March 9th, 2023
High Fantasy
These reads scream Dungeons and Dragons, just in book form.The Way of Kings (Stormlight Archives #1)by Brandon Sanderson
Brandon Sanderson is renowned in the fantasy community for his interactive style of world-building and the deeply interesting characters he writes. The Way of Kings is no exception and is considered by many to be the first novel of his greatest and possibly longest series. The story follows multiple characters but begins with the protagonist Kaladin as he is branded a slave for being falsely labeled a defector from the military. We follow Kaladin’s journey to his station as a bridgeman in a bridge crew. In the war against another race, the Parshendi, bridge crews carry bridges to span across crevasses but are also on the front lines of battle. It is in this horrible station that Kaladin proves himself a leader, and our unlikely hero is born. Along with Kaladin, the story also follows Shallan, a young girl who seeks to become a ward of the scholar Princess Jasnah, while hiding dark secrets of her family and her past. Will Kaladin find his redemption? Will Shallan’s secrets come to light? Having read much of Sanderson’s work, I would agree with the consensus that The Way of Kings is the start to his magnum opus. As a first act, it is compelling and thought-provoking. This book truly takes the realm of fantasy to new heights. The characters are complex and easy to love, and the world that Sanderson builds is vivid and awe-inspiring. I would definitely recommend securing a copy and hopping aboard this series while it is still growing!
Brandon Sanderson is renowned in the fantasy community for his interactive style of world-building and the deeply interesting characters he writes. The Way of Kings is no exception and is considered by many to be the first novel of his greatest and possibly longest series. The story follows multiple characters but begins with the protagonist Kaladin as he is branded a slave for being falsely labeled a defector from the military. We follow Kaladin’s journey to his station as a bridgeman in a bridge crew. In the war against another race, the Parshendi, bridge crews carry bridges to span across crevasses but are also on the front lines of battle. It is in this horrible station that Kaladin proves himself a leader, and our unlikely hero is born. Along with Kaladin, the story also follows Shallan, a young girl who seeks to become a ward of the scholar Princess Jasnah, while hiding dark secrets of her family and her past. Will Kaladin find his redemption? Will Shallan’s secrets come to light? Having read much of Sanderson’s work, I would agree with the consensus that The Way of Kings is the start to his magnum opus. As a first act, it is compelling and thought-provoking. This book truly takes the realm of fantasy to new heights. The characters are complex and easy to love, and the world that Sanderson builds is vivid and awe-inspiring. I would definitely recommend securing a copy and hopping aboard this series while it is still growing!—Syd Morgan, Books Editor
A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire #1)by George R. R. Martin
“Winter is coming.” These are the words spoken to the children of House Stark, the rulers of the North of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. It is a morbid reminder that the great summer will end in a bitter cold that will last for decades. Yet a different morbid message arrived well before winter: The death of a friend. Eddard, the head of House Stark, learns that his close companion was murdered, and it falls upon him to discover the truth. Yet the further he digs into the mystery, the more he unravels the secrets of the Kingdom, secrets that threaten the stability of the realm and his family. It becomes a game of plots, of murders, of betrayals, but most of all, of thrones.A Song of Ice and Fire is the series of books that the famous Game of Thrones TV show is based on. When Game of Thrones was at its peak of popularity, I wanted to read the books first before watching the show. It was well worth it! I read every book that was out at the time, and I was hooked by the first few chapters. Though, at the rate that George R.R. Martin writes, the fifth and latest book in the series, A Dance with Dragons, might be the last book I may read from him. A Song of Ice and Fire has clever writing, witty characters (Tyrion is a blast), intimidating opposing forces, and subjectively some of the greatest food descriptions I have ever read. “There were loaves of crusty bread still warm from the ovens, crocks of fresh-churned butter, honey from the septry’s hives, and a thick stew of crabs, mussels, and at least three different kinds of fish.” If you are looking for a narrative story of plots, murders, and drama, or if you just want to see how it differed from the show, I highly recommend the series.
“Winter is coming.” These are the words spoken to the children of House Stark, the rulers of the North of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. It is a morbid reminder that the great summer will end in a bitter cold that will last for decades. Yet a different morbid message arrived well before winter: The death of a friend. Eddard, the head of House Stark, learns that his close companion was murdered, and it falls upon him to discover the truth. Yet the further he digs into the mystery, the more he unravels the secrets of the Kingdom, secrets that threaten the stability of the realm and his family. It becomes a game of plots, of murders, of betrayals, but most of all, of thrones.A Song of Ice and Fire is the series of books that the famous Game of Thrones TV show is based on. When Game of Thrones was at its peak of popularity, I wanted to read the books first before watching the show. It was well worth it! I read every book that was out at the time, and I was hooked by the first few chapters. Though, at the rate that George R.R. Martin writes, the fifth and latest book in the series, A Dance with Dragons, might be the last book I may read from him. A Song of Ice and Fire has clever writing, witty characters (Tyrion is a blast), intimidating opposing forces, and subjectively some of the greatest food descriptions I have ever read. “There were loaves of crusty bread still warm from the ovens, crocks of fresh-churned butter, honey from the septry’s hives, and a thick stew of crabs, mussels, and at least three different kinds of fish.” If you are looking for a narrative story of plots, murders, and drama, or if you just want to see how it differed from the show, I highly recommend the series.—Aidann Woodcock
Knights-Errantby Jennifer Doyle
After escaping certain death in a city under siege with the help of a turncoat prison guard, vagrant Wilfrid quickly finds themself in the hands of enemy soldiers seeking a way inside. Luckily for Wilfrid, this is just as they planned. Now, they can lead the margrave’s enemies back through the tunnels that run underneath the city in pursuit of the vengeance that they have dreamt about since they were a child.While Knights-Errant originally began as a webcomic published by the now-defunct Sparkler Monthly, I discovered it through its successful 2016 Kickstarter for a physical edition. Tragically, it is no longer possible to acquire this physical edition through any means but witchcraft (or buying a used copy for $5 on Amazon), but fortunately, Doyle has migrated the comic to online publisher Hiveworks.Though Knights-Errant is a fantasy piece, Doyle loosely based the world’s religions off of the Abrahamic religions of our own world—that is, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. This allows for some fascinating characterization in an already morally gray cast, along with some scathing real-world parallels that Doyle—themself a Muslim—draws from their personal experiences to portray. For this reason, trigger warning for some pretty blatant racism from several characters within the text (primarily in the form of fantasy slurs, but this is about a religious war, so whatever you’d expect to find in a typical fantasy story containing fantasy racism, you’ll find here).Knights-Errant updates Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and can be read for free on Doyle’s website.
After escaping certain death in a city under siege with the help of a turncoat prison guard, vagrant Wilfrid quickly finds themself in the hands of enemy soldiers seeking a way inside. Luckily for Wilfrid, this is just as they planned. Now, they can lead the margrave’s enemies back through the tunnels that run underneath the city in pursuit of the vengeance that they have dreamt about since they were a child.While Knights-Errant originally began as a webcomic published by the now-defunct Sparkler Monthly, I discovered it through its successful 2016 Kickstarter for a physical edition. Tragically, it is no longer possible to acquire this physical edition through any means but witchcraft (or buying a used copy for $5 on Amazon), but fortunately, Doyle has migrated the comic to online publisher Hiveworks.Though Knights-Errant is a fantasy piece, Doyle loosely based the world’s religions off of the Abrahamic religions of our own world—that is, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. This allows for some fascinating characterization in an already morally gray cast, along with some scathing real-world parallels that Doyle—themself a Muslim—draws from their personal experiences to portray. For this reason, trigger warning for some pretty blatant racism from several characters within the text (primarily in the form of fantasy slurs, but this is about a religious war, so whatever you’d expect to find in a typical fantasy story containing fantasy racism, you’ll find here).Knights-Errant updates Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and can be read for free on Doyle’s website.—Kana Coonce