What are you reading?

[Benoist]

Still reading through the Majestic Wilderlands, RuneQuest II and Griffin Mountain. Reading through Three Hearts & Three Lions too. And the Swords & Wizardry White Box I just received.

[Flambeaux]

All the stuff I bought at NTRPG Con.

[Matthew]

I read Knights of the Dinner Table #159-161 the other day (January-March issues), and was pleased to see OSRIC passingly mentioned in the Web Scryer column for issue #159. A discussion has flared up in their letters forum as to whether there should be less "soap opera" shenanigans and more of a "back to the table" focus for the comic. I have to admit, I found myself hankering for a return to their adventures at the table recently, and was pleased to see it in #161. However, I did note that the version of Hack Master they are now playing sounds less like a gentle parody of AD&D and more like the actual fifth edition of Hack Master. Not sure whether that is a change for the better or worse, as I worry that it may herald the introduction "in jokes" that I will not get (not playing Hack Master myself).

After that I finished reading the last of the thirteen Field of Glory supplements, which have all made for fascinating (if occasionally somewhat repetitive) reading. I am itching to play another game, but with so many supplements, we are utterly spoilt for choice; it seems a shame to play a traditional Romans versus Gauls scenario when you have access to an Aztec army list...

Last weekend I finally found the time to read the Castles & Crusades module A1 Assault on Blacktooth Ridge (having only owned it for two years or something!); it was interesting to be able to compare it with the Advanced Adventures line, and note the similarities and differences in approach.

[Philotomy Jurament]

I'm waiting to read the mass combat system you were working on, Matthew…

[Matthew]

Ha! Yes, indeed. Lots of rethinking and stumble blocks on that front in the last few months, but progress at least. If I can figure out how to post tables using this new forum software I might even be able to manage a post about it.

[Ghul]

In these sorts of threads, I've never listed the many books I read with my kids, because I don't think you need to hear about The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Magic Tree House, Goosebumps, and the like, but presently I am reading The Hobbit with my 8 yr old.

Don't be too fast to dismiss an interest in children's books. I'm a huge fan, and feel the genre is the most creative (art-wise and story-wise) in existance. In fact, it's always been my more ambitious dream to write and illustrate a children's book. I have the thing written, and tons of sketches for the art, but its a long ways to go. Designing kids books makes designing dungeons feel like a walk in the park!

Kids 'get it' better than we ever can as adults. While most adults' creative tolerance levels are hedged by knowledge, common sense, concerns of how we'll be perceived by others and an stubbron need to adhere to genre, children are not limited by such confines. They can accept that animals can talk, cloth puppets are both friends and authority figures, the moon is accessible to anyone with a tall enough ladder, or that their bedroom can transform into a night forest. That's why I've always looked to my kids for ideas, because there's are the best.

- Wheggi
NOW PLAYING ON RADIO WHGI: "Jealousy" by The Flower Kings

You are quite right. I very much value children's literature, and some of my fondest memories are from when I was in third grade reading Encyclopedia Brown. I did not intend to come off as dismissive, but I see how my post can read that way.

[Wheggi]

Ha, no worries man.

So Jeff, how is your son liking The Hobbit?

- Wheggi

[Ghul]

Ha, no worries man.

So Jeff, how is your son liking The Hobbit?

- Wheggi

We just finished Chapter V: Riddles in the Dark, which was quite exciting. When we are reading it, he has this glassy expression, staring at the ceiling. He's in the zone, soaking it all in, imagining the words.

[Wheggi]

That's great! My son isn't quite old enough yet and wouldn't have the patience for it, but I read it to my (now 20 year old) daughter when she was an infant. More for me than her, of course.

- Wheggi

[Philotomy Jurament]

Ended up not being in the mood for Hiero's Journey. Instead, I picked up that Born to Run book I mentioned. I'm 90% done. I have to say that I haven't been enjoying it as much as I had expected from the high praise it gets. The first 75% of the book is basically background stories about various runners and such, presented in a kind of chaotic manner that comes together later. I didn't really get interested until the last part.

I also picked up Sharpe's Rifles and have been reading that. I'm about half-way through and enjoying it a lot, despite constantly picturing Sharpe and Harper as Bean and O'Malley.

[Falconer]

My dad read me The Hobbit when I was a little too young to quite understand it. Nevertheless, my life was never quite the same after that! Incidentally, I was reading the OD&D Vol. II entry for Elves where it says some dwell in woodlands and some seek secluded valleys. If that is not a reference to The Hobbit (Mirkwood and Rivendell) I don’t know what is!

[rogatny]

I recently completely blew my 3-year-old's little mind with Dr. Seuss' "Oh the Thinks You Can Think."

When you think about it, all rpg'ing really just comes down to the eternal question, "What would you do if you met a Jibboo?"

[Philotomy Jurament]

Reading Buchanan's Churchill, Hitler, and the Unnecessary War. (I read about 75% of this one, before, but got sidetracked, so I started over.)

[Benoist]

Reading Buchanan's Churchill, Hitler, and the Unnecessary War. (I read about 75% of this one, before, but got sidetracked, so I started over.)

At the library where I'm working, they have Churchill's entire works. I'd love to get a crack at them.
I will at some point, I'm sure.

[Philotomy Jurament]

Most of the way through Thomas Woods's Nullification. It's a good book, but it turns out that I was already familiar with most of what he's presenting (which is similar to my experience with his earlier, Meltdown book), so it hasn't engaged me very thoroughly.

I think I'm going to go through my fiction stack and pick something up, from there.