Mountains

[close] Ten years ago, there was a great war between the dragons and humans. The dragons lived in the mountains, on the high peaks, and the humans moved in from across the seas, into the shore and the small valley. As they expanded, they required more land, which demanded they move up to the mountains. The dragons had allowed the human infestation for too long and decided to trim down the population. However, by accessing long caves and mines in the mountains from civilizations long dead, the humans found themselves on sacred grounds of dragon peace. There were no killing the humans, who attacked them and slaughtered the strongest of the dragons, subduing the weaker. A pact was made, as the humans were not to be so cruel, and were determined to establish a means to live in peace. Therefore, a treaty was forcibly made and both leaders were made to sign. The terms: The dragons were to stay on the mountains. The humans were to remain in the valley. Any person who left their place and went to the other's and murdered of the others was to be executed. There was to be an academy to try to arrange eventual harmony between humans and dragons, pairing young children with young dragons. The academy was to be held on a two peaked mountain, one peak the living quarters for the humans, the other for the dragons. And where the peaks met was the academy, where they were to collaborate and work together as a team. The peace is tentative, to say the least, with the dragons having no idea where the secret tunnels that lead to their sacred land are. The dragons are fearful of the intruders and the humans are fearful of the monsters. Ten years have passed since the treaty was established. Will coexistence ever be possible? And all the while, the bonding ceremony is a mystery, even to those who go through it and come out with no memory other than being bonded. There is a sinister hand at work, and a knot woven, interlocking all fates into a course chosen by the most unlikely.

[close] A group where your wildest dreams come true, a group where deep discussion of fine literature occurs, and a group where anyone cannot be anything.

[close] This is a group supporting the idea that there is a paucity of current fiction being written about the era from 1960 to 1980. The tumultuous period of Cross-country trips, a generation gap and the social movements of anti-war, pro civil rights, plus woman's, and gay liberation. The period from what might be called the first Liberation Lit book, "On The Road", to Tim Robbins string of irreverences in the late seventies, with "Even Cowgirls Get the Blues"providing a good example. But what writers are reflecting back now on this period of huge change and a restructuring of the entire social contract? Where are the novels to finally end the divide between the returning soldier and the protesting hippie? Where is the closure that is needed as baby boomers enter their old age. They need art to reflect their sense of all this finally being past.

[close] What's America Reading This Week? Each week the New York Times updates its list of the bestselling books in the United States and each month our group picks two of them. These are the books that everyone is reading; the future classics, academic required reading and Hollywood movies. Let's see what all the hype is about!