Hey Everyone, Slick Dungeon here. 2024 had plenty of challenges for most of us, a lot of them not the fun kind. So I decided to bring back my book, movie, and TTRPG challenges. This year I invite you to challenge yourself!
For the next three days come back here to find out what the challenges are and download a copy for yourself.
When I started this blog I used to do a book, movie, and TTRPG challenge every year. That got to be a lot so I took a break but I’m bringing them back. When they are all out you can download not one, not two, but three absolutely free challenge checklists. Whether you love movies, books, tabletop role playing games, or all three, there is something for you.
Each list has 12 challenges. One per month should be doable but if you are an overachiever, feel free to knock these out in 12 days or less. If you do take up any of these challenges let me know how it went. And if you happen to post it on your social media, feel free to tag me so I can follow your progress.
Challenge yourself! The Rules
There are three separate challenges, one for books, one for movies and one for tabletop role playing games. I’ll tell you about each one and give suggestions for how I plan to meet the challenge.
Once I finish a challenge I will check it off and then post about it. This challenge is for you so feel free to post about it or just enjoy it on your own. If you do post somewhere, let’s compare notes!
These can be done in any order. I’m not judging you and there’s no grade here.
If you want to double dip on any of these feel free. I’m not going to do that but it’s your life, do what you want.
This is not a rule but these will be downloadable PDF’s so feel free to download and print them or pass them on to friends, relatives, neighbors, or office mates looking for something to do! Share, share, share!
How can I get these?
Just come back here tomorrow and you’ll see the movie challenge. The next day grab your book challenge. And on 1/5 get your TTRPG challenge. That’s it!
I hope you enjoy the challenges I made. Don’t forget to let me know if you plan to play along and how it goes if you do.
Challengingly yours,
Slick Dungeon
PS. Want to see my challenges from previous years? Check them out here and here.
I was provided an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Synopsis:
When an ordinary young man wakes up in his quiet neighborhood on a day seemingly like all the others, the city he’s lived in all his life has no idea what’s about to befall it once he sets out on a day-long bike ride carrying a purposefully packed backpack and a definitive plan.
Who is Schroeder, and what motivates his brutal killing spree? As he cycles from one victim’s home to the next, keeping pace with the rhythm of a city that burgeons to life under an increasingly dazzling sun exposing both its beauty and vivacity and its dark, dirty, underbelly, Schroeder lays bare his dreams, disappointments, delights, and dismays, establishing himself as a compelling contemporary antihero. The day rolls ominously towards its climax through hectic city streets, lush suburban gardens, stately mansions, and decrepit housing projects, punctuated by Schroeder’s reflections on a society in shambles and a deeply damaged, if not broken, humanity—but not without revealing life’s boundless wonder and infinite possibilities for joy and redemption through moments that are within—and yet tragically beyond—Schroeder’s grasp. A tell-all denouement brings Schroeder out of the shadows of his actions, the pathos of his questions about the kind of world we live in lingering long after.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Schroeder is a twenty-something year old man living in an unnamed city. He starts out his day with a methodical plan, narrating us through all he does. The reader is so far inside Schroeder’s head, even mundane descriptions begin to feel ominous. Schroeder loads up his backpack with all of the supplies he needs, eats his breakfast, reads his most prized comic book, and heads out for a day of unrelenting violence.
One by one the reader is taken along with Schroeder as he makes stop after stop and unleashes incredibly vivid acts of torture and murder. In between these acts, and sometimes during them, Schroeder has deep philosophical thoughts about life, society, what justice is, and how the world is as he sees it.
The violence is bloody and sudden and unapologetic. This book is not for those who are disturbed by gore and violence. But, more than the violence, the thoughts and events that Schroeder enacts, and the things that explain his murderous rampage are even more unsettling. This is the type of book that remains with the reader long after finishing.
It’s a fascinating take on a character in an extreme situation, taking extreme measures. Neal Cassidy does an incredible job of allowing the reader to both be repulsed by and empathize with Schroeder. And Cassidy shows that those who are most capable of such acts can still see and understand the complexity, beauty and difficulty in life.
If you read the book, there is no forgetting it. If you love dark, psychological thrillers and don’t mind spending time in the head of a killer who you may have more in common with than you think, this book is a fantastic read.
Jack Nicholson stars alongside Shelley Duvall in The Shining (1980)
Hello horror fans! Slick Dungeon here back to review another Stephen King adaptation. Out of all of the King films, The Shining (1980) might be the most famous. It is without doubt the most scrutinized. It’s a horror film classic made by a master film maker. One critic of the film is Stephen King himself as he hated this adaptation. Yet, it stands as film classic on its own and has an enduring legacy to this day. There will be spoilers in this review so if you have not watched it and that bothers you, check into a massive isolated hotel, ask for the key to room 237, ignore anything undead in the room, watch the movie, and then come on back here to read the review!
The Shining (1980) Background
While the movie is based on the novel, the screenplay was co-written by Stanley Kubrick and novelist Diane Johnson. Stephen King was not a fan of the tone this created. The film stars Jack Nicholson as Jack Torrance, Shelley Duvall as Wendy Torrance, and Danny Lloyd as Danny “Doc” Torrance. Most of the film was shot at EMI Elstree Studios, not on location. This allowed Kubrick to do tons of takes, basically to the point of exhausting the cast and crew. Shelley Duvall in particular had a legendarily horrible time on this film set.
This is considered an all time film classic now but even at the time, not everyone liked it. In fact, the first Razzies in 1981 nominated Kubrick for Worst Director and Duvall for Worst Actress. The latter has been taken back after the treatment of Duvall by Kubrick was made public.
Despite the mixed reviews at the time, this film has done nothing but endure. It’s studied in film schools, there are entire documentaries about a single room in the film, one of the most recognizable images in film is Jack Nicholson’s face peeking through the hole he’s just made in a door with his ax, and even now, this film is flat out scary as hell.
So how did a film with such mixed reactions, and outright hatred by the originator of the story endure for so long? Let’s take a look and find out.
Jack Gets a Job
Stephen King visited a huge hotel and became fascinated with the idea of it being closed and isolated in the winter. And he hit on a pretty damn good idea for a horror story. A haunted hotel. King set out to make a story about falling into a cycle of abuse, addiction, and madness, and pulling your way out of it. Kubrick was more interested in the idea of a psychopath let loose and encouraged by the haunted hotel. For Kubrick’s version, Jack Nicholson is perfectly cast.
The film starts with Jack Torrance interviewing for the position of caretaker at the Overlook hotel during the winter months. For the winter, Jack and his family would have free run of the enormous place. Jack would be expected to fix anything that needed fixing and to keep the hotel in good shape. Jack is excited by the prospect because this will give him a chance to write a novel he’s been working on. For him, so he believes, the isolation is good.
The only problem? One of the previous caretakers killed his wife and twin daughters with an ax. In other words, this job can make some people go mad. Jack isn’t bothered with these ghost stories and he’s accepted for the job.
There’s More to Danny
Back home in Boulder, Colorado, young Danny Torrance has a vision. His “invisible friend” Tony who Danny describes as a little boy who lives in the back of his mouth, doesn’t want to go to the hotel. Tony also knows already that Jack has accepted the job. Danny has a seizure and ends up with the doctor. The audience knows Danny is psychic at this point but Danny doesn’t exactly understand it and Wendy is pretty far from believing it. Jack has no idea about Danny’s abilities and wouldn’t believe it if he saw it right in front of him.
Danny’s mother Wendy tells the doctor a story about Jack being drunk and yanking Danny’s arm hard enough to dislocate it. This is the first hint we get that Jack might hurt his own kid.
Wendy defends Jack, telling the doctor it was ultimately a good thing since Jack hasn’t touched a drop of booze since. The whole seizure incident is chalked up to a bit of a strange episode that could happen to any kid and nothing to be too worried about.
Danny’s Not the only One
The family gets a tour of the hotel on the closing day. There’s a bustle of activity as they are shown around. More than enough food is provided for the winter, there is a fun hedge maze for Danny to play in, and Jack has plenty of room to spread out and write his novel. Wendy is expected to cook all the meals and take care of Danny during these months.
On this tour, the family meets Dick Hallorann, the head chef at the hotel. Hallorann is played by the late, great Scatman Crothers who knocks this role right out of the park. Dick is showing the family around when his voice is heard inside of Danny’s head. Turns out Hallorann has the same talent as Danny. And it’s from Hallorann we get the name of the film and book. He calls this psychic ability The Shining and says some people have it and others don’t. Not only that, some places have it and others don’t. Hallorann basically warns Danny to be careful in this place. And specifically warns him about avoiding room 237.
Things Get Bad
Time passes and strange things start happening. Danny sees twin girls in the hallway. Jack isolates himself to write but mostly seems to be annoyed he isn’t drinking. He gets angry and snaps at Wendy. He starts dreaming about killing his wife and son.
Throughout this time Kubrik lets the tension build. It feels slow at times and I’m not sure any other film maker could have pulled off the pacing we see here. Ultimately, the long, slow shots, of huge empty corridors and endless patterned rugs, create an atmosphere of menace about to strike.
Room 237
In this story, there is no doubt Room 237 is the bad room. It’s likely where Grady, the caretaker who snapped, killed his wife and girls. Twin girls, just like Danny saw. Danny ends up in room 237, just as the hotel wants. He is attacked and comes away with some angry bruises on his neck.
At first, Wendy confronts Jack because that’s the logical conclusion. Jack flies off the handle and really does nothing to dissuade anyone. But he does agree to check out room 237 after Wendy decides it was a crazy woman in the hotel who attacked Danny.
In the room, Jack sees a beautiful woman in the bathtub. And he starts kissing her. For a moment, let’s forget how bad of a husband that makes him. What happens next is horrifying. The beautiful woman turns old and decayed and Jack gets a glimpse of what she really looks like in the mirror.
Jack gets out of the room but when Wendy asks what he found, Jack says he didn’t find anything. And then, this dude has the nerve to say his own kid caused the bruise marks on himself. If you liked Jack at all before this, here is the point where you should realize he is an out and out sociopath.
A Hair of the Dog That Bit me
Jack is an alcoholic. There’s no question about this in either the book or movie. But, he’s even more tempted when he walks into the hotel bar and is served drinks by a man named Lloyd. Maybe Jack thinks this all is a hallucination but I suspect he doesn’t care. He’s got his alcohol and that’s what he wants. He’s only slightly disturbed when a man named Grady talks to him. Jack knows this is the caretaker who killed his family. Yet, with a drink in his hand, Jack is nothing but friendly to these guys.
More and more we see Jack slip into a kind of madness. He’s either obsessively typing, having drinks with ghosts, or yelling at his wife to leave him alone. At one point he does reassure Danny he would never hurt Danny. But it is anything but believable when he says it. I don’t think even Jack truly believes it, he’s just making excuses for his past behavior.
Finally, Jack complains to Lloyd about his wife and kid. And he says he never meant to hurt Danny in Boulder, it was just an accident because of, “physics.” He says Wendy will never let him forget the incident for the rest of his life. Grady tells Jack that Danny has been speaking with Hallorann. Jack doesn’t know this is because Danny thought of the man when he was in room 237. And this sent out a sort of signal to the fellow psychic. Grady tells Jack that Hallorann is on his way to check in on the snowed in family. Grady also tells Jack his wife and child must be, “corrected.” And by corrected, he means cut into pieces with an ax. Yep, two amazing fathers here.
All Work and No Play
Wendy ends up in Jack’s writing room. She takes a peek at the manuscript but all that is there are pages and pages and pages and pages, like seriously a ton of pages that say, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” For those of you who are not writers or not old enough to have learned to type anything on a typewriter, this is a warm up sentence used to help you learn to type and one that writers use until an idea comes to mind. But it is especially eerie here because the man writing the words is in fact named Jack and his head space is really not good.
This and a confrontation with Jack makes Wendy paranoid enough to grab a bat. Jack basically threatens to kill Wendy so she knocks him unconscious and locks him in the kitchen pantry.
Now is the chance for Wendy and Danny to make their escape.
RedRum
Wendy goes to grab Danny but Jack has sabotaged the two-way radio they use to communicate with the outside world. The only vehicle that can get the two of them out of there is the snowcat but Jack has sabotaged that as well. In the hotel room, Danny goes into his “Tony” voice and repeats the word redrum over and over. Danny writes the word on the bathroom door in red lipstick. Wendy is confused by this until she sees it in the bathroom mirror. It’s the word murder spelled backwards. And it’s one of the most memorable moments in both the book and film.
We’re Running for Our Lives
Essentially, from here on out the film becomes a chase sequence. Grady unlocks Jack from the pantry. Jack grabs an ax. He chases Wendy and Danny all around the hotel. At one point Dick Hallorann does show up and he’s able to distract Jack momentarily but Jack kills Dick.
Danny escapes his father because he can make it through the hedge maze in the snow. As Wendy runs through the hotel looking for Danny she encounters all of the ghostly phenomena Danny did. Including an elevator that opens to buckets of blood filling the hall.
In the hedge maze, Danny covers some of his footprints in the snow and misleads Jack. Wendy finds Danny and they make it to Hallorann’s snowcat. This time they are in luck and make it out.
As the camera pans out, it’s clear Jack has frozen to death in the maze.
The final shot of the film is Jack in a photograph of the hotel hallway from July 4th, 1921. Jack has joined the Overlook hotel staff. Permanently.
In Conclusion
If you are the right age, and watched this film as a kid, like I did, it made an impression. As a kid I could imagine myself zooming down the hallways of a huge, empty hotel, only to be confronted with malicious visions. It was terrifying.
As far as films go today, the movie still holds up. It has a unique look and feel to it. The directing is amazing, although Kubrick pretty much bordered on abuse to get this made. And Shelley Duvall actually has a great performance here, despite what critics said at the time. The soundtrack is fantastic and the cinematography is unforgettable.
But, whenever he is on screen, the only thing you can look at is Jack Nicholson. There is a reason this is one of his most iconic roles. It’s an intense performance in an already intense film.
While I will always prefer the book to the film, this is one I would re-watch any time.
Want More?
Like Stephen King books and movies? Let me know which one is your favorite in the comments below!
Note: this review was first posted on Reedsy Discovery, an awesome website that pairs independent authors and readers. To see the post there, click here.
If you are a book reviewer and want to contribute reviews on Reedsy Discovery, click here.
(Note: this post contains affiliate links. If you purchase something through this post I will get a small commission at no extra cost to you)
SYNOPSIS
Bitch. Bastard. Orphan.
Ata had become inured to these epithets – her self-directed labels cut much deeper:
Spy. Liar. Traitor.
Their accuracy rent to the bone… But all people had their roles to play and hers was one of secrecy and survival-driven destruction. For the greater good.
Follow Ata’s travails through royal intrigues, violent invasions, and hard-forged alliances as she fights alongside friend and foe for the survival of the continent of Áitarbith. She questions old relationships and forges new whilst navigating treacherous courts and brutal battle landscapes, possibly finding love along the way. In the face of an implacably ruthless enemy, as well as uncertainty as to who can be trusted, the final outcome of this struggle is anything but certain.
This is Book 1 of a trilogy titled The Chronicles of Áitarbith.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
REVIEW
Ata is a spy for her kingdom of Pandia. She’s infiltrated the palace of Cinnae as a servant. She remains undiscovered but her mission will either bring the two kingdoms together or tear them apart. Everything changes one night when there is a brutal attack on the palace. Ata will need to use her skills in fighting and magic to keep the world safe. But her actions may cause suspicion and she risks the wrath of both kingdoms. Added to that, Svens, the bastard offspring of the Cinnaen Queen spikes her temper, yet she feels an undeniable attraction to him.
The Assays of Ata is the first in a high fantasy trilogy by author K.I.S. The book is surprising at turns and highly engaging. Ata is a strong willed character full of both kindness and temper. She strives to do the right thing, even if it means defying her own king. But she’s also no pushover when ordered to do something she doesn’t want to.
The world created here feels vast and lived in, with a rich history to it. When a threat thought gone for generations arrives, Ata must jump into action and take charge. These actions cause long ranging consequences that will affect both her and the world of Áitarbith. Most of the characters are well fleshed out and have their own unique voices and visions of the world. And while many of the characters have clear motivations, who is set to gain and lose from Ata’s actions is less clear, making for an intriguing read.
By the end of the book there are definitely threads that have not been tied up but if K.I.S. manages subsequent volumes as well as this one, the reader won’t be disappointed.
If you like high fantasy books with headstrong heroes, political machinations, bloody battles and fantasy creatures, this book is definitely for you. Personally, I am looking forward to reading the next volume.
FURTHER REVIEWS
If you liked this review check out some of my others here!
Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson with Illustrations by Howard Lyon
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
Tress of the Emerald Sea – Summary
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson comes a rollicking, riveting tale set in the Cosmere universe―a standalone adventure perfect for fans of The Princess Bride.
The only life Tress has known on her island home in an emerald-green ocean has been a simple one, with the simple pleasures of collecting cups brought by sailors from faraway lands and listening to stories told by her friend Charlie. But when his father takes him on a voyage to find a bride and disaster strikes, Tress must stow away on a ship and seek the Sorceress of the deadly Midnight Sea. Amid the spore oceans where pirates abound, can Tress leave her simple life behind and make her own place sailing a sea where a single drop of water can mean instant death?
(Note: this post contains affiliate links. If you purchase something through this post I will get a small commission at no extra cost to you)
Review
To say Brandon Sanderson is a prolific writer would be an understatement. He writes novels the way most of us go to the movies. It’s constant. While COVID-19 had the world locked down, Sanderson took the initiative to write four different novels without telling his publishers or anyone else on his team. He then released them on a kickstarter campaign and broke the record for pledges there.
Tress of the Emerald Sea is the first of these novels. And now, it is widely available. This is one of the cosmere novels. If you are a longtime reader of Sanderson’s you’ll know what that means. But you do not need to have read his other books to enjoy this one. This story can stand alone. Although, you will get more out of it if you have read more of his books.
Tress loves two things. She loves cups of all kinds. And she loves Charlie. Charlie is expected to take a bride from far off, leaving Tress all alone. But when Tress discovers Charlie is in trouble, her life changes. She must take action and save Charlie before it’s too late.
The book is a bit more whimsical than a good portion of Sanderson’s books and reads a bit like The Princess Bride or Good Omens. It’s got some interesting mechanics as far as how the unique sea on this planet works. And it has a familiar character as the narrator here, adding a layer to the story for fans of the cosmere. The artwork is fantastic and worth the price of the book alone, with Howard Lyon evoking the scenes perfectly in the reader’s imagination.
Do I need to Read other Sanderson Books before Tress of the Emerald Sea?
While this does stand on its own, it does feel a bit like things are not fully revealed if you don’t know at least a bit about the cosmere. I certainly don’t know everything about the cosmere. There may be things I missed while reading. But there wasn’t so much that I couldn’t enjoy the book.
There’s a good bit of quirky humor so if that’s not your thing, this book may not be for you. The world building is as effective as ever and Sanderson continues to be a master of it.
This is a good book to start out on but don’t assume all of his writing is like this. There are some of his works much more serious and some less so.
Brandon Sanderson has so much out there, it can be difficult to know where to start. Tress of the Emerald Sea provides a good beginning point if you are new. It also works as a nice distraction to those who are fully entangled in the cosmere already. While I won’t say this is his best book, it is largely enjoyable and a fun read. You may feel yourself left wanting just a little more. But the good news is, Sanderson has metric tons more for you to find.
Already read Tress of the Emerald Sea but want another stand alone book to read? Check out my review of Elantris!
Note: this review was first posted on Reedsy Discovery, an awesome website that pairs independent authors and readers. To see the post there, click here.
If you are a book reviewer and want to contribute reviews on Reedsy Discovery, click here.
(Note: this post contains affiliate links. If you purchase something through this post I will get a small commission at no extra cost to you)
SYNOPSIS
Why escape death by demon just to die at the hands of heroes?’
Taitu Jathaeri, a sixteen-year-old girl with arcane gifts, is impatient to leave her matriarchal home island to train at Mecanta’s Academy of the Arcane Arts. But when her guardian, a recluse witch, is murdered, Taitu is tasked to go to the dreaded mainland, find a mage in the ruins of Old Anvadore, and give him the artefact Arjanna has hidden for twenty years. But Arjanna had many secrets. The young Thorn must learn who to trust and whether the murderers who are now pursuing her could be her salvation or her ruin. Has she unwittingly chosen the wrong side in a war that will release an ancient corrupting evil into the world of Itania?
To Save a Thorn is the second book of the Aerieti Chronicles of the Fall series. It’s largely self-contained and easy to follow without having to read the first book. That being said, reading them both adds context.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Taitu Jathaeri is a bit unusual in her little island community. She is able to cast magic, unlike most of the women who live on her home island of Ilja. The island is mostly comprised of women who live there in a matriarchal society. Due to her magic, Taitu is given to Arjanna, the only other person capable of casting magic on the island, to raise. Although grateful to Arjanna, Taitu still misses her mother and wishes to go to the mainland to learn more about how to wield her magic. Yet, there seems to be more to Arjanna than Taitu knew when a group of strangers attack and Arjanna taks Taitu with keeping a secret artifact safe and getting it to a mysterious stranger far away.
On her journey, Taitu encounters people who want to recover the artifact but are they trying to harm Taitu or save her?
Like the first book in the series, To Save a Thorn has a charming protagonist who you can’t help but cheer for as she makes her way in the world. The story is full of fun and magic and a thoroughly enjoyable read. If you read the first book in the series, it will be a bit easier to pick up on who is trying to help and who is trying to harm Taitu but either way you can read this volume as a stand alone book. This volume brings along some characters from the first book but introduces us to plenty of new ones.
The book fits in well to the larger story and it will be interesting to see where the series goes from this point on.
If you enjoy fun fantasy adventures with lots of different creatures, magic throughout the world, and charming protagonists, this book is for you.
Note: this review was first posted on Reedsy Discovery, an awesome website that pairs independent authors and readers. To see the post there, click here.
If you are a book reviewer and want to contribute reviews on Reedsy Discovery, click here.
(Note: this post contains affiliate links. If you purchase something through this post I will get a small commission at no extra cost to you)
SYNOPSIS
The Reset is a culmination of worlds colliding, timelines interweaving, and relationships that seemed indestructible, reaching dire breaking points.
Vincent gets in the midst of an international political crisis forged by his adversary, Philip Nardin. As he tirelessly works to offset the impact, Philip kidnaps Nozomi, Vincent’s daughter. In an endgame decision, Vincent relinquishes his time-correcting powers to Philip while the world leaders launch a devastating arms race to weaponize Intreton—the purest energy source that can alter reality if mishandled. The two opponents, Vincent and Philip, unite against political and military forces to save reality from crumbling. Their plan reveals a mind-bending past and the identity of a time-twisted villain Philip calls the Lunatic. Such revelation leads to a dramatic conclusion and opens the possibility of a Reset. As someone close to Vincent shows their true self, Vincent discovers that Nozomi’s complex ties to Emika and Akane may hold the key to the Reset in this time-hopping clash of love, egos, and desires.
A story of love that transcends time and reality, and the sacrifices masquerading as selfish acts, the final book of the award-winning Time Corrector series is a whirlwind of unexpected events—many questions will finally be answered.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Dr. Vincent Abajian is a brilliant man who has a team of brilliant people around him. He’s been able to master Intreton, a substance that allows him to travel through time and even across realities. There are moments in his life we keep revisiting as readers but each time more complexities are revealed and we can see more of what each action means. The story is complex and intricate, much like a fine watch or brilliant piece of classical music can be. The third book in The Time Corrector series manages the nearly impossible by not only tying the first two books together perfectly and concluding in a satisfying manner, it still leaves the reader wishing for more.
If you had the power to change time, to change reality, to move the world in a more peaceful direction, what would you be willing to sacrifice? Would you be able to let go of ones you love in order to protect them? Can a selfish act mask one of kindness and love? These are some of the themes in The Reset. The book continues Avi Datta’s tradition of brilliant storytelling, non-linear plot making, and absolutely beautiful character development. Just when the reader thinks they have everything figured out, Datta will impress him or her with the most incredible twists and turns imaginable.
With each volume, this work becomes more and more brilliant. The intricate plot weaving is equal to the character development and as in the first two books, there are moments that completely change the reader’s perspective without feeling like a gimmick.
If there are any flaws in the series it may be that at times Dr. Abajian can occasionally be portrayed as too good and too brilliant but this is forgivable given the intricacies of the people surrounding him.
This is a series you must read from the beginning in order for it to make sense. If you have not already read The Winding and The Movement, do so before picking up the third volume.
If you enjoy expansive, non-linear storytelling, with a masterful plot and beautiful character development, this book is for you. If you just enjoy great books in general, this is a must read series.
Hello book lovers! It’s 2024 and that means we’ve all got a fresh year full of reading to look forward to. But what is there to read? There’s millions of books out there and tons of blog lists recommending those books. So, I decided to come up with my own list of what I think might be worth reading this year. For the most part these will be fantasy or science fiction books but that’s just my taste. If you read anything this year and you like it, you win your year in reading. I’ll get into why I think the books below are worth reading but a lot of them have been around for a long time so it might be a re-read for you. Anyway, I hope you like the list!
The Dune Series
Dune by Frank Herbert
Dune is one of the most brilliant science fiction books of all time. It has an epic and sweeping story spanning entire planets but it focuses on a small group of characters in a desperate situation. You probably know there was a Dune movie released in 2021 and there will be a part two of that film released this year. Both films are based on the first book in the series. There are a total of 6 books in the series so if you enjoy the first one, there’s still plenty to read after that first book.
The Wheel of Time Series
The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
No matter how you feel about the adaptation of the Wheel of Time series, the books written by Robert Jordan have been well loved for decades. There is good reason for this as the stories are immersive and sweeping and contain everything you would want in a fantasy series while providing incredible and unexpected twists. The book to start with is The Eye of the World but there are a whopping 14 books to read. The last three were written by Brandon Sanderson who we’ll be talking about later in this list but the rest were written by Jordan himself. If you haven’t started reading this series, 2024 is the perfect year to start. There have been 2 seasons of The Wheel of Time television show released with a third on the way.
The Time Corrector Series
The Winding by Avi Datta
In the past few years one of the most beautiful books I have read was The Winding by Avi Datta. This is the first part in the Time Corrector series. It’s full of interesting time travel concepts but also contains an incredible romance story. A third volume of the series is on the way and I’ll be reviewing that book in February. If you are looking for a great science fiction book, a great romance, or simply an amazing story, I can’t recommend this series enough. With there only being three books so far, it should be pretty quick to catch up and get a bit further on your reading challenges this year.
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
Okay, I know, I know, every fantasy fan has probably already read this. But, if you are like me, you can never get enough of these books. It’s where a lot of western fantasy comes from and Tolkien’s genius is virtually unmatched in literature. If that weren’t enough, there is a re-release of the Lord of the Rings films in January and, believe it or not, another LOTR related movie is coming out in 2024. It’s called The War of the Rohirrim and is going to be an animated film starring the voice talents of some of the cast from the live action films. That makes 2024 the perfect year to revisit this series. (Well I think every year is the perfect year for that but at least I have an excuse now)
Literally anything by Brandon Sanderson
The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
Who is the least adapted but most prolific fantasy author alive today? Hands down, Brandon Sanderson. To say he is prolific is truly an understatement, this guy writes volumes of books the way I consume popcorn. My personal favorite series of his is The Stormlight Archives but these books are all huge so I am plodding my way through them. He also has the notable and extremely enjoyable series Mistborn, a great single volume novel called Elantris and a series of Y.A. books called Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians. A lot of his books tie together into a shared universe he calls the Cosmere which leads to plenty of fun and interesting easter eggs. I haven’t come across one of Sanderson’s books I don’t like, however, he writes an incredible amount of books so I have not nearly read them all. 2024 is a good year to start these books because, well, any year is a good year to start his stuff and he’s overdue for an adaptation of his work in film or television so you might as well get on the bandwagon where all the cool kids are now.
Conclusion
This is by no means an exhaustive list of great science fiction and fantasy books. Other great authors to consider include N. K. Jemisin with her Broken Earth series, The Binti series by Nnedi Okorafor, anything by Neil Gaiman, The Earthsea Cycles by Ursula K. Leguin and The Dark Tower series by Stephen King. Put simply, there are too many books out there for me to read so I can’t tell you everything you should read but those are a few of my suggestions for the year.
What are you planning to read this year? I’m always looking for a good book recommendation, especially in sci-fi, fantasy, and horror categories so let me know in the comments!
Literally yours,
Slick Dungeon
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Well Happy New Year out there all you dungeon crawlers! It’s officially 2024 but before we start off the new year for real, I thought I would give a little wrap up about what happened here on my blog this year. I’ll also give you a little peek into a few of the things you might see on here in 2024. If you can’t stand this kind of a post, don’t feel like you need to read it, I just like to do a little reflection now and then. I’m just going to be talking about what happened on my blog more or less, not big news stories (for the most part) or anything like that. Let’s see what happened in the categories I covered.
film
I started off the year wanting to review every movie I saw. I failed on that goal because, well, you know, life and stuff. But I started out reviewing one of the oddest movies I have ever seen called Adult Swim Yule Log (AKA The Fireplace). It’s not for everyone but it’s definitely memorable. In January I also reviewed Prey which is best entry the Predator series has had in decades. Horror films in theaters started off fairly strong in the form of M3GAN about an android doll who does what android dolls do and tries to kill everyone. January also had a Friday the 13th in it so I reviewed the last of the Friday the 13th movies I can, Freddy vs. Jason. I’m still hopeful for a 13th movie in the series but we’ll see if that ever actually happens.
In February they rereleased Titanic for a limited time and made me ugly cry as always. On Valentine’s day I watched Picnic at Hanging Rock which is a quiet horror movie with a decidedly creepy vibe which also happens to take place on Valentine’s day. I also watched Tom Hanks be a grumpy old man in A Man Called Otto. February brought with it more Ant-Man in the form of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. It was sort of okay but certainly not Marvel’s best.
In May it was the anniversary of Return of the Jedi so I wanted to give everyone a guide on how to go about watching, reading, playing etc. in the universe of Star Wars. I’ve got a lot left to review on that so stay tuned if you like Star Wars. Also in May I reviewed the entire Fast & Furious franchise starting with the very first movie, The Fast & The Furious. It’s mind boggling how far into ridiculousness these films get.
I didn’t really watch any movies in July actually so nothing to report here.
In August there was a refreshingly independent horror movie called Talk to Me. And a couple of box office juggernauts were launched with Oppenheimer and Barbie. I watched them both but only got around to reviewing the first one. They’re both worth watching though!
In October I reviewed the whole Psycho franchise (excluding the TV series Bates Motel) starting with the first film. I also reviewed the double feature slashers of X and Pearl.
I was a little burned out on movies so didn’t review any others until December when I watched what might have been my favorite film of 2023 and an absolute mastery of storytelling with Godzilla Minus One.
So, what’s coming up on this blog for film for 2024? Well, I can’t say I am overly excited about what is coming to theaters but I’m sure I will review a few things here. I’ll almost certainly review the Oscar picks for best picture. As far as film series to review I think I am going to go with the whole Halloween franchise and the Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies. We’ll see if I end up doing any others.
Books
It was a busy year in books for me. In February I read the second volume of the Time Corrector series, The Movement by Avi Datta. It’s a fantastic series and a beautiful book. And I am very excited that I have the third volume which I will be reviewing in early February. I also started reviewing the Empire series by Tim Goff.
In November I read Illyadra by Adriel Wallaker and Drakomunda by Guy Quarterly.
December I read The Badlander by Tom Golden which has an utterly unforgettable ending. I also read To the Solemn Graves which is a solid ghost story anthology by Kim Idynne.
In 2024 you can expect more reviews of independent author’s books from Reedsy. I’m also hoping to but in a few more Star Wars book reviews and couple of reviews for bigger name authors, especially in fantasy and science fiction. I am a slow reader so we’ll see how far I get.
Marvel
I continue my quest to review every Marvel 616 comic in order and I made some progress this year. There is still a ton to go.
I could link every post I did on these this year but my series of reviews is meant to be read from the beginning so I am going to cheat a little and just link you to that first post here. If you read through it, you can link to the next one at the bottom and go in order.
I love Marvel comics and for 2024 I plan to continue with these reviews. I have to take breaks from it here and there because as much as I do love them, these early issues can seem a bit repetitive. Once you’ve seen Thor beat up a bunch of communists you don’t really need to see it again but that just keeps happening. Anyway, as far as Marvel goes on this blog just watch for more of it!
Star Wars
As far as Star Wars goes, as I mentioned above I have a lot left to review. I did come up with a guide for how to get started here. And I managed to review The Light of the Jedi.
For 2024 I’ll be reviewing Into the Dark which is the next book in phase 1 of the High Republic series. I will also probably start reviewing the movies but those are going to be a super deep dive so I’m not sure if I will complete that this year. I’ll be consuming tons of Star Wars stuff as I always to but how much I review basically remains to be seen.
Role Playing Games
Oh boy did a lot happen in the world of TTRPGs this year! There were too many crazy things to cover but the year did not start off well for Wizards of the Coast who makes Dungeons & Dragons. They had a huge debacle in what came to be knows as the OGL well.. debacle. And a ton of other stuff happened too. At the end of 2023 I basically feel better about TTRPGs as a hobby as a whole but D&D really needs to figure itself out as soon as possible if it wants to stay the most popular TTRPG of all time.
In January I gave my recommendations for the Top 5 TTRPGs to play in 2023. Also in January things started happening with the OGL (Open Gaming License) which allows creators to make third party stuff for D&D. But you know what? There are other rules systems and companies out there and people who want to make stuff for TTRPGs can use them. One of my favorites is the Basic Role Playing system by Chaosium. January just went crazy with the whole OGL thing and another company who I would say proved to be one of the best in 2023 was Paizo who makes Pathfinder. I wrote about that here.
In February I gave my picks for great gifts for any game master here. I know, it’s not romantic or whatever but hey, everyone can use dice and stuff like that. There were also a lot of play tests of new games happening in 2023. In particular in February there was the first play test of what was called Project Black Flag but will be known as Tales of the Valiant. It’s got the potential to be a D&D rival but it remains to be seen how popular it ends up becoming.
One of the things I find most difficult about TTRPGs is just finding a group to play consistently. A great way around that is to play solo TTRPG games which is why I cam up with my list of Top 5 Solo TTRPGs in April.
In August I got my hot little hands on a game I am super excited about which combines my love of Marvel comics with my love of TTRPGs. That’s right, I wrote about everything you need to know about the Marvel Multiverse Tabletop Role Playing Game. I also did a review of the core rulebook here and did a breakdown of the first chapter here. I’ll be doing a lot more with this book and this game in 2024 so if you are into Marvel TTRPGs watch for that.
In October I did one of the two things I am most proud of for 2023. I wrote my first scenario for Call of Cthulhu 7th edition called Fantastic Light Display. I worked for more than a month on it and I’m still just really excited to have published anything TTRPG related. This is definitely not for everyone but I had an absolute blast making it.
Also, because it was October, I couldn’t resist giving my recommendations for the Top 5 Monster TTRPGs to play.
In December, the MCDM TTRPG had a crowdfunding kick off and I have to say this is the game I am most excited for coming out in 2024 so expect a lot more written about it right here on this blog.
I had such a great time making my first Call of Cthulhu 7th edition scenario that I decided to do it again. This one is called Trouble on the Rock and is set on Alcatraz island just as the military prison is about to become a federal penitentiary. This is also just the first part as I intend to do two more in the On the Rock series. In February watch for the second in the series called Terror on the Rock. Just to be clear, these are related but stand alone scenarios so you don’t have to play one to enjoy the other. If you are into TTRPGs and like Call of Cthulhu it would be awesome if you could spread the word about it!
In 2024 you can expect more posts about how to play TTRPGs, more Top 5 lists, and definitely more scenarios, adventures etc written by yours truly!
Stories by Me
I definitely didn’t write as many short stories in 2023 as I intended to but I still got a few out.
In January I wrote Resolutions. Never try to grow tomatoes is my advice.
In February I wrote about Twenty Years of Walking Away and a story called Invasion. I also posted a story called Space Walk. That story actually first appeared in a collection called Flashbang! Volume II featuring a bunch of independent authors. I just wanted everyone to enjoy my story for free as well if they wished to.
In September I had another story featured in a collection called In a Flash. Again, it features a whole lot of independent authors and they are all flash fiction stories so it’s a nice small bite of fiction for when you don’t have a lot of time.
And as I said in the section above, I published my first two Call of Cthulhu 7th edition scenarios. These are not technically stories but they are written by me and I hope people enjoy them. I’m not trying to make anyone spend a dime on anything I write unless they want to but if you do, buying those scenarios is the best way currently to show your support for this blog.
In 2024 I definitely want to bring back my Flash Fiction Friday series and hopefully have a few good stories for you to read. I absolutely am not going to have one for every Friday of the year but I’ll do what I can!
I’m also working on a novel, but I’ll tell you more about that once I get to a point where I think it’s really worth sharing something. I’m not sure what all else I will get up to as far as writing goes this year but you can definitely expect more blog posts!
Heading into 2024
There are a lot of things I am excited for in the coming year and I hope you’ll decide to keep reading some of my posts whether you enjoy my fiction, my reviews of books and movies, my nerding out about Star Wars and Marvel and TTRPGs or all of the above. I hope everyone has an incredible 2024 and I wish all of you a Happy New Year!
