My Fantasy Life

Recently I finished reading the 3rd and final book in the Watershed Trilogy. I read all 3 books back to back; 1,335 pages. It was quite the undertaking.

Now some people may not understand why a 35 year old man, such as myself, still reads sword & sorcery books. That's okay. I am only slightly embarrassed by my choice in science fiction/fantasy. When I lived in Chicago I would find ways to hide the dragon-themed, sword decorated front covers of the novels as I rode the EL through the city. Part of me was always nervous about somebody discovering my guilty pleasure and announcing it to the trainload of judgmental commuters. There was always the thought, too, that a group of D & D playing dorks would see the book in my hands and try to seduce me into their coven.

That being said I do enjoy reading the fantasy novels from time to time. This trilogy was epic, not quite on the Tolkien level but an engrossing read. I spent the last 2 and 1/2 months working my way through the adventures in the 3 novels. I may have sat in a hellish commute on my way home from work but once in my apartment I could always escape to the lands of the Watershed. I find that I stress out less about employment, debt, and life issues when I'm thumbing through a highly fanciful work of fiction. At times I prefer knights, and elves to the dragons and goblins of everyday life.

I've had the week off from work - I'm between semesters - and was able to finally finish the book. I've been splitting my time between straightening up the house, getting my car fixed, watching the World Cup, sitting on my butt, and reading Douglas Niles' fiction. Once school starts up again my reading opportunities will be a fewer and farther between, and I may not get to sit down with a good book for quite some time. Thanks to family gift certificates to bookstores, my library card, and my involvement with paperbackswap.com I will always have a retreat from the stressful task of being myself... at least temporarily.