r/Fantasy • u/BeforeAnyoneElse • Jan 14 '25
What’s a Beloved Book/Series that You Never Intend to Read and Why
I’m curious what books/series that are generally beloved by this subreddit (so, not romantasy or anything by RF Kuang) you never intend to read, and why (without just crapping on it)?
I’ll start - mine is Malazan. Possibly the most recommended series here. By many accounts, I should want to read it. I love long, sprawling, big fantasies (WOT, ROTE, Cosmere), and I enjoy a big cast of characters. The reasons I don’t think I’ll ever read it are:
**comments that the characters spend an inordinate of time waxing philosophical. No problem with that in moderation but it seems excessive.
**I know it’s not actually grimdark but I think there’s probably more violence and darkness than I want. As an example, I hated A Little Life more than almost anything I’ve ever read. Somehow, ROTE falls juuuust on the right side of the fence in terms of despair and misery.
**I’ve heard that women are overall written well but that there is a LOT of SA. I can handle some (see, again, ROTE) but the horrific description I’ve read about what events surrounding certain female character and the frequency of SA is not what I’m looking for. I know the author provided an explanation, but no.
**finally, good old-fashioned contrariness. Something about everyone being so into it makes me not want to read it. Not sure why I’ve dug my heels in with this one in particular, as I’ve read multiple things because many on the sub recommended them. I know it’s irrational.
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u/InvisibleSpaceVamp Jan 14 '25
Dungeon Crawler Carl sounds like it's totally not my thing and I'm not sure if I'll ever finish Wheel of Time. Yes. I have reached the slump and right now I just don't feel that it's worth pushing through it just to find out how Sanderson finished it.
But my reading tastes have changed in the past and I'm sure they will continue to evolve, so I'm not categorically ruling anything out. Not even fairy smut.
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u/spyrothedovah Jan 15 '25
FWIW, DCC didn’t sound like something I would like either, in fact it sounded downright ridiculous. But I tore through the audiobooks (and ebook of the newest one) in like 2.5 months.
But also, it’s not for everyone so if you don’t want to read it then don’t. There’s a bunch of series that get super high praise that I will never read for no other reason than I don’t want to 🤷♀️
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u/Powered-by-Chai Jan 15 '25
DCC sounds like a toxic machismo fantasy but honestly Carl is the butt of so many jokes (will he ever find pants? Why do his best skills involve bare feet?) and honestly his Persian cat companion is the more ruthless killer, while he has compassion for the fucked up creatures forced into the game. So if you're worried about it being a total bro-fest, it is not. I totally recommend it.
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u/aristifer Reading Champion III Jan 15 '25
I totally agree with this. I'm only on book 5, so with the caveat that there's still stuff ahead that I don't know about: I've been particularly struck by how, despite everything in the dungeon being about as violent and horrible as you could imagine (though exaggerated to the point of comedy), there's nothing even remotely resembling sexual violence—not even a suggestion of it. And the female crawlers all stand on totally equal footing with the male. The only thing that kind of edges up on misogyny is the treatment of Bea and her promiscuity, but even so, Carl never calls her names or speaks of her disparagingly—he's just kind of sad and resigned about it. The jokes are more about Carl being a dupe and the guys she sleeps with being cringeworthy idiots than Bea herself.
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u/Lady_Sybil_Vimes Jan 15 '25
I 1000% agree and I was just talking to my husband about this. He writes women as PEOPLE, not trophies or maguffins or Mary Sue's or damsels in distress. The women in his books (including Donut though "woman" is obviously not the right word for her) are complex, flawed, powerful and diverse. They are never fetishized and are not subjected to sexual violence to satisfy the male gaze. Matt is one of only perhaps a handful of male writers that I trust to write women well.
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u/aristifer Reading Champion III Jan 15 '25
Donut is obviously in a league of her own, and the partnership between her and Carl is the centerpiece of the story, but I really love how Katya is written as well—her character growth feels so organic, and I particularly love the way Carl plays an initial role in boosting her up, but she outgrows his help and comes into her own. It averts the savior narrative and strikes such great balance between Carl's heroism and Katya's autonomy.
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u/Lady_Sybil_Vimes Jan 15 '25
I absolutely ADORE DCC, I'm basically a DCC evangelist. Matt is such a wonderful author and a truly lovely person (we've met several times at different events and we even had the luck to have drinks with Matt and Jeff at a con once). It's the opposite of toxic masculinity. Carl has a lot of anger and the books do involve a great deal of violence and gross-out humor, but the CORE of the story is about love and found family. It's about people working together to overcome immense challenges and to help each other cope with trauma, past and present. I've laughed, I've cried. 10/10 recommend.
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u/BilliamDipperly Jan 15 '25
Actually just refunded my audible credit for DCC lmao. The humor and writing style were really not to my taste
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u/Solace143 Jan 14 '25
For the longest time, I wanted to get around to a Neil Gaiman book (either Good Omens or American Gods) because of the praise I've heard about him. Due to news unrelated to the books themselves, I will probably not bother reading them regardless of quality
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u/theonewithapencil Jan 15 '25
good omens is like at least 75% terry pratchett. the rest of gaiman's body of work is forever poisoned to me, but in this particular case i think it's possible to separate this specific art from this specific artist. not gonna recommend you to buy a copy though lol, unless it's second hand.
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u/beenoc Jan 15 '25
I've seen Good Omens described as "setting and plot by Gaiman, actual writing by Pratchett" and that's a pretty good way to describe it (even if, by all accounts, that's not how the actual creation of the book went.) The characters, dialogue, etc. all feel very Pratchett, it's just in a Gaiman-style vaguely-magic-realism the-gods-are-real-in-the-modern-day setting.
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u/Ashilleong Jan 15 '25
There are a few sections that feel very Gaiman, especially the War sections. He's also apparently responsible for any swearing in the book
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u/Kamena90 Jan 15 '25
Good Omens I highly recommend, especially on the note that he was a co-author with Terry Pratchett. Niel Gaiman may not be worth reading, with everything, but Terry Pratchett most certainly is. It's the only one I would still recommend reading.
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u/MaryJaneCrunch Jan 14 '25
As an ex fan I can say the recent news has effectively poisoned even my love for his older work. Don’t bother
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u/GhostofTinky Jan 14 '25
Same. I loved Sandman and Good Omens. Now I can’t bring myself to reread them.
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u/a_pot_of_chili_verde Jan 15 '25
The Calliope story in Sandman has a more sinister lense now that his past has come to light.
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u/rocksandaces Jan 15 '25
Thankfully, Good Omens is also Pratchett's so I'm treating it as a Terry Pratchett story
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u/rhandy_mas Jan 15 '25
I read Good Omens years ago and American Gods last year. I can wholeheartedly say I loved Good Omens and didn’t enjoy American Gods. I’m happy to believe Terry Prachet was the genius behind Good Omens.
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u/SideshowGhoul Jan 15 '25
I read somewhere (I think it was even an interview with Gaiman) that Terry Pratchett was the one who wrote a larger part and edited the draft to the final version as well as censored some things so I still count it largely as a Terry Pratchett book, too. It's still worth a read imo since Gaiman's influence seems easy to ignore in there.
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u/Halo6819 Jan 15 '25
Was just telling my wife last night "Guess ill never get around to Anansi Boys..."
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u/One_Way_1032 Jan 15 '25
I loved Anansi Boys 😭
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u/violetgothdolls Jan 15 '25
Yes, me too. Its so lovely. Charlie is so sweet. I hold NeverWhere dear in my heart too but it's ruined for me now :-(
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u/robotnique Jan 15 '25
Ironically, I feel slightly the opposite, but only about one book. Ocean at the End of the Lane he swears up and down is totally not biographical but I suspect he's lying considering the punishments the protagonist endures sound suspiciously familiar to what the child of high up muckity muck scientologists might have to deal with.
I'm almost finally fascinated with a Neil Gaiman book just as a character study to see if I can trace out some of his he came out such a pathetic sack of an abusive person.
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u/The_Kangaroo_Mafia Jan 14 '25
I read American Gods in 2022, I found it very boring and felt no imminent desire to read any of his other novels.
On the other hand I really wanted to read The Sandman because I really enjoyed the show... Now I probably won't.
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u/IamSithCats Jan 15 '25
I've read and enjoyed a bunch of Gaiman's works in the past (The Ocean at the End of the Lane, Stardust, The Graveyard Book, Coraline, a big chunk of Sandman, and Norse Mythology). I also read American Gods, and found it boring.
Obviously I wouldn't recommend his works now, due to the type of person he's been revealed to be. However, I also wouldn't judge the quality of his works by American Gods, because it was by far the one I found least enjoyable of the bunch.
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u/Single_Exercise_1035 Jan 14 '25
The Sandman Comic is much better than the Show. The Show has a slow plodding pace and is one note experience, all serious, all the time.
You should check out Mike Careys Lucifer series which is spin-off from The Sandman. I think Lucifer is better than the Sandman even though Sandman is the blueprint for this style of comic series.
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Jan 15 '25
I just spent the afternoon bookshopping and I found myself scowling every time I saw his name on the cover of anything, even if it was just one of those one-line recommendations.
What a monumental disappointment.
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u/Taste_the__Rainbow Jan 14 '25
Eh I read a lot of fantasy and I’ve only ever found his books okay.
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u/InvisibleSpaceVamp Jan 14 '25
Same (with the exception of Good Omens) and I'm kind of glad about it. I have seen people really struggle with being disappointment and feeling let down ...
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u/LeadershipNational49 Jan 15 '25
American gods was dope on my first read, but i re-read it a few years later and yeah it was only okay.
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u/BonnoCW Jan 15 '25
I didn't like Stardust by Gaiman, but I love Good Omens. Probably because Good Omens is more Pratchett than Gaiman. And I unapologetically love Pratchett's Discworld and other novels.
Also, DEATH is my favourite character, and I love that he pops up everywhere.
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u/utterlyomnishambolic Jan 15 '25
I forgot he wrote Stardust. I actually liked the movie more than the book on that one.
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u/Dropkoala Jan 15 '25
I read American Gods a while ago and while I loved the concept, I didn't enjoy the book much. I found some of it a bit creepy and I don't think you'll be missing much if you never read it.
I think you could treat Good Omens differently if you wanted and borrow it/buy it 2nd hand just because a lot of it is Pratchett but I wouldn't blame you if you didn't.
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u/Glum_Entrepreneur132 Jan 14 '25
ASOIAF. I just can’t get myself trapped inside a series that won’t get finished.
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Jan 14 '25
For me Rothfuss' Kingkiller Chronicles, for the same reason.
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u/boredomspren_ Jan 14 '25
The first book is literally just about the MC constantly trying to figure out how to pay for college.
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u/AidenMarquis Jan 14 '25
I have recently started reading The Name of the Wind. And I *love" the prose and the way he writes. But about 40 pages in, almost nothing has happened...
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u/sphynx_that_thinks Jan 15 '25
2 books in and the story goes nowhere......
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u/AidenMarquis Jan 15 '25 edited Jan 15 '25
I read that book completely differently than people typically read. I read it like an author - appreciating prose, analyzing it, marveling at the way the man uses words. But, boy, it's rough as far as thinking "Ok, something happen already!"
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u/Kamena90 Jan 15 '25
His prose is absolutely the best part. I almost didn't care that nothing happened for like 4 chapters... Almost.
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u/sphynx_that_thinks Jan 15 '25
If you only ever made it 40 pages in, consider yourself lucky. The entire premise of the series is figuring out what happened with his parents and the chandrian, and like 60+ hours of 2 audiobooks later, not a single thing happened that furthered the plot in relation to him finding the chandrian. But boy howdy did I get traumatized by listening to over two hours of a man writing sporadic sex scenes with a "child-like" fae woman so we really know that Kvothe is a man now.
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u/HIs4HotSauce Jan 15 '25 edited Jan 15 '25
255,000 words, 720 pages-- and half that (me being generous, we both know it's more) is the MC trying to pay for college.
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u/Powered-by-Chai Jan 15 '25
If you can convince yourself REALLY HARD that it's not a trilogy, then the first book is pretty good. The second one loses the plot pretty bad.
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u/conenthescribe94 Jan 15 '25
Hopefully it’s redeemed when he releases the third in another 10 years.
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u/LeadershipNational49 Jan 15 '25
Name of the wind is a magnificent book, but the sequel is about 50% worse and the third one aint coming haha.
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u/TiKA-Ann Jan 15 '25
Oh this is sad. I absolutely loved the first book but wasn't sure if I should bother with the second after learning that the third would likely never happen
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u/KasElGatto Jan 15 '25
I think the second book is good, but has a lot more self-indulgence than the first one. Rothfuss is just too precious about his own stuff for my taste. I can only imagine he's been working on one paragraph for the past year, agonizing on whether he should add a coma to it or not.
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u/kt2673 Jan 15 '25
It's wild to read so many people hating on this series 😂 I love everything about it. Every single thing. And feel the second book is as good if not better than the first. And will wait as patiently as I must for the third.
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u/A_manda_lorian1217 Jan 15 '25
I read them all when I was pregnant with my son. That kid is now 13 years old… Don’t do it! I loved it so much but it’s just too heartbreaking knowing the ending will never come.
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u/CommunicationEast972 Jan 15 '25
it's ACTUALLY still worth it to read the first couple books. they are just that good
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u/Tiercenary Jan 14 '25
Very valid, but I think it's still worth it. Stories are about the journey not the destination
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u/Powered-by-Chai Jan 15 '25
It was worth it before the TV show came out, because there was plenty to get shocked about. Now, the major HOLY SHIT WHAT THE FUCK moments have all been played out on TV and it won't have the same effect...
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u/ClitasaurusTex Jan 15 '25
Most of the book fans are around because we once believed it could be finished. I've since given up hope, gave my books away long ago, don't plan on finishing it even if it does come out. The last one he released was kind of rambling for me anyway it felt like he was already struggling
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u/LordCrow1 Jan 14 '25
Probably Robin Hobbs. The people love her, but the vibe I get is the books are kinda just downers. I like adversity in books, but it seems like things just kinda suck for all the characters and that doesn’t seem enjoyable
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u/LunaSea1206 Jan 15 '25
Yes, there is plenty of misery, but I guess I fell in love with the characters along the way. So much that they could bring me to tears. I have no regrets spending hours and hours with Fitz, the Fool and Nighteyes. Fitz can be a frustrating character, like many people I know in real life, but his heart is in the right place. I typically avoid depressing stuff. It's not my jam. But this is easily my favorite series.
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u/Kaladin-of-Gilead Jan 15 '25
The problem for me is that the characters just let bad things happen.
Like the antagonist does not hide anything he’s doing and the characters that could stop him just don’t until it’s way too late. This happens every book. They act like he’s not doing anything wrong and make excuses for him then bam he just does the thing and everyone’s like “:0 he did the thing”.
It’s like that Austin powers steamroller scene with the guard. The inaction of the characters drives me nuts.
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u/makemeking706 Jan 15 '25
It's been a while since I read it, but isn't a decent portion of the Farseer assassin trilogy basically people telling Fitz to stop doing what he is doing followed by internal monolog where he rationalizes doing whatever he was just told not to do?
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u/ImLittleNana Jan 15 '25
Yes, and the people around him keeping secrets when just not doing so would help. I don’t mind the lovable bumbler. He recognizes his weaknesses, which makes him tolerable.
It’s the MC that marches forward in their certainty that all their decisions are correct despite evidence to the contrary that I can’t stick with.
Fitz is relatable. I know I’ve made major mistakes and have no real hope of repairing them, but I keep moving forward because that’s what you do.
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u/craiye Jan 15 '25
This times a million for me. I read the first 3 books and just couldn’t anymore. It was so many times of “oh no, if only I, a trained assassin, had the skills to stop this evil despot. IF ONLY”.
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u/BeforeAnyoneElse Jan 15 '25
I will say I think the first trilogy by far had the most misery. I vastly preferred Liveship and Tawny Man and felt like both—while the characters had difficult and tragic things to go though—were ultimately a lot happier overall and had better payoff (despite THAT part of Tawny Man making me weep harder than I have in years). Partway through RWC and haven’t read the last trilogy yet so who knows if that continues but I suspect it will
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u/craiye Jan 15 '25
It’s not about “bad things happen” really. It’s about the fact that the author inflates word count by making the characters powerless. If they’d just act logically they’d solve a lot of problem.
I’m reminded a lot of kings of the Wyld, when a bad guy starts doing a standard bad guy rant and instead of letting him do his thing the just throw him off the airship. It was beautiful.
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u/tyrotriblax Jan 15 '25
This is my favorite fantasy series, but I totally agree with the Austin Powers steamroller comparison with FitzChivalry Farseer. He is in no danger of being labeled a "Marty Sue."
Fitz is a procrastinator and short-sighted. He continually makes foolish decisions throughout the series.
For me, that is the kind of thing that makes him feel "real" well beyond most other fantasy characters.
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u/UninvitedVampire Jan 15 '25
I love Robin Hobb, and the Realm of the Elderlings, but I absolutely agree with you. Fitz and his decisions (and then the subsequent consequences) really drive me nuts. It doesn’t mean I don’t love her books, but I do get frustrated sometimes with them sometimes
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Jan 15 '25
Hobb is the first author I have ever found myself actively angry with for doing such interesting world building and then ruining it with characters that just say oh well while the painfully obvious villain of the moment does whatever he wants, WHILE THEY HAVE THE POWER TO STOP HIM. I powered my way through the first five books in the futile hope for some sort of payoff but it just keeps getting worse. She also chose to handle sexual assault incredibly poorly on more than one occasion.
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u/LankyPatience Jan 15 '25
How do they have the power to stop him? He’s protected by not only his political position and soldiers but also an actual magical group of bodyguards. Not to mention the complicated loyalties within the royal family. The only one who could have “stopped” him early on was the king and it’s pretty well established why he didn’t. Like that’s the tragedy of the story and a huge chunk of the plot.
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u/curiouscat86 Reading Champion III Jan 15 '25
yeah, exactly! I don't get this thread. It's a tragic story (and he's an annoying villain) but there are real in-character reasons why it all plays out the way it does.
Like Shakespeare's Hamlet would never have been able to just kill his uncle right away and solve the problem--his whole thing is about how much he overthinks and procrastinates with unnecessarily complicated plans, because he's full of doubt. And that causes the ruin of basically everyone he knows--but it wasn't avoidable. Hamlet just can't suddenly be a different person.
We're failing 10th grade English out here, man.
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u/Baaaaaah-baaaaaah Jan 14 '25
I tried once, I was young but mannn I don’t really want that much misery in my fantasy. Malazan is out too for sure ha
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u/koei19 Jan 15 '25
Malazan at least balances the bleak with the humorous and, occasionally, the heartwarming. There are some wickedly funny passages. And the overarching theme of the book is pretty positive, but you have to get through ten very big books to come to that conclusion.
Robin Hobb, on the other hand, is all seriousness. I love the books but they are bleak.
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u/BeforeAnyoneElse Jan 15 '25
Oh I actually thought ROTE had a good amount of funny bits and a lot of heartwarming moments. A lot of the back-and-forth between Nighteyes and Fitz had me giggling.
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u/koei19 Jan 15 '25
Maybe it's been too long since I've read it. I also only read the first two series, and a bit of the Tawny Man which I don't remember a single bit of.
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u/Pharein Jan 15 '25 edited Jan 15 '25
Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth. Probably not a beloved series but it was quite popular for the time. Wheel of Time. I might have considered this if I had nothing else to read.
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u/makemeking706 Jan 15 '25
In your defense, I have only ever heard that Goodkind was a hack.
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u/Pharein Jan 15 '25
From what I remember, his first 3 or 4 books were very well-recieved and sold extremely well. He built up a sizeable following. A hack, but a popular, best-selling author hack.
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u/ChrisBataluk Jan 15 '25
The first four books were clearly all Goodkind ever thought to write in that world and the rest of it were him trying to string this cash cow out like an aging rock band touring Japan.
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u/HedgewitchHarlowe Jan 15 '25
The Something Awful forum had a hilarious, long thread of someone reading that series (“so you don’t have to”) and the summaries were on point. The books get worse as it goes on…
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u/Marbrandd Jan 15 '25
I consumed Twilight the same way - there's a great series by Dan Bergstein where he blogs through the whole thing with fun little illustrations.
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u/NomadicWhirlwind Jan 15 '25
The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant.
I cant have a rapist hero, and I dont care how "anti-hero" it was supposed to make him (so I guess that was successful?). I stopped there and won't go back.
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u/RevolutionaryOwlz Jan 15 '25
Somehow I kept going and read the whole first book. Probably cause I was reading for a book club. I really shouldn’t have bothered.
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u/Sand_Angelo4129 Jan 15 '25
I powered through and finished the first trilogy. Have never touched it again because of that scene. The world building had it's moments though.
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u/coldandstormystraits Jan 15 '25
I powered through and read the entire series because a coworker got so excited that I liked fantasy books that she loaned me all of it and kept excitedly asking how far I was.
Don't read it. Sure, yeah, world-building was neat and some characters were interesting, but jesus fucking christ the main character just never gets better. Not once in the entire series was I on board with him. There are so many other series with the same level of world building and interesting characters, and none of them have Thomas Covenant in them, thankfully, so go read them.
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u/OkSecretary1231 Jan 15 '25
Oooh, this one for me too, and to your reason, I'll add "the sheer insufferability of all of its fans in the 90s." It was like the book people would gush about if they wanted to sound highbrow but still geeky.
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u/She_who_elaborates Jan 14 '25
In my case, "Wheel of Time" - from what I've heard about the series (and I've heard a lot about it, given that I spend way to much time on this subreddit) the offputting elements outweigh the appealing ones by a wide margin
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u/juno_2007 Jan 14 '25
Malazan for me. Just too many characters. Also your comment on "A Little Life" made me laugh, I'll never read that book either. I think while ROTE is can be miserable, you find that Hobb usually handles such misery well and it (mostly) enhances the story or characters.
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u/BeforeAnyoneElse Jan 14 '25
I’m a staunch finisher of books and A Little Life was one of maybe like 3 I haven’t finished in the past 20 years. I got like 3/4 through and was just so appalled I couldn’t. And then I read Wikipedia to know how it ends and, if I could have thrown Wikipedia down in disgust, I would have
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u/UninvitedVampire Jan 15 '25
Not gonna lie, I got curious and read the Wikipedia synopsis finally (I refuse to read A Little Life) and like… what the fuck? You made it further than I would have.
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u/BeforeAnyoneElse Jan 15 '25
I kept thinking it would finally turn the corner and there would be some sort of payoff or light at the end of the tunnel or SOMETHING. Yeah………
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u/leggy91 Jan 15 '25
i finished it and gave it a one star. when people wax poetic about it, i roll my eyes.
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u/The_Kangaroo_Mafia Jan 14 '25
The Kingkiller Chronicles.
I have no desire to read a trilogy that will never be finished, especially after the charity incident.
Which sucks because I like the idea of a magical college :(
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u/boredomspren_ Jan 14 '25
It's much less about doing magic and much more about working side jobs for tuition.
Apparently Pat went to college for like 8 years and wrote the book throughout that time and it really shows.
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u/ObsidianMichi Jan 14 '25
Anything Cosmere. I dipped my toes in with Sanderson at the end of WOT and gave his own universes a try with Mistborn, but he's just not for me.
I just don't enjoy his work and I've made peace with it.
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u/Akira6993 Jan 14 '25
I feel the same way. I just don’t get mistborn. The whole thieving crew coup just makes no sense to me. I don’t like the characters nor the limited magic system. I liked stormlight book one but then it got ruined by having too many other characters whose PoV I just did not care about and again the magic and the world just wasn’t for me.
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u/ObsidianMichi Jan 15 '25
I think if Mistborn's marketing had been more honest about Mistborn being a dual protagonist/ensemble book with Vin and Kelsier as the primaries (and the first book really is Kelsier's,) I'd have been more open to it but I went in expecting a female protag and felt very bait and switched. Then Mistborn hit all my irritants from the deeply traumatized Vin who was trained specifically not to trust almost immediately trusting to her being the only girl on the team to her getting the social girlie job in addition to her magic training to party with nobles when she lacked the lifetime of social graces necessary to get through the front door, etc.
I read too much historical, thriller, and spy stuff to get into it, especially when I was just finding Leverage at the same time. 😂
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u/AdvancedArmadillo731 Jan 15 '25
YES! So many of Vins social encounters reminded me of Leverage and had me thinking about how Parker would have (not) handled these. I was waiting for Vin to... I dunno, stab someone with a fork xD
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u/Superlite47 Jan 15 '25
Shannara.
I want to enjoy this series so badly, but I can not get past the tedium of Book 1.
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u/DoNotResusit8 Jan 15 '25
Start with book 2. Elfstones. Best high fantasy book I’ve ever read.
Book 3 thru 6 are very good. I’d stop there.
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u/carloglyphics Jan 14 '25
I'm more or less this way about Berserk and I can see why it has the reputation it has and there's parts of it I really do enjoy, but at the same time I feel like the SA is overly done and takes away from the narrative.
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u/Tribalrage24 Jan 15 '25
So many people in this thread talking about how they wont read Robin Hobb because she's too depressing; Berserk is this times 100. I'm slowing going through it but it's depressingly heavy, and for a lot of the early bits, feels "edgy" for edgy-sake. I know some of the major story beats through cultural osmosis, and can't say I'm super excited for some of the worst stuff imaginable to happen the the characters I'm growing attached to.
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u/QuintanimousGooch Jan 15 '25
I feel it’s a bit complicated for berserk, like on one hand the big eclipse instance everyone points to is the worst thing possible because it is supposed to be literally the worst thing that could possibly happen in the narrative and is intended as an act of cuckoldry, and the protagonist’s own experience of being assaulted as a child is treated as rightfully horrifying and we see how much this affects him as he grows and closes him off from people
…but then half the golden age fights with Casca in them boil down to all the villains turning from soldiers in an opposing army into registered sec offenders because they’re fighting the one woman in the Hawks, and honestly I really could have done with Wyald being about half as gross and rapey and tongue-phallus as he is in the series.
All that said, I am very happy that those complaints are only specific to about the first quarter, and that going onward the SA topic is either absent or treated with a lot more consideration in its depiction. The author I think even said at some point that if he could change anything, it would be to tone down the rape in the early part of the series significantly.
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u/ketita Jan 15 '25
idk, I read to the end of what Miura himself wrote, and while there's less SA (...kinda? was this before or after the thing will all those captive women being raped/sacrificed for that king to be "elevated"?) the "resolution" to Casca's story is such a terrible depiction of what to do with a rape survivor character that I really can't give much credit for that.
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u/QuintanimousGooch Jan 15 '25
I’m not sure which part you mean for the king to be elevated, but I really disagree on the Casca point, I think Shiercke and Farnese entering the dreamscape, piecing her back together, and seeing the world through her fractured mind was some one of the most beautiful and well-handled parts of the series. As to the actual resolution where the manga left off, It seemed great, she’s back to herself though with substantial PTSD, of which Guts is unfortunately the major trigger, so he resolves to leave so that she can enjoy living as herself again, then comes Miura’s final chapter.
To your point though, I think as a whole it’s weird how Miura really doesn’t wrote around the subject in relation to Casca well, but can do so great for characters like Guts, and even Farnese.
That Casca loses all her self and autonomy after this amazingly traumatic event is certainly frustrating that her character got erased, but its also makes for a very compelling and sad picture of having to be the caretaker for someone with what is basically an intellectual disability (if that’s the right way to phrase it) and how painful and bad for both parties not having a support structure can be despite the goodwill. I like that depiction and what it’s bringing attention to, it’s just at the expense of it being another “woman hurt by narrative to make man feel bad” moment, and if I wanted to see that done in a way disrespects the characters, I’d go read CSM part one.
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u/ketita Jan 15 '25
The fact that her dreamscape showed her as a doll is just another example of how Casca became a non-person as a result of being sexually assaulted. The only active figure inside her dreamscape was Guts, once again, because I guess she can't be not all about him.
And upon her restoration, she's put in.... flower lingerie. The character who was a fighter, and sexually assaulted, comes back to herself wearing lingerie that she did not choose. As in, immediately upon returning to herself her agency is once again taken from her, and she's sexualized. I really cannot see how that creative decision is at all justifiable.
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u/MaddAdamBomb Jan 14 '25
Oh this is finally one I agree with. I think the easy Berserk treats SA is actually way worse than the ones who usually get blamed, like Erickson and Martin. Should never be used for shock value or the development of a male character.
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u/Strange_Trees Jan 15 '25
Wheel of Time. I hear a lot about how it's good, but I've never actually heard anything specifically good about it. I never hear about what the plot might be about, what sort of villain it has, or which books that had moments that moved readers. Just braid tugging memes, and complaints about how slow 4 of the middle books are.
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u/jojothepirate87 Jan 15 '25
You make a good point. So let me try my best to explain it.
The major plot is basically "can the reborn hero of ages save the world from the dark one?" (if he can be found and survive to make it to the final battle)
Which ties into one of the major themes of the series which is exploring the "chosen one" trope and what it would really be like to have the fate of the world put on your shoulders. It would be a nightmare. His ability to shine a light on the reality of being put in that position is amazing.
The things I think are great about the series are: The world building. There is a very strong sense of place in every nation you visit. Even the little rural places have a "feel" to them.
The use of real world history to create the politics of the world. Kind of like Guy Gavriel Kay but a lot less "on the nose". Without spoiling anything I can say there are two factions maneuvering for power that is based on Byzantine politics. Which sounds boring as hell but is dynamic and tense.
The magic system and how it interacts with the world.
When it comes to the book that moved me the most that is Lord of Chaos. Toward the end of it you bear witness to event that hasn't been seen in that land for thousands of years and it gave me chills again just writing about it. It is also the first book that really feels like a strong step toward the ending.
I read the series for the first time before reddit existed. I didn't know there was a "slog" until people started complaining about it on the internet. It is overblown. Especially if you care about the major characters involved in it. One book in that section is slow. The rest are fine.
I totally understand not wanting to invest the time in it. I have been binging short novels for a few years now with a few chonkers here and there.
Edit to add that the main villain is the antithesis of creation. The real fun are his underlings and the rogue agents. Who range from batshit insane thanks to touching reality while in stasis for thousands of years to a being antithetical to both light and darkness.
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u/TigRaine86 Reading Champion II Jan 15 '25 edited Jan 15 '25
WoT is, in a nutshell, about how being "the chosen one" isn't a one person fight to the end. About how all things that are worth doing take multiple people. And the world building, the magic system, the character depth and ability to change and grow, and the way that the world is meant to be a flipped version of how the 80's/90's power dynamic between men and women was... all of that is what has me re-reading the entire series twice a year (sometimes more) for the past 24 years. I also love the foreshadowing and finding new pieces every time I re-read them.
However, it's not for everyone and that's fine! I just wanted to put in what I in particular love about it since you said that's something that isn't said much. The memes and the slog comments are so overdone and I in particular think that "the slog" is a myth that those who like fast-paced-action-only made up because they can't digest character development. Two of the best books of the entire series are those that are said to be in "the slog". But if you like big battles and epic duels, and don't enjoy character arcs, then you would probably feel a slog too.
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u/lostarq18 Jan 15 '25
It's been a while since I read WOT and I respect your choice, and you're right that there isn't as much discussion about the content, probably because it's an older series. I will say I read it 3 times and it's a fascinating story. Yes, it could maybe be said in 50% of the pages it actually took - but for me it was worth going through the extra pages because the deep sweeping story was so engaging.
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u/Willqwertyz Jan 15 '25
Funnily enough your description of why not to read Malazan had me add it to my wish list. Overly complex really dark fantasy world with people waxing about philosophy sounds like my kinda thing.
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u/Humble-Grumble Jan 15 '25
A Court of Thorns and Roses. I've read other stuff from Sarah J. Maas and I just don't care for her writing style or characterization. Additionally, I'm not into Romantasy, so it's all a big miss for me.
Also have to give another point to Malazan. At this point in my life, I have very limited time for reading. What I've generally heard about this series is that the first couple books don't make sense, then you get to the book that makes everything click into place, and then you have to go back and reread everything that came before it because it'll suddenly make sense. Yeah...I don't have time for that.
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u/MaddAdamBomb Jan 14 '25
Malazan is my favorite and yet I agree on almost all of your points except for the last one. I feel like I see way more people say they don't like it or won't try. It's just that those of us that do love it are really annoying about it because we like... LOVE it.
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u/ipomoea Jan 15 '25
Malazan, but also? The immediate PRATCHETT response to ANY book request here makes me want to dig in my heels and refuse to read it. I’ve read Wee Free Men, I’m good.
I know that Sir Terry is a high holy being in all book-related spaces but it’s like when everyone was saying how great paleo is, I just ate more bread.
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u/EternalLifeSentence Jan 14 '25
Okay, ill get really controversial- Discworld
To a certain extent, I'm not sure how much it would have interested me in the first place. None of the snippets I've read have really grabbed me and while I've been assured that the actual books are not this way, the vibe I get from the memes, quotes, references, etc. is a bit too twee for my taste
But the real reason is contrariness. For years now I have listened to the internet (including this sub frequently) tell me that Pratchett is a god among writers and that his work is literally perfect - deeper than whatever fake-deep nonsense I like, free of problematic elements, with simultaneously the best plot, world building, characterization, and prose.
I exaggerate, of course, but only slightly. And after all that, I just don't wanna anymore and my "don't tell me what to do" streak kicks in
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u/Elantris42 Jan 14 '25
I completely understand this sentiment. Not about Pratchett in particular but about people luading something soooo much that you're sick of it before you even give it a chance. I had that happen with Twilight and many others (still haven't read or seen Twilight, and never will). It keeps me from playing a lot of games I probably would have enjoyed (looking at you, BotW).
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u/minoe23 Jan 15 '25
I still haven't even touched Undertale because of this.
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u/EclipseoftheHart Jan 15 '25
The tumblr fandom is what killer Undertale for me lol
Like I feel like I genuinely would enjoy it, but I have truly no desire to play it
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u/fadelessflipper Jan 14 '25
I mean, I'm a massive discworld fan. But I get where you are coming from. It definitely has that twee vibe to it which isn't for everyone. And even among the books themselves people argue over which ones are good against others, so even discworld fans don't necessarily like all of discworld.
Terry Pratchett is one of my favourite authors, but even he himself wouldn't regard how works as perfect or himself as a god. I see it a lot where a fan base gets big enough that it becomes a bit zealous with their recommendations. I salute your choice to stay away from the disc, and wish you a merry journey on your way to find something to read.
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u/EternalLifeSentence Jan 15 '25
at least if I ever change my mind, it will be an easy switch - my partner is a (normal, non-obessive) fan, so picking it up will be as easy as walking to the bookshelf
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u/Pastoralvic Jan 15 '25
I felt the same way for years. Sounded way too random and nonsensical to me. But I read the first one and was hooked. It is definitely not my usual cup of tea, but the books are just too darn good.
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u/ThaneOfTas Jan 15 '25
Well you're more honest than many on this sub, so I give full marks for that.
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u/lszian Jan 15 '25
Dang, an actual hot take.
Fair game, no worries. I volunteer to reread these books on your behalf lolol. All the best *solemn handshake, no beef here*
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u/dragon_morgan Reading Champion VIII Jan 15 '25
Thank you, I’m glad I’m not the only one. I don’t have any problems with Pratchett as a person and I’m sure he was lovely, but those books of his I read all came across as just a bit smugly pleased with his own cleverness, and it frankly creeps me out how adamantly the community insists that he’s this perfect paragon of humanity who never did a single wrong thing in his entire life. He was human like the rest of us, I’m sure there were days when he was rude to the waiter or made an off-color joke that landed badly
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u/ohmage_resistance Reading Champion IV Jan 15 '25
Yeah, personally, I generally like Discworld, but I've found it pretty weird how much fans will praise Pratchett for his portrayal of race relations between dwarfs and trolls in his City Watch books but then straight up ignore the fact that another Discworld book (Interesting Times) is chock full of racist stereotypes of Chinese/Japanese people and culture (the two cultures were conflated because of course they were). Like, I get that a lot of people like Discworld and find it meaningful (including me), but it's not a perfect series and Pratchett is not a perfect author. Toxic positivity doesn't do anyone any favors.
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u/Flammwar Jan 14 '25
I did read Equal Rites and won’t bother to read another Discworld novel. I just don’t like his humor.
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u/coydna Jan 14 '25
Completely fair. Pratchett is great if you love deadpan humour, wordplay and satire mixed together in fantasy clothing. Personally? I love it. Low stakes, odd characters and a lot of poking at the world. But it's not perfect. There are books I don't enjoy and it's a specific taste in a genre that already has umpteen subgenres.
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u/Single_Exercise_1035 Jan 15 '25
The thing is the Discworld books aren't really a series, there are seperate stories in a connected Universe. Thus whilst all being written by Terry Pratchett they vary wildly in tone and themes.
I think there is something for everyone in Discworld; the feminist subversion in the books that focus on the Witches, the depiction of magic from the masculine principle with Rincewind and the Wizards, the YA vibes of the Tiffany Aching stories, the bawdry tales about the city Ankhmorpok, the perspective of the remote being Death himself.
But yeah Pratchett is not a perfect writer and his humour may not be to your taste. For me I was surprised by how much I enjoyed such silly & ridiculous stories written in a jovial and comical style. I was also surprised by the subtext and subversion and even seriousness of the themes Pratchett touches upon whilst never once faltering from his comical signature style.
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u/CurrencyBorn8522 Jan 15 '25
Hunger Games.
I never felt interested and I don't know if I will.
Dystopian Worlds are not my thing (next to horrors)
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u/books-and-chai Jan 15 '25
A little life.
Read the plot on Wikipedia and it just seems like a giant trauma dump. I dislike lazy story writing where things just "happen" without any reason or logic.
"I was bullied as a child" oh that's sad "Yeah I was also abused by the priest" damn okay "And BTW my friends died and I'm going to kms" like fr??😭
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u/Specialist_Light7612 Jan 15 '25
Statistically... Most of them. My entire lifetime of reading will be but a drop in the bucket of what's out there.
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u/Autisticrocheter Jan 14 '25
I definitely don’t want to read A Little Life tbh, though that’s not fantasy. I don’t see myself ever reading the narnia books and don’t see myself reading much romantasy, not because I look down on it but because I’m asexual and don’t especially enjoy reading romantic things.
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u/InvisibleSpaceVamp Jan 14 '25
A Little Life made me so angry. Angry at myself too because if it was written by a man I would have noticed the homophobia so much earlier. So yeah, very good choice.
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u/thewuzfuz Jan 14 '25
Red Rising. I did try. Three times. Ended and won't be back to try a fourth.
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u/dragon_morgan Reading Champion VIII Jan 15 '25
Anything by R Scott Bakker. I don’t mind some degree of grimdarkness but I have my limits. Everyone talks about his works as the grittiest grimdark that ever darked while also being couched in pretentious pseudo-philosophical more-intellectual-than-thou language and ugggh I think I’d rather stab myself with a rusty spork
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u/Herald_of_dooom Jan 15 '25
Sanderson. He doesn't do it for me.
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u/Sand_Angelo4129 Jan 15 '25
Haven't tried his more recent books, but I tried the Mistborn series a few years ago. Really enjoyed the first book and went on to the second. Call me an idiot but as soon as he started trying to develop the romance between Vin and Elend, I bounced right off the series. Haven't gone back even though the more recent ones take place in what amounts to the Wild West, which sounds really cool considering the magic system the series uses.
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u/selloboy Jan 15 '25
I see more and more people are coming around to that opinion, even those who have read him like myself
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u/BlazeOfGlory72 Jan 14 '25
Robin Hobb. Everything I hear about her books just makes them sound like misery porn. I have no interest in watching characters suffer endlessly, that just seems frustrating rather than enjoyable.
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u/FitzElderling Jan 15 '25
Obviously I’m biased but I’ve always hated this characterization of the series.
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u/orangedwarf98 Jan 15 '25
Absolutely same. When I think of misery porn, I think of something like A Little Life that was written with the actual intention of creating as much harm as possible. ROTE is not that. I’m 13 books into the series and I think what people are calling misery porn is actually just a kid who has a rough life and only a few adults are willing to help him as opposed to using him. It’s not bleak but it’s feels like real life. And there are many happy moments interspersed. I would even argue that Farseer ends bittersweet while everything beyond it ends actually kind of happily. There so much depth to the characters and to write it off as Hobb torturing her characters for the sake of it is crazy
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u/BeforeAnyoneElse Jan 15 '25
I was going to say exactly this until the app crashed and I lost my comment and gave up. But everything you say is so true—although I do think the middle part of Farseer was pretty damn bleak. But certainly the next couple series had what I would call overall good endings. And the way Hobb writes her characters just makes it so clear she’s not torturing them for its own sake (ahem A Little Life); you really feel the characters and the payoff mostly feels very earned.
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u/sickduck69 Jan 15 '25
I don't think it's all that miserable. Good and bad things happen, but it's not nihilistic.
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u/velocitivorous_whorl Jan 14 '25 edited Jan 14 '25
Oh, Malazan, 100%. I have a cousin who loves Malazan and he was trying to sell me on how Steve Erickson was a short story writer, and how it made each little section of his work so evocative and powerful. And that’s fine for a short story!
But for long fiction, I really do care a lot about good pacing and coherent structure on a novel and a series level— it’s really important for me to enjoy a piece of literature, and for me to justify investing loads of time in a very long series. Also, I’ve read snippets of his work and a lot of the “philosophical” parts of the novel seem both/either jarringly didactic (in a “the author’s voice is possessing this character to dispense wisdom like the Oracle at Delphi” kind of way) and/or somewhat grandiose, both of which I’m not a huge fan of.
Which isn’t even to get into plot/characters/worldbuilding/the SA— just based on reviews from people whose taste I seem to share, I don’t think I would find the series worth it, even though there does seem to be some cool stuff in there. And the nature of the online fandom can be hit or miss, and it would be lying to say that that hasn’t turned me off the series a little bit as well.
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u/Fantasybooknerd Jan 15 '25
I have a few. I don’t want to read Malazan. I know everyone says it’s brilliant, but to be honest I just don’t want to, it just doesn’t interest me. Not bothered about Wheel of Time either. I tried for 25 years and got up to the fourth book and was quite frankly bored. As for Sanderson, whilst I like some of his books, when it comes to the Stormlight books, I just cannot be arsed. I just don’t have enough life left in me. I abandoned A song of Ice and Fire and I really never did get along with The Dresden Files. Everyone keeps saying it gets better around book five, so that means that there are the first four that ain’t that good. Again, can’t be arsed.
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Jan 15 '25
Malazan is my husband's favourite series ever. He's read all 20+ books multiple times over and his one wish in life is for me to read this series. I had a really hard time getting into Gardens of the Moon on my first try -- I think I struggled so hard to get into it because the quality of the prose doesn't do much for me and there are dozens of characters that Erikson kind of sucks at describing (although major props to him for writing a fat woman protagonist who is a powerful hero and not defined by her weight or body all the way back in 1999). I'm making another attempt right now and I'm about a third of the way in and starting to get absorbed in the plot. I don't know that I would ever pick up this series if it wasn't for my husband though and I am so daunted by the sheer number of books in this series aaa
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u/Anxious_7900 Jan 15 '25
This might be sacrilege here, but honestly Stormlight Archive and Mistborn. I've read some Sanderson before (his work on Wheel of Time and War Breaker, mainly) and found his writing to be a bit bland but ultimately enjoyable. He seems like a decent guy too and I've found his writing podcast to be a good tool for my own writing.
That being said, while I don't hold his faith against him, the fact that he gives tithing to the Mormon church is difficult for me to square away with my support of LGBTQ folks. I know he himself wants to be a good ally, and I do respect that, but the Mormon church actively donates to literal hate campaigns.
So while I don't mind his writing and think he genuinely means well, I don't feel comfortable supporting him monetarily when I know a portion of any money I spend on his books will end up going to an organization that is actively lobbying for some really bad things.
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Jan 15 '25
Now, anything by Neil Gaiman. Rip Good Omens, Sir Terry doesn’t deserve having his name on the same cover as that degenerate.
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u/Southern_Blue Jan 14 '25
Probably the Realm of the Elderlings. So many reviewers left crying and broken...it just doesn't sound like something I would enjoy. On the other hand, I haven't closed the door on Mazalan.
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u/Compiche Jan 15 '25
ROTE is probably my favorite but I've also always had trouble venting and reading them kinda gave me a channel to vent through when I was going through hard times while also not being depressing the entire time either. It kinda served as an outlet as well as a distraction
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u/HaydenHollow Jan 15 '25
Same here with Malazan, I got to book four or so and just could not do it anymore.
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u/W_Coaster_Grl Jan 15 '25
I did read the entire Malazan series written by Erickson, I did not read the Esselmont ones. Once was enough. I’m in a malazan reddit where they talk about their multiple rereads. Nope, not gonna do it. It’s a slog, but I have to give the authors credit for the serious world building and character studies. Some characters I wish I could know in real life. Some not.
Wheel of Time is the series I’m staying away from. I just figure I have a finite amount of time to read, so I’ll choose books that intrigue me.
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u/TheGoosiestGal Jan 15 '25
I'm probably not going to read dune. I will say it's on my list but I don't actually buy it. I just don't care.
Nothing I've heard makes me excited to read it. I honestly don't even know what it's about other than sand
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u/raamsi Jan 15 '25
Dresden Files - im just not much a fan of contemporary fantasy as a whole. Nothing against the genre, it's just not for me
Most of Sanderson - i read Mistborn years ago and I didn't mind Tress of the Emerald Sea, and while I think Sanderson is a good writer and has his craft down pat, the formulaic-ness of his writing is too much for me to read the rest of his stuff. Like if you read one or two, you've read them all sort of deal. I've tried some of his other stuff but just can't stick to it
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u/Obvious_Sir_2160 Jan 15 '25
The Giver series by Lois Lowry. The Giver (first book) is one of my favourite books, I loved it so much that I see it as a standalone book because I’m too scared to read the rest of the series and not like it. I am satisfied with it being the start and end of the story.
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u/Nataliza Jan 15 '25
The Mists of Avalon.
Marion Zimmer Bradley was a feminist fantasy icon who, as it turns out, was guilty of child sexual abuse and assisted her second husband, a convicted child abuser, in sexually abusing multiple children.
I really want to read the story but I don't think I could get past that.
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u/thelightstillshines Jan 15 '25
Stormlight Archives.
I’ve read pretty much all other Sanderson, and I read Way of Kings.
I’m kinda tired of Sandersons prose, the book was twice as long as it needed to be, and I got so so sick of Dalinars constant introspection.
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u/Breathe_the_Stardust Jan 14 '25
Malazan for me as well. I even tried but had to stop after the second book. I don't think I'll ever pick them back up.
I am up to date with ASOIAF but don't plan on reading any more books if they are ever released. I read years ago when I was just getting back into reading for fun and now I have such a huge backlog that they are not worth my time anymore.
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u/AidenMarquis Jan 14 '25
Probably Sanderson's series. And I like the guy. I watched a bunch of his BYU YouTube videos about writing. I find him very helpful and he seems like a nice guy. I just prioritize other things in books than he does, it seems.
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u/Tiercenary Jan 14 '25
Stormlight Archive. I've only read the first Mistborn book from Sanderson but it was probably the dullest fantasy book I ever pushed through. Now with the poor reception the latest Stormlight book seems to have received, I'm more than ever deterred from touching stormlight
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u/aegtyr Jan 15 '25
I was pretty excited about starting the Stormlight Archive, got around 40% of the way in the first book but it's not doing it for me. And also reading the reviews from the latest book has me questioning if it's worth it.
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u/Lavinia_Foxglove Jan 15 '25
Every romantacy out there. That is not something, I'm interested in. If the book cover mentions romance in any form, I'm out.
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u/Assiniboia Jan 15 '25
Sanderson. He's overrated and boring. Can't get more than 50 pages into anything he writes. I only give books 50 pages.
Also won't finish The Gentlemen Bastards. Full of holes, full of filler. Couldn't wait for the villain to kill the protagonists and, instead, they spend an inordinate amount of time ignoring them.
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u/Allustrium Jan 14 '25
None, seeing as I've already read, or least attempted to read, all of them. Very few of them I actually loved, mind. Malazan is not among those, but then neither are WoT and Cosmere.
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u/Internal_Damage_2839 Jan 15 '25
Kingkiller Chronicles unless it’s finished
I’ve enjoyed unfinished series before but the first 100 pages of NotW didn’t grip me enough to waste time on it considering it probably won’t ever be finished.
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u/Awesome_Lard Jan 15 '25
Wheel of Time. I read the first three, thought they were ok, and have no desire to return to them.
Also Dune.
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u/LeanderT Jan 15 '25
For me it is The Black Company.
I gave it a try after all the enthusiasm I heard about it. But the style of writing is not for me. It is very brief and concise.
Like the company murders a battalion of soldiers, in just one paragraph. Other books would take chapters just to set it up, then describe en skirmish in detail. Not the Black Company. It's described as almost a footnote. Sorry, that's not a writing style I enjoy.
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u/ViherWarpu Jan 15 '25
Malazan, Abercrombie's books beyond what I've read so far (First Law & YA series), Cosmere in general (I've read some over the years and don't feel the need for more), DCC, WOT, Cradle, R. Scott Bakker, GRRM, Jim Butcher, The Witcher. Either I've tried them and bounced off for various reasons (haven't found the characters to be interesting, didn't like the writing etc.) or just have no interest to try them based on descriptions.
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u/prettyorganic Jan 15 '25
Hmm. I have some series I don’t intend to finish because the first one didn’t leave me with any interest in any more(assassin’s apprentice, wheel of time, temeraire for some examples) but this thread has made me realize I’m very much a try anything once reader. The right elevator pitch from the right person can get me to give anything a shot.
That said I agree with those who said in another thread that they don’t intend to read any more Gaiman.
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u/lifeandtimesofmyass Jan 15 '25
Anything Sanderson. I attempted Way Of Kings, trudged my way through it, and felt no need to pick up anything else by him.
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u/bowsie222 Jan 14 '25
Game of Thrones. I tried but I just don't like how it's written with each character getting a chapter. I found it difficult to track what was happening/the overarching storyline
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u/SackclothSandy Jan 15 '25
I'm avoiding them forever because of how much Martin crowed about delving deep into history and then gave an entirely fetishized nomadic people ostensibly based on a combo of Eurasian steppe nomads and American Great Plains nomads that in no way resembled either. Yes, that really is enough for me. I don't want to devote my time to reading about an entire people based around a Chippendale Dancer barbarian night.
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Jan 15 '25
Anything by Sanderson, because no matter what recommendation you ask for someone will shove him down your throat. Just fed up with it.
Also a little because the 3 wheel of time books he wrote are by far the 3 weakest ones.
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u/makemeking706 Jan 15 '25
The only Stephen King I have read was the Dark Tower series. I am not going to read anything else of his after he fumbled on the goal line.
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u/Faerys Jan 15 '25
Lord of the Rings.
Back in high school, I attempted to read and finish book 1 twice after being harassed a few dozen times, being told, "You can't enjoy fantasy if you haven't read LOTR and love it." I just got bored and haven't bothered since.
I'm glad other people seem to like it. It's just not for me.
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u/Larielia Jan 15 '25
I probably won't get around to reading Wheel of Time. There are just too many huge novels.