Plot: In early nineteenth-century England, the Learned Society of Magicians meets on a regular basis to discuss their arts—which, sadly, do not include actually performing any magic. (They just can’t get it right.) Once Jonathan Strange enters their social circle, however, tides of magic are let loose upon England that affect both local and international figures.

Why Read? I’m a reader who usually turns away from this kind of book, but this one is entertaining, well written, funny and often surprising. (I began by listening to it on CD in the car but had to buy a copy because experiencing the book just on my commute was not enough.) The novel has been described as “Harry Potter meets Jane Austen,” but that isn’t wholly accurate, since the experience of reading the novel really defies accurate description. Don't let its length scare you—the pages whizz by and, like anything else worth reading, once it's over you’ll wish that it weren’t.

Recommended by: Mr. McKibbin

Plot: A disciple of Edgar Allan Poe and an inspiration to Stephen King, Lovecraft weaves tales of murder, mystery, and suspense that will run chills down any reader's spine. This first volume collects 16 classic tales, including “The Rats in the Walls,” “The Call of Cthulhu,” “The Dunwich Horror,” “The Outsider,” and “The Colour Out of Space.”

Why read? If you love the works of Poe or if you simply love to be scared, then Lovecraft is a must read. His themes range from the insignificance of mankind in the universe to the Darwinian concept of survival of the fittest. My personal favorites are “The Outsider” and “In the Vault.”

Recommended by: Mr. Szalecki

Plot: The kingdom of Westros is thrown into disarray when its monarch, King Robert, is killed by a rampaging boar during a hunting expedition. As the leading families of the kingdom vie bloodily for power in the wake of the king’s death, the unknowing kingdom is threatened by a beautiful but formidable princess from the east (she keeps three dragons as pets) and an ancient menace from the north, the mysterious Others. The only certainty in this realm on the brink of chaos is “winter is coming.”

Why read? Martin is more than just another Tolkien clone. Yes, his work can be found in the fantasy isle at Borders and Barnes and Noble, but his work transcends the genre. More than most fantasy authors, whose characters seem like mannequins or robots, Martin uses his considerable resources as a writer to give his readers characters of near Shakespearean complexity. He lavishes just as much attention on the “bad” guys as he does on the “good” guys, but sometimes it’s hard to tell who’s who.  His cast of characters is huge, and each one has a fully wrought personality, complete with individual flaws, quirks, and worldview.

The House of the Scorpion By: Nancy Farmer

Recommended by: Ms. Maffa

Plot: A young boy named Matt grows up knowing that he is the clone of his country’s tyrannical ruler, El Patron. As Matt discovers the truth behind the workings of El Patron’s empire as well as the disturbing future that’s planned for him, he must decide whether he will accept the identity his society has assigned to him or defy it.

Why read? I’m not usually a science-fiction fan, but the depth and intricacy of Farmer’s plot and characters make the story a compelling read. It also raises questions about power, technology and humanity that are worth considering.

Small Gods By: Terry Pratchett

Recommended by: Mr. Davis

Plot: A god returns to the world, but since no one worships him anymore he can only manifest himself as a small turtle. He begins a quest to re-establish worship of himself, though it's hard to be taken seriously when you are a turtle who can no longer summon up enough power to smite anyone...

Why read? Terry Pratchett has a worldwide following because his books not only are brilliantly written, but each satirizes a different aspect of our own society. This book it is organized religion, others send up everything from the press to the post office. His insights are brilliant, and the books make you laugh and think at the same time.

Neverwhere By: Neil Gaiman
Recommended by: Mr. Wolk
Plot: Richard Mayhew seems to be living the good life, with a corporate job and a beautiful fiance. Then he helps an injured girl on the sidewalk and finds himself in London Below, a world of eerie subway tunnels, strange creatures, talking rats, floating markets and hired assassins. Like Dickens’ Scrooge, Richard undertakes a dark journey and must reassess his system of values.

Why read? The heroes(Richard/Door/the Marquis), the villains (Croup/Vandemar) and the “alternate reality” of London Below are products of a brilliant imagination. Gaiman is hotter than ever with a Stardust movie and a Beowulf adaptation.

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment By: James Patterson
Recommended by: Jess F.
Plot: 6 kids. 12 wings. enjoy the flight. it will blow you away. (if you didn't get that—these children are 98% human, 2% avian. their adventures. your thrill.)

Why read? if you are interested in sci fi, genetic engineering, stem cell research, etc. READ THIS BOOK. it will grab on to your brain with the 1st four words and won't let go until you end. I LOVED IT. If this book interested you, you can follow up with When the Wind Blows and The Lake House (also by James Patterson)

The Great Book of Amber By: Roger Zelazny
Recommended by: Mr. Moran
Plot: The “Amber” novels (beginning with Nine Princes in Amber) concern a man who awakens from a coma to learn that he is really one of a special family whose members can alter reality at will in order to surf between parallel worlds. As Neo says in The Matrix, “Woah.”

Why read? I read them for the first time when I was in middle school and they convinced me, more than any of my teachers at that time, that reading was vital, thrilling and mysterious.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince By: J.K. Rowling
Recommended by: Brandon M.

Plot: Voldemort becomes stronger and stronger as the war goes on. Draco is acting suspicious and Harry finds out about a mysterious Half-Blooded Prince! Dumbldore teaches Harry about Horcruxe’s and Voldemort’s past!

Why read? This book explains so much in the series that you wouldn't understand the last book with this one. Harry learns so much about Voldemort and maybe how to destroy him. It might be the only way to destroy him!

Reviewer’s note: It is completely awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows By: J. K. Rowling
Recommended by: Mr. Snape

Plot: Apparently, this is the last book in a minor, hard-to-find series of books about a young wizard.

Why read? Rumor has it that this book may outsell Rachel Ray’s latest. There are also websites suggesting that a series of films is planned, detailing the adventures of this little-known hero. Be warned: you may be the only person in town who knows about what may become the sleeper hit of 2007. read more reviews

Keturah and Lord Death By: Martine Leavitt
Recommended by: Ms. Maffa
Plot: Keturah gets lost in the woods one night and there meets Lord Death ready to take her away from the world she has always known. She is able to persuade him to give her one more day to live by telling him a story and withholding the ending. While talking to him she also discovers that her town is in danger of catching the plague. Once she returns to her home, she must figure out how to save herself and her town before it’s too late.

Why read? A wonderful and surprising story of suspense and romance, beautifully written.

The Golden Compass By: Phillip Pullman
Recommended by: Ms. Maffa

Plot: Lyra lives an ordinary life as an orphan at Oxford college until her mysterious uncle shows up with news about a puzzling substance called Dust and a possible alternate universe in the North. When her best friend Roger is kidnapped to be used as part of an evil experiment, Lyra must set out in that direction and face armored bears, “gobblers,” and the realization that nothing is what it seems to be.

Why read? A complex adventure/fantasy/mystery novel that you won’t want to put down. Once you finish this, you’ll have to pick up the next book in the series of His Dark Materials, The Subtle Knife.

Tithe By: Holly Black
Recommended by: Joshua C.

Plot: Kaye is the punk daughter of a rock ‘n’ roll mother that has dropped out of school in order to support their small family. After her mother has a fight with her bandmate-boyfriend, Kaye finds herself living in her childhood home with her grandmother...a place where she had many “imaginary” friends. A late-night run-in with a dark, mysterious, wounded, and extremely handsome young man leads Kaye into a richly wrought fantasy world that clashes with our own.

Why read? Tithe is a dark fantasy that melds romance, horror, magic, as well as a strong dose of real human issues. It is a book that you will compulsively read until you are done. Kaye is a great character that you allows you to feel her complex emotions, and startling changes. Plus, the story continues in Black’s new novel Ironside!
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1984 By: George Orwell
Recommended by: George Z.

Plot: An ordinary man named Winston Smith struggles against the oppression of a totalitarian society. Set in a dystopian London in the year 1984, the novel encompasses themes such as social class, love, propaganda, and torture.

Why read? Orwell’s writing style is immersive and easy to follow. The novel makes many insightful conclusions about the human psyche and speculates on a path that society could end up taking in the future.

Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch By: Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
Recommended by: Ben Y.

Plot: It is the end of the world as we know it. The Antichrist is born, and is switched at birth. The four ride out, on motorcycles. The End Times are coming, and Heaven and Hell have decided that maybe they actually like humans. The novel traces the story of an angel and demon who attempt to stop the end of the world, as they are quite comfortable on Earth, the misadventures of a young boy and his hellhound, and the plight of descendant of a prophetess who foresaw all of this. Have a nice doomsday...

Why read? It’s a humorous forecast of the end of the world, full of allusions and references to various items of (British) pop culture. It’ll make you laugh, it’ll make you think. The two authors are recommendable alone, but together they are just godly.

Stardust By: Neil Gaiman
Recommended by: Mr. Wolk
Plot: Tristran Thorn can marry the beautiful Victoria Forester but only if he retrieves a fallen star from the land of Faerie, which can only be reached every nine years. Unfortunately for Tristran, other parties are also searching for the star, which will bring youth, beauty, power or magic to the one who holds it.

Why read? Stardust is a fairy tale/quest story that anyone of any age can enjoy. Here’s a chance to read the book before a major movie release.

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Witch By: Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie
Recommended by: Brittany A.
Plot: Holly Cather’s is sent to live with her aunt and twin cousins after a fatal accident. A family feud forgotten by her family but not to the other resurfaces. The story of her family's history and her own life collide into a fight for survival. Ancient magic is thrown at Holly and her cousins. Will they be able to withstand the heat that the Falcons bring them or will the hawk fall out of the sky?

Why read? This story makes you forget about anything else you are committed to do. It hooks you in the world of Holly Cathers. I’ve found that the first one or two chapters of this book aren't that good, but once everything starts to wind up, you won't be able to put the book down.

Reviewer’s note:This is the first book out of four in the series: Wicked. (NOT the Wizard of Oz one.)

Childhood’s End By: Arthur C. Clarke
Recommended by: Dmitriy Y.
Plot: Aliens invade the earth and create a world-wide utopia for humans. No wars, no poverty, etc. The question is why. And are we willing to accept absolute utopia at the expense of freedom.

Why read? Clarke takes an interesting look at religion, politics, and power.

Star Wars Episode III Revenge of the Sith By: Patricia C. Wrede
Recommended by: Joshua F.

Plot: The Jedi are involved in a Galactic War with the Sith. The Jedi are after General Grievous. Darth Sidious executes Order 66, killing Jedi everywhere. Anakin Skywalker, a young powerful padawan doesn’t know if he’ll be a Jedi of a Sith Lord. He fights Obi Wan Kenobi, a wise Jedi master, on Mustafar. If you want to know more read this book.

Why read? I would read this book because it tells how Anakin Skywalker became Darth Vader. It tells why there’s only Obi Wan and Yoda are the only remaining Jedi. It tells how there’s no more remaining Jedi in the galaxy.

Reviewer’s note: I would give it a nine out of ten stars.

The Tail of Emily Windsnap By: Liz Kessler
Recommended by: Rachael W.

Plot: The story is about a young girl named Emily Windsnap. When she was very young her father disappeared. Little did she know, he was a merman. Later she goes into the water for the first time, and when she does her legs stick together and become a tail. Emily meets another mermaid named Shona who helps her find her way to her father. They work together to get across the great mermer reef and through all the obstacles. She decides to go on a long swim looking for her father who is in a mermaid and merman jail. She encounters many obstacles along the way. Does she get to her father and save him?

Why read? If you like fantasy books or books with impossible events you should read this. It is a little longer then two hundred pages. The book is easy to read. I highly recommend this book.

Reviewer’s note: I rate this book a 9/10

Foundation By: Issac Asimov

Recommended by: Mr. Moran

Plot: The Galactic Empire is dying—and, according to Hari Seldon, the founder of “psychohistory” (a branch of mathematics that predicts historical patterns) there will be chaos, ignorance and war for 30,000 years. Therefore, he urges the Empire to set up “the Foundation”: a secret storehouse of all the knowledge that humans have accumulated over the course of millenea. (This way, when the 30,000 years pass, the human race won’t be in even more terrible shape.) Of course, something goes wrong...

Why read? The “sci” isn’t all that scientific (if that frightens you) and the “fi” is very readable and quick.

Reviewer’s note: Make sure you begin with the first Foundation book (simply called Foundation)—Asimov wrote a number of sequels.

Split Infinity By: Piers Anthony
Recommended by: Mr. Cibrian
Plot: This first book of the Apprentice Adept series describes dual worlds, Proton (based on science) and Phaze (based on magic). Stile is a master gamesman from Proton who learns his double on Phaze has been murdered. He must travel between the two worlds to solve the mystery, all the while watching out for those trying to kill him.

Why read? Although Anthony is better known for his Xanth series (read them if you haven’t), this combination of science and magic has always intrigued me. Also, there are a number of games competitions throughout the novels, and as a games aficionado, I've always loved those parts of the series.

Wicked By: Gregory Maguire
Recommended by: KJ

Plot: It takes place in Oz, before Dorothy came in the picture. The story centers around Elphaba, the misunderstood green-skinned girl who grows up to become the Wicked Witch of the West.

Why read? It was worth reading because it’s a great book, and I loved every single page of it. It kept me wanting more. It gets exciting, and it helps you understand some parts of The Wizard of Oz. It answers many questions about that movie. Like why does the witch melt when water gets thrown on her, why the lion is a coward, and it tells you a lot about Glinda.

Soon I Will Be Invincible By: Austin Grossman
Recommended by: Mr. Wolk
Plot: There are 1,686 superbeings in the world (mainly humans but also including eighty-seven alien visitors, three dogs, four cats and a bird). One supervillain, Dr. Impossible, has already tried to conquer the world on twelve different occasions, and now he's back for attempt number thirteen. Standing in his way are the Champions, a dysfunctional team of superheroes with more “baggage” than the ’77 Yankees.

Why read? Author Grossman is both a video game design consultant and a Romantic/Victorian scholar. His novel revisits the eternal conflict between Good and Evil, explores the human side of the superhero/supervillain experience (with a refreshing sense of humor), and draws connections to the likes of Grendel, Fu Manchu and Dr. Moriarty.

Eragon By: Christopher Paolini
Recommended by: Christopher M.
Plot: A boy named Eragon finds a blue stone and it hatches into a dragon. He becomes the next rider and has to find a way to train and restore peace to the land of Alagaisia.

Why read? It had a lot of action and was never boring.

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Artemis Fowl By: Eoin Colfler
Recommended by: Jeremy L
Plot: It is a fun adventure about an 11 year old genius who is a criminal mastermind. He has discovered the secret of the fairies existence and plots to steal their gold.
Why read? it is a fun action packed thriller that makes you want to read till you fall asleep.

Endwar By: Tom Clancy and David Michaels
Recommended by: Greg M
Plot: The year is 2020 and Russia has once again become a dominant superpower in the world. Russia builds up its arsenal of weapons and tries to conquer Canada against everyone’s wishes and demands. The United States is given the challenge to stop the invading Russian troops. Throughout the novel, the United States of America seeks help from the Canadians and especially the Europeans to stop the invasion. Yet the Canadians remain neutral even when their country and citizens are threatened and it is left up to the American to defeat the Russians.
Why read? All the dialogue and action in Tom Clancy’s Endwar is very simple and one-sided. After all, the novel was based after a video game! The battle scenes consume a majority of the book, leaving little space for actually character development. Tom Clancy relies too heavily on Russian stereotypes to characterize an entire nation of people as cold warriors. If you like novels with very little characterization, drawn out battle scenes, and an unrealistic plot, then you will like this book. Personally, I would have had more fun playing the video game. Anyone willing to read this book cover to cover is truly a brave soul.

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The Hobbit By: JRR Tolkien
Recommended by: Luke S
Plot: Bilbo Bagins lived a quite life, that is until he met the Wizard Gandalf. With fortune and fame in his eyes, and within his hobbit reach he could not decline an adventure with the old wizard. Throught the book, Bilbo encounters horrors and troubles. Such as trolls, orcs, and a strange creature called Gollum.
Why read? It is an interesting fun book to read. The cast of characters only becomes more interesting within time, Bilbo has a delightful sense of humor that can surprise almost anyone. The plot also adds quite a bit to the story.
Reviewers note:A great book

The Metamorphosis By: Franz Kafka
Recommended by: Paul L
Plot: This story of a man named Gregor who is transformed into a bug. As you read the story you will see Gregor's life as a bug and see the relationships with his own family.
Why read? This book is very interesting.

Reviewers note:Very good book

Dragon Rider By: Cornelia Funke
Recommended by: Dimitri G
Plot: The story is about a dragon named Firedrake who receives news that the humans are going to flood the valley where his dragon clan lives. With a brown cat-like animal named Sorrel, he sets off to find a place called the Rim of Heaven, which is a place where dragons can live in peace. When he leaves, he meets an orphan boy named Ben along the way. When they stop to rest during the journey, they land in the lair of Nettlebrand, also known as "The Golden One." He's a dragon that hunts other dragons for fun, sort of like how humans hunts animals, and when he sees Firedrake, he sends his servant Twigleg to follow them. Nettlebrand hopes that he will be able to follow Firedrake to the Rim of Heaven, and be able to hunt and kill the dragons once again.
Why read? This book is very easy to read and understand, so different readers of all ages won't have a problem reading it. It is also very interesting and keeps the reader wanting more. If you like reading fantasy stories, you will love this book.
Reviewers note: Because it's easy to read and very interesting, I enjoyed reading this book.
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