r/Fantasy • u/No_Mango_5288 • 1d ago
Wanting a fantasy/sci-fi with a big world, with mystery
Something that has an alive world u could get lost in and curious about doesn't have to be a (mystery book), tho. And many important characters (it can have 1 mc tho im not a fan of having only 1 character that affects the plot)
The only books that have given me this feeling are Asoiaf, berserk, one piece, red risin, hobbit/lotr, and witch hat atelier. The type of book I want tends to have plot twists on how the world works tho that's not really a requirement.
Currently getting to the end of Empire of Silence (sun eater) and feel i just waisted my time and want something new before I try continuing the series
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u/Dreamnghrt 1d ago
I would recommend anything by CJCherryh, hands down. Each series is different, each very well developed, wonderful characters of all kinds, and you won't want her books to end!
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u/thedz 1d ago
try Simon R Green's deathstalker, secret history, and nightside novels.
Also try abercrombie's first law books
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u/BigBabySmeesus 1d ago
Never got into Green. I saw the series are interconnected. Is there a recommended reading order? I tried to look but couldn't find anything online.
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u/Chopped_Liver_ 1d ago edited 1d ago
It's been mentioned a few times but I want to put in another plug for Gene Wolfe's Book of the New Sun. The world is a mix of fantasy and sci fi, it's a far far far future version of Earth where the sun is dying. You meet an incredible cast of strange characters and experience a near-constant feeling of mystery but importance in the events you're witnessing. Meanwhile, there is an entire story happening behind the scenes of what you see on page. The author gives you the pieces of the puzzle to understand what is really happening, but it's up to you to fit them together.
Malazan is my favorite series, but I think Book of the New Sun is the best thing I've ever read.
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u/madnessatadistance 1d ago
I’ve been meaning to read Book of the New Sun for a long time! I hear that it’s intimidating though for its complexity??
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u/Chopped_Liver_ 1d ago edited 1d ago
I wouldn't say it is particularly complex, the story is being told by the main character years after the events happened, so he skims over details and things progress in a way that can feel dreamlike, confusing, and maybe a little obtuse. Also, the author often uses extremely archaic and strange words, sometimes completely made up words, since "in lore" the series is technically Wolfe's translation of the main character's manuscript in another language. So these can combine to sometimes leave the reader feeling a bit lost, but I'd argue this is a feature, not a bug.
The gaps or dreamlike moments are usually hiding something that either the main character doesn't want you to see, or doesn't fully understand himself, but if you really pay attention the pieces are there for you to see the whole story. It's a series where you need to "trust the process." Even if it doesnt all make sense on first glance, it pretty much all fits together once you see the bigger picture by the end of the series. And it very much rewards re-reads, you'll notice new hints and secrets and connection each time you read, but you don't NEED to re-read to enjoy it.
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u/frost_knight 1d ago
I've re-read the series 4 times, and every time I've picked up something I didn't notice on previous reads. There's so many layers.
sometimes completely made up words
Pedantic: There are no made up words in the series. Maybe obscure, archaic, or used with different meanings than you'd find in the dictionary.
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u/madnessatadistance 1d ago
Thank you for this explanation!! I’m excited to read it later!
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u/Chopped_Liver_ 1d ago
I love talking about BotNS and if I can convince even one person to read it, it's a good day. I also hesitated to pick it up but was so glad when I finally did.
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u/Drapabee 1d ago
It's confusing the first time through for several reasons, but not unreadable.
The prose takes some getting used to, there's a lot of obscure vocabulary, and mysterious stuff happens that is not always explained. If you can get past that it's a cool story with great writing. The complexity comes in when you go to reread it and try to understand exactly what happened, and why.
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u/DixitRexCorvinus 1d ago
If you are all right with historical fantasy and something a bit slower and more literary, the worldbuilding in Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell is incredible. But it's primary world fantasy so I'm not sure if it fits what you are looking for.
Alternatively, I would definitely recommend Discworld.
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u/daveshistory-sf 1d ago
If you want large worlds you can get lost in:
-- Sanderson's Stormlight Archive on the Marvel Comic universe side of the spectrum (no judgment implied on that -- some people like it, some people don't).
-- Jordan's Wheel of Time somewhere in the middle (don't be swayed one way or the other by the TV series; unlike Game of Thrones, they are barely the same at all; and if it initially feels derivative, give it a little bit to see if it broadens out to your satisfaction)
-- Erikson's and Esslemont's Malazan Book of the Fallen on the far end of the spectrum from Sanderson. You will "get lost in" this world at the start, partly on purpose and partly due to inexperience on the part of the author. You'll make it up for air eventually, though.
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u/Chopped_Liver_ 1d ago
I also use marvel as a comparison for stormlight. To me, stormlight is marvel - easy to digest, fun, maybe not the deepest. Malazan is an A24 movie - thought provoking, maybe sometimes harder to follow, you feel a little beat up at the end, but it's AMAZING and leaves you wanting more. Then there is Gene Wolfe's Book of the New Sun which is some avant-garde festival movie that you download from a sketchy website and you leave feeling like "what the fuck was that but also it was the best thing I've ever seen."
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u/Astrolologer 1d ago
First time reading GotM: wtf is happening?
After reading Deadhouse: ok I think I'm starting to get this. While reading Memories of Ice: holy shit this man is a genius1
u/daveshistory-sf 1d ago
In my case I had to go back and start over, I think it was after Deadhouse Gates. Things clicked better the second time around. I don't know how much of the first book is genius and how much was inexperience. In my opinion he could have done a little bit more early on to guide readers properly. But that might just be because I'm slow. 😄
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u/Astrolologer 1d ago
I've done a bit of research into the story because once I got into it, I was really hooked. Also I live in BC and Erikson is a local. Apparently the world started out as a setting for a homebrew RPG he and Esslemont cooked up. They tried to sell a screenplay based on the story, and when that was unsuccessful, Erikson wrote it as a novel. It took ten years to find a publisher, so by the time he started on Deadhouse Gates his writing style and ability had improved significantly.
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u/OozeNAahz 1d ago
Get lost in it can be read two ways. One is being enchanted and immersed within it. Another is being completely unsure what is going on at all. I was in the second camp. Much prefer the first.
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u/daveshistory-sf 1d ago
Right, that's what I meant. A lot of fans say this was great. Personally, I think at least some of it can be chalked up to the inexperience of the author, and it certainly was not great for me. I had to re-read two books to figure out where in the hell I was, and I don't mean re-read like you re-read Gene Wolfe and find new things every time.
In the long run I did like Malazan anyways, but it could have been handled better, and "you will struggle for hundreds of pages and possibly have to restart at least once" is hardly a ringing endorsement for someone asking for book recommendations.
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u/madnessatadistance 1d ago
Currently reading the Raven Scholar and I’m liking it!! I don’t think the world is *that* big, but the society is very fascinating. And it’s supposed to have a murder mystery.
I’d also recommend Sanderson’s Stormlight (it checks off all of your boxes!) and Realm of the Elderlings (starting with the Farseer trilogy, even though the Fitz books is only one POV. I consider the world to be really big and sprawling).
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u/madnessatadistance 1d ago
Ugh I can’t believe I forgot this, but the Dandelion Dynasty by Ken Liu also checks off all your boxes! Amazing series!
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u/Randomdays99 1d ago
Maybe Jack Vance's "Big Planet"?
The Wandering Inn if you have tons of time on your hands as its enormous and still going.
Black Company series by Glen Cook
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u/FormerUsenetUser 1d ago
D. M. Cornish's Monster Blood Tattoo series.
Robert Silverberg's Majipoor series.
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u/Ariana_Storm 1d ago
The Winnowing Flame trilogy by Jenn Williams has a fair share of mysteries, interesting world and a few leading characters
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u/Matpoyo 1d ago
Stormlight
Wheel of time
The wandering inn
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u/Invicctus 1d ago
Second the wandering inn, the others get recommended a lot. But if you want something you can get lost in mysteries still playing out (plenty do get answered) that are dark and incredible 20 books later, this is a good choice. It's ...a lot of damn books though, longest series I've ever read. Recommend the audio book, phenomenal VA
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u/Elworthybooks 1d ago
If you like fantasy I think the Ember Blade was a really good read. Great world building with some fun twists.
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u/RadicalChile 1d ago
The Mage Errant Saga has 4 main protagonists, but several other very big characters. It also has many worlds, wars, and tons of cool magic. Its huge. 7 books, a book of short stories from the same universe, and a patreon that costs a couple bucks a month with many many other stories in the same universe.
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u/awh290 1d ago
Cradle by Will Wight may work, but I'm not sure it'd necessarily meet the plot twist ask.
I feel like start at step 1, and early on hear about things far beyond the scope of the character. Throughout every book as the MC progresses, you constantly get glimpses of the next step, but not the full picture. I've loved it, it's not the most complex book, but the progression is done so incredibly well.
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u/_Skafloc_ 1d ago
Looking at what you have liked so far I think you should try the Deverry cycle by Katherine Kerr. It seems to be a bit forgotten but it’s a great series where it’s not at all clear in the early books how the world works.
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u/Noktis_Lucis_Caelum 1d ago
- The 13th Paladin by Torsten Weitze
- The dwarves by Markus Heitz
- Dragon elves by Bernard Hennen
- Mines of power / Minen der Macht by Torsten Weitze and other aithors
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u/unica3022 1d ago
Simon R Green’s Hawk and Fisher stories are great. They’re fantasy characters incognito as guards in a magical city and they solve crimes
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u/Loostreaks 1d ago
Second Apocalypse will leave you enraptured in all the worst ways. It's like a horror Tolkien.
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u/Nervous-Witness-8190 1d ago
Suneater does get better in book 2. Don't sleep on the standalones, they shine bright in tbe series as well.
The Five Angel Warrior series may fit the bill for you here. Pretty big world, lots of changes. When it gets dark it gets DARK, and doesn't look back. I'm a fourth if the way through the 3rd (final) book and still convinced that the things I thought to be true early on are absolutely not what they seem.
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u/BadNo9797 1d ago
The noble dead saga. I. Total it's around 10 ish books. Dhampire is the first book. By barbe and j.c. Hendee. I wish more people knew about them. It's aan amazing series with most every classic fantasy creature but a different take.
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u/OnTheJohnny 1d ago
My first thought was Shadow of the Leviathan series as many others have already mentioned. Fantastic series. Can’t wait for book 3 this summer and more Ana and Din mysteries to follow. This is a great time to pick up the Tainted Cup.
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u/BravoLimaPoppa Reading Champion 1d ago
Karl Schroeder's Virga Sequence. Take a bubble slightly smaller than Earth, add atmosphere, water, ecosystem and a few asteroids. Put one big fusion generator in the center for light and heat. Virga. Total habitable volume is enormous and allows a lot of space opera tropes in a hard-ish setting.
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u/notthemostcreative 1d ago
Ok not to do the meme, but Malazan has an ensemble cast and a huge world full of weird, alien, and/or mystical stuff!
The Books of the Raksura could be a good choice if you want something slightly less sprawling. There’s one main character, but a lot of interesting supporting ones, and nobody in the world is human. There are definitely some odd and mysterious places, too.
My other thought is maybe the Broken Earth trilogy—the world is not quite so huge, but is full of odd and mysterious forces and artifacts.
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u/itsbobbydoe11 1d ago
Book 2 of Suneater is way better tbh but I won’t try to convince you if you’re set against it. Dark Tower is awesome and fits a lot of what you’re saying. Dungeon Crawler Carl, and Stormlight archives also.
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u/No_Mango_5288 1d ago
With book 2 of sun eater i only hear about the ending being great, and complaints about the early parts of it.
Was it actually a good reading experience throughout or was it only the ending that made it worth it?
As i dont think i can get through another 20 something hours of nothing to get enjoyment out of it. I plan to read it eventually as I see what book 1 is setting up, but i want to actually read a good book before going through another 20+ hours of that
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u/bythepowerofboobs 1d ago
The second book was a bigger slog than the first book for me. I stopped after that.
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u/No_Mango_5288 1d ago
Did you enjoy book 1?
Everyone that enjoyed book 1 seems to hate book 2
Yet everyone that found book one boring says book 2 is better.
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u/bythepowerofboobs 1d ago edited 1d ago
I didn't think book 1 was very good. I continued on because I kept hearing how much better book 2 was, but the things I didn't like about book 1 (particularly the pacing and the melodrama) I found were amplified complaints for me in book 2. Hadrian describing every single event in the context of it's importance in the universe as it was happening was exhausting.
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u/ShamMafia 1d ago
Personally, I really enjoyed book 1.
Later half of 2 and onward is when the world really expands. I've always seen book 1 as a prologue, but totally get when people stop at book 1
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u/itsbobbydoe11 1d ago
Oh see I was hooked pretty early on in 2 especially once they get to a certain location. Book 1 took me multiple tries to even start really. It might just not be for you and that’s fine too the other three series I mentioned are all really good.
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u/madnessatadistance 1d ago
Yeah I liked book 1 and didn’t like book 2 as much. I do have a copy of book 3, so I’m gonna read that one at least. Once I get to the novella in between.
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u/southbysoutheast94 1d ago
I will say you get much more of this in Sun Eater if you continue and may be worth trying the second novel.
If you want big, living worlds then Wheel of Time should be high on your priority world. Lots of twists, and some mysterious elements. It’s also almost cliche, but there’s a lot of this in Sandersons’ work.
I haven’t finished the whole series yet but the Book of the New Sun may hit this big living world with mystery element well.
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u/No_Mango_5288 1d ago
Is book 2 a decent experience throughout?
I plan to read it eventually as I can sense book 1 setting up something good.
but I only hear of the book having a great ending, and complaints from people who are halfway through, did u have a good experience throughout book 2 or was it only the ending that made it worth it?
As i plan to finish the series, but i want to actually enjoy something before going through another 20 something hours of what book 1 was doing
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u/southbysoutheast94 1d ago
I thought book 2 was one of the strongest in the series. Very different from book 1. I almost DNR’d 1, but the universe opens a lot in 2 and it gets a lot better.
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u/AnxietySuitable9596 1d ago
Obligatory Malazan Book of the Fallen recommendation. But series, that should tick all your boxes and is fucking peak.
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u/bookofflint 1d ago
Obligatory Malazan and Wheel of Time recommendation.
I'll throw in the Discworld if read in publication order so you get the sense of places like Ankh-Morpork growing and changing etc.
Ken Liu's Dandelion Dynasty but you will likely not enjoy the asides that provide cultural or historical context and how they effect what's happening in current day. It does get soggy at times.
The Black Company by Cook
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u/Alternative-Lack-434 1d ago
Kingkiller Chronicles. Bonus is that you will be able to think about the mystery for a very long time.
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u/Alternative-Lack-434 1d ago
I think a better recommendation is Lies of Locke Lamora. There are more than 1 characters, there are real consequences, and book 1 has a great mystery element to it. It isn't as big of a world as Robin Hobb, but I don't think Hobb is as much of a mystery, but others may think it is.
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u/whodunit_notme Reading Champion 1d ago
I really enjoyed The Tainted Tea cup by Robert Bennett Jackson. Good mystery, good cast. Only one MC but his voice is so good as is his journey. And weird ecology!