The Welcome Mat

Apparently it was a better ending than the end of scrubs

Rocket Ship Galileo by Robert Heinlein - I started my reread of Heinlein's early works with this classic about a scientist and three young men who decide to build a rocket ship to fly to the moon. While this was clearly written shortly after WWII, it didn't really seem that dated to me, other than some of the language. I enjoyed it quite a bit, though it isn't as complex as later works. It's a quick, fun read.

Queste by Angie Sage - This is the fourth book in the entertaining Septimus Heap series. In this volume, Septimus and Jenna are intent on traveling to the House of Foryx to rescue their brother, but Septimus may be forced to undertake a dangerous Queste from which no apprentice has ever returned. Sage has turned in another well written and fun fantasy novel.

Grimpow: The Invisible Road by Rafael Abalos - This story takes place in 1314 and deals with the Philosopher's Stone, the Knights Templar and the search for the Secret of the Wise, a treasure hidden by a secret society called the Ourobouros. This was an entertaining novel that was originally published in Spanish, but was seamlessly translated into English.

The Printer's Devil by Paul Bajoria - Mog Winter is a 12 year old apprentice in early 19th Century London who stumbles upon a mystery involving a ship from India, a brass camel, a group of criminals and a boy who looks a lot like Mog. I thought this first novel was a fun read and I'm looking forward to the second book.

Half man half dog?

Psychotic_Carp wrote:Half man half dog?

Nope. Short for Imogen, actually. Mog is a girl who pretends to be a boy so that she can work as the printer's devil. If it was known that she was a girl, she probably wouldn't be able to find work and might starve.

Saga by Conor Kostick - This book is the sequel to Kostick's Epic and deals with a sentient computer game that has evolved beyond its programming over the last 2000 years. Saga has a strict class system where only a privileged few live in luxury. Ghost is a member of an airboarding gang and starts noticing people appearing and disappearing from the world. This is the start of a revolution to overthrow the Dark Queen who rules Saga. An interesting book that is very different from Epic, but still enjoyable.

The Host by Stephenie Meyer - Earth is taken over by alien parasites who are inserted into human hosts and assume their life, complete with memories. These parasites are fairly gentle beings (outside of the genocide committed upon the host species) and think they can do a better job than humans and the other hosts they use on other planets. A few wild humans remain and when one of them is caught, she resists and her mind survives alongside the alien, leading to an adventure to find her family. This book was very different from Meyer's Twilight series, though it is just as well-written and enjoyable. It starts out a bit slow, but picks up steam and is hard to put down at times.

The God of Mischief by Paul Bajoria - This is the sequel to The Printer's Devil and starts with Mog and Nick in the care of their distant relative, the wealthy Septimus Cloy. Cloy has a grand estate in the country that has fallen somewhat into disrepair. Strange things are afoot on the estate, especially with the odd head servant, Bonefinger. Accidents start to occur that are almost fatal and it leads to a fast paced and satisfactory conclusion that was a lot of fun along the way.

I just got finished reading Steve Martin's "Born Standing Up."

The book chronicles Steve Martin's decision to get into show business, specifically magic and comedy and takes you through from the time he got a job at Disneyland all the way up to The Jerk. If you're a fan of Steve Martin, I really recommend the book.

I really enjoyed it, and got through it rather quickly, which is surprising because I am such a slow reader. I'd imagine people who read on a regular basis could put the book away in a day.

I've always liked Steve Martin. I don't like nonfiction books very much, but I might check this one out.

Steve Martin is a jerk.....

The Sharing Knife: Passage by Lois McMaster Bujold - This is the third book in the Sharing Knife series by my favorite author. I haven't been disappointed by one of Bujold's books yet. In this book, Dag and Fawn make their way down the Grace River to the sea, picking up companions at a steady rate along the way. Dag continues to heal and explore his various Lakewalker abilities. The first two books in the series form a fantasy/romance duology and I highly recommend them for fantasy fans. This third book stands alone, though reading the first two books would be helpful.

Red Planet by Robert Heinlein - This is one of Heinlein's earlier juveniles and deals with Jim Marlowe, a young colonist on Mars, and his native friend Willis, also known as a bouncer for his shape and method of movement. When Jim runs afoul of his school's new headmaster, they stumble on a plot that affects all Martian colonists. This was a very good book and holds up fairly well, though Heinlein's attitude toward females is very oldfashioned.

How are the females being treated or seen in the book?