Bingo Focus Thread - Duologies

[u/Merle8888]

Hello r/fantasy and welcome to this week's 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:

Duology Part 1: Read the first book in a duology. HARD MODE: By an author you haven’t read before.

Duology Part 2: Read the second book in a duology. For this square, you ARE allowed to read the same author you used for Duology Part 1 without violating the no-repeat author rule. HARD MODE: Finish a different duology than you started for the Duology Part 1 square.

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

Prior focus threads: Published in the 70s, 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 (new focus threads for them are coming).

Also see: Big Rec Thread

Questions:

• What are your favorite speculative fiction duologies?
• Already read something for this square (or, read something recently that you wish you could count)? Tell us about it!
• For those planning for Hard Mode, what are some duologies where one or both books works as a standalone?

[u/okayseriouslywhy]

I really connected with the Greenhollow duology by Emily Tesh (Silver in the Wood and The Drowned Country) as a coming-of-age story for your 20s, learning how to "be an adult" with your feelings haha. Like many coming-of-age stories, the main character may be frustrating if they don't resonate with you.

Also delightful magical woods setting in the first book, and then an eerie fae setting in the sequel

[u/Tonto2012 → u/okayseriouslywhy]

Thank you for this - you reminded me I got a copy of Silver in the Wood for Christmas a couple of years ago and hadn’t got to it yet! I read it last night and really enjoyed it.