Can anyone recommend a fantasy book?

[Splodgerbodgerbadger]

I’ve not read many fantasy books and really don’t know where to start. I have read The Rivers of London but couldn’t really follow it. Also recently read Ordinary Monsters by J Miro, and am currently reading Bookshops and Bonedust and I enjoyed both of these.

Please can anyone recommend any others.

Spare

Robin Hobb - start with Assasins Apprentice and work your way through if you enjoy her writing.

For contemporary fantasy, Ilona Andrews books are really good. The Magic Bites series I find the best. And the Innkeeper books too. The ones labelled after precious stones are a bit mills-and-boon like.

Ann McCaffrey- several series but imo the best are the ‘Pern’ series, start with Dragonsdawn, then follow as recommended in the books list. Another of hers are the ‘Hive’ series, start with Damia.
Mercedes Lackey’s Valdemar books are good, though become a tad formulaic after you read the first dozen 😂. She also has an extensive and varied output of other fantasy books.
i would also second the Robin Hobb books.

Also here to suggest Robin Hobb books.

The Unlikely Ones by Mary Brown. Great tale set in a sort of medieval Britain, witchy, a knight, curses, animals, love, sadness humour, a lovely book.

Terry Goodkind - the wizard's first rule

Then go from there. Absolutely phenomenal series of books. Intelligent writing and full of adventure and heroism! My wedding dress was based on Kahlan's Confessor dress.

Forgotten realms series books, based on 2nd edition dungeons and dragons. I've loved then since age 17.

Go for the starlight and shadows trilogy by Elaine Cunningham.
I named my daughter after the main character.

Also R.A Salvatore the underdark trilogy and go from there.

Terry Pratchett but start with Equal Rites and then Wyrd Sisters. Granny Weatherwax is my hero!

Enjoy!

Thank you for all the suggestions I will get some ordered from the library.

Robin Hobb is amazing, start with the Farseer trilogy. I absolutely devoured Sarah J Maas, both the Court of Thorns and Roses and Throne of Glass series.

Hi OP. I’m not a big fantasy lover so I’ve only dipped my toe in… I enjoyed a couple of Neil Gaiman because they merged real life with fantasy. The first was American Gods which was a big chunky thing and the second one was The Ocean at the end of the lane which was a quick read. Probably people would argue they’re not proper fantasy but I enjoyed them both.

Guy Gavriel Kay is brilliant. I love all his books but read The Fionavar Trilogy first.
Other great ones are;
Lions of Alrassan
A song for Arbonne
Tigana

I read the Earthsea books, the first is The Wizard of Earthsea, as a teenager and they stay with you for a long time. They’re easy to read but with deeper meaning.

I liked the Naomi Novik books ‘Spinning Silver’ and ‘Uprooted’ - sort of a fantasy take on a fairy tale.

Also Neil Gaiman - my favourites are Neverwhere and Stardust, they aren’t too long.

Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden - historical fantasy fiction.

Liking all the ideas on here, will try some of these! I need a bit of escapism at the moment!

Also Piranesi by Susanna Clarke was good.

Katherine Addison - The Goblin Emperor
The Alex Verus books starting with Fated by Benedict Jacka
The Thief series by Negan Whalen Turner
Anything by Martha Wells, Patricia McKillip, or Robin McKinley

The Invisible Library books by Genevieve Cogman is good.

Came on here to say Stardust by Neil Gaiman. There's a good film of it too.

Came on to say Robin Hobb (starting with Farseer trilogy) but she has been mentioned three times already.

Stardust was great too.