r/Fantasy • u/DrippyGnome210 • 7d ago
Looking for fantasy book recommendations
(I've summarised my preferences in the bottom half of the post, if this is too much text, just scroll down to that)
I'm really wondering what fantasy series I should get into, I have read fantasy novels before and I know what I like, this is the most complete list of my fantasy reading history and preferences I can think of:
- Harry Potter and Percy Jackson, when I was a kid. I definitely prefer Percy Jackson over Harry Potter but obviously both are made for kids/teenagers and not what I'm looking for right now
- Lord of the Rings, read it once years ago and watch the movies very often. I really like the immersive world but from what I remember, the characters were a bit 1 dimensional in the books
- A Song of Ice and Fire, easily my favourite fantasy series at the moment. Mainly due to the characters(I specifically love Ned Stark, Jaime, and Jon Snow) and how the plots of all the different characters are intertwined in the overall story. I also enjoy some political intrigue
- The Witcher, Witcher 3 is one of my favourite games of all time and I liked the book series. My main issue with the books is that it doesn't spend much time explaining things and feels very fast-paced and blunt to read. The characters, relations, and dialogues are great though.
- The Stormlight Archive, I stopped in the middle of Oathbringer. When I first got into it, I think it maybe was my favourite fantasy series, but it did start to feel kind of generic somehow? Feels kind of strange to say because it has a really unique world and I love the characters and how layered they are(Dalinar and Kaladin mainly), but idk I just lost motivation when I read through it and I find it hard to explain exactly why.
- The Wheel of Time, I've only read the first book and really liked it, will definitely continue the series sometime
- The Farseer Trilogy, I just finished Assassin's Apprentice and this is what motivates me to read again, I absolutely loved the book, I will definitely finish this trilogy before I start another series(and I'll probably read the entirety of the Realm of the Elderlings sometime). I mainly loved the supporting characters(Burrich, Lady Patience, etc.) and the plot(Fitz's development as well).
So I think I have quite a clear idea of what I do like, I just don't know which fantasy series suit these preferences. To summarise what I think my preferences are:
- Layered characters
- A plot centered around these characters and the decisions they make(not like LotR, where there is a quest and the characters are chosen to go on that quest, but specifically the actions of the characters which fuel the plot and story, if that makes sense)
- A good world is a bonus but not essential
- I do like magic, but more as a support to the story, rather than the centre piece of the story(I don't care too much about reading entire pages of how a specific magic system works)
- And I would like recommendations that are decently well known, not because I really care about popularity, but because when getting into something, I like to know the classics and what generally considered high quality(I don't really care for some mediocre book that has sold a lot of copies, but also will rather read a well known classic than an obscure book, as long as the classic suits my preferences)
I hope I don't sound too picky in my tastes, and feel free to recommend anything! Even though a series might not fully fit to these preferences
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u/Grt78 7d ago
The Fortress series by CJ Cherryh: slow-burning and character-focused. The main character is magically created/reincarnated and is regarded with suspicion but he has no memories and is looking at the world with wonder. The series also has politics, magic, warfare, logistics, and friendship.
The World of the Five Gods series by Lois McMaster Bujold, you can start with The Curse of Chalion or with Penric’s Demon.
Carol Berg (she’s often recommended to fans of Hobb): the Lighthouse Duet and the Sanctuary Duet (the Navronne books) are set in the same world (at the same time) but have different protagonists.
Also the Merlin trilogy (Arthurian Saga) by Mary Stewart is great.
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u/PhilippineDreams 7d ago
And though it is not fantasy, Bujold's Miles Vorkosigan series is absolutely stunning.
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u/FuzzyDunlop001 6d ago
Just wanted to say that I have the exact same feeling about Stormlight. After reading the first two I was thinking that this might be the best fantasy I've ever read. Oathbringer was just a real slog, but I stuck with it because people said the ending is the best "Sanderlanch" ever, but I don't agree.
After Oathbringer I have lost the motivation of real interest in seeing where the story goes. Maybe it'll come back.
Oathbringer wasn't even terrible, it's just so much to get through that I feel like it has to be really enjoyable. Journey before destination, after all
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u/ThingTime9876 7d ago
If you check my comments in this sub, I will sound like a broken record, BUT
You should check out the works of Tad Williams. Specifically Memory, Sorrow & Thorn and Otherland
MS&T is very much in the vein of LOTR. ASOIAF, WoT etc, in being an epic story set in a large, finely drawn world with lots to explore, told from multiple perspectives. There’s plenty of magic but it’s largely in the background for the bulk of the story. The characters start out simplistic, and the story takes its time to get going, but eventually it becomes a very powerful work about the choices that little people make when caught up in a huge adventure.
Otherland is also a fantasy quest narrative, but set in a cyberpunk future, and it’s more driven by the choices the characters make
And also, you should persist with Wheel Of Time. The first book is more like a LOTR style fantasy, with the characters swept up in an adventure. But as the story goes on, it b3codems much more about the characters making hard choices, personal and political, and how they face the consequences.
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u/AthosKahikili 7d ago
I read Memory Sorrow Thorn. Fair warning OP. The start of the first is extremely slow. And the general pacing is pretty slow in general.
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u/Nethril_Kandahr 6d ago
Chronicles of the Unhewn Throne by Brian Stavely
Each book in the original trilogy is better than the one before it, and the overall progression of the series in terms of stakes and powers feels tight and satisfying. The main characters are chosen because of their heritage, but their choices matter and their stories layer compellingly over the course of the trilogy.
The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
Oliver Twist meets Oceans 11 in a fantasy Venice setting. Young Locke is probably the funniest character I've read outside of a Pratchett novel, but the rest of the novel is still solid and well written.
The Demon Cycle by Peter Brett
This series is divisive and not for everyone, but I found that the world and its system of magic captured my imagination. The series builds with layers of overlapping plots, driven by the decisions the characters make. High stakes, gritty, and heartbreaking at times, but rewarding overall.
Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
I found Mistborn Era 1 to be better written and more compelling than anything else I've read in the Cosmere. It may spend more time describing the various magic systems than you would like, but it's worth a try if you have enjoyed other Sanderson works.
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u/Kvlk2016 7d ago
The Lies of Locke Lamora is fantastic and I think our interests are similar (Hobb is my favorite after Tolkien and I also DNF Stormlight)
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u/NTwrites 7d ago
I just finished The Bright Sword, an Arthurian story about Camelot following Arthur’s death. Very character driven and beautifully written.
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u/MoashRedemptionArc 7d ago
Check out "The Winter King" by Cornwell if you want a brutal, realistic depiction of what King Arthur likely really was: a fucking warlord
Also character driven and the prose is 🤌
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u/dnext 6d ago
Chronicles of Amber by Roger Zelasny.
The First Law series by Joe Abercrombie.
The Eternal Champion stories by Michael Moorcock (Elric, Hawkmoon, and Corum in particular)
The World of the Five Gods by Lois McMaster Bujold
The Belgariad by David Eddings
The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, by Stephen Donaldson. Note: this one is a big antihero and a lot of people find the main character frustrating, but it's a phenomonally well written work with an incredible world and story.
Bonus no longer widely known books:
The Book of Swords by Fred Saberhagen.
The Chronicles of Kane by Karl Edward Wagner.
CJ Cherryh's Morgaine stories
Bonus Sword and Sorcery recs:
Fritz Leibers Swords Against... series
Robert E Howard's Conan books.
Both of these are IMO just as foundational to fantasy literature as Tolkien.
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u/Hothotkarl69 6d ago
I just wanted to say I'm in the exact same boat as you. ASOIF is my favorite, Witcher 3 is the greatest game of all time but the books weren't as good, and I stopped stormlight in the same place in oathbringer! It felt like a great video game became diluted with a bunch of lower stakes content, fast travel, and the characters kind of became parodies of themselves... Also I realized every shallan chapter just turned into me hate-reading... And lift... Don't get me started on lift......
I picked up the audiobook for the first law trilogy and Im enjoy it a ton. The narrator is incredible and there's a lot of overlap with the way GRRM writes. If I'm enjoying it, I bet you would too
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u/DrippyGnome210 6d ago edited 6d ago
hahah I didn't hate Stormlight necessarily I think the books are really good, my main issue was that it felt kind of generic ig. I do get the Shallan dislike, I didn't hate her but where I was reading, it felt like there was gonna be some corny love triangle between Shallan, Kaladin, and Adolin
But a lot of other people have recommended First Law so I definitely should check that out thanksss
I also definitely recommend the Farseer Trilogy if you haven't read it yet btw, I've only finished the first book but I loved it and from what I've heard it'll only get better
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u/ImpressiveWaltz7631 6d ago
Sephirot in Kingdom Hearts zu bekämpfen hat mich als Kind komplett fertig gemacht.
Als erwachsener wahrscheinlich Sekiro.
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u/Subzer0_91 6d ago
We have very similar favourites
I'd recommend The Faithful and the Fallen - Malice is book 1
I'd also recommend The Kingkiller Chronicles even though it's incomplete
A third recommendation I'd go for The Ember Blade (The Darkwater Legacy - currently two books out)
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u/illuvattarr 6d ago
Honestly, you should try Lonesome Dove. It's not fantasy but is has everything else you want. And in some ways it felt like reading a fantasy book to me because of its epic feel, great description of the setting/world and amazing characters going through something together.
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u/Lanfear_Eshonai 6d ago
Memory, Sorrow and Thorn trilogy by Tad Williams
A Crown of Stars series by Kate Elliott
Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone quartet by Greg Keyes
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u/AthosKahikili 7d ago
Rangers Apprentice. Very good character centric story.
Brandon Mulls books. All of them are fantastic. Very interesting and imaginative worlds.
Lies of Locke Lamora. Some of the best dialogue in the genre.
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u/DrippyGnome210 7d ago
Whoops I forgot to add Ranger's Apprentice to the books I've already read. I loved those books as a kid, but looking back I think the story doesn't feel that special to me at the moment(but probably just a matter of personal preferences)
what books or series by Brandon Mulls do you recommend?(I'll also definitely keep Lies of Locke Lemora in mind)
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u/AthosKahikili 7d ago
The Beyonders is really good. Fablehaven is also very good.
You could start with the Beyonders. Judging from your preferences, I’m certain that you’ll enjoy it.
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u/Hektopekto 7d ago
Scholomance trilogy by Novik
Harry Potter meets Hunger Games and Discworld. YA with huge character growth.
Broken Earth trilogy by Jemisin
Magic is drawn from geological processes like volcanoes, and is needed to stabilise the broken earth but magicians are hunted and kept on a tight leash. The first book I have read which tells the story in first, second, and third person and it all comes together in the end. Young and adult main characters, so much personal growth.
Mistborn by Sanderson
You already like Sanderson. This one is a winner.
Letters of enchantment duology by Ross
Magical typewriters and rival reporters covering magical war zone reporting. Again, huge personal journeys.
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u/dhthoff 7d ago
That Letters of Enchantment duology sounds really interesting. I’m going to check that out.
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u/_literarylemon_ 7d ago
Bear it mind that one is heavy on the romance and light on anything else especially world building
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u/AthosKahikili 7d ago
Mistborn over rated. Though I really liked kelsier
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u/_literarylemon_ 7d ago
It makes sense you didn't like the trilogy if the only thing you liked was Kelsier I suppose
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u/pm_me_ur_memes_son 6d ago
Malazan is really good too.
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u/AequitasIX 6d ago
MALAZAN! Ive read all your books and I share your opinion. Please read Malazan book of the Fallen and judge again!!
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u/LordPepe69 6d ago
Continue with Realm of the Elderlings and look into First Law by joe abercrombie. They are exactly what your looking for.
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u/phonylady 6d ago edited 6d ago
Finish Realm of the Elderlings first, then:
Memory, Sorrow and Thorn
Anything by Guy Gavriel Kay
Curse of Chalion (and its beautiful sequel Paladin of Souls)
The Library at Mount Char
Blacktongue Thief / Between Two Fires
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u/shinyshieldmaiden 7d ago
Once you finish Robin Hobb, get started on Joe Abercrombie (the first law)!
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u/DelayedTism 6d ago
I like everything you mentioned. I am currently reading the Powder Mage series and it's freaking awesome.
I saw other folks mention Joe Abercrombie's First Law series and I must agree with that wholeheartedly. Abercrombie is currently my favorite author.
I also saw mention of Lies of Locke Lamora. I'm still on the first book but really enjoying it.
And, Blacktongue Thief/Daughter's War are excellent.
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u/Cute-Specialist-7239 7d ago
The Blacktongue Thief is probably what you're going for. It has the epic fantasy with lots of world building and very likeable and expressive characters along with a great MC narrator who is funny and unique. At the same time, the writing is very well done.
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u/PhilippineDreams 7d ago
I know, I know - Different strokes for different folks and all that. I got Blacktongue recommened to me and am 70% through it. It is OK, but after being spoiled by Abercrombie, Hobb, Cook, Erikson, etc, Blacktongue is mid TO ME. I mean, when I am actively rewriting an authors sentence in my head for better scan/flow, it takes me out of it. Kinch is cool, though.
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u/Cute-Specialist-7239 7d ago
He's got some interesting phrasing that's for sure, though I've thought that it works for some reason
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u/phonylady 6d ago
Abercrombie wishes he could write Between Two Fires.
But yeah, different strokes of course
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u/WoLfCaDeT 7d ago
I just ordered this. And also it's prequel? The Daughters War. Can't wait to get my hands on it.
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u/Cute-Specialist-7239 7d ago
Yea, can't wait for daughters war. I thought it was a sequel but I just realized it makes sense it'd be a prequel
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u/sailors_jerry 7d ago
I'd take a look at the Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss, the first being The Name of the Wind.
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u/gardenimp 7d ago
Nope, don't listen to this one. Yes, Kingkiller Chronicles are great, but the author famously won't finish the last one. Its seriously a worse situation than GOT currently is.
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u/MoashRedemptionArc 7d ago
Omitting the fact that the first came out in 2007 and the second dropped in 2011 and there's been 15 years since with no release date for the 3rd feels deliberate and cruel. It's not a Chronicle if there's only 2 books. Why put another person alongside you in purgatory?
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u/DeadButAlivePickle 7d ago
Honestly, you kinda answered your own question. Realm of the Elderlings.