Welcome back to Recommendation Monday, where I give you something to look forward to that hopefully helps you get through the week.

Every Monday, I recommend a book, TV show, movie, podcast, comic, or video game that are related to sci-fi/fantasy in some way. My goal in doing this is to draw attention to some great works as well as some amazing indie content producers.

This week I am recommending science fiction drama podcast Wolf 359.

Alternating between hilarious comedy, genuine horror, and cerebral science fiction, this is the podcast that got me started listening to podcasts.

It documents the experiences of the crew of the U.S.S. Hephaestus, a space station orbiting star Wolf 359, as they carry out the various, nebulous objectives of their mission.

I can't say too much without giving away the plot, but rest assured, it does have a plot. Said plot is very good, even though it can feel shaky at times. The characters are a lot of fun and you even end up liking the villains.

I really look forward to finding out what the production team has in store for us in the future!

Welcome back to Recommendation Monday, where I give you something to look forward to that hopefully helps you get through the week.

Every Monday, I recommend a book, TV show, movie, podcast, comic, or video game that are related to sci-fi/fantasy in some way. My goal in doing this is to draw attention to some great works as well as some amazing indie content producers.

For this week, I am recommending Jade City by Fonda Lee.

Billed as The Godfather meets Hong Kong gangster films with magic, this is one of the most original fantasy novels I have read in a long time. It follows the story of a crime clan/family on the fictional island of Kekon, where jade imbues wearers with magical abilities. Called Green Bone warriors, they have a long tradition of protecting both their domestic territory in the massive city of Janloon and their nation from foreign interests.

The characters are all very well-realized and you genuinely start caring about them, which given how they're locked in a gang war keeps you on the edge of your seat. I found myself very engrossed by the plot, which made it one of those rare "can't-put-it-down" books for me.

The worldbuilding is amazing and one of the best aspects of the novel. It takes place largely in the city of Janloon, which comes to life as rival clans fight for control of its many areas. The glimpses of the outside world we get are just as interesting, with countries and cultures being reminiscent of real nations without being clear copies. Being set in an 80s-ish era of technology with a World War II analogue and a revolution against foreign power hovering in the backstory make it all the more interesting.

I'm eagerly awaiting my trip to Barnes & Noble to pick up a copy of the second book, Jade War, when it releases in paperback next week.

So I've decided to start doing a new thing: Recommendation Monday.

Every Monday, I will be recommending a book, TV show, movie, podcast, comic, or video game that are related to sci-fi/fantasy in some way.

After several years of working on a "my book recommendations" blog post, I figured I could probably get more mileage out of the concept not only by spreading it out, but also by including other works of speculative fiction.

Hopefully, this will draw attention to some great works as well as some amazing indie content producers.

For this first week, I will be recommending one of my favorite book series of all time, The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander.

Perhaps more famously known as The Black Cauldron, the title of the second book in the series and the Disney film that adapted a mashup of the first two books, this is an epic fantasy children's series that draws upon Welsh mythology.

Seriously, it really is the equivalent of Lord of the Rings in children's fantasy literature.

It consists of five books, which are, in order, The Book of Three, The Black Cauldron, The Castle Of Llyr, Taran Wanderer, and The High King. It needs to be read in order as it tells a continuous story. There is also a sixth book consisting of side stories titled The Foundling and Other Tales of Prydain.

The Chronicles of Prydain tells the story of assistant pig keeper Taran, who dreams of being a great hero. When the oracular pig Hen Wen, whom he is tasked with keeping, runs away, he gets drawn into an epic battle against the evil that threatens the land along with companions Princess Eilonwy, bard Fflewddur Fflam, Gurgi, and Doli of the Fair Folk.

If you are wondering why the image I chose to represent this series is the fourth book, Taran Wanderer, it's because I believe this book is representative of what truly sets this series apart. It's a deeply meditative coming of age tale about finding yourself told in a way I haven't seen done as amazingly well before or since.

Throughout the series, in spite of how the blurbs on the back covers might make it sound, Taran is not an ordinary hero. He sometimes fails, he often isn't the one to save the day, and his immaturity gets him into trouble more often than not. But he grows and learns and at the end of the day, truly becomes a hero of legend.

This series is absolutely amazing and I recommend it to readers of all ages. It's the kind of story that stands the test of time.