Richard Dansky ([info]rdansky) wrote,
2006-04-26 08:38:00
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Recent Reading Material - Thoughts

Exile's Return: Conclave of Shadows, Book 3, by Raymond Feist - I've always enjoyed Feist's storytelling, and he's one of the authors I can share and discuss with my father. On the other hand, as an aging tabletop game designer, I can say that htis book felt an awful lot like a series of conversations with the GM's favorite NPCs, each of whom has important backstory about this really cool setting the GM has worked up that the PC needs to listen to or else they won't understand how brilliant the GM is, err, what's going on. Recommended for plane or light reading, or to gank ideas for a D&D campaign.

The Tough Guide to Fantasyland, by Dianna Wynne Jones - Simply essential, and not just if you've reacently read Exile's Return. A laugh-out-loud funny sendup of innumerable heroic fantasy conventions, with an awful lot of truth.

Blood Bowl, by Matt Forbeck - You can tell this book was written by a Packers fan after, say, ten to fifteen seconds of reading. Lots of fun and a good ride, though I'm disappointed that there weren't more exploding spiked footballs.

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  • 15 comments

[info]lokilokust

April 26 2006, 05:54:35 UTC 6 years ago

i have no idea how i feel about the fact that they actually made a 'blood bowl' novel.

[info]mforbeck

April 26 2006, 08:27:48 UTC 6 years ago

Thanks for the note, Rich! Next time around (for book four of the trilogy, perhaps), I'll endeavor to include more of that particular sort of football. The next book features liberal use of chainsaws, and I hope that will tide you over in the meantime.

[info]rdansky

April 26 2006, 08:35:42 UTC 6 years ago

Chainsaws are always a plus. You can't go wrong with chainsaws and football :-)

I enjoyed the hell out of the book, Matt - thanks for a great, fun, read. Now how much do I have to bribe you to get "Errell Towens" into the next book as a chainsawing victim? :-)

[info]mforbeck

April 26 2006, 08:44:41 UTC 6 years ago

Oh, that I can do for free. :)

[info]rdansky

April 26 2006, 09:02:11 UTC 6 years ago

You, as the kids say, rock.

[info]lovely_fatima

April 26 2006, 08:52:38 UTC 6 years ago

Ooh! I'll have to include you in on the Great Book Exchange project. I'm getting my friends to send me interesting books while I'm in Japan. I've been told that I'll have copious amounts of free time in which to read.

I love Diana Wynne Jones, by the way. She's an amazing author.

[info]rdansky

April 26 2006, 09:03:01 UTC 6 years ago

I have a carton of books in my car that was about to go to donation-land. Tell me what you're interested in and I'll set 'em aside for you.

[info]dybbuk67

April 26 2006, 09:41:36 UTC 6 years ago

On an off-topic note, here is a discussion I thought you might find interesting...

http://community.livejournal.com/weirdjews/1446483.html

[info]tylorva

April 26 2006, 15:38:19 UTC 6 years ago

I like a lot of Feist's earlier stuff, but have really not been impressed with the 'Conclave of Shadows' series. Partly because 'Tal' is just the biggest Mary Sue character ever (with the possible exception of Joshua in Peter Hamilton's books). Urrrgh.

But I particularly disliked 'Exile's Return'. Feist turned a perfectly good villain into a goody two shoes Gary Stu. Bahhhh.

On a more positive note, Dianna Wynne Jones is absolutely awesome. :-)

[info]rdansky

April 26 2006, 19:39:01 UTC 6 years ago

I have always had a lot of fun with Feist (the Tear of the Gods stuff excluded) but this one really never seemed to get started. There was a lot of telling what was going on, and not a lot of actual action. Even the big fight scenes took place mostly offscreen, and it honestly felt like a campaign briefing.

[info]rdansky

April 26 2006, 19:36:16 UTC 6 years ago

Fascinating. Thanks for pointing me at the community.

[info]dybbuk67

April 26 2006, 20:31:52 UTC 6 years ago

Not a problem.
Figured it would be a thread both you and [info]foxbat would be ammused by.

[info]dybbuk67

April 26 2006, 20:37:14 UTC 6 years ago

Oh, and to actually be on topic, have you had a chance to read Perez-Reverte's Captain Alatriste and Purity of Blood?

I was hooked at Alatriste, Perez-Reverte writing a send up to Dumas is a wonderful thing, but then Purity of Blood brought major elements about the persecution even the descendents of Jews who had converted faced.

[info]mforbeck

April 26 2006, 21:25:45 UTC 6 years ago

Nice edit on the Blood Bowl comment there, Rich. It did take me a wee bit longer than fifteen seconds to write the book. ;)

[info]rdansky

April 27 2006, 13:51:11 UTC 6 years ago

Well, I figured the actual writing took at least a minute and a half :-)
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