At Nerdarchy.com: Learn German longsword online

Want to learn German longsword or other forms of historical fencing but there's not a group near you, or you can't easily leave the house? If so, check out my article about online longsword classes over at Nerdarchy.com.

Quote from Robert Downey Jr.

Haven't done a quote in a while, but maybe that's because I've not read or heard one. Well, heard this one today, and it struck me.

"Lives are saved by tough drill instructors, and in the absence of one, you have to be your own." -- Robert Downey Jr.

At Nerdarchy.com: Me, me, me, me, me

This week over at Nerdarchy, I provide A Guide to the Fantasy writings of Ty Johnston. So, if you've ever wondered where you should get started with reading my fantasy novels, this is the place to look.

At Nerdarchy.com: Beer and RPGs

What beers are most appropriate to drink around the role playing table? Check out my latest article at Nerdarchy.com to find out.

Books read in 2016: No. 3 -- The Indian Captive

by Matthew Brayton

Started: Feb. 3
Finished: Feb. 5

Notes: Apparently this is the true tale, told by the man himself, of a fellow who as captured by a tribe when he was only 8 years old, and then he didn't manage to escape for 34 years. This edition was published in 1896 after the original 1860-ish date, and this story is apparently the real deal, at least according to the small amount of research I've done online to prove its authenticity.

Mini review: Told in a fairly straight-forward, almost journalistic manner as is common to many such 19th Century works, there's not a lot of excitement here, but there are a few tidbits of interesting information from time to time. I was especially interested in the details of a buffalo hunt and some of the information about how Indians dealt with wounds after a battle. A short read, this is worth the while of those with interests in the time period and/or Native Americans.

Books read in 2016: No. 2 -- Necroscope

by Brian Lumley

Started: Jan. 11
Finished: Feb. 3

Notes: After having just read Twilight, I figured I needed to man up and read about some real vampires, which is why I turned to Necroscope. This novel was popular when it came out in 1986, spawning numerous sequels, but somehow I missed it back then even though I was reading lots of horror at the time. I hope it has stood up well to the years.

Mini review: I didn't care much for the writing style, especially as I found it somewhat repetitive and filled with too much exposition, but the characters were interesting enough and the plot is not too bad. I was always guessing, which is a good thing in my opinion. The ending became a little over the top, almost comic-bookish, but it seemed to fit the story and the characters, reminding me a little of the end of the first Matrix movie, in which the story leaves open the possibility for just about anything to happen in the future. One nice touch was the different take on vampires here, but I won't give it away. Will I give this author another go? Sure, at some point.

At Nerdarchy.com: Dungeons & Dragons and rock 'n' roll

This week over at Nerdarchy, I give a rundown of some of the more well known instances in which D&D and fantasy in general have come to light in rock music through the years.