Another entry... and yes, it's a meme !
+++INTRODUCTIONS+++
1. What's your name?
Azh (well Eva, but right here, right now, I'm Azh')
2. Do you read a lot?
I think I read a lot compared to the national stats but I read a lot less than I did some years ago
3. What's your favorite genre?
Right now : Urban Fantasy. But ask me tomorrow again and it could be be another sub-genre of fantasy (sword & sorcery please ♥) or one of sci-fi or romance novels.
+++FANTASY AND SCI-FI+++
4. Do you prefer fantasy or science fiction?
Fantasy
5. What's your favorite fantasy book/series?
The Axis Trilogy (first trilogy of the Wayfarer Redemption by Sara Douglass)
[the Amber Saga by Zelazny, Lyonesse by Jack Vance, The Black Magician trilogy by Trudi Canavan, the Bitterbynde books by Cecilia Dart-Thornton,...), Industrial Magic (Kelley Armstrong), The Dresden Files (Jim Butcher), the Hawk & Fisher series by Simon R. Green]
6. Who's your favorite fantasy author?
Tad Williams, Sara Douglass, Lynn Flewelling, Trudi Canavan, Kelley Armstrong, Jim Butcher, Johan Héliot, Neil Gaiman
7. What's your favorite science fiction book/series?
The Vorkosigan Saga (Lois McMaster Bujold), Ender's Game (OS Card) The Arabesk Series (Jon C. Grimwood), The Speed of Dark (Elizabeth Moon)
8. Favorite sci-fi author?
JC Grimwood, Elizabeth Moon, Jack Vance, Lois McMaster Bujold, Orson Scott Card, Tricia Sullivan, Rudy Rucker
+++MYSTERY, HORROR, AND THRILLERS+++
9. Which do you prefer: a puzzling mystery, or a terrifying thriller?
a terrifying, puzzling thriller with lots of gory details.
10. Do you have a favorite mystery novel?
The A.B.C Murders (or maybe The Mysterious Affair at Styles), both by Agatha Christie
11. A favorite horror novel?
Drawing Blood, Poppy Z. Brite (Trev/Zach 4eveeer)
11b. A favorite mystery/horror/thrillers writer ?
Val McDermid. She is the very best.
+++ROMANCE+++
12. Do you read romance novels?
Hell Yes !
13. How about gay romance novels?
Duh. Of course.
Gotta love the internet for that. You can buy them directly from the US (French editors are very poor in that category)
14. What's your favorite?
What ?! Only one ?! Stupid, stupid meme. Frustrating me since the 3rd question.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (The classic)
Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie (The funny and modern)
Mr Impossible by Loretta Chase (the historically improbable one)
+++CHILDREN'S AND YA+++
15. What's your favorite children's book?
Coraline by Neil Gaiman
16. Is it the same book that was your favorite when you were a kid?
No. It was probably En famille (Hector Malot) or Lolotte et l'ours magique (??)
17. What's your favorite YA book?
The Extraordinary And Unusual Adventures of Horatio Lyle by Catherine Webb
[or L'Île Mystérieuse by Jules Verne when I was younger, now I don't classify Verne as YA, even if he is]
18. Did you actually read it as a YA?
Yes.
19. In general, do you prefer children's books over grown-up books? Since I like a bit of sex in my novels, I'll have to say grown-up books. ;)
(but really depends of the authors compared)
+++CLASSICS AND GENERAL FICTION+++
20. What's your favorite classic novel?
Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen.
La Porte étroite, André Gide.
21. What about general fiction?
one of the books of Nick Hornby probably. ♥
... or one of Sarah Waters.
They are the only two general fictions authors I follow. Well maybe I'll have to add Christophe Honoré to that list soon. XD
22. What classic novel do you just *not* *get*?
any of Proust's novels. B-O-R-I-N-G
23. Do you have a favorite play or drama?
The Importance of being Earnest, Oscar Wilde
24. What do you think of Shakespeare?
Love some of his work, been bored by some of it. Still haven't read everything.
+++POETRY+++
25. Could you pick a favorite poem? The Everlasting Voices - Yeats ("Oh sweet everlasting voices be still, go to the guards of the heavenly fold...")
and the one from Verlaine which goes like this "Il pleut dans mon coeur, comme il pleut sur la ville..." and which and I don't remember the title.
26. What about a favorite poetry collection?
Les Fleurs du Mal (during my teenage angst period I was sleeping with it practically under my pillow... I know many of its poems by heart... and had one hanged over my bed)
27. Who's your favorite poet?
John Keats
+++COMICS AND GRAPHIC NOVELS+++
28. Do you read comics or graphic novels?
Yes
29. Do you have a favorite series?
Suki Dakara Suki by Clamp (cute and stupid), Love Mode (hot and cute and stupid) and The Authority (not cut and not stupid)
30. A favorite book?
The Pride of Bagdad... I don't even like animals but I love that graphic novel.
+++SHORT STORIES AND NOVELLAS+++
31. Do you prefer short stories (or short novels) over full-length novels?
No. The more there is to read, the better. I tend to think that short stories aren't worth my times. They're just frustrating teasers.
32. What's your favorite short story?
I must say Back-Up (Jim Butcher) because I'm a sad fangirl who wouldn't mind being shampooed by Thomas Raith. *o*
33. Favorite short story collection?
Fragile Things, Neil Gaiman.
34. Do you have a favorite short story author?
R.L. Stevenson. (for The Suicide Club)
+++NONFICTION+++
35. What kind of nonfiction do you usually read?
Nothing. Well except for some cook books, and some computer science books. Do they count ?
36. Do you have a favorite nonfiction book?
Le Petit Robert. XD
37. Read any interesting biographies?
One of Alan Turing (thanks to flo_nelja)... some of Henry VIII when I was lusting all over the tv show "The Tudors".
38. History books?
Please kill me now.
39. Politics?
I read The Audacity of Hope & Dreams of my father, do they count ? Does I Am America And So Can You count ? I read Maintenant as well (Segolène, you broke my heart these last few weeks).
40. Religious texts?
*yawn*
Except of course, mythology.
41. How about books on mythology, fairy-tales, or other cultural stories?
Of course. Everything I could find. My grandfather got me hooked on the roman and greek mythology, I got myself addicted to fairy tales, and my mom wasn't happy till I had read some native americans legends. I read about North, Japanese, Chinese, African mythology. I totally loved that kind of things... I'm not a fantasy reader for nothing.
+++ELEMENTS OF FICTION+++
42. What's the most important element of a novel? Plot? Characterization? Style? Themes? Happy ending?
Happy ending. Please. I can tolerate angst but if you want me to read the book more than once, you should give me a happy ending.
But I wouldn't open the book, even if the happy ending was guaranteed if the themes or the plot didn't appeal to me in some ways. When I choose a book, I want it to make me dream, to take me in a special world, far, far away from reality.
43. What kind of plot interests you the most?
A touch of magic (mmm Magicians are the hottest characters) and a touch of romance (with a happy ending inside the book or the trilogy) and if the romantic pair is fighting side by side, I'll probably go crazy.
I would love any book who give me a pair (h/h, h/f, f/f) who argue, fight, kick the asses of the bad guys together and are totally devoted to each other. Borderline insanity doesn't bother me, it's even a plus.
44. What kind of characters usually appeal to you?
Characters who doesn't mind getting their hands dirty. Just a few fries short of a happy meal. Damaged but not quite broken. Powerful. Geeky. Not whinny.
45. What is your favorite book overall?
Stupid question. I'm not answering that one.
+++PASS IT ON+++
46. What's the last book you read?
Sourires de Loup (White Teeth) by Zadie Smith. (very nice, not something I would pick up for myself but roaringrolanda gave it to me.
Since I began that meme, I read Capital Games (gay romance novel with hot sex and silly ending) by GA Hauser. Best way to celebrate the end of the NaNoWriMo.
47. What are you reading now?
nothing, I'm between books.
48. What are you going to read next?
no idea. Something pornish probably. I hadn't had my quota of trashy books in November, so I'm withdrawal.
49. Is there a book you would recommend to everyone on your friends list?
Mathematicians in Love or Pashazade because I can't believe they haven't all read them yet.
50. Tag five people to fill out this meme:
lilibel, marijuane29, snowcrash314, hiddenxplaces, maikichelorrain
1. What's your name?
Azh (well Eva, but right here, right now, I'm Azh')
2. Do you read a lot?
I think I read a lot compared to the national stats but I read a lot less than I did some years ago
3. What's your favorite genre?
Right now : Urban Fantasy. But ask me tomorrow again and it could be be another sub-genre of fantasy (sword & sorcery please ♥) or one of sci-fi or romance novels.
+++FANTASY AND SCI-FI+++
4. Do you prefer fantasy or science fiction?
Fantasy
5. What's your favorite fantasy book/series?
The Axis Trilogy (first trilogy of the Wayfarer Redemption by Sara Douglass)
[the Amber Saga by Zelazny, Lyonesse by Jack Vance, The Black Magician trilogy by Trudi Canavan, the Bitterbynde books by Cecilia Dart-Thornton,...), Industrial Magic (Kelley Armstrong), The Dresden Files (Jim Butcher), the Hawk & Fisher series by Simon R. Green]
6. Who's your favorite fantasy author?
Tad Williams, Sara Douglass, Lynn Flewelling, Trudi Canavan, Kelley Armstrong, Jim Butcher, Johan Héliot, Neil Gaiman
7. What's your favorite science fiction book/series?
The Vorkosigan Saga (Lois McMaster Bujold), Ender's Game (OS Card) The Arabesk Series (Jon C. Grimwood), The Speed of Dark (Elizabeth Moon)
8. Favorite sci-fi author?
JC Grimwood, Elizabeth Moon, Jack Vance, Lois McMaster Bujold, Orson Scott Card, Tricia Sullivan, Rudy Rucker
+++MYSTERY, HORROR, AND THRILLERS+++
9. Which do you prefer: a puzzling mystery, or a terrifying thriller?
a terrifying, puzzling thriller with lots of gory details.
10. Do you have a favorite mystery novel?
The A.B.C Murders (or maybe The Mysterious Affair at Styles), both by Agatha Christie
11. A favorite horror novel?
Drawing Blood, Poppy Z. Brite (Trev/Zach 4eveeer)
11b. A favorite mystery/horror/thrillers writer ?
Val McDermid. She is the very best.
+++ROMANCE+++
12. Do you read romance novels?
Hell Yes !
13. How about gay romance novels?
Duh. Of course.
Gotta love the internet for that. You can buy them directly from the US (French editors are very poor in that category)
14. What's your favorite?
What ?! Only one ?! Stupid, stupid meme. Frustrating me since the 3rd question.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (The classic)
Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie (The funny and modern)
Mr Impossible by Loretta Chase (the historically improbable one)
+++CHILDREN'S AND YA+++
15. What's your favorite children's book?
Coraline by Neil Gaiman
16. Is it the same book that was your favorite when you were a kid?
No. It was probably En famille (Hector Malot) or Lolotte et l'ours magique (??)
17. What's your favorite YA book?
The Extraordinary And Unusual Adventures of Horatio Lyle by Catherine Webb
[or L'Île Mystérieuse by Jules Verne when I was younger, now I don't classify Verne as YA, even if he is]
18. Did you actually read it as a YA?
Yes.
19. In general, do you prefer children's books over grown-up books? Since I like a bit of sex in my novels, I'll have to say grown-up books. ;)
(but really depends of the authors compared)
+++CLASSICS AND GENERAL FICTION+++
20. What's your favorite classic novel?
Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen.
La Porte étroite, André Gide.
21. What about general fiction?
one of the books of Nick Hornby probably. ♥
... or one of Sarah Waters.
They are the only two general fictions authors I follow. Well maybe I'll have to add Christophe Honoré to that list soon. XD
22. What classic novel do you just *not* *get*?
any of Proust's novels. B-O-R-I-N-G
23. Do you have a favorite play or drama?
The Importance of being Earnest, Oscar Wilde
24. What do you think of Shakespeare?
Love some of his work, been bored by some of it. Still haven't read everything.
+++POETRY+++
25. Could you pick a favorite poem? The Everlasting Voices - Yeats ("Oh sweet everlasting voices be still, go to the guards of the heavenly fold...")
and the one from Verlaine which goes like this "Il pleut dans mon coeur, comme il pleut sur la ville..." and which and I don't remember the title.
26. What about a favorite poetry collection?
Les Fleurs du Mal (during my teenage angst period I was sleeping with it practically under my pillow... I know many of its poems by heart... and had one hanged over my bed)
27. Who's your favorite poet?
John Keats
+++COMICS AND GRAPHIC NOVELS+++
28. Do you read comics or graphic novels?
Yes
29. Do you have a favorite series?
Suki Dakara Suki by Clamp (cute and stupid), Love Mode (hot and cute and stupid) and The Authority (not cut and not stupid)
30. A favorite book?
The Pride of Bagdad... I don't even like animals but I love that graphic novel.
+++SHORT STORIES AND NOVELLAS+++
31. Do you prefer short stories (or short novels) over full-length novels?
No. The more there is to read, the better. I tend to think that short stories aren't worth my times. They're just frustrating teasers.
32. What's your favorite short story?
I must say Back-Up (Jim Butcher) because I'm a sad fangirl who wouldn't mind being shampooed by Thomas Raith. *o*
33. Favorite short story collection?
Fragile Things, Neil Gaiman.
34. Do you have a favorite short story author?
R.L. Stevenson. (for The Suicide Club)
+++NONFICTION+++
35. What kind of nonfiction do you usually read?
Nothing. Well except for some cook books, and some computer science books. Do they count ?
36. Do you have a favorite nonfiction book?
Le Petit Robert. XD
37. Read any interesting biographies?
One of Alan Turing (thanks to flo_nelja)... some of Henry VIII when I was lusting all over the tv show "The Tudors".
38. History books?
Please kill me now.
39. Politics?
I read The Audacity of Hope & Dreams of my father, do they count ? Does I Am America And So Can You count ? I read Maintenant as well (Segolène, you broke my heart these last few weeks).
40. Religious texts?
*yawn*
Except of course, mythology.
41. How about books on mythology, fairy-tales, or other cultural stories?
Of course. Everything I could find. My grandfather got me hooked on the roman and greek mythology, I got myself addicted to fairy tales, and my mom wasn't happy till I had read some native americans legends. I read about North, Japanese, Chinese, African mythology. I totally loved that kind of things... I'm not a fantasy reader for nothing.
+++ELEMENTS OF FICTION+++
42. What's the most important element of a novel? Plot? Characterization? Style? Themes? Happy ending?
Happy ending. Please. I can tolerate angst but if you want me to read the book more than once, you should give me a happy ending.
But I wouldn't open the book, even if the happy ending was guaranteed if the themes or the plot didn't appeal to me in some ways. When I choose a book, I want it to make me dream, to take me in a special world, far, far away from reality.
43. What kind of plot interests you the most?
A touch of magic (mmm Magicians are the hottest characters) and a touch of romance (with a happy ending inside the book or the trilogy) and if the romantic pair is fighting side by side, I'll probably go crazy.
I would love any book who give me a pair (h/h, h/f, f/f) who argue, fight, kick the asses of the bad guys together and are totally devoted to each other. Borderline insanity doesn't bother me, it's even a plus.
44. What kind of characters usually appeal to you?
Characters who doesn't mind getting their hands dirty. Just a few fries short of a happy meal. Damaged but not quite broken. Powerful. Geeky. Not whinny.
45. What is your favorite book overall?
Stupid question. I'm not answering that one.
+++PASS IT ON+++
46. What's the last book you read?
Sourires de Loup (White Teeth) by Zadie Smith. (very nice, not something I would pick up for myself but roaringrolanda gave it to me.
Since I began that meme, I read Capital Games (gay romance novel with hot sex and silly ending) by GA Hauser. Best way to celebrate the end of the NaNoWriMo.
47. What are you reading now?
nothing, I'm between books.
48. What are you going to read next?
no idea. Something pornish probably. I hadn't had my quota of trashy books in November, so I'm withdrawal.
49. Is there a book you would recommend to everyone on your friends list?
Mathematicians in Love or Pashazade because I can't believe they haven't all read them yet.
50. Tag five people to fill out this meme:
lilibel, marijuane29, snowcrash314, hiddenxplaces, maikichelorrain