Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
Direct Connect: scod.game-server.cc
NWN List
Announcements
Welcome to the forums of Sigil: City of Doors. | New update 5/28/18 - read the update notes here!
Welcome to Sigil: City of Doors. We hope you enjoy your visit.


You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free.


Join our community!


If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features:

Username:   Password:
Multi-Quote Post on Multi-Quote Post off
Add Reply
  • Pages:
  • 1
  • 3
  • 4
Help wanted; What to read next...
Topic Started: Jun 27 2012, 11:03 PM (809 Views)
Ravel's Heart
Member Avatar

Dungeon Master (Emeritus)
So I am savoring the final novella in Jim Butcher's Side Jobs and waiting for the aptly named Ghost Story due in just a month and a half. (cryptc, between SCoD and the Dresden Files, I think that my wife will probably murder you for what you have done to my free time over the last 6 months! :lol: )

Sadly, this puts me in a terrible position: I am out of books to read just a few short weeks before my vacation begins.

So I beseech you, SCoD... Suggest something that I am likely to enjoy for a week at the beach!

For extra credit, suggest a good book on audio for the eight hour drive each way. In past years, we have listened to Harry Potter and Stephen King's gunslinger books. This year we will have a pair of five-year-old-ears along for the first time, so it will have to be something well within the PG range.

Help me, City of Doors. You're my only hope...

;)
"What can change the nature of a man?"
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Ceremorph
Member Avatar
Dark Mistress of the Toolset
Admin
Can't help you with the kiddies, Ravel. I'm going to ASSUME they've already had the Hobbit read to them, being your children...

As for grown-up beach reading, have you tried Joe Abercrombie's The First Law trilogy? First book: The Blade Itself. Not the most intellectual read, but an interesting world and good characterizations. Sorta makes me think of a more modern David Gemmel.

Moving away from fantasy, and towards something more sci-fi:

The Long Earth by Terry Pratchett and Steven Baxter

Yes, that's right. Terry Pratchett co-authoring a novel with a guy with engineering and mathematics PhDs. Can geek cred get any higher than that?
We rode on the winds of the rising storm,
We ran to the sounds of the thunder.
We danced among the lightning bolts,
and tore the world asunder.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Melancholy_Dreamer
Member Avatar
Cutter
[ *  *  * ]
Pandora's Star and Judas Unchained


For you and kiddies
I'm sure there's audio somewhere, and it's a favorite childhood read

The Dark Is Rising
Alicia Grey (Wild Child, Troublemaker, Tourist Guide, Busybody)- "Want the Dark? Gimme jink!"
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Captain Vanguard
Member Avatar
Honorary wielder of the Paladin Button.
[ *  *  *  *  *  * ]
I cant really recommend something outside a known franchise but if you want something nice and DNDish and you feel a little Drow inside you trying to reach the surface for its misunderstood-

Who the hell am I kidding.

If your interested in a drow series though I HIGHLY recommend War of the Spider Queen. It is an excelent 6 book series for a mature, dark fantasy reader that gives forgotten realms a surpisingly dark twist for a setting that is known for its heroic atmosphere.

Its definatley not something you read to kids though, cant really make any decent recommendations there beyond horrible histories.

Still, if you feel like reading something about DnD that doesnt need its own setting to stand on its own then the war of the spider queen is definatley for you. It may say its a forgotten realms series but it takes much more interest in the underdark in such a way you could more or less cut it off the main storyline of FR and simply call it its own setting.

A teaser Synopsis if your not sold:

The storyline regards the silence of Lolth, a cataclysmic event that will endanger the very society and fundamentals of every Drow in the forgotten realms setting. Due to her mysterious silence, the Priestesses are no longer able to draw divine magic and its up to a clever, if not egomanical male drow wizard to save the day.

But what begins as a journey of conspiracy will lead to a discovery that will change the very face of Drow kind in Torils Underdark forever.

Its got the right level of action and adventure that a series should have, and most importantly its a series, a series that is consistant throughout and makes absoleute sense with each book that follows.

The fact Salvatore got 6 seperate bookwriters to make a series that not only works but defines itself in a stand-alone manner shows just how well it works and how engaging it can be to a reader eager to learn more of drow culture aswell as the clever politics behind it.

I would recommend it to everyone I know, be it Ravel or any ethusiast DnD player, especially interested in Forgotten Realms, Planetraveling and Drow Culture.

Well, thats my two cents.
Justice must be forfilled, at any cost.
People must believe to be believed in.
One cannot expect power freely.
Imagination is the key to insight.
Industry is born from progress.
Gods interfere with mans ambition.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
ManyFaced
Member Avatar
Choosy testers choose Jif.
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
I highly recommend E.E. Knight's Age of Fire series, which is a very 'realistic' take on dragons and common fantasy archetypes. Then there's also a little known diversion of The Alchemy of Stone by Ekaterina Sedia, which is a steam punk/magic sorta deal. The main character sorta reminds me of Pen in hindsight. And if you're in the mood for hilarious, morbid, sci-fi action then look no further than Sandy Michelle's Ciaphas Cain series. The omnibus of the first couple books is inexpensive and a long read.
"Can everyone try just, reading what the DM writes? I think that'd be a good first step."
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Trystram
Member Avatar
Prime
[ *  * ]
ManyFaced,Jun 27 2012
08:45 PM
And if you're in the mood for hilarious, morbid, sci-fi action then look no further than Sandy Michelle's Ciaphas Cain series. The omnibus of the first couple books is inexpensive and a long read.

YES! And anything by Dan Abnett.
Gamespy Username: Fateless
Characters: Jessaly
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Plaxy100
No Avatar
Does not infact have a Greybeard
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
Something a bit on the fantasy Side, I liked a whole bunch also, Kid safe and quite enjoyable,

Dragon Circle Series By Craig Shaw Gardner.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Dragon-Circle-Sl...g/dp/0441002609

And If Crag Shaw Gardner sounds familier cause it is, He is the author of Batman, and Batman Returns Novelizations.
GMT: -8. Player Tag: Plaxy100 Steamtag: Plaxy186

Characters: Merrium Pinklily (The Red Death Hin)
Brandon Burnfire (Master Evoker)
Zinex (half lune warlock)
Sssylvgh (Yuan-ti Arcane trickster)
Timothy Jack (Bard of the Fated)
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
MirielKanan
Member Avatar
Namer
[ *  *  *  *  *  * ]
I recommend The Last Apprentice series and for the little one I recommend The Chronicles of Narnia books.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Goatrider
Member Avatar
Blood
[ *  *  *  * ]
Echoing Ceramorph's recommendation of the First Law series, but not so much for the kiddies.

For kid friendly, try Naomi Novik's Temeraire series. Alternative history set around the Napoleonic wars, with dragons. Kinda cutesy, but a fairly decent read as long as you aren't expecting a lot of depth.

More of the non-kid friendly, Gardens of the Moon by Stephen Erikson. Very detailed, very brutal world, with my only complaint being Erikson's tendancy to unveil it a little bit at a time. If you like it, there's about a dozen more. The story arcs eventually come together!

The Lies of Locke Lamora, by Stephen Lynch. It's Robin Hood, only he steals from the rich to prove he's richer and cleverer than anyone else. There's also two more after that.

C.S. Friedman's Coldfire Trilogy is one of my favorite series ever. It's not the best written, it's not groundbreaking, and I don't care. I like it anyway.



Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Trystram
Member Avatar
Prime
[ *  * ]
Goatrider,Jun 28 2012
12:19 AM
The Lies of Locke Lamora, by Stephen Lynch.

Waaaaaitwaitwaitwait... Is this "Damn that's an ugly baby" Stephen Lynch? Because that would be TOO awesome! :rofl:
Gamespy Username: Fateless
Characters: Jessaly
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Felight
No Avatar
Blood
[ *  *  *  * ]
If you want a good story book filled with violence try some of the versions of the Bible. Those might be of interest
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
deusex2
No Avatar
Greybeard
[ *  *  *  *  * ]
I'd recommend you The Witcher series, Dune(the originals, not "the prequels") but since you have five years old involved...Errrr...Hmmm...The Wheel of Time, maybe? Or maybe you should get Harry Potter for your kids.

Oh, have you read the Star Wars books, have your kids watched the original trilogy? Well, reading the book is better than watching the movie, as it explains a whole lot more, actually.

Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
cryptc
Member Avatar
Advisor
Admin
Jim Butchers other series "The Codex Alera" is pretty interesting too, although it hasn't grabbed my attention as much as the Dresden Files, it's more classical fantasy...

And if you haven't read "A Dirty Job" by Christopher Moore it's extremely highly recommended from me, one of my favorites (Modern day setting, but involves the supernatural, the goddess Morrigan is a antagonist in the book for instance)
"One of the most curious statements I've seen on this list is that PlaneScape is a logical world. I must have erred. I was trying to create a world that defied logic." - David 'Zeb' Cook
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Mr_Otyugh
Member Avatar

Dungeon Master
deusex2,Jun 28 2012
09:49 AM
Oh, have you read the Star Wars books, have your kids watched the original trilogy? Well, reading the book is better than watching the movie, as it explains a whole lot more, actually.

I approve with this. Children need to learn the time before Jar Jar Binks... or chronologically after him? Also find out that Luke is oblivious of the existence ducks. Very important. :nod:
Time Zones - Alignments - Name Generator
NWN 2 Mechanics - PnP Mechanics - Dice Roller
Character Builder - 2nd edition Monster Database - Monster Finder
In-case of problems: Click Here
Online Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
silinrul357
Member Avatar

Event Master
*grumbles at O*

Ehem...

So I haven't actually read them, but, I heard the "Wheel of Time" series by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson is pretty good. Not sure if it's "PG" in rate, but it's one set I've always thought to get around to but blah. Been too lazy lately.... and busy. And both.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Go to Next Page
« Previous Topic · General Discussion · Next Topic »
Add Reply
  • Pages:
  • 1
  • 3
  • 4