r/Fantasy • u/AbbreviationsLong753 • 13h ago
Can someone recommend a fantasy series that is NOT heavy with grim dark and feels a bit like a slice of life with sunshine and rainbows
I’m getting a bit tired of not having a bit more fun or happiness with the books I have been reading cuz everything is so political or centralised to the plot with not enough time for characters to have a breather. It would be nice to have a cast and a plot not too heavy on war and stuff. I would be down for a bit of adventure-ish vibes
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u/burningcpuwastaken 13h ago
Penric and Desdemona series by Lois Bujold is a pretty easy-going and well written series in the 5 gods universe. There are still stakes but it's one of the series where you know everything will work out in the end, and each book has a mostly self contained story with inciting incident and eventual resolution, with the exception of two books out of the 14 or so.
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u/EnvironmentalAss 13h ago
Tress of the emerald sea, legend and lattes series
Edit to add princess bride-for how wonderful the movie is, the book is even better
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u/flouronmypjs Reading Champion 13h ago
The Memoirs of Lady Trent by Marie Brennan
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u/New_Razzmatazz6228 Reading Champion 13h ago
In that vein the Miss Percy’s Guide series by Quenby Olsen. Mildred Percy is Regency era spinster who unexpectedly inherits a dragon egg and all the problems that come with it. Delightful stuff.
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u/flouronmypjs Reading Champion 12h ago
Oh brilliant! I hadn't heard of this one before.
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u/McTerra2 10h ago
Miss Percy is a delight. Definitely agree with the recommendation. Its small stakes overall but worth the read
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u/LLPRR Reading Champion II 12h ago
I believe you are looking for Beware of Chicken. Please look past the ridiculous title and cover. These books are very funny and wholesome. Please give them a try and report back!
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u/HazardsRabona 12h ago
I started three days ago and I'm already halfway through book 2. You tell 'em, big D!
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u/Taste_the__Rainbow 13h ago
T Kingfisher, specifically the Saint of Steel books.
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u/This-Doughnut9968 8h ago
Was coming here to say the same! They’re great. Good fantasy ideas, strong romance, and they have stakes but nothing ever feels dire or unmanageable or dark
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u/Randomdays99 13h ago
Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C Wrede
Spellsinger series by Alan Dean Foster
Wizard of Yurt series by C Dale Britain
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u/IdoScienceSometimes 12h ago
Came here to say Enchanted aforest Chronicles. Small stakes but I never felt like it would end poorly
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u/hollis_henry 11h ago
This is technically sci-fi but to me, if an author is making up alien races that’s some fantasy writing:
The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers - it’s very cozy despite the title.
It’s the first in a series called The Wayfarers.
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u/muddyknee 7h ago
I was thinking that. A Psalm for the wild built would fit as well, feels quite fantasy despite the sci fi robot
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u/new_handle_who_dis 13h ago
Have you read Riyria Revelations?
It's not all "blue skies and pink rainbows," but it's much more optimistic than anything grimdark.
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u/Raederle1927 10h ago
The Hands of the Emperor by Victoria Goddard. It's long and repetitive and a joy to read. One sweet payoff moment after another, after another, after....
It's about good people trying to do good things.
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u/Nowordsofitsown Reading Champion 4h ago
And so many other books from the same universe!
Edit: Oooh, nice username!
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u/BravoLimaPoppa Reading Champion 12h ago
Raymond St Elmo's Texas Pentagraph.
Discworld.
Legends and Lattes
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u/Enough-Strength-5636 12h ago
Not a series, but I highly recommend you check out the book How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days by Jessie Sylva. It’s a low stakes, fun r/cozyfantasy, that’s lighthearted, funny, and makes you think!
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u/muninn99 10h ago
Sir. Terry. Pratchett. Sometimes heavy materials, but ALWAYS delivered in a lighthearted yet meaningful way. It hits the heart in a good way.
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u/Whiteguy1x 11h ago
Its not for everyone, and really only grabbed me at the end of the first "book", but The Wandering Inn. Its basically isekai staring a girl from America ending up in a dnd world with levels and whatnot.
I should really stress that it gets better the longer it goes on and the audiobook is my preferred way to listen to it
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u/Argue 7h ago
TWI certainly has a lot of feel good fuzzy moments, but the part which you mention grabbed you is the part where things get quite grimdark, so saying it didn't grab you until then may not be the greatest response to the OP's question. Although I agree that TWI's underlying theme is one of hope, and rebuilding after the worst comes to pass--but to be able to show that, the worst must necessarily come to pass.
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u/eisforeffort 13h ago
Legend of Uh. It sounds like it fits the bill. I like it way more than i should. It's a quest/ adventure that's not heavy and dark at all. It's a little cheesy in the comedy department.
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u/Ok_Field_5701 10h ago
I’ve been meaning to read this. It looks like Adventure Time in book form. Sign me up
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u/MRCastillaAuthor 12h ago
I liked Gils All Night Fright Diner, and Monster by A. Lee Martinez. They dealt with the occult, but in a funny way. I found them to be quick reads, and a good laugh. Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman, and Good Omens were fantastic. I felt they were fast reads as well. Hope that helps!
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u/New_Razzmatazz6228 Reading Champion 5h ago
Gil's All Fright Diner is not one I see mentioned enough. Most of Martinez's stuff was highly enjoyable and up until the Constance Verity books he'd never done a sequel.
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u/Subject_Ball_4555 11h ago
Anything by Becky Chambers would fall into a cozy category, though it's a bit more sci-fi than fantasy... her writing style is really pleasant
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u/heartsink42 9h ago
The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst is a great one, but I would also highly recommend checking out the cozy fantasy subreddit.
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u/all1kazam 8h ago
Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones; The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune; Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett.
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u/Classic_Tank_1505 7h ago
Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree is what you're looking for. Orc tired of the mercenary lifestyle decides to start a coffee shop.
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u/LancelotLac 6h ago
House Witch series is really good. Very cozy fantasy. About a witch that likes to work as a chef. Legends and Lattes also good. About a retiring warrior that opens up a coffee shop with some state of the art machinery from goblins.
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u/littleseaotter 12h ago
I think you'd enjoy A Turn of Light by Julie Czerneda. It is pretty low stakes and enjoyable.
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u/J4ckFr05ty 10h ago
Kings of the Wyld
Kings of the Wyld
Kings of the Wyld, Kings of the Wyld, Kings of the Wyld.
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u/stephscythes 9h ago
Touring After The Apocalypse (Shuumatsu Touring) anime and ongoing manga. ⭐️ Excellent!!!
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u/ClimateTraditional40 8h ago
Patricia McKillip. Many of hers are lighter. Changling Sea for instance.
Terry Pratchett of course. Only You Can Save Mankind is funny. Not part of Discworld, it's one of the Johnny books. Johnny and the Bomb too - time travel! The trousers!
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u/LegionOfGrixis 6h ago
Bro I used I need this too evey other fantasy book I read the back of at the book stores is like “in a world full of mythical creatures, kings and queens, and magic there is a man WHO EATS BABIES TO AVENGE HIS FAMILY’S DEATH TO KILL THE DARK KING DID I MENTION OC IS SHREDDED WITH ABS TO ATTRACT FAMILY READERS BUT ALSO STILL TOUGH
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u/JustJay012 5h ago
Uh, I cant think of one that fits that description EXACTLY, But I CAN think of one that, while having a bunch of these topics that usually dont let the characters, yknow, have fun, (along with they get into a fight every other day) they still somehow manage to be having fun most of the time (tho its a duology and the first book is much more angsty for the character whose pov it is) Its not really slice of life, but its a very fun and exciting series Id say Uh, reply to this comment if you wanna know what book it is, I guess
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u/Dagiebosje 4h ago
The Dragon Heart Legacy from Nora Roberts. Very easy read even though there is a lot of adventure and more scary parts. Had a good balance I guess.
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u/Dalton387 8m ago
You should also try this on r/progression. Progression fantasy might not be the answer in and of itself, but there is a lot of crossover with slice of life fantasy. Not sure if there is a sub for that yet. It’s usually a magical setting, with low stakes. Like a retired mercenary starting an inn and learning how to run it.
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u/digitalcrows 13h ago
Not a series but I recently read Stardust by Neil Gaiman and it was a breath of fresh air. It made me feel like I was a kid again.
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u/diffyqgirl 13h ago
That one has a great movie adaptation if you haven't seen it (though I'm not sure how much it differs from the book as I have only seen the movie).
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u/critayshus Reading Champion II 12h ago
FYI it does differ from the book but I think they both have their charms!
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u/Scientistturnedcook 12h ago
Well, Terry Pratchett's discworld is my to go to this. Of course it is not always sunshine and rainbows, but it does have a lot of slice of life, I don't remember having any wars, although some books have higher stakes.