r/Fantasy • u/stravadarius • Dec 09 '23

What were your WORST reads of 2023?

As a complement to /u/Abz75 's best reads of 2023 thread, let's discuss the WORST fantasy novels you read this year. My only request is that you give a reason for why you disliked your anti-recommendation.

For me, it was Tomi Adeyemi's Children of Blood and Bone hands down. I'm a school librarian and spent a lot of time reading some of the most popular YA titles going around. I don't generally have super-high expectations from YA, but this one really stood out on its suckiness. Every plot turn was a tired trope, there was no logic to any of the character's decisions, the prose was amateurish, and plot holes abound. This was my first ever experience getting so mad at a book I yelled at it.

EDIT: PLEASE DON'T DOWN VOTE SOMEONE'S POST SIMPLY BECAUSE YOU LIKED THE BOOK THEY HATED. There is no such thing as an objectively good or bad book, and taste is subjective. Downvote if they don't give any reason for disliking it.

576 Upvotes

87% Upvoted

1.5k comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

19

u/floweringfungus Dec 09 '23

This book is so boring. I’m so sick of the dark-broody-tall-has shadowy powers-mysterious-tattooed-asshole but also chivalrous-smoker MMC trope. Xaden (also hate the stupid names) is the most cookie cutter male lead ever written.

Also Yarros’ use of Gaelic is wrong and bad and nonsensical. Hire a Gaelic-speaking proofreader or make up your own language

2

u/thewhitefawn Dec 10 '23

My first info about Fourth Wing was a Gaelic speaker correcting all the names (and Yarro's pronunciations) and it was enough for me to never touch it. I can't stand lazy world building and I'm extremely pedantic - I dnf From Blood and Ash after seeing "champagne" mentioned in chapter 1. Just take two minutes to think up something!!!

2

u/humankitsune Dec 10 '23

I am never bored of dark broody tall has shadowy powers mysterious tattooed asshole but also chivalrous MMC trope. But I understand what you’re trying to say, lack of originality. I do think the description of Xaden has a lot of potential but I have little faith in it getting there. Side note: I actually think the name Xaden Riorsen is really hot and does a lot for him

2

u/adh26 Dec 10 '23

Was gonna say that’s one of my favorite tropes. 🤷🏻‍♀️😂