hey anyone got sci-fi/fantasy short story anthology recommendations? I picked up Sci-Fi Hall of Fame Vol. 1 to get a good smattering of the major writers up to the '60s.

>>23324544
I have a Writers of the Future comp at home that I've read one story from and it was pretty good. If you find WOTF Vol 1 it has short sci-fi/fantasy stories from upcoming writers from the 80s

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Been a minute since I shared, but for anyone interested the first 2 chapters are available free here: https://mansworldmag.online/improvidence-exclusive-extract/

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Apologies for posting this again, but god fucking damn I entered this website from the last thread and I can't get out of it. As someone who enjoyed consuming anything Forgotten Realms back in the day (like 15 years ago), I happen to have read some of the books that this dude autistically reviews and the last 2 hours going through these pages have been nothing less than a time machine for me. I almost want to commit again into reading setting-dedicated fantasy series (but then I remember how awful some of those books actually are). Does anyone know similar blogs/review sites? Maybe for other settings too, like Warhammer perhaps.

https://letsreadtsr.com

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The Anubis Gates, #1 - Tim Powers (1983)

Brendan Doyle is a scholar of literary criticism. He's greatly struggling, so when an offer of $20,000 comes from an eccentric for him to give a lecture about a well-known literary figure he readily agrees. His current research is about a barely known poet and it's driving him mad. The eccentric has developed time travel and wants to take his wealthy patrons back in time to listen to the literary figure in person. Doyle is to serve as an expert authority, basically as a bonus to the actual event. It all goes well until Doyle ends up stuck in the past without any means of survival. The first half of the book is mostly Doyle drifting around in despair, incompetency, and misery. However, there's also a considerable amount of humor. Most of it didn't work for me, but there were a few times where I chuckled. The second half is very different. Time travel is far from the only thing that occurs, as much magic and supernatural phenomenon become involved. Doyle becomes only one of several perspectives, though he's still the primary one. He also becomes less useless.

Although this is the first novel I've read by Powers, I know that he usually does secret history narratives and that's what this is. Various historical figures are mentioned and a few are characters. Why and how some historical events proceeded are given explanations that differ from the official records. There's a lot that's done with this that would be of significant interest and enjoyment for the relevant reader, though in this case I'm not one of them. There are various types of time travel stories. This is one without any paradoxes and where everything is fully resolved by the end. The time travel may be the easiest part to follow relative to what else happens. This isn't a difficult story to follow what's happening, though you may want to keep the changing circumstances and names of some characters in mind.

This is the first book of this current whim of having others determine a book I'll read after they've won a game of luck. If it were otherwise I probably wouldn't have finished this. It's not bad, or uninteresting, poorly written, or disagreeable. However, there's just something about how it's written that didn't work well for me, which is almost certainly a personal problem. I wasn't engaged and I only liked reading about a single character, Captain Jack. This is the kind of book where I can completely understand why others would think it's wonderful and would recommend those who are interested in it to try it for themselves. The first half wasn't to my preferences in terms of how the protagonist should be. It's realistic and understandable, too much so for me in this case. I've read some short fiction from Powers before and found some to be enjoyable, so I know he can write stories that I like. However, I don't think I'll be reading another novel of his unless I have an external reason to do so.

Rating: 2.5/5 (3)

>>23324711
The autism is what interests you about it? As in, if they were much shorter they wouldn't be worth reading, or is it the stuff that writes about that has nothing to do with the books but he includes anyway? Is that part of the autism?

>>23324743
My interest was caused by a combination of:
a) dude clearly put effort into this (he went through an entire catalogue worth of books)
b) the reviews are actually well-written and insightful
c) I have a love-hate relationship with the content he engages with

>friends hyping up 3 body problem (before show came out)
>read it
>full of exposition dumps and shit prose
why do people like this

>>23324787
Because people go years without reading a single book, so the first one they pick up after the lull seems great and revolutionary.

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Just started reading Hyperion, got the omnibus which combines the first 2 books.

I'm still early in the book, but it's very exciting. I regret not reading it sooner.

>>23324825
i just finished hyperion/fall. breddy gud

>>23324862
i will say though the way fall of hyperion leaves off, it seems like anything after it will be shit

I just finished The House on the Borderland. It felt a bit uneven and dull for the most part, but that might be just me not really getting along with Hodgson's writing; the timelapse sequence was really cool although a bit long and I swear I've read a similar thing somewhere else, I just can't remember where. Was it Lovecraft? It must have been Lovecraft. Everything post-timelapse was creepy as hell. Poor Pepper and Tip and second dog. They deserved better.

>>23324894
And a thing I forgot. What were the pig people and what did they want?

>>23324778
a) Effort, yes, entire catalogue, not at all, as he explicitly says.
b) They look like full spoiler book summaries where he goes through what happened in the book and how he felt about that. What insight?
c) Ok

>>23324961
The entire Forgotten Realms catalogue of TSR pre-WOTC acquisition, maybe bar one or two books? Why are you arguing with me over these, did I trigger you by dropping the a-word

Give me good sword and sorcery short stories written within the last decade.

>>23322755

I've not heard about that with this series, and it's not mentioned in the wiki. Care to elaborate?

My initial query, for others' reference: >>23322732
"Can anyone here recommend any book/series where power is associated with philosophical or ideological leanings or beliefs, and the more you either buy into the power-broker (whether it's a God or an organization) or individually draw on the power, the more you're likely to succumb to or be amenable to these beliefs/leanings?

I know there are xianxia out there but I am not reading terribly-written or -translated garbage. I am currently reading a Western xianxia web-novel that follows these ideas, but would like something more professionally-produced."

Any books in which guilds have a prominent role rather than just being in the background?

>>23325023
>>23325008
no

yeah righto dickhead

>>23325023
Does the Tarot Club in Lord of the Mysteries count?

read some short stories about gil the arm, a character from ringworld which I haven't read yet. it was my first time reading niven and I'm not a big fan of his writing style or worldbuilding. in one of them there is a tranny and niven lets you know that gil wouldn't mind fucking it. I know surgical transplantation has been perfected in gil's universe but come on now. now I'm not sure if I should bother with ringworld

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>>23324724
Tim Powers is great, highly recommend On Stranger Tides to anyone with taste enough not to be a retarded namefag.

>>23325008
Coincidentally I'm looking for some good non-sword and sorcery short stories.

People are always talking about sword and sorcery but never axe and thaumaturgy

>>23324544
Dangerous Visions 1 2 and 3
>>23324724
your """reviews""" are SHIT. fuck off

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What do you guys think of Brandon Sanderson as a person?

What do you thing of "hooded protagonist enters a tavern where a bunch of runts are causing a scene" as the intro for the mc? Too overused?

>>23325534
pretty chill dude. Super hard working. Gotta give props for that

>>23325339
Declare is the best Tim Powers novel I've read so far, and On Stranger Tides is the second best. The Stress of Her Regard was the only Powers book I didn't really care for.

I want a fantasy book thats just about adventuring, delving dungeons, battling monsters, working together or alone. I'm tired of chosen one plots or academys or politics or any of that boring shit. Just give me a party going on an adventure.

>>23324711
This would be more interesting if the guy didn't seem like such a fag.

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>>23325571
Sword & Sorcery is the sub-genre you are looking for. Conan, Elric of Melnibone, Fafhrd & Grey Mouser, Karl Edward Wagners Kane novels, stuff like that. The genre was born in the pulp magazine era, so they cut all the fat and focus mostly on the action. When worldbuilding is done, it is mercifully short and never completely fucks the pacing to a slog like modern fantasy. Royalty and their bickering is not the focus at all, they usually only function as givers of quests or as something for the protagonist(s) to disembowel.

>>23325534
Fatty boombaty

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>>23324486
>I know i should tell a story with one point of view.
>But like...uhhh
>I know i know haha
>But like uhhh...im not gonna hahaha
>So you have to enjoy my four perspective'd story or you're a pleb haha

>>23325780
it works if its a story with multiple interesting thread occuring at different places

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>>23326106
Whatever you say ADHD-anon.

>>23326165
The threads have to relate, obviously. I am annoyed when the threads have fuck all to do with each other only to converge at the end like "haha see look! it was all connected!"

My most recent example of multiple pov adding to a work is iron gold. You had three books worth of events spread out over an entire solar system. You need multiple POV to bring that all home in a reasonably sized book without it being contrived.

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>>23324486
Read Journey To The West

>>23325600
Does he have a Youtube or something

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>>23326500
Let's not.

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>>23326524
Not sure. He just writes like a fag, and focuses on fag shit. For instance, all of his reviews include note of whether or not the book passes the bechdel test. He also frequently uses the term "on-screen" which I find annoying, but that is more of a nit pick. I admire the autism, but the reviews themselves are basically what you'd expect to find on goodreads.

>last
Most of the Horror's Call series still. My favorites have been the self-titled entry Horror's Call and Call of the Arcade.
>current
I am now reading Kabbalah of the Crocodile which is supposed to be the huge maymay. I'm a few chapters in and it's hilarious with a jew protag screaming OY VEY every other minute, eating a non-kosher hot dog because he was too hungry, having a dream about an evil dreidel, etc., etc. I can only imagine how deep into /x/ it will go and I will be disappointed if it holds back.
>>23324724
This entered my radar a long fucking time ago but I heard that the conclusion was weak so I didn't read it. I believe it was spoiled but it has been so long that I don't remember details.
>>23324787
Because it's popular. Good unpopular scifi goes ignored.

Reading The Dark Forest

Did Luo Ji’s girlfriend just get him to cuck her with a tulpa?

>>23326628
The Anubis Gates is good. It is one of the author's earlier novels and you can tell he's still finding his footing as a writer, but it's still an enjoyable experience.

I'm visiting a friend in New York City this weekend. Anyone have any recommendations for used book stores?

>>23326528
Holy fucking sauce?

The ending to Ringworld pained me greatly now I will read the sequel

>>23324961
Often there are details about the circumstances surrounding a publication, ranging from political maneuvering taking place within the publishing company to the selection of cover art

>>23326535
His critique of the characters, themes, and writing is actually quite solid on most reviews from what I can see

>>23326524
He looks exactly like what you'd expect
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kensgTagK-Y

What's the best harem story?

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What should I read first, The Dying Earth or the Book of the New Sun

>>23327968
Why not just read this then?
Slaying the Dragon: A Secret History of Dungeons and Dragons
It's about the history of TSR. There are various other sources as well if that's what interests you more than the books.

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I've read everything on this series so far, but I think I'm done with Sanderson. The characters, especially Shallan and Wit, really annoyed me, and the book was filled with excessive details that seemed unnecessary. The dialogue often felt overly simplistic, akin to a Disney movie. Moreover, the cultures in the book were intentionally designed to be whimsical, which struck me as unrealistic and detracted from the story’s believability. While the initial concept had potential, the overall execution fell short. In the end, it felt just slightly better than what you might find on Wattpad.
I wish he kept working on Elantris. It had almost the same problems, but the characters weren't as awful.

>>23328291
The sequel to Elantris will be released eventually according to his current schedule. I forget how many years though. You'd have to look.

>>23328281
Didn't know about it. Thanks

>>23328321
I guess you didn't see the write-up I did of it some time ago.

>>23328394
I don't usually hang in /sffg/ (or any general thread, for that matter). Feel free to direct me to any content if it won't be a bother

>>23328165
Clark Ashton Smith's Zothique stories then Dying Earth then Book of the New Sun.

>>23325571
See >>23325571

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>>23328294
>The sequel to Elantris will be released eventually
LOL
Didn't he report no movement on Elantris/Warbreaker yet again this past year?

>>23328523
https://warosu.org/lit/thread/22847939#p22848264

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>>23328540
Yeah meh I don't care. He took too long to complete the Cosmere and I've lost interest.
>Elantris all the way back to the end of the decade and still no Warbreaker
A joke. I brought Cosmere to /sffg/ and I wish I could take it away.

>>23328566
No matter how many times you that, it doesn't make it true.

>>23328523
>Rithamist, Warbreaker and Elantris sequels all put on hold so he can write YA non cosmere books
I dropped Sanderson years ago when he didn't kill Shallan in Oathbringer, and I am not reading anything of his other than Mistorn New Era books.

>>23325571
I want to read this, but with sex. The group goes on adventures to earn money so that they can hang out in brothels and taverns until they run out of money. Then they go on more adventures to earn more money.

>>23325547
Anything that starts with action instead of exposition puts you above 99% of web novels and like 80% of published modern novels.

>>23328626
I'm pretty sure that's literally the plot of Ishuzoku Reviewers

>>23326535
Modern western fantasy reads like they took the pic you posted to heart. I hate it. Everything is about women all the time. Cheap laughs at the expense of male characters while the useless female side characters are somehow all perfect. All the authors constantly tiptoe around sexual violence (towards women) but have no problem describing massacres.
I read one story where the protagonist magically makes a clone of himself, but the clone ends up being a woman. The protagonist was all flustered and the clone immediately acted like your cliche female side character.
Just remembering this stuff makes me annoyed. If you're going to put massacres into your story sexual violence shouldn't matter. It doesn't need to be described, but unnaturally tiptoeing around it sucks.

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>>23326535
>reviewer shits on Fritz Leiber
Thanks for letting me know this blog is absolute trash that's not worth looking at.

>>23324711
and fuck you for recommending it.

>>23326535
>gender essentialism is bad because... it just le is chud
I hate these religious people that don't acknowledge their convictions are based in religiosity.

A man should quest for honor. If a woman is with him, she should be there to support him, and he should be there to support her as much as he can while not swaying from his duty.
The modern narrative convention of the strong woman who needs no man is foolish. What is strong about he or she who cannot say, "I need you?"

Nothing. Those people are pathetic.
Even a toddler, whose grasp on language is an instinctual survival method rather than any sort of proper intelligence, can grasp the importance of asking for help when the task is above him.

>>23328658
>I read one story where the protagonist magically makes a clone of himself, but the clone ends up being a woman
Did they bang

>>23328875
>>23328658
MY OWN CLONE
Now neither of us will be virgins!

>>23328876
The Man Who Folded Himself

>>23325562
Declare hit so many of my interests it was a huge delight. Love On Stranger Tides too. Read Last Call a few years ago in a day or two then took like three months to get through the sequel.

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Any recommendations for books built around the theme of "Gaining Knowledge"?

Don't care if it's fantasy "Wizard growing in power" or sci-fi "Man replacing his body with computers to become smarter"

>>23328931
diamond dogs by reynolds
it's part of a duology with turquoise days but you don't need to read that one

Any recommendations for books where the MC is corrupted?

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It’s been over a year since I read a book /sffg/ can you guys help me get back into it? How’s Soldier of the Mist stake up to Book of the New Sun and the Wizard Knight? I loved both and I figure another good Gene Wolfe fantasy style novel would jumpstart me reading again.

Or should I just go full normie and read Maas?

>>23328979
Maas is straight white woman romantasy smut. That's an odd choice you've presented.

>>23325534
so cripplingly autistic that he admits he can't and is unable to feel basic human emotion., actively profits from the widespread decline of literacy and educates others on how to contribute and profit from the same.

a wholly evil man

>>23328962
Why is it in the twoology then?

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>>23328996
she's an absolute MOMMY

>>23328996
It’s a joke. But honestly it can’t be too much worse than some of the other shlock I suffered through- Name of the Wind, Prince of Thorns, 16 ways to defend a walled city, Kings of the Wyld, Red Shirts, ect.

On a serious note, I do generally like Wolfe’s writing and the concept for the book- Ancient Greek soldier suffers from amnesia but gains the ability to talk to spirits and the gods- seems great. But I’ve never heard it mentioned like some of this other books. I was also considering Blood Meridian but I keep seeing people call it “subversive” when talking about how good it is and these days “subversive” is basically a red flag to me.

>>23329058
When's the last time you read a book that was written by a woman for women? I don't think you can really compare that so easily with books with books written by men for men. It's entirely different sort of thing.

>>23329058
Rothfuss is self-insert trash for young boys, it is absolutely terrible, but if you can turn your brain all the way off you can maybe enjoy it to some degree. Maas is solely written for women to get off to, it isn't just normie fantasy like Rothfuss or Lawrence.

Latro is excellent and you already seem interested, why bother waiting for someone else to validate your interest? If you start reading it and decide you don't like it would that really be so terrible? Blood Meridian is one of the best novels of the 20th century, I wouldn't call it subversive, or at least, not in the modern Rian Johnson context of the word.

Coiling Dragon may be shit BUT an earth mage with a stonecarving hobby is neat and it's inspiring me to write my novel about renaissance artisan-assassins.

>>23328875
>>23328876
Not initially and I stopped reading soon after that.

>we're telling children stories now so that some guys can score a chick
Severian likes to try our patience.

Can ya'll give me a good fantasy revenge story where the mc gets revenge and lives a good life after?

>>23329260
this is every chinese novel for women

>>23328931
Blood Crest by Cauchy

I'm starting to think the nogod series isn't coming out, bakker bros.

>>23329347
I got too many gay vibes from that

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>>23328931
Lord of the Mysteries

Can this zesty nigga write?

>>23329434
I meant Evan Winter, from Rage of Dragons.

>>23329458
he cute

>>23329015
As much as I hate her stuff, I'd absolutely rail her

>>23324544
Night Shift by Stephen King
you might be wondering "wtf", but it actually is mostly (like substantially more than half) sci-fi or dystopian stories, some that are King's finest work.
Would also recommend The Best of Philip K Dick.
Another personal favorite of mine is Daughter of Regals by Stephen R Donaldson. You may consider picking up Reave the Just after that, but it's not as good.

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I'm just here to brag that I own one of the 1000 books of pic related. They won't be making these anymore. It's nicely made, and the only legal way to get some of Gene Wolfe's best short stories.

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>he prevented a war before it even happened by crippling an entire sphere of the society in one move, thereby ensuring the war effort could remain focused and wouldnt evolve into a bloodier conflict before the republic was ready to move in and finish the job
>he's a danger to humanity, he has to die
Lysander's stupidity is going to grate on me in dark age, isnt it...

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>leave Sauron to me

>>23329652
Very nice. Post a pic?

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>>23326202
An interlude or two is fine but if you have to split a prolonged story with separate points of view You basically should just write them in separate books.

It is so much more edifying for the reader when there is a consistent narrative and resolution from that point of view regardless of things outside of their immediate perspective that might might directly impact them.
>webm related

>>23329795
I disagree, example
>>23326202

The story is too wide for one point of view, it literally requires the expanded context.

>>23329801
wrong link, sorry
>>23329662

>>23325780
>I'm only one person, how do you expect me to self-insert as several people?
>I'm only able to understand my own point of view and refuse that multiple perspectives exist
>Reading more than one point of view in first person present tense doesn't work well and that's what I have to read
>Real life is one point of view so it's too unrealistic to be more than one
>It's extremely difficult for an author to write a single interesting pov, let alone several
>It kills the momentum, requires twice as much remembering, and you can't have two chosen one farm boys, it doesn't work like that.

>>23329858
this is why niggers and women need representation
if {medium} doesn't represent them entirely they can't relate

vtuber talks about Brandon Sanderson
https://youtu.be/bKhdD5pS7oo

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I like the three body problem

>>23329888
Most of us did, anon.

>>23329896
I hope not, it's hot garbage

>>23329916
"Like" is not a measure of quality
"Hot garbage" is not a measure of enjoymemt

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>>23329916
Can confirm.

>>23329930
Neither of these statements contradict that post.

>>23329951
Yes they do. Anon said he liked it, a measure of enjoyment. Ths other anon replied with a measure of qualitt of the work. Insinuating that one must mot enjoy things of low quality.

>>23329953
Actually the reply was aimed at the comment suggesting most of us liked it. The reply isn't saying that it's impossible to enjoy something of low quality, but rather that he hopes most of us didn't enjoy it, because it's bad and that would suggest a commonality of poor taste. The fact it's possible for an individual to enjoy something that isn't very good is largely irrelevant to the point of the reply.

i concede

I won't let you
square up for round 2

No, NO LISTEN, FUCK! That anon was insinuating that the quality of a work is causal to the level of enjoyment readers recieve from it. This is nonsense.

>>23330001
The anon was insinuating that a mass enjoyment of low quality work reflects poorly upon the community as a whole. That isn't nonsense.

>>23330051
He insinuated no such thing. All he said was "i hope not" it couod mean any number of things.

>>23330076
In that context what else could "I hope not" mean? I think that's the most natural interpretation. It's at least less of a stretch than "I hope no one liked it, because it's not possible to like something that's bad."

>>23330084
>because it's not possible to like something that's bad
thats literally what he fucking meant though

>>23330090
Says who?

>>23330091
me retard i literally just told you

>>23330141
>me retard
You can say that again.

>>23330143
hurr durr wheres your point? no argument?
fine, i accept your concession

>>23329680
good boi

>>23328764
Fritz Leiber WAS a talentless hack

wow, you guys are retarded

>>23330251
Post your bookshelf

the anon from last thread who warned me about the latest first law trilogy it seems like you may be right. I've been trying to push through but I give absolutely no fucks about these new characters, dont know why the author moved on from all the plot lines and characters he got you hyped about in the first 6 books

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Read Tenebroum

>>23330141
>me retard
self own

looking to read something cold? can someone recommend me

>>23330452
Maybe try putting a book in the freezer for a couple of hours before reading it. Getting the cover damp first might help too, but not too much or the pages will start to stick.

>>23330452
The Wendigo

Are there any science fiction influenced by the Roman Empire? Or no?

>>23324486
>Start Way of Kings
>mentions of slop being fed to Kaladin
>can't stop thinking how often "slop" is used in todays parlance
>ruined the book for me

it is slop isn't it?

>>23330538
Warhammer 40K

>>23330538
star wars prequels

>>23330541
Alas, another victim of 4chan brainrot.

>>23330541
be grateful you didnt get invested in the characters before having the book ruined for you.

>>23330566
on that note, which 40k books are actually worth reading

>>23324711
Watched the first 5 min of his YouTube interview and he seems like an unbearably arrogant asshole.

Calling D&D books trashy in the title was a giveaway that he's an embodiment of the ugly "everything is terrible" millennialism. Everything is snark or half committed from him. If you love slop them love it whole heartedly, not with mealy mouthed apologia/a security blanket of insincerity.

>>23330675
But they ARE trashy. You can acknowledge it and enjoy them at the same time

>>23330672
I've seen incredibly detailed guide charts for Horus Heresy, but surprisingly not a beginner's chart for W30K/W40K. We should nudge the /tg/ autists about it, gets asked a lot

>>23330672
the recommendations here are good enough: https://40kfans.com/the-beginners-guide-to-warhammer-40k-books-where-to-start-and-what-to-read/

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>>23329652
Just here to brag

Anything that looks on the grand scheme of things and not just on a few characters? In fact, it would be even better if no characters were focused on. Something where the main focus is on the world and its events.
An example:
>x invaded place y
>place y defended for 30 days
>some of the notable characters include human 1, orc 1, elf 1, etc.
And human 1 is mentioned sparingly throughout the text, like you really have to remember to know who this guy is.

>>23330726
huh? just read history thats what youre asking for

>>23330736
this. history >>>>> fantasy, anyway

>>23330661
well that and I noticed he has "merch" for his books. I can't take this seriously. I'm an adult. I pay taxes

>>23330736
But history doesn't have magic :(
Had a blast reading Empires of the Sea recently though.

>>23325547
I'm more of a "bright and optimistic protag wanders into a happening and jobs the happeners" guy myself

>>23329662
oh buddy
lysander’s retard keikaku hasn’t even BEGUN by the end of dark age
Atlas is the real hero of the series btw

>>23330751
history doesn't have magic, but that very factual and dry chronology of events you seem to desire doesn't exactly make great use of the wondrousness of magic. excitement-wise i don't see much of a difference between reading "King Karl II. used the fire trebuchets and set the enemy castle on fire" and "Arch Wizard Thnargleforp cast meteorite and set the enemy castle on fire"

>>23329865
I'm gonna act lie you're not being a shithead and instead didn't consider this fully: in the same way a person can learn and feel represented by reading about another person, some situations only arise when there is an in-group/out-group dynamic: woman/women among non-woman/women or vice versa, racial/ethnic outgroup among racial/ethnic ingroup or vice versa.

If media is most admirable and commendable when its actually relatable, then acting like the above is completely unworthy of talking about considering is retarded.

>>23330766
>King Karl II. used the fire trebuchets and set the enemy castle on fire
>Arch Wizard Thnargleforp cast meteorite and set the enemy castle on fire
I am sorry, but the latter just sounds so much cooler.

>>23330751
Just go here >>23275199 and ask if anyone would be willing to share their project notes with you.

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>>23330785
No thanks. Appreciate the suggestion though.

>>23330726
The history-oriented A Song of Ice and Fire books are basically like this. I don't mean the main series.

>>23330761
atlas is so based
>when he off handedly tells the obsidians to grab the camera and sodomise someone to death
bakker took over for that scene

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>>23330832
This one?

>>23330842
>someone
come on anon that discounts the depth of his plan
he was going to have the primary protagonist raped to death and then send it to his wife (and army)
it’s not just for his personal smut collection, atlas is a man of the people

>>23330859
Don't forget cutting his cock off and making him eat it before having him raped. Atlas truly is a visionary of his art.

>>23328931
Mother of learning? At the risk of revealing too much (which should be difficult since this plot point is revealed in the first few chapters of the series) the central conceit is that there is a time loop. I'm only on Arc 2 but the MC does what pretty much any earnest person does and starts accumulating the one thing that you really get to keep when you die: knowledge.

>>23329383
I've really got to get around to read this. I've read a chapter or two (about as far as when the MC meets those people and they think he's some sort of hidden master/sage or something [so, I guess like chapter 4?]).

Question: Is the entire magic system very creative like how One piece's power system and My Hero Academia's super power system allow for basically anything? If so then I'm definitely gonna knock it up on my reading list because I love that sort of open-ended world

>>23324681
Just read the first chapter, about to start the second. Pretty interesting so far, Mr Herod

>>23330685
It's not that he can't ever call them trashy, I'm pointing out the fact he leads with that branding shows his broader outlook towards media and a framing of himself as superior to the material he reviews. I find that fear of association with your own topic of interest to be offputting

>>23330929
>Mr Herod
No one here would say that. You've responded to your own post.

>>23330905
It's been a while since I read it, but I remember every sequence being very unique. The power system is also humongous, like 200 different sequences and 20+ pathways irrc. Every sequence and pathway has something they're good at and special powers they get every time they advance. If you don't mind being spoiled, look through the wiki. It's very detailed and has all the pathways with their sequences and powers. There are two wikis btw, an outdated and regularly updated one(because of the second book). I am waiting for the second book to finish before reading again. The power system and the world building are top-notch. Too bad that the prose is awful. I would pay for an official translation if I could.

>>23330709
much obliged

>>23330987
you'd read the first 5 books til you get to fulgrim. After that things branch out and theres a lot of filler so you'd read ones that seem interesting to you or are rated highly. Then theres the siege of terra part where you'd just read them in order for the ending of the horus heresy

>>23330736
I think that's exactly what he wants. A book that's written like a history book, but for a fantasy world. Honestly, I see his vision.

>>23330766
>but that very factual and dry chronology of events you seem to desire
Some people have never read a very interesting and life-infused book non-fiction book on history and it shows.

>>23330766
real. I don't know if you're the same anon as >>23330726 but I see the vision and actually want to see what gets recommended.

>>23329015
you know "she's" trans, right?

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I've mistakenly read Reaper's Gale directly after Midnight Tides, bypassing The Bonehunters completely. I am not sure how this happened.

>>23331168
Googled her and the first result was a reddit post saying she is a problematic cis jewish white woman that writes about things she hasn't experienced.

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>>23331231
>is problematic because she hasn't been to Fairy Land

>>23330726
Read splat books and supplements for RPGs. Older editions of D&D, Runequest, etc. were written by history nerds and often read like history books.

Are there any fantasy stories where sexy orc waifus get their pussies plowed by humans?

>>23331275
Your mom's diary should cut it

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>>23331275
Literotica.

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The ending was shit

>>23331284
Literotica?

>>23331288
He shouldn't have locked himself into writing prequels.

>>23331288
Is the Witcher good?

>>23331231
You do know Sarah is trans, right?

>>23331389
Literally no one but you and that other dude who may or may not be you cares.

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>>23324486
So we can shamelessly shill our own stuff here?
https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/85251/demaine

My goal is to write 8 novellas, hopefully i'm able to pick up the pace as I go.

>>23331389
wtf are you even talking about where are you getting this "info" from

>>23331447
What's not to understand from that post? Are you ESL?

>>23331467
>reading comprehension zero
Confirmed ESL.

>>23331467
you're just making stuff up idk why people like you pretend to be retarded for (you)s

>>23331480
>you're just making stuff up
Prove to me Sarah J. Maas is not transgender. You won't because you can't.

>>23331484
Prove that she is. You won't because you can't.

>>23331314
What's not to understand from that post? Are you ESL?

what are your favorite/creative fictional methods of interstellar communication?

>>23331506
not fictional but I love the idea of Wide/Tightbeam communication

>>23331491
Real women can't write a best-selling fantasy series. Simple as.

Any TWI patreon password sharers

>>23324486
it's somewhat surreal to scroll through infinite scifi fantasy book lists on zlib and find all these obscure or lesser known older novels and novel series . there are no reviews or discussions for these stories and they're never mentioned even in places like these. you can only ever go blind with them and there's so many

>>23324486
Does anyone here read Clark Ashton Smith?

>>23331681
He's quite hated on here.

>>23331720
why? It doesn't seem like he did anything worthy of hatred.

>>23330323
Im reading the last trilogy right now and honestly how could you not give a fuck? Every character has so much backstory since you know their parents and the intricate web of alliances and history that takes place between them. The kids are continuing the plots lines that you've been prepared for. The characters you already know have somewhat of a role. People like Finree are complete badasses now.
The only thing I dislike is that the Gurkish are suddenly not a threat anymore and that, if you paid attention, certain plotlines and fights seem rather... useless and artifical?

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Books with this vibe?

>>23331725
Don't listen to him. People here like the Zothique cycle but usually don't have much to say about Smith beyond that.

>>23331759
ah, ok, I just got into reading his works and liked them.

>>23331752
Lord of the Mysteries prequel when

>>23331379
Overall I liked it. Just felt the ending was shit

The 1st book is sorta dull; but then it picks up

>>23331681
Hyperborea is great if you're a fan of S&S and Zothique is a wonderful choice if you like Dying Earth type stuff like The Book of the Sun.

>>23331669
Yes, there are tons of self-published works. It's collected in great batches daily from Kindle Unlimited. There are sites that put out a lot daily because of this.

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>>23331379
Drop the series when Ciri is introduced. She is the equivalent of Poochy from the moment she is first mentioned and it only gets worse from there.

>>23331781
1st book of the main story I mean. The actual first two books are the short stories which are enjoyable

>>23331796
Kek

>>23331774
read his Averoigne stories

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>>23330726
This reminds me I was thinking recently it would be fun to have a fantasy work/novel in the style of a history of the world in 100 objects. Although I have no idea how you could make it compelling narratively instead of merely wordbuilding wank

>>23331832
nta, I've read at least a few works of short fiction that do this. There are tons of ideas that don't work at novel length yet most won't read anything shorter than that.

>This study is so deep, Father…

>>23328931
>sci-fi "Man replacing his body with computers to become smarter"
This has never been the focus of a book and I'm not sure why you think is has been

>>23331860
Such as?

>>2333188
knowledge such as this is not for eyes such as your own

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looking for some good fun action/adventure sci-fi stuff from the late 70's - early 90's that are an easy read, mass market paperback type stuff, anything you guys can suggest?

>>23331496
I don't know what literotica is.
I'm sure it's some sort of commonly thrown around slang here, but it means nothing to me.

>>23331916
it's a website.

>>23331860
Okay well if you'd like to drop a title I'd be interested to know more

>>23331908
dumarest is foundational imo

>>23331889
>>23331924
I've read literally thousands of short fiction stories. I didn't make any notes for almost any of them other than having a list of what I've read. There aren't any names that come to mind. I just know that I've read both SF and F stories like that. As in each part of the story revolved around some object and its significance. I'm almost certain I've also read a series of stories by the same author that does that. Personally I'm indifferent to the concept so it's not something I'd particularly remember either. Maybe I'll remember something or not after I look through my list later.

>>23331238
I saw a fairy when I was in my early to mid twenties. They weren't human sized though, they were like 10 inches tall. (which isn't to say they couldn't grow in size at will, which I feel is plausible)

>>23330726
The Grand History of the Realms
https://wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Grand_History_of_the_Realms

>>23332043
The majority of Icelanders believe in fairies and think they've saw one.

>>23331908
Poul Anderson
Jack Vance

>>23329887
But what is Shioris opinion on him

>>23332112
https://warosu.org/vt/thread/55490944#p55502322

>>23324486
https://desuarchive.org/_/search/text/sffg/

>>23332074
That's only since you visited

>>23331916
Why make two clueless posts about it instead of just typing it into google once?

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>>23331275
This is complete slop and I would never recommend it to anyone, but it's also pretty much exactly what you asked for.

>>23332335
>This is complete slop and I would never recommend it to anyone, but...
hello, based department?

>>23332335
>When someone asks for self-insert fantasy and they get it both literally and figuratively in the plot.

Serious question: has anyone even found a contemporary fantasy novel or series that is actually good, comfy, original, etc? The closest thing I've been able to find is Tad Williams's new series Last King of Osten Ard (flaws and all) but he's a pretty old school fantasy dude and it's also a sequel to a well established series.

Anyways, is there something out there? I know most of us almost exclusively read pre-00s fantasy but just curious if someone has found a diamond in the rough

>>23332659
bakker is king

>>23331681
its dogshit

>>23332750
Have seen him spammed nonstop so I'm not sure whether it's a meme or if it's truly worth my time

the perfect run is pretty good if you like worm

>>23324486
>>Recommended reading charts (Look here before asking for vague recs)
>https://mega.nz/folder/kj5hWI6J#0cyw0-ZdvZKOJW3fPI6RfQ/folder/guIyhAzS
>>Archive
>https://warosu.org/lit/?task=search2&search_subject=sffg
>>Goodreads
>https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1029811-sffg
This need to change

>>23332829
Agreed. But who is going to change it?

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>setting throws up a technological advancement that would call modern society's norms and standards into question, or permanently solve some pressing problem we face today
>old scifi: "wow that's really cool let's play it out to its logical conclusion"
>nu-sõyfi: "UM ACKSHULLY here's why that's actually problematic and The Current Thing is superior"
I hate this trend so much. Can we light these retards on fire as witches since they want to play medieval stasis with real life?

>>23332864
example

>>23332894
Take your pick. Extended lifespans and/or immortality, mass automation of ordinary work, space colonization, mechanical/electronic augmentation, genetic engineering, basically fucking anything that would require a rework of current priorities and expectations about life. I'm not even touching the actual current political hot button issues like race or AI where science is being held back by retarded opinions.

>>23332907
Not defending the trend, but I think the attitude comes from the fact that all these things are more of a reality than, say, 50 years ago and we can see some effects in real life and it's not all rainbows and roses, so those writers tend to find refuge and comfort in the familiar. Then again, I'm just talking, I don't read sci-fi.

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>>23332659
Walter Moers' Zamonia books. 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear, Rumo, City of Dreaming Books, Alchemasters Apprentice. those are really the "main" ones to read (there's more but for a while his books got worse and only with his recent, not yet translated to English, Island Of A Thousand Lighthouses do I feel he's getting back to form), and aside from Captain Bluebear which was originally released 1999, they're all post 2000.

>>23331752
Any /pol/ thread about COVID from before the script flipped and people realized it was a mild flu.

I have created a general for the discussion of English, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean web/light novels.
>>23332974
>>23332974
>>23332974
Head on over for more information.
If you have any questions, please ask.

>>23332907
example

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>>23332994
People already talk about them here though... If you want to start making a general you should at least compile all the news, information and links too

>>23333084
wip
Already making a rec list. What news and information do you mean?

>>23332659
>>23332926
I'll second City of Dreaming Books, with the caveat that it's written for kids

>>23324787
>>23324825
>>23324862
>>23325008
>>23326500
>>23326764
>>23328165
>>23328979
>>23329888
>>23330987
>>23331389
>>23332335
>>23333072
Great post anons, very original but just started three body problem and i'm wondering when does it gets good? are the witcher books any good? Only played Witcher 3 and the netflix's series. Just started Eye of the World when does WoT gets good?? Any books like dark souls/berserk/Bloodborne??? Any books like FF/Dragon Quest/Tales of..??!! Any books with N'Wahs?Kvothe is a cuck, will slob Martin ever finish winds of winter??? Abercrombie is Reddit-tier?? Are the dune sequels worth it or should i stop with god emperor of dunc? Should i read the Hyperion sequel???? Did severian fucked his grandma? Is severian a clone? Any books with chinks? Any books like fallout/metro? Any books where the mc gets cucked? Any books where the mc Doesn't get cucked?? Stormlight book 5 when? Will kaladin fuck the fairy?? is the Eisenhorn trilogy a good place to start with W40k??? Or should i watch 4hours YouTube vid about le EPIC lore??? Any books with young petite women? Any books with old thick women? Any books with MANLY men like David Gemmell? Soulcatcher or Lady who is the better waifu? When does malazan gets good?? I didn't finish highschool so i can´t understand Malazan?!?! Any books with chinks??!! When does ASOIAF gets good?!?!? When does Farseer gets good?? When does lightbringer gets good?? When does codex alera gets good???? When does Lord of The Isles gets good?? Dunsany is king or bakker?? Any books with incest?

>>23333142
>when does lightbringer gets good
dont do this to me, im only just finishing iron gold

>>23333142
>when does ______ gets good
never
your first mistake was reading

>>23330726
read recaps of dark souls lore

>>23333132
I dunno, I'm new to things like web novels, but I figured other people on /lit/ would be too. Maybe just recommendations, where to read or download them, and any news that seems important.
Really, I guess the best sites or up to date download links would help new people most though. Looking into web novels I'd always see people saying there's newer translations, or the formatting seemed really weird, and hosting sites always seemed really shady, and stuff like that.

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Bros... It's time

>>23332926
I love me some Moers. Read Captain Bluebear and really enjoyed it. Have Rumo ready to read and never even crossed my mind to consider it post 2000. Thanks anon.

>>23333137
I don't mind it for the most part if it's well written or at the very least fun. Appreciate seeing Moers get some well deserved love

>>23332754
its worthy for sure, the first trilogy is extremely good. The second trilogy has some of bakkers best and worst qualities.

>>23333368
prepare yourself for peak

>>23333366
links are already there

>>23333366
True! Technology has never been harmful.

>>23333368
right behind you. I just need to finish moving before I have the time for this saga

>>23333597
Meant for >>23332907

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>>23333072
That new story called Frankenstein. Written by another damn woman trying to invade our genre.

>>23333187
>your first mistake was reading
He doesn't even read the posts he's responding to

Anything like Jules Verne but more modern? Low level manly adventures in exotic settings with a flavor of hard sci-fi?

>>23331609
>who is J.K. Rowling
Now you gonna call her trans too?

>>23333663
J.K. Rowling is based.

>>23333604
missing from this comic and your complain is the final part of the formula where its established that the character is wrong in blaming the technology.

oh you want an example? this new book called frankesnstein :)

you have read frankenstein... right?

youre not just going off the pop culture spark notes version which excludes the primeultimate moral exaltion of technological advancement... right????

>>23333613
Which ritualposter are you?

>>23332335
You've done the Lord's work, anon.

So for the apocalypse it makes more sense that the elites would just go off to space colonies and shit with the people required to maintain their lifestyles and technology and leave the earth with whatever tech can be done by hand, since even the people who maintain power plants will be too important to leave behind?

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About to start this. What am I in for?

>>23333368
Enjoy man, book 2 Deadhouse Gates is one of my all time favorite fantasy novels.

>>23331646
destructionMeetHorns

>>23333933
No, space colonies are fiction. It doesn't make sense. No matter how bad it gets, it's be easier to live on Earth than elsewhere.

>>23334110
Godori Ocean's what?
anyway probably a load of rubbish with jarring shoehorned trans nonsense

So Bakker said the No-God is a philosophical zombie.
[ how was Nau-Cauti turned into one. out of all the thousand of people only centuries only his brain worked, why?

>>23334138
No, frontier colonies are fiction. It doesnt make sense. No matter how bad it gets, its be easier to live in civilization than elsewhere.

No, alaskan colonies are fiction. It doesnt make sense. No matter how bad it gets, its be easier to live where its warm than elsewhere.

NO, MOVING OUT OF YOUR PARENTS HOUSE IS FICTION. IT DOESNT MAKE SENSE. NO MATTER HOW BAD IT GETS, ITS BE EASIER TO LIVE IN THEIR BASEMENT THAN ELSEWHERE.

Easy isn't how we decide things, retard.

Are there any good books with a female protagonist? Female author preferred but optional.

>>23328931
The library at mount char

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>>23334131
You're a real one, anon, thanks

>>23334183
if you can stomach YA, "A Deadly Education" by Naomi Novik was OK

>>23334183
Some stuff I remember reading this past year
>Ombria in Shadow (Patricia A. McKillip)
Two female protagonists and one male protagonist
>Travel Light (Naomi Mitchison)
Reads a bit more like a children's tale, in the vein of The Hobbit maybe
>The Golden Key (George MacDonald)
Also has a male protagonist and a creepy baby shows up at one point.

Horror books similar in vibe to modern ARGs?
I love the worldbuilding ofr a lot of these but it really feels like they're constrained by their medium.
I don't care at all about the spooky visuals and jumpscares and VHS effects, but the lore is more often than not very lovely.

Basically i'm looking for horror books about alternate history, paranormal conspiracies or world-shifting creepy events.

Please and thank you.

>>23334165
Let me restate then: Space colonies are a delusional fantasy.

>>23334165
This guy gets it. They were talking about space hotels before Elon completed his first test launch. Elites are stupid as fuck. They'll pay billions for beach side land while claiming that global warming is sinking it all.

>>23334165
We can't even terraform deserts on our own planet.
How are we supposed to terraform SHIT anywhere else?

>>23334207
Is it an Academy Story? I love school stories.
>>23334183
Dunno if you'd like them, but
Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins (it's a series but I didn't bother reading beyond the first, I feel it works best as a self-contained story)
Magical Creatures Academy by Lucia Ashta (it's a series, first three books are with one protag).
Black Magic Academy by E. M. Sorenen

>>23334247
Talk without action to back it up is irrelevant and meaningless.

>>23328931
Seconding
Library at Mount Char and Mother of Learning

Rec'ing
Wizard's Tower 3 by Allanther
The Dao of Magic
Apocalypse Redux by Greif
Sylver Seeker
Blue Core by Inadvisably Compelled
Mark of the Fool by Clark
Paranoid Mage by Inadvisably Compelled

>>23334228
did you read Negative Space by BR Yeager? also "There is no Antimemetics Division"

>>23334228
horror's call series
search the archives and there's a zip of the books
it's as /x/ as it gets

>>23334314
>There is no Antimemetics Division"
Isn't that an SCP article?
>>23334332
Thanks!!

>>23334338
it's SCP but it's a full-length novel, or at least a long novella

>>23333368
Erikson made the his first book the greatest filter. Careful.

>>23330929
I appreciate you checking it out!

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>he pronounces wuxia as wucksa

>>23334908
i ebt you pronoucne it lie wushia

>>23334908
I pronounce it as Chinese slop

Any recomendations of fantasy story that takes place in some weird city? I finished Planescape Torment recently and want something that mostly focused on one city, but not in modern times, already read Perdido Street Station and Viriconium.

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>>23335365
Bastion DOES take place in a weird city, not sure I'd recommend it though. I never bothered to finish the sequel.

>>23334249
we can, and have. wtf are you talking about.

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Grassy Empire Monday edition

>Recommended reading charts (Look here before asking for vague recs)
https://mega.nz/folder/kj5hWI6J#0cyw0-ZdvZKOJW3fPI6RfQ/folder/guIyhAzS
>Archive
https://warosu.org/lit/?task=search2&search_subject=sffg
>Goodreads
https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1029811-sffg

Previous: >>23324486

>>23335672
>>23335672
>>23335672

NEW THREAD IS UP

>>23335661
lol

>>23335681
yeah, fucked that up lol thought I'd hit for new thread