Shes extremely frustrating. I actually stopped recommending this because you either love it or hate it. A lot are turned off by all the war crimes described in detail.
Yeah I was caught a little off guard by that but it’s fine, I’ve read Malazan Book of the Fallen. But the main character is so unlikeable
Women's prize for fiction longlist 2025 Good Girl by Aria Aber (Bloomsbury) The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley (Sceptre) Somewhere Else by Jenni Daiches (Scotland Street Press) Amma by Saraid de Silva (Weatherglass) Crooked Seeds by Karen Jennings (Holland House) All Fours by Miranda July (Canongate) The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami (Bloomsbury) The Persians by Sanam Mahloudji (4th Estate) Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (4th Estate) Nesting by Roisín O’Donnell (Scribner) A Little Trickerie by Rosanna Pike (Fig Tree) Birding by Rose Ruane (Corsair) The Artist by Lucy Steeds (John Murray) Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout (Viking) The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden (Viking) Fundamentally by Nussaibah Younis (Weidenfeld) https://www.theguardian.com/books/2...a-ngozi-adichie-miranda-july-elizabeth-strout
Think I missed this International Booker Prize longlist https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw...national-booker-prize-longlist-announced.html
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2...britons-have-not-read-a-book-in-the-past-year New poll finds 40% of Britons have not read a book in the past year The median British adult has read or listened to three books in the past 12 months with reading habits also split along gender, class and political divides
the translation of my great-great uncle's final novel was released yesterday. Really cool walking into my local bookstore this afternoon and seeing it on the front table.
Anybody read any of the 1632/Ring of Fire series by Eric Flint? I've been enjoying them over the past month or so. Plowed through a bunch of em.
alternate history genre. due to some shenanigans from an alien species across the galaxy (only a few sentences are given to this, that i've seen), random particle groups are sent across the universe that mess with space/time. one hits Earth and transports a small, West Virginia town in the year 2000 (insert Conan O'Brien) to the Thuringia area of Germany during the 30 Years War in the 1630's. despite their small population and being of limited importance to the US, the technological (and societal) advances start to make big ripples. reactionary forces react, etc.
basically, it spreads out in a bunch of different directions and there are a fuckton of books. kinda pulpy, but also great for folks that enjoy history.
They're pretty much all e-books. But since I'm a creature of habit that doesn't own a kindle or anything similar, I read PDFs of them that I've downloaded Anyone interested can DM me and I'll send some. I did find the first couple online for free (they used to all be published for free through Baen Books, but now are no longer free).
Shortlist for the 2025 Women's Prize for Fiction Good Girl by Aria Aber (Bloomsbury) All Fours by Miranda July (Canongate) The Persians by Sanam Mahloudji (4th Estate) Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout (Viking) The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden (Viking) Fundamentally by Nussaibah Younis (Weidenfeld) https://www.theguardian.com/books/2...-shortlisted-for-the-womens-prize-for-fiction
Thomas Pynchon releasing a new novel in October called Shadow Ticket. He is 87 https://www.theguardian.com/books/2...-ticket-his-first-novel-in-more-than-a-decade
Fantasy Novels for People Who Think They Don’t Like Fantasy Interested in dipping your toe into the genre? The author Leigh Bardugo recommends books that can get you started. Listen, I know you’re a sensible person. You live in the real world. You read books about real people doing real things. You reject escapism in all of its forms. Tales of malaise, heartbreak, middle-aged angst? All great. Is there suffering? Is a recession involved? Even better. You’ve put away childish things: “Harry Potter” is for kids, “Twilight” is for teenagers and “Game of Thrones” is for people who can’t be bothered with the War of the Roses unless it includes dragons. I don’t agree with you, but I hear you and I’m going to meet you where you are. I won’t try to sell you on sexy faeries or sagas of wizards and orcs that stretch across 12 books. There will be no traveling bands of companions with complementary skills on this list; hot bounty hunters boning vampire lords need not apply. But there will be magic. Just a little. Enough to push us past the literary safe space of magical realism and into fantasy, but not enough to send you running for more grounded ground. Here is my thesis: All reading — of fiction or nonfiction — is, in its own way, a kind of escapism. We crack the cover, turn the page and leave our reality for another. Fantasy simply gives us the chance to explore our world, and all of its problems and politics, through a slightly broader lens. And here is my promise: You won’t be required to memorize a map or a glossary to read any of these books. You will meet characters who intrigue and surprise you. You will come to understand that magic is merely one more metaphor for the way power operates in our world. And despite the occasional appearances of phantoms, gods and a tiger who tends bar, it will all feel gloriously real. Spoiler Interview With the Vampire by Anne Rice For many authors and readers, “Interview With a Vampire” was our first seduction into genre fiction. At its heart, this is a midlife crisis book — because, yes, apparently even immortals feel the weight of ennui. The atmosphere Rice renders as she takes the reader from 18th-century Louisiana to 19th-century Paris and beyond is impeccable in its detail, and the ache of human longing — for connection, for novelty, for beauty — infuses every scene. It’s also very sexy, so much so that I sought out Rice’s erotica thinking her text would be even hotter than her subtext. I was mistaken. The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker Wecker’s 2013 novel fixes us more firmly in a single time period (late 19th-century New York City) and reads like historical fiction despite the presence of two immensely powerful, intensely lonely supernatural creatures. It’s a deeply romantic story — and, should you hesitate at the title, rest assured that the narrative belongs just as much to the humans with whom these creatures find themselves in conflict and communion as it does to Chava, the woman made of magically imbued clay, and Ahmad, the enslaved spirit. The Magicians by Lev Grossman When I released my novel “Ninth House,” my friend Kurt described it as “Harry Potter as directed by Darren Aronofsky.” I’m going to recommend two slightly (only slightly) gentler introductions to dark academia, the fantasy subgenre that marries the elitism and internecine squabbles of higher education with a touch of the uncanny. Many of us will recognize the overachiever’s experience of entering a world where you are so surrounded by gifted folks, you find you aren’t special after all. When Quentin is accepted into a secretive, elite institution and granted access to knowledge he has longed to discover, he finds it frustrating, inaccessible and pedantic: In short, he goes to college. Grossman’s “The Magicians” trilogy is full of competitive wunderkinds and angst, the pleasures and perils of briefly becoming something other than human and a brutal quest that challenges the fantasies of childhood. Babel by R.F. Kuang Kuang uses a magic grounded in language, specifically translation, to tackle bigger social issues in this dense, bloody alternate history set at Oxford University in the early 1800s. . This version of the ivory tower is just as populated as Grossman’s with overachievers, but they come from wildly different backgrounds and have necessarily different relationships to British rule. The stakes for Robin, born and orphaned in China and raised in London by a British professor, are as political as they are personal, and the consequences of the book’s cataclysmic third act are far-reaching. The Reformatory by Tananarive Due I suppose you’ll tell me these next two books are horror, but so are “Dracula” and “Frankenstein,” and if you want to squabble about whether they also qualify as fantasy, then pistols at dawn, my friend. What are ghosts but reckonings? Since before Hamlet’s father paid a posthumous call to his son, we’ve understood ghosts to be the embodiments of our sins. Here the violent and very real history of the Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys in Florida is explored through the story of two young siblings: Robbie, a boy trapped at the deadly Gracetown School, and Gloria, the big sister fighting to get him out. I firmly believe that if this novel hadn’t been marketed as horror, it would have been nominated for a National Book Award. Harrowing does not begin to cover it. The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones “The Only Good Indians” begins with a murder that reveals a decade-old crime — a moment so cruel it could only beget more brutality, as a vengeful spirit seeks justice. I will warn you: A lot of women and a lot of dogs die in this book. But none of the violence is gratuitous; each incident teases out the damage done to and by the main characters — four best friends from a Blackfeet reservation — and reveals why they’ve been brought to a place of such desperation. The unrelenting monster on the hunt for victims is a staple of horror fiction, but here that monster’s pain is so palpable and understandable, you will struggle to envision an ending that could provide any kind of catharsis. Somehow, Jones delivers. The Book of Love by Kelly Link I’m ending with a couple of palette cleansers in case my other recommendations have sounded too gory or dark for your tastes. These are books that offer a backdrop of big magic and a central puzzle to solve, but whose focus is on human drama — sibling rivalries, thwarted ambitions, good mothers, bad mothers and all manner of family secrets. “The Book of Love” features one of my favorite fictional settings: the coastal town of Lovesend, Mass., where, one stormy night, three (possibly four) young people return from the dead. This is an eldritch “Our Town” full of grief and desire, small kindnesses with big repercussions and a very petty embodiment of the moon. The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina by Zoraida Córdova I don’t know if Córdova’s novel sits properly in fantasy or magical realism, but maybe that makes it the perfect place for you to test the waters. You will be hooked by the mystery of Orquídea (not to mention her five husbands and her flair for spectacle) as her descendants travel to Ecuador after her death hoping to unravel her secrets, understand the magical powers that have manifested in each of them and escape the mysterious figure who has begun hunting them down. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/10/books/leigh-bardugo-fantasy-books.html
Truman Spoiler I liked it enough to finish all 3 books but I hated Ren so much the whole time. I’m glad Kuang didn’t turn her into someone mildly capable of ruling. Wish she had just died instead of insisting Na Jah (sp?) kill her
Spoiler She was extremely frustrating. I enjoyed the Trilogy tho. Was sort of a jump off point to learn more about the sino Japanese war.
I was perusing a book store in N. Ga and saw a ton of books by Silas House -- has anyone read anything from him? His book "Southernmost" is free on Audible. Also, anyone read the Anthony Kiedis, NoFX, or Van Halen books? The Kiedis book was like $6 on audible and I think Van Halen was $8. Lastly, has anyone read "High Fidelity?" I've heard great things, and kind of want a good music fiction book as I've not read many good ones.
I’ve read Scar Tissue (Kiedis). You will not be let down by the amount of drugs done. You will be let down that our friend Anthony has knowingly bedded people underage. It’s a solid rock bio. The musicians are clearly the special sauce of the band. Kiedis couldn’t/can’t sing and write lyrics and began as a guy that would introduce other local bands cause he had long hair and looked cool.
Gin Buckets im big on rock bios. I’ve read all these if you have any questions Spoiler Led Zeppelin Bob Dylan George Martin Hard Days Write SRV Radiohead Nirvana Don Felder Charles Mingus Dave Grohl Anthony Kiedis Louis Armstrong Allman Bros Keith Richards Eric Clapton Tin Pan Alley Third Coast Pink Floyd David Byrne Velvet Underground Johnny Cash Willie Nelson Zen Guitar Song of the Machine Birth of Loud Guitars 1000 Record Covers 1963 Everybody Loves Our Town Anatomy of a Song Musical Pilgrimage Neil Strauss John Densmore Room Full of Mirrors Only Wanna Be With You Beatles - Spitz Decoded (Jay-Z) Wu-Tang Manual Hank Williams
How was the Kiedis book? And which Neil Strauss? I know he did The Dirt, and I'm assuming also did the Heroin Diaries (which I haven't read). The Dirt was one of my all-time favorite reads, and it actually got me back into reading books circa 2006/2007. Also, which, in your opinion goes into the most detail about partying while touring? Preferably not depressing partying, although I'm sure they'll all go there at some point.
Kiedis quite good, esp for what you're looking for. Strauss book I read was a collection of his Rolling Stone pieces, "Everybody Loves You When You're Dead." Fairly forgettable IMO but you get a lot of musician stories in one book. "Hammer of the Gods" (Led Zeppelin) and "Life" (Keith Richards) will give you what you're looking for on partying/girls. Clapton's autobiography and "Midnight Riders" (Allman Bros) also contain lots of partying. Maybe more drugs and alcohol than girls, though Gregg Allman married Cher. He kept pharmaceutical grade cocaine in a salt shaker at all times.
Looking for something to start post dungeon crawler books. Think I’m ready to dive back into epic fantasy after this 7 book affair
, all of Sanderson, first law, will if many, jade trilogy, Brent weeks light bringer, Evan winter rage or dragons, lies of Locke and Lemora, babel Sword of Kaigen started but have stuff left Red rising on dark age (got scared off bc everyone said next book was a slog Licanus (book 3 left ) adhd Blood sworn trilogy finished book 1 kinda lost interest and started reading standalone novels for a bit) Bound and broken series on book 3 (stopped for stormlight release) i should prolly finish the ones ive started, other one is suneater ive heard about. Also might try blood over brighthaven to ease back in as its a standalone
Dark Age is the slog at times. The next book, Light Bringer is long but reads super fast Im planning on starting Sun Eater soon as well
The first book is still sitting in my library, I've tried to start it 2 or 3x, but still haven't been able to get into it before falling off. Going to retry soon. There's a Grady Hendrix music fiction book I may try to read soon as well. I think it's a play on the song "The Devil went down to Georgia" based on the synopsis. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37715859-we-sold-our-souls
The Burning series has been awesome so far. It's supposed to be a quadrilogy, but only two books have been published w a long gap so far after 2.
I really loved book 1 "Will of the Many." Top tier fantasy imo -- even my wife read and loved it. 2nd book comes out in November.
Was prolly my favorite book ever as well. His other trilogy isn’t as good and I should finish it before book two comes Out
I actually went down a rabbit hole searching for when book 3 was coming out yesterday. You recommended them to me a while back
Wouldn’t also mind dabbling into some post apocalyptic zombie type stuff maybe more science in nature. I enjoyed Richard Preston books a good bit.
The first two book of the Forsaken Trilogy RJ Barker have been awesome so far. 3rd book comes out in June. Im not as big of a fantasy reader as most here, but its one of the more unique fantasy worlds Ive read. Just wild nature-y aspect, good action and lore. Youre dropped right in. Makes you work for it a little bit the payoff is worth it.