[QuickTidal]

worry, on 06 January 2026 - 02:41 PM, said:

Finished book 3 of The Poppy War by RF Kuang

My problem with this series is personal.

It uses the Nanjing Massacre/Rape of Nanjing as fantasy fodder...it gave me the ick, considering my family were involved in the war that fomented that event; my great grand uncle was a soldier on the Japanese side and served directly under General Matsui Iwane (who was eventually held responsible), but he was shifted to another unit in another region further north just months before the massacre. I hazard at what might have happened had he been there when the social and moral order broke down and the soldiers went nuts.

The whole thing feels like it's not the best choice to use as fantasy fodder, like she should have used any other type of event for her plot. She didn't give her fantasy Nanjing stand-in narrative value- that city is literally irrelevant to the reader. We spend no time in it, we meet no inhabitants, we form no attachments... it exists to be the Nanjing of history. To me that feels like she fridged the city for the tragedy we all know about.

I dunno, cool writing, but I hard stopped when I hit that point.

[amphibian]

I DNF that series about 1/3 of the way through the third book. I didn't feel like Kuang was making much of a point with the fantasy Nanjing, the war school stuff, or the countryside politics. The non growth of the main character besides the initial war school stuff was an issue for me and I didn't find the whole thing compelling enough to keep going.

[amphibian]

I just finished the web serial Ar'Kendrithyst after a few months of reading. I believe pretty strongly that this has a Lost the TV series ending issue where the show runners wanting everyone to be together was poorly executed, removed emotional weight from what came before, and left me feeling like I'd very much enjoyed what happened in the middle and hated the ending. There's also the issue of RPG writing in which the levels and stats are discussed about 95% more than they should really be, even if it's a hook to get that class of reader onboarding.

I think those looking for a decent web serial with stats and some fun adventures will find it here. But there's a point at which the downsides of the genre and story pop up often enough that A Readers Decision To Continue is prompted regularly. Bon voyage to those who do embark.

[Tiste Simeon]

Incidentally, QT, I have the book about that by Iris Chang and I'm a little scared to read it!

[polishgenius]

QuickTidal, on 07 January 2026 - 12:47 PM, said:

worry, on 06 January 2026 - 02:41 PM, said:

Finished book 3 of The Poppy War by RF Kuang

My problem with this series is personal.

It uses the Nanjing Massacre/Rape of Nanjing as fantasy fodder...it gave me the ick, considering my family were involved in the war that fomented that event; my great grand uncle was a soldier on the Japanese side and served directly under General Matsui Iwane (who was eventually held responsible), but he was shifted to another unit in another region further north just months before the massacre. I hazard at what might have happened had he been there when the social and moral order broke down and the soldiers went nuts.

The whole thing feels like it's not the best choice to use as fantasy fodder, like she should have used any other type of event for her plot. She didn't give her fantasy Nanjing stand-in narrative value- that city is literally irrelevant to the reader. We spend no time in it, we meet no inhabitants, we form no attachments... it exists to be the Nanjing of history. To me that feels like she fridged the city for the tragedy we all know about.

I dunno, cool writing, but I hard stopped when I hit that point.

I'm not saying you do have to like it but that was absolutely and deliberately the point- Nanjing as a point of generational cultural trauma in China and what that did to people growing up in the country afterwards. So I think calling it 'fridging' is a little unfair since she didn't do it just for the shock value of it but it definitely is about the effects of Nanjing, and not about what happened in Nanjing. I can see what you're saying but I don't think there's a way to fit what you're suggesting in a novel about what she was aiming for. They're two separate stories.

This post has been edited by polishgenius: Yesterday, 09:46 PM

[Tsundoku]

amphibian, on 07 January 2026 - 02:47 PM, said:

I just finished the web serial Ar'Kendrithyst after a few months of reading. I believe pretty strongly that this has a Lost the TV series ending issue where the show runners wanting everyone to be together was poorly executed, removed emotional weight from what came before, and left me feeling like I'd very much enjoyed what happened in the middle and hated the ending. There's also the issue of RPG writing in which the levels and stats are discussed about 95% more than they should really be, even if it's a hook to get that class of reader onboarding.

I think those looking for a decent web serial with stats and some fun adventures will find it here. But there's a point at which the downsides of the genre and story pop up often enough that A Readers Decision To Continue is prompted regularly. Bon voyage to those who do embark.

In case you hadn't seen this site already. I'm sure there's more out there, and even Goodreads might help. Heck, even Reddit if you're feeling game to swim in the muck.

https://progressionfantasy.co.uk/

This post has been edited by Tsundoku: Yesterday, 09:46 PM

[worry]

Tsundoku, on 07 January 2026 - 09:45 PM, said:

to swim in the muck.

AKA take an "Australian bath"

[Cause]

My Life for Princess Donut.

I assumed that Dungeon Crawler Carl would be some incredibly stupid story but based on this forums recommendation and that it was more of a comedy I gave it a chance. Loving book 1. Perfect popcorn fiction.

[JPK]

Cause, on 08 January 2026 - 04:28 AM, said:

My Life for Princess Donut.

I assumed that Dungeon Crawler Carl would be some incredibly stupid story but based on this forums recommendation and that it was more of a comedy I gave it a chance. Loving book 1. Perfect popcorn fiction.

One of us! One of us!

Seriously though, it opens with popcorn but develops into some delirious caramel corn before you realize what's happening. There's surprising depths to the series and some top notch character work in the supporting cast.

[Tsundoku]

worry, on 07 January 2026 - 09:56 PM, said:

Tsundoku, on 07 January 2026 - 09:45 PM, said:

to swim in the muck.

AKA take an "Australian bath"

I think you have us confused with the English, they of the infrequent baths and questionable dental health.

And as if baths where you live are anything but wet sand. Good filtration though.

[QuickTidal]

Tsundoku, on 08 January 2026 - 10:03 AM, said:

worry, on 07 January 2026 - 09:56 PM, said:

Tsundoku, on 07 January 2026 - 09:45 PM, said:

to swim in the muck.

AKA take an "Australian bath"

I think you have us confused with...

I mean....Yahoo Serious.

[Tsundoku]

QuickTidal, on 08 January 2026 - 01:02 PM, said:

Tsundoku, on 08 January 2026 - 10:03 AM, said:

worry, on 07 January 2026 - 09:56 PM, said:

Tsundoku, on 07 January 2026 - 09:45 PM, said:

to swim in the muck.

AKA take an "Australian bath"

I think you have us confused with...

I mean....Yahoo Serious.

Ah yes, that great Tasmanian Albert Einstein. You know there's more than one reason we hang shit on Tasmanians, right?

This post has been edited by Tsundoku: Today, 01:36 PM

[QuickTidal]

Tsundoku, on 08 January 2026 - 01:35 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 08 January 2026 - 01:02 PM, said:

Tsundoku, on 08 January 2026 - 10:03 AM, said:

worry, on 07 January 2026 - 09:56 PM, said:

Tsundoku, on 07 January 2026 - 09:45 PM, said:

to swim in the muck.

AKA take an "Australian bath"

I think you have us confused with...

I mean....Yahoo Serious.

Ah yes, that great Tasmanian Albert Einstein. You know there's more than one reason we hang shit on Tasmanians, right?

LOL