I’m a pretty practical person. I’ve always justified my reading as “useful” — history, economics, science, biography. Fiction always felt like a indulgence I couldn’t quite allow myself. My partner has been trying to get me to try fantasy for years and I kept brushing it off.

Last month I caved and picked up The Name of the Wind mostly just to stop the conversation. I figured I’d read 50 pages, confirm it wasn’t for me, and move on.

I finished it in four days. I haven’t read anything in four days since college.

What got me wasn’t the magic or the world, it was Kvothe narrating his own story and being an unreliable mess about it. As someone who reads a lot of memoir and biography I’m very used to people constructing their own legends, and watching that happen in real time inside a fantasy novel was genuinely surprising to me. I didn’t expect the genre to be doing that kind of thing.

Now I’m in this weird place …

Anyone else feel this way? I never thought that something would come along that would challenge my sentiment that Lord if the Rings has the deepest and richest lore in fantasy, but along comes something that I can’t even fathom how this story was constructed and communicated…

Nothing, stormlight, mistborn, ASOIAF, red rising, name of the wind, literally nothing else comes close and there are more emotional and more mind-blowing moments in Malazan than I thought possible. I just don’t get how Erikson did this. AMA

I just want to talk about these books, honestly

39 books in total. Not the first time that Humble Bundle have them, but if you missed them in the past this is a good deal.

RJB posted to Bluesky the release date, cover art and plot synopsis for his third Ana and Din book. Link!

I’m usually a big fan of “classic” fantasy, and I can usually recognize/understand that when a book is published matters but… Dragonflight is rough. It’s not explicit, but wow is there just so much abuse, rape, and consent issues in this book. At times it feels far too nonchalant, and at others like some weird fetish the author had.

I guess my question is: Should I keep going with the series? Do these issues get better?

Just picked up the third book in a series I started last year and I am completely lost. I remember the broad strokes but all the details are gone. Who betrayed who? What was the magic system again? Why are they going to this city?

TV shows figured this out ages ago. You get a quick 30 second recap before each episode and you’re caught up. But with books, especially long fantasy series with months or years between entries, you’re just expected to remember everything. Some authors put a summary at the start which is amazing, but most don’t.

I’ve started keeping a notes doc for each series but honestly it takes the fun out of it. Reading shouldn’t feel like studying for an exam. How do you guys manage this, especially with longer series like Malazan or Stormlight?

My first China Mieville novel. It took me some time to get into it but once in, it was just one beautiful word after another until the end. I have seen some rudimentary treatment of Language in other novels but nothing of the sort Mieville describes here. The twin voice and the stark difference from human language was so absorbing. Showed how Language can effect change in society vis-a-vis thoughts and behaviours (maybe other way around but still reflects in language?). The connection is real. The aliens were really alien (little naive?) but humans were not very human-like either. In fact, everything seemed distorted for most of the novel. Nonetheless, the concept and literary aspect of it was top notch. Reminded me of Ursula K Le Guin time and time after.

Just got back from the VNSA book sale in Phoenix, AZ. Happens once a year, and it’s overwhelming. I was on a time crunch (probably a good thing) or I would have bought more. Everything was $2-3.

Hi, I’m looking for books where the ships are part of the story rather than a means of getting from a to b with very little other description. Does anyone have any favourites or recommendations?

Okay let me preface this by saying I don’t like just shitting on someone or something for no reason. It is not a hobby of mine, and it takes a lot for me to publicly type something critical up. I’m literally doing this out of a sense of duty after I got sucked (suckered?) into reading these.

Because I like a good military sci-fi romp, or a light ‘airplane’ read, I was browsing the sub for some recommendations. That’s how I found the “Undying Mercenaries” series by BV Larsen, along with Marko Kloos’ “Frontlines” series.

I read “Frontlines” first. Highly recommended. Good stuff.

Then I moved over to “Undying Mercenaries”. When I saw BV Larsen has pumped out more than 50 books I should have known better. Absolute slop.

I got 3 or 4 books into UM (book 1 was passable for a kick-off book) when I realized this stuff is awful, and for some stubborn reason ($0.00 per book via Amazon btw) I decided to plow …

So l love sci-fi books with space opera, military or adventuresque themes. Especially if they involve spaceships or space flight. I love themes of military honor, Galactic/alien civilizations, Empire, facing impossible odds, tactics/diplomacy, disgraced captains brought back into service, “band of losers against the world”, and “being pursued by the enemy”

So I’m hoping you guys can recommend some books for me to add. I’ve listen to many of my collection over dozens of times. The series I’ve read/listened to so far that contain some of these themes are as follows:

The Lost Fleet series - Jack Campbell (favorite series)

Star Carrier series- Ian Douglas

Grimm’ War series - Jeffery H Haskell

Vatta’s War & Serrano Legacy - Elizabeth Moon

Honor Harrington series- David Weber

Duchess of Terra series- Glynn Stewart

Decline and Fall of the Galactic Empire series - Andrew Moriarty

Space Team Universe - Barry J Hutchison

The …

Disco Elysium feels very somber and melancholic, a sense of the world going away (literally), and sadness for a revolution failed.

I’m curious if anyone can think of books that have a similar melancholic feel to the game. Thanks.