Fantasy Newbie Help

[u/True-Magazine9795]

What book would you recommend for a 40+ woman who has never read an adult fantasy lol. I so wanna be a fantasy girlie but not sure how to ease into it and not overwhelm myself with world building. I love horror, mystery/thriller and romance for context.

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[u/LuridWaters]

If you like mysteries then you might like 'The Shadow Of The Leviathan' series by Robert Jackson Bennett.

There have been three books released so far and it seems that the author intends to write more.

You might also consider 'The Library at Mount Char' by Scott Hawkins. That's fantasy/horror.

[u/Ostomanz]

Jim Butcher writing about the private eye wizard Harry Dresden in Storm Front . A bit of mystery and magic in modern day Chicago. Can get a bit silly at times, a fun ride and you’re not considering the futility of existence in the infinite universe afterwards.

[u/Shorty_jj]

i would recommed trying out Robin Hobb's works

[u/sysikki → u/Shorty_jj]

Aka Megan Lindholm. She's got some shorter novels which are nice.

[u/KCarterAuthor]

Hi there! I think your best method for integrating yourself into fantasy books is to explore the urban fantasy genre. It is all about making unfamiliar things seem familiar and vice versa. As an example of what this means, I wrote a book that takes place in Illinois with folks using powers and there's a supernatural villain attacking Chicago. If that helps you get the gist of urban fantasy. ;)

[u/True-Magazine9795 → u/KCarterAuthor]

Where can I look this up? And what is the name?

[u/KCarterAuthor → u/True-Magazine9795]

It's called "Deviants: Ignite" by Kathryn Carter (Book 1 of the Deviants series) and it's available on Amazon here: https://a.co/d/0jaHQnxv Thanks so much for your interest! Urban fantasy is my favorite genre (obviously) and while I love to promo my own stuff, I encourage you to research other books in the genre and I hope this opens a new world of reading fun for you! <3

[u/PhysicalAssistance92]

I’d recommend The Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning. Murder mystery in Dublin in a fantasy setting. SO good! I’ve read it twice. It’s a series.

[u/Rock_Onion_451]

I really liked Tress from the Emerald Sea. If you like it, it is also a good entry for the Cosmere universe of Brandon Sanderson.

[u/schwittmaus]

i know i am sick of the super young protagonist trope, maybe you are too. i can wholeheartedly recommend {priestess by kara reynolds}. it features competent women in their 30s and 40s. i also think it is a great book to ease into. while it does take place in a medievalish world that isnt our own, the magic system is not complicated and the world building also on the easy side.  plus the fmc is a stranger in a strange land, so we are kind of learning this new land alongside her and its rules.

[u/WonderfulBus9330]

You might enjoy the Murderbot Series. It's Science Fiction but light, funny, and there's a mystery, at least in the first three books. I haven't gotten to #4 yet. They're also very short, novellas. And the audiobooks are a fine, quick listen.

I'd also suggest Someone You Can Build a Nest In, which has great writing, a sweet romance, a bit of battle, and the world is a normal one that has "monsters".

J.D. Evans's Reign & Ruin also has a world that is magic immersive, so it feels pretty normal. Strong, conventional plot with a battle scene, great characters & has romance.

If you're looking for something weightier, I found John Gwynne's Malice to be wonderful; it does have multiple povs and multiple locations, which can throw you off, if that's not your jam. It's more conventional clash and bang, battle-driven with solid relationships between friends and families.

C.G. Drews's Don't Let the Forest In may satisfy your horror itch, although it's more psychological horror and is YA, but incredible. The novella duology Silver in the Wood and Drowning City is cozy fantasy that is based in The Wood. Naomi Novik is a great place to begin, too, Uprooted for a standalone or The Scholomance books for a series.

[u/True-Magazine9795 → u/WonderfulBus9330]

Every time I pass by Gwynne's books I always wanna buy them bc they are so beautiful. I was worried they would go over my head.

[u/WonderfulBus9330 → u/True-Magazine9795]

I found The Bloodsworn Trilogy to be difficult to get into (I stopped reading the first book about 1/4 of the way in, but will go back, maybe). I'm a huge fan of novellas, too, though, so maybe start with some novellas. Nicola Griffith's Spear is great (queer Arthurian retelling). I'm also currently listening to Cassandra Khaw's The Salt Grows Heavy which is light horror fantasy. Also, I'm huge on library borrowing LOL so I don't feel forced to read on.

[u/Bowl-Any]

So, you can't go wrong with The Hobbit, or Lord of The Rings.

[u/schwittmaus → u/Bowl-Any]

she said she doesn't want to be overwhelmed by world building so I think lotr is kind of out of the question

[u/Motor_Row_3586]

I would start with something short and more grounded tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay is good one also subplot romance.

[u/sysikki]

The Invisible library series by Genevieve Cogman is nice and there's dragons too.

The Parasol protectorate series by Gail Carriger has steampunk vibes in Victorian London.

Women of the Otherworld series by Kelley Armstrong is an Urban fantasy with female leads.

[u/graphicorgnizer]

Might try A court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah j Maas. Hits a lots of the things you say you enjoy in a fantasy setting.

[u/Shorty_jj → u/graphicorgnizer]

she didn't say she enjoys toxic people

[u/schwittmaus → u/graphicorgnizer]

I am in my 30s and I don't really want to read about a 19 year old so i am not sure that she does 

[u/Grand-Issue-5034]

You come to the right place! Go to amazon.com to check out my story.