Books Fantasy Reads

WI_Red said:
I’m sure my answer will elicit groans, but if you’re going the audiobook route then nothing beats Dungeon Crawler Carl. If profane and bloody is not in your wheelhouse then I would avoid.

Lies of Locke Lamora (book 1 of Gentlemaen Bastards series) is fantastic and is a great audiobook. Warning though that it is unfinished and the author has severe anxiety and has not released a book in years.
Click to expand...
He's making progress though - he did release a short story at the end of last year I think and is promising some more while he returns to action.
 
The Cat said:
He's making progress though - he did release a short story at the end of last year I think and is promising some more while he returns to action.
Click to expand...
That’s great to hear. Lies might be my favorite book of all time (ironically its closest competition is NoTW).
 
WI_Red said:
That’s great to hear. Lies might be my favorite book of all time (ironically its closest competition is NoTW).
Click to expand...
It's in two parts in Grimdark magazine nos 40 and 41. I was able to get it on Amazon Kindle when I had a free trial but not able to save it.

It's a good read though I bet you would enjoy it.

Actually pm sent soon.
 
Swedish_Plumber said:
Hey folks. We’ve been listening to the Harry Potter books on audible over the last few months and just finished it this evening. Any recommendations for a new series?

We’re both kinda looking to go in blind for our next series/novel so ideally want something that hooks quick! Also, not a massive reader but this has become a nice wee thing we do before bed (when we’re not shagging like rabbits haha amirite) Thanks!
Click to expand...
If you are looking for books similar to HP, then:

1. Chronicles of the Fid: Brilliant superhero/villain fantasy. So fun, top notch characters and a story that keeps you engrossed and smiling all through.

2. Immortal Great Souls by Phil Tucker - University in hell. Literally. Dark, gritty and absolutely captivating book. Unique setting and magic, superb characters and plot that sucks you in.

3. Mage Errant by John Bierce - fun underdog training type setting with probably one of the most unique magic systems, I've come across. Loveable protagonist, interesting plot and overall well written.

4. Black Magician by Trudi Canavan - Female Protagonist, very light romance, but a kick-ass story. Get a bit gritty but taut plot and good writing makes this super. Romance is very light it's negligible despite being a plot mechanic.

5. Book of Ancestors by Mark Lawrence - kick ass female protagonist. A nun who's so badass. Violent, dark and gritty. Love this.

6 & 7 - Villains Code by Drew Hayes - young wannabe society rejects who want to be super villains. Superhero fantasy, but very fun read with enjoyable characters. Super Powereds is another book by same author. Some college teen romance, but done in a way that's to rather than distract from the plot.

8. Will of the Many by James Islington - I'm to read this next, so last in the list. So.many good reviews.
 
Add Queen of Faces by Petra Lord to that list
 
WI_Red said:
I’m sure my answer will elicit groans, but if you’re going the audiobook route then nothing beats Dungeon Crawler Carl. If profane and bloody is not in your wheelhouse then I would avoid.

Lies of Locke Lamora (book 1 of Gentlemaen Bastards series) is fantastic and is a great audiobook. Warning though that it is unfinished and the author has severe anxiety and has not released a book in years.
Click to expand...

Pseudonymous said:
If you are looking for books similar to HP, then:

1. Chronicles of the Fid: Brilliant superhero/villain fantasy. So fun, top notch characters and a story that keeps you engrossed and smiling all through.

2. Immortal Great Souls by Phil Tucker - University in hell. Literally. Dark, gritty and absolutely captivating book. Unique setting and magic, superb characters and plot that sucks you in.

3. Mage Errant by John Bierce - fun underdog training type setting with probably one of the most unique magic systems, I've come across. Loveable protagonist, interesting plot and overall well written.

4. Black Magician by Trudi Canavan - Female Protagonist, very light romance, but a kick-ass story. Get a bit gritty but taut plot and good writing makes this super. Romance is very light it's negligible despite being a plot mechanic.

5. Book of Ancestors by Mark Lawrence - kick ass female protagonist. A nun who's so badass. Violent, dark and gritty. Love this.

6 & 7 - Villains Code by Drew Hayes - young wannabe society rejects who want to be super villains. Superhero fantasy, but very fun read with enjoyable characters. Super Powereds is another book by same author. Some college teen romance, but done in a way that's to rather than distract from the plot.

8. Will of the Many by James Islington - I'm to read this next, so last in the list. So.many good reviews.
Click to expand...
Wow thanks guys! Will have a look into these! I’ve been recommended red rising and the first law series’ by friends. Any thoughts?
 
going to point out every cent spent on HP is a cent being spent towards the erasure of transgender rights

just so you know
 
giorno said:
going to point out every cent spent on HP is a cent being spent towards the erasure of transgender rights

just so you know
Click to expand...
I mean, it’s not every cent, just a portion of whatever JKR’s royalty percentage is.

She’s still an awful bigot in any case.
 
WI_Red said:
I mean, it’s not every cent, just a portion of whatever JKR’s royalty percentage is.

She’s still an awful bigot in any case.
Click to expand...
Every time you spend money on HP you're giving her money
 
giorno said:
Every time you spend money on HP you're giving her money
Click to expand...
You said “every cent you spend is a cent…” that is literally not true, which was what I was pointing out.

I don”t begrudge people finding so joy in life, even if it is joy provided by bad people. Besides, I am assuming you support Real Madrid, whose shirt sponsor is owned by a government that has a record of anti LGBTQ laws and policies. So couldn’t an argument be made that elevating your club provides more exposure and revenue to an oppressive government?
 
WI_Red said:
You said “every cent you spend is a cent…” that is literally not true, which was what I was pointing out.

I don”t begrudge people finding so joy in life, even if it is joy provided by bad people. Besides, I am assuming you support Real Madrid, whose shirt sponsor is owned by a government that has a record of anti LGBTQ laws and policies. So couldn’t an argument be made that elevating your club provides more exposure and revenue to an oppressive government?
Click to expand...
It does. So? That isn't defensible either

Why do you want to give money to someone you know will use that money to hurt people?
 
The abominable author aside, I think HP books are just bloody awfully written. If it didn't have the advantage of being an early title in the genre and having blown up in popularity for some reason, it'd be a dime-a-dozen slop story. The magic system is nonsense, the setting is weak and has more holes than swiss cheese, the story is full of nonsense and contradictions, a ton of characters are just plain bad.

Even if one doesn't find it in themselves to boycott the story for the author, the story in itself isn't worth supporting either.
 
Last edited:
giorno said:
It does. So? That isn't defensible either

Why do you want to give money to someone you know will use that money to hurt people?
Click to expand...
Listen, you came into a books thread pretty sanctimoniously while making a wildly exaggerated claim to boot.

As for "giving money to someone who will use it to hurt people," I'd challenge you to find a single form of entertainment or escapism in modern life that doesn't, in some indirect way, funnel money to people or institutions doing awful things.

Football clubs? Many are owned by, sponsored by, or commercially tied to governments, billionaires, or corporations with deeply questionable records. Movies and TV? Same. Books? Publishers and media companies routinely platform people whose views many find reprehensible. It goes on and on.

If your position is that any indirect financial benefit makes participation morally unacceptable, then consistency would require giving up far more than Harry Potter.
 
WI_Red said:
Listen, you came into a books thread pretty sanctimoniously while making a wildly exaggerated claim to boot.
Click to expand...
I pointed out that spending money on the HP IP is giving money to its author, who brags about using her wealth to hurt and disenfranchise a minority group

You're the only one being sanctimonious here
WI_Red said:
As for "giving money to someone who will use it to hurt people," I'd challenge you to find a single form of entertainment or escapism in modern life that doesn't, in some indirect way, funnel money to people or institutions doing awful things.
Click to expand...
Case in point. First of all, there are plenty of ethical, indipendent publishers out there. Second, so? I'm not telling people how to spend their money. I'm making people aware of what spending money on this particular IP means

We all spend money getting funneled to terrible people doing terrible things. In this specific instance we know exactly who the terrible person is and what kind of terrible thing she will do with that money
WI_Red said:
Football clubs? Many are owned by, sponsored by, or commercially tied to governments, billionaires, or corporations with deeply questionable records. Movies and TV? Same. Books? Publishers and media companies routinely platform people whose views many find reprehensible. It goes on and on.
Click to expand...
Yeah and? That makes it ok?
WI_Red said:
If your position is that any indirect financial benefit makes participation morally unacceptable, then consistency would require giving up far more than Harry Potter.
Click to expand...
My position is money spent on HP directly funds anti-trans lobbying she is rather successfully using to eradicate trans rights in at least the UK. Make of that information what you will
 
giorno said:
I pointed out that spending money on the HP IP is giving money to its author, who brags about using her wealth to hurt and disenfranchise a minority group

You're the only one being sanctimonious here

Case in point. First of all, there are plenty of ethical, indipendent publishers out there. Second, so? I'm not telling people how to spend their money. I'm making people aware of what spending money on this particular IP means

We all spend money getting funneled to terrible people doing terrible things. In this specific instance we know exactly who the terrible person is and what kind of terrible thing she will do with that money

Yeah and? That makes it ok?

My position is money spent on HP directly funds anti-trans lobbying she is rather successfully using to eradicate trans rights in at least the UK. Make of that information what you will
Click to expand...
I think we're talking past each other. My point was never that Rowling's views don't matter or that people shouldn't think about where their money goes.

My point was that someone was sharing their excitement about discovering a book series, and the response was to jump in with an exaggerated statement about how their enjoyment was directly contributing to harm. There are ways to have that conversation without turning someone's harmless enjoyment into a moral indictment.

People can decide where they draw their own lines, but my criticism was about the approach and the framing, not about pretending Rowling's actions don't exist.
 
WI_Red said:
My point was that someone was sharing their excitement about discovering a book series, and the response was to jump in with an exaggerated statement about how their enjoyment was directly contributing to harm. There are ways to have that conversation without turning someone's harmless enjoyment into a moral indictment.
Click to expand...
You keep saying exaggerated as if it matters. She makes money off of it. Everything associated with the HP IP pays her

I made that post specifically to bring awareness to it, in case the poster in question, or other posters, didn't know. What they do with that information is up to them
 
I've read a great, great deal of fantasy and I can still say that reading HP for the first time was a wonderful experience all those years ago.

Think it's way too cool to hate on it tbh. It's not high literature by any means, but what it does it does really well.

Not everyone is going to get through Malazan.
 
Swedish_Plumber said:
Wow thanks guys! Will have a look into these! I’ve been recommended red rising and the first law series’ by friends. Any thoughts?
Click to expand...

Red Rising is good stuff. It might be my favorite book series, it got me back into reading years ago. I think the first book is good, but it is a bit Hunger Games ish. It is short enough to push through if it's not your style. After that it becomes a whole different beast.

First 3 books are a trilogy written in the POV of the MC, books 4-6 (or 7, once it's out) are multiple POV. It took a little time to adjust for me since I was so used to the MC and wanted more of the same but once I got sucked back into that world again I couldn't put the books down.
 
Have been on a xianxia/cultivation binge recently. Having read all I Eat Tomatoes and most of Er Gen books, decided to explore this genre more.

Martial Peak - Typical xianxia progression.Translation is decent, entertaining - 6/10

Library of Heavens Path - New plot dynamic which is done very well. Ending felt a bit rushed, but overall a very good read - 7/10

A Record of Mortal's Journey to Immortality - Very very good series. Rather than the OP heroes er see often, this is a protagonist who tries very hard to stay under the radar. Good translation and brilliant read - 8/10

Cultivation Chat Group - Phenommenal. Super funny, yet has a credible plot. Author's ability to string torger outrageously silly events into a coherant plot makes this a page turner. If you liked A Will Eternal, this is as good if not better. I'm still halfway through, so praying it ends well. 9/10 for now.
 
I really loved the Chronicles of the Raven and Legends of the Raven series' by Charles Barkley
 
You must log in or register to reply here.