Series books and libraries are eee-villlll

[jedishampoo]

So thanks to a lifetime love of Regency, too much Hornblower, and Melinda loaning me the book "Master and Commander," I have found yet another book series to eat up my waking hours. The Patrick O'Brian novels, upon several of which the movie "Master and Commander" was based, are really really good. Better than the Hornblower books, I must say, which are good but are more like adventure series for boys. The O'Brians have MARVELOUS characters, wonderful humor, sex, love, travel, ornithology, ship-battles, espionage, more marvelous characters, you name it.

Too poor to keep buying like usual, I discovered that the Library Directly Across the Street From Me Which I Had Not Visited Until a Couple of Weeks Ago (despite having lived here for two years) carries the whole series. And lots of other books. I goggled at the books they carried, lots of books I had spent much money on, keeping Borders and Amazon in business. Really, I'm not stupid. But the only libraries I had visited as an adult were university libraries and only in the case of desperate research.

But I finished The Fortunes of War this morning, book six and Oh My God how could they end it there and why was I cheering for the evil pressganging British over my own Americans during the naval parts of the War of 1812 and oh heck the fiction section was out of the next book Oh God what do I do but in my panic the nice library lady pointed out that they carry the book in Large Print. Scary and very hard to read by I am satisfied.

Series books are eeee-vill. But oh so satisfying to continue with characters I love. I am thankful that Lois McMaster Bujold wrote most of her books before I started reading, and Patrick O'Brian all. The list goes on and on. What would I have done if I'd started in the middle of a series that the author hadn't finished? It'd be like waiting for Harry Potter but over and over and over. The torture!

PS: How do you do a livejournal cut? Duh.

Comments

[moorina.livejournal.com]

For a cut with text (where the link has your own text in it) use: [lj-cut text="sample text"]
For a regular cut use: [lj-cut]
To end the cut use: [/lj-cut]

Replacing the square brackets with < and >, of course.

Hope that helps!

Gracias

[jedishampoo.livejournal.com]

Thank you Dahling! :) I know what I was doing now... trying to see it on the "preview" page, when it only shows up after you actually post it.

[slyvermont.livejournal.com]

If you go to the "rich text" option when making an entry, one of the little icon thingees is an LJ cut. I discovered this by going to the FAQ menu, which is in the HELP menu.

I have problems making links work.

As for libraries: I love the library. And if the library doesn't have what you want, they can get it through inter-library loan. Now that was a wonderful discovery.

[soniag.livejournal.com]

I've heard great things about the O'Brian series -- I really must check them out since I, too, love Hornblower and that time period in general.

Speaking of Regency, I would love to know some of your favorite authors. I just started a Georgette Heyer that so far isn't grabbing me yet. I'm in need of a good old romp.

Chesney!

[jedishampoo.livejournal.com]

Oooh, for a romp, try and find Marion Chesney, especially the six sisters series: Minerva, The Taming of Annabelle, Deirdre and Desire, Daphne, Diana the Huntress, and Frederica in Fashion. Very witty, slyly but affectionately cynical, light "shut the door" sex, and not nearly as dense as Heyer. Other things by Chesney are good as well, but those are the very best (Sara's read them too!).

Re: Chesney!

[soniag.livejournal.com]

Weeee! Thanks much. Will write down info right now.

[knitress.livejournal.com]

I love libraries. Lovelovelove. And when you're reading a series I highly recommend putting the next one on reserve before you're done with the one you're reading.

Mine here in Fairfax has a web-accessible catalog, and I can put holds on anything from the site; or have it shipped to my branch from another library in the system. I loves it, I does.

[yav-14.livejournal.com]

Hooray for libraries!! Don't we have Benjamin Franklin to thank for these wonderful institutions? In the US anyway. I truly think I would have lost my sanity by now if not for the amazing Zuerich central library.