I Love Fantasy Books but Dislike Most of the Fantasy Books I've Read | Please Help!

[@MercysBookishMusings]

Books I've read but forgot to mention: - Books 1 -4 in the Nightrunner series by Lynn Flewelling. Really enjoyed them except book 3 which was a mess. Definitely want to finish this series and read her other books. - The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison. I thought it was pretty dry and boring. - Uprooted by Naomi Novik. I thought it was angsty, badly written and badly plotted. - A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K Le Guin. I thought it was pretty dry but the plot had potential. - City of Lies by Sam Hawke. I quite enjoyed but it felt more mystery than fantasy at points. - An Illusion of Thieves by Cate Glass. I quite enjoyed it but this was a heist story so wouldn't continue with the series. - Twelve Kings by Bradley P Beaulieu. I really liked the protagonist but there are gods in this so I'm not sure whether that will annoy me in the later books. Also I completely forgot to mention my favourite fantasy trope - ANIMAL COMPANIONS

[@abigase135]

can I ask about the gods part? I feel like it's almost impossible to avoid them in the genre

[@MercysBookishMusings]

@@abigase135 yeah, it does seem to becoming more prevalent. I think its that the way gods are usually presented as lacking in emotions. And I don't like how they can then dictate the plot. It almost feels like a cop out because their reasoning for anything doesn't have to be given.

[@elelittle1474]

Also a fan of an animal trope. I read Deerskin by Robin McKinley for this reason but DNFd 😭

[@Jay-Kay-Buwembo]

Have you tried reading cultural epics; The Shahnameh (Persian Epic of Kings), The Illiad, The Odyssey, The Epic Of Gilgamesh, The Aeneid, Lucian's Storia Vera, The Orlando Furioso, Journey to the West, Njal's Saga, The Saga of Grettir the Strong, The Popul Vuh, Bullfinches Mythology; a lot of modern stories are actually inspired by the cultural epics and ancient myth. I would suggest that fantasy fans read these, I am really enjoying Bullfinches Greek Myth...

[@Fyoosha]

@@MercysBookishMusings If this is the case I recommend giving Jemisin’s Inheritance Trilogy a shot - I don’t think the presence of gods there would bother you too much!

[@jadelouiseflynn]

The title of this video describes me perfectly haha! The only fantasy series I've enjoyed are The Realm of the Eldering's which I found through your video years ago, Brandon Sanderson's Way of Kings and Mistborn series,The Kingkiller Chronicles & GoT. I've tried so many others and just stopped after I've read the first book. When Marlon James came out with Black Leopard, Red Wolf it blew my mind, so I really recommend that. I also recommend the Gormenghast trilogy by Mervyn Peake - it's like literary fiction on steroids but it is fantasy. & one I haven't read yet but intrigues me is Mordew by Alex Pheby.

[@EV-yp5hx]

After stepping more into the literary fiction sphere I'm having some similar reactions with fantasy (my first book genre love). I think it's useful to change your expectations when starting a fantasy novel, just like one might with romance and ya. In general, you have to be more comfortable being told rather than shown, and that experimentation with language will be limited (otherwise it just won't be marketed as a genre novel, but as fantastical literary fiction). Complexity will/may however still exist, but in different forms. This can be the thought that the author has put in how the world operates, or how the reader is fed information to slowly explore a new world and society. The scale at which stories can be told, and the control that an author can have on their world can make for really thorough and wonderful exploration of their themes. The additional length can also build up characters and relationships in ways that I find hard to match by other genres. Also, I wouldn't let the label 'grimdark' (which Abercrombie only started using as a joke, and doesn't really agree with) put you off trying Abercrombie. People also use 'grimdark' for Game of Thrones, which I thought was far more gratuitous in terms of violence (and especially women/sex) and ended up not being able to continue with. Ambercrombie's darkness comes from the ways people are dark (he has some really remarkable character studies), and although his themes are occasionally bleak the average tone of the story is not. Some other recommendations that might suit you: China Mieville's work, Guy Gavriel Kay's, Jeff Vandermeer maybe?

[@lizardslaw2661]

Have you ever read Bernard Corwell’s Warlord Trilogy. It is an Arthurian myth retelling but told within a realistic world and with little classic fantasy. I love a good Arthurian story and I recently fiished Cornwell’s trilogy and it is hands down among the top retellings I have ever read. It really reimagines the main characters and we see them in a more realistic yet non traditional light. Highly recommended.

[@MercysBookishMusings]

No I haven't but it sounds great so thanks so much for the recommendation 😀

[@jacquelinemcmenamin8204]

I’m not a fantasy reader but I like listening to you talk about books. The only books recently that I’ve read that have fantasy elements (and I would recommend) are Piranesi A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske

[@TheSnozzberry]

Re: Joe Abercrombie, I love his books but if you're wanting to dip your toe in, you could start with Best Served Cold. It's a stand-alone story set in the First Law universe, I don't think it matters that it's not at the beginning of the series, it has a female main character and in my opinion is his best book so far. Another book series I would suggest is Riyria Revelations by Michael J. Sullivan, starting with Theft of Swords. I am near the end of the last book in that series and have just had the best time reading it. The beginning of the series focuses on two male characters (who are brilliant to read about), but fairly early on two fantastic female characters (Arista and Thrace) are introduced who become part of the main cast and are very important to the plot in their own right. Can't wait to start on the prequel. Knowing how you like books focusing on young girls and coming of age stories, The Book of the Ancestor trilogy by Mark Lawrence might be of interest.

[@MercysBookishMusings]

Thanks for all the recs. I'll definitely try all 3 🤓

[@godfreemorals]

Keep reading Ursula K. Le Guin! The Earthsea series gets interesting, although it's probably not 'epic' and that might be your disconnect. Also, basically everything by Le Guin is worth a go, as it's about the ideas and her philosophical perspective on those. You can tell she's my favourite.

[@shulyrose8588]

I think you might like Master of Poisons by Andrea Hairston. I think it definitely counts as slow-paced and literary and there’s some extremely beautiful language (you might find it a bit too dreamlike though). You also should check out A Stranger in Olondria by Sofia Samatar, as long as you like/don’t mind some poetry in your fantasy. It’s medium-paced with beautiful language and is very unique.

[@carolejayne5129]

I recommend Lois McMaster Bujold - Curse of Chalion

[@ClaireReadsBooks]

I loved this! I'm still early in my Fantasy journey as a reader and am hoping to read some more this year (including maybe the Fitz trilogy!), so I don't have much to contribute in the way of recommendations but am enjoying browsing through everyone else's here :) And you DNF'ed The Poppy War right at the spot where I *should* have DNF'ed it, ha :D

[@Amy-pi7hn]

First off, just wanted to mention that I discovered your channel 8 or so years or so because I wanted to find BookTubers who loved RotE! That being said, I struggle with the same things as you with fantasy books. Robin Hobb has set a standard that every fantasy book gets measured against and is apparently impossible to match. With the Green Bone Saga, I actually think Jade City was the strongest and then it gets weaker.... As a character driven reader I felt it got more distanced from the characters over time - but looking forward to hearing your thoughts on it! I recently read Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey and enjoyed it for the themes and complex world building. I don't find myself attached to the characters quite yet but hoping they'll grow on me more over the following books. I've also heard Senlin Ascends get compared with lit fic by several people so I'm intrigued to read that one eventually!

[@MercysBookishMusings]

Awww, that's cool to hear that's how you found the channel :) She definitely has! I want to reread her books but I know that will make me even harsher to all other fantasy so I'm putting it off until next year! That's interesting to hear you say that about the Green Bone Saga. I'll try the next one and definitely update on here. I 100% want to try Kushiel's Dart as I've heard great things about it recently :)

[@tanpoodle]

Maybe take a look at Tad Williams' Memory, Sorrow and Thorn series.

[@lesliegordon2313]

If you like Robin Hobb, then you should try Katherine Kurtz. Her Deryni and her Camber books are wonderful. She has a style similar to Hobb - strong and old school. Also Tad Williams. His Memory, Sorrow and Thorn sequence is one of the best you are going to get. Thirty years later he revisited the same world with his Ostend Ard sequence and it lived up to most fans expectations. Enjoy!

[@Bookswithcassandra]

I completely agree with you about The Poppy War. Book one especially felt quite YA in writing and style. The series as a whole is about gods, in a way you wouldn’t like based on what you said, so you did not miss out on anything.

[@lolablack1]

Have you read Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James? I’ve never loved a recent fantasy epic more, and if you’re looking for something literary and well-written this is 100% it! It’s a set in an alternative, super hallucinatory ancient Africa. It’s tough to read and will deliberately confuse/misdirect you a lot - and took me weeks to finish (it’s also extremely graphically violent, check warnings!), but I adored it 🥰

[@shulyrose8588]

I feel like this could be a good recommendation too! It also has a really unique take on the classic quest trope.

[@Jay-Kay-Buwembo]

@@shulyrose8588 It's full of rape, misogyny, bestiality, pedophilia... It has a strong trigger warning.

[@shulyrose8588]

@@Jay-Kay-Buwembo yes, definitely check the trigger warnings!!

[@MercysBookishMusings]

No, I haven't. I was a bit unsure about this one because I'm not a fan of dreamlike/weird stuff and thought it sounded a bit like that. But maybe I'll check it out from the library and see how I feel about it,

[@lolablack1]

@@MercysBookishMusings Definitely give it a go! I didn’t find it dreamlike, more taking from oral storytelling traditions and messing around with the idea of “truth.” So great. As others have said though, extremely graphic!

[@serenity8910]

I like that you are talking about tropes in fantasy. I have a personal favorite which is the underdog trope. I actually haven't read many books with this trope so if anyone has recommendations, I will take all of them. I associate the underdog trope with something like Naruto if you are into anime. Basically, the story of a character who goes from being the outcast/terrible at using magic/looked down from everyone to a powerful character/a lot of character growth/etc.

[@mariamkvitsiani2848]

You might try Patricia A McKillip. Her language might be too flowery for some, but I find it absolutely beautiful. And she has mostly standalones!

[@maybeillreadtoday]

i feel this so hard - i feel like because i love fantasy i'm more??? critical of it which makes me dislike a lot of what i try to pick up ahhh an endless cycle

[@Jay-Kay-Buwembo]

Check out Kalpa Imperial by Angélica Gorodischer for a fantasy collection of short stories that actually lack magic or other standard tropes associated with fantasy. The stories are magical based on the prose.

[@Jessticulates]

The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri and The Councillor by E.J. Beaton might be up your street! If you'd be into historical fantasy, I adored She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan and The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow.

[@nicholashandfield-jones1837]

The Councillor was incredible. Next level

[@MercysBookishMusings]

I've got The Jasmine Throne on my tbr but have added The Councillor. Thanks for the rec! I've heard such mixed things about she who became the sun so maybe ill see if my library has a copy 👍

[@leahsarah275]

I strongly suggest reading Mark Lawrence's The Book of the Ancestor series. Best character work in a fantasy series ever and very interesting magic system. And the plot! omg the Plot of all three books in the series and how it all wrapped up, it was wonderful.

[@kisiwa82]

Have you tried the original 6 Dune Chronicles? Would also recommend Tigana by GGK. Both are excellent on audio. Another reco - Sword of Kaigan was everything I'd hoped The Poppy War would be.

[@myreadinglife8816]

I have to echo everyone who has recommended Kushiel series by Jacqueline Carey, even tho you probably won’t like it because: gods. I just love it so much and it has an awesome female main character. Have you ever tried the Green Rider series by Kristin Britain? I read the first one a long time ago and it also had a kick ass female lead character.

[@CarinaZacharias]

You spoke to my soul in the beginning of this video. I think I have the same problem, because of my love for literary fiction and (specific types of) fantasy.

[@CarinaZacharias]

If you're interested in Steven Erikson, I highly recommend Philipp Chase's BookTube channel, he does some great content about his works. He definitely convinced me that I should read Erikson - he makes it sound like it's one of the world's greatest work of literature period (not only fantasy). Also, did you mention Ursula K le Guin? You might like her "Earthsea" novels. They are classics and among my all time favourites. 🙂

[@sarahk1695]

I have similar struggles to you, it's so hard to find decently-written fantasy. I am about to try Conjure Women by Afia Atakora, it's one of the very few books on Storygraph categorised as both literary and fantasy. You might like Nnedi Okorafor's stuff, I do vaguely remember you might have read Binti a few years ago, but I just read Who Fears Death and thought it was really good, properly complex characters.

[@saturn_return2485]

Conjure Women is mostly literary fiction, magical realism/ fabulist AT BEST. Which is great, I love me some fabulism, but I wouldn't recommend it for someone who's asked for fantasy recs.

[@jennifertheobold1826]

✨THE CITY OF BRASS✨= brilliant female characters, quest elements, interesting politics, brilliant magic system

[@amandagriffin8236]

COMPLETELY COSIGN on this series. It is ABSOLUTELY one of my top all time fantasy series. I will read anything else she writes!

[@jess5587]

Have you tried Tessa Gratton? Specifically Innis Lear

[@MercysBookishMusings]

No, I really need to though as I love the sound of her books!

[@KittyAndTheBooks]

@@MercysBookishMusings Yes, I wanted to recommend Queens of Innis Lear, I think it would be perfect for you. It's a very unique fantasy book, but I loved it for that.

[@sandeesandwich2180]

I'm wondering if you would like the Sharing Knife series by Lois McMaster Bujold. Also I'm guessing you have read the Dragonriders of Pern series by Anne McCaffrey. The original trilogy starts with DragonFlight, but there are multiple slices of this world (25 books worth). Elizabeth Moon is another author you might like.

[@MercysBookishMusings]

No, I haven't read Lois McMaster Bujold or Anne McCaffrey but I definitely need to so thanks for reminding me! I think I tried an Elizabeth Moon and gave up on it but I can't for the life of me figure out which of her books it was so maybe I'm confusing her with another author!

[@juliettechaplin2685]

Have you read Girls of paper and fire ? I'm not sure it counts as high/epic fantasy, but it sounds like something you might really like!

[@Slendergirl89]

We have a scarily similar opinion on Fantasy books (you’re maybe the only other person I’ve come across who also doesn’t rate Daenerys!). Based on this I couldn’t recommend Tigana by Guy Gabriel Kay highly enough. The most beautiful writing, so morally complex, multiple perspectives and it’s a book I find I always feel the need to reread every so often. It’s a ‘grown up’ fantasy and straddles the line between ‘genre’ and literary for me.

[@Anna-wh1zn]

I also love anything by Guy Gabriel Kay. The writing is so superb. He deserves a larger readership.

[@_reveux]

we have such different tastes wow but uhh in terms if recommandations, have you tried any samantha shannon? that might fit your preferences in terms of writing, at least the priory of the orange tree would!! the bone season starts kinda weak (but gets way better) and also definitely has loads of technology which you probably wouldn’t enjoy as much. in terms of a rec that i’m like 50/50 on talking about, there’s the witcher series?? personally i really loved it and it gets super political and plays with time and LOADS of perspectives (many of which are episodic) but you need to get through the first two books which are novella collections and also written from geralt’s perspective only, so there’s not many female characters at first (and they’re often over-sexualised, but that changes in later books too). once the Actual Books start with blood of elves it’s quite good. love a series where you have to consult the map multiple times lol

[@_reveux]

someone mentioned piranesi and i agree that i think you’d like susanna clarke’s writing and concepts! perhaps both piranesi and jonathan strange (although that one surely isn’t epic fantasy)

[@elelittle1474]

Evrything you mentioned here is exactly my own issue. Ive trailed reddit and discords, searching for recommendations. I've had some hits and misses, I luckily have Hobb to look forward to, picking up Assassins Apprentice soon. But I'll be keeping an eye on comments for any recommendations because I am so drawn to the genre and often so dissapointed. Maybe that means there's a gap or crossover somewhere to be had between lit fic and fantasy.

[@MercysBookishMusings]

I hope you enjoy Hobb but I do think she's spoiled me for all other fantasy 🤣

[@elelittle1474]

@@MercysBookishMusings atleast theres a good chunk of them to wade through I guess. I'm so glad you did this video as I am constantly saying 'used to reading literary fiction, crave fantasy'. I'll try keep hopeful.

[@Fyoosha]

I think you might like The Traitor Baru Cormorant! It’s kind of coming of age, includes plenty of social commentary, isn’t fast-paced, and is heavily focused on the economic realities of war and occupation. Plus there’s a really devastating twist!

[@KnightHunterBooks]

I came to this comment section to recommend the same!

[@actual-spinster]

have you read the unspoken name by ak larkwood? might be good! not sure tho ! a novella series that could be fun for u, but again im not totally sure is nghi vo's the singing hill's cycle.... maybe the priory of the orange tree by samantha shannon? there is definite tropiness but its nice and has a whole bunch of women at the forefront of the story, i felt... also i havent read it yet but i've heard a lot of good things about the city of brass by s.a chakraborty. i dont really read many men lol so a lot of the books and series you mentioned that you had read and didnt like meant i dont have that much of my own experience to cross reference to figure out if you would like these so yeah. good luck finding good fantasy books for you!!

[@actual-spinster]

oka actually like there are gods in the unspoken name to some degree but like i think you could still enjoy it, it has a kind of le guin plot but with a much more elaborate writing style in comparison.... also it is fun and gay which os clearly most of my recs lol

[@MercysBookishMusings]

No, I haven't tried anything by ak larkwood or nghi vo so I'll have to give them a go :) I did actually get about 150 pages into priory a couple of years ago then put it down and didn't get back to it. I wasn't disliking it but it just didn't grab me. I've got it on audio now so maybe I'll see if I prefer it in that format.

[@actual-spinster]

@@MercysBookishMusings cool ! well i hope you enjoy them wheb you get to them! i think priory does get a bit more pacy iirc!

[@jennyking1773]

My most recent favourite fantasies are A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan (5 books - all on scribd and recommend the audio) - written as a memoir from a strong female protagonist who fights against a British Edwardian style society to become a dragon naturalist. Greatcoats by Sebastien de Castell (4 books - also highly recommend the audio) - a Three Musketeer style action series with really strong characters and friendships, and great dialogue. Also his YA series Spellslinger has one of the best Animal Companions I’ve ever read (squirrel-cat with an attitude). Also for some backlist I fell in love with Jules Watson and Fiona McIntosh when I discovered Juliet Marillier and I really want to re-read these.

[@MercysBookishMusings]

I tried that series and it didn't work me for me. I think its classed as regency fantasy? Which I don't think works for me. I'll tried Betrayal by Fiona McIntosh and found it super mean spirited and offensive but I'll give Jules Watson a go 👍

[@StationEm]

The Singing Hills Cycle by Nghi Vo might be worth checking out, they're fantasy novellas but I'm not sure they'd be catogarized as epic.

[@thisiscamilles]

Brent Weeks is an author I found around the same time as reading Brandon Sanderson. The scale of world, magic system, and political system is similar to Sanderson, but Weeks writes truly believable characters which I sometimes struggled with in Sanderson's work. Weeks's Lightbringer series (book 1: The Black Prism) is amazing and the magic system is so captivating. It utilizes the light spectrum and each color has a corresponding material form which feels complicated at first but then quickly really natural. Also the representation of women is great, with deep/complex characters that get a ton of time in the story especially after book 1. Can't recommend this series enough!

[@FHMS97]

i have SO MANY thoughts on this topic, but they all basically come down to "SAME." i also struggle a lot with fantasy, for all the reasons you mentioned (the lack of focus on characters, the basic writing, the lack of female characters, the fast paced plots), but also because i feel like fantasy is a really big time investment that a lot of the times just doesnt end up paying off for me 🤷‍♀️ it takes fantasy books a lot of time to establish their worlds and magic systems and plots so generally speaking you have to read a good chunk of a fantasy book to really get a feel for whether youll like it or not. and it can just get very discouraging to invest the time to read 100+ pages of a fantasy book only to DNF it and then try another and have the same thing happen again etc etc. like i want to find a fantasy i enjoy--and i genuinely do love the plottiness and higher stakes of fantasy--but it feels like my efforts never pay off lol. i guess another issue i have is that so many fantasies feel really bland/like they dont have any personality. i think a large part of this stems from the basic writing, but also just in general it feels like fantasy books get really caught up in the Epic Scale of it all that everything becomes about Justice and Death and The World and we lose sight of the more personal or intimate aspects of the characters and their reactions to all those Big Topics. that being said, there are a lot of really interesting sounding and diverse fantasies that are coming out this year, so hopefully those wont disappoint! im especially excited for The Stardust Thief, which you mentioned in your last video, and am also curious about holly black's first adult fantasy, The Book of Night 👀

[@MercysBookishMusings]

I'm glad I'm not alone in these thoughts! I know what you mean about the length. I don't tend to mind that because I seem to read fantasy much faster than literary fiction. But it's still annoying to dnf a book when you've put significant time in! Yes, there does seem to be some interesting new releases coming out so fingers crossed!

[@FHMS97]

(Its been a couple of weeks since I left this comment but I just wanted to come back here and recommend The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty because I recently read it and loved it so much!!! I'm not sure if you've tried reading it but the entire series is just incredible and gets better with every book (there are 3 of them). I binge read the whole series in about a week and a half and its now my favourite fantasy series ever haha. The worldbuilding is so detailed and interesting (it's based on a historical middle eastern world), the plot is super compelling, and the character dynamics are SO well done. It was basically the fantasy series of my dreams come to life lol)

[@laurakuhlmann1626]

You've captured my issues with modern fantasy perfectly. The only part where I disagreed was your opinion of LOTR (but I did read that when I was younger and my reading tastes were still maturing) 😉. One fantasy I'm curious to read is "Sword of Kaigen"

[@bluebrightstar1117]

I personally loved it ! I encourage you to read it

[@bookterror]

Okay, I have a few suggestions that might work for you? I am quite sure on the first one but the rest is mostly guesswork. - The Four Profound Weaves by r.m. Lemberg (actually the entire Birdverse of which this is the only novel currently out). It's from a nonbinary Jewish, Eastern European author and the fantasy world is clearly inspired by her faith and very queer-focused. She has a very dense and lyrical writing style which I think you would love (the audiobook is also great!). This novel follows two older main characters, one who transitioned early in life, one only recently, who are both still finding a way to interact with a community that does not know what to do with trans people. There is also a quest, magic creations as a commodity, and so much more to dissect and explore. Several pieces of the Birdverse are free online and if you want a taste of the world and writing, I would suggest reading Grandmother-Nai-Leylit's Cloth of Winds. There is also an FAQ on their website to help explain the world and a suggested reading order. - The Grey House by Mariam Petrosyan, translated by Yuri Machkasov - it's the entire trilogy in one book. It is a russian low fantasy series with an entire cast of disabled characters. I struggle to explain this series and why I keep thinking about it since it's hard to compare to anything else, I haven't read anything like it. We follow two stories at the same time: Smoker, who is thrown out of his clique and his routine, and Grasshopper, a new arrival at the school.What follows is a slow unraveling of how the students all interact with one another, each group distinct and distrustful towards outsiders, as we learn the rules of this place. At times magical, at times oppressive, the house is almost an entity of its own. - Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang. Asian-American author, East Asian inspired world with North African influences and white people as the colonized. It's a high fantasy standalone with elemental magic but there a few hints at the lager universe this is set in and it therefor might not satisfy 100% with the ending (It wasn't planned to be a standalone), it also includes some modern items like radio. The plot follows 144 year old Mamoru who is set up to the next leader of his country men (basically the chosen one) and his mother Misaki who had lived a very different life before her arranged marriage. Themes of family and grief are a big focus and I loved how it explored war beyond the training sequences and epic battles. - To Your Eternity by Oima Yostitaka. My pitch: This manga is about a being that learns what it means to be human. The main character is immortal and magical. We don't know why he is there, what he is and why he can shapeshift or how his powers work. Along his quest to find some of these answers we are introduced to many delightful characters, fascinating worlds and an ominous presence that is watching over him. It's an emotional yet heartbreaking story. - Piranesi by Susanna Clarke. But that entirely depends on how much you think a beautiful writing style can make you overlook the urban fantasy setting. - The Kingfountain series by Jeff Wheeler. It kind of inspired by King Arthur? Each book has a time skip and we follow Owen who in the first book has been taken in by his king and is now under threat to prove himself. His mentor is a women, Ankarette. You mentioned Marrillier in the end, which I would actually out into fantasy romance, same with the Nightrunner series. But I'm unsure if you would be interested in more recs that include books that are 50/50 on the romance and the fantasy parts?

[@bookwormkara]

This is so interesting to me! I’m very picky when it comes to picking up fantasy but once I do pick something I usually enjoy it because I’ve spent forever stewing on the decision to actually read it. World building is usually my problem - it feels so difficult for me to learn & buy into. I also dislike anything remotely medieval feeling which rules out a lot. So even though I didn’t always know what was happening during The Broken Earth trilogy, I was totally in & still needed to know what happened & I was really happy I read it. Some others I’ve loved are both of Erin Morgenstern’s books, The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune, Piranesi by Susannah Clarke, and All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders. Though these may not really feel like EPIC fantasies but potentially more literary, I wonder if you may have good luck trying them after striking out with the epic ones! Some that I want to try are Naomi Novik’s books, Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho, and A Crown of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas which I think all lean slightly more “epic” and could be for you!

[@MercysBookishMusings]

Reading this comment had made me realise how picky and negative my reply is going to sound so apologies! Haha. I'm not a fan of Erin Morgenstern's or Sarah J Maas' writing style. I've read Sorcerer to the Crown and thought the plot at the end was a bit of a mess also I'm not sure how much I enjoy that kind of regency feeling fantasy? I hated Uprooted by Naomi Novik but I've people who hated it still loved Spinning Silver so I might try that. I do enjoy some literary fantasy but feel like it doesn't really scratch the itch if you know what I mean? What I love about epic fantasy is how someone creates this whole world with it's own history and politics. I will pick Piranesi up though because I like her writing style :)

[@bookwormkara]

@@MercysBookishMusings haha no don't worry about it! I was like "I'll just throw out a variety, who knows?" Piranesi was a 5 star read for me this year so now I guess I have to read Jonathan Strange!

[@BrightandBookish]

So I just stumbled across your channel so I am not super familiar with your overall reading taste but I am a fan of both fantasy and literary fiction so thought I might recommend a few books that I didn't see in the comments down below. Firstly though I think you may have more luck if you focus on looking for high fantasy recommendations rather than epic fantasy ones. Epic fantasy can also be high fantasy as high fantasy describes the level of fantasy in a given book, so Jade City for example is low fantasy as there are elements that are from our modern world, Lord of the Rings on the other hand is high fantasy because there is little that is recognizable from our world, but it's incredibly common for the gods to be directly involved in the conflicts in epic fantasy which it seems like you really hate from the number of times you mentioned it in the video. Also for this reason I don't think you should try Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen series. While it is a beautifully crafted post-modernist take on fantasy and has some of the most literary writing of anything in the speculative genre that I have ever read, it is rife with gods meddling because the scope is so vast and it is so epic. The only other high fantasy that is also epic that I can think of is The Crown of Stars series by Kate Elliott. I think that it is beautifully written but since you mostly just said you found the writing "weak" in the examples you gave that you didn't like I'm not really sure what you didn't like...the conventions of speculative fiction are different from literary fiction and no publisher would ever publish an epic fantasy novel that was written in a literary voice (there are crossover books but they aren't epic fantasy, the only real crossovers I can think of are things like The Witch's Heart by Genevieve Gornichec which is mythic fantasy and features the Norse Gods extensively). I don't think you mentioned Guy Gavriel Kay at all in your video, he is also well known for his beautiful and complex writing, and his books are slow, like glacial slow. Technically he writes historical fantasy, but unless you are actively looking for the links to the specific historical time period he is basing his world on it's easy to become immersed in the fantasy worlds he creates. He has been criticized for not having great representation of women, but I don't necessarily agree, I would recommend you try A Song for Arbonne first as it has great female characters. These last two are really more longshots and you probably won't like them given the narrow focus of what you described liking. But you might look into Sarah Beth Durst or T. Kingfisher. Though Durst's writing is fairly utilitarian, she creates interesting characters and her stories are slower paced. T. Kingfisher may be hit or miss for you, there is a certain absurdity in her work, but it's not the silliness of Pratchett because it is often coupled with incredibly dark themes. Her characters are incredible and her stories are more ponderous though again her writing is not literary though she has a very unique voice that is not like other fantasy that I have read. She tends more towards fairytale-esque stories which you didn't really mention liking or disliking.

[@MercysBookishMusings]

Thanks for the comment :) In terms of what I mean by weak writing I think authors like Robin Hobb, George R R Martin and Patrick Rothfuss write well (although I do have an issue with Patrick Rothfuss' depiction of women). But I think in general as I read predominantly literary fiction my expectations are that writing is the most important followed by character development and then plot. Whereas in most genre fiction that is flipped so plot is the most important followed by characters followed by writing style. So in lots of the fantasy I pick up (I'm thinking Fonda Lee and Brandon Sanderson as the most obvious examples) the writing is very simple the majority of the time which I can accept. But it also falls into clichés and quite cheesy lines, particularly at the end of chapters. Some of the villains also read as very tropey and flat. I've recently reviewed 4 fantasy books I've read and I talk more about the writing style in that video. I actually started The Witch's Heart and didn't enjoy it because of the distance from the characters. For me an author like Robin Hobb is closer to literary fiction than a book like The Witch's Heart. Thanks for the recommendations. Quite a few people mentioned Guy Gavriel Kay but also mentioned the poor representation of women. I will definitely check one of his books out though :) I don't think my focus is narrow really. I like the vast majority of fantasy tropes except gods. I think it's disappointing that asking for diversity, well developed characters and strong writing is so hard to find in such a big genre. I'm trying to read lots of fantasy this year so I'm hoping that I'll lots more books that suit my preferences :)

[@BrightandBookish]

​@@MercysBookishMusings I think that your focus is perhaps more narrow than you think, tropes are only one part of what makes fantasy it's own genre, there are also other stylistic considerations such as pacing, worldbuilding, structure, etc. What you asked for is an adult, slow paced, character focused, high fantasy, without modern elements and without gods, that isn't a heist, that has a voice that is close to the characters, and has a more "literary" writing style. I've read 83 adult fantasy books (novels and novellas) both modern fantasy and older backlist titles over the past 4 years and not a single one of them fits the narrow focus that you have asked for. If you keep looking for the same thing you will continue to be disappointed, fantasy as a genre is not all about characters, it never has been, authors like Robin Hobb are outliers, not the norm. The beauty of genre fiction is that it isn't literary fiction so I hope that you can find a way to embrace fantasy for what it is, fast, action packed plots, cliched writing and all.

[@MercysBookishMusings]

@@BrightandBookish I think that whilst there are certain things I know I'm less likely to enjoy (such as gods, faster pacing and modern world settings) there are exceptions to this rule in that some books have these things but I still enjoy them. Also out of the fantasy I've read whilst a lot has disappointed me I've found quite a few that haven't. I think out of the amount I've read my success rate for a predominantly literary fiction reader isn't bad so I still have hope :)

[@betsey2966]

I’m primarily a literary fiction reader, as well, though I try to branch out and do read some genre fiction. Fantasy has been a stretch for me and your opinions here are so similar to mine that I think I should give it a better try! Would you have a too fantasy book that you’ve read that you would recommend wholeheartedly? I really enjoyed this!

[@MercysBookishMusings]

Yes, I'd 100% recommend Robin Hobb's books Either start with Assassin's Apprentice or Ship of Magic. I think I linked my video about the whole series in the description if you'd like to know more :)

[@betsey2966]

@@MercysBookishMusings I’m about halfway through Assassin’s Apprentice due to your recommendation and loving it! Thank you! It’s so wild to me-I looked up more info on Robin Hobb and found that she lives about 40 minutes from me and she did a shout out for postcards on her blog, so I sent her one! It’s so strange reading about her and reading her blog and it being local to me! Amazing! Thank you for the suggestion!

[@GemReadsALot]

Based on the trope of animal companions, maybe try the bone shard daughter by Andrea Stewart. I wasn’t a big fan but I think you might like it

[@MercysBookishMusings]

I tried it and thought the writing was pretty weak so gave up on it 🤣

[@GemReadsALot]

@@MercysBookishMusings 👍🏻

[@jenvcampbell]

I recently read Ring Shout by P. Djeli Clark and I think you'd love it. It isn't epic fantasy - I'd describe it as literary fantasy with an element of horror. Super short, and the audio is supposed to be excellent, too. xx

[@MercysBookishMusings]

I've got it lined up on audio as I've heard so many people rave about it ☺ xx

[@leeh4343]

Scorpica by GR Macallister is a recent release, first in a series that I have heard really good things about - I’m keen to read it - maybe it could be something that would interest you? 😊 I also don’t read a lot of fantasy and we have Juliet Marillier in common 😊 Also I’m going to recommend my favourite middle grade series called Frostheart- I absolutely adore it 😊 - it has a kind of chosen one idea, a quest and found family 😊

[@MercysBookishMusings]

Ohhh, I haven't heard of Scorpica so thanks for the rec!

[@martha7157]

Please read golem and djinni by Helene Wecker

[@MercysBookishMusings]

This is on my list but my understanding is that its set in our world so more historical fantasy than epic fantasy

[@Samalys71]

Have you read anything by Jenna moreci ? She does epic fantasy romance. She's here on booktube. There's also an anthology called "the weird" that has authors like George RR Martin and Octavia Butler in it and it's short stories by them so you could see if there's an author's style that sparks your interest...sometimes I need more than an excerpt so I find short form stories can mitigate that. Haven't finished watching your video yet- but those popped into my mind! So if I think of something else I'll probably leave another comment 😂

[@MercysBookishMusings]

No, I've never even heard of her so thanks for the rec! I have considered short story collections but I just can't imagine a epic fantasy short story. How do they fit it all in? 🤣

[@Samalys71]

@@MercysBookishMusings in that regard (the short stories) I think it's a good way to see what style you like. I'd rather read a story than just a rouge chapter excerpt from a longer work 🤷

[@Anna-wh1zn]

I also love a chunky epic fantasy, preferably with a quest. And it has to be very well written. I find that a lot of the newer fantasy coming out has a lot of sex in it. I don't mind sex in a book if the scene is relevant to moving the story forward, but I really hate gratuitous sex in a storyline. I think it is the sign of a weak writer (it feels like filler) and I'm definitely not interested in a sex scene if I'm in the mood for epic fantasy. I seem to have better luck with older fantasy than with the type of stories they are currently publishing.

[@stormy7722]

I think if you surveyed every single Sanderson fan, most would be 30 or younger. Nothing wrong with at all, kudos to him for writing a story for a younger crowd and being so successful. I find the books hollow, and lacking character depth. I read 3 of his books less than 2 years ago and if u paid me 1 million dollars i couldnt for the life of me name 1 character from any of the books.

[@MercysBookishMusings]

I think you're probably right. I read the mistborn trilogy when I was about 23 and really enjoyed it but I think I'd hate it uf I read it now 🤣

[@schreiboderstirb389]

Oh my god I have exactly the same problem! 🙈 I have been looking for someone else who feels that way for ages!

[@myfirstnovel]

This was funny because I loved so many of these series so what can I add? I kept thinking that all your pet peeves about fantasy could be solved by switching to science-fiction (although the God complex is often prevalent). In that area, Dune comes to mind obviously, the short stories of Ted Chiang and Naomi Novak in general. I did love Broken Earth and would push on with Jemisin, you might also like her short stories How far til future black month. Stay away from The city we became though, cities as gods may be the final straw. Stormlight by Sanderson, the 2nd book is tops, if you can’t get onboard, move on. I loved King’s The Dark Tower (from the third book on) so I would run in the other direction. 🤣

[@viktoriiah4443]

Ironically I’m the exact opposite. I mostly read fantasy and science fiction but I watch your videos for when I crave a literary fiction. I’m extremely picky with literary fiction and it takes me ages to find something that works. I would recommend Joe Abercromie but I’m not sure how you’d like the grim dark-ness of his books. His writing is amazing but dark. Maybe the Queen of Blood by Sarah Beth Durst would work for you, with a younger character but I believe it reads really easy. Oh! Please look up the Saga of Recluce! Almost each book can be read as a standalone and one of them might fit all your checkpoints :)

[@Jennikreads]

I you might like the Inda series by Sherwood Smith. It for sure has that whole band of various people coming together. It has queer characters and strong female characters,. It sort of has the chosen one trope, but not exactly, I can't remember a prophecy or dream related to Inda, but he's obviously treated as the chosen one. There are battle scenes in this, but it's not relentless, it's more character political focused.

[@earwen6816]

The second book in the Ken Liu series might be worth checking out still. I had the same issues with the first book you did, especially about female characters. I only tried the second book because I read there were some LGBT characters and I was curious about it. It blew my expectations out of the water it reads completely differently. The first book felt almost like a history text book to me at times while I flew through the second one. It has much stronger characters and most of them are women. It felt like a really female focused book to me which was very refreshing after the first one.

[@MercysBookishMusings]

Hahahaha, don't tempt me! It's so annoying to think that I'd have to read a 600 page book I don't enjoy to maybe get a to one I do! But I've heard so many people say the same as you so it is very tempting!

[@pernillehesselbjerg7926]

I still want to recommend the Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima 😉 Maybe also Finniken of the Rock by Melina Marchetta

[@abigase135]

SO I just read the title and watched 2minutes of this and I have to comment before forgetting; I mainly read fantasy and it's recently been putting me in a slump because I'm also in it for the writing and it's not always spectacular. I've been recommended Daniel Abraham and Guy Gavriel Kay for their writing and I think I'll give them a try before abandoning the genre edit: I agree with what you've said about women in fantasy, The Riyria Revelations has a prostitute but I personally think her character is handled well, I feel like mentioning the tropes here would be a spoiler. I also recommend checking out the Queen's Thief.

[@MercysBookishMusings]

Haha, yes I've read all of the realm of the elderlings and the name of the wind. I do need to try Guy Gavriel Kay but none of his books actually sound that interesting to me plot wise 🤣

[@abigase135]

@@MercysBookishMusings I had to edit my comment to change recs and this time I checked your Gr before recommending! I've had the same issue with Gavriel Kay, his books sound more historical than fantasy.

[@md1111md]

I want to read more fantasies written by female authors too, and recently, am enjoying the 1st book called The Ninth Rain in the Winnowing rain trilogy by Jen Williams. Also has some lgbt representation which I love, and an older woman protagonist which is something new. For something sweet and lighter, my fave would be The House in the Cerulean Sea, which is very wholesome, has queer characters, and feels very hopeful.

[@MercysBookishMusings]

Thanks for both of the recommendations :) I'm glad you're enjoying The Ninth Rain!

[@abigase135]

I give up 😂 I had farseer, name of the wind and winternight as my recommendations. It's selfish but I'm glad I'm not the only one struggling to be a female fantasy reader, r/fantasy was a great help to me when I had trouble picking something, maybe give it a try? if you don't wanna post there, you can just search in the subreddit without even having to create an account.

[@MercysBookishMusings]

Thanks for the rec! I'll have a look on there ☺

[@toinenosoite3173]

If writing is your thing, I would like to recommend Guy Gavriel Kay. He is extremely light on the fantasy though, and bases several of his books on real history. Anyway, his writing is beautiful and enchanting, his characters (men and women) interesting and complex, as are the worlds. My favourite of the five I have read by him is A Brightness Long Ago. A strong recommendation for it! PS. I found your reasoning for not continuing with Soldier Son a bit strange - I didn't find it based on what you think - it is much more about colonialism than anything else. PPS. You are wrong about the other N. K. Jemisin series - it is not based on that premise (although I have only read the first two books) - but there are gods in the book, that is true.

[@monee8623]

Have you read The Sword of Kaigen?

[@MercysBookishMusings]

No, I haven't but it's on my radar as one to pick up because I've seen lots of positive reviews :)

[@bluebrightstar1117]

We have pretty similar taste in fantasy (except that I like gods). I think you'd really like the sword of Kaigen by M L Wang and master of sorrows by Justin Call.

[@septembergold8095]

This was not the assignment but knowing you love boardgames and fantasy and are frustrated by the lack of good stories - I have started playing Dungeons and Dragons about a year ago and that fills the hole a bit because we "write" our own cool stories ;) It's something that I had many misconceptions about until I was lovingly forced to try it once and turns out when you have a good group of people it's the absolute best! For a very popular representation of what it can look like you might take a look at the new campaign of Critical Role here on KZbin

[@MercysBookishMusings]

I do really want to play D&D - I just need to get a group together!

[@septembergold8095]

@@MercysBookishMusings Yeah that's the biggest entry hurdle. You need a group of motivated players and a decent DM and everyone should be in for the same type of experience, or else it can be grating. In my experience once you have some people you end up finding more. It's easier finding people to play digitally than in person because you're less limited, maybe that's a starting point?

[@janedraycott5919]

I have a similar problem with fantasy these days. I think I read so much of it when I was a teenager, and then I read Robin Hobb, and that basically ruined it for me because nothing else is as good, imaginative, or immersive. And so much of it is sexist, racist, lazy Tolkienesque homage, or a bit too YA and formulaic/trope-laden for my tastes. I enjoyed the Broken Earth trilogy somewhat but I guessed the twist early on in the first book and don't feel the need to reread, and while I've enjoyed some of her short stories, her other books don't really appeal. I did really enjoy Ann Leckie's Ancillary trilogy but that's probably more sci-fi than fantasy, and I haven't got round to her Raven Tower standalone yet. I liked Samantha Shannon's Priory of the Orange Tree for the world-building and playing with myth and folklore but the writing isn't the strongest. I do enjoy Jacqueline Carey's books, the Kushiel's Dart trilogy and the follow up, and her standalones Starcrossed and Miranda and Caliban (a retelling of the Tempest). Also Tessa Gratton's The Queens of Innis Lear (a retelling of King Lear) although I hated the sequel Lady Hotspur.

[@antiagarcia7495]

I bet I’m not being original but maybe you would like “Priory of the orange tree” by Samantha Shannon. It’s a popular one so I bet you know. I found the writing was ok, nothing special, but the plot was fine (not too fast) - female protagonists, diversity and LGBTQ representation and some sort of quest/travelling, plus some training plot, so it might tick some of your boxes (but I think you aren’t into dragons?) Maybe check “The mirror empire” by Kameron Hurley for female lead and very (I thought) unique world building

[@MercysBookishMusings]

I got about a third of the way through Priory and gave up because I didn't feel that interested and I thought was pretty basic. But maybe I'll give it another go ☺ I forgot that I've read The Mirror Empire. I thought the plot got super messy so I decided not to continue with the series.

[@WhoaThereMama]

Albus was just trying to demonstrate his own magical ability and you censored him. At least that's what my cats told me when they saw this.

[@rebeccamaclean6242]

Rebecca Roanhorse The Black Sun

[@MercysBookishMusings]

I'm currently reading and enjoying it 😊

[@ericsierra-franco7802]

There's a lot of garbage in the fantasy genre. I just reread Tolkien periodically to get my fix.

[@emmanorris5541]

Yep. This describes me exactly. I want to recommend The Book of the Ancestor Trilogy by Mark Lawerence (first in the series is Red Sister). Most of his books are *not* for me (grimdark, gratuitous violence), but enough people recommended it, and the fact that all of the central characters are women was enough that I gave it a shot. Beautiful writing, phenomenal character development and depth of world building all balanced perfectly. I've never read anything else that ticks all three boxes to the extent that he does, and it is the single fantasy series I compare everything to (probably akin to Robin Hobb for you!) Beyond some blood and guts (you'll know pretty quick if it's something you want to read or not...it gets less heavy handed as the series goes on), there is a single chapter content warning for animal abuse. You'll see it coming and I recommend most people just skip it. I think it was an unfortunate inclusion that made it through editing due to re-calibrating from a hardcore grimdark audience to something broader audiences can handle. It's not necessary to the plot at all and definitely gratuitous and unnecessary. Good luck and keep us updated!

[@wiggleallaround]

Some suggestions!: The Sword of Kaigen by ML Wang -- this has been all over booktube, so you probs already know about it. The writing might skew a little YA for your tastes, but the two main characters are wonderful and I almost want to say the writing grows as the characters do? Definitely escapist epic militaristic fantasy A Master of Djinn or Ring Shout by P Djeli Clark -- not sure if you like alternative historical fantasy, but I thought these were so well written and addicting. I loved the writing, the characters, and the social commentary. And Master of Djinn has a murder mystery plot that helped me escape into the world Son of a Trickster by Eden Robinson -- ok this series definitely misses the mark for you on the modern day fantasy and dream sequences, but Eden Robinson also writes literary fiction (Monkey Beach is also wonderful) and the main character is amazing. This series is very dark in a trauma kind of way and later in a gory kind of way, so heads up if that's not your thing Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho -- regency era book with regency era-like prose! It's kind of funny, but more in a quiet witty way. Alternative magic history that looks at colonialism, so might not be the perfect escapist type of fantasy. Extras: Octavia Butler's writing is superb, but I've only read one of her fantasies (Kindred) and it's time travel back to slavery-era US, so not very escapist. The sci fi of hers I've read is also great, but also heavy hitting and not escapist. If you ever get the urge to read a sci fi series, I loved Karin Lowachee's Warchild trilogy (and new books are coming soon!). They're slow paced, character focused, and well written. I prefer fantasy usually, but I loved this series! I hope you can find more fantasies you love! I also love Robin Hobb and Juliet Marillier.

[@addie.86]

Even when I don’t share the same taste on a book as you it’s always great to hear you talk, here I agree about many of your opinions on some of the series you mentioned. If you like literary fiction, I’d recommend checking out these fantasy books: The Councillor by E.J Beaton (the writer is also a poet) and The Baru Cormorant trilogy by Seth Dickinson; The Legacy trilogy by Matthew Ward. I also recommend Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse like another commenter. I also rec the Teixcalaan series by Arkady Martin though that’s more sci-fi (not hard sci-fi but more space opera, science fantasy). Of course there’s plenty others I’ve read that I’d recommend but I’ll stop making this comment even longer lol

[@MercysBookishMusings]

Thanks for all the recs! They sound great so I'll try to pick them up soon. I'm currently reading Black Sun and enjoying it ☺

[@artbyandia]

I love fantasy, but mostly low fantasy. So, I can't help with anything with a super detailed magic system or really epic. Still, Realm of the Elderlings is my favourite series and I also couldn't get into Soldier Son. I attempted it 3 times. The First Law series by Joe Abercrombie is my 2nd favourite fantasy series. However, I am not sure if you will like it because even though the characters are great, there is a lot of silly and sometimes dark humour. The humour is what makes me like it so much since most grimdark is usually too over the top for me. I have some recommendations and I hope you like at least one of these: "The Forgotten Beasts of Eld" by Patricia A. McKillip (personal favourite) "A Natural History of Dragons" by Marie Brennan (series) "The Golem and the Jinni" by Helene Wecker "The Empress of Salt and Fortune" by Nghi Vo (series of novellas) "Silver in the Wood" by Emily Tesh (novella and there is a sequel) I keep getting recommended "The Curse of Chalion" by Lois McMaster Bujold as a more optimistic Hobb, but I think there are gods in it and I don't tend to like that either. I will still attempt that book this year though. Are you thinking of making a video with the results? I would like to find more good recommendations too 😆

[@MercysBookishMusings]

Glad to hear it wasn't just me with Soldier Son! I think I will give The First law series a try because I am very curious after hearing so many people talk about it. Thanks for all those other recommendations :) I'm definitely hoping to do some videos on which ones I read. I'm thinking maybe spoilery vlogs for some of the more popular ones like The First Law series?

[@artbyandia]

@@MercysBookishMusings I would like to hear your thoughts about first law. I am afraid you will not like it ahah I feel like I must warn you that some people have fair issues with the first trilogy, but the author improved a lot from the comments about some of it, like the sexism. Still, personally, I love the female characters in there even if there aren't many of them and all of the characters are not nice people so the books are not for everyone.