Books for Movie Buffs and Gamers

by MK French

As readers, we always want others around us to enjoy books too. Perhaps you have someone on your list that you want to be a reader but they haven't shown much interest in books. Sometimes, helping them find a book that ties in with something else they enjoy can start them on their reading journey. If you have a movie buff or a gamer on your list, these books would make great gifts.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. Free books were provided for an honest review.

The Art of Marvel Studios: Spider-Man Homecoming by Eleni Roussos

November 2025; Titan Books; 978-1803368481
print (256 pages); movie art book

This art book is reissued as part of the Infinity Saga collection, and is book 15 within the series. The movie was released in 2017 and took place after Civil War, so Tony Stark was a mentor of sorts. This is reflected in the suit design, the reliance on tech, and some of the plot points in the movie.

The art in the book are designs from the early concepts as staff put together the script and theme to explore visually. Stills from the movie, storyboards, concept art, and variations of the tech used by the team are laid out in this book. 

I loved not only the quotes explaining the art, but also how chapters were laid out like a high school class schedule. Homeroom, web design, shop class, after school activities, school clubs, and physical education are headings, plus handwritten ones for the dance and detention. The sketches and blurbs, as if they're written by in-universe classmates at Midtown High, are fantastic touches that I appreciated. It's the same attention to detail that came across in the movie and the MCU as a whole. 

I'm a big fan of the movies, and the art book is a great look into how costumes and sets were designed.

Buy The Art of Marvel Studios: Spider-Man Homecoming at Amazon

Conan: Spawn of the Serpent God by Tim Waggoner

October 2025; Titan Books; 978-1835411834
audio, ebook, print (352 pages); fantasy

Conan meets thrill-seeking thief Valja, who asks him to help her steal a gold statue of the goddess Ishtar. The theft goes badly, and they're saved by the priestesses of Mitra. As he suspects, the priestesses want something in return: help in their war against Set, the god of serpents and chaos.

Opening with the heist of the gold statuettes of Ishtar, we're introduced to Conan and his current lover, Valja, in their element. It's an interview of sorts for the priestess. At the same time, the Cult of Set is working on sorcery, the Cult of Zath, the spider god is working against the Serpent Men. Set is one of the Great Old Ones, with different names for different cultures, with a plan to fuse Serpent Men and humans through foul magic. The ceremony is one that requires specific conditions, and part 2 of the book takes place fifteen years later. In between the battles are back stories and the motivations of various characters.

The omniscient view gives more insight into the story than the average action movie would, and it splits some of the attention away from the titular Conan. It works here because he's still the main fighter in the battles, which are cinematic and thrilling to read. If you enjoy classic Conan tales, this will be a great read for you.

Buy Conan: Spawn of the Serpent God at Amazon

Alien: Perfect Organisms by Shaun Hamill

November 2025; Titan Books; 978-1803360973
ebook, print (352 pages); science fiction

Cynthia Goodwin is distressed and broke, so she goes against her better judgment to meet with billionaire Roman Fade to keep her ship and crew working. The job is to go to the abandoned colony, New Providence, to bring back Fade's former lover, artist Corinth Bloch. Nobody knows what happened to the colony and why it's quarantined. Block is a brilliant artist, but he's also deranged, obsessed with a dark and horrifying creature. He has intense fervor for it in his art and his drive to capture the terror it inspires.

As an original novel in the Alien franchise, we know exactly what the characters are in for before they do. Cynthia wants to do right by her crew and repair the old ship she inherited from her mother, but jobs and money are in short supply. Fade offers an eye-watering amount of money, where the 10% down payment is enough to do the much-needed repairs to even go. Among the information given to make the rescue is information on Bloch, which includes the account of an outbreak he lived through as a child. We know what those sightings mean, and we know what the shadows he's obsessed with are. This book really plays with the tension, so that we're on edge, wondering how the inevitable disaster will strike and who will survive it.

I enjoyed the interplay of Cynthia and her team arriving and exploring, and Bloch's manuscript that she reads. There are plenty of throwbacks to the franchise if you've seen the movies, and cutting between the two timelines ramps up the tension as we progress through the story. I kept turning pages, eager to know what happened next. It's in keeping with the original Alien movies, and I enjoyed picking out the cameos.

Buy Alien: Perfect Organisms at Amazon

Runescape: The Gift of Guthix by Erin M. Evans

May 2024; Titan Books; 978-1803365213
audio, ebook, print (368 pages); fantasy

Lord Raddalin leads different tribes in an uneasy alliance. A discovery in the north could give him even more power, and he's determined to have it. A scribe and jarl's son now hold the future of the kingdom in their hands.

Starting with Ilme the scribe who is also an unwilling spy for her aunt, we see the power of rune magic. Using the elements in different combinations, anyone who understands runes can use them. It can enhance building things, battles, or assist the people around them. Up in the north, Gunnar found the runic essence mine and its guardian; having a mine means its essence doesn't have to be scrounged for, but taken at predictable intervals to create new runes for use. It's a find that ultimately helps Lord Raddalin create the kingdom he hoped for, while in the north, there are still tribes that exist and rule through force. Gunnar's father Valjin despises magic and only believes in his own might, which over time puts him into a difficult position as he weakens and refuses to see it. War had broken out in the past, and there's the looming threat of future wars. 

The book goes through lore from the Runescape game, which I hadn't played. Without the game knowledge, I still enjoyed the world-building. It's a fantasy tale that spans decades and borrows a lot from our history: what happens when technology begins to outstrip those who control it, and how will that affect those people without it? Here, the technology is magic done through runes, making it more egalitarian than the style relying on innate ability or ritual. We know how each of the main characters feels about war, the lies told to gain access to the mine, and the losses that hurt them and make it harder to discuss anything calmly.

This book is less obvious court politics and intrigue than the source of magic, religious belief, and interpersonal tensions. We see Ilme and the other wizards, and the edges of court that she's aware of as a scribe and then as a wizard. Gunnar's people are considered barbarians, but the hurt he holds is easily understood. The friendship they had lasted for years until it didn't, and the fallout of the original lie had far-reaching consequences. Each section of the book covers a different period of time, and it all comes down to the same question posed in the beginning: Will Ilme be used by others around her, or will she be strong enough to choose a direction for herself? It's especially true in the final section when she's aware of the very real risks to the wizards and the country.  Overall, it's a story that kept me hooked to see how it ended.

Buy Runescape: The Gift of Guthix at Amazon

If you want a holiday horror story that is also a movie tie-in, be sure to read my review of Silent Night, Deadly Night by Armando Muñoz, which is part of our 25 Days of Christmas Reading.

Born and raised in New York City, M.K. French started writing stories when very young, dreaming of different worlds and places to visit. She always had an interest in folklore, fairy tales, and the macabre, which has definitely influenced her work. She currently lives in the Midwest with her husband, three young children, and a golden retriever.

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