My Current Appendix N

Every once in a while I catch a post from the blogosphere referring to their own personal Appendix N, which in turn influences their game world.  Well, time for me to join the ranks.  What follows is a list of selections that have informed my game world(s) in the past two years - as I uncover more, I'll give a shout.  This is just a few that really stand out.

Tales of Mars (SFBC novel anthology) - Edgar Rice Burroughs

Owls Hoot in the Daytime (Anthology) - Manly Wade Wellman

The Sword of Rhiannon - Leigh Brackett

Brak: When the Idols Walked - John Jakes

Tarnsman of Gor - John Norman

Ringworld - Larry Niven

Ringworld's Children - Larry Niven

Gather Darkness - Fritz Leiber

Fragment - Warren Fahy

Mister B. Gone - Clive Barker

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell - Susanna Clarke

Redbeard - Michael Resnick

The Book of Ptath - A. E. Van Vogt

Conan the Savage - Leonard Carpenter

Dwellers in the Mirage - A. Merritt

Ursus of Ultima Thule - Avram Davidson

Wizard by Trade (Novel Anthology) - Jim Butcher

World War Z - Max Brooks

Johannes Cabal The Necromancer - Jonathan L. Howard

Shadow Kingdoms (Anthology) - Robert E. Howard

Elak of Atlantis - Henry Kuttner

A Clockwork Orange - Anthony Burgess

Brave New World - Aldous Huxley

The Best of Weird Tales 1923 - Ed. Kate and Betancourt

Best of Weird Tales - Ed. Betancourt

American Gods - Neil Gaiman

Lovecraft Unbound (Anthology) - Ed. Ellen Datlow

Tales of the Cthulhu Mythos - H.P. Lovecraft and Others

Ancient Sorceries and Other Weird Stories - Algernon Blackwood

The Return of the Sorcerer (Anthology) - Clark Ashton Smith

Out of the Silent Plant - C.S. Lewis

Hell's Angels - Hunter S. Thompson

As you can see, I dabble in many genres, but it's heavy on old sword & sorcery/planet.  And yes, I happen to like Gor.  Even though it's a misogynistic ripoff of the John Carter stuff.  It has that Mars feel about it, and I love it, even when it's really bad.

Of all the weirdness above, I will recommend Redbeard by Michael Resnick.  I found it at a flea market - it's printed on paper so pulpy it breaks when you dog-ear a corner to mark your spot (I hate bookmarks and I don't collect books for the value - they are to be read!).  It's a post-apocalyptic tale about a normal man who is generally a brutish oaf, including being a rapist and murderer, who ends up holding the fate of humanity in his hands - and promptly kills it.  It's remarkably well done, and even though I thought the protagonist was annoying at times, he's supposed to be.  Find it and read it.  There's like a bajillion of them on Amazon for 22 cents and up.  It really has that awesome old S&S feel to it.