[Mithadan]

This is a good thread to re-awaken. There are some very good recommendations made here.

I have read or am reading the following. This list is not limited to fantasy.

Currently reading:

A Memory Called Empire, by Arkady Martine. Very good so far. Smart science fiction focusing upon politics, interstellar culture and imperial court relationships and manipulation. Could be compared to Foundation or Dune in that regard.

Other suggestions or reviews

Martha Wells' Murderbot Diaries series has now expanded to seven books (actually six novellas and one full size novel). The first in the series is All Systems Red. Written in the first person from the perspective of a rogue ai security robot, this series is smart and insightful science fiction, combining action, tech, intrigue and political commentary. Highly recommended.

Theodora Goss' series has gained a nickname, apparently: The Extraordinary Adventures of the Athena Club. The first is The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter. The basic premise is that the spate of monster stories (among others) from (primarily) the nineteenth century are true, and there is a secret society that conducts genetic experiments. The principal characters are what could be described as cast-offs or lost or escaped experiments of the society, mostly women, who are both searching for answers and seeking to protect one another and those with similar backgrounds. Set in the late 1800s, the author mimics the style of writers of that era and clearly did some research. Very enjoyable reading, but on the light side.

Leigh Bardugo, who was apparently gaining a reputation for young adult fantasy, ventured into adult fantasy with two books: The Ninth House and its sequel Hell Bent. While these could be described as Harry Potter for grown-ups (the shortest version of a summary would be that the secret societies at Yale University are founded upon magic), this description does not do them justice. They are adult books -- they are dark, violent and gory -- and they are magic-themed, but the comparison ends there. Unlike HP, magic is very serious, not cute or funny. It is dark and is used for money and power. Issues like addiction and abuse are addressed frankly. These books are very well-written and compelling. Also very highly recommended.

Connie Willis' "Oxford Time Travel" series is outstanding. Funny, poignant and well-researched historically (as a time travel book should be). Begin with Doomsday Book, though I started with To Say Nothing of the Dog. The writing is light in style and is well-researched and includes some dark events in history but draws the reader in (as award winners should).

Ann Leckie's Imperial Radch trilogy (begins with Ancillary Justice) is also excellent. It melds artificial (and/or shared) intelligence with political intrigue with a subtext (if that is the right word) of "gender blindness" (meaning that the reader never learns the gender/sex of any character and it is written as unimportant).