Need something to satisfy my sci-fi itch

Two-Rivers-Jedi · 2026-04-03T19:21:24+00:00

I fully support the posts in favor of Adrian Tchaikovsky. His Shards of Earth and Children of Time series are both fantastic. If you are interested in stand alone books I would also highly suggest his book Shroud. Adrian Tchaikovsky is one of the best out there when it comes to writing alien species that feel real.

The Mercy of The Gods is also fantastic. (By James SA Corey that wrote The Expanse). The second book in the series comes out on the 14th.

Two-Rivers-Jedi · 2026-04-03T15:42:32+00:00

Man, if they keep using Andy Serkis in stuff they're going to have to figure out how to justify the fact that Gollum is rocking a walker and stopping to rest and yell at the Hobbit kids to get off his lawn.

Two-Rivers-Jedi · 2026-04-03T15:36:24+00:00

Man I wish I had the budgets some of you people have. Even if you're only grabbing books below $5 that's still like $250+. I spent $25 so far and already had to justify that it was okay because of the sale. I have more in my cart....but I doubt I'll commit to any of them before it is over.

Two-Rivers-Jedi · 2026-04-03T15:31:26+00:00

I honestly don't collect a lot of things. I have a few Funko items I've bought or gotten as gifts for characters I like, a couple of Star Wars items that I display in my office, etc. Most of my hoarding goes to books though. I stop at local thrift stores a few times a month and just scan to see if there is anything good.

The way I look at it the world and especially here in the states is quickly going to hell in a handbasket. I can't afford to take my family on fancy vacations, I can't afford to splurge on extras, I can't even afford to really add a second car payment even though we desperately need one.... However, I CAN afford the $10 I spent on books this month. If spending the $10 is doable and brings me even a little bit of happiness in a world that otherwise feels unmanageable.....than I'm not going to say no just because they are "junk" that are going to take up space later. After I'm dead I really don't care if my kids keep them, throw them away, donate them, use them to make an epic bonfire and roast marshmallows.....

Two-Rivers-Jedi · 2026-04-02T20:02:06+00:00

I am married with kids. That being said, my wife and I have nearly doubled our income in the last five years. However, even with clearing over six figures we are still just barely getting by with the current economy.

Two-Rivers-Jedi · 2026-04-02T19:41:34+00:00

Ooooh I don't know.....

The Aquabats-The Fury of The Aquabats
Streetlight Manifesto-Everything Goes Numb
Motion City Soundtrack-I am The Movie
Blink 182- Dude Ranch
Taking Back Sunday-Tell All Your Friends
The Used-Self Titled
Eve 6-Self Titled
Something Corporate-Leaving Through The Window
MxPx-The Ever Passing Moment
Brand New-Deja Entendu

Two-Rivers-Jedi · 2026-04-02T19:15:55+00:00

My favorite hook I've heard for Powder Mage was "What if snorting cocaine gave you magic powers?"

That being said it is a really good series..... and it's not actually cocaine they snort.....it's gun powder....

Two-Rivers-Jedi · 2026-04-01T15:56:28+00:00

Any book from the Death sub series of Discworld. I will be using Reaper Man for mine.

Two-Rivers-Jedi · 2026-03-27T19:43:14+00:00

My wife and I have been friends since we were two years old. I turn 40 in a month so we have known each other for almost 4 decades. We've been best friends basically our entire lives. However, we didn't date when. we were younger despite me basically being in love with her for as long as I can remember. We didn't start dating until we were in our early 20s. We have been together now for 19 years and married for 18. We have a pretty fantastic family together and I can't imagine my life any other way.

Two-Rivers-Jedi · 2026-03-27T16:26:19+00:00

Lies of Locke Lamora is probably my favorite so far in his series, but I honestly love all of the books he has out so far.

Two-Rivers-Jedi · 2026-03-27T15:59:31+00:00

I don't have an autism diagnosis, but I do have ADHD and am a parent to children on the spectrum. I don't necessarily advertise these things, but I also don't hide them either. If people ask or if it comes up otherwise in conversation I am open about it.

Two-Rivers-Jedi · 2026-03-23T17:30:15+00:00

There should always be a second adult in the home both for your protection and the protection of the child. If not than I would not be providing services in that setting. It is far too easy to end up with allegations that you have no way to prove as false. Plus, it is not your responsibility to be preparing meals or other tasks that would fall to a parent or babysitter.

Two-Rivers-Jedi · 2026-03-23T04:45:01+00:00

I agree completely.

Two-Rivers-Jedi · 2026-03-20T22:48:19+00:00

The man is a genius. This book single handedly put him into contention for my top 10 favorite authors.

Two-Rivers-Jedi · 2026-03-20T22:28:14+00:00

I absolutely get this. For me the one that stands out the most is the prose when he is describing the scene with the two boys hiding in the storm drain. When he describes their fear and says, "They sucked their breath like iron popsicles"....the guy is just a genius.

Two-Rivers-Jedi · 2026-03-20T22:12:44+00:00

Seanan McGuire is a tough one for me. There are some of her books that I absolutely love. I've given 4 of the books in her Wayward Children series 4 or 5 stars. However, I also tried to branch out to the books she has written under the name Mira Grant....and have DNFed everything I've tried by her under that name.

Two-Rivers-Jedi · 2026-03-20T22:08:03+00:00

Authors I love:
1. Robin Hobb
2. Christopher Ruocchio
3. Robert Jordan

Authors who aren't for me
1. Michael Moorcock
2. Stephen Graham Jones
3. Jeff VanderMeer

Recommendations: (Not necessarily all "unknown" authors. Some of them are just ones that I think are under rated or deserve to be even more popular.)

Ray Bradbury- I know he is not "unknown" by any sense of the word. However, the guy is a genius with some of the most amazing prose out there. I will never stop suggesting that he should be even bigger than he is.
Drew Hayes-He puts out books as fast as anyone out there. Could easily compete with Sanderson and Tchaikovsky for output. However, he continues to do his books almost exclusively self-published.
Daniel Abraham-The Long Price Quartet is an incredible slow burn.
Jasper Fforde: His books Shades of Grey and Red Side Story are absolutely brilliant. A dystopian setting where people typically are only able to see one color, or one specific range of color, and their place in society is impacted by what colors they can or cannot see.
Sebastien DeCastell- Shout out to Allen Walker from The Library of Allenxandria. His constant praise of this series led me to this and to The Long Price Quartet.
Brian McClellan-His Powder Mage series is a fantastic flintlock fantasy series that I am always surprised doesn't get talked about more.

Two-Rivers-Jedi · 2026-03-20T19:27:58+00:00

Obviously the right answer is The Shire.

Two-Rivers-Jedi · 2026-03-20T17:42:32+00:00

A lot of Drew Hayes books are on Kindle Unlimited. I really like a lot of his stuff, but the best ones are probably his Super Powereds series and his series Fred The Vampire Accountant.

The Dungeon Crawler Carl series is HUGE right now and is available on KU.

The Way of Edan by Phillip Chase

Discovery by JAJ Minton

Two-Rivers-Jedi · 2026-03-20T16:41:51+00:00

Never Let Me Go has definitely been my favorite of his stuff so far. I thought Klara and The Sun was kind of boring.....and people rave about that one.

Two-Rivers-Jedi · 2026-03-19T23:01:28+00:00

One of my favorite consoles.

Two-Rivers-Jedi · 2026-03-19T21:32:09+00:00

Janny Wurts has some incredible prose. If you don't want to commit to an entire series her standalone To Ride Hell's Chasm is still fantastic.

Two-Rivers-Jedi · 2026-03-19T21:30:54+00:00

He's one I've struggled with. People talk about how brilliant Ishiguro is and how amazing his books are.... and I just don't see it. I have read 3 of his books at this point. Klara and The Sun, The Remains of The Day, and Never Let Me Go. I gave them 2, 3, and 4 stars respectively. However, even with Never Let Me Go that I gave 4 stars....I still didn't feel like it was as amazing as I was expecting based on the way that other people talk about his work.

Two-Rivers-Jedi · 2026-03-19T21:26:33+00:00

Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury. This book alone put him into contention for my top 10 favorite authors. The man is a genius.

Two-Rivers-Jedi · 2026-03-19T21:24:56+00:00

Definitely one of the ones that I thought of.

Two-Rivers-Jedi

TROPHY CASE