My question for you today is:
If a friend came to you who had never read a comic book/fantasy novel/science fiction novel before (your choice) asking for your advice on what to read, what one book would you give them to introduce them to the genre?
You only have to do one of the three (though you can do more if you like), but I’m going to take a crack at them all.
In science fiction, I always recommend they start with “Ender’s Game” by Orson Scott Card. It’s well written, with intriguing characters you really come to care about, and it’s nothing so crazy far-out that it would scare them off.
If they’re a religious person, I recommend “The Sparrow” by Mary Doria Russell. It posits that First Contact with an alien planet was made by a group of Jesuit priests. Only one returns, and the novel is about figuring out what happened. It’s great science fiction, raises some excellent moral and spiritual questions, and is accessible to anyone even if they know nothing about sci-fi.
On the comics front, I’d probably go with the Frank Miller/David Mazzucchelli Daredevil collection “Born Again“. (For a non-religious person, that’s two religious books. Hmmm.) I think it’s grounded enough in reality for anyone familiar with pop culture to be comfortable with, but with enough super-hero elements to be a decent introduction to the modern incarnation of the genre. Plus it’s a gorgeously illustrated and written book.
Finally, on the fantasy front I think you probably can’t go wrong with “The Sorcerer’s Stone“, the first Harry Potter book by J. K. Rowling. It has all the juicy fantasy tropes presented in a friendly way. If they were a darker sort of person, I’d go with Steven Brust’s “The Book of Jhereg“. Because it’s written in first person, I think it’s easy to get into the character’s head, and I love the way that Brust makes the magical world very commonplace in the mind of the main character. After all, for him it’s just normal; it’s only magic to us. Or, if they’re a more literary sort of person, I’d give them Brust’s “The Phoenix Guards“, set in the same universe but with different characters, told in the style of Dumas’ “The Three Musketeers”. It’s just a rollicking good read all the way around.
Most of those (and more) can be found on my Amazon Listmania list of sci-fi/fantasy books that I love.
Now, your turn!
Posted in Sharing Day
(From “Lightning Comics” volume 2, number 2, 1941.)
Posted in Daily Random Panel
I knew djuby made fantastic illustrations, but wow, I had no idea just HOW awesome until at AMS’ suggestion I checked out his forum here on HeroMachine.com. The images are simply outSTANDing. Here’s a sample:
If you’re looking for some inspiration, I highly recommend you check out his work. It’s pretty incredible stuff.
Posted in Things I Like
In our last episode, we were fleeing from our giant roach-alien-monster infested building when we were confronted with a cordon of military officers and a choice:
Posted in RPG Corner, You're Going to Die
(From “Lightning Comics” volume 2, number 2, 1941.)
Posted in Daily Random Panel
I’ll put the images after the jump for those who don’t want to have the look of the new movie spoiled, but “Iron Man 3” stills have emerged showing the film’s new armor. I’m curious what you all think about the design changes.
Posted in Bad Super Costumes, Movies and TV
(From “Lightning Comics” volume 2, number 2, 1941.)
Posted in Daily Random Panel
This is one of those awesome ideas that I am kicking myself for not thinking of. Basically you’re challenged to come up with 30 characters in 30 days. They can be any genre, and any type. It lasts for the whole month of November; you sign up for free, and commit to posting your creations on their site. If you’re a writer, you can come up with a character description or bio, or maybe a short scene that describes them. If you’re an illustrator, you can draw your own or you could use HeroMachine to create yours.
It sounds like a fun way to stretch your creative muscles and challenge yourself. Apparently only 100 people have completed it, which sounds like the gauntlet has been thrown! If you’re of a mind, head on over and check it out.
Posted in Meta, Things I Like
Our Versus today features two of the deadliest leather-clad females in the Marvel and DC universes:
Black Widow is a highly trained, extremely deadly assassin. She can fight alongside the Marvel Universe’s most powerful heroes in the Avengers and is much, much more than just a gun and some wrist bracelets.
Catwoman, on the other hand, is largely a petty thief, much more interested in avoiding conflict than engaging in it. However, she too fights alongside (and against!) arguably the most deadly member of the DC Universe in Batman.
Both are nimble, agile, and quick. Both have deadly weapons and savage wits at their disposal. The Black Widow is arguably a superior strategist, but Catwoman is fantastic in a tactical situation where rapid reactions are vital.
I think this one is pretty close. But overall I’d probably go with the Black Widow since she’s trained to be a killer, whereas Catwoman is primarily a thief.
But what say you, HeroMachine Nation?
[polldaddy poll=”6577737″]
Posted in Versus
Three middle-aged nerds (including yours truly!) review all of the MCU movies in chronological order. Short, funny, and full of good vibes, check it out and let us know what you think!
Nerdmudgeon.com