I’ve recently gotten into reading. I realised how much I love fiction, and a couple of tropes. So I’m here asking maybe some of you know any books that have them.

I love it when the story focuses more on world building rather than character. The theory crafting I can do in my head, or just before I sleep, is priceless.

Here I’ll contradict myself by saying a character development related point, but the more important one. I’d like to read more works that show some mysterious big-bad first as a rivalry, later as a friend. They soften up with the MC and we they become friends or allies or whatever. We get to see a BBEG of sorts’s friendly and weak side. I get that it’s a bit childish, but I lost my mind of how cool of a character they made the first time I read it. Now, it was in a manga, so I’d love to read an example that made this best or first.

Thank you in advance, even if you just name some genres or authors.

  • jordanlund@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon.

    First in a series called the Cemetery of Forgotten Books.

    A young boy named Daniel is taken by his bookstore-owning father to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books.

    By tradition, first time visitors are allowed to select one book for which they will become a lifetime guardian.

    Daniel chooses “Shadow of the Wind” by Julian Carax and quickly becomes enthralled by it. As he tries to find out more about the book and the author, he finds that someone is systematically collecting all of Carax’s works and burning them.

      • jordanlund@lemmy.world
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        3 months ago

        Not really a thriller, more of a mystery + a love story. It’s a fantastic read. Especially considering it was translated from Spanish.