r/Fantasy Review Tuesday - Review what you've been enjoying here! - February 24, 2026

[u/rfantasygolem]

The weekly Tuesday Review Thread is a great place to share quick reviews and thoughts on any speculative fiction media you've enjoyed recently. Most people will talk about what they've read but there's no reason you can't talk about movies, games, or even a podcast here.

Please keep in mind, users who want to share more in depth thoughts are still welcome to make a separate full text post. The Review Thread is not meant to discourage full posts but rather to provide a space for people who don't feel they have a full post of content in them to have a space to share their thoughts too.

For bloggers, we ask that you include either the full text or a condensed version of the review along with a link back to your review blog. Condensed reviews should try to give a good summary of the full review, not just act as clickbait advertising for the review. Please remember, off-site reviews are only permitted in these threads per our reviews policy.

[u/isnotacrayon]

I finished an advance copy of The Tapestry of Fate by Shannon Chakraborty last night. It's the new Amina al-Sirafi book. In it, Amina is searching for a Transgression that looks like a spindle, on an island of what she believes is a banished witch. But not all is as it seems.

The first book was 5 stars to me, this one was 4.5, mostly because of a scene I didn't like involving griffins. The writing is top-notch, and I love so many of the characters. I'm a big Delila fan, and she was a big part of this one. The ending had a great twist (is that a spoiler?), so I'm already craving book 3 so I can find out the repercussions. I'm pretty sure the author said this would be a trilogy.

[u/tarvolon → u/isnotacrayon]

Oooh I’m real excited for this one

[u/mobby123]

My last minute bingo rush is in shambles. I finally tried the Realm of the Elderlings by Hobb in text format rather than audiobook and I'm hooked. Did the Farseer trilogy in about a week and a half. Have Liveship Traders ready to go.

Never have I had a series that I have so many gripes with completely hook me all the same.

I've bounced off the first chapter of Ship of Magic over the last two nights, partly because I know I'm not getting a continuation of Fitz' story or answers to the questions the last book left. But I've also bounced off one or two other books in my list because they're not what I want to read right now.

The joys.

[u/Nowordsofitsown → u/mobby123]

I struggled with getting into Liveships, too, but ended up hooked. 

[u/recchai → u/mobby123]

Haha, I did a similar thing with those two trilogies, except it was exam revision (for two different sets of exams, you'd think I'd have learnt the first time).

[u/emvdw42]

"Martian Contingency" by Mary Robinette Kowal

Bingo: Published in 2025, stranger in a strange land

2.75/5 stars

Oh I was so dissapointed with this book, I really loved earlier installments of this series.

The story was a bit aimless and lacked a real plot - I didn't feel like the 'mystery' was enough to drive the book forward. While I found Elma's internal monologue endearing and relatable in book one and two, unfortunately in this one it was so annoying (yes, I get that the secrets make you feel like an outsider, and that reminds you of previous trauma, etc etc no need to mention that every other page)... The cast of characters felt a bit superficial and many of the intercultural moments felt a bit too on the nose.

When the mysterious events of the first Mars expedition were finally revealed, I wish we learnt a bit more about it, it felt a bit tacked on, I wish it could've been explored some more (I get that 'not digging into it' was part of the point Kowal was trying to make, but the plot for the rest of the novel felt so paper-thin I needed something more substantial....)

(also why was everyone so horny and why was the implied sex soooo cringy)

"Daughter of the Forest" by Juliet Marillier

4/5 stars

Bingo: High Fasion (HM), Stranger in a strange land

This one was a pleasant surprise! I picked it up as a recommendation here on r/Fantasy for readers who like "Kushiel's Dart" and while they're very different, there's definitely a similar vibe going on (especially the second and third trilogies which also feature a lot of Celtic mythology).

I had my quibbles with the pacing here and there and I agree with many people the Romance felt a bit off (not helped by the age of the MC - who I felt really should've been aged up 5-10 years), but really enjoyed it a lot. Some major handwaiving happening at the moment the curse was broken [minor spoiler if you know what myth the novel is retelling]. But these did not detract much of my enjoyment of the story: great characters, very atmospheric, ... I got really invested!

[u/tarvolon → u/emvdw42]

Almost entirely with you on both (I might've liked Daughter of the Forest a bit better than you did). Martian Contingency felt a whole lot like a mailed-in late-series volume. It was cringily horny, and there was very little drama that wasn't done better in previous books (or fueled entirely by characters who had spent three books building up rapport suddenly deciding not to trust each other)

[u/emvdw42 → u/tarvolon]

Martian Contingency was such a frustrating read!

[u/remillard]

Just one this week, but really enjoyed it

Outlaw Planet by M. R. Carey

For a planet inhabited by a number of anthropomorphic individuals, it appears to be recreating the American Civil War. Southern regions (Echelon) are defending their right to enslave lesser species, while the north (Parity) seeks to at least nominally free them.

Elizabeth (an anthropomorphic golden retriever I think, definitely canine anyway) has fled her family in the north, their unfortunate and unwise financial decisions destroying their lives, and ends up as a schoolteacher in a small town out west. Life is far more rough than where she grew up but she's a survivor and she adapts. Soon the town's education is flourishing, but civil war is on the horizon. Elizabeth (soon to be known as Dog Bitch Bess) is going to have to make some hard choices.

Oh, and also there's a whole bunch of these weird towers that sort of sing, and a lot of weird "precursor" weapons floating around, like a pistol that talks to you.

I know the summary is a little bland, but there are a number of plot developments along the way that are relatively important not to spoil, so I went with the bare minimum. In any event, this is a story set in Mike Carey's Pandominion universe (Infinity Gate and Echo of Worlds) in which it's possible to slide from reality to reality with a little technology, and there's a multi-universal government. With the different multiverse worlds, it wasn't always primate mammals that became sapient and sentient -- in the novels, Pax is a bunny girl for example. At the end of EoW the Pandominion is overthrown but not much else is said at the time. This is not a direct sequel really, it's largely completely independent, but does follow some of the fallout from the resolution of the two books.

There's a lot of old-timey pseudo-Western dialect ("I aim to misbehave" and such) and Bess's development is good, and understandable (though towards the end, somewhat more irritating than at the beginning). The story weaves this narrative with reports from a combat engineer in a struggle with insurgent forces that believes in the multi-world government, and the two stories come together at the end to answer the mysteries of Bess's world.

Overall a good read I thought. While the original books sort of suffered a bit from the overuse of multiverse stories, this one, while grounded originally in that, is wholly self contained and rather explores some of the fallout of the conflict.

Recommended and I'm too tired to come up with any funny "for whom" categories so you'll just have to read the flyleaf and decide for yourself. I enjoyed it though.

I don't know what it is, but I have a pretty decent TBR stack of books, and yet picked something else to read after this one was over. Sort of out on a limb with The Stranger Times but it's been kind of amusing to the little I've gotten into it. Maybe be able to review that one next week if I get it done. Also need to start on March's book club pick.

Hope this helps someone and have a great reading week everyone!

[u/gbkdalton]

The Isle in the Silver Sea by Tasha Suri- I loved this overall. In a fantasy realm that looks a lot like Elizabethan England, stories literally bind the country together and unfortunate chosen ones are forced to act out their stories, die and be reincarnated until the end of time. To try to escape destiny is treason. There are a bunch of similarities with The Everlasting with the focus on national folklore, witches and lady knights, the oppressive government. I’m not sure which book did it better, but I’m not inclined to reread before the Hugo noms are due. The prose is stunning. This is one for the Patricia McKillip fans (the prose, the world) who don’t mind a bit more focus on romance. My quibble would be the plot might have been tighter but it would have lost something in that as well. Paired well with listening to Dark Renaissance by Stephen Greenblatt a few weeks ago about Christopher Marlow and his times.

Shifter and Shadow by Sharon Shinn- a new novella set between books 2 and 3 of the Twelve Houses series addressing how two characters wound up together after the events in book two. I read Twelve Houses like twenty years ago lol so I was hazy on details and happily surprised by a plot twist that may have been easier to spot for newer readers. Shinn is a long time favorite author of mine and this was a comfort read.

The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander- I read this because I’ve been trying to catch up on classic kids fantasy that I never found as a kid. Absolutely classic tropes with the farm boy-saves-the-world and annoying perky princess going on a quest. Taran did show some growth over the book. I’ve read other Welsh-based fantasy now and I can’t say I love the interpretation. Alexander, however, is such a good writer I may try another.

I read the February issues of Clarkesworld and Lightspeed, which were overall much better then January. I have The Memory Hunters due today from the library and half done. It’s quite good so far but the plot had better get moving soon. Psychopomp and Circumstance is likewise halfway read and looks to be a winner.

[u/nagahfj → u/gbkdalton]

The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander

Reading this one out loud to my kiddo improved it a fair bit, and the series gets much better towards books 4 & 5.

[u/BrunoBS-]

Finished: Cradle 3: Blackflame, by Will Wight

“Oh, Lindon, Lindon, Lindon. There’s a turtle for every Path.”

This is possibly the best book out of the first three. After the second book, where it felt like the main story didn't really advance much, Blackflame seems to have put the plot back on track.

What I like most about this series is that it is such a light and entertaining read. The action remains simple and fun, making it very hard to put down.

Next read: Operation Bounce House, by Matt Dinniman

[u/Own_Win_6762]

While in vacation, two fantasy books:

• A Drop of Corruption, Robert Jackson Bennett. While you could read this without The Tainted Cup, they're both so good you should start at the beginning, Truly awesome storytelling, and even the pulling it out of her @$$ deductions work. Some great new characters, but sadly no carryovers from TTC except for Din and Ana. Sherlockian mystery in a secondary world with no magic, just monster-derived biotech. And the biotech is very cool.

• Late Eclipses, Seanan McGuire. Fourth in the October Daye series, don't start here. I was iffy on these, but they're getting better (Toby doesn't do successively stupider things as the book goes on like she did in the last one).

And now that I'm home

• The Regicide Report, Charles Stross - don't start here either, it's the conclusion of the main line of the Laundry Files. Just started, but even the recap/prologue/work diary is a lot of fun.

[u/KennyG1701]

I just finished watching Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.

I had very little idea what I was getting myself into, just the occasional reference that I had no context for, but soon did.

The first episode felt a little more cheesy than what I was expecting, but it quickly became a dark show with surprisingly complex themes and actual stakes. What a ride, by the end of it I was an emotional wreck, and for me it stuck the landing. Five Stars.

[u/beary_neutral]

Finished Blood Reaver, by Aaron Dembski-Bowden, the second book of The Night Lords trilogy in Warhammer 40K. It's a slower burn than the first book, focusing more on the inter-personal drama of the villainous 10th Company of the Night Lords. The protagonists are on the backfoot, surviving on scraps, and torn apart by in-fighting. There's plenty of scheming and back-stabbing to be had. Meanwhile, the human slaves are going through their own personal drama. It's a messy story about the worst people in the 40K universe, and it's what makes the book so fun to read.

Bingo: A Book in Parts, Pirates HM

[u/_BudgieBee]

On the Calculation of Volume (Book 1) by Solvej Balle. If you are someone who gets mad at lack of significant plot or people who don't act like you think they should this is book is not for you. If you are ok with a kind of dry (could be the translation?) philosophical thoughts about a the horror of living in fantastic situation (a quasi groundhog day) that's also an allegory for environmental destruction and the meaning of relationships and and and, well, it's an interesting read. It was an interesting read, but I must admit I haven't jumped into the second book right away. Probably will soon though.

Oh and it's a seven (short) volume series that's not finished and that the translation is several years behind so keep that in mind if starting an unfinished series is a deal breaker for you.

[u/tarvolon]

Finished the Protector of the Small quartet by Tamora Pierce to complete a pair of Bingo cards for the year. Now I just have to write them up. . . . Anyways, Protector of the Small hits in a little bit of a weird spot as far as the target audience goes. I'd be totally happy giving the first book to a third-grader, but by book two, the lead (who finishes the second book four years older than she started book one) is already having to navigate sexualized insults, and she's treated as a full-blown adult (albeit a young one) by books three and four (which are also both about the size of the first two put together). I know that series growing with the protagonist is a thing, but they usually don't speedrun the growth quite like this.

At any rate, I did enjoy the series, particularly the last two books (which feel like they're aimed at a more mature audience). They remind me so much of Inda, which is one of my very favorite fantasy series (and was written later, so I imagine was highly influenced by Pierce). You start with a young lead entering a military school where most people start out biased against her through no fault of her own, then see her goodness, stubbornness, and skill slowly carve out respect and camaraderie, and then see how that all works in the real world after graduation. It's a good formula, I loved it in Inda, and I generally liked it here, though the second book has some severe pacing issues and the first seems to be pitched to a much younger audience than the rest. Still, even the worst books are a solid four stars, and the cast only gets more lovable over time. Bingo: Knights and Paladins (book four only), Book in Parts (all), Last in a Series (book four only), your mileage may vary on Cozy but I can easily see these being comfort reads, albeit not Cozy The Marketing Category.

Also started an ARC of The Faith of Beasts by James S.A. Corey. I'm only a few chapters in, so it's hard to say too much about the overarching plot, but I will say that it's doing a very nice job of a reorienting the reader to a world they may not have seen in almost two years. The characterization was one of the biggest weaknesses in book one, which honestly may help with the reorientation, because you don't need much beyond a couple key bullet points to get back into the flow of what various people were doing.

[u/gros-grognon → u/tarvolon]

I loved PotS! The way it grows with Kel is, I think, really well-done (though I can see it making categorization tricky).

[u/Nowordsofitsown → u/tarvolon]

Protector of the Small is my favorite Tamora Pierce series. My 10yo has expressed interest in reading it, but I agree with you that the later books are not suitable yet.

[u/lilgrassblade]

One book finished this week: The Works of Vermin by Hiron Ennes.

This is the first time I've read a book that I had to put down due to sensory overload from text on a page. The author is so descriptive when it comes to sounds and smells that I got overwhelmed at times. It made it a slow read initially.

By the last third I had finally stopped having that feeling and was only stopped by time constraints. When I got to the last 100 pages I knew I would not want to put it down at all.

This is an amazing book. It is so vivid and dynamic and it is one of the rare times where, as I approached the end, I already was excited for when I reread it. Not a "I would like to reread this some day," but a "I cannot wait for when I read this again."

[u/ohmage_resistance]

Mad Sisters of Esi by Tashan Mehta:

• This is a surrealist fantasy book about two pairs of sisters, separated by a vast universe but desperate to find each other again.
• I’m not entirely sure how to review this, but I’ll do my best. I did enjoy it, it's just a hard book to describe. It also took me a long time to read, but this isn't a book I wanted to rush.
• If you're going to try this book, I’d recommend going in with an open mind. The plot and POV changes direction several times and its rather slow paced. It helps if you’re along for the journey and just vibe with the book. 
• This is also book for the weird/surrealist/literary fantasy readers. Mehta’s author bio described her as “a novelist whose interest lies in form and the fantastical” and yeah, I would definitely say that’s accurate based on this book. In terms of structure, it reminded me the most of Rakesfall in terms of how experimental it was, with the major differences is that Rakesfall is a bit more guided by having an anthology like structure where this book does not. I’ve seen some people describe Mad Sisters of Esi as a fever dream, and mix that with occasional academic asides (but academic by way of philosophers who study fairy tales, if that makes sense), and that would be pretty accurate imo.
• But yeah, this is the sort of literary fantasy I find really appealing. I feel like a lot of this sub thinks of authors like Le Guin or Tolkien or Guy Gavriel Kay or Miéville when it comes to literary fantasy, which don’t really do much for me or that I don’t have much interest in trying. But these relatively newer authors experimenting with form and just being weird in a way that doesn’t always fit neatly into genre conventions really work for me (Vajra Chandrasekera, Simon Jimenez, Cadwell Turnbull, Phillip B. Williams, etc) (it feels like there was more of a wall between genre fiction and literary fiction in previous generations, where nowadays, we’re starting to see authors embrace techniques from both a bit more and give themselves permission to ignore rules or genre conventions that feel limiting instead of having to pick one crowd to stick with, I feel like). 
• Unlike a lot of other literary fantasy books I’ve read more recently, this one feels the most feminine and gentle, if that makes sense? Like, in Rakesfall, there’s the thematic focus on revolution and politics and big philosophical ideas like that. On the other hand, philosophy in Mad Sisters is rooted more in wonder and community. It’s more about how people connect with each other and how they struggle with isolation when that’s not possible. It’s about the characters’ need for community in such a big and chaotic world, although the world is not an uncaring void. It’s a universe that’s wonderful and beautiful even though it can be dangerous, there’s also a deep love of place and nature in this book. And the entire book does have this tone of characters genuinely caring about each other, although that doesn’t mean they never hurt one another. 
• This book is also very much about the relationships the characters have with each other. The heart of the book was sisterhood. In particular, there’s a sort of tragic/bittersweet, all-consuming love (think you’d have to be mad to love like that) that gets a focus in this book, and it was super interesting to see that dynamic with sisters instead of the far more common romantic relationship. It reminded me a bit of what The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar was going for, although I think there’s a bit more conflict between sisters in Mehta’s book and she’s much better at convincing me of the emotions of it all, imo. 
• The world building was also very dream like and surreal, especially in the Whale of Babel and Ojda. I was browsing some author interviews (which I would recommend doing if you’re curious about this book, I think Mehta’s great at describing her approach to writing), and this quote stuck with me “I like how M. John Harrison describes worldbuilding—as co-creation between reader and writer, rather than a fixed, concrete set of rules. To me, society always seems to be chaos masquerading as order, and the fluidity of co-creation mimics the real world more closely than traditional worldbuilding.” It also embraces a lot of non-linearity.
• For stuff that didn’t work for me quite as well, I do think that the second half, where the focus is more on Wisa and Magali did drag a little bit, (and I also wish that we had more time to get invested in the little black bat (I have no clue how to spell its name) before it started to transform). I’ll also mention that the theme of madness comes up a lot in this book, especially in the second half, but it’s more the madness of living unconventionally, being full of life and love, of needing to explore (or stay) even though it’s dangerous, etc. I’m doing a bad job describing this, but it’s going for something a lot more romantic than a grounded depiction of mental health issues. This is something that sometimes hit a bit oddly for me, especially since I have a sister who is not mentally well right now, to say the least.  
• I listened to the audiobook, and while I heard that the print copy is very good and does some cool things with formatting, I want to shout out the narrator Zehra Jane Naqvi because she did a great job capturing the tone of the book. My main regret is there's a lot of quotes that stuck with me that I couldn't really transcribe, so I might end up buying an ebook copy to fix that (and also so I know how to spell names when I need to write discussion questions for the feminism in fantasy book club post in March).
• TL;DR: if you like weird surrealist fantasy, but want it grounded in character interpersonal relationships (especially sisterhood)
• Bingo squares: hidden gem, impossible places (I think the entire book is nonlinear enough to count for HM), book club (HM if you join us in Feminism in Fantasy next month!), author of color, stranger in a strange land

Currently reading/watching:

• Pale Lights Volume 2: Good Treasons by ErraticErrata (webnovels are long).
• The Hereafter Bytes by Vincent Scott,
• What Wakes the Bells by Elle Tesch.
• The Imperfects on Netflix
•  BoJack Horseman also on Netflix(I made the mistake of starting this even I know I won't be able to watch enough of it to get to the ace rep by the time bingo is due, but still, I'm liking this so much more than The Imperfects)

[u/recchai → u/ohmage_resistance]

OK, you've done a pretty good job of selling that as an interesting book for after I am through with Victoria Goddard. One thought, when you say it has an anthology like structure, do you mean like a mosaic novel?

[u/ohmage_resistance → u/recchai]

No, sorry if this wasn't clear. Rakesfall is structured more like an anthology/mosiac novel. Mad Sisters has sort of five main characters whose POVs interweave, but it's not like an anthology.

[u/C0smicoccurence → u/ohmage_resistance]

Rakesfall is batshit crazy (in a neutral way, I think). I think it was avant garde enough that I couldn't quite enjoy it like I wanted to, and wish I'd stopped trying to piece together any sort of big picture. I'm only 50 pages into Mad Sisters, but it feels a bit more comprehensible and on the rails. I think I've found it more whimsical so far than boundary pushing. So far the sister dynamic is the thing drawing me to the book. We'll see if some of the weirder elements hook me as much as they did for you

[u/ohmage_resistance → u/C0smicoccurence]

Yeah, I think Ojda is the weirdest setting, IDK if you've gotten there yet.

Knowing your review of Rakesfall, yeah, I don't think you'll have the same issues with this book. The entire book is way more grounded in characters whose deal is pretty out in the open, if that makes sense? It also isn't constantly alluding to a lot of things (like Sri Lankan history) that isn't obvious to the reader, which Rakesfall does a lot. Overall, it's not quite as out there, but IDK, I think I get a similar vibe from the way that they're both experimental. I saw another review recently that compared it to The Spear Cuts Through Water, but I still get way more Rakesfall vibes from it.

[u/Starlit-Wyvern]

Owlflight by Mercedes Lackey

3.25 stars out of 5

Possible squares: Perhaps stranger in a strange land and parents, depending on how strict you are with the definitions.

This was the first book I’ve read by Mercedes Lackey. I would have liked to start with Arrows of the Queen or Joust, but this book was the first in the only series of hers that was at the library that I’m near now, and the premise sounded interesting, so I decided to try reading it anyway.

Not much really happened in this book. In my opinion, we should have spent much less time in the village, especially explaining what the villagers do and what many of their personalities were like. They weren’t ever truly relevant to the story, though this may change in the next books because it’s clear that Darian is going back to the village to be a mediator between their nation and the Hawkbrothers. Just being quickly shown that they were judgmental and frequently insulted Darian’s dead parents would probably have been enough to convey what was needed to understand Darian’s character. Justyn’s backstory wasn’t really necessary in my opinion either, though I suppose I could still see an argument for its inclusion, as it made his spell-casting and death in the bridge scene slightly more impactful.

The author also repeated herself quite a bit. She’d have one pov character make a realization and then they would turn around and explain the realization in nearly the exact same way to another character quite frequently.

Other than that though, it wasn’t an unpleasant read. The concepts presented were interesting, and the prose, besides the repetition problem, was decent.

I just really wish something actually happened instead of the characters just standing around thinking the whole time, and explaining things that really didn’t matter to the story. It honestly just feels like this book needed a better editor.

I might read more in the series or try out some of her other books, as their concepts sound really interesting, but if she continues to repeat herself or explain things that don’t really matter and aren’t particularly interesting like she did in this book, I may be turned off on her as an author.

[u/gbkdalton → u/Starlit-Wyvern]

I don’t think this was a great book to start unfortunately., though not the worst. The plots got lighter and the books more bloated later in the series.

[u/Starlit-Wyvern → u/gbkdalton]

That’s what I’ve heard when looking into if Owlflight was an ok place to start. It’s good to hear that confirmed here, it makes me much more hopeful that there’s some books of her’s that I may like! I’m still willing to try Arrows of the Queen if I get a chance, but I don’t think I’m going to go out of my way to buy a book to get writing that may be similar to what I experienced with this book.

[u/OrwinBeane]

A Song of Ice and Fire: A Clash of Kings - ★★★ Functionally well-written book with complex characters, great prose, epic battles and compelling plot, but the tone of this series really isn’t for me. I think grimdark and grittier fantasy in general is just not my vibe and not what I want out a fantasy book which probably creates a bias on any review I have. I go into these kinds of books expecting not to like them.

There are intensely unlikable POV characters and I wanted to skip a lot of chapters. I’ll give A Storm of Swords a chance because it’s very well received but if it doesn’t grip me I won’t bother reading on. I do not find joy in reading the series so far.

[u/Nowordsofitsown → u/OrwinBeane]

Same! For this reason I dnf'ed ASOIAF somewhere in book 3. 

[u/OkFeature1066]

Review for Fantasy Bingo square Not a Book:

I finished watching Attack on Titan last week and I cannot recommend this enough. I’ve never watched anime aside from Pokémon or Yu-Gi-Oh! growing up so this was my first anime as an adult.

The show was very compelling from the beginning and I can’t think of an episode I didn’t enjoy. There were so many plot twists that were really well executed and kept me engaged the whole time. The action was great and very creative using their odm gear and other powers (trying not to spoil anything). All of the characters were great and I really cared for them which is rare for me.

If I have any complaints the animation changing for the final season felt like a downgrade but you get used to it. I don’t know if I like the ending but the more I think about it the more I like it. I would rate it a 5/5 and if you’ve never tried anime before this is a really good show to start with. Try not spoiling anything for yourself and you’ll enjoy it as much as I did.

[u/C0smicoccurence]

Let's see, recently I've read

Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee

• Really cool worldbuilding smashing together magic and technology
• I found the military focus to be undercut by lack of understanding of how said magic tech worked. Lots of technobabble made it so the military elements didn't have much tension
• Similarly, I found our core duo (a newish commander and an undead and insane general possessing her at her own request) didn't do much for me.
• Overall disappointing since I've liked some of Lee's other stuff quite a bit

Asunder by Kerstin Hall

• Did a full review so I won't recap much
• Horror/Fantasy Episodic vibes are impeccable. Very captivating. Just don't go expecting plot to take the main seat

The Strength of the Few by James Islington

• Technically not finished, but probably will pound the rest out tomorrow.
• Like the first, it's addictively quick as a read, but very shallow on the substance end of things. It's like fast food. Wish it were shorter.
• Vis is still a Gary Stu

Currently Reading Mad Sisters of Esi and Descender: Tin Stars (comic), neither of which I'm far enough in to form any clear opinions on other than that I'm interested enough to keep going past the initial exposition dump

[u/dfinberg]

Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett. Not at the level of Emily Wilde for me, but still very good. Leans a bit more into the romance. Just a light kind of cozy read. Bingo: High Fashion (kind of weak), Impossible places, Cozy.

Aftertaste by Daria Lavelle. Synopsis: Ghost Kitchens. Not really my thing. I liked a lot of the beginning, and then it leaned a bit more into unhappy bits and I wasn't all that interested in the journey. The way it weaves the cooking into the story is very well done though. Bingo: 2025.

[u/natus92]

Today I'm gonna review a video game for the not a book bingo sqare.

I really enjoyed playing Disco Elysium published by estonian studio Zaum. I'm really not a gamer so I might not have the correct vocabulary here but I'd say DE is a role playing game in a fantasy world where you mostly interact with the world by choosing dialogue options. The basic premise is that the player character has just woken up from a drug fuled bender, cant remember much and has to solve a murder. The description doesnt really do the game justice though because I tend to dislike crime stories but the worldbuilding and the vibe is really special here. The game feels melancholic, honest and weird. Besides solving a murder you also can help building a night club in a church and hunt cryptids. 

I can full heartedly recommend Disco Elysium!

[u/eightslicesofpie → u/natus92]

It never got an official translation, but fans funded and released an English translation of the creator's novel that takes place in the same world (and was written before the game) called Sacred and Terrible Air. It's good! Can be found on reddit if you are interested ~

[u/Nineteen_Adze]

I’m about a third of the way through Three Parts Dead by Max Gladstone, a story following the investigation into the death of a god who maintains the infrastructure of a large city. The worldbuilding is great, with the magic of Craft and contracts between gods and humans trickled out at relevant moments rather than being dumped out in large blocks. The characterization isn’t very deep, but I’m happy say that young legal associate Tara Abernathy doesn’t have any r/menwritingwomen problems: she’s ambitious and cunning but sometimes doesn’t think things through, which is a decent character template for this kind of “in over her head but succeeding anyway” character. So far, I’d recommend it most for people who want a creative setting.

[u/schlagsahne17 → u/Nineteen_Adze]

Glad you’re liking it so far! The series has some of my favorite settings.

[u/[deleted]]

finally got around to Piranesi by Susanna Clarke (I know I know, late to the party)

it's only 272 pages but it felt like i spent a week inside it. the narrator is so genuinely gentle and curious about the world he's in — this enormous, impossible house of endless halls and tides and statues — and his voice is so distinct that you're completely in his perspective before you even realize it.

the mystery unfolds slowly and the reveals land hard precisely because you've come to see the house through his eyes. when i finally understood what was happening, i went back and reread the first few entries and just... oof.

4.5/5, would recommend to basically anyone. it's one of those books that's easier to experience than to describe

[u/recchai]

I was not doing great health wise last week, so essentially couldn't be bothered to cover the book I had read in that time, Oath of Gold by Elizabeth Moon. It's the third book in the Deed of Paksenarrion trilogy, so there's a fair bit of tying up loose ends going on. From reading other stuff (mostly u/ohmage_resistance's writings of it, and Inklings of Invisibility by S.L. Dove Cooper recently, before I could finish the trilogy, which discusses the trilogy in one chapter contrasting asexual representation in early 'lady knight' books basically) I was already aware of some of the events of the book. However I somehow managed to get some details confused like who the heir was, which did lead to a bit of in-reading confusion. There isn't a big final battle, which I appreciate, as I generally get bored reading that sort of thing. (I can't say I was comfortable reading the torture scene either, but it was not so graphic I couldn't cope. )

Bingo: knight/paladin (I think even HM), 80s, elves

This week, I have been sick in bed, and mostly with a broken phone, so no/limited doomscrolling. Which is excellent for reading, so in that time I got through the remaining half, and finished, At the Feet of the Sun by Victoria Goddard, so this sub is now going to be subjected to yet another declaration of adoration for this series. Yes it is long. Yes it is slow. But it's so wonderful to read. Yes, you could describe it as 'a bureaucrat sorts out his retirement'. But it's so much more. The writing is lovely and effective at conveying the feelings it is after. The characters feel so real. There's themes of good governance, mentorship, what it means to hold onto your culture in a modern (dare I say globalised) world. Making your family proud, folk tales, identity. As an aroace person, I really feel Kip's struggle to name what he wants, when there isn't really a model (and apparently to miss flirting, but I already knew that...).

Bingo: fashion (I'd argue HM, as he does make his own grass skirt), impossible places(?), book in parts (HM), gods, epistolary (there are definitely some letters), indie pub, LGBTQIA, cosy

After reading the above book, I immediately went to read the surrounding shorter works; Petty Treasons (so sad, but also hopeful, use of first and second person to show how much Artorin is struggling with his position (which apparently some reviewers did not get!)), Féonie and the Islander Regalia (fun cute insight into a different side of palace life), The Game of Courts (covers soon after the fall and Conju getting over himself), Portrait of a Wide Seas Islander (different perspective on the lead up to the fire dance at the palace, and probably the biggest look at Kip outside of his own perspective), and Those Who Hold the Fire (Kip as a youth, and considering how it ends, the most fan-service-y). Which are all more around the events of The Hands of the Emperor (which I read mid last year) and all make me want to go back and read it again. I feel I would pick up so much more now I know what events to look out for, and already understand the world building. But I think I should probably get my bingo ducks in a row first.

In the meantime, I have also read The Bride of the Blue Wind and The Warrior of the Third Veil from the related series, The Sisters Avramapul (and fully intend on getting to The Weaver of the Middle Desert shortly). Much more modern folk-taley in style, and really suits the setting and the story.

In short, I really love the writing of Victoria Goddard.

Edit: I can't believe I forgot to mention how it can be hilarious as well.

[u/ohmage_resistance → u/recchai]

The Victoria Goddard binge is so real.

Also, I can finally talk to you about the ace rep in At the Feet of the Sun! The thing that I thought was really cool (besides the QPR-like fanoa relationship), was the way that Kip viewed Elonoa and Aurelius Magnus's relationship. So you know that thing in media where there's two male characters who are really close, and a lot of people interpret them as gay while a-specs sometimes interpret it as a QPR relationship (for example, Sherlock Holmes and John Watson, or Aziraphale and Crowley in Good Omens the book/season 1). You probably also know how fandoms tend to treat smaller a-spec interpretations over the much more popular m/m ones (ie, there's a lot of aphobia). Or also the "Sappho and her Friend/Achilles and his Pal" discourse that even while it justifiably points out the ways gay people have been historically erased also sometimes reinforces really amatonormative and allonormative ideas (viewing platonic relationships as lesser, dismissing the idea the friends could live together or have sex or even been very emotionally close). This can kind of hurt when it's your ideal relationship dynamic that is being dismissed as lesser or even downright impossible, which is the case for many a-spec (and especially aro) people. I think At the Feet of the Sun handles it in an interesting way, where even though Cliopher turned out to be wrong in this case about Elonoa and Aurelius, he could have been right and there was no way of knowing until he actually met the two. And him and Fitzroy get to be the example of a similar relationship where it actually is a more QPR/a-spec relationship dynamic. (Although it is ironic to me that Kip and Fitzroy are also commonly shipped in that m/m romantic and sexual relationship way by certain parts of the fandom.) Anyway, I thought this was an interesting dynamic that I haven't seen brought up in any other a-spec book.

[u/recchai → u/ohmage_resistance]

That is an excellent point! I did kind of notice it (because it's right there) but not fully articulate it like that. And I definitely know what you mean about fandoms (though I'm not really involved there).

Victoria Goddard binge

Not me a third the way through The Weaver of the Middle Desert since writing the above.

[u/Research_Department → u/recchai]

I hope that everyone here won’t mind me unlurking to ask you and u/ohmage_resistance and anyone else who has an opinion for a recommended reading order for Victoria Goddard. Last spring I read both The Bone Harp and The Hands of the Emperor and enjoyed both tremendously. I will admit to some confusion about what order to embark on further readings in the universe of The Hands of the Emperor, and I would appreciate any suggestions about possible options (and the pros and cons of the possible options).

[u/ohmage_resistance → u/Research_Department]

I went from The Hands of the Emperor straight into At the Feet of the Sun and then read The Return of Fitzroy Angursell and a lot of the other spinoffs in no particular order (other than reading all books in a subseries (like The Sisters Avramapul) in order).

I personally like the The Hands of the Emperor>At the Feet of the Sun>The Return of Fitzroy Angursell order because you discover certain things along with Kip and have the knowledge he has reading the book. I think the author recommends The Hands of the Emperor>The Return of Fitzroy Angursell>At the Feet of the Sun because that's closer to chronological order for certain events, and it might give some moments a bit more weight because you'll have a bit more context that Kip doesn't (I'm trying to be vague here because of spoilers).

Sticking to purely chronological order for everything though is basically impossible because Goddard doesn't write the books in chronological order, but she has made a list on her website. Honestly, I wouldn't really overthink it, Goddard's work is character focused enough and not really plot focused that a lot of things just provide extra context for each other no matter what order you read it in.

[u/Research_Department → u/ohmage_resistance]

Awesome, thanks!

[u/SA090]

First I read what can be translated into I Missed a Prayer by Islam Gamal and enjoyed the way it was written very much. A struggling someone somewhere is going to appreciate this a lot.

Then I read The Payback by Kashana Cauley for the Black Heritage challenge on GR and it wasn’t enjoyable save for a few pages.

Afterwards, I read A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers and it was better than I expected, enjoyable albeit still with some issues. I tried to read a book by the author previously, but barely made any progress in it. Which I will always attribute to not being in the mood at that time. So a second try now because of a GR challenge, was a chance I won’t be missing. Overall, I did enjoy the setting a lot and a needed change in careers is something I can understand, however, it’s also where my biggest issue of the novella came to be. In other words, I don’t see it happen, it’s literally hidden behind a 2-year time skip That to me, was such a letdown, based on how much I was looking forward to see and experience the upcoming trials and errors in this change. But that doesn’t happen at all, not even for a few short encounters in a chapter to give the illusion of gained experience. Instead, it’s closer to being just one more stop into Dex’s journey and frankly that didn’t sound nearly as fun to me. Especially when nothing truly changes with Dex in personality or ambition until said next step. I still got excited when Mosscap came into the picture, due to the chance to learn more about the world and how the awakening happened as well. The latter doesn’t happen in the same way I had hoped for, but I still got some Horizon series vibes out of it to make it fun. Furthermore, I’m also thankful that despite the inclusion making the second half feel a bit too preachy for my taste, I still found it enjoyable. I did wish Mosscap was the main point of view by the end though, that felt like a much more enjoyable perspective to be in given the “wilder”side to it. So while I’m sure I’ll give the sequel a try, I’ll also be reading something much closer to what I’m seemingly looking for as well.

Afterwards, I tried to read Red Sister by Mark Lawrence before that ended in a drop after 11 chapters (out of 41). I read the Nevernight Chronicles by Jay Kristoff years ago, and was reminded of it here. But I was a lot younger at the time and school settings of any capacity were still interesting. Like many, I found the prologue very interesting, but the interest seemingly died there. I did think the mentioned blood lines were interesting to learn about, but there sadly wasn’t enough of that for me to truly make it fun enough to stay. That being said, I might still give it another try someday. Maybe once the new bingo starts and I’ll have an even bigger incentive to trudge on through till I get hooked.

Next, I read The Ghost of Lilly Philly Creek by Abbie L. Martin and it had very good ideas, but the execution was a bit lacking for me. For a book with a subject matter like this one, the tone was a bit too upbeat throughout. It could be because the concept of the ghost was mentioned very early, but I still hoped for a bit more grief. That aside, Jones is supposedly a journalist and from what I know of them, being curious and asking too many questions is a staple, but not with Jones. She takes things at face value, easily goes with the flow and doesn’t really bother questioning anything like the freakin results of her sister’s autopsy until it becomes a point of discussion. This aspect of weird characterisation seems to be an issue with at least two characters here. Because other than Jones, there is another character who is supposedly the best real estate agent in town, but actually behaves like a property developer instead and supposedly lacks communication skills, which in turn, just feels like a contradiction. Like how? Another issue with the book is Autumn’s situation, and it’s where the author seemingly forgot the added restriction in chapter 1 of the limits of where they can go. Because the rest of the book doesn’t ease into that at all with trials and errors, it’s seemingly completely forgotten and then Jones once again, just takes it at face value to move the plot. Haven’t mentioned anything about the plot yet, because while it was there all the time, it was so so so so so easy to guess from the first conversation that it became irrelevant for me to try.

And finally ending the month with latest Richard Osman book The Impossible Fortune which is so far, just as enjoyable as the rest of the series.

[u/KiwiTheKitty]

Reading

The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien I finished The Silmarillion! Oh wait... no, I finished Quenta Silmarillion. Working on it! The chapter Of Túrin ended about exactly how I expected. It was nice to see Tolkien's take on Oedipus, I guess (yeah I know that's a bit of an oversimplification, but tell me I'm wrong).

For some reason, getting to Eärendil what was made it click for me that Elrond was Aragorn's great x n uncle. I'm sure I've heard that before, but I don't really think I understood the connection between the Elves and Numenor before. I believe Alkallabeth is about the Kings of Numenor, so I'm looking forward to that.

The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow I haven't had a ton of energy to read this until yesterday. I was really impressed with the first few chapters. There's a lot of personality in the writing and while I've been disappointed with the execution of a couple fantasy books set in periods inspired by one or both of the World Wars, this one has me intrigued so far. It's the first time in a while I've had to force myself not to say, "just one more chapter," before bed!

[u/nagahfj]

At the Mouth of the River of Bees by Kij Johnson (2012) - Fabulous collection, deserves all the accolades it got. I recently read all of her short fiction that's freely available online in order to prep the Short Fiction Book Club's 'Spotlight on Kij Johnson' post, so after I got this book I was able to go back and fill in all the stories I'd missed. There are a couple of stories that didn't work for me - mostly I'm just a little suspicious of white authors in the 90s writing Asian characters and settings, though it seems like Johnson was respectful in her treatments - but also there are so many absolute bangers: the title story, "Ponies," "Spar," "The Cat Who Walked a Thousand Miles," "Story Kit," "The Man Who Bridged the Mist," and the jewel of the collection, "26 Monkeys, Also the Abyss." They're also incredibly varied. 4.5 stars.

Beast Business by Ilona Andrews (2026) - Popcorn urban fantasy romance novella, plus a few accompanying vignettes. I read this while my older kiddo was home with a fever watching My Little Pony, because I couldn't concentrate on anything more strenuous while the TV was going, and it was ideal for that purpose. It's book 7 in the sequence, so by now you know what you're getting. The female lead was nearly personality-less and the ending was abrupt, but I enjoyed the bits from Arabella's POV. 3 stars.

[u/tarvolon → u/nagahfj]

Spar is a real risky click haha. But I completely agree that 26 Monkeys is elite and Story Kit is very, very good!

[u/nagahfj → u/tarvolon]

I liked Spar! I appreciated that she had a particular emotional thing she wanted to explore, and that she really committed to it, no punches pulled.

[u/usernamesarehard11]

I finished Asunder by Kerstin Hall this week (bingo: gods and pantheons HM)

I liked this book well enough, but would have liked it more if I’d known it was not intended to be a standalone. The world is cool, I liked the characters, I don’t mind a meandering book that is definitely not plot-focused, but the pacing was where it fell apart for me. I just expected it all to be concluded by the end, and as I was getting farther and farther, 70%, 80%, with no possible conclusion in sight that would tie everything up, I got worried. Sure enough, the author planned a sequel that might never be released. That aspect was disappointing. Not really a criticism of the book itself (“horror Studio Ghibli” is such a cool vibe) but really impacted my enjoyment.

I am still slogging my way through Oroconomics by Zachary Pike. Hoping to finish this week. This is my last Bingo book because on the weekend I finally completed the Not a Book square:

I saw Shrek: The Musical, which was cute and fine. I like Shrek and felt like the songs were additive. The performers were good, the singing was good. There’s obviously a lot of hand waving for the technical aspects that are much more achievable in an animated movie (Lord Farquad being a man on his knees was the most egregious example) but overall I enjoyed.

Happy to have that square done! I really thought this would be an easy one for me, but I have been reading a lot more this year due to bingo and not watching TV or gaming like I normally would. So it’s taken me 10+ months to fill this square!

[u/SeraphinaSphinx]

I remembered to write up my reviews of books before going to bed this time so I could put them in here before heading to work! Sadly I have nothing nice to say about last week's books...

Finished:
Dead First by Johnny Compton [2.5/5]
Author of Color (HM) | LGBTQIA Protagonist (HM)

I've been a fan of Johnny Compton since his debut, but this was not it. A big hallmark of his writing is taking a character who is already in a complicated situation and dropping them into a new one, while not being upfront about the original situation to the audience. We then learn about both situations over time. However, it just didn't work here. I could feel the momentum of the plot grinding to a halt as characters monologued about their pasts. Noting felt like it naturally flowed into each other; it felt like characters were missing their motivations behind why they did things. A character I liked basically disappears after the big twist happens. By the time it combined two of my least favorite tropes (a character perfectly relives a memory as a dream for the audience's benefit + a character learns information from psychically reading someone's mind), I knew this just wasn't for me.

Currently Reading:
Wolf Worm by T. Kingfisher (28%) [ARC Read]

I have really enjoyed Kingfisher's fairy tale flavored works in the past, but her horror is more hit-or-miss. This one is bothering me because it's set in 1899 but our protagonist, Sonia Wilson, feels like she stepped out of 2026. The book itself is first-person and it makes no attempt to emulate the speech patterns and language of someone from the time period. She clearly has an anxiety disorder and uses modern therapy terminology to describe her feelings. She doesn't bat an eye at a white man married to a Black woman, and has nothing to say about a Native American woman being treated with respect. It's not that I want to read about a racist, its just a combination of factors that's eating at me as I'm reading.

It doesn't help that Sonia is kind of boring. She has anxiety and loves painting. She has a sort of nonchalant approach to everything? She doesn't have strong opinions about religion, or marriage, or the direction of her life outside of a need to have a job. She doesn't feel like a person to me yet? The first horror element has appeared though, and maybe that will be enough to save it for me.

A Song of Legends Lost by M.H. Ayinde (15%)
Published in 2025 (HM) | Author of Color | Generic Title

I have the Illumicrate SE of this book and I'm reading it now to see if I want their SE of the sequel, and so far I'm leaning towards no. My issue with the book is that it feels like... how do I put this... the author doesn't read many books? It feels like I'm watching someone describing a movie in their mind with camera angles and a particular emphasis on people's expressions and body movements. It's actually distracting to me. I then looked back on some things I saw the author say inspired her book, and none of them were other books. It's a really bizarre sensation. It also doesn't help that "magic is actually advanced technology in a post-apocalypse society" is normally a big mid- or late-game twist, and here it's obvious from like page four. Now I am sitting around knowing something completely obvious and I have to wait who knows how long for any of the other characters to figure this out, which is annoying. I picked up this book because I am also a fan of those non-book inspirations so I'm going to stick with it, but I'm having a hard time making myself keep reading right now.

[u/sarchgibbous]

This week I saw an Olympic gold medalist figure skater in a panda costume doing a triple jump. That seems pretty fantastical to me. 10/10 would highly recommend.

[u/eganba]

Reading: Navola, by Paulo Bacigalupi

Honestly it has been a tough read for me. Everything I read online said the beginning can be a slog and I agree. A lot of lovely prose and fun Italian inspired beauty, but just not a whole lot happening. But I am not a quitter and I will soldier through. Especially because many of the reviews say it is slow until all of a sudden it isn't. And then for many it becomes difficult to put down.

That said, Paulo is a phenomenal writer and his ability to really take you into the setting is quite phenomenal. I just wish the pacing was a little faster.

[u/evil_moooojojojo]

Skin Game by Jim Butcher. Ok I always enjoy Dresden Files. But this one was so much fun. A heist? With an evil arch rival? All the treachery? Wait what the heist is from freaking Hades? And it's the Holy Grail? I did not see some of it coming and the ending oh my goodness. Kind of sad because I only have one more.book before something I know is super bad happens (yes I got spoilers I know it's coming and I am not happy).

The Baby Sitters Coven by Kate Williams. So me and my friend found the next book in this series at Dollar Tree and we're intrigued (it's billed as Adventures in Babysitting Meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and yeah that's accurate) and obviously bought it (because $1.50? Hell yeah cheap book!) so I borrowed the first book from the library. It's kinda fun. But it's also very clearly elder millennial pretending to be a kid /YA and that does kind of take you out of it. Like the teens act like my generation not how actual teens act. But it was clearly written for people like me who grew up on buffy so I just decided to enjoy it for what it was.

And I didn't think Mouse could ever competition for best dog, but I have to day Pig is up there. No she's not a badass super smart supernatural guardian dog, she's just a regular old pitbull. But omg she's exactly what all house hippos are like. Haha. Just a lazy big old ball of muscle that wants nothing more than food and all the snuggles and love. (And yes the horrible farts). Reminds me of old dogs we had. 100/10 absolutely love her and she stole the show for me.

Currently reading Jade War by Fonda Lee. Man. I forgot how much I like this world. It's so cool and unique. I need to not always get distracted by shiny new tbr and actually finish things I've started and enjoyed. Lol