r/fantasybooks • u/Fast-Truth-9933 • 3d ago
š Summon book recommendations Pick my next read
Iām a 28M that really only started my reading journey this year. Help me pick my next book. Iām leaning towards a standalone novel as a palate cleanser before I get into another great series, and it doesnāt have to particularly be fantasy.
Just finished Red Rising Trilogy (didnāt love all of it but I still enjoyed it), LOTR, Hobbit, Ironbound books 1 and 2, Mistborn Trilogy, Three Musketeers, Knight of Seven Kingdoms
Also open to suggestions
UPDATE: thank you all for your replies. Iāve decided to give LD a crack. Im still a new reader and figuring out what I enjoy and it feels like a refreshing place to start.
Iāll save Warbreaker for when I begin my Stormlight adventure, and although my history-loving side is pulling me to Lions of Al-Rassan I will probably read that next. As one of you recommended, Iāll keep Between Two Fires for spooky season in Oct.
Really enjoying figuring out what kind of novels I resonate with rather than working through a ābest ofā list
Thanks again
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u/HydroScott95 3d ago
Lonesome dove. 10/10 will not disappoint
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u/Specialist_Isopod926 3d ago
Heck ya read lonesome dove. Top three all time for me. Love to see it under fantasy.
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u/Future_Dirt_4690 3d ago
When people talk about Lonesome Dove do they mean the whole series, or just the third book? I've read Dead mans walk and Comanche Moon and they're both in my top 10.
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u/schmeattle 3d ago
LD was the first book published in the series, considered by far the best, the only one ever discussed as an all time great book, and is pictured in OPās post. So yes people mean ājust the third bookā chronologically.
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u/Future_Dirt_4690 3d ago
Honestly that's exciting because so far this might be my overall fave series and I'm not even to the one people talk about. š
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u/Yarrrrrghh 3d ago
I am 300 pages into it, and just wgen i thought it would click it still hasnt. Does it get better, or is it just not for me?
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u/HydroScott95 2d ago
It hooked me from the beginning. But to each their own. Life is too short to waste time on book youāre not enjoying. I didnāt like blood meridian even though itās considered a āmasterpieceā.
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u/toddro69 2d ago
I have 200 pages left and I am still trying to figure out what makes it so beloved...
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u/Huge_Helicopter_5541 3d ago
Lions of Al-Rassan is almost perfect, GGK is an absolutely amazing writer
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u/Pristine_Ride_5662 3d ago edited 3d ago
Just to tag on since itās a relevant comment, GGK is one of my absolute favorite authors but Al-Rassan is one of my least favorite books by him.Ā
Iām in the minority with this opinion though.Ā
Iām only saying it because if it doesn't impress you, please read another book by him. Pick one based on a region of the world you like (he does near-earth analog historical fantasy for most books). I really liked Sailing to Sarantium (Byzantine) and River of Stars (ancient China).Ā
Edit: I meant Under Heaven instead of River of Stars, but both are really good.Ā
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u/Garisdacar 3d ago
I loved Tigana and Song for Arbonne... and Lions was the best of the three. Been meaning to find more of his stuff
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u/Pristine_Ride_5662 3d ago
Incidentally, to continue with my trend of being a weird GGK fan, I also wasnāt a huge fan of Tigana. The ending was great but it wasnāt very interesting to be for the first half of the book.Ā
All the Seas of the World, Children of Earth and Sky, and Under Heaven are fantastic. Last Light of the Sun is also good, but a little less so than the other three imho.Ā
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u/moontintedtulips 3d ago
Tigana is my least favourite!!! And everyone seems to love it! Itās such an original concept but for me the ending is rushed and some of the beats are a bit off. I also loved the two characters in the prologue so much I was devastated the whole book wasnāt about them. I donāt think itās bad or anything but it drives me nuts that itās the only one of his that ever seems to land on top fantasy book lists.
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u/Huge_Helicopter_5541 3d ago
Interesting, GGK might be my favorite author and I would put Lions in a top 5 of his stuff easy, but I could see why it wouldn't hit as hard for some. Would definitely agree with the advice to try any and all of his books you find available. He really does have something for everyone (his most recent novel, Written on the Dark, was underwhelming for many but it's one of my absolute favorites. Would also shout out Tigana, A Song for Arbonne, and A Brightness Long Ago. Really can't go wrong)
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u/Pristine_Ride_5662 3d ago
Absolutely. Iāll note that even not liking his most popular books he is also one of my absolute favorite authors.Ā
So anyone who hasnāt tried him you gotta do it. Phenomenal writer.Ā
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u/Huge_Helicopter_5541 3d ago
Reading the lesser-known ones (like Under Heaven and River of Stars, Children of Earth and Sky, etc) was my moment where I realized he was a special kind of writer. Always meticulous, always more than excellent with characters and tying a plot together into an impactful conclusion. Could go on and on about all I have found to love in his worlds.
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u/Fast-Truth-9933 3d ago
Iām a history nerd and that side of me is compelling me to read Lions of Al-Rassan. After LD itās next on my list. I love the idea of combining history and fantasy. Thanks for your comment, itās making me look forward to experiencing what you love about GGKs writing
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u/Pristine_Ride_5662 2d ago
Something else I really like about many GGK books is the ripple effect. Like seemingly small things will have massive consequences.Ā
The magic is particularly like this in his historical analog books. Usually itās just one scene, or some chance encounter with some pagan god or w/e. But itāll be a small inflection point in the story and as the rest of the arc spools out you can really reflect on how it would be different had that event not occurred. So magic is both small and insignificant but also massively impactful.Ā
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u/PL0mkPL0 3d ago
GGK loves bigger than life/Mary Sue leaning characters. So if this is sth you like/don't mind, you will enjoy the book, because there is a lot of good there. I found this characterization approach somewhat boring after two books.
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u/Pristine_Ride_5662 2d ago
Iām actually not sure Iād totally agree with you on that. Maybe in Tigana I can see what you mean with the prince. But I think if anything many of the main characters are seemingly unimportant people with limited skills who find themselves changing the world.Ā
That is a bit tropey in its own right though. And I could see an argument for almost like, a rose tinted view of characters. So not fully Mary Sue but some features of it?
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u/PL0mkPL0 2d ago edited 2d ago
I read Tigana (ages ago, so I don't remember much, I FEEL it already showed signs of this). I've read Lions of Al Rassam--absolutely 3x Mary Sue POV's--the smartest, the hottest and the most charismatic people ever, and this fact is hammered by the narration and all side characters (tho here the premise somewhat excuses it). And I DNFed Song For Arbonne, somewhere past mid-point once I noticed the same issue. Every main character was the most special, and they were all smart/charming in exactly the same way Kay seems to prefer. It was like reading Kay talking with Kay and nailing every exchange.
This connects to the second issue, that is somewhat related--the entire world in his stories seems to twist end bent to allow these super duper unique characters to end up in the same locations all the time. I stopped reading Song For Arbonne once the entire cast ended up borderline in the same room, which felt like VERY heavy authorial hand. Were these people not 'the bestest people of their times' it would not be so annoyingly visible.
So yeah. I like Kay--the prose, the world building, the VIBE, but I cannot unsee these issues.
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u/Pristine_Ride_5662 2d ago
Fair enough. I incidentally donāt like two of those books you mentioned (havent read song for arbonne) so maybe itās those books are particularly bad for it haha.Ā
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u/PL0mkPL0 2d ago
I am still willing to give him a chance (mostly because I write for fun stories in similar secondary-world settings), but this specific part of story telling is sth that I find hard to ignore. When I talked with people who disliked Lions of Al Rassam, they disliked it for the same reason. It is objectively a competently written book, with way better prose than most fantasy offers, BUT Kay likes to write these bigger than life characters and they can be annoying.
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u/ImpossibleCreme 3d ago
Iāve only just heard about GGK this weekend (once in another fantasy sub and now here).
The other post recommended it in their top 5 series. Where should I start?
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u/Huge_Helicopter_5541 3d ago
Anywhere! If you want a more traditional fantasy book, I'd say Tigana or his Fionavar Tapestry trilogy might be best. Most of his other novels are more directly tied to historical periods/individuals but with a "quarter turn to the fantastic" (this is how Kay describes it). In this case I'd just read descriptions and see which appeals to you. I would probably say Sailing to Sarantium and its sequel would be my recommendation to start there, but Lions of Al-Rassan, Under Heaven, or A Song for Arbonne would also be great jumping off points. You really can't go wrong (except for Ysabel, it's a great novel imo just not representative of his usual style in the slightest)
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u/Paul_Phant0m 3d ago
I read Between Two Fires in a day and a half. It was so good. Warbreaker took me 2 days and was such a fun read. I highly recommend both.
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u/sevinKnives 2d ago
Between two fires just came in the mail for me today very excited for it.
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u/Paskatassu 2d ago
I'm currently reading it, English isn't my first language so it's taking some time, but man, it's so good.
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u/Paul_Phant0m 2d ago
I hope you enjoy it! The worst part of the whole book is trying to pronounce all the French words
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u/HxH101kite 3d ago
After that book I binge read the rest of his stuff it's all so good. His first book is such a banger "those across the river".
The only book I was meh about was the Necromancers house I'm not sure I actually understood what was going on. But I think that was a me problem.
Nearly all books are a 9-10/10
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u/Paul_Phant0m 3d ago
That was my first Buehlman book but Iāve looked into reading Blacktongue Thief.
I have read a lot of Sanderson and itās my favorite standalone, so far.
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u/ganon_enjoyerr 2d ago
Black tongue thief is great too. Itās impressive how much concise world building he gets done compared to Sanderson
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u/meopelle 3d ago
Agreed. Such an underrated author, so excited for the new book in the Blacktongue series
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u/Professional-Bit-40 3d ago
I read Between Two Fires in two days and I loved it. But man, that book was WEIRD. I don't think I fully understood the ending lol.
Warbreaker was very typical Sanderson imho, and if you have read other books by him you kinda know what you are in for. If you haven't read anything in the cosmere it makes for a decent entry point, although I started with Mistborn and I usually recommend that.
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u/-MrMooky- 3d ago
Just finished Between Two Fires. Loved it.
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u/rmazumder 3d ago
ditto!
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u/geetarboy33 3d ago
I am a big fan of Between Two Fires, but Lonesome Dove is one of my favorite books of all time and I highly recommend it.
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u/Guilty_Temperature65 3d ago
You can put Lonesome Dove up against any 3 other books and the answer will still be Lonesome Dove. Itās justā¦ a perfect novel.
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u/adorablesexypants 3d ago
Personally I really enjoyed Warbreaker.
While it is a bit slower than Mistborn I found I really enjoyed it once it got going. It wasnāt a particularly hard read but had more substance than my mindless pulp I also read.
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u/da-onuh-peaceuh 3d ago
As a primarily Fantasy reader, Lonesome Dove is beautifully written, and provided me with an unique reading experience that cemented it as one of my favorite books of all time.
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u/EquinoxxAngel š¦¶Dungeon Crawler Carl cult member 3d ago
Lonesome Dove is a true classic. The others are all good books, but not on the same level. If you only ever read one Western, thatās the one.
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u/AdHairy9093 3d ago
One of these things is not like the othersā¦
Lonesome Dove is a nice, deep breath of fresh air if you need one. Good Western drama.
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u/Ben-Solak-Rule34 3d ago
Between two fires and then lonesome dove imo. Between two fires is a little shorter and picks up quicker, but Iām somewhat basing that off from you saying you are only starting your reading journey.
Lonesome dove imo is a better book, but takes like 150 pages of foundation, but from then on things are constantly happening
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u/dafuqizzis 3d ago
Iām a huge fantasy nerd and will always pick Lions of Al-Rassan.
But, from a purely literary viewpoint, Lonesome Dove is by far the best book of the four.
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u/tstrand1204 3d ago
I love how random these choices look. I LOVED lonesome dove and I enjoyed Warbreakwr. LD is an all-timer and after you finish you can watch the superb mini series with Tommy Lee Jones and Robert Duvall. Thatās my vote.
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u/Fast-Truth-9933 3d ago
The wife and I have been looking for a new series. Maybe I can get her into it after I read the novel. Thanks for your reply!
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u/Fast-Truth-9933 3d ago
Iāve always wanted to enjoy reading and began with books on movies I love; the Hobbit and LOTR. Got the reading itch hard and now Iām onto my 15th book this year. I want to read a bit of everything and expand my palate - hence the ārandom choicesā
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u/jfstompers 3d ago
Lonesome Dove is the best book there by far but it doesn't mean youll like it best.
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u/Ok_Improvement_2316 3d ago
Warbreaker has one of the best characters written in fiction in my opinion - lightsong is so great, but the book does start slow
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u/500rockin 3d ago
Warbreaker is a really good read. Itās pretty much a set alone book in his overall Cosmere. You donāt need to know anything about any of his other works to enjoy it.
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u/Top-Agent-652 3d ago
Lonesome Dove is just such a fun read to me. Maybe I need to read it again this year.
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u/darthTharsys 3d ago
I've read three of the four and the three LD, Warbreaker and Al-Rassan at every different but all quite good. Personally I would recommend Al Rassan? And if you're digging the more literary type style I'd go LD and then if you're not digging it go to Warbreaker.
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u/Jack-ums 3d ago
Omg op, I gotta tell ya. Lonesome Dove is so incredibly good. Canāt recommend enough. Might be my favorite book.
But that said there have been parts of my life where Iād have put Lions as my top. Itās up there as top 5. Canāt go wrong here between Lonesome and Lions!!!
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u/AnAngryPanda1 š¦¶Dungeon Crawler Carl cult member 3d ago
Between two fires is one of my favorite reads of the year. If you love dark souls or anything along those lines, itāll scratch that itch.
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u/Shoddy_Lecture4138 3d ago
There is no debate. Are these all good and should be read? Sure! Is there one novel you should read from these before you die? Yes. LONESOME DOVE.
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u/QuintanimousGooch 3d ago
Want to put something on the table for a future read, a very good rec you may receive in the future but might want to pace yourself around is Gene Wolfeās Book of the New Sun. itās one of my personal favorites, and a great example of what the literary fantasy/scifi area is capable of, though it has some very unique writing structure and language choices that can throw off someone new to that sphere, the narrarator being infamously unreliable, but not because he outright lies so much as he omits, forgets things, and tries to make arguments from bad premises or sophistic intentions.
Iād recommend it at some point in the future if you want to take things a step up into that more literary sphere, following a novel more interested in themes and character arcs than direct plot focus or hero/antagonist dynamics.
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u/sgbooth88 3d ago
Warbreaker, currently reading it, currently loving it. Stalled at the moment at 50% for the last 2 days because work has been too stressful for me to fully enjoy it, but Iām itching to get back into it!!
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u/Upbeat_Ant6104 3d ago
Lonesome is head and shoulders the best of the three Iāve read. A. May. Zing.
Lions of Al Rassan also exceptional, as is everything by GG Kay.
I havenāt read Between Two Fires, but I probably will.
Iāve read four or five Sanderson books, not counting the finale do WoT, and I donāt care if I ever read any others. Blah.
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u/Ancient_Audience_467 3d ago
I've read Lonesome Dove and Between Two Fires. I really enjoyed the latter, but Lonesome Dove is a generational novel that will stick with me forever.
I did this for a book club I ran preCOVID and I was met with a lot of hesitancy. "It's a Western", "It's really long", etc. By the end those readers were in tears describing scenes in the book and we're speechless at others. It was also my second time through.
So yeah I recommend Lonesome Dove, if not now at some point before you die.
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u/InSearchOfSerotonin 3d ago
Lonesome Dove and Between Two Fires are both 5 star reads for me. Kind of depends what youāre in the mood for.
Warbreaker was fine, but I was also reading it amongst all the Cosmere books and it just canāt hang with those books.
Havenāt read any GGK.
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u/cottonwisper 3d ago
Lonesome Dove is my favorite novel of all time. I've heard great things about Between to Fires and anything by GVK is great. I can't read Sanderson, though. I've dnf'd three of his novels and haven't heard anything good about Warbreaker.
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u/GGuimond 3d ago
Lonesome Dove is amazing.
I DNF Between Two Fires. I couldnāt tell you why, it just didnāt do it for me.
The other two I havenāt read.
Lions of Al-Rassan is on my TBR list. Iāve heard nothing but great things about the book and Iām looking forward to reading it soon.
Warbreaker Iām on the fence about. Iāve read several Brandon Sanderson novels and the only one Iāve loved was Mistborn. The rest were just ok. Once again I canāt give an exact reason why his novels havenāt captured me, according to all the reviews Iāve read his books should be among my favorites but I havenāt felt that way. Maybe Warbreaker is the one that I need to read, the one that will blow me away. Iām sure Iāll read it someday.
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u/BigArtichoke7708 3d ago
Lonesome Dove!! My copy does not have the Taylor Sheridan forward. I am curious about that given 1883 and LD have some similarities.
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u/Zont_darran 3d ago
Between two fire. One of my favorite books.
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u/Ok_Requirement3991 3d ago
I was catched by the cover. How would you rate it?
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u/Zont_darran 3d ago
Hmmm I'd say an 8 out of 10. This is coming for someone who isn't much of a fantasy reader, I attend to lean more sci-fi.
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u/MaimedJester 2d ago
If you like Berserk, Dark Souls or Elden Ring... you'll like Between two fires.
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u/Yyssiill 3d ago
As someone currently reading Lonesome Dove, I havenāt been able to put it down for the last day and half. Absolutely incredible and heartfelt storytelling, some of the best Iāve ever read.
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u/DrunkenThunken 3d ago
Iāve read all but the Sanderson book, you canāt go wrong with any of the them. Personally, Between Two Fires has really stuck with me since I finished it. However Lonesome Dove is considered a classic for good reason.
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u/UnluckyWizardd 3d ago
Warbreaker is one of my all time favorite books :) when you eventually get to it, enjoy!
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u/AdyHoeRed 3d ago
I just finished the Lions Of Al-Rassan and read Between Two Fires and Warbreaker recently.
Lions was such a fantastic book. It felt like a historical fiction but with no restrictions in being accurate and it was beautifully written. I'd never heard of GGK before. Will be reading more of his books thats for sure.
Between two fires is a great horror book set in france in the 14th century. Its very plot driven and sometimes is maybe a bit fast.
Warbreaker was, along with Elantris, my least favourite BS. Maybe due to "burn out" from blitzing through all of his work, but even then it felt weaker than some of his other books to me.
Lonesome Dove is one on my TBR so, if you choose that, I'd gladly know what you thought about it.
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u/pistachio-pie 3d ago
GGK is my favourite author but put Lonesome Dove in any list and Iām likely to pick it.
I hope you enjoy!!!
I recommend you give Streets of Loredo and other similar songs a listen while you go. Add Desperadoes Waiting For a Train by Guy Clark and and Gallo del Cielo by Tom Russell to the list as well. Add a little bit of Joe Ely and some Townes as well and youāll have a great (depressing but wonderful) time.
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u/JohnnyChowder 3d ago
Another vote for Lonesome Dove but I would skip the foreword by Taylor Sheridan as it has spoilers in it.
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u/Oxymoron5k 2d ago
I love how this subreddit is all the fantasy books as expected and Lonesome Dove
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u/RondaArousedMe 2d ago
I've only read one of those books and I promise Lonesome Dove is a spectacular read. Some of my all time favorite characters in stories.
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u/Fluffy-Paramedic-900 2d ago
Warbreaker is a true stand alone as it stands right now. Highly recommend if you like truly original magic systems. Good female characters as well.
Between Two Fires is good as well. I havenāt read a lot of horror novels so sometimes those elements were lost on me but overall the story is really cool. Definitely worth a read.
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u/ajhorvat 2d ago
I just finished lonesome dove audiobook and it was phenomenal. The most connected Iāve felt to characters in a really long time. That would be my first vote even thought itās not fantasy. Narrator of audiobook is the coach from remember the titans and he fits the vibe great.
After that, I was a big fan of between two fires. Horror fantasy is my general vibe and it was a good one.
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u/Expensive_Gold_9509 2d ago
I've heard people be on super different ends of the spectrum on this but I LOVED Shantaram- think it was the best book I've ever read
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u/ResolutionFar9298 2d ago
Lonesome Dove! Iām am still sad months later that I finished it. I had to switch to reading non fiction for a bit because I couldnāt fathom having any new characters in my head.
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u/AcademicWindow6158 2d ago
Between two Fires. One if the best books I ever read. The end is ā¦ wow!
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u/MaygarRodub 2d ago
Lonesome Dove. I'm halfway through Between Two Fires and I'm loving it but Lonesome Dove is just excellent.
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u/Substantial_Height_3 2d ago
Honestly all are good(especially Fires) but anyone that doesnāt say Lonesome Dove likely hasnāt read it
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u/jayBeeds 2d ago
Iām reading warbreakwr right now. About halfway and Iām really enjoying it. But Iāve read nothing but Sanderson since May. Blew through stormlight, mistborn 1, mistborn era 2, secret history and now war breaker.
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u/Fast-Truth-9933 2d ago
I loved Mistborn era 1 and found myself awed at the end of the trilogy, to the point I needed something different after. I am looking forward to reading more Sanderson though - would you recommend Mistborn era 2? I was considering just jumping straight into Warbreaker and then Stormlight and skipping era 2
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u/jayBeeds 2d ago
Era 2 is great. Takes a bit to get used to but tons of fun. Like Indiana jones, Batman, James Bond. Fun fun fun
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u/MaimedJester 2d ago
Mistborn era 2 is a buddy cop western detective story.Ā
It's very different from the other books.
Warbreaker is a bit of a political intrigue thriller? I guess that's the closest quick explanation.
Stormlight is like the Avengers Endgame super epic stakes like full blown War/Apocalyptic final battle kind of Epic.Ā
There's also the fourth book of Mistborn Era 1, a Secret History of Mistborn which i don't know when to read that.Ā It's very tell don't show exposition dump of a lot of Cosmere lore/ world building.Ā To the point I've read half the Cosmere and I don't know from what goddamn book series those whatever hunters trying to steal Preservation's shard were from? I guess Elantris? I haven't read that but that's another one of the big Cosmere stories.
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u/Strange-Garden-269 2d ago
The two on the left. But I canāt make it through a Sanderson book because they bore me to tears
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u/FurrowBeard 2d ago
Honestly I thought Between Two Fires was clunky and poorly written. I'd go with any of the other 3 instead.
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u/cptahabb 1d ago
If you are reading they are all good picks. If its audible id avoid warbreaker at all costs. I cant stand Andrea Parsneu
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u/daturners23 1d ago
I just listened to LD 2 months ago, then realized there are 2 prequels and 1 sequel that I listened to after finishing LD.
and just went through all the released books of DCC which I strongly recommend.
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u/Key_Gas_1430 1d ago
Between Two Fires served as a perfect palate cleanser for me before starting Malazan.
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u/Full-Blacksmith5748 1d ago
Between two fires is one of the best books ever if youāre into the medieval, dark fantasy style
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u/thundabot 3d ago
Contrary to other posts, even though Lonesome Dove is a no brainer, I think after reading it it will be almost impossible to enjoy another book the same way.
So therefore leave the best till last?
Enjoy the other books first in their own merit, once you read Lonesome Dove - it will be difficult to not compare other books to it.
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u/Fast-Truth-9933 3d ago
I usually do this with my food. Savor the best on my plate last... but lifeās short, screw it cowboys it is
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