SFF: The 5 Struggles of a Fantasy-Centric Reader

The Sunday Fun Five #33

Sunday Fun 5:

#22: The 5 Books That Remind You of Spring

#23: The 5 Irish Authors Whose Works You Want to Read More Of

#24: The 5 Books With Endings that Made You Mad

#25: The 5 Sunday Fun Fives I Had the Most Fun With

#26: The 5 Book Maps That Could Be/Are Works of Art

#27: The 5 Books You've Been Meaning to Review But Haven't Yet

#28: The 5 Excuses for Not Reading That Just Don't Cut It Anymore

#29: The 5 Summer Vacations You Can Take Through Reading
#30: The 5 Authors You Just Can't Read Enough Of
#31: The 5 Oldest Books You've Read
#32: The 5 Animal Companions You'd Like to Read More About
#33: The 5 Struggles of a Fantasy-Centric Reader
For the 16th of August: #34: The 5 Video Game/Book Pairings to Experience Together

A Countdown of

The 5 Struggles of a Fantasy-Centric Reader

5. The Never-Ending TBR
Every time you finish a book you like, it seems like people recommend a hundred more incredible-sounding books in its place. Don't tell me it doesn't get old- you love fantasy, but good God- your TBR pile! It overfloweth. Not to mention all those series books you love...

4. The Cliques
Don't be fooled into thinking there aren't high school-esque cliques amongst the usually very accepting (scroll down to see why) fantasy community. Each of us has our set of favorite authors, but some you usually like better than others. When you try to explain that in *some* Goodreads groups, you can end up in a conversation like this:

You: I like Newish Author, he has a lot of cool worldbuilding.
Person: No, no, Newish Author just ripped off *names obscure older author*'s worldbuilding. If you want the real thing, read Obscure Older Author.
You: (reads Obscure Older Author's book. Was nothing like Newish Author's book.) I think Obscure Older Author was more like *names another book*, not Newish Author's book.
Person 2: You know who trumps Obscure Older Author AND Newish Author? *names Author with extremely prolific series* You should read Prolific Author instead, the other authors are all novices.
You: *counts to ten and signs off, ne'er to return*

I could name other, more heated arguments I've had on Goodreads book clubs (particularly when I mentioned, along with several others, that the almighty Mr. Gaiman [who is a wonderful human being] was not our cup of coffee as far as authors go), but you get the point. Fantasy cliques exist.

3. The Lifting
Every Stormlight Archive reader knows this- unless you read it on a screen (nice choice- now get the real thing and LIFT). If you read hardback copies of fantasy books, you're an amateur body builder. Congratulations.

2. The Waiting

Why, George R.R. Martin, WHY?????????

1. The Haters
I don't know why on Earth anyone should have to defend their choice in genre, but with fantasy, it seems like you have to, unless you meet a fellow fantasy fan. Before Harry Potter and ASoIaF were a 'thing', it was especially bad, but fantasy prejudice does still exist. That's why, in general, most fantasy fanatics are genuinely nice people- we all know what it's like when someone says, "You read fantasy? Like fairy tales, castles, and horses fantasy?" while we are busy telepathically communicating back, "Hell yeah, fantasy. Like swords, axes, and ravenous dragons fantasy.".


Note: I have an overall dissatifaction with the willy-nilly (pardon the old-folk speak) overuse of the word 'struggle' in clickbait articles. As someone who actually does struggle with a multitude of medical conundrums, I feel it's a bit silly to use it to describe things like "Struggles of People who Play the Sims", when some people have to actually struggle to get food every day. I chose to use the word in a very sarcastic manner after running out of phrases I felt fit the topic, but know I'm not entirely pleased with the initial phrasing of this Fun Five.

What trouble have you run into with reading your favorite genre?