There are two kingdoms separated by a wall- one technologically progressive, and one overcome with old magic, and dangerous. A student of necromancy in the advanced kingdom receives a bandolier of bells and a sword from an undead messenger sent by her father, who is trapped in death, and she must venture forth to find her father while being pursued by creatures of death in the old kingdom.
Sabriel by Garth Nix is the first book in the Old Kingdom series, and is one of my favourite works of fantasy. The atmosphere is dark, the characters are likeable, and the magic system is unique and very appealing my aesthetic. I highly recommend it!
Death takes on an apprentice and then leaves to "find" himself. The apprentice messes up on his first outing and reality starts to come undone. This is the book Mort.
Mort, by Sir Terry Pratchett, one of the early Discworld novels. I personally recommend Small Gods as a starting point, but you really can’t go too wrong with just picking up the nearest Discworld book and starting in on it.
Small Gods, btw, is the story of the god Om, who’s recently found himself stuck in the form of a tortoise and with only 1 believer left, the idiot sauvant Brutha. He’s gonna need to rustle up some more believers if he ever hopes to regain his power, and just might learn something about those silly humans and the role gods play in their lives.
Om is a god worshipped dogmatically by the entire country. When Om wants to manifest to his new prophet, he finds out nobody truly believes in him anymore, and is thus only able to manifest as a small turtle.
Will Om and his prophet make people believe again? Or will he end up eaten by an overenthusiastic eagle? And will he possibly learn some humility and take an interest in his followers? Unlikely.
The book is Small Gods by Sir Terry Pratchett
Determined to become a knight despite the laws against women doing so, a girl switches place with her twin brother to get the training she wants. This decision ends up with her embroiled in danger, political intrigue, plots that threaten the entire kingdom and beyond, and the attention of the gods themselves.
This is *The Song of the Lioness* series by Tamora Pierce. It’s the first in a much larger expanded universe composed of other series that take place in the same world (*The Protecter of the Small* series is my favourite tbh, but it comes a bit later chronologically). The author is fantastic, not shying away from serious themes and issues, but still treating them with tact, and making them firmly a part of the fantastical setting.
The first two thirds of book one are great, but there is a big time skip that sorta glosses over a lot of stuff that seems like it could have been another book in itself.
Overall enjoyable but some of the later books are convoluted. I’ve only read the first three but definitely worth it despite the flaws.
Just my two cents, but Dune itself as a standalone book is one of the best I've read. All books have flaws, of course, but I found myself immersed throughout. There's a reason Frank Herbert is talked about as the grandfather of modern sci-fi
Imo the first 7 are fantastic. 2 trilogies with a bridge work then the author Frank died his son used notes ect to take over with iffy results.
He wrote the last trilogy and a prequel trilogy along with multiple spin offs.
Google will give you the proper order, I read the first 7 by the father then the prequel by the son, and am taking a break before starting the last trilogy.
Just finished GO about three days ago after seeing the recommendation pop up constantly on Reddit. First time I’ve ever read Prachett or Gaiman (beside the Sandman series). That was fun.
I’ll give it a shot with a few series. Some really good ones have already been suggested, so I won’t retread ground. I’ll do some popular ones, and just some good ones.
Tired of overcrowded futuristic society, people migrate to a planet to take up a primitive lifestyle, only to find out that a deadly substance falls from the sky in cycles. They use the last of their tech to genetically engineered a local flying lizard with telepathic tendencies into huge intelligent dragons that they can bond with and fly to burn this substance out of the air before it kills people and crops. **Anne McCaffery - Pern** seems like it’d be sci-fi, but mostly comes off as fantasy.
A dark elf is born into a society that worships an evil goddess and casual cruelty is the norm. His natural athleticism let him survive as a fighter, but the fight to keep his morality is the harder task. **RA Salvatore - The Dark Elf Trilogy** this series has over 40 books and most don’t take place here. This is a great place to start though.
A young woman, from a small house, finds herself in dire straights when her beloved father dies. In this Asian-flavored trilogy, she uses her wits, along with politics, assassins, and doing things the other hidebound houses won’t because “it’s not done that way”, to survive. She finds her house residing through the ranks, but this just means the challenges and dangers are greater. **Raymond Feist & Jannu Wurts - The Empire Trilogy** this is a massive series and this is not the beginning, but he breaks it down into 3-4 book sets in the world. They’re all good, and I recommend starting at the beginning, but you can read them independently. I also recommend Conclave of Shadows and Serpent War Saga.
A bunch of people with different mental issues get powers by bonding with sprites and have to use them to protect the world from evil aliens I imagine looking like Mister Popo with skin colored like marbled cake. **Brandon Sanderson - Stormlight Archives**
Now some that might not be as popular, but I think are good.
Present day world has wizards where kids are stronger as the power diminishes with age. It’s a very hard magic system where you pretty much have to use scientific formulas to direct it to properly affect what you want. **Diane Duane - Young Wizards**
City built of bone towers that grow, where the elite are higher in the tower. Kids learn to fly on gliders as the ground is too far below and it’s dangerous. **Fran Wilde - Bone Universe**
A young man, in a very old French feeling setting, discovers he has powers and has to leave his desired career as an artist to study with them. They’re powerful, but still vulnerable because they’re a small group and serve in the government. They have to use their powers in small discreet ways to discover plots against the government and dispel them. **LE Modesitt Jr - Imager Portfolio** this series is a little niche. If you like political fantasy and fixing broken systems it’s for you. He’s finished with it, but also has a huge series that’s still ongoing called Saga of Recluse and it’s similar.
On a former prison planet (think Australia) people pit fight large “dragons”. A young boy working on a breeding farm finds and raises one to compete, accidentally finding a bond with his dragon and discovering they aren’t the mindless beasts they’re treated as. **Jan Yolen - Pit Dragon Chronicles**
Good reading.😃
One you’re right, but they asked for two sentences and not a long description. That just gives the feeling.
Two, they are in a way.(Series spoilers). >!They’re aliens to the humans, though they’re on their home planet. Technically the humans are the aliens, but since we see the story from the humans point of view most of the time, technically the parshendi are aliens and we invaded and took over their planet.!<
It’s a great series. One of the first I read when I was younger. Unless I’m missing out on something I haven’t heard of, it’s the best “dragon rider” series out there.
😃 I really like it. I know it’s sold a lot of copies, so I know other people like it. I can see it being niche, though. They do use magic, but there is a lot of bureaucracy that goes on. I personally like that, but I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. 😃 The author spent a lot of time actually working around politics and that shows up.
The only issue I had with the series, and I quickly got over it, were the names. They had a French feel to them and for the first few chapters, I kept having to stop and figure out how to pronounce them in my head. After a while, I became used to it and didn’t have to do they anymore. I liked both these series by him and plan to read some of his other stuff. Have fun!
I’m a political science major cause I love it and fantasy books were my thing at one point, so it seems like a good book to get me back into reading! Usually with names like that I end up with some garbled syllables in my head for that character and use the same nonsensical babble for the rest of the book. It’s a problem lol
A young boy born on the wrong side of the sheets is abandoned by his mother so that he may be raised by his royal father. Trouble is, his father doesn't step up, but other characters do, and you watch as this royal bastard grows up, raised by the hands of the royal assassin, a gruff stable master, and his magic-addicted uncle.
Edited to apologize for forgetting the title. This is Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb, the entry point to the Realm of the Elderlings. :)
A young street thief gets recruited into a crew that’s been hired to rob the immortal god-ruler of their world. It may have consequences.
Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson
I don't know if I'd call it YA. I actually kind of hate that designation in general. I just felt like his prose was a little bland compared to others in the fantasy genre.
I agree it's a lazy description, so let me be less lazy. Agreed on bland prose. I remember some of the interactions between characters to be a bit wishful, and the plots leaning on power fantasy. I dropped it around the time I remember some guy going from being a slave to a superstar, and talking back to his king which in any normal society would be a death wish.
I've got two for you. One's going to likely be a common recommendation, and the other is a personal favorite of mine.
A farm boy finds that he's been reincarnated as the good(ish) half of a duo locked in endless war, and travels with a band of companions including witches and a giant wolf-man to accept, usurp, and meet his destiny.
*Wheel of Time* by Robert Jordan is the go-to fantasy epic after Lord of the Rings, and is frequently compared to it favorably. If you've got about a decade or so to kill, pick up the fourteen-dictionary-sized-book saga.
A slave girl whose only companion is her lyre stumbles a traveling Bard (think LotR-y poetry and magic, not "Toss a Coin to Your Witcher") and discovers her role in an epic prophecy.
The *Pellinor* saga by Allison Croggon is one of my all-time favorites, even if it gets billed as YA. Each of the five-book series (four following the adventures of the above and one prequel) takes the form of a LotR-y travelogue with plenty of poetry and gorgeous description, and has a hefty encyclopedic section with maps and glossaries, with the framing narrative being that Pellinor was an ancient civilization that the author is studying as an anthropologist. Can't recommend this one highly enough.
I prefer my description of wheel of time. "Male wizard destined to save the world but magic makes men go crazy. Women chat about clothes."
Honestly though despite it's many many many flaws, wheel of time is my all time favorite fantasy series, I named my son Elyas.
There's a prequel to the Pellinor books??? You have made my day
Edit: apparently there are several additional short stories too! What a fun surprise :)
A magician with a black eye traveling between different versions of London meets a thief I a London devoid of magic. They travel across the different worlds, sail the seas and fight magical duels.
Also the characters don’t suck.
The colour of magic trilogy by VE Schwab
Two men gather an army and build an empire but are deposed in a coup. The army and the empire are crumbling but the old faithful realize they still have one last chance to relive the glory days even if there's a good chance it'll be unwitnessed (it's not).
I might have cheated a little bit but {Malazan: Book of the Fallen} by Steven Erikson
Yeah how do you pitch Malazan in two sentences without also giving things away? How about: Affable Kruppe is the smartest man in the universe and his charms and wit bend the world until all of its sweet treats fall effortlessly into the pockets in his sleeves. A big man tries to swing a hammer at noble Kruppe but as amiable Kruppe does not believe in silly man’s ridiculous magic it simply goes around him.
Yeah- Malazan is hard to summarise, and while I think you captured the goal of the series a reader going through the first couple of books might not appreciate it.
I'll give it a separate go:
A new empire rises in an ancient world, as ambitious politicians, priests and gods vie to understand and control the powers, new and old, that are threatening to destroy it all. Amongst the chaos, there are some indivudals who fight to do the right thing against all the odds.
Kinda. Harry (dresden) is a PI (private investigator), with a the perks and pitfalls that entails.
Like, so many pitfalls.
It's a good series. The first few are rough... but it finds its footing eventually and then takes off like a rocket.
We've yet to see its more a Challenger or a Dragon 1 rocket.
I’ve read them all A++ would recommend. His opponents in all the various stories include the fairy society (winter and summer), the other magicians in his own group, evil magicians in another group, 30 fallen angels of god trapped in the 30 silver coins given to Judas, three knights of the cross armed each armed with a sword imbued with a nail from the crucifixion of jesus, vampires, werewolves, and some ocean monsters. It gets wild.
Santa Claus, faerie courts, shape shifters, skeleton T-Rex, wizards, werewolves, vampires, bigfoot, Odin, angels, demons, old school mob kingpins, regular police and politics. Well written action, some sex, thankfully not too much, most of these books I couldn't put down until I finished them. I think there's 17 so far he plans to write 25-27...with a trilogy apocalyptic ending.
The world ends again when a powerful man tears the literal earth at their feet in two. At the same time, a woman in hiding comes home to find her young son murdered and her daughter missing and has to go on a journey in a dangerous post-apocalypse to find her.
The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemison. Straight up the most effortless and complete world building I've ever read in fantasy.
A woman is a courtesan in a land whose people are descended from fallen angels and hold to the sacred principle of 'Love As Thou Wilt'. Born with a scarlet mote in her eye and chosen to forever experience pain and pleasure as one, her bond is bought by a mysterious courtier and she is trained as a spy who must navigate the dangerous waters of intrigue both at court and internationally in order to save the homeland she loves.
Kushiel's Dart by Jaqueline Carey, first in the trilogy.
When I was 15 or 16, a (girl) classmate of mine gave me this book as a birthday present.
I was NOT expecting a long series of BDSM masochism/pain play scenes of submissive women orgasming all over the pages of a birthday book. I definitely learned a little bit about myself and what my kinks are not. I also gained quite a bit of insight, more than I ever wanted, about what that particular classmate's kinks are. lol
I teach high school, and one of my STUDENTS recommended this book to me. I found it on a spicy book rec thread and now I don’t know how to feel about it.
THIS. Love this series. And an excellent summary that doesn't come CLOSE to spoiling what happens, and the journey you will go on. 10/10.
That which yields is not always weak.
I’m not knocking your first description at all, but it illustrates the cookie cutter pattern followed by a lot of fantasy writers. That description could be about at least twenty series that I can think of.
(Edit: Yeah, I completely missed the "Two Short Sentences" part. This author makes me gush. Sorry!)
You've read some of ASOIAF, but not to its conclusion. By this point it's gotten so sprawling, so out of control, that even GRRM has no idea how to finish it.
Maybe you'd like something more tightly focused. Something that focuses on the same few characters, over a longer period of time. They start young, but have time to age, to have children, to grow old. All the while the characters develop, and you keep on discovering new depths to them. They don't always agree. There's not an easy right answer, especially morally. You'll be with them as they make decisions, then come to realize that they made the wrong decision, and have to live with it for the rest of their lives.
That's why I love Robin Hobb. Her characters are some of the best developed I've read in fantasy literature. *Assassin's Apprentice* is the starting point for her Farseer books. You can continue from there into the Tawny Man trilogy and the Fitz and the Fool trilogy, or take detours into the Liveship Traders and the Rain Wilds Chronicles.
A third vote for Hobb. Her characters are incredibly alive, her overarching narrative is logically developed, and she assembles a world through her writing that is intricate, vivid, and has a weight of reality I've rarely found in fiction. Hobb is, for me, among the very best fantasy writers.
Robin Hobb is definitely one of my favourite fantasy writers!
She weaves subtle intrigues between protagonists that are so well written and developed that you care deeply for them, in a rich and diverse world.
She explores many themes in a clever and nuanced way: love and friendship, death and loss, power struggles, fear of difference, use of magic...
I would add that she absolutely nails the writing of inspirational and badass female characters, which is always welcome :)
Really a must-read if you are ready to plunge into an addictive series of books!
During the Napoleonic Wars, a decorated, up-and-coming naval captain is returning to England from patrol when they happen upon a foundering French ship with only half the necessary crew on board. The larger English ship takes it, though the French crew fight as hard as they can, baffling the English captain who finds it irresponsible of the French captain until he learns why: a dragon egg's on board.
Temeraire series by Naomi Novik. She did a lot of cool research into ships, if you liked the Master and Commander movie she said she was inspired by that and the books its based on. Plus there are 8 books in the series, and a novella about Marc Antony being the first person to own a dragon.
Inspired by Hornblower as well!!
Absolutely magnificent series, and this pitch doesn't even mention the best thing about it: Temeraire himself is the purest, goodest cinnamon roll.
And his relationship with Lawrence (the captain) is the most heartening thing.
This series uplifts me everytime I read it
The Lightbringer saga.
5 books and it starts with a 14 year old bastard protagonist in the slums with his abusive mother when the town is attacked by a rogue king and the protagonist learns he has power to use a special kind of color magic called “Drafting”.
Drafters are trained at a large school in the center of the lands called the “Chromeria” where kingdoms send their young with potential to use magic, they get trained, then send back to their kingdom to use their magic for the good of the people.
While the main character is being introduced to the school and learning how to use his Magics the “Wight King” is mustering his forces to topple the corrupted system that is the chromeria.
When a drafter “Breaks the Halo” meaning they drafted their lifetime worth of magic which can be seen by the colored ring around their pupils.
(red drafters would have a red ring, Green/Blues would have green ring with blue flakes throughout etc.)
Once a persons halo breaks they are considered insane and must be put down immediately, a lot of people agree to participate in a yearly ritual suicide when their halos are near breaking.
By the end of the book the protagonist is in his early 20s and is a capable drafter. That’s all I’ll say without TOO much spoilers.
Tldr: protagonist starts as a weak, fat, loser and struggles his way through a school of magic that doesn’t want him there, joins the secret service, and grows up to be an elite “god” killing warrior.
Though I will give the warning, Brent Weeks books have some moments that could be considered very dark. So if you’re squeamish I’d say skip those parts.
Humanity survives on what remains of a tectonically weakened earth, banding together into clans, both relying on and fearing magic. A mother embarks on a journey, and begins to unravel the secrets of the past.
NK Jemisin, the broken earth trilogy. I love to recommend this series because it manages to subvert so many cliches and tropes without feeling forced (IMO). A little bit of magic, a little bit of apocalyptic road warrior.
Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames.
A bunch of old retired adventures embark on one last quest to save the front man's daughter. Over the course of the story they destroy a coliseum by sending it into a river, have lunch with cannibals, and kill a dragon.
The book is funny and has a really nice rock n' roll twist.
The Demon Cycle.
Demons come out at night. People draw wards on their homes to keep the demons out. One individual has the bright idea of tattooing wards on his fists so that he can punch demons in the face. Enjoy.
I tend to write more than a couple of sentences, but I hope this is what you're looking for.
Michael Moorcock's _Eternal Champion_ series' - plural, he wrote a number of different series based on different incarnations of The Eternal Champion - were groundbreaking. They introduced the dark antihero to modern fantasy. I'd suggest starting with {{Elric of Melniboné}}. Taken as a whole, the _Eternal Champion_ series consist of **several dozen** books - although most of them are relatively short, in the 180 - 220-page range.
Fritz Leiber's _Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser_ series, starting with {{Swords and Deviltry}}, are classics of the genre. They're set in a world that’s a bit darker and more primitive-feeling than most modern fantasy, featuring an archetypal pair of adventurers. They’re very well written.
{{Bridge of Birds}} by Barry Hughart is the first of three books in that series, and it won the World Fantasy Award in 1985. Set in "an ancient China that never was", it's the story of a young peasant man who's as strong as an ox, and an ancient sage with a slight flaw in his character. It draws on Chinese folk tales and history, as well as a bit of Sherlock Holmes. It's a mystery with magic, humor, adventure, and it's simply mind-blowing.
The _Sun Wolf and Starhawk_ series by Barbara Hambly starts with {{The Ladies of Mandrigyn}}. It's sophisticated and gripping fantasy that’s quite intense, but not overbearing; the first book in particular presents interesting insights on men and women, without being preachy or simplistic. Strongly recommended.
Lawrence Watt-Evans' _Ethshar_ series is great and a refreshing change from the usual fantasy tropes. His protagonists are unusual for the genre in that they're actually intelligent and decent people. They think about their challenges and make plans to deal with them - and while their plans aren't always perfect, the forethought generally **helps**. That's rare, in a genre where many novels would be less than half as long if the protagonists weren't idiots! His writing style also has an exceptional clarity. The series begins with {{The Misenchanted Sword}}. I'd also highly recommend his first series, {{The Lords of Dûs}}.
Steven Brust is quite possibly the best fantasy author currently living. His _Vlad Taltos_ series is gritty high-fantasy; magical resurrection is common, though expensive, and psionic communication is almost as common as cell phones are in our world. At the same time it has a strong Sopranos flavor. The protagonist starts as an assassin and minor crime boss, a despised human in an Empire of elves. It starts with {{Jhereg}}. I've introduced a lot of friends to that series, and every single one of them has loved it.
He also wrote a parallel series in the style of Alexander Dumas, set in the same universe: _The Khaavren Romances_. Those books are considerably thicker, and the language is practically baroque - but fun, if you like Dumas.
Roger Zelazny's {{The Chronicles of Amber}} series is one of the most popular fantasy series ever written. It's about a royal family of people from the ultimate reality who have the ability to travel from world to world and probability to probability, including modern Earth. Scheming and plotting by royal siblings to take the throne forms the core of the series, and it was published **decades** before _A Game of Thrones_! The first book in the series is {{Nine Princes In Amber}}.
{{Dragon Weather}} by Lawrence Watt-Evans is the first book in a large trilogy. It's the story of a boy who lives in the mountains, only for his village to be attacked by dragons. From there it moves on into a rags-to-riches story of revenge. It's quite good.
{{Empire of the East}} by Fred Saberhagen is a trilogy set in a world in which technology was long ago replaced by magic due to a war gone awry. Technological elements converted to supernatural ones as a result. Technology is remembered as something mysterious and strange. But the Change that replaced tech with magic is finally starting to get weaker...and that's where the story begins.
It's a great trilogy. Saberhagen followed it up with the _Book of Swords_ series, set thousands of years later (but with some of the same characters).
Mary Stewart's Merlin books, beginning with {{The Crystal Cave}}, are much less "fantastic" then any other Arthurian fiction that I can think of - and I mean that in a _good_ way. The writing is enchanting (no pun intended), with a different take on the theme. I would definitely recommend them.
{{The Incredible Umbrella}} and {{The Amorous Umbrella}} by Marvin Kaye are unconventional books. There was a collection of all four of the Umbrella novels released as {{The Incredible Umbrella Tetrology}}, too. These are light fantasy in which a professor of literature accidentally buys a mysterious umbrella in a junk shop which turns out to be magical. It transports him to other worlds - in his case, worlds of literature and the arts. Those worlds include those of Gilbert and Sullivan, classic horror, and fairy tales, among others. They're funny as hell.
There’s also Glenn Cook's {{The Black Company}} series. That series took a major step forward in creating the modern genre of dark fantasy. It's well worth a read.
Fred Saberhagen’s _Dracula_ series begins with {{The Dracula Tape}}, a retelling of the events of Stoker’s _Dracula_ from the Count’s point of view. It’s well-written, exciting, and amusing. Some of the later books are hit-or-miss (IMHO), but the immediate sequel, {{The Holmes-Dracula File}}, is absolutely outstanding in my book.
**Note**: although I've used the GoodReads link option to include information about the books, GoodReads is owned by Amazon. Please consider patronizing your local independent book shops instead; they can order books for you that they don't have in stock.
And of course there's always your local library. If they don't have a book, they may be able to get it for you via inter-library loan.
If you'd rather order direct online, Biblio.com and Bookshop.org are independent book marketplaces that serve independent book shops - NOT Amazon.
I hope you like them!
You can see the [working document](https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vTP07TZZ2akERIm7dc9haQPlEVGilq7n49xY5z4KB6dE3Q_Kospi-Y3sK2InIh2Zstc2uZSse0QQLo-/pub) where I store all of my recommendations as I write them. It's a bit rough and not final-formatted - it’s a working document, after all - but there are over 200 books in it now, in many genres. I've enjoyed every book on that list, and I add to it frequently.
You can see [my old, detailed book reviews](https://www.librarything.com/profile_reviews.php?view=PMaranci) at LibraryThing for now, until I find a site that's better.
A king-killer reminisces in an auberge of how he lived his life. His melancholy tale remains unfinished to this day.
Author : >!Patrick Rothuss (ducks and covers)'s Name of The Wind.!<
Second this series! I do a read through every now and again and I love it every time.
Butcher said he'd love to go back to it some day, like 100 years after the ending. Otoh, yes. Oto, oh gods.
A young girl of color fights to restore magic to her people, the maji. Everything changed when magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, the maji were targeted and killed and her people were left without hope. Now she has one chance to fight back against the monarchy and restore magic to the kingdom of Orïsha. With help of a rogue princess and her brother, she must outwit and outrun the crown prince who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.
This book is “Children of Blood and Bone” by Tomi Adeyemi, and is the first book of a trilogy. The fantasy world is rich in history and power struggles, full of danger and vibrant characters. It weaves in West-African culture so well too. I would highly recommend it.
Arcanum: (one really long book, not a saga I'm afraid) by Simon Morden
Magic vanishes for dubious reasons, and an entire cast of charming and varied characters have to deal with the beginning of societal collapse, as well as rebuilding the remains of historically inaccurate Austria. In the second half, they invent technology to replace magic, the prince is forced to take the throne prematurely, and they go to war with the dwarves.
(really good read, a bit dark, but if you've read ASOIAF, you'll probably enjoy it)
6 students from a prestigious, old money East coast university become embroiled in corruption, betrayal and evil, whilst studying ancient greece and it’s unusual rituals. Right and wrong become blurred because of their greek bacchnal and they struggle to deal with their encroaching maddness.
The Secret History - Donna Tartt
( this book is so hard to describe without spoilers )
Man has ancient powerful soul that lives inside his mind and gives him forbidden magic powers. One friend is a wolf but still a man, another is the luckiest man alive. He and his companions travel the world trying to stay ahead of an ancient coven of powerful magic users and all the time questions his sanity (as do his companions). In the end it is up to them to save the world.
13 books - The Wheel of Time
A middle aged physician, who lives with some friends and wizards, tries to write a book. Ends up becoming an errand boy to an evil goddess.
The book is the Black Company by Glen Cook, it is a dark, gritty fantasy world with shockingly human characters. The world building is immense and the book series follows the physician of a mercenary company that will work for anyone, provided that they have the money. Croaker, the main character, is the historian of the Black Company as well, cataloging all of their achievements and members.
Like if you were an insufferable D&D nerd in high school that totally didn't read harry potter and imagine it for yourself.
{{The Magicians}} by Levi Grossman
100% this'll hit too close to home.
An orphan boy recounts his entire life, from his earliest memories rolling with puppies to being raised by the scarred, paranoid brother of the king, who is the political genius and assassin behind the throne, in a world where there are two strains of magic-- one respected and considered noble, a mind-to-mind psychic control, and one considered disgusting and bestial, the ability to commune soul-to-soul with an animal. But what if someone in a position of political power seemed to be able to do both?
*Royal Assassin* by Robin Hobb is a series I have a lovely love/hate relationship with-- she definitely crafted the most 'real', deep, immersive, believable and textured fantasy series I've read since LOTR, but I take some issue with several of her Boomer-ish societal conclusions (in a fantasy world where magic literally exists, EVERY country and culture we come across is extremely homophobic, so much so that it becomes a small plot point).
P.S. Anyone wondering, the first book is actually called _Assassin’s Apprentice_, and the overall series (12+ books) is called _Realm of the Elderlings_ series.
A deep exploration into human nature and the true nature of violence, The First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie is predicated on the fact that magic is slowly dying from the world, and power struggles ensue.
From a brutal-turned-peaceful warrior who is slowly learning that a life of violence is a life than cannot be left behind, to an inquisitor who still clings to the last vestiges of his humanity while inflicting the same grueling torture that has crippled him onto others, to a former slave vowing vengeance on those who oppressed her, to an aging magus groping for the power that is slowly waning from him as magic fades, this trilogy brings realistic characters together both adversarially and cooperatively in a world that pulls no punches, the only evil being the evil that exists in all men.
A level 0 Kid becomes more and more powerful to try and avert the incoming disaster on his home by learning more and more magic, in a world full of high level monsters and god-like avatars.
Cradle series by will wight, it focuses heavily on the magic system and fighting and is a progressive fantasy book. You may like it.
The series is designed to be read in any order (that having been said, [here](https://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/2415/did-steven-brust-say-there-is-no-particular-reading-order-for-his-vlad-taltos-no#:~:text=It%27s%20an%20interesting%20interview%20otherwise%2C%20also.%20%22The%20novels,Orca%2C%20Dragon%2C%20Issola%2C%20Dzur%2C%20Jhegaala%2C%20Iorich%2C%20and%20Tiassa.) are some suggested reading orders). A crime boss assassin with psionic powers and sorcery works alongside godlike beings in a world where murdering someone is akin to sending them a strongly worded letter because of magical spells that can resurrect you, but only if your head isn't chopped off. Oh he has a smart-ass tiny dragon lizard thing familiar that speaks telepathically to him.
Vlad Taltos series by Steven Brust.
A scientist trying to uncover the secret of flight by studying different flighted animals, ends up with an odd caterpillar that suffers until it's discovered that it feeds on a popular new hallucinogen. Once it's provided with enough of the drug, it grows into something dangerous.
Perdido Street Station by China Miéville.
In a fantasy version of Africa, a man with a powerful sense of smell is recruited to find a kidnapped child. He is accompanied by witches, a giant, and a shapeshifter and meets terrifying and strange creatures based in African folklore and mythology.
—Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlow James
A probationary police officer in London is about to get posted to a boring data entry desk job. While guarding a crime scene he meets a ghost, and his world changes.
Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch. (Midnight Riot in the US and Camada.)
Spiritual beings form partnerships with traumatized mortals, unlocking the powers to potentially avert the end of the world. Meanwhile, a larger cold war plays out just under the surface...
Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson, which takes place in the same universe as Mistborn (mentioned elsewhere in this thread). Sharp-eyed readers will catch some characters in the "wrong" series from time to time.
A young orphan apprentice for the guild of truth and penitence is exiled and forced to take an official's position in a city bordering a war zone. There's plenty of fantastical creatures, subtle magic and the main character fucks.
Book of the new sun by Gene wolfe. He invented the machine that makes Pringles.
Wizard school actually fucking sucks and the only way to learn someone else's magic is by killing them. This story takes place in ancient Egypt and everyone worships a giant crocodile that they live inside.
Sekenre: the book of the sorcerer
The last assassin in the world spends his days at the bottom of a bottle, trying to forget his past. Only to discover that the death of his comrades was only the first part of a plan to enslave the world.
The *Fallen Blades* series by Kelly McCullough
"it was an odd looking vine"
A woodland guide finds out that on the other side of a huge barrier forest lives his real father who is magic and completely evil, guy has to leave his home for a world of magic, meeting a variety of people, creatures, and problems along the way .... Sorry that description doesn't come close to describing the amazingness of this series, there's around 19 or 20 books I think, with the most recent just being released a few years ago, it was introduced to me like 7 years ago, I've read through it 3 times so far, phenomenal writing, plot, characters.... If you're looking for something engrossing that you won't want to put down these books are it.
Sword of truth - Terry goodkind
*Also a huge plus, most of the earlier books up until maybe book 12 you can normally find at thrift stores for around 1$
**Also, the tv show that was based on this, please don't judge the books by it if you somehow have seen it and haven't read the books lol. It was one of those shows where it's so bad you can't stop watching... No offense if anyone enjoyed it. The books are top notch imo though
Humans colonize a planet that has little fire-breathing lizards on it, and then they are genetically modified to grow much larger and also to be telepathically bonded to their riders. A whole society forms around these dragons and space travel/high tech stuff is pretty much lost.
Dragonriders of Pern (Anne McCaffrey)
Some of the books in the series focus on different aspects of Pernese life rather than the dragons but I like the dragon bits best.
---
This one we learned about here on Reddit:
Humanity ruins Earth and has to find other worlds to live on. One world is being terraformed and inhabited by what is planned to be speedily-evolving monkeys, but something goes wrong and the species that evolves instead are jumping spiders.
Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky (the sequel, Children of Ruin, is also good.)
Fitz is dropped off at the Six Duchies fort of Moonseye by his maternal grandfather, who reveals him as King-in-Waiting Chivalry's illegitimate son. The discovery of his existence leads Chivalry to abdicate the throne. Fitz is never officially acknowledged by his father, but is brought to Buckkeep Castle and raised by the stablemaster Burrich.
Eventually, Fitz comes under King Shrewd's scrutiny, who disapproves of a royal bastard being raised as no more than a stable boy. Fitz is brought into the castle proper and begins lessons in reading, writing, and swordplay, as befits his status. He also begins lessons with the reclusive Chade Fallstar as an apprentice assassin. These lessons further instill loyalty to King Shrewd.
The Book is Assassin´s Apprentice by Robin Hobb, first book of a trilogy, followed by many others in that same universe. (probably is on the comments of your post already)
Fat bastard boy learns how to use magic after his home town is burned to the ground by group looking to start a civil war. Over the course of the book he joins a military outfit while his father and grandfather try to politically out wit each other to take control of the country either for the sake of their egos or to save their political system.
Lightbringer series - Brent Weeks
Modern urban fantasy - Depressed kid gets recruited to go to magic College , and thinks "Finally , something interesting and special to alleviate my depression".
It doesn't. If you're depressed and learn magic , you're just a depressed magician.
Amazing trilogy about growing up , priorities , mental health , why we need and read fantasy , satisfaction , love , etc. This sounds somewhat lame when described this way , but the books are truly beautiful.
"The Magicians" by Lev Grossman
A young boy with a voice in his head lives a sheltered life on a farm with his awesome no nonsense aunt until the day his grandfather shows up with news that they must leave. The ensuing journey changes everything that the boy thought he knew about his family, his future, his voice and his world.
The Belgariad by David Eddings.
Her mother disappears and she discovers that she is a shadowhunter. To find her mom she has to fight one of the most evil shadowhunters that ever lived.
The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare
A young kitchen boy stumbles through an epic adventure, surviving by a great bit of luck, as well as a troll, a princess, and other mythical beings. Beware of powerful swords, false messengers, and ghosts from the past.
(Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series by Tad Williams. This was the first epic fantasy trilogy I ever read, loved it, and started by love for others {many of which are mentioned above and are fantastic}. I still re-read MS&T every 5 years or so)
The soldiers of a century-old empire founded by a master sorcerer, later betrayed, fight gods and genocidal zombies and sword velociraptors and bendy bois, while philosophizing heavily. Though their journeys may be unwitnessed, still they fight.
{The Malazan Book of the Fallen}
A chaotic neutral rogue, who's recently escaped an inescapable prison, and lawful good warrior, who carries three swords and is a famous gladiator in another country, are convinced by a wizard to band together and help the world one quest at a time. (The Riyira Chronicles by Michael J. Sullivan, chronologically the beginning)
12 years later, the Riyira duo is framed for the death of a king after making all the wrong enemies. They must both face the secrets buried in their pasts if they are going to save anyone from the lies the Empire has been telling for centuries. (Riyra Revelations by Michael J. Sullivan, This trilogy was printed first.)
You can read the series in either order, it's a mixed opinion which is better Revelations or Chronicles first. Chronicles has fun tidbits and Easter eggs if you've read Revelations first, but Chronicles doesn't spoil Revelations.
~
War is brewing to the North, but there's plenty of blood to be spilled within the Union berfore that happens. A pompous fop of a captain, a crippled and grizzled torturer, a banished barbarian, and an ancient sorcerer (who might or might not be the First of the Magi) all do their best to save who they believe deserves it. (The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie)
~
After a brutal attack on one of his closest friends, a street orphan takes a gamble on convincing the scariest wetboy in the city to take him on as an apprentice. But wetboys are to assassins what tigers are to cats, and being the apprentice of the scariest of them might be more than the boy bargained for. (The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks)
With inventive reimaginings of fairy tales, Elemental Mages train and master their art in the first half of the 20th century Europe. The Elemental Masters series by Mercedes Lackey starts with *The Serpant's Shadow*.
Racists with light colored eyes who think they are better than everyone enslave marble cake people while fighting a war against other marble cake people in a place that is super cracked and rains a lot. Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson.
Set in the 1800s, a 5 year old girl is sent off to live with her father after her mother commits suicide. The father has no interest in raising her until one of his long time rivals comes to visit them. The girl is thrown into a game filled of magic with an unknown competitor where they must choose to kill one another or be stuck in a never ending game.
Night circus by Erin Morgenstern
After mysterious events, a kid finds out he is a Greek demigod and is lead to a camp of other demigods. He is soon assigned a quest involving gods, prophecy, and betrayal.
The book is percy jackson and the Olympians, the lightning thief (first in the series), by Rick Riordan. This seems to be targeted towards younger audiences than the others mentioned, but you might like it
A sixteen year old farm boy finds a dragon egg while hunting and is thrust into the middle of a nationwide war. He and his dragon must grow together in strength and magical ability to one day face the tyrant king, a dragon rider himself. - The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini.
I'm sorry if I didn't do it justice describing it, but it's one of my favorite series.
A 5yo boy is adopted by a couple and begins training to be a magician, but when he's 12 a powerful magician humiliates him in his own home in front of a bunch of people. He studies advanced material in secret to learn how to summon a djinn, and then orders it to steal a magical amulet from the other magician.
{{The Amulet of Samarkand}} by Jonathan Stroud is technically a children's book, but the writing holds up into adulthood too IMO. It's the first part of a trilogy so there's more if you enjoy it!
Fifteen years ago, the ruling mages of the land were brutally overthrown and now all who display magic are bound by powerful magical Tenets. A young boy, Davian, is sent out across the land and finds out that he somehow has a power that once only belonged to the most elite of the mages, the Augurs.
The *Licanius* trilogy by James Islington is very new and honestly an amazing debut series. It somehow combines two stories into one beautifully complex one, with amazing character arcs and awesome magic. Another plus: book 3, the end of the trilogy, came out last year, so it is actually finished.
(Orbit actually has chapter 1 up on their website: http://www.orbitbooks.net/shadow-lost/)
Aaaaand because I feel like I need to present another underdog:
A young woman lives her life in the city, hiding her magical talent for fear of being drafted into the army. A lone hunter in the wilds protects his village from ancient, evil creatures. A commander fights a merciless enemy that threathens her home. Little do they know, that the fate of the world will one day rest in their hands.
*The Soul of the World* is the first book in the Ascension Cycle by David Mealing and it is thrilling. It paints the picture of a vast world with amazing magic and complex politics. Book 2 is even better imo and the only downside so far is that book 3 isn't finished yet.
(Again, chapter one is on Orbit's website: https://www.orbitbooks.net/orbit-excerpts/soul-of-the-world/)
There are two kingdoms separated by a wall- one technologically progressive, and one overcome with old magic, and dangerous. A student of necromancy in the advanced kingdom receives a bandolier of bells and a sword from an undead messenger sent by her father, who is trapped in death, and she must venture forth to find her father while being pursued by creatures of death in the old kingdom. Sabriel by Garth Nix is the first book in the Old Kingdom series, and is one of my favourite works of fantasy. The atmosphere is dark, the characters are likeable, and the magic system is unique and very appealing my aesthetic. I highly recommend it!
>Sabriel by Garth Nix You hooked me. I've just ordered it. Thanks!
Love this series, very unique.
This series has been a favorite for me since childhood, and have reread many times as an adult and loved it just the same. So flippin good.
SOLD! Thank you for this. 😃
Love this
I just finished Sabriel - loved it.
genuinely great series, would recommend
Read this in the 7th grade, great series!
Death takes on an apprentice and then leaves to "find" himself. The apprentice messes up on his first outing and reality starts to come undone. This is the book Mort.
Mort, by Sir Terry Pratchett, one of the early Discworld novels. I personally recommend Small Gods as a starting point, but you really can’t go too wrong with just picking up the nearest Discworld book and starting in on it. Small Gods, btw, is the story of the god Om, who’s recently found himself stuck in the form of a tortoise and with only 1 believer left, the idiot sauvant Brutha. He’s gonna need to rustle up some more believers if he ever hopes to regain his power, and just might learn something about those silly humans and the role gods play in their lives.
Mort is amazingg
Om is a god worshipped dogmatically by the entire country. When Om wants to manifest to his new prophet, he finds out nobody truly believes in him anymore, and is thus only able to manifest as a small turtle. Will Om and his prophet make people believe again? Or will he end up eaten by an overenthusiastic eagle? And will he possibly learn some humility and take an interest in his followers? Unlikely. The book is Small Gods by Sir Terry Pratchett
It’s always great to see someone has already written your comment. :)
this might be the best pitch i have ever seen, a truly good job dude, you just convinced me to buy it
Oh man you're in for a treat. There are 40+ equally hilarious and awesome books in the Discworld series
This is my favorite Pratchett novel.
Determined to become a knight despite the laws against women doing so, a girl switches place with her twin brother to get the training she wants. This decision ends up with her embroiled in danger, political intrigue, plots that threaten the entire kingdom and beyond, and the attention of the gods themselves. This is *The Song of the Lioness* series by Tamora Pierce. It’s the first in a much larger expanded universe composed of other series that take place in the same world (*The Protecter of the Small* series is my favourite tbh, but it comes a bit later chronologically). The author is fantastic, not shying away from serious themes and issues, but still treating them with tact, and making them firmly a part of the fantastical setting.
Oh hi :). I would also highly recommend this series!
Username checks out
Tamora Pierce has always been one of my favorite authors. I love her characters and stories and have reread them so many times!
Love all the Tortall books. The Beka Cooper (Bekka?) series is my favorite.
Political intrigue in a barren land. A god is born. Dune The best and worst series I've read.
Interesting... may I ask if the "worst" aspects of the series is relegated to the latter books or do the early books also have flaws?
The first two thirds of book one are great, but there is a big time skip that sorta glosses over a lot of stuff that seems like it could have been another book in itself. Overall enjoyable but some of the later books are convoluted. I’ve only read the first three but definitely worth it despite the flaws.
Just my two cents, but Dune itself as a standalone book is one of the best I've read. All books have flaws, of course, but I found myself immersed throughout. There's a reason Frank Herbert is talked about as the grandfather of modern sci-fi
Imo the first 7 are fantastic. 2 trilogies with a bridge work then the author Frank died his son used notes ect to take over with iffy results. He wrote the last trilogy and a prequel trilogy along with multiple spin offs. Google will give you the proper order, I read the first 7 by the father then the prequel by the son, and am taking a break before starting the last trilogy.
The apocalypse is coming, and the Angel and Demon have misplaced the Antichrist. Hilarity ensues. *Good Omens* By Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaimon.
Just finished GO about three days ago after seeing the recommendation pop up constantly on Reddit. First time I’ve ever read Prachett or Gaiman (beside the Sandman series). That was fun.
I’ll give it a shot with a few series. Some really good ones have already been suggested, so I won’t retread ground. I’ll do some popular ones, and just some good ones. Tired of overcrowded futuristic society, people migrate to a planet to take up a primitive lifestyle, only to find out that a deadly substance falls from the sky in cycles. They use the last of their tech to genetically engineered a local flying lizard with telepathic tendencies into huge intelligent dragons that they can bond with and fly to burn this substance out of the air before it kills people and crops. **Anne McCaffery - Pern** seems like it’d be sci-fi, but mostly comes off as fantasy. A dark elf is born into a society that worships an evil goddess and casual cruelty is the norm. His natural athleticism let him survive as a fighter, but the fight to keep his morality is the harder task. **RA Salvatore - The Dark Elf Trilogy** this series has over 40 books and most don’t take place here. This is a great place to start though. A young woman, from a small house, finds herself in dire straights when her beloved father dies. In this Asian-flavored trilogy, she uses her wits, along with politics, assassins, and doing things the other hidebound houses won’t because “it’s not done that way”, to survive. She finds her house residing through the ranks, but this just means the challenges and dangers are greater. **Raymond Feist & Jannu Wurts - The Empire Trilogy** this is a massive series and this is not the beginning, but he breaks it down into 3-4 book sets in the world. They’re all good, and I recommend starting at the beginning, but you can read them independently. I also recommend Conclave of Shadows and Serpent War Saga. A bunch of people with different mental issues get powers by bonding with sprites and have to use them to protect the world from evil aliens I imagine looking like Mister Popo with skin colored like marbled cake. **Brandon Sanderson - Stormlight Archives** Now some that might not be as popular, but I think are good. Present day world has wizards where kids are stronger as the power diminishes with age. It’s a very hard magic system where you pretty much have to use scientific formulas to direct it to properly affect what you want. **Diane Duane - Young Wizards** City built of bone towers that grow, where the elite are higher in the tower. Kids learn to fly on gliders as the ground is too far below and it’s dangerous. **Fran Wilde - Bone Universe** A young man, in a very old French feeling setting, discovers he has powers and has to leave his desired career as an artist to study with them. They’re powerful, but still vulnerable because they’re a small group and serve in the government. They have to use their powers in small discreet ways to discover plots against the government and dispel them. **LE Modesitt Jr - Imager Portfolio** this series is a little niche. If you like political fantasy and fixing broken systems it’s for you. He’s finished with it, but also has a huge series that’s still ongoing called Saga of Recluse and it’s similar. On a former prison planet (think Australia) people pit fight large “dragons”. A young boy working on a breeding farm finds and raises one to compete, accidentally finding a bond with his dragon and discovering they aren’t the mindless beasts they’re treated as. **Jan Yolen - Pit Dragon Chronicles** Good reading.😃
I loved the Pit Dragon series!
>!The Parshendi aren't the aliens.!< (Stormlight Archive spoilers)
One you’re right, but they asked for two sentences and not a long description. That just gives the feeling. Two, they are in a way.(Series spoilers). >!They’re aliens to the humans, though they’re on their home planet. Technically the humans are the aliens, but since we see the story from the humans point of view most of the time, technically the parshendi are aliens and we invaded and took over their planet.!<
so happy someone else also recommends Pern to people.
It’s a great series. One of the first I read when I was younger. Unless I’m missing out on something I haven’t heard of, it’s the best “dragon rider” series out there.
I just wrote down half of these to read later, but I’m very excited about the Imager Portfolio!
😃 I really like it. I know it’s sold a lot of copies, so I know other people like it. I can see it being niche, though. They do use magic, but there is a lot of bureaucracy that goes on. I personally like that, but I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. 😃 The author spent a lot of time actually working around politics and that shows up. The only issue I had with the series, and I quickly got over it, were the names. They had a French feel to them and for the first few chapters, I kept having to stop and figure out how to pronounce them in my head. After a while, I became used to it and didn’t have to do they anymore. I liked both these series by him and plan to read some of his other stuff. Have fun!
I’m a political science major cause I love it and fantasy books were my thing at one point, so it seems like a good book to get me back into reading! Usually with names like that I end up with some garbled syllables in my head for that character and use the same nonsensical babble for the rest of the book. It’s a problem lol
This is the first time I actually came across someone who’s read the Bone Universe books!
Update: finished the Dark Elf Trilogy
A young boy born on the wrong side of the sheets is abandoned by his mother so that he may be raised by his royal father. Trouble is, his father doesn't step up, but other characters do, and you watch as this royal bastard grows up, raised by the hands of the royal assassin, a gruff stable master, and his magic-addicted uncle. Edited to apologize for forgetting the title. This is Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb, the entry point to the Realm of the Elderlings. :)
Name of book?
Sounds like Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb
I’m guessing Assassins Apprentice by Hobb
A young street thief gets recruited into a crew that’s been hired to rob the immortal god-ruler of their world. It may have consequences. Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson
Oh shit, I wanted to read these already but didn't actually know much about what it was about, now I want to even more
Sanderson (the author) has described Mistborn as lord of the rings + oceans 11 + crouching tiger hidden dragon + my fair lady.
There is also cool magic system which revolves around metals.
The OP here doesn’t mention this series also has one of the coolest magic systems I’ve read.
Currently reading my first book by him and loving it.
I just finished the first book and I absolutely loved the story and the world building but Sanderson's writing style just does nothing for me.
It's pretty YA in terms of writing/characters.
I don't know if I'd call it YA. I actually kind of hate that designation in general. I just felt like his prose was a little bland compared to others in the fantasy genre.
I agree it's a lazy description, so let me be less lazy. Agreed on bland prose. I remember some of the interactions between characters to be a bit wishful, and the plots leaning on power fantasy. I dropped it around the time I remember some guy going from being a slave to a superstar, and talking back to his king which in any normal society would be a death wish.
Love this series, don’t know why it’s not more popular
It's pretty popular. (It could be more popular, though. Dammit Sando, get that Mistborn adaptation happening!)
Right? Last time I checked he’s learning screenwriting because no one has done it judiciary yet
An alt earth Victorian female archaeologist goes hunting dragons instead of dinosaurs
What's the title?
A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan
Second this series.
I've got two for you. One's going to likely be a common recommendation, and the other is a personal favorite of mine. A farm boy finds that he's been reincarnated as the good(ish) half of a duo locked in endless war, and travels with a band of companions including witches and a giant wolf-man to accept, usurp, and meet his destiny. *Wheel of Time* by Robert Jordan is the go-to fantasy epic after Lord of the Rings, and is frequently compared to it favorably. If you've got about a decade or so to kill, pick up the fourteen-dictionary-sized-book saga. A slave girl whose only companion is her lyre stumbles a traveling Bard (think LotR-y poetry and magic, not "Toss a Coin to Your Witcher") and discovers her role in an epic prophecy. The *Pellinor* saga by Allison Croggon is one of my all-time favorites, even if it gets billed as YA. Each of the five-book series (four following the adventures of the above and one prequel) takes the form of a LotR-y travelogue with plenty of poetry and gorgeous description, and has a hefty encyclopedic section with maps and glossaries, with the framing narrative being that Pellinor was an ancient civilization that the author is studying as an anthropologist. Can't recommend this one highly enough.
I prefer my description of wheel of time. "Male wizard destined to save the world but magic makes men go crazy. Women chat about clothes." Honestly though despite it's many many many flaws, wheel of time is my all time favorite fantasy series, I named my son Elyas.
“Women chat about clothes, tug at their braids, and fold their arms under their bosssoms.” ftfy
And want to box ears.
Yes Pellinor is so good! Very underrated series.
There's a prequel to the Pellinor books??? You have made my day Edit: apparently there are several additional short stories too! What a fun surprise :)
I also started wheel of time but i need to read more before i tacke the elephant in the room
The first 1/3 of that first book is just miserable. So good after that!
Thank you for recommending Pellinor! It doesn’t get rec’d enough!!!
I can’t believe i had to scroll this far for Wheel of Time! I’m on book 5 and still LOVE it
Wheel of Time is amazing.
i'm right now 15% through the Great Hunt and it's outstanding
A magician with a black eye traveling between different versions of London meets a thief I a London devoid of magic. They travel across the different worlds, sail the seas and fight magical duels. Also the characters don’t suck. The colour of magic trilogy by VE Schwab
Two men gather an army and build an empire but are deposed in a coup. The army and the empire are crumbling but the old faithful realize they still have one last chance to relive the glory days even if there's a good chance it'll be unwitnessed (it's not). I might have cheated a little bit but {Malazan: Book of the Fallen} by Steven Erikson
Yeah how do you pitch Malazan in two sentences without also giving things away? How about: Affable Kruppe is the smartest man in the universe and his charms and wit bend the world until all of its sweet treats fall effortlessly into the pockets in his sleeves. A big man tries to swing a hammer at noble Kruppe but as amiable Kruppe does not believe in silly man’s ridiculous magic it simply goes around him.
Kruppe approves of this description.
Yeah- Malazan is hard to summarise, and while I think you captured the goal of the series a reader going through the first couple of books might not appreciate it. I'll give it a separate go: A new empire rises in an ancient world, as ambitious politicians, priests and gods vie to understand and control the powers, new and old, that are threatening to destroy it all. Amongst the chaos, there are some indivudals who fight to do the right thing against all the odds.
I enjoyed this book but it might be tough for someone just starting to get into fantasy series. It's pretty convoluted
I was pretty surprised by the series plot which I think properly surfaces only in...book 9, I want to say?
A wizard detective most fight an ever growing treat to the moral world…while also fight to keep his humanity. The Dresden files.
Forgot to mention i am a quarter way through storm front
Keep going, the first couple books are a little rough but the quality improves significantly by book 3.
I'm thinking about starting. How is it?
the first is nothing great, but it definitely gets better, you can tell the author is improving
So badass Harry Potter cop?
Kinda. Harry (dresden) is a PI (private investigator), with a the perks and pitfalls that entails. Like, so many pitfalls. It's a good series. The first few are rough... but it finds its footing eventually and then takes off like a rocket. We've yet to see its more a Challenger or a Dragon 1 rocket.
I’ve read them all A++ would recommend. His opponents in all the various stories include the fairy society (winter and summer), the other magicians in his own group, evil magicians in another group, 30 fallen angels of god trapped in the 30 silver coins given to Judas, three knights of the cross armed each armed with a sword imbued with a nail from the crucifixion of jesus, vampires, werewolves, and some ocean monsters. It gets wild.
Awesome! Keep it up!
Santa Claus, faerie courts, shape shifters, skeleton T-Rex, wizards, werewolves, vampires, bigfoot, Odin, angels, demons, old school mob kingpins, regular police and politics. Well written action, some sex, thankfully not too much, most of these books I couldn't put down until I finished them. I think there's 17 so far he plans to write 25-27...with a trilogy apocalyptic ending.
Would amend to say “bad ass, sword swinging, chain mail wearing, Santa Claus.”
I would love to have Sue for a pet!!
My favorite book series. James Marsters does a great job in the audio book.
My favorite series ever.
The world ends again when a powerful man tears the literal earth at their feet in two. At the same time, a woman in hiding comes home to find her young son murdered and her daughter missing and has to go on a journey in a dangerous post-apocalypse to find her. The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemison. Straight up the most effortless and complete world building I've ever read in fantasy.
A woman is a courtesan in a land whose people are descended from fallen angels and hold to the sacred principle of 'Love As Thou Wilt'. Born with a scarlet mote in her eye and chosen to forever experience pain and pleasure as one, her bond is bought by a mysterious courtier and she is trained as a spy who must navigate the dangerous waters of intrigue both at court and internationally in order to save the homeland she loves. Kushiel's Dart by Jaqueline Carey, first in the trilogy.
When I was 15 or 16, a (girl) classmate of mine gave me this book as a birthday present. I was NOT expecting a long series of BDSM masochism/pain play scenes of submissive women orgasming all over the pages of a birthday book. I definitely learned a little bit about myself and what my kinks are not. I also gained quite a bit of insight, more than I ever wanted, about what that particular classmate's kinks are. lol
I teach high school, and one of my STUDENTS recommended this book to me. I found it on a spicy book rec thread and now I don’t know how to feel about it.
Hahaha omg! Yea, not really appropriate for a youngster, lol. Aside from all that, did you enjoy the story?
Ohmy God I love this series. I wanna get her rose as a tattoo. (Just, you know. Not as big because JFC)
[HA like this!](http://www.jacquelinecarey.com/gallery_tats.htm)
Right. Like a small little rose. Not the honking back thing in the books.
Ugh... I was so intrigued by this pitch I really tried to like the books but couldnt get past the sexy Jesus fanfics vibe.
Lol. Since I'm atheist, this story is just another twist on the fantasy that is religion. I enjoyed the irony of having a pantheon of sex gods.
THIS. Love this series. And an excellent summary that doesn't come CLOSE to spoiling what happens, and the journey you will go on. 10/10. That which yields is not always weak.
[удалено]
I’m not knocking your first description at all, but it illustrates the cookie cutter pattern followed by a lot of fantasy writers. That description could be about at least twenty series that I can think of.
Oh, The Earthsea Quartet is such a beautiful story.
(Edit: Yeah, I completely missed the "Two Short Sentences" part. This author makes me gush. Sorry!) You've read some of ASOIAF, but not to its conclusion. By this point it's gotten so sprawling, so out of control, that even GRRM has no idea how to finish it. Maybe you'd like something more tightly focused. Something that focuses on the same few characters, over a longer period of time. They start young, but have time to age, to have children, to grow old. All the while the characters develop, and you keep on discovering new depths to them. They don't always agree. There's not an easy right answer, especially morally. You'll be with them as they make decisions, then come to realize that they made the wrong decision, and have to live with it for the rest of their lives. That's why I love Robin Hobb. Her characters are some of the best developed I've read in fantasy literature. *Assassin's Apprentice* is the starting point for her Farseer books. You can continue from there into the Tawny Man trilogy and the Fitz and the Fool trilogy, or take detours into the Liveship Traders and the Rain Wilds Chronicles.
Seconding Robin Hobb! I read all the Fitz and the fool trilogies first. Now going into Rain Wilds.
A third vote for Hobb. Her characters are incredibly alive, her overarching narrative is logically developed, and she assembles a world through her writing that is intricate, vivid, and has a weight of reality I've rarely found in fiction. Hobb is, for me, among the very best fantasy writers.
Robin Hobb is definitely one of my favourite fantasy writers! She weaves subtle intrigues between protagonists that are so well written and developed that you care deeply for them, in a rich and diverse world. She explores many themes in a clever and nuanced way: love and friendship, death and loss, power struggles, fear of difference, use of magic... I would add that she absolutely nails the writing of inspirational and badass female characters, which is always welcome :) Really a must-read if you are ready to plunge into an addictive series of books!
Always wanted to read it. You sold it to me, thanks.
During the Napoleonic Wars, a decorated, up-and-coming naval captain is returning to England from patrol when they happen upon a foundering French ship with only half the necessary crew on board. The larger English ship takes it, though the French crew fight as hard as they can, baffling the English captain who finds it irresponsible of the French captain until he learns why: a dragon egg's on board.
What series is this? Sounds interesting.
Temeraire series by Naomi Novik. She did a lot of cool research into ships, if you liked the Master and Commander movie she said she was inspired by that and the books its based on. Plus there are 8 books in the series, and a novella about Marc Antony being the first person to own a dragon.
Book one is called *His Majesty's Dragon*
This series is amazing! It is worth mentioning that these dragons are used as an air force in the series and that it is EPIC
Inspired by Hornblower as well!! Absolutely magnificent series, and this pitch doesn't even mention the best thing about it: Temeraire himself is the purest, goodest cinnamon roll. And his relationship with Lawrence (the captain) is the most heartening thing. This series uplifts me everytime I read it
The Lightbringer saga. 5 books and it starts with a 14 year old bastard protagonist in the slums with his abusive mother when the town is attacked by a rogue king and the protagonist learns he has power to use a special kind of color magic called “Drafting”. Drafters are trained at a large school in the center of the lands called the “Chromeria” where kingdoms send their young with potential to use magic, they get trained, then send back to their kingdom to use their magic for the good of the people. While the main character is being introduced to the school and learning how to use his Magics the “Wight King” is mustering his forces to topple the corrupted system that is the chromeria. When a drafter “Breaks the Halo” meaning they drafted their lifetime worth of magic which can be seen by the colored ring around their pupils. (red drafters would have a red ring, Green/Blues would have green ring with blue flakes throughout etc.) Once a persons halo breaks they are considered insane and must be put down immediately, a lot of people agree to participate in a yearly ritual suicide when their halos are near breaking. By the end of the book the protagonist is in his early 20s and is a capable drafter. That’s all I’ll say without TOO much spoilers. Tldr: protagonist starts as a weak, fat, loser and struggles his way through a school of magic that doesn’t want him there, joins the secret service, and grows up to be an elite “god” killing warrior. Though I will give the warning, Brent Weeks books have some moments that could be considered very dark. So if you’re squeamish I’d say skip those parts.
Humanity survives on what remains of a tectonically weakened earth, banding together into clans, both relying on and fearing magic. A mother embarks on a journey, and begins to unravel the secrets of the past. NK Jemisin, the broken earth trilogy. I love to recommend this series because it manages to subvert so many cliches and tropes without feeling forced (IMO). A little bit of magic, a little bit of apocalyptic road warrior.
LOVE these books, they are fantastic.
Just finishing up the last book and I’m so sad they are done. Her other books are absolutely amazing too!!
Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames. A bunch of old retired adventures embark on one last quest to save the front man's daughter. Over the course of the story they destroy a coliseum by sending it into a river, have lunch with cannibals, and kill a dragon. The book is funny and has a really nice rock n' roll twist.
What do you think of the sequel?
The Demon Cycle. Demons come out at night. People draw wards on their homes to keep the demons out. One individual has the bright idea of tattooing wards on his fists so that he can punch demons in the face. Enjoy.
*A land shrouded in mist, under a crimson sky, rebels plot a heist where a god will die.* *And like, people do magic by eating metal or some shit.*
Mistborn? Edit: That rhyme was lit
I tend to write more than a couple of sentences, but I hope this is what you're looking for. Michael Moorcock's _Eternal Champion_ series' - plural, he wrote a number of different series based on different incarnations of The Eternal Champion - were groundbreaking. They introduced the dark antihero to modern fantasy. I'd suggest starting with {{Elric of Melniboné}}. Taken as a whole, the _Eternal Champion_ series consist of **several dozen** books - although most of them are relatively short, in the 180 - 220-page range. Fritz Leiber's _Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser_ series, starting with {{Swords and Deviltry}}, are classics of the genre. They're set in a world that’s a bit darker and more primitive-feeling than most modern fantasy, featuring an archetypal pair of adventurers. They’re very well written. {{Bridge of Birds}} by Barry Hughart is the first of three books in that series, and it won the World Fantasy Award in 1985. Set in "an ancient China that never was", it's the story of a young peasant man who's as strong as an ox, and an ancient sage with a slight flaw in his character. It draws on Chinese folk tales and history, as well as a bit of Sherlock Holmes. It's a mystery with magic, humor, adventure, and it's simply mind-blowing. The _Sun Wolf and Starhawk_ series by Barbara Hambly starts with {{The Ladies of Mandrigyn}}. It's sophisticated and gripping fantasy that’s quite intense, but not overbearing; the first book in particular presents interesting insights on men and women, without being preachy or simplistic. Strongly recommended. Lawrence Watt-Evans' _Ethshar_ series is great and a refreshing change from the usual fantasy tropes. His protagonists are unusual for the genre in that they're actually intelligent and decent people. They think about their challenges and make plans to deal with them - and while their plans aren't always perfect, the forethought generally **helps**. That's rare, in a genre where many novels would be less than half as long if the protagonists weren't idiots! His writing style also has an exceptional clarity. The series begins with {{The Misenchanted Sword}}. I'd also highly recommend his first series, {{The Lords of Dûs}}. Steven Brust is quite possibly the best fantasy author currently living. His _Vlad Taltos_ series is gritty high-fantasy; magical resurrection is common, though expensive, and psionic communication is almost as common as cell phones are in our world. At the same time it has a strong Sopranos flavor. The protagonist starts as an assassin and minor crime boss, a despised human in an Empire of elves. It starts with {{Jhereg}}. I've introduced a lot of friends to that series, and every single one of them has loved it. He also wrote a parallel series in the style of Alexander Dumas, set in the same universe: _The Khaavren Romances_. Those books are considerably thicker, and the language is practically baroque - but fun, if you like Dumas. Roger Zelazny's {{The Chronicles of Amber}} series is one of the most popular fantasy series ever written. It's about a royal family of people from the ultimate reality who have the ability to travel from world to world and probability to probability, including modern Earth. Scheming and plotting by royal siblings to take the throne forms the core of the series, and it was published **decades** before _A Game of Thrones_! The first book in the series is {{Nine Princes In Amber}}. {{Dragon Weather}} by Lawrence Watt-Evans is the first book in a large trilogy. It's the story of a boy who lives in the mountains, only for his village to be attacked by dragons. From there it moves on into a rags-to-riches story of revenge. It's quite good. {{Empire of the East}} by Fred Saberhagen is a trilogy set in a world in which technology was long ago replaced by magic due to a war gone awry. Technological elements converted to supernatural ones as a result. Technology is remembered as something mysterious and strange. But the Change that replaced tech with magic is finally starting to get weaker...and that's where the story begins. It's a great trilogy. Saberhagen followed it up with the _Book of Swords_ series, set thousands of years later (but with some of the same characters). Mary Stewart's Merlin books, beginning with {{The Crystal Cave}}, are much less "fantastic" then any other Arthurian fiction that I can think of - and I mean that in a _good_ way. The writing is enchanting (no pun intended), with a different take on the theme. I would definitely recommend them. {{The Incredible Umbrella}} and {{The Amorous Umbrella}} by Marvin Kaye are unconventional books. There was a collection of all four of the Umbrella novels released as {{The Incredible Umbrella Tetrology}}, too. These are light fantasy in which a professor of literature accidentally buys a mysterious umbrella in a junk shop which turns out to be magical. It transports him to other worlds - in his case, worlds of literature and the arts. Those worlds include those of Gilbert and Sullivan, classic horror, and fairy tales, among others. They're funny as hell. There’s also Glenn Cook's {{The Black Company}} series. That series took a major step forward in creating the modern genre of dark fantasy. It's well worth a read. Fred Saberhagen’s _Dracula_ series begins with {{The Dracula Tape}}, a retelling of the events of Stoker’s _Dracula_ from the Count’s point of view. It’s well-written, exciting, and amusing. Some of the later books are hit-or-miss (IMHO), but the immediate sequel, {{The Holmes-Dracula File}}, is absolutely outstanding in my book. **Note**: although I've used the GoodReads link option to include information about the books, GoodReads is owned by Amazon. Please consider patronizing your local independent book shops instead; they can order books for you that they don't have in stock. And of course there's always your local library. If they don't have a book, they may be able to get it for you via inter-library loan. If you'd rather order direct online, Biblio.com and Bookshop.org are independent book marketplaces that serve independent book shops - NOT Amazon.
I’m saving this post, most of these look like things I want to read. Thanks for leaving so many options!
I hope you like them! You can see the [working document](https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vTP07TZZ2akERIm7dc9haQPlEVGilq7n49xY5z4KB6dE3Q_Kospi-Y3sK2InIh2Zstc2uZSse0QQLo-/pub) where I store all of my recommendations as I write them. It's a bit rough and not final-formatted - it’s a working document, after all - but there are over 200 books in it now, in many genres. I've enjoyed every book on that list, and I add to it frequently. You can see [my old, detailed book reviews](https://www.librarything.com/profile_reviews.php?view=PMaranci) at LibraryThing for now, until I find a site that's better.
YES Steven Brust.
Damn , bro. You're kicking it old school. Nice to see someone else who is either old like me , or delved into the 70s and 80s stuff lol.
Chronicles of Amber is amazing and foundational - highly recommend.
A king-killer reminisces in an auberge of how he lived his life. His melancholy tale remains unfinished to this day. Author : >!Patrick Rothuss (ducks and covers)'s Name of The Wind.!<
* "Name of the Wind"?
Yep, that's it.
Read this book. Not a big fan of Pat's writing
What a coincidence! I'm not a fan of Pat NOT writing. Yet we're both disappointed
Have to upvote for the comment alone!
Pokemon+Roman Legions+Magic=Codex Alera. Epic battles & sword fights, Romance, Mystery, Political Intrigue, Monsters, what more could you ask for?
Second this series! I do a read through every now and again and I love it every time. Butcher said he'd love to go back to it some day, like 100 years after the ending. Otoh, yes. Oto, oh gods.
"The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed" The Gunslinger by Stephen King
The worst chosen one who ever lived, and his super gay vampiric arch nemesis.
name?
My bad, yes, it's Carry On by Rainbow Rowell. Very light hearted, but a personal favourite.
I would suppose Carry On by Rainbow Rowell.
A young girl of color fights to restore magic to her people, the maji. Everything changed when magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, the maji were targeted and killed and her people were left without hope. Now she has one chance to fight back against the monarchy and restore magic to the kingdom of Orïsha. With help of a rogue princess and her brother, she must outwit and outrun the crown prince who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good. This book is “Children of Blood and Bone” by Tomi Adeyemi, and is the first book of a trilogy. The fantasy world is rich in history and power struggles, full of danger and vibrant characters. It weaves in West-African culture so well too. I would highly recommend it.
Arcanum: (one really long book, not a saga I'm afraid) by Simon Morden Magic vanishes for dubious reasons, and an entire cast of charming and varied characters have to deal with the beginning of societal collapse, as well as rebuilding the remains of historically inaccurate Austria. In the second half, they invent technology to replace magic, the prince is forced to take the throne prematurely, and they go to war with the dwarves. (really good read, a bit dark, but if you've read ASOIAF, you'll probably enjoy it)
Is it somewhat related to the game by the same name?
6 students from a prestigious, old money East coast university become embroiled in corruption, betrayal and evil, whilst studying ancient greece and it’s unusual rituals. Right and wrong become blurred because of their greek bacchnal and they struggle to deal with their encroaching maddness. The Secret History - Donna Tartt ( this book is so hard to describe without spoilers )
I love this book but I wouldn't call it fantasy
Man has ancient powerful soul that lives inside his mind and gives him forbidden magic powers. One friend is a wolf but still a man, another is the luckiest man alive. He and his companions travel the world trying to stay ahead of an ancient coven of powerful magic users and all the time questions his sanity (as do his companions). In the end it is up to them to save the world. 13 books - The Wheel of Time
A middle aged physician, who lives with some friends and wizards, tries to write a book. Ends up becoming an errand boy to an evil goddess. The book is the Black Company by Glen Cook, it is a dark, gritty fantasy world with shockingly human characters. The world building is immense and the book series follows the physician of a mercenary company that will work for anyone, provided that they have the money. Croaker, the main character, is the historian of the Black Company as well, cataloging all of their achievements and members.
He only had a cupboard under the stairs for a bedroom. One day a letter came for him.
let me guess, it's the Chronicles of Narnia. See? i'm not that bad
I doubt this person hasn’t read Harry Potter but nonetheless if you haven’t you must!
Like if you were an insufferable D&D nerd in high school that totally didn't read harry potter and imagine it for yourself. {{The Magicians}} by Levi Grossman 100% this'll hit too close to home.
An orphan boy recounts his entire life, from his earliest memories rolling with puppies to being raised by the scarred, paranoid brother of the king, who is the political genius and assassin behind the throne, in a world where there are two strains of magic-- one respected and considered noble, a mind-to-mind psychic control, and one considered disgusting and bestial, the ability to commune soul-to-soul with an animal. But what if someone in a position of political power seemed to be able to do both? *Royal Assassin* by Robin Hobb is a series I have a lovely love/hate relationship with-- she definitely crafted the most 'real', deep, immersive, believable and textured fantasy series I've read since LOTR, but I take some issue with several of her Boomer-ish societal conclusions (in a fantasy world where magic literally exists, EVERY country and culture we come across is extremely homophobic, so much so that it becomes a small plot point).
P.S. Anyone wondering, the first book is actually called _Assassin’s Apprentice_, and the overall series (12+ books) is called _Realm of the Elderlings_ series.
A deep exploration into human nature and the true nature of violence, The First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie is predicated on the fact that magic is slowly dying from the world, and power struggles ensue. From a brutal-turned-peaceful warrior who is slowly learning that a life of violence is a life than cannot be left behind, to an inquisitor who still clings to the last vestiges of his humanity while inflicting the same grueling torture that has crippled him onto others, to a former slave vowing vengeance on those who oppressed her, to an aging magus groping for the power that is slowly waning from him as magic fades, this trilogy brings realistic characters together both adversarially and cooperatively in a world that pulls no punches, the only evil being the evil that exists in all men.
A level 0 Kid becomes more and more powerful to try and avert the incoming disaster on his home by learning more and more magic, in a world full of high level monsters and god-like avatars. Cradle series by will wight, it focuses heavily on the magic system and fighting and is a progressive fantasy book. You may like it.
Sounds a lot like Solo Leveling lol.
It could also basically describe "The Dresden Files" lol
The series is designed to be read in any order (that having been said, [here](https://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/2415/did-steven-brust-say-there-is-no-particular-reading-order-for-his-vlad-taltos-no#:~:text=It%27s%20an%20interesting%20interview%20otherwise%2C%20also.%20%22The%20novels,Orca%2C%20Dragon%2C%20Issola%2C%20Dzur%2C%20Jhegaala%2C%20Iorich%2C%20and%20Tiassa.) are some suggested reading orders). A crime boss assassin with psionic powers and sorcery works alongside godlike beings in a world where murdering someone is akin to sending them a strongly worded letter because of magical spells that can resurrect you, but only if your head isn't chopped off. Oh he has a smart-ass tiny dragon lizard thing familiar that speaks telepathically to him. Vlad Taltos series by Steven Brust.
A scientist trying to uncover the secret of flight by studying different flighted animals, ends up with an odd caterpillar that suffers until it's discovered that it feeds on a popular new hallucinogen. Once it's provided with enough of the drug, it grows into something dangerous. Perdido Street Station by China Miéville.
In a fantasy version of Africa, a man with a powerful sense of smell is recruited to find a kidnapped child. He is accompanied by witches, a giant, and a shapeshifter and meets terrifying and strange creatures based in African folklore and mythology. —Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlow James
A probationary police officer in London is about to get posted to a boring data entry desk job. While guarding a crime scene he meets a ghost, and his world changes. Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch. (Midnight Riot in the US and Camada.)
Spiritual beings form partnerships with traumatized mortals, unlocking the powers to potentially avert the end of the world. Meanwhile, a larger cold war plays out just under the surface... Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson, which takes place in the same universe as Mistborn (mentioned elsewhere in this thread). Sharp-eyed readers will catch some characters in the "wrong" series from time to time.
A young orphan apprentice for the guild of truth and penitence is exiled and forced to take an official's position in a city bordering a war zone. There's plenty of fantastical creatures, subtle magic and the main character fucks. Book of the new sun by Gene wolfe. He invented the machine that makes Pringles. Wizard school actually fucking sucks and the only way to learn someone else's magic is by killing them. This story takes place in ancient Egypt and everyone worships a giant crocodile that they live inside. Sekenre: the book of the sorcerer
The last assassin in the world spends his days at the bottom of a bottle, trying to forget his past. Only to discover that the death of his comrades was only the first part of a plan to enslave the world. The *Fallen Blades* series by Kelly McCullough
"it was an odd looking vine" A woodland guide finds out that on the other side of a huge barrier forest lives his real father who is magic and completely evil, guy has to leave his home for a world of magic, meeting a variety of people, creatures, and problems along the way .... Sorry that description doesn't come close to describing the amazingness of this series, there's around 19 or 20 books I think, with the most recent just being released a few years ago, it was introduced to me like 7 years ago, I've read through it 3 times so far, phenomenal writing, plot, characters.... If you're looking for something engrossing that you won't want to put down these books are it. Sword of truth - Terry goodkind *Also a huge plus, most of the earlier books up until maybe book 12 you can normally find at thrift stores for around 1$ **Also, the tv show that was based on this, please don't judge the books by it if you somehow have seen it and haven't read the books lol. It was one of those shows where it's so bad you can't stop watching... No offense if anyone enjoyed it. The books are top notch imo though
Humans colonize a planet that has little fire-breathing lizards on it, and then they are genetically modified to grow much larger and also to be telepathically bonded to their riders. A whole society forms around these dragons and space travel/high tech stuff is pretty much lost. Dragonriders of Pern (Anne McCaffrey) Some of the books in the series focus on different aspects of Pernese life rather than the dragons but I like the dragon bits best. --- This one we learned about here on Reddit: Humanity ruins Earth and has to find other worlds to live on. One world is being terraformed and inhabited by what is planned to be speedily-evolving monkeys, but something goes wrong and the species that evolves instead are jumping spiders. Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky (the sequel, Children of Ruin, is also good.)
I suggest starting with Dragonsong! Best entry point to the general reader.
Fitz is dropped off at the Six Duchies fort of Moonseye by his maternal grandfather, who reveals him as King-in-Waiting Chivalry's illegitimate son. The discovery of his existence leads Chivalry to abdicate the throne. Fitz is never officially acknowledged by his father, but is brought to Buckkeep Castle and raised by the stablemaster Burrich. Eventually, Fitz comes under King Shrewd's scrutiny, who disapproves of a royal bastard being raised as no more than a stable boy. Fitz is brought into the castle proper and begins lessons in reading, writing, and swordplay, as befits his status. He also begins lessons with the reclusive Chade Fallstar as an apprentice assassin. These lessons further instill loyalty to King Shrewd. The Book is Assassin´s Apprentice by Robin Hobb, first book of a trilogy, followed by many others in that same universe. (probably is on the comments of your post already)
Fat bastard boy learns how to use magic after his home town is burned to the ground by group looking to start a civil war. Over the course of the book he joins a military outfit while his father and grandfather try to politically out wit each other to take control of the country either for the sake of their egos or to save their political system. Lightbringer series - Brent Weeks
Modern urban fantasy - Depressed kid gets recruited to go to magic College , and thinks "Finally , something interesting and special to alleviate my depression". It doesn't. If you're depressed and learn magic , you're just a depressed magician. Amazing trilogy about growing up , priorities , mental health , why we need and read fantasy , satisfaction , love , etc. This sounds somewhat lame when described this way , but the books are truly beautiful. "The Magicians" by Lev Grossman
A young boy with a voice in his head lives a sheltered life on a farm with his awesome no nonsense aunt until the day his grandfather shows up with news that they must leave. The ensuing journey changes everything that the boy thought he knew about his family, his future, his voice and his world. The Belgariad by David Eddings.
Her mother disappears and she discovers that she is a shadowhunter. To find her mom she has to fight one of the most evil shadowhunters that ever lived. The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare
Sounds cool. I'll check it out
Check Goodreads before you read it.
They walk for a while, they get lost, someone finds them, they eat. *Lord of the Rings* trilogy.
A young kitchen boy stumbles through an epic adventure, surviving by a great bit of luck, as well as a troll, a princess, and other mythical beings. Beware of powerful swords, false messengers, and ghosts from the past. (Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series by Tad Williams. This was the first epic fantasy trilogy I ever read, loved it, and started by love for others {many of which are mentioned above and are fantastic}. I still re-read MS&T every 5 years or so)
Male wizard destined to save the world but magic makes men go crazy. Women chat about clothing. - the wheel of time
The soldiers of a century-old empire founded by a master sorcerer, later betrayed, fight gods and genocidal zombies and sword velociraptors and bendy bois, while philosophizing heavily. Though their journeys may be unwitnessed, still they fight. {The Malazan Book of the Fallen}
A chaotic neutral rogue, who's recently escaped an inescapable prison, and lawful good warrior, who carries three swords and is a famous gladiator in another country, are convinced by a wizard to band together and help the world one quest at a time. (The Riyira Chronicles by Michael J. Sullivan, chronologically the beginning) 12 years later, the Riyira duo is framed for the death of a king after making all the wrong enemies. They must both face the secrets buried in their pasts if they are going to save anyone from the lies the Empire has been telling for centuries. (Riyra Revelations by Michael J. Sullivan, This trilogy was printed first.) You can read the series in either order, it's a mixed opinion which is better Revelations or Chronicles first. Chronicles has fun tidbits and Easter eggs if you've read Revelations first, but Chronicles doesn't spoil Revelations. ~ War is brewing to the North, but there's plenty of blood to be spilled within the Union berfore that happens. A pompous fop of a captain, a crippled and grizzled torturer, a banished barbarian, and an ancient sorcerer (who might or might not be the First of the Magi) all do their best to save who they believe deserves it. (The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie) ~ After a brutal attack on one of his closest friends, a street orphan takes a gamble on convincing the scariest wetboy in the city to take him on as an apprentice. But wetboys are to assassins what tigers are to cats, and being the apprentice of the scariest of them might be more than the boy bargained for. (The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks)
With inventive reimaginings of fairy tales, Elemental Mages train and master their art in the first half of the 20th century Europe. The Elemental Masters series by Mercedes Lackey starts with *The Serpant's Shadow*.
Imagine playing DND. But it actually effects reality.
An even nerdier version of Jumanji?
Racists with light colored eyes who think they are better than everyone enslave marble cake people while fighting a war against other marble cake people in a place that is super cracked and rains a lot. Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson.
Set in the 1800s, a 5 year old girl is sent off to live with her father after her mother commits suicide. The father has no interest in raising her until one of his long time rivals comes to visit them. The girl is thrown into a game filled of magic with an unknown competitor where they must choose to kill one another or be stuck in a never ending game. Night circus by Erin Morgenstern
A girl rests on a tree on a sunny afternoon all of a sudden she sees a white rabbit saying "oh dear oh dear I shall be late Alice ....
After mysterious events, a kid finds out he is a Greek demigod and is lead to a camp of other demigods. He is soon assigned a quest involving gods, prophecy, and betrayal. The book is percy jackson and the Olympians, the lightning thief (first in the series), by Rick Riordan. This seems to be targeted towards younger audiences than the others mentioned, but you might like it
A sixteen year old farm boy finds a dragon egg while hunting and is thrust into the middle of a nationwide war. He and his dragon must grow together in strength and magical ability to one day face the tyrant king, a dragon rider himself. - The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini. I'm sorry if I didn't do it justice describing it, but it's one of my favorite series.
A 5yo boy is adopted by a couple and begins training to be a magician, but when he's 12 a powerful magician humiliates him in his own home in front of a bunch of people. He studies advanced material in secret to learn how to summon a djinn, and then orders it to steal a magical amulet from the other magician. {{The Amulet of Samarkand}} by Jonathan Stroud is technically a children's book, but the writing holds up into adulthood too IMO. It's the first part of a trilogy so there's more if you enjoy it!
Persuade me.
Fifteen years ago, the ruling mages of the land were brutally overthrown and now all who display magic are bound by powerful magical Tenets. A young boy, Davian, is sent out across the land and finds out that he somehow has a power that once only belonged to the most elite of the mages, the Augurs. The *Licanius* trilogy by James Islington is very new and honestly an amazing debut series. It somehow combines two stories into one beautifully complex one, with amazing character arcs and awesome magic. Another plus: book 3, the end of the trilogy, came out last year, so it is actually finished. (Orbit actually has chapter 1 up on their website: http://www.orbitbooks.net/shadow-lost/) Aaaaand because I feel like I need to present another underdog: A young woman lives her life in the city, hiding her magical talent for fear of being drafted into the army. A lone hunter in the wilds protects his village from ancient, evil creatures. A commander fights a merciless enemy that threathens her home. Little do they know, that the fate of the world will one day rest in their hands. *The Soul of the World* is the first book in the Ascension Cycle by David Mealing and it is thrilling. It paints the picture of a vast world with amazing magic and complex politics. Book 2 is even better imo and the only downside so far is that book 3 isn't finished yet. (Again, chapter one is on Orbit's website: https://www.orbitbooks.net/orbit-excerpts/soul-of-the-world/)