A to Z Book Tag – Fantasy Edition

I was tagged for this ages ago and cannot even remember by whom (I am SO sorry!), but figured this would be a good way to talk more about fantasy given that I am trying to participate in Wyrd and Wonder, a month long fantasy readalong, this year. You can find the sign-up post with all the necessary information here.

Author you’ve read the most books from

Terry Pratchett for sure. I have read 23 or so books in the DiscWorld  series and plan on reading all of them in my lifetime. I am taking my time because the thought of not having any left to read is making me too sad – I love these books and everything they do.

Best sequel ever

While it might not be THE best sequel ever, I thought the second book in Robert Jackson Bennett’s The Divine Cities trilogy, City of Blades was awesome – and I didn’t even mind (and actually actively enjoyed) the change in main characters, something that hardly ever works for me.

 

 

Currently reading

I am currently reading Samantha Shannon’s feminist dragon high fantasy novel The Priory of the Orange Tree. I am enjoying it immensely but I also think that maybe it is indeed a bit too long. I am a bit more than one third into the book and it feels surprisingly low stakes for a book featuring the possibility of a world-ending war. But, the worldbuilding is exquisite and the focus on female voices is obviously something I adore.

Drink of choice while reading

I basically only drink sparkling water and black tea. So that, I guess.

Ereader or physical book

I love reading on my Kindle – so much that I have only finished two physical books this year. I do love owning books though – so I am doing this incredibly spoiled thing of buying paperback versions of books I enjoyed. That I can do this is possibly the best thing about being a grown-up.

Fictional character you probably would have actually dated in high school

I don’t even know, high school is forever ago for me.

Glad you gave this book a chance

Everything written by Ilona Andrews. I find the covers super unappealing and I wasn’t really reading any urban fantasy when the first book on Rebecca Roanhorse’s The Sixth World series wet my appetite for the genre and I needed something else to read. I adored my reading experience so very much that I have been focussing on the urban fantasy/romance heavy side of fantasy this last year. You can find my thoughts on the Kate Daniels’ series here and here.

Hidden gem book

The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins. I adored this book when I read it and I think it is not talked about enough. It is so very brilliant. Plus, I always love books featuring gods. I really hope the author will write something else at some point.

 

 

Important moment in your reading life

I did a whole post on 30 books that made my life, so I am just going to link to that.

Just finished

I just finished Storm of Locusts, the second book in Rebecca Roanhorse’s brilliant The Sixth World series and it really blew my mind. I mean, kickass women being friends and kicking ass? Sign me right up.

 

 

Kinds of books I won’t read

There are very few genres I categorically do not read but I am not the biggest fan of the type of high fantasy that gets super bogged down in the minutiae of the worldbuilding. I mean books similar to those by Brandon Sanderson – I can appreciate what he is doing but the volume of information about flora and fauna he delivers just bores me. I also do not want to read books heavy on sexual violence which means that a lot of grimdark is not for me.

Longest book you’ve read

Speaking of Sanderson, the longest fantasy book I have read since I started using Goodreads is his The Way of Kings which has 1280 pages. (And like I said, half of those are descriptions of flora and fauna – I am exaggerating of course, but only a little.)

Major book hangover because of

I find that finishing something brilliant has the opposite effect on me: it makes me so excited about the possibility of finding something else equally brilliant that all my books suddenly appeal.

Number of bookcases you own

Two large ones, two smaller ones, and one middle sized with my not-for-fun books (sociology and teaching related books mostly). Once my boyfriend finally moves back in we will have to buy another bookcase or I will have to get rid of some of my books. I am hoping for the former because I just got rid of three big boxes of books when I moved and I am unsure how many disposable books I still own.

One book you have read multiple times

So very many. I love rereading books and even though I haven’t been doing it as much since I started blogging (there are SO many books I want to read!), it is still a staple in my reading life. For this question I am going with Susan Cooper’s The Dark is Rising series which I have read countless times, especially when I was younger.

Preferred place to read

I love reading everywhere but I mostly do it in my living room on the sofa. One of my great joys of not living in shared flats anymore is the fact that I can do this without being disrupted.

Quote that inspires you/gives you all the feels from a book you have read

The only quote that I can ever remember is from Goethe’s Faust, which I would not necessarily call fantasy but which does feature a literal devil, so maybe I should. Faust makes me happy. I still find it mesmerizing in its perfection and it is such a big part of my teenage years. (Yes, I was horribly pretentious and yes, I wanted parts of this tattooed on my body)

“[Ich bin] ein Teil von jener Kraft,
Die stets das Böse will und stets das Gute schafft. …
Ich bin der Geist, der stets verneint!
Und das mit Recht; denn alles, was entsteht,
Ist wert, daß es zugrunde geht;
Drum besser wär’s, daß nichts entstünde.
So ist denn alles, was ihr Sünde,
Zerstörung, kurz das Böse nennt,
Mein eigentliches Element.”

Reading regret

I don’t think I have any. I read what I want and fairly widely at that.

Series you started and need to finish

So very many. I am not all that good at finishing series but I am working on it, one series at a time. I am trying to finish V. E. Schwab’s Shades of Magic series soon but I did not really love the second book.

Three of your all-time favourite books

 

The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin, American Gods by Neil Gaiman, All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders.

Unapologetic Fangirl For

I think N. K. Jemisin is the best currently writing fantasy author and quite possibly my favourite author. Everything about her writing excites me, from her world building, to her characters, to the way she frames her stories (god, her narrative voice is a beautiful thing).

Very excited for this release more than all the others

I am beyond excited for The Dragon Republic by R. F. Kuang. I was lucky enough to receive an e-ARC for this, so I will not have to wait much longer before I read it.

Worst Bookish Habit

I have the tendency to start a million books and never getting any further than the first 50 pages. I have started not adding books to my currently reading shelf until I made a proper dent for this very reason. I also tend to leave my bookmarks in those books that I eventually put back into my book cases and then wonder where they all went.

X marks the spot: start at the top left of your shelf and pick the 27th book

Sticking with my self-imposed theme, I only counted books that can be classified as fantasy. And then the 27th book was Neil Gaiman’s The Ocean at the End of the Lane, which is just brilliant and wonderful and heartbreaking and an overall favourite of mine.

 

 

Your latest book purchase

I recently bought The Ninth Rain by Jen Williams when the e-book was super cheap. I am a bit particular when it comes to high fantasy and figured I read the first book in this format to make sure I enjoy it before buying the whole trilogy in paperback.

 

 

ZZZ-snatcher book (last book that kept you up way too late)

I am usually really good at going to bed at a reasonable time (plus, I fall asleep while reading if I don’t) but when I was making my way through the Kate Daniels’ series I spent two consecutive days at work with only a few hours of sleep (books 3 and 4 killed me; I don’t think I was ever this anxious for a ship to finally develop).

As I cannot remember who tagged me, I won’t be tagging anybody either – but if you decide to do this, please let me know!

*Image Credit:  Dragon – by  kasana86.