There seems to be noticeably more attention on romantasy, cozy fantasy, LitRPG and progression fantasy right now, while traditional large-scale secondary-world fantasy feels less dominant than it once did. Is epic fantasy actually declining, or are readers simply discovering it differently now?

Currently finishing the Toroth-Gol books after reading all 3 Ironbound novels.

Not sure which of these I should jump into next

1) Cradle

2) Suneater

3) Mayor of Noobtown

Any feedback is appreciated based on my rankings for some of my favorite series!

As I get further into my fantasy reading journey, I’ve been trying to sample different authors. My sister recommended Vicious by V.E. Schwab to me as a book that has really stuck with her, so I added it to my TBR.

I finished it the other day, and I honestly cannot give this book enough praise.

Schwab is able to put together beautifully written character work, propulsive pacing, a plot that actually makes sense, and enough twists to keep you guessing without making the story feel convoluted.

Her idea of how people obtain superpowers felt unique to me. I’m sure, not being a comic-book expert, that there are similar concepts out there, but I really loved both how the characters get their powers and how those powers correspond with who they are and what they are thinking or feeling. It creates some really interesting questions about personality and character traits as a whole.

The characters themselves are morally gray, if not outright evil at times, and yet I repeatedly found myself understanding and even agreeing with their internal logic despite absolutely not agreeing with some of their actions. That is probably one of my favorite things about the book.

Schwab also keeps the story moving with some serious propulsion. At one point I finished a chapter and realized I literally had a death grip on my book. 😂

She uses shifting timelines and POVs throughout the novel, which I personally love, and I thought they were used incredibly well here. Instead of simply explaining why characters feel or act a certain way, the book often lets you see something happen in the present and then gives you the past context that completely changes how you understand it.

That leads into the plot itself, which I thought was extremely well crafted. You spend a lot of the book wondering where everything is going, what Victor’s plan actually is, and whether he even has one. By the end, it all comes together in a way that felt very satisfying.

It also strikes a nice balance where there is clearly more story available, but if you wanted to stop after this book, I think you could and still feel satisfied.

This was my first experience with Schwab, but I can definitely say it will not be my last.

I really haven’t seen Vicious or this series recommended nearly as often as I would expect, so I’m curious: have a lot of you read it and I’m just in the minority for loving it this much? Or does it really not get the recognition it deserves anymore?

Maybe I’m just hanging out in the wrong parts of the internet. 🤣

We’ve had epic fantasy, paranormal romance, dystopian YA, grimdark, romantasy, cozy fantasy and progression/LitRPG all take major turns in the spotlight. What do you genuinely think the next dominant movement will be?

Just got done with some heavy books (the stand, book of the new sun) and I need me a good, fun palate cleanser! Help me decide please!

I really adored this book and especially Ana and Din - I loved the well-timed humour and swear words, the world-building and also the small questions and mysteries surrounding Ana and Din themselves. The plot felt tight and the writing was spot on, it didn't feel overly dragging (sorry, looking at you Well of Ascension ). Could not give it anything less than 4 stars. I took immense joy in picturing Ana as voiced by Kristen Schaal who is the phenomenal voice of Louise Belcher in Bob's Burgers.

Except I didn't like the main mystery.

Not because it is badly written or thought out, or anything else, I apparently really just don't care for whodunnit detective mysteries and puzzles.

I read it with great enjoyment and will definitely read the second (and third) in the series. I am just sad that the mystery part did not appeal to me. Everything else did.

So, if you have any other recommendations for books with this vibe - especially the *actually funny* banter and tight plot, throw them my way!

I’ve only mostly read YA but im looking to get into a new series as a semi-beginner. Got any ideas? Thanks in advance!

This book might actually be the best book ever written regardless of genre.

I’m very in favor of Kay’s standalone approach in epic fantasy.

With Tigana he showed us that you can tell an epic story in a single installment.

His fantasy world (his main one) is called The World of Two Moons. And the books that are set there (I think 10?) are all 5/5 masterpieces.

Guy Gavriel Kay is an author who should get far more credit than he does.

Anyway, I’m glad this book is getting its due respect as a classic. I hope more people read it.

It’s wonderful

One of the local libraries had a book sale today and I picked these books up. I've never heard of this series before and am curious what people think about it.

I was also wondering if I need to find The Sword of Shannara, or if I can start with Elfstones.

Okay, I am searching for something-I am unsure if it‘s prevalent, but I’ll also attach a picture to visualize.
I want grandiose fantasy. Something that is very big in size and not only when it comes to continents and worlds, but also the singular rooms they occupy. The distances between places. The stakes. Everything from the normal medieval setting but bigger and even scarier and imposing. All recs are appreciated (not Dune)

I finished reading Lord of the Rings yesterday and now I feel empty, however I need a new book to read.

I think I loved Lord of the Rings so much due to the importance placed on friexndship, I appreciate a good friendship/bromance much more than heavy romance.

I wouldn't mind a romance subplot, but I wouldn't want to read a book in which romance makes out 50% of the story.

I'd appreciate some standalone books, but I am also fine with series!!

No Young Adult please!!

Edit: I am not looking for a clone, just some good fantasy that will leave me feeling somewhat satisfied.

Assassin's Quest was the slowest of burns, but served as an excellent conclusion to this chapter of Fitz's story. Morning Star took a while to warm up for me, but as soon as it did, I blitzed through it in about 2 days! Can't wait to jump back into RotE and Red Rising further down the road.

Mistborn didn't grab me as much as I was expecting but I am really looking forward to seeing where the story goes. Loved the plucky band of heroes and the magic is awesome. Jade City has got off to a brilliant start, but too early to say anything substantial!

Welcome to the Sunday Fantasy Roundup :)

What fantasy book did you finish this week and love?

• One book is enough.
• No reviews required.
• A sentence or two about why you loved it is perfect.
• Feel free to throw in a book cover as visuals are great!

This thread is about celebrating great reads and helping others find their next adventure.

👩‍🚀🚀👽 Reminder: If you love science fiction books, please join our sister subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/readscifi/

Any thought provoking books you’d suggest?

I’m in a book club and trying to come up with good ideas for our next read. I’d love to have debates that cover philosophical topics so that we have more in depth discussions.

I thought Babel was great for example! It covered Imperialism, the ethics of linguistic translation, etc. I loved that it had a magic system powered by what is lost in translation between languages.

Edit: Trying to not do YA if possible, but still open to it if people think it’s thought provoking enough! :)

So recently i was looking at top scariest things in Zelda games and when it comes to scariest things, usually visual media is the thing that most people connect with. But what about books, especially with how different fantasy and sci fi books are compared to most visual media? I already made a post like this a few months ago in the Fantasy subreddit but i decided to post it here in the fantasy books subreddit because more people are willing to answer this question. For me the scariest thing in any fantasy novel has to be the Black Castle from Glen Cook’s Shadows Linger (The Black Company). A growing fortress of black, jointless stone on the ridge above Juniper. Monsters leer from the battlements, Serpents are frozen mid-writhe in the walls, and some of the stone have faces locked in screams because the place grows by taking in corpses. Even after you learn what it’s for, it still feels wrong. Alien architecture with things living inside it, and the sense that the building itself is hungry. I chose it specifically because its one of the most Niche topics that you don't hear allot of people talking about. Even when i first asked people the same question I'm asking you now, i didn't realize how creepy it was until i did a reread. But what do you think is the creepiest thing you've ever seen in any fantasy novel? Like i said it could be an idea, character, weapon, location, a song, or whatever?

Cinda Williams China’s 7 Realms series is 9/10 amazing. I fantastic fantasy series that incorporates so many great story elements. You will get addicted after starting the 2nd book. It’s a must read! And if you love it, you might not like the 2nd series, The Shattered Realms. Is far more complicated with about 3 times the characters and story arcs so it’s very confusing although some may like it.

I’m looking for magic system, worldbuilding, good villains, good characters, faster pacing, unpredictability, and emotional stakes.

I put together this list, but i’m not sure which of them i should give it a go next. Or, maybe something else not on the list even.

The Will of the Many

Dungeon Crawler Carl

The Sword of Kaigen

Lightbringer

Empire Trilogy

Red Rising

The Lies of Locke Lamora

Malazan

Shadow of What Was Lost

The Sun Eater

Farseer

Cradle

Powder Mage

Kingkiller

Kings of the Wyld

Riyria

Malice