Visiting Another World - Welcome to Westeros

kiya@evpl — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 18:57:00 GMT

Lately, my reading time has been spent in Westeros, a world created by George R. R. Martin for his series, A Song of Ice and Fire. My son is a longtime Martin fan, and many library customers are as well: all are anxiously awaiting Book 5 in the set. Meanwhile, HBO is producing a TV series based on Martin's works. Called A Game of Thrones (also the title of the first book), the first episode airs April 17, and the first season is supposed to roughly correspond to the first book. I decided it was time to read the books - before the TV show airs. I'd been putting it off, because these are big books, and I have to be in the mood to read fantasy. I was soon captivated by the world of Westeros, and the intrigue and complications of life in a somewhat medieval society.

Martin has lots of realistic, complicated characters. It isn't easy to tell the heroes and villains apart. The heroes have flaws and make mistakes, and even the worst villains have some redeeming qualities (well, maybe not one of them...). Entranced by the first book, I started the second as soon as I finished the first. I enjoy piecing together bits of information to figure out something, and that happens in these books.

When I finished reading the books, I listened to the audiobooks and caught some details I had missed. Roy Dotrice, who performs the first 3 audiobooks, is marvelous; he brings the characters to life. Realistic characters I can care about are very important to my enjoyment of a book, and Martin's books are well and intricately plotted, too. There is profanity in the books, as well as graphic violence and sex. If that isn't a problem, then I highly recommend these books for folks who like to spend some time in another world.

Writing this, I‘ve remembered some of the other worlds I have loved to visit. I was in junior high when I discovered Sylvia Louise Engdahl, and her 3-book Children of the Star series, as well as her Enchantress from the Stars/The Far Side of Evil set. These are favorites which I reread every few years. Mercedes Lackey has written several related series taking place in a world she calls Valdemar. Marion Zimmer Bradley created a world called Darkover, and even invited readers in to play. Along with Bradley's books, there are collections of short stories by other writers which take place in the world Bradley created.

I love getting immersed in another place and time, and seeing the world from that different point of view. J. K. Rowling created a wonderful magical world with her Harry Potter series. In his Artemis Fowl series, Eoin Colfer created another magical world, just as wondrous, and completely different from the Potter world. I enjoyed Patrick Rothfuss' The Name of the Wind, and am hoping that the sequel, The Wise Man's Fear, will be just as wonderful when it comes out this week.

So good, you may want to Cry Wolf again

E-Ville Librarian@evpl — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 14:17:00 GMT

Here is a post from Seeker@evpl, whose posts can be found on the EVPL Research blog:

Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs

"Becoming a werewolf brought nothing but problems to Anna every since she'd survived the vicious attack that turned her. Now, she couldn't decide if meeting Charles, a strong and charismatic werewolf who insists she is his mate, was a step up in her life or just another problem. Charles, on the other hand, is sure that Anna is not only the best thing that's happened to him, but also a gift to his pack. He's the first to realize that she's an Omega wolf, with the ability to calm and encourage others around her. As second-in-command and enforcer of his father's pack, he's a wolf that can use a lot of calming (and loving).

Anna's introduction to the pack and her growing bond with Charles kept me riveted to the story. Patricia Briggs has the gift of making the werewolf lifestyle and paranormal romances totally believable with advantages and disadvantages appearing naturally. I literally could not stop reading as reports of a rogue werewolf lure Charles and Anna out into the wilds of Montana and into a physical and magical fight for their lives and the future of their pack. I've really enjoyed everything I've read by Patricia Briggs in the past. Her paranormal romances have a lot of adventure and characters that I can care about.

p.s. While this title can be read by itself as a stand-alone adventure romance, to find out how Anna and Charles first met, read the story "Alpha and Omega" in the collection On The Prowl. All 4 stories in this collection are good reading but very different. ( seeker@evpl)"

Patricia Briggs Website

Books Blog : Science Fiction

Visiting Another World - Welcome to Westeros

So good, you may want to Cry Wolf again