I found this book in 1994 or so. I remember the opening premise is that a man drives into a forest in Virginia where there's a tree that transports him to a magical kingdom. I don't remember much more about the plot other than the man becomes a type of king and there's a plot device involving a sort of banister/deck that will transport those standing on it to different parts of the kingdom.

I get that it's a long shot, but I've been searching off and on for so long...

I'm looking for a new listen.

I want high or epic fantasy, I really don't want a "coming of age" or anything that centers on teens.

I also don't want romantasy, if there's some romance fine but I'm not looking for romance or smut right now.

Also it would be great if it wasn't full of rape. If there is rape a warning would be nice.

I love Margaret Weis, Mercedes Lackey, Bryce O'Connor, Tolkien, Robert Jordan.

As usual, my reads for the Book Bingo Challenge have been scattered all over the card, so I only achieved my first Bingo a week or so ago. Some of these might get swapped around in a final-week desperate attempt to fill my card, but for now, these are the books I read for the second column.

Alliterative Title: Star Shapes by Ivy Grimes. A young woman finds herself kidnapped, but her abductors don't want to harm her. On the contrary, they treat her almost with reverence, and it's gradually revealed that they believe she has something to do with an alternative set of constellations. It's hard to give too much detail without getting into spoilers, but I found the concept underlying the story unique. Grimes managed to detail the progression of what might be Stockholm Syndrome or something stranger over the course of a pretty short book. 7/10.

Bards: Owls Hoot in the Daytime and Other Omens by Manly Wade Wellman. This is a collection of Wellman's Silver John/John the Balladeer stories. The main character is a musician traveling through Appalachia with his silver-stringed guitar. He encounters various haints, creatures, and practitioners of witchcraft, and often finds those silver guitar strings to be lifesavers. I really enjoyed these stories and was happy to find that Wellman also wrote a few novels featuring this character. 8.5/10.

Multi-POV: Under Fortunate Stars, by Ren Hutchings. About a hundred years ago, a devastating war against an alien species was ended by five heroes. Now, caught in a spatial anomaly, the main characters have detected a distress signal from a ship bearing the same name as that of the historical heroes. Is it a hoax by space pirates? Timey-wimey shenanigans? And whoever the inhabitants of the other ship actually are, can they help to escape the anomaly? The characters were the strength of this book. With the key members of two ships' crews, there are a lot of them, but they felt well-differentiated and made me care about what happened to them. 7/10.

Space Opera: Ancestral Night by Elizabeth Bear. A salvage crew in a far-future multispecies society uncovers evidence of an atrocity as well as a technology no one understands. Multiple parties want to co-opt, bury, or manipulate this knowledge, forcing the crew to confront historical secrets and political machinations. There a lot of well-thought-out concepts in this book, and the plot twists and turns kept me engaged throughout. There's a second, loosely connected, book out in this setting and I hear a third one is coming in 2025. 8.5/10.

Five Short Stories: Vile Affections by Caitlin R. Kiernan. Kiernan has been one of my favorite short story authors for a long time, and this collection is no exception. The stories are a perfect example of their eerie, dreamlike writing style. They're stories that you end up turning over in your head after you finished reading them because they can be interpreted in more than one way. 8/10.

Those that have read both Book of the New Sun and Second Apocalypse

Which is harder to follow/understand? I’ve heard these are both notoriously difficult reads but are they difficult in the same ways?

I’m wanting to read both of these series and thought I could start with whichever is more approachable between the two. I have read difficult and denser works like The Silmarillion, Blood Meridian, most of the Bible, Wheel of Time, etc.

I’m interested in the philosophical/theological aspects to both of these series and the mix of fantasy/scifi

Thanks in advance!

Wondering if anyone knows of a Pirates of the Caribbean retelling but make it a throuple with Will, Jack and Elizabeth!

I’ve been into fantasy for a long time now but recently they all read very, very similarly. All the new ‘romantasy’ books feature identical headstrong protagonists with romance stories that are almost always enemies to lovers. When A Court of Thorns and Roses came out, I really loved it but I do think that Sarah J. Maas has become so incredibly popular that every romantic interest reads as a carbon copy of Rhysand and every protagonist a copy of Aelin. As a result I feel like I have to search in the epic/dark fantasy section as a way to completely escape the romantasy feel. Is it just me that feels this way? Let me know any recommendations you have please I need help!

When is the 2025 Top Novels Poll going to be posted? (I know its probably not for quite a while, but something more specific than 'the end of the year' would be appreciated) I have missed every single one so far despite being in this sub for years. I always see it like a week or 2 later when the polling is already closed. I really don't want to miss the next one!

Also, a note for everyone who puts the poll together - would be cool to leave the voting open for longer so that there is a higher chance of more people being able to vote!

My 12 year old is burning through book series one after the other and I’m trying to find her something new to read. This series popped up and looked interesting. Is it appropriate for kids? A quick google search didn’t produce anything too bad but wanted some first hand knowledge from anyone who has read it. Thanks in advance!

I'm looking for a book/series that has classic high fantasy tropes like wizards, elves, dragons, swords & sorcery, etc, while being contemporary, character driven and not particularly dark. I have depression so I read for escapism and enjoyment. I'm looking for something light-hearted and easy to read while still being adventurous, exciting and having high steaks and drama. Dark moments are fine, but no grimdark please.

Recently, I've been reading/watching/playing:

Baldur's Gate 3 Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves The Art of Prophecy (don't see many recommendations for it, but it's fantastic) Mistborn (not a massive fan of Sanderson. I know, hang and quarter me if you want) Stardust (yes, I'm aware of what's going on) Age of Myth Vox Machina Arcane Sandman A bunch of Star Wars legends books

I've just been curious lately, you always see in media how healing magic is very difficult to master and how you need to be incredibly careful or it can go terribly wrong. And I've always wondered why people don't weaponise it? If it takes that much precision to not mess it up than surely it's be rather easy to employ as a means off offense.

Are there any books that have characters that use weaponize it?

Just wanted to discuss the subgenre itself as while I enjoy reading regular fantasy books, I have a penchant for the darker side of the genre where the stakes are far higher as things that can go wrong can easily happen.

For instance, one of my favorite series is the First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie as the saga doesn’t hold back on showing the brutal nature of the world it’s set in as all the main characters are heavily flawed individuals that are just trying to survive in a crazy world as Logan is sort of like a hero, but he is not so clean as a persona.

I don't have anything else to say. I just think he's super-cool.

To those who have read this Anthony Ryan series. I grabbed this book on a recommendation because it sounded good, not realizing that it was part of a series. I don't want to start it if it won't make sense as a standalone. Will I be lost if I jump into it without having read the first two books in the series?

Some books have prose that's quotably good—the author has a real talent for line prose. Maybe that's in eloquence, or conciseness, or a powerful observation, or a really good metaphor, or sheer poetry, or thrilling evocativeness, or stark bareness or leanness, or flawless communication of the complex, or eccentric diction, or whatever else you consider "good prose". For me, a book is a lot easier to read if its prose draws me in.

If you can think of quotable passages of good prose from books you've read, comment them below! Let us see why these authors are worth reading for their prose. (And be sure to include the book and author in the comment.) My main thinking is that these quotes can serve as a kind of "trailer", a sampling to advertise these books to interested readers, like myself. It's one thing to be told a book has good writing; it's another to see it.

I don't mean this be a thread of iconic quotes, or of quotes that are only good if you've read the book and know the context. This is not a list of "most memorable moments", but of memorable prose stylings. (By the same token, don't post significant spoilers—leave words out or change them, if you must.)

(And don't be too critical of other people's quote choices below in the comments. Everyone has their own definitions of what they consider good prose.)

This also isn't about "prose snobbery"—I'm not at all saying a book isn't good if it doesn't have really good prose. But prose (or style) is as legitimate an element of a story as plot, character, setting, or theme, and just as some of us are character-driven readers or plot-driven readers, some of us are (at least in part) prose-driven readers.

This was inspired by a recent post where the OP praised Christopher Ruocchio for "flexing his prose hard", and added, "The number of great quotes I've read in the first 120 pages impressed me. Take notice, authors, flex those writing chops more often!" I found myself wanting examples.

Currently in a reading slump and looking for some books where it’s not too slow to start.

Some previous favourites are:

• the will of the many
• sword catcher
• the licanius trilogy
• the sword of kaigen

It seems like the main difference between Fantasy and Science Fiction is plausibility and escape versus the "what if" question in science fiction. Fantasy stories are mainly for escape and characters not entirely relatable. Is there any other reason we read Fantasy besides for the escape?

I initially avoided Red Rising because I’m not a huge fan of sci-fi and because I had heard it was similar to the hunger games (it is nothing like the hunger games!), but now that I’m two-thirds of the way through the first book, I’ve been pleasantly surprised. The story is far more than just a typical sci-fi adventure—it’s a deep exploration of power, revolution, and the moral complexities of change.

I thought Darrow’s initial loss of Eo is particularly well-executed. His grief and reaction is well done. I also like that her death isn’t just a moment of personal grief bit it forces Darrow onto a path he never would have chosen for himself. What makes it even more compelling is that he doesn’t fully understand her vision at first so we slowly get to discover that vision with him and get to watch him sacrifice pieces of himself as he works towards it.

I also appreciate that the author doesn’t shy away from adult themes but allows us to fully explore the excesses of power and corruption and presents revolution in a morally gray light. Rather than romanticizing rebellion, Red Rising highlights the difficult choices, compromises, and brutal realities that come with dismantling an entrenched power structure. Not only that, but I like how we get to see characters who are consumed by revenge. Not everyone in the rebellion is looking for a better life, some of them just want to see those that caused them pain to suffer which we see during the Institute arc.

The Institute is one of the most fascinating aspects of the book for me because it serves as a microcosm of how their civilization evolved and how the ruling classes solidify their power. The Golds believe they are naturally superior, but their dominance is not just about physical strength—it is about strategy, manipulation, and an understanding of how to control others. The Institute is a training ground that forces its students to recreate society from the ground up, mirroring the rise of ruling factions throughout their history. You get to see young golds learn how to become the brutal leaders of their society in real time. It’s also an incredibly insightful look at how power is gained and maintained in real life.

Additionally, Brown does an excellent job of breaking down power structures and dynamics, showing not just how oppression functions but how those in power justify and sustain it. The world he builds is intricate and believable, making the struggle for change feel all the more real.

So glad I gave it a chance!

Hey everyone,

I recently started getting into fantasy books, and I’m loving it so far! I’ve already read The Mistborn Trilogy, Throne of Glass, and Fourth Wing, and I’m excited to explore more of the genre.

Now, I’ve watched Game of Thrones (the TV series) and really enjoyed it (well… up to a certain point). But I’ve heard that A Song of Ice and Fire offers a much deeper experience. Is it still worth reading all the books if I already know most of the story from the show? I’ve seen people say the books are much better, but I’m curious if they hold up even after watching the series.

Would love to hear your thoughts! Should I dive in, or is it better to prioritize other fantasy series first?

Thanks in advance!

So one of my many book ideas centres around a Contest of the Gods sort of situation where a mortal is chosen by a God to represent them in a Contest of Champions.

My question is, is this something that’s been done too many times? Is it something that still appeals to people?

Hi!!! A while ago I was in the Harvard bookstore and saw the cover of a really interesting book. I remember the cover vaguely as being mostly an off-white background.

From my memory it was a series of two following a boy (I don’t remember his name so he will henceforth be known as Tommy). The first book’s synopsis came with the hook: “the gods are dead…” and followed the boy overthrowing tyrannical rule of a king/duke/wizard

The second book started with the hook >!Tommy is dead…!< and I put it down after that so as to not spoil myself. Sorry for the lack of information but if you recognize it please let me know!

Back in October of 2024 (very nostalgic for that time rn), I basically finished my card. I had one square left, a book lined up for it, and the end was in sight. So, I thought to myself, I will start on card #2. I have plenty of time to finish a second card! I even made a post asking for fun fantasy books written by women as a possible theme!

It is now February. I have not finished my card. The square is still unfulfilled, as the mood for the book I have lined up has not struck yet. I have a read many of the books suggested to me, and DNF'ed just as many. I also have ended up reading a bunch of non-fiction and fanfiction, so it is very apparent that a second card is not in the cards for me this year. Unless someone wants a fanfic only card...

So here are all the books I placed on my possible second card/the categories they fit in in case anyone is looking for some last minute suggestions to push them past the April 1st finish line!

Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor

A bunch of unhinged historians work for an organization that goes back in time. That's the premise. Everyone is described as "tea-soaked". There are Dodos. Multiple-people die awful deaths right after you get attached to them. Jack the Ripper makes an appearance. Serious issues involving SA become plot points at the same time dinosaurs do. It's very British and very chaotic. The structure is interesting too---it's written almost like three episodes of TV were smushed together in a single book, with very little connecting the three "episodes." I hate the love interest with the passion of a thousand suns.

If you like the idea of a series that explores every possible scenario that would occur if time-traveling historians worked for a non-profit with no HR, give it a go. It's genuinely a fun read. I also picked up the second and third books in the series, and mostly had a good time. But if any of what I said would ruin a book for you, then it may not be the time-travel book for you---Doomsday Book (my love) may be the better pick.

Counts for: First in a Series (HM), Survival (HM), Set in a Small Town (HM)

Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire

The third book in the Wayward Children books. Here, the world the gang travel to is a nonsense world, filled with baked goods and an evil queen. For those who haven't read the Wayward Children series, start with the first one, or this one won't make sense. For people who have read the first two---I liked the callbacks to the first two books, but I think this one is the weakest so far. It doesn't really deliver on the promise of "high nonsense", and most of the scenes with any lasting impact rely on the previous two books. It isn't bad, but I'm not re-reading it either.

Counts for: Survival (HM), Alliterative Title

The Refrigerator Monologues by Catherynne Valente

We all love superheroes. So what if there was short book full of literary short stories told by the women whose tragedies are core moments of our favorite hero's journeys, but are never explored beyond how the women impact the heroes?

Valente is a hit-or-miss author for me. She tries cool stuff, she swings big, and when she hits, she hits and writes something utterly original and neat. When she misses, I can't get more than 20 pages in, and then I find someone else talking about how its the best thing they have ever read. Anyway, this book is hit-or-miss for me. LOVED the Gwen Stacy, Alexandra DeWitt, and Jean Grey stories. Liked the Mera Story. DNF'ed the Harley Quinn story, and skimmed the Karen Page story. If you liked superheroes, give it a go.

Counts for: Under the Surface, Criminals (sort of)

Ten Thousand Stitches by Olivia Atwater

The second book in the Regency Fairy Tales series. After the events of Half a Soul, we pick up with a mostly standalone story about a young maid who is in love with the Lord of the Manor...and is also being visited by a Fairy Lord who wants to learn about English Virtue. It's so fun, and so cathartic to everyone who has ever worked in the service industry. I gifted a copy of the first book to my friend, and ended up buying a copy of this one for myself. If you love fantasy and Downton abbey, give this one a go.

Counts for: Romantasy

Turning Darkness into Light by Marie Brennan

I LOVE the Lady Trent books. Loooove them. So I obviously picked up the stand-alone sequel book to the series, about Lady Trent's granddaughter. Unlike the main series, which is a sort of Indiana Jones-esque adventure if Indiana Jones was a well-born lady in a world discovering natural history, this one deals with a lead who lives in the shadow of her grandmother, and is a linguist. I love comparative linguistic stuff, and this book dealt with how it can easily become politicized. I enjoyed it a lot, and hope to read more about this MC and her friendship with....lets just say, her childhood friend.

Counts for: Multi POV

The Other Valley by Scott Howard

I just love time-travel y'all. And since this one was so highly reviewed by the beloved u/tarvalon , I had to give it a read.

The book reads as if someone told Sally Rooney she had to write fantasy/sci-fi. A young girl who seems to reside in past Switzerland (?)-esque country is a candidate for an organization that governs three valleys: a valley 20 years in the past, a valley in the present, and a valley living 20 years in the future. None of the three valleys may speak or have any contact with each other, for fear of disturbing the timeline. The only exception is for bereavement purposes.

Our MC is a very withdrawn individual, whose outward studiousness and melancholy masks what the MC doesn't even realize is a turbulent emotional life. Her life is marked in losses, and most of her emotional connections with others turn sour for one reason or another---usually because of societal norms or expectations. The time-travel aspect of this Valley's life, while mentioned in nearly every situation, acts more than anything as a pressure-cooker to societal issues like gender or income inequality.

It's a good read, and one of the most lonesome books I've read recently. I didn't love the ending, but I think I could be brought around.

Counts for: Published in 2024, Set in a Small Town

Changing Planes by Ursula K Le Guin

Ursula K. Le Guin--you know, of Earthsea really said "let me throw all of my worldbuilding ideas into a travelogue of my mind and tell me what you think"

I'm still thinking of the corn lady and the bird people and the sleepless kids and the immortal island.

Counts for: Five Short Stories, Judge a Book By Its Cover

Buried Deep by Naomi Novik

Ah, Naomi Novik, my a03 queen. Even if I didn't love every short in here, I loved a lot of them. The Minotaur story? Perfection, one of the best shorts of the year. The short set in the world of El and the gang? Loved it. I will also be requesting/requiring a full book about Captain Elizabeth Bennet in the Dragon-Rider Corps, thanks.

If you aren't familiar with Novik, this is not the place to start. If you are and love expansions to established universes, plus a bit of bonus material go ahead and pick it up.

Counts for: 2024, 5 short stories

I’m currently on book 5 of a series I’m reading (Red Rising if you wanted to know) and I love all of the books. They’re well paced, a little fast if anything, so I’m not “bored” per se.

But where I am right now with it I’m having a hard time really taking it in properly. Like I’m reading through it but not really getting that invested? Is that a sign of burn out? It’s not that what I’m reading is boring or bad, because it really isn’t.

Is it worth jumping to a different series for a while and coming back later?

Thanks!!

Try not to spoil the other two books please :) The stuff I didn't understand were that:

1. Jorg wanted renar dead in the very beginning of the book, even under corion's spell.
2. Speaking of corion, i think his death was plot armor to a high degree, i thought he and the other mages were very cool characters (and makins my fav by far).
3. Jorg goes back and forth between saying that what he did was his doing and not corions, and that corions spell didnt do much different; he was kinda always bloodthirsty. It seems like corions spell basically just made him immature, and snapping out of it took him out of his bloodthirstiness 5 years ago
4. Why the hell did olidan not kill jorg? Also, rike and makin getting out was weird too

Any books / series where these themes are prevalent?

As an example for survival / travel i enjoyed a lot when Eragon travels in book 1, especially when he escapes to the Varden, lord of the rings / hobbit travels comes to mind aswell.

I would also appreciate if the protagonists are not "special", like the secret heir of a princedom or secretly an expert or overpowered, or dumb as a rock but somehow everything works fine every time... and not litrpg (status screen or stuff like that) or reincarnated as.... both medieval and space themes are fine, both cozy or not aswell.

If there is a romance subplot of some kind, (not romantasy please) even better.

I tried to find something by searching around but got really no luck...

I already read most of the well known fantasy series that might have themes like them in it:

Sanderson, Tolkien, Jim Butcher, Joe Abercrombie, Paolini, J. Sullivan, Jules Verne, Pierce Brown, Raunucchio, Rothfuss...

Thank you

I know I’m late on the bandwagon, but I LOVED Slewfoot.

My question is are there any subversive approaches to witches, bewitching, and witch trials told by a woman through a feminist lens?

Bonus points if there are any Baba Yaga retellings where she’s written as justified.

I recently, in the last year, bought the 3 books of all Memory Sorrow Thorn by Tad Williams from Kobo. I found that the (k)epub files for books 1 & 2 contain their entire respective novels, but for some reason the entire second half of TGAT is missing. The TGAT epub file contains all of Part 1, as it was physically published in paperback, but Part 2, which was published as a separate physical volume, is not present in the ebook. There isn't a "split" ebook version of the novel for sale, since it was only 2 parts due to publishing decisions/sizes at the time. The epub should be the whole book. Did anyone else have this issue, if you bought Astra Publishing's epub version from either Kobo or Barnes and Noble or elsewhere?

ETA: US kobo site, as well as B&N and Amzn, only lists it as a trilogy in ePub, with 3 files. The Astra Publishing House site lists 3 ebooks as well: one for each of the trilogy; as digital is not constrained by weight or dimensions, this would make sense.

I contacted both Rakuten and Astra House Publishing, but when the Kobo CS agent claimed to have updated their source file for the book, it still lacks the entirety of Part 2 of TGAT after I redownload it. The epub stops right at >!Simon and Miriamele sneaking off from Josua's camp during the journey from Sesua'dra.!< And then goes to the appendices. The "% read" is consistent throughout; there are no weird jumps.

I refuse to buy multiple copies all over again from various retailers just to check where this error occurs or does not occur.

Preface: I have watched the show, so there is definitely influence in how I picture characters even though they are way younger in the books. I am not very well-read in fantasy, not counting a few books read for school. All I’ve read is: Mistborn (book 1 only), Stormlight Books 1-3, Kingkiller Chronicles, Red Rising 1-3, Powdermage Book 1, and a little bit by Le Guin. I’ve not read any classic fantasy, though I have some on my reading list.

In a surprising turn, I’ve started enjoying a book I had resigned to begrudgingly finish. I only wanted to finish to assure myself my critiques and negative opinions held more weight.

Those flaws are still there, but it started pulling me in. I think what really kicked it off for me was when the characters got separated after Shadow Legoland.

With the Fellowship splintered, there’s room for the individual characters to breathe a bit more. The introduction of Elyas and then the Traveling People intrigued me more than I anticipated. The boat voyage to Whitebridge was meh, but the end result with Thom was kind of heart breaking for me after he shared a bit of his past.

I’m also much more forgiving and interested in the lengthy environmental descriptions than I was in the beginning. The world seems to be taking shape in my mind now.

I wanted to force myself to like the book, but it wasn’t happening. I’m just surprised it happened suddenly over the course of a few chapters after embracing my apathy towards the story. At this point I think I’ll continue the series after this book, but definitely reading some breezier reads in between.

Have you ever read a story you were convinced you didn’t like only for it to suddenly tug you by the braids?

I went to Barnes and noble for the first time in a while and all the books are these large $15-20+ floppy books that can't be read with one hand? When did the cheap mass market paperbacks disappear? Why? Who prefers these?

I just finished stormlight book five and here are my thoughts on dalinar. Spoilers of course.

This entire series has built him up as a terrifying warlord. The Blackthorn. Ruthlessly brutal, but a tactical genius. And the one the unite Alethkar. But as of yet he hasn’t really lead a significant campaign.

Sure there was his battle at the tower in the way of kings. But that’s a terrible example of his leadership abilities. And of course you have the siege in oathbringer, but dalinar played his part as more of a uniter rather than a general.

Even in rhythm of war, which I thought by the title would be as long grizzly war log, with multiple battles in different fronts, highlighting dalinars military prowess. But instead, it was a bunch of side quests having to do more with fabriels and more backstory rather than a military conquest. Which I still enjoyed, but not what I thought the series needed.

Finally. Wind and truth needs little explanation. Some great battle scenes. Szeth was sick. 10 day countdown was intense. Kaladin is still the goat. Even a Terrible therapy description thrown into the mix.

Though I think I enjoyed this book more than most on the internet. Its flaws are by far the most obvious. And dalinar, in my opinion, wasn’t really given a rewarding payoff.

What we need is an archive about the genius it takes to lead a war and win. The trickery, bribes, spies, battles won, battles lost, and of course betrayal. And dalinar is said to be the one and only capable of doing this.

His development up to this point had been very intriguing.

But.

The only way I would consider this series as one of the greats. Is if it can perfectly weave together all these story lines. Into one perfect campaign with dalinar at the head. Sanderson has shown he can demonstrate how one wins a battle. But can he tell a story of one winning a war. Maybe I’m the idiot and all my wishes will be granted in the next five book arch. But until then, I will continue thinking dalinar was a missed opportunity.