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Mrkgnao mentioned it above, but I just want to give special attention to The Barbed Coil by J.V. Jones. She's a wonderful author who's not afraid to make the bad guys bad, and her protagonists human. Also mentioned above: Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell. Buy it, read it, love it!

A funny stand-alone fantasy novel is The Unhandsome Prince by John Moore. It's based on a typical fairytale storyline, but with some twists. A light read, perfect when you want some fantasy but don't want to get into the heavy stuff. Also, and sorry if I'm stating the obvious, but Eddings have...

Ok, I'm still a bit confused about this whole thing - why are you people nervous about being banned or suspended? Do you mean to say that it's really easy getting banned? What is the actual limit on freedom of speech around here in your opinion? You're making me nervous too, dudes!! ;)

As someone who has just recently joined the forum, I must say that this thread is a bit puzzling. I don't find the forum to be dull at all and so that makes me wonder what used to go on here and the sort of things that people get suspended for. I guess what I want to know is what the fuss is all...

I realized another thing that annoys me: When the author tells you a character is a certain way and then makes the character act in ways completely contradictory to this. Like if the author tells you a character is really smart and they just keep doing stupid stuff. That's just the author...

Well, of course he is! :D That's really true, that is actually why I like them both so much! The also have a tenderness towards their characters, even when they are being bad, that makes their stories very personal and heartfelt. I hadn't made the connection between them though, but you're...

I've just recently disovered Canadian author Charles de Lint and I've absolutely loved what I've read so far - The Onion Girl, The Blue Girl, The Moon is Drowning While I Sleep. I'd like to read more Newford books, and my question is: Has anyone here read enough of them to tell me if they...

Is there anything in particular that will put you off a book? Any writing style, theme or something the protagonist just can't do? For some reason I don't like books written in the present tense. It seems unnatural to me somehow - how can you tell a story while it's happening? I'm not...

Although I really liked the trilogy and look forward to reading more Canavan books, I have to agree with Catalyst that the writing style sometimes leans more towards Young Adult. So does some of the storyline, especially in book 2 (e.g. Soneas problems with the other students bullying her). Not...

If you like vampire books with a bit of romance you should definitely try Charlaine Harris' Southern Vampire Books, the first one being Dead Until Dark. They are funny and sexy (not porn) and good mysteries. A bit lighter still is Mary Janice Davidson's Undead Series, Undead and Unwed being the...

Interesting, and very well put! I think you're definitely on to something. Kids don't complicate stuff just because they can. Sometimes one gets the impression that the more weird, complicated and difficult to understand a book is, the higher its literary qualities. Kid's aren't like that. I'll...

Some of the "classics" are really lost on me: Catcher in the Rye - OMG, could this guy be any whinier? The Sun Also Rises - Yes, you're depressed and the wine is cheap. Yawn! Heart of Darkness - The horror! The horror!

The vampire genre is as wide and diverse as any other genre, so what you want to read is very much up to you. If you want books that are similar to Laurell K. Hamilton I would recommend: Charlaine Harris' Southern Vampire Series (Dead until dark is number one) Kim Harrison's Rachel Morgan...

Come out, Neville! I love this book, it's so well conceived and written and the ending is so elegant. It's amazing to read a book that just "clicks" in the end like this one did. And all this in just 160 pages - just goes to show that less is more, right. Anyone who is the least bit serious in...

I sometimes wish these heroines would go and whimper at someone. Sometimes they are so incredibly self-reliant and resourceful and strong that they just get annoying - I mean come on - even fairytale princesses must have the mean reds sometimes, right?

Hihi - blaming the kids - a tried and true recipe. I use that too sometimes - and I don't even have kids! I haven't read Carol Berg before, just started a couple of weeks ago with "Son of Avonar" and liked the fact that the protagonist was a mature, strong woman and that the story was told...

I love reading children's/young adult books - if they're well written they contain a special kind of magic that you rarely find in adult books. Fortunately for me I work as a bookseller and can blame all childishness on the jobdescription...;). Sometimes as an adult you find a real gem, that you...