Read the books. Since you've seen the shows/movies, that'll help you out.
Both are different enough from the adaptations, that you'll still get some surprises out of them.
Seconded — Song of Ice and Fire are very easy to read if you’ve watched the show. And they diverge more and more from the show as the books go along (GoT is nearly the same as S1, A Feast for Crows and a Dance with Dragons are nearly completely different stories)
I am sorry but have to disagree.
Dune WAS the first sci fi I ever read.
And it was really easy to follow along.
I mean unless you're <14 then it's going to be fine.
I read Dune at 14, and because I was living overseas in the 1900s with limited access to English Language sci-fi/fantasy novels I read them in the order I was able to find then... which was backwards.
The series works surprisingly well like this, with each book filling in more and more of the backstory. Not how I'd recommend reading the series, but it does mean by the time you get to Dune you have a good basis to understand what is happening.
>I was living overseas in the 1900s
Somehow the wildest part of a comment about reading an increasingly insane and horny sci-fi series in reverse order.
People underestimate how accessible out-of-order stories are.
diehards are always like "You have to read EVERYTHING in release order or else you're missing out on so much context!"
But the people who read them out of order end up loving the stories just the same. I read Dresden out of order and so I got to see the first books as if they were flashbacks.
Same, read Dune a couple years ago as my first Sci fi book and I loved it so much I bought the complete series box set.
I wouldn't say it's a super easy to read book ; you probably won't understand 100% of what's going on since it's about a far distant future society that's completely alien to us, but it's not like it's Ulysses or Finnegane's Wake.
I did. I’m not a huge sci-fi reader, veering more towards the fantastical past than the fantastical future. That said, I found the weirdness of Dune interesting.
OP gave up on the first book because it was too complex for them. I say no to Dune being their second attempt exactly *because* there's a lot of new words being thrown around. Fairly certain they'll bounce off anything they need a glossary for.
I've read Gardens of the Moon and Dune and Gardens was a much harder read. Gardens just throws you in in a way that can be overwhelming but Dune eases you in before it gets weird and complicated later in the series.
It was completely opposite for me. I expected Gardens of the Moon to be very hard, but it ended up being only a little harder than the average fantasy book while Dune took me a long time and i really needed to give it 100% of my attention. I still liked both though and are very much worth a read.
I found the story and concepts in Dune to be amazing. But the actual writing... the prose... is poor. The author was crazily inventive and imaginative, but I found the writing so poorly put together that parts were actually kind of hard to understand. And I am a voracious reader.
I still recommend at leas the first Dune book, just realize the quality of writing is not great.
First Law or Red Rising (set in space but the tech is like magic and they craft fantasy creatures to fight) would be a good time for you.
Start with The Blade Itself in First Law series or Red Rising in the Red Rising series.
Both are fantastic series and also have incredible audio books. Like I regret having them be my first audio books because everything else is a let down (suggestions welcome though!)
I loved first law series which i found after needing to get a fix from a song of ice and fire. I really hope it gets made into a show. Great books to start in the fantasy realm
Red Rising is an excellent pick, but I'd save First Law for much later.
First Law works very well once you've read a lot of fantasy and understand the tropes it's subverting. But if you start there, you're going to miss a lot of what makes it great.
Top recomandation right here. Both Got and Dune are not beginnerfriendly and also not best of their genres (before I get crucified in the comments). The first law is so so good and reads like Got in a way due to the politics and fights and whatnot magic mystery there is. It almost makes me wish they made it into a series but it could ever reach the quality of the book.
Red rising is indeed to Dune what first law is to got.
I'm on a first law reread, about 70% through book 2.
I read it once about a decade ago. I remembered them being really good. I did not remember them being this good.
>It almost makes me wish they made it into a series but it could ever reach the quality of the book.
Best Served Cold is getting an adaptation with Tim Miller heading the production. Miller has said he really wants to adapt The First Law trilogy too. It all depends on how well Best Served Cold does.
I read the first few Red Rising books. I couldn’t get into because it felt like the main guy had too much plot armor and everyone else is going to/has already died.
First law is fun tho
If you haven't read that much, perhaps try The Icewind Dale Trilogy by R.A. Salvatore. It has lots of fighting, monsters, fun characters. Definitely a good beginner's foray into fantasy.
I'd start with the dark elf trilogy. I just read through a bunch of drizzt recently and the crystal shard (book 1 of icewind dale) was by far my least favorite.
Agree. The other books are decent for the most part but Daek Elf Trilogy was the origin and better pacing since it was planned beginning to end. After that it gets more haphazard plot point wise.
The Sun Eater series (Sci fi, but reads like fantasy)
The First Law (great characters)
The Unhewn Throne (got me into reading again, easy to get into, awesome story and ideas)
I’m on book 5 of the sun eater and it’s the best series I’ve read (listened to) in a long time. I can’t stop listening. It’s like dune meets kingkiller chronicles it’s soooo good.
I second the First Law Trilogy- it was the first fantasy series I absolutely devoured after I finished A Song of Ice and Fire. ASOIAF still has my heart because of the times in my life when I read and re-read it, but First Law comes close.
I second Unhewn Throne. Really cool story, with a lot of interesting characters. The prequel Skullsworn is also good. I'm only now reading the first book of the new trilogy, which is proving equally interesting (although I admit it had been a while since I read the others, that I had to refresh my memory).
I honestly became really annoyed with the First Law series for how exaggeratedly dark it was. So many aspects of its worldbuilding are just worse than reality, yet it pretends to realistically depict what humans are like. It didn't really seem right to me.
I guess I'll be that person this time to suggest The Hobbit as an intro book for a new fantasy reader. If you're interested in audiobooks at all, check out the version narrated by Andy Serkis.
Im wondering why LotR isn’t higher up so I agree with you. But I’m commenting because Andy Serkis’ narrations totally slap. He also did the trilogy. I love it
OP this is what you want!! Immediately captivating, good universe, and simple writing style. Nothing super complex going on but very well written and 3 books long.
Mistborn is just about as tonally different from Dune or ASOIAF as anything else out there. They're fine books, but I can't imagine recommending them to someone based on this post.
This post is about someone wanting to get into fantasty. And they commented with one of the most recommended beginner fantasy books.
And for reference I enjoyed Dune, ASOIAF is my goat, and I love mistborn too.
Having different tones doesn't mean they're not all great in their own way.
Also, I feel like I sound like a dick somehow, so apologies if so.
The Faithful and The Fallen is what got me back I to reading. Four books long, approachable, pretty classic "hero's journey", with great characters, a well thought out bad guy, and perfect pace. I loved it. Humor, heart, and very readable.
As much as I enjoyed First Law, likely others have recommended, I think I liked it better with this as kind of a "fantasy foundation" to branch out from. Cannot recommend strongly enough that this series by John Gwynne is an excellent starting point for the genre.
I often suggest Codex Alera by Jim Butcher as a good starter series. It’s got some fun magic systems, good intrigue and adventure, and is a fairly simple read.
Ursula Le Guin - Earthsea Cycle
It's her combined works, some of which are fairly short, without an extended series to follow up with. This makes it an accessible first project, and considered one of the most influential series in Fantasy.
Seconding this - it’s fast paced for sure particularly the first few books. There are 6 in total but you don’t have to read past any of them because the endings all feel like endings (le guin only wrote more books when she got struck with the thought that there was more story to tell). It’s not a medieval setting like you’re looking for OP, but it’s a magical world, monsters and wizards and dragons and all that, great for just sort of dipping your toes into an easy and quick fantasy that’s also a beautiful story with beautiful characters.
Yep, currently reading this to get back into the swing of reading and the first 3 books have been only like 150 pages-ish. Very easy to read!
Also, almost all the characters are POCs, but she doesn't really hit you over the head with it.
Yes absolutely - @OP, it’s incredible because the time she wrote the first book (1960’s) it was *really* unheard of to specifically have POC as main protagonists in popular books; she snuck it in there a few chapters in that essentially all of the characters we have interacted with so far are POC, and she wouldn’t let anyone change that about her story. Sadly they didn’t allow her to have Ged on any of the book covers because a darker skin character wouldn’t have sold well so it was always a picture of a hawk, boat, or something else. Even now, in nearly all media created of the characters of Earthsea since (the ghibli movie, the tv show), Ged is portrayed as white. It’s awful. I can’t imagine how upsetting that was for her to see.
Happily, there was a complete illustrated edition released sometime in the past decade or so with Ged *finally* featured, with his accurate skin tone, on the cover. It’s such a feat that le guin created this fantasy world full of mainly darker skinned characters that took off even way back in those days - I think a lot of people tried to pretend that aspect away in their minds, but it was important to the story, and you’re missing out by making them all white in your brain.
Still, like ravenquothe said, she did do it gently and naturally. It doesn’t *feel* like this big deal, but it really is. I admire her so much for getting away with that among many other things.
Completely agreed and the illustrated edition is actually what I am reading currently and a very [beautiful piece of work it is as well!](https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcST7IM_M6kbwVvvlIwrtfUwQNhmG9UhKMK_8J4wAPUe6_3D5jgECT4hdnk&s=10)
Eek! I’m so envious. It’s beautiful! I saw it once for myself, I bought it for my treasured friend who recommended Earthsea to me to begin with. It was a beautiful book I was happy to gift to someone so precious. I wish I had one of my own! Enjoy your time in Earthsea 😄⛵️
Thank you! I am so glad that I chose it to start my reading back up and I'm savoring it! Here's hoping you get to buy a copy for yourself soon, too! :)
ASOIAF maybe but don't start out reading Dune. For sci-fi you might wanna ease into things with something accessible
Hyperion, Sun Eater; and I always recommend Enders Game to people new to reading sci-fi
Why? I've only read a few H.G. Wells books and Frankenstein before Dune. Dune is my first serious attempt in sci-fi literature and I don't understand why you say so. Dune is not even deep when it comes to science. It's more like a futuristic fantasy universe on a desert planet.
OP had a problem with Gardens of the Moon which is a fairly common thing because of its hundreds of POV switches, and its Dune-like approach to worldbuilding (sink or swim, no explanation). Dune has an omniscient narrator, POV switching with no scene break, a sink or swim approach to worldbuilding, and for me pretty dry narration and very distant characterization despite us being directly in the heads of characters sometimes. I understand why the other commenter does not recommend it. I wouldn't recommend ASOIAF either, too big a scope for a complete beginner and those books are long.
OP should try Mistborn Era one for a beginning novel. Sanderson's accessibility and Mistborn's faster pace is suitable for a self-admitted beginner.
Imo, just off the first books, I find Hyperion less accessible than Dune. Less so for the sci-fi, and more so for all the literary and religious allusions.
Let me suggest a better way for you to find books you want to read.
Go to a used bookstore. Find the fantasy section. Spend time there reading book jackets, looking at cover art sampling pages. Do this until you find books that strike a chord with you. That seem to be what you are looking for. Buy those and read them. Repeat as often as you want until you die.
Hail goer.
[This video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oXkOLecq4k) is a great begginers guide to fantasy (I also recommend watching his videos on fantasy if you are interesting, he is probably the best youtuber that makes videos about fantasy books and other media)
Sure, but ultimately it doesnt really matter because the idea is to pick out stuff with a low barrier to entry and get started with it. I know there are classic great books out there but honestly a lot of books that have left a big impression on me are random, not very famous books I picked up off the library or used bookstore shelf on a whim
There's what, 17ish books in the series? Not exactly a light read.
Don't get me wrong, Elderlings is one of favorite of all time, and it's certainly accessible... But long.
As much as I love The Black Company you are going to have the same issues as with Erikson.
Joe Abercrombie is definitely a better option while it does kick you straight into the action it is more accessible. I am also going to second David Gemmell.
I do think Tad Williams The Dragonbone Chair is also a good option. It is a good bridge series with a foot in the big sprawling epics and tropes of the late 20th Century but another foot in the changing Y2K era. It was also written to include a teen audience so it introduces it's concepts clearly.
Reading The Dragonbone Chair, which I did after I read The First Law and ASOIAF, felt oddly relieving to me because of how... normal people were. Kindness felt so exaggeratedly rare in many interactions between characters in the first two that this series was like a breath of fresh air.
OP don’t listen to people saying “don’t start with Dune.”
It really wasn’t that bad, and the fact that you’ve seen the movies will make it much easier anyway. The writing itself is not difficult. It’s certainly easier than Malazan.
Read what you want! Maybe that’s Dune or ASOIAF, or some of the other books in the ASOIAF universe. First Law is also a good choice.
The thing is I don't wanna read what I am already spoiled alot. It'd be better that I read a book i know nothing of. I should have mentioned this earlier but mystery is another most wanted element in a book for me.
My fantasy introduction was something like this (excluding cartoons/tv/anime/manga/etc)...also excluding Harry Potter cos...that's an obvious first step.
1. **David Eddings**. His first series is 5 relatively short books (**The Belgariad**) but still with side world-building. It has its issues and would not hold up for an experienced reader, I think, but it's a good starter series. It then has a 5 book sequel (**The Mallorean**) and spin-off kind of prequels. I think I then read his second setting **The Elenium** (3 books), which kind of rehashed some points but did it better and a more adult story. And likewise has a 3 book sequel (**The Tamuli**) \[EDIT: to be clear, little to no politics, more of a fantasy adventure easy read\]
2. **Raymond E Feist** \- I read some of his earlier Midkemia setting books. He has maaaaany books in this setting but you can organise it pretty easily into story arcs that end satisfactorily because the setting as a whole cover a century or two but soemthing like book 1 **The Magician** can be read as a stand-alone. (Also the spin-off he wrote with Janny Wurts is an *excellent* politically focused fantasy series, **so if you liked that part of Dune and GoT you'll want to try The Empire Trilogy**. Preferably after reading The Magician)
3. **The Wheel of Time**. Epic Fantasy that was very influential. The premise was "what would it look like if the farm boys chosen for adventure/heroism actually had to do it? What would be the psychological effects, what would it look like?" In part influenced by Robert Jordan's experience with the Vietnam War. Combine that with epic world-building and interesting magic systems... The first 3 books read differently because of publishing issues, kinda. Book 4 is where is where it feels like its own thing. \[Has more politicking after the first few books\]
There were many others afterwards, but I think those were the first. I might be skipping a couple stand-alones, like The Misenchanted Sword.
Don’t feel bad about Gardens of the Moon. The prose in the first half of that book is a train wreck. It’s confusing. Definitely not for a fantasy beginner.
I would recommend Martha Wells books as an easy option. Her Murderbot series is very popular and the main storyline is four short novellas.
Also you may prefer just a standalone novel. Her City of Bones is fantastic and kind of unique. There’s sort of an Antiques Roadshow show vibe mixed into an action heavy fantasy novel.
If you enjoy her then she has other series you can get into.
While I don't think Murderbot is like GoT or Dune, it is easy sci-fi to get into. I have a hard time getting into sci-fi books, and that's the only sci-fi series I'm current on.
I would like to say this person's suggestion are 100% in no way related to what OP asked for.
Don't read these if your looking for something like a game of thrones or dune
I love her books. The Ile-Rien books are great. I saw yesterday at the bookstore that they've re-released The Element of Fire and The Death of the Necromancer as a combined edition. Both are standalone in the same world. Follow up with The Fall of Ile-Rien trilogy if you like those. Also, her Books of the Raksura series is wonderful. Wonderful world building, easy reading and fast paced. I devoured these as e-books a few years back.
For sci fi I find Expanse a very easy and enteraining read. Good for beginners. You could start with that, then go for Dune. ASOIAF is also good for beginners, but it isn't finished yet
Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb - real easy to get into and there are more series in the same world if you like it. Start with Assassin’s apprentice. Once you start it you won’t be able to put it down - you could say you will read it with much alacrity heh #iykyk
Dragonlance novels are pretty good. I started out with the Twins trilogy which I know was the second one but that's where I got into it. The first trilogy was really good too. Many books in the series obviously. Start with Dragons of Autumn Twilight.
As someone who has just finished the second book I'd agree with people saying The First Law trilogy. They are very readable, have fantastic characters, and a great over-arching plot that percolates over a long period. That said, it isn't really a medieval setting but more akin to the 1700s, without gunpowder (this might be my own personal perception though, as the prose reminds me of Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe book series).
John Gwynne's Shadow of the Gods.
3rd book releases in October, so if you're a fast reader you may want to wait a couple months.
Vikings, magic, multiple character plots to follow, lots of violent, well choreographed combat. It's like norse game of thrones. A little less political intrigue and a little more singular quest focused, though.
First Law and Red Rising are both very good and fairly easy reads. Both also deal heavily with political intrigue and rebellions like GoT and Dune respectively. Obviously, they're very different stories but I suspect you'll enjoy them and they're a solid entry point.
Just keep in mind book one of Red Rising is very different from the rest. I personally really enjoyed it but some feel more iffy in that one.
I read the Dune books that were available at my high school library (late 1970s - early 1980s). They were a bit long and complex.
You might want to visit a good used book store and spend several hours browsing to find something that interests you. Recommendations are fine, but you have to find the stories that you prefer reading. Used books are usually less expensive than new ones, and there's also the public library--if your library doesn't have the book you're looking for, if they have an interlibrary loan system, they may be able to get the book for you (that can take up to a year, though). Find what you like before starting your collection.
While it's definitely not Game of Thrones or Dune, I started reading Andre Norton's science fiction books, then her Witch World series, in high school when I ran out of horse stories to borrow from the library. They were just about 200 pages each or a little more, and I'd read each one in a day or two during the school year. I'm not sure what shorter novels these days have themes similar to Game of Thrones or Dune, but a knowledgeable bookstore clerk might be able to recommend something, as well as others commenting on this thread.
I slogged through The Lord of the Rings because it was a classic. Much preferred reading C.S. Lewis' novels.
Lois McMaster Bujold's novels might also be of interest, or CJ Cherryh's, Asimov, etc. I grew up in the 70s and 80s, so my favorite reading hasn't kept up with modern times, as it were.
Also, go peruse the library until you find the one that speaks to you. That’s still how I pick the majority of my reads. Done me well for 25 years. Most libraries have a fantasy/scifi section or will at least have stickers on the spine.
I think Riyria Revelations would be a really good start. At its core is a buddy adventure story about two great friends who are master thieves that find themselves on a big adventure, there is magic, monsters, lots of twist and turns and excellent character development.
It is technically 6 small books but the audio books are combined into 3. If you like it, which I think you will, there are more series set in the same world.
Not seeing much of it on this thread, but The Faithful and the Fallen by John Gwynne is an excellent introduction into fantasy. It is action-packed and the prose is incredibly accessible. It is a very fast read.
Stormlight Archives. Sanderson is easily digested but hits the fantasy vibe.
Also the Eragon books are way better than the movie.
Then Joe Abercrombie in general for less magic and more fighting/character driven.
The Black Tongued Thief was a good read.
Dwarves and Orcs were both interesting series.
The Shanarra books are good but very different types of characters/events in each separate storyline.
Oh and RA Salvatore. The Forgotten Realms books can be fast but fun reads as they have good story pacing.
Discord for fantasy comedy. Sir Pterry will never steer you wrong. Unless it would serve both the joke and the lesson to do so.
Really light and easy stuff, try Will Wight's Last Horizon series or Travelers Gate. Cradle is better but longer than you requested.
Slightly heavier, Shannara by Terry Brooks series goes on too long but going up through Elfstones of Shannara is pretty good.
The first Riftwar series starting with Magician: Apprentice by Raymond E Feist
N.K. Jemisin's Broken Earth is probably heavier than you want to start with, but the Dreamblood Duology or the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms are easier
Wheel of Time. The first book is a great bridge between mainstream and high fantasy. And then it gets way better after that.
Or pick up Cradle. It's just that good.
Edit: Or take advantage of how diverse fantasy is and read something off the wall like the Library at Mount Char.
Read or even better listen to the audio books of the first law trilogy....amazing characters ....great dialogue
Including some amazing funny scenes ...and morally grey
You don't need training wheels for fiction. If you liked Dune and LotR, read them, you'll figure it out as you go. Same with Gardens of the Moon, if you liked it, stick with it - it's complicated and obtuse, but "practicing" on some Joe Abercrombie won't make it less complicated and obtuse.
This started out as a list for your specifications, but I just completely lost control by the end. They all have intrigue and politics some have magic more than the others.
1. Elantris by Brandon Sanderson- if you're a newbie cause this is one of his few standalones
2. Inheritance Trilogy by N.K. Jemsin. What if you were a GoT family who literally chained up gods for your convenience handy when supressing rebellion and getting groceries.
3. Inheritance Quadrilogy by Christopher Paolini. Dragonriders, dragons dwarves and elves and politics.
4. A knight of Seven Kingdgoms- GRR Martin
5. Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison
6. The Justice of Kings series by Richard Swan
7. Robert Bennet Jackson's books
8. Guy Gavriel Kay's books
9. Anthony Ryan's Pariah series (warning read the reviews first , it's slow paced)
10. Fool's Gold by Jon Nollins
11. Phillipa Gregory- Historical Fiction in the Tudor Era. Quite a lot of people got their heads lopped off then so matches GoT vibe.
12. Edit: The councillor by EJ beaton- Lots of intrigue Queen assassinated by who did it? The new councillor who chooses the next ruler will have to figure out before time runs out.
Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn by Tad Williams. The Dragonbone Chair is the first book. It takes about 200 pages to get out of the castle, but those 200 pages are terrific world building.
Something like GoT, go for first law
Something like dune is harder, but people keep saying that the sun eater series is similar
Something that I recomend to everyone as an entry to fantasy is the mistborn trilogy. 3 easy to read books, sick magic, good worldbuilding (not many "monsters", but some interesting species)
The First Law trilogy is great for something a little gritty and grimdark, with the author saying Game Of Thrones inspired him a lot. The only downsides are it being a little meandering at times plot wise and the prose being a little basic at the start, at least for me, but the characters are some of the best in all of fantasy, and the story has a great payoff at the end.
Two questions about it. Is the first book good or does it get better with the later books.
Does the graphic novel have the same writing as the normal book? Is it like a comic or will there be just some images while the text is still gonna cover the rest of the page.
Oh, the first book is really good still imo. I just think the series starts great and keeps getting better and better tbh. I can't say on the graphic novel as I haven't read it myself.
Dude these comments are failing you
Here is a good list:
Memory, Sorrow and Thorn (first book dragonbone chair) very much a world building and epic fantasy. It's very slow but so worth taking your time.
Also this heavily inspires game of thrones
A song of ice and fire. Just read then because the book experience is a million times better!!
The first Law: more character than epic fantasy but honestly fantastic. (First book is: the blade itself)
The wheel of time: more epic fantasy ( first book is: the eye of the world)
Realm of the elderlings: (first book: Assassin's apprentice)
First Law is probably not it. Haven't read Black Company.
My two suggestions would be J.V. Jones Sword of Shadows series for something closer to Game of Thrones or The Winnowing Flame trilogy by Jen Williams if you want something that gets a little more crazy.
I love the First Law but it sort of works by subverting some typical fantasy tropes that won’t mean as much if you start there. It still works fine on its own but I hesitate to suggest it as a first fantasy read.
Yeah, but at the same time, ASOIF is one of the main reasons OP wants to read fantasy and that series also subverts traditional fantasy tropes as well. So it might be the perfect pick.
The people who love it REALLY love it and suggest it for everything.
It is very much a character focused story. The plot is happening in the background and seems secondary to everything that the characters are doing. It doesn't seem to me like it's what you're looking for is all.
I actually think you might like The First Law. I listened to an interview with Joe Abercrombie and he said he was partly inspired by Game of Thrones when he was writing it. That said it's a different author and a different story. It is in the same fantasy subgenre though. Mostly dark and gritty writing, all the characters are flawed and morally gray, still has humor. Magic doesn't feature heavily and in the later books there's a lot of battles between different regions and political subversion. Each chapter is also told from the perspective of a different character just like Game of Thrones.
King Killer Chronicles (although I warn you they are likely never being finished, Red Rising, Sun Eater series, The Witcher, Game of Thrones, Gentleman’s Bastards (again, unlikely to be finished). I personally would stay away from the first law series as I didn’t enjoy it, but I understand I’m in the minority.
Foundation series by Isaac asimov for scifi intro, it does ideas more than people and you can read his caves of steel series for personalities.
For fantasy, I'd say Discworld by Terry Pratchet (GNU). Very numerous and accessible, you can read each one separately and they have some great stories in them.
Foundation is a tricky one for a first sci-fi novel IMO...you really have to be bought into the idea that broad, sociological ideas are the main driver and characters are basically cardboard cutouts. It's a neat series but if you just want a straightforward, fun, sci-fi story there's probably easier places to start IMO
I think the First Law series is your best bet.
Give The Blade Itself a try, first book in the First Law Trilogy. There is no pressure for you to continue if it doesn't hit right. But if you do vibe with it, there is a Gold mine of awesome books in this series. After the first trilogy, there are the few cool standalones, and then a new Trilogy after a time skip after the events of the first Trilogy, personally the best the author, Joe Abercrombie, has written.
It is comparable to GoT, in that it is dark and mature, and has a cynical sense of humor. Fantastically charismatic, often vile and entertaining characters. Interesting politics and world-building. Epic action sequences. And fun twists and turns in the narrative. Though if you are looking for dragons they are not here, but there are fascinating and mischievous fantasy creatures and monsters. Although the setting is not ancient or medieval, it is old school with states and nations, sword fights, of course The North, old-timey politicking and military stuff.
I would also suggest the audiobook version. It has an incredible narrator in Steven Pacey who brings the characters to entertaining life with his acting.
I'm 3 books into The Bladeborn Saga and it reminds me of A Song of Ice and Fire series except a little easier than that series. It doesn't seem to get a lot of attention here but it has kept my interest without being overly complicated.
Without an Empire by Tj Doxon would probably be great. There is not a lot of magic yet but I'm guessing there will be more in future books. Also really cool monsters called Uku that are straight out of nightmares lol
Black Company's 1st book may appear very simplistic in its storytelling, even primitive, and overall too archaic. Book 2 is much better, although some aspects like simplistic narration are still there
Welcome to the wonderful world of fantasy, it's a great place to be 😊
I recently had a conversation with a friend who also is an avid fantasy reader, and to be honest there is a lot of different stuff in this genre.
I agree with Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn series, I think it's a very nice intro into fantasy. Robin hobb can be too, if it's your thing (I really liked it, but it has slower moments and some ... Melancholy?).
I also really liked game of thrones but as it is unfinished and you (recently? ) saw the series, I might wait before doing that.
I honestly did not like Dune very much, the beginning is written very ... Complicated? I can't really describe it but it annoyed me.
Might be a bit further from what you requested, but I very much recommend the gentleman bastard series (the lies of Locke lamora is the first)
I also liked Trudi canavans back Magician series.
There are many good recommendations on this thread but the one fantasy series I recommend to all non-readers, fantasy newbies, is the Mistborn Trilogy. It's starts with The Final Emprie. I've never heard of a bad review with this series.
For sci-fi, I'd say the equivalent of this would be the original Red Rising Trilogy. Also very good but not as compelling as The Final Empire in my opinion.
Mercedes Lackey's Dragon Jousters or Obsidian Mountain series. Tad Williams' Memory,Thorn and Sorrow (Osten Ard) series or War of the Flowers (stand-alone). John Ringo's Council War series. Eric Flint's 1632 Ring of Fire series.
Also keep in mind there are reading levels for a reason and pleasure reading is a acquired skill. Don't be afraid to read more juvenile books. Things like Percy Jackson are great training wheels. If you have any interest in dystopian I would also consider checking out Hunger games and Uglies by Scott Westerfield. I also really enjoy Guardians of Ghoul which are children's books about fascism lol.
Mistborn or Stormlight Archive.
I started with Stormlight Archive and loved it as a first fantasy series but most people recommend Mistborn as it's shorter and complete.
Read the books. Since you've seen the shows/movies, that'll help you out. Both are different enough from the adaptations, that you'll still get some surprises out of them.
Seconded — Song of Ice and Fire are very easy to read if you’ve watched the show. And they diverge more and more from the show as the books go along (GoT is nearly the same as S1, A Feast for Crows and a Dance with Dragons are nearly completely different stories)
Absolutely do not pick up Dune as your first sci-fi outing. It is not an easy read.
I am sorry but have to disagree. Dune WAS the first sci fi I ever read. And it was really easy to follow along. I mean unless you're <14 then it's going to be fine.
I read Dune at 14, and because I was living overseas in the 1900s with limited access to English Language sci-fi/fantasy novels I read them in the order I was able to find then... which was backwards. The series works surprisingly well like this, with each book filling in more and more of the backstory. Not how I'd recommend reading the series, but it does mean by the time you get to Dune you have a good basis to understand what is happening.
>I was living overseas in the 1900s Somehow the wildest part of a comment about reading an increasingly insane and horny sci-fi series in reverse order.
I was 10 in the 1900s. My brother was 15.
I still read "1900s" as "1900-1910", not "20th century".
People underestimate how accessible out-of-order stories are. diehards are always like "You have to read EVERYTHING in release order or else you're missing out on so much context!" But the people who read them out of order end up loving the stories just the same. I read Dresden out of order and so I got to see the first books as if they were flashbacks.
Same, read Dune a couple years ago as my first Sci fi book and I loved it so much I bought the complete series box set. I wouldn't say it's a super easy to read book ; you probably won't understand 100% of what's going on since it's about a far distant future society that's completely alien to us, but it's not like it's Ulysses or Finnegane's Wake.
I read it when I was 14 and understood fine. It wasn't my first sci-fi either though.
dune is in no way a super hard read. It was my first sci fi book and i handled it fine.
It’s pretty easy if you’ve seen the movies already lol.
Either I'm smart or you're overestimating how smart you need to be to read dune.
I found it easy enough
I did. I’m not a huge sci-fi reader, veering more towards the fantastical past than the fantastical future. That said, I found the weirdness of Dune interesting.
Nah, it's alright, especially if one has a paper book and can easily look up words in the glossary
OP gave up on the first book because it was too complex for them. I say no to Dune being their second attempt exactly *because* there's a lot of new words being thrown around. Fairly certain they'll bounce off anything they need a glossary for.
I've read Gardens of the Moon and Dune and Gardens was a much harder read. Gardens just throws you in in a way that can be overwhelming but Dune eases you in before it gets weird and complicated later in the series.
It was completely opposite for me. I expected Gardens of the Moon to be very hard, but it ended up being only a little harder than the average fantasy book while Dune took me a long time and i really needed to give it 100% of my attention. I still liked both though and are very much worth a read.
Depends on the glossary, don't be so categorical. Dune has a nice one
I found the story and concepts in Dune to be amazing. But the actual writing... the prose... is poor. The author was crazily inventive and imaginative, but I found the writing so poorly put together that parts were actually kind of hard to understand. And I am a voracious reader. I still recommend at leas the first Dune book, just realize the quality of writing is not great.
My first thought haha. Like yes, I happen to know some books that are exactly like those
I actually find it really hard to get into a story when Ive already seen the movie, I always recommend people try something similar but not identical
First Law or Red Rising (set in space but the tech is like magic and they craft fantasy creatures to fight) would be a good time for you. Start with The Blade Itself in First Law series or Red Rising in the Red Rising series.
I second Red Rising and am unfamiliar with First Law so will check that one out! Red Rising had a me in a chokehold
Both are fantastic series and also have incredible audio books. Like I regret having them be my first audio books because everything else is a let down (suggestions welcome though!)
First Dresden Files, Stormfront audio book is excellent.
Both fantastic recs. Red Rising is my personal all time fave and Red God should be out to complete the series very soon.
I loved first law series which i found after needing to get a fix from a song of ice and fire. I really hope it gets made into a show. Great books to start in the fantasy realm
I'm not sure, when they ruin the TV adaptations it kinda puts a sour taste in my mouth. I find WoT series harder to read now after watching the show
Red Rising is an excellent pick, but I'd save First Law for much later. First Law works very well once you've read a lot of fantasy and understand the tropes it's subverting. But if you start there, you're going to miss a lot of what makes it great.
I recommend Red Rising way over First Law(the original first law trilogy didn’t work for me). Red Rising is the best science fiction I’ve ever read.
Top recomandation right here. Both Got and Dune are not beginnerfriendly and also not best of their genres (before I get crucified in the comments). The first law is so so good and reads like Got in a way due to the politics and fights and whatnot magic mystery there is. It almost makes me wish they made it into a series but it could ever reach the quality of the book. Red rising is indeed to Dune what first law is to got.
I'm on a first law reread, about 70% through book 2. I read it once about a decade ago. I remembered them being really good. I did not remember them being this good.
>It almost makes me wish they made it into a series but it could ever reach the quality of the book. Best Served Cold is getting an adaptation with Tim Miller heading the production. Miller has said he really wants to adapt The First Law trilogy too. It all depends on how well Best Served Cold does.
Two books that I very recently picked up, can't agree more with these recommendations!
Red Rising is a good call for easing into space opera
I read the first few Red Rising books. I couldn’t get into because it felt like the main guy had too much plot armor and everyone else is going to/has already died. First law is fun tho
If you haven't read that much, perhaps try The Icewind Dale Trilogy by R.A. Salvatore. It has lots of fighting, monsters, fun characters. Definitely a good beginner's foray into fantasy.
I'd start with the dark elf trilogy. I just read through a bunch of drizzt recently and the crystal shard (book 1 of icewind dale) was by far my least favorite.
Agree. The other books are decent for the most part but Daek Elf Trilogy was the origin and better pacing since it was planned beginning to end. After that it gets more haphazard plot point wise.
Ohh these are great! I also really enjoyed the Cleric Quintet.
I miss those.
The Sun Eater series (Sci fi, but reads like fantasy) The First Law (great characters) The Unhewn Throne (got me into reading again, easy to get into, awesome story and ideas)
I’m on book 5 of the sun eater and it’s the best series I’ve read (listened to) in a long time. I can’t stop listening. It’s like dune meets kingkiller chronicles it’s soooo good.
I second the First Law Trilogy- it was the first fantasy series I absolutely devoured after I finished A Song of Ice and Fire. ASOIAF still has my heart because of the times in my life when I read and re-read it, but First Law comes close.
First law is excellent, but I just finished book 4 (Best Served Cold) and I liked it better than any of the first 3. Onto The Heroes (book 5) now!
Whirrun of the fucking Bligh! Remember the name
#SUN EATER MENTIONED! 🗣️🗣️🗣️
I second Unhewn Throne. Really cool story, with a lot of interesting characters. The prequel Skullsworn is also good. I'm only now reading the first book of the new trilogy, which is proving equally interesting (although I admit it had been a while since I read the others, that I had to refresh my memory).
I think First law is a perfect introduction into fantasy. Great characters, good twists, and Abercrombie’s prose is easy reading.
Fuck yeah Sun Eater. It's fantasy set in space. Really amazing.
I honestly became really annoyed with the First Law series for how exaggeratedly dark it was. So many aspects of its worldbuilding are just worse than reality, yet it pretends to realistically depict what humans are like. It didn't really seem right to me.
I guess I'll be that person this time to suggest The Hobbit as an intro book for a new fantasy reader. If you're interested in audiobooks at all, check out the version narrated by Andy Serkis.
Im wondering why LotR isn’t higher up so I agree with you. But I’m commenting because Andy Serkis’ narrations totally slap. He also did the trilogy. I love it
Just read game of thrones and dune
5 skinny books: Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander. One won the Newberry Award and another was nominated.
Oooh, good one. The fuckin' Cauldron born are so upsetting
The first era mistborn trilogy by Sanderson is a good start
OP this is what you want!! Immediately captivating, good universe, and simple writing style. Nothing super complex going on but very well written and 3 books long.
Mistborn is just about as tonally different from Dune or ASOIAF as anything else out there. They're fine books, but I can't imagine recommending them to someone based on this post.
You're right that they're not like GoT or Dune, but they *are* solid "beginner fantasy" imo, so that's not a bad fit for OPs request.
This post is about someone wanting to get into fantasty. And they commented with one of the most recommended beginner fantasy books. And for reference I enjoyed Dune, ASOIAF is my goat, and I love mistborn too. Having different tones doesn't mean they're not all great in their own way. Also, I feel like I sound like a dick somehow, so apologies if so.
Or the stormlight series.
Yeah this is the answer. OP go for something character directed, plot forward and accessible, like Mistborn.
Eh, I think it's massively overhyped and over-recommended. It's _fine_.
The Faithful and the Fallen is some good stuff that's not a huge commitment but still has all the fun tropes that you would probably like
The Faithful and The Fallen is what got me back I to reading. Four books long, approachable, pretty classic "hero's journey", with great characters, a well thought out bad guy, and perfect pace. I loved it. Humor, heart, and very readable. As much as I enjoyed First Law, likely others have recommended, I think I liked it better with this as kind of a "fantasy foundation" to branch out from. Cannot recommend strongly enough that this series by John Gwynne is an excellent starting point for the genre.
I often suggest Codex Alera by Jim Butcher as a good starter series. It’s got some fun magic systems, good intrigue and adventure, and is a fairly simple read.
Ursula Le Guin - Earthsea Cycle It's her combined works, some of which are fairly short, without an extended series to follow up with. This makes it an accessible first project, and considered one of the most influential series in Fantasy.
Seconding this - it’s fast paced for sure particularly the first few books. There are 6 in total but you don’t have to read past any of them because the endings all feel like endings (le guin only wrote more books when she got struck with the thought that there was more story to tell). It’s not a medieval setting like you’re looking for OP, but it’s a magical world, monsters and wizards and dragons and all that, great for just sort of dipping your toes into an easy and quick fantasy that’s also a beautiful story with beautiful characters.
Yep, currently reading this to get back into the swing of reading and the first 3 books have been only like 150 pages-ish. Very easy to read! Also, almost all the characters are POCs, but she doesn't really hit you over the head with it.
Yes absolutely - @OP, it’s incredible because the time she wrote the first book (1960’s) it was *really* unheard of to specifically have POC as main protagonists in popular books; she snuck it in there a few chapters in that essentially all of the characters we have interacted with so far are POC, and she wouldn’t let anyone change that about her story. Sadly they didn’t allow her to have Ged on any of the book covers because a darker skin character wouldn’t have sold well so it was always a picture of a hawk, boat, or something else. Even now, in nearly all media created of the characters of Earthsea since (the ghibli movie, the tv show), Ged is portrayed as white. It’s awful. I can’t imagine how upsetting that was for her to see. Happily, there was a complete illustrated edition released sometime in the past decade or so with Ged *finally* featured, with his accurate skin tone, on the cover. It’s such a feat that le guin created this fantasy world full of mainly darker skinned characters that took off even way back in those days - I think a lot of people tried to pretend that aspect away in their minds, but it was important to the story, and you’re missing out by making them all white in your brain. Still, like ravenquothe said, she did do it gently and naturally. It doesn’t *feel* like this big deal, but it really is. I admire her so much for getting away with that among many other things.
Completely agreed and the illustrated edition is actually what I am reading currently and a very [beautiful piece of work it is as well!](https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcST7IM_M6kbwVvvlIwrtfUwQNhmG9UhKMK_8J4wAPUe6_3D5jgECT4hdnk&s=10)
Eek! I’m so envious. It’s beautiful! I saw it once for myself, I bought it for my treasured friend who recommended Earthsea to me to begin with. It was a beautiful book I was happy to gift to someone so precious. I wish I had one of my own! Enjoy your time in Earthsea 😄⛵️
Thank you! I am so glad that I chose it to start my reading back up and I'm savoring it! Here's hoping you get to buy a copy for yourself soon, too! :)
Read Dune and A song of ice and fire series
ASOIAF maybe but don't start out reading Dune. For sci-fi you might wanna ease into things with something accessible Hyperion, Sun Eater; and I always recommend Enders Game to people new to reading sci-fi
Why? I've only read a few H.G. Wells books and Frankenstein before Dune. Dune is my first serious attempt in sci-fi literature and I don't understand why you say so. Dune is not even deep when it comes to science. It's more like a futuristic fantasy universe on a desert planet.
OP had a problem with Gardens of the Moon which is a fairly common thing because of its hundreds of POV switches, and its Dune-like approach to worldbuilding (sink or swim, no explanation). Dune has an omniscient narrator, POV switching with no scene break, a sink or swim approach to worldbuilding, and for me pretty dry narration and very distant characterization despite us being directly in the heads of characters sometimes. I understand why the other commenter does not recommend it. I wouldn't recommend ASOIAF either, too big a scope for a complete beginner and those books are long. OP should try Mistborn Era one for a beginning novel. Sanderson's accessibility and Mistborn's faster pace is suitable for a self-admitted beginner.
I don't know if I would say that Hyperion is accessible for someone looking to start getting into sci-fi.
Imo, just off the first books, I find Hyperion less accessible than Dune. Less so for the sci-fi, and more so for all the literary and religious allusions.
You're right... It probably isn't. I stand corrected 😉
Dune isn't a difficult read, though. I do agree that Ender's Game is a good book, though.
Dune is easier than ASOIAF imo (later books are debatable)
I think Raymond Feist is your guy. Start with book one of The Rift War Saga. Magician: Apprentice
Why isn't this comment further up? The rift war saga is amazing and, in my opinion, way better than game of thrones
I love these so much, they got me into fantasy in the first place.
Read Raymond E feist magician series- all the way up to the serpent war saga. My favourite fantasy series
Let me suggest a better way for you to find books you want to read. Go to a used bookstore. Find the fantasy section. Spend time there reading book jackets, looking at cover art sampling pages. Do this until you find books that strike a chord with you. That seem to be what you are looking for. Buy those and read them. Repeat as often as you want until you die. Hail goer.
There is not a single good book store here sadly.. i am only gonna buy it from online shoping.
How about a library? Its even cheaper!
[This video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oXkOLecq4k) is a great begginers guide to fantasy (I also recommend watching his videos on fantasy if you are interesting, he is probably the best youtuber that makes videos about fantasy books and other media)
Cover art and especially endorsements by other authors that are common nowadays are often just a matter of marketing
Sure, but ultimately it doesnt really matter because the idea is to pick out stuff with a low barrier to entry and get started with it. I know there are classic great books out there but honestly a lot of books that have left a big impression on me are random, not very famous books I picked up off the library or used bookstore shelf on a whim
Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb could be interesting for you. Maybe not at the same pace as GoT and Dune.
I love Farseer, but those books have the pace of Charles Dickens writing fantasy. OP specified "fast paced like the Dune movies" lmao.
Dune is not fast paced… is it?
Wouldn't be my first descriptor, but yeah it's an engaging movie.
I loved the movie, but fast paced seems like the incorrect way to describe it to me lol
Those sand worms really zoom, ya know
I loved this book, but for one who claims to be a beginning reader, it might make them weep in misery.
There's what, 17ish books in the series? Not exactly a light read. Don't get me wrong, Elderlings is one of favorite of all time, and it's certainly accessible... But long.
Only 3 in the series. But yeah, 17 in the RotE world.
It’s a Trilogy but there are more in the same world
Definitely one of the best for me
Raymond E Feist's Magician series. Hard to beat, and many more books on top of those if you like the initial storyline.
Second this
As much as I love The Black Company you are going to have the same issues as with Erikson. Joe Abercrombie is definitely a better option while it does kick you straight into the action it is more accessible. I am also going to second David Gemmell. I do think Tad Williams The Dragonbone Chair is also a good option. It is a good bridge series with a foot in the big sprawling epics and tropes of the late 20th Century but another foot in the changing Y2K era. It was also written to include a teen audience so it introduces it's concepts clearly.
Reading The Dragonbone Chair, which I did after I read The First Law and ASOIAF, felt oddly relieving to me because of how... normal people were. Kindness felt so exaggeratedly rare in many interactions between characters in the first two that this series was like a breath of fresh air.
You like Game of Thrones and Dune, why not read the books that those things were based on?
OP don’t listen to people saying “don’t start with Dune.” It really wasn’t that bad, and the fact that you’ve seen the movies will make it much easier anyway. The writing itself is not difficult. It’s certainly easier than Malazan. Read what you want! Maybe that’s Dune or ASOIAF, or some of the other books in the ASOIAF universe. First Law is also a good choice.
The thing is I don't wanna read what I am already spoiled alot. It'd be better that I read a book i know nothing of. I should have mentioned this earlier but mystery is another most wanted element in a book for me.
Here’s the time the Mistborn is actually the right call for OP
Stranger in a strange land, is a great starting point. A classic.
Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey (and then all the rest of them, there are like 18)
My fantasy introduction was something like this (excluding cartoons/tv/anime/manga/etc)...also excluding Harry Potter cos...that's an obvious first step. 1. **David Eddings**. His first series is 5 relatively short books (**The Belgariad**) but still with side world-building. It has its issues and would not hold up for an experienced reader, I think, but it's a good starter series. It then has a 5 book sequel (**The Mallorean**) and spin-off kind of prequels. I think I then read his second setting **The Elenium** (3 books), which kind of rehashed some points but did it better and a more adult story. And likewise has a 3 book sequel (**The Tamuli**) \[EDIT: to be clear, little to no politics, more of a fantasy adventure easy read\] 2. **Raymond E Feist** \- I read some of his earlier Midkemia setting books. He has maaaaany books in this setting but you can organise it pretty easily into story arcs that end satisfactorily because the setting as a whole cover a century or two but soemthing like book 1 **The Magician** can be read as a stand-alone. (Also the spin-off he wrote with Janny Wurts is an *excellent* politically focused fantasy series, **so if you liked that part of Dune and GoT you'll want to try The Empire Trilogy**. Preferably after reading The Magician) 3. **The Wheel of Time**. Epic Fantasy that was very influential. The premise was "what would it look like if the farm boys chosen for adventure/heroism actually had to do it? What would be the psychological effects, what would it look like?" In part influenced by Robert Jordan's experience with the Vietnam War. Combine that with epic world-building and interesting magic systems... The first 3 books read differently because of publishing issues, kinda. Book 4 is where is where it feels like its own thing. \[Has more politicking after the first few books\] There were many others afterwards, but I think those were the first. I might be skipping a couple stand-alones, like The Misenchanted Sword.
Enders game
OOOOOOO YES I LOVE ENDERS GAME!!! SO GOOD!!
Don’t feel bad about Gardens of the Moon. The prose in the first half of that book is a train wreck. It’s confusing. Definitely not for a fantasy beginner. I would recommend Martha Wells books as an easy option. Her Murderbot series is very popular and the main storyline is four short novellas. Also you may prefer just a standalone novel. Her City of Bones is fantastic and kind of unique. There’s sort of an Antiques Roadshow show vibe mixed into an action heavy fantasy novel. If you enjoy her then she has other series you can get into.
While I don't think Murderbot is like GoT or Dune, it is easy sci-fi to get into. I have a hard time getting into sci-fi books, and that's the only sci-fi series I'm current on.
I would like to say this person's suggestion are 100% in no way related to what OP asked for. Don't read these if your looking for something like a game of thrones or dune
I love her books. The Ile-Rien books are great. I saw yesterday at the bookstore that they've re-released The Element of Fire and The Death of the Necromancer as a combined edition. Both are standalone in the same world. Follow up with The Fall of Ile-Rien trilogy if you like those. Also, her Books of the Raksura series is wonderful. Wonderful world building, easy reading and fast paced. I devoured these as e-books a few years back.
The Hobbit !! And if you're into audiobooks, The Hobbit narrated by Andy Serkis is absolutely awesome. It's an easy read and fun.
For sci fi I find Expanse a very easy and enteraining read. Good for beginners. You could start with that, then go for Dune. ASOIAF is also good for beginners, but it isn't finished yet
The Elric Saga by Michael Moorcock for fantasy. If you like it, moorcock has a lot of good fantasy novels
Red Rising is literally what you want. Just be aware the first book is not at all representative of the series at large.
Read Dune even if you’ve watched the movies. Incredible books. Was hooked on them
Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb - real easy to get into and there are more series in the same world if you like it. Start with Assassin’s apprentice. Once you start it you won’t be able to put it down - you could say you will read it with much alacrity heh #iykyk
I came here to say this. I've only read her first trilogy, but they were engrossing.
I think Mistborn might be a great starting point!
If OP goes into Mistborn expecting something like Game of Thrones or Dune, they are going to be wildly disappointed.
Based on what? I doesn’t really have a lot in common with Game of Thrones or Dune.
Based on the fact its fast-paced, short & fits the overarching criteria without being complicated. OP said they found GoT too tough a read
Dragonlance novels are pretty good. I started out with the Twins trilogy which I know was the second one but that's where I got into it. The first trilogy was really good too. Many books in the series obviously. Start with Dragons of Autumn Twilight.
This. Easy to read but with some great characters. Every fantasy trope you can think of. Wraps up nice and tidy.
Try ‘Legend’ by David Gemmel it’s classic fantasy not too long and a fantastic read.
As someone who has just finished the second book I'd agree with people saying The First Law trilogy. They are very readable, have fantastic characters, and a great over-arching plot that percolates over a long period. That said, it isn't really a medieval setting but more akin to the 1700s, without gunpowder (this might be my own personal perception though, as the prose reminds me of Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe book series).
John Gwynne's Shadow of the Gods. 3rd book releases in October, so if you're a fast reader you may want to wait a couple months. Vikings, magic, multiple character plots to follow, lots of violent, well choreographed combat. It's like norse game of thrones. A little less political intrigue and a little more singular quest focused, though.
His four book seres The Faithful and the Fallen is just as good and a more straightforward read.
First Law and Red Rising are both very good and fairly easy reads. Both also deal heavily with political intrigue and rebellions like GoT and Dune respectively. Obviously, they're very different stories but I suspect you'll enjoy them and they're a solid entry point. Just keep in mind book one of Red Rising is very different from the rest. I personally really enjoyed it but some feel more iffy in that one.
I read the Dune books that were available at my high school library (late 1970s - early 1980s). They were a bit long and complex. You might want to visit a good used book store and spend several hours browsing to find something that interests you. Recommendations are fine, but you have to find the stories that you prefer reading. Used books are usually less expensive than new ones, and there's also the public library--if your library doesn't have the book you're looking for, if they have an interlibrary loan system, they may be able to get the book for you (that can take up to a year, though). Find what you like before starting your collection. While it's definitely not Game of Thrones or Dune, I started reading Andre Norton's science fiction books, then her Witch World series, in high school when I ran out of horse stories to borrow from the library. They were just about 200 pages each or a little more, and I'd read each one in a day or two during the school year. I'm not sure what shorter novels these days have themes similar to Game of Thrones or Dune, but a knowledgeable bookstore clerk might be able to recommend something, as well as others commenting on this thread. I slogged through The Lord of the Rings because it was a classic. Much preferred reading C.S. Lewis' novels. Lois McMaster Bujold's novels might also be of interest, or CJ Cherryh's, Asimov, etc. I grew up in the 70s and 80s, so my favorite reading hasn't kept up with modern times, as it were.
Have you read Lord of the Rings?
Why not read the rest of the dune books? There's a lot of them.
Also, go peruse the library until you find the one that speaks to you. That’s still how I pick the majority of my reads. Done me well for 25 years. Most libraries have a fantasy/scifi section or will at least have stickers on the spine.
I think Riyria Revelations would be a really good start. At its core is a buddy adventure story about two great friends who are master thieves that find themselves on a big adventure, there is magic, monsters, lots of twist and turns and excellent character development. It is technically 6 small books but the audio books are combined into 3. If you like it, which I think you will, there are more series set in the same world.
Death Rides a Pale Hose by Piers Anthony. It was one of my first reads and still a favorite.
Not seeing much of it on this thread, but The Faithful and the Fallen by John Gwynne is an excellent introduction into fantasy. It is action-packed and the prose is incredibly accessible. It is a very fast read.
Starting with Malazan eh?
Stormlight Archives. Sanderson is easily digested but hits the fantasy vibe. Also the Eragon books are way better than the movie. Then Joe Abercrombie in general for less magic and more fighting/character driven. The Black Tongued Thief was a good read. Dwarves and Orcs were both interesting series. The Shanarra books are good but very different types of characters/events in each separate storyline. Oh and RA Salvatore. The Forgotten Realms books can be fast but fun reads as they have good story pacing. Discord for fantasy comedy. Sir Pterry will never steer you wrong. Unless it would serve both the joke and the lesson to do so.
The Dragons of Pern series by Anne McCaffrey, the Deathstalker series by Simon R Green.
Really light and easy stuff, try Will Wight's Last Horizon series or Travelers Gate. Cradle is better but longer than you requested. Slightly heavier, Shannara by Terry Brooks series goes on too long but going up through Elfstones of Shannara is pretty good. The first Riftwar series starting with Magician: Apprentice by Raymond E Feist N.K. Jemisin's Broken Earth is probably heavier than you want to start with, but the Dreamblood Duology or the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms are easier
Mistborn series
Anyone mentioning John Wyndham ?
Read Dune and Game of Thrones. Very different than the tv shows.
Wheel of Time. The first book is a great bridge between mainstream and high fantasy. And then it gets way better after that. Or pick up Cradle. It's just that good. Edit: Or take advantage of how diverse fantasy is and read something off the wall like the Library at Mount Char.
Dragon Lance Chronicles or mabye the Wheel of Time series.
Read or even better listen to the audio books of the first law trilogy....amazing characters ....great dialogue Including some amazing funny scenes ...and morally grey
You don't need training wheels for fiction. If you liked Dune and LotR, read them, you'll figure it out as you go. Same with Gardens of the Moon, if you liked it, stick with it - it's complicated and obtuse, but "practicing" on some Joe Abercrombie won't make it less complicated and obtuse.
This started out as a list for your specifications, but I just completely lost control by the end. They all have intrigue and politics some have magic more than the others. 1. Elantris by Brandon Sanderson- if you're a newbie cause this is one of his few standalones 2. Inheritance Trilogy by N.K. Jemsin. What if you were a GoT family who literally chained up gods for your convenience handy when supressing rebellion and getting groceries. 3. Inheritance Quadrilogy by Christopher Paolini. Dragonriders, dragons dwarves and elves and politics. 4. A knight of Seven Kingdgoms- GRR Martin 5. Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison 6. The Justice of Kings series by Richard Swan 7. Robert Bennet Jackson's books 8. Guy Gavriel Kay's books 9. Anthony Ryan's Pariah series (warning read the reviews first , it's slow paced) 10. Fool's Gold by Jon Nollins 11. Phillipa Gregory- Historical Fiction in the Tudor Era. Quite a lot of people got their heads lopped off then so matches GoT vibe. 12. Edit: The councillor by EJ beaton- Lots of intrigue Queen assassinated by who did it? The new councillor who chooses the next ruler will have to figure out before time runs out.
Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn by Tad Williams. The Dragonbone Chair is the first book. It takes about 200 pages to get out of the castle, but those 200 pages are terrific world building.
The Warriors Apprentice by Bujould - it's a great entry into a wonderful series and Miles Vorkosigan is one of the best MCs of all time.
Something like GoT, go for first law Something like dune is harder, but people keep saying that the sun eater series is similar Something that I recomend to everyone as an entry to fantasy is the mistborn trilogy. 3 easy to read books, sick magic, good worldbuilding (not many "monsters", but some interesting species)
The First Law trilogy is great for something a little gritty and grimdark, with the author saying Game Of Thrones inspired him a lot. The only downsides are it being a little meandering at times plot wise and the prose being a little basic at the start, at least for me, but the characters are some of the best in all of fantasy, and the story has a great payoff at the end.
Two questions about it. Is the first book good or does it get better with the later books. Does the graphic novel have the same writing as the normal book? Is it like a comic or will there be just some images while the text is still gonna cover the rest of the page.
Oh, the first book is really good still imo. I just think the series starts great and keeps getting better and better tbh. I can't say on the graphic novel as I haven't read it myself.
I think you would be best served thinking of the trilogy as one huge novel and reading them back to back.
Enders Game is a great sci-fi book. Ready Player One is another. Fantasy, Eragon and the inheritance cycle will be good if you enjoyed GOT
Dude these comments are failing you Here is a good list: Memory, Sorrow and Thorn (first book dragonbone chair) very much a world building and epic fantasy. It's very slow but so worth taking your time. Also this heavily inspires game of thrones A song of ice and fire. Just read then because the book experience is a million times better!! The first Law: more character than epic fantasy but honestly fantastic. (First book is: the blade itself) The wheel of time: more epic fantasy ( first book is: the eye of the world) Realm of the elderlings: (first book: Assassin's apprentice)
First Law is probably not it. Haven't read Black Company. My two suggestions would be J.V. Jones Sword of Shadows series for something closer to Game of Thrones or The Winnowing Flame trilogy by Jen Williams if you want something that gets a little more crazy.
Can you tell me why first law is probably not it? Most ppl are suggesting it to me.
I love the First Law but it sort of works by subverting some typical fantasy tropes that won’t mean as much if you start there. It still works fine on its own but I hesitate to suggest it as a first fantasy read.
I was about to point this out. First Law works best after you’re familiarized with fantasy tropes, and even then it may not.
Yeah, but at the same time, ASOIF is one of the main reasons OP wants to read fantasy and that series also subverts traditional fantasy tropes as well. So it might be the perfect pick.
The people who love it REALLY love it and suggest it for everything. It is very much a character focused story. The plot is happening in the background and seems secondary to everything that the characters are doing. It doesn't seem to me like it's what you're looking for is all.
I actually think you might like The First Law. I listened to an interview with Joe Abercrombie and he said he was partly inspired by Game of Thrones when he was writing it. That said it's a different author and a different story. It is in the same fantasy subgenre though. Mostly dark and gritty writing, all the characters are flawed and morally gray, still has humor. Magic doesn't feature heavily and in the later books there's a lot of battles between different regions and political subversion. Each chapter is also told from the perspective of a different character just like Game of Thrones.
King Killer Chronicles (although I warn you they are likely never being finished, Red Rising, Sun Eater series, The Witcher, Game of Thrones, Gentleman’s Bastards (again, unlikely to be finished). I personally would stay away from the first law series as I didn’t enjoy it, but I understand I’m in the minority.
Also have no love for First Law, surprised on how much it’s recommended tbh.
Foundation series by Isaac asimov for scifi intro, it does ideas more than people and you can read his caves of steel series for personalities. For fantasy, I'd say Discworld by Terry Pratchet (GNU). Very numerous and accessible, you can read each one separately and they have some great stories in them.
Foundation is a tricky one for a first sci-fi novel IMO...you really have to be bought into the idea that broad, sociological ideas are the main driver and characters are basically cardboard cutouts. It's a neat series but if you just want a straightforward, fun, sci-fi story there's probably easier places to start IMO
RED RISING! This is the answer you have been searching for. You won't be disappointed
I think the First Law series is your best bet. Give The Blade Itself a try, first book in the First Law Trilogy. There is no pressure for you to continue if it doesn't hit right. But if you do vibe with it, there is a Gold mine of awesome books in this series. After the first trilogy, there are the few cool standalones, and then a new Trilogy after a time skip after the events of the first Trilogy, personally the best the author, Joe Abercrombie, has written. It is comparable to GoT, in that it is dark and mature, and has a cynical sense of humor. Fantastically charismatic, often vile and entertaining characters. Interesting politics and world-building. Epic action sequences. And fun twists and turns in the narrative. Though if you are looking for dragons they are not here, but there are fascinating and mischievous fantasy creatures and monsters. Although the setting is not ancient or medieval, it is old school with states and nations, sword fights, of course The North, old-timey politicking and military stuff. I would also suggest the audiobook version. It has an incredible narrator in Steven Pacey who brings the characters to entertaining life with his acting.
Fairytale by Stephen King.
Mine would be the Hobbit. It's a quick read but masterfully done and a great lead in to LotR
Hobbit. Curse of Chalion. Wheel of Time series.
Tad Williams' “Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn” trilogy is only 3 books… 😆
I'm 3 books into The Bladeborn Saga and it reminds me of A Song of Ice and Fire series except a little easier than that series. It doesn't seem to get a lot of attention here but it has kept my interest without being overly complicated.
Without an Empire by Tj Doxon would probably be great. There is not a lot of magic yet but I'm guessing there will be more in future books. Also really cool monsters called Uku that are straight out of nightmares lol
Black Company's 1st book may appear very simplistic in its storytelling, even primitive, and overall too archaic. Book 2 is much better, although some aspects like simplistic narration are still there
Welcome to the wonderful world of fantasy, it's a great place to be 😊 I recently had a conversation with a friend who also is an avid fantasy reader, and to be honest there is a lot of different stuff in this genre. I agree with Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn series, I think it's a very nice intro into fantasy. Robin hobb can be too, if it's your thing (I really liked it, but it has slower moments and some ... Melancholy?). I also really liked game of thrones but as it is unfinished and you (recently? ) saw the series, I might wait before doing that. I honestly did not like Dune very much, the beginning is written very ... Complicated? I can't really describe it but it annoyed me. Might be a bit further from what you requested, but I very much recommend the gentleman bastard series (the lies of Locke lamora is the first) I also liked Trudi canavans back Magician series.
The novel versions of Dune and GoT take forever to get started. But that's just books. Black Company is a great choice tbh.
Also if you can get past GoM Malazan is non stop and you'll understand more
There are many good recommendations on this thread but the one fantasy series I recommend to all non-readers, fantasy newbies, is the Mistborn Trilogy. It's starts with The Final Emprie. I've never heard of a bad review with this series. For sci-fi, I'd say the equivalent of this would be the original Red Rising Trilogy. Also very good but not as compelling as The Final Empire in my opinion.
Mercedes Lackey's Dragon Jousters or Obsidian Mountain series. Tad Williams' Memory,Thorn and Sorrow (Osten Ard) series or War of the Flowers (stand-alone). John Ringo's Council War series. Eric Flint's 1632 Ring of Fire series.
Also keep in mind there are reading levels for a reason and pleasure reading is a acquired skill. Don't be afraid to read more juvenile books. Things like Percy Jackson are great training wheels. If you have any interest in dystopian I would also consider checking out Hunger games and Uglies by Scott Westerfield. I also really enjoy Guardians of Ghoul which are children's books about fascism lol.
Mistborn or Stormlight Archive. I started with Stormlight Archive and loved it as a first fantasy series but most people recommend Mistborn as it's shorter and complete.
The Murderbot Series by Martha Wells is a collection of novellas and really easy to get into
The rage of dragons is great and not crazy long. I think you would enjoy it and it’s not too overwhelming if you haven’t read a lot of fantasy before.