Books we had a really hard time identifying with…or they were just complete garbage.

 

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Stephen King may be known for his horror novels, but over the span of his career he also shaped a very different type of story, one as ambitious and sprawling as the great fantasy epics of the 20th century.

The Dark Tower series, now being adapted for film in 2017, follows the gunslinger, the last of a line of men who stood to defend a world that has moved on. He now wanders the lands of Mid World in search of the Dark Tower.

We tackle this eight book series before the movie and TV series debut.

The Star Wars movie franchise is back and strong with the Force. So are the new “official” novels any good? Fans are divided, and it’s clear that the format of the book matters. Before Rogue One arrives in theaters, check out another band of rebels in “Star Wars: Aftermath” by Chuck Wendig laying the hurt on the Empire so that they can’t get back up.

Tron had its heyday. The future is the Oasis. We were inspired by Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One to discuss how both games and books are home to some of the best fiction anywhere.

We discuss topics in written fiction in our REIGNfall series.

This week, we talk about two sources for borrowing books. Which one is better? We debate. Kind of.

Welcome to REIGNfall, our weekly series on book topics where we talk fiction and ponder the world of storytelling.

Sinking ships, space karate, chosen ones and much more. We love our fictional characters. They enthrall us with their adventures (or misadventures), their triumphs, losses, personal courage and funny lines. They make fiction what it is. Some characters show they can own up to their actions and keep moving. Others don’t know what personal responsibility is and cause major problems. Check out who we love and who we love to hate in some of our favorite fiction.

More REIGNfall

Welcome to REIGNfall, our weekly series on book topics where we talk fiction and ponder the world of storytelling.

We’re talking about Audiobook delights in this show. Audiobooks have a kind of sweet, long-lasting flavor.

We just had a knockdown, drag out fight over digital vs paper (the verdict is still out), so we have to give audiobooks their due. It’s a growing market, and the experience of audiobooks is not to be ignored. Some of the narrators are so good, I get chill bumps. Look at history; oral storytelling is where it started. Know your roots people!

We reminisce over some favorites and Jon calls me a country bumpkin (in a nice way) for not “reading” more audiobooks.

Digital VS Paper debate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMhQ7vd0GyY

Listen:

The age old debate of “paper or digital” rages on. Lots of emotions come out in this discussion. Feelings get hurt. But we talk it out, and surprising confessions are made. No books were harmed in the making of this video.

PLUS A GIVEAWAY (our first, so excuse our clumsy announcement…not everyone who makes a comment gets a book…it’s a drawing contest, kind of like the Hunger Games, but in a good way!)

GIVEAWAY PRIZE:
Newish perfect spine paperback copy of Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk.

RULES:
Subscribe and leave a comment on this video.
Global population welcome to enter. No Martians allowed.

WINNER: One winner because there’s only one book. We’ll draw a name from a fishbowl – or the digital equivalent – on Oct. 15, 2015.

Welcome to REIGNfall, our weekly series on book topics where we talk fiction and ponder the world of storytelling.





In this episode we’re talking about book series and how slow (or quickly) it takes for them to be completed and come to market. What’s better for a book series? Get it written and get instant gratification and legions of fans gobbling up your goods or waiting years for amazing stories? Can there be a happy middle ground?

Yes, the Song of Ice and Fire series inspired this.

Books offer writers the opportunity to breathe life into their characters over several years, decades even. Some of you literally grew up with Harry Potter. Others trudged along with Roland Deschain for three decades to find out what awaited at the Dark Tower.

On the opposite extreme, some series are cranked out so fast, you sometimes can’t help be cynical about the quality of the material. Looking at you Twilight, or so I’ve heard. Divergent started off promising, but fans seem split (pun!) over the quality of the ending. So is writing too fast the enemy?

Check out our discussion and tell us what you think is best for the life of a book series. Enjoy.

Welcome to REIGNfall, our weekly series on book topics where we talk fiction and ponder the world of storytelling.

We know movie adaptations of games are pretty much disasters. Just look at Super Mario Brothers. Not even John Leguizamo could save that mess. And please don’t even mention Doom and Street Fighter.

But we’re not talking movies. We’re talking books. So what about game-to-book adaptations? Are they all universally ridiculed? Are some worth reading? We have a winner and a loser in this discussion of game-based books that we’ve sampled.

Games-to-Books on Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_novels_based_on_video_games