14 books read in 2025 - a small amount compared to my younger days, but still probably more than I've done in a year for ages! So here is my thread to hopefully build on that and exceed for 2026. I'm going to crush 2025 me!
A sole tower standing tall against a moody backdrop, a window lit near the top, but most everything else cast in shadow.
Book 14, and likely my last of the year. Had hoped to have more done, but gives me a goal to beat next year! Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson, 1st book of the Malazan Book of the Fallen. It's complex and convoluted, and I love it. Never finished the series, so hoping 2026 will be the year I do.
Yeah, took me a while to get started, but when I did it very much so pulled me in! Nice snappy chapters and an intriguing style of writing :-) Thanks to you and @magpiehound.bsky.social for getting it me!
A scene in shades of black, white and orange. Two human figures (and a cat!) heading down a pass, with an 'upside down' tower at the back.
So that was a bit of a wait to Book 13, The Black tongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman. Brand new book to me, brand new author to me, but was a fast paced and fun read. It had a good cadence, and a style of writing that pulls you in, which helped with the slow and steady world building. Good book!
@kambion210.bsky.social is running his amazing Pathfinder 2e game today for us, and for @magpiehound.bsky.social 's birthday, and I am super stoked for it! Love playing my gruff retired dwarven Champion, he's a fine Team Dad 😁
My mostly black, tortoise shell patchwork kitty Molly, lying on her side on the bed.
Realised I haven't given a #proofofcat since being on Blue sky. Here's my Molly, 19 years old, quite noisy, getting very stiff in her old age, but still loves to pose, as long as it's on her terms!
Some sort of smoking pedestal with two figures facing across a lake towards a little island with an odd construction with a flame, all surrounded by trees and a crescent moon in the sky. All a bit weird, with no real relevance to the actual story!
Book 12, and the biggest I've read this year: Magician by Raymond E. Feist. I read this book ages ago, and am happy it reads as well as I remember. Starting off a coming of age type book, but balances some fine world building, characters and a good story! May have to continue with the others...
Boats sailing across the water, hills and mountains in the background, and dark clouds against a blue sky.
Book 11 and have finished the Belgariad, with Enchanters' End Game. It has some issues that I may not have noticed when I was young but still, it's just such a good, classic coming of age story, a chosen one story, and just a satisfying read.
Some riders posing in front of waterfalls and hills and mountains and I think a city? Yeah there's a city there.
10th book down, number 4 of the Belgariad, Castle of Wizardry. Bit of an in-between book: secrets revealed, birthrights bequeathed and now buckled in for the end game. I'd forgotten, though, just how much this story relies on prophecy to hand wave some events and relationships!
Forest type backdrop with two odd looking trees at the fore. People on horses are in the picture and between those two trees are, I think Garion on a horse and possibly Ce'Nedra? Ce'Nedra if only loosely described to an artist!
First book of April completed, my 9th book, the 3rd book of the Belgariad, Magician's Gambit. Still continues to be a really fun read, probably the best of the lot so far with much more world building and character growth.
Two horseback riders on a beach, some sort of camp in front of them, with mountains and waterfalls and forests as a backdrop, with cities on two peaks. None of which has any bearing on the book itself!
Clearly I got into a rhythm with the Belgariad as I've already read the next one, Queen of Sorcery, and book 8 of the year. I do enjoy the world, and the story as it ramps up. It does have some definite problems, but I enjoy it as a good coming of age story, and it's easy to get lost in the setting!
Belgarath and Polgara with a heroic, posing Garion in a scene that never happens! On a hill in front of a load of mountains and forests, and a random city.
Started another nostalgia-fueled series, The Belgariad, by David Eddings. Book 7 complete now with Pawn of Prophecy! It's such a straightforward 'chosen one' type story, simple and a bit juvenile in its presentation at times, but fun despite/because of that! Great world building that draws you in.
4 sessions and over 24 hours into my Rusthenge game and almost finished off a player! I'll get him next time. @paizo.com and @gamedesigner.ninja write a heck of a game, having so much fun with it!
Some woman, a dark elf I reckon (maybe Baenre, although doesn't seem old enough), in a blueish tone. Drizzt at the front, with his forehead plate.
And finishing Siege of Darkness by R.A. Salvatore, book 6 is complete. Much more politicking than I remember, and I'd forgotten the Time of Troubles happened during it. Good fights though, and a fine final battle! Good place to stop my Drizzt reading and move onto something else.
Weird old man Drizzt with his forehead plate again, beside Cattie-Brie wearing her fancy new circlet.
Book 5 done, Starless Night by R.A. Salvatore. One of my least read of this series, I actually missed it completely for the longest time, going straight to the next. I've always found this a little too self-indulgent a book, on many levels, but still fun and sets up the next one nicely!
Every game should have an easily bored koibold to push the game in fun directions :-D
Grumpy koibold (kobold with added fish) flat on their belly. They have splotchy white, red and black patches and white fins.
When you're bored and about to make that everyone's problem.
Portrait of Ishka the koibold from @kambion210.bsky.social PF2e game magnificently brought to life by @bemusedbehemoth.bsky.social
Think it's Drizzt? Looks old with a weird forehead plate, and a spider sneaking in from the side.
Not all my books will be Drizzt, but wanted to continue a little longer and Book 4 has been The Legacy, by R.A. Salvatore. He wrote another trilogy in this time, and you can tell, the writing is more confident, and it's a darker book in many ways. Also we meet the Pwent! Fun read.
Weird picture of our heroes riding camels, with Drizzt as a regular elf
Quickening the pace, Book 3 down, and the trilogy complete with The Halfling's Gem by R.A. Salvatore. I'm glad I revisted this trilogy, it's a bit simple in many ways, and the third book shows an odd change of scenery for the 'Icewind Dale Trilogy', but it's fun, solid action and great escapism!
Bruenor stands in the foreground, ready to axe some fools a question, while Drizzt, Regis and Wulfgar stand back watching it go down
Book number 2 (finally) read, 2nd book of the Icewind Dale trilogy by R.A. Salvatore, Streams of Silver. My favourite of the original trilogy, some proper adventuring, the addition of Entreri, cool fights and a heck of an ending.
3rd session of my Rusthenge game for Pathfinder 2e by @paizo.com in the books. Such a good game so far, and my party are awesome! Kudos to my players @maddambeltaine.bsky.social , @magpiehound.bsky.social and also Geoff and Chris who are Bluesky-less as far as I know.
Catching up on this episode now, and love Tali's reaction to Wind Rose :-D Genuinely one of my favourite musical discoveries of the last few years!
I have :-D Wrestling is an unashamed silly place and that's part of why I love it.
Dark elf Drizzt, Dwarven Bruenor and the barbarian Wulfgar are posed on a snowy and mountainous backdrop. The text shows the book is set in the Forgotten Realms, 'The Crystal Shard' by R.A. Salvatore.
Book number 1 down - The Crystal Shard by R.A. Salvatore. One of the very first Forgotten Realms books I read, and an easy start. Haven't read it in years, and I think it still holds up well, although a different read than I remember. The ego-fragile evil of Kessell hits differently nowadays!
I was a very avid reader growing up, but as I got older (and severe depression set in) this went away. I have always felt something is missing, so I am going to try get that feeling back in 2025! May be 1, may be 100, but I am going to log each and see what I get to by adding to this thread as I go
‘Runners, YOU SONOFAB*TCH! 🤝
I’m proud to introduce “MMM: Magnum Music Mondays”, a weekly playlist for all your Outrunner music vibes wants and needs
open.spotify.com/playlist/78D...
With Thanksgiving this Thursday, it's a short week. But, one thing we are not short on is Content! Blood of the Wild has Zaddy issues, we are determined to survive a Gloomhaven mission, Get in the Trunk is the life of the party, and Joe is getting checking out a new souls-like!
Great match that devolved into absolute chaos in the best way to end the PPV! Can't wait to see what on earth happens next. Really good show that, so many different types of matches, story advancement and some surprises too. Now it's 5am, and time for bed!
And now onto the main event, Mox vs. Orange Cassidy. Very much so intrigued about where they go with this one. The Death Riders story has been really good so far! Let's see if the master of the sloth style can win out (as opposed to my fight with 4.30am)
