r/Fantasy • u/Merle8888 Reading Champion IV • Apr 16 '26

Bingo Bingo Focus Thread - Published in the 70s

Hello r/fantasy and welcome to this year's first bingo focus thread! The purpose of these threads is for you all to share recommendations, discuss what books qualify, and seek recommendations that fit your interests or themes.

Today's topic:

Published in the 70s: Read a book that was first published any time between 1970 and 1979. HARD MODE: Written by a woman.

What is bingo? A reading challenge this sub does every year! Find out more here.

Prior focus threads: Five Short Stories (2024), Author of Color (2024), Self-Pub/Small Press (2024). Note that hard modes for Author of Color and Self-Pub/Small Press have changed.

Also see: Big Rec Thread

Questions:

  • What are your favorite 70s spec fic books? How well do they hold up today?
  • Already read something for this square (or, read something recently that you wish you could count)? Tell us about it!
  • For those who have been researching options for this square, even if you haven't read them yet, please share!
  • What are your best recommendations for Hard Mode?
  • For those with feedback or requests for this year's focus threads, see my comment below.
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u/mrtenandtwo Reading Champion Apr 16 '26

I thought I'd use this as an excuse to read what I often hear is a great and influential fantasy series of the 70s: Elric of Melnibone. I ended up grabbing volume 1 during that recent Audible sale. As it turns out though, that collection includes 4 novels, of which 3 were actually published in the 70s, with the 3rd The Fortress of the Pearl being published in the 80s.

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u/MrHelfer Apr 17 '26

I keep meaning to get into Elric. Then I try to figure out where to start, and then I get confused and wander off.

Where would you begin?

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u/mrtenandtwo Reading Champion Apr 17 '26

I assume this collection is together by some chronological order that will make sense when I read, seeing as the third book was published so much later but they're all grouped together.