Kaffe · a free reading list
Books like The Name of the Wind
Beautiful prose, a gifted young narrator and magic that has to be learned.
Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb
An intimate first-person coming-of-age story with a lot of emotional depth.
+ Beautiful language, characters who feel real, an interesting magic and fine court intrigue; a gripping final stretch.
− A very slow start; little action for most of the book. (summed up from SFF Book Reviews)The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
A clever orphan grows into a master thief. Like Kvothe, he's brilliant, reckless and fun to follow.
+ A witty, tragicomic caper with a resilient thief and a richly detailed city.
− The realistic backdrop makes the melodramatic plot feel less real. (summed up from Publishers Weekly)A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
The classic story of a talented, proud young mage at a school of magic, told in lovely, spare prose.
+ Wise, thrilling and beautifully written, with a wizard who grows as a character and a world that feels lived in.
− Not the easiest book to dip into casually; it rewards readers willing to commit. (summed up from Wikipedia (reception))The Will of the Many by James Islington
A secretive student rises through an elite academy in a Rome-like empire. Mystery and academy life.
+ Ambitious dark academia with a cool magic system, morally grey characters who all have agency, and a wild ending.
− Leans on school tropes, training montages and philosophising; not for readers who dislike those. (summed up from Grimdark Magazine)The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman
A roguish narrator with a great voice telling a funny, dark adventure.
+ Packed with magic, mayhem and mischief, with an artfully drawn world and characters.
− The trust between the two leads grows implausibly fast; dense going at times. (summed up from Publishers Weekly)
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