It’s time! Our Cosplay Fashion Runway is right around the corner. When is it? Well here you go:
Cosplay Fashion Runway
CANCELED
Cosplay is a hobby where people create handmade costumes that celebrate their favorite characters from anime, manga, television, film and comic books. Here are a few photos with examples of cosplay in action:
Add comment June 25th, 2008
Empire of Ivory (Temeraire book 4) by Naomi Novik
In the first Temeraire novel, His Majesty’s Dragon, England is at war with Napoleon and the French. William Laurence is an ordinary ship’s captain in His Majesty’s Navy. That is until his crew captures a French ship harboring a dragon egg. When it hatches the young dragon imprints upon Laurence, which forces him to become the dragon’s caregiver and pilot. He must leave the Navy and join His Majesty’s Aerial Corp, an air force made entirely of dragons and their crews. The first book in the series follows Laurence and his dragon, Temeraire, as they get used to being part of the Aerial Corp and help to defend England from an invasion. The second book’s adventure finds the duo traveling to China, Temeraire’s country of origin. The third book picks up where the second book ends and covers their return trip to England by land. They finally make it back to England at the start of the fourth book only to find a mysterious dragon plague has decimated the Aerial Corp. They must sail to Africa in order to find a cure. There they encounter a hidden nation where humans and dragons are equals. Although they try to make a good first impression the first contact turns sour because of England’s continuing involvement in the slave trade. Laurence is taken prisoner and the hidden empire begins to muster an army to raid the coastal ports England has established. Temeraire must save Laurence and find the cure for his dragon brethren.
I really enjoy this series. It reads a lot like an old swashbuckling, high seas adventure, except with dragons. 
The series’s prose captures the historical time period extremely well. It has the right mixture of detail and action that creates for a semi-quick read. I really enjoy how each book in the series provides greater insight on dragons and their culture. Dragons are just as complex and intelligent as humans, although humans in the western world tend to treat them as they would a horse or a ship. I would recommend this series to anyone who likes dragons, or historical high seas adventure. It is appropriate for advanced readers, 14 and up.
Add comment June 25th, 2008
Puddlejumpers by Mark jean & Christopher C. Carlson
Wow, I really enjoyed this book. This is definitely one of the better books I have read this year. It reminds me a lot of of a really good bedtime story. It does a great job of balancing its fantasy with the thrill of very present danger. The villains are just described enough to be really creepy if you have a good imagination, and are just the right amount of bad, which means entirely bad. The heroes, an orphaned reprobate and a irascible tomboy, are in over their heads, and might not make it out alive as they try to stop the incarnation of evil. It sounds like fun doesn’t it?
Ernie Banks is an orphan who is constantly getting into trouble. He gets one last reprieve when he is sent to work on a farm instead of being sent to Juvenile Hall. Ernie isn’t a bad kid, just stubborn, fiercely independent, and loathes authority. No wonder he is in constant trouble, right? He has lived his entire life in an orphanage and only has a crystal acorn that he wears around his neck as a mysterious sign of his origin. Unbeknownst to him, Ernie is actually a participant in a war between Puddlejumpers and Troggs. Puddlejumpers are small creatures much like pixies or brownies, who live deep underground, care for mother nature, and can teleport themselves to the Up Above by jumping through puddles. Troggs on the other hand seek destruction, misery, and the enslavement of all puddlejumpers. Fortunately there can be an end in the battle between the two, because Ernie’s birth was actually foretold in Puddlejumper lore as a child who would be destined to journey to the heart of the Most Dark and make it rain. On top of all this Ernie will also face himself, and discover where he came from and where he belongs.
Like I said above, I really enjoyed this book. Another aspect I liked was that the novel deals deals with environmentalism tangentially, and never in a preachy or ham handed way. The environmental message is there (if you look for it) yet the story is never sacrificed to get this issue across. It’s more of a tacit suggestion. The book is appropriate for all ages, and would recommend it for everyone. It’s a great read.
Add comment June 23rd, 2008
The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor
This book deserves 4 stars
This book is a sort of retelling of Alice in Wonderland that says Alyss Heart is the heir to the throne of Wonderland. Her evil aunt Redd killed her parents and took the throne for herself. Alyss escaped to our world, but she has to return now to reclaim her rightful throne as Queen of Hearts.
Add comment June 18th, 2008
The Seeing Stone by Kevin Crossley-Holland
This book deserves 4 stars
This is a book about a boy named Arthur living in a castle in the Middle Ages who wants to be a knight. Then he gets a black stone that shows him visions of King Arthur and shows how their lives are connected. It’s a great book.
Add comment June 18th, 2008
Into the Wild by Erin Hunter
This book deserves 5 stars
This is a great adventure about warring clans of warrior cats and the house cat who joins them. It’s suspenseful with a lot of action and great for cat-lovers.
Add comment June 18th, 2008
New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
This book deserves 5 stars
This book is the sequel to the bestseller Twilight. In this story Bella Swan and Edward Cullen are madly in love. The only problem is that Bella is a human and Edward is a vampire. By being with Edward, Bella is constantly in danger because Edward thirsts for her blood. This story is quite thrilling, you won’t be able to put it down and although it seems long you’ll get through it very fast!!
Add comment June 18th, 2008
