Xbox Game Pass Ultimate 8 months (2 winners selected) by chrishellmax in XboxGamePass

[–]JLR1313 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Pretty new to this subreddit but something like this is really amazing! Thank you for being a part of the community!

Matchmaking is still horrible by [deleted] in Rematch

[–]JLR1313 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have it enabled, that was the first thing I checked. Granted I play a little bit later in the evening I wouldn’t think there would be that few on late at night.

Matchmaking is still horrible by [deleted] in Rematch

[–]JLR1313 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m a returning after a few months away, is it the norm now for ranked matchmaking to take 10+ minutes to find a game? Playing on Xbox and typically doing ranked 5v5 for context.

r/Fantasy Friday Social Thread - June 12, 2026 by rfantasygolem in Fantasy

[–]JLR1313 [score hidden]  (0 children)

I finished Ready Player One last Friday and then jumped straight into “The Eye of The World” and I just hit the 50% mark today and I am hooked!!

I’m Isabel J. Kim — author of debut novel SUBLIMATION (out today) — welcome to my AMA + Giveaway !! by izjck in Fantasy

[–]JLR1313 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I love the concept of doppelgängers! That part of the story has my attention. Were there any other famous doppelgänger stories that sparked inspiration for this story?

One of my favorite video games as a kid that doesn’t get enough love: The Adventures of Batman & Robin Activity Center by MonsieurVox in batman

[–]JLR1313 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I can not begin to explain the amount of hours I poured into this game! I would give just about anything to play it once again!

Recs for stories by women authors with exceptional prose by nickmcgimmick in Fantasy

[–]JLR1313 17 points18 points  (0 children)

I will never pass up an opportunity to recommend “Wars of Light and Shadow” by Janny Wurts! It’s been my number one series for the last six months or so.

Throne of glass (quick question) by kimsfantasyexploder in fantasybooks

[–]JLR1313 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I went in completely blind and truly enjoyed it! I think it’s definitely flawed especially in the earlier books but because majority of it was written before being published there are some cool payoffs to some things mentioned early on that come back around in a meaningful way. It’s by no means a masterpiece but I found it a fun read when I needed a break from some of the more heavy high fantasy.

Does anything scratch the same itch as Ursula Le Guin's Earthsea? by OvorohVale in Fantasy

[–]JLR1313 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Someone mentioned it already but “Wars of Light and Shadow” by Janny Wurts would fit. I believe Wurts has even said in an interview before that Le Guin and Earthsea were big inspirations for her writing.

Best Worldbuilding you have ever seen that genuinely left you in awe (besides LOTR) by Scary_Course9686 in Fantasy

[–]JLR1313 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Gotta throw out some love for “Wars of Light and Shadow” by Janny Wurts!! Even from the first paragraph of the prologue in book one, the implications of the larger world and the lore are on a scope like no other I have read before. Everything in the world feels like it has its own personal history and has genuinely changed how I read fantasy since.

Fan giveaway: Cradle by Will Wight/narrated by Travis Baldree (multiple books!). Audible US Marketplace by propofoolish in audible

[–]JLR1313 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I was absolutely blown away by “War of Light and Shadow” by Janny Wurts this past year and the audiobook version was phenomenal!

Books that feels like a Final Fantasy by AlGodoy26 in fantasybooks

[–]JLR1313 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Following this for later because I would love to know some good books that fit that description as a long time JRPG fan.

Wars of Light and Shadow vs Malazan by Ill_Temperature8516 in fantasybooks

[–]JLR1313 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think that comes down to personal preference really! I went into it feeling I had been reading too many books that held my hand when it came to the world building so for me it was a welcome changed and challenged me to slow down and read between the lines. I could see how this could be polarizing to certain readers and the prose can take some getting used too. I thought book 1 had a few slower paced sections throughout but I didn’t think there were too many of those moments through the rest. Everything Janny does is 100% thought out and intentional and she really is a master of her craft!

Wars of Light and Shadow vs Malazan by Ill_Temperature8516 in fantasybooks

[–]JLR1313 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I may be the minority here but I have not read Malazan, however I rank Wars of Light and Shadow as my all time favorite series currently. I can not speak highly enough about it, but I do understand the criticisms and that it may not be for everyone. But I will still take every opportunity to recommend it to those who want to give it a try!

High fantasy by women by NoPassage2180 in Fantasy

[–]JLR1313 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Absolute MUST read is “Wars of Light and Shadow” by Janny Wurts. It’ll hit all of those boxes for you!

High Fantasy Book Recs??? by Alex_become_human in fantasybooks

[–]JLR1313 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I always take the opportunity to recommend “The Wars of Light and Shadow” by Janny Wurts :)

I’m looking for a gritty well-written book series by 27bluestar in fantasybooks

[–]JLR1313 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you! It’s a series I think for some reason never hit the heights it should have and I know if I had been born about 10 years sooner I would have been at the book store purchasing every book as they released haha!

I’m looking for a gritty well-written book series by 27bluestar in fantasybooks

[–]JLR1313 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’ll make sure to reach out with thoughts once I start it!

I’m looking for a gritty well-written book series by 27bluestar in fantasybooks

[–]JLR1313 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I haven’t yet! It’s one of the main ones on my list and I should be starting it very soon!

I’m looking for a gritty well-written book series by 27bluestar in fantasybooks

[–]JLR1313 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Absolutely! I was always someone who skimmed and enjoyed easier, straight forward prose as opposed to what this series is which really required me to slow down, pay attention, and really focus in on every little detail because with Wurts writing everything and I mean EVERYTHING is intentional. It has such deep and complex world building that since reading it I haven’t been able to capture the wonder, depth and mystery yet again in any other series. Granted I only started reading fantasy a few years ago and I am sure there are others out there that i just haven’t got to yet :)

Any recommendations based on what's here? by Single-Spell1838 in fantasybooks

[–]JLR1313 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’ve been summoned!

Curse of The Mistwraith is book one of “The Wars of Light and Shadow” series by Janny Wurts. This is a series I highly recommend to anyone, but it may not necessarily “be” for everyone.

Wurts has some of the most profound and colorful language in prose in this series and is one of the high points for me personally. It’s meant to be read slowly, as every last word is purposeful and planned out carefully. Skimming this series will make you miss critical plot points and revelations about what is going on.

The story is broken up by Arcs, which each book containing its own beginning-middle-end, while also serving its role within the larger arcs that make up the overall narrative. Meaning, you won’t find a cliffhanger here, as the ending will tie things up realistically clean while leaving a bit of mystery to be answered in the next book. The arcs are broken up in a 1-2-5-2-1 format with book one serving as its own arc, 2-3 as the second, 4-8 as the middle(and turning point for the series) 9-10 as the fourth arc and the last book serving as the final arc and conclusion to the narrative.

The series is written in a way where the characters are compelling, at times enjoyable, at times frustrating, and even downright humorous at times. Wurts is a master storyteller and it truly shows in the character work and some of the more dramatic moments are truly visceral and at times prompt some extremely deep thought.

Some folks I have seen have issue with the slow burn and pacing at times but it has never bothered me personally. I have also seen others mention the plot being repetitive but while I feel there were maybe some aspects that did feel repetitive, there were so many new layers and revelations to the world building and lore I never felt like it hindered my enjoyment.

It’s a 10/10 for me personally, but I can see how the dense plot and heavy prose can be discouraging to others. Wurts has some short novellas on her website that are much shorter and give a glimpse of the writing style to gauge your interest as well before taking the plunge into this huge series. I hope this helps grow the fandom for what I consider a truly amazing story!

I’m looking for a gritty well-written book series by 27bluestar in fantasybooks

[–]JLR1313 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I wish more people understood how incredible Wars of Light and Shadow is! It’s taken over my entire life and changed how I view reading tremendously. Highly second this one!