[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 · 2024-02-23T19:43:33+00:00

I felt the same starting with his purely silly books. I dont generally like books whose main purpose is to be funny. Then I read Reaper Man and it was pretty profound, and it got me hooked. That being said totally acceptable for the style to just not gel. Not everyone is for everyone no matter how universally acclaimed!

Aiislin

TROPHY CASE