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| Recommended by: AsDuskFalls Title: The Barbed Coil Author: J.V. Jones Summary: Tessa stumbles across an enchanted ring that transports her from our mundane world to a distant time and place where she discovers a magical gift and thwarts the plans of an evil king. Description: As a self-contained story, The Barbed Coil, is a refreshing change of pace from the usual multi-book tradition of fantasy. I have greatly enjoyed J.V. Jones' other works and her storytelling is engaging, evocative and enthralling. Tessa's journey to another world evokes a familiar fantasy where the main character ends up truly finding themselves and their place in the world, only after having left the humdrum of the real world behind them. The evil king, while slightly cliché, has motivations that are compelling and believable. The cast of characters surrounding Tessa as she learns more and more about her new home and her newly discovered gift serve to deepen and enhance the story and there are many memorable interactions between them. The magic system that is used throughout the story is quite unique and interesting and I haven't seen it's like in any other story. It is also used quite well throughout the story as there isn't an overemphasis on it. J.V. Jones' writing can be quite harrowing however as she regularly pushes her characters to the edge of breaking point and this story features a lot of violence so it won't be for everyone. |
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| Recommended by: Bogie Title: The Crystal Shard Author: R.A. Salvatore Summary: The first book of the Forgotten Realms Icewind Dale Trilogy which lead to a series of 30 books in this D&D based series. Description: This book introduces us to some of the most iconic characters in the Forgotten Realms. Characters and storylines that have influenced dozens of novels and Role Playing Games that continue on over a 30 year time frame. Almost everyone who has played any significant amount of Dungeons and Dragons knows the names Drizzt, Bruenor, Catti-brie, Wulfgar and Regis. This book is where the legends began. violence so it won't be for everyone. |
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| Recommended by: ChickPea Title: The Lighthouse Duet (Flesh & Spirit / Breath & Bone) Author: Carol Berg Summary: A fantasy series about magic, world-ending plots and... wait for it... cartography! Description: I've read a couple of Carol Berg's books, and she's a gorgeous writer who's criminally under-rated. This is a two-part duology*, and neither of the books are especially long, so it's not a huge commitment to read. The books tell the story of Valen, a 'pureblood' with a special talent in cartography. Although considered among the elite of society, the lives of purebloods are very circumscribed. Valen flees his planned future, making him a disgrace to his family, and a criminal in the eyes of the Pureblood Registry. As the book opens, he's been on the run for a dozen years, but he's a little down on his luck right now, lying half-dead in the road after being robbed by his comrade. Fortunately, a nearby monastery shows charity towards him, and the story unfolds from there. Valen's a 'lovable rogue' kind of character. He's also an addict, liar and thief, with the morals of an alley cat. But he's really into maps, so it's all good, right? Right?  *There's another series set in the same world called 'The Sanctuary Duet', but I haven't read that one yet. |
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| Recommended by: Diamond Title: The Death Dealer Series Author: James Silke Summary: Based on Frank Frazetta's famous 'Death Dealer' painting, Gath, the prisoner of the Horned Helmet, becomes the reluctant protector of a vast valley that will, many thousands of years in the future, become the Mediterranean Sea. Description: This four book series was one of the best of the '80s sword-and-sorcery boom. It's based on characters created by Frank Frazetta in his paintings, and Frazetta's (and the books' author, James Silke's) love of the genre is clearly evident. The first book deals with the warrior Gath of Baal's deal with the devil (literally?), as he semi-voluntarily dons the un-removable Horned Helmet, which makes him 'death made flesh', in order to protect the Great Valley from the ravaging Kitzaak Hordes which seek to invade it. This book and its sequels are certainly not great literature, but if you love pulp sword and sorcery in the vein of Conan, check out these books. |
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| Recommended by: Diamond Title: Maia Author: Richard Adams Summary: An innocent farmgirl goes from slave to powerful courtesan and gets involved in imperial politics. Description: So this is a book by the guy that wrote 'Watership Down' and 'Shardik'. It actually takes place in the same world as Shardik, but several years earlier. This is not a short book - it clocks in at well over 1200 pages. It's also not a G-rated book - a lot of steamy scenes, some involving underage girls. But it's so worth the time invested to read it. Adams has created a world that will really suck you in. Yes, that's a tired cliche, but it does sum up my feelings quite well. Maia, naive and lazy, runs afoul of her mother when her stepfather deflowers her. (Told you it was steamy!) Her mother sells her into slavery, and that's where her journey begins. There's too much that happens to even try and sum it up, but if you want to be transported for a couple of weeks, read this book. Then read Shardik, which I think is even better, but much more philosophically crunchy. |
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| Recommended by: Expendable Title: The Belgariad Author: David Eddings Summary: A young boy, survivor of an assassination attempt that killed his parents, is the rightful king and the only one who by prophesy can handle the Orb of Aldur against the mad god Torak. Description: It's a richly described world full of interesting characters and histories, where the gods interact with the mortals - or still grieve over their deaths. Garion, who we are introduced to as a young boy living on a farm under the watchful eye of his aunt, the farm's head cook, has no idea of his role or importance until it's thrusted onto him. And he's got quite the role to play in this, as with each act of magic he tries being used by the voice of prophesy to move events in the world around him. And I like how the Tolnedra Empire is very much like the Roman empire, building roads and outposts along those roads. |
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| Recommended by: LordCartoart & Mouse Title: The Inheritance Cycle Author: Christopher Paolini Summary: LordCartoart says "One boy, one dragon, a world of adventure." Mouse says "A traditional tale of a boy and his dragon told in the vein of Tolkien, and using many of his species ideas, but written in an original style with an equal measure of new ideas." Description: LordCartoart: Christopher does an amazing job at taking your mind out of this world, and putting it into what he writes about. After reading the four book series, the Inheritance Cycle, I was inspired into the fantasy genre. My maps, my writing and even my ongoing imagination is all due to these books (and other books too, of course, but this one is my favorite). Ever sense they made a movie about it and the movie ended up sucking, everyone kinda stopped talking about this series, but the books are still the books which are still amazing. I like these books because the great story line, the incredible world-building, the awesome characters, and the gripping action and adventure all of which are described in just the right amount of detail: Not enough to make you bored, and not to little for you to be confused. The story follows a 16-year-old, named Eragon, who finds a dragon egg in the forest, which eventually leads him down into a great adventure (which I won't spoil for you ). Mouse: The Inheritance Cycle is classic high fantasy about a boy and his dragon, and their fight against an evil king. The story spans 4 books, and received only a cool response when it was initially published. The official critics do not appear to like it that much, but I do. The story is told in such a beautiful way that the reader is easily able to suspend their disbelief and become wholly engaged with the characters and events. Yes, some of the plot facts are just a little bit cheesy. There's a boy and his dragon, and there's a magical sword that bursts into flames, and there's even a beautiful but unobtainable elf girl.... But Paolini manages to pull it off and paint the fantasy in your mind with his flowing prose and unexpected descriptive delights. And before you go away with the wrong impression, its not just a shallow fairy-tale type of story, where everything is 'happy ever after' and the baddest thing is a wicked witch. There are some truly gruesome passages, and monstrous people and monsters for those who like a bit of gore. There is also a very sophisticated torture setting that I found deeply thought provoking. Paolini writes beautiful stories, but he's not afraid to explore the experience and meaning of physical pain, nor does he shy away from the darker side of our human nature. |
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| Recommended by: Straf Title: The Dark is Rising Author: Susan Cooper Summary: On his 11th birthday, Will Stanton the seventh son of a seventh son must assemble the six signs to fight The Dark. Description: This was my introduction to fantasy. The book is actually the second in a series of novels aimed at children and young adults but I read this as a standalone that I borrowed from the school library. I was fixed to it. Concepts such as the seventh son of a seventh son being somehow magical, ancient folk lore such as Herne the Hunter flooded my young preteen mind and sparked off an imagination. In a time when the original Star Wars trilogies were a major part of many a young boy's fantasies, The Dark is Rising, is based not just on Earth but in England. In a time not so long, long ago. With elements of time travel and old folk tales, the fantastic was firmly knitted into the possible and recognisable with Arthurian legends living on into modern times. I have read these books as an adult (well, OK, legally adult) and I found them entertaining and enjoyable. The film, though, is absolute pants and doesn't do the book justice at all. |
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| Recommended by: tilt Title: The Blade itself Author: Joe Abercrombie Summary: Dark fantasy story, low on magic high on characters Description: It's brutal and gritty, the heroes might win, but they hurt a lot along the way. Its a dark world and the people to their best to survive. The characters are very well written and the story line goes through, not only the first trilogy but onto his next books as well. |
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| Recommended by: tilt Title: Farseer Trilogy (and all the books that follow) Author: Robin Hobb Summary: Young assasin in training gets the bad of things while trying to do good. Description: Robin's characters and stories go straight to your heart, you'll cheer when they win and cry when it turns bad - and it often does. Her stories are deep and detailed and just wonderful. Our main character Fitz, we follow from he is just a kid standing by the castle doors and to his adult life, where he is intertwined with communicating with animals, magic abilites and training as an assasin. He has the roughest life, and yet through all this his will to help others and his loyalty prevails. |
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| Recommended by: Wingshaw Title: Northern Lights (aka The Golden Compass), Book I of His Dark Materials Author: Philip Pullman Summary: In an alternative Earth, Lyra Belacqua goes on a dangerous journey to the frozen North in search of her best friend, and encounters armoured bears, travelling boat-people, witches and Gobblers. Description: I read this book as a child, and was completely absorbed in Lyra's world. Apart from the nostalgic value that this book has for me, Pullman's writing is exceptional. He is particularly good at describing a scene vividly, so the reader can easily imagine him- or herself there, viewing the events; no detail is missed, from the sound of waterfalls to the exposed wiring of a lightbulb. I would also mention the characters: they are lively, well-developed and multi-faceted. There are no 2-dimensional characters in the book, and no-one is superfluous to the story. I could go on; I could mention the quality of the writing or the beautifully realised world-building. Instead of describing all of that, however, I would simply say to anyone who appreciates a book that is, first and foremost, a story told to entertain and immerse, read this book. Philip Pullman has, in interviews, stressed that his books are stories first, and parables/fables/worldbuilding epics afterwards – and, in my opinion, he is a master storyteller. |
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Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to submit their suggestions! If you're enjoying this series, let us know in the comments and we'll try another genre next.
A short note about book covers: between reprints, special editions, international editions etc., many books have multiple covers. The covers shown above are simply what Goodreads presented to me when I searched for the book. The version available to you may well have different artwork.
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