[December] What are you reading?

[Jack7]

This sounds fascinating to me. Please let me know if it holds up through the end as a good read.

I've just about finished reading it Mark, and thought it held up well top to bottom. Each person described is approached from a different "character" peculiar to their nature, Leonardo is approached as a soulful intellectual and artist, Machiavelli as a sort of philosophical-schemer and psychologist, and Borgia as a political and military opportunist. And tyrant.

I like books where you learn small and seemingly unimportant historical and biographical facts, that are really of enormous importance in understanding people. And to me good biography is the highest form of study regarding the currents of human history. Because you not only learned what happened and when and where, but who happened, and why.

I recommend this book.

I just finished Bernard Cornwell's The Last Kingdom, and am starting Jack McDevitt's The Devil's Eye, the fourth (I think) of his Alex Benedict far-future archaeological mystery space books.

I've always liked Cornwell, and I like Jack's books. For the most part.

 

[Mallus]

I'm finishing Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks and I just cracked open Ulysses... I've read the first chapter, so far, so good...

 

[Mark]

I've just about finished reading it Mark, and thought it held up well top to bottom. Each person described is approached from a different "character" peculiar to their nature, Leonardo is approached as a soulful intellectual and artist, Machiavelli as a sort of philosophical-schemer and psychologist, and Borgia as a political and military opportunist. And tyrant.

I like books where you learn small and seemingly unimportant historical and biographical facts, that are really of enormous importance in understanding people. And to me good biography is the highest form of study regarding the currents of human history. Because you not only learned what happened and when and where, but who happened, and why.

I recommend this book.

Thanks. It's been in my Amazon cart since you mentioned it, awaiting your verdict. I'll team it up with enough for the free shipping and get it in the mail soon.

 

[ssampier]

I just finished Bunnicula, Howliday Inn, and Bunnicula Strikes Again. It wasn't as good as I remember. Of course, it is a kid's book.

I also just finished "The Gunslinger" by Stephen King. It was different and not traditional fantasy. It was a bit more odd than I was expecting; especially the dialog with the man in black. I am not sure I want to finish the series.

I received "Pathfinder: RPG" for Christmas. I will be reading that over my holiday break.

 

[megamania]

Non-Fiction

[The Artist, the Philosopher, and the Warrior - A really interesting book so far about the time in 1502 when Leonardo Da Vinci, Machiavelli, and Cesare Borgia met and worked together. I'm not far in so far but it's good. Really good.

My favorite college class was basically this-

Art, Literature and Philosophy.

Three teachers in the classroom at the same time debating which influenced the other the most and why.

Roman time, Rennessaince and Modern times were the three times covered.

Excellent class concept. I wish they kept it going.

 

[megamania]

Just finished Son of Khyber.

I am more convinced than ever that Keith baker and I share brainwaves. It's scary sometimes.....

Looking to read either Dragon Forge or a new James Bond novel. Both were given to me for X-Mas.

 

[Crothian]

Looking to read either Dragon Forge or a new james Bond novel Santa got me.

I first read that "a new Santa novel James Bond gave me" and was confused...

 

[megamania]

I first read that "a new Santa novel James Bond gave me" and was confused...

My bad. Thanks for pointing that out.

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

I just got the physical version of Fantasy Craft by Craft Games. Loving it! Were I already in a Pathfinder game (which I have zero investment in except the .pdf) I don't think I'd be interested in Fantasy Craft despite my appraisal that FC repairs more of 3e's issues than Pathfinder does. Fantasy Craft has reinvigorated my enthusiasm for D20-based gaming.

Interestingly, Fantasy Craft awoke me to a series I had never heard before. Mistborn: The Final Empire, by Brandon Sanderson. Fantasy Craft listed the series as one of a group of stories/settings when evil had already won. Plus, the Craft Games team acquired the license to publish an RPG on the setting. I grabbed the trilogy a couple weeks ago, and I've since plowed through the first two books (Mistborn and The Well of Ascension). I can't recall a series so grasping my interest and imagination since my high school years 20 years ago.