Fantasy or Reality

I am a voracious (and sometimes obsessive) reader of fiction. Ever since I was a child, I've found my head lost in the fantasy novels brought back by my mother from her school library. She'd bring entire series home at once, a feat only possible because she was a teacher, and I'd show my appreciation by reading it all within the week. Reading— and writing— pulls me into another world. One where I can be anyone, facing a new set of problems, striving for a different goal. It is a welcome escape. One that lets me take the burdens of life lightly.

Fantasy is a genre that holds a special place for me. It allows for meaningful exploration of abstract and complex ideas and situations, which may otherwise be difficult to adapt to realistic settings. I remember the first time I read Mistborn book 1: The Final Empire, by Brandon Sanderson. If you haven't read it yet, I'd recommend it as a well-balanced entry into the fantastical elements that convey deeper meaning, which I'd just described.

I am particularly drawn towards the more niche subgenre of fantasy called "progression fantasy". In these stories, the protagonist starts off as an underdog, clawing their way up to the top through sheer grit, determination and smarts. This mindset resonates with me deeply, pushing me towards consuming many books of this type. Just as it is in reality, growth, in these books, is quite slow, pushing these books to have multiple volumes that critics may critique to be dragged or bloated. If you'd like to give this genre a shot, you can try the Cradle series by Will Wight.