Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson. This is part two of an ongoing fantasy series. This was the longest book I’ve ever read, and it took nearly five months to finish. I’m taking a break from this series. The next book, Oathbreaker, is just as long, and I need to read some self-contained stories.
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick. The source material for Blade Runner. I plowed through it in a week and thought it was OK. The world added some context to the movie, and I’m looking forward to watching that and the sequel this week.
Current reading:
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. A post-apocalyptic story following theater actors. I don’t know too much about it, but I’m about two chapters in and enjoying it, especially the writing.
Over 1000 pages. I can see why it struck you as long. My experiences with Sanderson have been positive, and he’s so prolific! I haven’t started that series, though.
You will probably like this series if you’re already a Sanderson fan. This was my first foray into epic fantasy. While I enjoyed most of the ride, I just need to read a couple shorter, self-contained novels.
I took a break during the second book to read Exit West, which I highly recommend.
I think his Mistborn books are really good. (Well, the first two. I haven’t read further yet.)
I’ve started two other series by him, both YA. I thought they were both well done, though not so much the type of thing that keeps me reading: Steelheart (The Reckoners) and The Rithmatist. The latter was better than the former for me.
I’m always interested, though I have a caveat for all of the urban fantasy stuff—I really hate “Ooh, I’m a fierce zombie hunter but I totally have the hots for zombie warrior Chief Dudley and I’m in his thrall!”
Where do you stand on Ilona Andrews and Patricia Briggs? They’ve got, er, hot warrior chiefs*, but nobody is in thrall.
*(I draw the line at zombie hawtness, because, just, no)
I’ve read and enjoyed both. Maybe I’m okay with werewolves and werelions (god help me), but I HATE vampire sex stories. And sexy demons. And sexy zombies and angels and fae. Anything where Chief Dudley or his stand-in is a monster. I don’t want to read about someone shagging an actual monster.
Maybe the clearer rule: No shagging the Bad Guys. If the universe has monsters, they are off-limits for sex! OFF LIMITS! Bad protagonist! Down!
Start with Ilona Andrews “Magic” series, although I’m told the first one was a drag for some people. I didn’t mind it, but some people did. The main character is a detective/merc for hire in an alternative Atlanta. There are 9 books in the series before the 10th and final one comes out this fall. She has a few other series, but this is the one she is best known for.
Patricia Briggs - start with her Mercy Thompson series. There is a second series, Alpha and Omega, which also ties in, but should be read after you’ve started the first. There is an attack in one of the early books that may be triggering. If you prefer to start the series after that, you can do so without ruining the series. Let me know and I will tell you where to start. Come to think of it, you could easily read the books before it and just skip that one.
Have you read Meljean Brook’s Iron Duke? Steampunk and no shagging monsters.
A.A. Aguirre (Ann Aguirre and her husband teamed up) to write steampunk “noir” (no romance) mysteries Bronze Gods and Silver Mirrors. I enjoyed those.
Have you read the Eric Carter books by Stephen Blackmore? More noir urban fantasy.
The Devil’s West books by Laura Ann Gilman would be gaslamp fantasy. The US stops at the Mississippi. France has New Orleans (I think). Spain has the territory West of the Sierras. The land between the Mississippi is a wild territory, still populated by Native Americans, and small settlements governed by someone known as the Devil. The first book is Silver in the Road.
CE Murphy has a series of Austen inspired regency books in a world with magic. The first is Magic and Manners.
Seanan McGuire’s Incryptid series is urban fantasy. I don’t like some of her other series, but this one is pretty good.
I’m looking for a few other gaslight series. I’m coming across several gunpowder fantasies while I search, does anyone like those?
Also a few series that are Persian setting variations on gaslight or gunpowder fantasies - interest in those?
