What Books Are You Reading?

[Talon Karrde]

Since I last posted in this thread I have read the following:

The Interrogator - a compilation of mystery and suspense stories from authors like Jeffery Deaver, Lee Child, Mickey Spillane, Joyce Carol Oates, Bill Pronzini and more. Awesome book! The stories are short but really captivating. Fun read!

Schulz & Peanuts[/COLOR][/B][/I] by David Michaelis - An in depth look at Charles Schulz, creator of the Peanuts comic strip. A bit over-long, but worth it if you really want to know what this man was all about.

Star Wars: Reputation by Ari Marmell - A short story revealing the rise of the bounty hunter Cad Bane.

Star Wars: Mercy Kill by Aaron Allston - What every fan of the Star Wars X-Wing novels has been waiting for - a continuation of this awesome series. This novel features a couple of the older members of Wraith Squadron, plus brand new members, including Myrii Antilles (Wedge's daughter) and Kell Tainer's duaghter Jesmin. Aaron Allston has not lost his touch - this book has everything that made the older X-wing books so popular. There is hope that this new book will be the start of a brand new X-wing series!

Batgirl: Volume 1: The Darkest Reflection Barbara Gordon's back as Batgirl, but her transition back is not easy - she's a tad rusty and the criminals she faces are like none she ever faced before. Although I was against the loss of Oracle and the return to Batgirl, I can't deny that Barbara Gordon was always my favorite Batgirl and I also can't deny that Gail Simone has helped make this return much more palatable. I actually enjoyed this graphic novel more than I had intended to.

Cat Daddy by Jackson Galaxy - You know that guy from Animal Planet's My Cat from Hell - the guy with the sleeve tattoos, goatie and guitar case filled with cat toys and the ability to turn seemingly hopeless case cats into amazing best friends? Well, he wrote a book about the cat that saved his life. Apparently, Jackson Galaxy didn't always have his life together and during his downward spiral he credits one cat for helping him turn his life around and make him the "Cat Whisperer" he is today. Really interesting read!

Angels in Iron by Nicholas C. Prata - This book talks about the seige of Malta that took place in 1565. The battle pitted the Kinghts Hospitaller against the Ottoman Empire. The Knights were severely outnumbered, but their faith, courage and ferocity as fighters carried them to victory. This book brings the fight closer to the reader by allowing us to identify with some of its most heroic fighters. This author has a way of captivating the reader and holding their attention, despite the fact that we all know what the outcome of the horrendous battle will be. Awesome, yet bloody, read!

Resident Evil: Genesis by Keith R.A. DeCandido - The novelization of the first Resident Evil movie sheds more light on each of the main characters and makes the movie a much mroe enjoyable experience.

Dueling Minds a compilation of horror stories based upon a single work of art. Each author came up with a different interpretation of what was going on in that artwork and was inspired to write vastly differing tales from one author to the next. Interesting concept.

More Than Midnight by Brian Freeman - A compilation of short stories set in the horror genre. Each tale is different from the next, some being your slash 'em tales, others being psychological horror tales, etc. Great, fast read.

Star Wars: The Last Battle of Jace Malcolm by Alexander Freed - A short story featuring a character from the Old Republic video game. Offers up some insight into the mind of this hardcore fighter.

Rise to Greatness by David von Drehle - A book about the most important year of the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln's impact on the year that turned the war in the Union's favor. An interesting read that reveals a lot more about the dirty infighting behind the scenes of the war and the intelligence of the president charged with leading the Union through such a trying time.

Kinsmen by Bill Pronzini - A rewrite of one of Bill Pronzini's earlier Nameless Detective books, filled with suspense and intrigue.

Star Wars: Imperial Commando: 501st by Karen Traviss - The final novel in the Republic Commando series. Karen Traviss is the best writer when it comes to the clones and Mandalorians. I can't believe that she will no longer be writing any more Star Wars books - especially when this series is not quite finished! A great novel, nonetheless, it has no definitive ending! Left me screaming, "ARGH! You can't leave it like that!"

Femme by Bill Pronzini - A new tale in the Nameless Detective series with a shocker ending.

Right now, I'm reading Sophie's Choice, the novel that inspired the movie starring Meryl Streep. The book is interesting whenever Sophie's story is discussed, but when we delve into the narrator and his backstory, I become quite bored. I'm halfway through with this novel, but I suspect it is taking me longer to read than it should.

[Talon Karrde]

Since I last posted in this thread I have read the following:

Matchless: A Christmas Story - by Gregory Maguire. A reworking of The Little Matchgirl with a more hopeful ending. Super-quick read and great for the holidays!

Holidays on Ice[/COLOR][/B][/I] by David Sedaris - A hysterical look at some of the traditions of Christmas, featuring tales about the Macys Santaland, family letters and other tongue-in-cheek tales sure to get that funnybone tickling. Be forewarned, this is not for the little ones as it is explicit and uses mature language.

The Illustrated Stephen King Movie Trivia Book - a very frustrating Stephen King movie trivia book that only a true fanatic will ever conquer.

Sophie's Choice by William Styron - The dramatic book that inspired the movie starring Kevin Kline and Meryl Streep tells the tale of a young writer fascinated by the couple he meets in a boarding house while writing his first novel. The real story is in the horrible secret that Sophie has been carrying with her ever since surviving the Nazi concentration camps and how deeply one decision can effect an individual's life for years to come.

Star Wars: Coruscant Nights: Jedi Twilight by Michael Reaves - Takes place just after the Jedi purge and features characters from the Medstar Duology. As it turns out, the self-aware droid from the Medstar stories has ended up on Coruscant with the former reporter Den Duhr. They find the droid's old partner's son, but as they soon discover, they are not the only people searching for Jax Pavan and those that are searching for him mean him much harm.

The Illustrated Stephen King Trivia Book - This one contains trivia questions about King's life, his books, movies, short stories, non-fiction works and so much more. Equally as frustrating as the first unless you are a true King fan.

Star Wars: Heist by Timothy Zahn - An introduction to two of the shady characters featured in Scoundrels, a new novel by my favorite Star Wars author. Ran out and bought the book after reading this story.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson - Part one of the Millenium Trilogy that inspired the movies. An awesome mystery/thriller with some very strong and likable characters. I was done with this book in a matter of a couple of days - it's just that captivating a story!

Right now, I'm reading Wild Swans by Jung Chang, a true story about three generations of women in China and how they survived the Mao revolution.

[Talon Karrde]

Since I last posted in this thread I have read the following:

How To Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You - by The Oatmeal. This is a hysterical book for anyone owned by a cat. Ever wonder what that expression on your cat's face was about? Is kneading really a good thing? This book answers those questions and more and contains quite a few hillarious cat cartoons.

Star Wars: Coruscant Knights: Streets of Shadows[/COLOR][/B][/I] by Michael Reaves - The second book in the Coruscant Knights series features former Jedi Knight Jax Pavon trying to survive as a member of the underground group known as Whiplash that helps other Jedi get off the planet while working as a private detective on Coruscant. Aurra Sing and Captain Typho appear in this novel, which is a plus. However, continuity issues and glaring errors are minuses that annoyed me to no end.

Star Wars: Vader & Son - by Jeffrey Brown - a hillarious look at what life might have been like for Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker had Vader been able to raise his four-year-old son.

Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China by JUng Chang - The true story of three generations of Chinese woman who survived the era of Mao Zedong. A really intresting read about strong women and the paths they took to survive severe hardship prior to Mao and during Mao's reign. Also an interesting study in where strong beliefs can take you if you're not careful.

Star Wars: Coruscant Nights: Patterns of the Force by Michael Reaves - The third and last book in the series reveals a traitor in the midst of Whiplash that almost costs Jax Pavan his life. More continuity and story errors, but a decent ending to the series.

Wherever I Wind Up by R.A. Dickey and Wayne Coffey - An awesome read about the Cy Young winning knuckleballer and the numerous challenges he faced before he could get in a good place in his life. Well-worth the read.

Star Wars: Speaking Silently by Jason Fry - A tale featuring Captain Rex from The Clone Wars animated series. An important lesson about studying cultures.

Star Wars: Scoundrels by Timothy Zahn - Taking place after the Battle of Yavin, this is a Han Solo adventure featuring a cast of scoundrels and some returning favorites like Winter, Chewbacca and Lando Calrissian. A fun novel full of action and intrigue...and hell, of course it's gonna be good - it's a Timothy Zahn!

Star Wars: Winner Lose All by Timothy Zahn - A Lando Calrissian tale featuring some of the characters from Scoundrels. This novella takes place a short time before Scoundrels and is actually more focused on the talents of the Kitik twins.

The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs - One man's humble quest to live his life as biblically as possible. Both hsyterical in parts and thought provoking in others - quite the interesting read.

Staged by Ruby Preston - A squel to Showbiz, A Novel which offered up a backstage look at the making of a musical. This new novel features main character Scarlett Savoy and her struggle to get her off-Broadway musical into a Broadway theater. An interesting look into the real estate side of Broadway and what one woman will be willing to do to achieve her dreams.

Best Mets by Matthew Silverman - A look at the best and the worst of 50 years of Mets baseball. A must read for any fan of the New York Mets.

Wow, I read a lot...and am still doing so, juggling the final books in the Young Jedi Knights series and a book about the Tuskegee Airman. Back to the books!

[Talon Karrde]

Since I last posted in this thread I have read the following:

Bite Me: A Memoir of Sorts - by Max Thompson - The latest book in The PsychoKitty series focuses on Max's past experiences and his understanding of death. Me thinks the kitty is feeling his age, but the book is definitely more laughs than tears.

Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights: Return to Ord Mantell[/COLOR][/B][/I] by Kevin J. Anderson and Rebecca Moesta - The twelfth book in the Young Jedi Knights young adult series finds our heroes joining Han Solo on a journey to a place from his past. Unfortunately, there are some moments in the past best left forgotten and some old wounds best left unopened. This installment in the series was okay, but not as good as earlier novels.

A Textbook Case - by Jeffrey Deaver - A short story starring my favorite Deaver characters Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs. Despite it being a short story, this crime tale packs quite an unexpected punch!

Freedom Flyers: The Tuskegee Airmen of World War II by J. Todd Moye - Purchased this book to learn more about the heroes known as the Tuskegee Airmen. This book focuses less on their heroic feats in WWII and more on their civil rights struggle. The writing of this book is very dry, but if you stay the course, you will learn a few important events in the history of the civil rights movement.

City of Pearl by Karen Traviss - The first book in an original science fiction series by Karen Traviss. Everything I read from Traviss proves that she is one helluva sci-fi writer and this series is no exception. Complete with futuristic tech, alien species, hidden agendas and impending war, the first novel of this series was a fast and extremely enjoyable read. Can't wait to read the next in the series.

Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights: Trouble on Cloud City by Kevin J. Anderson and Rebecca Moesta - The thirteenth novel in the series finds the young jedi traveling with their new friend, Anja Gallandro, to Lando's Cloud City. It is here that they learn of the resurrection of Black Sun and their intent to regain hold of the galaxy. Eh. We can do better.

Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights: Crisis at Crystal Reef by Kenneth J. Anderson and Rebecca Moesta - Yay! The final novel in the series neatly ties up all loose ends and offers us a glimpse into the adults our young jedi will eventually become.

Gil Hodges by Tom Clavin and Danny Peary - A very thorough look at the baseball player who would play for the Brooklyn Dodgers, LA Dodgers and New York Mets and eventually manage the Washington Senators and New York Mets. Despite his amazing baseball record, the amount of championship and world series he helped lead his team to and his sportsmanship and honorable nature both on and off the field, Gil Hodges has yet to be elected to the HAll of Fame. And yet, his legend lives on through the fans who celebrate what he brought to the game. Great book!

Star Wars: Eruption by John Ostrander - Boring short story set in ancient times that reveals basically almost nothing about Je'daii Ranger Lanoree Brock. Not really worth reading.

Plague Zone by David Wellington - A zombie novel with an interesting twist - a search for revenge. A very fast read and surprisingly good.

Dreamlike States by Brian James Freeman - A collection of short stories in the horror/supernatural genre by Freeman. Some of these have been collected in other series, but all are quite entertaining.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi by Michael Reaves and Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff - A follow-up to the Coruscant Nights series that I really didn't want to read. However, once I started, the book was so surprisingly good, I couldn't put it down. Well worth taking a look at!

Right now, I'm reading The Girl Who Played with Fire, the second novel in the Millennium Series by Steg Larsson. Awesome read so far!

[Talon Karrde]

Since I last posted in this thread I have read the following:

The Girl Who PLayed With Fire - by Steig Larsson - The second book in the Millenium Trilogy finds Lisbeth Salander accused of murder. With her prints all over the two crime scenes, how will she ever find her way out of this one...and who, exactly, is trying to set her up? Whoa, this book was awesome! I couldn't put it down and breezed through it in a couple of days! Can't wait to read the final book!

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed[/COLOR][/B][/I] by Sean Williams - I'm torn on this one. Based on the popular video game, this book is about Darth Vader's secret apprentice. It gives the reader more questions than answers, though I did enjoy the flow of action in the story and the characters are extremely likeable.

Oogy - by Larry Levin - A book about an abused puppy and the determination of a select few to ensure he lived a long and happy life. Oogy helps folks understand the so-called bully-breeds and what care and love can mean to an abused animal. Trust is a key issue for animals in this situation and Oogy is overflowing with it despite the horrors of his early life and the sterotyping of his breed. Great book!

Weak and Wounded by Brian James Freeman - A new short story compilation from Brian James Freeman, featuring a couple of great older tales and some shocking new ones. Well worth the read.

Star Wars: Labor Pains by John Jackson Miller - A short story previously unavailable until released by Del Rey on Suduvu. The story takes place during the time of the Knights of the Old Republic and features a young Zayne Carrick. Pretty funny read.

The Kill Room by Jeffery Deaver - The latest Lincoln Rhyme novel has him chasing after a new serial killer, one who may be working for the United States government and killing off US citizens speaking out against America. This is a totally new element for Rhyme and his team. At first I was a bit skeptical as to how this would all play out, but as the plot twisted and turned, I realized: this is Jeffery Deaver - I should have never doubted you! :bow:

Nemesis -a graphic novel from the makers of Kickass and Wanted. This is not your everyday Marvel Comic book - extremely graphic action and language. Yet, I found that I couldn't put this thing down. Intense and gripping, but not for the faint of heart.

Star Wars: Incognito by John Jackson Miller - A short story that sheds some light on Obi-Wan's journey to Tatooine with the infant Luke Skywalker. Interesting read just in time for the upcoming release of the novel Star Wars: Kenobi.

Assassin's Creed: Renaissance by Oliver Bowden - Based on the video game Assassin's Creed II, this book takes us through the betrayal of the Auditore family and Ezio Auditore's rise to Assassin. Great novel! Loved the historical figures and events mixed in. Great action! Well worth the read!

Been on vacation catching up with reads I don't have to review like The Lovely Bones - really interesting novel. Can't decide whether I like the book or the movie better. Well, back to it!

[Talon Karrde]

Since I last posted in this thread I have read the following:

Star Wars: The Essential Reader's Companion - by Pablo Hidalgo - A must have for any fan of the Star Wars Expanded Universe of novels and short stories. Helped catch me up on a lot of stories I will probably never have a chance to read.

The Puppy Diaries[/COLOR][/B][/I] by Jill Abramson - A book about how a golden retriever puppy captured the heart of a New York Times executive editor. Cute story.

My Life As An Experiment - by A.J. Jacobs - From the author who lived biblically and read the entire encyclopedia from A to Z comes a book filled with life experiments like outsourcing your life, refusing to multi-task, living life as a beautiful woman, posing naked, living ethically, etc. Hillarious read!

Bords of Prey: Trouble in Mind - Volume One of the New 52 version of our old comic book favorite finds Black Canary trying to rebuild the Birds without one major player in particular. Not bad, can't wait to see where the powers that be will take this.

Star Wars: Crucible by Troy Denning - Set after the Fate of the Jedi series, Luke, Han and Leia head off to help Lando's mining operation, presumably under attack by pirates, but truly in jeopardy thanks to old enemies of Han Solo. Oh, and did I mention a monolith that may or may not be the home of The Ones. This series really helps tie things up, answering many questions left after the final novel of the FOTJ series. Leads you to believe that future novels will feature less of the older heroes and focus more on the later-day Jedi like Jaina and Ben.

Batman: The Black Mirror - Set before the New 52 comic series and after the "death" of Batman, this trade paperback features Dick Grayson as Batman, Batman's son as Robin and Tim Drake as Red Robin. Interesting read that ends up being more about Jim Gordon's family than Grayson's struggles as Batman. Nice look into the Gordon dysfunctional family history.

Crossing the Line by Karen Traviss - The second novel in the Wess'har Wars science fiction series finds our heroes trying to stave off a war while hiding the knowledge of a micro-organism that can cause immortality from less than ethical humans. An amazing adventure that had me absorbed from page one. I can't wait to see what happens next in this six-part series.

Star Wars: Good Hunting by Christie Golden - A short story set after the events of FOTJ featuring Jaina, Tenel Ka and Amelia on a vacation outing that ends up anything but.

Medusa by Clive Cussler - Decided to pick this one up while shopping at a bargain book store. Used to read Clive Cussler novels as a kid and remembered how much I enjoyed Dirk Pitt's exploits. This one features a different hero - no Dirk Pitt to be seen - but an enjoyable rollercoaster ride of action and adventure all the same.

Am currently reading Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II, a novel by Sean Williams based on the popular video game. Until next time...

[Talon Karrde]

Since I last posted in this thread I have read the following:

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II - by Sean Williams - Based on the popular video game, this book marks the rebirth of Starkiller...or is he dead...is he a clone...well, suffice it to say that, not fitting very well in the continuity, I am not a big fan of this book, especially once you get to the ending...'nuf said.

Birds of Prey: Your Kiss Might Kill[/COLOR][/B][/I] - The second trade paperback in the New 52 version of the Birds of Prey. I'm still not quite sure I like this new incarnation of the Birds.

Star Wars: Death Star - by Michael Reaves and Steve Perry - Loved this book which gave you some insight as to what took place during the building of the Death Star and what went on in the minds of the people working on board. Takes you all the way up to the point it is destroyed. Awesome novel! Must read for fans of A New Hope!

The Heretic by Joseph Nassise - A horror book featuring the Knights of the Templar. I see you scratching your head :um: but this book was awesome, with plenty of action, demons, walking dead and more.

Resident Evil: Retribution by John Shirley - Based on the last film in the series and equally as bad as the last film in the series...actually worse thanks to the typos and breaks from continuity.

Kelly's Diary #1 by Thomas Jenner and Angeline Perkins - A zombie book written as seen through the eyes of a child. Oh man, this book is disturbing, but in a good way!

Resident Evil: The Umbrella Conspiracy by S.D. Perry - The first novel based on the games in the Resident Evil franchise is awesome. Having played the game it was based on, I could picture every moment described in the book and loved the way the author gave us insight into the characters' actions. Awesome read for Resident Evil fans!

Vows and Honor: Book I: The Oathbound by Mercedes Lackey - The first novel in a three part series featuring Kethry and Tarma, a sorceress and warrior who appear in other novels in the Valdemar series. This offers up some background on the two characters. The book would have been far more enjoyable were it not for the multitude of typos.

Star Wars: Constant Spirit by Jennifer Heddle - A short story set during the early days of the Rebellion and featuring Princess Leia.

Am currently reading Star Wars: Empire and Rebellion: Razor's Edge by Martha Wells and am somewhat disappointed so far. Hoping this book starts picking up soon.

[Talon Karrde]

Holy crap! I haven't posted in here since November 2013?! Since I last posted in this thread I have read the following:

A House Divided - by Pearl S. Buck - The final book in The House of Earth Trilogy follows the grandson of Wang Lung, the lead character in THe Good Earth and ties things up nicely. For those who didn't know that The Good Earth was part of a trilogy, check out Sons and A House Divided - great reads!

The Most Important Job[/COLOR][/B][/I] by Katy Foster - A cute children's book about angels and the most important job given to one angel in particular.

Star Wars: Empire and Rebellion: Razor's Edge - by Martha Wells - A new series of books which seeks to fill in the gaps between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, this first entry in the series features Leia Organa and Han Solo on a mission to secure assistance from the various smugglers around the galaxy. A surprise ambush puts the two heroes in a back situation...amongst ruthless pirates that may have affiliations with the Empire. Not one of my favorite Star Wars novels and thus, not an auspicious start for this series.

A Cat Called Hope - by Oliver Clarke - A short story told through the eyes of a cat. This cat goes through a lot of adventures in the span of a few pages. Nicely done - may check out the rest of the series.

Thanksgiving Tales -A compilation of stories about, commentaries on and essays regarding Thanksgiving Day.

The Kite Runner - by Khaled Houseini - The novel that the highly touted film was based on tells the tale of a young boy and a secret that ruined the most important friendship of his youth...a secret that draws him back to the homeland he once fled from in terror. Awesome read!

Old Christmas by Washington Irving - A tale that laments the long forgotten traditions of Christmas - beware what edition you get your hands on. Mine was missing stuff which took away from the read.

Star Wars: The Syrox Redemption by Joe Schreiber - A short story to promote the new Star Wars novel starring Darth Maul - Lockdown. Pretty decent short story and I loved the allusion to the Shawshank Redemption.

Star Wars: Knight Errant by John Jackson Miller - A novel designed to tie in with the comic book series starring Jedi Kerra Holt, an unlikely hero to say the least.

Turn Down the Lights - An anthology celebrating 25 years of Cemetery Dance Publishing. A pretty good one at that.

The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells - A classic science fiction novel that was inspiration for an infamous radio boradcast and a number of films and television series.

Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood by Oliver Bowden - The second novel in the Ezio Trilogy based on the popular video game finds Ezio attempting to take down the Borgias while trying to root out the traitor in their assassin organization. Can't wait to play the video games after this read!

Star Wars: Knight Errant by Edward M. Erdelac - A short story that takes place at teh edn of the Clone Wars, depicting the rise of another Sith. Again, not a favorite Star Wars tale - is this the future of the Star Wars Expanding Universe?

Marvel Masterworks Presents The X-Men: Volume 1 - A compilation of the first ten issues of Stan Lee's creation, The X-Men, featuring the very first X-Men: Beast, Cyclops, Angel, Iceman and Jean Grey.

The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls - A memior of Jeanette Walls life - just when you thought you had a rough life, you read a true story that reminds you you're family could be even more dysfunctional.

Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews - In celebration of the Lifetime Movie Channel airing of the remake of the film, I decided to re-read the novel the movies were based on. Enjoyed it just as much as the first time I read it. Scandalous!

Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine - Not a book but the magazine bears mentioning, featuring short stories in the mystery/thriller genre.

Star Wars: The Bounty Hunter Code - The Vault Edition - Another addition to the vault series. The vault is not as cool as the past vaults, but the books are well worth the read.

Sycamore Row by John Grisham - This sequel to his first novel, A Time to Kill, features lawyer Jake Brigance in another interesting law battle. It's three years after the Carl Lee Hailey trial and Jake has not gotten the business he had been expecting after such a stunning victory. That is, until he receives a handwritten will and a written request to defend it vehemently. The will, written by a man who has just committed suicide, cuts his kids and grandkids out of the estate, leaving money to his long lost brother, the church and 90% to his black housekeeper of three years - scandalous in 1980s Fords County, Mississippi! Awesome sequel!

Right now, I'm reading Shockaholic by Carrie Fisher. I don't know how she does it - taking depressing subjects like addiction and Electroshock Therapy (now known as Electroconvulsive Therapy or ECT) and putting on her own hysterical twist. Am currently laughing out loud during some of this read, causing many folks to raise their heads and stare.

[Talon Karrde]

Wow! Time's a flying! :scared: Since I last posted in this thread I have read the following:

Shockaholic - by Carrie Fisher - Carrie's latest memior. Not as good as the first, but still contains some chuckle moments and some profound insight learned by the actress while undergoing shock therapy.

Star Wars: Silver and Scarlet[/COLOR][/B][/I] by James S. A. Corey - A short story leading in to the new novel Honor Among Thieves. Like this new character, Scarlet Hark.

Star Wars: Kenobi - by John Jackson Miller - This novel fills in the gaps regarding Obi-Wan Kenobi between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. A western of sorts in keeping with George Lucas' vision for the original film. I really enjoyed this one. Answers quite a few questions.

DC Comics Covergirls - Defines what a covergirl is all about and explains the history and reasoning behind some of DC Comics finest. Nice book for a DC Comics fan with tons of artwork.

I Lived to Tell It All by George Jones - An autobiography of one of country's best singers. He really tried to give his readers some insight into his wild side - the drinking, the drug use, the missed shows - in addition to his failed marriages and the one that set him on the right path. You soon learn that Jones was not just a troubled and talented singer, but that he had some other talents to, learned long before he entertained the idea of becoming a singer.

ZOO by James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge - An awesome and scary novel regarding how technology is changing the environment, particularly for the animals...insighting an attack! Spooky! Will forever make me think twice regarding my cellphone, computer and electricity usage...and sneak peeks at my cat every now and then, looking for signs of rage.

Willie Mays: The Life, the Legend by James S. Hirsch - My spring season baseball book pick took me through the life of the very private Giants baseball legend. Learned quite a bit about Mays in this book.

Star Wars: Empire and Rebellion: Honor Among Thieves by James S. A. Corey - Rumored to be the last in the Empire and Rebellion series thanks to the Disney takeover, this happens to be the best novel in the bunch. Han Solo's rescue of undercover Rebel agent Scarlet Hark takes them on a journey to a planet harboring the technology of a long dead civilization that may give the Empire the ability to control hyperspace.

Just finished reading The World Before by Karen Traviss, the third book in the Wess'har series - awesome read - and just started reading the classic The Three Musketeers. Can't wait to tell you about them! But for now, back to reading!

[Talon Karrde]

Since I last posted in this thread I have read the following:

The World Before - by Karen Traviss - The third book in the Wess'har Wars series finds Shan floating in outerspace, believed dead and the people of Earth in Isenj coming head on into war with the people of The World Before. Really excellent entry into the series. Can't wait to read the fourth installment.

The Three Musketeers[/COLOR][/B][/I] by Alexander Dumas - Yes, this is the original classic - never read it in school, just saw the movies. Great book...and did you know that it is a trilogy? :thumb:

Going Grey - by Karen Traviss - When I sent Karen Traviss a copy of my review for The World Before, she told me about her new series of novels...and sent me the first of the series! WOoohooo! Great sci-fi thriller with terrific characters. Can't wait to check out the next book!

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs - Read this excerpt of a fantasy/horror book for young adults and found it to be interesting enough to check out the full book. Apparently, this is a series of books. Reminds me a little of Big Fish, but with a horror aspect to it.

Atlantia by Ally Condie - Another young adult fantasy book excerpt. Really couldn't get into the storyline...felt like something that was done before and the main character was not someone I could even care about. Will skip the full edition of this book.

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin - Oh, man! This is a great book full of adult themes, action, fantasy...I can't say enough about it. I can't wait to read the rest of the series. Also can't wait to see if the show is as good as the book!

Uncaged by John Sanford & Michelle Cook - Another excerpt, this time a sci-fi thriller. Great story by this husband and wife team. May actually look up the full version of the novel.

Star Wars: Darth Bane: Path of Destruction by Drew Karpyshyn - The first book in the Darth Bane trilogy that explains how Darth Bane and the Sith Rule of Two came into existence. Very well written. I really didn't expect to enjoy this one, but it was worth the read!

The Young Elites by Marie Lu - A young adult fantasy excerpt. Not really interested in this over-used storyline.

Just finished reading Jeffery Deaver's latest Lincoln Rhyme book, The Skin Collector - full of twists and turns. Now I'm reading two books: The Valley of Amazement by AMy Tan and The Drama of the Gifted Child by Alice Miller. :book:

[Talon Karrde]

Good Gosh, I haven't posted in this thread since August! :scared: Since I last posted, I have read the following:

The Skin Collector - by Jeffery Deaver - Another Lincoln Rhyme tale, but don't get disgusted by the title - the killer doesn't actually collect skin. Lots of weird twists and turns in this one. There are ties to older novels in this series...some I wish were not explored, but I had fun reading this one anyway.

The Valley of Amazement[/COLOR][/B][/I] by Amy Tan - Historical fiction set in before, during and after the fall of the Qing Dynasty that explores three generations of dysfunctional family. Loved the book - the speed with which it was read, the dysfunction, the similarities between the mistakes of the characters in each generation. An interesting read!

Star Wars: Darth Bane: The Rule of Two - by Drew Karpyshyn - The second novel in the Bane Trilogy - Rain enters into apprenticeship with Darth Bane. It's all she expected and more. Meanwhile, one Jedi, former padawan of General Hoth, believes that the Sith are not all dead. Though the Jedi are loathe to believe that any of the Sith have survived, they soon realize the truth. And in the midst of it all, Rain must decide if she is ready to overthrow her master as dictated by his Rule of Two. Pretty decent read.

Resident Evil: Caliban Cove by S.E. Perry - The second novel in the series of books based on the popular video game finds Rebecca Chambers traveling to Maine to help a rogue offshoot of the S.T.A.R.S. unveil the truth about Umbrella Corps. Unfortuantely, the team may have bit off more than they can chew (pardon the pun) when they approach the lab on the island of Caliban Cove...a lab run by a lunatic scientist and his zombie creations.

Resident Evil: City of the Dead by S.E. Perry - Hey, it was October and I wanted more horror! So I read the third book in the Resident Evil novel series based on the games. This one takes place in a thoroughly overrun Raccoon City and features Claire Redfield and Leon S. Kennedy in a mad race to escape the lab hidden under the city. Awesome!

Mile 81 by Stephen King - A short story by the master of horror pits a young kid against a car that has one hell of an appetite. Fun read!

Star Wars: Darth Bane: Dynasty of Evil by Drew Karpyshyn - The final novel in the Bane series pits master against apprentice in a final battle. But does Bane have something hidden up his sleeve? Something that may allow him to outlive his apprentice even if she strikes him down? Nice ending to the series. Left a few unanswered questions, though.

For One More Day by Mitch Albom - A dramatic reminder to tell the ones you love that you care about them. Fast and emotional read. Great book!

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling - The star of The Office and The Mindy Project's first book. It's a hillarious look into her issues with weight, lack of athletic prowess, her move into television, NYC apartments and more. Had a lot of fun with this book.

Just finished reading Star Wars: Shadow Games and have moved on to a book based on the first season of Once Upon A Time. So many books, so little time!

[Talon Karrde]

Been a while since I posted here! Since then, I have read the following:

Star Wars: Shadow Games - by Michael Reaves and Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff - A novel featuring Dash Rendar and Han Solo some time before the events of the Battle of Yavin. A so-so novel in the Star Wars Universe.

Reawakened[/COLOR][/B][/I] by Odette Beane - The novelization of the first season of Once Upon a Time! Awesome read! Hoping for a novelization of the second season!

The Story of Santa Claus - by Joseph McCullough - A beautifully illustrated book that delves into the history of Santa Claus, beginning with the man who inspired the legend and the ways in which Santa has evolved over the years. A great read!

Dark Screams: Volume One - An anthology of horror stories. Five spooky tales from well-known novelists, including Stephen King, Kelley Armstrong and Simon Clark. Enjoyable read. Can't wait for VOlume Two!

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest by Stieg Larsson - The final novel in The Millennium Trilogy. Awesome thriller with lots of twists and turns. Ties things up rather nicely.

Star Wars: The End of History by Alexander Freed - A short story in which a curator must decide which is more important: saving relics from the history of the Jedi or saving a member of the Rebellion against the tyrannical rule of the Empire. Eh.

Real Santa by William Hazelgrove - A heartwarming tale in which a father is willing to go to any lengths to keep the magic of Santa Claus alive for his daughter. Loved this and hope that someone will make it into a TV movie.

Wildfire: Volume 1 - A trade paperback collecting the first four issues of the comic book series. A thoughtful creation that gives readers cause to question the use of GMOs and the environmental results of their use. Awesome artwork here and a decent storyline.

Marley and Me by John Grogan - Yes, despite knowing what a tear jerker this movie was, I had to read the book. Still a great story and still elicits as many tears as laughs.

Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade by Oliver Bowden - The third novel in the series based on the popular video game takes us back to the origins of the Assassins as we now know them. Answers a lot of questions brought about by the original novels. Awesome, action-packed read!

Star Wars: The Old Republic: Blood of the Empire - A trade paperback compiling the comic book series based on the hit video game. Starts off slow, but once it picks up pace, you won't want to put it down.

Postcards from Nam by Uyen Nicole Duong - A novella about a woman attempting to discover what has happened to a childhood friend since leaving Vietnam. Quite interesting. Interesting enough to want to read its successor, Mimi and her Mirror.

Birds of Prey: Clash of Daggers - The third trade paperback in the New 52 version of Birds of Prey features a Batgirl story by Gail Simone that introduces a new member of the team. Much better addition to the series, givign me hope for Birds of Prey comics to come.

Matriarch by Karen Traviss - The fourth novel in the Wess'har Wars science fiction series. Awesome read that will invite much conversation regarding the ways in which we are destroying our world and if there is any hope for bringing it back.

Seeker by Arwen Elys Dayton - The first novel in a fantasy series supposedly for young adults, though I think anyone of any age will enjoy reading it. The main characteres are training to become Seekers, righters of wrongs, stamping out tyranny. Looking forward to taking their Oath and beginning their missions, traveling through space and bending time, the latest Oath-takers are about to learn that all they ever believed about Seekers has been a lie. Really cool story with lots of twists, turns and revelations. Can't wait for the sequel!

Reading two books now - Epistle: A Love Letter by Max Thompson and Star Wars: Darth Plagueis. So many books, so little time!

[Talon Karrde]

How is it that I have not posted in this thread since February! Really guys, you should be screaming at me!

Epistle: A Love Letter by Max Thompson - For those of you who have not read Diary of a Mad Housecat, Max is a cat who thinks he's anything but pampered and likes to let his people know this. His books are usually pretty hysterical and well worth checking out.

Manga Classics: Les Miserables[/COLOR][/B][/I] - a much shorter version of the classic in manga format. Having never read the book or seen the musical, I still found the story to be rather intriguing and loved the artwork. Great manga that definitely has inspired me to read more from Manga Classics.

Birds of Prey: The Cruelest Cut - Another change in the writers had me worried, but I did enjoy this fourth installment in the Birds of Prey (New 52) trade paperback series.

In Search of Lost Dragons by Elian Black'Mor and Carine M! - This graphic novel reads like a journal. The adventures of an individual who believes strongly in the existence of dragons and will go to the ends of the world to prove their existence. Amazing artwork in this one!

Dark Screams: Volume Two - An anthology of five short stories in the horror genre. Not as good as Volume One.

Manga Classics: The Scarlet Letter - A manga version of a classic I read recently and a darn good one at that. Manga Classics continues to amaze me with its versions of the classic novels we grew up reading.

Star Wars: Last Call at the Zero Angle by Jason Fry - The Rebellion's victory at the original Death Star as seen through the eyes of Imperial fighter pilots and officers. I like it when authors take stories we all know from one point of view and twist it so we see the other side's point of view. Interesting to know how members of the Imperial forces felt when the Death Star was destroyed.

The Last Quarrel: Episode One by Duncan Lay - A fantasy series set in the times of kings and castles in which the disappearance of families and children in particular are blamed on blood magic and mysterious creatures known as Selkies. Only a handful of people believe that this is being done by men, but how on Earth can they prove it? Engrossing tale. So much so that I made sure to get my hands on the full book after reading two episodes.

MarlJulie & Julia by Julie Powell - Saw the movie and just had to read the memoir about Julie Powell's journey through every recipe in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking: Volume One. Funny book. Warning - will make you hungry at times and grossed out at others, but well worth reading.

Star Wars: Darth Plagueis by James Luceno - Though important to the canon (at the time, Lord only knows what Disney is going to do with all of this), I found the book to be too drawn out and boring. It did explain some things that were happening before, during and just after Episode 1, but all-in-all, I was disappointed by this book and I had been sooo looking forward to reading it.

To the Stars by George Takei - A memoir of the actor's life before, during and after Star Trek. Written a while ago, so it doesn't cover his recent works, it gives us an idea of all that Takei went through in his life that shaped the man he is now, including interment at a World War II prison camp for the Japanese and more. Excellent read.

Mortal Kombat X: Blood Ties - A trade paperback meant as a prequel to the latest Mortal Kombat video game. So much has happened to my favorite characters in the Mortal Kombat universe! Worth checking out for MK fans.

House of Echoes by Brendan Duffy - In his first foray into novel work, Duffy brings us a horror/thriler that is captivating as well as a bit disturbing. I couldn't put this book down and was sad when I got to the last page. Great book!

Dark Screams: Volume Three - Much better anthology than the last one with short stories that express very different ideas of horror.

Woodstock - Meant for young kids and Peanuts fans, this is an anthology of comic strips featuring Snoopy's best friend Woodstock. Highly enjoyable, but then, I've read just about every Peanuts strip and then some. ;-)

Star Wars: Darth Maul: Lockdown by Joe Schreiber - Written by the master of Star Wars horror, this is an untold tale of Darth Maul's adventures while apprenticing with Darth Sidious. Set in a special prison in which walls change and the challenge is not just to survive the horrors of prison life, but the various matches set up between prisoners and the horrors that live within the walls, this is one of those Star Wars novels that provides lots of action and suspense, but ends too soon. Good read, but I found myself wanting more.

Dobryd by Ann Charney - Listed as fiction because Charney was worried that her child mind may have twisted some of the facts, this is actually a memoir of a Holocaust survivor...a young girl who hid with her family in a barn to survive the purge of Polish Jews. It lightly touches the moments in the barn - she was extremely young and wouldn't remember a lot then - and mostly concentrates on survival after the war. Interesting read.

The Last Quarrel: Episode Two by Duncan Lay - what more can I say except it was good enough to make me want to get my hands on the book in its entirety.

The Wave by Todd Strasser - A fictionalized story based on an actual experiment conducted in a Los Angeles high school involving students and a movement very similar to that of Nazi Germany. Amazing how little we learn from history that we are doomed to repeat mistakes so easily.

Outlaws of the Marsh: Volume 1 Spirits and Bandits - A trade paperback written in the style of those old kung fu films I used to watch as a kid. Lots of fun for us old martial arts movie fans.

tony Oliva by Thom Henninger - The only baseball book I have read this year was a tad disappointing. Yes, I learned more about Tony Oliva than I knew before, but there was a great deal of repetition and telling tales out of order...there was a lack of focus in this book that was iritating to the extreme.

Star Wars: The Old Republic: Revan by Drew Karpyshyn - I enjoyed Karpyshyn's Darth Bane books, so I decided to check out a book he wrote based on a character from The Old Republic video games. I really enjoyed reading about the power struggles of a Sith empire believed to be extinct and Revan's struggles with his memories of being a Sith among other things. Great storyline here and well worth reading for Star Wars fans.

Bending Steel by Also J. Regalado - Thought this book was going to be about how social and political issues brought about the creation of certain superheroes. What I got was someone's college dissertation about anything but comic book superheroes. Was so bored with the subject matter that I didn't bother finishing the book - something I never, ever do no matter how bad the book is. That, in itself, ought to be fair warning.

Cats & Daughters by Helen Brown - The sequel memoir to Cleo, a new cat comes into the author's life just when everything is going sideways. Such a terrific read filled with emotion, humor and great storytelling. Couldn't put the book down!

Star Wars: Rebel Bluff by Michael Kogge - A short story featuring Lando Calrissian and characters from the new animated series, Rebels. Didn't really like this tale and felt that Kogge's representation of Calrissian was a bit off.

The Bones of You by Debbie Powells - A murder mystery with a supernatural twist - so good I couldn't put the book down and finished in a couple of days.

Wow! Never let me go that long without posting my reading list again! Just finished Dark Screams: Volume Four (really good) and am reading Star Wars: Lords of the Sith, a book in the new Star Wars canon which isn't starting off so bad. Gotta run...more reading to do! [/font]