DocoftheDarkArts

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DocoftheDarkArts

Bob Stuntz

• Feb 27

Everything You Wanted to Know About Our Book Club!

2 books

DocoftheDarkArts

Bob Stuntz

• Apr 17

This post is not, strictly speaking, fully book related. But I hope you'll stick with me, because this is an important topic that is really important to me. And I will recommend some books.

***Trigger warning: This post will discuss SA and domestic violence***

A recent CNN report exposed an online network of men discussing how to drug women and commit SA, the targets often being their partners. The website that was most implicated had over 62 million views, and a majority of views were coming from IP addresses in the US.

And while this may be written off by some as an isolated issue, in the online book world, we see women, people of color, and marginalized groups treated poorly every day. I see women in the book world having to deal with male commenters accusing them of "showing off their bodies for views," while at the same time sending them suggestive material in their DMs. Every time someone tries to post a video suggesting more diverse sci fi and fantasy authors, they are met with backlash, and the inevitable "I don't care who writes the books I read." The pushback to representation and fair treatment is often, quite frankly, staggering. All the while, women are criticized for reading "smut." Women who write fantasy stories with any romance get labeled as romantasy authors, while their male counterparts are just fantasy authors. We shame women for reading sexual material, but don't bat an eye to the sexual goings on traditional fantasy because "it's gritty and realistic for the era."

I'm a dad to teenage boys. I have a wife, sisters, nieces and nephews. My boys and I talk a lot about making other people feel safe around us, treating everyone equally and with respect, and avoiding the pitfalls of the modern hoax of "masculinity." In an era where influencers are trying to convince boys to looksmax, heightmax, or take testosterone supplements in their teens (please don't do that), our young men are more and more being exposed to patriarchal, overly macho, chauvinistic ideas of what being a man means.

I'm someone who believes in facts, and data. So here are some facts (according to Take Back the Night):

1 in 3 women worldwide experience some form of sexual violence or intimate partner violence.
2 in 3 transgender people have been sexually assaulted.
People in the LGBTQIA+ community are more likely to experience sexual violence.
Less than 50% of victims report these crimes.

As a man, it is easy to react to all of this with the "well that's some men, not all men." And much like Sciona in ML Wang's brilliant Blood Over Bright Haven, confronting your own biases, and those of our society, can be a difficult process. It can also feel frustrating and leave you with a sense of "what can I actually do?" Well, as someone engaged in bookish content, here's what you can do:

Call out ignorance and injustice when you see it, and stand for what's right.
Read broadly and diversely, and share those stories and authors with other readers.
Encourage the young men in your life to read as well. Encourage them to get off their phone, encourage them to talk about their feelings, and encourage them to be safe, welcoming people.
LISTEN to the women in your life. Seek to learn about their experiences.
Be a safe space for women, and all marginalized groups.
When you can, contribute to organizations that do work on behalf of those most at risk.

One of the only tangible things I can do is donating money to good causes. I have a social media platform that is fortunate to have grown to a point where I make some money from it. In full transparency, it is less than $100/month. Every month $25 of that goes back to the prizes for our monthly reading challenges, and the rest is donated to causes that are important to me. So, starting here in April and for the foreseeable future, I will be donating the balance of whatever I make through my platforms, and matching it up to $100 each month, to Take Back The Night. TBTN is a "501(c)(3) Foundation is to end sexual violence in all forms, including sexual assault, sexual abuse, trafficking, stalking, gender harassment, and relationship violence, and to support survivors in their healing journeys." In the future, I will make it public what other organizations I will be donating to.

I have a great inclusive community of folks here on Bindery and on Discord. if you would like to also support Take back the Night, you can support by becoming a member here on Bindery, buying a book here through Bindery, watching my YouTube videos, or buying books from my Bookshop.org affiliate store (which has the added bonus of supporting indie bookstores!). I also intend to more intentionally share authors and stories that represent a diverse spectrum (I'm almost done with the Wheel of Time, I promise). For starters, you can check out my "Diverse Reads" bookshelf here on Bindery.

We also have a number of women and members of underrepresented communities here amongst our ranks. If you have any suggestions, perspectives, or tips to share for those of us who are trying to learn, grow, and be better, let us know in the comments.

Thanks for reading, thanks for being here, and thank you for your support - know that it is going to a good cause, and as a creator I fully intend to continue to promote kindness, safety, and inclusivity. And if you want to read some of my favorite female authored books with excellent female perspectives, I've linked a few to this post.

We Need to Do Better

5 books

DocoftheDarkArts

Bob Stuntz

• Apr 17

Members Get Early Access! Book vs. Movie: Project Hail Mary || Spoiler and Spoiler Free Reviews!

I recently read Project Hail Mary for my book club, and then saw the movie the next month. So I wanted to give you both a spoiler free and spoiler review of both the book and the movie, compare and contrast the two, and recommend you a few nonfiction reads if PHM left you wanting more space science! - The Broken Binding SE Website: https://thebrokenbindingsub.com/collections/dragons-hoard?rs_ref=FjdvMiYp or use code "DARK" for special edition books - 15% off at The Broken Binding https://www.thebrokenbinding.co.uk/ : Use code "DARK15" - 10% off Bookish Clothing at https://flowersandfantasyco.com : Use code "BOOKDOC10" - $5 off your first order of $10 or more on used books at Pango Books: https://pangobooks.com/DOCOFTHEDARKARTS - Support indie bookstores by buying books from my Bookshop.org affiliate store: https://bookshop.org/shop/docofthedarkarts Social Media Links: - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/docofthedarkarts - Bindery: https://docofthedarkarts.binderybooks.com/ - TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@docofthedarkarts - Join our Discord server for book club access and more: https://discord.gg/DjmTDV6wwg Check Out My Full Written Reviews: - StoryGraph: https://bit.ly/3MzSdKn - Goodreads: https://bit.ly/48VzNvb Buy Me a Book: https://bit.ly/3MrX3JE

DocoftheDarkArts

Bob Stuntz

• Apr 17

Weekly Reading Wrap Up: 4/4/26 - 4/10/26

- The Broken Binding SE Website: https://thebrokenbindingsub.com/collections/dragons-hoard?rs_ref=FjdvMiYp or use code "DARK" for special edition books - 15% off at The Broken Binding https://www.thebrokenbinding.co.uk/ : Use code "DARK15" - 10% off Bookish Clothing at https://flowersandfantasyco.com : Use code "BOOKDOC10" - $5 off your first order of $10 or more on used books at Pango Books: https://pangobooks.com/DOCOFTHEDARKARTS - Support indie bookstores by buying books from my Bookshop.org affiliate store: https://bookshop.org/shop/docofthedarkarts Social Media Links: - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/docofthedarkarts - Bindery: https://docofthedarkarts.binderybooks.com/ - TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@docofthedarkarts - Join our Discord server for book club access and more: https://discord.gg/DjmTDV6wwg Check Out My Full Written Reviews: - StoryGraph: https://bit.ly/3MzSdKn - Goodreads: https://bit.ly/48VzNvb Buy Me a Book: https://bit.ly/3MrX3JE

5 books

DocoftheDarkArts

Bob Stuntz

• Apr 10

The importance of book reviews and our book community!

Do you still enjoy in depth book review posts and reels, or do you prefer more rapid fire book content? A really interesting discussion has come up recently about whether or not creators are still going to make in depth book reviews. For me, I make book content to talk about books and bookish topics with folks, and I think in depth book reviews are part of that. I will always prefer in depth discussion over metrics. #bookishthoughts #bookreviewers #bookstagram

1

DocoftheDarkArts

Bob Stuntz

• Apr 10

March Reading Wrap Up || What a variety of books!

I had another great reading month in March with a wonderful variety of reads. Physical books, e-books, audiobooks, ARCs, publisher mail, fantasy, sci fi, nonfiction, murder mystery - it felt like this month had it all! 0:00 - Intro 0:52 - Small Town Slasher (Stephanie Rose) 4:25 - Malice (John Gwynne) 8:38 - Alien Earths (Lisa Kaltenegger) 10:44 - New Spring (Robert Jordan) 13:47 - The Murder of Roger Ackroyd and The Hollow (Agatha Christie) 16:04 - Golden Son (Pierce Brown) 20:48 - The Price of Fear (Miles Lyon) 24:25 - Ranger's Oath (Blake Arthur Peel) 27:49 - The Trials of Empire (Richard Swan) 31:49 - The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi (Shannon Chakraborty) 34:03 - Honor (Anthology) 36:27 - Knife of Dreams (Robert Jordan) 38:20 - Conclusion - The Broken Binding SE Website: https://thebrokenbindingsub.com/collections/dragons-hoard?rs_ref=FjdvMiYp or use code "DARK" for special edition books - 15% off at The Broken Binding https://www.thebrokenbinding.co.uk/ : Use code "DARK15" - 10% off Bookish Clothing at https://flowersandfantasyco.com : Use code "BOOKDOC10" - $5 off your first order of $10 or more on used books at Pango Books: https://pangobooks.com/DOCOFTHEDARKARTS - Support indie bookstores by buying books from my Bookshop.org affiliate store: https://bookshop.org/shop/docofthedarkarts Social Media Links: - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/docofthedarkarts - Bindery: https://docofthedarkarts.binderybooks.com/ - TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@docofthedarkarts - Join our Discord server for book club access and more: https://discord.gg/DjmTDV6wwg Check Out My Full Written Reviews: - StoryGraph: https://bit.ly/3MzSdKn - Goodreads: https://bit.ly/48VzNvb Buy Me a Book: https://bit.ly/3MrX3JE

DocoftheDarkArts

Bob Stuntz

• Apr 9

Weekly Update: 3/28/26 - 4/3/26

Weekly reading update for March 28 - April 4, 2026. - The Broken Binding SE Website: https://thebrokenbindingsub.com/collections/dragons-hoard?rs_ref=FjdvMiYp or use code "DARK" for special edition books - 15% off at The Broken Binding https://www.thebrokenbinding.co.uk/ : Use code "DARK15" - 10% off Bookish Clothing at https://flowersandfantasyco.com : Use code "BOOKDOC10" - $5 off your first order of $10 or more on used books at Pango Books: https://pangobooks.com/DOCOFTHEDARKARTS - Support indie bookstores by buying books from my Bookshop.org affiliate store: https://bookshop.org/shop/docofthedarkarts Social Media Links: - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/docofthedarkarts - Bindery: https://docofthedarkarts.binderybooks.com/ - TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@docofthedarkarts - Join our Discord server for book club access and more: https://discord.gg/DjmTDV6wwg Check Out My Full Written Reviews: - StoryGraph: https://bit.ly/3MzSdKn - Goodreads: https://bit.ly/48VzNvb Buy Me a Book: https://bit.ly/3MrX3JE

DocoftheDarkArts

Bob Stuntz

• Apr 7

Why do we even bother with book ratings?

Do you like to assign books a star rating, or have you gotten away from them entirely? This has been a big topic of conversation in the book world in the last year or so, so I thought I would talk about it. In this video, i go through the history of star ratings, where the 5 star idea comes from, and then give you my rating scale and where star ratings fit into my book world. 0:00 - Intro 2:11 - The Likert scale and star ratings 5:09 - The pros and cons of star ratings for books 13:37 - How I approach star ratings online 16:56 - My star scale explained 20:05 - The utility of a collective rating 21:37 - Do you rate books you DNF, and do you change ratings? 25:09 - Conclusion - The Broken Binding SE Website: https://thebrokenbindingsub.com/collections/dragons-hoard?rs_ref=FjdvMiYp or use code "DARK" for special edition books - 15% off at The Broken Binding https://www.thebrokenbinding.co.uk/ : Use code "DARK15" - 10% off Bookish Clothing at https://flowersandfantasyco.com : Use code "BOOKDOC10" - $5 off your first order of $10 or more on used books at Pango Books: https://pangobooks.com/DOCOFTHEDARKARTS - Support indie bookstores by buying books from my Bookshop.org affiliate store: https://bookshop.org/shop/docofthedarkarts Social Media Links: - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/docofthedarkarts - Bindery: https://docofthedarkarts.binderybooks.com/ - TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@docofthedarkarts - Join our Discord server for book club access and more: https://discord.gg/DjmTDV6wwg Check Out My Full Written Reviews: - StoryGraph: https://bit.ly/3MzSdKn - Goodreads: https://bit.ly/48VzNvb Buy Me a Book: https://bit.ly/3MrX3JE

6

DocoftheDarkArts

Bob Stuntz

• Apr 4

Why do we even bother with book ratings?

Do you like to assign books a star rating, or have you gotten away from them entirely? This has been a big topic of conversation in the book world in the last year or so, so I thought I would talk about it. In this video, i go through the history of star ratings, where the 5 star idea comes from, and then give you my rating scale and where star ratings fit into my book world. 0:00 - Intro 2:11 - The Likert scale and star ratings 5:09 - The pros and cons of star ratings for books 13:37 - How I approach star ratings online 16:56 - My star scale explained 20:05 - The utility of a collective rating 21:37 - Do you rate books you DNF, and do you change ratings? 25:09 - Conclusion - The Broken Binding SE Website: https://thebrokenbindingsub.com/collections/dragons-hoard?rs_ref=FjdvMiYp or use code "DARK" for special edition books - 15% off at The Broken Binding https://www.thebrokenbinding.co.uk/ : Use code "DARK15" - 10% off Bookish Clothing at https://flowersandfantasyco.com : Use code "BOOKDOC10" - $5 off your first order of $10 or more on used books at Pango Books: https://pangobooks.com/DOCOFTHEDARKARTS - Support indie bookstores by buying books from my Bookshop.org affiliate store: https://bookshop.org/shop/docofthedarkarts Social Media Links: - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/docofthedarkarts - Bindery: https://docofthedarkarts.binderybooks.com/ - TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@docofthedarkarts - Join our Discord server for book club access and more: https://discord.gg/DjmTDV6wwg Check Out My Full Written Reviews: - StoryGraph: https://bit.ly/3MzSdKn - Goodreads: https://bit.ly/48VzNvb Buy Me a Book: https://bit.ly/3MrX3JE

DocoftheDarkArts

Bob Stuntz

• Apr 3

Weekly Reading Update: 3/21/26 - 3/27/26

Affiliate Links: - The Broken Binding SE Website: https://thebrokenbindingsub.com/collections/dragons-hoard?rs_ref=FjdvMiYp or use code "DARK" for special edition books - 15% off at The Broken Binding https://www.thebrokenbinding.co.uk/ : Use code "DARK15" - 10% off Bookish Clothing at https://flowersandfantasyco.com : Use code "BOOKDOC10" - Buy books from my Bookshop.org affiliate store: https://bookshop.org/shop/docofthedarkarts - $5 off your first order of $10 or more on used books at Pango Books: https://pangobooks.com/DOCOFTHEDARKARTS Social Media Links: - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/docofthedarkarts - Bindery: https://docofthedarkarts.binderybooks.com/ - TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@docofthedarkarts - Join our Discord server for book club access and more: https://discord.gg/DjmTDV6wwg Check Out My Full Written Reviews: - StoryGraph: https://bit.ly/3MzSdKn - Goodreads: https://bit.ly/48VzNvb Buy Me a Book: https://bit.ly/3MrX3JE

6 books