[~OT] What should I buy? (Long...er than I thought)

[Terraism]

This is sorta off-topic, sorta not. In part it pertains to D&D, and... well - I bet you can guess that the other part doesn't.

Anyway, I'm going to find myself coming up with an extra couple hundred bucks I never expected to see again, and, since I didn't really miss it, don't have any problems with spending it. That said, I've got some rough examples of what I might get. However - I'd like some feedback from people who've seen the stuff, beforehand. That said, I've got a nice long list here, ranging from D&D to DVD... what'dya think?

Literature
I really love reading, and I can see easily spending the entire amount on books... but I don't plan on it. I read almost exclusively fantasy (with a little Koontz thrown in on the side). Favorite authors include Piers Anthony, Terry Brooks, David Eddings, Raymond Feist, Terry Goodkind, Robert Jordan, and Tolkien (of course - I saved the best for last!). Several of the following have recently came to my attention, but I haven't read any of their works. Comments, please.

• Tad Williams
• George R R Martin
• Peter S. Beagle
  [/list=a]Anyone else I should know about?
  
  Movies
  Now, I don't often watch TV, or movies. (Though I'm much more willing to stare at the latter.) That said, I recently got a DVD player (Christmas present) and have proceded to break it in with The Matrix. Aside from that, the only other movies I own are Star Wars, The Hobbit & Lord of the Rings (Animated Versions), and several Monty Python's. I've also enjoyed some of the Hallmark fantasy movies (Merlin, Gulliver's Travels, etc.) Any other suggestions? I know we had a recent thread about this, but... I'm considering the following, some of which I haven't seen (marked with an '*')...
  • Braveheart *
  • Excalibur *
  • The Thirteenth Warrior
  • Gladiator *
  • Willow *
    [/list=a]Actually, I have seen Willow, but it was a very long time ago...
    
    Music
    Like most people, I enjoy music. I'm rather selective, and extremely narrow minded. I prefer music from 'before my time,' specifically Simon & Garfunkle, Don McLean, Cat Stevens, and James Taylor, but I also like a few modern bands. (Counting Crows, Lifehouse, and some [read, the quieter] Red Hot Chili Peppers). Instrumental music, such as Andrew Lloyd Webber's, Celtic, etc. are all wonderful. Now, I might have missed some in the book or movie section, but here, that's it. I didn't leave anything out. These are the only 'groups' I like (at this point.) I have to admit, though, that I'm extremely limited here, since I don't listen to the radio... there's a lot, I'm sure, that I've never heard. Anyone have anything to say about David Arkenstone? I've heard of his stuff, but never heard it...
    
    Roleplaying
    D&D all the way! At this point, I've got the following;
    • Wizards of the Coast - Everything
    • Sword & Sorcery - Creature Collection, Relics and Rituals
    • Necromancer Games - Crucible of Freya, Rappan Athukk I & II, Demons & Devils
    • Arthaus - Ravenloft CS
    • Malhalvoc Press - Book of Eldritch Might
      [/list=a]
      I really like what I've seen of the Scarred Lands at this point, and Necromancer Game's modules have become some of my favorites... I like Ravenloft, though I'm not sure I'll ever get to play in it. As for Malhalvoc, I'd prefer to wait 'till they're out in print version. That said, any other products I should look at? I've been looking at Fantasy Flight's hardcovers, but that's all I can think of. Now, I know most of what I like and don't - I spend enough time here to get a general impression - but I'm quite sure I'll forget something I'd like to have if I don't get this list checked - and I don't know anyone outside the boards who'd do this for me.
      
      Geez, this post has gotten *really* long... by my standards, at least. Sorry mods, if this is out of place - I hope it's not. Not to be demanding, or anything, but... would the rest of you like to take a look at this, and make some suggestions as to how to blow 4-6 hundred bucks?

 

[Echoes]

Music suggestions

Though I don't have as much RP stuff as you do, I do have a considerable music collection (approaching 300 cds...gah), so I figured I could give you a few recommendations if you want to expand a bit.

On the "older" front, I'd definitely look in to Bob Dylan--my suggestion is to start with his "Essential" hits collection and move on from there. And, well, the Beatles never did anyone harm. Also, Tom Waits, but he's a bit of an aquired taste.

As far as modern music you might like, I suggest some alt-country (I hate that name, but that's what most people call it--its NOT country music, just great rock/blues/pop stuff with a rootsy feel)type stuff: Wilco and Ryan Adams are great. Also, perhaps R.E.M. would be to your liking. And Pete Yorn, can't forget Pete Yorn. He and Ryan Adams are two wonderful songwriters.

So yeah, that's all I have to say on the subject of music for the moment, given your tastes (from what I can tell). Sorry I wasn't much help in other areas, but you wouldn't want to get me started on movies and books--I could go on for ages.

Laters,
-John-

 

[Tsyr]

On the music front, try checking out http://www.heatherlands.com/

May not be to your taste, but I try to recomend her to as many people as I can

 

[Warrior Poet]

Books and sech

Comments, please.

Tad Williams

George R R Martin

Peter S. Beagle

Sorry, haven't ready any of them lads.

Anyone else I should know about?

Some suggestions, in a variety of idioms, in sort of chronological order, complete with highly opinionated commentary …

Anglo-Saxon Author Unknown: Beowulf. Old-school sword, spear, monster-and-mead-filled mayhem. So good.
Mary Shelley: Frankenstein. Beyond so good. Genius.
Edgar Allen Poe: Anything, including his criticism. Weird, haunted, visionary, hallucinatory, lovelorn, psychopathic mystery. Beyond so good. Genius.
Bram Stoker: Dracula. Vampire as disease metaphor, vampire as sex metaphor, vampire as class struggle metaphor, vampire as foreign outsider metaphor, vampire as age metaphor. Wow, that’s a lot of vampire for (about) eight bucks (paperback). So good.
H.P. Lovecraft: Anything, including his criticism. Weird, terrifying, watch-your-brains-pour-out-and-pool-on-the-floor-creepy-eldritch-strange. So good.
Jorge Luis Borges: Essays, poems, short stories, musings, criticism, anything. Imagination unleashed. Beyond so good. Genius.
Michael Moorcock: the (original) Elric series. Brooding wizard-king and the ultimate evil demon sword. Plenty-o-pathos. So good.
Larry Niven: “What Good Is A Glass Dagger,” followed by The Magic Goes Away. Interesting treatments of magic, and the power behind it, as well as how it affects people. Does a good job imagining a world where magic is a very important part of existence. So good.
Ron Goulart: “Please Stand By.” Were-elephants are funny.
Fritz Leiber: Swords series, about Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser. Sword-and-sorcery thief stories. So good.
Manly Wade Wellman: “The Seeker In The Fortress.” A bard’s tale. Fun with music and swords.
Gene Wolf: Book of the New Sun, and many, many others. Beyond so good. Borges-level good. Genius.
Harlan Ellison: Short stories, screenplays, essays, anything. “I laughed, I cried, I couldn’t put it down” isn’t cliché when it’s Ellison, it’s truth. Beyond so good. Genius.
Neil Gaiman: American Gods, Sandman graphic novels, Stardust. Fairy tales, myth, disturbing dream sequences, full-contact fantasy. Beyond so good. Borges-level good. Genius.
Martha Wells: City of Bones and Death of the Necromancer. More good thief stories, full of magic and strange technology. So good. Did I mention so good?
Sean Stewart: Night Watch. Ancient-modern speculative science fantasy myth. So good.
Nina Kiriki Hoffman: The Silent Strength of Stones. Weird, confusing, funny, playful, unrefined, disarming, unsettling, were-creatures, pseudo-modern-druidic coming-of-age story. I think.

Thanks for your time.

Warrior Poet

 

[Sir Apropos]

Literature

Go for Geroge R.R. Martin hands down. After reading it all other fantasy fails to live up to it.

His recent stuff (Song of Fire and Ice) A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, and A Storm of Swords are excellent. They have also started to reprint some of his stuff from the 80's and I've also been able to find some of it in used book stores and it is pretty good too.

 

[Welverin]

Literature

Can't help you here unless you're willing to give Timothy Zahn and sci-fi a try. You could always give his Star Wars books a try, they have the best villain ever (the first three at least).

I realized I should mention Robert Aspirin's (sp?) Myth series (fantasy humor).

Movies
[*]Braveheart *
[*]Excalibur *
[*]The Thirteenth Warrior
[*]Gladiator *
[*]Willow *

Avoid Gladiator like the plague, how that won any awards is beyond me. I've never been able to watch all of Excalibur and therefore won't recommend it.
Braveheart and The Thirteenth Warrior along with Blade and Fight Club on next on my list of movies to get.
I also haven't seen Willow in a long time, so no comment.
Robin Hood with Patrick Bergman and Uma Thurman and The Princess Bride are two other movies you shouldn't be without.
They're totally different but I also suggest Toy Story 1&2, and The Hunt for Red October.

Music

Based on the things you mention I can't recommend anything I'm sure you'd like but I'll mention Tom Petty (with and without the Heartbreakers), They Might Be Giants, and Arrogant Worms anyway (Arrogant is the official site, worms is an old site which has a video of one of their songs downloadable).

Anyone have anything to say about David Arkenstone?

I've heard of The Arkenstone. I even have one in card form.

Roleplaying
D&D all the way! At this point, I've got the following;

• Wizards of the Coast - Everything
• Sword & Sorcery - Creature Collection, Relics and Rituals
• Necromancer Games - Crucible of Freya, Rappan Athukk I & II, Demons & Devils
• Arthaus - Ravenloft CS
• Malhalvoc Press - Book of Eldritch Might
  [/list=a]

• 
  
  Demon God's Fane by Malhavoc should be out soon if it's not already. Of Sound Mind by Piratecat apparently is in stores now. I'm sure Nightfall will be around to pimp Scarred Lands anyway so I'll get it out of the way now, keep the Scarred Lands Gazetteer in mind. I haven't read it myself yet, but I haven't read anything bad about it either, and I've check a few different reviews and recommendations from other members.
  
  O.k. I think I'm done.

 

[Sulimo]

Re: Re: [~OT] What should I buy? (Long...er than I thought)

Avoid Gladiator like the plague, how that won any awards is beyond me. I've never been able to watch all of Excalibur and therefore won't recommend it.

Braveheart and The Thirteenth Warrior along with Blade and Fight Club on next on my list of movies to get.

I also haven't seen Willow in a long time, so no comment.
Robin Hood with Patrick Bergman and Uma Thurman and The Princess Bride are two other movies you shouldn't be without.
They're totally different but I also suggest Toy Story 1&2, and The Hunt for Red October.

I dont mind Braveheart, even if it did take more than a few liberties with the events. Same with Gladiator.

As for Excalibur, its probably my alltime fave fantasy film. Although LOTR probably will go above it, once I've seen the complete thing.

The Bergman/Thurman Robin Hood is definitely my fave version of Robin Hood. Too bad it isnt availabe on DVD.

 

[Welverin]

Re: Re: Re: [~OT] What should I buy? (Long...er than I thought)

The Bergman/Thurman Robin Hood is definitely my fave version of Robin Hood. Too bad it isnt availabe on DVD.

Drat. I've had it on tape for years and haven't gotten around to checking for the DVD.

 

[JRRNeiklot]

On the subject of books, try the Runelord series by David Farland. It's a bit...different, but a great read. The only problem is book four is not due out for some time.

 

[BiggusGeekus]

Music: Bad Religon.

Movies: Henry the Fifth. You'll look cultured and a lot of people die in it.

Books: Ever read any Barbara Hambly?

RPG: Paranoia. Try to get the 2nd edition with the Jim Holloway art. Trust me.