<–The State of the Reader: 6/20/18          The State of the Reader: 7/18/18–>

A weekly post updated every other Wednesday detailing my current reading projects and what new titles I’ve added to my to-read list.  Title links go to Goodreads, and if you have an account there feel free to friend me!  I’d love to see what you’re reading and/or planning to read.

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Books Purchased: 4

• Ireland’s Immortals by Mark Williams – $0.00 @ Amazon
• Alex + Ada: The Complete Collection by Jonathan Luna & Sarah Vaughn – $8.85 @ Amazon
• Being and Time by Martin Heidegger – $9.61 @ Amazon
• Raptor Red by Robert T. Bakker – $7.99 @ Amazon

TSN is super pissed about Being and Time.  I bought it because Heidegger is referenced in Final Fantasy VII, and you all know I’m interested in studying anything my favorite game references.  The real deal even looks a bit like the character in the game…and he was a Nazi 😡  Granted he’s a dead Nazi (the only decent kind), but I’m still annoyed.  Granted, there’s a good chance none of the money I paid is going to go towards that terrible ideology, but it’s just the icing on the tombstone of this week where I argued with a combination Holocaust denier and flat earther.  Yep, your dear TSN got a two for one on nonsense.

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Books Finished: 4

Title: Peddling Doomsday
Author: Petra Jacob
Date Added: June 6, 2018
Date Started: June 18, 2018
Date Finished: July 3, 2018
Reading Duration: 32 days

Media: eBook/Kindle

If you want to delve into the machinations of how a cult can draw in and take over “normal” people, this is the book you want to read.  Looking at it from the outside, it’s easy to see what’s going on, but if you really want to believe something because you have nothing else, you will.  That’s how these kinds of people prey on the most vulnerable.  This novel is a disturbing journey, but that’s what makes it worth the read.

Title: Alex + Ada, Vol. 1
Series: Alex + Ada
Author: Jonathan Luna
Artist: Sarah Vaughn
Date Added: October 28, 2016
Date Started: June 17, 2018
Date Finished: June 21, 2018
Reading Duration: 4 days

Media: Paperback (Library

I immediately bought the full collection after I finished this since the library didn’t have any more volumes.  While it’s reminiscent of numerous other stories, there’s something fresh about this take on it that begs to be investigated.

Title: Fool Moon
Series Title: The Dresden Files
Author: Jim Butcher
Date Added: January 17, 2013
Date Started: May 26, 2018
Date Finished: June 27, 2018
Reading Duration: 32 days

Media: Paperback

I’m so glad I’m done with this.  It was such a struggle to read the last few chapters, and they were barely worthy my time.  I figured out a major component near the beginning and seeing it come to fruition wasn’t satisfying because of my dislike for the main character.  I’ve said before I can still like if not love a novel even if I figure out what’s going on as long as I enjoy the ride.  That will usually occur if I like the main character.  Harry’s stereotypical sexist behavior just became more and more grating as Fool Moon went along.

I’ve heard from friends the books get much better by the fifth one, so I put the third one on my library list.  At least I won’t have to spend on any more money of these.

Title: Dune
Series Title: Dune Chronicles
Author: Frank Herbert
Date Added: September 4, 2013
Date Started: March 6, 2018
Date Finished: July 3, 2018
Reading Duration: 119 days

Media: Paperback

I powered through the rest of this yesterday since I knew I was off today.  There’s so much to say about it, I’d be doing Herbert an injustice if I attempted to do so here, so I’ll save it for my review.  I greatly enjoyed it, and I’d recommend it to anyone who loves sci-fi/fantasy since it’s the precursor for many modern works.  Now that I’m finished, I can finally watch the theory videos I’ve been saving.

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Currently Reading

Title: Dolor and Shadow
Series Title: Tales of the Drui
Author: Angela B. Chrysler
Date Added: June 16, 2016
Date Started: July 4, 2018

Media: eBook/Kindle
Progress: 2%

I remember starting this a while ago, but I think I put it on hold to read something else I was more interested in.  On restarting I recall it has a lot of reference to Norse Mythology: taking place in Midgard and involving the Vanir and Aesir among other things.  The prologue is a good setup, and the novel is high rated, so I’m hoping this time it catches my interest.

Title: A Reaper at the Gates
Series Title: An Ember in the Ashes
Author: Sabaa Tahir
Dated Added: August 23, 2017
Date Started: July 2, 2018

Media: Hardback
Progress: 5%

I was so excited about this I went to the bookstore a week before it was released.  In my defense, I didn’t know when it was being released.  I’d seen it on Amazon and assumed Barnes & Noble would have it, too.  When I did purchase it, I had to finish Fool Moon before I could start reading (it’s part of my rules).  I can’t wait to really get into this.  It’s the best YA series I’ve read in a long time.  Yes, even better than The Raven Cycle.

Title: Black Hammer, Vol. 1: Secret Origins
Series Title: Black Hammer
Author: Jeff Lemire
Artists: Dean Ormston & Dave Stewart
Date Added: September 15, 2017
Date Started: June 28, 2018

Media: Paperback (Library)
Progress: 83%

I was into it from the first panel, but I was completely into it when I found out Black Hammer was a black superhero (which is something I should’ve figured out from the get-go, but eh?).  Representation hooray!  There is so much tension in the characters’ dynamic, and that makes for an excellent narrative.

A decade ago, Black Hammer sacrificed himself to save Spiral City in order to also save several other supers who are now trapped in an idyllic, small town that seems beyond the flow of time.  All attempts to escape have failed, and only Abraham, the “father figure” seems content in this life.  Gail is the character I feel the most sorry for.  If I were in her situation, I’d be just as pissed.

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I’m now on track with my challenge; 25 finished.  I borrowed quite a few graphic novels/manga from the library, which will really help boost my book count.  I had to return the one for Black Butler, because it was Volume XVI.  It was not well marked on the library website.  I put a request in for the first volume, and I’m this time that’s what I get.  Side note: I did not know Square Enix was the publisher for Black Butler.  There…that’s a thing you also know now if you didn’t.

Today’s the 4th of July everywhere and Independence Day in the states.  For reasons I’m not going to go into but should be fairly obvious from current events, I’m not in the mood to celebrate.  I did some activism stuff earlier today, though I never feel like I’m doing enough.  It’s hard to keep up any semblance of optimism for me in general; it’s even more difficult when things look so bleak.  So…distraction with books, shows, and video games it is!

Read any good books lately?

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<–The State of the Reader: 6/20/18          The State of the Reader: 7/18/18–>