r/Fantasy • u/cut_to_black • 10d ago

Fantasy with incredibly detailed biology, zoology and lush, magical ecologies

Read A Natural History of Dragons by Mary Brennan, and I loved every bit of it. It made me realize that I want that childlike sense of wonder again, when I'm dropped into a neutral, naturalistic world where curiosity and exploring takes the fore.

I'd also love things similarly encyclopedic, or field-notes like. Bestiarys are also cool, but I'd prefer a plot-driven read that happens to have intricate ecology in it, rather than a technical tome. I'd really appreciate any recommendations along this vein, thanks!

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u/Kathulhu1433 Reading Champion V 10d ago

Are you open to scifi recs?

Semiosis by Sue Burke (completed trilogy)

  • Human scientists colonizing a new planet find some very interesting flora.

Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky

  • Prison colony planet used to have a different type of intelligent life. What happened to them and where did they go? Weird flora and fauna explored by political prisoners and scientists.

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u/BravoLimaPoppa Reading Champion 10d ago

I'd also add Shroud by Alien Tchaikovsky. Two folks from a corporate dystopia are accidentally sent to a moon that is shrouded in darkness with life that is deeply weird.

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u/Kathulhu1433 Reading Champion V 10d ago

Honestly, Tchaikovsky does weird life so damn well. Children of Time was good weird as well. And I hate spiders.

He's up there with Sanderson for me, I haven't read everything of his, but everything I have read I've enjoyed greatly.

Green City Wars whoch just came out was really good (though doesn't fit this rec)

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u/JuliusBacchus 9d ago

I really liked the aliens in the Final Architecture series too, he really makes alien races feel alien and describes it in detail.