I have enjoyed reading about people’s gaming experiences on the topic started by @Bytron08
I did play Skyrim when my son, the avid gamer in our household, was playing it. Before that in my 20s, it was games like Space Quest, Kings Quest, Police Quest, Leisure Suit Larry in the Land of the Lounge Lizards, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. And in high school we were taken by a maths teacher to the local university, given a tour of the computer facilities that finished with playing the Colossal Cave Adventure … how things have changed.
These days, I am again more into reading fiction, primarily fantasy, again because that is my son’s taste, but like adventure, crime, thriller as well.
Currently reading Frank Herbert’s Children of Dune, book 3 in the series. Next up perhaps another of the Terry Pratchett Disc world stories or maybe book 2 in Steven Erickson’s Malazan Book of the Fallen series.
I tend to focus on non-fiction at the moment. I go for documentary type books detailing interesting events.
I’ve done a lot of reading up on both World Wars, generally preferring books written by those that were there rather than modern historians. That said, James Holland does a good job of detailing events from the PoV of individual people rather than just giving an emotionless overview.
Also recently read up on the Titanic, Chernobyl, Piper Alpha… it seems the theme here is disasters!
I also read to my Wife, as it’s a nice way to spend time together. We’ve recently gone through The Wooden Horse and both of PR Reid’s original books on Colditz POW camp. All great reads about inspiring human endeavour, even if you’re not that interested in WWII… like my Wife.
(Anyone interested in PR Reid’s books should read the two originals, not the much later rewrite which tries to combine events into one book. The later book is nowhere near as detailed, actually quite boring in parts, and just loses something… possibly due to dulled memories.)
@DavidP, if you like fantasy and haven’t already, you might like to check out the First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombe, and the other books he’s written in the same universe. I read those to my Wife too, and we both really enjoyed them.
And in between some pages of ,…Afrikaanse Letterkunde…( African Literature (traditions, genres, authors and developments ) by: Mineke Schipper, Daniela Merolla and Inge Brinkman…
@Goffik Thanks for the suggestion, Ross. This series and his name has come up often, certainly one for the future. And it meets our new critical pre-condition viz. only start a series that is complete. George RR Martin’s delivery of the concluding books of Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones on TV) has amplified that.
@roger_holland Never read any of his writing, rogier, but did read a few other books about stoicism. Certainly a helpful mindset to develop living in South Africa maybe helpful wherever one may live.
Seems really interesting Goffik, though im not much of a reader. I generally just stick to magazines and such lol. I never really got into story telling of books and such. But stuff like that… i would be interested in for sure!
I might check those out as well. I enjoy fantasy but it can sometimes be a bit hard to find good fantasy for adults… or perhaps I just don’t know where to look. For example, I read a lot of Feist - especially when I was a bit younger - and while I enjoyed his universe and characters, sometimes the plots and themes seemed a bit too targeted at teenagers or very young adults. You know; young man experiences some trauma, rises to become a hero, meets first love, first sexual encounter etc etc… all well and fine, but occasionally a bit banal once you’ve gotten above a certain age
I’m a huge fantasy nerd! It all started in 6th grade when I accidently picked up Magician: Apprentice by Raymond Feist and have never looked back. Coincidentally, I just finished Raymond Feist’s latest book Master of Furies just a couple of days ago.
Anyone who’s into fantasy should look at Brandon Sandersons Stormlight Archive Series or the broader Cosmere series in general. I’m such a huge fan of his work I’m heading to Salt Lake City, Utah in November for his annual convention and the release of his latest the the lost metal. Really good stuff.
I haven’t read any of Joe Abercrombie’s work, but I do like grimdark fantasy so it’s on my list. I have too many hobbies!
The next book I’m reading is Jade city by Fonda Lee the first book in the Greenbone saga. Ive heard so many great things that last week I just went ahead and purchased it. Excited to get into it.
@Kasper Kasper, I never read too much Feist beyond Magician. I can recommend Brent Weeks’ Night Angel trilogy. My son swears by Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series. I did enjoy the first few but ran out of energy (though a lot was going on at the time) in book 4. And although only one book in, Malazan Book of the Fallen looks like it is going to be be worthwhile.
I listened to an audio book while walking:
H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine.
It is one of those free audiobooks you can find on Spotify that isn’t read by a robot but by a skilled an enthousiastic narrator.
That’s very true. Feist excels at the coming-of-age stories which can be outgrown, but there are plenty of stories out there that aren’t that. The Brandon Sanderson series I mentioned (Stormlight archive) for example has a main character that’s a 40 something noble/former general who was infamous in his younger years for being a murderous monster. HIs arc is all about can he comes to terms with who he was, can he make up for it? Is it possible to do enough good to make up for the terrible things he’s done?
I’d also recommend for the satirical leaning fantasy fans anything by Terry Pratchett. I’d describe his work as Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy in fantasy settings. There is a whole book about how mail works in a medieval fantasy setting and another series where the main character is Death (who’s depicted as a blue-collar guy).
The other week I read Elvis and Me by Priscilla. Then I read Rockonomics. I just finished The Dirt by Motley Crue, and next is The Heroin Diaries by Nikki Sixx. After that I’ll be done with rock industry books and I’ll get back to reading my usual genre, which is either fantasy, thriller, or horror.
I’m reading “Hard to Handle” by one of the Black Crowes and finishing up the 3rd book in the Quinn and Costa series by Allison Brennan. I read all sorts of genres. One of the books I have read that I will never forget that gave me the chills was “Hiding in Plain Sight” by Betty Lauer. It’s an account of a 12 year old girl surviving the Holocaust.
I lean toward books that help me build real world skills. TV and movies are for escapism, adventure, fiction and world events. Right now I’m reading, “Speed Brewing” and “Brew Better Beer.” Both of these books are eye opening and contain cutting edge concepts for the home brewer.
Sigh read that series several times, the last book looses the plot entirely which is sad but its still all a good read.
Currently reading Heirs of the Blade (book 7 of the apt series by Adrian Tchaikovsky), its OK but not great.
Read a lot of Scifi and fantasy though , recent recommendations would be:
Light from Uncommon Stars - Ryka Aoki
A Psalm for the Wild-Built + A Prayer for the Crown-Shy - Becky Chambers
Under Fortunate Stars - Ren Hutchings
House of Suns - Alastair Reynolds
Try to switch between fantasy and more historical novels to keep things interesting.
Currently reading The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher, a pretty entertaining fantasy series about a wizard in modern Chicago.
Recently finished
'Tis by Frank McCourt about growing up in Ireland in the 1930;
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, a very short (read in a day) description of a day of a prisoner in a Russian gulag;
2 years before the mast by Richard Dana, a true first view account of a merchant sailor around the Americas around 1840. Long read but super interesting!
Memoirs of Easy Company soldiers (Band of Brothers), Dick Winters, Don Malarkey.
I’ll edit when I can remember more fantasy series, though a lot of great ones have been given already above!
I am currently reading, The client by John Grisham.
I do tend to read all sorts though. I do some fantasy. Read lots on WWI and WWII. Used to do a lot of true crime but these day’s it just tends to be a lot of fiction.
maybe helpful wherever one may live.