(Part 3) Best literature & fiction books according to redditors
We found 87,456 Reddit comments discussing the best literature & fiction books. We ranked the 28,164 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the products ranked 41-60. You can also go back to the previous section.
42. The Great Book of Amber: The Complete Amber Chronicles, 1-10 (Chronicles of Amber)
38 mentions
Eos
50. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (A Song of Ice and Fire)
35 mentions
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
The Amber Chronicles by Roger Zelazny A royal family whose members can just walk into alternate realities.
Use of Weapons and, everything else by Iain M. Banks. Amazing stuff. Trust me.
The Blade Itself and the rest of that series by Joe Abercrombie.
Altered Carbon and the rest of that series as well as Thirteen and The Steel Remains, and it's sequel (still waiting on book 3) by Richard K. Morgan. He's pretty amazing.
That would keep you busy for a long time and are all pretty amazing. Seconding Dune, which is amazing, and the Name of the Wind which is great but very popcorn.
But really, if you were to read everything by Iain M. Banks you would be a better person.
Edit: The Sparrow
Yep, fetishes may be less common but the practical and ethical issues of actually fulfilling the sketchy ones boosts the demand of fake stuff. Written or drawn erotica in particular tends to get weird in a hurry because the unique advantage of those mediums is that there's no real practical limit on what you can depict, which is how we ended up with the majesty that is Chuck Tingle. By contrast incest porn is easy for live action to co-opt because some actress calling a dude "daddy" is indistinguishable from regular porn with a little editing.
If you're a ballsy motherfucker
If you're a straight up troll
u/drawinkstuff has brought Hidester burner email service to my attention as an option for people to fill out this survey. I've set my zip code as 08081 (Dicktown NJ) and name as Chuck Tingle, legendary Amazon gay erotica writer who amazingly parodied Trump himself.
Congratulations on finishing ADWD, AKA the best novel of the five novels so far (totally not controversial). But wait, there's so much more out there!
A few months ago, I, along with lots of people who pointed lots more stuff out to me than I knew, created a ASOIAF Resource post where you can find all there is to know about ASOIAF.
Some highlights for you:
You finished the 5 ASOIAF books. Great! But there's more ASOIAF-universe material out there. Have you read Dunk & Egg, The Princess and the Queen or the Rogue Prince? And do you know about The World of Ice and Fire: GRRM's History of Planetos? Furthermore, it's a universally accepted fact that your re-read will be much, much better than your first read. Here's some links!
***
The Winds of Winter
***
ASOIAF News, Forums & Information
Have at it!
Moon People by Dale M. Courtney, published by Xlibris
Maybe he already did?
Well, on the off chance you change your mind, may I direct you to this?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pounded-Pound-Socioeconomic-Implications-European-ebook/dp/B01HJXVP8G#immersive-view_1509551629919
Personally I found this a staggeringly insightful read into the state of homosexuality in the modern cultural and economic situation.
Why on earth would you send him to a therapist? Seems like a perfectly reasonable question to me, and I'm sure many kids would think about it at one point or another. Philosophers have been thinking about the nature of reality for thousands of years. Have you seen The Matrix? :)
A thought provoking question like that ought to start an interesting conversation and should be encouraged.
Can I recommend Sophie's World, which is a great book all about philosphy? It'll be too old for your son, but perhaps you'd like to read it yourself and in a few years, if he's still interested, pass it on to him.
He's responsible for the only good thing to have come out of the brexit so far, the amazingly titled Pounded By The Pound: Turned Gay By The Socioeconomic Implications Of Britain Leaving The European Union.
Domald Tromp, I'm surprised you haven't heard of him, many books have been written about him.
Edit: Like this book
Law 52 (in my list) : Create your own kingdom
(Because no matter how hard you try, you will never have all your power playing someone else's game in some else's place).
This would have been rather obvious once upon a time, and civilization was built on this law, but the very fact it needs to be stated to a man is concerning.
Ok, no one's asking for a total disruption of modern civilization (it's kind of fucked up as it is), no one's telling you to be a poor team player either (cause no one can do everything in isolation), but a man must have an aspect of his life that he owns, in which he's king, and he pulls his load.
Modern society in that regard behaves like a cult - one defining feature of any destructive cult as per Steven Hassan (https://www.amazon.com/Combatting-Cult-Mind-Control-Best-selling/dp/0892813113/) - is that cults tend to reverse age fully functioning adults back into a childish state of dependency and validation (he calls it reverse aging, we know it as betaization) where they're enslaved to authority and can't think for themselves.
A man is meant to come full circle from a boy.
Start reading Combatting Cult Mind Control to learn more about how groups like the JWs manipulate their followers. It's a devastating organization and treacherous for the soul. Add in extra prayers and personal sacrifices for her. It's probably going to be a rough road.
[Terrible dinosaur themed erotic novels are just one of those things, if you spend enough time on the internet you're going to run into it eventually, like nyancat, but less mainstream] (https://www.amazon.com/Pounded-Handsome-Russian-Blackmailed-Getting-ebook/dp/B01MS6FO50)
http://www.amazon.com/The-Great-Book-Amber-Chronicles/dp/0380809060
Try Frank Herbert's Dune for starters. A more modern author would be Neal Stephenson, maybe start with his Cryptonomicon.
I really enjoyed Nancy Kress' Beggars in Spain as well, though I haven't read anything else by her.
> Domald Tromp Pounded In The Butt By The Handsome Russian T-Rex Who Also Peed On His Butt And Then Blackmailed Him With The Videos Of His Butt Getting Peed On
closest thing i could find
https://www.amazon.com/Pounded-Handsome-Russian-Blackmailed-Getting-ebook/dp/B01MS6FO50/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8
Pounded By The Pound: Turned Gay By The Socioeconomic Implications Of Britain Leaving The European Union
(possibly nsfw): https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01HJXVP8G
Grab this... https://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Dragons-Essentials-Kit-Boxed/dp/0786966831/ref=sr_1_1?crid=8K0HB3UFPLS&keywords=dnd+essentials&qid=1569887219&sprefix=dnd+ess%2Caps%2C154&sr=8-1 that should cover the basics of what you need to get started.
Also manage your expectations the folks on the show are professional actors so don't expect your friends to roleplay as well or do voices or for you to be able to be like Murph. Just relax and have fun!
"Being the best that you can be" is a better goal than "being better than everyone else", because it results in better outcomes.
For the vast majority of people being better than everyone else is simply not going to happen for any one thing. In order to be better than everyone else at a particular task you effectively need to dedicate your entire life to that one task. Most people are not going to be happy doing that, and so they're not going to be as effective at it as the people who are happy doing that. Because of that, having the goal of being better than everyone else leads to the things that you've noticed: an inferiority complex, stealing work (an act which adds no value to the world), giving up because you won't succeed, etc.
For the few people who are going to be world class at something, the goal of "being better than everyone else" may lead to underachieving. If the best in the world simply wants to be the best in the world, then there's no need for them to strive to improve themselves any more than necessary to keep up with their competition.
Having the goal of "being the best that you can be" deals with both of these problems. Doing the best you can is always an achievable goal, so it won't put you in the "my goals are impossible" funk, and if you're going to be the best in the world at something, it encourages you to keep getting better no matter what.
Now, an important thing about this is the value of contribution. Implicit in your view is that contribution has no value unless it's the best contribution. This shows up in your line:
> Why be the best you if there's someone out there who can run laps around your best?
The answer is that your best can still improve the world and your life. For example, I really enjoy the Magic 2.0 book series. It is definitely not the best writing out there. It's not even the best entertainment-focused fantasy fiction out there. But I'm glad that it exists. I find it fun. If the author decided it was unimportant to be their best, because other people write better, then that book series wouldn't exist.
It does
Yes. I had a couple come over and do a "Bible study" for a couple of months. They were very nice folks and were knowledgeable about a very narrow slice of the Bible, which was a peculiar interpretation of their New World Translation.
They will not go to Mass with you. If you offer them reading materials, they will gladly accept them (but they are instructed to destroy those materials immediately afterword).
Bible verse ping-pong is a fruitless endeavor with them, though it will give you a chance to further investigate for yourself the solid claims of the Catholic Church and Her authority.
The best results I had with them was after reading up on cults and mind control, especially Stephen Hassan's Combatting Cult Mind Control, which will help you identify the tactics they use on their members and prospective members (such as love bombing).
If you have the skills to engage with them on critical thinking, then do so. I had some success with them on this front. You'll have to do so without bringing up the Bible, for once you get into that they go into JW mode.
If they are converts to JW, ask them about their lives before. This often causes them to snap out of JW mode.
You can also learn about them through the ex-JW subreddit, though you'll have to realize that there are a lot of hurt folks -- many of whom are completely turned off to religion and, especially, organized religion, which is understandable considering the nature of JW and the Watchtower Org.
Know that they are probably more prepared for you than you are for them. They spend hours and hours readying themselves to be a pioneer. And each week they will prepare extensively for your "Bible study."
Be kind. Be patient. Invite them into your home for a safe place to sit and take a load off. I find them to be friendly and trustworthy. I would trust any JW with my wallet, but not my salvation.
Hi!
Most importantly - don't panic! It's OK. Every experienced RPG player was new once.
If you have a local RPG group - that's great. Do they play at a store? At someone's house? A community center? If it's a store, then you can just go to the store instead of to the group because - hey, they're a store - their whole job is to get you comfortably into the hobby so they can sell you stuff, right?
Also - just to be clear: There are many tabletop RPGs, not just D&D or D&D + Pathfinder. There are literally thousands of games available today. I mention this because "D&D" is kind of like "Kleenex" - sometimes one brand gets used to refer to the whole range of options. So you should know that there are LOTS of choices. And many of them are less about giving experienced players advantages than D&D / Pathfinder are.
If you want to learn and play D&D, that's great. Here are a few things I would point you towards:
If you want to play TTRPGs but not D&D, then there's a whole world of games out there for you to choose from, but that's kind of a larger discussion.
Welcome to the hobby!
Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill is pretty creepy. Also, Horns - it's not really scary, but it is slightly disturbing, and very good to boot.
I think The Painted Man by Peter V Brett might actually be a pretty great book for reading around Halloween time.
Obviously, Stephen King must be mentioned: one of his lesser knowns, From a Buick 8, certainly had its moments for me. Probably, Pet Cemetary is scarier, but I haven't read that one yet.
HP Lovecraft's Necronomicon has some weird and disturbing stuff in it.
I haven't read it myself, but the TV show is turning out pretty good: Guillermo del Toro's The Strain.
And of course Mary Shelley's Frankenstein or Bram Stoker's Dracula, the classics. Perhaps something from Edgar Allen Poe (The Raven?), or Charles Dickens' Ghost Stories.
You should probably read Cryptonomicon
Turing has a minor, and very gay, role at the start of the book.
Also, it's a great book.
You can get all three stories collected in one volume entitled A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms for less than $20 on Amazon.
This edition contains exclusive new artwork but has the original three stories in their original form.
The First Law Trilogy
You: reading peer-reviewed economic papers about Brexit.
Me, an intellectual: reading this.
Lots of people know much more about T-Rex sexual anatomy than we want. There's a whole series.
As far as I know, there is no way to buy digital copies of these yet. The only way I was able to find them was via the fantasy compilations:
Legends I,
Legends II,
Warriors I
Btw, I have no affiliation with Amazon, it was just easy to find on their site.
I almost enjoyed them more than asoiaf because there's there's no shifting POV characters for all 3 "novellas." Everything is always from the POV of Ser Duncan the Tall.
Day by Day armageddon http://www.amazon.com/Day-Armageddon-J-L-Bourne/dp/1439176671
The Remaining http://www.amazon.com/Remaining-D-J-Molles-ebook/dp/B00H25FGBO/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1396612863&sr=1-1&keywords=the+remaining (kind of zombie, not undead but similar vein)
Surviving the dead series http://www.amazon.com/No-Easy-Hope-Surviving-Dead-ebook/dp/B0064VVR0Q/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1396612906&sr=1-4&keywords=surviving+the+dead
A new World series http://www.amazon.com/New-World-Chaos-John-OBrien-ebook/dp/B004W0CL2Y/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1396612991&sr=1-1&keywords=a+new+world+series
I have enjoyed all of them, Day by Day, rushed the ending, and A New World has been up and down.
Edit: spelling
But why is it a problem only with games?
Amazon allows anyone to self-publish their inane ramblings and make a couple bucks. Why shouldn't the gaming equivalent of "Domald Tromp Pounded In The Butt By The Handsome Russian T-Rex Who Also Peed On His Butt And Then Blackmailed Him With The Videos Of His Butt Getting Peed On" be allowed to exist?
Check out the First Law Trilogy by Joe Abercrombie. Not to give it away or anything, but I found the ending to be a bit of a suckerpunch to the gut. Definitely worth looking into I'd think.
Day by Day Armageddon by J.L. Bourne
and
Day by Day Armagedon: Out of Exile J.L. Bourne
Both really good reads I can't wait for the third installment.
If that got you, you should definitely read this
The Chronicles of Amber
Lord Demon
This Immortal
The Iron Druid series is about an immortal druid.
Incarnations of Immortality series though the main characters aren't strictly immortal.
I couldn't recommend Steven Brust's The Book of Jhereg enough. It's the first collection of books in a series he's been writing since 1983. Every book is a great read, and the characters will really grow on you. I believe any fan of Zelazny will like Brust.
I don't read much fiction anymore, but by far my favorite fantasy series of all time is Roger Zelazny's Chronicles of Amber. My alias for the past 15 years (Grays) is derived from that series.
It's a crossover between modern world and fantasy realm fiction. The series is split cleanly into two story arcs, each five books long. It's short--the ten book series is only 1200-ish pages, and compiled into a single volume at a very affordable $16. Very little "scenery"; his descriptions are short and use language very well to imply details of a setting while he focuses on characters and rapid dialogue.
Read the first chapter on Amazon. If you like it, get the whole thing.
Steven Erikson - Malazan Book of the Fallen
Brandon Sanderson - Mistborn
Brandon Sanderson - The Stormlight Archive
Peter Brett - The Demon Cycle
R. Scott Bakker - The Second Apocalypse
Joe Abercrombie - The First Law
Scott Lynch - The Gentleman Bastard
Patrick Rothfuss - The Kingkiller Chronicle
All excellent. Some slightly more excellent than others.
Amazon will gladly sell it to you. The paperback version is $7.88, and the Kindle version (which you can read on any computer or mobile phone, not just a dedicated hardware reader) is $7.49.
https://www.amazon.com/Fire-Blood-Thrones-Targaryen-History/dp/152479628X/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=fire+and+blood&qid=1557611644&s=gateway&sprefix=fire+and+blood&sr=8-1
https://www.amazon.com/World-Ice-Fire-History-Westeros/dp/0553805444/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?keywords=grr+martin&qid=1557611679&s=gateway&sr=8-2
https://www.amazon.com/Knight-Seven-Kingdoms-Song-Fire/dp/0345533488/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?keywords=grr+martin&qid=1557611730&s=gateway&sr=8-5
It's no A Gronking to Remember
A Gronking To Remember
Have Gronk, and based on the Gronk fan-erotica: http://www.amazon.com/Gronking-Remember-Gronkowski-Erotica-Series-ebook/dp/B00RN7TNHE
Pounded By The Pound: Turned Gay By The Socioeconomic Implications Of Britain Leaving The European Union
Off to Be the Wizard (Magic 2.0) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1612184715/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_6HElDbAQ230Z0
It's the graphic novel of The Hedge Knight that sells for stupid prices.
The actual novella is available in this book or this one. (Kindle edition).
The Sworn Sword is in Legends II. Alternatively, it's in this book which only contains part of the original Legends II anthology.
The Mystery Knight is in Warriors, or in paperback, this volume.
This is discussed pretty much weekly in this subreddit and really ought to be in the sidebar. For anyone from the future who is reading this thread, all the deleted comments are below were links to pirated versions of the books.
I'd pick:
You might think this is supposed to be a funny post. It's not. I'm very serious, these books will help you navigate most situations. The technical part is just a footnote tbh.
They haven't been released individually but rather as parts of short story collections that Martin edits or has some other part in.
I'm upvoting you because I don't think you deserve to be downvoted into oblivion. But, c'mon. Compassion. Link is a cool name stand-alone and it's a good reference. Especially to all us Zelda fans in this subreddit. So now you get a story about names.
When my wife was pregnant, and we were thinking about names, I wanted to have a story behind the name. I wanted some meaning and eventually, I would like my child to ask me why I named them what I named them and I would like that to start an adventure of learning. I chose philosophy because I feel it is important. So I went after all my favorite philosophers and chose 2 names that I liked, Soren and Hobbes. Sure I like other guys, but I didn't like any names I could have chose from St Thomas Aquinas. (Tom never hit me as a good name)
My wife balked. She said we would never name our child after a comic strip. Though I am a big fan of Calvin and Hobbes, that's not the origin of the name and I really do like Hobbes as a name.
It ended up being a moot point because we had a girl. We named her Sophia after another philosophical reference. It's a very informative book that I read for a college philosophy course. I guess I figured that if I couldn't name her after a philosopher, I would name her after ALL THE PHILOSOPHERS.
Point of the story is this. Link's a cool name. We threw a lot of names out there all the while when she was pregnant. Another boy's name I considered was Nathan Jr as a reference to Raising Arizona (my name isn't Nathan)
Spin by Robert Charles Wilson. It is like Niven and Clarke in that the plot focuses on a big, mysterious object; however, it is a character-driven story first. The hard sci-fi elements, as they gradually emerge, deliver the goods as well. It's a great book; it won the Hugo for a reason.
Edit: Avoid reading the synopsis on amazon. I think it gives away a bit too much.
For the love of your future and mental health, read THIS BOOK If you only do ONE thing after you leave the JWs...read it! It will save you from years of heartache and confusion. You will know why and how you fell for it and how to avoid getting taken advantage of by these groups in the future. Not to mention reconciling that it happened at all. I promise you will not be disappointed. You do not have to do this on your own. There are people who are willing to help.
https://www.amazon.com/Gronking-Remember-Book-Gronkowski-Erotica-ebook/dp/B00RN7TNHE
This, in that case, might be right up your street:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pounded-Pound-Socioeconomic-Implications-European-ebook/dp/B01HJXVP8G
(Very NSFW)
No harm in veiling it a little.
Just how fast is this Chuck Tingle guy anyway?
Domald Tromp Pounded In The Butt By The Handsome Russian T-Rex Who Also Peed On His Butt And Then Blackmailed Him With A Video Of His Butt Getting Peed On
You want to get her a gronking to remember?
Ah, sounds like the sequel the the riveting read:
Pounded By The Pound: Turned Gay By The Socioeconomic Implications Of Britain Leaving The European Union
Here's a Pilot title:
Pounded by the Pence: Making the Vice President Admit He is a Closeted Gay Man by Seducing Him and Making Him Love Himself Enough to Admit His Issues to the World and End His Stupid Policy Ideas
The cryptonomicon was good
http://www.amazon.com/Cryptonomicon-Neal-Stephenson/dp/0060512806/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1290365107&sr=8-1
That's because you are doing it wrong!
Buy The Alchemist™ to learn more.
No, you're probably seeing the out-of-print graphic novels (EDIT: Which I might add are going to be coming back into print along with a new graphic novel of The Mystery Knight in the near future).
The three novellas can be found in the Legends (contains the first story, The Hedge Knight), Legends II (contains the second story, The Sworn Sword), and Warriors I (contains the third story, The Mystery Knight) anthologies for pretty cheap - I got all three brand new for around thirty bucks.
For future reference, /r/askphilosophy exists for these kinds of questions.
Now, if you're looking for something more narrative that will allow you to get your feet wet, you have a few different options.
Sophie's World is really quite enjoyable, though I suppose its intended audience is probably younger than yourself.
If you're looking for something more mature, you might try philosophical fiction like Camus' The Stranger or Sartre's Nausea. Both are a great way to get into something philosophical without having to worry too much about terminology or technical language.
If you're looking for something more analytic (logic, phil math, phil science, etc.), you might try something like Russell's The Problems of Philosophy. It's a pretty good read and it's short.
If you're looking for a general introduction to philosophy, something more mature than Sophie's World but focused on the history of philosophy as opposed to a particular area, you might want to look at something like Russell's The History of Western Philosophy. If you do get more involved in philosophy, you'll discover that the book has its flaws, and Russell was wrong about several of the philosophers that he discusses, but it's a good introduction to the history of philosophy that is easily accessible if you have the time to sit down and read it.
In terms of which one's are more fun to read, I'd say the philosophical fiction and Sophie's World are at the top, as the other two books are a bit more dry, but if you're looking for something substantive and not too technical, then all of these might serve your purposes.
I hope that helped in some way, and in future, if you have any philosophy related questions, don't hesitate to ask over in /r/askphilosophy.
The book I always recommend people start out with is Sophie's World, not because it's the most in-depth, but because it's the most accessible for a newcomer. It's also the most entertaining I've read. If you want something more in-depth, Russell's History of Western Philosophy is generally this subreddit's big recommendation, although I personally wouldn't say it's a great starting point. His reading of some thinkers is not great, and he's not quite as good at dumbing down certain ideas to an introductory level.
A good summary of philosophy will help you for a couple reasons. One, it will give you enough information to find out what thinkers and ideas interest you. If you're interested in a particular question or thinker, then that's obviously where you should go. Philosophy of religion? Logic? Aesthetics and art? Language? There's plenty written on all these topics, but it can be a bit overwhelming to try and just attack all of philosophy at once. Like any other field, there will be parts of it that click with you, and parts that don't really seem all that appealing. Find your niche, and pursue it. In addition to giving you an idea of where to go, a good overview will put ideas in context. Understanding Augustine and Aquinas will make more sense if you know that they're working with a foundation of the Greek thought of Plato and Aristotle. Descartes wrote his meditations during the enlightenment, and was a major contributor to much of the emphasis on reason that defined that era. Nietzsche and Kierkegaard's existentialist ideas become more powerful when you realize they're critiquing and challenging the technicality of Kant and Hegel. Ideas don't exist in a vacuum, and while you can't be expected to know all the details of everything, your niche area of interest will make more sense if you understand it's context.
As for easier texts that I'd recommend trying out (once you find an area of interest), here's a few that are pretty important and also fairly accessible. These are texts that are generally read by all philosophy students, due to their importance, but if you're just into this for personal interest, you can pick and choose a bit. Still, these are important works, so they'll be very good to read anyways.
Plato - Apology: not terribly dense, but an accessible text in which Socrates basically defends his pursuing philosophical thought. I'd recommend this as an accessible introduction that will get you to feel like philosophy matters; think of it as pump-up music before a big game.
Plato - The Republic: this is arguably Plato's most important work. In it, he talks about the nature of men, politics, education and art.
Aristotle - Nichomachean Ethics: a text that deals with leading a life in accordance with virtue. Aristotle's style is a bit dry and technical, but he's also very important.
Augustine - On Free Choice of the Will: a dialogue similar to Plato's in which Augustine argues that the existence of God does not conflict with man having free will.
Aquinas - Selected Excerpts: he wrote a lot, so you don't wanna try reading a whole one of his works. This selects his key ideas and puts them in bite-sized chunks. He's a big Christian thinker, arguing for the existence and goodness of God and related theological concepts.
Descartes - Meditations on First Philosophy: Descartes uses reason to prove he exists, along with some other things. Pretty easy to read, although it sparked a revolution in thought, making epistemology a central problem of philosophy.
Kant - Grounding for Metaphysics of Morals: one of his easier works, but it's still one of the more technical works I'm recommending, in which Kant demonstrates that morals are a priori.
Kierkegaard - Fear and Trembling: one of my favorite books, Kierkegaard writes about the nature of faith using the story of Abraham and Isaac as his starting point. A huge critic of Kant's obsession with pure reason, he is generally considered to be the first existential thinker.
Nietzsche - Beyond Good & Evil: Nietzsche is one of the more controversial thinkers in history. Also a critic of Kant, he is one of the most profound critics of religion. This book is one of his more important, in which he talks about his problems of religion, the culture around him, and at times points us in the direction he wants us to go. Know that he doesn't write in a terribly direct manner, so if you choose to read him, come here for assistance. He's a bit different to read, and can be challenging if you're not ready.
This list is by no means exhaustive, and having a good reference to help you along will be very helpful.
Shallow: Deep Storm by Lincoln Child
Deep: Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson
I've never read Crichton, but you might try some Michael Crichton, such as Andromeda Strain and Jurassic Park, even if they're "outdated."
Edit: For really shallow thriller fun, you need to read Deception Point by Dan Brown. I swear it's every episode of X Files thrown together with Jaws, Red October, and a volcano. Stupidly awesome.
Sure!
Cryptonomicon
Snow Crash
The Electric Church
Neuromancer
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
That should get you started. :)
it's still listed on amazon, and available for pre-order.. so hopefully it's just some error that will be fixed soon?
Sounds like the book Off to be the Wizard by Scott Meyer of Basic Instructions fame.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18616975-off-to-be-the-wizard
> Martin Banks is just a normal guy who has made an abnormal discovery: he can manipulate reality, thanks to reality being nothing more than a computer program. With every use of this ability, though, Martin finds his little “tweaks” have not escaped notice. Rather than face prosecution, he decides instead to travel back in time to the Middle Ages and pose as a wizard.
> What could possibly go wrong?
> An American hacker in King Arthur’s court, Martin must now train to become a full-fledged master of his powers, discover the truth behind the ancient wizard Merlin…and not, y’know, die or anything.
https://www.amazon.com/Off-Be-Wizard-Magic-2-0/dp/1612184715
Sounds a bit Matrix-y for kids.
Jesus Christ, it's real. I have no words.
When Alex learns that Britain has decided to leave the European Union, he’s shocked by just hold normal everything seems. But the calm doesn’t last as Alex is suddenly accosted by a giant living coin from the not so distant future.
In this horrific future where Britain has left the EU, four story busses lie strewn about the streets of London after a failed plan to cut costs, the Queen’s Guard have been replaced by flying reptiles with machine guns and the River Thames runs red with molten lava.
Now Alex and his handsome sentient pound must travel back to the past and sway the vote for European solidarity, by proving that all you need is love.
This erotic tale is 4,200 words of sizzling human on monetary unit action, including anal, blowjobs, rough sex, cream pies and living pound love.
White male desires in US media get precedence over anything else. For the most part they are the ones in executive positions presiding over popular media such as television shows and movies. I think you can probably find some more diversity in literature if you know where to look. I'm not sure if you're into fantasy, but Kushiel's Dart is a good look at a woman who uses her sexuality in a way that serves the plot, the character, and can be sexy. No male gaze BS.
Also do some research for erotica or adult literature written by women. You'll find much more interesting things regarding sexuality from a woman's POV. Also lesbian porn is probably the closest you can get to seeing women actually enjoy another partner sexually pleasing them, rather than some gnarly-looking dude smashing his dick in her vagina, then cumming all over her face. Of course a lot of lesbian porn is made for straight guys, so be careful of that.
I agree with you, though. There needs to be more media that shows how healthy and happy sexuality can be for women, and how it's not just about trying to get a guy off. I think as time goes on things are getting more progressive, though!
If she likes that kind of book, tell her to pick up Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey, as well as the rest of the Kushiel's Legacy series. It's literotica, no doubt about that, but it's also some of the best writing and storytelling I've ever had the pleasure of reading.
> I am looking for series that can be bought in one big omnibus or one-volume set. I prefer this format because it's usually cheaper, and easier than purchasing 3 or more individual books. Any suggestions?
Here's a shopping list for you. All links go to the Amazon's US site.
It is a place, the source of all order in the Multiverse. All other planes of existence are mere shadows of Amber, moving either closer or farther away from it. On the opposite end of the spectrum is the realm of Chaos, ever-changing and unstable.
There's wars and stuff.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Great-Book-Amber-Chronicles/dp/0380809060/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333703165&sr=8-1
Spin by Robert Charles Wilson
From Amazon:
> One night in October when he was ten years old, Tyler Dupree stood in his back yard and watched the stars go out. They all flared into brilliance at once, then disappeared, replaced by a flat, empty black barrier. He and his best friends, Jason and Diane Lawton, had seen what became known as the Big Blackout. It would shape their lives.
> The effect is worldwide. The sun is now a featureless disk--a heat source, rather than an astronomical object. The moon is gone, but tides remain. Not only have the world's artificial satellites fallen out of orbit, their recovered remains are pitted and aged, as though they'd been in space far longer than their known lifespans. As Tyler, Jason, and Diane grow up, a space probe reveals a bizarre truth: The barrier is artificial, generated by huge alien artifacts. Time is passing faster outside the barrier than inside--more than a hundred million years per year on Earth. At this rate, the death throes of the sun are only about forty years in our future.
Spin by Robert Charles Wilson. Stunning scifi grand idea payoff in the conclusion. If you like it, the sequels are also magnificent. The climax of the last book, in particular, is mind shattering. It isn't a twist ending, because you have all the clues before the denouement. When the author finally puts them together, I promise you will be amazed and thoroughly satisfied.
Spin Robert Charles Wilson
From Amazon:
>One night the stars go out. From that breathtaking "what if," Wilson (Blind Lake, etc.) builds an astonishingly successful mélange of SF thriller, growing-up saga, tender love story, father-son conflict, ecological parable and apocalyptic fable in prose that sings the music of the spheres. The narrative time oscillates effortlessly between Tyler Dupree's early adolescence and his near-future young manhood haunted by the impending death of the sun and the earth. Tyler's best friends, twins Diane and Jason Lawton, take two divergent paths: Diane into a troubling religious cult of the end, Jason into impassioned scientific research to discover the nature of the galactic Hypotheticals whose "Spin" suddenly sealed Earth in a "cosmic baggie," making one of its days equal to a hundred million years in the universe beyond. As convincing as Wilson's scientific hypothesizing is--biological, astrophysical, medical--he excels even more dramatically with the infinitely intricate, minutely nuanced relationships among Jason, Diane and Tyler, whose older self tries to save them both with medicines from Mars, terraformed through Jason's genius into an incubator for new humanity. This brilliant excursion into the deepest inner and farthest outer spaces offers doorways into new worlds--if only humankind strives and seeks and finds and will not yield compassion for our fellow beings.
I have a couple guesses.
This #1: The Last Man
This #2: Tau Zero
This #3: Cryptonomicon
I made a list based on where you can purchase them if you want to edit it onto your post:
This Month's Book
January:
by Iain Banks]
(https://www.amazon.com/Consider-Phlebas-Culture-Iain-Banks/dp/031600538X)
by Aldous Huxley]
(https://www.amazon.com/Brave-New-World-Aldous-Huxley/dp/0060850523)
by Ray Bradbury
by Oscar Wilde
by Adrian Tchaikovsky
by Jordan B. Peterson]
(https://www.amazon.com/12-Rules-Life-Antidote-Chaos/dp/B0797Y87JC)
February:
by Richard Matheson
by Frank Herbert
by Haruki Murakami
by Bret Easton Ellis
by Max Tegmark
by Friedrich Nietzsche
March:
by Ernest Hemingway
by Herman Melville
April:
(https://www.amazon.com/Dice-Man-Luke-Rhinehart/dp/0879518642)
https://www.amazon.com/Stoner-York-Review-Books-Classics/dp/1590171993)
(https://www.amazon.com/Crime-Punishment-Fyodor-Dostoyevsky/dp/0486415872)
https://www.amazon.com/No-Longer-Human-Osamu-Dazai/dp/0811204812)
May:
https://www.amazon.com/Spring-Snow-Sea-Fertility-1/dp/0679722416)
(https://www.amazon.com/Runaway-Horses-Sea-Fertility-2/dp/0679722408)
November
Books Pewds suggested but hasn't talked about in any of the episodes yet:
linking pewds to see this u/pewpewpewPEWdie
Absolutely 100% The Alchemist!
If this doesn't teach you how to live your life to the fullest, I don't know what can, and it's a spectacular piece of travel literature as well!
on the side bar, or for the lazy:
for some reason the link thing isnt working?
On the UK site it's listed as no longer available. I hope it's just an error!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0345533488
It's a cult. Don't tell him you think that or criticize the organization in any way. Don't argue doctrine because that is not what this is about.
http://www.amazon.com/Combatting-Cult-Mind-Control-Best-selling/dp/0892813113
I have a feeling this is going to be an unpopular opinion here, but...
Moon People
That's the typical quality of a self-published book. Doesn't mean they're all like that, but enough are that it's damaged my view of self-publishing.
Joe Abercrombie. His style and the philosophy of his writing are similar to Martin. There are no good guys and bad guys in the sense that everybody has their own motives and act on them yet there are still clear protagonists and antagonists. They books focus on a smaller cast of characters and the world is less enormous but the characters are very well realized and the entire series is about 1 and a half times the size of a aSoIaF book. What really made it great for me is that Abercrombie is great at writing intrigue as well as humor that doesn't compromise the narrative.
Here is the link to the The Blade Itself, first book in Joe Abercrombie's First Law Trilogy, and for a bonus here's an video of Joe Abercrombie interviewing GRRM about the Game of Thrones TV series.
If you want a longer review here's a pretty good one from Amazon.
>
>I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. I read the blurb from the back and nearly turned away after reading only half of the summary. But something made me open it up and try the first few pages--and I was hooked. It starts with an action scene--like most fantasy novels--and it is described so well. It is realistic without splattering gore in your face. I can't think of any other author who treads that line so well as Joe Abercrombie does in The Blade Itself.
>
>I didn't find this a funny book, overall. It's not a comedy at all. But there are several moments where I did laugh out loud as I read some clever description or a reaction of one of the characters. In fact I think I found more to smile at in this book than most other novels that are specifically tagged as being funny or humourous. The humour here isn't forced. I didn't feel like the author was trying to be funny. It was more like the humour you might find in casual conversation with a friend.
>
>This book moves along at a good pace. It is one of those books where you want to keep reading to find out what happens, but, unlike many other page-turners, things actually happen in this one! I hate books that promise action or resolution just over the next page, just another page, one more page, and before you know it you've read half the book and still nothing's happened. This is definitely not a one-trick pony of a book. Each character is well developed and the plots intertwine naturally.
>
>What this book doesn't contain are tired old writing techniques. Well, it's not perfect, but it's as close as I've come across in 15 years. Anyway, there are no stereotypical cliched fantasy characters. The author doesn't end each chapter on a contrived cliff-hanger and then talk about another character's life for ten chapters before returning to the cliff-hanger. He doesn't especially dwell on the gruesome details of battle, but he writes it as realistically as you'd want. Perhaps not super-realistic--this is a fantasy, after all--but it's not nearly as predictable as many.
>
>Something else I noticed about the writing style is that Joe will change his writing a little to suit each character. So each time he changes the perspective to a new character, the way he describes the scenes changes, too. It's like he's letting us look through each of their eyes, rather than just giving us a homogenous narration throughout. They're not jarring transitions by any means, though. For me they really added to the story and made it all the more absorbing.
>
>This is by far the most absorbing novel I have read for many years. And this is the most glowing review I have given any book on Amazon!
I can't believe no one has said this one yet:
Off to Be the Wizard
Description:
>
Martin Banks is just a normal guy who has made an abnormal discovery: he can manipulate reality, thanks to reality being nothing more than a computer program. With every use of this ability, though, Martin finds his little “tweaks” have not escaped notice. Rather than face prosecution, he decides instead to travel back in time to the Middle Ages and pose as a wizard.
>What could possibly go wrong?
>An American hacker in King Arthur’s court, Martin must now train to become a full-fledged master of his powers, discover the truth behind the ancient wizard Merlin…and not, y’know, die or anything.
It was a great read and there are two more books after (with the next in production now). The sequels are not as good as the first but I still enjoyed them very much. :)
It's been done. Three book series actually.
https://www.amazon.com/Off-Be-Wizard-Magic-2-0/dp/1612184715
https://i.imgur.com/gRQ3u8T.jpg
Pounded By The Pound: Turned Gay By The Socioeconomic Implications Of Britain Leaving The European Union
> When Alex learns that Britain has decided to leave the European Union, he’s shocked by just hold normal everything seems. But the calm doesn’t last as Alex is suddenly accosted by a giant living coin from the not so distant future.
>
> In this horrific future where Britain has left the EU, four story busses lie strewn about the streets of London after a failed plan to cut costs, the Queen’s Guard have been replaced by flying reptiles with machine guns and the River Thames runs red with molten lava.
>
> Now Alex and his handsome sentient pound must travel back to the past and sway the vote for European solidarity, by proving that all you need is love.
>
> This erotic tale is 4,200 words of sizzling human on monetary unit action, including anal, blowjobs, rough sex, cream pies and living pound love.
Hier is je inspiratie:
Pounded By The Pound: Turned Gay By The Socioeconomic Implications Of Britain Leaving The European Union
Not gonna lie the plot sounds solid, maybe you could try putting on the amazon store as an ebook, after all there is this gem there
Idk how serious you are about saving her or your relationship. If you are very serious about this I urge you to check this book out.
Many of us can attest to how we royally screwed up by trying to reason with our own JW families and friends in a normal fashion. The vast majority of them are so warped and brainwashed that it really doesn't matter how many facts or logical arguments you launch their way. You will only end up making them even more zealous.
These people use families and common human emotions as weapons against you. The religion may look innocent enough on the outside, don't be fooled. The people are definitely sincere in what they practice and preach, however, many make the mistake of confusing sincerity with "good."
Combating mind control takes A LOT of patience and very careful non threatening questions to get the person to wake themselves. Make no mistake your girl is being brainwashed and the JW doctrine is far from being a harmless joke.
Good luck man.
The Blade Itself
Start here. Better than Game of Thrones, IMO.
I would suggest giving Joe Abercrombie a try, he writes witty, dark humor, and his books are light on the magic. There is no clear "hero" in his story, all the characters have flaws in the traditional heroic sense. I'm suggesting this due to you liking Game of Thrones and Neil Gaiman, it is like a odd mix between the two.
He did a AMA here: http://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/oaxpd/i_am_fantasy_author_joe_abercrombie_ask_me/ and the first book in his trilogy is here http://www.amazon.com/The-Blade-Itself-First-Law/dp/159102594X/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1344611006&sr=8-3&keywords=joe+abercrombie
Also David Gemmell http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Gemmell is more pulpy, but he has written several stand alone novels.
Nothing compared to Chuck Tingle's works.
My personal favorite: https://www.amazon.com/Pounded-Pound-Socioeconomic-Implications-European-ebook/dp/B01HJXVP8G/
Oh my God Its real
Let me suggest [Kushiel's Dart] (http://www.amazon.com/Kushiels-Dart-Jacqueline-Carey/dp/0765342987/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397004850&sr=1-1&keywords=kushiel%27s+dart). You got gods, politics, a bit of swords, and lots of well-thought out and well-written sexytimes. And not in a cheesy grocery store Fabio romance kind of way that makes you skip three pages to get past it. It's part of the plot even!
<with a french waiters accent>
For madam,
I would propose either china miéville "Perdido..." or Robert Charles Wilson "spin". Both weave interesting believable characters within a good sf plot.
But If you want a page turner, I would say Eliantris or Warbreaker both by brandon sanderson. They're fantasy and really hard to put down.
In the end, I would propose "To say nothing of the dog" by connie Willis. Very clever and funny with a time travel theme.
</with a french waiters accent>
( Damn, I really liked to be a bookseller...)
Let's see...
If you like villain protagonists, the Vlad Taltos by Steven Brust series might be up your alley. The protagonist is an assassin who has access to multiple types of sorcery, magical items, and epic level allies who are equally or more overpowered. In specific, one of the main "allies" - Sethra Lavode - is an overpowered character that gets directly involved in some of the books. Morollan, a swordsman/sorcerer that owns a flying castle, probably counts, too. The first book is Jhereg.
If you like anime-style combat and character progression, I'd recommend Will Wight's Traveler's Gate Trilogy. There are lots of high powered "legendary" figures that get involved directly, especially in the second and third books. The first book is House of Blades.
Several characters in the Stormlight Archives are very quickly getting into overpowered territory, and only two of the ten projected books are out. Like most of Sanderson's work, the Stormlight Archives has epic action scenes and a fantastic magic system. This may not be quite as directly what you're looking for - it has very powerful characters, but you only get a little bit of the perspective of the puppet masters. The first book is The Way of Kings.
I know I must be missing some, but these are all that I can think of at the moment.
Fiction:
Collected Fictions by Jorge Luis Borges
The Stranger by Albert Camus
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon
White Noise by Don Delilo
A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
The Waste Land by T. S. Eliot
Everything that Rises Must Converge by Flannery O'Connor
His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman
The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon
Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson
Brief Interviews with Hideous Men by DFW
Infinite Jest by DFW
Of these, you can't go wrong with Infinite Jest and the Collected Fictions of Borges. His Dark Materials is an easy and classic read, probably the lightest fare on this list.
Non-Fiction:
The Music of the Primes by Marcus du Sautoy
Chaos by James Gleick
How to be Gay by David Halperin
Barrel Fever by David Sedaris
Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris
Secret Historian by Justin Spring
Of these, Secret Historian was definitely the most interesting, though How to be Gay was a good intro to queer theory.
Sounds like you might enjoy Neal Stephenson's The Diamond Age. I think Snow Crash is meant to be in the same universe - it's hilarious but not as dense. You might also like his Cryptonomicon, though it's not technically Sci Fi.
Tad Willams' Otherland Series is Epic Sci Fi with a huge amount of detail. Might be right up your alley.
Dune, Neuromancer and The Enderverse if you haven't already read those.
You might even get a kick out of The Hunger Games or Divergent... And of course 1984 :)
Well, my favorites are
The Moviegoer
The Road
A Confederacy of Dunces
Rendezvous with Rama
Watchmen
Snow Crash
Slaughterhouse-Five
Cat's Cradle
The Big Sleep
The Maltese Falcon
American Gods
A Clockwork Orange
Preacher
Fahrenheit 451
1984
Akira
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Lolita
Love in the Time of Cholera
Naked Lunch
Animal Farm
The Sandman
At the Mountains of Madness
The Call of Cthulhu and Other Weird Tales
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Brave New World
We
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
You might give some of these a try:
Y the last man
Slaughterhouse Five
Amazon link for all three of the anthologies the stories are contained within. Just scroll down to the "frequently bought together" section.
They can also be bought here, here, aaanndd here.
Here you go, the first three D&E novels in print. :)
http://www.amazon.com/Knight-Seven-Kingdoms-Song-Fire/dp/0345533488
Sophie's World is a novel about philosophy, great place to start
>A page-turning novel that is also an exploration of the great philosophical concepts of Western thought, Sophie's World has fired the imagination of readers all over the world, with more than twenty million copies in print.
http://www.amazon.com/Sophies-World-History-Philosophy-Classics/dp/0374530718/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1324856789&amp;sr=8-1
One of the best books I've found for introducing people to philosphy is Sophie's World. There is a lot of justifiable criticism of this book, mostly because it tries to be a novel and does just an ok job and it tries to be a philosophy text and also does an ok job at that too. However, it's easily digestible and does a pretty good job of giving you a really brief introduction to a lot of classical philosophy.
In the book Cryptonomicon Neal Stephenson described the Solitaire Cipher, a way of encrypting messages using an ordinary pack of playing cards as the key.
Not compression, but interesting nonetheless I think.
It Can't Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
In the land of good timing, /r/fantasy is also having a discussion about sex in fantasy today.
I also find these rants (from Limyaael's Rants, of course) to be quite topical: 1 2 3 4 5 6
And I'm probably going to beat /u/bethrevis to the punch even though it's her blog entry, but this conversation seemed to sum up "Adult" attitudes towards sex in YA quite well and stuck in my mind:
>Attendee: Oh no, violence is fine. Is there sex?
>Friend (starting to feel awkward): There's a scene in the book that does get a bit graphic, sexually. But it's relevant to the plot, and it's not gratuitous, and--
>Attendee: puts the book down on the table No. We can't have any sex in the books for the school.
>Friend: But it's a relevant issue. The girl in the scene is nearly raped and--
>Attendee: Oh? It's not consensual sex? Well, that's okay.
For context, graphic sex in books has always kinda squicked me out (though maybe the poor production value in erotica is more to blame - poor grammar also makes me cringe), but before I actually started having sex, I was fairly oblivious to the references in books. As in, totally missed what was going on in books like Brave New World or Song of the Lioness. Just totally skipped it. Didn't bother me or turn me into a sex-crazed deviant like people seem to fear or anything.
Now that I'm older, I do find it conspicuous when a world's meant to be gritty and completely detailed and cover everything from depression to bathroom habits to violence to inner turmoil, but even references to sex remain absent. For example, in the Mistborn trilogy (skirting the YA/genre fantasy border, supposedly), it's all [spoilers](#s "OK, so we're 20 and married and the most powerful people in the land and have no one to answer to and the world is ending and we really need a way to blow off steam... Let's never have sex ever.") It cuts into the believability of the stakes and to me, it seemed like possible justifications for that mindset were skipped over. [Possible justifications being things like ](#s "a political marriage, past trauma, fear of bringing a child into the world and complete ignorance of birth control, traditions built into that fantasy world, etc.")
That's not to say that you need to have sex in order to have a believable romance for high school or college-age characters. I think I'm in love with Levi from Fangirl without anyone getting naked even off-page, and I'm not even sure there was kissing in Boy Proof despite the sexual tension being through the roof. The lack of sex at that point in the story fit those characters and those relationships.
YA-ish books with sex I've recently read: Trickster's Queen (made sense for the characters involved), The Girl of Fire and Thorns trilogy (props for having lots of build-up re: acquiring birth control and waiting for it to take effect), The Jewel (fittingly thematic, since it's a book about forced surrogacy and there was [spoiler](#s "a contrast between forced, mechanical impregnation and natural, chosen sex"), Eleanor & Park (fittingly awkward and open-ended, just like every other interaction they had), Looking for Alaska (public conversation about private awkwardness seemed really believable).
Edit: Looks like /r/fantasywriters is also having a discussion today, though with more of an LGBTQ slant.
Here are some quick recommendations from my list of favorites for those who are interested (I hope mods are OK with links to make looking easier, otherwise I'll happily remove them). These books engaged and inspired me and my imagination:
The Alchemist:
>The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho continues to change the lives of its readers forever. With more than two million copies sold around the world, The Alchemist has established itself as a modern classic, universally admired.
>Paulo Coelho's masterpiece tells the magical story of Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who yearns to travel in search of a worldly treasure as extravagant as any ever found.
The Three Body Problem is a Chinese Science Fiction novel that has recently become popular in the West thanks to a good translation (I recommend reading my synopsis and not the Amazon one, to avoid spoilers):
>Set against the backdrop of China's Cultural Revolution, a secret military project looks for signals in space from alien civilizations. Meanwhile, in the present day, a physicist joins a grizzled detective to investigate why famous scientists are all committing suicide.
Fahrenheit 451:
>Guy Montag is a fireman. In his world, where television rules and literature is on the brink of extinction, firemen start fires rather than put them out. His job is to destroy the most illegal of commodities, the printed book, along with the houses in which they are hidden.
The Art of Happiness (by the Dalai Lama):
>Nearly every time you see him, he's laughing, or at least smiling. And he makes everyone else around him feel like smiling. He's the Dalai Lama, the spiritual and temporal leader of Tibet, a Nobel Prize winner, and a hugely sought-after speaker and statesman. Why is he so popular? Even after spending only a few minutes in his presence you can't help feeling happier.
Snow Crash:
>Hiro Protagonist delivers pizza for Uncle Enzo’s CosoNostra Pizza Inc., but in the Metaverse he’s a warrior prince. Plunging headlong into the enigma of a new computer virus that’s striking down hackers everywhere, he races along the neon-lit streets on a search-and-destroy mission for the shadowy virtual villain threatening to bring about infocalypse.
No they aren't free. They're short stories among other short stories in three anthology sets.
They are cheap to buy online.
Sword Sword
Mystery Knight
And it's cool because they are only part of the bigger anthology, so if you buy these, you get a whole bunch of cool stories!
They're each in a different anthology.
The Hedge Knight
The Sworn Sword
Mystery Knight
Although, they seem to have gone up a considerable amount in price since I bought them.
They don't print any new stand alone copies of the novellas, but they are available in different compilations. Who knows, maybe you'll be turned onto other authors/series.
The Hedge Knight
The Sworn Sword
The Mystery Knight
They are not, though there are graphic novel versions. The stories were initially published in three different short-story anthologies, but were recently republished together in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
Dunk & Egg were written novellas before they were graphic novels. There's 2 versions. You want this one. And yes, they're amazing and I'd recommend reading them ASAP.
Here is the collection of them. As the other commenter said they are some stories that take place about 100 years before the ASOIAF novels.
I found them to be awesome. I highly recommend them for any fan of ASOIAF.
Hi! Congratulations and welcome to the Watch!
You might be wondering right now about what to do next while waiting for the 6th book to come out, so here are some suggestions.
GRRM already published some sample chapters from TWOW over the years. Here's some information about them and links to most chapters.
There are additional novellas that take place in this world. The Dunk & Egg stories take place about 100 years before the main series and are about a hedge knight and his companion. The Princess and the Queen and The Rogue Prince are historical retellings of the Dance of the Dragons event. They're somewhat drier reads than D&E because they're from the POV of a Maester chronicling these events but I really liked them personally.
My favorites, on the other hand, are the amazing analyses and essays being written about these characters and their stories:
There are many, many more of these if you liked them. Feel free to ask if you have any questions. Have fun!
I really enjoyed Sophie's World!
The sociological definition is a small religion.
What makes a cult destructive is being a "high demand group," where the organization and leaders have excessive influence and control.
This is a book. And Also its a Good book, one to read. The auther who goes by the Name of Daryl M. Corteney really has a nack for Good science Fiction telling. Also the Story.
But seriously.... http://i.imgur.com/C7wJx.jpg
http://www.amazon.com/Moon-People-Dale-M-Courtney/dp/1436372135/
Perhaps you've never read Moon People.
http://www.amazon.com/Moon-People-Dale-M-Courtney/dp/1436372135
At a certain point it falls from the so bad it's good category to "I think this guy might actually be retarded".
It sounds like the Day by Day Armageddon series, the second book ends with the protagonist being dragooned into attacking China.
Day by Day Armageddon
Joe Abercrombie came out with a decent series (First Law Trilogy) that managed to keep my attention for a few months. It was the first fantasy I had read since ASOIAF and it took me a bit to get into them because I'm soo attached to the ASOIAF characters... I got over that and ended up really enjoying these.
Well since you've read the Night Angel Trilogy you should definately read Brent Weeks next book 'The Black Prism'. I Absolutely loved it! Its the first book in the Lightbringer Series, only catch is he's only written one so far.
http://www.amazon.com/Black-Prism-Lightbringer-Brent-Weeks/dp/0316068136/ref=pd_sim_b_3
Another awesome series is Peter Bretts Demon Cycle series, check out book 1 'The Warded Man' again awesome read.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Warded-Man-Peter-Brett/dp/0345518705/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1331693550&amp;sr=8-1
And lastly since
both the series ive suggested so far are incomplete thought id at least suggest a completed trilogy for you to check out, Joe Abercrombie's First Law series are an excellent read as well.
http://www.amazon.com/Blade-Itself-First-Law-Book/dp/159102594X/ref=pd_sim_b_5
hope that helps
http://www.amazon.com/Gronking-Remember-Gronkowski-Erotica-Series-ebook/dp/B00RN7TNHE
From Buffalo? Wtf Gronk is the man and I'm not even a New England fan. There's even erotic literature about him.
Pounded By The Pound
best tingle book by far
speaking of brexxxit
Domald Tromp Pounded In The Butt By The Handsome Russian T-Rex Who Also Peed On His Butt And Then Blackmailed Him With The Videos Of His Butt Getting Peed On
2.99 on Amazon. Can't make this shit up.
Somewhere Chuck Tingle is wealthy and laughing.
I would suggest The Music of Erich Zann. (you might guess that's one of my faves.)
Also: Beyond the Wall of Sleep is a good one that I don't see mentioned enough.
There are a bunch of his works here. Read at your leisure.
Here are some print collections of his work that you might like if you prefer reading paper instead of a screen.
(and as you noted, the ones in the sidebar are indeed a perfect place to start, they are some of the best.)
Maybe you should not go back to read unsatisfying literature.
There is a lot of sub-par fantasy by the numbers stuff that I don't really think is worth the time. But you will find a lot of great fantasy or speculative fiction that still is intellectually and stylistically satisfying.
Some subjective recommendations:
You can go back reading classics like Mervyn Peakes Gormenghast series.
Or contemporary fantasy authors with more interesting settings or ideas, like R. Scott Bakkers Prince of Nothing series.
China Mieville was mentioned in this thread before. Mieville is on the opposite end of the political spectrum, but speaks highly of Wolfe and his influence on his writing nonetheless.
If have no problem with challenging narrative structures: Vellum by Hal Duncan (as you can see from the reviews, not everyones cup of tea).
Crossing over to SciFi: Geoff Ryman, Air is one of my all time favorite novels.
Robert Charles Wilson is also always worth reading.
Googling around a bit I found this list: Best Outside-the-box Speculative Fiction, which contains Wolfe, most of my recommendations and many more that I have not read yet, so I wager it's a good place to start!
I'm going to recommend something perhaps lighter and easier than the other posters so far (who have recommended great stuff): Sophie's World. It's a fiction novel that will also give you a crash course in the history of Western philosophy. I always recommend it to people who are just getting into philosophy but don't want to read the dense stuff. It's a wonderful book and it's fast and easy to read.
I would take Enders Game off of that list. I'd add Sophie's World
Hey man I read this amazing book called Sophie’s world.
Completely written for kids in a story format. Goes from atomists to Marx and beyond. I seriously recommend it.
Seriously if you just get them to start it, and you’re done. lol.
https://www.amazon.com/Sophies-World-History-Philosophy-Classics/dp/0374530718
Agree with Plato’s Republic as a good book to start with real philosophers. For an even more beginner kind of approach though, you can try Sophie’s World.
The Chronicles of Amber- Roger Zelazny, you can get it in a towering omnibus here. Still some of the best sci-fi fantasy authors and works ever, though highly under rated. Sex, Drugs, Rock and Roll, Parallel Universes, high fantasy kings and blood feuds and swords and castles. His book of short stories are impeccable too IMO
He won more than a few Hugo awards for his work. In particular outside of Amber, I would recommend his short story 24 Views of Mr Fuji
For /r/worldbuilding I'd put him much higher than F. Herbert and George RR Martin.
Gollancz's leatherbound Necronomicon and Eldritch Tales collect everything in two beautiful matching editions.
I got the Gollancz collection (https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/0575081562). It's not a complete anthology, but does include a map of Arkham, a biography, and by far looks the best in my shelves, and the few stories that are missing are not the best. For a complete set of works, you can either get another book to complete the Gollancz set (Eldritch Tales: A Miscellany of the Macabre), or as I got for general use, the Red Skull Publishing HP Lovecraft Complete Collection. The end of story facts in that one are short but interesting, shedding some light on inspiration and setting.
Ash and Huntress by Malinda Lo are nice books with lesbian characters, and the best part is, it's pretty normally treated. One of my favorite books of all time though is Written on the Body, by Jeanette Winterson. It has some really beautiful prose. To be honest for that one, it's not explicitly lesbian and the gender of the narrator is never revealed, but I'm always like 99.999% sure it was intended to another woman. Santa Olivia by Jacqueline Carey has a lesbian relationship that is completely normal as well. It's a bit weird sci-fi kind of novel though. If you've read other things by Jacqueline Carey and are not looking for a lesbian-centric relationship, in her Kushiel series, the main character and the main antagonist have a lot of sexual tension (real, not imagined!).
Actually if you like the concept but not the implementation I'd recommend reading Spin by Robert Charles Wilson
http://www.amazon.com/Spin-Robert-Charles-Wilson/dp/076534825X
Check out Running the Game, Matt Colville's YouTube series. You don't need to watch the whole series of course, but the first few videos will help you out a lot.
Your best bet if you're starting out is to get either the Starter Set or Essentials Kit. Both have everything you need to get started, and while I personally like the Essentials Kit more, either will work.
Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson is a classic. Takes in Bletchley Park, among much more. It is a novel, not a text book, so it won't actually teach you anything as such - but crypto is running through the book, along with much other tech stuff, plus it is a brilliant story. Not really "light" but I wish it took me longer to read I enjoyed it so much.
Or Cryptonomicon. Or any Neal Stephenson book. Also I highly recommend the Otherland series of books by Tad Williams. And if you want more fantasy from Tad, look at The Dragonbone Chair.
Although not strictly about math, Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon includes a fair bit of math, and even has an appendix including more detail on a code used in the book. It's also a great read!
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley was fascinating.
Available here:
http://www.amazon.com/Brave-New-World-Aldous-Huxley/dp/0060850523/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1250320818&amp;sr=8-1
You must be thinking of a different book. It being out of print is almost like "Pride and Prejudice" going out of print.
Your heart speaks loud so you can hear it. (Check out The Alchemist.)
The Hedge Knight
The Sworn Sword
The Mystery Knight
For those that are interested or having trouble finding them, these are the anthologies where each individual story is contained.
As others have said, I would advise against that. Only watching say KL & the North in the show & skipping the others until you have watched all of those would be extremely difficult enough; doing so in the books would be a whole other world of pain.
I don't really have a tips for getting through them sorry (I'm something of an avid reader & absolutely devoured them first time & many subsequent re-reads, but not everyone is like that & that's fine), though I would suggest reading A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms after A Storm of Swords as bit of a breather after the first three books & before you launch into the behemoths that are A Feast for Crows & A Dance with Dragons. AKot7K is set decades before the main series (so you will probably pick up on a few historical references made in the main series), has a lighter tone, only a single PoV, many great illustrations & is only three short stories (the whole thing is only about half the length of the first book, A Game of Thrones, if that).
Once you get to AFfC & ADwD, you may be best to read them together as GRRM originally intended for them to be the one book but he expanded on them to maintain such. They mostly happen concurrently with a few PoVs starting towards the end of ASoS in terms of actual in-universe timeline & then the last part of Dance happens after Feast (with some of the Feast PoVs appearing once or twice in that part of Dance & some were pushed back to The Winds of Winter, the upcoming 6th book).
Just not to overload you with information now, once you finish ASoS make a post (or just do a search) asking about the combined reading orders & you will get detailed suggestions for such. Then once you make it through the main series, you can make another post/search about what other books within the ASoIaF universe you can also check out between re-reads ;)
Good luck!
I bought an illustrated copy of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms by George R R Martin. The illustrations in it were really lovely, and I thought it added to the story.
However, I was never a fan of the illustrations in Roald Dahl's books. I hated Quentin Blake's art style, even as a kid.
Another great book is Combatting Cult Mind Control. You can't tell them how it's wrong, you have to subtly make them see it for themselves. They've already been told that anyone that opposes that religion is working for Satan. If you set yourself against it, you're fulfilling what they've been told and making it more true for them.
Were you Christian previously? If you're familiar with the bible, you may be able to show them scriptures that disagree with what JWs teach. But ask questions only. As in your stepmom explained it this way, but then what does this scripture mean? Never seem like you're disagreeing, you just don't understand and let them explain it. The idea is to get them to see it doesn't make sense. JWs have an answer for almost everything (that's part of their appeal) but a lot of their answers don't make sense when you stop to think about it, and they especially don't if you're familiar with the bible.
Edited: Some of my bookmarks that might help. Check out M.J.'s letter on this one. And this freeminds article has some good questions that might be useful.
Armchair cult studier here.
Brainwashing uses various techniques including making the target get a low self esteem, mixed messages, information control, and an us-vs-them mentality. There are several books on the subject. Some of the most important is "Cults in our midst" by Margaret Thaler Singer, and "Combatting cult mind control" by Steve Hassan..
Not all cults work exactly the same way, but they have similar characteristics. Perhaps the best way to put it is that a person in a cult is similar to a person in an abusive and manipulative relationship. Doubt is interpreted as treason, obedience is seen as love. Little by little, the cult draws you in, moves you away from your loved ones, requires you to ask for permission about every single thing you do with your life. Fear is abused, and imaginary enemies are planted in your mind (the CIA, aliens, the Illuminati, the devil, bad spirits, whatever), and the cult is seen as your only salvation from these dangers. More aggressive cults assign you an "elder" partner to watch "over" you, to keep you under control. It's like getting swallowed by a giant snake: The fangs prevent you from getting out, and draw you in, until escape becomes physically impossible. Expect harsh punishments for trying to escape, often voted in favor by the flock. That's how loyalty is manufactured.
And the more you obey, the more you give away the means for escaping: You give them your money, your time (even your sleep time), your goods, they become your managers, and so on. Most cults also plan your activities to reinforce their morals and to stop you from thinking to much.
Eventually, the morals of the cult become universal, and you'll lie, cheat and commit illegal acts in the name of the cult, or the cult's deity, without realizing that you've become the deceiver, and that had you known all you know now, you wouldn't have joined in the first place.
The First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie. Starting with "The Blade Itself".
To me it was a nice departure from the DnD fantasy with some grit, lethality, and hard characters in a hard setting. Loved it.
A Gronking To Remember
PV=nRT.
The volume (V) and moles of air (n) in a given football will remain constant as the temperature drops, as does R (the ideal gas...well, constant). So if we exclude for the time being natural leakage, forcing air out due to spiking the ball, etc., the only variable affecting the pressure of the ball is the change in temperature, such that a drop in temperature will effect a proportionate drop in pressure.
Assuming the balls were initially inflated to the minimum standard (12.5 psi), a drop to 10.5 represents a drop of 16% (unlike the difference between Kelvin and Fahrenheit, which will become crucial in a second, pressure is an absolute measurement so since we're only interested in proportions it makes no difference whether we use psi, atmospheres, pascal, bar, torr, or whatever). Assuming the balls were inflated at room temperature, that's 77 degrees Fahrenheit or 298.15 Kelvin. For a 16% drop, 298.150.84=250.446K, or -8.86 degrees Fahrenheit.
It was not 9 below in Foxborough.
There are other explanations: Perhaps the ball received A Gronking to Remember* (dunno if that's enough to explain a loss of this degree), natural leakage (ditto), a faulty gauge, etc. Doesn't prove cheating. But it's clearly not due to temperature loss, which has been the go-to explanation for a lot of people (the science of it aside, the temperature loss excuse was never likely anyway because the ideal gas law isn't exactly a brand-spanking-new discovery, and the NFL's been playing cold-weather games for a long time so if that's all there was to it then surely this would have come up before and been addressed already).
Unless I'm completely screwing the math up, which is entirely possible.
Well it looks like Sherman, is the bad guy again.
It hasn’t been this bad since Crabtree lost in man-to-man.
But because of all this madness, we’ve missed one major thing:
Travis Kelce flagged a ref, just as great as the Gronkening.
Here's a sneak peek of /r/wtfamazon using the top posts of the year!
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Clearly she's talking about Domald Tromp
I'm tempted to buy this and in the same order buy a huge stack of Chuck Tingle gay erotica so they appear in the "people who bought this also bought..." list.
For those who don't know Chuck Tingle, here is a very NSFW sample.
I'm surprised to see a Witness on a thread like this. Reddit was something that a lot of young people at my hall talked about not using. That was back when /r/atheism was on the front page. I would suggest you do some research about the organization. Not from what they give you, they do enough policing of their own enough as it is with the molestation cases. I would suggest reading Combating Cult Mind Control. In his book he describes what defines a cult and what techniques they use to control your thoughts and behavior. This is also a good read pertaining specifically to Witness's. Now I know you probably wont read these, I sincerely hope you do. What the Witnesses are doing is wrong and damaging to people. You are a fellow human and I care about you, please PLEASE, at least read that. Then you can have a true informed choice.
Also you asked for a book. Combatting Cult Mind Control by Steven Hassan is an excellent book!! The beauty of this book and the author is that Steven is not or was ever a JW. He was associated with the Moonies in the 70's.
JW's believe anyone who was ever a JW and is no longer is an "apostate." JW's view "apostate's" as enemies of "God's Organization" and thus are commanded to never talk to them, read anything the publish, or listen to anything they say. (The reason for the "quotation marks" is that JW's view anyone who is critical of their organization as apostate whether they were a JW or not. Also they are not "God's Organization" they are a CULT by every definition of the word. But please be gentle when using that word with active JW's, they don't realize it yet, and a mental barrier will immediately go up.)
Since Steven doesn't mention JW's it may help your friend to indirectly realize that she is in cult, without ever fully saying so.
Hope this helps!
I think it's awesome that you want to hear from all sides before coming to your own conclusion. That's the sign of a mature person in my opinion. I'm not very familiar with the Mormons so I can't point to specific doctrines but I can recommend a very good book that has helped many Jehovah's Witnesses who have left their religion.
Combatting Cult Mind Control by Steven Hassan
In the book, which was written by an ex-Moonie so it's not specifically about Mormons, he outlines warning signs of dangerous religious groups. It might be helpful to go through the checklist and see if any apply to your situation.
What it all boils down to though, in my opinion, is do you care if your beliefs are true or not? If you do care, then the question is how can someone tell if their beliefs are true? And the answer is verifiable evidence.
Finding out that everything you believed in was a lie is rough. Losing a sense of belonging is also rough. Losing emotional support when you live in a house controlled by a domineering person... well, you get the picture. It's all rough. The question then becomes "is losing any or all of that worth waking up for?" How would she react to it all? What is gained by waking up to TTATT? Personally, I really think life is better without the organization, even if it's taken me a couple of years to begin to build up a new base of friends, and the majority of them are Facebook friends who live thousands of miles from me (I think that might say something about my comfort levels with people being close to me...) There are ways for her to gain more social contacts outside of the organization.
If you choose to try to wake her up, I strongly suggest reading books like
CarlSteve Hassan's Combatting Cult Mind Control. It provides a lot of good advice in trying to help wake up a loved one.Edit: I have no idea where the name Carl popped into my head from, but it's supposed to be Steve Hassan. Thanks, /u/queensvillage1976, for pointing that out to me.
http://www.amazon.com/Moon-People-Dale-M-Courtney/dp/1436372135/
Books
You can't go wrong with Frederik Pohl's Gateway. It's an older classic that won all the best novel awards.
For more recent SF, Hugh Howey's Wool Omnibus is outstanding.
In fantasy, I've really enjoyed Joe Abercrombie this past year. Good characters, good plots, and good action scenes. The Blade Itself is the first of his series...all his books take place in the same fantasy world.
Off to Be the Wizard by Seth Meyer is my favorite comfort food book. It's very light, but engaging, and presents an intriguing premise that's fun to think about.
I listened to the audio versions of the series read by Luke Daniels, who was a great match for the material, I thought.
I want to read print if I'm sitting and relaxing, but if I have to be up and active, doing tasks like laundry or driving that leave my mind free to ruminate, audio books really save me from myself.
A Gorking to Remember, the best-selling followup to A Gronking to Remember
Sounds like a chapter in A Gronking to Remember
Relevant (NSFW probably)
Domald Tromp Pounded In The Butt By The Handsome Russian T-Rex Who Also Peed On His Butt And Then Blackmailed Him With The Videos Of His Butt Getting Peed On (Kindle Edition)
Domald Tromp
I was gonna link this book, but it's not romance, it's non-fiction
Have you heard of "Sophie's World"? It gives a decent overview of the history of philosophy (edit: Western philosophy/thought, I should clarify), is good for young adults and also tells a story. I read it a decade ago and still remember parts of it extremely clearly.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0374530718/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&amp;pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&amp;pf_rd_t=201&amp;pf_rd_i=1574530011&amp;pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&amp;pf_rd_r=037H7MED8TZ67V0HYKRA
Jacqueline Carey writes from the female perspective in the first three Kushiel's books (alternate history/low fantasy). She changes to a male character as the narrator for the second trilogy, but they are still very good.
I know some of these have already been mentioned, so just consider this a second vote for those titles. Also, my list skews heavily towards sci-fi/fantasy, because that is what I tend to read the most of.
By women, featuring female protagonists:
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
Kindred by Octavia E. Butler
The Female Man by Joanna Russ
Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey
Lavinia by Ursula K. Le Guin
The Circus in Winter by Cathy Day (It's not entirely fair to characterize this as a book about women; it's really a set of interconnected stories featuring both male and female characters. On the other hand, many of the most memorable characters, IMO, are women, so I'm filing it in this category anyway. So there!)
The Protector of the Small Quartet by Tamora Pierce, beginning with First Test (Really, anything by Tamora Pierce would fit the bill here. They're young adult novels, so they're quick reads, but they're enjoyable and have wonderful, strong, realistic female protagonists.)
These Old Shades by Georgette Heyer (Heyer wrote really fun, enjoyable romances, typically set in the Regency period, though These Old Shades is actually Georgian. This one is probably my favorite, but they're really all quite wonderful. Not super heavy stuff, but don't write her off just because of the subject matter. She was a talented, witty writer, and her female protagonists are almost never the wilting "damsel in distress" type - they're great characters who, while still holding true to their own time and place, are bright and likeable and hold their own against the men in their lives.)
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle (Another young adult book. And, again, I think it's worth noting that L'Engle's books almost always feature strong and interesting female characters. This one is probably her most famous, and begins a series featuring members of the same family, so it's a good jumping off point.)
Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
By men, featuring female protagonists:
The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle (This is another one that is perhaps not a perfect fit for this category; the titular unicorn is female, but the book is as much about Schmendrick the magician as it is about her. However, there's also Molly Grue, so on the strength of those two women, I'm classifying this book as having female protagonists.)
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Coraline by Neil Gaiman (It's a children's book, but there's plenty to enjoy about it as an adult, too.)
By women, featuring male protagonists
Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
Just curious, have you ever read Jaqueline Carey's Kushiel's Legacy series (note the separate links)? If so, what did you think of it?
If not, might I suggest you give it a shot?
Science Fiction,
Planet Spanning Shield,
Earth is Doomed,
Teleological Engingeering,
Pretty that this is the "Book"
I really enjoyed Sapiens, and I'm picking up some more of the author's books soon. Fascinating theories on why humans developed language, money, art, religion... All of it. Well worth your time.
Becoming Who We Need To Be was a good (short) read. I'm a fan of the author's work already (particularly his podcast), and the book is a thought-provoking look at a wide variety of topics. More a collection of essays than anything.
Jordan Peterson gets a fair bit of stick, but I found 12 Rules for Life to be quite a powerful read. I don't agree with all of what he writes, but there are some very good lessons in here for sorting one's shit out. A lot of it very obvious now that I've read it, but sometimes you need things spelling out for you.
Religious or not, I would encourage anyone to read The God Delusion. Dawkins is quite militant in his atheism, but it does present a lot of good arguments as to why religion isn't necessary for a person to act morally.
How To Be Miserable resonated with me quite a lot. Bits of it are in a similar vein to 12 Rules for Life, but essentially it's a self-help book that's approaching the matter from the slightly tongue-in-cheek perspective of wanting to make yourself as miserable as possible (ie. don't do these things). Another fairly short, but quite enjoyable read.
&#x200B;
Bonus fiction recommendation:
The Way of Kings. I just got finished reading this last night, and oh boy was it good. It's an absolute tome at 1200 pages, but it's a proper un-put-down-able. Really great work of fantasy, with some outstanding worldbuilding, fascinating characters, and one of the best climaxes I've read in years.
Rocky
Aliens
Bluetooth Headphones
Game of Thrones
Gears of War 4 Collector's Edition
Seven Samurai
Big Trouble In Little China Board Game
VR Headset
Samurai Champloo
Dredd or Dredd
Dead Rising 4
2TB Portable External Hard Drive
Aliens: The Set Photography
The Way of Kings
The Eye of the World
Army Of Darkness
Ash
RoboCop: Trilogy Collection
Cold Steel Tanto Pocket Knife
Fellow fan of series here! Let me see...
Young Adult
Percy Jackson series is fun (and finished, too, I think).
Artemis Fowl series isn't quite as good as Percy Jackson IMHO, but it's got a following.
Fantasy
Harry Dresden series This is one of my favorites. Harry is Chicago's only professional wizard. There are a ton of these books and they are still going strong.
Game of Thrones These are great...but unfinished. If you watch the show, reading the books does help you get even more out of the story, I think.
Wheel of Time Another good series. There is a LOT of this series and it's finished. (Thank you, Brandon Sanderson!)
Mistborn Speaking of Brandon Sanderson... This one is very good. I highly recommend reading the Mistborn books before trying the Stormlight Archive, but only because as good as Mistborn is, Stormlight Archive is even better.
Stormlight Archive Amazing. Man, these are good. The series isn't finished, but the two books that are available are some of my favorites ever.
Kingkiller Chronicles I loved the first book. I could not freakin' believe I enjoyed the second one even more. The third one is still pending.
Temeraire Dragons in Napoleonic times. Super cool premise! This one is not finished (I don't think, anyway).
Gentlemen Bastards Con men in a fantasy realm. It's pretty light on the fantasy elements. Very light, I'd say. I'd also say that it has some of the very best swearing that I've ever come across. :D
Scifi
Old Man's War I'm almost finished this one--it's amazing!
Horror/Thriller
Passage Trilogy I've heard these described as vampire books...maybe zombie books... It's apocalyptic for sure. Great books!
Mysteries
Amelia Peabody Egyptology + murder mysteries. Super fun, but trust me...go with the audiobooks for these. They are best when they are performed.
Stephanie Plum Total popcorn reads. If that's your thing, shut off your brain and just enjoy.
Walt Longmire These get particularly good as it goes along. The main character is a sheriff in modern day Wyoming. (Side note: The TV show is also great--just don't expect them to stick to the books.)
Graphic Novels (Everything recommended can be gotten in a "book" format instead of only in comic form, in case that matters. I've gotten most of these from my local library.)
Locke & Key Eerie as crap. Love the art! This one is on-going.
Y: The Last Man All the men on the planet drop dead in a day...except for Yorrick. REALLY good. This is the series that got me reading graphic novels. Plus, it's finished!
Walking Dead I am not a zombie fan...but I like these. They're not done, but I've read up through volume 22 and am still enjoying them.
Other
OutlanderI have no idea how to categorize these or even give a description that does them justice. I refused to pick it up for AGES because it sounded like a bodice-ripper romance and that's not my bag. But these are good!
I hope there's something in there that'll do for you. Have fun and read on!
Edit: Apparently, I need to practice formatting. :/
Edit 2: I forgot to add the Lies of Locke Lamora (Gentlemen Bastards #1).
Brandon Sanderson. He's a very prolific, steady author (puts as many hours per day into writing/editing/plotting as most people put into a 9-to-5 job, I'd guess) who's produced a pretty wide variety of fantasy and scifi stories, many of which exist in the same universe (kind of like GRRM's scifi short stories, in that the books don't really overlap except with for a name here and a traveling character there). There are tons of subtle connections and a sense of a much bigger universe, which is cool, but you don't pick up on it at all unless you're looking for it and you don't miss anything important in the story you're reading by being unaware of it.
He's working on an epic fantasy series called the Stormlight Archives, which starts with The Way of Kings. He's a very popular author, although his prose is very accessible and some people don't love that. He is very involved in keeping his fans updated on his progress (regularly progress bars for each series/book/story on his website, and I think regular podcasts and blog updates, too). He still tours a lot, but...wait for it... he writes while on tour. I know, crazy.
I'd say he's at the other end of the fantasy spectrum as Joe Abercrombie, in that his protagonists tend to be good people trying to do what's right instead of violent anti-heroes, although his work is far from black and white/good and evil and his characters still have interesting shades of gray.
He also pops up on reddit in /r/Fantasy pretty often, which is nice.
But by far, my favorite series:
The first trilogy follows the Island of Nantucket, which is thrown back to the bronze age and loses access to high-energy physics. The Emberverse is the rest of the world (though mostly the US) who stay in present day, but also lose access to high-energy physics.
If you want to go more Sci-Fi, I'm currently reading and enjoying:
Also on my list to read:
$15.69 on Amazon (US). (No referral link, but the Smile subdomain has Amazon donate a percentage of the purchase to charity, of your choice, if you're a member, at no additional cost to you. I have it on and don't bother to change it; if it really bothers you change the smile to www and reload it. It doesn't track like a referral link.)
I've posted this before but I'll repost it here:
Now in terms of the question that you ask in the title - this is what I recommend:
Job Interview Prep
Junior Software Engineer Reading List
Read This First
Fundementals
Understanding Professional Software Environments
Mentality
History
Mid Level Software Engineer Reading List
Read This First
Fundementals
Software Design
Software Engineering Skill Sets
Databases
User Experience
Mentality
History
Specialist Skills
In spite of the fact that many of these won't apply to your specific job I still recommend reading them for the insight, they'll give you into programming language and technology design.
The Hedge Knight
http://www.amazon.com/Legends-Stories-Masters-Modern-Fantasy/dp/0765300354
The Sworn Sword
http://www.amazon.com/Legends-II-Dragon-Sword-King/dp/034547578X
The Mystery Knight
http://www.amazon.com/Warriors-George-R-Martin/dp/1469259338
Why are you reading Spoiler All threads!!!???!!! :-)
Yeah, there are four prequel novellas right now. Unfortunately, they aren't available together - you have to buy them in anthologies that include a bunch of other stuff (although some have standalone graphic novel adaptations). It's enough of a hassle that a lot of people don't bother. Hopefully eventually at least the Tales of Runk & Egg will be published in one volume.
Their titles are:
The Hedge Knight, published in the Legends anthology
The Sworn Sword, published in the Legends II anthology
The Mystery Knight, published in the Warriors anthology
The Princess and the Queen, published in the Dangerous Women anthology
so not music, and for obscure reasons, this book is associated with the people who turned me on to Moxy Fruvous :)
https://www.amazon.com/Sophies-World-History-Philosophy-Classics/dp/0374530718
it's a great read!
For fiction, you MUST read Daemon and Freedom(TM)
I also enjoyed Snowcrash and Cryptonomicon, though in my opinion the latter was a little bit of a difficult read. Worth it though.
Cryptonomicon is this awesome cyberpunk book I'm almost done with
What are your top five must-own books?
Mine, in no real order are:
(I'll put in links when I get home)
edit: with amazon links
Because, like the internet, nearly all early computers/languages were originally funded by the military.
Check out Stephenson's book Cryptonomicon
It's engaging fiction, and for the most part it's historically accurate.
*ever
FYI,
Cryptonomicon on amazon
PS,
My second favorite chapter is basically an instruction manual on how to eat Captain Crunch Cereal.
http://www.euskalnet.net/larraorma/crypto/slide58.html
>Fair enough, I didn't consider the possibility of freedom diminishing to such an extent that human beings become de facto robots controlled by a small group at the top.
Ever read A Brave New World?
Sounds like you like short books with easy reading and heavier themes?
Maybe give World War Z (Journalist interviews people around the world trying to piece together events before, during, and after a zombie outbreak - lots of political commentary and survival skills in there) or The Things They Carried (interconnected short stories about the Vietnam War) a try?
You could also try more John Green, or some of his suggestions from this sub.
If you'd rather stick to classics, Brave New World and Fahrenheit 451 are the dystopias you're "supposed" to read immediately following 1984.
Quite a few books have been referenced in interviews - here's some of the ones I think I remember. They're all very good books despite any association with Radiohead, by the way.
How to Disappear Completely and Never Be Found
http://www.amazon.com/How-Disappear-Completely-Never-Found/dp/087947257X
The Crying of Lot 49 (also V. and Gravity's Rainbow)
http://www.amazon.com/Crying-Lot-Perennial-Fiction-Library/dp/006091307X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1411238673&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=crying+of+lot+49
1984
http://www.amazon.com/1984-Signet-Classics-George-Orwell/dp/0451524934/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1411238702&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=1984
The Hitchhiker Guide
http://www.amazon.com/Hitchhikers-Guide-Galaxy-Douglas-Adams/dp/0345391802/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1411238721&amp;sr=1-2&amp;keywords=hithchiker%27s+guide+to+the+galaxy
The Divine Comedy
http://www.amazon.com/Divine-Comedy-Inferno-Purgatorio-Paradiso/dp/0451208633
No Logo
http://www.amazon.com/No-Logo-Anniversary-Edition-Introduction/dp/0312429274
Brave New World
http://www.amazon.com/Brave-New-World-Aldous-Huxley/dp/0060850523
Cat's Cradle
http://www.amazon.com/Cats-Cradle-Novel-Kurt-Vonnegut/dp/038533348X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1411239309&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=cat%27s+cradle
Stanley Donwood
http://www.amazon.com/Slowly-Downward-Collection-Miserable-Stories/dp/0954417739/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1411239324&amp;sr=1-2&amp;keywords=slowly+downward
http://www.amazon.com/Household-Worms-Richard-Jones/dp/1906477558/ref=pd_sim_b_1?ie=UTF8&amp;refRID=088RY3YE1BENWJPAV5DY
The Road Less Traveled
I think parents would find more useful information here, but I read it when I was 20(no kids) and found it pretty interesting.
The Alchemist
A quick read, I have felt more at ease and optimistic about life since I read it. Both actually have religious themes--didn't bother a godless man such as myself though.
Motivation to be more creative? Poke the Box by Seth Godin
I have quite a few business-related recommendations, but watching or reading Seth gets my brain going everytime.
The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho maybe?
A quick browse of my bookshelf and the ones that jumped out at me... some nonfiction, some fiction... some light, some heavy...
The Culture of Contentment by John Galbraith
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
Pimp by Iceberg Slim
The Naked Ape by Desmond Morris
Bloom County Babylon by Berkeley Breathed
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo
Turned On: A Biography of Henry Rollins by James Parker
Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
Beyond that, my most prized book is my hardback Norton Anthology of English Lit (2nd vol - the 'modern' stuff).
Thanks for the trip down memory lane! I'm def curling up with a good one when I hit the hay!
This
0-5: Owl Magnetic Page Markers. These are great for marking either the page you are reading in a book or various pages if you are keeping places in textbooks. Plus, they are super cute.
5-10: Vegetable Steamer because steamed vegetables are yummy!
10-20: The Alchemist-Paulo Coelho. This is a book that everyone, male or female, should read and would likely enjoy reading.
20-50: The Big Bang Theory-Season 5 Pre-Order. Everyone loves to laugh!
They're not currently released as stand-alones, apart from an illustrated edition, IIRC.
Your best bet to find them is in the collections they were published in:
Here, here, and here (Links taken from the sidebar).
You can actually buy Legends 1, Legends 2, and Warriors 1 on Amazon which contain the Dunk and Egg stories :) For reference the titles are The Hedge Knight, The Sworn Sword, and The Mystery Knight.
Both Legends have Kindle versions. Hope this helps!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0765300354
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/034547578X
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0765360268
These are what I just bought. The later two are the cheap smaller paperback, but they work.
If they end up making a series out of 'Knight of the Seven Kingdoms', I would be so happy
Those are the three currently published, yes. Gurm has stated there will be (if my memory serves) 12 altogether. I highly recommend the edition of TKOTSK illustrated by Gary Gianni, it's beautiful.
Get A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
This series follows the story of Duncan the Tall (of the Kingsguard) and his squire called Egg.
GRRM wrote the stories in between writing the main ASOIAF story.
Trust me, they're absolutely fantastic. You'll fall in love the with the characters in no time and you'll get to see GRRM's legendary world-building writing skills.
Sophie's World may be a good start.
Im ex Jehovah's witness. I found out by total accident my religion was a satanic mind control cult. So I researched all groups. Turns out the mormons are a cult as well. You will only win your mormon family over with Love. If you attack their faith all your going to do is further implant their "persecution complex" (which is what all cults teach their members)
You need this book
https://www.amazon.ca/Combatting-Cult-Mind-Control-Best-selling/dp/0892813113
Uh, you just described a cult. That's classic brainwashing. You need to get these people out, and start adopting deprogramming techniques. I would recommend Combatting Cult Mind Control and releasing the bonds for techinques in helping these people, because they are in a dangerous controlling situation.
Remember that they will actually believe what they are being told. Given advanced brainwashing techniques you can make your followers believe anything you wish, even crap like Xenu. These people WILL believe what they are taught because of this, and being intelligent doesn't make you immune from brainwashing.
The key tactic here is to make them think. Ask them a tough question and let them do as much talking as possible. You cannot confront their beliefs directly, or you become the devil to them, instead you must guide them to the answer on their own.
To be honest, these people really need you. Cults are so damaging. I'd know, I've been in one. Mormonism is a cult.
Good luck.
That's a tough situation to be in. I'm sorry to hear that you are stuck "inbetween" worlds- but it must feel great. What's your plan with the fam? I suggest reading "combating cult mind control" by Steven Hassan. His second book might be helpful as well. They outline what to avoid and give suggestions on how to plan an "intervention" carefully and methodically in order to have the highest chance of success in freeing someones mind from a destructive cult.
Moon People
Somehow has multiple iterations on Amazon. Run- on sentences, jumps from thought to thought seemingly out of nowhere, its just awful. Hilarious read though.
If you want to hate reading and laugh at how bad a book can be you should read Moon People. At least check out that link and read the reviews.
here is the book if you would like to purchase it at the low price of 15.99$
Dale M. Courtney is the real American Shakespear.
>There have been tons of amazing books written within these constraints.
Moon People is not one of them.
Have you seen the cover?! Its just stock images of space collaged together with the front of the ship from 2001 hanging out in the top corner ...ugly and a copyright violation?
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/1436372135/sr=1-15/qid=1246480019/ref=dp_image_text_0?ie=UTF8&amp;n=283155&amp;s=books&amp;qid=1246480019&amp;sr=1-15
Zombies: A Record of the Year of Infection
Don Roff, Chris Lane
Day by Day Armageddon
J. L. Bourne
Day by Day Armageddon: Beyond Exile
J. L. Bourne
Earth Abides
George R. Stewart
Swan Song
Robert McCammon
The Road
Cormac McCarthy
edit: This covers a good array of subjects on different ways the world might perish. All fiction also.
More information on Day by Day Armageddon?
EDIT: Amazon link I'd love to hear from some zeditors who've read it.
You've already read two of the better ones.
Try Brian Keene - The Rising and City of the Dead. - a different take on zombies but you may like it
Joe Mckinney - Dead City
J.L. Bourne - Day by Day Armegeddon - it's self published, but it's not bad
Jeff Long - Year Zero - sort of zombies, plus it's really good
This one has some cool short stories - The book of the Dead
And I haven't read this one yet so I can't recommend it:
Z. A. Recht - Plague of the Dead
Thanks. :-)
And here you go:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Blade-Itself-First-Law/dp/159102594X
Trust me, you won't regret it.
I can't give you "titles of the chapters are the characters' names", but Joe Abercrombie's The First Law trilogy is one often recommended here, and for good reason. It shares an epic, wide-ranging, and (usually) tautly-paced plot advanced through multiple viewpoints and characters painted entirely in grey, along with exposing the harder edges of the world its characters populate.
A quick warning first - this genre tends towards long-running series, and these are no exception (nor are many of them yet complete). However, they're well worth trying:
PC Hodgell's Godstalk series. This is a sadly underappreciated series, but is IMHO one of the best fantasy series ever. The worldbuilding is phenomenal, and the protagonist, Jame, is one of my favourite characters in any novel.
GRR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire been mentioned (and is excellent), but in a similar vein (dark and gritty high fantasy) check out Joe Abercrombie's First Law series. This is similar Martin with the cynicism turned up even further. Where Tolkein is more or less black and white, this is very dark grey vs black (and it's not entirely clear which side is which)
Thirdly, check out Steven Brust's Vlad Taltos series. Vlad is (initially) an assassin and later mob boss in a fantasy empire where magic is commonplace. Unlike the others I've mentioned, you can probably start with any book as they're mostly self-contained (though there's an ongoing story), and the chronology tends to jump around a lot anyway. The one exception is Teckla, which is much weaker than the rest.
Try The First Law series. Great characters, fun adventures, and it's not too fantastical. I'm just finishing up book 3 now, and I'll be sad not to be reading it.
ugh i've finished everything worthwhile in my local library been reading e-books but running low on those as well
heres some off the top of my head.. be warned these are more character driven then anything else... I hate books with a giant cast of characters ( though malazan was an exception )
Old Shit:
The Fionavar Tapestry (fantasy)
http://www.amazon.com/Summer-Tree-Fionavar-Tapestry-Book/dp/0451458222/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;s=books&amp;qid=1279523697&amp;sr=1-2
Farseer Trilogy (fantasy)
http://www.amazon.com/Assassins-Apprentice-Farseer-Trilogy-Book/dp/055357339X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;s=books&amp;qid=1279523843&amp;sr=1-1
New Shit:
First Law Trilogy (fantasy)
http://www.amazon.com/Blade-Itself-First-Law-Book/dp/159102594X/ref=pd_sim_b_1
The Name of the Wind (fantasy)
http://www.amazon.com/Name-Wind-Kingkiller-Chronicles-Day/dp/0756405890/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;s=books&amp;qid=1257193424&amp;sr=1-1
Codex Alera (fantasy)
http://www.amazon.com/Furies-Calderon-Codex-Alera-Book/dp/044101268X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;s=books&amp;qid=1279524012&amp;sr=1-1
Man, wasn't it so good?! I just found out it's turning into a movie, but idk how well that would work. I got the audiobook for it, and Wil Wheaton narrating it was goddamn perfect! I think that's the best medium for a story like this that's heavy on internal narration.
Also, I'm currently reading/listening to Off to be the Wizard, by Scott Meyers. Somewhat similar, but extremely enjoyable, and the narrator on this audiobook is damn good too! http://www.amazon.com/Off-Be-Wizard-Magic-2-0/dp/1612184715
There was a book that reminds me of this called Off to be the Wizard. I really enjoyed it, there's a few sequels as well which I haven't read yet but the first one at least was great, it's worth a look, seems like you'd enjoy it if you have thoughts like this!
Heh sounds kind of like the plot to "Off to be the Wizard" by Scott Meyer
I'll post a link later, but check out Off to Be the Wizard. It's literally a whole book series about this.
Edit link, as promised, and Wikipedia article
Here's a really good find that not a lot of people have heard of (I think). Scott Meyer--the comedian behind the web comic Basic Instructions--started a fantasy book series called Magic 2.0 that starts with Off to Be the Wizard.
The premise is that the hero lives in a computer simulation and have found a file that allows them to change the parameters of their world. By editing the file, they can change their location, the money in their bank account, the time that they are living in, etc.
I laughed out loud at many passages. I actually listened to the audio version of the book that you can get on Audible. The narrator Luke Daniels does a tremendous job of reading the book.
Anyways, I cannot recommend this series enough. There's only two books out now, but a new one should be published in early 2015.
Off to Be the Wizard by Scott Meyer.
I read this a few years ago and really enjoyed it. It's on the lighter side of things.
Amazon description: Martin Banks is just a normal guy who has made an abnormal discovery: he can manipulate reality, thanks to reality being nothing more than a computer program. With every use of this ability, though, Martin finds his little “tweaks” have not escaped notice. Rather than face prosecution, he decides instead to travel back in time to the Middle Ages and pose as a wizard.
There's also [Off to be a wizard] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Off-Be-Wizard-Magic-2-0/dp/1612184715). Anybody knows other series in similar spirit? (techno-geek-magic thing)
https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/aw/d/B00RN7TNHE?fp=1&amp;pc_redir=T1
You might like this: (NSFW) https://www.amazon.com/Pounded-Pound-Socioeconomic-Implications-European-ebook/dp/B01HJXVP8G#nav-subnav
I found this and the follow up sequel here
Warning: NSFW
Pounded By The Pound: Turned Gay By The Socioeconomic Implications Of Britain Leaving The European Union is honestly one of the most insightful books on the subject. Truly a tingle-worthy essential.
"Pounded By The Pound: Turned Gay By The Socioeconomic Implications Of Britain Leaving The European Union"
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pounded-Pound-Socioeconomic-Implications-European-ebook/dp/B01HJXVP8G
Bestseller IIRC.
Pounded By The Pound: Turned Gay By The Socioeconomic Implications Of Britain Leaving The European Union
That series goes 2 levels deeper, iirc.
Also, don't forget Pounded By The Pound: Turned Gay By The Socioeconomic Implications Of Britain Leaving The European Union and, of course, its sequel, Slammed By The Substantial Amount Of Press Generated By My Book “Pounded By The Pound: Turned Gay By The Socioeconomic Implications Of Britain Leaving The European Union".
Domald Tromp Pounded In The Butt By The Handsome Russian T-Rex Who Also Peed On His Butt And Then Blackmailed Him With The Videos Of His Butt Getting Peed On
Ahem. Amazon link. Maybe NSFW.
Wait, wasn't this a satire on Trump and Putin being gay lovers?
Edit: Never mind, that was this.
Chuck Tingle you say?
oh, Dragonlance <3 if one dives into that series, hold on to your butts! theres SO MANY OF THEM!
i managed to get ahold of the annotated original trillogy. i love it so much.
Chronicles of Amber is another good multi-book set.
A long time ago I was reading a SF magazine and in it there was an add for the SF Book Club. The teaser for one book was "What if Earth were the shadow of the real world?" That book was Nine Princes in Amber, the first in Roger Zelanzy's Chronicles of Amber
This is one of my all-time favorite series. Awesome magic system and worldbuilding. The full series is currently published in one volume, available here. It's funny that all 10 of these books are about the size of Oathbringer.
You can find physical copies of most older books on amazon for like $4.
Half price books, abebooks, thrift stores and shopping around for ebooks are all also options.
If you are looking for specific books there are some pretty reasonably priced compilations out there.
The Belgariad volumes one and two can be gotten for around $14.
All ten volumes of The Chronicles of Amber can be purchased for about $12.
All three volumes of the Dark Elf Trilogy can be purchased for around $12.
If you look around there are some pretty great deals out there.
Lovecraft's works is public domain now, so sites like hplovecraft.com should have most of his works, if you want something physical try https://www.amazon.com/Necronomicon-Best-Weird-Tales-Lovecraft/dp/0575081562/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1509947794&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=lovecraft+necronomicon
And as for other short stories I can recommend The Outsider and Rats in the Walls, both are equally bone-chilling.
This is an idea that is dear to my heart and I'm looking forward to running a pirate/naval adventure myself. I've got some inspiration ideas for you!
Books
These books should need no introduction. These are the books that will truly inspire your game.
TV Shows
Tabletop Books
I can't recommend all of this enough. A lot of this will give you ideas and inspiration for all of your campaigns, naval/pirate or otherwise. Have fun!
Have a look at this
There is a collection of Lovecraft Stories called Necronomicon. I nearly bought it myself, it's a great looking tome. I actually have the Conan Books in the same series.
&#x200B;
This is the one I ended up buying I found it was a more complete collection and in chronological order of when they were written.
&#x200B;
Amazing stories from an amazing writer. Enjoy!
Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey is the first book of her Kushiel's Legacy series. They were a lot of fun to read. http://www.amazon.com/Kushiels-Dart-Jacqueline-Carey/dp/0765342987
Kushiel's dart and the following books - are by far some of the best books I have ever read. It is an adult book and intense and deep. But soooo good!
I second reading the Ender's Game series by Orson Scott Card, but I'd finish that first before I started reading the Ender's Shadow series (even though they technically occur in the same universe and feature many of the same characters).
But that's science fiction (with some interesting ethical/religious elements in later books in the series). I really think you'd enjoy Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey (please don't judge it by its cover; you also read paranormal romance, so I think you could be willing to look past that).
From Library Journal:
>Trained from childhood to a life of servitude and espionage, Ph?dre n? Delaunay serves her master, Anafiel, as a courtesan and spy, ferreting out the dangerous secrets of the noble houses of Terre d'Ange. When she uncovers a treasonous conspiracy, however, her life takes on a new and deadly purpose. Set in a world reminiscent of late medieval and early Renaissance Europe, Carey's first novel portrays a society based upon political and sexual intrigue. The author's sensual prose, suitable for adult readers, should appeal to fans of Tanith Lee, Storm Constantine, and Terry Goodkind. Recommended for adult fantasy collections.
From Publishers Weekly:
>This brilliant and daring debut, set in a skewed Renaissance world (people worship Jesus-like "Blessed Elua" but also demigods), catapults Carey immediately into the top rank of fantasy novelists. In the character of Phedre ne Delaunay, "a whore's unwanted get" sold into indentured servitude in opulent Night Court, the author has created a particularly strong and memorable female lead, and has surrounded her with a large and varied cast, from nobles and priests to soldiers and peasants. An engrossing plot focuses first on court intrigue and treachery, then, in a surprising shift, on high adventure, travel in barbarian lands including Alba (England) and war. Two demigods rule Phedre: Naamah, for sensual love; and Kushiel, for sado-masochistic pain, his "dart" being a blood spot in Phedre's eye. Not everyone will go for Phedre's graphic if elegantly described sexual encounters, which usually involve the infliction of pain, whether from lashing, branding or even cutting. Phedre, however, is no cliched sexpot but a complex character motivated by religious zeal. At the end, the heroine reminds one of an equally strong-minded sister whose home was Tara. No mere feminist novel, this is an assured and magnificent book that will appeal to both male and female readers.
It is book one in a trilogy, so there's plenty to read if you enjoy this one.
I enjoy reading paranormal romance novels occasionally. Would you recommend any that you've read recently?
I'm surprised no one has mentioned the Kushiel's Legacy series. It's set in an alternate history France (called Terre d'Ange) and it's primarily about a courtesan/spy who also derives pleasure from pain. There's lots of BDSM in it, so it may not be your cup of tea, but it's a great series.
If you'd rather go for something more light, try Men in Kilts or The Corset Diaries by Katie McAlister. I'm not one for purely romance genre, but I read this one several years ago and liked it.
Eternity Road by Jack McDevitt is an excellent many-years-after-the-apocalypse type story.
Spin by Robert Charles Wilson isn't exactly apocalyptic, but it does deal with end-of-the-world themes and explores how society might react.
Wastelands is an excellent collection of apocalyptic short stories.
That made me check! My oldest daughter & I always shared The Wheel of Time series, which my middle daughter never got into. So my middle daughter chose The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson, who finished WoT, as a series we could all read and obsess over together. I'm waiting for book 3 in that series but it won't come out until November. Sadness.
Shadow's Son stars an assassin and opens with an assassination. I found the book a bit bland and stopped halfway through. Maybe you'd get more out of it than me, though. Different strokes for different folks. Eh, I'll probably give it another try eventually.
.
Next up is The Emperor's Knife, the first book of the Tower and Knife series. I know that it stars an assassin as a main character, but I haven't gotten around to reading my copy yet. I think I got it for free at some point.
.
The Demon of Cliffside is a book that you've probably never heard of before. It stars a nameless demon as the main character, and while she's not an assassin, she does a lot of "assassin-ey" things. It's the only book of these so far that I've read all the way through, and it comes with my stamp of approval. For what it's worth.
.
...and now for the obligatory The Way of Kings reference, because someone had to do it. One of the viewpoint characters is "The Assassin in White," and he has some very fun sequences. However, this is probably not the type of book you're looking to get out of this thread, and I imagine you've likely read it already anyway.
.
Well, I did my best. I'd probably recommend them in this order:
I recommend Way of Kings. It's really good. And when you're done with it, you can use it as a door stopper.
I'm not sure, this is the Mass Market Paperback Edition. Not too sure how it stacks up against the normal copy.
There are tons of premade campaigns out there. I'd recommend kicking off with either the Starter Set or the Essentials Kit. They include basic rulesets, dice, and a short campaign. You can get started with just one of these sets just fine.
If you want to get more into the rules, I'd strongly suggest picking up the Player's Handbook at a minimum - it goes more in depth on the rules and lays out more race and class options for your players than the limited ones in the starter sets.
After that, whoever ends up as the DM may want to pick up the DM's Guide, which gives tips on how to run the game, random tables for lots of stuff (items, encounters, etc), and suggestions on how to make your own world if you're interested in that in the future. If you want to run other published campaigns or build your own homebrew setting, you'll also want to pick up the Monster Manual- the starter set rules only include stat blocks for the monsters that they use.
There are several other published sourcebooks out right now as well that add additional monsters, playable races, and class options to the game, but the three core books get you the vast majority of the content.
This is an awesome surprise, he's going to love it.
The Essentials Kit has everything you need and is like $16 on Amazon. It has rules for just one DM and one player (sidekick rules), a map, complete adventure, magical item and quest cards, etc.
https://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Dragons-Essentials-Kit-Boxed/dp/0786966831
Another link for those who are interested, $21.06 for that
Dungeons & Dragons Essentials Kit (D&D Boxed Set) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0786966831/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_P3n0DbPN09X22
Acho que você está um pouco confuso. NPC (non-player character) é qualquer personagem que não seja de um jogador. Se não é de um jogador, logo é do mestre, e é chamado de NPC.
Se você está questionando se é válido construir um NPC para acompanhar o(s) jogador(es), é claro que sim, é válido.
No caso do D&D 5e, a algum tempo atrás foi testado o conceito de Sidekicks do Unearthed Arcana (você pode baixar as regras na íntegra aqui), que é justamente isso: um personagem simplificado cujo objetivo é ser dado ao jogador para ele e é geralmente controlado pelo mestre (mas no geral respeitando ordens do jogador, já que é um colaborador do time). O D&D Essentials Kit recentemente lançado incluiu uma simplificação destas regras, e jogadores têm a sua disposição 9 sidekicks diferentes (cada um com uma carta que é dada ao jogador quando o sidekick é recrutado). Isso foi feito para facilitar o jogo para dois participantes (1 mestre e 1 jogador). As regras não estão disponíveis online, mas depois de ler a regra de Sidekicks do Unearthed Arcana, você pode ler este comparativo para entender como é o Sidekick do Essentials kit.
Outra coisa: jogadores podem ter mais de um personagem também. Já joguei partidas onde cada jogador tinha duas fichas por exemplo. Porém não recomendo isso para iniciantes, já que é bem mais trabalhoso.
There are two starter packs that give you absolutely everything you need to play, and they're both under $20.
https://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Dragons-Starter-Wizards-Team/dp/0786965592
https://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Dragons-Essentials-Kit-Boxed/dp/0786966831/
Pick one, grab some friends, pick a day, bring some snacks, and you're already well on your way. They come with dice, pre-generated characters, a full story to play along with, and instructions on how to be the DM. It is literally everything you need.
I usually prefer to get people interested in reading philosophy obliquely, through pop. philosophy or fiction with philosophical themes. So much depends on what you are interested in...
Fiction:
A good overview like Sophie's World
Military Ethics / Social Responsibility Starship Troopers
Science and Faith Contact
Somewhat easy philosophy
Ethics: The Basic Writings of John Stuart Mill
Mind: Consciousness Explained
War: Just and Unjust Wars
Sophie's World
Not only does it have TWO strong female characters, but it contains a huge fantasy element. Oh and not to mention a nearly complete history of philosophy disguised as a fantasy novel. One of my favorite books of ALL time.
ETA: A post-apocalyptic short story that is AMAZING and guess what? It's online so you don't even have to buy it. I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream by Harlan Ellison. Enjoy!
Sophie's World about the history of philosophy.
Older science fiction books: I am talking about Verne and the juvenile fiction from Heinlein (Although Heinlein is iffy later on).
The Robinsoniana have all that thing about self-reliance, but you have to know things. What about historic novels about the discovery of science?
Sophie's World might not be bad place to start. It's easy to read, and it covers a lot of ground. There have been a few responses to your classic logic inquiry, but I'm not sure religion and existence have been addressed. I think the answer depends on what kind of criticisms you aim to draw against which aspect of religion(s). The existence once, I think you should go existenstialist: Camus, Sartre, then Heidegger.
I would suggest not trying to find books that advocate for the "other side" but instead delve into different books on philosophy. It's the old adage, "Learn/Teach how to think, not what to think."
EDIT: Sophie's World
For that age group, the hive mind usually recommends Gaarder's Sophie's World. I prefer Scruton's An Intelligent Person's Guide to Philosophy.
The Chronicles of Amber - 1264 pages of pure science fiction joy!
Reading at least the first book makes a huge difference in understanding the setting. The good news is that the books are cheap, fast reads, and still in print. The "Great Book of Amber" is everything but the short stories collected together.
Try some of Martin's literary influences:
Came here to namecheck RZ's Amber. But my work was already done. (I also echo cuddlemonkey's Hitchhiker rec, as well as the equally deserving mentions of Discworld. Zounds, you have some awesomely entertaining reading ahead of you!)
Edit: Closed the parenthesis.
The Chronicles of Amber by Roger Zalazny
wiki
Amazon
The first book (9 Princes in Amber) is nearly as old as I am (pub.1970) -if you ignore Galaxy Mag which ran the first few books in '67-69.
While it COULD be done with todays CGI and graphics, I just don't think it's popular enough for a studio to take a risk on it as most of the folks that read this are now in the 'over 49 and therefore invisible to marketing' group.
Just my .02
Awesome read btw. I had the original hardcovers as a child gifted to me and went back just a year or two ago and got this 'all in one' edition I linked to at Amazon and it holds up amazingly well 40 years later.
Highly recommended
To me this sounds like a lot like book one of The Chronicles of Amber. Good luck in any case!
Strange Relations is, uh, interesting.
He's most wellknown for the Riverworld series, though. First book: To Your Scattered Bodies Go.
Might I also suggest Roger Zelazny.. The Chronicles of Amber (10 book anthology).
I bought myself the Arcadia Jumpship and Fallen Walker Megablocks set with Xmas money. Also a Kindle Fire tablet and a food scale with what was left. Also got the Blu-Ray of Cowboy Bebop (entire series) and the Amber Chronicles from my Imgur secret santa (they sent something else from UK but I won't see it for a few more days or so.
You might like Roger Zelazny's "Amber" books. There are five in the original, excellent series, then a second series that's not as good but still interesting.
He starts you off with a traditional trope: Protagonist wakes up amnesiac in a hospital and suspicious people are trying to kill him. Then he takes you off in directions you'd never expect. Zelazny was a Byzantine, so a discerning eye will catch some Eastern Christian threads and Septuagint allusions now and again.
The first book, Nine Princes in Amber, is available cheaply online, or you can get a compilation of all ten books inexpensively (especially if you buy used.)
http://www.amazon.com/The-Great-Book-Amber-Chronicles/dp/0380809060/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1345692696&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=the+chronicles+of+amber
Very easy quick reads and my all time favorite series.
There are a ton of different editions and compilations of the Amber books. It might be useful to poke around at the different editions if you're looking for a bargain.
Some potentially helpful links:
If you think you might want to read all of the Amber books and not just Volume 1, you may want to consider purchasing (or borrowing, whatever) The Great Book of Amber which is vol. 1-10 bound together. It's a doorstopper, so be forewarned. I do not think it's available electronically as an omnibus. Amazon link: https://smile.amazon.com/Great-Book-Amber-Complete-Chronicles/dp/0380809060/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1501692577&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=nine+princes+in+amber
Secondly, for just Vol. 1 Nine Princes in Amber, for some reason the listings for the paper copies and the electronic copies aren't linked up very well.
Paper/Audible (the Amazon link GR provides): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0380014300/ref=x_gr_e_nl_general_sin?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=x_gr_e_nl_general_sin-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0380014300&amp;SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2
Kindle edition (Amazon link): https://smile.amazon.com/Nine-Princes-Amber-Book-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B011MYPIY0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1501692577&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=nine+princes+in+amber
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Necronomicon-Weird-Lovecraft-Fiction-GOLLANCZ/dp/0575081562 is what I have, and really, I could do with a slightly more abridged version, there are a bunch of stories inside I don't really care to reread. His work is fairly uneven I would say and certainly his genius doesn't show in all stories.
Which by no mean means you shouldn't get as complete set of his stories if this is what you want. Just pointing out that it might not be worth it.
I bought the two big Gollancz Lovecraft books, Necronomicon and Eldritch Tales, a year or two back. Does anyone know how this stacks up against those in terms of completeness? Eldritch Tales includes many of the collaborations, the poetry and The Supernatural in Horror Fiction (which I think should be a part of every really good Lovecraft collection).
And if you feel like dropping some coin, Gollancz has put out a couple of really sharp looking collections.
Hi tmhodge, I got the book rather cheaply from Amazon (here) and, well, the picture is from my study room ;)
I highly recommend this edition, it's a ridiculously massive (880 pages!) & luxuriously bound book with dozens of HPL's stories and fantastic woodcut illustrations.
[Edit: Official 3Quarks4MasterMark endorsement & woodcut scan added]
So, you can pretty much disregard u/Independent_Skeptic's contribution here...
HP Lovecraft never wrote a Necronomicon. He only wrote stories about a fictional book he called the Necronomicon. There was also a posthumous collection of HP Lovecraft stories gathered together under the title Necronomicon but that's something else altogether. The same collection of stuff has been assembled by many publishers under many titles.
Ist Ausgabe vergleichbar mit dem was ich habe? Link
Oder lohnt sich die Anschaffung des anderen?
I have this.
Hi, I do custom orders, yes. Would you like for the Necronomicon this one: https://www.amazon.com/Necronomicon-Best-Weird-Tales-Lovecraft/dp/0575081562/ref=sr_1_2?crid=110CH0S77DOPG&keywords=necronomicon&qid=1569028294&s=books&sprefix=necronomicon%2Caps%2C216&sr=1-2
If so, I'll dm you a price quote/turnaround time. Then if you approve, I'd send you an online listing via my website secretsafebooks dot com or my etsy page.
If not, please send me a link to the specific edition you would like, and I'll dm you a price quote/turnaround time.
Thank you!
It's not complete, it is missing the poems, and a few stories he did as collaborations. This and this, contain more than the one you've given.
I have all three, the complete fiction is a much, much nicer edition than the two I linked, and while it is missing the poems, it is still a great buy for the price. Also, you should buy the one directly from amazon, not the third party.
there you go
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Necronomicon-Weird-Lovecraft-Fiction-GOLLANCZ/dp/0575081562/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1500847926&amp;sr=1-3&amp;keywords=necronomicon
Well Amazon has all of them. Yeah sure it's pricy but still. It does have them.
https://www.amazon.com/Necronomicon-Best-Weird-Tales-Lovecraft/dp/0575081562
I know you already picked one, but I got the hardcover version of the Necronomicon compilation, and I absolutely love it. It's beautifully bound and embossed. I got into Lovecraft not too long ago, and I'm still working my way through it.
I might have to pick that up. I have the Necronomicon https://www.amazon.co.uk/Necronomicon-Weird-Lovecraft-Fiction-GOLLANCZ/dp/0575081562 (gorgeous book) which has more stories than the one you mentioned but each is missing some tales that the other has when you compare contents.
Get Necronomicon: the Weird Tales of H.P. Lovecraft , it's pretty much the only one you'll have to buy for a good while!
If you really enjoy CoC, you might like the Necronomicon, which is a collection of the cthulhu mythos stories by Lovecraft. Also the name of the bible/spell book in the mythos. I found my copy in a used book store, well worth it.
edit: http://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/0575081562/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1383257186&amp;sr=8-2&amp;pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70
I would heartily recommend Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel's Dart if you are looking for a new series. Fantastic female protagonist, epic fantasy and amazing writing.
[Kushiel's Dart] (http://www.amazon.com/Kushiels-Dart-Jacqueline-Carey/dp/0765342987/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1411100580&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=jacqueline+carey).
Excerpt from synopsis:
>"Phèdre is trained equally in the courtly arts and the talents of the bedchamber, but, above all, the ability to observe, remember, and analyze. Almost as talented a spy as she is courtesan, Phèdre stumbles upon a plot that threatens the very foundations of her homeland. Treachery sets her on her path; love and honor goad her further. And in the doing, it will take her to the edge of despair...and beyond. Hateful friend, loving enemy, beloved assassin; they can all wear the same glittering mask in this world, and Phèdre will get but one chance to save all that she holds dear. "
Through Wolf's Eyes.
Excerpt from synopsis:
>"Firekeeper only vaguely remembers a time when she didn't live with her "family," a pack of "royal wolves"-bigger, stronger, and smarter than normal wolves. Now her pack leaders are sending her back to live among the humans, as they promised her mother years ago.
>Some of the humans think she may be the lost heir to their throne. This could be good-and it could be very, very dangerous. In the months to come, learning to behave like a human will turn out to be more complicated than she'd ever imagined.
>But though human ways might be stranger than anything found in the forest, the infighting in the human's pack is nothing Firekeeper hasn't seen before. That, she understands just fine. She's not your standard-issue princess-and this is not your standard-issue fairy tale."
Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel and The Sundering series are both very good.
There is a lot of crap erotica out there, for sure. Finding good ones are hit or miss.
I tried a regency romance once. Super cheesy and cliche. Not for me.
I like Literotica because there are lots of stories to browse. There good stories and there are a lot of bad stories. Sometimes I will open a story, read a paragraph or two, and go right back to searching for a new one.
I've been trying to find good erotica books and series. Every other book is a Shades of grey clone. There are times in most of them where I end up rolling my eyes at some of the dialogue and descriptions. Sometimes, I will skip over parts if I'm just not into it.
A lot of erotica on Amazon for the kindle is free. It will often be the first book in a series to try to convince you to continue reading the rest. I read lots of these free ones and if I like the author/style then I will consider reading more. I haven't found any I like enough yet but I keep trying. Sometimes I can read enough of a bad erotica to do the trick. There are definitely some that I just quit reading.
Not erotica but I will also /r/gonewildstories. Nothing like stories that can actually happen.
The best erotica I have read is the Sleeping Beauty Trilogy by A. N. Roquelaure, which is a pseudonym for for Anne Rice. But be warned, this is very, very heavy BDSM. It might be too much for many and at times it was a little heavy for me and I consider myself to be relatively kinky.
The best romance novel I have read was Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. It is a time-travel, historical romance to be exact. From what I remember it was actually a pretty good read. If you are going to read a romance, I think this is a good one to start with.
Though not erotica, Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey is a fantasy novel with some romance/erotic elements. I read it several years ago before my libido bottomed out but I'm pretty sure it turned me on. Interesting read as well. Definitely has a theme of sado-masochism, but compared to the Sleeping Beauty Trilogy it is nothing. If you already enjoy fantasy novels you should give it a go.
Hope that helps. You really have to dig to find anything good. That being said, often the act of searching alone is enough to get my engines revving.
Has she read the Kushel series by Jacqueline Carey?
It is sort of a romance, but it is mostly a sweeping fantasy series set in an alternative europe where angels once walked the earth. It has heavy and well done BDSM elements, but if she liked 50 shades that shouldn't turn her off
Spin by Robert Charles Wilson has a somewhat similar idea, except instead of humanity expanding off-planet, the universe itself ages faster.
Spin by Robert Charles Wilson is pretty great.
First I'll tackle your query regarding one of my favorite novels:
>Read The Forever War, thought it was O.K. I've heard the sequels were bad, would like confirmation on this?
There's one sequel to Forever War, and it's Forever Free. It goes in a weird direction and has an unsatisfying ending. There's a short story that tells the end of the forever war from Mary Gay's point of view, called "A Seperate War". It's pretty good if only for the fact that it just retreads the novel.
Haldeman has a book called Forever Peace, published in 1998, which tackles the same basic concept of never-ending war... But in no way is it actually connected to The Forever War in a narrative sense.
Second:
Some books that I read and enjoyed are...
I've fallen on a deep sci-fi binge, so I'm going to recommend what I've read so far (lately) and loved:
Ender Series: The sequels to "Ender's Game" are not on par with the first, but they're compelling nonetheless (except maybe Childrens of the Mind), and the Bean series (Ender's Shadow and the sequels) is GREAT. I would recommend reading the sequels, and if not, to stay with the same Ender's Game vibe, then at least read Ender's Shadow, as it opens up the story a lot more.
Foundation (Isaac Asimov): One of the groundbreaking sci-fi series. I've currently read only the first one (Foundation) and absolutely loved it. It takes up several character's point of view over the course of a lot of years. But don't worry, each character get their spot lights and they shine in it. And the universe he creates is one I'm anxious to get back once I finish with...
Leviathan Wakes (James S.A. Corey): This one I'm still reading, so I won't jump up and say: READ IT, IT'S AMAZING! But I will say this, it's long and full of twists, but it's two central characters are fun and interesting. Someone said it's like reading the best sci-fi movie there is. And it kind of is. It's full of action, suspense, some horror and fun writing. I would check it out if I were you.
Spin: I enjoyed this one. Not fanatical about it, but still enjoyable. It's a little bit too long, but the mystery around the event that occurs in the book is interesting and compelling enough to continue. The characters feel real, and the drama around it is fun.
A while ago I also read: The Forever War which I liked a lot. I like seeing humanity evolve, so this book was awesome. I hear it's a lot like Old Man's War, but I've heard better things from Forever War than Old Man's. Might be worth checking out.
Hope I was helpful!
If you liked this, then you'll love THIS. It's the first in a trilogy.
Spin by Robert Charles Wilson
A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge
Terminal World by Alastair Reynolds
Try Spin by Robert Charles Wilson
[Stormlight Archive](
https://www.amazon.com/Way-Kings-Stormlight-Archive/dp/0765365278/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1473012699&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=stormlight%23) heir to the Wheel of time.
Here's the goodreads page on the series. And here's the Amazon page for book 1 (The Way of Kings).
It's epic fantasy, and the world building is amazing. :) It's hard to fully explain because the world Sanderson has built is so complex.
Essentially, it's about a world where a group of people (called the Heralds) wage war against these monsters (called Voidbringers) in order to protect humanity. If a Herald dies, they always resurrect and come back (bc the monsters keep coming back in cycles after many years). It's part of an oath they make.
After countlessly dying, they decide - screw this. We're tired. And they leave.
The book is about what happens thousands of years later, when people have forgotten what the Voidbringers are (or believe that the war is done). It follows multiple characters (none of which are Heralds) and the adventures/politics/learning of magic and war, etc.
There is magic, but it's sooo unlike any magic (in function and description), that it's absolutely intriguing. :)
Try it! If you're interested, PM me!
It definitely does, and Sanderson's work on the final 3 books was pretty inspired to say the least.
Also, check out
https://www.amazon.com/Lies-Locke-Lamora-Gentleman-Bastards-ebook/dp/B000JMKNJ2
https://www.amazon.com/Way-Kings-Brandon-Sanderson/dp/0765365278/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_t_0?_encoding=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=KRSFJE42GMR8VFGZGC72
https://www.amazon.com/Blade-Itself-First-Law/dp/0316387312
https://www.amazon.com/Prince-Thorns-Broken-Empire-Lawrence/dp/1937007685/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1492715571&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=prince+of+thorns
Brandon Sanderson is one of my favorite authors. Both his Mistborn series and The Stormlight Archive are among my top ten, probably. Hell, I've read every single book of his, even the children's, and they're all goddamn amazing.
I have the perfect book for him based on that list. The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson. Sanderson finished Wheel of Time when the original author died. This book, and the sequel, are well over 1,000 pages long. They're epic fantasy, just like ASOIAF. His writing is very very good. His world building is exceptional.
The book and the sequel spent multiple weeks (book 2 spent multiple months, I think) at number 1 on the amazon bestseller list. I really really think this book would be great for your dad. It's intended to be a 10 book series, and book 2 is already out, so it'll give him a series to look forward to as well.
Here's book one
Medium-to-high fantasy, very intriguing worldbuilding mechanics, and excessively well-developed characters. Starts slow, but I think it's worth the build.
E: Fucking hell, it's supposed to be a 10-part series. That finished series will weigh more than some houses by the time it's done.
Dragon of Icespire Peak is a neat adventure that's part of the Essentials Kit. It's not very story focused and has a bunch of relatively short quests for players to take on which you might find better for shorter sessions. While it's not free, you can get it on Amazon for about $20 (It comes with dice, a DM screen, the starter rules, and hand outs).
https://www.amazon.co.uk/WIZARDS-OF-THE-COAST-Essentials/dp/0786966831/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2TXRRWAJWJLD4&amp;keywords=essentials+kit+dungeons+and+dragons&amp;qid=1569771342&amp;sprefix=essentials+kit%2Caps%2C269&amp;sr=8-3
25 there.
Offer and demand I guess?
Dungeons & Dragons Essentials Kit (D&D Boxed Set) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0786966831/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_mf4LDbQ7X29B9
Thanks! :) my kids want to be dragons and animal shapeshifters so I think dnd 5e will be ok as long as it’s not too scary. I figure I can tweak it with my descriptions if I need to. You mean this one right? Dungeons & Dragons Essentials Kit (D&D Boxed Set) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0786966831/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_XA3YDbKXTTTAD
Its not the same thing. There are TWO introductory box sets, so I can see where the confusion is from. The first and original is the DnD Starter Set which is this:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dungeons-Dragons-Starter-Boxed-Game/dp/0786965592
This was released quite some time ago and contains a cut down set of rules, pregenerated character sheets, dice, and the Lost Mines of Phandelver short campaign. The box as a whole is enough to run LMOP all by itself, and LMOP is regarded as a very high quality introductory campaign and is a huge amount of help to a new DM.
The DnD Essentials Kit is a new thing that released only this year:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dungeons-Dragons-WTCC70080000-Essentials-Kit/dp/0786966831
This was created by request and in collaboration with a US retail company, as I understand, to basically fill what they saw as a gap in the market for people wanting to take the next step but without fully buying into all of the books, etc. Its very similar in design being a box containing a bunch of material to run a campaign (it has some extra bits over the original Starter Set such as including a cheap DM screen and cards for NPCs and items). The included campaign book is Dragon of Icespire Peak; which, as I understand it, is designed to be run either by itself or as a supplementary addition to Lost Mines of Phandelver.
From what I've read about it, however, and someone can correct me if this is wrong, DoIP isn't as good as a "coherent campaign" for new DMs as LMOP is. Because its really a series of loosely tied together mini adventures based on a kind of job board system. But I can't comment directly here because I don't have it.
Hi!
Being in /r/tabletop, I'm assuming that what you are looking for is a Tabletop RPG. I will go forward assuming that is the case, as I'm not a wargame player.
For anyone getting into RPGs (unless they have a very focused idea in mind already of what they want), I would recommend Dungeons & Dragons or a derivative. D&D is the Lingua Franca of RPGs, each of its editions have different leanings, and many people have made their own adaptations of various versions. The editions of D&D are varying levels of kid-friendly - the learning curve having shot up in the late 90s and is sorta coming down now.
Now, if you're wanting something more bordering the lines of power fantasy, sort of superhero-y, and very "Kill monsters, level up" as the baseline of the experience: Get the "Essentials Kit" for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition. It's a very nice set and has everything you need for a good long while. This current edition is on the border of learning steepness, but with an adult to help along it wouldn't be too bad - especially with the Essentials Kit, rather than the full three core books.
If you want something with a more classic adventure feel (Maybe think Conan, The Hobbit, or even the Princess Bride), where survival is taken less for granted, there's some more challenge and some more creativity in solutions from players encouraged: You want something more in line with the 70s-90s D&D. It's still D&D - it still maintains that Lingua Franca status - it's just a bit different in terms of feel and can be a good deal less complex.
Down this line of thought, I usually recommend "White Box: Fantastic Medieval Adventure Game", which is a rewriting and modernisation of the original 1970s game. It's very easy to learn, runs very smoothly, and is great if you want that "Adventurer out to make a name and earn some treasure" feeling. It doesn't come with its own adventure like the 5e Essentials Kit, but it is compatible with basically any D&D adventure from the 20th century - and others written for games like it more recently - if you need one. If that's the case, for the purposes of a new player it pairs very nicely with "Tomb of the Serpent Kings" as a beginner's dungeon, and "Blackmarsh" as a premade setting (with its settlements, environments, and its own adventure prompts rounding out a nice adventuring sandbox for a campaign).
Everything I have mentioned here is absolutely free in PDF form, except the Essentials Kit - although the 5th Edition Basic Rules are also free.
If you like the rules of 5th Edition, but want more of the feel I described when laying out White Box - I would suggest checking out "Five Torches Deep" (Which isn't free, but here is an in-depth overview of it by its author).
Likewise, if you like the rules of White Box but feel that "actually it is a bit too lightweight even for my eight-year-old", perhaps check out its big brother: "Swords & Wizardry: Core Rules" (Its free PDF found separately here). It remains compatible with the same products as White Box.
Incredibly resourceful! I think I would like to take this opportunity to also provide some "fun" crypto reading as well. For when you get tired of the hard stuff.
https://www.amazon.com/Cryptonomicon-Neal-Stephenson/dp/0060512806
In the modern literature category
Dave Eggers - What is the What. Or A Heart Breaking Work of Staggering Genius by him is also pretty good.
A.S. Byatt - Possession
Also, someone else mentioned Neal Stephenson, I cannot second this recommendation strongly enough! Very fun reads that don't shy away from intellectual engagement. I read Cryptonomicon by him recently and loved it.
I also note you don't mention Don DeLillo although you mention many of his contemporaries. Check out White Noise by him and go from there.
I could probably make some more suggestions, but it depends what genre's and styles you're really into? Do you want hugely post-modern? Do you enjoy the classics? (I notice your list had no Shakespeare, his tragedies are as famous as they are for good reason)
At around 1000 pages&mdash;give or take a few, depending on the binding&mdash;I'd say it's unwieldy. The MMPB has 1168 pages, for instance. :)
Cryptonomicon or for that matter any of Neal Stephenson's early work like In the Beginning ... was the Command Line
"Cryptonomicon" by Neal Stephenson. A fantastic book; one of those that you hate when it ends!
You may also enjoy "the Baroque Cycle" by the same author. It does not go back and forth to modern times (Crypt. does), but is another great story about science, the beginnings of physics, and the start of money, among other things
Yes. Loved that one as well. I would say that Anathem is far more philosophical and cerebral than Cryptonomicon.
I tried in vain to get my brother to read it who says he only likes non-fiction.
I was particularly enamored by the passages where he charts masturbation/prostitution/creativity. That hit close to home. ;)
EDIT: Found the section in Amazon's Look Inside, start on page 679.
I fully share your interest in trying to find stories, narrative or scenarios featuring cryptocurrency. My personal conclusion is that the future got bigger and different after bitcoin, in ways that were considered practically impossible before, and we will need a new generation of science fiction.
While Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon, which I have only skimmed, deals with crypto-currency it is NOT the descentralized kind, which is in my opinion the truly revolutionary aspect of bitcoin.
The more suggestive work I can think of is Daniel Suarez's Daemon and the sequel, Freedom, which don't deal directly with cryptocurrency, but the whole conceit of the books --a self-sustaining civilization-altering program unleashed after the death of its author-- is curiously homomorphic to bitcoin.
It's not fiction, but I like David Friedman e-money scenarios in his 2008 Future Imperfect: Technology and Freedom in an Uncertain World. He writes just before bitcoin was unleashed unto the world!
Cory Doctorow's Down and out in the magic kingdom deals with Whuffie, a reputation-based "ambient" currency for a post-scarcity economy. The interesting part is that with colored coins, it could be very much implemented with bitcoins.
I should also mention that Eric Whitacre spent nearly half his lecture preaching about how great the Cryptonomicon is and turned me into a huge Neal Stephenson fan.
He was also (this is 10+ years ago...) really excited about his opera. If it ever opens in NYC, I'll go see it!
I LOVE your penny book contests!!! Cryptonomicon is the book I'll choose for this one. Looks super interesting. Thanks so much for the contest! Gimme a book, Pancakes!
The guy's name?
Aldous Huxley. Author of the famous dystopian novel Brave New World
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Brave-New-World-Aldous-Huxley/dp/0099518473
US:https://www.amazon.com/Brave-New-World-Aldous-Huxley/dp/0060850523/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=brave+new+world&amp;qid=1550527148&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-1
It looks like the cover of this edition of Brave New World:
https://www.amazon.com/Brave-New-World-Aldous-Huxley/dp/0060850523
Maybe it was the same graphic artist? The cover was done by Nyamekye Waliyaya who is employed by HarperCollins Publishers.
Watch Gattaca and read Brave New World if you think this is going to benefit you in any way what-so-ever.
Because it's a Brave New World
http://www.amazon.com/Brave-New-World-Aldous-Huxley/dp/0060850523
[Brave New World] ( http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0060850523) by Aldous Huxley. Newer and well done
Dystopias that everyone should read:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Alchemist-Paulo-Coelho/dp/0061122416/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1332723261&amp;sr=8-1
Now that you mention it, he is an amateur alchemist and physician. jk, but i should mention a [book] (http://www.amazon.com/The-Alchemist-Paulo-Coelho/dp/0061122416) that he recommends of minor relevance.
It's by Paulo Coehlo.
I doubt this is what you're looking for, but the first thing that came to my mind was The Alchemist.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Alchemist-Paulo-Coelho/dp/0061122416/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1344976866&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=the+alchemist
I'm reading The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho right now. It has so many wise bits to it and and I am thoroughly enjoying it!
http://www.amazon.com/Alchemist-Paulo-Coelho/dp/0061122416/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&amp;s=books&amp;qid=1239306118&amp;sr=8-1
1.) Something that is grey.
Silver is grey, right? ;)
2.) Something reminiscent of rain.
When I think of rain I think of cuddling up with a good cup of coffee.
3.) Something food related that is unusual.
Coffee chocolate Not that weird... but pretty amazing.
4.) Something on your list that is for someone other than yourself. Tell me who it's for and why. (Yes, pets count!)
Bones for my dog because he hates being alone!
5.) A book I should read! I am an avid reader, so take your best shot and tell me why I need to read it!
I haven't read this yet, but it's supposed to be amazing!
6.) An item that is less than a dollar, including shipping... that is not jewelry, nail polish, and or hair related!
This book
7.) Something related to cats. I love cats! (keep this SFW, you know who you are...)
meow.
8.) Something that is not useful, but so beautiful you must have it.
I don't think any nail polish is useful, but I love this color
9.) A movie everyone should watch at least once in their life. Why?
Shawshank Redemption Come on, it's amazing. And sad. And Stephen King.
10.) Something that would be useful when the zombies attack. Explain.
These would be particularly useful because I could keep my hair out of my face so I can see zombies better to kill them!
11.) Something that would have a profound impact on your life and help you to achieve your current goals.
skip for now
12.) One of those pesky Add-On items.
Apparently you can straighten your nose with this interesting little item Ohhhh, China.
13.) The most expensive thing on your list. Your dream item. Why?
This book is the most expensive item on my list. Dream item? Nah. A kindle would be my dream item, but not feasible to have on list right now.
14.) Something bigger than a bread box.
This big enough?
15.) Something smaller than a golf ball.
This ring is itty bitty!
16.) Something that smells wonderful.
This air freshener. Mmmm
17.) A (SFW) toy.
Amazon lists this as a toy, so I'm going to have to go with that!
18.) Something that would be helpful for going back to school.
These would be great to hang papers and reminders up on the fridge.
19.) Something related to your current obsession, whatever that may be.
I'm obsessed with books, so uh... most of my wish list. Or this bookmark that symbolizes all that is books.
20.) Something that is just so amazing and awe-inspiring that I simply must see it. Explain why it is so grand.
I'm sure you've seen this but come on! It's John Snuhhhh!
Bonus! Oregon Fruit
Fear cuts deeper thank swords! Thanks for the contest. =)
The Alchemist is something you might be interested in!
http://www.amazon.com/The-Alchemist-Paulo-Coelho/dp/0061122416
Listed below is a list of resources that help me get started with entrepreneurship, I recommend that you start listening to podcast first and then migrate to the books; if you can do both. Indulge!
Business Podcast-
http://www.tropicalmba.com
http://fourhourworkweek.com/blog/
http://www.entrepreneuronfire.com
https://www.stansberryradio.com/James-Altucher
http://www.smartpassiveincome.com
http://www.startupsfortherestofus.com
http://mixergy.com
http://freedomfastlane.com
Business books-
http://www.amazon.com/Think-Grow-Rich-Napoleon-Hill/dp/1453670114
http://www.amazon.com/The-50th-Law-50-Cent/dp/006177460X
http://www.amazon.com/The-4-Hour-Workweek-Anywhere-Expanded/dp/0307465357
http://www.amazon.com/The-Alchemist-Paulo-Coelho/dp/0061122416
http://www.amazon.com/Choose-Yourself-James-Altucher-ebook/dp/B00CO8D3G4
http://www.amazon.com/MONEY-Master-Game-Financial-Freedom-ebook/dp/B00MZAIU4G
http://www.amazon.com/The-Art-Learning-Journey-Performance/dp/0743277465
Internet blogs/resources-
http://www.reddit.com
http://www.quora.com
https://growthhackers.com
http://www.tropicalmba.com
All of the sites listed above will give you an idea of how the game is played if you want to learn more in-depth I recommend https://www.udemy.com/courses/ . If you have any questions just hit me up! hope this helps or at least give you an idea.
GOOD LUCK!!!
you won't be dissappointed I promise.
If you do buy it, and are disappointed and can tell me exactly why, I will buy you a month of reddit gold.
if you buy it and are not disappointed I will upvote as many of your post and comments I possibly can.
Either way you win, buy it and love it!
The Hedge Knight in Legends 1 paperback - 13.59 and less
The Sworn Sword in Legends 2 paperback - 7.99
The Mystery Knight in Warriors 1 paperback - 7.99
I have posted these before. Can we get a mod to add these to the sidebar so we can end these questions and people's links to torrents and PDFs. Also, these are available as graphic novels/comics as well, but I think they are pretty limited in quantity and quite expensive.
This may seem unreasonable for a couple of novellas, but they are actually good collections. Some of the stories are really good. If its really too much, they are generally available at your local library.
EDIT: If you really love ASOIAF, please buy these. More money will hopefully encourage GRRM to keep writing!
Some of them were re-released individually as graphic novels, but other than that they're only available as part of collections:
The Hedge Knight - http://www.amazon.com/dp/0765300354/ref=cm_sw_su_dp
The Sworn Sword - http://www.amazon.com/dp/034547578X/ref=cm_sw_su_dp
The Mystery Knight - http://www.amazon.com/dp/0765360268/ref=cm_sw_su_dp
The UK paperback is already out, but it was split into two volumes. The US paperback was due out in August, but it was delayed until early next year. The only US release so far is the hardcover. I feel like I've seen pics of a one volume paperback ADWD though...
tl;dr - The $35 hardcover that both Amazon and Barnes & Noble have for $21 or the eBook version that both have for $15.
> I'm supposed to wait some 3-4 years after ADWD for the next book? Rough, since I started the series this June.
Yes :( You can try to find the Tales of Dunk & Egg in the anthologies each one comes in (Legends, Legends II, and Warriors). A fourth Dunk & Egg novella is coming out soon, and all four will be released in one volume afterwards.
Here's the bad news about D&E.. Each book of D&E is in a separate anthology, so you need to buy 3 different books to read them. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that most of us download the PDFs with the intention on buying the D&Es when they get released as a single book (which will happen after the 4th story is released).
Here's the books you'd need to buy to read the three released D&E stories:
Legends, Legends 2, and Warriors.
I couldn't find the first one...I think that's the first one.more info here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tales_of_Dunk_and_Egg
Paperback editions.
the hedge knight for $13.59
The sworn sword for $7.99
the mystery knight for $7.99
There is both a comic/graphic novel and short stories.
This is it
https://www.amazon.com/Knight-Seven-Kingdoms-Song-Fire/dp/0345533488
I'll just drop this here ;)
https://www.amazon.com/Knight-Seven-Kingdoms-Song-Fire/dp/0345533488
Should be recognisable, it's a bestselling collection of the Dunk and Egg books:
https://www.amazon.com/Knight-Seven-Kingdoms-Song-Fire/dp/0345533488
Comes with awesome illustrations every couple of pages too
It's just the audiobook version of one of GRRM's supplemental novellas, titled The Princess and the Queen. The Rogue Prince is the companion novella which should be read first of the two. There's another trio of novellas, collectively called Tales of Dunk and Egg. There are audiobook recordings available on youtube, but with a not-so-great narrator. There's another audiobook version, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, narrated by Harry Lloyd (Viserys Targaryen) which is awesome, but not available as a freebie on youtube, unfortunately.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0345533488/ Four versions for your consideration.
Boom
http://www.amazon.com/Knight-Seven-Kingdoms-Adventures-Duncan/dp/0345533488
That's okay I get that way about stuff to, we all do.
I wonder if you were thinking of the interview where he said he thought it was a mistake to bring Gandalf back from the dead in Two Towers, because it robs the reader of the emotional weight of losing such a powerful character. Reading into that a certain way you could definitely see that as a critique on Tolkien. To me I think it's more his way of explaining why characters like Ned won't be coming back.
There's lots of great fantasy out there so if ASOIAF isn't your thing that's okay too. For example I love sci-fi, but Dr. Who and Firefly for some reason just don't work for me. Luckily we have tons of options!
If you don't like Game of Thrones, but maybe want to read some Martin to get a feel for his style that isn't as dark, I recommend his Dunk and Egg shorter stories. They take place before the events in the books/TV series in the same world and they're much lighter and about a wandering hedge knight.
They were compiled into a nice book A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
Hopping into Deleuze as your first philosopher must have been absolutely brutal. I can't think of a harder introduction. Read Sophie's World for a nice introduction to a whole slew of thinkers responsible for philosophy's foundation.
If you are starting:
Sophie's World, from Jostein Gaarder.
http://www.amazon.com/Sophies-World-History-Philosophy-Classics/dp/0374530718/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1317505200&amp;sr=8-1
I also enjoyed The Passion Of The Western Mind by Richard Tarnas. Personally, I think that Tarnas did of better job than Russel at giving context to the philosophical frameworks that these guys were working within, but that's just my opinion (I've read both books). Russell comes across like a professor giving you his specific interpretation - hence the bias slant - where as Tanas seems able to give you a little more perspective - not that I'm attempting to claim that he is completely without bias, himself.
You might also what to look into Sophie's World.
It appears to be Sophie's World: A Novel About the History of Philosophy
Have you read Confucius and confucianism? That's really where this stuff gets treated philosophically.
If you want a philosophical idea of childhood and consent rooted in Western philosophy, then you've got to read diverse thinkers of the past three centuries. John Locke has a lot to say about children, so maybe start there.
Also, I might be presumptuous, in which case I apologize--but are you a teenager? If so, you might benefit from reading a good introduction to philosophy. You can find several if you use the search bar, but I always recommend the novel Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder. It is a story designed to introduce philosophy to teenagers.
I highly suggest this book: Steven Hassan Combatting Cult Mind Control
I just finished reading it recently. It's an incredible and very well researched book on the subject. In short: the LDS church is simply put: "just like the other cults" -- probably a bit less intense generally, but the methodology it uses is no different really.
No, this isn't wrong. We certainly have all been there. Truth doesn't require you to not read certain things to remain true. While some things can be confusing, and some require a serious study to get to the bottom of, you should never be afraid of questioning something to prove whether it is true or not. If it's true, you don't have to worry about questioning it.
I was really uncomfortable with the idea of "apostates" myself for a long time; it's been hammered into you from a young age, of course it's scary to think that you might be tricked. But for one thing, there is no trick. You'll have to figure that out for yourself, but I'd encourage you to start trying to figure it out.
Combatting Cult Mind Control was written by Steven Hassan, who had no exposure to the Witnesses prior to writing this book. He writes about his experiences as a Moonie, and the techniques the Unification Church (and others) used to attract people to their organization and keep them in it. You don't have to worry about it being an "apostate" book, since he certainly wasn't affiliated with the witnesses, and didn't even know about them.
The similarities between the Unification Church, and his experience in it, along with the analysis of various other high control groups will help you see that many groups rely on the idea that speaking to former members is one of the worst sins imaginable. It isn't, of course, but it makes an effective tool to keep people tied in to an organization.
If you can, pick up a copy and read it. Visit Hassan's site for a quick overview, this is a good place to start: BITE Model
This isn't an effort to convince you that the organization is a cult, it's just a presentation of how many cults work. Take a look and see if you see any of these elements in the way the organization works.
Let us know how you're doing, though, if you would. We have a pretty caring community here, and it includes some worriers - myself included, I suppose. When people pop on, especially when they're in tough spots, we want to hear that they're doing ok. I hope you are.
Your post was removed by Reddit probably because it was a URL shortner website for Amazon with a referral code. The actual link without a code is https://www.amazon.com/dp/0892813113/
Steve Hassan has written a book that might help. http://www.amazon.com/Combatting-Cult-Mind-Control-Best-selling/dp/0892813113
Not that things are this point in your situation, but if they become so or are for someone else, please check out Combatting Cult Mind Control. It's an excellent book on why cults are successful, what tactics they employ, and how loved ones can work against them to help get their family members back. In general it's an interesting read and great for keeping you aware of what to look out for if you are investigating a religion to join, and may be useful in conversations with your mother if she's flirting with the idea of joining Scientology.
...or perhaps more accurately, a cult. For which a trained exit councillor is probably the best approach. See Steve Hassan's book on the subject.
> Maybe someone needs a book but really most people dont " need" a book about Jehovas witneses ( maybe 100 Best Door Slaming Techniques) See what I mean
I DO see what you mean, and I agree completely! I mean, I've got this library of SGI books and out-of-print books about the SGI, and there's only ONE that I've found anyone to have any independent interest in - Hirotatsu Fujiwara's "I Denounce Soka Gakkai" - and that was simply whether I thought it was the authors siggy inside the front cover! I'll pull out a few paragraphs from these, maybe, but I certainly don't expect anyone else to go to the investment of time and energy to read the damn things!
Reading entire books is the stuff of college courses and grad school, not an anti-cult activism/cult escapee support site!
>the question what is sgi is misleading any way as sure the cult itself love to have a neat little introductory book So dont give the culties ideas
They've already got that O_O
>101 uses for A Dead Ikeda
OMG! YAAAS!! Or at least some scenes reminiscent of "Weekend at Bernie's"! I think I could actually do that - I'll need to brush up on my Photoshop skillz. Stay tuned - probably not today, but perhaps this week.
>I am kind of thinking getting a UK British ex sgi facebook page or something I would like to meet other ex sgi and exchange thoughts / support other people escaping
Well, over here, there's a "Meetup" site where you can advertise for people to get together, and they contact you through that site and confirm so you can get it all set up - that's a pretty easy way to do it, I suppose. wisetaiten back in the day tried, but there was only one person who responded and wasn't close enough, so she didn't try again. Facebook's a good resource, though - why not? And I don't think there's any worry about copyright or anything - don't worry, they'll let you know if there is, but there's plenty of SGI stuff on Facebook. wisetaiten even set up an SGIWhistleblowers Facebook page, but I can't get into it now...
>You do that Brilliantly here on whistle blowers
With YOUR help!
>I do also think some Drs mental health psychologist are needed for some explanations for some people .
"Religious trauma syndrome" is a pretty new definition; I believe the field of psychology is still in catching-up mode as far as cult damage goes. I don't know of any book about cult effects from the medical perspective; for now, Steve Hassan's "Combatting Cult Mind Control" (updated 2015) remains the gold standard; I'd follow that up with Margaret Thaler Singer's "Cults in Our Midst: The Continuing Fight Against Their Hidden Menace" - while I have not read either of these (prolly should, yo), I've used excerpts from them that I've found online and I believe wisetaiten read the Steve Hassan book and posted here about it. The Thaler Singer book is from 2003 and while it includes some cult specifics (Aum, Moonies, among others) it doesn't seem to identify SGI specifically - the Ikeda cult is just that irrelevant. That's another reason that writing such a book is an unappealing prospect - there just isn't much demand for it outside of this little group. Look at our subscriptions - thus far, we're less than 900. There are pages on reddit with millions of subscribers! THEY should write books!
>its deadly serious shit the mental fuck up sgi produces
It certainly is. I know people are often flippant, even silly, around here, but I hope we demonstrate how seriously we take the effects and communicate that appropriately to our visitors.
>like you cant actualy be real unless you go over to hall 1 and bang out load of chanting for 30 minutes before you start activity
Gotta get you in that compliant, gullible, obedient, cooperative trance state first!
>spend 10-20-30 years beliving that stuff and then find out its all a crock of shit if that dont mess ya mind up what will ?
I know. Some say we should just forget all about it, leave it behind like used toilet paper and not give it any more thought than that wad of used toilet paper, but people's minds don't work that way. Of course our SGI critics want us to shut up and they try everything, like shaming us for "focusing on what's in the past, maaaan".
>what is sgi ?
>buncha money grabbing croocks A organised crime syndicate a slick propaganda machine Its just horible organisation
And THERE ya have it, folks!
Having your church tell you who to marry is NOT liberal or open-minded. It's what is more commonly called a "cult", in both a sociological and negative sense.
http://www.amazon.com/Combatting-Cult-Mind-Control-Best-selling/dp/0892813113
Anyone who thinks they or someone they love might be in a cult should read this book. You might find out you're fine, but at the very least it will make you avoid the more destructive elements of New Religious Movements.
It's not controlling to tell your girlfriend to keep her wits about her. I highly, highly recommend Steven Hassan's book.
http://www.amazon.com/Combatting-Cult-Mind-Control-Best-selling/dp/0892813113
Your girlfriend is going into an environment that may make her feel special and understood, BUT, if the environment is what's controlling her rather than teaching her to control herself, then it's a cult.
Tell her to keep her eyes open and to remain appropriately skeptical. Good luck!
http://www.amazon.com/Moon-People-Dale-M-Courtney/dp/1436372135/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1408775972&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=moon+people
http://www.amazon.com/Moon-People-Dale-M-Courtney/dp/1436372135/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1246455054&amp;sr=8-1
Just posted this URL in the other submission, but if you're interested in plunking down $16: http://www.amazon.com/Moon-People-Dale-M-Courtney/dp/1436372135/
Its amazon page needs some reviews.
http://www.amazon.com/Moon-People-Dale-M-Courtney/dp/1436372135/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;s=books&amp;qid=1246462281&amp;sr=8-1
Was the author's name Dale M. Courtney? Writer of Moon People?
>Beutel said that, barring any unforeseen glitches, Ares I-X engineers are currently on track for the Halloween launch test.
Has to be an homage to Moon People.
Oh god. Okay. I feel like I've been preparing for this post my whole life (or at least since I found these awesome things on amazon):
Make sure you read the comments on these amazing, once in a lifetime products!!!
edit: Aww shoot, I just saw you meant for realz. I got nothing, sorry. But still, you'll have a good laugh!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/1436372135/ref=dp_olp_collectible?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1249510435&amp;sr=8-1&amp;condition=collectible
DBDA is one of the best zombie anythings, ever. I loved the series!
World War Z was good, but I found Day by Day Armageddon (and its sequel) and Ex-Heroes to draw me in a bit more. I don't read very often at all, but I could not put down those last two books.
I liked Day by Day because it was somewhat of a first person, diary type book. The second was pretty good too.
Ex-Heroes was good because it was a bit different. It revolved around super heroes trying to deal with the zombie apocalypse and protecting the last of the normal people. Of course, not all super heroes are immune to the zombie disease. A new one called Ex-Patriots just came out, which I'm going to start soon.
Day By Day Armageddon.
Nothing like some post-apocalyptic zombie survival. No really, it's actually a quite entertaining read.
My favorite zombie book is-Day by Day Armageddon by J. L. Bourne
and, of course, the films of George Romero. Night of the Living Dead, which can be seen for free online now. legally! and the best- Dawn of the Dead. and finally Day of the Dead.
Day by Day Armageddon is a pretty interesting story that is done in the style of a journal. It's not a masterpiece by any standards but it's pretty decent for what it is. Except the 3rd one. That one is not good.
https://www.amazon.com/Day-Armageddon-J-L-Bourne/dp/1439176671
&#x200B;
Used to be online in a kind of "blog" or journal format, but since been made into books (haven't really had a chance to read the sequels). If I had to guess, the author is either ex military or did a ton of research because he seems to know a lot about small arms and flying planes. Very detailed and methodical approach to surviving a zombie apocalypse. Loved every second of it!
I love the Day by Day Armageddon series By J.L. Bourne. Here's a link. http://www.amazon.com/Day-Armageddon-J-L-Bourne/dp/1439176671/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1456816843&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=day+by+day+armageddon
Day by Day is the best hands down.
I also really like the First book in The Stain trilogy.
If he enjoys comedy books then you should definitely go with Lamb, the Gospel According to Biff by Christopher Moore.
Else, Ender's Game and The Dresden Files were already mentioned. If he likes zombies go with Day by Day Armageddon. Try out Storm of Iron if he likes Warhammer 40k or in general awesome fantasy warfare in the distance and wicked future.
My ultimate vote goes to The Dresden Files. Harry Dresden is an awesome character.
Day by Day Armageddon by JL Bourne. Journal style writing about a Naval Pilot surviving the zombie apocalypse.
http://www.amazon.com/Day-Armageddon-J-L-Bourne/dp/1439176671
You want a military science fiction? Here you go! :3
I'm Horrible -ly in love with that book! :D And I'd love to have a CAH game night!
The Blade Itself (The First Law trilogy) - Joe Abercrombie
7.5/10
Low Fantasy
Exciting and fast paced with strong character building. Lacks the world building of other longer fantasy books, but it's very intriguing. Can't speak for the rest of the trilogy.
Amazon
Richard K. Morgan: A land fit for heroes
It's a pretty damn good fantasy series. I got into it because his cyberpunk noir novels were so damn good. Altered Carbon and the rest of the Takeshi Kovacs novels were excellent.
Also, I was lucky enough to have friends immediately recommend Joe Abercrombie post asoiaf. The First Law Trilogy is absolutely gripping. Personally, I think it's better than asoiaf.
The First Law Trilogy by Joe Abercrombie.
Phil Kessel, thou art a flesh-monger and a cream-faced loon.
The Blade Itself
Twelve Monkeys
The First Law by Joe Abercrombie
Off To Be The Wizard by Scott Meyer?
(Normally I link to Goodreads instead of Amazon, but Goodreads is throwing up a certificate error for me right now.)
'Off to be the Wizard' also uses Esperanto, as the words they use for magic spells. It's not very good Esperanto, though.
https://www.amazon.com/Gronking-Remember-Book-Gronkowski-Erotica-ebook/dp/B00RN7TNHE
http://www.amazon.com/Gronking-Remember-Gronkowski-Erotica-Series-ebook/dp/B00RN7TNHE
https://www.amazon.com/Gronking-Remember-Book-Gronkowski-Erotica-ebook/dp/B00RN7TNHE
A Gronking to Remember by Lacey Noonan. Just your average run of the mill Gronk fan fiction.
We all want A Gronking to Remember!
So glad that it's back on Amazon. The blurb is a riot. Going to buy this now.
EDIT: Read the book. It was one of the funniest books I've read in a while. This success is well deserved.
EDIT2: Better yet, listen to Morgan Freeman read the book.
No worries, Chuck Tingle's got your back fam!
https://www.amazon.com/Pounded-Pound-Socioeconomic-Implications-European-ebook/dp/B01HJXVP8G
Scriviamo qualcosa come tipo questo?
> When Alex learns that Britain has decided to leave the European Union, he’s shocked by just hold normal everything seems. But the calm doesn’t last as Alex is suddenly accosted by a giant living coin from the not so distant future.
> In this horrific future where Britain has left the EU, four story busses lie strewn about the streets of London after a failed plan to cut costs, the Queen’s Guard have been replaced by flying reptiles with machine guns and the River Thames runs red with molten lava.
> Now Alex and his handsome sentient pound must travel back to the past and sway the vote for European solidarity, by proving that all you need is love.
> This erotic tale is 4,200 words of sizzling human on monetary unit action, including anal, blowjobs, rough sex, cream pies and living pound love.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HJXVP8G
I got you covered.
That sounds like a Chuck Tingle novel...
https://www.amazon.com/Pounded-Pound-Socioeconomic-Implications-European-ebook/dp/B01HJXVP8G
Remind me of this book (Pounded By The Pound: Turned Gay By The Socioeconomic Implications Of Britain Leaving The European Union) by Chuck Tingle.
This list badly needs this book in it. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pounded-Pound-Socioeconomic-Implications-European-ebook/dp/B01HJXVP8G
There's a lot of unicorns, too. Some bigfoots (bigfeet?) And quite a few metaphorical concepts, like Pounded by the Pound: Turned Gay by the Socioeconomic Implications of Britain Leaving the European Union
>Actually naziism isn't compatible as a philosophy with sikhism
Then stop promoting nazi propaganda.
>But I guess that anything a nazi said is wrong by virtue of having been said by a nazi?
It's both wrong and nazi propaganda, both of which have been repeatedly demonstrated throughout this thread.
>I'm not lying about Jewish people you idiot.
You lied about the Rothschilds, who are Jewish.
> I'm saying that the banking system has nothing to do with Jews
"Yes the World Bank and Federal Reserve etc are controlled by a small group of private banks, which includes the Rothschilds"
You literally said it has to do with Rothschilds, who you singled out.
>But also kind of ironic that whilst I argue that the corruption of World banking
Can you even explain what "World banking" is, because it clearly isn't the US central bank for the rather obvious reason that it doesn't operate globally. Is it the World Bank? Is it both?
----
ReAd A BoOk
At least we're moving on now.
Why "Domald Tromp Pounded In The Butt By The Handsome Russian T-Rex Who Also Peed On His Butt And Then Blackmailed Him With The Videos Of His Butt Getting Peed On" by Chuck Tingle (Amazon), is the "Madame Bovary" of my generation.
Are you perhaps thinking of Chuck Tingle's 2016 work Slammed In The Butt By Domald Tromp's Attempt To Avoid Accusations Of Plagiarism By Removing All Facts Or Concrete Plans From His Republican National Convention Speech or his more recently published Domald Tromp Pounded In The Butt By The Handsome Russian T-Rex Who Also Peed On His Butt And Then Blackmailed Him With The Videos Of His Butt Getting Peed On?
One of the best books I have read on the topic Combatting Cult Mind Control: The #1 Best-selling Guide to Protection, Rescue, and Recovery from Destructive Cults
Autogenerated.
Discussion Megathread: Leah Remini A&E Special + AMA Announcement for Cedars and Steve Hassan!
The long-awaited special will be airing at 9PM ET/PT on Tuesday November 13th, 2018. It will air on the cable channel A&E in the US.
We'll be trying to keep this post up to date with links/details on how to watch Leah's A&E expose as we get them in, so please comment below if you know of a way to watch that isn't listed.
Do you want to Thank Leah? Do that here! A few Folks are organizing a Twitter Storm to thank Leah on November 14, which you can read all about here, or see u/patlynnw:
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Watch in Canada on Optik/Teleus
How to Watch in the UK Sun Nov 18th, 7pm
(Possibly) Watch Online, after the fact:
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Special AMA Details!!
To ease your cult expose hangover, we will also be hosting TWO Special AMAs. Please give a massive thanks to both Cedars and Steve Hassan who have reached out and accepted our AMA invitations! Here is when all that is going down:
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Cedars, AKA the inimitable Lloyd Evans- Friday November 16th, 2018. Starting 8AMEST for appx. 24 hours.
Guys, it's Cedars!! Join us as we offer the chance to Q&A one of the most prominent activists in the EXJW community. Lloyd is best known as the Founder of JW Survey and the John Cedars Channel He has also recently authored a book, which is part of a greater wave that is making public the struggles of those in the EXJW community. Lloyd, if I've missed anything (as I am sure I have), let me know. :) For the rest of you, watch this space for the sticky, where you will be able to ask your quesetions!
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Steve Hassan- Monday November 19th, 2018. 9AM EST, for appx 24 Hours.
Let's have a round of applause for everyone's favorite cult deprogramming expert! Steve Hassan is the founder of Freedom of Mind, and a leading figure in the movement to define how cults operate and combat their effects. His book "Combating Cult Mind Control" is a cult favorite (no pun intended) among EXJWs and will be having its 30th anniversary this week. Here is an excerpt from his website, with more information:
>"Steven has helped thousands of former cult members and their families, clergy, psychologists and fellow cult experts over the years. He co-developed “Ending the Game”, a non-coercive curriculum designed to educate and empower commercial sex trafficking victims, and has spoken out about the effects, mechanisms, and signs of undue influence in its many forms on 60 Minutes, CNN, NPR, Good Morning America, The Today Show, Larry King Live, Oprah, and many other programs, as well as being featured in People Magazine, USA Today, Newsweek, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, The Guardian, and dozens of other major publications and websites."
Watch "Hot" sort for the sticky next Monday where you can ask Steve whatever you'd like! You won't want to miss this chance.
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PS- Sorry we had to clump it all together. Reddit only gives us two stickys.
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IamAbot_v01. Alpha version. Under care of /u/oppon.
Comment 1 of 1
Updated at 2018-11-12 08:24:51.091331
Next update in approximately 20 mins at 2018-11-12 08:44:51.091368
That sucks I am sorry your parents have been joined the MAGA cult. There is a book by a former cult member called Combatting Cult Mind Control that might prove helpful. Same author also wrote one specifically on cult MAGA followers.
I understand you're asking about Scientology as primarily, but you mentioned why the Catholic Church isn't being considered a cult because of actions they've committed in the past.
As for the FBI, there is some precedent to believe that Scientology are under investigation currently. That precedent being that there have been multiple investigations in the past, increased recent public scrutiny (Louis Theroux, Leah Remini) and a recent suspicious death of a Scientology member, it's kinda unlikely to believe that they aren't under investigation, albeit not publicly.
For the longest time they weren't classified as a religion until they wore down the IRS to give them the tax-exempt status of a religion. Until there is video evidence of SeaOrg members torturing and imprisoning members in which those same tortured members are willing to testify against Scientology in court and say they were held against their will, then it's going to take a domestic terror situation to make the government do something about this cult (as is the case in many countries that have their own unique cults).
Obviously you're curious for a real in depth look into Scientology and how it relates to organized religion and whatnot so here's a few book recommendations so you can go beyond Reddit where you definitely won't get the detailed look you might yearn for (BUT WITH BOOKS YOU CAN :D).
Going Clear
Bare-faced Messiah
Combatting Cult Mind Control
Yup! Read the book called "Combatting Cult Mind Control" by steve Hassan. Its a fascinating read and although written about his experience in the Moonie cult it gives you insight into how cults work whether religious, secular, political or any other, the methods the leaders use to control, the logic they employ and how they manipulate people are all the same. It is SPOT ON how trump speaks to his base and the methods he uses to distort the truth
Obligatory Moon People
will it work with
http://www.amazon.com/Moon-People-Dale-M-Courtney/dp/1436372135/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1332992264&amp;sr=8-1
Here's an excellent book on the subject:
http://www.amazon.com/Moon-People-Dale-M-Courtney/dp/1436372135
Well, it's no Moon People or anything :)
The book. http://www.amazon.com/Moon-People-Dale-M-Courtney/dp/1436372135/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
Moon People. Not sure if she's read it yet...
OP, if you don't thoroughly enjoy this book I will personally send you a Person Message apologizing, and depending on where you live, ship you something else.
Here is the first page, just a teaser of what you'll be getting into. Don't enjoy it too much!
Moon People - I challenge you to find something worse.
Read the review on the amazon page, should say it all
Let's get him on a top 10 list:
http://www.amazon.com/Moon-People-Dale-M-Courtney/dp/1436372135/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;s=books&amp;qid=1246460835&amp;sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.com/Moon-People-Dale-M-Courtney/dp/1436372135/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;s=books&amp;qid=1246413621&amp;sr=8-1
Yea, Definitely not the worst.
Moon People
Excerpt...
Chapter 9
Neither Dan Simmons nor Mieville are anywhere near the worst.
> Make it competent adults, that's more believable.
Like in Moon People? :)
Moon People
You don't even need to read the book, just check out the "About the Author" under Amazon's Editorial Review and his biography under "More about the Author" (because the first round wasn't enough to explain all his complexities).
Well, since it appears that he deleted his account, I'll leave this for you.
[Moon People](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1436372135/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&amp;pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&amp;pf_rd_t=201&amp;pf_rd_i=0765305364&amp;pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&amp;pf_rd_r=00BDY3GWW87S8G86ECHQ "lol") by Dale M. Courtney.
Maybe Day by Day Armageddon by J.L. Bourne?
The first two books of J.L. Bourne's Day by Day Armageddon series are fantastic. Basically an ex-military guy who keeps a journal detailing the fall of humanity following a zombie outbreak.
Be sure to skip the 3rd book (Shattered Hourglass), though. It's terrible.
Day by Day Armageddon series And of course Hunger Games.
I think the best book that breaks down the nitty gritty details of surviving a zombie apocalypse is Day by Day Armageddon.
It's written as the journal of an retired veteran of the most recent gulf wars. He already lives a bit off the grid, so he's better able to survive than most when the crisis hits. His pragmatic approach to everything is what keeps him alive, through all of his choices of where to go, where to get supplies, and what shelters to seek. He also meets and helps other survivors on his way, some of whom choose to shelter and travel through different methods, so you are exposed to other people's survival choices as well.
The journal format it is presented in is perfectly done. Despite all events having already occurred when a journal entry is written, it still makes for incredible tension at various points.
The only complaint I've heard against this book is that some people feel that the main character is too prepared, or too perfectly fit to the challenge of surviving the zombie apocalypse. My response to this is that if the character wasn't "prepared" and capable in the same manner, they would die early on and the story would be over. We are reading THIS story because out of all the people that tried to survive, THIS character has the skills and supplies that has allowed them to stay alive. His preparedness is well within a reasonable level of suspension of disbelief. But to each their own.
Anyways, if you try it, I hope you enjoy it as much as I have!
Also read Day by Day Armageddon by JL Bourne. Diary format, slow Zombies...
Please read this.
If you're into zombie books, try this series. It has zombies, action, and an easy to read style.
edit: Oh yeah, and for action, the Joe Ledger series is not bad. It starts here.
edit 2: AND, for another series with good action and pretty fun, check out Sandman Slim.
favorite zombie books so far have been Day by Day Armageddon by J.L. Bourne and Plague of the Dead by Z.A. Recht. Adding in this album by The Gorillaz just adds on to the mood of the book.
Also being from SE Texas and driving most of the roads talked about in Day by Day Armageddon makes the book a little extra unnerving.
Day by Day Armageddon by J. L. Bourne. Absolute must read if you're a zombie fan.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1439176671/
I personally love GRRM's writing, repetitive phrases and all (and I wouldn't call myself an inexperienced reader at all). I am absolutely absorbed in the world he's created and I can safely say it's my second favorite series of all time.
But if it's recommendations you're after, I just started Joe Abercrombie's first book, "The Blade Itself." Very interesting so far in that you really aren't sure that you're cheering for any of the protagonists, and I hear the character development is sublime as the books progress.
Also, the Dresden Files (Jim Butcher) are my absolute favorite series. Talk about character development! He does a great job blending sci-fi and fantasy from all over and adds in some really likeable (and snarky!) characters.
And cheers to Redwall! I miss those books. :)
I also hear The First Law Trilogy by Joe Abercrombie is pretty genre breaking and similar to the "grittiness" of ASOIAF. I read the first chapter of Best Served Cold (not from the trilogy but same world) and liked it so far.
EDIT: (added link to Amazon) I would also like to plug The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson. I enjoyed the political maneuvering of Dalinar and his son, the 'fuck yeah' moments of Kaladin, the worldbuilding of Shallan's sketches and various interludes, the neat stormlight Lashing/soulcasting magic system, interesting pace, and overall excellent quality of the book. I don't think it had the same tone as Martin but I enjoyed it far more than Dance. Just my $.02!
I am glad I am able to expose many of you to these as I have been. If I had to briefly describe them I would have to say satisfyingly dark, plenty of violence and great fight scenes. The characters is what makes this stand out though. Hate them or love them they are truly unique and greatly enjoyable, the perspectives change from chapter to chapter so you never get bored. Everyone is out for themselves and there are no good guys, many betrayals and twists. This is truly the most entertaining books I have read.
Here is the amazon link for those interested in more reviews.
After the trilogy takes place there are 2 stand alone novels taking place in the same world. The first roughly 4 years after the trilogy titled Best Served Cold, the second roughly 8 years after the trilogy is The Heroes.
If you are someone that has been searching for that truly violent epic that doesn't hold back, with a cast of amazing characters and a non stop energy that just flows through the entire set then check these out, It will not disappoint!
You might like The Blade Itself I don't know if I would consider it "excessively violent" though.
I usually recommend Abercrombie's First Law trilogy to fans of ASOIAF.
The Blade Itself
Before They Are Hanged
Last Argument of Kings
Hm, here are some recommendations of my favorite Dark/Gritty Fantasies that immediately come to mind:
Joe Abercrombie is one of my favorite new authors, his books are incredibly gritty dark and original, but the characters are simply amazing. The best starting place is The Blade Itself, but you can read his two other books that aren't part of the trilogy and can be read without losing too much, though they are in the same world and there's more to like about it if you already read the First Law Trilogy. Out of his two stand alone books I'd recommend Best Served Cold which is a Fantasy revenge story in the vain of Kill Bill.
One really good book I read recently is Daniel Polansky's Low Town which is a really cool gritty noir fantasy novel. Where the main character is a former detective for a Fantasy city, but at the beginning of the book he's a drug dealer. Then when murders start to occur, he gets drawn back into the politics of the city, resulting in a great story and multiple plot twists and revelations.
One of my favorites books I've read recently has to be Brent Week's Black Prism. It has some really unique world building, where the magic powers are based on light/colors, and the different magic users have different really unique powers based on their color wavelength. His previous work, the Night Angel Trilogy is also great and it's a little more gritty, with the main character being an assassin.
Next I'll go a little indie here, with the author Jon Sprunk's Shadow's Sun. It features an assassin with slight magical powers and the conscience of a beautiful invisible woman (a real imaginary friend) that is always following him around. There's a lot of things to like in this book, even if they are a little shallow.
Two books from different authors (both of which I really loved) that have kind of similar settings featuring thieves running amok in the underbellies of fantasy cities with a decent amount of grit (without being too dark) are The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch and Doug Hulick's Among Thieves.
There's also Ari Marmell's [The Conqueror's Shadow] (http://www.amazon.com/The-Conquerors-Shadow-Ari-Marmell/dp/0553593153/ref=la_B001JSDH98_1_20?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1340785404&amp;sr=1-20), the main character is a former evil warlord who gave it all up to live a mundane life with a woman he kidnapped. He then has to put back on his fear inducing armor, when someone else is out in the world impersonating him. There is no evil force in this book, and there's a lot of interesting stuff here, the guy actually has a demonic amulet as a partner that provides him with magical abilities, and the demon is hilarious.
The next series isn't too gritty but it's awesome, so I'd still recommend the author Michael Sullivan, a DIY author that was so successful Orbit picked up his 6 book series to release as three larger books (he's also done some great AMA's on Reddit), the first of which is Theft of Swords. The characters in his book are absolutely superb. It's about these two master thieves that are brought into the conspiracy that they wanted no part of, but will see it to the end no matter what the cost.
Robin Hobb technically isn't real gritty, but she is one of my favorite authors, and in her books serious and horrible things can happen to the characters at times, but the endings of some of her trilogies are some of my favorite endings I've ever read. You could start with her first book about the bastard son of a king (that can bond with animals) being trained as an assassin, Assassin's Apprentice, or my favorite trilogy of her's set in the same universe but a different continent, Ship of Magic that has some awesome pirate settings, talking ships, and dragons. I also love one of her other trilogies set in a different universe than the rest of her books, Shaman's Crossing, the first book has kind of a Harry Potter-esque academy setting without the magic, and the rest of the trilogy gets into some really interesting stuff that's too weird to attempt to explain.
I think that's all I got, and you wouldn't go wrong reading any of these books, all of the pages I linked to are the book's Amazon page, so you can read further descriptions that I'm sure are better than mine. :)
For a more sci-fi feel check out the expanse series by James S.A Corey,
also the long price quartet by Daniel Abraham, is pretty neat as it is fantasy that isn't centered around Europe.
I would also recommend checking out the First Law series by Joe Abercrombie
the links are in order
The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie.
I'm considering to pick up these books next since a lot of people are giving them high praise. However everytime I read the description of the first book, like on amazon, I get a bit put off since I get the feeling that the plot is constructed with a D&D rulebook an a pair of dice.
A few Ctrl+C/Ctrl+V from Amazon to show try to lift my point.
With some luck it's just a bad description and I'm a fool for putting these books off.
Can never have too many blades, as Logen Ninefingers would say.
A trilogy I enjoyed very much and I feel is undervalued are The First Law books by Joe Abercrombie. Here is the link to the first book: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/159102594X
Opening a permanent portal to an alternate dimension that resembles the past of our own dimension isn't really opening a portal to the past. It is opening a portal to a different dimension that resembles, but is not, our own.
This resembles "Off to be the Wizard" by Scott Mayer.
So it doesn't really affect our past. What the time travelers find is that whatever they do in the past, it has no affect on the future, since the past and the future are different dimensions.
https://www.amazon.com/Off-Be-Wizard-Magic-2-0/dp/1612184715
Martin Banks is just a normal guy who has made an abnormal discovery: he can manipulate reality, thanks to reality being nothing more than a computer program. With every use of this ability, though, Martin finds his little “tweaks” have not escaped notice. Rather than face prosecution, he decides instead to travel back in time to the Middle Ages and pose as a wizard.
What could possibly go wrong?
An American hacker in King Arthur’s court, Martin must now train to become a full-fledged master of his powers, discover the truth behind the ancient wizard Merlin…and not, y’know, die or anything.
I'd like to see the Magic 2.0 series from Scott Meyer or Spellsinger from Alan Dean Foster, but the latter would take a ton of CGI. I've always thought Thieves World would make an interesting translation to TV, a shared world, but each director gets to do their episode from a different viewpoint.
One book that i didnt see mentioned in a casual skim of the posts is Off to be the Wizard
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Off-Be-Wizard-Magic-2-0/dp/1612184715
A very silly series where a modern day guy ends up in an alternate dimension where he can do magic/control the world via programming. Super light reads, fun and funny, and pulls in your computer interest. If you enjoy the first one, you can pick up the others.
If you want something a bit meatier, check out some Douglas Hofstadter.
Le Ton Beau de Marot (it's in English) is about the process and problems of translating languages, and makes surprisingly good bathroom reading because the chapters are short. He starts the scope small, talking about whether to focus on literal meaning or the spirit of the words, and then brings in more concepts like artificial constraints (poetry, or even writing without certain letters, for one example). It is philosophical, informative, and amusing. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B012HVQ1R0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_L2sgAbDYFK1XK
He also wrote Godel Escher Bach: an Eternal Golden Braid. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0465026567/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_b3sgAbQ79TTGS better writers than I have written reviews (this one is from Amazon)
>Twenty years after it topped the bestseller charts, Douglas R Hofstadter's Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid is still something of a marvel. Besides being a profound and entertaining meditation on human thought and creativity, this book looks at the surprising points of contact between the music of Bach, the artwork of Escher, and the mathematics of Gödel. It also looks at the prospects for computers and artificial intelligence (AI) for mimicking human thought. For the general reader and the computer techie alike, this book still sets a standard for thinking about the future of computers and their relation to the way we think.
The Magic 2.0 series is definitely in the YA heap, but I thought all of the books were pretty entertaining. First is the best - "Off to Be the Wizard" - and it's on kindle unlimited.
I like the Kindle in Motion version of Off to be the Wizard
Here is the link to the kindle version - https://www.amazon.com/Magic-2-0-3-Book-Series/dp/B00TP1RYO0/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1487251391&amp;sr=1-5&amp;keywords=magic+2.0
Here is the link to the first book in physical form - https://www.amazon.com/Off-Be-Wizard-Magic-2-0/dp/1612184715/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1487251391&amp;sr=1-3&amp;keywords=magic+2.0
No, I'm talking about this one.
>Martin Banks is just a normal guy who has made an abnormal discovery: he can manipulate reality, thanks to reality being nothing more than a computer program. With every use of this ability, though, Martin finds his little “tweaks” have not escaped notice. Rather than face prosecution, he decides instead to travel back in time to the Middle Ages and pose as a wizard. What could possibly go wrong? An American hacker in King Arthur’s court, Martin must now train to become a full-fledged master of his powers, discover the truth behind the ancient wizard Merlin…and not, y’know, die or anything.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Off-Be-Wizard-Magic-2-0/dp/1612184715
I really enjoyed it - I wont spoil it
Off to be the Wizard & Magic 2.0 series might fit the bill for you. It'll be a little different take on medieval wizardry, but it is a real entertaining read.
This looks exactly like something out of the Magic 2.0 series by Scott Meyer.
I have to agree with The End of All Things by Scalzi. Surprisingly good series.
Also, don't judge me, but I have one that is a bit more in the Fantasy side of things. It's admittedly a guilty pleasure, but I'm really excited for An Unwelcome Quest by Scott Meyer. It's the 3rd book in the "Magic 2.0" series that begins with Off to be the Wizard
Did you find "the" database?
http://www.amazon.com/Off-Be-Wizard-Magic-2-0/dp/1612184715
Or just the plot of a novel...
Have you ever read Off to Be the Wizard? Magic and programming is awesome! haha
Reminds me of "Off To Be The Wizard"
https://www.amazon.com/Off-Be-Wizard-Magic-2-0/dp/1612184715
I highly recommend Off to be the Wizard, about a kid who basically discovers life is a computer simulation, and goes back to medieval times to try and pass himself off as a wizard. Much better than it sounds.
I am still trying to wrap my brain around the ending. the significance etc... The writing was always good. The further you read and the older the main character gets the cleaning and easier it is to interpret. Chapter 7 where Eiji gets a job in the pizza shoppe and Yakuza's interaction with him are a bit over the top. If you think about it. Why would they spend that much time and energy bothering him and trying to make him pay his debts.
Eiji's relationship with Ai is sweet and they should of let that develop more. My faveroite character is Buntaro his landlord. But he plays such a minor role. On my goodreads I gave it 4 stars.
My next book "Off to be the Wizard" is totally random amazon buy. Hopefully it is good
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1612184715/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/Gronking-Remember-Book-Gronkowski-Erotica-ebook/dp/B00RN7TNHE
Here ya go!
don't give Lacey Noonan any ideas
https://www.amazon.com/Gronking-Remember-Book-Gronkowski-Erotica-ebook/dp/B00RN7TNHE
I always assumed he would star in this book adaptation:
A Gronking to Remember: Book One in The Rob Gronkowski Erotica Series
[A Gronking to Remember] (http://www.amazon.com/Gronking-Remember-Gronkowski-Erotica-Series-ebook/dp/B00RN7TNHE)
And now we know how "A Gronking to Remember 2" will start.
For the confused - Amazon Link
Here's another one for you
https://www.amazon.com/Gronking-Remember-Book-Gronkowski-Erotica-ebook/dp/B00RN7TNHE
Are you Lacey Noonan?
https://www.amazon.com/Gronking-Remember-Book-Gronkowski-Erotica-ebook/dp/B00RN7TNHE
Somehow this story is still being sold... this doesn't answer your question at all, but I think some people might find it funny :)
https://www.amazon.com/Gronking-Remember-Book-Gronkowski-Erotica-ebook/dp/B00RN7TNHE
Ah, I got you fam.
https://www.amazon.com/Gronking-Remember-Book-Gronkowski-Erotica-ebook/dp/B00RN7TNHE
Here is the desktop version of your link
Pounded By The Pound: Turned Gay By The Socioeconomic Implications Of Britain Leaving The European Union
Chuck Tingle never fails to deliver.
This man is my hero.
I think what a lot of first time readers don't realize about Chuck Tingle is that he's possibly one of the best surrealist shitpost artists of his time, like the Neil Cicierega of smutty amazon books, or something along those lines. I mean, hear me out; he's directly targeting the niche market of bland, cookie cutter vampire-werewolf erotica that gets sold to soccer moms frustrated with their husbands - while also being both 0% and 100% serious about it at any given time.
Seriously, look at the guy's twitter, he has this whole roleplay scenario going on with a kind of shitpost-story-arc-of-the-week theme and people actively egg him on in his oddly specific injokes. This seems too oddly specific to be just the work of an AI bot.
Also, I mean... come on. He's written satirical social commentaries about Trump, Brexit and even those starbucks holiday cups (yes, all the links mentioned are nsfw). You gotta give him at least some credit for that.
Don't be silly. This is post-Brexit Britain.
Snapshots:
^(I am a bot.) ^([Info](/r/SnapshillBot) ^/ ^[Contact](/message/compose?to=\/r\/SnapshillBot))
For less messy amazon links you can extract the part after "/dp/" in
https://www.amazon.com/Pounded-Handsome-Russian-Blackmailed-Getting-ebook/dp/B01MS6FO50/ref=cm_sw_em_r_awdo_v_das_am6Dyb8KCHTWB_tt), [megalodon.jp](http://megalodon.jp/2017-0113-0042-56/https://www.amazon.com:443/Pounded-Handsome-Russian-Blackmailed-Getting-ebook/dp/B01MS6FO50/ref=cm_sw_em_r_awdo_v_das_am6Dyb8KCHTWB_tt
and make it:
https://amzn.com/B01MS6FO50
Or via smile link:
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01MS6FO50
BEEP BOP
Plz send any recommendations via PM
DOMALD TROMP POUNDED IN THE BUTT BY THE HANDSOME RUSSIAN T-REX WHO ALSO PEED ON HIS BUTT AND THEN BLACKMAILED HIM WITH THE VIDEOS OF HIS BUTT GETTING PEED ON
He's selling his political/dinosaur erotica books on amazon. His name is Chuck Tingle
I'll one up ya.
Domald Tromp Pounded In The Butt By The Handsome Russian T-Rex Who Also Peed On His Butt And Then Blackmailed Him With The Videos Of His Butt Getting Peed On Kindle Edition
But what about as a Gay T-Rex?
Damn, I was hoping for a new Chuck Tingle. Like the eminent classic Domald Tromp Pounded in the Butt by the Handsome Russian T-Rex Who Also Peed on His Butt And Then Blackmailed Him With the Videos of His Butt Being Peed On
I vote we all standardize on "Domald Tromp"
This might be too early this year but I think a 13-year-old would like Sophie's World.
http://www.amazon.com/Sophies-World-History-Philosophy-Classics/dp/0374530718/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1250137948&amp;sr=8-1
If you're at all interested in philosophy, I highly recommend Sophie's World. It's fiction but it really gives you a nice grounding in the subject.
How about reading Sophie's World? It's a decent novel with philosophy lessons built in. The book is aimed at younger readers, but IIRC the philosophy is explicitly taught in bite-sized chunks for young thinkers.
Here's another great series/book you should check out if you enjoyed Dune: The Great Book of Amber, by Roger Zelanzy. It's actually 10 books they combined into one for the Great Book. Really interesting mind-bending mystery sci-fi, plot points to keep you guessing until the end, and written during the same general time period as Dune (1970-1991). It's a wild ride! Plus, you know, the philosophical musings on humanity that we all love so much in our sci-fi/fantasy :)
Roger Zelazny - The Chronicles of Amber
You can either get the Great Book of Amber (books 1-10)
https://www.amazon.ca/Great-book-Amber-Roger-Zelazny/dp/0380809060
or just start with Nine Princes in Amber
http://www.amazon.com/Nine-Princes-Amber-Roger-Zelazny/dp/1935138197
Fantasy books, specifically from first person (she liked hunger games). She would enjoy Alexey Pehov's work. Chronicles of Siala is a great place to start.
I can't comment on how good the translation is, but Pehov is one of the best russian fantasy authors (really popular here). So if they did a decent job at translating his books - the stories will go great with her.
Also from a first person perspective (and really good) are the Chronicles of Amber by Roger Zelazny. Although this one might be a bit too dated for todays youth. A lot of characters smoke in it (I think all main ones smoke) and some of the descriptions are vague and abstract (almost surreal like) while others are clear and vivid.
And lastly (but not leastly?) I would recommend The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb. First person perspective, fantasy, rich world, with a lot of intrigue. This might the most appropriate book, because even though the protagonist a boy, the novels were written by a woman (it has that vibe about them, a feminine quality). Also has a lot about interaction with animals if she's into that sort of thing (like certain people being able to communicate with them etc). Has a lot of romance elements too (not with animals, don't worry). I'm sure you can figure out if a book is appropriate by reading the synopsis.
I hope this helps. Have a glorious day!
The omnibus is here: https://www.amazon.com/Great-Book-Amber-Complete-Chronicles/dp/0380809060/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_1?keywords=amber+omnibus+zelazny&qid=1563678685&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmr2
If you want the specific art and each individual book, I have no idea.
Totally agreed with greenlightning. I'll add that the person running the game should probably have read at least the first of the two series.
The character creation bidding system is so much fun, people will still be ribbing each other about that starting bid for years to come. :)
Book 6 of 10 in the Amber Chronicles.
And then I'll jump back to the Hyperion Cantos with The Fall of Hyperion
Roger Zelazny - The Chronicles of amber -Get all the short novels in one book as The Great Book Of Amber
Steven Erikson - Malazan Book of the Fallen
Gene Wolfe - Book of the New Sun
reminds me of this https://www.amazon.com/Great-Book-Amber-Complete-Chronicles/dp/0380809060
I remember the Book Fair in my elementary school used to come on my birthday week, without fail. My parents at the time were very into the “no gifts” policy for birthdays, which was fine since I wasn’t a toy kid anyway. But luckily they never considered books to be “gifts” so my mom and dad would separately (and what they thought was secretly) slip me a little bit of money for the book fair around birthday time. It was such a magical feeling to see my library transform into something foreign and beautiful, and even now when I step into grade-school libraries I remember the smells of book fair day (bad popcorn, new printing, bubblegum crayons). Anyway, I hope that one day, if I have kids, there will still be some kind of honoring books in the way that you and I experienced, because it really was magical.
I’m not sure what kind of books you like, but if you like J.K. Rowling, I very much recommend her mystery series, The Cormoran Strike series, which she writes under her pen name Robert Galbraith. I haven’t read the third in the trilogy, but the first two had such amazing dialogue. I actually don’t usually like mysteries, but she has a way with words that makes reading seem both natural and pleasant. The third book is on my Most Wanted wishlist, but I definitely recommend starting at the beginning of the trilogy.
If you are looking for literary fiction, I would recommend anything by Yann Martel. I have many of his books on my Books wishlist, but my favorite book of his (besides Life of Pi) is called Beatrice and Virgil. It is...super weird, to be honest. But it has a poignant message while also just being an amazing story.
If you like fantasy, I recommend the Amber Chronicles. There are fifteen of them, and they are all amazing. I have the entire compendium (in one volume) on my Most Wanted Wishlist. It’s pretty cheap, and will keep you busy for hours! This is the one I put a link to, mostly because if I can only have one count towards the contest, I think I would choose this.
I also have a plethora of cookbooks and comic books that I love to recommend. I think the best cookbook I have on there is called Jerusalem. When I went to Israel, I have to admit I didn’t particularly like the food much because I didn’t have the money to cook for myself and I was basically thrust onto the coast eating terrible halumi salads. This cookbook, though, is both beautiful and gives homage to a great world of cooking that often goes unnoticed. For comic books, I recommend March. It is highly political and emotional, but, as with all great comic books, its message is one that will stand all tests of time.
I hope you have a very Happy Birthday and that so many books can become special to you and help you commemorate the day.
I know I'm late to the game but I thoroughly enjoyed The Chronicles of Amber series (Wikipedia Link).
Good set of books, might be considered more fantasy than Sci-Fi.
Roger Zelazny's Amber Chronicles
So happy to see Amber on this list! Re-reading the omnibus for about the 8th time right now, and it's still my favorite series ever.
The Chronicles of Amber.
“A storyteller without peer. He created worlds as colorful and exotic and memorable as any our genre has ever seen.”
—George R.R. Martin
I started reading Lovecraft with
this.
I'd just start with this.
This has a lot of his short stories, and working through this would give you a great starting point (and would set you through the vast majority of his work tbh)
In my experience, horror works best with short stories. And even if you disagree, anthologies are brilliant for exploring the genre in manageable pieces.
The Dark Descent is a very good compilation.
I also have a Penguin Book of Ghost Stories which I'm very fond of -given to me by a now-dead grandmother when I was but a wee lad, and all that-; its sister Book of Horror Stories is not quite as good but worth the read, if only to round out your sojourn with some more obscure stories.
If you want to look into H.P. Lovecraft, Necronomicon is a very high quality book for its price.
Is this it? I'd never heard of that particular collection before. Anyone can republish his stories that are in the public domain, which is pretty much all of them.
Check out the sidebar for suggestions on where to begin ------>
Many people have already answered but I’ll just chime in that the Necronomicon is what I have and it’s great. Haven’t read all the stories yet though. Also Barnes and Noble have multiple (faux) leather bound Lovecraft collections.
Someone elsewhere in the thread recommended Uzumaki by Junji Ito. I’d also recommend Tomie by the same author. It’s not necessarily cosmic horror but it’s definitely an interesting take on horror and it was his first work. Both Uzumaki and Tomie can be found on amazon in a full hardback collection as well as some of his other works.
I found myself asking the same question not too long ago! His best writing is the series of short stories he wrote for magazines that we collectively know as the Cthulu Mythos. You'll want to check out Necronomicon, which is the compilation of the best and most famous stories.
https://www.amazon.com/Necronomicon-Best-Weird-Tales-Lovecraft/dp/0575081562/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1537458514&sr=8-1&keywords=necronomicon&dpID=51We1j8PEkL&preST=_SY291_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch
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Personally, I got myself the audio book version which is fantastic if you love scary stories. I listen to it in my kitchen while doing dishes. Great stuff. :)
https://www.audible.com/pd/Necronomicon-Audiobook/B00MNQKYNC
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Oh.....and fair warning. H.P. Lovecraft was kinda racist and it shows in some of his writing. =/
I was in the same position last year, i didn't know where to start. So i bought this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Necronomicon-Weird-Lovecraft-Fiction-GOLLANCZ/dp/0575081562/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1341264327&amp;sr=8-1
It's a collection of most of his works and contains all of his more famous stories. It starts with a few of his short stories and as the book progresses the material gets longer. It was a really easy way to ease myself into his works.
> LOL. Wait, when was it published?
>
>
>
> December 14,1988
um... I don't know where you got that date, but it was published in 1946, not 1988
>"A magnificent job of theoretical exposition."
>—Ayn Rand
She's not wrong.
>So to clarify, you recommend two books, one of which is thirty years old
No. much older. The age of a book does not correspond to the quality of said book.
>another which is by man who died in 1937
Yes.
>was virulently racist even by the standards of his own time
True, but that doesn't mean his fiction is any less spectacular. Lots of people back then were racist. It doesn't mean that they can't also be good authors of good fiction. If you're worried that buying a book of his would be financially supporting a racist, he's been dead for 80 years, so you don't have to worry about that. He's not going to get any of the money you may spend on his fiction.
>Gollancz published a compendium of the Mythos and some of his other tales in 2008, called Necromicon : the Best Wierd Tales of HP Lovecraft
Yes, that's the one.
>but Lovecraft never published a book called The Necronomicon
If you want to get technical, Lovecraft never published a single book. He wrote mostly short stories and the longest story he wrote was a novella, not even a full novel, and most of his stuff was published in old pulp magazines.
>Certainly not an 1000+ page one.
Well, it's 900 pages so close enough.
I prefer Howard over Lovecraft, however they were actually quite good friends when it came to writing, exchanging letters and admiration between each other. However both died a tragic death, strange?
Anyways for those who are keen on reading the works of these two authors there is a book series that collected their short stories into a book and provided them.
I will simply link to Amazon so you guys can take a look on the books there.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Necronomicon-Weird-Lovecraft-Fiction-GOLLANCZ/dp/0575081562/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1377609248&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=lovecraft
I mean this Necronomicon
I'm not sure how complete it is... I did manage to pick up the Necronomicon from a local bookshop, which has his best work in it and trawl through that a few years ago. It looks like they still publish it...
http://www.amazon.com/Necronomicon-Best-Weird-Tales-Lovecraft/dp/0575081562/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&amp;sr=8-5&amp;qid=1372721219
I think this edition (or something like it) is probably the best way to "get into" Lovecraft; aside, of course, from just grabbing one the excellent free ebook editions already mentioned.
I don't own the Necronomicon edition myself, but started out buying very similar "best of" editions.
Also, I like this interactive app, for a quick taste of Lovecraft.
Edit: Formatting
Edit 2: Addendum:
Saw the Centipede Press edition, thought it looked cool. Be sure to check with this guy first though: It DOES NOT contain the Hound or the Unnameable!
Seriously, there's so much
wonderfulhorrible Lovecraft media out there, just start reading and join the true Darkside.When I flew to the US in 2004, I read Kushiel's Dart, followed by the others in the trilogy as I travelled about.
It's set in a medieval era alternate earth - same countries, though they're called different things - with a touch of magic. The main character is chosen by one of the gods to always find pleasure in pain (far more than a masochist would), and this gift and curse help her throughout her life. She is raised as a spy, and trained to be a highly paid courtesan (something of prestige in this story). I find the writing to be exceptional, as well as incredibly researched. It does have a lot of sex in there, along with kink stuff, but it's not in the way.
I really enjoyed the series, and can't help but link it to my journey to the US :)
You might enjoy the Kushiel series by Jacqueline Carey, if you're into pain games. Bits of it are a little ridiculous, but it's pretty well written. This is the first one, if you want to look into it. It does start a little slow, but it's worth it.
If she's into something a bit more intense and darkly romantic, the Kushiel series by Jaqueline Carey are a great read. I love them, and I read everything you said your wife enjoyed, so logic dictates she might be interested :D. It is definetly made for a more mature (NOTE: NOT TEENAGE) reader, as it does get intense. This is the first book.
From Kushiel's Dart.
All knowledge is worth knowing.
Look into this fantasy book series. There, the main character has sex as a job, much like Inara from firefly, as a profession and as a ritual to worship a goddess in the book's lore.
>a healthy, non-monogamous, sexually empowered female
This series has exactly that, and thats one of the many reasons why I love it.
So, I'm not sure if you're anything into BDSM... but this book/series is great. It's a little dark, but is also a great fiction, almost fantasy, and great romance.
Sure! I know exactly what you mean. So, I will say that a lot of the most interesting stuff in Fantasy is (and has for a while) being done in YA fantasy, and I don't mean stuff like Twilight.
Garth Nix's Abhorsen series (starting with Sabriel) is excellent. Melina Marchetta's Finnikin of the Rock is kind of along the lines of what you're talking about, but is really well done.
Just about anything by Dianna Wynne Jones is great, I will call out specifically Howl's Moving Castle (the inspiration for the Miyazaki film of the same name) and also her 6 part [Chronicles of Chrestomanci] (http://www.amazon.com/Chronicles-Chrestomanci-Charmed-Lives-Christopher/dp/006447268X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1417629757&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=chronicles+of+chrestomanci).
If you're in the mood for something more adult, I really enjoyed Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel series, starting with Kushiel's Dart, but that gets into some S&M stuff, which, YMMV.
And then Terry Pratchett's Discworld. Which is just fantastic.
Try the first Kushiel trilogy by Jacqueline Carey, plenty of romance, suspense, and political intrigue. The cover and description put me off from reading the series for years (silly, I know), but I absolutely loved the first three books.
Malazan doesn't have a lot of satisfactory romance, and while I still have a soft spot in my heart for WOT the romance is just not believable.
The Kushiel's Legacy by Jacqueline Carey (first book is amazing - called Kushiel's Dart). Seriously... Read a the synopsis - it's truly awesome.
The Thursday Next books could be interesting,
I'd give anything to see this series made into films or a mini-series, but it's probably not feasible. But these might work.
These are a little racy, but Jaqueline Carey's Kushiel series is pretty much exactly what you are describing. The first book is Kushiel's Dart. Epic fantasy with a long journey etc. One of my all time favorite series.
Sounds like a sci-fi book. Maybe Spin by Robert Wilson? Closest I could think of.
Oh Hi Mark! How long is spring break? If you have enough time off, you can take a class or start a new hobby like knitting!
We don't really do spring break here, but post-secondary students usually get "Reading Week", which is a chance to catch up on studying and reading. It's usually when your big assignments are due, so you have lots of time to complete them. I worked full time+part time while going to school, so I didn't really go anywhere or do anything during Reading Week or Summer. :\
Here is a book, but feel free to get it used :D
Is there a group at Google that has been reading the book Spin, or what? http://www.amazon.com/Spin-Robert-Charles-Wilson/dp/076534825X
Theres actually a current Science workaround to FTL communication.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_entanglement
If we can find a way to artificially induce quantum entanglement in a pair of trapped particles, then we can communicate information between the pair by way of sending spin through the entanglement.
||I think a good story could be told about a human society who gets FTL technology after a few millennia of "shot-in-the-dark" ark ships. Let's go visit the cousins, somebody says, but the isolation has caused them all to develop in very unique ways...and whatever breakthrough led to the heroes getting FTL may have led the other systems to develop stranger things.
http://www.eveonline.com/
http://www.amazon.ca/Spin-Robert-Charles-Wilson/dp/076534825X/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1314037179&amp;sr=8-3
Both those 'stories' play with the idea of a divergent species due to relativistic separations
Your picture titled Star Trails Over the Cabin reminds me of this book
Spin by Robert Charles Wilson
Some of Neal Stephenson's other novels such as Anathem are definitely hard sci-fi.
Also try Spin by Robert Wilson
Based on your reading history, you need to give this book a shot!
Spin
by Robert Charles Wilson .. fantastic read
You may also like Spin by Robert Charles Wilson, it is also the start of a trilogy.
Hugo Award Winner: The Spin by Robert Charles Wilson, published 2005. (don't bother with the sequels, they're horrible, and the first one's ending is satisfying enough).
Also, if you ever decide to give a TV Series a go, you'd most likely love Doctor Who (whimsical). I would recommend Stargate, but it's tough to get into (though very rewarding), and never had enough non-humanoid aliens for me.
http://www.amazon.com/Spin-Robert-Charles-Wilson/dp/product-description/076534825X
Spin seems like a closer guess.
Have you read Spin?
http://www.amazon.com/Spin-Robert-Charles-Wilson/dp/076534825X
Give it a shot is you haven't... its fairly short anyway, so it not a huge commitment.
Also, The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
http://www.amazon.com/The-Name-Wind-Kingkiller-Chronicles/dp/0756404746
I can hear you saying OOOOOH i don't like fantasy much! Well, neither do i, but I read name of the wind, wise mans fear, and am anxiously awaiting number 3.
Encounter with Tiber
Spin
Julian Comstock
Domain / Resurrection
Dragon's Egg / Starquake
As rumors swirl about a potential Game of Thrones spinoff TV series, we get to the bottom of whether spinoffs/crossovers/expanded universes are TRUE EXPRESSIONS OF ARTISTIC STORYTELLING or CAPITALIST CASHGRABS PREYING ON OUR CULTURALLY-PROGRAMMED COMPLETIONIST OBSESSIONS. It can only be one of the two.
Links we mentioned:
Star Trek Novels Inter-connected
List of TV Spinoffs
Recommendations:
Shadows of Mordor
Mechina - Conqueror
Rhapsody - Legendary Tales
Brandon Sanderson - The Way of Kings
Intro/Outro music courtesy PANDAS
If you buy any of our recommendations from the above links, we may receive a small commission.
If you want me to pitch you something, I'd way recommend The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson instead. It's only 2 books in so far (The Way of Kings and Words of Radiance), but they are seriously just so good that I can't even do it justice giving you a synopsis, but here goes: There are a few different POVs, but mostly it focuses on Kaladin, a slave who gets assigned to this bridge crew in the military where they have to carry these giant, heavy bridges around so the assault troops can cross these giant chasms to fight the Parshendi--creepy bastards with shell-like armor that grows out of their skin. Eventually Kaladin finds out he can suck in stormlight from certain stones and do some neat magic stuff with it (don't want to give too much away here). There are also these knights called shardbearers who can summon these giant blades from thin air, which cut through just about everything like a lightsaber through butter, and if they cut through a person, their eyes burn out and their soul dies. The book is just so imaginative and awesome--it's unlike most other fantasy books I've read--plus, it has artwork every few chapters detailing the creatures, plants, etc.
Wheel of Time on the other hand, supposedly really bogs down in the middle (before the original author died and the series was taken over by Brandon Sanderson). But basically it starts out as a kind of Lord of the Rings clone, where these 3 kids from a small village set out across the world after it turns out they're the only ones who can stop the Dark One, who sends trollocs (basically orcs) and Myrddral (basically ringwraiths) after them, and they've got an Aes Sedai witch along with them to keep them from dying. It comes into its own by the 2nd book, and I've really been enjoying it so far (I'm only on book 4/15), so if that sounds at all interesting to you, check out book 1, The Eye of the World (link to the first half of the book, free on tor.com).
There're plenty of good recommendations over at /r/Fantasy, and many people (myself included) have asked your same question there.
You might also look into the work that Brandon Sanderson has done. His opening book to the Stormlight Archive series was pretty damn good imo. The downside is that it's still a work in progress, so The Way of Kings is the only book of the series available.
The paperback is 9.99 at my local bookstore, and it's been spread over the last 3 years. $50 a year to enrich the lives of my friends isn't that much. (It was more expensive close to launch, but several of those have been $5 amazon purchases http://www.amazon.com/The-Way-Kings-Stormlight-Archive/dp/0765365278/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8 )
Ah I've seen your comment below. read maybe:
Joe Abercrombie - Best Served Cold
Max Berry - lexicon
Dürrenmatt - Suspicion
Gaiman - Good Omens
Kafka - The Trial
Sillitoe - The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner
Adams - Hitchhiker's Guide ( no way you haven't read that - but who knows )
Branderson - Way Of Kings
Libba Bray - The Diviners
Nietzsche - Thus Spoke Zarathustra ( there is a really ugly bible style translation - beware!!! )
Lynn Kurland - Star Of The Morning ( your sex and age is of interest )
Schwab - Vicious
Bakker - The Darkness That Comes Before
Robert Thier - Storm and Silence
Eco - Name Of The Rose ( no way you haven't read it but u know the drill ) + Foucault's Pendulum
Lord Of The Rings ( duh )
Sanderson - Mistborn
Sanderson - Alloy of Law
Harris - Hannibal
Rothfuss - The Name Of The Wind
Bukowski -Ham on Rye
Burroughs - Running With Scissors
Wong - John Dies at the End
It's possible this is what prompted your question, but if not you might enjoy reading about shardblades in Brandon Sanderson's Stormlight Archive.
Two things jump to mind for me, both fantasy.
The Coldfire Trilogy is set on a really strange world with a kind of natural force that gives life to people's fears or desires. It's really unique, and a great story with a great antihero.
Brandon Sanderson has also created some pretty unique worlds, his Stormlight Archives is probably his best work so far and the world there is refreshingly different than your typical fantasy fare.
The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson.
You can keep your Steven Eriksons and your Patrick Rothfusses, this is the most enjoyable new fantasy series I've read in years.
https://www.amazon.com/Way-Kings-Brandon-Sanderson/dp/0765365278/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1499471289&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=stormlight+archive
Phenomenal book. I've read the first one, I think there are two.
Brandon Sanderson's Stormlight Archive.
Scott Lynch's Gentleman Bastards.
Peter V. Brett's The Demon Cycle is just ok, nothing amazing.
If you want to get in on the ground floor of an epic series, Brandon Sanderson's Way of Kings is book one of the Stormlight Archive. Book 2 comes out early next year and I think he said he expects it to have about 9 or 10 books in the series.
The Way of Kings, book 1 of the future series The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson, is a good read. The second book is coming out March 4th, 2014.
I also agree with the many comments about the Dresden Files.
I'm finishing a re-read of the Wheel of Time. Currently on Crown of Swords.
Next on the list after the WoT re-read:
Probably will add to this after I get home and look at the actual stack of books I have sitting on my dresser to work through.
I suggest starting with a published adventure, such as this or this. Second link is available at Target now at, I think, a lower price.
Assuming you're playing 5E, the official subreddit is r/dndnext.
https://www.amazon.com/Wizards-Coast-Dungeons-Essentials-Kit/dp/0786966831
The Essentials Kit runs for around $16-25 depending on where you buy it.
If you and the bois haven't ever played before, one of you should pick up either the D&D Starter Set or the D&D Essentials Kit. They're each $12 on amazon and have a beginning adventure, basic rules set, and pre-gen characters to play. Solid place to start. The Starter set has the adventure "Lost Mines of Phandelver", which is a classic.
If you get through one or both of those, the next step would be for the group to decide who'd be the DM. That person should pick up the Core Rule Set books (Players Handbook, DM's Guide, Monster Manual). It'd help if the other players picked up their own copy of the Players Handbook.
This is all you really need, which you can supply in other ways, but it's dirt cheap. https://www.amazon.com/dp/0786965592/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_uAQEDbMG4XSSR
New option https://www.amazon.com/dp/0786966831/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_9wQEDbCCJWREW
Otherwise there's audio podcasts and Youtube series that play in introductory ways to teach you the mechanics.
The new starter box set, Dungeons & Dragons - Essentials Kit, enables users to learn how to play the game or become a Dungeon Master.
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>• Play with groups as small as two players (one Dungeon Master & one adventurer) for the first time in D&D fifth edition with the introduction of “sidekicks.”
Sidekicks are paired down helper NPCs that you can find either in the new Essential's Kit that was recently released (as well as on D&D Beyond, where you can pay a discounted price for *just* the sidekick options) or you can use the slightly less streamlined (but free) rules from unearthed arcana that were the prototypes for the essentials kit versions.
Basically sidekicks are like a monster statblock, but friendly, and designed to be helpful to players, but with fewer options to keep track of.
You *could* make them as full characters, but if so I'd make your sidekicks a level or two lower than the party. That said, a full PC character is a lot of detail to put in for a character that is only there in a support role.
As others mentioned videos are great. Wizards has some good resources. https://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/basicrules For campaigns to start with, I really liked the one in the starter kit https://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Dragons-Starter-Wizards-Team/dp/0786965592/ They also released https://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Dragons-Essentials-Kit-Boxed/dp/0786966831/ which I haven't played through the campaign yet but it looks promising. There are also tons of materials for purchase and some for free on the Dungeons Masters Guild site https://www.dmsguild.com/
Any questions, feel free to ask in this thread or dm, otherwise r/dnd may be a better subreddit to answer.
I recommend either the Starter Set adventure or the Essentials set adventure, as both are great at teaching the game to new players and DM's alike.
Running the Game by Matt Colville is a great place to start. He explains generally what the game is, how to run it, builds an adventure for you, and then spends the next 80 or so videos going on beautifully long tangents about things mildly related to D&D. But the first few episodes are a goldmine for a beginner, if you ever feel compelled to take the spotlight and be a DM. Which if you ever want to start playing with friends, you likely will have to do.
Another option if you don’t want anything to do with that DM business for now is head to your local tabletop gaming shop. Not Target (although they actually do sell some relevant stuff I’ll mention later), I mean a shop specifically built to sell games like Magic the Gathering and D&D. They probably sponsor games you can join and get a taste of how the game works.
Or yet another option, buy the Starter Set which has everything you need to get started. I haven’t played the Essentials Kit but it also seems useful.
However you go about it, I highly recommend starting!
I would suggest the essentials kits of Ice Spire Peak or Lost Mines of Phandelver - though probably the former over the latter.
If you want the full books though, I would suggest DNDbeyond. You'd need a subscription to manage your full party, but that would also be splitting the cost 6 ways, give access to the party entirely all the time, let the DM easily see his player's sheets, and it's very user friendly to certain classes that otherwise are not - such as the druid having to manage wild shape and prepared casting.
My last suggestion is to consider the free Basic Rules to see if it's sufficient for you and if you enjoy using a digital platform. Players can make basic characters this way on dndbeyond for free as well- it'll be restrictive playing free but would be enough to see if they enjoy using the platform. Be sure to use the webpage on whatever device you'd be using in play as well.
the starter kit is 15$ on amazon and should contain everything you need to give it a shot one night.
The essentials kit is 16$~
you can get several extra sets of dice for 10$
the starter kit and the dice is like 25$ total and can easily get you started.
If you wanted to go with Magic the Gathering, there are packs called Duel Decks that come with a couple of pre-made decks so you can just start playing right out of the box. Here's one on Amazon, but feel free to search for others!
As for D&D, the Essentials kit has rules for playing with fewer people.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1tiwbzkOjQyr6-gqJ8r29j_rJkR49uDN) is another great free resource.
I highly recommend the Starter Set. It's $15 on Amazon, has the core rules, a set of dice, premade characters, and an adventure that will last you a half dozen sessions or so. It's a great place to start--go figure--and is designed for brand new players and brand new DMs.
The Essentials Kit is another great resource. It's usually $25 but looks like it's currently on sale for $16. It's full of all sorts of handy stuff like GM Screen, items/rules cards for quick reference, dice, and has an adventure that plays from level 1-6. It and the Starter Set take place in the same area of the game world and the kits work very well together actually.
This unboxing video compares the content of the two boxes, notes the different style of the adventures, and might help you pick one if funds are tight.
Okay. So the first thing here is that DMing without any experience is HARD. Really hard. But you can do it. There's /r/DnD to give you additional help if needed.
Now, I'd say pick up the D&D Essentials Kit, a box set that includes a basic adventure meant to get a new DM like you into the game. That should be a decent start.
Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson
http://www.amazon.com/Cryptonomicon-Neal-Stephenson/dp/0060512806
The book Cryptonomicon (historical sci-fi) by Neal Stephenson has an entire chapter describing productivity before and after ejaculation. A manual override just doesn't have the same affect. Complete with chart.
It also has a chapter on the proper way to eat Captain Crunch cereal.
I have been unable to find a good exert online but just read the damn book, it is worth the money and time.
If you enjoy the longer, more exploratory work of Murakami in The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle or 1Q84, as well as the interconnected plotlines of works like Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World, I recommend Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon.
I would recommend Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson if you are interested in WWII/signals/math/awesomeness
Oh okay. In any case I really enjoyed Cryptonomicon. I'm doubting you'd like it though. It's over a thousand pages and in one section the author went on for several pages describing the proper technique for eating Cap'n Crunch.
For fiction, check out some stuff by Neal stephenson like Cryptonomicon or Anathem
For non-fiction, maybe Hyperspace by Michio Kaku or Chaos by James Gleick.
http://www.amazon.com/Brave-New-World-Aldous-Huxley/dp/0060850523/
Brave New World- Aldous Huxley
Thus Spoke Zarathustra- Friedrich Nietzsche
The Motorcycle Diaries- Che Guevara
Some of my favorites:
It's a problem, but it doesn't have a solution, at least not in the proper sense.
Unfortunately this is a complex question despite how simply it can be worded. If you asked: What would it take to make a Dyson Sphere, you get papers on papers of the different technologies that require this level of tech. We can generally simplify these things down to sentences, "you need X and Y and Z." But with questions like this, you're talking about a natural force, humans, and trying to act against their nature, which doesn't work. Humans can't actually go agaisnt their nature, sure, to some degree we can repress ourselves, but anyone in psychology will tell you the same story, it rebounds, and hard.
Just as an experiment, try believing that something you think is absolutely immoral is moral. You can't. It's a part of you. This part is what is known as your personality, or the way you interoperate and solve problems. There can be change, radical events in people's lives can result in radical shifts in views, but only within a certain limitation. Personality is at least 50%, if not more, based in your genes, it's hard coded, you can't change it without changing the hardware. We do find solutions to problems as we get older and make additions, but you can't change the base structure you're working with. Think of it like having a car, you can put new kinds of fuel in it, you can give it new paint, but you can't really change it's handling or how fast it can go without changing the physical nature of the car.
Why is all this relevant? It's because the problem isn't just humans not having jobs, it's humans not having a purpose. This is devastating for people. Purpose is a part of that naturally built structure because we're made to solve problems that matter. Solving trivial problems, without actually going anywhere, will lead to depression, people will develop chronic pain on their own, they can develop other forms of symptoms and even get sick. Most people do not think about this aspect, and only think about money, how will people feed themselves. This is because we have that as a problem, we're programed to view the world through the problems that are present and change, slowly, what new problems are as they present themselves or show themselves through humanities unique ability to imagine the future.
The top comment so far on this thread, made by u/Charles07v, ignores these problems entirely. Comments like these forget that humans are limited. Machines that simulate muscle and mind, and can do jobs better than humans, will replace humans. We are not special, we are just very advanced, there's a difference. We have the capability through collective knowledge, see the first paragraph with the Dyson Sphere, to layer tech to make ever more complicated tools and systems. Eventually we will find something that can replace us, to where we won't be needed, and there is nothing that can stop that from happening.
>I’m sure there were people panicking over the rise of automobiles over horse carts too.
>>And electricity, and oil from the ground, and the printing press, etc...
And then Chernobyl happened. Nagasaki, plastics were invented, green house gases. Examples like this laid out by both u/qdobaisbetter and u/jeffreyhamby are comments made from the result of not experiencing the problem. For most people, we do not think of not having anything to do because there is nothing to be done, but there is nothing to do because we don't want to. We can always choose to get something done, get a new job, work towards making more, get a better education, and it amounts to something: the collective knowledge and effort of humanity. But in a world where these things don't matter, where your effort is drops of water in the vastness of the universe, it brings up a new problem. Songs like Pink Floyd's "Welcome to the Machine" and even the saying "just a cog in a machine" highlight some peoples anxiety with this, we, in part, are already seeing the symptoms of this. Effort to contribute to society, meaningfully, is becoming harder and harder because of how much you have to know to even get started, or how specialized the jobs are becoming.
We can't expect humans to take the problem seriously until they experience it. And practically speaking there is no solution. We cannot prevent progress, even if it means horrible conditions.
But why libertarianism? The framework going into this problem will determine how our future is laid out, just as Christianity laid out the foundations for our modern democratic republic. Libertarianism ensures that any authoritarian solution would be limited, and maybe brilliant minds who engage in this problem, experiencing the symptoms the problem is causing, can find a proper solution. Do not dismiss this, it is real, and we are woefully under prepared for the transition to a post scarcity society.
> Have you seen predictions from long ago about what life in the 2000s would look like? They were usually pretty far off.
Some of them were off. Others got pretty close to the mark.
It's hard to teach this concept in a few words I don't think it makes sense for most people for various reasons. The reference is from brave new world: http://www.amazon.com/Brave-New-World-Aldous-Huxley/dp/0060850523
Two prophetic books should be required for you if you're going to stand up to this age The Abolition of Man and Brave New World.
> I feel like this is the world WE Created. Technology, career pressure, economic inequality, social media...it all contributes to poor mental health.
If you have never read it, do yourself a favor and read this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0060850523/sr=8-1/qid=1521846959/ref=olp_product_details?_encoding=UTF8&amp;me=&amp;qid=1521846959&amp;sr=8-1
It's a tie between Brave New World and Kafka on the Shore for me.
My list(s) are currently lacking. I have two on my ebooks list and just this one on my "normal" wish list.
Thanks for the contest.
The Alchemist -- Paulo Coelho
The Alchemist
http://www.amazon.com/Alchemist-Paulo-Coelho/dp/0061122416/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1310882769&amp;sr=8-1
I got your list right here:
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho - great story about finding your way in life, destiny, etc. One of my personal favorites and a real life changer for me personally (read it when I was 14, very impressionable)
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominigue Bauby - memoirs of a magazine editor who has a stroke and goes from being a hot shot playboy to being paralyzed. He loses all motor function and the whole book is written by him blinking out the letters. Despite it all he has a razor wit and such a positive outlook it really makes you think about your own life and what is important to appreciate.
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig - kind of an interesting book that gives you a historical breakdown of philosophy all through a somewhat biographical story about a motorcycle trip with his son. Has some really insightful views on what is quality and what is the point of education. Highly recommend for anyone just starting college.
Surely You're Joking Mr. Feynman by Richard P Feynman - Autobiography/memoir of one of the greatest minds to ever live. From learning how to pick locks while working on the manhattan project, experimenting with acid, and learning the bongos. Dr. Feynman has such a passion for life, science, and learning it's contagious. Seriously, just see how excited he gets about rubberbands.
The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho
I think this is why i asked in the beginning what you're expecting. Especially if you're comparing yourself to others, you may be expecting more than is reality. Just because people say they have a relationship, doesn't mean it's anything more than their own feelings or imagination playing tricks on them. So, don't rely too heavily on 'mountaintop moments' or the right 'feeling' to come along.
Do you like to read? If so, I know an awesome book that goes through a man's experience as he begins to unlearn all he'd learned about what life is truly 'all about'. It's sharing a Taoist, or Buddhist thought of seeing the trip, the present moment, as what's important rather than the destination. A relationship with God looks much the same. If you focus on the feelings or the enlightened moments, you'll miss the whole experience of going through life with Him!
The book is called "The Way of the Peaceful Warrior" by Dan Millman It's kind of an autobiography of sorts.
If that doesn't tickle your fancy, another book that helped me quite a bit with my relationship with God was a rather popular one: "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho
Most people either love it or hate it, but perhaps the Alchemist by Paulo Coelho?
Two more life changing books to read:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Alchemist-Paulo-Coelho/dp/0061122416
http://www.amazon.com/Warrior-Light-Manual-Paulo-Coelho/dp/0060527986/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1373578304&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=warrior+of+the+light
The Alchemist, could be a good read.
Great - I'm really glad to hear that when you bought the books on Amazon yesterday morning, you paid $28. Can you please check your Amazon order history and give us the link to the listing for how you bought Sworn Sword?
All I could find is this one which is only Kindle and marketplace, and this one which is only Kindle, and this one which again is only Kindle and marketplace. Is there another one I'm not seeing?
What are you talking about? The current Amazon prices are $13.59, $7.99, and $7.99, with free shipping if you buy them together. Used is even cheaper.
You can get short story collections that contain them through Amazon (Here, here, and here), but that'll add up price wise. I think GRRM is putting together an anthology of the Dunk and Egg novels, so you may want to hold off until then.
Dunk & Egg is entirely told from the point of view of Ser Duncan the Tall, a young knight out for adventure in Westeros, and since they're short stories they're far more action packed than any book of ASoIaF.
The first three Dunk & Egg tales are only available in anthologies.
The Hedge Knight
The Sworn Sword
The Mystery Knight
Combined they would cost more than ADwD, regardless of what format you buy it in. I would definitely recommend reading them at some point (and they provide at least 2 big reveals in ASoIaF), they are not necessary to read before Dance. There will be a second Warriors anthology coming out in the fall/winter I believe, containing the fourth Dunk & Egg story. Shortly after that release all 4 stories will be released in a volume together. That said, there are other great short stories in these anthologies, so you may find it worth it to get them.
you might be looking at the graphic novel version of the hedgeknight and thats why its so expensive look them up in the anthology forms and you might have more success:
Legends 1 (contains the Hedgeknight) Legends 2 (contains The Sworn Sword), and Warriors 1 (Contains the Mystery Knight)
When you searched for the novellas did you happen to search by the specific titles (The Hedge Knight, The Sworn Sword, and The Mystery Knight? If you did then I can see why you would think they'd be too expensive. The stories are part of three separate collections of short stories that are pretty cheap. They are Legends, Legends II, and Warriors. You can pick up all three on Amazon for like $30 total.
I have to comment on this, just to stress it further.
I know reading is difficult, so I'll go ahead and relink them here here and here
TL;DR: LINK 1... LINK 2... LINK 3
still TL;DR?! 1... 2... 3
there is a compilation being released with the next tale though, soon (it was sent to the publisher a few months ago) so I'd wait.
2.The Sworn Sword http://www.amazon.com/Legends-II-Dragon-Sword-King/dp/034547578X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1368313751&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=legends+anthology
http://www.amazon.com/Legends-Stories-Masters-Modern-Fantasy/dp/0765300354
http://www.amazon.com/Legends-II-Dragon-Sword-King/dp/034547578X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1369360965&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=legends+ii+anthology
http://www.amazon.com/Warriors-1-George-R-R-Martin/dp/0765360268/ref=sr_1_sc_2?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1369361010&amp;sr=1-2-spell&amp;keywords=Warriorsi+anthology
You can buy them as a part of compendiums
The Hedge Night can be ound here - http://www.amazon.com/Legends-Stories-Masters-Modern-Fantasy/dp/0765300354/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1347277911&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=legends
The Sworn Sword can be found here - http://www.amazon.com/Legends-II-Dragon-Sword-King/dp/034547578X/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_y
And The Mystery Night can be found here -
http://www.amazon.com/Warriors-1-George-R-R-Martin/dp/0765360268/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_z
You can get all 3 for about $30 and free shipping. You can also check your local library since each is only about 100 or so pages.
Edit: I see you may want just the one hedge knight book? Sorry if this was extraneous. :(
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0765300354/ref=mp_s_a_31?pi=49x75&amp;amp;qid=1345532540&amp;amp;sr=8-31
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/034547578X/ref=mp_bxgy_p_dp_y?qid=1345532540&amp;amp;sr=8-31
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004F9OV7U/ref=mp_s_a_22?pi=49x75&amp;amp;qid=1345533235&amp;amp;sr=8-22
Warriors 1 : Mystery Knight
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0765360268/ref=gno_cart_title_1?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
Legends II : The Sworn Sword
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/034547578X/ref=gno_cart_title_2?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
> but it also means that you can't read for long periods of time without your eyes hurting.
Strongly disagree. I use a black background and white text, and never have issues with eye pain and am prone to frequent 2~3 hour reading sessions before bed, with the occasional 5~6 hour overnighter when the book is really good - which is what I did about a week ago two nights in a row when I read the entire Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, is a collection of 3 short stories about Sir Duncan the Tall. Its a good quick read, even though it only has Sir Duncan's POV. https://www.amazon.com/Knight-Seven-Kingdoms-Song-Fire/dp/0345533488/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1501465671&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=a+knight+of+the+seven+kingdoms
the world of ice and fire
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (A Song of Ice and Fire)
There is a trilogy of short stories called "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms". It's very good.
Bloodraven is actually a character introduced in the prequels. Are you aware of the Dunk and Egg stories now collected in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms?
They are well worth reading. The first story was published before A Clash of Kings so they are really integral to the series I believe.
You can buy the prequel trilogy here. Plus the artwork is great.
http://www.amazon.com/Knight-Seven-Kingdoms-Song-Fire/dp/0345533488
If you have a bookstore nearby, I would recommend looking for the new edition of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms by George R.R. Martin. It's the psuedo-prequel to ASOIAF and this edition has beautiful illustrations and a heartwarming story.
> then I remembered he doesn't have any new books to initiate a signing :/
Did you miss this when it was published in October?
https://www.amazon.com/Thrones-Clash-Kings-Swords-Dragons/dp/0345535529
https://www.amazon.com/Fire-Blood-Thrones-Targaryen-History/dp/152479628X/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2DQWE4ERVXNM2&amp;keywords=dunk+and+egg&amp;qid=1556622006&amp;s=books&amp;sprefix=dunk+%2Cstripbooks%2C126&amp;sr=1-3
https://www.amazon.com/Knight-Seven-Kingdoms-Song-Fire/dp/0345533488/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2DQWE4ERVXNM2&amp;keywords=dunk+and+egg&amp;qid=1556622024&amp;s=books&amp;sprefix=dunk+%2Cstripbooks%2C126&amp;sr=1-1
https://www.amazon.com/World-Ice-Fire-History-Westeros/dp/0553805444/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2DQWE4ERVXNM2&amp;keywords=dunk+and+egg&amp;qid=1556622024&amp;s=books&amp;sprefix=dunk+%2Cstripbooks%2C126&amp;sr=1-2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0DhLQqsZQw&amp;list=PLCsx_OFEYH6uDx4PBx6uAH_Pbfc5Sg1EQ
Not so much an if...
http://www.amazon.com/Knight-Seven-Kingdoms-Song-Fire/dp/0345533488
It's not the graphic novels I'm talking about. It's a book regrouping the three novellas in one book and it has a lot of sketches representing some scenes and characters. It's not the graphic novel, although I've seen it and it looks great.
This is what I read (the cover is different in Europe, it's white) :
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0345533488/ref=s9_simh_gw_g14_i1_r?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&amp;pf_rd_s=desktop-1&amp;pf_rd_r=05K601XAQJFJVZCGSZB1&amp;pf_rd_t=36701&amp;pf_rd_p=2079475242&amp;pf_rd_i=desktop
If she's philosophically inclined, perhaps Sophie's World?
http://www.amazon.com/Sophies-World-History-Philosophy-Classics/dp/0374530718/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;s=books&amp;qid=1314657462&amp;sr=8-1
From Publishers Weekly
This long, dense novel, a bestseller in the author's native Norway, offers a summary history of philosophy embedded in a philosophical mystery disguised as a children's book--but only sophisticated young adults would be remotely interested. Sophie Amundsen is about to turn 15 when she receives a letter from one Alberto Knox, a philosopher who undertakes to educate her in his craft. Sections in which we read the text of Knox's lessons to Sophie about the pre-Socratics, Plato and St. Augustine alternate with those in which we find out about Sophie's life with her well-meaning mother. Soon, though, Sophie begins receiving other, stranger missives addressed to one Hilde Moller Knag from her absent father, Albert. [...] Norwegian philosophy professor Gaarder's notion of making a history of philosophy accessible is a good one. Unfortunately, it's occasionally undermined by the dry language he uses to describe the works of various thinkers and by an idiosyncratic bias that gives one paragraph to Nietzsche but dozens to Sartre, breezing right by Wittgenstein and the most influential philosophy of this century, logical positivism. Many readers, regardless of their age, may be tempted to skip over the lessons, which aren't well integrated with the more interesting and unusual metafictional story line.
I think I understand how you feel. Looking past Mormonism, it's easy to question the existence of God. I think we need to examine everything in a critical manner. I believe that God gave me some direct answers to direct questions that happened to conflict with things being taught by the LDS church. I felt that I'd had an epiphany of sorts and understood that God just wants us to help and love others. I think you do need to study, but more of the classic philosophers and less of the scriptures. I think you would really enjoy this book:
http://www.amazon.com/Sophies-World-History-Philosophy-Classics/dp/0374530718
You're welcome. Having my own history of social anxiety and being hurt, I can see a little of myself in both of you which is why I want to help as well as I can.
Regarding the virtual hug thing, I'd say you're definitely overreacting. It might just be that he didn't want to just exactly copy you, as that might imply him not having his own personality. It might be that he does not really feel such virtual signs affection are that important, since they are nothing like the real thing but just pixels on a screen. What is a virtual hug, anyway? And don't you think him reciprocating a virtual kiss far outweighs him not reciprocating a virtual hug? How is a virtual kiss a way of holding back?
Don't focus on little things that might be missing (the virtual hug), but on the big things you do actually have. You two are in touch everyday. You are one of only very few people he confided his childhood trauma to (that he had for a very long time not even talked about to his mother) and he sought your emotional support when he had a bad day. Plus he actively reached out to you for that. Don't you think these are huge signs he feels really close to you, that you very likely already are the most important person to him? I see his opening up as a big step forward. Telling you how "fucked up" his life is already requires a lot of trust and your continued support and affection following his confessions will boost his trust in you even further. Do you also confide in him? That will show him that you trust him as well. I think it is important that he knows that he also is an important source of support to you.
About whether his feelings for you are of a growing and romantic nature: Of course you never "know", but as your relationship already has a physical intimacy component to it, I highly doubt he sees you as "just a friend". And I wouldn't share deep feelings with someone I don't feel very close to and also see being close to in the future, so I'd also rule out that he still sees you as a temporary dating partner. Maybe he is just as anxious to "seal the deal" with you but thinks he might seem too desperate coming forward too early. Maybe he first wants to make sure you know about his flaws before he's comfortable to do so, so that you know what you are "getting yourself into" and will not get the feeling of being tricked into something. I can imagine he would be just as destroyed if he was left by you, as you would be if you were left by him. So don't be afraid, but patient. Patient with him, patient with yourself. Take the time to reflect on your own feelings for him. What exactly are they enforced by? Is it genuine happiness you feel when being together, or is it only alleviation of pain? Do you want a relationship with him (and why him) or do you rather need it (a need that could just as well be fulfilled by someone else)? The better you understand your own feelings, the better you can deal with and act on them.
Of course you can't see the future, nobody can, and you might fear that one day he might not need you any more. Remember that he might fear the same about you (he probably does). And the only way out of this fear is to work on your relationship and, to that end, on yourselves. As I said, the most stable relationships are those that both partners don't absolutely need, but want anyway. That's what you (and anyone else, for that matter) should strive for. Right now you both desperately need each other and that is okay, but in the long term you need to think about the question: If we were both happy about ourselves and didn't need permanent validation and emotional support from each other, what would make us want to be together anyway? At the latest when you have helped each other to defeat your self-esteem issues your relationship cannot simply be based on helping each other in bad times, but will have to thrive on the good times: the fun you have together, the compliments for achievements, the interesting conversations. For that to happen, you need to know yourselves. Know what brings you fun, know your goals and work towards them, know your interests. And as I already said, as long as you do it for yourself and not for anyone else, working on yourself will pay off in any case. It will help you with relationships and it will help you when being rejected. You said that you already have great conversations with your partner, that you both have similar goals in life, and that you try to work on yourself in therapy. That's great! You're moving in the right direction.
Do you think philosophy might be something that could interest you? You seem to worry a lot about the feeling of being worthless, especially upon being rejected. For a long time, I thought it would be impossible to see my life as intrinsically valuable; I thought that I would always need validation by others to be able to enjoy life in the first place. Learning about philosophy has helped me with that. I'm not yet where I want to be, but I'm definitely less anxious. If you feel like you could be interested, you might give this playlist a try and/or read Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder, a book written for young adults as an introduction to Western Philosophy. Another book I can recommend is Anne Frank's diary. Learning about her dreams and interests, her love of life and nature, and on the other hand her fears and her loneliness, and the sheer fact that she didn't get the chance to live the life she dreamed of, this all made my own problems seem somehow... less severe.
In any case: Chin up! I'm optimistic things will work out for you!
Cryptonomicon by Neil Stephenson
http://www.amazon.com/Cryptonomicon-Neal-Stephenson/dp/0060512806/ref=pd_bbs_2?ie=UTF8&amp;s=books&amp;qid=1217867198&amp;sr=8-2
Dharma Bums by Jack Kerouac
Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. Read Banned Books.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
The Alchemist
here's an excerpt from one of it's reviews:
>More parable than novel, "The Alchemist" uses the story of young shepherd Santiago's search for his Personal Legend as an allegory for everyman's struggle to break from the comfortable confines of conformity and pursue his life dreams. Along the way, of course, our young everyman is beset by all manner of setbacks, testing his resolve and forcing him to become attuned to the Soul of the World in order to survive. By paying attention to the details in the world around him, which serve as omens guiding him towards his goal, young Santiago becomes an alchemist in his own right, spinning unfavorable circumstances into riches.
http://www.amazon.com/Knight-Seven-Kingdoms-Song-Fire/dp/0345533488
I believe the interview was done in November of 2014
Sophie's World
Si mira, Necronomicon https://www.amazon.com.mx/dp/0575081562/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_3Zv1DbAKJ1QH0
Al libro mágico al que te refieres pues por supuesto que no existe.
Jacquiline Carey - start with Kushiel's Dart
Interesting alternate reality, strange sex.
I know you said no D&D, but 5th edition is definitely the easiest one to understand. The D&D Starter Set or the D&D Essentials are both good places to start.
Joe Abercrombie's books are a good kickass follow up to Lynch.
Try The Blade Itself
In case you're into it...
There is even more than what has come out.
https://www.amazon.com/Pounded-Handsome-Russian-Blackmailed-Getting-ebook/dp/B01MS6FO50
You're talking about Domald Tromp. He's the one who got Pounded In The Butt By The Handsome Russian T-Rex Who Also Peed On His Butt And Then Blackmailed Him With The Videos Of His Butt Getting Peed On.
Throw in Sophie's World, arguably the best education fiction philosophy book for an intro. Essentially reads as a History of Philosophy 101 textbook framed in a narrative that has it's own philosophical twist and turns, which helps drive home the material.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophie%27s_World
http://www.amazon.com/Sophies-World-History-Philosophy-Classics/dp/0374530718