I can't believe no one else has used that title... Very reminiscent of Crichton's Andromeda Strain. Certainly no Ender's Game. One of the characters, a neurodoctor or something, displays a skill at lock picking so he can access the restricted building roof and jump off, so as to commit suicide. WTH?
Space ship travels from Earth to distant planet to colonize, splits into nineteen more ships(or total, I was confused, sometimes). A boy on a planet can see the "paths" of where people and animals have traveled. Good story, seems to be first of a series. Some pretty funny dialog, too!
Words I Had To Look Up:
causality -- The relation between a cause and its effect or between regularly correlated events or phenomena.
Sequel to Pathfinder. I was so confused, I didn't remember much from the first book, I guess. This one was ok. I hope I remember more when the next book comes out!
Story of Sarah and Abraham, you know, from the Bible. Interesting to read, since I'm not real familiar with the story. Not a "grabber", but I intend to read the next two books in the series.
The Love Song I will never hurt you. I will always help you. If you are hungry I'll give you my food. If you are frightened I am your friend. I love you now, And love does not end. I kept weeping while I read this story. I recommend it and all his books. It reminded me of Le Guin's A Wizard Of Earthsea.
Ender goes the planet Lusitania to speak the life of a very cruel father that died. A very moving book, very hard to read with streams of tears flowing.
First book in the Mither Mages series. Danny North grew up in a compound in Virginia with his extended family who all (mostly) have magical powers. Except he doesn't seem to have any, and is looked down upon by everyone else.
Quentin Fears meets and marries a wonderful woman who has a creepy family. Typical Card book, I liked it. Could one say Card is the Stephen King of fantasy?
QUOTE:
"Why aren't we drinkers, Quentin? Guys who drink can go to a bar at a time like this." "Is Swenson's open? We can eat a hundred scoops of ice cream and puke in the street." "Well, that's half the fun of drinking, at least."
QUOTE:
"I always think of books as being like people," said Sannazzaro. "Even the dull ones are worthy of decent respect, but you don't have to seek them out and spend time with them." "The disadvantage with people," said Quentin,"is you can't put bookmarks in them and set them aside till you want them again."
Some accountant goes to jail for fudging the corporate books. Not a BAD book, but the ending was boring. No zinger. Read (lightly) again the next day. I bet this would be funny as a movie. I picture Will being played by the brother on New Adventures Of Old Christine.
Quote:
In one book, a mystery masquerading as science fiction, future humans snatch people from planes about to crash ... -- (pg. 221) Oh, oh, I know this one! Air Raid, by John Varley!
Words I Had To Look Up:
Mapback (pg. 12) -- Paperback mystery books published by Dell. Had a map on the back cover. Mansard (pg. 17) -- A type of roof that has two slopes on each of the four sides. Look it up! Propitiation (pg. 36) -- Turning away of wrath by an offering. Banguette (pg. 53) -- An upholstered bench. Used three times in story. Efflorescence (pg. 76) -- One could say blossoming, instead. Gravitas (pg. 98) -- Dignity, seriousness. Alice Paul (pg. 101) -- An American suffragist leader. Unindicted (pg. 115) -- You don't pronounce the "c". Thuja (pg. 118) -- A type of coniferous tree. Cardigan (pg. 141) -- A sweater that fastens down the front. I can never remember that! Cabriole (pg. 165) -- A very curvy kind of furniture leg. Poussin (pg. 187) -- The painter, the chicken, or Jenny Poussin the body builder? I don't know. Placket (pg. 188) -- Refers both to a slit in clothing and to layers of fabric which may be used to conceal such a slit. And yet I'm still not sure what it is! piquant (pg. 194) -- Engagingly provocative. porte cochere (pg. 196) -- A roofed structure extending from the entrance of a building over an adjacent driveway to shelter those getting into or out of vehicles. Big bug (pg. 212) -- A wealthy or important person.
Felix, an exorcist in present day, but slightly different, London, has run-ins with white-slavers, ghosts, archivists, and a succubus. All in a day's work.
Words I Had To Look Up::
snood (pg. 4) -- chiff (pg. 34) -- black sugar paper (pg. 61) -- Ken Wolstenholme's voice (pg. 176) -- the last two syllables of which were "bubble" (pg. 321) -- A word he didn't expect Alice to know?
Quote:
This lying thing--once you got into it, it was really a fantastic labor-saving device. (pg 232)