/lit/ - Literature

Why are the Witcher books so inferior to the Witcher games?

also sanderfag a hack

>>13471952
because the books were written by some old fatass greedy fuck
the games stories were written by cool dudes

>>13468632
Beyond the Blue Event Horizon is worth reading but not as good as Gateway, you can just skip the rest.

I'm looking for books with this feel, specifically books that deal with AI finding their faith in a higher power and becoming religious/spiritual.
And no, I'm not Christian, just curious to see if any writer went down this particular avenue.

>Unto Leviathan by Richard Paul Russo
is it good?looking for some sci-fi horror

Why should I not have Lightsabers in my space opera?

Because George Lucas was born a few decades before me they belong to him?

Fuck no.

Laser swords were around long before Star Wars.

If I want to use Lightsabers I fucking will.

>>13471998
Go ahead, anon. I'm root for you

>>13471981
terminator 2

>top 5 books post 2000
Fuck. Just realized there hasn't been anything worthwhile in the last 20 years.
The Heroes
World Without End
Songs of the Dying Earth
Shadowmarch
Prince of Fools

>>13471998
How will you make them interesting

>>13472087
>World Without End
I've had this sitting on my shelf after being unable to put Pillars of the Earth down during my camping trip last year

>>13471998
Do it, just call them by some other name, like laser sword

>>13472087
I trust you're not talking about Abercrombie's heroes

Started reading Salvation by Peter f Hamilton, that turned out to be some kind of lgbt fiction, no thanks, dropped it
will probably read Permafrost by A Reynolds next

in all honesty I dont read scifi that often because good sci fi books dont come out very often

>>13472097
It's good, anon. Not quite on the level of Pillars of the Earth, but if you enjoyed that one you'll like it. There's a third book, A Column of Fire, but I haven't read it yet.

>>13472166
Mainstream sci fi is all p. Bad

>>13472147
I am. I unironically thought it was a well put together story with an interesting cast and Whirrun and his cheese trap nearly killed me laughing

>>13472191
I quite enjoyed Peter F Hamilton up to Salvation

Whats non mainstream sci fi? Heinlein, Banks? I am sorry Banks is unreadable and those are old books, it doesnt take long to read all the so called sci fi classics and then what?

>>13471998
There's nothing original about Star Wars anyways, anon. Lucas rightly realized fans were sick and tired of nihilistic sci-fi films (and films in general from that era) and "borrowed" from the pulp era to make a fun adventure film in space.

I like how this pictures offers a little something for everyone. Based Sword & Sorcery.

>>13472936
Me on the right

>>13472936
It doesn't offer me technology.
Shit sword and sorcery.

>>13472993
Go away, bugman.

>>13471981
A sentient bear finds Christ in The Golden Queen series.

Any recommendations on the non-Howard Conan literature? I heard there was a lot of trash but also some good books.

>>13471981
Isn't that exactly what the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica was about?

Recently been entranced by the idea of divine spellcasters. Clerics, magic priests, paladins and such.

Any book or series recommendations that have characters like this as protagonists or companions to the protagonist? Thanks lit

>>13473052
Conan: The Road of Kings by Karl Edward Wagner
Conan and the Emerald Lotus by John Hocking
Those are the only two non-Howard Conan stories I've read so far, but the general consensus seems to be they're the best and I enjoyed them both though I'd say Road of Kings is closer in tone and in Conan's characterization to the original stories than Emerald Lotus. I'd also recommend Wagner's Bran Mak Morn story Legion from the Shadows, but only if you've read Howard's Worms of the Earth first since Legion is basically a sequel to that story. It's got some padding since Wagner was commissioned to write a full-length Mak Morn novel and it kinda ends on a cliffhanger that was never resolved, but it's a solid piece of horror-heavy S&S and Wagner's prose was especially great for this story.

how are things going /sffg/, I haven't been here in a while.

Did you know that in the event of a declaration of martial law, each one of the united states determines individually whether to uphold the ruling? Because I didn't.

what are some good boks about martial law

>>13473279
the bible, 1001 chuck norris jokes and the back of a ketchup bottle

>>13473170
Divine dungeon series.

>>13473214
>>13473279
did something happen? i see a lot of people mentioning martial law.

>>13473303
There's a significant chance the US will fall under martial law in 2020. Contrary to anon's comment, the governor may decide whether the state government follows martial law, but as of 2007 in the event martial law is declared the president has the right to seize control of each state's national guard, meaning that authority is pretty much pointless

>>13473318
forgive me if im ignorant in these matters since im from yurop, but why would america undergo martial law? because of trump? the impression here in yurop is that even though he doesnt have a brain to mouth filter he is for the most part actually an okey president. seeing as he was elected by the majority and actually doing his job despite vocal opposition. i dont know if he will be re elected but why would the US undergo martial law? or am i compeltely wrong here and it has nothing to do with the age old republicans vs liberals political bullshitery?

>>13473194
thanks a lot, I'll have a look at those.

>>13471981
Hyperion cantos

>>13473348
https://www.blackgate.com/2018/01/04/by-crom-some-conans-are-more-equal-than-others/

>>13473340

Anon, your impression is kind of skewed by 4chan. First off trump wasn't elected by the majority, he actually lost the popular vote – as has every president for the last three elections. In truth, the US actually has two presidential elections running at the same time, the public vote and the electoral college. In the public vote, every citizen over the age of 18 is free to participate except for convicted felons, but despite the hype surrounding it the public election doesn't actually elect the president. Instead, the electoral college – a council of representatives from each state who are NOT chosen by the public are supposed to tally the public vote and then cast their own votes however best they think it represents their constituents – a practice which isn't actually enforced in any way. In other words, the public election is actually entirely pointless.

As for why he might declare martial law. Many public figures, including the speaker of the house Nancy Pelosi have expressed concern that Trump may use the flawed nature of the electoral college or accusations of vote tampering as an excuse to declare martial law. Trump himself has only exacerbated these fears by commenting on another country's leader declaring himself "president for life" and stating that maybe we could have something like that here.

>>13471981
I think there was something like that in Robopocalypse. Don't let the name get to you, it's basically the skynet version of World War Z

>>13473170
There were a few. Kingdom of the Crescent Moon featured a cleric and paladin as main characters. Otherwise, it's basically Stardust Crusaders. The Iron Druid Chronicles have a druid, but they're extremely trashy discount Dresden clones

This fuckin' guy couldn't write a bad story if he tried.

Any good fantasy books that take place mainly during winter or just in a snowy region? Something that's good to read by the fire when there's a blizzard outside.

>>13473499
The Anvil of Ice

>>13473454
>First off trump wasn't elected by the majority, he actually lost the popular vote – as has every president for the last three elections.
Which is what happens when millions of illegal citizens are allowed to cast votes

>>13473454
Anon, your impression is kind of skewed by trying to be "Fair and Balanced"™®©.

>as has every president for the last three elections.
As you can see here, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_presidential_elections_by_popular_vote_margin
2 of the past 5, and 1 of 3 of the past elections lost the popular vote.
The current and previous Republican presidents did not win the popular vote.
The Republican party may never win the popular vote again, and indeed lose the popular vote by an ever increasing amount, but will probably win at least 50% of the elections anyway in the years to come.

>over the age of 18
It's 18 and over, not "over 18".
That's the difference between > and >=.

>except for convicted felons
Whether felons can vote is a matter of state law.
Here's an example source: https://felonvoting.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000286

>a council of representatives from each state who are NOT chosen by the public
Not true. The Electors are chosen by the voter when they select who they want for president.
It's true that the Elector may vote for whomever they want.
In practice, this doesn't happen often.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faithless_elector
Several states have punishments for anyone who would do this.

>public election is actually entirely pointless.
Not true. As stated above, the people are an integral determinant of the election's outcome, despite that it isn't by popular vote. That it isn't by popular vote doesn't make it pointless.

>he might declare martial law.
Nationwade martial law is laughable. At most it would be areas along the border with Mexico, but that would be more like a militarized border rather than the military or federal government assuming control. What would be more concerning is various legal forms of voter supression.

>Trump himself has only exacerbated these fears by commenting on another country's leader declaring himself "president for life" and stating that maybe we could have something like that here.
Trump has indeed stated that he will be president for a longer duration than is constitutionally allowd many times.

In conclusion, when correcting others, please provide accurate information in the future. Thank you.

>>13473546
Futile to try to correct you.

>>13473575
There's no correction to be made

I went to the Wandering Inn site and looked at the Patreon. 1,734 patrons at $8,455 per month ($101,450/year)

https://www.authorsguild.org/industry-advocacy/authors-guild-survey-shows-drastic-42-percent-decline-in-authors-earnings-in-last-decade/

The Authors Guild’s 2018 Author Income Survey, the largest survey of writing-related earnings by American authors ever, finds incomes falling to historic lows to a median of $6,080 in 2017, down 42% from 2009...book income fell even more, declining 21% to $3,100
...a shift in earnings to other activities, such as speaking engagements, book reviewing or teaching. Including those sources, respondents who identified themselves as full-time book authors earned a median income of $20,300, well below the federal poverty line for a family
...literary fiction....biggest decline...27% since 2013
The one exception...self-published authors...book-related income almost double to $1,951 since 2013...overall median self-published income...58% lower than traditionally published authors...Amazon controls approximately 85% of the self-published market
...authors in the top 10% for book-related earnings, self-published authors earned 50% less with an annual median of $154,000.
Roughly 25% of all published authors surveyed earned $0 in book-related income
When zero earners are included, they bring the mean total author earnings down to $1,784 and the book earnings down to $490.

This means the author of the Wandering Inn is rather high up there in terms of self-published earnings.

>median income of full-time author was $20,300 from all sources combined
>average author made $490/year off book earnings.
>25% of published authors made $0
Ha ha, good luck, literally starving writers!

>>13473214
>>13473279
Did someone said Marshall Law?

>>13473583
Two simple points.
1. "Illegal citizens" do not exist. You mean "illegal aliens", "illegal immigrants", "undocumented immigrants", "unauthorized immigrants" or whichever the person wants to use for whatever reason. None of these are citizens.

2. Who is allowing them? That would be rather dangerous since the person who does so could be arrested since it's illegal to allow it to happen.

>>13473614
You're right I used the wrong term, illegal aliens.
>who is allowing these people who are in the country illegally to vote? That would be illegal!
It's almost like there are entire states now endorsing these illegals and obstructing their removal

I like how crybaby anti-drumpfers are allowed to shit up whatever thread they want now apparently. Reported these posts an hour ago and nothing.

>>13473546
that's not how the american legal system works. You need a legal citizenship in order to register as a voter and the state keeps extensive records of birth certificates, visas, passports, drivers licenses and state IDs that are compared against to prevent voter fraud.

foreign nationals can acquire citizenship, but the application process can often take years of bureaucracy, and even then there's no guarantee that there will be any sort of approval. On top of that, the system already uses these systems to identify undocumented immigrants. The same checks are in place to prevent them from using public wellfare systems like medicare, medicate, public libraries, food stamps, living assistance or the affordable care act.

>>13473575
thank you for the corrections anon. I appreciate any effort to prevent the accidental spread of misinformation. I'll need to do more research in the future

Also, thanks for clarifying the electoral system, my knowledge is woefully incomplete on the subject and the clarification actually gives me a lot more faith in the system.

regarding martial law however, I still have concerns. Your statements on that subject seem more like opinion than fact, and I think we're also failing to discount extralegal factors, such as the observation that by and large the US armed forces and law enforcement officers are demographically skewed in favor of Trump.

>>13473603
fun fact, one of my ideas for a backup DnD characters in case my hobo paladin dies is Marshall Law, an oil-magnate Aarakora Paladin who acts like Bandit Keith and uses his oil to light his sword and pistol on fire

>>13473626
This is my last response.
That has nothing to do with voting, nor has there been any evidence of it occurring in anything greater than the tiniest amount.

>>13473637
>The same checks are in place to prevent them from using public wellfare systems like medicare, medicate, public libraries, food stamps, living assistance or the affordable care act.
Yet they're able to use stolen/false social security numbers to do it
>>13473640
> nor has there been any evidence of it occurring in anything greater than the tiniest amount.
False

REEEE GET OUT OF MY COMFY FANTASY THREAD

>>13473637
This is anecdotal, but I went to high school with a girl with a father who was in the country illegally and she claimed that he paid taxes via someone else's SSN or something of the like. I assume he was thus also able to (illegally) recoup some public benefits or something.

/sffg/, is there any good fantasy that's not "epic". I'm getting a little burned out on scheming nobility and wars and I want something a bit more down-to-earth. I'm also open to steampunk but I'm not a big fan of scifi

>>13473499
The Golem and the Jinni mostly takes place during the winter. I might also recommend The Bear and The Nightengale or Deathless. Six of Crows is popular, but it's YA and I do not have a good impression of it

>>13473630
we're trying to remain civil and continue to discuss SFF in addition to our legal tangent. Considering the many off-topic discussions that occur here on a daily basis I don't believe we're in the wrong just because our subject is unpopular

>>13473626
the primary concern at the moment is more oriented towards preventing the separation of undocumented parents from their documented children, the latter of whom are being incarcerated for crimes they they have not committed and are not old enough to be tried for.

>>13473641
>>13473651
It's arguably possible but you discount the tenuous situation most undocumented immigrants find themselves in. Very few of them would risk further scrutiny when getting caught would mean extradition to a country they took dangerous measures to escape. The vast majority simply take low-paying jobs, a good number of which actually actually pay below the legal minimum wage because they would be at severe risk of prosecution if they bring the case to court.

>>13473642
Will do. I'm ending my side of the conversation here.

>>13473678
> preventing the separation of undocumented parents from their documented children, the latter of whom are being incarcerated for crimes they they have not committed and are not old enough to be tried for.
Yes it's unfortunate when kids are used as pawns and people like you enable that use. However the same way I don't feel it's an injustice when a father is separate from his child when caught with a DUI, coming in to the country illegally has its consequences.
>It's arguably possible but you discount the tenuous situation most undocumented immigrants find themselves in.
Deport them all, I don't care about the tenuous situation they find themselves in by breaking the law and stealing benefits.

>>13473454
Man, would there be a greater shitshow on the planet if Amerimuttia goes under martial law? Damn, that would be glorious. Hopefully it would lead into a new civil war for the. And if some ruskies or shitskins manage to nuke them while they are at it, even better.

>>13473678
Saw the Bear And The Nightingale around but the synoposis sounded a little YA-ish so I was kinda on the fence about it (let me know if I'm wrong and if it's worth a read).
Deathless seems pretty neat though.

>>13471912
>Post your top 5 books that were released after the year 2000
I really need to be reading more books published this century. Only allowing 1 per author.

A Storm of Swords
The Dragon's Path
The Emperor's Blades
The Final Empire
The Name of The Wind

CENTAUR FUCKING SHITS

What's the best curation site for books?
Preferably one that has a recommendation feature, and even better if it has a user comparison.
Any curation for books relevant to this thread aside from the static lists in the OP?
Has anyone tried to make a /sffg/ recs "canon"?
Or is that what's in the OP?

>>13473709
In full honesty, I haven't read either but I do know what to expect. It's worth noting the the author of Deathless is extremely hit-or-miss, but her best works are mastercrafts of both imagination and storytelling.

>>13473717
fun fact, centaurs are one of only two species of insects that lactate, the other being the North American Titty-Weevil which scientists have classified as BAM-ing-SLAM-ing-bootylicious

>>13473738
goodreads and this general the only places worth a shit

Based and Crompilled.

>>13473738
>curation
Cant make your opinion?

>>13472166
Permafrost is amazing. Time travel done right. Also, it is quite short. At least compared to the usual Reynolds bloat. I strongly recommend it.

Fuck, America can't fucking fuck right off already. The world would actually be a-ok if we never had to deal with you worms ever. Fuck off my solar system you leeches.

>>13474074
kys euroshit you wouldn't even know the solar system existed if it wasn't for the United States

>>13473904
That has nothing to do with it.
One should not have to spend endless hours finding something potential worthwhile to read, but rather on the reading it self.
Anything that reduces the time of doing so is to be used.
If the curation is not aligned with one's interests, find a different one.
Looking at books entirely randomly isn't a very efficient or effective solution.

>>13471998
I don't truly have lightsabers per see, but a derivate work of the "sword that cuts through anything" trope. It's a blade partially in another dimension where all matter ends up, devoured by abstract beings.
You could have something like that? Or you specifically want laser swords?

>>13474081
Won't be baited by a mongrel like you, but the US didn't do shit. It was the people. If the US never existed, it would have been the germans or the Soviets or the Turks or whoever the fuck else.
Just leave this place you God damn sugar addled roach and never return.

Half the month have passed, have you started the monthly reading yet?

(Sorry about the file name anon, my ISP have been rangebanned because of some spammer so I am forced to phone post.)

>>13474144
Cry more while you enjoy the highest standard of living in human history thanks to America, dicksucker.

>>13474205
I'm to busy writing my own book anon.

I'm honestly confused where Titus Groan fits into the /sffg/ spectrum. It feels fantasy at times but it also has science fiction elements. Also Juno or Cheetah?

>>13474718
Science fiction is fantasy.
Don't @ me, sci-fags.

Reminder: Female warrior protags in fantasy are acceptable if they dress like this.

>>13473475

Is reading the original Night Land story required for these?

>>13474778
No.

>>13474797

Good, for Hodgson's praise has slain me and put me in a pocket

>>13474718

Do not fall into the modern trap of genres, a story can be both without sacrificing neither.

>>13474842

I don't think Titus Groan is as solid as the other two books but I love that it is a weird blend of everything. Shame Peake died before we got to see what the rest of the world was like rather than a small portion of it. This is what I like about old sci-fi and fantasy. They don't really care and just go balls to the wall crazy with everything.

>>13474968

Conan was the same way, mixing in a cave of glowing radium in the midst of the hyperborean horror and splendor of sword and sandal, and the same was true of William Hope Hodgsons macabre story of the Night Land. It is my hope that we see people freely mix technology with mysticism, because I think we are now at a culture where we can appreciate the mixture of rationality and things beyond reasoning.

>>13474081
>>13474292
German scientists mutt,German scientists.

>>13475014
Fuck off already, you muslim cocksucker. Shitting up the thread with your faggotry. Go rape your cousin then throw acid in her face or something.

>>13475017
بلدي الزنجي اللسان الشرج

>>13474074
Get a load of this shitholer

>>13475017
>americunt shitting up every thread with his shitshow politics, trump and just overall idiocy
>someone asks him to fuck off because he's an idiot
>REE MUSLIM YUROP REEEE SHUT UP

>>13475036
>yurokebab being a typical faggot
What else is fucking new with these rapists.

>>13473593
Any self published author today that gets a little traction and readers always says "after multiple emails from readers I've finally decided to open a patreon". When in reality some of them never got emails. Almost all the shilled authors here E William Brown, William D Arand, John Conroe, Will Wight all have patreons that give them more than some publishing house authors get a month.

>>13475036
>some Euroshit overflows with rage and has to make a post aimed at nobody but superior Americans
>durr americans shitting up the board
Imagine not having your country bordered on 2 sides by the worlds largest oceans

>>13473630
>Reported these posts an hour ago
Don't you know the rules anon... Enjoy your ban.

Now it's the trifecta of anti-drumpf basedboys, butthurt europeons (probably Swedes or Germans) and fucking fantasy.

How do you solve earth politics in a solar-expanded society?

>>13475145
orange planet bad

>>13475145
planets will be the new nations and nations will be the new regions

also, the calendar system is going to get fucked

>>13475192
But that would mean you'd still need a one world government once Mars becomes independent

>>13471912

throne of glass

Sword & Sorcery, bros.

>>13475264
>Sword & Sorcery
Yeah that shit is just horrible.
far better to read sci-fi.

>>13475287
Nice try, bugman.

>>13471912
Has anyone read Primo Levi's science fiction books? Are they interesting?

>>13475145

The necessity of having resources be as low cost as possible ensures that there will be a replication of the paradox of resources in pockets all over the solar system as populations arise in areas that have resources needed to furhter settle and inhabit the solar system, yet they are also left without the ability to exploit those same resources.

I picture the Expanse as a good example of what I feel would happen, although I don't think the Belters would be as united as they are in that. The burgeoning population of Earth and the resource-intensive terraforming/habitat building on planets and other bodies that allow for it will require the creation of an exploited labor class unless there's a radical change in economics and society.

What are some novels where titty physics are discussed in-depth and at length?

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322530755_Analysis_and_Qualitative_Effects_of_Large_Breasts_on_Aerodynamic_Performance_and_Wake_of_a_Miss_Kobayashi's_Dragon_Maid_Character

>Currently reading
Lord of the rings, I'm a novice in fantasy. I'm enjoying it a lot, although having to pause from time to time to unpack or decipher his nature descriptions is slightly annoying, especially consider the slightly archaic language of natural features. Sometimes he really nails it though, and can paint really vivid pictures, as well as the feelings of them. He has a way of describing things in a lifelike way, using non-standard words but that are nonetheless perfect.

>>13473711
>The Emperor's Blades
Surprised fuck adare anon hasn't flipped his shit yet. Honestly though, fuck that series.

>>13475530

What are other series ruined when a bitch does stupid treasonous things out of sheer dick lust?

>>13475530
I thought I had made my point well enough. Do I need to start posting again?
>>13475553
Memory Sorrow and Thorn

Give me historical fiction recommendations. Read Masters of Rome and the Warlord Chronicles

>>13475682

Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrel

I can't believe im asking this, but are there any fantasy books where the childhood friend wins? I dont mean it says they're childhood friends but they spend no time together, i mean something where you see the friendship and see it evolve into something else. Bonus points if it's still during the MC's childhood

>>13475306
>anyone who doesn't like conan is a bugman

>>13475857
Exactly.

Fun fact: green text against black background makes reading cyberpunk 78.26% more enjoyable.

>>13476106
my eyes...

>>13471912
Thoughts on Alastair Reynolds?

>>13475805

>>13475306
It's just not healthy for you anon.

>>13475805
Not sure I even understand what you're asking but this is pretty solid coming of age material. The MCs friend-who-is-a-girl gets nabbed by slavers and stuff happens and training montage and etc. Book 2 isn't out though so I have no idea if the MC "wins" like you want

>>13476310
that would be a situation where you see no development because the entire premise is them being separated

>>13476318
oh yea. true. I do have another suggestion but it's legit YA, so not sure I should even post it.

>>13476344
I am getting the impression that guy would be better off with anime recommendations.

>>13476344
go ahead, i have limited shame

>>13474726
>thicc sonja
Noice

>>13476380
Based.

>>13476376
Ok. If you are the person asking it should be exactly what you want. It's orphan farm boy meets 2 friends (girls) after disaster and goes on adventures and trains magic. Friendship develops over the books and is pretty integral to the story. All takes place during childhood. Magic system is pretty simplistic.

>>13476460
Are the two girls thicc warrior bitches like pic related?

>>13476129
I like his books. Great settings and concepts.

>>13476478
no they're kids. One is booksmart and the other is headstrong

>>13476521
Gay.

>>13476460
looks good anon, thank you

>>13474205
Odd. My phone ip is rangebanned so I have to steal WiFi

>>13475583
>MS&T
Fucking Miriamelle. Deornoth might have survived. It still hurts, bros

How many characters should you plan for? Do you plan for every character or come up with people out of the blue?

>>13476798
Smaller cast the better generally.

/sffg/ how closely can I reference The Wizard Of Oz before my story just becomes a ripoff?

>>13476828
The vast majority of stories are "ripoffs" of other stories so reference it all you want.

>>13476828
Wizard of Oz follows a bretty basic storytelling arc.
as long as it doesn't consist of a purple brick road and a hurricane that sweeps up a girl out of Louisiana you should be fine.

>>13476886
no, but it is an isekkai starring a girl, a creature that gets mistaken for a dog, a dumbass with crow in his name, an amputee and a girl named leona. it also involves a journey to get home and a wizard who's actually a scumbag. Im also considering that the MC's entry mechanism might kill one of the villain's "siblings" and drop a mcguffin in his lap

that said, the wizard's a minor character, the dog isnt really a dog, and the tin man is the MC

Anyone read? How is it?
Is it some gender bender stuff?

>>13476999
I don't even have to read it to know it's another badly written, poorly plotted harem smut just like all his other books. It's the male equivalent of a harlequin romance novel.

>>13473499
If you're into sword and sorcery, you could try Sword of Winter.

>>13476380
Based Frank Cho

I'm really struggling to find any fantasy to my liking.

>>13471912
>age of legends
please never use this image again, thank you.

>>13476999
>>13477085
Jeez...

>>13476129
As someone already mentioned there is a lot of bloat, also it seems he can come up with interesting ideas and setting, but his actual writing skill is not great (not bad just average)

Some books like House of suns I just couldnt get into because it felt like absolute nonsense, others like Revelation Space series and Pushing Ice were pretty good.

>>13476828
>>13476976
The Wizard of Oz is one of those stories that's old enough and culturally dominant enough that A) everyone will immediately recognize that you're basing your story off of it, and B) nobody will care. If you make the homage overt, you'll just be one among hundreds of existing homages. If you make it subtle, you'll just be adding the illusion of depth, i.e "Oh, did YOU realize that Anon's Kickass Story is actually based on The Wizard of Oz?"

If you want people to actually like it you need to make it work as a story in its own right, but nobody's going to care about you ripping off the Wizard of Oz the same way nobody would care about you ripping off A Christmas Carol or Alice in Wonderland. They're all stories so popular they've become frameworks for stories in their own right.

>>13477309
What kind of fantasy do you like?

>>13476620
I should read the sequel series, but I’m afraid it’s just going to shit on Simon even more.

>>13476999
No. He’s a dimension hopper who’s been confined and lost his power base. So he’s got to reestablish himself by harvesting power all over again. Incubus with a heart of gold basically. I haven’t gotten too far into it yet. Cover is a young succubus who he takes under his wing because reasons. Also takes place in the same world as his last book.

>>13477968

>>13476274
Jokes on the guy secretly recording this and laughing.
That guy is a stunt double and is training for a 6 figures role in a movie.

>>13477968
>Also takes place in the same world as his last book.
You mean swing shift?

>>13478662
or maybe... it might be staged?

Someone wake me when the Kingkiller Chronicles explains its namesake

>>13476999
>>13477085
>>13477354
>>13477968
>>13478676
>>13478473
>Planned publication dates
Dungeon Deposed 3 Aug 7, 2019
Remnant 2 (October?)
Swing Shift 2 (November?)
Survivor 1
Incubus 2
New Series B 1
Remnant 3
Swing Shift 3
Inc Inc 3
New Series A 2
New Series B 2
New Series C 1
New Series D 1
New Series A 3
New Series B 3
New Series C 2
New Series D 2

>Current-Books
Remnant 2
Survivor 1
Swing Shift 2

>Series on Deck
Fallen General
The Librarian
Survivorman
FactorioOOOOOOOO
MW

How come self published putting out so fast, and traditional does one book a year (if you're lucky).

Is anyone reading Mount Char? Curious to hear your feelings at this point (whatever that is). I really enjoyed the book.

>>13478693
kills kings

is anyone else getting tired of humanity? at best we avoid or ignore people who are suffering like the it's contagious, at worst we relish in making them more miserable, or spreading that suffering to others


>>13478753
read it a year ago. the idea of a bunch of children groomed by what was effectively an eldritch abomination to be his replacements is fascinating, even if in retrospect he really more just an epic-level wizard. I also liked the chapter titles.

however, I really hated how many decent people we were forced to empathize just to see them get fucked over

>>13478741
>How come when people are able to make their own decisions for themselves they will choose differently than people who make decisions for them which aren't in their best interest
IT'S A MYSTERY.
There are many reasons why.
You really can't think of any?

>>13478869
That's you.
That's neither the best or the worst either.

>>13478887
it's the constant fact I witness everywhere on a daily basis

>>13478907
You're a non-random limited sample size that's entirely biased.

>>13478876
More like books (or any media) need to be edited and marketed to be sold. Both of those things take time and money and business is about maximizing profits. Self published authors can release their mental feces as fast as they can write.

>>13478909
I see it play out on a societal scale. I see it mirrored in every person I meet. exceptional behaviors exist, but those are by definition exceptions

>>13478676
Yes

>>13471912
One thing which fascinates me in Lord of the Rings is the fight between hope and fear. You see that clearly in the Return of the King. Both concepts tie directly to the morale and will of both orc besieger and human defender. The battle inside the heart defines the battle outside.

I desire to write something similar, but on a smaller scale. A couple hundred spearmen resisting an orc charge. Courage prevailing against the shocking beast. Yet, I'm at a loss. It came to mind that, perhaps, reading fiction in which this happens might inspire me.

Can you point out any for me? Please?

>>13479015
Why not consult historical sources? There are plenty of famous stories of small forces trying to withstand much more significant enemies. The classic example is the battle of Thermopylae.

dammit /sffg/, I had a burst of hypomania and didn't spend it on writing. I haven't made progress in months.

>>13479067
For that end, I also made this thread: >>13478963 But my goal is to write fantasy and my primary example is fantasy, so I hoped there might be another good fantastical example.

Besides, I don't personally find your example quite what I want. The issue with the 300 spartans is that they're the elite of the elite. Their courage and valour are second to none. We also don't have acess to their thoughts, if there ever were moments of doubt and fear to overcome. My spearmen aren't that good, they might waver and rout instead of fighting to the death. They won't, but I wish to present the mental fighting. Probably by writing what one of them feels and thinks at the moment.

Anyway, if any other source comes to mind, please suggest it.

And thank you, for you gave me an idea. I might have been seeking the wrong material. Perhaps finding out what makes a hunter with a spear face a boar instead of giving up, multiplied two hundred times, is what I need.

Howdy folks

I am looking for a short story I found in here a coupla years ago.

It's a weird sci fi tale in which a couple of people are crewmembers in a sort of space highway ship, that has travelled the universe for aeons, laying down the necessary infrastructure for space travel.

And then they receive a signal from a sentient being around a star (or something) that they are about to collide into and destroy, and have to discuss whether or not they should try change course and not hit it.

In the end they just hit another one of those stellar beings, making it seem like the first being wanted the other gone.

Does anyone know what I talk about?

>>13473170
Dresden Files, specifically books 3, 5, 10, and 15, with lesser roles in some of the others.

>ywn be a published fantasy author
>much less a renowned one

>>13479323
Turn yourself into a transgender handicapped muslim and the dying traditional publishers would fight tooth and nail to publish your crap.

>>13479330
that would still require me to write something

>>13479336
Yea but it wouldn't have to actually be good.

>>13479357
if I could write it would already be good

>>13473678
Anon, may I recommend Spice and Wolf? It's Japanese, but it's a comfy series about a traveling merchant and his wolfgirl companion.

>>13479429
tried watching that years ago. Any explanation of how economics works sounds like the chewbaca defense to me, so I couldn't get into it. actually, I think I might read the log horizon LNs if they don't suck. It was a really interesting take on isekkai and I kind of want to emulate the reconstructing society part of it, even if I end up going more action-oriented

Just got the part where they go to the bathroom and get the news that they are the ones who are dead. I have a question is the ending going to be something along the lines of the readers are 'dead' and the beginning of each chapter with 'Ubik' is the signal for the reader to realise it I hope i'm FAR FAR off. I just want a yes/no answer.

>>13479468
You mean like a meta twist? No, Dick never stepped far into that territory to my knowledge, which is odd considering how many stories he wrote about personal realities warping.

Why do the Fremen waste so much of their water supply on coffee?

>>13479594
Coffee is good.

>>13479146
Try The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors, about a handful of American escort ships vs half the Japanese navy at Samar. It's completely the wrong era but it's the kind of thing you're looking for, ordinary men refusing to run away in the face of massive odds.

>>13479594
They get cranky if they don't get their morning cawfee

>>13475682
Julian and Creation by Gore Vidal

>>13479154
The Island by Peter Watts. There’s a novel (Freeze-Frame Revolution) and another short story or two set on the same ship.

>top 5 post-2000
Accelerando
Cage of Souls
Fall; Or, Dodge in Hell
Hull Zero Three
Surface Detail
>current reads
Stranger in a Strange Land
The New Annotated H.P. Lovecraft
The Big Book of Science Fiction

>>13476129
I liked Revelation Space and a bunch of his short stories, but holy fuck Blue Remembered Earth put me to sleep and I dropped it partway through.

Fantasy again, huh?
How disappointing.

Based Fantasy.

>>13480258
How disappointing.

>>13478741
If you don't care about quality, characterization or plot and only write short books then it's completely explainable.

That's it I'm moving to reddit, all you fucks talk about is harem trash and litrpg chinkshit, that place can't be worse than this.

>>13480482
Can you post your impressions afterwards anon?
I am also looking for some place that is not buried by loser fantasy.

>>13480482
who hurt you?

>>13480482
Goodluck. If you aren't one of those Americlaps, you can survive, it you are you will sink. Americlaps can't be civil. You won't respect anyone and the mods will ban you within a week.

>>13480482
See you tomorrow

>>13479676
Thank you.

>>13480482
Good idea desu. Think I'll be leaving too. This place is shit, there must be better places out there.

>>13481369
Enjoy your rothfuss circlejerk

Hello, I'm a Brent Weeks fan and I too would like to announce that I'm leaving this place. Fellow Brent Weeks fans, join me and let us leave this place and go somewhere the writing of Weeks is appreciated. It's clear that we aren't welcome here.

>>13480201
>Be scifag
>Post girl with herpe
What did he mean by this?

>>13479712
my homieee

All gook rpg books read like trash. I'm convinced that the only "people" here that read that shit speak some sort of gook as their first language with English as a distant second or third. And the plots are something only a repressed insectoid drone mind could be entertained by: new hive; danger; fight; exude pheromone; elevate above drone status; fight; acquire hive mating privileges; exude pheromone; hive threatened; repeat; exude pheromone; fight; BECOME QUEEN OF HIVE

Everyone seems to hate Randi Darren, yet he still gets insane amounts of attention. You niggers refuse to remove the literally garbage-tier charts in the OP, but the smut charts are great. I am fine with this desu. I think there's no better place, you people seem to underestimate just how bad leddit is. There's a reason their top 3 authors are Sanderson, Rothfuss, and Martin.

>>13481430
Then shove off. I was here first and no conan lover will kick me out of my own general that I helped nurture over 5+ years.

>>13481616
Then go make a smut thread you faggot. Sffg is not here to help you jack off to catgirls

This thread is about seeking the great dao

>>13481691

Faggot elves.

>>13481730
What's going on in this picture?

>>13481745
If you have to ask you don't get to know

>the time it takes an incense stick to burn
what do they mean by this?

>tfw the Titan and Erin still haven't met and haven't played a game in months.

Why is it so hard to find fantasy written by a man?

Are you ready for Garth Nix kino this year? How did Garth Nix manage to be the best YA SF/F author?
>Seventh Tower
>Abhorsen
>Shade's Children

>>13481793
Might as well ask what a jin is... or a Zhang

>>13481839
>angel
>mage

>>13481835
Have you tried the Braille section?

>>13478687
the decepcion inside the deception
if you dont get it, dont ask

>>13481674
You are a fucking retard, I don't even make posts related to smut, I just appreciate the charts. How the fuck is it my fault you fucking idiots don't talk about real authors anymore; sffg is literally here to help me jack off to catgirls, faggot, and there's nothing either of us can do about it.

>reading blurb
>In the spirit of fantasy epics like Throne of Glass and The Lord of the Rings,

So I read Children of Time & Children of Ruin by Adrian Tchaikovsky and enjoyed it. Looks like good sci-fi to me. The turtle adventure sequence in the habitat was great.

But how are his other books, including those in the fantasy genre? Some of the blurbs invoke interest, though I'm not sold on fantasy bugs. Would You recommend any of them?

>>13481964
I loved CoT, liked CoR, Expert System’s Brother was alright, Walking to Aldebaran was silly and short. Cage of Souls was FANTASTIC. Fav of the year so far.

>>13471973
Thanks for the reply anon, will check out BtBEH.

>>13477085
>It's the male equivalent of a harlequin romance novel.
and that's based

This is science fiction and fantasy general but probably absolute majority of posts are about fantasy. Is fantasy fags? No wonder this board is so shit.

What should I read after finishing The Witcher saga?

>>13482414
Science fiction is a dead genre

Has fantasy peaked with Lord of the Rings and Book of the New Sun?

>>13482414
It has been like that since Game of Thrones ended.

>>13482440
>Lord of the infodumps
>Book of pretentious cunt
no

>>13482444
Everything else looks like an incomplete meme in comparison. Black Company, Book of Malazan, Game of Thrones, The Witcher, etc. Those two works on the other hand have no real rivals.

>>13482443
Been like that before it too.

>>13482414
I don't understand why you don't create two separate generals.

Also, can anyone dump infopics on good fantasy&sci-fi?

>>13482414
Why is Foundation the dopest shit

>>13482463
Because nobody would use the sci-fi general. Like it's already been pointed out, it's a dead genre.

>>13482559
I love that aesthetic.

>>13481749
>feeling smug you know something someone else doesn't
noose yourself

>>13482603
>implying I even know what's going on there
harshing my tao bro

>>13482463
Because this general moves at a snail's pace as it is. And you wanna split it anyway?

>>13482452
Read more

>>13482463
Because I will only bump the fantasy thread. I used to be the one keeping this general alive (bumped it from page 9 a few days ago). i will not be bumping scifi gen. If you want a sci General, make it and maintain it, also make memes and pics for your general to use.

Don't read much sci-fi so does anyone have a rec for a thriller/mystery but also has solid action/adventure. Basically a space detective novel. Aliens and multiple planets would be cool but even cyberpunk setting would be ok

>>13482753
>Read more
like what exactly? whats the magnus opus of fantasy?

>>13482414
Everybody here hates Annihilation, hates Mieville, and is too dumb to read an Ian McEwan book. What science fiction book do you want to talk about?

>>13482878
>Everybody
not me

>>13478741
no bouncing back and forth from the editor and the writer, the self-publishing writer can just publish it whenever he likes, not when the publisher wants to, no forced gap between publications for maximum waiting-profit etc

>>13479774
>Accelerando
I put that away after a few chapters, couldn't stand the style and the constant use of buzzwords

>>13482878
Pic related should be considered classic, however I have not seen it mentioned even once on /lit/. On the other hand absolute brainlet trash like a fire upon deep gets plenty of mention on /lit/. Why its like that, I dont know, I can only assume most people here dont really understand sci fi and thats why they read fantasy.

>>13483060
Forgot pic

>>13482878
>/sffg/ is one person
Hurr durr

>>13482878
Machines Like Me will be a modern classic, though.

>>13479594
Something something arabs

For real though, I don't know. Seems like something arbitrary the author just wanted to put in. Doesn't have any deeper meaning. At the same time, how are the fremen acquiring intact worm teeth for their daggers? During the first Dune book era, the worms are old on the planet, and some worms can only be killed by fucking nukes. You tell me fremen had nukes?

>>13471912
This is the most pretentious thread on /lit/. Pussy and obnoxious gatekeepers all of you. Eat my shit.

How much of the writers listed here is good?
I know some people shilled a few of them and they were shit.
https://www.willwight.com/a-blog-of-dubious-intent/a-pentheon-of-writers

>>13483212
>Pussy and obnoxious gatekeepers all of you
>I shitposted politics and got banned and it's all of your faults, and not mine for breaking the rules

>>13481889
>Pleasures himself to catgirlsboys
>REEEE MUH TRANNY INCUBUS SMUT IS SFFG
>Dilating this hard
Pls remove the dragon dildo, anon. And let this be a lesson to the rest of you: don't fall for the wuxia/litrpg memes. Cumbrain is real

>>13474726
>>13476380
>>13476388
>>13476527
>>13477191
>>13480258
>PALE female warriors

>>13483234
Phil Tucker’s black gate series was ok, but dropped in quality after the second book. Nothing else of his was really decent imo.
Bryce O’Connor writes decent enough, if you can deal with a lizardman pov.
The song of the ash tree was enjoyable enough, if you like low fantasy viking shit. MC gets constantly shit on though to the point where it gets kinda absurd.
That’s probably the best from that list.

>>13483399
>footfag shitting on other people's fetish
kys by brain slushie

>>13482414
Because there hasn't been any decent sci-fi published in the last 20 years except for maybe The Quantum Thief. It's all trannyshit and we've all already read the greats
>>13482974
Then make a post about it instead of complaining. If no one wants to talk about it then you're clearly in the wrong place
>>13483212
Waaaahhh! No one wiw donal twump wif meeeeee! Evvyone jus wan to wead books!
>>13483234
My guess is they're all shit. I've read short stories by a few of them and was not impressed

>>13483501
>>13483234
The fact that Will Wight wants to be seen with Micheal J Sullivan after he made those Age of [insert noun here] books is suspect. Now he is shilling us Dyrk Ashton, Alec Hutson and A.C. Cobble.

Harem is the thinking man's genre.

>>13483546
>Now he is shilling us Dyrk Ashton, Alec Hutson and A.C. Cobble
I read paternus, crimson queen, and benjamin ashwood and they were all pretty good so I see nothing wrong with shilling them

>>13483521
>cumbrain in action
I don't want to be stepped on by giant sonic, anon. I just figured that if you're into cat girls and futa demons you're probably into Sonic degeneracy as well. Once someone blurs those lines they all tend to collapse

>>13483682
>that pic

>>13483546
Indie authors all stick together. It’s like joining a cult, but with less suicides. Everyone knows everyone.

Is Titus Awakes worth reading or is it Brian Herbert levels of bad?

>>13483682
i fucking love this site

>>13483682
Just fyi there are no futa demons in that book. Sorry to disappoint.

Give me an idea for a character you'd encounter in a stranded spaceship

>>13484123
scruffy stowaway that saw the pirates pillage the ship and slaughter the rest of the passengers and crew

>>13484123
A blue alien princess who needs a concentrated dose of liquid protein regularly administered orally in order for her to survive.

>>13484123
an android that has been waiting for orders

>>13484123
800 pound morbidly obese spaceship pilot. Immobile, fused to chair, will die of heart failure and pulmonary edema if he or she enters earthlike gravity, and knows it. Left behind when the ship was evacuated, has already lost 20 pounds.

>>13484190
>>13484187
>>13484181
>>13484178
I think you have a good cast here for a sci-fi revival

someone have the humble sff bundle?

>>13473052
There's a guy on YouTube Steve Donoghue who encourages people to email him and he's read tons of Conan pastiche fiction. You might wanna check him out he could prob recommend tons.

>>13476106
It fits well, but absolutely gives me a headache.

Also, based Neuromancerchad; just finally read it myself.

>>13479594
Coffee is a diuretic so they actually get more water out of the stillsuit than they use in the coffee.

>DM tells me I need an explanation for my class change, clearly baiting for plot hooks
>plan out one that will give me a lot of chance to build the mystery around my character
>send the outline of the idea to him
>"anon, after thinking it over I think it's fine he doesn't have an explanation. For now just keep it mysterious"
>tfw I'm an aspiring fantasy author who's been trying for years to get published

is it time for the noose /sffg/?

>>13484481
pee does not work that way

>>13484123
A 70s era SciFi writer frozen in cryosleep before he could write his Magnum Opus: a 27,000 page sword and planet epic about a teenager from Neo-Seoul who dies and is revived on a strange world where in order to survive he has to gain levels and fuck a cadre of catboys and incubi to acquire godlike ki. He swears it's guaranteed a Hugo...

>>13484564
>A 70s era SciFi writer frozen in cryosleep before he could write his Magnum Opus:
Hyperion did it

why am I even pretending to be a writer. It was only a fluke that I managed to write something. Lightning doesn't strike twice

>>13484890
Do what every other fiction writer does today: take something written decades ago and make it super edgy and nihilistic with lots of terrible 'woke' politics thrown in.

>>13483290
>>13483529
???

>>13484981
I have no shortage of inspiration. My crippling executive disfunction is preventing me from writing

>>13484996

>>13483501
>low-fantasy viking shit that obsessively dumps on the MC
I've been looking or something in the spirit of the Farseer trilogy.

>>13483588
Give me Recs. I'm currently reading Good Intentions and I am enjoying it.

>>13485344
Self published smut chart anon post your shit.

What are your reading habits like, anons? I realized I go through spurts: I'll get really motivated and read half a dozen or more books and stories within a month or so then completely run out of steam and not read anything for weeks on end or even longer. Anyone else like this?

>>13485410
I only actually read infrequently but I constantly listen to audiobooks at work. I go through one or two a week depending on how long they are. I didn't really read much fantasy until I started working here and suddenly had lots of time for extremely long books.

Tried writing again /sffg/. I couldn't finish the first scene of a short story. I think I might be through

How is this series? I keep seeing it pop up in my recommendeds

>>13485759
>Sarah
its shit

>>13485410
Same,i only read two books this month while last month i read like 13.

>>13485410
I’m quite consistently reading about one book each week. There is some variation depending on how much time I have to spend on other shit.

I'm liking this so far. Obvious allegory world as a base, but what the author's added on top shows a great deal of thought was put into it. It's not at the level of something like Cook's Instrumentalities of the Night where the entire setting is a big "gotcha", but she knows how to properly bait world building tidbits which is more than I can say for a lot of new fantasy authors, and the characters are also pretty interesting. So far the plot seem fairly predictable though, and that might be the story's weakpoint unless it pulls a fast one on me.

>>13482433
We already live in a dystopian sci fi world. Nothing anybody can write is surprising anymore.

What's something most authors forget to factor in to their settings?

>>13485868
Entertainment.

>>13485410
I’ll read 50 books one year and then 10 the next, idk

Is a 500 year time-skip between novels too much?

>>13478753
I just read that book and thought it was fucking dumb. The premise is interesting but in execution it was bad.

>>13485982
Time only matters if that's the reason why people would be reading it.

>>13485982
Between children of dune and God emperor there was a 3500 years time skip. Between emperor and heretics there was an 1500 years time skip.

>>13484564
>sword and planet
Wait is this real? I asked the question a few threads ago about what my genre would be named, which is fantasy in a sci-fi world with planets and space travel and aliens and sci-fi elements, but obvious fantasy themes such as hero's journey and becoming king, etc.

>>13486067
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sword_and_planet

It's cute you thought you were coming up with something original that is old as shit.

>>13486084
Reeee
No, I never thought it was original but I didn't think there was an actual whole genre of it. I heard and read some space opera, the mainstream things mostly, but that's about it.
Oh well, genres are arbitrary. What makes Dune scifi and not sword and planet? Doesn't change my writing and ideas in any shape.

>>13486095
Sword and planet is my idea only it would be limited to one ship

>>13471981
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Murray_Spear
something you maybe interested.

Here is MY new genre:
The prose itself is only surface superficiality and every word is a different color and each different color tells a different story that intertwine with each other until when the stories converge, so do the colors, until the text is all rainbows by the end.

>>13471998
call them by the name of his inventor (like the gauss rifle) or a own name.

>>13486095
>What makes Dune scifi and not sword and planet?
The swashbuckling adventure aspect of Sword and Planet.

New thread you lazy nerds
>>13486156
It has cute robot wifus in it

This is for the guy who asked about Ringworld last week. I read it so here is my review.

I would say it's worth a read. It's kinda slow to start out but it gets interesting as they venture into space. The last 50 pages however were a let down and the ending felt rushed. There are also quite a few times where I had no idea what was going on and had to read a paragraph two or three times. Other than that it's a fun book.

I'm feeling a strong 6.5 to a light 7.

>>13485868
sewage

>>13484698
Hyperion: the original Western chinkshit

>>13485868
Tax policies

It's time to ruin another thread

>>13486762
>>13486762
>>13486762
>>13486762
>>13486762

>>13486047
So that's why it's shit.

>>13485868
cleanliness

>>13486067
it's like you never watched He-Man

>>13472277
Hamilton is pleasantly creative. Mindstar rising, Neutronium Alchemist, all very interesting. I haven't read what you're talking about, but i can very easily imagine it turning into LGBT virtue signalling.

>>13473499
Northern lights.

>>13485789
You and me are gonna turn ut around OK anon. Let's read like crazy for the rest of the month.