Tag: fantasy

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A Parade of Horribles, by Matt Dinniman (Book Review)

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A Parade of Horribles narrows the dungeon mechanics while widening the themes. Between Stoic reflections on the danger of living in “what ifs,” Carl’s increasingly volatile anger, Sluggalo philosophy, karaoke violence and the usual end-of-book chaos, DCC continues to turn absurdity into something strangely profound. Eight books in, the series feels less like humans versus aliens and more like a story about oppressed people learning how to recognize, resist and eventually break the systems built to control them. Continue reading A Parade of Horribles, by Matt Dinniman (Book Review)

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This Inevitable Ruin, by Matt Dinniman (Book Review)

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This Inevitable Ruin may be my favorite Dungeon Crawler Carl book yet. By this point, the series has evolved far beyond humans versus aliens into something bigger: the oppressed versus the oppressors, former crawlers passing down resistance, Carl becoming a reluctant leader, and DCC somehow making screaming goats, galactic politics, emotional trauma and dick jokes all feel like parts of the same story. Continue reading This Inevitable Ruin, by Matt Dinniman (Book Review)

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Book Review: Babylonia by Costanza Casati

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Costanza Casati’s Babylonia is a modern retelling that moves fluidly between the worlds of history and myth. At its heart lies Semiramis, the legendary Assyrian queen whose reputation has been maligned in centuries of ancient texts as the “whore queen.” Casati flips that narrative on its head, offering instead a nuanced and sympathetic portrayal of a woman whose power, cunning, and humanity resonate across the ages. Reframing a Legend One of the most compelling aspects of Babylonia is the way Casati re-frames Semiramis. Rather than leaning on the lurid accusations of antiquity, the book positions her as a figure of … Continue reading Book Review: Babylonia by Costanza Casati

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The Literate Nerd Merit Badge: What Is The Required Reading?

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I finished reading Alan Moore’s Watchmen tonight. I’m finally getting around to reading Frank Herbert’s Dune, listening to the audiobook version of it before watching the new movie. Doing two classics at the same time got me wondering. What are the books every self-professed nerd would be required to read to earn a Boy Scouts-style Literate Nerd Merit Badge? Because I would probably include both of these. Others have published their lists for similar concepts. But I wanted to throw mine out into the multiverse as well. This is the essential, universal list that is required reading for graduation at … Continue reading The Literate Nerd Merit Badge: What Is The Required Reading?