By Hannah Herrlich, Emerging Technologies Librarian

Over the summer, we featured a series titled, ‘Netflix’ & Checkout. That blog post highlighted popular television shows and movies available on streaming platforms (such as Netflix), and connected these shows to materials available through the Fordham University Libraries.

So we’ve decided to switch things up a bit and apply the same reader’s advisory tactics, connecting popular video games to books in our collection! Since this is the final week before Winter Break, there is no better time to discover what book to read next based on what video game you like to play.

Elden Ring

Elden Ring takes place in the Lands Between, a fictional landmass ruled over by several demigods. It was previously ruled over by the immortal Queen Marika, who acted as keeper of the Elden Ring, a powerful force that manifested as the physical concept of order. When Marika eventually shattered the Elden Ring and disappeared, her demigod children began warring over pieces of the Ring in an event called the Shattering. Each demigod possesses a shard of the Ring called a Great Rune, which corrupts them with power. In the game, the player character is a Tarnished- one of a group of exiles from the Lands Between who are summoned back after the Shattering. As one of the Tarnished, the player must traverse the realm to repair the Elden Ring and become the Elden Lord.

Book Suggestions

Since George R. R. Martin co-wrote Elden Ring with Hidetaka Miyazaki, players of the game will also enjoy Martin’s popular works available in the collection, such as:

• A Game of Thrones (the book behind the first season of HBO original series, Game of Thrones)
• A Clash of Kings (the book behind the second season of HBO original series, Game of Thrones)
• A Storm of Swords (the book behind the third season of HBO original series, Game of Thrones)
• A Feast for Crows (the book behind the fourth season of HBO original series, Game of Thrones)
• A Dance with Dragons (the book behind the fifth season of HBO original series, Game of Thrones)

And if you’re interested in expanding beyond the Game of Thrones universe, there are plenty of other fantasy works available, like these books below. *(Hint: Go to the online library catalog and search by subject term “fantasy” for more great novels like these.)

• American Gods by Neil Gaiman
• The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
• The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett
• The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin

Age of Empires

The games in the Age of Empires series focus on historical events throughout time, between the Stone Age and the Classical period, primarily within Europe and Asia.

Book Suggestions

Since Age of Empires draw inspiration from historical periods and events, a player of this game might be interested in works of historical fiction, like these:

• The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates
• The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston
• The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
• The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
• The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

Resident Evil

The original game and many franchise entries are set in and around Raccoon City, which is home to several bioengineering laboratories operated by the Umbrella Corporation. As Umbrella’s mutagen testing grows, a virus seeps out into Raccoon City, and the city ultimately is destroyed by a missile strike launched by the United States government to contain the viral outbreak. An ensuing government investigation leads to Umbrella’s downfall, however the proliferation of Umbrella’s biological weapons and viruses leads to other outbreaks across the world. The protagonists of each subsequent entry continue to fight new factions that engage in bioterrorism and also face new types of creatures.

Book Suggestions

The Resident Evil franchise is credited with sparking a revival of the zombie genre in popular culture. Whether you want to sink your teeth into fictional horror of the undead or dive into bioterrorism science fiction, these books surely will have you hooked!

• Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer
• World War Z by Max Brooks
• Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel 
• Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Classic Regency Romance– Now with Ultraviolent Zombie Mayhem! by Seth Grahame-Smith
• The Plague by Albert Camus

The Sims

The games in The Sims series are largely sandbox games, in that they lack any defined goals (except for some later expansion packs and console versions which introduced this gameplay style). The player creates virtual people called “Sims,” places them in houses, and helps direct their moods and satisfy their desires. Players either can place their Sims in pre-constructed homes or build them themselves.

Book Suggestions

It’s tricky to pinpoint a specific reading genre that mimics The Sims. Through its numerous editions and expansion packs released since its debut, the series has echoed realities of everyday life, no matter how impressive or mundane. These books below are a jumble of stories about The Sims game itself, the process of decision making, and construction and design.

• The Socializing Voyage of the Video Game Player: Growing-Up with Playing The Sims by Pascaline Lorentz
• Players Unleashed!: Modding The sims and the Culture of Gaming by Tanja Sihvonen
• Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life by William Burnett
• Wild Problems: A Guide to the Decisions That Define Us by Russ Roberts
• Underground: A Human History of the Worlds Beneath Our Feet by Will Hunt
• Be Bold: Bespoke Modern Interiors by Jay Jeffers

The Legend of Zelda

The Legend of Zelda series follows protagonists Link and Princess Zelda as they fight to save their magical land of Hyrule from the demon king, Ganon. Ganon wishes to use a sacred relic, known as the Triforce, to remake the world in his own dark image. When gathered together, the power of the Triforce can grant any wish its user desires; however, if someone with a heart that does not possess a balance of the three virtues of Power, Courage, and Wisdom attempts to touch the Triforce, it will split into three triangles and bond with three people whose hearts embody the required virtue.

Book Suggestions

If going through The Legend of Zelda gameplay by snatching up lost keys, completing intricate puzzles, and acquiring mythical objects does not satisfy your fantasy craving, then the library catalog has you covered. Consider making your next quest reading one of these books!

• A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
• The Book of Magic by Alice Hoffman
• Moon Witch, Spider King by Marlon James
• Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
• Summerland by Michael Chabon

The Fordham University Libraries wishes you a joyful holiday season, and we look forward to seeing you again in 2023!