Magic's Price

Once again I retread The Last Herald Mage trilogy by Mercedes  Lackey.  This series always makes me sad after reading it. 

Vanyel chooses to serve Valdemar to the end.  Excellent story if a few years out of date

A Memory of Light

I read A Memory of Light about a month ago.

I feel like I have enough distance to blog about it. 

Overall I think Brandon Sanderson did a sublime job of competing Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time. 

This book seems to be mostly about Action and things getting resolved.  I can almost see the check off list in my mind. 

But it was very well done and came to a very satisfying conclusion.

If you are a dedicated Wheel of Time fan you will not be disapointed. I hope that consideration is given to Brandon Sanderson to do some of the Outrigger novels, that Jordan had planned. But we have an ending and for me that is enough for the series I have waited 23years for the conclusion.

I am a happy fan! Thank you Brandon Sanderson, Robert Jordan and everyone involved in this series that has been a home for my imagination.

Talislanta

One of my favorite Fantasy settings of all time is being released to the public free! Check it out Talislanta is awesome.http://talislanta.com/

Check out the 4th edition Big Blue Book!

The Heart of the Matter

I really like John Eldredge and his books. I think they have an important message for the Church. That being said sometimes I just can't get what they are talking about. They seem too good to be true.

Wishful thinking

Most of the time I have no idea how God feels about me. I certainly have a hard time capturing where they are coming from.

Not much has changed with my life. I still struggle with Lust, still struggle with my marriage, still struggle to find time for God in my life. And I often wonder what God is thinking.

The Gathering Storm

This is book 1 of what would have been Robert Jordan's finish to The Wheel of Time.

Robert Jordan died in 2007 leaving his fantasy epic unfinished. Brandon Sanderson a good author in his own right stepped in to finish Jordan's epic.

I am very impressed at how well Brandon Sanderson pulled off a very tricky job. Working with Jordan's outlines, notes and parcial scenes Sanderson brings things together amazingly well.

It doesn't have Jordan's ultradiscriptiveness but the Character's feel "right" as you read them. And plotlines are actually brought to conclusion rather than simply spinning off more and more pages of stories of terciary characters.

I finished the book last night and it really brought out a sense of lostness and nostalgia. I started reading these books when I was 17 and now I am 37. I remember I would save reading them for vacations where I could the new books strait through without much interuption. These books have been a thread running through my life and now it's almost over. I also feel like shouldn't I have accomplished more in my life than I have. I will never be able to go back to those times and while they had their own problems I miss them.

The world seemed a lot simpler back then.

Hero of the Ages

I just finished Hero of the Ages by Brandon Sanderson. It was a very good series afterall but I didn't like the conclusion of the series.

I am also re reading the Dresden Files books by Jim Butcher.

These books are so good.

Night of Knives

I think Ian Esslemont is a better introduction to the Malazan universe than even Steven Erikson. I am really enjoying Night of Knives.

I am also about half way through The Worm of Ouroboros. It is fantastic although hard reading from time to time. Well worth it.

The Red Wolf Conspiracy

Hello Folks,

This is a new book by a new author that I am almost 3/4's of the way through.

It is worth reading and I very much enjoy the style.

Durin

Turn Coat

To Durin

Jim Butcher

(Conjure at your own peril!)

Ooohhyahh! I have a signed copy of Jim Butcher's new book Turn Coat.

I really like Jim Butcher's sense of humor and it really shows in his writing.

Read the Dresden Files! You will not be disapointed.

I am a 37 year old married Pen & Paper Gamer

I still get to play D&D every other week with some folks from my Church.

Curently I am playing a 7th Level Human Beguiler

We have a great time.

:)

Pre-WW2 Germany, Rome Sweet Home, Drizzt

Since you asked Rich,

I am reading The Rise of The Third Reich, Rome Sweet Home, and The Orc King right now.

As you can see I am skipping around in what I am reading. I felt compelled to read about pre Hitler Germany because of the problems in the U.S. right now. After the Hyper-inflation years Hitler was the man on a white horse coming to save Germany. I worry about a similar deception sometime in our future.

Getting Thirsty

I know this is not a new idea but I really feel that God lets us try to fulfill ourselves with anything and everything. We just get hungrier and thistier and finally like the Prodigal Son we realize that what we need more than anything is to return home.

I have gone through this cycle time after time in my life and hopefully I come to my senses sooner but at least God is working in my life.

Marriage and Mt. Doom

I get my best thoughts when I am half asleep. Last night I was thinking about my marriage and the struggles my wife and I are going through.

My mind wandered back to The Lord of the Rings where the part in the Return of The King movie where Sam Gamgee picks Frodo up and carries him the last part of the way up Mt. Doom.

I think that's how married life is sometimes. It's not fun but it is learning to bear one another's burden's.

I fail often, pray for me.

Toll the Hounds

I am currently halfway through the 8th book in The Malazan Book of the Fallen.

So far there are many interesting twists and turns but as usual for Steven Erickson "The Payoff" is in the last half of the book.

Life has been strange the past few months. I really feel led to return to the Roman Catholic Church but at the same time I am entwined in the leadership of our current church. So I am walking that one out step by step.

Please continue praying for my Marriage, as things are not all Kosher, we are in counseling right now so hopefully things will get better.

Durin

Song For The Basilisk

I am reading this now and it is another wonder written by Patricia McKillip. If you want an hour or two of wonder read one of her stories. Don't let the girly cover keep you from reading it.

The past few months I don't feel like I have been living but just going through the motions. Things are really rough when it comes to my marriage and It is a day by day thing.

I don't know what God is doing in my life at the moment. It feels like I'm just marking time.

Pray for me

Things I Learned from Fantasy and Sci-Fi

1. There is real Evil in the World
2. Evil sounds good and taste's bad.
3. Heroes come in all shape's and sizes and can be found in the most unusual places.
4. Shared Joy is Increased, Shared sorrow diminished
5. When all Hope is lost, Keep Going.
6. Thing's are not as they first appear.
7. Evil can never be conquered by Evil.
8. Evil corrupts all it touches.
9. Goodness is NOT common.
10. This life is not all there is.
11. The Greatest Power in the Universe is Love

Dresden Files

Following on the reccomendation of two folks I have started reading the Dresden Files books by Jim Butcher.

If you care about your free time don't read them. You will get sucked in by this page turning phenomena.

I started reading Storm Front last week and I am now about to start on the 6th book in the series.

So Don't read Jim Butcher's awesome Dresden books or you will become an addict like me.

My Name is Durin and I am a Dresdenholic.

The Bell at Sealy Head

I am reading the new Patricia McKillip book The Bell at Sealy Head.

I love it, I love all of Patricia McKillip's books but I have found this one to be a real treasure so far. McKillip's books are wonderful escapisim in the best sense of the word. She writes about rich lyrical worlds that leave you with an emense saddness and wonder at what she has produced.

The very best do that.

She does it well.


Also on a personal note my wife and I have been going to counseling and please pray for that process.

I feel like I have entered a new territory in my life and need to keep my ears tuned in to what God would say to me. I need his leading.

Books on CD

Right now I am listening to Abarat: Days of Magic, Nights of War by Clive Barker and I listened to Draco Tavern by Larry Niven on the way to a Vineyard conference in Michigan.

Draco was a great set of stories that contained some heavy cosmic musing. I thought that Niven handled folks with Faith as most hard Sci-Fi folks do, dismissivly. But I have to admire the cosmic issues that he addressed in some really well done stories.

I enjoyed listening to Days of Magic, Nights of War again. I really think Clive Barker has created something special in this series and I cannot wait for the mysterious Abarat book 3.

At the Vineyard conference I attented a workshop on God's Calling. I really feel that I need to commit to writing on a regular basis. I have never been able to get that done before but I do think there are several stories running around my brain that I need to set down in text.

Pray for me in that.

Durin

Phoenix Endangered

I am very much enjoying the latest book in the Endarkened saga by Mercedes Lackey.

I am going to a Vineyard conference on Friday with my Pastor and would covet your prayers