1. Due to issues with external spam filters, QQ is currently unable to send any mail to Microsoft E-mail addresses. This includes any account at live.com, hotmail.com or msn.com. Signing up to the forum with one of these addresses will result in your verification E-mail never arriving. For best results, please use a different E-mail provider for your QQ address.
    Dismiss Notice
  2. For prospective new members, a word of warning: don't use common names like Dennis, Simon, or Kenny if you decide to create an account. Spammers have used them all before you and gotten those names flagged in the anti-spam databases. Your account registration will be rejected because of it.
    Dismiss Notice
  3. Since it has happened MULTIPLE times now, I want to be very clear about this. You do not get to abandon an account and create a new one. You do not get to pass an account to someone else and create a new one. If you do so anyway, you will be banned for creating sockpuppets.
    Dismiss Notice
  4. If you wish to change your username, please ask via conversation to tehelgee instead of asking via my profile. I'd like to not clutter it up with such requests.
    Dismiss Notice
  5. Due to the actions of particularly persistent spammers and trolls, we will be banning disposable email addresses from today onward.
    Dismiss Notice
  6. A note about the current Ukraine situation: Discussion of it is still prohibited as per Rule 8
    Dismiss Notice
  7. The rules regarding NSFW links have been updated. See here for details.
    Dismiss Notice
  8. The testbed for the QQ XF2 transition is now publicly available. Please see more information here.
    Dismiss Notice

Interesting Reads

Discussion in 'General' started by Megaolix, Oct 13, 2013.

  1. Megaolix

    Megaolix Moderator

    Joined:
    Feb 19, 2013
    Messages:
    29,344
    Likes Received:
    103,123
    A thread to recommend stories that aren't fanfics. Shorts stories, novels and such. Because why not?

    Juniper's Knot

    A short kinetic novel crafted in a month by Dischan, Juniper’s Knot is a story told from dual perspectives: that of a demon and a boy. It begins on an autumn morning in a silent town.

    http://junipersknot.dischan.org/?l=en

    A nice story to read. A fast reader can easily finish it under an hour, but the music and art are good. And it's free too.

    After this, I know I'll be checking what else Dischan did.
     
  2. Carrnage

    Carrnage Well worn.

    Joined:
    Feb 19, 2013
    Messages:
    8,300
    Likes Received:
    21,535
    http://chooseyourstory.com/story/necromancer

    one of the very few CYOA's that are both finished and of decent quality.
     
  3. Vindictus

    Vindictus Experienced.

    Joined:
    Feb 19, 2013
    Messages:
    3,845
    Likes Received:
    4,807
    Huh. The writing isn't that great, but the plot seems interesting- The 'True Ending' was a nice touch.

    Especially the way it plays being an evil necromancer so perfectly straight.
     
  4. Olive

    Olive Getting sticky.

    Joined:
    May 16, 2013
    Messages:
    94
    Likes Received:
    190
  5. Megaolix

    Megaolix Moderator

    Joined:
    Feb 19, 2013
    Messages:
    29,344
    Likes Received:
    103,123
    Well, I said I would read more of what Dischan did, and I did. Here am I now with another recommendation.

    Dysfunctional Systems Episode 1: Learning to Manage Chaos

    [​IMG]

    Main character we follow is Winter, a novice mediator. In this episode, she's mentored by a senior mediator named Cyrus.

    What do they mediate? Worlds.

    This a setting where they travel between worlds, acting as a neutral party to, as the title may suggest, balance things between order and chaos. Things can work out. Others time... shit happens.

    This was out only last month. A bit short for my taste, but I expect great things from future episodes. Seriously, the setting itself... it's awesome. I imagine great things. I could easily see a GM use this setting to make on hell of an awesome game.

    And as said by producers, choices taken will affect the story in future episodes. I wonder if they'll be able to manage it... But I sure as hell will be watching them and hope they do.
     
  6. Adyen

    Adyen Experienced.

    Joined:
    Jan 30, 2014
    Messages:
    3,945
    Likes Received:
    3,139
    Heaven Canceler likes this.
  7. CptTagon

    CptTagon Prolific Writer

    Joined:
    Jul 26, 2014
    Messages:
    30,667
    Likes Received:
    527,021
    I would like to recommend the manga version of Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind by Hayao Miyazaki. Amazing art work, in both the technical and world-building sense. It is a vast story set a thousand years after the apocalypse as the last two great nations in the world go to war. It has many diverse cultures, none of which are portrayed as solely evil. I think that it is superior to the movie, and I make sure to read it at least once a year.
     
  8. Heaven Canceler

    Heaven Canceler Behind You!

    Joined:
    Nov 30, 2013
    Messages:
    11,445
    Likes Received:
    54,365
    Children Books

    Cornelia Funke's Dragonrider: It is well written and has sympathic characters. One of the first books I ever read and it made really love Dragons.

    Youth and Adult

    The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel book series. Detailed fantasy world, great Characters and very good research into history and mythology was made by the author.

    The Black Magician Trilogy and connected books. It has a very interesting light Fantasy world. The main character Sonea is interesting and easy to connect with. Morality is not black white most of the time and there is a good deal of intrigue. The Trilogy is fun and I liked how different the prequel book felt. I have not read much of the sequel series though, so I cannot say much there.

    The Temeraire book series. This is a very good number of books and history reimagined with the Addition of dragons is very interesting. Temeraire is great and I also very much like Laurence, his growth as a person and the values he holds.

    Mara and the Firebringer. Did you like Percy Jackson? Then you will likely like this too. The author has put serious work into research and created good and interesting characters. Everyone has his flaws and good parts. I think I will forever think of this portrayal of Loki when I hear his name. Read the first book and will get the others too when I can.
     
  9. Lethality

    Lethality Getting out there.

    Joined:
    May 19, 2014
    Messages:
    24
    Likes Received:
    172
    Well, I remember reading a bunch of Julius Verne's stuff back in highschool, and that was enjoyable. Not that you couldn't spot trends in his characters (main or not) and other story elements, but honestly that's normal for any author.

    Though I guess that I'm recommending more than the usual "Around the World in 80 days" or "Journey to the Center of the Earth" or the other works he's usually known for. just that his other books are enjoyable as well. Well, I'm guessing they should be enjoyable for other people, too.