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I'm looking for books of wizards and magic within modern times. Where they interact and work within society, not like shoved off into their own section of the world which might as well be medieval times like some books out there do. Odd request, I know, but I've been on a magic kick lately due to games I've been playing and I've always found the idea of a world that's progressed just like ours yet magic is real an interesting concept that allows for a much more fun and different take on the typical fantasy novel than those that take place in medieval times
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May 8, 2012 03:20
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Dr. VooDoo posted:I'm looking for books of wizards and magic within modern times. Where they interact and work within society, not like shoved off into their own section of the world which might as well be medieval times like some books out there do. Odd request, I know, but I've been on a magic kick lately due to games I've been playing and I've always found the idea of a world that's progressed just like ours yet magic is real an interesting concept that allows for a much more fun and different take on the typical fantasy novel than those that take place in medieval times The most obvious and the most popular would be Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series, there's a whole thread about them in this very forum. Kevin Hearne also does a series called the Iron Druid Chronicles that's pretty good. If you're looking for something darker, try Richard Kadrey's Sandman Slim series.
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May 8, 2012 05:16
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Yeah, you're basically looking for Dresden or Iron Druid.
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May 8, 2012 10:43
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There's also the "Lord Darcy" stories by Randall Garrett; they're set in an alternate "modern" universe where magic is just a thing, like electricity. The only downside is they're basically just "cozy" locked-room murder mysteries with a magical gloss.
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May 8, 2012 12:59
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Being out of school, I finally want to get cracking on Camus and a basic overview of Western Philosophy. I think I'm a lot more familiar with Eastern philosophies than Western philosophies in general. I can name the terms (e.g. Metaphysics, etc) but can't distinguish them or any of the major philosophers (e.g. Socrates, Kant, Hume, etc) in great detail. I want to start with The Stranger and The Myth of Sisyphus, but what else by or on Camus (or Western philosophy) should I read for further enjoyment and to better appreciate what he is talking about in his writing? [EDIT]: Also, anything by or on Sarte? I read No Exit back in high school and enjoyed what little taste I had of Sarte and French Existentialism then. This would also be an area of interest for me in general. I really appreciate knowing the historical contexts of things and why/how they came to be (e.g. Existentialism becoming popular out of the post-WWII climate). Teriyaki Koinku fucked around with this message at 21:41 on May 8, 2012 |
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May 8, 2012 21:36
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I really enjoyed The Plague by Camus.
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May 8, 2012 22:09
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Any book on general mathematics theory, explaining how and why a broad range of theorems and formulas work the way they do.
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May 9, 2012 03:42
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I'm looking for contemporary novels that deal with digital technology, the language of social media, etc. I've read 'Shoplifting from American Apparel', and I'm about to check out jPod as I feel it could be of the same vein, but really I'm lost otherwise. I've looked on Amazon and there's just a whole wealth of fiction, but a lot of it seems like amateur detective novels that fall into the realm of deceiving/stalking. If anybody could give me any specific recommendations that would be ace.
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May 11, 2012 14:35
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AARP LARPer fucked around with this message at 01:17 on Jan 22, 2016 |
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May 11, 2012 18:58
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Hahaha. I got this for a couple of pounds, so I'll see where I go. I thought Microserfs was good, so maybe I just like lovely fiction.
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May 11, 2012 19:58
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Thanks for the recommendations. I just finished Norwegian Wood, and it didn't disappoint at all. What a timeless book! I have moved on to Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman today. I think I will either read Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World or The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle next.Convexed posted:Hahaha. I got this for a couple of pounds, so I'll see where I go. I thought Microserfs was good, so maybe I just like lovely fiction. I loved Microserfs, but I couldn't get into jPod either.
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May 11, 2012 20:07
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Do Not Resuscitate posted:I couldn't get past 50 pages of JPod and tossed it in a donation box. It was one of the worst books I've read and I've read Exit: Pursued by a Bee so that's saying something. There was even a short lived TV series if you can believe it. It was truly horrible, like most Canadian made TV
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May 11, 2012 22:41
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I just finished A Song of Ice and Fire, and I'm done with huge casts of characters. Should I read The Dark Tower series?
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May 14, 2012 18:44
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So reliquary was awesome! Thanks for recomending, I love agent Pendergast too....thrilled that he is in many more books to come.
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May 14, 2012 20:14
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This might sound like an odd request, but does anyone have any ideas for books that might make me a more interesting dungeon master? Just interesting fantasy, I guess.
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May 15, 2012 10:49
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Basic Beater posted:This might sound like an odd request, but does anyone have any ideas for books that might make me a more interesting dungeon master? Depends on what kind of game you're running, I've got inspiration from plenty of books (Dresden Files, Kingkiller Chronicle, Foundation, Old Mans War in particular were fairly good for it) but it's all dependent on what setting you have and what kind of stuff your players like to do.
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May 15, 2012 11:55
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I guess I'm more looking for inspiration for a campaign. I have a feeling my friends don't want to take DnD very seriously, so I kind of want to enthrall them with a good campaign and keep them interested.
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May 15, 2012 12:25
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The advice I usually give basically every newish GM is find inspiration in any book/movie you read or find interesting but for some good fantasy books that can translate pretty well into some rad campaign ideas, look into Gene Wolfes Books of the New Sun series, Brandon Sandersons Way of Kings and Mistborn series are pretty good stuff for that as well as being interesting fantasy. Seven Princes by John Flutz I've heard good things about too. Kingkiller Chronicle is pretty good if you can put up with the various issues the series had. Edit: The Darkness that Comes Before was pretty different and cool too. Have you checked out our very own Trad Games forum? Any thread there always gives me piles of ideas to Nemesis Of Moles fucked around with this message at 12:44 on May 15, 2012 |
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May 15, 2012 12:41
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Basic Beater posted:This might sound like an odd request, but does anyone have any ideas for books that might make me a more interesting dungeon master? Head over to the Malazan thread http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3393708 It's a sprawling ten book fantasy series that started as a GURPS campaign. The series is very strong on world building which could interest you, I guess.
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May 15, 2012 12:54
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I am looking for a relatively recent (last 20 years) gay novel that isn't Cavalier and Klay or smut, any suggestions?
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May 17, 2012 21:00
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The Art of Fielding has a petty big gay subplot and it's more than relatively recent.
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May 17, 2012 23:23
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barkingclam posted:The Art of Fielding has a petty big gay subplot and it's more than relatively recent. & it is a pretty good book. Also John Irving's new novel is about a bisexual man dealing with his sexuality. It is called In One Person. nate fisher fucked around with this message at 00:01 on May 18, 2012 |
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May 17, 2012 23:57
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furiouskoala posted:I am looking for a relatively recent (last 20 years) gay novel that isn't Cavalier and Klay or smut, any suggestions? I am reading Alan Hollinghurst's The Line of Beauty at the moment and absolutely loving it. It's quite recent (2004) and it won the Booker prize (so no smut) so it should be just what you're looking for.
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May 18, 2012 10:55
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Thats the second time I heard Cavalier and Klay referred to as a Gay novel. Theres passages focusing on Klay's (? I forget which one) homosexuality but wasnt he a character who just happened to be gay? It wasn't explored or central to his character in anyway as far as I remember.
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May 18, 2012 21:41
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This might be a strange request, but does anyone have any recommendations for fictional books that deal with wanting something unattainable, or losing something? Could be an object, a person, an ideal, etc. If not that, then I would like to read something really sad and depressing, because lately all I've been reading are happy books and I would like a change of pace. Some books I enjoyed are The Secret History by Donna Tartt, Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates, and Spring Snow by Yukio Mishima.
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May 19, 2012 03:33
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flymonkey posted:This might be a strange request, but does anyone have any recommendations for fictional books that deal with wanting something unattainable, or losing something? Could be an object, a person, an ideal, etc. Edith Wharton's The House of Mirth about trying to live in upper class New York society, written in 1905. F. Scott Fitzgerald's Tender Is the Night, which deals with personal relationships and power. The first chapter is as happy as it gets. Robert Penn Warren's All the King's Men, is a slight recommendation. I found it too wordy and trying to be too poignant at times, but in regards to losing things, yeah, that happens with Jack.
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May 19, 2012 04:25
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flymonkey posted:This might be a strange request, but does anyone have any recommendations for fictional books that deal with wanting something unattainable, or losing something? Could be an object, a person, an ideal, etc. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro can still bring me to the verge of tears just by having it pop up randomly in my thoughts and it's been a year, maybe two since I finished it. I think it fits the first part of your request as well.
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May 19, 2012 06:30
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flymonkey posted:This might be a strange request, but does anyone have any recommendations for fictional books that deal with wanting something unattainable, or losing something? Could be an object, a person, an ideal, etc. Richard Yates's collected stories are really good for this. I didn't find them quite as sad as Revolutionary Road, but they're still pretty loving depressing. And good!
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May 19, 2012 06:30
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Basically I want "Law & Order: the Novel." Murder mystery, not necessarily police but that would be nice. Also, Kindle version for sure. I'm looking for traveling reading. Thanks in advance.
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May 19, 2012 08:04
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Humerus posted:Basically I want "Law & Order: the Novel." Murder mystery, not necessarily police but that would be nice. Also, Kindle version for sure. I'm looking for traveling reading. Thanks in advance. If you want a police procedural, you could look at the originals, the Ed McBain 87th precinct books. There are like fifty of them and they start here: http://www.amazon.com/Cop-Hater-87th-Precinct-Mysteries/dp/0671775472 They won't have the trial side though.
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May 19, 2012 12:14
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bpower posted:Thats the second time I heard Cavalier and Klay referred to as a Gay novel. Theres passages focusing on Klay's (? I forget which one) homosexuality but wasnt he a character who just happened to be gay? It wasn't explored or central to his character in anyway as far as I remember. Homosexuality and the social stigma attached to it are what Sam Clay spends most of the book trying to "escape" from. quote:I am looking for a relatively recent (last 20 years) gay novel that isn't Cavalier and Klay or smut, any suggestions? Gay characters are central to a lot of Chabon's novels. I would suggest The Mysteries of Pittsburgh, which is about the son of a Jewish mob boss discovering his sexuality.
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May 19, 2012 19:21
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I'm looking for something like Liminal States, Marble Hornets or SCP-093 (http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-093, it's actually pretty good, better than most other SCP's). I'm looking for mysteries that aren't explained, and every mystery that is explained just brings more questions, a sense of helplessness, but it doesn't necessarily need to be scary, I'd prefer more of a psychological kimd of horror with a heavy atmosphere. Kindle versions preferred but not required.
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May 20, 2012 11:13
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flymonkey posted:This might be a strange request, but does anyone have any recommendations for fictional books that deal with wanting something unattainable, or losing something? Could be an object, a person, an ideal, etc. Have you read Temple of the Golden Pavilion by Mishima? That sounds like it might fit what you're looking for. Sad and depressing: Jessica, by Bryce Courtenay: This is probably one of the most depressing books I've ever read. It's based on a true story, about a young woman in Australia around the turn of the last century who lived a pretty tragic life. It's a good book, worth reading, but so sad that I don't think I'll ever want to read it again. The Pastures of Heaven, by John Steinbeck: This is a collection of stories about people who live in a small town and all the pain they cause each other. I wouldn't say it's depressing, but it's very emotional.
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May 20, 2012 13:53
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I'm looking for a nonfiction book on the Civil War, something that looks at the conflict from a different or interesting angle, and is well written and easy to read with lots of engaging facts and stories.
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May 21, 2012 03:14
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Pron on VHS posted:I'm looking for a nonfiction book on the Civil War, something that looks at the conflict from a different or interesting angle, and is well written and easy to read with lots of engaging facts and stories. Are you looking for a brief overview of the Civil War, the political aspects, the or the military aspect, famous people, how do you like apologists...? Defenestrategy fucked around with this message at 03:48 on May 21, 2012 |
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May 21, 2012 03:44
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Hey, I'm looking for a somewhat easily accessible sci-fi book, language-wise. I'm getting it as a gift for a girl who has helped me out a lot this year, but English is not her first language. She absolutely adores science-fiction (And even did her MA thesis on Sci-Fi in China or something), and has read most of Clark, Heinlein, etc in Chinese. I want to get her something that she hasn't read before, but is still somewhat accessible for someone without perfect English... maybe YA stuff? For reference, she tried to read Hyperion by Dan Simmons because the synopsis interested her but she ended up giving up because of the language being too difficult in parts. I should message crazy pseudo-science jargon doesn't seem to be much of a hindrance.
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May 22, 2012 21:43
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Magna Kaser posted:Hey, I'm looking for a somewhat easily accessible sci-fi book, language-wise. Armor by John Steakly, if she got through Starship Troopers she should be able to get through this. edit: Oh in Chinese, the prose isn't too hard IIRC, I suppose, it's very light on techno-babble.
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May 22, 2012 21:50
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Magna Kaser posted:Hey, I'm looking for a somewhat easily accessible sci-fi book, language-wise. Would Lois McMaster Bujold's Miles Vorkosigan novels fit the bill? I found them very easy reading, though I'm not sure what it would be like for a non-native speaker. In print format they're best bought in compilation form; start with Young Miles.
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May 22, 2012 22:04
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Magna Kaser posted:Hey, I'm looking for a somewhat easily accessible sci-fi book, language-wise. Theodore Sturgeon! Get her something by Theodore Sturgeon! Because Theodore Sturgeon is great, and "Saucer of Loneliness" and "Man Who Lost The Sea" are my favorite stories of all time. If you're not down with that, I don't know, maybe Harlan Ellison or something, that should inspire a fun revolution.
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May 23, 2012 05:35
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Magna Kaser posted:Hey, I'm looking for a somewhat easily accessible sci-fi book, language-wise. My standard recommendation for sci-fi is this: http://www.amazon.com/Science-Fiction-Hall-Fame-Vol/dp/0765305372 It's the best science fiction short stories written before they introduced the Hugo Awards, as voted on by the Science Fiction Writers of America. There will probably be something in there that's an absolute classic that she hasn't already read, it'll be of historical interest to her as a student of the development of the genre, if one story's too difficult she can skip to the next. Edit: it includes "Microcosmic God" by Theodore Sturgeon.
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May 23, 2012 15:20
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