Where are you in Fantasyland? December, 2019

I just departed from Spinning Silver's Lithvas and I'm curious where everyone else is currently.

I'm taking my first trip to the Ryria universe for an Age of Myth.

Still reading Can & Can'tankerous by Harlan Ellison.

Recently finished The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates, a beautifully written and powerful book whose main topic is slavery in the US, but the protagonist has a magical power -- he and some others can teleport under certain circumstances -- so there's a strong fantasy element too. Very strong insights into the societal and interpersonal suffering inherent to a slave-based society.

I'm just starting Queen of the Conquered.

Finished House of Chains, the fourth installment of the Malazan Book of the Fallen series. The whole series has been maddening, because there are times when my eyes glaze over from the multiple storylines and characters and incomprehensible magic and relationships between gods...and then Erikson pulls me back in with some excellent characters and strong climaxes/set pieces which tie a lot (but not all) of the threads together. House of Chains is probably ranked 3 out of the 4 that I have read. The Karsa storyline is my favorite, along with the Malazan army. I kind of got lost with the Imass/Tiste xxx threads and all of these alternate worlds/warrens. The Sha'ik storyline is somewhere in the middle.

>6 drmamm:, good job; now you're ready for my two favourites, Midnight Tides and Bonehunters.

>1 Kanarthi: I had similar reactions to you about the romances (I've just read your review). Irina's especially bothered me, and its resolution didn't even seem plausible to me. I too was disappointed that Wanda was sidelined towards the end as she was my favourite character. Novik's prose is lovely and her settings are wonderful, but there are just those annoying flaws.

I'm currently reading An enchantment of ravens.

I had a blast in alternate faerie-influenced Paris as the protagonists of Les Enchantements d'Ambremer by Pierre Pevel stumbled upon a long-buried secret, and trouble.

>8 Sakerfalcon: Haha, I actually think that Irina's story could be separated and fleshed out to a decent full-length novel. I mean, the story would need a lot more ... communication, repentance, and character growth. But I think that the bones are decent. Like, a good version could be delicious. Imagine: Irina politically maneuvering while struggling against the fire demon, what's-his-name taking responsibility for his character failings, and the two of them gradually growing closer. Irina learning to value herself and her strengths. Tortured, guilty romantic heroes bettering themselves can be really fun. I did find the scene where he was furiously drawing portraits of her to try to understand the appeal pretty funny. And long-term, it could work. He primarily wants beauty and power but could outgrow this shallowness and give her attention and understanding, while she becomes the real power-holder in the kingdom. Miryem's romance, though ... there is just no hope for. The realistic tone of her family vs. the fairy-tale tone of the Staryk clash too much. I loved Novik's writing and Miryem's cleverness during the scenes where she is working her way through the storerooms. But after how compellingly her struggle was described ... c'mon, there can't be a romance. A happy ending for her is returning to her family permanently and leaving any supernatural nonsense behind her. And yes! Glad to see other people appreciated Wanda's story. Viewing the village through both Wanda and Miryem's eyes was one of the great pleasures of the beginning of the book.

Meanwhile I am happy to sink back into Fledgling.
Edited to correct touchstone.

I've kind of been binging Seanan McGuire's InCryptid series, currently on book 8, That Ain't Witchcraft. I love the Price family and their Aeslin mice.

Added Fire & Blood by George R. R. Martin to my rotation.

I was in alternate Paris again, polishing off the delightful House of Shattered Wings by Aliette de Bodard.