David Estes Fans and YA Book Lovers Unite! discussion

Starts Friday, April 12! Join Meaghan, Karen, Jenny and I for Clockwork Angel. We can then move on through the series. Get ready for a great discussion!

Yay! I'll read along as a good refresher on the series. Have fun!!

Yaayyy!! I'm excited to read this one!! Thanks Jen for setting up the thread. I got slammed today and this is my first break of the day in 14 hours. Yikes! On Friday, my big overstuffed reading chair and my Nook will be calling my name very loudly!! The more I work this week, the earlier I can start on Clockwork Angel! :)

Can you read this without having read the Mortal Instruments series?

I am so I hope so Brianna! lol

Brianna wrote: "Can you read this without having read the Mortal Instruments series?"

Yes, you definitely can :) It's sort of a prequel, set much earlier in time than The Mortal Instruments. Either one can be read first and still enjoy them as they're different characters and stories (although there may be a character or two that cross over, but I don't want to give anything away!). Enjoy!!

Great to know. Thanks!

You're very welcome ;)

Sweet! I have it checked out, along with the 2nd one, so I'll be sure to start reading it! :D Okay... maybe not... since I have one other book I need to finish for the blog tour. Dx

And... I didn't read Mortal Instruments, lol

❄ Sophia wrote: "Sweet! I have it checked out, along with the 2nd one, so I'll be sure to start reading it! :D Okay... maybe not... since I have one other book I need to finish for the blog tour. Dx

And... I didn'..."

Awesome!!

So all I've read so far is the prologue and I'm not sure why but during Tessa's part of the story all I could think of was "Tim Burton could so make this a movie like Corpse Bride or Frankenweenie!" Something about the descriptions of the people in the carriage and the driver and the overall dreary atmosphere just made my mind go there...

But it just so happens I love Tim Burton so that may be a good sign!

I'm about to start now!! Woot WOOT!

Meaghan wrote: "So all I've read so far is the prologue and I'm not sure why but during Tessa's part of the story all I could think of was "Tim Burton could so make this a movie like Corpse Bride or Frankenweenie!..."

Too funny, Meaghan. I can totally see it!

26% in. I'm really enjoying this book so far! I love (view spoiler)[the introduction of a new "species"(?) of downworlder in Tessa as a shapeshifter. I've never seen this version of a shapeshifter and think its unique and interesting. I'm anxious to see how this ability will play out in these books. Will is pretty arrogant so not sure yet how I feel about him. (hide spoiler)]

So far, very good!

I didn't get too far today but hopefully tomorrow morning I'll have more time to read it! :)

I look forward to hearing what you think!! Jen and Jenny should be popping in this weekend too! I have to work tomorrow so won't get much more read until tomorrow night. I'm trying to read slower this time to draw out the experience... heheheh...

Karen wrote: "26% in. I'm really enjoying this book so far! I love [spoilers removed]

So far, very good!"

Just you wait, Will is awesome :) Enjoy ladies!

Hmmm. So far, i'm only about 10% in. Interesting - and I love Will! I also kind of like Tessa a lot. I'm just getting into the explanation of all the sorts of creatures, and as I'm not really a "creature" sort of person, I'm withholding judgement. So I'm iffy at this point - but then I was also trying to grout countertop tile last night, and it wasn't going as I would have liked, and that may have had something to do with it -- that said, the writing is wonderful!

Karen wrote: "Yaayyy!! I'm excited to read this one!! Thanks Jen for setting up the thread. I got slammed today and this is my first break of the day in 14 hours. Yikes! On Friday, my big overstuffed reading c..."

I hope your week slowed down - makes me tired just reading about it! I started reading - yes, actually READING with my eyes -
Onyx on Thursday night, so I spent yesterday (Friday) subbing at our local high school and reading all day (easy classes, it's just like babysitting!). I finished it last evening and started Clockwork Angel last night on audio. If the stuff I was doing weren't so physically labor-intensive, I'd feel like a slug next to you! You work non-stop! Glad you take time to read -- especially with us!

Jen wrote: "Karen wrote: "Yaayyy!! I'm excited to read this one!! Thanks Jen for setting up the thread. I got slammed today and this is my first break of the day in 14 hours. Yikes! On Friday, my big overstu..."

I have another couple of weeks at this pace and then my work will slow down! In fact I booked a long weekend at the end of month and I'm doing a quick trip to Mexico to recharge my batteries. No family or friends this time, just me and my Nook!

And the only thing I do for myself is read! I may work 13 or 14 hour days, but rather than sleeping I'll still read. It's the only thing I can do that refocuses my brain to stop thinking about work, if that makes any sense. Heheheh... I just need to get through the next 2 weeks!

David wrote: "Karen wrote: "26% in. I'm really enjoying this book so far! I love [spoilers removed]

So far, very good!"

Just you wait, Will is awesome :) Enjoy ladies!"

So glad to hear about Will! I figured he had to be lovable at some point!

Jen, who is the narrator on your audiobook? I listened to book 5 of TMI on audio. In fact, I won it along with a signed cover page of the script, signed by Molly Quinn, the narrator (Castle's daughter in Castle!). Woot, WOOT! She's not Sarah Drew, though, and it felt very slow to me! I listened while driving back and forth with my grandkids last summer to California.

Karen wrote: "Jen, who is the narrator on your audiobook? I listened to book 5 of TMI on audio. In fact, I won it along with a signed cover page of the script, signed by Molly Quinn, the narrator (Castle's dau..."

The narrator is named Jennifer Ehle, and it does seem slow. It's not the action, though - and not her, not sure what but I'm going to keep going to see how it changes.

48% in. I think (view spoiler)[Magnus is about to make his entrance into the story. (hide spoiler)]

So far I am not disappointed. I wonder (view spoiler)[ if there's any significance to Tessa's angel pendant? (hide spoiler)]

I am not liking this at all and am having trouble continuing. This is basically a mystery novel set in Victorian England. It's witty dialogue, but I find that I don't like the characters enough to compensate for the story. Add to that my dislike for creatures like vampires, etc., and this does not make a story I like. I do like Tessa and Will, and especially Jem. And Jessamyn - she is very funny. I'll keep going, but I don't hold out much hope that I will actually end up liking it.

It's definitely not everyone's cup of tea, Jen! I thought the Mortal Instruments were ok. I wasn't all gaga over them. They were entertaining and well written enough that I kept at them.

I am enjoying it so far but I'm only about 20% in. I don't usually get to read as much during he weekend.

I'm sticking with it, purely out of stubbornness, I think! It's growing on me. (view spoiler)[ The whole vampire battle just happened. I laughed when Jem said "Really Will? You bit the vampire? Again?" (hide spoiler)]

Jen you sound like me! I skipped this series after I gave up on MI. Some authors are just not for me. Have you listened to Soulless on audio? It is steampunk with vampires and werewolves but I loved it.

Jen wrote: "I'm sticking with it, purely out of stubbornness, I think! It's growing on me. [spoilers removed]"

LOL the Jem/Will banter, and really the dialogue in general in this series really cracked me up :) That was my favorite part of it as I'm not a huge vampire/demon person either :)

So I'm about a quarter of the way through so far (but should have more time to spend on this today). I'm not sure how I feel yet. The writing is excellent though and I'm loving that aspect. However, I'm not in love with any of the characters yet. They are likable enough right now. I always hear about Will so I imagine he has to become more likable soon!

(view spoiler)[ I am interested in knowing what is wrong with Jem though and why Will doesn't want anyone to know that he still seems sick! Will is probably the character I enjoy the most so far. (hide spoiler)]

Jen wrote: "I'm sticking with it, purely out of stubbornness, I think! It's growing on me. [spoilers removed]"

Awesome scene!

I'm at about 65%. I'm not into the Victorian age, I don't think. :-P This book is keeping my attention so far but I'm not completely wowed yet. Wondering if something mind blowing is coming up.

I'm about 80% done. Don't hold your breath about something earth shattering that will wow you. I can see why everyone says this is a great book - it is good writing - but it's just not my genre.

I'll be interested to hear what you think, Karen & Meaghan.

About 47% in. (view spoiler)[ I feel like the pendent somehow marks who she is, like the tattos of the shadowhunters. I may have completely made that up but that's what it feels like to me so far. (hide spoiler)] :)

Meaghan wrote: "About 47% in. [spoilers removed] :)"

Meaghan, you may be right although I still think something signficant is going to be revealed about it. That could just be my wishful thinking though to make this book more interesting. Ha!!

Jen wrote: "I'm about 80% done. Don't hold your breath about something earth shattering that will wow you. I can see why everyone says this is a great book - it is good writing - but it's just not my genre. ..."

What genre IS this, Jen? (view spoiler)[It's not really a vampire, or werewolf book. It feels more angels but not in the Boundless sense. The demons are an entity all of their own. Would this be considered fantasy or paranormal? (hide spoiler)]

I thought it is a steam punk genre book Karen? That is why I mentioned Soulless (also steampunk)

Karen wrote: "Jen wrote: "I'm about 80% done. Don't hold your breath about something earth shattering that will wow you. I can see why everyone says this is a great book - it is good writing - but it's just no..."

My first response? Oh hell, I have no idea!

My second response? Oh dear, did I just cuss on Goodreads? I can't cuss on Goodreads!

My third response? I'm going with fantasy. My kid votes fantasy as well (she's 17).

Heidi (trust me) wrote: "I thought it is a steam punk genre book Karen? That is why I mentioned Soulless (also steampunk)"

Steampunk? The Mortal Instruments weren't steampunk were they? Maybe that's why I'm having a hard time. I'm not really into steampunk but, yea, I see that now. I guess I didn't even go there because TMI wasn't.

Jen, I was thinking fantasy too, but steampunk makes more sense now. Alrighty then. Note to self...

Jen wrote: "Karen wrote: "Jen wrote: "I'm about 80% done. Don't hold your breath about something earth shattering that will wow you. I can see why everyone says this is a great book - it is good writing - bu..."

Hell yea, you cussed!! hahahahh.. :-P

LOL you all are cracking me up! I thought it was either paranormal or urban fantasy lol! I think what this means is that a lot of books crossover genres these days. That's sort of cool. After The Earth Dwellers, my next series will be sort of a paranormal or fantasy combined with dystopian :)

Done. Glad it's over, glad I finished it. This is definitely not for me. But I'm glad I did read it. It's very clever, very witty dialogue, and the characters were likable enough. The ending was a really good lead-in for the next book. I'd love some cliff notes for Clockwork Prince and Clockwork Princess, even though I do have them on audio.
The narrator could have been better - she was good, but not for this book. Maybe this is one of those better read in print.

David wrote: "LOL you all are cracking me up! I thought it was either paranormal or urban fantasy lol! I think what this means is that a lot of books crossover genres these days. That's sort of cool. After The E..."

Oh my, what's Urban fantasy?? Heheheh....

Ok, mister, just keep it up with the teases about the next series!! ;-P. All I really want to know is, will Perry be in it??? Hahahah... J/K..!! (But not about Perry!). David, you could write about the dictionary and I know it'd be incredible and funny and heartwrenching, and... and, and... you know, Amazing!!!

Hehe thank you and how'd you guess my next book would be called Dictionary: More Than Meets the Eye. Lol!

Here's a quick definition of urban fantasy: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_...

David, with your imagination, I can't wait to see what you do!

BTW, I listened to a sample of Clockwork Prince on Audible, and it's two narrators, both different than CA. Although I still maintain the genre is really not my favourite, I think it might be worth a listen. As always, a narrator can make or break a book on audio --

Karen wrote: "Heidi (trust me) wrote: "I thought it is a steam punk genre book Karen? That is why I mentioned Soulless (also steampunk)"

Steampunk? The Mortal Instruments weren't steampunk were they? Maybe t..."

I looked online and some places say it is fantasy and some say steampunk - from the pictures on the covers it looks like steampunk to me but I have not read them. Here is what wiki says about steampunk: "steampunk works are often set in an alternate history of the 19th century's British Victorian era or American "Wild West", in a post-apocalyptic future during which steam power has regained mainstream use, or in a fantasy world that similarly employs steam power." Does that sound similar to this book??

Correction! All the
Cassandra Clare books - Books 1-5 of TMI and Books 1-3 of ID are all narrated by different people. From the samples on Audible, it sounds like Jennifer Ehle is really the worst of the bunch. The sample from Clockwork Prince sounds really good - it's Ed Westwick and Heather Lind. Also good for Clockwork Princess is Daniel Sharman. I think the difference is that the male narrators are actually British. I think I'll be trying those after all.

Heidi (trust me) wrote: "Karen wrote: "Heidi (trust me) wrote: "I thought it is a steam punk genre book Karen? That is why I mentioned Soulless (also steampunk)"

Steampunk? The Mortal Instruments weren't steampunk were ..."

Nah, I wouldn't call it Steampunk by that definition, Heidi. It's more like period-based fantasy. It's set in the early 1900's in London, but in an "underworld" area where only supernatural beings exist. Well, sort of. There are humans involved, but the supernaturals kind of go between the two worlds. And I think the Steampunk association comes from a plot element of "automatons" being involved - sort of like androids made from cadavers and animated with magic. In the setting of 1900, androids do reference the Steampunk genre. David's right - the setting of Urban Fantasy is probably the best fit for this series. It's a broad definition, the only real conditions being that it is set in a city and is fantasy involving supernatural creatures.

Jen wrote: "David, with your imagination, I can't wait to see what you do!

BTW, I listened to a sample of Clockwork Prince on Audible, and it's two narrators, both different than CA. Although I still maintai..."

Well thank you for saying that Jen ;) I hope you get some measure of enjoyment from the next book!