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Yellowtow

Recommendation Help

I have been having a lot of trouble finding my next read lately. I have scoured a million threads on r/fantasy so only posting as a last resort. I feel like I have hit all the great books and now everything else I pick up doesn't compare. I really enjoy extensive world building, standard magic system, political intrigue and details regarding economics. Military based fantasy is a plus and I like a controlled magic system and prefer it not to be over powered. My biggest pet peeve is when there is a cool magic system set up and then half way through the series some unexpected thing or force changes this dynamic. Here is a summary of what I have read:

BOOKS I LOVED:

King killer chronicles 10/10 This has been my favorite series. I love the magic system and the prose. I know this is a debated book on here but this one is my favorite.

ASOIF 9/10 This one speaks for itself. Love this series.

Inda quartet 8/10
Great world building. Memorable characters. Like the casual use of magic and even though it can be over powered, is not used in that way in the books.

Lightbringer series 8/10
Great magic system and witty characters.

Powder mage 8/10

Dawn of wonder 8/10
Not talked about often but one of my favorites and can't wait for the next book. Agree with some of the complaints about how the main character overcomes his "issue" but still loved this one. My favorite book where nothing really happens.

The first law trilogy 7.5/10
Liked the grimdark aspect of it. Loved the characters except for Baez. The political intrigue just wasn't there for me but I couldn't get enough of the bloody nine. I have not read the stand alones but probably will at some point.

Stormlight archives 7.5/10
Was a big fan of the bridgeman storyline and their struggle. Shallan's character annoyed me. Also liked the magic system here as well.

The shadow campaigns 7.5/10 Liked the first book the most, and really enjoyed the military aspects. The napoleonic weaponry was refreshing and added to the fantasy setting.

BOOKS THAT WERE OKAY:

Riyria 7/10

Sailing to Sarantium 7/10 Liked the prose, but the book was just boring. Didn't seem like anything happened. I did like this one the most out of all of guy gav Kay's books though.

Tigana 7/10

The lions of al rassan 7/10

The guns above 7/10
Loved the airship concept. Although the pacing of the book was quick, I thought it was well written.

Chronicles of an imperial legionary officer 7/10
I liked the military aspects of this series a lot. Got bored with the "gate" plot line and some of the battle sequences became repetitive.

Farseer trilogy 6.5/10
I really liked some parts of this book but other things were a deal breaker. I hated how idiot fitz could be sometimes and I could only take so much of him getting shit on. #1 complaint were the dragons. I feel like things just got really weird in the last book.

Night angel trilogy 6.5/10
Pacing was off. I enjoyed the first two books, but the third books pacing just did not match the first two. I think this should have been like a 5 book series so that weeks could have worked through the progression of the magic system a little bit more. Plus inconsistencies with how Invincible Durzo could be one moment and then easily beaten the next, but then not really. Whole ending was frustrating to me.

The magicians 6/10
Couldn't stand the main characters self loathing. Some cool concepts but once again the magic got kind of weird at the end.

BOOKS I DID NOT LIKE

Senlin ascends 5/10
Was excited for this one but ended up being disappointed. I only read about 5/8 of the book and put it down. The whole tower was just too bizarre for me. I am sure that this is addressed later on in the series but it bothered me how much misinformation there was. In a world where there are books and information out to the public, how do people know so little about the tower. Too much stupidity in this one for me to keep going.

Greatcoats 5/10
Too much of a shoot em up for my taste. Not enough world building.

The draconis memoria 5/10
Really liked the set up with magic system and the use of dragons blood. Fun and memorable characters. Hated everything about "the white" in the second book. I loved the world they set-up and the politics and economics associated with the dragon blood. I wish the books would have focused more on the struggles between the corporations and the other nations instead of the curveball that is "the white".

The broken earth series 5/10
Once again, world building was cool but the magic system and parties involved got a bit too weird for me. Random Floating obilisks? What the he'll is that.

The mistborn 5/10
I thought I would like this one but I just didn't. I quit after the 2nd book. It's hard for me to explain why I didn't like this one but maybe it was vin? She was just unlikeable.

The Traitor baru cormorant 4/10
Didn't finish this one. I love politics and economics and this one was full of that. But the way it was done was kind of boring to me.

I also read the first Malazan book and liked it well enough. Will probably go back and finish the others. Started goblin king and stopped. Started kushials dart and stopped. Don't think that one was for me. Started codex Alera and stopped. Was too YA for me. Currently about to start the black company, but I am put off by a 10 book series. Any help I could get is much appreciated.

Posted Aug 14, 2017, 7:42 PM UTC

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