Need some help with some things

I posted this in a different forum, but it would've made more sense to put it in this one. Sorry if this is a violation of some rule

(thank god for copy/paste)

I have 2 requests.

Firstly, I need a book to read. My eyes are begging to take in some print, I haven't read a story book since I was around 11(I'm 19 now). I'm somewhat cynical though, and I don't go for most of the stories out there. I'm mostly looking for a fantasy/romance story, but the general theme of the knight in shining armor protecting the beautiful princess sorceress annoys me now. I don't really know how to explain it other than I don't like a story where gender is so defined. I've searched long and hard for something different but my hands have come up empty. Does anyone know of a book that would maybe be different from those types?

Secondly, there is a specific book I'm looking for. When I was 10, I was at a book story looking through the Fantasy section, and I found one book that looked interesting. Even though this goes against the whole "don't judge a book by it's cover", I thought the picture on the cover looked really neat. It was of a girl with brown hair, wearing a white tunic and in her hands was floating a white glowing orb. She was standing on a giant leaf which floated in water, and was being pulled by a boy who had green skin, long black hair and large butterfly-like wings. I read the back of it, but all I remember is the girl was a princess and I think the boy was her pet. I'm not sure about that though. I don't know the title or the author, which makes this very difficult. There was also another book with the same characters on it. On this one the boy was flying around up in the air, and bellow him was the princess girl and next to her was a guy in armor.

If anyone has ANY idea what that book was called or who wrote it, even a slight remote idea or just a hunch, please please help me out. I feel like I'm missing out on something wonderful because I didn't buy it.

Thanks in advanced. *crosses his fingers*

Hello, I'll start off by saying that I have no idea what novel it is you're trying to find specifically. But, your thoughts on finding a new novel to read and how you don't like a defined gender class etc. got me instantly thinking about Ursula K. LeGuin for some weird reason. She writes novels with specific intellectual themes and the only one I've read, The Left Hand of Darkness, has a major issue on a person's interaction with a new race where there is no gender. It's not as much fantasy or romantic as you may be looking for but it is a great book nonetheless. Anyway, try and look into her a bit and you may find what you're looking for because she has a dedicated reader following and has had many great books such as A Wizard of Earthsea (which is definitely Fantasy and is considered her best work by many) and The Dispossessed.

I would suggest Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman. It's not exactly romantic but it is certainly different and well worth the read.

you should read samuel r delaney "stars in my pocket like grains of sand" as soon as you finish with "the left hand of darkness"

http://www.booksxyz.com/profile.php?bid=1079735&x1=Y

stars in my pocket is a romance, a sci fi story and gender is much much more fluid, with relationships in the book that cross gender and species lines

for some really strange stuff that plays with gender and gender roles, try some burroughs or Kathy Acker's "Empire of the Senseless"

http://www.booksxyz.com/profile.php?bid=648331&x1=Y

warning on those two, as the content can get pretty graphic..not that i don't think you can handle it, just both burroughs and acker are into pushing the boundaries oif what is acceptible, what is obscenity, etc



..also, virginia wolf's "orlando" is about the fluidity of gender

http://www.booksxyz.com/profile.php?bid=394967&x1=Y

That one by Kathy Acker sounds pretty good. I prefer graphic content actually, because it's more realistic, there's no censorship on real life. Thanks for the help.

read any thing by R.E. Feist

I'm guessing you're trying to shy away from gender stereotypes where the maiden is rescued by a shining prince without an impecable and honourable record. To be perfectly honest I've never read anything of that sort and most popular fantasy authors create very strong female characters. I do NOT recommend Terry Goodkind for you, as he does suffer a little from the maiden-in-distress complex (would someone please tie Richard and his bloody wife together so that she can't be whisked away again!). And this is from someone who does enjoy his books.

My current favourite author is Guy Gavriel Kay and I would recommend reading 'Tigana' to start with, a single book (not a trilogy like so many in the fantasy genre). Stay with it until about the 3rd chapter, where it gets interesting. The first chapter didn't suck me in, but by chapter 3 I was hooked.

In regards to your second questions, you'll need to say which country you're from as covers vary depending on the country/continent. I'm thinking it's a childrens book, right? Perhaps consider posting this in the 'Book Search' category.

Ack, I'm from U.S.A, Oklahoma if you want to get specific. I don't think it was a childrens book, since it wasn't in the children's section of the store.

I'm not sure I can trust your description of very strong. Most of the time I hear that when describing a female character, it usually ends up meaning strong willed or strong minded. I guess what I'm looking for bluntly is a romance fantasy story where a male character is being saved by a female knight in shining armor, so to speak. I've always found that situation appealing though rare. But it may not be as rare as I think it is. I admit I haven't given books much of a chance, reading stories like you describe Terry Goodkind writing is painful to my eyes and my mind. And lately all I've wanted is romance. And it wouldn't have to be that limited, as in it could be something relevant to that, it's just that's the easiest way for me to describe it.

I would suggest the belgarion by david eddings, only the first few books are not "women owns", that comes later. But when later comes, it's really funny ^_^

Anselm Audley's Aquasilva Trilogy consisting of Heresy, Inquisition and Crusade.

There are three main characters two of which are female. And yep, they're strong, according to the male 1st person narrator they're probably both physically stronger than him.

And those three friends take turns in saving each other in distress. If you're looking for strong female characters... yep I think you'll most definitely like these books. Of course that is if you can tolerate major allusions to the inquisition practices of the Catholic church and loads of intrigues, treachery and deceit.

Enjoy.

Katherine Kerr writes great fantasy. Her Deverry series does have a little bit of romance in it. There is not a great deal of saving and rescuing, but there is a bit of fighting and one woman in particular is quite strong, physically as well as mentally. Anyway, she is my favourite fantasy author, so perhaps you might like to give her a shot.

I'd recommed the quartets by Tamora Pierce. The first, I believe, is the Song of the Lioness quartet, beginning with the book Alanna: The first adventure . They are aimed more at teenagers, but are still great reads . They are set back in medievil times, where boys were rasied as knights and girls as housewives. Alanna, no longer wanting to accept her role as a female, switches palces with her twin brother and disguises herself as a boy in order to become a knight.

It involves romance and Alanna does take on the role of the knight in shining armour. I hope it's the kind of thing you are looking for

MonkeyCatcher