I read books to escape reality. And recently I am only able to enjoy fantasy books. I’ve lost the ability to enjoy any sort of contemporary books that even remotely resemble real life. I can only have an immersive experience with book that have realities that are just not possible in our world like the ones with wise dragons, evil mages, alchemy, demons and all that. Corrupt politicians, war, sad tragic stories are not for me.
Here’s five of my top fantasy recommendations that I managed to finish without any breaks. Instead of only giving the title of the book and the name of the author or even the book blurb, I’ve shared the opening paragraph of each book that captured my attention from the get go. These amazing authors have such wonderful and unique prose and I have loved living in the worlds they built and walking alongside the characters they created.
The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth comes again. In one Age, called the Third Age by some, an Age yet to come, an Age long past, a wind rose in the Mountains of Mist. The wind was not the beginning. There are neither beginnings nor endings to the turning of the Wheel of Time. But it was a beginning.
The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan
When you read this first book of the series, you meet multiple protagonists but you don’t know who is the main fated character who will change the world. They all save the world in their own ways, every character is so compelling you’ll fall in love with all of them.
THE WALLS OF THE estate emerged from the morning fog before me, long and dark and rounded like the skin of some beached sea creature. I walked along them, trying to ignore the flutter of my heart and the trickle of sweat down my neck. A faint blue light glimmered in the mist ahead. With each step it calcified into a mai-lantern hanging above the estate’s servants’ gate; and there, leaning against the walls beside the gate, was the figure of a uniformed man in a shining steel cap waiting for me.
The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
This one was thrilling because it is basically a whodunnit set in a mystery fantasy setting with a really quirky investigator and a very loveable protagonist. The world building and setting is so unique and satisfying. I would recommend you give all the books of this author a try.
On the island kingdom of Melniboné all the old rituals are still observed, though the nation’s power has waned for five hundred years, and now her way of life is maintained only by her trade with the Young Kingdoms and the fact that the city of Imrryr has become the meeting place of merchants. Are those rituals no longer useful; can the rituals be denied and doom avoided? One who would rule in Emperor Elric’s stead prefers to think not. He says that Elric will bring destruction to Melniboné by his refusal to honour all the rituals (Elric honours many). And now opens the tragedy which will close many years from now and precipitate the destruction of this world.
Elric of Melnibone by Michael Moorcock
This book was such a fascinating experience for me because it is not your typical fantasy story with a good hero. The main character doesn’t want to be one but goes ahead with his adventure anyway. An absolute ton of fun to read.
I was about to die. Worse, I was about to die with bastards. Not that I was afraid to die, but maybe who you die with is important. It’s important who’s with you when you’re born, after all. If everybody’s wearing clean linen and silk and looking down at you squirming in your bassinet, you’ll have a very different life than if the first thing you see when you open your eyes is a billy goat. I looked over at Pagran and decided he looked uncomfortably like a billy goat, what with his long head, long beard, and unlovely habit of chewing even when he had no food. Pagran used to be a farmer. Frella, just next to him in rusty ring mail, used to be his wife.
Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman
The writing style of this one is something I came across for the first time and the main character is truly hilarious. I loved living in his brain and sharing his thoughts and experiencing the world through him.
And of the first real King, little more than his name and some extravagant legends remain. Taker his name was, quite simply, and perhaps with that naming began the tradition that daughters and sons of his lineage would be given names that would shape their lives and beings. Folk beliefs claim that such names were sealed to the newborn babes by magic, and that these royal offspring were incapable of betraying the virtues whose names they bore. Passed through fire and plunged through salt water and offered to the winds of the air; thus were names sealed to these chosen children. So we are told.
Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb
This is a famous series and a lot of book lovers highly recommend this one including me. It is a character driven story but the first book in the series reads quite well. It feels like a classic underdog story facing many injustices but also has some memorable moments and not every situation has a happy ending here. A must read for fantasy lovers.
While the books in this list are all over the place, I’ll try make my next list theme oriented like say dragons or magic or something similar.
What book would you recommend to someone like me who has enjoyed these five?
