{"id":102,"date":"2013-05-24T13:25:58","date_gmt":"2013-05-24T18:25:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/seth-swanson.com\/?p=102"},"modified":"2013-05-24T13:25:58","modified_gmt":"2013-05-24T18:25:58","slug":"its-been-a-while","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/sswanson-001-site2.gtempurl.com\/index.php\/2013\/05\/24\/its-been-a-while\/","title":{"rendered":"It’s been a while"},"content":{"rendered":"

I know, I know. I’ve been a very bad man about posting to my blog. \u00a0I have reasonable excuses for it, one of which being switching hosts (as you can see from the shiny new URL). \u00a0Please, let me be the first to welcome you to seth-swanson.com<\/a>. \u00a0I’ll explain the reasons for my move in a later post. \u00a0Today, I’m posting with a purpose: that of revealing a book that I could read over and over and over … or books … pursuant of the #wanaFriday Twitter tag.<\/p>\n

I know this will come as a shock to those who know me, but I’m not an overly complicated man. \u00a0I generally don’t read to better myself as a person, or to gain “culture”. \u00a0I enjoy me a bit of Shakespeare, but beyond that I give most literature a skip. \u00a0I’m sure its great and everything, but most of the “greats” have a decided lack of magic, monsters, swords or Jedi’s. \u00a0I’m ADHD, you have to keep me engaged in the book with the use of an array of shiny objects. Which brings us to my first book that I can happily continue reading forever:<\/p>\n

I, Jedi<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>by Michael A. Stackpole
\n<\/strong>I’ve loved the whole X-Wing series since I was in high school. \u00a0I know that its pulp fiction, but the first four books of that series are great. \u00a0I, Jedi<\/em> is even better though. \u00a0As should be obvious, there’s Jedi, which also means there’s lightsabers and the Force. \u00a0Not enough? \u00a0How about a Jedi private investigator? \u00a0Still not enough? \u00a0Add in some space battles, a few clandestine operations and a great story. \u00a0I, Jedi<\/em> is by far my favorite novel in the Star Wars: Expanded Universe and Stackpole is my favorite author who writes in it. \u00a0If you were ever curious about fighter ace Wedge Antilles, the X-Wing series fleshes him out nicely. \u00a0Corran Horn is also one of my favorite characters within that universe. \u00a0I spent years reading Star Wars books just looking for references to him and his distinct abilities.<\/p>\n

Elantris<\/em> <\/a>by Brandon Sanderson<\/strong>
\nIts about a city of magic zombies. \u00a0If you need more than that, we can’t be friends any more. \u00a0Brandon Sanderson is my absolute favorite author and anything he writes deserves to be on this list, but Elantris<\/em> was the first book of his that I read. \u00a0If you aren’t familiar with him, then check out something of his. \u00a0He’s pretty well known by now for making completely unique and interesting magic systems. \u00a0I specifically like the symbol based Aon magic in Elantris,\u00a0<\/em>but I also love the metal based magics from the Mistborn<\/em> series.<\/p>\n

Monster Hunter Intl.<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>by Larry Correia
\n<\/strong>Monster Hunter Intl.\u00a0<\/em>(Hereafter MHI) is pretty much a summer action blockbuster in book form. \u00a0Monsters, guns, government conspiracies, an impending world ending disaster, werewolves, vampires and one-liners. \u00a0I could read this whole series over and over again whenever I just want to read about stuff being blown up in creative ways. \u00a0Its just good fun.<\/p>\n

So, there’s a peak into my mind. \u00a0I’m not going to win any prizes for the width and breadth of my reading, nor my tastes, but there you have it. \u00a0I also prefer cider to beer. \u00a0I’m a heathen and I know it. \u00a0Good thing it doesn’t bother me.<\/p>\n

Come back a bit later for news on WordKeeper <\/a>(my tool to help authors set and keep their word goals) and big news on Impervious! \u00a0For now, I’m off to Kansas City for the weekend with my lovely wife to celebrate our first anniversary! \u00a0Out.<\/p>\n

Updated with links to other participants:<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n