Just this guy, you know?

This is another one from Book Club at work. It’s 97 short essays/blog posts that cover a wide variety of topics related to The Cloud. It’s really hit and miss. There are really specific articles on the nuances of AWS which contrasted with some quite vague articles. Thankfully the titles are very descriptive. The essays on monitoring and alerting are very solid.

I wouldn’t not recommend it but I think you should have a flick through the titles to see if anything piques your interest.

Cat Jarman did a cracking job on this. It’s a superb way to catch up on the modern understanding of who the Vikings were, what they did, and where they ended up. At times it’s quite academic and I liked that. There’s cool stuff about how eating fish affects radiocarbon dating your remains.

I have had a copy of Red Devils since its release in 2022. I took a while to start, and a while to finish. That might normally indicate a lack of quality, but just shows my Book Butterfly nature and distractability.

Red Devils by Mark Urban is superb. It follows the founding of the Regiment through to the end of the war (and a little beyond). As I settle into my 30s I am sure you have noticed I love reading history and particularly the Second World War, like some sort of wargaming stereotype. To that I say: fair play, you have got me there. I have read broad histories of events, books focusing on specific campaigns, but I have not read the history of a specific group of individuals like this. Urban follows the regiment in a broad chronological sense but also weaves the stories of a individuals in. The result is informative and page turning. Urban’s prose sits well with me and I will be sure to pick up another of his book soon, The Tank War looks to be my jam.

I finished Space Marine 2 this evening and these are my raw thoughts. Expect SPOILERS

I have incredibly fond memories of 2011’s Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine. I was just about to move to Sheffield for university. I was weeks away from getting fully back into Warhammer after years away. Space Marine hit at exactly the right time. I kept the purity seal from the collectors edition for a decade. I have such love for a perfect 7/10 game.

Am I an autobiography guy now? I’ve read four in the last two years. My previous thirty odd years had a running total of exactly zero.

As a BudPod enjoyer I thought it was only fair to read Phil Wang’s book after raving Pierre’s. It’s a really entertaining read that has very well thought out and explained takes on life. Much like Phil’s stand-up this book talks a lot about rac. Here he focuses on his British Malaysian heritage, how his experiences differed in the two countries. Phil has a wonderful turn of phrase and sense of comedic timing which he brings to bear when touching on some very serious topics.

What a vibe!!! You might have noticed I’m on a big nostalgia kick at the moment. Part of that has been finally looking into Warhammer Fantasy. Not the Old World that launched recently but the real Old World published in 2000. So specifically 6th edition. Why? Well from some conversations I’m led to believe it’s a golden era for Warhammer Fantasy. Plus all that Blancheian goodness from that time.

I’ve never given Fantasy the time of day, thinking it’s some weirded up Tolkien nonsense. After reading the rulebook cover to cover I think I finally understand the appeal, it is weirded up Tolkien but that’s actually good. Safe to say I’ve fallen head over heels for the setting. I’m almost tempted to pick up some Black Library books set in the world. Almost.

This was an absolute joy to read. I’ve been watching some of Filmdeg Miniatures interviews with various former Games Workshop employees. After one with Mike McVey I knew I had to pick up a copy of this book.

It was published in 1993 so is as old as me but the advice contained within is still as relevant as ever, just like me. It teaches the house style of GW from the early 90s which has an incredibly vibrant colour palette with a focus on making photos from that era look good on boxes and in magazines.

I read this as part of a book exchange with my partner.

I’ve tried writing about my thoughts and feelings but it’s all been a more verbose way of saying “it’s fine”. It’s fine, I don’t regret my time with it but I won’t be revisiting it. I think the blurb is the perfect way for you to decide if it’s for you.

Skip it. Mark Richards & Neal Ford wrote a much better version called Fundamentals of Software Architecture.

Reader, I did not in fact finish Mark Urban’s book on the paratroopers. Instead I was recommended this book by Pierre Novellie which I devoured almost instantly.

Somehow I’d not come across Pierre despite him being exactly my jam and moving in the same circles as other comedians I enjoy. He’s just published this book on his experience with his Autism (ASD). It’s not just his experiences but also a history of the condition, where Asperger Syndrome went, a thoughtful examination of how the nomenclature affects and might affect people with ASD, and the ethics of classifying how “functioning” a person is.