Sam D. Cote

04/29/2025

♟️Chess Story by Stefan Zweig♟️
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This story is way better than it has any right to be— and to think that so few people talk about this author! I recently learned about Zweig through ’s YouTube videos. When I say I like a character study, Chess Story is what I mean. The amount of tension and drama packed into just 84 pages is wild to me— a testament to Zweig’s ability to fully realize these characters in so few words. If you’re interested in compelling characters, the game of chess, psychological trauma, or manic obsession, I think you’ll find yourself as close to the edge of your seat as I was.
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11/21/2024

🗣️ Thank you for calling Go Ahead Tours, this is Sam speaking. Before we get started, can I please confirm your name and email address?

10/06/2024

🌿⚔️🐉🏹✨🍂🍁
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Gamer weekend at the ren faire!! Living out our D&Dreams 🤩
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&d

09/16/2024

09/09/2024

⚔️ Theft of Swords by Michael J Sullivan
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I’m 47% through this /tome/ and absolutely devouring it. I wrote this one off for a long time because it seems super generic— a high fantasy novel where two thieves try to steal a sword? Sounds a little played out. The first half has been incredible— a really fresh take on the conventions of the genre, and moved so darn /fast/. Can’t wait to see what the e second half has in store!

07/20/2024

The Farthest Shore 🌊
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I’m now 3/4 of the way through the Earthsea Cycle by Ursula K. Le Guin (the main books, at least). While short, they have the substance of much much longer books. This one in particular felt so wonderfully classic— it would feel incredibly cliché if it wasn’t executed so beautifully. I think that’s at heart of “genre” writing— the conventions of fantasy are conventions for a reason. They can be done and re-done endlessly, as long as they are approached with a new curiosity. It just so happens that Earthsea is a founding text of the genre.

07/16/2024

Returning to Earthsea for the first time in a while! I’ve been saving Le Guin’s work for times that I need to feel grounded and coaxed back into a beautiful view of the world. 🗺️
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07/10/2024

Tennesseeeeeeeeeeeee! 🤩

05/05/2024

After months of putting it off, I finally got a second bookshelf! I had to get my unread books out of their vertical stacks and store/display them in a proper way— might pay around with the arrangement, but I’m very happy with it!
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01/03/2024

You all weren’t lying— The Hunger Games was incredible!! I think I’ll have to do a full review of the book (and the movie) in video form. So much to love about this book!
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