Books for my Mom

[Dux]

I finally got my Mom to read one of Anne's books!! :bouncy: I have been trying to do this for about 15 years. She is a voracious reader. My earliest memories are of her taking me to the library with her. When she retired from the telephone company she choose to go back to work in a library because that had always been her "dream job". The woman reads more than any other two people I know. Yet I COULD NOT get her to try any of Anne's books, because the one genre she didn't like was sci/fi fantasy. I had hopes a few years back when she *gasp* actually read Harry Potter and fell in love with the series. But no luck until she came to visit recently. She finished all the books she brought with her and the books I had taken out of the library for me to read were ones she had already read (she won't read the same book twice). So choosing verrrry carefully I gave her The Rowan to read. Guess what? She LOVED it (no surprise to us anyway :wink: ). She is now working her way quite quickly through that series and I'm trying to decide which series to start her on next. I know the first reaction is Pern, but she has to be brought gently over to our world.

So in true KT fashion, I'm doing a poll!!! Which series or book do you think I should give her next?

[Nurianna]

I voted Pern cause that was my first Intro and love~ but I shulda read your post first cause then I would have chosen the Ship who Sings~ then head out for the Dinosaur planet's stuff~ then some of Anne's strays (I love the Year of the Lucy~ and it's very different from her other worlds~)

Can I edit my poll???

[Jeffrey555]

I voted for the Crystal singer series.

I like that series best though I like The SHop Who Sang best as a single book.

[Bullbound]

Restoree is a good book but short. I highly recommend it though. I voted Pern though because it has the widest range of appeal as far as I am aware. I got 2 friends of mine started on the Pern books. One was going in chrononlogical order and the other went in the order they were printed. The former still loves the series. The latter isn't a fan but will read the books if they are lying around.

[Bamy]

Pern cos it has little Sci in it except DD and AWOP plus it was my first intro too. was hooked.

[Mausey]

I'd have her try Namisha's Ship or if you're set on getting her into Pern, maybe Chronicles of First Fall. That way she gets a gentle intro to the dragons and if she's interested then start her on the rest of the series.

[Lady Faizah]

I almost voted Other, and was going to suggest the Talent series... Then I read the post. :good:

So, I voted for Crystal Singer. :) Even though I, myself, started on Pern. :roll: I can't explain why I chose this, only that choosing Pern didn't feel 'right'.

[Hans]

Pern, or you could offer her Pern or maybe you would better give her a Pern book first unless you think you should offer her Pern. Did I mention Pern?

[Beisla]

I voted Pern, because it's my favorite.

But since I haven't read the Rowan I don't know what it's like; if I did perhaps I would suggest the series most like it. But all have thier strong points, of course..

[granath]

Perhaps Freedom or Crystal Singer? Their advantage is that the series are rather short.

[Vilkacis]

Restoree - if she likes it she can re-read it, if she doesn't you can reassure her it's a one-off and give her one of the other series' to try.

I'm biased though cos it's my favourite ;)

[granath]

I liked all of Freedom books... the Landing, Ransom and Challenge...

There's also Choice. ;)

[Milo]

Pern. Its easy to get hooked on.

(*listens to the resounding "DUH" *)

[TamTam]

I chose Pern because that's what I used to read with my mom. When my brother was a baby, and she'd be rocking him to sleep, I'd read a chapter or two out loud and then we'd have a little discussion about it. TV off, radio off, it was very peaceful.

*Sigh* Good times.

[Dux]

I almost voted Other, and was going to suggest the Talent series... Then I read the post. :good:

So, I voted for Crystal Singer. :) Even though I, myself, started on Pern. :roll: I can't explain why I chose this, only that choosing Pern didn't feel 'right'.
Must be a twin thing coz I feel the same way. Pern is my favorite series, but as she tends to not like fantasy stuff I thought I'd get her hooked hard on Anne in general first before giving her books about dragons. That's why I choose The Rowan first, that along with the Crystal Singer series and Freedom are just stories about people who happen to be on another planet, as opposed to something like the BB books or Sassinak which are much more "techie".

But I like Pern

I'm not sure it's the best choice

But I like Pern

:banghead:

:help:

[Dawn]

I would think either Restoree or the Freedom Series. :ok:

[AnnMarie]

I voted "Other".

Have her read Anne's romances. Then she'll be able to see how well Anne writes in diferent areas. and it might convince her to ASK for Pern.

[Keita]

I almost voted Other, and was going to suggest the Talent series... Then I read the post. :good:

So, I voted for Crystal Singer. :) Even though I, myself, started on Pern. :roll: I can't explain why I chose this, only that choosing Pern didn't feel 'right'.

So did I! :laugh: I started out on the Tower and hive series and it's still my favourite!

I voted Freedom. It's not set in the far future, it's easy to get into and it's not THAT long a series. There's no "GEE WHIZ" elements in it and should be easy to follow for SciFi beginners.

After that, maybe the ship series...? They're all individual books, so no worries if she doesn;t like it! May I recommend she start with "The ship who searched"?

[Elisabetha]

I voted other. I think the powers that be series are great. I love the idea of a sentient planet. If not those I would go for the ship who sings.

:bouncy: :bouncy: :bouncy:

[Royalmaiden]

I was going to suggest the Rowan & all those books when I first read the question, but you had already given it to her :)
I voted for Restoree, & when she is done with that one start her on the Freedom books :D

[Jax]

Have you decided yet Dux? Did we help at all?? :angel:

[Faren]

Dux, your mom sounds like me! I was the biggest "I don't like sci/fi" snob until I read my first Pern book. :disguise: And even though that was the series that got me started on sci/fi (which I read almost exclusively now :roll: ), I voted for the Freedom series.

[JayEgo]

Go for the Freedom series next... Talent and Freedom are not too detached from the real world as we know it and are good places to start off folk who might balk at the idea of some of the sci-fi or fantasy worlds created by Anne.

After that, if she's still going strong - try Crystal SIngers! I'm about that far with hubby! :evil:

Ja¥son xx

[Dux]

Haven't made a decision yet. She first has to finish the Talent series, so I've got some time. One thought that did occur to me is that I didn't like sci-fi/fantasy either until I read a certain book about dragons :wink: , so maybe Pern isn't a bad idea. especially as it is so long that she can read three then take a break to one of the other series, before going back.


Keep posting those opinions folks - my mind is far from being made up.

[skysong]

I think the Crystal Singer would be a good next step for your mom since she liked the Rowan so much. :bouncy: :bouncy: :bouncy: :bouncy:

[Beisla]

Well, if you're thinking of letting her try Pern, perhaps you should have her start with Dragonsdawn instead of Dragonflight. It's much more scifi than Dragonflight, and the chrontological order would be quite logical. (First Fall has nice short stories but they make much more sense after Dragonsdawn.)

[Bronze-Dragonrider]

I'd have to say Pern, because that was my introduction to Anne's worlds and got me hooked on her literary works :D plus they're just wonderful books :good:

*edit* and I agree with Beisla, start off with Chronicles of Pern/DragonsDawn and go in chronological order, thats the way I read it loved it that way

[Sharon]

I voted for Freedom. It is just a short hop from the "real world" and not a great leap as it is for some of Anne's other series.

That said, I admit I'm currently rereading the Pern Books. :heartbeat Despite inconsistancies and contradictions within them, they are still my hands down favorite.

[bisb]

I'd give her the Freedom series than Pern.
Now if I could only get my mom to read Anne's work. BUT no it's Sci/Fi and she won't touch the genre with a 10 foot pole. :sad:

[Lady Faizah]

I'd give her the Freedom series than Pern.
Now if I could only get my mom to read Anne's work. BUT no it's Sci/Fi and she won't touch the genre with a 10 foot pole. :sad:How about Fantasy? Start her on Pern, and just not tell her it's sci-fi until she's hooked. :evil:

[Dux]

How about Fantasy? Start her on Pern, and just not tell her it's sci-fi until she's hooked. :evil:
Or do what I did and start with The Rowan. That or Freedom I think are the least sci-fi.

[Tygress]

you started her with the best :good: Rowan was my first of Anne's books and the Talents are my favorite series. I voted Crystal Singer, but would also recommend Freedom or Nimisha/Coelura. Though Anne's books are scifi/fantasy the connection to the characters really goes beyond the genres; they are all so real personality wise it's easy to relate to them no matter when or where they are.

[selket]

stich in snow. it's not a series but it's good

[Dux]

Thought I'd bump this to see if anyone else wanted to add anything before I finally have to make my choice.

[Dux]

For the curious - I decided to go with Pern for the next series. She really liked the Talented Series, although she admitted she skimmed over any teckie parts as she really does not like them. It was that comment that helped finally decide me. The pern series isn't teckie at all until the later books where AVIAS is involved. So tomorrow I'm mailing out Dragonflight, Quest and White Dragon alonf with the Harper Hall trilogy. She's going in for hip replacement surgery in a couple of weeks so she wants to have them for the hospital.

[Faren]

Well here's hoping her surgery goes well and she enjoys Pern!:hugs:

[Keita]

Hope she enjoys it! :bouncy:

Good luck to your mum!

[Dux]

Just got some more details about the surgery - apparently it going to take a year for her to completely recoop from this. :eek:

[Jax]

Wowsers Dux!! :scared: That is a long time!!!

[Wolfegar]

Pern.

[Dux]

Thought I'd give you all an update. Mom is back home from having surgery and will be started physical therapy soon. Meanwhile she has started redaing the Pern Series and LOVES it!!!!!! She says she likes it much better than The TAlen Series and her only problem is that the library doesn't carry the books in large print so she can't read as fast or as much in one sitting as she would like. She is almost done with Dragonflight and can't wait to start Dragonquest.


She one of us now! :evil: Mwhahahahahaha!


She plans to join us at the site soon too! :bouncy:

[C_ris]

:woohoo: Well done Dux! :evil: :applause:

[Beisla]

That's great, Dux! :good: :bouncy:

Can't wait to see her here! :)


Hmm, I've just succeeded in convincing my mom to try a fantasy book. Maybe Pern someday... :D Well, we'll see how she likes Assassin's Apprentice first.

[Keita]

:applause:

Pretty soon we'll have the entire Duck family in here! You, Sucker1 AND BigMommaDuck! :good:

Will you lure her into the Willet too? :evil:

[tmdragon]

The "Rowan" series.................that was the first Anne McCaffrey book I ever picked up :bouncy:

Trying to get my brother to read the Pern series. I got him hooked on si-fi but for some reason he hasn't read any Anne McCaffrey books :sad: But......I'm not giving up ;)

[Weyrwoman Kalina]

I voted for Crystal Singer.. it's one of the shorter series (and a GREAT series) so if she wants to follow it all the way through to see how Anne writes, she won't have to go through 12+ books :D

[Paulita]

I went for Crystal Singers too closly followed by Pern. But I see Quackers is ahead of me. Oooooh we're going to get a momma duck maybe! :bouncy:

[SFAHarper]

I say Pern. I started on Pern. My earliest Pern memories are when I didn't even know I was learning about Pern. My Dad would tell my bro and I "stories." After I read DragonFlight in seventh grade, I realized those "stories" Dad told us were Pern...incidentally he did let me have a silver dragon... I actually started with the HarperHall Trilogy because I was in band and Mom knew I'd love Menolly. That's my :2cent:

:note: SFA :note:

[Faren]

Glad your mom is enjoying the world of Pern, Dux! :ok:

[Monkeysrule]

Tell her:

"Welcome to our outsane world! Please wear this love-me jacket while we lead you to your quarters."

[Dux]

:applause:

Pretty soon we'll have the entire Duck family in here! You, Sucker1 AND BigMommaDuck! :good:

Will you lure her into the Willet too? :evil:
She's heard all about the willet - we'll may have to pull her in kicj=king and screaming - she's thinking about going by the name Dux's Mom, so y'all will know who she is.

[Dux]

Tell her:

"Welcome to our outsane world! Please wear this love-me jacket while we lead you to your quarters."
:laugh:

*have to remember to read this to her when I talk to her next - she'll love it*

[Dawn]

She's heard all about the willet - we'll may have to pull her in kicj=king and screaming - she's thinking about going by the name Dux's Mom, so y'all will know who she is.

How about Momma Dux? :)

[Dux]

She just finished Dragonquest. She now says she hates me. She said I'm a terrible daughter cause I got her to read a book that she couldn't put down and so she ended up staying up until 3 in the morning - a time no one should be up and reading at. :laugh:

[Jax]

:rofl: Dux!! I am actually jealous of her, reading them all for the first time.... *le sigh*

[Faren]

Me too Jax. :D I'm jealous of my daughter because she's reading The Rowan for the first time. I feel the same way when someone reads Eddings stuff for the first time too. You envy them the pleasure they are getting with each new read.

Of course, there's still many unread Pratchetts left for me. :good:

[Keita]

She's heard all about the willet - we'll may have to pull her in kicj=king and screaming - she's thinking about going by the name Dux's Mom, so y'all will know who she is.

I claim :fiend:ising rights! :darkside: :darkside:

We'll know who she is anyway so she can choose something a bit more creative if she wants to...

[Dux]

Actually, one of her email addys is Duxsmom too - so she'll go with that as she can remember it easily. I did try to suggest she go with something else, but she likes that one. I'll let her know you're already claiming her as part of your fiend family, Attraio!

[Keita]

Actually, one of her email addys is Duxsmom too - so she'll go with that as she can remember it easily. I did try to suggest she go with something else, but she likes that one. I'll let her know you're already claiming her as part of your fiend family, Attraio!

Ah! Well that's good! I look forward to meeting you mum! :good:

[C_ris]

Actually, one of her email addys is Duxsmom too - so she'll go with that as she can remember it easily. I did try to suggest she go with something else, but she likes that one. I'll let her know you're already claiming her as part of your fiend family, Attraio!
Yay! Another :fiend:! :D

*i just hope that this one doesn't think the same way as me too....* :evil:

[Dux]

Yay! Another :fiend:! :D

*i just hope that this one doesn't think the same way as me too....* :evil:
Not as much as my sister does - I don't think you came across her much on the OKT and she hasn't been here yet :sad:

[Jax]

Faiz, Dux?
http://www.annemccaffreyfans.org/forum/member.php?u=34
Sorry, if that's not who you mean... :angel: :D

[Dux]

Faiz, Dux?
http://www.annemccaffreyfans.org/forum/member.php?u=34
Sorry, if that's not who you mean... :angel: :D
Faiz and C_ris are my :fiend: siblings (btw - Faiz is my :fiend: brother, not sister in any case)

MY RL sis goes by sucker1 on the KT. She's the one who introduced me to Anne's books 19 years ago :faint:

[C_ris]

Faiz and C_ris are my :fiend: siblings (btw - Faiz is my :fiend: brother, not sister in any case)

MY RL sis goes by sucker1 on the KT. She's the one who introduced me to Anne's books 19 years ago :faint:
:eek: I was 1 then... :faint:

[Dux]

:eek: I was 1 then... :faint:
So was I.


you just have to put an 8 after the 1 though.

[C_ris]

So was I.


you just have to put an 8 after the 1 though.
:rofl:

[Dux]

Attraio, I told my mom you were claiming her for Clan :fiend: and she's so thrilled! She's heard so much about you guys*, the willet and the :fiend: - she's really looking forward to coming on. We might try to get her on one evening this week.

* yes C-ris and Rabbleses, this includes you. BTW no tempting her with SPTs - she might like them a little too much :erm:

[C_ris]

Attraio, I told my mom you were claiming her for Clan :fiend: and she's so thrilled! She's heard so much about you guys*, the willet and the :fiend: - she's really looking forward to coming on. We might try to get her on one evening this week.

* yes C-ris and Rabbleses, this includes you. BTW no tempting her with SPTs - she might like them a little too much :erm:
yay! :woohoo:

:evil:

*gets SPTs out and ready to tempt with* :evil:x2

[Rabble]

Attraio, I told my mom you were claiming her for Clan :fiend: and she's so thrilled! She's heard so much about you guys*, the willet and the :fiend: - she's really looking forward to coming on. We might try to get her on one evening this week.

* yes C-ris and Rabbleses, this includes you. BTW no tempting her with SPTs - she might like them a little too much :erm:
:woohoo: :evil:

[Keita]

Attraio, I told my mom you were claiming her for Clan :fiend: and she's so thrilled! She's heard so much about you guys*, the willet and the :fiend: - she's really looking forward to coming on. We might try to get her on one evening this week.

* yes C-ris and Rabbleses, this includes you. BTW no tempting her with SPTs - she might like them a little too much :erm:

:evil: *Holds wand ready*

[Dux]

Just wanted to update those who might have been interested. My mom is now devouring Anne's books. She cannot get enough of them. When she visited this past week she raided my shelf for ones she hasn't read yet. She's read all of Pern (except for Todd's books), Talent, Freedom, Crystal Singer and lots of the short stories.

[Beisla]

Thanks for the update Dux, and great to hear she's enjoying the books! :D

[Bronze-Dragonrider]

Wow! Great news! :bouncy: Has she any special words to say about them? :D

[Dux]

Forgot to mention that when she saw the calendar sitting on my desk she got all jealous. She loved it.

When she got home the package from Jaxie was waiting for her. I had already gotten one for her. Timing was perfect.

[Jax]

That's great Dux!! :bouncy: :good:

[Dawn]

:cool: So, does she have a favorite so far?

[Keita]

:cool: So, does she have a favorite so far?
That's what I'd like to know too! Which does she like best? :bouncy:

And tell her to come back here! We miss her! :D

[Dux]

I don't know what her favorite book is - but Pern is her favorite series. She was upset when I told her that she'd read them all.

[Jax]

Heheh, it's been a while, what books has your Mum read Duxie? :angel:

[Dux]

She's read all of Anne's Pern Series (not Todd yet). She's read the Pegasus/Talents series. Killashandra and Freedom series. I gave her Restoree, but I don't know if she's gotten to it yet. Next I'll start her on Todd's books - I've explained that they weren't great, but she's become addicted to Pern and says she'll take a bad Pern book over no Pern at all (like Mother, like Daughter :laugh: ). I was thinking of doing the Planet Pirates next, but she really doesn't like books that are more Sci Fi over Fantasy. I'm considering also getting her started on Mercedes Lackey. I haven't read her books in years, but I do remembering liking them.

I know she wouldn't like the Ship Series, I guess I could point her towards Doona though - she is a cat person.

[Jax]

What about Petaybee?

[Kestrel]

Pern!

[charlene]

if she likes anne,try introducing her to andre norton. i know i am biased here but andre is a fantastic read. i just love the beastmaster novels.:applause:

[Master Harper Andrea]

The thing that got me started was my dad giving me "Get Off the Unicorn" all short stories by Anne...try those.

I particularly liked Nora Fenn and of course "the smallest dragonboy".....