Marie Lu is the woman behind the “Legend” sci-fi book trilogy — including Legend, Prodigy and Champion — that is described by Entertainment Weekly as “fine writing and excellent execution.” She was first inspired to write Legend while watching Les Miserables one afternoon, and wondered how the relationship between a famous criminal versus a prodigious detective might translate into a more modern story. She graduated from the University of Southern California in 2006 and lives in Los Angeles, California. Prior to becoming a full-time writer, she jumped into the video game industry, working for Disney Interactive Studios as a flash artist. She is also the art director at Online Alchemy, a video game company, and owns the children’s brand Fuzz Academy.
She visited Manila recently to promote her books through National Bookstore.
She shared with us some of her own favorite books.
1. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver. “Where I first fell in love with shifting first-person POVs (points of view).”
2. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. “Such a fun, fast-paced science fiction thriller.”
3. Kushiel’s Dart by Jacqueline Carey. “A beautiful, sensual fantasy unlike any I’ve ever read.”
4. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. “One of my favorite classics, with one of my favorite characters, Sydney Carton.”
5. Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie. “I love the whimsy and the symbolism.”
6. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling. “My favorite in the series!”
7. Le Petit Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. “Heartbreaking, sweet, and so thought-provoking.”
8. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. “I read it with my heart in my throat. So intense!”
9. Watership Down by Richard Adams. “Such an epic and deep story, even though it’s about rabbits!”
10. Mattimeo by Brian Jacques. “The first fantasy novel I ever read.”
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“The Reading Club” recommends The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz, which may be found in National Bookstore and Powerbooks.
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