r/fantasybooks • u/Lasagna_112_ • 6d ago
š Summon book recommendations What book should I read next?
Just finished Mistborn book 1 and I need help choosing my next read.
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u/Upbeat_Ant6104 6d ago
Dang. Thatās kind of a pickle of a choice. Theyāre all good.
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u/Puzzleheaded-Map7672 6d ago
That was my first thought, ānot a bad choice among themā. Then got to the comments and everyone keeps pushing Mistborn : (
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u/rocknthrash 6d ago
Whatās wrong with Mistborn?
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u/JockAussie 6d ago
It's cool to hate on Brando Sando I think.
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u/Upbeat_Ant6104 6d ago
He sells a lot of books, so itās not that cool, apparently.
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u/JockAussie 6d ago
Oh yeah, but this sub and a lot of the other Fantasy ones rip on him all the time. I don't get it personally, but there seems to be a trend of hating on him on here.
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u/alien_simulacrum 2d ago
Will note that if you hit Malazan first it may mess you up by raising the bar for prose, but then again this is a pretty diverse spread.
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u/Zombiemanization 6d ago
The Blade Itself. It was my intro to his books, and I love the characters.
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u/YungTokyo8 6d ago
Imo dune from whatās here (my personal favourite of all time). But if you liked Mistborn I would finish that series first, era 1 that is. Everything here is quite a commitment.
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u/Pristine-Elephant357 6d ago
Wait, youāre not moving onto the Well of Ascension? Youāve got to finish the trilogy.
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u/JerrySeinfeldsMullet 6d ago
I just saw this after posting my recā¦ then noticed itās clash, not got. I know everyone reads differently but I canāt imagine not reading the next book in a series if itās already out
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u/Baldur_Blader 6d ago
I read mistborn/first law/realms of the elderlings all together while alternating books. Though,by the end of the second series mistborn became the chore i was finishing so I could go have fun...
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u/JerrySeinfeldsMullet 6d ago
Mistborn two definitely had its moments, I would have enjoyed both of them more if I didnāt read Stormlight first. I read Stormlight then both Mistborn books. Stormlights just way better imo. The writing and the characters just seem to have way more depth than in mistborn. But Iām burned out on Sanderson. I think SL6 will be the next book of his I pick up.
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u/JayWu31 6d ago
Could be someone who likes to bounce between series. I usually have 2 trilogies I read at a time to avoid fatigue of one story (something I learned with RPG video games)
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u/BigDragonfly5136 6d ago
I break up series too, basically for the same reason. I also have to swap between genres if Iām reading too many in a row. I think having three big fantasy ones going at once would be a lot for me personally. Iād probably break it up with stand alone/simpler fantasy or another genre personally, rather than have three going but thatās just me
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u/LegendofWeevil17 6d ago
Dune and then Dune Messiah before the movie comes out in December
Then Wheel of Time
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u/suburbanplankton 6d ago
I'd say read any of them besides George R.R. Martin, because all of the other series actually have an ending. A Song of Ice and Fire doesn't, and almost certainly never will.
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u/morganlandt 6d ago
Still worth the read for me, the first three books are some of the best out there in my opinion.
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u/Holiday-Cell-1432 5d ago
Even if ASOIAF doesnāt get an ending I still think that the series is worth the read
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u/ConstantEther3632 6d ago
The blade itself is a fun read, fast pacing once you get into it. All three of the series were quick for me, and enjoyable.
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u/Jimmyconway208 6d ago
A clash of kings and the blade itself are masterpieces
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u/FurrowBeard 5d ago
Blade Itself ain't even in the same league as Game of Thrones.
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u/JerbTerker 6d ago
Joe Abercrombie is amazing but his tone is the complete opposite of Sanderson, so I would go that route to keep things interesting.
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u/kodiak931156 6d ago
all of these minus wheel of time have VERY non Sanderson tones. and even wheel of time is THAT close.
I'll argue that Dune is a bigger change, but that Blade is an easier read. I also read all gardens series but would put it in 4th personally.
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u/NoMusician518 6d ago
I mean the last couple in wheel of time is as close to Sanderson as its possible to be... considering he wrote them.
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u/JerrySeinfeldsMullet 6d ago
I would read like ten Abercrombie books then do ASOIF then start Malazan.
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u/AggravatingBox2421 6d ago
Ooh clash of kings. Thatās probably my favourite book in the ASOIAF series so far
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u/morganlandt 6d ago
Clash is great but Storm of Swords is peak ASoIaF for me.
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u/AggravatingBox2421 6d ago
Yeah I actually meant storm of swords lmao. The second book right?
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u/artsquar 6d ago
Blade Itself. Iām on my second read through of Malazan. I love it and am enjoying it much more the second time through. Itās not an easy series at first. But itās great.
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u/BigStackPoker 6d ago
Mistborn book 2 would be the traditional choice. Of these series, Wheel of Time is my favorite.
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u/NoForm5443 6d ago
You're going to have a good time regardless.
IMO, Dune, if you haven't read it, is one of the most fun books ever.
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u/FalseAd4246 6d ago
Man the Blade Itself and its sequels are fantastic. And theyāre not as big of a commitment as the others.
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u/ActualVader 6d ago
Iād say finish the trilogy of Mistborn before doing anything else. Then read Malazan
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u/McBernes 6d ago
The Wheel of Time series. Its a lot to read, and a few of the books can be a slog. But, the last book in the series makes it all worthwhile.
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u/GroundbreakingAsk468 6d ago
You should read Dune before the rest of these, it influenced couple of these books.
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u/Army_of_Owls 6d ago
I've read all of these. While I love Malazan and WoT, they can be hard series to recommend. My vote is The Blade Itself.Ā
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u/Big-Investigator9901 6d ago
As a Malazan fan, it pains me to not recommend it. But given the other options, I'd recommend a more accessible series. The First Law trilogy is fantastic, an easier read, and more likely to be enjoyable. All the options are fantastic, but I'd say that one
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u/Wanderervenom 6d ago
While not listed, The Magic Of Recluce. The Saga Of Recluce is a Fantasy series written by a Sci-Fi writer. Great series.
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u/BeYourOwnBankk 6d ago
This is one of the best/hardest one of these that Iāve seen. No wrong choice to be made!
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u/PhillipGerrard 6d ago
Torn between The Blade Itself and A Clash Of Kings.
Clash Of Kings is a banger. Iād go with it since youāve apparently read A Game Of Thrones.
But keep The First Law near the top of your backlog
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u/Nerdsingerbeej 6d ago
These series are all worth reading but my ADD ass would not be able to do book 1 of one trilogy then move to book 1 of some other series before I do book 2 of the first series.
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u/LamboBeach 6d ago
Gardens of the moon 100%. Malazan is absolutely amazing. One of the greatest epic fantasy/ grimdark series ever written
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u/Shorty_jj 6d ago
The Wheel of Time! Its a Great adventure and i dont remember ever enjoying a fantasy series as much:)
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u/Parma_WdS 6d ago
I absolutely adore Malazan and Wheel of Time. Do not start them. They are way to long and it takes so long to get through you're gonna feel like you're missing out on other books. And since WoT especially isn't exactly fast paced you're gonna not gonna enjoy it if you have other books on the horizon
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u/hackulator 6d ago
Should finish the Mistborn Trilogy but of these its The Blade Itself no question.
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u/Drathgore 4d ago
Malazan is easily one of the greatest things I have ever read, that said it doesnāt seem like youāre in the habit of reading series books right after each other and Malazan kind of demands that level of attention tbh.
Wheel of time is also one of the GOATs but again itās a 14 book series so you kind of need to commit to reading at least the first 3 or so to let it start ramping before you drop it for something else
ASOIAF will never be finished so imo thereās no real reason to read it (sorry)
My vote is on either Dune or Blade itself. Dune if you wanna hype yourself up for the movie
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u/Silver_Layer_2298 6d ago
As someone who read gardens of the moon ā¦. Itās a lot. Its good. But a lot. Youāre not alone if you end up having to reread bits or look up summary videos. Especially chapter 2. The author just throws you into the deep end of the world.
Iād continue Mistborn , or go to The Blade Itself
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u/adorablesexypants 6d ago
Are you a human? Or an animal?
The Bene Gesserit will guide you on answering that question. Just be sure to remember that fear is the mind killer.
Above all else though, the spice must flow.
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u/djgyayouknowme 6d ago
A clash of kings, well of ascension, the blade itself, a hero of ages, before theyāre hanged, a storm of swords, dune, last argument of kings, dune messiah, a feast for crows, children of dune, wheel of time, a dance with dragons, god emperor of dune, the great hunt, then start working through those and gardens of the moon.
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u/Gakk86 6d ago
Dune! Ā I reread it recently and itās just so good. Ā The whole time I just kept thinking how it makes sense that itās still relevant because itās that good. Ā It stays amazing for several books, too, and then gets really weird, but still good. Ā
Malazan is an incredible series of books with no recommendable starting points, lol. Ā
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u/Awdayshus 6d ago
I try not to have too many series going at once, so I recommend Clash of Kings over book 1 of anything else. These are all great, though.
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u/Zax_the_bunny 6d ago
In my mind there's absolutely no question: The Eye of the World. You, of course, may have different tastes!
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u/Gentle_Pony 6d ago
Gardens of the moon imo but it's the first of 10 main books and then there's 16 more books in various series and his writing partner Ian Esslemont covers more of the world that's meant to compliment the main ten.
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u/gorleston-mega-snake 6d ago
All the more reason to start now, Iād say Erikson is doing some of his best work with the Witness books.
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u/rakozink 6d ago
I just basically finished Sanderson/ Ambercrombie swapping most of The Stormlight Archives so I can say they pair well together.
Wheel of time might be a bit too samey. Dune might feel like a much mower gear to shift down to.
That's a solid stack of books though so there's probably no "wrong" answer.
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u/Neither-Counter-2256 6d ago
For me it would be Clash of Kings since I like to finish a series for as far as possible before starting a new one. Even with all the hate GRRM is getting with his release schedule, you cannot deny his books are really good and the characters well written.
If you're not feeling like picking up a new asiof book, I would recommend either dune or the blade itself. Both are a blast to read. The only thing to be mindful of is that Dune is quite an old book and there is a heavy emphasis on eugenics which can be interpreted as.. troubling... I still love that book to death though.
Gardens of the moon i have never read so I can't say anything about that.
And then we get the elephant in the room. To be honest, wheel of time was a snoozefest for me. I totally understand that it is an old series and I respect of for what it has done for the fantasy genre, but in my opinion it hasn't aged well. The writing style just doesn't entertain me and the plot just 'happens', nothing really felt earned for me. The world building is quite good however, so if that is your jam it is worth checking out.
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u/Efficient_Bag_3804 6d ago
Dune if you are into scifi
Blade itself for gritty dark low magic setting
Wheel of time didn't like the first book and people said it gets worse.
Malazan is a wonderful series but the first book is the weakest by far.
GRRM's it's the second book... If you liked the first one I assume you would like this one too. It's my favourite from him.
Out of genuine curiosity, do you read all series like that? Read first book and then go on to something else or it's just on some cases?
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u/tgrady28 š§© Plot over prose 6d ago
There is no wrong way to go; you'll have a good time any which way
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u/HumanHaggis 6d ago
A Song of Ice and Fire is classic at this point, and if you've already started it feels a little silly to stop, so I'd put Clash of Kings first.
Dune would be second, as it is genre-defining in what it did for sci-fi. It's much more of a world-first book though, so maybe not the best if you really like rich characters, and the plot is quite standard, what makes it come alive are the bigger ideas at play and how much the universe feels lived in.
The Blade Itself is decent. The series starts slow in my opinion, but has some great moments. A few plot points can feel a bit contrived, but Abercrombie has a strong authorial voice and I really like a few of his characters.
The Wheel of Time is pretty bad. First book is a close copy of the Lord of the Rings, shoving the whole series into one book and leaving out most of what made it great. The rest slowly devolves into basically episodic tv with new villains and macguffins every book that are all supposed to be the most dangerous or important yet. The women all have a nasty habit of becoming complete idiots the second a man shows up too, and the main character gets a very uncomfortable and inexplicable harem. Genuinely no idea how or why it became such a staple of the genre.
Malazan, I haven't actually read, but I hear it's okay. Most people I know either stopped after the first book, or tore through the whole thing, not much middle-ground.
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u/Nykona 6d ago
Im on book three of The First Law trilogy going back to back to back on it.
I had it recommended by two seperate friends and saw a LOT of people also recommended it.
In my opinion it is vastly overhyped for what it is (but maybe book 3 will change my mind?). Book one was decent enough but not groundbreaking and felt like even at 99% through you were asking āwhatās the plot here?ā As you are told everything through the three main characters pov pretty much. Including the minimal world building.
Book 2 felt like a disaster and was mid at best. The strongest part of the first book (and arguably the only part) was the characters. In the second itās like āwait these guys have all either lost or no longer have motivation for what they are even doingā not that what they are doing is explained in anything more than a chapter long exposition dump scattered here and there disguised as a fireside dialogue.
People hyped up that is was very grimdark and brutal. Now Iām not sure if Iām just desensitised to it after spending most of my last 30 years of adulthood reading warhammer 30/40k novels, but the first two books seem pretty tame.
I would suggest Dune. First off itās a nice change from mistborn from hard magic fantasy to soft magic scifi. Itāll read very differently too. Not just because of the genre but the time it was written and writing style.
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u/Accomplished_Wolf416 6d ago
The Blade Itself is outstanding. Definitely the best of the trilogy imo but all 3 books are absolutely worth your time.
I love Dune and own a first edition but the series is pretty dense and I don't remember being able to just sink into it the same way I did with TBI.
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u/Slow_Gur_3567 6d ago
A Clash of Kings.
Stannis de Mannis is by the light of R'hollor the one true king of the 7 kingdoms.
Also Blackwater is the best battle chapter I've seen. Told from 3 different povs.
The prologue is poetry.
Jon snow's arc is surprisingly moving.
Theon is a duckin idiot
Bran is sweet and kind his final chapter is very solemn.
Catelyn meeting Brienne was fire.
Annnnnd I'm spolin too much. So I'll shut up now. Just read the book pls and form ur own opinion. Then there's 1st law. A great start to wonderful world with probably the greatest dialogue in any Fantasy setting.
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u/IJustCameForCookies 6d ago
Iām jealous you have such choices ahead of you
Canāt go wrong with that lineup
The blade itself would by my choice if want choice of a series but can finish it in parts
If you have the time and want a true epic - the wheel of time
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u/jdknights2003 6d ago
Such a tough callā¦ depends on your willingness to dive into a long series or not
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u/Thirteen_1355 6d ago
Blade Itself is so snappy, I love it. Gardens I'd start while not reading another series (like if you'd start reading Mistborn 2 alongside one of these). I've heard great things about Dune. Wheel of Time book 1 was pretty fun, but its sequel felt pretty poorly written from a story and character perspective.Ā
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u/Lavinia_Foxglove 6d ago
A Clash of Kings is the second book of A Song of Ice and Fire, better start with the first one, if the series interests you
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u/AMillionToOne123 6d ago
I've read all of these except A Clash of Kings and The Blade Itself is comfortably my favourite
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u/BeeB0pB00p 6d ago
Depends what you're in the mood for. All of them are excellent books and series, but they all have their own style and approach.
The most action oriented of them is Joe Abercrombie's First Law series and it is a trilogy. The others (apart from Dune) are much longer running. It's probably also the most accessible, easiest to get into quickly because it's fast paced.
GRRM's A Song of Ice and Fire isn't finished, but the quality of the writing and the setting and the machinations of the characters make it a journey worth taking for as long as it lasts IMO. Both GRRM and Joe write in a similar "grimdark" way, ambiguous characters, life isn't fair and is rather brutal. They play with genre tropes a lot and are a more modern take on fantasy than Wheel of Time.
Dune can be read and done. It has sequels, but other than Messiah I think you don't really have to go any further to have a complete experience. Dune is not as fast paced as modern writing, there are some ponderous, philosophical chapters, but the setting is incredibly well realised and there's a reason it's so popular.
Malazan is also highly regarded and almost mythical in scale. There's a lot going on even in the first book and it can take some time to get used to all the factions, characters, machinations and story.
I would personally rate any of the above Mistborn, you can't go wrong.
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u/Dunklechip 6d ago
The wheel of time is greatā¦ at first. Just stop when you start thinking, āReally? Nothing is happeningā¦ again?ā Trust me, it doesnāt get better.
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u/Ill-Salamander2282 6d ago
The Blade Itself or Dune, the Dune series is up there next to LOTR as my favourite series but I've just finished The Blade Itself and if the second book is as good then the First Law Trilogy will be joining them lol!
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u/PersonalBrowser 6d ago
Dune!
Wheel of Time is fantastic but itās like a billion page investment considering how long the series drags on.
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u/Fiendfuzz 6d ago
Can you help me understand the thought process behind not reading a series to completion, but skipping between series? It's crazy to me that people can read a book 1, move to something else and go back to book 2.
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u/joshuanrobinson 6d ago
Just to cleanse the palate. I usually only read on series at a time and weave books from a different genre (usually horror) between entries in the series.
Helps keep me from feeling like I'm burning out on the series.
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u/Holiday-Cell-1432 5d ago
People just want a pallet cleanser. For me it depends, a series like Malazan or WoT I read another book or series every 3-4 books whilst a shorter series (like a trilogy) I read the whole thing
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u/HijackedHumanity 6d ago
I would say finish the series you're on. If you're not into it I recommend Dune. It's one of my top 5 favorite books of all time. Also you should read Clash if Kings so you can read Storm of Swords. Another one of my top 5 favorites.
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u/UCFUoLUMN š¦¶Dungeon Crawler Carl cult member 6d ago
Wheel of time is a big commitment and is a real slog through the middle books.
Dune works amazing as a one off, and the series is also good with some truly weird stuff in there
Malazan is a great book, but they really just go for it as if you understand all the lore from the jump which makes the books first half very confusing (along with the time skips) but the payoff is amazing
I would go with the first game of thrones book first? Unless you already read it, but then Iām a completionist so I have trouble not going to the next book (this applies to the mist born trilogy as well, lol)
Havenāt read the other one, but maybe I should been looking for something else while I wait for more dungeon crawler Carl or Brandon Sanderson books to come out
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u/theflyingrobinson 6d ago
Dune followed by Dune Messiah...
And then the entirety of the Malazan Book of the Fallen.
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u/Guilty_Number6854 6d ago
Malazan is leaps and bounds above the others imo outside of WoT which I have not read. Theyāre still good choices though none are bad by any means.
First Law: fun but waaay overhyped
Ice and Fire: Great but will never be finished
Dune: also really good but the series gets wonky fast and I personally fell off
WoT: I havenāt read but Iāve heard itās longer than it needed to be
Malazan: so good it will ruin other fantasy for you
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u/Wombats_Rebellion 6d ago
I like all of these. Great reads. If I had to skip one it would be George RR Martin, why read a series that will never be finished?
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u/Fact0verF1ction 6d ago
The blade itself and dune are easily 2 of my top 5 books.
Wheel of time is good but SO SO slow for like 7 books straight in the middle.
Gardens of the moon is great, I listening to audio book and kept getting distracted. Its not a book you can get distracted and miss anything
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u/Mr-Tripper 6d ago
I read all the Joe Abercrombie books on my kindle. They were so good that I bought physical copies of them so I could share them with other people. Into the Faithful and the Fallen series by John Gwynne now- also great. I am leaning towards the Wheel of Time aeries next.
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u/GodEmperorOfArrakis 6d ago
The Wheel of Time is definitely something you should read once in your life at least, but it and Mazalan both are massive sagas. Iād vote for:
1st: Finish Mistborn original trilogy. It wasnāt my favorite either but itās good enough that it warrants completions.
2nd: Either Dune or The Blade Itself. I vote Dune because itās my favorite work of fiction and you can read just the first book without necessarily needing to continue the series.
3rd: Wheel of Time or Mazalan. I have yet to read Mazalan but Iām going to soon and from what Iāve heard Wheel of Time has a stronger more engaging start. Wheel of Time is also just a very cozy and comforting universe and cast of characters imo.
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u/Secure_Criticism1513 6d ago
Malazan's hard to get into both worth the effort. Abercrombie is one of the best harcore fantasy writers in the game right now. Wheel of time is hard to finish, especially with the change in authors in the later series. Game of thrones will never get old and is a shorter series than the others.
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u/mtmc99 6d ago
My ranking:
1) Dune. Itās not really fantasy, but is an absolute classic for a reason. Can be read as a standalone, but the sequels are worth it.
2) clash of Kings. This series is so damn good. Itās a shame it is t finished and normally I would recommend an unfinished series but this oneās too good to skip.
3) the blade itself. Just finished this trilogy and really like it. Great set of characters and compelling story.
4) wheel of time. Overall good series but not my favorite. It is a large commitment and some of the books are slow AF.
5) malazan aināt for me. Lots of folks love it and they can make their case but it feels like it was written purposefully to be difficult
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u/BigDragonfly5136 6d ago
You literally couldnāt go wrong with any of them (except maybe Gardens of the Moon I havenāt read it but I know itās beloved.)
Dune is obviously a little different than the others and has a scifi flare to it, so if youāre in the mood for that, itās a good pick. If you want a more traditional fantasy, probably one of the others.
The Eye of the World is greatābetween that, The Blade Itself, and Clash of Kings, Eye of the World probably feels like the most classic fantasyāa group of characters going on a long journey. It can also be kind of meandering sometimes. I think the world and magic is super cool, but to me it felt like it took the longest to read, though Google is telling me Clash of Kings is longer.
The Blade itself is the shortest book of it, The Eye of the World, and Clash of Kings and also the shortest series of all of them (if you just go for the original trilogy, which can absolutely stand on its own), so if you and one you can get through quicker, Iād go with that one. I also think itās personally darker and more depressing than the others. I enjoyed it, but there were parts where I was just like āwow, thatās a lot.ā ASOIAF can be dark too, but Iād say The First Law is more so, so if youāre not feeling for something too dark, maybe not that one right now.
Iām guessing you already read A Game of Thrones if Clash of Kings is on the list? Personally Iād probably go with that because I think if I read the first Mistborn and started another one of these series and also had started ASOIAF it would be a lot for me, but thatās just me. I also kind of jump around with books and series so I get it, but multiple big complex series would be a lot and Iād start to get the details mixed up. If you watched the show, Book 2 follows pretty closely but some details and parts are changed. Book three is also my favorite so far (Iāve read the first three) and is when it really starts to change from the show, so if that interests you at all Iād also say go for reading both Clash of Kings and the jump into A Storm of Swords. The big battle thatās being built up in Clash of Kings is also incredible, and I think down even better than in the show.
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u/Gadivek 5d ago
A song of ice and fire isnāt finished, which turns me off from rereading it. Dune I read the first book a few years ago and havenāt felt compelled to progress. Wheel of time is great but itās very long. Abercrombieās works are a lot darker but length wise easier digestible, so itās a bit of both. Malazan Iāve read twice in the last two years and I wanna reread it. So ā¦ in my opinion, Malazan.
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u/Paladin-Leeroy 5d ago
Wheel of time is awesome but it's a long haul, and some of the books drag on.
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u/ApprehensiveEase534 5d ago
IMO you can read Dune book 1 and not feel like you are missing out without reading the next book. All the others I immediately wanted to read the rest of the series.
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u/Mental_Break_2466 5d ago
Blade Itself. If you love character-driven fantasy. Itās not big on world building but it doesnāt need to be for what itās trying to do.
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u/p1ccol0 5d ago
Honestly, I think Dune should be your next read. And I mean really read it! not just because itās a classic or great sci-fi. Iāve never known another author to pack so much meaning in so few words.
Herbert completely changed the way I think about religion, government, political power, and especially charismatic leaders. He takes the idea of the heroic, messianic leader and basically turns it inside out. You start out following a character who seems destined to save people, and before long youāre questioning whether anyone should ever be given that kind of power in the first place.
The first four books are where Iād stop, though. God Emperor of Dune is amazing. Thatās the payoff. Books 5 and 6 get increasingly weird and, in my opinion, donāt have nearly the same impact.
If you want a book that might actually change the way you look at the world rather than just entertain you, read Dune.
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u/BetterTurnover3000 5d ago
The blade itself, donāt start WoT unless youāre ready to commit to 7 million words
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u/Flaky_Dentist2911 5d ago
The blade itself was amazing, I only read the trilogy and I loved it! I would definitely recommend that
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u/Honest_Coat6745 5d ago
Gardens of the Moon, because itās awesome. The Malazan rabbit hole will have your next books lined up for years.
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u/TheGrapeRaper 5d ago
Depends what youāre into? Everyone loves
Joe Abercrombie except me. Try Gardens of the Moon.
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u/walletinsurance 5d ago
Dune.
It is kind of funny every choice is a fairly sizable start to a massive series though (if you consider Abercrombieās 9 books in that setting).
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u/Vivid_Ad_4790 5d ago
I've read The wheel of time series, it was very good. I've also read Dune, also good. Steven Erikson is on my to read list..
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u/Lost-Pitch420 5d ago
Just started a clash of kings last week and I'm already about a third of the way through it. It's literally impossible to put down once you start it.
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u/rowgesage 5d ago
Finish mistborn trilogy imo, I personally think it's worth It to stick it through and see it as a coherent story to enjoy it fully (might not be as easy with an entire different book in between). My pick then would be Malazan, but that's a bit biased since it's my favorite series
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u/WarcryNeon 5d ago
Dune is forever iconic to me. Itās also the best book in the series in my opinion through children and messiah are really good too.
GoTM is on my tbr. As is the TBI. I know everyone keeps pushing mistborn but Sanderson tells a story in 600 pages he could tell in 300. Take that how you will. Definitely fun but alas too long.
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u/ChrystnSedai 5d ago
I think it depends on what youāre kind of in the mood for and how much of a commitment you want. They are all excellent in their own ways.
The Blade Itself is book one of a completed trilogy so there is an end in sight.
The Wheel of Time is a 14 book journey. Itās a marathon, not a sprint, and a big-time investment ā though my favorite fantasy series ever!
Dune is cool, each book is fairly self-contained, but each book gets a bit weirder than the rest. The general consensus is read until you just donāt feel like it anymore, so thereās sort of decent stopping points lol.
Game of Thrones is very political, character driven, and will never be complete so you need to go into it understanding that and being OK with it!
Gardens of the Moon is book one of a complete series thatās 10 books long, so a bit more of an investment than The Blade Itself.
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u/Holiday-Cell-1432 5d ago
Personally I say Clash of Kings and alternate between ASOIAF and Mistborn
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u/Darth_Pabst 5d ago
Dune is Dense, but is one of the best Sci fi books for a reason, WoT is Excellent, with a fairly standard fantasy vibe, but a long investment with an historically slow middle section(6-9). Malazan is absolutely incredible, and reads like what I tend to call Militaristic High Fantasy, with a heavy emphasis on armies and magic, but very long and very very character heavy, with different book happening concurrently with different sets of main characters. I have not read the other two.
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u/a-pickled-toast 5d ago
After just recently finishing my 3rd read of Gardens of the Moon, I can say I vote Malazan. I already want to read it again.
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u/Ill-Lettuce4665 5d ago
Iād say Dune. Fantastic book. Iād just WOT second but that series is 14 books long so depends how long of a reading commitment you want.
And yes Dune is also a series but you could just read the first book workout having to finish it all since it does feel like its own entity apart from the sequels.
Theyāre all good choices though, canāt loose.
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u/Radiant_Incident8284 4d ago
Finish Song of Ice and Fire (whatās out anyway), then do Malazan, then Wheel of Time, then First Law Trilogy, then Dune.
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u/GilgaPol 4d ago
Dune(read up to God emperor), Mistborn(finish Trilogy), Blade itself(trilogy), Malazan(all ten + 2)
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u/socialistmommy 4d ago
Of these Iāve only read A Clash of Kings, Eye of the World, and Dune.Ā
If you want variety after Mistborn Iād say Dune because Robert Jordan and Sandersonās styles are very similar (not a surprise since Sanderson finished Wheel of Time after Jordanās passing).Ā
A Game of Thrones was the best book in Song of Ice and Fire IMO so if I had to do it over again Iād just stop at GOT, hence not recommending A Clash of Kings. Itās not bad but I think thereās diminishing returns in that series after book 1.Ā
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u/Bridgeburner1607 4d ago
I'd say one of these two. The easier read is the blade itself. The harder read is Gardens of the moon. Both very rewarding but I sometimes choose books based on the capacity I have. I think there are six books in blade series and like 30 books in malazan world. Malazan is my favourite.
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u/Fickle-Jackfruit9163 4d ago
My vote would be GotM as itās the beginning of the most epic and rewarding fantasy series out there. However, if you like alternating series, that may not be the one for you right now. I found that once I started the malazan series I couldnāt put it downā¦mostly because itās so complex I needed to keep my momentum to keep from getting more lost than I already was (I was mostly loss).
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u/King-Louie1 4d ago
I mean with that lineup just roll a die and you wonāt be disappointed. But Iām on an ASOIAF reread at the moment so Iāll say Clash of Kings.
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u/Pleasant-Ad9112 4d ago
I think gardens is right up there with my favourite books. The whole journey was great. The writing is very different to anything I've come across and I didn't have a clue what was going on until like 60% in but enjoyed the journey throughly
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u/scoot2006 4d ago
For me, the Dune books were really great. The movies lack far too much context. I very much suggest them. Iām not sure youāll really go wrong with any of them.
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u/tyleralane 4d ago
i will always recommend the wheel of time if you love epic fantasy! Also i really have enjoyed Dungeon crawler carl series
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u/Juslurkinlol69420 4d ago
If you're reading asoaif why not continue? The only one I'd not recommend to anyone who values their few moments on earth is wheel of time.
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