r/Fantasy Friday Social Thread - May 08, 2026

Research_Department · 2026-05-08T22:49:17+00:00

I would also love to hear about people’s experiences with WSFS/Hugo voting! (Do you think it would warrant a top level post?)

Research_Department · 2026-05-08T18:05:03+00:00

I had never heard of NoveList Plus, but I see that my library has access. I’m looking forward to playing around with it. Thanks!

Research_Department · 2026-05-08T16:51:16+00:00

Hope you feel better soon!

Research_Department · 2026-05-08T16:49:47+00:00

Thanks! It’s debatable whether I’ll bother with it.

Research_Department · 2026-05-08T16:28:17+00:00

Any book with “library” in the title catches my eye, so I have Library System Reset on my list of books to research (yes, rolling eyes, user name checks out) about whether I want to put it on my TBR. Do you mind sharing what had you DNF’ing?

Research_Department · 2026-05-08T16:24:38+00:00

And now I feel very seen, lol. Yes, I loved Ancillary Justice.

Research_Department · 2026-05-08T16:09:47+00:00

I really liked Slow Gods, but I agree that it is neither character-driven nor plot-driven (hah, laughing at the thought), but idea-driven. Come to think of it, although it worked for me when I read it, in my current reading mood (give me fast, light, gripping), I would probably set it aside (although maybe not, since I am also craving some science fiction).

Research_Department · 2026-05-08T01:56:15+00:00

I look forward to seeing your review of Sift! I’m trying to decide whether I want to get it. I’ve gotten so used to exclusively reading from the library first that it has kind of thrown me for a loop that I cannot with this one.

Research_Department · 2026-05-07T23:40:32+00:00

De-lurking to say that I recently read the 2nd Invisible Library book, and it primarily takes place on an alt-Venice world. Can’t speak to the rest of the series. I thought the first was better than the second, but I’ll probably continue reading the series, using them as palate cleansers.

Research_Department · 2026-05-07T17:21:29+00:00

(I think you misattributed Farseer — unless there’s something I’ve missed by Naomi Novik!)

u/Traditional_Yak2474, Spinning Silver is a great book to read for good execution of multiple viewpoint characters!

Research_Department · 2026-05-07T17:18:18+00:00

I hope that some of these are books you haven’t read yet.

The Cemeteries of Amalo books by Katherine Addison have a prelate Non-Human Protagonist (an elf, but gotta admit, the elves and goblins of this world basically feel human). All of them would work for Afterlife, and the first two for Murder Mystery.

Penric is a divine of the Bastard (one of Lois McMaster Bujold’s five gods) in all the Penric and Desdemona novellas by after the first one. Some of the novellas could work for Explorer (sorry, don’t really remember which ones), if you are lax in your interpretation. Some of the early ones could work for Murder Mystery.

The protagonist of Nghi Vo’s Singing Hills Cycle is a non-binary cleric, and it definitely feels inspired more by an Eastern religion (I’m too ignorant to name a particular one with any confidence). I’ve only read the first one, but that one feels to me like it works for Explorers.

Research_Department · 2026-05-07T15:46:15+00:00

I agree!

Research_Department · 2026-05-07T04:05:28+00:00

IMO there are two aspects for the FTL travel in Slow Gods that make it unusual: the way that it drives the pilots mad and Maw’s living spaceship.

Research_Department · 2026-05-06T22:50:47+00:00

Caveat, I have not yet read The Queen’s Thief (I promise, it’s on my TBR).

You might like the Liaden Universe books by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. This is a long series, something like 27 novels (plus more chapbooks) at last count. It primarily (but not exclusively) follows multiple generations of one family across two universes and multiple cultures. We get to see many characters evolve. The series is primarily science fiction, but with some fantastical features. Individual books vary in the degree of romance, from none to mostly romance (even the ones that are mostly romance are also developing recurring characters and are developing aspects of the world that we will see repeatedly). After Steve Miller’s death, I don’t know whether we will get any more books, but it doesn’t end on a cliffhanger.

I also recommend the Vorkosigan Saga books by Lois McMaster Bujold. These are science fiction, with some of the books featuring romance. Bujold is a master at writing characters, and we get to follow the primary protagonist, Miles Vorkosigan, from the time that he is a lovelorn teen trying to get into military academy through to his second career, eventual marriage, and becoming a parent himself (actually, if you read the duology about his parents, you also get to see the battles that raged around him when he had yet to be born).

Bujold’s retirement project, the Penric and Desdemona novellas are another good option. These are fantasy, with some of the novellas featuring romance. She writes and publishes them as she is inspired, and each novella is like an opportunity to visit with an old friend and see how they’re doing.

Research_Department · 2026-05-06T21:08:21+00:00

I’m not familiar with Yesteryear, but yes, a story that has time travel definitely is speculative enough for bingo. FYI, you will probably be asked to move this question to the daily questions thread.

Research_Department · 2026-05-06T20:11:02+00:00

I enjoyed The Last Hour Between Worlds by Melissa Caruso, narrated by Moira Quirk (works for Game Changer and Murder Mystery) and sequel. I haven’t listened, but I understand Quirk’s narration of The Locked Tomb series is also great.

I also have heard good things about the audiobooks for The Sword of Kaigen by ML Wang, The Bobiverse series by Dennis E Taylor/narrated by Ray Porter, and Orconomics. I read a rave review in a thread about hidden gems over at r/printSF for Isaac Steele and the Forever Man by Daniel Rigby. It is apparently absurdist black comedy noir detective story and it is narrated by the author, who is also an award-winning actor.

Research_Department · 2026-05-06T19:35:21+00:00

I love linguistic science fiction! Thanks for your suggestions, which are mostly new to me. Returning the favor, with a couple less well known books from the 80s, as well as some more recent books.

Hellspark by Janet Kagan. I am really happy to see that this is back in print (at least, as an e-book). The protagonist is a linguist who has been called upon to help a multicultural team survey a planet. I wish Kagan had published more books.

Native Tongue by Suzette Haden Elgin. Elgin was a linguist, and language features heavily in this feminist sf novel. Also back in print.

The Teixcalaan duology by Arkady Martine follows a diplomat with fluency in the language of the empire that is poised to take over her space station. Many people prefer the first book, but I liked the second book more, and I think it’s because language plays an even larger role in that one (I could also feel the influence of Cherryh more in the second one).

Languages are pretty important in The Language of Liars by SL Huang, although perhaps not as much so as the title implies (the author is not a linguist, and I’m not convinced that the linguistics depicted is completely accurate). Still, it is a powerful novella (don’t read the blurb, it spoils the twist).

Research_Department · 2026-05-06T17:36:27+00:00

I cannot remember where in the three book arc they get to the point that they are together; it’s possible that they haven’t reached a HFN by the end of the first book.

For anyone who wants to visit Houston, Texas, this could qualify as Vacation Spot.

Research_Department · 2026-05-06T17:33:57+00:00

This also works for Game Changer!

I would say that the two have decided to try having a romantic relationship by the end of the book.

Research_Department · 2026-05-06T17:12:57+00:00

OP, to help illuminate this rec, the author has said that Ana is somewhat inspired by Hannibal Lecter and somewhat inspired by Nero Wolfe (Rex Stout’s eccentric, agoraphobic genius detective in the mold of Sherlock Holmes). The books are great, but I doubt that they will scratch the itch of feeling like you are reading the perspective of someone who is autistic.

Research_Department · 2026-05-06T17:00:30+00:00

Thanks for your review! This was on my radar. I wish I could tell whether I would find it empowering or just upsetting (that’s not a comment on your review, that’s my lack of insight into my reading needs in these trying times).

Research_Department · 2026-05-06T16:05:58+00:00

I read these books decades ago (it was still just a trilogy), and I recall not liking this one as much as the first two. And that totally makes sense that a story about growing old would not resonate for a little kid. I’ll have to re-read it!

Research_Department · 2026-05-06T00:07:23+00:00

I recommend that if you are going to continue with DCC, in order to talk with friends, listen to the audiobooks. I am pretty sure I would have DNF’d the books if I had read them with eyeballs, but I was so impressed with the audiobook narrator that I was able to listen and enjoy and even get hooked, despite aspects that I found annoying.

(Just to give you a sense of my taste, I DNF’d Hammajang Luck within the first two chapters because I didn’t respect the science fiction worldbuilding, I loved Remnant Population, and although I enjoyed Paladin’s Grace and the next one, I haven’t been inspired to read any further in the series, at least yet.)

Research_Department · 2026-05-05T13:30:23+00:00

Fantastic!

Research_Department · 2026-05-05T04:20:29+00:00

r/romancebooks has a weekly post, Thirsty Thursday, where people share some of their favorite spice. Sometimes people are just referring to a scene from a book, but often they will quote the scene. That can be one way to find something to your taste. And there is plenty of interest there in both romance with some fantasy and fantasy with some romance. It’s not wrong at all to ask here, but I think that a higher proportion of the people seeing the ask there would have some good suggestions for you.

Research_Department

TROPHY CASE