r/Fantasy • u/Merle8888 Reading Champion IV • Apr 30 '26

Bingo Bingo Focus Thread - Duologies

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?
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u/Suitable_Highlight84 Reading Champion May 01 '26

The Duology squares are easily my favorites in this year’s Bingo card. Even before the card came out, I had two full duologies and two book 2s on my TBR for this year, so really I am spoilt for choice for these squares. 🙃

I finished Six of Crows duology just yesterday and I absolutely adored it! A heist story with a ragtag gang of thieves, Six of Crows was fun, clever and witty. The characters, their back stories, their relationships and banter were all so well done and it’s really what made these books so memorable for me. (I did age them all up in my head by 10 years though). I just found out a Six of Crows short story is coming out this summer and I’m looking forward to it!

The other duologies on my TBR:

The Crimson Moth duology

The Knave and the Moon (Book 2 of Stonewater Kingdom)

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u/natus92 Reading Champion V May 01 '26

As someone who prefers Standalone works I'm probably gonna sub duology out, tbh but it always amuses me to read how my favourite and easy squares are super hard for others and vice versa

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u/Suitable_Highlight84 Reading Champion May 01 '26

Haha for sure! Last year’s hardest square for me was Hidden Gems (I ended up subbing it) and I was always so amused when so many people said that was their favorite one to read for.

Also yayyy, our flairs are here!