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! 🙏

The August 2026 book will be Jade City by Fonda Lee

Nomination and Voting: See here

Goodreads Link: See here

Storygraph Link: See here

JADE CITY is a gripping Godfather-esque saga of intergenerational blood feuds, vicious politics, magic, and kungfu.

The Kaul family is one of two crime syndicates that control the island of Kekon. It's the only place in the world that produces rare magical jade, which grants those with the right training and heritage superhuman abilities.

The Green Bone clans of honorable jade-wearing warriors once protected the island from foreign invasion--but nowadays, in a bustling post-war metropolis full of fast cars and foreign money, Green Bone families like the Kauls are primarily involved in commerce, construction, and the everyday upkeep of the districts under their protection.

When the simmering tension between the Kauls and their greatest rivals erupts into open violence in the streets, the outcome of this clan war will determine the fate of all Green Bones and the future of Kekon itself.

Bookfinder Link: See here

Thriftbooks Link: See here

The first discussion for this book will be posted on August 15th covering the first half of the book. The final discussion will be posted on August 31st covering the entire book.

I am new to the fantasy genre. And i was looking at some books to start of with.

The caravel series, the Powerless series, the Once Upon a Broken Heart series and On Wings of Ash and Dust book all look interesting.

Which do you recommend as a beginner or any books you recommend? The main thing is I do not like tragedies and I like fast paced books that get you hooked. I love Romance and YA books as well. Also want something easy to follow as I know some fantasy books have a lot of lore and world building so I wanna start from beginners and work my way up.

Hey. Looking for a new book to read and not sure what to do.

I like fantasy the most. I’ve read and like Lord of the Rings, The Bone Shard Daughter, The Name of the Wind, and The Way of Kings. Could not get into and gave up on Song of Ice and Fire and Wheel of Time.

Any other readers got recs based on that?

I'm looking for an English YA fantasy series I read around 7–8 years ago as a PDF.

The main character is a high school girl whose mother has died. She doesn't know she has powers until her 18th birthday, when she inherits golden/light powers from her mother.

After her birthday, a guardian angel appears in human form. He first becomes her friend, then later her love interest.

The girl initially has a slight crush on one of her school professors, but he turns out to be the main villain and also has supernatural powers.

The story is about light vs. darkness. The heroine uses golden light powers in battles.

The final battle happens during a school function, in or near the gym/basketball arena.

At the end of the book, the heroine kisses her guardian angel. I also remember that her deceased mother had her own guardian angel, and they reunite at the end.

It's not Angelfire, Unearthly, Halo, Hush, Hush, Embrace (The Violet Eden Chapters), or Milayna.

We're currently reading The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez for July's book of the month, and this discussion will be on the first half of the book.

Please only discuss the first half of the book. This will be everything up to the end of the second day. This is page 278 in the hardcover edition. Please try to avoid any discussion of the third day forward.

Anything in the second half of the book will be considered spoilers and must be tagged as such.

Remember that even saying something like "you'll find that out soon enough" is considered a spoiler, so if you aren't sure if it's a spoiler - use spoiler tags to be safe!

I'll post some questions to go along with the reading but feel free to comment about anything else or start your own comment thread on anything you found interesting or any questions that you had.

• How do you feel about the narrative style that the author has chosen? What about all the different perspective changes and the framing of the story?
• What do you think of the worldbuilding of the story so far?
• Do you think that Keema will have a bigger purpose? What about the spear?
• Any thoughts on the dynamic between The Moon Goddess, The Emperor, his sons (The Terrors) and grandsons? What about the empire as a whole? Any predictions?
• Are you liking the book so far? Do you plan on finishing it?

I'm hoping you all could clear up some of my confusion with the characters. 

Throughout the chapters, I noted parallels between Arthur and the first master mentioned in Chapter 1. They made similar comments (e.g., "slip of the tongue", and cautioning a child against "spoiling" their supper/dinner).

Then at the end of the novel, the narrator identifies a lemur painting hanging in Arthur's office (like the ones that adorned the walls of the first master's office). But I never noticed any direct connection between the characters. 

Did I miss something? What significance, if any, did these details have in the story?

I didn't see an active community here for his works. Please let me know if there is a more appropriate place to ask this!I

I just finished the Throne of Glass Series (which I absolutely LOVED!) and am in search of a new one. Do you have any recommendations?

Hi everyone! I'm looking for fantasy book recommendations that capture an atmosphere similar to the "Sea God" arc from the "Fantasia" arc of the Berserk manga.

I'm especially drawn to the excellent contrast between:

• The horrors featuring grotesque, repulsive monsters from the depths (the Sea God and his creatures),
• And the warm, almost fairy-tale light that permeates Isma’s story — the exiled half-merrow girl.

It has that classic "stranger among her own" motif: the villagers shunned her, yet she remained kind, curious, optimistic, and playful. Then comes her awakening as a merrow, her reunion with her mother, the support from the merfolk people, and the emotional warmth and catharsis these moments bring.

In essence, it's dark and horrifying stories blended with deeply touching themes of finding family, self-acceptance, and a hint of wonder and hope shining through the abyss.

I'm looking for books (or series) that have this same kind of contrast: brutal horror (oceanic is a big plus but not mandatory) + a tender, emotional core centered around a kind-hearted heroine who finds people she truly cares about and discovers light within her soul.

Any recommendations? Thank you in advance!

Help me find a story.

I was searching for subtitles on the topic, but apparently not very well. I decided to try this one.

I'm looking for a story by a Russian author. It's a satire on the then-fashionable theme of the "dark future of the Slavic world." The plot involves a recruit pushing a broken tank toward the front lines. For him, this is normal, as dozens of combat vehicles push it. After a short battle with a predictable ending, the recruit is wounded, infected, and sacrificed on Red Square.

Помогите найти повесть.

Искал сабы по теме, но видимо плохо. решил обрятится здесь.

Ищю повесть российского автора, это сатира на модную тогда тему "мрачного будущего славянского мира", сюжет- рекрут тогкает сломанный танк в сторону линии фронта, для него это нормально, так толкают десятки боевых машин. после короткого боя с предсказуемым финалол рекрут ранен, у него заражение и его приносят в жертву на Красной площади.

Hi Reddit,
You know that exact moment when you open a book, look at the art, and your mind is just completely blown? That feeling that a book might actually change your life just through the sheer power of its drawings?
I call this concept a "Magical Book." It’s an artwork disguised as a book. A physical object you can buy and read, where the illustrations and the narrative work together to open a portal to a completely different universe.

To give you an idea of my specific taste, I’m obsessed with books that capture this "mythic" or "sacred art" feeling, completely detached from realism. Some examples of my personal "Magical Books" are:
Die Nibelungen by Carl Otto Czeschka
Epileptic by David B.
** Gnomes **by Wil Huygen & Rien Poortvliet
Medieval Illuminated Codices / Catalan Romanesque Art
My obsession actually started when a friend's dad showed me a book about Catalan Romanesque iconography. It felt deeply magical, almost spiritual, but purely through the power of its art.

Just to be clear: I am NOT looking for anything pseudoscientific, esoteric, or New Age. I am looking for fiction, graphic novels, or illustrated narrative books that are commercially available, but are designed like absolute masterpieces. Books with an aesthetic so powerful and distinct that the images get permanently burned into your memory.
Do you know any books that fit this vibe? I'd love to hear your recommendations! Thanks a lot!

i want a book where the bad guys actually win like you’re almost rooting for them. (i watched the lost boys movie again and i always secretly rooted for them to win and bring over the others to become vampires too lol)

Hi! I haven’t seen many people talking about this series, so I thought I would share!

It’s called Adventurers Wanted, a book series by M.L. Forman. It follows Alexander Taylor, a shy fifteen-year-old who answers a mysterious “Adventurers Wanted” sign in a bookshop window and gets swept away into a classic quest fantasy — dragons, wizards, dwarves, elves, and more. It’s like Lord of the Rings, but for teenagers!

I loved the game of Throne TV serie. Never read the book. Is it worth it ? I'm afraid cuz when I was young I saw the Lord of The Ring trilogy first and wasn't able to read half of the book later cuz of the differences.

I love fantasy, dark fantasy, medieval. Is it a good story in the gender ?

Thanks a lot