Show HN: Top Fantasy Reads – Fantasy books Reddit is reading • Hacker News Board

Re: Show HN: Top Fantasy Reads – Fantasy books Reddit is reading

#41

Post by Zenbit_UX » Thu, Feb 20, 2020, 2:19 PM UTC

thaumasiotes wrote: post #34

EdwardDiego wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What do you mean by that? I just finished Stardust and The Ocean At The End Of The Lane and his writing was quite lovely - but he was going for the fairy tale vibe with those books.

I have a similar, possibly identical complaint about American Gods. Reading American Gods made it clear that Neil Gaiman is very clever (intelligent, tricky plotting) and, independently, a great writer (good with words). But his tastes are different from mine. There are sections of American Gods that are much too vulgar/crass/obscene/whatever for my taste. This is also why I never read the sequel to Lies of Locke Lam…

You find Scott Lynch crass and obscene? It's been a while since I finished those books but that doesn't ring a bell.

Do you mean metaphorically like a crass analogy or like full of swear words? The former would bother me much more than the latter tbh , especially since we're following orphan street urchins - seems in character almost.

Re: Show HN: Top Fantasy Reads – Fantasy books Reddit is reading

#42

Post by thaumasiotes » Thu, Feb 20, 2020, 2:31 PM UTC

Zenbit_UX wrote: post #41

thaumasiotes wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have a similar, possibly identical complaint about American Gods. Reading American Gods made it clear that Neil Gaiman is very clever (intelligent, tricky plotting) and, independently, a great writer (good with words). But his tastes are different from mine. There are sections of American Gods that are much too vulgar/crass/obscene/whatever for my taste. This is also why I never read the sequel to Lies of Locke Lam…

You find Scott Lynch crass and obscene? It's been a while since I finished those books but that doesn't ring a bell. Do you mean metaphorically like a crass analogy or like full of swear words? The former would bother me much more than the latter tbh , especially since we're following orphan street urchins - seems in character almost.

In the case of Lies of Locke Lamora, the book is full of swear words.

That's not true of American Gods. The problem is the same, but the details are different.

Re: Show HN: Top Fantasy Reads – Fantasy books Reddit is reading

#43

Post by Japhy_Ryder » Thu, Feb 20, 2020, 3:32 PM UTC

m463 wrote: post #31

atarian wrote: post #26

American Gods and A Game of Thrones were some of the most abandoned books in 2019 as well: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21957798

I had so much trouble getting through American Gods. On the other hand, his pacing worked well in the short story "How to Talk to Girls at Parties" he published on his blog: https://www.neilgaiman.com/Cool_Stuff/Short_Stories/How_To_T...

That is also included in his collection of short stories, "Fragile Things." Quite an excellent read overall.

Re: Show HN: Top Fantasy Reads – Fantasy books Reddit is reading

#44

Post by Wildgoose » Thu, Feb 20, 2020, 4:00 PM UTC

mcphage wrote: post #37

Wildgoose wrote: post #36

I would have preferred to see some examples of books that are really high quality, but not so well known. Two Examples: Daniel Abraham's (co-author of "The Expanse") The Long Price Books, "Shadow and Betrayal" and "Seasons of War". Also, the truly fabulous and sadly not widely known books by Geoffrey Wilson in which he imagined a Europe ruled by the Indian Empire and their magic: "Land of Hope and Glory", "The Place…

From that list: “Senlin Ascends” is a journey up a steampunk Tower of Babel whose main character starts off as a bit of a prat, but over the course of the book (and series) really matures and becomes a great character. I highly recommend it.

Thanks - I'll check it out.

Re: Show HN: Top Fantasy Reads – Fantasy books Reddit is reading

#45

Post by aidenn0 » Thu, Feb 20, 2020, 5:10 PM UTC

russellbeattie wrote: post #18

Oof! I'm sorry, but Neil Gaiman's writing is... unpleasant. Purposefully so. A lot of people seem to like this, but I'm definitely not one of them.

I adore Gaiman's writing.

On the other hand I like Pratchett even more, but did not like Good Omens.

I've heard that a lot of people found "American Gods" tedious, but I've always been into Norse mythology, so it hit a sweet spot for me.

Re: Show HN: Top Fantasy Reads – Fantasy books Reddit is reading

#46

Post by aidenn0 » Thu, Feb 20, 2020, 5:12 PM UTC

While we are on the topic, if I didn't like the "Mistborn" series, is it worth trying other Sanderson books? I felt like he did a really good job finishing the Wheel of Time, so it's not his writing per-se I didn't like, I just couldn't get invested in any of the characters in the series.

Re: Show HN: Top Fantasy Reads – Fantasy books Reddit is reading

#47

Post by BlameKaneda » Thu, Feb 20, 2020, 5:20 PM UTC

m463 wrote: post #31

atarian wrote: post #26

American Gods and A Game of Thrones were some of the most abandoned books in 2019 as well: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21957798

I had so much trouble getting through American Gods. On the other hand, his pacing worked well in the short story "How to Talk to Girls at Parties" he published on his blog: https://www.neilgaiman.com/Cool_Stuff/Short_Stories/How_To_T...

I saw the film Stardust years ago and liked it (didn't love it), and years later I thought I'd give the book a shot.

Although I did finish the book, I thought it was a slog to get through. It wasn't the fact that it was different than the film, but it had to do with Gaiman's writing style.

I'm definitely not rushing out to read his other novels.

Re: Show HN: Top Fantasy Reads – Fantasy books Reddit is reading

#48

Post by Zanni » Thu, Feb 20, 2020, 5:29 PM UTC

aidenn0 wrote: post #46

While we are on the topic, if I didn't like the "Mistborn" series, is it worth trying other Sanderson books? I felt like he did a really good job finishing the Wheel of Time, so it's not his writing per-se I didn't like, I just couldn't get invested in any of the characters in the series.

I couldn't get into Mistborn either--solid, just didn't grab me. His Reckoner series is my favorite (Steelheart, Firefight, Calamity), though it's YA and more superhero than fantasy. Also Elantris, his first published novel, and its follow-up The Emperor's Soul.

Re: Show HN: Top Fantasy Reads – Fantasy books Reddit is reading

#49

Post by pnutjam » Thu, Feb 20, 2020, 6:04 PM UTC

Finnucane wrote: post #24

dannykwells wrote: post #2

I feel like it would be nice to have a "rising" category - most of these are from heavy hitters/already famous. However, very cool - any thoughts for other categories (SciFi, etc.)?

Perhaps a list for ‘obscure and nearly forgotten fantasy books from the last century’ or ‘why is’t Evangeline Walton on this list dammit’?

I read a sci-fi book where three characters were in a punishment squad in some distant (communist?) future.

They were on a planet with incompatible dns, so they couldn't eat anything local. They ended up using some cloning equipment to make "hams" and grafted on extra limbs for travel rations.

Anyone else read this?

Re: Show HN: Top Fantasy Reads – Fantasy books Reddit is reading

#50

Post by jwkane » Thu, Feb 20, 2020, 7:23 PM UTC

aidenn0 wrote: post #46

While we are on the topic, if I didn't like the "Mistborn" series, is it worth trying other Sanderson books? I felt like he did a really good job finishing the Wheel of Time, so it's not his writing per-se I didn't like, I just couldn't get invested in any of the characters in the series.

I liked the first trilogy of mistborn but lost interest in the sequels. There were parts of the first trilogy that .. well, were better than others.

I think the Stormlight archive is Sanderson at his fantasy best. Characters driving plot in a cohesive, complex world. Stormlight has huge tombs of books covering a story that feels like it is really moving and subplots that tie back and resolve.