Weekend, please be better

[fredericks]

Overall shitTASTIC Friday. No more comments on that matter besides what's in the subject line. I think I spend too much time ruminating over what I've failed and not enough time feeling accomplished when I do things well. Or not. I don't know. Screw it: Bring on the drunken costumed dancing.

I picked up the first book in the "Percy and the Olympians" series The Lightning Thief a little while back after it was recommended by captainschlumpy but only got around to reading it today (it's likely that I was influenced by emily_goddess's tasteful squeeing over the upcoming movie). Anyway, I started it on the subway ride into the office and was hooked from the first *sentence*. I've never been sucked into a book that fast before. Funny true moment - a high schooler sat down next to me reading either the same book or another book in the series and gave me his opinion ("that's a good book"). On the way home I picked up the other available four books and intend to get as far through things as possible this weekend.

Some folks use Calgon, some folks use young adult fiction. I prolly could do with a double team at this point.

Comments

[atraxia.livejournal.com]

ohhh i've been wanting to read those books.
other YA novels i read recently that i recommend - the graceling and the new book that's the prequel. good stuff.
i have 1 YA novel that involves vampires - and 2 others that seem interesting. maybe we can book swap?

[fredericks.livejournal.com]

Sure. I've finished the first book of this series so I can hand it over whenever. Along with your shirt from DCon. Gah, I'm such a slacker.

[mersipan.livejournal.com]

This sounds like a good rec for those books - I'll have to pick them up! I've been curious about the movie too.

Definitely hope things look up for you this weekend.

[fredericks.livejournal.com]

It hits all my Greek myth buttons. And I didn't think I still had those. :) It's fun times.

And thanks for the weekend well wishes. I successfully pushed work out of my mind during the bulk of this w/e.

[emily-goddess.livejournal.com]

Squee! I can't wait to hear what you think of the rest of them.

Speaking of amazing YA novels with killer first sentences, The Knife of Never Letting Go is one of the most thrilling thrillers I've ever read. I usually hate first-person narration with a passion, but Todd's voice is really compelling (I especially like the misspellings that keep you aware of his age) and the pages just keep turning and...yeah. It's a good read. (I happen to be reading the sequel right now, which is why I'm so excited about it).

[fredericks.livejournal.com]

At the moment I'm about 1/4th of the way through book two. A big part of the series personal appeal is due to my love of Greek myths. I enjoyed reading about Zeus and Co when I was younger, and would borrow D'aulaire's book on the subject over and over again. The only negative right now is the way book two reminds me of some of the more (imo) annoying aspects of the Harry Potter series: we have the kids at Camp Half-Blood being overseen by a somewhat cruel overbearing character and nothing is done about it. Yet, anyway. I'm not articulating this very well because I'm tired, I know, but I still am having fun while reading.

And I'm going to have to find a copy of the book you mentioned above. Thanks. :)

BTW -if I haven't mentioned this before, that icon? Kills me ded. Not Thomas! Heh.

[emily-goddess.livejournal.com]

Icon: I'll see if I can find the fanfic it's based on. Not the best writing ever, but I like the idea of Thomas playing Edward Cullen to get women.

As for Dionysos: unlike Snape, he has a fairly good reason for resenting heroes. And unlike Dumbledore, Zeus isn't a kindly old man who loves the kiddies. I doubt he cares how Mr. D treats the kids, as long as he's miserable. Personally, the HP parallel that bothered me most was the combination of a male hero who's new to this magical world, and a female sidekick who knows all about it and is basically a walking encyclopedia who occasionally gets to fight. I think Annabeth has more character than Hermione, but their roles are awfully similar.

[emily-goddess.livejournal.com]

Found the fic. That was easier than I thought.

[fredericks.livejournal.com]

Heh. I read that and I thought to myself "wow, Dresden not angsting two full pages about Thomas's feeding. Yeah, that'll happen. *snort*." Funny premise, though.

[fredericks.livejournal.com]

Actually, it was the introduction of Tantalus that had me thinking of HP, specifically Dolores Umbridge. Dionysus comes across as negligent but not particularly malevolent. Annabeth being pushed to the background doesn't personally bug as much since she's continually hinting about some trauma or another that's made her plight difficult. But I hear you about the wise female helping the male character.

I do like that Percy has killed - monsters, and only those who have attacked him, but still. And the ending of book one was surprising in a way I haven't seen while reading YA in, like, forever. Makes me wonder what I'm missing in the genre. Also makes me want to go out and find it. Hence my taking of your recs.