Reddit mentions: The best action & adventure fiction books

We found 8,540 Reddit comments discussing the best action & adventure fiction books. We ran sentiment analysis on each of these comments to determine how redditors feel about different products. We found 2,256 products and ranked them based on the amount of positive reactions they received. Here are the top 20.

3. Dungeons & Dragons Core Rulebooks Gift Set (Special Foil Covers Edition with Slipcase, Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, Monster Manual, DM Screen)

    Features:
  • ALL THE TOOLS: The Dungeons & Dragons Core Rules Gift Set includes a copy of all three core rulebooks (Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, Monster Manual) plus a Dungeon Master's Screen, all collected in a stylish slipcase. It's the perfect gift for any D&D fan.
  • PLAYER'S HANDBOOK: The essential reference for every D&D player, the Player's Handbook contains rules for character creation and advancement, backgrounds and skills, exploration and combat, equipment, spells, and much more.
  • DUNGEON MASTER'S GUIDE: Teaches how to run D&D adventures for other players and how to give them monsters to fight, mysteries to solve, and fantasy worlds to explore.
  • MONSTER MANUAL: Helps the Dungeon Master (the game's narrator) fill games with iconic fantasy creatures. Includes details and rules for over 400 monsters from goblins to dragons, with over 150 illustrations.
  • DUNGEON MASTER'S SCREEN: Helps the Dungeon Master keep die rolls and notes hidden from players. Plus, the inside is filled with quick references for the most commonly used in-game information to help keep things running smoothly..UNLEASH YOUR IMAGINATION: Dungeons & Dragons is a cooperative storytelling game that harnesses your imagination and invites you to explore a fantastic world of adventure, where heroes battle monsters, find treasures, and overcome quests.
Dungeons & Dragons Core Rulebooks Gift Set (Special Foil Covers Edition with Slipcase, Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, Monster Manual, DM Screen)
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Release dateNovember 2018
Weight1 Pounds
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4. Red Rising

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  • Del Rey Books
Red Rising
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Release dateJuly 2014
Weight0.75 Pounds
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5. Assassin's Apprentice (The Farseer Trilogy, Book 1)

    Features:
  • Promotes natural healing of irritated skin
  • Safe and fast acting
  • Hypoallergenic
  • Fragrance free
Assassin's Apprentice (The Farseer Trilogy, Book 1)
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ColorMulticolor
Height6.88 Inches
Length4.14 Inches
Number of items1
Release dateMarch 1996
Weight0.49 Pounds
Width0.99 Inches
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6. Gardens of the Moon (The Malazan Book of the Fallen, Book 1)

    Features:
  • Tor Books
Gardens of the Moon (The Malazan Book of the Fallen, Book 1)
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Release dateDecember 2004
Weight0.65 Pounds
Width1.4 Inches
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7. A Dance with Dragons (A Song of Ice and Fire)

Book 5 of A Song of Ice and Fire, the high fantasy magnum opus of George R.R. Martin
A Dance with Dragons (A Song of Ice and Fire)
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Release dateJuly 2011
Weight3.15 Pounds
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8. Blood of Elves

Orbit
Blood of Elves
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Release dateMay 2009
Weight0.45 Pounds
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9. The Way of Kings

Tor Fantasy
The Way of Kings
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Release dateMay 2011
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10. Stardust

Harper Teen
Stardust
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Release dateDecember 2008
Weight0.35 Pounds
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11. Night Angel: The Complete Trilogy

Night Angel The Complete Trilogy
Night Angel: The Complete Trilogy
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Release dateApril 2012
Weight2.82 Pounds
Width2.25 Inches
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12. American Gods

A modern day masterpiece
American Gods
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Release dateApril 2002
Weight0.65 Pounds
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13. Theft of Swords, Vol. 1(Riyria Revelations) (The Riyria Revelations (1))

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  • Orbit
Theft of Swords, Vol. 1(Riyria Revelations) (The Riyria Revelations (1))
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Length5.5 Inches
Number of items1
Release dateNovember 2011
Weight1.15 Pounds
Width1.875 Inches
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15. Bridge of Birds: A Novel of an Ancient China That Never Was (The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox)

Bridge of Birds: A Novel of an Ancient China That Never Was (The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox)
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Height6.85 Inches
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Release dateApril 1985
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16. A Dance with Dragons: A Song of Ice and Fire: Book Five

Bantam
A Dance with Dragons: A Song of Ice and Fire: Book Five
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Height9.17 Inches
Length6.07 Inches
Number of items1
Release dateOctober 2013
Weight2.14 Pounds
Width1.77 Inches
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17. Threadbare Volume 1: Stuff and Nonsense

Threadbare Volume 1: Stuff and Nonsense
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Release dateDecember 2017
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20. Reamde: A Novel

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  • William Morrow Company
Reamde: A Novel
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Height7.8 Inches
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Number of items1
Release dateMay 2012
Weight1.85 Pounds
Width5.38 Inches
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🎓 Reddit experts on action & adventure fiction books

The comments and opinions expressed on this page are written exclusively by redditors. To provide you with the most relevant data, we sourced opinions from the most knowledgeable Reddit users based the total number of upvotes and downvotes received across comments on subreddits where action & adventure fiction books are discussed. For your reference and for the sake of transparency, here are the specialists whose opinions mattered the most in our ranking.
Total score: 845
Number of comments: 40
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Total score: 140
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Total score: 92
Number of comments: 40
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Total score: 84
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Total score: 44
Number of comments: 36
Relevant subreddits: 1
Total score: 28
Number of comments: 28
Relevant subreddits: 3

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Top Reddit comments about Action & Adventure Fiction:

u/Salaris · 16 pointsr/ClimbersCourt

Fantasy recommendations:

  • The Way of Kings is the first book in the Stormlight Archives by Brandon Sanderson. It’s a bit of a slow start – the book is around a thousand pages – but Sanderon excels at world building, internal consistency, and “avalanche” endings where many plot threads come together at once.

  • Unsouled is the first book in Will Wight's Cradle series. Will’s series emphasizes intense action and long-term character growth. They’re much shorter and faster paced than most of the other options on this list.

  • Mother of Learning is about a novice mage who gets stuck in a month-long time loop. The magic system is something of a mix between D&Dish schools of magic and anime-style training exercises. We learn more about the magic system as the protagonist does. Lots of fun twists on the genre in there, too.

  • Rokka: Braves of the Six Flowers by Ishio Yamagata is fantastic if you enjoy fantasy mixed with mysteries. Not all of it has been translated yet, but the first couple books are out.

  • Worm is a web serial about a young girl who develops super powers. It's dark, internally consistent, and features characters that use their abilities at least somewhat intelligently.


    LitRPG recommendations:

    In terms of published Western LitRPGs, I'd say Ascend Online is my favorite. The central protagonist isn't a complete psychopath like a lot of LitRPG protagonists, and he immediately starts treating the highly intelligent AI NPCs as people. That's a huge selling point for me, since it's so rare to see LitRPG protagonists that are friendly to NPCs.

    Also, rather than immediately jumping into save the world stuff, it's reasonably paced. The main character doesn't start out with any crazy game breaking abilities, and the setting itself feels largely realistic - it feels very similar to a futuristic version of Everquest.

    My other favorite Western LitRPG is Threadbare, which focuses on a bunch of teddy bear (golem) gradually learning about the world around it, and undertaking a determined quest to protect his little girl “owner”. It’s both heartwarming and surprisingly insightful.

    In terms of non-Western LitRPGs, Log Horizon is my favorite. The author has clearly played MMORPGs, and the tactics used in there - both by the main character and other characters - feel like the types of things real people would do in a MMO setting. Once again, the main character also takes NPCs seriously and treats them well, which is a big plus for me. Shiroe for Log Horizon is probably the closest character I've seen to someone with my own background in a book.

    I also love So I'm a Spider, So What?, which is a hilarious story about a girl who gets reincarnated into an RPG setting as a tiny spider monster. Fortunately, she can grind to get stronger! It's a bit of a strange one, but tons of fun. Note that this one is not strictly going into a VR game - they're just reincarnated in a world with RPG stats. It's a little different, but similar.

    If you like the idea of a protagonist exploiting a bunch of bugs, check out Kono Sekai ga Game da to Ore dake ga Shitteiru. I enjoyed the first book a ton. The second book started getting into tropes I didn’t enjoy quite as much.

    One of my other recent favorites is The Tutorial is Too Hard, which focuses on a main character transported into a dungeon on “Hell” difficulty that needs to make his way through to the top floor. We see a lot of his analytical process, which makes the story much more enjoyable to someone like me. This is probably my favorite ongoing story.
u/[deleted] · 1 pointr/AskReddit

Hmmm... Terry Brooks is a lengthy writer of the 'epic fantasy' subgenre, similar to Tolkien in that regard. He has written multiple trilogies within the same world, and following the same decedents. If that's your cup of tea, I'd have no problem recommending him, although it is quite the lengthy starting point, and only if you don't mind the typical epic trilogy template. The original series is The Sword of Shannara Trilogy

George R.R. Martin is widely considered to be one of the most revolutionary fantasy writers of our time. His A Song of Ice and Fire series has rightfully won many awards. It is gritty--sometimes vulgar--brutally realistic fantasy. Each chapter is told from a different character's point of view, and he rotates these viewpoints to advance the story across the world he has created. This series is also long, but absolutely worth the read at some point. He has published 4 out of his intended 7 books of the series, and the 5th should be coming up soon (although he's been working on it for about 5 years, ugh!). The series starts with A Game of Thrones. His subtle plots and back stories make for a wonderful trip into an action-packed adventure and deeply political world. I would very tentatively compare it to the tv show Lost, because it keeps you guessing in a very good way and gives you dynamic, complicated characters without constant flashbacks. I easily consider this to be the best fantasy I have ever read.

Anne Bishop is an interesting author. I categorize her as a particularly indulgent pleasure of mine, as she tends to focus a lot on the romantic relationships of her characters. While it does get sappy at times (and maybe a bit cliche), I would argue that she manages to capture the more primal nature of humanity in a hyperbolic sort of way. All that being said, she definitely thought up an amazingly creative world and cast in The Black Jewels Trilogy, and I have read it through on several occasions (and yes, it makes me shed a few tears every time), although its eventual squeals and her newer work are pretty bad IMO. If you decide to give the trilogy a shot, I'd just recommend to stick with it, as a lot of confusion that I had when I started it my first time through eventually got cleared up, and it has won an easy place in my heart (and is also pretty popular). If you read this trilogy and enjoy it, then read her standalone book from the same world titled The Invisible Ring

As for Robin Hobb, it's been a while since I've read her first couple trilogies, and don't remember much other than how much I enjoyed them. The first book of the first trilogy is Assassin's Apprentice. That's about all I can give since I don't remember much, but it definitely is not the cliche epic.

You simply can't go wrong with any of those authors or books, and I think they give you a wide enough variety of types to choose from. It's tough, though, because good fantasy pushes the boundaries of how you define the genre. Maybe my advice isn't the best, as I'm not quite sure what qualities are desirable for 'starters' in the genre. I started with Tolkien before jumping right into Brooks, so I went right off the epic deep end. That held my attention for quite a while, but it gets old eventually. I think Martin does it best with an epic feel, but not forced or cliche. Bishop, as I said, is innovative and sentimental to an extent, but does not shy away from celebrating sexuality and including some very disturbing elements. If you decide to give any of these a shot, definitely let me know! I would be very curious to hear your thoughts on any of them as someone not used to the genre.

u/stackednerd · 4 pointsr/suggestmeabook

Fellow fan of series here! Let me see...

Young Adult
Percy Jackson series is fun (and finished, too, I think).
Artemis Fowl series isn't quite as good as Percy Jackson IMHO, but it's got a following.

Fantasy
Harry Dresden series This is one of my favorites. Harry is Chicago's only professional wizard. There are a ton of these books and they are still going strong.
Game of Thrones These are great...but unfinished. If you watch the show, reading the books does help you get even more out of the story, I think.
Wheel of Time Another good series. There is a LOT of this series and it's finished. (Thank you, Brandon Sanderson!)
Mistborn Speaking of Brandon Sanderson... This one is very good. I highly recommend reading the Mistborn books before trying the Stormlight Archive, but only because as good as Mistborn is, Stormlight Archive is even better.
Stormlight Archive Amazing. Man, these are good. The series isn't finished, but the two books that are available are some of my favorites ever.
Kingkiller Chronicles I loved the first book. I could not freakin' believe I enjoyed the second one even more. The third one is still pending.
Temeraire Dragons in Napoleonic times. Super cool premise! This one is not finished (I don't think, anyway).
Gentlemen Bastards Con men in a fantasy realm. It's pretty light on the fantasy elements. Very light, I'd say. I'd also say that it has some of the very best swearing that I've ever come across. :D

Scifi
Old Man's War I'm almost finished this one--it's amazing!

Horror/Thriller
Passage Trilogy I've heard these described as vampire books...maybe zombie books... It's apocalyptic for sure. Great books!

Mysteries
Amelia Peabody Egyptology + murder mysteries. Super fun, but trust me...go with the audiobooks for these. They are best when they are performed.
Stephanie Plum Total popcorn reads. If that's your thing, shut off your brain and just enjoy.
Walt Longmire These get particularly good as it goes along. The main character is a sheriff in modern day Wyoming. (Side note: The TV show is also great--just don't expect them to stick to the books.)

Graphic Novels (Everything recommended can be gotten in a "book" format instead of only in comic form, in case that matters. I've gotten most of these from my local library.)
Locke & Key Eerie as crap. Love the art! This one is on-going.
Y: The Last Man All the men on the planet drop dead in a day...except for Yorrick. REALLY good. This is the series that got me reading graphic novels. Plus, it's finished!
Walking Dead I am not a zombie fan...but I like these. They're not done, but I've read up through volume 22 and am still enjoying them.

Other
OutlanderI have no idea how to categorize these or even give a description that does them justice. I refused to pick it up for AGES because it sounded like a bodice-ripper romance and that's not my bag. But these are good!

I hope there's something in there that'll do for you. Have fun and read on!

Edit: Apparently, I need to practice formatting. :/
Edit 2: I forgot to add the Lies of Locke Lamora (Gentlemen Bastards #1).

u/ElementallyEvil · 2 pointsr/tabletop

Hi!

Being in /r/tabletop, I'm assuming that what you are looking for is a Tabletop RPG. I will go forward assuming that is the case, as I'm not a wargame player.

For anyone getting into RPGs (unless they have a very focused idea in mind already of what they want), I would recommend Dungeons & Dragons or a derivative. D&D is the Lingua Franca of RPGs, each of its editions have different leanings, and many people have made their own adaptations of various versions. The editions of D&D are varying levels of kid-friendly - the learning curve having shot up in the late 90s and is sorta coming down now.

Now, if you're wanting something more bordering the lines of power fantasy, sort of superhero-y, and very "Kill monsters, level up" as the baseline of the experience: Get the "Essentials Kit" for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition. It's a very nice set and has everything you need for a good long while. This current edition is on the border of learning steepness, but with an adult to help along it wouldn't be too bad - especially with the Essentials Kit, rather than the full three core books.

If you want something with a more classic adventure feel (Maybe think Conan, The Hobbit, or even the Princess Bride), where survival is taken less for granted, there's some more challenge and some more creativity in solutions from players encouraged: You want something more in line with the 70s-90s D&D. It's still D&D - it still maintains that Lingua Franca status - it's just a bit different in terms of feel and can be a good deal less complex.

Down this line of thought, I usually recommend "White Box: Fantastic Medieval Adventure Game", which is a rewriting and modernisation of the original 1970s game. It's very easy to learn, runs very smoothly, and is great if you want that "Adventurer out to make a name and earn some treasure" feeling. It doesn't come with its own adventure like the 5e Essentials Kit, but it is compatible with basically any D&D adventure from the 20th century - and others written for games like it more recently - if you need one. If that's the case, for the purposes of a new player it pairs very nicely with "Tomb of the Serpent Kings" as a beginner's dungeon, and "Blackmarsh" as a premade setting (with its settlements, environments, and its own adventure prompts rounding out a nice adventuring sandbox for a campaign).

Everything I have mentioned here is absolutely free in PDF form, except the Essentials Kit - although the 5th Edition Basic Rules are also free.

If you like the rules of 5th Edition, but want more of the feel I described when laying out White Box - I would suggest checking out "Five Torches Deep" (Which isn't free, but here is an in-depth overview of it by its author).

Likewise, if you like the rules of White Box but feel that "actually it is a bit too lightweight even for my eight-year-old", perhaps check out its big brother: "Swords & Wizardry: Core Rules" (Its free PDF found separately here). It remains compatible with the same products as White Box.

u/acciocorinne · 1 pointr/Random_Acts_Of_Amazon
  1. I just got home from my bank! Now I'm relaxing on the couch with my kitty.
  2. It was really hot outside and in the car, so it's nice to sit back and enjoy the air conditioning for a few minutes :)
  3. Tomorrow I'm going to do the same thing I do every day--try to take over the world!! Mwahahahaha. Or apply for jobs, the one occupation of the unemployed haha.
  4. My number one goal right now is to find a job!! I hate not working, and I'm really quite bored of my forced vacation haha.
  5. I do not have a desk. But on the couch with me is a pair of scissors, a little dessert bowl that used to be holding a bunch of blueberries, my one-eyed hairless cat, and a folder full of my sister's schoolwork.
  6. Place words, phrases, or clauses that describe nouns and pronouns as closely as possible to the words they describe.
  7. One of my sister's school books, titled "Writing Skills: Success in 20 Minutes a Day"
  8. A bite of English toffee from Disneyland!! I like to get sweets at their sweet shops to enjoy for a couple of days after my trip :)
  9. Well, currently I'm working my way through The Know-It-All by A.J. Jacobs! I'm really enjoying it.
  10. Wow, this is a really tough question for me, because I've been doing a lot of reading since I graduated. I really enjoyed "The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green though, so I guess I'll call that my favorite.
  11. I think this question is fun, so I'm going to answer for each of my wishlists! I'm obviously NOT ASKING for all these things--I just like seeing the cool stuff on my wishlists :D My most wanted item from my Expensive Things wishlist is this kindle with all the bells and whistles. Obviously that's not something I'm ever expecting to get gifted--it's my wild dream item that I'm super excited about saving up for :) My most wanted thing from my default list is this kitty seat! My cat isn't allowed outside, but she loves sitting by the window and looking out--I'd love for her to be able to do that more comfortably :) My most wanted book from that wishlist is A Dance with Dragons because NOBODY TOLD ME A FEAST FOR CROWS DIDN'T HAVE ANY DANY OR TYRION IN IT. I NEED TO KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THEM! My most wanted movie is either Tangled or Brave, because I love Disney princesses and I don't have those movies yet D: My most wanted music is The Lumineers, because they're amazing! And my most wanted cheap thing is The Essence of Style, because I've been dying to read this book for YEARS. That gives you lots of options of my most-wanted things, so you can pick what you like the most if I win!

    Thanks so much for the contest! DANG IT I POSTED BEFORE INCLUDING Zweihander BECAUSE I'M SILLY. Thanks for the contest!! I had fun with it :)
u/Kallistrate · 1 pointr/Fantasy

I (and most of the subreddit, from what I've read) would recommend Brandon Sanderson's Way of Kings (the blurbs are pretty bad descriptions of the book, IMO), if you haven't read it. It's long and it takes a while to build, but it's very different from the standard, cliche fantasy and at the end it is worth the build-up. My husband and I don't often like the same books, but we both agree on that one. I've read all of his books and, while I think a lot of authors tend to decline in quality the more prolific they are, he seems to avoid that. He also writes very quickly, which is a nice change from reading George R.R. Martin. I would honestly and strongly recommend anything he's written except his first trilogy, Mistborn (which, to be fair, is the first thing of his that I read and it encouraged me to read more of his work...it was just my least favorite of everything he's written).

My husband and I both also liked the Death Gate cycle (first one is Dragon Wing). It does have all the standard fantasy races, but they're used in very different ways and they're considered minor, almost disposable races instead of magical and amazing.

I liked Jennifer Fallon's Second Sons trilogy (first is The Lion of Senet). She has another pair of trilogies (The Demon Child and Wolfblade), and I would say that the Wolfblade trilogy is my favorite of all her work, but it's a bit more sword-and-board than the Second Sons trilogy.

If you're okay with young adult-appropriate fare (written in the 40s), John Christopher (who wrote the fairly famous Tripods trilogy) wrote a trilogy that was unlike anything I'd read at the time called the Sword of the Spirits. It's technically Sci-Fi, but it's more of a fantasy-scifi blend (if you've read Anne McCaffrey's Pern series, it sits on the same sort of line). It's out of print until apparently next February, but there are copies available of older editions for a penny plus shipping.

I also really liked Robin Hobb's Assassin trilogy and the books that followed. I think her later books move a little slowly and with too much repetitive internal monologue, but her world-building is amazing and very immersive. The Assassin trilogy is her first (under that pseudonym, at any rate) and moves a lot faster. Since this is in a thread about Robin Hobb and you may have already read her books, I'll also recommend Robin McKinley (different Robin)'s Damar books (The Blue Sword and Hero and the Crown). They're sometimes listed as young adult, but she's another author whose books are listed there because they're age-appropriate and not because they're dumbed down.

Of all of these, I've reread Brandon Sanderson's and Weis and Hickman's (the Death Gate cycle) books the most. They both (or all three of them, I guess) have a really smooth prose that makes fantastical things easy to read about without tons of dry explanation, and I would consider them to be the most creative with their plots, as well.

Anne Bishop (who I mentioned in my earlier post)'s Black Jewels trilogy has a really creative world and a new magic system, but again, it's a lot like Disney taking a crack at a torture porn film like Saw. It's a very unusual style that not everyone is going to enjoy. Her Tir Alainn books are both less violent and less fan-fictiony, but everything she's written after that has been flatly formulaic and based around a straight-up Mary Sue heroine, so I wouldn't bother.

At any rate, I hope something in there sounds interesting to you. Given that almost all of these are trilogies, this is a much longer list than five books, but it's hard to pick :)

u/Khuzud · 1 pointr/gameofthrones

"Well, unfortunately, any kind of exposure indirectly helps ratings. Of course, nothing will boost ratings more than the show itself being good, but the more people that can be attracted to it, the better chance there is of their ratings staying high or (I'm sure) even increasing."

Well, I don't know anyone who would start watching/reading because they saw a direwolf iphone skin, but since your so doggedly determined that keychains are going to sell the show more effectively than something legitimate like word of mouth, I take it that's how you became a fan. You can have that one, I suppose.


"It sounds like you're still stubbornly defending the idea that he "sold out" without offering enough support for that claim. If you can somehow demonstrate that the literary quality sharply decreased after he shared his writing with other types of ventures, I'll believe it."

I understand you're a newbie to the ASoIaF world, and therefore a little late to the party. I've been there for the 8 years of blog posts about the Giants and Wildcards and of him hocking his latest piece of craphenalia in real time. You haven't. I don't get into this "I've been reading since before it was cool, so I'm better than you" rhetoric alot of the old guard seem to - that's silly - but it does give me better insight to the things we are discussing here than someone who just discovered these were books last summer.

I'm not going to sit here and go through with you every piece of merchandise until you are satisfied. In fact, I won't go through any of them with you other than the things I've already mentioned. It is apparent that you can only find your way to HBO.com

Uh, AGoT ACoK ASoS AFfC ADwD

I don't really have the inclination to get too involved in this so I just gave you the Amazon links. There's a star rating near the book titles. These ratings summarize the quality of the product listed. As you can see the first three books of the series have exceptional ratings: 4.5+ stars, but then starting with Feast and continuing through Dance (current) you see these drop down to 3 stars. There's your demonstration. I'm not going to continue to take you by the hand and point to things as obvious as this.


"There's the Cyanide's track record, which is mostly just a bunch of cycling-related games, and it's pretty clear from the post you linked that GRRM declined Cyanide at the time because he basically felt they were too amateur a studio to be able to do a good job on the game. Years later, (years!) this little company is still determined to do it, especially now that they've opened up another studio and hired enough people to pull the game off"

That's pretty bold to pass that off as fact based on the information in the blog post. We'll go ahead and chalk that up in the "good faith" and "benefit of the doubt" column.

"I think AFfC and ADWD should be considered special cases given what it took to write them."

I don't know exactly what you're intending with this, but no. It shouldn't.

u/LastDragoon · 3 pointsr/asoiaf

>It's a risk either way.

You're saying that the risk that someone is lying or woefully mistaken is acceptable. That if one is not provided a promised good or service their only response should be to self-flagellate for believing it would come.

It's okay to mislead the audience. Gotcha.

>My point, however, is that if someone considers it a risk to their reading experience that the series may not be completed, that is a risk they accept when they start reading.

There are risks and there are risks. You specifically mentioned the author dying unexpectedly. That is an acceptable risk. The author losing interest is not an acceptable risk. Him abandoning the project tomorrow after continuously promising its completion would make him an asshole.

>People are blaming GRRM for not getting the experience they expected or were hoping for

THAT HE PROMISED AS LATE AS 3 WEEKS AGO.


>when no such thing was guaranteed

Not guaranteed, just promised over and over and over and over...

>certainly not included in the price they paid

"Don’t miss the thrilling sneak peek of George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire: Book Six, The Winds of Winter"

>They did not pay for a complete series. They paid for individual books, priced like individual books.

Most on the understanding that the author had pledged to complete the series.

>transfering the risk regarding their reading experience to the author.

This is the reverse of what actually happened. George has constantly, consistently repeated his promise of a) the books, b) a series of [x] length, and c) a conclusion to the series "no matter what". He created the expectation, not the audience.

>Yet, that is how people are acting when they're saying "I bought the book expecting a whole series".

That is what was explicitly promised to most readers during their purchase. And the promise existed for the remainder regardless of their knowledge.

>Is there anything to suggest GRRM does not intend to finish ASOIAF?

His continual announcements of working on other projects in light of his own admittance that working on other projects stymies his work on ASOIAF.

>Again, on the premise that you would only read completed series

Rejected. That's your premise. Not mine, not /u/lichtbogen's. I already clarified this in my first comment and now you're bringing it back.

>No, he's enticing you to buy it
>>And you can still refuse.

And lying is still wrong. And failing to deliver on a promise is still failure to deliver on a promise.

>Simplifying things, if the expected value - given some means of evaluating it - is positive, then the risk is acceptable. If the expected value is negative, then the risk is unacceptable. That is, in the economical sense.

Then we're not talking about the same thing and your original comment was equivocation or, at best, vague. Clearly this isn't Keynes. An acceptable risk is one external to GRRM's will. An unacceptable one is reliant on GRRM's will.

>When you say that GRRM getting bored is an unacceptable risk (or previously, slowing to snails pace or giving up), it does not seem like you're making an economic judgement. Rather, it seems you're talking morally. You object on an ethical basis to GRRM not putting effort in to complete the book. Is that a fair interpretation?

There's no point in answering this question as you already know the answer from my first comment, judging by the way you continue on.


>In which case, by what moral right do you have to dictate what GRRM should work on?

That of a person to hold another to their given word.

>I never said people should not try to keep their promises. I think they should.

And what should happen to those who willfully fail to do so? Because I highly doubt you'd support any social punishment for it, nor even people crying "bullshit" at every subsequent GRRM promise.

>But I also think people on the internet have no right (or privilege) to demand that someone they don't know, likely will never meet, nor have any other direct dealings with, should write the book they please, when they please.

Not any book. Just the ones they promise to write. And no one is picketing GRRM's house or demanding that he be held in contempt of court. Just maybe, possibly asking if we could collectively consider him what he is: someone who has continuously failed to deliver on a promise that he keeps reiterating.

>Regardless of whether or not that someone has promised to work on that book... which, it appears, he actually is doing, albeit not as fast as we or indeed he himself had hoped.

Not "regardless". This is the issue. I have compared this situation to that of Half-Life 3. Half-Life 3 was never explicitly promised. The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring are explicitly promised. He is not working on them as fast as is warranted.

>Firstly, none of us, individually, made ASOIAF anything.

Quite. That's why I said "we", not "I" or "you". This is why marketing exists. To determine the desires of large groups of people. The largest group of GRRM readers were reading ASOIAF, which is why Wildcards and stand-alone novels stopped being written. Unfortunately, he just pivoted towards more lucrative ASOIAF material.

>Secondly, even if we did collectively make ASOIAF hugely successful, why would that give us any privilege?

See above. It's his bread and butter.

>You, and others, are demanding GRRM do very specific work.

That he promised to do.

>I, on the other hand, am not demanding GRRM do very specific work. I hope he will. I hope he will live up to his promise, for our sake and his own.

A promise means nothing if the only consequence for breaking it is that the people you made it to flog themselves for believing you.

>But I do not fool myself into thinking I am entitled to anything. I have no bought a guarantee. I have not received a binding, precise promise which has been broken.

GRRM incurred a social debt when he repeatedly traded on the promise of TWOW and ADOS. That you personally are unwilling to ever call it due does not eliminate it for everyone else.

>I am merely impatient for another instalment in a series I love; this gives me no privilege, but some discomfort.

Hmm. Due you, perhaps, feel entitled to that feeling of discomfort based on the promises that have been made yet unfulfilled? Might you, perhaps, voice that discomfort - say, on an internet forum?

>Accepting the premise of that statement a moment, can you show me were he reneged on that promise, exactly?

The promise is that he's hard at work on TWOW. The breaking of it is him working on other projects and admitting that these other projects distract him from TWOW.

>The book series has gained him fame and fortune because he is really fucking good at writing.

The social debt refers to those works created after ADWD, including the TV show. Those are what brought him fame and fortune. And he continues to trade on the idea of a finished series to get attention for his other projects. It's why he consistently talks about "working hard" on TWOW and ADOS in every interview about the prequel shows.

>And he will remain really good whether he completes it or not.

Remains to be seen. I'm not a prophet and neither are you. I do know that The Silmarillion is still primarily referred to as "the incomplete encyclopedia of Middle Earth".

>No, actually, I'm not even sure if that's true. Arguably, a lot of his fame and fortune is down to the stuff he had already written being so good it became a sensational TV-series.

Surely nobody invested their eyeballs in the TV series (or continued to do so after it passed the book material) under the distinct impression that further books would come out. "I just want to see how this compares to what George will eventually write" definitely wasn't a major sentiment going into seasons 7 and 8 around here.

>Not once have I heard someone say "yeah, I started reading ASOIAF/watching GOT because GRRM promised to complete the series".

Meaningless. Assuming that's true, the fact that you've never heard an idea only means that you have never heard it. It has negligible effect on the prevalence of the idea. We both know that I could find a non-zero number of people who have expressed it. In fact, that was the very sentiment you attributed to /u/lichtbogen above, so I know you believe some people hold to it.

>Except that people like you keep implying it in threads like this.

No, that was you erroneously.

>As if you started reading the first book because he promised he would finish the damn thing, rather than the first book - on its own - being a really enjoyable read.

If you believe that a significant number of people wouldn't have waved this series off knowing what they'd know now about its publication schedule you're crazy. Plenty of people ask things like "I watched the show, is it worth it to start reading these books even though they aren't finished?" on this very forum. The honest answer is "only if you're okay with a series that won't be finished".

>As if you started reading the first book because he promised he would finish the damn thing

Implicitly everyone did. GRRM has consistently promised a continuation, a book count, and an ending.

>See, this is the entitlement that people need to get over. This absurd idea that GRRM owes them anything.

Not anything. Just what he keeps promising. I'm picturing you next George and every time he says "Winds is coming!" you say "not that you should expect it to based on that statement".

>You're on here, wasting your time writing like I am, so presumably it was all worth it and then some.

More likely we're all idiots.

>But here's the final question: Why is it that I can love the books so much and accept that GRRM will do what he will, when he will, whereas you feel entitled to demand he do what you want, when you want?

Ingrained sycophancy vs. objective skepticism?

u/MyownLunasea · 1 pointr/Fantasy

The Green Rider series .I am on book 3 of this series and I have found them to be most entertaining. Her writing improves with each book and the story is solid all the way around. Not high fantasy but some wonderful use of magic without being over the top. I also think the woman who reads them is quite good without being overly distracting. .https://www.amazon.com/Green-Rider/dp/B0079UAGO4/ref=tmm_aud_title_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1478219558&sr=8-1

The Witcher Series. Yes even if you are not a gamer this fantasy series is fantastic. The story flows well with the start of short stories and contiues into novels with elegant grace. The characters are memorable and evocative.
https://www.amazon.com/Last-Wish-Introducing-Witcher/dp/0316029181/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478219745&sr=8-1&keywords=witcher

I have pretty varied taste and can gladly recommend a few others from children's series to some just fun trashy romance novels to some period work as well so feel free to shoot me a message. Oh and happy happy listening =)



u/mcoward · 2 pointsr/Fantasy

I kind of got a bunch of books at once, but they are all within a series, so I'll combine them.

The Raven's Shadow books (Blood Song and The Tower Lord) by Anthony Ryan are my most recent read. I read them back to back in less than a very busy month. It's the fastest I've read a book in a long time. I love the other books I've read recently, but these books have truly been the highlight of my 2014 reading list.

Why did I read it? It seemed to be the top of the underrated fantasy list and seems to be quickly growing to the respectable position it deserves as an incredible series.

The Broken Empire by Mark Lawrence. The more I think on them, the more I like them. I wish I had spaced them out a bit, as reading them back to back was a bit much. It's not that there's something wrong with the books, it's just that I think they are best read not-one-after-the-other (sorry, that's wordy, I know). These were really good, well worth the read.

Why did I read it? As a writer ('aspiring,' is perhaps more honest as I have yet to complete anything publishable save one short story), I wanted a story where I rooted for the bad guy. I also wanted to support Mark Lawrence because he frequents /r/fantasy and /r/fantasywriters and I wanted to give back by buying his books. In giving back, I received three really great reads.

Robin Hobb's Assassin's Apprentice is currently being read. I'm a chapter in, so I can't say much about it. I'm intrigued and the prose is impressive, so I look forward to getting into this one. The covers are truly atrocious, so this is a trial in me not judging a book by its cover. Like I said, it's off to a very good start.

Why did I buy it? I saw an interview of her with GRRM, and she seems to have a more-than-good reputation around here. Figured it was high time I give it a shot.

u/AdmiralCrackbar · 2 pointsr/tabletop

Buy some dice.

Buy some books.

Honestly, it depends what kind of game you want to play. I think here you're going to get a lot of weird niche games suggested but for starters you're better off sticking with the a more 'traditional' experience. D&D is an excellent starting point if you want to play a fantasy game, you can even pick up one of their adventures if you don't want to write your own material.

If you're unsure about spending that much just to get started you can pick up this starter set that will include the basic rules, a set of dice, some pregenerated characters, and a short adventure. From there, if you like the game, you can pick up the full rulebooks and some more dice and whatever else you like. Alternatively you can try out the free basic rules by downloading them from the Wizards of the Coast website. All you'll need is a set of dice to get started.

If you don't like or don't want to play D&D you can check out a bunch of other systems that will let you play other games or settings. [Edge of the Empire] (https://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Edge-Empire-Rulebook/dp/1616616571/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=edge+of+the+empire&qid=1563883870&s=gateway&sr=8-1) is a really cool Star Wars game, but it requires custom dice. My personal favourite sci-fi rpg is Traveller though, and it has the advantage of only requiring six sided dice.

A lot of people really like Savage Worlds, it's fun, it's cheap, and it's generic enough that you can run almost any setting you like with it. Unfortunately there's a new edition due out really soon so take that in to consideration. If you want a more in depth generic system then I can recommend GURPS, although you'll also need the Campaigns book. This system is absolutely not beginner friendly, it slaps you in the face with tables and rules for all sorts of scenarios, but I adore it and it's not really all that hard to figure out.

If you want an alternative to D&D Green Ronin has the "Age" series of games, starting with Fantasy Age, continuing with Modern Age, and the recently released The Expanse RPG covers Sci-Fi. I will admit that I've not actually had a chance to play any of these games, but I've read the rules and like the system.

Honestly you can find a game to cover practically any genre you want, whether it's Grimdark Fantasy, Martial Arts, Space Exploration, Lovecraftian Horror, Anime Cyberpunk Space Opera, or almost any other thing you can think of.

Don't fall in to the trap of playing a game because someone suggests it's 'easy', play something that really grabs your interest and inspires your imagination.

u/7V3N · 138 pointsr/asoiaf

CAUTION! SPOILERS FROM A DANCE WITH DRAGONS AHEAD. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK:

Here is textual evidence and hints at Connington's sexual orientation. Much of it is expressed through his guilt of how he felt he failed Rhaegar, and through holding on to memories of Rhaegar. Note that asterisk [](/s "") denote italicized text which does not work within spoiler tags. GRRM uses this to specifically denote thoughts of the POV character (though I did not correct this with all the below text). Please appreciate the limited amount I am giving you, since almost the entire chapter is filled with thoughts of Rhaegar, and I do not want to insert the entire chapter. Read at your own risk-major ADWD spoilers contained within!:

[ADWD-Tyrion](/s ""Lord Connington was the prince’s dearest friend, was he not?”
Young Griff pushed a lock of blue hair out of his eyes. “They were squires together at King’s Landing.”
“A true friend, our Lord Connington. He must be, to remain so fiercely loyal to the grandson of the king who took his lands and titles and sent him into exile. A pity about that."")



[ADWD-Connington](/s "Yet when they parted, Jon Connington did not go to the sept. Instead his steps led him up to the roof of the east tower, the tallest at Griffin’s Roost. As he climbed he remembered past ascents—a hundred with his lord father, who liked to stand and look out over woods and crags and sea and know that all he saw belonged to House Connington, and one (only one!) with Rhaegar Targaryen. Prince Rhaegar was returning from Dorne, and he and his escort had lingered here a fortnight. He was so young then, and I was younger. Boys, the both of us. At the welcoming feast, the prince had taken up his silver-stringed harp and played for them. A song of love and doom, Jon Connington recalled, and every woman in the hall was weeping when he put down the harp. Not the men, of course. Particularly not his own father, whose only love was land.")

[ADWD-Connington](/s ""Your father’s lands are beautiful,” Prince Rhaegar had said, standing right where Jon was standing now. And the boy he’d been had replied, “One day they will all be mine.” As if that could impress a prince who was heir to the entire realm, from the Arbor to the Wall.
Griffin’s Roost had been his, eventually, if only for a few short years. From here, Jon Connington had ruled broad lands extending many leagues to the west, north, and south, just as his father and his father’s father had before him. But his father and his father’s father had never lost their lands. He had.
I rose too high, loved too hard, dared too much. I tried to grasp a star, overreached, and fell. ...")

[ADWD-Connington](/s "He was young and full of pride. How not? King Aerys had named him Hand and given him an army, and he meant to prove himself worthy of that trust, of Rhaegar’s love. He would slay the rebel lord himself and carve a place out for himself in all the histories of the Seven Kingdoms. ...")

[Connington](/s "For years afterward, Jon Connington told himself that he was not to blame, that he had done all that any man could do. His soldiers searched every hole and hovel, he offered pardons and rewards, he took hostages and hung them in crow cages and swore that they would have neither food nor drink until Robert was delivered to him. All to no avail. “Tywin Lannister himself could have done no more,” he had insisted one night to Blackheart, during his first year of exile.")

[Connington](/s "“There is where you’re wrong,” Myles Toyne had replied. “Lord Tywin would not have bothered with a search. He would have burned that town and every living creature in it. Men and boys, babes at the breast, noble knights and holy septons, pigs and whores, rats and rebels, he would have burned them all. When the fires guttered out and only ash and cinders remained, he would have sent his men in to find the bones of Robert Baratheon. Later, when Stark and Tully turned up with their host, he would have offered pardons to the both of them, and they would have accepted and turned for home with their tails between their legs.”")

[Connington](/s "
He was not wrong, Jon Connington reflected, leaning on the battlements of his forebears. I wanted the glory of slaying Robert in single combat, and I did not want the name of butcher. So Robert escaped me and cut down Rhaegar on the Trident*. “I failed the father,” he said, “but I will not fail the son.”")



[Connington](/s "A bride for our bright prince. Jon Connington remembered Prince Rhaegar’s wedding all too well. Elia was never worthy of him. She was frail and sickly from the first, and childbirth only left her weaker.")

_

[ADWD-Kevan Lannister](/s "Ser Kevan wished that he could share his certainty. He had known Jon Connington, slightly—a proud youth, the most headstrong of the gaggle of young lordlings who had gathered around Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, competing for his royal favor. Arrogant, but able and energetic.")

A key thing to remember when reading from Jon Connington's POV is that he knows who he is. He is not going to come out and explicitly think "I am gay for Rhaegar." He knows he loves Rhaegar, and has known since he was a young squire. He does not need to reaffirm it to us as readers because we are simply getting the privilege to get into his head. This is part of what makes GRRM a fantastic writer. Despite what we may want to be told explicitly, he simply refuses to make the character act, well, out of character. JonCon knows who he is, what he is. He does not need to tell himself. Just like all of those times we want someone to go deeper into the Winterfell crypts, we have to think "why the hell would they?"

And that is all I will give you. There is more, to be certain, but if you wish to have the full experience please buy A Dance With Dragons and read it. I recommend e-books if you are a very big fan. That way you can, as I do, search through them on your computer when you wish to find evidence for a pet theory or discussion.

u/pineapplesf · 2 pointsr/santashelpers

In teen fiction or adult? I don't think I've read any adult books recently (published in last two years) that would be appropriate for a 13 year old.


Stardust: Quirky, fun and Neil Gaiman. His writing and stories are very strange so people either like them or they don't (I don't). However, my friends swear by this book.


Kingkiller: Badass hero, epic journey, epic story. Ultimately along the same difficulty as Sword of Shanara/LOTR and is probably super boring for a 13 year old.


Let me think: Game of Thrones is neither appropriate nor well written. Lackey is still amazing, but has strong homosexual and relationship themes. I think I waited to read her old stuff until I was 13, but her new stuff is just as -- well, her... Terry Brooks has a new series, but it is more political than Rothfuss. All the modern mystery/suspense is very sexual. I'm reading Abercombie right now, but don''t feel confident recommending it since I'm not done. Keyes reminds me of old-school high fantasy -- really, really dense and hard to digest for a 13 year old.

 

Popular

 

Divergent, as he already read, was quite good. Hunger Games and Maze Runner are in the same genre, but both are quite a bit darker than Divergent (stupid mind control and very Lord of the Flies-esque).

I think my best modern recommendation is:
Rick Riodran: Generally awesome teen male fiction. I've read the greek (percy) and egyptian series. They are fun and very similar to harry potter in tone.

Other

Throne of Glass: Not super popular, but definitely good! I haven't had the chance to read the sequels, but the first stuck with me.

Mistborn: water-downed Trudi Canarvan. Poor girl becomes a magician/assassin who totally kicks butt. Some almost-rape scenes (2 I think).

Intisar Khanani - I got a chance to read her newest book before it was released. She is the modern equivalent of Tamora Pierce and definitely someone to watch in the future. Great - Great author, but doesn't have an established series.

If he ends up liking the Dark Elf Trilogy -- The forgotten realms are STILL making books.

I'd say that Mortal Instruments (Girl meets demon hunter -- kind of a less cool version of Bleach), anything John Green writes (watered down Nicholas Sparks), Tiger's Curse (awesome epic adventure, but kinda creepy), and the Iron Fey series are too girly.

I recently read a free kindle book that would be awesome. It was a watered-down, less rape-y/fetishy version of The Sword of Truth. I can't find it. I'll have to get back to you on that. It had dragons and magic and bad-assery in a generic fantasy way. There was also another one with lots of dragons and he had power over them... hmmm... I might be losing my mind.

u/terciopelo · 2 pointsr/Random_Acts_Of_Amazon

In 900 years of time and space, I’ve never met anyone who wasn’t important

A few years ago, I got a spotting scope for birdwatching. It is not a high-powered one, but as my first scope, it's perfectly adequate. That same week, I got my first pair of glasses. This will be important to the story later.

That week, I heard on the radio that the planet Saturn was going to be especially visible to people with small telescopes. Saturn has been my favorite planet, save Earth, since I was a little kid. I didn't have a telescope, but I had that spotting scope. 'How different can they be?', I thought.

So late that winter night, sporting my new glasses, I went out onto my front stoop and set up my spotting scope. Trying to ignore the cold, I started looking for Saturn. When I saw a promising celestial object, I looked through the spotting scope at it. But my glasses got in the way. I couldn't figure out how to use both glasses and the scope at the same time. So I took off my glasses, placing them carefully on the steps behind me.

I looked through the scope at the golden, glowing object. There, like a perfect jewel in space, was Saturn! Its rings were perfectly obvious and striated. I felt elated and incredulous. I could see Saturn! Then, I noticed a few steadily shining pearl-like objects near the planet. They were its moons! Titan! Rhea! It was like meeting celebrities. I couldn't believe it. I was freezing, but I wanted to keep watching. So I bolted back into the house to get a hat and some gloves.

CRUNCH. My glasses, directly in my footpath, were now flattened against the concrete. My joy at seeing Saturn abated somewhat, but I was so happy that I didn't really mope. I went and got my warmer clothing so I could watch Saturn a while longer.

TL;DR: Saturn broke my glasses.

I have the book Stardust on my books wishlist. I haven't read it, but it has "Star" right in the title! Thank you for the contest!

u/Candroth · 1 pointr/Random_Acts_Of_Amazon

For (currently) free Kindle books, David Weber's On Basilisk Station is the first book in the space-opera Honor Harrington series. The second book The Honor of the Queen, is one of my favorites in the entire series. Eric Flint's 1632 turned into a massive and awesome alternate-history series. If you'd like to delve into Alaskan-based murder mysteries, give Dana Stabenow's A Cold Day For Murder a try as the first in the some eighteen book Kate Shugak series.

For paid Kindle books, there's Hugh Howey's Wool Omnibus is the beginning of the dystopian Silo series; the followup Shift Omnibus is actually a prequel trilogy that I haven't gotten yet but is very readable. Naomi Novik's first novel in the alt-history Temeraire series, His Majesty's Dragon, is currently $.99.

In print, Elizabeth Moon's military fantasy The Deed of Paksenarrion is available used for a very affordable price and is an epic series. The Cage was my introduction to a fantasy universe written by SM Stirling, Shirley Meier, and Karen Wehrstein. Diana Gabaldon's Outlander is a sort of alternate history/light romance series set in Scotland that I've thoroughly enjoyed. Brent Weeks' assassin-based (excuse me, wetboy) fantasy Night Angel Trilogy was recently released as an omnibus edition. Empire from the Ashes collects Weber's Dahak sci-fi trilogy into an omnibus edition. Weber and John Ringo co-wrote March Upcountry and the other three novels in the sci-fi Prince Roger quadrilogy. If you haven't tried Harry Turtledove's alt-history sci-fi WW2 'Worldwar' series, In the Balance starts off a little slow plot-wise but picks up good speed. EE Knight's sci-fi/futuristic fantasy Vampire Earth starts off with Way of the Wolf. Mercedes Lackey wrote the modern-fantasy Born to Run with Larry Dixon, and the rest of the SERRAted Edge books with various other authors. Neal Stephenson's cyberpunk and slightly dystopian Snow Crash is hilarious and awesome. Maggie Furey's Aurian is the first of a fantasy quadrilogy that I enjoyed many years ago.

If you're at all familiar with the Warhammer 40k universe, the Eisenhorn Omnibus is Dan Abnett's wonderful look into the life of an Imperial Inquisitor. He's also written a popular series about the Tanith First-and-Only Imperial Guard regiment starting with The Founding Omnibus. He also wrote the first book in the Horus Heresy series, Horus Rising (I highly recommend reading the first three novels together as a trilogy and then cherry-picking the rest).

... and if you've read all that already, I'll be impressed.

Edit: Why yes, I do read a lot. Why do you ask?

u/xamueljones · 14 pointsr/rational

I've bought a fair amount of ebooks on Amazon recently and I think most of them are books that a lot of people here would enjoy (heck I heard about most of them through here!).

The Preorders:

Underlord - The sixth book in the Cradle series which is described as a Western Xianxia series. A lot of people here don't really like the Xianxia genre and I agree with their criticisms of how many main characters are very villainous, under-developed enemies and female characters, the economies of cultivation aren't logical, poor scaling in conflict as you go from one city to interstellar in scope, and awkward prose. But I bring up all of these flaws to say that the Cradle series completely avoids all of the typical flaws in Xianxia and has a very smart character who sets out to cultivate smartly instead of bullheadedly.

And the sixth book is coming out in March! (Get the box set. It has the first three books and is cheaper!)

Exhalation - Who here hasn't heard of Ted Chiang, the master of short stories that perfectly appeal to the r/rational crowd? The same guy that we literally use as an introduction to rational fiction. Well, if you enjoyed his first collection, Stories of Your Life and Others, you'll love hearing that the second collection is coming out in....May! (Ugh....really May? I don't think I can wait that long!)

The books you can read right now!:

The Beginner's Guide to Magical Licensing - Has a similar start to Unsong where a magical college-graduate, minimum-wage, sweat-shop worker stumbles on a powerful spell and sets out to start his own business competing with the powerful. The parts of the story that follows afterward makes a whole lot more logical sense than Unsong however. (Used to be online for free, but now you'll have to pay the price for your ignorance if you want to read it! (Nah, I lied.))

Six Sacred Swords - If you liked the Arcane Ascension series, but wished there was more dungeonnering and less of school shenanigans, then look no further! In some ways it's a lot like reading a very good DnD session played by really savvy players who never follow the 'standard' way to solve problems.

The author of Six Sacred Swords made a recommendation for The Ruin of Kings. He said that it reads like a Locke Lamora-esque rogue protagonist, telling the story in a style similar to Kvothe, in a setting similar to Game of Thrones. I haven't bought the book yet, but the review was interesting enough that I wanted to include it in my list of recommendations.

Senlin Ascends - I haven't read this yet either, but skimming through it, I see some fair bit of social manipulation/combat that I think people here would like. Plus the Tower of Babel setting is something that appeals very strongly to me.

Polyglot: NPC REVOLUTION - A lot of people here seem to really like LitRPG and Artificial Intelligence, but almost no one seem to ever question the implications of the NPCs in LitRPG stories having human-level intelligence.

Small Medium: Big Trouble - It's by the same author who wrote Threadbare that people here really liked. Similar to Polygot where the NPC is the main character who needs to deal with players, but smaller scale in scope. There's a lot of fast-talking to convince selfish sociopaths to do what you say.

Q is for Quantum - I was going through my older ebook orders when I found this one. It's the single best introduction for quantum mechanics that I have ever read (not that I've read too many of those). It focuses on building an intuition for the subject and once you've read through the book, you will understand on a gut level what superposition means. Note that it's meant as an introduction for the subject, so don't expect it to cover everything, just what's need to get started learning about quantum mechanics. But I'd still recommend it to experts if only for a better way to explain their subject to their peers and laypeople.

u/BigZ7337 · 1 pointr/Fantasy

Hm, here are some recommendations of my favorite Dark/Gritty Fantasies that immediately come to mind:

Joe Abercrombie is one of my favorite new authors, his books are incredibly gritty dark and original, but the characters are simply amazing. The best starting place is The Blade Itself, but you can read his two other books that aren't part of the trilogy and can be read without losing too much, though they are in the same world and there's more to like about it if you already read the First Law Trilogy. Out of his two stand alone books I'd recommend Best Served Cold which is a Fantasy revenge story in the vain of Kill Bill.

One really good book I read recently is Daniel Polansky's Low Town which is a really cool gritty noir fantasy novel. Where the main character is a former detective for a Fantasy city, but at the beginning of the book he's a drug dealer. Then when murders start to occur, he gets drawn back into the politics of the city, resulting in a great story and multiple plot twists and revelations.

One of my favorites books I've read recently has to be Brent Week's Black Prism. It has some really unique world building, where the magic powers are based on light/colors, and the different magic users have different really unique powers based on their color wavelength. His previous work, the Night Angel Trilogy is also great and it's a little more gritty, with the main character being an assassin.

Next I'll go a little indie here, with the author Jon Sprunk's Shadow's Sun. It features an assassin with slight magical powers and the conscience of a beautiful invisible woman (a real imaginary friend) that is always following him around. There's a lot of things to like in this book, even if they are a little shallow.

Two books from different authors (both of which I really loved) that have kind of similar settings featuring thieves running amok in the underbellies of fantasy cities with a decent amount of grit (without being too dark) are The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch and Doug Hulick's Among Thieves.

There's also Ari Marmell's [The Conqueror's Shadow] (http://www.amazon.com/The-Conquerors-Shadow-Ari-Marmell/dp/0553593153/ref=la_B001JSDH98_1_20?ie=UTF8&qid=1340785404&sr=1-20), the main character is a former evil warlord who gave it all up to live a mundane life with a woman he kidnapped. He then has to put back on his fear inducing armor, when someone else is out in the world impersonating him. There is no evil force in this book, and there's a lot of interesting stuff here, the guy actually has a demonic amulet as a partner that provides him with magical abilities, and the demon is hilarious.

The next series isn't too gritty but it's awesome, so I'd still recommend the author Michael Sullivan, a DIY author that was so successful Orbit picked up his 6 book series to release as three larger books (he's also done some great AMA's on Reddit), the first of which is Theft of Swords. The characters in his book are absolutely superb. It's about these two master thieves that are brought into the conspiracy that they wanted no part of, but will see it to the end no matter what the cost.

Robin Hobb technically isn't real gritty, but she is one of my favorite authors, and in her books serious and horrible things can happen to the characters at times, but the endings of some of her trilogies are some of my favorite endings I've ever read. You could start with her first book about the bastard son of a king (that can bond with animals) being trained as an assassin, Assassin's Apprentice, or my favorite trilogy of her's set in the same universe but a different continent, Ship of Magic that has some awesome pirate settings, talking ships, and dragons. I also love one of her other trilogies set in a different universe than the rest of her books, Shaman's Crossing, the first book has kind of a Harry Potter-esque academy setting without the magic, and the rest of the trilogy gets into some really interesting stuff that's too weird to attempt to explain.


I think that's all I got, and you wouldn't go wrong reading any of these books, all of the pages I linked to are the book's Amazon page, so you can read further descriptions that I'm sure are better than mine. :)

u/slvr13 · 2 pointsr/Random_Acts_Of_Amazon

First off, I think this is the most elaborate contest I've ever participated in, so congratulations for that :P Fear cuts deeper than swords. I hope some of my items are awesome enough for some extra credit ;) Also I wasn't sure if duplicates are allowed. I will revise if necessary.

1.) Something grey and it's been on my wishlist.

2.) Rain, well not technically rain, she is a water bender :P Previously on my wishlist.

3.) Unusual, I think this is something I would use like twice a year. With ice cream or cereal.

4.) Someone else My sister and I want to start playing tabletop games. Previously on my wishlist.

5.) "Book" I took a little bit of liberty with this one because it's a graphic novel. But it's Batman, so...(Previously on my wishlist).

6.) Under a dollar.

7.) Cats There's a catbus in it, which is pretty much the best part of the movie. Previously on my wishlist.

8.) Beautiful As a Star Wars fan having the original trilogy on Blu Ray would be beautiful to me. I love high definition movies, especially ones that are aesthetically pleasing. Previously on my wishlist.

9.) Movie As a Browncoat, I would encourage anyone who has a remote interest in Sci-Fi to give this a chance. Previously on my wishlist.

10.) Zombie tool I don't think this needs explanation.

11.) (Updated) Useful for future. I have a desire to create meaningful video games. Previously on wish list.

12.) Add on I actually had this on my wishlist but removed it because add-on items are lame.

13.) Most expensive As previously stated, I want to be a game developer/designer so not only would it be fun to play with, I could create with it too. Previously on list.

14.) Bigger than breadbox Total in the box it is bigger than a breadbox. Previously on wishlist.

15.) Bigger than a golf ball It's a large book. Previously on wishlist.

16.) Smells good As a guy...I enjoy the scent of lavender.

17.) Safe for children toy I don't think this needs any introduction of why it's awesome.

18.) Back to school drawing helps keep me sane. Previously on my list.

19.) Current obsession I'm a noob to tabletop games. But have been wanting to get into it obsessively within the past month or so. And this also takes my love of A Song of Ice and Fire into the mix. Previously on list.

20.) [Amazing] (http://www.amazon.com/Sony-XBR-65X900A-65-Inch-120Hz-Ultra/dp/B00BSREQI6/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1376281533&sr=8-4&keywords=4k+tv) I've seen one of these in person at the mall and it literally made me stop walking the resolution was so incredible. I know it's as expensive as dicks...but man...when these are affordable...

Bonus 2) Made in Oregon I would have put Tillamook Ice Cream, since it's pretty awesome...but alas not on Amazon.

Edit: Changed an item because I saw it won't count because it's a duplicate.

u/MCJennings · 1 pointr/dndnext

I would suggest the essentials kits of Ice Spire Peak or Lost Mines of Phandelver - though probably the former over the latter.

If you want the full books though, I would suggest DNDbeyond. You'd need a subscription to manage your full party, but that would also be splitting the cost 6 ways, give access to the party entirely all the time, let the DM easily see his player's sheets, and it's very user friendly to certain classes that otherwise are not - such as the druid having to manage wild shape and prepared casting.

My last suggestion is to consider the free Basic Rules to see if it's sufficient for you and if you enjoy using a digital platform. Players can make basic characters this way on dndbeyond for free as well- it'll be restrictive playing free but would be enough to see if they enjoy using the platform. Be sure to use the webpage on whatever device you'd be using in play as well.

u/shyguy1092 · 94 pointsr/books

I'm gonna say Steven Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen sounds just about right for you. This series epitomizes climatic appearences and moments as there is a wealth of setting to be explored in this work. Figures of myth and legend descend into the story to guide and manipulate the lives of mortals. Mortals rise above the chains of fate to carve their own paths in this world's histories. It's a world filled to brim with interesting stories and they are really a bonus to what you're looking for. Some cautionary and advantageous notes about this series below.

Cautionary: This is a series that executes what your asking for incredibly well, but there is a caution. The series starts in media res and that has a lot of information to process and understand in the first few books. Yet, I found this to work to its advantage in creating moments of pure delight. Its worth it for the build up Erikson does alone. Another caution is that many are unhappy with the changing of story lines many times within the series. I did not have this problem and seeing as you carved your way through Martin's work I doubt you will either. Those are most of the significant concerns I've seen with the work. I'm sure others could think of more.

Advantages: There are a few other advantages this series might have over others for you. The first being that its main volume of work is complete. You will be able to read from start to end at your leisure and not worry about having to sit on your hands waiting for the next book. Likewise, there is still fresh material being amended into the larger world of Malazan at large. So if you enjoy it then there are other stories to follow, many of which are complementary. As a final note it has many interesting and varied applications of story telling. Some of which I'm even now learning to appreciate. If you decide not to pick this series up now, it might be something you want to check out in the future. I did, and I'm happier for it. Good luck and have a good read.


u/YnotZoidberg1077 · 1 pointr/childfree

I've owned about a quarter of these books since high school, and I read two to three books a week, so your math isn't far off! I'd say I'm closer to maybe two thousand books, maybe 2500. I want to get an accurate count at some point! I also want to catalog them so that I can tell what I own without having to call home and have my SO tell me if I've forgotten (I forget pretty often). Just haven't gotten around to doing that yet. But someday!

Ready Player One is set in the near future, in the year 2044. It's a dystopian novel that deals with a virtual reality world. The guy who created the world died, and whoever solves his puzzle gets ownership. The puzzle is solved through a bunch of easter eggs hidden in the world, all of which involve 80's pop-culture and video game references. The first couple of chapters are kind of slow, but by about a quarter of the way in, it just sort of hooks you. I finished most of it in one night before passing it off to the SO. He's not a big reader, but he practically inhaled the book. We've been buying copies from my store when they come in, and just handing them out to friends ever since.

Indy is surprisingly graceful. He corners on a dime! My SO actually nicknamed him "Indy 500" because of his speed, although I'd say the cornering ability is more akin to that of an F1 car. Scott, on the other hand, has some slight brain damage and is pretty derp. He doesn't know how to retract his claws all the way, so they stick to the area rug in the living room as he walks across it. And his tail throws him off balance a lot when he flails it around, so he falls off the furniture when he's excited. Aw, dog! What's his (her?) name? What kind of dog? Also, dog tax.

So jealous of your weather right now! Mid-seventies is perfect. It's been in the forties and fifties this past week. 38º right now, but that's because it's five AM. Sleep is totally important! I don't do mornings. At all. Like, if I'm awake before noon, it's because someone's paying me to be. (Side note: maybe the military isn't the best idea for someone who likes to sleep in late, dude.) Field training should be interesting, if nothing else! Accepted for what?

Pressure cookers can be fun! Slow cookers might be what you're after, in the beginning. Pressure cookers can lead to accidents like this if you're not careful though. Slow cookers don't have, y'know, pressure, so they cook slower (hah, words), but it's the same principle. I've got a slow cooker, but I'm a little nervous to pick up a pressure cooker just in case! Don't want to lose my security deposit on this apartment so spectacularly. XD You should totally ask him! I bet he'd love to teach you. What kind of food does he make?

Yeah, dude, it was a pretty sad thing to watch. The guy stole a book that we paid $100 for, which we priced at $400 (Sex, by Madonna-- unopened, still in the mylar wrapping, and in perfect shape), and he got $20 for it at a pawn shop. I checked online and it doesn't look like the guy has any more convictions after that one (this was in 2013), so there's hope. His defense attorney gave a story about how the guy was abused by his father, made to steal just so he could eat... I don't doubt it. Coming from that sort of background, it's no wonder he'd turn back to theft whenever times were tough.

Jesus, our government sounds kind of like my store. We've spent so much money replacing the broken, leaky AC units that half our computers are still running WinXP while connected to the internet. Thankfully, with PCI compliance, at least they're not the POS terminals! Those are running Win7 and have no internet access. Hooray for F-35s?

Oh man, I've heard so many good things about The Witcher series! I've been meaning to pick them up, I just haven't gotten around to it yet. I'm re-reading Discworld because SO is supposed to start them soon and I want to refresh my memory a bit. Next on my list is The Blood Mirror, by Brent Weeks. It's the fourth book in the Lightbringer series and it's a really well-done fantasy series. You should check out the Night Angel trilogy by the same author; it's good, and it's finished so you don't have to wait.

Holy crap I'm watching DS9 right now too! I'm halfway through season six! The SO and I started watching it together a few months ago, but I've been on leave because of my hysterectomy (I go back on Friday, woo!) so I powered ahead of where he last saw. Been trying to catch him up this past week. We also just finished Stranger Things, which was phenomenal. Highly recommended, especially if you liked The X-Files at all, or suspense-type stuff. After that, I don't quite know what we'll end up watching. Maybe we'll pick up Voyager? Or we might go back and actually finish TNG. I've seen lots of bits and pieces, but we never watched like, full seasons in a row. The SO grew up watching it with his dad, and has the science officer badge tattooed on his chest! I'm trying to catch up to what all he's seen, I guess.

u/Shagga__son_of_Dolf · 1 pointr/booksuggestions

Fantasy books, specifically from first person (she liked hunger games). She would enjoy Alexey Pehov's work. Chronicles of Siala is a great place to start.

I can't comment on how good the translation is, but Pehov is one of the best russian fantasy authors (really popular here). So if they did a decent job at translating his books - the stories will go great with her.

Also from a first person perspective (and really good) are the Chronicles of Amber by Roger Zelazny. Although this one might be a bit too dated for todays youth. A lot of characters smoke in it (I think all main ones smoke) and some of the descriptions are vague and abstract (almost surreal like) while others are clear and vivid.

And lastly (but not leastly?) I would recommend The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb. First person perspective, fantasy, rich world, with a lot of intrigue. This might the most appropriate book, because even though the protagonist a boy, the novels were written by a woman (it has that vibe about them, a feminine quality). Also has a lot about interaction with animals if she's into that sort of thing (like certain people being able to communicate with them etc). Has a lot of romance elements too (not with animals, don't worry). I'm sure you can figure out if a book is appropriate by reading the synopsis.

I hope this helps. Have a glorious day!

u/flatcap_monty · 4 pointsr/AskMen

I really enjoyed Sapiens, and I'm picking up some more of the author's books soon. Fascinating theories on why humans developed language, money, art, religion... All of it. Well worth your time.

Becoming Who We Need To Be was a good (short) read. I'm a fan of the author's work already (particularly his podcast), and the book is a thought-provoking look at a wide variety of topics. More a collection of essays than anything.

Jordan Peterson gets a fair bit of stick, but I found 12 Rules for Life to be quite a powerful read. I don't agree with all of what he writes, but there are some very good lessons in here for sorting one's shit out. A lot of it very obvious now that I've read it, but sometimes you need things spelling out for you.

Religious or not, I would encourage anyone to read The God Delusion. Dawkins is quite militant in his atheism, but it does present a lot of good arguments as to why religion isn't necessary for a person to act morally.

How To Be Miserable resonated with me quite a lot. Bits of it are in a similar vein to 12 Rules for Life, but essentially it's a self-help book that's approaching the matter from the slightly tongue-in-cheek perspective of wanting to make yourself as miserable as possible (ie. don't do these things). Another fairly short, but quite enjoyable read.

​

Bonus fiction recommendation:

The Way of Kings. I just got finished reading this last night, and oh boy was it good. It's an absolute tome at 1200 pages, but it's a proper un-put-down-able. Really great work of fantasy, with some outstanding worldbuilding, fascinating characters, and one of the best climaxes I've read in years.

u/AgentThor · 3 pointsr/harrypotter

Favorite fantasy series is The Night Angel Trilogy by Brent Weeks. It has a decent hard magic system, but the story telling is what makes it for me. Huge world he paints for you, and characters you love/hate throughout the story.

He has another series in progress called The Lightbringer Series, with a more interesting magic system based on color and light. Again, amazing characters and story telling.

Brent Weeks has so far, been the only modern fantasy series I've found worth the hype my friend talked about. I've read the first Percy Jackson, the Artemis Fowl series, and the Summoner series' first book based on recommendations, but I love Brent Weeks the most. Happy hunting!

u/DN_Caibre · 2 pointsr/gaming

I've got about 600 hours in all three games. 300 hours in witcher 3 alone.

Yes, you can play it without having played 1 and 2. The Witcher games from minute one are sequels to the books by Andrzej Sapkowski. So even in the first game you're introduced to characters for the first time, but they react to Geralt as if they've known him for years, so you're just kind of thrown into this already running legacy of a character.

Honestly, if you wanted the backstory before playing witcher 3. I'd read the books (or listen to them in audiobook form), it gives you A TON of context to the game and you'll constantly recognize characters and names from Geralt's early adventures in the books.

Books are:

The Last Wish

Blood of Elves

Sword of Destiny

There's this animation which covers the events of the books, The Witcher 1 and The Witcher 2, so you could watch this after reading the books to prepare yourself for witcher 3's world state.

Recap (NSFW! Boobs and decapitation)

Green man gaming is sold out of the expansion pass codes, but you can get the base game for $22 here.

Witcher 3 on GMG

If you like it, you can buy the expansion pass on steam for 25 bucks, which is two expansions, the first is about 8-12 hours of content, the second is almost an entirely new game, easily with 25-40 hours content.

I can't explain to people how much I love this world and The Witcher 3 especially. If you like fantasy settings, this is a must play, and I bet that if you get into the game, you'll want to explore the books, and potentially play through the first two games as well.

u/OrionSuperman · 15 pointsr/Fantasy

Hey! Loved Redwall and the other associated stories when I was growing up. I was an avid fan and owned the first 10ish, but the quality of story went down as more came out. :(

Now the real trick is figuring out what you're asking, so I'll take a few stabs. If there is a specific aspect about Redwall you really want to reflect in your new reads let me know and I'll expand the selection. :)

Like Redwall as in intelligent animals:

Light On Shattered Water:
Human finds himself in an alternate dimension where cats evolved instead of humans. I first read in around 2000, and last read it again this year, still very enjoyable.

The Chanur Saga:
Anthropomorphic cat aliens. Pretty decent adventure, though the tech is a little silly but not bad considering it was written in the 80s.

Watership Down:
Rabbits in England trying to live their life. And adventure type stuff happens. A classic for very good reason.

Like Redwall for epic adventure and battles

Malazan Book of the Fallen:
Epic in every way. Hands down my favorite book series. Never has any other book given such a sense of scale to the world. Everything has a history, and Erikson writes in a way that you want to know more, about it all.

His Majesty's Dragon:
I originally only picked up this book because the summary sounded like a joke. Napoleonic era England, insert dragons as the aerial corps. I brought it with to work, read it on my breaks and lunch, and after getting off at 9pm ended up staying at wprl until 5 am to finish it and the second book in the series.

u/Dai_Kaisho · 1 pointr/PS4
  • leveling: do quests. get paid. You're a witcher; you can kill monsters in your sleep. hence, you don't get much experience for killing everything you see. you get much more experience for finishing quests and helping folks out. quests will tell you when you're the right level. I tend to check the notice boards anytime i visit a new town so I know what's available, but I don't always start the job right away.

  • combat: use the sidestep, not the roll, since roll eats stamina that you need for casting quen. cast that a lot. once you get used to sidestepping and take less hits, start using alternating between quen and the other signs - see which you like best. and don't forget to parry human enemies.

  • world: as others said, turn off the minimap markers so it feels less like a far cry/ac game. i even turned off the minimap altogether (so I have to open my bigmap often, but hey immersion :P) The world of the Witcher is full of great wonders - all the better if you find them yourself, or through a quest. Not by checking them off a shopping list.

  • take your time and enjoy it. if you're having fun with something, go ham. I personally enjoyed reading 'The Last Wish' and 'Sword of Destiny' - short story collections written in the 90's. No spoilers and they kind of explain Witcher 1 and 2. You'll recognize tons of characters and lore from these stories placed right into the game itself, which is a real treat. https://smile.amazon.com/Last-Wish-Introducing-Witcher/dp/0316029181/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473654717&sr=8-1&keywords=the+last+wish+by+andrzej+sapkowski
u/Khuff540 · 2 pointsr/DMAcademy

The same thing happened to me just a couple of months ago. We are having our 4th session coming up. I was gifted the players handbook, dm's guide, monster manual, and dm screen which were all very helpful when deciding how to go about this. ( I never played anything beyond a oneshot basically at this point. As a player not dm no less.) So the idea of a continuous campaign was intimidating. I've watched alot of Matt Colville's running the game series, dm tips from geek and sundry, and another amazing tool is Piper (link below). Though Piper has alot of other resources the link I have on hand is if you decide to make your own world and not use a campaign setting. I still feel like a dog with protective goggles on at times "I have no idea what I'm doing". Though, my players are having fun and tell me they are excited for the next session. So remember to plan just enough to feel comfortable but not too much to overwhelm you and HAVE FUN it's a game still. Both going with a campaign setting or beginning your own world are great ideas. I chose my own world I've heard many other start with a campaign and go just as great.

Obviously as other people have said their is a free PDF on WotC website for starter set or you could purchase the hardcover.

This is a set that has the players handbook, dungeon master guide, monster manual, and a dm screen. It's not necessary for everyone but for me it was a huge boon. https://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Dragons-Rulebooks-Slipcase-Handbook/dp/0786966629/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=dungeons+and+dragons+core+rulebook&qid=1558880532&s=gateway&sr=8-1

Piper. http://www.welshpiper.com/hex-based-campaign-design-part-1/

And last piece of advice is this! Session 0 checklist https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.reddit.com/r/dndnext/comments/601awb/session0_topic_checklist_and_guide/ this was huge in setting everyone on the same page.

u/JaskoGomad · 20 pointsr/rpg

Hi!

Most importantly - don't panic! It's OK. Every experienced RPG player was new once.

If you have a local RPG group - that's great. Do they play at a store? At someone's house? A community center? If it's a store, then you can just go to the store instead of to the group because - hey, they're a store - their whole job is to get you comfortably into the hobby so they can sell you stuff, right?

Also - just to be clear: There are many tabletop RPGs, not just D&D or D&D + Pathfinder. There are literally thousands of games available today. I mention this because "D&D" is kind of like "Kleenex" - sometimes one brand gets used to refer to the whole range of options. So you should know that there are LOTS of choices. And many of them are less about giving experienced players advantages than D&D / Pathfinder are.

If you want to learn and play D&D, that's great. Here are a few things I would point you towards:

  • The D&D Essentials Kit is designed to get you playing without any prior experience, and only requires ONE other player. It has everything you need except a pencil - it even has the dice! You could read the rulebook and be ready to play with your local group, or recruit a friend and jump right into the fun of being the DM!
  • The Basic Rules are free to download and have the real meat of the game. What you won't get are all the variants that the main rule books have - but the basic rules will let you understand all those variants. If you read just Part 1 (making a character) and Part 2 (playing the game) you'll have done more homework than most 1st time players do before they show up to play. These rules are fully playable, but you'll need dice at least.

    If you want to play TTRPGs but not D&D, then there's a whole world of games out there for you to choose from, but that's kind of a larger discussion.

    Welcome to the hobby!
u/OneCritWonder · 1 pointr/DnD
        • -

          I highly recommend the Starter Set. It's $15 on Amazon, has the core rules, a set of dice, premade characters, and an adventure that will last you a half dozen sessions or so. It's a great place to start--go figure--and is designed for brand new players and brand new DMs.

          The Essentials Kit is another great resource. It's usually $25 but looks like it's currently on sale for $16. It's full of all sorts of handy stuff like GM Screen, items/rules cards for quick reference, dice, and has an adventure that plays from level 1-6. It and the Starter Set take place in the same area of the game world and the kits work very well together actually.

          This unboxing video compares the content of the two boxes, notes the different style of the adventures, and might help you pick one if funds are tight.
u/makenoapologies · 2 pointsr/Random_Acts_Of_Amazon

I would have to say that Shogun by James Clavell is my all time favorite - a really thick book and a little hard to get into (I almost died of boredom trying to get through the first chapter), but if you stick with it, it gets MUCH better. I've read it several times. It is a fascinating glimpse into historic Japan (circa 1600s).

If I win, I only have one book on my WL right now - A Dance with Dragons - A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 5. I'm on book 3 in the series and it is GREAT!!!! I would LOVE to get this!!

Thank you so much for the contest! Hope you like My Favorite Book!

u/ridik_ulass · 39 pointsr/DnD

I'm with you buddy, I used to tease my friend for playing, calling him a nerd and a dork, and so on... but once I played I haven't missed a game in 10 years.

There is firstly Leagues, D&D adventure leagues, they are often hosted at conventions or in stores that sell the material, either of those locations regardless of the league should have ideas, information, or social media social groups for which you can find out.

there is also /r/LFG

you might want to grab Dungeons & Dragons Core Rulebook Gift Set

Its cheaper than buying the books individually, cheaper than buying 2 books.


There are also other games, /r/rpg is a place for things that are not just D&D, vampire games, robots, D&D in the future (shadowrun) war-hammer fantasy and 40k...battle tech, exalted, traveller.... many many games. Some might be more or less for you than others.


D&D is the most popular by far, games everywhere, its easier to find groups, get material, use digital resources all kinds of stuff.


you might want to get your own dice too, you can get plastic, metal, rare metal, rare stone dice, all kinds.



You can even play with your friends online, using online group meet -up's


I played D&D first on skype and IRC, There is a thing called D&D beyond but its a bit pricey for not giving physical copies of the material. Roll20 is another (but the owners are assholes) and some others people might know of. I also played starwars edge of empire on google hangouts for a year, it had a dice roller app, and we displayed our digital character sheets as out profile picture.

u/MeishkaD · 1 pointr/Random_Acts_Of_Amazon

I am going to assume the unicorn style rarity that is an actual night of at home ME time. No spouse, no kiddos. A quiet house.

On the rare occasion that I do this, I usually start by procuring food that I don't have to slave over first. Once I am settled in at home, I am going to need a good book. A Dance With Dragons would work quite well as I am fast approaching the end of this series and there is nothing worse than a cliffhanger ending and no desire to go get the next title. At some point in the evening a hot bubble bath would be required. Part of the key to a wonderful bath is tasty snacks, also a glorious aspect of me-time is not having to share a single bite. Mine, mine, mine. After the bath, it would be time to change into a soft t-shirt and a pair of my hubby's flannel pajama bottoms. To cap the night off, I may actually take the time to paint my nails. I don't do it often, but I love the look when I do. That would be a bit over your budget, but it would perfectly sum up a wonderful night for me.

Thanks for the contest!

u/pneumatici · 2 pointsr/witcher

Sure, a couple notes while I'm downloading BaW :)

The book order is thus:

The Last Wish

Sword of Destiny

Blood of Elves

The Time of Contempt

Baptism of Fire

The Tower of the Swallows

The Lady of the Lake

There's no official english translation of the last book yet, but the one I've linked is the best fan translation I've found. It's the one I read, and I honestly would have had no idea it wasn't a "real" edition if I didn't know better. Fantastic work.

There's also A Season of Storms, which is sort of a midquel for the series. But it was written in the last two years, has no bearing on any of the game's canon, and contain some minor potential spoilers for later books since he expected his readers had finished the series at this point. I recommend you ignore it for now, and if you decide you want to read it down the road pick it up after the series.

The first two books are a short story collections. The series is in chronological order, but the actual novel arc doesn't begin until the third book. Definitely don't skip the first two though, they set up important characters and events in Geralt's life prior to the novel arc beginning.

Lastly, if you really can't be bothered to spend a bit on the amazon paperbacks here's a link to all of them in epub format. I can't vouch for the quality of the fan translations in this pack, nor do I recommend this format. Buying the books supports the author and reading a book is still easier than reading on a tablet in my opinion.

Good luck on your journey into the Witcher!

P.S. - Oh, here is the Witcher 1 recap video I mentioned. DO NOT WATCH THIS until after you finish the books. It will spoil the climax of the series and ruin your reading. You can buy the game dirt cheap if you can handle a playthrough on PC, but you really won't miss a ton of important info if you skip it. I don't want to spoil the end of the books either, but essentially the second and third game don't rely on the first one at all aside from knowing cursory details of the first game.

u/pfunkin · 14 pointsr/litrpg

Here are a few that I find myself recommending often, which also seem to fit what I think you're looking for:

  1. Threadbare by Andrew Seiple - Game-like world, good world building and magic systems. Looks like a kid's book but it's not. Used to be available for free on Royal Road if you want to check it out first (it still is).
  2. Completionist Chronicles by Dakota Krout - Kind of standard litrpg fare, but done really well with interesting systems.
  3. Ten Realms by Michael Chatfield - Transported to game world, portal fantasy. Starts off kind of weird, but gets into the game pretty quick. Interesting world building, especially after book 1.

    I typically read, not listen, so I can't speak to the quality of the audiobooks, but I enjoyed all of these a lot.

    ​

    Edit: Cleaned up links
u/Cdresden · 1 pointr/suggestmeabook

You might be interested in Pierce Brown's Red Rising series if you haven't tried it already. I felt it started slow, and had more of a YA feel than I would normally go for, but it shifted gears and became interesting. The second book, Golden Son is actually better than the first, and I'd say it's one of the top 3 SF of last year.

William Forstchen finally came out with One Year After, the sequel to his influential post-apoc One Second After.

Michael J. Sullivan's The Age of Myth is the first book in an enjoyable new series. It's set in the same world as his Riyria series, but in an earlier age.

Too Like the Lightning by Ada Palmer is a rich SF, dense with ideas. It's cultural immersion SF, so it takes a couple of chapters to really understand what's going on, but then you're off to the races. A shoe-in for the awards shortlists.

On the lighter side, David Wong's Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits is very enjoyable.

u/lawstudent2 · 1 pointr/Cooking

Ream.de by Neal Stephenson. My favorite living sci fi author. It’s not his best ( I preferred Snow crash, cryptonomicon, anathem, seven eves and the baroque cycle, and put this on par with Diamond Age and Rise and Fll of Dodo (which he co-authored)), but it is very very good, and one of the few with no true “sci-fi” elements (as in, it takes place today and there is nothing supernatural and all technology in the book exists and is in use). It’s a crazy story involving a crypto virus, the Russian mob, and terrorists - I won’t say more because that would be giving it away. If you like techno thrillers, I recommend it highly. Even though it is among my “least favorite” of his works, we are talking about literally my number 1 favorite living writer. Ream.de is better than all Tom Clancy novels combined - and I’ve read a ton of those - he basically slam dunked the entire genre in a single book and then moved on. For any other author it could easily be a fitting magnum opus, but so much of the stuff Stephenson has written is so insanely creative, compelling, mind blowing and expertlt crafted - I mean how many people can keep you on the edge of your seat for 900 pages of a story about a cryptolocker virus? That’s ream.de, and like I said, it’s among his less compelling works. His first major novel, Snow Crash, is on par with neuromancer as an all time sci-fi greatest hit. It’s “cheesy” but it is so much fun and alarmingly - alarmingly - prescient.

Anyway, yeah. He is good.

u/Hes_A_Fast_Cat · 3 pointsr/redrising

The Night Angel Trilogy. You can buy it pretty cheap in one big book here - https://www.amazon.com/Night-Angel-Complete-Trilogy/dp/0316201286/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1488307839&sr=8-1&keywords=night+angel+trilogy

I came to RR after I finished NAT. IMO it's the perfect fit for RR fans.

It's not sci-fi, it's fantasy (think GoT but a bit more magic, less politics, less dragons, much more action), and MUCH darker than RR. Like, quite a bit.

Many of the themes are the extremely similar in the book - starting from a nobody, transforming into a hero with the help of others, infiltrating a "higher society" than your birth right, scaling out to focus on bigger scopes of the world with each book, etc.

I will say that RR is faster paced and has more action overall, but NAT goes deeper into the characters getting very dark at times. In RR you feel like you're friends with a lot of the Howlers. In NAT you get to know characters inside and out, so your feelings towards a character will change over time and are often conflicted.

Both are among my favorite fiction series.

u/Bachstar · 3 pointsr/books

Hmmm... paranormal/supernatural tween reads with strong girl characters (not that Twilight had a strong female lead in it, but you may as well steer her in a better direction).

You really can't go wrong with the Hunger Games. Or you could get her the Japanese novel Battle Royale. It's also a dystopian novel about teenagers forced to battle each other to the death.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is worth checking out. It starts to lose some oomph towards the end, but is still a solid read with actual substance to the storyline. I'd get the hardback - the photography in it is just genius. Male lead, but there's a pretty cool chick who throws fireballs.

I enjoyed Anna Dressed in Blood. It's a bit like Supernatural, only with one male ghost hunter as the protaganist. He falls in love with a ghost, but she's a homicidal maniac.

The Rise of Renegade X - a boy raised by his evil supervillain mom discovers that he's the product of her one-night-stand with a superhero. That was pretty enjoyable...

Poison Study is a great book about a girl who's been sentenced to death and is offered a reprieve if she becomes the king's food taster. Her handler ends up subjecting her to a litany of poisons so that she can build up immunity. Didn't read the sequels, but the first book was pretty good.

Graceling is set in a world where certain people are born with random talents - the ability to hold their breath underwater for long periods of time, musical or dancing abilities, cooking the best food imaginable, etc. The main character is born with the talent to kill & becomes her uncle's assassin.

Stardust - Neil Gaiman... really nuff said, eh?

Howl's Moving Castle - A girl is turned into an old woman by an angry witch & takes refuge in the mysteriously moving castle of an "evil" wizard.

Okay. I'll stop now. :)

u/Mellow_Fellow_ · 3 pointsr/Fantasy

Shadow's Son stars an assassin and opens with an assassination. I found the book a bit bland and stopped halfway through. Maybe you'd get more out of it than me, though. Different strokes for different folks. Eh, I'll probably give it another try eventually.
.

Next up is The Emperor's Knife, the first book of the Tower and Knife series. I know that it stars an assassin as a main character, but I haven't gotten around to reading my copy yet. I think I got it for free at some point.
.

The Demon of Cliffside is a book that you've probably never heard of before. It stars a nameless demon as the main character, and while she's not an assassin, she does a lot of "assassin-ey" things. It's the only book of these so far that I've read all the way through, and it comes with my stamp of approval. For what it's worth.
.

...and now for the obligatory The Way of Kings reference, because someone had to do it. One of the viewpoint characters is "The Assassin in White," and he has some very fun sequences. However, this is probably not the type of book you're looking to get out of this thread, and I imagine you've likely read it already anyway.
.

Well, I did my best. I'd probably recommend them in this order:

  1. The Demon of Cliffside

  2. The Emperor's Blade

  3. Shadow's Son
u/stankbooty · 2 pointsr/booksuggestions

First off, don't believe anyone who tells you that non-fiction books are the only worthwhile books. That is blasphemy. Non-fiction might make you more knowledgeable about certain things, but fiction allows you to entertain an entirely different perspective of the world for the duration of the book. I would argue that the latter is more beneficial to your development as a critical thinker and a human being.

Secondly, it sounds like you haven't really found your genre yet. You couldn't get through all of Harry Potter, maybe fantasy isn't your thing. Try historical fiction. What kind of movies and TV shows do you enjoy? Try finding books along the same vein. Just like anything else, you're going to have to sift through a lot of stuff you don't like to find the ones you do.

I like to have at least two books going at the same time, because sometimes reading just one book gets boring. At any given time, I'll be reading one book for pleasure (I really like fantasy - so something like Malazan Book of the Fallen), and one book for merit (anything from philosophy to psychology to a travel memoir).

Lastly, try getting your reading time in right before you go to sleep. It's less stimulating than watching TV or being on the computer. You can get a few pages in when you're taking a shit, too.

u/ImTryingSheesh · 1 pointr/DnD

Well, make sure you have enough dice but that's a given.

Since you're running two people in a premade module, you're probably going to need to nerf the encounters a bit, as they're designed for 4 players.

The wotc dm screen is pretty nice, it has a bunch of lists and tables. If you don't already have a rulebook set, I'd recommend this one, it's at $90 right now and includes a dm screen, the player's handbook, monster manual, and dungeon master's guide. It's totally up to you if you want to get it, the basic rules will work fine.

If you don't want the books the dm screen is like $15 on Amazon.

Also, something really nice to have is a dice tray to keep your dice from rolling off the table and under something.

Regardless of the above, I bet you'll do fine.

u/TheManUpstairsZ · 2 pointsr/Fitness

I came in here knowing I'd see an assortment of DBZ characters and Comicbook heros. So I'll go with one that I know most people in here won't know. Though he is extremely badass in his respective fiction:

Durzo Blint
or
Kylar Stern (more description of his body is defined in the book than Durzo, but they are nearly identical)

For those who don't know the series it's called the Night Angel Trilogy. The first book is incredible. Then much like the Matrix the following 2 are lackluster. But the first book is worth the read by literally anyone who likes badassery.

You can read the first chapter on Amazon as the first chapter is pretty awesome.

http://www.amazon.com/Night-Angel-Complete-Trilogy/dp/0316201286/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1414860981&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Night+Angel

u/krq316 · 2 pointsr/Random_Acts_Of_Amazon

I would use the $2500 for my trip to New York in July. I'd splurge and stay in a fancy hotel on the Upper West Side and spring for the nice seats to a few choice Broadway shows. I would definitely bring a book to read for the plane ride.

I'm currently planning the trip alone, but would love company! My best friend Mindy is my go-to travel partner, but I'd welcome the company of /u/chronos42 since we've been toying with the idea of a New York meetup.

u/BilisknerPL · 1 pointr/Games

It's really weird it is translated so slowly, cause in Poland it's like the most famous saga and personally i think that what Andrzej Sapkowski created is genius. Interesting fun fact: The Witcher (game series) take off where the books have ended and are officially approved by the author.
Anyway, you're in luck!

Ok, so i'll try to give You some help, whether You like it or not. Sapkowski first started to publish The Witcher stories in a magazine between 1986-1990. Then they've been assembled in books. So, to this day there have been 7 stories compilations released (In Poland), but what we're interested in are the following: The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny in that order (these 2 are the introduction to The Witcher world)

THE WITCHER - INTRODUCTION

  • The Last Wish (1993) was released in English in 2007. Here it is on amazon
  • Sword of Destiny - The book has been translated into Czech, Russian, Lithuanian, German, Spanish, Bulgarian and French. It has not been translated into English and there are no plans to do so to date. The publisher of the English edition of the Witcher books decided to skip The Sword of Destiny and publish Blood of Elves.
    But no worries, you already know what is going on and You're ready to jump in The Witcher Saga! (ok, you'll lose some of the flow, since there's a bunch of characters introduced here that later appear in The Blood of Elves.)


    THE WITCHER SAGA

  • The Blood of Elves(1994) - Here it is on amazon
  • Times of Contempt/The Time of Contempt(1995) - it was supposed to be June 27th, but on amazon it says August 27th - Here it is on amazon
  • Baptism of Fire(1996)
  • The Swallow's Tower(1997)
  • Lady of the Lake(1999)

    Well, with Witcher 3 coming soon and with the hype around it i guess they will continue the releases. I highly recommend it to everyone! Also it gives a better perspective on the game series, its characters, plots, etc.

    There's also one Witcher story (The Spellmaker) in this: The Polish Book of Monsters
u/rahnawyn · 1 pointr/Random_Acts_Of_Amazon

I don't think I can pick one single favorite book, but one of my current favorites is The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson.

It's an epic saga, and this is just the first book in what is planned to be a ten-part series, so don't go in if you want your series to be done before 2030. :P That's probably not very convincing... It's a fantasy book, with a huge cast of characters, set in another one of Sanderson's incredibly detailed worlds. This book is told from the point of view of three separate characters (think Game of Thrones style, if you will), and as such you're being told three separate stories for most of the book. But don't worry - unlike Game of Thrones, you won't forget what is going on with one character while you read about another. Each of the characters and their stories are so detailed and interesting that you can't wait to read what is happening next.

If you enjoy fantasy, you will be drawn into this book like nothing you've read before. I was completely immersed while reading it, and would sit and read for hours without realizing exactly how much time had gone by. You'll have more questions than answers by the time you flip the final page, but good news - the second book is already out.

u/drklnc · 1 pointr/hearthstone

Not sure what kind of genius she is but i bet some nice books would be awesome if she likes reading! I have been reading the Malazan series lately, nice multiple character "Game of Thrones style" fantasy novels, they are quite good. http://www.amazon.com/Gardens-Moon-Malazan-Book-Fallen/dp/0765348780

u/Eswft · 2 pointsr/books

I'll start by saying this is not my most read genre, though I do enjoy it. I tend to read contemporary lit. Still, some of my favorite series are in this genre.

Brandon Sanderson, anything by him. He has a few series in progress, the one that's finished is Mistborn. I'd start with that. He finished the wheel of time at the request of Jordan's widow by the way. Great author.

Fire and Ice (game of thrones). This one's obvious, but it has to be said. Again, the writer is not top notch, but he's pretty good. My main gripe would be with technical writing ability, as opposed to the massive flaws in the wheel of time.

Iain M Banks (not a typo). This man can write. The Culture series is a series that takes place in a persistent universe over millenia at times, though not with the same characters. However, this is one of the best sci fi/fantasy "series" there is. This man was a genius.

Ring World by Larry Niven. A series. Follows a few characters through an amazing series of events. A thought expanding series. Great.

The last one I'll mention is hands down my favorite. Stephen Erickson, the Malazan book of the Fallen. An absolutely MASSIVE series covering an empire, the Malazans. It covers dozens of characters, over the course of I think 10 books. It just wrapped up a couple years ago. Maybe 11 books.

These books are dense. There is a lot happening. The characters are robust. The settings span a continent and are varied. The author dumps you into the middle of it, right into a groups lives. There is no preamble, no backstory. you're just there. Some people find this off putting.

The main complaint I get about this series is there is too much happening and people can't keep track. It is worth it. The reward is being so heavily invested in characters that comparison in the genre is hard. People get upset about a death in Game of Thrones? In this, people are angry 8 books and 7500 pages later, still. Legendary warriors spark questions among people as to what would happen if they laid eyes on each other.

This is truly a literary masterpiece on par with lord of the rings, for completely different reasons. The first book http://www.amazon.com/Gardens-Moon-Malazan-Book-Fallen/dp/0765348780

I'll warn a final time, some people struggle with the complexity. It makes me so sad when that happens, that someone doesn't get to enjoy the epic tale because of the density, but alas. I'd really suggest to stick with it. Read that first book and you'll be hooked. Lose yourself in the world, don't worry about what you think you should know, if you forget something, wiki it.

I should have done them in order. But my fave in order.

Stephen Erickson, Malazan book of the Fallen

Brandon Sanderson Mistworld

Iain M Banks, The Culture series

Everything else is distant in comparison, for me.


**Edit, formatting.

u/PM_ME_UR_FAV_RECIPE · 1 pointr/Omaha

As others mentioned videos are great. Wizards has some good resources. https://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/basicrules For campaigns to start with, I really liked the one in the starter kit https://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Dragons-Starter-Wizards-Team/dp/0786965592/ They also released https://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Dragons-Essentials-Kit-Boxed/dp/0786966831/ which I haven't played through the campaign yet but it looks promising. There are also tons of materials for purchase and some for free on the Dungeons Masters Guild site https://www.dmsguild.com/
Any questions, feel free to ask in this thread or dm, otherwise r/dnd may be a better subreddit to answer.

u/MCubb · 6 pointsr/Random_Acts_Of_Amazon

Oooo check out Stardust!

It's an awesome adventure with action, humour, love, and more! And it's written by Neil Gaiman, who's just awesome.

Thanks for the contest!

u/the_Phloop · 1 pointr/suggestmeabook

I love Abercrombie, it's what got me into fantasy reading, but it is seriously grimdark. I would suggest you start with Micheal J Sullivan. This is classic fantasy, but over the top high fantasy. The characters are likable and the author really ties things together well. Really easy, fun, just great read!

u/Unikatze · 2 pointsr/Pathfinder2e

I dunno. The D&D gift box I'm talking about is this one
https://dnd.wizards.com/products/tabletop-games/rpg-products/dd-core-rules-gift-set

It has 3 books in it as opposed to Pathfinder's 3.
It retails for $169.00 but Amazon has it for $117
Couldn't find the Retail price for the special edition one, but it's $200 on amazon and looks amazing. I'd love for Pathfinder to have something like it. (Other than the deluxe editions I mean)

I made a mistake though, it doesn't come with a battle mat or dice.

(https://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Dragons-Rulebooks-Slipcase-Handbook/dp/0786966629/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=d%26d+gift+box&qid=1562353036&s=gateway&sr=8-1)

u/Rocketpotamus · 1 pointr/dndnext

I'm assuming you're young, since just the PHB is an acceptable expense (in my opinion) to begin as a player. As of right now it's not even $50, which was the typical price when I began playing in 3.5. So might I suggest this as a birthday or other holiday gift if you're not able to get together the money?

I'm definitely not digging on your for not being able to afford it, that's fine and people have reasons. I'm just saying, $30 entry point is damn good and there's so much meat in this game that I'd pay $50 gladly for the core book.

​

In addition, if you and your gaming group would go in on the core rule set, it's 50% off currently on Amazon, so you're getting each book for effectively $27.50 with a free DM screen.

​

PHB: https://www.amazon.com/Players-Handbook-Dungeons-Dragons-Wizards/dp/0786965606/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=players+handbook&qid=1564688516&s=gateway&sr=8-2

​

3 Book Core Set:

https://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Dragons-Rulebooks-Slipcase-Handbook/dp/0786966629/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=players+handbook&qid=1564688680&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFSNDJCRjExRFA0UkkmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTEwMDQwMzU2OUtKM1Y0MjRQRUcmZW5jcnlwdGVkQWRJZD1BMDQ5MDAwNDhJSUVBQTU2T0ZPUCZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

u/mamallama · 2 pointsr/Random_Acts_Of_Amazon

Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson. This is the first book of the Malazan Book Of The Fallen series. it is a 10 book, super epic fantasy series. my favorite series ever. i laughed. i cried. multiple times on both accounts. all ten books are published, so no waiting. fantastic writing, this guy is super smart and it shows in his writing.


Thanks for hosting a book contest. i'm a huge bookworm.

<3

u/runninscared · 1 pointr/Fantasy

morning star is the 3rd book in the red rising trilogy by pierce brown. while more sci fi than fantasy it is AMAZING and i cant recommend it enough, it starts with red rising

great story, amazing pacing. if you like a story where the plot moves along rapidly while still filling in the details nicely do yourself a favor and give it a shot.

u/blasek0 · 2 pointsr/OkCupid

It's a book by Neil Gaiman. They made it into a movie and it's actually pretty good, and imo, one of the few cases where the movie is better than the book. Still a decent book though, fun quick little read if you like the high fantasy fantastical fiction worldsy stuff with romance.

u/Mardread · 1 pointr/Oathsworn

I haven't read anything good in years and the things I have read are usually due to finding new books for my kids or reading the books that have been adapted to tv/film.

One of my all time favorite series was from Robin Hobb. Starting with Assassin's Apprentice. This was a difficult read for me at the time, but I loved the story behind the characters.

I started reading less fantasy after reading Stieg Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Millennial Series. I read these after watching the original films. It is fantastic. Just don't buy the fourth book, it wasn't even written by him as he has been dead for a while now.

A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin. I didn't start reading those until Game of Thrones premiered on HBO.

Now for some really old school, Dragonlance by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. The fourth book came out years later and was fantastic. I have read more than a few of the side stories, but the main books are the best in my opinion, probably would not hold up well today.

Currently, I have The Martian by Andy Weir and Promise of Blood by Brian McClellan waiting for me to read.

The Five People You meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom is a book that I consider a must read. I don't consider it a spiritual book, but it did change my perspective on how I view my life in this world.

u/Wilmore · 2 pointsr/suggestmeabook

I'm reading Red Rising now, and I'm digging it (heh.) It's set on Mars, but it's far enough in the future that it's more fantasy than scifi. Much of the book gives off a Potteresque vibe to me, even if the plot sounds entirely different. There's also a lot of references to Greek and Roman mythology if you're a fan of that.

I also just read the Martian, which was really good (I guess I'm on a Mars kick.) It's basically the Hatchet but on Mars (it follows an Astronaut stranded on Mars having to survive.) I expected it to be sort of dry, but it was the opposite - extremely entertaining and often pretty hilarious.

u/SereneWisdom · 2 pointsr/Random_Acts_Of_Amazon

I love the idea for this contest and just know that you will make one lucky person happy. :)

I haven't read it yet but if A Dance with Dragons is anything like the others in the series, I know it will be one of my top favorites. I finished the other four books and I'm just dying to see what happens next.

Edit: >.> I forgot to tell you my name. It's Elizabeth. :) I was going to try and be all witty and say, "Hello. My name is Indigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die." But I fear, I'm not bad-ass enough to pull it off.

Thank you so much. And good luck to everyone!

u/APeacefulWarrior · 10 pointsr/gaming

I have to mention that anyone who liked Jade Empire, or even likes the idea of stories set in a fantasy pastiche of ancient China, should check out the novel Bridge of Birds by Barry Hughart. It's a wonderfully entertaining and underrated fantasy novel, just a joy to read, and it and Jade Empire pull from many of the same sources in Chinese lore.

u/ToastLord78 · 1 pointr/dndmemes

Running the Game by Matt Colville is a great place to start. He explains generally what the game is, how to run it, builds an adventure for you, and then spends the next 80 or so videos going on beautifully long tangents about things mildly related to D&D. But the first few episodes are a goldmine for a beginner, if you ever feel compelled to take the spotlight and be a DM. Which if you ever want to start playing with friends, you likely will have to do.

Another option if you don’t want anything to do with that DM business for now is head to your local tabletop gaming shop. Not Target (although they actually do sell some relevant stuff I’ll mention later), I mean a shop specifically built to sell games like Magic the Gathering and D&D. They probably sponsor games you can join and get a taste of how the game works.

Or yet another option, buy the Starter Set which has everything you need to get started. I haven’t played the Essentials Kit but it also seems useful.

However you go about it, I highly recommend starting!

u/Rosemel · 1 pointr/suggestmeabook

It sounds like the Riyria Revelations would be exactly what you're looking for, if you haven't already read it! It's very fast-paced, fun reading and the two main characters enjoy a lot of great banter. It can get darker at times, but it generally maintains a lighter tone.

Daniel O'Malley's Rook is more urban fantasty/sci fi, but it seems to be pretty overlooked and it's often hilarious. Speaking of urban fantasy, if you've never read the Dresden Files, that may be a safe bet as well. Lots of humor and pop-culture references even as the story becomes more and more dire and epic.

u/SlothMold · 6 pointsr/suggestmeabook

Helpful term for you: bildungsroman, which is the "making of the man," and is often applied to training the hero stories.

Some fantasy bildungsromans you haven't named:

  • Eragon by Christopher Paolini (farm boy finds a dragon, takes on evil empire). Gets a lot of hate for being so derivative, but obviously some people liked the escapism and easy reading.
  • Mistborn trilogy by Brandon Sanderson (abused orphan finds out she has all the rare powers, gets involved in a coup). This one either fits your list perfectly or you'll hate it. I had trouble keeping the secondary characters straight and one of the later arcs is purely political.
  • Night Angel trilogy by Brent Weeks (abused orphan trains to be an assassin)
  • Ranger's Apprentice series by John Flanagan (boy trains to be a ranger). These are more like children's books.
  • Protector of the Small series by Tamora Pierce, where a girl trains to be a knight. It's marketed for girls, but every boy I've made read these books has loved them. (Inching towards children's books also.)
  • Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb, about a king's bastard trained to be an assassin. Probably the best on this list for writing mechanics.
u/NukeThePope · 1 pointr/atheism

American Gods by Neil Gaiman. A captivating story, yet also a bitter spoof of god worship. It won a Nebula Prize and is claimed to be one of his best books, so it's not just some random trash.

Expecting Someone Taller by Tom Holt is not a prize winner, it's a very humorous little book making fun of the old Norse gods and modern culture at the same time. Chuckle at the Valkyries vacuuming Odin's apartment and other silly but fun anachronisms. Funny, not deep.

u/neoman4426 · 4 pointsr/DnD

In addition to what others are saying about the SRD and basic rules versions being free to use, next month a gift set containing the core three books (Dungeon Master's Guide, Monster Manual, and Player's Handbook) along with some other goodies is coming out. It's a decent chunk of change, but if you guys decide you like the free version enough it might be something to save towards https://smile.amazon.com/Core-Rulebook-Gift-Wizards-Team/dp/0786966629 (or if you have a local gaming store sometimes they're cheaper there, and some are getting an exclusive version with some pretty sweet alt cover art). You can get a decent starter set of dice sets for pretty cheap, https://smile.amazon.com/Wiz-Dice-Bag-Devouring-Role-playing/dp/B01KP4T6TQ (20 complete 7 die sets for ~30 USD, might be a bit overkill for starting out) https://smile.amazon.com/Smartdealspro-Colors-Dungeons-Dragons-Pouches/dp/B01ABST9S4/ (5 complete 7 die sets for ~10 USD, might be a bit more reasonable)

u/gemini_dream · 2 pointsr/Fantasy

I agree with a lot of the suggestions so far.

Fritz Lieber's Lankhmar books, while there are a lot of them, are quick reads, and well worth checking out if you haven't read them.

Jack Vance's Dying Earth stories are worth a read, too.

If you haven't already read Ursula LeGuin's Earthsea Cycle, you might enjoy them, and they are short and easy reads.

J.D. Hallowell's War of the Blades series is only two books, definitely quick reads.

Michael J. Sullivan's Riyria Revelations should definitely be on your list.

u/ChristophColombo · 1 pointr/DnD

There are tons of premade campaigns out there. I'd recommend kicking off with either the Starter Set or the Essentials Kit. They include basic rulesets, dice, and a short campaign. You can get started with just one of these sets just fine.

If you want to get more into the rules, I'd strongly suggest picking up the Player's Handbook at a minimum - it goes more in depth on the rules and lays out more race and class options for your players than the limited ones in the starter sets. Next priority would be the DM's Guide, which gives tips on how to run the game, random tables for lots of stuff (items, encounters, etc), and suggestions on how to make your own world if you're interested in that in the future. If you do get into homebrew or other published campaigns, you'll also want the Monster Manual- the starter set rules only include stat blocks for the monsters that they use.

Edit: D&D is more than semi-scripted storytelling. Encounters (both combat and non-combat) are generally scripted in the sense that they will occur when certain conditions are met, but the outcomes are dependent on more than just the dice. D&D is a roleplaying game, which means that you (the DM) and the players are playing characters. You play all of the NPCs, and it's your goal to try to understand their motivations and thought processes and have them do what they would do in a given situation. A published adventure might have some scripted outcomes in the event that your players take a predictable course, but if they decide to do something off-the-wall, you'll need to improvise. And of course, you can always tweak the published material if you're comfortable doing so. It's not like Wizards of the Coast is staring over your shoulder making sure that you follow the text to the letter.

u/Quackattackaggie · 2 pointsr/suggestmeabook

I have the perfect book for him based on that list. The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson. Sanderson finished Wheel of Time when the original author died. This book, and the sequel, are well over 1,000 pages long. They're epic fantasy, just like ASOIAF. His writing is very very good. His world building is exceptional.

The book and the sequel spent multiple weeks (book 2 spent multiple months, I think) at number 1 on the amazon bestseller list. I really really think this book would be great for your dad. It's intended to be a 10 book series, and book 2 is already out, so it'll give him a series to look forward to as well.

u/angelkimne · 1 pointr/asoiaf

I'll second your first mention; the Farseer trilogy.

http://www.amazon.com/Assassins-Apprentice-Farseer-Trilogy-Book/dp/055357339X

Take a look at the reviews for yourself.

It shares plenty of the things that made ASOIAF great - a cast of intriguing and well-written characters, excellent and extremely readable writing style, plenty of political play, an author unafraid to veer away from the 'standard' fare in terms of story...

It strikes me as bizarre I don't hear more about it around here, especially considering its popularity IRL.

Certainly a notch or two above the Kingkiller Chronicles in my book, although Name of the Wind was well worth a read.

u/FredWampy · 1 pointr/Random_Acts_Of_Amazon
  1. I am desperately trying to stay awake. The coffee is drained, I have the weekend ahead of me, and a belly full of yum.

  2. It would definitely be prudent for me to stay awake at this juncture.

  3. Probably take my son to the splash pad and watch him toddle through the water fountains.

  4. Continue to deserve having people call me a good dad.

  5. A huge mess. A lot of papers that I need to sort through constantly. Phone, radio, keyboard, mouse, invisible skin flakes, highlighters, pens, pencils, paperclips, etc.

  6. Curve B in Fig. 5-28 represents the transition region between laminar and turbulent flow.

  7. Perry's Chemical Engineers' Handbook Sixth Edition

  8. A French fry.

  9. The last book I finished was The Picture of Dorian Gray. I enjoyed parts of it. The main plot was good. It was much too long for my liking, though. As a whole, I could've read a summary and been happy with it.

  10. A Storm of Swords (no spoilers, I'm not caught up in that series)

  11. This!

    Thanks for the contest! Zweihander
u/trolo-joe · 1 pointr/KingkillerChronicle

>That is the first book right?

Yep! Gardens of the Moon.

> I feel like i'm dropped in the middle and am just supposed to know who these characters are and whats going on.

That's exactly how Erikson writes. He drops you right in the middle of the story and says, "Figure it out, kids!"

And, as frustrating as that can be, you really do figure it out once you adapt to his writing style.

See - I think too often in fantasy we're forced to follow a helpless character who is figuring the world out. I mean, it's a pretty common tactic for exposition: you don't know anything about the world you're entering, and as a reader you are traditionally supposed to relate to the protagonist. So the best way to introduce you to the world is to take the protagonist and introduce him to the world.

That's how KingKiller is written, that's how Locke Lamora is written, that's how Mistborn is written, it's how HP is written...it's how nearly every book with a first-person narrative is written.

Now, for third-person fantasy, GRRM makes it easy on the reader by designating who he is following with each chapter in ASoIaF.

Erikson doesn't hold your hand like that. He just writes. And, trust me, it's a change in style, but very well worth it.

Don't get me wrong - you don't have to enjoy the Malazan series. No one is obliged to. But I can definitely relate to the frustration on trying to get into the series. It's not an easy read (at first).

But (and I sound like a broken record here) what helped me was this character sheet and even some fanart from YapAttack (I don't really like his style, but it's good to see other perspectives for characters - he's also pretty active on /r/Malazan).

I'm actually looking forward to a re-read of the series now that I know what's going on. I think I'll enjoy it much more, and I'll pick up on details that I missed. But it'll take some time.

Now I typically need a "break" after reading one book in the Malazan series.

I just did a re-read of KKC, actually!

u/JakeEkiss · 1 pointr/DnD

Sidekicks are paired down helper NPCs that you can find either in the new Essential's Kit that was recently released (as well as on D&D Beyond, where you can pay a discounted price for *just* the sidekick options) or you can use the slightly less streamlined (but free) rules from unearthed arcana that were the prototypes for the essentials kit versions.

Basically sidekicks are like a monster statblock, but friendly, and designed to be helpful to players, but with fewer options to keep track of.

You *could* make them as full characters, but if so I'd make your sidekicks a level or two lower than the party. That said, a full PC character is a lot of detail to put in for a character that is only there in a support role.

u/JuninAndTonic · 8 pointsr/booksuggestions

Agreed. I'm a fan of Gaiman but American Gods was just 'okay.' I highly recommend Neverwhere or Stardust if you want to try something else. Both are much more vibrant (not quite the right word for Neverwhere but it will do) and better paced I felt.

u/Misterberu · 2 pointsr/patientgamers

EDIT: I just noticed you were asking about the books and the game. Woops. The game takes place after the books, so if you read the books first, while the character you play will have amnesia, you sure as hell won't. :) That being said, reading the books makes the games all the more memorable, IMO.

The first 2 (The Last Wish and The Sword of Destiny) are a collection of short stories, but they do have recurring characters, so it makes sense to read them in sequence. The rest are novels, and should be read one after the other. Mind you, the second book (The Sword of Destiny) was never officially translated (because publishers are dicks), but I definitely recommend reading it before Blood of Elves (the 3rd book, and first novel), since it introduces characters who are essential to the series. This means that you'd have to rely on an unofficial fan translation, assuming you don't speak Polish, or French (it was translated into French).

You can go here to access the unofficial fan translations. Honestly, they really aren't that bad, and I enjoyed the Sword of Destiny quite a bit. Also, in case you're confused as to the ordering of the books, this wiki page will break everything down for you.

u/demeteloaf · 3 pointsr/comics

And if you get the book, make sure you get the fully illustrated edition.

Stardust was originally published as a fully illustrated graphic novel, with illustrations by Charles Vess, and it's really well done.

They later decided that the story was good enough to release as a standard novel without the illustrations, and while good, is nowhere near as awesome as the illustrated version. Both are still in print and you can find either in bookstores.

EDIT: And if you're ordering online and want to be able to tell the difference, the easiest way is that the illustrated edition is published by Vertigo, whereas the non-illustrated one is HarperCollins.

Amazon link for non-illustrated edition

Illustrated Edition

u/HereForInspiration · 3 pointsr/DMAcademy

This is an awesome surprise, he's going to love it.

The Essentials Kit has everything you need and is like $16 on Amazon. It has rules for just one DM and one player (sidekick rules), a map, complete adventure, magical item and quest cards, etc.

https://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Dragons-Essentials-Kit-Boxed/dp/0786966831

u/quick_quip_whip · 1 pointr/Random_Acts_Of_Amazon

I've heard great things about the Farseer series, and would love the first - used is fine. And I hope you have a fabulous evening!

u/CannibalAngel · 1 pointr/Wishlist

Reamde by Neal Stephenson link



A young man steal credit card numbers for the mob. The middle-man in the deal got his computer hijacked by a virus relating to an insanely popular MMO that the yourn man's girlfirend's uncle owns and develops. They then have to track down the hacker to get the computer virus removed to save them from the mob.



It is a really interesting book and a great, fun read.

u/drewster300 · 2 pointsr/books

I'm sure there's a great abundance of books out there. Personally, I was really happy with the ending of the Riyria Revelations and would recommend it to anyone who likes to read about fabricated medieval-type worlds.

Edit: For anyone that wants to read them, Link is here.

u/SinfulWun · 4 pointsr/litrpg

The following each only have one book sadly as not many books in the genre have a lot yet, some have second books coming soon.

The Game of Gods by Joshua Kern

The Great Filter by Russell Wilbinski

Advent (Red Mage) by Xander Boyce

Core Punk by Paul Bellow

First Song (Anthem of Infinity) by Blaise Corvin

This next one has three books but it also has a lot of sex, the story is good if you can get past that or enjoy that sort of thing.

Apocalypse Gates by Daniel Schinhofen

This next one is post-apocalyptic but the world ended a long time ago, it has 2 books. I should note that the "system" aspect is new in the book, it didn't happen when the world fell.

Radioactive Evolution by Richard Hummel

Lastly an honorable mention because while you wouldn't think it's post apocalyptic from the description it absolutely is which may be a spoiler but not big one. Again those the world ended a long time ago. It has three books.

Threadbare by Andrew Seiple

Given time i could probably think of a few others but these were just the ones that came to me the quickest and ones I can say having read them are all good. I also avoided the ones you mentioned or other people have already recommended. Hope this helps!

u/DrMnhttn · 1 pointr/movies

It's based on a Neil Gaiman book. He's an amazing author. If you like the movie, you'd probably love a lot of his work. He's well known for the Sandman comics and books like American Gods and Good Omens, which he co-wrote with Terry Pratchett.

u/Zoobles88 · 1 pointr/Random_Acts_Of_Amazon

Hmm...well, the writer of The Circle wrote a memoir about his post-college days, with a really pretentious title. I have always really liked it, but the reviews are mixed.

The Stolen Child is pretty cool. It's a little different, I hadn't read anything like it before, and got through it quick.

My personal favorite is American Gods. Little weird, but if you're into it, it will really pull you in quick.

And if you're into something creepier, Heart-Shaped Box (not to be confused with the Nirvana song) is probably one of the scariest things I've ever read.

And then as far as YA is concerned, I just discovered Jennifer Hubbard last week - met her at a writing conference.

And then I had never heard of House of Leaves - but it looks SO cool, so thank you haha

u/MelanieMo · 1 pointr/suggestmeabook

Two things jump to mind for me, both fantasy.

The Coldfire Trilogy is set on a really strange world with a kind of natural force that gives life to people's fears or desires. It's really unique, and a great story with a great antihero.

Brandon Sanderson has also created some pretty unique worlds, his Stormlight Archives is probably his best work so far and the world there is refreshingly different than your typical fantasy fare.

u/GaiusOctavianAlerae · 5 pointsr/DMAcademy

Check out Running the Game, Matt Colville's YouTube series. You don't need to watch the whole series of course, but the first few videos will help you out a lot.

Your best bet if you're starting out is to get either the Starter Set or Essentials Kit. Both have everything you need to get started, and while I personally like the Essentials Kit more, either will work.

u/chonggo · 1 pointr/books

Totally forgot about it, but he might really like Theft of Swords by Michael Sullivan. This is a great action/fantasy/medieval-ish series that gets better with each book.

u/Varafel · 1 pointr/WritingPrompts

Check out Red Rising By Pierce Brown, who is a much better author than I will ever be. Martians, super soldiers, twist endings, pretty awesome stuff.

u/Peterpolusa · 1 pointr/asoiaf

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/055338595X/ref=tmm_pap_new_olp_0?ie=UTF8&condition=new&qid=1344365548&sr=8-1

Well Amazon says it doesn't ship until March of 2013. But that sounds a little late. Personally I just gave up and bought the hardcover. But maybe one day I'll will own all the fancy hardcover ones. It costs WAY to much but you do get nicer maps, pretty little gold inlay, and it just looks better imo.

u/Derkanus · 1 pointr/bookporn

If you want me to pitch you something, I'd way recommend The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson instead. It's only 2 books in so far (The Way of Kings and Words of Radiance), but they are seriously just so good that I can't even do it justice giving you a synopsis, but here goes: There are a few different POVs, but mostly it focuses on Kaladin, a slave who gets assigned to this bridge crew in the military where they have to carry these giant, heavy bridges around so the assault troops can cross these giant chasms to fight the Parshendi--creepy bastards with shell-like armor that grows out of their skin. Eventually Kaladin finds out he can suck in stormlight from certain stones and do some neat magic stuff with it (don't want to give too much away here). There are also these knights called shardbearers who can summon these giant blades from thin air, which cut through just about everything like a lightsaber through butter, and if they cut through a person, their eyes burn out and their soul dies. The book is just so imaginative and awesome--it's unlike most other fantasy books I've read--plus, it has artwork every few chapters detailing the creatures, plants, etc.

Wheel of Time on the other hand, supposedly really bogs down in the middle (before the original author died and the series was taken over by Brandon Sanderson). But basically it starts out as a kind of Lord of the Rings clone, where these 3 kids from a small village set out across the world after it turns out they're the only ones who can stop the Dark One, who sends trollocs (basically orcs) and Myrddral (basically ringwraiths) after them, and they've got an Aes Sedai witch along with them to keep them from dying. It comes into its own by the 2nd book, and I've really been enjoying it so far (I'm only on book 4/15), so if that sounds at all interesting to you, check out book 1, The Eye of the World (link to the first half of the book, free on tor.com).

There're plenty of good recommendations over at /r/Fantasy, and many people (myself included) have asked your same question there.

u/MerbertMoover · 2 pointsr/caps
u/IICVX · 8 pointsr/litrpg

The first ebook of Dante's Immortality was recently published, and should fit your criteria. Dante basically distrusts everyone all the time, but because he genuinely doesn't know a lot he ends up committing some believably naive mistakes.

You might also like Threadbare - the main character isn't naive so much as innocent, given that he's a newborn golem for most of the novel. The combat system is all about skills and skill synergies, and the dialog is great (even though the main character can't speak).

There's also Everybody Loves Large Chests. Again the main character starts out a little naive, but that's largely because it starts from more or less zero Int. It doesn't become an asshole so much as a completely amoral monster, because that's what it is.

If you're willing to read serials that aren't published as complete books, you can try out the bifecta of combat LitRPGs on Royal Road: The New World and The Legend of Randidly Ghosthound are both great.

u/Brodogmillionaire1 · 1 pointr/suggestmeabook

The Buffy the Vampire Slayer comics and Angel graphic novels (and the respective tie-in novels) are all about demon hunting. As are the shows, which are amazing (if a little 90s-y). Also, in a similar vein, please check out the Witcher series, about a mutant monster hunter. First book. It's by a Polish author and is practically the national book of Poland. There are demon-y things in there too, like ghosts and sorceress's and ghouls. The video game series is based on the characters and setting in the books.

 

This is also kind of like Buffy in that it features vampires more often than other demons, but Night Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko is essentially about a war between demons and magic users of all different sorts. The main character takes on demons frequently. They made a movie of that, and I heard they're making a show?

 

Last thing, there are a ton of Marvel and Dark Horse comics that deal with demons. Hellboy for one fights demons frequently. Also, there is a comic by Devil's Due called Mercy Sparxxx about a devil lady who is employed by heaven to take in unruly demons/devils. Or that's the gist I got from the few issues I read. It was pretty good.

 

I know a lot of these are comics, but I hope this helped!

u/WinglessDragon99 · 3 pointsr/litrpg

Threadbare is my favorite example of this genre, though some of the violence in that is replaced by humor. If you're n audio book listener then I highly suggest getting these, if not then it's still more than worth it imo.

https://www.amazon.com/Threadbare-Stuff-Nonsense-Andrew-Seiple-ebook/dp/B078KGS4V4

Shameless plug for my own web-serial on Royal Road, it also takes place in its own world with an "RPGs magic system." Can't claim it's as good as Dante's, but it's free and I love hearing feedback!

https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/19452/nameless-ascent


u/ForgottenKnightt · 1 pointr/GiftofGames

This might be good for the Weird/creepy stuff :P

This For the nerdy stuff.

Both pretty good books in my opinion.


I'd love FTL if I get choosen :D

Steam ID

u/Oniwabanshu · 1 pointr/witcher

None, from what I can tell. The differences are that the publishers give different covers, letter size and book size. The issue seems to be with the translator, because for The Time of Contempt and Baptism of Fire, which I own (The ToC is from Orbit and BoF from Gollancz), have the same translator. David French is his name.

Now if you wish for a good translation for The Last Wish and maybe also from Blood of Elves, pick the one from Danusia Stok (Orbit). Which in my opinion was an excellent read. Here are the links:

u/MeekTheUndying · 21 pointsr/DnD

A few particular items of interest from Amazon :

u/KaJedBear · 2 pointsr/printSF

Edit: I just realized how retarded I am and that you were looking for 2016 books. Sorry about that. These are all relatively new though, and great reads.

I see you read Dalzelle's Black fleet trilogy. For something similar but with better tactics, an interesting perspective on differences in technology advancement, and a more expeditionary style conflict, including actual interactions with alien beings, try Evan Currie's Odyssey One series.

Another good Mil-Scifi is Michael Hicks In Her Name series. I've linked the last of the books chronologically but they were the first published and how I read them; so I feel its a good introduction to the series. It focuses on the main character who plays a central role in the human's conflict with a race of blue skinned, Amazonian-like warriors who prefer close quarters combat despite technological superiority(sounds cheesy I know, but the character and culture development is very well done). The middle trilogy is much more military oriented but focuses less on open space naval battles and more on ground battles across multiple planets. The "first," newest trilogy, chronicles the establishment of the Empire that humans are at war with (I haven't read this one yet). The series has some elements of science fantasy, which is all I can say without giving away too much.

My most recent favorite and I can't recommend enough is Pierce Brown's Red Rising trilogy. It's kind of hard to pin down this one into a specific genre. It seems like it would be YA, but it is not. It has eugenics, enhanced humans, an interesting caste system, space battles, ground battles, high technology, low technology, decent character development, and just a ton of other elements. It's sort of Game of Thrones meets Hunger Games meets Harry Potter meets Brave New World meets Roman history in space. It is very well told and is a New York Times best seller for good reason.

u/AwkwardTurtle · 10 pointsr/gaming

I'm personally really excited for the perma-death difficulty level they're adding to the game, die once and the game is over. They talk about it in the 5th developer diary.

Also, if anyone enjoyed the first game even a little, or is curious about this one, read the books they're based off of. Only two have been translated to english so far: The Last Wish, which is a collection of short stories, and Blood of Elves, which is a full length novel. They're really fantastic, and have one of the most original and interesting fantasy worlds I've ever seen/read. They'll also help you appreciate the games more.

Edit: Oh, and just for the record, the new way they're doing combat is much truer to the way Geral fights in the novels than in the first game. The games stay incredibly true to the books, but don't follow any of the book's plots, both of which I'm grateful for.

u/Bufo_Stupefacio · 2 pointsr/suggestmeabook

You seem to enjoy a lot of YA dystopian sci-fi series - Hunger Games, Divergent, etc. You should definitely try the Red Rising trilogy. It is more graphic and adult oriented, but with similar themes. Plus, the final book of the trilogy comes out in a month or two, which would be pretty perfect for you if you time it right!

u/My_soliloquy · 4 pointsr/Futurology

Agreed, I also wouldn't want to live in the past, unless your royalty, and even that is fraught with hassles. I want to live in the future on my own Dyson Sphere.

That's why the recent Interstellar movie was so interesting. An ultimately hopeful story written to advance a positive view in Sci-Fi movies, kind of like the Hieroglyph book, yet they still needed a dystopian element to even tell the story. And while there are glaring plot holes in the movie big enough to drive a black hole through, they were needed to advance the story. I still liked both the movie and the book.

Speaking of Star Trek, I wouldn't have my cell phone if some engineer didn't like it so much. Or even the Internet itself if DARPA hadn't been worried about nuclear bombs destroying the infrastructure. What's really interesting his how Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality will change society in the future. Like ReamDe or Ready Player One explore.

u/brianf408 · 3 pointsr/gaming

There are! And they are actually pretty good, especially if you enjoy the games.

The Last Wish is a good place to start.

u/TheBananaKing · 1 pointr/AskReddit

Disregard all other posts.

There is precisely ONE fantasy author/series on the planet in the same league as Martin.

Steven Erikson, The Malazan Book of the Fallen. Volume 1 is titled Gardens of the Moon.

It's vast, it's intricate, there's conspiracies and politics, there's elder gods, upstart gods, brilliant generals, footsoldiers, tribal warriors, ancient unhuman races, assassins, emperors, high mages, shamans, ancient undead unhuman tribal warrior shamans (no really)... dark and gritty, laced with gallows humour and surprising emotional engagement in places.

Oh, and I'm pretty sure it's available as an ebook. Buy it legit, this fucking genius deserves the money.

It's breathtaking. If you've ever read The Black Company, imagine it multiplied by Ice and Fire. If not, then hold onto your hat, it's going to be one hell of a ride.

u/dresdenshadow · 1 pointr/booksuggestions

I'll definitely look into these, thank you! If you're looking for an recommendations, something i forgot to add to my original list is Bridge of Birds by Barry Hughart. It's one of my favorite fantasy novels of all time; I can't believe i forgot to include it in my original post.

Here's a link!

https://www.amazon.com/Bridge-Birds-Novel-Ancient-China/dp/0345321383

u/Phaeryx · 8 pointsr/Fantasy

BRIDGE OF BIRDS by Barry Hughart.

From the Amazon review: "Set in 'an Ancient China that never was,' it stands with The Princess Bride and The Last Unicorn as a fairy tale for all ages, by turns incredibly funny and deeply touching. It won the World Fantasy Award in 1985."

u/themleaks · 1 pointr/Random_Acts_Of_Amazon

Well, from my wishlist I'd really like to have the book American Gods, because I'd love to read as much of Neil Gaiman as quickly as I can.

Thanks for the contest!

u/MerroStep · 1 pointr/DnD

Awesome advice, thank you.

In regards to which books to invest in, do you think I, as a "player-first, potential DM second," I should just stick with buying the Player's Handbook now? Especially since I would only be DMing new players almost exclusively for the near future?

Or should I buy the Rulebook Gift Set which is cheaper on Amazon right now for about $8 less than the 3 books separately?

u/cmbel2005 · 2 pointsr/writing

TL;DR - You need to have a story a lot of people think is good. Your story will become more visible as people pump you up with good reviews. That's how horribly stupid books still get attention: somehow they still get positive reviews.

Long story:

I don't know how some of the self-published authors on Amazon make any money. I'm not at all published, and am nowhere near it yet, so what the hell do I know, right?

However, as a reader of fiction, I can say that I have read PLENTY of dumb books by unknown authors who somehow make it into the Amazon Books of the Month, or books that go on clearance sales. I think the secret behind it is the number of 4 or 5-star Amazon reviews received versus the total number of reviews. If 90%+ of readers give it a 4 or 5 star, and there are 800 reviews, then I think Amazon's super smart computer algorithm guesstimates that the book will generate some revenue. Then the book gets bumped to the top in terms of advertising and running deals on the book.

However, I don't understand how most of the 4 or 5 star reviewers think. Are these people able to tie their own shoes in the morning? An example is the book by self-published author A.G. Riddle The Atlantis Gene: A Thriller. It has a TON of awesome acclaim, averaging 4 stars with 8,000+ reviews. I thought that this must be a great story. It's a conspiracy, science fiction, has historical references...great! I read the whole damn thing and I just couldn't see it. I didn't see what they were talking about. How did this guy get up in the ranks???? Somebody must have already passed out the magic koolaid and I showed up late to the party after it ran out. Or maybe I'm in the minority. Who knows.

I'm not going to buy the other 2 or 3 books in his series. I guess I get what I pay for when I make a $1.99 purchase.

u/Forumferret · 4 pointsr/Fantasy

Leiber and Howard, for sure. After that:

/u/Paul_S_Kemp has written the BEST of modern fantasy's sword & sorcery tales with his series The Tales of Egil and Nix, which starts with The Hammer and The Blade.

Coming in JUST behind that, and with slightly more torture in at least one of their souls, /u/MichaelJSullivan has the also excellent Riyria Revelations, starting with Volume One: Theft of Swords.

Great topic, I look forward to seeing everyone else's recommendations.

u/GracieBalloon · 2 pointsr/TrollMedia

I'm reading two right now. Theft of Swords by Michael J. Sullivan and The King by J. R. Ward. They're both pretty fun. The Michael Sullivan one is the first in a series (actually, it's an omnibus of the first two in a series) and the J.R. Ward one is the newest in her Black Dagger Brotherhood series. If you're interested in BDB, I recommend starting with Dark Lover, which is the first in the series. This isn't a series that you can jump into from the middle.

u/bunnymonster · 4 pointsr/Fantasy

True, but I prefer both to having a photo of some random dude who doesn't look like the main character.

/u/MichaelJSullivan and I agree that the artist who did the posters for Hollow World was a much better choice than those photo covers of Theft of Swords
thankfully the artist did the French covers

u/Danadin · 7 pointsr/noveltranslations

Yeah Ready Player One is one of the biggest Sci - Fi novels written in the last decade. This is legit stuff but I'm usually more optimistic when I see a book is being made into a TV series or mini-series.

For another MMO related mainstream SCIFI novel, check out ReamDe by Neal Stephenson. You can probably find Ready Player One and ReamDe in your local library if you live in the USA.

u/Peteyklop · 0 pointsr/rpg

I know you said no D&D, but 5th edition is definitely the easiest one to understand. The D&D Starter Set or the D&D Essentials are both good places to start.

u/slightlystartled · 4 pointsr/books
u/Savage_TaktiX · 1 pointr/DungeonsAndDragons

https://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Dragons-Rulebooks-Slipcase-Handbook/dp/0786966629/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=D%26d&qid=1567754912&s=gateway&sr=8-4

This is a great deal which gives you everything you could possibly want to play and run a game!

If he already plays a lot then he may already have these and in that case I would search for supplemental books, cool dice, and miniatures to add to his game!

u/ChainsawMLT · 1 pointr/books

Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson

The first book in a pretty epic series (more than 10 books). Books are awesome, if a bit long-winded at times. Giant empire, rebellion, magic...lots going on in this complex book and series. The author has a degree in archaeology or something so all the history in the world Erikson creates goes back "hundreds of millenia."

I highly recommend this book even if it does get a little dry in spots.

u/1d8 · 1 pointr/Fantasy

You might like the Farseer trilogy by Robin Hobb. The main character is a lawful good ranger/assassin with animal companions. Quite good IMO.

http://www.amazon.com/Assassins-Apprentice-Farseer-Trilogy-Book/dp/055357339X/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_c

In the not quite fantasy department, I recommend the Grail Quest trilogy by Bernard Cornwell. Totally kick-ass archer main character in the gritty world of the hundred years war. Best archery porn evar.

http://www.amazon.com/Archers-Tale-Grail-Quest-Book/dp/0060935766/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1318509234&sr=1-2

u/GreenLightLost · 21 pointsr/todayilearned

A lot of the lore in the Witcher games is adapted from real folktales. Even more so in the first book, in which several of the stories are rather twisted interpretations of fairy tales with Geralt involved.

If you enjoy dark fantasy, definitely check out The Last Wish. One of my favorite books.

http://www.amazon.com/Last-Wish-Introducing-Witcher/dp/0316029181/

u/Incessant_Mace · 1 pointr/AskReddit

Yeah you confused me haha. If you liked it than it came from my favorite book called The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski.

u/calidoc · 6 pointsr/Fantasy

The Riyria Revelations by Michael J. Sullivan (/u/MichaelJSullivan) would fit the bill pretty well. Six books total, combined to three volumes. The first is Theft of Swords. The series is fantastic, fast paced, interconnecting old school fantasy series.

u/dshafik · 4 pointsr/books
  • David Eddings: "The Belgariad" (volume 1 and volume 2) and "The Mallorean" (volume 1 and volume 2) - these are two story arcs told across multiple novels in each volume, both are related and follow each other.
  • Terry Goodkind: Sword of Truth - 9 book epic fantasy, completed a couple of years ago (Books 1-3, 4-6, and 7-9)
  • Brandon Sanderson: Mistborn Series (The trilogy and the new spinoff)
  • Brandon Sanderson: Way of Kings (book 1) - This is a new series, book 2 is expected late in 2013 (grrr!)


    But by far, my favorite series:

  • S. M. Stirling: Nantucket Trilogy (book one, two, and three)
  • S. M. Stirling: Emberverse (amazon list of the 8 books so far)

    The first trilogy follows the Island of Nantucket, which is thrown back to the bronze age and loses access to high-energy physics. The Emberverse is the rest of the world (though mostly the US) who stay in present day, but also lose access to high-energy physics.

    If you want to go more Sci-Fi, I'm currently reading and enjoying:

  • David Weber: Honor Harrington (Honorverse) Series (Amazon List, 22 books!)

    Also on my list to read:

  • Eric Flint: Ring of Fire/The Assiti Shards Series (link)
  • Roger Zelazny: Chronicles of Amber (link)
u/blaaaaaargh · 1 pointr/Random_Acts_Of_Amazon

YOU AND YOUR KIDS ARE SO ADORABLE!

This is on I believe page 4 of my books list and used is always fine! I've got the first 4 and now I need that one! I prefer a physical copy!

Thank you for the contest!

u/Manwards84 · 4 pointsr/dndnext

I've been reading the Witcher Saga. Seven books in total; the English translation of the final one is out next month. They aren't the best books ever written, but they are solid fantasy stories with a lot of variety. There are elves, dwarves, halflings, gnomes, shapeshifting metallic dragons, a wilderness full of monsters, and roughly the same level of magic as the Forgotten Realms. It could easily be somebody's D&D campaign setting.

The first two books are short story collections, and after that a long story arc begins that delves more deeply into politics, with multiple character viewpoints. I'd recommend the first two (The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny). They're fun, witty, self-contained that slowly develop the main plot in the background.

u/GlueBoy · 3 pointsr/scifi

Prince of Nothing
Set in the middle of a holy war and on the verge of an apocalypse. Written by a philosophy/anthropology professor iirc, and it shows. Very good.

Sword of Shadows
4 books so far
Dark and gritty. No dragons or talking swords or whatever. So far pretty consistently good.

Malazan Book of the Fallen
Probably the best fantasy books i've ever read. The first isn't that good, but after that it takes off in quality, especially books 3 5 6. They're large complex novels with very little exposition, and some people despise that. Just to give you an idea, there are literally dozens of POVs throughout the series, and many many more meaningful characters. It's mind-boggling.

The author, Erikson, is a beast. He's been writing 1 major book a year since '99 plus 4 minor novels. The last will be released next year, and so far they're all been excellent.

u/Kaleidoquin · 1 pointr/Random_Acts_Of_Amazon

We both have this book Match!

Also I have Miss Peregrine's on my list, but the 2nd book. I've read the first and it's delightful :)

u/feigndad · 2 pointsr/books

I always recommend "Bridge of Birds" (a novel of ancient China that never was) by Barry Hughart. There's two good sequels but the first one is IMHO the best.

(edited to add link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0345321383?ie=UTF8&tag=wishease-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0345321383)

u/JennyVonRose · 1 pointr/Random_Acts_Of_Amazon

supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

I have been on a reading marathon and just finished book 4 of A Song of Ice and Fire. I'm so excited to move on to the next book, A Dance of Dragons but it's the only book I don't have on my kindle. Still, I'm elated to be finally so far in the books after Season 1 of Game of Thrones hooked me. It's shaping up to be one of my favorite fantasy series ever.

u/ReisaD · 1 pointr/Random_Acts_Of_Amazon

I would love to read Theft of Swords as I watch fireworks! Thank you for this contest!!

EDITED FOR (Not so) FUN FACT:

Did you know that Cows actually eat more than grass? They have been known to eat baby chickens and birds. :(

u/Kowzz · 2 pointsr/visualnovels

I got the first book in The Malazan Book of the Fallen series, Gardens of the Moon. I've been enjoying it so far. I'll probably be reading this series for a good bit of time considering it has ten books in the entire series.

I also got gifted some DotA 2 cosmetics from friends, and three steam games (one of which was Dark Souls 2! :D) which was nice.

u/theocarina · 14 pointsr/scifi

American Gods, by Neil Gaiman. Amazing book so far. I still have to finish Sandman, too, but already I can tell Neil Gaiman is one of my favorite active fictional writers of our time.

u/Mahale · 22 pointsr/NotAnotherDnDPodcast

Grab this... https://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Dragons-Essentials-Kit-Boxed/dp/0786966831/ref=sr_1_1?crid=8K0HB3UFPLS&keywords=dnd+essentials&qid=1569887219&sprefix=dnd+ess%2Caps%2C154&sr=8-1 that should cover the basics of what you need to get started.

Also manage your expectations the folks on the show are professional actors so don't expect your friends to roleplay as well or do voices or for you to be able to be like Murph. Just relax and have fun!

u/Massagemom · 1 pointr/Random_Acts_Of_Amazon

I would love Theft of Swords

Fun Fact, each episode of Game of Thrones costs about six million dollars to create. Fireworks

u/Psyladine · 3 pointsr/writing

Alan Rickman with a goofy smile.

Also:

Protege of Alan Moore, wrote one of the best comic series to come out of the industry, then did some books, including one co-authored with Terry Pratchett. Has a writing blog that's worth a look, too.

u/readbeam · 1 pointr/suggestmeabook

Have you read any of King's early fantasy? Eyes of the Dragon is one I can definitely recommend.

I think American Gods or anything by Gaiman would be of interest to you. Also look at Iain Banks -- I can't recommend a specific book as I've been told they would traumatize me (I'm a bit timid) but I occasionally hear friends raving about him and if you like King, you're probably braver than I am (IT horrified me).

Finally, if you're interested in fantasy still, you should look at Greg Bear's Songs of Earth and Fire. I remember it being quite haunting.

u/crayonleague · 13 pointsr/Fantasy

Steven Erikson - Malazan Book of the Fallen

Brandon Sanderson - Mistborn

Brandon Sanderson - The Stormlight Archive

Peter Brett - The Demon Cycle

R. Scott Bakker - The Second Apocalypse

Joe Abercrombie - The First Law

Scott Lynch - The Gentleman Bastard

Patrick Rothfuss - The Kingkiller Chronicle

All excellent. Some slightly more excellent than others.

u/aimeekitty9 · 2 pointsr/dndnext

Thanks! :) my kids want to be dragons and animal shapeshifters so I think dnd 5e will be ok as long as it’s not too scary. I figure I can tweak it with my descriptions if I need to. You mean this one right? Dungeons & Dragons Essentials Kit (D&D Boxed Set) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0786966831/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_XA3YDbKXTTTAD

u/Phooka_ · 3 pointsr/writing

These definitely aren't the worst-case-scenario, but I still wouldn't pick them up if I saw them on a shelf. They just don't spark my interest.

THAT being said, two of my favorite books - Theft of Swords and The Name of the Wind - are books that I would NEVER have picked up if a friend didn't recommend them. I don't think your examples are bad because (1) it looks like art rather than a photo, and (2) enough of the character's face is hidden (or their back is turned) to still let the reader imagine what the character looks like.

u/HYGz · 2 pointsr/booksuggestions

I've really been enjoying The Riyria Revelations series by Michael J. Sullivan. It's nothing new in the realm of fantasy, but the world the author creates is so great and vast and watching the characters grow throughout the first 4 books has been a blast. There are more than 6 books out right now I think, but the author got a deal with Orbit, so they combined two books at a time into an omnibus for each installment in the series. Very good read.

http://www.michaelsullivan-author.com/MichaelSullivan_Series.html - more information

http://amzn.com/0316187747 - Link to the first book for reviews

u/Brandothan · 2 pointsr/dndnext

Dragon of Icespire Peak is a neat adventure that's part of the Essentials Kit. It's not very story focused and has a bunch of relatively short quests for players to take on which you might find better for shorter sessions. While it's not free, you can get it on Amazon for about $20 (It comes with dice, a DM screen, the starter rules, and hand outs).

u/odoisawesome · 1 pointr/PKA

If he likes Sci-Fi, he should definitely check out Red Rising. It's a pretty easy read and sort of morphs into a sci fi game of thrones later on, where there are multiple groups fighting to rule over the galaxy.

https://www.amazon.com/Red-Rising-Pierce-Brown/dp/034553980X

u/Iamnothereorthere · 1 pointr/Gamingcirclejerk

There are! Here's The Last Wish and amazon has the others as well. Thanks to the popularity of the Witcher video games, publishers jumped on the bandwagon and now the series is translated into English

u/Shortelle · 1 pointr/Random_Acts_Of_Amazon
  1. I understand it is used. No bitching from me, win or not.

  2. My favorite book (series actually) is Red Rising.

    It's a future dystopian/hard-ish sci-fi novel that is not YA. It's amazing and I highly recommend you read it.

    I'm actually doing a contest concerning this book which ends tomorrow night at midnight CST.

  3. Cowabunga dudes!
u/meryrose · 2 pointsr/Fantasy

"The Last Wish" and "Blood of the Elves" book have been officially translated into English so far.

Info from Wikipedia: An English translation of the Ostatnie życzenie (The Last Wish) short story collection, was published in the United Kingdom by Gollancz in 2007 and was published in the United States by Orbit in 2008. "Krew elfów" (Blood of Elves) was published by Gollancz in 2008 and in the US by Orbit in 2009, and "Czas pogardy" (Times of Contempt) will be published by Gollancz in the UK in 2013.

Here is the link to Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Last-Wish-Introducing-Witcher/dp/0316029181/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_2

u/Rammite · 3 pointsr/nextfuckinglevel

There are two starter packs that give you absolutely everything you need to play, and they're both under $20.

https://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Dragons-Starter-Wizards-Team/dp/0786965592

https://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Dragons-Essentials-Kit-Boxed/dp/0786966831/

Pick one, grab some friends, pick a day, bring some snacks, and you're already well on your way. They come with dice, pre-generated characters, a full story to play along with, and instructions on how to be the DM. It is literally everything you need.

u/DickNickerson · 3 pointsr/suggestmeabook

Honestly I am not sure if this applies or not, but when I read your question I immediately thought of Gaiman's American Gods. Standalone novel that deals with the moving of gods/legends from other countries to the U.S. and their the effect modern culture/technology has on them. sorry if that is a little vague. Been a little while since I've read it and I didn't want to spoil anything. Perhaps the amazon listing would do a better job describing it HERE

u/poops_mcgee · 3 pointsr/books

Bridge of Birds by Barry Hogart. I can't come up with a description that will do it justice... it's just a really fantastic and wonderful book.

u/Schildhuhn · 1 pointr/whatareyouplaying

>http://www.amazon.com/The-Last-Wish-Introducing-Witcher/dp/0316029181

This is a collection of shortstorys about the witcher, I have read it in german and really liked it, there was also another of these shortstory collections but I don't think those are in English yet. I really loved the athmospere. I am now reading "the blood of elves" which is the first real book (it has one big story instead of shortstorys) but I am not finished yet so I can't recommend it because I don't know the ending.

u/FalloutWander2077 · 3 pointsr/witcher

I'll post links so you can get an idea of what they're about. Apologies, I'm a bit tired, otherwise I would give you a rough synopsis myself

If you're looking for some good fantasy books I'd highly recommend the following:
1.) The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss - http://www.amazon.com/Name-Wind-Kingkiller-Chronicle/dp/0756404746

2.) Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence - http://www.amazon.com/Prince-Thorns-Broken-Empire-Lawrence/dp/1937007685

3.) Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson - http://www.amazon.com/Gardens-Moon-Malazan-Book-Fallen/dp/0765348780/ref=pd_sim_14_12?ie=UTF8&dpID=51pDraZRUIL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR99%2C160_&refRID=1H0ZZ7MYMYZGKGQMEKTW

This next one has some fantasy elements, however, it's hard to pigeonhole into an exact genre (low fantasy adventure?), nonetheless, it's one of the better books that I've read recently.

4.) The Lies of Locke Lamora (Gentleman Bastards) by Scott Lynch
http://www.amazon.com/Lies-Locke-Lamora-Gentleman-Bastards/dp/055358894X/ref=pd_sim_14_5?ie=UTF8&dpID=51tpIK8K%2BtL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR98%2C160_&refRID=1H0ZZ7MYMYZGKGQMEKTW

5.) The Way of Shadows: The Night Angel Trilogy: Book 1 by Brent Weeks -
http://www.amazon.com/Way-Shadows-Night-Angel-Trilogy/dp/0316033677/ref=pd_sim_14_4?ie=UTF8&dpID=51tPZPp5dsL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR93%2C160_&refRID=1WERAT21ARWMVZN12V2P

(All books mentioned are the 1st novel of a larger series. If you're already aware and/or read these already than disregard, trying to pass along some great books for anyone who might come across my post)

u/jdylopa · 1 pointr/AskReddit

And don't go on the reddits until you've finished (if you try, which I totally reccommend; I don't like epic fantasy either and I love the books). The reddits all have spoilers, even /r/gameofthrones.

If you're not into the whole genre, start by watching the show. By the end of the second episode if you're not at least interested in how it goes on, then you're soulless and probably an Other (it's a GoT thing). After the first season, when you need to know more, READ THE BOOKS. DO NOT WATCH THE SECOND SEASON. I've found that it's easier to watch the second season after reading the books, since there is some deviation in the show.

Anyway, after you finish 'A Game of Thrones', 'A Clash of Kings', 'A Storm of Swords', 'A Feast for Crows', and 'A Dance with Dragons', you will finally be ready to watch the second season, and wait with baited breath for 'The Winds of Winter' (warning: links to Wikipedia, which has spoilers for the first five books and beyond), and Season 3 of HBO's Game of Thrones.

And now that I've gone to all the trouble to outline your next month of time, you had better go through with it. Believe me, I'll follow up.

u/PoseidonsHairyNipple · 1 pointr/DnD

If you and the bois haven't ever played before, one of you should pick up either the D&D Starter Set or the D&D Essentials Kit. They're each $12 on amazon and have a beginning adventure, basic rules set, and pre-gen characters to play. Solid place to start. The Starter set has the adventure "Lost Mines of Phandelver", which is a classic.

If you get through one or both of those, the next step would be for the group to decide who'd be the DM. That person should pick up the Core Rule Set books (Players Handbook, DM's Guide, Monster Manual). It'd help if the other players picked up their own copy of the Players Handbook.

u/GastonBastardo · 6 pointsr/Berserk

Whole lotta reading recommendations in this thread. May as well throw my two cents in.

The First Law series by Joe Abercrombie. If you're into Guts' introspective-man-of-violence-looking-for-his-place-in-the-world-thing I'd think you find Logen Ninefingers to be an interesting character. If you're into audiobooks then I highly recommend checking out the audiobook versions. The guy reading them is practically a voice-actor.


The original trilogy:

u/undergarden · 7 pointsr/Fantasy

Number Ten Ox and Master Li from Bridge of Birds. Perfect mix of the innocent and the picaresque, and a delicious undermining of the the mythical "guru" or sage figure.

u/amazon-converter-bot · 1 pointr/FreeEBOOKS

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