Fantasy For Beginners
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 26 июл 2024
- Click here to explore your creativity and get 2 free months of Premium Membership: skl.sh/merphynapier15
(This video was sponsored by Skillshare)
Wanting to get started on fantasy books? Here's a few good places to start!
Links to books I talked about in this video
(These are affiliate links. If you buy through these links, I get a small percentage of the sale):
The Aeronaut's Windlass amzn.to/2Tegtnn
The Ocean at the End of the Lane amzn.to/2NdaLyo
City of Brass amzn.to/36NXYdy
The Name of the Wind amzn.to/2QIMRNv
Duel of Fire amzn.to/2QJTkHP
Harry Potter amzn.to/2FCVHWE
Foundryside amzn.to/354ig1I
Mistborn amzn.to/35KBtVE
WHERE TO FIND ME:
► My Patreon: / merphynapier
► Twitter: / merphynapier
► Goodreads: / merphy-napier
► Instagram: / merphynapier
► E-mail: merphynapier@gmail.com
► Mailing Address:
PO box 22
Science Hill KY 42553 
Развлечения
I think Rick Riordan's books are really good starter books for fantasy, similarly to Harry Potter.
I agree with you
I agree as well! I wish more people talked about the series. HP gets all the love, and PJ gets pretty much ignored.
True but I'm limited to kindle unlimited so I'm reading Magical Creatures Academy
Tinahgirl83 Well magick is easier to relate than greek mythology and IMO HPs story is much better
Albus Dumbledore Yeah I’m in the minority on this. Lol. I love Greek mythology so I found it very digestible. Don’t get me wrong, I really like HP, I just don’t feel like it’s the end all and be all of fiction for young people or beginners. In that sense, I’ve always felt it was overrated. There are so many series that are just as good, but they never get talked about.
I'm not a beginner, but I'm adding some of these books to my TBR. 😊
I can’t tell if your backdrop is green screen or just my dream living room walls.
Then 3 seconds later I saw you reach for a book off of the shelf and confirm that i envy your library area
When I grow up I want a room with only books
It does look like a green screen though lol I was almost fooled too
You know, maybe not the Lord of the Rings, but the Hobbit is such a fun and easy read!
It may depend on the age, though. The LOTR is tough to begin with, but The Hobbit sometimes feels a little pointless for adults, and they may enjoy a more complex plot better.
I mean, the Hobbit is just so damn fun!
@@NaytGaming yes, it is! The way Tolkien wrote it just makes it so enjoyable to read! Also, the story is quite intense!
Definitely The Hobbit but I read LoTR when I was 12 so that would be good too.
My English teacher read us The Hobbit (she even did voices) Even though I was already an avid reader, it really made me love fantasy books. I plan on reading it to my daughters when they're a little older.
I was hooked into Mistborn from literary the first page where we see the Dark Lord (just goes to show how individual reading experiences are!) Great list!
I started reading fantasy when I was 10 and I always recommend the book that made me fall in love with this genre, so much that I never left again - His Dark Materials. I was really young, so I accidentally picked up book 2 and it is still, to this day, one of my favorite books ❤️
In a way I recommend "The Inheritance Cycle." One of its big flaws is how much it draws from other fantasy series, but that sort of makes it good for beginners.
I started with this . It is so amazing , i really recomend it !
I actually felt like it took almost too much liberties back when I read it. Then a few years later I was like "Oh, right. Fantasy worlds can actually differ from each other."
**perky and excited** “So...yeah! Let’s talk about fantasy!”
**breathy talk show voice** *”But first, a word from our sponsor.”*
Made me laugh😂
Dragonlance was my intro to fantasy. Weis and Hickman are such a great writing combo. Not as many seem to be reading them lately though sadly. Long live Raistlin!
- Redwall
- The Hobbit
- Harry Potter
- Percy Jackson
- His Dark Materials
- Dragonlance
Cole Jordan, you are speaking my language!
@@aisha270
Oh, I forgot Narnia!
Man its been ages since I've read a Dragonlance book. I may have to see if the library has any of them.
Cole Jordan That's one of my favorites too!
Dark matter
Totally agree with Name Of The Wind being in this list. It is written so brilliantly.
The belgariad and the mallorean ! Forever in my heart! The summoner series, night angel triology . All good in my opinion!
And mistborn is best enjoyed as an audiobook, the narrator is amazing!
I started my fantasy career with the kingkiller chronichles and it hooked me instantly
You had me at the Jim Butcher novel when you said intelligent, talking animals. I love those. 😂
I love your shirt, that's how I always seem to feel😂😂
One of my favourites is His Dark Materials! Its so good!
I’m currently reading The Name of the Wind and I’m enjoying it!
Some of the books that got me really into fantasy were the Inkheart series and the Two Princesses of Bamare!
The two series that got me into fantasy as a kid were the "Animorph" books (because there were tons of them in my elementary school library) and the "Artemis Fowl" books. While they are very readable for kids, I think they can be good starters for older readers too. In particular, Artemis Fowl has an incredibly rich set of characters, and a plot that is gripping and suspenseful to the end. I also always recommend science fiction to people who want to read more imaginative works but prefer to stay in the real world or who tend to not like the magic aspect of fantasy worlds.
Artemis Fowl is a good start for both fantasy and science fiction, I think. Especially for teens and kids.
I'd say the Neverending Story is also a great fantasy book for beginners.
The Witcher books are pretty newcomer-friendly, too. The first two are short story collections that take the classic fables like Beauty & the Beast or Snow White and put an original spin on them.
Eragon is the closest to my heart, it encapsulates Fantasy and was my first book that i read truly out of my own incentive
Love the series but the ending was disappointing for me
@@melissaroberts2299 Yeah I totally get the same feeling, though I hope that in the upcoming books we get some more Arya + Eragon romance
Me: I'm a new reader, I should start small.
*Picks up The Fifth Season*
*watches your video with Daniel*
Me: **OH**
Btw I'm enjoying it so no worries. It boosted my confidence in reading level.
If you want to start someone with Sanderson, give them Elantris. It has all the Sanderson hallmarks (solid worldbuilding, well-defined characters, etc.), but it's a one shot and less intimidating than a trilogy.
KAZedlar I adore Elantris. I’ve read it and Warbreaker and loved both, now I want to read the Mistborn trilogy, but I want to listen to it.
I started with storm light and that was fucking incredible
Meat candy...have you ever had maple syrup bacon? It’s basically candied meat and delicious. My husband makes it every New Years.
Okay I forgot about that. Meat candy whe you think chunks of beef covered in icing is kinda gross though. Lol.
What got me into fantasy was the Septimus Heap series by Angie Sage. 💙✨💜
I would also recomend Harry Potter (of course 🙂), The Chronicles of Narnia and His Dark Materials.
I found and finished them all this past summer, as an adult, and wished I got ahold of them sooner!!
I haven't been into fantasy for all that long so I'm going to look into some of these. The very first fantasy I read was Mistborn and I loved it.
Eddings and Mckiernan were my start in fantasy. Always fun to go back and reread them every few years
I've always felt that David Gemmell had a very easy style to get into. Whether you like historical fantasy/alt history, or original settings, or mythical retellings, I would highly recommend Gemmell for beginners.
I love how your book recommendations aren’t the usual overrated-hyped-YA-fantasy novels 💖. Your recs are so diverse (also based on other vids) and you don’t focus mainly on YA. Btw I’m so in love with that Lies of Locke Lamora book showing on every of your vid 😍
I agree with you that The Name of the Wind is a good book for beginners. It's so easy to get lost in.
not really a beginner but adding Mistborn to my TBR.. Thanks Merphy!!
Name of the Wind was my first high fantasy. I was like you. Absolutely sure fantasy wasn’t for me. I grew up with all my friends reading it and me with my thrillers. Finally at like 27 my best friend forced me to read name of the wind.
Now I only read a different genre if I have to. And I think I mention this literally everytime he comes up in your videos but Neil Gaiman is life. Starting an American gods reread soon
I am not a fantasy beginner... I’m just here to see what books you recommend to see if I’ve read them or not 😁
When you said candy but with pleanty of meat I thought " Ewe, meat candy." Then you said meat candy doesn't sound good. I died. Lol thanks for the video.
I finally finished The Lies of Locke Lamora ❤️ It took me like a month because I could only pick it up sparingly. But doggamn what a book 😍 thank you for the recommendation!
I have the next two books too. Might start with the second book soon ❤️ Praise the Benefactor
Mmm fantays. I love fantays. My favourite fantay would have to be … mmm … I can’t decide. Too many fantays to choose from
Hehe love ya Merphy
Definitely Mistborn and i think Lord of the Rings and American Gods and for graphic novels, Bone!
skijumpnose mistborn gets pretty complex I don’t think you will be able to grasp everything if you just starting out
@@bookaholicgameaholicvlogah4191 Na Mistborn is great for a start, didnt love it though. (Did Like it don't get me wrong)
Oooo I’ve had a copy of the city of brass for so long now!
I've often thought that the best modern-day fantasy would comprise of the characters of Brent Weeks, the plots of Brandon Sanderson, and the writing of Patrick Rothfus. Not that these writers would ever team-up to write a novel together, but if they did, it could very well be the greatest fantasy novel of the 21st century!
Foundryside sounds amazing! I have added it to my tbr.
Wow, really showing off your audiobook narration skills with that Skillshare ad at the start.
I think that the inheritance cycle series is also a great place to start. It has a lot of tropes that'll get you familiar with the genre while still delivering an interesting story.
I think The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson is also a great one, especially if you read a lot of YA and MG :) great video, love your recommendations!
I agree with every book you included, except Mistborn. Only because the power system in Mistborn is very difficult to follow. Im an avid fantasy reader and even I found it difficult to understand. I think Mistborn is a series you definitely read after you’ve read fantasy for a while, just my opinion. Great video though!!!
Ranger's Apprentice is an easy book, and series to read. There is not a lot of magic, but the character developement is endearing and the world is easily explained. It is very digestible and it is a series my nephew found on his own and enjoyed entirely.
Percy Jackson. It’s not a full on fantasy book (meaning that the story is in the real world but fantasy elements r a part of it), and the way Rick Riordan writes his characters is fantastic. If u want a light fantasy book w a sassy, sarcastic protagonist, Percy Jackson is great.
Okay so just throwing this out there, I met Jordan Rivet and got her autograph! Steel and fire really is amazing!
that's amazing!
One of my first fantasy novels that made me fall in love with the genre was the Inkheart series by Cornelia Funke. It's been about ten years since I read it, just checked it out from the library today and really looking forward to a reread which is super rare for me. I just feel like it's been so long that I forgot most of it, but I remember loving every second of reading those books.
Your 'intro' changed from "ok so" to "So today" 😂
I started reading Mistborn and absolutely adore it so far :)
Belgarath the Sorcerer is my all time favorite, but not the whole series, the The Wheal of Time & The Sword of Truth are my to favorite series & Drizzt Do'urden is my all time favorite cricketer from any book. now I'm just looking forward to you finishing your review of the WOT series
Oh I love Belgarath and Sword of Truth as well! The Belgariad series is my favorite (that Belgarath comes form)
I went from Percy Jackson and Harry Potter in middle school to not reading any fantasy for a few years then BOOM a song of ice and fire... gonna slow down a bit and read a few of these beginner books now lol
I agree that Name of the Wind is good for beginners, because I'm a beginner and I loved it! Also Mistborn. It's good for beginners. Actually, I take that back, it's good for EVERYONE. I'm really interested to try The Ten Thousand Doors of January as my next fantasy read (at least I think it's fantasy?)
I WAS JUST LOOKING FOR THIS TYPE OF VIDEO. THANKS!!!
You have got to read "This is how you lose the time war". It is a wlw sci-fi time travel novella. It's written like poetry, but it's not. It's a quick read, and I feel like it would be right up your alley!
Before I even watched the video I thought of Duel of Fire as well! It's perfect for beginners.
I'd also add Warbreaker, There Will Come a Darkness, and A Darker Shade of Magic (just the first book of the trilogy though) to the list.
This is a video I needed! I’m really trying to get into fantasy but I didn’t know where to start out!
Tamora Pierce's Tortall and Emelan series are wonderful and would work well for people starting to read fantasy.
For the Aeronaut's Windlass I highly recommend the audio book. It is well done with a distinctive voice for each character. Also if you looking for a Fantasy series for young reader (around 10 years old). I recommend the Redwalll series.
The Red Wall books were what helped me make the jump from Fairy tales and mythology to Fantasy. The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings Narnia, Till We Have Faces, and R.A. Salvatore's Legend Of Drizzt books also got me into reading more fantasy. I'd include Green Rider series but the series went from really fun to dead to me. The first 3 books are really fun. Book 4 was decent but depended on sequels and the sequels threw out everything that was great about the series. Mirror Sight was basically The Last Jedi of the Green Rider series and am scared to read book 6.
I am new to fantasy and currently reading the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series and they’re really easy to get through. Thanks for your recommendation, genuinely excited to read more fantasy.
It’s not a typo guys it’s Forrest Gumps preferred genre
I'm not new to fantasy; but I am planning to read the Mistborn series soon.
I got my start reading Fantasy when I was in Jr high in the mid 70s with Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and Robert E. Howard
I know some might disagree, but I would include the Darker Shade of Magic trilogy, The Witcher series, and the Six of Crows duology as well.
I love neil Gaiman too!! I think the graveyard book or neverwhere are good to start mainly because they are not that long and standalones. 😘😘
Thank you so much! I used to hate fantasy but now it’s really starting to interest me. I’m in the middle of the Dark Tower series by Stephen King. Not really traditional fantasy but I’m loving it.
I think Wheel of Time is a good one, Eye of the World starts off fairly small in scope and it just builds and builds. Also the the Mercy Thompson novels by Patrica Briggs great intro to the Urban fantasy genre.
I'd recommend for beginners the inheritance cycle series first fantasy series I ever read also not a beginners series just finished the magicians by lev Grossman it's adault fantasy
Just discovered your channel (and by extension, booktube) in late December, really great content.
Thanks for the recommendations. I planned a trip to the bookstore today so it was perfect timing.
You surprised me pretty hard when you said you would be getting to Dresden Files soon 😂 even with the urban fantasy elements I didn’t think that genre would be something you’d be interested in
I read Harry Potter growing up and for the last 15 years I've wanted something that was just as gripping and exciting as that was to me then. I watched some of Murphy's recommendation vids and here's where I started (and haven't stopped!)
- Game of Thrones (tho I wouldn't recommend if you haven't seen the show, there is a character focus per chapter and some you don't see again for 6-7 chapters).
- Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson. Amazing book, great plot and magic system and it's a standalone which I loved because I didnt want to feel like I had to read additionals as a beginner. (I've since read a few of Sanderson's books and I'm OBSESSED!)
Personally, I think Warbreaker is the best intro to Sanderson. It's not a series, it has great characters, a good twist, and great pacing. It was easier for me to get into than Mistborn has been (currently reading). The magic is fun and unique also.
If you like politics and mystery woven into fantasy, Elantris is another great self-contained Sanderson entry.
I know some people don't like to commit to a series when they're new to the author.
Recently, I finally got around to reading "Assassin's Apprentice" by Robin Hobb. It isn't my usual scene, but I would totally recommend it to anyone who wants to start on fantasy! And thank Christ there's another two books after it :D Great video as alwayssss
I enjoyed that series. Some people might not like the formal writing style though. The second book was a slog for me, but I loved the 3rd
I have just started reading fantasy after reading almost exclusively mystery/thillers. The first one I read was The Fellowship of the Ring which I though was a good place as i have seen and loved the film since it came out, however not a good place due to the level of detail which resulted in some chapters being slow (e.g. everything involving Tom Bombadil!)
The second one I read was The Fifth Season which I absolutely loved! Interesting magic system, characters, and plot and I think it's a great place to start even though I was confused at the beginning
I bought the mistborn trilogy because of you about 8 months ago. I have still yet to read it 🙈 it’s on my tbr for the year though! I definitely definitely want to start it soon!
So happy you made this video, I'm currently reading City of Brass and although slow I'm loving it so I hope to pick up more fantasy and sink my teeth into many more worlds i look forward to checking out some books on this recommendation list
Agree with Mistborn. Funny story about how I came to read Mistborn. I met Brandon Sanderson at a convention and I had no idea who he was so I was just talking to him like a normal person, a fellow geek. He recommended his book but I was so much more of sci-fi reader at the time and I complained how all fantasy just seemed to be Tolkien rehashes to me. Eventually, I needed a new book series to read and I reached for his work since I remembered from meeting him. And it was amazing :D, I now read every Sanderson book I can get my hands on.
I often suggest "Rivers of London" to people, particularly anyone that is a Doctor Who Fan. Ben Aaronovitch is a former doctor who writer and it shows in his work.
It's not technically fantasy and perhaps if YA had existed at the time it would be YA but Dragonriders of Pern. Dragonflight is also a nice start for people, it's such a richly drawn world with telepathic dragons whats not to love.
neil gamen is such a great author, I have read stardust and loved it and I own good omens and I'm making it my mission to read all of his works! love your content merphy! 💕
also your so close to 100k subs!!!
I suggest Neverwhere ❤️
@@giadavallone2213 I've heard amazing things about it, will definitely make it one of my next gamen reads! 😊
I was well into the mission of reading all of Gaiman's work when I read Good Omens... Now I'm trying to read all of Terry Pratchett's work. My tbr will never end!
@@cinthiagoch same i feel like everyone's tbrs will never end 😂 Oh well the some the better!!!
Loved this video. Mistborn was also my first fantasy in forever and it blew away my expectations. The magic system is Amazing and accessible, I shed a few tears at the end of the first book, and was a wreck when I finished the trilogy. Cannot recommend enough.
Is Fantays a new sub-genre of Fantasy?
Super excited to see you read Dresden Files. Love Butcher. His character "voices" are excellent.
Despite your comments on the writing style, I got my copy of Foundryside because of you. I'm not new to fantasy, but the plot seems so interesting I can't wait to read it.
Those are all going on my TBR. Thank you for the recommendations! I already have mistborn but haven't read it yet. Definitely getting to it this year.
Edit: I have read the Harry Potter series.
Some of the best writers who were consistently good are Morcock for advanced fantasy Eddings for well crafted characters and Gemmel for his approch to good and evil
I would heartily recommend the Redwall series by Brian Jacques, especially for younger readers. It was the book series that got me into Fantasy as a child. Also, The First Law by Joe Abercrombie and/or The Shattered Seas trilogy by the same author. I think Abercrombie has a wonderfully evocative writing style and in both series he is able to tell some stunning stories with plenty of heart but also a big dose of grimdark and moral uncertainty. If you want to read more brutal and dark Fantasy, he is certainly the way to go and his books are effortlessly easy to read.
Yeah Jim Butches is the best, the Dresden files are phenomenal. Fun and easy to read. The Belgariad by David Eddings and Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy are also good starting fantasy series.
When I first got into fantasy, my go to series was the The Legend of Drizzt Do'Urden by R.A. Salvatore. It is easy enough to understand all the fantasy concepts and it is an amazing journey. Its still my favorite series to date.
Same. My first fantasy books was Dark Elf Trilogy.
I love Patricia Wrede's books - either the Enchanted Forest Chronicles or her Lyra series would be a soft way to get into fantasy - Enchanted Forest is for a younger crowd
I really like the books by Robin Hobb and her book series set in the "Realm of the Elderlings". Beginning with Assassin's apprentice, Royal assassin and Assassin's quest. Then the Tawny man trilogy with Fool's Errand, The Golden Fool, and Fool's Fate.
And after that Ship of Magic, The Mad Ship and Ship of Destiny set in the same universe but different characters.
Very good books in my opinion. Maybe not for fantasy beginners(but i was pretty young/beginner when i first came in contact with them), but highly recommended for every fantasy lover out there.
I have not read her latest work in the series set in the Realm of the Elderlings....Fool's Assassin, Fool's Quest and Assassin's Fate but have no doubt in her writing capabilities so i recommend them as well.
I also recommend the books from Gillian Rubinstein (Lian Hearn) in the series "Tales of the Otori" with the books Across the Nightingale Floor, Grass for his Pillow, Brilliance of the Moon, The Harsh Cry of the Heron and Heaven's Net is Wide.
And then of course the books by Philip Pullman in his "His Dark Materials" trilogy with the books The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass.
Shorter and easier read but very good in my opinion.
I lost all books above in a cellar flooding but i'm working on replacing them so i can read them again and save them for future generations. But i highly recommend them all if you guys have not read them yet :)
Soon to hit 100k subscribers Merphy! Congrats :D ❤
Thank you!
To be honest, I wouldn't recommend Mistborn for starting fantasy readers, because it wil set the bar so high of good fantasy, that almost nothing you will read next will top that
Jordan Rivet was the first fantasy series I finished!!!!😁❤👌
V.E Schwabs Darker shade series was were i started with fantasy, she explains the magic system well along with the other London's.
Your description of Foundryside reminds me so much of The Emperor’s Soul by Brandon Sanderson. This short novel is set in the same world as Elantris and follows a thief who is a Forger. Forger’s can take the make-up of an object and create a copy. Shai, the thief in this story, can also use he forging to rewrite an objects makeup to return it to its previous form (if it was destroyed or decayed over time). Very fun, short read.
Fast-paced and easy to digest...yup, sounds like Jim Butcher. My experience with the Dresden Files is that he actually goes *too* fast, which is something you'll never hear me say about other A-list authors. I like action and a moving plot, but Dresden never stops moving to the point that he feels like he doesn't even have emotions. Everyone assured me "oh, you just have to read to book 3 and then it gets good." I read to book 3. It was worse than 1 and 2...which is not to say it was terrible, but I did not find it very enjoyable. I'll stick to Ilona Andrews, thanks.
The Dragonlance Chronicles and Dragonlance Legends are a great starting point. Also The Belgariad and The Shannara Trilogy (Sword,Elfstones and Wishsong)
The Dresdon files are what got me back into reading and by the end of 2018 I'd read them all 😂 from there I went to Patrick Rothfuss and now I'm playing catch up with so many series and authors
One of my friends started with Martin for fantasy and said it was too hard to read and hasn't read fantasy since. I really do think that fantasy is one of those genres that you kind of have to edge into.
totally agree!