It has been a minute since we last talked fantasy, hasn’t it? Well, I have returned to talk all things fantasy, SF, and anything else I feel like talking about.
First: a quick rundown of series that I have already touched on: I finished Oathbringer, the 3rd book in Brandon Sanderson’s The Stormlight Archive, and while I still enjoyed it, it did have the feeling of a middle act kind of book. The characters were a little more dour, a little less self-confident, but the book still had its hooks in me and I am excited to pick up Rhythms of War soon! Mary and I also recently got the first 3 Mistborn books, so I am looking forward to digging into some earlier Sanderson soon as well.
Next is The Girl and the Stars, the first in a new series by Mark Lawrence, author of Red Sister. I loved Lawrence’s Ancestor trilogy, so I was excited to read this series that takes places in the same world but centers on a wildly different area. It is about the titular girl, Yaz, an ice triber who has to deal with the harsh realities of a life spent on the ice. To be honest with y’all, I did not finish this book. It’s not bad, and it does a great job of expanding the world that Red Sister is set in, but it also felt kind of bland and by-the-numbers to me. However, if you enjoyed the Ancestor trilogy, definitely check this one out.
Last of the returning series is The Fires of Vengeance, the 2nd books in Evan Winters’ The Burning Quartet. This is still truly a novel for people who love their action scenes described in detail and occurring frequently. Also, the main character, Tau, is still extremely oblivious but is slowly learning to think before he acts, with the help of his friends. The new characters that we are introduced to are interesting and the plot moves at a brisk pace. If you enjoyed The Rage of Dragons, then you will like this one too.
I also want to briefly mention some comic books that I have been reading and really enjoying. I got a Marvel Unlimited subscription last Christmas when it was on sale, and I have been thoroughly enjoying catching up on what’s going on in the Marvel Comics Universe (or the MCU). Two particular highlights include Jonathan Hickman’s run on X-Men, starting with the absolutely game-changing House of X/Powers of X event series. I have not missed an X-Men comic since and I am continually blown away by what all the writers are doing on their various series. (Particular standouts include Hellions, X-Factor, and New Mutants, though there is something to like in almost every series.)
Additionally, if you have not read The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, then you owe it to yourself to do so. Never has there been a hero so irrepressibly joyful and also bad-ass as Doreen “Squirrel Girl” Green. It is one of the most consistent and consistently surprising series that I have read, while also being very funny!
On to the new series!
I want to start by talking about The Southern Reach trilogy, which Mary and I recently finished reading together. I knew that Mary loved this series and I am so glad that she introduced me to it. If you’ve listened to the podcast at all, then you know it is a favorite, but hearing about it (and even seeing the film adaptation of the first book, Annihilation) could not prepare me for these books. They are unlike anything else I have ever read, and if you are at all interested in science fiction or eco-literature, then you should definitely check them out!
Next I want to mention Nghi Vo’s The Singing Hills Cycle, which is a collection of novellas that each tell a different story. The basic outline of both novellas is this: the cleric Chih is tasked to travel the land and collect stories for their monastery. But the way these stories are told and the circumstances around them are so interesting that it is easy to get lost in the stories. In fact, I finished the first one almost entirely in one sitting! This is a must-read for anyone who is tired of the same-old, same-old in their fantasy reading.
The next series I want to mention is the Between Earth and Sky series by Rebecca Roanhorse. I read the first novel in this series, Black Sun, and was immediately taken in by the worldbuilding of this tale. The characters are interesting in their own right, and the world, which is inspired by pre-Columbian American cultures, is a breath of fresh air for fantasy. The story delves into the unique aspects of religion, culture, sexuality, and power in this world and really helps you understand why each character acts as they do. I am excited for the sequel, Fevered Star, which is coming April 19, 2022.
The cover for Black Leopard, Red Wolf is gorgeous.
Last but certainly not least, I have to talk about Marlon James’ stand-out fantasy novel Black Leopard, Red Wolf. I’ve been aware of James since his novel A Brief History of Seven Killings won a bunch of awards and acclaim back in 2015. But when I heard that he’d written a fantasy novel based on African folklore, I was intrigued. And the more I heard about it--that it was dense and difficult to follow for even experienced fantasy readers--the more I thought, “Well, I don’t know. Should I read this?” But then I picked it up and was immediately sucked in. Yes, the novel is dense, and our main character, Tracker, is not exactly reliable, but this novel covers so much ground and is doing so many new and exciting things for a fantasy series that it simply must be read. Even if you do not consider yourself a fan of fantasy, you owe it to yourself to pick up this novel, or its sequel, Moon Witch, Spider King, which is coming February 15, 2022, and which James has said can be read before reading Black Leopard, Red Wolf!
Before I go, I would be remiss if I did not take the opportunity to talk about how excited I am for the upcoming Amazon adaptation of The Wheel of Time. As you probably know, I have been reading The Wheel of Time since I was a kid, and to see an adaptation that seems to really have been done with the right spirit and intent is more than I could have hoped for. In just a week and a half (more or less), we will all get to dive into the world of The Two Rivers and Emond’s Field and watch as these characters who have lived in our heads for years are suddenly talking to us on our TVs! I am pumped, and I can only hope that the series even partially lives up to the expectations that I know all of us fans have for it.
Have you read any of these series? Do you have any recommendations? Leave a comment below!
See you soon, nerds.