Beginner Fantasy Books

Easy-to-Read fantasy for new fantasy readers

If you are new to the genre of fantasy, it can be confusing deciding what books to read. There are seemingly endless fantasy books -- most are bad, some are good, and a few are stellar.

I’ve put together a selection of easier-to-read fantasy books that are easy to read while still being somewhat entertaining. These are the books that many fantasy readers started out with -- so it’s good to get them out of the way if you feel you need to read them. If you are new to fantasy, you will find your fantasy tastes start to evolve and mature the more you read.

Full disclosure here: I'm not a fan of most of the books on this list (in fact, many of them made my "Worst Fantasy Books list"). But I will admit that I grew up on some of these "bad" fantasy books many years ago as there was NOT a huge selection of great fantasy books to choose from twenty or thirty years ago.

If you want to skip the fantasy training wheels and start off at the top, you can check out the Top 25 Best Fantasy Books list. Some people want to get into the good stuff right away, but you may want to take a slower pace with your fantasy readings and work your way up with easier-to-read fantasy books.

Fair warning: It's likely you won't want to come back and read SOME of these books if you start with the best fantasy books list, so if you have any inkling that you might like to read the books on this list, read them first.

Pawn Of Prophecy

(Eddings, David)

There books that are great in their complexity and moral exploration, and ones that are amazing simply for the entertainment they provide. David Edding's Belgariad series falls into the second category and it's better for it. Some authors lose you in exposition, leaving you half way through the book and having no fun. The story of Garion isn't a particularly deep one, but it's intensely enjoyable and incredibly easy to read. Eddings creates a rich world of Gods and Kings without needless description or a frustratingly slow pace. It's a stroke of genius, each word perfectly chosen for both impact and concision. The result is a world that feels vast, yet bright and hopeful. A pace that's fast yet doesn't skimp on characterization. A story that perfectly balances light and dark moments. It's a classic 'chosen one' story, and it's rarely been done better. It doesn't break new ground, it doesn't have a winding plot, but it's an easy world to get lost in, and sometimes that's the exactly what you need. Read if you like: Fast pace, lovable characters, starter fantasy.

Books in The Belgariad Series (6)

Lord Of The Rings

(Tolkien, J.r.r.)

Possibly the most, well-recognized world of fiction in history. The Lord of the Rings is the third best-selling novel ever written, with over 150 million copies sold. This high fantasy novel follows the adventures of Frodo, a mild-mannered and innocent hobbit, and his elven friends. The band of adventurers find themselves caught up in an age-old struggle featuring wizards, the evil mage Sauron, horrifically evil orcs and the poor twisted soul, Gollum, who desires the return of his most precious possession. Why it's on the listTolkien's characters, both virtuous and foul, are identifiably human, and the realism is accentuated by the glorious details of this fantastic world he imagined. Inspired by his Christian beliefs and influential Anglo-Saxon depth of knowledge â€“ The Lord of the Rings is a story that any reader will find enjoyable.Read if you likeTo understand what a true master is capable of. Reading Lord of the Rings is the only way to grasp how original and brilliant these legendary authors were.

The Chronicles Of Narnia

(Lewis, C. S.)

These well-written series of children's novels tell the story of English children who visit a fanciful land known as Narnia. Narnia is full of talking animals, villains, heroes, witches and adventures, and is ruled over by the high king, Aslan, who appears as a giant lion. The books are written with a specific purpose and message in mind. They are light-hearted, full of adventure and just simply an enjoyable read. Why it's on the list C. S. Lewis was a brilliant author and theologian, and certainly knew what he was doing. Narnia is a fascinating land -- it may not always be fun or agreeable, but there is always the underlying feeling that the good guys will, in the end, triumph over adversity. Lewis reshapes typical mythical elements like centaurs, wicked witches, talking animals, dwarves and into fascinating creations in his imaginary world. The biggest lesson learned from the Narnian characters is that you will always triumph by being good, honest, helpful, kind, intelligent and above all - faithful. This was the core lesson Lewis wanted to leave his readers. All in all, The Chronicles of Narnia are near perfect books. Easy to read, with a message that is at times subtle, and yet always paramount in the readers' experience. They are wonderful for children and adults, and can be read again and again. Read if you like Good triumphing over evil.

Harry Potter

(Rowling, J. K.)

Yes, everyone has probably read this. In fact, these these may have been the books that got you started reading fantasy in the first place. These books do make for a good read and as the series progresses, the plot gets darker and darker. Read the books, you'll enjoy them. They are not what I consider the best of the best in the fantasy genre, but they are a far cry from the worst! Highly recommended reading for those looking for a nice introduction into the fantasy genre.

Sword Of Shannara

(Brooks, Terry)

Terry Brooks is one of the most popular fantasy authors. He’s been writing fantasy for decades and is a household name. His books are pretty simplistic -- boy finds special talisman, sword, item and fights against some impossible evil. While the books are not original, they can be entertaining for some who like that sort of tale. If you are looking for a simplistic fantasy tales without all the dark, gritty complexities of more "modern" fantasy as penned by the likes of George Martin, Scott Lynch, Joe Abercrombie, then you may enjoy the Sword of Shannara series. You could literally fill a wheelbarrow a couple of times with the number of books Brooks has written over the past twenty years. I suggest you read his Shannara trilogy first -- they are what launched his career as a fantasy writer. The books that follow are mediocre (but you may find them interesting). However, Brooks’ newest series Genesis of Shannara has been his best work in a long time, so read it if you like Brooks' style. It’s a tie together of his Word and Void series. I personally find Brooks is best when he does not write standard Tolkienesque fantasy. His best work by far is his Word and the Void series -- a sort of urban horror fantasy in the vein of Steven King’s The Stand. Not as good by far, but not that bad either.

Books in The Sword Of Shannara Series (2)

Icewind Dale

(Salvatore, R.a.)

If you're a fan of RPG, Icewind Dale will appeal to you. It takes place in the Forgotten Realms â€“ a world in the Dungeons and Dragons universe. Yes, it's dorky. Should you care? No. Because Drizzt wouldn't.Why it made the listIf any of the books in R.A. Salvatore's D&D titles makes it onto a list, it's because of Drizzt Do'Urden â€“ one of the most beloved characters to come out of the 80s. His popularity is probably partly due to his status as an outcast, which is something many of this book's main audience can identify with. The fact that Drizzt is able to overcome the less-than-ideal circumstances of his life has universal appeal.Salvatore's greatest talent as a writer is that he's able to create bubbles of pure escapism. These books aren't complicated and they don't require any kind of deep thought processing, they're meant for one thing: To be read purely for the pleasure of reading. That doesn't mean these books are devoid of substance though. It is possible to take some of the wisdom Drizzt imparts and apply it to everyday situations.Icewind Dale will appeal to readers that like action, because Salvatore writes vivid battle and fight scenes. It will also appeal to readers that look for interesting characters because he writes each one with the same amount of attention, whether they're protagonists or supporting characters.

Dragonlance

(Weis, Margaret)

These are literally everywhere in the bookstore. These are the cheeseburgers of the fantasy world. They taste good, but you get indigestion after. If you are looking for something easy to read that delivers the same experience over and over, Dragonlance is your bet. It’s good to read a couple of these books so you at least know what they are about. You can start off with the Dragonlance Chronicles, which is probably the best novels of the bunch. Similar Recommendations If you like Dragonlance, you can start looking at more sophisticated novels. One such recommendation is the Death Gate Cycle (actually written by the same authors of the Dragonlance Chronicles). Raymond E. Feist’s Magician is another classic fantasy that you’ll probably love if you find the Dragonlance novels appealing.

Forgotten Realms

(Greenwood, Ed)

These, in my estimation, are pretty similar to Dragonlance books. There are a ton of them, they are easy to read, feature uncomplicated plots and cardboard cutout characters. But, they are tasty in the way that going to Mcdonald's is tasty. There's no real "nutrition" to these books, but they do have some taste. Read them, you may like or not like them. As for where to start, the crowd favorite is probably the Dark Elf Trilogy by R.A. Salvatore

The Black Magician

(Canavan, Trudi)

Amazon Description This year, like every other, the magicians of Imardin gather to purge the city of undesirables. Cloaked in the protection of their sorcery, they move with no fear of the vagrants and miscreants who despise them and their work -- until one enraged girl, barely more than a child, hurls a stone at the hated invaders . . . and effortlessly penetrates their magical shield. What the Magicians' Guild has long dreaded has finally come to pass. There is someone outside their ranks who possesses a raw power beyond imagining, an untrained mage who must be found and schooled before she destroys herself and her city with a force she cannot yet control. The Black Magician trilogy is a good starting fantasy for people new to the genre. The books are entertaining and with a fairly simple plot which makes them great for YA or children. In general, I would say if you are a fan of Harry Potter or other Young Adult fantasy, it’s worth reading this series.

Beginner Fantasy Books

Books in The Belgariad Series (6)

Books in The Sword Of Shannara Series (2)

Books in Black Magician Series (3)

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