Fantasy for non-fantasy fans

[innocentize]

As a kid, I really liked Harry Potter, Worst Witch, Magic Faraway Tree etc - all the obvious ones. I really want to find that enjoyment of fantasy as an adult.

I know there’s a lot of adult fantasy but it often seems to be quite romance/historical based, lots of complex worlds and systems. Is there anything which is more like ‘normal person sudd let immersed in fantasy world’ in the same way Harry Potter or magic faraway tree are, but for adults?

Have you read the His Dark Materials trilogy?

Your tastes sound quite similar to mine. I enjoyed Bookshops and Bonedust by Travis Baldree (and the other books in the series) and The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune.

It may not be quite what you're after, but although I don't read fantasy on the whole I absolutely loved the Discworld books by Terry Pratchett. Very funny, very human, not much romance.

The Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch? Have seen it described as Harry Potter meets the Met.

YES YES YES

ALL THE YES

It's a world but the people in it are normal, if that makes sense.

And it's just bloody brilliant.

Don't start at the beginning though. I'd start with Guards Guards! or Mort.

Pratchett books, especially the ones where he takes a real life story or stereotype and reinterprets in the Discworld. Wyrd Sisters is a good one to start with.

Anne Mcaffrey’s books and short stories. Ones with ‘Pern’ or ‘Dragon’ in the title all belong to one series. It doesn’t strictly have to be read in order, but some of the books work better if you do (eg the Dragonsinger pair, because the whole narrative is from main character’s perspective). A good one to start with is Dragonflight.

Raymond Feist’s Riftwar books. Start with Magician. If it draws you in, there are four or five more.

Stephen Donaldson’s Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. Start with Lord Foul’s Bane. Again, if it draws you in, there are lots more.

There is some really good Harry Potter fan-fic around. But I cannot remember the website.

I think I have just given you a list of my favourite swords-and-sorcery books! Like you, I like the immersion in a believable magic world, not adult themes. Which is one reason that Thomas Covenant is third. The other is that the language is thesaurus-swallowingly pretentious.

a lot are romance-based, as you said, but are fun stories too!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19090384-clean-sweep

these are pretty great easy, cosy fantasy, some romance but builds up super slow and a proper plot line too. It helps she writes with her husband so the men are more realistic vs cardboard teenage romantic ideals.

she has another cosy fantasy too which is basically purely focused on the woman, not a lot happens but it’s a fun read. And if you’re open to more romance her other series are fantastic too.

www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/240034127-the-inheritance

Maybe try Fourth Wing? It's not a normal person thrown into a fantasy world but it's very accessible adult fantasy, I used to read loads as a kid and rarely do as an adult but that book had me gripped after years of not being able to get through anything!

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, litfic, hint of romance, not overdone very like an adult Faraway Tree

Fourth Wing has the boarding school element and the writing is very accessible. To be honest I found the style a bit cringey but I still read the whole thing! It's definitely got romance if you are trying to avoid that.

Throne of Glass is also accessible and not too high fantasy.

How about David Mitchell? Im currently rereading Ghostwritten and it kind of goes between fantasy and non fantasy in an interesting way!

I also loved the worst witch series as a kid. I tend to prefer more "magical realism" instead of outright fantasy as an adult. I've enjoyed:
The Familiars by Stacy Halls
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton
The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean
The Mermaid of Black Conch by Monique Roffey

I'm just coming to the end of reading The Life Impossible by Matt Haig, which in my opinion is outstanding.

Matt Haig - this Life Impossible or How to stop Time are stories about strange events happening to ordinary people.

Or the Twilight saga - vampires and romance but features an ordinary person getting involved with that world. Also an easy read aimed at teens.

Oh yes, I meant the midnight library, not How to stop Time!!

The dark tower series by Stephen king....the drawing of the three is my all time favourite book ❤️

A G / Angela Slatter. Strong female characters in her Sourdough world books.
Leigh Bardugo’s Ninth House series.

The Unlikely Ones by Mary Brown
the Dark is Rising series, can't think of the author at the moment.

I second the Ilona Andrews suggestion. Either the Innkeeper series, which I love.

Or one of either of their 2 newest books. The Inheritance or This Kingdom shall not kill me. Both very different, both very enjoyable.

I do also highly rate the Rivers of London books.

The Dark is Rising is Susan Cooper.

War of the flowers by Tad Williams. It’s a standalone book and he is a fantastic fantasy author

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=tad+williams+the+war+of+the+flowers&adgrpid=1146792352202105&hvadid=71674677367417&hvbmt=be&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=41318&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvtargid=kwd-71675218863264%3Aloc-188&hydadcr=13660_2241665&mcid=ac15c0a04af63e2b99bf272cbd397f6a&tag=hydrukspm-21&ref=pd_sl_2611jmdxmk_e

+1 for Pratchett - if you want to give him a go don’t start with his earliest books, they’re not his best. Maybe Guards! Guards!

Of my favourite fantasy books, only one starts with ‘normal person sucked into crazy world’ trope, and that’s City of Brass. But it’s the first of a trilogy and quite a complex plot - great though!

There’s a fuzzy line between children / YP and adult fantasy. I like rereading the first three books of Susan Cooper’s The Dark Is Rising series for example. Frances Hardinge is an amazing author who crosses that line. Try Cuckoo Song. Also Garth Nix’s Old Kingdom trilogy, starting with Sabriel.

Another author who’s very easy to read and has written in very different ‘worlds’ is Naomi Novik. Maybe my favourite are her fairytale books - Uprooted and Spinning Silver, but I also really like Temeraire and the Scholomance books.

Oh I forgot two other books which are very easy reading, both by Margaret Rogerson - Vespertine and Sorcery of Thorns.

Pirnesi

Loved this book! Has a magical quality to it

No romance

Guy Gavriel Kay’s Fionavar trilogy.

China Mieville - try UnLunDun ( which is theoretically a children’s book) or Kraken. Some of the others are excellent too but those most fit your request.

Or for something quite mad try Jasper Fforde’s Thursday Next series (start with the Eyre Affair).

A scifi series that really focusses on relationships, species and society is the Wayfarers series by Becky Chambers. Not quite what you asked for, but an entertaining and uplifting read.

A lot of people have shared books I would have recommended. What you're looking for is urban fantasy (set in realistic setting with elements of magic) or portal fantasy (normal person transported to another world). Hopefully this helps you find other books you might like.