Hello! I’m Dianne, and I’m the fantasy reader (not always). And this tag is all about my personal fantasy preferences. There are so many different types of fantasy, and I try to give them all a fair chance at winning my affection, but there are definitely some that have won me over more than others. There are also a wide variety of fantasy readers, but here are some things about this fantasy reader.
Original tag by Bree @ Falling for Romance, adapted for fantasy by Madi @ The Book Pusher
What is your fantasy origin story? (The first fantasy you read.)
Honestly, I think it may have been Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Maybe? That’s the first one I know for a fact I read, but I wasn’t really into fantasy books back then, so I never got super into it.
If you could be the hero/heroine in a fantasy novel, who would be the author and what’s one trope you’d insist be in the story?
I would want to be the hero of a T. Kingfisher novel, because even though she doesn’t seem to pull any punches when she throws them, I think my chances of surviving until the end are good and I would have a fair balance of laughs and wholesomeness along the way. And I would have to insist on the reluctant hero trope because even fictional me wouldn’t be singing her own praises while she saves the world.
What is a fantasy series you’ve read this year, that you want more people to read?
I want more people to read the Howl’s Moving Castle series, because I hear plenty about the movie, but little about the book, especially the sequels.
What is your favorite fantasy subgenre?
My favorite subgenre would have to be high/epic fantasy because I love fictional worlds and big adventure stories.
What subgenre have you not read much from?
I’ve probably read the least magical realism. It seems like the opposite of my favorite subgenre, so those stories tend to pique my interest the least.
Who is one of your auto-buy fantasy authors?
I try to take authors book by book, but I’m interested in trying all the Mark Lawrence series I’ve heard of so far.
How do you typically find fantasy recommendations? (Goodreads, Youtube, Podcasts, Instagram…)
Other book blogs, YouTube, and publisher e-mails.
What is an upcoming fantasy release you’re excited for?
It may have a release date set a full year from now, but of the fantasy books with set dates, I’m most looking forward to Silverborn by Jessica Townsend, book 4 of the Morrigan Crow series
What is one misconception about fantasy you would like to lay to rest?
That it’s all crazy magic and battles in medieval-inspired settings. As much as I love those things, there are so many different aspects and styles of fantasy, and I really think there’s a flavor for everyone. It’s not always enormous, intimidating tales.
If someone had never read a fantasy before and asked you to recommend the first 3 books that come to mind as places to start, what would those recommendations be?
The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
I think all three of those are different enough that you can get a little fantasy sampler out of them and at least figure out which fantasy elements appeal to you (or don’t).
Who is the most recent fantasy reading content creator you came across that you’d like to shoutout?
Yolanda @ Past Midnight is one of my newest follows, and I love seeing her posts in my feed. She has a good variety of regular book reviews and other bookish content, her graphics are adorable, and she just seems like a lovely person on top of that.
<3D
LessthanThreeD 