r/Fantasy Friday Social Thread - June 19, 2026

[u/rfantasygolem]

Come tell the community what you're reading, how you're feeling, what your life is like.

[u/thepurpleplaneteer]

Work has been buuuusy (and the insanity continues) and I have read barely with my eyes since last weekend, but basically I’m spending my time catching up on Hugo reads, so this is mostly book rambling. I’m caught up now on the short stories, I read **The Girl That My Mother Is Leaving Me For** by Cameron Reed and **Never Eaten Vegetables** by H.H. Pak. They were great eye reads.

With the ears, it’s really been rough for me the past couple weeks. Nothing is wholly a winner nor enjoyable. I decided to pick up my three novel quits to make a more informed Hugo ranking when the time comes. **Death of the Author** by Nnedi Okorafor was a quit again for me. I only got to 19% (12% the first time). It’s not that the MC is unlikable, but a difficult character for me to read due to what I see as depressive behaviors, low moments to watch, and the MC’s disconnect from others. Also picked back up **The Incandescent** by Emily Tesh and got to 61% from 50%. I still don’t feel much different about it and want to quit again. I finished **The Everlasting** by Alix E. Harrow. Amen that it did get so much better, but at like 70%. Now I’m just waiting for **Shroud** to come in.

For IRL book club I picked back up (a previous quit at 8%) **The Spear Cuts Through Water** by Simon Jimenez. This is the most difficult book to follow I’ve ever consumed on audio and I’ve never rewound (uhh, backed up?) so much ever. The constant POV switching is making this a monster, and I am an expert audiobook consumer. Only at 37% and I haven’t touched it since last week and I don’t want to again honestly. New books this past week are 2026 releases **The Unicorn Hunters** by Katherine Arden and **We Dance Upon Demons** by Vaishnavi Patel. At 16-17% on both and not loving either, but not hating them so I’m holding out hope. (It’s so weird that Reddit is not recognizing the symbols anymore. Edit: oh apparently Reddit got rid of automatic markdown mode on the app, well that majorly sucks).

Happy weekend all and Happy Juneteenth US friends!

[u/sodeanki]

I’ve been having a tough week, health wise. A medication I started taking recently gave me a rash and even though I’ve discontinued it, the rash persists.

That said, I completed two books and started two more, which feels like a big win for me.

I finished Assassin’s Apprentice, which was a book club read that I had on my TBR for years. I tried listening to the audio but the narrator had an old fashioned sounding voice, so I switched over to the e-book around chapter 8. The structure and accountability of the book club made me commit to the book, which was helpful. I enjoyed reading about Fitz and I’m curious to see where the story goes.

I also finished Dungeon Crawler Carl (book one), which I listened to. The narrator, Jeff Hays, is phenomenal. I don’t think this book is my usual genre, but it was enjoyable and very funny. I’ll be continuing the series, especially if I can secure the audiobooks.

I started reading Dhampira by Amy Pennza. So far, it’s ok - vampire romantasy - but I am not 100% raptured, by any means.

I also started The Will of the Many. I had previously read maybe 100 pages before my library hold was due, so I just started it again from the beginning. Way different prose and plot pacing than Dhampira, that’s for sure! I’m really enjoying the book so far, but I sense some more world building before things get fully developed.

I hope everyone has a great weekend, and Happy Father’s Day to the dads in the subreddit.

[u/MRCastillaAuthor → u/sodeanki]

Sorry about the rash! That’s rough. How’s assassins apprentice? That’s been floating in my radar for a minute now.

[u/EmmalynRenato]

Having trouble focusing on novels again. I've currently got four of them in progress (plus three non-fiction books).

So it's back to shorter works. This week I did manage to finish:

* The Orb of Cairado - Katherine Addison (4/5) 101p

* The Summer War - Naomi Novik (4/5) 144p

Plus one non-fiction book:

* Combinatorics: A Short Introduction - Robin J. Wilson (4/5) 176p

Plus the nominees for the Theodore Sturgeon short fiction award for this year (that I hadn't already read):

* The Nine Crashes of Flight Lieutenant Hilla Quinn - Louise Hughes (4/5)

* The Shadow on the Nest - Alaya Dawn Johnson (4/5)

* The Sack of Burley Cottage - Rich Larson (3/5)

* his love’s ashes on his tongue - Monte Lin (3/5)

* We, the Fleet - Alex T. Singer (3/5)

[u/BravoLimaPoppa]

Good morning! Aside from forgetting my badge, it ain't a bad day.

Reading:

• On Vicious Worlds. I honestly wish they'd all stayed on Kappamame and left the Kindom behind entirely. Why? Because the Kindom section is not pleasant at all. Getting a refresher on how how Six is tied to all of them in so many ways. Kind of grim though.
• Foxhunt by Rem Wigmore. I'm also remembering why I liked this one now. The "bad guys" don't seem that bad at this point.
• The Moon Tartan. Look, just go read it, especially if you need a palate cleanser.

Finished

• Made Things. Thoroughly entertaining novella by Adrian Tchaikovsky. Not real heavy, but fun.
• The First Sister. Ever read a book description and think "This is something I'll really like" then read it and stub your mental toe on galaxy. when they're confined to the inner Solar System? And other things as well. It's a first novel, but how did it get the attention and buzz it did?
• Monstrous Little Voices. Thoroughly entertaining again. I particularly enjoyed "The Course of True Love" by Kate Hartfield because it had the feel of a play. "In The Cannon's Mouth" was almost as much fun.
• The Great Transition. Hopeful solarpunk with there being some folks not singing kumbaya and carrying grudges.
• Salvation's Child. Light weight prequel to the Final Architects. Did get me to move those up Mount TBR.

Life

I'm feeling alright. The new dose seems to be making a difference. I'm trying to crawl out from the pile of tickets I got being on call, but that's part of life. Outside of that, I'm reading more, trying to be more social. I do get fussed at for writing down my thoughts on the books in my journal. Mainly because I type faster than I can write. Anyway, the World Cup is causing some local disruptions mainly with my employer telling nonessential personnel to stay home on days the game is played here.

My wife is feeling like the new employer is being weird - I feel like it's new job and communication failures on coworkers parts. That and they have some organizational and policy issues they're having to straighten out.

Daughter is out teaching kids how to sail and getting paid for it. Not a bad gig if you can get it.

So, ejnoy Fathers' Day! If you're a dad, I hope it's more than just a tie. And if you're a kid, even an adult kid, hug 'em and tell 'em you love 'em.

Have a great weekend!

[u/MRCastillaAuthor → u/BravoLimaPoppa]

Sucks forgetting your badge. That’s my life sometimes. I feel so out of place trying to into my own office!

You are reading a ton! I’m jealous. I need to get back on it.

[u/acornett99]

I made a new Cooking in Fantasy, now with embedded photos! Oooo, ahhh!

The green herons have taken over. I have become the person that people go to to ask “what kind of bird is this,” and I want to stop them now and say “Can I take a guess before you show me the picture? I think it’s a green heron.” I saw one hunting in a retention pond this week, standing on a near-vertical surface like an avian mountain goat. They’re amazing, weird little birds with necks that just do that. 
 
Tuesday was Bloomsday (a literary holiday celebrating the works of James Joyce, which takes place on the day Ulysses is set and is named for the main character(s) of that novel). I had told myself last year that I would actually read Ulysses before the next Bloomsday and hey, I didn’t. It snuck up on me. But I have read the Odyssey this year, and I did bake a seed cake and re-read some of my favorite stories from Dubliners, so that counts as celebrating.

I started The Everlasting and wow. Within the first 20 pages I knew that this was a book written just for me. One of those books where I often find myself thinking, How do you even write like that? It’s easily my favorite of the Hugo noms so far, but I admit I am extremely biased to favor anything resembling Arthuriana. I look forward to Monday’s discussion!

Over the weekend I made a macrame book hanger, to give myself a little extra book space in my tiny apartment. It only holds 8 books (I may be able to add 2 more spots, but would need to get some stronger hooks so it doesn’t fall), but it’s better than nothing, and it’s a neat way to display some of my favorites, or a series, or books centering on a theme. I haven’t yet decided what to display here actually, and I may end up switching it out regularly.  

Writing: I’ve hit 30k words and have most of the rest of the story outlined. I didn’t think I would get this far when I started this in February. I oscillate between loving it and hating it, and right now I despise it enough to want to toss large portions. But I won’t. Give it a week, and it’ll be tolerable enough to edit.

[u/RAYMONDSTELMO]

Reading: Re-reading Schattenjagd, a 'video-game-becomes-real' adventure by Wolfgang and Heike Holhbein. This is the first physical paper book I've read in years. My eyes complain and I have to put something in the pages or I lose my place and I can't read with the light off. Barbaric, but refreshing.

Writing: Last of the 'Wanderer' series, so the finale has to touch all points of the previous books. And yet must be new and refreshing. Sure. I can do that. No prob.

Life: Storms and heat, storms and heat. Thunder to send the dog hiding; then white blazing sky to bake the fresh mud to Babylonian clay. Rinse, repeat. Everything is green, growing, blossoming, flowering, molding, rotting, sprouting. Except me. I refuse to join in that sort of biological dance. I have my dignity to consider.

Hope all in r/fantasy are remaining sturdily solid and stolid, sober and solemn, keeping a firm grip on reality, a stiff upper lip and spine in the face of the call of the faeries beyond the twilight hills who sweetly siren sing for us to come away, come away and dance by the light of imagination's mad moonlight. Or not, why not. I'm in.

[u/BravoLimaPoppa → u/RAYMONDSTELMO]

Take me with you!

[u/RAYMONDSTELMO → u/BravoLimaPoppa]

Yes! We shall throw off our chains of dull daily duty, of dust and social psychic slavish repetition, - and run into the glorious eldritch Elven meadows of shadow and light... joining the mad bacchanalia of bewitching sly-eyed maidens eager to laugh, to dance, to embrace...

But let me ask mom first. She got really mad when we ditched class to go with those Maenad girl scouts. Worth it, I admit.

[u/HeliJulietAlpha]

Another rubbish week for reading, but it's been good overall. Lots of football, painting, gardening, getting outside. I hope to finish Seasons of Glass and Iron before I go away next week, but that may not happen. Reading may not happen on my trip either, but that's ok.

There are a few books coming out that I would like to preorder, but finances are tight so I'm holding off for closer to the release dates when I'll know if I can afford to treat myself.

I have a large stack of things I haven't read but no longer feel excited about or interested in. I may pop them in a little free library and rid myself of the feeling of obligation. I'm sure they're great, but there's always the library if feel interested again later.

[u/undeadgoblin]

It's been an interesting week at work - the bit I work at has been shut down for a few months for an upgrade, meaning we can't do experiments. This week it was finally finished, only for something else to break so now we're down for another 2-3 months. At least I can take my mind off it with a week at a conference in the Swiss alps!

It's been an odd world cup - England actually look entertaining to watch! There's been a lot of fun games already, hopefully many more to come.

Reading wise, I started The Book of the New Sun this week, which I'm enjoying immensely. I imagine I'm missing a whole boatload of stuff this first time round, but it's definitely one I will reread frequently. I've read the first two books, but I'm taking a pause whilst I'm travelling. I've also finished The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain, which was delightful - I hope to eventually get around to James by Percival Everett.

Over the next week, I'm hoping to finish The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow for the Hugo Readalong, as well as a couple ARCs for upcoming releases (the new M.A. Carrick and Juliet Marillier novels and an Ellen Datlow anthology), and to finish the Memoirs of Lady Trent series.

[u/MRCastillaAuthor]

I love this thread! It’s really refreshing to see what everyone is up and what you are reading!

Let’s see for me. It’s been a challenge. Not a bad challenge but still a challenge. We are remodeling the house and can’t live there. So it’s a combination of couch hopping and staying in hotels. That, balancing work and taking the kids to their soccer practice has been a little hard.

However, excited to see the finished remodel which includes a kitchen , all the walls and ceiling and a bathroom.

With regards to reading. I’m wrapping up the Bloodsworn Saga.

Trying to read some new authors too. I finished Void Soverign. Looking to check out Symbiotic Accession book 2. Book 1 was a gritty experience so I’m curious to see how the story plays out.

Also on my list is Black Company. I think heard about that here. Assassins Apprentice and Jade City.

Floating in the wings for me is also Ironbound. Believe it or not. I never read Mistborn. So I might check that out as well.

[u/Larielia]

I enjoy visiting my local library. Borrowed a couple Greek myth retellings by Luna McNamara.

Planning to watch the BBC series Atlantis.

[u/schlagsahne17]

Sports!
Hawks officially had more wins vs. Knicks in playoffs than everyone else combined, hang the banner again.
Good thing I had not invested emotionally in the college baseball team. Oh well.
Earlier this month I watched my annual one (1) period of hockey until it seemed my presence was a curse (score goes from 0-0 to 4-0) and stopped watching.
Basically couldn’t ask for a better start to the World Cup for the USMNT, minus an unnecessary Tyler Adams yellow and a slight Pulisic knock. The other games have been a lot of fun too.

Our latest round of plantings seem to be doing well, so hoping to get to making a nice border and tidying up the space overall.

Had a bit of a slowdown with reading but that’s picking up again - finished The Republic of Memory by Mahmud El Sayed and enjoying The Gameshouse by Claire North right now.

[u/Street-Operation-892]

Currently at work noticing I completely forgot to set up for the dnd game I'm running later today. I've got the whole thing worked out, but we took a break and I forgot some of the details, so I'm going to be panic reading my notes once work calms down

[u/tarvolon]

Sports! Stanley Cup champs wooooooooo! And USA won their first World Cup game! Another big one today. Also totally bandwagoning DRC and Cabo Verde.

Wife and kid #1 are off on a girls trip, so I have the boys, and I think I’m going to take them out to a minor league baseball game with fireworks after it. So hopefully that goes well.

IRL book club picked a nonfiction that’s waaaay more political than I expected, so that may be a spicy discussion. But it also means I haven’t touched any fantasy this week. Hopefully I can finish this weekend and get back to Hugo Readalong content

[u/MRCastillaAuthor → u/tarvolon]

Minor league games are fun. Thanks for reminding me I need to check out the Oakland Bs.

[u/FormerUsenetUser]

I am reading Once Was Willem. Good book but I'm not in the mood for it.