Book 1 of the Sword of Truth series that I earlier read Book 10 of (doh!). Also the debut novel by the author.

Really like some of the characters, but felt some, Richard in particular, were a bit stiff at the beginning. Having read Book 10 already, I think it’s stiffness on the part of a first-time author, and he will loosen up as the series goes on.

Loved learning more about the Mord-Sith (awesome!) Samuel creeps me out and totally reminds me of Golom or whatever his name is in lord of the rings (precious! my precious!). Looking forward to more.

You’ve got to love how I am always picking up series mid-way (or more than mid-) through. But I swear to you, I bought this in the airport, and there was NOTHING on it to indicate that it was…Book TEN of a series (and Book 1 of a within-series trilogy). Um Hello Publishers, thanks a bunch!

However, due to a wicked spell, everyone but Richard has completely forgotten Kahlan’s existence…so not having read any of the previous books really put me right in the same boat with most of the characters! Lots of great magic and spells, and vast expanses going on here. Warriors and fighting and mysteries and betrayals. Wow!

Loved this and it’s been awhile since I found a new fantasy series to get involved in. Time to get Book 1 and find out who these people really are.

Bought because I enjoyed an earlier book of his, “The Keepers of Truth.”

As to this one: A novel set in academia, involving a lost manuscript, an unsolved murder, suicide, jealousy, ambition, and the lack of it. A side story with the lead detective’s messed up life.

I thought the beginning with Pendleton was dragging on a bit…but once he became incapacitated things really took off. The backstory on the detective however seemed dragged in a bit. Eventually it found its place, but I was never sure it was really necessary that it be there.

The third (presumably final, but perhaps there will be a subsidiary trilogy that follows?) in the Magic or Madness trilogy. As with much “Young Adult” fiction, the brevity ultimately disappoints: I wasn’t ready to stop reading these characters when book 2 ended, nor am I ready now. Some things in this book that felt ickier than in the previous ones / but maybe I had just forgotten those feelings, I can’t be sure. Tom’s refusal to give up magic really stuck with me. The way he infuses the clothes he makes is one of my favorite images from the books.

Good, most of the storylines came full circle, but ultimately too short. Not enough. (Then again, I pretty much ALWAYS feel that way about kids’ books. Are kids really satisfied by them? Do they not want more? I wish I could remember….)

If you search on this page, you can find what I said about the previous two (in the April 16 and May 13, 2006 entries).

I picked this up at Foyle’s on the January trip to London after the blurbs on the back intrigued me: “story of a passionate love affair”, “heart-breaking true account of mad, intemperate love”, “filled with a searing emotion that burns off the page.” First person narrative; talking to the lover lost (murdered); remembering the moments, each one as they came; gathering memories; filling in the blanks. Thinking of the what-might-have-beens. Recalling what was.

Sad but moving. Occasionally awkward. Concise. Very quick read.

It wasn’t until after I read the notes in the back of the book and googled the author’s name that I learned the details — a true story. But questions remain. Was Tonio murdered as a message to quiet his mother’s research into a previous love triangle murder? Was he simply at the wrong place at the wrong time? Intriguing.

Considered a seminal release by many, I heard about this from my Dad. Probably everyone serious about military history and war (or anti-war) that was his age when this was published read this book. The story of an anti-hero, who fights in every war Earth carries on over hundreds of years. Haldeman touches on many issues, not just war related, but genetics, prejudice, the whole nine yards. And the message comes through loud and clear. I think Vonnegut would approve.

Worst of all was the feeling that perhaps my actions weren’t all that inhuman. Ancestors only a few generations back would have done the same thing, even to their fellow men, without any hypnotic conditioning.

A worthy follow-up to her early memoir “A Girl Named Zippy.” My favorite chapter was: “A Short List of Records My Father Threatened to Break Over My Head If I Played Them One More Time.” My favorite moment may have been when another student in her class got up and recited a John Denver song, pretending it was his original poem, and Kimmel was so angry she was determined to turn him in for committing a crime. Or when her mom tells her to go wash her hands for dinner, and “I considered saying “Mom, I eat rocks, for heaven’s sake.”

Really hilarious stuff and great slices of smalltown life. But here’s my question: how in the holy fucking hell does she REMEMBER all this stuff? If I tried to write a book of childhood memories, there’d be maybe two pages of what I remember, then five to six pages of “shit my parents have told me so many times, I kinda THINK I remember it, except really I don’t.” And the other 292 pages would be BLANK because I.Do.Not.Remember.Anything and I’m so not joking about that. She remembers so much she’s gotten two books out of it. She remembers exact conversations she had in sixth grade. Or before. Did she keep a diary? Is that how? I am baffled by this. When I finally get a superpower, maybe it’ll be MEMORY because I am surely lacking it.