Category: Books
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The Fellowship of the Ring: My Childhood, Novelized (How’s This Book?)
Time to talk about another classic from my childhood! I have mixed feelings on this one. On one hand, it is easily one of the greatest pieces of fantasy literature ever written. On the other, you have a story that is bogged down by overly extensive descriptions and more than a few pointless scenes. I…
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A Christmas Carol: Where’d the Muppets Go? (Christmas Special, I Guess)
This is closest I’ll ever get to ‘holiday cheer’. Enjoy it while it lasts. A Christmas Carol is the quintessential Christmas story. It’s been retold countless times in countless formats. Rewrites by other authors? Check. Movies? Tons. Animation? Does the Mr. Magoo version count? A Muppets movie?! Done and done well! Everyone has, at some point, experienced…
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The Best Books I Read in 2019
When I started the ‘How’s This Book?’ review series, I had one simple goal in mind: get in the habit of reading books again. I like to think I succeeded! Sure, I sort of took a short-cut by listening to audiobooks. But modern problems require modern solutions! I’m already busy enough as it is! Typically,…
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Using Books to Fill the Holes in Movies/Games
One of the greatest challenges regarding screenwriting and game writing is making your time work. You’ve only got two hours to communicate your entire story; which details are essential and which are unnecessary? A good screen/game writer knows how to perfectly balance the act, making sure that each of the characters is developed and likable…
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The Appeal of Mysteries
Out of all the tried and true story-telling formulas out there, none quite have the charm of a good ol’ fashioned mystery. Sure, epic journeys across fantasy lands and stunning battles with aliens in space are certainly cool and don’t get old. But a well-written mystery has something that no other kind of story has.…
Jonah's Books & Rants 