Reading
For as long as I can think back, reading has been one of the staples for me of getting some relaxation in. From the library bus which came to our village every four weeks, to discovering the municipal library in the next town over where me and my sister loaned books by shopping basket. Later, I started buying my own books, and when I later started reading mostly English books, buying was basically the only way of getting a decent supply.
These days, as I used to travel for work a lot, nearly all of my reading is done on my tablet or my Kindle, as physical books are too heavy and too clunky to lug around.
Special interest: Fantasy & Science Fiction
The list of books below here are in no particular order, just what came to my mind.
Fantasy
- All by Tamora Pierce - I haven’t yet found a book by her I disliked. There are some maybe not as engaging, but never bad. She writes in two different universes, Tortall and The Circle universe, both similar, yet different, but still engaging. Alanna: The first adventure just as a reference here.
- Cirque du Freak by Darren Shan - highly entertaining vampire story about a young half-vampire. The last book in the series is a bit weird, but that does not take from the appeal of the whole series. I basically read the whole cycle in about two weeks when a friend introduced me to it the first time.
Science Fiction
- Ender’s Game, by Orson Scott Card, and the two following books in the series, Speaker For The Dead, and Xenocide - the series got a bit too philosophical for me then
- Ender’s Shadow and following, by Orson Scott Card - I found that concept so fascinating, basically retelling the same story, but with a different protagonist, and it then is a different story.
Other fiction
- The Physician by Noah Gordon - one of the books I read so often as a teenager, that the physical book was half-shredded to pieces. About early medieval times, about a young English guy who wants to become a doctor, and travels to Persia to follow his dream.
- The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet - another medieval novel about the building of the cathedral in fiction Kingsbridge, and the tale of the mason and his family. It gives a pretty good impression about how brutal medieval times could be, but also showcases the ingeniuity of early engineers.
Gaming
Gaming has been another favorite way to wind down for me. I consider it a very versatile hobby, where I can relax, engage, play together with friends, puzzle, or just be entertained - depending on the mood I’m currently in. For a long time, I have played a lot of MMORPGS, like World of Warcraft and Eve Online. These days, it is more games I can play in shorter bursts instead of having to spend long sessions to get something in. But exploring the icy plains of Dun Morogh, raiding with my guild, the “Orden von Lordaeron” and doing massive space battles with my friends from BO-LD, will always have a special place in my heart.
Kerbal Space Program
Nominally, the game I have the most hours in on Steam. Trying to get a rocket into orbit, and more often than not suffering from a unplanned, rapid disassembly has been one of the favorites. I recently picked it up again, and I will see if I can add to my achievements in game.
Factorio
This game very strongly appeals to my engineering sense of problem solving and automation. Easily, you can set out to solve a problem in your factory, and realize four hours later that you basically have done everything in the factory - except for solving the initial problem. But this can be super addictive, is has been characterized as the crack cocaine of the gaming world - be aware if you just want to give it a try! Otherwise, highly recommended!
