Hey all! Im very new to reading sci fi and (sometimes) fantasy books, after being in a 5-year reading slump. Theres so many good books out there that are in my TBR that i feel like i need to rush through them to catch up to current book discussions or books clubs. Im also not very keen right now on joining a book club of this genres because their discussions are FILLED with spoilers for other series (know this from a friend). Even though it would be amazing to make some friends with the same interests.
So, how do I avoid feeling rushed and actually enjoy the current books that Im reading? Also anyone that had the same issues?
Sidenote: I feel like literature is kind of becoming like TV shows and movies (quantity over quality)
by Numerous-Quail7200
6 Comments
To avoid feeling rushed = don’t rush
Leave the book clubs or don’t join in the discussions. Use their suggestions. Read at your own pace and your own enjoyment. Never read for anyone else.
Try reading some classic works that no one else you are in contact with is reading. They are likely to be good and you can read them at any pace you like. SF authors like Ursula le Guin, John Wyndham and Robert Heinlein are still pretty readable.
for quality over quantity, you want some classics. fantasy has one answer, tollkien and middle earth. for sci fi, try Dune or Snowcrash or Diamond Age if you really ate your wheaties. all 3 are gems but dune is very social and diamond age is like getting a phd in applied physics. good lick!
I find it more peaceful not to have a TBR. Knowing that “No matter how much I read I will never be able to read everything” helps because there’s no point trying. DNF books that bores me, no matter how many good reviews they have or how popular they are. Go back to old books that are favourited by many generations instead of chasing the endless stream of new books pumping out like hot pies these days. Just really focus on your experience of reading rather than worrying about how many books you read.
Instead of thinking of my TBR as books I want/need to read, I think of it as books I would probably enjoy reading. So more of a curated pool of options than a queue or todo list.