Books!

[Mélusine]

Mélusine, it must have been difficult to avoid Harry Potter spoilers back when everyone was talking about them! I read each of the last three books within 48 hours of when the book was out, and didn't talk to anyone before I was finished.

Just imagine the first weeks being a new student in a new university in which you don't have friends yet, and simply saying things like "Haaaaaaa, no, I hadn't read it yet, I don't want to know anything !" And after... honestly, I don't know how I did that.

[Purple Wyrm]

This is a bit of a longshot, but I've posted the same info to other boards I've been on over the years, so why not here as well?

There are two books I remember reading but have never been able to to track down.

The first was a young-adult post-apocalyptic novel about a future Earth where a nuclear war has knocked society back to a medieval level, and anyone who knows anything about science is regarded as some kind of mage. Humanity is threatened by mutated superintelligent rat creatures. The story follows a mage and his apprentice who are looking for an ancient treasure that turns out to be a computerised encyclopedia. About the only other thing I can remember is that metal is really rare - a character has a small metal dagger and it's regarded as almost magical.

The other is a sort of horror novel where the protagonist is forced to go on a kind of treasure hunt through modern day London at the behest of a bunch of bored young aristocrats. If he wins, they bring him into their group and make him rich, if he loses, they kill him. He has to solve a bunch of historical puzzles and isn't allowed to ask for help from anyone - at one point he gets help from a homeless man who the aristocrats kill. In the end he wins and then turns into a soulless monster just like the rest of them.

Does anyone have the faintest idea what books I might be talking about?

[Kelpie]

The first was a young-adult post-apocalyptic novel about a future Earth where a nuclear war has knocked society back to a medieval level, and anyone who knows anything about science is regarded as some kind of mage. Humanity is threatened by mutated superintelligent rat creatures. The story follows a mage and his apprentice who are looking for an ancient treasure that turns out to be a computerised encyclopedia. About the only other thing I can remember is that metal is really rare - a character has a small metal dagger and it's regarded as almost magical.

I just spent the past hour trying to find that and sadly have nothing to show for it, but I volunteer at a library so it's now my life's goal to figure out what that is because it sounds awesome.

On a side note has anyone read Monster Blood Tattoo (The Foundling's Tale in U.S.) by D.M. Cornish? It's set in a bio-punkish world, roughly equivalent to the 18th century, and is about a orphan boy named Rossamünd who is trying desperately to travel to his new job as a lamplighter. There's lots of monsters and such, and also some modified people who switched out their organs for different ones to give them special abilities. Also pictures! It's illustrated!

[Kiraly]

I just spent the past hour trying to find that and sadly have nothing to show for it, but I volunteer at a library so it's now my life's goal to figure out what that is because it sounds awesome.

On a side note has anyone read Monster Blood Tattoo (The Foundling's Tale in U.S.) by D.M. Cornish? It's set in a bio-punkish world, roughly equivalent to the 18th century, and is about a orphan boy named Rossamünd who is trying desperately to travel to his new job as a lamplighter. There's lots of monsters and such, and also some modified people who switched out their organs for different ones to give them special abilities. Also pictures! It's illustrated!

So, one: Library high-five! (I work at a library We love volunteers, so it's awesome that you're doing that!)

Two: I haven't read that but it sounds AMAZING, I'll add it to my to-read list! I'm a sucker for illustrated novels.

PurpleWyrm I'm afraid I don't know those books, but I'll keep an eye out for them. You never know what's going to cross the desk in this place...

[Purple Wyrm]

I just spent the past hour trying to find that and sadly have nothing to show for it, but I volunteer at a library so it's now my life's goal to figure out what that is because it sounds awesome.

I'm afraid I don't know those books, but I'll keep an eye out for them. You never know what's going to cross the desk in this place...

Woohoo! I have Librarians on my side now! I cannot fail! 

A couple more details on the post-apocalyptic one that I've dredged up from the depths of my memory. It was probably the second or third book of a series, since it dropped straight into the story with a brief summary of previous events. When they find the encyclopedia (spoilers!) and start it up it shows a picture of a hand pressing a green button, while a voice over explains that if they can understand what's being said, they should press the red button instead. Language has changed to the point where they can't understand the voice over, so they press the green button and it launches a language course.

As for it sounding awesome, I read it when I was about 12. So while pre-teen me indeed thought it was great, it may turn out to be complete rubbish

I've been trying to track down both books for years with no success. If it wasn't for the fact that I've found a few fellow seekers online I'd be tempted to think I dreamed both of them.

[Ragnarok]

I just spent the past hour trying to find that and sadly have nothing to show for it, but I volunteer at a library so it's now my life's goal to figure out what that is because it sounds awesome.

On a side note has anyone read Monster Blood Tattoo (The Foundling's Tale in U.S.) by D.M. Cornish? It's set in a bio-punkish world, roughly equivalent to the 18th century, and is about a orphan boy named Rossamünd who is trying desperately to travel to his new job as a lamplighter. There's lots of monsters and such, and also some modified people who switched out their organs for different ones to give them special abilities. Also pictures! It's illustrated!

Yep. First two books in the series. MBT is now called 'Foundling' IIRC. Very fun and very creepy.

[Antillanka]

Just started Anna Karenina... wonder why it took me so long to make up my mind and pick it up!

[Mélusine]

Just started Anna Karenina... wonder why it took me so long to make up my mind and pick it up!

Oh, Russian literature ! I still see me thinking, while reading Anna Karenina " Who's (Insert a new name here) ? ... Okay, this character has a first name, a last name, a pet name and ALSO a name with nothing related to the first three..."
I'm at the end of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (in English) and might e-read the third Harry Potter after. Just because.

[Mélusine]

I thought re-read Barry Hughart, but in English this time, could be a good idea. The beautiful edition with the three book in one I found is awfully expensive -__- *Frustration*

[Mélusine]

This citation, just because I thought to all of these conversations about genders and difficulties I read in the threads without speaking, while I read it in Pratchett's The Shepherd's Crown.

Spoiler: show

'I am intrigue, Geoffrey', she said. 'Why do you want to be a witch instead of a wizard, which is something traditionally thought of as a man's job ?'
'I never thought of myself as a man, Mistress Tiffany. I don't think I'm anything. I'm just me', he said quietly.

[moonamaija]

This citation, just because I thought to all of these conversations about genders and difficulties I read in the threads without speaking, while I read it in Pratchett's The Shepherd's Crown.

Spoiler: show

'I am intrigue, Geoffrey', she said. 'Why do you want to be a witch instead of a wizard, which is something traditionally thought of as a man's job ?'
'I never thought of myself as a man, Mistress Tiffany. I don't think I'm anything. I'm just me', he said quietly.

Oh, I just started Pratchett's Slip of the Keyboard - Collected Nonfiction, and there's an article he wrote about witches and wizards in fantasy, it's practically that quote explained All the other texts in that book are awesome too, and it feels so weird to read them 'cos I've only read fiction written by him before, give or take a few prefaces. Also sad, 'cos there's many texts about cons and his fans and I never got to meet him.

[Shine]

Well, you seem to have read Good Omens. Don't you know that's completely non-fiction?
No, really, it's honestly what Pratchett and Gaiman thought the apocalypse would be like.

[moonamaija]

Well, you seem to have read Good Omens. Don't you know that's completely non-fiction?
No, really, it's honestly what Pratchett and Gaiman thought the apocalypse would be like.

Haha omg sorry, completely forgot that one! I take Good Omens very seriously, as the book of real facts it is.

[Shine]

Since we were talking about Pratchett, I should add that I recently started reading the Long Earth series. I'm in the middle of book two and it. is. awesome!
The series starts with someone posting on the Internet the instructions for a 'stepper', a very simple device which enables you to step into alternate Earths, and then continues (as far as I can tell) by chronicling important parts of the life of Joshua Valienté, a natural stepper who is sent on a mission to explore the Long Earth.

[smol]

I absolutely love books, though I haven't really  read enough to be able to suggest some. Anyone know any good fantasy/mystery novels?