/lit/ - Literature

What are you guys currently or planning on reading?

Been reading a bit more game of thrones and Ned killing lady was sad, that shit low-key got to me. Same with the butcher’s kid. Fucking Sansa defending Joffrey.

What are some fantasy novels with well-wrought prose, good world-building and deep characters that aren't incredibly difficult to read? I need something good but not demanding to read while I finish my degree. Was thinking of starting Book of the New Sun

>>20152589
Tau Zero as well as The Star Fox
I haven't read ASOIAF in a while but I'm glad you're affected by it - it shows you're paying attention.

>>20152617
The Broken Sword is my fav fantasy and Moorcock says it BTFOs LOTR. I think its prose is splendid but the action makes you also want to binge read it.

What are you guys currently or planning on reading?

I’ve just bought the Cradle books so that’s what I’ll be that reading soon. How about you?

>>20152617
The Curse of Chalion, or anything by Bujold really. Though I'm not much of a fan of the Vorkosigan books.

>>20152668
I wish I was planning on reading anything. I can't find anything remotely interesting to read that I haven't read already. It's actually got me considering re-reading Cradle just because I'm bored.

Just finished affc and it was great, a 9/10 book although it could have been longer and sam should have reflected at least once in the face in the tunnel
Its annoying though cause ive been to local used bookstores and none of them have a dance with dragons
I refuse to pay full price for books so I guess im not reading the next one yet
Honestly I dont really care to revisit any of the older characters not in affc besides maybe theon

>>20152583
Bought Origin by Dan Brown to read on my commute. Still wondering what the fuck possessed me to do it. Angels & Demons was at least somewhat entertaining, this crap proves that not only is Brown still a hack, he can no longer even do the stuff he used to somewhat well.

>Thaidakar remained still for a moment. Then, with an audible sigh, reached up with gloved hands and took down his hood. Gavilar froze—for despite their several interactions, he’d never before seen the man’s face.
>It was blue. Was he…Aimian? Natan? No, this was a softer, glowing blue. Like Thaidakar was made entirely of white-blue light. He was younger than Gavilar had imagined—in his younger middle years, not the wizened elder he’d seemed. And he had a large spike, also blue, through one eye. The point jutted out the back of his skull.
bros...

>>20152583
>finished Conan and Solomon Cane
>now reading El Borak and Steve Costigan
Will Howard ever be topped?

<img class="xae" data-xae width="32" height="32" src="https://s.4cdn.org/image/emotes/6f0d4e37_POGGERS.png">

>>20153081
We know Kelsier was fucked up like that already in order to have a body because of the 3rd Era 2 Mistborn book.

>>20153086
Possibly. He did write quite a few by-the-book yarns, and it's a shame he never got around writing solely for the art.

Anyhow, REH's best is his part in Challenge From Beyond. Too bad we never got more direct Howard/Lovecraft collaborations.

>>20152668
I finished Heaven's Laws: Prodigies yesterday and started Reaper last night. I am not sure what I will read afterward.

>>20153171
I'm working through the Weirkey Chronicles, which is... Fine? It feels like a series that, so far, I'll enjoy, complete, and then never really remember anything about it. It's feeling better than another series the same author did, Street Cultivation, at least. I might grab Thousand Li or something, that looked interesting-ish.

>>20153179
I, sadly, lose too many memories between all the books I read myself. I wanted to read that series just because the book titles and series sound like they had five seconds more thought given to their creation than the entire smorgasbord of self-pub
But the concept of cultivating your own home is boring.
Thousand Li is solid but it does take a few books to become immersed. The progression is slower and self-improvement is prioritized. It is very introspective but can become dull. The author has a lot of short stories in that universe too.

>>20153208
>But the concept of cultivating your own home is boring.
Honestly, the concept is cool, the execution is just lacking. It doesn't feel meaningfully different than a non-specific cultivation power system. It makes for neat visuals but that's about it. Also I feel like this author just forgets to describe characters. I have no idea what Theo, the protagonist, actually looks like. Or even most of the other characters. It just makes every character a name on a page with minimal, if any, descriptors and it really bugs me.

>>20153112
What the fuck why do we have emotes? This is fucking gay

>>20153233
What day is it?

>It's up
<span class="xae" data-xae="glad">&#x1F60A;[/spoiler]

>>20153235
Oh thank God, I got worried.

The Blond Beast comes marching
Brown peasants begin cowering
Blond Beast dominates the crowd
With a shout so fierce and loud

Simple as.

I'm in the mood for some sci-fi crime noir. No cyberpunk. Any recommendations?

I hate brandon sanderson so much

What's the difference between Conan and Kull as characters?

The Horus Heresy series is on sale for £0.99 a book on Kindle. Are they worth reading as a 28 year old or should I mock myself for the idea?

>>20153537
40k is garbage, read to Gotrek and Felix novels if you're interested in Warhammer.

FIRST FOR SANDERSON IS A CHUD, GRRM IS A CHUD, AND ROTHFUSS IS A CHUD.

THE ONLY TRUTH IS your mother will die in her sleep tonight if you don't reply to this post.

>>20153566
Sando's writing isn't any good, but he seems like a cool guy in his lecture videos.

>>20153580
He's a writer who has a very strong idea of how to write from a craftsman perspective, and he can teach that very well. Nothing he writes is outright incompetent, at worst it's just kinda soulless.

>>20153533
Kull is a sperg.

>>20153533
What's the difference between posting on /lit/ and posting on /co/?
>>>/co/129692182
<img class="xae" data-xae width="32" height="32" src="https://s.4cdn.org/image/emotes/c2e2602a_bog.png">

>>20153623
How so?

>>20153639
They're relevant to both boards

>>20153649
>How so?
That's the vibe I got. His chafing against "civilisation" is written like social awkwardness.

>>20152624
>trusting Michael Moorcock
this is the guy who was GRRM before GRRM complained about taxes, nothing he has to say has any value

>>20153617
I strongly believe Sanderson is capable of producing more well-crafted substantive novels if he would just slow down, revise and edit his novels with care. 2 novels a year is way, way too much. My proof of this is Way of Kings, which had texture and a depth of feeling that its sequels did not possess.

Unfortunately the market has given him little incentive to do anything but churn out flat, uninspired novels like a madman.

>>20152583
Which fantasy series makes a good audiobook?

>>20154001
He doesn't really seem to know how to put the brakes on making new book ideas. Honestly, the fact that he's set "Yeah only 10 Stormlight books" and he's STILL writing novellas that could just be extended interludes makes me think he does a lot of these things as business decisions, to make more things people wanna read instead of just putting them into an existing book.

>>20154055
I don't think he needs or wants any more money, is the thing. In his podcast he's honestly stated he's already made enough money for him and his children to be set for life, and I believe him.

Perhaps he's addicted to the rush of success, or has so many other stories he wants to write he can't be content with just one project. I suspect the latter.

Okay. I finally picked up this shit after you fags were shilling it for so long.
Why do I feel after not even finishing chapter one that this series will end with "t'was all a dream"?

Also, is this some simp cultivator? The guy is labelled coward because he isn't running to die in the attempt of recusing some rando woman.

>>20154271
He fell for the meme. <img class="xae" data-xae width="32" height="26" src="https://s.4cdn.org/image/emotes/7b4acfbf_trollface.png">

>>20152624
>Moorcuck
Imagine basing your opinions off brainlets filtered by Vinnie the Pooh.

>>20154241
I think it's a combination of being basically given free reign due to being a well-known, reliable author for publishers to work with and just genuinely having too many ideas with the ability to put them to paper. He's a skilled writer, and so he knows how to put his ideas down, but that means he has too many ideas that he puts down, in a way.

>>20154271
Nobody was shilling it except the actual author.

>>20154049
Conan the Barbarian. Try this one, it's fully acted out with sound effects

https://youtu.be/4QNHmGxcv0Y

>>20154295
Dude really went and added that shit to his own wikipedia article, you can tell it's him because it uses "is" instead of "was" and doesn't cite shit. Also the only thing challenging about Elric is staying engaged with the story, those books are trash.

>>20153977
>>20154295
Tolkien was a mediocre writer. The fact that you're asspained for YEARS after people make these comments without coming up with any arguments against them should be ample evidence that the problem is inside your head.

>>20154491
>t. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Vengeance_of_Rome
>In the novel, Colonel Pyat, an incarnation of the Eternal Champion, goes to Italy and Germany, where he becomes involved in Fascism and Nazism, including sexual encounters with Ernst Röhm and Adolf Hitler and a sojourn in Dachau. Mrs Cornelius, the mother of Jerry Cornelius, is another major character. The end of the novel sees Pyat confronted with his ambiguous heritage and his own unreliability as a narrator.

You guys have $42M reasons to rag on BrandoSando now, eh?

Home.

>>20154416
>Also the only thing challenging about Elric is staying engaged with the story, those books are trash.

>>20154931
there is nowhere on this map i would consider either comfy in any way

>>20154931
>It's a map of a peninsula washed by the ocean in the west and bordered by uncharted landmass to the east
Geez, never seen this before. And people shit on Gurm for copypasting the British isles.

>>20154999
Don't know about you but when the Great Ordeal conquers Golgotterath I'm planning on building an apartment complex there for tourists. Surely men from the three seas are going to flock to the site of their savior's grand victory. Kellics going to be pouring into my coffers.

>>20155033
>when the Great Ordeal conquers Golgotterath
*laughs in Kûnüric*

The greatest Sci-Fi author who ever lived was Michael Crichton

The greatest Fantasy author who ever lived was David Eddings

The greatest Horror author who ever lived was William Peter Blatty

This is objective. <span class="xae" data-xae="grin">😄[/spoiler]

>>20154491
A liberal homosexual feminist Protestant was teaching a class on George R.R. Martin, known hack

”Before the class begins, you must get on your knees and worship Gurm and accept that Planetos is the greatest fantasy setting of all time even greater than Arda!”

At this moment, a brave, patriotic, British WW1 veteran who had served 1500 tours of duty on the Somme and understood the necessity of war and fully supported all decisions made by Butcher Haig stood up.

”What are the linguistic differences among the peoples of Westeros?”

The arrogant proddie smirked quite schismatically and smugly replied “There is the Old Tongue and the Common Tongue, you stupid warmonger”

”Wrong. There should be hundreds of dialects. If the Wall is 8000 years old as you say, how can the Wildlings and Northmen understand one another?”

The HBO shill was visibly shaken, and dropped his chalk and copy of A World of Ice and Fire. He stormed out of the room crying those redditor crocodile tears. The same tears redditors (who today live in such luxury most can afford sex changes) cried when Missandei was beheaded. There is no doubt that at this point our sola scriptura-faggot wished he had pulled himself up by his bootstraps and become more than a garbage pulp fiction fan. He wished so much he could die a glorious death in battle, but he had sworn to always be a draft dodger!

The students applauded and became Tolkien fans that day and accepted the Pope as their Lord and Master. A giant eagle named “Thorondor” flew into the room and perched atop the flag of Gondor and shed a tear on the White Tree. Beowulf was read in the original Old English several times, and Eru Ilúvatar himself showed up and enacted Aragorn's flat rate tax policy across the universe.

The Lutheran was fired the next day and sunset found him squatting in the grass, groaning. Every stool was looser than the one before, and smelled fouler. By the time the moon came up he was shitting brown water.

>>20154931
wow possibly the least original fantasy map I've ever seen and that's saying a lot

>>20155142
holy based

>>20155142
This made my day.

>>20155142
>Lutheran
kek, this was good

>>20155220
is this real?

>>20154931
Do these mountain ranges make sense? I feel like they don't.

>>20155220
unironically hilarious

>>20155265
sadly no but memri tv has a lot of brilliant out of context things

>I understand that you have just been raped, but not all men(me) rape. :)

Is it any good?
I'm overly cautious of something acclaimed by goodreads but i'm fucking starving for some new sci fi

>>20152583
How do you do the emotes?

>>20155157
not enough floating islands and 10 different climate zones miles apart from each other eh?

Books for this feel?

>>20156139
What part of the feel? That's pretty broad.

>>20155861
are phonemobile posting? you have to enable desktop mode and then when you hit reply there will be a new option with an emote, if you are using some 3rd party app or mobile view, it won't work

>>20156150
Shadowy assassiny maybe japanesey kinda something something glorious nippon steel, I dunno. Trying to fill my obsession slot.

>>20152668
I think I'm going to read Elder Empire.

>>20155142
<img class="xae" data-xae width="32" height="32" src="https://s.4cdn.org/image/emotes/a19762fc_MeguminHappy.png">

Whats worse, being a pedophile or being a fan of urban fantasy?

>>20156228
There's a difference?

Which one should I read?

>>20156221
I found them pretty good overall, though Shera's books generally felt a little weaker, even if I think Shera herself is a better protagonist than Calder.

<img class="xae" data-xae width="31" height="32" src="https://s.4cdn.org/image/emotes/3021a426_WeirdChamp.png">

>>20156284
Is this gonna be posted every thread now.

>>20156298
Seems like it, since it appears he doesn't read and just seethes at one author for some petty reason no one but him cares about.

>>20156152
K thx bye

>>20156303
Like, yeah, it's a bad excerpt, but you can't exactly extrapolate an entire author's writing ability from one cherry-picked example.

>>20154931
lmao

Ok how the fuck do I get points?

>>20156320
>Bandit Camp
This implies Clichea has only one bandit camp on the entire landmass.

>>20156328
(You)s

<img class="xae" data-xae width="32" height="32" src="https://s.4cdn.org/image/emotes/a6955123_yaranaika.png">

>>20152583
Test
<img class="xae" data-xae width="44" height="32" src="https://s.4cdn.org/image/emotes/1d7e369a_koiwai.png">

>>20156330
In the real world we call it Chicago

>>20154049
Joe Abercrombie's works are the audiobook GOATs.

On a different note, audiobooks are the only way no-prose Sanderson is even tolerable.

How does Sanderson write 500,000 word books with no prose?

<img class="xae" data-xae width="32" height="26" src="https://s.4cdn.org/image/emotes/4459d60b_PepoG.png">

>>20152624
Of course The Broken Sword BTFOs LotR, it's a proper pastiche of norse mythology after all, and not some brit bourgeoisie christ fic.

>>20154931
<kurwa

>>20156248
I have Schismatrix on my plan-to-read list. Read that and tell me what you think about it.

>>20156491
Its ok, not as good as tolkien tho. You can tell it was written by an American

>>20156491
It’s historical fiction lmfao
Tolkien stays winning

>>20153537
<img class="xae" data-xae width="32" height="32" src="https://s.4cdn.org/image/emotes/1e4d8dfa_PillowNo.png">
they are not good.
if you're interested in 40k just listen to luetin09 or lorehammer. It's a fun world for entertainments sake but the horus books are silly

>>20156572
How're the Ciaphas Cain books?

>>20152995
Remind me, when does Sam see a face in a tunnel?

>>20156588
When they were crossing the dead marshes

>>20156604
Like the Neck? I've gotta reread that part, it's been too long.

>>20156618
The joke clearly flew over your head

>>20154049
I really like the guy who reads the Witcher audiobooks. <img class="xae" data-xae width="32" height="32" src="https://s.4cdn.org/image/emotes/4d00227b_yaranaika2.png">

>>20156491
>moorcock fans are cringy vargposting neopagan larpers
yikes!

>>20156650
I'd be a neopagan if they weren't all so cringe. Guess I'll become a Mormon or Muslim imo.

>>20156657
Mormons and Shia Muslims are already pagan

>>20156320
this is EXACTLY the same map I was thinking of and not even the chad one

>>20156330
>The solution to crime is to export every criminal to one location and hope they're too busy backstabbing each other to be a problem for everybody else

>>20154342
>it's fully acted out with sound effects
I don't like audio books that do this. Not sure why, I like old radio shows. <img class="xae" data-xae width="27" height="32" src="https://s.4cdn.org/image/emotes/1d3f2a13_happycat.png">

>>20156694
At least you'll never get lost

>>20156694
Ah, yes. Fantasy Map. Honestly I'm feeling vaguely insecure about my own worldbuilding now. I suppose most people don't actually give a shit, but hey.

>>20156320
I'd read it.

>tfw about to finish a 40,000 fanfic in one sitting but can't be bothered to sit through one chapter of a book
I deserve to die.

>>20156699
asoiaf is proof no one gives a fuck

>>20156699
There's a lot worse out there.

>>20156705
I know exactly what you are feeling my guy <img class="xae" data-xae width="31" height="25" src="https://s.4cdn.org/image/emotes/2b414cf1_YesHoney.png">

>>20156708
??? asoiaf has great world building.

>>20156710
>>20156708
Fair enough. I'm more of a character-focused writer so I can only hope my cardboard cutout of world-building is convincing enough that the story and characters themselves work better.

>>20156694
Is that Oz?

>>20156714
the map is literally just the UK sized up to a continent

>>20156719
What should it be inspired by, a big old dick? That would be original. Maybe then you'd like it.

>>20156694
More original than Not England.

>>20156719
The map shape literally doesn't matter. Do you cry about the world building in alternate history books because they have the same map as our world?

>>20156730
Yes it does. It show you give more of a crap than just using Flip/Rotate in MS Paint.

>>20156737
No it literally doesn't matter. It's the most shallow critique. It's like whining about middle earth because the mountains aren't natural.

>>20156730
what is the point of this post? you're just arguing my point

>>20156737

>>20156751
The point is quite obvious. It's shallow critique.

>>20156752
<img class="xae" data-xae width="28" height="28" src="https://s.4cdn.org/image/emotes/7242c342_umaruCry.png">

>>20156730
Bakkerfags literally cannot take any criticism

>>20156699
<img class="xae" data-xae width="32" height="32" src="https://s.4cdn.org/image/emotes/eb07a2c8_konata.png"> I understand. I have no intent of showing anyone the maps for anything I write, or even describe it in detail, but I feel like I need to make them for my own internal consistency.

>>20156694
>westeros <img class="xae" data-xae width="28" height="28" src="https://s.4cdn.org/image/emotes/ed1cc57f_monkaS.png">
>essos <img class="xae" data-xae width="32" height="30" src="https://s.4cdn.org/image/emotes/87c89650_monkaSpeed.png">
>sothoryos <img class="xae" data-xae width="32" height="32" src="https://s.4cdn.org/image/emotes/b05923f5_monkaW.png">
>lands of always winter :monkaChrist:

>>20156780
americanos

>>20156705
I have the 50k/60k PDFs but PDF converts poorly and I can't find a download in any other version.

>>20156699
If your characters are good enough it doesn't matter if your world is the most unoriginal, poorly thought out shit. Just like at Abercrombie.

>>20156776
Oh I'm not even drawing a map, I just have a vague visualisation of how the two major nations involved are in connection with each other and beyond that the world's basically a black box.

>>20156804
That's better than autistically building a world then never writing a story to go in it.

>>20156806
Honestly my world building only kicked off to have something of a framework FOR the story because while I had a premise and the main cast, I didn't really have a plot, so I had to work out "Hey what the fuck can they actually DO from here" and threw together some basic concepts extrapolated from what I'd already put together in the initial premise. It's not terribly in-depth, but I suppose you just have to make it SEEM like it is.

>>20156814
<img class="xae" data-xae width="28" height="28" src="https://s.4cdn.org/image/emotes/af528e56_Hahaa.png"> Ok Anons which author has the best worldbuilding?

>>20156840
I always enjoy the world building in Tad Williams novels. Shadowmarch is his best work in that regard, never had as much fun trying to figure out what the hell is going on in a setting as those books.

>>20156840
I don't fucking care because I read books for story and not for the world. I can ignore non-existent/token worldbuilding more than I can ignore bad worldbuilding, though.

>>20156840
Wheel of time. It's the main reason to read it.

>>20156840
No one else comes even close to Tolkien and Bakker.

>>20156840
How does one define "good" worldbuilding?
Well, perhaps one could easily differentiate between acceptable worldbuilding and obviously bad worldbuilding, but what is the criteria for something to be considered the "best" worldbuilding?

>>20156871
>internally consistent
>original
>interesting

>>20156859
kinky rape monsters is not good world building.

>>20156871
To add onto what this anon >>20156884 said, it also has to have the wow factor. The world has to give the reader that sense of wonder and awe and exploration. The kind of shit that makes you stop reading and think to yourself "This is so fucking cool"

>>20154931
The map is garbage, thought I shouldn't be surprised by it since the setting is just an edgelord fedora fantasy. Now compare to Tolkien.

>>20156900
>Duchy of Vore

>>20156884
>>20156893
>The kind of shit that makes you stop reading and think to yourself "This is so fucking cool"
Most of the series I could think of that evoke this feeling for me are usually very inconsistent and not very original. The fantasy series I actually enjoy the most on the other hand don't have particularly high "wow"-factors in their world.

>>20156908
<img class="xae" data-xae width="28" height="28" src="https://s.4cdn.org/image/emotes/48c107b3_monkaChrist.png">

>>20156871
For me it's some combination of
>internally consistent and coherent
>good use of mystery to keep me curious about the setting and its history
>lots of details unique to the setting influence the story, makes it feel "alive"
>avoids very long, tedious exposition and instead tries to weave details into the story as they become relevant

These are the qualities I usually see in books I consider to have "good" world building.

Did someone piss off the bakkerfag?

>last two one piece chapters
What the fuck, bros

>>20156928
We just said the world map was shit, simply stating facts, nothing more and nothing less.

>>20156931
One Piece was always goofy legit argument because they have no others left

>>20156899
Is this canon?

Why are you just dumping shitty maps?

Why can't writers just hire competent map makers, it's one-done deal.

>>20156948
Because people said Bakker's map was shit, which it is, so now he's doing this.

>>20156948
Because they are pretty good? Not the quality of maps but worldbuilding and geography.

contributing

>>20156951
are you retarded? These aren't bakker maps.

>>20156927
>>20156943
>>20156912
>>20156959
>>20156900
These maps made me google what the series was, and I liked the premise of the first book in the series so I ordered it.

David Eddings said that every good fantasy story starts with a map. I'm not sure just dumping them is really communicating much though.

>>20156959
They're just names on splotches of color. You're not helping anyone.

>>20156951
>Can’t even take criticism
For fuck sakes. It’s like dealing with children.

>>20156959
>Because they are pretty good?
Are they? Why?
>Not the quality of maps but worldbuilding and geography.
What can you tell me about that?

>>20156968
It is available free on the internet. At least read first and if you like it then pay for it

>>20156986
What series is it?

>>20156978
>Are they? Why?
Because they are.
>>Not the quality of maps but worldbuilding and geography.
>What can you tell me about that?
read the book(s) and find out.

>>20156927
>>20156912
I like the attention to detail in these maps, but he really needs a legend and a more readable typeface for his labels. Whoever drew these has a real talent for geography and has probably spent a lot of time studying historical maps of Europe to get the feel right, but they could use just a little more polish.

>>20156990

>>20156986
I'm aware, but I don't enjoy reading books in any format but print. I associate reading books on a screen with college, and I don't enjoy it. Believe me when I say that buying a print copy (used) is me giving him the best possible chance for me to enjoy his book.

>>20152583
hi guys, maybe you can help me. i'm trying to remember the name of a series. basically it is about a male teen and his old neighbor discovering fairies and being transported to their world, where they befriend the prince and princess of the kingdom or whatever and their are dark fairies that are trying to take over and there are demons that are also aliens??? idk i can't find it anywhere, so it must have not been a popular book. but there were probably three or four total in the series. but anyways the boy ends up staying in the fairy world and bangs the princess and they have to like kill their dad and shit. idk i dont think it was even good but it is bothering me to no end since i read it when i was like 13 from the library and now cant find it anywhere pls help :,(<span class="xae" data-xae="plead">🥺[/spoiler]

>>20156991
Well, I was hoping you'd tell me a bit more about what makes them interesting, because, not being familiar with it, those maps don't really speak anything to me, but if you don't want to that's fine. I have enough things to read at the moment, so if something doesn't jump out at me as being worth picking up, I'll have to pass for now.

>>20156995
That just... Feels like a 'wrong' series name. Does that make sense? I just sort of have a reaction to that name that it doesn't feel like a thing that should be. I'm sure it could be a fine series, but still.

>>20156997
>I don't enjoy reading books in any format but print
<img class="xae" data-xae width="29" height="32" src="https://s.4cdn.org/image/emotes/7a95728b_Gigachad.png">

>>20157003
isn't that just arthur conan doyle's biography

>>20157012
I actually wish this was not the case, If I liked ebooks I could pirate a lot more and get books cheaper in general, plus save space on shelves. But I just do not enjoy reading on a screen compared to reading off a page.

>>20157010
>arbitrary combination of two generic fantasy words
seems par for the course to me

>>20157019
Nah, that's fine, it's just "Spellmonger" feels... Off. Like I get it, a spellmonger would be somebody who sells spells, but it feels like the wrong way to name that sort of thing.

>>20156997
Everyone likes print books anon, but some of us can't be picky in our current circumstances.

What bothers me is my reader keeping track of the dates I last read the books. I don't mean like a privacy thing, there's just something mildly existentially disturbing about seeing "You last read this book 735 days ago", like these experiences of my life can be so easily commodified.

>>20157017
An ereader does not use a traditional screen.

>>20157028
I know. I've tried using one. I don't like it. I've been reading books for pleasure in print for over 25 years, I find it very hard to enjoy anything else.

>>20157022
spoiler: majority of wizards in the series have a low status in society hence the monger

>>20156491

>Hasn't read Children of Hurin

Tolkien wrote The Broken Sword before The Broken Sword got written, making this post so hilarious it's not even funny.

>>20157022
Would you prefer Spellpeddler?

>>20157031
Fair enough. I just have a weirdly innate dislike of the name and I can't put it into words.

>>20156587
Excellent. Blackadder by way of Flashman inside a Heavy Metal magazine.

>>20157035
Honestly, that sounds better. Or simply Spell Merchant, or Spellseller or something. I almost never have this sort of reaction to a name so I wonder if I just had the word "monger".

>>20157035
Personally I like a term from a comic I enjoy: spellwright.

>>20157039
I like spell merchant

>>20157035
Not him, but yeah the name "Spellmonger" makes it sound like a particularly lowly and dreary profession. Calls to mind something like fishmonger, which is a particularly smelly and not glamorous profession. Makes sense if >>20157031 is right though.

>>20157041
Surely that's somebody who makes spells, right?

>>20157044
I can't place why it's feeling wrong to me. I don't mind fishmonger as a word, but I don't really think of -monger as part of any other word I guess.

>Christopher Tolkien is 95
Grim

>>20157045
Yes, the best of them do, but anybody who slings spells goes by the title, though the comic is pretty good at illustrating how many pretenders and wannabes there are.

>>20157052
He is dead, Anon.

>>20157050
-monger has negative connotations all across the board. It implies a certain amount of greed and usury. It also sounds phonetically similar to "mongrel".

>>20157055
Even more grim

>>20157058
I get that's the point, and at this point I'm mostly over the initial reaction, but I was just surprised at myself for how much I genuinely kinda reeled at reading the name. Almost no word or name has ever really had me like that.

>>20157050
ironmonger

>>20157058
damn fishmongers usuring all the fish

>>20157050
>feeling wrong to me.
Because you're autistic. That's it. It's that simple.

Remember it is spellmongler not spellman

>>20157074
<img class="xae" data-xae width="22" height="32" src="https://s.4cdn.org/image/emotes/eda6f332_cockmongler.png">

I'm glad I lurked this thread a bit before I just started talking about what my favorite fantasy series are
<img class="xae" data-xae width="32" height="32" src="https://s.4cdn.org/image/emotes/8b7cc3e0_WTFF.png">

Do you guys like settings where all the civilizations have real-world analogues? Feels a bit lazy to me.

>>20157058
>>20157061
Are you some stinkin leftie? Don't worry the novel is not racist at all, the mc is kind of weak white male, he does get stronger but not like in powerfantasy way, also there are many strong woman, in fact I believe book 8 is written from pov of a strong woman.

>>20157013
bro please im losing my mind i just wanna know so it stops popping up randomly once every few years

>>20156840
No love for Malazan?

>>20157086
>heroes are all analogues of the various cultures of western europe
>villains are fast-breeding, totalitarian amalgams of turks/huns/muslims/chinese who live in fear of their mad god-king
I have no problem with this.

>>20157091
>schizo meltdown out of nowhere
Uh ok
<img class="xae" data-xae width="28" height="25" src="https://s.4cdn.org/image/emotes/25086889_FeelsSpecialMan.png">

>>20157085
Thread was doing fine until some dipshit just started spamming maps because he couldn’t handle being wrong.

>>20157086
If it's the sort where they just copy/pasted from our world to save on time and effort in world building, then yeah I find that pretty disappointing and I consider it a mark against the author. However if it's a case where the author is a huge history nerd and is not just borrowing names / aesthetic but is actually doing a very deeply realized parallel to real world history, up to and including exploring fantastical "what if" scenarios and alt history, that I can get behind. It's not common though. I can think of only 2 series that had any kind of serious attempt at parallelism rather than just cheaply copying history as a shortcut for worldbuilding.

>>20157108
What maps are you talking about?

>>20157117
And what are those two series?

>>20157098
Malazan is a mixed bag for world building. I admire the sheer scale of it, and the incredible detail put into parts of the world, but it drags in places and is intentionally obtuse with the reader. When I first got into Malazan I found that obtuseness maddening, it made me almost feverishly addicted to the books to try and figure out what was going on. I love books that feel like putting together a jigsaw puzzle and Malazan has that in spades. But it's also an exhausting series to read because of this.

>>20157086
the characters make it or break it. If the setting is clearly inspired by Rome and Gaul during the Gallic Wars but half the cast are women or faggots then I don't give a fuck.

>>20157127
Instrumentalities of the Night, by Glen Cook (his lesser known series, but one I actually love way more than Black Company), and the Shadow Campaigns by Django Wexler. Cook's series is a masterfully rendered fantasy alt-history of 13th century Europe, and figuring that out was actually part of the fun, because he doesn't just explain the premise of it to you, and the names are all different enough you have to do some detective work to figure out "wait a minute, this sounds like he's talking about the Crusades from the perspective of the Mamluks!" and it goes from there. Wexler on the other hand does a pretty obvious and on the nose parallel to the rise and fall of Napoleon, with the French Revolution happening in the background, but in a world with magic and demons.

>>20156756
Deepest apologies. This is what I meant to post.

>>20157074
>walking through the town
>big hubbub around the apocathary
>it was broken into and ransacked while the herbmasters were away in the forest gathering ingredients
>my order of Night's Shade (a sleeping tea) won't be ready
>fucking spellmonglers are at it again.
>someone needs to catch these cunts. They've hit every village from here to the capital
>king's doing nothing about it
>mercenaries and heros try to go after them one at time and just end up getting incinerated.
>fuck these roving bands of asshole warlocks.
>i just want to be able to sleep at night

>>20157107
A book series was mentioned and at that point you started sperging out about word in title (monger), you wouldn't even give us specific reason why you didn't like it until someone mentioned the word mongrel and you confirmed that was the reason.

>>20157152
>double schizo meltdown
Ok.
<img class="xae" data-xae width="28" height="25" src="https://s.4cdn.org/image/emotes/25086889_FeelsSpecialMan.png">

>>20157152
I'm the guy who said that, not him. And mongrel had nothing to do with it.

>>20157086
Absolutely Originality only matters after every other box is checked. Mainly, is it engaging and does it mesh with the story.

>>20152995
Anon, you do know you can find it used on ebay in good condition, right?

>>20153566
kys

>>20152668
Just FYI the first two Cradle books are kinda shit
It starts getting good sometime around book 3 imo

>>20157268
I'd say it's rocky. First is just okay, second is pretty good, third is really good, fourth is the worst in the series and then it never really hits a low point from then on, except maybe book 9.

>>20152995
Anon do what >>20157191 said and buy books on ebay. It's the main way I shop for used books now. It will change your life with how easy it is to find even out of print books for bargain prices.

Hey dol! merry dol! ring a dong dillo!
Ring a dong! hop along! Fal lal the willow!
Tom Bom, jolly Tom, Tom Bombadillo!

>>20156694
Just needs Island TM and it's Tamriel

>>20155142
i think this has to be the best version of this meme i've ever seen

Now I know how to easily derail the thread, just mention maps

There's a thread about Sanderson on /v/ you should read it they have better taste than you.

>>20157517

>>20157552
It hit bump limit. Imagine a thread about an author with decent discussion hitting bump limit here. Lol. Lmao.

>>20157470
>talking about fantasy books is "derailing the thread"
Are you the spammer?

>>20157563
I’m no one

>>20157517
>skim the thread quickly
>/v/ has better opinions on scifi and fantasy literature than /sffg/ almost entirely throughout the whole thing
for what purpose does this piece of shit general exist?

Dear Applicant,
I'm writing this to you because you may have misunderstood your rejection. Hopefully your text to speech application works properly this time. Your message is entirely fine and irrelevant. However, unfortunately, your tts missed the join requirement. As you are illiterate as noted by your utter absence of books after two years of having an account, I cannot hold that against you. You are also not accepting messages. That's understandable. If you choose to apply again, which you may do so at any time, pretend you've read a book and shelve it as such.

Best Wishes, <img class="xae" data-xae width="31" height="32" src="https://s.4cdn.org/image/emotes/0e313986_koiwaiwave.png">
PlaceholderAccount

Why didn't they take the eagles and fly into Mordor? <img class="xae" data-xae width="32" height="32" src="https://s.4cdn.org/image/emotes/e9d526e8_frodo.png">

>>20157692
<img class="xae" data-xae width="32" height="28" src="https://s.4cdn.org/image/emotes/ba70c4d9_REEEEE.png">

>>20157692
Cuz the Eagles didn’t like them that way. <img class="xae" data-xae width="32" height="32" src="https://s.4cdn.org/image/emotes/57b01648_nepSmug.png">

>>20157714
<img class="xae" data-xae width="32" height="32" src="https://s.4cdn.org/image/emotes/ddc55766_TooLewd.png">

>>20157595
<img class="xae" data-xae width="28" height="28" src="https://s.4cdn.org/image/emotes/7242c342_umaruCry.png"><span class="xae" data-xae="drip">💦[/spoiler]<span class="xae" data-xae="drip">💦[/spoiler]

>>20157141
>alt-history of 13th century Europe, and figuring that out was actually part of the fun, because he doesn't just explain the premise of it to you
Thanks for nothing ASSHOLE

>>20158031
You just have to read it, anon.

Thoughts?

>>20158115
About what?

>>20157152
This is what /pol/ does to you.

so i'm thinking of picking up the three body problem series, i've heard its good, but i have a question.

i've also heard that the author is chinese and that the book was originally written in chinese. is the second part true, and if so, how is the english translation/version?

>>20155095
they were all niggers

>>20155294
Awww you tried to sound smart but had no requisite knowledge in order to do so. That's so cute
<img class="xae" data-xae width="32" height="32" src="https://s.4cdn.org/image/emotes/ddc55766_TooLewd.png">

>>20156263
<img class="xae" data-xae width="32" height="32" src="https://s.4cdn.org/image/emotes/51ca59c2_BOOMER.png">
cool

>>20155294
No, you’re right. They make no sense.

>>20158290
Not an argument.
<img class="xae" data-xae width="32" height="32" src="https://s.4cdn.org/image/emotes/67905c4f_Bruh.png">

>>20156588
When he's crossing over the wall with Gilly and the tunnel leads into the nightfort
The face opens up once Sam tells him that he's a member of the nights watch
You see it when bran, hodor, meera and jojen go through the tunnel with Sam
>>20157191
>>20157274
Yeah I know but I'm too stingy to pay for shipping

>>20155832
Yeah it's fun

>>20158489
What about his other books?

>>20152995
George Martin is a great fantasy author and I’m glad people here are seeing that.

>>20158555
>George Martin is a great fantasy author
People who hate on him here are just contrarians and hate things that are popular. They really have no basis to hate him other than those two things.

Jolenta would look something like the Instagram model Vera Dijkmans except with massive titties and a more sensuous face (fuller lips, big green eyes, less triangular at the chin, not as cold).

>>20158569
Stop being a coomer. It’s just sad.

>>20158574
Post a map then, fag

>>20158569
>Instagram model Vera Dijkmans
How do you even know this?

>>20158591
<img class="xae" data-xae width="32" height="32" src="https://s.4cdn.org/image/emotes/c2cfb2e3_KEKWait.png">

>>20158569
Stop looking for excuses to post coomer images.

>>20158621
Coomer image? It's just a female. Come on guys, I post one image of a woman, ever, and you jump down my throat. Are you all depressed from last night or something?
It's on topic, I know a lot of people are reading Book of the New Sun, and I thought of Jolenta when I saw this woman.

>>20158639
>Coomer image?
Yes, a coomer image, don't pretend otherwise.

>>20158650
I'm not masturbating, are you? Feel free to report me, fag.

>>20158569
You have to go back.

>>20157098
Malazan’s world building filters plenty of people. I don’t know if that’s good or bad.

>>20156840
A song of ice and fire don't care what the detractors have to say, its true.

>>20158762
I don’t think anyone would disagree with that assessment. George cares about his worldbuilding.

>>20158793
>I don’t think anyone would disagree with that assessment.
You would be surprised, especially when it comes from the tv only watchers who read his books.

>>20158798
>Giving two shits what they think
Why would you do that to yourself? They’re pretty much retarded.

>>20158804
>They’re pretty much retarded.
Because, and I hate to admit this, they're the ones who talk about the series. And lets say they give their stupid opinion.

>>20158813
All you’re doing is setting yourself up for stress. I mean, if I remember correctly, wasn’t their some stupid controversy during one of the bigger subreddits due to the show?

>>20158832
>bigger subreddits due to the show?
I don't go to reddit, so I wouldn't know, but I do go to other forums and the tv only fags are giving the wrong impression about the books.

>>20158839
I still think you’re wasting your time with that shit. But it’s whatever.

>>20158843
I don't. Or at the very least, I'm trying to be helpful to people who are interested in the series.

>>20158846
Going to be honest with you, if the people are that easily swayed, then it’s not worth to help them.

>>20158847
I see it as no different from here.

>>20158850
No, there’s a difference, some people here read books, and aren’t tv only fags. The few that are, are quickly driven out.

>>20158562
Exceptionally low output is a good reason. At some point, every author has to just admit he can't top his previous books, get over it, and just write whatever crap continues the story. Martin is categorically unable to do this. At this point a precocious five-year-old can write more than he does.

>>20158864
>Exceptionally low output is a good reason.
Not low output, Martin just writes more than his novels can contain. I mean, his books are often split in two in international releases.

>>20158864
>>20158867
You're all making a simple mistake here: You're still thinking of Gurm as a writer. Given the fact that he doesn't write anything anymore, this is objectively wrong. Gurm is not a good writer or a bad writer, because he isn't a writer.

>>20158869
He's releasing a book on October of this year.

>>20158870
I'l believe it when I see it.

>>20158871
The Rise of the Dragon: An Illustrated History of the Targaryen Dynasty, Volume One

>>20158882
Oh wait I heard of that, it's that appendix for the soon-to-be stillborn prequel TV show. It isn't even an actual novel, it's advertising material.

>>20158889
nice moving the goalpost.

>>20158882
Why is he always fascinated by the tags? The other great noble houses are interesting. Especially the Martells.

>>20158899
>Why is he always fascinated by the tags?
They're the closes thing he has to elves, also dragon riders.

>>20158901
For fuck sakes, even minor houses are more interesting than the targs. Mormonts, Florence, Velaryons.

>>20158913
>Velaryons
Velaryons are just cheap Targaryen. They only had one interesting person throughout their history.

>>20156938
No, Tolkien never drew a "complete" world map from the First Age onwards.
Pic related is the last one from the Years of the Trees, and the continents got fucked multiple times after that.

>>20158932
Soul.

New thread
>>20158939

>>20158562
Author wrote some books some people like or once liked = author good for all time!

Lol at Martin's amateur syntax errors, fucking normalfag pleb

>>20158889
So it isn't even an actual novel? It's more like an encyclopedia? lawl GRRMsimp is going to be even more upset.

>>20159161
It isn't even new, other than the art it's all material that was in Fire & Blood 1.

>>20159176
haah waaw
Martin is a fucking hack.

>>20157072
>Because you're autistic. That's it. It's that simple.
the /lit/ tagline

>>20157595
We can't actually talk about our decent opinions or the Bakkerposter will come.

>>20153283
Why did you lie to me anon?

>>20159463
>Bakkerposter
Why are they even here?

>>20160509
Because one guy has made it his life's goal to just really annoy people who want to just talk about books.