Dan Conley

Neil’s nearly three months old now (even closer to 12 weeks, if that’s how you measure it), and I haven’t touched a book since the hospital. (I’ve also barely played any games, haven’t written a damn thing that’s worthwhile and haven’t brewed. Luckily he’s the cutest baby ever, so I forgive him)

Here’s the stack I’ve got (either on my nightstand or something I’d like to get):

• John Hodgman’s AREAS OF MY EXPERTISE – god it’s great. It’s what entertained me while Elizabeth was busy not being in labor.
• Neil Gaiman’s Graveyard Book – we got about halfway through it while Elizabeth was pregnant, as my ‘read to her stomach so he knows who I am’ routine. We may need to start over, now.
• David Wellington’s 23 Hours and Frostbite – I’m actually pretty unhappy that there is a fourth book in his vampire series, as I thought the ending of Vampire Zero was a good way to wrap up the series. I’m also uninterested in werewolves, but I like Wellington’s take on horror tropes so I want to see what he does with it.
• Peter David/Claudio Sanchez’s Year of the Black Rainbow – I’ve gone into how I love Coheed & Cambria but don’t consider Claudio much of a storyteller before. Then he got Peter David and I perked up.
• Patrick Rothfuss’ The Name of the Wind – it’s been a while since I’ve gotten into a fantasy series (Robert Jordan burned me pretty well on that front), but I hear good things.

Then, once the Wheel of Time series has been wrapped up (hopefully before Neil himself has kids), I’ll need to start that over because I simply don’t remember a damn thing except for Jordan systematically ruining all of my favorite characters, drawing out the series and then dying.