So here we are, 2018 has vanished and 2019 is upon us. Yes, yes, I know I'm a little late with this post, but now is the time to post, having taken a little break from writing my next novel. It's been an eventful 2018 with all the books I read, ranging from pirate stories to horror stories, to adventure stories all the way to post apocalyptic doom. Such an interesting go at the literary world and all the wonderful authors available to us in the world. And even to this day I am reading, once again, Inquisition, (strictly research) which is the second official novel I published within the last two years, (Wolfgang was in 2016). Steadily I work on the third book of the Trilogy, which has been an exciting road, path to an adventure unlike I've ever experienced! It has been gleeful to say the least and eagerly I slay the keyboard late into the night.

With that said, I derived a list collected over the course of 2018 which I regimentally kept each month, tracking the books I've read and the games I've played and finished. Finished is the key word here. Why keep track of such things you ask? Well, its simple really. I came up with a way to reference back to all the material I absorbed, a form of study if you will, which in essence effects me in some way, either by influencing my writing or sending me into interesting depths of sleep, (although hardly do I remember my dreams for mostly I day dream.) Does that make sense? It does to me. Anyway...

Now, I thought long and hard about the books I read throughout the course of the year and it was no easy task picking the ones I liked the most, for in general, I thought the majority of novels were really good! So its very difficult for a Libra like myself to make a solid decision when it comes to ideas like this. But alas, one must pursue the endeavors of devoted decisions, despite the aggressive outcome of debating the mind. So before I reveal what these books are, here is the list accumulated over time, 2018, a year full of accomplishments and revelations (They are numbered in the order of reading them. The verdict will be further down below):

1) Broken Shells - Michael Patrick Hicks

2) Ghosts of the Seamoon - A. F. Stewart

3) The Bench - Jonathan Roy

4) Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - JK Rowling

5) Castlevania The Belmont Legacy - graphic novel

6) Killers and Demons I & II - A.F. Stewart

7) The Revenant - Michael Punke

8) The Immortal - Angela Hunt

9) A Change of Scenery - Debra Parmley

10) The Dark Magus - Skarlet Lu Realta

11) Famously Ordinary - Simon Farrant

12) Here The Truth Lies - Seb Kirby

13) Pizza Boyz Season 1 - Spencer Scott Holmes

14) Souls of the Dark Sea - A F Stewart

15) The Three Heretics - Scott Hale

16) Legends of the Guard - David Petersen

17) Occupation - Jeff Dawson

18) Redwall - Brian Jacques

19) Dreaming at the top of my lungs - Israel Finn

20) The Regents Reign - Alex McGilvery

21) Thornhill - Pam Smy

22) Dracul - Dacre Stoker & JD Barker

23) The Lair of the White Worm - Bram Stoker

24) Into the Mist - Lee Murray

25) Into the Sounds - Lee Murray

Phew, its a long list! So it boiled down to actually 4 books that I truly enjoyed immensely, and as for the others on the list, by no means do I discredit their works. They all have proven to be a force worth mentioning. There is a serious amount of work that goes into the detailing of a book, and they all are respected in their genres. Thank you to all authors who write. It is a unique thing to be able to escape into someone else's imaginative realm. Alas, here is my top 4 list:

#1 REDWALL by Brian Jacques (Fantasy Adventure)

#2 THE THREE HERETICS by Scott Hale (Post Apocalyptic/Dystopian/Horror)

#3 KILLERS AND DEMONS I & II by A. F. Stewart (Horror)

#4 INTO THE SOUNDS by Lee Murray (Primordial Thriller/Survival)

So there you have it, my top 4 selections. Each author did a bang up job executing such novels. Some old, some new. Thank you to all for contributing to the literary world.

Another list I will mention now is the video game list where I actually finished each game (respectively) and had some sense of accomplishment upon the act of completion. You know, its funny, some people think the act of playing video games is a waste of time or the mushing of brains, but in essence, video games subject the player to a whole immersive experience and, (especially the type of games I play), force you to read...a lot. So just imagine, comparing a game to a movie film. Movies will mush you, 2 hours or more of vegetative sitting and mindless droning. Now imagine, that movie experience with interaction. Now there's a concept. Games get the mind churning, and ideas grow and form. The imagination soars when it comes right down to it. Puzzles to solve. Dialogue and narrative to read. Beautiful artwork and masterfully crafted soundtracks. Here is my list played in 2018:

1) Uncharted 4 - PS4

2) The Evil Within 2 - PS4

3) FFXVPE - iOS

4) Oceanhorn - iOS

5) Castlevania III Dracula’s Curse (Alucard) - 3DS

6) Castlevania II Simon’s Quest - 3DS

7) Lecarde Chronicles I - PC

8) Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon

My favorite for 2018 is...(drum roll): Uncharted 4.

Because it is the most beautifully constructed game developed and the story line touches the heart, especially for those of you who've played the series. It is without a doubt, a fitting end for such a tragic life. Those who love treasure hunting and modern day pirate themes. This game is right up your "!@#$%^"

Starting out the this new year (its already February) 2019, I'll be posting more blog stuff throughout. Also, I plan to have some short stories come out later this year as well as continuing to work on my third book. We'll see how that goes.

Talk to you soon.

F. D. Gross