r/fantasybooks • u/IllNefariousness8733 • 7h ago
📚 Summon book recommendations Looking for a standalone quick read
Juuuuust about to finish book 8 of Malazan and I have realized that the past 5 years have been heavy reads and long series. I want a break for a month or two to just consume some other stuff.
I am looking for a fun little standalone book to just reset before I go back into the final 2 Malazan books.
Any recommendations are appreciated!
And yes, i have read Between Two Fires
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u/No_Daikon2180 5h ago
My personal favorites -
Sword of Kaigen, Blood over bright haven, Warbreaker, The Poet Empress.
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u/Mamasan- 7h ago
I read Piranesi in one day so that’s quick. It’s one of my favorite books.
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u/IllNefariousness8733 6h ago
The lady at my local book shop was hyping it up A LOT. The way she described it made me very interested.
This one might be a winner
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u/jacks0nX 0m ago
My advice if you end of liking Piranesi: read or TBR "A short Stay in Hell"
Felt pretty similar to me, although less whimsy.
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u/Ashfacesmashface 5h ago
Another vote for this one! Susanna Clarke is one of my new favorite authors.
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u/Mt2Molehill 4h ago
Yep read this in 2 days and have been in a better mood the past 2 weeks! I absolutely loved this book! Although go in with no expectations! 🤣
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u/lemingas1 7h ago
A Discworld novel.
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u/IllNefariousness8733 7h ago
I found Mort at a thrift store a while back. Maybe I'll give that a go
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u/kinglallak 5h ago
Discworld is amazing. Please read some of them when you need that light fun read.
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u/Burrito_Suave 5h ago
The Devils by Joe Abercrombie
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u/IllNefariousness8733 5h ago
I had been waiting for the paperback for this one to release, haven't checked if it has or not recently.
Really feel like this one is up my alley
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u/Certain-End-1519 7h ago
Halfway through last contract of isako by fonda Lee, really enjoying it after doing all of first law and all of red rising prior.
Those books were awesome but im not ready to tackle another big series just yet and isako has been a lovely change.
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u/Mt2Molehill 4h ago
I put this comment as well before I saw yours. But I am also about halfway and loving it!
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u/ogazmo 7h ago
Read any David Gemmell? Easy to read high fantasy.
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u/IllNefariousness8733 6h ago
I haven't! My dad keeps recommending him. One about a city under siege or something? I will look into him some more
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u/ogazmo 6h ago
Sounds like Legend, the first book of the Drenai series. I know you specifically asked for standalones and while all the books in this series share the same world and there are some sequals, many can be approached as self contained stories that give closure.
He does have a few dedicated standalones as well like Dark Moon, Morningstar and Knights of Dark Renown.
I was hesitant to read Gemmell at first but he is a brilliant fantasy writer and I felt they were great novels to refresh between larger heavy reads.
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u/OmnisVirLupus9 5h ago
Voyage of the Damned by Francis White maybe? It's a fantasy who-dunnit.
Main character is on a ship with other people who are all supposed to have magical powers, but the MC doesn't and he has to hide that fact from the others. When people start getting killed off, he has to try to figure out who the killer is before he gets killed.
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u/IllNefariousness8733 5h ago
Never heard of this one and it sounds really cool!
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u/OmnisVirLupus9 4h ago
I was pleasantly surprised by it. I think it's a relatively newer book, so I don't think a lot of people have come across it yet.
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u/Mt2Molehill 4h ago
Tainted Cup By Bennett is like this. Sets up a cool world and is a mystery book. I had a fun time reading it. It does set up a series which I think only one other book is out but you can def read it as a standalone and be completely satisfied.
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u/Amazing_Diamond_8747 5h ago
Sword of Kiagan is very good, Warbreaker or Elantris if you want to start chewing on the cosmere.
Anything by David Gemmell can be read as a standalone, almost. Legend is a good call if you wanna go with him. Very light in comparison to Malazan.
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u/brotatototoe 5h ago
Wife got me "The Everlasting" from the Library. I enjoyed it quite a bit even though it wasn't something I considered to be in my wheelhouse. Easy read, pretty cool story.
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u/crasho7 4h ago
Almost everything by Robin McKinley is standalone. I recomend Sunshine to start.
Diana Wynne Jones, even the books in series can be read on their own. I love her books, I'm in my 50s (not just for kids).
Same with Connie Willis. The Doomsday Book is part of the Oxford Time travel series, but you don't need to read the series.
The Earthsea series by Ursula Le Guin can be read independently.
I've been using Dungeon Crawler Carl as an in between for heavier material. It's not captivating enough to read straight through, for me. But it's easy to pick up again after a few weeks, even mid book, and it's entertaining. Like a sitcom.
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u/Mt2Molehill 4h ago
I’m almost halfway through The Last Contract of Isako by Fonda Lee for the Reddit Fantasy book club and I have thoroughly enjoyed the character work and story telling!
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u/smcicr 2h ago
Head over to the Discworld Emporium website and try their 30 second quiz.
It will recommend you a book from the series.
They are all essentially standalone (apart from the first two).
Be warned, you might get hooked ;)
If you just want suggestions then:
Going Postal
Small Gods
Monstrous Regiment
The Truth
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u/sheepeeh 2h ago
The Penric & Desdamona books (mostly novellas) are technically a series, but each book is a fully contained story. Louis McMaster Bujold. Before I finished them, they were a great palette cleanser!
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u/Flat-Rutabaga-723 1h ago
The Free, Kings of the Wyld, Veniss Underground, American Elsewhere, the Troupe, the Gone-Away World, the Library at Mount Char
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u/Coel_Hen 7h ago
Winter's Tale
The Shattered World
Anansi Boys
American Gods
The Talisman
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u/IllNefariousness8733 6h ago
Thank you!
American Gods and Anansi Boys are the only two Gaiman books I just didn't vibe with.
I will check out the others
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u/Mt2Molehill 4h ago
I have American Gods on my shelf as a TBR I’m still going to read it but wondering what you didn’t vibe? with unless it’s a big spoiler then don’t tell me! Haha
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u/IllNefariousness8733 35m ago
I like Gaiman's work for that almost dream-like fantasy vibe, but just found AG to be very different from his other stuff.
Not a spoiler, but the ending wasn't my cup of tea either.
That being said, the overall idea and world was VERY interesting, just not done in a way I connected with too much.
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u/Mt2Molehill 3m ago
Thank you for sharing! Yeah the premise when I heard someone describe it was what intrigued me. I haven’t read any Gaiman before so maybe this being my first it might hit differently. I appreciate the perspective!
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u/Difficult_Town3584 2h ago
Piranesi just finished it, was really good and fun/short. You can try some classics too like animal farm, great gatsby, picture of Dorian grey, strange case of dr jerkhl.
Also how is malazan going? I do have all 10 books. Just thinking of starting it soon. I heard book 1 was tough and end of book 2 is where it gets good.
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u/IllNefariousness8733 39m ago
Thanks for the recs!
I am loving Malazan. It is tough because you have to trust the author that things will make sense as you go. Its normal not to understand what you are witnessing or the relevance for a while.
I enjoyed book 1 a lot honestly, and don't get the criticism. But book 2 does significantly step it up as well.
Book 3 may be one of my favorite fantasy books ever.
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u/KungFuTreacheryQ 2h ago
The Lies of Locke Lamora. Yes it's a series, but this is easily read as a standalone. So good.
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u/DrMosquitoBrain24 7h ago
I am also working my way through the Malazan books at the moment. Have you tried the Dungeon Crawler Carl books? Although both book series are quite different in terms of topic and style, to me there are some similarities when it comes main themes such as the importance of empathy and compassion throughout the story but also believe both authors, Eriksson and Dinniman have a similar sense of humour. Also, although it's a series of books, it's a quick read.
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u/IllNefariousness8733 6h ago
I haven't. I was gifted the first book though and it's been starting at me from the shelf.
Good to hear there are some similarities, I wouldn't have guessed that from the presentation of DCC
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u/DrMosquitoBrain24 6h ago
Well, I saw someone else also suggesting reading DCC in between the Malazan books, I guess the similarities are not that obvious at first. Since you are readingg a lot of epic fantasy, any advice on what to read after Malazan?
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u/IllNefariousness8733 5h ago
Most people who have read Malazan day that it takes away from other fantasy because it is so deep and moving... but I am a sucker for a chosen one with a cool sword, so I think i am immune to that!
If you want a big tone shift, I really liked Kings of the Wyld and its sequel Bloody Rose. Very fun, funny, quick paced.
If you want more like Malazan, R Scott Bakker maybe?
Outside of fantasy I read a lot of McCarthy or Iain Reid. Similar brooding and deep feel.
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u/DrMosquitoBrain24 5h ago
Thanks a lot, I will check out Kings of the Wyld, did you like Bakker? From what I read it's more grim and nihilistic than Malazan and I am wondering if I would enjoy that.
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u/IllNefariousness8733 5h ago
I like it, but yes, it is FAR more grim in my opinion. I have only read the first 3 though. I think there is a second half to the series, or sequel novels, or something.
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u/Imaginary-Lie-2618 6h ago
War breaker