Whats the ONE book you would recommend to a none reader of the genre?

[Grim]

Here's a challenge for you whats the ONE fantasy fiction book you would recommend to someone who isn't already into fantasy fiction to try and convert them to the Genre?

It can be GrimDark, High Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Urban Fantasy even steam punk whatever as long as its fantasy Fiction. Whats the ONE Book you would recommend?

(I originally posted this else where thought it might be fun here)

You are NOT allowed multiple books it has to be ONE ONLY!!! ALL OR NOTHING

[L.]

Replay

[Bryan]

Honestly, although it may sound trite to hardcore SFF snobs, I've had the most success with A Game of Thrones.

[terpkristin]

Wow, Blackbirds was so violent and hard for me to read. As a fan of urban fantasy, I'm not sure I could/would ever use that as a starter book unless I knew they had a thing for gritty stuff like that.

I'm still thinking on what I'd recommend. SciFi lately I keep thinking Ready Player One is a good gateway book, but I'm not sure I have a universal book for fantasy...

[Phil]

A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore. I've had many non-genre friends love this.

[Dara]

The Lies of Locke Lamora. It's not too heavily fantasy, easily accessible, has great characters, and it's a fun romp.

[terpkristin]

Thinking more on it, I think I'd recommend Mistborn for many of the same reasons that Dara said LLM. As much as I like Game of Thrones or Way of Kings, they're long and can be intimidating/confusing at first. Mistborn is short, works stand-alone, and is fun but accessible.

[John (Nevets)]

I agree with Mistborn. The writing style is not very intimidating, the story is fast passed and well written. And it has a fairly typical hero's journey, with enough surprises to make it worth while.

Thinking of the hero's journey. If this was in all mediums, not just prose, I would submit the original 1977 Star Wars is about as good a gateway fantasy story as it gets.

I would also say that even as an adult and experienced fantasy reader I Lemed "A Game of Thrones". And even though I eventually came back to it and finished it, I would have a hard time recommending it as a first fantasy book. Besides part of what makes it a well loved book is it's deconstruction of fantasy stories. And with out having the background of those more standard stories, it looses some of it's punch. "Watchmen" is the same in comics, it's a great comic story, but without having read other superhero comics before reading it, it looses a bit of what makes it great.

[Bryan]

John wrote: "I agree with Mistborn. The writing style is not very intimidating, the story is fast passed and well written. And it has a fairly typical hero's journey, with enough surprises to make it worth wh..."

Although I agree that non-genre readers probably wouldn't pick up on the deconstructionist aspects of AGOT, it doesn't really matter. It's a good enough story that it crosses genre boundaries and engages people with the characters. One friend of mine told me she liked that it "wasn't too fantasy." Seriously, I've made many attempts at opening people's minds to the genre, and this has become my go-to. I've had more success with it than with Tolkien, Lewis, Jordan, Hobb and Butcher combined.

[Michele]

I can't pick one without knowing something about the person I'd be recommending it to. I don't think there is any one universal gateway "intro to fantasy" book.

Gun to my head choice for random person - The Princess Bride by William Goldman.

[John (Taloni)]

Dragonflight. It's got dragons. And a strong female lead. And dragons. And telepathy with dragons. And...well, you get the idea.

Plus the Weyrs are "nerd sanctuaries" and all the people who dislike life in the Holds go there.

[Tassie Dave, S&L Historian]

I'd have to nominate the book that started my life long interest in fantasy.

Lord of the Rings.

May be obvious, but it is the number one fantasy book in most people's list for a reason.

[Darren]

Probably a cross genre of whatever they DO happen to be into. Picking your favourite ever book in the genre leaves them with nowhere to go but down if they DO like it, and leaves you feeling insulted if they DON'T like it. So an urban fantasy like Kadrey or Butcher if they like noir. Maybe something by Gaiman if they like mainstream fiction. I'm with Michelle; I'd need to know more. There's no universal prescription.

[Shad]

I agree that it somewhat depends on the person. I have liked science fiction for a long time. To this day, I can remember the book that started getting me interested in fantasy. That book was Dragonsdawn.

It is the story of the arrival of humans on Pern. It got me interested in fantasy because it showed how you could start with a science fiction scenario of landing on a planet with advanced technology and end up with a fairly classic fantasy setting. It would be my recommendation for someone who likes science fiction, but can be a snob when it comes to fantasy.

[Pat]

Based on the assumption that there's a reason thay don't already read fantasy then I'd go for something without any of the usual fantasy tropes.

The first one that springs to mind is Joe Abercrombie's The Heroes - no elves, no dragons, no magic, no lowly farmhands with a secret magical destiny etc...

[David Sven]

Blood Song is the best fantasy I've read for a while

[Rasnac]

Tassie Dave wrote: "I'd have to nominate the book that started my life long interest in fantasy.

Lord of the Rings.

May be obvious, but it is the number one fantasy book in most people's list for a reason."

Exactly what I think. Especially "Fellowship Of The Ring" is the perfect book to ease a newcomer into the genre. It starts simple enough with easily identifiable, reader friendly characters; the story moves more or less linearly and has an episodic quality that makes it easy to follow; the richness of details like songs, lore and geography makes it easier to believe in the imaginary land such as Middle Earth. And LOTR trilogy is the origin of almost all fantasy tropes and themes, so it will make easier for the first time reader to warm up to the genre.

[Russ]

A non-reader of the genre might be better off starting with The Hobbit, though I'm not sure I'd suggest any of Tolkien as an intro to fantasy.

Agreed with the sentiments above, it depends entirely on the person. But to toss one out there, I've had luck luring non-fantasy fans with the original Dragonlance Trilogy.

[Leland]

Phil wrote: "A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore. I've had many non-genre friends love this."

That's a good one!

[Grim]

Darren wrote: ". So an urban fantasy like Kadrey or Butcher if they like noir."

Oooo my favourite Urban fantasy and two authors I recommend a lot as well. However if I was after a vanilla noob I'd be more tempted towards more traditional fantasy in attempts at converting so I'd have to go with a classic something by David Gemmel The obvious choice is probably Legend but I would actually recommend " WAYLANDER

As too Lord of the Rings, I was never a big fan, it felt too much like he was trying to make it as though Shakespeare had written it, and the speech irritated me. The Hobbit was engaging, but not Lord of The Rings... (and when you ask around its amazing how many people never finished reading the entire trilogy who gave up at the end of the second book or mere chapters into the third.

[Mike]

L. wrote: "Replay"

Great book! One of my faves!

From a Sci-fi perspective I would have to lean toward either Replay or Ready Player One.

They're both two of my fave Sci-fi reads, but ultimately I would go with Ready Player One.

I explain my fantasy perspective below.

[Mike]

David Sven wrote: "Blood Song is the best fantasy I've read for a while"

100% agree. This would be the perfect material to intro one to the genre. I could see someone stating TNoTW as well, but I could not. While it is also great it is simply too long to serve as a great introductory piece. Whereas Blood Song ranks right up there as one of the best fantasy novels (IMO) and it's length would not intimidate a reader who isn't initiated to the genre.

Excellent choice!

[Lindsay]

I read the title and immediately thought of my go-to for an intro to genre: Doomsday Book by Connie Willis, but then I read the content of the post ... fantasy. That throws a wrench in it.

When I've had to suggest fantasy in the past I've suggested Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay for older readers.

For younger readers I go with Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings, but with the caveat that they need to skim or skip the prologue.

[Eric]

The Colour of Magic

[Eric]

Grimnir wrote: "Darren wrote: ". So an urban fantasy like Kadrey or Butcher if they like noir."

Oooo my favourite Urban fantasy and two authors I recommend a lot as well. However if I was after a vanilla noob I'..."

Does Urban mean the same thing in Fantasy as it does elsewhere?

[Dharmakirti]

I would like this non-genre reader to be exposed to something which I think represents the genre at its best. Therefore, I would recommend The Darkness that Comes Before by R. Scott Bakker.

[John (Nevets)]

Eric, my understanding is that no "urban" is not meant to just refer to cities in the context of fantasy. But, for the only two stories/ series I've read in that genre, the city has played a big part in the story. In the Dresden series, Chicago does play a role in the series, and the same for L.A. In Sandman Slim.

By the way I had never thought of the many inappropriate uses Urban had taken on until you mentioned it. I mean the urban dictionary doesn't mean city dictionary, and the term "urban youth" wasn't meant to just refer to any city kids, but a select subset.

Oh, I just thought of one I've read that wasn't in a city, American Gods.

[Micah]

Lindsay wrote: "For younger readers I go with Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings, but with the caveat that they need to skim or skip the prologue. "

That's the book that first came to my mind. A little easier to read than LOTR and all 5 books in the series combined are probably less pages than A Game of Thrones.

[Ivi_kiwi]

It strongly depends on the person, whom i want to recommend a book to.

For my "chick lit" reading friends: Guilty Pleasures
For my feminist friend: Dawn
Forthe gore and Action lover: The Blade Itself
For a fellow physicist: Revelation Space

[John (Taloni)]

I'm a big fan of Revelation Space, but it's science fiction and not fantasy.

[Ian]

Prince of thorns by mark lawrence

[[deleted user]]

The Princess Bride. It's great for people who like romance, adventure, or comedy. It's something that transcends it's genre. It's highly re-readable. It's great for reading to your children, and is great for anyone to read at any age.

[Eric]

John wrote: "Eric, my understanding is that no "urban" is not meant to just refer to cities in the context of fantasy. But, for the only two stories/ series I've read in that genre, the city has played a big p..."

Yeah, in music and in most other books I've seen - urban = black, usually African American (as opposed to Carribean or African continent). It's a frustrating and dumb euphemism considering all the races/ethnicities that live in cities - which is what Urban is supposed to mean.

So I wasn't sure if there was some kind of sub-genre of fantasy that featured black protagonists.

[Aildiin]

Tigana
Because I don't think you want to get people started with a huge serie where half of the first book is spent describing the world.
And because it is the best standalone fantasy book for me.

[Ivi_kiwi]

John wrote: "I'm a big fan of Revelation Space, but it's science fiction and not fantasy."

Dang! I missed the fantasy. I just read genre fiction, so i included science fiction.

[Kris]

L. wrote: "Replay"

That is an awesome thought for a first book.

[Stephan]

Second the The Blade Itself. Always been a huge fantasy fan, but it blew me away!

Anything by Joe Abercrombie, Patrick Rothfuss or Brandon Sanderson should be enough to win someone over to the genre...

[Julio]

The only book I did recommend to a friend who doesn't read fantasy was The Name of the Wind. He liked it a lot, thought he was disappointed it didn't have a proper ending.