Tag: Guest Post Page 1 of 6

Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books with Me, The Irresponsible Reader

Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books
It’s time to wrap this series up—at least for now, I’ve had people reach out to me to express interest in doing this in the future. If you’d like to take a shot at this, just let me know! I’d be more than happy to try this all again. But for now, I get to give my 2¢.

In a perfect world, the first paragraph or so of this was going to be the prompt I gave everyone. But, I didn’t finish writing them* until after everyone submitted their lists. Which actually worked out pretty well, because I prefer what I got to what this would’ve produced.

* Or start, actually.

If you’re reading this site, I probably don’t need to give an introduction like I did with the rest, but the reflex is there. As the Irresponsible Reader, I’m a fanboy sounding my bookish yawp over the roofs of the Internet. Essentially, I’m just some guy with a habit that’s gotten out of control, and will very likely die crushed by an out-of-control TBR Pile in my dotage (or tomorrow). Appreciator of the Strange, the Neat, and/or the Yummy.


As I often do on weekends, I recently found myself at Championship Paperbacks, this charming little New and Used bookstore downtown. It’s a little rundown on the outside, but inside? It’s a monument to books—there are some new releases, of course—in paperback and trade paperbacks. But primarily it’s a treasure-trove of Mass Market Paperbacks—classics, little-heard-of backlist titles, obscure and hard-to-find SF&F treasures, and mystery novels galore.

The place is owned and run by a moody guy named Ron—I’m not sure why he keeps the place, he doesn’t really seem to like it much. But he does seem to have some pretty serious opinions about the books. He has two booksellers on staff that really add some…color, shall we say to the place. First of all, there’s Larry. Larry is a boisterous guy who seems to like junk food almost as much as he does the sound of his own voice. Larry will go on extended rants about Grimdark Fantasy, Hard Science Fiction, and Horror (although rumor has it, he writes cozy mysteries about a Hamster Breeder who solves murders when he’s not at work). The other bookseller is a quiet, knowledgeable man, Nick—who has plenty of firm opinions (and the familiarity with fiction to back them up) himself but has to be pushed into expressing them.

When I walk in, there are a few people browsing around the store’s perimeter, and the three booksellers are lounging around the cash register chatting with a few customers, everyone seems engaged in the conversation, people are chuckling, and a few are taking notes on scratch paper or their phones. Larry cuts off whatever scathing remark he was in the middle of to point at me just inside the door, cocks an eyebrow and, bellows—”You, there, Irresponsible Reader*—name your Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books. Now!”

* If I’d actually finished this in time, Larry would be calling out the participants here.

I freeze…it’s just a conversation with a few complete strangers, and the guys who run the bookshop I like to shop in. It’s not like I’m on trial at the Hauge, behind the center podium on the Alex Trebek stage trying to come up with a decent wager in limited seconds, or trying to decide what I want for dinner on a Cheat Day—but there’s something about the way these guys are looking at me that ratchets up the pressure.

Mentally (I think, maybe it was literally), I mop my brow and try to come up with something to say. “Well, I could go for something major that I’ve always wanted to—or thought I should read—Crime and Punishment or something really weighty and important, like Eat, Pray, Love.” The shared silence is deafening, tough crowd. “But really, if I’m stuck on a deserted island for who knows how long, I want comfort. I want familiarity, I want something that I know will make me feel good.”

I nod to myself, that sounds about right. Larry taps his fingers impatiently on the counter. “No more stalling—come on!”

“Okay, okay, okay. We’ll start with Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre—I’ve been a fan since High School. I get caught up in the story, I love the looks at and criticisms of British culture of the time and the ways Christianity was expressed at the time, and Jane’s just a great character. I get something new out of it each time I read it.” Ron looks unimpressed, Larry rolls his eyes, but Nick gives a quiet nod. That nod gave me the assurance to move on.

“I’m going to need something else that takes a while. So I guess Rothfuss’ The Name of the Wind—the 10th Anniversary Edition, of course (I’m going to need those extra fifty pages and whatnot).” I see Larry start to say something in response, “Yeah, yeah, I know—it’s crazy to just pick the first volume of a trilogy—especially one that might never get finished*—but I just love that book. I really don’t care if we get the rest of the trilogy as long as I can re-read this every so often.”

* As much as I want K.R.R. to get his trip.

I start to pick up speed. “I have to have some Douglas Adams. I’m going to pick So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish.” I note the crowd’s skeptical reaction. “Yeah, yeah, I know. It’s not the funniest of the series, but there are several great moments and it’s a better novel than the rest.” Larry sneers at that choice, Ron actually seems to be paying attention, and Nick seems intrigued (but still mildly skeptical). I’m having a hard time watching the rest out of the corner of my eye, I can’t seem to stop seeing Larry’s glare.

“Fourth is a tricky one, I don’t want to be apart from Nero Wolfe or Archie Goodwin for an indefinite period. Also, just spending time in the Brownstone on West 35th will make me think of a nice, cozy home—something unlike whatever hut I found myself in. The Silent Speaker maybe? Gambit? Eh, I guess The Golden Spiders sounds best. Or at least good enough.” I thought about picking, Triple Zeck—the bound edition of the Zeck Trilogy—And Be a Villain, The Second Confession, and In the Best Families—but I’m almost certain that Larry and Ron would call that cheating.

“Those last couple of reads aren’t going to take me too long, I realize—but the comfort makes them worthwhile. Which is why I have to go with Early Autumn by Robert B. Parker for my last choice. There’s a little bit of the action and P.I. story, along with a healthy dose of Thoreau-esque self-reliance. If nothing else, reading about Spenser building that cabin might inspire me to construct something liveable on the island.” I get a couple of chuckles for that last line. Not too many, but I’ll take them.

Ron shrugs and gets back to whatever it is he does. Nick takes a couple of notes and smiles at me. Then Larry starts to critique my picks, telling me all the problems with them, drawing on his wealth of opinions. I tune him out and start browsing, some series of blog posts had given me quite the shopping list.

Be sure to check out the great lists provided by the authors/creators/bloggers/reviewers this last week and a half!


Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books Footer

Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay

Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books with K.R.R. Lockhaven

Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books
“K.R.R. (Kyle Robert Redundant) Lockhaven used to love writing as a kid. Starting at about ten years old, he wrote about anything from dragons to sentient jellybeans. Somewhere along the line, he lost that love. But now as a firefighter, husband, and father of two sons, he found it again. Unfortunately, he couldn’t find the really good stuff from back then…

“Kyle is a huge proponent of summer camps for burn survivor kids. [A portion] from every book he ever sells will go to the Washington State Council of Firefighters Burn Foundation, sponsors of Camp Eyabsut. For more info, or to donate money or time, go to www.campeyabsut.org.”

I’m truly delighted to close out the portion of this series submitted by authors with the return of K.R.R. Lockhaven to this site. I trust that you, like myself, will be most impressed by the thoughtful approach that Lockhaven brought to his selections. No, wait, that was someone else. Lockhaven’s approach is…well, it’s what one should expect from him. 🙂


Top 5 “Dessert Island” Books

When H.C. asked me to name my top 5 dessert island books, my mind went straight to the tried and true 100 Cookies: The Baking Book for Every Kitchen, with Classic Cookies, Novel treats, Brownies, Bars, and More. Then my mind wandered into a dreamlike image of what this supposed dessert island might look like. At first, it seemed wonderful—Candyland-esque in its sugary splendor. But then I thought about the longevity of such an island. Before long, things would start to get pretty bad. Baked goods don’t have the longest shelf life. Ice cream has even shorter still. I…

Sorry. I just realized my obvious blunder. It’s DESERT, not DESSERT. Unfortunately, my delete key is broken, so this has to stay in. I apologize again for being a dork.

So, now I understand what he was asking. What 5 books would I bring with me if I was to be stranded on a desert island for a prolonged period of time? Here is my list:
1. How to Build Your Own Boat From Scratch by John E. Traister
How to Build Your Own Boat From Scratch
I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of sailing the seas. This would be a good opportunity to build a boat and become the ship captain I’ve dreamed and written about. Not that some time alone on an island wouldn’t be nice in many ways. But I would start to miss my loved ones after a couple hours, so I’d like to be proactive in getting back to them.

2. The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut
The Sirens of TitanShipbuilding, I’m guessing, is hard work. I would need to take breaks, and reading seems like a good way to pass the time while I’m resting. The first book that comes to mind for such a rest is The Sirens of Titan. This is probably my all-time favorite book. I first read it at a pivotal time in my life (junior year of high school), and I think it really changed things for the better. One way it did this was to open my mind to new ways of thinking. For example, its explanation for the purpose of all human life is one of the darkest and funniest things I’ve ever read. The idea that there was no ultimate purpose in life, or that such things could be joked about, was very freeing. My teenage mind hadn’t really contemplated such things before, but Vonnegut’s wisdom and satire had brought so many new ideas to the forefront. One of those ideas came from the following line: “I can think of no more stirring symbol of man’s humanity to man than a fire engine.” I credit this line with sparking my interest in becoming a firefighter. It’s strange to think about how one little line could have so much sway on where my life has gone (even if, in this scenario, it has led me to become stranded on a godforsaken desert island). This book also has one of my favorite lines: “A purpose of human life, no matter who is controlling it, is to love whoever is around to be loved” (which, in this scenario, would just be myself unless the shipbuilding thing worked out).

3. Miss Percy’s Pocket Guide (to the Care and Feeding of British Dragons) by Quenby Olson
Miss Percy’s Pocket Guide (to the Care and Feeding of British Dragons)I would like to have a cozy and often hilarious book on this island, and Miss Percy’s Pocket Guide seems just right. This book would comfort me whenever existential dread began to creep in. Plus, if I’m alone on the island for a long stretch of time, it might be helpful to learn how to smash through the fourth wall I’ll likely create in my mind. This book has the most brilliant form of fourth-wall-breaking I’ve ever read. It’s funny and fun and I want it on the island.

4. The Doors of Stone by Patrick Rothfuss
The Doors of StoneI know it’s not out yet, but I don’t currently have any travel plans that will take me over any large bodies of water, so I’m assuming I’ll be trapped on this island sometime in the future when the third book of The Kingkiller Chronicle is out. The main reason is that I don’t want to die without getting to the end of Kvothe’s story. I absolutely loved the first two books and I don’t think I’ve ever anticipated anything quite like I anticipate The Doors of Stone. Not that I want to put any pressure on Mr. Rothfuss. I’m currently writing book 3 of my own trilogy, so I understand the difficulties that come with such a task. Whenever he is ready, I’ll allow myself to go over the ocean. But not until then!

5. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the GalaxyIt feels strange not to have a Terry Pratchett book on this list, but I’m going with this instead. For one thing, it’s fantastic. For another, I haven’t read it in too long so a reread is overdue. This is another book that presents the ultimate answer to the meaning of life (the universe, and everything) as something we can joke about. Humor is so damned important in the face of that pesky existential dread. In my opinion, we have to laugh at ourselves and our place in all of this to cope and find a slice of happiness in this unfathomable galaxy of ours. I imagine this kind of attitude will be beneficial as the existential dread of the desert island really starts to take hold.

 

Thank you, H.C., for letting me guest post on your wonderful blog! I hope this wasn’t too silly

If you aren’t rolling your eyes too hard at this, you might enjoy some of my writing. I have a humorous fantasy, two parts of a nautical fantasy trilogy, and a cozy fantasy you can find at krrlockhaven.com.

Lockhaven provided his own encouragement to visit his site (thoughtful of him to spare me the effort), but I want to say it myself—be sure to check out https://www.krrlockhaven.com and all the books there!


Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books Footer

Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay

Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books with Jodie Crump

Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books
I haven’t done a count or anything, but in the last five years, the blogger I’ve probably mentioned most often is our guest today, Jodie Crump of Witty and Sarcastic Bookclub. I’m pleased as punch to have her here today. Like some others, she cheats a little in her first choice–and then takes a daring move for the last few.

Before we dip into her list, let’s see what her site says about her:

“First of all, I’m a nerd. A huge nerd. Like, a Dungeons and Dragons, Magic the Gathering, quote-Firefly-and-proudly-call-myself-a-Browncoat nerd. I’m also a voracious reader, a homeschool mom, and an introvert. I’m more than a little awkward, and I express myself better in writing.

“I’ll read pretty much anything, with the exception of romance novels. Sadly, I’m bereft of any sense of romanticism. I tend to gravitate towards fantasy, YA, and sci-fi, but I’ve been branching out more into nonfiction lately.”


Thank you for having me!

I’m excited to talk about five books that I’d take with me to a desert island. Although, I’m more of a mountain fan so I’m mentally switching the beach out for a lovely, isolated cabin. Ah…that’s better.

Whether island or mountain, stranded or hermiting it up (I’m just creating words here), I have to start any list with a comfort read. You know, the kind that puts you at ease and makes you feel like you’re with old friends. This is where I cheat. I know, I just can’t be trusted! But my first choice would be…

1. The Dragonlance Chronicles by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
You can find this trilogy in a lovely, annotated edition, so I can pretend it’s one book instead of three, right? This trilogy jumpstarted my lifelong love of the fantasy genre. I reread it every year, starting in Autumn and I’m actually reading it right now. These books follow a group of friends who have met up after being separated for five years. Instead of a quiet reunion, they find themselves on a quest that soon snowballs into a fight for the entire future of their world. Despite being an epic fantasy story, the trilogy is nonetheless character-focused. In fact, the red-robed mage Raistlin is the origin of my love of morally complex characters.

So, moving on to my second choice. I’d have to add a bit of magic, which means I’d go with:

2. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
I’m a sucker for beautiful, descriptive writing and The Night Circus delivers it in droves. Reading about the Circus is like entering a gorgeous dream. Everything has an ethereal quality. If it were possible, I would gladly forego sleep to go explore Le Cirque des Rêves. I’m a chronically exhausted parent, so that’s saying something.

I can’t head to a location to be determined for long enough to bring five books without having a least a few new releases.
First up is an upcoming release that I’ve been looking forward to for quite a while.

3. Legacy of a Hated God by Patrick Samphire
This is the final book in the Mennik Thorn series. These books are phenomenal and I’m both excited to see how things wrap up and sad to know that I’ll have to say goodbye to one of the best walking Murphy’s Law characters that I’ve had the pleasure to read. Of course, even the best characters can’t exist in a vacuum and Mennik is surrounded by some awesome characters. The world is fabulous, the plot development continues to surprise. This would be a perfect book to take on a long trip.

4. The Yawning Gap by C.V. Vobh
I just started this one (I mean that quite literally) and I’m excited to see where it leads. The premise, that of a band of wanderers being given the responsibility of fixing things that are so far broken it’s hard to tell if they even are fixable, is the sort that lends itself to a massive amount of imagination. Author C.V. Vobh’s writing has me immediately invested.

5. Shield Maiden by Sharon Emmerichs
Last but certainly not least, I’d bring Shield Maiden, an upcoming release from Orbit Books. This novel is inspired by Beowulf. I have a fascination with the epic poem and am always curious to see how other people see it, what additions they will make, and how that will change the story itself. I’ve read Tolkien’s version, Seamus Heaney’s translation (my very favorite), and several reimaginings. I’m fascinated by the idea of adding a female’s perspective to the story.

I think these choices will keep me occupied for a good long while. I do get to go on this hypothetical trip, right? No? Sigh.
Thank you for letting me ramble, Irresponsible Reader!

Be sure to check out Witty and Sarcastic Bookclub! If you read that blog and/or follow her on Social Media, you’ll see that Jodie’s the bee’s knees.


Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books Footer

Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay

Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books with E.N. Crane/Noelle Rider/Noelle Neal-Crane

Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books
So, first things first, I should’ve taken a minute to read this submission before I did the graphic and used the name she used on the post. Oops. But I’m behind schedule, so we’re sticking with that. Sorry, Noelle.

More importantly, here’s what Perry Dog Publishing has to say about this author: “Dog mom, Bark Box buyer and the authors known as E. N. Crane (thriller, humorous mystery, action adventure) and Noelle Rider (romance, witchy RomCom, general smut). My books are all focused on the bond between plus-sized women and their pets with romance, sass and A LOT of coffee.

“Please, for the love of dog, SEND MORE COFFEE!”

Noelle put a special, seasonal twist on this list. Which tempts me to reach out to her every few months to see what she’d come up with.


Top 5 Books for Spooky Season

-Noelle Neal-Crane (aka Perry Dog Publishing’s E. N. Crane & Noelle Rider)

The Irresponsible Reader asked for my top 5 “Desert Island” books to help with October content. Since I failed to complete my Author Interview (SORRY! Talking about myself is hard), I figured I owed him. More than owed him, I LOVE FALL!

So I added a twist – this is my Top 5 Spooky Season / Fall deserted cabin in the woods books. (You would never catch me on an island – Islands are humid and humidity makes me feel like I’m suffocating because sensory processing issues). I’m going to preface this by saying I’m not into scary Halloween. I don’t do horror, fear or loud sudden noises. Cute Halloween, like Mickey’s Halloween Party and friendly monsters are my jam. You will find no Stephen King here… who I dislike for his book On Writing and the narrative about the creation of Carrie… to be so nonchalant about bullying and… Sorry, not the placce.

All my picks are romance, it’s all I’ve been up for reading recently. The top 3 are available through the library (because that’s where I read them from) and one of them was written by me.

Without further ado – Let’s FALL into this!

5. Pumpkin Spice, Noelle Rider – Alright, this is shameless self-promotion (well, some shame or I wouldn’t feel the need to justify it… selling myself is hard… that’s what she said, OK I’m done). Pumpkin Spice is a fall themed Novella I wrote under my romance author pen name. Pumpkin Spice is an intro into the land of Pumpkin Valley and it’s a spicy small town romance with a plus-sized woman and awkward romancing. I loved writing it, but I’m not delusional, so I can admit that it needed more… more what I’m not sure, but more. I have a proper Witchy RomCom based in a supernatural valley in Northern Idaho in the works, so if you read this and you like it, join my newsletter to find out when Witching and Scheming, A Huckleberry Hollow Romance Novel is released!

4. The Wolf’s Return, Lucille Yates – This book is the second in the Bite of Magic Series, but it’s my favorite so far. Probably because of the werewolves instead of straight witches and magic. Just… werewolves. The Wolf’s Return is another Romance (as advertised, I’ve been on a kick), and it’s a second chance, fated mate, supernatural romantic suspense. There’s a plot line started in the first book regarding a big evil luming over Georgia (besides humidity, huge bugs, and racism) that continues into this one. I can’t guarantee you can start here without missing key points, but they are all good. Plus, Hailey is a total badass and watching her adjust to the furry lifestyle while holding her own is… #lifegoals

3. The Me You Love in the Dark, Skottie Young – An adult graphic novel, The Me You Love in the Dark is CREEPY. Like… horror flick dolls creepy. The novel has five parts, but I got 1-5 from the Library for the BCAF item in the Ultimate Book Nerd Challenge and… honestly, it’s disturbing with incredible art and an awesome story line composed of a few words and a lot of dark imagery. The story line is an artist moves into a rumored to be haunted house to work on her art for a big upcoming show. She’s not a believer but finds it suitably inspiring, and begins talking to the imaginary spirit who is supposedly inside. Though he isn’t imaginary… TW: GRAPHIC, demon, implied/ drawn on page sex, murder, dismemberment… there could be more.

2. A Witch’s Guide to Fake Dating a Demon, Sarah Hawley – A fake dating, accidental summoning romantic comedy. This book is, as advertised with romantic comedy, reasonably predictable and meets all trope expectations. HOWEVER, the way it got there was both unique and heartfelt. While I found the first chapter fairly long and a bit… slow, it picked up quickly. If you’re an advocate for nature, finding your voice and hot demons, this will be your new favorite read. Think Fern Gulley meets Sabrina the Teenage Witch (nineties style, not the new darker Netflix version) with an HBO finish that would make it NC17. This says its a series and the next book is out in November, hopefully it holds up!

1. Not the Witch You Wed, April Asher – A Maxwell triplet Supernatural Singles book… is absolutely HILARIOUS! Violet is sassy, smart and floundering. The first born triplet, she’s supposed to inherit her grandma’s position as leader of the supernatural council… except she has no magic. Lucky for her she has two more, very slightly younger, siblings and Rose is ready and willing. So Vi is bartending, volunteering, and holding petty grudges against men who betrayed her a decade ago… at least until she has to fake date and move in with the North American Alpha wolf shifter. I didn’t sleep for 24 hours to read this, it was so good.

Happy Autumn and blessed Samhain to you all! Read long and prosper.


Visit Perry Dog Publishing to learn more about all the books available there, and (presumably) to find a way to send her coffee!


Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books Footer

Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay

Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books with Chris Monceaux

Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books
Chris has been rambling about books for 2.5 years on his blog, Biblio Nerd Reflections. He loves to read fantasy, science fiction, romance, historical fiction, queer stories, or any combination of those genres. He also collects comics and is obsessed with LEGO. He lives in Shreveport, LA with his wife and their pets.

Only 2.5 years? He’s only been at this 2.5 years and is as good as he is? Wow. Also, this whole time I thought it was “Biblionerd”, it’s odd how much his spacing is messing with me. The thing his bio doesn’t state is that he has probably the best rating system around—I sometimes question how he applies it (and am sure he would think the same about mine), but it’s something that book bloggers should try to emulate. I’m talking too much about him and not letting him get on with his list, full of good books and it features one of the best strategies in this series.


While I hope to never be stranded on a deserted island because it sounds awful, having my favorite books might make the experience at least marginally better. Maybe? Probably not. Regardless, I do have some favorite books that I’d love to have along with me. At the very least, I’d be able to re-visit some of my favorite characters before dying of hunger or thirst, which I guess is a win. If I’m lucky enough to get rescued before death takes me, these stories would help ease the never-ending boredom, too. So, without further ado, here are my top 5 books (in no particular order) I’d want with me if I was stranded on a deserted island:

1. The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien (50th Anniversary One-Volume Edition) – How could I not put THE LORD OF THE RINGS on this list? It would give me hours upon hours of enjoyment, and this edition includes all three books, which is probably cheating a bit, but oh well. I love this story and these characters so much, and I’d definitely want it on an island with me because I could read it over and over again.

2. The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez – This book is one of my more recent favorites. It is so unique and completely enthralling. I can totally see myself getting lost in the words and forgetting about being isolated on an island, at least for a while.

3. The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Schrefer – This is one of my favorite YA books I’ve ever read. The twist absolutely shattered me, and I’ve always wanted to go back and read it again knowing how it all ends. It is also quite existential in nature and focused on the importance of human connection, which would likely fit my mood while stranded on an island.

4. A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon – I loved THE PRIORY OF THE ORANGE TREE by this author, but I haven’t had a chance to read this standalone prequel yet. I figured I needed at least one book I haven’t read, and this is one I’m really looking forward to reading. Who says I can’t go on a new adventure while stuck on an island? I know this book will definitely take me on one!

5. The Rules and Regulations for Mediating Myths & Magic by F. T. Lukens – This book is just so ridiculous and fun, which is kind of lacking in my other picks. I’d definitely be reading this one anytime I needed a laugh or to pull myself out of a bad mood.

Those are the five books I’d want on a deserted island with me. I tried to focus mostly on standalones because not having the whole series would annoy me. Many of the books are also chonkers and could be used as weapons, if needed. 🙂

Be sure to check out Chris’ great blog Biblio Nerd Reflections!


Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books Footer

Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay

Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books with Ricardo Victoria

Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books
Ricardo Victoria’s bio on his website is great to read, but I don’t want to rip the whole thing off for this–but do go read it.

Here’s the portion of it that seems the most applicable:
He’s “in Toluca, [Mexico] living with his wife and his three dogs where he works as an academic at the local university. He has short stories featured in anthologies by Inklings Press and Rivenstone Press. In fact, he was nominated to a Sidewise Award  2016 for the short story “Twilight of the Mesozoic Moon”, co-written with his arch-nemesis, Brent A. Harris . He has also won a local contest for a fantasy short story during college. But hey! That one doesn’t count, does it?

“You can find his rants and other work– both fiction and opinion pieces here and from time to time on the Altered Instinct blog, www.alteredinstinct.com.

Tempest Blades, his first novel, was published in August 20th, 2029; by Shadow Dragon Press.”

He can be found on:

His Website: https://ricardovictoriau.com

Twitter @Winged_Leo

Facebook: Ricardo Victoria – Author

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/wingedlion.bsky.social


Things got away from Ricardo (as things are wont to do), so he asked me to reprint this list from his friend’s blog, Altered Instinct, where it appeared as: BOOK FEVER: Ten books that have stayed with me over the years – the awesome, funny Ricardo Victoria edition. (I did some minor editing)
Book Fever
Well, Stephen published a list of the top ten books that touched his heart (or whatever passes as such because I doubt he is mortal or even human, but I digress). So here is my list. Some would say it is a very eclectic list and certainly is not complete (there are a few novels that should be here but is a top ten list not a top fifteen and of course at least three to four non-fiction, historical books). This might explain why my mind is such a mess and why I write what I write. So in no particular order, here is my list.

The Dunwich Horror, by H. P. Lovecraft.

The Dunwich Horror
It’s a well-known fact amongst friends and some strangers that I’m a big fan of Lovecraft (the writer if not the person) and that I have in my personal collection almost all the stories he wrote, including some really obscure ones. I have to admit I don’t have many of the Dream cycle though, as I didn’t find them that engaging. I even have his book on how to write horror stories (Bone Peyote is a child of that book). So choosing from that selection one book is a rough task. There is a compilation published in Spanish about his precursors, his more important works and his successors, but I got that book because I was familiar with Lovecraft. Thus the honor goes to this little story that not incidentally was the first book (very thin book) I bought as a kid with money from a scholarship, basically money I earned when I was eight. Yeah, an eight-year-old kid reading Lovecraft, think about that and despair (my parents were just happy I was reading books and not watching cartoons). It was as well the first non-fiction book I read, as until then the only thing I read was books about Greco-Roman history. I still have that book. I never tire of reading that story as it was the one that made me want to be a writer and to this day captivates my mind.

I am of Irelaunde: A novel of Patrick and Osian (A Celtic Legend in Spanish) by Julienne Osborne McKnight

I am of Irelaunde
This book I think, is not well known, which is a shame, it deserves more love as is a beautiful retelling of the live of Saint Patrick at the start of his mission, having as companions other famous Irish patron saints and more important to the story, Osian, the son of legendary Irish hero Fionn McCumhaill (or for Americans, Finn McCool). While Patrick goes around learning how to reach the heart of the Irish, Osian narrates the story of his father and draws parallels that help Paidraigh to understand the people he has to preach. It’s epic. I found it in a discount pile at a local supermarket and finished it in two days. Why I bought it? Because I suspect that in one of my past lives I was Irish and by that point in my life, during my undergrad studies I was trying to get into celtic lore. I found it also at the time when I was undergoing a crisis of faith and started playing D&D, which it turns, inspired the creation of my first Player Character, a ranger/monk/fighter by the name of Fionn who was the seed to grow into the main character of my novel in progress Tempest Blades: The Withered King. Fun fact, when I moved out to UK for my PhD, this was the only book from home I took with me. So this particular copy has some serious air miles.

Guards! Guards! By Terry Pratchett

Guards! Guards!
It wasn’t the first Discworld book I bought (that one was Mort), nor the second (that one was The Colour of Magic), but certainly was the one that has stroke a chord since my high school days. In that time in Mexico, it was pretty hard to get any science fiction or fantasy books, hell even obtaining a copy of Lord of the Rings was difficult. It was just luck that I found the Discworld series being translated (in a messy order by the way) into Spanish. Guards is the book where I think Pratchett found his groove and style, where the footnotes (which Brent hates but I adore) are as interesting as the main story and that gives you a better picture of the setting. It was also the first book I read until then that took established tropes like the rightful heir to the crown and turned it upside down and that mixed genres, as it is at its heart a noir detective story which just happens in a fantasy setting. Personally I think it is also the best book of the Nightswatch cycle on the strength of the cast ensemble (specially Vetinari), whereas the main character of the setting is and will always be Death. This book also taught me about writing for fun and writing fun stuff even if the odds are stacked against the character. In other words, this book was to me what Hitchhikers was to many others.

Star Wars Episode III Revenge of the Sith novelization by Matthew Stover

Revenge of the Sit
Ok I know that most people deride the Prequels as they are not that good movies (Attack of the Clones is the worst), but I always maintained that it was not due to the ideas portrayed in them but because Lucas, for all its creativity, is a lousy director. This book is proof of it.

Usually, no one pays attention to movie novelizations, but you should seriously read this one. In the masterful hands of Stover, the story of Anakin’s fall takes new dimensions as it is better fleshed out and you can see the logic behind his acts. Here, he is not a bratty kid, but a weary warrior afraid of losing his dear ones and desperate to find a way to protect them. You can also as well get a better, deeper insight into Obi-Wan’s journey and how that allowed him to be more than a match to Anakin. Skywalker might have been the chosen one but Obi was the true Jedi and hero here.

The fights are expertly narrated and the insight you get into the minds of several characters gives you a new dimension the film doesn’t. I know some people find upsetting or old fashioned the omnipresent third person narrator, that switches from one character’s point of view to another as the plot demands (it is after all an adaptation of a movie), but actually I love it and I admit it was influenced my writing style more than it should. You seriously need to give it a try now that Star Wars is back. This book as well holds a dear place in my heart: see, when I just move out to UK for my PhD, I had just 50 pounds in my pocket for the whole month until my scholarship started to arrive, it was my birthday and the nice folks at the GameSoc of Loughborough University had invited me to London to take a walk (and search for a new AC/DC adaptor for my laptop that almost burned a few days before). This book was on offer at Forbidden Planet and I decided to use part of that money to buy it to myself as birthday present. To this day, I have never regretted not eating anything for the rest of the trip and that book has been read at least three times (right now it is on the fourth round). My copy is tattered, but I treasure it as a memento of those times as well as the book that helps me to get writing when I’m stuck with writer’s block.

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

Jurassic Park
This was my first science fiction book, even if I know that Crichton was at best a luddite for lack of a better word. I loved it so much that I read it in one afternoon and then reread it several times that week (to detriment of my grades). It’s the only book I have that has exploded and had to be repaired. The idea of science reviving dinosaurs mixed with the amusement park and chaos theory was an eye opener on how to write consequences to the character’s acts.

I still have vivid dreams about parks like that to this day. It helped I guess that even if I was in high school I had a good grasp on genetics (thanks to my mom). The only thing I have never liked was the abruptness of the end and only until I learned about Crichton views on science that it dawned on me why he decided to the end the book that way (he doesn’t care about what happens to the characters, he just wanted to make a point on science ethics).

The sequel is bad, to be honest, albeit better than the second movie and Ian Malcom is a great character both in book and in film. If I could, I would have written a series of novels about Ian Malcom snarking his way out of science-related nightmares; always with the voice of Jeff Goldblum in my head (Jurassic World needed more Goldblum). Man, this book made maths and mathematicians cool to a teenager that despised maths. That’s how badass this book it is.

The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien

The Silmarillion
Full disclosure: when I was a teenager I loved Lord of the Rings and read it the first time during Christmas in three days (one per book), as it gave me something to chat with someone who would become one of my best friends and started me into serious fantasy literature (it also made me willing to spend my allowance in Realms of Fantasy, a great magazine back in the 90’s that helped me to learn English in six months and that now is sadly gone). Nowadays I can barely pass the first chapter as LOTR really bores me. Yeah I know, blasphemy, but hey, it’s my list.

Now the Silmarillion; that I can read and read again. For years, as a Tolkien novice in a country that barely reads at all, this book was an urban legend, known only through whispers: the legendary bible to the LOTR ‘modern’ world history. What secrets hold in its pages? What mysteries would clarify? Well, once I got my hands on it at a book fair all became clear: a modern equivalent to the epics of ancient cultures such as Gilgamesh. It is beautifully written and one of the uppermost examples of worldbuilding done right. I know in my heart there is no way someone will make a movie about this because there is so much lore here that can compete with our history books. The level of complexity and detail that reaches can only speak of a man that knows his setting as well or even more as his characters and loves to talk about it like a gardener tends his garden with pure a unadultered love.

This book has it all, foundation myths, intrigue, revenge, love, hope, redemption. It is like Game of Thrones before Game of Thrones (Feanor is a seriously damaged dude, whose rash decisions have an impact on the world even aeons later). It might be old school in terms of Manichean views on good and evil, but still a superb book. While LOTR and to a lesser extent the Hobbit are the flagships of Tolkien, I think the Silmarillion is the true proof of his genius as writer and founding father of the modern fantasy literature. If someday I write an epic origin myth story, it will be thanks to the inspiration the Silmarillion has provided me.

The Queen of the Damned by Anne Rice

The Queen of the Damned
Unlike my wife, I’m not a big fan of Mrs. Rice (albeit my wife doesn’t like her most recent output, not since Rice went all religious on us). That said, I find her earlier books fascinating, particularly Lestat, Menoch the Demon and The Queen of the Damned. I choose the latter as the entry for the list despite the fact that in my head canon, these three are almost a single book that starts from a simple premise, a new vampire becoming a force to be reckoned on his society to an epic tale sprawling the biblical times.

It provided at the time with a novel origin for the vampires (which I think latter informed the original Vampire the Masquerade games) intermixed with an end of the world scenario. It was like peering at the rabbit hole and trying to find how deep it would go. I admit that the tale of the twins and the Canaanite mythology related on the books informed the first approaches to what is now the cosmogony of my novel’s setting; as they are full of that essence I call the life of a myth, the creation of gods by men. I don’t care much for Lestat, but I care for the curious creatures that dwell in what he calls the savage garden. Sad fact: this is the only book of this list that has been lost from my collection. Luckily my wife has pretty much all the books of the old Vampire Chronicles so I can read them again.

Alexander by Valerio Massimo Manfredi

Alexander
In my original list this series of books (it’s a trilogy or a single book split on three, kinda like LOTR) this wasn’t an entry, that place was going to Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain, but then I re-examined as this list is not only of books that stroke a chord on me, but as well has influenced me as writer. And this is why Alexandros is here.

As a child, I was an avid reader of Greco-Roman history, as mentioned before, so this book as was a perfect fit for those budding interests. It weaves a thrilling narrative on the life of the only young adult that puts on shame any achievement by any modern young adult. Yeah you can invent Facebook, but can you conquer half of the world with an army loyal to the death? No, it can’t be done if you are not Alexander the Great. When I read the books I didn’t care about the whole plot about Alexander musing if he was son of a deity. I cared about Alexander and his tight pack of friends taking on the world, knowing that they were destined to betray each other as ambitions reached their peaks once the great man was gone. I cared about the legend made man and to a certain point his master trying to uncover the mystery of his father’s assassination. Do you want to write a larger than life hero that is too human for its own good? Then you go and read about this book, which incidentally also does a superb job explaining the politics and the military tactics of the time and Alexander’s in particular.

I, Robot by Issac Assimov

I, Robot
This was my second science fiction book and my first about hard science fiction. I have heard of Asimov from three sources: his book on Greek history that I devoured, his book on dinosaurs that explained clearly the evolution into birds and mammals (which would help me to create one of the races of my novel) and one of my best friends, Pedro, who also participated on the Tales from the Universe anthology.

I have heard a lot about the Foundation Trilogy. This book was a perfect fit at the time. I liked how small short stories were interlinked to provide the reader, through the eyes of three characters that got butchered by Will Smith years later, a view on how technology was changing humankind, from new mining operations to FTL space ships. I know somehow it got later linked to the other novels by Asimov to create a single universe, but I liked the simplicity of the narrative device and the questions posed. I think to that it is because of this book that at times I tend to write a lot about technobabble through my characters to explain some feature of my setting, be it magic or science.

Fun fact: I argued with my literature teacher at the time to let me write my final essay for his class on this book instead of the awful book of the Perfume suggested by one my female classmates the guy fancied and that had decried Dracula as trash. After a grueling process of negotiation, I was granted my request and promptly forgot about the essay until an hour before deadline. It was the time I have wrote more words per minute (I actually damaged some of the keys of the keyboard) but I finished the essay with one minute to spare, print, run and deliver.

The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights by John Steinbeck

The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights
This is the last book of my list and a weird one. I know that now there are more retellings of the Arthurian cycle than any other; from the classics of Mallory and Troyes to modern fiction. But if someday I have kids that want to read about King Arthur, this would be the version I would read them (sans the sex scenes of course). For starters is by one of modern literature giants, so it is a master class on style and prose. Second, it is neither pandering nor crude; it has the perfect balance between myth and plausible reality. Third, it is not flowery but neither barren.

The characters are flawed, but relatable, while keeping their mythic aura. It is a tragedy that nonetheless leaves you with hope for the future as even the lesser knights are fleshed out and you get to know more of the less known members of the Round Table. This is not a book about Arthur, it is a book about Camelot and what Arthur meant (you can see it in the section about Ywain, his nephew and the knight of the white lion). If I have to describe it with one word that would be: perfection. If you are a fan of Prince Valiant, then you have to read this book. It is also a perfect gateway book to introduce someone into fantasy literature. Some of the knightly ideas I used for my characters on my novel stem from this book.

Honourable mentions: there a few books I left out of this list as I mentioned before, so I will do so here in some brief coda:

World War Z by Max Brooks. I hate zombies. I hate zombie stories and yet I love this book that I can’t stop recommending. It has it all you want from a serious zombie story, not just the thrills and the scares. I have read it three times and still scare me. And if you are into audiobooks you have to get the one where Mark Hamill voices some of the characters.

Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain. Because not all in life is fiction, I like to read biographies and non-fiction from time to time. This is an enthralling, fun book (except for one chapter) that explains much of our modern fascination with the chef star that pops on tv and movies. I think that Bourdain is a much better writer than chef and he is a pretty great chef.

-Soul Music by Terry Pratchett. Choosing a book by Pratchett is hard, choosing one of the Death centered ones is even tougher (Hogfather is a riot, Reaper Man is epic), but I think Soul Music is a better entry not because is a better book, Reaper Man is better; but because this one is touching. I mean it makes an admittedly funny yet abstract entity like Death a touching, fleshed (pun non intended) character through the eyes of his granddaughter and a wannabe rock band. This book made Death my favorite character of Discworld. He plays a mean guitar riff.

So there we go, ten books that have not only lingered on my head, but have become major influences on my writing, from style to concepts and structure.  I would like to hear about your opinions, comments and lists. Comment below and let me know, we might share common tastes. 

Be sure to check out Ricardo Victoria’s books! I haven’t had the chance to read any yet, but I’ve only heard good things about them, you should join the chorus!


Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books Footer

Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay

Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books with Donna Morfett

Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books
Here’s what I know about Donna: “Avid reader, support authors through interviews, forensic science graduate.” She posts to her Facebook group, Donna’s Reviews and Interviews, and seems fairly active on Twitter, Instagram, and Threads.

Oh, and she’s super-generous with her time, volunteering for this right away and even taking time out of a festival that I’d ignore my blog while attending to finish this post. Some people and their priorities 🙂


1. Abattoir of Dreams by Mark Tilbury

I read this book at the very very start of lockdown. I’d seen it mentioned a lot in a book group ok Facebook, and that’s sure to grab my attention and eventually I give in and say fine I’ll read it! 

It blew me away. It has one of the most despicable characters in all of fiction, it has an element of supernatural, and its by no means an easy read. 

I count this book as one that started a journey that’s changed my life. 

I raved about it on social media, which led to me receiving my first ever signed copy of a book. I now count the author as a friend and have the central image of the original cover in the middle of a book quote tattoo.

2. Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

This book is very special, set in Barcelona, in 1945, the setting is magical and mystical. The premise is a cemetery of forgotten books. If this not enough to gain your intrigue I don’t know what is. 

3. Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling

The Harry Potter books are all amazing and I’d recommend them all if I could. I was an adult when they were released but they get darker as the series progresses and are more adult in content. Although the early ones are great for escapism. If I must choose one the Goblet of fire is one that has so much going on and is where things start to change. 

4. Lessons on Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus 

I don’t normally read the books that are book club picks etc as I know how all that works. However this book is special. A woman going out and trying to find a way, however she can, of proving women can and should be allowed to do anything. Set in the 1950s, the main character, Zott, is a scientist, but hits brick walls because she’s female. She uses her accidental fame as a TV star to try and bring about change. 

5. The Secret History by Donna Tartt

I read this for the first time this year, and essentially completely hooked. Its one of the first books I’ve got to the end of and wanted to start again straight away. I’m not really sure I can explain why. 

A bunch if posh uni boys, one from a less well off background, sex, drink, drugs and murder. 

I suppose when you think of it like that, it makes perfect sense! 

My reviews of these books and the many others I read are on 
https://www.facebook.com/groups/donnasinterviewsandreviews/?ref=share_group_link
Be sure to check out the above reviews (and others) Donna’s Reviews and Interviews!


Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books Footer

Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay

Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books with Matthew Samuels

Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books
Mathew Samuels is a science fiction and fantasy writer based in London, UK. He’s the author of the Sci-Fi Hopepunk adventure books Parasites and Dusk, the first two books in the Navigator Series, which you can buy on Amazon or read more about on Goodreads (Parasites, Dusk), and urban fantasy titles, Small Places, which you can buy here and read about here, and Wild Court, which you can read about here and buy here


Against a Dark Background – Iain M Banks

Before we hung on Sanderson’s every word, there was Banks, and this is my all-time favourite of his works. It’s not part of the famous ‘Culture’ series, but rather a standalone novel about Sharrow, a woman living in a futuristic solar system. A former member of a combat-attuned group of fighters, she’s being targeted by a cult who believe her death will herald the birth of their messiah … unless a long-long gun of near-magical powers is returned to them.

Sharrow – a dismissive, cynical, pain in the ass aristocrat with style – goes on a journey to get the band back together, find the gun and avoid certain death. Along the way, she’s dragged into heists, blackmailed, meets a singularly weird group of solipsists and remembers past adventures (and wounds).

For me, it’s probably the quintessential ‘tired hero’ book. Sharrow’s not perfect but her adventures are. I love each of her companions, her journey, and ultimately, the ending. I was lucky enough to meet Banks and get my copy signed before he passed, and it’s one of my most treasured possessions.

Kushiel’s Dart – Jacqueline Carey

A courtesan, trained as a spy, in a country where ‘love as thou wilt’ is the law of the land, uncovering a vast conspiracy that threatens everyone. This is the start of Carey’s vast and wonderful Terre D’Ange series, and they’re all worth a read. The lush, sprawling universe, stylised language and politicking would be enough for most people, but Carey spares no details when it comes to the heroine’s life as a courtesan. Her enjoyment of pain might be a bit strong for some people, but it also raises a philosophical question – how do you handle threat in a book when the protagonist gets off on the thing that most people fear? That aspect is handled ably, and with an abrupt change halfway through the first book, I’m still stunned by how good this book is.

The Crystal Singer – Anne McCaffrey

This is such a comfort read for me; it’s an oldie, but a goodie. Killashandra is a failed singer with a colossal ego, determined to be the best at all costs. After failing university, she meets a ‘crystal singer’, one of the elite few able to mine rare communications crystals on the world of Ballybran. Killashandra’s journey to become a crystal singer – and beyond – is not easy, but I just love the world that McCaffrey builds.

The Time Traveler’s Wife – Audrey Niffenegger

The first time I read this book, it was a borrowed copy. As soon as I’d finished it, I went out, bought my own copy and re-read it. I’m haunted by its beauty. It’s tragic, inevitable, but the absolute embodiment of the sentiment that things aren’t beautiful because they last forever. Henry’s journey as a time-hopping scoundrel, meeting his future wife throughout time, and all of their problems, successes and time together – it’s just gorgeous.

Weaveworld – Clive Barker

Most people know Barker for his horror. Weaveworld is a brilliant fantasy book (with a few slight horror elements) which slowly reveals a magical land, the denizens of which are fleeing horrors both ancient and modern. The very normal protagonist, Cal, teams up with Susanna, the granddaughter of one of the realm’s guardians, and together they seek out and explore the magical world, despite the enemies that face them.

To me, this is a grown-up Alice in Wonderland. I love Barker’s language, the magic and the horror he shows, the progression of the characters (or lack thereof!) and the worlds he paints. His other books in this genre – The Great and Secret Show, and the Abarat series (for younger readers?) are also fantastic, and prove that he shouldn’t just be known for Hellraiser.

Be sure to check out Samuels’ books!


Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books Footer

Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay

Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books with Shazzi

Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books
Shazzi blogs at reader@work. The About page there tells us a bit more:

“I like books, reading them, reviewing them, collecting them, clicking pictures of them, walking into bookstores, and the like. I book blog here and am a reviewer at The Fantasy Book Critic (FBC) blog. You can find my reviews here, on the FBC blog, on Goodreads, and Instagram. I use Twitter to mostly interact with authors and publishers and other book lovers, tend to tweet obsessively about my current reads and upcoming books I’ve been fortunate enough to receive advanced copies of (thank you, kind publishers and authors)…

I read all kinds of books from classics to thrillers to YA, but you’ll find I spend most of my time with fantasy and mythology books. I really enjoy reading books with strong narrative voices, diverse representation, and those that focus on character examination.”

The prompt for these posts was, “what are your All-Time Desert Island Top 5 books? (at least, what’s today’s version of that?)” Some of the contributors took that prompt and ignored it to give something better…Shazzi is the first of those that I’m sharing.


Just five? I can make do with just one. Hear me out as you pick your jaw up off the floor.

I need a book that can give me as many fantasy tropes as possible, and contains a variety of characters. I like my characters grey, and it would be enjoyable if there were tidbits I could pick up on with each re-read. And I have just the omnibus (no, it’s not cheating) for that:

The Complete Mahabharatha by Ramesh Menon

Arguably the largest epic in the world, the Mahabharatha is the longer of the Indian epics, and is allegedly 8 times the length of the Iliad and the Odyssey combined. There are prophecies, self-fulfilling and otherwise, instances of divine intervention, more characters than I can ever remember, and even though I’ve read it over fifteen times, I always end a read feeling like I need to start reading the story all over again.

It reveals the sociopolitical climate of ancient India, and every fantasy trope and narrative style you can name. While it is largely associated with the Hindu religion and has the status of a myth today, I believe it is one of the greatest and grandest stories ever told, and make time for a re-read every year. There are tons of versions available, both in academic form, and otherwise.

Give me a copy of the Mahabharatha, and I will toss my TBR into the fire, there’s no question about it. There’s nothing that can draw me away from this story. It is one I grew up listening to as a child, and as I get older, given the vast saga it is, I find something new to relate to, and appreciate. You need to remember, this is set in a time that does not align with our present-day values, but there is still plenty to learn from this epic.

That’s it. That’s the book I need. Not five, just the one.

Be sure to check out Shazzi’s reader@work, at Fantasy Book Critic, or Twitter!


Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books Footer

Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay

Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books with Vesper Aeon

Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books
I couldn’t find much information about Vesper Aeon to provide this bio. Their webtoon The Epimethians is “an independent comic series about space marine mercs in the distant future”, which sounds promising. I really like their approach to this question.


A Desert Island Reading List

By Vesper Aeon

Everyone likes to ask the question of what you would take to read if you knew you were going to be stranded on a desert island for an extended period. It’s a valid question because we need novelty and distractions, otherwise our minds turn inward, and a proper reading list would help guide our thoughts. Compiling a good list, however, isn’t as easy as it sounds as I learned when I accepted this assignment.

In my youth there were certainly books I re-read, especially The Martian Chronicles. They weren’t especially complex stories, but they were not only entertaining, but showed the author’s love for the stuff that he read as a child and how they were still affecting him as an adult. Now, as an adult, I don’t find too many books that interest me enough to re-read them.

My ex-wife suggested I read Lady Chatterley’s Lover, which was one of her favorites, and we came away from it with very different understandings of the story. Likewise, she loved The Plague Dogs and, while I agree the book has a lot going for it, I felt that the ending was changed by the Editor who decided that it needed something more upbeat than what the author had intended. But I don’t think I could, or would need to, read either of those more than twice.

So, what would I take? I don’t want to give joke answers, and I’d also prefer not to be cliché, but if I had to choose, then I suppose this is the list.

1. The Bible: King James Version

Let’s be clear, I’m not bringing this because I’m especially religious, I’m not. But you would be hard-pressed to find any volume in the world that has had a greater impact on human civilization, for good or ill. Everyone and their mother want to hurl quotes at you, but let’s be honest here…how many people do you know who have actually read it?

The staff of the RPG company White Wolf Studios certainly did, and their takeaways were nothing less than fascinating, as shown in their interpretation of the story of Cain and Abel and the origination of the vampire.

2. Don Quixote

After 500 years people are still reading this epic tale, and it is highly celebrated in Cervantes’ native Spain. I tried reading it long ago, but there were so many passages in French, Italian, and German that I felt that by skipping them due to my inability to speak those languages, I was missing something crucial to the plot. If they weren’t necessary, why did Cervantes include them? And if they wouldn’t lose their meaning by being translated in Spanish, why didn’t he? Since I was reading “Don Quixote” in English, why wasn’t everything translated into English?

The reason, I supposed, was that Cervantes felt that these passages would lose something in their translation, and thus he refused to. With unlimited time, and a greater understanding of the fundamentals, I think I could make a better effort at it and might enjoy the book more.

3. The Bhagavad Gita

This is a book I had never even heard of until I saw it referenced, quite unfavorably, in Robert Heinlein’s classic “Stranger in a Strange Land”. Again, I’m not especially religious, but this holy book is over 2,000 years old and has influenced the lives of millions of people in India, one of the most populous countries on earth. Freed from the distractions of ordinary life I could finally settle in to study it and see what it has to offer and why Heinlein was so quick to dismiss it.

4. Finnegan’s Wake

I’ve heard this book referenced occasionally, including a blurb in the satirical newspaper The Onion. For those who are unaware, this book took James Joyce 17 years to write, and most people spend almost that much time reading it. Not because it’s boring, but because it defies conventional storytelling methods. Probably the only downside to reading it would be the lack of someone to share it with, which certainly aids in understanding anything.

5. The Koran

Despite my frequent protestations that I’m not religiously inclined, here I am adding a third holy text to this list.
Most of what I know about the Middle East was gained during my time as a student at the University of Washington, but my education was a mile wide and an inch deep. I gained a broad understanding of the history of the region, mostly in the post-WWI eras, but the best way to understand a culture is to explore their relationship with the Almighty. And this saves me from accusations of taking sides or ignoring one of the major religions of planet earth.

Is my list trite? I probably don’t know, but it’s honest, at the very least. If I had to remove the Bible and the Koran, I have other titles in mind, but I’ll save them for a future list.

Be sure to check out The Epimethians or its Twitter feed!


Top 5 All-Time Desert Island Books Footer

Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay

Page 1 of 6

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén