/sffg/ - Science Fiction and Fantasy General

I'm going to write a fantasy story that might as well be a Ligotti story in a fantasy setting. I'm going to take this genre beyond GRI, watch me.

>>8246726
Please do, I'm sick of everything being an edgy GRRM derivative.

Has anybody ever done an alien terraforming story before, or no, has the idea not been done before? If not, I think I just brainstormed.

>finish reading Wheel of Time
Is it pretty accurate to say it started out pretty good, got worse and worse, and then Sanderson saved it with the last three volumes?

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Xeelee Sequence is pretty neat thus far.

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Just finished The Way of Kings

>>8246750
>Sanderson
>Saved

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Thoughts on James Blish? I was thinking of reading pic related next, love me some Roger Bacon.

>>8246771
Was it worth it?

Do I know what the master of the deck is?
Do I like Silverfox?
Do I want to find out more about Burn?
Do I care about the people with the bargast guarding the traveling merchant?
Do I want to continue reading?

>>8246870
It was good enough that I'm reading Words of Radiance

>>8246885
You are completely lost.
Sometimes she makes you feel funny, down there.
You want to find out when she'll wake up.
Not yet.
It is no longer a matter of desire. You have fallen victim to the Sunk Cost fallacy.

>>8246947

Thank you

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And he sang his song with a blind beast's fury, parting wall from foundation, blowing ceiling into sky, as though the works of man were made of sand.

And when he found them, cowering beneath their Analogies, he sheared through their Wards like a rapist through a cotton shift. He beat them with hammering lights, held their bodies as though they were curious things, the idiot thrashing of an insect between thumb and forefinger...

Seswatha was free and he walked the ways of the present bearing tokens of ancient doom. He would show them the Gnosis.

>6 days until The Great Ordeal

>>8247065
Do you have your mothers bones?

>>8246750
The last book was wank except for sheathe the sword and the last few scenes.

>>8247065
Would you say Bakker is better than Erikson, and why?

>>8246750
>believing the last three books are any good

>>8247125
Erikson actually helped Bakker get his foot in the door. Got a dedication in his book and everything.

Bakker has a bit more tightly knit cast than Erikson, so you get to know the characters better. His prose is arguably better than Erikson. Plus I like the idea of the Consult a lot.

>>8247171
>Bakker has a bit more tightly knit cast than Erikson
Well that has me sold. My biggest problem with Erikson is him introducing many new characters in the last few books who are indistinguishable from some of the older characters, and spending large amounts of time on those side character PoVs.

>>8247223
I might not be remembering this the exact way it was written since it's been a couple of years since I read it, but in The Crippled God near the end with the huge end-of-the-world battle taking place Erikson actually stopped everything dead in its tracks to give us the backstory about a completely insignificant character that lasted for PAGES.

>>8247279
Damn. I'm on Dust of Dreams hoping this all pays off in TCG.

i still can't decide if peter watts is good

>>8247362
You think he is good.

>>8247279
Thats straight up anime tier

>>8247376
I've got problems with his end-all be-all cynicism and occasionally hard to follow prose and flow but Blindsight was at least worth reading, if not genuinely good. Starfish and Echopraxia are a bitch to get through though, I've been start/stop on those for months.

>>8247325
Well there is a pay off, but you'll probably be left with plenty of head scratches like I was.

>>8247404
I really don't remember if it was as abrupt as I'm making it seem, but it must have been because it burned itself into my memory. Just seemed so ridiculous at the time to get the backstory of this very minor character that played no part in the story whatsoever in the middle of this apocalyptic battle.

>>8246870
Bleep is one of my all-time favorite short stories, and the Seeding Program stories are pretty great too. Then there was one... Fugue? I think? Really enjoyed it too.

She slept for a little over an hour and awoke refreshed. Angel was sleeping soundlessly beside her. In the faint light of pre-dawn his ugliness was softened, and she tried to picture him as he had been all those years ago when he had brought her the dress. It was almost impossible. Her arm was draped across his chest and she slowly drew it back, feeling the softness of his skin and the contrasting ridges of hard muscle across his belly. He did not wake, and Miriel felt a powerful awareness of her own nakedness. Her hand slid down, the tips of her fingers brushing over the pelt of tightly curled hair below his navel. He stirred. She halted all movement, aware now of her increased heartbeat. Fear touched her, but it was a delicious fear. There had been village boys who had filled her with longing, left her dreaming of forbidden trysts. But never had she felt like this, the onset of fear synchronised to her passion. Never had she been so aware of her desires. Her needs. His breathing deepened again. Her hand slid down, fingers caressing him, circling him, feeling him quicken and swell.

>>8247549

This prose is turgider than Harold Bloom. Let's give it the Hemingway treatment.

>she put a hand on his dick.

There. Clean and to the point.

>>8247568
>tips Sunset found her squatting in the grass, groaning. Every stool was looser than the one before, and smelled fouler. By the time the moon came up she was shitting brown water. The more she drank, the more she shat, but the more she shat, the thirstier she grew, and her thirst sent her crawling to the stream to suck up more water.

>>8247549
What book? Kinda sounds familiar.

>>8246738
B v Larson, Neal Asher.

What books other than the wait ordel is being released this year? Are we getting Dresden Files? More Sanderson? Some more gri?

>>8247630
>What book? Kinda sounds familiar.
Waylander II

>>8247659
Nope can't say I read it.

What happened to KJ Parker?
>was looking forward to savages
>can't find it anywhere
>seems to have only come out in hard cover in a limited edition
>was reading two of swords but the wait between chapters was too much for me
>just checked up on that and the next one is due out in december what the fuck
>"invincible sun" trilogy was supposed to come out in feb 2015, not sure if savages or two of swords replaced this or if it just hasn't come out

>>8247858
I think, but am not sure, that Two of Swords is Invincible Sun renamed and tweaked.

He has had three novellas out lately - Last Witness, Devil Itself, Downfall of the Gods.

Savages in print is only with the limited edition, but it has an ebook edition too. It's worth it

>>8248087
Not into eBooks. Ah well, guess I'll miss out on Savages.
>I think, but am not sure, that Two of Swords is Invincible Sun renamed and tweaked.
That's what I also thought from the description of Invincible Sun but I couldn't find that it has been confirmed anywhere.

>>8248090
Looks like you could get Savages for $25 (sans shipping), so consider it. Downfall of the Gods is also available only in limited, but you can get it for $10 straight from the publisher.

That's if you're in the US, of course. Otherwise the shipping will hurt.

> tfw you have 4 copies of Savages

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I've played the games and really liked them, the setting was right down my alley - has anyone read the books? Are they any good?

>>8248267

the writer is a massive cuck but the books are alright

>tfw you'll never play an Ace Attorney-like game based on the Baley trilogy

How's the Empire-trilogy when compared to it? I assume that it's less detective-story in style, obviously.

>>8246718
I need some recommendations on what to read after finishing the Revelation Space trilogy. Already read Prefect and Chasm.
the writing isn't amazing, but it's good enough for me, and the big-plot/scientific element are blowing me away.
Sometimes he brushes upon ideas I thought were original and my own, but performs so much better than I could even have.
Where should proceed?

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Any Hubbard fans in here?

>>8248539
Aren't you busy making a new Mission Impossible?

Any sword and sorcery featuring a young woman protagonist?

>>8248558
Orphans of Chaos

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>>8248558
Maybe

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>>8248558
>>8248583
Unless you meant something more like this.

>>8248539
Stop shilling your shit.
You got no answers last thread, you will get none this thread.

>>8248735
How is that shilling? I'm just asking.

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what was his fucking problem?

>>8248857
He saw the death of Anglo-America and realised the degeneracy that awaited.

>>8248857
Check >>8246354

WTF are gods and the ascended in Malazan?

They can just die? Be created?
Or are the gods just people who are powerful and won't die of old age?
They're the ones who can create warrens?

>>8248995

And wtf, Burn can just "start over"?
Is she the one who made that realm in the first place?
Is everyone just living in one warren?

>>8248857
niggers

>>8248995
Ascendants are people who have done something remarkable, so they become immortal and difficult to kill. It's a metaphor for important historical figures eg. Alexander the Great, who have become "immortal" (important in history) because of their deeds.

Gods are ascendants who are worshipped, and their power depends on the number of worshippers they have; again it's like our world. The Greek Gods don't have much influence over the world because they have very few worshippers remaining, whereas the Christian God has a lot of influence.

>>8248995
>>8249002
You aren't meant to understand. Just read the books, Erickson likes to dribble this stuff out over the entire series.

>>8248471
The Culture?

>>8248539
Loved Battlefield Earth as a kid, haven't thought of him since. Oh, Typewriter in the Sky was all right. I see him as a low-end post-Golden Age author on the level of Harry Harrison.

The Great Ordeal ebook fucking where?

>>8249203
never

What was the last time you truly had a lot of fun with a book? What's her name?

>>8249735

Dracula by Stoker

>>8249735
The Great Ordeal

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>>8249735
this

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>>8249735
I'm currently on this one. I took a lot of time to build up, but it's good.

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Thoughts on the Belgariad?

>>8249735
The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress

Vox Day or NK Jemisin?

>>8249836
That series is so convoluted, it has an intro to an intro and flashbacks in it's flashbacks.

Still pretty fun, but he could have compressed some of the side stories to be honest.

>>8247576
she had diarrhea and shit flinged along the rivers where she drank most water.

>>8249885
I agree, but he's committed to write 10 books and that makes it impossible to not write flashbacks.

>>8249735
I've never had fun reading a book.

>nel gaiman
je...jejejeje...jajajajajaja...JAJAJAJAJAJAJA... HUEHUEHUEHUEHUE!

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>>8248558
Heroic Fantasy is pretty much Sword and Sorcery so here you go.

>>8249838
I really like the Belgariad. It's nothing fancy. It was really refreshing to read it and the original Shannara books after reading most of the Malazan books. Some people go on a quest. The end. Perfect.

>>8249735

Blood Mirror probably
Might have been because I was so hyped for it

>>8249883
Neither, they're equal and opposite rubbish

I read Dresden Files and I liked it. Do I have shit tastes?

>>8250142
What's wrong with the Dresden Files? They're fun. Don't gotta think hard.

>>8250159
I dunno, I always just assumed it was Twilight for boys.

>>8246718
I read ASOIAF and it was greatest fantasy I ever read, what is one step up from that?

>>8250251
>I read ASOIAF and it was greatest fantasy I ever read
And there go my sides.

What are your favorite STAND ALONE stories /sffg/?

What the hell is a kill slit?

>>8250303
Those little archer's windows in castles?

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What books are you anxiously awaiting sffg?

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I really like wizards and magic, and I need an audibook/series to listen to while playing games/grinding. Any suggestions?

>>8249735
As for sf/fantasy, reading through Delany's scifi work. Had several kinds of absolute blasts

>>8246750
>falling for the sanderson meme

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>>8250326
>his first proper novel since 2012
>Surrealism Bomb

It's been a long wait but I'm fuggin hype

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>>8250326
The race war is coming.

>>8249735
Today, during the last 2 chapters of Robots of Dawn.

I called the twist after the sex scene, but even so, the full revelation left me wondering if the Mule was even human, after knowing about Giskard.

Do I think that Talk the Younger will become very very powerful very soon
Do I think that Icarian had something to do with the Talan Imass warren ripping apart?
Do I want to know?

>trying to read Way of Kings
>bunch of short stories and unrelated characters every chapter
Is it worth reading this shit?

Anyone else think Rift War is the best fantasy series.

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>>8249735

Had a good hearty laugh reading this section at lunch during work a few weeks back.

Just finished Flow My Tears... Not sure what I'm going to read next from PKD. Working through most of his stuff.

>>8250523
No, but I did like it.

>>8250426
I just want someone to fuck Mulagesh so I can have fap material.

>>8250504
>Do I want to know?
You want answers to all these questions, but you have many, many more books to go before you get them.

You will also stop asking these questions until you finish a book.

>>8250522
>bunch of short stories and unrelated characters every chapter
Um what?

>>8250572

Thank you

I've been reading Elantris, its actually pretty good. I'm surprised about all the hate Sanderson gets.
Also, wew, Sanderson really doesn't like the Catholic church, does he?

>>8250188
Well basically yah. That's not a bad thing. Nice light reading. Sometimes you want Bud Light not Innis and Gunn.

>>8250753
It's his weakest novel so if you're enjoying it you may well become a full on Sandersonfag

>>8250284
My diary, desu senpai

>>8250284
Tracking Song by Gene Wolfe.

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>>8250284

>>8247065
Check bookstores, got my copy on sunday.

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>>8247065
>he sheared through their Wards like a rapist through a cotton shift.
That's some fine prose right there.

>>8249735
Foundation

Finished Iron Dragons Daughter. It was bizzare and good, but dragged on too long.
Stared The Dispossessed, postponed it for too long and I already know Le Guin is a capable author.

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>>8250326
The Warbreaker sequel and last Era 2 Mistborn novel.

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Any recommendations for science fiction or fantasy with martyr like protagonists? Death should be expected. Preferably cuties.

in b4 the bible

>>8251219
Book of the New Sun
Silence by Shusaku Endo and Power and Glory

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>>8251227
Wasn't Book of the New Sun the one that reads like the most generic dark fantasy with an edgy main character aside from the references and subtext?

>>8251202
You don't have high hopes for Stormlight 3?

>>8251242
No, no it wasn't.

>>8251242
No, that's Darkness That Came Before and Khellus novels.

Any books that are basically high/epic fantasy but set in a sci-fi setting? Or is that pretty much what space opera is?

>>8251394
Book of the New Sun

>>8251056
>Fun
>Foundation

It felt like a chore reading that shit. Asimov can't create a realistic character to save his life. Sci-Fi was so easy to write back then.

>>8249135
noted.

>>8251398
I've known about this series for a while but never bothered to check it out. Is the story similar to your typical epic fantasy? Or are you only recommending it because of its blend of science and fantasy?

>>8251437
Read it and find out.

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take my ideas ill never use them

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>>8251243
Just not as interested in it as I am for those two.

I guess I could count Arcanum Unbounded too but I'm more interested in the lore tidbits.

>>8248539
No. I read for fun and pleasure, but LRH - just say no.

Ok Ive just started Hyperion, what am I in for?

Hard mode: no memes or spoilers

>>8251427
>realistic character
Bruv what kind of a criticism is this. It's fucking scifi you're not going to be realistic characters.
>implying Paul Atreides was relatively
>implying fucking Harumbe's cyborg reanimated corpse is realistic

Foundation has many criticisms but realistic characters isn't one. One such criticism is how you notes, it does make occasionally boring reading. However some people, a lot of people really, like that style, hence why it's so popular even today.

>>8251534
7 neat stories which are wrapped up in a not so well done way.

>>8251219
the dead lady of clown town

>>8246718
why are sci fi and fantasy in the same general thread?

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>>8251534
Get strapped in for the ride.

>>8248471
all the books in the commonwealth universe by pete hamilton

skip misspent youth (its irrelevant, only coincidentally placed in the same universe, and pretty bad desu senpai). start with pandoras star / judas unchained, then void trilogy.

there's the chronicles of the fallers books in the same universe but the second one isn't out yet, and hamilton always writes his books like they are one big one anyways so I'd suggest waiting until september until the second one comes out.

>>8251583

Because they're the same thing, really. The distinction is only useful for marketing purposes.

>>8251534
A whole lot of pathetic fedora-tipping if you read the sequels.

>>8250753
>Also, wew, Sanderson really doesn't like the Catholic church, does he?
You're reading too much into it. The Derethi are as much Mormon as they are Catholic. Especially the scene where the princess is having a public religious debate with Hrathen, and she's keeping him on the defensive by pointing out weird bits of doctrine that make sense in context, but he doesn't have time to fill in the crowd on that context so he's losing the debate, that's hilarious if you realize it's just a bible bash, the Princess is some Baptist preacher, and Hrathen is Sanderson himself when he was on his mission.

>>8248117
>tfw you have 4 copies of Savages
...why?

>>8250284
The Gone-Away World

>>8250358
Sounds cool. The concept sounds a bit like:
>>8251844

>>8251394
>Or is that pretty much what space opera is?
Yeah pretty much.

>>8251394
well, one of the biggest features of high fantasy is that it's set in alternative worlds, whereas science fiction is usually placed in our own, more specifically like 90% of sci fi extrapolates directly from what the authors think might happen in humanities future and a decent chunk of it starts in the near future (next couple hundred years is a very typical starting point).

apart from that it's pretty similar. long novels full about struggles that are larger than the issues of a single character, etc.

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Any of you guys got this book? I don't know if I should touch this author after he burned me with the last 2 blood song books.

>>8252027
>fool me once

>>8251202
>Warbreaker sequel
Is that coming out this year?

>>8251394
Red Rising

>>8251394
Book of the long sun

>>8250326
A Night Without Stars (last commonwealth book!)

Can't get enough of that universe. Sad it will be over after that.

What's up with so many novels in fantasy genre showing brothels in positive light, and people in those novels don't think negatively about them, while in real life it's a negative thing, and everyone shames men who go to brothels or to prostitutes.

>>8252297
It's not about fantasy, but a different age. 100+ years ago it was the same in real life.

>>8252297
this is not true in many parts of the world. in most of europe going to a brothel isn't something to brag about but it isn't a negative thing either.

>>8252327
>every time
Yeah, ask their wives about that. 99/100 they don't like it.

>>8252327
Yes, you would know.

Thoughts on A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms? Going to pick it up today from my local library. I like the first three ASOIAF but wasn't too found of the actual prose. How does this stack up against the original trilogy?

>>8251837
3 of them are proof copies. I read one before release, and got another afterward because I wanted a pristine copy. That had binding issues, so I got a third. I'm content now...

>>8248267
Reading The Last Wish now and got Sword of Destiny coming in the post. The actual prose isn't anything to call home about but the world is something I like. Although you're beaten over the head with morality, the stories themselves are fairly interesting and it's often difficult to pick a side you can root for, because of how dire the situation is.

Worth a read, though. I've heard the short stories are better than the actual saga.

>>8246885
Who. It's a position. And yes, you know him.
I like Silverfox.
Meh.
Not really. They're interesting though.
I didn't. I stopped at the 8th book or so.

>>8252297
Authors often think saying brothels are bad is seen as being anti-female sexual liberation and prudish, even though the women in these establishments are often basically slaves.

>>8250005
Is Gemmell's other stuff any good? I read rigante, which was great, but the first Drenai book was childish by comparison so I quit reading.

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what is the absolutely worst book you've read ?

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>>8252563
i have no idea what this book might be about but holy shit that fucking title

>>8252563
Funny you should post that, that's my opinion too.

>>8252563
It's between Mistborn book 1 & Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

>>8252563
Name of the Wind
Old Man's War
Malazan 1
Candide

>>8252618
>Malazan 1
I liked it. Not the best in the series though

Recommend me a sci-fi or fantasy book that focuses on politics.
>>8252513
L. E. Modesitt, Jr. handles it pretty well.

>>8252621
It's awful in every way.
Everything good authors do is done in the opposite way.

>>8252627
Colossal exposition dumps are a thing good authors do? I enjoyed needing a notepad to keep track of things, was a different experience. Not that everything should be written that way.

>>8252655
>needing a notepad
>having a shitty memory

>>8252402

It's unironically better than ASOIAF. Definitely in prose terms, and honestly, it's so charming, and has a decent amount of depth to it for three short stories. The illustrations in that version are really nice. God, I truly hope GRRM finishes the other short stories of that series, but I don't have too much hope.

If you're particularly interested in the characters of the book, I'd borrow/pick up "The World of Ice and Fire" next, it has a substantial section on their lives, and considering it might be years before we get the next short stories (if we ever do), that would be your best bet.

>>8248267

They're good and worth reading. Some parts are mediocre, some parts are fantastic, but overall they're certainly above average for the genre, and they're not too long either. I like how weird the last book was...keeping in mind that the author is both playing with Arthurian tropes while showcasing lots of his native mythology and folklore will make the series more enjoyable. If you enjoyed the games you'll definitely like them; the writing is similar and the worldbuilding expanded upon.

>>8252655
lol glad you enjoyed it.

Personally, if you're not Tolkien your shit is getting tossed in the garbage if you give me a huge exposition dump

>>8252655
>Colossal exposition dumps are a thing good authors do?
It's the worst exposition I've ever read
>I enjoyed needing a notepad to keep track of things, was a different experience. Not that everything should be written that way.
I enjoyed it for Vita Activa, not a dnd adaptation.

>>8252675
Tolkien didn't have exposition dumps as unclassy, forced and and with little context and awful prose and characters.
Silmarillion, exposition the novel had less of it.

>>8252618
>Name of the Wind

I sometimes feel like I'm crazy when I see the praise heaped on this book. I legitimately think it's among the worst genre fiction I've ever had the displeasure of reading. It's laughably bad. Seeing people call it as good as Martin (let alone as good as Tolkien or Zelazny or any of the old greats) is insane. It's not even anywhere near as good as current authors like Sanderson. It's terribly paced, terribly characterised, derivative garbage.

I also disliked Malazan but I can see why people like it; there's certainly craft and skill to it, but it just never gelled for me as either an enjoyable or worthwhile story.

>>8251252
>Kellhus
>main character

>>8252684
It's not as good as GRMM but easily better than something boring like Tolkien.

Why is my B&N the only one not breaking street dates?

Kill me

>>8252730

Mine did but I already preordered TGO

Fuck it, five more days.

>>8252563
>What a Dragon Should Know by G.A. Aiken
Books one and two were very similar. As was 3. Fuck that, change something.
>The Shadow of the Torturer by Gene Wolfe
The characters were weak, motivations were nonexistent or nonsensical, the story went nowhere, and everything worth exploring was glossed over.
>A Feast for Crows by George R.R.Martin
Too many characters had died up to this point with not enough introduced. Additionally the one arc was split into two books with all the shit characters in this book.
>New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
Why is there a filler book? Almost the entire thing was the MC sitting around being depressed.
>Hounded by Kevin Hearne
Wow this book was shallow. Also name dropping != mythology. You're supposed to interpret the mythology, add to it, and make the characters real. The Morrigu appeared in Gemmel's Rigante and the character was better beyond comparison, even though it barely touched the mythology.
>The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter
Far too predictable
>The Sekhmet Bed by Libbie Hawker
She builds this great Egyptian world then does fuck all with it. Gossip and delusional religious belief as the impetus behind every action.
>A Shadow in Summer by Daniel Abraham
I don't even remember it that's how boring it was

Also a bunch of filler LN's.

>>8252655
I like that Erikson doesn't have the usual backstory exposition, but I hate the way he clumsily bludgeons the reader over the head with his intended message rather than letting the story do the talking. It was fine in the first six books but holy shit I got tired of "war is bad" and "we don't learn from history" taking up a few pages every other chapter.

>>8251555
The good thing about these threads is you can never be sure of someone is mocking your or giving a genuine recommendation until you've googled it.

>>8252370
only cheating people visit brothels? wtf?>>8252380
I know it's a fundamentally incomprehensible thing to you north americans, like most things.

>>8251589
noted, thanks b0ss.

>>8252481
prose shouldn't be a surprise, the official translations are supposed to be shit-tier (according to polacks) and the fan translations are more accurate but that's about it.

>>8252768
>europeans are uninhibited, animalistic libertines
>incomprehensible to people from sane cultures that weren't created to pacify captive populations after WWII

>>8252297
Because in fantasy tough, gorgeous women work there, who just love having sex with the handsome protagonist hunk (payment optional).

>>8252327
It's certainly more unethical and also more illegal in America than in some parts of Europe, but it is certainly something negative. One might get away with it visiting one just to try it or to lose your virginity, but regular brothel visitors are considered despicable or pathetic.

>>8252740
How does it feel to be incapable of understanding the best fantasy story ever written?

>>8252776
But Americans put japs in concentration camps my familia.

>>8252800
What's your point?

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>five more days
>people ITT already have their copies
>know if I stay I'll get spoiled

fuck

>want to be part of this meme hype
>have to catch up on 5 fucking books
meh maybe some other day

>>8252828
Every book with more than 1500 pages is shit, with no exceptions.

>>8252845
Stormlight Archive?? GoT?? Read more man....

>>8252849
The meta of the plebs in this thread is running deep.

>>8252845
No second apocalypse book has more than 600~ pages

>>8252877
It's one book split into 6 because the author stretched what little he had to say to absurd length.

>>8252887
That's not how series work. They tell about more than one thing.

>>8252825
No one else cares about that meme series.

>>8252888
A series is one book split into multiple parts.

>>8252914
False.

>>8252916
True.

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>>8252914
I'm pretty sure it is several books that are all part of one story.

>>8252914
Good thing The Second Apocalypse consists of two, possibly three series and the first series is only 1600~ pages then.

Ontos Fellak is a meme warren

>>8251219
The Dune series is the obvious answer

Best character in malazan series
Sylchas Ruin, Fiddler or Trull Sengar?

>>8252914
Good series books have conclusions to story parts in each book. Just like well written chapters, they have drama curves of their own. Where problems are raised and solved. It's not just a huge book split randomly.

>>8253008

Ganoes was my favorite character, I'm boring.

Runner up Gothos.

>>8253008
Udinaas.

>>8253008

Sorry

>>8253008
All the comedic relief characters. I'm so glad Erickson included them to allow some emotional recharge between the "everyone is kill" parts.

>>8253132
epic

How am i supposed to read the Robot/Empire/Foundation series? I mean, in which order?

I see that cronologically it's not even the same as release order, since the last one of the Empire trilogy is also Asimov's second published book. Fug.

>>8253132
L
O
N
D
O
N

>>8253142
I'm serious, I really liked the diary format. Are there any other fantasy books that do the same thing?

>>8253150
Release order is a safe bet. But why do you want to read all of them? Just read Foundation and then if you like it check out more. Personally only Foundation & End of Eternity of him interested me.

>>8253161
Because i already finished the Foundation and the Robots trilogy, and i loved them all. Except for the focus on sex in Robots of Dawn, given that it's kinda out of style when compared to the other 5 books i went thought.

Then again, given the point at which i am, might as well just go cronologically through the 7 remaining books in the story.

>>8253160
Dracula?

>>8253160
The Wizard Knight does this.

>>8253160

Eh...I'm gonna get shit on for this, but Rant by Palahniuk. Probably the best thing he ever wrote, which isn't saying much but still, I enjoyed it.

>>8253160

Dracula but since you read the garbage in the pic then just go read Sanderson or something similarly shit

>>8253236
Nice, I heard good things about Gene Wolfe, will check it out.
>>8253249
Woha, what is that even?

>>8252740
>A Shadow in Summer by Daniel Abraham
>I don't even remember it that's how boring it was
Try finishing all 4 books...

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>>8252034
Fuck no. Won't be out until sometime after 2020.

>>8253465
>after 2020
I would have an hero by then....
I wonder if I go to Sanderson's facebook back and tell him to release my books now or I will an hero if he would do it?

And if he doesn't, and I an hero, what would he feel like.

>>8252669
Thanks man. I keep hearing about the charm and I'm excited to have something light and fun to read rather than dark and morose.

>>8252549
Legend? His most popular and beloved novel? Nigga please. Legend is great, but if you (erroneously) believe it's too childish then I'll defend it by saying it was Gemmell's first book that he wrote in a very quick amount of time in the late 70's because he thought he was dying of cancer.

>>8252297
Tumblr, please leave.

>>8251394
Dune

How is Erik Stephenson not considered one of the greatest living authors?

>>8254267
Because, while he has imagined a stupendously great world and characters, his mediocre story-telling ability and shit prose chokes its potential to come truly alive.

I've been reading Elantris and one question is bugging me, do elantrians need to poop or pee?
I mean, they eat and drink, so it has to go somewhere

>>8254495
I'd say that they do, but passing it doesn't take away the urge.

I'm currently re-writing a fantasy novella, having completed a first draft. Having gotten this far feels pretty good desu. But I'm afraid there's nowhere for it to go. When you think 'fantasy', you think 'large-tomes', the bloatedness of which is forgiven, because people want to escape and have a great time for as many pages as possible. But fantasy novella? Seems a bit underwhelming to me, like a snack compared to a proper meal. What do you guys think? Would you read a fantasy novella? I'm not sure what to do.

>>8252798
Oh I understand, it just wasn't any good.
You're talking about BotNS obviously.
#2Subtle4U

>>8254510
I'd absolutely read a novella, the doorstopper trilogies get dull after a while (especially when people pad their stories to meet what they think is the "right length").

>>8253008
Trull had a good moral highground, but he was too ineffective.
Ruin is irrelevant, and Fiddler isn't really interesting.
Karsa, T'ool or Paran are the best.

>>8253317
>Try finishing all 4 books...
Are you agreeing or do you actually expect me to read 3 more books after disliking the first?
Finishing an entire book is giving the series a massive chance. A far greater chance than any series deserves. You should be hooked by page one or chapter one.
A story with a shit start can never be a great story.

>>8254510
Fantasy/Sci-fi very much NEEDS more novellas and self-contained stuff.

and IMO they are a better test of a writers skill than longer shit anyway

>>8253897
>it was Gemmell's first book that he wrote in a very quick amount of time in the late 70's
Yea I noticed this. Gemmell's Rigante books were all about the flawed hero planning for a long term war, then I go back to Drenai and it's the perfect hero fighting a single siege. I'm not saying it was a childish book, but the Author obviously got a lot better.

How does Drenai pan out? I'm willing to skip books at this point.

>>8253673
Good luck. He keeps pushing them back.

What is this book that's coming out that you nogs are so hyped about?

Wish more artists as talented as Boris Vallejo would do pictures of sexy naked bitches riding dragons.

>>8250326
Not a specific book, but I'd really like C.J. Cherryh to go back to Union-Alliance stuff, fantasy as a genre doesn't engage well with me.

Holy shit you weren't kidding about Winters Heart being absolute shit. I think this is where I throw in the towel.

>>8254510
I would love to read a fantasy novella or short story rather than some guy drowning on and on about the same boring shit.

>>8254577
>>8254606
>>8254828
Well and good, anons, well and good... however, where's the market for it? Tor was probably the only good shot anyone had, but they've stopped accepting submissions for novellas some time back, as far as I know. If I'd been more self-disciplined, I could have finished this shit and submitted while I still had a chance. Any ideas? I might have to resort to self-publishing.

>>8252563
Battlefield Earth.
It was so boring I did not finished it.

>>8254816
You should have listened to us at the beginning and read better books instead of wasting your time.

>>8254856

And now I'm in too deep and must see this shit to the bitter end. Fuck me.

>>8254857
If you drop it know and start reading better book you'll forget all about it in a few months. I read WoT years ago and the only memorable thing about it was Rand's character development.

>>8254860

Did you read all of it?

>>8254862
Yes. It gets a bit better at book 11, and there's some payoff but the last book was mostly a disappointment (though the final scene was a good way to end it, and was apparently written by Jordan rather than Sanderson).

>>8254728
The great ordeal by Bakker

>>8254833
Self-pub might be the thing

or i guess you can just call it a novel with a straight face

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>>8254510
I'd like to read more short stories and novellas in general when it comes to fantasy. Not only one or two very good stories but I'd like to read big anthologies so that I can discover new writers without having to invest time or money in a long book or a long series.

>>8254816
Just keep reading faggot

>>8254607
Each book in the Drenai series is its own self-contained story. I also find it funny how you're complaining about (I'm assuming) Druss being the perfect hero in Legend when one of the calling cards of Gemmell's writing is using flawed heroes or characters unwilling to be heroes. Those types of characters are in almost all of his books. But yes, Druss in Legend was meant to exemplify Gemmell's idea of what a hero should be because he was old by that point and already been through countless adventures.

But if you're looking for suggestions then I would suggest his Waylander books (first Waylander book should be right up your alley), White Wolf and The Swords of Night and Day, and The First Chronicles of Druss the Legend (Druss is very young and very flawed in this book on his path to becoming a legendary hero).

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Who the fuck thought this cover art was a good idea?

Why should I read Foundation?

>>8255059
Because it will take your mind off the imminent race war.

>>8255048
>Akka surveying his latest student's butthole

>This trilogy details the emergence of Anasûrimbor Kellhus, a brilliant monastic warrior, as he takes control of a holy war and the hearts and minds of its leaders. Kellhus exhibits incredible powers of prediction and persuasion, which are derived from deep knowledge of rationality, cognitive biases, and causality, as discovered by the Dûnyain, a secret monastic sect.

This sounds boring as fuck.

>>8255212
Its not

>>8254833
Small presses might give you a little better marketing than self-pub. Depends on how many Twitter followers you have compared to them.

>>8252849
got would be a much, much better book if it was like 600 pages long.

some authors (GRRM included) just do not know how to effectively say what they are trying to say using a reasonable amount of words.

they describe everything in the utmost detail, most likely consciously because they think it makes the world richer, or something. but they don't realize that they could literally portray 100% of the same information in the same style carrying the same message etc. with a fraction of the word count they do use.

>>8254886
Depending on how long it ends up, that might be an option.

>>8255217
Fuck. I don't have twitter to begin with. Would it be too much to start an advertising-purposed Twitter account just for this novella? I have literally nothing else under my sleeves, so it would look a bit upstart for a no-name to start promising the goods to skeptical readers.

>>8254598
No I'm agreeing with you, i was telling you that I went through that with 4 books expecting it to get better.

Abraham doesn't write the fantasy I like, he writes political and economic fantasy, with a small paragraph or two about actual magic in his 800+ page books.

>>8255299
>Fuck. I don't have twitter to begin with. Would it be too much to start an advertising-purposed Twitter account just for this novella? I have literally nothing else under my sleeves, so it would look a bit upstart for a no-name to start promising the goods to skeptical readers.
SOME KIND of personal network is the best way to advertise yourself, pimp it on your normiebook or whatever.

Lots of ways to build one, though. Online writer's groups, especially if they've got twitter followers. Join the group, kiss butts, graciously accept their idiotic suggestions while changing nothing (or accepting their suggestions if they're good, doesn't happen much), then getting them to retweet your single-purpose account to their thousand followers.

Alternately, sites like Wattpad or the other one, where you just post your thing and people read it because it's free. I think they might have the option to donate, but the idea is that if you're good you'll get more famous and maybe be able to publish for real, or a fairy godmother publisher will swoop down with a contract.

You could just cut it or pad it. The fantasy short fiction market is, if I am understanding correctly, not exactly glutted right now? I could be wrong.

Or you could self-pub on Amazon. I've heard they're good about suggesting new authors, something about genre settings, and there's a lot of readers that just tear through three-dollar ebooks. There is a scary high number of self-published books there that have never once been bought, but those probably have crappy covers and grammatically incorrect synopses or something.

What does /sffg/ think of fantasy with no humans, elves or orcs?

The real big one that worries me I'm embarking on a bad ideas is 'no humans'. Though there are humans, but they are the rarest species of all and the protag is not human and does not properly know what humans are.

>>8255317
it can work

>>8255317
You have to understand why fantasy has separate humanoid species at all. Tolkien was building off of fairy stories, and his races all meant something. D&D does it because Tolkien did, modern fantasy does it because D&D did, and you get to the point where fantasy races are just some excuse to get away with genetic determinism in an ethnic group - to the point where the "my orcs are actually good people" attempted deconstruction is a cliche.

No, anon, you will be writing humans, because you are one. Some authors try to write aliens who think as well as humans but different, but that's really hard to pull off and mostly done in science fiction. What's the difference between a fantasy with all hobbits and a fantasy with humans in a 2X-scale world?

>>8255317
What makes your main species different from humans?

>>8255317
Sounds like HFY which can get cringe pretty fast. Just don't make it some wank about him being cleverer, more passionate, more morally superior and obviously better in bed than all the lowly aliens despite all their fancy science or magic or whatever, I'm sure there's tons of such stuff out there already.

What do I read after I've read everything by Philip K. Dick? He's pretty much my favourite author.

>>8255328
>>8255331
>>8255326
It's meant to be almost Sci-Fi.

A tragedy about humanity trying to play god and a jealous AI, all told from the perspective of a member of the genetically altered species as his world comes crashing down around him.

In less gay ass poetic terms? Humans are to my main species what the Annunaki are to us.

>>8255335

Gene Wolfe

>>8255309
Good points.

Sorry to labour your good will, but this is the only place I can get a good answer without getting flamed, memed, or both.

1. Would it be too much to go McCarthy on the readers, and not use quotation marks? For clarification, the narration is in 3rd person/past tense, and thus the dialogue, being 1st person/present tense, is easy to distinguish.

2. How much exposition and world building for a novella?

>>8255410
>1. Would it be too much to go McCarthy on the readers, and not use quotation marks? For clarification, the narration is in 3rd person/past tense, and thus the dialogue, being 1st person/present tense, is easy to distinguish.
I'd play it safe and use them, but if you can then blend some dialogue into the main text. So long as its not confusing it really dosent matter.

>2. How much exposition and world building for a novella?
Ideally you want no exposition at all, let the world speak for itself. What kind of story are you telling for this novella anyway?

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>>8246718
For those who love the Storm light Archive:
Without spoiling too much, I'm on the scene Him and Kaladin met.


Is Hoid a Herald?

It's one of the best scenes so far.

>>8255451
Thanks for replying, anon.

>Ideally you want no exposition at all, let the world speak for itself.
That's what I've been doing so far.

> What kind of story are you telling for this novella anyway?
An MC who grows up surrounded by dying loved ones has, naturally, developed a phobia of dying. Not wanting to die, he basically sets off southwards into freezing tundras, brashly and ill-prepared, on a mere suspicion that he might be able to achieve immortality somewhere there. It's more of a cross-country wilderness/survival journey than a sword&sorcery type thing. He meets strange characters along the way, one of whom is an extremely sinister rat-man. In resolution: the MC does achieve immortality, even though it seems he has been killed by the ratman -- the MC goes through weird transitional stages of psychedelic death, and then wakes up again. He has an existential crisis, realizing all at once that he will never die, and all the things that means. Sad story. But its content has a large influence on the fictional world it is set in.

I hesitate to go into much more detail than that.

>>8255472
Pretty cool.

I think where you start in this particular story will determine its length. Are you going all the way from the beginning of his desires or more "in media res"? I think the latter would perhaps be more conducive to a novella format

>>8252740
Why the fuck did you read a Stephanie Meyer book?

>>8252825
No you won't. Not before the release date anyway. People in this thread are generally pretty cool.

I'll be out of the thread after I get the book until I finish.

>>8253008
I only read the first 4 but Karsa Orlong was easily the best one.

>>8255485
No, dont worry, it starts basically with him hearing about the place to become immortal, then setting off.

>>8254782
Do you think she will? IIRC she couldn't get a publisher interested in finishing up her Fortress series.

>>8255461
No, to your question. You'll have to read more of Sanderson's books set in the cosmere to find out, or go to a cosmere wiki, as more is known about the character than is written in the books.

>>8255212
Good job the person who wrote that didn't write the book then.

>>8255517
Thanks anon, I won't spoil myself no more, he's the most mysterious character so far.

>>8255461
hoid was in warbreaker, elantris and mistborn.

Cosmerefag, what would happen if the god king of the warbreaker universe sqw hoid in stormlight universe?

>>8255527
Well shit, I've read Mistborn a long time ago. Don't remember hi there.

>>8255410
The door dilated.

>>8255527
>>8255534

Never-mind, He took a minor role in the 1st book. I're searched for him.

>>8255534
Isn't openly out there, very sneaky behind the scenes "hi" is.

>>8255212
That is a terrible blurb.

Kellhus isn't even the main character

>>8254571

Please elaborate because your original post indicates that you clearly don't understand. All of your criticisms of the work are invalid and off-base.

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The prose in this (pic related) is very basic, it's like how a primary school kid would write.
So far I've only seen one instance of GRI, it was only a glance and typically it's because some Horny Indian kid heard noise and "wanted to see" and it's was a little past the middle of the book.
They also have a lot of designated areas... seems like Indians trying to build up their society to more than it is.

Well I guess when a white writes he does this automatically, so when an Indian does it he will do the same. I wonder if the same applies to blacks and Chinese?
I know the Japanese in their literature (anime/Manga) always makes it seem like Japan is the only country in the world, or that Japan is a continent spanning the entire Earth.

Do you guys know if African and Chinese written fantasy does the same? (N. K. Jemisin doesn't do this, she doesn't blatantly say that the protagonist is pitch coal black and that they run the world).

I don't know how to decide what to read next, help. I'm considering the following, though I'm really indecisive and always feel like I made the "wrong" decision so I let you guys take responsibility!

Hyperion
The Iron Dragon's Daughter
The Darkness That Comes Before
The Blade Itself
City of Stairs
Emperor's Blade
Black Sun Rising
The Fifth Season
Red Rising

>>8256176
>lists all the books I recommended a while back
Except Hyperion

>>8256186
I've no idea who you are anon, they've been in my backlog for a while. Except Fifth Season which came out like last year I think... it won that Hugo thing which made me curious.

>>8256176
The Darkness that Comes Before

Trust me

>>8256176
>The Darkness That Comes Before

Better hurry, lad, so you can join the memeing.

>>8254833
>but they've stopped accepting submissions for novellas some time back,
tf? going by the trend, in the near future, tomes will be the minimum? I fucking hope not or my effort is going to be wasted. I'm also writing but not a novella like yours. I'm expecting it to be less than 100k words standalone.

>>8256243
Is there any area of philosophy you have to be familiar with to get the most out of that series?

>>8256314
Start with the Greeks.


But seriously, it's simple enough that you can just read the book and grasp it.

>>8246718
I guess no one would a Dragon. I know I wouldn't, don't like flying.

>>8256320
I'm currently reading Bertrand Russell's Problems of Philosophy, I guess that will be enough.

>>8256314
You don't need any philosophical knowledge.

>>8251394
Star Wars

>>8256176
Martin the warrior

>>8254816
If you've already made it through 7 and 8, then 9 is no place to quit imo. 9 and 10 fucking suck, but after that the series truly takes a tremendous turn in the right direction in terms of quality. The Sanderson volumes certainly have a few schlocky moments here and there, but overall they return the series to the quality of its peak, at least in terms of character and plot development. Don't turn back now, friendo.

>>8256397
That book is no where in the list your spreg.

Has any writer used the plot of aliens not wanting to contacting but observing humans because we're all about war and introducing us into their culture would of course mess things up for them because they abandoned the whole thing in favour of being logical and scientifically based rather than based on warfare?

>>8256667
There are religions based on that.

>>8256676

Or what if aliens recruit a group of humans to fight for them since they are great at warfare while the aliens are lacking in that department.

>>8256716
>Or what if aliens recruit a group of humans to fight for them since they are great at warfare while the aliens are lacking in that department.
https://www.goodreads.com/series/119203-undying-mercenaries
That is what got me into Bv Larson

>>8253008
Iskaral Pust

>>8256716
There's a book called "Ranks of Bronze" about aliens that buy a Roman Legion to fight their wars of conquest on low tech worlds, because whenever they've tried conquering Pre-Industrial worlds in the past, the natives always immediately adapt to their technology and incur massive losses for the invaders. So they shop around for the best sword and shield fighter's in the galaxy to fight wars on their enemy's primitive terms.

>>8256265
Brace for impact, anon. Hold me.

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>>8255461
'Hoid' is a worldhopper but he's basically THE worldhopper. He isn't a Herald. Speaking of Heralds, we don't even know if the Heralds originated from Roshar themselves.

>>8255527
Hoid has been in every Cosmere story except for Shadows for Silence in the Forest of Hell and First of the Sun, as far as I'm aware. Even his appearance in Shadows is debatable between Sanderson and his main editor.

I don't know what you mean by SQW, anon. Also, Warbreaker takes place on Nalthis. Just call it by its planet name. It isn't its own universe.

>>8255534
As far as the original trilogy goes: he was an informant for Kelsier in the first book, leader of the Terris refugees in the second, and an informant again in the third book but spooked Vin so she didn't talk to him.

>>8256176
Don't bother with Hyperion.

>>8256716
I read a manga with a similar premise to that once.
We need a new thread, nerds.

I had friends recommend me the name of the wind, it is the most autistic piece of shit book I've ever read.

>>8257061
If you think that's bad, wise man's fear is 100 times worse

>>8256320
>Bakker
>Simple
>implying there are no layers of revelation

>>8257199
I meant his philosophical ramblings, not the actual plot

>>8255542
Sorry what? Sounds McCarthyesque. If it is one of his phrases, I haven't read it yet.

Gnu
>>8257339
>>8257339
>>8257339

>>8246718
>>8256326

>Would you a Dragon?

I go to /d/. You tell me.

>>8257031
Is Hoid in White Sand?