Help me make out my Christmas List

[Stormborn]

OK, I have a few people on my Christmas list that I am having trouble coming up with gift ideas for:

1. My father. Mid 50s, retired firefighter, Viet Nam vet. Not interested in sports beyond watching an occasional game on TV. As much as I have tried over the years to introduce him to various hobbies none of them have taken. He is retired now and is in somewhat failing health. He likes to read and thanks to recent cataract surgery can do so again. He liked Glen Cook's Black Company and Detective series (whose name I cant recall at the moment) and GRRM's Game of Thrones (as examples of things I have gotten for him in the recent past). Generally he likes Sci-Fi and Fantasy, especially with a millitary themes. I have considered getting him some of the Eberron books now that the first few trilogies are completed. Any thoughts on books for my father?

2. Thomas. Big into history, Fortean issues, conspiracy stuff, etc. Thomas likes miniature and wargames, but not really RPGS. He says he has enough minis. Paints are always an option. I am reluctant to get him history/conspiracy books as he tends to buy a couple of those a week for himself. His wife is getting him BattleLore for Christmas. Any thoughts on Minis related items or wargames he might like? The more obscure the better.

3. Donna. Buying stuff for Donna is easy. But I am looking for something more in the "she doesn't know she wants it yet" catagory. She loves RPGs - and particuarly CoC, Unknown Armies, Ken Hite kinda of stuff. She also loves Comics. She like Buffy, Heroes, BattleStar, etc. The problem is she too buys a lot of stuff for herself. I am looking for Graphic Novel collections she might like or obscure RPG stuff. I can always order off of her Amazon list, but I like to suprise her.

 

[bytor4232]

1. My father. Mid 50s, retired firefighter, Viet Nam vet. Not interested in sports beyond watching an occasional game on TV. As much as I have tried over the years to introduce him to various hobbies none of them have taken. He is retired now and is in somewhat failing health. He likes to read and thanks to recent cataract surgery can do so again. He liked Glen Cook's Black Company and Detective series (whose name I cant recall at the moment) and GRRM's Game of Thrones (as examples of things I have gotten for him in the recent past). Generally he likes Sci-Fi and Fantasy, especially with a millitary themes. I have considered getting him some of the Eberron books now that the first few trilogies are completed. Any thoughts on books for my father?

For your father, has he read Guns of the South. Its written by Harry Turtledove and provides an alternate history of the end of the Civil War. I haven't read it, but I know a lot who have and have claimed this was a great book.

2. Thomas. Big into history, Fortean issues, conspiracy stuff, etc. Thomas likes miniature and wargames, but not really RPGS. He says he has enough minis. Paints are always an option. I am reluctant to get him history/conspiracy books as he tends to buy a couple of those a week for himself. His wife is getting him BattleLore for Christmas. Any thoughts on Minis related items or wargames he might like? The more obscure the better.

You can never have enough minis! You could get him some Reaper Propaints, or some more recent Reaper minis, if he likes fantasy. If not, search miniaturemarket.com, they have a lot of obscure minis of all types.

3. Donna. Buying stuff for Donna is easy. But I am looking for something more in the "she doesn't know she wants it yet" catagory. She loves RPGs - and particuarly CoC, Unknown Armies, Ken Hite kinda of stuff. She also loves Comics. She like Buffy, Heroes, BattleStar, etc. The problem is she too buys a lot of stuff for herself. I am looking for Graphic Novel collections she might like or obscure RPG stuff. I can always order off of her Amazon list, but I like to suprise her.

Sounds like you should just get something off her Amazon list. People like this are very hard to buy for. You could always get her a nice set of dice I suppose.

 

[Darth K'Trava]

Dad: Either Harry Turtledove or Eric Flint (or both!). Turtledove's World War II series was great to read. The ones that has aliens invading right in the middle of the war. Eric Flint has done the 1632 series as well as a new one called 1812: Rivers of War. David Weber is another heavy military SF writer (IIRC). Never read any of his stuff but I've heard it was good.

Donna: Probably easier to get her gift cards to bookstores. She's as bad as me to get stuff for.

 

[bytor4232]

Donna: Probably easier to get her gift cards to bookstores. She's as bad as me to get stuff for.

Indeed. My dad usually gets me a gift cert to Amazon.com, thats better than cash for me

Of course, this year is the second generation iPod shuffle. Man that small guy is leet.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

For the fahza: A gift card/certificate to the local bookstore

For Thomas: The Enemy Within: A History of Espionage (General Military) by Terry Crowdy

Fo Donna: Dork Tower comics.

 

[Stormborn]

Gift cards are a bad idea for my father. He isn't a good shopper. He likes books, he doesnt like buying books. Most anything he reads other than magazines are bought for him by myself or my mother.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

Gift cards are a bad idea for my father. He isn't a good shopper. He likes books, he doesnt like buying books. Most anything he reads other than magazines are bought for him by myself or my mother.

Okay the, these 2 books should have you covered:

Best Military Science Fiction of the 20th Century by Harry Turtledove and Martin H. Greenberg
Masterpieces: The Best Science Fiction of the 20th Century by Orson Scott Card

 

[nerfherder]

A pen is always nice.

On a serious note, though, how about one of the classics for your dad: Starship Troopers or Forever Wars?

Cheers,
Liam

 

[megamania]

OK, I have a few people on my Christmas list that I am having trouble coming up with gift ideas for:

1. My father. Mid 50s, retired firefighter, Viet Nam vet. Not interested in sports beyond watching an occasional game on TV. As much as I have tried over the years to introduce him to various hobbies none of them have taken. He is retired now and is in somewhat failing health. He likes to read and thanks to recent cataract surgery can do so again. He liked Glen Cook's Black Company and Detective series (whose name I cant recall at the moment) and GRRM's Game of Thrones (as examples of things I have gotten for him in the recent past). Generally he likes Sci-Fi and Fantasy, especially with a millitary themes. I have considered getting him some of the Eberron books now that the first few trilogies are completed. Any thoughts on books for my father?.

I keep thinking book gift cards like the others. Thinkjing of stuff- there was a 'Nam comicbook series by Marvel in the eighties that was very good. It was historically correctand written from the soldiers view. Much of this was collected but it is old. e-bay may be the way to go vs Amazon. Check both.

2. Thomas. Big into history, Fortean issues, conspiracy stuff, etc. Thomas likes miniature and wargames, but not really RPGS. He says he has enough minis. Paints are always an option. I am reluctant to get him history/conspiracy books as he tends to buy a couple of those a week for himself. His wife is getting him BattleLore for Christmas. Any thoughts on Minis related items or wargames he might like? The more obscure the better..

Any cons in his area? Warcon weekend, pay for room and tickets or if close enough- just the tickets and some spending money there.

3. Donna. Buying stuff for Donna is easy. But I am looking for something more in the "she doesn't know she wants it yet" catagory. She loves RPGs - and particuarly CoC, Unknown Armies, Ken Hite kinda of stuff. She also loves Comics. She like Buffy, Heroes, BattleStar, etc. The problem is she too buys a lot of stuff for herself. I am looking for Graphic Novel collections she might like or obscure RPG stuff. I can always order off of her Amazon list, but I like to suprise her.

Sandman graphic novels by Vertigo (DC Comics) I can not praise this seres far enough. It is very mature with some graphic violence occationally but very good. It is written by Neil Gaimen (SP). There are about 12 sets in the series. Try for the first one. It sets up the rest of the story as the "endless" trys to reclaim his lost throne to Dreams.


Hope it helps.