Warcraft Video

I made this World of Warcraft video quite a long time ago and I thought I'd post it here. It's not great quality, especially since my computer started having issues with video setting upgrades as the year went on. Even though I'll never be a machinima artist, I enjoyed putting it together.

Tuesday Top Ten 8/1/17

Something I often say when I start taking about books, movies, video games, etc is: "That's one of my top ten favorite..." I use it as a figure of speech. But recently, I've been thinking, (A dangerous pastime...I know) Why not actually start making some official lists? In case any of my friends demands proof. :)

I put some thought into the very first list to post here, but with the mindset I'm in, both with the novel series I just finished and my own novel writing, the choice was easy.

Anyone who has known me for any length of time knows that I'm a reader. I read in the breakroom at lunchtime. I read while eating breakfast. I read before I go to sleep. Heck, when I was a kid, I went through a phase where I read while I was walking to school.

One of my very first memories is from when I was three. It was the first time my mom let me pick which Little Golden Book she would read to my brother and me that night. I learned to read before I went to kindergarten. My main pastime throughout childhood was reading along with books on record, played on my Fisher Price record player. When I was a little older I became obsessed with the library and went every two weeks like clockwork. Whenever my parents grounded me in high school, they took away my books as punishment. Go figure. Of course, that was from the same parents who uttered the phrase: "Stop that reading and come watch TV."

So yeah, the point of my rambling is that I like books. Just a bit. I debated simply making my first list my top ten favorite books. But narrowing it down to ten? That sounds darn near impossible. Perhaps that will be a challenge for the future. In the meantime, I present to you:

Dawn's Official Top Ten Male Book Characters

I'm presenting these in chronological order, because that's easier than ranking them in order of importance. Besides, my order tends to change based on what I'm reading at the time.

1) Jan, Birth of the Firebringer - Meredith Ann Pierce

Is it weird that after reading this book, I had a bit of a crush on a unicorn? This was one of the first real "hero's journey" books I'd ever read. Jan's struggles resonated with me. He never really fit in with his family or his society, preferring to act like a child instead of a young adult.

If you read this, I recommend skipping the sequels. Woof. I searched for them for years and was soundly disappointed when I finally got a chance to read them.

2) F'nor, Dragonriders of Pern series - Anne McCaffrey

I clearly remember my first foray from the children's section of the library to the adult books. I discovered the Pern series that day, and I was hooked. I read Dragonquest so many times and carried it in my purse so long, the book eventually fell apart and I had to replace it. F'nor appealed to me immediately for the way he stood up in defense of another character in his opening scene. Though he isn't the main character, I would say he is the main male romantic character. And I have always been a sucker for the romance. ;)


3) Corwin, Amber series - Roger Zelazny

Ah, Corwin. I read this series during my high school years. I read the series out of order, based on whichever book was available in the library that week. Blood of Amber was the first grown-up novel I ever bought. Corwin wakes up at the start of the series with amnesia and has to try to figure out what happened to him. He's an intelligent and courageous man that immediately won my teenage heart.




4) Richard, Sword of Truth series - Terry Goodkind

 Scott and I have had many debates on the merit of the Sword of Truth series. While I believe his points are valid, I can't deny Richard is one of my favorite characters. He continually suffers from others withholding knowledge from him and near-constant berating from his friends that he is wrong, but he never stops making his own decisions.

Don't even get me started on the TV series "based" on these books. I watched the first episode and it was so far off from the spirit of the novels that I never watched another.

5) Ari, Joust series - Mercedes Lackey

This is a fantasy series based in an Egyptian setting. Ari is not the main character of the series, but I find him the most admirable. He is a member of the opposing faction as the main character, but he is still a good man. He maintains his ideals even when they conflict with the orders he is given.




6) Odd Thomas, Odd Thomas - Dean Koontz

I'm not normally a fan of horror, but Scott is. While he read this book, he laughed often. When he shared the lines in question, I laughed too. It wasn't until we saw the movie several years later that I finally took the plunge and read the book. Odd immediately appealed to me because he is a genuinely sweet and romantic guy, despite his powers. One of his defining lines is "I see dead people. But then, by God, I do something about it."

Though the first book would have been fine as a standalone, the rest of the series isn't bad. However, I found the end of the last book unfulfilling.

7) Arthas, World of Warcraft: Arthas: Rise of the Lich King - Christie Golden

Yes, I know Arthas is more of a video game character than a book character, but it is his characterization in the novel that drew me in. Since I played Warcraft III and World of Warcraft, I knew Arthas' history, but that only underscored the tragedy, especially the romance with Jaina. I have never been a fan of pure good/evil characters. Arthas is a great villain because he retains some of his humanity. I wept over this book, both times I read it.


8) Kaladin, Stormlight Archive series - Brandon Sanderson

Scott started reading Way of Kings several months before me, but finished only days before I did. (It's a long book.) Kaladin is a healer-turned-soldier-turned-slave. I admire his courage and determination. He never gives up, despite the hopelessness of the situation. Kaladin is selfless and protective, a natural leader who risks himself for those who follow him.



9) Geralt, Witcher series - Andrzej Sapkowski

Geralt is another video game character, but he was a book character first. Geralt is a monster hunting mercenary known as a witcher. The first two book in the series have a bit of a fairy tale connection in some of the stories, which I like. Geralt, often described as unlovely, is a decent man, despite being a mercenary. He keeps to his ethical code, no matter the cost.




10) Kelsier, Mistborn: The Final Empire - Brandon Sanderson

Kelsier is the character that spawned this list. He is possibly the most charismatic and appealing character in any book I have ever read.  Despite being the most recent character on this list (I finished reading the series a week or so ago) he became an immediate favorite. Kelsier is a very good man, though not without his flaws. I admire his courage and his cheerfulness most of all.

I would say a lot more about Kelsier if I wasn't trying to avoid spoilers. :)


So, that's my list. I hoped you enjoyed reading it. I can't promise I will make this a weekly event, but I will try to post more lists as I can, as well as writing/life updates.