Anyone ever read the Misenchanted Sword by Lawrence Watt-Evans? Random grab off the library shelf in high school and it turned out to be a cool yet unorthodox adventure that has always stuck with me.

Artists are not to blame for the things their art inspires. Rage has important themes on social acceptance, lack of empathy in our education systems and the ostracization of emergent criminal elements that are explored albeit in a clumsy manner. It is not gasoline for the fire inside a mentally disturbed mind and I assure you that another fuel would've been found if it was even necessary at all. Some people just want to burn. There is no stopping it. Humanity needs to create a society that doesn't create more losers than winners then things will get better. Cancellation culture will only make us more stupid and intolerant.

Wheel of Time is unmatched in its breadth and scope. It is not a first time fantasy reader's book series. I'd recommend the Hobbit obviously. Lloyd Alexander's 5 book cycle is great introductory fantasy as well as Chronicles of Narnia. Dragonlance Chronicles Legends and the Death Gate Cycle all by Weis and Hickman are great too. However, if the reader is a bit older Id start them off with Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King or Eaters of the Dead by Michael Crichton. All older stuff I know, but it's all a good way to ease someone into a wild genre.

I saw BNW today and I'll say I enjoyed it more than the typical action comedy the MCU has been churning out. Every movie should not try to emulate only the most successful films, but rather create a part of a rich, tonal mosaic that has something for everyone; just not encapsulated in each entry of the franchises. There should be different flavors for all to feast on. Deadpool and GotG should be comedy based and due to the tremendous acting ranges of talents like Downey Jr and Hemsworth their characters embracing of humor was hugely successful. That doesn't mean that it must be emulated all the time. For example a Blade movie should be stone cold serious imo because the dark themes inherent call for it. The MCU merely has to stop targeting everyone with every movie. Adjust expectations to align with reality and you won't be disappointed.