Winter is coming.

Wow, how does one follow an epic like Yank "F'ing" Justice? I remember seeing that damn show as a kid and at one point my brother was a hardcore monster truck fan. Just goes to show that you never know what is going to explode into pop culture at any given time (like the end of the vampire mythos, I am looking at you "Twilight", I never would have thought that I would support book burning...)

Ok on to the subject of this post.

I read quite a bit, in a normal year it ranges in the 50 or so books. So I find it hard to fathom that I had not read George R. R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" series. With all the talk about the upcoming HBO show based on the first book "A Game Of Thrones" I decided that it was about time I checked it out. I am incredibly happy that I did.

If you have not read this book, do it and do it now. Even if you don't like the fantasy genre check it out. The character development and story progression are amazing, and the setting is extremely well thought out. I will not go into the synopsis because the book has been out for 15 years so the interwebs has had plenty of time to take care of that. Now I am really looking forward to the show, of course I do have a completely hetro crush on Sean Bean but that is for another day...

Some other books I am going back and checking out are "The Dresden Files" by Jim Butcher, "Discworld" by Sir Terry Pratchett, and the "Sookie Stackhouse" series by Charlaine Harris. So far I am really digging on the wizard for hire Harry Dresden, kinda puts one in the mind of a PG rated Cal Mcdonald (from "Criminal Macabre").



"Discworld" is just fun all around. Sir Pratchett is great at off the wall humor that flows well within his own world. If "A Game of Thrones" is a little too high fantasy for ya, then perhaps you will enjoy some fantasy that does not take itself seriously at all.

The "Sookie Stackhouse" books are what the HBO show "True Blood" is based on. Now as much as I hate the "Twilight" series, I was very reluctant to dip my foot into that pool again. (Yep I read the first "Twilight" book, I like to have some knowledge of what I hate so it is not just blind rage.) Although Harris is light years ahead of Meyer in all aspects of literary skill, it is still not my cup of ale. I have just never been a fan of vampires as care bears, Count Orlok is how a vamp should act.

So there ya go, my attempt to class the joint up a touch and focus on some reading that does not have pictures of people in capes. So how about you gentle reader? Have any recommendations for good books? Throw them in the comments or on That F'ing Monkey's facebook page. Let your F'ing voice be heard!! <-- Me thinks that is going to be my catch phrase, kinda like "Excelsior!". Whatcha think?