this post was submitted on 05 May 2026
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The fetish/harem stuff is infuriating, partly because it adds nothing, but mostly because it tends to sneak up on you. You think the book is setting up a normal (if hacky) romance subplot, and then the author starts introducing one or two more characters who could potentially be romantic partners, and then you have that moment of like "oh god, not this shit again." I'm not one of those "there shouldn't be sex in fiction" people, but sometimes I wish that horny jail was real. That said, the point about Patreon whales is a good one.
Thanks for the recommendations! I find it hard to get a sense of what's good from reading reviews because people seem to be all over the place about what they consider to be good writing, and the stuff that's broadly appealing isn't always my jam. Wandering Inn has come up pretty consistently, so with that endorsement I'll put it in the queue.
For what it is worth in terms of the recommendations, I would say that all of the recommendations I tend to make are the ones I would tell my non-reading friends about if they asked - purely on the basis that I consider their writing/editing/plots to at least be on par with most sci-fi or fantasy you can find on the Best Sellers table at like, Barnes & Noble. I think Worm, Wandering Inn, and Pale Lights have the same writing quality (better, if I'm being honest) than your average Brandon Sanderson or Sarah Mass novel.
Let me add The Elf Who Would Become A Dragon to my previous recommendations, because it is definitely my favorite serial of 2026. and I was reminded of it when I mentioned the rare story where romance is written genuinely well. It isn't even the focus of the story - it is at its heart shaping up to be a story about rejection/cultural dissonance shown through the lens of elves and how their long lives make parts of their culture difficult to change. Fantastically written. It, Pale Lights, Worm, and even TWI are all books I would purchase physical copies of and proudly display on my bookshelf!