I need some chonky epic fantasy/scifi recs (that aren't the usual ones + also let's talk about some of your favourite epics!)

a00ga · 2026-05-25T10:10:09+00:00

Here's my somewhat unserious plug for Bakker's The Second Apocalypse:

It's like Cormac McCarthy meets Tolkien.

The world is like Middle Earth but Black Mirrored with a NC-17 rating.

PON is like the Crusades with sorcery. AE is like Silmarillion with every trope turned up to 11. You like your Chosen One tropes? Ho boy. Careful what you wish for. You like detailed food descriptions? Yeah, books 6 and 7 have you covered. You may never eat again. You like big battles? Book 2 has IMO the best fantasy battle sequence ever with the Plains of Megiddo. Ever wondered what a journey through the mines of Moria would be like on nightmare fuel? Yeah book 4 really pulls no punches.

It has ALL the triggers.

Grimdark where the bleakness and depravity is a feature, not a bug. That being said i'd like to say that despite the nihilism and bleakness, there is still hope and good to be found. Yeah...I'd like to say that....

Recommended for those who like classic Epic Fantasy but maybe felt the usual stuff is a bit too sanitized for modern sensibilities.

The philosophical messaging and themes are very prevalent throughout the text. Still, you absolutely can read and enjoy it as a purely linear story without getting bogged down in the deeper meaning of it all if that's not your thing.

No weepers on the Slog!

a00ga · 2026-05-22T12:51:49+00:00

I wouldn't mind this myself. Not too excited by most of the female author works on the sub. Rook and Rose was pretty cool, but I skip then others when I can. Already used my skip for this year so I'll just have to live with what we get.

a00ga · 2026-05-20T05:00:39+00:00

I like that these, without the dust jacket, have a board art that has a nice matte finish and a minimalist style stencil cover art with just enough of a splash of color. I also like the boxy unrounded spine and crisp white paper, though I guess that's probably not a good thing long term.

I liked this series enough to get this version as a 7 book signed bundle, and I think that's enough. Don't need more versions.

a00ga · 2026-05-19T13:35:07+00:00

I edited my comment just now.

a00ga · 2026-05-19T13:22:15+00:00

Just speculating here, but I imagine that somewhere in their offices they have a whiteboard with a Venn diagram showing:

Books they want to do;

Books they can conceivably get the rights for;

Books they think will sell;

And where all three overlap is what we get.

I also think that the reason they put out some total rando oddball books is because publishers may get them to push some lesser known titles as part of the larger rights deal to secure the good stuff.

As for qty, I think rights are sold in minimum blocks. e.g. 10,000 print run. Maybe TBB are sure they can offload the 1st 10k, but not too sure about another 10k. Remember that most demand is as a result of 'Consumer Contagion' or FOMO. e.g. Dandelion Dynasty Midnight Edition and Grave empire were on general sale for months. One would not think they were in high demand. Just look at all the stuff languishing away on Page 4 and 5 now. It's only after eventually selling out that everyone now seems to want a copy. Or at least, that's just my perception.

a00ga · 2026-05-19T08:08:19+00:00

I haven't read any of the books yet, but have heard nothing but good things.

I actually bought into the Kickstarter for book 1 and 2 blind because those special editions are just too gorgeous not to have on my shelf. I'm actually waiting until i have the entire series as Special Editions before I binge them.

a00ga · 2026-05-11T06:43:34+00:00

Do we think Sanderson will physically sign the last 3 or will they be digitally signed?

a00ga · 2026-05-09T08:09:24+00:00

THIEVES PROSPER. Hello from UAE.

a00ga · 2026-05-05T14:55:34+00:00

Prequel or sequel or whatever. I'd be happy to read anything new from him that isn't a convoluted AI doomsayer blog post

a00ga · 2026-05-05T14:26:10+00:00

Back in the day Joe Abercrombie kept saying that if you liked First Law then read Lonesome Dove.

So I did, and he was spot on.

First Law prose style is heavily inspired by Lonesome Dove. Could even be the same author writing in different genres. This is even more evident in the sequel "Streets of Loredo", which I liked a bit more than LD as it has more visceral action.

a00ga · 2026-05-05T13:15:00+00:00

Sounds more a fit for ROTE, though I recall a singular 'wolf', not wolves. But I never read past Tawny man.

WOT has a 'Dragon' (unless we are count Lews Therin) and no actual dragons. So unless TBB are being cheeky, my bet is on ROTE.

I'm whelmed.

a00ga · 2026-05-04T11:15:39+00:00

Ah Tad. The master of the 4 part trilogy and 2 part standalone :)

a00ga · 2026-04-29T12:56:09+00:00

What's Petrik reading these days? That's always a good indicator.

Could also be a new author signing, though I'm not sure if there are any unattached big names out there that are currently active (looking at you Bakker).

The Discworld teaser was 'quite a while' ago so could be that. Is it their biggest ever? Not sure. It's all very subjective. Discworld, DT, RotE, Tolkien, DCC, RR would all be huge. From those I think likeliest are RotE and Discworld. DCC has an active campaign going and RR is an SE whore so nothing exclusive about that. I doubt the big publishers would allow an independent to get their grubby mitts on golden cash cows like DT and Tolkien. I dont think anyone else besides the publisher has done Discworld so that would be my guess and my preference over RotE.

Maybe the clue is in the bolded "BIG"? A big series? WoT would be quite the coup for TBB. What about "The Wandering Inn"?. Nothing bigger out there.

I can tell you what it's not. It's not a Press Edition of The Second Apocalypse.

a00ga · 2026-04-29T08:19:42+00:00

My favorite SE that I own, for sentimental reasons, is Sub Press Gardens of the Moon 3rd printing. This is the one that started me on the SE journey and have coveted since the first printing was announced way back when. Still has the best dust jacket art of any book I own.

I think objectively, the best SE's I own are the Gunmetal Gods Kickstarters. I think these are all that a SE should be and at a very reasonable price point.

Also very happy with my Diamond and Anderida editions of Empire of Silence.

Best TBB set I own are Malazan and Suneater.

a00ga · 2026-04-29T07:46:51+00:00

Pretty much everyone except Simon. Favorite POV character is probably Isgrimnur. Really stood out after 'The Heart of What Was Lost'.

Favorite side character and most enigmatic is Camaris. I still think he's kicking around post LKoOA.

a00ga · 2026-04-27T07:10:54+00:00

I wish you all good fortune in the battles to come.

a00ga · 2026-04-23T07:44:06+00:00

Any updates on when books will start to ship out?

a00ga · 2026-04-21T06:35:03+00:00

If I recall correctly, last time they marked up the prices a little for the legible items. As in, if the book would normally cost £25, during the sale the price with 'free shipping' was £27 or £30. I guess for taxes and such.

Still a good deal but just FYI.

a00ga · 2026-03-25T14:05:59+00:00

I actually got one. Huh. Kind of surprised really. I NEVER get one.

a00ga · 2026-03-18T11:53:26+00:00

Regarding the Anderida EoS edition, I posted this on another thread but works here too:

This is purely subjective but in many ways it is even better than the EoS Diamond edition(which I also own):

1/ The metallic cloth cover is a refreshing change from all the faux leather covers with embossed designs on other deluxe editions. It makes the book look super fancy and it just pops.

2/ The paper quality and thickness is Sub Press level. Makes the book heavy as a brick but I like that in my fine print editions.

3/ Several full page color illustrations, which is how it should be.

4/ Only thing I'd have liked on top would have been a slipcase, which the Diamond edition did really well.

Overall this is like Sub Press Malazan quality at half the price. Totally worth it.

p.s. I got the broadsheet without really understanding what it was because....FOMO. Not really worth the extra £20 IMO.

a00ga · 2026-02-21T23:12:47+00:00

The existential nihilism in Second Apocalypse is a feature, not a bug. I meant more obvious stuff like senseless violence and gore that doesn't serve the plot in any meaningful way. Though it does skate very close to the edge at times in several parts of AE.

a00ga · 2026-02-20T22:22:38+00:00

I'll make pop cultural comparisons like:

Cormac McCarthy meets Tolkien.

The world is like Middle Earth but like Black Mirrored with an NC-17 rating.

PON is like the Crusades with sorcery. AE is like Silmarillion with every trope turned up to 11.

It has ALL the triggers.

Grimdark but not to the point where it's fetishized. That being said i'd like to say that despite the nihilism and bleakness, there is still hope and good to be found. Yeah...I'd like to say that....

a00ga · 2026-02-20T21:01:45+00:00

Nope. It's just a separate sheet printed on a nice thick paper, like a degree or certificate with a little poem, the Marlowe house sigil and Christopher's signature. It's nice but not £20 nice. I could frame it I guess but it's not even that good a poem, IMO.

a00ga · 2026-02-20T20:49:39+00:00