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Why Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman Is the Perfect Introduction to Norse Lore

Neil Gaiman’s Norse Mythology was a lot of fun to read. It’s nothing too serious or in-depth, but it delivers an enjoyable experience all around. Gaiman takes us from the story of creation in Norse culture to its fated end—the legendary Ragnarok . Before reading this, I wasn’t well-versed in Norse mythology. I wouldn’t say that’s changed much, as Norse lore is vast, with countless stories and interpretations. However, this collection offers a great starting point. Gaiman selects a handful of tales, giving readers a taste of the myths without overwhelming them. It’s an excellent way to dip your toes into the world of Odin, Thor, and Loki. One of the best things about Gaiman’s retelling is how much personality he infuses into the gods, making them feel like real, flawed, and often hilarious individuals rather than distant mythological figures. His signature wit is on full display, particularly in the way he writes Loki. Loki is undoubtedly the scene-stealer. Gaiman brings out the humour...

Why Roadside Picnic is One of the Best Sci-Fi Novels Ever Written

Roadside Picnic was written by two brothers, Arkady and Boris Strugatsky, in 1971 and published in 1972 in the Soviet Union. I'm a huge fan of film and an avid reader, though I have never seen the movie Stalker . Still, the image of three men standing in what looks like dust, surrounded by the ruins of a massive old factory, is striking and iconic. It’s beautiful. I recently saw that same image on a book cover at the bookstore— Roadside Picnic . The cover alone sold me. This is a very short but incredibly dense book, packing a lot into its limited page count. I went into it knowing nothing, and honestly, that’s the best way to experience it. The mystery, the slow revelations—it all made for an extremely engaging, intellectually stimulating read. Since it’s a Russian-to-English translation, I didn’t know what to expect. Russian literature has a reputation for being deeply philosophical and intense, though I haven’t explored many of the greats yet (something I hope to change soon). ...

Blood, Honour, and Poetry: Why The Iliad Still Matters

Wow, wow, wow! Epic! Homer’s The Iliad was a shocking read. I did not expect a story from so ridiculously long ago to hold up so well. "So well" is an understatement. The Iliad runs circles around many modern epics I've read in so many ways. It's a war story, in many ways simple, but there is so much thematic depth, and the characters are brilliantly realized. Themes like loyalty, honour, lust, courage (and lack thereof), and power come to mind. This story is profound. It's massive in scope and scale. Many characters, armies, allies, and locations are all thrown at you. Being my first time reading through, this was a lot to keep track of. I have to admit I probably missed some small details. People die left and right, and with so many characters—all with names so foreign—it was impossible not to get a little lost when it came to who just died or who killed whom. Often, and I mean often, there is repetition. For the main characters, it is much easier. Take Odysse...

Move Over Stephen King: Dan Simmons’ Summer of Night Is Horror Done Right

Dan Simmons is one of my favourite authors of all time. He’s incredibly consistent in quality and can successfully write across so many genres and styles. I’ve never really been the biggest fan of horror, at least not in novel form. For that reason, Stephen King hasn’t clicked with me yet. I’d love to find something of his that works for me, but reading The Shining and The Dead Zone didn’t quite do it. I discovered Dan Simmons through the Hyperion Cantos . Science fiction is my genre—it speaks to me—so it’s no surprise that Hyperion left an incredible first impression. I followed it up with The Fall of Hyperion but haven’t yet continued the series with Endymion or The Rise of Endymion . This isn’t because of a lack of interest; I just haven’t gotten to them yet. Then I read Ilium , which blew my mind. I loved it, though, like with Endymion , I haven’t read its sequel ( Olympos ) yet. Finally, I picked up Drood , and that’s when I discovered a completely different side of Dan Simmo...

Decoding The Selfish Gene: How Dawkins Challenges Our View of Life, Legacy, and Survival

Reading The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins was enlightening and challenging. It's an iconic book, one of the most influential in evolutionary biology, I believe bested only by Charles Darwin himself. I haven’t read On the Origin of Species yet but would love to give it a read at some point. This book offers a look into a gene's role as the central unit of evolution and natural selection. I don’t know exactly how I first came across this book, but what compelled me to read it was the fact that Richard Dawkins wrote a blurb praising Carl Sagan's The Demon-Haunted World , which is probably my favourite work of science literature that I’ve come across. It's between that and Billions and Billions . Putting the title and author together, I decided it was worth a shot to tackle this monumental work. Dawkins has a way with words and can transform complex scientific concepts into thought-provoking arguments to support the “selfish gene” theory. Coming into this work, I mistak...