When I want to read a book about a fictional word, and it happens to have a map printed, I spent at least half an hour just starring at the map.
I try to internalize the names of the lands and cities and pay attention to the shown terrain. I often imagine possible trade or travel routes, and at depictions of cities, the architecture, the difference between high and low class, also the relationships between different factions.
I don’t feel really comfortable with actually reading until I can see myself walking through the streets or traveling across the land. It may not be the actual purpose of the map, but I enjoy doing so, sometimes more than reading the actual wordbuilding. Does anybody else have similar feelings?
Every fantasy book I read, the sex bothers me.
Everyone couple Brandon Sanderson’s books is supposedly head over heels in love with each other yet will literally never fuck.
Then I read ACOTAR and ACOMAF (mistake and subsequent bigger mistake) and literally all they do is fuck and/or think about fucking and I’m sitting here thinking “have you two ever had an actual conversation?? Do you even like each other?? Do you even know each other?” And the sex scenes go on for pages and pages and pages and it’s just ridiculously over the top.
Can I please get like… a middle ground somewhere??
It’s always a girl choosing between two guys when the country or world is at stake. I get YA is supposed to have teen angst but does it have to be in a fantasy war like situation? You can imagine Tony stark fighting thanos and also worrying about pepper and some other chick? I guess i don’t mind love triangles as much as annoyed it happens when the stakes are life and death.
Honestly the answer may be right in front of me but for the life of me I can’t think of any. Instead of magic leaving the world, what are some fantasy books/series that deal with magic entering the world for the very first time?
I recently, unexpectedly, lost my eyesight. A recent realisation is that I have read my last ever book in the usual sense. It’s quite sad when I think about it given how much I love reading and even have a library in my house. What makes it worse was the last book I read was rubbish, I didn’t really enjoy it at all but read it as I don’t like leaving books half started. It was ‘How Not to Die Alone’ by Richard Roper. Had I have known I might have re-read an old favourite or tried a random new genre. I’ve never tried audiobooks, and I know there is a debate as to if it constitutes reading, but for me it’s going to have to be the way forwards.
Has this ever happened to you? Many times, I have had well-meaning people suggest a book and comment that there is a big plot surprise at the end….but then hasten to add that they aren’t going to spoil it. But they DID just spoil it……..
A plot twist is obviously most effective when you aren’t expecting it. If you know the twist is coming, you are constantly on the lookout for it; you are actively speculating what the twist will be. When it finally comes, there is no real excitement….or even an actual “surprise”.
I know that it can be incredibly difficult not to talk about an extraordinary reading experience. I enjoy hearing people talk about a book that they truly enjoyed. And I (like most people) enjoy an unpredictable plot. But please keep the “huge twists” to yourself.
Admittedly, the reviews and synopsis on the book cover will probably be sufficient to spoil this. I can’t recall the last time that a …
I can not STAND (in books or movies/TV shows) when characters call their family members stuff like “sis” or “big bro” to their face. It seems like the most absolutely ridiculous way of speaking to a sibling. I call my sister by her first name! Her name is too short to have a nickname but occasionally she calls me by a silly nickname or just my first name.
Ugh, the worst was this book I just read where a character literally said to her sister’s face something like “well of course not, twin sis.”
Like what??? Who talks like that? It’s also not like it was the first time establishing that they are twins. The entire first chapter explained that in plenty of detail.
I’m am currently reading The Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss. I can’t put it down. I blew through The Name Of The Wind. It’s almost like I have a compulsive need to finish the story. I haven’t been this caught up in a book series since Pierce Brown’s Red Rising Trilogy. Even though in this particular series I know there is not a conclusive ending.
Maybe it’s just my personality type. I guess I’m all in when I do anything. Work, going to the gym, etc. I put everything I have into it. It’s like I want to handle my business so I can get back to my book and just wish the outside world would leave me alone. Once I’m finished it’s all good. Anyone else experience this as well at times?
Just got done with this terrific book. It’s one of the few books I have given 5 starts to on Goodreads.
However I think I am going insane.
About 20 or so years ago I read a book about intelligent spiders on another planet - could have been a short story, I don’t know. I have tried to find it ever since and was never able to. When I started reading this book I suddenly realized “Holy Crap. This is that spider book. Only it wasn’t. But it was. Same spiders (same character names from what I can remember), same planet name, a lot of the same story elements- but no Quen-Ho or Emergents.
The book I read was this one, only it was focused entirely on the spiders with no mention of any of the other races.
So I’m thinking it might have been a short story or an excerpt, or just a distillation of the story that focused only on the spiders.
Have I lost my mind or can anyone confirm that it was not a fever dream of mine and this actually existed in some form?
Thanks!
Edit: I figured it out. …
I’ve dabbled in SF with mixed results, but the books I’ve loved, I have loved deeply. I’d be grateful for some input from those more familiar with the genre to help me identify the kinds of books I’d enjoy.
Banks and Chiang are my absolute faves. I love the ‘what if?’ elements of Chiangs writing, whilst I love how Banks blends some of these with great characters and dark (psychological rather than straight-up violence) themes. I also enjoyed Ken Liu, some HG Wells, and China Mieville.
In my dabbling, I’ve been less keen on Ann Leckie, Andy Weir, Pat Cadigan, Nnedi Okorafor or Philip K Dick’s ‘Androids’ (though would give him another go if its strongly recommended). I’m not keen on straightforward action/adventure scifi.
If its helpful, my fave authors that have a similar ‘feel’ to that I’m seeking are Scott Lynch and China Mieville
Thanks in advance to anyone with suggestions!
Edit: thank you …
the protagonist is a teenager (i think a girl but i’m not sure) who is sent to prison on another planet by her parents because (i think) she was too poorly behaved. the planet is made up entirely of prisons. it’s governed by AI. each person (incl. the protagonist) is imprisoned in a very small, confined space that has just enough room to stand, sit, exercise a bit, and recline for sleep. the AI spends a while describing how the prisoner can ask for anything she wants and she will immediately get it, with the exception of asking to leave the prison. (whatever she asks for won’t actually be real, but it will feel 100% real, indistinguishable from as if she were doing it in real life.) the girl resists, tries to go on a hunger strike, etc. but the AI basically force her to stay alive. eventually, at the end, she comes up with a plan that is within the confines of the prison’s rules to somehow create a replica of herself and have the replica go home and terrorize …
Hey all
Does anyone know of a time loop story, where the protagonist remains stuck (and is implied to be stuck forever) by the conclusion of the story?
I have probably consumed two dozen time loop stories, and they all seem to end up with the characters escaping them, never with the grim reality or zen-like acceptance of their eternal recurrences.
Any help appreciated, thanks!
Hi Redditors,
I cross-posted to this to r/sciencefiction as well…
I don’t know who else to turn to. I’m desperately trying to find the title (and possibly text) of a science fiction short I read a few (or possibly many) years ago.
The short story is about a guy who realizes that people don’t die and instead life just keeps getting stranger and stranger. He was a collector of books by a specific author and had collected (or knew about) everything that author had written. When he went into a bookstore, he found a title by his favorite author that he never knew about. This is the point when he started realizing things in the world were “off.” The story progresses (with his life getting weirder and weirder) and I’m not sure how it ends.
I don’t remember much more of the story but I really want to read it again. Worse still, I start to get a panic attack whenever I think of the story because I think I’ll never find it again. …
One of the things I love about this sub is movie recommendations, and why the OP recommended said movie. It is noted, and greatly appreciated when the review/description is as vague as possible to avoid any spoilers.
However.
It needs to be mentioned that when talking about a plot twist you’re essentially spoiling part of the movie. Please use the cover format when mentioning plot twists.
Thank you!
Even though the sequel really lets this movie down (other than the legendary intro), I really believe this film is one of the best zombie films out there. The setting is easily one of the best of any zombie film I’ve seen - an abandoned, lifeless London with literally no life around at the film’s start. Boyle’s beautiful and harrowing shots to bring this London to life are just incredible.
The main characters are well-rounded and we learn about them and genuinely get attached to them throughout the film’s runtime (unlike the sequel). Even though some of the performances weren’t very good, I often overlook them because of the brilliant writing.
Also, this film is actually scary! The zombies are terrifying. They sprint towards their prey and leap on them- plus the transformation from human to infected takes seconds (which is something that more zombie films should do in my opinion). It kept the pace of the film quick and created so much damn tension …