Looking for Your Next Book

I believe that Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is one of the most creative, endearing fantasies for children ever written. Since the book came into the public domain (and perhaps even before that) there have been other authors adding to the Wonderland collection of stories, many of them with Alice. There have also been adaptations and other books using Carroll's world, characters, and stories as a reference for their own stories. Some, like Christina Henry's The Chronicles of Alice series are fabulous while more than a few that I've read are simply not worth reading. Alice With a Why by Anna James is one of the best I've ever read. 1919 and Alyce's father has died in the war and she now lives with her grandmother, Alice. Yes ... the original Alice who journeyed to Wonderland. One afternoon, and invitation to a tea party hits Alyce in the face. While it's addressed to an Alice with an 'I' she's certain that since it came to ...

It is so far into the future that humanity is extinct. Evidence of humanity, however, still exists - primarily through the machines that continue to operate and have developed a complex form of intelligence. The machines have been able to create - or rather 're'create - civilizations based on information it/they have managed to gather. It is the surprising discovery of the works of William Shakespeare that has shed new light on ancient humanity.  In an effort to learn more about humans, the machines understand that the best way to make sense of Shakespeare's works is to stage the plays through a simulation that is indistinguishable from reality. Entering into the plays is J-9 - a machine construct that is human-like. J-9 prefers to be identified by the more human-like name: Janine. Along with a mechanical owl, Janine observes the play from inside the performances, commenting on the events and the behavior of the different characters. Based on Janine's experiences and im...

This book collects two von Bek novels. The first is The Warhound and the World's Pain .  Ulrich von Bek, one incarnation of the Eternal Champion, is operating as a mercenary, selling his soldiering skills in the wars in 17th century Europe. He decides to take a break after one extremely ugly city destruction and wanders alone to reflect. Choosing to take refuge in a castle he encounters on his wandering, von Bek falls in love with the beautiful Sabrina, keeper of the castle. It also in the castle, however, that von Bek meets Lucifer. Yes, THAT Lucifer. Von Bek, it turns out, is already destined to spend his eternity in Hell (Was he really surprised by this?) Lucifer is willing to cut him a deal.  Lucifer is, let's remember, an angel.  A fallen angel, but an angel nonetheless. Lucifer can get in God's good graces if he, or someone he selects, can cure for the world's pain (by finding the Holy Grail). Von Bek travels through both earthly and magical lands, following up on...

Molly Miggins is the 9 year old daughter of magical parents. Her mother is a High Witch and her father is a stage magician who uses real magic in his acts. During one particular performance, something goes wrong and both of her parents vanish without a trace.  Now Molly is told by a wizard that she is the only one who can rescue them, but to do so, she must first pass her tests to become a Junior Witch, even though she is too young to enroll in the witches academy. Thus begins an adventure for Molly that will either get her parents back or doom her to being an orphan. This was a delightful, light story for young readers - children maybe not ready yet for the darkness is the Harry Potter books but who want a magical fantasy. This is very appropriate for early elementary school readers (ages 8-10 maybe?). Those who read well and also for those who enjoy having their parents read longer books to them.  I think my children would have liked this when they were the appropriate age. ...

I don't know what to make of this. I loved it. I was confused by it. I was bored. I was fascinated. I was ... at some point I ran through just about every possible reaction to this. How to describe this slightly off-beat (in a good way), unusual, sci-fi/fi fantasy.... A race of bi-pedal, primitive aliens, known as Fluters are a nomadic group just trying to survive. This is getting harder and harder to do with changes happening to the river Ata. Their numbers are on the decline, with only one child born in the past year - a girl who is named Vattu. Not everyone is happy with the birth of a girl, and when the Fluters encounter a more aggressive race from the Empire of Sahta who demand their tax. Having nothing, they give them Vattu, promising them that Vattu is a boy and will prove to be a strong slave. Vattu is accompanied (and looked after) by a faceless, voiceless warrior from still another race. While the warrior would appear more dangerous, he submits to beatings and punishmen...

Climax, Arizona isn't much of a town - it's got only one of just about everything. One saloon, one hotel, one lawman. It doesn't take much to keep the peace in such a town, which suits Giles Frost just fine. He's too old to work on the range and too settled to have to take care of anything more than the occasional drunk. But peace in Climax and peace for Giles Frost comes to a violent end when Frost is shot in the side one night while making his evening patrol.   A violent gang has decided that they are going to make Climax their new home base and they've got no use for a lawman. Giles Frost hasn't got any use for murderers or for the town of Climax and was ready to move on once he recovered enough from his bullet wound, but as he hit the trail he encounters another lawman who's looking for him. The gang that's taken over Climax are wanted and more than one lawman is looking to take them down.  But Giles Frost's knowledge of the town could be crucial...