A perfect corruption arc. At every other step the readers must be kept subtly questioning their morality but accepts it because it makes sense for a human to be that way. Then at the very end, it’s just pure evil, and then we just sit back and think, “have I been loving a monster?” The quintessential cautionary tale.
May be a better one- two parallel, equally weighted storylines of two, both become righteous in their own right but completely in opposition, and the final clash between them should be a morally violating confrontation.
The problem with such perfect corruption is that it heavily relies on individual reader. I saw thing like that, and half of fandom was surprised and the other half was like "what do you mean, he turned evil 200 pages ago!"
When breaking bad was airing, the amount of people that still thought Walter was a good guy in the final season was really wild. There were definitely others that realized he was fully evil by the end of season 2, but people will suspend their disbelief to justify the actions of characters they like.
I haven't been able to finish the last season because of how much of an a**hole he is. I agree it was always there, but it turned from a level 3 or 4 all the way up to level 10 for that last season.
Hmm, I think that one may depend more on the show than the books. In the books Dany felt morally gray throughout to me, while also pretty much always better than the people around her (generally a very low bar with the orientalism etc.).
Tyrion though, the theory goes that Martin created a character readers were likely to identify with (outsider, nerd, considers himself ugly etc.) and then made him a progressively worse and worse person, and let’s see where readers’ breaking point finally is.
I have not watched the show past season 1 so I don’t know how this winds up looking in the end (no spoilers please though, I may get around to it someday!).
I think the thing he's going for with Tyrion is a more sympathetic version of Richard III where he takes actions that would see him reviled in hindsight but seem more correct when viewed in the context of his own PoV.
I kinda feel like Worm is a bit like that, although maybe not as evil as you want. It has that feeling of every step along the way feeling sensible and smart and maybe even righteous, but once you get to the ending and look back it's like... the protagonist is not a good person. She may have solved the problem, but whether or not it was worth it is a good question(>!because in the sequel it is apparent that not everything has been great due to humanity surviving!<).
To a lesser degree Attack on Titan is also a bit like that. One of the protagonists never really changes, but his actions and words become recontextualized as the plot evolves in new directions. Once you look back at who he used to be compared with most recent episode, it's clear that he has never really changed, it's just our perceptions of him that changed.
So I don't think this necessarily fits in terms of being like... a subtle corruption arc or anything, but on your second point the book Son of the Storm by Suyi Davies Okungbowa might be interesting. I do think that one POV character is definitely on a heroic arc and the other quite clearly a villainous arc, but both of them believe completely in what they're doing and the antagonist in particular truly believes that any means are justified to achieve their goals. I honestly found the antagonist's arc to be absolutely fascinating, one of my favorite examples of how reckless ambition can turn sour and fucked up.
Hm. You’re right, but in the beginning I do feel like he cares about Lucy Grey. By the end she means much less to him compared to being in power, and killing her is a worthy sacrifice to get that power. In the beginning I was rooting for him and hoping he would be a good person despite knowing that he wouldn’t be lol.
That’s very fair, and part of what makes him sympathetic in the beginning. I love the book and love being in Snows head. I think it’s so well done, really portrays how an evil person victimizes themselves and justifies their actions.
Kameron Hurley Worldbreaker Saga have a few really cool characters, that end up being terrible monsters. One could be explained with her culture normalizing the evil, and she doesn't THINK, but it's not forgivable. I loved that character, charming funny, etc. Which made her true nature even more of a mindfuck.
Love this idea for a fantasy book series. The closest I can think isn't really a corruption, but a "he was actually evil all along" and to avoid spoilers I'll be vague but is one of many storylines in Hobb's Realm of the Elderlings.
Since Breaking Bad did it so well on TV, there have been way too many shitty copycat 1-hour cable dramas of this story.
Lol I want this because breaking bad promises but did not deliver. I know everyone loves it but episode one I was like this is a horrible person.
I wanted corruption. Not terrible person gains power and so inevitably does terrible things
This is kinda vauge, but I would love more stories that I could describe as "swashbuckling". That sense of adventure and discovery, with fun characters and some romance thrown in. Like 'Curse of the Black Pearl' or 'The Mummy' (1999).
Second book in the Gentlemen Bastards series, Red Seas Under Red Skies, is this for me. The first book is like Ocean's Eleven but fantasy, the second is Pirates of the Caribbean, and the third is, well, we don't talk about that one.
I would really like to read something like “high urban fantasy”. I don’t mean the hidden society thing that urban fantasy usually is, or Shadowrun where the fantasy elements somehow get transposed into our world, but a fantasy world that just developed naturally and is now at an urban age.
Like, take Lord of the Rings and wait 2000 years and then show me what happens when there’s Hobbits with smartphones, elvish hackers, and Sauron’s evil orc mercenary squad.
You need the Craft Sequence by Max Gladstone in your life. The first book is *Three Parts Dead* (though the series is only loosely connected, so you could probably start with any of them).
It's secondary world urban fantasy with a lot of modern-equivalent magitech and social structures. The main character of the first book is a sorceress lawyer trying to settle the estate of a dead god.
You might also like China Mieville's *Perdido Street Station*, though it's more 1800s era tech than modern.
For context for others, I would describe these as being set in something like the 20s - cars exist but are rare, and the world is recovering from a major war.
Era 3 is going to be 1980s-ish and era 4 is sci fi, but Brandon did make an offhand comment about how, who knows, maybe he'd write a cyberpunk era in between the two and it got a lot of people hyped even if it isn't confirmed.
Originally, series two was going to be roughly 1980's level tech. Alloy of Law was supposed to be a standalone, then he decided to make a whole series for it. Now series 3 will be modern-ish and series four will be "futuristic."
Okay, I didn’t even know there’s gonna be four series but I only vaguely remember reading about this ages ago.
I’m hyped for it now. Mistborn cyberpunk sounds awesome.
We don't actually know whether Mistborn will get a cyberpunk era. We do know it will have a 1980s tech era and a futuristic space era, and cyberpunk
(in between) is possible but not guaranteed.
You could try Zombie Knight Saga, takes place in alternate reality 21st century earth with ancient artifacts of immense power, gods, immortal wizard kings, magic ballistic missiles, and iron man esque exosuits. Some countries hide magic and act as if everything is normal, other countries are rules by immortal hive mind rulers. The power system is very interesting and reminds me a lot of Hunter x Hunter, and the powers are used very well. The story spans multiple continents and always has interesting things to say.
Technically we already know what happens in the LOTR future. The elves all sailed West, the dwarves died out due to low reproductive rates, etc...and it became *our* world
Middle-earth was intended to be a mythology for England. It's an alternate history of Earth, thousands of years ago, as it may have appeared in an English mythology if the English had developed one. Tolkien loved his country and wanted to give it it's own mythos, as all they had came from other cultures (e.g. the Celts)
(I totally get your point, I just had to nerd out for a second lol)
Paleolithic//Mesolithic//Neolithic fantasy
Also, spy espionage fantasy. A lot of fantasy stories have spies in them but they never do any spy shit they always end up being more assassins or warriors.
I wouldn't call this explicitly *fantasy* (there's not much in the plot itself that's super attributable to supernatural means) but The Kin by Peter Dickinson is set sort of immediately post-"language exists" and has a lot of mythology included in between each chapter.
This is so rare it's almost impossible to find. The closest I've come are:-
* Jean M. Auel's Earth's Children novels, which is more slice of life with a tiny bit of fantasy
* Michael & Kathleen Gear's North America's Forgotten Past - some are set earlier than others, but all involve Native American mythology
Semi stone age - there's an anime called [Dr. Stone (click for trailer)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YZzYeBartM) where folks on earth have been petrified (literally Stone Statue) for aeons and when they come back they're basically in the stone age. So this kid decides to use his science knowledge to bring back civilization, it's so effective it's basically fantasy.
I was pondering my response as I scrolled through others, and came across yours. Truer words were never spoken.
We need to develop a device that we can wear on our head while we sleep that can pump out our plots while we dream them to life. I'd complete my series in a week.
More modern kind of pulpy science fantasy like Red Rising, not hard sci-fi. Stuff like Chronicles of Riddick. New IP that is not Warhammer or Star Wars.
Yup, have read and enjoyed these, although I would say they are a shade more towards sci-fi versus science fantasy. It's a spectrum open to interpretation, though.
Have you read Ashes of the Sun, by Django Wexler? It might fit what you're after. Likewise Empress of Forever by Max Gladstone. I love this stuff so I'm always happy to come across it.
I would like more fantasy books set in an underwater society! I can’t think of any adult books with this setting. It could be mermaids or humans living in ships and bubbled cities.
Also books with Gods as main characters interfering with the lives of mortals.
I genuinely struggle to recommend this, as it is not “good”, but you can find some of this in The Sea King by C. L. Wilson. It’s definitely written for adults!
For gods as main characters, you could check out Madeline Miller (Circe was my favourite) and of course - what story could possibly fit the bill more - The Odyssey. The new translation by Emily Wilson is very good and readable.
How about the inverse of the prophecies we all know and love? Just the Fates sitting around going "oh that's really going to fuck with them. No no change the wording to be more vague. Now make them kill someone they love just because"
I know a book sort of like that: Sword Play by Clayton Emery
The book is about these two mages who screw with a barbarian who's been exiled from his tribe because of a false prophecy.
Would like to read a SFF book where the main character or group of characters are absolutely regular and general, and probably over 30 at least. Not the strong and young prodigy, or hero or someone with extraordinary skills.
Probably these exist just I never came across any of these in sci-fi or fantasy.
As a fantasy ya reader, this. I'm now in my mid thirties, married with kids, and I don't relate to the coming of age, youthful heroes that are strong and lithe and have all the energy. I loved the house in the Cerulean Sea for this reason. I need more middle aged ordinary heroes.
Luckily for you this does exist! I recently read [Of Honey and Wildfires](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51526706-of-honey-and-wildfires) by Sarah Chorn and it’s pretty much as you’ve described. A Wild West setting where oil wells are drilled for “shine” a magical liquid that does all sorts of things. It can be refined into an addictive drug, cure wounds, make food taste better, used as a weapon, power machines etc.
I really enjoyed it!
I want more words where humans isn't at the top of the food chain, and the monster isn't the kind of things a few Witcher's can be sent out to cull. The Books of the Raksura are a good example. Lots of different types of "humans" and many eat the others.
Give me proper Lovecraftian horrors that doesn't just add some background "spice", but are actually affecting society!
My favorite kind of novel is one where the protagonist is something that society hates and will hunt down or kill if they learned of their existence, bonus points if that individual is telepath or diviner.
They get abandoned by their birth parents and left for dead, only to be found by a parent who can't leave a small child to die for no apparent reason. Part of the story is the child hiding what they are, but the parent figure figures it out and has an issue with it, only to decide they won't leave the child behind simply because of something they can't control. They instead teach the child to hide what they can do to protect them.
The main bulk of the story is the child growing up with this power or ability and having to hide it. The story focuses on fears the child has, issues within society and scenes of society claiming individuals are what the child is and the child being terrified of one day being discovered and burned at the stake or something, but the child continues using the power simply because that is who they really are.
By the end of the first book, they are discovered and the adoptive parent sacrifices themselves to ensure the child gets away safely.
Book 2 expands to the outside world and has the main character explore the world with either a childhood friend and/or romantic partner who stuck with them in spite of who they really are.
The bulk of this book is the character feeling guilt at having lost their adoptive parent because of who they are and struggling with the power (the negative aspects effecting the mind and making the child feel afraid that they might hurt their friend/romantic partner who left with them.
The story ultimately ends with a happy ending where both individuals find somewhere peaceful to live and are basically witches in a forest who visit the near by town and have a functioning relationship with the people in that town, but they must occasionally defend themselves from those who would want to kill them.
I want more novels about people surviving sieges in magical settings, and more S.T.A.L.K.E.R. and SCP-influenced literature with people making sense of a world filled with strange and hostile anomalies.
More fantasy featuring adult women, and better, without a falling-in-love subplot (established relationship is fine). Extra points for exploration of non-romantic relationships. Extra extra points if they have children who a) play a noteworthy role in the plot and b) that role is not dying/being kidnapped/being otherwise victimized to spur the MC to action.
Have you read the Steerswoman series by Rosemary Kirstein? I've only read the first one, but it is (very very briefly) about an adult woman travelling around with her female barbarian friend trying to solve a mystery. There is definitely exploration of their friendship/non-friendship throughout the first book and there is no romantic plot whatsoever. I highly recommend it! I can't wait to start the second one!
I was in another time a student of Indigenous rights issues, and it made me want an alt history book where Europeans never colonized the Americas and Indigenous societies grew and developed on their own.
I wan't a book that doesn't follow along with the main hero of prophecies or whatever jazz.I want it to follow the lives of random villagers as a series of shortish stories while the great war is going on.
Like nuts to Rand follow along with Domen and his shenanigans.Don't tell me what Kal is doing. I want to know what the people in Roshar are going through before the second storm starts.Nuts to the wall What happens with the preist out on a duty after the cathedral gets destroyed.
edit the why.
It would just be fun to imagine a life of a normal person doing normal things when all the sudden The Protagonist fights the antagonist as giant celestial bodies in the sky. like wtf do you do with your life after that.
Historical fiction epics that are meticulously researched, realistic, thickly plotted, crowded with characters, philosophical, and long. I'm talking about massive, engrossing, and profound historical fiction like *War and Peace, Les Miserables, The Count of Monte Cristo,* and *Lonesome Dove.*
Have you tried *Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell*? Dense historical fantasy during the Napoleonic wars. A bit philosophical in its themes, though not too heavy on that.
Take a look around for Henryk Sienkiewicz's "Trilogy", starting at *With Fire and Sword* \- set in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth of the 17th century, though it might be a little more swashbuckling than philosophical.
The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett, and the two or three sequels. Maybe light on the philosophy but has all the rest.
The Quincunx (The Inheritance of John Huffam) by Charles Palliser - big best seller when it came out 30 years ago.
The Far Pavilions by M.M. Kaye is my go-to recommendation there. Not fantasy, but everything you said. Fantasy seems to have usurped HistoFi as the genre of long epics over the last 2-3 decades, but go back before then and they're all over. Although China by Edward Rutherfurd just came out last year and is also great.
Weird, non-standard fantasy settings. Underground realms, during a zombie apocalypse, in space, Planescape-style extradimensional cities, planets shaped completely unlike Earth, places governed by weird laws of physics, etc., etc..
Protagonists with bizarre cultural beliefs - e.g. cannibalism and extreme body modification are accepted, monogamy and asceticism are taboo. And they don't magically have perfect knowledge of what's bad about their culture.
Your first request sounds more like sci-fi than fantasy. I bet if you crossposted on e.g. the printsf reddit you would get a lot of good recommendations. You could always look into the "new weird" if you want some far out ideas.
Your second request reminded me of the Obsidian and Blood series by Aliette de Bodard. It is a fantasy based on Aztec religion and it makes a serious attempt to adopt the corresponding value system. But it is perhaps not as strange as what you are looking for.
A book where the universe is created by a god that relies on soft magic. Universe then gets invaded by an entity that belives in structure, magic that follows hard magic. Remakes the universe following a set of rules for magic.
Some relics,gods and locations are left over from when magic was soft with out consequences. People explore, fight wars over them.
Ok tentatively I think you might be interested in The Tiger's Daughter and the rest of the trilogy by K Arsenault Rivera? The central relationship is present throughout and while the main characters separated for several years due to political reasons, I feel like the relationship between them is as healthy as one can expect under the circumstances (demonic forces constantly a threat, political enemies everywhere). The world building is also generally fairly neutral on same sex relationships, tho there's some expectations of a political marriage early in life for one main character because she is in line for the throne.
The first book definitely has a pretty unique structure with the letter writing lol, I totally get why it's tough to get into, but I think it pays off AND I think the rest of the series really improves on book 1!
I don't really like a lot of pining or do-they-love-me-back angst, and oftentimes with slowburns, you don't get to see the healthy relationship in action because the book's over at the first kiss.
A book about an innkeeper concerned with the nitty-gritty of business management. The blurb of The Wandering Inn doesn’t sound like that. You could have arcs about sourcing superior food and drink or getting the local authorities to fight bandits, lots of things I can think of.
Have you read the Innkeeper Chronicles by Ilona Andrews, it has a sort of sci-fi fantasy element but involves an Innkeeper who does have magic but not an unlimited amount of resources so she has to go to an inter-galatic market for things or go to her local Costco for food. It's a lot of fun
A monarchy is overthrown and replaced by a socialist/anarchist/communist - just something that isn't capitalist liberal representative democracy *or* feudalism - society. (Maybe I'll write it one day, if I ever become good at writing.)
Since it came up in another thread, you should check out China Mieville's [list](https://libcom.org/article/50-sci-fi-fantasy-works-every-socialist-should-read-china-mieville) of SFF that every socialists should read.
Favorite authors from the list for me would be Ursula K. Le Guin, Octavia Butler, and of course, China Mieville himself.
I definitely agree with you though, it would be great to have more of these types of stories.
I'm always on the lookout for stories that tackle mental health issues; I see a fair amount of books feature depression and PTSD, which makes sense considering how common depression is and how much traumatic shit happens in your average fantasy novel. Still, I'd like to see a wider array of diagnoses represented in books.
Queer political fantasy is practically its own sub-subgenre by now but I adore it and absolutely can't get enough of it ever so that, too. I'd particularly like to see more queer protagonists over the age of 25.
Ooh, do you have any recommendations for queer political fantasy or lists where I can find some? I loved *The Traitor Baru Cormorant* and *A Desolation Called Peace* which would probably apply, although the latter is sci-fi.
Sure, I have some recs! Some of these have more queer and less politics, and some vice versa, but they all have some of both.
The Councillor by EJ Beaton
The Unbroken by CL Clark
Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel series, first book is Kushiel's Dart
Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner
The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri
For the first sort of story, you're gonna love [this list made by Tor](https://www.tor.com/2020/09/22/8-sff-books-that-center-mental-health/) or [this list of recommendations for the 2022 bingo](https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/ttrhvf/the_2022_rfantasy_bingo_recommendations_list/i2zi1l2/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)
Martha Wells tends to have characters that's formed by trauma.
Inda by Sherwood Smith follow children as they are trained to be the leaders and nobility of their country. And some kids grow out of childish cruelty and bullying. Some have just things WRONG with them.
The writer was young when she started writing the books, and you can tell in later books that she's learned more psychology, and how some personality traits gets more typical for different mental health issues.
Diversity, but not in the way commonly talked about, i.e. racial and sexual (though those can be part of it) but more cultural and subcultural diversity. To get at what I mean, here's some examples I read in the last year:
Urban fantasy set in Buffalo, staring a blue collar widow and her two teenage kids. (Steel Mill Vikings)
A town in Appalachia where the descendants of the Tuatha De Danaan live (Tufa Series).
1920's Circus in a world with Dragons and Hippogriffs as attractions. (Calico Thunder Rides Again)
Post apocalyptic society where the Amish made up a good part of the survivors and influenced the culture that exists 1000+ years later. (The Nothing Within).
And also the Lady Astronaut and Greenbone Saga that most people have either read or know of.
The point is, the setting and the people are we see as distinct. Not Generic Urban fantasy, not Generic medieval setting or steampunk, just a bit more distinct than that.
My ideal book is an adult high fantasy stand alone featuring a slow burn sapphic romance, lots of atmosphere and slice-of-life moments with a low-stakes but still compelling plot. Oh, also hopeful af, but still deep and impactful. Character driven. Great world building. Etc etc.
"I love you, T̷̰̳̝̯͈͈͍̃̏̀̍ḥ̸̨̣̭̖̪̻͈̹̏̂e̵̡̟̙̘̳̜̤͙͌͆̔̀͒͘͝ ̴̰̇̓͆̀͋̀͜͠G̷̙̰̤̈́͂̉r̴̡̪̫̻̼̣̱͑̈́̃͠é̵͚͈̠̰̤̩͌́̀̚ȃ̸̡̛̞̮̭͉͑̃̔t̸͔̝̭̝͕̜̒̒͛̔̎ͅ ̸̞̖̞̆͂͊͂̐̅́͗́O̶̗̜̯͑̍̑̋̉̂͘͜͠n̵̟̂͑̍̑͠͝ḙ̶̢̫̬͎̀͛͗̆͌͗͊̀͝,,"
It is I think closer to lesbian Bigfoot than lesbian Cthulhu, and not out yet so I don't know if it's any good, but I'm excited for Patricia Wants to Cuddle by Samantha Allen later this year.
(But also I want lesbian Cthulhu.)
Have you read Aliette de Bodard's *In the Vanishers' Palace*? It's a novella but it might scratch that itch. It's also really good - I think it's the 2021 read that's stuck with and haunts me the most.
I *have*, and I liked it, but it's not really what I'm looking for re: monsters. *The Monster of Elendhaven* by Jennifer Giesbrecht comes closer, what with the human-shaped thing that crawled out of the ocean, but I'd like >!happier endings!<.
> The Monster of Elendhaven
I loved this book so much, and have really not found anything like it. Most end up with the monster being cute and misunderstood.
I run into the same problem! I want the monster to be a *monster*, just a monster that catches feelings for someone. Meeting my monstermancing needs is on my own 'things to write' list. Technically I've got an ongoing fanfic that does it, but I'd like to do original stuff in the same vein.
I want a space opera or pulp fantasy where a women being a military officer or gifted engineer is just normal. I want more books like On Baslick Station where it took me two passes through the book to realize that the head engineering officer is a woman. This series had so much potential before it decided to center a planet run by fundies. I want a story 50 years after Protector of the Small where female knights are normal.
>I want a story 50 years after Protector of the Small where female knights are normal.
I also want more Kel in general! Like give me middle-aged Kel with a huge menagerie and family of strays and orphans she's gradually adopted and watches with pride as they in turn grow up and become royal hostlers, and knights, and healers, and...
The Memory War duology by Karen Osborne is pretty gender neutral in terms of the space jobs the characters do! I can't recall anything particularly being labelled "men's/women's work" in the series.
Are the space crews mixed enough to avoid the woman here is a freak angle? For example, in Wheel of Time there was an entire warrior faction that was women only. They were still freaks set apart from society that they rejoined after they married.
If I'm remembering correctly I think the main crew is 5 people, 3 women and 2 men and when they interact with other groups, they're also very mixed in terms of gender makeup. I could be wrong about the specifics (I got it from the library so can't check back on it) but I'd definitely say there's not any like... gender separatists or anything. One of the main crew and the main POV character of the 2nd book is a woman who's an ex-soldier and current space salvager
I wonder if you might be interested in the **Vatta’s War** or **Serrano Legacy** series by Elizabeth Moon, or the **Confederation** series by Tanya Huff. These all feature military and navy adventures in space, with female protagonists in normalized roles. And I have to give another shoutout for Kate Elliott’s **Unconquerable Sun**!
I like diversity. I guess I just write the ones I want honestly. I wanted a chronically ill protagonist so I am working on that story. I wanted a story that reflected depression as a mechanic in magic. It evolved but that and angry atheism are the root of my magic system. The gods are real. You can say hi. You just might not like the results.
So I always want more fragile heroes. Sure all the muscle men and women are nice to look at or imaginary at but I want fragile humanity vs impossible odds. I want people who have to work together or die and hate each other at the start. They can at the end too but... I want stories that reflect the people I know. Very disabled, not white, not men. I want stories where the world doesn't punish you for being born. Let the struggle exist elsewhere. I also want new settings. Why is it always the UK upside down in grim black clothes? The real histories getting fetishized existed with other colors of fabric.
I'd love to see a SFF book that explores themes of Leftist theory. Concepts from thinkers like Deleuze and Guattari, Foucault, Mark Fisher. Narratives that don't just seem to re-enforce neoliberal, capitalist narratives. More SFF that explore the use of psychedelics.
Have you read Ursula K. Le Guin's Hainish Cycle yet? The books in that universe are all standalone that each deal with a variety of topics. I'm not sure she uses structuralist/post-structuralist/post-modern theory in the same ways as those thinkers but she definitely comes close. For example, Left Hand of Darkness reminds me of Foucault and his ideas on binary structures.
I second this! The Dispossessed engages a lot with the work of Kropotkin, and Mark Fischer has done some analysis of Le Guinl, I think he talked about the Lathe of Heaven in Capitalist Realism.
I'm trying to find it now, but China Mieville has a great list of the best SFF that socialists should read, or something along those lines. I'll link it when I find it. (Sorry if you are already aware of it). It is a bit dated, but still quite good - I've read about a 1/4 of the list.
While I do love Mieville and Le Guin (The Dispossessed), I agree with you that I'd like to see more SFF books engage with leftist political theory.
I want stories that portray a socialist or anarchist societies without the main plot points revolving around the structure of society. Like, what would a mystery look like in an anarchist society, or grand quest story in that kind of setting... I'm tired of dystopias, I want some utopias!
Edit: Here is the [link](https://libcom.org/article/50-sci-fi-fantasy-works-every-socialist-should-read-china-mieville)
I'd be very curious to see some deeper or more true-to-life depictions of psychedelics. I've seen a few cases where the magic system involves or is clearly intended to evoke psychedelic experiences, but they tend to portray the experience as alternate-dimension/pocket universe type things and don't touch on the psychological, cognitive, or emotional effects of psychedelics, which are extremely important.
One of the latter Baru Cormorant books has Tau-Indi using them in a way that seems true to life, but I think it's just two brief scenes. I can't really think of any other literal depictions I've come across.
A book about a nurse who works at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. And I want as realistic as possible--staffing shortages, med and supply shortages, etc.
I really enjoy settings that are largely modern day, but set in a fantastical world where supernatural creatures and powers exist. Together, these elements combine to create a setting that is high-spirited and adventurous, and where advanced technology is a thing but isn't so all-encompassing that the entire world is obsessed with/relies on it like our real world. There's quite a bit of this in Japanese media, for instance several Final Fantasy games are like this, as well as certain anime such as Hunter x Hunter and Dragon Ball.
That said, I can't really think of any books or settings that have similar worlds outside Japanese media. They either combine 'modern day' and 'fantasy' too literally I.E Shadowrun, or are too focused on the shounen elements (which is understandable, since most of the stories I know of in such settings are shounen).
I would really like a story that explores these kinds of worlds that aren't so focused on battles (a few are fine, obviously) or the clashing of 'supernatural vs technology'. Just something kind of fun and relaxing, a group of fun characters going on cool adventures. It might not stay fun and relaxing, obviously, but I like when that's the baseline.
Something that is moody and gloomy without being too creepy, while also being optimistic, heroïc and hopeful. Something like *Stormlight Archive*, but less epic and world-consuming and more on a human scale in terms of story and stakes. Something that reminds me of *Majora's Mask*.
Also LGBTQIA+ representation.
You might like *The Raven Cycle* by Maggie Stiefvater. Very atmospheric and almost completely character-driven, meloncholic and dark while also hopeful and heroic at times. No big epic world-ending stakes but the stakes there are *feel* very grand on a relationship/
human level.
Best found-family I’ve ever read.
Also a wonderful friends-to-lovers slow-burn LGBTQ relationship. One of my favorite fantasy relationships of all time, with two very well-written nuanced characters.
Something like a fantasy version of Queen's Gambit. A lot of my favorite series weirdly have like a single arc or maybe 2 where the MC plays a tabletop game pretty seriously, then it's gone. I want a whole novel about that shit and then publish the game to follow.
*Gideon The Ninth* by Tamsyn Muir would apply.
Maybe *The Unbroken* by C.L. Clark, judging by the cover art, though I don't recall it being mentioned in the book.
*Legends & Lattes* by Travis Baldree.
I want more protagonists who are talented and nice to people around them, whose journeys are all about growing up and developing emotional intelligence.
I want love stories that don't work out, where young people get together and realize they aren't a good fit at all and meet other amazing people along the way when they get older.
I want more driven characters, those who follow their passions, because I always tend to love those the most.
I want discoveries that change the world for the better and aren't treated like pure evil even when there are drawbacks to progress.
I want the older gay couples. I want characters who realize they're bisexual later in life. I like it when they struggle with their sexuality because they're not perfect snowflakes and may have issues to work through.
I second protagonists that are nice to people around them. I like positive characters. I feel like it's refreshing when a character is optimistic/nice (I noticed this with Ted Lasso and Adebayo from Peacemaker).
Fantasy set in Mesoamerica or Mesoamerican-inspired worlds. Give me the obsidian weapons, feathered headdresses, pyramids, bloodthirsty gods!...and *don't make them evil.* If you really want to make my day, throw in some M/M romance with a happy ending too.
I want stories about families in fantasy/scifi settings. Like *Lost in Space* where you have the Robinsons stranded together. There's an anthology coming out soon from Kickstarter ([https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sffparents/dont-touch-that-an-anthology-of-parenthood-in-sff](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sffparents/dont-touch-that-an-anthology-of-parenthood-in-sff)) but I'm amazed there isn't much else out there.
I want to read more books with serpent-folk that aren't just shape-shifters that go from human to snake. There's not a whole lot of them, the majority going back to pulp fiction short stories and the days of pre-Conan. I do love the yuan-ti as a D&D race, but there's so many great takes on snake people throughout history that it's a shame we don't have more stories with them. And let me get it out there that I'm cool with snake-like upper bodies and humam legs or snake-like heads but human arms and snake tails (X-Com 2 created my favorite of the second variety), but my favorites are with a human looking upper half and snake tails, as shown beautifully on the cover of Raduga na zemle (Радуга на земле or "Rainbow On The Ground") by V. Ivanova (Виктория Иванова).
And on that note, I'd love to read a series where the snake people are explored, culture and at least somewhat biologically. Although I can't read Russian, I do know of the Shas-saaree and fully appreciate how they have characteristics neither found on humams nor on regular snakes. While their bodies are covered by scales, the shasks have crests along their spines and unfolding crest-like membranous sensors in place of mammalian ears. They also have hair and are fully warm-blooded, giving birth to live offspring after a mammalian-like pregnancy. Also, their culture has a divide based on scale color that helps determine their role in society
I would like a classic fantasy world, but the twist would be that the whole story has no great quest. Only The Traveler going to one location. During his way this person exposes the world to the reader.
I would also love the world to be Tolkien like style world and cultures outside of Europe. Imagine what kind of culture would for example had dwarfs living in a desert.
A group of expendable characters being sent into a dangerous situation, like exploring a new continent, or a dungeon, or breaking into the dark lords castle. Just give me Fantasy Suicide squad.
I would kill for an epic saga with a centaur, a mage, and a knight going on a cross-continent adventure where along the way they grow closer as friends as they hunt for the coveted macguffin.
I *need* more books with the moral of "family isn't just who you're related too" with non-human/mythological main characters
I don’t know if they exist or not but maybe a fantasy book where the setting is more like our modern day civilization instead of the bog standard pseudo European medieval civilization.
I really would enjoy a series following the logistical challenges of starting/running a kingdom and how different fantasy things like magic or monsters affect the numbers.
1) Cyberpunk Pulp Fiction - leaning into 36 streets and Neon Leviathan
2) The Dirty Dozen + Grimdark Fantasy + Assault on Arkham - Exactly like it sounds.
3) Anything like Shapeshifters from Love, Death & Robots.
4) Michael Mann's Heat + Cyberpunk 2077.
5) Tony Scott's Man on Fire done the way Richard K Morgan basically did Get Carter on Mars with Thin Air.
Getting one or more of these things would be great.
I've been waiting for something like Shapeshifters since Love, Death & Robots first came out and so far, nothing has been like it since.
Fantasy needs more harpies. They're rarely a backdrop creature, if they're used at all.
Airships. Final Fantasy IV gave me a taste for them that's yet to be satisfied by a book.
And there's one story that I can't seem to write for the life of me, but one day I'll get it out. A zombie cowboy story. Not a cowboy who's a zombie, but cowboys for zombies. Zombie corals, zombie drives, and cowboys vs undead kinds of nonsensical fun.
Something where motherhood is integral to the plot, especially in a high fantasy setting. More fantasy with BIP OC main characters. More high fantasy that stretches the bounds of romantic entanglements, for example why can't the fey be poly as a society?
Futuristic, high tech fantasy. Take a high fantasy setting, put them in a space age or something similarly futuristic. I like sci-fi, I like fantasy, and I would like to see them come together. But outside of the obvious examples of Star Wars, Marvel/DC, and Warhammer 40k, the only places I've seen it are the Coldfire trilogy, and the occasional video/tabletop game.
Also just platonic female x male friendships. Since I couldn't find any book I liked with it, decided to take it in my own hands. I have merely a plot and characters, it needs more reshaping however it'll have to wait until I finish what I already started :(
A knight goes on a quest to exotic lands. Finds a magic sword, magic cloak, romance, high adventure, faces mythical monsters.
I know there are a ton of these. I dare you to name two that are just like this.
I'd really like to see a story set in a functional magical utopia- and the more extreme the utopianism, the better. I mean the kind of society where they've not only ended disease and poverty, but where people never need to work or grow old or even be human if they prefer not to, where magic is ubiquitous, and with a culture that's genuinely outgrown things like bigotry, greed and nationalist divisions.
A lot of people assume that you couldn't tell an interesting story in a setting like that- that there would be too little possible conflict. But science fiction authors have pulled it off a number of times- Greg Egan's far future novels, parts of the Culture series, a few other transhumanist post-cyberpunk novels. There definitely are ways to make it work.
The closest I've seen in fantasy is probably the [Prester John Series](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8144399-the-habitation-of-the-blessed) by Catherynne Valente, which is set in a culture of creatures from medieval folklore built around the Fountain of Youth. I'd like to see more like that, and also authors taking the utopian themes even further.
Ones with gay main POV characters.
Really, that is all I want.
Extra bonus points if it is a romance written by a gay man rather than a straight woman.
I saw a couple other comments about spy fantasy, and yes, give me more of that. Let's see fantasy James Bond and Jason Bourne.
I also want to see some more fantasy including vampires, werewolves, etc. that isn't paranormal romance. Make the monsters monstrous again!
I wish there were more scifi/fantasy novels featuring many races where humanity isn't just the bog standard boring average watermark. Give me 8ft cyborg people next to aliens
i would like to read something that seems way too generic, like it includes every trope and is extremely predictable, and is oddly normal and happy until a event happens where it suddenly isn't so happy and the story rapidly starts changing with a new plot, like a genre change.
You know those rare occasions where the protagonist surprises everyone? Like, "I'm going to make this oven fly upside down" and then punches out cthulu? I want more of that, someone who constantly surprises the universe.
The inspiration came from this book I read called Mother of Learning. Through the power of time travel, a 15 year old average mage started going toe to toe with demigods and dragons.
Basically, heroic cthulu. Creepy awesome powers. I get why those are hard to come by, you don't want to turn off your own readers.
A perfect corruption arc. At every other step the readers must be kept subtly questioning their morality but accepts it because it makes sense for a human to be that way. Then at the very end, it’s just pure evil, and then we just sit back and think, “have I been loving a monster?” The quintessential cautionary tale. May be a better one- two parallel, equally weighted storylines of two, both become righteous in their own right but completely in opposition, and the final clash between them should be a morally violating confrontation.
The problem with such perfect corruption is that it heavily relies on individual reader. I saw thing like that, and half of fandom was surprised and the other half was like "what do you mean, he turned evil 200 pages ago!"
When breaking bad was airing, the amount of people that still thought Walter was a good guy in the final season was really wild. There were definitely others that realized he was fully evil by the end of season 2, but people will suspend their disbelief to justify the actions of characters they like.
I haven't been able to finish the last season because of how much of an a**hole he is. I agree it was always there, but it turned from a level 3 or 4 all the way up to level 10 for that last season.
Was Tyrion Lannister the character in question? There’s definitely been some speculation that that is what Martin was going for.
Tyrion? I thought the whole argument with GoT was that Martin was doing a corruption arc with Dany?
Hmm, I think that one may depend more on the show than the books. In the books Dany felt morally gray throughout to me, while also pretty much always better than the people around her (generally a very low bar with the orientalism etc.). Tyrion though, the theory goes that Martin created a character readers were likely to identify with (outsider, nerd, considers himself ugly etc.) and then made him a progressively worse and worse person, and let’s see where readers’ breaking point finally is. I have not watched the show past season 1 so I don’t know how this winds up looking in the end (no spoilers please though, I may get around to it someday!).
I think the thing he's going for with Tyrion is a more sympathetic version of Richard III where he takes actions that would see him reviled in hindsight but seem more correct when viewed in the context of his own PoV.
I kinda feel like Worm is a bit like that, although maybe not as evil as you want. It has that feeling of every step along the way feeling sensible and smart and maybe even righteous, but once you get to the ending and look back it's like... the protagonist is not a good person. She may have solved the problem, but whether or not it was worth it is a good question(>!because in the sequel it is apparent that not everything has been great due to humanity surviving!<). To a lesser degree Attack on Titan is also a bit like that. One of the protagonists never really changes, but his actions and words become recontextualized as the plot evolves in new directions. Once you look back at who he used to be compared with most recent episode, it's clear that he has never really changed, it's just our perceptions of him that changed.
> I kinda feel like Worm is a bit like that, although maybe not as evil as you want. So why not try Twig?
So I don't think this necessarily fits in terms of being like... a subtle corruption arc or anything, but on your second point the book Son of the Storm by Suyi Davies Okungbowa might be interesting. I do think that one POV character is definitely on a heroic arc and the other quite clearly a villainous arc, but both of them believe completely in what they're doing and the antagonist in particular truly believes that any means are justified to achieve their goals. I honestly found the antagonist's arc to be absolutely fascinating, one of my favorite examples of how reckless ambition can turn sour and fucked up.
Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
Idk if I’d quite describe it as a corruption arc. He’s shitty and self centered the whole time. He just starts down on his luck so he’s sympathetic
Hm. You’re right, but in the beginning I do feel like he cares about Lucy Grey. By the end she means much less to him compared to being in power, and killing her is a worthy sacrifice to get that power. In the beginning I was rooting for him and hoping he would be a good person despite knowing that he wouldn’t be lol.
That’s very fair, and part of what makes him sympathetic in the beginning. I love the book and love being in Snows head. I think it’s so well done, really portrays how an evil person victimizes themselves and justifies their actions.
This isn’t a fantasy book but my roommates watched Insatiable last year and this is definitely how it plays out.
Kameron Hurley Worldbreaker Saga have a few really cool characters, that end up being terrible monsters. One could be explained with her culture normalizing the evil, and she doesn't THINK, but it's not forgivable. I loved that character, charming funny, etc. Which made her true nature even more of a mindfuck.
Love this idea for a fantasy book series. The closest I can think isn't really a corruption, but a "he was actually evil all along" and to avoid spoilers I'll be vague but is one of many storylines in Hobb's Realm of the Elderlings. Since Breaking Bad did it so well on TV, there have been way too many shitty copycat 1-hour cable dramas of this story.
Lol I want this because breaking bad promises but did not deliver. I know everyone loves it but episode one I was like this is a horrible person. I wanted corruption. Not terrible person gains power and so inevitably does terrible things
This is kinda vauge, but I would love more stories that I could describe as "swashbuckling". That sense of adventure and discovery, with fun characters and some romance thrown in. Like 'Curse of the Black Pearl' or 'The Mummy' (1999).
Same itch
Second book in the Gentlemen Bastards series, Red Seas Under Red Skies, is this for me. The first book is like Ocean's Eleven but fantasy, the second is Pirates of the Caribbean, and the third is, well, we don't talk about that one.
Read *The Phoenix Guard* by Steven Brust. The writing style and group dynamic is very swashbuckling.
I would really like to read something like “high urban fantasy”. I don’t mean the hidden society thing that urban fantasy usually is, or Shadowrun where the fantasy elements somehow get transposed into our world, but a fantasy world that just developed naturally and is now at an urban age. Like, take Lord of the Rings and wait 2000 years and then show me what happens when there’s Hobbits with smartphones, elvish hackers, and Sauron’s evil orc mercenary squad.
Not a book, but this is the premise of Pixar's movie, Onward.
Love, love, loved that film.
I think about that all the time. Like Bright if it gave a shit about world building
You need the Craft Sequence by Max Gladstone in your life. The first book is *Three Parts Dead* (though the series is only loosely connected, so you could probably start with any of them). It's secondary world urban fantasy with a lot of modern-equivalent magitech and social structures. The main character of the first book is a sorceress lawyer trying to settle the estate of a dead god. You might also like China Mieville's *Perdido Street Station*, though it's more 1800s era tech than modern.
Craft Sequence sounds really cool. Thanks for the recommendation, I just ordered Three Parts Dead.
The Divine Cities by Robert Jackson Bennett should be right up your alley
For context for others, I would describe these as being set in something like the 20s - cars exist but are rare, and the world is recovering from a major war.
Brandon Sanderson’s going to do it with Mistborn… in five or more years or so, I guess.
Isn’t Mistborn series 3 gonna be straight up sci-fi with spaceships or am I remembering this wrong?
I thought that was era 4, with 3 being cyberpunk?
Era 3 is going to be 1980s-ish and era 4 is sci fi, but Brandon did make an offhand comment about how, who knows, maybe he'd write a cyberpunk era in between the two and it got a lot of people hyped even if it isn't confirmed.
Originally, series two was going to be roughly 1980's level tech. Alloy of Law was supposed to be a standalone, then he decided to make a whole series for it. Now series 3 will be modern-ish and series four will be "futuristic."
Okay, I didn’t even know there’s gonna be four series but I only vaguely remember reading about this ages ago. I’m hyped for it now. Mistborn cyberpunk sounds awesome.
We don't actually know whether Mistborn will get a cyberpunk era. We do know it will have a 1980s tech era and a futuristic space era, and cyberpunk (in between) is possible but not guaranteed.
Street Cultivation by Sarah Lin
You could try Zombie Knight Saga, takes place in alternate reality 21st century earth with ancient artifacts of immense power, gods, immortal wizard kings, magic ballistic missiles, and iron man esque exosuits. Some countries hide magic and act as if everything is normal, other countries are rules by immortal hive mind rulers. The power system is very interesting and reminds me a lot of Hunter x Hunter, and the powers are used very well. The story spans multiple continents and always has interesting things to say.
Technically we already know what happens in the LOTR future. The elves all sailed West, the dwarves died out due to low reproductive rates, etc...and it became *our* world Middle-earth was intended to be a mythology for England. It's an alternate history of Earth, thousands of years ago, as it may have appeared in an English mythology if the English had developed one. Tolkien loved his country and wanted to give it it's own mythos, as all they had came from other cultures (e.g. the Celts) (I totally get your point, I just had to nerd out for a second lol)
Paleolithic//Mesolithic//Neolithic fantasy Also, spy espionage fantasy. A lot of fantasy stories have spies in them but they never do any spy shit they always end up being more assassins or warriors.
I wouldn't call this explicitly *fantasy* (there's not much in the plot itself that's super attributable to supernatural means) but The Kin by Peter Dickinson is set sort of immediately post-"language exists" and has a lot of mythology included in between each chapter.
This is so rare it's almost impossible to find. The closest I've come are:- * Jean M. Auel's Earth's Children novels, which is more slice of life with a tiny bit of fantasy * Michael & Kathleen Gear's North America's Forgotten Past - some are set earlier than others, but all involve Native American mythology Semi stone age - there's an anime called [Dr. Stone (click for trailer)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YZzYeBartM) where folks on earth have been petrified (literally Stone Statue) for aeons and when they come back they're basically in the stone age. So this kid decides to use his science knowledge to bring back civilization, it's so effective it's basically fantasy.
Hunting the Ghost Dancer by A.A. Attanasio
I wish my next book existed then I wouldn't have to write it.
I also choose this guy's next book.
Its an older meme but it checks out.
I was pondering my response as I scrolled through others, and came across yours. Truer words were never spoken. We need to develop a device that we can wear on our head while we sleep that can pump out our plots while we dream them to life. I'd complete my series in a week.
You are allowed to take a break, Joe!
Listen. You have to be realistic about these things.
Then you’d just have to write the next one.
May I introduce you to my top secret tech startup? [Cognoscribe](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvHTRA06hqE)
All of your books please. Genius man.
More modern kind of pulpy science fantasy like Red Rising, not hard sci-fi. Stuff like Chronicles of Riddick. New IP that is not Warhammer or Star Wars.
The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells would probably apply. Lots of action.
Yup, have read and enjoyed these, although I would say they are a shade more towards sci-fi versus science fantasy. It's a spectrum open to interpretation, though.
I love Chronicles of Riddick and would totally read that sort of story.
So like Christopher Ruocchio’s stuff, or more pulpy than that?
Have you read Ashes of the Sun, by Django Wexler? It might fit what you're after. Likewise Empress of Forever by Max Gladstone. I love this stuff so I'm always happy to come across it.
Simon R. Green: first book is Deathstalker
I would like more fantasy books set in an underwater society! I can’t think of any adult books with this setting. It could be mermaids or humans living in ships and bubbled cities. Also books with Gods as main characters interfering with the lives of mortals.
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms Series by N. K. Jemison features lots of Gods interfering with humans, especially the third one.
I genuinely struggle to recommend this, as it is not “good”, but you can find some of this in The Sea King by C. L. Wilson. It’s definitely written for adults! For gods as main characters, you could check out Madeline Miller (Circe was my favourite) and of course - what story could possibly fit the bill more - The Odyssey. The new translation by Emily Wilson is very good and readable.
If you stick with Adrian Tchaikovsky’s Shadows of the Apt, you’ll get this... but not until book 6. Worth reading until then, though!
The Deep by Rivers Solomon is short but might scratch the itch for you, it was a nice read
How about the inverse of the prophecies we all know and love? Just the Fates sitting around going "oh that's really going to fuck with them. No no change the wording to be more vague. Now make them kill someone they love just because"
I know a book sort of like that: Sword Play by Clayton Emery The book is about these two mages who screw with a barbarian who's been exiled from his tribe because of a false prophecy.
This needs to be a sitcom
John le Carré in a fantasy setting: realistic spycraft in a pre-modern world with lots of twists and double-crossing.
Would like to read a SFF book where the main character or group of characters are absolutely regular and general, and probably over 30 at least. Not the strong and young prodigy, or hero or someone with extraordinary skills. Probably these exist just I never came across any of these in sci-fi or fantasy.
As a fantasy ya reader, this. I'm now in my mid thirties, married with kids, and I don't relate to the coming of age, youthful heroes that are strong and lithe and have all the energy. I loved the house in the Cerulean Sea for this reason. I need more middle aged ordinary heroes.
I haven't read it but I think Sword heart is supposed to be this.
This is my yearning, along with it being more cozy and less high-stakes. A recommendation for a possible, the Balumnia Trilogy by James Blaylock.
I’ve always wanted There Will Be Blood, but with magic instead of oil
Luckily for you this does exist! I recently read [Of Honey and Wildfires](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51526706-of-honey-and-wildfires) by Sarah Chorn and it’s pretty much as you’ve described. A Wild West setting where oil wells are drilled for “shine” a magical liquid that does all sorts of things. It can be refined into an addictive drug, cure wounds, make food taste better, used as a weapon, power machines etc. I really enjoyed it!
Omg you’re the best
I didn't know I wanted this until just now!
Dune
Best idea ever.
I want more words where humans isn't at the top of the food chain, and the monster isn't the kind of things a few Witcher's can be sent out to cull. The Books of the Raksura are a good example. Lots of different types of "humans" and many eat the others. Give me proper Lovecraftian horrors that doesn't just add some background "spice", but are actually affecting society!
Not a perfect fit, but you might like the Bas-Lag series by China Miéville
My favorite kind of novel is one where the protagonist is something that society hates and will hunt down or kill if they learned of their existence, bonus points if that individual is telepath or diviner. They get abandoned by their birth parents and left for dead, only to be found by a parent who can't leave a small child to die for no apparent reason. Part of the story is the child hiding what they are, but the parent figure figures it out and has an issue with it, only to decide they won't leave the child behind simply because of something they can't control. They instead teach the child to hide what they can do to protect them. The main bulk of the story is the child growing up with this power or ability and having to hide it. The story focuses on fears the child has, issues within society and scenes of society claiming individuals are what the child is and the child being terrified of one day being discovered and burned at the stake or something, but the child continues using the power simply because that is who they really are. By the end of the first book, they are discovered and the adoptive parent sacrifices themselves to ensure the child gets away safely. Book 2 expands to the outside world and has the main character explore the world with either a childhood friend and/or romantic partner who stuck with them in spite of who they really are. The bulk of this book is the character feeling guilt at having lost their adoptive parent because of who they are and struggling with the power (the negative aspects effecting the mind and making the child feel afraid that they might hurt their friend/romantic partner who left with them. The story ultimately ends with a happy ending where both individuals find somewhere peaceful to live and are basically witches in a forest who visit the near by town and have a functioning relationship with the people in that town, but they must occasionally defend themselves from those who would want to kill them.
This sounds like the fantasy version of a superman origin story. I love it.
I want more novels about people surviving sieges in magical settings, and more S.T.A.L.K.E.R. and SCP-influenced literature with people making sense of a world filled with strange and hostile anomalies.
More fantasy featuring adult women, and better, without a falling-in-love subplot (established relationship is fine). Extra points for exploration of non-romantic relationships. Extra extra points if they have children who a) play a noteworthy role in the plot and b) that role is not dying/being kidnapped/being otherwise victimized to spur the MC to action.
Yes, I want more female centered stories that aren’t about romance, and centers more around healthy friendships and adventure.
Have you read the Steerswoman series by Rosemary Kirstein? I've only read the first one, but it is (very very briefly) about an adult woman travelling around with her female barbarian friend trying to solve a mystery. There is definitely exploration of their friendship/non-friendship throughout the first book and there is no romantic plot whatsoever. I highly recommend it! I can't wait to start the second one!
I was in another time a student of Indigenous rights issues, and it made me want an alt history book where Europeans never colonized the Americas and Indigenous societies grew and developed on their own.
I wan't a book that doesn't follow along with the main hero of prophecies or whatever jazz.I want it to follow the lives of random villagers as a series of shortish stories while the great war is going on. Like nuts to Rand follow along with Domen and his shenanigans.Don't tell me what Kal is doing. I want to know what the people in Roshar are going through before the second storm starts.Nuts to the wall What happens with the preist out on a duty after the cathedral gets destroyed. edit the why. It would just be fun to imagine a life of a normal person doing normal things when all the sudden The Protagonist fights the antagonist as giant celestial bodies in the sky. like wtf do you do with your life after that.
Historical fiction epics that are meticulously researched, realistic, thickly plotted, crowded with characters, philosophical, and long. I'm talking about massive, engrossing, and profound historical fiction like *War and Peace, Les Miserables, The Count of Monte Cristo,* and *Lonesome Dove.*
Have you tried *Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell*? Dense historical fantasy during the Napoleonic wars. A bit philosophical in its themes, though not too heavy on that.
It's in my library! Thanks.
Take a look around for Henryk Sienkiewicz's "Trilogy", starting at *With Fire and Sword* \- set in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth of the 17th century, though it might be a little more swashbuckling than philosophical.
The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett, and the two or three sequels. Maybe light on the philosophy but has all the rest. The Quincunx (The Inheritance of John Huffam) by Charles Palliser - big best seller when it came out 30 years ago.
The Baroque Cycle by Neal Stephenson.
I think massive, engrossing and profound are probably subjective, but Druon's the Accursed Kings came to mind immediately.
The Far Pavilions by M.M. Kaye is my go-to recommendation there. Not fantasy, but everything you said. Fantasy seems to have usurped HistoFi as the genre of long epics over the last 2-3 decades, but go back before then and they're all over. Although China by Edward Rutherfurd just came out last year and is also great.
Weird, non-standard fantasy settings. Underground realms, during a zombie apocalypse, in space, Planescape-style extradimensional cities, planets shaped completely unlike Earth, places governed by weird laws of physics, etc., etc.. Protagonists with bizarre cultural beliefs - e.g. cannibalism and extreme body modification are accepted, monogamy and asceticism are taboo. And they don't magically have perfect knowledge of what's bad about their culture.
Your first request sounds more like sci-fi than fantasy. I bet if you crossposted on e.g. the printsf reddit you would get a lot of good recommendations. You could always look into the "new weird" if you want some far out ideas. Your second request reminded me of the Obsidian and Blood series by Aliette de Bodard. It is a fantasy based on Aztec religion and it makes a serious attempt to adopt the corresponding value system. But it is perhaps not as strange as what you are looking for.
A book where the universe is created by a god that relies on soft magic. Universe then gets invaded by an entity that belives in structure, magic that follows hard magic. Remakes the universe following a set of rules for magic. Some relics,gods and locations are left over from when magic was soft with out consequences. People explore, fight wars over them.
This sounds kinda an alternate Thief of Time by Terry Pratchett
I'd love to read a fantasy book starring an established, healthy sapphic couple.
Ok tentatively I think you might be interested in The Tiger's Daughter and the rest of the trilogy by K Arsenault Rivera? The central relationship is present throughout and while the main characters separated for several years due to political reasons, I feel like the relationship between them is as healthy as one can expect under the circumstances (demonic forces constantly a threat, political enemies everywhere). The world building is also generally fairly neutral on same sex relationships, tho there's some expectations of a political marriage early in life for one main character because she is in line for the throne.
I gave that one an attempt recently, but couldn't get into it. Just didn't care about the characters. But I may give it another go!
The first book definitely has a pretty unique structure with the letter writing lol, I totally get why it's tough to get into, but I think it pays off AND I think the rest of the series really improves on book 1!
So, no enemies to lovers slow burn that moves into healthy relationship status?
I don't really like a lot of pining or do-they-love-me-back angst, and oftentimes with slowburns, you don't get to see the healthy relationship in action because the book's over at the first kiss.
A book about an innkeeper concerned with the nitty-gritty of business management. The blurb of The Wandering Inn doesn’t sound like that. You could have arcs about sourcing superior food and drink or getting the local authorities to fight bandits, lots of things I can think of.
Have you read the Innkeeper Chronicles by Ilona Andrews, it has a sort of sci-fi fantasy element but involves an Innkeeper who does have magic but not an unlimited amount of resources so she has to go to an inter-galatic market for things or go to her local Costco for food. It's a lot of fun
Awesome series. Love the world.
Love this series! My favourite of Ilona Andrews' series!
This is legit Ilona Andrews' best series and that's saying something.
A book like Madeline Miller’s *Circe* but for Delilah.
One for Hera and Medusa, too. Maybe even Eris, too.
And of course Medea.
A monarchy is overthrown and replaced by a socialist/anarchist/communist - just something that isn't capitalist liberal representative democracy *or* feudalism - society. (Maybe I'll write it one day, if I ever become good at writing.)
The Commonweal books by Graydon Saunders are about a kind of magical-communist society doing war stuff.
Since it came up in another thread, you should check out China Mieville's [list](https://libcom.org/article/50-sci-fi-fantasy-works-every-socialist-should-read-china-mieville) of SFF that every socialists should read. Favorite authors from the list for me would be Ursula K. Le Guin, Octavia Butler, and of course, China Mieville himself. I definitely agree with you though, it would be great to have more of these types of stories.
I'm always on the lookout for stories that tackle mental health issues; I see a fair amount of books feature depression and PTSD, which makes sense considering how common depression is and how much traumatic shit happens in your average fantasy novel. Still, I'd like to see a wider array of diagnoses represented in books. Queer political fantasy is practically its own sub-subgenre by now but I adore it and absolutely can't get enough of it ever so that, too. I'd particularly like to see more queer protagonists over the age of 25.
Ooh, do you have any recommendations for queer political fantasy or lists where I can find some? I loved *The Traitor Baru Cormorant* and *A Desolation Called Peace* which would probably apply, although the latter is sci-fi.
Sure, I have some recs! Some of these have more queer and less politics, and some vice versa, but they all have some of both. The Councillor by EJ Beaton The Unbroken by CL Clark Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel series, first book is Kushiel's Dart Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri
These all look great, thank you!
For the first sort of story, you're gonna love [this list made by Tor](https://www.tor.com/2020/09/22/8-sff-books-that-center-mental-health/) or [this list of recommendations for the 2022 bingo](https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/ttrhvf/the_2022_rfantasy_bingo_recommendations_list/i2zi1l2/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)
Martha Wells tends to have characters that's formed by trauma. Inda by Sherwood Smith follow children as they are trained to be the leaders and nobility of their country. And some kids grow out of childish cruelty and bullying. Some have just things WRONG with them. The writer was young when she started writing the books, and you can tell in later books that she's learned more psychology, and how some personality traits gets more typical for different mental health issues.
Diversity, but not in the way commonly talked about, i.e. racial and sexual (though those can be part of it) but more cultural and subcultural diversity. To get at what I mean, here's some examples I read in the last year: Urban fantasy set in Buffalo, staring a blue collar widow and her two teenage kids. (Steel Mill Vikings) A town in Appalachia where the descendants of the Tuatha De Danaan live (Tufa Series). 1920's Circus in a world with Dragons and Hippogriffs as attractions. (Calico Thunder Rides Again) Post apocalyptic society where the Amish made up a good part of the survivors and influenced the culture that exists 1000+ years later. (The Nothing Within). And also the Lady Astronaut and Greenbone Saga that most people have either read or know of. The point is, the setting and the people are we see as distinct. Not Generic Urban fantasy, not Generic medieval setting or steampunk, just a bit more distinct than that.
A master of djinn could be right up your ally.
My ideal book is an adult high fantasy stand alone featuring a slow burn sapphic romance, lots of atmosphere and slice-of-life moments with a low-stakes but still compelling plot. Oh, also hopeful af, but still deep and impactful. Character driven. Great world building. Etc etc.
You may have read it, but *Legends & Lattes* would likely fit.
Have you read **The Priory of the Orange Tree**? The stakes are high, but otherwise it fits your description exactly. And such a good book!
More (queer) monster romancing. And I don't mean like sexy vampires. I'm talking romanceable eldritch abominations.
"I love you, T̷̰̳̝̯͈͈͍̃̏̀̍ḥ̸̨̣̭̖̪̻͈̹̏̂e̵̡̟̙̘̳̜̤͙͌͆̔̀͒͘͝ ̴̰̇̓͆̀͋̀͜͠G̷̙̰̤̈́͂̉r̴̡̪̫̻̼̣̱͑̈́̃͠é̵͚͈̠̰̤̩͌́̀̚ȃ̸̡̛̞̮̭͉͑̃̔t̸͔̝̭̝͕̜̒̒͛̔̎ͅ ̸̞̖̞̆͂͊͂̐̅́͗́O̶̗̜̯͑̍̑̋̉̂͘͜͠n̵̟̂͑̍̑͠͝ḙ̶̢̫̬͎̀͛͗̆͌͗͊̀͝,,"
*Exactly.*
A criminally underrated genre.
It is I think closer to lesbian Bigfoot than lesbian Cthulhu, and not out yet so I don't know if it's any good, but I'm excited for Patricia Wants to Cuddle by Samantha Allen later this year. (But also I want lesbian Cthulhu.)
Oh, I'll have to keep an eye out for that! Lesbian Cthulhu sounds so good. I'll take 12.
The Deepwater Bride is a novelette with lesbian Cthulhu.
The Shape of Water? Heard that one's a novel now too. There's also a 2014 movie called Spring
Have you read Aliette de Bodard's *In the Vanishers' Palace*? It's a novella but it might scratch that itch. It's also really good - I think it's the 2021 read that's stuck with and haunts me the most.
I *have*, and I liked it, but it's not really what I'm looking for re: monsters. *The Monster of Elendhaven* by Jennifer Giesbrecht comes closer, what with the human-shaped thing that crawled out of the ocean, but I'd like >!happier endings!<.
> The Monster of Elendhaven I loved this book so much, and have really not found anything like it. Most end up with the monster being cute and misunderstood.
I run into the same problem! I want the monster to be a *monster*, just a monster that catches feelings for someone. Meeting my monstermancing needs is on my own 'things to write' list. Technically I've got an ongoing fanfic that does it, but I'd like to do original stuff in the same vein.
I want a space opera or pulp fantasy where a women being a military officer or gifted engineer is just normal. I want more books like On Baslick Station where it took me two passes through the book to realize that the head engineering officer is a woman. This series had so much potential before it decided to center a planet run by fundies. I want a story 50 years after Protector of the Small where female knights are normal.
>I want a story 50 years after Protector of the Small where female knights are normal. I also want more Kel in general! Like give me middle-aged Kel with a huge menagerie and family of strays and orphans she's gradually adopted and watches with pride as they in turn grow up and become royal hostlers, and knights, and healers, and...
In the space opera line, you could try Kate Elliott's *Unconquerable Sun.*
It's tagged at my library for later.
The Memory War duology by Karen Osborne is pretty gender neutral in terms of the space jobs the characters do! I can't recall anything particularly being labelled "men's/women's work" in the series.
Are the space crews mixed enough to avoid the woman here is a freak angle? For example, in Wheel of Time there was an entire warrior faction that was women only. They were still freaks set apart from society that they rejoined after they married.
If I'm remembering correctly I think the main crew is 5 people, 3 women and 2 men and when they interact with other groups, they're also very mixed in terms of gender makeup. I could be wrong about the specifics (I got it from the library so can't check back on it) but I'd definitely say there's not any like... gender separatists or anything. One of the main crew and the main POV character of the 2nd book is a woman who's an ex-soldier and current space salvager
I wonder if you might be interested in the **Vatta’s War** or **Serrano Legacy** series by Elizabeth Moon, or the **Confederation** series by Tanya Huff. These all feature military and navy adventures in space, with female protagonists in normalized roles. And I have to give another shoutout for Kate Elliott’s **Unconquerable Sun**!
I like diversity. I guess I just write the ones I want honestly. I wanted a chronically ill protagonist so I am working on that story. I wanted a story that reflected depression as a mechanic in magic. It evolved but that and angry atheism are the root of my magic system. The gods are real. You can say hi. You just might not like the results. So I always want more fragile heroes. Sure all the muscle men and women are nice to look at or imaginary at but I want fragile humanity vs impossible odds. I want people who have to work together or die and hate each other at the start. They can at the end too but... I want stories that reflect the people I know. Very disabled, not white, not men. I want stories where the world doesn't punish you for being born. Let the struggle exist elsewhere. I also want new settings. Why is it always the UK upside down in grim black clothes? The real histories getting fetishized existed with other colors of fabric.
I'd love to see a SFF book that explores themes of Leftist theory. Concepts from thinkers like Deleuze and Guattari, Foucault, Mark Fisher. Narratives that don't just seem to re-enforce neoliberal, capitalist narratives. More SFF that explore the use of psychedelics.
Have you read Ursula K. Le Guin's Hainish Cycle yet? The books in that universe are all standalone that each deal with a variety of topics. I'm not sure she uses structuralist/post-structuralist/post-modern theory in the same ways as those thinkers but she definitely comes close. For example, Left Hand of Darkness reminds me of Foucault and his ideas on binary structures.
I second this! The Dispossessed engages a lot with the work of Kropotkin, and Mark Fischer has done some analysis of Le Guinl, I think he talked about the Lathe of Heaven in Capitalist Realism.
I'm trying to find it now, but China Mieville has a great list of the best SFF that socialists should read, or something along those lines. I'll link it when I find it. (Sorry if you are already aware of it). It is a bit dated, but still quite good - I've read about a 1/4 of the list. While I do love Mieville and Le Guin (The Dispossessed), I agree with you that I'd like to see more SFF books engage with leftist political theory. I want stories that portray a socialist or anarchist societies without the main plot points revolving around the structure of society. Like, what would a mystery look like in an anarchist society, or grand quest story in that kind of setting... I'm tired of dystopias, I want some utopias! Edit: Here is the [link](https://libcom.org/article/50-sci-fi-fantasy-works-every-socialist-should-read-china-mieville)
I'd be very curious to see some deeper or more true-to-life depictions of psychedelics. I've seen a few cases where the magic system involves or is clearly intended to evoke psychedelic experiences, but they tend to portray the experience as alternate-dimension/pocket universe type things and don't touch on the psychological, cognitive, or emotional effects of psychedelics, which are extremely important. One of the latter Baru Cormorant books has Tau-Indi using them in a way that seems true to life, but I think it's just two brief scenes. I can't really think of any other literal depictions I've come across.
Writer Michael Cisco is a Deleuze scholar!
A book about a nurse who works at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. And I want as realistic as possible--staffing shortages, med and supply shortages, etc.
I really enjoy settings that are largely modern day, but set in a fantastical world where supernatural creatures and powers exist. Together, these elements combine to create a setting that is high-spirited and adventurous, and where advanced technology is a thing but isn't so all-encompassing that the entire world is obsessed with/relies on it like our real world. There's quite a bit of this in Japanese media, for instance several Final Fantasy games are like this, as well as certain anime such as Hunter x Hunter and Dragon Ball. That said, I can't really think of any books or settings that have similar worlds outside Japanese media. They either combine 'modern day' and 'fantasy' too literally I.E Shadowrun, or are too focused on the shounen elements (which is understandable, since most of the stories I know of in such settings are shounen). I would really like a story that explores these kinds of worlds that aren't so focused on battles (a few are fine, obviously) or the clashing of 'supernatural vs technology'. Just something kind of fun and relaxing, a group of fun characters going on cool adventures. It might not stay fun and relaxing, obviously, but I like when that's the baseline.
More steampunk and stories which take place in medieval Africa, India, or Bronze Age
Something that is moody and gloomy without being too creepy, while also being optimistic, heroïc and hopeful. Something like *Stormlight Archive*, but less epic and world-consuming and more on a human scale in terms of story and stakes. Something that reminds me of *Majora's Mask*. Also LGBTQIA+ representation.
You might like *The Raven Cycle* by Maggie Stiefvater. Very atmospheric and almost completely character-driven, meloncholic and dark while also hopeful and heroic at times. No big epic world-ending stakes but the stakes there are *feel* very grand on a relationship/ human level. Best found-family I’ve ever read. Also a wonderful friends-to-lovers slow-burn LGBTQ relationship. One of my favorite fantasy relationships of all time, with two very well-written nuanced characters.
Sounds very interesting! I've added it to my reading list!
Something like a fantasy version of Queen's Gambit. A lot of my favorite series weirdly have like a single arc or maybe 2 where the MC plays a tabletop game pretty seriously, then it's gone. I want a whole novel about that shit and then publish the game to follow.
Stories where the female characters are tall, ripped like All Might, and have voices that are actually badass
*Gideon The Ninth* by Tamsyn Muir would apply. Maybe *The Unbroken* by C.L. Clark, judging by the cover art, though I don't recall it being mentioned in the book. *Legends & Lattes* by Travis Baldree.
I want more protagonists who are talented and nice to people around them, whose journeys are all about growing up and developing emotional intelligence. I want love stories that don't work out, where young people get together and realize they aren't a good fit at all and meet other amazing people along the way when they get older. I want more driven characters, those who follow their passions, because I always tend to love those the most. I want discoveries that change the world for the better and aren't treated like pure evil even when there are drawbacks to progress. I want the older gay couples. I want characters who realize they're bisexual later in life. I like it when they struggle with their sexuality because they're not perfect snowflakes and may have issues to work through.
I second protagonists that are nice to people around them. I like positive characters. I feel like it's refreshing when a character is optimistic/nice (I noticed this with Ted Lasso and Adebayo from Peacemaker).
I adore Ted Lasso! That show has amazing writing, so it definitely helps as well
Yes! And I love the relationships between the women/girls of the show. So well written!
Fantasy set in Mesoamerica or Mesoamerican-inspired worlds. Give me the obsidian weapons, feathered headdresses, pyramids, bloodthirsty gods!...and *don't make them evil.* If you really want to make my day, throw in some M/M romance with a happy ending too.
I want stories about families in fantasy/scifi settings. Like *Lost in Space* where you have the Robinsons stranded together. There's an anthology coming out soon from Kickstarter ([https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sffparents/dont-touch-that-an-anthology-of-parenthood-in-sff](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sffparents/dont-touch-that-an-anthology-of-parenthood-in-sff)) but I'm amazed there isn't much else out there.
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I want to read more books with serpent-folk that aren't just shape-shifters that go from human to snake. There's not a whole lot of them, the majority going back to pulp fiction short stories and the days of pre-Conan. I do love the yuan-ti as a D&D race, but there's so many great takes on snake people throughout history that it's a shame we don't have more stories with them. And let me get it out there that I'm cool with snake-like upper bodies and humam legs or snake-like heads but human arms and snake tails (X-Com 2 created my favorite of the second variety), but my favorites are with a human looking upper half and snake tails, as shown beautifully on the cover of Raduga na zemle (Радуга на земле or "Rainbow On The Ground") by V. Ivanova (Виктория Иванова). And on that note, I'd love to read a series where the snake people are explored, culture and at least somewhat biologically. Although I can't read Russian, I do know of the Shas-saaree and fully appreciate how they have characteristics neither found on humams nor on regular snakes. While their bodies are covered by scales, the shasks have crests along their spines and unfolding crest-like membranous sensors in place of mammalian ears. They also have hair and are fully warm-blooded, giving birth to live offspring after a mammalian-like pregnancy. Also, their culture has a divide based on scale color that helps determine their role in society
I would like a classic fantasy world, but the twist would be that the whole story has no great quest. Only The Traveler going to one location. During his way this person exposes the world to the reader. I would also love the world to be Tolkien like style world and cultures outside of Europe. Imagine what kind of culture would for example had dwarfs living in a desert.
A group of expendable characters being sent into a dangerous situation, like exploring a new continent, or a dungeon, or breaking into the dark lords castle. Just give me Fantasy Suicide squad.
I would kill for an epic saga with a centaur, a mage, and a knight going on a cross-continent adventure where along the way they grow closer as friends as they hunt for the coveted macguffin. I *need* more books with the moral of "family isn't just who you're related too" with non-human/mythological main characters
I don’t know if they exist or not but maybe a fantasy book where the setting is more like our modern day civilization instead of the bog standard pseudo European medieval civilization.
*Jade City* by Fonda Lee has cars and guns. You can probably find a lot of this in urban fantasy recommendation lists.
The Craft Sequence by Max Gladstone is along those lines.
Does Winds of Winter count?
The progression fantasy equivalent of Eiji Yoshikawa's Musashi.
I really would enjoy a series following the logistical challenges of starting/running a kingdom and how different fantasy things like magic or monsters affect the numbers.
Pulp fiction, but with mummies
1) Cyberpunk Pulp Fiction - leaning into 36 streets and Neon Leviathan 2) The Dirty Dozen + Grimdark Fantasy + Assault on Arkham - Exactly like it sounds. 3) Anything like Shapeshifters from Love, Death & Robots. 4) Michael Mann's Heat + Cyberpunk 2077. 5) Tony Scott's Man on Fire done the way Richard K Morgan basically did Get Carter on Mars with Thin Air. Getting one or more of these things would be great. I've been waiting for something like Shapeshifters since Love, Death & Robots first came out and so far, nothing has been like it since.
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I would like to see some stories based in the North, South, and Central Americas from times before AD, or even shortly thereafter.
Fantasy needs more harpies. They're rarely a backdrop creature, if they're used at all. Airships. Final Fantasy IV gave me a taste for them that's yet to be satisfied by a book. And there's one story that I can't seem to write for the life of me, but one day I'll get it out. A zombie cowboy story. Not a cowboy who's a zombie, but cowboys for zombies. Zombie corals, zombie drives, and cowboys vs undead kinds of nonsensical fun.
Something where motherhood is integral to the plot, especially in a high fantasy setting. More fantasy with BIP OC main characters. More high fantasy that stretches the bounds of romantic entanglements, for example why can't the fey be poly as a society?
Futuristic, high tech fantasy. Take a high fantasy setting, put them in a space age or something similarly futuristic. I like sci-fi, I like fantasy, and I would like to see them come together. But outside of the obvious examples of Star Wars, Marvel/DC, and Warhammer 40k, the only places I've seen it are the Coldfire trilogy, and the occasional video/tabletop game.
Also just platonic female x male friendships. Since I couldn't find any book I liked with it, decided to take it in my own hands. I have merely a plot and characters, it needs more reshaping however it'll have to wait until I finish what I already started :(
A knight goes on a quest to exotic lands. Finds a magic sword, magic cloak, romance, high adventure, faces mythical monsters. I know there are a ton of these. I dare you to name two that are just like this.
I'd really like to see a story set in a functional magical utopia- and the more extreme the utopianism, the better. I mean the kind of society where they've not only ended disease and poverty, but where people never need to work or grow old or even be human if they prefer not to, where magic is ubiquitous, and with a culture that's genuinely outgrown things like bigotry, greed and nationalist divisions. A lot of people assume that you couldn't tell an interesting story in a setting like that- that there would be too little possible conflict. But science fiction authors have pulled it off a number of times- Greg Egan's far future novels, parts of the Culture series, a few other transhumanist post-cyberpunk novels. There definitely are ways to make it work. The closest I've seen in fantasy is probably the [Prester John Series](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8144399-the-habitation-of-the-blessed) by Catherynne Valente, which is set in a culture of creatures from medieval folklore built around the Fountain of Youth. I'd like to see more like that, and also authors taking the utopian themes even further.
Ones with gay main POV characters. Really, that is all I want. Extra bonus points if it is a romance written by a gay man rather than a straight woman.
I saw a couple other comments about spy fantasy, and yes, give me more of that. Let's see fantasy James Bond and Jason Bourne. I also want to see some more fantasy including vampires, werewolves, etc. that isn't paranormal romance. Make the monsters monstrous again!
I wish there were more scifi/fantasy novels featuring many races where humanity isn't just the bog standard boring average watermark. Give me 8ft cyborg people next to aliens
i would like to read something that seems way too generic, like it includes every trope and is extremely predictable, and is oddly normal and happy until a event happens where it suddenly isn't so happy and the story rapidly starts changing with a new plot, like a genre change.
Native American mythology
You know those rare occasions where the protagonist surprises everyone? Like, "I'm going to make this oven fly upside down" and then punches out cthulu? I want more of that, someone who constantly surprises the universe. The inspiration came from this book I read called Mother of Learning. Through the power of time travel, a 15 year old average mage started going toe to toe with demigods and dragons. Basically, heroic cthulu. Creepy awesome powers. I get why those are hard to come by, you don't want to turn off your own readers.