The Fifth Season

[Rommie]

So, my adviser is obsessed with reading science fiction so I hit him up for suggestions sometimes, and OMFG I swear the guy doesn't really want me to graduate because why would he get me started on this months before I want to submit. Ever start reading a book and you're already sad for when it will end? The Fifth Season is like that. It won the Hugo for best sci-fi in 2016, the sequel won the Hugo in 2017, and the third book just won in 2018, which has never happened before.

Anyway, it reminds me a little about Game of Thrones in the sense of how it's a sweeping epic set in a fantasy world... except the fantasy world is a far future Earth where the world is super geologically active. But the world is just so detailed, and so interestingly done- it's fantastic. I almost rue the day the TV series gets made because it won't hold a candle to the beauty of the writing to have this stuff set in stone one way.

Go read it!

[Cyborg Girl]

YESSSSS Jemisin is one of my absolute faves <3 Her novels are what the Malazan series wants to be when it grows up.

Edit: the beginning of The Fifth Season is intense though. I'm still giving it a break at the moment because child abuse stuff.

[Rommie]

Never heard of Mazatlan before. Looks interesting.

It might sound terrible to say but IMO what they describe in the book so far is pretty tame compared to GoT, which I plowed through. Definitely compared to the TV series at least (where I'm pretty sure neither George RR Martin or the writers actually know how women work like normal people too, to boot).

And she's just such a poetic writer, even in the darker moments. I just really appreciate that.

[Cyborg Girl]

Malazan series is... uh... I liked the first book, loved the second, was iffy on the third, and stopped completely after the fourth. For similar reasons to what you describe re: GoT. I'm not at all fond of serial rapist protagonists, and much less so when the author is clearly in love with one.

(And yes, I'd gotten that impresion of GoT before, and it's a big part of why I'd avoided the series. I feel dehumanized enough these days just walking around Central Square and whatnot.)

And yes, agree re: Jemisin's poetic writing even in the dark parts. I'm really, really hoping she does a Stephen King style horror novel some day, because I know she could knock it out of the ballpark - her descriptions and sense of the macabre are perfect.