Books obtained from the Library
Dune graphic novel Book 1, Frank Herbert
Book Description: Dune, Frank Herbert’s epic science-fiction masterpiece set in the far future amidst a sprawling feudal interstellar society, tells the story of Paul Atreides as he and his family accept control of the desert planet Arrakis. A stunning blend of adventure and mysticism, environmentalism, and politics, Dune is a powerful, fanstastical tale that takes an unprecedented look into our universe, and is transformed by the graphic novel format. Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson’s adaptation retains the integrity of the original novel, and Raúl Allén and Patricia Martín’s magnificent illustrations, along with cover art by Bill Sienkiewicz, bring the book to life for a new generation of readers.
Dune Muad'Dib graphic novel Book 2, Frank Herbert
Book Description: In DUNE: The Graphic Novel, Book 2: Muad’Dib, the second of three volumes adapting Frank Herbert’s Dune, young Paul Atreides and his mother, the lady Jessica, find themselves stranded in the deep desert of Arrakis. Betrayed by one of their own and destroyed by their greatest enemy, Paul and Jessica must find the mysterious Fremen, or perish.
This faithful adaptation of the 1965 epic, Dune, by New York Times bestselling authors Brian Herbert (son of Frank Herbert) and Kevin J. Anderson, continues to explore Paul’s journey as he evolves from boy to mysterious messiah. Illustrated by Raúl Allén and Patricia Martín, this spectacular blend of adventure and spirituality, environmentalism, and politics is a groundbreaking look into our universe and is transformed by the graphic novel format into a powerful, fantastical tale for a new generation of readers.
How to sell a Haunted House, Grady Hendrix
Book Description: When Louise finds out her parents have died, she dreads going home. She doesn’t want to leave her daughter with her ex and fly to Charleston. She doesn’t want to deal with her family home, stuffed to the rafters with the remnants of her father’s academic career and her mother’s lifelong obsession with puppets and dolls. She doesn’t want to learn how to live without the two people who knew and loved her best in the world.
Most of all, she doesn’t want to deal with her brother, Mark, who never left their hometown, gets fired from one job after another, and resents her success. Unfortunately, she’ll need his help to get the house ready for sale because it’ll take more than some new paint on the walls and clearing out a lifetime of memories to get this place on the market.
But some houses don’t want to be sold, and their home has other plans for both of them.
Fairy Tale, Stephen King
Book description: Charlie Reade looks like a regular high school kid, great at baseball and football, a decent student. But he carries a heavy load. His mom was killed in a hit-and-run accident when he was ten, and grief drove his dad to drink. Charlie learned how to take care of himself—and his dad. Then, when Charlie is seventeen, he meets Howard Bowditch, a recluse with a big dog in a big house at the top of a big hill. In the backyard is a locked shed from which strange sounds emerge, as if some creature is trying to escape. When Mr. Bowditch dies, he leaves Charlie the house, a massive amount of gold, a cassette tape telling a story that is impossible to believe, and a responsibility far too massive for a boy to shoulder.
Because within the shed is a portal to another world—one whose denizens are in peril and whose monstrous leaders may destroy their own world, and ours. In this parallel universe, where two moons race across the sky, and the grand towers of a sprawling palace pierce the clouds, there are exiled princesses and princes who suffer horrific punishments; there are dungeons; there are games in which men and women must fight each other to the death for the amusement of the “Fair One.” And there is a magic sundial that can turn back time.
A story as old as myth, and as startling and iconic as the rest of King’s work, Fairy Tale is about an ordinary guy forced into the hero’s role by circumstance, and it is both spectacularly suspenseful and satisfying.
For the Around the World Challenge. I am going to focus on South America this month.
CHILE: Subterra: Cuentos de Chile, Baldomero Lillo
Book Description: “Sub terra: cuadros mineros” es la primera obra del cuentista chileno Baldomero Lillo, publicada el 12 de julio de 1904. A través de ocho capítulos –Los Inválidos, La Compuerta número 12, El Grisú, El Pago, El Chiflón del Diablo, El Pozo, Juan Fariña, y Caza Mayor–, describe la trágica situación en que vivían y morían los mineros chilenos, particularmente los de la mina del carbón de Lota a finales del siglo XIX y principios del XX. En un contexto de desesperación, rabia e impotencia, ante una inhumana situación social y económica de quienes trabajaban desde el amanecer hasta el anochecer en condiciones paupérrimas, este libro representa básicamente una novela descriptiva sobre la vida en la mina, y la vida de sus mineros. Asimismo constituye una crítica en contra del poder explotador, que reducía la condición humana de los mineros a simples bestias. Este libro inspiró la película del mismo nombre, dirigida por Marcelo Ferrari y estrenada en 2003.
BRAZIL: Captains of the Sand, Jorge Amado
Book description: A Brazilian Lord of the Flies, about a group of boys who live by their wits and daring in the slums of Bahia.
They call themselves “Captains of the Sands,” a gang of orphans and runaways who live by their wits and daring in the torrid slums and sleazy back alleys of Bahia. Led by fifteen-year-old “Bullet,” the band—including a crafty liar named “Legless,” the intellectual “Professor,” and the sexually precocious “Cat”—pulls off heists and escapades against the right and privileged of Brazil. But when a public outcry demands the capture of the “little criminals,” the fate of these children becomes a poignant, intensely moving drama of love and freedom in a shackled land.
BOLIVIA: Under the Moon, M.G. Camacho
Book description: Meet Helena, an average, twelve-year-old girl — well, at least until she turned thirteen where she discovers a whole new magical world where witches, vampires, fairies and mermaids exists.
In this origins story collection, Helena learns about her magical powers, keep her BFF Grace alive and safe from an evil blood-sucking vampire, help a fairy clan defeat their wicked wizard nemesis once and for all, help a mermaid’s family regain their oceanic throne and discovers that her destiny was to fulfill a very old prophesy of saving the world from utter destruction.
With Helena being a new witch and all, does she truly have the magic and guts to save everyone? And if she can’t, then would all of her love ones and friends — not to mention the world — die as foretold? Download it now to learn more!
PARAGUAY: La Pierna de Severina, Josefina Pla
Book Description: Written in 1983, Severina's Leg is one of the best collections of Josefina Plá's short stories. This is one of his most important works, in which he demonstrates the deep knowledge he came to have of the human characters of Paraguayans and Paraguayans. Severina's leg is a referential work of Paraguayan short stories and constitutes a significant text in the production of this remarkable and enormously transcendental woman in the culture of our country.
Other countries:
UKRAINE: The Complete Stories, Clarice Lispector
Book Description: The recent publication by New Directions of five Lispector novels revealed to legions of new readers her darkness and dazzle. Now, for the first time in English, are all the stories that made her a Brazilian legend: from teenagers coming into awareness of their sexual and artistic powers to humdrum housewives whose lives are shattered by unexpected epiphanies to old people who don’t know what to do with themselves. Lispector’s stories take us through their lives—and ours.
From one of the greatest modern writers, these stories, gathered from the nine collections published during her lifetime, follow an unbroken time line of success as a writer, from her adolescence to her death bed.
This is definitely another very ambitious TBR indeed.
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