I need something to start with

[darkeroz]

Hey there i was hoping someone could gimme a book that can get the interest in reading back again for me ! am 20 years old now and the last time i read a whole book was nearly 5 years ago after Harry potter :S
I tried narnia but got bored after the 3rd book , percy jackson series i read the first one it was ok but couldnt take anymore and read 2 of the series of unfortunate events but it was very simple ....
anyway can you give me a hint to start with a good read ? as i said before the best thing was harry potter for me !
what about ( the eye of the world ) ? I loved the LOTR movies and love the game of thrones show so far .......
thanks in advance

[Overread]

Well Lord of the Rings is pretty much the foundation work for much of the spark of modern fantasy - plus its got a strong basis in Norse folk tales so it ties in well to many living in the Western European nations.

The Hobbit and then followed up by the Lord of the Rings Trilogy would be an ideal place to make your start. The Hobbit is very readable and should be a good easy read; the Lord of the Rings can be a bit more heavy going and starts off somewhat slow - but its certainly a great work to read.

From there the choice really is yours. A Game of Thrones by George RR Martin is a fantastic read and often considered one of the best fantasy tales of modern times; however its currently an unfinished series so you might find yourself left hanging and waiting.

For other options consider:

Dragonflight of Pern by Anne McCaffrey - you might find her language style a little tricky/different at first, but she's written one of the longest series on dragons and her books are a strong fantasy with a blend of sci-fi mixed into the backstory.

Temeraire by Naomi Norvic - a newer series of dragon books focused around a reworking of the Napoleonic era - with dragons.

Assassins Apprentice by Robin Hobb - beginning of her world set here mostly and the first book of the first trilogy. This tale focuses on getting right behind the mind and thoughts of the lead character. You'll see the world through their eyes as they went though it.

Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson - a bit like a Game of Thrones in scale and style, but with a world that is totally different. Here magic, gods, demigods, monsters, undead and many more are all waging war and playing tricks across the world. Rather like Game of Thrones its focused around specific characters, but with an ever growing cast (possibly larger than game of thrones) and, again, is more a tale of the world itself than following a key hero through their adventures. This series is also finished and provides a great long read.




Those should be enough to get you started

[Heather Myst]

If you are enjoying the Game of Thrones shows I would guess that you will love the books. I also would suggest Jennifer Fallon's Second Sons trilogy that begins with The Lion of Senet. Good luck!

[Vertigo]

If you enjoyed the Harry Potter books you might find Philip Pullman's Dark Materials books worth a look. I've only read the first two so far but they are darker and a little more adult (though still probably YA) than the Potter books. My only complaint is they do come across rather strongly on the anti-religious front, in case that might bother you.

[Heather Myst]

I also wanted to mention The Red Wolf Conspiracy by Robert Redick. It is kind of an adult version of the Golden Compass.

[Overread]

Originally Posted by Vertigo

My only complaint is they do come across rather strongly on the anti-religious front, in case that might bother you.

Ahh but they are more anti-organised religion than pure anti-religion It's a subtle difference but a difference.

[nightdreamer]

One that I can read over and over and over is The Riddlemaster Trilogy by Patricia McKillip. Great story, great characterization, and some use of magic that was pretty unique. It has one of those OMG! endings, probably the most spectacular I've read. I never saw it coming. Rather like Joan Vinge's The Snow Queen, but I much more enjoyed getting there.

re: His Dark Materials. I took it as pretty anti-religion, not just anti-organised religion. Pullman is an atheist, which is his business, but he used the trilogy to preach his position, which I think negatively impacted the narrative. The Golden Compass is awesome, The Subtle Knife good enough, and The Amber Spyglass blech. It has what I think is the most anticlimactic, pointless, and disappointing ending I have ever read.

[rand00]

I can only say, Darkover series by Marion Zimmer Bradley.

[Vertigo]

Originally Posted by Overread

Ahh but they are more anti-organised religion than pure anti-religion It's a subtle difference but a difference.

Originally Posted by nightdreamer

re: His Dark Materials. I took it as pretty anti-religion, not just anti-organised religion. Pullman is an atheist, which is his business, but he used the trilogy to preach his position, which I think negatively impacted the narrative. The Golden Compass is awesome, The Subtle Knife good enough, and The Amber Spyglass blech. It has what I think is the most anticlimactic, pointless, and disappointing ending I have ever read.

Either way I felt a warning appropriate as that sort of slant may put some people off. Bit worried about your comments on the third book especially as I would tend to go along with your view that the second was not as good. Never mind I'll probably still read the third book sometime.

[springs]

I don't know if you're into humour, but if so someone like Terry Prachett is excellent, and each book can be read seperately, or in order, or Douglas Adam's Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy is good fun.
I think the Hobbit is a good suggestion, it's a good read and zips along nicely,plus the movies due soon.
Ender's Game by Card is a nice, short book, and again there's a movie coming along, so it's in vogue at the mo.
I'm also wondering, looking at your first post, if standalone's rather than a series might be good? Sometimes it's nice to read something and then put it to the side and move to something else? Taking on something like Game of thrones, WOT, LOTR, they are all big series.

[Coragem]

Keep trying, don't give up!

Finding books to your taste may not be easy, but when you get there you'll be very happy you didn't give up.

I went maybe 10 years mostly watching dvd box sets (24, Supernatural, etc.). Throwing in a dvd is so much easier than getting into a novel … but novels are so much more rewarding!

The book that got me back into reading in a major way was George RR Martin's Fevre Dream. I went straight from that into A Song of Ice and Fire. Read them all!

A lot depends on taste. So, if you like blood, guts, moral shades of grey, and lots of humour, go for Joe Abercrombie. If you like heroism and romance, go for Guy Gavriel Kay. If you like war and heroism without the romance try Paul Kearney or David Gemmell. If you like black and white, good versus evil, try Brandon Sanderson. If you want to try some accessible science-fiction, go for Leviathan Wakes by James S Corey. If you want mainly romance you should try Juliet Merillier.

All the best,

Coragem.

[Mouse]

I second the recommendations for Robin Hobb and Philip Pullman.

As for Philip Pullman and HDM being 'anti-religious'... I guess if you are religious, then you're going to think that anyway. To me, it was fantasy.

[vanye]

David Edding's Belgariad could be a nice place to whet your appetite: relatively short, humorous and an easy read. But also pretty lightweight.

If you're looking for something more elaborate, I'd recommend Katharine Kerr's Deverry cycle. This is one of my all-time favourite series. Started reading it in the early 90's and was a happy camper when the final installment came out not too long ago.

[Grimward]

IMO, Tolkien is always a hard act to follow, but I'll throw a few out there that I've enjoyed.

I second ( third? ) the Hobb recommendation and also agree with McKillip (have read/re-read Riddlemaster several times). Would also suggest:

- Raymond Feist's Riftwar series

- Feist and Janny Wurts' collaboration Empire series ( Wurts also has an awesome epic in her Wars of Light and Shadow series, but if you're going to pursue Martin and/or Erikson you'll have your hands full with epics ;-) )

- Weis and Hickman's Rose of the Prophet series

- Roger Zelazny's Chronicles of Amber

- Tad Williams Memory, Sorrow and Thorn Series

- Stephen Donaldson's Chronicles of Thomas Covenant

- Alan Dean Foster's Spellsinger series.

Oh, and welcome, while I am it.

[Lord Soth]

Meh, personally I dont care very much for Tolkien *gasp* and I know I'm not the only one on these forums. Dont get me wrong, you need to read it, but if you are just getting back into reading I'd personally go for something a little more accessible.

Again, as you are just getting back into it I'd probably go for something like David Eddings Belagriad series, I take it as a step above YA (young adult if you were wondering). Stay away from the Game of Thrones books or Steven Erikson's Malazan series until you are back into the swing of things - there are excellent excellent books but they are a big handful and even seasoned readers.

There are other excellent recommendations above, I would second (or third) David Gemmell's books (heroic fantasy) and Feist /Wurts' collaboration (as per Grimward above) as the other main contenders.

Apologies if I sound a little condescending, its not intended I just don't want to drop you into something you wont enjoy and put you off for another 5 years! Oh, and again welcome to the Chrons!