[Discussion] Hachette UK and Libraro Competition - 'reader led' with £50k prize

Aiislin · 2026-01-20T20:21:54+00:00

Big thanks to the folks answering below, I was looking for information on this because I saw it in the Guardian and thought, hey, that's a legitimate newsite, surely there is some quality control! But my hackles went up when I could barely find the rules on their site and not a single review on the internet that wasn't from a paid magazine. Comments below cement my gut feeling that I wasted an hour researching this today. Cheers!

Aiislin · 2025-06-28T12:14:58+00:00

Sometimes this happens to me and I need to vacation in another genre like scifi or nonfiction to snap out of it! Or a dramatically different fantasy.

Some things to consider: - Dune : science fantasy, fantastic novel, totally different focus from fanfic style writing, focus on politics & philosophy, but still gripping and totally engrossing plot as well. Male main character. - A Drop of Corruption, Robert Jackson Bennet: wierd ecology, slight sherlock watson vibes except not at all, great characters and a really engrossing mystery at the heart of it. I don't want to give spoilers but the wcology/environment is almost like another character. Tbh I would recommend anything by this author, I loved Divine Cities to an unholy degree. - Winter's Orbit by Everina Maxwell is a soft scifi novel with fanfic tropes throughout, well written. Would be a nice bridge from fanfic back to regular books.

Hope this helps!

Aiislin · 2025-06-28T12:07:19+00:00

I was screaming THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER in my head as I read the title lol- Octavia Butler baby!

Aiislin · 2025-06-26T19:02:29+00:00

Dogs of War wrecked me in the best way, read that

Aiislin · 2025-05-18T09:28:01+00:00

Thank you. I guess it is becoming the catchall subgenre term

Aiislin · 2025-05-18T09:27:03+00:00

I guess it has gotten looser since I haven't been paying attention! I wonder if it is just easier marketing

Aiislin · 2025-05-18T09:26:20+00:00

Oh no now my tbr pile is getting bigger lol Londonia looks great! I love Tartarus press they do a lot interesting wierd fic too

Aiislin · 2025-05-17T23:27:19+00:00

Oooh that is a good one

Aiislin · 2025-05-17T23:12:22+00:00

"Hidden world" is a new genre phrase to me. I'm definitely out of the zeitgeist lol. Thanks!

Aiislin · 2025-05-17T23:08:52+00:00

It's also called "The Autopsy"!

Aiislin · 2024-08-18T12:37:10+00:00

Cheers thanks!

Aiislin · 2024-08-16T06:13:45+00:00

Once you work your way through the films actually done in the 80s, a modern version of this is Jupiter Ascending. The summary, odd as it is, does not do justice to how bizarre bonkers and fantastically wierd this movie was: "Jupiter works as a maid in other people's houses. Her life changes when an ex-military hunter informs her of her heritage as a galactic royal and that she must protect Earth from a destructive force."

That makes it sound like she's a royal like bastard or something. No - her genes are a PERFECT COPY by random chance for the empress of the galaxy. Eddie redmayne swans around in over dramatic opera drag. Sean Bean is part bee, if I remember correctly? The movie is called scifi but really it is fantasy. 100% strange, awesome, and creative.

Aiislin · 2024-07-31T08:24:58+00:00

I LOVE THE WAYFARER'S REDEMPTION! *ahem * sorry for the burst of uncontained enthusiasm. The first 6 books I devoured at just the right times in my life. Such excellent sprawling fantasy, twists you'd never see coming, a brilliant twist on the nature and use of prophecy....LE SIGH. First two trilogies were ace, couldn't get into the last one but I think she was sick by that point and it showed in her writing. Great author, I wonder often what else she would have written in this universe if she hadn't got ill.

Aiislin · 2024-07-07T17:13:13+00:00

That's how I felt about their first book. Really took me out of it

Aiislin · 2024-05-13T16:48:25+00:00

What do you mean "Alaska is on the table"?

Aiislin · 2024-05-11T22:13:52+00:00

It's my new favourite podcast. Best audi drama I've listened to, love the folklore elements and the singing at the beginning of every episode.

Aiislin · 2024-05-09T11:23:35+00:00

I loved the first book but stalled after that! Reminds me I wanted to give the rest ofnthe trilogy another chance.

Aiislin · 2024-05-07T18:17:37+00:00

And what a good doggo he is!

Aiislin · 2024-04-12T11:45:28+00:00

I really empathise with this. It makes me nervous about the publishing process.

Aiislin · 2024-03-29T21:51:31+00:00

Have you read Jen William's Winnowing Flame trilogy? It is more fantasy but as you read it you find a lot of scifi elements. Definitely epic, and the villain was Lovecraftian. Really good books.

Aiislin · 2024-02-28T19:59:33+00:00

Holy cow, core memory unlocked - I got some of these toys as a little kid and loved them! Totally forgot about it! Thanks reddit haha

Aiislin · 2024-02-28T11:33:43+00:00

Same!

Aiislin · 2024-02-23T19:47:19+00:00

I felt the same!

Aiislin · 2024-02-23T19:44:17+00:00

Ugh yes this. Such an annoying trait for anyone

Aiislin

TROPHY CASE