Fantasy Recs (Beginner)

[Tiffany]

Looking to get into the fantasy genre! Any recs for beginners?

[the equestrian's library]

Sure! Maybe one of the below will catch your eye? I pulled a few different types for you!

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Howl’s Moving Castle -- Technically a kid's book, but a very whimsical and sweet read that dabbles in magic and witchery. There is the Studio Ghibli movie that is stellar to watch with or without having read the book. A good starter! Plus short and simple to read. Also has two more after it! (kids/young readers)

The Princess Bride -- comedic fantasy? If you've seen the movie, then you know what to expect in this one! (adult)

The Cruel Prince -- will likely be recommended a few times, but if you'd like to try something with some darker themes, this is a fairly simple and quick one to read and get through! Just check out the trigger warning list ahead of time. (ya)

Inkheart -- technically another kid's book but one that older readers can still enjoy. is a trilogy and the books are thicker with some substance to them! (kids/young readers)

City of Bones -- a really good starter into fantasy since this is usually the "gateway book" into other similar fantasy books. check out trigger warnings for the whole 6 books series, and take it with a grain of salt considering it is C.C. but the books hit a lot of classic fantasy tropes (werewolves, faerie, vampires, etc.). more modern day/urban fantasy. (ya)

Clockwork Angel -- another by C.C. but my preferred series. think historical fiction/steampunk era london, but with the same magic, warlocks, demon hunting, etc. Recommend this one over the city of bones series, but it depends on which atmosphere and vibe you'd prefer! (ya)

A Discovery of Witches -- a lot of people rave about this book so may be something to look into! it is at least a trilogy, with an additional 4th book though I think that one is a prequel. witchcraft, vampires, modern day, the whole nine! (adult)

The Hobbit -- one of the classic fantasy books, but START with the hobbit. The hobbit was originally a kid's book, so I would recommend grabbing a younger edition, maybe even a YA version before jumping immediately into the nitty gritty of adult tolkien's works. they're a lot to get through, but the hobbit is easier than LOTR. (kids/ya/adult)

The House in the Cerulean Sea -- a soft and wholesome fantasy without the heavy onslaught of lore and worldbuilding. book focuses on the characters and their relationships and is a gorgeous read, super easy to get through! highly recommend this one, especially if you like a found family trope! (adult)

Seraphina -- a good starter to the fantasy genre if you're interested in dragons! there is some worldbuilding, lore, etc. but it's easy to grasp and figure out. the book is a little slower than some of the ones above, but a delightful experience without EXTREME stresses. I like this one a lot. (ya)

Eragon -- additionally, if you enjoy the concept of dragons, you can always take a gander at the classic eragon. this one has a LOT more lore, worldbuilding, and nitty gritty details so know that going in. this book may take longer to read but it is a classic and a very well loved book. there is 4 in the main series. (ya)

The Young Elites -- one of my favorite series by one of my favorite authors. people get sick from a plague, and the survivors are marked physically in some manner while gaining some sort of supernatural gift. a cool play on the main character being a villain without her realizing she is one. this is a trilogy and I really liked it! Marie Lu has quite a few series of different genres, so if you enjoy her style, take a look at the other ones she has as well! (ya)

Pet -- a fantasy with some darker themes, a lot of metaphors, and a lot of allegory. there is a lot of things happening in this book under different names, but I read this one in a few hours and really enjoyed it. main character is trans poc and there's a lot of rep in this one! also has some horror elements! (ya)

The Merciful Crow -- a fantasy that plays with plague, "necromancers" to an extent, plaguedoctors, and a fiercely independent fem protag. lot of high stakes in this one for the characters, with a healthy dose of lore and worldbuilding. this is a duology! (ya)

And to round it out:

The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner, Divergent, and Legend!

All of the above books are more sci-fi than actual fantasy, but they do play with post-apocalyptic themes if that's something you are interested in. Common themes are: people being separated into communities, plagues, trials/tests, political intrigue, high stakes rebellion and revolution, etc. They are all similar to one another enough to add them into one point but it's one of those things where if you liked one or two, you'll likely enjoy the others you haven't read. All of them are considered young adult!

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I know I gave you quite a few to look at but since Fantasy is my main genre, I couldn't resist! I hope you find something that you find you really enjoy! Happy reading!

[sophie]

The Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare, I first read these in middle school and absolutely loved them, to this day they're my favorite books and perfect for beginners!

[katereads:)]

the cruel prince series its a really easy read

[Hanna Mae 🌻🌙🍁🧸]

Daughter of the pirate king is a good start!