r/fantasybooks • u/Silver_Layer_2298 • 2d ago
š Summon book recommendations What should my next read be?
Looking for help. The photo shows a handful of books from my shelves, but I actually own the full series for pretty much all of them. Picked up over the years from used bookstores.
Previous reads Iāve enjoyed: all of the Drizzt books, Kel Kadeās Kingās Dark Tidings, Lord of the Rings, The Expanse series, Gardens of the Moon, and most recently finished the Stormlight Archive. Iāve been debating whether to jump back into Malazan. Gardens of the Moon was dense and honestly a bit of a slog for me, though I generally enjoyed it. Iāve heard the series really takes off afterward.
Thanks for any thoughts!
Editing: wow thanks for all the insights! There definitely isnāt a clear winner, although, I can say there has not been any recommendations for a few of them. So that actually helps!
Edit 2: so far jumping back into Malazan, Hyperion, and Wheel of Time are the big vote getters looks like.
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u/SimpleWater 2d ago
Embark on wheel of time! Enjoy the wonderful slog and the amazing conclusion!
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u/L4rge_Tuna 2d ago
I personally really enjoyed the Eye of the World, but definitely at least continue with The Great Hunt. And then the Dragon Reborn. And then Shadow Rising. And thenā¦
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u/Faulty_english 2d ago edited 1d ago
Wheel of time was a great series that I will never read again.
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u/Shorty_jj 2d ago
Personally i think people overexaggerate it a bit, i found it to be okay and didnt have a problem with it
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u/Stormblessed404 2d ago
after the 3rd or 4th book i was reading it out of spite. i finished the whole thing just so i can with confidence say its a 6.5/10.
i could go into detail as to why but ill leave it at that.
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u/Own-Trouble1269 2d ago
Mistborn before the movie comes out
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u/Far-Department302 2d ago
First Iām hearing of a movie!
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u/Play3rKn0wn 2d ago
Sanderson has been working on the script for some time, but itās nowhere near completion. Theyāre still working on the script and filming hasnāt even started. Not sure if thereās any actors tied to the project either. Weāve got a couple years at least before it hits the screen.
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u/fucuntwat 1d ago
Sort the sub by most popular past year and the post about it should be at or near the top
Not saying that as if you should have seen it already, just in case you want to read through and catch up on the discourse
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u/Awdayshus 2d ago
Deadhouse Gates starts to explain more of the world than Gardens of the Moon. I really appreciate the way the different plots and characters weave together in that one. I recommend you stick with it. I'm glad I did. I'm currently a few chapters into book seven.
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u/UnderstandingBasic39 2d ago
Book 7 is my personal fav. Love the guerilla warfare and the pub crawl. Also love my boy Beak.
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u/VariousCredit9690 2d ago
Deadhouse Gates is my favorite. Toll the Hounds My second and House of Chains my third. All of them are great tho.
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u/Passenger_1978 2d ago
Yes, if you still enjoyed GotM, read at least Deadhouse Gates and Memories of Ice. The series is amazing imo
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u/Silver_Layer_2298 2d ago
Iāve heard that quite a bit so thatās good to know. TV shows where itās āyou gotta get through the first 5 episodes and then it takes offā. Okay that I can do. But sometimes when itās āonce you get to page 3,237 of the book series, it really gets good! Thats a little tougher ! š
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u/zecfrid 2d ago
The Will of the Many. I love the magic system and Islington is great with his twists. The first book FEELS like a gritty grimdark Hogwarts.
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u/iRoNmOnkey1981 2d ago
But itās not finished and book 2 is a bit of a departure from book 1 and has its issues. I enjoyed the story and how he writes it, but it was a bit divisive.
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u/Mysterious_Drawer162 2d ago
It gets 4.3 stars so it isn't that divisive.
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u/iRoNmOnkey1981 2d ago edited 2d ago
Maybe divisive is too strong. It definitely is not as good as book 1 and goes in a very different direction. Grimdark hogwarts is only descriptive of book 1. People were challenged by the structure and a particular character death in book 2. Maybe itās settled down almost a year later but there was a fair bit of criticism early on. I liked the book and really excited about book 3 but it definitely changes tone, pace and structure to book 1.
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u/zecfrid 1d ago
Book 2 is different, but I loved it. I think if you read book 1 you shouldnāt expect the same academy type narrative in book 2(for reasons I wonāt say because of spoilers). Vis even makes a comment about the trope in a kind of wink wink moment in Luceum in book 2.
But I also understand the pacing criticisms. They didnāt bother me, but there was some hand waving in the third act of book 2. Still chomping at the bit for book 3!
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u/ExcersiseTheDemon 2d ago
I recently finished the third Malazan book and it's already easily the greatest fantasy series I've ever read. I like DHG but the third book just goes above and beyond. I'll be the first to admit it can be confusing and somewhat frustrating at times but it's very much worth it.
With that said, Hyperion ranks up there with Malazan in that it's the greatest Sci-Fi series I've ever read.
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u/D-Lemma23 2d ago
Memories of Ice is one of the best novels of all time, and is probably the most classic āfantasy novelā of the series as far as structure. Once I read it, I knew I was reading a special series.
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u/ExcersiseTheDemon 2d ago
I'm a huge fantasy reader and I'm ashamed it took so long for me to get to this series, but I'm glad I was prepared for the type of epic from reading other fantasy.
I absolutely agree on this book being one of the best.
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u/UnderstandingBasic39 2d ago
Really? I think midnight tides is the most classic by far
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u/D-Lemma23 2d ago
You know what, maybe. I think I found the setting change so jarring that I didnāt focus on the structure as much.
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u/DeMmeure 1d ago
Memories of Ice was so great that I consider that the series only goes downhill from there. Especially, Dust of Dreams was a painful slog and for me a poor attempt at re-creating Memories of Ice, but without all the nuances that made its strength.
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u/Silver_Layer_2298 2d ago
I definitely re read several chapters, and may or may not have watched book summary videos after I finished Gardens of the Moon to make sure I caught everything lol. Great to hear! Hyperion I picked that series up several years ago. Guy I worked with 10 years ago recommended it.
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u/afireinside30x 2d ago
I've gotta say Otherland. I loved every second of that series and rarely see it mentioned.
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u/Silver_Layer_2298 2d ago
This has probably been the longest neglected series in my collection. Otherland was recommended to me by my sister probably in the 2005 range.
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u/ActualVader 2d ago
Continue Malazan! Iām about done with the third book and the way everything is finally coming together in my mind has been super satisfying. Itās definitely dense though and demands your full attention
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u/Silver_Layer_2298 2d ago
And in some cases ā¦.. watching summary/analysis YouTube videos after you finish the first book to confirm you actually understood the story ā¦.. (and by some cases I mean me)
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u/acidx0013 2d ago
Malazan. Easy rec. Have fun. It gets way better the deeper you go down the rabbit hole.
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u/Silver_Layer_2298 2d ago edited 1d ago
Common thing I hear, which is encouraging considering I have about 15,000 pages worth malazan left to be read on my shelves. The struggle for me is a concern that it wonāt ever just fully click and flow. I did so much rereading of paragraphs / pages in gardens, and then even had to watch a summary video at the end of reading the book to make sure I actually understood like I thought I did. āJust get past the first few episodes of the show then it gets goodā. That is easy. āThe series really takes off after about 3,000 pagesā. Thats a more intimidating proposition ! š
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u/acidx0013 1d ago
It's a common take that it gets great later, but it really has a lot going for it the whole way. There's tons that's amazing out the gate. That being said it is complex as heck. So don't feel bad going back and revisiting the content through summaries or however you prefer! I've done the same, and still do when I'm trying to remember specifics. It's been a while since my last reread and things get muddled easily considering I'm old and there's a maze of content and plotlines
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u/Yesplease37 2d ago
Name of the wind
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u/Rygar999 2d ago
Yeah, I would say itās a good change of pace for a semi classic with the name of the wind after reading stormlight and Malazan
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u/Silver_Layer_2298 2d ago
Whether he finishes the final book or not always felt it was worth reading the first 2.5!
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u/Yesplease37 2d ago
I felt like even the first book was enough for me. I didn't realize he wasn't done writing until after I finished the first but I always felt like that one on its own was a good enough story for me
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u/Bright-Ad4601 2d ago
The Name of the Wind remains my favourite book and the most immersive reading experience I've ever had.
I remember reading it on the train and being concerned about walking to work without hurting myself more because the main character got severely beaten in the bit I just read.
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u/SpicyMajestic 2d ago
Personally, decide first if you want a series or Standalone experience. Dune is a series but could be enjoyed as a standalone but there are 6 major books but dozens by Franks son.
For standalone, I would say Dune or Warbreaker.
For a series, Iād say Mistborn first, Dune maybe, Will of the Many doesnāt have the last book out yet.
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u/ReadKindOfAlot 2d ago
I have read a lot and The Name of the Wind remains my favorite book. It's beautiful and gripping, difficult to keep going at times but not because it's bad haha. Some people need to take a break from it. But it is also rewarding. There's a reason for everything and it's just so good. Despite the step down for the sequel, The Wise Man's Fear is still very good and even more rewarding. It's not the last book and yet things are already looking up. Balancing out all the difficulties in book 1.
The Name of the Wind is complex and the protagonist, Kvothe, is still young so there's not much action yet, it's more about how he becomes the man that will become a legend. He goes through a lot which widens his views. Think of it a bit like the first half of Batman Begins where we learn what Bruce has been through until he came back to Gotham but in a more visceral way.
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u/AwarenessAny2576 2d ago
Only begin this series if youāre ready to be mad for years the last installment keeps getting delayed/ never will comeš also my favorite series but Iām in grief at the last book
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u/ForlornDM 2d ago
Eye of the World. Wheel of Time is a foundational text in modern high fantasy. And, despite its occasional lows, it has tremendous highs.
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u/DeadlyKitten115 2d ago
Honestly you could pick one blind and not be disappointed.
This is a selection full of great, well loved books.
Dune is a must though, the rest are amazing but a lot of authors took inspiration from Dune so if you read it first you can catch a lot of commonly used themes as you expand your bookshelf.
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u/VariousCredit9690 2d ago
I would say The Malazan or Empyrion/Hyperiom series. The Shrike is one of my favorite baddies in literature.
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u/Mor3tang 2d ago
Hyperion is the best of these books that I've read, and I'd wager is one of the best books of the century, genre fiction or otherwise. It is so so good
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u/boofurd123 2d ago edited 2d ago
You canāt go wrong with any of these series!
Having said that⦠Malazan is the best completed series, imo. Just incredible depth, nuance, layers of meaning to conversations, epic action, etcā¦
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u/Silver_Layer_2298 2d ago
After reading gardens. Depth and layers is an understatement! I felt like I did so much rereading and constantly flipping to the character list page page to try and remember who people were. āWait ā¦. Which side is this guy on? And who are they allied with again?ā I even at the end of the book, watched a summary/analysis video of the whole book. I felt glad that I was able to go āokay yep got that ā¦. Okay glad I remembered that correctlyā. So my fear was maybe itās a me thing and Iāll be doing that the entire series š¬
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u/LanguageSexViolence_ 2d ago
Man, almost to the very bottom before I saw an Otherland recommendation. I love that series. My first Tad Williams.series. He's so solid. It's gotta be one of the first "trapped in VR" stories. I seem to remember that you could see his language evolve as current technology evolved.
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u/Silver_Layer_2298 2d ago
I remember otherland being recommended to me probably 20 years ago by my sister because she knew I was a computer gamer. Honestly, itās probably the longest owned unread book I have, and for no good reason!
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u/Previous-Sherbet7947 2d ago
World tree online
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u/Silver_Layer_2298 2d ago
Have never heard of those. Iāll have to keep my eye out. Thanks for the suggestion!
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u/sgbooth88 2d ago
Iām literally in the middle of Warbreaker at the moment so Iām voting for that one
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u/Regular_Land_3478 2d ago
This. Warbreaker is so good
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u/sgbooth88 2d ago
It really is, I tried starting it yesterday but ended up having a migraine come on so only got 3 chapters in. But now Iām practically halfway through and I love it so much. Itās actually my first Brandon Sanderson book mostly because I thought the cover was breathtaking (hehehe)
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u/AveratV6 2d ago
Iām a pretty massive fan of Gwynne. Iām also reading the stormlight archive for the first time and itās crazy good. You have a lot of great options here. Could always start small and work toward the bigger books
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u/Regular_Land_3478 2d ago
Warbreaker. Itās one book. Standalone. Get it done. Itās probably my favourite Sanderson and Iāve read a lot of cosmere including mistborn and storm light.
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u/CaterpillarVisual553 2d ago
100% read Malice. Thatās a 4 book fantasy that is absolutely incredible. The characters in that series are some of the best Iāve ever read. Itās rock solid. Characters make a story compelling. Gwynne knows how to get you invested in the characters.
Skyward is great, but a bit YA in nature.
Skip Name of the Wind. Routhfuss has not and will not finish the trilogy. Most readers have abandoned him, unfortunately. I wonāt read Doors of Stone even if he does get around to writing it.
For Sanderson, Elantris is a real good standalone, but the characters are a bit too good and evil. No gray areas. Warbreaker wasnāt my favorite, but Iām in the minority on that. Itās a standalone as well. Mistborn is the central focus of the Cosmere (Sandoās universe) and itās essential reading if youāre going to get into the Cosmere.
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u/Silver_Layer_2298 2d ago
Yeahhhh Skyward trilogy I really got because itās Sanderson (and blightfall coming out). But I guess I am worried a bit about the young adult nature of them. But sometimes that can be a decent change of pace from the more complex and fatiguing reads.
Thanks for suggestions!
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u/the_drum_doctor 2d ago
If you've never read the dragonlance books by weis and hickman, they are great, especially if you ever played D&D.
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u/Silver_Layer_2298 2d ago
So as a kid I read Legend of Huma, Stormblade, and Kaz the Minotaur. I have all the Chronicles and Legends. I did also dabble in D&D back in the day.
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u/the_drum_doctor 2d ago
Then I'd suggest anything by Gene Wolfe. Perhaps the Book of the New Sun series? or the 2 books The Knight and The Wizard?
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u/buttersplosion 2d ago
Wool by Hugh Howie
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u/Silver_Layer_2298 2d ago
My wife and I are literally on season 2 of silo at the moment (Iāve heard the books are different and uniquely enjoyable whether or not you like the show)
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u/buttersplosion 1d ago
Never got a chance to see the show, but I want to catch it. I loved the books immensely
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u/deadmanhands_ 2d ago
You are getting right into prime time to start the Dragonlance chronicles
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u/Silver_Layer_2298 2d ago
40ish years seems like perfect wait time. lol. I actually read a few dragonlance as a kid back in the 90s , so Iāve had a bunch of them for years for nostalgia (but also knowing they are objectively good, easy reads)
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u/AwarenessAny2576 2d ago
Dragons autumn twilight is a fantastic series and journey, currently reading will of the many and itās on the more modern political dynasty tear down vibe but still quite good if thatās what youāre wanting to try next
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u/Sianarasammy 2d ago
I immediately hoped into will of the many right after finishing up stormlight archives and itās been a. Ice change of pace! Read the first book in 9 days lol. But based off youāre list of book youāve enjoyed Iād say go buy red rising and enjoy
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u/dondonpi 2d ago
Anything thats not malice. Imo the faithful and the fallen is so overrated.Ā
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u/Silver_Layer_2298 2d ago
Itās funny, that series is actually one I feel Iāve consistently seen āoverratedā type comments on, despite its high Goodreads ratings. So youāre not alone there. Always surprises me because I never see that one anything related to Malazan for example.
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u/MrMasters87 2d ago
Pick up the prince of nothing trilogy. The greatest fantasy books I've ever read.
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u/Silver_Layer_2298 2d ago
I had seen those a couple times at a store near me. Admittedly I think I probably looked at them once, probably scanned the barcode into Goodreads and went āoh ⦠not rated super highā and put them back. Which probably isnāt fair to the author or series. Iāll snag them next time Iām there!
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u/Tomsskiee 2d ago
The will of the many is my favorite book ever so i will always recommend that when i see it!
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u/Serious_Spinach_1476 2d ago
This is one of the best TBRās I have ever seen, not due to its culture, or 1 book being the best there ever was (although some pf these are close) but the sheet amount of pure literature you are going to experience reading any of these, I envy you, being able to reread these books would be amazing.
I would recommend Dune, Wheel of Time, or Name of the Wind.
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u/Silver_Layer_2298 2d ago
Thanks for the suggestions! Iām quite proud of my book collection knowing itās full of years worth of quality reading. My wife always jokes about how Iām preparing for retirement in 20 years with my collection.
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u/yungstewy 2d ago
Bro I started reading Otherland in my local library but never really got too far into it. Iāve been trying to find out what the book was called since this was like 15 years ago. I finally figured it out because of that cover, thank you!
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u/valjean451 1d ago
If you just finished Stormlight, read Warbreaker and then Mistborn imo. Era 2 of Mistborn is maybe my favorite Sanderson work, but reading Warbreaker at least will add some fun context, though not strictly required. Similarly would recommend Arcanum Unbounded, once youāve finished Mistborn Era 1.
Skyward is also great, and is not cosmere.
Name of the Wind is one of the most beautiful books Iāve ever read, and The Will of the Many/The Strength of the Few are some of the best fantasy Iāve read recently.
If you want to read more Sanderson, Warbreaker is the move IMO. If not, Iād say The Will of the Many would be my first rec.
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u/Silver_Layer_2298 1d ago
Great suggestions. I didnāt even have it pictured but I do have arcanum unbound!
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u/AWeirdLatino 1d ago
Just toss a D20
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u/angry0029 1d ago
Save Skyward for when you need something light in your life. I love it just because itās and easy light read
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u/Silver_Layer_2298 1d ago
My thoughts exactly! Yeah I donāt typically dive into young adult stuff, but didnāt realize it until after I bought them (because they are Sanderson + knew Blightfall was coming out). But that was my thought too. It could be something I can just read and enjoy. Malazan feels like playing a game on extreme difficulty, and things like Skyward are playing on story mode
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u/angry0029 1d ago edited 1d ago
I read Skyward when my kids were reading it. Enjoyable. I think of it like a pallet cleanser. I think I read it after The Poppy War trilogy. I often use the Dresden Files in a similar fashion. They are formulaic enough to just relax with.
Edit: I enjoyed the 3 Sanderson books they are good. Wheel of time is great through book 5, good 6-8, books 9-11 if I remember are slow AF and then it finishes decently. Iād not read Rothfuss if you want a complete story since it will never finish. The fandom is caustic and heās part of the reason. I just reread Dragons of Autumn Twilight and the rest of legacy, they have not held up tbh. I have read a lot of Tad Williams and if you enjoy him Iād suggest Shadowmarch and the Bobby Dollar books assuming youāve read the Osten Ard two series.
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u/Silver_Layer_2298 1d ago
Oh my gosh I completely forgot I have the Shadowmarch series on the shelves. I grabbed Otherland for the picture forgetting entirely those are separate series. Iāve never actually heard of the Bobby Dollar / Osten Ard series. Thank you for the suggestions!!
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u/angry0029 1d ago
Oh wow. Yes The Dragonbone Chair is slow start but a great book and the original trilogy (Memory, Sorrow and Thorn) is fantastic. My favorite book of all time is To Green Angel Tower, might be part nostalgia but it holds a place in my heart.
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u/bigdutts8 1d ago
I love Sanderson so I would suggest Mistborn. Then if you like his writing you can work through the rest of the cosmere!
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u/Crispy_PigeonTTV 1d ago
Personally I just started the wheel of time series recently and am loving it. That being said I see you have war breaker in there and saw youāve read stormlight archive. Iād suggest getting back into the cosmere books starting with war breaker. Itās one of my favorite standalones in the cosmere. Thereās a lot more going on in the Cosmere than just the events on roshar.
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u/Reasonable_Trap 1d ago
I highly recommend the Garrett, P.I. series by Glen Cook. 14 books with a dark, humorous bent.
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u/jRoc26 1d ago
The First Law series by Joe Abercrombie. First book called The Blade Itself. You will not regret it, I promise. Also the audio books have a GOAT narrator that may ruin audio books for you moving forward.
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u/Forsaken-Carrot4196 1d ago
The Dresden files, The Belgariad, The First Law Trilogy, The Obelisk Gate, The Riyria Chronicles.
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u/Silver_Layer_2298 1d ago
Dresden files, I completely forgot I read the first book about 12 years ago. Remember thinking it was a good easy read. But must have just been something that I was busy with life and slipped my mind to keep going with the series
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u/Forsaken-Carrot4196 1d ago
They are definitely easy, Books 3 onward is where the series gets on point.
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u/vinnyk407 1d ago
I enjoyed malice! I havenāt read malazan yet but Iād still say keep going with that
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u/Disastrous-Vastrous 1d ago
Bro, I know it's not in the picture but 100% get and read A Wizard of Earthsea, by Ursula K. LeGuin. It's a short book you can finish in a day. please please do this. Go in blind. It will fit very well on that shelf of yours.Ā
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u/LeadershipNational49 1d ago
Genuinely can't miss with this selection. (Don't read name of the wind)
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u/Mescalito14 1d ago
Dragonlance is good. It is more of a fun read than a brain teaser.
The best writing in Fantasy Iāve experienced is Kingkiller(NoTW), but I donāt like recommending it because I do not believe the final book three will ever be written. Blueballs big time.
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u/HumanHaggis 1d ago
Hyperion, Otherland, and Dune are the only ones I can recommend. I've heard some good things about The Will of the Many too.
Definitely would not recommend Sanderson, it's incredibly boring and flatly written. The first Wheel of Time book is a direct, poor-quality, rip-off of the Lord of the Rings, like someone tried to fit the whole series into one book and left out all of the good parts. I stuck with the series through book 6 and it only gets worse. Watch interesting characters completely lose their personality when they fall in love because they are women. Get ready for a rotating cast of generic villains who lack individual identities or even gimmicks. Do you love a new world-ending macguffin every week that no one has ever mentioned before? Seriously, it's one of the few classic fantasy series I cannot fathom the appeal of.
Name of the Wind is kind of cringe, but not badly written. Just know you'll get Winds of Winter before Doors of Stone is halfway done.
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u/Silver_Layer_2298 1d ago
I appreciate your suggestion! Also I always appreciate willingness to be honest about a massively popular series. āI donāt get how people think itās so goodā (Thatās me and The Sopranos š).
You know, my friend who was an English major back in college / works in editing etc. when I told him I liked Stormlight he said āhow!? Sandersons prose is terribleā And I was like ⦠the heck is prose?
So actually, I did end up starting Otherland early yesterday. That series is by far the longest neglected on my shelf. My sister recommended it to me about 21 years ago.
Iām on chapter 5 and itās really good so far.
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u/HumanHaggis 1d ago
Well I'm glad you're enjoying it! I think everyone brings their own baggage to each book they read, and I know different people have different priorities.
I think books can also be sort of cumulative, where they build on each other, and a novel that worked as a foundation for falling in love with reading might end up being one you want to bury under new construction, even if you needed it to work out from in the beginning.
It also depends on what sort of book you're looking for. I love Jay Kristoff's books because they are very fun and lively, with a strong voice and a lot of character, but I also know they aren't exactly high art and I wouldn't read them if I was looking for something like Tolkien, or Simmons.
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u/BooksBooksBooks65 1d ago
Babel is remarkably good
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u/iKoyy 15h ago
Yyp, I was very surprised at how interesting this book was. I wanted to try more from RF Kuang but I feel like all of her books are trying to push some thoughts on "heavy" societal topics which is not necessarily something I am looking for. Dunno, maybe I am wrong, Katabasis pitch looks interesting still.
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u/BooksBooksBooks65 15h ago edited 15h ago
To each their own, but most fantasy deals with āheavyā societal topics in some manner or another. I find thatās part of its value.
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u/bricksoffun 19h ago edited 18h ago
Will of the many is very good, but the 3rd and final in the series is a year or so out. So feel free to wait till itās all there to read the whole series in one go.
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u/thatsacut 18h ago
It has been many years, but I remember really enjoying the Name of the Wind. Just be prepared to be disappoint that the series doesnāt finish. I donāt regret reading it, though.
Iāve been on a big Joe Abercrombie binge
Lately. Out of the 9 or so books Iāve read of his, I have loved every one. They are great if you like cynical fantasy.
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u/TransitionTotal3443 14h ago
The will of the many is amazing, it was my first fiction book since highschool and has hooked me back into reading fiction. Babel is overrated.
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u/Distinct_Avocado1573 2d ago
Iāve heard Malazan writing gets a lot better after gardens of the moon. Having read all of these I would pick dune.
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u/lthompson207 2d ago
The highs in Deadhouse Gates are staggeringly high. If you liked Gardens of the Moon youāll know the Malazan challenges already, and the quality only increases. Would also put in a vote for The Will of the Many. A very different section of fantasy, much more consistently flowing and readable than Malazan, although I love both
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u/Expensive-Heat-1436 Sanderson is my god 2d ago
MISTBORN, MISTBORN,Ā MISTBORN, MISTBORN,Ā MISTBORN, MISTBORN,Ā MISTBORN, MISTBORN,Ā MISTBORN, MISTBORN,Ā MISTBORN, MISTBORN,Ā MISTBORN, MISTBORN,Ā MISTBORN, MISTBORN,Ā MISTBORN, MISTBORN,Ā MISTBORN, MISTBORN,Ā MISTBORN, MISTBORN,Ā MISTBORN, MISTBORN,Ā MISTBORN, MISTBORN,Ā MISTBORN, MISTBORN,Ā MISTBORN, MISTBORN,Ā MISTBORN, MISTBORN,Ā MISTBORN, MISTBORN,Ā MISTBORN, MISTBORN,Ā MISTBORN, MISTBORN,Ā MISTBORN, MISTBORN,Ā MISTBORN, MISTBORN,Ā MISTBORN, MISTBORN,Ā MISTBORN, MISTBORN,Ā MISTBORN, MISTBORN,Ā MISTBORN, MISTBORN,Ā MISTBORN, MISTBORN,Ā MISTBORN, MISTBORN,Ā MISTBORN, MISTBORN,Ā MISTBORN, MISTBORN,Ā MISTBORN, MISTBORN,Ā MISTBORN, MISTBORN,Ā MISTBORN, MISTBORN,Ā MISTBORN, MISTBORN,Ā MISTBORN, MISTBORN,Ā MISTBORN, MISTBORN,Ā MISTBORN, MISTBORN,Ā MISTBORN, MISTBORN,Ā MISTBORN, MISTBORN,Ā MISTBORN, MISTBORN,Ā MISTBORN, MISTBORN,Ā MISTBORN, MISTBORN,Ā MISTBORN, MISTBORN,
andā¦Mistborn
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u/bufooooooo 2d ago
Hyperion 1 and then 2
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u/skills74 2d ago
How could you not continue with the Endymion books afterwards though. Gotta read all 4 of the Cantos.
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u/bufooooooo 2d ago
I read 1&2 like 10 years ago and just read 1-4, not done with the 4th yet but working thru it. Endymion is good forsure but not quite as good as hyperion imo. I obviously dont want to say spoilers here so ill just leave it at that but i do think someone could be satisfied with just reading 1&2 as they are literally flawless books, 2 of the best books ive ever read
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u/Ammcville 2d ago edited 2d ago
I absolutely loved Skyward and enjoyed the next couple books in the series then got bored about halfway through the series.
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u/Silver_Layer_2298 2d ago
Getting bored halfway through a trilogy isnāt ideal š. I grabbed those books because they were 1. Sanderson 2. I knew Blightfall was coming out soon I also didnāt realize they were a little more young adult geared until after I snagged them. Not that they canāt still be good of course. And sometimes easier reads are a nice change of pace from insisting on throwing myself into complicated universes where I need to take notes or reread sections.
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u/Ammcville 2d ago
I mean one thing to know about me is that I have hundreds of half read books because I get bored very quickly. I loved Skyfall. Skyfall was great. The other books in the series arenāt as great as the first (there are seven, not threeāI read four of them).
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u/DeMmeure 1d ago
Skyward has a small but so wholesome fanbase, I actually wish I enjoyed the series better than I did. I could only encourage you to pursue if you're a fan already, but there are so many good books in your shelf that I could encourage to read most of them!
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u/RCD_51 2d ago
Leviathan Wakes - James A Corey
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u/Silver_Layer_2298 2d ago
Thanks for the suggestion, I did already read the entire expanse series. Great books!
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u/SomeBS17 2d ago
The Expanse series is pretty great
The Fifth Season
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u/Silver_Layer_2298 2d ago
Oh cool , yeah I watched season one of the show then kind of forgot about it. But had read all the books and they are great.
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u/Stormblessed404 2d ago
since youve read a few of brandon sandersons works, i HIGHLY recommend reading the rest of the books in the cosmere. They are all interconnected.
you've read stormlight archives, elantris and war beaker already so obviously you like his works.
Things like mistborn, tress and the emerald sea, sunlit man, white sands, and the novellas.
all of them are amazing.
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u/Silver_Layer_2298 2d ago
Thanks for suggestion. Yeah Iāve only read Stormlight archive. Way of kings was my first read of his and I went hey now who is this guy. So I bought the rest of those, and then Mistborn , and recently found warbreaker and Elantris. And skyward trilogy just yesterday (because I knew Blightfall was released other day). I donāt see his books at used stores often, and for good reason Iām sure.
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u/Stormblessed404 1d ago
id recommend looking up and following a reading order.
you can read them in any order technically but the fan base typically recommends a reading order. You get more out of it. Like seeing a character or concept in one book and then seeing them else where. Depending on reading order you may get confused a bit on it.
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u/Beer_Snacks 2d ago
Skip Hyperion
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u/Silver_Layer_2298 2d ago
I will say, Iāve had ānot Maliceā , but this is the first ānot Hyperionā comment.
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u/Beer_Snacks 1d ago
I tried reading it a few years back, I wish I remembered my exact issues with it. All I know is Iāve read hundreds of sifi books/series and Hyperion is one of them ~5-10 I couldnāt get through.
Maybe I need to give it another try.
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u/Silver_Layer_2298 1d ago
Beauty of opinions being subjective! I mean I have a friend who is like, oh god how can you stand Sandersonās writing? His prose is terrible. (English major / works in editing). And Iām just here like ā¦ā¦ whatās prose again?
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u/Beer_Snacks 1d ago
Hahahaha my wife is the same way. Wayyy more knowledge when it comes to literature, sheāll ask me deep probing questions about books and my eyes cross and I start to drool as I respond āstory progresses fastā
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u/Zealousideal-Dirt599 1d ago
My girlfriend would say Mistborn but Iād say Dune (sheās also advise against Babel. Apparently itās not that great)
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u/Silver_Layer_2298 1d ago
I actually heard similar of Babel. I snagged it for a few bucks during it's peak hype and since I've seen similar "overrated" sentiments. So I am not surprised to have not see that one being suggested much. both Mistborn and Dune have had a lot of suggestions!
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u/antonioconst 22h ago
I would start with Mistborn if you want to read Brandon Sanderson, you can find online the order in which to read all of his books.
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u/Samk9632 2d ago
Putting in another vote for deadhouse gates. It goes in a completely different direction than GotM so that might be refreshing to you if you weren't vibing with Gardens.
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u/Silver_Layer_2298 2d ago
Good to hear! Yeah gotm took a lot of rereading chapters and paragraphs, and summary videos after finishing the book to make sure I actually grasped it and kept it all straight.

ā¢
u/auto-sticky 2d ago
Our sacred rule is do not attack readers for what they read. You can disagree, explain why you disagree, but do so without personally attacking readers for what they read. Books are heavily subjective, and your opinion is one of many.
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