66 votes

Most bingeable book series?

Forget highbrow literature and critics for a moment. What's a book series that stayed engaging and enjoyable throughout?

Bonus points if you don't have to provide a disclaimer for those one or two books in the series that are "a bit of a slog but still really good!"

My top nominations are:

  1. Red Rising: Never read anything quite like it. As an ADHD haver, reading something more than once is the bane of my existence. Not for this series. Endlessly re-readable and highly engaging throughout. Starts out as Roman hunger games in space, turns into peak Game of Thrones in space. God, it's so good.

  2. Harry Potter: Not sure I need to explain this one. Plenty to hate about this series and the author, but they aren't popular for no reason. I find the world to be magical, whimsical, and the story to be very engaging. The later books are particularly good.

  3. The Bobiverse: this is the most fun series on my list. The name and premise will turn most people away from this one and it's a real shame. I could not stop reading these and I'm dying for more. If this story went on forever and maintained its current quality, I don't think I'd ever get bored of hearing it on audiobook.

101 comments

  1. [19]
    aisneto
    Link
    The Locked Tomb series (starting with "Gideon the Ninth"): Every book in the series so far has been exceptionally good and engaging. Personally, I find that the series improves even more with from...
    • The Locked Tomb series (starting with "Gideon the Ninth"): Every book in the series so far has been exceptionally good and engaging. Personally, I find that the series improves even more with from second book (my favorite), although the first one is already very good on its own. As of now, the series has not been finished, but I'm eagerly anticipating the release of the last book, which is expected to come out this year.

    • The Expanse series (beginning with "Leviathan Wakes"): Remarkably, this series spans nine books, tracing a single crew's journey over approximately 80 years. Each book is engaging in its own right, although some may stand out more than others.

    • The Dark Profit Saga (commencing with "Orkonomics"): The final book in the series was released last year, and all three books stand out as some of the best satires I've ever read.

    • Mistborn Saga (starting with "The Final Empire"): With two eras explored and a third on the horizon, I can't get enough of this world's intricate building and its amazing power system. It's a series that keeps me eagerly awaiting each new installment.

    21 votes
    1. EnigmaNL
      Link Parent
      The Expanse novellas are also worth the read.

      The Expanse novellas are also worth the read.

      7 votes
    2. [6]
      Mendanbar
      Link Parent
      I agree with Mistborn, and would add that this also applies to Sanderson's other work for me. Even his older stuff is just really fun to read.

      I agree with Mistborn, and would add that this also applies to Sanderson's other work for me. Even his older stuff is just really fun to read.

      7 votes
      1. [4]
        Wolf_359
        Link Parent
        My biggest issue with Sanderson is that I don't enjoy reading him in the moment, but I enjoy having read him. I find his books to be slow burns and then by the end I find that the payoff was worth...

        My biggest issue with Sanderson is that I don't enjoy reading him in the moment, but I enjoy having read him.

        I find his books to be slow burns and then by the end I find that the payoff was worth it to me.

        Makes it really hard to start more of his books though, haha.

        6 votes
        1. bugsmith
          Link Parent
          I for the most part, do not feel the same way. However, that is exactly how I felt about the most recent Stormlight Archive novel. It's not that I didn't enjoy it - I really did, and it was a very...

          I for the most part, do not feel the same way. However, that is exactly how I felt about the most recent Stormlight Archive novel. It's not that I didn't enjoy it - I really did, and it was a very different style of story to the previous three books (I'll avoid spoilers). It's just that I felt very stressed the whole way through reading it, and only right at the end did the pay-off make all the stress feel worth it.

          But honestly, I loved it and can't remember the last time I powered through a book so fast.

          1 vote
        2. [2]
          GenuinelyCrooked
          Link Parent
          I have tried to read The Stormlight Archives so many times. I think the furthest in I've made it is 80 pages. There's so much set up and it's so much to remember. I'm trying again right now and it...

          I have tried to read The Stormlight Archives so many times. I think the furthest in I've made it is 80 pages. There's so much set up and it's so much to remember. I'm trying again right now and it really feels like a slog.

          1. Well_known_bear
            Link Parent
            I too felt that the first book required a genuine mental effort to get through (and this was going in after having read all the other Cosmere books first). The setting and social dynamics of the...

            I too felt that the first book required a genuine mental effort to get through (and this was going in after having read all the other Cosmere books first). The setting and social dynamics of the series initially feel very alien and the reader is constantly being confronted with new characters and information, the significance of which is not always immediately clear.

            However, once I got through the first book, I thoroughly enjoyed all of the following ones which then really dig into (and in many cases tear away at) the foundations laid in the first. The initial investment is well rewarded in my view!

            1 vote
      2. Reapy
        Link Parent
        I have almost completed a reread of all his books and have really enjoyed it. There latest few and side stories were new to me though. I have gotten a feel for his writing style and it does not...

        I have almost completed a reread of all his books and have really enjoyed it. There latest few and side stories were new to me though.

        I have gotten a feel for his writing style and it does not get old at all even reading them all in order. The great moments of imagery and realization still hit right and the ends of his books keep the pages turning even though I had already read many of them.

        All of his books are written to be in the same universe, so there are drips of links and increasing amounts of cross overs the farther in publication order you go. It has been hard for me to remember connections so binging all at once is really helping to lock it in.

        Overall he's building a great world and I feel like the books are consistently good throughout.

        2 votes
    3. [10]
      mat
      Link Parent
      The Locked Tomb books are fantastic. I've been recommending them to anyone who will listen since I picked up Gideon The Ninth a few weeks ago and almost immediately inhaled the whole series....

      The Locked Tomb books are fantastic. I've been recommending them to anyone who will listen since I picked up Gideon The Ninth a few weeks ago and almost immediately inhaled the whole series. Harrow the Ninth was particularly impressive by having whole sections written in the second person and making it work - and that's hard. According to Muir's socials, Alecto The Ninth was delivered for editing in December last year, which means a release probably sooner this year rather than later.

      The Expanse, I am not so enthused by. I read six of them and I have no idea why I stuck with them that long. Would not recommend. It's not the best writing and the stories are fairly derivative. As an alternative I'd suggest Iain M Banks's Culture books instead, which honestly the best space opera going. Or Neal Asher's Polity series (from which a lot of the first Expanse book was "inspired"). Or Alistair Reynolds's Revelation Space or Ann Leckie's Imperial Radch books, Stephen Baxter's Xeelee sequence, Peter F Hamilton's Night's Dawn or really just about any other sci-fi series.

      The first Mistborn book is great and I loved Sanderson's magic system but for me the enjoyment drops off fairly fast after book one. I didn't even finish book three. Brandon Sanderson does seem like a really nice person though.

      4 votes
      1. [9]
        aisneto
        Link Parent
        I've never encountered anything quite like Harrow the Ninth in terms of its second-person written style. Initially, the unfamiliarity of this style almost led me to abandon the book after the...

        I've never encountered anything quite like Harrow the Ninth in terms of its second-person written style. Initially, the unfamiliarity of this style almost led me to abandon the book after the first few chapters. However, as I progressed through the story, I became completely engaged. The choice of this unique style blends so well with the narrative in the second book that makes me wonder why I found it strange initially.

        Harrow stands out as one of my favorite characters in fiction.

        Click to expand spoiler.

        ... and I truly hope to see more of her. While Nona was okay, and I appreciated the development of the other characters, it felt like a transitional book leading up to the conclusion. At this point, I firmly believe that Harrow has become the main character of the series, overshadowing Gideon.

        The final chapters of the first book, where Gideon and Harrow fight together, are exceptionally well-written, and I recall the details of that battle to this day. The author seemed exceptionally inspired while crafting this scene, delivering a description so vivid and fluid that it successfully kept me on edge throughout the whole end of the book. It was a truly fantastic experience. Overall, I find that the rest of the first book kind of pales in comparison to the finale. Not that it is not a good book, it is just that Harrow does the mystery and revelation stuff better

        4 votes
        1. [2]
          first-must-burn
          Link Parent
          If you're intrigued by the second person viewpoint, you may enjoy N. K. Jemisin's Broken Earth Trilogy. She won a Hugo (Best Novel) for each of the novels, the only person to ever pull the hat...

          If you're intrigued by the second person viewpoint, you may enjoy N. K. Jemisin's Broken Earth Trilogy. She won a Hugo (Best Novel) for each of the novels, the only person to ever pull the hat trick. While it's not necessarily binge-able, I don't think it can come with a higher recommendation.

          7 votes
          1. DefinitelyNotAFae
            Link Parent
            I have to agree with this. The second person works exceptionally well in Broken Earth

            I have to agree with this. The second person works exceptionally well in Broken Earth

            2 votes
        2. [6]
          mat
          Link Parent
          The only other books that I particularly recall making 2nd person mode work well are Iain Banks' Complicity and Ann Leckie's The Raven Tower but both of those are still less impactful than how...

          The only other books that I particularly recall making 2nd person mode work well are Iain Banks' Complicity and Ann Leckie's The Raven Tower but both of those are still less impactful than how deftly Muir places us inside Harrow's head. Good books though, well worth a read.

          1. [5]
            first-must-burn
            Link Parent
            I enjoyed the Raven Tower, but Ann Leckie's Imperial Radch series is one of my favorites. I really enjoyed ... (very minor spoiler) having the main character be an AI and exploring the differences...

            I enjoyed the Raven Tower, but Ann Leckie's Imperial Radch series is one of my favorites.

            I really enjoyed ... (very minor spoiler)

            having the main character be an AI and exploring the differences and implications of that.

            2 votes
            1. [2]
              DefinitelyNotAFae
              Link Parent
              Have you read Translation State? Because I love the dive into the Presger Translators

              Have you read Translation State? Because I love the dive into the Presger Translators

              2 votes
            2. [2]
              mat
              Link Parent
              I love the Radch books. The latest, the name of which I can't recall, is particularly good. Also I can't not love a culture that places as much importance on a nice up of tea as the Radch do....

              I love the Radch books. The latest, the name of which I can't recall, is particularly good. Also I can't not love a culture that places as much importance on a nice up of tea as the Radch do.

              Regarding the content of your teeny spoiler, I must recommend you read by Excession by Iain M Banks. Leckie is the closest I've read to Banks both in style and content, but as great as she is, she's not as good as he was.

              2 votes
    4. DefinitelyNotAFae
      Link Parent
      I'm another TLT fan, I have reread the books multiple times including reading them aloud to my partner. I find so much on each re-read.

      I'm another TLT fan, I have reread the books multiple times including reading them aloud to my partner. I find so much on each re-read.

      1 vote
  2. [6]
    unkz
    Link
    The Murderbot Diaries are fun, and also mostly pretty short -- definitely not a slog.

    The Murderbot Diaries are fun, and also mostly pretty short -- definitely not a slog.

    16 votes
    1. [3]
      jprich
      Link Parent
      Anyone jumping into these, the suggested reading order is 1-4, 6, 5, 7.

      Anyone jumping into these, the suggested reading order is 1-4, 6, 5, 7.

      8 votes
      1. [2]
        thecakeisalime
        Link Parent
        There's also a 4.5 and a 0.5. I've already read 1-6 in that order, but I'm curious as to why you suggest 6 before 5?

        There's also a 4.5 and a 0.5. I've already read 1-6 in that order, but I'm curious as to why you suggest 6 before 5?

        1. unkz
          Link Parent
          That’s the order that they take place chronologically speaking rather than release wise.

          That’s the order that they take place chronologically speaking rather than release wise.

          2 votes
    2. [2]
      Wolf_359
      Link Parent
      Can't wait to try them. I've seen them suggested enough and this comment pushed it to the front of my awareness. Thank you!

      Can't wait to try them. I've seen them suggested enough and this comment pushed it to the front of my awareness. Thank you!

      3 votes
      1. shrike
        Link Parent
        The pricing is bonkers, novel prices for novella length books. Grab them from the library instead. Great books and a fun to read.

        The pricing is bonkers, novel prices for novella length books. Grab them from the library instead.

        Great books and a fun to read.

        1 vote
  3. rahmad
    Link
    Hitchhiker's guide!

    Hitchhiker's guide!

    14 votes
  4. [5]
    Comment deleted by author
    Link
    1. [4]
      shrike
      Link Parent
      It takes a quarter of the book to even hint at the game, and the beginning isn't exactly riveting storytelling. Amazing world building though. (Re-re-reading it for a book club and hearing...

      The Player of Games (a great introduction to the world, and a very fun story)

      It takes a quarter of the book to even hint at the game, and the beginning isn't exactly riveting storytelling. Amazing world building though.

      (Re-re-reading it for a book club and hearing non-fans complain has opened my eyes a bit)

      1. [3]
        lyam23
        Link Parent
        Different strokes, I guess. Player of Games was the most accessible of The Culture series I've read so far. I keep bouncing off Use of Weapons which is apparently everyone's favorite.

        Different strokes, I guess. Player of Games was the most accessible of The Culture series I've read so far. I keep bouncing off Use of Weapons which is apparently everyone's favorite.

        1 vote
        1. mat
          Link Parent
          I think Use of Weapons is the weakest Culture book by some distance (unless you count Transitions, which is good but weird and not really Culture proper). I usually recommend Excession as the best...

          I think Use of Weapons is the weakest Culture book by some distance (unless you count Transitions, which is good but weird and not really Culture proper).

          I usually recommend Excession as the best place for people to start.

          2 votes
        2. shrike
          Link Parent
          Don't get me wrong, I fucking love the Culture books. They're the only books I've read twice - and now going on a third. Banks's style of long prelude with tidbits of world building, that slowly...

          Don't get me wrong, I fucking love the Culture books. They're the only books I've read twice - and now going on a third.

          Banks's style of long prelude with tidbits of world building, that slowly starts building up to a fantastic finale isn't making it easy to bring "non-believers" into the fold :)

          Player of Games doesn't really start until Mawhrin-Skel does The Thing and even after that there's a lull where Banks casually tells us that small GSV with a tiny human population has "only" 250 million people on it and other facts about the universe :D

          1 vote
  5. [13]
    Eji1700
    Link
    Most of my re-read/easy reads that haven't been mentioned have been- Guards/Moist series or some of the stand alone titles by Pratchett. Just super easy to read and very very good. Dresden Files...

    Most of my re-read/easy reads that haven't been mentioned have been-

    1. Guards/Moist series or some of the stand alone titles by Pratchett. Just super easy to read and very very good.

    2. Dresden Files by Jim Butcher after a certain point - Kinda hard to explain other than to say his writing has evolved heavily with time and there's also certain plot beats that make earlier books feel a little slower. I'll still reread the later ones though.

    3. Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer. I read this probably in high school/college, and felt they were still quite enjoyable. Hardly the BEST THING EVER but more than good enough to enjoy the easy read.

    4. The Reckoners by Branden Sanderson. While i re-read a lot of his stuff from time to time (Warbreaker being a favorite), this series, while far from perfect, felt really easy to blitz through and has a fun take on superhero stuff.

    Beyond that some commentary on those mentioned-

    1. Red Rising gets a lot of praise here and elsewhere, and I found it to be a tropey waste of a good setting and characters. There's a lot of interesting stuff to explore in the world created and almost none of it is. Characters are frequently huge hypocrits and it's not even called out or really discussed. I stopped at book 3 so maybe that's remedied down the line, but man the amount of "oh so no one is going to talk about this huh" was just huge.

    2. The Expanse is something I'd reread but only if you paid me a LOT of money and certainly not something I'd argue was "easy". The books are quite long and there's at least two that are poor in my eyes and SERIOUS slog (oh boy...hero boy leading the blind...just what I wanted). Others are mostly good but still with their lousy A or B plots. The series overall is something I'd call quite good, but with the caveat that I would never have gotten through it if i hadn't gotten it as an audiobook, because I would zone out the boring parts and literally ignore calls to hear more on the good ones.

    10 votes
    1. [11]
      Wolf_359
      Link Parent
      Thanks for sharing these suggestions! I'm really surprised by your dislike for Red Rising, but different strokes I suppose! I found the characters to be very believable in their hypocrisy and...

      Thanks for sharing these suggestions!

      I'm really surprised by your dislike for Red Rising, but different strokes I suppose! I found the characters to be very believable in their hypocrisy and shortcomings.

      About the second half of the series, I'll say this: if you didn't enjoy the first half, you probably won't enjoy the second. However, the later books definitely examine the further consequences of what the characters have done.

      This spoiler tag is okay to reveal if you've finished the first three books

      Destroying is easier than creating. Tearing down an unjust government is one thing, governing justly is another

      2 votes
      1. [5]
        DefinitelyNotAFae
        Link Parent
        I'm another Red Rising hater (well, disliker) - a mix between hating how women are portrayed in what claimed to be an egalitarian society (the Golds not the Reds) which includes how many men are...

        I'm another Red Rising hater (well, disliker) - a mix between hating how women are portrayed in what claimed to be an egalitarian society (the Golds not the Reds) which includes how many men are motivated by the death or SA of a woman, how much SA of Gold women there is (and it's fine, no big deal, normal even, but not SA of Gold men which is only how it works in fantasy), and that women are offered up as prizes, even by other women. (the dystopian aspect of having a class of sex slaves is not fun but it's consistent with the plot ) and the absolute misery of it. Our main is constantly talking about how awful things are while continuing to be awful. He doesn't SA women so that's a plus I guess. It just feels... Lazy to fridge multiple people, one more than once.

        I get that some of the hypocrisy of the society is the point. But oh boy is it miserable to listen to that. I also don't think the author is aware of what narrative he embeded. I'm in the middle of Golden Sun so it may change.

        4 votes
        1. [4]
          Wolf_359
          (edited )
          Link Parent
          I'm interested in your take on this for several reasons actually! I agree and I don't agree. I agree that you could call the treatment of women cruel in this society. And there is some fridging....

          I'm interested in your take on this for several reasons actually!

          I agree and I don't agree.

          I agree that you could call the treatment of women cruel in this society. And there is some fridging. But I think it's intentional. The society claimed to be egalitarian but clearly isn't and that hypocrisy is pretty much gold's biggest weakness throughout the series. It's often exploited by the heroes of the story even.

          There are also a lot of very powerful women in this series and they're not powerful because they're sexy or because they're with powerful men - the women are brilliant. The first woman to die in the series does so intentionally as an act of bravery and rebellion, showing more courage than her husband (even if it was also a selfish and immature choice).

          Also worth noting that this series passes the Bechdel Test several times. Pretty impressive considering it's told from a boy/man's point of view.

          I think the best explanation for sexism and toxic masculinity in books is that the characters are sexist and live in a culture of toxic masculinity. Now, in some books, the authors celebrate and glorify this. In Red Rising, this is usually the trait of the bad guys and our hero, who is by no means a philosopher or intentional feminist, is inherently disgusted by this.

          Sure, we see a bit of macho camaraderie between the good guys - calling each other "pixies" comes to mind as a bit problematic - but again, I tend to think that's intentional and fits the world they live in.

          I also don't think men are treated well in this society either. Much like our own, they're often big, dumb cannon-fodder. And in this case, they're often cannon-fodder for intelligent women in power. There are also a ton of male sex slaves (pinks), but I suppose the implication is that they're very feminine or even gay. This might back up some of your criticisms.

          I hope I'm not mansplaining this to anyone... Not at all my intention. I know that as a man I'm probably blind to a lot of these issues. I'm not experiencing them in my real life so they just pass by me without a second thought in literature sometimes too. It's the "default setting" for life so it goes unnoticed. I hope my response is taken as a healthy discussion piece as I'm intending it to be. I really welcome any responses anyone has to this.

          I'll add that yes, the series continues to grow more complex as it progresses and a lot of the gnawing questions about power and consequences get explored more deeply. Most of the things you think are bad will probably come with a cost later and most of the questions you have are at least mentioned in passing, although not every single issue can possibly be explored to its end, the questions are at least raised and considered.

          4 votes
          1. [3]
            DefinitelyNotAFae
            Link Parent
            So here are the things I see about the Gold society in particular: cruelty to women involving sexual assault that is not present as a threat to men, and the fact that we're supposed to end up...
            • Exemplary

            So here are the things I see about the Gold society in particular:

            • cruelty to women involving sexual assault that is not present as a threat to men, and the fact that we're supposed to end up liking at least one of the men that engages in it (or attempts to, I forget how far he got).
            • The offering of women as prizes in marriage unwillingly, even those who are themselves Peerless and warriors, even by other women.
            • How most women are not portrayed as warriors even when Peerless - the institute starts ok here but by the end it's really only about the men.
            • How none of the gendered anything makes sense in a world of genetic manipulation and carvers. At the level of available body modification there's no reason for there to be gendered strength differences unless personally desired.
            • When female leaders exist, they (except Mustang usually) are mostly portrayed as stupid and particularly dishonorable. Blatant in their manipulation and cheating. Cassius's mother and Octavia are two. Women get "cunning" men get "brutality" and one is treated very different.
            • "Women and children" has meaning among the golds. Children sure - though they're killed too - but those women are still Golds. Why would there be an assumption that all men are warriors but not all women instead of some of either gender. Shouldn't it be pixies and children?

            I actually think the author thinks he's made an egalitarian society because the women go to war school. It does not read to me as an insightful critique. This is even assuming our main's gendered culture is impacting him.

            Other gendered stuff

            • Fridging - the first woman you mentioned is the first example. Yes it's brave but it's for no other purpose than to motivate the main (and eventually others.) Her death is brought up again with new information in Golden Son that IMO leads to the first example i can think of of a double fridging of the same character. Similarly, Proctor Mars, Roque (twice), Mustang's older brother and at least one more person are all primarily motivated by the deaths and/or sexual assaults of women, most of them Golds, most of them unnamed.
            • The pixies term doesn't really phase me, as in theory it's used to describe any sort of weakness but you're not wrong that it edges on homophobic/sexist tropes. I took it as at face value but it has that undercurrent.
            • Pinks - the fact that there's a whole class of sex slaves is awful in the society, but it's not surprising and makes sense with the other colors. The caste system is the point of the series so it sorry of gets a "pass" as the underlying premise that's being examined by the plot. (I have more of an issue with "obsidian" being your big monstrous warriors, it's questionable vibes). But while there are male pinks, it's mostly women thrown in on "screen" as it were because this is a very hetero society.
            • Men are treated as cannon fodder - but the people making that decision are overwhelmingly men themselves. Which means it's a good example of the patriarchy (yes even with a literal female leader) being bad for everyone. The men are trained to fight. The "women and children" subset are not. The women that are trained to fight are valued by the men as objects of desire/affection and thus their death means more motivation for those men.

            Which brings me to other stuff about this society:

            • I've heard there's more queer rep in this series, and that one character (redeemed in death despite the attempted sexual assault) was Word of Author canonically bisexual. But I don't recall actually hearing any (audiobook) and the Golds being based on Roman (and honestly Spartan) ideals and still being "straight" is... A choice. It's definitely not a queer norm setting. I'm even giving the Low Red society a pass here - they're restricted by external factors.
            • The sheer numbers of people that die in training games because they're low colors is absolutely beyond understanding from a "poor allocation of resources" lens. I get that the Golds don't see them as people, but seriously. And maybe that's on me for it not feeling realistic. Many people die in war. Just, how many people usually die in the practice for war?
            • Similarly the number of Gold children that die in the Institute is unrealistic. A corrupt patrician society that claims to value hardness and is not successful at that does not offer up 50% of their smartest and most elite children to death, and I can't even do the math about the survival rate after that point. Corruption at the institute makes sense but there isn't nearly enough.
            • This just came to me now while thinking about it but who the fuck are they learning to fight in all these space wars? I mean I get why it becomes real relevant in Golden Sun real quickly, but as far as I can tell (so far) there are no aliens and no humans outside of the Society. Caesar had external enemies to fight with his army that he then turned back on Rome. The institute at less than a sort of logic behind the process but the Academy makes zero sense to me as a societal boon.

            I also just think the main character is miserable all the time - and if he's not he's killing people - and making dumb decisions like "I learned not to do that again... I should fix that relationship... Yeah I'll never do that again for sure but still haven't fixed it .. et tu brute?!?!" I have no real interest in his "rise" or his glory and I assume any success he has will honestly be absolutely lacking any plan for the outcome.

            I'm still listening along but I do know some spoilers for the end of Golden Son, so I know where this book is broadly going. I do think there's some interesting stuff in here, and it isn't necessarily that the culture is sexist that means I don't want to read it - I don't love as much SA as is in these books but otherwise - it's that to me I don't think the author actually gets how inequitable the society he built is. Our main doesn't comment on it, he participates. No one else has pointed it out to him. Mustang has had one line where she snaps back at it a little to others. And then her plot focus goes back to her relationship to him.

            But I could be wrong and perhaps he'll surprise me in the end. Just.. so many dead women driving people to make choices and no one saying anything about their dead Patroclus. Not even when Achilles is discussed.
            (Sorry this is so long. I have actively been thinking about this)

            8 votes
            1. [2]
              Wolf_359
              Link Parent
              This is an amazing and well-reasoned response. Thank you for sharing all of it. This is why I come to Tildes. You've given me a lot to think about and it actually makes me excited for my next...

              This is an amazing and well-reasoned response. Thank you for sharing all of it. This is why I come to Tildes.

              You've given me a lot to think about and it actually makes me excited for my next re-read. I'll definitely be considering all of this.

              Don't be surprised if I reply to this in like a year, haha.

              3 votes
              1. DefinitelyNotAFae
                Link Parent
                Please do! I like discussions about this sort of thing, and I'm definitely open to being wrong about some of these things as I keep reading, though some of it I feel is pretty baked into the...

                Please do! I like discussions about this sort of thing, and I'm definitely open to being wrong about some of these things as I keep reading, though some of it I feel is pretty baked into the worldbuilding.

                1 vote
      2. [5]
        Eji1700
        Link Parent
        Yeah, i'm not really aiming to convince anyone on Red Rising, because if you liked it i'm glad to hear that. In general I felt there were a lot of moments where the hero became a hypocrite, and it...

        Yeah, i'm not really aiming to convince anyone on Red Rising, because if you liked it i'm glad to hear that. In general I felt there were a lot of moments where the hero became a hypocrite, and it was just ignored. No one really calling them out on "hey you said you'd never do X but now you are" and some weird plot moments (like what's in his chest...) just left me bleh.

        If you want, my notes to myself after reading it were-

        My thoughts on the series, some major spoilers

        Overall 3/5. Probably closer to 4, 4, 2 for books 1/2/3 respectively. It starts somewhat tropey, and then manages to have some really strong scenes (The Jackal) and themes, while also including the usual teasers (how will his friends react when they find out who he really is). By the last book...most of that is just gone. A large majority of the interesting potential reveals all die long before anyone finds out, and most of the plans and interactions that have been built up are just wiped out. Really a shame that it just doesn't quite deliver on what it started building. By the end you're literally just begging for someone besides Darrow to get some sort of characterization.

        It doesn't help the book seems to have a lot of ALMOST interesting themes, but it feels like they're there for false depth rather than actually explored. The main character has to make "tough" decisions all the time, but when he does it it's ok. When others do it its a war crime and unforgivable. There's this odd parallel between the protag/antag and yet rather than really exploring how extremely similar they are (to the point of tropiness) it just sorta says "yeah this is what the anti Darrow would do".

        1 vote
        1. [4]
          Wolf_359
          Link Parent
          Of course! I love to hear criticism on things I enjoy. I hope my responses aren't taken as negating or dismissing those criticisms. I just enjoy a healthy discussion and I think you're making some...

          Of course! I love to hear criticism on things I enjoy. I hope my responses aren't taken as negating or dismissing those criticisms. I just enjoy a healthy discussion and I think you're making some pretty great points.

          Book 1-3 spoilers

          I think if you stop at book three, you don't get to see the chickens come home to roost. Darrow's decisions are punished in books 1-3 by his friends dying, but beyond that he mostly gets away with it. I think the argument would be that the rebellion is fighting as the underdog and has literally no choice, and that the war criminals were coming from positions of power and had more choices they could have made.

          At the end of 3, Octavia Au Lune, before her death, foreshadows the second part of the series by warning Darrow that he is going to be more like her than he thinks, and that ruling will be challenging for him as it was for her. I wonder if you'd find the second part of the series more satisfying as these questions are explored more in depth.

          Again, thanks for sharing. I am definitely enjoying this bit of reflection. It's like engaging with the series for the first time again honestly. I get to explore that world a bit more through this conversation.

          2 votes
          1. DefinitelyNotAFae
            Link Parent
            I would encourage you to check out the Unspoiled podcast and its community because this is what they're doing with Red Rising now and it's why I'm reading them despite not being super into it. The...

            I would encourage you to check out the Unspoiled podcast and its community because this is what they're doing with Red Rising now and it's why I'm reading them despite not being super into it. The discussion is interesting.

          2. [2]
            shrike
            Link Parent
            Well damnit, I stopped after book 3 just because it was just Darrow getting his head kicked in. I'll add book 4 to my queue now =)

            Well damnit, I stopped after book 3 just because it was just Darrow getting his head kicked in.

            I'll add book 4 to my queue now =)

            1. Wolf_359
              Link Parent
              Nice! I'll give you the heads up. Book 4 is jarring at first because there are four different protagonists (switching between chapters). Once their respective inciting incidents occur (happens...

              Nice! I'll give you the heads up. Book 4 is jarring at first because there are four different protagonists (switching between chapters).

              Once their respective inciting incidents occur (happens pretty quickly), the story really takes off and you stop noticing the new format. And book 5 is widely considered to be the best in the series so far.

              1 vote
    2. 0d_billie
      Link Parent
      Yessssss. I love this series so much. It tails off in quality the longer it goes IMO, but it really scratches that "fantasy heist" itch that my head is always after.

      Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer. I read this probably in high school/college, and felt they were still quite enjoyable. Hardly the BEST THING EVER but more than good enough to enjoy the easy read.

      Yessssss. I love this series so much. It tails off in quality the longer it goes IMO, but it really scratches that "fantasy heist" itch that my head is always after.

      1 vote
  6. [7]
    Interesting
    (edited )
    Link
    Will Wight's Cradle series does a great job consistently growing the tension, scale, and stakes as the series goes on in a way that smoothly keeps you turning pages all the way through 12 books....

    Will Wight's Cradle series does a great job consistently growing the tension, scale, and stakes as the series goes on in a way that smoothly keeps you turning pages all the way through 12 books.

    Like, I read 11 books in a week (the last one wasn't out yet) and the wait for the 12th was awful. It also helps that they're pretty light reading; the story structure, vocabulary and the consistency of "magic" system make it speed by.

    9 votes
    1. [5]
      TheRtRevKaiser
      (edited )
      Link Parent
      Yeah, Cradle is like a really good shonen anime in book form. Eminently bingeable and really enjoyable.

      Yeah, Cradle is like a really good shonen anime in book form. Eminently bingeable and really enjoyable.

      1. [4]
        shrike
        Link Parent
        I think the term for this genre is "Progression Fantasy". Basically you have a lvl1 protagonist who starts "leveling up" really fast because of reasons. The Warformed: Stormreaver series is a...

        I think the term for this genre is "Progression Fantasy". Basically you have a lvl1 protagonist who starts "leveling up" really fast because of reasons.

        The Warformed: Stormreaver series is a decent entry too: https://www.goodreads.com/series/302625-warformed-stormweaver

        The second book is in serious need of an editor (drags badly in the middle) but Reidon is a pretty interesting protagonist.

        1 vote
        1. [3]
          TheRtRevKaiser
          Link Parent
          Yep! I didn't want to get too much into the genre weeds, but I'd consider Will Wight to be one of the founders of the genre along with Andrew Rowe and a few others. Cradle is, IMO, probably one of...

          Yep! I didn't want to get too much into the genre weeds, but I'd consider Will Wight to be one of the founders of the genre along with Andrew Rowe and a few others. Cradle is, IMO, probably one of a handful of really good, readable examples of progression fantasy along with a few other standouts like John Bierce's Mage Errant series and Matt Dinniman's Dungeon Crawler Carl (bad name, excellent books) which I would also consider to be LitRPG.

          2 votes
          1. [2]
            Interesting
            Link Parent
            I mean, you can really only call him one of the founders of the genre in English, from what I understand, the genre originated in China. It's probably more accurate to say he adapted it for...

            I mean, you can really only call him one of the founders of the genre in English, from what I understand, the genre originated in China.

            It's probably more accurate to say he adapted it for western audiences.

            1 vote
            1. TheRtRevKaiser
              Link Parent
              Yeah Cultivation stories are definitely not new, I more meant founder as in "person who recognized a group of things as a separate genre" rather than "first person to write in this style". I'd...

              Yeah Cultivation stories are definitely not new, I more meant founder as in "person who recognized a group of things as a separate genre" rather than "first person to write in this style". I'd also consider Xianxia/cultivation fantasy to be just one corner of the Progression Fantasy genre but not the whole genre, there's lots of examples of Progression Fantasy that don't really take any cues from Xianxia like LitRPG, time loop stories, and more typical Epic Fantasy stories with a focus on the MCs growing in power.

              3 votes
    2. shrike
      Link Parent
      The first book isn't the best Lindon's constant apologisin was a bit grating. The second one grabbed me like very few books have. I read everything in the series in under two weeks and had to wait...

      The first book isn't the best Lindon's constant apologisin was a bit grating. The second one grabbed me like very few books have. I read everything in the series in under two weeks and had to wait for Waybound for a year =)

  7. [3]
    pi-rat
    Link
    I am not a fast reader, but I blew through "old man's war" series by John Scalzi. It is what I'd file under 'brain trash.' Easy to read and entertaining.

    I am not a fast reader, but I blew through "old man's war" series by John Scalzi.

    It is what I'd file under 'brain trash.' Easy to read and entertaining.

    8 votes
    1. [2]
      CrazyProfessor02
      Link Parent
      Honestly most of Scalzi's works are like that. He writes really easy to read books, which I really like. And I really don't understand how people complain that his works are too generic or easy.

      Honestly most of Scalzi's works are like that. He writes really easy to read books, which I really like. And I really don't understand how people complain that his works are too generic or easy.

      5 votes
      1. pi-rat
        Link Parent
        I mean, super enjoyable. I think I read the whole series in a month or two. People are allowed to like what they like, no need to gatekeep the joy of others (as long as it isn't actively hurting...

        I mean, super enjoyable. I think I read the whole series in a month or two.

        People are allowed to like what they like, no need to gatekeep the joy of others (as long as it isn't actively hurting someone else).

        2 votes
  8. [2]
    first-must-burn
    Link
    One that I really enjoyed that I don't see mentioned often is Jim Butcher's Codex Alera series. It started as a bet along the lines of "give me any two things and I'll write a book about them",...

    One that I really enjoyed that I don't see mentioned often is Jim Butcher's Codex Alera series. It started as a bet along the lines of "give me any two things and I'll write a book about them", and he got a lost Roman Legion and Pokemon. I don't think I need to say much more. It's a really fun series.

    8 votes
    1. Britimmer
      Link Parent
      Loved the series. I was amped to try his other work but it didn't feel the same and I gave up after one book. Seriously, though, Codex Alera is a great popcorn series.

      Loved the series. I was amped to try his other work but it didn't feel the same and I gave up after one book.

      Seriously, though, Codex Alera is a great popcorn series.

      2 votes
  9. [2]
    Bwerf
    Link
    Worm is a pretty large web serial that pulled me in from the start and kept me busy for a long time. It's a bit over 1.5 million words so it's not something you finish in a weekend (for comparison...

    Worm is a pretty large web serial that pulled me in from the start and kept me busy for a long time. It's a bit over 1.5 million words so it's not something you finish in a weekend (for comparison wheel of time is ~4.3 million words and the lord of the rings just under 0.5). I won't give any spoilers as part of the thing for me was the way things really changed throughout the story and that I had no idea what was going on in the beginning, but I can say that I got really invested in the main character and the world. What really charmed me I think is that even though it's easy to put some labels on it I've never really read anything else like it.

    8 votes
    1. Dr_Amazing
      Link Parent
      This is the suggestion I was looking for. I definitely get pulled into books a lot but I don't think I ever had anything else ever had me reading excessively every time I had a few spare minutes...

      This is the suggestion I was looking for. I definitely get pulled into books a lot but I don't think I ever had anything else ever had me reading excessively every time I had a few spare minutes like Worm did. Read the whole thing on my tiny iPhone 4 screen and just couldn't put it down.

      I

      2 votes
  10. drannex
    Link
    The Culture Series, absolutely if you are a fan of science fiction should be attthe top of anyones list.

    The Culture Series, absolutely if you are a fan of science fiction should be attthe top of anyones list.

    7 votes
  11. freddy
    Link
    Douglas Adams' trilogy (of five novels) is really rather bingeable. Not exactly a challenging read, unless you challenge yourself to read it without laughing.

    Douglas Adams' trilogy (of five novels) is really rather bingeable. Not exactly a challenging read, unless you challenge yourself to read it without laughing.

    7 votes
  12. [2]
    kej
    Link
    I'd vote for Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series, especially the audio books read by Patrick Tull. They feel like your British uncle is telling you old stories about the Royal Navy, and even...

    I'd vote for Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series, especially the audio books read by Patrick Tull. They feel like your British uncle is telling you old stories about the Royal Navy, and even after 20.5 books (O'Brian passed away in the middle of book 21) you are left wanting more.

    6 votes
    1. DonaldandDavidStott
      Link Parent
      Watched Master & Commander for the first time recently, and I cannot wait to get stuck into these.

      Watched Master & Commander for the first time recently, and I cannot wait to get stuck into these.

      2 votes
  13. ElectricFuturist
    Link
    I thoroughly enjoyed The Expanse series, including the novellas. I read them after they had all been released and in the order in which they occurred, not released. I couldn’t put them down and...

    I thoroughly enjoyed The Expanse series, including the novellas. I read them after they had all been released and in the order in which they occurred, not released. I couldn’t put them down and was totally engrossed in each book. I also watched the series after finishing the book the season was based on. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys hard sci-fi.

    5 votes
  14. [2]
    jwhardcastle
    Link
    The Final Architecture series and the Children of Time series, both by Adrian Tchaikovsky. Both are page turners throughout, and really interesting.

    The Final Architecture series and the Children of Time series, both by Adrian Tchaikovsky. Both are page turners throughout, and really interesting.

    5 votes
    1. Grasso
      Link Parent
      Was looking for these! I find the Children of Time books a bit more highbrow and big concept books that are still fun to read through. Currently going through the Final Architecture series and...

      Was looking for these! I find the Children of Time books a bit more highbrow and big concept books that are still fun to read through.

      Currently going through the Final Architecture series and find them to be similar to The Expanse in some ways. Plucky crew goes on a space faring adventure to save the galaxy. Although Tchaikovsky adds in some crazy concepts though.

  15. Durinthal
    Link
    The Saint of Steel series by T. Kingfisher (Ursula Vernon) — A great fantasy romance series following the paladins of a dead god and the various women and men that they fall in love (and have a...
    • The Saint of Steel series by T. Kingfisher (Ursula Vernon) — A great fantasy romance series following the paladins of a dead god and the various women and men that they fall in love (and have a lot of sexual tension) with. Book 4 of maybe 7 came out recently and I'm in the middle of it now. There are also three other books in the same setting (Clocktaur War duology and Swordheart) that are similarly good.

    • Ascendance of a Bookworm by Miya Kazuki — Obsessive bookworm is reincarnated into a medieval world without access to books, shenanigans ensue as she tries to get them any way she can. I love it for how the setting is handled with the scope slowly expanding over time based on what the main character needs to know. The final volume (for now at least) came out in Japan recently and should be translated by the end of the year; I'm subscribed to J-Novel Club for a weekly drip of a few chapters at a time rather than waiting for an entire volume.

    5 votes
  16. MimicSquid
    Link
    The Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovich, especially the audiobooks of it.

    The Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovich, especially the audiobooks of it.

    4 votes
  17. [3]
    boxer_dogs_dance
    Link
    I second Murderbot, Aubrey Maturin and Discworld. I add The Vorkosigan series and the Scholomance series

    I second Murderbot, Aubrey Maturin and Discworld.

    I add The Vorkosigan series and the Scholomance series

    4 votes
    1. [2]
      cfabbro
      (edited )
      Link Parent
      I'll second Vorkosigan. I absolutely plowed through the entire series after it got recommended to me a few years ago here on Tildes. Aubrey Maturin and Discworld are also among my all-time...

      I'll second Vorkosigan. I absolutely plowed through the entire series after it got recommended to me a few years ago here on Tildes.

      Aubrey Maturin and Discworld are also among my all-time favorite series so thirded on those as well. Never read Murderbot (although it is in my read list) or Scholomance though.

      p.s. My major issue with Murderbot, and the main reason I haven't read it yet, is because of how bloody expensive they all are for how short they all are. So I'll probably end up borrowing them from my local library since I have no intention of paying that much for every book in the series.

      4 votes
      1. boxer_dogs_dance
        Link Parent
        I'm going to explore Dorothy Dunnett's books. People on r/fantasy say that her historical fiction novels are favorites of many prominent fantasy authors.

        I'm going to explore Dorothy Dunnett's books. People on r/fantasy say that her historical fiction novels are favorites of many prominent fantasy authors.

        1 vote
  18. [3]
    SpruceWillis
    Link
    My vote will go to the James Bond novels by Ian Fleming. They're fantastic spy thriller/adventure novels and a couple of them are just damned good Cold War thrillers. Flemings sense of place is...

    My vote will go to the James Bond novels by Ian Fleming. They're fantastic spy thriller/adventure novels and a couple of them are just damned good Cold War thrillers.

    Flemings sense of place is outstanding, his skills as a travel writer come through amazingly when describing the beautiful locales that Bond visits and delicious food and copious drink that Bond consumes.

    I will say that Bond as a novel character is incredibly anachronistic, it's important to keep in mind that the novels were written during the 50's and early 60's by a white, upper class ex-intelligence officer who was born at the beginning of the 20th century. Bonds views on women, non-whites, Eastern Europeans, and members of the LGBT community are misguided and uninformed at best and downright horrendous at worst. However, Bond is an anti-hero, Fleming has described him as an assassin, a blunt instrument wielded by a government department and that he was never meant to be a particularly nice individual.

    There's definitely novels that are better than others, Moonraker, Casino Royale, From Russia With Love, You Only Live Twice and Dr No are some of my favourites (Moonraker is perhaps a top 5 of all time for me) and there are some that are a bit weaker, in my opinion, Goldfinger and The Spy Who Loved Me for instance. They're not a slog to be fair as each Bond novel is pretty short with the longest clocking in at around 320 pages and the shortest coming in at about 120 or so if I remember correctly.

    If you do read them and enjoy them, the continuation novels are also a blast. Kingsley Amis "Colonel Sun" and Anthony Horowitz trilogy are great suggestion of fantastic continuation novels that slot right into the Bond chronology without issue.

    4 votes
    1. [2]
      mat
      Link Parent
      Have you read Charlie Higson's Young Bond books? They're great fun, despite being found on the "YA" shelf. Pacey and exciting and for YA, even pretty scary in places. That said, I don't know how...

      Have you read Charlie Higson's Young Bond books? They're great fun, despite being found on the "YA" shelf. Pacey and exciting and for YA, even pretty scary in places.

      That said, I don't know how they compare to Fleming's because I haven't read those.

      2 votes
      1. SpruceWillis
        (edited )
        Link Parent
        I haven't actually but it's not the first time it's been suggested I read them. I did read his continuation novel On His Majesty's Secret Service which came out last year to celebrate the...

        I haven't actually but it's not the first time it's been suggested I read them. I did read his continuation novel On His Majesty's Secret Service which came out last year to celebrate the coronation of King Charles. It was good fun to read so I'll need to look into grabbing one of the Young Bond novels when I can.

        1 vote
  19. [5]
    babypuncher
    Link
    I agree, even as an adult I still manage to get sucked into them. Any time I sit down and really think about the world for more than a few minutes, it doesn't really make any sense. But when I'm...

    Harry Potter: Not sure I need to explain this one. Plenty to hate about this series and the author, but they aren't popular for no reason. I find the world to be magical, whimsical, and the story to be very engaging. The later books are particularly good.

    I agree, even as an adult I still manage to get sucked into them. Any time I sit down and really think about the world for more than a few minutes, it doesn't really make any sense. But when I'm reading the books, my suspension of disbelief kicks in and I really get sucked in, I think largely because of the characters.

    It's a shame Rowling turned out to be such a twat.

    4 votes
    1. [3]
      boxer_dogs_dance
      Link Parent
      If you like Harry Potter, you might like A Deadly Education and sequels. It definitely draws on Harry Potter, but I also see echoes of the Hunger Games and Enders Game.

      If you like Harry Potter, you might like A Deadly Education and sequels. It definitely draws on Harry Potter, but I also see echoes of the Hunger Games and Enders Game.

      4 votes
      1. [2]
        WobblesdasWombat
        Link Parent
        I don't really agree with the Harry Potter vibes other than the school drama. It seems closer to an anime, or the magicians. It's def a fav in our house though.

        Deadly

        I don't really agree with the Harry Potter vibes other than the school drama. It seems closer to an anime, or the magicians. It's def a fav in our house though.

        1 vote
        1. boxer_dogs_dance
          Link Parent
          I haven't read many fantasies about wizard schools. However, the class and status distinctions remind me of Harry Potter.

          I haven't read many fantasies about wizard schools. However, the class and status distinctions remind me of Harry Potter.

    2. entitled-entilde
      Link Parent
      When I was a kid, I had four siblings, and when a new Harry Potter came out we got one copy between us. So when it was your turn, you’d spend all day and all night reading it. They were so...

      When I was a kid, I had four siblings, and when a new Harry Potter came out we got one copy between us. So when it was your turn, you’d spend all day and all night reading it. They were so enjoyable that it was impossible to put them down.

      2 votes
  20. Carighan
    Link
    A few come to mind: The Wayfarer books by Becky Chambers. 4 books of slice-of-life stories in a very evocative scifi setting where a lot of focus and worldbuilding is spent on the physical,...

    A few come to mind:

    • The Wayfarer books by Becky Chambers. 4 books of slice-of-life stories in a very evocative scifi setting where a lot of focus and worldbuilding is spent on the physical, societal and mental differences between all the species interacting with one another and how they make it work (and sometimes not work). Due to the relatively low-stakes plot points, it's far more readable than many scifi books tend to be that always want to play around with epic battles and galaxy changing events.
      Here, someone becomes an accountant on a ship that builds hyperspace gates for later travel use. Or gets used to acting human in an android body. Or works on a migrant fleet that longer has to migrate.
    • The 9 Temeraire books by Naomi Novik. Old timey English wars but dragonriders. But forget all about that, because ultimately it's just a lot of semi-slapstick as dragons give their perspective on the utterly insane (if we're being honest) practices of human society and existence. It's funny, it's very well-written and who can say no to dragons forming a union and demanding a payraise? I know I wouldn't!
    • The by now quite lengthy October Daye series from Seanan McGuire. Very lightweight in writing, lots of really cool characters, plot points big but never too dense, it comes together as this really nice lightweight reading for just starting "one more". It's not quite my kind of setting, but I love so many of the characters that I still read every new book.
    4 votes
  21. [2]
    PantsEnvy
    Link
    Lately I've been binging on Expeditionary Force, and The Ranger series. Expeditionary Force is an adult sci fi. The Ranger series I got for my kid. He wasn't interested. I started reading. I...

    Lately I've been binging on Expeditionary Force, and The Ranger series.

    Expeditionary Force is an adult sci fi.

    The Ranger series I got for my kid. He wasn't interested. I started reading. I couldn't stop.

    They are consistent throughout, so you only need to read a few chapters to see if you will like them.

    3 votes
    1. Mnmalst
      Link Parent
      Sadly I am soon reaching the end of Expeditionary Force, really like it!

      Sadly I am soon reaching the end of Expeditionary Force, really like it!

  22. tomf
    Link
    Michael Connelly's Bosch series is a good one because it doesn't follow the same pattern, like a lot of series. If this is out, I'm with SpruceWillis wrt the Bond books. They're so nice and...

    Michael Connelly's Bosch series is a good one because it doesn't follow the same pattern, like a lot of series. If this is out, I'm with SpruceWillis wrt the Bond books. They're so nice and sometimes heartbreaking.

    1 vote
  23. [4]
    CptBluebear
    Link
    I can't stop reading the Malazan series. It's an investment and not an easy read but boy does it deliver over and over again. I'm currently on my second read through of the main series, but all...

    I can't stop reading the Malazan series. It's an investment and not an easy read but boy does it deliver over and over again. I'm currently on my second read through of the main series, but all the novellas and trilogies are great too.

    1 vote
    1. [3]
      deimosthenes
      Link Parent
      Gonna have to have another stab at these. I made it a couple of books in and the world-building was super cool, but I was struggling to keep it all clear in my head.

      Gonna have to have another stab at these. I made it a couple of books in and the world-building was super cool, but I was struggling to keep it all clear in my head.

      1. CptBluebear
        (edited )
        Link Parent
        That's understandable, and a little bit part of the journey. Power through and it'll pay off, I promise. Book two already has a more defined through line than the first one does.

        That's understandable, and a little bit part of the journey. Power through and it'll pay off, I promise. Book two already has a more defined through line than the first one does.

      2. Britimmer
        Link Parent
        I admit the scale intimidated me away. Feels like a proper commit rather than something I can pick up and put down as life dictates.

        I admit the scale intimidated me away. Feels like a proper commit rather than something I can pick up and put down as life dictates.

  24. shrike
    Link
    Frontlines series by Marko Kloos. 8 books and the story is finished. There's one follow-up book with different characters that just came out. A "realistic" scifi series, no blasters or phasers and...

    Frontlines series by Marko Kloos. 8 books and the story is finished. There's one follow-up book with different characters that just came out.

    A "realistic" scifi series, no blasters or phasers and no energy shields. We have colonised planets outside of the solar system. Humanity gets attacked by aliens - not the gray kind but bigger and needs to figure out how to unite and fight back. The MC is a glorified air force traffic controller, which makes things a bit interesting. He's not a super-soldier.

    Palladium Wars by Marko Kloos. 3 books, still ongoing.

    More sci-fi than the previous one, humans have moved to a new solar system a long time ago and the story follows what happens after a war from multiple viewpoints.

    Kloos knows his military terminology and hierarchy, which is usually a sticking point for too many military scifi writers.

    Spiral Wars by Joel Shepherd. 8 books, still ongoing - looks like it'll finish at 9 or 10.

    Earth got attacked by aliens, humans pleaded others to help - they wouldn't. So humans just genocided the attacking race to the last soul. Now humans are a part of the galaxy, even though they're not really keen on letting genodiciding maniacs in. Political intrigue, multiple different alien factions, AI/Robots and some of the best space combat in any books ever. Also Trace Thakur is in my top5 best protagonists ever.

    Cassandra Kresnov series by Joel Shepherd 6 books in total

    The protagonist is a completely artificial person or android (or is she dun-dun), who is smart, beautiful, fast, dangerous and all that.

    Lots of political intrigue, a few good fight scenes. Mostly politics. Not bingeable if politics isn't your thing :)

    1 vote
  25. devilized
    Link
    A lot of answers here that I can relate to. One that I haven't seen mentioned is the Wool/Silo series.

    A lot of answers here that I can relate to. One that I haven't seen mentioned is the Wool/Silo series.

    1 vote
  26. deimosthenes
    Link
    There's some really great recommendations already listed, so I'm definitely going to need to check out some of the ones I don't recognise. One I'd like to throw into the mix is The Wandering Inn....

    There's some really great recommendations already listed, so I'm definitely going to need to check out some of the ones I don't recognise.

    One I'd like to throw into the mix is The Wandering Inn.
    It's a fantasy series which is notable for a huge cast of lovable characters, surprisingly in-depth world-building and just being really, really long. It's the right mix of silly slice of life, epic fantasy and poignant moments to make it really bingeable, so I see the word count as an advantage rather than an imposition.

    Like a few stories mentioned above it's a web novel, with some of the trappings of the progression fantasy and litRPG subgenres. Importantly though the purpose is to tell a good story, these gamey elements are in aid to the story and not the other way around.

    Also the whole thing is available online for free, or there is ebooks / audiobooks for those that prefer to consume it that way.

    1 vote
  27. [2]
    Not_Enough_Gravitas
    Link
    The Culture series of books written by Iain M. Banks is dripping with sci-fi that always stimulates my imagination about the future.

    The Culture series of books written by Iain M. Banks is dripping with sci-fi that always stimulates my imagination about the future.

    1 vote
    1. shrike
      Link Parent
      I love how he just casually mentions these far out sci-fi things like they are completely normal (and they are in the world of The Culture). Like the fact that people can just "gland" any drug...

      I love how he just casually mentions these far out sci-fi things like they are completely normal (and they are in the world of The Culture).

      Like the fact that people can just "gland" any drug they want by producing it themselves in their body automatically.

      Or the fact that a "small" GSV has "only" 250 million people living on it.

      And the main language in Culture is gender neutral, they've progressed past biology defining language as people can change sex at will and AI's exist and don't have a gender anyway.

      2 votes
  28. asteroid
    Link
    Two that haven't been mentioned yet: The Gaslight mysteries by Victoria Thompson, at 27 books and counting. It starts with a midwife in the turn-of-the-century tenements of Manhattan who gets...

    Two that haven't been mentioned yet:

    • The Gaslight mysteries by Victoria Thompson, at 27 books and counting. It starts with a midwife in the turn-of-the-century tenements of Manhattan who gets involved with solving a murder. Beyond the mysteries, it's really good at imparting history in an immersive way.

    • The Penric and Desdemona novellas by Lois McMaster Bujold, set in her World of The Five Gods. I simply love how she envisions what it'd be like to be a sorcerer in that world. And she writes about nice people who are trying to do good things.

    1 vote
  29. Britimmer
    Link
    For my choice of bingeable (and I usually do a annual run through of both) I'd recommend W.E.B. Griffin's The Brotherhood of War series and The Corps series. Both are historical fiction and...

    For my choice of bingeable (and I usually do a annual run through of both) I'd recommend W.E.B. Griffin's The Brotherhood of War series and The Corps series. Both are historical fiction and absolutely nail the vibe of the military. His characters are almost always landed gentry of America, independently wealthy, and in the service by choice but they're never unlikeable. Both are great series and I'd recommend them to anyone.

    1 vote
  30. [3]
    Acorn_CK
    Link
    I read the entirety of the Dresden Files (that are out at the moment) in one month. Easily the hardest I've binged a series. I really enjoyed it as a binge too, the continuity is enough to make it...

    I read the entirety of the Dresden Files (that are out at the moment) in one month.

    Easily the hardest I've binged a series. I really enjoyed it as a binge too, the continuity is enough to make it feel rewarding to binge.

    Also as a note, easily findable online with the addition of "filetype:epub"

    1 vote
    1. [2]
      Britimmer
      Link Parent
      I enjoyed Codex: Alera quite a bit. I read the first Dresden File and it didn't really hook me. Do they get better as they go on?

      I enjoyed Codex: Alera quite a bit. I read the first Dresden File and it didn't really hook me. Do they get better as they go on?

      1. Acorn_CK
        Link Parent
        Yes, give it a bit. It didn't take with me until the 3rd time I tried, actually.

        Yes, give it a bit. It didn't take with me until the 3rd time I tried, actually.

  31. MechanicalMagpie
    (edited )
    Link
    Any of Tamora Pierce's series, with the caveat that there's some Less Than Stellar tropes in the older ones given they were written in the 80s. (She's actually spoken about it and changed things...

    Any of Tamora Pierce's series, with the caveat that there's some Less Than Stellar tropes in the older ones given they were written in the 80s. (She's actually spoken about it and changed things in her later books, which is awesome!)

    Song of the Lioness Quartet, Wild Magic Immortals Quartet, and Protector of the Small Quartet live in my head rent free and fundamentally shaped me as a person. I've probably read them a half dozen times each since I first picked them up as a teenager (which for me is a lot, I dislike re-reading books as a general rule)

    Her Circle of Magic and a Circle Opens series are also stellar. All of her books are loosely set in the same universe, the Circle books are set in a different country than the Lioness, wild magic, and Protector books.

    I'd call them all medieval fantasy, and while they are YA books, they touch on a lot of things that still feel relevant even as an adult.

    1 vote
  32. clayh
    (edited )
    Link
    Check out the Pendergast series by Douglas Preston and Lee Childs. They’re kind of like X-Files detective novels that dip their toes into horror. The other recent series starts with Fourth Wing,...

    Check out the Pendergast series by Douglas Preston and Lee Childs. They’re kind of like X-Files detective novels that dip their toes into horror.

    The other recent series starts with Fourth Wing, by Rebecca Yarros. Very readable but has some extremely explicit sex scenes (that easily can be skipped).

  33. 0d_billie
    Link
    It got mentioned in the book club thread, but the Demon Cycle by Peter V. Brett is wonderfully addicting and keeps you hooked, turning page after page until the very end.

    It got mentioned in the book club thread, but the Demon Cycle by Peter V. Brett is wonderfully addicting and keeps you hooked, turning page after page until the very end.

  34. mattw2121
    Link
    Obviously tastes differ, but the book series that I've read over and over again is the Well World series by Jack L. Chalker. I first read it as a teenager and now, 30 years later, I can't count...

    Obviously tastes differ, but the book series that I've read over and over again is the Well World series by Jack L. Chalker. I first read it as a teenager and now, 30 years later, I can't count how many times I've re-read it.

  35. st3ph3n
    Link
    The Jack Reacher books by Lee Child. There's a ton of them, and they all read like fast-paced action movies. If you're willing to switch off your critical brain for a while and just enjoy reading...

    The Jack Reacher books by Lee Child. There's a ton of them, and they all read like fast-paced action movies. If you're willing to switch off your critical brain for a while and just enjoy reading about Jack Reacher beating the shit out of bad guys who needed their asses kicked anyway, they're a very fun ride.

  36. [2]
    Comment removed by site admin
    Link
    1. first-must-burn
      Link Parent
      Haha, I remember being in Electra, Texas as a kid. I was there with my grandparents to visit my great-grandmother. Electra is basically a nursing home, a hotel, and a dairy queen, but there was...

      Haha, I remember being in Electra, Texas as a kid. I was there with my grandparents to visit my great-grandmother. Electra is basically a nursing home, a hotel, and a dairy queen, but there was this tiny grocery store we stopped at, and I picked up my first Deathlands books from the paperbook rack. I've read so many since then. They are uncomplicated and super fun as long as you're not expecting high art.

      1 vote