Posted by admin on 28 Jun 2010 under books, reviews
Paige Mercer
Very few people haven’t heard of author Stephanie Meyer and her wildly popular Twilight books. This four book series details the lives of vampires, werewolves and mere humans in a cleverly spun tale. The books have since been made into extremely popular movies and have attracted a whole new set of fans. But Ms. Meyer has written another book about other worldly creatures, and they aren’t vampires. No, her other book is about aliens, but they are just as intriguing as the Cullen’s!
Stephanie Meyer started out writing her tale of vampires living among humans with the goal to pay off her family’s van. Who knew that a quest to make $10,000 would mushroom into an entire phenomenon! Ms. Meyer’s vampire story is well written and hard to put down. She has created cultures that really don’t exist, but after reading the book you want to believe they do. The same holds true for her book, The Host. Once again she creates a culture and a setting that is so completely believable you wonder if it is really going on around you!
While The Host has not received the incredible press attention that the Twilight books have, it is just as well written and intriguing as they are. In this book, Ms. Meyer draws the reader into a world where aliens are taking over the human race. However, they aren’t scary, creepy looking aliens like you would imagine. Instead they are ’souls’ who take over the barbaric human bodies and live among us.
The goal of these alien souls is to leave each planet they conquer a more peaceful place than it was when they arrived. Part of the process is assimilating the role of humans as other members of their race find more human bodies to host the souls. Of course this means killing the human to take possession of their body, but the souls see this as a necessity. As the aliens begin to take over, life becomes more peaceful and calm.
Sounds great right? Well, maybe if you are around to enjoy it! However, the goal of the aliens is to get rid of all the humans. As a result there are people hiding out and trying to survive. That is where the story begins. A human named Melanie is trying to survive when she is taken. An alien soul named Wanderer is implanted in Melanie’s body. But this is where things don’t go as planned. Melanie’s mind is still active and aware.
This story takes you through life with the alien Wanderer trying to come to terms with sharing her host body with its previous occupant. Wanderer has never questioned her role as a soul, but now she is starting to doubt the mission as she feels the human emotions that Melanie shares with her.
Once again Stephanie Meyer has written a book that you will not be able to put down. Her style of writing is so intricate and detailed you will find yourself running through the desert along with the characters. With this book, Stephanie has shown that she is capable of writing about more than vampires. Yet again, she has created a world that is complete fiction but it feels so real.
Paige loves to spend time in reading and spending time outside. She loves to garden and enjoys the beauty of the flowers in her yard. She loves her convenient automatic garden hose reel to keep her garden hoses nice and tidy. She is happy when she finds the best water hose reel for her garden.
Article Source: Stephanie Meyer’s Other Book – The Host
Posted by admin on 20 Jun 2010 under books, reviews
Steph Burkhart
Zoltack expands the kingdom and allows her imagination to shine with “Knight of Flore,” a fantasy romance. Filled with action and adventure, Knight of Glory picks up where Book One left off, with Arnhem at the brink of war with Specia.
Geoffrey of Sivia, a knight for Arnhem, is a close friend to King Caelan and Queen Aislinn. At a royal ball, he meets Celestia, a woman he is attracted to. He finds her beautiful and would like to explore the attraction, but Aislinn sends him on a mission to check on Caelan’s parents.
Geoffrey leaves Celestia and travels with another knight, Jacob, and Raulin, a hawker squire. On their way to Arnhem’s northern border, Geoffrey meets a non-magical sageous, Jenanna, who joins his mission. Jenanna is not a classical beauty, not like Celestia, but she is practical and adventurous. Geoffrey finds himself attracted to those qualities.
Geoffrey encounters a kelpie and has to take his companions through an evil grey mist to reach Caelan’s parents. When they arrive, they learn that Caelan’s mother has passed away. Shortly thereafter, his father departs as well.
On the way back, Aislinn gives Geoffrey a new mission. Arnhem is under attack by Specia. She wants Geoffrey to approach the Darwalis and Haugtrolds to see if they will form an alliance with Arnhem. Celestia soon joins the party and Geoffrey learns she’s a Speican. Still, he accepts her and sets out to accomplish his new task. Along the way they encounter the small people of Darwal and the Haugtrold wine dancers. A shadow rider, magical sageous, and alce also join the story as the Speican/Arnhem war soon encompasses the continent.
As a knight, Geoffrey embodies the idealistic virtues of courtly love. It’s through these eyes he sees Celestia. He sees Jenanna in a more realistic way. Soon, he’ll have to decide which love is the one he wants.
Zoltack’s plot is full of action and adventure as Geoffrey sets out on his quests. Her descriptions are vivid, painting a complete picture of her world. The story’s dialogue captures the authenticity of her world.
The characters are interesting, but as a reader, I was a little disappointed with what happens to Celestia. Geoffrey embodies many knightly virtues, but he would pout and brood when things wouldn’t happen fast enough for him. Jenanna shines throughout. She’s courageous, brave, and not afraid to find her own way.
The story is sweet for romance readers with Geoffrey and Jenanna sharing a kiss or two. “Knight of Glory” is a nice story to curl up with on a rainy Saturday.
Written by: Nicole Zoltack
Desert Breeze Publishing
ISBN: 1-936000-49-0
Ebook Format
4 Stars
Reviewed by: S. Burkhart.
StephB is an author who likes to read many books and a variety of different genres. StephB is an author at http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Creative Writing.
Article Source: Book Review For “Knight of Glory”
Posted by admin on 18 Jun 2010 under books, movies, television
Tracy Falbe
I read many types of books, both fiction and nonfiction, but the fantasy genre always stays at the top of my reading pile. Many of the elements of fantasy that perpetually attract me are:
1. Sword fights
Some critics might label them juvenile, but the thought of defending myself from death and dismemberment is undeniably exciting. Swinging the blade along with a hero or heroine sweetly satisfies because it lets the civilized mind explore the properly forbidden realm of violence. As a reader, I am also attracted to the power represented by the sword. This ancient weapon meant for war and not hunting is a potent symbol, forged from the ores of the Earth and given deadly force by the strength of flesh. These ancient truths resonate with me.
2. Magical Races
Magic is an essential element for fantasy literature. It can come in many forms, but I prefer the magic to be exclusive to a special race. I enjoy thinking about a race apart from humanity that has an expanded command of the forces of the universe.
3. Pre-industrial societies
Most, but not all, fantasy novels are set in a world that is pre-industrial. It usually has technology similar to that of the ancient world or Medieval times. I think this setting is attractive to me because there are no cars. I’ll admit it. I like horses. Better yet, how about riding a dragon?
4. High stakes
By this I mean that the plot is usually driven by the need to save the world, save the kingdom, save the princess, etc. It is something very important that matters to humanity, or elves, or fairies, or whoever. General fiction stories set in my real world simply don’t captivate me nearly as often. I want to think big and get away from my little life.
5. Political intrigue
Many fantasy books include characters who are among the elite of society. Kings, priests, scholars, generals, warriors. Such characters are usually trying to maintain their political power and are under attack from scheming rivals. It is fun to read about people facing such problems in which failure can mean assassination, execution, or exile. I guess I enjoy fantasizing about being in charge.
6. Social commentary
Although fantasy tends to focus on hereditary aristocratic elites, the storylines often include other segments of society. Slavery, racial prejudice, gender oppression, religious fanaticism, and child labor frequently are examined within the fictional contexts of fantasy literature. I like fiction that tackles weighty themes that trouble our real world, and fantasy books can sometimes critically illuminate social ills.
7. Mythic scope
The events and characters in fantasy often operate on the level of legends and the shaping of worlds. This is very appealing because it adds to the impact of the story. The story is about something that mattered to the world, to its history and maybe even its creation.
8. Heroes
This is the genre that delivers good old fashioned sword-swinging heroes who will take on the bad guys. Such raw elemental displays of bravery make good reading.
9. Quests
The characters usually have to endure long dangerous journeys. They have to go here and get this magic amulet. They have to go there and build an alliance and gain an army. Quests are a very effective plot device, and I like the straightforwardness of it.
10. Taverns
Quests inevitably involve stopping somewhere for the night, getting a drink and dinner, and probably hiring a mercenary. Anyone who has been on a road trip can appreciate that feeling of wary excitement when entering a strange watering hole. Tavern scenes serve as a great way to bind the mythic and heroic characters to the readers by putting them in such an intimate and familiar situation.
11. Monsters
All manner of vicious beasts, undead, dragons, and tentacle-waving horrors assault the adventurers, and it often makes for thrilling action. I like these metaphorical battles that represent my fears of the overwhelming force of Nature, and, beyond that, the supernatural. Fighting monsters resonates with something deep in humanity that once struggled through a truly threatening and primeval world.
This rich and varied genre lets me enjoy my imagination and draw upon the deep experiences of humanity through the ages. I invite readers to discover my four-part fantasy series The Rys Chronicles by downloading Union of Renegades at http://www.braveluck.com
Article Source: 11 Things I Love About the Fantasy Genre
Posted by admin on 10 Jun 2010 under books, business
Lisa Sliwa
If you are an avid reader who is passionate about books, why not open a bookshop? If you’ve ever thought that owning a book store is something you would like to do, this may be the right time to begin to explore just what it would take to run a successful bookstore business.
The details may seem a little overwhelming at first. You’ll need to write a business plan, including a mission statement, which will serve as the skeleton of your new venture. It will keep you focused on where you are headed as you flesh out each step and will help to turn your dream into a reality. You will also need a business plan if you will be applying for outside financing.
Whether you’re online or bricks-and-mortar, you’ll need to set up a merchant account with a reputable company for credit card processing services. Merchant Account Guide is a great starting place.
Along the way, you’ll have lots of choices to make. You’ll need to decide on a location, and you’ll need to determine what kind of bookstore to open. If you are looking to open a bookshop in an area already served by one of the mega-bookstores like Barnes and Noble, you may want to target a sector of the market that is often overlooked, such as the rare or used book market, or possibly set up a specialty store like a Christian book store or a store specializing in mystery novels.
You’ll need to find inventory, and you’ll want to choose fixtures and furnishings that reflect the atmosphere you’ve chosen for your shop. You also may want to consider how you can best become a valued part of the community; through offering special programs like book clubs, poetry readings, creative writing classes, guest artists and speakers, and of course, providing story tellers and special events for children, your shop may become a favorite neighborhood destination! This could be a crucial factor to the success of your business, for the more people who visit your shop, the more books you are likely to sell and the more repeat customers you are likely to gain.
If starting a bookstore business is something you are just beginning to look into, you may find it useful to consider pointers from someone who has already profitably accomplished this. For more tips and some great first hand advice about how to open a bookstore, Why Not Open A Bookshop is a wonderful resource which can point you in the right direction for success.
Article Source: Starting a Bookstore – Initial Steps For Success
Posted by admin on 02 Jun 2010 under movies, reviews
Paul Gallen
1. Blade Runner
Blade Runner follows policeman Rick Deckard, and the pursuit of four illegally cloned humans in a dystopian, futuristic Los Angeles. So many things make this movie the best: a brooding score, the “I’ve seen things…” polemic, and the iconic future LA cityscape all work to tell a gripping story.
2. 2001: A Space Odyssey
It achieved world-wide praise for its revolutionary special effects.
It had many brilliant moments: accurate simulations of space that are still unparalleled even with today’s CGI, the characterization of Hal, the malevolent super-computer, and using classical music in the opening scene.
3. Star Wars
The film weaved themes of good warring with evil in a space opera setting. It used an all-encompassing “force” wielded for good or evil, adding a touch of mysticism not usually seen in sci-fi films. It was the first blockbuster, influencing sci-fi sagas for decades thereafter.
4. Alien
It was lauded for Gothic set design, terrifying Aliens, and heroic Ripley, played by Sigourney Weaver. Alien also addresses themes of motherhood, and shows effective tension by showing long stretches of quiet followed by scenes of sheer terror.
5. Solaris
A compelling, tragic drama of a psychologist travelling to another planet to replace a scientist. Once he arrives, he meets secretive survivors… and his dead wife. Reality is replaced with the dreams of the planet’s alien intelligence.
6. Terminator
Robots from the future send a cyborg back in time to assassinate a future human rebel’s mother. It’s a perfect piece of film-making in its genre, blending gripping action with intelligent time travel mechanics.
7. The Day the Earth Stood Still
In postwar America at the height of the Red Scare, an alien named Klaatu tries to convince the world’s leaders to stop the rush towards nuclear destruction. It has excellent dramatic tension and a message of peace that was far ahead of its time.
8. War of the Worlds
HG Wells’ tale of invaders from Mars of Earth was adapted into another cold war era movie. The idea that there could be life developed on different worlds which one would never recognise was a compelling idea for its time. The spare special effects only heightened the contrast between humans and the unknowable invaders.
9. The Matrix
Stylish clothes, martial arts action, and ground-breaking special effects combined to make a fresh spin on artificial intelligence enslaving humans. It also pioneered the use of “bullet time” sequences used worldwide today.
10. Close Encounters of the Third Kind
A tale of Richard Dreyfus’ growing obsession with aliens against a backdrop of a mysterious governmental agency has given the core of sci-fi film lore ever since.
Paul Gallen writes guides on gadgets, gaming and electronics and is the encyclopaedia of LCD TV. He can tell you all about the best deals on cheap LCD TVs, including a LCD LG TV or a plasma Panasonic TV.
Article Source: Top 10 Sci Fi Films