Germ - Robert Liparulo

"If you breathe, it will find you..."

So goes the theme of Robert Liparulo's second book, Germ, which, after his fantastic debut novel, Comes a Horseman, has refreshed the thriller genre.

In the beginning, we get a glimpse at the horrors to come: A man is dying on a bed from "one of the most lethal viruses known to man." Despesorio Vero is standing over him, pointlessly attempting to aid the man; all the nurses and assistants have run away. Karl Litt is standing by the door, smiling.

From that point onward, Robert Liparulo has devised a story so cunning and full of surprise that even the thought of putting down the book is dreadfully difficult. Suspense has met its master in this book. From page to page, it leads you down dark alleys, disease stricken lands, and finally into the belly of the beast.

Liparulo brings into this story a sense of despair while maintaining that faint glimmer of hope, which he waves in front of you teasingly. At the point when you feel as if your protagonists can't possibly make it, hope returns, though still very faintly.

You will follow them through many tough situations, but always their will to survive, and fear of what might happen if they don't keeps them afloat in the swift current of their circumstance. When Ebola threatens the lives of ten thousand people, they did what no one else could: They went to the ends of the earth (or the beginning depending on how you look at it) to stop the horrors from occurring.

Robert Liparulo has made a incomparably spectacular story in Germ.


Quote From Book

Hardly Resembling a man anymore, the thing on the bed jerked and thrashed like a nocturnal creature dragged into the light of day. His eyes had filled with blood and rolled back into his head, so only crimson orbs glared out from behind swollen, bleeding lids. Black flecks stained his lips, curled back from canted teeth and blistered gums. Blood poured from nostrils, ears, fingernails. Flung from the convulsing body, it streaked up curtains and walls and streamed into dark pools on the tile floor.

Despesorio Vero, clad in a white lab coat, leaned over the body, pushing an intratrachael tube down the patient's throat; his fingers were slick on the instrument. He snapped his head away from the crimson mist that marked each gasp and cough. His nostrils burned from the acidic tang of the sludge. He caught sight of greasy black mucus streaking the blood and tightened his lips. Having immersed his hands in innumerable body cavities--of the living and the dead--few things the human body could do or produce repulsed him. But this... He found himself at once steeling his stomach against the urge to expel his lunch and narrowing his attention to the mechanics of saving this man's life.

Read first chapter here.

All Quite on the Western Front - Erich Maria Remarque

"This book is to be neither an accusation nor a confession, and least of all an adventure, for death is not an adventure to those who stand face to face with it. It will try simply to tell of a generation of men who, even though they may have escaped the shells, were destroyed by the war."

And so opens Erich Maria Remarque's superb war novel. Based in the early twentieth century, during the first World War, Remarque challenges us to experience war in the front, where life is lived day by day. A man you may have spoken to just a day prior may be shot down the next. Hunger constantly cripples you, for meals are few and far between. This is war.

Throughout the story, we trail Paul Bäumer and his trials and tribulations. He and his fellow classmates all volunteered for the army at the urging of their teacher, Kemerich. As good friends tend to do, they stuck together as much as they could. Leer, Kropp, Müller, and Paul together at the front fighting a battle for which the purpose is unknown and for which they left school to join. Their other friends at the front are Tjaden, Detering, Katzinsky, and Haie. How many will be left by the time peace comes?

Remarque reveals in this book the subtle details of war. His masterful ability to bend the English language to his will allows the reader to feel almost as if he were actually there. While nothing can truly give you the feeling of battle, Remarque gets very close.

Each battle tears at Pauls ability to continue. Each death gives him more reason to quit. Each shot attacks his morality until finally he must confront it in the form of a French soldier, the enemy.

They ask themselves "why?", but they get no answer. World War I German soldiers' lives were hinged in this war, but they didn't know why they fought. What was the prize at the end of all the strife?

Erich Maria Remarque was a magician with words. He slowly brings you in, then he drags you forcibly into the story. Feelings of sorrow, loneliness, and fear surround you and take hold of you. You can't shy from it; it is too awesome and powerful for that.

A spectacular read that leaves you with a truly inspired feeling.


Quote From Book

    Kat looks around and whispers: "Shouldn't we just take a revolver and put an end to it?"
    The youngster will hardly survive the carrying, and at the most he will only last a few days. What he has gone through so far is nothing to what he's in for till he dies. Now he is numb and feels nothing. In an hour he will become one screaming bundle of intolerable pain. Every day that he can live will be a howling torture. And to whom does it matter whether he has them or not—
    I nod. "Yes, Kat, we ought to put him out of his misery."
    He stands still a moment. He has made up his mind. We look round—but we are no longer alone. A little group is gathering, from the shell-holes and trenches appear heads.
    We get a stretcher.
    Kat shakes his head. "Such a kid—" He repeats it. "Young innocents—"

What People Say

"Those that read All Quiet on the Western Front will see warfare stripped of its flag waving, parades, and John Wayne glory. War is death, with the glory going to the few who survive. Remarque makes a brilliant contribution to world literature with this riveting novel." - Jeffrey Leach

"It really is the greatest war novel of all time[.]" - anonymous

"This book needs to be read by everyone. As the French critic Le Monde stated: 'It should be distributed by the millions and read in every school.' As a student myself, I completely and wholeheartedly agree." - Nicole

"The world has a great writer in Erich Maria Remarque. he is a craftsman of unquestionably first rank, a man who can bend language to his will. Whether he writes of men or of inanimate nature, his touch is sensitive, firm, and sure." - The New York Times

Google search for Erich Maria Remarque

Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini

Hosseini's novel novel is one of the most touching betrayal stories I've ever read. Based in Kabul, Afghanistan, but also taking place in California, United States, the story begins with a premonition of a sort. Amir, the main character, receives a call from his past; the past which he tried to bury; the past which, no matter what, would come back to haunt him.

When Amir was just a child his one true friend was the son of the family servant, Ali. His name was Hassan. The two were inseparable; they spent every spare moment together. Hassan would wake up early to finish the chores and prepare Amir's breakfast. He would then wait for Amir. While Amir ate, Hassan would iron his clothing. This all seemed normal to them. Amir never mentioned the master-to-servant relationship and Hassan never complained. Whenever they could, Amir would go with Hassan up the hill to sit beneath the pomegranate tree. Amir would read to the illiterate Hassan from all sorts of books and tease him about words he didn't understand.

Baba, Amir's father, was a huge man with an equally huge heart. He spent massive amounts of his time and money on building an orphanage for the children of Kabul. Despite that, he was always hard on Amir. Amir craved affection from his father. He would do anything to be loved like the son he was, rather than loved equally with Hassan, for Baba loved them both.

There was an annual kite flying competition, where Amir always tried to gain Baba's affection. The object of the battle was to cut everyone else's lines and be the last kite flying. It was an immense honor to be the lone kite, but it was an equally great honor to "run" the last cut kite. Hassan was the greatest kite runner, and he ran that year's final cut kite for Amir.

Unconditional love, betrayal, bravery, cowardice, honesty, deception. This story entails all of this and more, making for a spectacular novel. An undeniably good plot riddled with subplots keeps the pages turning. Hours of sleep will be lost to the amazing and touching story of Amir and Hassan, the Sultans of Kabul.

Quote From Book

A young woman sat across from us. She was dressed in an olive green dress with a black shawl wrapped tightly around her face against the night chill. She burst into prayer every time the truck jerked or stumbled into a pothole, her 'Bismillah!' peaking with each of the truck's shudders and jolts. Her husband, a burly man in baggy pants and sky blue turban, cradled an infant in one arm and thumbed prayer beads with his free hand. His lips moved in sient prayer. ...

Where to Buy

• Amazon


• Barnes and Noble


• Books-a-Million

"Temple of the Winds", by Terry Goodkind

Through it all--torturous she-devils, power-mad worshippers of the keeper, Darken Rahl--Richard Rahl has fought brave and fought well. His sword, the Sword of Truth, cut through all enemies, his mind broke through any barrier standing in his way; but now he faces an enemy that can't be cut with a sword...the plague.

Richard Rahl, Kahlan Amnell, and all of their leather-clad bodyguards don't stand a chance against an enemy they can't see, or even understand, but something must be done. After an attempted assassination on Richards life, the rogue wizard/Emperor Jagang inhabitee escapes from the pit in which he was held. Before this, though, he manages to make a Mord-Sith scream in pain and before their eyes etch a prophesy into the wall. A double-bind prophesy, already in play, forces Lord Rahl to make a choice. Both options lead to different results, but one equivocal fact remains: Lord Rahl will die.

On this perilous and betrayal-ridden journey, Richard learns many lessons and becomes a better man because of them. Despite their greatest efforts, though, many will die.

More will live.

Terry Goodkind, writer of all of the Sword of Truth novels, has crafted a world so full of detail it's hard not to enjoy his books. In each one, the detail grows, the subplots thicken, and the adventure continues. Temple of the Winds is a spectacular work of fiction that shakes the world of Adventure Fantasy. The series is a rival to the Wheel of Time.


Quote From Book

     It was an afferent feast that was only just beginning.
     He glanced the length of the hall again, checking. He heard no sounds of lust coming from any of the other rooms. It was late, even for an establishment like this. The fat, potbellied man was probably the last of them, except for himself.
     He liked to be last. The evidence of the events before he arrived, and the lingering smells, gave him a rush of sensation. His senses were always heightened in his aroused state, and he valued all the details.

Where to Buy

Google Books - links to sellers, book preview, book information, etc.

About the Author

Wikipedia

Author Website

Anthem, by Ayn Rand

     There are few stories out there that can compare with the likes of George Orwell's Animal Farm, or Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, but Anthem seems to have achieved this status. Or, if you want to be technical, it set the bar back in 1938, before the other two were even conceived!

     Ayn Rand, the world-famous author of The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged, created, or rather, envisaged, a future that was very grim indeed. Based many centuries in the future of mankind, Anthem starts you off with "[i]t is a sin to write this. It is a sin to think words no other think and to put them down upon a paper no others are to see. It is base and evil. It is as if we were speaking alone to no ears but our own. And we know well that there is no transgression blacker than to do or think alone." These powerful statements transport you to a time when after so many years of "as a whole" thinking, society is no longer free and joyful. There is no joy in this world.

     The majority of the story takes place in a city, presumably like all of the cities on their world, and revolves around our protagonist, Equality 7-2521. We go through how he came to be where he is: his terrible childhood, filled with whippings and nights in the cellar for doing no more than understanding the teacher; his unfortunate placement as a street sweeper; his discovery of something from the unmentionable times; and so on. What's most important, though, is not what Equality 7-2521 is doing, but rather, the events taking place around him and because of him.

     For example, when Equality 7-2521 is able to understand the lessons and remember them later, he is punished for being greater than the other students. When the City Council comes to decide all of the students' future careers, they give him street sweeper as a punishment for being better. This is not to say that they had careers in the literal sense, but rather they had jobs to do for all men. No one must think for themselves or about themselves.

     All of this (and so much more) packed into ~105 beautifully written pages leads us up to one final analogy, one final and instant meaning for the entire creation. Ego.

Quote From Book

     The Teachers were just, for they had been appointed by the Councils, and the Councils are the voice of all justice, for they are the voice of all men. And if sometimes, in the secret darkness of our heart, we regret that which befell us on our fifteenth birthday, we know that it was through our own guilt. We had broken a law, for we had not paid heed to the words of our Teachers. The Teachers had said to us all:

     "Dare not choose in your minds the work you would like to do when you leave the Home of the Students. You shall do that which the Council of Vocations shall prescribe for you. For the Council of vocations knows in its great wisdom where you are needed by your brother men, better than you can know it in your unworthy little minds. And if you are not needed by your brother men, there is no reason for you to burden the earth with your bodies."

An essay on the conflict in Anthem can be found here.

Where to Buy

1. Amazon.....various prices


2. Barnes and Noble.....$7.99


3. Books-a-Million.....$7.99

Other Books by Ayn Rand

• The Fountainhead


• Atlas Shrugged


• The Romantic Manifesto

Further information on Anthem can be found at wikipedia.org.

The Religion War -- Scott Adams

General Cruz gets what he wants. Always. But in this thought experiment continued, this is put to the ultimate test. Scott Adams has created in God's Debris and it's sequel The Religion War something that he dubbed a "thought experiment". It dives into the controversial and deeply wound ideas of religion and belief.

Although nonreligious at heart, The Religion War makes it a large part of the story; basing many ideas on the theory of God.

Based in the forties--2040's that is--it places you in the lives of General Horatio Cruz, a Christian Infidel in command of the entire Christian world (making him more powerful than any president); al-Zee, the leader of the Muslim world; and the Avatar, an all-knowing former package delivery man (read "God's Debris"). A terrible war was brewing between the two leaders' territories.

Al-Zee, who in 2007 came to power, was now waging small scale war with the Christian World: bombing no one of major importance, or anything irreplaceable. But when Cruz became the leader of the Christian Alliance, he could not allow this to continue. He was planning something no one was expecting, something horrible, something only a pervicacious mad-man would consider: extermination.

The Avatar, being all-knowing and able to recognize deep patterns where others saw none, is trying to do his duty: stopping the largest scale war in history. But first he must find the one person who can influence the necessary changes: the Prime Influencer.

The Religion War is a magnificent work by a cartoonist, although there isn't any of Dilbert here.

Quote From Book

"'Before I turn your guts into jam, how about you tell me everything I need to know. It's a little courtesy I like to extend to my guests. No one has ever taken me up on the offer, but I feel it's only fair to put it out there. Let's say that you figure out what questions I need to ask and then you just answer them. If you make me ask the obvious questions over and over, I'm going to get tired. And that makes me cranky. You don't want that.'

"'Very well,' replied the Avatar. 'And again, I am truly sorry.'"

• Author Biography


• Other Books




• The Dilbert Principle


• Dogbert's Top Secret Management Handbook


• The Dilbert Future


• The Joy of Work


• God's Debris


• Dilbert and the Way of the Weasel

Information Links

Google Books--preview of book and links to sellers.

Savage Messiah

This most recent creation by Robert Newcomb, title Savage Messiah, is a stirring addition to the lives of Tristan and Shailiha; the Chosen Ones. This is the fourth book in the series started in 2002 by Robert Newcomb. The first three books make up The Chronicles of Blood and Stone, while Savage Messiah starts off the next chronicles titled The Destinies of Blood and Stone.

Savage Messiah continues the lives of Tristan, Shailiha, Wigg, Fagean, Celeste, et al. around a month from when we last encountered them in The Scrolls of the Ancients. In this miraculous leg of their lives, Newcomb continues to ensorcell the reader, presenting him with an unending torrent of masterful literature.

The group's amazing battle starts with the discovery of a tear in the orb of the Vigors, causing massive destruction and death to thousands. The group is tossed into a horror they wouldn't have dreamed of. A new creature known as a K'ton is attacking, savage unfeeling captains sail the land and sea in their great black ships, and an accursed, long-thought-dead enemy is bringing them endless torment.

You will not be disappointed in Robert Newcomb with this book. It's a story that will take you places you've never been, answer questions you've had from the beginning, and give you a hundred more to hold on to until the next book.



Quote From Book

"And I say you're wrong!" Tyranny bellowed at the chagrined Minion warrior. Her chin stuck out like the prow of her flagship. "What you're telling me is impossible! No vessel ever built could do such a thing! When a ship goes down, she goes down for good, and that's the end of her!"

• Savage Messiah web site -- includes links to the prologue and chapters one through six.
  


• Author Biography


• Robert Newcomb's previous books


1. The Fifth Sorceress


2. The Gates of Dawn


3. The Scrolls of the Ancients

Where to Buy

1. Amazon.....$17.79


2. Barnes and Noble.....$26.95


3. Books-a-Million.....$18.86


4. Froogle.....$5.50+

Tuesdays With Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson -- Mitch Albom

I have broken my own rules in writing this particular review because this book is not fiction. It is 100% factual. Mitch Albom's Tuesdays with Morrie not only happened, it is still happening! Through the power of books, Morrie's end-of-life trials and Mitch's time with him at the end have spread through nearly 800,000 books.

The spectacular story describes Mitch's and Morrie's time together when Morrie was nearing the end due to a fatal disease called ALS. Mitch goes to see Morrie every Tuesday until the end of his overly-shortened life.

Morrie was Mitch's college professor. They had been great friends at the time and they spent every Tuesday talking about whatever topic suited their fancy. Morrie believed in him, probably more than he believed in himself. He challanged his mind and kept him going. Morrie told him he should write an honors thesis, and he did. At the end of his college life, Mitch handed his favorite professor a suitcase as a farewell gift. They each promised to keep in touch. They didn't.

For thirty years, Mitch did what everyone does. Work for a "better life". He was a sports writer at the time. He would never have seen Morrie again if he hadn't noticed a Nightline special on Morrie's end. At that point he went to see him. There was still time left for Morrie, so they were able to spend the time together; Morrie, teaching his final class, and Mitch, taking Morries class.

They spent every Tuesday together talking about various topics of life: The World, Feeling Sorry for Yourself, Regrets, Death, Family, Emotions, Fear of Aging, Money, How Love Goes On, Marriage, Our Culture, Forgiveness, and the Perfect Day. On their final Tuesday, they say good bye.

I believe this is a magnificent story that everyone should have to read at one point in their life. It makes you think and can really open your eyes to some things. The story of Morrie is definitely a heartwarming tale that keeps giving long after you're finished reading.

Some things others have said:

"Every page of this beautiful moving little book shines with the warmth of unembarrassed love." --Rabbi Harold Kushner

"A deeply moving account of courage and wisdom, shared by an inveterate mentor looking into the multitextured face of his own death. There is much to be learned by sitting in on this final class." --Jon Kabat-Zinn

Quote From Book

The last class of my old professor's life took place once a week in his house, by a window in the study where he could watch a small hibiscus plant shed its pink leaves. The class met on Tuesdays. It began after breakfast. The subject was The Meaning of Life. It was taught from experience.

Where to Buy

• Amazon....$15.61


• Barnes and Noble....$18.36


• Books-a-Million....$21.34

Wizard's First Rule - by Terry Goodkind

Terry Goodkind's debut novel, Wizard's First Rule, is an enthralling addition to the world of fantasy. A great book written by a great writer!

The book starts off in a forest. Richard Cypher, the protagonist of this story, is trying to seek the answer to a riddle of sorts his father left him. Him and his father had always gotten along, although his brother hadn't. Whenever his father left, he would leave Richard something in a blue jar, so he could find it. It was to be their secret. This time, his father was gone for good, so the gift left in the jar was particularly meaningful.

The story drifts to far off lands and strange beasts. It brings the good of the world into a time of dire peril. Wizards and sorceresses, Mord-siths and short-tailed gars, they all come into play in this amazing tale of love, hate, betrayal, success, and above all, truth.

If there is one thing Richard wasn't expecting, it was the end of his former life, and the beginning of his awesome power; debouching from his world into the real world, full of everything horrible and great. Only one being stands in the way of his future. Darken Rahl. Darken Rahl, the antagonist, is trying to rule what his father could not. The World. He can only succeed if all things go his way; unfortunately for him, Richard Cypher, Kahlan Amnell, The Great One, and many others are there to stand in his way, offering not only their services, but their lives to stop his evil plot.

This story will capture not only your mind, but your heart as you read late into the night, using up countless batteries. A captivating tale that will leave you dehiscing and begging for more, this is Wizard's First Rule!

Quote From Book

She took a little run and lifted into the air. Richard watched her circle around him once, low, then fly off, getting smaller, disappearing between hills. A memory struck him: the memory of having seen her before. It had been the day he had first met Kahlan, right after the snake vine had bit him. He had seen her fly overhead just as she had done now, and disappear behind hills. He wondered what she had been doing in Westland that day.

Where to Buy
Chapter 1, page 1 - look on side for links to Booksellers.

The Quillan Games

The Quillan Games, by D. J. MacHale is the next spectacular novel in the Pendragon series. It continues the adventures of Bobby Pendragon and the other travelers to save the universe from Saint Dane's torments.

This time, however, he is on a truly unique territory where the point of life is... well... it's games! But not the games you and I enjoy playing on Saturday nights, oh no, these games are worth much more than that. These games are played for your life. If you lose, you pay; if you win, you get to eat.

Saint Dane is up to ever more complex tricks, but before Bobby learns of these, he goes through a incredibly vexing ordeal. He witnesses death, pain, and loss; but he also sees victory and happiness. How long does that last? Not long.

The Quillan traveler, although working for the main source of the territory's trouble, is also balancing her second life, the life of a traveler. Bobby is forced to compete in this territory's dangerous way of life. There is only one way to win against Saint Dane here, and that is to win the games.

Much happens in this incredible addition to the series. Bobby learns more about his quest than he has ever thought about before; tempted by Dane, he spends much time in thought over what he should do. Bobby's dendriform life continues to grow out into ever more dangerous branches of choice.

MacHale is a maven of Bobby's life. Limning, with perfection, the feelings and actions of the story's protagonist. A great read with many surprises and plot twists that keep you reading until the ultimate page.

Quote From the Book

None of what I just described was as interesting as the challengers themselves. There were about twenty of them, all young, all in great shape. They weren't all guys, either. There were just as many girls. I knew they were challengers because most wore their striped jerseys. But man had the jersys off and wore T-shirts of the same color. They were laughing and telling stories, and clapping one another on the back and talking too loud and basically having a great time. One guy took a goblet of something and dumped it on the head of another guy. Everybody cheered and whooped like it was a frat party.

• Barnes and Noble.....$12.76


• Amazon.....$10.85


• Books-a-Million.....$11.51


• Simon & Shuster.....$15.95


• Wal-Mart.....$10.20

Wizards at War -- Diane Duane

Diane Duane's most recent addition to the Young Wizards series is spectacular. It keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

Once again the Lone Power is belligerent. He is up for his next attempt on the universe's "life". And his greatest foes, the wizards, are again there to work their magic against this most evil of beings.

In this installment, the older wizards are starting to wonder why they ever believed in wizardry; why are they doing what they are doing. As all Young Wizards fans know, wizardry will not live in the unwilling heart. When this happens, the younger members of the wizardly community must act fast because although they have more power now than ever, it may not last long.

Something is attacking the universe and it's huge. All attempts to send it back where it came from are failing and hope is slowly being torn away from those whose job it is to stop it. Tensions are high on planet Earth and War is a possibility. Can the young wizards stop this evil from tearing the universe apart?

Kit, Nita, Dairine, her laptop, Sker'ret, Roshaun, Filif, Ponch, and Carmela all play major rolls in this fantastic series. Relationships form, hearts are broken, lives are crushed and a world has hope. This is definitely one of Diane Duane's greatest books.

Quote from Book:

You should hear him. 'Ooh, I have to go to the Moon, what a chore! Ooh, I have to go halfway across the Galaxy to talk to somebody about something, what a terrible pain in my butt! Oh, wow, I have to hang out with aliens and save the world, how I suffer!' It's not like he's not having insane and crazy fun, secretly, every minute of the day!

Where can I buy?

• Valore Books -- $8.50
  
• Amazon -- $11.56
  
• Books-a-Million -- $12.28
  
• Barnes and Noble -- $13.60
  

Angels and Demons

Angels & Demons is a masterful piece written by Dan Brown, the same writer of the Da Vinci Code. I am not even finished with the book and I have fallen in love with it. It is so difficult to put down, but the rest of the world needs to know about this book, so I put it down for you all.

It is about a man named Langdon. He is a religious art teacher who has spent his entire life studying the Illuminati, an antireligious group that has been around for centuries. One morning Langdon gets a message from the head of CERN that one of their people has been killed and branded with the ambigrammatical word "Illuminati". Langdon is rushed out to see it for himself.

Langdon, the head of CERN, and the dead scientist's daughter discover that the Illuminati have stolen a highly combustible material that the Illuminati plan to use to destroy Vatican City.

It has an amazing and unexpected ending! It keeps you in suspense the entire time and when you finally get to the climax, you feel satisfaction. Tremendous and approaching perfection, I cannot wait to read The Da Vinci Code which I ordered off of eBay.

It is an amazing story that all Fantasy lovers need to read.

God's Debris

A truly great book. Magnificent to the very end.

Written by the same genius who writes the Dilbert comics, this book really makes you think about life and why we are here. Scott Adams states in the Introduction:

This is not a Dilbert book. It contains no humor. I call it a 132-page thought experiment wrapped in a fictional story.

And it truly is! Throughout the entire book, I was thinking about things. My life, why am I here?, who is God?, Why did he create the Universe?, etc.

This is not a religious book and you can take whatever you want from it.

The story contains no violence, no sexual content, and
no offensive language. But the ideas expressed by the characters
are inappropriate for young minds. People under the
age of fourteen should not read it.

As you can tell, he thinks that young minds would become to enthralled in it and start to believe everything it says.

It is about a man who knows literally everything and a package delivery guy. When the delivery guy brings a package to the old man, he becomes entranced in the old man's cryptic questions. They spend what seems like days together. Talking about why this and why that.

He stared at me and rocked, sizing me up, perhaps, or maybe he was lost in a replay. I had already said what I needed to say, so I stood silently for what seemed too long.
I thought I saw the wake of a smile, or maybe it was a muscle
tremor. He spoke in the deliberate manner of a man who
had not used his voice in days and asked a strange question.

“If you toss a coin a thousand times, how often will it
come up heads?”

This book encorporates some small humor with a lot of thinking questions. Scott's advice for maximum enjoyment is:

For maximum enjoyment, share God’s Debris
with a smart friend and then discuss it while enjoying a tasty
beverage.

Agreed!

Click here for a link to God's Debris. There is also information on where you can buy the book. You will have access to a few pages.

The sequal to this book is The Religion War.

Click here for a link to The Religion War and for information on where it is sold. You may also have access to a few pages of the story.


The image above is from Amazon.com's God's Debris page.

The Illearth War

Great Great Great Great book!

The second in the Thomas Covenant series.

We again join our hero, Thomas Covenant in the Land. He is back to fight Lord Foul once more. Only this time, it will be more trying than any other time in his life.

One of the best books I have ever read. That is all I have to say.

Pendragon series (newer series)

This series is a great read. I am currently waiting for my mom to buy the 6th (or is it 7th) book.

it's about a boy named Bobby. He is the boy everyone wants to be. One day he is late for a basketball game and his crush walks into his house and they both confess their love for each other and kiss. While they are kissing his uncle walks in. he he. he just laughs. after the girl leaves (cant remember her name) they get on a really expensive looking motorcycle and head off into the badlands of New York. they stop at a abandoned train station and walk in. inside they meet Saint Dane (a really evil guy who wants to destroy everything). Bobby is told to go down the tracks and find the door with a star on it. he does and when he goes through it he ends up in a world called denduron. him and his uncle have to find a way to stop Saint Dane from destroying that and all the other territories (there are (i think) ten).

great books.

scale of one to ten:

8/10

First Chronicles of Thomas Covenant

GREAT GREAT GREAT!!

A series written by a master of the craft. I am still reading the series, but even though I am not done with it yet, "I'm lovin' it!"

This book makes it into my top 10 favorite book list.

Picture this::

A man with leprosy, shunned by everyone, forced into a place of true beauty. A place where you can see the beauty and life in everything. A place where even someone with leprosy can feel again.

This man, Thomas Covenant, was forced from his own world, his own reality, and into a place where he believes himself crazy because hoping, dreaming, imagination, can kill someone with leprosy. He is believed to be a God almost because he is the wielder of White Gold. Something with immense power in The Land. He does not want anything to do with the land, but he is stuck there

He is on a quest to save the land, whether he wants to or not.

Right now, I am reading the second book in the series. Called: The Illearth War.

The list of the books in order can be found at the link below.

\/

The Dark is Rising

The Dark is Rising series is a great read. When I was about 10 maybe, my grandmother bought me the entire series as a present. I couldn't put them down. It was a tremendous five novels.

It is about a boy. He is the youngest of, I think, seven. He becomes the youngest and last of the wizards. All the while during his journeys, he must keep the secret from his parents and brothers and sisters.

Great series. I would go a little more in detail, but it's been a while since I read them last.

Have a great one!

The Fifth Sorceress

The Fifth Sorceress is a great novel by Robert Newcomb. It is a book about a great nation recovering from an attack made hundreds of years previously. They were attacked by Sorceresses using the Vagaries (evil side of magic). Being able to use only the Vigors (good side of magic) themselves, the wizards were nearly defeated.
Hundreds of Years later the sorceresses are gone. Prince Tristen and his twin sister Shailiha (I may have spelled that wrong) are called the chosen ones. They "find themselves thrown into a world they hardly know and yet must save."

Harry Potter Series

Everyone should definitely read this series. I think it is one of the miracles of writing. Harry Potter is about a boy around eleven years old. He lives with his aunt and uncle. Harry is a wizard, but he doesn't know it. His aunt and uncle can't stand anything out of the ordinary, so they *dislike him greatly*. His cousin Dudley is a bully and twice his own size. As they word it in the book "the size of a baby whale".

One day a letter comes for Harry (which is surprising to everyone). His uncle takes it away and later burns it, but the next day another letter comes. They just keep coming. Eventually his uncle gets fed up and moves. The letter eventually gets to Harry and it tells him that he is a wizard and he is enrolled with Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

I wont tell anymore or the story wont be as good. Oh... I forgot to mention, Harry is the most famous wizard in the world, and he is being hunted by an evil wizard named Voldemort.