Thursday, July 5, 2012

Friday Follow



Q: Jumping Genres: Ever pick up a book from a genre you usually don't like and LOVE it? Tell us about it and why you picked it up in the first place.


I don't know of a time recently when I picked up a strange genre and ended up loving it. It's not that I never pick up anything different--on the contrary. I read across most genres so there's not much that's uncommon for me.


I do remember a time when I was in grade school that this happened, though. I'm really not kidding. I remember because I think it changed my life just a little bit.


The class had been broken into two reading groups. One was reading a Gary Paulsen book--who I LOVED as a kid, by the way. The other was reading some random fantasy novel. Now, I had grown up hearing fantasy stories verbally. My dad was a huge Lord of the Rings fan and twenty years before Hollywood made its movies, my dad could tell the story from memory. One of my earliest memories is him sitting against the door frame in my room before I went to sleep and telling me and my sister and brother of Frodo's adventures.


Despite this, I'd never actually READ a fantasy before this class in school. (Cut me some slack. I was like ten!) Anyway, I had been absent the day the groups were assigned, so I didn't know which one I'd be in. I was desperately hoping for the Gary Paulsen group because I loved his books and really wanted to read the one that group was reading.


And what do you think happened? Yup, you guessed it! I got put in the fantasy group. I remember being so angry, cursing my teacher with ten-year-old, get-your-mouth-washed-out-with-soap-if-your-mom-heard-you-say-that curses. You get the idea. 


But, low and behold, the fantasy book I was "forced" to read was none other than Lloyd Alexander's The Black Cauldron. For anyone who's read these amazing books, enough said. I LOVED IT! 


Thus began my life-long love affair with epic fantasy! I never looked at books the same way again. From then on, I jumped to read medieval fantasy and my life has never been the same. How about you?



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19 comments :

  1. Chayse SundtJuly 5, 2012 at 7:42 PM

    Hey I feel the same way

    New follower!

    thebookreaper.com

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  2. BLHmistressJuly 5, 2012 at 8:04 PM

    Medieval fantasy has caught my attention been eager to read but not sure what to try and any suggestions?

    MyFF

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    1. Liesel K. HillJuly 6, 2012 at 7:24 AM

      Depends on how much time you want to spend. My favorite BY FAR is Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. Book 1 is called The Eye of the World. That said, the series is quite long and will take some time to get through. I also really like Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth Series and right now I'm into George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones series. If you want something more simplistic, try Lloyd Alexander, Tolkien, or C.S. Lewis, if you haven't read them before. Right now I'm reading Grave Mercy and, though I'm only about a third of the way through it, I'm loving it! :D Happy Friday!

      Delete
  3. Kristy BerridgeJuly 5, 2012 at 9:25 PM

    I've never read this book, but I suppose that's no great surprise because I don't usually read fantasy LOL. I suppose that is the point of this Follow Friday though, isn't it? Anyway, I'm a new follower on your blog. I thought I'd stop by and say hi, and hope that you pop over my ways and follow me back. Have a great weekend!
    http://kristyberridge.blogspot.com.au/

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    1. Liesel K. HillJuly 6, 2012 at 7:25 AM

      Thanks! I did pop by your blog. Love your sinister background picture. It's awesome! I'll check out your book! My first book will be out this fall. Thanks for stopping by! Happy Friday! :D

      Delete
  4. TheReadingPenguinJuly 5, 2012 at 10:05 PM

    See, sometimes required reading is a good thing! I'm new here! Happy Friday! My Follow

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    1. Liesel K. HillJuly 6, 2012 at 7:25 AM

      Agreed! Thanks for stopping by! i'll check out your FF too!

      Delete
  5. Alison Can ReadJuly 5, 2012 at 10:10 PM

    Hopping through. I've heard of Alexander's books but never read them. I know they're classics. I really should get to them.
    My Hop

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  6. APJuly 5, 2012 at 11:02 PM

    Cute story!

    New follower via GFC

    -Amanda P
    Paranormal Romance

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  7. AnonymousJuly 6, 2012 at 8:09 AM

    Nice post, Happy Friday!

    http://tributebooksmama.blogspot.com/2012/07/feature-follow.html

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  8. ChristinaJuly 6, 2012 at 2:33 PM

    OMG, loved the black cauldron! What a great blast in the past! I'm a new follower by GFC.

    Would love if you visited my blog, Ensconced in YA!
    http://cahreviews.blogspot.com/2012/07/feature-and-follow-friday-1.html

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    Replies
    1. Liesel K. HillJuly 6, 2012 at 8:00 PM

      Thanks for stopping by! I'll check out your blog too! :D Happy Friday! :D

      Delete
  9. SandyJuly 6, 2012 at 2:43 PM

    I have not read The Black Cauldron, I saw the movie when I didn't know the movie was based off a book and thought it was unusually dark for a Disney film but enjoyed it very much. I might have to check out the book now that I am thinking about it.

    Old Follower
    Sandy
    My FF Post

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  10. Liesel K. HillJuly 6, 2012 at 8:01 PM

    Thanks for stopping by! I'll check out your FF post as well. Happy Friday! :D

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  11. Michelles Paranormal Vault Of BooksJuly 7, 2012 at 8:32 PM

    nice story, hard for me to remember that far back, lol, I do know, if I was told to read something, i had a hard time doing it, or giving it a chance, lol, as a kid anyway. Here is my post. FF Post

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    1. Liesel K. HillJuly 8, 2012 at 4:04 PM

      Thanks for stopping by, Michelle! I really enjoyed your FF post too! :D

      Delete

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