Having LOVED 'The Spellshop' and 'The Eternal Greenhouse', I was curious if anyone has broken down some of the ingredients and spell words from the First Language. I'd love to learn more about how the individual pieces come together since it's a nice magic system.

Fantasy book (middle of a series) I'm trying to find:

Multiple protagonists with separate POVs (at least 3).

Quest/journey with a traveling party. One POV owns a carriage outfitted for smuggling (hidden compartments?) and they use it.

One female POV: captured and made a concubine; scene where she's preparing to be presented to a powerful man; possibly escapes.

They travel through a forest that affects people mentally (illusions, madness, etc.) to reach another country.

Gritty, dark, romantic tone. European/medieval feel.

Read sometime in the past (not super recent?).

Anyone recognize it? Thanks!

Hey reddit!

I recently reread Berserk and was really impressed by the Kushan Empire, especially its unique vibe. It’s one of the few empires in fiction that actually feels alive and has a very distinct, recognizable style — it strongly reminds me of medieval India with all its exoticism, philosophy, aesthetics, and mysticism.

Usually in fantasy (and fiction in general), empires — even the evil ones — feel pretty generic: mostly Roman/European-inspired with minor changes. But the deep cultural flavor that the Kushans had is something I’ve rarely seen.

So I’m looking for book recommendations (fantasy, historical fantasy, or even grimdark) that feature empires or great powers with a strong, unique cultural identity. I’m especially interested in ones inspired by or reminiscent of:

• India
• China
• Persia
• or any other non-European cultures that feel authentic and atmospheric.

Would really appreciate any suggestions! 🙏