Recommendations similar to HP and LOTR

[Thisriveriswild]

Hey all,

I want to get back into reading instead of just watching TV series in my free time, so I was wondering if any of you have any good recommendations for any books I could try? I used to absolutely love reading and growing up I was completely obsessed with the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings books, but since I've grown up and had a family and career etc I just haven't had time to even think about it! Any suggestions similar to those?

Thanks xx

They're quite old but David eddings 'the belgariad ' series might fit your bill. I really enjoyed them.

Hi OP. I've just binged A Court of Thorn and Roses by Sarah J Maas which was phenomenal. There is quite a lot of steamy content though so if you don't like that then the Throne of Glass series is also very good.

Otherwise what about Robin Hobb? The Farseer books are really beautiful.

Or Game of Thrones if you want a bit more gritty? Much better than the tv series.

Game of Thrones is a challenging read and has some very grim scenes but is engrossing. There are copies available in pretty much every charity shop so maybe give it fifty pages and see how you go.

How about the His Dark Materials trilogy? First one is Northern Lights. I think they're fantastic.

Thanks so much for al of your suggestions, I've had a look and they all look great so now I'll have to pick one to start with! Thank you again :).

Try the Sabriel books by Garth Nix.

young adult, but a fab fantasy world and good story telling.

I've just been rereading Ursula La guin and it's delightful

Mary Stewart's King Arthur books are fantastic.

• The Crystal Cave (1970)
• The Hollow Hills (1973)
• The Last Enchantment (1979)
• The Wicked Day (1983)
• The Prince and the Pilgrim (1995)

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norell is one of the best fantasy books and definitely a challenging read full as it combines fantasy with historical fiction. It was also made into a brilliant BBC series.

Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch (I might have the surname wrong) or Discovery of witches by Deborah Harkness might be worth a try? They are really engaging and fun, good way to get you back in to it!

I loved the Garth Nix books upthread and agree they’d be a great start.

I loved Game of Thrones and am now have way through The Wheel of Time series (after watching season one on Amazon prime)

I was/am a huge Harry Potter fan, and while I can't say these are 'like' Harry Potter, that all have a fantastical feeling.

The Hunger Games - world building isn't quite as intense as HP, but they are really engaging and easy to get into, and as they are YA not too challenging so could be a way to get back into reading.

The Priory of the Orange Tree - brilliant story, very thick, medieval/fantasy world, amazing world building

Song of Achilles - perhaps one of the most beautiful books I have read, the author specialises in Greek mythology retelling, Circe is also great.

The Binding - I found this such a page turner, a really engaging book with a really intriguing concept.

Chriponicle of St Mary’s was my first thought.

Terry Brooks and the Shanarra books - great high fantasy.

Some suggestions to look up:

Women of the Otherworld - Kelly Armstrong (13 books & 2 side series of 3 books per - HIGHLY recommend all)

King Killer Chronicles - Patrick Rothfuss (2 books, 1 in the works but don't hold your breath 😅)

The Inheritance Cycle - Christopher Paolini (4 books)

I wouldn’t start the Patrick rothfuss books he’s got zero interest in finishing the series which is really frustrating. It’s been over 12 years since he released book 2.

I recommend Robin Hobb. The best fantasy writer out there, I think and she’s female so there’s no boobing boobily. Start with the Assassins Apprentice.

other books I love are Circe by Madeline Miller, Just One Damn Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor (time travelling historians), Face Like Glass or really anything by Frances Hardinge, Chrestomanci by Diana Wynn Jones ( young adult but inventive and good). Uprooted by Naomi Novik - she’s done a series about a magical school too but Harry Potter it ain’t.

but you should start with Robin Hobb.

I really enjoyed reading the His Dark Materials trilogy and all the Game of Thrones books.

An old one, but worth a try, is The Princess and the Goblins by George MacDonald.

Terry Pratchett? Tom Holt?

The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. It is an excellent series; but 14 books so quite a big one.

Terry Brooks - The Shannara books
Jodi Taylor - The Chronicles of St `Mary's (or anything by Jodi Taylor really)
Ben Aaranovitch - Rivers of London Series
Trudi Canavan
Robin Hobb
Laini Taylor - Daughter of Smoke and Bones and other series

Robin Hobb is always my first suggestion of threads such as this. I’ve read the whole series twice now and would happily pick it up again. My dd (19) just finished the series and I think she went through a small period of mourning when she got to the end she loved them so much.

I can’t in good faith recommend The Game of Thrones or King Killer Chronicles series anymore because I don’t think either of them will ever be finished. A real shame as they are both great writers and the world that Martin has created rivals anything of Tolkien or Jordan.

I read The Wheel of Time Series by Robert Jordan (finished by Sanderson)!a mixed bag in terms of writing but goodness me the past book was worth it.

*Last book that should say

Hello again everyone! An old thread now but I thought you might be able to help me again. Typically I didn't read for months after posting this as I was pregnant again and it completely wiped me out, so I pretty much slept all of 2023. However I decided to give it a go last month and started with ACOTAR - thank you @massistar you have opened my eyes! I absolutely love them and definitely enjoy the steamier content in them as well as the fantasy element. Anyway I'm coming to the end of the last of the five and I am already sad it's nearly over 😭 does anyone have any similar suggestions for romance fantasy books? Thanks again x

I loved the Sevenwaters series by Juliet Marrillier