I’ve recently gotten into reading. I realised how much I love fiction, and a couple of tropes. So I’m here asking maybe some of you know any books that have them.
I love it when the story focuses more on world building rather than character. The theory crafting I can do in my head, or just before I sleep, is priceless.
Here I’ll contradict myself by saying a character development related point, but the more important one. I’d like to read more works that show some mysterious big-bad first as a rivalry, later as a friend. They soften up with the MC and we they become friends or allies or whatever. We get to see a BBEG of sorts’s friendly and weak side. I get that it’s a bit childish, but I lost my mind of how cool of a character they made the first time I read it. Now, it was in a manga, so I’d love to read an example that made this best or first.
Thank you in advance, even if you just name some genres or authors.
The Discworld series has nice world building, however the individual books focus on different characters for telling a story and getting to know that world.
If anyone is interested in Discworld for world building, then I’d recommend skipping the first few books. They were written before Terry Pratchett had a good grasp on the world and the characters. They can be worth coming back to later, but I definitely recommend not starting with them. “Wyrd Sisters” and “Guards! Guards!” are pretty good entry points.
I would even go further back, and recommend Equal Rites.
I’m partial to Ankh-Morpork and the City Watch for some reason ;)
What about Ursula K Guin?
Looked into it, and The Books of Earthsea is downloading (.epub). Thanks! I’m hyped.
Three Body Problem is great for if you want more world-oriented experiences than character-oriented ones. The character in focus changes often and sometimes harshly, but I feel it’s in service of the plot and feels great.
I think you may like Expeditionary Force series, there is quite a bit of what you are looking for.
I guess Asimov Foundation series would also be a good candidate for world building.
Watership Down
Read the Wheel of Time, talk to you in 3 years
I think I heard the name once, but I don’t know anything about it. Why? what
Not the same guy, but I started reading it a few weeks ago and just finished the fourth book last night. It does a pretty good job at both world building and character development in my opinion (though it really shines across books). In my opinion, the first book does a good job of introducing new elements of the setting at a good pace, and uses it’s characters who know little of the world to impart how special/rare some of the things are.
Still donno why be said see you in 3 years. Is it that long?
It’s a 14 book series. It’s generally acclaimed for its world building and depth, but understood to be a bit of a slog in the middle. The original author, Robert Jordan, died while writing the 12th book, and Brandon Sanderson was chosen by Jordan’s widow to finish the story using notes left by Jordan for his successor. I never finished it myself but I understand these final works were very well received, and Sanderson is a great author himself.
Oh, yeah, they have a reputation for being long. There are 14 books total I believe, and each is pretty long.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wheel_of_Time
That said, I was able to read the first the books with an average speed of a book a week (though I spent a lot of the weekends to do so), so I wouldn’t say they’re crazy huge books.
Dungeon Crawler Carl and The Bobiverse are both amazing series that are worth a glance at.
These are probably not what I’m looking for. But now I know where that one wierd first person rogue like came from. Thanks!
Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon.
First in a series called the Cemetery of Forgotten Books.
A young boy named Daniel is taken by his bookstore-owning father to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books.
By tradition, first time visitors are allowed to select one book for which they will become a lifetime guardian.
Daniel chooses “Shadow of the Wind” by Julian Carax and quickly becomes enthralled by it. As he tries to find out more about the book and the author, he finds that someone is systematically collecting all of Carax’s works and burning them.
I’ll leave the thrillers for my dad. Still, I feel the love in this reply, so I’m sorry. I don’t think I’ll be reading this.
Not really a thriller, more of a mystery + a love story. It’s a fantastic read. Especially considering it was translated from Spanish.
The “Death Gate Cycle” by Weiss and Hickman has all that. Great worldbuilding, bad guys that become friends, etc.
I’m sold. I love myself some high fantasy, and you don’t have to tell me twice about the last part. I won’t miss a chance to experience that again. Thanks!
The dark tower series.
Empire of man series. Main character starts as a twat almost nobody really likes, then he gets better.
It’s military science fiction https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_of_Man
At bottom of wiki article is link to read first book for free
I recommend Locked Tomb series. It has both of youre asking for. Also, such badass protagnist and overall great writing.
I looked it up the the first this I saw was “Doctor Sex”. Peak fiction. Anyways, do I read the “half” books (The Mysterious Study of Doctor Sex, As Yet Unsent, The Unwanted Guest)?
I’m sorry maybe you found the wrong series. I’m talking about series with the books-Gideon The Ninth, Harrow The Ninth and Nona The Ninth. Its written by Tamsyn Muir
Holy shit. I just looked up what you’re talking about. I didnt even read those. Those are some random side stories. Start with Gideon The Ninth. Excuse me while I read Doctor Sex now :D
PPS, Dr Sex sounds much more scandalous than it is. Its actually Dr Sextus and I dont think he’s ever called Dr Sex in the mainstream books iirc. But Muir is the Mother of Memes so I won’t say it’s beneath her to call him that.
Alright, will do. I have already started Mortal Engines, but this is def 2nd, the covers and titles are way too cool and edgy for me not too read it while im still a teen. Ods are that you’ll finish this sooner than I’ll finish a quartet so if you remember I’d love to hear an updated “what to start with” or if these extra stories are any good.
Thanks for recommending them tho.
The Silmarilion
Literally world building
You can try the “Malazan book of the fallen” series. It’s very fast paced which I like but probably isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.
I’m reading that it sacrifices way to much consistency for it’s speed. I’m a sucker for consistency. While it sounds fun, it doesn’t sound like much of it if I’ll just overanalyze the plot holes and ruin the whole thing for myself. Thanks, still.
I haven’t read him, but Brandon Sanderson has been mentioned to me more than once for his world-building. I’ve heard good things about Tress of the Emerald Sea, though I don’t know how world-buildy it is compared to his other books.
Someone else is also pitching me on Brandon Sanderson. He must have made something good.
I was also going to pitch his books, and I haven’t even read all of them. They are very solid fantasy books, and he just keeps writing bangers at an unusual pace. My favorite part of books is magic systems, and all the flavors they come in, idk if that is something you’ve found you like yet.
