Fantasy is an amazing genre to get you into reading, and if you are already into reading, then a great place to find amazing stories. If my 5 scientifically backed reasons to read fantasy have convinced you, how about I give you 5 starter recommendations to give you a taste of the genre?
I have handpicked short, stand-alone stories. So, you won’t find household names like Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter. However, I am sure you will find something to your taste in one of my recommendations.
So, with little ado, here are my five recommendations.
You can’t go wrong with the granddaddy of the fantasy genre. Tolkien’s better known work, Lord of the Rings, is the foundation for the epic fantasy genre and all fantasy authors (including yours truly) owe a debt the size of a dragon’s hoard to him.
The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien
The Hobbit is the prequel to the Lord of the Rings. It’s the story of a hobbit (basically a tiny humanoid) named Bilbo Baggins, who joins a band of dwarves and a wizard in their quest to liberate their homeland and its treasures from an evil dragon.
It’s considerably shorter and has a more straightforward plot than the epic Lord of the Rings. But it’s written in the same imaginative language, with Middle Earth and the characters described so beautifully, will transport you. It also introduces fan favourite characters like Gandalf and Gollum.
If you love larger-than-life stories and want an epic adventure story, then I recommend this. And personally, I recommend the audiobook version narrated by Andy Serkis. It’s the most perfect adaptation.
The Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
This one is not your typical fantasy read. Ursula K. Le Guin is not a typical fantasy author. She was a pioneer in both fantasy and science fiction, the first woman to get widespread acclaim in a genre that was then dominated by male authors. Her books had characters of colour, she challenged gender norms and
The story is set in the fantasy world of Earthsea and is about the coming of age of a young boy named Ged. He displays great power while still a boy and joins a school of wizardry (this was published in 1968, 30 years before Harry Potter) where his rivalry with a fellow student led to a magical duel. During the duel, Ged’s spell goes awry and releases a shadow creature that starts pursuing him. The novel follows Ged’s journey as he seeks to be free of the creature.
I recommend this book not for its plot or world building, but for its prose. The best fantasy can convey a sense of wonder and magic to the reader and Ms Le Guin uses her prose to great effect. This, along with The Great Gatsby, got me to appreciate the power of language to convey not just meaning but mood as well.
Highly recommend if you love beautiful prose and want a more meditative take on the fantasy genre.
Eragon by Christopher Paolini
What if you prefer action packed, fast-paced storytelling over the slow burn of The Hobbit or The Wizard of Earthsea?
The book tells the story of a farm boy named Eragon, who finds a mysterious stone in the mountains. The stone is revealed to be a dragon egg, and a dragon he later names Saphira hatches from it. When the evil villain finds out about the egg, he sends monstrous servants to acquire it, making Eragon and Saphira flee from their hometown with an old member of an extinct group called the Dragon Riders, who teaches Eragon about ‘The Ways of the Rider.’
This book gets a lot of hate from hardcore fantasy fans and understandably so. It is derivative and relies heavily on basic fantasy tropes. But that’s also why I believe it’s a great starter book for a first time fantasy reader. It has everything you come to expect from fantasy: a powerful dragon steed, a hot elf love interest, a wise mentor figure and spectacular battles. And unlike The Hobbit and The Wizard of Earthsea, this was written in contemporary thriller style prose.
So if you want a fast-paced, by the numbers epic adventure, then this is the book to go for.
Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett
Discworld was the highest selling book series in the UK till Harry Potter overtook it. And if you liked the first three books of Harry Potter, you’ll love Discworld. It has that same whimsical storytelling, with lovable characters and, of course, the unsurpassed humour. And readers of all ages can enjoy it.
Discworld is not a series in the conventional sense. It’s more in the realm of MCU, with many stories set in the same world.
The most popular stories are the Death series beginning with the book called Mort and the City Watch series beginning with Guards! Guards!
I started with Guards! Guards! and loved it. The plot is about the city of Ankh-Morpork, which is ruled by a corrupt Patrician. A secret society calls a dragon with the understanding that whoever kills it will become king and bring prosperity to the city. Things go wrong when the dragon is crowned king and the four members of the Night Watch Guard must keep the new king from eating the citizens.
I you love humour in your books, then you will love this one. It’s filled with lovable characters, funny lines, and an action-packed climax.
The Last Wish by Andrej Sapowski
A great way to test the waters of any genre is by reading short stories, and this book of stories from The Witcher series is the perfect anthology.
A collection of stories about Geralt of Rivia, who is a witcher, i.e. a magically enhanced monster hunter. Each story is a Sherlock Holmes style adventure with Geralt taking contracts to deal with monsters and in the process realizing that usually the worst monsters are humans themselves.
If you enjoyed The Witcher video games or the Netflix show, you can try this one as an entry point to fantasy. Also, if you are a fan of Sherlock Holmes style short story adventures. Beware that it’s dark and is clearly written for adults.
Conclusion
Hope you will find at least one recommendation interesting enough to give it a shot and that book becomes the first step of your journey into fantasy. If you do end up joining me on this side of this amazing journey, I promise you it will be a great ride.
And if you end up reading fantasy, give my books a try too. They are fantasy books inspired by Indian myths and legends.
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