Fantasy novel lovers thread

[Minion X]

I thought PF meant fantasy set in a version of real history unaffected and unchanged by magic, which is harder.

Unless you are very stringent about unaffected and unchanged, all the books I listed should fulfill those criteria. While people obviously believe more in ghosts and goblins, the actual supernatural and magical is still elusive and hidden, with history continuing down its course with no obvious otherwordly influence. I am aware that there are books where Napoleon rides a dragon over the Alps, but the closest I've read to something like that is The Dragon Waiting. To me, historical fantasies are akin to franchise fiction, where the writers have to find their own little niche to tell stories in without upsetting the rest of the product line.

 

[jian]

Unless you are very stringent about unaffected and unchanged, all the books I listed should fulfill those criteria. While people obviously believe more in ghosts and goblins, the actual supernatural and magical is still elusive and hidden, with history continuing down its course with no obvious otherwordly influence. I am aware that there are books where Napoleon rides a dragon over the Alps, but the closest I've read to something like that is The Dragon Waiting. To me, historical fantasies are akin to franchise fiction, where the writers have to find their own little niche to tell stories in without upsetting the rest of the product line.

I hadn’t heard of any of those books, so thank you, it was fun looking them up and you’re right, they seem to work. I should have really responded to some of the other suggestions, such as the Temeraire novels, which definitely don’t have a Masquerade, as you say.

 

[Minion X]

I hadn’t heard of any of those books, so thank you, it was fun looking them up and you’re right, they seem to work. I should have really responded to some of the other suggestions, such as the Temeraire novels, which definitely don’t have a Masquerade, as you say.

I guess the difference between historical fantasy taking place before the modern period and urban fantasy is that there isn't as much of a Masquerade as that there aren't many supernatural nasties left alive after all the heroes of old had a go at them, from Perseus to Beowulf. Or maybe that is where the Masquerade begins as they keep themselves hidden?

 

[jian]

I guess the difference between historical fantasy taking place before the modern period and urban fantasy is that there isn't as much of a Masquerade as that there aren't many supernatural nasties left alive after all the heroes of old had a go at them, from Perseus to Beowulf. Or maybe that is where the Masquerade begins as they keep themselves hidden?

Or there’s not much need for a Masquerade if nobody ever hears about you (or writes anything down) and plans to do anything about it. But once we’re in the age of telegrams, newspapers, radio, television, and CCTV, it’s pretty hard to pretend that vampires don’t exist unless they make a very concerted effort to hide.

But of course you can have urban fantasy without a Masquerade, it just makes the world look different, especially if a dragon destroyed Seattle or suchlike.

 

[Eyes of Nine]

SO MANY GOOD BOOKS!

This thread is great.

I'm considering making an excel spreadsheet with all the recommendations (even Pride & Prejudice!) etc.

I think I've read >30% of the books mentioned, but not 70%. Many are already on my to-read list, and some I actually have in hand.

This will also help me to make some recommendations of my own, for example I may have missed them, but I don't think I've heard Powers, De Lint, nor Kadrey mentioned yet (but may have missed in the first 214 posts!). Oh, and no Seanan Maguire (either October Daye or Wayward Children), Ember in the Ashes (Sabaa Tahir), ACATAR (A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas - I like better than Throne of Glass), or DUNGEON CRAWLER CARL!?! (is it fantasy? is a hot dog a sandwich or a taco?)

Hot tip Kalshi/Polymarket players... rumor has it that people who like RPGs like Dungeon Crawler Carl - that's what Kickstarter's been whispering behind their hand to "influencers".

 

[Zaukrie]

Do you finish books you don't like? I find the older I get, the more likely I am to nope out of books, movies, and TV series. There are too many great books and shows and not enough years.

Same

 

[Thierry-Advent]

Do you finish books you don't like? I find the older I get, the more likely I am to nope out of books, movies, and TV series. There are too many great books and shows and not enough years.

Exactly! We give TV shows the 3 episodes trial run, unless it's really horrible, then we stop in the middle of the first one.

 

[Thierry-Advent]

I need to re-read The Traveller in Black (1971) by John Brunner. The series (of short stories) deals with an unnamed protagonist, who "has many names but only one nature" and who bears a staff of curdled light, traveling through a landscape in which Order and Chaos conflict.

 

[Thierry-Advent]

I'm very found of Big Planet by Jack Vance. I've read it at least four times. Used many ideas in my sci-fi stories.

 

[Whisper-Kitten]

I can‘t wait for Heretics by Joe Abercrombie to come out.