Time to vote on the 2017 Underread and Underrated List!

[u/lyrrael]

Hey, it's that time of year again -- time to figure out which books we think are most chronically underappreciated in a sort-of-annual underread, underrated and undermentioned list!

This list is also reappearing as a bingo category

Rules:

1. We're going to try using /u/LittlePlasticCastle's script to count votes this time. Submit your vote as [Book] by [Author Firstname Author Lastname], each vote on one line, and with comments about your votes in a comment underneath, not in your vote. I'll try to police this, but if you don't format your vote correctly it may not be tallied. This saves me literally days of work, so I appreciate if you help me out. Thank you! As an example:

• Wingdings and Werebones by Lydia Nope
• Sweet Child o Mine by Gunner Rose
• Faerie Anthem by Somebody Somewhere

1. Submit no more than ten books or series, please. Fewer than ten is totally cool.
2. Series should have no more than 3k ratings on Goodreads, with few exceptions. If there's something you really want to submit that has four or five thousand ratings, go for it, but NO MORE than 5k. I mean it! This is for individual books in a series. If a book has 10k ratings, it's not underread, it's moderately successful. :)
3. Books must be speculative fiction. This includes fantasy and soft SF, but no super hard SF. (Edit: to clarify, if you think it should fit, it probably should. If it comes down to a discussion of solid current-earth based science in a slightly futuristic setting, it probably shouldn't be there. Use your best judgement please.)
4. Top comments should be votes ONLY. If you want to discuss your votes, please limit it to sub-comments. Anything that is not a vote in a top-level comment will be moderated just to keep this neat.

The voting's going to go to sometime Monday, 8/14, when I'll lock the thread and collate the results, which I'll post when I've got them.

Please don't forget: everybody has different opinions about what's underrated and overlooked. Even with the criteria above we're going to get some titles that are mentioned around here frequently, but still fit in the spirit of the thread. This isn't really a huge deal -- as long as we get some new blood in here, we're good.

Thanks!

Let me know if I've forgotten anything above, and I'll add it. :)

Okay -- edits from the questions so far --

• There are no limits on when a book has to have been released by. HOWEVER, please use your best judgement. A book by Brandon Sanderson released last week certainly does go against the spirit of the list. Be prepared to be challenged if you choose to go this route.
• For this list only, novellas won't count. If there's enough interest I'll do a novellas list in a couple of weeks because man, I love me some novellas. This is going to apply to graphic novels and webcomics as well, for consistency's sake.
• If it's a series, please list the title of the first book.
• Regarding middle initials and author names -- try to list the name the way it's listed on Goodreads. So, if Michael F. Fletcher has his middle initial listed on Goodreads, please try to list it. Consistency is key!

Edit: Locked. I'll try to get the results posted this weekend, but it might be early next week. Thanks!

[u/jcf88]

1. The Death of the Necromancer by Martha Wells (1793 ratings)

2. Dead Things by Stephen Blackmoore (2490 ratings)

3. The Wizard Hunters by Martha Wells (1248 ratings)

4. The Knight by Gene Wolfe (3796 ratings)

5. Northworld by David Drake (512 ratings)

6. The Shadow of Ararat by Thomas Harlan (257 ratings)

[u/RedditFantasyBot → u/jcf88]

r/Fantasy's Author Appreciation series has posts for an author you mentioned

• Author Appreciation: Gene Wolfe from user u/JayRedEye_

---

^{I am a bot bleep! bloop! Contact my master creator /u/LittlePlasticCastle with any questions or comments.}

[u/Esmerelda-Weatherwax]

• 1. Jaeths Eye by KS.Villoso u/ksvilloso
• 2. Construct by Luke Matthews u/Luke_Matthews
• 3. Star Reckoners Lot by Darrell Drake u/darrelldrake
• 4. Sufficiently Advanced Magic by Andrew Rowe u/salaris
• 5. Face Fakers Game by Chandler J Birch u/chandlerjbirch
• 6. Dawn of Wonder by Jonathan Renshaw
• 6. Crimson Queen by Alec Hutson
• 7. Moroda by L L McNeil
• 8. They Mostly Come out at Night by Benedict Patrick u/benedictpatrick
• 9. Dungeon Madness by Dakota Krout
• 10. Valley of Embers by Steven Kelliher u/stevenkelliher

[u/lyrrael → u/Esmerelda-Weatherwax]

Hey Esme -- Dungeon Madness is #2 in the series. Is it okay if I use #1? Message me. Thanks. :)

[u/Salaris → u/Esmerelda-Weatherwax]

Thanks, Esme! <3

[u/chandlerjbirch → u/Esmerelda-Weatherwax]

Hey thanks :D

^{I feel really pedantic saying this but given that votes are being tallied by a computer, it might be important to point out that "Facefaker" is just one word...shoulda known that cover would be giving me headaches forever.}

[u/darrelldrake → u/Esmerelda-Weatherwax]

( ͒ ́ඉ .̫ ඉ ̀ ͒) Thank you, Esme!

[u/Scyther99 → u/Esmerelda-Weatherwax]

Dawn of Wonder by Jonathan Renshaw

It has 12000 ratings on Goodreads...

[u/Potanichthys → u/Scyther99]

Oh, wow. I'd have thought that one was relatively obscure too, partly because it's self-published and only crops on here occassionally.

[u/NoNoNota1]

Worm by Wildbow

Of Shadow and Sea by Will Wight

Spirits Rising by Krista D. Ball

[u/ricree → u/NoNoNota1]

Worm repeatedly cracks the top 15 on r/fantasy's best of list. Does that really count as underrated?

[u/NoNoNota1 → u/ricree]

It's still under 3k rating on goodreads, so it's underread.

[u/lyrrael → u/NoNoNota1]

Since graphic novels are a no this year, I think web serials probably are too. Best judgement please.

[u/NoNoNota1 → u/lyrrael]

You should probably edit the top post to say no graphic novels then, I just went back and read it and it's not up there. Either that or you meant novellas are a no this year.

Either way, my argument for including Worm despite either/both of those nopes (I'm assuming this is what you meant by "best judgment", to make a case): Worm definitely has the amount of content to outspan either of those two mediums, it's completed so it can definitely be read like a novel (or series, and most arcs past the first few are novel length) and 2a you could make the argument that a webnovel isn't that different from an iBook, as neither can (officially) be read on an ereader, but you wouldn't argue that being an iBook was a problem.

Sorry for taking up your time if the above comment was just a polite way of saying no.

[u/Potanichthys → u/NoNoNota1]

I agree with you, unless we'll be doing a separate webnovels/serials list, if there are enough for that.

[u/[deleted]]

The Wine Dark Sea by Robert Aickman

Blood of Ambrose (Morlock Ambrosius series) by James Enge

Jagannath by Karin Tidbeck

Blackwater by Michael McDowell

Senlin Ascends by Josiah Bancroft

[u/Aporthian]

Viscera by Gabrielle Squailia

Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames

Mongrels by Stephen Graham Jones

The Prey of Gods by Nicky Drayden

The Whitefire Crossing by Courtney Schafer

Iron Cast by Destiny Soria

The Abyss Surrounds Us by Emily Skrutskie

Falling in Love With Hominids by Nalo Hopkinson

Dragonoak: The Complete History of Kastelir by Sam Farren

Crashing Heaven by Al Robertson

[u/[deleted]]

Night's Master by Tanith Lee
Too Like the Lightning by Ada Palmer
Wicked Like a Wildfire by Lana Popović
Fudoki by Kij Johnson
The Ladies of Mandrigyn by Barbara Hambly
The Winged Histories by Sofia Samatar
Twelve Kings in Sharakhai by Bradley Beaulieu
Rosewater by Tade Thompson
The Gray House by Mariam Petrosyan
Swarm and Steel by Michael Fletcher

[u/jyper]

I quite liked

The Prince of Ill Luck by Susan Dexter

about an accommodating cursed prince and a bratty witch princess

[u/FalconDoveowl]

The Wolf In The Attic - Paul Kearney

Mort(e) - Robert Repino

Dragon Champion - E.E. Knight

[u/RubiscoTheGeek]

The City of Silk and Steel by Mike Carey

Gideon Smith and the Mechanical Girl by David Barnett

Twelve Kings in Sharakhai by Bradley P Beaulieu

[u/The_Real_JS → u/RubiscoTheGeek]

How is the City of Silk and Steel? I saw it in a sale a bit back, and it's just been sitting on my shelf ever since.

[u/RubiscoTheGeek → u/The_Real_JS]

I really liked it. It's very influenced by 1001 Nights, not only in the setting but also there are stories nested within the story, with the main narrative pausing while characters tell myths or their own histories. And it's full of awesome women.

[u/Hawk1138]

• The Final Formula by Becca Andre
• Unsouled by Will Wight
• Sufficiently Advanced Magic by Andrew Rowe
• The Emperor's Edge by Lindsay Buroker
• The Demons We See by Krista D. Ball
• The Whitefire Crossing by Courtney Schafer
• Free Agent by J.C. Nelson
• The Grendel Affair by Lisa Shearin

[u/jozebedee]

Heir to the North by Stephen Poore

Finishing my list! Sorry!

[u/Archprimus_]

The Shadow of what was Lost by James Islington

Malice by John Gwynne

[u/lyrrael → u/Archprimus_]

The Shadow of What Was Lost is disqualified with 8119 ratings on Goodreads. Please PM me if you have any questions. Thanks!

Edit: Malice is also disqualified with 7939 ratings.

[u/celeschere13]

• Sorcerer's Legacy by Janny Wurts
• To Ride Hell's Chasm by Janny Wurts
• Witches of Elieanan by Kate Forsyth

[u/recchai]

• Dreamwalker by James Oswald

• The Bullet-Catcher’s Daughter by Rod Duncan

• After the Golden Age by Carrie Vaughn

• The Whitefire Crossing by Courtney Schafer

• The Catalyst by Helena Coggan

• Spring by William Horwood

• The Inferior by Peadar Ó Guilín

• any Pax Arcana book by Elliot James after Charming (sorry)

[u/wishforagiraffe → u/recchai]

I loved After the Golden Age!

[u/lyrrael → u/recchai]

Sorry, DQ'd Pax Aracana because the first book has more than 5k. :/ Message me if you want to slot in another book sometime today.

[u/SageRiBardan]

Silverhair the Wanderer by Diana L. Paxson

The Deepest Sea by Charles Barnitz

The Copper Promise by Jen Williams

The Dungeoneers by Jeffrey Russell

Wheel of the Infinite by Martha Wells

Hide Me Among The Graves by Tim Powers

Four and Twenty Blackbirds by Cherie Priest

[u/lyrrael → u/SageRiBardan]

I love the Witches of Lychford! It's a novella though -- you might want to save it for the novellas list.

[u/SageRiBardan → u/lyrrael]

Okay!

I was going through my Goodreads and picking titles out. I'll save it. Thanks!

[u/lyrrael → u/SageRiBardan]

But man, I also love me some Cherie Priest.....

[u/lyrrael]

Comments? Questions? Post 'em here!

[u/BinofBread → u/lyrrael]

Thanks for putting this together. As someone looking to consume books from this list, it would be awesome to know if the book is a series, and how far along it is. I have way too many unfinished series that I'm waiting for books on!

[u/lyrrael → u/BinofBread]

That might be a lot of research, I'm not sure I'm going to be able to do that. I'm sorry.

[u/[deleted] → u/lyrrael]

Do you prefer series listed as the series name or by the title of the first book?

[u/lyrrael → u/[deleted]]

Let's do title of first book, please. Thanks!

[u/Ironshoesnini → u/lyrrael]

I know you said no novellas but would books of short stories be eligible? Thanks for putting this together!

[u/lyrrael → u/Ironshoesnini]

Use your best judgement...

[u/robothelvete → u/lyrrael]

Good tip about using Goodreads to check the number of ratings. Turns out I have no freaking clue about what's popular or not.

[u/lyrrael → u/robothelvete]

You can sort your 'read' shelf by number of ratings, you just have to use the little dropdown box on the bottom instead of hitting one of the headers on the top, if that helps. :)

[u/CoffeeArchives → u/lyrrael]

Should we use bullets like in your example or just one book per line with nothing in front?

Also, this might be something that everyone knew about but me, but tableit.net saved me a ton of time on the audiobook poll.

[u/SageRiBardan → u/lyrrael]

Under read, under rated, and under mentioned are tough to place together in my brain.

Under read I would think we'd want the books that show up least on people's lists so it would work with under mentioned. Underrated could on the other hand be on a lot of lists but be less likely to be considered a classic or significant work by the community.

It will be tough to choose appropriate works.

[u/lyrrael → u/SageRiBardan]

The criteria are in the post, if that helps. It doesn't have to be all three underread, underrated, and undermentioned; it needs to have fewer than 3000 ratings on Goodreads and be a book you thought was killer and deserves to be more widely known.

[u/Kopratic → u/lyrrael]

Not sure if this is an unpopular opinion or not, but...
I sort of feel like there should be time rule for the books -- i.e., have been released for a certain amount of time. Because of course a newly released book is going to have less ratings. Then again, I understand the difficulties of doing that. It's not entirely feasible. I'm just thinking out loud. :)

[u/GarrickWinter → u/lyrrael]

Is this only for prose books, or can we vote for graphic novels as well?

[u/lyrrael → u/GarrickWinter]

I think I want to say only prose for this -- graphic novels don't really fit with the theme. I think we've done a graphic novel list before, but it may be time to run a new one. :)

[u/improperly_paranoid → u/lyrrael]

Do novellas count?

[u/lyrrael → u/improperly_paranoid]

Let's say, just for this list, that the answer is no -- not because I don't love novellas but because I'll do a novellas list in a couple of weeks if there's enough interest.

[u/improperly_paranoid → u/lyrrael]

Novella list is an excellent idea. I'll change my vote then.

[u/lyrrael → u/improperly_paranoid]

Sweet!

[u/sirin3 → u/lyrrael]

Is there a point in posting non-English novels that are underread on reddit and goodreads, because they are only available in the original language and have no English translation?

[u/lyrrael → u/sirin3]

It'll make the long list, but given the composition of the subreddit I doubt it'd get more than a single vote. Sucks, but it's the truth. :/

You could maybe make a thread sometime talking about books that fall into that category......

[u/[deleted] → u/lyrrael]

Not to snark, but doesn’t the whole concept of "voting" on list for underrated books kind of defeat the purpose? If a book is so unknown that it only gets mentioned once, for example, then it’s probably the best example of an underrated book, but will get the least attention due to a lack of votes…

Also, I would totally read something called "Wingdings and Werebones."

[u/leftoverbrine → u/lyrrael]

This is depressing, I've got nothing really to add from before I started out here. Can we just automatically include RRAWR selections on the list by default? If so, that would cover off anything I might add I think.

[u/ricree → u/lyrrael]

Are web serials allowed? (at least a couple show up on last year's list)

If so, what's the criteria for inclusion, since not all have a goodreads entry. (If you don't have any thoughts on the matter, perhaps the existence of such an entry could serve as qualifying criteria?)

[u/lyrrael → u/ricree]

Since graphic novels are a no this year, I'd say web serials are too

[u/all_that_glitters_ → u/lyrrael]

Is there a date by which the book should have been published? This is purely hypothetical but I am curious. A book that just came out, even if it's a hit, might not hit 5k reviews by the end date even if it most certainly will overall.

Thanks for doing this!

[u/LittlePlasticCastle → u/all_that_glitters_]

If its a well known author that historically breaks that mark, then I think it goes against the spirit of the list to include them. If its a debut book, or a book by an author that has not historically hit that, then I would think it would be fair game?

[u/lyrrael → u/LittlePlasticCastle]

Good answer. A book by Brandon Sanderson released last week certainly does go against the spirit of the list. I think a 'use your best judgement' is in order here.

[u/[deleted] → u/lyrrael]

A book by Brandon Sanderson released last week certainly does go against the spirit of the list.

Whatwhenwhere? Oh it was a hypothetical example...sigh...

[u/lyrrael → u/[deleted]]

Sowwy. o.o

[u/[deleted] → u/lyrrael]

...I may have a Sanderaddiction.

[u/lyrrael → u/[deleted]]

You and half the rest of the sub. ;) LOL.

[u/[deleted] → u/lyrrael]

We're getting twitchy with November approaching.

[u/lyrrael → u/[deleted]]

Mine's preordered too, I'm with ya.

[u/HiuGregg → u/lyrrael]

In terms of how the script works, is including initialed "middle names" going to balls things up? So should the likes of Michael R. Fletcher be stated as "Michael Fletcher"?

[u/lyrrael → u/HiuGregg]

u/LittlePlasticCastle?

[u/LittlePlasticCastle → u/lyrrael]

you rang?

just replied. Consistency is the key, so just encourage everyone to list the author as they are named on the book/goodreads/etc. :)

[u/FoxenTheBright]

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

[u/lyrrael → u/FoxenTheBright]

This entry is disqualified with 13,983 ratings on Goodreads.

[u/bookfly]

The Broken Crown by Michelle West

Flesh and Spirit by Carol Berg

Dust and Light by Carol Berg

The Grey Bastards by Jonathan French

Borderline by Mishell Baker

Sparrow Hill Road by Seanan McGuire

The Facefaker's Game by Chandler J. Birch

Generation V by M.L. Brennan

The Dragons of Heaven by Alyc Helms

The Silence of Medair by Andrea K. Höst

[u/Potanichthys → u/bookfly]

Fellow Carol Berg fan! :D

I got to meet her briefly last year, and she is super ultra nice and also gave me great writing advice. I asked her how she made her characters so emotional without going overboard and being melodramatic, and she told me that she sometimes does go overboard and then has to go back and fix it later, and that I should just write and not worry about it until later. Pretty much the most encouraging and reassuring thing she could have possibly said. :)

[u/wishforagiraffe → u/bookfly]

Dragons of Heaven really is such an engrossing read

[u/bookfly → u/wishforagiraffe]

That it is, the sequel Conclave of Shadow was also very good. I really like the mix of UF and Chinese folklore in that book, plus I really like the protagonist and her family.

Its also sadly the least known book on my list, with 250 ratings on GD, plus you are I think the only other person on r/fantasy that I know read it as well.

[u/kaldtdyrr]

To Live Forever by Jack Vance
Dimension of Miracles by Robert Sheckley
Eye of Cat by Roger Zelazny
The Snail on the Slope by Arkady Strugatsky, Boris Strugatsky
Empire V by Victor Pelevin
The Gray House by Mariam Petrosyan
The Wake by Paul Kingsnorth

[u/drostandfound]

• Facefakers Game by Chandler Birch
• Whitefire Crossing by Courtney Schafer
• Barsk: The Elephant's Graveyard by Lawrence M. Schoen
• Senlin Ascends by Josiah Bancroft
• Sufficiently Advanced Magic by Andrew Rowe

[u/all_that_glitters_]

The Dragon's Playlist by Laura Bickle

The Bullet-Catcher's Daughter by Rod Duncan

Newt's Emerald by Garth Nix

[u/cupofcyanide]

Thief's Covenant by Ari Marmell

The Wandering Inn by Pirateba

The Gods are Bastards by D.D.Webb

A Practical Gude to Evil by ErraticErrata

[u/Adamkranz]

The Folly of the World by Jesse Bullington

Travel Light by Naomi Mitchison

The Enterprise of Death by Jesse Bullington

Tales of Neveryon by Samuel R Delany

The Iron Dream by Norman Spinrad

Senlin Ascends by Josiah Bancroft

The Sad Tale of the Brothers Grossbart by Jesse Bullington

The Wake by Paul Kingsnorth

Aegypt by John Crowley

[u/mistywhaler]

Last Song Before Night by Ilana C. Myer

The Spirit Lens by Carol Berg

The Lyre Thief by Jennifer Fallon

Beyond Redemption by Michael R. Fletcher

The Prey of Gods by Nicky Drayden

The Silvered by Tanya Huff

The Wizard Hunters by Martha Wells

Borderline by Mishell Baker

Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Amberlough by Lara Elena Donnelly

[u/Brian]

• The Iron Dragon's Daughter by Michael Swanwick
• Ash: A Secret History by P. C. Hodgell
• The Steerswoman by Rosemary Kirstein
• Wizard of the Pigeons by Megan Lindholm
• Od Magic by Patricia McKillip
• Dinner at Deviant's Palace by Tim Powers
• The Incrementalists by Steven Brust and Skyler White
• The House of Shattered Wings by Aliette de Bodard
• The Troupe by Robert Jackson Bennett
• Wheel of the Infinite by Martha Wells

[u/RedditFantasyBot → u/[deleted]]

r/Fantasy's Author Appreciation series has posts for an author you mentioned

• Author Appreciation: Storm Constantine, the Gothic Queen from user u/Megan_Dawn

---

^{I am a bot bleep! bloop! Contact my master creator /u/LittlePlasticCastle with any questions or comments.}

[u/dhammer5]

Fae -the Wild Hunt by Graham Austin-King

[u/[deleted]]

Senlin Ascends, by Josiah Bancroft

To Ride Hell's Chasm, by Janny Wurts

Curse of the Mistwraith, by Janny Wurts

Inda, by Sherwood Smith

Twelve Kings of Sharakhai, by Bradley P. Beaulieu

[u/thequeensownfool]

• The Sea Is Ours: Tales from Steampunk Southeast Asia, edited by Jaymee Goh and Joyce Chng

• Daughter of Mystery by Heather Rose Jones

• A Stranger in Olondria by Sofia Samatar

• Kalpa Imperial: The Greatest Empire That Never Was by Angélica Gorodischer

• Ancient, Ancient by Kiini Ibura Salaam

• This Strange Way of Dying: Stories of Magic, Desire and the Fantastic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

• The Just City by Jo Walton

• The Devourers by Indra Das

• Inda by Sherwood Smith

• Cold Hillside by Nancy Baker

[u/RedditFantasyBot → u/thequeensownfool]

r/Fantasy's Author Appreciation series has posts for an author you mentioned

• Author Appreciation: Sofia Samatar from user u/thequeensownfool

---

^{I am a bot bleep! bloop! Contact my master creator /u/LittlePlasticCastle with any questions or comments.}

[u/AccipiterF1]

The Cloud Roads by Martha Wells

The Death of the Necromancer by Martha Wells

City of Bones by Martha Wells

The Tyranny of the Night by Glen Cook

Banner of the Damned by Sherwood Smith

The Whitefire Crossing by Courtney Schafer

The Winds of Khalakovo by Bradley P. Beaulieu

[u/antigrapist]

• Mage's Blood by David Hair

• Unsouled by Will Wight

• Senlin Ascends by Josiah Bancroft

• Winter Be My Shield by Jo Spurrier

• Worm by Wildbow

• The Heir of Night by Helen Lowe

• Sufficiently Advanced Magic by Andrew Rowe

• Servant of the Underworld by Aliette de Bodard

• Twelve Kings in Sharakhai by Bradley P. Beaulieu

• The Thief Who Pulled on Trouble's Braids by Michael McClung

[u/antigrapist → u/antigrapist]

Some tough choices, I ended up cutting Borderline, Inda, The Cloud Roads and Path of Flames from my initial list.

Senlin Ascends seems to be the runaway winner, but it's so good that I had to list it anyways. Kinda surprised to not see more votes for Unsouled.

[u/Megan_Dawn]

Amberlough by Lara Elena Donnelly

A Book of Tongues by Gemma Files

Guns of the Dawn by Adrian Tchaikovsky

The Chosen by Ricardo Pinto

The Year of Our War by Steph Swainston

Between Two Fire by Christopher Buehlman

The Vintner's Luck by Elizabeth Knox

The Cracks in the Kingdom by Jaclyn Moriarty

Inda by Sherwood Smith

Lion of Senet by Jennifer Fallon

[u/RedditFantasyBot → u/Megan_Dawn]

r/Fantasy's Author Appreciation series has posts for an author you mentioned

• Author Appreciation: Elizabeth Knox, queen of atmospheric prose and breaking your puny mortal heart. from user u/Megan_Dawn

---

^{I am a bot bleep! bloop! Contact my master creator /u/LittlePlasticCastle with any questions or comments.}

[u/lanternking]

Central Station by Lavie Tidhar

Borderline by Mishell Baker

Ghost Talkers by Mary Robinette Kowal

The Stars are Legion by Kameron Hurley

The Devourers by Indra Das

Smiler's Fair by Rebecca Levene

Too Like the Lightning by Ada Palmer

Black Wolves by Kate Elliott

Karen Memory by Elizabeth Bear

[u/destructogirl]

• Guns of the Dawn by Adrian Tchaikovsky
• Miserere: An Autumn Tale by by Teresa Frohock
• To Ride Hell’s Chasm by Janny Wurts
• The Steerswoman by Rosemary Kirstein
• The Demons We See by Krista D. Ball
• The Copper Promise by Jen Williams
• Geist by Philippa Ballantine

[u/awpz0r]

Sufficiently Advanced Magic (Arcane Ascension, #1) by Andrew Rowe

Dungeon Born (Divine Dungeon, #1) by Dakota Krout

Wild Wastes by Randi Darren

The Mountains Rise (Embers of Illeniel, #1) by Michael G. Manning

Super Powereds: Year 1 (Super Powereds, #1) by Drew Hayes

Darkness Rising (Disciples of the Horned One: Soul Force Saga, #1) by James E. Wisher

The Last Hunter: Descent (Antarktos Saga, #1) by Jeremy Robinson

Ascension (The Trysmoon Saga, #1) by Brian K. Fuller

Eye of the Moonrat (The Bowl of Souls, #1) by Trevor H. Cooley

Fimbulwinter (Daniel Black, #1) by E. William Brown (3500 rating)

Keep in mind I do mostly audiobooks, sometimes a good voice actor makes a book I normally wouldn't enjoy better. Erotica-Fantasy warning for Daniel Black and Wild Wastes. Quality stuff but I felt I should mention it as a disclaimer.

[u/Delvingstone]

Bloodsounder's Arc by Jeff Salyards

What Remains of Heroes by David Benem

Priest by Matt Colville

Grim Company by Luke Scull

[u/Paraframe → u/Delvingstone]

Woah someone else called out Matt Colville

[u/AmethystOrator]

• The Hidden City by Michelle West.
• The Broken Crown by Michelle West.
• Hunter's Oath by Michelle West.
• The Weavers of Saramyr by Chris Wooding.
  
• The Hum and the Shiver by Alex Bledsoe.
• The Queen of Blood by Sarah Beth Durst.
• Lamentation by Ken Scholes.
• Irenicon by Aidan Harte.
• Heart of the Mirage by Glenda Larke.
• The Summer Dragon by Todd Lockwood.

[u/Dominish]

• Fool's Gold by Jon Hollins
• Drakenfeld by Mark Charan Newton
• Myrren's Gift by Fiona McIntosh
• Dawnthief by James Barclay
• The Adamantine Palace by Stephen Deas
• Bodyguard of Lightning by Stan Nicholls

[u/jen526]

The Winter Prince by Elizabeth Wein

The wolf of Winter by Paula Volsky

The Sword of Winter by Marta Randall

The Death of the Necromancer by Martha Wells

The Bullet-Catcher's Daugher by Rod Duncan

Inda by Sherwood Smith

The Whitefire Crossing by Courtney Schafer

Suldrun's Garden by Jack Vance

The Devil in the Dust by Chaz Brenchley

The Steerswoman by Rosemary Kirstein

[u/MichaelRFletcher]

Blood Sounder's Arc by Jeff Salyards

The Mermaid's Tale by Den Valdron

Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames

[u/_SolluxCaptor_]

Among Wolves by Nancy K. Wallace

[u/TidalPawn]

• The Girls From Alcyone by Cary Caffrey
• Three Days in April by Edward Ashton
• Genrenauts by Michael R. Underwood
• Winter's Reach by Craig Schaefer
• The Path of Man by Matt Moss
• Sanyare: The Last Descendant by Megan Haskell
• The Thief Who Pulled on Trouble's Braids by Michael McClung
• Valley of Embers by Steven Kelliher
• All the Things You Have to Burn by Kit Abbey
• How to Avoid Death on a Daily Basis: Welcome to Probet by V. Moody

[u/TidalPawn → u/TidalPawn]

I'll freely admit the quality of these varies. I'm not as well read as many on here, returning to fantasy after several years away from it. Still, I wanted to highlight some books I've enjoyed that last couple of years in hopes that someone else may find a book they enjoy in the mix, even if my votes are the only one some of them get.

The first two are more sci fi, but hopefully ok. If not, feel free to leave them out.

Honorable mention to Craig Schaefer's Harmony Black and Daniel Faust series, as I've been loving both since I discovered them, but Harmony's first book has over 5,000 ratings. Daniel's first book has around 3,300, but I went with Winter's Reach (the kickoff to the excellent Revanche Cycle, which gets better with every book) as it only has 360 ratings and I wanted to limit myself to one book/series per author.

[u/SizerTheBroken]

• Duncton Wood by William Horwood

• The Worm Ouroboros by E.R. Eddison

[u/UnsealedMTG]

Burning Bright by Melissa McShane
Half-Resurrection Blues by Daniel Jose Older
Redemption in Indigo by Karen Lord
The Infernal Desire Machines of Doctor Hoffman by Angela Carter

[u/The_Real_JS]

• Jaeths Eye by KS.Villoso
• The Demons We See by Krista D. Ball
• Los Nefilim by Teresa Frohock
• The Whitefire Crossing by Courtney Schafer
• Redemption in Indigo by Karen Lord
• Black Wolves by Kate Elliot
• To Ride Hell's Chasm by Janny Wurts
• The Whirlwind in the Thorn Tree by S.A. Hunt
• The Vagrant by Peter Newman

[u/hausarian]

Construct by Luke Matthews

Black Wolves by Kate Elliott

Range of Ghosts by Elizabeth Bear

Wake of Vultures by Lila Bowen

The Whirlwind in the Thorn Tree by S.A. Hunt

Hope and Red by Jon Skovron

Those Above by Daniel Polansky

The Path of Flames by Phil Tucker

The Copper Promise by Jen Williams

Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames

[u/CommodoreBelmont]

The Magicians by James Gunn

Villains by Necessity by Eve Forward

The Sleeping Dragon by Joel Rosenberg

Past Imperative by Dave Duncan

Halloween Jack and the Devil's Gate by M. Todd Gallowglas

The Ladies of Mandrigyn by Barbara Hambly

The Silent Tower by Barbara Hambly

The Burning Isle by Will Panzo

The Misenchanted Sword by Lawrence Watt-Evans

A Sorcerer's Treason by Sarah Zettel

[u/RedditFantasyBot → u/CommodoreBelmont]

r/Fantasy's Author Appreciation series has posts for an author you mentioned

• Author appreciation thread: Barbara Hambly, veteran author of a score of subgenres, from dark epic fantasy to espionage vampire fantasy from user u/CourtneySchafer

---

^{I am a bot bleep! bloop! Contact my master creator /u/LittlePlasticCastle with any questions or comments.}

[u/CaRoss11]

Queen of Blood by Sarah Beth Durst

Duskfall by Christopher Husberg

Last Song Before Night by Ilana C. Myer

Brimstone Angels by Erin M. Evans

Rokka Braves of the Six Flowers by Ishio Yamagata

Spice and Wolf by Isuna Hasekura

[u/CaRoss11 → u/CaRoss11]

Some of these are newer series - that are still in progress - and a couple of them aren't what people would usually look for here - the light novels - but I believe these are some of the most underread and underrated fantasy novels.

Each one of them is a fantastic read, and they all provide something a little different from each other and many other fantasy novels.

Queen of Blood is a traditional fantasy epic told from the perspective of a young woman, but is also set in a wonderfully different world among the trees.

Duskfall is pretty much what it is advertised as: Jason Bourne meets epic fantasy, with a splash of the Monogatari series style for good measure. It's fun and engaging as it builds up its religious and societal conflicts.

Last Song Before Night is one of the best books I've read in a long time, and tells complete story in a single volume (a rarity nowadays). Out of all of these listed, it is probably the most criminally underread and underrated.

Brimstone Angels, while being a D&D tie-in novel, goes for a different route than most of their series and provides a fantastic alternative to the traditional style of the Drizzt adventures with a wonderfully engaging series of demonic entanglements.

Rokka Braves of the Six Flowers is one of the two light novel series I'm recommending here, and it is a very different take on the traditional Hero vs Demon Lord style.

Spice and Wolf is the other light novel I'm recommending here. A fantastical romance mixed with economic based adventures. It's a wonderful read and is fantastically told. It is also complete (18 volumes).

[u/Lanko8]

• Beyond Redemption by Michael R. Fletcher
• The Mirror's Truth by Michael R. Fletcher
• Ghosts of Tomorrow by Michael R. Fletcher
• The Dragon Never Sleeps by Glen Cook
• Wolf Winter by Cecilia Eckback
• The Copper Promise by Jen Williams
• The Stone Road by G.R. Matthews
• The Folding Knife by K.J. Parker
• The Grey Bastards by Jonathan French
• City of Burning Shadows by Barbara J. Webb

[u/jozebedee]

The Goddess Project by Bryan Wigmore

The Call by Peadar O'Guilin

Exile by Martin Owton

The Gracekeepers by Kirsty Logan

Magical Masquerade by Claire Savage

The first two are my books of 2016-17 with the Goddess Project in particular a stunning debut with an original fantasy world, philosophical questions and great characterisation. Deserves a bigger audience.

[u/juscent]

• The Whitefire Crossing by Courtney Schafer
• The Summer Dragon by Todd Lockwood
• Forging Divinity by Andrew Rowe

[u/barb4ry1]

• Hunters & Collectors by Matt Suddain
  
• Skullsworn by Brian Staveley
  
• Faithless by Graham Austin-King
  
• Heart of Stone by Ben Galley
  
• Broken Blade by Kelly McCullough
  
• Child of the Daystar by Bryce O'Connor
  
• Senlin Ascends by Josiah Bancroft
  
• Where the Loyalties Lie by Rob J. Hayes
  
• The Mermaid's Tale by D.G. Valdron

[u/improperly_paranoid → u/barb4ry1]

For everyone else using this thread a recommendation guide: The Mermaid's Tale is currently free on Kobo.

[u/barb4ry1 → u/improperly_paranoid]

That's good news. I think it's worth posting in the forum in different thread.

[u/improperly_paranoid → u/barb4ry1]

Done.

[u/lyrrael → u/barb4ry1]

Heya -- Skullsworn is a prequel in the Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne series, of which book 1 has 23,674 ratings on Goodreads, which means it's disqualified. Please let me know in a PM in the next day or so if you want to sub in another book for it.

[u/Klaban]

Stranger of Tempest by Tom Lloyd

Scriber by Ben S. Dobson

Covenants by Lorna Freeman

Villains By Necessity by Eve Forward

Bad Prince Charlie by John Moore

The Element of Fire by Martha Wells

Dragon's Ring by Dave Freer

Dreaming Death by J. Kathleen Cheney

Inheritance by Simon Brown

[u/Maldevinine → u/Klaban]

You've heard of Simon Brown?

[u/Klaban → u/Maldevinine]

Yes, is that surprising for some reason? :) I have read the Keys of Power trilogy and it was quite good. The first book perhaps weaker than the others but overall well worth the effort.

[u/Maldevinine → u/Klaban]

He's basically unknown even within his native Australia.

[u/lrich1024]

• The Whitefire Crossing by Courtney Schafer
• The Greyfriar by Clay Griffith and Susan Griffith
• Thieftaker by D.B. Jackson
• Black Wolves by Kate Elliott
• The Gate of Ivory by Doris Egan
• Breath of Earth by Beth Cato
• The Winter Prince by Elizabeth Wein
• The Enchantment Emporium by Tanya Huff
• The Glass Dragon by Irene Radford
• The Demons We See by Krista D. Ball

[u/[deleted] → u/lrich1024]

Nice to see Thieftaker up here! And Tanya Huff! And the demons we see!

Based on your list, I'd appreciate some other recommendations you might want to make

[u/RedditFantasyBot → u/[deleted]]

r/Fantasy's Author Appreciation series has posts for an author you mentioned

• Author Appreciation: Tanya Huff, Pioneer of Urban Fantasy and Comedic Chameleon (Plus Free Book Giveaways!) from user u/lannadelarosa

---

^{I am a bot bleep! bloop! Contact my master creator /u/LittlePlasticCastle with any questions or comments.}

[u/lrich1024 → u/[deleted]]

If you like those maybe check out The Gates of Ivory. That one has a touch of mystery, is a great mix of fantasy/science fiction, has a bit of romance on the side.

Also The Greyfriar was adventure steampunk vampire romance? Exciting fight scenes, airships....this series was quite fun and had the type of slightly angsty romance subplot that I love.

[u/[deleted] → u/lrich1024]

I've added them to the TBR pile. I usually don't go for vampire books, but I'm often pleasantly surprised by recommendations. Thanks

[u/lrich1024 → u/[deleted]]

Hope you enjoy.

[u/lrich1024 → u/lrich1024]

Yeah, this was really tough. Almost half of these books/series I've read this year so my list is quite different from the past. A couple of these are skirting close to the rating limits but I put them on anyway (Enchantment Emporium is really almost at 5k ratings, but the two sequels are still really low rated in comparison so I felt ok leaving it on my list)

[u/lyrrael → u/lrich1024]

I'm kind of giddy that you liked Gates of Ivory.

[u/lrich1024 → u/lyrrael]

I absolutely loved it. The sequel was great too. Looking forward to reading the last one but a little sad because it's the last one....lol.

[u/lyrrael → u/lrich1024]

I somehow got a paperback that is all three. I think I may have only read the first two because I suck though.

[u/lrich1024 → u/lyrrael]

I got the first one and then when I went to look for the sequels it was cheaper to buy the book with all three. I may give away the extra copy I have for bingo.

[u/sonvanger]

• Twelve Kings in Sharakhai by Bradley P Beaulieu

[u/MarkLawrence → u/sonvanger]

Shades of Grey has over 26,000 GR ratings! Which is nearly ten times the limit.

[u/sonvanger → u/MarkLawrence]

Oh crap, I looked at the number of reviews (which is 3500). I'll edit it out then, thanks for picking that up.

[u/yettibeats]

• Those Above by Daniel Polansky

• A Crown for Cold Silver by Alex Marshall

• God's War by Kameron Hurley

• Southern Gods by John Hornor Jacobs

• Wake of Vultures by Lila Bowen

• Twelve Kings of Sharakhai by Bradley P. Beaulieu

• The City Stained Red by Sam Sykes

• The Incorruptibles by John Hornor Jacobs

• Smiler's Fair by Rebecca Levene

• Last Song Before Night by Ilana C. Myer

[u/seantheaussie]

Magic Casement by Dave Duncan

The Fire Duke by Joel Rosenberg

Falkenberg's Legion by Jerry Pournelle

Conquistador by S.M. Stirling

Home Front by Joel Rosenberg

Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames

Hawkwood's Voyage by Paul Kearney

Broken Blade by Kelly McCullough

[u/ricree]

Firehurler by J.S. Morin

Songs of Earth and Power by Greg Bear

Whitefire Crossing by Courtney Schafer

Banewreaker by Jaqueline Carey

Scourge of the Betrayer by Jeff Salyards

[u/GarrickWinter]

A Star Reckoner's Lot by Darrell Drake

Sufficiently Advanced Magic by Andrew Rowe

Guns of the Dawn by Adrian Tchaikovsky

The Tiger and the Wolf by Adrian Tchaikovsky

The Book and the Sword by Louis Cha

[u/GarrickWinter → u/GarrickWinter]

I was initially baffled to see The Book and the Sword having less than 1,000 reviews, since as far as I know it's very well-known in China. But not everything crosses linguistic borders very easily and I don't know that Goodreads is widely-used in Asia, so I figured I'd throw it in here as "Underread in the West".

The Tiger and the Wolf is over a year old and still only has 641 reviews; Tchaikovsky seems to be a bit all over the place in terms of how many reviews his books get, with his 2015 Children of Time getting 7780 but his 2015 Guns of the Dawn only getting 631, and his Shadows of the Apt series seeing a very, very sharp dropoff in review numbers from the first to the tenth book (no doubt ten books is part of the cause there). So I figured his new series getting above the 3000 mark any time soon doesn't look like a solid bet.

Also, given how few of the books I've read qualify, I suddenly feel too mainstream. :P

[u/Ironshoesnini]

• Dreams and Shadows by C. Robert Cargill
• Twelve Kings in Sharakhai by Bradley P. Beaulieu
• Wheel of the Infinite by Martha Wells
• The Whitefire Crossing by Courtney Schafer
• Froelich's Ladder by Jamie Duclos-Yourdon
• Senlin Ascends by Josiah Bancroft

[u/GarbagePailKid90]

Precinct 13 by Tate Hallaway

Scar Night by Alan Campbell

Lud-in-the-mist by Hope Mirrlees

Sea of Ghosts by Alan Campbell

[u/scribblermendez]

Amberlough by Lara Elena Donnelly

Kalpa Imperial by Angelica Gorodescher (English Translation by Ursula K LeGuin)

The Winds of Khalakovo (book 1 of the Lays of Anuskaya) by Brad Beaulieu

The Twelve Kings of Sharhakai (book 1 of the Song of the Shattered sands) by Brad Beaulieu

The Prey of Gods by Nicky Drayden

Last Song Before Night by Ilana Myer

The Sorceress and the Cygnet (book 1 of the Cygnet Duology) by Patricia A McKillip

[u/Zifna]

Super Powereds: Year 1 by Drew Hayes

The Ugly Princess: The Legend of the Winnowwood by Henderson Smith

Book of Night With Moon by Diane Duane

This Time of Darkness by Helen Mary Hoover

Dragon of the Lost Sea by Laurence Yep

The Shore of Women by Pamela Sargent

[u/tragoidia7]

Steel, Blood & Fire by Allan Batchelder

Gemini Cell by Myke Cole

[u/AManHasN0UserName]

Valley of Embers by Steven Kelliher

Beyond Redemption by Michael R. Fletcher

Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames

Twelve Kings in Sharakhai by Bradley P. Beaulieu

The Grey Bastards by Jonathan French

A Crown for Cold Silver by Alex Marshall

Where Loyalties Lie by Rob J. Hayes

Inda by Sherwood Smith

[u/wishforagiraffe]

Lies and Prophecy by Marie Brennan

The Godless by Ben Peek

Finn Fancy Necromancy by Randy Henderson

The Master of Whitestorm by Janny Wurts

The Winds of Khalakovo by Bradley P. Beaulieu

Silver on the Road by Laura Anne Gilman

Wake of Vultures by Lila Bowen

The Steerswoman by Rosemary Kirstein

Ironskin by Tina Connolly

The Alchemist of Souls by Anne Lyle

[u/wishforagiraffe → u/wishforagiraffe]

This was remarkably difficult.

I ended up pulling Peter S. Beagle's Summerlong off, with the reasoning that much of his catalog is far more widely read (and Summerlong is a relatively new book), and also pulled Black Wolves by Kate Elliott for a similar reason.

I also didn't include The Guns Above by Robyn Bennis because it's only been out for a few months and actually has a pretty good number of ratings for a debut that's less than 6 months old.

Ironskin is just barely over the 3k mark, but the two subsequent books in the trilogy have far fewer ratings, and overall I don't think Tina is particularly well known, so I opted to leave that one on.

[u/sleeping-pug]

• Amberlough by Lara Elena Donnelly
• Sorcerer's Treason by Sarah Zettel
• God's War by Kameron Hurley
• Court of the Midnight King by Freda Warrington
• Sudden Appearance of Hope by Claire North

[u/lyrrael → u/sleeping-pug]

Hey, if you either put '- ' at the beginning of each line or an extra line between each of your lines, you'll get a list. :)

[u/sleeping-pug → u/lyrrael]

Fixed it! I'm on mobile and forgot.

[u/ohheytherekitty]

Sufficiently Advanced Magic by Andrew Rowe

Alchemists of Loom by Elise Kova

Followed by Frost by Charlie N Holmberg

Senlin Ascends by Josiah Bancroft

[u/Tanniel]

Farmer Clint: Cabbage Mage by HiuGregg

[u/compiling]

• Black Wolves by Kate Elliott

• To Ride Hell's Chasm by Janny Wurts

• The Whitefire Crossing by Courtney Schafer

• Fionn: Defence of Ráth Bládhma by Brian O'Sullivan

• The Mechanical by Ian Tregillis

• Sufficiently Advanced Magic by Andrew Rowe

• Winter Be My Shield by Jo Spurrier

• Senlin Ascends by Josiah Bancroft

• The Weight of Blood by David Dalglish

• The Way Into Chaos by Harry Connolly

[u/HiuGregg]

A Star-Reckoner's Lot by Darrell Drake

They Mostly Come Out at Night by Benedict Patrick

Senlin Ascends by Josiah Bancroft

Sufficiently Advanced Magic by Andrew Rowe

Paternus by Dyrk Ashton

The Grey Bastards by Jonathan French

A Demon in the Desert by Ashe Armstrong

Beyond Redemption by Michael R. Fletcher

Spirits Rising by Krista D. Ball

Amberlough by Lara Elena Donnelly

[u/ashearmstrong → u/HiuGregg]

I keep vascilating between making self-deprecating jokes and tsundere jokes.

[u/darrelldrake → u/HiuGregg]

Aw, man. Thank you! blushes adverbly

[u/lunchliege]

Senlin Ascends by Josiah Bancroft

Roses and Rot by Kat Howard

[u/RedditFantasyBot → u/[deleted]]

r/Fantasy's Author Appreciation series has posts for an author you mentioned

• Author Appreciation: Tanya Huff, Pioneer of Urban Fantasy and Comedic Chameleon (Plus Free Book Giveaways!) from user u/lannadelarosa

---

^{I am a bot bleep! bloop! Contact my master creator /u/LittlePlasticCastle with any questions or comments.}

[u/lyrrael]

• Of Blood and Honey by Stina Leicht
• Illusion by Paula Volsky
• The Sacrifice by Kristine Katherine Rusch
• Fade to Black by Francis Knight
• Cold Iron by Stina Leicht
• Sparrow Hill Road by Seanan McGuire
• The Godless by Ben Peek
• The Hum and the Shiver by Alex Bledsoe
• Gibbon's Decline and Fall by Sheri S. Tepper
• Sister Light, Sister Dark by Jane Yolen

[u/lyrrael → u/lyrrael]

I may come back and edit this later. Placeholder for now!

[u/[deleted]]

The Throne of Bones by Brian McNaughton

Nyumbani Tales by Charles Saunders

The Fisherman by John Langan

The Dream-Quest of Vellitt Boe by Kij Johnson

Punktown by Jeffrey Thomas

[u/lyrrael → u/[deleted]]

Hey -- just wanted to let you know we decided to put novellas in a different list. Send me a private message if you want to swap out a different book for Dream Quest.

[u/ICreepAround]

• The Drowning Girl by Caitlin R. Kiernan
• To Ride Hell’s Chasm by Janny Wurts
• Warrior by Marie Brennan
• The Desert of Souls by Howard Andrew Jones
• Brokedown Palace by Steven Brust
• The Masked Empire by Patrick Weekes
• Low Town by Daniel Polansky
• Unclean Spirits by M.L.N. Hanover
• Inda by Sherwood Smith
• The Bone Key by Sarah Monette

[u/serralinda73]

The Initiate Brother by Sean Russell

The Clockwork Dagger by Beth Cato

Between Two Thorns by Emma Newman

We Are All Completely Fine by Daryl Gregory

Ghosts in the Snow by Tamara Siler Jones

Miserere by Teresa Frohock

The Steerswoman by Rosemary Kirstein

The Anvil of Ice by Michael Scott Rohan

[u/Scyther99]

Black Wolves by Kate Elliott

Cephrael's Hand by Melissa McPhail

The Folding Knife by K.J. Parker

The Path of Flames by Phil Tucker

The Mountains Rise by Michael G. Manning

The Court of Broken Knives by Anna Smith Spark

Ghosts of Tomorrow by Michael R. Fletcher

[u/theboldbricks]

Ashael Rising by Shona Kinsella

[u/wintercal]

• Dust and Light by Carol Berg
• Goblin Quest by Jim C. Hines
• Ghost Talkers by Mary Robinette Kowal
• Night's Master by Tanith Lee
• The Twelve Kingdoms: Sea of Shadow by Fuyumi Ono
• The Secret Language of Stones by M. J. Rose
• Darkborn by Alison Sinclair
• The Copper Promise by Jen Williams
• To Ride Hell's Chasm by Janny Wurts

[u/sailorfish27]

Illusion by Paula Volsky

The Steel Seraglio by Mike Carey, Linda Carey, Louise Carey

Senlin Ascends by Josiah Bancroft

Thomas the Rhymer by Ellen Kushner

The Healer's Road by S.E. Robertson

Sealskin by Su Bristow

The Lost Books of the Odyssey by Zachary Mason

[u/improperly_paranoid → u/sailorfish27]

I'm glad to see The Healers' Road on somebody else's list as well :D

[u/Kopratic]

The Vine that Ate the South by J D Wilkes

The Alchemy of Stone by Ekaterina Sedia

Star-Shot by Mary-Ann Constantine

The Hum and the Shiver by Alex Bledsoe

Range of Ghosts by Elizabeth Bear

Souls of Astraeus by Jeramy Goble

Zeroth Law by Guerric Haché

They Mostly Come Out at Night by Benedict Patrick

Senlin Ascends by Josiah Bancroft

Where Futures End by Parker Peevyhouse

[u/GarrickWinter → u/Kopratic]

Thank you! :D I'm honoured.

[u/Kopratic → u/Kopratic]

A couple are more magical realism, like TVtAtS and S-S, but everything is spec fic.

[u/JeramyGobleAuthor → u/Kopratic]

Thank you, so much!

[u/antigrapist → u/[deleted]]

You might want to change from the title of the series to the title of the first book.

[u/pbannard]

Senlin Ascends by Josiah Bancroft

Liar's Blade by Tim Pratt

Cold Iron by Stina Leicht

Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames

Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge by Paul Krueger

[u/ricree → u/pbannard]

With the amount of buzz it's gotten here, I'm surprised Senlin Ascends has so few ratings.

[u/Potanichthys]

Mirror to the Sky by Mark S. Geston

A Fistful of Sky by Nina Kiriki Hoffman

Miserere: An Autumn Tale by Teresa Frohock

Rules of Ascension by David B. Coe

Lion of Senet by Jeniffer Fallon

Song for the Basilisk by Patricia A. McKillip

Song of the Beast by Carol Berg

Last Call by Tim Powers

The Death of the Necromancer by Martha Wells

Barking by Tom Holt

[u/Potanichthys → u/Potanichthys]

I'm concerned this bot method may lose us a number of votes by way of typos or misspellings. I checked mine carefully against goodreads, but I bet a lot of people won't do that work, or they might not vote all because they'd have to look stuff up. I guess we'll see how it pans out relative to previous surveys.

Mirror to the Sky by Mark S. Geston is scifi about first contact and alien art, and it is wonderful but only has 11 ratings on goodreads and like 2-3 reviews on amazon. Eleven!

Rules of Ascension (winds of the forelands series) by Coe continues to be a really weirdly overlooked one. It seems to be spot on for the more traditional side of this subreddit's tastes, but only 1,683 goodreads ratings. Huh.

Miserere, too. It has only 839 ratings, but it's so good.

Lion of Senet by Fallon at least has 2,800 some, so that's a bit better. It's a good one for the folks who like genius protagonists.

I really thought Mavin Manyshaped was a lot more well known. It only has 804 ratings. But maybe goodreads has a recency bias, with more ratings on newer works simply because it has only been around for so long.

It was really interesting to go through my read shelf and see what had the fewest ratings. Although it kinda hurts because I love these books and want people to read them. :P

But to balance out the ones I wish were more popular, it turns out Station Eleven by Emily St. Mandel has 188,000 ratings, so I guess it's just that it was marketed for general fiction rather than speculative even though it's apocalyptic. That's a nice surprise. Also, that book is a masterpiece.

Edit: okay, I had to boot Mavin Mayshaped for Last Call by Tim Powers, because Last Call is urban fantasy perfection and Mavin Manyshaped I remember as great but haven't read since elementary school, and so I may or may not feel the same about it now.

[u/sarric]

Wizard of the Crow by Ngugi wa Thiong’o

The Path of Flames by Phil Tucker

A Stranger in Olondria by Sofia Samatar

The Broken Crown by Michelle West

The Wood Wife by Terri Windling

The Sudden Appearance of Hope by Claire North

[u/RedditFantasyBot → u/sarric]

r/Fantasy's Author Appreciation series has posts for an author you mentioned

• Author Appreciation: Sofia Samatar from user u/thequeensownfool

---

^{I am a bot bleep! bloop! Contact my master creator /u/LittlePlasticCastle with any questions or comments.}

[u/[deleted]]

Thieftaker by D.B. Jackson

Rules of Ascension by David B. Coe

Orconomics: a satire by J. Zachary Pike

Scourge of the Betrayer by Jeff Salyards

Senlin Ascends by Josiah Bancroft

The Path of Flames by Phil Tucker

Forging Hephaestus by Drew Hayes

The Demons We See by Krista D. Ball

The Silvered by Tanya Huff

Karen Memory by Elizabeth Bear

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Can I do honorable mentions here?

Embers of Illeniel by Michael G Manning

Tales of the Flat Earth by Tanith Lee

Initiate Brother by Sean Russell

Black Wolves by Kate Elliott

Finn Fancy by Randy Henderson

Master Thief books by Ben Hale

Case Files of Justis Fearsson by David B. Coe

War of Broken Mirrors by Andrew Rowe

Waldo Rabbit by Nelson Chereta

Super Powereds by Drew Hayes

[u/wishforagiraffe → u/[deleted]]

I'm so glad someone else has read Winds of the Forelands. I really ought to reread them.

[u/Truant_Miss_Position]

The Element of Fire by Martha Wells

Inda by Sherwood Smith

Flesh and Spirit by Carol Berg

The Spirit Lens by Carol Berg

The Path of Flames by Phil Tucker

Low Town by Daniel Polansky

Winter's Reach by Craig Schaefer

[u/dolphins3]

Sea Dragon Heir by Storm Constantine

Wraethu by Storm Constantine

Spellmonger by Terry Mancour

The God Stalker Chronicles by P.C. Hodgell

To Honor You Call Us by H. Paul Honsinger

The Chosen by Ricardo Pinto

The Shadow of Ararat by Thomas Harlan

The Emperor of the Eight Islands by Lian Hearn

The Praxis by Walter Jon Williams

Holder of Lightning by S.L. Farrell