The Fantasy/Sci-Fi Books Thread Book • Page 54

I've only read Red Mars. I liked it a lot.

 

I just finished The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. I was ambivalent the first half but the second half just reeled me in where I just wanted to race to the end. Loved it.

 

Have you read other books by VE Schwab? Just curious how it compares.

 

Nope. I just started with this one because a friend of mine loves all her books. Addie seemed like a good place to start since it's not a series.

 

Cool, good to know. I've only read her Darker Shades trilogy and had a mixed response to it, though I was intrigued by the premise of Addie LaRue.

 

I’m currently listening to Jade City. Not sure what to think of it so far.

 

I didn’t love the first part of Jade City, but eventually really got into the trilogy once the lore settled in.

 

I also needed some time with the series before loving it. Still need to read the last book.

 

Finally finished the First Binding by RR Virdi. I know Rothfuss wasn’t the first to write the whole “reciting stories as a traveller” but I feel Virdi has expanded on this. It was slow at times but still an elegant story and I’m really excited to see where it goes.

Blurb below;

All legends are born of truths. And just as much lies. These are mine. Judge me for what you will. But you will hear my story first.

I buried the village of Ampur under a mountain of ice and snow. Then I killed their god. I've stolen old magics and been cursed for it. I started a war with those that walked before mankind and lost the princess I loved, and wanted to save. I've called lightning and bound fire. I am legend. And I am a monster.

My name is Ari.

And this is the story of how I let loose the first evil.

Thus begins the tale of a storyteller and a singer on the run and hoping to find obscurity in a tavern bar. But the sins of their past aren't forgotten, and neither are their enemies. Their old lives are catching up swiftly and it could cost them the entire world. No one can escape their pasts and all stories must have an ending

 

I should've stopped after this one. I was not into Endymion or The Rise of Endymion at all. Wooof.

 

I've been looking forward to this one a lot, it sounds great.

 

Aw, that's too bad. I like Endymion a little more than Hyperion... I think, haha. But I loved all four books regardless.

 

Just wanted to jump in and recommend On Lavender Tides by Travis Riddle real quick. It's a fun summery read, looking forward to the next one for sure. It's basically just Pokémon fantasy.

Also In the Shadow of Lightning is good so far as my first foray into McClellan.

Finally, for the first time in memory, I didn't go and buy myself like a dozen new books for my birthday. (... yet. The day's not over.)

 

do it

 

happy belated birthday

also do it x 2

 

Is this related to the two trilogies I just read at all?

 

I haven't read it yet to know if there's any references but I believe I read on goodreads that there is no connections

 

There are no connections to any of Brian's previous works. This is a whole new story not based on anything else he has written!

Also curious about On Lavender Tides now that I may just pick it up!

 

Interesting, thanks! I was super into the Gods of Blood and Powder trilogy, so was hoping it might be with those characters. I'll definitely read this one no matter what, though.

 

Yeah I picked it because I'm trying to read more 2022 releases and this allowed me to finally read one of his books haha. I'm really enjoying it. Definitely planning to go read the Power Mage stuff at some point too, I'm also excited about those.

@GBlades On Lavender Tides is a breezy, fun book that is 100% just two kids going on a Pokémon adventure. It's clearly the first book in a series, and I'm on board—scratches an itch I didn't know I had. Plus the cover is really cool.

@theagentcoma thanks dude! and two encouragements is all I need lol. Will be hitting up the bookstore later this week.

 

Just finished the Dagger and the Coin series and it was...fine.

Between this and Expanse I'm just not sure where the magic came from in the Long Price Quartet.

 

Stumbled across Sons of Darkness, a novel by Gourav Mohanty and I've been totally HOOKED in since the prologue!

Blurb here:

A brilliantly imaginative talent makes his exciting debut with this epic grimdark fantasy saga inspired by ancient Indian epic Mahabharata and filled with treachery, war and vengeance, in the tradition of Steven Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen Series and George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire Series.

SOME BALLADS ARE INKED IN BLOOD.

Bled dry by violent confrontations with the Magadhan Empire, the Mathuran Republic simmers on the brink of oblivion. Krishna and Satyabhama have put their plans in motion within and beyond the Republic's blood-soaked borders to protect it from annihilation. But they will soon discover that neither gold nor alliances last forever.

They are however not alone in this game.

Mati, Pirate-Princess of Kalinga, has decided to mend her ways to be a good wife. But old habits die hard, especially when one habitually uses murder to settle old scores. Brooding but beautiful Karna hopes to bury his brutal past but finds that destiny is a miser when it comes to giving second chances. The crippled hero-turned-torturer Shakuni limps through the path of daggers that is politics only to find his foes multiply, leaving little time for vengeance.

Their lives are about to become very difficult for a cast of sinister queens, naive kings, pious assassins and ravenous priests are converging where the Son of Darkness is prophesied to rise, even as forgotten Gods prepare to play their hand.

 

damn, that does look good.

 

Randomly found on some Facebook page haha but it’s got prophecy, politics and a brilliant prologue. Being shown as India’s first grimdark epic (not as clued up on that, if I’m honest) and whilst it can start slow, it’s really getting going. Hoping it sticks the landing.

 

It's $4 on Kindle right now so I snagged it.

That reminds me: any of you read Ashok K. Banker? He does retellings of the Ramayana and other myths in an epic fantasy style. I've only read a couple of his books but they're really great.