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10.31.05 by Widge @ 8:53 pm    Ah yes, as we are besieged by all manner of children in costume demanding either candy or souls from us (not to mention a vast lame horde of kids without costumes--kids without costumes??--call child services!) we have certain reference books from New Page that we are keeping on hand to while away the time between knocks at the door. Categorized as: Books
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10.18.05 by Widge @ 6:21 pm    Abrams Books is unleashing books regarding Star Wars that you would swear weigh more than a dozen angry Wookies soaking wet. But if you're hardcore about the series, you might want to check these out (or consider them for Xmas for family and friends--nothing says I love you like a book that will stop a bullet). First up, there's The Cinema of George Lucas. And yes, it's not just Star Wars. You...do know he made other films before Star Wars, right? Anyway, it takes you all the way from when he was knee-high to a Jawa through his school days and on to films like the bizarre Pre-Lynchian sci-fi epic THX 1138 and American "Whattaya mean there's no starships in it?" Graffiti and such. Then you go into plenty of George's Star Wars stuff to please any geek. Heft: 4+ lbs. Categorized as: Books
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10.02.05 by Dindrane @ 11:11 pm 
Written by Laura Joh Rowland The Perfumed Sleeve brings back Honorable Detective Sano, involved in another murder investigation for his Emperor. An advisor to the shogun has been found dead, apparently in his sleep, but Sano decides it is murder, and seemingly by a woman, as a torn, perfumed kimono sleeve was found wadded up with the bedclothes. In a world where murder is a frequent political tool, and where two factions are vying to the death for the shogun's favor, Sano must treat carefully on his path to truth. The focus of this book is rarely on the murder or the investigation, but rather on the power struggle between the shogun's cousin, Lord Matsudaira, and his second-in-command/lover, Yanagisawa. Both Matsudaira and Yanagisawa are attempting to claim Sano as their pawn in this game of thrones, and Sano wants none of it, for reasons born equally of ethics and self-preservation. Categorized as: Books and Reviews
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09.30.05 by Dindrane @ 5:31 pm 
Written by Charlaine Harris Sookie Stackhouse is just your typical poor Louisiana girl...she works as a waitress in a diner, has to get her tomcat brother out of trouble a lot, her ex-boyfriend is a vampire, and she can read minds. Oh, wait a minute. Ok, so she's not completely typical. Having broken up with Sookie, Bill is off to Peru, leaving Sookie to deal with her life alone. Witches have erased Eric's memory, leaving Sookie to babysit and hide him, while she also tries to get over Bill and find her brother Jason, who has gone missing under some very disturbing circumstances. War is brewing, with good witches, shapeshifters, and vampires on one side, and very powerful shapeshifting bad witches who drink vampire blood on the other. Sookie's survival has never been more in doubt. One of the best things about Harris' Southern Vampire series is the tight characterization. Sookie has a unique and distinct voice; her humanity causes what could be a mediocre or even pedestrian series to life and makes readers genuinely care about what happens to her and those she loves. Even the secondary characters have personalities and lives of their own: Sam the were-collie, Eric Northman the Viking vampire, and the rest all have solid identities and definite roles to play in the novel. The only character who doesn't seem to fit at all is the faery, who is frankly annoying, and completely out of place, though perhaps that will become the point somehow. There are some unanswered questions about why things happen the way they do, but the book is so well-written that these minor quibbles are just that--minor. If you are part of the groundswell of dislike for the way Laurell K. Hamilton's latest books are more smut than good story, then you should definitely check out Sookie's adventures. Sookie is no prude (there is some explicit sex in this book), but she can actually be bothered to do something else now and again. Unlike the latest in the Anita Blake books, Sookie's eroticism never distracts from the plot, but rather adds to it and is a natural outgrowth of the characters' personalities and situations. One just hopes that the growing harem of men after Sookie (Bill, Eric, Sam, Alcide, and now werepanther Calvin Norris) will not lead Harris' book down the same deadend alley as the Hamilton books. Fans of vampire or werewolf fiction should give Dead to the World a look, but if possible, read the earlier installments in the series first. Readers new to the series will not find this one confusing, but reading the earlier books will enrich the experience. Those just looking for something light and fun, but not silly or pointless, will also find this rewarding reading. Categorized as: Books and Reviews
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09.20.05 by Dindrane @ 3:00 am 
Written by Meg Cabot The Princess series is one of the most charming, endearing series to appear on the young adult scene for several years. The heroine, Mia Thermopolis, is the princess of a small, fictional European country modeled on Monaco, called Genovia. In every other respect, however, Mia is normal, and therein lies the magic of the series. Mia is truly one of the most likable heroines around these days, especially in recent years full of double-crossing divas and the recent cliché of teen witch. As a supposed fictional diary, high school reads just like it really was, only better. In this volume, Mia's beloved Michael has graduated and left Mia to the tender mercies of Lana and high school. He may just be across town, but anyone who has had to step into school the first day after all your friends are gone knows how she feels. Luckily, Mia still has Tina, Lilly, and even Kenny to get her through. Categorized as: Books and Reviews
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