What are you reading in 2023?

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

As it gets weirder, I'm digging it. However, it's hard to imagine the Dune series 1 - maintaining public and studio interest long enough to get there and 2 - Them having the courage to go that far, that strange.

Have you read God Emperor before? Because boy, that is a jump in how crazy things get. I love it now, but I understand why so many people get shaken loose by that particular sandworm.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Have you read God Emperor before? Because boy, that is a jump in how crazy things get. I love it now, but I understand why so many people get shaken loose by that particular sandworm.

No, I am reading the Dune series entirely afresh!

 

[overgeeked]

No, I am reading the Dune series entirely afresh!

You’re in for a treat. It’s absolutely bonkers. In the best possible way.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

No, I am reading the Dune series entirely afresh!

I look forward to you staggering in here, dazed, after you read it.

 

[Alzrius]

Having recently finished Shelly Mazzanoble and Greg Tito's Welcome to Dragon Talk, I'm now switching pace and reading Jackson Crawford's The Wanderer's Havamal. I chose that particular iteration out of several that were available on Amazon, and from what I can tell it was by far the right decision, not only reproducing the original Old Norse for each stanza, but also opening with a very insightful explanation as to how the English translation was made.

Having finished this, I've moved on to The Book of Five Rings, by Miyamoto Musashi. My copy's been on my shelf for twenty-odd years, so it seems like time to sit down and actually read it. Interestingly, the copy I have also includes Yagyu Munenori's A Hereditary Book on the Art of War, so I'm getting a twofer there.

 

[Nellisir]

Chat GPT disagrees

We occasionally made use of this tool when I was studying for my MLA.

http://www.ruderal.com/naughty word/naughty word.htm

Edit: Substitute "bullshi*" for both instances of "naughty word". If you don't know what letter to substitute for the asterisk, then go ask your mom. It's not my URL, and there's nothing obscene at the other end of it.

 

[overgeeked]

Finished Dark Sun 01: The Verdant Passage last night. I’ve read it several times, but it’s been a few years. Not quite as good as I remember. Though definitely not bad.

I forgot about the polyamory between four of the main characters. Neeva and Rikus. Rikus and Sadira. Sadira and Agis. Honestly surprised that was even allowed in a TSR novel back in 1991.

Slavery was a big part of the story. Agis thinking he’s a good slave owner. The ghosts at the temple, his own slaves, and other slave owners disabusing him of that notion was a regular theme. Eventually Agis frees his slaves and ensuring all slaves will be freed in Tyr is absolutely vital to the companions agreeing to let Tithian become king after Kalak’s assassination.

I liked the odd depiction of magic. It’s presented as mysterious even to those who wield it. The use of obsidian and dragon-magic was really cool. The whole ziggurat, obsidian orbs, obsidian pyramid, and plan to sacrifice the whole of Tyr to transform into a dragon was great. At the time it was wild and new and so different. Epic villain stuff.

I really love how psionics are depicted in the novels. It reads as far more…well, magical…than actual magic. Instead of components plus energy equals effect, it’s a wild anything-goes depiction. Whatever random idea, image, or spark of “wow wouldn’t that be cool” the author can come up with. Too bad the 2E rules for psionics never came close to matching that.

Might go on to re-read the series or the whole range. Not sure. Might pick up Dune again. Hmm…

 

[Old Fezziwig]

@overgeeked, I just re-read The Verdant Passage last August and had a similar reaction in terms of how it compared to my memory. One thing that I was shocked at was how weird the pacing was in terms of scene design. I tend to feel that gaming fiction is better when it's brisker, and this was sometimes ponderous. Denning gets into most scenes early and leaves them late instead of the reverse. Like, I think my big takeaway is that there's a better version of that novel inside the one that was published.

 

[overgeeked]

@overgeeked, I just re-read The Verdant Passage last August and had a similar reaction in terms of how it compared to my memory. One thing that I was shocked at was how weird the pacing was in terms of scene design. I tend to feel that gaming fiction is better when it's brisker, and this was sometimes ponderous. Denning gets into most scenes early and leaves them late instead of the reverse. Like, I think my big takeaway is that there's a better version of that novel inside the one that was published.

I can see that, for sure.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

I read Druid's Call and Road to Neverwinter.