Eddis, Attolia, Sounis

I’ve read the first two books, The Thief and Queen of Attolia, many times and King twice. They get better with every read. I hug them to my chest. I honestly can’t think of a better fantasy trilogy.

That is fabulous. Thanks for sharing, emmaco. It must be extra-gratifying when another author feels that way.

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and extra-extra gratifying when it's the author of a book like Magic Lessons. I do love an author who rebels against the i-will-solve-everything-with-a-wave-of-my-magic-doohickey convention, especially when she uses some foreign word for doohickey, as she did in her SCI-FI wire interview.

mwt

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Ha. And that Sci-Fi Wire Doohickey Interview can be found here (http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/print.php?id=40421).

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Emma - So is "doobalackie" the Australian word for "doohickey"?

I really like the word "doobalackie" and resolve to work it into conversation

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I didn't know it was Australian but guess it must be if Justine and I know it and you guys don't :) But we also use doohickey so if you came to visit we'd still understand you!

Her husband Scott Westerfeld wrote today (http://scottwesterfeld.com/blog/?p=206#comments) saying that "littlies", "pressies" and "musos" (amongst other words) are Australian. I didn't know that!

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Emma - Thanks for bringing Justine Larbalestier to my attention. Alex is finishing up the Naomi Novik dragon trilogy and quite enjoyed it (having read the three books in about, oh, 3 days). I hope the next one(s) are published in the US at some point. I am going to see about getting the Magic and Madness ones for him next.

You are a great resource for Books Of Interest To Teenage Boys!

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*cannot remember recommending Novik but loves the books so is happy to take credit for the rec anyway*

Has he tried Scott Westerfeld, too? His Midnighters books are a modern fantasy, his Uglies series a futuristic post-apocalyptic sociey type thing and Peeps is one of the best vampire books I've read.

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Thanks! They sound right up his alley.

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"littlies", "pressies" and "musos"

??? Translation, please?

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Small children, presents and musicians, respectively. He also mentions "Chrissie" for Christmas and "crumblies", which I personally am unfamiliar with but guess means old people?

*reflects on the laziness of the Australian English language*

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and "crumblies", which I personally am unfamiliar with but guess means old people?

?!?!?!?

That does not sound very respectful at all.

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I thought he made the word up for his books, but that post said it was Australian, like "littlies". I shall go investigate the usage amongst family and friends.

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and "crumblies", which I personally am unfamiliar with but guess means old people?

Sounds like the title of Westerfeld's new book. :)

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randimason.livejournal.com

I was under the impression they meant something vaguely cookie-like. (Forgive me, biscuit-like)

Aussies seem to have a habit of shortening words and ending them instead with -es or -os. Musicians = musos. Afternoon = arvo. And such.

Which doesn't explain how an outhouse becomes a dunny or a chicken a chook. Which might turn into a emu and kick your dunny down. But that's another story.

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And here I thought Aussies and Americans spoke the same language. Shows how much I know.

I just learned some cool new words. Kick your dunny down, indeed.

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randimason.livejournal.com

It's a little like what remains after four years of high school Spanish -- you may not keep enough to be fluent, but you can read the subway ads for legal services and beer.

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Is thingamabob Australian too?

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No. We use it in Wisconsin, and I expect it is used throughout the US.

What about you Brits out there? Are any of these words familiar to you?

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rowana.livejournal.com

We use thingamabob. Have never heard 'littles', 'pressies', or 'musos', or anyof the other words Emma mentioned being used. I thought Scott Westerfield made them up for his books. :)

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crazyviolin.livejournal.com

Are pressies presents? That's the only time I've heard it used.

Thingamabob. I love that word, except where I am it mutates to thingymabob. Very useful when you can't remeber a person's name. Like, for example, "Oh, Mrs Thingymabob gave us homework."

Never heard of the others though.

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Thanks for the link, Checkers!

* adds Justine Larbalastier's trilogy to book list *

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