The Liveship Traders trilogy is one of the most stunning trilogies of all time and I loved it
First, to preface, these books took me a long time to read. Going through multiple life stages during this trilogy, it has taken me about a year and a half to fully read each novel. That doesn't mean I found it slow or unimportant, just that time seemed to pass by quicker than I would wish. Anyway, I loved these books, more than Farseer (which past me would never believe), and found them to be some of the most well written and engaging pieces of fantasy I have ever encountered. This will be an exceptionally large post, and I apologize before hand for my random thoughts splattered down, I just finished Ship of Destiny and just want to share my thoughts. This review will have heavy spoilers for both this trilogy, and parts of the Farseer trilogy, so if you haven't read those don't scroll any further.
Plot
The actual plot of these books caught me off guard at first, and I found myself confused and bored by what seems like an irrelevant sidestep from a greater story of Fitz, however as I continued on, the threads of the stories starting to connect drew me in more than any other novel before.
Family Dynamics
To start of with, the family struggle between wanting desiring a relative to behave one way, while they believe their purpose in life has different meaning than what is thrust upon them has always intrigued me, and that is where I first found a hook in these novels. That is to say that once each member of the Vestrit family was displayed with all of their different ideals, I began to realize I was reading something that may forever imprint on my life. I hated that Althea got her ship stolen, and while I still held resentment for that as the story progressed, I loved being able to see every single side of this complex dynamic, and realize that maybe there is reasoning for her to not deserve Vivicia at that point in the novel. I loved watching her growth into a more competent sailor, which I will go more into later. Besides her each member experienced huge amounts of change and struggle in the story, which birthed a beautiful tale of a rumbling family and each members response to who they were and who they became. The contrast between Kyle and Wintrow, Keffira and Althea, Malta and Ronica, and how they all had to navigate these dynamics differently, truly made me become engrossed in how they each would move forward both plot wise and character wise. Besides just the Vestrits, the found family dynamics with Kennit and Wintrow also became a large part of my obsession with the series, and I loved how every perspective gave different sides to their growing relationship, something I feel we lacked with only getting Fitz's perspective in the last series.
The Journey's
As the plot thickens, it also separates, leaving many different threads, with each character facing a different mission and end goal with every growing plot point, one of my favorite parts of multiple POV books. I'll leave brief thoughts on my favorite and least favorite parts of each of these journey's below.
Althea and Branshen search for Vivica were some of my least favorite parts of the story, not because it was uninteresting, but just because of how awful I felt for each character along the way, knowing that Althea was never getting her ship back after Kennit corrupted her. I loved their relationship, and I especially loved Paragon, but from book two, we knew the quest was heedless, which ultimately just made me feel sorrow for each character.
Bingtowns destruction: I loved this part of the book, seeing the decay of the town and their response to it felt so real, and so painful all at once. Not even just the destruction, the world of Bingtown and the traders was so engrossing, and I truly felt like it was a real livable place, talking boats aside. When the town started breaking apart due to politics and war, I felt as if my own home was destroying, and I hated that, yet I couldn't tear my eyes away from it. I only wish we spent more time in
First, to preface, these books took me a long time to read. Going through multiple life stages during this trilogy, it has taken me about a year and a half to fully read each novel. That doesn't mean I found it slow or unimportant, just that time seemed to pass by quicker than I would wish. Anyway, I loved these books, more than Farseer (which past me would never believe), and found them to be some of the most well written and engaging pieces of fantasy I have ever encountered. This will be an exceptionally large post, and I apologize before hand for my random thoughts splattered down, I just finished Ship of Destiny and just want to share my thoughts. This review will have heavy spoilers for both this trilogy, and parts of the Farseer trilogy, so if you haven't read those don't scroll any further.
Plot
The actual plot of these books caught me off guard at first, and I found myself confused and bored by what seems like an irrelevant sidestep from a greater story of Fitz, however as I continued on, the threads of the stories starting to connect drew me in more than any other novel before.
Family Dynamics
To start of with, the family struggle between wanting desiring a relative to behave one way, while they believe their purpose in life has different meaning than what is thrust upon them has always intrigued me, and that is where I first found a hook in these novels. That is to say that once each member of the Vestrit family was displayed with all of their different ideals, I began to realize I was reading something that may forever imprint on my life. I hated that Althea got her ship stolen, and while I still held resentment for that as the story progressed, I loved being able to see every single side of this complex dynamic, and realize that maybe there is reasoning for her to not deserve Vivicia at that point in the novel. I loved watching her growth into a more competent sailor, which I will go more into later. Besides her each member experienced huge amounts of change and struggle in the story, which birthed a beautiful tale of a rumbling family and each members response to who they were and who they became. The contrast between Kyle and Wintrow, Keffira and Althea, Malta and Ronica, and how they all had to navigate these dynamics differently, truly made me become engrossed in how they each would move forward both plot wise and character wise. Besides just the Vestrits, the found family dynamics with Kennit and Wintrow also became a large part of my obsession with the series, and I loved how every perspective gave different sides to their growing relationship, something I feel we lacked with only getting Fitz's perspective in the last series.
The Journey's
As the plot thickens, it also separates, leaving many different threads, with each character facing a different mission and end goal with every growing plot point, one of my favorite parts of multiple POV books. I'll leave brief thoughts on my favorite and least favorite parts of each of these journey's below.
Althea and Branshen search for Vivica were some of my least favorite parts of the story, not because it was uninteresting, but just because of how awful I felt for each character along the way, knowing that Althea was never getting her ship back after Kennit corrupted her. I loved their relationship, and I especially loved Paragon, but from book two, we knew the quest was heedless, which ultimately just made me feel sorrow for each character.
Bingtowns destruction: I loved this part of the book, seeing the decay of the town and their response to it felt so real, and so painful all at once. Not even just the destruction, the world of Bingtown and the traders was so engrossing, and I truly felt like it was a real livable place, talking boats aside. When the town started breaking apart due to politics and war, I felt as if my own home was destroying, and I hated that, yet I couldn't tear my eyes away from it. I only wish we spent more time in
The Liveship Traders trilogy is one of the most stunning trilogies of all time and I loved it
First, to preface, these books took me a long time to read. Going through multiple life stages during this trilogy, it has taken me about a year and a half to fully read each novel. That doesn't mean I found it slow or unimportant, just that time seemed to pass by quicker than I would wish. Anyway, I loved these books, more than Farseer (which past me would never believe), and found them to be some of the most well written and engaging pieces of fantasy I have ever encountered. This will be an exceptionally large post, and I apologize before hand for my random thoughts splattered down, I just finished Ship of Destiny and just want to share my thoughts. This review will have heavy spoilers for both this trilogy, and parts of the Farseer trilogy, so if you haven't read those don't scroll any further.
***Plot***
The actual plot of these books caught me off guard at first, and I found myself confused and bored by what seems like an irrelevant sidestep from a greater story of Fitz, however as I continued on, the threads of the stories starting to connect drew me in more than any other novel before.
*Family Dynamics*
To start of with, the family struggle between wanting desiring a relative to behave one way, while they believe their purpose in life has different meaning than what is thrust upon them has always intrigued me, and that is where I first found a hook in these novels. That is to say that once each member of the Vestrit family was displayed with all of their different ideals, I began to realize I was reading something that may forever imprint on my life. I hated that Althea got her ship stolen, and while I still held resentment for that as the story progressed, I loved being able to see every single side of this complex dynamic, and realize that maybe there is reasoning for her to not deserve Vivicia at that point in the novel. I loved watching her growth into a more competent sailor, which I will go more into later. Besides her each member experienced huge amounts of change and struggle in the story, which birthed a beautiful tale of a rumbling family and each members response to who they were and who they became. The contrast between Kyle and Wintrow, Keffira and Althea, Malta and Ronica, and how they all had to navigate these dynamics differently, truly made me become engrossed in how they each would move forward both plot wise and character wise. Besides just the Vestrits, the found family dynamics with Kennit and Wintrow also became a large part of my obsession with the series, and I loved how every perspective gave different sides to their growing relationship, something I feel we lacked with only getting Fitz's perspective in the last series.
*The Journey's*
As the plot thickens, it also separates, leaving many different threads, with each character facing a different mission and end goal with every growing plot point, one of my favorite parts of multiple POV books. I'll leave brief thoughts on my favorite and least favorite parts of each of these journey's below.
* Althea and Branshen search for Vivica were some of my least favorite parts of the story, not because it was uninteresting, but just because of how awful I felt for each character along the way, knowing that Althea was never getting her ship back after Kennit corrupted her. I loved their relationship, and I especially loved Paragon, but from book two, we knew the quest was heedless, which ultimately just made me feel sorrow for each character.
* Bingtowns destruction: I loved this part of the book, seeing the decay of the town and their response to it felt so real, and so painful all at once. Not even just the destruction, the world of Bingtown and the traders was so engrossing, and I truly felt like it was a real livable place, talking boats aside. When the town started breaking apart due to politics and war, I felt as if my own home was destroying, and I hated that, yet I couldn't tear my eyes away from it. I only wish we spent more time in
First, to preface, these books took me a long time to read. Going through multiple life stages during this trilogy, it has taken me about a year and a half to fully read each novel. That doesn't mean I found it slow or unimportant, just that time seemed to pass by quicker than I would wish. Anyway, I loved these books, more than Farseer (which past me would never believe), and found them to be some of the most well written and engaging pieces of fantasy I have ever encountered. This will be an exceptionally large post, and I apologize before hand for my random thoughts splattered down, I just finished Ship of Destiny and just want to share my thoughts. This review will have heavy spoilers for both this trilogy, and parts of the Farseer trilogy, so if you haven't read those don't scroll any further.
***Plot***
The actual plot of these books caught me off guard at first, and I found myself confused and bored by what seems like an irrelevant sidestep from a greater story of Fitz, however as I continued on, the threads of the stories starting to connect drew me in more than any other novel before.
*Family Dynamics*
To start of with, the family struggle between wanting desiring a relative to behave one way, while they believe their purpose in life has different meaning than what is thrust upon them has always intrigued me, and that is where I first found a hook in these novels. That is to say that once each member of the Vestrit family was displayed with all of their different ideals, I began to realize I was reading something that may forever imprint on my life. I hated that Althea got her ship stolen, and while I still held resentment for that as the story progressed, I loved being able to see every single side of this complex dynamic, and realize that maybe there is reasoning for her to not deserve Vivicia at that point in the novel. I loved watching her growth into a more competent sailor, which I will go more into later. Besides her each member experienced huge amounts of change and struggle in the story, which birthed a beautiful tale of a rumbling family and each members response to who they were and who they became. The contrast between Kyle and Wintrow, Keffira and Althea, Malta and Ronica, and how they all had to navigate these dynamics differently, truly made me become engrossed in how they each would move forward both plot wise and character wise. Besides just the Vestrits, the found family dynamics with Kennit and Wintrow also became a large part of my obsession with the series, and I loved how every perspective gave different sides to their growing relationship, something I feel we lacked with only getting Fitz's perspective in the last series.
*The Journey's*
As the plot thickens, it also separates, leaving many different threads, with each character facing a different mission and end goal with every growing plot point, one of my favorite parts of multiple POV books. I'll leave brief thoughts on my favorite and least favorite parts of each of these journey's below.
* Althea and Branshen search for Vivica were some of my least favorite parts of the story, not because it was uninteresting, but just because of how awful I felt for each character along the way, knowing that Althea was never getting her ship back after Kennit corrupted her. I loved their relationship, and I especially loved Paragon, but from book two, we knew the quest was heedless, which ultimately just made me feel sorrow for each character.
* Bingtowns destruction: I loved this part of the book, seeing the decay of the town and their response to it felt so real, and so painful all at once. Not even just the destruction, the world of Bingtown and the traders was so engrossing, and I truly felt like it was a real livable place, talking boats aside. When the town started breaking apart due to politics and war, I felt as if my own home was destroying, and I hated that, yet I couldn't tear my eyes away from it. I only wish we spent more time in
Bingtown during book three, as I do love the politics of old and new traders, and the deconstruction of not so subtle social classes.
* Malta and the Satrap: Malta is my favorite character in the trilogy, which I will talk more about later, and every scene with her from the Rain Wilds onwards absolutely gripped me. Having to deal with the spoiled, ennoscriptd Satrap made me cringe for her, and her struggle with him to her being able to hold subtle power over him, were such an amazing storyline, and I loved watching his character get beat down more and more. I don't know how to describe my feelings reading these POVs, but I know I loved it, and was completely engrossed on how they would survive the life they were forced to live.
* Kennit and his everything: I don't even know where to begin with the plot that is Kennit, for he drives almost every sector of the story once he defeats Kyle. I hate what he does to everyone, and wish none of it happened, yet everytime he came on my page, i had to know what happened next. The manipulation of multiple characters at once was evil, yet every move he made kept me wondering how this was all going to end. The connection with Paragon, the cycle of abuse being passed on, how he effects Etta and Wintrow and creates a sort of stockholm syndrome with them, made me despise the man, yet love the character. Just a heartbreaking stroyline of him destroying everyone else all for his own personal gain, but him as the Pirate King is one of the best written characters I've ever read.
* The Dragons and the Liveships: To be frank, there is still so much I feel I don't know, yet I love every single thing I learned in these books. Wizardwood being dead dragons, the connection to Rain Wilders and Elderlings (Reyn, Malta, and Selden transformation being awesome btw) and even the serpents added so much mystique and intrigue to these books, and I am longing to know more. Watching the dragon (not even gonna try to spell her name) hunt and work desperately for her people was beautiful, and I loved watching her growth, and just being so close to such a mystical, yet flawed being. All in all, I kind of saw the dragon reveal coming, but I still love dragons so these parts were all really cool (also RIP She Who Remembers love you)
*Conclusion*
First and foremost, Ship of Destiny might be my favorite conclusion book ever, and I love every single part of it, even all the pain it brought me. I wish it could have ended happier, but that was never possible. It isn't even a sad ending, yet I still wish more for all the character. Kennit's death brought me joy, yet I wish he died the villain he truly was, instead of the hero he pretended to be. Paragon accepting Kennit into him made sense, yet it still makes me feel for Althea, since she has to constantly look in her rapists eyes, even if some of that pain was taken by the ship. I felt so bad for Althea that she never got her ship back, but I have faith that her and Branshen will live great lives, and sail Paragon to their hearts contents. On a happier note, Malta and Reyn had a great ending, they have become something new in their world, and their love is amazing. I love how they searched for eachother, and I'm so happy to see they are getting married, to live as Elderling King and Queens. I also really enjoyed Wintrows ending, as he now has grown into a man Kyle never would have believed possible, however he will never be out of Kennits shadow, both in his love for his woman, and the responsibility to raise his son. Meanwhile, his mother and grandmother got an ending they deserved, a way to get their wealth back, and lead their people into a new era, helped by their kin. All in all, great ending, and sorry for the scattered thoughts about it, but every character ended up where they belong, even if the journey and the result isn't what they always wanted.
***The World***
I already went into this briefley, but *wow* every town and city and country felt so real. The subtle discussions that highlighted decades of history, the brief hints at the difference between
* Malta and the Satrap: Malta is my favorite character in the trilogy, which I will talk more about later, and every scene with her from the Rain Wilds onwards absolutely gripped me. Having to deal with the spoiled, ennoscriptd Satrap made me cringe for her, and her struggle with him to her being able to hold subtle power over him, were such an amazing storyline, and I loved watching his character get beat down more and more. I don't know how to describe my feelings reading these POVs, but I know I loved it, and was completely engrossed on how they would survive the life they were forced to live.
* Kennit and his everything: I don't even know where to begin with the plot that is Kennit, for he drives almost every sector of the story once he defeats Kyle. I hate what he does to everyone, and wish none of it happened, yet everytime he came on my page, i had to know what happened next. The manipulation of multiple characters at once was evil, yet every move he made kept me wondering how this was all going to end. The connection with Paragon, the cycle of abuse being passed on, how he effects Etta and Wintrow and creates a sort of stockholm syndrome with them, made me despise the man, yet love the character. Just a heartbreaking stroyline of him destroying everyone else all for his own personal gain, but him as the Pirate King is one of the best written characters I've ever read.
* The Dragons and the Liveships: To be frank, there is still so much I feel I don't know, yet I love every single thing I learned in these books. Wizardwood being dead dragons, the connection to Rain Wilders and Elderlings (Reyn, Malta, and Selden transformation being awesome btw) and even the serpents added so much mystique and intrigue to these books, and I am longing to know more. Watching the dragon (not even gonna try to spell her name) hunt and work desperately for her people was beautiful, and I loved watching her growth, and just being so close to such a mystical, yet flawed being. All in all, I kind of saw the dragon reveal coming, but I still love dragons so these parts were all really cool (also RIP She Who Remembers love you)
*Conclusion*
First and foremost, Ship of Destiny might be my favorite conclusion book ever, and I love every single part of it, even all the pain it brought me. I wish it could have ended happier, but that was never possible. It isn't even a sad ending, yet I still wish more for all the character. Kennit's death brought me joy, yet I wish he died the villain he truly was, instead of the hero he pretended to be. Paragon accepting Kennit into him made sense, yet it still makes me feel for Althea, since she has to constantly look in her rapists eyes, even if some of that pain was taken by the ship. I felt so bad for Althea that she never got her ship back, but I have faith that her and Branshen will live great lives, and sail Paragon to their hearts contents. On a happier note, Malta and Reyn had a great ending, they have become something new in their world, and their love is amazing. I love how they searched for eachother, and I'm so happy to see they are getting married, to live as Elderling King and Queens. I also really enjoyed Wintrows ending, as he now has grown into a man Kyle never would have believed possible, however he will never be out of Kennits shadow, both in his love for his woman, and the responsibility to raise his son. Meanwhile, his mother and grandmother got an ending they deserved, a way to get their wealth back, and lead their people into a new era, helped by their kin. All in all, great ending, and sorry for the scattered thoughts about it, but every character ended up where they belong, even if the journey and the result isn't what they always wanted.
***The World***
I already went into this briefley, but *wow* every town and city and country felt so real. The subtle discussions that highlighted decades of history, the brief hints at the difference between
Jamillia and the 6 Duchies just made the world feel so lived in. I loved how Hobb displayed that the world is not stagnant, and how change is on the horizon. I don't know how to describe it, but somehow a world full of magic serpents and talking ships felt so normal and realistic.
***Characters***
*Favorites*
No order here, just some of the characters I loved reading about.
* Malta
* I don't even know how to start but, what a character arc. I've never hated, they pitied, then loved a character like I have Malta. Her growth from ennoscriptd spoiled daughter to confident young woman, who wields power only with her words, was such a stunning, moving story. I just love her as both a person and character.
* Paragon
* AMAZING. Somehow a ship is one of the most human, real characters I've ever read. His anger at who he is, his pettiness, every single trait about him was just so real. Seeing his past unfold, his connection with Kennit, his bravery in taking pain from others was just so amazing. I just love him and wish I could read his future journey's with Althea and Branshen.
* Ronica
* Such a great matriarch. Love watching her deal with Bingtown politics, and wish we got more of her in the end.
* Althea
* Such a heartbreaking character. She went through so much, and is one of the only characters to not really win in the end. Yes she got the guy, but that is not all she is, and even so, she is forever scarred by Kennit, even though Paragon took the pain away. I wish she could've gotten Vivicia back, but I'm excited that she gets to continue her dream of being a sailor, with Paragon being the ship she can start a new legacy on.
* Vivicia/Bolt
* I hated Bolt, but I understood her. I loved Vivicia at the beginning, but as time went on, I hated her love for Kennit, and despised how she didn't trust Althea. She had a good ending, and I hope that one day she can believe that Kennit is not the man he showed he was
* Branshen
* Great growth, and just what a good guy. There isn't much to say about Branshen, but I loved reading from his POV, and I loved his love for Althea and the duty he felt to others and his ship.
* Kennit
* What a character. He presents so sure of himself, but every one of his thoughts is so drenched in doubt and self hatred that at some points I found myself feeling bad for him. Once I slapped myself in the face, I realized just how well Hobb wrote him, a villain so evil he makes the audience root for him at times. She wrote the cycle of abuse so well within him, and I will also view Kennit as the greates written villain of all time. No words can describe the impact he leaves on the story unless you read it yourself.
* Wintrow
* What a life this poor guy lead. I hate everything his father did to him, and happy he got to become a man, just wish it came about differently. He will be a good captain, and will hopefully grow into a man that isn't just an imitation of what Kennit wants. Also I loved his relationship with Etta, he towed the line between lusting and longing so well, one of my favorite themes in literature.
* Amber
* I love that we got the Fool in this story. I'm confused what shes doing her, I think searching for either a foil or partner to Fitz, but I don't care. She has such good tangents and speeches, and I love her and Paragon.
* Reyn
* Great Rain Wild perspective, and what a good way to show all the problems with the dragons even in their beauty. I loved his love for Malta, and his journey to build a new world is awesome, I would've loved some more POV chapters from him.
*Others*
Characters I cared for less (I still enjoyed all of them)
* Serillia
* I feel bad for her, and admire her bravery, but wish she was on the good side all along in Bingtown. She picked right in the end, and I'm glad we got to see her overcome the cruelty of men.
* Keffiria
* I liked her, wish we saw more of her separate from her family, even though she is her family.
* Kyle
* I wish he came back to life so he could die again
* Etta
* Needed more of her POV, loved her dynamic
***Characters***
*Favorites*
No order here, just some of the characters I loved reading about.
* Malta
* I don't even know how to start but, what a character arc. I've never hated, they pitied, then loved a character like I have Malta. Her growth from ennoscriptd spoiled daughter to confident young woman, who wields power only with her words, was such a stunning, moving story. I just love her as both a person and character.
* Paragon
* AMAZING. Somehow a ship is one of the most human, real characters I've ever read. His anger at who he is, his pettiness, every single trait about him was just so real. Seeing his past unfold, his connection with Kennit, his bravery in taking pain from others was just so amazing. I just love him and wish I could read his future journey's with Althea and Branshen.
* Ronica
* Such a great matriarch. Love watching her deal with Bingtown politics, and wish we got more of her in the end.
* Althea
* Such a heartbreaking character. She went through so much, and is one of the only characters to not really win in the end. Yes she got the guy, but that is not all she is, and even so, she is forever scarred by Kennit, even though Paragon took the pain away. I wish she could've gotten Vivicia back, but I'm excited that she gets to continue her dream of being a sailor, with Paragon being the ship she can start a new legacy on.
* Vivicia/Bolt
* I hated Bolt, but I understood her. I loved Vivicia at the beginning, but as time went on, I hated her love for Kennit, and despised how she didn't trust Althea. She had a good ending, and I hope that one day she can believe that Kennit is not the man he showed he was
* Branshen
* Great growth, and just what a good guy. There isn't much to say about Branshen, but I loved reading from his POV, and I loved his love for Althea and the duty he felt to others and his ship.
* Kennit
* What a character. He presents so sure of himself, but every one of his thoughts is so drenched in doubt and self hatred that at some points I found myself feeling bad for him. Once I slapped myself in the face, I realized just how well Hobb wrote him, a villain so evil he makes the audience root for him at times. She wrote the cycle of abuse so well within him, and I will also view Kennit as the greates written villain of all time. No words can describe the impact he leaves on the story unless you read it yourself.
* Wintrow
* What a life this poor guy lead. I hate everything his father did to him, and happy he got to become a man, just wish it came about differently. He will be a good captain, and will hopefully grow into a man that isn't just an imitation of what Kennit wants. Also I loved his relationship with Etta, he towed the line between lusting and longing so well, one of my favorite themes in literature.
* Amber
* I love that we got the Fool in this story. I'm confused what shes doing her, I think searching for either a foil or partner to Fitz, but I don't care. She has such good tangents and speeches, and I love her and Paragon.
* Reyn
* Great Rain Wild perspective, and what a good way to show all the problems with the dragons even in their beauty. I loved his love for Malta, and his journey to build a new world is awesome, I would've loved some more POV chapters from him.
*Others*
Characters I cared for less (I still enjoyed all of them)
* Serillia
* I feel bad for her, and admire her bravery, but wish she was on the good side all along in Bingtown. She picked right in the end, and I'm glad we got to see her overcome the cruelty of men.
* Keffiria
* I liked her, wish we saw more of her separate from her family, even though she is her family.
* Kyle
* I wish he came back to life so he could die again
* Etta
* Needed more of her POV, loved her dynamic
with Wintrow. She could of been great, but now her whole life will be in fufilling Kennits goals, not what she wants.
* Jek/Clef
* Kind of blend together for me, I know they're very different, I just didn't care about either very much. Jek pissed me off for not believe Althea at first.
* Serpents
* Very weird to read their POV, but I loved learnig lore through them. LOved the last chapter with them cocooning.
* Dragon
* Loved her, wish we got more of her POV. You could see how real dragons are different from the imitations in Farseer, and would love to see her return.
* Satrap
* Awful guy, made me happy to read his suffering, wish we got his POV just to see how delusional he his. He had a little bit of growth which was nice
***Abuse and Woman***
I won't pretend that I know what it is to be a woman, much less a woman on a ship full of men who see her as nothing more than a body, but Hobb made the feeling of fear and dread of abuse so real. Serillias story broke my heart, and it was so painful to read everything that was done to her, and how it effected every single part of her future. Malta living in fear of every man around her made me feel that fear with her, and every instance of her or another woman feeling like assult is inevitable, broke my heart, and was just so well written
Althea. Just wow. I have never hated characters as much as I hated Kennit, Wintrow, Etta, and Vivicia for what was done to her, and how they treated her after. I know it is realistic, but I still just wished it could have all gone differently.
Kennit raped Althea to demonstrate how he can control others, while also being trapped in the cycle of abuse that Igrot started, and he picked Althea only because he couldn't bring himself to touch Wintrow. This is no excuse, just a great way to show how abuse is passed on, while also showing how even with trauma, one should never do what Kennit did to Althea, and one should always believe the victim.
***Last Random Thoughts***
* Malta and Reyn are up there with some of my favorite love stories in fiction
* Hobb writes dialogue so fucking good
* I hateeeeeeeee Kyle
* Wintrow as a slave is such a good character arc, and one of the worst things a father has done in any fantasy I've read
* I wish Etta could be more than who she loves, and wish she could have accepted Althea (even though that would make no sense)
* I think we might she Malta, Reyn, and Wintrow in future books, but no other characters (obviously not including Amber)
* Ship of Destiny, from chapter like 24 onwards, was perfect, and I could barley put it down
* I don't want to leave these characters at all
I loved this trilogy, and while I wrote a lot, I couldn't write down all my thoughts, so somethings are a little barebones. Excited to continue in this series and hope I get to return to this part of the world once more. Thanks for reading!
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* Jek/Clef
* Kind of blend together for me, I know they're very different, I just didn't care about either very much. Jek pissed me off for not believe Althea at first.
* Serpents
* Very weird to read their POV, but I loved learnig lore through them. LOved the last chapter with them cocooning.
* Dragon
* Loved her, wish we got more of her POV. You could see how real dragons are different from the imitations in Farseer, and would love to see her return.
* Satrap
* Awful guy, made me happy to read his suffering, wish we got his POV just to see how delusional he his. He had a little bit of growth which was nice
***Abuse and Woman***
I won't pretend that I know what it is to be a woman, much less a woman on a ship full of men who see her as nothing more than a body, but Hobb made the feeling of fear and dread of abuse so real. Serillias story broke my heart, and it was so painful to read everything that was done to her, and how it effected every single part of her future. Malta living in fear of every man around her made me feel that fear with her, and every instance of her or another woman feeling like assult is inevitable, broke my heart, and was just so well written
Althea. Just wow. I have never hated characters as much as I hated Kennit, Wintrow, Etta, and Vivicia for what was done to her, and how they treated her after. I know it is realistic, but I still just wished it could have all gone differently.
Kennit raped Althea to demonstrate how he can control others, while also being trapped in the cycle of abuse that Igrot started, and he picked Althea only because he couldn't bring himself to touch Wintrow. This is no excuse, just a great way to show how abuse is passed on, while also showing how even with trauma, one should never do what Kennit did to Althea, and one should always believe the victim.
***Last Random Thoughts***
* Malta and Reyn are up there with some of my favorite love stories in fiction
* Hobb writes dialogue so fucking good
* I hateeeeeeeee Kyle
* Wintrow as a slave is such a good character arc, and one of the worst things a father has done in any fantasy I've read
* I wish Etta could be more than who she loves, and wish she could have accepted Althea (even though that would make no sense)
* I think we might she Malta, Reyn, and Wintrow in future books, but no other characters (obviously not including Amber)
* Ship of Destiny, from chapter like 24 onwards, was perfect, and I could barley put it down
* I don't want to leave these characters at all
I loved this trilogy, and while I wrote a lot, I couldn't write down all my thoughts, so somethings are a little barebones. Excited to continue in this series and hope I get to return to this part of the world once more. Thanks for reading!
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Finished Piranesi Today. Thoughts on the House
I just finished reading Piranesi today, and I wanted to hear your thoughts about the House. What do you think it really was? A real place? Something purely mental? Or something in between?
I should say upfront that I’m not a philosopher at all, actually quite the opposite hahaha, so feel free to correct me. But while I was reading, the House immediately reminded me of Plato’s World of Ideas. That metaphysical, perfect, eternal, and immutable realm that contains the pure “Forms” of everything, while the physical world is only an imperfect and temporary copy, accessible through the senses rather than reason.
To me, the House felt like a kind of World of Ideas that humans somehow accessed. The statues, the halls, and even the House itself felt like “Forms”, ideal, symbolic, and removed from ordinary material reality. Does that make any sense, or am I stretching this way too far?
I’m still digesting the book, so I don’t have a solid, closed interpretation yet. But I really wanted to share how the House felt to me when I was first introduced to it. Even though it can be read as a prison, I experienced it as a safe harbor. Probably because Piranesi presents it that way, but imagining the infinite labyrinth of halls brought me a strange sense of peace. The marble, the vast skies, the silence broken only by the tide, it all felt deeply calming and sacred.
By the end, I think I realized that I wanted the House to be real more than I actually believed it was. I even caught myself wishing I could have seen it.
Anyway, I’d love to hear how you all interpreted the House.
https://redd.it/1pxfnrn
@r_fantasy
I just finished reading Piranesi today, and I wanted to hear your thoughts about the House. What do you think it really was? A real place? Something purely mental? Or something in between?
I should say upfront that I’m not a philosopher at all, actually quite the opposite hahaha, so feel free to correct me. But while I was reading, the House immediately reminded me of Plato’s World of Ideas. That metaphysical, perfect, eternal, and immutable realm that contains the pure “Forms” of everything, while the physical world is only an imperfect and temporary copy, accessible through the senses rather than reason.
To me, the House felt like a kind of World of Ideas that humans somehow accessed. The statues, the halls, and even the House itself felt like “Forms”, ideal, symbolic, and removed from ordinary material reality. Does that make any sense, or am I stretching this way too far?
I’m still digesting the book, so I don’t have a solid, closed interpretation yet. But I really wanted to share how the House felt to me when I was first introduced to it. Even though it can be read as a prison, I experienced it as a safe harbor. Probably because Piranesi presents it that way, but imagining the infinite labyrinth of halls brought me a strange sense of peace. The marble, the vast skies, the silence broken only by the tide, it all felt deeply calming and sacred.
By the end, I think I realized that I wanted the House to be real more than I actually believed it was. I even caught myself wishing I could have seen it.
Anyway, I’d love to hear how you all interpreted the House.
https://redd.it/1pxfnrn
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2025 Bingo Reviews (Old School 1936-1991)
My old school themed card for this year. When I do the Old School card, along with the existing bingo rules, I pick books from authors not read on my other bingo cards (excluding short story collections) and published before I was born (1992 or earlier). It's a fun way for me to find older authors or classics I've missed or wouldn't normally read.
https://preview.redd.it/w8j707ntwt9g1.png?width=890&format=png&auto=webp&s=654b1f6d9a6079171a4604ac9590b655fcf944d6
Knights and Paladins (HM) Black Sun Rising by C.S. Freidman \[1991\]\-Honestly, I didn’t really connect with the book until the last 50 or so pages. It felt like a fairly straightforward dark fantasy throughout, though the sci-fi elements of the world were interesting, as was the blending of the alien and the magical. However, the reveal at the end put a lot more of the book into a different perspective, and suddenly I was a lot more interested in the sequel. Because it is a sci-fi set fantasy book, some of the concepts, such as generation ships, plate tectonics and evolution, don’t feel forced in what could be a traditional high fantasy setting.
Parent Protagonist Dragonsbane by Barbara Hambly \[1985\]\-This book flew by, but in a very good way. The focus characters were interesting and unique, and felt very much like people. It’s a traditional fantasy setting and story, but it pulls you in and out as it plays with your expectations of the archetypes, adding to the story. The fights were generally quick, but the last one was amazing.
Impossible Places (HM) The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch by *Philip K Dick [1965\] -*This book was easy to read, and the plot moved forward quickly. The moments of the story flowed together from beat to beat, moving you on and through each moment. It was an interesting concept, but I felt it could have been longer. If more time spent on the characters, on the events, it would have felt more complete. It’s an interesting story, but a bit rushed sometimes.
Recycle a Bingo Square [2021 Found Family\] The Oathbound by Mercedes Lackey \[1988\]-A quick epic fantasy book, it hit a lot of the expected fantasy elements well (bandits, magic, swords, mythical creatures, etc) The format and pacing of the book was interesting, as it’s clearly a novel, and reads like one, but it also feels at times like a collection of short stories, major moments in the characters lives focused on as they proceed with their quests. There is quite a lot of SA in the book, and while it's addressed, some of the ways it’s addressed feel a bit naive.
Biopunk Schismatrix by Bruce Sterling \[1985\]\-I liked the book, but it took a while for me to get into the story. I went in with an expectation of fights and battle between factions, but it unfolded into politics and debates. There was one major fight, but much of the violence happened off-page. The characters were interesting, if a bit flat at times, but the biotech was very well done. The author made great use of the solar system as a whole, though we didn’t visit every place, they were nearly all mentioned in some form. As the story progressed, more and more of biotech was demonstrated, culminating in how it was used to craft a massive house for one of the supporting characters. A lot of biotech uses that were mentioned I remember seeing in more recent stories as well, which makes sense as it seems to be one of the earliest novels involving biotechnology
Book Club/Readalong Tigana by *Guy Gavriel Kay [1990\]-*My first time reading a book by Kay, and it should have happened a long time ago. The writing is beautiful, it’s not concise or quick, it’s full and lengthy but you don’t feel bogged down and bored as you read it. The characters again are full, thought out and complete, trying to be the best people they can in an unfair world. Choices they make are often wrong, but they’re still made. It’s a great story in itself, showing three perspectives of a conflict that has been happening for years and you see the end unfold over
My old school themed card for this year. When I do the Old School card, along with the existing bingo rules, I pick books from authors not read on my other bingo cards (excluding short story collections) and published before I was born (1992 or earlier). It's a fun way for me to find older authors or classics I've missed or wouldn't normally read.
https://preview.redd.it/w8j707ntwt9g1.png?width=890&format=png&auto=webp&s=654b1f6d9a6079171a4604ac9590b655fcf944d6
Knights and Paladins (HM) Black Sun Rising by C.S. Freidman \[1991\]\-Honestly, I didn’t really connect with the book until the last 50 or so pages. It felt like a fairly straightforward dark fantasy throughout, though the sci-fi elements of the world were interesting, as was the blending of the alien and the magical. However, the reveal at the end put a lot more of the book into a different perspective, and suddenly I was a lot more interested in the sequel. Because it is a sci-fi set fantasy book, some of the concepts, such as generation ships, plate tectonics and evolution, don’t feel forced in what could be a traditional high fantasy setting.
Parent Protagonist Dragonsbane by Barbara Hambly \[1985\]\-This book flew by, but in a very good way. The focus characters were interesting and unique, and felt very much like people. It’s a traditional fantasy setting and story, but it pulls you in and out as it plays with your expectations of the archetypes, adding to the story. The fights were generally quick, but the last one was amazing.
Impossible Places (HM) The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch by *Philip K Dick [1965\] -*This book was easy to read, and the plot moved forward quickly. The moments of the story flowed together from beat to beat, moving you on and through each moment. It was an interesting concept, but I felt it could have been longer. If more time spent on the characters, on the events, it would have felt more complete. It’s an interesting story, but a bit rushed sometimes.
Recycle a Bingo Square [2021 Found Family\] The Oathbound by Mercedes Lackey \[1988\]-A quick epic fantasy book, it hit a lot of the expected fantasy elements well (bandits, magic, swords, mythical creatures, etc) The format and pacing of the book was interesting, as it’s clearly a novel, and reads like one, but it also feels at times like a collection of short stories, major moments in the characters lives focused on as they proceed with their quests. There is quite a lot of SA in the book, and while it's addressed, some of the ways it’s addressed feel a bit naive.
Biopunk Schismatrix by Bruce Sterling \[1985\]\-I liked the book, but it took a while for me to get into the story. I went in with an expectation of fights and battle between factions, but it unfolded into politics and debates. There was one major fight, but much of the violence happened off-page. The characters were interesting, if a bit flat at times, but the biotech was very well done. The author made great use of the solar system as a whole, though we didn’t visit every place, they were nearly all mentioned in some form. As the story progressed, more and more of biotech was demonstrated, culminating in how it was used to craft a massive house for one of the supporting characters. A lot of biotech uses that were mentioned I remember seeing in more recent stories as well, which makes sense as it seems to be one of the earliest novels involving biotechnology
Book Club/Readalong Tigana by *Guy Gavriel Kay [1990\]-*My first time reading a book by Kay, and it should have happened a long time ago. The writing is beautiful, it’s not concise or quick, it’s full and lengthy but you don’t feel bogged down and bored as you read it. The characters again are full, thought out and complete, trying to be the best people they can in an unfair world. Choices they make are often wrong, but they’re still made. It’s a great story in itself, showing three perspectives of a conflict that has been happening for years and you see the end unfold over
a year or more, time passing as everything occurs. The exposition of the world, the religion, the traditions and more slowly unfolds as the book progresses, giving a well traveled and old feeling to the world without someone expositing a block of text for the reader.
Hidden Gem (HM) Nightshade by *Jack Butler [1991\]-*This was not a good book, I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. It’s barely salvaged by the epilogue and glossary at the end, but it’s not worth the slog to get there. An interesting concept executed terribly.
Pirates On Stranger Tides by Tim Powers \[1987\]\-This was a really fun book. Full of pirates and magic in the Caribbean, it's fast paced and exciting, and the exposition doesn’t feel long or dense. The characters are entertaining, and the fights are fun to follow. However, the highlight is the use of magics in the story. It feels both new and old fashioned, and if you’ve read enough fantasy, some elements will be familiar while some will be new and unique. Don’t be turned off by the noscript, apart from a few names and the use of pirates, there’s no real similarity between the book and the movie.
Down with the System (HM) The Gods Themselves by Issac Asimov \[1972\]\-I’ve always enjoyed Asimov’s writing, and this one is no exception. It leans very heavy on the science, adjusting atomic weights across universes to generate power, and presenting an extreme idea by the end. The characters feel a bit flat in places, but the story is still interesting, especially the perspectives in the second section. It feels much less dated then some sci-fi published around that time, and the story is just as relevant today as it was 50+ years ago. All in all, a good read.
Gods & Pantheons The Master & Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov \[1967\]\-A really well written book, and very well translated. The book appears long, but the pacing moves you along quickly, and creates a need for you to want to see what happens next. You see the interactions between dozens of different characters as they try to deal with the unknowable and inconceivable happening to and around them. It’s satirical, and filled with moments of dark comedy but balanced out by moments clearly pulled from his life in the Soviet Union. I enjoyed it a lot, even if it wasn’t quite what I was expecting.
A Book in Parts (HM) Lanark by Alasdair Gray \[1981\]\-I find it hard to describe this book. I wasn’t a fan of it, but that wasn’t due to any writing issues. Plenty of detail, maybe a bit too much is places, but all understandable, and a wide variety of characters, though none of them were particularly likable. Having a non-chronological order to the sections, as well as an unreliable author/narrator and a main character who may or may not be hallucinating didn’t help either. I enjoyed books/parts 3 and 4 a lot more than 1 and 2.
Epistolary War with the Newts by Carel Kapek \[1936\]\-I enjoyed this book, even considering the sections written (intentionally so) as if part of a history textbook. It is a translation, but it didn’t feel stilted or awkward reading it, as the translator (Ewald Osers) seems to have managed to convey the author's tone as well as the characters' tones. The satire isn’t subtle, but it’s well done and even reading it now, still very much applicable. It was a very interesting alternate history, and a great book overall.
Stranger in a Strange Land (HM) Rocannon’s World by Ursala K LeGuin \[1966\]\-A quick book but an interesting one. LeGuin’s first published novel, you can see early on a lot of the themes and concepts she explores in greater detail in later books, such as exploring new cultures, loss, and more. While the story itself feels fairly generic fantasy, the way she integrates scifi elements gives the story a unique feel. Expanded on from a short story, it feels a bit rushed, and I’d have liked to see more of the world explored if possible. A nice little read. (Also, fun fact, this story is where the world ansible comes from, as LeGuin invented the word for this book.)
Small
Hidden Gem (HM) Nightshade by *Jack Butler [1991\]-*This was not a good book, I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. It’s barely salvaged by the epilogue and glossary at the end, but it’s not worth the slog to get there. An interesting concept executed terribly.
Pirates On Stranger Tides by Tim Powers \[1987\]\-This was a really fun book. Full of pirates and magic in the Caribbean, it's fast paced and exciting, and the exposition doesn’t feel long or dense. The characters are entertaining, and the fights are fun to follow. However, the highlight is the use of magics in the story. It feels both new and old fashioned, and if you’ve read enough fantasy, some elements will be familiar while some will be new and unique. Don’t be turned off by the noscript, apart from a few names and the use of pirates, there’s no real similarity between the book and the movie.
Down with the System (HM) The Gods Themselves by Issac Asimov \[1972\]\-I’ve always enjoyed Asimov’s writing, and this one is no exception. It leans very heavy on the science, adjusting atomic weights across universes to generate power, and presenting an extreme idea by the end. The characters feel a bit flat in places, but the story is still interesting, especially the perspectives in the second section. It feels much less dated then some sci-fi published around that time, and the story is just as relevant today as it was 50+ years ago. All in all, a good read.
Gods & Pantheons The Master & Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov \[1967\]\-A really well written book, and very well translated. The book appears long, but the pacing moves you along quickly, and creates a need for you to want to see what happens next. You see the interactions between dozens of different characters as they try to deal with the unknowable and inconceivable happening to and around them. It’s satirical, and filled with moments of dark comedy but balanced out by moments clearly pulled from his life in the Soviet Union. I enjoyed it a lot, even if it wasn’t quite what I was expecting.
A Book in Parts (HM) Lanark by Alasdair Gray \[1981\]\-I find it hard to describe this book. I wasn’t a fan of it, but that wasn’t due to any writing issues. Plenty of detail, maybe a bit too much is places, but all understandable, and a wide variety of characters, though none of them were particularly likable. Having a non-chronological order to the sections, as well as an unreliable author/narrator and a main character who may or may not be hallucinating didn’t help either. I enjoyed books/parts 3 and 4 a lot more than 1 and 2.
Epistolary War with the Newts by Carel Kapek \[1936\]\-I enjoyed this book, even considering the sections written (intentionally so) as if part of a history textbook. It is a translation, but it didn’t feel stilted or awkward reading it, as the translator (Ewald Osers) seems to have managed to convey the author's tone as well as the characters' tones. The satire isn’t subtle, but it’s well done and even reading it now, still very much applicable. It was a very interesting alternate history, and a great book overall.
Stranger in a Strange Land (HM) Rocannon’s World by Ursala K LeGuin \[1966\]\-A quick book but an interesting one. LeGuin’s first published novel, you can see early on a lot of the themes and concepts she explores in greater detail in later books, such as exploring new cultures, loss, and more. While the story itself feels fairly generic fantasy, the way she integrates scifi elements gives the story a unique feel. Expanded on from a short story, it feels a bit rushed, and I’d have liked to see more of the world explored if possible. A nice little read. (Also, fun fact, this story is where the world ansible comes from, as LeGuin invented the word for this book.)
Small
2025 Bingo Reviews (Old School 1936-1991)
My old school themed card for this year. When I do the Old School card, along with the existing bingo rules, I pick books from authors not read on my other bingo cards (excluding short story collections) and published before I was born (1992 or earlier). It's a fun way for me to find older authors or classics I've missed or wouldn't normally read.
https://preview.redd.it/w8j707ntwt9g1.png?width=890&format=png&auto=webp&s=654b1f6d9a6079171a4604ac9590b655fcf944d6
Knights and Paladins (HM) **Black Sun Rising** by *C.S. Freidman \[1991\]*\-Honestly, I didn’t really connect with the book until the last 50 or so pages. It felt like a fairly straightforward dark fantasy throughout, though the sci-fi elements of the world were interesting, as was the blending of the alien and the magical. However, the reveal at the end put a lot more of the book into a different perspective, and suddenly I was a lot more interested in the sequel. Because it is a sci-fi set fantasy book, some of the concepts, such as generation ships, plate tectonics and evolution, don’t feel forced in what could be a traditional high fantasy setting.
Parent Protagonist **Dragonsbane** by *Barbara Hambly \[1985\]*\-This book flew by, but in a very good way. The focus characters were interesting and unique, and felt very much like people. It’s a traditional fantasy setting and story, but it pulls you in and out as it plays with your expectations of the archetypes, adding to the story. The fights were generally quick, but the last one was amazing.
Impossible Places (HM) **The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch** by \*Philip K Dick \[1965\] -\*This book was easy to read, and the plot moved forward quickly. The moments of the story flowed together from beat to beat, moving you on and through each moment. It was an interesting concept, but I felt it could have been longer. If more time spent on the characters, on the events, it would have felt more complete. It’s an interesting story, but a bit rushed sometimes.
Recycle a Bingo Square \[2021 Found Family\] **The Oathbound** by *Mercedes Lackey \[1988*\]-A quick epic fantasy book, it hit a lot of the expected fantasy elements well (bandits, magic, swords, mythical creatures, etc) The format and pacing of the book was interesting, as it’s clearly a novel, and reads like one, but it also feels at times like a collection of short stories, major moments in the characters lives focused on as they proceed with their quests. There is quite a lot of SA in the book, and while it's addressed, some of the ways it’s addressed feel a bit naive.
Biopunk **Schismatrix** by *Bruce Sterling \[1985\]*\-I liked the book, but it took a while for me to get into the story. I went in with an expectation of fights and battle between factions, but it unfolded into politics and debates. There was one major fight, but much of the violence happened off-page. The characters were interesting, if a bit flat at times, but the biotech was very well done. The author made great use of the solar system as a whole, though we didn’t visit every place, they were nearly all mentioned in some form. As the story progressed, more and more of biotech was demonstrated, culminating in how it was used to craft a massive house for one of the supporting characters. A lot of biotech uses that were mentioned I remember seeing in more recent stories as well, which makes sense as it seems to be one of the earliest novels involving biotechnology
Book Club/Readalong **Tigana** by \*Guy Gavriel Kay \[1990\]-\*My first time reading a book by Kay, and it should have happened a long time ago. The writing is beautiful, it’s not concise or quick, it’s full and lengthy but you don’t feel bogged down and bored as you read it. The characters again are full, thought out and complete, trying to be the best people they can in an unfair world. Choices they make are often wrong, but they’re still made. It’s a great story in itself, showing three perspectives of a conflict that has been happening for years and you see the end unfold over
My old school themed card for this year. When I do the Old School card, along with the existing bingo rules, I pick books from authors not read on my other bingo cards (excluding short story collections) and published before I was born (1992 or earlier). It's a fun way for me to find older authors or classics I've missed or wouldn't normally read.
https://preview.redd.it/w8j707ntwt9g1.png?width=890&format=png&auto=webp&s=654b1f6d9a6079171a4604ac9590b655fcf944d6
Knights and Paladins (HM) **Black Sun Rising** by *C.S. Freidman \[1991\]*\-Honestly, I didn’t really connect with the book until the last 50 or so pages. It felt like a fairly straightforward dark fantasy throughout, though the sci-fi elements of the world were interesting, as was the blending of the alien and the magical. However, the reveal at the end put a lot more of the book into a different perspective, and suddenly I was a lot more interested in the sequel. Because it is a sci-fi set fantasy book, some of the concepts, such as generation ships, plate tectonics and evolution, don’t feel forced in what could be a traditional high fantasy setting.
Parent Protagonist **Dragonsbane** by *Barbara Hambly \[1985\]*\-This book flew by, but in a very good way. The focus characters were interesting and unique, and felt very much like people. It’s a traditional fantasy setting and story, but it pulls you in and out as it plays with your expectations of the archetypes, adding to the story. The fights were generally quick, but the last one was amazing.
Impossible Places (HM) **The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch** by \*Philip K Dick \[1965\] -\*This book was easy to read, and the plot moved forward quickly. The moments of the story flowed together from beat to beat, moving you on and through each moment. It was an interesting concept, but I felt it could have been longer. If more time spent on the characters, on the events, it would have felt more complete. It’s an interesting story, but a bit rushed sometimes.
Recycle a Bingo Square \[2021 Found Family\] **The Oathbound** by *Mercedes Lackey \[1988*\]-A quick epic fantasy book, it hit a lot of the expected fantasy elements well (bandits, magic, swords, mythical creatures, etc) The format and pacing of the book was interesting, as it’s clearly a novel, and reads like one, but it also feels at times like a collection of short stories, major moments in the characters lives focused on as they proceed with their quests. There is quite a lot of SA in the book, and while it's addressed, some of the ways it’s addressed feel a bit naive.
Biopunk **Schismatrix** by *Bruce Sterling \[1985\]*\-I liked the book, but it took a while for me to get into the story. I went in with an expectation of fights and battle between factions, but it unfolded into politics and debates. There was one major fight, but much of the violence happened off-page. The characters were interesting, if a bit flat at times, but the biotech was very well done. The author made great use of the solar system as a whole, though we didn’t visit every place, they were nearly all mentioned in some form. As the story progressed, more and more of biotech was demonstrated, culminating in how it was used to craft a massive house for one of the supporting characters. A lot of biotech uses that were mentioned I remember seeing in more recent stories as well, which makes sense as it seems to be one of the earliest novels involving biotechnology
Book Club/Readalong **Tigana** by \*Guy Gavriel Kay \[1990\]-\*My first time reading a book by Kay, and it should have happened a long time ago. The writing is beautiful, it’s not concise or quick, it’s full and lengthy but you don’t feel bogged down and bored as you read it. The characters again are full, thought out and complete, trying to be the best people they can in an unfair world. Choices they make are often wrong, but they’re still made. It’s a great story in itself, showing three perspectives of a conflict that has been happening for years and you see the end unfold over
a year or more, time passing as everything occurs. The exposition of the world, the religion, the traditions and more slowly unfolds as the book progresses, giving a well traveled and old feeling to the world without someone expositing a block of text for the reader.
Hidden Gem (HM) **Nightshade** by \*Jack Butler \[1991\]-\*This was not a good book, I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. It’s barely salvaged by the epilogue and glossary at the end, but it’s not worth the slog to get there. An interesting concept executed terribly.
Pirates **On Stranger Tides** by *Tim Powers \[1987\]*\-This was a really fun book. Full of pirates and magic in the Caribbean, it's fast paced and exciting, and the exposition doesn’t feel long or dense. The characters are entertaining, and the fights are fun to follow. However, the highlight is the use of magics in the story. It feels both new and old fashioned, and if you’ve read enough fantasy, some elements will be familiar while some will be new and unique. Don’t be turned off by the noscript, apart from a few names and the use of pirates, there’s no real similarity between the book and the movie.
Down with the System (HM) **The Gods Themselves** by *Issac Asimov \[1972\]*\-I’ve always enjoyed Asimov’s writing, and this one is no exception. It leans very heavy on the science, adjusting atomic weights across universes to generate power, and presenting an extreme idea by the end. The characters feel a bit flat in places, but the story is still interesting, especially the perspectives in the second section. It feels much less dated then some sci-fi published around that time, and the story is just as relevant today as it was 50+ years ago. All in all, a good read.
Gods & Pantheons **The Master & Margarita** by *Mikhail Bulgakov \[1967\]*\-A really well written book, and very well translated. The book appears long, but the pacing moves you along quickly, and creates a need for you to want to see what happens next. You see the interactions between dozens of different characters as they try to deal with the unknowable and inconceivable happening to and around them. It’s satirical, and filled with moments of dark comedy but balanced out by moments clearly pulled from his life in the Soviet Union. I enjoyed it a lot, even if it wasn’t quite what I was expecting.
A Book in Parts (HM) **Lanark** by *Alasdair Gray \[1981\]*\-I find it hard to describe this book. I wasn’t a fan of it, but that wasn’t due to any writing issues. Plenty of detail, maybe a bit too much is places, but all understandable, and a wide variety of characters, though none of them were particularly likable. Having a non-chronological order to the sections, as well as an unreliable author/narrator and a main character who may or may not be hallucinating didn’t help either. I enjoyed books/parts 3 and 4 a lot more than 1 and 2.
Epistolary **War with the Newts** by *Carel Kapek \[1936\]*\-I enjoyed this book, even considering the sections written (intentionally so) as if part of a history textbook. It is a translation, but it didn’t feel stilted or awkward reading it, as the translator (Ewald Osers) seems to have managed to convey the author's tone as well as the characters' tones. The satire isn’t subtle, but it’s well done and even reading it now, still very much applicable. It was a very interesting alternate history, and a great book overall.
Stranger in a Strange Land (HM) **Rocannon’s World** by *Ursala K LeGuin \[1966\]*\-A quick book but an interesting one. LeGuin’s first published novel, you can see early on a lot of the themes and concepts she explores in greater detail in later books, such as exploring new cultures, loss, and more. While the story itself feels fairly generic fantasy, the way she integrates scifi elements gives the story a unique feel. Expanded on from a short story, it feels a bit rushed, and I’d have liked to see more of the world explored if possible. A nice little read. (*Also, fun fact, this story is where the world* ***ansible*** *comes from, as LeGuin invented the word for this book*.)
Small
Hidden Gem (HM) **Nightshade** by \*Jack Butler \[1991\]-\*This was not a good book, I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. It’s barely salvaged by the epilogue and glossary at the end, but it’s not worth the slog to get there. An interesting concept executed terribly.
Pirates **On Stranger Tides** by *Tim Powers \[1987\]*\-This was a really fun book. Full of pirates and magic in the Caribbean, it's fast paced and exciting, and the exposition doesn’t feel long or dense. The characters are entertaining, and the fights are fun to follow. However, the highlight is the use of magics in the story. It feels both new and old fashioned, and if you’ve read enough fantasy, some elements will be familiar while some will be new and unique. Don’t be turned off by the noscript, apart from a few names and the use of pirates, there’s no real similarity between the book and the movie.
Down with the System (HM) **The Gods Themselves** by *Issac Asimov \[1972\]*\-I’ve always enjoyed Asimov’s writing, and this one is no exception. It leans very heavy on the science, adjusting atomic weights across universes to generate power, and presenting an extreme idea by the end. The characters feel a bit flat in places, but the story is still interesting, especially the perspectives in the second section. It feels much less dated then some sci-fi published around that time, and the story is just as relevant today as it was 50+ years ago. All in all, a good read.
Gods & Pantheons **The Master & Margarita** by *Mikhail Bulgakov \[1967\]*\-A really well written book, and very well translated. The book appears long, but the pacing moves you along quickly, and creates a need for you to want to see what happens next. You see the interactions between dozens of different characters as they try to deal with the unknowable and inconceivable happening to and around them. It’s satirical, and filled with moments of dark comedy but balanced out by moments clearly pulled from his life in the Soviet Union. I enjoyed it a lot, even if it wasn’t quite what I was expecting.
A Book in Parts (HM) **Lanark** by *Alasdair Gray \[1981\]*\-I find it hard to describe this book. I wasn’t a fan of it, but that wasn’t due to any writing issues. Plenty of detail, maybe a bit too much is places, but all understandable, and a wide variety of characters, though none of them were particularly likable. Having a non-chronological order to the sections, as well as an unreliable author/narrator and a main character who may or may not be hallucinating didn’t help either. I enjoyed books/parts 3 and 4 a lot more than 1 and 2.
Epistolary **War with the Newts** by *Carel Kapek \[1936\]*\-I enjoyed this book, even considering the sections written (intentionally so) as if part of a history textbook. It is a translation, but it didn’t feel stilted or awkward reading it, as the translator (Ewald Osers) seems to have managed to convey the author's tone as well as the characters' tones. The satire isn’t subtle, but it’s well done and even reading it now, still very much applicable. It was a very interesting alternate history, and a great book overall.
Stranger in a Strange Land (HM) **Rocannon’s World** by *Ursala K LeGuin \[1966\]*\-A quick book but an interesting one. LeGuin’s first published novel, you can see early on a lot of the themes and concepts she explores in greater detail in later books, such as exploring new cultures, loss, and more. While the story itself feels fairly generic fantasy, the way she integrates scifi elements gives the story a unique feel. Expanded on from a short story, it feels a bit rushed, and I’d have liked to see more of the world explored if possible. A nice little read. (*Also, fun fact, this story is where the world* ***ansible*** *comes from, as LeGuin invented the word for this book*.)
Small
Press/Self Published (HM) **Kalpa Imperial: The Greatest Empire That Never Was** by *Angelica Gorodischer \[1983\]*\-A collection of stories detailing moments for a fantastic empire. You get high points and low points, success and tragedy and everything else you could think of packed into only a couple of hundred pages. Even though it’s so short, the book makes you want to slow down and take your time as you read it. The edition I read was translated by Ursula K LeGuin, but it doesn’t read like her writing, giving you the original writer's voice. It’s full of dozens of different characters and locations, but you’re never told an order chronologically, such as this story happened before this one and then this one occurred, etc. Because of that, it makes the stories a lot more interesting, as you don’t have a grasp on how long the empire existed as you might get from a history book. An excellent story, one everyone should read.
5 Short Stories (HM) **The State of the Art** by *Iain M Banks \[1989\]*\-An interesting collection of stories, not all of which involve the Culture (though the majority do). Some were more interesting than others, some more confusing than others. All had interesting characters, if not all were human. A nice collection of his work.
Author of Color **Babel-17** by *Samuel R. Delany \[1966\]*\-This was an incredible book. It was simultaneously filled with academic statements and explanations on language while balanced against moments of an almost dream-like state and fast action. It never felt bogged down, and it didn’t leave cliffhangers on each chapter, though it keeps you wanting to read the next page. The characters were interesting and unique, both visually and personality-wise. It’s definitely worth the read, especially if you have any interest in language. *(As a sidenote, the copy I got from the library included the novella Empire Star, but instead of just being after Babel-17, it’s actually printed on the other side, which makes it feel like two different books, which I thought was a great idea)*
Generic Title **Jack of Shadows** by *Roger Zelazny \[1971\]*\-Having read The Chronicles of Amber and Lord of Light, I was extremely excited for a new Zelazny book to read. However I found the book a bit disappointing. It was an interesting world, but the characters felt generic and flat a lot of the time. There were places where it felt like parts of the book were missing, as story beats happened sometimes just to happen, without there appearing to be a reason. Similar to the overall story it felt, at the start, to be a really interesting revenge story, and then just kinda fell off at some point. Personally, not his best work.
High Fashion (HM) **The Garments of Caean** by *Barrington J. Bayley \[1976\]*\-I wasn’t sure what to expect going in, but I was pleasantly surprised. It was an interesting story with some very unique alien worlds, and a very original story. The writing was denoscriptive without feeling rushed and the characters all felt unique. For such a short book, it felt like it provided all the information without missing much, though some treads were left unexplained intentionally. A bit dated, as with much old sci-fi, but a fun read.
Last in a Series **Marooned in Realtime** by *Vernon Vinge \[1986\]*\-The sequel to The Peace War, and one of his earliest books. The story still feels a bit rushed at times and I wish there had been more time to explore characters and motivations. They were interesting, and because of how you followed the protagonists perspective, you only ever say what they saw. The thing that stands out about this book though is the timeframe in which people operate. Things are planned to happen over thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of years, but because of the tech from the first book, the characters don’t age. It’s a very interesting concept, and gives a particularly melancholy tone to the book. A bit better then the first in the series, but not particularly standout.
Swap \[Standalone Novel 2022 (HM)\] **Icehenge** by *Kim Stanley Robinson
5 Short Stories (HM) **The State of the Art** by *Iain M Banks \[1989\]*\-An interesting collection of stories, not all of which involve the Culture (though the majority do). Some were more interesting than others, some more confusing than others. All had interesting characters, if not all were human. A nice collection of his work.
Author of Color **Babel-17** by *Samuel R. Delany \[1966\]*\-This was an incredible book. It was simultaneously filled with academic statements and explanations on language while balanced against moments of an almost dream-like state and fast action. It never felt bogged down, and it didn’t leave cliffhangers on each chapter, though it keeps you wanting to read the next page. The characters were interesting and unique, both visually and personality-wise. It’s definitely worth the read, especially if you have any interest in language. *(As a sidenote, the copy I got from the library included the novella Empire Star, but instead of just being after Babel-17, it’s actually printed on the other side, which makes it feel like two different books, which I thought was a great idea)*
Generic Title **Jack of Shadows** by *Roger Zelazny \[1971\]*\-Having read The Chronicles of Amber and Lord of Light, I was extremely excited for a new Zelazny book to read. However I found the book a bit disappointing. It was an interesting world, but the characters felt generic and flat a lot of the time. There were places where it felt like parts of the book were missing, as story beats happened sometimes just to happen, without there appearing to be a reason. Similar to the overall story it felt, at the start, to be a really interesting revenge story, and then just kinda fell off at some point. Personally, not his best work.
High Fashion (HM) **The Garments of Caean** by *Barrington J. Bayley \[1976\]*\-I wasn’t sure what to expect going in, but I was pleasantly surprised. It was an interesting story with some very unique alien worlds, and a very original story. The writing was denoscriptive without feeling rushed and the characters all felt unique. For such a short book, it felt like it provided all the information without missing much, though some treads were left unexplained intentionally. A bit dated, as with much old sci-fi, but a fun read.
Last in a Series **Marooned in Realtime** by *Vernon Vinge \[1986\]*\-The sequel to The Peace War, and one of his earliest books. The story still feels a bit rushed at times and I wish there had been more time to explore characters and motivations. They were interesting, and because of how you followed the protagonists perspective, you only ever say what they saw. The thing that stands out about this book though is the timeframe in which people operate. Things are planned to happen over thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of years, but because of the tech from the first book, the characters don’t age. It’s a very interesting concept, and gives a particularly melancholy tone to the book. A bit better then the first in the series, but not particularly standout.
Swap \[Standalone Novel 2022 (HM)\] **Icehenge** by *Kim Stanley Robinson
\[1984\]*\-An interesting hard scifi book, the story is told across about 500–600 years from three very different characters viewpoints at various points in time. The questions raised aren’t all answered flat out, but the author hints at enough for you to make your own decision about what happened. That characters are interesting, and you see how their decisions are made and minds change as they’re presented with evidence and events. It’s also interesting to see governmental shifts and similarities across the years. The writing feels a bit run on or rambly at times, as things just happen one after another after another without breaks, but a good standalone book.
Cozy SFF (HM) **At Amberleaf Fair** by *Phyllis Ann Kerr \[1986\]*\-A quick read that follows several characters at a festival in a heavily magical world. While no fantasy creatures are ever seen, magic is commonplace, mostly used for small comforts such as charms to keep you dry in the rain. The plot follows a theft and the characters jobs at the fair as they deal with the theft and other events that occur. There’s never any feelings of fear or worry for the characters, just some anticipation at what happens next. The characters are a bit thin, due to the size of the book, and you’re thrown into the world with no real background, but it’s a decent read.
LQBTQIA+ Protagonist **Silverglass** by *J.F. Rivkin \[1986\]*\-I was a bit disappointed in this book. The premise wasn’t the most original, but it sounded interesting enough. However, the pacing made the book a lot less enjoyable. It’s not long, but the writing and chapter lengths make you feel like you’re being rushed. The protagonists were interesting, but their actions and reactions got repetative, especially after spending time and working together. Magic was used, but rarely defined well, and expect some very long names that are shorted very quickly for ease of use.
Elves and/or Dwarves **Sheepfarmer’s Daughter** by *Elizabeth Moon \[1988\]*\-Such a great fantasy book. You hear about a lot of the world and its intersecting and overlapping web of alliances and enemies from the way mercenary contracts are hired out. While no characters are introduced, both elves and dwarves exist in this world, and are briefly encountered. The main character is great, as are the supporting ones. They feel like people, doing a job, even if it is one that involves swords, fighting and occasional magic. Hints begin to show up later in the book about the main character having a greater destiny, but she’s not blessed with insane skills or overwhelming magics. She struggles to learn and continues to learn throughout the book, and it makes the story feel much more grounded. The author draws on her background, which grants even more realism to the mercenary companies, and at 500 pages the book flies by with how smoothly it's written.
Published in the 80’s **Starship & Haiku** by *Somtow Sucharitkul \[1981\]*\-While there is an element of hope driving the story forward, the book itself is very bleak. The entire story focuses on suicide in various ways, and interpretations of it in a plague ravaged, mutant filled world. It’s not a very long book, and it’s very well written. The characters feel a bit flat at times, but that may be due to the length and time available to explore them. Not a bad book, but not a cheerful read.
Not A Book (HM) **Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind** *\[1983\]*\-An amazing way to end this bingo card. Only my second Miyazaki film ever, and it held up to the hype. Beautifully animated, it presents as almost childlike with the soft animation style, but the story is much deeper, especially when seeing the much harsher animation style of the various antagonists. You visit a post-apocalyptic world where various factions attempt to do what they believe they need to do to survive, and damn the consequences of others. Meanwhile, the protagonist, having observed the world without prejudices, has found an alternative. It’s exciting, full of action and exploration, and worth the
Cozy SFF (HM) **At Amberleaf Fair** by *Phyllis Ann Kerr \[1986\]*\-A quick read that follows several characters at a festival in a heavily magical world. While no fantasy creatures are ever seen, magic is commonplace, mostly used for small comforts such as charms to keep you dry in the rain. The plot follows a theft and the characters jobs at the fair as they deal with the theft and other events that occur. There’s never any feelings of fear or worry for the characters, just some anticipation at what happens next. The characters are a bit thin, due to the size of the book, and you’re thrown into the world with no real background, but it’s a decent read.
LQBTQIA+ Protagonist **Silverglass** by *J.F. Rivkin \[1986\]*\-I was a bit disappointed in this book. The premise wasn’t the most original, but it sounded interesting enough. However, the pacing made the book a lot less enjoyable. It’s not long, but the writing and chapter lengths make you feel like you’re being rushed. The protagonists were interesting, but their actions and reactions got repetative, especially after spending time and working together. Magic was used, but rarely defined well, and expect some very long names that are shorted very quickly for ease of use.
Elves and/or Dwarves **Sheepfarmer’s Daughter** by *Elizabeth Moon \[1988\]*\-Such a great fantasy book. You hear about a lot of the world and its intersecting and overlapping web of alliances and enemies from the way mercenary contracts are hired out. While no characters are introduced, both elves and dwarves exist in this world, and are briefly encountered. The main character is great, as are the supporting ones. They feel like people, doing a job, even if it is one that involves swords, fighting and occasional magic. Hints begin to show up later in the book about the main character having a greater destiny, but she’s not blessed with insane skills or overwhelming magics. She struggles to learn and continues to learn throughout the book, and it makes the story feel much more grounded. The author draws on her background, which grants even more realism to the mercenary companies, and at 500 pages the book flies by with how smoothly it's written.
Published in the 80’s **Starship & Haiku** by *Somtow Sucharitkul \[1981\]*\-While there is an element of hope driving the story forward, the book itself is very bleak. The entire story focuses on suicide in various ways, and interpretations of it in a plague ravaged, mutant filled world. It’s not a very long book, and it’s very well written. The characters feel a bit flat at times, but that may be due to the length and time available to explore them. Not a bad book, but not a cheerful read.
Not A Book (HM) **Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind** *\[1983\]*\-An amazing way to end this bingo card. Only my second Miyazaki film ever, and it held up to the hype. Beautifully animated, it presents as almost childlike with the soft animation style, but the story is much deeper, especially when seeing the much harsher animation style of the various antagonists. You visit a post-apocalyptic world where various factions attempt to do what they believe they need to do to survive, and damn the consequences of others. Meanwhile, the protagonist, having observed the world without prejudices, has found an alternative. It’s exciting, full of action and exploration, and worth the
What historical events deserve an inspired fantasy book?
So many historical events have insane plots. For example, I know the Age of Madness trilogy by Abercrombie is loosely inspired in some ways by the events of the French Revolution. What other events deserve a “spin-off” so to speak? My vote would be for a siege of Constantinople inspired book from multiple POVs. Thoughts?
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So many historical events have insane plots. For example, I know the Age of Madness trilogy by Abercrombie is loosely inspired in some ways by the events of the French Revolution. What other events deserve a “spin-off” so to speak? My vote would be for a siege of Constantinople inspired book from multiple POVs. Thoughts?
https://redd.it/1pxie0m
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Looking for a high fantasy series with short individual books?
Hey Yall! Looking for a high fantasy book series with a giant world! For some reason I have a lot of trouble with super long books. But even if its a long series I feel like shorter books are more digestible. I am looking for books under 300 pages! Thanks!
https://redd.it/1pxgkt0
@r_fantasy
Hey Yall! Looking for a high fantasy book series with a giant world! For some reason I have a lot of trouble with super long books. But even if its a long series I feel like shorter books are more digestible. I am looking for books under 300 pages! Thanks!
https://redd.it/1pxgkt0
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Most iconic trio in fantasy
Or your favourite
I think I'll go with Rand, Mat and Perrin but I wanna hear more takes
https://redd.it/1pxnvln
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Or your favourite
I think I'll go with Rand, Mat and Perrin but I wanna hear more takes
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Fantasy being lumped in with Romantasy will always annoy me
I feel like this may ruffle a few feathers, but I mean no shade towards the romantasy enjoyers, it’s a best seller for a reason!
But pre booktok, if I wanted to get a good fantasy book to read I could just google “fantasy”. And lots would come up to choose from, and absolutely never would I expect these books to be “spicy”. Like, “spicy” was a completely different genre.
Fast forward to a post booktok world, and if I’m searching for a good, in depth, well written fantasy, romantasy is alwayssss included in recommendations. In physical book stores, the romantasy in all jumbled in with the fantasy too. I’m glad that romantasy has a name now, and seems to be its own thing, but still for some reason the two overlap.
I personally don’t understand this, because if I’m looking to read something like Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones, and get recommended a Court of Thorns and Roses, I’m going to be disappointed haha. I wish there was more separation between the two genres, because to me they’re completely different. (I’m also autistic and like to know what I’m getting, so expecting fantasy and getting romantasy is annoying.)
I mean no disrespect to romantasy readers but wanted to get this off my chest, Fantasy and Romantasy are not the same!
https://redd.it/1pxpmix
@r_fantasy
I feel like this may ruffle a few feathers, but I mean no shade towards the romantasy enjoyers, it’s a best seller for a reason!
But pre booktok, if I wanted to get a good fantasy book to read I could just google “fantasy”. And lots would come up to choose from, and absolutely never would I expect these books to be “spicy”. Like, “spicy” was a completely different genre.
Fast forward to a post booktok world, and if I’m searching for a good, in depth, well written fantasy, romantasy is alwayssss included in recommendations. In physical book stores, the romantasy in all jumbled in with the fantasy too. I’m glad that romantasy has a name now, and seems to be its own thing, but still for some reason the two overlap.
I personally don’t understand this, because if I’m looking to read something like Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones, and get recommended a Court of Thorns and Roses, I’m going to be disappointed haha. I wish there was more separation between the two genres, because to me they’re completely different. (I’m also autistic and like to know what I’m getting, so expecting fantasy and getting romantasy is annoying.)
I mean no disrespect to romantasy readers but wanted to get this off my chest, Fantasy and Romantasy are not the same!
https://redd.it/1pxpmix
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r/Fantasy Daily Recommendations and Simple Questions Thread - December 28, 2025
https://preview.redd.it/dpxu3ckyo7af1.png?width=3508&format=png&auto=webp&s=bae1b3b9d4dcf3eeebcd94024f01089bcdddb669
**Welcome to the daily recommendation requests and simple questions thread, now 1025.83% more adorable than ever before!**
Stickied/highlight slots are limited, so please remember to ~~like and subscribe~~ upvote this thread for visibility on the subreddit <3
——
This thread is to be used for recommendation requests or simple questions that are small/general enough that they won’t spark a full thread of discussion.
Check out [r/Fantasy](https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/)'s [2025 Book Bingo Card here](https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/1joxlrr/official_rfantasy_2025_book_bingo_challenge/)!
As usual, first have a look at the sidebar in case what you're after is there. The [r/Fantasy wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/wiki/recommendations) contains links to many community resources, including "best of" lists, flowcharts, the LGTBQ+ database, and more. If you need some help figuring out what you want, think about including some of the information below:
* Books you’ve liked or disliked
* Traits like prose, characters, or settings you most enjoy
* Series vs. standalone preference
* Tone preference (lighthearted, grimdark, etc)
* Complexity/depth level
Be sure to check out responses to other users' requests in the thread, as you may find plenty of ideas there as well. Happy reading, and may your TBR grow ever higher!
——
[^(tiny image link to make the preview show up correctly)](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ITpGPzWOOd7MHhCY2d6Zv_6MWsntfT3s/view?usp=sharing)
art credit: special thanks to our artist, [Himmis commissions](https://himmis.carrd.co/), who we commissioned to create this gorgeous piece of art for us with practically no direction other than "cozy, magical, bookish, and maybe a gryphon???" We absolutely love it, and we hope you do too.
https://redd.it/1pxqto2
@r_fantasy
https://preview.redd.it/dpxu3ckyo7af1.png?width=3508&format=png&auto=webp&s=bae1b3b9d4dcf3eeebcd94024f01089bcdddb669
**Welcome to the daily recommendation requests and simple questions thread, now 1025.83% more adorable than ever before!**
Stickied/highlight slots are limited, so please remember to ~~like and subscribe~~ upvote this thread for visibility on the subreddit <3
——
This thread is to be used for recommendation requests or simple questions that are small/general enough that they won’t spark a full thread of discussion.
Check out [r/Fantasy](https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/)'s [2025 Book Bingo Card here](https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/1joxlrr/official_rfantasy_2025_book_bingo_challenge/)!
As usual, first have a look at the sidebar in case what you're after is there. The [r/Fantasy wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/wiki/recommendations) contains links to many community resources, including "best of" lists, flowcharts, the LGTBQ+ database, and more. If you need some help figuring out what you want, think about including some of the information below:
* Books you’ve liked or disliked
* Traits like prose, characters, or settings you most enjoy
* Series vs. standalone preference
* Tone preference (lighthearted, grimdark, etc)
* Complexity/depth level
Be sure to check out responses to other users' requests in the thread, as you may find plenty of ideas there as well. Happy reading, and may your TBR grow ever higher!
——
[^(tiny image link to make the preview show up correctly)](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ITpGPzWOOd7MHhCY2d6Zv_6MWsntfT3s/view?usp=sharing)
art credit: special thanks to our artist, [Himmis commissions](https://himmis.carrd.co/), who we commissioned to create this gorgeous piece of art for us with practically no direction other than "cozy, magical, bookish, and maybe a gryphon???" We absolutely love it, and we hope you do too.
https://redd.it/1pxqto2
@r_fantasy
A story where a mentor character turns to evil ?
Like, a mentor who was genuinely a good person while teaching, not someone who was evil all along.
https://redd.it/1pxqrbq
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Like, a mentor who was genuinely a good person while teaching, not someone who was evil all along.
https://redd.it/1pxqrbq
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Urban Fantasy Recommendations
I'm really enjoying Urban Fantasy alot. So i'm here again to look for more.
Requirements:
Male Protagonist
Multiple Realms (Classic. Like Heaven and Hell)
Young MC (would prefer a Student MC. Studying in a College or University or Academy)
Some Romance (Not as a main thing tho, but as a Subplot. A side thing)
Novels I read:
The Demon Accords Series by John Conroe
https://redd.it/1pxrer1
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I'm really enjoying Urban Fantasy alot. So i'm here again to look for more.
Requirements:
Male Protagonist
Multiple Realms (Classic. Like Heaven and Hell)
Young MC (would prefer a Student MC. Studying in a College or University or Academy)
Some Romance (Not as a main thing tho, but as a Subplot. A side thing)
Novels I read:
The Demon Accords Series by John Conroe
https://redd.it/1pxrer1
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Book recommendation with similar writing to Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams
I've recently started reading again and I am very much enjoying The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams at the moment. I am also reading Theft of Swords by Michael J Sullivan which is fine by me as well but I really like Tad William's writing style. Something about it just clicks with me. I'm just wondering what other fantasy books would have a similar writing style?
Books I remembered reading before:
Mistborn Trilogy
Name of The Wind
Kings of The Wyld
Naomi Novik's books except for her Temeraire(?) series
Ring-Sword Trilogy
Sabriel
First book of Chronicles of Prydain
https://redd.it/1pxuybv
@r_fantasy
I've recently started reading again and I am very much enjoying The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams at the moment. I am also reading Theft of Swords by Michael J Sullivan which is fine by me as well but I really like Tad William's writing style. Something about it just clicks with me. I'm just wondering what other fantasy books would have a similar writing style?
Books I remembered reading before:
Mistborn Trilogy
Name of The Wind
Kings of The Wyld
Naomi Novik's books except for her Temeraire(?) series
Ring-Sword Trilogy
Sabriel
First book of Chronicles of Prydain
https://redd.it/1pxuybv
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