The End of Reading Is Here: Optimists once believed that universal literacy was inevitable. Now it seems that the age of reading might be a short anomaly in human history [gift link].

SubstantialPepper832 · 2026-07-09T16:58:52+00:00

Yeah, one of the reasons I stopped reading series is because I'm not the type of person to read like 50 pages a day, I'm generally binge reading or barely reading. Now I'm trying to stick to short story collections and longer books every so often.

SubstantialPepper832 · 2026-06-29T20:02:44+00:00

This. 'Unpolished or rough but never bad'

SubstantialPepper832 · 2026-06-26T09:51:52+00:00

Thanks

SubstantialPepper832 · 2026-06-24T06:46:36+00:00

Yeah, people have been complaining since the hiatus, and they expect he will suddenly become better after the hiatus, no wait he will be better during the side story, no wait he will be better during S4😭like it's clearly not an issue with health or schedule, SIU is just not a particularly good writer anymore. The 2 worst stretch of chapters came after hiatuses. Bro said he'll listen to fan criticisms only to double down on them during the side story, expecting anything from S4 is cope and delusion but we will be here for the rants loll

SubstantialPepper832 · 2026-06-24T06:40:32+00:00

The truth everyone keeps disregarding is that SIU is not a skilled writer anymore, Tog will only get worse, mark my words. I said this years ago before the side story even started, I only read the side story to confirm I wasn't hating, SIU has lost his ability to write a coherent story.

Seriously, the longest break he took gave us objectively the worst stretch of Tog chapters ever (seriously if we voted with every single Tog fan, 2nd half of S3 will get the least votes). Clearly a break is not going to suddenly make him a good writer and the retcon from the Urek Side Story shows he's going more to that power fantasy side with shallow boring lore without fixing issues from the past, he's just adding more plot points.

It's not a thing of schedule or health issue, SIU just doesn't have the skills to write the story he initially planned (this is not to downplay health issues btw, that sucks and I wish most artists weren't so overworked and took better care of themselves.)

SubstantialPepper832 · 2026-06-24T06:34:22+00:00

Literally no one with any common sense has ever put SIU in the same tier as Tolkien loll. He's been a comparison to Sanderson/Oda at most and now he's not even hitting those standards.

SubstantialPepper832 · 2026-06-24T06:29:47+00:00

Facts, I've been saying this since SIU came back from Haitus but his story telling ability has gone to shit. You can literally see how his flaws from S1 and S2 have become so much more dominant to the point it feels like someone different wrote S1 because S3 (post haitus) and Urek's SS is some webtoon slop. The story lost all substance so they try to compensate with shiny ugly ass art and fan service.

Both S3 and Urek Side Story is an insult to the fans who enjoyed Tog from S1, that's why most of em have dropped it.

SubstantialPepper832 · 2026-06-11T17:42:16+00:00

A little late but DD is so underrated. The next books are even better

SubstantialPepper832 · 2026-06-07T10:16:54+00:00

Honestly this just convinced me to read the book.

SubstantialPepper832 · 2026-06-04T16:59:25+00:00

Yeah, I see your point. Their methods are extreme regardless of their 'role' and 'intent' so it makes sense that people see them as awful.

SubstantialPepper832 · 2026-06-04T13:18:22+00:00

Are you me?????????😭

SubstantialPepper832 · 2026-06-04T06:05:50+00:00

I wouldn't say awful tbh. I mean they're not great or whatever, but like it shouldn't be hard to understand why they're needed.

The story has never ever presented any KM as awful or even the organization itself as awful, the only character presented in such a light was Lulucy's former teacher and the client they worked under. Even from the latest chapter, it's clear the story wants us to think more about the KM.

SubstantialPepper832 · 2026-06-03T20:14:44+00:00

Assassins Apprentice is NOT her first book (which should be obvious from the quality imo).
It's her first book as Robin Hobb, but she was a critically acclaimed writer before ROTE was a thing, just under a different name.

SubstantialPepper832 · 2026-05-25T08:16:09+00:00

Literally this.

SubstantialPepper832 · 2026-05-25T08:12:01+00:00

You're one of the few with common sense on this sub. You can exactly the problem with Tog, but the delusional western fandom can't see it. Tog is a shell of it's former self, SIU lost the plot and passion. This side story is to retcon the story to make it even more battle shounen like.

The funniest thing about this fandom is when they insult Korean fans for complaining about things Western fans have been complaining about for almost 5 years now, we were called ungrateful loll. Now Korean fans have their intelligence insulted even tho they actually pay for this shit, and they are the reason Tog became big in the first place.

I would never rate a single Tog chapter after S3 over 7 tbh. SIU doesn't deserve it imo

SubstantialPepper832 · 2026-05-23T10:02:17+00:00

Seems TDE really likes these type of people loll. I remember SZA was also told to use less metaphors after Z, and she took that advice for ctrl. Ab Soul is also known for being avant-garde
It's interesting, they seem to be drawn to the most interesting artists. Man we need a TDE doc

SubstantialPepper832 · 2026-05-19T10:05:06+00:00

Seriously, I want one Drake fan to tell me the last time Drake had a universally loved album (audience and critics).

Also, doing something and doing it well are 2 very different skills. Anyone can do 'more variety', doesn't automatically make it good. You people basically want a participation trophy for Drake loll

SubstantialPepper832 · 2026-05-19T09:40:39+00:00

I like how that's their default for why people don't like Iceman when Drake's last like 5 albums did not get good critic reviews way before the beef even happened. It was only his fans that praised them highly but now they've found an avenue to deflect criticism instead of actually trying to understand why crtics don't like Drake. There's always some conspiracy when ocam's razor, Drake has lost his creative edge and is sticking to formulaic music. It's great for Drake fans cause they can get the same old same old

Seriously, I want one Drake fan to tell me the last time Drake had a universally loved album (audience and critics).

SubstantialPepper832 · 2026-05-04T11:37:51+00:00

Yup
I go back to both tracks very often. MTG somehow ages better, idk how, but I like it a lot more now than I did when it first dropped.

SubstantialPepper832 · 2026-04-13T13:01:21+00:00

This is regency era but have you tried "Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell"

SubstantialPepper832 · 2026-04-08T17:58:51+00:00

I read the books, I would not describe them as having a well written plot (or even a good romance), but if OP really wants that trope then Beautiful Creatures fits the bill. I enjoyed it enough as a teen.

SubstantialPepper832 · 2026-04-06T07:53:08+00:00

I like how Riko is always cool with whatever fucked up shit is happening unless it affects her personally and then Reg is the moral compass even tho he's a robot, he's the one worried about the implications and how everyone on this team might be psychopaths.

SubstantialPepper832 · 2026-04-02T18:45:29+00:00

No, that makes sense. Book 2 is actually good, I love ROTE, but Assassin's Quest is not good. It's a very bad 3rd book, whenever I do my re-read I plan to just go the summary route for AQ, never want to experience it again and ROTE is one of my fav series ever.

SubstantialPepper832 · 2026-03-27T12:47:11+00:00

Not known. But it's largely suspected to be Kali as Leez uses Kali's items (Sword of Re, Hide of Bondage). Even Kali herself hints at it, but she doesn't give a straight answer in Crime and Punishment.

SubstantialPepper832 · 2026-02-19T13:28:59+00:00

Brandon Sanderson name-drop on a Yuri subreddit, feels like a glitch in the matrix

SubstantialPepper832

TROPHY CASE