ThrorII
Level 4 Theurgist
Posts: 109
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Post by ThrorII on Aug 2, 2020 0:47:12 GMT -6
Currently reading "The Last Gunfight". It is about the 'Gunfight at the O.K. Corral', but looks at the people involved through the lenses of westward expansion, the civil war, politics, law, and economics. It is a very interesting read and while not breaking new ground, does help to explain WHY things happened the way they did. My only criticism would be the author tends to read in to motivations of those involved, attributing positive motivations at all cost to some, while consistently attributing negative motivations to others - despite the action or outcome.
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Post by verhaden on Aug 2, 2020 7:15:58 GMT -6
Mother Night, by Kurt Vonnegut. "This book is rededicated to Howard W. Campbell, Jr., a man who served evil too openly and good too secretly, the crime of his times."
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Post by geoffrey on Aug 3, 2020 13:08:18 GMT -6
I recently read my first non-REH book, Conan the Avenger by Bjorn Nyberg. While clearly not as good as REH, I still enjoyed it. I just finished reading Conan of Aquilonia by L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter, and I found it much inferior to Nyberg's book. I am not sure now if I will move on to Conan of the Isles. This morning I finished reading Conan of the Isles by L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter. It was my favorite of these three books. It makes me want to write stories recounting Conan's further adventures on the far western continent. Of course the book isn't as good as REH's Conan stories, but that doesn't preclude it from still being a fun read. One can be a good musician without being Beethoven, one can be a good poet without being Shakespeare, one can be a good sculptor without being Michelangelo, etc.
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Post by doublejig2 on Aug 3, 2020 17:22:40 GMT -6
Not fiction but currently reading one of eight books in the University of Toronto Press's Medieval Craftsmen series. Each book is short (around 70 pages) and in size, depth, and plates somewhat like an Osprey military book but dedicated instead to a high craft. The eight books are as follows: Masons & Sculptors, Armourers, Embroiderers, English Tilers, Glass-painters, Goldsmiths, Painters, and Scribes & Illuminators. Highly recommended!
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Post by captainjapan on Aug 6, 2020 14:33:00 GMT -6
I'm thumbing through Barbara Byfield's Book of Weird(1967 - 1973?). I got it, used, about a month ago, but it needed heavy restoration. It's a kind of encyclopedia of quirky medievalisms. I can see much inspiration for Monster Manual and Players Handbook in the fonts and illustrations, already. I thought I remembered someone say that Gary and Tim Kask had this as a table reference when they were laying out AD&D. Anyway, it's very funny.
FYI, dragons are to be found in the dungeons only of "black princes", according to Book of the Weird.
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Post by stevemitchell on Aug 6, 2020 21:39:59 GMT -6
Secret Societies by Nick Redfern. A big, encyclopedia-style volume on the stated topic. Despite its size, it has some omissions—there are no entries for the Gnomes of Zurich, the Esoteric Order of Dagon, or the Black Mentalists of Giza, for example, though perhaps Mr. Redfern is saving these sinister topics for a second volume.
Reunion at Dawn by H. Russell Wakefield. Ash-Tree Press reprinted the five original ghost story collections written by Wakefield, with some new material added. Then, as the fifth volume went to print, they discovered a major cache of previously unknown and unpublished tales—hence this volume. Wakefield wrote “classic” ghost stories in the vein of M. R. James (without the antiquarian focus) and E. F. Benson, though his work sometimes suffers from (to use Lovecraft’s phrase) “a vitiating air of sophistication.”
Area 51 by Nick Redfern. A look at the notorious Nevada site, mostly developed along chronological lines, but with many diversions into the associated UFO lore.
The 11th Golden Age of Weird Fiction Megapack by E. Hoffmann Price. Wildside Press has brought out several volumes of stories by this veteran pulp master. Most of the stories here derive either from Weird Tales or Spicy Mystery Stories.
E. Hoffmann Price’s Fables of Ismeddin by E. Hoffmann Price. Several stories feature the crafty Dervish Ismeddin, with lots of palace intrigue and swordplay. The collection also includes my personal favorite of all Price’s tales, “The Stranger from Kurdistan.”
Ghostly Tales by J. Sheridan Le Fanu. Another collection of Le Fanu’s short supernatural fiction.
Tedious Brief Tales of Granta and Gramarye by Ingulphus (Arthur Gray), The Stoneground Ghost Tales by E. G. Swain, and Nine Ghosts by R. H. Malden. Three enjoyable collections of “classic” ghost stories in the M. R. James tradition—by three authors who were all personally acquainted with James.
The Life and Death of Trotsky by Robert Payne. A look at the career of one of the key figures in the Bolshevik Revolution and Russian Civil War—later to exiled by Stalin, and then assassinated by Stalin’s order.
The Valley of Eternity by Kenneth Robeson. A new Doc Savage adventure, written by Will Murray under the Robeson house name. Holy cow! (As Renny would say.) In this post-World War II tale, Doc finds himself engaged to be married—to a recurring character from the pulp series (not his cousin Pat, though). His aides wonder if this will mean the end of Doc’s globetrotting career as an adventurer and righter-of-wrongs. More introspective than the usual Doc fare.
Beyond the Farthest Star by Edgar Rice Burroughs. During World War II, an American combat pilot is mysteriously transported across 450,000 light years to Poloda, another war-torn planet. Possibly intended as the first novel in a new series by ERB, but no further Poloda adventures appeared before his death. Too bad, since he left this one on a cliffhanger.
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Deleted
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Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Aug 16, 2020 8:55:50 GMT -6
Finished my read through of the NKJV Bible. Very well done translation. Didn't lose too much of the magical prose of the original KJV. A lot of really evocative imagery for use in a bronze age style campaign, too.
I've got this big sexy John Carter hardback compilation and I'm reading these stories for the first time as a part of my years-long Appendix N deep dive. Definitely enjoyable. The Sword & Planet genre needs a comeback. Leigh Brackett's compilation of Eric John Stark stories is next. It's Mars Year here.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2020 13:16:27 GMT -6
Taking a small break from "Shannara", to read a few books by Manly Wade Wellman. Never heaard of him before the recent Goodman Games Kickstarter; an RPG scenario based on his works can be obtained through the BackerKit purchases, and while I opted for the DCC Lankhmar box instead, I got myself two of his books on Audible/Kindle. Hoping to start with them tonight.
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Post by doublejig2 on Aug 19, 2020 21:30:04 GMT -6
Just read: Conan the Road of Kings by Karl Edward Wagner; not Howard and also not about Wagner's Kane, but certainly readable, quality Conan pastiche. Also, Renegades of the Empire by Michael Drummond; recommended to anyone who wrote software in the 1990's. Also, Quantum Physics Made Easy; very short (too short to recommend) but a start on the topic.
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terje
Level 5 Thaumaturgist
Blasphemous accelerator
Posts: 204
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Post by terje on Aug 26, 2020 8:57:02 GMT -6
Finished the new Swedish translation of REH's Hour of the Dragon. Its thirty+ years since we had Conan available in translation so its good to see new editions coming out. Started with The Croning by Laird Barron. I've read his collections of weird horror tales previously so me and Old Leech are allready acquainted.
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arkansan
Level 5 Thaumaturgist
Posts: 229
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Post by arkansan on Aug 30, 2020 11:20:51 GMT -6
Just got my copy of Empire of the East in the post, so I'll be crossing another Appendix N book of my list this week.
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Post by doublejig2 on Sept 4, 2020 23:35:16 GMT -6
Reading The Evolution of the Medieval World by David Nicholas and The History of Western Philosophy by Bertrand Russell. Good stuff.
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Post by Otto Harkaman on Sept 5, 2020 12:10:59 GMT -6
Just got my copy of Empire of the East in the post, so I'll be crossing another Appendix N book of my list this week. I am going to have to read some Fred Saberhagen, read some of his Berserker novels long ago. I vaguely remember reading Empire of the East, be fun to reread since I have forgotten much.
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Post by Falconer on Sept 5, 2020 14:29:19 GMT -6
I have the Empire of the East collection. Started it once but didn’t get very far. I need to get individual volumes, because I have grown a distaste for omnibi.
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Post by Otto Harkaman on Sept 5, 2020 14:39:27 GMT -6
I have the Empire of the East collection. Started it once but didn’t get very far. I need to get individual volumes, because I have grown a distaste for omnibi. Is there a big difference in the writing? Or you just like the covers of the singles?
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Post by Zenopus on Sept 5, 2020 18:06:36 GMT -6
FWIW, per wikipedia, "Volumes 1, 2 & 3 were later republished in a heavily revised omnibus version called Empire of the East (Ace October 1979)"
I haven't done a comparison myself as I only have the original Changeling Earth. Since the original series is pre-D&D and the revised omnibus is post D&D, I'd suggest reading the original is more important if you're interested in influences on D&D.
Falconer, as with myself, may also prefer thinner volumes for reading. And experiencing the story unfolding in the original context, including the original cover art.
I've now just restarted reading my copy of the 1967 collection of original Berserker short stories. I started this a few years ago but didn't finish it at the time. Today I re-read the second story, "Goodlife", which is amazing. Again I am struck by how smoothly Saberhagen's prose goes down.
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Post by doublejig2 on Sept 5, 2020 21:28:12 GMT -6
Anyone read any Harold Lamb?
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Post by stevemitchell on Sept 5, 2020 23:02:01 GMT -6
Sure. I've read many of his histories and biographies--The March of the Barbarians, Genghis Khan, Tamerlane, Cyrus the Great, Hannibal, and others. I've also dipped into some of his fiction, and plan to read more. A very good writer.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Sept 6, 2020 4:48:23 GMT -6
Just finished the Barsoom quintology. That was a very fun universe and I'm going to miss my time spent there. I only have the appendix of Chessmen of Mars on the game of Jetan left to read, then I'm on to the Stark compilation from Leigh Brackett, and after that I'm reading my big gorgeous box set of Nausicaa manga by Hayao Miyazaki.
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Post by geoffrey on Sept 6, 2020 11:06:59 GMT -6
Falconer, as with myself, may also prefer thinner volumes for reading. If a book cannot fit comfortably in one's front pocket, then it's too big.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 6, 2020 16:16:54 GMT -6
Poppycock. If a book can't be used for home defense it's too puny.
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Post by Zenopus on Sept 6, 2020 18:36:12 GMT -6
It is known that cargo shorts were invented to have extra pockets for carrying around vintage sci-fi/fantasy paperbacks.
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Post by Falconer on Sept 6, 2020 18:38:41 GMT -6
Just finished the Barsoom quintology. Quintology? There are eleven volumes, and personally I would consider the essential ones to be #1, #2, #3, and #6. Poppycock. If a book can't be used for home defense it's too puny. I go gaga over fine hardcovers and I love tearing through scrappy little pocket-size paperbacks alike. What I don’t like is when ij or iij or iv books are printed as one book! I have zero tolerance for it! Story collections are one thing, but a novel is a novel, with a beginning, middle, and end. I also heartily agree with Zenopus’s remark about the art and design being a part of the experience!
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Post by Otto Harkaman on Sept 11, 2020 12:00:39 GMT -6
Finished "Empire of the East" omnibus, enjoyed it
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2020 14:56:16 GMT -6
Just finished the Barsoom quintology. Quintology? There are eleven volumes, and personally I would consider the essential ones to be #1, #2, #3, and #6. The specific product I purchased is a leather-bound collector's set that includes volumes 1-5. It has interested me in checking out the rest of the series later, for sure, but that can wait until next year. It's my intention to finish this Leigh Brackett compilation of Eric John Stark stories, then read this beautiful box set hardcover compilation of Nausicaa and then some more Appendix N authors after that.
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Post by geoffrey on Sept 12, 2020 9:28:07 GMT -6
The first 5 Barsoom books are the only ones in the public domain in the United States. That is why one often sees an omnibus of the first 5 (and only the first 5) Barsoom books.
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Post by Otto Harkaman on Sept 12, 2020 13:00:23 GMT -6
Found a copy of Fred Saberhagen's "Ardneh's Sword" 4th book in the "Empire of the East", good so far. Much longer than the original three which I would label novelettes, no wonder they were put in an omnibus. Started listening to Adrian Goldsworthy's "Philip and Alexander: Kings and Conquerors" Harold Lamb had written a book on Alexander
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Post by stevemitchell on Sept 14, 2020 20:26:30 GMT -6
Harold Lamb's other "B.C." biographies include Cyrus the Great and Hannibal, both very good reads.
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Post by tkdco2 on Sept 15, 2020 4:53:51 GMT -6
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Post by Otto Harkaman on Sept 16, 2020 10:09:45 GMT -6
Finished "Ardneh's Sword" it was OK, ending was a bit vague and scattered like "Empire of the East." I guess is due to Saberhagen's writing style which Heinlein notes in his intro that he just writes not forming a structure beforehand. I guess the prose flows easier this way but I guess I do like structure. Decided to put aside Alexander and Philip and read some on the Crusades. Reading Alfred Duggan's "Knight with Armour" Have two of Harold Lamb's Crusades books in Audio format, also have hard copies "The Crusades: Iron Men and Saints" "The Crusades: The Flame of Islam"
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