I just finished Harry Potter... What should I read now?

Question

I'm not a really good reader... The only books I've enjoyed reading were Harry Potter - so much so that I was up until 5AM 2 days ago reading the last one. I also remember sitting in classes and reading during lectures, which has not happened to me with any other book. Still, I know that I should read more, instead of sitting in front of video games or the computer... Can anyone provide me with a list of really good fantasy books, preferably in a series of more than one?

Answer 1

You've already got a number of good suggestions, let me echo, amplify and add to what some others have said.

Lord of the Rings is a decent suggestion, but it's not the most action packed series around, and the writing can sometimes be a bit dense. I'd still recommend you give it a try, but realize that there's nothing wrong with not liking it. I would suggest reading The Hobbit first, not only has it not been spoilered by a movie (yet) but it is also a simpler read and sets up for LotR.

If you can find Alexander Lloyd's Prydain Chronicles (it's a somewhat older series) it's a good solid read, as is Susan Cooper's Dark is Rising series

Terry Pratchett's work is hilarious, although it is British humor which occasionally needs a bit of translation. Jump in anywhere, most of the books stand quite well on their own, particularly if you set them on edge, just slightly open. OK, I'm no Pratchett.

I'd strongly recommend Mercedes Lackey: Start with Arrows of the Queen, Arrows Flight, Arrows Fall. After that, try To Take a Thief, then Exiles Honor and Exiles Valor. By that point, you should know what comes next.

Answer 2

Of course the most popular fantasy series of all time, other than Harry Potter, is The Lord of the Rings. It's a terrific pleasure reading it the first time, although if you've already seen the movies, some of the suspense will be gone.

One series that's very similar to Harry Potter without feeling copied is the Magician trilogy by Trudi Canavan. This is also the story of a young girl attending a school of wizards, in this case in a medieval kingdom run by a Magician's Guild. I haven't finished it yet, but I've liked what I've read so far.

An extremely popular science fiction book with some striking similarities to the Potter books is Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card. It's about a young boy attending a school for very gifted children where much of the activity is built around a complex game where the kids fly around in zero gravity. The school is a military training facility, and the game is actually an exercise to train the students for an interstellar war. There are several sequels.

Another famous series about a young wizard in training is the Earthsea trilogy by Ursula LeGuin. LeGuin is a wonderful writer who has also written a great deal of Science fiction, which I think is even better than her fantasy. Her most famous SF book is The left Hand of Darkness.

The Valdemar books by Mercedes lackey are another popular fantasy series. Lackey has written a number of different trilogies and some individual books set in different eras of one culture's history; there are about 20 books now all told.

Another series I love and often recommend is the Kushiel books by Jacqueline Carey. You haven't specified your age, but these are definitely adult books due to the complex plots and very explicit sex scenes.

Answer 3

Ok probably:

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
It's a very silly fantasy series, but it is quite funny. Also English

His Dark Materials
A captivating fantasy three-parter

I think you'd also like some books by Terry Goodkind. It's a sereis called "Sword of truth". The first is called "Wizard's First Rule".

I often hear Terry Prachett reccomended as well. His Discworld series is supposed to be quite funny and intriguing. Have fun looking!

I used to read the Redwall series. They're actually very good and I think they have the same sort of honor and courage motifs that Harry Potter has. Start with the first book, Redwall, if you're curious. They're about animals living in a kingdom but it's good really.

I don't really suggest Lord of the Rings because they're a really hard series to read. His writing style is very boring and dry for most (Including me, couldn't get through them all).

Answer 4

When I was trying to find some fiction that I could stand to read, because all I was interested in was non-fiction at the time; I came across the original Shanara trilogy by Terry Brooks. Like Rowling, he doesn't bog it down with details. Instead he captivates you and keeps your interest while having those details filter into it as it goes. Of course, this was before a lot of the fantasy that has come out in the past decade. My other recommendations are already listed.

I know you said that you liked fantasy, but I would also recommend Where the Red Fern Grows by Rawls. It isn't fantasy, but still a very well written book.

Answer 5

Yeah, I cried so as of the Phoenix toughest i think of, at Sirius's dying and how torn up Harry replace into whilst he replace into wrecking the flaws in Dumbledore's place of work. I cried on the conclusion of one million/2-Blood Prince too, and noticeably lots the full way by Deathly Hallows, noticeably on the conclusion--yet no longer for popular motives like emotional deaths, yet simply by fact the sequence replace into ending lol. and then as quickly as I closed the e book, I cried simply by fact it replace into over, and that i knew that it may be a lengthy time earlier I study a e book solid adequate to rival Harry Potter. Jk Rowling says that she would revisit this wizarding international in 10 years time, with Albus Potter's tale, or a clean character's, and that i'm clinging to the wish that there will be yet another Harry Potter-ish tale like a existence line!

Answer 6

well if u really like Harry Potter u could read the series backward or...

The Inheritance Trilogy: By Christopher Paolnini

The Extraordinary and Unusual Adventures Of Horatio Lyle: By Catherine Webb

or

Yoss: By Odo Hirsch

Answer 7

here's some of the ones i'd recommend
his dark materials, the godslayer chronicles, i'd say lord of the rings (but it can get a little tiring), the abhorsen trilogy by garth nix, the wind on fire trilogy

my library gave out a list of harry potter read-a-likes, here they are:
The Book of Three (Chronicles of Prydain), Skellig, The Lost Years of Merlin, Sign of the Qin, THe Prophecy of the Stones, So you Want to be a Wizard, The Year of the Griffen, Eragon, The bartimaeus trilogy
=) hope i helped

Answer 8

I would also say that you should read The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. It is a lot harder to read than HP, but it's really, really good.

I would also recommend Eragon and Eldest by Christopher Paolini and Inkheart and Inkspell by Cornelia Funke. Both of those are easy to read and are in the fantasy genre.

ALSO - The Chronicles of Narnia would be a good choice.

Answer 9

Two of my favorite series are The Wheel of Time books by Robert Jordan and The Sword of Truth books by Terry Goodkind. They are centered around older characters, so that may not appeal to you as much.

Answer 10

Lord of the Rings, the Bartimaeus Trilogy.....I have a book called "Firebirds Rising", it's a collection of sci-fi and fantasy short stories all in one book.

You could also try reading mangas (Japanese "comic books", but they do come in English), most of them are interesting and have more than one book to the series.