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Science fiction and Fantasy General

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No recommendations, posting from phone edition
>What are you currently reading
>Which sff work do you hate the most
>Which are the five essential sff novels in your opinion
Old thread >>7617349
>>
Science fiction and Fantasy are for kids.
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>>7633250
Why were you so desperate to start a new thread that you'd make a shitty one from your phone when the old one hasn't hit the bump limit yet?
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>>7633257
Obligatory pointless class where I get administration done and listen to prof preach about how this isn't high school
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>>7633250
The old thread hasn't reached the bump limit. There are till 14 more post to go, and even then, it's a slow board.

The thread will not drop from page 1 to off the catalog in 5 minutes.

Is it because you just wanted to post that shitty art?

You are shitting up the general with that OP,what about people asking for recommendations?

You are going to get the thread flooded with useless shit that could be answered with the charts.

The important things about these generals isn't the "edition" it's helping anons who want read fant&scifi.
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>>7633250
fuck off with these

this is not literature

generals are cancer also

t.patrician
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>>7633289
>The old thread hasn't reached the bump limit. There are till 14 more post to go, and even then, it's a slow board.
This is the fastest thread
>The thread will not drop from page 1 to off the catalog in 5 minutes.
True
>Is it because you just wanted to post that shitty art?
Yes
>You are shitting up the general with that OP,what about people asking for recommendations?
They ask them anyway regardless of images every time because the charts aren't actually helpful
>You are going to get the thread flooded with useless shit that could be answered with the charts.
It always gets flooded with useless shit
>The important things about these generals isn't the "edition" it's helping anons who want read fant&scifi.
They always actually ask whatever in the thread
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>>7633250
gross
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>>7633290
Postmodern shit isn't literature either. So stop talking about dfw and others that are shilled out to be some level of greatness.
>>
Recommendations:
>Fantasy
http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/4chanlit/images/a/a8/1307836551252.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20110612005642

>Sci-Fi
http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/4chanlit/images/a/a6/Scifilit.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20100710233344
http://imgur.com/r55ODlL
http://imgur.com/A96mTQX

>this wasn't the first post
Poofters
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>>7633256
As is 4Chan.
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>>7633250
Gene Wolfe just commented on Facebook on the thread of this image.
>>
I remember someone on /lit/ talking about some book but I can't recall its name.

Post-apocalyptic world, desert killing machine. Something along those lines.

Help?
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>>7634631
Deus Ire
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>>7633250
science fiction is bad in general.
>>
Just read the Time Machine by Wells. I really liked the idea of the proletariat and the bourgeoisie evolving into two different species and then the proles eventually farming and eating their previous rulers
>>
>read Tarnsman of Gor
>pretty good
>there are 32 sequels

Jesus Christ, it's not that good. I am not gonna continue this shit.
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>>7634683
Everything is, but you need to find the good ones
>>
I recently finished Seveneves. I agree with the majority of sentiments, the first 2/3rds of the novel were pretty brilliant, with a great finale. Then the second half just plods along and ends abruptly.

What is it with american authors and being able to tell a decent story, but can't actually fucking end a story well.
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>Chapter 2
>namedropped Investiture and Identity
wew lad this book is gonna be fucking bananas
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This was comfy as fuck, like the perfect link between Clark Ashton Smith and Book of the New Sun.
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>Finished Mistborn The Bands of Mourning and Secret History
Ooooh shit, Kelsier
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>>7634803
Apparently as it goes on it starts to devolve into straight-up erotica.
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>>7635052
>>7634909
>tfw 500 more pages to go on crippled god before i can start mistborn
Why does it hurt so?
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>>7635052
Holy shit Kelsier really is a psychopath.
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>>7635764
>not picking up on that in original mistborn
>>
OP really fucked up our general.

I could have copy paste the previous OP as a new thread and done some lite editing.
>>
Is this the place to discuss pulp fiction stories?
>>
Can anyone recommend any authors with material similar to Alastair Reynolds? I've read everything he's written and am jonesing for new content.

>let me tell you why he sucks and why sci-fi isn't literature instead.

When I give a fuck, you'll be the first to know.
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>>7633250
this is not good art
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>>7636401
I think a few threads back someone recommended some similar books to Reynolds.
Wish i could help you, but I'm more a fantasyfag, than a scififag.
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Any Bakker fans in here?

Just finished White-Luck Warrior, hype as fuck for the next book.
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>>7637009
Poor little kid getting cucked with his first crush.
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are there any novels similar to The Last Question by Asimov?

Doesn't matter about length
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>>7637009
Just finished the original trilogy. Does it get better?
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>>7636232
If it contains elements of the supernatural or technological then go ahead
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>>7636405
>>7633250
did you draw this yourself op? let me get all /ic/ on you.
>body proportions are wrong. hand should fall below the waist line.
>hand should be larger. it would take about four of his hands to grip the sword pommel
>where is his elbow? it looks like he's holding his arm out completely locked at the elbow which is unnatural.
>shoulder should be higher up
>the circles on the architecture aren't circular. the lines on the architecture aren't linear
>adjust the curves on the hanging chains, they aren't acting uniformly with gravity
>those pants are super blousy
>>
>>7637304
No, it's some other person.
And all that's true, but I like it because it's odd in context of New Sun.
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>Reading The Fall of Hyperion
>mfw the revelation about what the Shrike is and it's goal

HOLY SHIT
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>reading Bands of Mourning
>mfw all the heads are cocked, at all times, and in all places
QUANTUM HEAD COCKING
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i'm reading the Foundation series now and i'm enjoying it quite a bit more than i thought i would. i had noted from previous discussions here that the original trilogy is best and that the later 4 books (2 sequels, 2 prequels) go to shit. can anyone confirm or disagree on this? i'd love to read more, even if they're slightly less good but there's nothing i hate more than a book series completely shitting itself--to me, it kind of even ruins my enjoyment of the earliest, best books (e.g. Dune).
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>>7637286
Very better. I hold it about equal, theres no real slack in quality.
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>>7637156
>mfw "Do you have your mother's bones?"
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>just finished all five books of New Sun
>mfw only now realising it was all inspired by Funes the Memorious
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>>7638499
yea Gene Wolfe is a huge Borgesfag
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>>7637294
>elements of the supernatural or technological

hmmm

so do horror stories also get discussed here?
>>
>>7638656
Not really, not much horrorfags around.
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>>7638656
Sometimes, particularly Lovecraft and Clark Ahston, but I think most horror fans don't feel welcome. I'm tempted to add horror to the title of these threads to try and increase the userbase.
>>
So aside from the Star Wars EU stuff does anybody know any good Science Fantasy novels?
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>>7639108
Vurt by Jeff Noon
Lord of Light by Zelazny
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>>7639198
Seconding Lord Of Light, that one's amazing

Not a biggest fan of Book Of The New Sun but it contains some (subverted) fantasy tropes
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>>7639108
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>>7639272

???

I dont understand how I'm bating people. I haven't read very much Science Fantasy, and I wanted to see if anyone on here had any recommendations.
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>>7639299
>So aside from the Star Wars EU stuff does anybody know any good Science Fantasy novels?
This implies that the Star Wars books are good
You further imply that Star Wars is the pinnacle of quality that all scifi novels should aspire to.

If this is not bait I don't know what is.
>>
>>7639365
You are reading WAY too much into my statement. I only listed the Star Wars books because I've already read several of them. I dont even like a lot of the Star Wars EU I think about 90% of it is garbage, and I dont know where in the fuck you think I'm saying Star Wars is the pinnacle of Sci Fi but I dont think that at all.
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>>7638499
Really? Felt more like Pilgrim's Progress or Dante's Inferno to me.
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>>7639108
Doctor Who EU
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>>7639922
And a special mention to Doctor Who EU: batshit crazy edition.
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>>7633250
>What are you currently reading
Nights of Villjamur by Mark Charan Newton. Just started it.
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>>7639866
Well I mean, among a ton of other things.
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Fantasy and science fiction aren't literature. Delete this thread.
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>>7639299
You should lurk more, friend.
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>>7640277
thanks for the bump
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>>7640277
Hi redshit, you have to be a redshitor because you're new, and these threads have been going on for years (not the general, but fantasy threads), I've been here since 08 and i read nothing but fantasy.
>>
>>7633250
I'm considering reading Book of the New Sun, but can someone explain the setting to me?

Everyone uses swords but there are spaceships later on?
>>
>>7640351
>do your metal tools talk to you?
>your neighbours probably don't want to hear about it but we do
>ask for k or n
>bring the talking metal with you

I didn't read the new book, is that from the new book? It sounds like someone is gathering up pieces of harmony.... what would they be able to do with it?
>>
>>7640715
Giant human empire fell apart and knowledge was lost, but relics still exist.
>>
>>7640715
It's like England was a advance nation, but america was just colonizing a post apocalyptic land.

Their tech wasn't all there as yet so they used swords because guns are expensive... well now and again England gets on their hover mach11 ships to visit america and what their progress is.

Best way to explain without spoiling you at all.
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>>7640703
You've been wrong for eight years. Congratulations. Now get the fuck out of my board.
>>
I'm currently reading Stone Mattress by Margaret Atwood and Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick, simultaneously

I worked at a bookstore for a while, and I can't really say I hate anything, but that's mainly because 80% of the science fiction books are things I'd never read. They're just cheesy, generic pulp novels about people visiting different planets. That shit's unbearable.

What I like is stuff that examines real life, but uses SF and fantasy to bend the rules. The type of stuff that descends from surrealism, I suppose - good examples of this are Haruki Murakami and Margaret Atwood
>>
>>7640775
>I'm currently reading Stone Mattress by Margaret Atwood and Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick, simultaneously
Do you make yourself go boss-eyed for that or are you reading one word from one then one from the other or what, what's the deal here? I mean that just seems unnecessarily confusing.
>>
>>7640777
lol of course that's not what I mean... I'm in the Peace Corps right now, and when I do development work I use a kindle. E-readers give me pretty severe book ADD.
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>>7640755
Sorry tough guy. We're staying.
>>
>>7640755

Why not spend your time more constructively by "writing your novel" that no one will remember in 2 generations or coming up with half-baked theories on what some mentally masturbating author is "really trying to say" like all the other little pseudo-intellectuals on /lit/ rather than shitting up this thread, hombre?
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>>7640755
>my board
What a gigantic faggot you are, m8.
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>>7640719
It is. There is active experimentation going on regarding the metals, as seen by the other little snippet regarding the Harmony God metal, and some in-book material. Pretty interesting stuff.
It would be cooler if we'd get new Mistborn sooner than two fucking years.
>>
>>7640738
What the fuck did I just read... What?
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>>7641002
So.... is the harmony metal going to allow them to warp reality and achieve ftl travel?
That seems like the next course of action.

>slowly sacrificing/imprisoning your god to achieve technological gain

It's gonna be like that planet that has power granting worms. Didn't the "visitors " have some machine that had a weird metal in it?
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>>7641026
It's like 16th century England with the occasional flying car and laser rifle, although only richfags have those.
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>>7641063
We don't know. There's a very long extensive theory thread about how FTL will work on 17thShard. I figure it will probably involve some combination of bendalloy and cadmium but I really don't know, nor keep up with it. I don't see 'Harmonium' having anything to do wtih FTL.

First of the Sun was actually the furthest story chronologically and it's speculated that the Ones Above were Scadrians but we don't know for sure as of yet. There's a lot of crazy technological shit going on in Bands of Mourning, even what appears to be a crashed spaceship but you shouldn't read that spoiler and I need to keep reading until I finish this book.
>>
Why isn't Sanderson on the recommendation wiki?
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>>7641201
Because he's a hack and only like three people in these threads actually like him.
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>>7641201
Because people don't fucking use the recommendation wiki, It's seriously missing so much it shouldn't even be in the sticky.
>>
>>7634688
Damn, I was just thinking about this the other week. I just started a post-colonial lit class, and we have all discussing pop culture through a post colonial lenses.
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>>7636232
If you want to start up a pulp fiction thread later tonight I'll contribute.
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>>7641345
>Not discussing pop culture through a post colonial lenses through a Marxism lenses

Are you even trying?
>>
>>7641145
Will it go the route of naruto post war? Have machines made that can utilize allomancy, then anyone would be able to be a mistborn, no matter their birth.

Have 2 machines, one that allows you to put up a "Wayne " bubble across a whole ship indefinitely. Then one that has some weird sling system, that has a fixed point, and a moving part that pushes against it.

Since you are in a vacuum there will be no resistance, you will only gain speed by pushing. I guess Ferromancy(whatever) might be synthesized by then too, you would be able to lighten the ship.

Even if these things require "flesh " to work, they might make some weird cyborg ship whose human components were grown in a petri dish.

What you think?
>>
>>7634688
kinda surface level pham
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>>7641370
I think it'll go far beyond Allomancy since Hemalurgy can give one person the abilities of another person, but it isn't restricted to Metallic Arts. Obviously making someone Mistborn would be wonderful for native Scadrians.

I can't find any specific FTL threads but here is a thread about time bubbles so have fun if you decide to lurk: http://www.17thshard.com/forum/topic/12247-everything-we-know-about-time-bubbles/

I don't think we'll see cyborg space ships, though.
>>
>>7641412
It all depends on what Sanderson reads between now and then. He'll probably be doing intense research into science and science fiction, as I think his SF background is a little lacking right now aside from being friends with the Schlock Mercenary guy. And he's got years to do it in. We can only hope.
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>>7641459
Yeah the future trilogy better be goddamn superb. It'll be probably twenty fucking years before he even begins writing the damn thing so he should have it ironed out and running smoothly.
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>mfw Sanderson Robert Jordan's before he can finish his fuckhueg series.
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>>7640929

That would require him actually putting effort into something.
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>>7641468
He hasn't slowed down yet. Sanderson's a freak. He takes vacations from writing by writing something else. Mistborn 1.5 was a vacation from Stormlight.
>>
>>7641461
I'm not going to be here in 20 years... i now understand how Martinfags feel.
>>
>>7641473
When I say Robert Jordan's I mean fucking dies.
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>>7641485
He got a standing desk, I guess he's trying not to die.
>>
>>7641468
So who will finish his books? Jim Butcher? Brent Weeks? Kevin Hearne?

If those 3, it will definitely include sex. Imagine Kalidin taking Jaznah behind the tent, gripping her throat and telling her, that her pussy now belongs to him.

Or that cuck that sacrificed his memories of his wife, he will have his sister-in-law ride his dick while biting her milf nipple.

SANDERSON PLZ
>>
>>7641145
>I need to keep reading until I finish this book.
You're fucking lucky, I have 6 more solid hours of Malazan before I can touch Sanderson

>tfw I've been reading book 10 of Malazan for 3 weeks plus
Just kill me plz
>>
>>7641498
>Jim Butcher
Doubtful, they portray religion and magic so vastly different I couldn't imagine either one of them taking over the other.
>>
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>>7641468
I'm honestly a tad concerned about that. It will seriously be around thirty, or more, years before the meta will be completely finished.

>>7641473
Yeah but he spends a lot of time writing non-Cosmere shit and that makes Cosmere shit take even longer to write. I get that he writes other series so he doesn't "burn himself out" but goddamn son, if you have this grandiose meta-series you wish to write for the readers, don't complain and create feeble excuses after the fact. I just want him to focus on Cosmere more.

>>7641475
RIP in peace in advance.
>>
>>7641623
>somewhere in the world, someone with immense autism will turn those scribbles in the pic into a real language

You know this to be true
>>
>>7641623
>>7641475
>will be 57 when Sanderson finishes
Just
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>>7641548
I'm also on The Crippled God. About half way through. You're not enjoying?
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>>7640755
>my board

every time
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What did you guys think of Worm?
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>>7641468

As long as he doesn't die in the middle of Stormlight, it will be fine. Each series is self-contained to the point where it won't be that awful if the overarching Cosmere doesn't play out, and Sanderson won't need more than a decade or so to finish Stormlight.
>>
>>7642081

Best realization of a world with superpowers I have ever read, most varied and imaginative superpowers I have ever read. As for the real meat of the story, it has solid characters and a good narrative marred by a desperate need for editing and a loss of focus after Taylor turns herself in.
>>
>>7642147
>>7642136
>>7642130
Geez, you really had a tough time there.

>a good narrated marred by a desperate need for editing

I think Wildbow himself said he only needed that and a reputable publishing offer to release it.
>>
WHO DOGMAN HERE?
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>>7642173
I like when he cucks West with that Blacksmith girl.

I should really get around to reading the last book in that series. I feel like Joe is one of the best in the scene at the moment.
>>
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>>7641951
If we give it 35 years for all totality, then I'll be 60. It's gonna be a weird feel.

>>7642120
They're becoming less and less self-contained.

>won't need more than a decade
LMAOing at our lives
If Stormlight is completely finished within fifteen years, I'll eat my hat.
>>
>>7642081
>>7642147
never even heard of that but now that sounds interesting. just googled it
>it's a web serial
well that's actually a first for me.
>>
>>7641973
Getting my usual laugh from tehoul, sob child rape stories from people that would die in the next chapter, etc.

I just wanted it to end after my favs stopped appearing as frequently (loved how karlso oolong split that indian witch's snatch in half).

Whatever enjoyment I had withered when mistborn came out, I just want it to end.
>>
>>7641468
>yfw Martin Robert Jordan's before he finishes a song of fire
>>
Reading the first Malazan book. Its ok. Do they get better? Ive been desperate for GOOD fantasy.
>>
>>7642313
I predicted that almost 10 years ago since his writing speed was already terrible back then. he rather preferred writing shitlong articles about his favorit football team on his blog instead of finishing the fucking books.

but I skipped out after the 4th anyway and I can't say I'm unhappy to have done that so what do I care.
>>
>>7642342
depends on your definition of what good fantasy is. give us a few hints and we may be able to help you. that is, if you haven't already read all books with that definition.
>>
>>7642342
Second is much better imo
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>>7642370
Good fantasy has decent prose, great setting and world building, and characters and a story arc that are interesting and not just regurgitated Tolkien. I like Gene Wolfe and le Guin
>>
>>7642362
Not to mention he edits and contributes pieces for a shit load of anthologies each year, yet he can't complete his fucking books.

I had a friend who started the books late last year, and I told her she would have to watch the show to get the ending "no, book 6 will be out before the 6th season".

I just smiled, I have an even bigger smile now, because she will burn in purgatory with the rest of "waiting fans".
>>
>>7642385
Prince of Nothing
>>
>>7642385
Lankhmar and Borges influenced Wolfe, try them.
>>
>>7642385
Then you've read all good fantasy already, sorry.
>>
>>7640715
sun is dying
earth's resources have dried up
civilization is past its prime and has regressed from its technological zenith
most people live medieval style, i.e. villages and swords. higher technology still remains but is sparse

its pretty comfy desu
>>
>>7642398
You think his normie mind would be able to handle all the gay, rape and incest that is Prince of Nothing? Not to mention the large cucking.
>>
>>7642408
That description sounds exactly like Dying Earth.
>>
>>7642411
Trial by fire

Either he breaks his normie shell or he doesn't
>>
>>7642425
Wolfe has stated that Vance's series directly influenced this work and the subgenre is called "Dying Earth" for a reason.
>>
>>7642405
:(
>>7642411
Doesnt sound thaaaaaat bad
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hoo boys this finale is crazy so far
>Wayne picking up the shotgun after Wax dies
>tells his hands to stop shaking because "we're done with that"
>cocks the shotgun and sets off on a mission
That's all I need right there. Everything else is dessert.
>>
hey /lit/
Are there any sci-fi novels about mech warfare?
Stuff similar to battletech?
>>
>>7642531
what are these maps and newspapers you are posting from?

>>7642585
well you COULD try all the battletech novels...
>>
>>7642603
Any stuff that isn't battle tech?
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>>7642603
Mistborn.
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>>7642613
don't know of anything else, guess you'll have to go with either battletech or manga
>>
>>7634972
I love those books. So fucking comfy.
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>Kelsier is back
oh shit son
OH SHIT

Bands of Mourning might be the best Mistborn book we've gotten since fuckin' Hero of Ages.
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lol
>>
>>7642863
>The Briar King, at the end of the epic Fantasy row

Is that the one where the old Gamewarden goes out into the King's Wood hunting for a Manticore? I read some of that years ago after picking it up at a local library. It was kind of a mixed bag, the chapters focusing on the old guy were great but the ones focusing on the young girl really got on my nerves.
>>
>>7642944
Yea, that's it.

But everyone knows the best chapters are of the Knight.
>>
>>7642585
Mech by B V Larson
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>>7642863
We need an updated Fantasy list.
>>
>>7643407
I'll get the servants on it.
>>
>>7635052
anyone else think when he begged vin to stay with him it seemed kinda off character? i guess being alone for 3 years could do that to someone but really i'm surprised he didn't let go after vin died.
>>
>>7642863
wow that's just awful
>>
>>7642842
you think? i thought shadows of self was better. The end brought up more questions regarding the nature of harmony and stuff. the "twist" at the end of BoM didn't seem all that great to me. It was good but not great imo.
>>
>>7633835
Man that fantasy chart is shit

Why does the epic fantasy section wrap around like that?
Why hasn't someone who likes urban fantasy (as shit as it is) filled out that section?
Sword and scorcery excludes epic fantasy?
Why is there an entry level section at all. Doesn't entry level mean it's over rated or similar to another genre but really isn't that great? People asking for recommendations have already read something entry level, they're ready for the real stuff. Also it can overlap with literally every sub-genre.
What the fuck is "weird"?
Mythic should probably be mixed with historic.
"alternative world" should be called high fantasy. It also probably overlaps with epic fantasy.
>old
for fucks sake, we weren't even basing the list off merit?
>misc
not even trying anymore?
Also there seems to be a lot of "my favourite book didn't catogorise well so lets add some of the authors lesser works to another section" going on.

We need to do something like /v/s jrpg general. They somehow managed to limit their list to high quality content with meaningful descriptions.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1s2MpuYWywHYAZMe5-yar9hHklqyF6FePvMEBz0nSsi0/edit#gid=2
I'll see if I can emulate it, though I suspect there is very little on that list that the author didnt play himself, which would be more of an issue here.
>>
>>7643757
It's a shit image, but you completely misunderstand the meaning of 'entry level'.

An entry level book is one that's easy to get into for those new to the medium or genre. It doesn't necessarily mean it has less to offer than more advanced works though.
>>
>>7643757
I made that list about five years ago, on the fifth(?) day of /lit/, all excited to share some fantasy experience. It was never supposed to represent /lit/ in any way; it was, in essence, my fantasy recommendations I wanted to share to others. Keep in mind that at that time the atmosphere was crazy; hundreds of SFF posts, even about single authors like Goodkind (and no, not the kind you see now) and Butcher (that dinosaur riding pic was always the thread starter). I wanted to contribute.

First off, I want to say that a lot of your criticisms are spot on. Your criticism of "misc" especially (not the lesser works one, but the stopped trying). At the end, I still had a number of works I wanted to recommend, and I realized I wasn't quite that good at categorization after all (you might say I never was).

As to some more specific answers:

> Why does the epic fantasy section wrap around like that?
MS Paint and a lack of imagination (which is ironic).

> Sword and scorcery excludes epic fantasy?
Epic fantasy and sword and sorcery are two recognized subgenres of fantasy. I'm not sure what your complaint is... You'd want them merged? Usually S&S is a lot less, well, epic in scope.

> Why is there an entry level section at all. Doesn't entry level mean it's over rated or similar to another genre but really isn't that great? People asking for recommendations have already read something entry level, they're ready for the real stuff. Also it can overlap with literally every sub-genre.
Another Anon already aptly answered this. However, I sorely regret naming it "entry level", and should have gone with "introductory [fantasy]". "entry level" has so much negative connotation included.

> What the fuck is "weird"?
It's the category coined by Miéville (or was it Vandermeer). Either way, I fucked up that category.

> Mythic should probably be mixed with historic.
You can't really pinpoint the time frame in the mythic works, but you can in the historical works. But I'm not quite happy with this category either.

> "alternative world" should be called high fantasy. It also probably overlaps with epic fantasy.
Epic fantasy and high fantasy are the same thing. You are right on there being overlap. It's a separate category because in all these works the main character(s) are transported from the real world to the high fantasy world (via portals, or by other means).

> for fucks sake, we weren't even basing the list off merit?
The intention was to create a category specifically of older works, so they'd stand out. Worm Ouroboros, for instance, could be in "epic fantasy" (or "alternate world" if you count Lessingham for all those 5 pages). They're still there for merit.

[cont'd]
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>>7644676
The image, especially viewed from the lens of a general fantasy recommendation list, is flawed in many ways (which haven't all been mentioned here). However, I don't think it's completely without merit, and I hope there are people out there who have found it useful in some way, at least.

The next list should be a community effort, but no has picked up the torch in the last five years. There is one other list (in two images), but that was a day or two before mine. I'm not aware of any made afterward.
>>
>>7644676
>>7644683
Are you R?
>>
this is a bit of a long shot, but trying to remember this book/series I read once is a bitch, and it's been stuck in my head for 2 days now

all I remember is that there is a female protagonist who is a daughter of someone (semi)important(a noble or merchant), their land gets invaded and while she was away from home she stumbles upon the raiders and gets raped, then joins up with an army or someshit.

I think it had some norse overtones because the raiders started calling her walkyr after she goes berserk fighting them, or someshit.
>>
>>7644676
>>7644683
People shouldn't bitch about the chart if they're not going to make one themselves.

I'm amazed you made that 5 years ago and are still around.
>>
>the tree people
>>
Does anyone have an epub or something of bands of mourning? I can only find an audiobook online.
>>
>>7644710
If you're referring to Goodreads, then yeah, my nick there starts (and ends) with an R. Otherwise, no I'm not.

>>7644755
It's alright with me for anyone and everyone to criticize it, but I admit it has gotten pretty tiresome to read the same comments ("it's shit") year after year. Well, I like Wheel of Time, and time is cyclical and all that...

And heh thanks. It's actually 6 years; I checked the image when I got home and it was created on January 2010. I don't post much of anything anymore, but I haven't quite gotten rid of the habit of lurking here. I think the generals have revitalized discussion (for anyone other than Wolfe) of SFF. Thanks to whoever took the time to start these again.
>>
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>>7644916
#bookz is your friend.
>>
Where does Bands of Mourning fit in the Mistborn series? Read the first trilogy and the first Wax & Wayne novels.
>>
>>7645073
It's the 3rd wax n Wayne
>>
Currently reading Out of the Silent Planet, about half way through. If it doesn't get interesting really quick, I won't bother with the other two books.
>>
>>7645270
OotSP is incredibly chill. Don't read it while you're in an actiony mood. Just lean back and enjoy Mars. A lot of people recommend you start with Perelandra and only read the other two if you like it, and in my opinion it is head and shoulders above them, but in any case remember you aren't just reading SF or Christian apologia but a blend of the two.

I've never heard many people talk about That Hideous Strength but it's got a place in my heart, especially when the planets possess Ransom. It's still probably Lewis' very worst book.
>>
I'm not a Lovecraft fan but Caitlin Kiernan writes some incredible weird fiction (not Cthulhu Mythos Shit thankfully) that is of such high quality that I don't understand why she isn't ever mentioned here.
>>
>>7645125
Actually it's the second, Alloy of Law was a spinoff.
>>
Thinking about either Chesterton's short stories or Ghormengast trilogy next. Which would you recommend?
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>>7645509
Well, that's a pretty good reason to read Perelandra at the very lease. Thanks anon.
>>
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>>7645531
Bands of Mourning is the third Wax & Wayne (Era 1.5) Mistborn book.

>Alloy of Law
>Shadows of Self
>Bands of Mourning
>The Lost Metal
>>
>>7645568

Chesterton. Gormenghast is so fucking dense.
>>
>>7645797
Wolfe tier?
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>>7645573
Yeah sorry, I meant that it was second in that trilogy but third in terms of Wax and Wayne books.
>>
>>7645573
COSMEREFAG, I've finished Malazan this morning.

Started Bands of Mourning, a flashback right off the bat? Really?. Well I'm currently at work, so when I get home I hope it picks up, and Sanderson writes another "almost sex scene".
>>
>>7645531
The entire Wax and Wayne saga is a spin off.
>>
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Has anyone else here read Greg Egan's stories?
He's rapidly becoming one of my favorite authors now that I've finished Diaspora.
>>
>>7633250
>What are you currently reading
Just finished The First Law series by Abercrombie. I was a bit underwhelmed. The prose was very good--elegant without trying too hard to sound mystical and sophisticated. It was very clearly about the characters and their interactions rather than about events or settings. I usually don't like that kind of story, but Abercrombie wrote it very well. However, it was way too cynical and tragic. All the main characters were constantly bitching about how they were being forced to do horrible things that they actually chose to do, and what horrible people they were when they never chose to change anything. There were way, way too many self-pitying monologues in graveyards or battlefields. Also, it went on way too much about the horror and pointlessness of war, and made shitty arguments. Everyone was always whining, "Why did all these people have to die?", when in fact the battle had happened for a very good and worthwhile reason.

>Which sff work do you hate the most
Here goes the flame war. I say the Earthsea series by LeGuin. The prose is just plain balls. It tries way too hard to sound archaic and mystical. Nothing is explained in any detail at all, not the characters, events, background and magic system, or anything. If nothing else, it taught me not to trust the faggot anons here. Several people in one thread told me my taste was shitty, and said that was an example of real, quality fiction. I wasted a couple of days on it. It was horseshit.

>Which are the five essential sff novels
Honestly, I haven't found any five I would consider "essential" since I got back into reading. Tolkein, I suppose. It sets a nice background for any other SFF you'll read later. My personal favorite is the entire WoT series, but that's not for everyone. You have to have a lot of patience for long, rambling stories and a little repetition in some places--though the elaborate background Jordan built makes it worth it in my opinion.
>>
>>7646125
Is there a single reason to actually read WOT and not a wiki page? Considering even you who loves it has no praise outside world building.
>>
>>7646184
Like I said, it's not for everyone. Reading WoT is like taking a safari. One by one, the author takes you through all the lands and cultures he's come up with, using the groups of protagonists as a sort of vehicle to travel through them and see the sights. You get an intimate understanding of how each one works, their different cultural norms and their relationships with each other. You actually understand all the politics, why the feuds and alliances exist, and how they are changing and influenced by the events that happen. A wiki page just reads off the events that happened, it's not the same as taking the time to explore and appreciate them. That's what good worldbuilding looks like, it's not just making up a couple of languages and types of clothing. It goes much deeper than that. That's all the praise a series needs, in my opinion.

Also, I like the slow pace of it. It's like listening to your old Grandpa tell you a story by the fire. It takes forever to get to the point, sometimes goes off on unnecessary tangents, and gets a little repetitive in the way it describes things, but that in no way ruins the kind of charm and wonder you get from the story--in some ways, it almost helps.
>>
>>7635462
>Trying to rush through incredible fantasy just to get to some trash fiction

wew lad
>>
>>7646201
So yeah Wiki.
>>
Currently reading Foundation's Edge to see how it holds up to the original Foundation Trilogy.
I am pretty big fan of science-fiction nowdays, especially the space opera type. Can't get into fantasy anymore.
>>
Who would be my best bet if I wanted to read some "high tech, high life" cyberpunk? Pic kind of related.
>>
>>7646270
Cyberpunk doesn't really have good books to offer. Neuromancer and Snow Crash are basically action movie tier writing. Flat characters, twice as long as they needed to be, dull or owerwritten prose.
Ghost in the Shell, Blade Runner and Deus Ex are your best bets.
>>
>>7646284
I like to add Biomega and Blame! by Tsutomu Nihei. Even if you are not into manga his stuff is worth checking out if you are into cyberpunk.
>>
>>7646115
Yep
I actually prefer Axiomatic
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>>7646284
>>7646297
I appreciate the effort but while you are giving me an answer, it's not an answer to my question. I'm really not a manga guy and I actually liked Gibson's books a lot, both the Sprawl and the Bridge trilogy. I feel he improved a lot during his career, so if you missed out on his later books because you disliked the prose, maybe give his other works a chance. Not the Blue Ant stuff though.

Most of the cyberpunk media I've seen/read/whatever was "high tech, low life", that's why I'm looking for a different style now.
I guess GitS and Deus Ex would be decent answers if they were literature.
>>
>>7644718
>and gets raped
Should have posted in last thread.
>>
>>7646212
Fiddler dies
>>
>>7646324
I can live with mediocre prose (Dick being mine 3rd most read author).
I dislike flat characters and really can't enjoy books that have them.
>>
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>>7645835
No worries.

>>7645851
That's one reason why I like Wayne as a character because he has more gritty, realistic, and sexual themes than any other fucking character in the meta.
>>
>>7642842
I actually liked Alloy of Law More than anything else he's written in Mistborn after the first book.
>>
>>7641201
His prose just isn't that good. That's the only answer. His worldbuilding is good, his stories and characters are definitely decent, but the writing is just mediocre.
>>
>>7642173
>>7642226
Just finished that series actually. I was pretty underwhelmed, the writing was good but it was just way too cynical. Review here >>7646125
>>
>>7646879
The only answer is nobody put him there. There isn't some sort of objective prose standard we all agree on. I'm sure we can say that Sanderson's not as good at it as Wolfe, but I'm much less sure we can pinpoint the cutoff.
>>
>>7647026
That's true, but from what I've heard a majority of people seem to agree about Sanderson. Most people here consider him borderline-YA fiction.
>>
>>7647068
Not arguing with that. We still read him. I'm not worried someone on the internet will think I'm a loser. The only reason I haven't put him on the rec wiki is because I wouldn't trust a /lit/ rec wiki and don't have much of a desire to help someone who would.
>>
>>7634972
>>7642841
What do you guys mean by comfy?

Any stand alone fantasy novels you guys can recommend? Preferably with lots of gore and rape. I like my escapism with edge in it. And yes, I've read GOT.
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>>7646703
Yeah? Why is that?

>>7646879
He has such a bad fucking habit of picking a specific habit or mannerism or trait, and repeating the same two or three throughout an entire book.
>>
>>7646570
>water tower
So is it a meme(like milhouse is not a meme) or inside joke that Wax will never get married?
>>
>>7647068
>borderline-YA fiction.
It's mostly because he refuses to cuss like earthlings(the fucking novels take place on different planets that never interacted with earth of course they wouldn't cuss like us), and the fact that he is squeamish about writing about premarital sex.

Everyone is not a virgin in his books, it's just he doesn't describe the act.

Those two things put people off(autism), if he wrote about rape gay and incest in detail like Ambercombie, Bakker and Abraham, he would be lit's poster boy.
>>
>>7647096
Read the last thread, the theme was gay, rape and incest. Suppose to be a gem in there.
>>
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>>7647343
It's a you should finish the book

>>7647390
His approach to is all is so strange, even sometimes unintentionally funny, like when Wayne and MeLaan are fucking but it's described as snogging. Like we're back at fucking Hogwarts.
>>
>>7633250

Been on a huge Neal Stephenson binge in my sci-fi reading.

I read Snow Crash and was just so into it that I kept going. Cryptonomicon was amazing. Diamond Age I just finished up, the setting and world building was brilliant, but wasn't as into most of the characters.

I was thinking about starting on Readme.
>>
>>7647411
He's an active Mormon. He's not going to have graphic sex scenes, he's not going to put in words that make his mother blush, and he's probably even toned the violence down from what he could have written.

There are a lot of Mormon bonuses in his books. The princess in Elantris asking the priest of the death-god leading questions about fine points of his theology is something every missionary experiences. The awkward yet affectionate relationship between the mute king and his arranged bride is very similar to young Mormon both-virgin marriages. So yeah, his books are going to be prudish because he's from a different culture. Just act like he's Japanese or something.

>>7647413
Don't, go straight into the Baroque Cycle, then Anathem, then Seveneves, or reverse order if you want to save the best for last. If you loved Cryptonomicon you shouldn't wait to get into Quicksilver. Reamde and Zodiac are some of his cooldown books, they aren't up to the standards of the three I mentioned.
>>
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>>7647459
Oh I know the /why/ behind it; just making an observation, is all.
I do notice that he's getting a tad more lenient with his action/killing scenes.
>>
>>7647480
Bullet through the brain isn't graphic enough?
>>
>>7647491
There weren't any brain bits mentioned.
>>
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>>7647390
>Ambercombie, Bakker and Abraham
Lmao those three are barely discussed in these threads.

And I like Abercrombie because he's a good northern lad writing in the traditions of Howard, but more postmodern.
>>
>>7647480
Of course
>>
>>7647580
Well i hate Abraham because he writes magical fantasy books and only shows magic being used for like 10 pages in a 700 fucking paged book.
>>
>>7643757
Lets give it a go.
I went with a google form, which generates a nice spreadsheet.

goo.
gl/
J9qK9P

I will post the spreadsheet after moderating it. The responses are viewable through the form in the meantime.
>>
>>7647832
>wanting magic to be used like superpowers or video game abilities

Goddamn Sanderson fans are retarded children.
>>
When did magic systems actually become a thing of critqiue?

Like I can read a fantasy/sci-fi story but the last thing I'm giving a fuck about is how it works unless its thematically relevant, which is something Bakker tries to do.
>>
>>7647930
When the gamer generation started being the main producers and consumers of fantasy.
>>
>>7647930
I didn't like Malazan's which was supposed to be "structured" but came across as more "lel magic motherfucker"
>>
>>7647832
You seem to confuse literature with a Warhammer Wikipedia.
>>
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I saw someone recommend this in a nyrb suggestions thread. I like sci-fi, and russian sci-fi has always intrigued me but 100 pages in this is boring af.

Thinking of dropping it.
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>>7647832
Are you talking about Daniel Abraham? If so I agree, the Long Price Quartet had a really cool idea for magic but he barely explored it.
>>
>>7642447
Despite the fact that Vance didn't fucking invent it.
>>
>>7648245
That's okay, it isn't for plebs.
>>
>>7648546
Jeeze, don't be rude.
>>
>>7648196
>Daniel Abraham is literature
>Brent Weeks isn't
Go fuck yourself

>>7647924
>I'll imply what I want because I know what he is talking about
>if you read magical fantasy and expect to see more magic than a paragraph every 5 chapters you are a Sanderson fanboy
Okay, glad to know
>>
>>7648302
It happens in all his books, that is why I dropped him.
The coin and dagger series is the same shit.

What I think he does, is write about some past civilization, and then throws in some "magical" elements to it.

What he fucks up is the tell but not show practice. The literal thousands of pages I've read(5 books, 2 series) is the same shit.

It's like your granny is telling you about world war 2, only that she adds in that there are rumors about vampires walking about the alive, but too injured to call out for help soldiers, and that they are draining them.

It's just a scam to keep you interested, you keep reading, but by the end you realise it was nothing but hearsay, and you completed a fucking 900 paged book. I don't know about you but that makes me feel cheated.

I read to see how the supernatural or future interacts with the environment, not some literal history books .
>>
>>7648534
ZOTHIQUE
O
T
H
I
Q
U
E
>>
>>7648625
>wah lord of the rings is shit why doesnt gandalf throw magic missiles and fireballs at the orcs?
>>
>>7648720
Exactly who I was referring to. I'm pretty sure he's the most underrated writer in science fiction and fantasy.

Di you know they're reprinting the full collections of his stories? EldritchDark is nice and all, but I'd love a full paper collection of his work.

Especially his poetry. Why don't people write fantasy poetry like that any more?
>>
>>7648722
Never read LOTR(not all the books).
Read Hobbit YEARS ago and kinda liked it so I borrowed LOTR book1, dropped quarter way through. That shit was horrible.

Don't know how lord of the shit came into the conversation, when we were talking about modern fantasy.

Fug off
>>
>>7648763
Its an example of why good fantasy keeps the magic mysterious, and why you're a tasteless pleb.
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>>7647930
>falling for the strawman
>>
>>7648925
Ignore everything this man says, for he has the worst taste in the thread.
>>
>>7648798
>nostalgia makes all my decisions
I bet you are that Thomas Covenant fag from 2 threads ago
>>
>>7648996
Lmao never read.

Theres a reason why academics study Tolkien, while Sanderson and Weeks are airport reads.

>>>/tg/ you'd probably feel more welcomed here
>>
>>7649006
>academics study Tolkien

My sides
>>
Oh shit I remembered that Mistborn is technically /tg/ too. I wonder if I can get a Cosmere thread a brewin'.
>>
>>7649006
>I must live my life and read what a bunch of stuffy old men in a hall deem worthy
Are you american by chance?
You are so practiced at following what your overlords tell you to do.

When open corporatist paramilitary becomes a thing, you will fit right in. Remember to douche and use enemas, your big daddy doesn't like shit on his dick.
>>
>>7649046
It's true. I know a very big number of them publishes articles about him on First Things which is a journal with a very high standard.
>>
>>7649048
Since when does not reading schlock mean I am in favor of fascist totalitarianism?
>>
Could anyone tell me about the Powder Mage trilogy? Thinking about picking it up.
>>
>>7649046
but they do.

if you weren't a philistine who got all of his "knowledge" from /lit/ you'd know this inside of making embarrassing posts
>>
>>7649132
It's literally Napoleonic wars with magic. It can feel a bit video gamey at times.

That said, I immensely enjoyed it.
>>
>>7649051
Since you started touting what some old men who are funded by corapartions think is worth studying.

Shit is changing, and those old men will have to change with the times or be left behind .

I already saw oxford(whose dictionaries i used since primary school ) stoop to the level of ignorant facebook subhumans(anyone who uses facebook everyday is a vain narcissistic subhuman), and made a fucking meme picture word of the year.

Everyone is being made to eat their hats nowadays, so it would not surprise me in the slightest if in a few decades, Sanderson's works are being dissected by academics and published in literary journals.

League of fucking legends already got universities using gaming as extra credit.

Enjoy your snobbery while you can, your tears in later years will be the most delicious sustenance to fuel me in my old age.
>>
>>7649180
>>7649132
>tfw the savage has the tightest pussy ever
>tfw ramming her and she squirms around in mute ecstasy
>>
>>7649299
>wanting Taniel to rip your fucking jaw off with his bare hands

Godspeed you brave soul
>>
>>7647930
Two main reasons:

First of all: A good magic system gives you an idea of the relative power of characters. You want to roughly know which magic users need to be afraid of which other ones, and how much other characters need to fear them, in order to explain their behavior. An example of someone that did this badly is Abercrombie. Throughout the story, we only have little hints here and there about how powerful Bayaz is compared to Khalul or Mammun, and how any magic users are compared to physical fighters--should they be cringing and skulking around any average grunt with a spear, or can they strut through small armies with impunity? Authors who do this well are like Sanderson and Jordan. You know exactly how the magic works, so you know when characters are being reckless and at a disadvantage, or when they are pqwerful enough to handle a situation.

Also, it stops you from questioning the characters' choices. I hate to go through a book grumbling, "Why the fuck didn't (insert magic user here) just magic his way out of that?", because I have no idea what he is and isn't able to do. A bad magic system can be the worst kind of deus ex machina. All the heroes are about to be killed horribly, but then, ta-da! Magic. Also, vague magic systems tend to be based on the characters' emotions. It's just an excuse to make characters have moments of super strength in unlikely times because of muh feels. Mainstream audiences love that, but if you actually want to understand the situation it's pretty irritating.
>>
>>7648763
Dammit, I'm on your side but you're making shitty arguments.

>>7648722
But see, that's a valid question. Why didn't he? A good story should keep you knowing the exact limitations of each character's power, so you can understand his decisions.
>>
>>7649283
>Since you started touting what some old men who are funded by corapartions think is worth studying.
I am unsure how many of them are funded by corporations, probably not very much since it isn't a comercial or even mainstream thought journal, and I also wonder how that is relevant in the first place.

>Shit is changing, and those old men will have to change with the times or be left behind .
Trash novels didn't pop into existance now and their popularity isn't new, It can be said that people do read less qualtiy literature, but I don't base my opinions on what the times have to say.
>I already saw oxford(whose dictionaries i used since primary school ) stoop to the level of ignorant facebook subhumans
Ok you are calling facebook users subhuman as a 4chan user who was a sentence before saying how we need to stop caring about opinions of educated devoted men and need to start listening to opinions of plebieans.
> Sanderson's works are being dissected by academics and published in literary journals.
As I've stated before, this isn't the first trash ever written that will be forgotten in years to come.
>Enjoy your snobbery while you can, your tears in later years will be the most delicious sustenance to fuel me in my old age.
If my tears will bring you enjoyment in old age I'm quite sure it will be a sad and miserable existance.
>>
>>7649352
This fag is making shitty arguments again, but his general idea is valid: Why does the fact that academics and experts think literature's good give it any more legitimacy? Explain for yourself what the literature does well, and how. "Professors like it so it must be good" doesn't mean anything
>>
>>7649333
The hidden powerlvl in dirst law did make the ending more sweet.

"That nonsense was meant for the idiots in the streets, but it seems that idiots in palaces are lulled by sweet slop just as easily. I bought you from a whore. You cost me six marks. She wanted twenty, but I drive a hard bargain."
>>
>>7649132
A bunch of military cocaine addicts get high out of their minds and stage a coup (which the gods don't like, obviously, cause queen Lizzy be running the church). But they succeed because magicians are allergic to cocaine.
The trilogy is then spent trying to avoid getting smited. They do quite well by the end because there's this, like, totally awesome chef who takes care of the munchies.

But in all seriousness the story is rather dry and the only reason to read it is for the Taniel x Ka-Poel content. If you were looking for a cool and interesting magic system this isn't it.
>>
https://www.wattpad.com/215330871-alyssa%27s-story-creation-the-ancient-war

Found this gem. The creator was asking for help and got mad at me when I trashed it, and said I was just jealous.
>>
>>7649420
I don't really give a shit about the magic system. I'm just a sucker for everything related to the French Revolution and I heard the characters are very well developed.
>>
>>7649434
It's a fun ride. Go ahead and enjoy pulpy French Revolution fun
>>
>>7649365
if someone spend his entire life studying literature his opinion is more valid than a layman's

stop falling for the subjectivity meme or the all opinions are equal meme

a professor liking it is not absolute assurance it's good, but it lends credence to the idea
>>
>>7649333
>First of all: A good magic system gives you an idea of the relative power of characters
Completely irrelevant to a good story. Even in fantasy which has a lot of magic.
> You want to roughly know which magic users need to be afraid of which other ones, and how much other characters need to fear them, in order to explain their behavior.
That doesn't mean you need power levels. I don't remember Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser needing to know a "power level" to know who to be afraid of.
>Authors who do this well are like Sanderson and Jordan. You know exactly how the magic works, so you know when characters are being reckless and at a disadvantage, or when they are pqwerful enough to handle a situation.
Who are not only sub-par authors outdone by a Warhammer wiki article, but it removes from the wonder fantasy evokes like in novels such as The Wizard Knight, Lankhmar series, Conan, Silmarillion and a plenthora of others.
> because I have no idea what he is and isn't able to do.
Which is not bad or good in itself. I had no idea what Elric could or couldn't do, but it's still a decent novel series. You know more or less based on impressions the characters give themselves.
>All the heroes are about to be killed horribly, but then, ta-da! Magic.
Yes, because magic doesn't exist and it worked for greek tragedies which we can safely call qualtiy works.
>Mainstream audiences love that, but if you actually want to understand the situation it's pretty irritating.
Mainstream audiences love Sanderson and Erikson more because they are currently some of the most mainstream authors out there. Every video game nerd has read them which is mainsteram as fuck.
>>
>>7649452
>if someone spend his entire life studying literature his opinion is more valid than a layman's
His opinion of the writing, not the story.
In fact what someone gets out of a story is really dependant on the reader. You could say that the layman is a better judge because he's more likely to get the same thing out of it as anyone else.
Generally I end up loving stories where I learn something new about people, or where my hopes about people (naieve/unrealistic as they are) are reinforced.
Not to mention that a professor is biased by genere preference, age demographic, and experience (every idea is worse the second time).
>>
>>7649482
i think if that's what you want to get out of a story that's fine.

but literature as a craft includes both writing and story, and experience, and much more, and i simply believe someone who studies it is more trustworthy than someone who doesn't.

also there may be confounding factors at work (it's good cause everyone says it's good blah blah blah), but nevertheless the "literary establishment" is in agreement more often than not on the merits of a work. it's all the more believable that there is some set of "objective" values since there are intelligent, well-read people with contrarian opinions as well instead of a brainwashed mindless regurgitation of the same set of judgments.

also i don't think there's any merit to appealing to more people, so i can't agree with
>ou could say that the layman is a better judge because he's more likely to get the same thing out of it as anyone else.
>>
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>Book of the New Sun

I remember reading this for the first time when I was 11. I had no idea what was going on, but from then on I had yearly re-reads until I actually started understanding some of the stuff in it.

It's really a great series, but I can't say I liked Long or Short sun books. That's probably my own fault, I was expecting something alike BotNS.

Anyway, anyone here read "The Night Land"? It was brought up earlier today on /tg/ and I'm really interested in it, and I found a digital copy of that easily enough, but can't find a digital copy of "The Night Land, A Story Retold". Anyone here have a copy they might want to share?
>>
>>7649495
Marc hi
>>
>>7642342
First book of Malazan is just wierd to me,
it's all one big setup for the rest of the series

IMO, Erikson is a fucking god when it comes to battle scenes and he really made some of the most unforgettable battles I've ever read
>>7642371
Agreeing with this guy, second is better and third book hooked me in

If you want my advice, keep reading. I gave malazan a good chance and it's my absolute favorite in fantasy
>>
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>>7649499

What?

I think you've got me mistaken with someone else.
>>
>>7649333
>caring about power levels
>not letting your lizard brain take over and marveling at the mystery of the incomprehensible

Autism alert.
>>
>>7649046

One of the most well-known professors at my alma mater regularly held an entire semester - long academic class on Tolkein, in addition to his study of Old English works.
>>
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Are the First Law and the A Land Fit For Heroes trilogies any good?
>>
what does Sanderson have against fucking? where are the titties flapping about, the dicks smacking on faces, the fat pink mast?
>>
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>>7649539

Martin, pls go
>>
>>7649528
>First Law
Yes. Abercrombie is very much underrated. His works feel like a cross between oldschool Sword and Sorcery with more contemporary epic fantasy.
>>
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>>7649559

I'll give that one a try then.

Someone told me they sort of fit into the dark fantasy category. That true?
>>
>>7649562
It's pretty dark but honestly it feels more subversive than it is dark. Abercrombie takes a lot of common fantasy cliche's and puts them on their head.
>>
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>>7649567

Hmm, alright then.

Thanks for answering my questions.

One last thing: don't suppose you have a copy of "The Night Land, A Story Retold" that you might want to share, do you?
>>
>>7648290
Is there a reason Severian is always displayed as a fat cunt in some of the art I see? Did I miss something in the books? I always pictured him as a tall and muscular lad, if he's a tub of lard I'm going to be looking at the books in a whole different light.
>>
So now we have 2 avatarfags cosmerefag and this new guy >>7649578
>>
>>7649699
He was more starved(skeletal) than skinny if i recall correctly
>>
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>>7649700

What are you talking about?

I'm just posting some fanart for BotNS. That's it.
>>
>>7649706
Pretty interesting art, but way different from how I pictured it when I read the books. Different interpretations for different folks, I guess.
Where do you get it from?
>>
>>7649700
I like this guy more. He isn't posting pictures from some Mormons YA animu.
>>
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>>7649707

http://vampeta.cgsociety.org/
>>
>>7649562
That is not how I imagined the atrium at all, but this makes it more spectacular really.
>>7649553
I saw Thrax as a city carved in stone so kind of like Gondor in a mountain
>>7649507
That's scary like vaginas irl
>>7649495
best art of new sun in this thread
>>
>>7649706
>>7649707
>>7649712
Samefag
Also are you an atheist? What you got against Sanderson, you should dislike Wolfe too, its filled with Christian overtones.
>>
>>7649528
A land fit for heroes is good, but there is a lot, and I mean A LOT, of very graphic gay sex, so if that is gonna put you off, avoid it.
>>
>>7649717
Mormons aren't Christian
>>
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>>7649717

>samefag

No, not even close.

I'm only the first guy you quoted, no idea who the other two are.

>Also are you an atheist?

If this was directed at me: no, I'm Orthodox Christian.

>>7649720

Ouch. Why is it there in the first place?
>>
>>7649726
The main character is gay
>>
>>7649717
I am an atheist, but I have no problem with religion if it creates great art.

Sanderson is not creating great art.
>>
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>>7649713
Neat.
I don't really see spaceship as towers in this art though, and I always pictured them as being medieval towers made out of metal, despite knowing they're supposed to be spaceships
>>
>>7649706
It's not fan art really, as Alexander Preuss is the illustrator for the Centipede Press editions of the Book of the New Sun. They're all in the books.
>>
My favorite sci-fi novels:

Dune
The Sirens of Titan
A Clockwork Orange
The Gods Themselves
What Mad Universe
Dahlgren
Songs of Distant Earth
The Martian Chronicles
>>
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>>7649761

See, I didn't know that at all.

My bad and thanks for correcting me.

>>7649730

I got no issue with that, but the graphic sex scenes... yeah, not my thing.

>>7649737

That's a beautiful map. Where'd you find it?

In general, there's not that much artwork of BotNS to be found online, I think, and that's a shame.
>>
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>>7649775

>Where'd you find it?

Never mind, found it on my own. Silly me.
>>
>>7649775
>That's a beautiful map. Where'd you find it?
It's from Alexander Preuss, same guy you've been posting art of. I googled him and found his blogspot. Latest entry is a post full of BotNS art.
>>
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>>7649859

Yeah, just found it myself too.

Back when I found his artwork, there wasn't anything other than those pages I posted previously.
>>
>>7633835
>one way too big Fantasy chart
>diverse, well designed Sci-Fi ones
I'd like to see something like the "Selected SciFi" one for fantasy. Not everyone is out for a certain subgenre, they just want to read something really good.
>>
>>7649333
They're only two different magic systems; those poorly written and those oversimplified.
>>
>>7649928
I'll make some soon maybe, I haven't read that much fantasy so it's harder than for sf
>>
>>7649455
>Who are not only sub-par authors outdone by a Warhammer wiki article, but it removes from the wonder fantasy evokes like in novels such as The Wizard Knight, Lankhmar series, Conan, Silmarillion and a plenthora of others.
Not that guy, but I think the problem with that is if magic is the primary focus of the story, it has to be defined somewhat or else it just becomes cheap deus ex machina. Conan and Grey Mouser had wizards that were powerful and mysterious, but could be outwitted just like anyone else. Elric was an incredibly powerful wizard, but derived much of his power from favors and contracts with capricious spirits and demons. The Silmarillion had guys who could kill mountain sized dragons and choke balrogs to death.
The problem with series like Malazan is that magic is a main centerpiece of the story and has many aspects of it explained, but it's so nebulous and broadly painted that it's more suspense killing and confusing than interesting or mysterious.
>>
Cosmerefag and New Sunfag.

Do you guys think they will breed?
>>
Wasn't there a fantasy novel released a few years back that basically took place in a fantasy version of Plato's Republic?

Was it any good?
>>
>>7650177
Codex Alera?
>>
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I actually just made a thread on this, but I would recommend the journey series by Amber N. P. Mays for anyone into fantasy. Pretty good.
>>
Is here anyone who actualy enjoyed The Slow Regard of silent things by pat rothfuss? Is Rouges worth it?
>>
>>7649495
Never heard of Story Retold. I've just read the original and the John C. Wright short stories, which range from pretty solid to absolutely incredible. Anyway Night Land is amazing.
>>
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>>7650362
>>
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>>7650362
>>
>>7650177
Divergent?
>>
>>7649455
>but it removes from the wonder fantasy
implying someone can only like this kind of magic system
>>
>>7650421
There's wonder in Sanderson's fantasy. Not as much, but it's there.
>>
>>7650317
You made a thread recommending this to people that didn't ask for your opinion.... that is known as shilling.
>>
>>7650421
STOP CALLING MAGIC WITHOUT RULES A FUCKING MAGIC SYSTEM
>>
As a part of my reading challenge to myself, I want to read a fantasy or Sci-Fi series from beginning to end. Preferably 3-6 books long. I looked at possibly the Wheel of Time series, but that's too long.

I'd like to read something a bit more contemporary.
>>
>>7650576
Bakker,

You have 5 books with a 6th one in June, which completes the second trilogy
>>
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>>7650576
Sabriel. Lirael. Abhorsen.
>>
>>7650576
Don't listen to anything >>7650684 tells you.
>>
>>7650576
Rigante by David Gemmell.
I'll also back >>7650684

>>7650751
did you even read them?
>>
New thread
>>7651355
>>
>>7646324
maybe The Windup Girl by Bacigalupi? the characters tend to be in management.

The characters in the Neo-Victorian phyle in The Diamond Age were pretty upscale.
>>
>>7651463
>The Windup Girl by Bacigalupi
You should feel bad.
Thread posts: 315
Thread images: 58


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