Ursula LeGuin is quoted as saying the following about JK Rowling (taken from a discussion on r/literature):

LeGuin also called out Rowling’s reluctance to acknowledge sources of inspiration: “This last is the situation, as I see it, between my A Wizard of Earthsea and J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter. I didn’t originate the idea of a school for wizards — if anybody did it was T. H. White, though he did it in single throwaway line and didn’t develop it. I was the first to do that. Years later, Rowling took the idea and developed it along other lines. She didn’t plagiarize. She didn’t copy anything. Her book, in fact, could hardly be more different from mine, in style, spirit, everything. The only thing that rankles me is her apparent reluctance to admit that she ever learned anything from other writers. When ignorant critics praised her wonderful originality in inventing the idea of a wizards’ school, and some of them even seemed to believe that she had invented …

This’ll sound ridiculous, but it has happened to me like 5 times in the past year that I bought a cool looking book completely unaware that it was smut.

It’s like, I love fantasy and am always on the lookout for queer main characters, but somehow a huge chunk of books like that are just smut.

Vampire revenge story? Nope, just sex.

Witch fighting a demon? Nope, just sex.

Like they should seriously signpost these books in their blurb as smut because I’m digging into them expecting some epic saga and instead find literary p*rn.

Nothing against smut or people who read it, but honestly I just wanna read a cool story

Edit: a few things I’d like to respond to.

1. to everyone saying that this is my fault for not reading reviews - I do read reviews, but I don’t meticulously go through every goodreads review scanning for any mention of sex. Thank you to the people recommending StoryGraph tags - this is actually useful advice.

2. for people complaining about me censoring the …

I just find it rare to see ugly women in books. Especially Romance and Fantasy. Lots of male characters who are described to be not so attractive but suprisingly I have never came across any fantasy book with an ugly female protagonist. As an ugly girl I would like to have someone to relate too. Also not in the sense that ‘she was actually gorgeous but she always doubted herself and thought she was ugly’ or that she got a whole makeover and suddenly turned beautiful.

It would be fine is she isn’t the protagonist but preferably an important side character at least.

A buddy of mine gave me an early copy of a book he’s about to publish, just asking for feedback, and I ended up completely hooked. It’s this epic fantasy story, but rooted in Southern American culture—like deep-fried folklore, ghosts that haunt more than just houses, and that heavy, humid atmosphere of the South where everything feels a little cursed.

If you can imagine Stephen King’s IT mashed up with True Detective Season 1 and a touch of Southern Reach Trilogy weirdness, you’re in the right ballpark.

It’s fantasy, not horror exactly, but it carries that same creeping dread—decaying churches, old family secrets, religious overtones, and a landscape that feels like a character itself. And now I’m kind of obsessed with the vibe.

Anyone else into this sort of thing? Know any other books like it? Or are you writing something in a similar space? I’d love to hear about anything with that regional, Southern Gothic fantasy feel. It seems like a small niche, but one that’s ripe for …

So I’m a big reader and enjoy all kinds of types of books from sci-fi to fantasy. But I don’t think I’ve ever read a book with a world this bad to live in.

I mean first off if you’re born anything but a high color you’re life is going to suck. Most of the mid colors are tricked or forced to sign contracts that send them off their home planet and away from there family for years. On top of that you get TERRIBLE living conditions and make next to nothing. Even the bluex have it bad. In the first part of the second book all the blues ( the pilot color ) get blown to dust in a space battle that meant nothing! It was just a training thing for Darrow.

Then there’s the low colors. They have it the worst. Even if you’re a high red you’re usually just a street sweeper or a servant to some copper. But a low red is forced to work in the mines with little to know medical care and terrible living conditions. On top of that living to the age of 40 …

I’ve been running into this more and more books or shows that pitch themselves as epic multiverse journeys, but the main character only travels to two or three different places, tops. Then they get stuck in one slightly different dimension for 90% of the plot. I don’t know, if you promise infinite worlds, I want to feel that scope. Instead, it always becomes some half-hearted portal fantasy with different weather patterns.

Another trope that grates on me is the “your original life was what you needed all along” lesson. Like, really? You’re telling me the utopia that solved war and cured disease wasn’t a better option? I get the emotional beat they’re aiming for, but it often feels like a cop-out.

Anyone else find these tropes frustrating? Or am I just reading the wrong stuff?

“The Bell Curve” was kept in the Naval Academy library, but a book critiquing it was removed.

I’m sorry I really want to like this book and there are parts of it that I really enjoy but it’s giving misogyny and male fantasy. The relationship between Jill and Mike makes me feel sick to my stomach. Mike knows best and Jill’s feelings don’t matter ever. I’m especially uncomfortable with the way Mike has this harem of women and she feels the need to share him. I get that it’s probably a Martian thing to share with your water brothers but even seeing the way women are written in this book with no distinguishable agency or personality makes me feel so fucking ill. I get that this book was really scandalous at the time and I’m sure it’s meant to be counter to purity culture with its portrayals of free sex and nudity but again, you can really tell this book was written by a man and I feel like I need to read feminist literature after this to cleanse my palate LMAO

I’ve been a fed for about 6 years now but I’ve been with the US government for going on 19 years. Naturally, I’m cyber with some secret squirrel stuff so I love the little head nods and references he throws in.

There’s been some small references to Trump and problems with the US government dissolving smaller sections in previous stories but this book goes directly in towards a hostile takeover from corporations and religious nationalists in a way that makes me feel like it was written today and not almost a decade ago. Damn.

I’m enjoying the series (especially since the revitalizing Nightmare Stacks) but the escapism is a bit marred when the story has such parity with ongoing events. I’d prefer anything else over this CASE NIGHTMARE ORANGE I’ve gotta deal with over here.

Stross, you have my respect and appreciation but I’d like to know whose crystal ball you had to rub to actually divine the future like that.

I feel like my favorite authors have stopped releasing stories, and I’ve not picked favorite authors out of the current crop. I do know there’s been a kind of revival in Literary Sci Fi, like the kind that get featured in nytimes lists. Some of my favorite authors have been Annie Leckie, Poppy War author, Yoon Ha-Lee, Nnedi O, Kameron Hurley, and some others I’m forgetting… I’m really more of a science fiction guy, less fantasy. I need a cool idea and good characters to hold my attention

So yea.. what are the recent books that have critical and crowd approval?

I found about 150 paperbacks (mostly SF) and a few hundred issues of “Analog”, “Galaxy”, “Fantastic Universe”, and “Fantasy and Science Fiction” in a deceased relative’s storage unit. The dates range from 1951 to 1980. They were horribly stored in cardboard boxes. Many with the text block down. They are very musty and dirty. Quite a few are warped. I plan on cleaning up the books as best I can (if I can) for reading and passing on, but I’m not sure what to do about the magazines. Are they worth trying to flatten and clean?

I cherish the fact that the love of SF has passed the generations to me. But I’m quite upset that this collection was so poorly cared for. I’m willing to put in some work if someone might value them, but I think I need an honest voice to tell me if this is a lost cause.

Thanks Friends 🖖

I wrote something I thought no one would ever read… Then I released it quietly, on impulse, through KU. Literally had 0 expectations whatsoever when I hit publish on the ebook…

BUT…

People read it, engaged, left reviews. My mind got blown away from the level of support I received, so I decided to go forward…

And now… after I don’t know how many rivers of coffee and sleepless nights, the paperback is LIVE and about to be printed. It feels exactly like a “glitch” in the system that somehow became real.

Can’t wait to open that box. 📦

If you’re an indie author (or just dreaming about becoming one) and you’re stuck like I was, stop postponing, stop overthinking, and just hit that publish button. The feeling that comes when the first reader kicks in is just surreal ❤️

Just wanted to share the moment with people who get it, and if you’ve made it this far into the post, thank you for your time. 🙏 😊

… so I though it’s give them a post of their own, displaying the covers of each as well as the spines.

The matching set here are UK editions published by Pan Macmillan, apart from the short story collection that (while it thankfully still matches) is published instead by Picador. I am only missing one title in this style I believe, and that’s “Looking For Jake and Other Stories”, which I am avidly keeping my eyes peeled for.

What do you think of these? Is there a cover design amongst them that in particular stands out to you? And what’s your favourite Miéville novel?

I guess season 5 is coming out this year.

At this point, Stranger Things was so long ago that it feels like something from my past. I can’t really explain it other than that. It’s not like the hype built up for a final season anymore. It’s more like this old thing that needs cleaning up at this point.

Hi! I’m Ana de Armas, an actor, dog lover, and occasional stuntwoman. You might know me from Knives Out, Blonde, Knock Knock, or No Time to Die. I’ve been lucky to play a wide range of characters over the years, and I’m here to talk about all of it. From my first roles to what’s next, including From the World of John Wick: Ballerina, which hits theaters June 6. Ask me anything!

Exclusive First Image Of Nicolas Cage As Football Icon John Madden & Christian Bale As Raiders Owner Al Davis In Amazon MGM’s ‘Madden’

https://deadline.com/2025/05/nicolas-cage-john-madden-christian-bale-al-davis-first-photo-1236396456/

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