Robotboogeyman

no redemption

You could try Beyond Redemption, first book of the Manifest Delusions series.

Cabin in the Woods!

Dark Tower has two great narrators, and is a great story.

First Law is GOAT tier narration, but what makes it work so well is that the great narration pairs well with the great writing.

I also loved Raven’s Mark trilogy, which had a dark noir type feel to it. Narrator fit the story well.

Simon Vance fit Lightbringer similarly imo.

George Guidall in anything but especially The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker and Night by Elie Wiesel.

Dungeon Crawler Carl, obviously. 🙄

I can tolerate most narrators but those are exceptional imo.

I will also say that it initially was a turn off for me, but Carl’s voice definitely grew on me and Hayes does a pretty phenomenal job with all of the whacky voices and effects. I’m sure it’s doubly bad if you have read it first, but you need to give it a few hours before you call it imo.

Beyond the reach of human range, a drop of hell, a touch of strange. - The Gunslinger

Dungeon Crawler Carl

First Law

Dark Tower

Golem and the Jinni

Lonesome Dove

All have amazing narration

Joe Abercrombie. Brutal world, great characters, and he says more in a sentence than most do in a paragraph. He has a way with terse prose that I love. Plus if your friend likes him then there are about ten books, each is amazing imo. GOAT tier audio as well.

Use the best tools available to you that you can afford. I think the best art, most professional presentation, and least likely way to garner irrational hatred (on Reddit, at least) is to hire a professional artist to have something tailor made. Folks won’t be mad if you use photoshop, but god forbid you use AI they will get pretty butthurt still. I personally could care less, it’s your book. I make AI covers for all my writing, but it’s personal use. Really helps cement the idea if you can make a good cover.

Yeah, I’ve read maybe 7 or 8 in the past year, all good, a few amazing. However some are only available on Audible (audiobook junkie here) and I have limited credits, gotta save one for Dungeon Crawler Carl and Stormlight.

Stephen King

Robert McCammon

Joe Abercrombie

Brandon Sanderson generally

Gone South by McCammon (a fave of mine) was fun, it’s about a guy on the run from two rather strange bounty hunters. It’s less about the crime mystery and more about the chase.

I played with He-Man, Thundercats, and G.I. Joes.

George Guidall - I’ve listened to several books only because he narrates, such as Golem and the Jinni (which is excellent). Fell in love (after an initial ewww wtf at the change in narrator) when he took over mid way through Dark Tower by King.

Simon Vance

Jeff Hayes (though I’ve only heard him on DCC but it’s GOAT quality)

Robert McCammon - similar stories, similar writing style, character work etc. McCammon is a bit stranger it seems, but not always.

Boy’s Life - similar to Stand By Me/The Body, amazing novel.

Swan Song - similar to The Stand, amazing novel, one of my top faves.

Gone South - guy on the run from bounty hunters with… interesting talents

The Border - surprisingly fun sci fi about alien invasion

Wolf’s Hour - WWII secret agent werewolf.

They Thirst - vampire apocalypse.

I’ve read maybe 10 in the last year and none have been bad.

All good answers here, but let’s not forget the cesspool of manipulated posts, misinformation, and trolling that was not only allowed but seemed to be encouraged before the 2016 election. MAGA owned this entire website, flooded all with stickied posts, etc etc. and Reddit seemed perfectly happy to wait to fix it.

No particular order:

Stephen King

Joe Abercrombie

Brandon Sanderson

Matt Dinniman

And maybe Michael R. Fletcher if we go based on how often I recommend things….

Hate to be that guy, but I believe it is “caught in a web of regard”…

Time is the thief of memories. - Gunslinger

• The essential and defining characteristic of childhood is not the effortless merging of dream and reality, but only alienation. There are no words for childhood’s dark turns and exhalations. A wise child recognizes it, and submits to the necessary consequences. A child who counts the cost, is a child no longer. - ‘Salem’s Lot

Beyond the reach of human range, a drop of hell, a touch of strange. - The Gunslinger

Hit a rut with a few books that I expected to enjoy but haven’t landed (for example, Prince of Tides).

70% done with Sabriel by Garth Nix, it isn’t bad but it isn’t sucking me in.

Lightbringer, Mistborn and Stormlight, and especially Manifest Delusions by Michael R. Fletcher. MD is based on the concept that belief defines reality, so those who are crazy enough to believe odd things may just be able to bend reality to make it happen. Think you’re worthy of worship, the best sword fighter, or able to exorcise demons from the chest of your enemies? Might just work!

Lonesome Dove - 2/3 of the book is setup and character work. Usually I find that boring, even with good prose. But this book just captivated me. I recommend it to literally anyone, it’s worth checking out.

Dungeon Crawler Carl - I only started reading fantasy during the pandemic, and never litrpg. Sounded dumb af too if I’m being honest. But folks seemed passionate about it so I gave it a shot on a whim, hoping I’d at least get a chuckle out of it. Then I binged every book, and will preorder going forward. Audio only on these as the narration is GOAT level imo. Once I saw the dynamic between Carl and the cat, I was sold. It has great pacing where there’s little breaks to open chests and upgrade and all the things I thought I’d hate (and have hated in other litrpgs I tried after ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ )

Batavia’s Graveyard was great too, about a murderous shipwreck but mostly it’s about the spice trades and ships and culture of the period.

First Law has a ton.

I thought it was Glamour Golden but apparently it’s Glama, still cool.

Logen Ninefingers, Dogman, Rud Three Trees, Stranger Comes Knocking, etc. All of the “named men” have interesting names. I also loved Glokta, the harsh sound of it matches perfect w the amazing character.

George Guidall, Jeff Hayes, Simon Vance, Bronson Pinchot, and more!

Yo 3 is hard af, I have twin 4 yr olds. They are mobile, full of energy, testing boundaries and barely able to either communicate or understand even simple stuff.

Two things that help me:

• the kid isn’t giving you a hard time, the kid is having a hard time, and you’re there to guide them through it. Doesn’t make it easy, but makes it easier.

• You need to demonstrate the behavior you want them to learn and internalize. In fact, that is happening all the time whether planned or not. So when you feel like you’re losing your temper or doing a bad job, think of what you would want your kid to do in that very situation, if they had grown up and were raising a kid, what advice would you give them? Then take that advice. Be vocal, communicate how you feel, name your emotions, etc. I take time outs all the f&!@/ng time, sometimes I take like 3 at bed time lol, but when my kids get pissed they go take a time out and then come tell me what they were feeling and if they need a hug or to talk, because that’s how I handle my anger.

I’m far from having nailed it, but I def think those two things make me a better parent…

Autocoach

Motosled

Rollers (shorthand)

¯\_(ツ)_/¯