Recommended reading charts. (Look here before asking for vague recs)
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>Archive:
https://warosu.org/lit/?task=search2&search_subject=sffg

>Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1029811-sffg

>Previous:
>>24459321

>Thread Question:
Which fantasy race is your favourite and how do you prefer races to be? Generic Tolkien races or something weirder?

What did you read last?
What are you reading?
What will you read next?

>>24466523
>what do you mean you lost the frisbee?

>>24466520 (OP)
I like the Jaghut from Malazan and dwarves in general. I find I relate to both in different ways.
>>24466523
>Mason & Dixon by Thomas Pynchon, which counts as fantasy because it had a talking dog, a werebeaver, giant vegetables and other assorted nonsense
>Dying of the Light by George R.R. Martin
>not sure, probably more GRRM

>>24466538
>I relate to both
How? Are you a midget green man with tusks who is a dindu that was genocided

>>24466523
>Last
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell, found this to be really disappointing desu I loved the current day parts with Emilio but so much of the story feels like filler while stuffing all the interesting details about how things went wrong into the last few chapters
>Current
This Alien Shore by C.S Lewis, I'm only 6 chapters in but I'm really liking it so far pretty cool idea making the Aliens of the universe genetically modified humans from the first interstellar flight gone wrong
>Next
Not entirely sure but I'm thinking about stepping out of the typically SFF books I read and checking out The Power of the Dog by Don Winslow or maybe The Gold Coast by Nelson DeMille

>>24466555
>C.S Lewis
kek

speaking of though, anyone read the space trilogy?

>>24466563
oh man thats a hilarious mistake i guess I had Narnia on the brain lmfao

>>24466555
>The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
Read James Blish's A Case of Conscience or Walter M. Miller's A Canticle to Leibowitz if you want good religious SF.

>>24466555
>but so much of the story feels like filler while stuffing all the interesting details about how things went wrong into the last few chapters
Actually, I'm like a third of the way through it and I just want to skip to the end to get all my answers

>>24466578
It's a stupid ending. Definitely, that book convinced me that modern SF isn't worth reading.

>>24466578
its pretty underwhelming sadly and super rushed that said i do kind of want to read the sequel one day just to see what she does with Emilio

What's /sffg/'s opinion on classic JP fantasy

>>24466637
The Japanese are easily the worst storytellers out of any country on planet Earth. They have no idea what subtlety is. Everything is explicitly stated. They have no idea how character and story arcs work. They have no idea how to end a story properly.

The only thing that has more good to dogshit ratio of entertainment next to manga or anime, is rap music. For every single good anime, there are 500 irredeemable pieces of trash. Fuck Japan and fuck their retarded ass "stories"

>>24466523
>What did you read last?
King of Elfland’s Daughter
>What are you reading?
Time of Contempt. Currently at chapter 3
>What will you read next?
Undecided. I have been trying to read single novels in between books of a series so I might do that again. Have to check what’s in my library

>>24466642
It's because they have a different take on three arc structure. That's why you can always spot a Japanese story.

>>24466637
its a video game but I have a special place in my heart for Lunar 1 Silver Star Story

>>24466647
Whatever they are doing, they fucking suck at it... that's for damn sure. Absolute trash. The Japanese crank out more unlikable bullshit than anyone else on earth. If you need any more evidence of this just look at the people who consume it. It's either socially stunted and retarded japanese man-child virgins, or western autistic man-child virgins.

>>24466637
I extremely dislike anything weeb. Every single Jap shit follows the same story and plot. It’s all so incredibly generic.

>She thought I would abandon my army, my fleet, and rush home to save my son. But she does not know what she has awoken.
>I pull the key Pax gave me from my neck and put it in my bag, setting aside the father, welcoming the Reaper, and letting the old rage take hold.
I literally took the hands off my steering wheel while driving and clapped

>>24466637
>frogs first attempt to produce something based off of JP fantasy
>fix all its problems in that first attempt
lol

>>24466773
You're going to like Dark Age quite a bit I think

>>24466637
I don't know any in a literary form. Although I like fantasy Japan (Ninja Scroll, Princess Mononoke) as a setting.

>>24466667
>I extremely dislike anything weeb.
Japanese content can be good, sometimes great. The faggot fans ruin the enjoyment, though.

>>24466803
This one fucking sucked, thougheverbeit

>>24466912
seething weeb buck broken at the fact that the west won

>>24466637
guin saga's good

>>24466659

>>24466959
There is a decent chance I've been on 4chan longer than you've been alive. Also, go fuck yourself, virgin.

>>24466563
started w/ perelandra a few months ago and really liked it. i also have hideous strength but i want to read the first one before HS.

>>24466964
stfu normalfag, go to reddit

>>24466429
You are overestimating the average reader's literacy level. Malazan is not difficult to read, it's just that the average fantasy reader can't handle narratives that contain a modicum of subtext.
>>24466642
I mostly agree when it comes to manga, anime, and to a lesser extent games. Japanese creatives in those areas, by and large, cannot write for shit. I could probably count the number of masterpieces in those mediums I've encountered on one hand.
>>24466523
>Last
Darkness of the Light by Peter David. RIP to a great one. I read one of his novels in memoriam and it was a fucking wild ride. There were a ton of storylines, half the characters are straight up just evil, and it was an interesting tale on portal fantasy where the monsters are banished to earth and basically take over. It wasn't the best book I've ever read but it was a lot of fun and I'll probably read the rest some day.
>Current
House Name by Michelle West. Book 11 of Essalieyan that takes place concurrently with Book two. I'm not very far in but I'm interested in how she tackles the same basic narrative a decade later.
>Next
The Gap into Vision: Forbidden Knowledge by Steven R. Donaldson. Read the first one a couple months ago and Donaldson is one of my favorite writers. I'm working through finishing any series I've started and The Gap is next on the list.

>>24466964
when did you start browsing 4chan?

>>24466975
i want to say mid/late 2006

>>24466970
That cover art is pretty neato. Is this some sword and sorcery? Anything you could compare this to?

>/sffg/ (rightfully) derides modern fantasy and its depictions of NTR and woke bs
>/sffg/ constantly talks about how great Bakker is
>read him
>contains a bunch of bisexuality and cuckoldry
What is the name of this phenomenon?

>>24467011
bitch-niggerdry

>>24466981
are you a woman by any chance?

>>24466986
I honestly can't think of anything I've read that's similar. It isn't swords and sorcery. The premise is that twelve fantasy races (cyclops, lizard people, trolls, mermen, vampires, etc.) were being shitheads in their home dimension so they all got banished to earth in three waves. The first two waves didn't survive and are how we got all our myths about them, and then the third wave showed up and completely fucked humanity into being a critically endangered species and took over the planet. Most of the narrative clearly takes place in what was Europe circa the year 2000.

Above all the fantasy races there's a dude called The Overseer and literally everybody is afraid of him and literally nobody knows why. The plot is basically a bunch of people from different factions doing shit that's vaguely connected but not really. There is:

>A ragtag group of battlefield scavengers (one is a human) on a quest for the king of the cyclops
>Vampires using various plots to ensure their survival because all the other races hate them
>A shark dude trying to liberate his people because the mermen use them as a slave race by keeping them all addicted to fantasy heroine
>A lizardman trying to unite the lizard men tribes
>A dragonman trying to figure out why their magic batteries are dying for the overseer

and that's not even everything. It's all over the place but it kinda works because most of the storylines have some overlap. Like I said, it's mostly carried by the entertaining writing.

>>24466948
Can you even read them in english ? I thought it was only in jap other than the anime and the manga.

>>24467011
the main woman is a whore bitch. She is written like a true whore as anyone who has been around women knows it to be accurate. That's why it good. Also bakker never tries to convince the writer that the acts of faggotry or cuckholdry are good. So I don't know why this continues to get brought up. In fact they are written as often degenerate and or disturbing to an extreme degree. The sexual violence even bleeds into the prose.
Book 2 describes a scene which im paraphrasing: He tore through the magic wards as easily as a rapist tears through a linen dress. It's all there to be visceral, where as it's in modern fantasy women write it for fetishslop

>>24467045
you need to know japanese if you want to read the 120 books

>>24467029
No.

>>24467043
This book sounds super fun! I'm going to add it to my goodreads list and try to read it sometime in the next month. I appreciate the breakdown!

>>24467049
well I won't then

>>24467053
:O

>>24467048
>B-b-but he writes about them in a based way so it's good!!!
How about just not including them in the story?

>The Heroes
>not a single Union officer is actually competent
How the fuck did the Union even survive up to now? 3 divisions all being led by different flavors of retard, a commander in chief that can't handle the responsibility and a royal observer that wants to fucking kill himself.
I'm starting to think Bayaz isn't that big of a mastermind after all if this is the best puppet state he could make.

Any novels starring the second guy?

>>24467103
ask him >>24467053

>>24467103
The Dragonbone Chair, wouldnt say starring though

>>24467103
The Tawny Man trilogy by Robin Hobb.

>>24466970
>malazan
>subtext
The subtext being the author's fat fetish.

>>24467053
you sound like a faggot

>>24466486
Red Sonja series by David Smith
Bloodsong series by C. Dean Andersson

The most cringe thing about GRRM is the RR

Is there a better SF book than Harvest of Stars? Or should I just reread it?

>>24467145
>Is there a better SF book than Harvest of Stars?
Yes, many.

>>24467146
Like what? I'll be the judge

>>24467155
For instance.

>>24467103
The Way of Kings

I'm going to read everything pictured (minus the books on the carpet) inside of a year. I would tell you all to wish me luck but I don't need it. I will read them all!

>>24467103
Whoever made that image is retarded. Most jesters in fiction are the second example. Just look at King Lear archetype- voice of reason/truth sayer jester.
This also gives me a reason to post pic related. Great book

Is there good fiction that shows the record of wars and national conflict, either in the fantasy/sci fi genres? I think war often gets torn down to one battle, where the MC makes a difference rather than just being one guy.

>>24467164
No

>>24466642
>Everything is explicitly stated
only because the subtler points went over your head, and anime is targeted at teenagers anyway

>>24466647
the classical Japanese 3 ACT structure applies to classical works, anon. trying to apply Jap 3-act in analysis of modern Jap media is like trying to analyse MCU capeshit through the lens of fucking Shakespeare

besides, any fuckwit talking about "3-act structures" shouldn't be allowed to comment on /lit/
wow, a story has 3 acts? a beginning, middle, and end? AMAZING WHY DIDN'T ANYONE EVER THINK OF THAT

>>24467193
Ah, just stick to the upper shelf.

>>24467210
You will read them and you will love them.

>>24467197

do I stop reading dune after the third book?

>>24467232
ideally you stop reading after the 1st

4th onwards is Frank trying to continue the story with ever escalating entanglements like a webnovel. there's no more philosophy to be had. if you want to follow the story, then by all means read on. if not, you can drop it.
captcha says consider fapping

>>24467232

>>24467239
ok thanks lol that captcha
>>24467240
thanks
I think ill stop at 3, already have the 2 first books

>>24467232
If you've read that far you might as well read the rest. Children sets up stuff that pays off in God Emperor and later books.

>>24467240
>there is no reason to read 3 unless you're gearing up for 4
truer words were never said

>>24467247
thanks but ill stop at the third book

>>24467249
oh so should I read only the second book and stop there?

>Rich people harvesting the organs of the poor/criminals to extend their lives

Seems ripe for a movie adaptation.

>>24467251
refer the diagram anon posted

>>24467252
There is a movie where rich people get human meat delivered to them for fancy meals. I forget what it's called. Came out in the past 5 or so years. It was semi-interesting.

>>24467252
THIS TIME, when the bitch says she wants to do a topless scene, we say YES

>>24467253
ok

>>24467258
That movie is criminally underrated. One of Michael Bay's better films.

>>24467257
Fresh (2022)?

>>24467281
yeaaa that was it. i remember it being sort of interesting enough of a concept that it was worth watching... but i don't want you to think it's a "Good" movie. It isn't. But it's kind of all we have in this vein or weird rich people eating people

>>24466523
>last
A Will Eternal book 5. AWE has been a much linear journey compared to ISSTH.
The last part of the Unwilling God trilogy of which I went in expecting it to be the last thing in that world put out yet the ending strongly suggests more to come. There was some nice writing tucked away that I enjoyed and it was cool to see an old face show up near the end to help one of our friends out.
I reread the last ~25% of the latest Dungeon Crawler Carl.
>current
I'm two chapters into AWE book 6 because it's easy to read on the side. I haven't read any hard sci-fi in a bit so I may start one for something different. I'm feeling something Egan but I do believe I've tapped out of what does and doesn't interest me of his unless I reread some stuff.
>next
Maybe that Magic the Gathering: Arena book.

>>24467252
Probably hits too close to home for Hollywood.

>>24466656
For me its Illusion of Gaia

bros...I don't think we're getting the nogod series.

>>24467458
good

>>24466523
>last: A Dance with Dragons
>now: Fourth Wing
>now: also The Fellowship of the Ring
>next: maybe The Two Towers

>>24466928
>the modern day west
>winning
Pick one

>>24466659
Not enough faggots and ugly women for you?

>>24467103
Wit from stormlight archive

>>24467232
I'd recommend you stop reading after God Emperor (the best Dune novel, IMHO).

>>24466523

"The Shadow of the Torturer" By Gene Wolf
"The Decline And Fall of the Roman Empire." (May skip the Byzantines) By Edward Gibbon
Probably "Taxation and Governmental Finance in Sixteenth-Century Ming China" by Ray Huang

>>24465588
PKD shits on both of these losers. Go back to r@ddit (why is this filtered?), pedophile.

>>24467458
i will now become immensely wealthy and pay bakker whatever he asks to finish the series. please hold.

any book out there like legacy of kain? It all fails to deliver the same Shakespearean speech.

>>24467753
Try The Broken Sword

>>24467403
You ever play Terranigma?

>>24466523
Jaghuts are probably top5 of my favorite fantasy races. So fucking badass and chillingly cool.

>>24467843
>chillingly cool.
heh

Any decent novels/stories about AI raising children? I saw that Ridley Scott made a tv show about that concept, but I don't really like television much.

>>24467950
>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robbie_(short_story)
famously, yes
Asimov put out so many shorts in his career and covered so many aspects of robots and artificial intelligence (practically synonymous in his conceptualisation) that frankly it's hard to find some aspect or plot regarding AI that he hasn't touched on

>>24466541
If I said yes would you accept it and not ask any follow-up questions?

>Its happened again
>Run out of decently paced progression fantasy
>all thats left is mary sues and brain dead xinxia cucks
I mean i might as well read Bakker at this point.

>>24467700
>(May skip the Byzantines)

>>24468048
>progression fantasy

what are some serious fantasy?

>>24468207
Guy Gavriel Kay's books

>>24468207
malazan

>>24468216
>>24468215
thanks

>>24466520 (OP)
cadicle series any good?

>>24468207
What people today call adult fantasy aka normal fantasy from 25+ years ago.

I know it might be antiquated, but aside from Warhammer do you guys have any recommendations for law vs chaos fantasy?

>>24468307
It's the whole point of Michael Moorcock's Eternal Champion concept

>>24467692
Heretics of Dune was OK.

What are some good sci-fi books that don't try to be smart? Prioritization over story telling rather than autistic details? I'm finding a lot of 60's-80's sci-fi where it's obvious the authors are all having some sort of contest between themselves to see who can be the smartest.

>>24468512
The Expanse? It's got tech and an understanding of a real life physics based laws but it's not autistic about it. It just says x happens because it does.

>>24468512
Ship of Fools is solid
the big bad isn't really explained

>>24468533
>>24468528
Thanks, fellas. Expanse book are on my to read list but I'd never heard of ship of fools. I have a bunch of Dick on my to read list. I assume that's a standalone book? Would it be a good first Dick book to read, do you think?

>>24468539
Richard Paul Russo is the author, sorry about that lol
he won the Philip K. Dick Award

and it is a standalone, yes

>>24468545
Oh I'm retarded. I glanced the cover instead of reading what it said. My apologies. I'll add it to the list and try to read it this week and report back! I appreciate your time and recommendation. I hope it's good!

>>24466520 (OP)
>T'lan Imass
So they were effectively undead stone age humans?

>>24468539
>>24468512
Expanse is written for TV (you can practically see the commercial breaks and the episode endings in the flow) so it ought to be quite suitable for readers like you

>>24468302
oh lmao ok

>>24466520 (OP)
Got any good SFF murder mysteries?

>>24468892
I'm partial to Sundiver, but mainly because I like the Uplift novels. Effectively a whodunit on a space station.

>>24468892
Asimov wrote a few. Caves of Steel and its sequels.

>>24468822
Pretty much. This is part of how you can tell the author is an archaeologist and anthropologist. His world has a history with species coming before each other and building off what came before them.

>>24468892
I can highly recommend Titanium Noir by Harkaway. The book takes place in oh let's say 2060 and focuses on a detective who solves murders of Titans - elite individuals in society that are able get gene therapy and other biological enhancements to live longer. Reads a lot like old school Chandler and Hammett novels and well it's just very good for what it's trying to do.

>>24468995
How pozzed is it?

>>24469000
checked. not really sure but then again I'm center left so hey what do I know. again - it's a throwback to the early 20th century noir genre so it's pretty much focused on men characters and I'm pretty sure there's a female love interest and or a femme fatale in there. no mention of race from what I remember

>>24468892
if you're not particular set on the murder part there's the entire Garrett PI series written by Glenn Cook. Investigator in a fantasy world tackling various cases and dealing more with hardboiled detective affairs. For some reason all covers inaccurately portray the protagonist dressed up as a noir detective.

>>24468995
Noir aesthetic pisses me off something fierce. No idea why but god damn does it cringe me out and piss me off. Same thing with Rocky Horror Picture Show and Steampunk. It's all in the same realm of pissing me off.

>>24469014
>can't tell he's being pandered to
>I'm center left
Sounds about right.

grues, erbs, pelgrane, deodands, bazils, urms, bleakmen, dhruls, derders, erzuines, langlays, marmelukes, oasts, quantouls, vorls, whelms, zozimuses

>>24469178
SO true!

>>24469014
>not really sure but then again I'm center left so hey what do I know
kek

>>24469014
>I'm center left
It's pozzed, then.

>>24469000
Do you actually read anything other than 4chan? Everything is probably pozzed for you so why are you here?

>>24468892
seconded Caves Of Steel. it's actually more Blade Runner than Philip K Dick

Altered Carbon is pretty good too

The Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in the US, just had a new vote on what isn't allowable. I believe it serves as a decent proxy for "pozzed", though it probably doesn't go far enough for many.

No LGBT
No gambling
No porn
No childlessness if married
No abortion

Seems they aren't going back to explicitly "only whites allowed". Doesn't say "no contraception" like Catholicism or "have as many children as possible" like the Quiverfull. No technology bans either.

>>24466637
The Japanese are brilliant at coming up with settings, worldbuilding, and fun storytelling. However, the writing itself tends to suck:

>poor prose
>subtext might as well not exist
>too slice-of-lifey (related: the nuances of kishotenketsu)
>despite loving mystery stories, the mysteries themselves are handled poorly

>>24469285
What people don't get is Japanese fiction is always straightforward escapism in some way from their rigid society where "face" you present is different from your private one. They're distinctly NOT going for subtlety in their works of fiction because their society is arguably already too much so.

>>24468512
Pulp.

>>24468307
Richard Swan's "Empire of the Wolf" series is basically Gregor Eisenhorn's adventures in a Fantasy Battles setting, but told from Alizebeth Bequin's point of view.

>>24466523
>last
DCC 7, its pretty good, but i feel like the score of the series is slowly getting out of hand, also the stats gimmick seems to be completely irrelevant by this point.
>now
Just started The Devils. I used to love Joe, but after his last trilogy my expectations are extremely low. Pope being a girl is already setting of my alarms.
>next
Not sure, either dresden files or empire of silence. I was not impressed by the first book of dresden files, felt like a teenager wrote them, but people keep saying it gets a lot better with later books, so im willing to give it one more chance.

>>24469285
How much Japanese SFF have you read that aren't light novels?

>>24469335
I don't read German slop or anything remotely like that

>>24469259
>No technology bans
Lame.

do you read cyberpunk books?

Clarkesworld is woke trash. Do not subscribe. Do not purchase. I made that mistake. Don't be like me.

>>24469385
The fact he praised world building suggests to me he doesn't read many light novels since most of them have incredibly bare bones world building and atmosphere and are all about dialogue or action scenes.

>>24467011
>>/sffg/ constantly talks about how great Bakker is
It's literally one guy

>>24467103
I can't think of any examples of the first type of jester. Even in the case of sad fools, like in GRRM, they're not weepy and introspective, but actually insane.

>>24469229
>Do you actually read anything other than 4chan? Everything is probably pozzed for you so why are you here?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHovg9cCBgo

This was a pretty interesting interview. They talk about religion a lot though.

Are there any good books with a strong character, a hot babe or two, and a fun story? I want to read something that felt like Sands of Time when I played that as a kid.

Is there a description for Sci Fi where the tech is a lot of cobbled together or sometimes antiquated shit (whether due to resource scarcity, farflungness, etc) that sci fi shit like robots can exist but people still use solid projectile guns?

>>24469776
The Mask of the Sorcerer or the Liavek short story collections

>>24469776
>I want to read something that felt like Sands of Time when I played that as a kid.
Man I still love that game. One of the best examples of ludonarrative excellence in gaming.

>>24468307
The Recluse series

>>24469776
You are looking for A Princess of Mars

>>24469854
I see it and raise CL Moore plus Leigh Brackett.

Any good Space Opera recommendations

>>24469837
Seconding

>>24469881
You are looking for A Princess of Mars

>>24469881
Haven't read this one yet, but it seems cool

>>24469837
Great series.

>>24469881

>>24469776
Prince of the Blood gave me strong PoP vibes. Even has Prince in the title. You don't have to read the Riftwar books before it as it pretty much stands alone.

>>24470012
>Themes of gender stereotyping, sexism, ageism, racism, ethics, economics, environmentalism and politics are explored in the course of the series
That's gonna be a YIKES from me, dawg.

>>24469881
>>24469909
Princess of Mars is pretty based
-faggot who has only read one chapter so far

>>24467700
>(May skip the Byzantines)
don't do that

>>24469909
>>24470029
I went to Barnes & Noble thinking they'd have the John Carter books in the classics section. Silly me.

>>24470022
I've only read the first 2 books but the worst thing I've read is sexism in reverse. Towers of The Sunset has women dominating men.

I forgot how much I love third person omniscient after a string of reading first person novels. It truly is the superior way of fantasy/sci-fi storytelling.

>>24470009
It never ends. But it's more readable than those unbearable British space operas from the 80s.

>>24470012
I tried reading one of these. I think it was Order War. It was boring slop and I gave up.
>>24470079
I appreciate a mommydom fantasy as much as any nerd but Modesitt is just bad at it.

>>24469881
The Gap Cycle

>>24470112
I read the first book. It looked more like a detailed film or TV script than a novel. I gave up 50 pages later.

>>24470106
thats why i'm just planning to read the first cycle after I get through my Moorcock books

>>24469259
That's nonironically a good list.
>but infertile couples!!
Adopt. Or leave the Church.

>>24470113
The first four make up some of the best grimdark in the space opera genre. The last one smelled of "how can I just end all this".

>>24469259
>>24470129
We need a board for religions, definitely. It's tiresome to see so many threads about Christianity in the Literature board

>>24466970
Peter David's biggest mistake was in marrying a mercenary.

>>24470137
I have to wonder why all these christfags are on 4CHAN of all places. Especially the anti porn ones

>>24470156
They started flooding here in 2016. There was almost no christfaggotry on this site before then.

>>24467458
I spoiled some stuff about tsurumah discussing the novels with chatgpt anyway

>>24470029
It is probably the single most influential work of the 20th century; it influenced Superman, Star Wars, the works of Robert E. Howard and Lovecraft, everyone.

To quote Ray Bradbury
>"I love to say it because it upsets everyone terribly - Burroughs is probably the most influential writer in the entire history of the world. By giving romance and adventure to a whole generation of boys, Burroughs caused them to go out and decide to become special. That's what we have to do for everyone, give the gift of life with our books. Say to a girl or boy at age ten: Hey, life is fun! Grow tall! I've talked to more biochemists and more astronomers and technologists in various fields, who, when they were ten years old, fell in love with John Carter and Tarzan and decided to become something romantic. Burroughs put us on the moon."

>>24470073
It really should be there, but Pulp and, in general, early Sci-Fi novels, are not considered classics. I recommend this edition which includes the first three novels https://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/bison-books/9780803262089/under-the-moons-of-mars/

>>24466928
All the characters in that game are brownwashed and none of the women have sex appeal. And the world has no character. And the story is basic melodrama with a mindfuck twist. How do you read books and talk about the west this, west that, and defend such garbage?

>>24466642
>The Japanese are easily the worst storytellers out of any country on planet Earth. They have no idea what subtlety is. Everything is explicitly stated.
That's how I felt when reading The Ring.

>>24470112
>>24470119
It's supposed to be boring, at least to some degree. Order (boring) and Chaos (crazy shit happening all the time) is the underlying theme of the series. It's also "Slice of life" fantasy where a big chunk of the book is basically just the main character doing their job of woodworking/engineering/farming etc. It's about as close to living in a fantasy world as a regular dude you're ever going to experience for better or worse IMO.

>>24466523
Starting The Dragonbone Chair
Next is Return to the Whorl
Followed by Ship of Destiny

What are some good fantasy audiobooks? Was looking to scratch the itch

>>24470218
>It's supposed to be boring
That never works, mate.

>>24470245
I've been listening to the Lyonesse series at work on audible, you can get the promotional 99 cents a month for three months and get a token each month to get all 3 for almost nothing.

>>24470179
Look at this fruitcakes internal struggle with these books... Must be exhausting being this big of a faggot.

I should have just started with Howling Dark and used my context clues to fill in the gaps I missed. Or read a summary. Literally half the shit in this book should have been cut or glossed over.

I can totally tell this was his debut book. Not only is the plot meandering, but so is his prose. He often overdescribes things that are better left unmentioned, sometimes even repeats sentiments and descriptions.

>>24470325
The prose is not bad. Also wasn't there some non-racist reason for Carter fighting on the side of the confederates? And if anything, you'd think they'd bring up his thoughts on the Native Americans, which are way more overtly racist than anything else in those books.

>>24470013
Is this what StarWars was supposed to be?
Should I read it just because the girl on the cover is cute?

SFF with this vibe

>>24470374
Carter fought for the South because he lived there. Iirc he never comments on the Southern cause beyond that. Confederate protagonists were common in this era of pulp literature because, as the defeated side, they had a prepackaged reason to be broke and looking for a fresh start out west or wherever without any need to elaborate on their backstory.

>>24470542
Lord of Light.

>>24467797
Yeah, its a good game, beautiful music, but way to fucking long, and lacking the soul of Illusion of Gaia.
I would put Soul Blazer above Terranigma, but Illusion is peak Quintet.

Any books that capture the feeling of Mount & Blade Warband? Meaning, going around with your band of retards getting into battles, slowly getting stronger and more powerful, lots of melee combat, maybe even with a bit of tactical flair, etc.
Black Company is the only thing that I can think of, of the top of my head, that comes close.

>>24470731
Mat did that type of thing in Wheel of Time

>>24466523
>What did you read last?
I rereread The Oresteia. Amazing piece of work. If I could time travel, it would definitely be to its first representation.
>What are you reading?
I'm about to finish The Worm Ouroboros. It's been a great journey.
>What will you read next?
Memories of Ice after putting it off for months.

>>24470731
Bernard Cornwell's books.
Eagles of the Empire series by Simon Scarrow.

Malazan

>>24470073
What is a 'classic' now? Books written in the 70s?

>mistborn, written by a mormon
> a dude "ascends" and becomes God at the end of the first trilogy
really interesting what you did there, Sanderson

I really liked the books, though

>>24470073
>My Books-a-Million has the entire trilogy omnibus placed in the classic section

>>24470566
>they had a prepackaged reason to be broke and looking for a fresh start out west or wherever without any need to elaborate on their backstory
this
also it snagged the Southern market easily without alienating the Yankees who didn't really give a damn at the time, and provided an easy source of latent conflict (hurr durr wrong side of the war)
countless cowboy pulp paperbacks with this setup

>>24470325
>Look at this fruitcake
if you wanted to bother with all this horseshit just open a NYT or Guardian column for men or something

>>24470731
Malazan

>>24470325
Why do people with this much pent-up concern about fictional people being racist read anything that isn't carefully sanitized for them?

>>24470513
Probably.

>>24470935
because it's all an attention- and approval-seeking exercise

>>24470731
Instrumentalities of the Night by Glen Cook. This series of Cook's is less known than Black Company, and it's actually unfinished but has 4 books in it still.

I don't want to spoil it too much but it's about a spy sent into a foreign land in a medievally setting, who becomes a mercenary there and gradually winds up leading his own company in the service of major powers, eventually becoming a key player in the regional politics.

There's fantasy elements in the setting but a lot of the story is fairly down to earth conflict, and even when the fantasy and supernatural comes apparent the MC is still just a mercenary, not a wizard, and has to find mundane means of vanquishing his enemies.

If you're a history buff you'll probably love this series for reasons that will become apparent as you read it, I had a blast reading it.

>>24470935
They don't care, it's performative hand-wringing. Being publicly offended is how you climb the hierarchy. If you can't be a professional victim yourself you become a victim advocate.

>>24470731
Play Battle Brothers

>>24470918
>>24470836
>Malazan
You're both out of your minds.

>>24471084
Cook seems to have quite a few these that all got overlooked for Black Company.

>>24470994
>>24471089
But a man should have more dignity.

>>24471180
I think a lot were trial runs that didn't pan out so well. Or didn't sell well enough. Dragon Never Sleeps and Heirs of Babylon, hell even Black Company itself, were both written with an open ending that could've continued.

>>24470731
Bakker obviously.

>>24471180
He's a fairly prolific author but all I see anybody talk about is Black Company.

>>24470847
A Princess of Mars was written in 1911
>>24470513
No Star Wars was trying to be The Barsoom series, George Lucas lifted names, themes, aesthetics for characters, and the first draft of the script was supposedly just an adaptation of one of the later novels

>>24471186
These people aren't self aware... at all.

>>24471156
Can you explain why? I'm not arguing with you I just haven't read Malazan but I know what Mount and Blade Warband is. I'd appreciate you harshly critique not only their literary opinion but also their sexuality. Thanks in advance.

>>24471429
>Star Wars was trying to be
the Guns Of Navarone and Dam Busters IN SPAAACE

watch enough 60s ww2 slop and you'll recognise the tropes
Return Of The Jedi wouldn't be so HR Haggard if only there had been enough costume budget to film Wookies instead of Ewoks, as Lucas originally hoped

>>24470847
The 70s were 50 years ago, anon. That's a long time.

>>24470847
Aren't "classics" usually stuff you get assigned for reading assignments aka books that have been deemed to have stood the test of time for whatever reason?

>>24471563
yes

>>24471563
>stuff you get assigned for reading assignments aka books that have been deemed to have stood the test of time for whatever reason
They're not necessarily the same. Of Mice and Men is still taboo in many US schools but al so a classic.

Does this get good eventually?
So far it's 95% some custody battle over a sperg

>>24470218
>kicks some poor dude in the nuts
>It's *supposed* to hurt!
>Pay me to kick you again?

Thoughts on shadow of the gods/bloodsworn saga?

>>24471839
It's written by John Gwynne so I never bothered picking it up, since I couldn't even finish Malice. My issue with Malice was that Gwynne front-loaded his exposition in such a way as to rob the world and story of any sense of mystery. He outlined very clearly what was going on and what the stakes were, and I simply lost all interest in watching it play out. So unless Gwynne has made some drastic changes to how he structures a story, I doubt I'll ever try anything else he's written.

>>24470365
Im starting the books soon too. Order the first three from broken binding. Im kinda hyped, a lot of people are singing praises for this series.

>>24471839
>woman warrior, which i assume is a girl boss
>another woman as a protag
>and a guy slave
lol, lmao even
I have wokeslop fatigue, i refuse to give them even a chance anymore
unironically the only fantasy book with woman protags i would read is when a woman is the writer

>>24472021
>spoiler
men are forced to write girlbosses because anything less is le sExIsM

>>24470731
The Saxon Tales is more historical fiction than fantasy but it fits. Every novel is about Uhtred gaining followers, fighting in shield walls, taking castles, etc

>>24471839
I quit 250 pages in because NOTHING FUCKING HAPPENS

>>24472000
>Order the first three from broken binding

MAXIMUM CONSOOMER COOMER. Why buy the book when you could pay 10x the amount to buy the book!! Simply epic! Your fellow redditors will be very "jelly!"

>>24472093
>a lot of people are singing praises for this series
You forgot to chastise him for overpaying by 1000% while never having read the book to begin with. Some people are truly mindless and consume simply to consume.

>>24472043
nah, if you don't, it's boring and stupid because the reader can't predict what happens and guess the story progression.

>>24472021
With the vast number of books that were released prior to the year 2000 there is really no reason to even entertain the idea of reading anything new. Unless it's been thoroughly vetted by hundreds of people telling you it isn't woke, there is no reason to chance wasting your time.

We could probably read a book every 3-5 days for the rest of our lives and never even have to glance at books released in the past 20 years. You'd probably still have hundreds of woke-free books to enjoy.

At this point people only have themselves to blame for sinking time into trash the literary shit factory has cranked out the past two decades.

>>24470325
I got legitimately mad when he said the prose was bad. I'm numb to seeing people say a series about how the five races of Mars learn to stop fighting and unite as equals racist, but that was just a bridge too far.

>>24472118
If you ever want to read some hilarious retardation go on yelp or google and look up your favorite ethnic restaurants near you. Sort by 1 star reviews and read some of the complaints.

I found some dumb bitch complaining that the pizza from a mexican place was bad. One complaint said that they didn't have lasagna. I really wish these websites had the ability comment on or interact with reviews because I would occasionally spend time berating these morons.

Speaking of berating morons... how likely are you to get banned from goodreads if you insult or make fun of people in the comments of their reviews? I'm sure I can't call people faggot or retard but what if I typed something like "you're a moron and your opinions are trash"
How "hard" can I go at people on good reads reviews because I don't actually want to get banned.

>>24472126
>yelp or google
restaurants have been known to torpedo rivals with fake low reviews

>>24472131
Sure but a lot of times you can tell reviews are genuine based on how retarded or triggered they are. Fake reviews by competitors generally aren't hands smashing on keyboard paragraphs of barely understandable rage. In my experience a lot of the fake shit are like 1-4 sentences and pretty concise in their slander.

No rival mexican restaraunt is going to take the "let's slam them on their lack of lasagna" angle.. lol

>>24466520 (OP)

Wamphyri

I'm rereading the Necroscope series from start to finish. It's probably my second favourite series after Malazan and massively underrated.

Tried lock in
It's aight but I prefer settings that are further away from our reality than 20 years in the future with brain chips.
I wanna read manga but every site died at once, fuck.

>>24470852
if that shocked you, go read the premise of Elantris kek

>>24472126
The account can delete anything posted on their profile or their review, so you may just have it be deleted by the person continuously until reported for harassment regardless of how positive or negative it is.

>>24472215
>every site died
Completely untrue, even if you mean reading scanlations online. Especially untrue for downloading official publication.

>>24472215
Try comick.io and weebcentral.com. They also host licensed series, which mangadex didn't.

>>24467110
This. I'm blanking on the jester's name but his dialogue with king is one of the most compelling parts of the book, imo.

Would you guys read a book where the protag is a Golden Retriever who travels the world recruiting several companions of different breeds with the sole goal of geociding pittbulls?

>>24472460
You'd be better off asking on Royal Road about that.

Anything good featured in Prometheus awards?

>>24471826
Wow! You really got em! How will he ever recover from that?

>>24472460
This is /lit/ we wouldn't read anything regardless of what it was

>>24472460
holy kino

>>24472460
>at the end the protagonist finds out he's part pit bull

>just started reading Bakker's stand alone scifi murder mystery Neuropath
>first chapter reveals that the protagonist once taught a lecture about child sexuality
>and sometimes he leaves his kids in the care of his friendly neighbor - a Marxist drag queen named Emilio and his life partner Bill

>>24472460
>protag is a German Shepherds who travels the world recruiting several companions of German Shepherds with the sole goal of geociding all other breeds
ftfy

>>24473198
O Canada

>>24473198
>a leftard is a degenerate
Imagine my shock

>>24473250
But sffg told me Bakker was based!

>>24473280
I guess his trademark cynicism doesn't extend to democratic ideals

>>24472093
Reading is one of the few things i enjoy, might as well spend money on it

Recommend me a book like witcher, except the shitty novel part

>>24472093
If you want Malazan in hardcover, the new special edition set is probably the cheapest option overall. they're only 50 bongerbucks each.

I just finished Dying of the Light. I finally understand why ASOIAF is never getting finished, since George had no ending for that story either.

>>24473450
Probably Elric (although I only just started it)

>>24473561
Anons were saying the novels are shit so I would appreciate your feedback on it when you get a bit further into it

>>24473561
when you nut but she keep sucking

>>24473561
Elric and Witcher are nothing alike as far as the content goes, Moorcock just got salty because Sapkowsky "stole" the idea of a white-haired man being called the White Wolf

Finally finished Memories of Ice after previously being meh about Malazan. (I was the poster complaining about Deadhouse Gates and the desert being one giant slog). I think I've been converted bros as this was a great book

>>24473597
that's certainly a first. deadhouse gates is usually the one that converts people.

>>24473623
Felsin being a bitchy cow for 1000 pages didn't help.

>>24473597
Memories of Ice features a cameo from Bauchelain & Korbal Broach, doesn't it?

>>24473638
They are in it but I'm a new reader so I didn't know it was a cameo. I was wondering what they were doing in it as they seemed like comic relief. Are they from another series?

>>24473647
Tales of Bauchelain & Korbal Broach are a bunch of comedic novellas Erikson writes.

>>24473660
Cool, I didn't know that. Are they any good?

>>24473671
If you liked them in Memories of Ice, you'll like them in their own stories.

>try to login into goodreads
>we can't verify your mobile number(????)
>never had a number attached to my fucking GOODREADS
god amazon is so fucking retarded

>>24473581
>Moorcock just got salty because Sapkowsky "stole" the idea of a white-haired man being called the White Wolf
And the fact that both use potions, wield magic, have a "daughter" that can travel through dimensions, have a tragic destiny, do work as monster hunters, and probably more I don't remember,

>>24473853
>use potions, wield magic
Holy shit, Moorcock invented these?!

>>24473870
Funny. You know what I'm talking about, the two characters are very similar, and it's a funny coincidence that Sapkowsky "invented" Geralt while(or after?) translating Moorcock's works in Polish.

>>24473898
Elric and Geralt just don't read the same to me, man.

>>24472084
>fantastic

>>24473916
It's not that, but the fact that Sapkowsky never publicly acknowledged that he was inspired by Elric, not even a thank you to Moorcock. Other authors, like Micheal R. Fletcher, do that. He didn't.
That and the shitfit he threw with CDProject for Wircher 3 made me lose all the respect I had for him.

>>24473581
Moorcock loves accusing everyone of plagiarism who felt influenced by his works.

>>24473945
Also,
>Savoy Books sent their reissue of Anthony Skene’s stupefyingly rare Zenith the Albino (1936), Zenith being a master villain from the Sexton Blake Library who got his own spinoff novel and, says Mike Moorcock’s introduction, inspired another albino called Elric.

>>24473935
*>fantastic literature since the 1970s

>>24473937
>Sapkowsky never publicly acknowledged that he was inspired by Elric, not even a thank you to Moorcock
He wouldn't be the first very popular author who rips off other books and doesn't bother to acknowledge it. Yeah, it's still shitty.

>>24473962
So, all of them?

>>24473945
Yes, but I don't blame him, I think he got screwed over too many times.
He even used the term "Multiverse" for the first time: now everyone uses it, and almost nobody knows he was the first one to make use of it.
>>24473957
Difference is, he always acknowledged what inspired him. He mentioned several times that Zenith was the main inspiration for Elric's appearance. Sapkowsky didn't.
>>24473962
>>24473964
I never understood this: is it so difficult to admit something another author's made inspired to make your own work?
I believe it's the fear of being called a plagiarist, or not being seen as a truly creative individual.

>>24471444
If you have to ask, it's not for you.

>>24473574
kys, coomer

>>24473937
>That and the shitfit he threw with CDProject for Wircher 3 made me lose all the respect I had for him.
Don't forget selling the rights for the TV show and then bailing letting them butcher the source material when the check cleared.

>>24473870
>>24473945
>Moorcock
Can't take an author seriously if his last name's MOORCOCK. What a fag.

>>24474022
>lost your influences or we'll accuse you of plagiarism
This is a big problem in arts nowadays. The death of originality and its consequences.
>He even used the term "Multiverse" for the first time: now everyone uses it, and almost nobody knows he was the first one to make use of it.
Next time he should copyright the term.

verga de moro

>>24466520 (OP)
Taking bets on how much the new Black Company novel will suck.

>>24474093
People are still reading this? Like Shannara?

>>24474093
it has all the signs of being a bad idea

Are you excited for new Sanderlsloop?

>>24474073
>letting them
common practice is that writers are allowed zero input on TV and movie adaptations
if they don't like it they can fuck off, no shortage of stories for Hollywood to adapt
there a few very rare exceptions - William Goldman and Michael Crichton, for example

>>24474022
Since when did authors have to make an Official Public Statement announcing every little thing that inspired them? Do you also think Virgil is a bad person for not acknowledging Homer? Are you retarded?

>>24474118
I wonder what it'd be like to have read all of Sanderson's books and be fully invested in his multiverse.

>>24474226
The funny thing is it's only a 'multiverse' in that the Cosmere books are connected. The Cosmere itself is not multiversal.

>>24474226
>>24474230
It's not a multiverse at all, just a universe.

>>24474230
Err yeah, I guess I should've said 'universe' instead. I've only read mistborn. It was good. Not great, but good. His prose is the most average thing I've ever read and his ideas for the setting were way more interesting. I'd probably have more fun reading through his wiki than reading all of the books. And given how much the publishing industry has 'greats' who can't finish a book to save their lives, it seems rather safe getting invested into him when you know how prolific he is. Though what I've heard is that he's getting weaker now that he's tying the book universes together and they're becoming less standalone- the same issue MCU is having where you need to read x y and z as prerequisite readings to fully get it.

>>24474242
>Though what I've heard is that he's getting weaker now that he's tying the book universes together
That's not the problem. Everyone who read those books went in expecting and hoping for them to come together. The problem is that he got worse at writing, or rather, he got too big for his editors and now his bad habits are no longer corrected.

>>24474239
Yes. Not even a full universe. A dwarf galaxy.

imagine being a Sanderson Mormon in his created universe after he dies and ascends to Godhood and "I'm his therapist" is considered peak comedy. Knowing his sense of humor he'd probably throw them all into existential crises when they find out they were based off a book series he wrote before his Ascension.

>>24474073
Why did you have to make me remember that....
Not even Cavill can save us from Netflix pozzing fantasy.
>>24474086
>Next time he should copyright the term.
Writers at that time(and even before) allowed others to use their creations and names, this is why there's Law & Chaos, IOUN stones and Vancian Magic in D&D.
Before that, look at Howard, Lovecraft, Smith and all the writers that were writing letters to each other.
>>24474190
When they start becoming big and influential, and especially when similarities with other previous works are becoming too evident.

>>24474300
>Writers at that time(and even before) allowed others to use their creations and names
Speaking of, Martin used the githyanki as an alien race in Dying of the Light

>>24474318
I had no idea, good catch.

>>24474300
>When they start becoming big and influential, and especially when similarities with other previous works are becoming too evident.
It was a rhetorical question you retard. No one has to make a declaration of inspirations like trigger warnings or some shit. This is completely your own autism, not anyone else's.

>>24474359
I actually did a little google-fu here. Dying of the Light came out in 1977 but the first use of the Githyanki in relation to D&D would've been (according to Forgotten Realms wiki at least) in White Dwarf #12, which came out in 1979.
So Martin did it first and D&D took the name from him.

>>24474367
>This is completely your own autism, not anyone else's.
Wrong.
Writers who acknowledge what inspired them are worthy of praise, while those who pretend to have made it up from nothing, while knowingly lying, deserve nothing but contempt.

https://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/nonfiction/interview-charles-stross/

It said that you added the githyanki to the Fiend Folio, which was based on George R. R. Martin’s Dying of the Light novel.

That was actually a throwaway of his, as far as I can tell, in his first novel from the mid-seventies. You’re going back a long way, here.

Sorry, but what was the connection between his novel and the . . .

I basically took the name and ran with it for this species of extra-temporal alien horrors for Dungeons and Dragons back in the day. In the late seventies. I was looking for a name, and George R. R. Martin has always been pretty good with names.

But, you’re saying, in that novel it doesn’t really flesh out what they are—that you basically just took the name.

I took the name, yes, rather than any detail.

>>24473571
I'll follow you up in about 2-3 days when I finish the first short novel

>>24474093
Judging by the cover, quite a bit

>>24466523
>last
The Devils, dropped it around the middle. Some nice characters, but the amount of sloppy stereotypes and repetitive bs was too much for me to finish it.
>current
Permutation City. Preddy good so far.
>next
Honestly still looking for something. I want some space stuff, but dropped all my recent picks, including Consider Phlebas (too arbitrary), Rama 2 (holy shit it's bad), Foundation Trilogy (boring), Children of Memory (same story for the third time, no thanks). Recs highly welcome.

>>24474496
>Foundation Trilogy (boring)
>Recs highly welcome
here's my rec: kys

>>24474469
I found volumes 2-5 of the series in a second hand bookshop. I'll have to read your pic related as a digital. Pity, I love these old paperbacks so much.

>>24474496
>Banks
>Asimov
Maybe these space operas are too unorthodox for you? I'll give you Banks though, I only managed to read Feersum Endjinn.

>>24466523
The City, Not Long After by Pat Murphy. Beautiful but fantasy despite the post-apocalypse setting.
The Archivist by Gill Alderman. So far so good.

>>24474434
No, you've created an issue in your own head and gotten mad at it.

>>24474508
Maybe I stopped reading too early, but it felt like reading a chronicle of some space bureaucracy. Kind of lost my tolerance for pushing on if a novel starts to bore me early.
>>24474513
Idk, didn't find them to be too unusual or surprising. I like non-standards and surprises.

>>24474526
Well, Asimov wrote a space opera without action scenes. In its day was revolutionary, what with Doc Smith, Hamilton and the like.

>>24474526
the "trouble" with Foundation and similar SF of the type Asimov wrote - look at the Robot series for example, mostly devoid of pewpew action really - is that the conflict is mostly political and sociological. which is in reality how a lot of conflicts play out, culminating after long decades in a war or two, or sometimes even none. look at the post-WW2 USSR for a fine example, lasted five decades and then just faded away with gradual decline, no society-shattering war unlike its genesis.
the very first 2 Seldon Crises is in fact all about this point.

this is understandably not everyone's cup of tea.

>>24474496
Egansisters we just keep winning!

I do recommend more Egan. Diaspora is another good one. You should plow through Consider Phlebas - it's absolutely "OK", maybe 7/10 in my book, but assuming it's the only Culture novel you've read, you are missing out by stopping there. Player of Games and especially Use of Weapons are both fantastic.

>>24474496
>The Devils
Im reading it currently and its a struggle. When did Joe become so soi? He can still write interesting character, but the world and themes are painful to read about.

Just started Wheel of Time.

I'm really digging this. The character work is just top notch, and I'm really fiending to learn more about the world. There's a magic in this book I haven't really felt in a long time.

>>24474556
Anything Egan shits out is orders of magnitude better than that longnose faggot Asimov.

>>24474616
Youre in for a ride anon, it only gets better from book 1. I was honestly shocked how much he expanded the world, when it looked like the story would be done in 3 books.

>>24474630
Long journey, but if it's anything like what I've read so far, I'm game.

>>24474556
According to your graph I should read more Egan. And I will. Will also power through Consider Phlebas if the other novels are worth it. Don't dislike it, but so far I do not give a single shit about what happens to the different sides of the war or any character.

>>24474732
others can of course chime in but Phlebas is no where near his best but it does set up the world decently. and even if you DNF Phlebas it's really not a problem since all of the Culture books are set in the same universe but in different areas with different characters. yeah I need to tighten up that Egan chart I hate the colors but I think it's a good laugh

>>24467753
Book of the New Sun

Did lit ever make a military sci fi chart? If so could someone post it? If not I’ll take any individual space navy or space marine book series recommendations you’ve got.

>>24474556
Did Egan ever have sex? I mean, he never wants to show his face.