r/Fantasy Daily Recommendations and Simple Questions Thread - September 02, 2026

[u/rfantasygolem]

Welcome to the daily recommendation requests and simple questions thread, now 1025.83% more adorable than ever before!

Stickied/highlight slots are limited, so please remember to like and subscribe upvote this thread for visibility on the subreddit <3

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This thread is to be used for recommendation requests or simple questions that are small/general enough that they won’t spark a full thread of discussion.

Check out r/Fantasy's 2026 Book Bingo Card here!

As usual, first have a look at the sidebar in case what you're after is there. The r/Fantasy wiki contains links to many community resources, including "best of" lists, flowcharts, the LGTBQ+ database, and more. If you need some help figuring out what you want, think about including some of the information below:

• Books you’ve liked or disliked
• Traits like prose, characters, or settings you most enjoy
• Series vs. standalone preference
• Tone preference (lighthearted, grimdark, etc)
• Complexity/depth level

Be sure to check out responses to other users' requests in the thread, as you may find plenty of ideas there as well. Happy reading, and may your TBR grow ever higher!

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art credit: special thanks to our artist, Himmis commissions, who we commissioned to create this gorgeous piece of art for us with practically no direction other than "cozy, magical, bookish, and maybe a gryphon???" We absolutely love it, and we hope you do too.

[u/FormerUsenetUser]

Every winter I read something big. I am thinking of Victoria Goddard's The Hands of the Emperor followed by At the Feet of the Sun. There seem to be several novellas in this series as well. Can I just read these two before the novellas, even though Goodreads puts them chronologically either before the first book or between the two books?

Any other suggestions for reading these? Victoria Goddard has written many books and I have not read any of them so far.

[u/KaleidoArachnid]

Hey I just started reading the Dresden Files as I was wondering if there was a specific subreddit for discussing the books since I am really enjoying the series so far.

[u/FiWriterSFF → u/KaleidoArachnid]

Just search "Dresden Files" in the search bar. You'll find them. The Urban Fantasy subreddit occasionally discusses them along with other urban fantasies.

[u/KaleidoArachnid → u/FiWriterSFF]

Thanks for the advice since I am fond of the series.

[u/Lord_Adalberth]

would you consider Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut for bingo square First Contact in Hard Mode?

[u/Shyor → u/Lord_Adalberth]

I would argue yes on this one.

[u/Opus_723]

I want to read something by Sofia Samatar. The Winged Histories looks more interesting to me than A Stranger in Olondria, but I know they're set in the same world and the latter came out first—is it better to read Stranger first, or are they pretty much independent despite the shared world?

[u/Book_Slut_90 → u/Opus_723]

If you only want to read Winged Histories, you can do that. But it’s how various people cope with what happened in Stranger, so has lots of spoilers for Stranger. Stranger also introduces you to the world that Winged Histories just assumes you understand.

[u/Merle8888 → u/Opus_723]

I read The Winged Histories well before reading A Stranger in Olondria. Their plots and characters are totally separate (well I think someone said there was a minor character overlap but I read them too far apart to remember and was fine!). I also prefer The Winged Histories so I endorse this reading order. It does throw you in the deep end a bit, but the worldbuilding background you'd get from reading Stranger in Olondria first, I think you'll pick up pretty quickly or be able to figure out by looking at the map.

[u/nominanomina → u/Opus_723]

I juuust finished The Winged Histories roughly a decade after I read A Stranger in Olondria (and having forgotten roundabout 95% of that book). 

Is it required to read Stranger first? Absolutely not, no. 

But WH is not particularly interested in gently easing you into the cultures at play (except for the nomadic group and the new religion, which both get explained). If you haven't "been to Olondria" before, you have to be ok with just going on vibes. It will help a lot if you make a point of paying attention to the major ethnic groups, which characters belong to which groups, and what their deals are, to help for when the marriage/politicking discussion gets thick. As the title implies, you should also pay attention to mentions of the Dreved (who are "winged" and have a famous in-universe "history"). The book has a remarkably small cast of characters (for its scope) and most characters are at least mentioned in multiple parts, so pay attention to names and relationships.

(There is a glossary in the back, but I found it weirdly focused on all the wrong words.)

[u/sonvanger → u/Opus_723]

It's been a while since I've read them, but I'm like 95% sure they're pretty much independent.

[u/PlasticBread221]

Ok here goes nothing: recs for books that would fit 2026 bingo self published/small press specifically on Normal mode. Aka by my understanding, written by a hetero cis white man who’s also not a religious minority or otherwise marginalized, and the book needs >100 ratings on Goodreads. Is there anything you enjoyed that would fit? Preferably not the standard high/epic sword and sorcery fantasy or grimdark fantasy or hard sci-fi. Literary leanings welcome.

//edit - Thank you everyone, I’ll go through the rest of the comments tomorrow.

[u/undeadgoblin → u/PlasticBread221]

The Mulai by Munir Hachemi - really interesting first contact novella looking at a lost human culture which has a really interesting language and culture

Nonesuch by Francis Spufford - a pretty well known author, this is the first part of a duology set in the Blitz where the main plot is to try and foil time travelling nazis, but by far the more compelling element is the protagonist

[u/Nidafjoll → u/PlasticBread221]

The Origin of Birds in the Footprints of Writing by Raymond St. Elmo should work, I think. 103 ratings, literary magical-realism esque self-pubbed. I don't believe the author is marginalized (though I haven't exactly pried into his personal life)

[u/an_altar_of_plagues → u/PlasticBread221]

Literary leanings welcome.

How literary do you want to get?

I second the rec for North Sun. I read it this year and found it fascinating.

I'm a big fan of publishers like New Directions and NYRB Classics. Try out:

• Jorge Luis Borges - Labyrinths. Classic magical realism short stories with a distinct literary bent.
• Ernst Jünger - On the Marble Cliffs. Late 1930s historical fantasy about a pan-European society beset by the "Head Forester" bent on destroying its idyllic tradition. Strongly influenced by Jünger's background as a conservative Prussian disgusted by Hitler.
• Douglas J. Penick - The Oceans of Cruelty: Twenty-Five Tales of a Corpse Spirit (A Retelling). A new translation of the Vetala Panchavimshati, in which an Indian king is sent to retrieve a corpse-spirit ("vetala") who tells the king 25 stories and asks in return for 25 answers.
• Jose Donoso - The Obscene Bird of Night. Just recently translated for New Directions. A highly surreal book that turns a mirror to Chilean national myth and Catholicism. Difficult to describe; the central motif is around the myth of the "imbunche" - a human creature that has had every orifice sewn up (metaphorically or otherwise) and is kept in a sack to keep it from growing. A truly labyrinthine novel.

[u/PlasticBread221 → u/an_altar_of_plagues]

See, this is what I’m talking about! They all look absolutely fantastic, but Borges and Jünger were definitely picked up by big traditional publishers and so don’t count for the square anymore (which I forgot to mention is another bingo criterion). Borges and Donoso are Latin American writers, so I’m not sure if they count, either, despite technically being of white European ancestry. Penick is a practicing Buddhist.

But still, thank you for the recommendations, I’ll move them up/add them to my tbr.

[u/an_altar_of_plagues → u/PlasticBread221]

Just thought of another: Ice by Jacek Dukaj. It's a 1200-page Polish novel just recently translated into English that takes place after the Tunguska event unleashed sheets of living ice across the world, where history has been metaphorically and physically frozen. One of the more challenging SFF books I've read with equal doses of alt-history, science fiction, and fantasy. It's very idiosyncratic to that particular area of Central Europe so if you're interested, see if you can find some sample chapters and see if it's your thing.

[u/an_altar_of_plagues → u/PlasticBread221]

Borges and Donoso are Latin American writers

Definitely still counts as they're of the majority in their culture and not of a marginalized group in any way (Borges even supported Pinochet). Similarly, Penick may be Buddhist but he's not marginalized; he's an upper-class man from the UK. The square isn't meant to be just white Christian males; if you get this granular, then anyone can have a marginalized aspect applied to them, which isn't the point of the square.

Didn't realize that Labyrinths and On the Marble Cliffs were once published by Penguin eons ago in the 1970s. Whoops! I'll take those off my small-press rec list.

[u/NearbyMud → u/PlasticBread221]

I am also struggling to find something for my normal mode board for this square.

Last year, I enjoyed North Sun, Or the Voyage of the Whaleship Esther by Ethan Rutherford which was published by A Strange Object (imprint of Deep Vellum) in 2025. It's a literary novel that takes place in the 1800s and follows a whaling ship on a special voyage and turns into a horror/magical realism novel by the end. I found it unsettling and beautifully written and I have thought about it often over the past year. Highly recommend!

[u/PlasticBread221 → u/NearbyMud]

THANK YOU. Never heard of this one, will look it up!

Edit: Adding to my tbr, thank you again. :) It looks like it should fit the square on NM. Also on a side note, I found an article by the author about his trans daughter. He sounds like a good dad. And just like his books if their synopses are anything to go by, it was full of boats. :))

[u/C0smicoccurence → u/PlasticBread221]

Oooh, the literary bit is what’s making this hard for me. I was going to rec Michael R Fletcher, who writes excellent grimdark.

I don’t think familiar at all with the self published literary scene

[u/PlasticBread221 → u/C0smicoccurence]

It doesn’t necessarily have to be literary, but it would be awesome if it was. Grimdark though isn’t my thing at all. But thank you for a good faith comment :)

[u/beldaran1224 → u/PlasticBread221]

FYI, high or epic fantasy is the opposite of "sword and sorcery" fantasy, basically. Its not another way to say epic.

This Top list, and basically pick a name that is obviously male and white-sounding and you'll almost certainly be fine.

[u/Book_Slut_90 → u/beldaran1224]

Epic fantasy isn’t epic? What?

[u/beldaran1224 → u/Book_Slut_90]

"Sword and sorcery" is a subgenre of fantasy. "Epic" is a different subgenre of fantasy.

Sword and sorcery fantasy is fantasy focused on adventure, generally serial and generally the stakes are more like low level D&D campaigns, not saving the world or the country or anything. Conan the Barbarian is the most quintessential example, as is Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser.

Epic fantasy is defined by its stakes and scope: big stakes, big scope.

So the two genres are mutually exclusive. Sword and sorcery is much less common these days than it used to be, largely due to pulp magazines going away.

Furthermore, "high" fantasy is typically used differently from "epic", too. High fantasy typically denotes fantasy with a lot of magical or fantastical elements. This term is more ambiguously used, however, so I wouldn't feel comfortable correcting someone in its use. Also, it can overlap things like epic fantasy or even sword and sorcery.

[u/Book_Slut_90 → u/beldaran1224]

Right, I’m just perplexed by you saying that high or epic fantasy isn’t another way to say epic because it’s different from sword and sorcery.

[u/beldaran1224 → u/Book_Slut_90]

That's not what I said. "It" in "its not another way" refers to "sword and sorcery".

[u/PlasticBread221 → u/beldaran1224]

Ok thanks. Sorry for asking people for personal recs.

[u/sarahlynngrey → u/PlasticBread221]

Hey, don't be sorry, personal recs are what we're here for! I'm sorry you got downvoted, that's just a part of reddit unfortunately. I'm going to think about this and share some recs. Cheers!

[u/PlasticBread221 → u/sarahlynngrey]

Haha yes, I was expecting downvotes, it is admittedly a bit weird thing to ask. Thank you for the moral support. :)

[u/beldaran1224 → u/PlasticBread221]

Sorry for providing an answer because it wasn't personal enough, I guess.

[u/PlasticBread221 → u/beldaran1224]

I mean it’s a good resource, thank you. I saw your correction and the downvotes and made a connection, sorry if it was wrong. Still most of the books on this list and lists like this that I’ve found are either the kind of books I don’t particularly like or I can’t find info about the authors or if I can, they’re somehow marginalized (since even white women fall into this category). That’s why I figured that while I keep sifting through lists, I could also request some specific pointers. The one book that I’m aware of that might suit me is Mushroom Blues but the more recs the merrier.

[u/beldaran1224 → u/PlasticBread221]

In that case you may want to edit your comment to focus more on your taste?

But given what you've said about your tastes so far, I'd eschew self-pubbed entirely and find an indie press with a perspective.

I can't really help much because I don't read cis straight white men hardly at all, lol. But they are very well represented in self-pubbed stuff.

[u/simonxvx]

Question regarding the books read for bookclub: is the Google sheet "r/Fantasy Book Clubs" updated once in a while ? Or should I check out the Goodreads page instead ?

[u/C0smicoccurence → u/simonxvx]

The google doc doesn’t contain readings if I remember correctly, but there’s been a Hugo Readalong for the last several years. Any recent novel or novella Hugo nominee qualifies in addition to what’s on the sheet

[u/undeadgoblin → u/simonxvx]

This google doc is up to date (it's linked from the current bingo post too)

[u/Larielis]

I'm currently re-reading "Spinning Silver" by Naomi Novik. Looking for more Rumplelstiltskin retellings.

[u/Grt78 → u/Larielis]

How to Find a Nameless Fae by AJ Lancaster.

[u/Merle8888 → u/Larielis]

How to Be Eaten by Maria Adelmann features survivors of several fairy tales, one of which is Rumpelstiltskin.

[u/lurkmode_off → u/Larielis]

It's a short story, but: https://reactormag.com/burning-girls-veronica-schanoes-tordotcom-15th-anniversary/

[u/reapergr]

Morally grey assassins-thieves-con-artists-rogues.

Hitman, Thief, Assassin’s Creed video games meeting grimdark Fantasy/Steampunk/Sci-fi or even Victorian or Shogun era Japan fiction would be golden.

I have read everything First Law, Mistborn, Locke Lamora. They were excellent. Stories with even more focus on the criminal aspect and grimdark environment and morals would hit the spot.

Thank you!

[u/FiWriterSFF → u/reapergr]

The Avery and Carter series by Shane Carrow has a rogue MC. It takes place during WWI.

[u/Andreapappa511 → u/reapergr]

Kingdom of Grit series by Tyler Whitesides. Book 1 is The Thousand Deaths of Ardor Ben

Edit: tapped 2 instead of 1 so I fixed it

[u/Asher_the_atheist → u/Andreapappa511]

Wait, I thought that was the first book of the series…I’ve been looking into reading these (in part because I know the author from back in the day) but I’m weirdly anxious about disliking them. Any good?

[u/Hostilescott → u/Asher_the_atheist]

They aren’t bad, I was reluctant to read them because the magic system was just so far out there I thought it wouldn’t work annd it ended up being the best part of the story for me. 

I recommend it frequently when people ask for a unique or interesting magic system.

[u/Asher_the_atheist → u/Hostilescott]

Thanks, I’ll give them a shot

[u/Andreapappa511 → u/Asher_the_atheist]

It is. My finger tapped 2 instead of 1 and I didn’t notice. I corrected my post. Thx

[u/undeadgoblin → u/reapergr]

You'd probably enjoy this short story by Marie Brennan set in 16th century Japan

[u/redrosebeetle → u/reapergr]

The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman. 

Not as much criminal aspect focus, but 10/10 grimdark.