Hey everyone! Longtime lurker here and I've gotten some really great book recommendations from all the lists/threads here. I wanted to ask if anyone has good book recommendations for my partner. They have pretty bad OCD and have found engaging in media that deals heavily with OCD/OCD adjacent themes to be super helpful. In particular, she struggles with intrusive thoughts and anxieties around immorality and stuff like that. For example, they really, really enjoyed the game Disco Elysium because its mechanics closely mirror the way her intrusive thoughts work.

So, I wanted to ask if y'all had any good fantasy/scifi book recommendations that deal with similar ideas/themes. Some books that she has liked in the past (not necessarily for OCD reasons) include:

- Gideon the Ninth/Harrow the Ninth

- Song of Achilles

- Slaughterhouse Five

- Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

I understand this may be a tall order, but happy to take any recommendations folks have! Thank you all in advance!

For whatever reason, I decided to read the Liveship trilogy before the Farseer trilogy. Now, it seems the most logical thing to do is go back to Farseer and then jump to Tawny Man. Would that be the right approach?

PS- I still haven't finished reading Ship Of Destiny, so no spoilers please 🙏

Does anyone know who the cover artist is for these series of books? On the inside cover it says that the cover design is by Robert Overholtzer, but I don't know if he's actually the artist. The publisher is Houghton Mifflin from 2004.

https://preview.redd.it/cj6zzk5ts7he1.jpg?width=3227&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a4cb2fd8e24f33fe6c01944e853c7b44c30f990d

As a child, reading the Dragonlance Chronicles was magical, I was fascinated by its characters, the wonderful places and the feeling of being on an epic journey. A few years ago I read the first part again, taking advantage of a reissue in my language and I hated it. Flat characters, absurd situations, terrible dialogues (don't want to offend anyone, it's a personal opinion)... It was a total disappointment. The fact is that I owe these books my love for fantasy and ttrpgs and I appreciate them for that but I think that some things are better left in the past. I tried to revive that feeling with other works such as those by Salvatore, The Wheel of Time or Malaz (I don't think these last two are bad, they are simply not to my taste) but they did not satisfy me (with the exception of The Lord of the Rings, the which I read shortly after Dragonlance and still love it). That's why I come to you, I would like to find a book or saga that includes the elements of a old school D&D-style fantasy ttrpg adventure (a varied group of protagonists, monsters, wonderful places, action and, above all, a great journey) but that has careful writing and really interesting and complex characters.

I’d love to get your favorite compete trilogy recs. I’ve got a newborn baby girl, a pair of noise canceling headphones, and 3 Audible credits.

I generally like all sub-genres, but I’ve been loving progression fantasy. Open to new things though. Thanks!

Hi all - I'm trying to do research for a novel writing project and would love some book suggestions! I'm working on a project with ancient mythological elements translated and evolved into the modern world/one modern city, but the story idea doesn't work if the setting is a complete fantasy world, and real cities that still stand have too much of their own identities for me to project this new layer of myth onto.

Anyone have any recs for contemporary/urban fantasies that take place in the real world but a fictitious city? Or any book where the author carves out a pocket of the real world and adds a new made-up place that feels plausible? TIA x

I heard there is events occasionally and tried Google but can't seem to find much for fantasy?

I am crying… i listened to a series on audible and loved it (Chroniken der Seelenfänger). Wanted to get it as „real“ book for my library. And now everywhere i look books 1,3 and 4 are readily available to a normal price. But book 2 it at around 55-70€ (for a paperback!).

Why do they do this? The books were published in 2018 so not really that long ago. Is this common? Do they purposely limit certain books so prices skyrocket?

I threw together a playlist that isolates thrashy true metal band Skelator's brilliant concept album-within-an-album about Elric (the full album has four songs before the Elric story starts so that's what's excluded from this playlist).

Enjoy! https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4sv_daSKa5lhvYhrLH_Hi8QOLX2LFQ0J&si=eijqBia5sHL6HBbP

And as always, for more stuff like this you're invited to join us on Discord at the Arena: https://discord.gg/CJ4485qDmg

Ive been searching for some and most of them according to The Storygraph they are mostly slightly fast-paced to medium-paced.

I have adhd and I really that some engaging fast paced novels could keep me entertained. The only well-known fast paced series I can find is Dungeon Crawler Carl.

Hello, I picked up Immortal at a bookstore and realized after I got home that its part of a larger universe. I know it says on the insert that it is a standalone book within the CK universe, but I went ahead and picked up the Daughter of the Moon Goddess. Since I was looking forward to starting Immortal after finishing my last read, I was wondering if there is a suggested reading order or if reading the Daughter of the Moon Goddess first would increase any insights or add to Immortal, or if its quite minimal. I know there's a second book as well so I'd appreciate any suggestions or recommendations about the reading order, thanks!

what I mean is progression in power, be it a LITRPG or not,

fantastical world,

preferably magic user but not necessarily,

adventure and wonder sights,

is there more book like those out there?

I've been on a paladin character tear lately. While I've read fantasy for a long time and enjoyed playing Paladin characters in D&D since the second edition, I haven't been clued-in to fantasy novels with Paladin main characters. I've found: "The Deed of Paksenarrion" by Elizabeth Moon - following the development of a paladin from sheep farmers daughter to mercenary to paladin And "Ordination" (and the Paladin Trilogy) by Daniel Ford - with Paladin-as-superhero.

What else have I missed?

I’ve never posted here before, so I want to say thank you in advance to anyone that answers. I am looking for some series or stand alone fantasy books. I’m a little weird so I’ll try to break it down. My favorites are: -Malazan -First Law -Cradle -Red Rising (mid-really good) -A song of Ice and Fire -Faithful and the Fallen -Anthony Ryan -Bernard Cornwell -David Gemmel -Sun Eater (mid)

Don’t likes -second apocalypse -dune -I found Stormlight underwhelming

I am currently on the second book of blade of tyshalle and it’s good.

I just tend to start a series and it doesn’t catch me. I love violence, the darker the better, simple or complicated world building. One of my favorites books is from sword of truth called “Confessor”. Karsa Orlong is my all time favorite character. I’m blabbering but thank you in advance and enjoy your day.

What are some of the best fantasy books that you might recommend to someone who mostly reads literary fiction and appreciates excellent writing, smart dialogue and rich characterization?

There are many great stories and plots out there, but what are some books where you think the writing itself shines?

I'm looking for buy a YA fantasy book set for my 13 year old niece and wondered if anyone has read this series or has any recommendations (apart from the most popular ones - I think she's read them all.)

Questions for any Riftwar fans:

I'm curious which books in the Riftwar Cycle can be skipped? (Are not essential to the main plot-line) I think that are quite a few?

Also, I've heard the series has ups and downs in quality. Where would the ups be and where would the downs be? In your opinion? (Is it worth it to go all the way to the end, or is there a good stopping point before then?)

I decided this is my year of dissociation and I was finally going to get into the most epic fantasy series. I start with Wheel of Time and enjoy the intro with super powerful sword people meeting for the last time or something but then I got a copy of Way of Kings and jumped ship for that and the similarities between the two flashback intros seem insanely similar. Is it just me or have people talked about this?

Thanks to many recommendations here I have discovered new books, new authors, and my TBR not only grew bigger by quantity but I think also by quality. The "problem" with fantasy, is that the majority of books are trilogies and many of them are even more than that (shadow of the apt, echoes saga, etc). This "problem" makes me more picky than I used to be about what I am going to read or put on my TBR, mainly of course also due to real life, family, kids, job etc. But this is a good problem I guess

I'm not finding a clear answer so I'm checking here. I've read the Harbinger and Murwood series but I see he has a Kingfountain series and several others. Are the other series connected in the same universe? (other series are Dreden Codex, Grave Kingdom, Invisible College, Landmoor, Mirrowen and King Foutain) The end of Harbinger just info dumps a ton of stuff at the end with characters and cross world info so I'm confused what is connected to what. Thanks!

Hello readers!

I'm looking to read a Fantasy series that presents itself as Fantasy/a Fantastical world, but is actually set in some alien world/foreign planet?

For an example of what I mean: The Dark Crystal is a series that presents itself as Fantasy, with elements of magic/typical fantasy tropes, but it is set on an alien planet that follows alien rules and is completely different to the world we live in.

I'm not looking for a "hard sci-fi" book like that of Andy Weir or Michael Crichton, I'm specifically looking for one that blends the elements of Sci-Fi and Fantasy... almost equally.

In terms of authors and subgenres I'm not overly picky and open to read pretty much any author, though I am partial to both Abercrombie and Hobb's style's of writing.

TIA!

I recently started reading it and I love it , adore it . It reminds me of Strange the Dreamer .

Consider spending half an hour to read first chapters , you might love it .

It's completed and free on Royal Road.

Thanks.

I'm still relatively new to fantasy or I guess "high fantasy" if that's what Sword of Kaigen is (lots of Lit, SciFi, and nonfiction before now). Though the book had an emotional impact on me and I loved the characters, I found myself questioning the world building throughout in a distracting way. I wonder if it's the book, just me, or maybe a common thing in this genre?

Mild spoilers ahead but no major plot points

I never got a proper sense of the technological level of the world that felt cohesive. The small village is behind the rest of the world and mostly act as though they're in a pre-tech era, but they have TV, rice cookers, and potentially even smartphones. Bullets and bombs for sure exist but their interaction with the various powers and why they seem to be used at random in battle wasn't explained at all. Why is everyone fighting with swords and powers if guns exist? Maybe they aren't effective in battle? If that's the case, why were they created in this world? If planes are shooting bullets, why isn't anyone else? On the point of planes, they and other forms of modern transportation seem to exist, but people take days and weeks to travel between cities? I just found myself questioning all of this throughout the book. Is this something that's common in the genre and do I have to just suspend my disbelief more to enjoy it? I'm totally willing to accept the powers and other magical stuff, but those things don't seem to vibe with the rest of the reality setup.

Another random thing that just nagged at me a little was the use of random words for units of time. Dinma = 0.43 seconds, gbaati = 36 minutes, but a day is a day and a month is a month? Why? Those and a number of Japanese descriptor words had me flipping to the glossary constantly and sort of throwing off the reading rhythm.

I liked the book in a general sense and I'm still planning on diving more into fantasy this year, I just want to get a better feel for whether this is the sort of thing I should expect in everything

I bought my girlfriend the TOG SPECIAL EDITION BOX SET ships by end of January. Still no update on order status. Did I make a massive mistake ordering with them? Does anyone have a recommendation for a proper seller? I plan to buy her a new fantasy collection set for each special occasion and I’m hoping to find reliable seller, ACOTAR will be next

Animal Companion ✓ Classic Fantasy ✓ Coming of Age ✓ Epic Fights ✓ Found Family ✓ Heart-Wrenching ✓

““We all fear, Ban. Even Tull. It’s what we do about it-that’s the important thing. That’s what’ll make you the man you grow into. You must learn to control your emotions, boy. Those that don’t do that often end up dead: anger, fear, pride, whatever. If your emotions control you, sooner or later you’re a dead man… Learn to control them and they can be a tool that makes you stronger.””

What is the Book about?

Where the Forsaken Lands stretch, blood once stained the world red. Where ancient ruins now stand, humans once vanquished giants. Where only the howling of wolves can be heard, the world burned thousands of years ago.

But for too long, mankind has basked in false security. Now the giant stones weep blood, and in the Forsaken Lands, something stirs once more—something that should have been banished forever. An ancient enemy has long forged an alliance and waits for the hour to strike. And only one can stop him when the Black Sun enters the world…

Rating
Plot ★★★★☆
Characters ★★★★★
World Building ★★★★★
Atmosphere ★★★★★
Writing Style ★★★★☆

Favourite Character
Cywen, Kastell, Corban

My thoughts while reading it

There are books that quietly capture your heart, and then there are books like Malice by John Gwynne, which seize it with both hands and refuse to let go. This stunning debut and first entry in The Faithful and the Fallen series is a masterful introduction to a sweeping epic that feels both timeless and fresh, combining the best elements of classic fantasy with Gwynne’s own heartfelt touch. At first glance, the story seems to follow a familiar path: an ancient prophecy, the looming return of an old war, and the clash of light and darkness. But as the tale unfolds, it becomes clear that Malice is far from simple. The moral lines blur, and the stakes become deeply personal, transforming the narrative into something far richer and more intricate. Gwynne takes the foundation of a classic good versus evil story and builds upon it with such care and creativity that it feels new, alive, and undeniably his own.

The Banished Lands, with its deep scars from the long-ago God War, serves as the backdrop for the story. A prophecy warns of its return, setting the stage for alliances to form and fracture, as some seek to avert the devastation while others embrace it. What struck me immediately was Gwynne’s ability to create a world that feels both vast and intimate. The rich history, the legends woven into daily life, and the tangible presence of past conflicts create a setting that feels real and immersive. Yet Gwynne doesn’t let the world-building overshadow the heart of the story: its characters.

Corban, the young blacksmith’s son, anchors the narrative with his journey from a boy full of dreams and insecurities to someone beginning to grasp his place in the world. His story is the essence of a coming-of-age tale, and Gwynne captures every moment of it with sincerity and nuance. Corban’s fears, hopes, and relationships make him not just a protagonist, but someone you come to care about deeply. His sister, Cywen, is equally compelling. Her tenacity and sharp wit complement Corban’s earnestness, and their bond is one of the most touching aspects of the book. Through their sibling relationship, Gwynne beautifully portrays the warmth and strength of family. Gar, their mentor and protector, adds another layer to their journey. His wisdom, patience, and strength make him a guiding presence in their lives, and his role is essential to their growth. Adding to the richness of the story is Gwynne’s inclusion of animals as integral parts of the narrative. Wolves, horses, and ravens, among others, aren’t just background elements; they play pivotal roles that enhance the story’s depth and emotional impact. These animals reflect the bond between humans and nature in the Banished Lands and add a layer of symbolism and connection that feels deeply ingrained in the world. Then there’s Kastell, whose arc is another standout of the book. His struggles with loyalty, betrayal, and the emotional scars left by his cruel cousin make him one of the most human and relatable characters in the story. His aloof and guarded nature is a defense mechanism born of hardship, and it’s this complexity that makes him so compelling. His resilience and the way he slowly lets down his guard, particularly in his relationship with Maquin, exemplify Gwynne’s ability to write characters that feel real and nuanced.

The pacing of Malice may feel slow at first, as it takes the time to establish its world and characters. However, this deliberate approach is a strength, allowing the reader to become fully invested in the stakes and the people at the heart of the story. The early chapters focus on character development and world-building, but there are plenty of action sequences sprinkled throughout to maintain momentum. And when the climax arrives, the payoff is immense. The last quarter of the book is a whirlwind of high-stakes battles and revelations, delivering an intense and satisfying conclusion. Speaking of battles, Gwynne’s descriptions of combat are a masterclass in visual storytelling. Each fight is meticulously detailed, pulling you into the chaos and brutality of the battlefield. Yet the action never feels gratuitous; it’s always grounded in the characters and their struggles. These scenes are as much about the people fighting as they are about the battles themselves, making them both thrilling and deeply moving.

What sets Malice apart is its emotional resonance. Gwynne allows key moments to breathe, giving them the space to settle in the reader’s heart. Whether it’s a quiet conversation, a devastating loss, or a moment of triumph, these scenes are imbued with sincerity and weight. The themes of loyalty, bravery, and the bonds that tie us together run through every chapter, making the story not just an epic but a profoundly human one. By the time I reached the end of Malice, I was utterly hooked. The conclusion was executed to perfection, tying together the threads of the story while leaving just enough unanswered to make me desperate to start the next book. I couldn’t wait to dive back into the Banished Lands and see where Gwynne would take the story next.

Malice is a book that feels like a love letter to classic fantasy while carving out its own unique place in the genre. With its unforgettable characters, richly imagined world, and the perfect balance of action and heart, it’s a story that lingers. For fans of epic fantasy, this is a must-read. I can’t wait to see where Gwynne takes the story next, but I have no doubt it will be extraordinary.

Reading Recommendation? ✓
Favourite? ✓

Check out my Blog: https://thereadingstray.com/2025/02/04/malice-john-gwynne-the-faithful-and-the-fallen-1/

I recently read Fourth Wing and Iron Flame, and I really liked the concept of an academic setting where killing is permitted and anyone can die, and am looking for something similar.

My wife asked me to read the Throne of Glass series because she enjoys when we read the same thing.

I finished that and decided to jump into the Farseer Trilogy because I'm always hearing good things about it.

It's so nice to be reading well developed, unique characters instead of different flavors of a somewhat flawed female protagonist meeting her alpha male soul mate

TL;DR Review: Bigger, more epic, and far more horror-drenched. A brilliant start to a tonally different but no-less-engaging new trilogy in one of my new favorite fantasy worlds.

https://preview.redd.it/hn677cz2d5he1.png?width=1716&format=png&auto=webp&s=8a04216a60efc091d8bcd8ca6cf7fd65b65b1d0a

Full Review:

It’s an absolute delight to be back in the grim, horror-tinged world of the Sovan Empire!

Grave Empire picks up two hundred years after the end of Trials of Empire, in a world that looks much the same and yet surprisingly different.

The Empire has continued its relentless expansion and now finds itself stretched thin and beset by powerful enemies that are trying to reconquer lost lands and curb their greed for growth. A war is raging and the Empire is losing—but it’s another battle entirely that could be the downfall of mankind.

One of our POV characters, Renata Rainer, finds herself drawn into a diplomatic mission to the mer-men of Ozeanland (yes, you read that right, mer-men!) in an effort to discover why the afterlife has gone silent. Necromancy and thaumaturgy have been integral to Imperial power yet now all entreaties to the dead go unanswered. The prophecy of “The Great Silence” hangs like a dark cloud over her mission. There grows within her and her companions the fear that something is very, very wrong in the world of the dead.

Another of our characters, von Oldenburg, has made a career of turning magic to his own greedy ends, and when he stumbles across what seems to be a magical plague, he is immediately fascinated by the its potential. What could ever go wrong when meddling with supernatural forces beyond human control?

Finally, there is young Peter Kleist, a naïve young gallant who enlists by mistake, and not even a captaincy can keep him out of the worst of the action. On the contrary, the rookie officer is sent directly to a remote fort where the enemy never attacks, but supernatural screams ring out all night, every night. And his story…well, you’ll have to read it to believe it.

The Empire of the Wolf series did an amazing job of layering in the macabre, supernatural, and horrorific into a fantasy world. In Grave Empire, it’s taken to a whole new level.

Every moment of happiness and sunshine is bookended by a terrible sense of foreboding. You just know something is wrong, but you can never quite put your finger on what until well into the book. It’s a masterpiece of building suspense by dangling just enough information to keep you coming back, but for every question that’s answered, two more are presented.

The horror is more of an undertone at first, but the building dread keeps rising and rising, dragging you deeper into the mystery and the feeling of wrongness. It’s like a ghost that’s seen only out of the corner of your eye—just when you think you’re getting somewhere, it takes a new twist or turn you never could have seen coming. And for that, I absolutely adored Grave Empire.

I do miss a little the narrow focus of Empire of the Wolf. However, expanding the world with three POV characters and the broader focus does an amazing job of making the story feel bigger—which it absolutely is.

This isn’t just one man’s mission to solve crime and save the world; no, it’s an entire Empire struggling to keep from being destroyed—not just in this world, but in the next, too!

Grave Empire sets up a fascinating new problem, incredibly high stakes, antagonists you know from the start are going to be a real bugger to deal with, and a grander, world-spanning story. We’re also treated to expansion of magic, the addition of mer-men and their battle sharks (hell yeah!), and a fascinating look at a Napoleonic-era Europe going through serious growing pains.

It was a truly spectacular read and I’m already champing at the bit to find out what comes next.