/lit/ - Literature

First for Sanderson is based

/sffg/ Group
https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1029811-sffg
9 members as of this post. Your age must be set to 18+ to join. All interested may join, including newly made accounts. Started 3 days ago.
The two primary purposes currently are to see reading preferences and compatibility and simply have us together. If you want it to be more, make it so.
While it's not intended to be a replacement for thread discussion, feel free to discuss and do whatever there.
May or may not do some polling, which may or may not be public voting.
It's set to where anyone can do basically anything without being a moderator, aside from kicking members out and deleting the group.
If there are eventually enough members, could try to have public votes to decide which books to put on the bookshelf as the closest possible "official /sffg/ recs".
>>14124437 noted that they would like more actual discussion. I'm not going to personally lead any discussion at this time, but I don't see any reason why those who want to do so can't discuss the Monthly Reading there throughout the entire month if that's their preference.
On a tangentially related note, this is the only outside the thread supplement that I would ever personally create. I've made discord, IRC, etc, for elsewhere before and I don't have any interest in doing so again for personal reasons.

Second for
>>There’s a Neil Gaiman quote that I find more and more true as I continue to write: “When people tell me that something in a book is wrong or doesn’t work for them, they’re almost always right. When they tell me exactly what’s wrong and how to fix it, they’re almost always wrong.”

>>14135921
Alright kid, I don't who you are or where you live, but that is going to change. Soon. That's right, I'm going to find out where you live and I'm going to fucking KILL you. Why, you ask? Take a look at the picture you attatched to the originel post of the thread. Yeah, notice anything? It seems that you have used JEZEBELS to further aggregate attention to your thread. Big mistake, buck-o. I am going to kill you for many reasons, but the principle one will be this propensity of yours to propagate licentious behavior which is the utter buttress of our society's (and our individual souls') downfall. No no, don't bother trying to delete it, the deed is done. You were dead the moment you attached these scantily whores to your post and filled out the captcha.

You think it's easy being me? You don't know the half of it, kid. You don't know the sort of rejection I've faced. And this is my territory you;re in. I bet you thought you could just come into this board and post whatever you wanted, like /b/ or /r9k/, rite? Wrong. I and many others come here for the specific point of discussing LITERATURE. Read that word carefully, look it up if you have too. And while we were amiably pursing this noble subject of erudition, you came along and decided it was a propitious idea to put a libidinally charge representation of what I, and many others on this board, cannot attain on the front fucking page. You cretin. You sad, dead, little phallus-minded moron.

So in conclusion: prepare yourself. Post whatever jezebels you have left, with the time you have (it isn't very much time). I'm coming for you, bitch.

>>14135625
So, swordfus?

>>14135921
somebody pls rec books with cute elf girls

'Osamu' 'Tezuka'

>>14135921
OH GOD OH FUCK OH GOD
I
I
IM COOMINGG
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH IM COOMING AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

OH GOD ITS EVERYWHERE

>>14136075
>>>/v/

>>14135921
can i read the culture series out of order?

>>14135930
Our tastes don't match at all, from you screen shot.
>giving Daniel Abraham all those stars

Been reading Black Company. Finished the first one and Shadows Linger and now I'm onto White Rose. How is the series after that? The impression I'm getting is that its going to "end" with White Rose but I know there are a lot of books after that.

Reports all off topic threads pushing us off the front page.

>>14136641
not as good but still pretty comfy.

>>14136641
It’s hit or miss after. It’s not as good as the first half, but I thought it was an enjoyable enough read

POSTAN

For information: As have been noted 'Let the Right One In' is a translation and the original is written in Swedish and is called 'Låt den rätte komma in'. So feel free to read that one if you're a Scandi or speak the language.

what if I make tolkien BUT

IN SPACE

AND IS SHIT

Any good scifi/fantasy written as plays?

the man at the hot dog stall in the library won't stop making fun of me for reading english translations instead of the original works

is not my fucking fault I don't speak russian you vodka nigger

fuck you

>>14138122
Anon is so pure~ desu ne

>>14136628
yes, each book is just an event in the universe's history

>>14138122
>the man at the hot dog stall in the library

>>14138122
>he hot dog stall in the library
Which library allows food in the vicinity of their books?

Why is /sffg/ so hostile to grimdark these days?

>>14138247
Because it's ass.

>>14138247
It's newfags that haven't read much, and expect books to be about "comfy adventures". After reading literal hundreds of those "comfy adventures" it gets sickening. Grimdark was a good change.

It's a cycle. Grimdark's been the newest fad. Now people are tiring of it. What a surprise.

>>14138303
"High literature" has been the oldest fad. Now people are tiring of it. What a surprise.
It's why genre fiction is king in /lit/.

>>14138247
>>14138303
Is warhammer grimdark?

Just finished Caldé of the Long Sun...man did this book lose steam after the first 2 volumes were pretty decent

I finished reading The High Crusade recently, and I haven't been this entertained in a long time.
> Biggest fear of Englishmen in space is that alien wenches will be too ugly to fuck
> One minor nobleman has enough knowledge of court intrigues and military tactics to successfully install a galactic feudal system
> Aliens are so advanced that their anti-laser force fields don't do shit against arrows

Any recommendations for similar Medieval + Sci Fi mixes?

I wish Gaiman could pull off something as creatively rich as Sandman again. Everything else he's done feels like GaimanLite to the point I'm not sure if I have too high expectations of him.

are tolkien derivative hackjobs looked upon more favourable than derivative hackjobs of lesser writers?

>>14138604
By who?

>>14138606
by me

>>14138502
Sounds great. This the one?
The premise seems unique. I can't quite think of anything resembling it.
Wish me luck.

About to read the Sanderson Wheel of Time books.

>>14138780
might as well kill yourself now. because after you're done you'd want to erase the knowledge from your mind. but you cant.

>>14138641
That's the one. Oh God you're in for a treat.

>>14138567
But what about that one short story with the cave and the black mountain?

>>14138354
Definitionally.

Yikes.

>>14138447
It's all worth it for Short Sun.

I walked into a charity shop today and got Let The Right One In, and I've made a start (I'm at Saturday, 24th October). If this is "reminiscent of Stephen King at his best" I know I'm never going to read Stephen King, and the only reason I'm going to read this is because I'm into vampire shit.

>>14139477
>name of the wind
based

>>14138567
is there a mobile-friendly way to read Sandman? I've been reading in my phone for the last 3 years, and was considering start reading comics as well, Sandman more specifically

>>14138122
>be me
>read book in english, you know, "the original"
>few days later find out the book was originally written in my mother tongue
uhh

This series is fun. You can't stop me from liking it.

>>14139469
Its just i've been reading few warhammer books and at times war is treated like a fun game than war. Bloody but rather intoxicating action movie-like, you know. Although the setting is considered grimdark, both fantasy and 40k, i don't feel the grim of it, just fundark.

>>14139631
ok Craig

>>14135921
How long do the ratings/feelings you have for something you've read stay valid? Does eventually what was once a 5 star to you, the best among the books, become a 1 star, something you never understood why you liked it and would never know read?

>>14138247
>Tough McSoldier walked down a lonely road. He spat into the bushes, his spittle cascading over the entrails of a fool that had died from a sword-slash over his gut. McSoldier laughed, in a world such as this, only the strong survive. And he was the strong.
>Stock Compatriot came from the forest, eyes glittering and blood on his face. "Getting some work done McSoldier?"
>McSoldier sneered. "Ain't no work here that needs doing, the man's for the crows now."
>Stock Compatriot looked over the corpse with the eyes of a man who's seen plenty and done worse. "Aye, I reckon so."
>McSoldier clapped the man's shoulder, fingers squelching on the viscera that coated his friend's coat. "Let's meet up with the others, seems like there's war on the border."

>>14139642
Just finished First Heretic. It's so good.
But indeed not very grimdark considering what the book covers. The only grimdarkness might be the ritual to manipulate astropathic communications.

>>14139766
I think that kind of radical change of opinion mostly comes between childhood and maturity, and you should never trust the opinions of a child anyway.

>>14139575
But was the right one let in?

>>14135921
Any good slightly obscure Cyberpunk book recommendations? I've read a good amount of the more popular ones (Neuromancer, Snow Crash and Altered Carbon etc.)

When Gravity Fails is good so far, I'm enjoying the hard-boiled noir tone of the book and the setting.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/When_Gravity_Fails
Synopsis:
>A series of brutal murders soon begins to panic the Budayeen, and Audran is almost executed by Friedlander Bey, who at first considers him to be the killer. He is then forced by the centuries-old Bey to become his investigator, and even worse, is made to subject himself to extensive, partly experimental cybernetic modifications; an advanced form of the brain "wiring" he has dreaded before.

>While the killer or killers step by step and very brutally begin wiping out witnesses as well as acquaintances of Audran, he tries to uncover clues to their nature and to the link between the seemingly unconnected victims. Meanwhile, he is fighting his fears of inadequacy in the face of a killer who obviously uses "moddies" making him into some of the most feared and bestial serial killers of history.

>>14139631
I kind of like it, but it's pretty dumb sometimes and Skippy is annoying as fuck.

>>14139845
I haven't got to the part where they have to make a decision over who to let where.
>>14139849
>slightly obscure
It won a prize but I can't remember seeing it on any recommended cyberpunk reading lists, but Software was an interesting read. Quite short too.

What are some things to look up on WRITING Sci-fi?

>>14139642
The books following the Imperial Guard are better for grimdark. Much more human. I'd recommend Dan Abnett's Tanith series. Even if you're not into warhammer, it's a solid military sci-fi series.

>>14139597
You talking about let the right one in, quantum thief or the witcher?

>>14139797
That's actually pretty well written. You should become an author (not being sarcastic or memeing).

>at some point in life each brother takes a lioness or bear-sow in marriage, after which he shuns human women.
So the bear tower is full of furries? This book is annoying and weird. I've changed my mind deeper into other books before though. Definitely not a relaxing read

>>14139862
Software won the very first Philip K. Dick award.

>>14139833
Difficult to say when you haven't experienced it. The difference between 25 and 50 and so on.

>>14140009
So uh... name of this lion/bear fucking book. Just curious.

>>14140009
Because Sev is retarded and doesn't understand what animal husbandry is

>>14140096
The Name of the Wind

>>14135921
I wanna fuck this elf

>>14135921
Now that is a damn fine picture.

>>14140463
I love how the strap is loose on her negligee, covering those small white breasts, and how her neotenic body contrasts with her mature face. the sad face of helplessness just makes her irresistible

>>14139862
>It won a prize
Which one? It was nominated for both the Hugo and Nebula award but lost to The Uplift War and The Falling Woman (haven't read either of those books, are they any good?).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Award_for_Best_Novel

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nebula_Award_for_Best_Novel

>>14140694
>>14140055
Haven't read those two you mentioned.

>>14135921
Stupid sexy elves.

I just finished this book and really loved it. I've read her Farseer Trilogy some years ago and also really enjoyed it. I've started the second book now, The Mad Ship, and hope that it will continue to deliver. Robin Hobb is quickly becoming one of my favorite fantasy authors. Opinions?

>>14141116
>Opinions
You're a sad piece of shit that gets his jollies and enjoyment out of other people suffering.

>>14141125
>gets his jollies and enjoyment out of other people suffering.

I'm on 4chan so that hardly needed to be said

>>14141116
i read the first couple chapters and it felt boring af, generic evil character, IDC about ships or pirates. assassin's apprentice seemed pretty comfy tho, will def read that.

>>14141181
My advice is to stay far away from the Farseer trilogy if "comfy" is any factor in your enjoyment.

>>14141116
All of her books are very obviously written as a female power fantasy

I wanna read fantasy so bad but I'm too smart for the genre. I'm actually so smart I think gene wolfe is pleb tier. Help me out guys. I wanna a fantasy novel or series with the depth of a literary novel.

>>14141244
Sounds like you should read your diary desu

>>14141116
>her

>>14141242
Is it really a female power fantasy to fuck your boyfriends dad and marry him?

On second thought, I already know the answer.

Reached chapter 13 in shadow of the torturer after Thecla's torture. My initial hatred of the prose has softened. Reading the first few chapters felt like trudging through a waist-deep bog but now I've reached dry land. I still have to look up plenty of words, which usually end up being greek or roman related, but it flows easier through my mind.

The plot itself is also getting more interesting. The first few chapters of Severian doing mundane things like swimming and finding a random dog were a slog. Chapter 6 he just talks with the curator about books, history, and philosophy but I really enjoyed it and that's when the book took a turn for the better. His conversations with Thecla and trip to the whore house were all good. Everything since chapter 6 has kept my interest. I have a grasp on the general plot, and even though a decent amount of Wolfe's writing still goes over my head, there are plenty of snippets I find very humorous or poignant. I might have shit talked a little too soon.

>>14141454
You really did. It only gets more interesting from there.
>I still have to look up plenty of words, which usually end up being greek or roman related
Yeah, he makes up plenty of stuff by using Greek and Roman roots, so if you get a good grasp on those you can usually get the meanings.

>>14141454
I read the whole damn book and it feels like it passed over my head. I didn't dare talk shit about it before because everyone loves it so much but fuck it I'll do it now. It sucked.

>>14141454
you will reread it and the cosmic genius will kick in from pg 1

>>14141244
underage, guaranteed

>>14141670
>underage
>used "wanna" followed by a typo
That checks out.

>>14141670
Hey man, it's hard being a 110IQ 14 year old. Everyone around you is borderline retarded compared to his magnificent intellect that precludes him from enjoying things.

>finally give in and buy name of the wind after avoiding starting it for years
>intending to read it during some travel this coming week
>read it all yesterday

feck

I see so many problems in this book but it feels like a great throwback to when fantasy was pure fun. I've been wondering lately if I haven't gotten bored of the entire genre because the last half dozen things I tried to read made me want to neck myself, but this has made me hopeful again.

GRRM: Dany took a shit out of her cunt as a fire ant bit Jaime’s dick off while he was taking a shit.

Tolkien: Gandalf thought it very queer as Aragorn picked up a faggot and tossed it in the fire.

Brilliant stuff.

Finally decide to try to get back into fantasy, started with Way of Kings, what does /lit/ think about it?
Thought it was a very strong start to a series, pretty easy to get into, a bit too much exposition but overall decent.

>>14142154
The same as all his works--dry characters, dry dialogue, dry prose, dry everything.

>>14142154
It's very Sanderson but I liked it. I haven't read any of the other books in the series yet so I can't say whether he's going to be capable of writing a story that will join the all-time greats but it's possible.

>>14141116
She's great. Fitz is one of the great fantasy characters. Everything in her Farseer universe is pretty good. Liveship Traders is something a bit different from the rest and done very well.

The only criticism Hobb ever gets on this website is that's she's a woman.

The Fitz bullying was far too much, even for a Evangelionfag like me.

>>14142248
I think calling the Farseer trilogy "misery porn" is a pretty valid criticism. It's thematically consistent misery porn but misery porn all the same. It's an acquired taste that many people understandably don't want to acquire.

>>14141244
100 years of solitude, stuff by murakami. magical realism is fantasy

>>14142154
you'll like it if you like underdog stories
it's probably my favorite fantasy book.
the character development is great.

What if magic only came from extremely rare crystals mined from deep underground and suddenly the ability to do magic relies on good diplomacy with the race of height-challenged people famed for mining and metallurgy?

I think my writer's block may be coming to an end.

>>14139477
>Dark Tower
>First Law
>Name of the Wind
yeah, i'm thinking he's based

What books are there that are about the creator the universe placing themselves inside of the universe in an attempt to understand themselves, making themselves forget that they were the creator as a part of this process?

>>14142872
I remember reading something like that. The dwarves didn't care because they couldn't use magic but were also immune to magic.

>>14143111
new testament

Who is the Michael Houellebecq of fantasy/science fiction?

>>14139477
excellent post

>>14143241
That's not really what I'm looking for(even though the manga I posted has a couple references to Christianity through names and dates).

>>14143241
zing

>>14141244
Not one word laid on a page in the history of humankind has been worth reading or caring about.

>>14142131
A faggot is a bundle of sticks...

>>14142872
Geomancer by irvene what's their name.

>>14143111
There are books about gods living among us that lost their memory. What you want sounds very specific, and I can't recall anything like that.

>>14138247

>>14143548
>brandished it balefully

I lost.

>>14143548
How much of a fucking nerd do you have to be to get upset about shit like that.

>>14143603
How much of a fucking nerd do you have to be to get upset about that person doing some next level advanced shitposting like that.

>>14143636
I thought it was pretty funny until it got into lame historical nitpicking. I remember reading an article on some website years ago talking about how medieval fantasy novels shouldn't use the word "port" (as in a ship haven) because it's not etymologically justifiable. Ever since then I've despised this sort of autism. It's not clever or insightful.

>>14143603
I'm not bothered by that sort of stuff, same as I'm not bothered by super-English swearing in high fantasy, but I have to admit that he nails everything else about grimdark pretty neatly.

>>14143641
If the whole review had been a funny caricature like it started out and ended then it would have been better.

Just picked up these two in a charity shop today, not read any Zelazny before, what am I in for?

What is the /sffg/ equivalent of Disco Elysium?

>>14143548
Why do people keep reading Abercrombie if they realize he's a hack? It was obvious from the first book that his writing was all smoke and mirrors, so many gay catchphrases and twists

Anyone read the Covenant story?
It's 10 books which is pretty massive and I don't know if it's worth getting into but I hearing it every now and then.

For fuck's sake this is a novel for women why can't I put it down

>>14144089
Because you're a faggot probably.

>>14144110
You don't have to be gay, just self-insert as the Chad love interest instead of the MC

>>14144089
sounds like you might be trans, here take these pills, put on these socks and post your nudes in my discord

>>14144037
>10 books
I think its more then that.

I heard mostly good things about it but apparently it has some pacing issues and a lot of the story can seen nonsensical at first. How about you read it and then tell us what you think anon.

>>14144089
>novel for women why can't I put it down
This happened to me once. Shamefully i have to admit it was a chink web novel called "Trial Marriage Husband Need to Work Hard". I couldn't put it down. I usually don't read chinkshit but a friend that i trust very much told me to read it and i couldn't tear myself from it. Thankfully its actually a finished and complete story.

Currently working on an SF novel about an AI fursona singularity dystopia. Would you all read something like that?

Anyone ever read the Wizard of Earthsea series by acclaimed writer lady woman author girl, Ursula K. Le Guin? (RIP in piece)

No offense, but it's the best fantasy I've ever read. Great emotional resonance and character development, beautiful and simple prose.

Also, all 10 or whatever of the books come in an illustrated hard cover, one that I bought for my sister that she'll never read.

>>14144168
I've heard the books after the original trilogy are feminist ideological trash. Is this true?

>>14144161
Nobody cares about your faggot writing that’ll never get published. FUCK OFF

>>14144185
>Implying I'm even writing anything and not just shitposting
Are you retarded?

>>14144168
I've read 5 of the 6 books and also the short stories.

They're my favourite fantasy series.

>>14144183
>feminist ideological trash
They do have female protagonists sometimes, and those women exist in a world where men have all the power, and those issues are explored, but I found it refreshing and good.

In one of the books, the protagonist is a pampered white rich kid with blonde hair, and he's treated fairly and even painted to be a noble and virtuous bro.

Le Guin is, at least with this series, Le Best, in my IMHO. (I dabbled in her Hainish Cycle series of books, and uh...maybe I was reading them wrong or just am too low IQ, but I didn't enjoy what I read.)

>>14144183
>I've heard the books after the original trilogy are feminist ideological trash. Is this true?

No, give them a read and come to your own opinions you unoriginal faggot

>>14144213
>5 of the 6 books
Ah shit, I guess I've almost read them all then, as I read up to Teahnu. There's short stories too, I think.

Which was your favorite? I think The Tombs of Atuan was mine. The story of Teahnu getting stolen and brought to this shit hole in the middle of the desert was harrowing in all the best ways.

Also, Ged is my waifu.

>>14144213
Also, I'm printing this map out so I can read it while I take a shit.

>>14144255
URSULA A CUTE!
A CUTE!

Hey guys, I just finished the wheel of time. I enjoyed WoT for like 2 years, it's been great but desu I'm kind of unsatisfied by the ending. Any suggestions for fantasy/sci Fi followups? I'm considering starting "the expanse" or reading children of ruin since I liked the first children of time.

>>14144336
Read Bakker

>>14135960
bump

>>14144336
>children of ruin
Read that. If you liked Children of Time, you'll definitely like this.

I would ban those who ask "anyone read" if I could.

anyone read previous anon's post? should i read it?

>>14144922
I read it, he sounds like a homo

>>14136085
You mean /fit/?

Jesus I just read the part where Severian tells a story about Domnina meeting with Father Inire and he shows her some light-fish thing created by mirrors and talks about physics for 6 pages and I understood exactly nothing. I don't even know if it's legit physics or just fantasy mumbo jumbo.

Also I'm having a hard time creating a vision of the world. For some reason I get warhammer 40k vibes from Urth. Like it's a medieval steampunk type world. They have metal and glass buildings and flying machines and understand space travel but still use animals for transportation and have wood and rock structures. It's confusing

>>14145302
>I understood exactly nothing. I don't even know if it's legit physics or just fantasy mumbo jumbo.
Don't worry about that just yet, it'll (probably) make more sense later

>Also I'm having a hard time creating a vision of the world. For some reason I get warhammer 40k vibes from Urth. Like it's a medieval steampunk type world. They have metal and glass buildings and flying machines and understand space travel but still use animals for transportation and have wood and rock structures. It's confusing
Pretty accurate, really.

>>14143697
First books of Amber is great. Later they just teleport wherever like crazy.

Yesterday I read all 480 pages of King of Dreams by Robert Silverberg. It's 7th of 8 Majipoor novels and the final book of the Prestimion trilogy. The paperback came out in 2002, which is also when I bought it. I had already read the previous six books. It's a mystery how so much time can pass by before getting around to something that one buys.
I had considerable trepidation before I started reading it as I said I would in an Oct 19th post. I had quite enjoyed the previous books that I had read all those years ago and I was concerned that I wouldn't enjoy this now and that it would ruin my memories. I don't like rewatching or rereading anything because past experience has shown me that I almost always enjoy it a lot less the second time and that causes me question why I liked it in the first place and whether it would be the same for everything else.
Fortunately, I enjoyed this well enough, despite its various flaws. I don't remember there being so much unnnescarily detailed exposition along with unneeded side stories all throughout, but it's been closer to 20 years than not. A lot is unclear in general about my reading them.
Majipoor is the planet's name and it was settled by humans and various other aliens about 14,000 years ago. For reasons that are never really addressed, aside from saying the crust is metal poor, it's still mostly medieval technology with random advanced technologies here and there and a functional spaceport that is rarely visited.
I don't know whether this novel is a subversion of expectations or a result of unfortunate circumstances. I'll believe the former despite more evidence for the latter. Plot spoilers follow.
For most of the novel, it seems like it's setting up for a massive war campaign with both sides strongly agitating for war, especially the more powerful side. However, none of that ever happens. The antagonist turns out to be a megalomaniac with delusions of grandeur who is unable to back up anything he does with actual action and has to continually reduce the scope of his ambitions as others withdraw their support from him as they realize he's simply a psychopathic narcissist without self-awareness who wants them to do everything for him. The antagonist also being driven insane by his plot device weapon. The novel ends with the antagonist proposing an in-person parley with the protagonist where the antagonist tries to kill the protagonist thinking that will solve all of the his problems, but they just kill him. The End. Despite that the book was originally published about 7 months before 9/11, it could be read as a response to that and the ensuing consequences of the following years. A story of a superpower wanting a disproportionate and misguided response to a terrorist attack, but cooler heads prevail. The protagonist's solution to prevent further rebellion is to have a global surveillance state.
gtfa

>>14145483
Inire's mirrors make sense with time.
your basic grasp of the world is pretty solid, I guess

>>14141244
Terry Pratchett
Unless you're a pseud in which case there is no helping you until you grow out of it.

>>14142076
Name of the Wind is not bad at all. The sequels are what suck as does his social media cuckery.

>>14143546
But it doesn't seem like that unique of a concept. Why isn't it done more?

>>14143639
People wanting to show off how clever they are by pointing out such things fail to realize they impress no one.

is this worth reading based on my tastes?

Finished:
>first three books of first law
>lord of the rings
>fire and ice
>every conan story i ever picked up

dropped:
>wheel of time
>name of the wind
>anything sanderson ever wrote, i got to book 3 of stormlight. A mistake i wont repeat with another series
>malazan

>>14146272
stormlight 3 really was a pile of shit

>>14146316
i was so hopeful after the first book

It is the constantly new one time people who are always mentioning the new same few popular series or is it the regulars or both?

>>14146272
Your answer is a big no.

>>14146316
>>14146367
whats wrong with it

>>14139903

Quantum thief was written in english even though Hannu is finnish

What book would you suggest to someone who has only read the classics and Hobbit and thinks that fantasy is a shit genre, but you want to prove him wrong?

>>14138292
>Grimdark was a good change.
Yeah, in the early 90s maybe.
Everything since then has been grimdark edgy teenage shit. I've personally grown out of it.

>>14145887
Somehow I feel like I'd cheer for the antagonist. The good guys sounds like status quo faggots

What are some books with God-tier world-building in terms of creativity? Pic related.

>>14146532
it's even longer than the other two and half of it is filler and the other half is retracing character development that already happened for no reason

>>14146755
Add on a layer of no stacks anime battles and it's a complete bore even for Sanderson

>>14146755
Fair enough, the parts in shadesmar and the flashbacks were somehow even more boring than Shallan's in the last book. I just want my man Kaladin and Szeth to buddy cop already.

>>14146848
shadesmar and like the first half of the book in that city where they just camped out and did fucking nothing
the flashbacks were okay for the first half until that day where they burned the city but he didn't need to keep on going with the flashbacks after that. sanderson shows way too much. even the final battle was way too drawn out

>>14146675
Nothing, because proving people wrong like that is unlikely to succeed and also isn't worthwhile.

>>14146864
I was told that he's open to changing his mind, though, but that he doesn't know where to start.

>>14146701
this kinda seems like a really ironic and cynical question, but I mean it earnestly:

what the fuck is the point of reading Discworld novels?

>>14146888
Enjoyment? Entertainment? Comfiness? A good time?

>>14146888
what's the point of reading anything?

>>14146888
Well you see every time you finish a Discworld book the government sends you ten thousand dollars in cash and a box containing the meaning of life.

>>14146909
What's the point of living?

>>14146904
Those are good things, yeah, but god damn,
what does it REALLY knock out of the park?

>>14146929
Just don't read them. Solved.

Nearly done with Dune (as in the first one), what's the go with the following works? I take it most of the BH/KJA aren't even /lit/, but what about Frank's stuff?
Should I skip them and move onto something else?

>>14146937
ahh, refreshing. thanks anon. you get it. the remedy to every /sffg/ ailment

>>14146973
Just stop posting on 4chan. Solved.

>>14146978
read discworld and dilate, sandersong

>>14146107
I liked Wise Man's Fear too. It was a little more scattered than the first book and there was some super edgy teenage shit in it but it was enjoyable overall.

>>14146986
worst opinion ive read all day

>>14143697
A treat

>>14146970
Refer to the Dune chart

>>14146970
The first four Dune books are one continuous story.

>>14147016
Wait, there's a Dune chart?
How have I missed it?

>>14146272
Yes

>>14147021
Because you didn't look at the charts in the OP.

I’m new here, why is lotr in both lit approved fantasy and books to avoid in your charts, some kind of maymay?

>>14147021
Well it really boils down to "keep reading Dune until you don't want to read Dune anymore".

>>14147066
Anybody can make a chart for any reason, be it sincerity or irony. If you're looking for straightforward community-wide endorsements you're on the wrong site.

>>14147035
I'll be honest, I haven't, because I've seen like 6 different /sffg/ charts in other threads assuming that's all of them.

>>14147070
Good to know.

>>14147080
All the 100s of other charts are linked in the pastelink in the OP.

>>14147066
Because I haven't bothered to separate the seemingly serious ones from the meme ones.

>>14135921
Currently at 5 entries for the nominations totaling
5 fantasy and 12 science fiction nominations
Since this isn't particularly serious, if it doesn't reach 20 by the time it ends, I'll just fill in the rest with frequently mentioned and seemingly well-liked books from the thread. 110 posts left until bump limit, so maybe tomorrow it'll reach that.

>>14135921
I am going to have sex with this elf.

>>14147160
Enjoy my sloppy seconds

Is there anything like War of the Worlds artillery man plan, humanity surviving on the sewers of London?

>>14135921
Every OP image must be like this.

Cease struggling. Desist hoping.

>>14135930
I'm never going to read the monthly book pic, would I still be allowed to join?

>>14148463
Reconsider where you are. This general isn't simple.

>>14148542
no one actually discusses the monthly book, so feel free to join

Okay. Trying to read Thomas Covenant. It keeps infodumping lore at me and at this point in the book--the start--where you know nothing I really cannot find it in me to give two shits about it because it goes on for pages upon pages of completely unfamiliar names and places and prophecies.
>Berek Heartthew and his son Damelon Gianfriend and his son Loric Vilesilencer, corruption of Demondim, who are Landwasters, son of Loric, Earthfriendship of the Lords, Seven Wards of ancient Lore, the Desolation, Northron Climbs, Giant Woods, Seareach, Rockbrothers, Ritual of Desecration, Stonedown, Woodhelven, Revenstone, High Lord Damelon, First Ward, Kurash Plenethor, Stricken Stone, Trothgard, Loresraat, Oath of Peace.
That was all from a single page in front of me right now. A single page full of words and titles that mean absolutely nothing to me. What does the author expect me to do with this information? Does he think this makes for interesting writing?

>>14146272
>dropped:
>malazan

I downloaded the fuckhuge Malazan collection whatever.

>10000 pages of fantasy
>why am I doing this?

Turns out /lit/ was right again. Super fresh worldbuilding and high fantasy shenanigans without knights and elves.
I just finished deadhouse gates and still have a lot left!

>read black company
>army of illusion scene
Damn, this shit always gets me

>>14144336
I always wonder why people wanted Rand to die so bad. Like come on, let the boy had a nice break from all of it.

>>14148931
Needed more Coltaine to be honest.

>>14148949
Coltaine did his role just fine. Having more of him would've probably diminished the effect.

>native who embraced the Imperial way
>turned out to be an excellent general

I love the scene at the end where a priest gloats about how they finally got him and his Chain of Dogs. Only for others to point out what the odds were and how disparate the two forces involves were, on-top of one side protecting a civilian caravan.

>>14148949
>>14148953

I almost wanted to skip some of the Chain of Dogs parts - the odds was so insurmountable against Coltaine.

But I felt genuine rage at the parts with Pormqual in Aren. Coltaine was awesome, and I guess he is reborn anyway.

>>14148949
>>14148953
>RELEASE HIM
the rage was sure

There hasn't been anything new that was good that was released recently.
Is the book market dead?

>>14149367
there is something wrong with the publishers

>>14141116
I liked Liveships better than Farseeer. It's a long time since I've read them though.

Any books like the ones with the McGill creature?

>>14144366
>>14144555
Thanks guys, will do.
>>14148944
I wish they explained the ending a little bit more clearly, e.g. how did he not-die exactly. Though, I did like the idea that he was gonna go live like a farmer somewhere quaint with his rotating harem. If he lived on as himself he'd be revered and worshipped, which would be shit.

>>14149367
What do you expect? Look at the morons here who only want to talk about the same shit over and over.

>>14149800
The pattern rewards its champions when they win, basically

>>14143765
From the official Twitter account:
the works of the Strugatsky brothers
The City & the City by China Miéville
and apparently non-sff Germinal by Émile Zola

>>14149367
Some of the good stuff is migrating over to video games.
Exhalation collection - Ted Chiang

>>14149837
>The City & the City by China Miéville
That seems to be exactly what I'm looking for. Thanks.

I was thinking of getting into Night Vale. If I start with the podcasts, are the books just retellings of those same stories, or can I do both without repeating much material?

>>14149800
>I wish they explained the ending a little bit more clearly,
why? it was pretty much straight-forward with Min's viewings, and how Calandor worked. Though it would have been great to read abiyt Hobo Rand in wandering about

>>14150017
buy all the audiobooks and tell your reddit friends how good they are you waste of space

>>14150017
I don't know one person that listens to that shit that isn't a sexually frustrated weirdo.

>>14150370
Sounds like you’re describing half of 4chan to me.

>>14150439
More than half, but still not 100%

>>14135921
Hey, newfag here. I want to get into writing fantasy and science fiction, but I'm not sure how to start. Any recommendations or exercises?

How is fantasy still a thing in 2019? Has there been a single noteworthy fantasy series to come out since Prince of Nothing, which is over a decade ago? I'm just amazed how much trash there is that just reads like someone is describing a video game. Just soulless shit with generic protagonists, books written by people that don't like either nature or history and go out of their way to incorporate modern stuff like cellphones into their fantasy setting by coming up with some bullshit magical device. You'd think that by now with so many people being into fantasy there would be all sorts of different subgenres and strange niches. Instead, it's even more shitty and generic than it was in the late 90s. Absolutely incredible.

>>14150017
I remember trying that podcast and expecting a sexy voice like Deb of Night to come on, and instead it was some fucking faggot that sounded like a fat boomer.

>>14150708
go read your shit grimdark low fantasy if you like it so much faggot

Is the Stormlight Archive worth getting into? I listened to the first few chapters of the audiobook and it seems young adlutish.

>>14150929
there's no secks

>>14150976
Dropped

>>14150929
>she struggled to contain her awesomeness

How come no one is talking about Remnant 2?
Did it suck? Did no one pick it up? Where are all the shills who usually push this shit? It's been out 5 days and I know now.
Did his writing improve or drop?
Did his characters improve or still rely on being angry?

>>14151016
>tfw started the novella expecting it to feature szeth at least a bit
>only thing about szeth in the whole ass book is that he has an afterimage now

>>14151018
>reading this shit

>>14151018
How sad do you have to be to want to read worthless smut and then discuss it.

>>14151086
>reading at all

>>14151102
>haha you guys actual read and discuss published books?
>how sad are you
>just look on sparknotes then meme like you read it
>what's that? there are no sparknotes for these books so we actually have to read them if we want to pretend like we know anything?
>how sad do you have to be to want to read worthless smut and then discuss it

>>14151121
>get mad over a shitty fantasy erotic novel
Not aure if pretending to be retarded or not.

>>14148949
Strange way to spell Trull but okay.

>>14139877
Do Walter Mosley on writing and do hard science texts for background.

>>14144037
It's actually a trilogy, everything after that is just filler, like the Black Company

Most read science fiction this week, I see,,, actually I don't

>>14143111
The World of Tiers series by Philip Jose Farmer

>>14151237
Bane?

>>14151237

>Bane

>>14151237

>>14151237
Jesus, people really need to get out more.

>>14151263
>>14151267
>>14151275
4 u

>>14150708
>Just soulless shit with generic protagonists, books written by people that don't like either nature or history

Re-reading Lord of the Rings and one thing that stands out to me is how real the journey feels.

You can absolutely tell that Tolkien is somebody who grew up hiking as a child immersed in nature. There is such reverence for the natural world.

On top of that you have the world building of a real linguist that simply isn't matched today.

I question how many modern fantasy authors actually spend time in nature. Probably very few.

>>14151331
Good god you just come off as a pretentious cunt who nobody wants to spend time wit or around.

>>14151346
fukken GOTTEM fellow /b/ro!!!

Is this a joke?
https://www.audible.com/pd/B0819WGKHZ?pf_rd_p=f98f2d31-f081-438d-a6bd-63a6ca0f91aa&pf_rd_r=0TRDTGQE27WDV40B9EH0&ref=a_newreleas_c3_lProduct_1_1
Someone wrote a book to try and cash in on the area 51 raid.

>>14151370
Anon, people try to cash i on everything. Someone will soon make a documentary about it as well and I doubt this will be the last book about it either.

>>14151370
>he doesn't know about Emptyhero

>>14151346
Why?

Because I think LOTR demonstrates a greater appreciation for the natural world, something that is fundamental to a lot of good fantasy stories?

Bizarre! Very hateful!

>>14151018
It was ok. I feel like he’s contracting some of his characters now. Especially the poor goat girl. He walks back her character in order to create drama, and that was disappointing.

>>14151402
Oh, hey autism anon. How's it going? Haven't seen you sperg out in a while.

>>14150749
Prince of nothing is grimdark high fantasy

I'm currently reading Dune, about 1/3 of the way through. And honestly, i haven't enjoyed a book this much in years. Is this normal?

>>14151421
>he’s contracting some of his characters now.
Contracting of Contradicting?
This
>He walks back her character in order to create drama
makes me think you mean contradicting.

>>14151442
It is normal to like good books, yes.

>>14151442
> Liking one of the most highly rated sci-fi books of all time
> Asking "is this normal?"
*sigh*

Have any good new fantasy series been released in the last couple of years.

Currently reading the Legened of the first Empire series.

>>14151237

>>14151482
I always thought PKD was my jam, but this is another level. Not to mention i prefer it to classics, it just hits all the right buttons for me.

>>14151496
>Currently reading the Legened of the first Empire series.
Don't.
If you are reading Sullivan, only read the Riyria Revelations Series.

Wat up nigz?
Still reading fantasy?

>>14151567
>lets play with fire in a wooden room stuffed to the ceiling with straw.

>>14151571
yes, well
>women

>>14151571
Don't be such a pussy anon.

>>14151597
I wondering what she was doing before hat shoot to get her knees so read and raw?

>>14151616
Probably writing something. It's so hard to find a suitable surface on the beach.

Finished shadow of the torturer and read a few chapters of claw already. It wasn't bad but it felt very meandering. I understand the plot progression on a large scale, but there are plenty of specific parts that go completely over my head or seem utterly pointless, such as the hut in the jungle inside the botanic gardens.
All I know is that there was a woman, man, and naked man and Sev and Agia went in but they were ignored while the naked man talked about religion or something. Severian is supposed to go to thrax but keeps getting sidetracked, all the while having these complex metaphorical thoughts and meeting women that he claims to deeply love after knowing them for a few hours. I'm also 99% sure that he still doesn't even know why Vodalus is a criminal, but continues to have these romanticized thoughts of him for whatever reason.

Did I miss an explanation about how he survived the duel with the avern flowers or will an explanation be given later because that's annoying me

>>14151642
You would be far less annoyed if you actually payed attention to what you are reading.

>>14151642
>and meeting women that he claims to deeply love after knowing them for a few hours
Severian is a deeply autistic, lying coomer.

>Did I miss an explanation about how he survived the duel with the avern flowers
He did not, ayy lmaos resurrected him for shits and giggles.

>>14151670
>coomer
Please don't do that.
Let's at least try to use proper English.

>>14151670
Lurk for at least two years before posting, crossboarding newfag garbage.

>>14151616
Scrubbing the decks you twit.

>>14151708
Arrrr matey!

Last book that really made you think?

>>14151642
>meandering
I think this is where the books are most divisive, either you appreciate the "meandering" parts, or you don't

>>14151656
What made you think I'm not paying attention? There was nothing in the book about the avern issue. Don't act like Wolfe's writing is some easily accessible thing it makes you look like a cunt
The man looked toward us again, at Agia’s face and my own, as though he did not wish to do so but found himself unable to control the motion of his eyes. “If I am ill, Marie, then the diseased know things the well have overlooked. Isangoma knows they’re here too, don’t forget. Didn’t you feel the floor tremble while you were reading to him? That was when they came in, I think.”
“I’ve just poured you a glass of water so you can swallow your quinine. There are no ripples in it.”
“What are they, Isangoma? Tokoloshe—but what are tokoloshe?”
“Bad spirits, Preceptor. When man think bad thought or woman do bad thing, there is another tokoloshe. He stay behind. Man think: No one know, everyone dead. But tokoloshe remain until end of world. Then everyone will see, know what that man did.”
The woman said, “What a horrible idea.”
Her husband’s hands clenched the yellow stick of the windowsill. “Don’t you see they are only the results of what we do? They are the spirits of the future, and we make them ourselves.”
“They are a lot of pagan nonsense, that’s what I see, Robert. Listen. Your vision is so sharp, can’t you listen for a moment?”
“I am listening. What do you want to say?”
“Nothing. I only want you to listen. What do you hear?”

>>14151642
There are parts (like the hut in the jungle) that make more sense when you've read the whole thing. The series is essentially one book that was split into 4 because no one would buy a 400,000 word novel.
>>14151670
also this guy's explanation is wrong. You didn't miss anything.

>>14151774
>Last book that really made you think?
Inexhaustibility: A Non-Exhaustive Treatment by Torkel Franzen.
That was after that shit show of a book called The Golden Braid.

>>14151790
Nigga why are you getting mad at me for your lack of attention?
Also is this you - >>14145302?

>>14151793
>one book that was split into 4 because no one would buy a 400,000 word novel
Which is why I really recommend to read it in one go without any large breaks, it's offers so more if you still remember the early parts in detail while reading the later parts, this sort of goes for the 5th book (Urth) too

>>14151774
Quantum Thief series.

>>14151642
>and meeting women that he claims to deeply love after knowing them for a few hours
This happens in Long Sun, Short Sun, Wizard Knight as well.
Maybe Wolfe is a very love-first-sight kind of guy.

>>14135921
SOMEONE POST THE BLACK COMPANY BOOK READING ORDER AAAAAAAHHH

>>14151559
I like the books, they are pretty good.

>>14151890
Release order faggot

>>14151861
he did end up marrying a girl that he met when he was like 4

>>14151911
No.

>>14151861
>Maybe Wolfe is a very love-first-sight kind of guy.
That's a polite way of saying someone is thinking with his dick (not that it does not pay mind you).

>>14151789
I don't have any issue with them if they actually end up serving some purpose. I would have stopped reading a while ago if I didn't like them.
>>14151793
>make more sense when you've read the whole thing
Pretty much all I needed to hear. I plan on reading the whole series without breaks
>>14151818
Not mad you just made it seem like reading Wolfe is equivalent to the common popular fantasy authors today. You can give the book your full, undivided attention and be fully aware that Severian had a chance re-encounter with Dr. Talos and the giant and participated in the play, had a weird dream, woke up and walked to the gate, but then realize that you barely understood anything that transpired between the characters or what it all meant. It's incredibly dense and written in a very artistic way. Yea it's me

>>14145302
the mirror stuff is not necessarily mumbo jumbo
https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/09/trampoline-mirror-may-push-laser-pulse-through-fabric-of-the-universe/

>>14151941
Youa re right. Wolfe is dense and his work does reward repeated readings but while some things are not outright stated they are pretty heavily implied.
Take your Wh40k remark. Although we don't know about it at the beginning we are reading about a culture that has been going on for so long the damn Sun is growing cold.
How is it implied?
When Severian talks about the construction of the citadel he lives in, namely that is was built in one piece instead of using the old building method (which if I remember correctly, he describes as a metal skeleton covered in building material). We have that horrific little thing that killed Tekla. The projectile weaponry, all those weird species in the botanical garden, etc.
And it's not just material things.
How about his thoughts on the current political system and it's encouragement of dueling? Compared to older democracies. That was going on before he went to the botanical gardens.
After a while you do get the feeling you ain't in Kansas any more.
You could also go in the other direction and think that every little thing has to have some consequence on the overall story.
Why wouldn't a fairly sheltered young man profess his love to every girl he meets along the way in hope of getting his dick went? Why should it be something deeper?
Fuck now I have to reread those books again. It's worse than VtMB.

>>14151890
publication order except read the silver spike after the white rose if you want to know about silent, raven, and darling after the events of the white rose

>>14118810
>The chart was books that sffg talks about / promotes that you should avoid
What's wrong with A Princess of Mars?

>>14151430
That's a miss. Your detection needs work. As I've said multiple times, I don't like LOTR. Be better.

>>14151346
bugman

>>14152063
>Little ass hairs standing to attention

MUST...NOT...FAP!

>>14152284
one person makes a chart and slaps sffg on the top as if it's even close to consensus
anyone who hates lord of the rings is just being contrarian.

>>14152284
that's a troll chart since my favorite books are on it (game of thrones and first law)

>>14152483
>anyone who hates lord of the rings is just being contrarian.
Yes because we all know it's the best, most fun and non boring book ever written.
Kys after stuffing elf ears and a bow up your ass faggot. Don't forget to watch the movie and brush up on your elvish.

>>14152492
Ah. The "others are trolling if they don't like anything that I like" anon.

Suddenly tons of snow everywhere causing problems.
New thread in a while.

Some guy apparently read my post and decided to do something about it and filled out rest of the SF and some of the fantasy. Don't see what you want here? That's your own fault for not nominating. 7 entries in total. First round will be in the next OP and will last for the duration of the thread. Will be able to vote for as many as you want and the top 10 will proceed. Have fun. Next thread will after I make the poll and have everything else sorted out. Since no one replied to the theme questions, I will try a different approach.

Science Fiction Novel Nominations
1984
A Wrinkle in Time
Accelerando
Borne
Brave New World
Diaspora
Dune
Fahrenheit 451
First Heretic
Flowers for Algernon
Frankenstein
Jurassic Park
Machines Like Me
Neuromancer
Permutation City
Revelation Space
Snow Crash
Sudanna Sudanna
The Diamond Age
Use of Weapons


Fantasy Novel Nomations
A Game of Thrones
A Storm of Swords
Aenir
Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident
Crown of Shadows
Elric of Melnibone
Final Empire
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Let the Right One In
The Black Company
The Blade Itself
The Dragon Republic
The Dragon's Path
The Emperor's Blades
The Hobbit
The Knight
The Magicians
The Name of the Wind
The War of the Flowers
Unsouled

NEW THREAD
>>14152768
NEW THREAD

>>14148931
My huge gripe with Malazan artworks are that just because Malazans have an Empire, their armors are always depicted quasi-based off of Romans. Just look at those segmented pauldrons, really.