Aug

20

Posted by : atcampbell | On : August 20, 2013

The Warrior’s Apprentice by Lois McMaster Bujold

This meeting at the Milwood library had twelve attendees. Our topic was The Warrior’s Apprentice, a 1986 military space opera by Lois McMaster Bujold. This book is the first to star Bujold’s popular character Miles Vorkosigan. Miles, the son of military parents, has the mind of a warrior but a small, fragile body. In this story, Miles flunks out of his planet’s military academy yet takes advantage of an unlikely opportunity via his intelligence and determination to become a military leader. Everyone at the meeting had read Bujold before. Ten of us started this book, and nine finished it. Four attendees read the book electronically.

Most of us had a lot of fun with the book. Comments included “a fun ride while on it”,  “good candy reading ” and “lots of clever touches.” One reader appreciated the strong female characters and noted that “often a woman has solve the

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Aug

05

Posted by : atcampbell | On : August 5, 2013

The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov

Ten people attended this meeting at the Milwood Library. Our discussion topic was The Master and Margarita, a literary Russian novel. The book alternates between two plot threads: a visit by the Devil to the Soviet Union in the 1930s, and a historical story involving Jesus Christ and Pontius Pilate. Two people in the group had read Bulgakov before. Six of us started the book and four finished it.

Notably, two members of the group were unable to find copies of the book to read. Several members of the group are now reading many of their books electronically. Unfortunately The Master and Margarita was one of the first books

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