wizards...he helped to shape how we see all of these things today in movies, books and other media.

Read these books, if for no other reason, so that you can debate an issue when someone comes up with something symbolic or whatever and you need an extra source to win the argument. Believe it or not these books are helpful to have in your store of knowledge. EVERYONE should read these books because the information within them is something that every American should know. Or at least that's my opinion anyway.

Panzer Spirit

I can not remember the writer of this book off the top of my head, but this book is really funny and is worth reading. If you like Pryde and Wisdom this book has a Pryde and Wisdom like couple in it (at least if you read the dialogue their exchanges reflect Kitty and Pete I swear) that make you laugh. The book's plot is actually sort of funny in itself. You see it's about a secret project that creates this tank (a Jaug Panther...or however you spell that in German) that goes berserk years later and is killing people left and right (ala "Christine"). I would give you more of the plot, but it would wreck some of the book for you, so I'm not going to do it. At any rate though, this book is pretty easy to find (I think we own like four copies because we kept misplacing where we'd put one down and just go get another one for two bucks *laugh*) and pretty reasonably priced, so check out your local used bookstore today.

Andy McNab

He's a writer, not a book title if you're wondering. Andy McNabb is a member of the S.A.S. in the British military and he's written many books on his days during the Gulf War, his training to become an S.A.S. man and others. Those are true stories. He's also got fiction books out on the market that are pretty good too. The books, of course, have a military angle to them, but they are still worth the read. ESPECIALLY if you like Pete Wisdom. Andy McNab writes in Brit with all of the slang words to boot. He smokes, he drinks, he screws up his relationships with women and even his cynicism and such reminds you of Pete Wisdom. Seriously. A great series of books.

Emma Bull

Emma Bull is Kitty's favorite writer and so I figured what the heck and picked up a couple of her novels at a used book store. She's actually a very talented writer and I like her stuff. I've read "Bone Dance" and "Finder" thus far and am working through "War For the Oaks" right now. I'd actually recommend Emma Bull's writing to anyone who likes fantasy and some sci-fi. She creates characters you care about and that are real. She puts them into bad situations and then makes them ten times worse. Somehow the hero gets out of the situation, but you never really see the ending coming until it hits you. The books are really good and I have no problem putting my stamp of approval on them.

Just a warning though...if you like clear cut happy endings...these might not be the books for you. Emma Bull likes the somewhat more real endings where the hero is still working toward a goal when the book ends to make you think.

There are more books but I'm sure you're bored as is. Happy reading everyone!

Favorite Marvel Characters...it fits in trust me

Although I've given up collecting X-men...yes they got that bad for me. Although in older issues my favorite characters are Kitty (wonder where evidence of that could be at), Illyana Rasputin/Magik, Pete Wisdom (duh), Lockheed, Beast (believe it or not during the Lobdell days of writing he was a really good dialogue character), Nightcrawler and others. I've retreated into the world of fan fiction, which is cool since the books have gotten so bad over the past couple of years, and I don't think I'm coming out anytime soon. It gives me a reason to create stories where things work out the way they are supposed to and characters and plots make sense. At least in my mind. Sure, they might seem like crap to other people, but I don't care. I've mainly started focusing my fan fiction onto Pryde and Wisdom because they are two of my favorite characters and on top of that, the other X-men got so stupid that I just wanted to kill them all everytime I wrote an Alternate X-Chapter. So my own universe of fan fiction that had been around for about five years finally stopped because I couldn't write the characters with enthusiasm anymore.

Favorite fan fiction...

Well most of my favorite fan fiction is actually archived on the Pryde and Wisdom archive "Fonts of Wisdom". Luba has archived some really talented people on there, artwise AND writing wise (for instance Luba herself is super talented). You've got to check them out if you are a Pryde and Wisdom fan trust me.

Favorite Book Quotes...

This is like my favorite one of all time from the whole Hitchhiker Series because I wanted to do it so much myself at times :-)...

"He would insult the universe.
That is, he would insult everybody in it. Individually, personally, one by one, and (this was the thing he really decided to grit his teeth over) in alphabetical order.
When people protested to him, as they sometimes had done, that the plan was not merely misguided but actually impossible because of the number of people being born and dying all the time, he would merely fix them with a steely look and say, 'A man can dream can't he?'"

Other Hitchiker Quotes...

"The point is, you see," said Ford, "that there is no point in driving yourself mad trying to stop yourself going mad. You might just as well give in and save your sanity for later."

"In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people angry and has been widely regarded as a bad move."

"There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another which states this has already happened."

"Bypasses are devices that allow some people to dash from point A to point B very fast while other people dash from point B to point A very fast. People living at point C, being a point directly in between, are often given to wonder what's so great about point A that so many people from point B are so keen to get there, and what's so great about point B that so many people from point A are so keen to get there. They often wish that people would just once and for all work out where the hell they wanted to be.
Mr. Prosser wanted to be at point D. Point D wasn't anywhere in particular, it was just any convenient poitn a very long way from points A, B and C. He would have a nice little cottage at point D, with axes over the door, and spend a pleasant amount of time at point E, which would be the nearest pub to point D. His wife of course wanted climbing roses, but he wanted axes. He didn't know why-he just liked axes.

Anita Blake Quotes...

"He gave me a look like he had just found out that the monster under the bed was real, and it was screwing mommy."...Anita Blake Vampire Hunter

"I crossed my arms over my stomach. Psychologists would say I was uncommunicative and hostile. Fuck them." Same person as above. (Anita Blake is a character in a book series)

Miscellaneous Quotes from life and everything...

"I'd give her a HHEEYYAA!!!...and a KEEYAA!!!!! And I'd kick her sir." Bartoque from the movie "Anastasia"

"I can only help one person a day. Today isn't your day. Tommorrow doesn't look too good either"...Model of the DNRC (Dogbert's New Ruling Class)

"Reality is a crutch for people who can't cope with drugs."...Lily Tomlin

"Let the Wookie win!"...C3PO.

"Then I'll see you in hell!!!"...Han Solo

Here is some more humorous ones too...

"Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm" Stephen Wright