How do you discover books?

Lotherio

@arkandel said in How do you discover books?:

So recently I discovered there's a name for one of my favorite tropes in literature; progressive fantasy. That's the kind of book where a protagonist starts from humble beginnings, they go to some kind of school or undergo training, and then by the end of the story they become badass.

Isn't this just classical fantasy? Is the humble beginning the distinguisher? Paul Atriedes and Frodo Baggins don't fit cause they're not from a humble beginning? Luke Skywalker doesn't count because even though he's an orphan that leanrs a style of teaching (jedi), he's not quite humble?

Derp

@lotherio said in How do you discover books?:

Luke Skywalker doesn't count because even though he's an orphan that leanrs a style of teaching (jedi), he's not quite humble?

Isn't he technically royalty?

reimesu

@derp Luke? No. Leia was, but that's because she was adopted by royalty.

Derp

@reimesu said in How do you discover books?:

@derp Luke? No. Leia was, but that's because she was adopted by royalty.

Yyyyeah but their mom was a queen, and then went on to be a galactic senator.

Right?

il-volpe

In library-land, helping people find something new to read that they'll probably like is called "reader's advisory" and it's a skill they kinda-sorta teach the capital-L librarians in grad school. Ask a librarian to demonstrate.

reimesu

@derp ...I never once connected that thought. Although, Padme's position as queen was an elected one, so I don't know if that counts as royalty. But that's nitpicky.

Misadventure

@reimesu nah, that's exactly it. It's an elected, not bloodline position. Breha Organa is queen of Alderan, I assume for life or thereabouts.

I will say that if you ever so much as like an author on Facebook, you will get increasing offers for free books, free books on joining a newletter, or books for $.99. That's not a bad way to be exposed to fairly random things. I've even had it come around to authors I know, and who are fairly successful.

I grew up reading many of the "classics" and that included books recommended by Dragon Magazine (and others) as well as RPGs.

CJ Cherryh was a staple of mine, and I have I don't know how many series of hers left to try. It may come across as too dry (also as head trauma starvation theater).

I also dig the American Fabulists or whatever you call Tim Powers, James Blaylock et al.

Lotherio

An old way to find books to read that one may not have read before is Project Gutenberg. Public domain works that are available for free on-line. It has lots of classics, lots of great old stuff, much of what has inspired what we read today.

Arkandel

@derp said in How do you discover books?:

@reimesu said in How do you discover books?:

@derp Luke? No. Leia was, but that's because she was adopted by royalty.

Yyyyeah but their mom was a queen, and then went on to be a galactic senator.

Right?

Padme wasn't royalty, that was 'just' the title she got as an elected representative of her people. Her children, if Anakin hadn't gone uh a little off the rails, wouldn't have had inherited titles even if she had lived to raise them.