|
|
Post by The Semi-Retired Gamer on Jan 20, 2015 9:12:04 GMT -5
I was just curious about what novels, or series of novels, the members would like to see made into their own game or campaign supplement. For me, I would like to see the 5 book Chronicles of Prydain made into a game or a D&D supplement. I read these books as a young child several times. They seem to hit all of the main points of a good adventure/campaign with and old, secretive wizard, a young man going from zero to hero, and an epic quest against a big evil. I think it would work best as an od school supplement or old school type game. The series is basically high fantasy and would fit well into an OD&D type system. How about you? |
|
|
|
Post by tetramorph on Jan 20, 2015 17:53:06 GMT -5
The Semi-Retired Gamer, I'm not familiar with the Chronicles of Prydain. I'll have to look it up. I am working on a campaign and its setting that I am "triangulating" from JRRT's prehistory of earth, CSL's imagined "dark ages," only hinted at, really, in his space trilogy but especially in the figure of Merlin and his interactions with Ransom, and both of those figures' understanding of the western "legendaria." I'm calling it "Dun Kells." Perhaps it will show up more on these boards!
|
|
|
|
Post by Admin Pete on Jan 20, 2015 18:15:11 GMT -5
It is always welcome, just let me know when. And to anyone else that has a campaign. Please let us know about it. On the topic of novels or series of novels, I am going to have to think about this, it might even be a top 10 list.  |
|
|
|
Post by The Semi-Retired Gamer on Jan 20, 2015 20:00:57 GMT -5
The Semi-Retired Gamer, I'm not familiar with the Chronicles of Prydain. I'll have to look it up. I am working on a campaign and its setting that I am "triangulating" from JRRT's prehistory of earth, CSL's imagined "dark ages," only hinted at, really, in his space trilogy but especially in the figure of Merlin and his interactions with Ransom, and both of those figures' understanding of the western "legendaria." I'm calling it "Dun Kells." Perhaps it will show up more on these boards! Sounds interesting! I have thought about it several times but never got around to reading Lewis' space trilogy. Any thoughts to share on it? |
|
|
|
Post by The Semi-Retired Gamer on Jan 20, 2015 20:01:39 GMT -5
It is always welcome, just let me know when. And to anyone else that has a campaign. Please let us know about it. On the topic of novels or series of novels, I am going to have to think about this, it might even be a top 10 list. Top 10 lists are cool! |
|
|
|
Post by finarvyn on Jan 21, 2015 6:48:00 GMT -5
Lewis' space trilogy was kind of strange, IMO. I read it years ago and keep telling myself I ought to track it down and read it again, but my memory was that I didn't like it much. Too philosophical, or something like that.  |
|
|
|
Post by The Semi-Retired Gamer on Jan 21, 2015 7:07:28 GMT -5
Lewis' space trilogy was kind of strange, IMO. I read it years ago and keep telling myself I ought to track it down and read it again, but my memory was that I didn't like it much. Too philosophical, or something like that. That's quite a different take than the Narnia series. I may have to track this down just to see... |
|
|
|
Post by tetramorph on Jan 21, 2015 14:05:02 GMT -5
The Semi-Retired Gamer, thanks for asking. I plan on sharing a lot about this on this forum once we are up and running. So let me think about it and I will get back. CSL's space trilogy is super-different from his Narnia stuff. The audience is adult, not children. It contains "adult themes" and the like. I would not suggest them to a kid until at least a teenager! And then certain things would not "compute." finarvyn, give it a try again, if you would. I also had real trouble with them the first time I read them. I now really love them. Although they are difficult. I think "That Hideous Strength" is the scariest book I have ever read. It is better than 1984 or Catch 22 for its apocalyptic distopic scare factor. It is eerier than King (not hard to do that, he relies too much on violence). It is basically "Christian horror." That sounds weird, but it makes sense when we remember that what we now call "horror," "sci-fi" and "fantasy" were all just "weird fiction" at one time: and certainly at the time that such literature would have been influencing CSL.
|
|
|
|
Post by Admin Pete on Jan 21, 2015 17:45:14 GMT -5
Here are 10 authors that come to mind and it is way more than 10 books. Some of them just have a few gems and others are chock full of old school goodness. I would bet that Elizabeth Moon plays some form of D&D and Joe Abercrombie's world would be brutal. The David Farland series has a really cool take on enhancing ones abilities, I am not sure how you could bring that into a game, but a very fun read. L.E. Modesitt Jr., and The Saga of Recluce is about ORDER and CHAOS. I think it would fit really well into a simulacra of OD&D.
Elizabeth Moon, The Deed of Paksenarrion Trilogy, The Paladin's Legacy Series, The Legacy of Gird Trilogy
Joe Abercrombie, The First Law Trilogy – The Blade Itself, Before They Are Hanged and Last Argument of Kings – and the stand-alone novels Best Served Cold, The Heroes, and Red Country.
Ursula K. Le Guin, The Earthsea Trilogy/The Earthsea Cycle
David Eddings & Leigh Eddings, The Belgariad(5 books), The Mallloreon(5 books), The Elenium Trilogy and The Tamuli Trilogy. (and the other books of the world of the Belgariad & the Malloreon.
William Goldman, The Princess Bride
L.E. Modesitt Jr., The Saga of Recluce (18 books and counting) & the Spellsong Cycle (5 books)
Llyod Alexander, The Chronicles Of Prydain
Kristen Britain, The Green Rider Series
David Farland, The Runelords Series
Jennifer Roberson, Chronicles of the Cheysuli
|
|
|
|
Post by The Semi-Retired Gamer on Jan 21, 2015 21:30:36 GMT -5
The Semi-Retired Gamer, thanks for asking. I plan on sharing a lot about this on this forum once we are up and running. So let me think about it and I will get back. CSL's space trilogy is super-different from his Narnia stuff. The audience is adult, not children. It contains "adult themes" and the like. I would not suggest them to a kid until at least a teenager! And then certain things would not "compute." finarvyn, give it a try again, if you would. I also had real trouble with them the first time I read them. I now really love them. Although they are difficult. I think "That Hideous Strength" is the scariest book I have ever read. It is better than 1984 or Catch 22 for its apocalyptic distopic scare factor. It is eerier than King (not hard to do that, he relies too much on violence). It is basically "Christian horror." That sounds weird, but it makes sense when we remember that what we now call "horror," "sci-fi" and "fantasy" were all just "weird fiction" at one time: and certainly at the time that such literature would have been influencing CSL. Wow! Better than 1984 for apocalyptic scare factor? Now, I'm really interested!! |
|
|
|
Post by The Semi-Retired Gamer on Jan 21, 2015 21:31:45 GMT -5
Here are 10 authors that come to mind and it is way more than 10 books. Some of them just have a few gems and others are chock full of old school goodness. I would bet that Elizabeth Moon plays some form of D&D and Joe Abercrombie's world would be brutal. The David Farland series has a really cool take on enhancing ones abilities, I am not sure how you could bring that into a game, but a very fun read. L.E. Modesitt Jr., and The Saga of Recluce is about ORDER and CHAOS. I think it would fit really well into a simulacra of OD&D. Elizabeth Moon, The Deed of Paksenarrion Trilogy, The Paladin's Legacy Series, The Legacy of Gird Trilogy Joe Abercrombie, The First Law Trilogy – The Blade Itself, Before They Are Hanged and Last Argument of Kings – and the stand-alone novels Best Served Cold, The Heroes, and Red Country. Ursula K. Le Guin, The Earthsea Trilogy/The Earthsea Cycle David Eddings & Leigh Eddings, The Belgariad(5 books), The Mallloreon(5 books), The Elenium Trilogy and The Tamuli Trilogy. (and the other books of the world of the Belgariad & the Malloreon. William Goldman, The Princess Bride L.E. Modesitt Jr., The Saga of Recluce (18 books and counting) & the Spellsong Cycle (5 books) Llyod Alexander, The Chronicles Of Prydain Kristen Britain, The Green Rider Series David Farland, The Runelords Series Jennifer Roberson, Chronicles of the Cheysuli Great selections and some I need to hunt down. |
|
|
|
Post by Admin Pete on Jan 21, 2015 23:31:49 GMT -5
The Semi-Retired Gamer, thanks for asking. I plan on sharing a lot about this on this forum once we are up and running. So let me think about it and I will get back. CSL's space trilogy is super-different from his Narnia stuff. The audience is adult, not children. It contains "adult themes" and the like. I would not suggest them to a kid until at least a teenager! And then certain things would not "compute." finarvyn, give it a try again, if you would. I also had real trouble with them the first time I read them. I now really love them. Although they are difficult. I think "That Hideous Strength" is the scariest book I have ever read. It is better than 1984 or Catch 22 for its apocalyptic distopic scare factor. It is eerier than King (not hard to do that, he relies too much on violence). It is basically "Christian horror." That sounds weird, but it makes sense when we remember that what we now call "horror," "sci-fi" and "fantasy" were all just "weird fiction" at one time: and certainly at the time that such literature would have been influencing CSL. Wow! Better than 1984 for apocalyptic scare factor? Now, I'm really interested!! I read that trilogy when I was 9 or 10, back when I first started devouring everything science fiction that I could lay my hands on. At that age I remember two things, one I did not find it scary and two I was disappointed because it was not the science fiction I was looking for. I haven't thought of it for years, but now I will have to re-read it nearly 50 years later I am sure that I will find it much different than I did then. I am not sure why I have not re-read it sooner. Funny the older I get the more my taste leans more strongly towards fantasy and less towards science fiction. |
|
|
|
Post by The Semi-Retired Gamer on Jan 22, 2015 8:26:44 GMT -5
Looks like several of us have some reading to do...
|
|
|
|
Post by Admin Pete on Jan 23, 2015 23:26:23 GMT -5
Here are a few more to chew on!
McKillip, Patricia: The Forgotten Beasts of Eld
Alexander, Lloyd: The Book of Three and the rest of the Chronicles of Prydain series.
Anthony, Piers: Split Infinity and the rest of the Apprentice Adept series
Heinlein, Robert A.:Time Enough for Love and Glory Road
|
|
|
|
Post by Admin Pete on Jan 24, 2015 10:12:27 GMT -5
Another books series that I love and is great inspiration is The Deryni novels by Katherine Kurtz. To me it just does not get any better in fantasy writing than these books. I believe this was made into a game, but I have never seen it.
|
|
|
|
Post by tetramorph on Jan 24, 2015 11:38:41 GMT -5
Admin Pete, one more word about Lewis' space trilogy and especially That Hideous Strength: I think you have enough age and wisdom now to "get" some of the truly bizarre scariness of it that, as a child and even young adult, just couldn't come across to me. Not to give anything away, but I will say that, for me, deception and double-talk are not only infuriating and unjust to me, but really just down-right scary. The way that folks can alter realities, frighten others by making them question their own perception of reality and manipulate until folks don't know right from left just makes me feel icked out. That Hideous Strength could be set in contemporary times and still be riveting. It could be about multi-national corps instead of nation-states and become TRULY freak out! If y'all get time to read it, let me know if you had a similar encounter with it! When I start posting about my campaign setting, I will try to make the connection to this "science fiction" a bit more obvious.
|
|
|
|
Post by Admin Pete on Jan 24, 2015 12:47:21 GMT -5
Admin Pete, one more word about Lewis' space trilogy and especially That Hideous Strength: I think you have enough age and wisdom now to "get" some of the truly bizarre scariness of it that, as a child and even young adult, just couldn't come across to me. Not to give anything away, but I will say that, for me, deception and double-talk are not only infuriating and unjust to me, but really just down-right scary. The way that folks can alter realities, frighten others by making them question their own perception of reality and manipulate until folks don't know right from left just makes me feel icked out. That Hideous Strength could be set in contemporary times and still be riveting. It could be about multi-national corps instead of nation-states and become TRULY freak out! If y'all get time to read it, let me know if you had a similar encounter with it! When I start posting about my campaign setting, I will try to make the connection to this "science fiction" a bit more obvious. I will let you know, I am sure it will read much differently after nearly 50 years. I imagine major portions just went over my head when I read it back then. Wow, that sounds old even to me, re-reading a book after 50 years. |
|
|
|
Post by The Semi-Retired Gamer on Jan 24, 2015 13:22:21 GMT -5
Admin Pete, one more word about Lewis' space trilogy and especially That Hideous Strength: I think you have enough age and wisdom now to "get" some of the truly bizarre scariness of it that, as a child and even young adult, just couldn't come across to me. Not to give anything away, but I will say that, for me, deception and double-talk are not only infuriating and unjust to me, but really just down-right scary. The way that folks can alter realities, frighten others by making them question their own perception of reality and manipulate until folks don't know right from left just makes me feel icked out. That Hideous Strength could be set in contemporary times and still be riveting. It could be about multi-national corps instead of nation-states and become TRULY freak out! If y'all get time to read it, let me know if you had a similar encounter with it! When I start posting about my campaign setting, I will try to make the connection to this "science fiction" a bit more obvious. That definitely has my interest up on this book and series. I will be checking it out next. |
|
|
|
Post by Admin Pete on Jan 26, 2015 13:19:49 GMT -5
Not to give anything away, but I will say that, for me, deception and double-talk are not only infuriating and unjust to me, but really just down-right scary. The way that folks can alter realities, frighten others by making them question their own perception of reality and manipulate until folks don't know right from left just makes me feel icked out. I agree with you fully on that. To me a really scary book is 1984 by George Orwell. Now we have to technology to be even more intrusive than he envisioned. |
|
|
|
Post by The Semi-Retired Gamer on Jan 26, 2015 15:18:47 GMT -5
Admin Pete I agree with you. The first time I read 1984 I considered it far off science BUT now that stuff is completely in the realm of possibility. 
|
|
|
|
Post by Necromancer on Jan 26, 2015 17:54:53 GMT -5
I remember seeing the Chronicles of Prydain-books at the local public library when I was growing up, but for some reason I never read them. However, I did go to the movies with the oldest of my kid brothers and saw the 1985 Disney movie The Black Cauldron. Since I was only 11 at the time, and just started playing RPG's one year earlier, I think it was rather inspirational to me back then.
|
|
|
|
Post by Admin Pete on Jan 26, 2015 22:50:29 GMT -5
Admin Pete I agree with you. The first time I read 1984 I considered it far off science BUT now that stuff is completely in the realm of possibility. Exactly and not only that, I can remember when I thought 1984 was the far distant future, when you are a not yet a teen 18 years in the future seems like 200 years. Living through the year 1984 for me was like time travel. |
|
|
|
Post by Admin Pete on Jan 26, 2015 22:51:23 GMT -5
I remember seeing the Chronicles of Prydain-books at the local public library when I was growing up, but for some reason I never read them. However, I did go to the movies with the oldest of my kid brothers and saw the 1985 Disney movie The Black Cauldron. Since I was only 11 at the time, and just started playing RPG's one year earlier, I think it was rather inspirational to me back then. I have never seen that movie and I am not sure why. Another thing to pickup and do. |
|
|
|
Post by The Semi-Retired Gamer on Jan 27, 2015 5:14:21 GMT -5
For some reason, I missed the movie myself.
|
|
|
|
Post by Necromancer on Jan 27, 2015 8:10:52 GMT -5
That movie actually was released on DVD here a year ago or something like that. I bought a copy for my kid brother, since I thought it could be fun. I guess I should have picked up a copy for myself as well... After all, I haven't seen it since '85!
|
|
|
|
Post by Von on Feb 11, 2015 2:33:46 GMT -5
I generally prefer campaigns that are a subtle composite work drawing on many sources, but that said I'd happily play a gentleman magician in Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, post-Return of English Magic. I could be persuaded into The Worm Ourorobos in the hands of a competent DM and a group that could roleplay Eddison's world without damaging irony and breach to the fourth wall, but in the absence of such I would rather Eddison be left as an underappreciated gem.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 13, 2015 13:19:32 GMT -5
I just recently read the 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear, and the whole time I felt like I was reading the ramblings of some crazed madman's gonzo OD&D hexcrawl. In fact, now I've got half a mind to write up some of its bizarre creatures for use as monsters in OD&D! For reference, here's a map of the continent of Zamonia. Here's a description and a picture of one of my favourite creatures, the Spiderwitch. The description just drips with OD&D or Monster Manual atmosphere! |
|
|
|
Post by The Semi-Retired Gamer on Feb 13, 2015 20:26:06 GMT -5
I just recently read the 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear, and the whole time I felt like I was reading the ramblings of some crazed madman's gonzo OD&D hexcrawl. In fact, now I've got half a mind to write up some of its bizarre creatures for use as monsters in OD&D! For reference, here's a map of the continent of Zamonia. Here's a description and a picture of one of my favourite creatures, the Spiderwitch. The description just drips with OD&D or Monster Manual atmosphere! I've never heard of that book but after following those links I am very interested! The map is cool and the monster fits right in early A/D&D! |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 14, 2015 6:08:29 GMT -5
I just recently read the 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear, and the whole time I felt like I was reading the ramblings of some crazed madman's gonzo OD&D hexcrawl. In fact, now I've got half a mind to write up some of its bizarre creatures for use as monsters in OD&D! For reference, here's a map of the continent of Zamonia. Here's a description and a picture of one of my favourite creatures, the Spiderwitch. The description just drips with OD&D or Monster Manual atmosphere! I've never heard of that book but after following those links I am very interested! The map is cool and the monster fits right in early A/D&D! It does! It's written similar in style to the first generation sci-fi and fantasy novels from the turn of the century. The premise is that Captain Bluebear is writing down the memoirs of his travels through Zamonia, a lost continent from the age of Atlantis. Throughout his travels he keeps referring back to a special encyclopaedia of Zamonia (it's sort of like the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, in that sense), and the passages from the Encyclopaedia have some really great descriptions of the bizarre creatures and natural phenomena he encounters. |
|
|
|
Post by The Semi-Retired Gamer on Feb 14, 2015 8:27:02 GMT -5
I've never heard of that book but after following those links I am very interested! The map is cool and the monster fits right in early A/D&D! It does! It's written similar in style to the first generation sci-fi and fantasy novels from the turn of the century. The premise is that Captain Bluebear is writing down the memoirs of his travels through Zamonia, a lost continent from the age of Atlantis. Throughout his travels he keeps referring back to a special encyclopaedia of Zamonia (it's sort of like the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, in that sense), and the passages from the Encyclopaedia have some really great descriptions of the bizarre creatures and natural phenomena he encounters. Fascinating! I really need to find this book and get to reading... |
|
