Hey, so like everyone else I'm listening to TTPD and this song is so powerful and atmospheric, was wondering if you had any recommendation that fit with the lyrics and vibe?

The part that goes "So I leap from the gallows and I levitate down your street, crash the party like a record scratch as I scream 'Who's afraid of little old me?'" the lyrics, tone and music is so good. It gives someone that came back from treason very powerful for some well planned revenge.

Has anyone found any good stuff about fantasy & political thought?

My findings are limited in number, but I’m happy to share them with you.

Fantasy and revolution - an interview with China Miéville (2000)

China Miéville’s introduction to “Symposium: Marxism and Fantasy”, Historical Materialism 10:4 (2002)

Michael Moorcock’s Wizardry and Wild Romance (2004) with Miéville’s foreword.

Flintlocks and other black powder guns are awesome, but I would love to read the interaction with fantasy worlds

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So technically this is more Sci-Fi than Fantasy and maybe doesn't quite fit in this community but I know there are a few readers here that may be interested.

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Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the review copy!

Ocean’s Godori takes place in a future world where South Korea is a dominating power with its Alliance (space exploration and military type of power) at the forefront. Ocean Yoon, one of the Alliances best pilots is spending her career on a low-class ship doing small jobs and mostly staying out of trouble until a longtime friend is in need of her help.

The simplified version of the plot is that Teo Anand playboy heir to the Anand Empire is framed for murder, and his good friend Ocean, steps up to the plate to help him out. The complicated version involves politics, eco-terrorists, and some crazy face-stealing tech!

On the whole, the plot sounds rather light when you write it out like that. And in some ways, it is because Ocean’s Godori seems more like of jumping off place to begin a series, than it feels like a complete story. Which was fine (depending on your expectations) because while the main plot progresses and ends on a bit of a cliffie, it was the relationships building throughout that kept it interesting and had me quickly flipping the pages.

So, if you’re looking for sci-fi action- you’re going to get a little of that but it’s the relationships that are the driving force of this tale.

The cast are likeable and varied and I liked that they could be as selfish at times, as they could be generous. Most of the events revolve around three key players (Ocean, Haven and Teo) with the rest moving in and out of focus as needed. Later we have a few new faces added, that will likely be key in the next book and add some fun dynamics. It did take me a few chapters to settle in due to the largish cast and the setting-things-up, but it all gets a lot easier as the focus narrows to the crew of the Ohneul and we get to know everyone and the world they live in a little better.

While I was expecting this to be more sci-fi/pulpy leaning, I ended up being pleasantly surprised that there was a little more to it then just shoot ‘em up action. (That title gave me the idea this was going to be a heist story- probably word association on my part because of Ocean’s in the title, and knowing Godori is a strategic card game.)

I really enjoyed the relationships building between the characters- the bonding over family expectations, food, and even their losses and raw grief. I especially appreciate when an author can produce choke-you-up moments of grief, over characters we haven’t even had a chance to get to know outside of the people speaking about them.

Ocean’s Godori has a strong relationship story at is core but that doesn’t mean it’s lacking in action. There were plenty of exciting action sequences, some very cool fights; especially the face-off with the baddies- I loved that moment of slow-motion focus feeling to that fight!The end sequence goes from 0 to 60 in a heartbeat and when Ocean finally gets to show us her stuff- I was ready for her to bring it on!

Other notes-

- If you’re a Korean drama fan you’re going to enjoy this one! Ocean’s Godori is like a book version of a k-drama! It has a lot of those tropes you’ll find in dramas- the chaebol’s family conglomerates doing wrong things, strong women, strong friendships etc. it’s just a lot of fun in that regard!

-The cover is fabulous! Sci-fi pulpy but the style/colouring/cherry blossoms reminding me of a muted version of the backs of the godori cards (which I have only ever seen in drama’s so ymmv but I am assuming it was intentional considering the title.)

-There were a ton of little tidbits of South Korean culture, that my numerous years of drama/movie watching allowed me to enjoy on my own. But if you’re unfamiliar with the terms etc. there is a handy dandy (and quite funny) glossary at the back.

Ocean's Godori releases tomorrow (April 23 2024)!

I'm newish to the fantasy world, but I've noticed that well-loved YA and adult fantasy series tend to follow a framework or organizing principle that guides the story in a compelling way. Maybe we just call these tropes? I'm not sure if there's a word for it, but I'll give some examples:

Magic School or Training Program: each book of the series (for the most part) is constructed around a new school year or training level. i.e. Harry Potter, The Magicians Trilogy, Fourth Wing

Pilgrimage: The fantasy equivalent of a "roadtrip movie" a la Little Miss Sunshine or Tommyboy, with a long, perilous journey or trek where each subsequent book picks up where you left off. i.e. Lord of the Rings, Malazan, The Black Company, The Belgariad

Serialized event: Something happens routinely that the characters must prepare for. i.e. Hunger Games with the annual Reaping, or The Dresden Files with a new mystery or case to solve in each book (I'm sure there's a better example, but you get the idea).

IMO, these boundaries make a series more fun to read and help set expectations for where the next book will begin. Can you think of other examples of organizing principles? Do you find any of these categories to be more compelling to read?

I never read The Stormlight Archive - but I have been listening to the series on graphic audio. Im actually deep into book 3 (and I listened to EdgeDancer). I was chatting with a friend telling them how much I loved it and somehow we learned that the first book alone is missing over 7hrs of content!!! I was shocked to discover this.

Given the cost, Im a bit upset. But Im also in so deep, I feel I need to continue (I at least need to finish Oathbringer since I bought the whole series).

For those that have both read the books and maybe listened to the GA adaptation, how much of the cut content is important to the story?

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Evil can't create, it can only copy, mar, or destroy, because it's so taken up with itself. So 'good' would also be a kind of selflessness.

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Arrow's Fall is the longest of the 3 novels in the Arrows Trilogy and I think it's also the most ambitious, which i'll get into later. The first novel focused on Talia coming out of her emotional shell and experiencing life at the Collegium. The second novel focused on Talia (And Kris) working in the field, showing the day to day life of Herald's, along with Talia developing her control of her abilities. This third novel builds on the first two. While reading the previous books I kept wondering "Who exactly are the Heralds supposed to be fighting against? Who is the great enemy of Valdemar?" After all a Fantasy epic without an antagonist is missing a pretty notable detail. I now see that the lack of a central antagonist in the previous books was building toward this one. The origins of Valdemar, as mentioned in these novels at least, call back to the founders fleeing from another nation to find a place they could be safe. In each novel so far there has been mention of Queen Selenay performing her day to day tasks, which often seem to revolve around attending Council meetings and ensuring the safety of Valdemar's borders. This is because even though Valdemar is guarded by mystical Heralds it is very much a small nation surrounded by potential enemies. Arrow's Fall sees the brief mentions of this in the other books rapidly build toward a conflict, which finally explodes into a war that isn't actually solved in this novel. Old enemies return to plague both Talia and Valdemar, good friends are lost, and the series manages to achieve a satisfying conclusion that leaves me wanting more.

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Talia

This is Talia at her best. That quiet little teenage girl we were introduced to in Arrow's of the Queen has come into her own and is ready to stand against any threat to Valdemar. Her powers are fully under control again, after nearly losing herself to them in the second book. She takes part in Council meetings, supporting the Queen as is her primary duty. Her bond with her Companion, Rolan, seems to grow deeper (Though I still find the fact that he doesn't even attempt to hide his sexual encounters with Mares annoying), In general this novel shows us that Talia is a woman who is confident in who she is, willing to work with and speak to others about her problems, and capable of being just at ease in the royal court as she is out in the field. This doesn't mean she is beyond problems however. One thing Lackey excels at is having her heroes make mistakes due to either a lack of information or simple frustration, which they can admit to themselves later. I think that for Talia, a character who was almost terrified of men at the beginning of her journey, any kind of relationship holds a bit more importance than it would for other protagonists. Her being willing to engage in any kind of romantic tryst shows just how far she has come from the beginning of the series. And it's fitting that the partner she finally chooses, Dirk, also has his own emotional scars that he is dealing with due to past encounters. While some of their interactions might cause some readers to roll their eyes or scream "Why won't you two just TALK to one another?!" i found it all to be very fitting. It's clear that Lackey had this relationship planned from the start and every issue that arises between the two is almost a callback to the first novel.

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*Putting this next part under a spoiler because it deals with sexual assault and trauma.

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!Unfortunately, it isn't all rainbows and flowers for Talia. In the latter half of the novel she basically experiences one bad event after another. Kris, who has become almost her brother at this point, dies during a mission the two of them are on. Talia is left holding him as he passes, before being captured, physically beaten, raped, and then tortured even further over the next few days. Without using any quotes or getting too deep into the event itself I would like to skip to after Talia's capture. One thing that I am pretty big on when it comes to writing is that the events or trials a character experiences not just be brushed aside. A character is right handed and he loses the hand in battle? The story should note for me his difficulty in adjusting afterward. Simple. If there's not going to be any kind of change after losing the hand there isn't really any reason for him to lose that hand at all. In Talia's case I was afraid that we were heading down that path at first. After being rescued she is physically weak, on the verge of death, but mentally seems to be doing fine. She attends council meetings, gives valuable information she heroically managed to learn during her capture, helps ensure that a political enemy is finally taken down, etc. But there was no kind of acknowledgement of the fact that a woman who, again, has a very bad history with men predating the series, was sexually violated in the most horrific of ways. Well, Lackey was obviously twenty steps ahead of me because this is eventually acknowledged. !<

!To be open about it, Talia finds herself struggling to not pull away, at the least, from the touch of Dirk (Who by this point is her lover) due to her trauma. And it ends up working out, with the help of her adoptive brother Skiff, that Dirk spends a few weeks away from her so she can heal her mentally. Now....Even then i'm not sure how satisying this really is for me. Talia's torture is noted in pretty graphic detail, but her healing process seems to be almost rushed over. Really we don't see much of it at all. Dirk leaves while Talia is still weak and then the story skips ahead a few weeks and, while she's still recovering physically, she is mentally fine and ready for the bedroom. Granted, I would prefer that none of this had happened at all. But if it was going to happen then I really do think we should've gotten at least a chapter covering Talia's recovery process. Lackey does an excellent job when it comes to character thought patterns and processing their own emotions. It's a shame that she didn't take more time to do this with Talia after what is easily the worst experience the character goes through in the entire trilogy. !<

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Overall, I think Talia remains an excellent character who is crafted with a lot of care over the trilogy. During her torture she has her feet damaged very badly, which I think would probably effect any future field work. But this, and her other injuries, doesn't lessen the strength of her mind. And that's what she uses to help her allies in the last few chapters of the novel. Honestly I almost wonder how much of this was planned from the jump, because the finale came together so well. Talia's primary magical power is empathy. She is capable enough in combat, but even the much younger Princess Elspeth is continually noted to be more skilled than her. However, Talia's ingenuity and ability to get herself out of any situation is a consistent trait. It only makes sense that at the end of her journey it wouldn't' be through strength of arms that she'd succeed. It's through her mind, the tool she has been developing all along and the one which might be the most important for a Herald known as the Queen's Own. I could keep going on, but I love Talia. She is my favorite character in this trilogy and I would happily read further adventures that focus on her.

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Antagonists

It seems to me that evil is a kind of ultimate greed, a greed that is so all-encompassing that it can't ever see anything lovely, rare, or precious without wanting to possess it.

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There end up being 3 major antagonists in this novel. A Lord, A King (Newly crowned), and a Witch. And only 1 of them is a completely new character. I said it back when I reviewed Howl's Moving Castle. There's something nice about authors not creating too many characters and just tying previously introduced ones into the narrative. Now with the Lord (Orthallen) I think we always knew he was a bad guy, maybe even suspected that he would be THE bad guy. A slimy, manipulative, self-serving politician who just wants powers so he can have it. He doesn't want to change things for the better. He has no potentially noble goals he's following. He just wants power and doesn't care who he has to kill to get it. King Ancar? A sadist of the worst sort who enjoys inflicting pain on others in any way he can. He kills his own father so he can have more freedom to do what he wants, but he was already working against his father's interests for at least 3 years beforehand. The fact that literally every single person who talks about his father beforehand has nothing but good things to say about the old king just makes it worse. I'm not even sure if you could say Ancar wants power so much as he just wants to cause pain for the sake of doing so. Then there is Hulda, the Witch, who I never expected to see against after she ran away from Valdemar in the first book. She is probably the key to a lot of nice surprises going forward, because she is the first true magic user we have seen in this series. It's noted that the magic Heralds have is potent, but not up to par with the Mages of the past. Hulda gives us a glimpse into just how true that is when she takes part in Talia's torture.

I mentioned earlier that I think this novel is ambitious. That's because of the 3 villains only 1 of them, Orthallen, dies. The other two basically get away clean with their crimes and atrocities. They attempt to kill Selenay, force Elspeth into marriage, and then conquer Valdemar through said marriage. Talia foils that plan and they're forced to battle for it, but even though they lose the battle this trilogy ends with the sense that a much greater war has begun. For a first trilogy I think that is extremely bold and should be applauded. Typically, the good guys get a clean win. It's what you expect, especially early in the series. Whoever they're facing might just be the starter villain, the associate or underling for the big bad dark overlord. The Arrows Trilogy throws that right out the window. Our heroes discover who is behind all these recent bad events, but only just barely and the victory they win is pretty minor in the grand scheme of things. Compare this to other fantasy epics where the third act in the trilogy seems to settle the initial conflict for good and I think that Lackey's choice to not go with the flow, the decision to not give the heroes some sense of closure, is amazing.

Would I have liked to see Talia shoot an arrow through Hulda's face while bedridden? Absolutely. Would I have liked to see Dirk strangle Ancar bare handed? Hell yes, and i'll forgive any flaws in any future story if that happens. But I think the story is better because that didn't happen. The setting of Valdemar can be nice, but it isn't a fairy tale. We saw that at the beginning in the conditions Talia was living in and we're reminded of it again here at the end. While Valdemar might eventually overcome its enemies one day it looks like that day is far in the future and for now the kingdom will have to make do with whatever victories it can clutch from dangerous foes.

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Final Thoughts

I could put this in another section, but I think i'll mention it here instead. With this first trilogy Mercedes Lackey has developed a rich environment that is a gold mine for future storytelling. Obviously, she took advantage of it because Valdemar has over 20 books after this trilogy. But I still have to give her credit for the way small details are added to this novel that hint at things to come. Elspeth, the girl known as "The Brat", in the first book starts to come into her own here as she is put through trials of leadership and war. I could easily see her holding her own trilogy one day. Skiff, Talia's closest friend from the first novel, receives more attention and along with comments on his past also seems like he'd make a good protagonist for a trilogy, or even just a side character in Elspeth's story. A few of the series that take places after this one use the word "Mage" pretty often. Sure enough we have Hulda revealing herself as a Mage in this book, and where exactly she learned to use her powers is never once mentioned. Surely that will play a part in future stories. Again, I have to wonder how much Lackey had planned when writing this trilogy and how much just ended up being something she decided to expand on later. Either way it comes back to the fact that she uses this first trilogy to allow for other stories to go in various directions, any of which could be interesting.

I think the strongest part of this novel is also the strongest part of this trilogy, which is the character of Talia. Really nothing would work without her. Would Hulda and Ancar still want to take over Valdemar? Yes. Would Selenay still want Elspeth to step up and learn how to be a proper leader? Yes. But Talia, as the protagonist, is the instrument through which everything is set in motion or altered in terms of its course. Hulda was really just a bit character in Talia's story back in Arrows of the Queen, but she returns here for a more prominent role with a specific grudge against Talia because Talia thwarted her prior plans. In doing so Talia didn't even have anything against Hulda. She was trying to do her job with Elspeth and it crossed over with Hulda's plans. Had any other Herald other than Talia gone on the mission with Kris to visit Ancar and his father Valdemar probably would've been conquered. Because Dirk ends up saving Talia after Kris was killed, but he is only driven to do so due to how much he cares for her. While he certainly could have done the same for any other Herald, it's unlikely that it would've even occurred to him. And in rescuing Talia he ensures that Selenay will learn about Ancar's betrayal. Even scenes like how much the other Heralds are worried over Talia's condition stick out as being special to Talia, because of how hard she's had to work to form connections with others. It all works out nicely for me. Talia isn't necessarily the most powerful Herald or the "best" Herald, but who she is and what she means to different people is unique to her, and in every way it matters for the plot of this trilogy.

And i've already said I love Talia's character. So, I won't repeat that. But i'll end by saying that there's something very satisfying about seeing a character find happiness at the end of a long journey. That might be the moment I look forward to the most at the end of any series. That kind of "aha. This is what it was all building up to". Talia and Dirk's wedding in this story is that moment for me.

By saying similar, I'm not specifically talking about a fantasy series about pirates finding or chasing a treasure.

By similiar, I meant a protagonist having a dream and chasing that dream and he makes friends along the way and really becomes like a found family, they all have powers and are all Individualy strong.... All or most of them having a carefree attitude or a chill personality but when things get serious they becomes serious.....

Also like one piece, the story should have this evil government or empire that makes the adventures of our protagonist Illegal but the protagonist and gang goes on their Adventure anyway and help people that gets oppressed by this evil Empire or government.... And there by they become more infamous throughout the world.

Also it doesn't have to have that anime vibe with characters and the world..... I'm happy if it's more grounded or like any other adult Fantasy series....it doesn't need to have that anime quirkiness

For me personally, I would choose:

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1. Perhaps it's because I'm still infatuated it, but the Lays of the Hearth-Fire duology by Victoria Goddard. They're both enormously long and so detailed I think I’d be set as far as entertaining myself thinking about all the endless little rabbit holes of information.
2. That last one takes care of two, so for practical reasons I think I'd go with Les Stroud's Survive! Essential Skills and Tactics to Get You Out of Anywhere — Alive. Since I and everyone else would only have these three books to occupy time, I may as well pick something that I can practice at!

What about you?

TL;DR: "The Book of Doors" by Gareth Brown is an excellent bit of urban fantasy, and an easy recommendation - with two minor flaws.

Cassie Andrews is a shy bookish girl who works in an independent bookshop in New York City, whose life is flipped on its head when a long time patron and friend gives her a curious little leather journal just before passing away, with an inscription; "Any door is every door"

Said journal is The Book of Doors. While holding it, when Cassie thinks of any other door, she can open a door to it.

But the Book of Doors isn't the only magic book, and the exclusive club of people in the know aren't all terribly nice. Cassie, her roommate Izzy, and the mysterious Drummond Fox have a long difficult path to find safety after opening the Book.

Alright, so.

The good; it's nice to see a restrained urban fantasy story. Most go nuts, throwing vast hidden worlds and complicated lore; in the world of Books, there's only these few magic books. That's it.

Cassie is an excellent protagonist. She has real hardships she has to overcome, makes mistakes, but is unfailingly sympathetic. Izzy is also excellent as a contrasting element, and Fox walks the line between "Mysterious mentor" and "insufferable prick" very well, haunted by his own ghosts.

The twist in Act 2 is my favorite kind, obvious in retrospect and amazingly scope broadening. It also sets up another favorite trope, but I can't speak towards it without giving it away. I will say, it leaves the ending nicely tied up and satisfying. And the story grips; I finished the back third on an extended sprint that left me happily book-drunk.

The two nitpicks.

First, the antagonist called "The woman" for much of the story is nothing more than a sadistic sociopathic serial killer. I kept waiting for an inch more depth, but even when we get her perspective, even when we learn her origin... Eh. Like. I get it, kind of, but she doesn't have the panache or joie du vive or revelry in sadism to be a fun pure evil villain. She's serviceable, but not great.

Second; for a book about magic books and readers and libraries and etc- using the books just requires holding them and thinking or speaking. Not, yaknow... Reading or writing. Like... There's no reason they should but it feels dissonant, or like a missed opportunity. It's a poem that screws up the scansion in a subtle way.

Neither is a big enough problem for me to give "The Book of Doors" anything less than a strong recommendation.

You know the scene I mean, right? We meet a villain for the first time, and the author wants you to really know they're so, so, SO evil, so they casually (and often pointlessly) kill some bystander. Think Feyd-Rautha in Dune.

Sometimes, it's a simple "I'm bored so I will slit this person's throat," sometimes the minion says something first:

"B-b-but boss, we don't stand a chance against-" his protest was cut off by the a sickening gurgle as blood poured out from the fresh slit in his throat.

"Anyone else got anything to say?" said the evil bad guy who's just, like, so evil. You have no idea how evil he is, dude. He just killed his own guy, and he'll do it again! He's fucking loco like that.

I just think it's so played out and boring. We get it, you saw Star Wars at a formative age, we all did, Darth Vader is fucking cool, but would it kill you to try something new? Or, hell, maybe you can try something old! The Witch King of Angmar never killed his own minions, and he was one of the sickest bad guys to ever grace the fantasy genre! He's the embodiment of pure evil, a faceless void in spiked armor, and we understand that he's evil mostly because of his association with Sauron and his general aesthetic. He didn't need to kill his own guys just to prove how evil he is, we know just from the vibes that he's the baddest motherfucker in the building.

I want to see more villains who use actual retention tactics on their minions. Does anybody else remember that scene in Final Fantasy 7 where Barret is trying to speak positively about his eco-terrorist cell to some Shinra employees on the train, and these losers are literally like "No! You're wrong! Shinra gave us jobs, and technology, and infrastructure! Shinra is about love and cooperation!" Like, clearly Shinra treats its own employees pretty well and controls the narrative they have access to to compel a voluntary service, and that actually makes them all the more evil, you know?

Now, this isn't completely absent from the genre. Cradle is actually quite good about this. Akura Malice and the Dragon Monarch (forgot his name) are both quite memorable to me as being less "pure evil bad guys" and more "effective leaders of evil institutions," and that distinction meant a lot to me.

And don't get it twisted, I'm not saying "every villain must have complex motivations," I'm honestly a big fan of the "pure evil" archetype. It's nice to have an unambiguous justification for opposing some douchebag. I'm just so tired of this one specific trope being used to quickly (and lazily) characterize a villain when there are so many other ways to do it. It feels like a common amateur move.

Or maybe I'm just reading too much Royal Road. It's honestly like crack to me. I can quit whenever I want!!

Quick disclaimer: I was unable to finish completely; apparently an infant with Covid/croup/stomach bug in back to back to back weeks can really kill a persons downtime!

I'm marking it as 4 stars for now, but I fully expect it to go up once I get done with it!

For starters, the cover is beautiful and it's what made me reach out for an ARC to start with. Which the author was able to provide for me, in exchange for a review!

Everything I've read so far has been great. This is a world full of political intrigue, something I can't get enough of, and Noble does a fantastic job of giving you backstory as to each characters hows and whys with regards to the goals they're trying to accomplish.

I thought the POV characters were very well done. My favorite of them was Radais, a Glassblade, who is charged with keeping villages safe from awakened but I was also very interested in why he joined in the first place, which I'm glad was explored. He was a character with something to prove, not just to himself but his family as a whole and while doing so, also had to face unexpected consequences of that decision which left his life in some level of turmoil.

The other POVs were also great, which is rare in a book this big; to never turn a page and get bored living in that persons life. I really enjoyed them.

I didn't even touch on the uniqueness of the magic levels to it all! It's called "Reaching", where a select group of people (Scions) can use elemental magic from alternate realms, and use it for many different reasons, such as attacking opponents. I thought it was a really cool way to design a world and it worked well. The underlying taint that a scion can become inflicted it from the reaching is also a subtle danger, in a world filled with many. Overall, I really enjoyed it. I'm very much looking forwards to finishing it and looking even more forwards to more books from him to come!

https://www.goodreads.com/.../202872978-the-crimson-court

HI I need help because I'm creating a character for a campaign, and I can't find the name for this archetype: Someone who strives to find truth and knowledge/info, while not particularly concerning themself with the repercussions. They're not outwardly evil, but if needs be, they will do the wrong thing to get what they need. Think mad scientist, indifferent scholar, someone smart but not compassionate. Any clue?

Oh and to clarify, not the kind of character that just hates themselves and humanity. Someone who genuinely thinks themselves a well adjusted member of society but gets surprised when people leave them, as if they hadn't just been the most arrogant, dismissive, obsessed dickhead and not cared at all about the relationship.

Think BBC Sherlock or Medic TF2

I've been looking for epics like the Stormlight Archives, but just can't find anything that captures my attention in the same way. I love the worldbuilding, though the main thing that draws me to it is that it's character-driven, and that it's focused on hope rather than doom and darkness. I also really like that although its female characters are lacking, rape and sexual assault aren't constant themes for the ones that do exist (though I wouldn't mind it as much in stories written by women).

I have been reading the first book of Malazan: Book of the Fallen, and I love the female characters even more than in the Stormlight Archives, but it is still very gloomy and not very character-driven as far as I can tell. I'm having trouble getting into it.

So, I'm looking for epics with vibrant worldbuilding that are hopeful and character-driven, ideally with good female characters and minimal sexual assault. That is, unfortunately, a big ask. But there are also trade-offs I'm alright with, for example I really like Gideon the Ninth even though it's peak gloomy literature, because it's about women and there isn't any sexual assault involved.

Hopefully you guys have some recommendations.

I'd prefer a darker setting but the opposite is fine too.

Doesnt matter what kind of relationship the protagonists have: siblings, lovers, best friends or even enemies forced to work together. They just need to have a common, or atleast a similar goal which they pursue with all their might and need to work together most of the time.

Bonus points if there's something grandiose like 'protagonists vs the world' or 'anti heroes hated by both good and bad guys' tropes. Very cliché, I know, but I do love it when these tropes are written well. Not a must ofc. I like em but am fine if there is no such trope in the story too.

Thanks!

Hi everyone! I finished reading "Fourth Wing" and "Iron Flame," and I absolutely loved them! Both books were very thrilling, and now I'm struggling to find something that matches up. I usually like to discover books from new writers but my search on Amazon suggests me all the time the same books 😥. Recommendations for books that are just as gripping? Thanks in advance!

What are your favorite standalone fantasies? I really need some recs so I can break up my series reads before I binge them and get a book hangover.

Hi! I am currently in a kind of a reading slump and don't know what to read. I apologize in advance for any errors (english is not my native language).

My most recent finished series was The folk of the air by Holly Black and i absolutely loved it! I tried to read From Blood and Ash but the second book was not my vibe (FMC hates the MMC but she still desires him again and again) and i DNF it. I am debating reading ACOTAR but i see a lot of different opinions, is the smut in it overwhelming the overall plot or is it well balanced? I am not a big fan of books containing mainly smut so i would appreciate the advice on it. I read that the first book is not the best in terms of fantasy, is it worth getting thru or not? Do you have any recommendations for books with similar vibes to The Cruel Prince (maybe with more focus on romance but not necessarily)?

After playing a VN recently and finishing a very funny audio drama — both of which would count for various Book Bingo squares — I was struck with the thought of doing my first ever themed Bingo: a bingo where none of the works are novels! This means I’m pushed to use other works that would count in Book Bingo, such as VNs, audio dramas, comics, webnovels, and so on. (I’m still avoiding works like TV series or movies, since I think they would go against the spirit of BBingo, even though I’m not clear why exactly not.) I’ll still be doing a regular bingo square for Reading Champion purposes, but.

Anyway, this non-novel bingo does pose some challenges for certain squares, and I was wondering if anyone had ideas on how to solve them:

• Self-Published or Indie Publisher: ‘Self-published’ doesn’t really seem to work for most other media, so I’m compelled to treat indie publishers for this square. That's fine, and it even makes the square a lot easier for certain media. However, it's unclear how to treat the HM: what do I use as the equivalent of Goodreads? For VNs on itch.io, I intend to use their ratings there; for audio dramas or webcomics...? Also, are there any non-novel artists who've done AMAs with r/Fantasy?
• Multi-POV: What counts as a POV, do you think? Most audio dramas are from a third person perspective that's only loosely tied to a character, and often try to give every major character a scene that tells us about their inner life. Does that count for Multi-POV?
• Book Club or Readalong Book: ... this one's just a hard roadblock. Do I just do a book for this, and make it the only book of this square, or has there been an incident of a non-novel work being treated in an r/Fantasy book club?

Also, I'll gladly take recommendations for any and all squares! I'm the type of person who gives most things a try, but I generally like murder mysteries, heists, comedies, dramatic works (especially anything that is a bit tropey and/or features mind-games), the weird, and look favourably upon the erotic (just in case someone had something peculiar in mind). I would also prefer recent works, if that helps with recommendations!

Hey guys, new poster here. I'm looking for more ideas on very fast paced, action packed fantasy books. I just read through Mike Shackles The Last War trilogy and loved it, I absolutely flew through all three books. The only other series that I've read that had that kind of pacing was Red Rising series by Pierce Brown. Anyone out there have any other recommendations and ideas? Thanks in advance:)

Hello!

I need help recalling a fantasy book title(litRPG I believe).

I unfortunately remember very little. Other than a few details, and that I enjoyed the book!

• I believe the main character were brought up in an orphanage.

• The world had a skills system where, when you came of age you would get a set of skills and hopefully be picked up by one of the guilds.

• the main character got the lowest rank skill and therefore did not get a guild invite.

• he did get some skills that even tho low ranked allowed him to regen mana at an unprecedented speed.

• because of his rare abilities he got the attention of some sort of “higher being”

This is all I can remember.

If anyone can point me to the book, I’d greatly appreciate it!

Best regards Avraker

Does anyone know, did this originate in folklore or was it a trope created in fantasy fiction?

I tried using ngrams, but it is too common a word to narrow down the references.

It is my honor and pleasure to welcome you to the very first novel session of this year's Hugo Readalong! This week we will be discussing Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh.

While we have many wonderful discussions planned for the next few months, anybody who has read Some Desperate Glory and is interested in discussing with us today is more than welcome to pop into the thread without any obligation to participate in the rest of the readalong – each discussion thread stands fully on its own. (Though we would be delighted if you decided to come back and join us for future sessions!)

Please note that we will be discussing the entirety of Some Desperate Glory today without spoiler tags. I'll be starting off the conversation with some prompts, but feel free to start your own question threads if you have any topics you'd like to bring up!

Some Desperate Glory qualifies for the following Bingo squares: Under The Surface (NM), Space Opera (HM), Reference Materials (NM), Readalong (this one!)

To plan your reading for the next couple of weeks, check out our upcoming discussions below:

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First Bingo Review of the Card! Yay!

I figured this would be one of the hardest squares to complete, since it's really hard to do Lovecraftian stuff right. Personally, I think it's because the worldbuilding has to be done around a creature that, by definition, is beyond human understanding. I think the only time an Eldritch force has really scared me was in the podcast The Black Tapes (it's...not much of an ending, but the journey scared the living daylights out of me). So count me surprised that it was the first thing I finished...

...mostly because it was a complete surprise that it counted.

I devoured A Deadly Education in one day, then moved onto The Last Graduate on the second day. Out of the three books in the trilogy, I easily believe this one to be the strongest. The found family trope worked really well, since the book didn't have to waste any time introducing the characters. The ending of Book One adjusted the status quo enough to allow for a bunch of extra worldbuilding, which was great. I also loved the growing friendship between El, Aadhya, and Liu. Leisel, once she got properly introduced, was one of the best additions to the book, mostly because she drove the narrative forward whenever she appeared.

THE PART WHERE I EARN THE SPOILER TAG

I'm usually pretty good about spotting twists, but I genuinely did not predict the graduation hall being completely empty. We just got a glimpse of it in the first book, and it had been hyped up for hundreds of pages as being super dangerous/the thing that kills multiple kids per year. The bit where El is just walking around the hall, with nothing there, just hammered home the impact of all the decisions that had been made by El, Orion, and the school itself. It felt earned, and did such a good job setting up the final act.

SLIGHT SPOILERS FOR THE GOLDEN ENCLAVES (BOOK 3)

As a general rule, I didn't care for Orion. Something about him felt off to me the entire book. As a result, I couldn't really buy into the romance. It wasn't that he was boring the way ill-written golden boys can be boring; I just initially felt like Novik saw him as a sweet himbo, and I was getting something completely different. In retrospect, after reading the third book, I see what Novik was setting up, and I'm glad that the...twist..about Orion's didn't come out of nowhere. I wasn't getting the wrong thing! Novik did what she wanted to do!

That said, still didn't really buy the romance.

Overall, it's a fun book, and a fun series. It's not going to crack the top 10 or anything, but it was a good time, and Novik knows how to write a page-turner. I think in the Novik universe, I'd put these books below the standalone fairy tales, and above everything else but Teramire Book 1.

Bingo Stats:

Eligible For: Dark Academia, Eldritch Creatures, Survival, Reference Materials (I think there's a diagram of the school--someone check me on this, I listened to the audiobook).

I’m looking for fantasy recs with a certain feel to them. I don’t mean writing style or similar plot lines - I mean things like exploring philosophical concepts and politics, along with strong friendships and big betrayals. I’ll give you examples of my favourite series and hopefully you will know what I mean.

• Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne trilogy by Brian Staveley
• Red Rising Saga by Pierce Brown (this is sci-fi but it has an epic fantasy feel)
• Book of the Ancestor trilogy by Mark Lawrence
• A Song of Ice and Fire by George R R Martin
• The First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie
• Mistborn trilogy by Brandon Sanderson

I don’t like books like the Lord of the Rings, because it’s more of a journey and doesn’t contain the kind of philosophical, spiritual and political commentary I like. I’m less into the older 1900s fantasy with dragons and mythical creatures and whatnot. I’m more into the unique world building and magic systems where politics and warfare are very key (see above books as examples). I’m not sure how to best explain it besides that.

Anyways, if anyone can give me recommendations, that would be great! I’ve read all of John Gwynne’s books, N K Jemisin’s books, most of Brandon Sanderson’s books, most of Mark Lawrence’s works, most of Joe Abercrombie’s works, etc. I’ve also read the less known series Greatcoats by Sebastien de Castell.

Thank youuu

TL;DR Review: Epic, addicting, complex, and action-packed. A spectacular new entry into what is arguably the best progression fantasy series around!

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https://preview.redd.it/krl8a9xno1wc1.png?width=1000&format=png&auto=webp&s=dee5ca60cb68969c20e906b403feddf923a79f23

Full Review:

Stepping back into the world of Bastion, the pit of Hell, and the Great Souls in the opening pages of LastRock, it felt like I never left.

From the beginning, the dynamic duo of Scorio the Red Lister and Naomi the Nightmare Lady are instantly addictive. Their drive for advancement, their growing relationship, and the battles into which they are drawn are just impossible to put down. This book is long—and I mean LOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNGGGGGG—but I burned through it in record time because I was utterly spellbound by the stakes, the world, the plot, and most of all, the characters.

The Characters:

At its core, the Great Souls series’ greatest strength has always been in its characters.

On the surface, Scorio is pretty much exactly what you’d expect from a progression fantasy protagonist: driven, ambitious, overall a “good” human being, flawed in all the right ways, and most of all, strong. But with every new discovery and revelation, we get to see the complexity beneath, the layers that make him perhaps the most nuanced character of any progression fantasy series I’ve read. His advancement and progress is made all the more interesting because of who he is; we want to learn more about him and how he’s become to be the way he is, and so we are more than willing to go along with the wild ride.

Naomi continues to solidify herself as the greatest female progression fantasy protagonist. The fact that she is the Nightmare Lady means she is an amazing asset to Scorio in battle, and brings a fascinating depth to her character. She’s cynical, suspicious to near paranoia, and jaded by hard experience. But her effort to overcome that is a major element of her progression, one that inevitably leads to fascinating places. And knowing that within her is quite literally a creature of nightmare gives some amazing room for plot twists and turns that had my jaw on the floor.

Leonis, Lianshi, Moira, Ravenna, Jova Spike, and a host of other familiar faces are back, but we’re treated to a whole gamut of fun and engaging new characters—from the half-mad Plassus to Alain, eternally condemned by his power to be a Peeping Tom (in a way that’s both creepy and funny), from the Iron Tyrant to Queen Xandera. With every new character, the series becomes ever more complex and engaging—chiefly because you never really know who is an ally and who is secretly an enemy.

And, of course, the powers on display by each character is incredibly fascinating. The scope of imagination required to craft such disparate and unique abilities—multiplied a hundred times over with the full cast of *dramatis personae—*is immense. A true testament to the author’s skill and creativity.

The Story:

Where Bastion was more focused on Scorio and Naomi alone and The Rascor Plains just began to expand the world outside of the city of Bastion, LastRock rips the world wide open and gives us our first big-picture look at hell. We learn more about the many layers that descend into the Pit, the power players who are seeking to carve out their own territories and domains—both the Great Souls and True Fiends—and we get a first-hand look at the real powers at play.

The action in LastRock is truly breathtaking. There are entire chunks just dedicated to bloody, massive-scale battles with thousands of fiends. Which, inevitably, leads to deaths among those Scorio has come to call friends. The true brutality of this hellscape is displayed fully for the first time, and the stakes become all too clear when even souls ranked far higher than Scorio and Naomi face death—real death, from which there may be no return.

The book instills a very real sense that “no one is safe”—and, more importantly, “nothing is off-limits”. The impossible happens time and again (in a way that makes it feel all too real) and the characters’ journey is utterly unpredictable in the best possible ways.

Final Thoughts:

Bastion has always been the most epic and ambitious of the progression fantasy series I’ve read, and LastRock just cements that in my mind.

The story gets bigger, the stakes get higher, the characters grow more powerful, and the personal issues become ever more troublesome.

With this being the most enthralling of an already insanely addictive series, I am now eagerly waiting to find out what secrets will be revealed and what enemies will arise to challenge Scorio and company in Great Souls #4. The next book CANNOT come soon enough!

May be a bit hard to find info on: But Tree of Palme was an animated movie that took the basic concept of pinnochio but added in magic, science fiction, and threw it into this strange subterranean world with its own strange ecosystems and societies full of weird races and megaflora.

If I had to compare it something more mainstream, I'd say its atmosphere is a little like the fungal forest from Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind , the alien biology of Fantastic Planet , and the scale of the Megacity from Blame!.

I'm hungry for some more things that break away from the typical medieval worlds! Other things I've read/watched and could recommend:

• Mune: Guardian of the Moon

• Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance

• Ballmastrz: 9009

• A Wizard of Earthsea

• The Trollz movies (I unironically love how much it leans into being a craft world)

• Several Discworld shows & movies.

Medieval Fantasy specifically pertains to fantasy that's usually influenced by the Medieval period of European history, which was from the 5th century to the 15th century. But what I want to know is what specific century would you say that most medieval fantasy takes place in on average? Also, let me specific that I'm talking about High and Heroic medieval fantasy.

We'll be finishing our discussion of The Beast Player today. There will be spoilers for the entire book in the comments! You can comment below with your own observations or questions. You can also reply to questions which I will be posting to prompt discussion. Have fun!

The Beast Player by Nahoko Uehashi

Elin's family has an important responsibility: caring for the fearsome water serpents that form the core of their kingdom's army. So when some of the beasts mysteriously die, Elin's mother is sentenced to death as punishment. With her last breath she manages to send her daughter to safety.

Alone, far from home, Elin soon discovers that she can talk to both the terrifying water serpents and the majestic flying beasts that guard her queen. This skill gives her great powers, but it also involves her in deadly plots that could cost her life. Can she save herself and prevent her beloved beasts from being used as tools of war? Or is there no way of escaping the terrible battles to come?

Counts for: First in a Series (HM), Multi POV, Prologues and Epilogues, Entitled Animals (HM), Author of Color, Survival (HM), Book Club (this one!)

Catch up on the Midway Discussion here!

Hi everyone

how are you doing?

Do you know any good stuff (books, articles, whatever) about Fantasy Literature? I‘m mostly interested in the history of the genre, how it works, its limits and potential, links between Fantasy and politics or political thought (anarchism, marxism).

I‘m pretty new to the genre, right now I‘m reading and loving Moorcock (Hawkmoon and now the Elric‘s saga). Anyway, I‘m open to any kind of input.

Thanks!!