tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post5796993495924663913..comments2024-03-18T17:05:21.126+00:00Comments on An Awfully Big Blog Adventure: Diana Wynne Jones: Best Loved Books - Ellen RennerUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-45240674389510191742012-05-19T13:22:12.574+01:002012-05-19T13:22:12.574+01:00Eight days of Luke is amazing :) xEight days of Luke is amazing :) xAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-66488663604245960842012-04-02T00:36:22.831+01:002012-04-02T00:36:22.831+01:00I have to say... as someone who is still sort of a...I have to say... as someone who is still sort of a lazy little girl who does nothing but read, A House of Many Ways is definitely my favorite.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-69743190223470989892011-11-08T10:30:25.994+00:002011-11-08T10:30:25.994+00:00For me it would be the first three I read... '...For me it would be the first three I read... 'Archer's Goon', followed by 'The Ogre Downstairs' then 'Dogsbody'.<br /><br />Following those would be 'Witch Week' and 'Eight Days of Luke' (which I discovered on my sisters bookshelf one day having never realised there was a DWJ book in the house, then opened it to find it was <i>signed!</i>)<br /><br />'Fire and Hemlock' would also merit an honourable mention (not that it hasn't been well represented on people's lists!)<br /><br />@kathryn: "I couldn't believe why no-one had said JKR was following in the footsteps of DWJ ( among others....)"<br /><br />Oh they have... and they did. I can recall saying it myself just as the JK Potter phenomenon started. <br /> <br />@Ellen: "She is very well known in certain circles and has a devoted following, but has never had the critical acclaim she deserves. I have my theories as to why. Another blog post, that."<br /><br />That's a blog post I would <i>very</i> much like to read!<br /><br />I'm kind of glad to see 'The Magicians of Caprona' on your list. It's one which often gets unfairly overlooked in my opinion.Brooksienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-43089952949073293212011-04-15T13:46:47.002+01:002011-04-15T13:46:47.002+01:00Fire and Hemlock is in top spot for me, though in ...<i>Fire and Hemlock</i> is in top spot for me, though in a way it's not the most typical DWJ (whatever that means). I'd add <i>Archer's Goon</i>, as showing a very different side of her range, and then (a less obvious one) <i>Drowned Ammet</i>. I just love what she does with gods in the Dalemark series.Cathy Butlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03838615971611193743noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-67150534673370626112011-04-14T23:52:29.079+01:002011-04-14T23:52:29.079+01:00Oops! So you did mention A tale of time city Book ...Oops! So you did mention A tale of time city Book Maven - sorry. It is a curious book - time goes forward, backward, around (clockwise and anti-clockwise) and up and down as well - if that is possible.catdownunderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06959328192182156574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-51879417166095823022011-04-14T22:39:39.266+01:002011-04-14T22:39:39.266+01:00'The Time of the Ghost'is my out and out f...'The Time of the Ghost'is my out and out favourite. Then, maybe, 'Dogsbody', and either 'The Homeward Bounders' or 'Fire and Hemlock'.Katherine Langrishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12529700103932422873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-49784682531818190132011-04-14T20:46:10.960+01:002011-04-14T20:46:10.960+01:00@BookMaven: I agree about the Howl sequels and Dal...@BookMaven: I agree about the Howl sequels and Dalemark, but at least it shows even DWJ sometimes got it less than perfectly right, which a comfort to lesser mortals. And yes, I love Fire and Hemlock too!<br /><br />@John: She is very well known in certain circles and has a devoted following, but has never had the critical acclaim she deserves. I have my theories as to why. Another blog post, that.<br /><br />@cat: Yes, she is marvelous with the cats in Caprona and both cats and dogs in Dogsbody. Totally unsentimental but loads of empathy & imagination.<br /><br />@jongleuse: Thank you! Hope you enjoy City.Ellen Rennerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09409919041496631776noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-3752019419004785232011-04-14T16:07:08.726+01:002011-04-14T16:07:08.726+01:00So hard! I was lucky enough to read Charmed Life, ...So hard! I was lucky enough to read Charmed Life, The Ogre Downstairs and Witch Week as a child and adored them so would have to pick them. The sheer fun and the inventiveness! Genuinely scary too, thinking of Charmed Life and the betrayal of Cat especially. However I read and lovedHowls Moving Castle as an adult so will just have to have a fourth. <br />Must add that I loved your Castle of Shadows and am looking forward to City of Thieves.jongleusehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06754014776263314905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-17244376842633827862011-04-14T12:52:20.510+01:002011-04-14T12:52:20.510+01:00Absolutely agree about The Tough Guide, Madwippitt...Absolutely agree about The Tough Guide, Madwippitt.<br /><br />And I think, Cat, that I mentioned Tale of Time City in my blog obit on 2nd April. I am certainly going to go in for a big re-read and buy any missing volumes.<br /><br />But maybe not Dalemark - not my favourite genre for DWJ.Mary Hoffmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06241989732624913706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-48359638333568380372011-04-14T12:07:29.726+01:002011-04-14T12:07:29.726+01:00How on earth do you choose?
If I could have only o...How on earth do you choose?<br />If I could have only one on my desert island it would have to be Fire and Hemlock! Given the luxury of three, then it would be accompanied by Howl and The Tough guide to Fantasyland which is just soooo much fun!madwippitthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02595748471651052552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-87143933093630152462011-04-14T11:16:07.575+01:002011-04-14T11:16:07.575+01:00Charmed Life - I came to DWJ late in life and this...Charmed Life - I came to DWJ late in life and this hit me like a rounders bat to the head having lapped up Harry Potter. I couldn't believe why no-one had said JKR was following in the footsteps of DWJ ( among others....)Kathryn Evanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16439670363289229014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-86637385918556933182011-04-14T11:15:59.790+01:002011-04-14T11:15:59.790+01:00Loved The Ogre Downstairs as well.Loved The Ogre Downstairs as well.Keren Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13121027210783177857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-69267193830942264452011-04-14T10:48:23.124+01:002011-04-14T10:48:23.124+01:00Charmed Life, Magicians of Caprona and Fire and He...Charmed Life, Magicians of Caprona and Fire and Hemlock.<br />I was utterly delighted at the way Jones deals with issue of human-cat communication in Caprona too!<br />(Nobody has mentioned "A tale of time city" in any of the reviews I have seen.)catdownunderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06959328192182156574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-24548362336258440762011-04-14T10:33:12.336+01:002011-04-14T10:33:12.336+01:00Can't choose. All else aside, I haven't ye...Can't choose. All else aside, I haven't yet read the entire canon - I only discovered Diana Wynne Jones a few years ago (and how is it possible that such a writer isn't much, much better known?).<br /><br />I love a number of the books already mentioned, but I do have a soft spot for the first DWJ book I read: <b>Eight Days of Luke</b>.John Doughertyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11937505376169411724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-24541634240650793282011-04-14T10:25:20.489+01:002011-04-14T10:25:20.489+01:00Power of Three, Hexwood and Fire and Hemlock. But...Power of Three, Hexwood and Fire and Hemlock. But choosing is hard!Joan Lennonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15763862159032836768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-81353193667895953432011-04-14T10:23:19.043+01:002011-04-14T10:23:19.043+01:00My absolute favourite is Howl's Moving Castle ...My absolute favourite is Howl's Moving Castle :)Michelle at Clover Hill Book Reviewshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15284605052909617240noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-18557836927084008862011-04-14T10:06:03.479+01:002011-04-14T10:06:03.479+01:00My all time favourite, as I think you know, is Fir...My all time favourite, as I think you know, is Fire and Hemlock. But I love Howl's Moving Castle and the character of Howl, who I see as being a bit like David Bowie in Labyrinth. (It's the narcissism. I wish Diana hadn't written the sequels though).<br /><br />And my third would be Archer's Goon, because I love the idea of the wizards who run the utilities and the dizzying recognition of Howard's true self.<br /><br />But there are just so MANY that are absolute corkers and you are right that it is very hard to choose.<br /><br />A lovely post - thank you.Mary Hoffmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06241989732624913706noreply@blogger.com