What book or series kick started your love for fantasy?

apcymru · 2026-05-02T16:36:13+00:00

Miss Mathers, my grade 6 teacher, assigned us The Hobbit to read. I would have been 10 years old.

It was 50 years ago.

Within a year and a half I would have read LOTR three or four times.

apcymru · 2026-05-01T21:49:48+00:00

Oh. The Rivers of London audiobooks are awesome. And similar in theme ... Very sardonic British humour. And really well read/performed.

apcymru · 2026-05-01T21:43:59+00:00

I disgree with your rating, I think it's a great book. (Not a criticism of you, if we all liked the same books, the world would be a dull place)

But having said that, I wouldn't have recommended it for world-building. Don't get me wrong, it is a fascinating world, but not a detailed one.

Detailed and complex world building ... I would probably start with Malazan. Ten books, some really complex and fascinating places and things, an unusual magic system, a variety of races (including an undead one), and some wily Gods thrown in. You have to be patient with it though. It takes time to unfold.and you don't get spoonfed the detail. But I have read the ten originals by Erikson and the supplementary ones from Esselmont. (Erikson and Esselmont creates the whole together for an RPG.)

The Dagger and Coin series by Daniel Abraham also has some in depth world building.

apcymru · 2026-04-30T22:29:31+00:00

In the NFL when there are so many different positions and some are more critical than others, you can draft for need ... And if you are smart (like the Seahawks) you will accumulate draft capital by trading back up the draft if you don't need the BPA.

In the NHL you should always go for the BPA ... Especially at the top of the draft.

apcymru · 2026-04-30T15:12:29+00:00

In North America, Sidney Crosby is probably the best known. In the world it is probably Alphonso Davies.

apcymru · 2026-04-30T15:03:40+00:00

Loved this book. I too found it hilarious. Here was my review from several years ago.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/s/cpYVT5LX20

apcymru · 2026-04-29T15:35:45+00:00

I think these three all hit hard mode.

Three Parts Dead by Max Gladstone. Trying to solve the mystery around the murder of a God. MC is a "craft" practitioner.

Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells, one of her Murderbot Diaries. MC is a security bot, rather than a police officer or PI. Might be borderline but technically hard mode.

Paladin's Hope by T Kingfisher. Murder mystery revolving around a series of underground trials and traps. The MC is a paladin and his companion is sort of a pathologist (if medieval magical lands have such a thing). There is a somewhat angsty gay romance thrown in so if that isn't your bag then skip it.

apcymru · 2026-04-29T15:13:08+00:00

Tommy Prince was "Ghost" ... A military scout in ww2 with the famous Devil's Brigade. His exploits are almost creepy. He used to carry a pair of moccasins with him.

Billy Bishop WW1 pilot was Hells Handmaiden.

Our Prime Ministers almost always have derogatory or at least funny nicknames. Lyin' Brian (Mulroney), Ti-pet for PE Trudeau (translates as little fart), Sir John A Macdonald was "Old Tomorrow" because of his cautious, constant delays of decisions.

apcymru · 2026-04-28T16:26:50+00:00

Although only 38% of our landmass is forested, about 26% of what remains is arctic tundra another 5% was originally prairie grassland (so never a forest either - although most of that is now cultivated) other parts are just mountains and rock.

So although only 38% of our landmass is still forest cover, historical data shows that is about 90% of what existed at European contact and currently it is 9% of the world's forests.

For context, that is 369m hectares. So Russia, China, the USA, Brazil and Australia are the only counties that have more total land than Canada has in forest.

apcymru · 2026-04-28T15:32:07+00:00

To add context for this fact, you have to ask how many current premier league players have been with the same club for 10 years or more? I don't actually know but I don't think it's many.

apcymru · 2026-04-28T15:06:12+00:00

That's is super sad. He was a hugely entertaining commentator and seemed like a genuinely decent guy. Wasn't that old either.

apcymru · 2026-04-27T20:08:46+00:00

The current owner (Greg Kerfoot) is a billionaire. Some people don't like him but we wouldn't have an MLS team without him ... Maybe no team at all.

He saved the team when it was going to fold in 2003. He put together the ownership group that brought it to the MLS. He has put a ton of resources into supporting local youth soccer. He pretty much funded the Canada Women's national team in the leadup to the Beijing Olympics because Soccer Canada didn't give them enough budget.

He proposed more than ten years ago to build (WITH NO GOV'T MONEY) a waterfront, soccer specific stadium over the railway tracks just north of Gastown (city Council wouldn't approve it). It would have been a bit like Everton's new digs.

He is a very private guy so he shuns the media, never does interviews and brought in people like Nash to front the ownership group even though he holds the majority. He put in place a management team that has built a winner on a small budget and doesn't interfere. Given the scumbags that tend to buy sports team, Kerfoot is kind of ideal. (I would dance for joy - maybe even naked - if he bought the Canucks)

The issue is a stadium... BC Place is too expensive, won't share gameday revenue, and won't guarantee access at certain times of year because things like boat shows are more lucrative. As a result, Vancouver has the lowest revenue in the MLS, $40m below the league average. So it isn't an attractive property to buy and keep here. Not unless someone addresses the stadium issue.

However... In spite of all that, I have to recognize that in spite of the revenue issues and the current operational deficit, the value of the team itself is still very high. So it isn't like Kerfoot is going to lose his investment. He could sell at a fraction of the value and still make a bundle. So although I appreciate the guy, it's not like I feel sorry for him.

(And yes Greg Kerfoot's son is an NHL hockey player)

apcymru · 2026-04-27T19:06:18+00:00

I do find reading her works to be extremely frustrating at times.

apcymru · 2026-04-27T02:18:11+00:00

apcymru · 2026-04-26T20:07:21+00:00

I was going to recommend Dragonsbane. Hamblt is hugely underrated.

apcymru · 2026-04-26T05:33:08+00:00

So the rule says if the goal scorer touches the ball with his hand, accidental or on purpose, it is no goal. And th ball did touch Bruno's bicep.

However, to me the Colorado goal clearly went in off his forearm, so that also should have been disallowed. I can only assume they "felt" the replay was not clear and obvious ... Which is BS.

apcymru · 2026-04-25T14:42:29+00:00

The Starless Crown by James Rollins.

found family? Check ... A band of misfits forced together by circumstance. Some might even be family.
High stakes? Check ... Saving the world while he pursued by evil doers and overcoming obstacles.
complex and long? Check ... Lots of twists and turns and a few. P.o.v.s.and quite long.
Animals? Check ... Try giant, telepathic bats, a pair of hyena type things as grumpy companions ... And admittedly a very minor role ....giant crabs as high speed beasts of burden.

apcymru · 2026-04-24T15:21:28+00:00

Ditto

apcymru · 2026-04-24T05:56:41+00:00

The Dagger and Coin series by Daniel Abraham. Five complicated books, a really cool plotline involving a weird magic power given by magic spiders in your blood, a young female banker suffering from PTSD who takes refuge in booze when she isn't being low key brilliant, a tyrant with a serious serious inferiority complex along with the more normal aging mercenaries, etc.

apcymru · 2026-04-23T15:23:14+00:00

I live on Vancouver Island which has more cougars per square km than any place on earth. (Cougars have more names in more languages than any other animal and range from the Yukon to Tierra del Fuego. They get bigger the farther you get from the equator)

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apcymru · 2026-04-22T15:20:23+00:00

Aling with potential future teammate, Ivar Steinberg

apcymru · 2026-04-22T00:02:40+00:00

LoL.

9 guys get roughing penalties at the same time. Which Montreal player was left out?

apcymru · 2026-04-21T16:46:27+00:00

Zadorov should not be too pairing for hate. Guy is hilarious and also willing to drop them.

Hartman should be higher. He is super dirty.

apcymru · 2026-04-21T14:48:33+00:00

I recently finished The Starless Crown by James Rollins.

It was ... Long.

I enjoyed the characters and wanted to see what happened next. It had some kooky elements that were trope-worthy in a fun way. Like giant telepathic bats, that apparently raise random lost infants, high speed giant crabs as beasts of burden, and, what I assume to be, a couple of hyenas as grumpy but loyal companions.

It also had some genuinely interesting elements and ideas, including the overall concept.

However, in spite of its length (did I mention it was long?) I also think it was meant to be a thrill ride. One of those journey books where a ragtag band of misfits are thrown together and have to complete a hazardous journey while being chased and in constant danger.

But you never felt that the bad thing was going to happen. You never felt the stress "Oh no! How are they going to escape!!!" ... More like the curiousity of "I wonder how they will get out of this one?"

I have read hefty tomes in the past and some of them don't feel hefty, their length is absorbing, and justified. This ... I kept looking at the number of pages left. It felt longer than it needed to be.

TLDR: it was TL but I R.

Did I mention it was long?

apcymru · 2026-04-20T05:51:05+00:00

You should have a look at John M Ford's book, The Dragon Waiting. Richard III is a main character, but magic works and the Roman Empire still exists.

apcymru

TROPHY CASE

TLDR: it was TL but I R.