Bananas
Are the Vampire Academy books by Richelle Mead a rip-off of Twilight?
Are they worth reading?
Also could anyone suggest some good books? I like Action/Adventure and Fantasy. Also don't mind some romance as long as its not just about some girl at school who falls in love - preferably with a story as well.
Answer
NO WAY is Vampire Academy a rip off of Twilight. They are completely different. There are a lot of arguments that Twilight is a rip-off of just about every vampire book/movie/show within the last two decades. Richelle Mead put so much thought and creativity into her series to make her vampires what they are. They even follow from actual Romanian mythology. And there isn't just one kind of vampire. There are two. Mortal vampires, the Moroi, are alive and wield elemental magic (earth, air, water, fire). And then there are the immortal undead vampires that hunt Moroi vampires called the Strigoi. Moroi are protected by half-vampires, called dhampirs, who give up their lives for the Moroi. This is actually where the story starts.
Rose Hathaway, a dhampir, is training to become a guardian after high school. Her best friend, Lissa, is a Moroi princess and the last of her royal bloodline. She must be protected from the Strigoi, because they want to destroy all of the royal Moroi. Rose is the ideal person to become Lissa's guardian because they have a bond - Rose can sometimes slip into her head and see and feel everything she does. If Lissa was in danger, Rose would know immediately. Rose *must* graduate if she wants a chance at sticking with Lissa after high school. The trouble is, Rose has a hard enough time just staying in school. Not to mention that her hot mentor is increasingly becoming a distraction...
YES VA is worth reading!! This series is fantastic!! It's my absolute favorite!! I even got my little sister hooked on VA over the summer and she normally *hates* to read. :) Check it out for yourself if you want!! The first chapter is up at Richelle Mead's website where she has made it available to you:
http://www.richellemead.com/excerpt/excerpt2.htm
There are also summaries of the books and release dates there as well (beware spoilers!!):
http://www.richellemead.com/books/vampireacademy.htm
I honestly really love this series because Rose and all of the other characters feel like real people. The relationships that are made (or destroyed) in this series are all very realistic and believable. Just like in real life, sometimes you don't get along with everyone. And Rose actually doesn't like many of the people that become her friends later on.
Also, Rose changes throughout each book. She's always learning and making mistakes. It's probably one of my favorite things about this series. She learns from her mistakes. She tries to make up for them. She's only human. Well... sorta. :P
Rose has a lot to focus on. Her love life is pretty much nonexistent, though she wishes she could be with the guy she loves. Life as a guardian is tough. Rose and her novice friends need to get all of the training they can if they want to be prepared for life after high school when they will go on to become guardians for the Moroi. And they can't imagine what Strigoi are like until they are face to face with one. No amount of training can really prepare them for it.
Also, Rose's friends are complicated, just like she is and just like everyone else. All of the characters in this series have their own personalities and flaws. They each have issues they have to overcome, and as it's not easy in real life, it's not easy for them. Richelle Mead is so good with characters that they really begin to feel like real people. I actually sometimes forget that this is a series about *vampires* because everyone in it feels so human. :)
Here is the order the books are meant to be read in:
Vampire Academy - awesome; the reason I fell in love with the series
Frostbite - my favorite :)
Shadow Kiss - my other favorite; this book is INCREDIBLE
Blood Promise - a dark twist in Rose's story; heartbreaking :(
Spirit Bound - releases May 18, 2010; I can't wait to read it!!!
TBA - late 2010 release
You don't want to miss out on this series. I picked it up pretty randomly one day back in Dec and I'm so glad that I did!! I was not expecting it to be as awesome as it is!! VA is truly amazing. There's A LOT of action. Some thrilling twists and turns. Romance. Surprise endings. Devastating cliff hangers. There's something about the characters that makes them come alive on the page. It's everything a good series should be. ^________________^
As for some other books to read...
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is the best series EVER!! After Vampire Academy of course. :) It is totally awesome. It's actually sci-fi fantasy but it is soooo good. It has tons and tons of action. You'll fall in love with Peeta!! He's a sweetie. â¥
http://www.amazon.com/Hunger-Games-Suzanne-Collins/dp/0439023483/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1254295812&sr=8-1
http://www.thehungergames.co.uk/about_the_book
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater is a paranormal romance about Grace and the wolves that live in the forest behind her house.
http://www.maggiestiefvater.com/shiver.php
Lament by Maggie Stiefvater is about musical prodigy Deirdre and the strange boy she meets at a competition for musicians. Luke is a hottie. And Dee is pretty cool too. :)
http://www.maggiestiefvater.com/lament.php
If you want vampires, I hear the Morganville Vampires series by Rachel Caine is good. You can read a sample of the first book, Glass Houses, here:
http://www.rachelcaine.com/page1/page2/page2.html
Demon Princess by Michelle Rowen looks good too. I just bought it. Partially because Richelle Mead recommends it, and partially because I read the first two chapters on Michelle Rowen's site and liked what I read. :)
http://ya.michellerowen.com/Books.html
Generation Dead by Daniel Waters is very good too!! It's about Phoebe Kendall and the dead kids that go to her school. Well... it's more than that too. There's Adam, her best friend, who has loved her for forever. But when Phoebe becomes interested in one of the dead boys, some guys at her school decide that they don't like her with him.
http://www.gendead.com/#/home
http://www.amazon.com/Generation-Dead-Daniel-Waters/dp/142310921X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256042867&sr=8-1
NO WAY is Vampire Academy a rip off of Twilight. They are completely different. There are a lot of arguments that Twilight is a rip-off of just about every vampire book/movie/show within the last two decades. Richelle Mead put so much thought and creativity into her series to make her vampires what they are. They even follow from actual Romanian mythology. And there isn't just one kind of vampire. There are two. Mortal vampires, the Moroi, are alive and wield elemental magic (earth, air, water, fire). And then there are the immortal undead vampires that hunt Moroi vampires called the Strigoi. Moroi are protected by half-vampires, called dhampirs, who give up their lives for the Moroi. This is actually where the story starts.
Rose Hathaway, a dhampir, is training to become a guardian after high school. Her best friend, Lissa, is a Moroi princess and the last of her royal bloodline. She must be protected from the Strigoi, because they want to destroy all of the royal Moroi. Rose is the ideal person to become Lissa's guardian because they have a bond - Rose can sometimes slip into her head and see and feel everything she does. If Lissa was in danger, Rose would know immediately. Rose *must* graduate if she wants a chance at sticking with Lissa after high school. The trouble is, Rose has a hard enough time just staying in school. Not to mention that her hot mentor is increasingly becoming a distraction...
YES VA is worth reading!! This series is fantastic!! It's my absolute favorite!! I even got my little sister hooked on VA over the summer and she normally *hates* to read. :) Check it out for yourself if you want!! The first chapter is up at Richelle Mead's website where she has made it available to you:
http://www.richellemead.com/excerpt/excerpt2.htm
There are also summaries of the books and release dates there as well (beware spoilers!!):
http://www.richellemead.com/books/vampireacademy.htm
I honestly really love this series because Rose and all of the other characters feel like real people. The relationships that are made (or destroyed) in this series are all very realistic and believable. Just like in real life, sometimes you don't get along with everyone. And Rose actually doesn't like many of the people that become her friends later on.
Also, Rose changes throughout each book. She's always learning and making mistakes. It's probably one of my favorite things about this series. She learns from her mistakes. She tries to make up for them. She's only human. Well... sorta. :P
Rose has a lot to focus on. Her love life is pretty much nonexistent, though she wishes she could be with the guy she loves. Life as a guardian is tough. Rose and her novice friends need to get all of the training they can if they want to be prepared for life after high school when they will go on to become guardians for the Moroi. And they can't imagine what Strigoi are like until they are face to face with one. No amount of training can really prepare them for it.
Also, Rose's friends are complicated, just like she is and just like everyone else. All of the characters in this series have their own personalities and flaws. They each have issues they have to overcome, and as it's not easy in real life, it's not easy for them. Richelle Mead is so good with characters that they really begin to feel like real people. I actually sometimes forget that this is a series about *vampires* because everyone in it feels so human. :)
Here is the order the books are meant to be read in:
Vampire Academy - awesome; the reason I fell in love with the series
Frostbite - my favorite :)
Shadow Kiss - my other favorite; this book is INCREDIBLE
Blood Promise - a dark twist in Rose's story; heartbreaking :(
Spirit Bound - releases May 18, 2010; I can't wait to read it!!!
TBA - late 2010 release
You don't want to miss out on this series. I picked it up pretty randomly one day back in Dec and I'm so glad that I did!! I was not expecting it to be as awesome as it is!! VA is truly amazing. There's A LOT of action. Some thrilling twists and turns. Romance. Surprise endings. Devastating cliff hangers. There's something about the characters that makes them come alive on the page. It's everything a good series should be. ^________________^
As for some other books to read...
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is the best series EVER!! After Vampire Academy of course. :) It is totally awesome. It's actually sci-fi fantasy but it is soooo good. It has tons and tons of action. You'll fall in love with Peeta!! He's a sweetie. â¥
http://www.amazon.com/Hunger-Games-Suzanne-Collins/dp/0439023483/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1254295812&sr=8-1
http://www.thehungergames.co.uk/about_the_book
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater is a paranormal romance about Grace and the wolves that live in the forest behind her house.
http://www.maggiestiefvater.com/shiver.php
Lament by Maggie Stiefvater is about musical prodigy Deirdre and the strange boy she meets at a competition for musicians. Luke is a hottie. And Dee is pretty cool too. :)
http://www.maggiestiefvater.com/lament.php
If you want vampires, I hear the Morganville Vampires series by Rachel Caine is good. You can read a sample of the first book, Glass Houses, here:
http://www.rachelcaine.com/page1/page2/page2.html
Demon Princess by Michelle Rowen looks good too. I just bought it. Partially because Richelle Mead recommends it, and partially because I read the first two chapters on Michelle Rowen's site and liked what I read. :)
http://ya.michellerowen.com/Books.html
Generation Dead by Daniel Waters is very good too!! It's about Phoebe Kendall and the dead kids that go to her school. Well... it's more than that too. There's Adam, her best friend, who has loved her for forever. But when Phoebe becomes interested in one of the dead boys, some guys at her school decide that they don't like her with him.
http://www.gendead.com/#/home
http://www.amazon.com/Generation-Dead-Daniel-Waters/dp/142310921X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256042867&sr=8-1
This decade in review?
LuthienT (
Now that we're in the middle of 2010, I was wondering about the musical, artistic, and literary content of this past decade.
Please tell me:
What's your favorite - movie, song, and book title of the past decade?
What overall rating would you give this past decade's literary/musical/artistic releases?
Who was this decade's best overall author? Who was the worst?
Please note: Giving Harry Potter/Twilight answers to either the good or bad category is not a good way to get best answer. As good as Harry Potter is, there are better books, and as bad as Twilight is, there are worse books. Let's be original!
LuthienX
Remember, as much as I appreciate stars, answers beat stars any day.
Oh my, you guys are really amazing! Thanks for all the FABULOUS and BRILLIANT answers you have given so far!
By the way - when I meant art, I meant any contemporary art - political cartoons, sculptures, you name it. Mine's Banksy ;)
Sox: I didn't really like the Tenth Circle, either, but I do like some of Jodi Picoult's stuff. Though her books tend to the predictable. (at least, you can predict that there will be a OMG twist somewhere and a court case) I like her portrayal of family, and usually her portrayal of relationships.
@Sox: could you please explain why you find her books repulsive?
Kelly: You are obviously trying to make my brain explode. C'mon. You list all these movies and then jump on with High School Musical 2. Why don't you just say Hannah Montana: The Movie and be done with it?
Kelly: Just finished reading your answer. It's something I would expect more from Beelit-Doux. Are you sure you haven't switched personalities?
I can't believe no one mentioned Miles to Go. It's such a classic!!11!!!one!!11
I may give you best answer just for kicks.
I am disappointed that you don't read much modern literature. Granted, you have to wade through much more rubbish than before, but there are jewels out there. Want some recommendations?
Whoohoo! I have as many answers as stars! That's a first. It's going to be tough picking a best answer, but if you haven't answered yet (yes, I'm looking at you) please do spend a few minutes answering. You don't have to do all the questions. I'd appreciate everyone's input on this. Thnx.
Answer
What's your favorite - movie, song, and book title of the past decade?
Movie: This is so much harder than I thought it would be. There have been so many movies I've really liked because this past decade is the first one I've really been aware of stuff.
Fight Club (I know it was 1999 but I didn't see it till 2007 so it counts but I'll give another one as well)
V for Vendetta
The Notebook
Chicago
Song:
this is even harder than choosing a movie because my music collection really developed from only listening to the radio, to trying to get as much exposure to as many kinds of music as I could. So most of the music I listen to is from the last decade. But I guess I'll have to say:
Someday -- Nickelback
Partially because of the song itself, but more to do with the memories. That song was really popular and I heard it everywhere in the December of 2003
SnowPatrol - In particular "You could be Happy"
Lostprophets - Rooftops
Ben Folds - I like nearly every song on the album "Rockin the suburbs", but anything by him is fantastic
Michael Buble - I know that every decade has someone who comes and re-does the American Songbook, but his voice is lovely and I like the personality he puts into the songs.
DisneyPop+Idol = Yes they are going to fade away into obscurity. I have no doubt. But this music is pretty popular and I love it. Yeah, I meant people from disney shows who put out music, and ex-Idol contestants. It's nothing amazing. In fact there are so many forced rhymes in their songs and they don't make sense, but it's music that I can blast in my car and sing along to so in that way, in the way that music makes me happy, these songs have been some of my favourite from the decade.
Book Title:
A Million Little Pieces by James Frey
Anyone who can fool Oprah and make her cry because of her foolishness deserves to be remembered :P
What overall rating would you give this past decade's literary/musical/artistic releases?
- 8/10.
Ten Years is a long time to be considering, but I think there have been some fantastic things produced. Musically, literary and also in film and art. There's also been a lot of crap but I think that's true for any decade and people have either forgotten the garbage that was popular at the time, or they now choose to embrace that because it's sort of kitsch .
Who was this decade's best overall author? Who was the worst?
Best:
Khaled Hosseini - I've only read the Kite Runner by him but I really impressed.
Worst:
Paris Hilton - for some reason I was given a copy of her autobiography... I'm sure it was ghost written but that doesn't really make the writing any better
I also want to put a little Twilight comment in (yeah... if I'm disqualified from best answer, that's okay with me)
- The books aren't anything amazing but I'm amazing by the machine that is the Twilight Saga. They were marketed in such a way that made them one of the most popular books ever and I find that incredible. I think that they should be one of the things remembered about the '00's because of what they managed to accomplish.
What's your favorite - movie, song, and book title of the past decade?
Movie: This is so much harder than I thought it would be. There have been so many movies I've really liked because this past decade is the first one I've really been aware of stuff.
Fight Club (I know it was 1999 but I didn't see it till 2007 so it counts but I'll give another one as well)
V for Vendetta
The Notebook
Chicago
Song:
this is even harder than choosing a movie because my music collection really developed from only listening to the radio, to trying to get as much exposure to as many kinds of music as I could. So most of the music I listen to is from the last decade. But I guess I'll have to say:
Someday -- Nickelback
Partially because of the song itself, but more to do with the memories. That song was really popular and I heard it everywhere in the December of 2003
SnowPatrol - In particular "You could be Happy"
Lostprophets - Rooftops
Ben Folds - I like nearly every song on the album "Rockin the suburbs", but anything by him is fantastic
Michael Buble - I know that every decade has someone who comes and re-does the American Songbook, but his voice is lovely and I like the personality he puts into the songs.
DisneyPop+Idol = Yes they are going to fade away into obscurity. I have no doubt. But this music is pretty popular and I love it. Yeah, I meant people from disney shows who put out music, and ex-Idol contestants. It's nothing amazing. In fact there are so many forced rhymes in their songs and they don't make sense, but it's music that I can blast in my car and sing along to so in that way, in the way that music makes me happy, these songs have been some of my favourite from the decade.
Book Title:
A Million Little Pieces by James Frey
Anyone who can fool Oprah and make her cry because of her foolishness deserves to be remembered :P
What overall rating would you give this past decade's literary/musical/artistic releases?
- 8/10.
Ten Years is a long time to be considering, but I think there have been some fantastic things produced. Musically, literary and also in film and art. There's also been a lot of crap but I think that's true for any decade and people have either forgotten the garbage that was popular at the time, or they now choose to embrace that because it's sort of kitsch .
Who was this decade's best overall author? Who was the worst?
Best:
Khaled Hosseini - I've only read the Kite Runner by him but I really impressed.
Worst:
Paris Hilton - for some reason I was given a copy of her autobiography... I'm sure it was ghost written but that doesn't really make the writing any better
I also want to put a little Twilight comment in (yeah... if I'm disqualified from best answer, that's okay with me)
- The books aren't anything amazing but I'm amazing by the machine that is the Twilight Saga. They were marketed in such a way that made them one of the most popular books ever and I find that incredible. I think that they should be one of the things remembered about the '00's because of what they managed to accomplish.
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