/lit/ - Literature

King of /sffg/.

Simple as.

King of /sffg/.

Simple as.

King of /sffg/.

Simple as.

Revenant Gun, The Machineries of Empire #3 - Yoon Ha Lee (2018)

To my surprise, this third book actually resolved almost all of my concerns about the second book and the trilogy as a whole. Though it's about half and half as to whether they were satisfactory resolutions, at least they were resolved. By the end I realized that I had read the previous two books and most of this one with the wrong expectations. I'm not going explain anything about the plot or much else other than to say that it had better quality conversations and a bit of adventure. Why? Because it seems to me that, that wasn't what mattered. Everything was meant to be taken at face value for what it was. Everything that was meant to be known was provided and that which wasn't, wasn't relevant to curated experience that was being presented. There was some worldbuilding in this book and by comparison that laid bare how little was known about anything overall.

The reason I was so confused was because I wasn't certain what the central idea of the books was. It clearly wasn't the Calendrical system, or the battles, or anything really that happens. Initially I thought maybe it was about power relations, but that was too limiting. It's about relationships and interactions with yourself and others in general within a society. Whether it did well with that theme is another matter entirely. To me, that places this series as being closer to say, This Is How You Lose the Time War, as compared to Revelation Space, blurb notwithstanding, though there were also some times where I wondered if I was reading Dune Heretics, or a few other books. I don't know if that's accurate, but it's what I feel. At least that's what lets me comes to terms for why everything was the way it was anyway.

I feel a lot better now about the trilogy, even if wasn't the experience I wanted, because at least now I feel like I understand. I didn't truly understand until literally the last paragraph. I could tell it was meant to be very emotionally resonant, but I only felt a shadow of that, and I assume that's what had been happening the entire time. This wasn't a series to be rationally understood, but rather to be felt. A triumph of the heart over the mind. Thinking of it that way allows the sometimes otherwise incomprehensible actions of the characters to make sense anyway.

The arc the story took was strange as well to me and I have to wonder what meta-level concerns prompted the changes, because each book is rather different than the previous in a lot of meaningful ways. This last one was relatively a lot lighter and brighter in every way. The grimness vanished and the darkness was banished. Maybe consistency is overrated though? This series was a decent reading experience, but unfortunately it was also one that I wasn't able to connect with on an emotional level, so I expect those that could do so would find it considerably more enjoyable than I did.

Rating: 3.5/5

Why are LotR fans the most deluded, least well read fantasy readers?

>>19822872
do you post your reviews anywhere else, or do I have to fiddle with the archive's search function

>>19822877
Because of the movies, Not that the movies are bad, just the books.

>>19822849
The Magician's Nephew and The Final Battle are the only ones that I would read as straight up Christian fantasy. The first it doesn't matter much, but the second can only be appreciated as a recontextualization of Revelation. The Horse and His Boy could be read as a screed against Islam but only if you interpret it as the most strawmanned caricature of Islam possible and it's not really useful in that regard.

>>19822904
which one was it where they got in a car crash
I remember reading it back then and thinking to myself that this is just a load of Christian bullshit

>>19822858
Thanks for the posting these links but is there just a quick list of fantasy that isnt leftist trash?

>>19822913
That's The Last Battle, rather.

>>19822919
>but is there just a quick list of fantasy that isnt leftist trash?
Don't you know the google overlords don't allow such stuff on their internet?

>>19822922
I remember there being another example of egregious Christian thinking, but I can't remember what, and I'm not really interested in rereading them, not that guy you were talking to by the way.

>>19822882
You can either use
>>/lit/?task=search2&search_tripcode=sffg
or join the Goodreads group in the OP, which I'm the founder/owner and look at my profile on there. I don't link my profile directly for privacy reasons of others, though it also isn't publicly viewable either. It's only viewable to Goodreads members.

>>19822994
I try to join but it just says this

>>19823055
The group is set to 18+, so that your age has to be set to that or greater in your profile, though it doesn't have to be public. Usually it says that's the cause. I don't know how it works through the app for joining. I know the app is more limited in functionality.

>>19823128
Yea you're right my profile didn't have an age set so I set an age and I was able to do it. Thanks

>>19823202
underaged b&

>>19823202
Ok, I accepted your join and put a note about that error.

>>19822871
I literally just started this last night and I was utterly shocked to find out this was an isekai, or possibly a reverse isekai. I was doubly shocked to find the first one was made way back in fucking 1970. All at once I'm simultaneously excited and apprehensive, but I'm certain of one thing: ALWAYS DO THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT 4CHAN SAYS

>>19823347
It's not really the same thing. Maybe next you're say that Norse mythology is an isekai because Asgard is a different place than Midgard.

>>19823347
Chronicles of Amber is a classic for a reason. I'm surprised nobody's tried to make a series out of it already. Probably hard to pull off an adaptation of a 1st person story though, there's a lot of internal narration.

>>19823367
or for that matter, that book of Revelation in the Bible is the story of an Isekai.

>>19823367
I understood this was a fantasy series. The very first chapters take place in modern day New York. What else can I call it when I am under the impression that they are going to a fantasy world from the real world? Unless in fact they do NOT go back to this fantasy world, though given that that seems to be the intent of Florimel in chapter 3, I highly doubt that.

>>19823453
Sorry, I'm not here to absolve you of your ignorance.

>>19823453
What is Alice in Wonderland

>>19822934
>I remember there being another example of egregious Christian thinking
Like Aslan being Jesus's fursona?

>>19823347
It's kind of mediocre. A little too YA for me. Lord of Light was more interesting. If you like YA, I can't stop you from liking trash, but I wish you wouldn't.

I started reading this book and I know it'll be good based off the reviews.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/662641.There_Will_Be_Dragons

My favorite book in the series is The Silver Chair

>Publisher asks for “Jacket Shot” for Shadow of the Torturer.
>Buys a sports jacket at Goodwill, brings it to a gun range, and shoots it full of holes.
>Take a picture of that and sends it to the publisher.

>>19823673
>author is from Florida

Picked up.

>>19823747
Check out this cool-as-fuck 2003 cover art.
>>19823801
I'm from Florida too :3

>>19823816
based cover cringe post

>>19823816
Fuck yeah, dragons!

>>19822865
What are some good Xianxia besides cradle that are written in english natively?

>>19824112
Cradle isn't xianxia. A Thousand Li is xianxia.

This is Pauline Baynes' "A Map of Middle-Earth". Would anyone happen to know if it's possible to get reproduced copies of this particular map? I love the characters and insets, but "authentic" copies of the original release are like $900, and I'm more looking for it for the visual appeal rather than as a collector's item.

If not, anyone know where I can get nice non-shit Tolkien posters/art?

Anyone remember these stupid things? I used to love them when I was a kid.

>>19824112
No. Portal wars saga is not bad, but it is not strictly xanxia

>>19824573
>Portal wars saga
too bad hidden tower is literal cuck shit

>>19824637
it is not bad. If he didn't get cucked then maybe the romance shit would have developed, romance is not needed in power fantasy series, he now concentrate on his other pursuits

>>19824112
Beware of Chicken on Royal Road is a Isekai Xianxia but does not focus too much on the Isekai aspect of it. Later chapters are very good imo.

is it kino?

I stopped reading IT with 50 pages ago and I don't want another repeat of that. Should I give this a read?

I've had a 2 year break from King now, when I read Revival which was enjoyable but god fucking damn it the man's a fucking retard.

>>19824947
He has fetal alcohol syndrome, give him a break.

good morning sirs

Why is so much fantasy so awful at dealing with scale? I read the blurbs for dozens of books and every single one is some bullshit about SAVING THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE.
Holy fuck I am sick of """"epic"""" fantasy, it's not epic, it's just cliche.

>>19825158
read hobb

>>19825158
just read tolkien and move on its not literature if its not tolkien

>>19825167
I've already read it. Hobb is mediocre, while I liked a lot of her characters and her ability to keep the scale small, she always asspulls some truly ridiculous melodrama at the last minute. Also, the third Fitz Trilogy was truly awful.
Her Soldier Son series gets a really stand out mention for being absolutely horrendous. It goes absolutely nowhere, with no interesting or likeable characters, and doesn't even have decent world building to fall back on. It's pure trash.

Aside from clearly implausible shit like The Voice or prescience, is there any scientific plausibility to human physiology in Dune? How much stronger, smarter, and faster could a human get within only 20,000 years?

>>19825199
Just compare domesticated horses to wild horses

>>19825199
Biologically humans could be VASTLY stronger than they are. Take chimps, which have muscle density several times that of humans, for example.
The problem here isn't capability, but energy. A human with that kind of muscle density would require a truly absurd amount of caloric intake to maintain themselves. The entire reason humans are so physically weak compared to animals is that we redirected all the energy that would maintain that muscle mass to our oversized brains instead, and made up the difference with tools.
Now if you add in not just greater physical capabilities, but greater mental ones as well, suddenly you have a superhuman, except they need 30,000 calories a day or they starve to death, and maintaining any significant population of people like that is just not doable.

In the case of a very small upper class with wealth to throw around though, ehh, why not? It's no more ridiculous than anything else in the series.

>>19825223
I'm not knowledgeable on this, are domesticated horses stronger?

I love tolkien, he is the best
I hate that people pretend otherwise because it leads to the expectations of a fantasy series which in any way matches up to tolkien when it clearly doesnt
Only tolkien is truly worth reading, he is the master

>>19825233
A Clydesdale is a foot taller and a thousand pounds heavier than a wild horse.

>>19825144
checked and good morning. I am not doing shit working from home today and will be reading some sword and sorcery while I await this incoming blizzard on the East Coast

>>19824476
If you have the highest resolution possible try sending it to a kinkos or any printing company - should be able to get it for under 50 bucks, just be really explicit in what you want while ordering so they don't blow it up too big or anything.

>>19825319
how much of that is due to selective breeding instead of diet and activity change

this thread is very non-bakker, time to change that

Discuss Kellhus, is he the most non-gay character?

>>19825510
Basado.

Formally Requesting Scifi Book Recommendations
#1 scifi book about exploring derelicts, mega structures, ships or planet side ruins are all fine

#2 scifi book about characters exploring a post first contact space society, think bustling colony planets with markets visited by all kinds of species, busy docks with space ships coming and going to a warp portal, multiple space alliances that maintain some sort of peace amongst each galaxy, a world in which humanity has made peace with their neighbors and are part of something bigger

>>19825238
>>19825174
Bakker mogged Tolkien into oblivion. There's no reason to talk about Tolkien again after Second Apocalypse got released.

>>19825510
I was only 49 years old. I loved Kellhus so much, I had all the circumfix and texts. I'd pray to Kellhus every night thanking him for the salvation of my soul. Truth Shines! I would say. All hail Anasurimbor! the scylvendi hears and calls me a faggot weeper. I knew he was just jealous for my devotion to Kellhus. I called him an infidel, he slaps me and sends me to go fight the holy war. I'm crying in my saddle and my face hurts. I go into Kellhus tent and its really cold. A warmth is moving towards me. I feel something touch me. It's Kellhus! I'm so happy. He whispers in my ear "The thoughts of all men arise from the darkness. If you are the movement of your soul, and the cause of that movement precedes you, then how could you ever call your thoughts your own?". He grabs me with his powerful halo'd hands and puts me on my hands and knees. I spread my ass cheeks for Kellhus. His gnostic cant penetrates my wards. It hurts so much but I do it for the God. I can feel my onta being stretched as my eyes start to water. I push against his inverse prophecy. I want to please Kellhus. His head catches fire as he fills my butt with his love. Saubon walks in. Kellhus looks him straight in the eye and says "not everyone can be saved". Kellhus teleports to the horizon. Truth shines, The God Wills it.

>>19823751
I never knew Wolfe was this Based.

>>19825743
Truth shines, The infidel whines

Modeslitt bros, I almost bought this the other day but didn't because HATERS had posted about Modeslitt just being generic and mid-tier. Can he actually write?

>>19825158
>Why is so much fantasy so awful at dealing with scale?
Most fantasy writers are simply bad writers overall, and there's nothing you can do about it.

I'm currently going through the Hyperion series. Every single meme opinion I read about this series turned out to be true.
The first one was a wonderfully strange and enjoyable novel. Then the second one was a tad of a letdown but still a worthy continuation. And then the Endyminion books are such a fucking disappointment, such a fucking self-indulgent slog to go through. I'm halfway through the second book and I feel like maybe 100 pages of plot advancement has happened so far. And worst of all, it feels like the author is completely aware of this and just trying to pad out his cash-in sequel. It's fucking full of obnoxious, boring meandering descriptions about shit nobody cares about like how damp a jungle is or how loud thunder is or something equally pointless. Look at this shit and tell me it's not just mindless meandering because the author needed padding but had nothing interesting to say.

>The food was tsampa and momo—a roasted barley mixed into zygoat-buttered tea, forming a paste that one rolled into balls and ate with other balls of steamed dough holding mushrooms, cold zygoat tongue, sugared bacon, and bits of pears that A. Bettik told me were from the fabled gardens of Hsi wang-mu. More people came in as the bowls were being handed out—Labsang Samten—who, A. Bettik whispered, was the older brother of the current Dalai Lama and was now in his third year of monkhood here at the Temple, and various
rungpas from the wooded clefts —including master carpenter Changchi Kenchung with his long, waxed mustaches, Perri Samdup, an interpreter, and Rimsi Kyipup, a brooding and
unhappy young scaffold-rigger. Not all of the monks who dropped in that night were descended from the Chinese/Tibetan Old Earth seedship colonists. Laughing and lifting their rough mugs of beer with us were the fearless high riggers Haruyuki Otaki and Kenshiro Endo, the master bamboo workers Voytek Majer and Janusz Kurtyka, and the brickmakers Kim Byung-Soon and Viki Groselj. The mayor of Jo-kung, the nearest cliff city, was there—Charles Chi-kyap Kempo—who also served as Lord Chamberlain of all the Temple’s priest officials and was an appointed member of both the Tsongdu, the regional assembly of elders, and advisor to Yik-Tshang, literally the “Nest of Letters,” the secret four-person body that reviewed the monks’ progress and appointed all priests. Charles Chi-kyap Kempo was the first member of our party to drink enough to pass out. Chim Din and several of the other monks dragged the snoring man away from the edge of the platform and left him sleeping in the corner.

This garbage is borderline unreadable. God, what a disappointment this series was. I should have listened to the warnings.

>>19825144

https://i.4cdn.org/wsg/1643066056327.webm

>>19824947
Just read the Stand this year, and it was really shitty. I forced myself to read it, but I wish I hadn't.

>>19825510
I just finished the Unholy Consult. The ending was absolutely beautiful until Kellhus gets salted in a one sentence death. Was this part of the Thousandfold Thought? Kel made it seem like parody almost. Still collecting myself.

>>19824947
>>19826221
in my opinion, the stand is even worse than what that anon is saying
the stand lures you in with a pretty good first 200-300 pages, then wastes your fucking time with another 500-600 pages of horrendous pulp that you read on the off chance that the book goes back to its initial strength. it never does.

>>19826236
>Was this part of the Thousandfold Thought?
Yes. Low IQs will tell you otherwise.

>>19826236
>>19826250
funny how every time i open this thread, some new poor bastard who fell for the unfinished second apocalypse meme is coping with the cliffhanger ending like someone in the first stages of grief.

>>19826283
See >>19826283. Just like I told you, Low IQs. Although this one probably never read the series and is just projecting.

>>19826301
projecting? projecting what, exactly? surely a high IQ individual like yourself wouldn't be using a word he doesn't understand and would be able to explain himself.
btw you responded to me twice.

>>19826313
Not my problem.

>>19826322
Based.

>>19826322
>>19826332
woaah.... so this...... is the power..... of bakkerchad philosophers

>>19826236
Kellhus' Ordeal had 3 motives:
1Find out what his brothers were up to
2Weaken the Gods. Both by massive killing humans and deliver the No-God
3Not really a reason, but he had to die to conquer the Outside, which is where the true War will take place.

>>19826338
>woaah.... so this...... is the power..... of bakkerchad philosophers
Yes. You wouldn't know.
Sorry that you got filtered, but not really.

>>19826352
>he had to die to conquer the Outside, which is where the true War will take place
do you think that will be portrayed in a book at some point?

>>19825634
お願い。。。
返事して。。。。。

>>19826366
The series is 100% not finished. Too many loose ends. How can anyone believe that a Series called "The Second Apocalypse" ends when the Apocalypse begins?If we will ever see another book is another issue altogether. It would be fucking KINO to see the Outside.

Just tried to get through Mageborn book 2 and had to stop. I'm so sick of divine intervention and things just working out due to complete bullshit and characters getting stupid amounts of power easily and making mistakes with zero consequences.
Does anyone have any recs for fantasy where there are actual stakes? Where when a character fucks up there are actual consequences? Bonus points for a story not about saving the world.

>>19826399
but it is finished. according to bakkerfags. and you're a brainlet for wanting additional books which will never ever be released.

>>19826236
Idiots who think that Kellhus didn't die on purpose haven't been paying attention to the story, at all.

I'll even tell you more The wounded Dunyain that he killed probably sided with him the moment they exchanged looks. We have no idea of knowing how disagreements play out between them as we never seen it in the series.

>but it is finished. according to bakkerfags. and you're a brainlet for wanting additional books which will never ever be released.

>>19826420
I hope you're right. If that's the case, then we will literally never stop talking about Bakker here.

any fantasy books about a guy suddenly coming into possession of magic?
like King arthur, but instead of a sword, it's magical power, and instead of becoming a king, he just has powerful magic or something

>>19826420
No, not really.

I’m still on a quest to find more like these

>>19826468
The Blacksmith's Son has a kid who instantly gets strong magic. I thought it was garbage but who knows it might be your thing.

>>19826460
yeah it's possible. i've seen more than one general get driven into the ground by an autistic core of posters who hyperfocus on a single aspect of the general's original intended topic, chase all other posters away and drive their topic of conversation into the ground. i was even once one of those. eventually, it stops being fun, having the same conversations and analyses about the same topic and reaffirming your opinions on it over and over. it gets tiresome and boring.
whether this is how this general dies, i don't know. i'm secretly hoping bakkerfags will eventually wither and die due to bakker being totally barren and out of ideas and never releasing another book.

>>19826434
I think for me it's less jarring to think he died on purpose, and more the passive indifference to which the scene was delivered that has left my head spinning.

>>19826352
And how does his pact with The four horned brother factor in? Is he duping him using his hatred of his siblings? Or do they share the same goal?

>>19826468
are there scifi retellings of the Arthurian legend?

>>19826249
You put it better than I. The beginning was honestly good and got me invested. The remaining 2/3 was not worth the paper it was printed on.

>>19826517
Not my problem. I'm having fun.

>>19826517
Stop crying like a little bitch. No one's forcing you to stay here.

>>19826468
>king arthur
>suddenly coming into possession of magic

>>19826497
I started this series with book 2 on accident and liked it as an intro more than book 1. For self-pug trash, it was surprisingly good. The husband-wife dynamic feels organic, likely based off the author's marriage, and the humor doesn't come off as tryhard. The magic in of itself is fun since the MC is constantly bumbling through life, piecing all of this together and learning mostly on his own.
I have The Final Redemption left to read and I'm waiting for whenever I feel the time is right, to read it. I'm bummed Marcus got offscreened in book 4
It's also by the same guy who is writing Art of the Adept.

>>19826746
pub not pug hehe

>>19826746
idk man. I tried to like it but when penny got shot through the chest with a fucking ballista and lived I just dropped it. I don't know how I could possibly feel engaged when the characters are seemingly invincible

>>19826760
Oh man, you wanna hear some shit? I saw a post a while back where an anon was saying that in one of the sequel series, Penny was retconned into cucking Mordecai when she was 'imprisoned' and interacting with that elf dude
Yeah they aren't perfect and it's been too long for me to remember many details but I was surprised at how immersed I became, for self-pub shit. I'm wondering how book 5 will wrap things up since he's the stronk mage who can save most everyone now.

>>19826572
>>19826605
you can tell their pretensions about the books are entirely for the sake of pointless shitposting and that they aren't actually the deep thinkers they pretend to be by the way they respond to people who don't suck bakker dick.
seriously, do these posts seem like something an intelligent person would write?

>>19822877
they don't read fantasy. they just read lotr.

>>19826776
well now Im even less likely to continue reading. I initially liked penny because I liked that she was willing to just straight up kill the guy in the 1st book instead of being a pussy about it. But if she's going to turn out like that I'm not going to continue. Glad you enjoy it though.

>>19826780
Bakkerfags have been shitting up the general for at least 3 years running. They're diamond-dozen underage newfags and you should stop giving them attention for their infantile crossboarding behavior.

>>19826789
I like Penny too, mainly because she's written as a man lol and doesn't fuck around but yes I thought that particular bit was outrageously-retarded.
The few segments where she EARTH POWERs and fucks dudes up, and Mordecai's like, "oh shit what have I unleashed?" was lulzy

>>19824947
Just watch the 90s miniseries.

>>19826810
>>19824947
yeah i couldn't get into the book but the 90s miniseries was really fucking good imo

All I remember from the The Stand book was SLAPPY CRAPPY

Currently reading this, the plot is interesting, amnesia and memory loss always seem contrived to me and it is strange that this time it doesn't, only about 80 pages deep but i think that its stellar so far

>>19826061
The Endymion books should've just been titled
>The Man Who Cucked Himself To Death
And saved everyone the time of reading them.

>>19826831
All I remember from the Endymion books was ZERO-G UNDERAGE SEX ACROSS TIME AND SPACE and, of course, the titular NANOMACHINES, SON

Finished reading Foundation 5.
I fucking hate this old ass retard.

>>19826857
I'm a non-simp

>>19826874
You're a comp? (complex)

>>19826517
these days i go weeks without reading this trash pit of a general
>'King of Sffg. Simple as.'
>'Not my problem.'
same old shit. how is this still fun for you. you guys are just as bad as the litrpg spammers. learn to draw or something. work on your own novel, you bums.

>>19826835
The zero-g, groomer 69 where they quote Newton's law at each other was really something

The boxmaker was whatever you'd call the combination of Wintermute and Neuromancer. right? Why was it so sad? Just because TA had collapsed, and its spawn was running the matrix instead of just it? I kind of wanted to see the Alpha Centauri thing from the end of Neuromancer come up somehow.

>>19826830
interesting, keep reading and please dilute the bakkerposts with your updates

>>19823751
Fake and Gay

>>19824947

The Stand is impressive in the sense that I cannot comprehend how a book about the end of the world can be so boring and devoid of action. Not worth the time it will take to slog through it.

>>19824531
I fucking loved reading Xanth novels when I finally got a good grasp on English. I wanted to read more, but they went out of print or something and I never could read as much as I wanted to.

>>19827526
The Non-God

I really wanted to like the Culture series, but the writing just sucks. I've read a few, and I can't say that I'll ever reread them.

>>19827694
I'm still halfway in the first book and can't bring myself to continue. I want to read the second because it was shilled here and thought I should read the first before that. But it feels like a slog and the plot doesn't interest me. What now? Should I just force myself to continue?

>>19828005
Skip it and try another, they're all stand-alone novels in the same universe.

>>19828005
I was in the same exact situation. The book started out so strong, but halfway through I just felt bored. I can handle stories taking detours or going into tangents, but it just felt like nothing was happening. It was one of the few times I went online to look at others' opinions, and the common concensus was basically
>read the first and last chapters, then skip to the second book
But at that point I didn't feel compelled to continue.

based or cringe

>>19828031
>>19828064
So how's the second one? If I can safely skip the first one, I'll probably do so.

>>19828123
I like that cover art!

>>19828123
Worst novel in its own series

>>19828178
Messiah is great, but I think you need to know Dune for it to hit (as the kids would say).

>>19828268
Messiah is the only dune book on my shelf, half remembered viewing of the movie from when I was a small child was plenty sufficient to prep me for it.

>>19825634
obligatory Xeelee Sequence rec

>>19828268
My question was about the culture series >>19827694
I've read Dune twenty years ago in German and liked it, but failed to do a second read three years ago in English. Somehow, it didn't grip me as much as when I was younger.

Spinner-of-Rope is my waifu!

>>19828123
I think it looks fine, aside from the motion picture label. Funnily enough you could just remove the text and the circle would still work.

>>19826780
Does it trouble you?

>>19826553
That one's an entire mystery and we can only speculate. We don't even know what Kellhus did during his time in the outside

One cannot raise walls against what has been forgotten

>>19828123
You would struggle to name a better science fiction book

I rememeber asking a wise man, once . . . 'Why do Men fear the dark?' . . . 'Because darkness' he told me, 'is ignorance made visible.' 'And do Men despise ignorance?' I asked. 'No,' he said, 'they prize it above all things--all things!--but only so long as it remains invisible.

Love is lust made meaningful. Hope is hunger made human.

>>19828540
You would struggle to read better science fiction.

>>19828540
I wouldn't go so far. Dune is not real science fiction to be fair. Not saying it's bad, but it's more fantasy than anything.

To piss across water is to piss across your reflection

>>19826434
Kellhus isn't dead, he is either in the other decapitant or in the Outside doing whatever scheme he cooked up while he was there last time

>>19828565
I'm still waiting you fag

>>19828605
Being on the outside after being turned to salt, assuming he's not on the decapitant or incarnated through Mimara's son is the definition of dead, sorry.

I've read all 6 Mistborn books now. I think the only book I genuinely loved was the first book. Each book the quality dropped off. The last 2 books of Era 2 I did not enjoy. I don't like his cosmere and references to other planets. I'm sick of his magic. I'm sick of metals. I liked some of his world building and characters in Era 2, but the story overall is BAD. You can tell he fucked up with where he wanted to go with the series because Era 2 doesn't decide what it wants to be until book 3, and even then I'm not sure it knows. I was disappointed with Hero of Ages, but out of curiosity I picked up era 2 and stuck it through. I liked the world building, but everything is just old at this point. Now I understand why people dislike this guy. Sanderson even brings up the spin of the earth to explain one of his magic rules. There is no human choice, no stakes, no real heroism or villainy. Just pure rules and everything happens because it's supposed to happen. The bad guys can't even just be bad, they have to be tricked or influenced by... you guessed it... magic. Also who gives a fuck if the main character dies after making ZERO sacrifice worthwhile, he can just be brought back to life because of God. No stakes. It's so dreadfully boring. I think it's absolutely retarded how he is building this universe where stories are connected on different planets within a universe. It's the most stupid thing ever. This guy is a one man Disney.

>>19828627
>I've read all 6 Mistborn books now
Stopped reading there.

>>19828627
Also I forgot to mention, Sanderson got fucking horny randomly in this book. Barely anything sexual in these books until randomly book 6 where it's full of horny mormon cringe.

>>19828627
>He had to read 6 Sandershit books to understand that it's just average shonen jump anime.
NGMI

>>19828123
Just finished it a few days ago. I really enjoyed it, great read! Based.

>>19828574
Disagree, science fiction doesn't have to be Star Trek. There is no magic in Dune. I called bullshit on that at first, but read all the books and you will see more science than fantasy.

>>19828618
He could also be a ciphrang.

>>19828669
>There is no magic in Dune
Extreme fantasy is akin to magic, buddy.

>>19828673
He's more than likely one right now, but we still know very little of the their nature to assume that.

>>19828669
>There is no magic in Dune
Do psychic powers and prescience count as magic?

>>19828683
>>19828678
There are no psychic powers in the Frank books. Prescience is purely genetic and evolution through generations of a drug.

>>19828683
It's weird experimental new age 1960s psuedoscience but it's still science.

>>>/a/233577902
Well?

>>19824947
I was reading this shit, fucking struggling and hating every page apart from the part with Kojak in it, and the book fell apart with like 100 pages to go, I was so happy

>>19826819
because the start was awesome

>>19828627
I quite liked Mistborn era 1 and absolutely nothing else he's written.

>>19826830
Laumer is fucking underrated

>>19828574
It's new wave sci fi, just a bad example because most new wave is short and snappy but this shit is tldr

>>19825732
Imagine being
>this
Retarded

Why didn't Tolkien like Dune? Was he really a mid-wit?

>>19828941
I thought he disliked the Islamic influences or something?

>>19828960
based if true

>>19828977
super based

I love Bakker, but I have to admit it would be hilarious to see his blog posts seething at how Tolkien hated his books.

>>19828991
a better world

Has anyone else read this? I thought it was ok. Might give the second book a read.

>>19828661
Nice. Will you read any of the sequels? I've been told to read up to Messiah/Children although I don't know if the rest are worth it

>>19829094
Why do these budget fantasy books all have the samey bland covers. Like, no way this is going to catch my eye in a bookstore shelf

>>19829161
Such is the fate of all of today's fantasy novels. And even if they're gifted, by the grace of the Mormon God, a decent cover, it's wasted on trash.

>>19829185
I'd rather monocolor text on a monocolor background.

>>19829094
Give me an AI generated image over this

I want some contemporary scifi

>>19829763
I don't. It's all terrible.

>>19829779
I like them, they numb my brain and makes it all smooth and squeaky

>>19826475
Are these really dark and gory? I need something like that.
I remember picking up the first book, but never got around to finish it.

>>19829763
Watch the news, medical mega corporations are ruling the world with an iron fist from behind the facade of democratic government and objective media.

>>19829843
yeah, but I'm not protagonist material, so it makes a pretty boring experience

>>19829890
>yeah, but I'm not protagonist material
I too am waiting for that door to open.

>>19829352
>not making your own cover with a bootleg copy of poser from the late 90s

>>19830042
>implying I haven't done that with daz3d

>>19829840
They are very good in my opinion. Can’t remember how gory they are though to be honest. You can start with The Sin War trilogy if you want to go in chronological order or just go to demonsbane

I know this is far stretched, but has anyone read pic related ("A Batalha do Apocalipse", Eduardo Spohr)?
My cousin recommended it to me and lent me a copy, and I wanted to know if any other hue-fags (or any portuguese speaking readers in general) had read it.

>>19830272
I haven’t. Cool art though

>>19830293
Yeah, the book looks neat. And the premise is somewhere between cringe and cool, as I understood it as pretty much a Fantasy version of The Foundation, but with fallen angels witnessing and participating in various events throughout human history.

>>19830272
Speaking of foreign fantasy, I remeber a French fantasy series being discussed either here or in the /tg/ book threads, which despised being extreelly well praised by anons had no english translation. Anyone rememebr its name, and if there is a translation in the works?
It appeared to be heavily politics focused, with a mediterranean and seafaring setting, and the cover was a very brightly colored city scene with the sea in the background and a character in teh forefront.

>>19830330
Wait, found it. it's Gagner la Guerre, and there's no word of a translation yet, unfortunately

>>19829148
Ignore all those reviews that say so. Keep reading until you don't like it anymore, decide for yourself. Honestly I enjoyed the entire series.
>>19827416
Ayyy I'm reading Neuromancer right now. Equal parts angry and amused to see negative revies about it bitching about cyberpunk slang usage in the book.
>whaa I don't know what a deck is :(

Is it possible to write a beast races that doesn't appeal to furries? I am currently working on a fantasy setting that has a couple beast races, and I don't want it to look or appeal to furries. How would I go about doing this?

>>19830567
Furries will jerk off to anything. Beast races are pretty much always furries though, if you didn't want furries jerking off to it you wouldn't be writing beast races.

>>19830567
>How would I go about doing this?
By asking /wg/ >>19822461

>>19830583
thanks

>modern books are all written for girls these days
it's not fair, I wish I was a girl so I can read these books.

any rules to texts, dialogue and actions and how to know if it is logical vs not-logical like a simple0/1 checkers

i mean are there plotdialogue coherence index or what?

>>19827694

Try 'Inversions,' It's the least Culture book in the Culture series and imho it's his absolute best. Low tech, low fantasy character studies where The Culture takes a massive step back and the world itself is allowed to breathe.

>>19830567
>Is it possible to write a beast races that doesn't appeal to furries?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwSts2s4ba4

>>19823751
source?

>>19829148
Just read all six books its worth it. Every book is better then the previous (except Children)

Just finished The Dragon Reborn. The third part of the Wheel of time series. I’ve been enjoying them a lot so far, but this was probably the weakest of the three. The conclusion was a bit disappointing. Could have used a bit more from Rand’s perspective, though the little we got from him was good. I’m enjoying this descent into madness. In other news, literally every Aes Sedai is still a bitch, and now the three heroines are starting to act like them as well. Mat got done dirty, he’s a good guy and he deserved some praise. Mat and Perrin both need to get away from those women ASAP.

>main character does an early heroic death at the end
Why is this always so great?

>>19831140
Sounds like you'll enjoy book 4. The fourth book is Rand really starting to grab things by the horns, and it's got a lot of Mat, and he certainly does get away from those women, although not exactly in the direction he intends.

Recing the Womanish review on prince of nothing

What’s some fantasy or sci fi with interesting races?

>>19831186
Star Wars

>>19831186
Prince of Nothing

>>19831191
Read a bit of it but everyone seemed humanoid. What’s interesting about it?

>>19831201
It not until later in the series there will be more stuff about the other races.

>>19828627
You remind me of a younger version of myself with Wheel of Time. Since then I decided to give books 2 chapters after they "lose me" to get back on track before I move on

>>19831157
Good to hear. I’ll get started on it today. It’s about time for Rand to accept what he is. As for Mat, that just sounds like the fate of Ta’veren. Especially him. It felt like Jordan reinvented Mat in this one. Before he was sidelined and didn’t have any agency, really, but he’s starting to become an actual character here. I’d say he’s the most sensible one of the main trio, but he’s been dealt the easiest hand as far as his abilities go so far.

>>19831201
keep reading, it starts being sublime the second book

>>19830391
I don't understand how niggas can complain about Gibson's prose being bad or getting them lost. I find it smooth as fuck, I think they'd just rather be watching anime, having Branderson spelling everything out for them.

https://i.4cdn.org/wsg/1643466501216.webm

>>>/mu/108484222
>>>/mu/108484222

>>19831611
We knew this already.

>>19831611
It's autism

Does it trouble you, Proyas?

>excellent
It was OK. I would read the next one if I saw it in a charity shop or somewhere like that.
>on a par with grrm
I'll give it that.

>>19831777
A better magical post apocalyptic story then Shannara was.

Whoever recommended this, thanks. Shits so fun to read after Claw of the Conciliator. I need a break from botns for a few days.

>>19831896
are any of the warhammer fantasy books worth reading?

>>19832217
These are my first fantasy but the ones I have on my list are Drachenfels, Riders of the Dead, Malus Darkblade and Witch Hunter. I’ve read some Dan Abnett 40k and he’s a good writer. After I finish this I’m going for Drachenfels next

>book has multiple POVs and arbitrarily switches them every single chapter even before properly finishing a scene
this shit is annoying as fuck. why do some authors think they aren't allowed to give a character two or three chapters in a row?

>>19822858
Finished The Unholy Consult last night. Holy shit what an insane fucking series. I'm honestly okay with the ending because the number of headcanon possibilities is a testament to the strength of the story.

Any recommendations for Sffg audio books? Feel like they can be really hit or miss.

>>19832468
You mean recordings?

>>19832480
Yeah audiobooks

>>19832487
Sorry, those aren't books.

>>19832459
Based. The possibilities are endless now. Even if he never finishes the series.

>>19832490
Did I say they were?

>>19832537
Yes.

>>19832539
What’s it like being unable to read?

>>19832551
Not my problem.

>>19832551
Stop responding to the shitposter you dumbfuck.

>>19832490
Imagine trying to gatekeep in a fucking genre fiction general kek

>>19832567
Does it trouble you? Not being able to read?

>>19832551
>Says the guy who "reads" "audiobooks"

>>19831777
>if I saw it in a charity shop or somewhere like that.
You pay for books?

>>19822858
I'm mostly a non-fiction guy but how is Deathworld or Caesar's Column?

>>19832597
Charity shops don't have loss protection goons, so they're easier to shoplift books from.

>>19832597
>You pay for books?
Of course. I'm not poor.

>>19832621
>not right click - save as
You buy NFTs too, don't you?

>>19832634
It's simple and more convenient to purchase my books through amazon. Why would I have to click twice for anything when there's pick related?

>>19832648
Forgive me for expecting a lazy nigger to put in effort.

I only consume non-pozzed media

>>19832487
>audiobooks
more like non-books

>>19832656
You sound resentful.

>>19832737
You must be starving.

>>19832790

>>19832790
yeah because everything is pozzed, that's why everyone is asking for recommendations

>>19823816
>Two centuries before Angus Peterka had gotten so enraptured by the traditional image of dwarves that he had Changed and started his own dwarf colony in the Steel Hills of Sylva. The hills had been mined out millennia before, but in the last half a millennia most of the materials had been reimplanted under a long-term ecological rebuilding program or through dumping into the hollowed out mines. He had added materials that were not original to the mountains, streams of silver, various jewels, gold and, deep, deep in the mountain a nanotech-based material that he had decided met the conditions for adamantine. All of the material was put in with a semirandom generator and for the last two centuries he'd been trying to find it all. He referred to it as "proper mining," his friends referred to it as "the world's largest scavenger hunt." Other "dwarves" came and went, but Angus stayed on, propping shafts, finding veins and quaffing beer.

>not RPing as a dorf irl

i wont lie, i enjoyed the whole series

the more non-enjoyable, the more BASED

this is my rule when reading books

>>19832597
I go to a place that sells everything for 50p. I fucking hate reading off a screen dude, I hate it.

on my deathbed, I will review my life and I will know that I have lived a non-pozzed life, not a single sjw activity will flash before my eyes as I breath my last breath

>not just writing the books you want to read

I'm surrounded by Plebeians.

Started reading Gene Wolfe - Shadow of the torturer, as this whole subreddit is shilling the book.

My first impression is: wow, this is some refreshingly good prose. Finally a fantasy writer who can actually write and use language. Even if the plot is pretentious nonsense like some say, the prose alone makes Wolfe stand out amongst fantasy writers.

>>19833197
Ok, but who asked?

anyone here ever read the sky lords by john brosnan? i only read it in my own language about 10 years ago and at the time i enjoyed it but i don't have many memories of it.
thinking back on it, it seems to have some similar story elements to the mortal engines books. i'm thinking of rereading the series in english, but it would be appreciated if someone who's read it could give me a heads up in case it's 'orrible shit. also if the similarities to the mortal engines are really there or if i'm imagining it.

>>19833197
The series reads like a fever dream

>>19832648
this, why would anyone download for free when there is paid drm'ed option

>>19832648
Based.

How long do you give a book before you realize you’re not really feeling it?

>>19833802
after the first 100 pages.

And that's being incredibly generous.

>>19833802
It depends. I've started picrel a week ago and dropped it not even 50 pages in because it was hilariously bad and try-hard. Looking for a picture I was surprised and disgusted that not only does it have a wikipedia article, but it was also nominated for three awards and got good reviews.

>>19833802
It depends what is wrong with the book. If the prose is awful it takes less than 10 pages. If the author does something completely retarded then it can take even less. I also have far less patience for books that start weakly, especially in genre fiction.

>>19833967
>that pic
I'm pretty sure that nigga wrote a book called Rule 34, about internet sex cult shit. Sometime ago this general recommended Accelerando and I bought it because I'm retarded, although I'll probably never read it. Something about it being recently written cyberpunk.

>>19834024
>>that pic
It would help if I remembered to attach shit.

>>19833980
I lasted 5 pages into this piece of shit. And that was before I read that it was basically woke propaganda in novel form, and found out who the author was.

>>19834024
Damn, you're right. Now I'm at least glad I didn't pay money for his book.
>>19834040
That game was based. Unlike the book. That was trash.

>>19822858
Can someone explain the setting of the Prince of Nothing books? Is it medieval europe? based on the holy war stuff, I pictured a sandy kingdom and a lot of Islam stuff, and I hate settings like that. I hated book 2 of malazan because its just a giant boring desert.

>>19833967
Jesus, where do you people even find these?

>>19834122
Saturn's Children was recommended me by Storygraph's algorithm and I thought "why not, looks stupid enough".
It also recommended me Date Night on Union Station, which actually was entertaining, although I considered dropping it through the first half, but then it grew on me.

>>19834112
Deserts can make for good settings.

>>19834175
Yeah but I don't like reading about them in such long book series. I like lush forests, and mountains etc.

>>19827474
>>19830940
His old sci-fi friend talks about it on this podcast beginning around 1:30:00.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZxArCnJDRk

>>19834201
He has a fucking eyepatch? Based old man

>>19834201
is he a chuuni

>>19834112
I get what you mean. Having an entire movie centered on the fleeing train is not everyone's cup of tea, especially considering how dull the setting was. I like that book, though.

The Prince of Nothing is nothing like that. The first book has no desert at all, and the second one only has one or two chapters of desert, the rest is typical middle eastern/Israeli coastal setting, with populated cities and people going around.

>>19834249
>Having an entire movie
Obviously meant to say "book". Been on /tv/ for too long.

>>19825482
>selective breeding
100%, it still eats grass not powerbars

>>19834249
Okay anon, thanks for answering my question. Im gonna start the series soon, finishing some other /lit/ first, but im very excited for it.

>>19825634
>#1
rendezvous with rama is that 100%, also Endymion 1+2 but only read those after Hyperion 1+2
>#2
mote in god's eye, the culture series, the enders game series(but there's no aliens post formic war)

>>19834312
The Second Apocalypse is a tremendously refreshing well-written masterpiece. I couldn't give you enough adjectives to make it justice.

Just ignore the memes, people get out of control when Bakker is mentioned. On both sides, I might add.

>>19828178
player of games is a lot easier to read, the first iirc was intended to be a movie screen play

>>19832978
same, shame it went more and more into bashing the time period for not having modern sensibilities

>>19834112
>>19834249
The Chain of Dogs was fucking amazing. Shame all the desert shit in books 9 and 10 are awful.

>>19822865
>>19822867
>>19822871
Shut the fuck up already

>>19834423
It was his best book in my humble opinion. I dropped the series at the Midnight Tides, though.

What science fiction novel should I pirate tonight, /sffg/?

Today... I will remind them:

>Itkovian = Trull
>Bugg/Tehol
Honorable mention:
>Beak

>>19826475
>Tie-in fiction

>>19825634
Ringworld series my man. Bowl of Heaven too I guess but I never got far into those books.

>>19834337
Ok, I give up, the sitposters win. Once I'm done reading my current series I'll give Bakker a chance

>>19834564
Don't be a fucking sheep anon

>>19834564
How can you even frequent this general without having at least tried to read Bakker? Same for Wolfe, Tolkien, Herbert etc...

>>19834570
Not being a sheep, just really curious ny this point.
Worst case scenario, I hate the book and start shitposting against it itt or start falseflagging

>>19834572
Not him, but I've only seen Crapper mentioned here for like... the last year or two.

>>19834564
Filtered, or not filtered?
That is the question.

Pic related wasn't.

>>19834582
Tranny

>>19834587
Cope harder, honey.

>>19834580
I think Bakker was a thing in /sffg/ sicne at least late 2019/early 2020, but bakkerspamming really only took off in these last months. Back then it was just people recommending the book like normal, so I do think there's some merit to it

>>19834597
You're wrong on both accounts.

>>19834570
>Don't be a fucking sheep anon
I won't, I will read Bakker and decide for myself if I like his books or not.

people who bakker shitpost aren't going to know what that album cover object in the bottom right is

>>19834603
Which accounts?
Bakker not being talked about here in 2019? You can check the archives for that if you wish
Bakkerspamming taking off recently? Well, I was away from /sffg/ for a few months, and there was a markedly increase in quantity (And decrease in quaality) of bakkerposting after that break, so there was definitely some change.
People recommending the book like normal? Again, check the archives. People actually discussed the book, it wasn't just a meme to be parroted back and forth

>>19834337
>people get out of control when Bakker is mentioned. On both sides, I might add.
It's not surprising. I personally don't really understand why, but it seems that his prose does indeed filter a lot of people.
Mostly ESLs, I would assume. Who then aren't able to justify why they don't like the series and go on a berserk shit-posting rant.
Typical defensive mechanism for low IQs.

>>19834639
I don't rhink it's (just) that. Hell, I've never even attempted to read Bakker and have considered shitposting agaisnt him due to how obnoxious the people who support him are in /sffg/.

>>19834631
Bakker has been a hot topic here since 2016, at least. And even before that there were already memes made about him.

The Bakker spamming has been going on for over an year now.

>>19834650
You're the retard for falling for false flagging.
I couldn't care less though. Unironically not my problem.

>>19834650
>considered shitposting agaisnt him due to how obnoxious the people who support him are in /sffg/.
This. Not to mention the bakkerspam just kills discussion about other books.

>>19834655
>The Bakker spamming has been going on for over an year now.
An year quarantine time = three months real time
You should know this anon.

But jokes aside, yeah, I was gone for a while, sI just though it was more recent than it actually was

New thread
>>19834669

>>19834590
What, you stuff that up your ass? Good for you, fag

>>19834670
>An year quarantine time = three months real time
It’s been going for over a year.

>>19834663
Cope harder

>>19834682
retard

>>19834590
Show your face, coward tranny

>>19834682
over an year quarantine time = a little over 3 months real time.
Math anon, it's not that hard

>>19834668
>bakkerspam just kills discussion about other books.
Pretty sure they're just trying to kill /sffg/ at this point.

>>19834705
You will leave before that happens, sweetie.

>>19834582
>>19834590
>Actual trannies on this general
Jesus. How far did /sffg/ fall?

>>19834423
I hated it. I hated all of Malazan, dropped it at the Bonehunters. I'm hoping Bakker is a lot better.
>>19834337
Thanks, I was gonna stop at the Prince of Nothing but I might try reading this. Hows the magic?

>>19834423
How does anyone like Malazan? The criticisms of it are so obvious and glaring that I don't know how anyone reads that 10k+ page shit show.

>>19834671
Didn’t take long for the new thread to be shit.

>>19834864
/sffg/ is dying. Its evitable at this point.

It's all so trite.

>>19834892
>>19834897
It’s what happens when autistic core of shitposters who have no lives do nothing but try and derail a General.

>>19834112
>Is it medieval europe
Basically a blend of ancient and medieval Europe and the Near East. The action happens in all those settings.

>>19835010
Based thanks anon. Ill check them out.

>>19826249
>>19826568
This pattern describes all of King's recent work.

just like my animes