Steven’s
Comments
(group member since Jan 18, 2013)
Steven’s
comments
from the Nothing But Reading Challenges group.
Showing 1,981-2,000 of 5,272
I've been trying to work my way back into liking epic/high/dark fantasy, since as of my discovery of urban fantasy, I haven't been very into regular fantasy any more. X)
That's a really cool list and a nice spreadsheet (accountant here, so spreadsheets always pique my interest!!!). Maybe I will check a few of those books out. I'm not super into sci-fi, but it's a genre I'm interested in branching into, perhaps. I do love Doctor Who and a lot of sci-fi shows, but for some reason, the books never seem to enthrall me that much.Maybe giving a few of these a chance will open up a whole new genre for me :)
Thanks for sharing!!!
Does it have a pretty cover? Sometimes that sparks me to buy books I usually wouldn't LOL
Jane wrote: "Just checking in. I'm in the midst of 3 books at the moment but haven't had a lot of reading time. Will try to get a couple done by the weekend."Some days are like that! Thanks for checking in... are you at least enjoying the ones you're reading? :D
Katherine wrote: "14% into A Stardance Summer and preparing my blog tour post for that."I've never done a blog tour! Sounds like fun! :)
Anita, your dislike of Lila makes me sad... I love those books and Lila! LOL!Can you post a link to the sci fi masterworks list that you'll be reading? I'd love to see what's on there! :)
Becky, I hope everything goes well with your surgery and that you can recover quickly! We will be sending positive thoughts, vibes, prayers, etc your way and will miss you :)
May 31, 2017 05:35PM
DQs - May 27th: Chapters 40 to 5220) Do you agree with Minya that Sarai betrayed them? What do you think the repercussions of Sarai choice will be, what will Minya do to her?
I don't think she betrayed them. I feel like she's looking out for what's best for them, while Minya's all-encompassing need for revenge has overshadowed any other goals she might have had, including taking care of the ones she saved.
21) What do you think of the names Sarai gives Azareen (Grief) and Eril-Faine (Shame)? Are they accurate? Do you think the other Godspawn realize what was truly done to the humans the way Sarai does?
I pity them, for the things they've gone through. I don't think the other godspawn can know the depths to which the humans have suffered. But I hope they can be better than Minya.
22) Wraith pops up randomly it seems into the dreams and reality both humans and Godspawn. What do you think the bird symbolizes?
I have been wondering about this myself. Laini Taylor is good at planting seeds... I have been curious to know when the mystery of the bird will be answered.
23) When Sarai is telling Lazlo what really happened, there is the statement "It was one thing not to hate, and another to forgive." and she says "the curse of knowledge. It was easy when we were the only victims." What do you think about this and some of today's social conflicts (race, religion, sexuality, etc)?
I think it speaks volumes to how the human experience can be drastically altered by stepping into someone else's shoes and seeing their life through different eyes. Sadly, in some people, sometimes it takes dealing with something akin to their pain before any compassion or empathy grows.
24) What do you think of Sarai's nightmare and the humans nightmare, of Skathis coming to take a loved one away, being the same?
I do think that both groups have suffered immensely, and Skathis (and the other original gods) have caused so much pain to so many that he is worthy of being remembered as someone's nightmare.
May 31, 2017 04:22PM
Ch 30 - Ch 39 Pages 244 - 335 15. The author seems to have tried to make the Gods seem inhumane, I know they are not human but do you believe this is on purpose to help us readers choose a side? Does anyone hope the Gods win? Or are we hoping for a more compromising conclusion?
I feel like they are just a different kind of human, perhaps... and because of their magic/powers, the six chose to do horrible things... power went to their heads. I hope that Lazlo and Sarai can bring them together... but I am afraid that Minya will see to making that impossible.
16. How do you think Sarai felt seeing herself as Strange the Dreamer does? Do you think her seeing herself this way will help her have more compassion for the humans in the long run?
I think she was intrigued to see him see "her" without fear, but wonder. I think she is beginning to have a spark, an inkling, that maybe peace is possible with the right humans. I think she has already had compassion for the humans for a while.
17. I love how fascinated Sarai is with books when she sees hem in Lazlo's dream. What was it that made you fall in love with books?
Like Lazlo, stories are my world... and like Sarai, the wonder of seeing so many stories in one place had to be overwhelmingly awe-inspiring. I love stories because I get to live in a hundred different worlds, a hundred different lives, a hundred different adventures.
18. Why do you think Lazlo took the risk of getting on the plane after Sarai's warning of death?
Well, so far, it was only a dream, as far as he knew. And with someone who lived for stories, the chance to live one would be hard to pass up.
19. “What matter of new dread would this cause?” -- Do you think the people of Weep deserve to know what happened on their flight mission? (Seeing the very much alive Gods) or do you think they chose correctly to keep it quiet for now?
I think keeping it quiet at first to get a clear picture of the situation is smart, rather than causing a huge panic with no information to provide a path forward.
May 31, 2017 12:36PM
DQ Day 3. Chapters 19-29. Pages 161 - 243.10. In chapter 20 Sarai has a nightmare, despite her efforts to keep herself from dreaming. A ghost named Yaselith attempts to kill Sarai with a knife and learns that ghosts are not able to hurt the living. Yaselith then tells Sarai, "Then you should hurt yourself...Put Weep out of its misery. Kill yourself, girl. Have mercy on us all. Do it." She finds herself in her mother's bed and when she removes the knife from the bed, the bed squirts blood everywhere, then she plunges the knife into her chest. What do you think Sarai's dream symbolizes? Do you think her subconscious is trying to remind her of something from the past?
I'm not sure, but it sure was a creepy visual... I have a feeling that the Weep citizens (Weepians? Weepite? Weeptonian? lol) blame the gods for their slavery and suffering, and that any ghost of a Weepite would want the godchildren to suffer too.
11. Minya treats the ghosts in the citadel like puppets. Why do you think Minya toys with the ghosts?
I think Minya is not right in the head, and likes having complete control -- just like some of her god forebears probably did, which led to the resulting Carnage.
12. Eril-Fane (the Godslayer) doesn't like to sleep in Weep because he has nightmares. Lazlo learns this from Eril-Fanes's mother. "He realized that all this time he'd been looking to the Godslayer as a hero, not a man, but that heroes whatever else they are, are also men- and women- and prey to human troubles like anybody else." I loved this quote. It shows that no one is invincible or perfect. Everyone has something in their lives that they've gone through. What does this revelation about Eril-Fane mean to you?
I knew the farther we went along with him that he was a man with deep scars, and it was nice to see him given the fleshing out that a true artist like Laini Taylor can provide -- he's not happy with what he had to do, and it hurt him deeply. I have this weird feeling that not all the gods had to die, and that someone was controlling him or forced his hand, or something that led to the slaughter of more. Maybe, I dunno. Just my mind wandering.
13. Sarai is in search of her father, The Godslayer, and instead finds Lazlo. She invades his dream and he is able to see her. Why do you think Lazlo can see Sarai when no one else can?
I thought this was an awesome chapter. I loved seeing Weep in Lazlo's mind, and seeing Sarai see it all anew from Lazlo's perspective -- what it could be, rather than what it has become. I hope that him seeing her means they can work together to save both races, minus Minya of course LOL
14. Minya reveals that she has been collecting ghosts for years, building an army of the dead. The others seem appalled, especially Sarai. When Sarai expresses her sympathy for the humans Minya replies with "I should have saved a different baby." (I think I felt the slap in the face come right out of my book.) What do you think Minya has planned? Do you think the four others will fall in line with Minya's plan?
I am dumbfounded at how heartless she is -- she certainly has the childish selfishness, pettiness, thirst for vengeance that someone who hasn't matured doesn't have. She's so dead set on revenge that she has let it change her for the worse, even at the detriment to her relationships with the last remainders of her race, and she's let the power go to her head.
I see a war brewing.
May 31, 2017 05:27AM
DQ's Chapter 12-Chapter 18 pages 83-160#5 God spawn are the 5 unknown survivors residing at the Citadel. Each child half god, half human and born with blue flesh. All 5 children are gifted with a magical talent: Sarai - "muse of nightmares", Feral - "Cloud Thief", Sparrow - "Orchid Witch", Ruby - "Bonfire" and Minya - Ghost catcher. Each of these “gifts” are a contribution for survival. Water, fire, food, caregivers and … torture? Sarai’s gift comes from her mother, The Godess of despair, Isagol. How does Sarai's gift to contribute to their daily needs?
I think it provides them with some much needed outside information... living locked away can create some serious tension, and she is their tenuous link to the outside world. It's hard enough to live within the walls, hidden away from everything, without curiosity overwhelming one of them... which I feel might happen before the book is up.
#6 In Part 2, We are introduced to the 5 god spawn teenagers who have been hiding for 15 years in the Citadel. At age 6, Minya saves 4 other infants and captures several ghosts to assist in raising these children. The 4 continue to grow and age normally, yet Minya continues to appear 6 years old. Why do you think Minya doesn’t age physically yet the others are teenagers?
Maybe she used up some wellspring of power in saving them? I dunno. I haven't really been able to come up with a good theory while reading yet.
#7 Minya is the only god spawn who remembers the carnage when the god slayer killed all the children. She enjoys hearing the recollection of Sarai haunting their nightmares and torturing the people of the city. Does this make Minya evil? or is she only doing what she needs to do for their survival?
I feel like she isn't evil, but she is bitter and hurt over what happened -- it's a hard thing to live with, and even with her siblings, to live with ALONE, as none of them went through it like she did.
#8 Sarai’s gift as the Muse of Nightmares, didn’t appear until she was older than the other children. While waiting for her gift to present itself , Sarai often wished she could fly. If you could pick one of the god spawn’s gifts which would you choose and why?
I think the ability to make things grow is really neat... and so is the cloud stealing one... but the one they mentioned about healing people with your tears seems pretty damned cool to me.
#9 Sarai screams Moths to embark on her nightly gift, why do you think the author chose Moths? What do they signify?
Umm, I feel like moths represent that draw towards the light -- they are nocturnal creatures usually, but are attracted to the light, always searching. Maybe that's the point here? Maybe Sarai is searching for the light and that will be found in Lazlo?
May 30, 2017 07:06AM
DQs Prologue - Ch 1 - 11 1. The author starts us with some beautiful imagery of a violent end. What did you think of this as a beginning? Did it draw your interest and leave you wanting more? Do you like it when you are given a prologue that might not be answered until the end of the novel?
It definitely made me want to know what was going on -- why was this person falling? Was she thrown? Why was she blue?
2. Lazlo Strange came from humble beginnings, and is now a grown man. Do you feel he has changed from that rebellious boy in the orchard? Why do you think the library chose him? And do you believe people have a calling in life to follow, or do you think you can choose your own path?
I feel like he's matured, and he's discovered that he can achieve his goals with hard work and research rather than living in his fantasy play world. I think the library chose him because of his overwhelming curiosity... and I think he will end up choosing his own path -- maybe warrior scholar? :P
3. Lazlo was drawn to help Thyon when he stumbled upon the scene in the tomb walk between Thyon and his father. Do you feel Lazlo made the wrong decision to share the book with Thyon or do you think it was all part of fate’s larger plan? And would you have been tempted to keep the book for yourself instead?
I think that he was trying to do something good, and that while he might have suffered because of it, you should always try to do good. I think fate will take advantage of his willingness to do good things and will push him to some form of greatness.
4. “Some men are born for great things, and others to help great men do great things.” How do you feel about this quote? Do you believe people are born to their roles in life or do you believe people can change their stars? Lazlo takes a huge risk by impulsively offering his services to Eril-Fane. Would you have taken a similar risk to help fulfill your dreams? Have you ever taken a risk that changed the course of your life?
I think that there are roles we are more likely to end up in, but we all have the potential to be more, do more, be bigger. I haven't yet taken a risk that would push me towards a bigger path... I haven't found the one I'm inspired to take, the one that concerns something that I am passionate about!
Hi everyone! I'm leaving to go to the beach, and will only have Goodreads on my phone for the next few days. I'll be back on Tuesday... but I wanted everyone to have a great weekend, read tons, and keep pushing for second place! :D
The Encore Effect: How to Achieve Remarkable Performance in Anything You Do
Pages: 144 pages of pure platitudes, anecdotes, common sense, waste of time snoozefest
Finished May 25, 2017
I really want to... but I have so many other things new to me that I haven't read yet... I was hoping to wait until closer to the next Toby release to start rereading it... or if I could convince Lobster to read it, I would read along with him.
Man, everyone reading Toby really makes me want to reread that series!!!
WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THIRD PLACE! GO GO GO! :D
