Persephone Devours a Book
Game fiction is, often with great justification, sneered at. Why? Well, in the worst game fiction, you hear the dice rattling However, when written by a talented author, the story can benefit from all the effort that went into designing the setting and backstory for the game. Another benefit is that good gaming fiction—like the best games—is strongly character driven.
For those of you just discovering this part of my blog, the Friday Fragments lists what I’ve read over the past week. Most of the time I don’t include details of either short fiction (unless part of a book-length collection) or magazines.
The Fragments are not meant to be a recommendation list. If you’re interested in a not-at-all-inclusive recommendation list, you can look on my website under Neat Stuff.
Once again, this is not a book review column. It’s just a list with, maybe, a bit of description or a few opinions tossed in.
Recently Completed:
The Throme of the Erril of Sherill by Patricia McKillip. Quest fantasy, a bit on the light side. Not what I’d recommend for a first reader of her work, although there is some clever language and marvelous description.
In Progress:
The Life of Greece by Will Durant. Audiobook. Touring the various city states. In Athens now, examining the question of tyranny within an ostensible democracy.
A Gathering Evil by Michael A. Stackpole. Dark Conspiracy game setting published by GDW. Uses the amnesiac protagonist very well to introduce a complex setting. Sly situational humor enlivens a serious action/adventure plot.
Also:
Wolf’s Search edits have taken a lot of reader energy…
May 10, 2019 at 7:10 am |
I finished Ash and Quill (The Great Library #3) by Rachel Caine. I have enjoyed this series, so far.
Also finished Lethal White (Cormoran Strike #4) by Robert Gailbraith aka J.K. Rowling. It was very long and some of the internal angst and doubts got a little boring, but the story was good and the last quarter of the book was exciting.
Now, I am just starting The Gray Ghost (Fargo Adventure #10) by Clive Cussler. And I am still enjoying the first book of Fruits Basket.
May 10, 2019 at 1:08 pm |
Sounds interesting. I love libraries. May need to look into that series. Actually, I think I read the first one.
May 10, 2019 at 7:45 am |
I ran a Dark Conspiracy campaign back in the day. I even gathered props like “Weekly World News” issues with cover stories which served as launching points for adventures. I recall reading the novel but I don’t recall the actual story in the novel, which isn’t really surprising since I was so deeply into building my own adventures at the time.
For myself, I’ve just been rereading the past 2 weeks, books I’m pretty sure I’ve already discussed here at one time or another.
May 10, 2019 at 1:08 pm |
Nice. I never played the game, but I like your idea for props!
May 10, 2019 at 8:32 am |
I’ve been reading about the interior lives of elephants.
If I recall correctly, you’ve written some stories that were published by White Wolf in some of their collections of game-related fiction. As a reader, I don’t think those stories would’ve seemed out of place in any collection of modern fantasy.
What was the process of writing for game-related publications like for you?
May 10, 2019 at 1:11 pm |
I did indeed write some stories for White Wolf… And for Magic the Gathering. For me, challenge is finding something unique to the game, then making it my own. So, let’s say I was asked to write a story set in the Pathfinder universe (I haven’t been), I’d skipped all the typical sword/sorcery/Tolkieneque and go for a quirk. I’ve never wanted to be involved in the on-going novel series because I’d hate being hemmed in.
May 10, 2019 at 8:45 am |
I finished Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James. It was a very intense, very dense book. It took me over a week to read it, and that is a very long time for me. I really liked it. The mythology and the characters and even the language are very different and it was a nice change.
Also read Wicked King by Holly Black. This is the sequel to Cruel Prince. I hated the ending, but luckily there will be a third book, so the story isn’t over.
Also read Lady Smoke by Laura Sebastian. This is the sequel to Ash Princess. I’m looking forward to the third book of this trilogy, just like with the Holly Black. I hate/love cliffhangers.
Currently reading The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams. I’m only a few chapters in, but I’m enjoying it so far. How did I not know about this series before?
I’m still listening to audiobooks at night. I’m waiting for the last Codex Alera by Jim Butcher to be available from the library, so I’m back with Stephen King. Everything’s Eventual is what I’m listening to now. It’s a short story collection.
May 10, 2019 at 1:12 pm |
Wow!! You are seriously immersed now.
May 10, 2019 at 1:32 pm |
I really like Tad Williams. Especially the Other land series. Enjoy!
May 10, 2019 at 10:46 am |
I’ve read and enjoyed Venom in Her Veins and Brimstone Angels, both set in the Forgotten Realms universe but definitely character driven.
Hurray for Wolf’s Search!!
May 10, 2019 at 1:12 pm |
Thanks for the “hooray”!