The competition has just gone up another level! We have our first reviews of the Treasure Island book and, as you know from the March 1 post, those reviews are Buzzer Beaters and count as five points! Before we get into that, though, let me let you all know that your reviews of the Treasure Island play have been mentioned on Imaginon's Facebook page. Take a look and good work, men!
We have three new reader guys jumping into the competiton today, so let's start with them. First up is dunkin' Demitri:
Then we have crunchin' Keegan89:
And then we have joltin' Josh with two shots:
Book :Treasure Island
Summary
Treasure Island tells the story of Jim Hawkins, a young teenage boy who embarks on a journey to find a great amount of money after stealing a treasure map from an old buccaneer. Little do Jim and his companions know of the treachery that pursues them every step of the way. They must find the treasure while guarding themselves from murderous pirates who are willing to kill for the money. I liked this book because there is lots of adventure and action with a great ending that you won’t see coming.
Book Dracula (abridged)
Author: Tania Zamorsky (possibly a vampire)
Summary:
Jonathan Harker, a lawyer working for the firm of Mr. Hawkins, travels to Transylv
By: Carl,
on 3/2/2010
Blog: Boys Rule Boys Read! (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Amulet: The Stonekeeper, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, March Madness Slam Dunk contest, Add a tag
Those first shots are, no surprise, from our good friend Michael. Here you go:
Diary of a Wimpy Kid, book 1
Dairy of a Wimpy Kid
by Jeff Kinney
Middle-schooler Greg Heffley recirds his recent life in a diary that his mom told him to write in. He tells of his bully brother, Rodrick, his best friend, Rowley, and the all-school weird kid (who lives in the same neighborhood as Greg), Fregley. This is a hysterical story that is strangely true. There are 3 other Diary of a Wimpy Kid books. A 5th one is on the way, and the Movie Diary has been released. The other 3 books in order are... Rodrick Rules, The Last Straw, and Dog Days. Be sure to read them all!
Amulet, book 1
The Stonekeeper
by Kazu Kibuishi
Emily thinks that the new house that she, her brother Navin, and her mom have moved in (which was their grandfather's old mansion) is the worst thing that could have happened to her. It's covered with dust, it's not anywhere near the city, and it's filled with Grandpa's old inventions. He was a wannabe inventor, but he failed every time. Later, when Em finds herself alone, she notices a secret compartment with an amulet in it. She puts it on, only to find that she can never take it off. She and her family find themselves wisked away to another world. Their mom is eaten by a strange creature, and they barely manage to get her out. What other trials will they find in this alternate dimension? With a bunch of robots as their friends, they must fight against the evil elves and Em must harness the magical power of the amulet. More surprise and adventure is found in the next Amulet book, The Stonekeeper's Curse.
Good shooting, Michael! Since you reviewed Amulet: The Stonekeeper, one of the "three point" books, you start with a whopping 4 points! You're going in strong, just like that other hot-shooting Michael. Keep raining them in! And are you other guys going to let him go unchallenged?? Let's hear from you!
Got any questions? Look at the post under this one and it'll explain everything.
Looking forward to more Slam Dunks and Three Pointers,
Carl
By: Carl,
on 3/1/2010
Blog: Boys Rule Boys Read! (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Treasure Island, Amulet: The Stonekeeper, No More Dead Dogs, The Yearling, Sluggers, Amulet: The Stonekeeper's Curse, Tiger's Apprentice, March Madness Slam Dunk contest, Add a tag
Ah, yes, reader guys, the CARLMAN is excited because it's March again. Fabulous, wonderful 
March, the month of the March Madness college basketball tournament! Every year it's great. There are always exciting games, a major upset, and an unknown
team that comes out of nowhere and thrills the whole nation. This year ought to be no different--although it won't be as much fun because my beloved Carolina Tarheels have a second-rate team and may not even make it. Oh, well.
simple and hold a MARCH MADNESS SLAM DUNK CONTEST. Each review you send in will be worth one point (a "slam dunk"). The three guys with the most points at the end of March will be the first, second, and third place winners. Simple, huh? BUT WAIT--THERE'S MORE!! You have chances to get THREE EXTRA POINTS! If you send us a review of any of the books listed below (which are terrific but don't get the attention they deserve), you'll make a "three-point shot" for three extra points. Here's the list:
Any book in the Racing for Freedom trilogy by Alison Hart (scroll down and see the post of 2-24 for more info)
Any book in The Tiger's Apprentice series (cl
By: Darth Corder,
on 1/2/2009
Blog: Boys Rule Boys Read! (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: The Graveyard Book, Amulet: The Stonekeeper, Tunnels, Best of 2008, Runemarks, Ironhand, Salt Water Taffy, The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli Vols 1 and 2, The Bone Series, Add a tag
Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rock On Alll!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Darth Bill Salutes You!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Above is a picture of a couple of my Sith Buds I took on New Years Day. There a wild lot I'll tell ya that. These guys really know how to party!!!!!!
I was not going to do this originally, but after I saw the Calman's Post I felt compelled to do so. Okay here are my top 4 books of 2008 (the reviews are the same that I did earlier in the year):
1) Runemarks by Joanne Harris - This story is set 500 years after Ragnarok that ended the old world ruled by the Norse Gods. The main character in this story is a young girl named Maddy Smith who is born with a strange and magical birthmark. In Maddy's world "The Word" rules all with an iron-fist. In her world magic is taboo and imagination is highly discouraged. Because of what people perceive as Maddy's strangeness she is ignored by her father and has no friends. That is until one day when she meets and old wanderer called One-Eye who befriends here and teaches her to use the magic that has been lying asleep inside her. This book is filled with Norse Gods, Heroes, Villains and Monsters. This book will suck you in and you will not be able to put it down once you start reading it. This is a great book that I would put right up there with Rick Riordan's "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" book series. The one obvious difference is that this book rekindles excitement in Norse Mythology as opposed to Greek Mythology.
2) Ironhand: Book Two of The Stoneheart Trilogy by Charlie Fletcher - This book takes of where Stoneheart (click HERE to see my review of that book), the first book in the trilogy, left off. It takes off like a rocket and doesn't stop the whole way through the story. The story starts with George and Edie determined to rescue the Gunner who has been captured by the evil and mysterious
3) Tunnels by Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams – This book rocked and I absolutely cannot wait for the sequel. The main character of the book is 14-year-old Will Burrows who along with his archaeologist father, Dr. Burrows, shares a passion for digging tunnels into the earth in search of buried historical items. Will’s family is extremely “different” and to say the least dysfunctional. His father is always involved with his work and little else, his mother watches TV non-stop, and his younger sister runs the families finances. Will is an extremely pale boy and picked on non-stop at school. That is until he befriends another outcast by the name of 
4) The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman - Neil Gaiman is one of my favorite authors and this book is a perfect example of why. The book starts out with the murder of a family by a "Jack The Ripper" type murderer. The whole family is murdered except for the baby boy who wanders out of the house and ends up in the local graveyard. There he is protected by the ghost and those who lookout over the grave yard from the murderer. The boy is adopted by two ghost and given the name Nobody Owens. Along with his ghost parents, he is raised in the graveyard by all of its inhabitants as one of its own. The book consists of the many adventures the boy Bod, short for Nobody, has as he grows up in the graveyard. There are ghouls, werewolves (which may surprise you), monsters and just plain evil people Bod meets or comes up against throughout the story and ultimately he must face up to the man who tried to kill him as a baby. This book is wonderfully written and full of thrills, action and poinyant moments that will make you remember it long after you have finished reading it. Gaiman leaves the door open for a sequel and I for one sure hope it happens. Great book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Best 4 Graphic Novels of 2008 (reviews ftom earlier post):
1) The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli Vols. 1 & 2 by Jay Piscopo - Vol. 1: The first story "The Mystery of Me" introduces us to the main character of the graphic novel Capt'n Eli. This is Capt'n Eli's origin story and introduces many characters and asks many questions that you will be intrigued to learn about in future stories. In this story he joins the Seaserchers and also meets for the first time Commander X.The second story in the book,"The Mystery of the Sargasso Sea," is an adventure tale that involves the mysterious Sargasso Sea that has been a floating burial ground for ships throughout history and the even more curious Bermuda Triangle where both ships and other seafaring vessels, planes even, have mysteriously disappeared never to be found again. This story involves time travel,Christopher Columbus, some of the very interesting history (or would that be future????) of Commander X, and lots of battling with the Hydrons (evil underwater dewlers). This is such a cool story!!!!!!
The last story in the book, "The Return of Baron Hydro," take us back to the days of World War II. The Big 3 (Commander X, Sea Raider, and the Human Sun) take on Baron Hydro (major bad guy) and his Hydrons. This story is action packed and just a whole lot of fun!!!!!!!!
The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli: The Mystery of the Sargasso Sea (Volume 2) by Joe Piscopo - Man with this volume the Capt'n Eli Graphic Novel Series hits another gear and really takes off!!!!! As it was left off in the previous volume Capt'n Eli is still with Commander X aboard his super high tech submarine "Sub Zero." They reach the underwater city of Aquaria only to find it under attack by a race of underwater denizens known as the Outcast. It seems Aquira and it's people are now ruled by Commander X's former World War II partner, known then as The Sea Raider. We also find out that Commander X is Aqurian's sworn Lord Protector and it is his duty to protect them from all threats and enemies. Let's see what else happens in this story, we learn the history of Aquaria and its relationship to Atlantis, we learn the secret origin of the ruler of the Aquarians known by many names such as - Rex Noble, The Sea Raider and The Sea Ghost among others, Lord Hydro is back with all his evilness and Hydrons and much. much more!!!!!!!!!! I promise you if you pick up this Graphic Novel you will be unable to put it down until you have finished reading it and then you will still be wanting more.
2) The Bone Series by Jeff Smith:Bone: Treasure Hunters, Volume 8 by Jeff Smith - Fresh into the have gained entrance into the once great ruling city of PLCMC Library's Graphic Novel Collection is the latest instalment of the Bone Series. Well kids things are really getting interesting in the Bone Graphic Novel Series. In this instalment the Bone Cousins (Phoney, Smiley and Fone Bone), Gran'ma Ben, Thorn and BartlebyAtheia. Inside and outside the city things are not well. Outside the city Ghost Circles are everywhere and Briar (Gran'ma Ben's Sister) is gathering both rat creatures and human warriors to serve the Lord of the Locust and bring an end to all. Inside the city things are not all that great either as our heroes must contend with Tarsil, The Captain of the Queen's Guard, who has turned traitor and now rules the city. So besides the dragons disappearing, enemies all around who would like nothing better than to find and crush the former royal linage of the kingdom (that would be Thorn and Gran'ma Ben) and all that support it, the nearing release the Lord of the Locust into the world and all other types of nastiness; everything is just great!!!!!! I tell ya, you need to get ahold of this latest volume as soon as possible and read it. This is really just awesome stuff!!!!!!!!!!
Bone Volume 7: Ghost Circles by Jeff Smith – Well, the seventh volume in the Bone Graphic Novel Series has finally come out and it was well worth the wait. As the title to this volume intones, things get real scary and serious in this one. The villagers and Veni Yan Monks are really put to the test by the “Lord of the Locust’ and his armies. Everything goes crazy with a volcano eruption and the appearance of “
3) Amulet: Book One, The Stonekeeper by Kazu Kibuishint- Wow, this is a really cool graphic novel that I encourage everyone to give it a read. The story starts out with a terrible accident that forces major changes in the lives of sister and brother Emily and Navin. Because of the accident Em, Navin, and their mother are forced to move into an abandoned house once lived in by Grandpa Silass who disappeared under mysterious circumstances. The kids find out that their grandfather was an inventor of sorts but even more importantly Em finds a magical amulet that is a total mystery to her. On the families first night in the house, they are awoken by sounds coming from the basement. While investigating the sound, a strange tentacled creature pulls their mother through a mysterious doorway to another world. Em and Navin determined to save their mom follow and thus begins their true adventure in a place like nothing they could have imagined.
4) Salt Water Taffy: The Adventures of Jack and Benny - The Legend of Old Salty by Matthew Loux - This Graphic Novel is about two brothers Jack and Benny whose parents have decided to take the whole family away from the city and to spend the summer in the state of Maine at the weird and mysterious Chowder Bay. Jack and Benny make fast friends with one of the locals known around those parts as Fisherman Angus O'Neil. One evening the boys see something huge and monstrous on the beach, but can't quite make it out. After talking to Angus they discover that Chowder Bay has a mysterious resident in the waters known as Old Salty. This leads to strange robberies by lobsters, very strange behavior by seagulls and an epic battle between Old Salty and Angus. Does any of this make sense? If not read this excellent Graphic Novel and it all will. I really loved this book and look forward to the next in the series.Well here's to looking for great titles in 2009!!!!! If you have some books or Graphic Novels that you particularly enjoyed from 2008, write in and let us know about them!!!!
Peace all,
Bill
By: Neil Gaiman,
on 9/2/2007
Blog: Neil Gaiman (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: A photo I like of the great wall, 2009 Montreal Worldcon, In which it is discovered that I cannot haggle, Add a tag
I really enjoyed the shopping expedition, despite exasperating my handlers (and even my driver) at my inability to haggle properly. I suspect I even irritated the gentleman I was meant to be haggling with. I don't have getting insulted by the ridiculous price being asked, criticising the seller and the quality of his merchandise, and then threatening to walk off in a huff down, not even half-way, and at the point where the wallet (it was for me. My old one had dissolved into frayed cardboard) was significantly cheaper than it would have been in the US, I just said Okay, and paid for it.
Cygnus and Heather (who were my handlers) and the driver (who was just sort of hanging around to help carry things because it was more interesting than waiting down in the car park)immediately told me off in no uncertain terms. I had let the side down. With another ten minutes of histrionics and finger-wagging (it was made very clear to me) I could have probably got at least another couple of dollars off the price of that wallet. After that I let Cygnus and the driver do the haggling (Heather had already said goodbye and gone off somewhere, probably in disgust at my haggling crapness). I picked out things I liked, and, in the end, paid for whatever had been haggled for. They did the in-between bits.
The nice things I got were gifts for the people from Harper Collins China. The fun stuff was gifts for other people and odd things for me, like a jade disk that, I have discovered, gives me something to do with my hands on long flights.
Then back to the Beijing hotel for a marathon stint of packing -- China is a gift-giving culture, and I had been given many things -- and a trip to the airport this morning. Got onto the plane, worked on the plane until my computer died, slept a little, then changed planes in Amsterdam, and flew to Budapest where I am now posting this on the astonishingly expensive local hotel internet.
When I got on line I learned that Montreal won the 2009 Worldcon bid -- http://www.anticipationsf.ca/ is the website, where we learn that:
Anticipation, the WorldCon will be held August 6-10 at Palais des
congrès de Montréal from August 6th - 10th, 2009.Neil Gaiman - Guest of Honour
Elisabeth Vonarburg - Invitée d'honneur
Taral Wayne - Fan Guest of Honour
David Hartwell - Editor Guest of Honour
Tom Doherty - Publisher Guest of Honour
Julie Czerneda - Master of Ceremonies
Our new mailing address is:C.P. 105, Succursale NDG Montréal, Québec Canada H4A 3P4
And before I read the email telling me I was a guest I had already read this, from the FAQ line,
A bit nervous. Happy, too. I hope I can do it justice. Someone else wrote in to tell me that he thought I was a bit young to be a Worldcon Guest of Honour. I'll be 48 in 2009, and a couple of minutes with Wikipedia showed that Brian Aldiss, Roger Zelazny, Harlan Ellison, James Blish and Bob Silverberg were all some years younger than I am now when they were first Worldcon Guests of Honour (or, in the case of American conventions, Honor) (and there may be more -- after I found those five I stopped looking). And if anyone wishes to point out that Aldiss, Blish, Ellison, Silverberg and Zelazny were giants of the field while I'm just someone who writes stuff then they'll get no argument from me. (I'll have been earning a living by writing, and working in the SF and fantasy field for about 27 years by that point, for anyone who wondered.)
Excellent choices. I can't wait until Silvertongue, the next Charlie Fletcher book, comes out.