| Just for Fun A forum section to lighten your day with jokes, funny links, and things that make you laugh. Keep them clean and remember this is a family server. |
| Welcome to the Layonara forums!
Layonara is so much more than a game. We started off as a tabletop Dungeons and Dragons campaign more than a decade ago. Since then we have developed into a fantasy world with as much compelling and engrossing detail as you will find anywhere.
Our current showcase is a Neverwinter Nights version of Layonara, where our world comes to life in a finely polished persistent world which you can play free of charge. These forums are set up to support and accentuate our player's experiences, but it goes far beyond that.
After years of passionate effort, our world is so well developed, so detailed, so refined that any of the handbooks, maps, historical accounts, legends, descriptions of artifacts, creature reports, character biographies, short stories, novels, movies and original art which populate these forums can surely serve as resources or inspiration for your own fantasy endeavors, whatever they may be. And our world is endlessly evolving, so resources are frequently added and updated.
There are also years of sage advice and commentary on role-playing, gaming and online community development stored in these forums. If camaraderie is what you seek, we offer that too. Our community is as active and supportive as you're likely to find on the internet. In short, these forums are a resource for you to use for whatever purpose or project brought you here.
We're confident that you will find what you are looking for, and likely, substantially more.
Please be our guest and browse around the forums which are available to you. As you do, keep in mind that you are sampling only a portion of what Layonara has to offer. Membership in our community is free, and allows you to establish a Layonara identity to pose your questions and share your thoughts on the forums. When you join you'll also be able to communicate privately to other members (PMs), establish and respond to polls, upload and download content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free. So please. join our community today!
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04-11-07, 12:04 PM
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#1 | | Beholder Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 468
Thanks: 242
Thanked 77 Times in 50 Posts
|  Most Enjoyed Books or Authors
I would be interested is hearing what other people read during there spare time. Like when Layo is being reset or crashed or somethng like that.  Seriously, I love to read! Next to horseback riding and Layo it is my favorite pastime. Sooo I'll start this off with three of some of the best books I've read in a long time.
#1 The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever Series
By....Stephen R. Donaldson
#2 The Circle Trilogy (have to read them in order)
By....Ted Dekker
#3 Books with the Character Odd Thomas
By.....Dean Koontz |  |   | |
04-11-07, 12:23 PM
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#2 | | Giant Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Nor Cal
Posts: 133
Thanks: 21
Thanked 5 Times in 3 Posts
| Re: Most Enjoyed Books or Authors
Im currently reading "Time of The Twins" (Dragonlance Ledgends, vol I).. its oh-so-good 
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"All that we see or seem, is but a dream within a dream." E.A. Poe
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04-11-07, 12:33 PM
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#3 | | Ancient Dragon Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Look at me still talking when there's Science to do...
Posts: 4,002
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| Re: Most Enjoyed Books or Authors
The Anita Blake series, by Laurell K. Hamilton. It starts off wonderfully, cruises and bruises through another good seven or eight books, and has been tapering off recently... But bloody wonderful, so start reading!
The Dark Tower series, by Stephen King. Gunslinger... The new, awesomer (yes, it's a word I just invented) Knight Errant. The best of Stephen King's work, and I do not exaggerate. It's literally his life's work, and the best of everything. Not his typical formula novels, but a truly captivating yarn indeed.
If those don't keep you occupied for a few months, wowee.
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That his heart is a seething mass of black evil, there can be little doubt. ~ Darkstorme, on Barret Glib. |  | | | The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Stephen_Zuckerman For This Useful Post: | | |
04-11-07, 01:12 PM
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#4 | | Game Master Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 3,088
Thanks: 110
Thanked 705 Times in 495 Posts
| Re: Most Enjoyed Books or Authors
Terry Pratchett. Period. | | | | | The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to darkstorme For This Useful Post: | | |
04-11-07, 01:20 PM
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#5 | | World Leader Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Keystone State
Posts: 1,385
Thanks: 43
Thanked 129 Times in 77 Posts
| Re: Most Enjoyed Books or Authors
Jonathan Kellerman and his wife Faye (love murder mysteries!), David Weber and David Drake (love military sci-fi!) and Dave Barry and James Lileks (love funny books!).
Oh, and Barbara Hambly.
Oh, and H.P. Lovecraft too. Great horror!
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My imagination is a monastery and I am its monk.
~John Keats
Last edited by Honora : 04-11-07 at 01:22 PM.
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04-11-07, 01:36 PM
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#6 | | Gamemaster Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Durham .. England
Posts: 1,803
Thanks: 196
Thanked 178 Times in 115 Posts
| Re: Most Enjoyed Books or Authors
Most of the DragonLance stuff is pretty good....Raistlin's like the best DnD character I can think of.
If you like the heavy stuff, try Harry Turtledove - WorldWar ( imagine if aliens invaded in the middle of the 2nd World war )
But, if you want a bloody classic, "real" adventure story - King Solomon's mines ( read it dozens of times, adventure dont come much better than that )
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" Instant Coffee is the Anti-Christ!" - DMOE
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04-11-07, 02:50 PM
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#7 | | Beholder Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Earth
Posts: 336
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| Re: Most Enjoyed Books or Authors
The Chronicles of Amber, by Roger Zelazny. The first set of five is better than the second, but they are both amazing.
Or something new...
Infoquake, - David Louis Edelman
Sun of Suns - Karl Schroeder
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"Not if the rate of change is always changing." -Ozy the bard
"I am Borel, Duke of Hendrak, Master of Arms of the Ways of Hendrake."
"You speak with a lot of capitals, sir, and I'm pleased to make your acquaintance...." - Price of Chaos, Roger Zelazny
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04-11-07, 02:53 PM
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#8 | | Adamantium Golem Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Sweden
Posts: 281
Thanks: 24
Thanked 19 Times in 14 Posts
| Re: Most Enjoyed Books or Authors
I can't really put number values on them...
Watership Down, by Richard Adams. First read it when I was about eight, and many times since then. Rabbits.
Fall on your knees, by Ann-Marie MacDonald. It is one of the most crafted and sculpted works of poetry and prose I've ever had the pleasure of reading. It's also not for the naive or feint of heart. More than the psychology, the characters, the skill of the writing or the pure and dark beauty of MacDonald's words, the construction of this book impresses me. I swear, every sentence ties in with things one hundred, two hundred, three hundred pages on - it's perfectly akin to a tapestry, the same strings being pulled from end to end, the pattern entirely variant at every point. It's nothing short of a work of art.
I'm going to leave it at those two, for the moment. I'm rather critical of books. :P
Edit: *smacks forehead*
The Eagle and the Raven, by Pauline Gedge. Historical fiction written by a historian - about the Roman conquests in Britannia. Being a big fan of the Roman Empire, and rather fond of the ancient Celts, must say I enjoyed both portrayals. One of those books that are incredibly long, but don't feel as such. (About 800pgs, I think).
__________________ Was it not Fate that, on this July midnight -
Was it not Fate (whose name is also Sorrow)
- E. A Poe
Last edited by MJZ : 04-12-07 at 09:34 AM.
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04-11-07, 02:53 PM
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#9 | | Lich Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Jersey (Exit 88)
Posts: 1,970
Thanks: 331
Thanked 293 Times in 215 Posts
| Re: Most Enjoyed Books or Authors
Tolkein, Tolkein, Tolkein, Tolkein, Tolkein, Tolkein, Tolkein, Tolkein, Tolkein, AND! of course, Tolkein.
LOTR rocks, sure its longwinded and slightly confusing but I <3 Tolkein. Period.
__________________ The victorious warrior only seeks battle after the victory has been won, whereas he who is defeated first fights and seeks to win. ~ Sun Tzu, Art of War
There is nothing noble about killing desperate men... ~ Bowen, Dragonheart
Toran's Yard Sign! 
Shiff Dragonheart ~ "Heroically Stupid" R.I.P. 7/13/08
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04-11-07, 03:50 PM
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#10 | | Administrator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: ThunderBay,Ontario, Canada
Posts: 3,251
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| Re: Most Enjoyed Books or Authors
Terry Goodkind : Wizard's First Rule, the first and best book in the Sword of Truth series. From the same series, book four, Faith of the Fallen
Stephen King The Stand, It
Wilbur Smith Warlock, River God and Seventh Scroll. If you like egyptology and horses you'll love these three
Anita Diament The Red Tent. A very good book of biblical history written from a woman's point of view
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Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I will try again tomorrow."
Mary Anne Radmacher
I like to keep an open mind...just not so open my brain falls out....
>>> I can't cure stupid and the law prevents me from trying to slap it outta folks. <<<
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04-11-07, 04:16 PM
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#11 | | Gamemaster Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 2,467
Thanks: 149
Thanked 1,206 Times in 580 Posts
| Re: Most Enjoyed Books or Authors
Favourite authors.
General fantasy, David Gemmell.
Fantasy with a grown-up twist, George R.R. Martin.
Historical Fiction, Conn Iggulden and Jack Whyte.
DnD, R.A. Salvatore.
Check out Polak's thread along similar lines; http://www.layonara.com/just-fun/107...asy-books.html
PS. David Gemmell. <-- I made it bold that time for emphasis.
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04-11-07, 04:25 PM
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#12 | | Adamantium Golem Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Sweden
Posts: 239
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| Re: Most Enjoyed Books or Authors
Heh, I have not read many books in my lifetime. Quite a few when I was younger, but in more recent years it has been a rare phenomenon. I have, however, read the book Oryx and Crake by renowned author Margaret Atwood. It is both entertaining and disturbing, while dealing with many important issues of modern society. I enjoyed it thoroughly and would recommend it to anyone - as it was, originally, recommended to myself by MJZ.
Obviously, I read The Lord of the Rings as a youngster, and while not planning to read the trilogy again any time soon, I am thinking of reading the Silmarillion again instead. Other than that, I had a Harry Potter phase way back when, and finished up until the end of the fourth book, but the more recent entries have gone by somewhat unnoticed by me, and I have yet to re-ignite any spark for the series.
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04-11-07, 04:26 PM
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#13 | | Ancient Dragon Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Northern CA Bay Area
Posts: 3,276
Thanks: 789
Thanked 354 Times in 249 Posts
| Re: Most Enjoyed Books or Authors
creatures of light and darkness - Roger Zelazny
All H.P. Lovecraft
anything Dan Simmons
Terry Pratchett all the way
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"Generally speaking, the Way of the warrior
is resolute acceptance of death."
Miyamoto Musashi
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04-11-07, 04:35 PM
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#14 | | Beholder Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 468
Thanks: 242
Thanked 77 Times in 50 Posts
| Re: Most Enjoyed Books or Authors
Thanks everyone for the responses so far. I've noted a couple and plan to check them out.
Here is another one that I enjoyed. This is the first for this author but I enjoyed his first two.
"Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo"
by....Obert Skye | | | | |
04-11-07, 05:13 PM
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#15 | | Mind Flayer Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 911
Thanks: 71
Thanked 387 Times in 211 Posts
| Re: Most Enjoyed Books or Authors
So many to choose from...A FEWof my favorite books are:
White Teeth, by Zadie Smith
Collected Fictions by Jorge Luis Borges
The Lorax, by Dr. Seuss
Haroun and the Sea of Stories, by Salmon Rushdie
Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston
(I could keep going for a long time....)
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~In the night, my love, tie your heart with mine, and together in dreams they shall defeat the darkness like drums fighting in the forest, against a thick wall of dark leaves.
~Go, ye heroes, go to glory, Though you die in combat go-ory, Ye shall live in song and story. Go to immortality! . . . Go and do your best endeavour, And before all links we sever, We will say farewell for-ever. Go ye heroes go and die, go ye heroes go and diiiiieee!! | | | | |
04-11-07, 05:26 PM
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#16 | | Orc of the Black Hand Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: New York City
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| Re: Most Enjoyed Books or Authors
I agree on the Dark Tower. It's a damned masterpiece and Roland is one of the best characters around.
For historial fiction Jack Whyte is really good. I prefer Bernard Cornwell. If any of you have read the Warlord Chronicles by him you know what I mean.
Tolkien goes without saying.
The original Conan stories are amazing. Great comment on the barbarism of civilzation and the civilization of barbarism. He has a great comment about how people can be rude in a civilization because they don't have to worry about getting an axe in the face.
Iliad and Odyssey are good. I like the Aenead alot.
Alright, I need to stop. No one ask me about favorite movies. It'll be even worse. | | | | |
04-11-07, 05:26 PM
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#17 | | Beholder Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Olympia, WA
Posts: 542
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| Re: Most Enjoyed Books or Authors
The funnest book I read recently Snow Crash by Niel Stephenson. His book Diamond age is also a good one for people that like online games.
Frank Herbert's Man of two worlds was a great book to read for gaining insight into the RP of a shifter. So was Zelazniy's Amber books for that matter. All of Frank Herbert's and his son Brian Herbert's Dune books are totally awesome. Most of my character's "Old wild elf sayings" is a mix of Fremen and Zen quotes that I liked a lot.
The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley is one of my all time favorite fantasy novels.
One of the things I do during rare moments that I am not on Layo is volunteer for an organization called books to prisoners. I get a lot of requests for D&D book and related fantasy novels. While often can find a Forgotten realms or Dragonlance novel to send them, we never have roleplaying books to send 
One guy tripped me out when he asked for books on how to become a better criminal, special forces training, hand to hand combat, medieval warfare, Nazis, how to score with women, magic tricks, and baking cakes. Umm, I felt I was sending books to the anti-christ. Though, I did find some books that I felt were "safe" and not promoting evil behavior.
AeonBlues
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Ha Ha!!
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04-11-07, 06:20 PM
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#18 | | Lich Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 2,326
Thanks: 262
Thanked 187 Times in 106 Posts
| Re: Most Enjoyed Books or Authors
Terry Pratchett Is Awesome, lets see, the ones I've read:
Color of Magic, Light Fantastic, Mort, Reaper Man, Gaurds! Gaurds!, Wyrd Sisters, Witches Abroad, Lords & Ladies, Feet of Clay Were all awesome!
Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials series
Harry Potter of course, don't hurt me.
I have the Sword of Shannara sitting around somewhere, have to start reading that but I've heard good things...
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