This sci-fi classic examines the trauma of war and how in the future, to ensure humankind’s survival, some soldiers must sacrifice almost all of their connections to the species.
Kids Combat Evil (Eps. 67-68) | Summer of Night by Dan Simmons
Dan Simmons, as we’ve noted, is a genius. This is his first horror novel we’ve picked up. There are nods to Stephen King’s “It” and vibes of “Poltergeist,” but this story is wholly its own. It’s a tale of bravery, friendship and dealing with loss. Simmons makes some memorable and gut-wrenching choices that leave this book at the top of our favorites list.
Feel Good Fantasy (Eps. 65-66) | The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks
OK, this tale has some teeth. Even though I was face palming during the first two thirds because it followed Frodo and Sam’s playbook almost exactly, there’s a great world to explore and some exciting action that make the latter part of the story all its own.
A Scary Freedomless Society (Ep. 63-64) | The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood in many ways can be compared to George Orwell’s classic novel 1984. While the world of 1984 felt like a dystopian relic when I read it (albeit an especially scary, fascist dystopian relic), The Handmaid’s Tale disturbs me because it seems like a future that could be right around the corner. Slavery, oppression, genocide – all the worst of our past – are present in this future.
Book-O-Picker
Welcome to the 2016 Book-O-Picker.
Pick books effortlessly by searching from more than 1,400 authors and their books. Create a better TBR today!
(Books published 1915-2015).
BOOK TALK: Day by Day Armageddon by J.L. Bourne
It’s no Walking Dead, but the high-octane action, death-defying escapes and survivalist tips make for a fun romp through zombie land, doubling as a user’s manual to the apocalypse.
REIGNfall – Kindle Unlimited vs. The Library
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.
Most Wanted Books – A Visual Guide
What books from the last 15 years are most popular with book lovers? Diving into Goodreads bookshelf data, we found that dystopian and fantasy fiction have been huge among this social reading community.
Explore the chart by hovering over sections with your mouse or tapping the screen (better on desktop). Hover over the authors’ names to light up the bubble chart like a Christmas tree or click their names for more book details.
What did we learn at a glance?
George R.R. Martin really does average five years between books in his Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones) series. Suzanne Collins, author of the Hunger Games books, has a highly rated young reader fantasy series called the Underland Chronicles that she penned before her YA dystopian trilogy. And Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series, though found on many bookshelves, consistently fell below the average ratings for books published in the same year. Explore and enjoy this treasure trove of book goodness. Send us feedback or questions on what other book charts you’d like to see. Happy reading!
Click to go interactive chart
Make ’em Bleed (Ep. 62) | Day by Day Armageddon by J.L. Bourne
There’s no shortage of choices in the zombie genre in print or on screen. This yarn takes the best of the genre – ethically impossible choices, scavenging 101, bandits and harrowing scrapes with the dead – to weave together a fun if not wholly original tale.
What the Star Wars book reboot looks like
The Star Wars book galaxy has gotten a reboot along with the movie franchise, and there are 25 new books that have been published so far.
With less than 24 hours until Star Wars either flies again or self destructs (creatively) at the box office with Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens, we take a look at what the creative minds behind the books have done with the space saga. Disney has wiped the slate clean and designated official, or “canon,” books to continue the story of Star Wars (all the previous volumes of Star Wars books are now considered “legacy” or unofficial). This has created lots of debate among fans. The Internet has plenty to say on it…
Click to interact with R2-D2 and pick a Star Wars book.
The “canon” books are just starting to roll out. Only 24 novels (and one novella) exist (minus the movie adaptations). The majority are junior novels, putting the original works for adults at a mere eight books. I understand this to a degree – it prevents spoiling the new movies by not giving away what happens to the major characters after Return of the Jedi. Instead authors mostly focus on new/side characters and other aspects of the galaxy. I’ll reserve judgement on whether or not the Star Wars canon novels can become something great. I listened to Aftermath and loved it. It’s got fans split, but Star Wars is as American as apple pie and everyone has an opinion on where it should go.
Check out the interactive visualization on the “canon” books that are already available. Help R2-D2 get the right book for you!
REIGN of Books 