Top 5 Wednesday: Things on My Bookshelf That Aren’t Books

Please note this is a repost. I deleted my original because I’m a ding dong and uploaded it as a page instead of a post. 😛 So apologies, and thank you to everyone who commented on and liked the original! 😀

T5W was created by Lainey and here is where you can find the full list of participants if you’d like to join as well!

This challenge made me realize I don’t decorate my shelves nearly enough. A lot of the time they’re double or triple stacked with books, so the decoration space takes a back-burner in my mind. As it stands, I have exactly 5 things on my shelves, so I”m just ordering those. :”D

5. Board games.
I love board games. Fast ones, slow ones, simple ones, involved ones. They’re all fun. :”D And it’s not shown in the picture, but we’ve also obtained the newest versions of the DnD handbooks as well, though we haven’t started playing yet (it’s hard to find a group that’s open same time each week. 😦 )

4. Pascal
This was actually a gift from Ace last Christmas when we did a cookie exchange. :”D She’s a peach. If you haven’t seen Tangled, this is the chameleon from that, Pascal. Though my SO thinks he’s clever and keeps calling it Fortran. (Pascal.. Fortran.. get it? xD Google it.) It’s on the shelf in my bedroom, so it stares at me while I sleep. 😀

3. Tiger
This was a valentine’s gift from my SO two years ago. He asked what I wanted and I said a tiger since it’s my favorite animal. He actually found a valentine’s tiger. I didn’t even know those existed.

2. Thermometer
This I think is one of the cooler things I own period, let alone on my bookshelves. It’s a glass thermometer. Each bulb has a temperature tag on the bottom of it, and when it’s cool enough, some of them will float. Whichever one is the lowest one that’s actually floating is what temperature it is in the room. As you can see from this picture, none of them are floating, meaning it’s hotter than that top tag, which is 80 degrees Fahrenheit (SEND AIRCONDITIONER, WE’RE MELTING). For a little trinket I inherited from my Dad when I moved out that has always just sat dusty on the shelves, it’s pretty accurate! I love it.

1. Drumstick
Have you ever been to a concert? Have you ever seen the band throw things into the audience after the show? WELL GUESS WHO CAUGHT A DRUM STICK. It’s all beat up and everything from the drummer playing it so hard. :”D AND it’s by one of my favorite bands ever, Sonata Arctica!! I about lost my shit in the mosh pit as soon as I caught that thing.

Btw, here’s a good song of theirs if you don’t know them. They’re Finnish power metal. Give it a listen, you might find a new genre to enjoy if you don’t already. :”D (and everyone’s hair is so much nicer than mine, I’m jelly)

And there’s my top 5 things on my shelf that aren’t books! I’m looking forward to reading everyone else’s – this is a pretty cool topic 😀

Top 5 Wednesday: Characters You Wish You Could Drown

It’s Wednesday again! And this time, it’s a topic I can do. :”D Last week’s was ‘Books you’ve read in one sitting’, and honestly, I’ve never done that, hah. I get fidgety after about an hour or so, and have to stop. 😛 But whatevs, I can do this week’s. As usual, T5W was created by Lainey, and you could find the full list of posters here. Onto my Top 5 Character I wish I could drown. (or bop on the head)

5. Hatsumomo from Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

Hatsumomo is a character introduced relatively early in this book (her movie character pictured to the left). I. Cannot. Stand her. She’s rude, self-entitled, manipulative, hypocritical… buh. I just don’t like her. At all. Though I have to admit, she does make the book a fair bit better – she’s a very good antagonist.

If you haven’t read this book, do it. Or watch the movie. You’ll get a better experience from the book, but the movie was pretty decent too.

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4. Mayor Prentiss from The Chaos Walking Trilogy by Patrick Ness

What, Emily’s mentioning the Chaos Walking Trilogy in a post? Shocker!

Mayor Prentiss is the Mayor of Prentisstown at the beginning of the first book, and from there he becomes such a butt. I think one of the things I can’t stand the most about this character (and therefore makes him such a good bad guy) is the fact that when reading the book, I was always questioning his motives. He was bad… but was he? Wait yes. But maybe not… No, that was totally evil, but… is that a shred of conscience I see there?

This guy was an enigma, and he made my blood boil.

3. Percy Weasley from Harry Potter by JK Rowling

Oh my gosh Percy, just Shut. Up. for once in your life. Close your faaace.

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2. Naraku from Inuyasha by Rumiko Takahashi

For anyone who has read or watched Inuyasha, you understand my deep-seeded loathing for this character. He’s just evil (but suuuuch a good villain). If he would just mind his own damn business once in a while, but no.. he has to be all vindictive and assholey.

Naraku is the main antagonist in Inuyasha, and enters the show very early. He’s such a good bad guy, but he needs a big, big BIG bop on the head.

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1. Joffrey from A Song of Ice and Fire by George RR Martin.

Any reasons I give will be a spoiler, so just trust me on this. (and I’m only on book two, so no spoilers to me either, please!)

Look at that face. Ugh, so punchable.

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Well, tada! I’m glad to see all the characters I want to bop on the head/drown/throw things at are actually good, well-developed characters with actual reasons for me to despise them. None of them I hate just out of principle, they’re all actual dicks. Yay. :”D

Top 5 Wednesday: Books I will never read. Ever.

This subject I feel could cause some ‘BUT BUT BUT’s. I’m excited :”D

Top 5 Wed was created by Lainey at gingerreadslainey and here is the list of full poster if you’d like to participate!

5. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

4. Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes

3. Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

2. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas

1. Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas

And before you start, no, I have nothing against Sarah J Maas. I’m sure those books I’ve listed are good (since a lot of people seem to like them). The reasons I’ve chosen these books is pretty much similar for all of them. Each one has either gotten a huge, huge rush or readers who absolutely love it and gush about it like it’s the second coming or they have gotten ripped apart by reviewers I find myself having similar tastes with (or what’s worse, sometimes it’s both – Falling Kingdoms for example. Gets a lot of love to the point where I feel like it wouldn’t meet my now super high expectations, and it was also ripped apart by Michael from Bitten by a Radioactive Book (whose reviews are awesome, btw. Check him out))

So essentially, if it gets too much of a rush, I feel disenchanted and feel like it could never meet my expectations. So I’d rather read a book I haven’t had as much of a set up about.

Or if it gets a really bad review from a reviewer I find similar to myself, it puts me off as well (though this one has a smaller effect than the first reason, honestly).

Occasionally I’ll read a super hyped book and find it decent, which is always nice. And if I do that, I tend to wait until ‘the fad’ of it has passed enough for me to forget what I’ve been set up to feel about it. (Though I will be more likely to read a really popular book if a friend recommends it or reviewer with similar tastes really likes it)

I’m not trying to be a book snob, I promise. xD Do you do similar things, or do you find the large hype for a book makes you love it more? I’d love to discuss! 😀

Top 5 Wednesday: Favorite Series Enders

I feel like this topic is going to be riddled with accidental spoilers in everyone’s posts and videos. I feel like something like this is unavoidable. I vow to you now to try my best to not reveal anything that actually happens in the books, but instead just talk about why the ending is my favorite (my reactions, etc). So hopefully if you read this, it’ll make you want to read the series so you can feel how I felt, not feel like it’s been ruined for you. If I spoil you for something, feel free to yell at me.

Top 5 Wednesday was created by Lainey at gingerreadslainey on youtube, and here is the full list of posters, should you want to check them out (or join yourself!).

Also I’d like to point out that coming up with this list made me realize I haven’t finished many series. For shame.

5. Harry Potter
I always say this when I list Harry Potter for something, but I feel like this is going to be on most people’s lists. It’s just a well-rounded ending. (though I’m ignoring the epilogue. It was awkward). Keeping this spoiler free, I feel like the last book put me on the emotional roller coaster the last book of a series should, and when I originally finished with it, I was satisfied and unsatisfied at the same time, which is how I feel a series should end.

4. Fruits Basket
This is a relatively long-ish manga series, probably what, 17 volumes or so? This is a slice-of-life with supernatural(ish?) elements manga focusing on a young girl that through a set of circumstances moves in with her classmate and his family. Though when she moves in, she doesn’t realize that his family holds the curse of the Chinese Zodiac. I first started reading this series about 9 years ago (wow I’m old) and finished it probably 4 years ago – I was reading as they were released, so yeah. This series I feel gave me a sense of calm when it was over, which is why I liked it so much. I didn’t feel torn up. I felt… good.

3. Rurouni Kenshin
This one I’m listing purely because it’s my favorite manga series ever. It’s ending is pretty good, I’ll give it that, but that thing that makes an ending good or bad has a lot to do with the journey it took to get there. And that’s why I like this ending so much – all the stuff that the characters had to do to get to it. I’ve explained this series before, so all I’ll say now is that it’s a historical fiction set in Meiji Era Japan – it has elements of action, adventure, comedy, romance, drama.. so on. That’s why I love it so much, it has it all :”D

2.The Chaos Walking Trilogy
I just finished this series recently and rarely do I rave about a book so much as I did after finishing this one. The third book in this trilogy had me flying through every emotion possible (the first two did as well). This series, as I’ve said in my review of the trilogy, has become one of my favorite series to date. Go read this, man.

1. Death Note
And this one wins my number one spot. The ending of this twelve volume series is the epitome of poetic. I just. It’s perfect. I can’t say why or how without ruining it, but just trust me. Wowwy.

So there we go. Hopefully you’re not spoiled, and hopefully knowing the endings of these series are good will make you more apt to picking them up. Happy reading!

Top 5 Wednesday: Books that Feature Traveling!

I feel like this topic was chosen to entice us all into going on road trips this summer. Well, let me tell ya, gathering this list has given me a yearning for loud music and truck rest stops. I cannot wait until this summer.
Top 5 Wednesday was created by Lainey at gingerreadslainey on youtube, and here is where you can find the rest of the posters.

On to the books:

5. Rurouni Kenshin – This one doesn’t really involve travelling throughout the whole thing, considering it’s 28 volumes long, but somewhere around the volume 9 or 10 range, Kenshin has to travel across Japan and the reason I love this part so much is the whole slew of new characters that are introduced during that arc. I’ve stated why I love Kenshin so much a million times before, so if you tend to read my blog, then why haven’t you read it yet. Get on it, man.

4. Forest of Hands and Teeth – Again, travel is not the main part of this, but it is a large part. This book is a dystopian zombie book with large religious undertones. It’s really unsettling, I love it. Definitely one of the better zombie books I’ve read.

3. Saga – This one should be self explanatory. It’s called Saga. What is a saga if not a journey of some kind? :”D

2. Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – Again, self explanatory.

1. Throne of Jade – This one probably comes across as a weird choice. This is the second book in the Temeraire series by Naomi Novik, which is a historical fantasy series set during the Napoleonic Wars and involves tactical battle on the backs of dragons. I’m not talking Eragon here. I mean, full teams along the back of one dragon, fighting in fleets with others. The aeronautic processes alone Noami writes about are amazing. I picked this book in particular as during it, they have to travel to China (hence the word ‘Jade’ in the title). If you’re looking for a cool book, I’d say definitely check this series out. It’s phenomenal.

Well there’s my list! And it occurs to me none of these books have a conventional road trip in them… oop. Well, whatevs. I still want to go on a road trip because of this list.

Top 5 Wednesday: Books I Wanted to Start Yesterday

It’s Wednesday again! And look, I’m actually posting a Top 5 Wednesday on Wednesday. Unsurprisingly, this is a rare occurrence. This week’s theme is ‘Books You Wanted to Start Yesterday’, and man do I have sooo many of those. One day, they will be read.

Top 5 Wednesday was created by Lainey at gingerreadslainey on youtube, and here is the full list of posters in case you’d like to check any more of our slacking-on-reading-ness out this week.

Right right. Here are my top 5 ‘WHY HAVEN’T I READ THIS YET MAN’ books. (and for clarity’s sake, these are books I own and just haven’t read, not ones I have yet to buy)

5. The Future of the Mind by Michio Kaku
This book I bought ages ago. I actually pre-ordered it because both my boyfriend and I are Michio Kaku fangirls. I got us both signed copies and he has read his copy but I have yet to read mine. Go figure, right. If you are not familiar with his work, Michio Kaku is a theoretical physicist and in this book, he took an interest in potential future technologies that could be used with the brain. From interviews and stuff I’ve watched about this book, I know one of the theories talks about shooting the human consciousness off into space in a laser beam as a method of interstellar travel. Crazy, right? I want to read it sooo baaaaad.

4. 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami
I actually own two books by this author, and have yet to read either one. This is the one that’s calling to me more, though. (The other is Norwegian Wood). Honestly though, I have no clue what this book is about. I know it deals a bit with parallel existences, but other than that, I’m going in blind, and that’s the way I want it to be.

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3. S. by JJ Abrams
Yep, this director also wrote a book. Cool huh? I wonder if there will be lens flair in the book. This book is hard to describe, really. It’s a book within a book. It comes in a sleeve and when you pull it out, it looks like an old library book. The library book is written by an author. And the footnotes are written by the translator. And the first set of scribbles in the margin are written by one person, and the second set are written by another person. So what you’re reading is: the book the author wrote, the footnotes from that translator who is obsessed with the author, and the conversation going back and forth between the two people in the margins who are reading the book and talking about their lives, the author, and the translator. It’s just what. I’ve actually read the first chapter of this and really like it so far. Hopefully I’ll continue it soon-ish.

2. Cinder by Marissa Meyer
This book I bought a long time ago from bookoutlet – it was in the first purchase I ever made from them back when I first discovered their website. This book from what I know is a Cinderella retelling set in space and dealing with cyborgs. Sounds pretty cool to me, dammit.

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1. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
This book is another one of those ‘bought it forever ago’ books. I bought this one around Halloween, so I suppose that isn’t that bad, considering I have other books on my shelves that have been there unread for years. This book is about a nurse from the 1945s who gets sent back in time to 1740s Scotland. That alone draws me in. And I heard it’s this epic adventure romance everything, and that makes me want to read it more. There are like 10 books in this series or something crazy like that, so the longer I wait, the more I will have to catch up on. Wish me luck.

So there is my list! What book did you want to read yesterday? O:<

Top 5 Wednesday: Jokester Characters!

Welcome to Wednesday! Welcome to April 1st! Welcome to everything! This week’s topic is Jokesters, and happy April Fool’s Day too. (nobody fool me, I’ll bite you). I figured hey, I don’t have an exam coming up soon, SO WHY NOT MAKE A BLOG POST. (and that’s honestly why my blog has slowed down. Everybody and their mom is giving exams and projects and assignments. It’s butts). But anyways! Top 5 Wednesday was created by Lainey, and here is the list of other posters, if you’d like to check them out!

5. Fred and George Weasley from Harry Potter.

How can I not add them? It’s their birthday today! If you haven’t read Harry Potter, go read them, at least for these two characters. They are a delight.

4. Son Goku from Saiyuki

Goku is a character based off the Japanese legend of the monkey king. (Think Goku from Dragonball Z, same myth). Goku is definitely goofy. He has this innocent-like personality combined with a horrific love of food. If he’s eating food, he’s talking about food, or whining about food. He’s like my spirit animal. And then at the same time, he’s this kick-ass fighter with concealed power. It’s really funny to see him go from ‘ROAR’ during a fight to ‘FOOD’ a second later – sometimes even during the fight.

3. Allie Brosh from Hyperbole and a Half

Yes I know, she’s the author, but it’s a memoir, so she’s the character too. Hyperbole and a Half is seriously probably one of the most funny books I’ve read. She has a webcomic too, so you if you haven’t read any of her stuff, go do it.

2. Vash the Stampede from Trigun

Writing this is making me realize I really need to reread Trigun. It’s been ages, man. Vash the Stampede is an outlaw on a desert planet populated by Earthling settlers. He’s wanted for the destruction of many cities, for blowing a hole in the moon, and for causing more damage and mayhem than anyone. You’d think he’s this dangerous bad-ass with a gun problem, right? Nope, he loves donuts. That’s all I’m gonna say.

1. The Trickster from Supernatural

Shh, I’m aware this is a tv show. BUT IT’S THE TRICKSTER, I CAN’T JUST NOT ADD HIM. The trickster is exactly what he sounds like. He delights in messing with the main characters of the show, and the episodes he’s in are definitely some of my favorites out of the whole 10 seasons that are out so far. Go Trickster.

Tada yaaay, all done! Any jokester characters that I should know of? 😀

Top 5 Wednesday: Books that Make you Think

Ignore the fact that today is Thursday. Hush hush hush. Top 5 Wednesday was created by Gingerreadslainey on youtube, and here is the complete list of posters if you’d like to see what their choices are too.

But moving on, here are the top five books that have made me think.

5. Death Note by Tsugumi Ohba
This series, if you have not read it, is about a note book. When someone’s name is written in this note book, that person dies. When the main character finds this note book, he decides he’s going to use it to carve out a new world, one that will be perfect, free of crime. To do that, he has to kill anyone he deems evil. Murderers, rapists, so on. Throughout this book, you’re torn. The author writes this character as believing he’s actually doing good, but at the same time, he’s still killing people, still murdering. It made me think… if I would be given the same power, would I attempt the same thing? Obviously, I and everyone would like to say ‘no’ straight off, that I’d never do anything like that. But that’s also what a lot of the characters who ended up handling the Death Note thought originally too. And then they were introduced and seduced by its power. So honestly I don’t know. I’d like to say I wouldn’t use the Death Note, but if the situation became dire… would I?

4. Fullmetal Alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa
This is another one of those ‘what if’ situations. The plot of this story follows two brothers whose mother dies. The boys try to bring her back to life using alchemy, but it backfires. Horribly. One boy loses his arm and leg. The other loses his entire body. Before his soul can be taken as well, his brother ties it to a suit of armor. That’s when the story picks up – these two characters, one sporting automail on his limbs, the other nothing but armor, try to regain their original bodies, and try to discover why their alchemy failed. Throughout the story, the taboo of bringing humans back to life is philosophized about, and it makes me wonder how far I would go to bring someone back that I loved if the methods were available. Would I sacrifice my entire body, becoming nothing but a shell? I don’t know.

3. Good Women of China by Xinran
This book is a collection of memoirs, so to say. The book was written by a woman who hosted a radio station in China in the 1980s. Anonymously, different women would call in and tell their stories on the air, unfiltered. This book is the collection of those stories. This book was actually assigned reading for one of my classes back in 2010, and I read it much faster than was assigned. I just couldn’t stop. The things that some of these women went through… blows my mind. It really opened my eyes to cultural differences between different countries, the every day experiences people have, and the differences between how opinions are valued. If you want a thought-provoking book, read this one.

2. Switching Time: A Doctor’s Harrowing Story of Treating a Woman with 17 Personalities by Richard Baer
As I probably mentioned, I have a degree in psychology. This kind of stuff is fascinating to me, regardless of the fact that I have since switched my focus of study to computers. This book is essentially a log book of a psychologist (or psychiatrist, can’t remember) who was doing what the title suggests. First off, multiple personality disorder is kind of fuzzy in the psychology world. A lot of people say it’s a legitimate diagnosis, a lot of people say it isn’t. I can’t say for sure myself. I have a bachelor’s, not a PhD. I’m hardly qualified to make that decision. But regardless, one thing that is agreed upon to result in the symptoms that may/may not be diagnosed as MPD (or DID – dissociative identity disorder) is that the person has gone through continuous trauma. Whether it be abuse, something they’ve witnessed, whatever. Something bad has happened to or around this person. And while reading the different personalities alone is fascinating and gets me thinking, I also get this underlying sense of dread and sorrow. This person had something terrible happen to them. I want to hug the person but at the same time I know it won’t do any good. I just.. buh. This book made me sad. It made me think.

1. Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
This book is set in a place where every thought you have is broadcast out loud to anyone close enough to hear it. Obviously, this made me think about my inner dialogue. What stuff do I say to myself all the time? I’m not even really conscious of it anymore, I just think stuff. And what if that ‘stuff’ could suddenly be heard by everyone? I have a feeling that friendships would become stronger or break apart nastily. Relationships would have a whole new definition of ‘no secrets’. It would definitely be interesting and honestly not something I think I’d want to experience. No thank you, please.

THE END.

Top 5 Wednesday: Books you’d save in a fire!

It’s Wednesday again, and this week’s topic is one I can actually come up with five books for, yaay! On to it – the top five books I would save in a fire. This is going to be super hard. Because knowing me, I’d risk getting burnt a bit if it meant I could save more books. So narrowing it down to five is difficult. I think I’ve done a good job of it, though. Also, I’ve narrowed it down to the books I currently have with me, none of the ones in storage at my parents’ place will be considered in this.

5. The Future of the Mind by Michio Kaku
Aside from this book being about awesome things, this is the only book I own that is signed. Therefore, it gets a place on this list by default. Because if this was lost, it would be really hard to get another signed copy. I could get an unsigned one, but it just wouldn’t be the same.

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4. Volume 4 of Rurouni Kenshin by Nobuhiro Watsuki
I’m choosing this volume specifically because this is my all time favorite manga, and this volume has the conclusion of my favorite story arc within that manga. It’s been read so many times that the binding doesn’t even offer any resistance when I open it anymore. It’s well loved. A new copy wouldn’t have the same effect to it.

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.3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by JK Rowling
This one for the same reason as the previous – it’s my favorite in the series and this particular copy has a lot of sentimental value.

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2. Psychology and Psychic Culture by Reuben Post Halleck
This one probably sounds weird to a lot of people. A random psychology book? Yes and no. Random yes, but at the same time, this book is the oldest book I own. It was published in 1895, back when psychology was in its birthing. I love this book. It has super dated pychological theory, which is fun to read. It has hand-written notes in the margins from past owners, dedications on the inner cover when it was given as a gift (repeatedly). This is just an awesome piece of history. I got it when my grandmother died – my father found it in a large box of old books that she had. He thought I’d like it. And I really, really do. The picture to the left is one I’ve taken myself of a page of the book, if you’re interested.

1. The Official Pokemon Handbook by Maria S Barbo
This is number one for a number of silly reasons. First, I got it when I was very young. It’s so beat up that the cover is starting to fall off. Second, this is the original handbook, the first one released. Meaning, it has only the original 151 pokemon, back when Mew was rumored to be a fake made up by fans. When the first movie came out, man. The pokemon community exploded. I have this handbook, and the two following ones that came out when the second and third generations of pokemon were released respectively. But this is my favorite, makes me feel the most nostalgic, so this is the one I would save. And I feel like if anything ever happened to this book, I would probably really cry about it. I know I would.

And that’s all. Yay, post completed! Top5W was created by Lainey, and the group of other posters can be found here.

Top 5 Wednesday: Futuristic Books

Actually posting on time this week, YEAH. Top Five Futuristic Books ahoy!

5. Ready Player One by Ernest Klein
I have a feeling this one is going to make everybody’s list due to its recent popularity (which is not undeserved, of course). This book is set in the near future where society has become dominated by a virtual reality program to the point where students will just log in on their computers to go to school on assigned ‘school planets’ in the virtual universe. The plot sets off when the creator of the game dies, leaving hints to find his fortune somewhere in the virtual universe. And the race is on. This book is full of the 80s, nerdy things and awkward teenager crushes. I loved it!

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4. Snow Crash by Neil Stephenson
With how popular ‘Ready Player One’ is, I’m surprised this book doesn’t have more fuel behind it. I’ve heard a good deal of buzz about this one, but not nearly as much as Klein’s book. And personally, I like this one a good deal more. The plot in this one is a lot more involved than just ‘find the treasure’. This book takes place, again, in a society dominated by a virtual world. The real world has devolved into something that people strive to escape from, hence the virtual one. The plot of this book revolves around a mysterious substance, object, secret, etc, known as ‘Snow Crash’. What it is is unknown at the beginning of the book, so I won’t say, but whenever exposed to it, users find themselves brain fried from the inside out. The main protagonist throughout the book tries to find the source of Snow Crash and what it’s being used for. This book is awesome – it has action, comedy… romance? ish? I guess? And I think my favorite part is how it delves into the origins of linguistics in almost a biblical sense. This book is deep, dense, and highly recommended. Need something after ‘Ready Player One’? Read this.

3. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
I just finished reading this recently, and it’s become one of my favorite books of all time. I have to warn you though – you’ll either love this or you’ll hate it. It all depends on whether or not you like the humor it has. This book focuses on Arthur Dent, one of the last known survivors after the Earth is destroyed to make way for an interstellar highway. The plot (if you want to call it a plot) follows Arthur and his friend Ford as they traverse the galaxy, stowing away on alien space crafts and talking to depressed robots. This book is hilarious. If you need a laugh, read it.

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2. Relic Master by Catherine Fisher
For this one, I’m linking the whole series, because I find it difficult to break them apart. And as for futuristic, I can’t exactly say why it is so without spoiling, so just trust me. This series focuses on a Relic Master and his apprentice as they travel along their land looking for ancient, mysterously powered relics all while hiding from the regime that has established itself as ruler of the planet, outlawing the possession and practice of the spritiualism that comes with relic master magic. This series is wonderful. I don’t think it’s talked about nearly enough. I read it last year and I still think about it.

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1. Trigun by Yashuhiro Nightow
If you grew up watching Toonami, then you already know the awesomeness that is Trigun. Trigun is set on a planet a hundred or so years after it is colonized by Earth, the last remaining Earthlings arriving to populate it. It follows the outlaw Vash the Stampede with a 60 billion double dollar on his head. Yep, that’s right. It’s a western. A space western. So one, if you like Firefly, read this. Two, if you like classic anime and manga, read this. Three, if you are a living breathing human, read this. Trigun has been as much a part of my childhood as Harry Potter has. It’s going to stay with me until I’m old and moldy. One thing I warn of though – in the manga, Trigun is split into two editions: Trigun and Trigun Maximum. Read vol 1 and 2 of Trigun first, then picked up vol 1 of Trigun Maximum where it picks up where vol 2 of Trigun left off. Otherwise you’ll be super confused. If you read this, I hope you love it (or watch it! I think it might still be on netflix).

And that’s it for my list! Hope you enjoyed. I really liked this one. On the one hand, it allowed me to delve back into the worlds of more than a few favorites, and on the other hand, it reminded me how little sci-fi I’ve actually read. I need to get on that, man.

Top 5 Wednesday was created by gingerreadslainey on youtube, and here is the list to the full list of posters.