Reading Profile
Hello everyone,
My name is Zack and I tend to read a lot. So far this year I have finished three books and am well on my way to having a fourth done. I try to read variety of different genres but my favorite is by far fantasy. I enjoy different magic systems and how they interact with and change the world. Other genres that I like are science fiction and horror. I like science fiction for many of the reasons that I enjoy fantasy. As for horror, this is a genre that I more recently found out that I like. I enjoy how good horror generates vivid emotions when I read it. I also like how they often make characters that I would not want to be friends with in real life but I cheer them on all the same while I am reading about them.
My favorite book series is the Wax and Wayne series by Brandon Sanderson. Though I highly recommend all of his works, I think that the Wax and Wayne series is unique in that it is a continuation of the fantasy world that he built in with Mistborn trilogy but technology has advance so it is more of a western feel than a medieval fantasy. Another book that I highly recommend is Joyland by Stephen King. More of a cold case murder mystery than a horror book Stephen King does a great job of creating characters that feel real. I have many other books that I would recommend so if you need any suggestions don’t hesitate to ask.
I'll have to look into Joyland, that sounds interesting! I like horror, and I know Stephen King is the king of horror, but I tend to enjoy his short stories far more than his full length novels. Jerusalem's Lot was terrifying! I like true crime though and think I would enjoy Joyland.
ReplyDeleteI'm curious to know what fantasy book you would recommend to someone who doesn't normally read fantasy! What in your opinion is a good fantasy book to get someone into the genre?
Hopefully it is ok to butt in here, but Caitlyn, I would definitely check out "The Hobbit" by J.R.R. Tolkien if you are new to the genre. He was a huge trend setter for the genre and a lot of his influences are directly seen still today (i.e. he was the one who first dreamt up the concept of an "Orc", which is a staple character for many fantasy stories now). "The Hobbit" was originally written as a kid's book, so it's a little easier to read, but it is a great stepping stone into the massive and immersive world he created to house the rest of the "Lord of the Rings" series if you do get hooked!
DeleteSo I took a lot of time to think about this Caitlyn. I wanted to make sure to give you some good suggestions for entry points to fantasy. So here is what I have come up with.
DeleteFor classic fantasy I think the Hobbit is the best entry point. As other Zach said it is the birth of many of the tropes and staples that are prevalent in fantasy to this day.
For fairy tale fantasy Uprooted by Naomi Novik is phenomenal. It follows a girl who is kidnapped by/sacrificed to the village wizard. But it turns out to be more boring than scary as he just wants a little company. It was one of the best books that I read last year.
For fantasy in our world I would recommend the Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman. This book does lean a bit more on the horror than a lot of other fantasy but it is about a boy and an evil witch. Also it is short so you could probably knock it out in an evening. (I have also heard good things about Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman but have not had a chance to read it as of yet).
Let me know if any of those help. If you find that you enjoy fantasy and want to go deeper down the rabbit hole I have more suggestions about fantasy authors that are really good but those are longer and not stand-alone making them not as good of entry points.
I LOVE The Hobbit and Uprooted! Both fabulous suggestions, great comments!
DeleteI, too, have recently discovered I enjoy reading horror books. I have always loved horror movies and the adrenaline rush they give, but reading it is a whole different animal! The kickoff for me was "It" by Stephen King. I had just seen the new movie in theaters and was inspired to tackle the book immediately after. I couldn't believe how long the sense of creepiness lingered after I would close the book for the night!
ReplyDeleteThe horror book I just finished last week I would highly recommend (if you are looking for one!) is "The Hunger" by Alma Katsu. I found out about it because it was a nomination for GoodReads "Best Books of 2018" award for Horror. One might be able to classify it as historical fiction because it is based off of the Donner Party pioneers of 1846 who attempted to cross the western part of America and make it to California for a better life. It becomes a race against time, not only to make it to California before winter hits and closes off the mountain passes to the wagons, but also because there is something stalking the party and people continue to disappear. It was really interesting to read a horror book set in that time frame because it is so different than present day, but still really happened (at least loosely happened). There is quite a bit of character building as well, so not only is the story really creepy, but you get to be really invested in the characters and their decisions as it affects the party.
So Stephen King has been a big influence in the past year to keep me reading within the horror genre but the book that really turned me onto it was Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff. It takes all the best parts of Lovecratian horror and merges them with the racial politics of the 1950s. It is one of the best books that I have ever read.
Delete"The Hunger" sounds really interesting. I have already added it to my list of books that I want to read though that is going to be on hold for a little bit with all of the books that I am reading for this class. I think that I will like the blending of the historical fiction and horror. I think that it is a cool way to do horror rather than only set it in modern times.
The Hunger sounds fascinating! I just added that to my Goodreads!
DeleteI just started reading 'Alloy of Law' this week! I had a hard time suspending my disbelief for the first 'Mistborn' book but the Western/Steampunk setting seems to suit the characters better than the Urban/Medieval. I'm wondering if the thematic differences will shift as well?
ReplyDeleteI am curious what made it difficult for you to get through. After reading a lot of standard elf/dwarf/orc fantasy I found Mistborn to be a nice change of pace and the magic to be very interesting. I would say that the themes change much more in the Alloy of the Law and the rest of that series. Each book have a different feel and it seems to be more about catching the bad guys rather than saving the entire world, which was the main thrust of the first trilogy. I will say that I like Alloy of the Law and its sequels more than the original trilogy but the end of the trilogy has an amazing twist that me and my wife still mention often.
DeleteOk, writing this a few hours after finishing 'Alloy of Law'; this is what made it difficult for me to get through: I feel it has the same characteristic of the first Mistborn series--and of Pat Rothfuss' 'Name of the Wind', incidentally--that turned me off to the (otherwise interesting) premise. I feel like the world-building and characterization is, at best, incomplete when it comes to anyone below middle class, women, and victims of violence (be it domestic violence or PTSD).
DeleteThe storyline is interesting and the allomancy and ferrochemistry are novel ideas, and a good fight scene on a train is definitely something I buy into; it may be that I'm coming to the book with unrealistic expectations or that I'm missing a part of the writing that makes it great. I'm not a perfect reader. I don't think I'd even mention any of that to a patron, but since you asked, these are my initial thoughts on what made it difficult for me, personally.
If the characters go through some development and the writing is expanded I would definitely be in for more from this storyteller--the amazing twist at the end sounds very tempting!
Great job on your reading profile! Full points!
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