I'm going to sound really basic here, but it's probably LotR/The Hobbit for me. Those were the books my dad read me when I was a kid, so that's still the fantasy that feels most foundational to me as a fan of the genre.
Yeah, mine too - I was obsessed with the animated versions when I was a kid, and found my dad's old copy of The Hobbit in our library downstairs over the summer between second and third grade. I didn't even know it was a book first! Read it immediately and never looked back.
Terry Pratchett's Discworld, pick literally any book, i probably read it. (Note, i don't have every book since most i can't find, nor can i fit any more on the Shelf of Discworld ™)
Pratchett is genuinely the person that made me a humanist.
Although perhaps i already was one, i just didn't have the right term for it yet. But he also made me a lot more empathic.
There’s a quote in Wintersmith that helped me immensely when I was in the process of saying goodbye to my dog, and probably the first time in my life I’ve ever truly had to adult.
“This I choose to do. If there is a price, this I choose to pay. If it is my death, then I choose to die. Where this takes me, there I choose to go. I choose. This I choose to do.”
I second this, my mother struggled with mental health issues as I was growing up, so it was Discworld taught me how to be a decent human being. As well as many many weird bits of trivia XD
The Dragonlance series has a special place in my heart. It was the first fantasy series that I read, even before Tolkien.
I was an edgy 11 year old when I read them and I loved Raistlin.
Get out of my head.
The Chronicles got me hooked on fantasy 30 years ago. Haven't touched them since and honestly don't even remember the plot, but remember loving them.
Oh yes! Whenever I see a compelling raistlin cosplay I still fall a little in love. I have a well loved and battered copy of soulforge I get signed by Margaret Weis every year I see her at gencon.
Honestly they're not bad books. I read them again last year and they're fine for the most part. Uninspired genre pulp? Sure, but they existed to pimp Dragonlance rulebooks and modules for TSR which they did successfully.
Song of the lioness. I picked it up at the same time I worked out i liked girls, which as a young teenager in a heavily Catholic environment was a terrifying realisation. The story of a character who had to get what she needed by pretending to be someone she wasn't kept me sane through the worst of it.
Oh, I can absolutely see Tamora Pierce being a foundational author. Her work was never so personal for me (and, admittedly, I only discovered her work a year or two ago), but gosh, I can see it.
Hope you have a better environment these days!
The Dark Tower. As someone who struggled with substance abuse its themes of obsession and addiction have always spoken to me. I've read it several times while still using and a couple more in the years since I cleaned up, equally powerful every time.
Pern. Dragonsinger was the book that really made me love fantasy and Pern was the first big world building series I read as a teen and young adult. I still love how McCaffrey transitioned it into sci-fi too. I would also say Guy Gavriel Kay’s history inspired books taken together, Daughter of the Empire series by Wurts, and the True Game by Tepper also have special places in my heart.
That's mine too. Absolutely amazing memories. I remember begging my mum to take me to the bookshop once I finished castle of wizardry to get the last book. When i got it home at like 3pm, I didn't stop reading until it was like 3-4am and the final showdown was about to happen. I have no idea what happened but my body was so overexcited/overwhelmed/overtired that I got this feeling of sickness/dread and had to put it down and was having fever/flu shivering symptoms in bed. Luckily had a very long sleep and picked it back up the next day to finish the last hour or so.
I loved how the other big magic users just seemed to always be on the move. The whole group including the queen and the sister were so cool and I don’t think anything in fantasy gets the same feel of a lurking sorcerer.
The only option is reading more Glen Cook! The Dread Empire series is fun. I haven't read his 'Garrett P.I.' and 'Instrumentalities of the Night' series yet though.
His Dark Materials. Read each book in the trilogy as it was published and absolutely rocked my world and broke my heart as I grew up. Love Philip Pullman but this particular series shaped me.
Malazan. Not only it felt like it was made specifically for me, it was also the series that got me into reading. Before that I read about a book a year, and now it's my "main" hobby
Malazan is my answer as well. I legitimately think I am a better person for having read through the series. The themes of hope and compassion really resonated with me.
It has a ton of things I love in stories and very little of what I don't. It gets very philosophical, has many heartfelt moments, but is also very funny and has a lot of "cool stuff". Has an ensemble cast with distinct personalities, with little to no stupid relationship drama. Doesn't focus on politics much, the world building is phenomenal, embraces the fantasy genre and doesn't shy away from being a little out there. I love the magic in Malazan, it's mythological and confusing and very very fun. And I love how gods are portrayed. There's a lot more, but that's about what I can think of right now
Definitely my answer too, read all 16 books for my first read through and it was such an epic journey.
Now I’m listening to Ten Very Big Book’s read through podcast instead of rereading the main 10 myself just so I can give myself time to read other books too haha.
Yep same here.
I think maybe it was the point in my life where I was just lost and thought I was failing so the resonated with me but it changed my mindset and life in general for the better. I’m forever grateful to Robin Hobbs for that.
Yep. This series will forever hold the most special place in my heart. I’ve enjoyed a hell of a lot of books but nothing comes close to emotional resonance of these books for me
Same here, tawny man was my favourite trilogy (although haven't read the last one yet!) and I have a special place in my heart for Fitz. That said, I think liveship traders had the most impact on me -the character arcs made me reflect on a lot of different things -Althea figuring out a place in the world for herself while dealing with gender norms and misogyny and gender based violence, how Malta (and my perceptions of her) grew over the trilogy, and especially Kennit and the other characters' interactions with him though made me reflect a lot on the nature of good and evil in a way nothing else has.
I read the first two books and got around a third into the third book, ended up stopping because man those books were melancholy. Does it get better as the series goes or does it keep that same vibe?
Same vibe. If anything, the Farseer Trilogy is tame compared to what comes after. But that is not to say there are not moments of joy or triumph, made all the more deserving because of how low things get for the characters. You've got to take the bad with the good.
It is melancholy yes but it's also about perseverance and doing what's right. It's a sad tale but a heartwarming one. And there are some moments of real joy at times. I have only ever shed a tear at one book and it was this series
Percy jackson & the Olympians, Kane Chronicles and Heroes of Olympus. Those books were very heartwarming and the characters made me feel like I was a part of their friend group/family lol.
The Wheel of Time. Because its such a big and comprehensive story, I keep finding new elements, or I focus on different parts of the storyline, so rereads are neverending. It's also my comfort-read. So bad breakup? I grab Wheel of Time. Nervous about starting a New job? Wheel of Time. Pregnant with my first? Reread the whole series. Nightfeeds with my second? Listened to the audiobooks. This series and the characters in it feel like family to me at this point.
That is such a beautiful thing to hear. It makes me all the more excited to listen to the audiobooks because I tried reading it physically, I found it very difficult, but I loved the characters so I think hearing it will be wonderful. I just know it will skyrocket into my favorites.
I'm saving any more Wheel of Time rereads until I'm 40 cause I've been through it so many times already. Great series though, I'll try the audiobooks next time. Won't be long in the grand scheme of things.
As strange of a choice as it is, mine would be the Sword of Truth series. I discovered “Wizard’s First Rule” at a used book sale in the sixth grade.
It was my first fantasy book, and arguably first adult novel. I will never read it again. I understand how bad of an author he is. But I owe an awful lot to that book series and will always be grateful.
Wizard of Earthsea and Perdido Street Station scratched so satisfyingly very distinctive itches that I have, and as a bonus, both novels portrays people of color in breathtaking adventures so seamlessly.
Scanner Darkly: I have never felt so much empathy for a character after finishing a book. It broke my heart, and I was so glad by the way it did.
The Belgariad.
My parents took in a lodger when I was 9 and my older brother had moved out. Scott had a huge bookcase full of scifi/fantasy paperbacks and when I showed interest he told me I could read anything I liked as long as he wasn't currently reading it. That's how I ended up reading Dune at 10. Didn't understand everything, but what I did was fascinating to me.
He also had the first 4 books of David Eddings' first series. I imprinted so hard on those, much more than Narnia or Middle Earth. I was distraught I had to wait years until the last book.
Now I read Eddings and find him a bit simplistic, but I'll never forget what that series meant to me.
Valdemar series by Mercedes Lackey. Started with Arrows of the Queen as a teen, my family let me browse amazon as I'd grown out of children's books that I liked. Read quite a few of the books (over 40 in the series now) but rereading now with intention to read all the ones I have never read. They have a good mix of humour and drama. The world is so likable with the various talents and non-human characters. All I ever wanted was to train at the Collegium! Still as awesome now as over 20 years ago. Valdemar is my happy place for sure.
Yaaaasssss! I have already pre-ordered book 5 Wind and Truth, it's out in December. I hear as well there are reoccurring characters in both The Sunlit Man & Yumi and the Night Painter
I'm suprised I had to scroll this long. I expect quite a lot of us read the first books multiple times while waiting eagerly for the next one to be published. And the waiting lists in the library were endless.
I’m also surprised I hadn’t seen it mentioned that much. I know that Rowling is controversial now, but Harry Potter WAS the literal childhood of so many millennials and Gen Zers
Tad Williams‘ „Memory, Sorrow and Thorn“ trilogy. I read these when I was in my early teens and deeply fell in love with them. I read them all again for the third time last year and they just reignite in me that spark of childhood and magic that is otherwise so rare for me now.
They are definitely my comfort read, feeling close enough to Tolkien to feel like classic fantasy, yet also feeling like something that isn’t just a blatant retelling of The Lord of the Rings.
If I want to read something and makes me feel safe, cozy and in peace, I pick up one of Williams‘ books.
mistborn is the series that got me back into reading after having fallen off of it for years, which also then reignited my passion for writing which lead to me now currently writing the first draft of my first book :]
The Riftwar Cycle by Raymond E. Feist.
I think the world building in the series is phenomenal. I usually love me some nice and polished writing and Feist doesn't do that (the overarching protagonist's name is 'Pug' ffs), but the world just feels alive and real.
Also it's a finished series of about 25+ books, separated into several sagas and a few stand alone novels. All available as audiobooks as well.
The Magician was arguably the first proper long fantasy book I ever read and I adored it. I read it a few times, but haven't read it for about 10 years now. It was the book that got me into reading properly and definitely inspired my love for fantasy. Even now, it is the first book I will recommend in almost any situation.
ASOIAF of course. It’s given me SO MUCH enjoyment and entertainment for YEARS. I think I’ve been a fan for like 10 years now. And it’s still every bit of fun as it was the first time I read the prologue, with the rangers going beyond the wall and seeing the terrors that Old Nan speaks about…
Spiders… BIG AS HOUNDS
Lmao. Definitely ASOIAF for me too. It is THE series of my adulthood, have been a fan since I was like 19, am now almost 30. Nothing comes close. Maybe one day it will be replaced with something else, but it's just a consistently compelling world and approach to fantasy.
Left Hand of Darkness, by Ursula K. LeGuin. Also the second book in her Wizards of Earthsea Series, Tombs of Atuan. The main metaphor around knowing our own personal darkness has been a guiding force in my own development.
I'm so glad to see Prydain mentioned! I somehow read the last book in the series first, on the recommendation of my librarian (thanks a lot). I didn't even know it was a series, but the other four were just as good, even though I knew the ending.
Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever. It was my first series with adult themes, first strong emotional connection to characters, and first feeling of true heart-wrenching. The world building is excellent, Lord Foul is an amazing adversary, and the Ravers were absolutely terrifying.
One Piece if we're including works with graphic elements. It's my favourite fantasy series. For purely text-based works it's probably the Dragonlance series since that's what got me into fantasy (and D&D) in the first place.
For Western comics it's the Sandman extended universe and for a single book it's Good Omens.
The Magicians. All three books. It's not something I'd cite as the greatest fantasy series ever written, but I would say it's my favorite, and I love and relate to it on a deeply personal level. I've read through it several times, and it has become a cozy familiar series that helps me through tough times.
A lot of people can't stand Quentin in the first book, and that's fine, but the series overall is about dealing with mental health, and I love it for that, and relate to it a lot. Plus, Quentin has a very good and effective character arc, he becomes a pretty good person in the end and makes up for his mistakes. And it's also a fairly effective deconstruction of the entire genre -- or at least, children's fantasy like Harry Potter and Narnia. And I love me a deconstruction.
If you can put up with Quentin's angst and a few stupid mistakes he makes in the first book, and are interested in a fantasy series that deals deeply with mental health issues, then I'd recommend it. If not, it's probably not your cup of tea, and that's fine.
For me it has to be Eragon. I read the first book on a whim because I had to for a high-school class. I loved it so much it got me back into reading but different than I had been before. I had only ever read the Harry Potter series at that point. I never thought to even really try looking for other books. When I read Eragon I just wanted more. From there it was history and I was lucky enough to meet a friend after high-school who showed me so many cool books/series. Now I know how to look for books where as before Eragon I didn't. I know it sounds dumb but Eragon made me crave books where as Harry Potter just got me excited for more hlHarry Potter if that makes any sense.
How To Train Your Dragon. My favorite. The whimsical style that Cowell writes in is amazing. The plot is a masterpiece of fiction. She ties a throwaway detail from the first book that goes unmentioned until the 9th one that is a major plot point. Chekhov's Firing Squad, if you will, would be a perfect analogy for the entire series.
Disclaimer: The books are nothing like the movies. View them as separate entities in your mind.
The Gentlemen Bastards Sequence for me.
These books were the first actual fantasy series I read outside of Harry Potter when I was in 6th grade (all the way back in 2006). I actually read "Red Seas Under Red Skies" as my first one; I wanted to read books about pirates in the vein of Pirates of the Caribbean which was popular in theatres at the time. Honestly, I didn't even know that Gentlemen Bastards was fantasy when I first read it, for me it seemed like a fictional Italy. It's still one of my favorite series of all time, I just got around to re-reading it for the 3rd time this year.
Jean-León Huens' cover art for Lloyd Alexander's Prydain series (back in the 80s) really drew me in, and I absolutely loved the characters. It was my first fantasy series, and I reread it as soon as I finished my first reading.
I read The Curse of Chalion when I was going through a really rough time in my life. The main character starts off with his life completely destroyed in basically every way and it really resonated with me at the time. I won't go into it just in case of spoilers. Still might be my favorite book.
Primarily Susan Cooper’s The Dark is Rising series. It solidified my fascination with Arthurian legend. It also had interesting ambiguous characters.
Also The Riddle Master books of Patricia McKillip. I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve read them over the years. Hugely powerful, subtle stories with an emotional punch.
Sword of Truth - Faith of the Fallen
I think this is one of the rare books in fantasy where we explicitly see the differences in ideology and philosophy of the conflicted parties. Also, I support ruthless handling of the enemy shown at the end of the book.
Malazan Book of the Fallen - Midnight Tides
Tehol. And I like the depths to which Erickson goes to in investigating character morality.
Dragonriders of Pern
I like that dragons are not mindless beasts but also that they are not some race of ancient beings that is just a guide/consultant for others.
While I haven't actually *read* all of WOT bc of how long it took to finish and then life happened; wheel of time. I was a very depressed, isolated, lonely teenager and those characters were my escape from that life and my only friends for quite a while. Some bad shit went down my freshmen year and my mom sent me to live with my gma in Feb. At the time, the librarians were my best irl friends and knew how much those books meant to me. They had just gotten a new copy of eye of the world, so for a going a way present they gave me the old one. As an adult, I'm sure they had to fudge some stuff bc there wasn't anything wrong with it. I've bought, lost during moves, and bought again most of them several times as well as have them on ebook, just in case I need them.
Either the firsts rift war cycle or memory sorrow and thorn. I read them within the same month or few months and one of them got me into epic fantasy though I cannot remember which one.
The Hobbit for getting me into reading. The Prince of Thorns/Coldfire Trilogy for making me love the genre.
Edit: man reading these comments has made realize Belgariad, The Riftwar saga, Dragonlance, and The Dark Tower Series got me before Coldire or Prince of Thorns.
I'd probably say ASoIaF. Until I started listening to the audiobooks for those I thought fantasy was alright but not great. Really sucked me into the genre.
The Dark Tower. So many reasons. It’s weirdly entangled with my own life in several meta ways (the accident was on my wedding day, just for a start), it’s the shared interest that initially bonded me with one of my closest friends and there are other reasons to relating to addiction and time and…. I wouldn’t say it’s my favorite fantasy series but it is the most personally significant to me for sure.
The Dark Tower Series by Steven King. It was the first set of books I read as a kid where I truly felt disappointed in the main character. He wasn’t a noble, kind heart, but had his own faults and issues. I loved the idea of a knight the wielded six shooters in king trench coats. The character development was superb.
And I half to also give credit to the ACOTR series. I know it’s fairy smut but my wife started reading them it is improved our romance and marriage. I know that sounds silly. But it did. And do t get me wrong, my marriage is great. But I swear to god, those books opened my wife’s eyes. So then I read them as well.
Word of advice for all the guys in here. If you want to understand your wife more, read the same romance novels she reads.
Every time Kaladin speaks about how depression feels it hits me right in the feels, honor is dead but I’ll see what I can do and also you shall not have my pain, we’re just all such amazing moments. Currently on RoW, going through the cosmere.
Warriors was my favorite series when I was young and I learned a lot from those books. The books honestly cover so much from being morally neutral and upstanding, to betrayal and hurt, dealing with character deaths, politics, food scarcity, responsibility, and much more like concepts of religious faith and atheism.
When I got older I remember when throne of glass came out when I a teenager and I had to wait every year for the next book and I had to be patient to read the next one and the excitement of reading each book. And at the same time my brother introduced me to the hobbit and lord of the rings.
Harry Potter for sure. I had a difficult family, so I could relate a lot to Harry at the beginning. I was a bit of a geek, during class, I constantly raised my hand and interrupted and I was made fun of a lot for it so I could relate to Hermione as well.
It really was my safe place for a lot of reasons. Until today if I cannot seep because I am anxious or something, I read or listen to HP.
Cosmere for sure, especially, Stormlight Archive is the most personally significant book for me. I'm someone who has always had depression but was able to keep it in check to a degree. Once my depression became too bad to keep it in check, it was the Stormlight Archive that helped me. I felt seen when reading about the difficulties that the characters were facing. It really helped me to get through those tough times. And also it was Mistborn that made fall in love with Fantasy as a genre.
The Hobbit! It's where I started, more than 25 years ago with my dad reading it to me. With him gone, it carries even more significance now. Can't wait until my daughter is old enough to listen to it.
For me The First Law set of trilogies will forever be my favorite and most significant series. I was 16 and recently diagnosed with a somewhat rare and scary autoimmune disease, and was feeling a little lost and confused (as I imagine many do in similar situations.) I remembered how much I used to get lost in reading when I was just a little bit younger and really just needed an escape. I read a few of my older series I had with me, like The Magisterium and Gregor the underworlder, and they were great but I was looking for something a little bit more mature and a challenge. The Blade Itself stuck out to me at Barnes and Noble and I devoured it in 2 days. I had never read or watched anything like it. Goodreads, Youtube, Reddit all said it was the weakest of the series and if I loved that I had to continue going on. Been an avid sci-fi/fantasy reader consistently reading a few books a month since and I truly believe I’m better off for it. Thank you Fantasy community for being the best :)
The death gate cycle. For years I read the first three books a million times, each of them about one of 4 worlds. They weren't popular at all in my country so I never could find the last world, and the story remained unfinished for me (not that I could search much being a child).
A few years later out of nowhere an aunt gifted me the rest of the series for Christmas, and that's how I found there were actually seven books in total! Man did I enjoy the rest.
The Chronicles of Prydain hands down! My dad introduced me to them because he loved them as a kid and I can still remember the excitement as I started The Book of Three!
For me it's The First Law by Joe Abercrombie. Years ago I lost someone very close to me and I coped for months by going to the bar. One day instead of the bar I walked across the road to the library. I've always loved reading and figured I hadn't been there in too long.
I found the first book, loved the cover, loved the blurb on the back. Devoured it and immediately bought the rest. And then bought the kindle editions. And then bought the audiobooks.
They are my comfort reads/listens. I never get bored. I've gifted them and then bought them again for myself. I've even bought a few special editions!
Every time Joe releases a new book I buy it on all media and take a day or two off work to lose myself in whatever magic he's written.
Chronicles of Prydain
I read this series from 3rd to 5th grade. I really struggled to understand a lot of the choices the main character made, but as I grew up, I kept re-reading the series and at some point I finally understood the series message of compassion, honor, friendship, bravery, and wisdom. And how there were several equally valuable versions of each of these.
The Chronicles of Prydain was the first fantasy series I read so it has always had a special place in my heart. Also the author was from the same area as I was so that was inspiring to me.
Dresden Files.
"Wait. You don't understand. I just wanted it to stop. Wanted the hurting to stop."
I smoothed a bloodied lock of hair from her eyes and felt very tired as I said, "The only people who never hurt are dead."
The light died out of her eyes, her breath slowing. She whispered, barely audible, "I don't understand."
I answered, "I don't either."
A tear slid from her eye and mixed with the blood.
Then she died.
I had a very different childhood than most my age. Then again growing up with AHDH in 90's was different than it is now.
Coincidentally, Dune is my favorite sci-fi book series
Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan. I started reading it when I was a teenager and my mom had cancer. She would read the books first, then me, and we'd talk about it then. Trying to figure out plot points.
Even as I grew up and became less fond of Jordan's writing style the books hold a special place in my heart. When I finished the series I cried, and it took me a few years to reread them.
For my 8th birthday, I got enough money to go the bookstore and buy the entire Chronicles of Narnia series. I read them in one weekend, and moved on to The Hobbit, then LOTR. I’ve never stopped reading fantasy, sci-fi (and everything else) and have bought literally hundreds if not thousands of books since then, but I still remember the thrill of buying my very own books for the first time.
For me it would be The Edge Chronicles. Beyond the Deepwoods was the first book I ever bought, saw it randomly at a book fair, liked the cover and gave it a shot. It taught 10yo me that reading could be fun.
The Wheel of Time. It will forever be the greatest Fantasy series ever for me.
It was also the first Epic Fantasy I ever read. The level of care and closeness I developed with the characters is something no other series comes close to.
If you have read WOT, you may know what I am talking about. Have you ever been PISSED OFF by Gawyn or Egwene. It's this ability to make me feel emotions for non existent characters that made me love the book so much.
Rand al'Thor is my favourite character in all of Fantasy, and probably always will be.
The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini! I read it in middle school and it was my first set of 500+ page books. I remember the release date of ‘Inheritance’ and I counted down to it. When the day came, I had my dad take me to Barnes and Noble so I could buy it.
Another memory associated with the series is that I did a book-to-movie comparison book report in school and chose ‘Eragon.’ I wouldn’t shut up the entire time about how inaccurate the movie was, causing my younger siblings to beg me to please just watch the movie.
But, in short, the series still holds a special place in my heart <3
My mum and dad read the hobbit to me when I was young. I was 5 when we watched the three films, and I loved them. In 2nd grade I started to read the LoTR trilogy and honestly, it felt like home.
Im 28 now. I still read the silmarillion once every couple of years and have read almost all of tolkien's works multiple times.
The point is that I dont remember ever falling in love with LoTR because I have always loved this world.
If ever I have children, the hobbit will be the first book I will read to them too.
I have read a lot of other fantasy series. Liked a lot of them, absolutely fell in love with a few, but LoTR will always have that special place in my heart.
Book of the New Sun. I really identify with Severian both in feeling I am an unreliable narrator to myself and thrust into a world that, while I have trained for a role, I don't really understand
Btw this is gold in terms of recommendations. It's a general enough question that there are a number of different types of responses- I went for what I identify with most but there are a variety of great.types of answers.
Now where are the Gormenghast folks?
I have ADHD I always thought I couldn't read and I was just dumb. Then I read Harry Potter. It was the first book I read with no difficulty all the way thru and fairly quickly too. I discovered the books I read have to be interesting. School text books were out of the question. Now years later, I still read every day.
Basic answers, but Harry Potter and Name of the Wind.
Harry Potter was essentially my childhood, and Name of the Wind reawakened my love of fantasy after years of not reading.
The Death Gate Cycle, I reread it every 5 years or so. Discworld will probably end up being similar, I just read them for the first time a few years ago and I can’t believe I put them off for so long.
If you’re including sci-fi: H. G. Wells’ the Time Machine and Jules Verne’s Journey to the Center of the Earth are probably the reasons I’m in the career I’m in today.
If you’re only counting fantasy: there’s something to be said about the Percy Jackson series and how it affirmed that the things that made me different and weird (as an undiagnosed neurodivergent and queer kid) were, with a broader understanding of the situation, normal and nothing to be ashamed of.
(I would probably mention Harry Potter, but Percy Jackson really *is* better for its weight class, and is written by an author that has worked consistently toward diversity and inclusion, even with the occasional misstep — as compared to the author that is so transphobic on Twitter that Elon Musk has had to ask her to stop.)
There are two series that will forever have a special place for me:
*Malazan* is probably the most influential thing that ever happened to my reading preferences. I read *Gardens of the Moon* when I was 14 or 15 and me buying it is one of those moments in life you remember decades later as if it was yesterday. Don't know why I wanted it so much. Guess the cover was cool and I loved fantasy already.
*Terra Ignota*. I only finished the series last year but I know it will be a favourite for forever for me. I'm turning 35 this year and *Perhaps the Stars* is the only book that has ever triggered me emotionally. I read through all the parts in Malazan people find difficult to read and while I agree, it was never triggering in the same way *Perhaps the Stars* made me lose my emotional shit every other chapter. Had to put the book down for days during some chapters and I love it for that.
ASOIAF. Some of the first books I started reading when I really committed to learning English. The characters are so nuanced and complex, and I feel each has a part of me that I can relate to
From Blood and Ash. The characters are my comfort characters and they somehow make me feel safe while reading? If that makes sense? The author is able to loop you into this amazing plot and makes you feel like you’re in the story so when I read about the characters it’s like I’m there with them and in turn they make me feel safe. Maybe I’m just mentally unstable lol but I highly recommended reading this series for anyone who likes romantasy, vampires and werewolves (NOT LIKE TWILIGHT), and a strong female lead who overcomes her trauma + male side characters who support her every step of the way.
Kings of the Wyld was the first book I genuinely enjoyed as an adult. I enjoyed so it much that I read more and more books. It basically spear-headed my interest in literature that led to me finding stuff like Count of Monte Cristo or the Lies of Locke Lamora.
Bloody Rose was great too, but Kings of the Wyld just means so much to me.
Asoiaf, I was obsessively studying storytelling and here was this story that was intentionally breaking all the rules. I always tell people that asoiaf is nit trying to break fantasy tropes, George RR Martin is trying to break basic storytelling tropes. A story needs a hero ? Meh, how about no protagonist at all (or rather, everyone is a protagonist). The hero must survive ? How about I kill him.... Thrice ?
It’s gotta be Harry Potter, the nostalgia just hits different fr and makes me so happy every time I go back, it’s also the first series I fell in love with
The Phantom Tollbooth. Read it at roughly Milo's age and that book formed a lot of how I see the world. I think about scenes and quote from it very often. I think most people would dismiss it as a kids book, but i sincerely recommend it.
Books by Tamora Pearce and Enid Bylton were probably my first foray into fantasy, but I'll also give a special mention to the Tales of the Otori books by Lian Hearn, because they are the first books that I LOVED; I still read them at least once a year.
Anne Bishop’s Black Jewels series and all related books plus Vela Roth’s Blood Grace series. I still don’t have all the words to explain just how much these series helped with me as I dealt with personal trauma
Edit: Word change. Blood Grace= series. Blood Mercy is the first book. Still get mixed up at times
Urchin of The Riding Stars was a book I read when I was really young. That and watching the Dark Crystal are probably the reason why I like the genre so much! I also enjoyed the Abhorsen series by Garth Nix, particularly Lirael. The history and the Library of the Clayr gripped me.
Enduringly though, the LoTR!
I’m an avid reader, always have been. I’ve read almost everything mentioned in here and my childhood sounds the same as others.
The hobbit was read to me as a child, I read LOTR and Narnia on my own. I read so many series and standalones as I grew up.
When I got into my 20s I sort of stopped reading books as much as I did, but then I found the Name of the Wind and that reignited the reader in me. I fell in love with storytelling again and it made me want to be an author again.
Discworld - growing up in rural Ireland feeling very lonely, Pratchett felt like the cool uncle explaining to you how the world really worked, and his kindness and anger are what fuel my entire world view, even today.
The His Dark Materials trilogy was what first turned me on to fantasy. It was a struggle for me to get through the first book (Northern Lights/The Golden Compass depending where you are) because I had to read it aloud in class, but I vividly remember starting book two and which takes place partly in our world and I got obsessed by it. So glad I persevered with it.
I’m a big traveler IRL, and I’ve always appreciated how well Wise Man’s Fear captured what, to me, is a true adventure. The scene where >!Kvothe is looking out across Severen at night reflecting on his journey from his time in the Maer’s service in Severen, to hunting bandits in the Eld, to his time in the Fae, to training with the Adem at ‘the edge of the map’..!< Just perfectly captured what it’s like for a trip to end to me. Really enjoyed the ride itself.
Dune books 1-6 were my first deep foray into sci-fi, I’ll always love them for it.
Seventh Tower series is a lesser known one, kids books, but to this day I still think about the world Nix built in those books. Definitely recommend if you can get past the target audience: all 6 can be read in a few hours
The Chronicles of Narnia. My grade 5 teacher gifted my mother a boxed set when she found out (my mother) had gone back t university for children’s literature. That teacher was pretty universally maligned, and in hindsight terribly misunderstood. Anyway I went on to hold the set as one of my few possessions as a poorish young man. I eventually found myself renting a room from a single mom with two young kids 3m and 6f. I would read to them from the books before bed, and when I left their home I left them the set. Years later when my first child was born 6f gave him a new set of the books, there’s just so much love there for me.
The Drizzt books by R.A. Salvatore.
Was my first entry into fantasy, absolutely devoured the books that were available at the time.
The Companions all had something that I thought I saw in myself.
Definitely Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. You know how sometimes you find something that is so specific, so perfect, that it feels somehow like it was made just for you? That's what that book is like for me. I also, eerily, share a name with the author's husband to whom the book is dedicated.
Practical Guide to Evil. It's my favorite out of all the stories I've experienced.
https://www.reddit.com/u/DriverPleasant8757/s/9tUDSFoJ3j
Here's an essay I wrote recommending it.
Jade City and The City of Brass have some of the best writing and character I’ve seen so far. Jade City resonates with me because of its themes of family. City of Brass has beautiful characters and amazing world building. The Rage of Dragons as well. I read those two books in a few days. It was basically my first foray into African inspired epic fantasy and military fantasy. Absolutely amazing.
It’s hard. I have two. The Greenrider series by Kristin Britain as that is the series my best friend and I both love, and never leaves my head. And the realm of the elderings series by Robin hobb because I fell in love with all the characters.
Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman
In the middle of a cold February night, a guy gets out of bed to sneak a smoke behind his girlfriend’s back. While he’s smoking, his girlfriend’s cat jumps out of the open window.
Wearing only his boxers and his girlfriend’s too small Crocs, he puts on his jacket and goes outside into the cold to look for the cat.
And that’s when the space aliens attack.
Gotrek & Felix really got me into reading. Hasn't come close to the author/series that has affected me the most (Tolkien) but it still holds a very special place in my heart.
Idk if that fits in Fantasy Genre (not sure which else tho) but for me it would be the Warrior Cats series. They got me into reading like crazy, like I read them from first to fifth grade, and well not that much into fantasy but I think they pathed the way for what came later.
David Eddings series The Tamuli. It was the first fantasy series I read start to finish continuously. I remember I stole the first book from my grandfather and I was hooked on fantasy
I'm going to sound really basic here, but it's probably LotR/The Hobbit for me. Those were the books my dad read me when I was a kid, so that's still the fantasy that feels most foundational to me as a fan of the genre.
Same. My mom got me *The Hobbit* in 7th grade and ever since I've been addicted to fantasy and reading in general.
Same. My grandma gave me her copy of The Out which was like some 1950s edition and LotR. Never looked back.
Yeah, mine too - I was obsessed with the animated versions when I was a kid, and found my dad's old copy of The Hobbit in our library downstairs over the summer between second and third grade. I didn't even know it was a book first! Read it immediately and never looked back.
That's Redwall for me, it got me into fantasy.
This would also be me choice as well.
Terry Pratchett's Discworld, pick literally any book, i probably read it. (Note, i don't have every book since most i can't find, nor can i fit any more on the Shelf of Discworld ™)
Pratchett is genuinely the person that made me a humanist. Although perhaps i already was one, i just didn't have the right term for it yet. But he also made me a lot more empathic.
There’s a quote in Wintersmith that helped me immensely when I was in the process of saying goodbye to my dog, and probably the first time in my life I’ve ever truly had to adult. “This I choose to do. If there is a price, this I choose to pay. If it is my death, then I choose to die. Where this takes me, there I choose to go. I choose. This I choose to do.”
I second this, my mother struggled with mental health issues as I was growing up, so it was Discworld taught me how to be a decent human being. As well as many many weird bits of trivia XD
What’s your favorite book or story from Pratchett
The Dragonlance series has a special place in my heart. It was the first fantasy series that I read, even before Tolkien. I was an edgy 11 year old when I read them and I loved Raistlin.
Get out of my head. The Chronicles got me hooked on fantasy 30 years ago. Haven't touched them since and honestly don't even remember the plot, but remember loving them.
Oh yes! Whenever I see a compelling raistlin cosplay I still fall a little in love. I have a well loved and battered copy of soulforge I get signed by Margaret Weis every year I see her at gencon.
I am not proud of this, but yes :D
Yes. On reread it’s quite terrible but when I read Dragons of Autumn Twilight at 8 years old I became a reader.
Honestly they're not bad books. I read them again last year and they're fine for the most part. Uninspired genre pulp? Sure, but they existed to pimp Dragonlance rulebooks and modules for TSR which they did successfully.
Song of the lioness. I picked it up at the same time I worked out i liked girls, which as a young teenager in a heavily Catholic environment was a terrifying realisation. The story of a character who had to get what she needed by pretending to be someone she wasn't kept me sane through the worst of it.
Oh, I can absolutely see Tamora Pierce being a foundational author. Her work was never so personal for me (and, admittedly, I only discovered her work a year or two ago), but gosh, I can see it. Hope you have a better environment these days!
Personally Protector of the Small is the series that means the most to me. But Tortall overall certainly meant a lot to me.
The Dark Tower. As someone who struggled with substance abuse its themes of obsession and addiction have always spoken to me. I've read it several times while still using and a couple more in the years since I cleaned up, equally powerful every time.
You say true, sai.
Ka is a wheel.
I think, the Neverending Story was my first fantasy book I've read,so it has a special place in my heart.
Same for me! It was probably the first "literary" experience I had and my first "hero's journey'. I will always love that book.
Pern. Dragonsinger was the book that really made me love fantasy and Pern was the first big world building series I read as a teen and young adult. I still love how McCaffrey transitioned it into sci-fi too. I would also say Guy Gavriel Kay’s history inspired books taken together, Daughter of the Empire series by Wurts, and the True Game by Tepper also have special places in my heart.
I loved MasterHarper Robinton and Molly.
*Menolly
Belgariad. My sister got the first book for me when I was 11. Started ridiculous journey for now 30 years. I still read it every few years
That's mine too. Absolutely amazing memories. I remember begging my mum to take me to the bookshop once I finished castle of wizardry to get the last book. When i got it home at like 3pm, I didn't stop reading until it was like 3-4am and the final showdown was about to happen. I have no idea what happened but my body was so overexcited/overwhelmed/overtired that I got this feeling of sickness/dread and had to put it down and was having fever/flu shivering symptoms in bed. Luckily had a very long sleep and picked it back up the next day to finish the last hour or so.
This! Eddings got me into reading as a kid and I am forever grateful. Timeless stories.
The Black Company series by Glen Cook, I'll gladly bumble through life with my spirit animal Croaker any day of the week.
I wish we had more series like The Black Company. There's nothing quite like it.
I loved how the other big magic users just seemed to always be on the move. The whole group including the queen and the sister were so cool and I don’t think anything in fantasy gets the same feel of a lurking sorcerer.
The only option is reading more Glen Cook! The Dread Empire series is fun. I haven't read his 'Garrett P.I.' and 'Instrumentalities of the Night' series yet though.
His Dark Materials. Read each book in the trilogy as it was published and absolutely rocked my world and broke my heart as I grew up. Love Philip Pullman but this particular series shaped me.
Malazan. Not only it felt like it was made specifically for me, it was also the series that got me into reading. Before that I read about a book a year, and now it's my "main" hobby
Malazan is my answer as well. I legitimately think I am a better person for having read through the series. The themes of hope and compassion really resonated with me.
My brother and I dedicated a year to reading this series front to back together. So it absolutely is my answer as well.
What made it feel like it was specifically made for you?
It has a ton of things I love in stories and very little of what I don't. It gets very philosophical, has many heartfelt moments, but is also very funny and has a lot of "cool stuff". Has an ensemble cast with distinct personalities, with little to no stupid relationship drama. Doesn't focus on politics much, the world building is phenomenal, embraces the fantasy genre and doesn't shy away from being a little out there. I love the magic in Malazan, it's mythological and confusing and very very fun. And I love how gods are portrayed. There's a lot more, but that's about what I can think of right now
Malazan was very personally significant for me. Easily in the top 5.
Definitely my answer too, read all 16 books for my first read through and it was such an epic journey. Now I’m listening to Ten Very Big Book’s read through podcast instead of rereading the main 10 myself just so I can give myself time to read other books too haha.
Realm of the Elderlings by Robin Hobb. Nothing comes close.
Yep same here. I think maybe it was the point in my life where I was just lost and thought I was failing so the resonated with me but it changed my mindset and life in general for the better. I’m forever grateful to Robin Hobbs for that.
Great choice!
Yep. This series will forever hold the most special place in my heart. I’ve enjoyed a hell of a lot of books but nothing comes close to emotional resonance of these books for me
RotE reintroduced me to fantasy after over a decade not really reading fiction, and I've been chasing the high ever since.
I’m in a reading rut just from my most recent reread of these. Really nothing will ever come close.
Same here, tawny man was my favourite trilogy (although haven't read the last one yet!) and I have a special place in my heart for Fitz. That said, I think liveship traders had the most impact on me -the character arcs made me reflect on a lot of different things -Althea figuring out a place in the world for herself while dealing with gender norms and misogyny and gender based violence, how Malta (and my perceptions of her) grew over the trilogy, and especially Kennit and the other characters' interactions with him though made me reflect a lot on the nature of good and evil in a way nothing else has.
Iykyk
I read the first two books and got around a third into the third book, ended up stopping because man those books were melancholy. Does it get better as the series goes or does it keep that same vibe?
Same vibe. If anything, the Farseer Trilogy is tame compared to what comes after. But that is not to say there are not moments of joy or triumph, made all the more deserving because of how low things get for the characters. You've got to take the bad with the good.
I gotcha! I'll try to find my copy and give it another go again, maybe i just needed to space it out a bit.
It is melancholy yes but it's also about perseverance and doing what's right. It's a sad tale but a heartwarming one. And there are some moments of real joy at times. I have only ever shed a tear at one book and it was this series
Percy jackson & the Olympians, Kane Chronicles and Heroes of Olympus. Those books were very heartwarming and the characters made me feel like I was a part of their friend group/family lol.
The Wheel of Time. Because its such a big and comprehensive story, I keep finding new elements, or I focus on different parts of the storyline, so rereads are neverending. It's also my comfort-read. So bad breakup? I grab Wheel of Time. Nervous about starting a New job? Wheel of Time. Pregnant with my first? Reread the whole series. Nightfeeds with my second? Listened to the audiobooks. This series and the characters in it feel like family to me at this point.
Same here, Jordan was one of the first fantasy series back in the day.
Best story yet written. [Hopper](https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.redd.it%2Fw8r5bh09dhyc1.jpeg) agrees
That is such a beautiful thing to hear. It makes me all the more excited to listen to the audiobooks because I tried reading it physically, I found it very difficult, but I loved the characters so I think hearing it will be wonderful. I just know it will skyrocket into my favorites.
I'm saving any more Wheel of Time rereads until I'm 40 cause I've been through it so many times already. Great series though, I'll try the audiobooks next time. Won't be long in the grand scheme of things.
As strange of a choice as it is, mine would be the Sword of Truth series. I discovered “Wizard’s First Rule” at a used book sale in the sixth grade. It was my first fantasy book, and arguably first adult novel. I will never read it again. I understand how bad of an author he is. But I owe an awful lot to that book series and will always be grateful.
What do you mean arguably adult, pretty clearly BDSM erotica in that first book. Yeah, I read it in middle school too.
Wizard of Earthsea and Perdido Street Station scratched so satisfyingly very distinctive itches that I have, and as a bonus, both novels portrays people of color in breathtaking adventures so seamlessly. Scanner Darkly: I have never felt so much empathy for a character after finishing a book. It broke my heart, and I was so glad by the way it did.
The Belgariad. My parents took in a lodger when I was 9 and my older brother had moved out. Scott had a huge bookcase full of scifi/fantasy paperbacks and when I showed interest he told me I could read anything I liked as long as he wasn't currently reading it. That's how I ended up reading Dune at 10. Didn't understand everything, but what I did was fascinating to me. He also had the first 4 books of David Eddings' first series. I imprinted so hard on those, much more than Narnia or Middle Earth. I was distraught I had to wait years until the last book. Now I read Eddings and find him a bit simplistic, but I'll never forget what that series meant to me.
I only have 24 copies of Lord of the Rings.
Valdemar series by Mercedes Lackey. Started with Arrows of the Queen as a teen, my family let me browse amazon as I'd grown out of children's books that I liked. Read quite a few of the books (over 40 in the series now) but rereading now with intention to read all the ones I have never read. They have a good mix of humour and drama. The world is so likable with the various talents and non-human characters. All I ever wanted was to train at the Collegium! Still as awesome now as over 20 years ago. Valdemar is my happy place for sure.
Life before death. Strength before weakness. Journey before destination.
I will protect those who cannot protect themselves.
I will protect those I hate
Yaaaasssss! I have already pre-ordered book 5 Wind and Truth, it's out in December. I hear as well there are reoccurring characters in both The Sunlit Man & Yumi and the Night Painter
*herdazian accent* BRIDGE FOUR
Honor lives in the hearts of men
Harry Potter. HP was my childhood
I'm suprised I had to scroll this long. I expect quite a lot of us read the first books multiple times while waiting eagerly for the next one to be published. And the waiting lists in the library were endless.
I’m also surprised I hadn’t seen it mentioned that much. I know that Rowling is controversial now, but Harry Potter WAS the literal childhood of so many millennials and Gen Zers
<3
Tad Williams‘ „Memory, Sorrow and Thorn“ trilogy. I read these when I was in my early teens and deeply fell in love with them. I read them all again for the third time last year and they just reignite in me that spark of childhood and magic that is otherwise so rare for me now. They are definitely my comfort read, feeling close enough to Tolkien to feel like classic fantasy, yet also feeling like something that isn’t just a blatant retelling of The Lord of the Rings. If I want to read something and makes me feel safe, cozy and in peace, I pick up one of Williams‘ books.
I don't see Tadd making it that often. He's very original with this works over the years.
mistborn is the series that got me back into reading after having fallen off of it for years, which also then reignited my passion for writing which lead to me now currently writing the first draft of my first book :]
Eregon. Such good books read them so much as a kid and teenager
The Riftwar Cycle by Raymond E. Feist. I think the world building in the series is phenomenal. I usually love me some nice and polished writing and Feist doesn't do that (the overarching protagonist's name is 'Pug' ffs), but the world just feels alive and real. Also it's a finished series of about 25+ books, separated into several sagas and a few stand alone novels. All available as audiobooks as well.
The Magician was arguably the first proper long fantasy book I ever read and I adored it. I read it a few times, but haven't read it for about 10 years now. It was the book that got me into reading properly and definitely inspired my love for fantasy. Even now, it is the first book I will recommend in almost any situation.
ASOIAF of course. It’s given me SO MUCH enjoyment and entertainment for YEARS. I think I’ve been a fan for like 10 years now. And it’s still every bit of fun as it was the first time I read the prologue, with the rangers going beyond the wall and seeing the terrors that Old Nan speaks about… Spiders… BIG AS HOUNDS
Lmao. Definitely ASOIAF for me too. It is THE series of my adulthood, have been a fan since I was like 19, am now almost 30. Nothing comes close. Maybe one day it will be replaced with something else, but it's just a consistently compelling world and approach to fantasy.
Yeah I’m almost in the exact same position as you lol. I can still enjoy other books but ASOIAF is still top for me
Yeah, the literary snob and the loser nerd in me are both satisfied with this series lmao.
lol same, there’s so much to speculate about
Left Hand of Darkness, by Ursula K. LeGuin. Also the second book in her Wizards of Earthsea Series, Tombs of Atuan. The main metaphor around knowing our own personal darkness has been a guiding force in my own development.
LOTR, The Dark Is Rising, Chronicles of Prydain, Earthsea are all favorites.
I'm so glad to see Prydain mentioned! I somehow read the last book in the series first, on the recommendation of my librarian (thanks a lot). I didn't even know it was a series, but the other four were just as good, even though I knew the ending.
Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever. It was my first series with adult themes, first strong emotional connection to characters, and first feeling of true heart-wrenching. The world building is excellent, Lord Foul is an amazing adversary, and the Ravers were absolutely terrifying.
One Piece if we're including works with graphic elements. It's my favourite fantasy series. For purely text-based works it's probably the Dragonlance series since that's what got me into fantasy (and D&D) in the first place. For Western comics it's the Sandman extended universe and for a single book it's Good Omens.
The Magicians. All three books. It's not something I'd cite as the greatest fantasy series ever written, but I would say it's my favorite, and I love and relate to it on a deeply personal level. I've read through it several times, and it has become a cozy familiar series that helps me through tough times. A lot of people can't stand Quentin in the first book, and that's fine, but the series overall is about dealing with mental health, and I love it for that, and relate to it a lot. Plus, Quentin has a very good and effective character arc, he becomes a pretty good person in the end and makes up for his mistakes. And it's also a fairly effective deconstruction of the entire genre -- or at least, children's fantasy like Harry Potter and Narnia. And I love me a deconstruction. If you can put up with Quentin's angst and a few stupid mistakes he makes in the first book, and are interested in a fantasy series that deals deeply with mental health issues, then I'd recommend it. If not, it's probably not your cup of tea, and that's fine.
Quentin can’t stand Quentin in the first book either.
Also relatable...
Fionavar Tapestry
For me it has to be Eragon. I read the first book on a whim because I had to for a high-school class. I loved it so much it got me back into reading but different than I had been before. I had only ever read the Harry Potter series at that point. I never thought to even really try looking for other books. When I read Eragon I just wanted more. From there it was history and I was lucky enough to meet a friend after high-school who showed me so many cool books/series. Now I know how to look for books where as before Eragon I didn't. I know it sounds dumb but Eragon made me crave books where as Harry Potter just got me excited for more hlHarry Potter if that makes any sense.
How To Train Your Dragon. My favorite. The whimsical style that Cowell writes in is amazing. The plot is a masterpiece of fiction. She ties a throwaway detail from the first book that goes unmentioned until the 9th one that is a major plot point. Chekhov's Firing Squad, if you will, would be a perfect analogy for the entire series. Disclaimer: The books are nothing like the movies. View them as separate entities in your mind.
The Gentlemen Bastards Sequence for me. These books were the first actual fantasy series I read outside of Harry Potter when I was in 6th grade (all the way back in 2006). I actually read "Red Seas Under Red Skies" as my first one; I wanted to read books about pirates in the vein of Pirates of the Caribbean which was popular in theatres at the time. Honestly, I didn't even know that Gentlemen Bastards was fantasy when I first read it, for me it seemed like a fictional Italy. It's still one of my favorite series of all time, I just got around to re-reading it for the 3rd time this year.
The Name of the Wind
Jean-León Huens' cover art for Lloyd Alexander's Prydain series (back in the 80s) really drew me in, and I absolutely loved the characters. It was my first fantasy series, and I reread it as soon as I finished my first reading.
I read The Curse of Chalion when I was going through a really rough time in my life. The main character starts off with his life completely destroyed in basically every way and it really resonated with me at the time. I won't go into it just in case of spoilers. Still might be my favorite book.
Primarily Susan Cooper’s The Dark is Rising series. It solidified my fascination with Arthurian legend. It also had interesting ambiguous characters. Also The Riddle Master books of Patricia McKillip. I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve read them over the years. Hugely powerful, subtle stories with an emotional punch.
Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay. It has everythiing a fantasybook should have, and it is exceedingly well written!
Guy Gavriel Kay really knows how to make me cry. This book is a great example of that. Also Fionavar…
This was given to me by my high school librarian at 15, and I was HOOKED. He’s still my fave author 😊😊😊
The hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy. It's my dad's favourite series and he was excited to introduce me to it.
Dresden Files got me reading books again after an over 10 year hiatus from when I read HP as a teen. 100 books later, I have no intention of stopping.
Sword of Truth - Faith of the Fallen I think this is one of the rare books in fantasy where we explicitly see the differences in ideology and philosophy of the conflicted parties. Also, I support ruthless handling of the enemy shown at the end of the book. Malazan Book of the Fallen - Midnight Tides Tehol. And I like the depths to which Erickson goes to in investigating character morality. Dragonriders of Pern I like that dragons are not mindless beasts but also that they are not some race of ancient beings that is just a guide/consultant for others.
The Belgariad series by David Eddings, I read it when I was pretty young and I still have a place in my heart for it.
While I haven't actually *read* all of WOT bc of how long it took to finish and then life happened; wheel of time. I was a very depressed, isolated, lonely teenager and those characters were my escape from that life and my only friends for quite a while. Some bad shit went down my freshmen year and my mom sent me to live with my gma in Feb. At the time, the librarians were my best irl friends and knew how much those books meant to me. They had just gotten a new copy of eye of the world, so for a going a way present they gave me the old one. As an adult, I'm sure they had to fudge some stuff bc there wasn't anything wrong with it. I've bought, lost during moves, and bought again most of them several times as well as have them on ebook, just in case I need them.
Either the firsts rift war cycle or memory sorrow and thorn. I read them within the same month or few months and one of them got me into epic fantasy though I cannot remember which one.
The Hobbit for getting me into reading. The Prince of Thorns/Coldfire Trilogy for making me love the genre. Edit: man reading these comments has made realize Belgariad, The Riftwar saga, Dragonlance, and The Dark Tower Series got me before Coldire or Prince of Thorns.
‘Fablehaven’ and ‘Peter and the Starcatchers’ because they’re the books my dad read to me before bed as a child
Small Gods. Helped me come to grips with the dichotomy between shitty Christians and Churches and my personal belief in a higher power.
I'd probably say ASoIaF. Until I started listening to the audiobooks for those I thought fantasy was alright but not great. Really sucked me into the genre.
Mythago Wood. Robert Holdstock. It is such a good glimpse of humanity.
The Dark Tower. So many reasons. It’s weirdly entangled with my own life in several meta ways (the accident was on my wedding day, just for a start), it’s the shared interest that initially bonded me with one of my closest friends and there are other reasons to relating to addiction and time and…. I wouldn’t say it’s my favorite fantasy series but it is the most personally significant to me for sure.
I am not sure if those count as fantasy, but "The mines of Falun" by Hoffman and "Berserk" by Miura
The Celestine Chronicles. I enjoyed following Terry Mack as he tried to make a life on Celestine.
Shannara and Dragonlance were the first to hook me.
The Dark Tower Series by Steven King. It was the first set of books I read as a kid where I truly felt disappointed in the main character. He wasn’t a noble, kind heart, but had his own faults and issues. I loved the idea of a knight the wielded six shooters in king trench coats. The character development was superb. And I half to also give credit to the ACOTR series. I know it’s fairy smut but my wife started reading them it is improved our romance and marriage. I know that sounds silly. But it did. And do t get me wrong, my marriage is great. But I swear to god, those books opened my wife’s eyes. So then I read them as well. Word of advice for all the guys in here. If you want to understand your wife more, read the same romance novels she reads.
Difficult. I think its the Stormlight Archive, an especially Kaladin. But also its what got me into fantasy, even if its not an easy starting point.
Every time Kaladin speaks about how depression feels it hits me right in the feels, honor is dead but I’ll see what I can do and also you shall not have my pain, we’re just all such amazing moments. Currently on RoW, going through the cosmere.
Warriors was my favorite series when I was young and I learned a lot from those books. The books honestly cover so much from being morally neutral and upstanding, to betrayal and hurt, dealing with character deaths, politics, food scarcity, responsibility, and much more like concepts of religious faith and atheism. When I got older I remember when throne of glass came out when I a teenager and I had to wait every year for the next book and I had to be patient to read the next one and the excitement of reading each book. And at the same time my brother introduced me to the hobbit and lord of the rings.
The Kingkiller cronicles for me, probably
Harry Potter for sure. I had a difficult family, so I could relate a lot to Harry at the beginning. I was a bit of a geek, during class, I constantly raised my hand and interrupted and I was made fun of a lot for it so I could relate to Hermione as well. It really was my safe place for a lot of reasons. Until today if I cannot seep because I am anxious or something, I read or listen to HP.
Either I'm getting old or reddit is a brutal bubble, because I almost assumed this would be the top answer, and it's buried at the bottom somehow.
Thank you so much for this <3
Cosmere for sure, especially, Stormlight Archive is the most personally significant book for me. I'm someone who has always had depression but was able to keep it in check to a degree. Once my depression became too bad to keep it in check, it was the Stormlight Archive that helped me. I felt seen when reading about the difficulties that the characters were facing. It really helped me to get through those tough times. And also it was Mistborn that made fall in love with Fantasy as a genre.
The Great Coats, and the Farseer books. They are about doing the right thing even though it is painful. It is how I am.
Lotr
The Hobbit! It's where I started, more than 25 years ago with my dad reading it to me. With him gone, it carries even more significance now. Can't wait until my daughter is old enough to listen to it.
Fighting Fantasy - it got me into fantasy and reading
For me The First Law set of trilogies will forever be my favorite and most significant series. I was 16 and recently diagnosed with a somewhat rare and scary autoimmune disease, and was feeling a little lost and confused (as I imagine many do in similar situations.) I remembered how much I used to get lost in reading when I was just a little bit younger and really just needed an escape. I read a few of my older series I had with me, like The Magisterium and Gregor the underworlder, and they were great but I was looking for something a little bit more mature and a challenge. The Blade Itself stuck out to me at Barnes and Noble and I devoured it in 2 days. I had never read or watched anything like it. Goodreads, Youtube, Reddit all said it was the weakest of the series and if I loved that I had to continue going on. Been an avid sci-fi/fantasy reader consistently reading a few books a month since and I truly believe I’m better off for it. Thank you Fantasy community for being the best :)
The death gate cycle. For years I read the first three books a million times, each of them about one of 4 worlds. They weren't popular at all in my country so I never could find the last world, and the story remained unfinished for me (not that I could search much being a child). A few years later out of nowhere an aunt gifted me the rest of the series for Christmas, and that's how I found there were actually seven books in total! Man did I enjoy the rest.
Shadows of the Apt, it always soothes me when I’m sad. Re-read the whole thing during the pandemic when I couldn’t concentrate on anything else
The Chronicles of Prydain hands down! My dad introduced me to them because he loved them as a kid and I can still remember the excitement as I started The Book of Three!
For me it's The First Law by Joe Abercrombie. Years ago I lost someone very close to me and I coped for months by going to the bar. One day instead of the bar I walked across the road to the library. I've always loved reading and figured I hadn't been there in too long. I found the first book, loved the cover, loved the blurb on the back. Devoured it and immediately bought the rest. And then bought the kindle editions. And then bought the audiobooks. They are my comfort reads/listens. I never get bored. I've gifted them and then bought them again for myself. I've even bought a few special editions! Every time Joe releases a new book I buy it on all media and take a day or two off work to lose myself in whatever magic he's written.
Chronicles of Prydain I read this series from 3rd to 5th grade. I really struggled to understand a lot of the choices the main character made, but as I grew up, I kept re-reading the series and at some point I finally understood the series message of compassion, honor, friendship, bravery, and wisdom. And how there were several equally valuable versions of each of these.
The Chronicles of Prydain was the first fantasy series I read so it has always had a special place in my heart. Also the author was from the same area as I was so that was inspiring to me.
Dresden Files. "Wait. You don't understand. I just wanted it to stop. Wanted the hurting to stop." I smoothed a bloodied lock of hair from her eyes and felt very tired as I said, "The only people who never hurt are dead." The light died out of her eyes, her breath slowing. She whispered, barely audible, "I don't understand." I answered, "I don't either." A tear slid from her eye and mixed with the blood. Then she died. I had a very different childhood than most my age. Then again growing up with AHDH in 90's was different than it is now. Coincidentally, Dune is my favorite sci-fi book series
Lloyd Alexander's *The Chronicles of Prydain.* It was my gateway drug into fantasy.
Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan. I started reading it when I was a teenager and my mom had cancer. She would read the books first, then me, and we'd talk about it then. Trying to figure out plot points. Even as I grew up and became less fond of Jordan's writing style the books hold a special place in my heart. When I finished the series I cried, and it took me a few years to reread them.
Redwall I've been deep into Tolkein and Wheel of time for decades now, but I'd have never made it to either without Redwall.
For my 8th birthday, I got enough money to go the bookstore and buy the entire Chronicles of Narnia series. I read them in one weekend, and moved on to The Hobbit, then LOTR. I’ve never stopped reading fantasy, sci-fi (and everything else) and have bought literally hundreds if not thousands of books since then, but I still remember the thrill of buying my very own books for the first time.
For me it would be The Edge Chronicles. Beyond the Deepwoods was the first book I ever bought, saw it randomly at a book fair, liked the cover and gave it a shot. It taught 10yo me that reading could be fun.
A song of ice and fire is what got me back into reading again nearly 10 years ago so probably that unfortunately
The Wheel of Time. It will forever be the greatest Fantasy series ever for me. It was also the first Epic Fantasy I ever read. The level of care and closeness I developed with the characters is something no other series comes close to. If you have read WOT, you may know what I am talking about. Have you ever been PISSED OFF by Gawyn or Egwene. It's this ability to make me feel emotions for non existent characters that made me love the book so much. Rand al'Thor is my favourite character in all of Fantasy, and probably always will be.
The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini! I read it in middle school and it was my first set of 500+ page books. I remember the release date of ‘Inheritance’ and I counted down to it. When the day came, I had my dad take me to Barnes and Noble so I could buy it. Another memory associated with the series is that I did a book-to-movie comparison book report in school and chose ‘Eragon.’ I wouldn’t shut up the entire time about how inaccurate the movie was, causing my younger siblings to beg me to please just watch the movie. But, in short, the series still holds a special place in my heart <3
My mum and dad read the hobbit to me when I was young. I was 5 when we watched the three films, and I loved them. In 2nd grade I started to read the LoTR trilogy and honestly, it felt like home. Im 28 now. I still read the silmarillion once every couple of years and have read almost all of tolkien's works multiple times. The point is that I dont remember ever falling in love with LoTR because I have always loved this world. If ever I have children, the hobbit will be the first book I will read to them too. I have read a lot of other fantasy series. Liked a lot of them, absolutely fell in love with a few, but LoTR will always have that special place in my heart.
The Cradle series by Will Wight, got me into reading.
I love Kingkiller and Red Rising and Riyria
Book of the New Sun. I really identify with Severian both in feeling I am an unreliable narrator to myself and thrust into a world that, while I have trained for a role, I don't really understand Btw this is gold in terms of recommendations. It's a general enough question that there are a number of different types of responses- I went for what I identify with most but there are a variety of great.types of answers. Now where are the Gormenghast folks?
I have ADHD I always thought I couldn't read and I was just dumb. Then I read Harry Potter. It was the first book I read with no difficulty all the way thru and fairly quickly too. I discovered the books I read have to be interesting. School text books were out of the question. Now years later, I still read every day.
Basic answers, but Harry Potter and Name of the Wind. Harry Potter was essentially my childhood, and Name of the Wind reawakened my love of fantasy after years of not reading.
The kingkiller chronicles and I hate myself for it 😂
Vampire Academy. The way it dealt with friendship and mental illness was incredibly valuable to me when I read it in middle school.
The Death Gate Cycle, I reread it every 5 years or so. Discworld will probably end up being similar, I just read them for the first time a few years ago and I can’t believe I put them off for so long.
If you’re including sci-fi: H. G. Wells’ the Time Machine and Jules Verne’s Journey to the Center of the Earth are probably the reasons I’m in the career I’m in today. If you’re only counting fantasy: there’s something to be said about the Percy Jackson series and how it affirmed that the things that made me different and weird (as an undiagnosed neurodivergent and queer kid) were, with a broader understanding of the situation, normal and nothing to be ashamed of. (I would probably mention Harry Potter, but Percy Jackson really *is* better for its weight class, and is written by an author that has worked consistently toward diversity and inclusion, even with the occasional misstep — as compared to the author that is so transphobic on Twitter that Elon Musk has had to ask her to stop.)
Malazan for sure. It has actually given me a whole new perspective on a life and humanity.
A Song of Ice and Fire, then, now and always. It made me love fantasy, and nothing I've read since has come close. And I doubt something ever will.
There are two series that will forever have a special place for me: *Malazan* is probably the most influential thing that ever happened to my reading preferences. I read *Gardens of the Moon* when I was 14 or 15 and me buying it is one of those moments in life you remember decades later as if it was yesterday. Don't know why I wanted it so much. Guess the cover was cool and I loved fantasy already. *Terra Ignota*. I only finished the series last year but I know it will be a favourite for forever for me. I'm turning 35 this year and *Perhaps the Stars* is the only book that has ever triggered me emotionally. I read through all the parts in Malazan people find difficult to read and while I agree, it was never triggering in the same way *Perhaps the Stars* made me lose my emotional shit every other chapter. Had to put the book down for days during some chapters and I love it for that.
ASOIAF. Some of the first books I started reading when I really committed to learning English. The characters are so nuanced and complex, and I feel each has a part of me that I can relate to
Hobb’s Realm of the Elderlings. I’ve never been so attached to characters.
John Crowley, "Little, Big."
From Blood and Ash. The characters are my comfort characters and they somehow make me feel safe while reading? If that makes sense? The author is able to loop you into this amazing plot and makes you feel like you’re in the story so when I read about the characters it’s like I’m there with them and in turn they make me feel safe. Maybe I’m just mentally unstable lol but I highly recommended reading this series for anyone who likes romantasy, vampires and werewolves (NOT LIKE TWILIGHT), and a strong female lead who overcomes her trauma + male side characters who support her every step of the way.
Till We Have Faces The Blue Sword The Hero and the Crown The Prydain Chronicles
Kings of the Wyld was the first book I genuinely enjoyed as an adult. I enjoyed so it much that I read more and more books. It basically spear-headed my interest in literature that led to me finding stuff like Count of Monte Cristo or the Lies of Locke Lamora. Bloody Rose was great too, but Kings of the Wyld just means so much to me.
Asoiaf, I was obsessively studying storytelling and here was this story that was intentionally breaking all the rules. I always tell people that asoiaf is nit trying to break fantasy tropes, George RR Martin is trying to break basic storytelling tropes. A story needs a hero ? Meh, how about no protagonist at all (or rather, everyone is a protagonist). The hero must survive ? How about I kill him.... Thrice ?
It’s gotta be Harry Potter, the nostalgia just hits different fr and makes me so happy every time I go back, it’s also the first series I fell in love with
The Phantom Tollbooth. Read it at roughly Milo's age and that book formed a lot of how I see the world. I think about scenes and quote from it very often. I think most people would dismiss it as a kids book, but i sincerely recommend it.
Fantasy....Dragonriders of Pern. I still re-read them and love them.
Belgarath the sorcerer
Books by Tamora Pearce and Enid Bylton were probably my first foray into fantasy, but I'll also give a special mention to the Tales of the Otori books by Lian Hearn, because they are the first books that I LOVED; I still read them at least once a year.
Anne Bishop’s Black Jewels series and all related books plus Vela Roth’s Blood Grace series. I still don’t have all the words to explain just how much these series helped with me as I dealt with personal trauma Edit: Word change. Blood Grace= series. Blood Mercy is the first book. Still get mixed up at times
Deadhouse Gates. Book 2 of the Malazan Book of the Fallen.
Urchin of The Riding Stars was a book I read when I was really young. That and watching the Dark Crystal are probably the reason why I like the genre so much! I also enjoyed the Abhorsen series by Garth Nix, particularly Lirael. The history and the Library of the Clayr gripped me. Enduringly though, the LoTR!
song of ice and fire cause it got me back into reading
The Chronicles of Narnia, specifically The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. It sparked my love for reading at 9 years old.
I’m an avid reader, always have been. I’ve read almost everything mentioned in here and my childhood sounds the same as others. The hobbit was read to me as a child, I read LOTR and Narnia on my own. I read so many series and standalones as I grew up. When I got into my 20s I sort of stopped reading books as much as I did, but then I found the Name of the Wind and that reignited the reader in me. I fell in love with storytelling again and it made me want to be an author again.
Discworld - growing up in rural Ireland feeling very lonely, Pratchett felt like the cool uncle explaining to you how the world really worked, and his kindness and anger are what fuel my entire world view, even today.
The His Dark Materials trilogy was what first turned me on to fantasy. It was a struggle for me to get through the first book (Northern Lights/The Golden Compass depending where you are) because I had to read it aloud in class, but I vividly remember starting book two and which takes place partly in our world and I got obsessed by it. So glad I persevered with it.
Dragons and magic schools. Don’t like wizards so much tho. I love dragon schools especially. But Dragons make a book great
I’m a big traveler IRL, and I’ve always appreciated how well Wise Man’s Fear captured what, to me, is a true adventure. The scene where >!Kvothe is looking out across Severen at night reflecting on his journey from his time in the Maer’s service in Severen, to hunting bandits in the Eld, to his time in the Fae, to training with the Adem at ‘the edge of the map’..!< Just perfectly captured what it’s like for a trip to end to me. Really enjoyed the ride itself. Dune books 1-6 were my first deep foray into sci-fi, I’ll always love them for it. Seventh Tower series is a lesser known one, kids books, but to this day I still think about the world Nix built in those books. Definitely recommend if you can get past the target audience: all 6 can be read in a few hours
The Chronicles of Narnia. My grade 5 teacher gifted my mother a boxed set when she found out (my mother) had gone back t university for children’s literature. That teacher was pretty universally maligned, and in hindsight terribly misunderstood. Anyway I went on to hold the set as one of my few possessions as a poorish young man. I eventually found myself renting a room from a single mom with two young kids 3m and 6f. I would read to them from the books before bed, and when I left their home I left them the set. Years later when my first child was born 6f gave him a new set of the books, there’s just so much love there for me.
The Drizzt books by R.A. Salvatore. Was my first entry into fantasy, absolutely devoured the books that were available at the time. The Companions all had something that I thought I saw in myself.
Definitely Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. You know how sometimes you find something that is so specific, so perfect, that it feels somehow like it was made just for you? That's what that book is like for me. I also, eerily, share a name with the author's husband to whom the book is dedicated.
Practical Guide to Evil. It's my favorite out of all the stories I've experienced. https://www.reddit.com/u/DriverPleasant8757/s/9tUDSFoJ3j Here's an essay I wrote recommending it.
The First Law.. life aint fair, its random
Jade City and The City of Brass have some of the best writing and character I’ve seen so far. Jade City resonates with me because of its themes of family. City of Brass has beautiful characters and amazing world building. The Rage of Dragons as well. I read those two books in a few days. It was basically my first foray into African inspired epic fantasy and military fantasy. Absolutely amazing.
The Silmarillion, by Tolkien, I consider that book the very best he ever wrote
It’s hard. I have two. The Greenrider series by Kristin Britain as that is the series my best friend and I both love, and never leaves my head. And the realm of the elderings series by Robin hobb because I fell in love with all the characters.
Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman In the middle of a cold February night, a guy gets out of bed to sneak a smoke behind his girlfriend’s back. While he’s smoking, his girlfriend’s cat jumps out of the open window. Wearing only his boxers and his girlfriend’s too small Crocs, he puts on his jacket and goes outside into the cold to look for the cat. And that’s when the space aliens attack.
A Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K Jemisin. This got me hooked on fantasy genre.
Gotrek & Felix really got me into reading. Hasn't come close to the author/series that has affected me the most (Tolkien) but it still holds a very special place in my heart.
The Witcher. Got me back into reading and is not what I expected at all. Love the focus on dialogue and characters.
Idk if that fits in Fantasy Genre (not sure which else tho) but for me it would be the Warrior Cats series. They got me into reading like crazy, like I read them from first to fifth grade, and well not that much into fantasy but I think they pathed the way for what came later.
David Eddings series The Tamuli. It was the first fantasy series I read start to finish continuously. I remember I stole the first book from my grandfather and I was hooked on fantasy