Hello,
I am looking for a fantasy series that will make me cry and obliterate me emotionally, something I can get emotionally invested in, a sad story of love, political intrigue, war and death, where no character is safe. I would prefer something dark, bleak and medieval with magic and abstract creatures, maybe grimdark but open to any sub-genre at all.
I would like something with intricate character arcs and a good amount of depth in world-building.
I have recently re-watched all the Harry Potter movies I wouldn’t mind something like this - not in terms of a magic school, wizards and witches but in terms of how the story is structured and how some character deaths hit me for example the deaths of >!Dobby, Snape and one of the Weasley twins.!<
I am also aware that Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon do fit this however, I have seen the series so the books wouldn’t be that much of a shock to me, I would prefer something I have never seen before and completely …
As an avid reader of fantasy stories, I’ve noticed a recurring trend in stories that in later years has become more and more prominent, which is making magic an innate power that can only be used by those born with it, either because of a mutation or because of their heritage. And personally I don’t really like this.
Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Dresden Files, Avatar the Last Airbender and countless other stories have mages and magic users being a separate category from the rest of humanity, with “normal people” usually relegated to the role of background characters of little importance, whose only purpose is to make the main magical cast seem even more special by comparison. And I get it why a lot of writers would resort to this: after all, if magic could be learned by anyone, then the protagonists wouldn’t feel as special —to quote Syndrome from the Incredibles: “When everyone is Super, no one will be.”
However, I find this explanation to …
It’s not a surprising thing how Tolkien works are popular in the whole world, being a cult classic of fantasy literature. But in Russia and Ukraine this work is very special due to many social and political reasons. You know well how ukrainians and opposition minded russians love to compare Russia with Mordor, and how russian soldiers are compared to orcs.
Well, it”s all began in 80s, when Tolkien’s works are officially published in USSR. Because USSR is isolated country, many young people where very surprised with a book. For them it’s the first fantasy work oriented more on adult auditory. Before that soviet people know about fantasy things only thanks to fairytales. In USSR Science Fiction is more popular genre due to party’s ideology, which is why foreign sci-fi works get official publishment much earlier. And also USSR has many good sci-fi writers like Alexey Belyaev or Strugatsky brothers.
Tolkienist movement (aka LotR fandom) becomed extremely …
Hello all, and welcome to the 2023 Holiday MegaSale brought to you by Wraithmarked Creative!
The sale will once again be a charity event, this year sponsoring the Mary Cariola Children’s Center!
Each of our over 200 participating authors has agreed to donate at least $0.02 per book they sell or give away (or a minimum of $10, whichever is greater)! Last year we raised almost $10k USD, and we’re looking to beat that this year once again!
For those of you who aren’t familiar with the organization, Mary Cariola’s mission/vision statement reads as follows:
[Mary Cariola is] the regional leader in personalized, interdisciplinary, …
I’m not talking about the fantasy book that was released in 2023, although it could be. But what fantasy book did you read this year, irrespective of when it came out, that you enjoyed reading the most. My favorite was Uprooted, by Naomi Novik. It orginally came out in 2015 but came on my radar this year, and it was a very nice read. Nothing too complicated, but a story at the heart of a young girl discovering her abilities and not letting anyone get in her way with ideas of the “right” way to do things because “it’s always been done this way.” Honorable Mention goes to Fairy Tale, by Steven King, was released in 2022 didn’t get it until 2023 as it was on hold at my local library. Simple, straight forward fairy tale with a few twists. It makes for a Steven King book that is readable past the half way mark. What stood out for you?
Many people that I have asked this question to their first answer is usually Glokta from first law, but I was wondering if there’s any other ones that come to y’all’s mind
I’m on book 11 of 14 in the Wheel of Time series. So many people have said it’s the greatest fantasy series of all time. I feel like I’m still waiting for it to get good. I’ll finish the series out of pure stubbornness, but I can’t say I enjoy it.
Each book is 1,000+ pages long. A large portion of the text is descriptions of peoples’ clothing, hair, and skin, along with frequent complaints about the weather. None of the characters are relatable or even memorable. Nothing happens except boring descriptions of unrealistic politics. Magic is a huge part of this world, but it’s rarely used and only given vague, repeated descriptions.
I’m hoping the final three books are better, since a new author took over the writing after the original author passed.
This hit me because for so long I’ve loved The Belgariad series by David Eddings.
One of the main reasons was because of the way the familial relationships were. I loved that so much and then found out a while ago that both David Eddings and his wife Leigh were convicted of 11 counts of physical child abuse and were each sentenced to a year in jail.
It’s obvious from their writing they knew how a loving family should behave and all the things to do, but then to be abusers, just gave me an extra helping of pissed offed-ness at them.
I went to read it the other day and when I started I just had to put it away after a couple paragraphs and realized I’ll never be able to read it again.
I’ve read his Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep and seen the Blade Runner films. I assumed he was a one hit wonder but it turns out that he’s one of the most respected sci-fi authors out there, even if he isn’t mainstream.
But I keep seeing comments about him going insane near the end of his life. I can’t really find the full picture. Does anyone know what happened in full detail? Or at least a link to an explanation?
Note: I use mainstream as super well known like JK Rowling and Stephen King. You won’t be able to get a random person to tell you who Philip K Dick is. If you’re lucky they might know Blade Runner or Total Recall.
I was reading it just now and I got to the scene where Evelyn has pretty much lost everything. Her abusive husband cheated on her and divorced her leaving her blackballed in Hollywood while her new girlfriend Celia is getting success after success. Finally, Celia wins an Oscar (for a movie they both played roles in) while Evelyn is at her house completely alone watching it on screen. And she is so happy for Celia that she kisses the screen and chips her tooth.
When I first read that scene even though I was completely immersed in the whole story and loving it, this part lost me because I found it unrealistic. I wondered how could she possibly be happy for her in that moment. For me, no matter how much I loved the person I wouldn’t be able to help but hate them in that moment. They are just too similar. Like they do say that Evelyn’s role is more ethereal beauty while Celia is more girl next door, but there’s not really any difference in what they are trying to accomplish. They were …
So I’m about halfway through Blindsight, and I’m loving the themes and the atmosphere so far, excited to keep reading, but I feel like the vampires are a little out of place. I kinda feel like the “Transhumanist Sci-fi Vampire” book and the “Bleak Sci-Fi Existential Horror About Consciousness” both could and should be seperate books, and it kinda seems like two unrelated stories attached to each other for no real reason. Even though in universe there’s a scientific explanation for their existence, It kinda takes me out of it a little bit when someone’s rhapsodizing about philosophy of mind and then I remember that fucking Dracula’s hanging out in the corner. Anybody feel the same way?
Just curious what you guys think are some of the best nominees from the 21st century that didn’t win? Books that were as good as, close to as good as, or perhaps even better than the winner.
Are there any notorious upsets?
I’m new to reddit, and new to this group.
I’ve been disappointed with the quality of new science fiction for a couple of decades now. There’s way too much SIDAC.
Slow
Indoor
Dark
Angsty
Crap!
So, I’ve been digging through my library, and finding some of the old classics to re-read. I just finished “The Mote in God’s Eye” and “The Gripping Hand”.
The “Mote” books are now my favorite of all time, bumping the mighty “Foundation Trilogy” into second place.
Is there anything even vaguely like Mote being written these days?
TCS
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This is just a Samuel R. Delany appreciation post. Thank you for everything you’ve done and continue to do.
So good.
Such books for me were A Scanner Darkly, Roadside Picnic, The Heathe of Heaven, Neuromancer. None of them is too focused on space exploration but i don’t mind as long as it’s trippy. I hope you guys have some suggestions.
Mods, hope this is okay.
i love the book Jumper. A lot. It’s really about PTSD and while my relationship with my dad growing up wasn’t very good I got a 2nd chance with my kids. Getting this hit me in the feels. He had a copy of the book custom bound for me.
If you’ve never read it it’s a great novel about dealing with growing up under less than ideal circumstances. In talking frankly with my son over the years it’s been a gateway to some great conversations and I’m proud that all my kids (now adults) love to read. My oldest son especially so.
Now look, whenever there’s an apocalypse movie there’s always a charm, we rarely see the REAL problems in them and they sometimes even seem cool, cool in a way that you find yourself imagining them, having a cool character development, becoming a badass and living in a post apocalyptic world away from your real life everyday problems and life is simple and again COOL.
I love how The Road literally takes you and drops you on the ground, it is what the world and people would look like if something ever happens or should i say when it happens I don’t know. There’s nothing cool about it, everything sucks, everything’s ugly, you don’t want to be there, you wish you were dead and that’s what it’s all about.
It’s one of the best movie i will never see again, it’s a category for me where i like the movie but will never see again probably, it’s too heavy and too real.
Who can forget that basement scene, ugh.
A lot of theories and discussions about the plot was how DUMB the protagonist is such as not communicating or planning it out such as the infamous JUST RUN SIDEWAYS at a thing rolling straight towards you or “oh, creepy note saying GET OUT, guess I’ll stay”
However, in what scenarios would the protagonist win or resolve the situation if they were a himbo, or just never finished highschool.