A Game of Thrones part 2

Bran is awake! Although, he does not recall what had happened the day of his fall. His brother Robb has taken control of Winterfell, and risen to the occasion. Catelyn is in the North, contacting her husband Ned and others whom she can trust in order to discover the truth behind her sons fall, and unveil the mystery of Jon Arynn's death. Tension is boiling as Ned combs the last of Jon Arynn's servants and squires to discover their knowledge on Jon and his all too convenient death. Furthermore, Arya and Sansa are at constant blows, spewing all sorts of angst and disgust while their father unsuccessfully attempts to referee their fights. And the ever present whisper of "winter is coming" resounds faithfully in every Stark's ears. The looming winter is the final ingredient to a disaster-stew that is nearing its boiling point. It is clear that the mystery of Jon Arynn's death and Bran's fall are slowly being revealed, and the Lannister's thickly weaved web of lies and concealment will soon become lucid.
I am very happy with this book, this series has kept me on my feet since the start. I am very keen on learning more about the Lannister's and their motives as well as what will happen to Winterfell and the North when winter finally comes.Happy Reading...

Quote Wednesdays!

A Game of Thrones: pg125
"He never saw the wolf, where it was or how it came at him. One moment he was walking toward Snow and the next he was flat on his back on the hard rocky ground, the book spinning away from him as he fell, the breath going out of him at the sudden impact, his mouth full of dirt and blood and rotting leaves."
~Excellent part of the story when Jon Snow's direwolf attacks Tyrion in Snow's defense!

A Game of Thrones: The beginning

I am about 100 pages into the first book in the series, A Game of Thrones. So far it's proving to be a very good read. As far as I can tell this series is about a group of medieval families, lords, kinds, and royal families alike, all vying for the rule of the land. This series is definite a step up from any other science fiction/fantasy novels that I have read. Although it's length is daunting (over 800 pages) thus far it appears to be a promising read. Something of note within this novel is that each chapter is given in another characters perspective, so you learn the plot and story through various perspectives; allowing the reader to be involved in the action, rather than just reading what one character is telling you. This also creates for some very interesting dramatic irony- you may be hearing or seeing one thing from one character that directly relates to another character who is thus far ignorant. My only warning when choosing to read this series is that there are many names and families, that frankly sound rather similar, and the dialect is fairly hard to get used to. However, after the first few chapters I found it was much easier to keep the different families and their respective lands straight. Read this book! Let me know what you think! Happy reading....

Lev Grossman novels cont...

Today I am going to finish my discussion on The Magician and The Magician King. Another aspect of this duo that I particularly enjoyed was the fact that these novels were not too fantastical. Although I enjoy fantasy novels of all kinds, I know that many readers do not necessarily like too read things that are too far-fetched or unbelievable. Although both of these books involve magic and fantasy it is clear that anyone can enjoy them and learn something from them. Most noteably, in my belief, these novels are somewhat of a commentary on people, and their incessant need to find something bigger and better. Quentin, the main character, is never satisfied with his life. He is always sitting on the sidelines waiting expectantly for his "calling". Periodically, when an adventure is brewing or a task is at hand Quentin becomes overjoyed. He breathes a sigh of relief because he feels that he is finally on the cusp of something amazing. Yet, time and time again he is dissapointed. This is a reoccuring problem with people today, everyone is always waiting for the next best thing, the thing that will define them, and the moment when their life will begin. Sadly, just like Quentin, many don't realize that it already has.
On a final note, I strongly suggest these novels to anyone, no matter what genre they prefer. Happy reading...

Living is like tearing through a museum. Not until later do you really start absorbing what you saw, thinking about it, looking it up in a book, and remembering - because you can't take it in all at once. ~Audrey Hepburn

My very first blog

Hey all,
This is my absolute first time ever attempting to begin a blog. I am definitely a bit of a neophite, so bare with me. I am dedicating this blog to the books I read and my comments on them. I'd like to try to discuss full heartedly the various books I am currently reading, or have read and get as many comments I can based upon my opinions and the opinions of others. Reading is much more than my hobby, it's a lifestyle. I am so passionate about the written word, and those lucky enough to posses the talent to write them. I could gush about my love for books for endless paragraphs, but instead of doing so I'd like to begin my first blog with a book that I just finished last night.
The Magician King, author Lev Grossman
The Magician King is the second installment in this series by Grossman. The first book, which I finished a few weeks ago is The Magician. This series is a must have! It chronicles the life of, Quentin Coldwater, throughout his basically meaningless existence, until some very meaningful and bizarre things begin happening to him. Quentin is absurdly genuis and chronically depressed. He's almost too smart for his own good, he is bored with his own highschool life and utterly obsessed with a fantasy book series called Fillory. Withough giving too much away, Quentin is "invited" to take a test at a magical school, Brakebills. He passes and is tossed into a magical world that he had no idea existed. The Magician and The Magician King follow Quentin as he deals with loss and love and dealing with the very real problems that living in a magical fantasyland create.
I found that Quentin is an extremely likeable character he is relatable, realistic, and sarcastic, with a biting sense of humor that never quits. Many compare this series to Harry Potter, and I would not necessarily disagree with this assessment.  I harbor a not-so-secret obsession with Harry Potter and after having read the two Grossman books I have spotted some very real and distinguishable differences between the two series. However, the differences in these books make them evermore lovable. For example, in Harry Potter, (as all of you know) the main character, Harry, is faced with countless life and death situations, and although he is afraid, he always manages to pull through. Harry Potter is the main character and essentially the hero, and the reader comes to expect this. It's comforting in a way, always knowing that somehow someway the Chosen One will inevitably come to the rescue. I loved this about the series.
However, in the Magician series the opposite is true. I found myself waiting throughout the novels for Quentin to become some sort of magical prodigy, for him to be special in someway other than the obvious exclusivity of being a magician. This never happened. He isn't a magical genuis, although he is a genuis based on our standards, he is just a regular guy. He was scared and cowardly and pathetic throughout many dangerous situations in the first book, yet he was believable. It was a nice change to read about a character who was actually fallible, if not, human! Quentin is a character that I think many people will find endearing and relatable, if not inspite of, because of his many faults.
I strongly urge every reader to check out The Magician and The Magician King by Lev Grossman, I will be back tomorrow to discuss, in more depth, the goings-on and plot of these two books, and why I found them so enjoyable. Until then, Happy Reading....