♡ The Cozy Book Nook ♡ discussion

Hello and Welcome to my Book Nook!

The first posts in this new bookish home of mine are old posts from another group that closed down.

I'm a mood reader who falls into slumps quite frequently, and to manage that and find motivation or satisfy a specific mood, I developed a habit of making posts of (fan)art or simply listing books (instead of impulsivley buying more than I can read).
I still want to use some of these lists and posts that I made in the past & I also like having some documentation of my reading! Which is why I brought those older posts here :) (I asked a mod if it's okay <3)

I tried to boil it down to about 20 posts.. see you at the other end!

Post I [Nov 7 2023]


Somewhere in the darkest parts of the forest, hidden beneath a blanket of ferns and brambles, you may find my burrow.



This is the place where I intend to hole up for hibernation. In other words, the place where I try to hide from worldly responsibilities in the months of November, December and maybe January; because in this time of the year I am in the mood to read my favourite kinds of fantasy books: spooky folklore inspired tales, retellings and anything featuring magical forests and the like.

I'll use this place to collect books I'd like to read in the future and update on progress I've made.

I'm always looking for buddy reads, recommendations and whatever thoughts you have on the books you find here! Feel free to comment anything. Everyone's welcome to stop by :)

Here's my current collection of books I'm interested in reading:

anything containing spooky folklore; could be witches, demons, monsters...

Edit 2025: still interested


lost interest for now:



Read (2024)

Post II [Nov 7 2023]


Winter 23/24
First year in the burrow!

read:

>> Forestborn
how magical the forest? 8/10: more alienating in its creative weirdness, but magical all the same
- loved the MC
- very bearable romance
- typical YA political plot-stuff with kingdoms and princes (yawn)
--> would have loved this as a teen!

>> A Study in Drowning
how wicked the fae? 9/10: a very creepy fairy king, that manages somehow to be both at the center and the very margins of the story
- atmospheric, but romance heavy (not my favourite)
- most scenes feature the couple together, which makes them less unsetteling
--> had potential for more

& >> The Luminaries
how magical the forest? 7/10: more nightmarish than magical
- feels like middlegrade in the beginning, turns very YA later (romance, special training/school, trials)
- Why does the male love-interest give Edward Cullen... no no no (gets better)
- very well set up mysteries in the background that I actually care to learn more about (rare these days!)
--> went in with little expectations and ended up loving it, waiting for the next book!

>> Sorcery of Thorns
how fantastical the world? 9/10: lovely fantasy world that has demons and sorcerers, libraries and wardens, all worked into a coherent system that feels solid yet whimsical
- humorous in the beginning with a naive MC
- I liked the ambiguity of evil, and hoping for goodness in the supposedly selfish characters (like in Ptolemy's Gate)
--> no real complaints, other than that I wasn't really invested in anything

>> Song of the Dryad
how wicked the fae? 2/10: the only good thing I got out of this story is an introduction to the phooka/púca
- very noticeably written by an author who isn't quite done finding her footing. The storytelling and the story itself lack inspiration, just some rather typical ideas and obvious puppylove for a topic flattened out into a book with lots and lots of work put in
- sadly, storytelling is so much more than just work put in! I guess somehow we need to find that magic that makes things jump off the page. Thanks for reminding me, I guess <3

>> Nettle & Bone
how fantastical the world? 9/10: creepy fairy tale world that I can't even explain - and I haven't decided whether that's a good or a bad sign
- again a rather a naive MC, I liked that she was older - but it didn't really make a difference. If it had said on the page that she was 16, it would have been the same book...
- I liked the magic. Strangely enough I was making nettle fibre while listening to the audio book. Felt magical.
--> I'll probably read more by the author, but I have to admit to myself that I'm really not invested in any romances lately... same here.

>> Starling House
how haunted the house? 10/10: I don't read many gothic or other haunted house stories, so this one was good enough for me!
- I liked all the creepy creatures and links to mythology (even though they were kind of pointless in the end)
- spotlight takes the house, my favourite chapters were the ones where our MC is... bonding? with it
- couldn't care for the romance again, I actually skipped scenes towards the end; however, the story can stand on its own
--> I think this type of romance is very typical for YA and I might need switch to adult for a while before coming back, am too annoyed atm to review this properly

Post III [Jan 22 2024]


2024 year-long reading plans!

- finish books I bought for projects in the last years (se-asia, caribbean)
- try out science fiction as a genre (I'll track the progress in another group, as it fits into a challenge there)
- try and see if I can cure my aversion to greek mythology! (✔)

Winter should slowly be coming to an end, and with it my winter reading projects. Since I'm still happy here in my hollow, I think I'll use it to track my "summer" projects as well. The first one being:

Trying not to hate on Greek Mythology!

Going from graphic novels, YA and lighter reads to adult retellings and non-fiction, I'll try to find things in Greek mythology that I actually enjoy. And learn a bit about a topic I know almost nothing about, because I always avoid it...

List of themes I'm drawn to in mythology

- beliefs around life and death, the underworld (Hades)
- psychopomps and other chthonic deities (Hecate, Hermes, Thanatos...)
- vegetation deities & gods of the wild (Persephone, Demeter, Artemis, Pan)
- trickster gods (Hermes, Pan)
- gods of healing/medicine (Apollo, Asclepios)
- domestic cults, often for apotropaic purposes (Hestia, Hecate, Apollo, Hermes)
- nature spirits and mythical creatures (Nymphs, Satyrs, Pan, ...)
- warrior women (Athena, Atalanta, the Amazons)

books I "collected" based on that list:

graphic novels and middle grade
✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ & ✔

young adult, poetry and lighter reads
✔ ✔ & & ✔

adult retellings and anthologies
✔ &

non-fiction
✔ ✔

And yes, this is totally because I bought Stephen Fry's Mythos: The Greek Myths Retold years ago and haven't touched it since. So I'm now taking my baby steps to become familiar with/excited for the topic first.

Post IV [Jul 5 2024]


Checking in for the middle of the year. Dusty thread for sure. I guess my original idea of making this a place for fall/winter (when I read more) was the more realistic approach to all this... Haven't been reading much.

I did manage to finish some books for the Greek Mythology project:


and I finally finished a book that I didn't feel in the mood for when I first started it..

>> Nettle and Bone
how fantastical the world? 9/10: creepy fairy tale world that I can't even explain - and I haven't decided whether that's a good or a bad sign
- again a rather a naive MC, I liked that she was older - but it didn't really make a difference. If it had said on the page that she was 16, it would have been the same book...
- I liked the magic. Strangely enough I was making nettle fibre while listening to the audio book. Felt magical.
--> I'll probably read more by the author, but I have to admit to myself that I'm really not invested in any romances lately... same here.

apart from that I've only been reading for other purposes, and rereading some childhood/teenage favourites. Ah well. I knew it was going to happen, this is just what my reading does over the course of the year. I'll be back in fall, I guess!

Post V+VI [Sep 5 2024]


Summer Wrap-up

Sooo.. I didn't get into Sci-Fi at all. The very first books I tried to read (Murderbot and Becky Chambers) put me in a slump, not because they were bad but simply because I didn't feel like reading them. Okay, maybe for another day.

Considering I was slumping all summer, I did pretty well with greek mythology. I didn't read everything (I also added to my plans, for next year or whenever I feel like continuing) but that's mostly because of my limited funds for book-buying. The ones missing from my original plans are the more "niche" books that are rather difficult to get (without an e-reader) or simply expensive.

Books I read:
.

Which means I ended up reading the book that haunted my shelves unread, Stephen Fry's Mythos: The Greek Myths Retold.

So I guess this project served its purpose!

I'm currently still reading Natalie Haynes's Divine Might: Goddesses in Greek Myth. It took me some time to get through the first chapters, because they were about the goddesses I am less interested in. Now that I reached the ones I AM interested in (Hestia, Artemis, Athena)... I stopped reading. Huh?
It's a dense non-fiction, more for people who already know they love the topic than for people like me who want to learn to love the topic. I watched/listened to some interviews of the author, and I really like her, which has me looking forward to reading more by her despite struggling so much with my current read. Strange thing!

Finding interviews of the authors and listening to their thoughts about their books was generally one of the most interesting things I did for this project, something that I never did before.

I'm pretty happy that I read two Atalanta retellings. It was really interesting to see how different the story was told. So I'm looking forward to read the two recently published books about Medea side by side (I mean.. as soon as I have space and money for books). I even heard Natalie Haynes mention that she plans to write about Medea next, I hope she still does it even with these two books out.

I'm also looking forward to give Madeline Miller another chance (I didn't like The Song of Achilles nearly as much as others did) and to read a different take on the Persephone and Hades myth, as I didn't like the version I read (where Demeter is an overbearing mother painted as the villain)

So after getting a bit more into greek mythology, these books are now added to my reading plans:



And I'd still, at some point, like to read (probably after getting an e-reader):


I obviously also read other books this summer, but I didn't finish a lot.

I tried reading The Perfect Assassin but didn't get very far, I continued with The Map of Salt and Stars but had to put it on hold because the topic is simply a bit too heavy for me at the minute, and I am in the middle of probably half a dozen audiobooks. I only finished You Don't Have a Shot. Which was a good read! Not the perfect book for me (that I hoped for), but good in its own way.

I tried reading a german book, and after enjoying the first half I just couldn't put up with it anymore. Tochter der Steppe is a dnf, sadly, because I really like the setting.

Currently I am reading The Wolf in the Whale, and I have been enjoying the first 100 pages - but I am somehow scared to continue. I made the mistake of reading reviews while reading the book, and I have a feeling I won't like the plot that's coming in...

I have also read a lot of non-fiction on more or less obscure topics, and got back into reading Journey to the West in Chinese for language learners. So I am rather busy with reading, just not finishing any fiction books that I would track here on goodreads. Thankfully, I'm feeling rather relaxed about it. It seems I finally put that phase of letting myself get stressed/overly ambitious about my reading behind me. Feels good!

Post VII [Sep 5 2024]

After my wrap-ups, here comes the new reading plan..

Actually more of a continuation of last years collection of books that fit into this Burrow's theme of more or less fantastical, spooky or whimsical books related to (northern/european) folklore or mythology. There are obviously many more and diverse books I'm interested in (for example books set in the Caribbean), but it's these specific ones that I want to collect here.

Most of them are newer releases, so it will most likely be years until I read them. Instead of excitedly buying new expensive books that end up sitting on my shelves for up to 3 years... I'll just excitedly list all the books I'm happy to see coming out (also rather old ones I'm happy to have stumbled upon). And hopefully enjoy them eventually... as paperbacks or used books, after confirming my interest in them by reading reviews. I know it's important to support authors by buying their books, but I simply don't have the funds atm. I still make exceptions for certain debuts that I purchase right away or even pre-order, but those can only be exceptions.

Anyway, here we go:


Lost interest for now:


also some more or less obscure non-fiction:


Last year I really enjoyed reading Susan Dennard's Luminaries Book 1 and 2 back-to-back, so I'm looking forward to reading book 3 this winter.

So this might be an actual reading list:
✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Post VIII + IX (+ XXa) [Sep 16 2024]


So I have read (or listened to) quite a lot of YA books over the past year and I fear I may have overdosed. I'm really in the mood for reading some of the adult fiction that I have listed in this hollow, but I just know I wont get around to them for a while.

I did, however, find quite a few excerpts/first chapters on the internet, and reading them instead and picking favourites (priority for my tbr) seems like a fun idea.

So I guess I'm collecting those here

(scifinow) Sistersong - excerpt
https://www.scifinow.co.uk/books/sist...
-> intriguing start, might like the MC!
"535 AD. In the ancient kingdom of Dumnonia, King Cador’s children inherit a fragmented land abandoned by the Romans."
“Sistersong was inspired by a murder ballad called The Two Sisters, an eerie tale of how a young woman drowns her sister out of jealousy and that sister is transformed after death into a harp”

(pastemagazine) A Sweet Sting of Salt - excerpt
https://www.pastemagazine.com/books/r...
-> not convinced
"Rose Sutherland’s atmospheric A Sweet Sting of Salt takes its inspiration from the Scottish folktale “The Selkie Wife,” but gives the story a decidedly queer twist.
Set in 1830s coastal Nova Scotia, the story follows Jean, a young spinster and midwife who discovers a woman in labor one dark and stormy night."

(npr) Hild - excerpt
https://www.npr.org/2010/01/01/243269...
-> beautiful prose, orientation within the story challenging (lots of difficult names, few explanations)
"Griffith tells the story of Hild, the seventh-century woman who would come to be revered as Saint Hilda. Hild is, according to her ambitious and canny mother, "the light of the world," destined to lead the Yffings into prosperity as the king's seer. But her only magic is that of observations, of reading cycles and patterns of behavior, be they in weather, landscapes, or people."

couldn't find an excerpt for The Valkyrie, sadly. It doesn't have the best rating, but it's supposed to have good writing... would like to test that.

(lithub) The Familiars - excerpt
https://lithub.com/the-familiars/
-> good premise, slightly clunky prose
"Against the backdrop of the 1612 Pendle Witch Trials, the novel follows Fleetwood Shuttleworth, desperate to produce an heir and to defy the prophecy that she'll die in childbirth. She meets Alice, a witch, and their lives become intertwined."

(bookbrowse) The Mercies - first chapters
https://www.bookbrowse.com/excerpts/i...
-> well written, probably rather bleak story
“Inspired by the real events of the Vardø storm and the 1621 witch trials”
“After the men in an Arctic Norwegian town are wiped out, the women must survive a sinister threat in this 1600s parable of ‘a world gone mad’”

(lithub) The Manningtree Witches - excerpt
https://lithub.com/the-manningtree-wi...
-> first person narrator, could be interesting though
“Follows the residents of a small English town in the grip of the seventeenth-century witch trials.”


Excerpt of Circe (2 chapters)

https://www.readinggroupguides.com/re...

Post X [Oct 14 2024]


Just some quotes from Daughter of the Forest that make me feel at home in that book <3

Sorcha, Finbar and Conor
(view spoiler)[
"Throughout the endless reaches of the forest, great oak, strong ash and gentle birch sheltered a myriad of growing things. I learned where to find them, when to cut them, how to use them in salve, ointment, or infusion. But I was not content with that. I spoke with the old women of the cottages, till they tired of me, and I studied what manuscripts I could find, and tried things out for myself. There was always more to learn."

"I preferred those times, when we could spend our days as we wished, exploring the forest, climbing the tall oaks, conducting expeditions over the lake, staying out all night if we wanted to. I learned where to find blackberries and hazelnuts and crab apples. I learned how to start a fire even if the wood was damp, and bake squash or onions in the coals. I could make a shelter out of bracken, and steer a raft in a straight course.
I loved to be out-of-doors and feel the wind on my face. Still, I continued to teach myself the healer's art, for my heart told me this would be my true work. All of us could read, though Conor was by far the most skillful, and there were old manuscripts and scrolls tucked away on an upper floor of the stone fortress that was our home. These I devoured in my thirst for knowledge and thought it nothing unusual, for this was the only world I had known."

"There would be Conor, seated on a bench beside the hermit, deep in debate on some fine point of language or philosophy, and there in a corner would be Finbar and myself, cross-legged on the earthen floor, quiet as field mice. The tree of us soaked up knowledge like little sponges, believing in our isolation that this was quite usual."

"- and the three of us became quite close, linked by our thirst for knowledge and a deep, unspoken understanding."

"'I need no shoes Father,' I said, hardly thinking. 'My feet are tough, look,' and I raised one narrow, grubby foot to show him. ' No need for some creature to die so I can be shod.' This argument had been used on my brothers till they tired of it and let me run barefoot if it suited me."

"'Interesting. You're an odd girl, Sorcha. Sometimes you seem such a child, and then you'll come out with something that makes you sound like and old crone.'"
(hide spoiler)]

Sorrow and the Curse
(view spoiler)[
"but I could not cry. This went beyond tears, beyond thought. In my head, I gave a great, wordless scream of anguish." - "I felt bruised and empty" - "Your heart and your stomach and your whole insides felt empty and hollow and aching." - "My head was a blank"

"I had believed the wordless meeting of minds was for Finbar and me alone. I wondered how long Conor had been able to read our thoughts and feelings" - " I sensed the love in him, and the rage."

"Why do you imagine I bade Sorcha and and Finbar be absent from out evening meal? The two of them are like open books, they speak the truth at the risk of their own lives, and when they keep silent their thoughts blaze like a beacon from their eyes."

"But remember, you must not not make a sound, you must not tell your tale, even to them, or they will be swans forever." - "Sometimes my brothers - sometimes we talk without words. Through images of the mind. Is even that forbidden?" - "This silent speech will still be safe, I think."

"I did not weep for him. Instead, I felt a cold sense of purpose take hold of me. The grief was still there, and the emptiness. But I was able to focus on what must be done, and I moved swiftly through the necessary tasks."

"Perhaps I was stupid to believe I could lift the spell. Too many stories, you might say, a head too full of old tales, where it's just a matter of completing the tasks, and then the hero wins his heart's desire. But I was not so foolish, even then. I had once told Simon he could make his tale end any way he liked. But this was not strictly true. I set my path straight ahead; but there were others that influenced its course, that diverted and changed and confused it."

"And I began to tell myself stories, not out aloud, but in my mind; and I practiced focusing all my attention on the tale, whether it was of a hero or a giant or three brothers setting off to seek their fortune. If I could not remember a story, I invented one, or elaborated on what I knew."
(hide spoiler)]

I wish there was a pretty or special English or German edition. I own the mass market paperback, and I'm not the biggest fan of those. Maybe I should go back to learning Italian? Their covers speak to me the most.

Post XI [Oct 15 2024]


Listing and sorting books according to what they're retelling/what mythology they pertain to because why not -
might be fun to read them back to back :)

Goose Girl & The Twelve Dancing Princesses

&

Trolls, Goblins & Troublesome Fae

&

Mulan & Norse Warrior Women

&

Arthurian Legend & The Wild Hunt

&

Post XII [Oct 22 2024]


More lists of books, yay.

This time, series I could potentially binge read, because I really enjoyed that with the Luminaries and with the Folk of the Air trilogy, and it's something that I don't do as often anymore. But it's so fun!

Aurelian Circle & Winternight Trilogy & Witch's Compendium of Monsters
& &

The Bone Witch Series & Raybearer
&

House of the Dead & The Queens of Renthia Series
&

T. Kingfisher


Fallen Gods Series & The Empire of the Wolf
&

The Winnowing Flame & Rook and Rose
&

The Masquerade & The Locked Tomb
&

Post XIII [Nov 3 2024]


November tbr


Artist: John Ramsey

I don't usually do tbrs, but I decided to try and only read books off my shelves for a few months, and I do have a collection that I might still read for fall.

Fall vibes:
x ✔ ✔ x ✔ cr

Other books:
cr dnf? x ✔ ✔

And some nonfiction that I definitely won't finish, but continue to browse

Post XIV [Nov 11 2024]


A "let's get back into this series" post, for the Broken Earth trilogy by N.K. Jemisin [There are notes on world building hidden by the spoiler tag].

✔


Artist: Yoshi Yoshitani

(view spoiler)[
Setting: Apocalyptic dystopian, alternate universe; geologically unstable planet earth without a moon that regularly experiences major catastrophic events (called Fifth Season)
Name: The Stillness (supercontinent)

System in Power: Sanzed Equatorial Affiliation: The ruling Empire, informally known as Old Sanze.
Society: The society of the Stillness is broken up into "comms" (=settlements) as well as "use-castes" (=careers/roles in society)
Fantasy-element: Orogenes can manipulate the environment, especially when it comes to temperature and other energies of the ground (they can cause and stop earthquakes). They are trained at the Fulcrum and instructed/controlled by Guardians, who also seem to have some sort of powersource/abilities. There are also Stone Eaters: Long-lived, moving sculpture-like beings who can move through rock, which is also their diet.

Main Character: Damaya => Syenite => Essun, an orogene
Family: Husband Jija, son Uche (deceased), daughter Nassun (orogene)

Artist: Not found :(
Schaffa: Damaya's former Guardian
Alabaster: very powerful orogene (deceased)
Hoa: Stone-Eater who followed Essun around
Antimony: Stone-Eater who followed Alabaster

Use-castes: Strongback (laborer), Resistant, Innovator, Breeder, Leadership
Node stations: positioned by the Fulcrum around the Stillness. Officially, each contains an orogene whose job it is to constantly quell small earthquakes that could endanger the larger continent
Obelisks: strange crystals the size of buildings that drift amongst the clouds. They are assumed by most to be inert (=inactive) leftovers from a long-dead civilization.

Revelations and Questions

Fifth Season
+ node-stations that prevent earthquakes are operated by lobotomized orogenes (not really alive) = the fate of orogenes is horrible
+ In the middle of the Fulcrum there is a huge faceted pit, lined with sharp iron shards. A “strange” Guardian wants to kill the kids that discovered it.
+ there seem to be stone-eaters inside the obelisks that float in the the air; they respond to Syenite/Essun and seem to harbor/grant great power
+ Alabaster caused the Fracture, because it is part of his plans to end all seasons, he speaks of the “moon” in connection to this

Who gave authority to the Guardians and what secrets do they keep?
What is the pit in the Fulcrum good for/why is it there?
What are the stone-eaters?
What are obelisks and why do they respond to orogenes?

Obelisk Gate
+ Schaffa, Essun’s old Guardian who suffered brain damage, built the settlement “Found Moon”, where a group of Guardians unaffiliated with the Fulcrum shelters young orogenes in a makeshift Fulcrum
+ Nassun learns to perceive a mysterious silver energy, generated by living things, that underpins all of her orogenic powers; Alabaster is aware of this as well, he calls it magic
+ The Moon has not been seen for several thousand years, most are not aware it ever existed. Alabaster intended the energy harvested from the Fracture to be used in order to recapture it -> giving stability to the Stillness
+ Alabaster can form a thing called “Obelisk Gate”; he also talked about some weird structures on the other side of the planet? - "Corepoint," a city on the other side of the world

What is the “entity” that powers the abilities of the Guardians?
How does the Castrima-geode actually function and how did it come to be?
What on earth is an obelisk gate?
What are the weird structures Alabaster talked about on the other side of the earth or something?
Why are there stone-eater factions, why are Hoa and Antimony in opposition? What is their agenda?

(hide spoiler)]

Post XV [Nov 15 2024]


Motivating myself to pick up Strange the Dreamer, because it has been sitting on my shelf for far too long!

✔


Illustration by Jorge Jacinto

(view spoiler)[

Fanart by Lesya Black Bird Ink


Unknown Artist :(


Fanart by Lesya Black Bird Ink


Fanart by Taralijah (?)


Art by escume (DeviantArt)

(hide spoiler)]

Post XVI [Nov 27 2024]


Some notes on The Perfect Assassin (a book that I abandoned some time ago) to help tell all the characters apart etc (there are sooo many in just the first few chapters..)

✔


Artist: Olga OK

(view spoiler)[
Desert city ambience <3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSftM...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uRtW...

Vocabulary
tagel = something like a veil to keep out the sand?
vellum = parchment
sconce = a lamp on the wall

Cast of characters:
Amastan: MC, short: Stan; has a fear of jaan; trained for 5 years; "He'd barely been fourteen. His father had been pressing him for years to pick up glasswork like his father had and his father before him. But Amastan had chosed to apprentice under the historian Barag instead. His father's disappointment had hung heavy over the house and the relationship. Then Tamella had slid in through his window, silent as a shadow. She'd been watching Amastan for years. Every member of the extensive Basbowen family, however far-flung, learned from a young age how to defend themselves. Amastan hadn't been exceptionally good at defense, but Tamella had been impressed by his precision."
Dihya: his eldest "cousin", female; trained with Amastan
Azulay: short: Az; trained with Amastan, also a "cousin"
Menna: trained with Amastan, "the fastest of his cousins", an apprentice marabi
Tamella: current head of the assassins, their trainer/teacher? "The Serpent"
Thiyya: Amastan's older sister; a healer, still training (a profession you get born into; "A healer used water to speed the body's natural healing processes, to replenish blood and close wounds, to heal what would normally kill."
Guraya: Amastan's youngest sister
Tatrist and Kura: first and second cousin of Amastan
Barag: historian that Amastan works with/for? He knows about the assassins, but not officially. Husband of Tamella?
Usem: Tamella's brother
Thana: Tamella's daughter; about 12; "she often trained with her uncle" can't be associated with her mother; "her uncle and his wife stood in for her parents at public events."
the 12 drum chiefs: influential upper class people? Leadership of the City of Ghadid?

Fantasy elements:
jaan: ghosts or restless souls of the dead? "Jaan were as rare as storms" "The wild jaan below were little more than stories" "Jaan that entered the mind and drove men mad. Jaan that made you forget who you were" "A person who dies on the sands, dies alone, with no one around to quit their jaani. That jaani becomes lost and confused, adrift on the sands. All it wants is what it once had: a warm body to keep it safe. Any warm body will do, especially water-hungry travelers and those foolish enough to cross the sands without protection charms."
--> it takes 5-6 hours for a jaani to go wild; rule: no more than 3 hours before a marab should start quieting the jaan
--> a jaani unquieted is lost and cannot return to God
--> a jaani can posess you, the burden of having two jaan would drive you mad or kill you
charm: Amastan wears a charm as a necklace, probably a leather pouch filled with herbs for protection; "for this journey, the charm maker had added a scrap of vellum inked with words that would protect him from jaan."
marab: "One basket was overflowing with vellum sheets, an ink-stained cloth draped over its side: the tools of the marab's trade." "Each week, the marab quiet the jaan of all these bodies. Each body will lie here for seven years until their jaani canbe ushered across. If they miss a jaani, if they miss a single week, then the jaani will go wild." "The marab are the reason why there are jaan on the sands but not in Ghadid."
crypt: "Lamps burned bright on either side of the thick metal door, their orange glass bathing the area around them in a warm, inviting glow. Charms hung all around the door, simple lengths of beads that glittered in the torchlight as well as intricate stringworks. Beneath one of the lamps, a pot brimmed with baats - more than enough to provide a large family with water for several comfortable years. Mourners left behind what they could to pay for the water the marab used." "as he neared, he could make out the intricate carvings in the metal: a network of powerful symbols and words to keep what was inside, inside."
"The door opened onto a curved room filled with syrup thick light, as stale as the air itself, which was heavily spiced with cinnamon and anise. Sconces lined the inner wall, each full of oil and flickering flames. Charms hung from the sconces, the nearest one twisting slowly this way and that in a phantom breeze, its beads of colored glass winking and flashing. A shelf, filled with an assortment of scrolls, curved with the wall. Overall, the room was inviting, as long as he didn't look at the outer wall."
salas: Every life a healer saved was represented by a piece of cloth or string that they wove into their hair.
...

Other
Aeser: a neighborhood two east and south, and one of the several entry points for iluk and their caravans. Yanniq, their drum chief, was killed.

... (hide spoiler)]

Post XVII [Nov 30 2024]


A place to list the fairytales I'm reading ✿
(the titles will be in German! The letters are for me to note which book/collection the tale is from)




Och (Russia) gr
Vom Bösen Weibe (Russia) gr
Die Mutter und der tote Sohn (Russia) gr
Vanjushka und Anushka (Russia) gr
Die Zarentochter Frosch (Russia) og
Die Geschichte von Marussja und dem Teufel (Russia) bl
Die Pantoffel von Lausleder (Russia) bl
Die drei Brüder (Russia) bl
Daumerling (Russia) bl
Sturmheld Iwan-Kuhsohn (Russia) vlt
Oletschka (Russia) vlt
Die Jäger und die Schwanenjungfrau (Germany) gr
Waldminchen (Germany) gr
Wisewittel (Germany) og
Das singende Meerweib (Germany) og
Jack mit seinem Flötchen (Germany) bl
Der eiserne Kasten (Germany) bl
Die schönste Braut (Germany) bl
Die Hose mit dem Hecketaler (Germany) bl
Die drei Brüder und der Hüne (Germany) bl
Die Zwergenmännchen (Germany) bl
Der Wunderbaum (Germany) vlt
Der Schneider und der Schatz (Germany) vlt
Wie der Teufel das Geigenspiel lernte (Germany) vlt
Widewau (Germany) vlt
Die goldene Kette (Germany)
Die beiden Goldkinder (Germany)
Der Wassermann (Germany)
Weshalb die Menschen die Schwalbe lieben und die Schlange hassen (Latvia) gr
Von einem Musikanten, den der Teufel zum Spielen auf seiner Hochzeit zwang (Latvia) bl
Der starke Hans (Latvia) vlt
Tschuinis (Latvia) vlt
Der Wettstreit der Zauberer (Siberia) gr
Die eitle Ajagaga (Sibiria) vlt
Der Metallherrscher (Slovakia) og
Die Knochen des Toten (Czechia) vlt
Die zwölf Brocken (Balkans)
Das Froschmädchen (Albania)
Die Nachtschwärmerin (Croatia)
In der Hölle (Austria) vlt
Sankt Antonius und der Mörder Karl (Austria)
Guldig Betheli und schwarz Babi (Switzerland)
Jan Vettegraf (Netherlands)




Artist: Ivan Bilibin

Post XVIII [Dec 1 2024]


So the November tbr worked better than I thought, and since I'm still eliminating books from my shelves we're continuing in December!


Artist: Laurent Reis

High fantasy and other magical reads:
✔ dnf ✔

Other:
✔

Continuing with the same non-fiction, probably some more fairytales as well!

I'm still reading How We Go Home: Voices from Indigenous North America and Practical Magic from my November tbr and also still plan on picking up No Man in the House.

Post XIX [Dec 26 2024]


Notes on The Luminaries Series by Susan Dennard

I'm going to potentially reread or skim through the first and second book of the series (that I read last year) and then continue with the 3rd :)

✔

(view spoiler)[
Book 1:

- prologue mentions (Jay) a boy being claimed by the forest at thirteen; first his father, then himself... after that, he stops being entirely human; "a ticking time bomb, waiting for the forest to one day spark his fuse"
- "All around the world, the Luminaries live near fourteen sleeping spirits. Each night, when the spirits dream, their nightmares come to life. And each night, the Luminary hunters guard the world against those nightmares, one clan for every day of the week."
- Corpse duty: "Someone has to do it. Otherwise, the corpses that don't magically vanish at dawn will reawaken as revenants"
- there are "networkers": a special variety of Luminary who live in the non world, working to ensure no one ever learns of the Luminaries or the forest
- nons can be allowed into the Luminaries' world
"If it's not in the Compendium, it's not important"
--> not everything in the Compendium adds up/not everything gets explained. The teachers (Professor Anders) are unwilling to allow inquiry
- Dianas: steal magic from the sleeping spirits, "want to wake up the spirits and unleash them on humankind"
"Used to be, back in the early days of the American Luminaries when the spirit here had only just awoken, the Dianas fought to gain a foothold in the forest. They would bury their sources all around - the crystals, metal spheres, wooden talismans, animal bones . hoping to absorb magic from the spirit within into them. Then they would use their devices to craft spells.
It seemed sources were everywhere in those days, tucked under roots or into stone crannies, draining the forest bit by bit. Often it was the kids on corpse duty who found them - and often the sources were booby-trapped.
In the end, though, the Luminaries of Hemlock Falls had been stronger that the Dianas. The witches hadn't been able to claim the spirit's magic, and so they'd gone back into hiding around the globe while the old siren installed downtown to warn of Dianas had stopped its frequent howling."






(hide spoiler)]

Post XX [Jan 3 2025]


It started snowing heavily today, just for a few minutes but it's the first snow since November of last year I think. From my window I can see little tomtits flitting about the seeds I put out for them, in between the Christmas decoration I made from fir, holly and pine cones (actually it's little larch cones). So I thought this would be a fitting image for the day :)


Artist: John Ramsey

My tbr for December didn't really work, but I still have one for January and February, because it's somehow the only time in the year that puts me in the mood for Sci-Fi, so I'll be trying again to get through the ones that I bought in the hopes that I would get into that genre... (I track Sci-Fi over here)

✔ ✔ dnf cr

other books:
✔

Post XXI [Feb 10 2025]


I'm not reading what I'm supposed to be reading (slump) so I'm back to making lists of books which seems to be another hobby entirely xD

Today I'm bringing to you an attempt at an overview of the books by Guy Gavriel Kay (Thanks Beth for the motivation to look into his books more <3)

I may add marked spoiler sections bc I'll try to find out certain aspects about the books from reviews which might be considered spoilers but it's important for me to get me more interested.

[WIP]

The Fionavar Tapestry Trilogy (1984-86)
+ +

Tigana (1990)

"Peninsula of the Palm is a great setting which reminds me a lot of Renaissance Italy"

A Song for Arbonne (1992)

"Based on the troubadour culture that rose in Provence during the High Middle Ages"

The Lions of Al-Rassan (1995)

inspired by medieval Spain

The Sarantine Mosaic (1998+2000)
+
"historical fantasy novel based on the Byzantine Empire and the works of W.B. Yeats. The main character is an artist caught up in political schemes during a tumultuous time"

The Last Light of the Sun (2004)

"evoking the Viking, Anglo-Saxon and Celtic cultures of a turbulent age"

Ysabel (2007)

"Ysabel takes place in the world of today: in a modern springtime, in and around the celebrated city of Aix-en-Provence near Marseilles. Dangerous, mythic figures from the Celtic and Roman conflicts of the past erupt into the present, claiming and changing lives."

Under Heaven Duology (2010-13)
+
"a setting that evokes the dazzling Tang Dynasty of eighth-century China"

+ +
"set in a world inspired by the conflicts and dramas of Renaissance Europe"

Post XXII [Feb 22 2025]


February isn't over yet, but I'm still posting the list for the rest of the year... (which is the entirety of my physical unread tbr, should be 30 books)


Artist: Anna Podedworna (akreon)

Starting out the year with the rest of my Sci-Fi and Contemporary YA + Spanish MG
✔ ✔ & ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ & cr

Literary Fiction set all over the world for summer...
✔ ✔ ✔ x x


Some Non-Fiction, Mystery and YA Folklore-Fantasy for fall
cr ✔ & ✔ & ✔

MG and Adult Fantasy for December
(x) & ✔ x ✔

I don't actually expect to read all of them (and especially not in the assigned season, that's just my moods as they typically come and go over the year), but since I don't plan on buying anything it could be interesting to track my progress here...

the oldest book is The Lies of Locke Lamora, which has been on my shelves since 2017 (the year I joined GR), the most recent additions are Little Thieves and One Dark Window which joined my shelves after Christmas last year :)

Notable is how much literary fiction I own, most of it is from 2022. That makes sense, because I typically read those books in summer, and I've had summer reading slumps ever since 2023, which might be because I used to read during the 2 hour (train) commute I had every workday before 2023. Now, it seems, I don't read much in summer anymore, as long as it's light outside I tend to use my free time in other ways. We'll see how it goes this year...

There should be no more than 30 books on this list, which is manageable (I read about 30-50 books in a year). However, this list does not include continuations of series (1x), books I'm still reading/potential dnfs/paused reads (8x), older classics I collected (???) and non-fiction that isn't meant to be read in one go (???). So I do own more books. But these are the ones that I once bought with the intention of reading them sooner rather than later, so I better get to them :D

All done! Expect me to post new lists soon... I cannot be cured :D

As you may have noticed, you'll find mostly fantasy books here. You're always welcome to comment on anything, discuss books, give/ask for recommendations, or just say hi <3

All the conversation that happened inbetween all the posts above have been lost, but it used to be a wild mix with other people's comments in between, and I really liked it that way...

We'll see how things turn out here, so far I'm just happy to have found a new place!

Hey Rapunzel! Welcome to your new burrow :)

Great to see that you came over to this group too <3

Hi Rapunzel (& Beth)! I might have said this before, but what a beautiful description:) Have you read The Goose Girl? I loved that book.

hey! its kat from the hollow! how have you been?

Hi guys! Sorry for not replying... Summer, in terms of reading, is a very lazy time for me, so I'm not very active here. Also, goodreads is being difficult again, not showing my notifications-- and I'm too lazy to fix it xD

So happy to meet you here again! I'm currently not reading much, it's mostly nonfiction. I had a phase of getting back into video games (the ones that I really enjoyed are Dark Eyes: Memoria and Roadwarden) and now I'm hooked on history books and getting back to learning chinese (and watching pretty mediocre cdrama to help with that...)

How are you doing? Any good books that have you hooked? Do any of you play video games, too?

Hope everyone is well :)

Catherine wrote: "Hi Rapunzel (& Beth)! I might have said this before, but what a beautiful description:) Have you read The Goose Girl? I loved that book."

I haven't yet! But it's already on one of my many many lists :D Good to know you liked it!

hi Rapunzel I saw your note about Goodreads acting up for you and you are not alone I'm having my own issues with them trying to just post. hope you're doing well wishing you a happy weekend and not too far from going into the new week so I hope you have a good one and it cools down for everybody I think we're all cooking

I'm pretty sure I could fix it by logging out (on all devices) and logging back in (that fixed it in the past), but again - I'm too lazy to do it...
It actually did cool down here! The last weeks were horrible, a lot of rain but still warm and so humid, going outside truly wasn't a pleasure...
Hope you had a great weekend, too!

New list upcoming yay


Does anyone else have the problem of adding books on GR but then forgetting what was the interesting part about them? I'm gonna try and go through my latest added books (fantasy) and see if I can figure out what made me think I would like to read them :D

I. I figured out I like some "older" fantasy, or found some authors I wanted to try out (that I never read bc they weren't translated when I was young)


II. Found on a list of recommendations with books I had already read and loved


III. Books were compared to books I like


IV. I might like these but I'm not sure (for a specific mood)
---

V. Just the hype or other "I just want to try" reasons (so it's fomo?)
---

VI. specific reasons I don't completely remember


VII. Intuition tells me I should try these


VIII. recommended by Leah&Jukaschar (WBTM-Group) bc I like Lois McMaster Bujold
+

thats so real lol. anytime i see a good quote about a book i add it to my tbr and completely forget about it. the list would be a good idea!!

Haha you're not the only one! I think I need to start doing this too...

That's a wise idea- my TBR list is sooo long, I think it's longer than my read XD

Catherine (semi active) wrote: "That's a wise idea- my TBR list is sooo long, I think it's longer than my read XD"

Mine definitely is!

but I'm glad we all have that problem. Might also be a good thing, could result in actually nice surprises if one ever gets around to picking up those "randomly" added books

Finally tackling a fantasy book again!


Lynn Flewelling's The Bone Doll's Twin. It's over 500 pages and a mass market paperback - so it's probably going to take me ages to get through.
Some notes on the worldbuilding hiding behind the spoiler tag!

✔


Artist: Olga OK; I think it's LOTR inspired but the high fantasy vibe is fitting

(view spoiler)[
„A prequel trilogy titled The Tamir Triad, written by Flewelling, takes place centuries beforehand.”

Nightrunner takes place nearly 600 years after Tamír becomes Queen.

The resounding issue dealt with within the series is the on-and-off war between two fictional countries, Skala and Plenimar, and their citizens, with other countries and people often getting caught in the crossfire.

The series focuses on Queen Tamír II (Tamír í Ariani Gherilain), known throughout her childhood as Prince Tobin.

One defining feature of Skala is that the throne is always held by a Queen, power traveling matrilineally. The queen takes an active role in the defense of Skala, riding out and taking part in battles, and holds the military title of "War Commander." She is also in charge of helping her people in times of peace, by acting as the judge for public disputes, as well as controlling taxes, food availability, plague and more.
This prophecy was made during The Great War with Plenimar, and King Thelatimos instantly handed the crown to his daughter Gherilain, who quickly led the country to victory.

The main setting takes place in a country called Skala, which is part of the Three Lands: Skala, Mycena, and Plenimar.

At the time of the Tamir Triad, Skala has a clearly feudal society, with nobles living in castles and maintaining their own armed forces—those of the greater nobles nearly rivaling in power the Royal Army. Winning a civil war, like in The Oracle's Queen, depends on winning the support of enough nobles who bring their own feudal levies to support one of the contending parties.
Skala has a perennial enmity with Plenimar.

Skala
Capital: Rhíminee; Significant Cities: Ero (former capital), Cirna, Ardinlee and Tes.
Rhíminee was founded by Queen Tamir the Great (who was personally involved in the details of city planning) after the earlier capital Ero was destroyed by the Plenimarans.

The Third Orëska House, referred to simply as ″the Orëska″ is the home of all wizards. It has many libraries and rooms filled with books in numerous languages, a vault of ancient and magical artifacts, state-of-the-art baths and rooms for master wizards, their students, apprentices and servants. The garden within the Orëska grounds is constantly in a sunny summer state through magical means.

Mycena
Significant Cities and Towns: Isil, Wyvern Dug, Nanta, Keston, Wolde, Boersby, Stook and Kerry.
Mycena is militarily much weaker than Skala and Plenimar, and depends on Skala during the frequent wars. Wars between Skala and Plenimar usually take place mainly on Mycenan soil, causing great hardship to the country's civilian population. Mycenans and Skalans speak essentially the same language and can understand each other, while Plenimarans speak a completely different language.

Plenimar
Capital: Benshâl. Ruled by: Ashnazai family, who bear the title "Overlord" rather than "King".
Much of Plenimar is arid—which partly explains why its inhabitants try to conquer other lands. Plenimar is a major naval power, its ships often dominating the seas in wartime and conducting massive raids on Skalan shores. Plenimarans have extensive contacts with lands across the Gatchwayd Ocean to their east—of which other peoples know only little.

Originally, when Skala and Plenimar were parts of the old Hierophantic realm, there were few cultural differences between them. However, the cataclysmic appearance of the monstrous Rhazat, "Mother of Necromancy", precipitated a civil war.
(Hierophant ist ein griechischer Begriff für den Hohepriester der Demeter in Eleusis.)

Magic
All magic is commonly considered to come from Aurënen, which is considered as "The First Orëska" (a view that ignores the little-known—and no less potent—Retha'noi magic). All Skalan wizards have some Aurënfaie ancestry—and since wizards cannot have children, in order to have new wizards Skala needs Aurënfaie to continue having relations with Skalans.
However, some in Aurënen dislike and distrust the Skalan wizards and the variations they have made to the original Aurënen magic.

Religion:

In Skala, most citizens believe in four notable deities, although depending on the part of the country, certain deities may receive special attention.

Illior, the Lightbearer or Lightbringer. In Aurënen, he is called Aura. He is the god of the moon, wisdom and insanity, whose priests maintain oracles and to whom is attributed Skala's tradition of being ruled by Queens rather than Kings. In Mycena, Illior is mainly seen as the patron god of thieves. Wizards are followers of Illior.

Sakor, the Flamebringer, god of the Sun, war and victory; a devoted soldier is said to be "Sakor-touched". Sakorans are sometimes heard to express preference for their "straightforward god" who can be counted on to reward bravery on the battlefield—as compared with the countless subtleties and ambiguities of Illior and his priesthood. During Mid-winter Mourning Night, a central date in Skalan calendar, the death of the old Sakor is mourned and on the following day the birth of the new Sakor is celebrated.

Dalna, the Maker, goddess of fertility, land and hearth; the Drysians, healers on whom Skalans depend for their medical services, are priests of Dalna, and when witnessing a horrifying scene, people are apt to exclaim "Maker's Mercy!"; In Skala, the worship of Dalna is of lesser importance and there are few Dalnans to be found in Skala. Conversely, Dalna is the chief god of the northern Mycena, where Illior and Sakor are not much regarded.

Astellus, the Traveller, god of the sea and death, nicknamed "The Old Sailor". Astellus seems to be the specific god of only a minority everywhere—mainly the patron god of sailors and fishers. The Heralds, who in time of war go between warring camps to deliver messages, are especially devoted to Astellus, and anyone harming a Herald risks this god's revenge.

The gods can be male or female depending on region and perspective and share a dual nature; however, most often characters speaking of one of the gods use the word "he".

There are also minor deities, acknowledged throughout the country, but not worshiped at the same level as The Four. One of the more popular deities is Bilairy, said to guard the gate of the afterlife. While there is no mention of temples or priests of Bilairy, dying (especially in battle) is often referred to as "going to Bilairy's Gate". The most common expletives, frequently used by everybody from nobles down to beggars, are "Bilairy's Balls!"

Distinct and antithetical to other gods is Serimaius, worshiped in Plenimar. Necromancers are Serimaius' followers as wizards are those of Illior; the two gods and their respective followers are mortal enemies. Those who do not follow Serimaius consider the uttering of his name as unlucky and dangerous, and use various euphemisms instead: "The Empty God", "The Dark One", "The Evil One".

(hide spoiler)]

Those look like such interesting books, with good, complex worldbuilding! I've never heard of the series or the author before. Where did you come across them?

I don't remember exactly, I think I randomly stumbled upon the other series (this is a prequel series) years ago (but didn't read it) so I was vaguely familiar with it when I found it again while looking for books with thieves as main characters (which made me read it).
I liked it well enough to want to try more by the author, especially in the same world.

The worldbuilding is one of my favourite things here, it almost feels cozy because it's such a "normal" fantasy world. Nothing new or revolutionary - sometimes I like that. Still, it's detailed and sometimes complicated, a world you can live in and explore :)

The plot, on the other hand, is usually slow (or overly political, which I find hard to be invested in) and often unfolds in the background until the character you're following is finally involved. Definetely not for everyone!

Nothing new or revolutionary is sometimes exactly what you want from fantasy. New and experimental stuff is great but I think the reason it's such a comforting genre for so many people is that it has that dependability, that you can always come back to it and find something you want and expect.

This has crept onto my TBR! Even slow and political can be good sometimes :) Hope you enjoy the (looong) experience of reading it!

I really loved being back in a fantasy world, and I managed to get through The Bone Doll's Twin much faster than I expected. So I'm going to try and continue with the next fantasy book!

Both this one and the one I just read have the same problem - a prologue that didn't grip me, leaving me overwhelmed instead, struggling with names and terms and things I didn't understand. I never got more than a few pages in. This book has been collecting dust on my shelves ever since I first joined GR, and I obviously bought it because I thought I would love it. A potential favourite even! I cannot believe I will only find out now, 8 years later. I will fight through this prologue!! (its 34 pages long in my copy of the book, the one in The Bone Doll's Twin was 56 pages. Quite a task for a slow reader like me).
And I'm talking about The Lies of Locke Lamora :)

✔


Artist: Jeff Brown

For the sake of feeling less intimidated and to fight that feeling of disorientation I may have collected a few more spoilery things about the worldbuilding in this one. I usually try to keep it to things that I think the average citizen of the fantasy world in question would know. I might have gone a bit overboard here (8 years. I put off reading this book for 8 years!!! I need all the help I can get).

(view spoiler)[
Setting: Renaissance-Venice-esque

Name of the World: Therin

Place: City of Camorr; Language: Therin; Currency: Crowns

Camorr is a Therin city-state ruled by Duke Nicovante and located on the shores of the Sea of Brass. It is the hometown of Locke Lamora and Jean Tannen.

Camorr is known throughout the world to be a highly unpleasant, sadistic, downtrodden place.

Summary: In a Venice-like city in which the nobility and the underdogs have a certain understanding and know not to get involved with each other for both their benefit, Locke Lamora's gang, the Gentlemen Bastards, are the pioneers in the art of the con. The lives of these con artists get turned upside-down when in the middle of pulling a con an outside player changes the course of the story.

Religion: There are 12 gods and a 13th sort of "hidden" one - of course, the Gentlemen Bastards are serving the 13th. However, the religious aspect is not fully explained, thus allowing the reader to speculate whether the gods are real or simple superstition.

Magic: There is very little information about the magic and how it works. Yet, it can be argued that there is a limited number of characters that work with magic, so it's somewhat natural not to get a lot of insight. Hence, speculations about how magic works can be made aplenty.

The City of Camorr:
The Angevine River splits Camorr down the center.
A network of canals, traversed using barges not dissimilar to gondolas, split Camorr into a series of little island-esque segments. Descriptions of the architecture, people and climate also suggest the design is Venetian inspired.

The impoverished parts consist of the Narrows, the Dregs, the Wooden Waste, the Snare, the Cauldron, Coalsmoke, Ashfall, and most of the docks.

The city’s skeleton is a network of Elderglass towers, bridges and labyrinths – remnants of a vanished race – and fleshed out by humanity with wood and stone.

Elderglass is a material left behind by the Eldren that can be found in many human cities. It resembles glass, though it varies wildly in appearance, with everything from dark shades of scarlet to luminescent shades that glimmer even after dark. Elderglass is, to the best of human knowledge, indestructible, yet has proven versatile in its use- braided fibers of Elderglass are flexible enough to form rope bridges that span chasms that human engineers would be hard pressed to cover. Massive towers of Elderglass also stretch into the sky, impervious to even the harshest winds and storms. Some Elderglass, like that found in Camorr, absorbs light by day and glows in the evening when the sun sets, during the time known as Falselight.

(hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[The closer one gets to the prestigious Five Towers the further one gets from the poverty stricken parts of Camorr: North Corner, Coin-Kissers Row and Alcegrante are sound examples of these exclusive sections.

The Five Towers are irregular structures left behind by the Eldren, and sport numerous turrets and runways and spires of all shapes and sizes. Each tower is named and constructed from different material: Dawncatcher, four hundred feet high and silver-red in colour; Blackspear, slightly taller than Dawncatcher and entirely black save bursts of broken rainbows; Westwatch, violet and white in colour; Amberglass, whose elaborate flutings would cause the wind to make ‘eerie melodies’; and lastly, Raven’s Reach, the palace of Duke Nicovante, and the tallest of all towers. A network of Elderglass cables cobwebs the tips of these towers, carriages bearing passengers and cargo are hauled across; a convenient - if somewhat audacious - method of transport.

Some more Details:
The Shifting Market is a lake about half a mile in circumference, packed with hundreds of merchant barges selling their wares to civilians on breakwaters. The Shifting Revel, where observation barges are secured to the breakwaters and occupied by hundreds of Camorri wanting to see the performances, replaces the Market once a month. These performances are conducted atop sunken iron cages, and include the Teeth Show, Judicial Forfeitures and Penance Bouts.
Opposite the Shifting Market are the Alcegrante islands, home to the minor nobility of Camorr. It is a place of walled gardens, elaborate water sculptures and white stone villas where any persons appearing as low-class are brusquely discouraged to enter.
The Mara Camorrazza (described as ‘openly dangerous’) and Twosilver Green are both open parks, the latter being safer than the other courtesy to constant patrols by yellowjackets (Camorr City Watch).

The Duke’s Magistrates, located inside the Palace of Patience, uphold the law and are, essentially, the only judges in Camorr’s court. Below these are the yellowjackets (also known as the watchmen) and their officers, who are similar in function to our police force, and reside outside the Palace of Patience in Old Citadel alongside tax collectors. ‘Blackjackets’ is the given name for the Duke’s army. Alongside this constabulary force are the Duke’s Ghouls, a group who have survived plagues and thus possess natural immunity, and are made to work among quarantine areas and sick poeple.

Backstory:
A single Capa, Vencarlo Barsavi, rules the underworld of Camorr and the hundred gangs that infest its bowels. Five years prior to the beginning of The Lies Of Locke Lamora, the underworld was ruled by thirty capa, and they were constantly warring with each other and the yellowjackets. Barsavi gradually murdered his way to power, claimed undisputed reign over every gang in Camorr, and founded the Secret Peace. Anyone who becomes Barsavi’s pezon must answer to his laws or face punishment.

The punishment of broken laws in Camorr can be considered as unnecessarily harsh; thieves of all ages are hung from bridges, other convicts are chained to oars and forced to row. Other means of punishment are unusually cruel and brusque, for example, ‘anyone going in the wrong direction on a catbridge’ can be ‘shoved off by those with the right of way’. There are, of course, prisons, as well as cages and the Teeth Show.

Other:
Camorr is famous for its Eight Beautiful Arts, the name given to the highest mastery of cuisine preparation. The chefs get a tattoo on their fingers of the respective Art mastered. Examples of the Beautiful Arts are vicce enta merre, the first art, the cuisine of sea creatures; and the fifth art, which is the preparation of desserts.
Falselight is the period of time in Camorr during which the Elderglass in the city glows, which begins after the sun sets and lasts for an hour or so until the glow fades and true night falls over the city.

White iron is an imaginary metal, found on Locke's world in conjunction with veins of gold. White iron is extremely stable and oxidizes very slowly and faintly (white iron rust is silver-colored).

Is the alchemy in Locke's world a form of magic or science?
Well, it's not just archaic chemistry; it is a magical process of a sort, one that the otherwise lethally jealous Bondsmagi of Karthain don't regulate. The trouble with alchemy is... well, to be more accurate, the trouble with alchemists is that the scientific method hasn't been delineated in Locke's world, and general cooperation between alchemical scholars is unknown. At best, local guilds and small circles of scholars exchange their lessons and secrets. This curtails progress significantly; it's hard to advance a science generation after generation when just about everyone has to discover on their own that, say, drinking silver nitrate is a bad idea.

The 'e' in 'Locke' is absolutely silent, which is rare and special. Nine times out of ten, an 'e' at the very end of a Camorri name is pronounced as '-ay.' For example, 'Nicovante' is 'Nee-coh-vaun-tay,' and 'Evante' is 'Ev-aun-tay.' 'Jean' is 'Zhaun,' in the French fashion, rather than 'Jeen.'
(hide spoiler)]

Ahhh I'm so excited for you to read this - Scott Lynch became one of my top ten authors with this series. It's not the easiest book to get in to but it really rewards you if you stick with it. I hope you enjoy it!

Beth wrote: "Ahhh I'm so excited for you to read this - Scott Lynch became one of my top ten authors with this series. It's not the easiest book to get in to but it really rewards you if you stick with it. I ho..."

I'm now almost done with the first part, and I like the setting and the banter a lot. However, Scott Lynch's writing doesn't click with me as well as Lynn Flewelling's does. So I think it'll take me longer to read. I still cannot believe I am finally reading this book...


(illustration by akru, apparently this is the taiwanese cover art!)

The Taiwanese cover is so pretty!

Yeah the writing does take a moment to get into, especially with all the time skips. But the banter is so good :)

Another post of me reading first chapters/excerpts from books on my tbr (that I don't own... yet).

I might make it a rule, to make sure I like the writing of an author before I get overly excited and spend money on a book. So there may be many more posts like this in the future, to help me decide what to get when my book buying ban hopefully lifts towards the end of this year.

This time it's fantasy mysteries!

The Monsters We Defy by Leslye Penelope
Historical Fantasy & Paranormal Mystery; 2022 standalone
(view spoiler)[Setting: 1925; Washington, DC; with paranormal stuff
Why I was initially interested: There's a heist, an investigation, and a MC that can talk to spirits + African American folk magic
"[...] Clara Johnson is determined to discover what’s going on in her community. Using her natural ability to talk with spirits, she begins to investigate, but a powerful spirit tasks her with a difficult quest: steal an ancient, magical ring from the finger of a wealthy socialite." (hide spoiler)]
-> 2 chapters read: good, solid; I definitely want to read it at some point; reminds me of Lockwood&Co (The Screaming Staircase) and that is a good thing

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
Fantasy Mystery Thriller; 2024 first in a series (unfinished)
(view spoiler)[.Setting: Empire of Khanum; a fantasy world in which things (and people) are altered with a surprising amount of vegetation involved
Why I was initially interested: I like the fantasy-mystery combination; The murder: a tree(!) erupted from the victims body; the vegetational elements in the worldbuilding
"In Daretana’s most opulent mansion, a high Imperial officer lies dead—killed, to all appearances, when a tree spontaneously erupted from his body. Even in this canton at the borders of the Empire, where contagions abound and the blood of the Leviathans works strange magical changes, it’s a death at once terrifying and impossible." (hide spoiler)]
-> about 2-3 chapters read: first-person narrator; characters and writing don't click with me immediately; also the fantasy world with all its oddities seems a lot to take in; the series comes highly recommended, though!

The Justice of Kings by Richard Swan
Epic Fantasy Mystery; 2022 first in a trilogy (finished)
(view spoiler)[Setting: Sovan Empire; reminiscent of the Holy Roman Empire. The MCs travel the lands to ensure the Emperor's justice is done everywhere.
Why I was initially interested: Again, fantasy + other genres (mystery, later books also horror I believe); they travel the lands, student-mentor dynamic as the main relationship
"following Sir Konrad Vonvalt, an Emperor's Justice, who is a detective, judge, and executioner all in one […]. Rebels, heretics, and powerful patricians all challenge the power of the Imperial throne. Only the Order of Justices stands in the way of chaos. Sir Konrad Vonvalt is the most feared Justice of all, upholding the law by way of his sharp mind, arcane powers, and skill as a swordsman. At his side stands Helena Sedanka, his talented protégé, orphaned by the wars that forged the Empire. When the pair investigates the murder of a provincial aristocrat, they unearth a conspiracy that stretches to the very top of Imperial society." (hide spoiler)]
-> about 1,5 chapters read: first-person narrator; from the protégé's perspective; I love it already <3

I'd say the winner out of this round is definitely The Justice of Kings; none of the other books get kicked from my tbr, though. I'm much more excited about The Monsters We Defy than I was before!

Next round!
(the spoiler tags only hide blurbs, I didn't want the post to get too long)

High Fantasy with (hopefully) loads of questing and travelling.



Never Die by Rob J. Hayes
First published work in a series of interconnected stories
(view spoiler)[ Samurai, shinigami, vengeful spirits, and an impossible quest.
Ein is on a mission from God. A God of Death. He has four legendary heroes in mind, names from story books read to him by his father. Now he must find them and kill them, so he can bring them back to fight the Reaper's war. (hide spoiler)]
-> Prose isn't flowing well; the mixing of different asian name spelling conventions throws me off. Only for when I'm really craving east-asian mythologicl creatures (I grew up watching Inuyasha so the time may come) and wu xia stories.

Godkiller by Hannah Kaner
First in a trilogy (finished; paperback of the third book February 2026)
(view spoiler)[ Kissen makes a living killing gods, and enjoys it. That is until she finds a god she cannot kill: Skedi, a god of white lies, has somehow bound himself to a young noble, and they are both on the run from unknown assassins. Joined by a disillusioned knight on a secret quest, they must travel to the ruined city of Blenraden, where the last of the wild gods reside, to each beg a favour. (hide spoiler)]
-> Prose has a bit of a YA feel to it. When I'm in the mood for that, sure! MC seems to have a stand-offish loner warrior attitude, which doesn't always work for me.
I really like the concept - gods are born from human prayer and need to be slayn & their shrines destroyed when they become too greedy and hungry for sacrifice.

Clockwork Boys by T. Kingfisher
First in a duology; rereleased March 2025; still waiting for second book
(view spoiler)[A paladin, a forger, an assassin and a scholar ride out of town on an espionage mission with deadly serious stakes.
"It wasn't impossible that there was something in the keep itself that was setting off Slate's rosemary sense. People said that the dowager's keep was built on the ruins of an older building. People said that there were rooms no one had opened in a thousand years, filled with old wonders from civiliations dead and gone.
People said a lot of stupid things." (hide spoiler)]
-> I quite like the premise and Kingfisher's prose is easy to read, however I'm not always in the mood for the slightly snotty humour that feels more like urban fantasy than high fantasy. I'm also worried about the world building, which has been rather vague in other books by the author.

The Ember Blade by Chris Wooding
First in a trilogy, unfinished (2018, 2023, ???)
(view spoiler)[ After Aren's father is executed for treason, he and his best friend Cade are thrown into a prison mine, doomed to work until they drop. Unless they can somehow break free..
Rescued by a man who hates Aren yet is oath-bound to protect him and pursued by inhuman forces, their adventure eventually turns into a quest to steal the Ember Blade, a symbol to inspire the Ossian people to rise up against their opressors. (hide spoiler)]
-> As a "return to classic fantasy adventures" this might be exactly what you sometimes want, but not written by someone who is an expert of their craft just yet. The writing flows well enough, but reads like someone's first teenage scribblings here and there, both regarding the ideas for scenes and the sentences used. Story and characters can potentially save that, and maybe they do in this case! There's a lot of love for this book, and the author's other series was highly praised as well.

- The Quest of the Riddlemaster by Patricia A. McKillip
Finished trilogy
(view spoiler)[ In a land where wizards have long since vanished, Morgon, Prince of Hed, is confronted with a challenge much different from that faced by his land-bound predecessors. Although he wants only to rule and work the land of his birth, Morgon must search out a very different destiny - one dictated since birth by the mark of three stars imprinted on his forehead.
He must wander strange, foreign lands full of untamed magic in the form of riddling wraiths, mysterious harpists, a lost crown, a magical sword and an all-knowing High One who rules over all... (hide spoiler)]
-> this also reads like an early work, but by someone who is better at setting a scene with words. The excerpt I had to read wasn't very long, so it's difficult to say more. This was recommended by a friend as a starting point for the author, so I'm determined to try it!

The Witch Roads by Kate Elliott
First in a duology (second book November 2025; paperback of the first June 2026)
(view spoiler)[ When an arrogant prince (and his equally arrogant entourage) gets stuck in Orledder Halt as part of brutal political intrigue, competent and sunny deputy courier Elen is assigned to guide him through the hills to reach his destination. When she warns him not to enter the haunted Spires, the prince doesn’t heed her advice, and the man who emerges from the towers isn’t the same man who entered.
The journey that follows is fraught with danger. Can a group taught to ignore and despise the lower classes survive with a mere deputy courier as their guide? (hide spoiler)]
-> Very readable for me. I like it, high hopes :)

First place goes to The Witch Roads, second to Clockwork Boys; Godkiller and Riddlemaster share third place!

I've officially cleared out all my age-old fantasy - now I only have two books left that I got last year for christmas. And I only got them because I was scared to be left with a bunch of books and no fantasy at all.

I'm happy with the progress I'm making overall; I used to have about 30 unread books, but, because of how I counted those (soft-dnfs + series continuations separately) and how sloppy I was at adding them to the GR shelf, that number was actually around 45. Now, about a year later (provided I finish the books I'm currently reading) that number is down to 17.

Originally my plan was just to change up the books that turned into permanent residents on my shelves, but now I think it makes sense to reduce the number of unread books that I want to comfortably have on my shelves to 15 - I just read so much less per year than I used to.

I also want to get better at reading those books and have them completely change up over the course of a year. So I'll have to be better at getting books that I'm going to read sooner rather than later - and less "oh, one day I'll read it for sure!"-kind of purchases xD

In any case, welcome to the last crumbs of fantasy on my shelves :')

Potentially the last chance I'm giving currently popular romantasy!
I'll be reading One Dark Window this month.

✔


(official?) fanart by @sunni_rae_art

(view spoiler)[

not sure if I'm going to collect anything here, the worldbuilding of this author is supposedly underdeveloped. However, there is some kind of card game thing going on in this book, so maybe I'll put notes about that in here :)

Providence Cards?
MC seems to be able to "see" the card's presence (some kind of coloured beacon light) with closed eyes: "It was hemmed by an ancient velvet. It was the velvet that gave off the light, a light only I could see. Or rather, a light only the creature in my mind could see."
--> The Cards are very valuable "worth as much gold as all of Spindle House"
--> Twelve different Cards make up the Deck.
--> Cards can be used for magic: "Chronicled in our ancient text, The Old Book of Alders, Providence Cards were not only Blunder's greatest treasures but also the only legal way of performing magic. Anyone could use them - all it took was touch and intention. Clear your mind, hold a Card in your hand, tap it three times, and the Card was yours to wield. Pocket the Card or place it elsewhere, the magic would still hold. Three more taps, or the touch of another person, and the flow of magic would halt. But use a card too long, and the consequences were dire. They were exceptionally rare, Providence Cards, their number finite."
--> cannot be destroyed
--> woven by old magic/the Shepherd King's magic "magic gifted to him by the Spirit of the Wood, which he then used to create the Providence Cards"

"The Shepherd King had made seventy-eight Providence Cards in descending order. There were twelve Black Horses, held exclusively by the King's elite guard - the Destriers. Eleven Golden Eggs. Ten Prophets. Nine White Eagles. Eight Maidens. Seven Chalices. Six Wells. Five Iron Gates. Four Scythes. Three Mirrors. Two Nightmares. And one Twin Alders."

Black Horse Card (12; Destriers; black)
Golden Egg Card (11; yellow)
Prophet Card (10; gray)
White Eagle Card (9; white)
Maiden Card (8)
Chalice Card (7; High Pince Hauth; turquoise) -> games of truth?
Well Card (6; Eric Spindle; royal-blue light)
Iron Gate Card (5)
Scythe Card (4; red; Prince Renelm; reserved for royalty; to control humans)
Mirror Card (3)
The Nightmare (2; Uncle? pried away from highwaymen?; burgundy light): "One of only two of its kind, its magic formidable, fearsome. Use it, and one had the poer to speak into the minds of others. Use it too long, and the Card would reveal one's darkest fears" - Elspeth seems to have the Nightmare Card's creature somehow attached to her mind; it can talk to her and make her stronger if asked to.
Twin Alders Card (1)

The magical mist that pesters Blunder (causing infections that bring magical powers that work more like curses) can be lifted if the Card Deck is reunited.
"But the Shepherd King did not lift the mist, nor heal the infection, The Spirit tricked him, telling him how to lift the mist only after he'd bartered his Twin Alders Card. Without his final Card, the Shepherd King could not unite the Deck. And so he never lifted the mist. No King ever has. No King ever will, not until someone finds the Twin Alders Card and the Deck is completed."

Destriers: black cloaks, the King's elite soldiers; hunt down people who carry magic (after infection?); they carry Black Horse Cards

"Orithe Willow and his Physicians": white robes

Characters

Ione - cousin
Lyn, Aldrich - more cousins (younger?)
Opal - aunt (mother's sister) married to Hawthorn, born Whitebeam
Tyrn Hawthorn - uncle
Spindle - family name
Balian - family's stewart
Nerium - stepmother
Nya and Dimia - twin half sisters
Iris - mother (deceased?)
Erik Spindle - father (Well Card), master of one of Blunder's oldest houses; had once been captain of the Destriers
High Prince Hauth - probably some royal (Chalice Card) - both Princes are Destriers
Prince Renelm Rowan - second heir to the throne (Scythe Card)
King Rowan - definetely some royal
Jespyr Yew - (woman) a Destrier, got into a fight with High Prince Hauth
Emroy Yew - younger than Bess, King' nephew; odd behaviour, can perceive magical things?
Ravyn Yew - Captain of the Destriers
Alyx Laburnum - some boy Elspeth met at an Equinox celebration

(hide spoiler)]

Another round of first chapter testing.

As someone who grew up with Alanna and other books by Tamora Pierce, I feel compelled to read some of the other early YA-ish books from the 80's and 90's that I missed out on.

And sometimes I still love my tomboy Mary Sues on a horse with a sword!




The Blue Sword (1982) by Robin McKinley
(view spoiler)[Harry Crewe is an orphan girl who comes to live in Damar, the desert country shared by the Homelanders and the secretive, magical Free Hillfolk. When Corlath, the Hillfolk King, sees her for the first time, he is shaken -- for he can tell that she is something more than she appears to be. He will soon realize what Harry has never guessed: she is to become Harimad-sol, King's Rider, and carry the Blue Sword, Gonturan, which no woman has wielded since the legendary Lady Aerin bore it into battle, generations past.
(hide spoiler)]
- can be read as a standalone, the second book is a prequel with another protagonist
-> McKinley's writing flows well for me. It seems to fluctuate a bit between omniscent/distant and closely following the MC's thoughts and feelings, the way older writing tends to. The story doesn't have a medieval setting, there are trains etc. I like the MC's restlessness and the way she gets introduced made me feel like I'm in the hands of a good storyteller.

The Deed of Paksenarrion (1988) by Elizabeth Moon
(view spoiler)[Paksenarrion — Paks for short — is somebody special. She knows it, even if nobody else does yet. No way will she follow her father's orders to marry the pig farmer down the road. She's off to join the army, even if it means she can never see her family again.
And so her adventure begins... the adventure that transforms her into a hero remembered in songs, chosen by the gods to restore a lost ruler to his throne. (hide spoiler)]
- a trilogy that got expanded upon later (those continuations aren't as well loved, though)
-> There's something very simple about the way it's written, with a cliché beginning and a very "follow the adventure"(of this girl joining the military) type of story starting straight away (which I don't mind!). I think it'll have little finesse both in prose and storytelling; but if I know what to expect I can pick it up when I'm in the mood for that.

Green Rider (1998) by Kristen Britain
(view spoiler)[Young heroine Karigan hardly has time to regret being expelled from school (for dueling) before finding herself committed to the desperate errand of a murdered Green Rider.
The Riders are an elite messenger corps using both horses and magic; the message is a terrible warning. Bad things from bad places are invading this fantasyland, their presence being only part of a devious, sorcery-aided human struggle for the throne. Karigan's wild ride is beset by a variety of enemies, but aided by her own developing talents plus certain strange allies.
These include the tormented ghost of the dead Green Rider himself--still pierced by and trying to resist the chief villain's black arrows that ensnare the soul. Delivering the message to a suspicious court is only half Karigan's job: can it be interpreted in time? (hide spoiler)]
- first in an unfinished series, there's 3-5 years between books. Book 8 came out this year! But it seems the series takes a turn after book 4 (not favourably reviewed); it might have originally been a 4 book series.
-> I'm intrigued by the magic introduced in the prologue; the writing feels slightly less clunky compared to paks. The excerpt was very short, not much to say otherwise!

Some books that (I believe) focus on political intrigue etc (which is usually not my thing, but these somehow got me interested).

unfortunately, the excerpts I found were pretty short, so I don't have much to say.

The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson
- four book series? only three books are out.
-> just a page, I liked that page!
(view spoiler)["The Empire of Masks is coming, armed with coin and ink, doctrine and compass, soap and lies. They'll conquer Baru's island, rewrite her culture, criminalize her customs, and dispose of one of her fathers. But Baru is patient. She'll swallow her hate, prove her talent, and join the Masquerade. She will learn the secrets of empire. She'll be exactly what they need. And she'll claw her way high enough up the rungs of power to set her people free.

In a final test of her loyalty, the Masquerade will send Baru to bring order to distant Aurdwynn, a snakepit of rebels, informants, and seditious dukes. Aurdwynn kills everyone who tries to rule it. To survive, Baru will need to untangle this land's intricate web of treachery - and conceal her attraction to the dangerously fascinating Duchess Tain Hu.

But Baru is a savant in games of power, as ruthless in her tactics as she is fixated on her goals." (hide spoiler)]

The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison
- standalone with another series (3 books so far) set in the same world added later
-> the excerpt I read doesn't really introduce the MC or start the story, but the impression I got of the general direction of the book is intriguing
(view spoiler)["The youngest, half-goblin son of the Emperor has lived his entire life in exile, distant from the Imperial Court and the deadly intrigue that suffuses it. But when his father and three half brothers in line for the throne are killed in an "accident," he has no choice but to take his place as the only surviving rightful heir.

Entirely unschooled in the art of court politics, he has no friends, no advisors, and the sure knowledge that whoever assassinated his father and brothers could make an attempt on his life at any moment.

Surrounded by sycophants eager to curry favor with the naïve new emperor, and overwhelmed by the burdens of his new life, he can trust nobody. Amid the swirl of plots to depose him, offers of arranged marriages, and the specter of the unknown conspirators who lurk in the shadows, he must quickly adjust to life as the Goblin Emperor." (hide spoiler)]

The Hands of the Emperor by Victoria Goddard
- duology
-> Hmmm… might be long-winded and wordy, but not without charme. Only e-book?
(view spoiler)["A simple act of friendship can change the course of history.

Cliopher Mdang is the personal secretary of the Last Emperor of Astandalas, the Lord of Rising Stars, the Lord Magus of Zunidh, the Sun-on-Earth, the god.
He has spent more time with the Emperor of Astandalas than any other person.
He has never once touched his lord.
He has never called him by name.
He has never initiated a conversation.

One day Cliopher invites the Sun-on-Earth home to the proverbially remote Vangavaye-ve for a holiday.

The mere invitation could have seen Cliopher executed for blasphemy.
The acceptance upends the world." (hide spoiler)]

Next up: Historical Fantasy
Historical or fantastical to varying degrees :D

Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay
- standalone
-> read only part of a prologue; I like the writing
(view spoiler)["Tigana is the magical story of a beleaguered land struggling to be free. It is the tale of a people so cursed by the black sorcery of a cruel despotic king that even the name of their once-beautiful homeland cannot be spoken or remembered...

But years after the devastation, a handful of courageous men and women embark upon a dangerous crusade to overthrow their conquerors and bring back to the dark world the brilliance of a long-lost name...Tigana." (hide spoiler)]

The Children of Gods and Fighting Men by Shauna Lawless
- first in a trilogy, more works in the same world seem to be coming
-> Seems to be of good quality, but I'm not sure if I'm that interested in the plot. There seems to be a huge cast of characters and at least two POVs, and so far I'm only interested in one of them.
(view spoiler)["981 AD. The Viking King of Dublin is dead. His young widow, Gormflaith, has ambitions for her son – and herself – but Ireland is a dangerous place and kings tend not to stay kings for long. Gormflaith also has a secret. She is one of the Fomorians, an immortal race who can do fire-magic. She has kept her powers hidden at all costs, for there are other immortals in this world – like the Tuatha Dé Danann, a race of warriors who are sworn to kill Fomorians.

Fódla is one of the Tuatha Dé Danann with the gift of healing. Her kind dwell hidden in a fortress, forbidden to live amongst the mortals. Fódla agrees to help her kin by going to spy on Brian Boru, a powerful man who aims to be High King of Ireland. She finds a land on the brink of war – a war she is desperate to stop." (hide spoiler)]

The Tower of Fools by Andrzej Sapkowski
- trilogy
-> hmmm.. I don't know if I like Mr. Sapkowski's way of approaching certain topics, but I don't think having read first chapters of two of his books is enough to go on. This book seems to be translated to German comparatively skillfully, at least. I like the setting, so my curiousity might win out.
(view spoiler)[Reinmar of Bielawa, sometimes known as Reynevan, is a doctor, a magician and, according to some, a charlatan. And when a thoughtless indiscretion finds him caught in the crosshairs of powerful noble family, he is forced to flee his home.

But once he passes beyond the city borders, he finds that there are dangers ahead as well as behind. Strange mystical forces are gathering in the shadows. And pursued not only by the affronted Stercza brothers, bent on vengeance, but also by the Holy Inquisition, Reynevan finds himself in the Narrenturm, the Tower of Fools.

The Tower is an asylum for the mad, or for those who dare to think differently and challenge the prevailing order. And escaping the Tower, avoiding the conflict around him, and keeping his own sanity might prove a greater challenge than Reynevan ever imagined. (hide spoiler)]

Lastly - somewhat classic fantasy works I never read (or continued)


The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski
- prequels (that still get expanded upon) to a series (finished)
-> the English translation flows much better than the German one. The first pages are not much to go on, but so far it's fine. I'm not much interested in the main story (of the original series), but I might read the prequels (having played witcher games).
(view spoiler)["Geralt the Witcher—revered and hated—is a man whose magic powers, enhanced by long training and a mysterious elixir, have made him a brilliant fighter and a merciless assassin. Yet he is no ordinary murderer: his targets are the multifarious monsters and vile fiends that ravage the land and attack the innocent.

But not everything monstrous-looking is evil and not everything fair is good... and in every fairy tale there is a grain of truth." (hide spoiler)]

Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb
- trilogy with many more series set in the same world (some featuring the same characters)
-> I read the first book almost 10 years ago. It is narrated as a first-person retrospective. I read another book in that perspective this summer, somehow it just doesn't work for me. Pretty much everything else tells me I would like this world and the series. If I ever overcome this aversion to the retrospective, I will surely try this series again.
I believe The Liveship Traders and The Rain Wild Chronicles are in thrid person. Not sure if I can jump to those to test them out :)
(view spoiler)["In a faraway land where members of the royal family are named for the virtues they embody, one young boy will become a walking enigma.

Born on the wrong side of the sheets, Fitz, son of Chivalry Farseer, is a royal bastard, cast out into the world, friendless and lonely. Only his magical link with animals - the old art known as the Wit - gives him solace and companionship. But the Wit, if used too often, is a perilous magic, and one abhorred by the nobility.

So when Fitz is finally adopted into the royal household, he must give up his old ways and embrace a new life of weaponry, scribing, courtly manners; and how to kill a man secretly, as he trains to become a royal assassin." (hide spoiler)]
(view spoiler)["Wizardwood, a sentient wood.
The most precious commodity in the world.
Like many other legendary wares, it comes only from the Rain River Wilds.

But how can one trade with the Rain Wilders, when only a liveship fashioned from wizardwood can negotiate the perilous waters of the Rain River? Rare and valuable a liveship will quicken only when three members, from successive generations, have died on board. The liveship Vivacia is about to undergo her quickening as Althea Vestrit's father is carried on deck in his death-throes. Althea waits for the ship that she loves more than anything else in the world to awaken. Only to discover that the Vivacia has been signed away in her father’s will to her brutal brother-in-law, Kyle Haven...

Others plot to win or steal a liveship. The Paragon, known by many as the Pariah, went mad, turned turtle, and drowned his crew. Now he lies blind, lonely, and broken on a deserted beach. But greedy men have designs to restore him, to sail the waters of the Rain Wild River once more." (hide spoiler)]

The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
- first in a loooong series (finished by Sanderson), but I heard the direction of the series opens up only in/after the third book. I'm pretty sure it's possible to try and enjoy some books without committing to the whole thing xD
-> the way it begins gives me the impression that it's a story told with a bit more pathos than what I'm used to. Apart from that, the writing is okay, but somehow I'm not very drawn into the story. Maybe one day!
(view spoiler)[Moiraine Damodred arrives in Emond’s Field on a quest to find the one prophesized to stand against The Dark One, a malicious entity sowing the seeds of chaos and destruction. When a vicious band of half-men, half beasts invade the village seeking their master’s enemy, Moiraine persuades Rand al’Thor and his friends to leave their home and enter a larger unimaginable world filled with dangers waiting in the shadows and in the light. (hide spoiler)]

The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams
- first in a trilogy (sometimes split into four books)
-> I have heard Tad William's fantasy prose described as overwritten, but I really didn't mind the first pages that I read. It seems to have a very classic premise and familiar worldbuilding. Sometimes I'm looking for that.
(view spoiler)["A war fueled by the powers of dark sorcery is about to engulf the peaceful land of Osten Ard—for Prester John, the High King, lies dying. And with his death, the Storm King, the undead ruler of the elf-like Sithi, seizes the chance to regain his lost realm through a pact with the newly ascended king. Knowing the consequences of this bargain, the king’s younger brother joins with a small, scattered group of scholars, the League of the Scroll, to confront the true danger threatening Osten Ard.

Simon, a kitchen boy from the royal castle unknowingly apprenticed to a member of this League, will be sent on a quest that offers the only hope of salvation, a deadly riddle concerning long-lost swords of power. Compelled by fate and perilous magics, he must leave the only home he’s ever known and face enemies more terrifying than Osten Ard has ever seen, even as the land itself begins to die." (hide spoiler)]

Wrap-up of the "read books off my shelves" project
I'm not done yet, but I'm certainly burned out and "done" otherwise xD

Here we go!

series continued/finished:


other books read (only what had been on my shelves for a year or much longer):


dnf


soft-dnf (off my tbr but keeping them for later)


currently reading & books to read before the end of the year
&

I'm slumping pretty badly, so who knows how that'll go..

books I'm happily keeping on my tbr for next year