Hello!
Getting back into reading for the first time in a while, and I need suggestions on books.
Been trying to get into dark fantasy/fantasy horror, but it's been a struggle finding much of interest. I feel this is the best genre for my tastes, but I could be wrong. I enjoy books that are dark, perhaps with some horror elements, that are fantasy or sci-fi. It doesn't need to be nihilistic or anything, but just having darker themes and darker events and perhaps endings that aren't all that pleasant, although good endings are welcome, too.
I've tried Pilgrim, by Mitchell Luthi, and I *hated* it. Felt like it didn't go anywhere, the characters had no depth, and I felt as though I didn't understand what was happening. Plus, it was a little too grounded in reality, if that makes sense. Not enough fantasy elements. I read the whole thing and it was an exercise in torture. (Oddly enough, it isn't even listed as dark fantasy some places, but I could have sworn I saw it suggested as a dark fantasy book. Oh well.)
I'm not huge on high fantasy – I've been trying to read Elantris, by Brandon Sanderson, and it's been a struggle getting through all the high fantasy names and such without laughing. This has consistently been an issue for me with high fantasy. ("'I met a Derethi arteth in Duladel twelve years ago. He preached to me, and I believed. He gave me copies of the Do-Keseg and the Do-Dereth, and I read them both in one night."' This was enough to make me crack, but the whole third chapter is full of things like this and it's too much for me. I can deal with high fantasy ideas and everything – the first couple chapters were great – but things like this are over the top.)
I read The Gunslinger. I thought it was excellent, and I intend to read the rest of the series. The setting, the characters and their depth, the events, the cosmic horror type stuff and all that made it a very engaging read.
I've been reading Berserk. I'm on volume 35 or 36 now, so I think it's safe to say that I adore it. I love the characters and their depth, I love the setting, I love the emotional aspects of the story and the characters, I love the borderline eldritch horror aspects of it as well, and pretty much everything else, too.
I tend to like stories that avoid most political intrigue, and that have a lot of character development. I like the ones that have an emotional aspect to them. I have a fondness and affinity for things that have some cosmic horror integrated into them as well.
Any suggestions? Sorry for the novella post, I just wanted to give as much helpful information as possible.
by Crazycukumbers