Off The Bookshelf

When Izgard of Garizon put on the Coil and crowned himself King, he set in train a course of tumultuous events that would reverberate around the continent. For the Coil must have blood.

And the first blood to flow is that of Berick of Thorn, the legendary conqueror of Garizon. His son, Camron, wants revenge and knows that Izgard can only be stopped by force of arms. He seeks out the man who knows most about Izgard's murderous hordes - Lord Ravis, a ruthless mercenary with a dark and secret past.

And Tessa McCamfrey is about to become caught up in this dangerous and exotic world - with the piratical Ravis, a beautifully patterned gold ring and a role to play in the momentous events that unfold.

I had a sudden yen to read again this, one of my favorite fantasy novels by one of my favorite fantasy writers. With every leap the same, and every plot and turn known, I suppose it should seem rote to the point of boring, but this novel never loses its fire for me. I highly recommend this novel as well as others of hers. You won't be disappointed! If you click on the cover art or synopsis above, a link will lead you to Amazon's Quick Look Inside.

Off The Bookshelf

Sometimes I forget how amazing Google is; this feature is an oldie but a goodie. I'm not sure precisely how many pages of The RF Reader are revealed but I got to page 42 before I stopped checking. So I encourage you to "thumb" through as many pages as possible. Also Bartleby's offers an impressive selection of Frost poems done up by collections, in this case, four.

A jaunt to Half-Price Books unearthed this metrical delight, and working my way through the poetry (and soon, the prose) has deepened my appreciation for the melodies of meter and the deceptive ease of rhyme. I had read Robert Frost is 'America's Poet' but now I know it for fact. His subjects are as down to earth as snow and fields and picking apples at the height of harvest; his words typically stretch no further than the vernacular but there is elevation in every poem. Again I am amazed by the power and subtlety of words, all words. Of course I have my favorites, a handful of selections I'd like to draw your eye towards --

Into My Own, from 'A Boy's Will'
The Trial By Existence, from 'A Boy's Will'
After Apple-picking, from 'North of Boston'
A Star in a Stoneboat, from 'New Hampshire'

Funny story: the day I bought this book I stopped by a local CVS on the way home. I had carried the book with me (don't ask me why) and at the counter the cashier exclaimed at the sight, "Ugh! I don't envy you!" She thought I was in school, you see, bound by some English course to read the "dreaded" poetry! And honestly, her expression was all sympathy and pity... until I told her, with a laugh, I had bought the book for pleasure. She looked sheepish then and mumbled, "Oh... well, en... joy?" We all shared a laugh then.

What my bookshelf desires...

... it shall receive! It's a true crime story set in Victorian
England. It sounds as intriguing as a Sir Arthur Conan
Doyle or Agatha Christie novel.

spending money I don't have

Okay. I did a bad, bad thing: I indulged myself at the bookstore yesterday. I know I shouldn't have but I fairly itched to own the the above and, well, I've never been good at impulse control. Especially when it comes to bookstores. ^^

The Photoshop Creative mag. is a U.K. import which means the price tag was set rather high, but this month's edition teaches you how to "oil paint" with Photoshop! Oil paint!!! I rest my case.

I bought the Japanese Design. book because it's a bunch of royalty-free classic Japanese prints, plus a CD-rom of the same. As is typical of Japanese design, the prints are gorgeous. I can't wait to manipulate and apply them to photos and poetry or anything else my heart desires. Hee. I fully plan on sharing, so hit me up if you are interested.

Then there is A Room of One's Own by Virgina Woolf. Isn't that cover lovely? I suspect I will develop an appreciation and awe for her talents as an author and all-around intelligent woman equal to my awe of Sylvia Plath and her respective talent. We'll see! There's also a copy of Mrs. Dalloway packed away somewhere , as yet unread. Hmm, I have to "get to gettin'."

So that is what is on the shelf today!
^_^


*follow the links attached to the pictures or phrases