Landover series read - who's in?

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Landover series read - who's in?

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1kgriffith
May 26, 2009, 2:00 pm

So the new Landover title from Terry Brooks will be released on August 18th. I'm planning to re-read the series in preparation for the new novel, and had proposed a group read if anyone was interested. Can I get an idea of who is intending to participate, and whether the weekly rate of about half a book per (avg. 158 pages) is attainable? That's starting June 1, and finishing the weekend before the Tuesday release.

I'll gladly post a group read thread with each week's end points (I'll round to nearest chapters) if anyone is planning to join me. Hope to have at least a few folks along! :)

2biblioholic29
May 26, 2009, 2:42 pm

I haven't gotten to the used bookstore recently, but I think I'll be able to this weekend, I'll look for the first one and give it a try if I can find it. 158 pgs, shouldn't be a problem for me.

3pollysmith
May 26, 2009, 3:35 pm

Hey I'll try. First to find the book then to read it

4Kerian
May 26, 2009, 3:39 pm

I'm still in persuit of a copy of book one. I was at a 20% off used bookstore sale yesterday really wishing I had saved the author's name in my cell phone.

5Jim53
May 26, 2009, 3:40 pm

I haven't looked at Brooks since trying a couple of the Shannara books, which I found derivative and awful. Is this series different from those?

6pollysmith
May 26, 2009, 3:43 pm

The first book is "The Black Unicorn" right?

7Kerian
May 26, 2009, 3:52 pm

Magic Kingdom for Sale---Sold! is book one. The book you're thinking of is book two.

8kgriffith
May 26, 2009, 4:05 pm

Jim, I've not read the Shannara series, so I can't compare; this series is by no means "heavy reading," and, being a not-too-serious fantasy fan, I found it engaging and fun. I'm not familiar enough with typical fantasy story lines and archetypes to know how original the books are, but none of them smacked of anything I'd read before that I recall. Maybe someone who remembers the series better than I, or someone who has read more of the same books you have, could offer a better response? Anyone? Please? :)

9littlegeek
May 26, 2009, 4:26 pm

Looks like there's kindle editions of all the books. I'll give the first one a swag and see how I like it.

10elbakerone
May 26, 2009, 4:46 pm

I'll look for the first one at the library. :)

I read a few of the Shanara books in high school and at the time I really liked them (my friends and I did tend to mock some of his overused phrases and plot cliches, but they were still entertaining). I wasn't a huge reader back then and stuck mostly to serial fantasy stuff so I might have a different view of them now, but I haven't yet revisited them. I haven't read anything else by Brooks so I've got nothing to compare which I guess makes my opinion pretty moot. But I'm always up for giving authors second (and sometimes third) chances.

11foggidawn
May 26, 2009, 9:58 pm

I'm in, if I can keep up (summer is busy, busy, busy).

#5 -- After reading this series, I tried to pick up the Shannara series and could not get in to them at all. So, at least in my opinion, the two are not similar, and these are better.

12Jim53
May 27, 2009, 3:12 pm

Thanks to all who responded to my question. I see my public library has a copy, so I'll give it a try.

13lefty33
May 27, 2009, 5:20 pm

I got the first book off paperbackswap when you first mentioned them, Laia. So I'm in for the first at least!

14kirbyowns
May 27, 2009, 5:47 pm

Okay, first book is ordered!

15kgriffith
May 27, 2009, 5:48 pm

Wooohoooo!!!

OK, so reading to commence the week of June 1; I'll check my copy at home and see where the nearest chapter break is to p.158 and post it here this evening, then I'll try to map the series.

16kirbyowns
May 27, 2009, 5:51 pm

I probably won't start until after June 10th. That's when my big presentation is due in Russelville. If I can get through that I plan on reading all summer. Really. You should see my stack of professional and personal reading for the summer. MASSIVE.

17kgriffith
May 27, 2009, 5:59 pm

I have complete faith in your ability to catch up :)

18littlegeek
May 27, 2009, 6:02 pm

#15 Yes, please use chapter breaks because we in the land of Kindle do not know from page numbers. (We have "locations" but I have never been able to figure out how they determine them.)

19kgriffith
May 27, 2009, 6:04 pm

*nod* Same on my iPod; I get page numbers within chapters, but not overall. The pagination would get a bit out of hand, I'm sure, given that it takes me about 10 seconds to read a "page," and that's a page of Dickens, at that. :)

20kgriffith
May 27, 2009, 9:41 pm

Ok, so the first week's reading, the post for which will be created on Monday, June 8, will be through the chapter entitled, "Lords of the Greensward." I'll plot the rest when I'm at a full-size keyboard :)

21biblioholic29
May 31, 2009, 8:28 am

They had the first one at the used bookstore, so I'm in. I also grabbed the fourth one, but that was all they had.

22kirbyowns
Jun 1, 2009, 8:53 am

My books were supposed to get here on Saturday, but I guess UPS is backed up and it won't get here until Wednesday. It kind of makes me a little mad because I had 3 day shipping, not 6 day. Oh well. Shipping was free.

23kgriffith
Jun 1, 2009, 11:30 am

Aw, man! That stinks, kirby. Stupid UPS. Pfft.

24littlegeek
Jun 1, 2009, 11:37 am

I have to finish To Say Nothing of the Dog first. Man, I wish I had more time to read. I'm thinking the Landover books are a pretty quick read, tho, right?

25foggidawn
Jun 1, 2009, 11:46 am

#24 -- Yes.

26kgriffith
Jun 1, 2009, 11:49 am

LG, I read the first section in maybe an hour and a half of regularly interrupted reading.

27littlegeek
Jun 1, 2009, 11:51 am

Aha, no sweat then! Perfect kind of group read, not too taxing on the reading time.

28littlegeek
Jun 3, 2009, 12:32 am

OK, this is the group read I love - Kindle price for Magic Kingdom for Sale - Sold! is $0.00!!!

29kirbyowns
Jun 3, 2009, 1:06 pm

Book arrived last night!

lg: I saw the Sony version of Kindle on Saturday. Really wasn't impressed. Have you seen them? If so do they compare at all?

30littlegeek
Jun 3, 2009, 1:08 pm

kirby, I don't know about the Sony, except someone was selling them in the airport when I last flew and it looked way clunkier that the Kindle. Kindle's design is very elegant.

31Jim53
Jun 3, 2009, 1:38 pm

OK, I'm passing the midpoint of the first book. Some clunky phrasing, some stupid names, but also some nice touches with Ben's character and reasons for the purchase, and pretty good pacing as we learn new things about Landover. Are we ready to start discussing?

32kgriffith
Jun 3, 2009, 1:44 pm

Jim, I'll post a thread with the first section's chapter breakdown on the 8th, and one for each subsequent section each Monday thereafter until we get to the release of the new book. You're welcome to start your own thread if you want to just chat about it in general, and feel free to copy and paste from yours to the "official" group read threads as the relevant chapters come up :)

33littlegeek
Jun 3, 2009, 1:49 pm

#29 kirby, check this out.

34kirbyowns
Jun 3, 2009, 2:15 pm

Thanks! I don't plan on getting a Kindle because I'm a tactile/visual learner so I need to have the actual book in my hand. But I think they're really cool.

35Jim53
Jun 3, 2009, 4:43 pm

#32 thanks, aglaia, I'll wait for the "official" threads, just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something by being away for a few days. O wait, I did miss something. Happy Birthday!!

36kgriffith
Jun 3, 2009, 4:50 pm

Nope, you're good! And thank you! :)