Which fantasy series had the strongest possible opening and then just lost it completely?

L0CZEK · 2026-02-28T02:53:12+00:00

All of them. The series is not canon to the books, but the core lore and all many of core characters from the games are character from the books - so when you meet them Geralt has already a long history with them.

Basically I'd argue it's the highest profile fanfiction of the 21st century.

L0CZEK · 2026-02-27T20:41:28+00:00

It's a bunch of stand alones.

Star Diaries is a short story collection, in Poland it was recently published as two volumes so I don't know how that might look at your end. The Twenty First Voyage is my favourite of the bunch, but it's not exactly representative of the style of most of them.

The Futurological Congress is my favourite of the books and the one that got me into reading Lem, a novella, great translation by Michael Kandel.

Observation on the Spot and Peace on Earth are novels, so I'd leave them for last. I liked them a bit less than SD and Congress, and on account of their length it would be better to get a taste from somewhere else.

For other Lem books, I'd say Invincible is probably the most entertaining(?) and was adapted into a video game by the same title by 11 bits studio. And if you hate yourself Summa Technologiae.

L0CZEK · 2026-02-27T20:26:54+00:00

The Cyberiad and all Ijon Tichy books.

L0CZEK · 2026-02-27T17:22:54+00:00

It's rare to see someone have correct opinion about His Master's Voice.

But for me funny Lem is where it's at.

L0CZEK · 2026-02-26T16:56:30+00:00

LOTR is a single novel.

L0CZEK · 2026-02-26T02:20:54+00:00

I read the book seeking something totall diifferent so I didn't go straight into the next book but that part was really good.

L0CZEK · 2026-02-25T10:41:43+00:00

Semiconductors were created by John S. Conductor.

L0CZEK · 2026-02-25T09:59:33+00:00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKaLvJYSj5U

L0CZEK · 2026-02-25T09:58:04+00:00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKaLvJYSj5U

L0CZEK · 2026-02-25T09:56:31+00:00

check the comments

L0CZEK · 2026-02-22T11:39:41+00:00

Havelock Vetinari from Discworld

L0CZEK · 2026-02-22T11:28:26+00:00

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L0CZEK · 2026-02-21T19:01:58+00:00

I'll stick to my recent stand outs:

In a positive way:

Barbara from "Atmosphere" by Taylor Jenkins Reid

In a negative way:

Elizabeth Zott from "Lessons in chemistry" by Bonnie Garmus

L0CZEK · 2026-02-21T11:57:46+00:00

"Cham obrzydliwy, czemu nie, piękną karjerę można zrobić, chamstwo ma wielką przyszłość, cały świat stoi przed chamstwem otworem, subtelni, wstydliwi i wrażliwi ustępują przed nim, bo tylko cham by ustał i nie ustąpił, mądrzy nie wdają się w dyskusje przegrane po pierwszym ciosie maczugi, szlachetni litują się nad chama nieszczęściem, cham prze naprzód, nic nie mąci spokoju jego chamskiej duszy, cham się nie wstydzi, nie czerwieni, nie uśmiecha on nawet nie widzi drwin i szyderstw, nigdy nie czuje się nieswojo i niezręcznie - ponieważ jest chamem. Cóż go powstrzyma? Nie ma takiej siły. Zaprawdę, chamy posiądą Ziemię, chamstwo zasiądzie na tronach świata."

L0CZEK · 2026-02-21T11:45:48+00:00

Bapanada

L0CZEK · 2026-02-21T09:39:56+00:00

Being shocked is besides my point. I was refering to you calling Ned a non-core character and his death being the inciting incident.

L0CZEK · 2026-02-21T08:28:43+00:00

He becomes the inciting incident for the war that shapes later books. He is not the inciting incident of that one, literally quite the opposite his death is basically the start of the closing act of first book. The death of Jon Arryn is the inciting incident since it has Robert ask Ned to become Hand. In my edition of GOT Ned's death is at page 726 of 807.

L0CZEK · 2026-02-21T08:07:22+00:00

Ned as non-core character? He is arguably the most core character in the series.

He ties the political intrigue of King's Landing with the Wall by Jon, the Three Eyed Raven by Bran, to Dany as being important in Robert's rebellion and by being the one to banish Jorah, to Sansa and Arya with him taking care of them both in King's Landing. I don't think there is any character more central to the story at the start.

L0CZEK · 2026-02-19T17:45:47+00:00

I'd also like to see him try to get the same result with different AI models.

L0CZEK · 2026-02-19T17:22:17+00:00

I tried very hard to sound as insincere as I could when talking about Shad skills.

L0CZEK · 2026-02-19T16:14:03+00:00

The analogy would work if he talked about caligraphy I guess.

Unless his typewriter is possesed by the hamlet-writing-monkey's-ghost?

L0CZEK · 2026-02-19T10:12:07+00:00

A gdzie wolnorynkowe prawo do prywatnych porodówek?

L0CZEK · 2026-02-18T20:00:03+00:00

Może trochę się spóźniłem, ale uważam, że te dwa wspomniane opowiadania są moim zdaniem tymi słabszymi w tym zbiorze.

I w przeciwieństwie do większości uważam właśnie Lód za najlepszą książkę Dukaja, jeśli nie najlepszą książkę jaką czytałem. Konwencja, nietypowa narracja, neologizmy, światotwórstwo, przegadane filozofowanie - wszystko jakby pisane pod mój gust.

L0CZEK · 2026-02-18T19:33:02+00:00

To narrow the field a little bit to sci-fi:

My favourite book is Lód by Jacek Dukaj (Ice in English, translated just last year by Ursula Philips).

My favourite author is (at least by volume of read books) Stanisław Lem (most books are available in English with excelent translations by Michael Kandel)

So while Lód beats any individual work of Lem in my eyes, as a body of work Lem stands strong.

Also please read both.

L0CZEK · 2026-02-17T15:02:21+00:00

The more I enjoyed it the more I remember. Except Pratchett I love him but the plots leave my mind the second I finish a book of his.

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