Wednesday, May 14, 2008

What a novel idea....

One of the benefits of finally giving up playing Neverwinter Nights (NWN) is that I finally am able to finish a book. Recently, I've really gotten into the Succubus series by Richelle Mead (whom I insist on calling Michelle Read...). I've even pre-ordered Succubus Dreams, due out 6 October. They're funny, well-written, sexy without being crude, and imaginative. I kind of wish the Succubus series had a warning or something..although that wouldn't help any (in fact it would just encourage teens all the more)....she wrote the vampire academy series first, which are for young adults (read: teens). However, the Succubus series is most definitely not for teens. Well, it's not something I would want MY teens reading, at least. But, for adults into paranormal/urban fantasy, I highly recommend them.

As for the Magic series by Cheyenne McCray...don't waste your money or time. The most interesting thing about these is the author's name. She didn't even do basic research to find out that Anu was a GOD and not a goddess (sometimes, Wikipedia is your friend). [edit: okay, okay, I did the research and she meant Danu, the goddess. But she wrote D'anu and the heroine kept saying things like "Dear Anu, Sweet Anu, Anu please..." The goddess' name was Danu. Anu was a Sumerian god.] The hero of the third book, Wicked Magic, is an over-the-top, caricature of the rough, never-love-anyone-until-he-meets-the-heroine asshat. The sex-scenes were jaded and prurient and just plain boring after the first one. The writing is appalling, technically speaking. I tend to stick a book out, though, no matter how horrible. Your money, your risk.

Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark-Hunter series looks very promising, though. I just finished Book 11, Devil May Cry and it was very enjoyable and you didn't really need to have read the first 10 in the series to "get" it. It's still a bit jarring to hear the gods talk in modern-day lingo, but I suppose they would have changed with the times (except Artemis--I crack up each time she gets a metaphor screwed up). I've gone in and put the first three Dark-Hunter books in my cart at Amazon (I buy used). I'll look for them meanwhile at Half-Price Books. I have a bunch of books coming anyway, so don't need these immediately. Here I am, needing to be rid of books...and ordering more!

Meanwhile, I've picked up a book that's been on my shelf for 23 years and I've never read it (don't laugh...I have some even older that fall in that category). It's Richard Adams' Maia...it's so huge, I'll probably be able to finish 3-4 other novels while reading it.

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