r/fantasybooks • u/Pidjinstv • 2d ago
📚 Summon book recommendations Non-Reader looking for recommendations
As the title says, I haven't sat down and read a book in probably 20 years. I am a big fan of fantasy (video games/movies/shows/series etc..). Looking for recommendations that are fairly straight forward and not too long or drawn out just to get my feet wet with a good story.
Edit to give more details: Big LOTR fan. I enjoy medieval themes; Game of Thrones was a big hit with me. Also grew up playing games like World of Warcraft, Dark Age of Camelot etc..
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u/VisitEnvironmental68 2d ago
RED RISING. I’m about to finish Light Bringer, the sixth book of the series. I haven’t read a book in 20 years as well before a few months ago and I just burnt through all six of the series.
Edge of your seat nonstop excitement (except for iron gold). 10/10 highly recommend.
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u/Beautiful_Donut_286 2d ago
My go to is the empire trilogy by Wurts and Feist. I read it the first time at 11/12, still read it somewhat regularly at 35. It's a good mix of character development, battles, intrigue, world building, a little background magic. Not too many characters to keep track off, but enough to give the necessary complexity
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u/ScipioTheGreatest 2d ago
If you're willing to shirk the medieval theme for just a quality book that's extremely approachable for readers of any level or commitment the Harry Potter series got an entire generation to of kids to read. I read it as an adult and thought it was an incredibly charming little fantasy book that grew a bit as it proceeded.
Someone else suggested the GoT books, and they're incredible, but those are long and unfinished so it's kind of a shaky rec for you.
I don't want to be insulting with this one, but if you're looking to go as easy as possible Redwall is a great kids book that's medieval but with mice and other woodland critters. I enjoyed rereading it as an adult just to remember what I read as a kid.
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u/LadyLoreleyHarms 1d ago
I was just about to suggest Redwall. I just started re-reading it myself. While it is a long series of 22 books they are essentially standalone books because each story is wrapped up neatly in the end. Each book is about a different character in the same realm. I just ADORE Redwall.
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u/ScipioTheGreatest 1d ago
I remember loving them as a kid, but reread the first as an adult because my nieces and nephews are getting to that age since I forgot soooo much. It's such a charming read even for an adult.
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u/BackgroundTotal2872 2d ago
Red Rising by Pierce Brown and Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman have a well-earned reputation for getting people back into reading!
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u/Beautiful_Virus 2d ago
It would be helpful if you at least told what you liked in video games/movies/shows etc.
Without it everyone will just list their top favorites with a total disregard to your taste as you gave no frame of reference.
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u/Guilty-Coconut8908 2d ago
God Touched by John Conroe
Storm Front by Jim Butcher
Survival by Devon C. Ford
Nightfall by Stephen Leather
Magician by Raymond E. Feist
Fated by Benedict Jacka
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u/ChipChangename 2d ago
Do you like stories that are a little darker? The Blacktongue Thief is an excellent fantasy book with some edge to it. Good characters, interesting magic, writing that grabs your attention, and stakes that feel like they mean something.
Continuing on with thieves, try The Lies of Locke Lamora. The first book is by far the best one and I was hooked by page four, it's such a good story about a long con and revenge.
If you want something that's lighter reading both in tone and ease, and more traditional fantasy, give the Valdemar books a shot. There's a whole bunch of books broken up into singles, pairs, and trilogies that all deal with magic and animal companions and virtuous kingdoms, and one of the things I particularly love about them is there's always a focus on the characters working through conflict and acting with compassion towards each other.
I would be remiss if I didn't also suggest Discworld. There are 41 books total, and while that sounds intimidating to get into, it's another world made up of standalone books, pairs, trilogies, and small series. There's a hundred "reading guides" out there that tell you how to get started with them, but they're written in such a way that you really can pick up just about any book and be fine to start there. The Discworld books are near-universally beloved for their wit, charm, and impact, they're all quick reads, and I would suggest starting with "Guards! Guards!" or "Small Gods."
The Bloodsworn Trilogy is an excellent story inspired by Norse mythology, it's brutal and bloody and well-written and I don't know anyone who doesn't like it.
And of course I should suggest Dungeon Crawler Carl. You're probably gonna get that suggested a bunch, and people will tell you to go with the audiobooks, and there's 8 books currently, but you'll know pretty quick if the series is for you or not, and if you find yourself hooked by it, those 8 books will just fly by. It's in the LitRPG genre and it's the (in my opinion) only good example of what the genre has to offer.
There's a lot more suggestions we could toss your way if you told us a bit more about your tastes, but really there's not gonna be any bad suggestions here. Pick one and have fun!
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u/Overall_Wolverine453 2d ago
ASOIAF - (game of thrones ) books are my favourite books - sadly there are not straight forward or short
if you don't want to go with LOTR maybe Eragon series is something for you - its finished , classical hero story heavy inspired by LOTR and Star wars and i did like it a lot as a teenager and still enjoy it today
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u/IllSprinkles7864 2d ago
If you like Wow, give the books a try.
War of the Ancients trilogy was excellent.
The Horde books were all really good, Cycle of Hatred, Rise of the Horde, etc.
Vol'jin was ok, not my favorite but interesting.
Illidan was also excellent in every way. I particularly loved the BT raid boss fight at the end.
Sylvanas was really meh imo. It was just a bunch of retcons for BfA and Shadowlands.
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u/ConstantReader666 1d ago
Ravenglass Legends series by Jon Cronshaw has a medieval feel, great writing and wyverns.
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u/ClueAccomplished1098 17h ago
Scriber by Ben S Dobson
Nettle and Bone by T Kingfisher
Uprooted by Naomi Novick
Song of the Beast by Carol Berg
The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman
The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold
The Hob's Bargain by Patricia Briggs
The Clocktaur War duology by T Kingfisher
The Hurog duology by Patricia Briggs
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u/FantasyLoverReader 16h ago
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms - Dunk and the Egg stories by George RR Martin. Reasonably fast paced, short, easy, fun read
Banished by Michael Wisehart (Street Rats of Aramoor) - Very short. Fast paced.
Ironborn: Book #1 in The Ironborn Saga - Very fast paced, fun and short with some grit to it.
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