flightcommander
Level 6 Magician
"I become drunk as circumstances dictate."
Posts: 370
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Post by flightcommander on Apr 11, 2022 0:08:07 GMT -6
Doing a re-read of Lovecraft's Mountains of Madness because the Antarctic vibe is so good. There's quite a bit of technical detail and terminology in this story, I'm now wondering how much of his own research went into the writing of it. At the same time I can imagine him walking into the periodicals section of his local library and completely blowing his mind with the latest issue of National Geographic.
Next up is Station Eleven.
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oldskolgmr
Level 3 Conjurer
Can the Cleric heal me? What? Alright, the Clerk will have to do.
Posts: 99
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Post by oldskolgmr on Apr 11, 2022 10:25:53 GMT -6
In the last four months I've read these books.
Quest to RiverWorld edited by Philip Jose Farmer, a nice collection of short stories from other authors set in Farmer's RiverWorld universe. (There are spoilers, so I'd say read the RiverWorld series first).
The Misenchanted Sword by Lawrence Watt-Evans. This was a fun book. Our hero has to think his way out of several problems.
I have re-read Titan, Wizard, and Demon by John Varley. I love them more this time. It had less sex than I remembered, but the violence was quite realistic (appropriately disturbing).
I also re-read The Integral Trees by Larry Niven, and I have the sequel The Smoke Ring. I liked this even more this time. Niven's big creations with good character's caught inside.
I am close to finishing A Closed and Common Orbit by Beckey Chambers. (This is a sequel). Some parts sucked me in immediately, some I had to wade through. I look forward to the conclusion.
After several attempts at the third Book of the New Sun, Binti, and The Baron of Magister Valley I decided for different reasons to stop each.
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Parzival
Level 5 Thaumaturgist
Is a little Stir Crazy this year...
Posts: 347
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Post by Parzival on Apr 11, 2022 15:41:33 GMT -6
Just finished Winds of Wrath by Taylor Anderson, the 15th and final book in his alternate-Earth SF/Military/Alternate History “Destroyermen” series. If you like the thought of WWII US Navy destroyers and crew trapped in another Earth where intelligent, almost man-sized Lemurs are in a war of extinction against intelligent carnivorous dinosaurs, this series is for you. Heck, it’s not my usual fare, but I enjoyed it. Lots and lots of battles, both sea, land and air, and some decent twists, too.
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Post by plethon on Apr 12, 2022 12:26:07 GMT -6
Finished Seven Footprints to Satan. One of the few true Dungeon-in-the-D&D-sense stories from appendix N (or anywhere). You could rip the setting as-is and run a game in it, starting as new members, willing or otherwise, of Satan's organization. I am starting The Dolphins of Altair today.
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Post by stevemitchell on Apr 13, 2022 20:46:07 GMT -6
Dreads And Drolls by Arthur Machen. A collection of minor—very minor—essays by Machen, but since I really enjoy his writing style, still quite enjoyable for me.
Flint by Louis L’Amour. One of L’Amour’s best Westerns. A New York tycoon comes out west to live out his last days in solitude (he’s suffering from health issues, and has been told he has a fatal disease). But almost from the first, he finds himself in the midst of trouble—and he shows an unsuspected aptitude for gunfighting. . . .
Dark Fleet by Len Kasten. So, the Archons (basically, Colin Wilson’s Mind Parasites) and the Reptilians and the Illuminati and the Fourth Reich Nazis have joined forces to, dare I say it, rule the world—operating from their secret flying saucer bases at the South Pole and on the Moon and in the Asteroid Belt, etc. I read a previous book by this author, Secret Voyage to Planet Serpo, which I thought was entertaining if improbable, but this volume is just plain bat-s**t crazy.
The Game-Players of Titan, Clans of the Alphane Moon, and Our Friends from Frolix 8 by Philip K. Dick. The usual high strangeness from Mr. Dick, all very imaginative and enjoyable.
Stalin’s War by Sean McMeekin. A detailed look at Russia’s run-up to World War II, followed by the war itself—as much a diplomatic history as a military history. The author suggests that Stalin was the big winner in the war—his two most significant enemies, Germany and Japan, had been crushed, and Russia extended its power far into Central Europe with its “liberation” of Poland, Hungary, etc.
Prophecies and Dooms by Mark Samuels. A short collection of essays on various weird fiction writers.
The Russian Revolution by Sean McMeekin. And back to Mr. McMeekin again. He actually covers all three Russian Revolutions—the revolution of 1905, in response to Russia’s failure in their war with Japan; the February 1917 liberal-democratic revolt, which led the Czar to abdicate; and, most famously, the Bolshevik seizure of power in October 1917. And he continues on past 1917 to discuss the Russian Civil War and the gradual stabilization of Bolshevik power in the early 1020s. I enjoyed both of the McMeekin books.
Building Strange Temples by Don Webb. A big collection of the author’s odd—sometimes very odd—horror stories, most of them having connections to the Cthulhu Mythos.
The Norman Conquest by Marc Morris. This actually begins about where the recent Vikings: Valhalla TV series started, with the Danish king Cnut taking the throne of England in 1014, and then continuing with the various intrigues under his rule and that of his chief successor, Edward the Confessor. Then it’s invasion time 1066, with both the Vikings and the Normans arriving to contest the right of Harold Godwinson to hold the crown. The Normans come out on top, but then have to spend the next 20 years contending with various revolts by their unhappy Saxon subjects. An excellent work on medieval history, very well done.
Billy Sunday by Stephen King. A former Marine sniper, now a hitman for the mob, agrees to take on one last job before retiring. Things quickly go south, and he sets out in search of answers—and money—and blood. A highly entertaining crime thriller from Mr. King.
(And no, stevemitchell doesn't like this post, he just hit the wrong button and can't find a way to undo it.)
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Post by tdenmark on May 9, 2022 5:16:28 GMT -6
Just wrapped up the first James Bond novel I've ever read: Casino Royale. What a great storyteller, no wonder these books were such a hit. I remember reading Chitty Chitty Bang Bang when I was a kid and loving it, Ian Fleming's only children's book.
I binged a ton of of Clark Ashton Smith books that were recently compiled. They're not all golden, but several of them are truly outstanding. And are practically D&D adventures. He had more influence than I thought on Gary and Arneson.
Taking a break from novels and reading some Graphic Novels. Currently Tex Arcana, a book compiled from the classic run in Heavy Metal magazine back in the 80's.
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Parzival
Level 5 Thaumaturgist
Is a little Stir Crazy this year...
Posts: 347
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Post by Parzival on May 9, 2022 12:06:24 GMT -6
Just read The Return of the Thief by Megan Whalen Turner, the final novel in her Eugenides series. If you’ve never read this series, I highly recommend them. She’s a master of the unreliable narrator, telling you exactly what is actually going on, but you won’t figure it out until the twist comes. It’s a fantasy series set in an alternate Earth that mixes cultures based on Ancient Greece and Persia with 16th century tech and a bit of divine intervention from the Greek-like gods. Definitely worth the read. (The first novel is The Thief— and I recommend not reading ANYTHING about the series until you have read this novel first).
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on May 9, 2022 14:20:09 GMT -6
Currently the Orcs saga by Stan Nicholls. Heard a lot about this one over the years so finally checking it out.
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Post by ochrejelly on May 10, 2022 21:59:57 GMT -6
Just wrapped up the first James Bond novel I've ever read: Casino Royale. What a great storyteller, no wonder these books were such a hit. I remember reading Chitty Chitty Bang Bang when I was a kid and loving it, Ian Fleming's only children's book. I binged a ton of of Clark Ashton Smith books that were recently compiled. They're not all golden, but several of them are truly outstanding. And are practically D&D adventures. He had more influence than I thought on Gary and Arneson. Taking a break from novels and reading some Graphic Novels. Currently Tex Arcana, a book compiled from the classic run in Heavy Metal magazine back in the 80's. Interesting, I tried to read Casino Royale and thought the writing was so poor, I could not make it through it. Just read Dwellers In The Mirage by A. Merritt. I enjoyed it and will try and check out some of their other books.
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Post by doublejig2 on May 10, 2022 22:15:25 GMT -6
Just finished Henrick Spruyt's The Sovereign State and Its Competitors. A heavyweight history text, if you've ever wanted more depth regards sovereign states (both territorial and with internal hierarchy), city leagues (neither territorial nor with internal hierarchy), and city states (territorial but lacking internal hierarchy - that last is an eye opener but it's fundamental for Machiavelli's The Prince, e.g.), this book will provide that.
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Post by tdenmark on May 12, 2022 7:18:09 GMT -6
Interesting, I tried to read Casino Royale and thought the writing was so poor, I could not make it through it. That is interesting, I couldn't stop turning pages to the end. Then I rewatched Casino Royale (the 2006 reboot with Daniel Craig) and appreciated the movie even more, while they changed a lot there were more details I could appreciate.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2022 14:25:55 GMT -6
Finished the first Orcs book and four chapters into part two. Holding off on my detailed thoughts until later but enjoying it so far. It's a 20 year old trilogy now so I can't say it's "modern fantasy" except under a loose definition of that, but it's tonally distinct from the pulpier Appendix N stories I had been reading earlier.
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Post by plethon on May 19, 2022 8:58:34 GMT -6
The Dolphins of Altair, Margaret St. Clair- A badly written novel, I wouldn't recommend it unless you are really into the author herself. It has some hints of the motifs and atmosphere of Sign of the Labyrys, especially the dreamlike, sort of non-sensical overworld which is vaguely beset by casual plagues, cataclysyms, etc. which only seem to tangentially effect peoples lives, but these aspects are less well developed here than in Sign of Labyrys. The book is actually framed as a story being retold by one of the intelligent dolphins, however in my opinion it has no meaningful effect on the story or the prose.
The Shadow People, Same author - This was nearly as good as SotL, minus an ending which was clearly phoned in. The mythic underworld it takes place in is perfect inspiration for dungeons and I can clearly see the influence on early D&D. Also, the method of entering the underworld is a sort of predecessor of the 'backrooms' concept.
The Dancers of Noyo, same author - By now I was pretty tired of reading this author and I put this down about halfway through. I could tell it may have actually been better than the dolphins book, but I don't know for sure.
Now, I am starting 'The Well of the Unicorn,' by Fletcher Pratt. I'm hardly a couple chapters in but already it's one of my top Appendix N books.
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terje
Level 5 Thaumaturgist
Blasphemous accelerator
Posts: 204
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Post by terje on May 23, 2022 7:24:56 GMT -6
The Shadow People, Same author - This was nearly as good as SotL, minus an ending which was clearly phoned in. The mythic underworld it takes place in is perfect inspiration for dungeons and I can clearly see the influence on early D&D. Also, the method of entering the underworld is a sort of predecessor of the 'backrooms' concept. It's too bad this book is so hard to find, I'd love if some one took a shot at republishing it!
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jun 6, 2022 16:01:31 GMT -6
The first "Orcs" trilogy was well-paced with good characterizations and interesting scenarios, but I didn't see it as being nearly so ground-breaking as it must have been 20 years ago. I've already become familiarized with the idea of nobler or more nuanced Orcs from the likes of Warcraft. It's more or less a trope now. Still some pretty good fantasy books that felt different from Appendix N stories but still kind of "D&D".
I'm gonna step away from fiction for a while and dig up some dinosaurs. I'm re-reading the classic "Dinosaur Heresies" by Robert T. Bakker. In the mid eighties, when this book was first published, many of the ideas he espouses were still very controversial. Now they're commonly held by paleontologists. I remember being blown away by his fantastic arguments, passion for dinosaurs and breadth of knowledge on a variety of subjects as a kid, so I look forward to reading it again.
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Post by The Semi-Retired Gamer on Jun 18, 2022 9:39:00 GMT -6
I'm currently reading Children of Dune by Frank Herbert. I've always heard that everyone prefers this book over Dune Messiah. So far, I'm not sure. Both books have been good reads. I guess I'll see...
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Post by geoffrey on Jun 18, 2022 19:26:20 GMT -6
Today I finished re-re-reading Abraham Merritt's The Face in the Abyss. Merritt is definitely one of my favorite fantasists.
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Post by stevemitchell on Jun 19, 2022 9:32:00 GMT -6
Hannibal by Philip Freeman. A concise biography of the Carthaginian warlord, intended for a non-specialist audience. Would have benefited from some maps (fortunately, I already have those in my wargames collection).
Revelations by Elaine Pagels. A detailed look at the historical and theological background of the Book of Revelation.
Vicksburg by Donald L. Miller. This covers the entire campaign by the Union to control the Mississippi River in 1862 and 1863, with full accounts of battles both by land and by river. Grant’s capture of Vicksburg was likely the turning point of the Civil War, even more so than Gettysburg.
Quicksilver by Dean Koontz. A routine thriller from Mr. Koontz. It starts with an interesting premise but basically turns into a comic book before it’s all over.
Crown & Sceptre by Tracy Borman. A history of the British monarchy, from William the Conqueror to Elizabeth II. Ms. Borman covers a lot of ground in a lively and entertaining manner.
Dark Canyon by Louis L’Amour. A young outlaw decides to leave his lawless days behind. He sets up a ranch in the high country of southwestern Utah, where he finds himself in the usual trouble with badmen and rustlers. Tell Sackett also makes a brief appearance. This was the first L’Amour western I ever read, way back in junior high, and it still holds up. As the novel concludes: “They don’t make that kind anymore.”
Far Below and Other Weird Stories by Robert Barbour Johnson. Johnson wrote just a handful of horror stories for the old pulp magazines, but his “Far Below” was one of the all-time favorites with the readers of Weird Tales. This book collects his horror fiction and provides some biographical detail about the author.
July 1914 by Sean McMeekin. A very detailed examination of the diplomatic history leading to the start of World War I, from the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand on July 28 to the German violation of Belgian neutrality on August 2. No one really wanted a war, let alone a general European war (except for the Austrians, who were hell-bent on smashing Serbia)—but a combination of blunders and lies in Europe’s capitals swiftly made war inevitable.
Taggart by Louis L’Amour. A lost gold mine, Apaches on the rampage, a hero pursued by a relentless manhunter—the usual mash-up of Western themes.
Cargo Unknown, Men of Fear, The Laugh of Death, The Talking Devil, The Terrible Stork, The Time Terror, and The Yellow Cloud by Kenneth Robeson. Another batch of Doc Savage adventures—fun and lively, as always.
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Post by Red Baron on Jul 3, 2022 14:39:37 GMT -6
"To Live Forever" (standalone), "Lururu" (sequel to "Ports of Call") and "The Face" (Demon Princes #4) by Jack Vance
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2022 8:49:07 GMT -6
Re-reading Romance of the Three Kingdoms again. Finished the Greek classics last year, so I figured I'd go through Chinese classics this year.
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Parzival
Level 5 Thaumaturgist
Is a little Stir Crazy this year...
Posts: 347
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Post by Parzival on Jul 4, 2022 20:08:49 GMT -6
The Hobbit It’s pretty much a yearly thing.
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Post by geoffrey on Jul 10, 2022 20:04:54 GMT -6
The HobbitIt’s pretty much a yearly thing. Yep, I'm the same way. I have read The Hobbit more often than I have read any other work of fiction.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 11, 2022 10:10:27 GMT -6
The HobbitIt’s pretty much a yearly thing. Yep, I'm the same way. I have read The Hobbit more often than I have read any other work of fiction. My yearly re-read would be the Dying Earth anthology since I discovered it, but I agree the Hobbit is very re-readable and I've tackled it probably six or seven times. (Looking to check out more Vance later this year after I decompress with some non-fiction. Norm Macdonald's auto-biography is next, after Three Kingdoms. When I revisit Vance I am considering Demon Princes next. I've already read several of his entire series and short stories but that one's on the back burner.)
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Parzival
Level 5 Thaumaturgist
Is a little Stir Crazy this year...
Posts: 347
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Post by Parzival on Jul 11, 2022 14:51:23 GMT -6
Having finished The Hobbit (always an enjoyable experience), I have made a radical shift in genre (well, for me) and am reading Jack Campbell’s Boundless: The Lost Fleet: Outlands, which is military space navy sci-fi, a continuation of his Lost Fleet saga. If you like military sci-fi that attempts a realistic depiction of space combat and the attitudes of the men and women who would conduct it (and their struggles with clueless civilians), Campbell is a good choice. His prose is largely workmanlike, but the tale is always interesting and it reads quickly.
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Post by geoffrey on Jul 11, 2022 16:48:50 GMT -6
When I read The Hobbit earlier this year, I read one chapter a day for 19 days, and I slowly luxuriated in the prose. It helped stretch it out. Speed reading? Bah! Slooow reading for me!
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Post by tombowings on Jul 12, 2022 23:46:34 GMT -6
I've been reading classic fantasy books with my six-year old daughter every night. We finished The Hobbit a couple of weeks ago and are now finishing off the Narnia series. I'm wondering where to go next. We've already read Chronicles of Prydain (my favorite children's book series) and several books of Greek mythology. What other classic fantasy is appropriate for a six-year old?
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Post by Vile Traveller on Jul 13, 2022 2:26:17 GMT -6
What other classic fantasy is appropriate for a six-year old? Not sure whether it qualifies as a classic, but perhaps Jack Vance's Lyonesse saga? There's always Alice in Wonderland/ Through the Looking Glass, but I still find them disturbing even at my advanced age! 😋
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Post by Zenopus on Jul 13, 2022 7:24:37 GMT -6
I've been reading classic fantasy books with my six-year old daughter every night. We finished The Hobbit a couple of weeks ago and are now finishing off the Narnia series. I'm wondering where to go next. We've already read Chronicles of Prydain (my favorite children's book series) and several books of Greek mythology. What other classic fantasy is appropriate for a six-year old? Books I liked as a younger kid: My Father's Dragon (1948) by Ruth Stiles Gannett, which is the first book in a trilogy Over Sea, Under Stone (1965) by Susan Cooper - first book in the Dark is Rising series d'Aulaires' mythology books - in addition to Greek, "Norse Gods" and especially the " Book of Trolls" Oz series by Baum - original 14 books by Baum himself Doctor Doolittle series by Hugh Lofting - especially the one where he goes to the moon, "Doctor Doolittle in the Moon".
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Post by stevemitchell on Jul 13, 2022 10:05:34 GMT -6
You might also look at The Weirdstone of Brisingamen and The Moon of Gomrath by Alan Garner.
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Parzival
Level 5 Thaumaturgist
Is a little Stir Crazy this year...
Posts: 347
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Post by Parzival on Jul 13, 2022 10:51:04 GMT -6
Puts on former librarian hat Six? Hmmm… skews a bit young, but it’s “read to me.”. I’ll second My Father’s Dragon (the Dragons of Blueland series), which I loved as a boy. Here are more to consider: The Princess and the Goblins — George MacDonald Time Cat— Lloyd Alexander Steel Magic— Andre Norton (yes, it’s a children’s book. Can get mildly scary…) The Gammage Cup and The Whisper of Glocken— Carol Kindall Half Magic, Magic by the Lake, Castle Magic— Edward Eager. Anything by Eager is delightful! Not classic, but reads like it: The Tale of Desperaux by Kate DiCamillo. Don’t bother with the film. The book is brilliant, the film… not so much.
She should love almost any and all of these.
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