/lit/ - Literature

BAKKER IS KING

>>21671562
If you read science fiction as an adult you’re a failure.
Do you play pretend with action figures and dolls too? Come back to the real world, freak.

>>21671596
This, but swap sci-fi with fantasy.

Borne is pretty fresh. I wonder why people hated Dead Astronauts so much.

TWI Volume 8
A few things I wanted to hear you guys' thoughts on.

How did you feel about the Ryoka chapters in this volume?
They were among my favourites, probably because she was kinda filling the role of Erin, but the amount of people saying that they absolutely hated her chapters has been kinda jarring.
Sure, they were a bit too self-indulging, but I don't think that's enough reason to completely disregard her POV.

On a similar note, the Laken hate is kinda wild too. Nigga's been relegated to a tertiary character while we could have had some really fun and interesting development after the "are we the baddies" realization.

Lastly, and this probably touches V9 a bit, how do you feel about the different relationships that have been hinted and/or are going on?
I reckon some of them feel a tad awkward, but I've found some really cute human moments in most of them, but a ton of people seem to disregard them for seemingly pear-clutchy reasons (ants are literally kids, x did this terrible thing, muh power dynamics and age difference, etc).

>>21671596
This, but swap reading sci-fi with tripfagging

>Eganfag last thread making newfags quiver in their light-up velcro sneakers because he submitted posts longer than two lines

Read The Wandering Inn, Read Mother of Learning, Read I Shall Seal the Heavens.

Also read The Prince of Nothing, Neuromancer, Cradle, A Song of Ice and Fire, Hyperion, Between Two Fires, The Poppy War.

Read something else.

>>21672053
Is this good

>>21672059
Fun, (relatively) short, and enjoyable.

>>21672059
It's dogshit
And for some reason this faggot feels the need to post it in every thread
He is either a spastic or the author of it

>>21672083
What didn't you like about it?

>>21672085
Now wait for the backpedaling because shitposter #27492 didn't read it.

>>21672085
>>21672088
The shitty fucking writing

>Thinking about Borne
>Realise it's a birth of the past, where as to bear is planning for the future.

Any new scifi book with romance?

>>21671752
i like ryokas chapters. not enough to be my favorites, but they were fine.
laken i don't mind too much it was volumes ago when i hated him. i don't necessarily want him in the spotlight, but i like him with this amount of exposure.
>different relationships
which ones in particular? i found most of them cute.

>>21672285

>>21671596
You dare insult my reading choices? You know nothing of me or my life, fool. I have fought and killed for my people, and I will not let your petty insults go unanswered. Perhaps it is you who needs to come back to the real world, where people are not judged by what they read or how they spend their time. If you value your life, you will learn to keep your mouth shut and show respect where it is due.

>>21671596
>Do you play pretend with action figures and dolls too?
Yes

Gonna start in on pic related today. I hope the protag has lots of hot sex with Nazi She-Devils.

>>21671752
> Volume 8
Damn, I'm still a few million words away from that (am about halfway through volume 2).

>>21672663
>speculative fiction genre

>>21672011
>not reading a xinxia that actually dabs on asians.
Karma based powers
MC eats literal dogs to get stronger
Young masters getting dabbed on
Tsundere companion
>whats not to like?

>>21671752
Never had a problem with most of these things.

Also you need to understand that , whenever the fandom starts to like a non-quirky white male too much the author proceeds to fuck that character up.

>>21672011
Stop telling people to read unfinished series.

>>21673105
Wandering shit is shit and will never finish.
Mother of learning is okay and is finished.
I shall meme the heavens will never be finished.

Why is paranoid mage so good bros?

>>21673145
Does it have dungeon core with concentacles , like Blue Core did?

i could stomach more litrpg if they weren't all filled with anime """"monster"""" girls. just use human women you tools

>>21673123
It was good until it turned into shit

>>21673250
Naw. It's like a 4channer from /x/ and /out/ found out magic was real and they wanted to draft him.
It's SO good.

>>21673262
Just don't read the harem shit.

>>21671562
What fantasy settings have the best takes on elemental dragons and why?

>>21673460
Dragons are shit. If a book has dragons anywhere on the cover or in the blurb, I avoid them

>>21673460
Exalted , cause they also know supernatural martial-arts

>>21673460
I'm rather fond of the Cathay dragons in Warhammer

Why do you all have such baby shit taste? No one has talked or posted one good book in this thread yet. Pathetic. Did jrpg's and women make you regress and become retarded?

>>21673601
Read David Gemmell. Put some hair on your chest.

>>21673601
>someone has to post books for me to discuss

>>21672663

Finished the second book of Burningblade and Silvereye by Wrexler. The split POVs still suck and the female POV is almost a case study in presenting a strong lesbian female lead but who actually sucks shit at everything she sets out to do. So far the male lead has to be coerced into sex, which is also an interesting choice considering every woman with any real part in the books has been stupid horny constantly.

Why am I so indecisive?

Literally just looking for a book to read and just can't decide on one.

I'm considering Between two Fires but I keep looking at other books. Spent loads of time going through my kindle, I've got loads of unread books. Also spent a load of time looking at books on amazon and goodreads.

Send help.

>>21673670
the curse of having too many options.

>>21673670
>pick a book
>in your case, you picked Between Two Fires
>should I start this book or find another?
>flip a coin
you have your answer.

>>21673460
Dragonrealm by Richard Knaak has elemental and Crystal dragons.
Dragon Nimbus saga by Irene Radford has space dragons

>>21673670
>google
>destined female protag
You should kill yourself NOW

>>21673607
should I start with Knights of Dark Renown, or Legend?

>>21673735
Legend.

Can anyone recommend more "weird" fantasy similar to Lovecraft's Dreamlands stories or the works of Lord Dunsany?

>>21673601
Don't disrespect my wife
>>21673735
Publication order.

>>21673791
>バカオカマ向け英語版をプレイしてる

>>21673774
Brain McNaughton's The Throne of Bones
and of course Clark Ashton Smith

>>21673710
Both of these have terrible reviews

>>21674003
We must trust random anon here much more than random people elsewhere.

>>21673745
>>21673791
Why does a hard cover of the book not exist? I like to collect hardcover fantasy. will keep searching.

>>21674003
That's how you know they are good

>Reading a normal fantasy novel fairly generic stuff
>all of a sudden gratuitous sex scenes everywhere
I am reading this story for fun fantasy adventure and action not to be aroused
Dropped

>>21674448
You're just baiting (you)'s who ask for source aren't you?

Where the fuck is Winds?

Time to start this.

Also, did like 10+ posts suddenly get deleted? What?

>>21673601
Um, I posted Borne earlier...

>>21674460
Anal Gnomes III

>>21673710
>Knaak
LMAO

Any fantasy novels where the writer goes into detail describing the economy system and how it powers the events? Other than perhaps Abercrombie. Or any sort of econ focus, like guilds in Goblin Slayer / Etrian Odyssey.

>>21674658
The Dagger and the Coin
The Dragon's Banker

>>21674671
will check them out thanks

>>21671562
I'm looking for inspiration for a magic system where all spells are based on either Order and Chaos, what are some fantasy settings that do the idea well that I can take ideas from, and how do they handle it? Picture related has Chaos magic be basically reality warping, while in Warcraft and Warhammer it's basically demon magic, while I want it to be at least more neutral leaning than that.

>>21674658
I'd recommend the Traitor Son series. It deals quite a bit with medieval logistics and economics. Merchant PoV characters, coinage squabbles between kingdoms, civil war for an earl's back taxes etc. Miles Cameron is really good at providing verisimilitude for a pseudo medieval setting. Far better than any other modern author I've read.

I'm so sick of world-building that is just detail porn, rather than making the world feel real and lived in.
>Oh, the magic is because of e = BBC^2
Cool, not reading

>>21674685
Recluce has order and chaos magic, but it probably isn't the sort you want.

>>21674708
Egan has a trilogy with reverse time dilation, where he took some long equation and changed one positive sign to a negative sign.

>>21674699
interesting

you might be interested in levy & muster series of board games.

>>21674708
How did you like the worldbuilding in Malazan then?

Finished Children of Time everything with the humans was pretty mid but the spiders chapters were brilliant. Are yhe sequels any good, and what else by Tchaikovsky is worth reading?

>>21674740
Not enough delicious brown men.
>>21674734
I hate that. At that point, time becomes imaginary.

>>21674726
Alright, so how does it work there?

>>21673774
You might try Virinconium, it's very weird and very dreamlike. For something more straightforward, try The Dying Earth.

>>21674800
It's cool but it's pretty much sci fi, there is only 1 story that is fantasy and that was just to prove he's able to write fantasy

>the third-person narration is its own 'character'
I don't think I'm a fan of this.

>>21675013
Do you mean like Pratchett's where the narration would occasionally go into tangents completely divorced from any actual character's POV?

>Narrator is another character in the story who hates the main character

>>21674685
You should read Michael Moorcock multiverse books if you haven't, and there's also Three Hearts an Three Lions by Poul Anderson.

>>21675136
>Narrator will omit certain parts and/or will straight up lie sometimes.

>>21675172
Okay, the former is kind of interesting, but doesn't really give me much in the way of ideas for Order or Chaos magics (in Elric most magic is just summoning, according to a Wikipedia skim), while the latter depicts Chaos as outright evil. Thanks for trying though.

>>21675062
I don't know what I mean.

>>21675276
Read Corum nigga
and then read Hawkmoon to see how NEUTRALCHADS btfo the lords of chaos & order

>>21675276
The rules of Law and Chaos in Moorcock's works is like this:
>"Law is a necessary force in the Multiverse. Without Law, there would be no stability or structure in nature, no justice or morality in the worlds. Law, according to its nature, often upholds the Balance. Chaos is seen by the denizens of Law as an aberration that would reduce all form and meaning in the Multiverse to chaotic flux, a force of Entropy that seeks to mutate all of reality into an ever-shifting void of random energy."
>"Chaos is a necessary force in the Multiverse. Without Chaos, there would be no freedom or randomness in nature, no creativity or art in the worlds. Chaos, however, often struggles against the Balance. Law is seen by the denizens of Chaos as a shackle that would halt all movement and novelty in the Multiverse, a force of Singularity that seeks to lock all of reality in a state of unchanging stasis."

I think you could get some some neat stuff based on these ideas.

Is there any detective science fiction novel which involves scientific mysteries being solved?
My interest is in mathematics and I have little interest in anything practical so if people give me magical bullshit it's fine, so long as it feels like the scientific discussions that constitute the 'detective' work sounds right
The kind of mysteries I'm interested in are aliens and things of alien origin

>>21675405
Is there anything like the Challenger expedition by any chance?
The Challenger expedition + cthulhu?
Like they start taking up samples but the samples reveal a reality which is completely divergent from our own world and eventually leads the crew into peril?
Actually on that note I'm remembering how much I loved A Study in Emerald

>>21675405
Blindsight
The three faggot problem

Is it worth reading if I heavily enjoyed the first 4 volumes? Also, does it shed any light on the more or less unanswered aspects of the "main" series?

>>21675354
>tfw I'll never posses the full set of Amano covers
it's so fucking painful

>>21675446
Yes
No

>>21675446
>>/lit/thread/S21311319#p21313205

>>21675464
>Yes
Great.
>No
FUCK
can you tell me if Severian piped his grandma? or did I just wildly misunderstand the Dorcas farewell scene? don't bother if it comes up later, I was just too scared to look it up and get something ruined for myself.
>>21675471
didn't ask, don't care

>>21674549
This wasn’t as good or interesting as I was hoping it’d be

>>21674745
Human stuff was mediocre you mean
I imagined a Disney cliches movie all the time

>>21674547
it's stuck in his folds

Can some one please recommend me something with a warm tropical setting. please i hate snow I FUCKING HATE SNOW WHY THE FUCK IS IT STILL SNOWING I FUCKING HATE THE COLD I NEED WARMTH

>>21675361
Alright, thanks, I'll ponder over this a bit and see if my ideas are any good, then get back to you.

>>21675354
Yeah, yeah, both Order and Chaos are bad in extremes and we should kill their gods and just rule ourselves. Again, while the idea of balance isn't something I hate, that take isn't quite what I'm looing for.

>>21675617
Try Louise Cooper's Time Master trilogy and Indigo

>>21675197
What is Severian lying, exactly. You pseuds keep saying that, but never can back up your shit with actual examples from the text.

>>21675687
He's never had consensual sex.

>>21675690
Dorcas actively starts fucking him after the first trip to the House Absolute, that's pretty consensual. Raping Jolenta, a regrettable oversight.

>>21675590
Just read anything with boats on the cover, that's guaranteed tropical setting.

>>21675405
chain of chance by stanislaw lem

>>21675475
yes

>>21675719
>Raping Jolenta

>>21675803
but.....why.....I thought it was cute.....now it's weird......thanks anyway anon

>>21675811
No see my favorite part was when, after dropping the bombshell on you that he was fucking his grandma for 75% of the books, Gene goes "oh yeah and he probably had premonitions of his future lmao"

>>21675719
>Raping Jolenta
>raping
Colonized American brains.

>>21675810
>>21675832
Bro she was literally asleep, that's porno tier shit

>>21675844
She was literally asking for it. You wouldn't understand, incel.

>>21675851
lmfao

>>21675590
Dune lol

>all the three body novels sold out because of the show
damn

>>21675810
nice filename.

dear sffg,
i'm coming to the end of Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. i didn't read the Martian, and finishing this book, i have no intention to ever do so. i've learned i hate the casual, fast tempo narration of the main character, where it feels like i'm reading narration that was trying to fit into some kinda character limit, like the guy wrote this on a fuckin iphone and didn't want the length of a message to wrap to the next line
.
Wait. Shit. What was that noise? "Oh geez. Oh golly!" I proceed to spout several other profanities--although they are all similarly tame. "Ahh. That should do it." I fixed it. Good as new. Now, the other thing... Hmph. This one is trickier.

i think part of it is that i just haven't read a first person narration in a long while, but also this style is just grilling my gumbos. i'm looking to metronome back to fantasy for the next read, is there a first person story with some classier diction that you can think of, sffg?
sincerely, anon.

>mfw reading the operation guzheng chapter
As a lover of Star Trek I wish people would stop taking sci-fi so seriously

>>21674658
most polish looking woman

>>21675922
farseer books

martian was the exact same by the way, didn't read past the second chapter

Can someone explain to me all this stuff about hero and villain enemies to lovers romance in books that i see women talk about?
Everytime they talk about books that's the only thing they seem to focus on.

Finished the whole 5-book series. It was pretty good, classic scifi. The setting starts entirely alien (no human) in a 6-species "Compact", three of which breathe oxygen and three methane. The main focus are the Hani, a lion-like humanoid species in which only females leave the planet, while men are tasked with (violently) keeping order in large clan estates on the home planet. The dynamic is essentially the same as actual lions. The story begins when a ship of these lions accidentally rescues a hairless creature escaped from one of the less savory inhabitants of Compact space, which turns out to be a new species (a human). This precipitates a long series of events which changes the balance forever.
What I liked: the aliens are varied and original, the setting is cool and the story holds up. Also despite not being "hurr exact sciences" enough technical details are given to understand what technology loos like here
What I didn't like: the plot drags somewhat in the second third and fifth novels, and it's repeated really too many times how tired and scared everyone is at several points. Though in #5 it might be the author lampshading her own previous work. #1 has a real copout ending too.
I recommend it, if you can pretend the catgirls look more like Outlaw Star and less like your tabby.

>>21676263
for romance & drama, the more intense the feelings the better
enemies to lovers is preferred because you start with intense feelings already, the slow and/or sudden shifting of those feelings is similarly intense and in the final stretch the realization of true love and submission to its whims is the most intense of all

usually it's a hero falling in love with a villain and redeeming him (it's always a him) through her magical vagina / his magical fucklust

Finished Elden Ring and loved it. Its world felt very high fantasy but not in a Tolkien way. More in an alchemical, hermetical, slightly psychedelic and body horror way. Any /sffg/ recommendations for this vibe? I've already read Elric.

>>21673774
Piranesi

>>21676317
Berserk is the obvious choice

>>21676317
Lord of the Mysteries

>>21675136
post examples anon

>>21676455
Honestly I was just responding to >>21675013

The only thing that comes immediately to mind is the 2010 japanese taiga drama Ryomaden.

Damn .. this is why Sanderson is the best fantasy writer today

>>21676592
FeMC?

>>21676592
this guy is a goyim magnet

>>21671562
I haven't read any fantasy at all, really, besides LotR and some shitty YA stuff when I was a kid. Spent the last decade reading only reading the classics and nonfiction, but would like to get back into fantasy as something I can have as a comfy side read in the evenings. I heard a lot of people praise "the wheel of time". Can you guys recommend it, or is there something else I should look into?

>>21675687
>What is Severian lying, exactly.
I have a perfect memory
Well actually I only remember things I was paying attention to
I mean actually I do forget some things but overall my memory is perfect
Severian's teacher telling him that he would have forgotten the travel advice anyway

>>21676677
The Wheel of Time is a gigantic 80's anime. It's a lot of fun and has some great moments, but it requires you to be willing to take it for what it is. It's not high art and never tries to be.
Anything by Lois McMaster Bujold is good, though I like her more recent stuff more than her older stuff.
But just asking for blanket recommendations is pointless without actually giving some information about what you like.

>>21675405
Vance's Magnus Ridolph stories.

>>21675590
AA Atanasio, The Wyvern

>>21676677
4chan's favorite fantasy books are The Dying Earth by Jack Vance (especially books 2 and 3) and The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe. Wheel of Time is not popular here.

>>21675405
Not about ayys but quantum physics stuff there is The Quantum Series by Douglas Phillips.

There is The Gone World as well which is about stopping an alien from destroying earth. Although the alien part is not mentioned much and is not the main focus of the story.

>>21676677
If you've developed any taste after a decade of reading classics you'll quickly understand why it's called the Waste of Time. Try Lyonesse, with the caveat that the first half of the first book is more than a little uncomfy

>>21676684
My bad for not specifying things I enjoy. Generally, I think I'm more partial to worlds where the "magical" aspect of the world is more muted. I study history at university, so anything that involves more realistic depictions of politics and court would be nice.
>>21676704
Thanks, will look into all of those.

>“Will you take some wine at least?”
>“Does the High Septon ever pray?”
>“Of that I am not certain."
I don't get it

>>21676767
"Is the pope catholic"

>>21676740
>Generally, I think I'm more partial to worlds where the "magical" aspect of the world is more muted
Then in that case, definitely the Chalion series by Bujold. Magic in that setting is explicitly religious in nature and actual court politics are a major part of the story.
the Powder Mage series might also interest you. The magic is more overt, but the story and setting are heavily based on the French revolution.
A bit of a wildcard might be the Gotrek and Felix novels by William King. They're published materials from the Warhammer fantasy franchise, but they're quite a bit better than they have any right to be.

>>21676771
Thanks! That sounds exactly what I'm looking for. I'm actually familiar with Gotrek and Felix, because I painted miniatures back in the day. Never got into painting 40k, but was going to check out the Eisenhorn books at some point. Anyway, heading off to work, thanks for all the recommendations everyone.

>>21676708
Actually, I just remembered that there are ayys in the Quantum Series books. They even go to an alien planet in the 2nd or 3rd book.

>>21676677
Belgariad is comfy, as is Conan depending on the story

>>21676767
it's their equivalent to "does a bear shit in the woods" is my guess

>>21676740
a song of ice and fire is the obvious choice based on your specifications

>>21676767
Is the space pope reptilian

>Song of Ice and Fire, monsieur?

>Martin rejects the allegorical romance of epic fantasy, which basically means tearing out the guts of the genre: the wonder, the ideals, the heroism, and with them, the moral purpose. Fine, so he took out the rollicking fun and the social message--what did he replace them with?
>Martin forgets 'truth is stranger than fiction'. The real world is full of unbelievable events, coincidences, and odd characters. When authors remove these elements in an attempt to make their world seem real, they make their fiction duller than reality; after all, unexpected details are the heart of verisimilitude. Martin's world is dull and gray. Instead of innovating new, radical elements, he merely removes familiar staples--and any style defined by lack is going to end up feeling thin.
>Despite trying inject the book with history and realism, he does not reject the melodramatic characterization of his fantasy forefathers, as evidenced by his brooding bastard antihero protagonist (with pet albino wolf). Apparently to him, 'grim realism' is 'Draco in Leather Pants'. This produces a conflicted tone: a soap opera cast lost in an existentialist film.
>There's also lots of sex and misogyny, and 'wall-to-wall rape'--not that books should shy away from sex, or from any uncomfortable, unpleasant reality of life. The problem is when people who are not comfortable with their own sexuality start writing about it, which seems to plague every mainstream fantasy author. Their pen gets away from them, their own hangups start leaking into the scene, until it's not even about the characters anymore, it's just the author cybering about his favorite fetish--and if I cyber with a fat, bearded stranger, I expect to be paid for it.
>However, there is one thing Martin has done that no other author has been able to do: kill the longrunning High Fantasy series. According to some friends of mine in publishing (and some on-the-nose remarks by Caleb Carr in an NPR interview on his own foray into fantasy), Martin's inability to deliver a book on time, combined with his strained relationship with his publisher means that literary agents are no longer accepting manuscripts for high fantasy series--even from recognized authors. Apparently, Martin is so bad at plot structure that he actually pre-emptively ruined books by other authors. Perhaps it is true what they say about silver linings . . .

Bakker

>>21676908
>bastard antihero protagonist (with pet albino wolf). Apparently to him, 'grim realism' is 'Draco in Leather Pants'
stopped reading here. Anyone who says Asoiaf is about anti-hero grim realism has never actually read the books

>>21673028
>whenever the fandom starts to like a non-quirky white male too much the author proceeds to fuck that character up
Such as?

>>21672339
>which ones in particular?
The ones I've heard most shit about have been Imani-Palt, Erin-Niers and Ryoka-Tyrion
I actually just read 8.69 T and I'm starting to love this dork like you wouldn't believe, autism and war be damned

Read The Wandering Inn, Read Mother of Learning, Read I Shall Seal the Heavens.

Also read The Prince of Nothing, Neuromancer, Cradle, A Song of Ice and Fire, Hyperion, Between Two Fires, The Poppy War.

>>21676929
Literally /sffg/ hivemind

What do normalfags get out of spamming their image and post multiple times per thread?

>>21676924
>horse cock
it's the only issue, it's whatever

with the other two, it really depends on how they develop. i don't hate it so far. tyrion is a bit more problematic though because of what he did previously and it does feel a bit forced imo. personally i hope that nothing much comes of it.
niers on the other thand is a dork and i'm rooting for him.

also dunno if you read the latest chapter (9.37HO), but i loved it. really love the direction yvlon is going.

>>21676960
they are not normal

>>21676960
ritualposters are mentally ill. it's the same thing on every board

>>21676908
>Apparently, Martin is so bad at plot structure that he actually pre-emptively ruined books by other authors.
How

>>21677015
Read the post? Bakker's saying that agents now don't trust authors to finish their fantasy epics because Gurrum is so shit at actually delivering the next book.

>>21677020
Based grrm.

>>21677020
What's funny is another fat bearded fuck, Rothfuss, has had his editor outright state he's never submitted anything for book 3, not even a draft lawl

>>21671562
Does anyone have a higher quality version of pic rel? Also are there some books/series that should be here that are not included? I'd say this list needs Firefall and Rifters by Peter Watts (A4 and B3 respectively).

I'm 3 months late on the challenge and am fucking retarded...? Can't seem to read more than 6 books and a few manga series in this time?? The goal this year is to read a book a week. Challenge-wise, I'm switching to contemporary fantasy and sci-fi but I can't seem to escape progression fantasy. Its so mediocre and I can't stop reading it.

I'm going to review Dungeon Crawler Carl 3-5 quickly and then Azarinth Healer #1.

>DCC #3 - The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook

This book was exactly what I wanted after Book 2 was so transitionary in nature. At first I was apprehensive about Katia joining the party but she grew on me over time. Especially after she had her moment near the end of the book. I'll try to avoid major spoilers for the most part, as I enjoyed the series. This book also pushes the Ring of Divine Suffering plot forward, which is developing pretty interestingly.

8/10

>DCC #4 - The Gate of the Feral Gods

The height of the series for me and when Carl's grudge against the game and the rest of the universe really solidifies. The entire setup with Donut's sponsorship and to cat, leading to Carl and Loita's moment in the trailer is laid out perfectly. When they focus on the players in the crawl and their vendettas against the system, the story is at its strongest. The epilogue at the end felt off though and essentially led to nothing in the next book. Barely bears mentioning.

9/10

>DCC #5 - The Butcher's Masquerade

Nearly seamless transition from books 4 to 5 with the exception of the 'Carl's ex' sub-plot they introduced and then removed just as fast. I was also told that the author has started writing these books with fan suggestions and comments in mind. This seems like a terrible idea, as the collective IQ of Royal Road commenters is somewhere room temperature. Near the conclusion of this book is where I noticed this more and more, as the penultimate masquerade wasn't nearly as impressive as other finales. Katia's direction also pulled at my heart strings, but her characterization has quickly spun out. Doesn't even feel like the same character from #3 sometimes.

I also figured floor 7 was going to be a more interesting racing motif but after the announcer clarified, my gripes about the goat fucking everyone over were resolved. Looking forward to the next book.

8/10

>>21677049
Azarinth Healer #1 by Rhaegar

[Plot]

Ilea is just a normal teenage girl... except for a promising kickboxing career (that she avoids due to the idea of bad knees in her future) and her future as a doctor with her local university. Unfortunately she's stuck working at a fast food place. Returning home after another terrible day, she falls asleep only to awaken in an entirely new world called Elos. There's two suns... and mountains that nearly cover the skyline. Ilea is forced to defend herself against a group of wolves that back her into a cave. Barely surviving, she receives a system message that her stat values have been re-evaluated and she teleports... into a sealed room.

In this room are several training manuals, a basin of purified water that heals you, and a wall covered in 'bluemoon grass'. After learning that 35% of people who consume it go on to develop fantastic abilities, Ilea goes ahead and tries it... becoming a combat healer in this litrpg world. Spending 3 months training, she masters a teleportation spell and escapes back into the surrounding forest. Though originally in it just for the fighting and fucking, Ilea becomes embroiled in political affairs through out Elos. Even influencing its progress with Earth-like customs.

[Characters]

Ilea is a prospective med student that finds herself taken to a fantasy world. After coming into significant power, she strikes out towards the nearest village and becomes a full-fledged 'adventurer'. This leads her to plumb dungeons and find necromancers, scout out Dwemer ruins, fight dragons... you name it. Ilea gladly accepts these high risk jobs because of the thrill. Her body is exceptionally resilient, able to heal itself from nearly complete destruction.

She is a rare class that appears to have disappeared hundreds of years ago called an Azarinth Healer. This is a combat monk, essentially - you can channel healing or destructive energies into the targets you make contact with. As she prefers being alone when adventuring, she has basically power-leveled and is one of the strongest individuals at the world from an incredibly early point in the story. This leads her to flaunt said power and get herself into grievous situations, leading to the death of others. Unfortunately she gets over these deaths rather quickly.

If you've read one Mary Sue, you've read them all by now. This is an attempt at a power fantasy cultivation novel but the writer couldn't quite pull it off, so he instead stuffed Ilea full of arbitrary stat numbers and easily defined skills so that we wouldn't notice.

>>21677048
This list is a troll. The Once and Future King, Earthsea, Bakker and Canticle of Leibowitz in S tier? Tasteless idiot.

>>21677049
>I was apprehensive about Katia joining the party but she grew on me over time
Same and she really grew on me too. One of my favorite side characters.
>The epilogue at the end felt off though and essentially led to nothing in the next book. Barely bears mentioning
Its entire significance (which was lost upon me the first read because I had forgotten who he was) was to show that the leader/owner of the Open Pacifist group was Porthus, one of the previous cookbook owners who stated that he accepted a deal but planned to continue fighting any way that he could.
>but her characterization has quickly spun out. Doesn't even feel like the same character from #3 sometimes
Yeah there's a part in early book 5 where Carl realizes that Katia has the same zoned-out, quiet demeanor during a saferoom meet which means that she was also talking (in chat), planning, theorizing, etc. She definitely became more confident--which changes all women--and has taken more of a leadership/assertive role in making decisions in her life. Plus two books of grouping with Carl and his influence.

>>21677048
Here, have the original.

>>21677054
[System]

A traditional litRPG system with a dash of cultivation, just for the main character. Everyone in this world is capable of developing 2 classes should they meet the 'requirements' to do so. The most common class requirements are widely known, but some have been entirely lost or can be discovered through chance. Once you adopt a class you are capable of leveling it up, with most people peaking around 250. Each class is capable of evolving, usually at level 200, and usually into a more advanced version of your original class.

Stat points are largely meaningless and only serve a narrative purpose for Ilea. As she's a combat healer, her intelligent stat is used to calculate her damage while her strength stat is lacking. This allows people to constantly under-estimate her and die ugly. Aside from stats, each class is capable of holding 5 active skills and 5 passive skills. Active skills will be abilities like fireball, healing, etc. while passive skills can be auras, perception bubbles, etc.

[Final Thoughts]

It fucking STINKS! Ilea is a Mary Sue, the world building is TERRIBLE and the stats don't matter so there is truly no reason to include them. Its a newer author so I try to give him some credit but an entire third of the book is a literal Dwemer ruin from Morrowind.

3/10

And that's it. That's all 20. Now I can make my own fucking recommendation chart. That's really why I stuck through this. Some shit dick ridiculed me at the start of this for posting someone else's chart.

Who's wasted their fucking time now, anon?

Previous Scores:
>Lord of the Mysteries by Cuttlefish – 9/10
>Dungeon Crawler Carl Series by Matt Dinniman - 9/10
>Cradle Series by Will Wight - 8/10 (Dropped a full point value, he's not sticking the landing)
>Ave Xia Rem Y by Mat Haz - 8/10
>Forge of Destiny by Yrsillar - 7/10
>A Thousand Li by Tao Wong - 7/10
>Retribution Engine by Akaso - 6/10
>Wandering Inn by Pirateaba - 6/10
>Virtuous Sons by Ya Boy - 6/10
>Bastion by Phil Tucker - 6/10
>Mother of Learning Act I - 5/10
>I Shall Seal The Heavens by Er Gen - 5/10
>Reverend Insanity by Gu Zhen Ren - 5/10
>Beware of Chicken (Non-Edited for Release) by Casualfarmer – 5/10
>Soulhome by Sarah Lin - 5/10
>Soulship by Nathan Thompson - 4/10
>Azarinth Healer #1 by Rhaegar - 3/10
>He Who Fights Monsters by Shirtaloon - 3/10 (Dropped at 60%)
>Beware of Chicken (Edited for Release) by Casualfarmer - 3/10
>Reincarnation: Threads by Michael Head - 3/10
>Last Ship in Suzhou by Lungs - Dropped
>Defiance of the Fall by J.F. Brink - Dropped

>>21677083
>removed heaven's laws from your list
:-(

i wonder why newfags keep replying or making posts about me, cant you see that i will never be bothered or even waste my time to reply to u? are you fragile to the point of getting infuriated after seing my post?

go read a book boomer, if possible a long one, wandering inn is a really long book you know :)

>>21677083
i had fun reading azarinth healer and will read the rest

one thing that was fucking retarded to me was how Ilea refused to become a fighter IRL bc she didnt want to get fucked when she was older with a broken body but decided to fight monsters and people where she could die just because? like?? she would rather have a boring life than try it harder to become a fighter,

we need more scifi book, contemporary too often is written for women...

>>21677088
I knew I was missing one.

Previous Scores:
>Lord of the Mysteries by Cuttlefish – 9/10
>Dungeon Crawler Carl Series by Matt Dinniman - 9/10
>Cradle Series by Will Wight - 8/10 (Dropped a full point value, he's not sticking the landing)
>Ave Xia Rem Y by Mat Haz - 8/10
>Forge of Destiny by Yrsillar - 7/10
>A Thousand Li by Tao Wong - 7/10
>Retribution Engine by Akaso - 6/10
>Wandering Inn by Pirateaba - 6/10
>Virtuous Sons by Ya Boy - 6/10
>Bastion by Phil Tucker - 6/10
>Heaven's Laws by Apollos Thorne - 6/10
>Mother of Learning Act I - 5/10
>I Shall Seal The Heavens by Er Gen - 5/10
>Reverend Insanity by Gu Zhen Ren - 5/10
>Beware of Chicken (Non-Edited for Release) by Casualfarmer – 5/10
>Soulhome by Sarah Lin - 5/10
>Soulship by Nathan Thompson - 4/10
>Azarinth Healer #1 by Rhaegar - 3/10
>Beware of Chicken (Edited for Release) by Casualfarmer - 3/10
>Reincarnation: Threads by Michael Head - 3/10
>He Who Fights Monsters by Shirtaloon - Dropped
>Last Ship in Suzhou by Lungs - Dropped
>Defiance of the Fall by J.F. Brink - Dropped

>>21676770
No, the current pope is an apostate and a heretic and is not a Roman Catholic at all.

>>21677207
That's the joke

>>21677207
>the current

>>21677049
>>21677054
>>21677083
>>21677117
your """reviews""" are SHIT
FUCK OFF

>>21677117
I wish someone would review and read my book...

>>21677083
>He's moved onto Iron Prince
Well good luck with that book. You know how Bastion felt like two books? Iron Prince feels like half of one, despite being approximately the same size. It's not the worst sort of book like it I've read, the characters are decent enough for me to at the very least remember the broad strokes of the main cast (which doesn't happen with some stories I've read, I'll completely forget the entire cast except maybe the protagonist sometimes), but it's just... Nothing. Nothing happens.
A tentative pair of recommendations I'd throw your way that fall under LitRPG stuff are Infinite Realms and Path of Ascension. The former is kind of autistically system-focused, but it's clear the author has passion for making the world work with that in mind, though characterisation is kind of a crapshoot for a lot of people. Path of Ascension, meanwhile, just has a really intriguing world. Main cast is just kind of "good enough", but I appreciate the sheer scale of the setting and how miniscule the protagonists are in comparison versus what they COULD be.

>>21677293
Iron Prince author also lectures people personally on why not liking and following current politics is objectively wrong and bad.

>>21677296
I often don't give a fuck about the authors for these sorts of things. Will Wight is about the only one I've found myself interested in outside of just the books written, and even then just because he writes some interesting stuff on his blog now and then but nothing super fascinating.

>>21677290
Link it, coward.

>>21677284
Based, thanks man.

>>21677300
I only noticed it because he had a meltdown in a public sphere. Like yeah everybody has opinions just keep them to yourself.

Infinite Realm author also has a series involving space and mecha, one of the few stories I've come across with mecha.

>>21677311
I've actually never touched any of IR's author's other stuff. Seems to have a lot of shit going on, but I'm not so sure I'd be interested. Maybe I'll give it a look some day.

>>21677319
I've been casually following him for years actually and never got into IR until last year. He has a 'multiverse' (because who doesn't anymore?) but it seems loosely connected so far, at least with what I've read so far, revolving around Order and Chaos. He has:

>Universe on Fire
Humans go into space and get cockblocked by aliens so they develop their tech to a point where they make a portal to another Earth that has fantastical races and more importantly, magic, so they create magitech spacecraft and mecha and shit to get past the alien quarantine, and shenanigans ensue.
>Tower of Power
litRPG where people climb a tower, which is actually a test by this multiverse dude that shows up (basically this author's Hoid) to test and train people to fight the multiversal threat.
>Rise of the Empire
12 book space opera I know nothing about
>Eternal Path
2 book (so far) cultivation series I know nothing about

>>21677331
I mean loosely connected multiverses aren't really that bad, so long as the connections aren't really more than cameos or something, I think. It's why I think Will Wight's one works, because while there are connections that are fairly explicit especially in Elder Empire, nothing's really needed to understand them as they are.
That all said I might give Ivan Kal's other stuff a go some day. The main problem I have with him is I don't particularly enjoy his actual writing in and of itself. His character work and worldbuilding is solid, the story telling seems... Good per-book, but rickety on a series-wide basis, but again, basing that solely on Infinite Realm, maybe it's better in his other stuff.

>>21671562
I'd like to include a race of shapeshifters in my setting. What existing fantasy works handle the concept best, and what would you recommend that I take from them?

>>21677349
Yeah the most you see is that multiverse dude pop up sometimes but the two I've followed are rather standalone.
And yes I agree that his writing is very amateurish and does not improve too much. It may be the genre too. Universe on Fire is like hard sci-fi autistic gun barrel lengths and mecha designs, a shade higher than what IR goes into. Just feels different. At least the guy writes a lot.

>>21676740
A song of ice and fire

>>21675197
My autism couldn't let it go

>Turns your favorite sci-fi book into a 20 minute reddit video essay

>>21677306
It's not fantasy or science fiction.

How's this, chartfag? Critique my work.

>>21677460
Then wtf is it and why are you here?

>>21677464
My fantasy story isn't done yet. I'm here to get ideas and see what people read in the most popular genre for men.

>>21677464
>(Average out)

>Iron Prince worth a read
lol

>>21677464
Okay. I now know that you have shit tastes.
>mush face cat first spot
>a fucking chink shill shit and wandering shit even on the chart
>iron prince worth a read
>a bunch of chink shits worth a read
>the stuff that actually (at least at first) had a story to tell is in the trash
Go neck yourself and read your machine translated chink webnovels. You already shown what you like.

>>21677471
>I'm here to get ideas and see what people read in the most popular genre for men.
So you want to create uncreative npcslop?

>>21677471
Write to market authors are the worst. Just follow what Logan Jacobs, Eric Vall, and their posse write and copy them. You will fight right in with the shit authors.

>>21677501
>>21677511
My book o wrote that's very non market didn't get a single eye on it. So I'll write to market, get my name out there, then afterwards write things I want to sell less popular genres.

>>21677476
Higher than a 5 so far. That's better than any other litrpg I've touched. Does it get worse?

>>21677471
Post your ideas and I'll judge them harshly.

>>21677498
>mush face cat first spot
You don't like Princess Donut? She's a great character.

>a bunch of chink shits worth a read
I am pretty certain all my 'worth a read' authors are westerners attempting cultivation, but I don't know for certain.

>the stuff that actually (at least at first) had a story to tell is in the trash
Ahhhh. Are you the Defiance of the Fall guy that I upset or the 'He Who Fights' guy?

>>21676964
Nah, I'm not caught up, getting close to the end of V8 but I've been spoiled on some minor things.
Yeah, I really don't see the Tyrion thing lasting (as much as I'd like it to) but it could be a fun thing for a bit.
Also, forgot about Lyonette-Pawn, or anything with antinium really (related: her apperance at the ball with Ilvriss in Oteslia got me SWEATING, thought for a second after that that she was gonna go full NTR with Cire too)

>>21677530
>Post your ideas
NTA but that’s a pointless exercise. “Ideas” don’t make a good story, execution does.

I hate barnes and noble so much, but there aren't any other book stores in my city. I get that the cover is new, but what brainless sodomite put Dune in the new section?

>>21677020
That's not Bakker that's a J.G. Keely review.

>>21677552
they think its based on the 2021 movie.

>>21677530
Idea 1
>A serial killer tries to find God in a dystopian cyberpunk future where degeneracy is the norm
Idea 2
>A girl tries to figure out why she keeps looping back in time, only to discover it's her own father doing it. In order to fix the timeline she'll have to destroy her dad's reason he keeps going back in time: his desire to go back to the most happiest time in his life.
Idea 3
>A Knight tries to stop her brother from trying to ignite a war that'll have the world reject the current worship of a God to one that her brother worships.

>>21677530
Iron Prince is like if the author watched a few shounen anime and wrote a book about it. Like other anon said, it's half a book.
Every character is a caricature. It ends exactly as you'd expect: MC beats the bad bully! and yes it gets worse because it turns out MC's best femfriend was dating the bad bully but they're both like totally embarrassed over it

>>21677530
>hhhh. Are you the Defiance of the Fall guy that I upset or the 'He Who Fights' guy?
No. Both of those series turn to shit later on, but they started "okay". I know for a fact they started better than Wandering Innkeeper shit.

>>21676682
>uhhhh I don't actually know or can prove from the text what Severian was LYING about but thankfully i can repost this RETARDED grasping at straws midwits over at r/genewolfe came up with
Do you actually understand what the word "lying" means, or...

>>21677560
You can't pull any of those ideas off. It's going to end up as a regular genre fic where you follow the hero's journey

>>21676317
Lords of Dyscrasia

>>21677464
Here's a critique:
Why do you have LitRPG and Cultivation at the bottom rather than the too?

Do you really need both the titles and parentheses?

"literally nothing fucking else" is only out of what you read. There's 14, not 20 on the list.

The Kindle unlimited cover is just sloppy as is the books exceeding their boundaries, especially at the lower right.

(Average Out) and image name is bad in general.

I'll let others who know better complain about the particularities of the typesetting.

>>21677464
There we go...

>>21677561
Shame, I thought his worldbuilding so far was engaging. They hinted at something like your spoiler occurring at the start of the book too. Would be retarded for them to go down that same thread again after making a joke out of it.

>>21677567
Its about how the system is represented in the genre, not how good the books start. Wandering Inn has the best litRPG system out of the ones listed.

>>21677635
Noted, appreciate it. I'll likely remake it all together, just wanted a proof of concept to stir the pot.

>>21677520
That isn't how it works. The most likely response is that your readership doesn't follow you to the a second book in a series, let alone to a less popular genre. Writing to market is almost always advised against.

>>21677560
I've read a few of the first one. There was one short fiction that I especially liked, but I can't look it up right now.

I've seen the second before, but I didn't read it.

I've read similar to the third before, possibly exactly.

>>21677652
I'll have to rethink my marketing then.

>>21677677
I'm sure all three ideas have been done before. But it'll still be a fun story to write. Doesn't matter.

>>21677648
>Wandering Inn has the best litRPG system out of the ones listed.
>system
what the actual fuck? Are you one of those worldbuilding faggets? Like the map faggets of old? The system doesn't matter, it's the fucking story and plot that matters. Wandering Shit has a shit plot and terrible characters, and the main error is that the inn doesn't actually wander. You would have have though after the pacifist innkeeper that gets people killed "leveled up" the inn by repairing it, it would have started to wander, or "come to life" no such thing. Series is shit and you once again proved you have shit tastes.

>>21677755
I don't read web serials, but from what I understand, in this case the story and plot don't matter anywhere as much as indulging in the system. The narrative is just a delivery method for the system.

>>21677718
Sure, I was just wondering whether you based on something you already read or not.

Is there a law that states all anthology books must be fucking garbage? I have never EVER read an anthology novel that had a single worthwhile story in it justifying its presence on my bookshelf. I have been burned so many times and yet I continually fall for it, I really have to control myself and make sure I never buy that kind of shit again.

>>21677702
If you're doing selfpub, then writing to whatever is popular at moment may work better if you can just churn it out and then move on from moment to moment of having a slurry of fads.

>>21677781
Due to your non-standard usage of words it's unclear what you mean. Do you mean a collection of works by a single author that were originally serialized in magazines which are then compiled into a single book as separate stories?

>>21677648
Iron Prince is just... It's weird to say much about. It sort of feels like if Cradle book 1 was stretched out to 800 pages and had no concept of pacing. Iron Prince, like Unsouled, has the protagonist having the promise of future growth, but he spends the majority of the book on the backfoot, only really outdoing people with trickery or surprises, even the major climactic fight is mostly won due to a surprise the opponent was unaware could even be a thing. Unsouled, however, barely makes any actual changes to Lindon's power and ability, it instead shows what he's already capable of and shows what somebody can REALLY do at the top level. Iron Prince shows the latter to a lesser degree with the tournament shown in the prologue, but Rei himself spends the entire book just being "kind of a decent fighter" but he's held back by his condition. When that's fixed, he's stiill bottom of the barrel because now he's got not-RPG stuff (I still dunno if I'd consider it to be LitRPG personally) to handle, and his are at the lowest possible. He spends the entire book growing and improving, and that's it. There's no real adventure, no real stakes, he meets some new friends and makes some waves but it feels like, if you're gonna set up the idea of "Hey there's a big intergalactic war against ever-adapting aliens" as a big impetus for your setting and then spend 800+ pages futzing about in a school where those aliens never actually practically matter, it feels off. Iron Prince feels like it's a book half-filled with promises but very little pay-off to make it itself worthwhile. Bastion was kind of similar, but Bastion at least had resolutions and changes and stuff, even if it's mostly setting up the actual adventure to start in book 2. Warformed book 2 doesn't really fill me with any hope it might do something else besides futz about school again. Honestly the coolest part about Iron Prince is it using the real-life but incredibly rare illness as the main character's condition, it's neat to see.

>>21677777
Nope. Just read a few PKD short stories and watched some 00's psycho horror anime. And Lain.

>>21677859
Magitech Hogwarts!
>>21677909
>a few PKD short stories
Which ones?

>>21677081
Thank u fren

>>21677912
God it really is just a magic academy story isn't it. That just makes it worse because those at least usually have some sort of... Adventure or something happening to disrupt the year. Iron Prince just has... A normal school life, functionally.

>>21677927
It's like the dormitory and classroom scenes from HP, and that's it.

>people are now realizing that academy books are utter shit trash

>>21677942
>extra four words
More like anon was realizing it was an academy book.

>>21675172
>>21675354
>always wanted to get into it
>get this as a gift
>"These stories are presented in a way never before been published in the United States-in the order the author intended, and with his preferred text"
Should I be concerned that they "modernized" it, or am I just being paranoid?

>>21677912
Stability, minority report, hanging man, foster, and roog

>>21677805
Anthology books are books containing multiple stories around a similar theme, which may be written by the same author or by a number of different authors. They are not necessarily a compendium of an author's works; an omnibus of Lovecraft or Sherlock Holmes is not the same sort of thing as a fix-up containing a bunch of works by authors like Clarke, Asimov, Ellison, Heinlein, and Anderson.

>>21677972
All that means is the stories are in chronological order, BUT Moorcock is lying through his fucking TEETH about this is how he intended the stories to be read. The earlier Elric stories are soooo much better than the later stories. My advice would be to read the stories in PUBLISHED order.

>>21678009
Anthologies may or may not be themed, but in practical publishing terms they are a curated compilation by an editor. A reprint anthology is one that only has previously published works. An original anthology is one that has new works solicited by the editor. This differs from a magazine by not being subscription based.

A collection is a compilation of works by a single author. They may be previously published or new. Sometimes the stories are presented as being linked together, though still separate. This is prominent in Sword and Sorcery. A fix-up is combining multiple stories that may or may not be related into a single story, which may require some rewriting.

>>21678055
This also differs from a mosiac novel where the author intends from the beginning to write a single work that contains several different perspectives that may not overlap much but occur in the same setting.

>>21677755
System is important. People who read litRPG are gamers. It's not just about escaping to a fantasy world, but about playing a fantasy game. A litRPG lets them ponder how they would build a character, how they would spend their points, what classes they would take, etc. Theorycrafting.

It's not more important than plot or character or story, but it is a factor. People read stuff like 'delve' just for the system, and that story is fucking terrible beyond measure.

>>21678108
>System is important. People who read litRPG are gamers.
I'm a litrpg fagget, and I'm not a gamer, nor do I care about theory crafter. I just want a nice story and with a solid plot. The system doesn't define the fucking book, the character does and what he uses his abilities to do. The best litrpgs are the ones where someone takes a perceived useless talent / ability, and does wonders with it because they think outside the box. The isekai ones with a passable book smart person using their knowledge of science to nudge the magic.

>>21677972
>Forward by Keel Gayman
IS there a fantasy sci fi where this faggot does not write a forward? Jesus christ I am mad. Release the R A Lafferty collection gayman

>>21678276
If just having a name increases sales, why wouldn't they do it?

>tfw will never write a book forwarded by chads like lovecraft or howard
why live

>>21678276
It's spelt, "kneel"

>>21678326
>by chads like lovecraft or howard
>lovecraft or howard
>chads
>a wimpy faggot who is afraid of asians and sealife and a homoerotic faggot who likes strong men

>>21678303
because fuck him and fuck modern shitty paperback soulless revisionist writing. I only buy first edition hardcovers of rare fantasy and scifi
Yes it's me, the Gene Wolfe bookshelf fag

>>21678345
armani?

>>21678335
They're both chads, deal with it chud.

>>21678234
>what he uses his abilities to do. The best litrpgs are the ones where someone takes a perceived useless talent / ability, and does wonders with it because they think outside the box.
That's the system. You can't think outside the box without a box

>>21678326
>>21678358
are these AI caricatures? Cause Those tossers looked nothing like that.

>>21678408
No non autistic person thinks of the fucking system. You autists only like it because it quantifies (or tries to) everything down to numbers (stats). You chuds are sad sacks.

>>21678345
No, you're the elephant hide fag which you keep trying to obfuscate and ignore
Faggot

>>21678524
That's actually someone else. Elephant hide fag wishes he was me

>>21678494
he cute

Why so many good fantasy books have romance filler? I'm not interested in drama and definitely not interested in alien fuckers

>>21678582
Read better non modern fantasy. Stuff that's actually good

Which fantasy series best captures the feeling of playing a low level character in Vanilla WoW, venturing with friends through Elwyn Forest, Westfall and Duskwood?

>>21678605
Unironically WoT

Where should I start with the Vorkosigan books? How are the books, I hear the character are good. I am a bit tired of ideas heavy sci fi with weak characters. I basically want the opposite of Greg Egan

>>21678730
Why not read YA SF then?
Why wouldn't you read a long running series in publication order?

3/5
Very good regression novel but subpar action novel. The first half of the novel (~200 chapters) is all about business and it goes very deep in the whole /biz/ thing, making companies, stocks manipulation and taking advantage of real life events to make money and gain influence. The second half is a mediocre action story with tons of useless characters taking the spot of the protagonist who constantly fucks off for several chapters. The author also simply fucking skips big important fights like it's nothing, it's insanely frustrating.
If you're into /biz/, the first half is honestly very good, just skip the rest.

>>21678730
For myself, I was recommended The Warrior's Apprentice, which I finished and then didn't want to read anymore because it was so bad.

>>21678822
your """reviews""" are SHIT
FUCK OFF

>>21676317
Book of the New Sun was talked about earlier in the thread, and whilst everyone and their mother likes to talk about his obvious Berserk-esque imagery, I always felt like he took a ton of inspiration from the BotNS books in his lore and delivery. Obviously in Dark Souls, Elden Ring, it's game-ified so you can slay the evil string-pulling alien or whatever, which is the biggest difference. Then comes the fact that BotNS isn't really fantasy at all.

>>21678834
*for some reason I omitted Miyazaki's name when typing this

>>21677081
le morte is better than once and future king, why would you both reading what is essentially an inferior copy?

>halfway through this
>MC gets cucked
>MC gets his master killed
>MC accidentally gets his friend killed by letting her eat random mushrooms in the wild
When does this get good? It looks like MC's about to get cucked again by not-Griffith.

https://faustusnotes.com/2021/08/13/re-reading-the-mists-of-avalon-in-light-of-marion-zimmer-bradleys-fall-from-grace/
wtf is this book actually B&RP?

>>21678870
What's up with modern fantasy and cuckery?

>>21678887
People write what they know

hard sci-fi is an extremely pointless genre
It's like a longform r/showerthoughts

>>21678828
Hey, don't be so promiscuous. You need to loyally hate a few at most, not everyone. Don't debase yourself like this.

>>21678822
>regression novel
Accidently told the truth

>>21678870
>this is an epic, EPIC fantasy
yuge red flag

>>21678870
>>21678887
One of the MC's in pic related has him getting cucked in his backstory by his ex-wife, but years later she ends up getting enslaved by not-Mongols and he ends up with a younger and more attractive wife. Based Gemmell knew how to deal with whores.

>>21678935
Dammit

>>21678887
Can't be. Name 3 fantasy books published after 2010 that involved cuckery. Please.

>>21678979
Even Brandon Sanderson has written cuckoldry!

>>21678968
>>21678935
just started reading Legends. Any book I should stop at?

>>21678997
Waylander 3 is pretty bad IMO. And Swords of Night and Day is kinda ho hum overall. Winter Warriors feels almost like a copy of Quest for Lost Heroes, but not as good (and the black protag feels really forced; especially with his ridiculous backstory). I wouldn't say there's any particular book you should stop at though. If you want to know how Waylander's story ends after reading his first two books then you should read his third book. If you want to know how the Drenai saga ultimately ends you need to read Swords.

>>21678997
I agree with
>>21679048
the books are mostly standalone, some are better than others, but if you like his style of writing I’d also recommend the Rigante saga.

>>21679089
>>21679048
great thanks

>>21679089
The Jerusalem Man novels have become my favorite Gemmell books over the years. It's like he read The Dark Tower, thought it was crap, and decided to write his own version.

>>21679125
Based.

>>21678834

LOTM Book 2 in two weeks
No female protagonist please

>>21679125
>It's like he read The Dark Tower, thought it was crap, and decided to write his own version.
lol based I'll have to read that
is it a good entry for David Gemmell or should I reach his Legend series first

>>21679240
>written by a fat catholic
so you're saying it's better, in other words

Whenever someone brings up Book of the Reddit Soi I instantly picture a fat neckbeard in ahegao tshirt furiously typing away about the only fantasy book he ever read inbetween Switch sessions

>>21671752
>How did you feel about the Ryoka chapters in this volume?
>They were among my favourites, probably because she was kinda filling the role of Erin, but the amount of people saying that they absolutely hated her chapters has been kinda jarring.
>Sure, they were a bit too self-indulging, but I don't think that's enough reason to completely disregard her POV.

TWI shill here, returning from a major break from sffg.

Ryoka was genuinely horrible in V8. It felt like Pirateaba had no idea what to do with her character arc, so we got her looping into what she'd done before. More of Ryoka being a mess, flanderized to the extreme. She's not the only character that got flanderized, but her entire time at Aliendamus was hard to get through. Not that the story was necessarily horrible, but her character was. The scene where she discussed 'ethics' of eating people with Lucifen was particularly offensive as Ryoka, the only main character that's actually supposed to think about things, was unable to provide any argument and instead listened like a toddler. Fuck that noise.

The Tyrion thing was an entire shitfest on its own. Bending to the fanbase in the worst way possible and 'de-aging' Tyrion was just laughable, how is that supposed to help about age difference? Their 'will-they-won't-they' got old fast, especially considering the role Tyrion played earlier in the story. Ryoka went from a character with a strong moral backbone into a wet noodle that suddenly didn't care about evil nobles abusing their powers.

I'm the main TWI shill, but trust me guys, I could rant about Volume 8 an entire day without stoping.
Not that I don't love the story, but Pirateaba proved that they are unable to handle a story this big and readers need to adapt their expectations to what we're getting.

>>21679240
Do you not have something better to do with your day

>>21679280
It shitposts across multiple boards. Ritualposters are literally psychotic. Don't give it attention.

>>21676908
>wall-to-wall rape

>>21679259
It’s very different from his other work, and also there’s two books in the same continuity that take place long before the John Shannow books. But I’m pretty sure you can just start with the first John Shannow book.

>>21679259
Yea it's a good entry since it's only 3 books.

>>21679301
>It’s very different from his other work
Only in that it's post-apoc. All of his writing trademarks are still present.
>and also there’s two books in the same continuity that take place long before the John Shannow books. But I’m pretty sure you can just start with the first John Shannow book.
You don't have to read those at all to understand what's happening in this series.

>>21677464
4/10 for graphic design

-background is distracting
-lit and cult are the most important headers but they're at the very bottom and are relatively difficult to read
-worth a read is split into two boxes because...?
-trash is an icon because...?

>>21678499
>No non autistic person thinks of the fucking system.
We're talking about litRPG fans. Maybe this isn't the genre for you if you dislike its only unique selling point so much.

>>21679262
>so you're saying it's better, in other words

>>21671562
Swords were considered a side-arm in medieval warfare. Single handed swords might be kept in your belt as a backup, but would never be used as a primary weapon in a large battle. Larger weapons like the pike or the zweihänder were more useful in that setting.

Why is the fantasy genre so full of retards?

>>21679348
Because most fantasy heroes aren't in battle all the time
Do you think you'd be carrying a pike or zweihander if you're raiding a tomb or going out to drink in a tavern you retard?

>>21679282
Says the pseud who thinks wolfe is the greatest author of the 20th century
off yourself

>>21679358
literally nobody ever said that you mouthbreathing faggot

>>21679366
Wolfefags have said that multiple times
No, Wolfefag, your mid rate fat author is not better than proust or nabokov you pseud faggot

>>21679369
>le....le boogeyman! i have to ritually shitpost to fight le boogeyman! they are everywhere! AIEEEEEE SAVE ME
goddman you are so fucking pathetic it's unreal
if anyone should be offing themselves, it's you

>>21679372
Why are wolfefags so dishonest?

>>21679382

>>21679382
That is from 2 months ago. 2 FUCKING months. You let this shit live rent fucking free, you saved it on your PC, you meltdown CONSTANTLY in threads. Please, consider self reflection, and either get help or take the top of your head off with a shotgun. You are mentally unwell.

>>21679385
>>21679390
Wolefags are zoomers who have never read anything but fantashit and read one fantasy novel slightly better than the rest and immediatly name it the greatest book of the twentieth century
Self indulgent, pseudo intellectual zoomers, the same kind of swine who think Blood Meridian is the deepest book ever written. Scum

>>21679395
>malding so badly he misspells wolfefags
absolutely FUMING

>>21679395
If you didn't repeatedly compare Wolfe, a slightly better than average genre fiction writer with authors like Borges and Nabokov I wouldn't care
But you do
Because you have never read anything but fantashit
Because you are a closeminded tranny zoomer

>>21679395
>and either get help or take the top of your head off with a shotgun.
last (you)

>>21679398

desu nabokov mid frfr no cap

>>21679408
btw i'm also trans, if that matters

wolfchads

>>21679416
>>21679411
>>21679408
Samefag

>>21679272
I am 6'2, white, handsome, and wealthy. And have read all this and more. Checkmate atheist

>>21679427
You're a retard who spent 300 dollars on a book because you thought it was bound in elephant skin
You fucking retard

>>21679427
pretty jealous of that collection actually

>>21679434
again. I am not that guy. But I have spent over $300 on many books because I am retarded

>>21679454
yes you are
and you keep denying it
which is pretty pathetic

>>21679354
Don't bite the bait

>>21679427
I feel this collection is missing Fritz Leiber, unless I missed it.

>>21679573
Are there old hardcovers? I thought there were only basic Leiber softcovers

>>21677364
Mistborn has Kandra that work pretty well. Most other cases I see make shapeshifting seem pretty simple unless it's a specific kind of shit. Freeform shapeshifting is pretty cool.

> Favorite punk or punk derivatives?
> Cyberpunk
> Steampunk
> Clockpunk
> Dieselpunk
> Decopunk
> Atompunk
> Steelpunk

I am partial to Dieselpunk myself.

On a lot of days no one is applying to join the Goodreads group, but then there are days like today where there are several joining at the same time. How mysterious. The rejection rate has gone up substantially since I added a join question, which is fine by me. It's amazing how many who apply leave it blank or put random silliness in there thinking I won't reject. 5 today, though 4 rejected. Of course they can reapply at any time without any problem. I find it rather amusing really, especially when I reject those who put joke sites and answers. I could just accept everyone unconditionally, but nah.

>>21679853
Shut up, punk.

Anyone here a fantasy writer? Got any tips on magic systems?

>>21679869
>>>/wg/

>>21679869
Why do you all want to do magic systems now? Fucking video games and anime ruined fantasy.

>>21679869
>>>/wg/

>>21679853
neoprenepunk

>>21679125
Any other weird westerns people can recommend?

>>21679853
Atompunk is my favourite aesthetic for music and settings, but don't know many books like that. I tried to read Against the Day which is steampunk but didn't get as into it.

>>21675361
Okay, here's what I've come up with so far.

For Order magic, I'm thinking that it work within/along with natural orders. For example, when healing with Order magic is done, the body is being reverted/rebuilt in such a way to try and match it to the original blueprint, so to speak.

Chaos magic would do the opposite, outright breaking or twisting these natural laws into pretzels. For instance, when healing with Chaos, it might work by causing flesh to regrow and ship randomly to repair the damage, or augment the existint biology so that the same kind of injury won't cause as much damage next time.

What do you think? Also, besides maybe Chaos being better at doing things that blatantly defy physics (say, holding a castle in the air indefinitely), what are some specialties or types of magic that Order could be better at than Chaos, or vice versa?

>>21680214
Chaos magic shouldn’t heal. Order magic shouldn’t be destructive, but could still be useful in combat by creating something, like creating a magic sword. I think of it along the lines of chaos magic taking something that exists and breaking it in some way, and order magic taking something broken and fixing it or creating something out of nothing.

>>21680214
This is bad and dumb because you don't have any operational basis for this. If you want to be entirely arbitrary there's no need for any real system and you can call them whatever.

>>21680214
Bujold uses a similar concept in her Chalion series.
In order to become a sorcerer, someone needs to be possessed by a Demon. Demons are Chaotic in nature, so they can perform things that reduce physical order very easily, for example they can cause iron to rust easily, but to un-rust it is extremely hard. This is referred to as "Uphill" magic when they increase order, and "downhill" magic when they reduce it. Demons who do too much uphill magic must release their excess chaos by doing downhill magic until they reach equilibrium, which Desdemona does by exploding fleas, rats, mice, and seagulls.

>>21676263
>i can fix him :)

>>21680222
>Chaos magic shouldn’t heal.
Chaos is also an aspect of nature and creation, seems dumb that it can't heal.
>Order magic shouldn’t be destructive
The forces of the Singularity of Moorcock's Law could tho.

And the Lion said: come and see, I have brought Hell here. Every day I will bring Hell to the strong-girded men who you send me, and when I stack their corpses high enough, I will climb your walls and bring Hell inside.

Based

>>21676317
Just read the King

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70d7Cu5sUE0

Chaos Chads can't stop winning

>>21679279
Is the first book rewritten yet?

How is the Old Man's War series? Does it have a good overarching story or its more episodic?

>>21680561
>How is the Old Man's War series?
Try reading it. Or look up reviews on goodreads.

>>21680560
>Is the first book rewritten yet?
Supposedly yes, the author took last week to finish up the last changes cooked with the editor. The book should be available soon. Probably will be around a month, but then that depends what the author wants to do. If Pirateaba wants physical release it might take longer before it's available online. I don't think that will be the case, though.

A month at best is my realistic expectations. 2-3 months if the author chooses Kickstarter route, it's been popular lately.

>>21680561
It's a series where it's best to only read the first book. It's somewhere between an arc and episodic. It's strange. The first book has a self-contained story though.

Has anyone ever written a book about a giant underground terrarium?
Planning to combine my love of bunkers with my love of claustrophobia, and want to make sure Im being original.

>>21680583
You got the wrong general. The writing general is where you should go. >>21679266

>>21680594
The question references something that could be classified as science fiction so this seems to be an equally proper place to ask such a question.

>>21680602
Yeah, but nobody cares about your dumb writing, so go to the general who’s entire purpose is to help people write.

>>21680602
Then enjoy not getting any answers then.

Anyone read this? Just started it today. Seems pretty neat so far. It has a cute necromancer girl

>>21680264
Is sorcery the only kind of magic? And how much power does a demon hold over its host?

>>21680222
Didn’t they say that neither Order or Chaos is 100% good or evil?

>>21680230
Moorcock has been mentioned repeatedly, and he had examples of good Chaos and Evil Order in his settings. And what’s wrong with reaching similar results by different methods?

>>21680479
Yeah, what you said. What can you tell us about the Singularity? How did they use Order destructively?

New thread
>>21680675