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[Jessica]

Starting a new D&D campaign and need some backstory inspiration for my character. She's a half-elf ranger and I'd like some hunter/wanderer/slayer of beasts type stories to get some ideas from. (I've already read the Witcher novels and enjoyed them).

Anyone have any suggestions or recently read some good adventure books they could recommend?

[James]

Simply a lost classic. A masterpiece.
Time of the Unicorn

[James]

deleted user wrote: "Zaara wrote: "How dare you pose as a classics newbie when you've literally read half my list?
*glares*
Kidding...I'm actually happy you read 'em.
Glad to talk to you, of course, @Khushi, but I swea..."

A book that should be read but seldom is.
The Fool King

[James]

Liam wrote: "If you've never read it, The Kite Runner is one of my all time favorites."

I tried it and found it hard to get into.

[James]

Margret wrote: "Here’s my obligatory attempt at pushing the Troy series again... you should read the Lord of the Silver Bow :D"

Lord of the Silver Bow sounds like it should be about the Mongels.
And talking Mongels, Conn Iggulden writes with gripping focus on the Mongel hoard.

[James]

Scott wrote: "Margret wrote: "Here’s my obligatory attempt at pushing the Troy series again... you should read the Lord of the Silver Bow :D"

I will undertake this at some point. I need to finish the Genghis se..."

I'll look out for that Lord of the Silver Bow. Going to the library later so I'll look it up.

[Laura]

Hi everyone!
I'm looking for a good book with a disabled character? Something that doesn't end bad for said character? Can anyone help me out?

[Christine]

Laura wrote: "Hi everyone!
I'm looking for a good book with a disabled character? Something that doesn't end bad for said character? Can anyone help me out?"

I'm not sure what genre you're looking for, but Cinder, Catching Fire, Wonderstruck and I'll Meet You There all have disabled characters.

[Laura]

Thank you Christine. I've read the first 2 and just added the others. I already found I'll Meet You There and will look for Wonderstruck too.

[Margret, Caladan Brood Face]

The only ones I can think of are written by Joe Abercrombie 😂 soooo I am of no help

[Jessica]

Laura wrote: "Hi everyone!
I'm looking for a good book with a disabled character? Something that doesn't end bad for said character? Can anyone help me out?"

You might like A Warden's Purpose. I haven't read the entire trilogy but the author usually writes stories that end well. It's a YA book that has a school setting. There are two MCs a brother and sister who both get accepted into different parts of the school. The school has a magic/science program and a combat program. The sister Quinn goes to combat school and Everson her brother goes to the science/magic one. Everson has a disability and it does play a big part in the book.

I'll try to think of some others for you. I feel like I've read more... but for my brain isn't working yet, still need to wake up lol

[Laura]

Margret wrote: "The only ones I can think of are written by Joe Abercrombie 😂 soooo I am of no help"

😂😂Yep! No help there captain! Besides, I already read those. 😊😘

[Laura]

Jessica wrote: "Laura wrote: "Hi everyone!
I'm looking for a good book with a disabled character? Something that doesn't end bad for said character? Can anyone help me out?"

You might like [book:A Warden's Purpos..."

Oh! This one sounds great Jessica! And I already found the whole trilogy on KU. Thank you! 😘
And please do think of some more.

[Angela Jr.]

Not sure if this is what you're looking for, but Finding Audrey features a character with mental illness.

We Should Hang Out Sometime: Embarrassingly, a True Story is a funny memoir by a disabled author.

And I can highly, highly, highly recommend The Ha-Ha! A story written from the perspective of a speech impaired war veteran and how he learns to communicate again.

[Carrie]

Laura wrote: "Hi everyone!
I'm looking for a good book with a disabled character? Something that doesn't end bad for said character? Can anyone help me out?"

Check out Unbroken: 13 Stories Starring Disabled Teens there are some great stories in this collection.

[Laura]

Thank you girls! :) I'll add them.

[Tammie]

Laura wrote: "Hi everyone!
I'm looking for a good book with a disabled character? Something that doesn't end bad for said character? Can anyone help me out?"

If you like romance I enjoyed Finding Liberty.

[Laura]

Thank you Tammie. :) I'll add it.

[Laura]

I made a separate thread for this also but am posting it here too, in case that thread is missed.

I am just setting up my blog and could use some help with recommendations.

You see, my blog is dedicated mainly to the Underdogs in both Fantasy and Romance. To those great books people should read but don't really know about.

Are there any Fantasy or Romance Underdogs that you love? Standalones or part of a series, let me know about them so I can give them a chance!

Thank you! :))

[Pauly]

Hey all! I’m looking for a fantasy book recommendation - something along the lines of Robin Hobb & Patrick Rothfuss. I really love the intensity & flow of their writing ☺️ thanks!

[Shaitarn]

Can anyone suggest a novel in the high fantasy genre which doesn't deal with the end of the world?

Chosen ones seem to be all the rage again, and I'd like something lighter to read. But please just in the classic high fantasy genre - no YA or UF as I could do with a break from both of those.

[Bea]

Shaitarn wrote: "Can anyone suggest a novel in the high fantasy genre which doesn't deal with the end of the world?

Chosen ones seem to be all the rage again, and I'd like something lighter to read. But please ju..."

Hm, of the books I have read lately The Goblin Emperor comes to my mind. I found it refreshingly different from most modern fantasy. I have to say it's kind of hard to get into (tons of weird names!) and deals mostly with court intrigue and there's basically no magic, so if you want adventure and magic then this is not the book for you. But the world certainly doesn't end in that one :)

[Marie]

I have read A Subtle Agency by Graeme Rodaughan and Monster Hunter International by Larry Correia. I loved all the action, monsters, vampires, guns, guts, and glory, can anyone recommend other books similar to these two books? I would really appreciate it! Thanks!

[Navi]

Hi everyone,

I am trying fulfill the following Bingo challenge: "A book recommended by someone on Goodreads" so I need some recommendations!

Can anyone recommend an adult standalone fantasy book?

Thank you!

[Laura]

Navi wrote: "Hi everyone,

I am trying fulfill the following Bingo challenge: "A book recommended by someone on Goodreads" so I need some recommendations!

Can anyone recommend an adult standalone fantasy book?..."

To Ride Hell’s Chasm
Song of the Beast
Heart's Blood
Guns of the Dawn
The Lions of Al-Rassan
Tigana

I loved all of them. :)

[Jenna, I'd be free if not for Temper & Edgewalker]

Laura wrote: "Navi wrote: "Hi everyone,

I am trying fulfill the following Bingo challenge: "A book recommended by someone on Goodreads" so I need some recommendations!

Can anyone recommend an adult standalone ..."

I've only read the last three on Laura's list, but I would recommend the ones I've read!

[Scott , Karsa Orlong]

Marie wrote: "I have read A Subtle Agency by Graeme Rodaughan and Monster Hunter International by Larry Correia. I loved all the action, monsters, vampires, guns, guts, and glory, can anyone recommend other book..."

Graeme is a member of the group. He might be the best to answer this.

[Graeme]

Scott wrote: "Graeme is a member of the group. He might be the best to answer this...."

Actually what does come to mind is 13 Bullets by David Wellington.

The Laura Caxton series is violent, with vampires that are unrelenting in their evil.

[Marie]

Graeme wrote: "Scott wrote: "Graeme is a member of the group. He might be the best to answer this...."

Actually what does come to mind is 13 Bullets by David Wellington.

The Laura C..."

Thank you, Graeme! I will add it to my tbr pile! :-)

[Navi]

Laura wrote: "To Ride Hell’s Chasm
Song of the Beast
Heart's Blood
Guns of the Dawn
The Lions of Al-Rassan
Tigana

I loved all of them. :) ."

Thanks, Laura! I haven't read any of these :)
I think I'll pick To Ride Hell's Chasm as it it offered on Scribd.

[Carrie]

I've not too long ago did a re-read of The Hobbit and plan on re-reading LotR sometime soon as well. And I've also rewatched the movies and it got me thinking I would like more dwarfs in my life. So my question to who ever sees this is, what are some good standalone or series that feature dwarfs?

[Laura]

Can anyone please make me some recs of good short books? With a page count in between 100 and 200?
Any kind of genre. Just short and good?
Thank you!! :)

[Jessica]

Laura wrote: "Can anyone please make me some recs of good short books? With a page count in between 100 and 200?
Any kind of genre. Just short and good?
Thank you!! :)"

The Ballad of Black Tom was one I really enjoyed. Super strong Lovecraft vibes (so pretty dark and creepy, but also weirdly beautiful/well done). It's got 149 pages.

Killing Gravity short space opera. The story was interesting enough, the characters were sort of so-so. But only 176 pages and I had fun with it anyway.

These two I haven't read yet but I really want to:

The Refrigerator Monologues a feminist super hero collection of short stories. Catherynne M. Valente always has really pretty writing, so this has been on my TBR for a bit. It's 160 pages.

River of Teeth (I'll just post the blurb cause it's amazing) "In the early 20th Century, the United States government concocted a plan to import hippopotamuses into the marshlands of Louisiana to be bred and slaughtered as an alternative meat source. This is true. Other true things about hippos: they are savage, they are fast, and their jaws can snap a man in two.

This was a terrible plan.

Contained within this volume is an 1890s America that might have been: a bayou overrun by feral hippos and mercenary hippo wranglers from around the globe. It is the story of Winslow Houndstooth and his crew. It is the story of their fortunes. It is the story of his revenge.

It's got 178 pages.

[Jessica]

Oh! And if you're a fan of horror I haven't read it yet, but I 've heard great things about Danse Macabre. It has 56 pages.

[Elinor]

The Murderbot Diaries are really good !
I also love Pippa DaCosta's stuff : Betrayal. Gritty but sexy and fun sci-fi.
I was going to recommend Slouch Witch but it's actually 300+ pages, didn't feel like it oO (because this series is so good and cute and fun and funny)

[Mel]

Jessica wrote: "Killing Gravity short space opera. The story was interesting enough, the characters were sort of so-so. But only 176 pages and I had fun with it anyway."

Ooh, The Refrigerator Monologues sounds right up my alley, and I added Killing Gravity as well. I've heard of River of Teeth, and the premise sounds amazing, but looking at reviews there are mixed opinions on its execution.

[Laura]

thank you girls! :)
I'm adding them all.

[Mel]

Another recommendation for The Murderbot Diaries. Each of them is about 160 pages, and they are fast and fun reads.

The Emperor's Soul. My hands-down favorite novella. I find myself recommending it all the time. So much story, worldbuilding, and action packed in just 175 pages, with nuanced characters and thought-provoking ontological philosophy.

Einstein's Dreams. Imagine a world where time is a series of snapshots. Imagine a world where time is a river, with people caught in the eddies and currents flung backwards or forwards. A series of vignettes to be nibbled at or read all at once, using Einstein as its framing device. Evocative prose. 144 pages.

Dragonsong A biased comfort nostalgia read, but I was recently reminded of this favorite in the Pern BR thread. YA about Menolly, who is denied her love of music because she is a girl. Also: dragons! 192 pages.

The Storyteller's Daughter: A Retelling of the Arabian Nights I found the other books in this series of fairy tale retellings to be rather lackluster, but I found this one to hit the spot. 221 pages.

Ella Minnow Pea: A Novel in Letters A "progressively lipogrammatic epistolary fable." After a letter falls from the revered sentence, "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog," one by one the letters of the alphabet are outlawed in an eccentric and authoritarian island community. The loss of each letter in mirrored in the letters the characters write to one another, increasingly desperate to find a solution. 208 pages.

[Tammie]

As others have said, The Murderbot Diaries, and The Emperor's Soul. Also by Sanderson, Snapshot.

[Jessica]

Melissa wrote: "Jessica wrote: "Killing Gravity short space opera. The story was interesting enough, the characters were sort of so-so. But only 176 pages and I had fun with it anyway."

Ooh, The Refrigerator Mono..."

I've heard the same thing about River of Teeth, but the hippo premise is way to intriguing not to give it a chance. I've also seen some praise for it on reddit, so I'm hopeful that people are just being exra picky and that it'll still be a fun read.

Let me know if you end up reading the Refrigerator Monologues, I love Catherynne M Valente and this book sounds like it should be a really good read!

[Jessica]

Melissa wrote: "Another recommendation for The Murderbot Diaries. Each of them is about 160 pages, and they are fast and fun reads.

The Emperor's Soul. My hands-down favorite nove..."

Dragonsong is so fun! Good rec, totally forgot about that one!

[Laura]

Already read Dragonsong and The Emperor's Soul but will go on with Dragonsinger and Snapshot.

I've added all the other titles to my TBR. I need to read a lot of shorter books like that in August and September. :)

I'll let you all know how I liked them. And thank you again!!!

[Navi]

I have a late addition!

The Dream-Quest of Vellitt Boe - recommended if you like Lovecraft and quests!

[Laura]

Thank you Navi. I added it. :)

[Laura]

Can anyone please recommend any good self-published fantasy anthologies?

[Talia]

So this is where I can ask for recommendations? Okay... I'm looking for a funny, fantasy story with magical creatures (with a quest I guess) a brave, likable hero, a great message and a sad ending.

Do you know any? Is this too specific?

[Talia]

So this is where I can ask for a recommendation?

Okay... well I'm looking for a funny, fantasy book with magical creatures (maybe a quest) a likable, fun, hero, a great villain, a wonderful message and a sad ending. I really like sad endings.

I love it when a book doesn't feel the need to have all the questions answered or make the ending perfect for all the main characters. I think a story can end sad and still leave you feeling satisfied and glad that you read the book.

Do you know any stories like this? (I may still read a suggestion even if it doesn't have the sad ending I was hoping for.)

[Maria]

I read a comic fantasy called The Chronicle of Heloise & Grimple by an author I like. Its main characters are an elf who is a bard (Heloise), and a hill giant (Grimple) who got his hands to turn huge after a bet with some kind of wizard. They go on an adventure to hunt the wizard down so Grimple can turn back to normal, with the help of another wizard. The world building is quite nice too. I don't remember it having a villain though.

[Peggy]

what would be the first fantasy book you suggest to a game of throne fan?!

[Chris]

Hopefully this is the right spot, but what are some of everyone's favorite audiobooks here?

I've never listened to an audiobook. In my head, I've always preferred print. Something about having the actual paper I guess, but I also like to re-read things multiple times in case I need to better understand stuff.

With that said, I'd like to give an audiobook a crack while I'm at work or something just to see. Since audiobooks don't only need the book to be entertaining, but also an entertaining narrator, what are some favorites? Audible has a free trial so at some point, I'll queue that up and see what I can find.

I've recently read the Witcher series, and the first Mistborn trilogy. I'm currently reading the Harry Potter books again and will be starting Steelheart and Sword of Kaigen soon. I don't mind listening to something I've read before either if people really dig the audio for it. :) Just looking for something good to see if it's something I could get into.