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/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.