Book Review: Consumption by Patrick Hester

On April 15, 2013, in Book Review, Cathy Russell, by Catherine Russell

Consumption by Patrick Hester is a charmingly creepy short story of life beyond death in the Wild West. John Henry has just arrived from Georgia to attend the Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery when he hears about the exhibition of a newly discovered mummy. While attending the display with his schoolmates, one of them claims […]

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Book Received: The Last Grave

On April 12, 2013, in Books Received, by Patrick Hester

Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages Publisher: Signet (March 5, 2013) ISBN-10: 0451239571 Official Description: Samantha Ryan—homicide detective by choice, witch hunter by necessity—has left Salem for San Francisco, hoping a move will help her forget the horrors of her past. But she’s about to discover that witches tempted by the dark side are everywhere…. Samantha […]

Book Review: No Return by Zachary Jernigan

On April 11, 2013, in Book Review, Paul Weimer, by Paul Weimer

On the planet of Jeroun, every ten years, the followers and detractors of the god Adrash meet in a grand martial arts tournament in the city of Danoor. It is an opportunity to present and show the superiority of one’s point of the view in the most visceral way possible–grand combat.  The world of Jeroun […]

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Book Received: Liar’s Blade, A Pathfinder Tale

On April 10, 2013, in Books Received, by Patrick Hester

Paperback: 400 pages Publisher: Paizo Publishing, LLC. (March 12, 2013) ISBN-10: 1601255152 Official Description: With strength, wit, rakish charm, and a talking sword named Hrym, Rodrick has all the makings of a classic hero – except for the conscience. Instead, he and Hrym live a high life as scoundrels, pulling cons and parting the weak […]

Book Review: The Rise of Ransom City by Felix Gilman

On April 8, 2013, in Book Review, Cathy Russell, by Catherine Russell

The Rise of Ransom City by Felix Gilman takes us into a world torn apart by war between two immortal forces, the Line and the Gun. Amid the chaos, Harry Ransom seeks to escape his humble and tragic origins to found a great and peaceful city of the future. By way of his ‘Ransom Process’, […]

History of Role Playing Games

On March 27, 2013, in JT Evans, RP Nerd, by JT Evans

A Little Pre-History Crafting tales is at the root of role playing, and humanity has been telling stories since we could grunt out polysyllabic words. More recently, tabletop strategy games, or wargames, were created to hone military commanders’ skills. These wargames date back to the late 1700s and early 1800s. Skip forward to the 1960s, […]

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Knights in Shining Leather

On March 25, 2013, in Don Pizarro, Retro Nerd, by Don Pizarro

I’m going to slightly bend Patrick’s house rule of not discussing politics, religion, or barbecue, but only by making mention of the idea of private organizations picking up the slack of a shrunken and deregulated government. I don’t particularly advocate that idea, but it’s interesting to note a couple of ways that so-called Leftist, Pinko-Commie […]

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ATFMB – Big Brother

On March 14, 2013, in ATFMB, by Patrick Hester

Welcome (back) to All Things From My Brain. Big Brother. Born of Orwell’s 1984, the term ‘Big Brother is watching you’ has become part of our culture.  For some, it conjures images of tin-foil hat wearing conspiracy theorists hunkered down in cold-war era bomb shelters scribbling paranoid ramblings in a seemingly endless supply of notebooks.  […]

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My Most-Used Android Apps

On March 13, 2013, in Carrie Cuinn, Tech Nerd, by CarrieCuinn

For the last few years I’ve happily rocked my iPhone, which I moved to after several years of (mostly unsuccessfully) syncing my Blackberry to my Mac laptops. Getting an iPhone felt like a step up, a move toward better connectivity. Mac people were cool, trendy, and interested in what their machines did as well as how […]

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Book Review: Lies and Prophecy, Marie Brennan

On March 11, 2013, in Book Review, Paul Weimer, by Paul Weimer

Welton University is a leading University in the wilds of Minnesota. Much like the isolated and bucolic University of Minnesota at Morris, Welton University has a rustic setting that takes full advantage of the beautiful Minnesota countryside. There, students like Kim, Robert, Liesel and Julian take courses like Historical Tarot, CM, Combat Shielding, and PK […]

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Book Review: The Emperor’s Soul by Brandon Sanderson

On March 4, 2013, in Book Review, Paul Weimer, by Paul Weimer

To create the ultimate forgery, what you need is, unsurprisingly, is the ultimate forger. And when the forgery is of the arcane variety, to forge and affix a stricken emperor’s very soul, who better than someone capable of magically forging items to the most exacting detail? Fortunately for those who wish to keep the Emperor […]

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Repurposing Nostalgia

On February 27, 2013, in Don Pizarro, Retro Nerd, by Don Pizarro

As the newly appointed Retro Nerd, I’m here to take you through a Night Gallery-style tour of exhibits of geekdom past. But I’m not Professor Peabody, using candy to lure small children into my WABAC Machine. I’m not here to make you sing, “Those were the days.” This won’t be nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake, especially […]

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What Are Role Playing Games?

On February 20, 2013, in JT Evans, RP Nerd, by JT Evans

This is the first in what I hope will turn into a regular column here at Functional Nerds. I’m going to be talking about role playing games (RPGs). Before I delve too deeply into the nuance and history of this wonderful style of gaming, I figured I would start off by telling you what RPGs […]

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Book Received: Andromeda’s Fall – A Novel of the Legion of the Damned

On February 18, 2013, in Books Received, by Patrick Hester

Hardcover: 352 pages Publisher: Ace Hardcover (December 4, 2012) Language: English ISBN-10: 0425256251 Official Description: The roots of the Legion of the Damned lie deep within the mythology of the future. But now, national bestselling author William C. Dietz goes back to the Legion’s early days with the story of one recruit’s rebirth and redemption… […]

Book Received: Called To Darkness (A Pathfinder Tale)

On February 15, 2013, in Books Received, by Patrick Hester

Paperback: 400 pages Publisher: Paizo Publishing, LLC. (January 22, 2013) Language: English ISBN-10: 1601254652 Official Description: Kagur is a warrior of the Blacklions, fierce and fearless hunters in the savage Realm of the Mammoth Lords. When her clan is slaughtered by a frost giant she considered her adopted brother, honor demands that she, the last […]

Free Open-Source Software For Your Windows (or Mac) Machines

On February 13, 2013, in Carrie Cuinn, Tech Nerd, by CarrieCuinn

I recently bought a netbook, after not having a portable computer for a few months. It came pre-installed with Windows 7, which doesn’t usually matter to me because I like to replace the native OS with Ubuntu or another Linux-variation. This time I decided to keep Windows on it because there are a few things […]

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Book Received: Crossed Blades (A Fallen Blade Novel)

On February 11, 2013, in Books Received, by Patrick Hester

Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages Publisher: Ace (November 27, 2012) Language: English ISBN-10: 1937007847 Official Description: For six years, former temple assassin Aral Kingslayer has been living as a jack of the shadow trades, picking up odd jobs on the wrong side of the law. But the past is never dead, and Aral’s has finally […]

Book Received: The Dog in the Dark

On February 8, 2013, in Books Received, by Patrick Hester

Hardcover: 464 pages Publisher: Roc Hardcover (December 31, 2012) Language: English ISBN-10: 0451464931 Official Description: National bestselling authors Barb and J.C. Hendee present the latest thrilling novel following the adventures of dhampir Magiere and half-elf Leesil… Barely escaping the city of Calm Seatt—and the assassins hunting them—Magiere, Leesil, and the elven dog Chap sail south […]

Don’t Be Hasty

On February 6, 2013, in Fitness Nerd, Sandra Wickham, by Sandra Wickham

The start of a new year brings with it renewed energy, strengthened resolve and fresh enthusiasm for all things in life. Usually that includes new plans for health and fitness, with people determined to make big changes in the way they eat and in the amount of exercise they do. I wholeheartedly encourage this and […]

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Book Received: The Shadow’s Heir

On February 4, 2013, in Books Received, by Patrick Hester

Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages Publisher: Ace (December 24, 2012) Language: English ISBN-10: 0425258238 Official Description: Laela Redguard was born with the black hair of the Northern kingdom and the blue eyes of the Southern people, forever marking her as a hated half-breed child of both. When her only family tie is severed, the fierce […]

Book Received: Supervolcano: All Fall Down

On February 1, 2013, in Books Received, by Patrick Hester

Hardcover: 416 pages Publisher: Roc Hardcover; 1 edition (December 4, 2012) Language: English ISBN-10: 0451464818 Official Description: In Supervolcano: Eruption, one of nature’s most destructive forces released its ferocity on an unsuspecting world. Now, New York Times bestselling author Harry Turtledove reveals how the survivors of the disaster adapt to their new environment… In the […]

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