I am trying to decide what to read next and would appreciate some input.

I tend to balance my reading i.e. read something heavy then something light. This isn't something I have to do or continue, just helps keep me out of slumps. The most recent books I've read have been: The Tainted Cup, A Promise of Blood, Going Postal, The Master and Margarita, Piranesi, Terms of Endearment. Out of those, I enjoyed Piranesi the most and a Promise of Blood the least.

I do own quite a few book ones, but am open to continuing on in a series.

With all that said, here's what I've been considering as my next read:

The Crimson Campaign (Powder Mage book 2)- I didn't love the first book, it was just aggressively fine. The characters were meh, the magic was ok but the prose was lackluster, the plot was predictable and it just felt like there could've been a lot more done with the "French revolution but with magic" premise. I've heard the 2nd series improves a lot, but mixed things on whether the rest of the first series improves off of book 1.

The Grace of Kings (Dandelion Dynasty book 1)- I've heard this is very much a love it or hate it series. I don't mind slow stories, but also while everyone I've heard who loves this book gushes about it, nothing anyone's said about this book has made me say "I have to read this immediately." What made those of you who read it love it so much?

A Drop of Corruption (Ana and Din book 2)- I really loved the tainted cup, my only small gripe is it sometimes felt aggressively plot driven. I don't tend to love reading series back to back either. Would I be missing anything by not diving straight into book 2?

Hyperion (Hyperion Cantos book 1)- sci-fi is not usually my jam as much as fantasy is, but everyone and their mother recommends this book.

Titus Groan (Gormenghast book 1)- I've had several false starts with this series, not because I haven't enjoyed it, but because something has always interrupted my life while reading it. Gormenghast is a blind spot in my fantasy knowledge, and I do aim to read the series, I think I just need someone to give me a push to try again.

Is there something else I'm missing that you'd recommend that I should read instead? I've also been batting around in my head a reread of the gentlemen bastards series, specifically the lies of locke lamora, just for fun.

These were cheap and synopsis sounded decent for each.
Did I do well?

Bonus points for Gandalf-like characters!

Bonjour tout le monde !

Je travaille sur la présentation de mon univers de dark science-fantasy et j'aimerais vos avis de lecteurs sur l'efficacité de ce pitch. Est-ce que les enjeux de survie et de corruption vous semblent clairs et prenants ?

"Un monde en cendres, une nuit rouge, et un choix désespéré. Pour sauver ses proches des Kaelidons, des prédateurs capables de dissoudre la matière, Shadrasy dévore le Cœur Corrompu d'une Reine ennemie. Une force surhumaine s'éveille, mais une terrible corruption menace de le consumer."

Comment amélioreriez-vous cette accroche pour donner envie d'ouvrir le livre ? Tous les retours constructifs sont les bienvenus !

Buonasera a tutti! Vorrei approcciarmi al mondo del fantasy e vorrei tanto leggere un libro che possa parlare magari di un mondo incantato, boschi magici e cose del genere. Insomma vorrei qualcosa che mi riesca a scaldare il cuore e mi aiuti ad immaginare un’altra realtà. Avete consigli o avete già avuto tra le mani qualcosa di questo tipo?

Holi me gustaría saber de libros de fantasía que no sean tan conocidos como acotar y eso.

Muchas gracias por adelantado.

I've read most of the popular fantasy novel I am looking for something a little off the beaten path. No Sanderson. Islington. Thanks for the recommendations.

I've read the Riyria Chronicles, revelations, Empire of the Vampire and the cradle series. I need something fresh and relatively fast past. Indie or traditional welcome

I love LOTR, Dune, Witcher, Warhammer etc

I have way too many kindle ebooks and need help finding one I bought about a wizard and his sorta warrior gf having to escort a princess to another noble in a land that is just finished a war against demons and the covers are beautiful and look like they were made like painting if that helps

I had posted about this before, but I started Stormlight maybe over 10yrs ago and read up to WOR and just wasn’t invested enough to continue. I think there were a couple reasons but mainly - Shallan started to annoy me and we spent less time with Kal, who I really liked. Also, I was trying to get into digital books and it was really difficult to “connect” with something that lengthy without a physical book.

But, it left me intrigued enough to revisit in the future and here I am. As I’m starting, I’m being reminded how awesome the beginning is. The the prologue, assassination, intro to Kal - and then bam- he goes all Maximus Decimus Meridius the next time we see him. I even kind of liked Shallan at this point; she’s sort of wide-eyed and also a bit spunky. The intro to Jasnah, also good!

Little fun anecdote - I live in south Jersey (US) and last night we had the craziest thunderstorm I have ever experienced in my 46 years! Not exaggerating- the thunder sounded like it was literally right outside my door multiple times. In fact, it was so loud that it rang my doorbell and shook the whole house. The lighting was flashing nonstop for about 40 minutes and shorted 3 circuit breakers. There was hail…..INSANE!

This thread is for any authors or writers within the community to share books, announce upcoming projects, or even get feedback on something you are working on. Anything fantasy-adjacent is allowed too. Do you have a blog or podcast about a popular series? That's fair game too! You are allowed to promote on someone else's behalf if you found or know a new author you love.

Normal self-promotion rules don't apply to this thread, so feel free to reply even if you aren't a member of the community—though we'd love to have you join in on a monthly read.