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The Poppy War: A Novel (The Poppy War, 1)
R. F Kuang
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“I have no doubt this will end up being the best fantasy debut of the year [...] I have absolutely no doubt that [Kuang’s] name will be up there with the likes of Robin Hobb and N.K. Jemisin.”
— Booknest
A Library Journal, Paste Magazine, Vulture, BookBub, and ENTROPY Best Books pick! Washington Post "5 Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Novel" pick! A Bustle "30 Best Fiction Books" pick!
A brilliantly imaginative talent makes her exciting debut with this epic historical military fantasy, inspired by the bloody history of China’s twentieth century and filled with treachery and magic, in the tradition of Ken Liu’s Grace of Kings and N.K. Jemisin’s Inheritance Trilogy.
When Rin aced the Keju—the Empire-wide test to find the most talented youth to learn at the Academies—it was a shock to everyone: to the test officials, who couldn’t believe a war orphan from Rooster Province could pass without cheating; to Rin’s guardians, who believed they’d finally be able to marry her off and further their criminal enterprise; and to Rin herself, who realized she was finally free of the servitude and despair that had made up her daily existence. That she got into Sinegard—the most elite military school in Nikan—was even more surprising.
But surprises aren’t always good.
Because being a dark-skinned peasant girl from the south is not an easy thing at Sinegard: targeted from the outset by rival classmates for her color, poverty, and gender, Rin discovers she possesses a lethal, unearthly power—an aptitude for the nearly-mythical art of shamanism. Exploring the depths of her gift with the help of a seemingly insane teacher and psychoactive substances, Rin learns that gods long thought dead are very much alive—and that mastering control over those powers could mean more than just surviving school.
For while the Nikara Empire is at peace, the Federation of Mugen still lurks across a narrow sea: the militarily advanced Federation occupied Nikan for decades after the First Poppy War, and only barely lost the continent in the Second. And while most of the people are complacent to go about their lives, a few are aware that a Third Poppy War is just a spark away . . .
Rin’s shamanic powers may be the only way to save her people: but as she finds out more about the god that has chosen her, the vengeful Phoenix, she fears that winning the war may cost her humanity . . . and that it may already be too late.
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Boundless Press\ \ Jananie\ \ • Mar 9 2023
tier ranking your fave book tropes & recommending books based on them
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faqs 🤍 how do you pronounce your name? - my name is Jananie—pronounced JEN-nah-nee (like a knee!)
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48 books
Posts about this book from across Bindery
Last Book Club on the Left\ \ Last Podcast Network\ \ • Jul 28
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\ \ The votes are in, Fiction it is! This series was picked by our beloved Marcus\ \
While Babel usually gets a lot of the attention when people talk about Kuang, the Poppy War Trilogy is an incredible series too. Instead of a fantasy world based on a European medieval setting, the Poppy War has a decidedly Eastern perspective. These differences create fascinating characters and situations that make the fantasy genre feel new again. Kuang has also created a difficult and sometimes unlikable main character whom you truly root for and care about, which is a near impossible task. I devoured this series.\ \ What should our next recommendation be?](https://lastpod.binderybooks.com/item/XocchjU9mZramao8gjsn/)
3 books
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DocoftheDarkArts\ \ Bob Stuntz\ \ • Jun 23
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Book Review Tuesday: The Dragon Republic by RF Kuang
Have you read the Dragon Republic and if so, what did you think?
While this is not going to ultimately be a top tier series for me, I am really glad that I decided to push myself a bit and read the Dragon Republic. Kuang’s growth as a writer is evident, and we finally get some of that character work I was missing in book one. Is Rin still immensely frustrating? Yes, but I think that’s the point, and the character work we get makes her so much more interesting in this one.
#thedragonrepublic #thepoppywar #fantasybookreview
2 books
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DocoftheDarkArts\ \ Bob Stuntz\ \ • Jun 7
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[Poll:\ \ Should I give Dungeon Crawler Carl another try and read book 2?\ \ The Sunday Prescription \ \ One reading topic, one week of plans, and plenty of books administered weekly for chronic readers.\ \ \ \ Happy Sunday everyone, and welcome to the first installment of The Sunday Prescription, where each week I plan on discussing a bookish topic, my reading plans for the week, and call out some books you all should be checking out! And as always, none of my stuff is written with any kind of generative AI - it's just me rambling!\ \ My Symptoms: DNFing \ \ I've talked a bunch before both here and other platforms about DNFing books, and my general thoughts around that. And, truth be told, I think I have a pretty solid feel for how I handle individual books. But I've had a few experiences this week that have really got me thinking about my approach to a series and whether I DNF that or not. \ \ First, I saw some really interesting reels from C.J.Dennyreads and Sarahdoesbookishstuff\ \ where they discussed the price of admission for reading a series, or the idea that for some series, you need to make it through a book or two before the series "gets good." This is pretty common (Suneater, Dungeon Crawler Carl, Throne of Glass all come to mind). Now generally speaking, I usually give a series one book. One. That's it. My thought is that, if I get to the end of book one, and I absolutely hate the characters, the story, and am severely bored or angry, I should just DNF the series. Stop. Do not pass go. Do not collect any money because I don't get paid to read things I hate. And as I thought about my favorite series, I realized I loved all the book 1's. \ \ Now of course, if I can find some redeeming qualities, or see some light at the end of the tunnel, I'll keep going. However, Both Sarah and CJ made some great points and really got me thinking about this. Then I started listening to The Dragon Republlic, book 2 in The Poppy War Trilogy, and that got me thinking even more. Mild spoilers ahead for The Poppy War in the next paragraph. \ \ I've posted my review of The Poppy War on socials before, and I really struggled with Rin. I think throughout the book, she wreaked havoc on everyone around her, made frustrating decisions (even for someone her age), and showed a tendency to be a sociopath (remember in tactics when she suggested to ruin the ecology of an area of the country for decades and lose tons of civilians in the process just to win one battle? THAT'S A SOCIOPATH!). And by the end, I was like wow, this book is really just about a sociopath who gets too much power and how bad war is - I know how that works as an avid reader of history. \ \ Over the last few months I have been strongly considering DNFing the whole series, because I just thought this was a one note, one theme series, and I didn't find any of the characters interesting or compelling. Just kind of different shades of miserable. However, CJ and Sarah got me thinking about if I'm being too harsh. So I got my Libro audiobook credits, and promptly picked up the Dragon Republic. And wishing the first few chapters, this book is already showing more humanity and nuance for our characters than the entire first book, and has even made Rin redeemable for me. I was floored by how good the first six or so chapters have been. And it's made me think: should I revisit a few series I put down after book one, or start a series I have said I never would?\ \ Now this is not to say I expect every single reading experience going forward to be game changing, and I will still probably DNF some series and avoid others. But it got me thinking about how I might tweak this approach this year. It's even got me thinking about whether or not I should read book 2 of Dungeon Crawler Carl. Let me know what you think in the poll below!\ \ The Rx: What I'm Reading and Doing \ \ Now as you all know, I am a feral mood reader, so my plans always reserve the right to change. However, this is what I'm reading this week:\ \
- Our Sister's Keeper by Jasmine Holmes - this is a Bindery book, and I got an ARC on NetGalley. I'm going to finish the sone up as soon as I hit send on this newsletter. I have LOVED this so far. It is a souther gothic horror that focuses on a black town in Mississippi in the 1920's where the women are forced to bear the men's burdens through a mystical act, leaving the town eerily patriarchal and off. \ \
- You Weren't Meant to be Human by Andrew Joseph White - Buddy reading this with a few of you all (Aiko in particular!), and have loved it so far. Body horror about a trans man in a dystopian world where cults, body horror, and the horror of existence for marginalized communities are explored. \ \
- The Dragon Republic by RF Kuang - Will it turn out I love The Poppy War Trilogy?\ \
- Songs of the Dead by Brandon Sanderson and Peter Ourllian - I was offered this as an ARC last week, and thought it would be cool to check out!\ \ \ I am also excited because I'm approaching 25k on Instagram, 10k on TikTok, 1500 on YouTube, and 250+ here on bindery. The support everyone has shown me in the last year has been tremendous, and I'm working on a cool giveaway to celebrate all of these milestones. So stay Tuned!\ \ Like More In-Depth Access? \ \ If you enjoy getting into the details with me about reading, then consider upgrading to The Dark Travelers tier. My Dark Travelers get an exclusive Discord role and channels, a weekly deep dive reading update video, early access to YouTube videos, and each month they get to pick a book for me to read. This can be a book they want to read with me, or something they want me to try for them. I'm running over to my bookstore today to grab this month's pick, Stoner by John Williams, and we're doing Headlights by CJ Leede in July! It's super fun and a great tight knit group that I really enjoy talking books with, and I'd love to have you part of it!\ \ Thank you as always for being here, and I hope you all have a great week of reading!\ \ Join for free or login](https://docofthedarkarts.binderybooks.com/item/wING2g2ZsTQqWB2Uh8AH/)
The Sunday Prescription: June 7, 2026
One reading topic, one week of plans, and plenty of books administered weekly for chronic readers.
7 books
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Betty's Bookish Thoughts\ \ Betty\ \ • May 10
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Welcome to Betty Bookish Thoughts!
Consider this a mini introduction to my bookish taste and loves!
If I can’t choose just one genre to love, why not all?! 🥰 There are too many books and authors I admire whose characters and words speak to me and make their worlds feel real. Let me know which books resonate with you, and I’d love to hear your own bookish responses as well (in particular, I want to know which books made you ugly cry 🤭)!
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Alysha Fortune Reads\ \ Alysha\ \ • Jan 14
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Women Fantasy Authors that arent romantasy
Here is my completed list of fantasy and scifi books written by women that aren’t Romantasy! #books #booktok #bookstagram #booksta #bookworm #fantasybooks #fantasy #scifi #Romantasy #womenauthors
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DocoftheDarkArts\ \ Bob Stuntz\ \ • Jan 12
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DocoftheDarkArts\ \ Bob Stuntz\ \ • Dec 24 2025
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\ \ Join for free or login](https://docofthedarkarts.binderybooks.com/item/L7ZHuaInSkSp4uqXQhK2/)
Weekly Reading Update: 12/15 - 12/22
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DocoftheDarkArts\ \ Bob Stuntz\ \ • Dec 17 2025
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\ \ Join for free or login](https://docofthedarkarts.binderybooks.com/item/0krz3ittx8iVvCvGs20D/)
Weekly Reading Update: 12/8 - 12/15
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Ezeekat Press\ \ Jaysen\ \ • Oct 7 2025
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\ \ Join for free or login](https://ezeekat.binderybooks.com/item/swTjYLFE8iqQeFqBGAFN/)
AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT - Grimdark? Noblebright?, aka Let Me Cook by U.M. Agoawike
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chronicallybookish\ \ Kaley\ \ • Sep 15 2025
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rf kuang scares me and i don't know where to start with her books
RF Kuang scares me idk if I’m smart enough for this but I WANT TO BE #booktok #kfkuang #katabasis #fantasybooks #darkacademia
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The Coterie\ \ Mikah Mia Reads\ \ • Jul 28 2025
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another round of my tried and true favs!! if anyone has any other recs for books that hit as hard as fanfic lmk bc those are so hard to find
17 books
The Inkborne Society\ \ Azhangia\ \ • May 7 2025
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[Welcome to the Inkborne Society ✨- I'm so glad you're here! To kick things off, I’ve put together a few Q&As to share a bit more about me, what this space is for, and what you can expect around here. Can't wait to build this community together!\ \ Why are you excited to join Bindery?\ \ The best stories are the ones we experience together, and I’m thrilled to join Bindery to connect and build community in a new way, share a broader range of content, and uplift diverse voices across all genres, especially fantasy, sci-fi, and dark academia.\ \ What can members expect?\ \ Expect a space to connect, share, and celebrate the books we love, access to a community Discord, buddy reads, and exclusive Bindery content including editing tutorials, long-form reviews, monthly lists of new SFF releases, book recommendation articles, thoughts on book-to-screen adaptations, and more!\ \ What are some of your favorite books and series?\ \
- Piranesi (Susanna Clarke)\ \
- Blood Over Bright Haven (M.L. Wang)\ \
- The Broken Earth Trilogy (N.K. Jemisin)\ \
- The Poppy War Trilogy (R.F. Kuang)\ \
- Circe (Madeline Miller)\ \
- The Sword of Kaigen (M.L. Wang)\ \
- The Paper Menagerie (Ken Liu)\ \
- Best Served Cold (Joe Abercrombie)\ \
- This is How You Lose the Time War (Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone)\ \
- A Song of Ice and Fire (George R.R. Martin)\ \
- The Spear Cuts Through Water (Simon Jimenez)\ \
- The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins)\ \ \ What’s in the Discord, and how do I access it?\ \ The Inkborne Society Discord is linked at the top of my site and features channels to discuss books, film/tv, content creator tips and tricks (including ARC requests and influencer programs), and much more! To make sure your Bindery subscriber tier transfers over to Discord, please integrate your account.\ \ Update: As of September 2025, our newly launched community book club will also be holding discussions on Discord!\ \ What is Bindery?\ \ Bindery is a community-powered book publisher - think of it as part publishing house, part Substack, part Patreon, and part content hub all rolled into one. It gives creators a place to bring everything together: they can link content from across social platforms, share exclusive Bindery content (like articles, rec lists, videos, and polls), and connect with their audience more directly. There are also perks like Discord communities, book clubs, and whatever else creators dream up!\ \ One of the coolest parts of The Bindery is that Tastemakers (that’s what content creators are called on the platform) who grow strong, engaged communities have the chance to launch their very own imprint, and the community gets to be part of the entire journey - from acquisition all the way to publication!\ \ A Little More About Me\ \ Hi! My name is Amanda - I’m in my mid-twenties and based in New York City. I started creating book content about two years ago using the moniker "azhangia" and it’s been such a joy to connect with others who love stories as much as I do.\ \ Fantasy, mythology, sci-fi, dark academia, and literary fiction are some of my favorite genres, and I often find myself gravitating towards sad books (the more devastating, the better). When I am not reading, I can be found listening to film scores, attending dance classes, or lurking around in dessert spots around the city!\ \ Thank you so much for being here, and once again, welcome to The Inkborne Society.](https://azhangia.binderybooks.com/item/9FIRo8zNLlDddLHPu3jy/)
Welcome to The Inkborne Society ✨
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Bookwyrm Ink\ \ Bookwyrm Ink\ \ • Apr 23 2025
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\ \ Join for free or login](https://azthiabookwyrm.binderybooks.com/item/8yNx7AT6NeDwCQ9y7ykl/)
New to Fantasy? Here's a good place to start!
Any books you would add to the list? 🤔📚
9 books
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Kirstyn's Bookshelf\ \ Kirstyn\ \ • Apr 22 2025
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I would do ANYTHING to read these books for the first time again 🔥💗
We're back with part 2 of books I would commit crimes to read for the first time all over again! What books make it to this level of amazing for you?
Shop books mentioned & checkout my exclusive community: https://kirstynsbookshelf.binderybooks.com/
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11 books
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Left Unread Books\ \ Michael LaBorn\ \ • Apr 7 2025
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Here is the list of books we will be reading in bookclub for the rest of the year.
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Kirstyn's Bookshelf\ \ Kirstyn\ \ • Apr 4 2025
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So many 5-star books for march!
March was SUCH a great reading month for me! What was your fav book you read this month?
Shop books mentioned: https://kirstynsbookshelf.binderybooks.com/
Thank you for being here ☺️
💌CONTACT ME: hello@lareesocial.com
MY AMAZON STOREFRONT: https://amzn.to/40DKoWe
💗JOIN MY COMMUNITY💗 INSTAGRAM: http://bit.ly/3zodqNo GOODREADS: http://bit.ly/40DKgWK
5 books
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Kirstyn's Bookshelf\ \ Kirstyn\ \ • Apr 3 2025
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I read The Poppy War on vacation—send help 🌴🥺
I had so much fun reading The Poppy War, but I keep putting off starting the next book. I need some encouragement! I want to hear your thoughts about the series and which book is your fav!
Thank you for being here:)
CONTACT ME: hello@lareesocial.com
MY AMAZON STOREFRONT: https://amzn.to/40DKoWe
JOIN MY COMMUNITY INSTAGRAM: http://bit.ly/3zodqNo GOODREADS: http://bit.ly/40DKgWK
Music: Let's Celebrate Musician: Music_Unlimited Site: https://pixabay.com/music/letx27s-celebrate-lo-fi-hip-hop-music-121573/
Music: Mornings Musician: Jeff Kaale
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Kirstyn's Bookshelf\ \ Kirstyn\ \ • Mar 31 2025
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Have you read The Poppy War trilogy? If so, which book is your fav?
#bookrecommendations #thepoppywar #literaryfiction #books #fantasybook
3 books
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Kirstyn's Bookshelf\ \ Kirstyn\ \ • Mar 31 2025
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What’s on your March TBR? 👇🏼
Books mentioned: Acts of Desperation by Megan Nolan I Who Have Never Known Men by Jaqueline Harpmen The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang The Bee Sting by Paul Murray
#bookrecommendations #books #booksbooksbooks
4 books
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Kirstyn's Bookshelf\ \ Kirstyn\ \ • Mar 31 2025
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25 Amazing Books I Want to Read in 2025
My 2025 TBR goes hard. I seriously could not be more excited to read these books. What are you reading this year?
Thank you for being here:)
CONTACT ME: hello@lareesocial.com
MY AMAZON STOREFRONT: https://amzn.to/40DKoWe
JOIN MY COMMUNITY INSTAGRAM: http://bit.ly/3zodqNo GOODREADS: http://bit.ly/40DKgWK
Music: Mornings Musician: Jeff Kaale
23 books
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Peppered Ink\ \ Mary\ \ • Feb 23 2025
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11 books
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JemilaBeReadin\ \ JemilaBeReadin\ \ • Feb 20 2025
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Books I’ve discovered through booktok
Books I’ve discovered through booktok. It’s been real y’all. I hope to continue talking about books with y’all elsewhere on the internet! 🫶🏾 People mentioned in this video: @dakota bossard @Amivi⁷ @Alex @IG/YT: bookbaddiebri ᥫ᭡ @sometimesrobinreads🤎📚 @Torri🌻 @Kennedy Ryan @Nisha Sharma @schizophrenicreads on Substack @aubrei @Mari - booktok + media reviews @ig: vivafalastinleen 🇵🇸 @Hana 🍉 @Viano Oniomoh 💖 #readersoftiktok #bookishthings #bookishtiktok #booktok #bookrecommendations #romancebooktok #nonfictionbooktok #literarytok #blackromance #bookishtok #readersofbooktok
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Peppered Ink\ \ Mary\ \ • Feb 10 2025
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(Belated) Weekly Reading Update
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Peppered Ink\ \ Mary\ \ • Jan 26 2025
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Skies Press\ \ Emma\ \ • Dec 18 2024
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Books that do what Fourth Wing thought it was doing, but don’t suck
Books that do what Fourth Wing thought it was doing but don’t suck 😃 This is an older video I’m reposting bc it randomly started gaining traction again the last few days. Can you tell I’ve gotten a lot more…shall we say *deliberate* in how i feel about Fourth Wing? 😂 A lot of the original marketing of FW from what i remember (and why i bought it) was as a dragon riding military college brutal story, NOT as a from blood and ash style romance book, which is why i originally made this video of hey here are better examples of what this book was apparently trying to do and did very very poorly. I recorded this while i was in an airport waiting for my flight like 12 hours after i’d finished FW shortly after it released and was like lowkey trying yo gaslight myself that it wasn’t as awful as it actually was 💀 #booktok #fourthwing #rebeccayarros #dragonbooks #fantasybooks #adeadlyeducation #naominovik #eragon #christopherpaolini #hismajestysdragon #thepoppywar #rfkuang #booktoker #bookrecs #emmaskiesreads
4 books
Left Unread Books\ \ Michael LaBorn\ \ • Nov 30 2024
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The Secret Power of Literature... and spoiler alert, it's not escapism.
Escapism is lovely, but that is not what reading does for me. So I thought I would share a little bit about one of the biggest things I get out of reading.
***Trigger warnings: grief, slavery, trauma, parentlessness, broken family, racism***
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Trash Panda’s Universe\ \ Trash Panda Leon\ \ • Nov 20 2024
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#thepoppywar
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The Black Bird Commons\ \ Tim\ \ • Sep 3 2024
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Welcome!
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Left Unread Books\ \ Michael LaBorn\ \ • Aug 19 2024
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I shared about a manuscript that I am really excited about a few days ago. Here is the latest update! And make sure you give it a read... it's an exciting one.
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Left Unread Books\ \ Michael LaBorn\ \ • Aug 16 2024
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[As you know, I have been searching for the perfect manuscript to be our first Left Unread book! And I have been STRUGGLING. Over the last month, I have read SO many incredible books. I read a chapter from each of the 30+ books submitted to us through the Pitchfest and the 10+ agented books that I found interesting. And out of all of those books, I've come across 13 total that I thought had potential to be the kind of story I am looking for.\ \ So I have been BUSY for the last month, reading through manuscripts, searching for the PERFECT manuscript. And honestly, a lot of these books really spoke to me, for various reasons. Some of them for the incredible writing, some of them for the ambitious storylines or the dynamic characters, etc. I feel so privileged because I've been able to spend the last five weeks reading some truly incredible authors. But I was struggling, because while many of them were really good books, they just weren't the very specific thing I am looking for. And honestly, I was getting a little discouraged over the last week, wondering if I was even going to find one! Because while many of them interest me, and I think would do well in my hands, I really really wanted our FIRST publication to have some really big conversations. That has been the mark of my content. Books that say something challenging about the world. And I wanted that for our first one! Something dystopian or a fantasy that was heavy on the dismantling of systemic oppression.\ \ And don't get me wrong, that's not ALL I want to publish. I am very open to publishing a wide variety of stories. But I wanted the first one to really dive into some of the themes I built this community talking about! (And some of these books did that on a smaller scale, which is fine! I am not diminishing those stories or saying they don't say important things.).\ \ I found one during pitchfest that really did what I was looking for, but after speaking to the author, it seemed a better fit to pursue for a later publication! (Which, no promises there, but at this point, I am very eager to figure out a timetable with that author so that we can stamp the Left Unread seal on it--meaning Snow White Burns the Patriarchy, of course). But that left me without a sure manuscript for the 2025 Fall season.\ \ Well...the one I just read is a strong contender. So let's talk about it:\ \ This is a dual POV fantasy, following three women in a small nation that has spent the better part of a century fighting for it's independence from a larger aggressor:\ \
- One of them is a warrior who was taken as a child from a neighboring nation and raised to be a soldier in the Queen's war for independence. She is a ruthless warrior who is not only accomplished in battle, but has built her entire identity around her ability to kill for a Queen who robbed her of her own family, home and culture. She has no public name of her own, no identity outside of her service, and is forced to wear a mask at all times to ensure anonymity and conformity.\
- The second POV is a more senior member of that warrior sect who, despite being a second-class servant as well, has somehow risen to one of the highest positions in the nation as advisor to the Queen. She is fighting between advocating for her people and fighting to distance herself from the shame of being one of them. Her entire life is about nudging the Queen in the right direction while helping her to oppress her own people for a kingdom none of them are quite allowed to exist in.\
- And the third POV is a small child who is rescued from their larger oppressor because of her potential for supernatural power. She knows there is a chance that, if her power ends up being unhelpful, she will be left for dead. But if it ends up being helpful...she will be turned into a weapon just like everyone else under the Queen's rule. Because at the end of the day, her only value is as an asset in a war that has nothing to do with her.\ \ This story follows these women as they pursue their own aims, while their stories interconnect and weave together a tale about colonization, oppression, and the perpetual victimhood of the people under empire, regardless of empire's aims. While reading this story, I found myself wrestling with questions about freedom, oppression, and the concept of empire. Because in the hands of empire, even liberation is a weapon against the oppressed. This book had me unsure who the good guys are, who the bad guys are, and what it means to truly be free.\ \ I took plenty of notes on areas where I thought the story could expand, grow and develop, but overall, this story was masterfully told. And my brain is already churning out all of the incredible conversations that I could have with this story!\ \ Here are some of the comparisons I drew as I read:\ \
- Watching our characters be reduced to their service to empire reminded me a lot of the primary conversation happening in The Name Bearer by Natalia Hernandez. Throughout that series, we are following a young woman who was taken by her family and stripped of everything that made her her own person. She has no family, no home, no posessions...not even her own name. She exists only to fulfill her role to empire. And that is a major theme in this story. No one--not even the Queen--has real atonomy. Everyone exists as a pawn in the all-consuming fire of empire.\
- Engaging with our FMC's reminded me a lot of the way NK Jemisin navigated The Broken Earth series. We know early on what players hold power in this kingdom, what their aims are, and just how hopeless its people are. We are watching as they suffer, hoping with them as they fight against the system...while knowing just how little chance they have of actual escape. It reminded me of the absolute hopelessness of Jemisin's characters, and just how desperate they had to get to actually get freedom within reach.\
- One of the things that impacted me most about The Poppy War series by RF Kuang was just how willing Kuang was to confront us with the horror of war. She never asked us to focus solely on the powerful. She let us see as the common folk suffered under the weight of war. This book does that as well. We are not just watching our main characters fight in a war. We are seeing the effect their war has on the people who have no power to fight for themselves. And i find that so powerful. Because that is the position our readers are in in the real world.\ \ One of the things that makes me hesitate is that it is a duology. The book had a very strong conclusion to this story, but it opened the door to a massive development that I am VERY CURIOUS ABOUT. But I would want to know where the second half of the story is going before I could really commit to it. Because colonization and oppression are massive conversations. I would hate to commit to a story this ambitious and then find out later its heading in a direction that I couldn't co-sign. But based on THIS story, I'm not too concerned about that. (I have asked our team to reach out for some clarity there so we can make an informed decision).\ \ Let me know what you think about what I've shared in the comments below, and over on discord!\ \ I am very interested in both of the stories mentioned here, and if our stars are aligned, we could absolutely release this story in Fall of 2025, and then have just as strong of a follow up with Snow White Burns Down the Patriarchy in Sping of 2026. (Don't quote me on that, because obviously neither author has actually signed on. I am dreaming here, not announcing how things will go.)\ \ But yeah...I am pretty interested in that thought. Putting out two very strong female driven stories back to back, written by women of color who have a lot to say about challening empire? Kinda a good vibe, right?\ \ Let me know what you think. Like I said, there are some others I would be interested in the future I think. Some, as is. Some, contingent on some redirection. But here is where I am looking for our debut and second launch...assuming both authors are interested.\ \ I am not SOLD yet. But I could be. How do y'all feel about these two stories? Would you be in for helping me chamption two strong FMC stories in a row? Or should we keep looking? It's really not the end of the world if we don't find something immediately. Agents will continue submitting manuscripts, and there will be future pitchfests as well! We can take our time if the stories we have in front of us aren't speaking to us!\ \ Share your thoughts and ask your questions! Let's talk this out for real! I meant it when I said I want to do this together. I don't want to make a decision without considering your thoughts and ideas!!!\ \ \ \ \ \ Upgrade for $5 or login](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/Kp1hHIcCwwhlKKRAM9W8/)
Publishing Update: Finger's Crossed... we might have something here!!!
I am feeling really really good about the manuscript I just finished reading this morning and I wanna talk about it! Click down below to read about this manuscript and what next steps may look like...because this might be it, y'all!!! So make sure you engage. I want us to talk this out as a community!!!
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