Adult Recommendations

The Last Wish

Wars, political corruption, racism, and finding enough to eat are as overwhelming in Sapkowski’s “The Last Wish,” as they are in ours.

Our hero, Geralt of Rivia, was once a man, but now is a Witcher, a mutant monster slayer for hire.  He roams the darkened corners of his world hunting down the next target and trying to do good. The Last Wish is a collection of Geralt's earlier adventures, which sets him against, beasts both monstrous and human, evil genies, and seven killers lead by a vengeful bandit princess.

This is an absolute favorite of mine, and whether you have had a chance to check out the new Netflix series or not, I think any fan of fantasy or adventure should check this out.  

The Pioneers by David McCullough

After the American Revolution ended, a growing number of settlers decided to make life-changing moves by heading west toward the newly formed Northwest Territory.

In David McCullough’s newest book, The Pioneers, he focuses on five families who ventured out to explore this new uncharted wilderness, eventually forming Marietta the first settlement in the Northwest Territory and first city in Ohio.   Life during the move west on the frontier was extremely difficult and dangerous.  Through many letters and diaries, McCullough paints a stressful trek of starvation, drownings, fires, and Indian attacks.

A truly exciting and realistic book about the beginning of westward expansion in North America.

Storm Front: Book 1 of The Dresden Files

Harry Dresden, Wizard for Hire, items found, problems solved, no love potions. That is a fairly short and innocuous ad for what is quite possibly my favorite modern fantasy series. It is certainly no high-art feat of literary fiction, but Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files, set in a gorgeously portrayed modern Chicago, is a fast and addicting series. The first title, Storm Front, starts the series with our hero working alongside the Chicago Police Department to solve a string of inexplicable murders. So hang on as Harry interviews vampires, questions mobsters, and cons faeries, all to save a town that does not even believe in magic. I hope you find it as spellbinding as I did.

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