Serp's Recent Reads Megathread

[Serpentsaurus]

Greetings!

I will be talking about books I like in this thread, as well as whatever I'm reading at the time. I hope this leads some of you to discover a new book or series!

[Serpentsaurus]

Gaunt's Ghosts: First and Only
by Dan Abnett

Gaunt's Ghosts is my favorite series of novels set within the 40K universe!

The story follows Colonel-Commissar Ibram Gaunt as he leads the Tanith First and Only--a single regiment of soldiers who escaped their home world before it was destroyed. The Tanith, skilled scouts who specialize in stealth tactics, are forced to survive inside a treacherous maze of enemy trenches and political intrigue. The combat is bloody and the stakes are high!

You should read this book if:
• You like stories told from a soldier's perspective
• You enjoy gritty, grimy science fiction

[Serpentsaurus]

Misery
by Stephen King

This is another book that I reread this year, and I'm glad I did. Misery remains one of King's most twisted and harrowing stories. Knowing what will happen won't save you; the anxiety of having to experience it all again is terrible--and priceless.

Misery is a tale of a best-selling author who makes a bad decision (very original, Mr. King) and ends up trapped by his Biggest Fan™. What follows is truly not for the faint of heart--or the weak of stomach. Every single disgusting detail of Paul Sheldon's imprisonment is brought to life the way only Stephen King can.

CW: graphic animal deaths occur in Misery

You should read this book if:
• You enjoy tales of claustrophobic terror

[Serpentsaurus]

The Dark Elf Trilogy
by R. A. Salvatore

Salvatore is one of my biggest inspirations, and this trilogy of novels - Homeland, Exile, and Sojourn - is where I started.

The Dark Elf Trilogy is the origin story of the famous dark elf ranger Drizzt Do'Urden. Though it was written after the Icewind Dale Trilogy (there will be an entry in this thread about those three, and don't ye doubt), it is where I recommend people begin reading the long, lovely series of stories staring Drizzt and the Companions of the Hall.

I remember a time when, as a teenager, I set Sojourn down before it was finished--not because I could no longer stomach it, but because I desperately did not want it to end. Truly magnificent--and only a taste of things to come from Salvatore.

You should read these books if:
• You want to be immersed in a detailed fantasy world
• You enjoy tales where heroes rise up against powerful villains

[scratchingway]

The Dark Elf Trilogy
by R. A. Salvatore

Salvatore is one of my biggest inspirations, and this trilogy of novels - Homeland, Exile, and Sojourn - is where I started.

The Dark Elf Trilogy is the origin story of the famous dark elf ranger Drizzt Do'Urden. Though it was written after the Icewind Dale Trilogy (there will be an entry in this thread about those three, and don't ye doubt), it is where I recommend people begin reading the long, lovely series of stories staring Drizzt and the Companions of the Hall.

I really liked this trilogy when I read it in the late 2010s. By then Drizzt had a reputation that preceded him and it was refreshing to see that like, Drizzt himself was not the problem, so much as the multitude of imitations (in the book, on the table, wherever) he must have spawned. But I thought that he himself was honestly pretty fucking cool.

I stuck around with Salvatore's series for another seven books or so, but kind of fell off because I found that what really hooked me about these books was Menzoberranzan's society and the constant intrigue and backstabbing, and the later (or I guess earlier, given this trilogy had been written late) books lacked what I liked about these. Have you read the War of the Spider Queen series? Those books ended up giving me more of what I wanted, and I thought it was interesting that each of the six books had a different author.

[Serpentsaurus]

I stuck around with Salvatore's series for another seven books or so, but kind of fell off because I found that what really hooked me about these books was Menzoberranzan's society and the constant intrigue and backstabbing, and the later (or I guess earlier, given this trilogy had been written late) books lacked what I liked about these. Have you read the War of the Spider Queen series?

I have! I've actually read all of the current Legend of Drizzt novels, and have the next book pre-ordered.

I wasn't the biggest fan of War of the Spider Queen, mostly because of some stuff that happened in the series. They were far from bad, but they didn't capture me like Salvatore's work did. I know it's a daunting task to consider reading around twenty books, but some of his more recent work delves pretty deep into Drow society, and how it was versus what it's becoming. Could be worth a look!

[Serpentsaurus]

The Long Walk
By Stephen King, writing as Richard Bachman

I reread this recently because there's a movie being made, and I wanted a refresher. This one definitely isn't for the faint of heart; in an authoritarian future, a contest is held where 100 young men walk until only one of them is still going. You stop or slow down for any reason? You get shot. You succeed? You get everything you want.

It's a fast-paced book that moves quick, filled with graphic scenes of desperate boys struggling to survive a grueling ordeal in the hopes of giving their families a better life. It's short, brutal, and bloody.

You should read this book if:
• You enjoy stories where the stakes are high and the tension never lets up