(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best genre literature & fiction books

I'm going to repeat quite a few titles that have already been mentioned by OP and others for the sake of compiling a list of Kindle Unlimited titles. I apologize for not giving info about the books, but I did snag links and made sure that the titles were still currently available on KU. I know I'm forgetting a bunch too, so I'll edit later.

Some of my recent favorites:

They Mostly Come Out At Night and Where the Waters Turn Black by Benedict Patrick

Paternus by Dyrk Ashton

Danse Macabre by Laura M. Hughes - More of a horror title, but it's a creepy novella that I absolutely adored.

A Star Reckoners Lot by Darrell Drake

Sufficiently Advanced Magic by Andrew Rowe

Jaeth's Eye by K. S. Villoso - I'm currently reading this. It has me hooked to the point where I know I'm going to start the next book in the (completed) trilogy when I finish this one. Plus, it is currently being read by r/fantasy RRAWR book club.


Here are some that I haven't read, but have heard mostly positive things about:

Revenant Winds by Mitchell Hogan was just released just this week and it looks fantastic.

Ghosts of Tomorrow by Michael R Fletcher I haven't read this yet, but look how awesome that cover is!

And for anyone that has read his book Beyond Redemption, which sadly isn't available on KU, the second book in the series, The Mirror's Truth and a short story from the Manifest Delusions world, Flesh and Fire are available.

A Warrior's Path by Davis Ashura

Valley of Embers by Steven Kelliher

Faithless by Graham Austin-King just came out a few months ago and his previous series The Riven Wyrde Saga, is also available, beginning with Fae - The Wild Hunt

Ours is the Storm by D. Thourson Palmer

To Whatever End by Claire Frank

House of Blades by Will Wight

Path of Flames by Phil Tucker

The Woven Ring by M. D. Presley

Awaken Online: Catharsis by Travis Bagwell

Wolf of the North by Duncan M. Hamilton

Free the Darkness by Kel Kade

The Cycle of Arawn Trilogy by Edward W. Robinson

Dawn of Wonder by Jonathan Renshaw

The Queens Poinsoner by Jeff Wheeler, this guy writes a ton of books and he seems to be fairly popular between his new Kingsfountain series, and his previous Muirwood series


Here are some older fantasy and sci-fi books that I enjoyed:

Tales of Nevèrÿon by Samuel R. Delany

Witch World as well as some other really good books by Andre Norton

I recommend the following with the caveat that these might not appeal to everybody. The short stories in these collections are of the pulp fiction variety. If you aren't familiar with Weird Tales, Amazing Stories, etc... and the type of sci-fi and Sword & Sorcery that were found within these magazines, then you might want to skip these.

Swords and Deviltry The first volume of Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser by Fritz Leiber - Many of the tropes of the rogue/thief came from this legendary duo created by Leiber. And it's worth noting that Leiber actually coined the term Sword & Sorcery. This collection contains 3 stories, an average origin story for each character and the final story is the Hugo and Nebula winning novella "Ill Met in Lankhmar" detailing the first meeting of Fafhrd and The Grey Mouser.

Swords Against Darkness - A '70s S&S anthology. I'm currently reading this one, so far there are a few stinkers, a few mediocre, and a few really good ones. Poul Anderson and Ramsey Campbell both have awesome stories in this anthology. There are quite a few annoying typos in this eBook, nothing too distracting though.

The Best of C. L. Moore by C. L. Moore. I read this recently and I absolutely loved it. The collection is all sci-fi and one Jirel of Joiry story, which is her famous female S&S character. Moore was married to the writer Henry Kuttner, and up until his death they wrote a bunch of great stories together. The Best of Henry Kuttner The short story that the movie The Last Mimzy was based on is in this collection, and a story that became a season one Twilight Zone episode entitled "What You Need". Kuttner and Moore are two of my favorite pulp authors and I'm not even that into science fiction, but I really enjoy their short stories in the genre.

Einstein's books about relativity written by Einstein for the non-expert
-Helps you understand not only his theories well, but piques your interest in science a lot, and improves your way to approach all problems. His essays (in particular The World As I See It, be careful of edited versions on the internet which cut out parts they don't like about God, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y0_aNvH0Wo) are amazing as well.
http://www.amazon.com/Relativity-The-Special-General-Theory/dp/1619491508/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1347758889&sr=8-3&keywords=einstein+relativity


Middlesex By Jeffrey Eugenides
-A novel, Pulitzer Prize winner in fiction (called the great american epic), will increase your understanding of those with LGBTQ considerations, but mostly an amazing book
http://www.amazon.com/Middlesex-Novel-Oprahs-Book-Club/dp/0312427735/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1347759265&sr=1-1&keywords=middlesex

Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers By Robert Sapolsky
-Entertaining book, will increase your knowledge of a whole lot of things, and increase your interest in psychology and statistics. Also Freakanomics by Levitt/Dubner and Outliers/Blink by Malcolm Gladwell. All good to get your foot in the door to approach the complicated world we live in logically.
http://www.amazon.com/Why-Zebras-Dont-Ulcers-Third/dp/0805073698/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1347759102&sr=1-1&keywords=why+zebras+dont+get+ulcers

Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman! by Richard Feynman
--Autobiography of a nobel prize winning physicist, very funny. Will (again) demonstrate how a brilliant person approach the world. Very funny and easy read.
http://www.amazon.com/Surely-Feynman-Adventures-Curious-Character/dp/0393316041/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1347759305&sr=1-1&keywords=Richard+P.+Feynman

I highly recommend:

1. The Orphans of Chaos trilogy by John C. Wright. He really pushes the boundaries of the imagination by writing about a universe in which there are 4 different paradigms of magic/power, each of which cancels one of the others out and is canceled out by one of the others. It's an epic Titans vs Olympic Gods fantasy, and I've read it several times--which is rare for me to do.
   
   
2. Obviously read the Song of Ice and Fire series by George RR Martin if you haven't already done so! I delayed reading it a long time but then read all of them in a week and a half when I finally succumbed.
   
   
3. ALWAYS recommend The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
   
   
4. ALSO always recommend Lies of Locke Lamora and its sequels by Scott Lynch.
   
   
5. The Abhorsen trilogy by Garth Nix. It's YA, but pretty mature YA, and IMO could easily transition to the regular fantasy section.
   
   
6. Books by Diana Wynne Jones. She writes YA, but fantasy that I wouldn't call immature. The best word I could use to describe it would be "whimsical." If I could compare her style of fantasy to anyone's it would EASILY be the filmmaker Miyazaki. (His films include Spirited Away, Kiki's Delivery Service, Porco Rosso, etc.--he even adapted one of her books!) I think her best work is her Chrestomanci series which has 3 volumes (each volume is made up of several novellas), but she is best known for Howl's Moving Castle, which I also highly recommend (along with its sequels Castle in the Air and The House of Many Ways).
   
   
7. Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series. It's fun, original, often dark, often humorous, fast-paced, and FILLED with action. As noted by someone else, there are vampires in the universe, but they're not the central motif. There are also other scary things, like fairies, goblins, witches/wizards, demons...the list goes on and on.
   
   
8. Terry Pratchett's Discworld canon. There are many, MANY books, and they're not written in series so you can jump in almost anywhere. I recommend Small Gods to start.
   
   
9. The Sevenwaters Trilogy by Juliet Marillier, starting with Daughter of the Forest. There are also spin-off novels, though I haven't read them all. Her writing is beautiful and mystical. She almost makes me believe magic/fae could exist.
   
   
10. The Passion and The Promise (a duet) and, separately, The Alchemist by Donna Boyd. These are really, really excellently written. "Lush" would be the word I'd use. They're not hugely well known, and I find that utterly boggling considering how good they are.

The Brief, Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

..with the caveat that it's really only almost fantasy. It has the tone, and there's one or two fantasy type elements here and there, but it's a real-world setting. That said, I loved this book. It's one of my favorites.

>Oscar is a sweet but disastrously overweight ghetto nerd who—from the New Jersey home he shares with his old world mother and rebellious sister— dreams of becoming the Dominican J.R.R. Tolkien and, most of all, finding love. But Oscar may never get what he wants. Blame the fukú—a curse that has haunted Oscar’s family for generations, following them on their epic journey from Santo Domingo to the USA.

Ursula K. Le Guin is pretty reliable when it comes to mixing up PoCs into her books, so I'd search that. Bonus, she writes both science fiction and fantasy iirc so she might have something in between.

Isabel Allende -- she's technically a Latin American literary type author, but a lot of Latin American literature is uhhhh.... I think the term for it is "magical realism." They're typically set in South America, often the characters or themes relate to native populations, and I recall a secondary character in one book who was essentially a MtF transsexual.

Aha! I found it. It's Eva Luna.

>As the years pass and her imprudent nature sends Eva from household to household—from the home of a doctor famed for mummifying the dead to a colorful whorehouse and the care of a beautiful transsexual—it is Eva’s magical imagination that keeps her alive and fuels her ardent encounters with lovers of all kinds. And as her South American homeland teeters on the brink of political chaos, and Eva’s fate is intertwined with guerrilla fighters and revolutionaries, she will find her life’s calling—and the soul mate who will envelop her in a love entirely beyond her mystical inventions.

It has the same issue as Oscar Wao (actually for the same reason, probably): they're not "fantasy" in the sense of world-building and dragons, but "with fantastical and magical elements."

I also used to really like books by Sheri S Tepper, and a few of them had women's rights themes, but I can't remember any PoCs or non-cis main characters off the top of my head. She writes sci fi, but they were enough on the fantasy end of the spectrum that I could handle them. I'm not really a sci fi person.

I also dug up this Amazon list: "Multicultural Speculative Fiction".

Also, I found a "Multicultural Graphic Novels" list which probably isn't for you but looked too awesome to not mention.

Editing to add:

"The Privilege of the Sword": technically Young Adult, I think. The uncle is gay. Or maybe bi. I think he had orgies. Yeah, that would make him bi, I think.

Patricia Briggs: Mercy Thompson. This entire series. The protagonist is half native american, and she works in a garage. The entire series is pretty imaginative, although I can't remember that her heritage is really dealt with other than "and that's why she can turn into a coyote." Patricia Briggs has been one of my favorite writers pretty much since I was a teen. Before she got popular. I'm a hipster.

Another Amazon list: "Some Lesbian Fantasy and SF Favorites". I recognize a lot of the authors' names, but the only one I've read anything by is Tanya Huff. She's very good, and the rest that I recognize have high reviews and good reputations.

Another list along the same lines

I know some of these have already been mentioned, so just consider this a second vote for those titles. Also, my list skews heavily towards sci-fi/fantasy, because that is what I tend to read the most of.

By women, featuring female protagonists:

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

The Female Man by Joanna Russ

Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey

Lavinia by Ursula K. Le Guin

The Circus in Winter by Cathy Day (It's not entirely fair to characterize this as a book about women; it's really a set of interconnected stories featuring both male and female characters. On the other hand, many of the most memorable characters, IMO, are women, so I'm filing it in this category anyway. So there!)

The Protector of the Small Quartet by Tamora Pierce, beginning with First Test (Really, anything by Tamora Pierce would fit the bill here. They're young adult novels, so they're quick reads, but they're enjoyable and have wonderful, strong, realistic female protagonists.)

These Old Shades by Georgette Heyer (Heyer wrote really fun, enjoyable romances, typically set in the Regency period, though These Old Shades is actually Georgian. This one is probably my favorite, but they're really all quite wonderful. Not super heavy stuff, but don't write her off just because of the subject matter. She was a talented, witty writer, and her female protagonists are almost never the wilting "damsel in distress" type - they're great characters who, while still holding true to their own time and place, are bright and likeable and hold their own against the men in their lives.)

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle (Another young adult book. And, again, I think it's worth noting that L'Engle's books almost always feature strong and interesting female characters. This one is probably her most famous, and begins a series featuring members of the same family, so it's a good jumping off point.)

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi


By men, featuring female protagonists:

The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle (This is another one that is perhaps not a perfect fit for this category; the titular unicorn is female, but the book is as much about Schmendrick the magician as it is about her. However, there's also Molly Grue, so on the strength of those two women, I'm classifying this book as having female protagonists.)

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Coraline by Neil Gaiman (It's a children's book, but there's plenty to enjoy about it as an adult, too.)

By women, featuring male protagonists

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke

The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin

Obligatory wiki links: Dystopian Literature. Although, some of the titles listed don't seem to fit (The Dispossessed?). Nuclear holocaust fiction, and your general apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction.

Some of the better/more popular ones:

• Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang Kate Wilhelm.
  
  
• Eternity Road Jack McDevitt. Well written, but not very insightful.
  
  
• The Postman David Brin.
  
  
• Mockingbird Walter Tevis. Great read. Think Idiocracy, with a serious take. Humanity's totally run by robots, everyone's forgotten how to read and think for themselves, and the world population's dropped to almost nothing.
  
  
• We Yevgeny Zamyatin. The inspiration for George Orwell's 1984. Not the best read IMO, but some people claim it's better than 1984. It's possible I read a poor translation.
  
  
• Island Aldous Huxley. It's a utopian island surrounded by a dystopian world. Might not fit in this list, but it's a good read if you like Huxley. I think it was his last novel.
  
  
• 1984 George Orwell. One of my favorite novels. I have a bumper sticker with the quote "War is Peace, Ignorance is Strength, Freedom is Slavery", which is a slogan from the book. (Also, a sticker on my mirror with "Under the spreading chestnut tree, I sold you and you sold me"). The link points to Animal Farm and 1984.
  
  
• Fahrenheit 451 Ray Bradbury. Another must read. Very well written, thought-provoking novel. Is it still required reading in schools?
  
  
• Earth Abides George Stewart.
  
  
• Alas, Babylon Pat Frank. Lucifer's Hammer Larry Niven/Jerry Pournelle. I'm grouping these two together because they're very similar, both in setting and politics. I didn't really enjoy either. The politics were not at all subtle, and the characters fit too neatly into stereotypes, and too obviously the writer's hero fantasy. Still, they're pretty popular, so try them out and feel free to disagree with me.
  
  
• Brave New World Aldous Huxley. Really just a utopia that's rough around the edges, if I'm remembering it correctly (also called an anti-utopia, thank you wikipedia). Another must read.
  
  
• A Canticle for Leibowitz Walter Miller.
  
  
• Memoirs Found in a Bathtub Stanislaw Lem. Another favorite. I once created a text adventure based on this book. It was about as frustrating as that Hitchhiker's Guide game.
  
  
• The Road Cormac McCarthy.
  
  
• Philip K. Dick It's hard to keep track of PKD's novels, but some of them are dystopian, all of them worth reading. Favorites: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep (also known as/inspired Blade Runner), Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said, The Man in the High Castle.
  
  
• The Handmaid's Tale and Oryx and Crake Margaret Atwood.
  
  
• Y: The Last Man A graphical novel/comic collection. Decent art, great story.
  
  Zombies: World War Z, Raise the Dead, Marvel Zombies, Zombie Survival Guide, Day By Day Armageddon, I Am Legend.
  
  Also, just for kicks, some of my favorite dystopian movies:
  Brazil, Soylent Green, 12 Monkeys, Blade Runner, Akira, Children of Men, Dark City, A Boy and His Dog, Logan's Run, Idiocracy, Equillibrium.

First and foremost, don't be ashamed of what you love. Tale of Two Cities is considered one of the greatest books ever because it is. It's a masterwork. And you shouldn't be ashamed of recognizing that.

Other people have suggested some great classics. You can't go wrong with those. But it sounds (to me) like you might be looking for something a bit more modern, and perhaps a bit more niche. So I'll make some suggestions along those lines:

The Thousand Autums of Jacob de Zoet, by David Mitchell

Let me admit this up front. I've been immediately buying everything this guy writes. I'm a fan. But dangit, he's been nominated for two Man Booker prizes. He can write.

The Thousand Autumns is set in 1800 in a small town in Japan, where Westerners are permitted to stay, but are forbidden to enter the rest of Japan. Jacob is a trader with the Dutch East India Company who comes to make his fortune so that he can marry his Dutch fiancee. When he arrives, he meets a Japanese midwife named Orito with a scar on her face. Jacob falls in love. But this book is not just a love story. Every character is richly drawn, and each has their own arc. Politics and culture feature prominently. It really is a beautiful book. And it shares some of the epic reach of Tale of Two Cities.

Having said that, I would heartily recommend anything by David Mitchell. Cloud Atlas is probably his best known book, and it's a wonderful group of inter-connected stories from different genres tied together by a central theme and with a unique structure. I've recommended that one to friends, and they all praised it.

The Wind Up Bird Chronicle, by Haruki Murakami

This one is a bit different, and definitely a bit more niche. Murakami is a Japanese writer who became sort of hip here in the U.S. a few years back. He writes with a style that I've heard described as "magical realism." It's is utterly realistic in its presentation, but then it will have a talking cat or an alternate dimension. His stories sort of feel like modern fables. And there's a sense of loneliness and fatalism in his books.

I'm not sure that any plot description is going to do a Murakami book justice, but I'll give a short one anyway. Toru loses his job, and wife his orders him to find their cat before disappearing herself. Wind Up Bird is mostly about the cast of characters and events in the subsequent journey.

I almost suggested 1Q84 instead of Wind Up Bird because it felt (to me) more similar to Tale of Two Cities. But 1Q84 is a very long book, and a very slow burn. When I was about 500 pages in, a friend asked me whether I was enjoying it, and I ended up talking about Murakami's style, and not this story. Because the story hadn't grabbed me yet. While I ended up enjoying 1Q84 more than Wind Up Bird, I'm not sure I can recommend that you slog through 1,000+ pages without being pretty sure you're going to enjoy his style. Wind Up Bird is a better -- and shorter -- introduction to Murakami, and it's considered his classic anyway.

Here's some tips - dollar general and dollar tree are great. We bought DG pots and pans for like $5 or $8 a year ago, and they're still going strong. DT is good for utensils, and they also have these round little rubber pads that you can put under chopping boards so they don't move when you chop stuff. Or, you can use a damp piece of kitchen roll.

You'll get a lot of use from a cheese grater, garlic crusher (good for mincing jalapenos to add hotness to sauces too), 2-4 cup measuring jug, plastic measuring spoons (WalMart had these for 98c a few weeks ago), baking tray (I'd suggest 2), solid plastic chopping boards, not the flimsy bendy ones, colander.

If you want to bake or do any mixing with sauces or liquids, you should get a silicone spatula for scraping out the bowl.

You'll want to get a roll or two of parchment paper not wax paper. This stuff can line pans and skillets to go in the oven or microwave. It stops melty cheese from sticking to things. You put it between the food and the hot thing that the food is on.

You'll get use out of a couple of LARGE plastic, lightweight bowls. I use these all the time for mixing up lettuce with dressing, or holding all my broccoli as I chop it.

If you have an Aldi nearby, their sandwich food bags are a perfect size for keeping opened blocks of cheese in, and they have larger ones for bigger foods. Any store will sell ziplock bags, but Aldi's are nice and thick, and cheap. I love aldi. Also, they're a great place to buy nice cheese on the cheap.

You'll gradually want to buy spices as you make more stuff. Get these from Kroger or cheap supermarket to start out with. Simple herbs like parsley and spices like cumin and garlic powder cost a buck and do the job.

If you want some excellent recipes that are easy, simple to prepare, cheap and unfussy with ingredients and keep well for days, look on Caveman Keto's site. Or search r/ketorecipes. Or PM me, I have a bunch.
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Quick snacks - hard salami rolled up with cream cheese in. Beef jerky. Slim Jim style meat snacks. Almond nuts. Pork rinds with a dip, or without (but keep water nearby lest you choke!). Want crackers to put cheese or stuff on? Parchment paper with a loose handful of grated cheese spread out carefully and thinly, microwave for 1:15 seconds or thereabouts until it browns. Take it out (it'll be hot!) and let cool. Cheese crackers! Also great as nachos, tacos (roll them while still warm) or crush it for making crispy stuff to batter chicken with. Keep some flavored teas, diet drinks or water additive handy in case you want something sweet. I also LOVE tinned tuna mixed with a small spoonful of mayo. I have that shit on everything. Caveman Keto has meal plans for the whole week.
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Water.... eat pork rinds. Those bastards will dry you out more than the sun's core. Also, keep water bottles in your car, at work, by your bed, and use an empty water bottle refill as a chance to take a desk break at work. That motivates me to drink more!
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I work out 2-4 times a week and I'm still losing weight. Feel it out, you won't know what works for your keto unless you try it.
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If you're putting off going to bed, there's a reason. If laptop time is more enjoyable than sleep, then you need to make your bed the most exciting place in the world. Get a great book and some nice bedsheets, set up some cool ambient lighting with lamps. Find a chillout playlist on spotify and stream it on your phone. Make bedtime a time you look forward to. Also, a few weeks into keto I started being desperate for sleep - it's like it resets our primal urges.

Sorry, I typed all this out in a hurry. PM me if you want more advice on any of the above!

Edit: My formatting screwed. I've had too much caffeine to concentrate on why that is. Sorry for shouting.

I am cutting and pasting from a HelloGiggles interview i did because this is not a short list:

EG: I love Gail Collins. She’s a New York Times journalist. She wrote a book called America’s Women: 400 Years of Dolls, Drudges, Helpmates, and Heroines. It’s the feminist history book you never had. It’s a book you cannot put down. It’s so jam packed with information, and you just can’t believe you don’t know this stuff. She has a whole thing about how pioneer women basically built San Francisco. Because when the gold rush happened, there was no one to cook for the men. So women would come out, set up shop, and make tons of money. They were business owners and had autonomy and control of their finances for the first time. Stuff like that. I mean, Bear Grylls would look like Tom Brokaw compared to these pioneer women. That’s not even a good analogy. But these women would like, crawl up mountains while giving birth. Their skirts would catch on fire all the time. The shit that they went through was insane. So you’re reading this, and [Collins is] just giving you all of it. It’s the most fascinating book I’ve ever read.

Of course, all of Roxane Gay’s books. She’s necessary reading. I just read In Her Words, the Eleanor Roosevelt book. That was uplifting, and also so sad to see this woman with this knowledge and access to power whom, if she had been given the chance…god, the things she could have done. You should read Susan Faludi’s Backlash. That’s super necessary feminist reading. I also like this book called White Trash. It’s about America’s history of poverty and how it explains a lot of what’s happening today. But because it’s written by a woman — it’s written by Nancy Isenberg — it has a feminist slant to it. It’s fantastic.

Oh, and Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World by Penelope Bagieu. It’s a graphic novel of incredible women. It’s gorgeous and informative and great. And it’s a great book for a teen, or an adult who likes graphic novels like me. Also Bitch Planet. It’s a graphic novel that’s The Handmaid’s Tale of space. That’s great. And of course, The Handmaid’s Tale. Read Margaret Atwood. And not just The Handmaid’s Tale. She’s written tons of other books that are thematically similar and just as depressing.

Also, Samantha Irby. Her books…I don’t know what to say about her books. I have a really loud laugh, and when something tickles me and gets me really hard, I laugh really loudly. And I do it like, every other page with her.

She probably has all of the books you've mentioned if she really likes them, bookish people usually do... A special edition might be an idea, but I won't be able to help you with that, I go for cheap paperbacks due to money ;)

I'm tempted to recommend "We" by Yevgeny Zamyatin, it's not sci-fi classic per se, but it's a dystopian classic, she would probably like it if she likes Brave New World, but again, she might already have it. Still I'm sure she'd be thrilled to get a thoughtful thank you gift from you, even if she's read it before or even has a copy... Here's a link to that book on amazon, if you want to have a look: amazon link

If she does like classic sci-fi, here are some old-school, hard sci-fi (but it's not all just spaceships and aliens) that she might enjoy and possibly even not have, since a couple of the authors aren't from English speaking countries:

• Stanislaw Lem "Solaris" amazon link
  
• Arkady and Boris Strugatsky "Roadside Picnic" amazon link
  
• Artur C. Clarke "Childhood's End" amazon link
  
• Walter M. Miller Jr. "A Canticle for Leibowitz" amazon link

gnostics are mystics, basically. gnostic christianity is to regular christianity in somewhat as sufism is to islam. the general idea is that you reach god through "gnosis", some sort of higher understanding achieved through personal development.

gnostic christianity has a couple branches as i understand it, but the general idea is that there was undifferentiated bliss, and a schism between good and evil created the physical world. there are demiurges bound to the physical world who seek to have dominion over it, and those are archons. the true god simply wants for us to attain gnosis and return to undifferentiated bliss.

more or less. the gnostic view of the death of jesus was not that sacrifice was necessary to redeem oneself, but that he was simply done and was going to return to undifferentiated bliss. the recently found gospel of judas claims that judas was in fact his closest disciple, and he alone understood his actual teachings. when the guards came for jesus, judas bought him some time by leading them off in another direction and then leading them to jesus later. but then the remaining disciples who were less developed sold judas out.

i find gnosticism interesting because it maintains that the reason we feel alienated in this physical world is that our consciousness is a "spark of the alien divine", and we do are not in fact of this plane. it helped me be more at peace with the alienation and terror i feel at existing in a fucked up reality, and gave me resolve to restart developing myself and my consciousness.

i've always been a little interested in gnosticism, having been raised around catholicism but with knowledge of eastern religions as well. but i got really interested in it when i read Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian, which is a western built on these heavy gnostic themes with an archon-esque character. it's an amazing book and you should read it, though be warned it contains lots of violence. he also wrote No Country For Old Men, and anton chigurh is supposed to be like an archon of material avarice.

i still haven't read much about gnosticism directly and the bulk of my knowledge is from editorialized summaries. i have purchased some translations of the gnostic gospels, though, as well as what is supposed to be a superior and heavily footnoted translation of the five books of moses by Robert Alter, a comparative linguist and professor of hebrew who was inspired by the writing of authors such as Cormac McCarthy.

my interest in gnosticism also led me to read Gurdjieff's Beelzebub's Tales to His Grandson, which is an allegorical summary of his belief structure told from the perspective of an alien being describing us, developed through many years of travel in remote areas of the world talking to spiritual masters of many disciplines. it has really changed my view of life, even if you ignore the spiritual aspects, and i consider it to be the most important book i've read. in any case, he's got a much broader gnostic view that is not restricted to gnostic christianity.

cheers. :)

EDIT: also, wikipedia on gnosticism, and archons

I'm sure your friend has access to all the recovery literature he can handle, and more. I wouldn't even go there, if you are considering it.

I might go for some light entertainment.

Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods is about hiking the Appalachian Trail, it's an easy read and it's hilariously funny.

Cheryl Strayed's Wild is about hiking the PCT and is also a fun read.

For novels, I have to recommend A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan, and Middlesex by Jeffery Eugendes. They are both big huge sprawling books that are also super enjoyable and easy to read. (So they are not a new Moby Dick.) I've never read them, but I hear the Lord of the Rings books are completely absorbing too. They would take up a huge chunk of his time.

You might also send some comfort clothes. Some warm socks or slippers or sweatpants or a hoodie, something like that. (I'm a huge fan of LL Bean's sweats, they are super comfy and well made.) Also maybe an iTunes gift card if he's got an iphone or ipod.

Out of curiosity, what's the scifi book you're sending? I'm a big scifi fan too.

I'm going to interpret your question a little bit differently and provide some books that are not directly RPG related but will help you to be a better role-player or Game Master. Then, I will finish off with some more RPG specific suggestions.

The essential reads are the following:

• All of HP Lovecraft
  
• Anything you can read from Tolkien
  
• Robert E. Howards stories about Conan the Cimmerian
  
• Fantasy/Sci-Fi Art Collections (subjective based upon the styles that inspire you and that reflect your campaigns)
  
• Collections of Legend or Mythology
  
• A book or two about acting and/or improvisation, I recommend Impro: Improvisation and the Theater
  
  For GM-specific materials, I really love the spirit conveyed by Dungeon World and Fate Core (and the Fate System Toolkit for that matter). If you learn nothing else from Dungeon World, learn the GM principles and how to set up Fronts. Fronts (or something similar) are the way you should be preparing as a GM that very few other books convey. The Alexandrian has a lot of amazing materials. I know that Play Unsafe was recommended here, but it was a little short and basic for my taste... much of the same principles will be covered by reading the other recommended texts in my post. If you absolutely must learn about improvisation as a skill in and of itself, read Impro. The author of Play Unsafe drew heavily from this text and most of the truly unique ideas can be found within Impro.

Yes. I became interested in Viking culture not long before I heard of the show, but the show has definitely helped keep my curiosity going. My interest in Norse history goes like this:

• Interest spiked after realizing Immigrant Song by Led Zepplin is about Vikings (around mid 2012-ish)
  
  
• Started looking into the culture, discovered Wardruna
  
  
• Bought a book about runes, the myths, etc
  
  
• Vikings comes out on History channel (I remember thinking, "Man, Wardruna should do music for this show!" And then mfw)
  
  
• Recently started looking into Asatru and stuff that is still going on in this age that can be tied to Vikings
  
  My interest in the Vikings isn't necessarily about the specific dates, locations, etc. It's more about the lifestyle, the myths, the attitude they had. And Vikings does a great job, IMO, of keeping that interest going. It's inspiring me to get in touch with nature again, learn how to do things I've never done, etc. Plus it's entertaining!
  
  EDIT: Here's the two books I've bought (so far) regarding Viking history. You'll note that they're basically children's books. The first one deals with the myths on a children's story level, the second has more in depth analysis on the myths, but without the pictures. I think simply reading about the things the Vikings may have lived by is better than just learning what date Bjorn raided "whatever-land". Anyways, here's the two books I have:
  
  Book of Norse Myths: Kid's book with pictures, walking you through the myths on an introductory level
  
  The Norse Myths: A much more comprehensive book about the myths
  
  I also have two other books related to Norse history or culture:
  
  Practical Guide to the Runes
  
  Practical Heathen's Guide to Asatru: For learning about the way a heathen's mind works and how he lives his life. I don't follow the stuff in the book, but I'm putting some of it into practice as I explore my ancestral connections

Most of this is copypasta from another reply on this thread, since it seemed silly to just rephrase all the things. Please note the last paragraph if none of these seem fun. I read a lot, mostly exclusively SF/F (both adult and YA), and boy do I have opinions on it. And if you're not a reader starting with YA is a thought. There's a lot of fun, intelligent YA out there now as publishers realize teens don't actually want to be treated like they're stupid.

For a low commitment (i.e. not part of a series), humorous start there's Terry Pratchett/Neil Gaiman's Good Omens. I like a lot of Gaiman's work, which ranges from the strange and humorous (see: GO) to the strange and creepy (Anasazi Boys), but what I'd recommend from him depends on what you're looking for.

In the funny but harder scifi range I'd rec the beloved classic Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson. This is seriously one of the wittiest books I've ever read besides being an action-packed scifi romp.

If you're interested in urban fantasy I have all the recs. Everything from Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden series Book 1: Storm Front, for the grown-up wizard, to Seanan McGuire's October Daye series Book 1: Rosemary and Rue, if you're more into fae.

For the dark and more sexual (seriously, there is sex in these books) I highly recommend the Fever Series by Karen Moning, Book 1: Darkfever.

If you like SF/F books (like Discworld, Animorphs, etc.) let me know what subgenres (e.g. hard scifi, urban fantasy, urban scifi, fantasy romance, young adult _____ ) you think you might like and I guarantee you I have a recommendation or two. I read a lot.

Hey /r/scifi - greetings from a /r/fantasy reader/contributor, and huge thanks for the opportunity to shill my wares this Saturday afternoon :) If you're still around, here's my pitch:

The buzz is building as They Mostly Come Out At Night launches - it has been selected as one of the top 30 covers in Mark Lawrence's SPFBO, and a recent advance reviewer on Goodreads wrote: "They Mostly Come Out At Night is every dark fantasy reader's dream."

The book was released on Thursday, and is currently at the reduced price of 99 cents (99p in the UK). Here's the product description:

He locked himself away from the dark, but in the Magpie King’s forest nowhere is safe…

Lonan is an outcast, accused of letting the monsters that stalk the night into the homes of his fellow villagers. Now, he will not rest until he wins back the heart of his childhood love and reclaims the life that was stolen from him. However, locked safely in his cellar at night, in his dreams Lonan finds himself looking through the eyes of a young prince…

Adahy has a destiny, and it terrifies him. How can he hope to live up to the legend of the Magpie King, to become the supernatural protector of the forest and defender of his people? But when the forest is invaded by an inhuman force, Adahy must rise to this challenge or let the Wolves destroy his people.

Watching these events unfold in his sleep, Lonan must do what he can to protect his village from this new threat. He is the only person who can keep his loved ones from being stolen away after dark, and to do so he will have to earn back their trust or watch the monsters kill everyone that he holds dear.

[Amazon.com page] (http://www.amazon.com/They-Mostly-Come-Out-Night-ebook/dp/B01DL8S8F6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1459363122&sr=8-2&keywords=they+mostly)

[Amazon.co.uk page] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/They-Mostly-Come-Out-Night-ebook/dp/B01DL8S8F6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1459363505&sr=8-1&keywords=they+mostly)

I'm redonkulously excited right now - would love to hear any feedback from people about what's out there so far. I'm also /r/Fantasy's Author of the Day on Monday, so would love to chat with you guys then!

Not quite what you're asking but I'm putting in a plug for "A Stitch In Time," which is not a fan novel- it was written by the actor who played Garak. I think it's technically canon- it's definitely an official ST publication.

I enjoyed it partly because the background story is interesting- if I remember correctly, Andrew J. Robinson, the actor, created an intensely detailed background story for the character Elim Garak. Of course, the character's demeanor was so terse and cryptic that the story he'd created mostly served to inform subtle on-screen reactions, and the bulk of the details never made it to the screen. Mr. Robinson wrote the ("auto")biography to get it out of his head, to help make peace with, and let go of, the character.

I also enjoyed it because it was a good read, well-written, carefully thought out and contributed to my depth of experience with the series as a whole.

Good Omens by Pratchett and Gaiman is both hilarious and really uplifting.

Chistopher Moore is also often both of those things, and I'd really recommend Lamb: the Gospel According to Bif, Christ's Childhood Friend. Again, very hilarious but also surprisingly touching.

I'm not sure why I went with two satirical books about religion, but those are the first that come to mind. For something a little different, the Princess Bride is really light and funny, though it may seem a little too familiar if you've seen the movie recently (it's pretty faithful to the book.) If you're into fantasy, the Riyria Revelations are really fun, light reads, with some great characters and terrific dialogue.

Anyways, having looked over my bookshelf, here are some recommendations purely for the sake of recommending. Maybe not spot on what you're looking for, but why not...

Neverwhere. A book I've read about nine times. Because it's awesome.

Time Traveler's Wife. Kind of established/re-ignited my hope and sense of romance. My father isn't much of a reader and usually takes months to go through a single book, but after losing his wife, my stepmother, he went through this in a week and thanked me profusely afterwards.

Island. I'll tell you right off, it's one of those 'intelligent reads'. The end is proclaimed early, it comes as predicted and it's depressing, but the book overall is nice. You read it first, to check :)

Gates of Fire.

Born To Run. Just read this recently. Fun, interesting, quick.

What other reddits do you surf?
I moderate /r/RATS, /r/Louisiana and /r/OpenChristian. I also read a lot in /r/SquaredCircle, /r/SRSBusiness, /r/SRSDiscussion, /r/polyamory, /r/woahdude and I've been dipping back into /r/Christianity a bit lately as well.

What do you do in your free time?
I read. I reddit. I smoke my pipe and drink my cocktails. I watch pro wrestling. I cuddle. I toy around with making jewelry (trying hammered wire recently) or playing with polymer clay. I'm considering this thing they call "ex ur size" or some such. It involves riding on a bike that goes nowhere. I understand I can read or watch TV while I do it, so I figured what the heck.


What do you read?
Right now I'm going back and forth between The History of White People and A Canticle for Leibowitz. Before that I read Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal. the most powerful book I've read in the last few months was Silence by Shusaku Endo. You should read it. And then you should read Lamb because you'll need something a bit more jovial. But not until after you've sat with it a while.

What do you watch?
Ring of Honor Wrestling, WWE, Leverage, Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother.

Do you Blog?
Yup, though not regularly enough to develop any sort of readership.

Do you game?
I just got my first console since the original NES when I was in junior high. It's a Wii. Every once in a while I'll play Mario Kart of do something on the Wii Fit.

Do you play a musical instrument/sing?
I make noise periodically. I want to do more.

What are your favorite movies?
Absolute number one favorite? Hedwig And the Angry Inch. The only tattoo I have is from that movie. Other favorites include The Big Lebowski, Pump Up The Volume, The Wrestler, Shortbus, Dangerous Beauty, Walk The Line.

What is some favorite music?
My absolute favorite band is Over the Rhine. Behind them, tied for second place, you'll find Boris, the Cure, Leonard Cohen and Johnny Cash. Also up there are Kris Kristofferson, Mischief Brew, the CrimethInc band called Requiem (there are lots of bands called Requiem), The New Orleans Bingo Show. The list goes on for days.

I also really loved A Suitable Boy. I think it's brilliant.

For a completely contrasting look at India, I recommend the white tiger by Aravind Adiga.

I think The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao is absolutely brilliant, one of the best novels of the last decade.

White Teeth is another really wonderful book about multiculturalism and immigrant life that really stands out.

For a rip-roaring old-fashioned adventure yarn, you can't do better than
Sea of Poppies.

Finally for some superior storytelling and brilliant narrative experimentation try Cloud Atlas or Ghostwritten

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon.

To steal a description from Amazon: It's 1939 and Brooklynite Sammy Klayman dreams of making it big in the nascent world of comic books. Joseph Kavalier has never seen a comic book, but he is an accomplished artist versed in the "autoliberation" techniques of his hero, Harry Houdini. He effects a great (and surreal) escape from the Nazis, arrives in New York, and joins forces with Sammy. They rapidly create the Escapist, the first of many superheroes emblematic of their temperaments and predicaments, and attain phenomenal success. But Joe, tormented by guilt and grief for his lost family, abruptly joins the navy, abandoning Sammy, their work, and his lover, the marvelous artist and free spirit Rosa, who, unbeknownst to him, is carrying his child.

The description doesn't do it justice; it's a fantastic book that just feels cinematic. Lots of pre-WW2 Mad Men-esque office scenes mixed with absurdist magical realism.

When I started watching this show a few years ago I ended up buying quite a few books about Norse Mythology and Asatru (the reconstruction religion that is becoming more popular).

Here are a few good ones

The Norse Myths This is a good basic breakdown of the stories in the Sagas/Eddas and is easy to read.

Viking Age: Everyday Life During the Extraordinary Era of the Norsemen This is a fantastic book that really isn't related to the myths (there is a religion section) but this is a great book that goes over the everyday lives of Vikings and their families. Everything from political structure down to what they ate and how they dressed. It also has great illustrations.

The Prose Edda: Norse Mythology (Penguin Classics) - one of the source materials of the myths.

The Sagas of Ragnar Lodbrok - I dont have this one personally but it is on my list to buy.

If you want to read about the reconstruction religion that has gained in popularity since the 70s check this book out. Essential Asatru: Walking the Path of Norse Paganism - This is another easy to read book that not only goes over the basics of the Myths/Gods but also goes over the ceremonies and rituals of those who choose to practice today what the Vikings practiced. Minus the live sacrifices... those have been replaced with food and drink thankfully.

If you are just wanting to dip your toes into learning about the myths I cannot recommend the first link more than enough. It is far easier to read than the Eddas/Sagas and from what I understand from other subs is a widely regarded starting point.

Also check out /r/norse and /r/asatru.

It is always best to approach any kind of activity with a “moderation” mind set, including video games. If you are concerned that your child is spending too many hours sat in front of a screen playing video games during their free time, you could try to find some inspiration from the games that they play for other kinds of activities. For example, if they like playing sports games maybe they would like to join a team sport? Or attend a live sporting event? If your children like fantasy games, maybe they would like to work on a costume for Halloween next year inspired by their favorite character? Or perhaps they could be enticed to delve in to some fantasy novels such as The Hobbit or A Song of Ice and Fire?

How are there 45 comments without a mention of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao?

Ostensibly, it's about a shy, scifi/fantasy-obsessed geek growing up in the considerably-more-machismo-oriented immigrant Dominican community in bridge&tunnel Jersey, but eventually finding some massive, iron-clad balls. But you don't read Junot Diaz for the plot -- you read him because he writes like Milan Kundera with a sense of humor, or like David Foster Wallace with a heart, or like David Sedaris if David Sedaris had misspent his youth as a Dungeon Master. Also because it's a great, HST-esque crashcourse in the bizarro politics of the Cold-War Carribean.

TL;DR: This book is fucking awesome.

I liked The Dresden Files pretty well, but it definitely has issues in places. If you want something with a sort of similar feel but (mostly) better female characters, you might give the October Daye series by Seanan McGuire a shot (link goes to the first book in the series). Toby is a detective with a sardonic bent, there's lots of urban fantasy elements, it's just set in San Francisco instead of Chicago. And Toby is female, if that isn't obvious. They're not perfect, by any means, but I enjoyed them a lot.

If you try those and end up liking them, I also recommend Seanan McGuire's other novels, including the ones she wrote as Mira Grant, one of which (Feed) is probably my favorite post-apocalyptic zombie story ever~

Oh, you're in for a treat. I'm not sure where you can get them these days, if they've been completely translated yet or not (I've read bootleg translations, pretty good), but I'd recommend these two:

The Monogatari series - just an awesome mix of action, silly, sexy and surreal:
http://www.amazon.com/KIZUMONOGATARI-Wound-Tale-NISIOISIN/dp/1941220975/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1454151508&sr=1-1&keywords=nishio+ishin

Haruhi Suzumiya - starts as light fun, ends up as hard SF. I think the best time-travel sf series I've read, among other things.
http://www.amazon.com/Melancholy-Haruhi-Suzumiya-Nagaru-Tanigawa/dp/0316039020

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. :)

I would have switched TOS and ENT in your order, but everything else looks pretty good. Since Garak is your favorite character, I would recommend A Stitch In Time which is basically a bunch of letters from Garak to Bashir written by the actor who plays Garak. I am part way through it and it's pretty good especially reading it in his voice.

Not exactly sure what you mean with Dystopian/Futuristic... Dystopian in the sense of 1984 or Brave New World? As in organic transition to near-future dystopia?

If you mean postapocalyptic, I am just going to quote myself...
Post-Apocalyptic I recommend two things:

>A Canticle For Leibowitz Brilliant novel consisting of slightly linked chapters from shortly after collapse up to new civilisational heights. Don't read the sequel, it's a bad Western.

>Wool by Hugh Howey. Really gripping, believeable world-building and decent characters. Sequels are ok, but if you can stand not getting proper conclusions stop after Wool :)

>EDIT: Aaaah, I forgot one of the most important ones - The Road by Cormac McCarthy. Depressing, low-key, believeable. The prose is stunning. If you read anything read this.


Futuristic is pretty broad, I guess you mean SciFi? Alastair Reynolds is always a good recommendation - it's kind of plausible Science Fiction on a big scale. He is pretty good at characterization, keeps the plot in sight and there are still epic space battles. Good starting point is Revelation Space.

I loved these books for their beautiful writing and narrative structure:

• Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
  
• The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
  
• In the Skin of a Lion by Michael Ondaatje
  
  Other suggestions, also well written but not quite in the same class as the ones above:
  
  
• Tell a Thousand Lies by Rasana Atreya
  
• 
  The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
  
• Anything by Jane Austen. Though the stories were a bit romantic for my taste, her writing style is just brilliantly precise.
  
• pretty much anything by Chuck Palahniuk. Note these may be more aggressively written, but I still find the narrative structure of Rant to be pretty awesome.

Hello mate, I would recommend you this order: First of all, The Norse Myths:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0394748468/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687622&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B002HLAF32&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=5ST3KMPDJ47HVWWV2AW4

The who´s who in nordic pantheon. Has the most known myths plus a superb introduction to cosmology. Myths are in chronological order, from Ginnungagap to Ragnarok. The writing is very good, adult-oriented with some touches of dry humor.

After it go for the 2 Eddas. Why is important to know about the myths or the gods? Because all the books you are going to read name or make references to the gods or to myths or both. You will want to know what on Midgard are they talking about.

After that, if you want to know more about Asatru specifically, read in this order:
The Asatru Edda
https://www.amazon.com/%C3%81satr%C3%BA-Edda-Sacred-Lore-North/dp/1440131783/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1473832369&sr=1-1&keywords=asatru+edda

The Norroena Society made a superb job publishing this Edda taking away all the christian influence. Really great job. They made with the Eddas what Dr. Viktor Rydberg did with the teutonic myths.

Next in line:
A Practical Heathen's Guide to Asatru

https://www.amazon.com/Practical-Heathens-Guide-Asatru/dp/0738733873/ref=pd_sim_14_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=8M3GCMHG28EVGP5090FX

Exactly what it says.

Now, if later on your path you feel the itch to learn more about teutonic myths, their social construct, history etc etc let me know that I can recommend more books depending on your needs.

OH MY GOODNESS they are so cute!!! :3 I have a little chihuahua/rat terrior mix named Pookie :)

Young Adult is great! I really enjoy dystopias as well! If you're interested in trekking down that path, a few good Young Adult/Dystopias are The Hunger Games, Divergent, and The Giver. I also highly recommend Ready Player One and The Handmaids Tale :D

Here's Lorrie Moore's Wikipedia page. I love everything she writes, but a good place to start might be the collection of stories Birds of America. She has sharp psychological insights and persistently witty ironic tone.

Here's Jeffrey Eugenides' Wikipedia page. Many people start with The Virgin Suicides. But my favorite is Middlesex, a huge sprawling novel that covers three generations in the life of a Greek-American family set against the rise and decline of Detroit. His ability to capture psychological nuances in a wide variety of characters as well as to write grand bravura passages that distill the essence of historical periods and locations is tremendous.

One thing that makes me happy is Cinderella III This is the greatest Disney Direct-to-DVD movie in existence. I really feel like it finally took Cinderella back to its action-movie roots. When your new niece or nephew is old enough, I would highly recommend getting her/him this movie - it is fun for kids but even better for adults, and it doesn't take itself seriously at all.

As for books, I would highly recommend Agyar by Steven Brust and Good Omens by Neil Gaiman

I ain't birthed no babies! and Happy Birfday

Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy. The book provides a loosely based historical account on a scalp hunting expedition in the 1840s southwest. It touches on many themes like manifest destiny and the nature of evil in mankind.

And to build on the other AskReddit question about improving your vocabulary, this book has a plethora of unique words. This quote was taken from a study that was done on the book by Christopher Forbis. He writes:

> The book, although only 334 pages of text, contains 10,257 individual unique words. Some of these words
occur on nearly every page but a large percentage occur only once within the text. In fact, 5,308 words occur
only once in the book representing nearly 52% of the unique words used to create this masterpiece.

Here's the link.

And I also imagine there's many people who've already read this book who might be looking for additional interpretations on it. And for these people might I suggest John Sepich's Notes on Blood Meridian. This book does a phenomenal job of weaving together the historical sources that McCarthy used to write this work. It also contains literary criticism and interpretations of themes and symbols throughout the book.

If you're looking for a page by page reference of the book--translations of Spanish to English, background information on cities, definitions of words--then I suggest getting A Reader's Guide to Blood Meridian.

I'm a huge fan of this book and I've learned a lot more about it by reading these two books. I think the books becomes more enjoyable and you start to admire the way in which he put this book together after you read these two books about the book. The subject matter is brutal, and this turns most people off, but if you make it through it I think you're rewarded with a truly outstanding novel.

I'm pretty sure the details of their training have been lost to time, but there is a way to at least get the "feel" for their training.

It would be safe to assume that their program was probably not unique for the time. Meaning, the Spartan way of combat was not different from Athens or Korinth. Like the vast differences between Kung Fu and Karate and Tae Kwon Do. That's not to say there was no difference between them, but that difference was the men who comprised the armies.

You see, the Spartans trained all the time because they were rich enough to do so. The Helots did all the farming and Perioikoi did the artisan work. An Athenian or Boeotian farmer came off the farm and joined the Phalanx with little training. Indeed, hoplite warfare----until, to some degree, the Thebans and really the Macedonians come along----is deceptively simple. You lock shields, march straight ahead, then jab your spear in the other guys face until one side breaks. While there were all kinds of nuances and politics as to who lined up where and which city did what, it was really a bunch of guys running in one long line. (See Victor Davis Hansen's The Western Way of War for a spectacular explanation of the psychology behind the hoplite).

I'd argue that what made Sparta different from the other Greek armies was their upbringing and experience in battle. They were taught from a young age to fight to the death, and would have been kicked out of Laconia (which did occur frequently, even a King was exiled for what was perceived as cowardice or weakness) went to war just about every summer. They were always fighting someone. And so until their later period, when Greece was always at war with itself, the Spartans had more experience than their foes. Another aspect of Spartan culture often overlooked, is they had to keep their slaves in line. So much of their "off" time might be spent engaging in psychological warfare on the enslaved helots and/or killing the bravest of them to make an example of them.

You can't really recreate their childhood education (which had a lot more singing and dancing than you'd expect) because stalking around stealing from people is frowned upon in our society. You can't really create their famous diet. Spartans spent much of their free time trapping and hunting game, so you could that. Also chariot racing, which is harder to get in to these days. So what's left?

This is conjecture, but, I'd argue, sound conjecture. Their exercise regimen was probably comparable to Olympic athletes of the day. The Olympians of that time were mostly from very wealthy families, who had "leisure time" to train in sports. Spartan men (and even a woman) often won Olympic victories. So where does this leave you and your regimen?

Sprinting would be good, and this would transfer well into the charge of the Phalanx. So too would push ups, pull ups, and throwing large rocks. Spartans were extremely competitive and I could see many competitions about who was strongest. Running in armor was a great Olympic event back then, so maybe buy a weighted vest and run around the track? There was the javelin, the discus and jumping too. Also, the Spartans loved to sing and dance and being unable to do was seen as a deficiency. So strut your stuff bro and belt a tune while you do it! Also, find eight or so buddies to train with. Then you all should move out of your house, into a barracks and live together and train together every hour of every day. You can see your wife/girlfriend at night but you can't sleep over, and if you don't give her a baby fast enough she'll cheat on you. But I digress.

Learning a little about Pankration might be a good place to start. It's basically a mix of western boxing and Olympic wrestling (with fewer rules actually). I know of no Pankration gyms. A boxing gym would be easy to find but wrestling instruction outside of high school and collegiate levels is hard to find. I'd argue modern MMA is pretty similar to Pankration, especially the spirit of the sport. Jiu Jitsu bay be Japanese with a Brazilian flair, but those joint locks and the concept of tapping out echoes of ancient Greek wrestling matches. Minus the Thai round kick or San Da side kick, MMA is how I'd imagine the Spartans sparring one another.


Some books to check out: The Spartans
is great. A great mix of history and culture, highlighting their rise and fall.


Gates of Fire is fiction, but it's the best show of hoplite warfare and the Spartan spirit that I have read.

And just to keep you well rounded, Lords of the Sea tells of Athens, whose navy and the men who manned it were nothing short of spectacular. They are to the sea warfare what Sparta was to land.


Hope that helps.

I finished 'Blood Meridian' by Cormac McCarthy. It was narrated by Richard Poe. I've enjoyed McCarthy's books for a long time, and I finally got my hands on a copy of this one, it's an amazing piece of work and definitely not for the faint of heart for it is filled with horrors and violence. I didn't realize until I was about halfway through the book, that it has a basis in reality, effectively detailing the exploits of John J. Glanton during the Mexican-American war in the latter part of the 1800's; that realization really cranked up some of the horrors that are represented in McCarthy's amazingly beautiful prose.

I want to include one of the best sentences I've read in a long time...."…they rode infatuate and half fond toward the red demise of that day, toward the evening lands and the distant pandemonium of the sun.”

I also want to mention, I think this might be the first work that I've heard read by Richard Poe. He did a fantastic job. If you're a Frank Muller fan, like I am, you'd probably enjoy Richard Poe reading.

I FINALLY have free time to read. I started on Cloud Atlas at the suggestion of a friend, and... well, I'm not far into it, but the vocabulary is fantastically challenging. I'm reading it on my Kindle, and I have to look up ~1-2 words per paragraph. I like books that teach me new words :).

The book was made into a film, which I hope to see once I've finished reading the novel. The soundtrack is great!

Thanks for the recommendation. I will have to check it out.

I was also thinking of books to go along with the game and came up with these.

• The Assassin's Creed Odyssey official novel (obviously).
  
• The gates of fire by Stephen Pressfield:An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae: You can consider it as the prequel to the world of Odyssey since it covers the battle of Thermopylae. Can't say enough good things about this book. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
  
• Tides of War by Stephen Pressfield: I haven't read this but it's one of my next books since it covers the story of Alcibiades’ bodyguard and assassin and what was happening during his era.
  
• The song of Achilles:A novel: Covers the story of Achilles right before and during the Iliad (war on Troy). Again a prequel title for the world of Odyssey but an excellent read with an interesting story which covers the Gods/human interactions pretty well.
  
• The Peloponnesian War: If you search amazon, there are many books that cover the Peloponnesian War in great depth. Might not be the best read in terms of story but they're probably the best source for understanding what was really happening during the era (and how closely the game follows the actual events).

The complete works of H P Lovecraft is available as one hardback book on Amazon with a nice sturdy case, thin bible-style pages and a page ribbon. It's a great buy.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Fiction-Lovecraft-Knickerbocker-Classics/dp/1631060015

This review speaks for itself:

"I originally read most of these stories a quarter of a century ago, but it was good to find them all in one volume. Let's face it, Lovecraft needs to be read from a heavy tome, preferably by guttering candlelight, as you strain to hear the strange slithering sound just outside your chamber door, and not on a tablet on the 8.52 to Nottingham. All the classic Lovecraft tales are here, and the book is beautifully bound and printed. The print is a good readable size, and each tale has a brief introduction detailing when it was written and any interesting references. You soon realise how hugely influential old H.P was, sci-fi, fantasy and horror have all learned from him, writers like Stephen King and James Herbert obviously so, but others too. Terry Pratchett referenced Lovecraft too. One slight word of caution, the racial language and descriptions in some of the stories are very much of their time. When I first read them years ago I didn't notice so much, but now, even though I'm not the most PC person in the world, some of the language is fairly shocking. If you've not read Lovecraft before be aware of it, but don't let it put you off. Overall a really nice edition."

I am an norse enthusiast who has only superficial knowledge.

I found this book Norse Myths by Kevin Crossley-Holland. It is a book for people exactly like me - people who don't have extensive knowledge of the Norse Myths and are yet interested in the overall culture. The book has each myth as a story and it is cyclical - it begins with the creation of the world and ends with Ragnarok. So basically, it contains all the stories in the Eddas - in a much more reader friendly manner than the usual academic works.

All in all, a very enjoyable book. I'd highly recommend it.


...although, the price mentioned in Amazon seems pretty high. I bought a different version of the book at my place for less than half that price.

I've read The Book Thief! I really liked it. Here are some books that are similar to the Book Thief, and have changing/growing characters:

• [The Giver] (http://www.amazon.com/The-Giver-Quartet-Lois-Lowry/dp/0544336267/ref=pd_sim_b_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1WWVNGF0226N13781SPQ). Takes place in the future, in a town where everything is controlled. Very interesting book. It might be too easy for you, but I'm not sure.
  
  
• [Life of Pi] (http://www.amazon.com/Life-Pi-Yann-Martel/dp/0156027321/ref=pd_sim_b_31?ie=UTF8&refRID=1WWVNGF0226N13781SPQ). A man is cast-away after his ship sinks and goes through incredible experiences. This might be a little too complex, but it doesn't hurt to try!
  
  
• [Flowers for Algernon] (http://www.amazon.com/Flowers-Algernon-Daniel-Keyes/dp/0156030306/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1413110247&sr=1-1&keywords=flowers+for+algernon). This book follows a retarded man as he gets an experimental treatment to get stronger. If you only read one book out of these 4, read this one! It's one of the saddest books I've ever read and it's also one of my favorites. It also is a great example of a character growing and changing. you really should read this book, I cannot stress it enough!
  
  
• [Ender's Game] (http://www.amazon.com/Enders-Ender-Quintet-Orson-Scott/dp/0812550706/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1413110356&sr=1-1&keywords=ender%27s+game). A young boy goes to school to learn to defend humanity in a great interstellar war. This is one of my favorite science fiction books. I'm not sure if you'll like it, it's a little out there. However, it really focuses on how characters grow and develop.
  
  If you have any questions at all or want any more book recommendations, feel free to message me!
  
  puedo hablar un poco español, despues de seis años de clas
  es. tu ingles es mucho mejor que mi español. quiza leo unos libros, jaja
  
  

I really really enjoyed The Night Circus. It's not like any other book I've read before and it has such an interesting... flavor? For lack of a better word? The only other way I can think to describe the tone of it is this song. It is intricate and fascinating and I loved it.

Note to self: don't read sad books while you're on an airplane. Thanks for the contest! :)

In the womb, the penis and the clitoris are the same organ. The clitoral hood is the foreskin, and the vaginal lips are the scrotum. I'd like to think that guys with big balls would have had big pussy lips if they had been born female. The embryo and then fetus usually develop their undifferentiated genitalia into either a penis or a vagina, but sometimes people are born with ambiguous genitalia (microphallus, large clitoris, etc).

The best fiction book written on this topic is the Pulitzer Prize winning novel Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides.

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.

Machine of Death is a really interesting anthology series. The premise is based on a machine that can predict how one will die but in cryptic and often ironic ways. :)

Good Omens is also a good book if you like Neil Gaiman

Unnatural creatures is also a really lovely anthology with stories chosen by Neil Gaiman. I tend to like anthologies just because they can explore multiple worlds without getting too bogged down on the environment and just letting the plot drive it

This is off the top of my head and are just my opinion,but some books from a woman's pov that have really stuck with by are:

For little girls the Flavia de Luce mystery series is really cute and a fun read. Set in the years following WWII, a 12 year old girl solves mysteries in her small English village.

As a teenager I loved the book Witch Child where a girl who is just beginning to realize she is a witch is forced to cross to colonial America with a group of Puritans and must hide what she is. I still love this book but it has more of a teenage heroine: Daphne Du Maurier's Rebecca is about a young insecure woman who becomes the second wife of a rich aristocrat, but as she tries to settle into her new life the memory of the first wife haunts her (shocking twist at the end).

Two creepy social commentary pieces that I love are: The Handmaid's Tale where a women struggles with her role in a dystopian religious extremist society. And The Yellow Wallpaper is an amazing short story told from the pov of a woman (I think in the early to mid 20th century) who is taking a 'rest cure' after having a baby. It will give you chills!

There are probably more but those are just the ones I remember at the moment.

I don't know about awe-inspiring, but I think 'The Crossing' by Cormac McCarthy is one of the most moving pieces of fiction I've ever read.

'Blood Meridian' is usually considered his best and most literary work, however, and it is quite good.

'Stand on Zanzibar' by John Brunner is really good and surprisingly predictive of our current world.

As far as fiction goes, the best I have read is "Nevada" by Imogen Binnie. This is one of those books that I immediately started reading again as soon as I finished it the first time.

https://www.amazon.com/Nevada-Imogen-Binnie/dp/0983242232/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466321271&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=Nevada+imogene+binnie

Another work of fiction that is not about the transgender experience but does touch on some themes that you may be able to relate to is "Middlesex" by Jeffery Eugenides. It is really well done and has several interesting story arcs that intersect in really interesting ways with the protagonist.

https://www.amazon.com/Middlesex-Novel-Oprahs-Book-Club/dp/0312427735/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466321681&sr=8-1&keywords=Middlesex

As far as bios go I really liked Janet Mock's "Redefining Realness" and "She Not There" by Jennifer Finney Boylan.

https://www.amazon.com/Redefining-Realness-Path-Womanhood-Identity/dp/1476709130/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466321501&sr=8-1&keywords=redefining+realness

https://www.amazon.com/Shes-Not-There-Life-Genders/dp/0385346972/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466321522&sr=8-1&keywords=She%27s+not+there

Edit: My auto correct want Boylan to be be Moylan.

It's been a while since I've checked in. Last week I finally finished the Chaos Walking trilogy by getting around to reading the third book Monsters of Men. I absolutely loved this series and I seriously hope the author is planning on writing more. It was nice, he wrapped up the storyline but also left it a point that was basically the starting of another story. I really wanted to find out what happens next. This series is definitely one of my favorites of the year so far.

I've started on Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. I'm trying really hard with this one but it just doesn't seem to be working for me so far. It isn't calling me to keep going back to it. I've had it on my shelf for quite some time now, and have been meaning to get to it, but haven't. When I saw the trailer for the movie, I got re-interested in it again and want to read it before the movie comes out. I've only gotten like 50 or 60 pages in though after a couple of days, so I am worried I might give up on it. It's definitely more difficult than some of the other books I have been reading so I think that might be giving me some trouble.

I am also working on Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld. I've been wanting to get into this one for a few months. I've been in a steam punk kind of mood and this one seemed interesting. It's a alternative version of the events leading up to and during World War I in Europe. It's fun but it's a lot more simple and easier than I was expecting. Shouldn't take long to finish this. I attempted to set a to-be-read list for the next couple of months to get to ones I really wanted to but already this one is making me deviate from it...

[the amazing adventures of kavalier and clay] (http://www.amazon.com/The-Amazing-Adventures-Kavalier-Clay/dp/0312282990) is one of my all time favorites. one of the main characters realizes he's gay later in the book. I always thought it was a very honest and realistic portrayal, and a very thoughtful addition to an already great book.

If you liked Dan Brown, you could give Umberto Eco a try with Foucault's Pendulum or In the Name of the Rose - His books are more intelligent and were written before Brown was around.

I read a lot of historical fiction, if that is of interest you could start with The Gates of Fire by Pressfield or The Last Kingdom by Cornwell

Mystery, action, and fantasy all rolled into one - Dresden Files might be of interest to you - it is kind of a detective noir mixed with fantasy. Also, the series vastly improves as it progresses.

If you would like a coming of age story, The Power of One follows a boy in turn-of-the-century South Africa and examines class and race relations in a very accessible way.

If you want to try reading some of what are considered "The Classics" I would recommend All Quiet on the Western Front and To Kill a Mockingbird

Tried to think of some of my favorites across several very different genres...If any of these appeal, I can expand on them with more similar suggestions.

You should definitely read Gaiman's comic book series Sandman, too. It is both the best thing Gaiman's ever written and one of the best comic books ever written.

After that, you should read Good Omens by Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett. Amazon is adapting it as a mini series set to debut sometime 2019.

As an aside, after Gaiman, you may want to give Brom a try. Lost Gods features many of the same themes with a slightly different tone. The Library at Mount Char also has a great blend of the weird and fantastical.

Almost anything by Oliver Sacks is fantastic. On The Move was great. I listened to it as an audiobook in lab. Very motivating!

Not a new release, and I know there is some controversy, but I loved The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.

Middlesex. Fiction, not a new release, but a great story with some science mixed in (I may be biased because I happened to be reading this while taking developmental biology and learning about sex determination).

World War Z is, by far, the best zombie book i've ever read. don't let the shitty movie scare you away, the book is a huge, sprawling story covering all of humanities reactions to the zombies, very often with a very sociological slant to the stories. highly recommend reading it.

the Newsflesh series by Mira Grant is also very good. it starts with Feed, with two sequels. it is a pretty fascinating look at a zombie apocalypse, with humanity basically having recovered from it, and blogs being the primary form of news. the series follows a brother and sister who run a news site and are following a presidential candidate in the latest election. very good, massive amounts of world building, and solid characterization.

This isn't a series, and isn't so much pew-pew as BOOOM and "oh god, the several centuries of ramifications of that boom" but A Canticle for Leibowitz is my absolute favorite book. Sadly there's no Kindle version, but if your library has it, check it out.

For books that have a Kindle version, have you ever read The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy? Absolutely hilarious.

As for fantasy, one book I've read recently that I thoroughly enjoyed was The Corpse-Rat King. Bonuses for being a cheap Kindle book and for being an indie author! It reminded me of my favorite D&D campaigns in all the right ways.

I'd say get in at least a few young adult fiction, as they're full of saccharine and angst ridden metaphor:

• The Perks Of Being A Wallflower

• Looking For Alaska

A few historical fictions:

• Wolf Hall

• Memoirs Of A Geisha

Comedy:

• The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy

• Good Omens

Stephen king (just because he's a favorite)

• 11/22/63

• IT

And finally, some objectively "bad" books, to learn what not to do.

• Wild Animus: A Novel

• The Da Vinci Code

• Moon People


All of these books are personal favorites for one reason or another, and some may fit into multiple categories (see: looking for Alaska under YA fiction and "bad,").

That said, this should at least keep you busy for a bit.

Happy reading, and good luck on your novel!

The book https://www.amazon.com/Battle-Royale-Novel-Koushun-Takami/dp/1421527723 is pretty good.

The comic follows the book pretty faithfully - to the point where you probably don't need to read the manga if you read the book. I read it back when the manga was still being released in NA and I wanted to know what happened :) It was a hard book to track down back then, I think had to get it special ordered.

Now it's pretty easy, they republished it a few years back when hungergames was all the rage.

A Canticle for Leibowitz is my favorite. Swan Song is good. I'm reading The Last Survivors series by Susan Beth Pfeffer. It's pretty good but it's more like a young adult/teen series. I am Legend was great. So much better than the movies. Alas Babylon and On the Beach are Post nuke novels that gave me nightmares. If you need more check out this List

I completely understand. Some characters rub me the wrong way as well! Thanks for giving my work a try. And I'd encourage you to keep giving indie writers opportunities. There are some great works out there. I'd recommend Phil Tucker's The Path of Flames, Timandra Whitecastel's Touch of Iron, and Benedict Patrick's They Only Come Out at Night.

Read "A Canticle for Leibowitz." Here's a brief summary from a review on Amazon:

>Walter Miller's only major novel is not simply a post-apocalyptic science fiction novel but also a multi-layered meditation on the conflict between knowledge and morality. Six hundred years after a nuclear holocaust, an abbey of Catholic monks survives during a new Dark Ages and preserves the little that remains of the world's scientific knowledge. The monks also seek evidence concerning the existence of Leibowitz, their alleged founder (who, the reader soon realizes, is a Jewish scientist who appears to have been part of the nuclear industrial complex of the 1960s). The second part fast-forwards another six hundred years, to the onset of a new Renaissance; a final section again skips yet another six hundred years, to the dawn of a second Space Age--complete, once again, with nuclear weapons.

The monks worship a scrap of paper they found that survived the apocalypse, it's actually a shopping list. This book is amazing because it makes you think about the origins of human society, where it's going, and human nature as it exists today. Positively exquisite.

Hands down, The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe. It's actually a series of four books (The Shadow of the Torturer, The Claw of the Conciliator, The Sword of the Lictor and The Citadel of the Autarch) following Severian the Torturer after he is banished from his guild for showing mercy to one of their "clients."

It's just...beautiful and complex and you'll discover something new and fascinating each time you read it. The tetralogy has been ranked on par with the works of Tolkein and has been recognized all the major sci-fi awards, and gained wider literary recognition as well. See the editorial reviews section on the linked Amazon pages:

>"Outstanding...A major work of twentieth-century American literature." --The New York Times Book Review

>"Wonderfully vivid and inventive...the most extraordinary hero in the history of the heroic epic." --Washington Post Book World

>"Brilliant...terrific...a fantasy so epic it beggars the mind. An extraordinary work of art!" --Philadelphia Inquirer

>About the Author: Gene Wolfe has been called "the finest writer the science fiction world has yet produced" by The Washington Post. A former engineer, he has written numerous books and won a variety of awards for his SF writing.

Anyway...yeah, I kind of like these books.

EDIT: A Canticle For Liebowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr. is great, too. It's kind of post post apocalyptic, and it examines the self destructive nature of humanity.

Military academy and wall street a-hole here...here's my take. Your mileage may vary.

First and foremost, there is no substitute for initiative. Well done. It may make you seem like a keener to people who are less committed to succeeding but, in my opinion, it is the first step to leading.

The second step is a desire (passion) for outworking everybody. Cultivate it in yourself. Commit to doing it everyday. Embrace the grind.

Now for the hard part...where it becomes more of an "art" than a science...

The best leaders I've been around in life and sports practiced servant leadership. It seems counter-intuitive and your work will never be done but servant leadership is the tide that lifts all boats and if can make it part of who you are it will serve you well in sports and life. Even if you're on a team with a bunch of losers who don't get on board it is a tremendous character builder and you'll be a better person for it.

How to begin:

Always be the first one at practice and the last to leave.

If there's "shitty" or "not fun" job to do, always be the first to jump on it and recruit help when you need it...don't try to do it all yourself...that's a "hero", not a "leader" and will eventually burn you out. Do that shitty job everyday with a positive attitude. When a shittier job shows up, jump on that and delegate others to do the less shitty work you were working on. (shagging balls after practice, lining fields, setting goals up, keeping the locker room clean, gathering the team for talks from the coach, etc). If you can't find anything that needs doing, ask your coach if he's got anything. Do this every day.

When someone is struggling be the first to jump in and help/coach them up, always positive and always working harder than anyone else. Do this everyday.

Personally, I fucked it up when i was a player. I busted my ass, I was first and last at practice every day, I jumped on the shitty jobs and did all of that stuff but I failed because I was not positive with teammates who were struggling. I rode their asses like dogs because I thought that's what leadership was and I regret it a lot. If a guy is struggling the last thing he needs is some hard charging teammate berating him. Doesn't mean you have to coddle a struggling player, stay on him just keep it positive. Help him figure out a way to get it done, whatever "it" is. Always be looking out for the little guy. If you can help a bench player contribute, you've improved your team and helped yourself.

Good luck!


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Servant_leadership



EDIT:
If this resonates with you in any way I recommend you spend a couple bucks on amazon and grab one or both of these books:

https://www.amazon.com/Bridge-Dong-Ha-Bluejacket-Books/dp/155750587X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473342236&sr=8-1&keywords=bridge+at+dong+ha

https://www.amazon.com/Gates-Fire-Novel-Battle-Thermopylae/dp/055338368X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473342915&sr=8-1&keywords=gates+of+fire

One is nonfiction the other is fiction based on real history. Both are great reads.

wait, so does it need to be a book i haven't read but would like to, or can it be a book i've read and loved and want other people to read?

because if that's the case, "feed" by mira grant is fucking awesome.

It is in your best interest and mine that we continue to support the establishment clause in the constitution and the generations of case law that supports separation of church and state.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

This means that although you have the right to unimpeded religious worship, our government remains neutral and separate.

The best argument I generally present to theists is to ask them to think really hard about the consequences if this provision were not in place. Suppose we allowed the government to establish religion. We would pay for a state church with our taxes. We would allow politicians to interpret religion for us and pass laws accordingly.

It would be an utter disaster. Take Rick Santorum as an example. He is advocating a theocracy in the US. It is utterly illegal under the constitution. You cannot impose your religious beliefs on someone else. If you legislate religious belief, you are violating the Establishment clause of the constitution.

This is a huge and real concern in todays politics. Many states are not only walking the line, they are jumping over it with both feet. Declaring the year of the bible, repealing womens rights, and denying homosexuals their civil rights, are all examples of religion overcoming a secular nation.

If allowed to stand, these intrusions into church and state are a dangerous precedent. Say some time in the future forced prayer in schools is allowed. Imagine how you would feel if your children's teacher was a Wiccan or a Muslim? Would it then be ok to allow preaching in schools?

Would it be a great idea to break the wall of church and state if the government was allowed to decide which churches have the right to exist and which ones are heretical ? Suppose the age old war between catholics and protestants was allowed to infiltrate our government. It would be a massive civil war if one group decided to get rid of the other group. Without the separation of church and state the one group could even use the military and police to rid themselves of the other group.

Read The Handmaids Tale. Atwood paints a great example of what a theocracy would look like.

Hi there!

I always try to run a Borges circlejerk here in /r/Spanish, but today, according to what you say, I'd suggest you read the Spanish version of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz.

I hear the Spanish version is excellent. Its the story about this Dominican-American nerd and his neckbeard struggles to find love in a wonderful narration that incorporates elements from comic book and science fiction references to Dominican jargon. Also, its not too long. Have a go at it!

Ninja edit: Linked the English version, so here's the Spanish Kindle reference.

I have 2 suggestions for you:

The Night Circus is a great fantasy story that is a great page turner.

If you're looking for a good series Alan Bradley writes the Flavia de Luce mystery series. Fast reads with great characters and keeps you wanting more.

I’m just going to throw this out there: Mr. Jeffrey Eugenides’ Middlesex (2005). Middlesex is one of my all-time favorite novels, has excellent character development, beautiful, haunting descriptions (without going overboard on poetic language), and has many fascinating subplots. If you want a good read that’ll offer a panoply of essay options, it might just be your book.

I would first recommend Shogun by James Clavell. It's an epic story with a great plot. I don't believe it's too accurate, but it's a good read.


If you want to continue on with historical Japanese literature you can't go wrong with Musashi or Taiko both by Eiji Yoshikawa.


Moving on to more western stuff, I recommend the many James Michener books, but they can be boring at times. My favorite of his is Hawaii.


I'd also recommend Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield about the Battle of Thermopylae.

[1. Water Bottle](https://www.amazon.com/CamelBak-53863-Vacuum-Insulated-Stainless/dp/B015DKY552/ref=sr_1_9?s=sports-and-fitness&ie=UTF8&qid=1527750520&sr=1-9&keywords=insulated+water+bottle)

[2. I'd be wearing this coverup](https://www.amazon.com/BLENCOT-Crochet-Chiffon-Swimsuit-Swimwear/dp/B07BKQB8XF/ref=sr_1_10?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1527750774&sr=1-10&nodeID=1040660&psd=1&keywords=beach%2Bcoverups%2Bfor%2Bwomen&th=1) with [this](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076GZK2ZJ/?coliid=I2OMEM72SSI92W&colid=3IFPU88IRMKM2&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it) bathing suit.

[3. Beach Towel](https://www.amazon.com/Modern-Design-Beautiful-Amazing-Flamingo/dp/B01ILLVTRW/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1527750845&sr=8-10&keywords=beach+towel+flamingo)

[4. Floatie](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M0KIW54/ref=twister_B07CBN2P3R?_encoding=UTF8&th=1)

[5. Sunscreen](https://www.amazon.com/Banana-Boat-Sunscreen-Family-Spectrum/dp/B004CDV7EY/ref=sr_1_12_s_it?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1527751529&sr=1-12&keywords=Sunscreen)

[6. Beach Bag](https://www.amazon.com/Beach-Insulated-Picnic-Cooler-Zipper/dp/B01GUFGKNE/ref=sr_1_62?ie=UTF8&qid=1527751672&sr=8-62&keywords=beach+bag)

[7. Book](https://www.amazon.com/Handmaids-Tale-Margaret-Atwood/dp/038549081X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1527751797&sr=8-2&keywords=the+handmaid%27s+tale)

[8. Summer-themed Movie](https://www.amazon.com/Jaws-Roy-Scheider/dp/B009CG9CXO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1527751989&sr=8-3&keywords=jaws)

[9. Treat](https://www.amazon.com/FroZip-Disposable-Popsicle-Freezer-Smoothies/dp/B01MDUDWHH/ref=lp_3737191_1_11?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1527752143&sr=1-11)

[10. Outdoor Decor](https://www.amazon.com/Mark-Margot-Mischievous-Figurine-Outdoor/dp/B01JV40GSQ/ref=sr_1_68?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1527752371&sr=1-68&keywords=outdoor+decor)

[11. Father's Day](https://www.amazon.com/How-Babysit-Grandpa-Jean-Reagan/dp/0375867139/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&qid=1527752509&sr=8-18&keywords=grandpa) - A gift from my daughter. He enjoys spending time with her any chance he can get. I think he would love being able to read this with her.

[12. 'Murican](https://www.amazon.com/Your-Hearts-Delight-Patriotic-Decoration/dp/B072HJ54HX/ref=sr_1_7?s=furniture&ie=UTF8&qid=1527752733&sr=1-7&keywords=patriotic+decorations)

[13. Thunder Buddy](https://www.amazon.com/Dr-Harts-Weighted-Blanket-Comforter/dp/B07BFGV757/ref=sr_1_6?s=bedbath&ie=UTF8&qid=1527752850&sr=1-6&keywords=weighted+blanket)

[14. Doodling](https://www.amazon.com/Moodles-Happy-Parragon-Books/dp/1474804306/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1527752937&sr=8-2&keywords=moodles)

[15. CD](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000CF35G/ref=s9_acsd_zwish_hd_bw_bHTw_c_x_1_w?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-20&pf_rd_r=92XST8CNC19E1WJGER44&pf_rd_r=92XST8CNC19E1WJGER44&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=3309eeee-cb0e-40d4-8619-55fa8f63f651&pf_rd_p=3309eeee-cb0e-40d4-8619-55fa8f63f651&pf_rd_i=67204)

[16. Forgot](https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Adapter-Sync-Charging-Cable/dp/B00CQS0S7E/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1527753241&sr=8-2&keywords=charger+samsung+galaxy+s4)

[17. Pineapples](https://www.amazon.com/Artificial-Succulent-Pineapple-Home-Decoration/dp/B0748JVW8P/ref=sr_1_17?ie=UTF8&qid=1527753341&sr=8-17&keywords=pineapple+decor)

[18. Planting](https://www.amazon.com/Outsidepride-Lemon-Grass-1000-Seeds/dp/B006NOGWZ4/ref=sr_1_5?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1527754042&sr=1-5&keywords=lemongrass+seeds) - to help keep mosquitoes away.

[19. Outside Activity](https://www.amazon.com/Banzai-Triple-Racer-Water-Slide/dp/B072133ZSC/ref=sr_1_31?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1527753769&sr=1-31&keywords=water+game

[20. Shark](https://www.amazon.com/Prime-Time-Toys-Sharkpedo-Underwater/dp/B01FFF8U92/ref=sr_1_59?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1527753695&sr=1-59&keywords=shark)

You might enjoy The Golem and the Jinni...It's set in turn of the century New York, and has strong cultural and religious overtones. The magical aspects of it are quite secondary to everything else.

A Winters Tale...the movie apparently sucked, but the book has stuck with me for quite some time. It's a lyrical piece of magic realism, much stronger on the realism. Another book on turn of the century New York.

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell may be a bit more magic than you'd like, but it's astonishingly good. It's what Jane Austen would have produced if she'd decided to write a fantasy novel.

The Night Circus is good.

• I LOVE the Life of Pi. I recommend reading the "editorial reviews" because Amazon does a terrible job summing up how great the book is.
  
• I also highly recommend the Ramayana this is the version I read. I like this retelling because, while long, it give you a sense of what this story truly is--an Indian epic.
  
• Books by Deepak Chopra (I suggest looking through reviews of diff books to see if any catch your eye).
  
• The Universe in a Single Atom: The Convergence of Science and Spirituality
  by the Dalai Lama because it is a very sincere book and I can almost visualize what he is saying.
  
• If you're in the mood for a bit of silliness, I recommend The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible because while being funny, it does teach you a little bit of the lesser known tenements of Judaism and Christianity.
  
• Last but not least, I recommend reading travel books. If you look for well written (read: not just looking for cheap laughs) books, even if they don't intend to, they inevitably talk about their personal views on the world--their personal religions.

I would highly recommended this book as an introduction to Norse mythology. It's easy to read without being dumbed down, and it's very fun and engaging. Really fantastic read.

I GOT THIS! I have it for you! Post Ap book? Check! Zombies? CHECK. Strong Female character(s)? Checky check. ANGST? DRAMA??? chhhhhheck.

I loved these books. The world Mira created is just so plausible, you actually think it might happen. It's intense, dramatic and the characters are just BADASS. She kicks it up so many notches in terms of Post Apocalypse writing.

I bring to you: Feed by Mira Grant

oh, it's on kindle and a series.

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz

Both are Pulitzer Prize winners, guy-ish and accessible literary fiction.

Also, James Elroy's L.A. trilogy, The Big Nowhere, L.A. Confidential and White Jazz. An omg his autobiography My Dark Places.

My husband recommends anything by Jim Harrison.

EDIT: A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole and The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien

Frankly, after trying a few on many years ago, I don't think there are any good novelizations.

Novels contain more information than their movie adaptations in terms of character development, plot, background details, etc. There's simply too much stuff to cram into 2 hours. As a matter of a fact, the easiest stories to adapt to movies are short stories, not novels. Most movie scripts read more like short stories than novels.

So to take a movie based on an original script and try to translate that into a short story is relatively easy. Trying to make it into a novel...well, there's just not vital material. Sure the poor SOB contract writing the thing can create details to fill out the book, but the more they stray from what was portrayed in the film, the more they risk arousing the reader's frustration.

There are some franchise fiction novels that are fair to good, but those aren't novelizations of films, they're just set in a commercial universe. At least the writers have some leeway to be creative.

I think you're always better going with original material. Authors who make up their own worlds are much more emotionally connected to their writing, and jazzed about what they're doing.

Kenobi.

Prime Directive.

A Stitch in Time by Andrew Robinson.

Uhura's Song.

I was thinking of the immortal words of Socrates who said, "I drank what?"

I like gift cards, but if you want to buy a thing Good Omens is a great choice.

Thank you for the contest!

I would check out The Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. It starts out historical moves forward into sci-fi and then goes backwards to historical again. It's hard to explain but it is a very rewarding read and one I pick up periodically just to reread again.

I also liked Girl In Landscape by Jonathon Lethem and Dune by Frank Herbert a lot and both have been good rereads.

Oh! And The Nightrunner Series by Lynn Flewelling which I inhaled.

I can recommend:

• The Demon Cycle by Peter V. Brett has a really nice and different world compared to other fantasy series and I'm really mesmerized by the story. 4 books
  
  
  
• Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan. The Wheel of Time has 14 books, so it might be more than what you are looking for. But the story is insane, except for 1-2 books that were slightly boring.
  
  
• A Song of Ice and Fire. You have probably read it, but since you didn't list it, I thought I'd recommend it anyways. Amazing fantasy world, but with Game of Thrones being everywhere, you know of this one. 5 books (not finished yet)
  
  
• I also like the Eragon-series, but it's not for everyone and might be not as "grown up" as the others. Eragon by Christopher Paolini. 4 books

Basically, they are the same, but obviously very different circumstances. With acting, it's about creating a character, and with the writing it's creating that universe. In the memoir I just wrote I had to create the world of my childhood from memory and it was just as satisfying as creating Garak's world in A Stitch In Time.

Night Circus is a great book. It draws you in and captivates you until the very last page. A user here gifted it to me when I first started out here and I absolutely loved it! I definitely recommend it.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0307744434/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_RSyrxbZZ68A3B

I really enjoy historical fiction. Here are a few that I really like:

War and Peace - the ultimate historical fiction novel.

Horatio Hornblower books

Aubrey/Maturin books

Sharpe's books

Gates of Fire, of course, and some of his other books.

Massino Manfredi's Alexander trilogy

And Pride of Carthage

Some of these are more fiction than history, but I think all are pretty enjoyable.

The Narnia series. I read this series over and over as a child. Its the reason I read so much today. I had read books before that series but I wansnt into reading untill I read this series. It just had everything I was into at the time, Travel, adventure, danger, fictional characters. It also paved the way for me to be into book series more than single books. I think they can go into more detail and make you feel like your part of the story more than one book can and when they are over you almost feel as if a part of you is over. Like its a part of your past life.

a few of my favorite series are:

LOTR

The earths childrens series which is my favorite

The song of ice and fire

The touchstone trilogy

'Marabou Stork Nightmare' by Irvine Welsh. It's deliciously twisted and has a very interesting premise. I read it over 10 years ago and it still sticks with me.

Another good one, and perhaps one of my all time favorite books, is Cormac McCarthy's 'Blood Meridian: Or The Evening Redness in the West'. Just an incredible read, dark and powerful, a visceral look at westward expansion in the mid 1800's.

Dagon is brilliant but if you do get into the stories and would rather read a physical book

https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Fiction-Lovecraft-Knickerbocker-Classics/dp/1631060015/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1527068354&sr=8-2&keywords=lovecraft+complete

I have this and it's glorious, pretty cheap for a book of this quality too, got it for xmas a couple of years ago.

I haven't read that one myself (though it wouldn't surprise me if /u/Aleglad has), but I can give another recommendation. The Norse Myths by Kevin Crossley-Holland is a fantastic prose retelling of many of our stories. He does a good job at combing all the versions of the stories he can find and trying to make educated choices on which version of things to use where the tellings diverge from one another. Including explanations of the differences between sources and why he chose the paths he did. Entertaining and informative.

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon is one of my favorite novels ever and so is Beloved by Toni Morrison. They both have some metaphysical aspects to them and are awesome novels.

i would throw cormac mccarthy's name into your selection, too. both "the road" and "no country for old men" are great introductions to his style. If you get a taste for his writing, definitely pick up "blood meridian." it's my favorite work of his. he's got a good sized catalog of 10 books if you get a taste for his style.

I love Edward Gorey so much. I know that one's expensive though, so I'd also really love to read this!

Thank you for the contest!

Margaret Atwood has two companion books, both of a dystopian nature. I prefer Oryx and Crake, but The Year of the Flood is a nice afterword. The Handmaid's Tale is her most popular work. She calls it speculative fiction instead of science fiction.

She's one of my favorites, obviously.

Here's "the most complete" fan-made world map to date. GRRM said that, with the information we have from the books that are out, this is most likely the best a fan could come up with.

Looking for an official world map? George is releasing one this October!

Information dug up from this thread that was posted about 5 days ago. Hope that helps.

Best memoir I've read to date:
http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Shores-Viktor-Leonov/dp/0804107327/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1301539345&sr=8-1

A few other good ones:
http://www.amazon.com/Red-Sniper-Eastern-Front-Pilyushin/dp/1848841205/ref=cm_cr-mr-title

http://www.amazon.com/GUNS-AGAINST-REICH-Memoirs-Artillery/dp/1844159310/ref=cm_cr-mr-title

A very well written account of Poltava and warfare in the eighteenth century:
http://www.amazon.com/Battle-That-Shook-Europe-Poltava/dp/1860648479/ref=cm_cr-mr-title

Best WWII fiction:
http://www.amazon.com/Triumph-Glory-Steven-Edward-Rustad/dp/157566397X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1301539373&sr=8-1

Steven Pressfield has a lot of great stuff, although I hated his book on Rommel. But try 'Gates of Fire':
http://www.amazon.com/Gates-Fire-Novel-Battle-Thermopylae/dp/055338368X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1301539446&sr=8-1

Anything by Bernard Cornwell.

• Good Omens by Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett, about an angel and demon dealing with the apocalypse when the Antichrist is accidentally raised as a perfectly normal 10-year old human.
  
• The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster, which gets fairly philosophical.
  
• A Barrel of Laughs, A Vale of Tears by Jukes Feiffer, the illustrator for The Phantom Tollbooth, about a prince who makes everyone around him burst out laughing.
  
  Would also second David Sedaris' humorous essay collections.

John Howe's maps of Middle-earth (available in a big box set) are pretty good, and his map of Middle-earth is definitive as far as I'm concerned.

Jonathan Roberts created a set of maps for A Song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones called The Lands of Ice and Fire which are excellent. I have the big map of the entire world on my wall.

Terry Pratchett has a whole set of maps for his Discworld books, including the entire Discworld itself and the city of Ankh-Morpork (both twice, in fact, in The Streets of Ankh-Morpork, The Compleat Ankh-Morpork, The Discworld Mapp and The Compleat Discworld Atlas).

You can buy a map of Roshar from Brandon Sanderson's website and one of Temerant from the Worldbuilders Store.

Not about the Dominion War, but Andrew Robinson (the actor who plays Garak) wrote a book about his character's backstory, and his time after DS9, and it's actually quite good! It's called A Stitch in Time. I'd definitely recommend it!

Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides is another great one. Keep us updated on what you are reading. I'd love to find some good new books to read!

The only times this has happened to me were

The Contortionist's Handbook by Craig Clevenger and
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz

I couldn't tell you what it was about them that sucked me in so drastically, but they were pretty good books. :)

You should read the Feed series by Mira Grant. It's set in the early 2040's, in a world that's had to live with zombies since 2014. It's told through the eyes of two young bloggers on a political campaign trail as they start to uncover a conspiracy. If you like the news, or zombies, or light sci-fi, or action, or even just zombies, you'll love it. Best part is, it's a trilogy that was written all at once, so the story is completely self contained. There's a bunch of spin-off novellas as well, and the same author has an amazing fantasy series set in modern L.A.

If you like Game of Thrones and maps, you should check out "the Lands of Ice and Fire". It's an official map pack and they look great on walls. Amazon link (just 23,43$ right now)

Great collection btw!

Thanks to an ordering mistake, I read a novel about this called The Cloud Atlas, not to be confused with that somewhat more famous book.

They were both pretty great.

I love reading books! One of my all time favorites is Cloud Atlas! Anything by Jeffrey Eugenides is good too! <3

A ruler, an Xacto knife, a steady hand, and a lot of patience. I imagine if I had legit striping tape and wasn't just using scotch tape it would have been WAY easier, LoL.

And The Night Circus is a book by Erin Morgenstern. I've heard a lot of mixed reviews, and maybe it's just because I love circuses, but I really liked it.

I recommend you read Feed, by Mira Grant. It's a very well-written zombie novel in which the zombie uprising occurs in a world in which George Romero movies exist, and humanity is able to survive in large thanks to his guidance. Romero is rightly regarded as a national hero.

Now, I'm guessing you're looking for a movie recommendation, but I would highly recommend the book Blood Meridian as the best thematically similar experience you will likely have.

I was pretty hyped for it since I read the book beforehand. The best is yet to come :)

Now go back and watch the first minute and a half of Bakemonogatari episode 1 and prepare to have your mind blown.

After the bomb goes off I'll have plenty of time on my hands for these

Change Jar!
Thanks for the contest. :]

I have that big poster in my room, as well as a Braavos map and another one of the whole world.

They came in an awesome pack, I have like another 4 - 5 that didn't fit on my walls :)

EDIT: I think it's this one http://www.amazon.com/Lands-Ice-Fire-Game-Thrones/dp/0345538544

Strong recommendation for David Mitchell's The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet (Dutch clerk in late 18th/early 19th century Dejima, lots of depth, gorgeous prose) and for Walter Moers's Rumo and his Miraculous Adventures (fantastical but oddly profound; I'd pick it up even if it doesn't sound like something you'd enjoy). I finished both of these very recently and they were amazing. They hopped right on my list of favourite books, if I'm honest.

Otherwise, I'd very much recommend my all-time favourites: Le Petit Prince (in French or English), Under Milk Wood, Cloud Atlas, and To Kill a Mockingbird (which is always worth a re-read, too).

I included Amazon links so that you know exactly which books I'm talking about, but please consider buying from local bookshops!

[Life of Pi] (http://www.amazon.com/Life-Pi-Yann-Martel/dp/0156027321/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395546742&sr=8-1&keywords=life+of+pi)

Read the book in high school and loved it. Never saw the movie, because I don't think it does the book ANY justice.

Here's a book I would like: [The Ruins] (http://www.amazon.com/The-Ruins-Scott-Smith/dp/0307390276/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395546801&sr=8-1&keywords=the+ruins)

And while we're addressing the history of your account, I'll answer a question you asked of /r/books and never got an answer.... Battle Royale. It is a book that both of the other two books were based off of.

http://www.amazon.com/Battle-Royale-Novel-Koushun-Takami/dp/1421527723/ref=pd_sim_b_3

I suggest the paperback since you're young and the hardback is kind of expensive for a book... I found my copy of this book at Hastings, but you should be able to find a copy or have a copy shipped to most book stores.

My suggestion when reading this book: Do NOT jump to the end and skip the exciting parts near the end... This is a great book.

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay. It's one of the best books I've ever read. It's pretty long, but the chapters are decently short, so you should be able fit in some of it anytime you have a little time to spare.

Happy (almost) birthday and I hope don't cry on your party. ;)

Here's something for the raffle -been on my to-read list for a long time but there's no translated version in my country or easy way to get the original - Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy

There's also this book, which is a little on the pricey side but filled with awesome maps like the one you're looking for.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Lands-Fire-Game-Thrones/dp/0345538544/ref=sr_1_26?ie=UTF8&qid=1371156474&sr=8-26&keywords=game+of+thrones

Hell no, he's not a good character. Much less 'really good'.

He's a great character. Fantastic even. Andrew Robinson was excellent in portraying him.

In the Pale Moonlight is awesome for just his speech alone... and then Sisko's right behind it.

Did you read the book by Andrew? It's a great read, about Garak, by Garak!

Is it a great movie? Probably not. But it's a fairly unique one. I think it's worth a watch, particularly if you play Battle Royale games. It's mostly a shock film though (Middle School kids killing each other!).

The novel, on the other hand, was really great through and through. I can only vouch for the original translation, but the updated version sounds good from reviews!

It's all open domain so you can read it all legally online if you ever wish to.

If you're like me and can't stand reading on screen as opposed to on paper, there are a lot of great collections out there, this is the one I have.

I'm not a huge Pratchett fan, but his collaboration with Neil Gaiman is still one of my favorite books.

Good Omens, wonderful book.

Hillary Mantel's Wolf Hall is quite simply superb. I also very much liked The Thousand Autumns of Jacob De Zoet.

The Life of Pi was published nine years ago. It seems to get a lot of flak, but I really enjoyed it. As with Mitchell's Thousand Autumns, I find a little magical realism just the tonic on those cold autumn evenings...

Life of Pi is really good. I also just read Slaughterhouse 5, which was excellent, but I felt it was too short. I am reading Ender's Game right now, which is excellent. There are so many good books. Check out /r/books, /r/booksuggestions and I think you'll find a bunch to read.

Might be a bit of a stretch, but I'd recommend The Amazing Adeventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon.

If you like westerns, you should read Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy. If TV series are your thing, then the overlook yet brilliant Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco is something not to be missed. Can't go wrong with McCarthy and Eco. It's hard to compare Cranston to McShane though. It's like apples and oranges there.

I'm pretty sure they are published. I've read them all numerous times. Here's a link to Amazon. Really good deal for the book set.

https://www.amazon.com/Thrones-Clash-Kings-Swords-Dragons/dp/0345535529

There are so many great books! The Brontes' work, Jane Austen, War and Peace, everything by Dostoyevsky....Sometimes it takes a while to get into certain of the great books, but they always pay off.

Also, in case you haven't read them, check out David Mitchell's early work--Ghostwritten, Number9Dream, and Cloud Atlas all are brilliant.

Just posted this in the other sub xD

Recently got back into reading after a looooonnnnnnggggg dry spell (years) and I'm reading some fun ones!

• Letters to a Young Poet
  
• The Night Circus
  
• Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children
  
  Have you read any of those?!

The Elder Edda is definitely the better of the two; Snorri's Edda is very christianized and therefore doesn't stay true to Norse mythology.

One of the best books would be Kevin Crossley-Holland's The Norse Myth. It's very simple to read yet keeps the essence of the myths.

Dark Star - Alan Furst


The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay - Michael Chabon

The Big Sleep - Raymond Chandler

The Maltese Falcon - Dashiell Hammett

The God Engines - John Scalzi

Coiling Dragon has a total of 806 chapters if WW charges 3c/ch then if we multiply that by 806 we get U$ 24.18.

Now If we compare it with some blockbuster novels we can see the difference in price

|Novel|Word Count|Complete novel price (Amazon)|Price per Word|
|:-|:-|:-|:-|
|Harry Potter| 1,085,000|U$ 68.17|0.00006|
|Game of Thrones| 1,736,000|U$ 34.49|0.00002|

The total word count of Coiling Dragon is approximately 1,874,000. If we do the same calculation but using the price of 3c/ch then we get this:

|Novel|Word Count|Complete novel price (Aprox)|Price per Word|
|:-|:-|:-|:-|
|Coilin Dragon|1,874,000|U$ 24.18|0.00001|

So from my point of view, that price is completely acceptable.

There's a few floating around on Amazon that look like decent hardcover editions, like this.

That said, I do second u/GreatStoneSkull's suggestion for the Leslie Klinger edition (or the three Penguin Classics volumes edited by S.T. Joshi) even if it doesn't include every single story Lovecraft ever wrote; I personally find that annotations enrich my reading experience, especially for a weird antiquarian like Lovecraft so I'd suggest maybe it's better to trade completeness for judicious annotations.

Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. It's a fantastic book that traces the lives of three generations, from rural Greece to 1950s Detroit to today. I have no way of describing how beautifully written it is. A genomics researcher suggested it as an interesting point in the ongoing discussion of the determinism of genes (though you can decide what this book's message is!).

Really? Literally the first two links when I googled "Kizumonogatari Light Novel Amazon":

https://www.amazon.de/KIZUMONOGATARI-Wound-Tale-NISIOISIN/dp/1941220975/

https://www.amazon.de/BAKEMONOGATARI-Part-1-Monster-Tale/dp/1942993889/

If you are a foreigner like I am, it's useful to set your Language Google Search settings to include English results.

EDIT: I guess you mean that Amazon shipping is kind of rough. In that case, I can't really help you, as I don't know any German shops or sites that sort shops.

I have the old (bad) translations of Hitagi Crab and Mayoi Snail from Baka-Tsuki if you want, and I'm sure that with enough digging there are some other sites that people exploit to upload those translations.

has she read The Life of Pi? It has a similarly dark and intriguing story about what happens to the human psyche in stressful situations. It's beautifully written, and as someone who loves the The Book Thief, i can say that also loved The Life of Pi

Feed. Excellent excellent book. Slightly alternative take on thigs, but really good. http://www.amazon.com/Feed-Newsflesh-Book-Mira-Grant/dp/0316081051/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1290009718&sr=8-3

If you want something in actual print, this is a good collection. The books a good quality and its a nice shelf piece if thats your thing.

...you’re posting THE HISTORY (and legacy) of forced sterilization and you literally tried to sneak in links about the Canadian sterilization to make it seem like you have links on the American one.

You honest to god thought just responding with a block of unrelated links would make it seem like a witty shutdown?

Well here’s what I have to say to you, good sir.

https://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/badgers

https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Meridian-Evening-Redness-West/dp/0679728759

http://www.small-cabin.com/forum/2_2885_0.html

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-w-58hQ9dLk

• Divergent/Insurgent (First two in an unfinished trilogy)
  
• The Maze Runner (This is a trilogy)
  
• Battle Royale
  
• I've heard good things about The Knife of Never Letting Go (The first part of the Chaos Walking trilogy)
  
  To be honest, these are just some dystopia themed books I recommended because of Hunger Games. However, I could give better recommendations if you tell me more of what she wants. Young adult? Fantasy? Romantic aspect?

READ THIS BOOK - it is one of the best books I've ever read. Just amazing vision and scope. I had no idea they were making it into a movie. Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell.