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Recommendations for fantasy type books please?

32 replies

Pumpkintopf · 07/01/2019 22:04

Hi all, would love some recommendations for 15yo DS, loves anything with wizards (!) or more generally books where there's a bit of a mystery perhaps linked to supernatural powers.

Recent hits have been -

First couple of Rivers of London
Prince of Thorns trilogy
First couple of Hidden Academy
Harry Dresden series

Any ideas anyone?

Thanks very much for any suggestions.

OP posts:
RedPandaFluff · 07/01/2019 22:07

How about the Incarnations of Immortality series by Piers Anthony? They're probably a bit dated now but I LOVED them when I was your DS' age. The concepts are really good and although each book can stand alone, they all weave together beautifully.

GrouchyKiwi · 07/01/2019 22:11

Has he read Jim Butcher's other series, Codex Alera?

Alex Verus by Benedict Jacka. Similar to Dresden, but set in London, and with a more interesting magic.

Good old Sword & Sorcery standards like David Eddings, Raymond E Feist, David Gemmell, Robert Jordan.

The Legend of Eli Monpress by Rachel Aaron.

Scott Lynch's Gentleman Bastards series, though possibly they're a little dark.

TinklyLittleLaugh · 07/01/2019 22:12

Joe Abercrombie's Half a King Trilogy. Young adult, not as dark as other Abercrombie's (though to be fair if he's read Prince of Thorns...).

Anything Abercrombie is good though

Mark Lawrence's other stuff, Prince of Fools, Red Sister

The Lies of Locke Lamora

Despite being a middle aged woman, I suspect I have the reading taste of a 15 year old boy.

GrouchyKiwi · 07/01/2019 22:12

Oooh. Also Temeraire by Naomi Novik (dragons in the Napoleonic Wars), and the Pern series by Anne McCaffery, which are science fantasy. Who doesn't love dragons?

ShowOfHands · 07/01/2019 22:14

Dragonlance
Wheel of Time

99point9FahrenheitDegrees · 07/01/2019 22:14

Diane Duane for light YA wizards. Octavia Butler's Talents books. Modern YA fantasy with special powers and relatively light on sex - there's Holly Black, Cassandra Clare, Sarah Rees Brennan.Try him on Lois McMaster Bujold's fantasy books - Curse of Chalion is good.

BlessYourCottonSocks · 07/01/2019 22:17

Simon R Green writes a couple of different series - one is based on a darker hidden London, The Nightside Series.

The other is a kind of magical twist on James Bond - the Drood family The Secret Histories Series. My 17 yo liked both.

ViolaLucyofTirol · 07/01/2019 22:17

Terry Pratchett - colour of magic etc?

turquoisebaby · 07/01/2019 22:20

Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Maas, and her other series Court of Thorns and Roses

ImportantWater · 07/01/2019 22:21

The Magicians by Lev Grossman

TinklyLittleLaugh · 07/01/2019 22:22

Wheel of time is incredibly dated and sexist; the female characters are one dimensional and awful.

cdtaylornats · 07/01/2019 22:22

Keith R. A. Decandido's Precinct series 6 books about the city watch

Dragon Precinct

Humans and elves, dwarves and gnomes, wizards and warriors all live and do business in the thriving, overcrowded city of Cliff's End, to say nothing of the tourists and travelers who arrive by land and sea, passing through the metropolis on matters of business or pleasure or on quests. The hard-working, under-appreciated officers of the Cliff's End Castle Guard work day and night to maintain law and order as best they can. Gan Brightblade is one of the world's greatest heroes and a personal friend of the Lord and Lady of Cliff's End. So when he's brutally murdered in grubby lodgings in Dragon Precinct, on the eve of a great quest, the Captain of the Guard puts his two best investigators on the case. The half-elf Danthres Tresyllione and ex-soldier Torin ban Wyvald soon discover that the crime scene is empty of any forensic evidence physical or magical. They have no clues, and the heat is on. The Lord and Lady want their friend's murder solved -- now. The populace is mourning the loss of a great hero. The ever-unhelpful Brotherhood of Wizards could take over the case at any minute. And then another member of Brightblade's party turns up dead....

AppleDragon · 07/01/2019 22:24

The Earthsea Chronicles - Ursula Le Guin

BumbleBerries · 07/01/2019 22:44

Assassins apprentice, or dragonlance.

If you're interested and near me i have many many fantasy books looking for a good home.

Fantata · 07/01/2019 22:49

The Name of the Wind - Patrick Rothfuss. Although, like GRRM, the gap between the second and third books in the trilogy is about 10 years and counting.

Not the Wheel of Time. It goes on forever and, as a pp said, is very dated. Worth reading one day if he's still into fantasy when he's older but no rush.

PomBearWithoutHerOFRS · 07/01/2019 23:32

Robert Aspirin's "Myth. Inc." series.
Piers Anthony's "Incarnations of Immortality" series.

TinselAngel · 07/01/2019 23:36

The answer to this question is definitely David Eddings. Preferably starting with The Belgariad.

BookWitch · 07/01/2019 23:40

The Deryni series by Katherine Kurtz - fantasy medieval world, some people have supernatural powers and are persecuted. There are lots of them - start with Deryni Rising

TinklyLittleLaugh · 07/01/2019 23:54

Oh I love love love The Name of the Wind. He's never going to finish it though.

TinklyLittleLaugh · 07/01/2019 23:56

See I think The Belgariad is a bit dated too. Fantasy has moved on a bit from all the cliched stuff.

TechnicalSergeantGarp · 08/01/2019 00:02

Sanctuary series by Robert J Crane. The first one (Defender) is on Kindle Unlimited for £0.

Pumpkintopf · 08/01/2019 00:12

Wow these are amazing, thanks so much - lots I've never heard of, will do
some research tomorrow as I have a day off work!

@TinklyLittleLaugh - I know, he recommended Prince of Thorns trilogy to me and I read them- I agree very dark but very well written I thought. He did also read and enjoy Mark Lawrence's other stuff.

Didn't realise there was another series by the Dresden files author, that definitely sounds promising!

I loved Wizard of Earthsea when I was younger...

@BumbleBerries that's an incredibly kind offer, whereabouts roughly are you? Or I can PM you if easier?

Thanks again everyone, was really out of inspiration for him and will really enjoy going through these tomorrow!

OP posts:
PomBearWithoutHerOFRS · 08/01/2019 01:13

Ooo ooo, I thought of another one! Magician by Raymond E. Feist. It's the start of a trilogy which in turn is the start of a massive series, and there are spin off "Kelewan" books too. The world building is amazing, and they're ever so good Grin

Pumpkintopf · 08/01/2019 07:51

Thanks Pom Bear, will add to the list!

OP posts:
Enb76 · 08/01/2019 07:58

Mike Carey’s Felix Castor series is pretty good, also Kate Griffin Midnight Mayor series for Urban Fantasy, also Neil Gaiman is a must. Start with Neverwhere. I also have the tastes of a 15 year old boy. Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss for more high fantasy

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