Hello again, denizens of the Web!
Here's what I've got on the table for this month, as far as writing, reading, and other, irrelevant pursuits go:
Writing
HASTEIN- not the final title. It's an AAR (After Action Report) for an awesome game called Crusader Kings II, heartily recommended. An AAR is basically a player recounting a game experience. Actually, this one is more of a novella loosely based on a short game of Crusader Kings II, as a Viking called Hastein. Hastein was a Viking raider who raided Spain, Germany, and France and England in the first half of the ninth century. In the 867 start of Crusader Kings II, he controls a part of Brittany known as the county of Nantes (the map is divided into counties, which form duchies, which form kingdoms, which form empires). I have decided to write and edit to a second draft the whole novella before posting it on the Paradox Plaza forum.
However, exclusive to those who come here to contemplate Life! The Universe! And Everything! is:
the privilege of reading each chapter as it exists in the first draft. Here is the first chapter which has already been written. All comments and critiques are welcome and encouraged!
Reading
It's a bit of a busy month.
First up is WAR AND REMEMBRANCE by Herman Wouk. I recently finished the "prologue" as Wouk terms it in the introduction to REMEMBRANCE, actually a 960 page tome called THE WINDS OF WAR (not THE WINDS OF WINTER, unfortunately), for an English book report. So far it's great, and at over 1100 pages in the paperback edition I borrowed from the library, looking to be an engaging read.
Second up: MOTH by Daniel Arenson. Now, you may not have heard of this chap. I nearly didn't. I recently Googled "advice for fantasy writers" and somehow Daniel Arenson, a pretty much obscure self-published fantasy writer is at the top of the results. I looked at his advice, and it looked pretty solid. That's when I noticed he seemed to be entirely self-published, and so I decided I'd look elsewhere for advice. I randomly looked him up on Facebook and liked him, though.
Fast forward a few days. Bored and listless and too shiftless to write, I was looking up and down my Facebook feed and there was a post from Arenson saying he was giving out 20 review e-copies of MOTH, one of his books. I naturally jumped at the chance to read a free book and express my opinion on it, so I messaged him and within minutes received copies in two formats. Despite not having a smartphone or an e-reader, I downloaded Kindle for PC and started reading.
I won't tell you what I think of it so far (review forthcoming, I feel I have a moral obligation to finish and review the book since it was a review copy I recieved) but I'm around 30% in according to the Kindle program.
Good night, people of the Web, and happy reading of HASTEIN Chapter I. Don't forget to post all thoughts and comments in the comments section of this post!
Thought of the Unspecified Random Time Period: Always send your madmen to asylums. They may know the truth.
