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[Laura]

Can anyone recommend a few great books with middle-aged MCs please?

[Eva]

- Kings of the Wyld: the ultimate (if male MCs are fine with you)
- Legend
- Quest for Lost Heroes (one MC is young, the others are all middle-aged)
- Winter Warriors (don't worry, it's book 8 but they all work as standalones)
- Dragonsbane - focused on two MCs in their 30s (male and female), mostly female POV, but they turn middle-aged throughout the course of the series
- Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
- Cage of Souls - not sure if MC is already over 45, but he could be at the end

Not fantasy, but great:
- The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency: this Botswanan mystery series has a wonderful middle-aged main character (or a bit younger in the first novels)
- A Talent for War: good scifi/mystery series with older MC, not sure if he's already middle-aged at the start of the series
- Bloodline: Star Wars novel focusing on an older Leia, really good
- Old Man's War - a bit older than middle-age, but really good
- On Basilisk Station - female MC starts out middle-aged but youthful due to futuristic medical treatments, but ages throughout the series and becomes "genuinely" middle-aged later on

Mix of younger and older MCs:
- The Stormlight Archives (The Way of Kings) by Brandon Sanderson have multiple main POV characters, and about 20-50 percent of the books is from the perspective of middle-aged MCs (mostly Dalinar and Navani). Beautiful, brilliant books!
- The Black Prism and the series following it have a lot of middle-aged POVs and main characters.
- The City We Became also, and they are really great and memorable
- Sisters of the Vast Black - nuns in space, great novella

[Laura]

Eva wrote: "- Kings of the Wyld: the ultimate (if male MCs are fine with you)
- Legend
- Quest for Lost Heroes (one MC is young, the others are all middle-aged)
- [b..."

That's awesome! Thank you!! :)

[Eva]

You're very welcome! :-)

[Shaitarn]

Laura wrote: "Can anyone recommend a few great books with middle-aged MCs please?"

Second the recommendation for Dragonsbane, thought I never liked the sequels. I'd also recommend the Sunwolf and Starhawk trilogy by the same author.

I also recommend Caught in Crystal and if you want older MCs, Black Wolves. The book starts with a teenage princess and a soldier in his 20s then fast-forwards 45 years! I loved it, but be warned that the publisher canceled the series after the one book, so it doesn't have a proper end.

[Laura]

Shaitarn wrote: "Laura wrote: "Can anyone recommend a few great books with middle-aged MCs please?"

Second the recommendation for Dragonsbane, thought I never liked the sequels. I'd also recommend th..."

Thank you. :) I'll add them.

[Tammie]

Laura wrote: "Can anyone recommend a few great books with middle-aged MCs please?"

I don't know if you read mystery but the Barbara Holloway series is pretty good and the main character is middle aged. I know I've read some others but I can't think of them right now.

[Brian]

Has anyone read The Dinosaur Lords trilogy? If so what are your thoughts?

[Jasmine]

Looking for books similar to matefinder by leia stone I've read alot of her books and love but I'm wanting something more similar to matefinder and if it's more for adults not young adults that's good too

[Nirkatze]

Laura wrote: "Can anyone recommend a few great books with middle-aged MCs please?"

N.K. Jemisin's The Fifth Season and subsequent novels have a main POV who is in her 40s, and the books are spectacular. Takes place in a world continually shattered by earthquakes, where the only people who can control them are reviled, hunted, and enslaved.

Jane Lindskold's Child of a Rainless Year features a protagonist just turning 51, and discovering a potentially magical heritage she never suspected.

Pretty much every book by Carol Berg features a protagonist in their 30s or later, and the story is told from the middle outwards, where discovering the past of the character and world is integral to surviving the future.

Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan saga is a sprawling space opera largely following the life of Miles Vorkosigan from youth to retirement. The first two books introduce his parents, in their 30s and 40s respectively, as they have their meet-cute in the midst of an unexplored alien planet--on opposite sides of a pending war.

Her books in the World of the Five Gods, especially The Curse of Chalion and Paladin of Souls feature protagonists in their 40s or so. Bujold has described some of her stories as second coming-of-age stories, "because growing up isn’t something you do once and then stop; it’s a continuous-flow-process over a person’s lifetime."

I would also second the Kings of the Wyld recommendation. I just finished it last week and it was a wild ride through fantasy and 1970s rock with protagonists whose knees creaked and who just didn't move quite as fast as they used to.

Really cool to see everyone else's recommendations! Excited to check some out.

[Rob]

Nirkatze wrote: "Laura wrote: "Can anyone recommend a few great books with middle-aged MCs please?"

N.K. Jemisin's The Fifth Season and subsequent novels have a main POV who is in her 40s, and the ..."

Kings of the Wyld spoke to me. Eames and I are about the same age, so I just "got it". Not for everyone, but definitely for the 40-50 something crowd if you grew up in the 70/80s, played D&D, and a music fan.

[Steven]

Hi, I’m new to the platform.
Does anyone have realistic book recommendations about
Japanese society like Tokyo Vice by Jake Adelstein ?

[Katie]

I've had a terrible run of seeing bad characters in film and books recently. I'm tired of the snarky rebellious MCs who just have everything fall into their lap. Does anyone know of some books with actual decent main characters? Ones who are respectful and good hearted to the core? I think I need some reads like that right now :D

[Eva]

Katie wrote: "I've had a terrible run of seeing bad characters in film and books recently. I'm tired of the snarky rebellious MCs who just have everything fall into their lap. Does anyone know of some books with..."

Yes! I've actually recently read some Asian fantasy with super sweet and kind protagonists:


The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea also features a kind and loving protagonist, but is only recommended if you don't mind very fast pacing that sacrifices some depth. :-)

[Katie]

Eva wrote: "Katie wrote: "I've had a terrible run of seeing bad characters in film and books recently. I'm tired of the snarky rebellious MCs who just have everything fall into their lap. Does anyone know of s..."

Thank you so much for the recommends Eva!! I'm definitely going to check these out <3

[Eva]

Oh I should clarify that in Bone Shard Daughter only one of the protagonists is a cinnamon roll, but the other is altruistic overall, as well. I think the sweetest protagonist is featured in Shadow of the Fox, which focuses on an adorably cute fox spirit in human form who befriends everyone, even a couple of bad guys, making them want to change their ways. And the series is overflowing with cool creatures from Japanese folklore, it's like Princess Mononoke or Spirited Away in book form.

[Katie]

Eva wrote: "Oh I should clarify that in Bone Shard Daughter only one of the protagonists is a cinnamon roll, but the other is altruistic overall, as well. I think the sweetest protagonist is featured in Shadow..."

That's totally fine! Sometimes there is only one in a book. XD My only goodest boy reference I could think of when it came to this request is "I need more Samwise Gamgee's in literature" lol. I know there are more. I just. Well. He's a very good example. lol.

Awww, I love the fox spirits <3 I got super excited when you did mention Japanese folklore because that world is just so fun to dive into. Ghibli movies being some of my favs~

[Eva]

Yes, definitely! We need more guys like Samwise and BTS in literature:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzLfw...

[Katie]

Eva wrote: "Yes, definitely! We need more guys like BTS in literature:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzLfw..."

hahaha. Oh my gosh! My sister is a huge BTS fan :D

[Nirkatze]

Katie wrote: "I've had a terrible run of seeing bad characters in film and books recently. I'm tired of the snarky rebellious MCs who just have everything fall into their lap. Does anyone know of some books with..."

LOL Katie, knowing that you just finished House of Sky and Breath, I know where at least part of that frustration is coming from.

If you don't mind different media, the main character in Fruits Basket, Vol. 1 (manga and anime) is a girl much like how Eva describes the MC in Shadow of the Fox.

The most feel-good book I've read in the past couple years was The House in the Cerulean Sea. The protagonist is a social worker for magical youth--just an office dude--who cares more than he admits about his job.

All of Becky Chambers' books are really feel-good--and while they don't necessarily feature over-the-top sweet and good folks, all of her characters are very normal people--people who are polite, want to be nice, and deal with normal problems...well, normal for running a spaceship or living on a space station etc. The genre is called Comfypunk for a reason.

My brain keeps tossing out other ideas, like His Majesty's Dragon (Temeraire series) or First Test's Keladry, or The Calculating Stars--but they're more polite and generally good people and satisfying stories, than the sweet, can't-help-but-want-to-hug-them wholesome and good characters like Samwise.

Also @Eva all of our recs sound awesome and I totally want to read them. :) I even got the Bone Shard Daughter from the amazing Book Fairy and it is in the mail now!

[Katie]

@ Nirkatze ~ Gasp! How did you know? haha. It's that and some other books. Like I recently discovered Grim Dark may not be a genre for me. lol

I adore manga! So if you have any reccomends let me know! Fruits Basket was one of my very first actually! I don't think I ever finished it! So who knows which boyo she picked? Lol. Maybe I should go back and find out.

The House in the Cerulean Sea is actually on my book shelf as we speak! Maybe I should bump that up on my reading list <3

Any suggestions of where to start for Becky Chambers? I see I have The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet on my list. I mean, not all characters in books are going to be sweet cinnamon rolls. But I like the more 'real and down to earth' characters you describe. Comfypunk?? Seriously?? XD

Thanks for those other reads too! I'll add them to my list! :D

[Katie]

I just realized that the Protector of the Small series was by Tamora Pierce! I was so obsessed with her books when I was little <3 I remember doing a re-read of her Song of the Lioness series a while back and unfortunately it didn't hit me as it did back then :'(

[Maria]

Hey guys! I'm getting out of a long, long reading slump. I've started one fantasy book, and I feel like reading some light classics maybe.

I haven't had the best experience with classics. But I loved Animal Farm (my favourite classic book thus far) and quite enjoyed Pride and Prejudice - not necessarily because of the romance (Darcy is kind of a jerk) but 'cause it was overall light and breezy and fun.

So, I guess I enjoy light (or in Animal Farm's case, dark but not depressing), witty classics that have a little bit of social commentary?

If you guys have any suggestions like that, I'd love to hear them!

[Nirkatze]

Katie wrote: "@ Nirkatze ~ Gasp! How did you know? haha. It's that and some other books. Like I recently discovered Grim Dark may not be a genre for me. lol

I adore manga! So if you have any reccomends let me k..."

Totally missed this back at the start of May, sorry!

For Manga, I love love 宇宙兄弟 1 Uchuu Kyoudai 1 --in English, Space Brothers... not sure why GR won't give me the English thread. Most feel-good series I've seen and read. If you don't have time to read Fruits Basket, the new anime was really good and finished up to the end of the manga!

For Becky Chambers--all of her books are loosely connected, loosely enough that you could jump in anywhere and be OK, I think, but I read them in series order and enjoyed it. Starting with Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet.

I love Tamora Pierce, but I'm also starting to fear I may have outgrown her... the Alanna books don't hit as well as they used too, like you said, but I still adore Kel's books. I haven't read the new Numair one yet. I've never been a fan of prequels.

[Nirkatze]

Maria wrote: "Hey guys! I'm getting out of a long, long reading slump. I've started one fantasy book, and I feel like reading some light classics maybe.

I haven't had the best experience with classics. But I lo..."

For light classics, there's always the old children's classics, like The Swiss Family Robinson or Black Beauty and so on.

Not a classic, but a series described as Jane Austen with magic--Shades of Milk and Honey. I've read other books by Kowal and loved them, been meaning to read the Glamourist Histories.

[Eva]

Hi Maria!

For witty and light classics, check out

Eugene Onegin by Pushkin, a short novel in witty verse (this particular translation is wonderful)

All Creatures Great and Small about a young veterinarian in Scotland

An Ideal Husband and The Importance of Being Ernest by Oscar Wilde (plays, they also have great full-length movie adaptations so you can just watch the adaptation to read them)

I've heard Nikolai Gogol is also very witty and fun, but I haven't read him yet.

[Katie]

Nirkatze wrote: "Katie wrote: "@ Nirkatze ~ Gasp! How did you know? haha. It's that and some other books. Like I recently discovered Grim Dark may not be a genre for me. lol

I adore manga! So if you have any recco..."

No worries Nirkatze!! Thanks so much for the great manga/anime recommends! And where to start in that scifi saga. I can't wait to find some more great books <3

[[deleted user]]

A really good manga/anime slice of life is 銀の匙 Silver Spoon 1 Gin no Saji Silver Spoon 1 . I can say i never expected to love a series revolving around agriculture so much.

[Nirkatze]

FM wrote: "A really good manga/anime slice of life is 銀の匙 Silver Spoon 1 Gin no Saji Silver Spoon 1 . I can say i never expected to love a series revolving around agriculture so much."

I've heard good things about that too, but haven't seen/read it.

[[deleted user]]

Well if you have the time give it a try. The anime is juts two short seasons but the manga continues for a bit more.

[Nirkatze]

On my watchlist!

[Tonari no Emily]

My husband asked me today if I knew any good books about pirates... And I really don't haha
Anyone have any recommendations? Doesn't have to be fantasy or sci-fi, but that's a bonus! :)

[Nirkatze]

Mmm... Can't think of things with pirates as *good* guys, really... I was thinking of Hobb's Realm of the Elderlings series 2 Liveship Traders. And maybe Poor Man's Fight, but it's space pirates, and they're not the main characters--more a viewpoint we get so the ultimate showdown with the military MC has more oomph.

I keep seeing recommendations for Tim Power's On Stranger Tides though I've not read it myself, and I've been wanting to read the Daughter of the Pirate King books.

[Tonari no Emily]

eh they don't need to be good guys necessarily.. Just pirate-y books haha

I'll look into those two though thanks!

[Silvana]

Anyone can recommend some recent (2020-2022) grimdark fantasy books? preferably with overall smart lead characters and little travelogue? cool magic system and good action scenes would be bonus.

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Emily wrote: "My husband asked me today if I knew any good books about pirates... And I really don't haha
Anyone have any recommendations? Doesn't have to be fantasy or sci-fi, but that's a bonus! :)"

Most of the books I know are romances of some variety... whether it's Telepathic Space Pirates Pirate Nemesis, or Iron Seas The Iron Duke, a steampunk romance series with airships...

Actually, that makes me think of the Ketty Jay: Retribution Falls... this is probably my closest recommendation... it's a steampunk airship series that has a Firefly feel to it...

And then there's Cinnamon and Gunpowder... it's a historical about a lady pirate and the chef she kidnaps on her pirate ship... bit of a reverse Scheherazade story...

I actually haven't read all these, but I've either wanted to, at some point, or started and paused on the series...

[Tonari no Emily]

Thanks! I'm not sure he'll want anything with a romance focus... But you never know haha

[Nirkatze]

Silvana wrote: "Anyone can recommend some recent (2020-2022) grimdark fantasy books? preferably with overall smart lead characters and little travelogue? cool magic system and good action scenes would be bonus."

One that sticks out in my mind was last year's The Blacktongue Thief. Witty MC, dark world that left me wanting more, a traveling quest, and some hints of magic.

I keep seeing Abercrombie's Shattered Sea series, Fonda Lee's Green Bone Saga, Gwynne's Bloodsworn Saga, and Tamsin Muir's The Locked Tomb series on Grimdark lists from the past year. Of those I've read Bloodsworn and the first of the Locked Tomb books (ongoing BR yay!) and really enjoyed them, but I didn't think of grimdark when I read them. Not sure why.

[Silvana]

Nirkatze wrote: "One that sticks out in my mind was last year's The Blacktongue Thief. Witty MC, dark world that left me wanting more, a traveling quest, and some hints of magic...."

Thanks, apparently I already marked it as ''looks-interesting" in my shelves ;)

I read Shattered Sea and it was my least fave Abercrombie trilogy - somehow he managed to utilize all the tropes in YA and made an annoying read that made me think some authors should just stay writing adult books. I did enjoy his last series (Age of Madness?) though, it was fantastic.

Green Bone saga, the first book was okay I guess, I need to return to the series now it's finished.

Locked Tomb was not for me but Bloodsworn is new. Tell me, does it have a lot of navel gazing parts?

[Nirkatze]

Silvana wrote: "Nirkatze wrote: "One that sticks out in my mind was last year's The Blacktongue Thief. Witty MC, dark world that left me wanting more, a traveling quest, and some hints of magic...."

Thanks, appar..."

Hmm... navel-gazing... some, but not a ton, I think. Anyone else who read it want to weigh in? There is a LOT of action, and the pace is quick. Navel-gazing... there is some introspection and epiphany moments, but the weren't overdone, I think. I did feel like I was waiting for something until almost the end of the book. There are three viewpoints, and we don't get to see how they are all connected until near the end--which I enjoyed, because it kept me guessing, but also contributed to that "waiting" feeling. The first book, The Shadow of the Gods was my favorite book from 2020. The second book, The Hunger of the Gods, didn't quite live up to the first, for me, but I have seen reviews from people who feel it exceeded the first in excellence. I think I will enjoy it more on reread, and when I can reread with a complete series.

What are your favorite Grimdark series, and what does Grimdark mean to you? When I think of Grimdark, I think of a world with little hope, in shades of dark gray, with MCs of questionable morals. But most of all, to me, for me to think of something as Grimdark, I have to feel it. It has to feel dark, and gloomy, maybe hopeless. I have to feel the grit in my soul. So there's a lot of things that I know are technically Grimdark, but I don't think of them, because they don't give me that feeling. Like Game of Thrones.

[Silvana]

Nirkatze wrote: "What are your favorite Grimdark series, and what does Grimdark mean to you? ."

Hi Nirkatze, thanks for the explanation on the Blacktongue Thief book. I asked about navel gazing since I just finished a fantasy novel in which there are too much of it, and we spent hundreds of pages only in the POV characters almost without something new, and those parts are included in between almost every conversation. So can you imagine a conversation will last a chapter just because before each sentence the POV character would think about their past, do some reflection and so on, it totally ruin the pacing for me. I am easily bored and thus want my SFF books to be fast paced and more 'show don't tell''.

About grimdark, more or less the same as you, I guess. I also enjoy reading about characters with lots of shades of grey. I would have to disagree on A Song of Ice and Fire series, since at times it felt super dark and gloomy and almost hopeless for me - but to each their own! :) My go-to grimdark authors would be Joe Abercrombie (First Law novels) and Glen Cook (Chronicles of The Black Company). If a grimdark series has military fantasy aspect to it, the much better.

[Nirkatze]

Hmm... that navel-gazing makes me think of the Laini Taylor Laslo the Dreamer/Muse of Nightmares duology BR a few months ago... though a lot of the pages were dedicated to gazing at each other's navels and not just their own. ;p

re: GoT--I think part of it is that I've only been aware of the phrase "Grimdark" for a few years, and I haven't reread the Song of Ice & Fire books since long before them, so my memories of it aren't in line with current terminology. Definitely need a reread, but I'm waiting for the next book. I don't mind the wait--more time to forget everything before the reread.

Joe Abercrombie is definitely at the fore of my mind when I think of Grimdark, and Mark Lawrence as well. Anthony Ryan's Raven books as well maybe a little bit, but I need a reread of them too I think. And Brian McClellan a bit, but less despair there. I haven't read Glen Cook's Black Company books, but I keep hearing about them and they're on the TBR. I'm a big fan of Military SF, so I'm sure I'd enjoy the military fantasy aspects too. :)

So, any Military Fantasy recommendations?

[Silvana]

Nirkatze wrote: "Hmm... that navel-gazing makes me think of the Laini Taylor Laslo the Dreamer/Muse of Nightmares duology BR a few months ago... though a lot of the pages were dedicated to gazing at each other's na..."

Military fantasy, Black Company is definitely one, and Naomi Novik's Temeraire series, McClellan's Powder Mage books (two trilogies) of it. I heard Django Wexler's books are also recommended, but forgot the title. Anthony Ryan's Draconis Memoria has some great naval action (sometimes dragons were involved). Abercrombie's The Heroes too, but I guess you've read it.

[Julian]

So I'm nearly done with the worm web serial and I have absolutely no idea (outside of the wandering inn of course) on what to read next. Does anyone have any recommendations on some books that aren't too big of an undertaking?

[Tonari no Emily]

In the mood for anything particular?

Some books I've really liked recently
The Outsider (Thiller by Stephen King)
Scythe (Arc of the Scythe Trilogy. YA dystopian, but wasn't too young adult if that makes sense)
Reunion (Recommended by Brian in Vagabond, actually!)

And I don't know if you've listened to Dispatcher series on Audible, but they're free if you have a membership I'm pretty sure. The third one just came out. They're novella-length though.

[Christine]

Julian wrote: "So I'm nearly done with the worm web serial and I have absolutely no idea (outside of the wandering inn of course) on what to read next. Does anyone have any recommendations on some books that aren..."

If you're looking for another dark take on superheros/villains, Vicious is a good bet. And not too long.

If you're up for any genre I suggest I Hunt Killers, which is only a trilogy and the audiobooks are very good.

[Luka]

Hi, I’m new to fantasy and wanting to have the feeling of following a series since the beginning. To be excited and nervous about the next release and be a part of it from the start. Any recommendations of series with only one to two books released that is likely to continue to grow ? Thanks

[Silvana]

Luka wrote: "Hi, I’m new to fantasy and wanting to have the feeling of following a series since the beginning. To be excited and nervous about the next release and be a part of it from the start. Any recommenda..."

The Singing Hills Cycle! Only two books have been released (third one coming soon):
The Empress of Salt and Fortune
When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain

and The Cemeteries of Amalo is awesome too. Two books released:
The Witness for the Dead
The Grief of Stones

Both series are very well written.

[Nirkatze]

Heya folks! I'm looking for recommendations for adult-oriented (not YA) retellings of fairy tales (not classics, not mythology) especially from around the world and with different cultural twists, and with enough literary oomph or meatiness that there's probably a list of book club discussion questions out there, or easy enough to come up with them (Award winners are always nice). Looking to create a list for a book club literature class...

Only come up with a few options so far:
Spinning Silver--Rumplestiltskin with Russian/Jewish/Polish cultural twist
How to Be Eaten--multiple fairytales with feminist bent, but no specific culture, which is a bummer.
The Snow Child (The Snow Maiden with Alaska twist--but then we'd have 2x Russian and I really want to go around the world....)

Been putting together a list for my co-teachers to debate and choose, but was hoping to get some input from folks who might have read things and have recommendations other than me scouring the interwebs. Thank you in advance!

[Mel]

What's your definition of YA? Tricky, since oftentimes fairy tales will automatically be shelved as YA, especially if there is a younger protagonist. Are you specifically trying to avoid lusty teenagers in love triangles?

- The Raven and the Reindeer - Snow Queen retelling. Nordic
- Wildwood Dancing - 12 Dancing Princesses, Transylvania

(I haven't read, but in my TBR)
- Daughter of the Moon Goddess - China, Chang'e retelling
- Skin of the Sea - African, Little Mermaid retelling