literature
Geek literature from the New York Times or the recesses of online. Our favorite stories showcase geeks.
Cyclopes and Warlocks
Sea monsters. Giant one-eyed men. Bags filled with winds and cows being hoarded by the gods. Conversations with the dead and the mysterious lands of foreign peoples and cultures. These are the components of one of the very first written epics of the human age.
By Kaitlyn Martin5 years ago in Geeks
Hope without guarantees - the life and works of J.R.R Tolkien. First Place in Fan(dom) Favorite Challenge.
Mae govannen! If we were to meet one day, dear reader, perhaps crossing paths in London under a gently insinuating, but probably over-priced, rain shower, I would begin our discourse with the phrase, 'Mae Govannen' (well met!) before we began expounding on the recent sports-ball tournament, our writing projects, the depressing news tales, or more likely, our cats. It being London, we would likely be shoved in front of a passing bus by one of the friendly locals, and therefore it might be safer if we tried convening in a pub.
By Conor Darrall5 years ago in Geeks
I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up to No Good
"What’s your Hogwarts House?” It’s one of the first questions I ask when meeting someone new. Why? Knowing someone’s Hogwarts House can pretty much tell me all I need to know about a person. It can give me a basic, yet well-rounded, sense of their personality, their ethics, morals and values. When the Pottermore Sorting Hat sorted me into Slytherin all those years ago, it was a major defining point in my life. For the first time, I actually felt as though I had a sense of identity, a real understanding of who I was. I suddenly knew why I did certain things, why I behaved and reacted in certain ways, and why I was often so misunderstood. No doubt there are many psychotherapists who will tell you that discovering your Hogwarts House is by no means an accurate way to define your sense of self, but I beg to differ. Pottermore has been replaced by Wizarding World, and to be sorted by the Sorting Hat you need to take a quiz. Now, critics might scoff, likely believing it to be a nonsense quiz that won’t ask any real questions; and they would be wrong. The questions in the quiz may be a little outside the box, but they are surprisingly deep. All questions are multiple choice and you find you really have to think it through before you choose your answer. Sometimes the results are surprising. My result was not. I feel at home in Slytherin, in a way I have never felt at home before. It was like a puzzle piece finally slipping into place. Although, your result is by no means the be all, end all. Think of it more like a suggestion. If, for whatever reason, you find you aren’t happy with the Sorting Hat’s choice of house, then just like Harry Potter, you are free to choose for yourself where you feel you belong. Also, taking the quiz is free. Who doesn’t love a free quiz to find out something new about themselves?
By Chanelle Joy5 years ago in Geeks
Camus and Our Dance with Death
The French philosopher, Albert Camus, wrote one of the defining novels of our time. His novel, The Plague, not only captured the shock of succumbing to an epidemic, but it also captured the grief, isolation, theorising, and the subsequent aftermath of the outbreak. Camus published The Plague in 1947, but it is when reading his novel today that his novel becomes more relevant and alive than in any other time in history.
By Leigh Doughty5 years ago in Geeks
Mists and Metals
A heroine, a martyr, a god and a man in a dog’s body. What more could you need in the most enthralling fantasy world out there? Maybe a broken society with a tyrant at its head? Perhaps the occasional ball, where noble families dine, dance and politick? Maybe you even want a group of haggard revolutionaries looking to do the impossible. Well, this incredible realm of mysticism, heartbreak and triumph all exists in "The Mistborn" series by Brandon Sanderson. These epic fantasy novels are the best out there for a number of reasons and the ones I’ve already given you don’t even scratch the surface.
By Kaylee Skinner5 years ago in Geeks
The Sevenwaters Series
It was quite by accident that I started reading one of my favorite fantasy book series. I was searching for something to read on a long airplane flight. I happened to be in a grocery store I don’t usually patronize. Their book section pulled me in, and I found one I couldn’t resist. It’s called, “Daughter of the Forest,” by Juliet Marillier. It spoke to me because I was headed from Arizona to a wooded area of Minnesota. The book is an historical fantasy story which was originally intended to be the first of a trilogy. The series did so well that Marillier expanded it to a total of seven books. Appropriate, considering the property owned by the Sevenwaters clan, is named for the seven rivers which empty into the lake on their forested land.
By Julie Lacksonen5 years ago in Geeks
Waylander - A Drenai Saga
There are many fantasy realms to explore today, all with their own world structure, hierarchy of power, battles, and individual characterisation. An engaging fantasy world should be well developed, otherworldly, with three-dimensional characters, a great plot, a good versus evil dynamic, and elements of magic.
By Paul Douglas5 years ago in Geeks
