Quarterly: This Week in Reading #8

Spectyr by Philippa Ballantine
Homeland by R.A. Salvatore

This Week: 175 pages
Last Week: 164 pages
Total: 1,496 pages

To be completely honest, I have been reading a lot more often since I started this experiment. I'll often find myself reading while in the car, waiting for my parents to finish up various errands (in between jamming to Rise Against and Sixx A.M.). However, this experiment has also helped me realize something--you can't make somebody read if that is just not what they want to do. After all, you read the most when you actually want to read in the first place. Would you be able to focus on reading if you had ten other things you were more worried about at the time? Would you be able to focus on reading if your favorite television show was on? This project was about making time to read, but to be honest, it's taught me something different--don't make time to read, let time make you read. If you feel the urge to sit down, and ensconce yourself under your covers for hours on end, devouring an entire book series, then do it. Don't try to force it. You'll only choke yourself on your own boundaries you set for yourself.

Man, I need to tone down the philosophy in this blog. Might turn away what few viewers I have. But yeah, overall, I plan to keep on reading the Dark Elf Trilogy (Homeland, Exile, and Sojurn) and eventually finish the Geist series (when book three, Wrayth, finally comes out). 

Oh! One last note. . . Check out this awesome picture I found! WIN!

Last Week in Reading #7

A little behind, but better late than never. . .

Geist by Philippa Ballantine (FINISHED)
Homeland by R.A. Salvatore

This Week: 164 pages
Last Week: 150 pages
Total: 1,321 pages

Favorite Sentences and/or Passages (in no particular order):

1: "Zaknafein Do'Urden, I am called, yet a drow I am not, by choice or by deed. Let them discover this being that I am, then. Let them rain their wrath on these old shoulders already burdened by the hopelessness of Menzoberranzan." - Homeland

2: Ignoring the consequences, the weapons master rose to his feet and yelled, "Menzoberranzan, what the hell are you?" - Homeland

3: The Deacon could not abide the travesty any longer. "You know the words, child." Sorcha strode over and snatched up her Gauntlets. "But you should not meddle in the Order's affairs." - Geist

Not much to say about any of these quotes. Just starting into the Dark Elf Trilogy, the first book of which is Homeland. An amazing series that I had read a bit of way back in middle school. Figured I would delve back into the series again, and give it a good re-read. Should still count, right?

This Week in Reading #6

Geist by Philippa Ballantine

This Week: 150 Pages
Last Week: 155 Pages
Total: 1,157 Pages

Favorite Sentences and/or Passages (in no particular order):

1: It was good weather for a riot. - Geist

2: This Chambers, whoever he was, had better have a thick skin, because right now she needed someone to take [her anger] out on. - Geist

3: No one since Pareth, the Presbyter of the Young during Sorcha's childhood, had dared give her a nickname, but from Gent, it was somehow acceptable. - Geist

The first sentence would, by far, have to be my favorite sentence of this entire book. I honestly believe it could be filed in among some of the greatest opening lines of novels, like "Call me Ishmael." or "It was the best of times; it was the worst of times." The other two hold significance in defining the character of Sorcha Farris. So far, even within the first opening scene, she is depicted as a very strong woman, mentally and physically, who could hold her own in the world, no matter what the situation.

$7.99 Well Spent

Just this past weekend, I celebrated my three-year anniversary with my girlfriend. We went out to the mall, and wandered around the various shops. Over the course of a couple hours, we found ourselves divulging in free samples in a cooking store, going crazy over all the different types of chocolates, fawning over cute little teddy bears in Build-A-Bear, and riding the double-decked carousel that dominated the food court. I'm not much of a 'mall-goer', but I must say it was a wonderful time, regardless. Complete with messy burgers from Red Robin and a trip by Barnes and Noble to snoop for new reads, it couldn't have been any better.

Speaking of new books to read, I happened across this little paper-back book, nestled into a corner on the fantasy shelves...

The first thought that crossed my mind when I saw it was a simple one, "Pretty small book, might be easy to read."

I know, terrible first thought. Moving on.

As I pulled it out from the shelf, and lay eye on the cover, the art immediately grabbed my attention. The lion brought back memories of C.S. Lewis, and the fiery, red-headed, fierce-looking, magic-wielding heroine implored me to read the summary on the back.

I checked the price tag. $7.99 was not a bad price at all. And I bought it there and then, without even cracking open the book itself. Most would call that a stupid move, but I decided to trust my gut instinct

After reading the first bits of the pages, the story seemed simple: Sorcha Farris is one of the most powerful Actives within an organization known as The Order. Her husband, Kolya Farris, is also one of the most powerful Sensitives within The Order. In this world, Actives and Sensitives, both with different magical powers, work together to fight creatures known as geists, undead spirits that possess humans and in general, wreak havoc on the living.

The Actives possess magical gauntlets that have different runes inscribed along each of the fingers that call upon different types of magic. However, they are unable to see the geist. This is where the role of the Sensitives comes in. The Sensitives have the ability to see the geist, and by a magical telepathic bond, they report that information to their Active bond-mates, who then use their magic to eradicate the geist.

After a geist attack gone wrong, Sorcha's husband, Kolya, is badly injured. Despite the incident, Sorcha is needed elsewhere, so she is paired with a novice Sensitive named Merrick Chambers. They are hired to help the village of Ulrich, that has been the victim of numerous geist attacks. Along for the ride is Raed Rossin, a pretender to the throne--and bearer of a dangerous curse-- who Sorcha is sworn to protect.

And that's the gist of the novel so far. I'm looking forward to reading more of it.

Oh, and for those of you wondering if "geist" is a real word, I looked it up, and it is actually German for "mind, spirit, or ghost". How awesome is that?