Overview
Hello everyone! Welcome to a new series where I will tell you all about my reading journey. Every couple of months, I'll gather up reviews of books I've read and share my thoughts and experiences. You’ll notice that I typically gravitate toward fantasy and science fiction for fiction reading, while my nonfiction preferences include productivity books and topics related to my interests, such as game design and design thinking. That said, I'm always open to reading almost any book.
Over the past couple of months, I've managed to read six books spanning both fiction and nonfiction. Each one has offered something unique to my perspective as both a reader and game developer. What I value most about reading is that books provide different perspectives of the world. As a game developer, this broader knowledge is essential. It allows for better representation in games and fuels creativity. I strongly believe that the more we understand about different areas and fields, the richer our creative work can become. Let’s dive into the reviews!
Fiction Reviews
Attack on Titan: Before the Fall
I’ve been reading for a couple of years the Attack on Titan manga. Recently, I was able to obtain the full collection of the series through a Humble Bundle (they sell bundles for games, books & software, definitely check it out here). I’ve been reading the full story and I just read a novel called Attack on Titan: Before the Fall. The story takes place long before the main Attack on Titan series begins, which adds wonderful depth to the world-building. It explores how the equipment used to defeat titans was originally developed.
What I particularly enjoyed was experiencing this story as a novel rather than manga. It allowed me to imagine the events instead of seeing them through panels, creating a different but equally engaging experience. If you're an Attack on Titan fan or enjoy fantasy in general, this book is definitely worth checking out.
Attack on Titan: Kuklo Unbound
Following Before the Fall, I read its continuation, Kuklo Unbound. This story centers on the child of a titan and covers the second and third parts of the overall Before the Fall storyline. We follow Kuklo's journey and discover how he managed to kill a titan. I really enjoyed how it continued to expand the universe. The story itself is very entertaining and adds another layer to the rich Attack on Titan lore. Fellow fans of the series and fantasy enthusiasts will likely appreciate this book as much as I did.
Interestingly, after finishing both novels, I learned there's also a manga version consisting of 17 volumes. While I own these volumes (thanks again, Humble Bundle!), I haven't read them since the story is essentially the same with only slight changes. The novels felt sufficient for experiencing this part of the Attack on Titan world.
The Return of the King
I also completed The Return of the King, the final installment of the Lord of the Rings trilogy which I've been reading over the past couple of years. The book is divided into two main sections: the first covers the events involving the remaining fellowship of the ring members up through the war in Mordor, while the second details what happened to Bilbo and Frodo during this time.
What I loved most about this conclusion was how thoroughly it wrapped up the story, providing details about what happened in each part of the fictional universe and to every character. The appendices at the end were particularly fascinating, making the universe feel much more complete with descriptions of events from all ages, different languages, and other rich details.
This book will resonate with anyone who has been reading the Lord of the Rings trilogy or any of Tolkien's other works. It's also perfect for those who enjoyed the movies but haven't yet experienced the books, as well as fantasy lovers in general.
Nonfiction Reviews
Games as a Service
Shifting to nonfiction, I read Games as a Service: How Free to Play Design Can Make Better Your Games, which aims to prompt readers to ask important questions about creating a successful game-as-a-service model. Each chapter covers different areas to consider and includes practical exercises and questions to apply to your own game ideas.
I found this book through a Humble Bundle of game design books, and it provides valuable tips for anyone looking to create a freemium game. This resource has changed my perspective by making me aware of important considerations for implementing a games-as-a-service model in my own projects. While I may not remember every tip, I now have a valuable reference to return to when needed.
If you're interested in creating freemium games or understanding this model better, this book is an excellent resource. Game developers in general would benefit from checking it out.
The Design of Everyday Things
Another fascinating read was The Design of Everyday Things, which explains the concept of design thinking and how it can be applied to practically anything while keeping the end user in mind. The book provides numerous real-life examples of both good and bad design and explains why design matters so much.
This recommendation came from my master class in human-computer interaction course, and it has genuinely changed my awareness of design. I now pay much more attention to the design of things I use daily. Anyone involved in product design, those interested in understanding how others think, and really anyone at all would find this book enjoyable and enlightening.
Here are my 3 favorite quotes:
“The same technology that simplifies life by providing more functions in each device also complicates life by making the device harder to learn, harder to use.”
“More and more evidence is accumulating that we use logic and reason after the fact, to justify our decisions to ourselves (to our conscious minds) and to others”
“The problem with the designs of most engineers is that they are too logical. We have to accept human behavior the way it is, not the way we would wish it to be.”
Significant Zero
The last nonfiction book I read was Significant Zero, an autobiography by Walt Williams, a video game writer who has worked on several popular titles such as Spec Ops: The Line and BioShock 2. He describes his life in the video game industry and his experiences with various projects since entering the field.
I honestly don't remember how I discovered this book but I'm glad I read it. It inspired me to create stories that matter or convey meaningful messages rather than just make the player feel powerful, which was the final message of the book. Writers, game developers, and gamers would all find value in Williams' experiences and insights.
Here are my 3 favorite quotes:
“Like all art, games are an expression of the people who make them; people who are unique, derivative, functional, broken, and above all, messy”
“I don’t think people are afraid to be emotionally challenged by their games. I think they’re waiting for it. Gamers are ready for a deeper, more emotional experience. They want to play games that matter.”
“Imagine a video game that inspires the best in us rather than the worst. Imagine exploring what it means to be human instead of revisiting how it feels to be powerful. Imagine putting down the controller and being left with a sense of hope, for you and for the world.”
Looking Forward
I'm currently reading a collection of Celtic fairy tales and lore, specifically Ancient Legends, Mystic Charms, and Superstitions of Ireland by Lady Wilde. This collection was a Christmas gift from my dad, and even though I knew very little about these tales going in, they've been quite interesting so far. Reading these stories has sparked some creative inspiration. I'm considering how they might inspire game ideas. Similar to how The Witcher series draws from folklore, I think Celtic fairy tales and folklore could provide rich material for game development.
I've also begun reading Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman. This was another recommendation in my masterclass in HCI course and I can't wait to read more of it.
Having said that, this was my book journey for the first couple of months of the year. I'll update you with the next part in a couple of months! What books have you been reading lately? I'd love to read your recommendations in the comments!