SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

Hi, I made the mistake to read and finish Orwell’s 1984 and I must say, it felt really gloomy and I couldn’t find any joy in reading it because it is just a terrible vision of society. Barely any hope and the hope that was there pretty much died. The book is an ugly guide line for groups of people to abuse their powers... And since at this time we have so much worry full things going on with the pandemic this read didn’t do me any good. But I wanted to read it since a while because it seemed to be such an important book to know....

Therefore, I’m looking for recommendations for fantasy or sci-fi fantasy books that draw you in and offer a rather hopeful perspective that doesn’t get shattered. Some positivity while not being cheesy.
I would have loved to list some books at this point that I enjoyed but I haven’t read that much in the past years which I want to change very much.
So, feel free to throw your favourites at me that have some feel good vibes. ;-)

to be honest a lot of Sci-Fi and fantasy is quite dystopian at present. From a fantasy point of view I would say maybe something from the Shannara series or legends of the dragonrealm. They tend to end on a hopeful note. For Sci-Fi I found the space between the stars ended on a hopeful note though it is quite dark in places.

I just read Redemption in Indigo and it was actually surprisingly upbeat and hopeful.

Try something by Adrian Tchaikovsky. He tends to end his novels on a hopeful note.

Check out SFFBC Book list: Hopepunk and Goodreads Hopepunk list! :)

I think a lot of what I've read ends on a positive note, even if the road there isn't easy.
But if you're up for the dangerous waters and read book(s) that have just a few reviews (or even just mine), then you may find something up to your liking.

For SF-Fantasy mix specifically, The Story of Raiya may fit - though the third book is... very dark (but it gives strong motivations for the protagonists).

If you want pure fantasy, then I'll mention one of my favorites, Ordination. For a world in disarray, the series ends on a positive note (and the individual books do so, as well). I also liked The White Owl, but only book one of (supposedly) three is out now, the second book isn't even in beta yet. And if you want something with serious plot but lighthearted tone throughout most of the story... Dragon Fate or Skeleton with a Heart maybe?

I'd say the best of that for me would be The Goblin Emperor. It's a lot of politics with some bad people, but the main character is probably one of the kindest people I've read about in Fantasy.

Then for Sci Fi, the Wayfarers series by Becky Chambers is great. I've so far read The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet and A Closed and Common Orbit and they were both great. They are set in the same universe, with a little bit of character overlap, but they mostly both stand alone.

All of those I mentioned are more what is called Slice of Life, in that they are mainly based on the daily lives of the characters. I'm sure there are plenty of more hopeful books that are more action packed, but these ones are good for a relaxing read.

I'd say the vast majority of SFF is not bleak at all (most have happy endings, characters grow, change for the positive, etc.). Just avoid the very few tragedies and you'll be fine (even dystopian SF usually involves a young character saving the world, but you may want to avoid that subgenre, as well as avoiding grimdark).

But for particularly uplifting books, I'd recommend:

Brandon Sanderson always writes hopeful/uplifting books with very lovable, fun characters!

Try Skyward, Elantris, or (if you want a long book) The Way of Kings.

Shards of Honour and the whole Vorkosigan saga is also always uplifting and pervaded by the belief in redemption and human growth.

Also: The Lord of the Rings, Truthwitch, Startide Rising, Magician, Dragons of Autumn Twilight, and so so many others. :-)

I think the Iron Druid Chronicles series by Kevin Hearne is pretty uplifting and always made me smile. It's Urban Fantasy though.

The Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss might be something for you if you're looking for a more traditional fantasy setting.

Or maybe The Book of the Ancestor trilogy by Mark Lawrence is something for you. Lots of likable characters and although it starts out rather darkly, I thought it had a lot of positivity in it.

When it comes to SciFi, maybe try Will Save the Galaxy for Food by Yahtzee Croshaw. Admittedly, it leans more towards comedy, but it's certainly rather lighthearted.

Now that I think about it, maybe also try the Impossible Times trilogy, also by Mark Lawrence. It's a very well executed and uplifting SciFi-story with time travel and a group of friends playing D&D. Did I mention Marc Lawrence is great?

I’ll recommend another Becky Chambers: To Be Taught, If Fortunate. It’s a novella, so it’s short and could be an indication as to whether you like Becky Chambers’ hopeful style.

Going to go with my favourite , Swordheart by Ursula Vernon writing as T Kingfisher. A wonderful fantasy romance with Ursula Vernon's quirky sense of humour

Aw, T Kingfisher (except the horror) are all sweet reads, good call Andrew!

Andrew wrote: "Going to go with my favourite , Swordheart by Ursula Vernon writing as T Kingfisher. A wonderful fantasy romance with Ursula Vernon's quirky sense of humour"

I loved this book!

Thank you all so much for the suggestions! I didn’t have the time yet to look at everything, but I will certainly in the coming days.

Solar Punk surely sounds interesting and already added a book by Ursula K. Le Guin (The Disposessed) that showed up in the category.
And To Be Taught If Fortunate was already on my reading list. :) :)

The motto of The Traveling Symphony, who are a theater and music group who travel around the Great Lakes and do plays, and play music is "Survival is insufficient." The quote's from a Star Trek: Voyager ep and one character hates that. The book is Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel and it is dystopian, but it's about creating art.

Thank you Anna for sharing those Hopepunk lists. I'm so glad to have a word for the optimistic content I crave.

I definitely second Becky Chambers's Wayfarers series. I found her novella, "To Be Taught, If Fortunate" to be more neutral on the optimism scale though.

Also, The Murderbot Diaries. Yes, lots of fun action/comedy... but also adorable socially-awkward squishy feelings?

I've had a whole bunch of T. Kingfisher queued up to read for a while now. Looking forward to some comforting reads. (If anyone wants to BR, let me know. ^_^)

We have a BR for A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking and group read discussions for The Raven and the Reindeer!

Baking BR

RavenDeer: First impressions | Final thoughts

I don’t think anyone mentioned it, and it’s mainly a tv franchise, but there’s A LOT of Star Trek literature. It’s futuristic, and meant to be hopeful overall about the future, even though each story has conflict (how else can you have a story?).

Of course there can be conflict. And I even like darker stories. 😊 Just at this moment, let there be hope as well. 😁

Andrew wrote: "Going to go with my favourite , Swordheart by Ursula Vernon writing as T Kingfisher. A wonderful fantasy romance with Ursula Vernon's quirky sense of humour"

I started this yesterday based on this thread's recommendation. It's perfect for right now. Thanks!

Yay. I was going to second T Kingfisher and you're already enjoying her.
Seconding anything by Lois McMaster Bujold
Upbeat ones
Hellspark - combination of planetary exploration with emphasis on science with a murder mystery - definitely upbeat
They Called Me Dragon: A Narrative Account of My Adventures on the Planet Earth - from the point of view of an alien who is taken as a dragon by humans when he visits Medieval Switzerland. He is a rather well intentioned professor of Geology on a rest cure.
The Merro Tree - not wholly upbeat, but not depressing. Central character is an amazing interstellar dance performer, has some flashbacks to his abused childhood, but overall this is quirky, inventive and upbeat
The Liaden series by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller - space opera about a trading family on a grand scale, but each book deals with just one person's story - and there are multiple books to a person in most cases. Later in the series it is a little more multi-people. Often romance, definitely adventure, some good aliens, complicated society. When I read it, the book that is now listed as number 5 in the series seemed to be number 1 - and I started with that, read upwards, and the Crystal Soldier Duology (1 and 2) came later as prequels. I think that starting with The Dragon Variation is actually a better place to start. I think the Crystal Soldier duology is excellent, and having read the series it explained a lot of how cool things came to be, and it is possible that without having read later books, somethings would be not explained. But that is just me. And The Dragon Variation gives you two books in one, both upbeat adventures - not without down moments and tension, but people get on and do things and succeed.

I read Strange the Dreamer this year and thought it was a very enjoyable and beautifully written story that did contain much tragedy and heartbreak, but was ultimately a positive and happy story. I have not read the second book in the duology but one of my close friends read it and said it was even better than the first.

+3 for T. Kingfisher. I dare you not to binge-read her books! Super fun and clever.