I want to start reading fantasy books again, i haven't read them since i was a teenager?

Question

i'm 24 now and i want to read books that aren't for young adult readers (teenagers) what fantasy books do you recommend?

Answer 1

Anne Bishop and Jacqueline Carey write excellent female-centric fantasy that is definitely not for teens. Both have written multiple series, but my favorites were Bishop's Blood Jewels Trilogy and Carey's Kushiel books (I think there were four, total). I'm also a huge fan of Terry Pratchett, who writes comic, satirical fantasy.

Answer 2

Terry Goodkind - the Sword of Truth series
Any thing by Terry Brooks -several series out
Anne McCafery - Dragonriders of Pern, Rowan series ( she is a mix of fantasy and sci fi
David Farlane - the Runelords.
David Eddings
Robert Jordan
Marion Zimmer Bradly -Mists of Avalon Series
Guy Gaveriel Kay - The Fionavor Tapestry

Many Many more belive it or not quite often I find a good writer by checking out second hand stores or the bargain books at Chapters or Indigo

Answer 3

The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks
Lord Valentine's Castle by Robert Silverberg
The Magic of Recluce by L.E. Modesitt
any of the Dragonlance books
Tailchaser's Song by Tad Williams
any of Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover books
the Pern books by Anne McCaffrey
Magician: Apprentice and Magician: Master by Raymond E. Feist
The Death Gate Cycle series by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind
Green Rider by Kristen Britain

The Belgariad series by David Eddings
(also Belgarath the Sorcerer and Polgara the Sorceress)

and by Piers Anthony:
the Apprentice Adept series
The Mode series
The Incarnations of Immortality series

Answer 4

Start with Patrica Briggs. She has some really good stuff. There are two relatively new fanasties out there that you might like both by a New Author Maria V Snyder. Poison Study and Magic Study both of these suck you in from page one and keep you reading all night...... you can check them out a wwwmariavsnyder.com . Dennis McKiernan is another great fanasty writer he hasn't written a bad one yet.... I see a lot of people here recommending Robert Jordon......a really good solid writer who is possible the LONGEST WINDED WRITER ON EARTH. Don't start the series unless you have years of time.

Answer 5

Read book reviews. Harry Potter books are not just for children. Many people your age and older have gotten a lot out of reading them. Many people say they are good reading for young adults, but that doesn't mean they are easy. They actually get harder the more of them you read. After book four they may be too mature for many young adult readers.

Answer 6

If you're looking for fantasy books specifically written for adults, then I'd recommend "Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell". It is charmingly "old-fashioned" and is written in a style not unlike books by Jane Austen.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jonathan-Strange-Norrell-Susanna-Clarke/dp/0747570558/sr=1-3/qid=1170455570/ref=sr_1_3/203-9915083-6090310?ie=UTF8&s=books
However, there are plenty of great fantasy books around that are ostensibly written for children that can be enjoyed by adults equally as much, so don't rule out a book just because it appears to be slanted at a younger readership; often they're just as well-written and have fantastic plots. My recent favourite is "Justin Thyme" which has been enjoyed equally by the whole family from the youngest to the oldest - and that hasn't happened since the last Harry Potter book.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Justin-Thyme-Tartan-Panama-Oxridge/dp/0955357004/ref=cm_pdp_profile_reg_itm_pic/203-9915083-6090310?ie=UTF8&coliid=I4MLW05W10X7W&colid=1K4PUKPH24JD8

Answer 7

I loved the fantasy novels Tinker and Wolf Who Rules by Wen Spencer about a human whose entire life is changed when an elf viceroy is chased into her junk yard by a pack of hungry wargs (think giant werewolf/lion mixes).

I also enjoyed Moon Called and Blood Bound by Patricia Briggs which is an urban fantasy set in a world where the sidhe have been accepted as citizens but no one yet knows about the werewolves and vampires that are living among them yet. The main character is a coyote skinwalker named Mercy.

Answer 8

That is so cool. I love reading too. If you're looking for bigger and more interesting books, look for the book called "Blow Out" "The Visitation" is also a very good book by Frank Peretti. I'll have to look in my library cuz I cant think of anything else right now.

Answer 9

The "Lord of the Rings" trilogy and "The Hobbit" by J.R.R. Tolkien
If you've seen and liked "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" (by C.S. Lewis, you may want to check out that book and the rest of the Chronicles of Narnia books. They're written for younger children, but many adults still enjoy them.

Answer 10

(NOTE: some of my recommendations overlap with those made by previous posters, an dI hereby tip my hat to them and their exceptionally fine taste.)

Well, first we need to figure out what kind of fantasy reader you are! ;)

"Fantasy" as a genre covers a lot of ground.

You have your traditional "high fantasy". This is your classic wizards/elves/magic/swords fantasy, with certain literary pretensions. The classic standard-bearer for this subgenre is Tolkein. Frankly, I loved the Hobbit, but found the Lord of the Rings series to be a bit dull. (Hides from the arrows and other sharp pointy things thrown by Tolkein fans.) "High Fantasy" tends to have great over-archig plots, multiple characters, and are (or can be) as serious as any other fiction work, just with the addition of fantasy elements and setting.
Recommendations:
The Dragon Bone Chair, by Tad Williams
The Wheel of Time*, by Robert Jordan
Mistwrath (or Mistwraith) by Janny Wurts
The Recluse series, Modessit (spelling is wrong here I think)
The Game of Thrones series, by George R.R. Martin, first book is....hmm, I think Game of Thrones actually...., I can picture the book but can't picture the title.

Then there is "Low Fantasy". That's not an insult, it's just that "low" is played more with a wink and a nod. It doesn't take itself as seriously, it's designed to be enjoyable and it's not generally as complex in storyline, plot, etc. These are "fun reads".
The Xanth series - Piers Anthony
The Belgarad series by David Eddings (Starts with Pawn of Prophecy)
The Myth Series - Also by Piers Anthony

There is also "Modern" or "Urabn Fantasy", which as the name suggests takes elements of the fantastic (magic, spirits, vampires, etc.) and puts them in modern settings. There's a lot of this coming out on the market in the last few years, much of it it seems by female authors, and frequently with elements of romance that you might not find in your typical "Conan smashes the troll" type of generic fantasy.
Almost any book by Charles De Lint
The Dresden Files by Butcher (male), first book is "Storm Front"
the Weather Warden series....drat, blanked on name.
Any of KellyArmstrong's books including Dime Store Magic, Bitten, Kidnapped. - strong femal characters who don't take crap.

Oh, and you might check out Katherine Kerr, and ..oh for the love of Pete....what's her name....the series is "The Last Herald Mage", the books are Magic's Promise, Magic's Price, and Magic's.... (I'll check and get back to you.)


There are scads of others but I'm away form my bookcase right now. Questions? Email me, if I can help I will.