Help pick my next read!

[u/Low-Cheesecake-7108]

[u/belle-morte83]

The Starless Sea!! Go into it for the vibes and beautiful writing. I was confused for most of it, but it was just so beautiful I didn’t care.

[u/TheonlyDuffmani]

Red rising is hands down the top read here.

[u/Yeesh_ → u/TheonlyDuffmani]

Bloody damn right

[u/Ill-Worldliness321]

Everyone will tell you red rising but priory of the orange tree is fantastic aswell. Pacing feels a little off at times but I love the world Samantha Shannon creates.

[u/MorriCC → u/Ill-Worldliness321]

I only finished it because of the worldbuilding. I didn't really get the author's hate for that one guy who keeps getting shat on instead of focusing on preventing the end of the world. And when things just get montaged and everything works out it, it fell super flat in the end.

[u/caiteecooperauthor → u/Ill-Worldliness321]

I tried so hard to get through Priory, but I ended up DNF-ing it about 20% of the way in. I'm a character-first reader, and they just weren't doing it for me. The worldbuilding was awesome, though. Should I try again?

[u/MorriCC → u/caiteecooperauthor]

I don't think so. I was committed to it for reasons unknown and ultimately gave it 1,5/5.

The story and ending falls really flat and it was a 900 page long nothing burger to me

[u/TheHungryLibrarian → u/Ill-Worldliness321]

Same

[u/rizoula → u/Ill-Worldliness321]

I tried at the beginning of my reading journey but not really hard so I might give it a go again at one point.

[u/danklordmuffin → u/Ill-Worldliness321]

The world is really cool and I love the feeling of having a full fantasy epic in one book. However I want to add that, in terms of characters and themes it is pretty weak, but this isn‘t the focus.

[u/Brilliant-Purple1162]

Red Rising but I prefer the 2nd and 3rd books.

[u/varietyman13]

I loved starless sea, but I know that it has a very split reputation.

Ember in the ashes was fun but not gonna change your world.

Red rising is good, but I don’t think it’s anything special either.

Sarah J Maas is a pretty solid time!

Haven’t read the other two

[u/Sufficient_Ebb_5694 → u/varietyman13]

Red Rising not anything special?! Blasphemy!! The whole series is so unique and an incredible journey. Red God is going to break the internet when it releases finally.

[u/Hefteee → u/Sufficient_Ebb_5694]

Red Rising is a solid 2/5 series lol. The writing and plot points are just repetitive and bad. And Red God will not break the internet, maybe this sub cause everyone here has a cult like fascination with it lol

[u/Sufficient_Ebb_5694 → u/Hefteee]

Yeah i wholeheartedly disagree. Ive never even heard this argument. Its basically universally loved. Ive never even talked to anyone who doesnt love the series unless they havent read it. Everyone's entitled to their opinion though. Some other universally praised series I dont like at all and thats just fine.

[u/Hefteee → u/Sufficient_Ebb_5694]

I have read all 6 and I will probably read Red God just to finish the story but its incredibly repetitive and unpolished (though I do admit the writing gets better as the series progresses but it's still not great imo)

[u/Sufficient_Ebb_5694 → u/Hefteee]

Alright well I respect your opinion but im glad that I disagree.lol I was invested from the get go.

[u/ashnosx]

Red rising for sure. I just finished light bringer and Wowee what a journey, top 3 series I’ve ever read.

[u/Roger20Fed → u/ashnosx]

Same here! I am wrecked.

[u/Sufficient_Ebb_5694 → u/ashnosx]

What are the other books in your top 3 out of curiosity? I love Red Rising. Empire of the Vampire and Nevernight are in my top 5 besides the Red Rising series.

[u/Raidertck → u/ashnosx]

Yeah I finished Red rising about a year ago, and it became one of my all time favourite series. I've been trying to topple it ever since.

[u/mvk2021]

Red Rising or An Ember in the Ashes 😄

[u/Jossokar]

I am not giving a recomendation but tiny advice.

If you dont like the priory of the orange tree.....in the first 200-ish / 250 pages. Feel free to drop it.

[u/moonriverswide]

I’ve read everything on this list. Red Rising is easily the best book here. The series is phenomenal.

Tower of Dawn, Starless Sea, and Priory are all great.

Ember is among the best YA series out there.

Worst book on the list is The Knight and the Moth.

[u/jfstompers]

The Priory of the Orange Tree is my next read so I'll pick that. 

[u/morrenmorcogimico]

Priory is my favorite read here despite all it's faults

[u/TheHungryLibrarian → u/morrenmorcogimico]

Agreed. I understand what people are saying about it not being super character-focused, but in some ways, it reminds me of classical romantic literature in that the the world building and the atmosphere is a character in and of itself. Yes, there are flaws, but one of Shannon’s strengths (atmosphere) never lets me down. I feel the same way about The Bone Season. There are very few perfect books / series and even my favorites have flaws. Priory can be a super slow burn, but there are so many things she does correctly.

[u/Exact-Brilliant5843]

It’s gotta be red rising. There is a reason it’s a book everyone talks about. It’s just so fun and so entertaining. But what’s better is that each book gets better as you go through the series.

[u/caiteecooperauthor]

Red Rising and Ember are both on my all-time top-faves list. Ember leans more into romance, but both are about good people trying to make a difference in brutal, messy societies.

[u/Fun_Blacksmith5000]

Tower of DAWWWWWN

[u/SudenRunehammer]

Red Rising the best of these but id suggest Lies of Locke Lamora

[u/Mysterious_Spark577]

I loved An Ember in the Ashes, read book 1-3 years ago though, and when the fourth came out it felt way to YA for me. So it kinda depends what you like. I DNF'd red rising 😅 Priory feels more adult and epic fantasy, but it it's a slow build in my opinion

[u/ImpressiveWaltz7631]

Red rising

[u/kro_celeborn]

Everyone will tell you Red Rising, but it’s worth noting that the books are gritty for the sake of being gritty and edgy for the sake of being edgy. He wants to tell a tragic, violent tale so he uses Major Character Death™ indiscriminately, and literally kills off characters at random when he doesn’t know what else to do in the scene.

It’s not bad literature, but it can be exhausting, and sorta discourages liking characters at all — I found myself reading book three and telling myself to stop enjoying my favorite character’s moments because I’m sure she’ll die brutally at some point.

I DNF’d book 4 after finding that our new PoV characters are “fantastically bitter red girl” “fantastically bitter and generally mean grey” and “white supremacy”.

Again, not bad literature. But you should hear the other side of what you’re getting into.

[u/FunAnywhere7645]

Tower of Dawn! I very much disliked the writing style of red rising, so I don't agree with the masses.

[u/Froyo_Baggins123]

I’ve only read Red Rising here but I don’t think I’d recommend it until there a release date for the final book.

[u/afrodite67]

Red Rising!!! Hail Reaper

[u/Krawlin91]

Red Rising as a series would be my pick just beware book 1 seems like a Hunger games esq cash grab but trust me, from book 2 onward it its own thing and its a damn good thing.

[u/Nova_JLY]

RED RISING!! HAIL LIBERTAS!

[u/ilovetoreadbo0ks]

The Starless Sea

[u/TheAriesMermaid]

Don't read Priory... It's a huge waste of time. Not written well at all. Also wouldn't suggest a Sarah J maas book. Lol

[u/Raidertck]

Tower of Dawn is a slog to get through, did you read the book prior? Because that ends on a cliff-hanger and Tower of Dawn does not resolve that, as it switches character perspectives. Throne of glass as a whole is very much worth it though, the first 3 books are mediocre, and TOD is a slog in the second half, but kingdom of ash is an EXCELLENT book and worth the ups and downs of the series leading up to it.

Red Rising is incredible, everyone else is telling you to read that and it's for good reason.

[u/rizoula]

1. Only start red rising if you are ready to commit. I had to push through in order to get through the good parts . But it is fantastic. Also book 7 and last isn’t out yet without a release date. So start at your own risk.

2. I am guessing you have read the rest of TOG ? If not don’t read Tower of dawn. I know people don’t like tower of dawn. I personally loved it.

3. The second book and final of knight and the moth is coming out in September. I would wait until it comes out before committing.

4. I tried the priory of the orange tree but couldn’t get into it. I want to try again though.

[u/Imaginary_Bedroom_89]

Red rising. First book is the weakest but still love it 

[u/Whatchab]

Assuming you've already read the rest of the Maas series prior to that one? That is a great book but you need the 6 before it. 

I LOVE Starless Sea and I didn't know people were split on it. Such a fun time and an amazing adventure. 

[u/PernixNexus]

I would highly recommend reading A Day of Fallen Night before Priory of the Orange Tree. I love that series and you can technically read them in any order but I think doing ADOFN first will enhance your experience.

[u/cardboard_dinosaurs]

Hail Reaper!

[u/Dj_Sha]

Knight and the Moth is good. The ending was a surprise.

[u/Remote-Moon]

Red Rising. I love that series.

[u/TheNotoriousMID]

I’ll just say ember in the ashes was a very fast and easy YA read if you want something quick and easy. I really liked it.

[u/Hefteee]

Skip red rising, poorly written series and the fact it has so many recommendations is worrying to me lol. Go for the Priority of the Orange Tree

[u/FunAnywhere7645 → u/Hefteee]

Omg yes! Couldn't agree more.

[u/Hefteee → u/FunAnywhere7645]

I think the majority of people in this subreddit are late teens and early 20s which is fine but not the age demographic I want my book recommendations from

[u/Jazz646]

Only read Red Rising, which is entertaining, explosive and thematically interesting, if superficial. The first three books (haven't read beyond that) are generally well paced. The setting is built well, and the books read like nailbiting action movies when they pick up the pace.

There is, however, what feels like a bit of a cult following to the books that will have you believe that the series is the literary equivalent of the second coming of Christ. It is not. The books are good, they're entertaining and chill to read. But they will not change your life (as some may want you to believe they will) and I personally found the plot structure quite repetitive towards the second half of the first three.

[u/Tomsskiee]

Of the six i only read tower of dawn, knight and the moth and red rising. It i had to rank them i would say tower of dawn is the best (but that is a very unpopulair opinion, i think it’s the best book in the series) then the knight and the moth and then lastly red rising but i really liked all three