Where are you in Fantasyland? January 2024

I'm digging into Dawn -- I find January a great month for Octavia Butler's books each year, as the lull after the holidays gives me more time to spend with reading.

In non-reading news, I watched The Boy and the Heron and it has turned out to be my favorite Miyazaki film, reminding me more strongly of Diana Wynne Jones's work than any other movie from that studio (yes, including the adaptation of Howl).

What are you reading in this new year?

I'm in Ankh Morpork with Granny and Esk in Equal Rites.

>1 Kanarthi: Oh, I already wanted to see The Boy and the Heron but the DWJ comparison means I need to make it a priority!!!!

I'm in Leeds where we are Baking Bad.

In Arasht watching Kadou recover from some serious misjudgments. A Taste of Gold and Iron.

Entering The night circus and also following Vølvens vej.

Still on the Discworld, I have firmed up my decision to do a reread in publication order and started The Colour of Magic.

>7 elorin: The first three were my favorite. I've enjoyed others, but The Color of Magic, The Light Fantastic and Equal Rites remain my favorites.

>8 vwinsloe: I think Small Gods is my favorite, followed closely by Pyramids, but I am really a fan of most of them.

>8 vwinsloe: >9 elorin: I'm partial to the Death books and Watch books, particularly Guards! Guards!, Reaper Man, and Night Watch, but I also love Monstrous Regiment. And probably others I'm forgetting. Seems like maybe I should join you in this reread, elorin!

I'm in a pseudo-Greek or Byzantine empire with The Shadow of Tyr.

I'm going to reach the war with the Monstrous Regiment.

I began the Chorus of Dragons series by Jenn Lyons in 2023. Today I just finished the final book, The Discord of Gods. 2024 is off to a great start!

>8 vwinsloe: >9 elorin: >10 curioussquared: I started with Going Postal and it's still my favorite, followed by The Truth although I was pleasantly surprised by my first read of Equal Rites last year as well. Keep us updated with your reread!

Feeling restless so I picked up an additional book today for variety, Thieves World.

I am heading to the Discworld for The Color of Magic.

I'm on the Spaceship You Sexy Thing looking for the Devil's Gun - I know SF, but with magic and paladins ....

I've just left the Isle of Skye where I've been enjoying a Selkie Summer. SF on the surface, but underneath deepest fantasy. A nice wee read.

>5 quondame: I am now in Arasht with Kadou myself! As well as Blunder in Two Twisted Crowns.

I'm in suburbia watching women turn into dragons.

>20 quondame: Is that in When women were dragons, perhaps?

>21 karenb: Yes, it is. I'm almost outta there. I'd spent time with Penric and Desdemona just before.

I'm still on the Discworld with The Light Fantastic

I am in the Drowned country, sequel to Silver in the wood, a historical fantasy set in rural England.

I've just started The Book of Atrix Wolfe, and I'm not sure which of the interestingly names countries I'm in at the moment.

>6 amberwitch: I loved The Night Circus. There are details to quibble about, but the atmosphere is wonderful.

I was in Jackson, Mississippi and New Orleans, Louisiana -- and briefly in the Remarkable city of Uhuru -- via The Manifestor prophecy, the first book in the series Nic Blake and the Remarkables by Angie Thomas (author of The Hate U Give, among other books).

I am in NYC with the author of The Shambling Guide to New York City, the in book author, Zoë, that is.

Setting out on an ocean voyage from Batavia to Amsterdam in The Devil and the Dark Water.

In the Celestial kingdom with Daughter of the moon goddess. It started out fine, but have devolved into a somewhat juvenile and boring 'special girl' love triangle+

I'm not yet sure where I am in Diane Duane's Stealing the Elf King's Roses.

I am starting a re-read of The Silmarillion. I read it when I was 13-14 and I thought I'd have another go at it 40 years later. I bought a nice hardcover version (the 2004 edition with the Ted Nasmith illustrations and the giant foldout map).

>31 drmamm:, you're bound to get a lot more out of it now. Anything I read and loved at that age, I think the opposite would happen, lol.

I did visit Good Neighbours; the full collection (country unknown) but am now in Sacoridia about to search for The High King's Tomb.

>30 quondame: Ah, I'm in Los Angeles? but in my town, and LA is my town, there is no 18th that intersects Melrose and Wilshire and Wilshire Blvd. is in no way a block or two from Melrose!

I'm in a world that's changing, following The Dragon's Path.
I decided to re-read this great series!

Still on the Discworld with Sourcery but also exploring the land of Fae with A Thorn Among Fae.

>32 Cecrow: Yes, definitely. It was a little "woo-woo" for my teenaged brain. Interestingly, I re-read Lord of the Rings a few months ago, and, while it was great, it didn't quite hit the same as when I read it at 12.

I had a lovely visit to the castle and nearby villages in Summers at Castle Auburn.

Still in the same book but we've moved on to Ys. I am never getting through this book - it is just interesting enough to want to keep going, but the flow is just not moving along...

I'm continuing on the Disc with The Light Fantastic.

>33 humouress: Still in Sacoridia but simultaneously journeying in salt-mist locked Blunder juggling Two Twisted Crowns (after a visit to the fictional village of Carsely in the Cotswolds to investigate The Quiche of Death and The Vicious Vet; does that count as Fantasyland?).

On the subject of Discworld there is a group read in the 75 book group; currently it's for the Discworld: Witches subseries.

Last year it was for the Discworld: Death subseries; I only managed Mort, the first book. (Here, if you want to join in/ read the comments.)

Further on the subject of the Discworld, there's an LT group if you'd be interested in joining. https://www.librarything.com/ngroups/1681/All-Things-Discworldian-The-Guild-of-P...

I started a reread of the Discworld books in mostly publication order at the beginning of 2024 and I am tracking progress and comments in that group and anyone is welcome to join at any point.
https://www.librarything.com/topic/356792#n8374134
Currently reading Sourcery.

In Skye, reading The Tower at Stony Wood by McKillip. Maybe not my favorite McKillip, but still excellent.

In Granada with Hassan and Fatima, running from the Spanish Inquisition to The Bird King.

On Discworld watching a ball game.

In Lyonesse, wrapping up my long overdue reread of the trilogy (and experiencing it properly, really, for the first time) by learning more about the foundling princess, Madouc.

Discworld involved in foot-the-ball.

Rereading The Dark Is Rising sequence by Susan Cooper again (don't be fooled, Dark Is Rising is NOT the 1st book in the series, that would be Over Sea, Under Stone). Highly recommend! Pretty good at avoiding politics, but there is a little in Silver on the Tree. For something almost 5 times my age, I enjoy it a lot!

>49 ZephyrusBlue: Yes, I reread the Dark is Rising series a year or two ago, and enjoyed them just as much.

Just came back from an old estate in upstate New York, and a seelie realm connected with it, in Solstice Wood by Patricia A. McKillip. i loved the Riddlemaster sequence when I was much younger, but stopped reading her at some point after reading a couple I found disappointing. But this was the award-winning creator of magic again. A fast read, but quite enchanting. Her touch with archetypes is perfect.

In a parallel London, helping Dora look for Half a Soul.

Concurrently in Basgiliath college in the country of Navarre (listening to the audiobooks, so I'm unsure of spellings) training with Violet and The Fourth Wing.

>49 ZephyrusBlue:, >50 rshart3: This is one of my favourite series! I've been reading it since I was a child and still love it!

In Klatch with Rincewind and the luggage.

>49 ZephyrusBlue: >50 rshart3: >53 Sakerfalcon: Same here :) Read the books as a kid, but they've definitely held up as an adult!

I'm beginning a journey to Hrafnsvik in Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries.

I'm still wandering around Greece day by day with Latro.

Still on The Silmarillion. Enjoying it, but taking my time.

Well I'm half about to go to Tithena with Velasin vin Aaro or I haven't half a clue with Tamsin in The Bone Harp, just out today.

Next month's thread: https://www.librarything.com/topic/358031