I had board exams and stuff going on so I haven't read a full book in a long time and I basically only read manhwas and fics now and I'm finally free from the dumpster fire that is the indian education system ( for a couple months ) and I need your favourite books ever so I can read them all.
I love history and fantasy fiction but I'm open to everything . The last book I read was either the diviners or the city of girls , both of which were good tho I liked diviners a lot more than city of girls. I enjoy reading romance as well as thrillers and detective stories so please drop your favorites in these genres. If there's any book that helped you get out of your slump please do drop the name.
by AdMore2091
2 Comments
A few favorites:
Dark Matter – multiverse. Mind bending.
One Second After – post apocalyptic after an EMP
Lessons in Chemistry – funny, 50s housewife turned scientist. Was recently made into a series in Apple TV (book was WAY better)
Remarkably bright creatures – funny, octopus
Cutting for Stone – surgeon in India. Amazing hist fic and deep appreciation for surgeons.
Enjoy!
In no particular order:
* *World Of The Five Gods* series, by Lois McMaster Bujold. In a world with Gods who are active, how can the Gods intervene while preserving the free will of people? Most interesting, coherent, and cohesive take on a fictional religion I’ve ever read. Each book is a slow burn. Won the second-ever [Hugo Award For Best Series](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Award_for_Best_Series). The first three novels were all individually nominated for the [Hugo Award For Best Novel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Award_for_Best_Novel) in their respective years of publication, with book #2, *Paladin Of Souls*, winning. Please DO read in publication order. Very definitely has strong women characters! Bujold is now continuing in this story universe with the *Penric & Desdemona* sub-series of novellas. [https://www.goodreads.com/series/43463-world-of-the-five-gods-publication](https://www.goodreads.com/series/43463-world-of-the-five-gods-publication)
* *The Belgariad* pentalogy, by David Eddings. This five book series was my gateway into fantasy literature, back in the 80s, even before LOTR. Deliberately written by the author with as many literature tropes as possible, including and especially The Hero’s Journey, but done with such great characterization that you enjoy the ride, anyway. A good introduction to fantasy books; I read these as a pre-teen. [https://www.goodreads.com/series/40739-the-belgariad](https://www.goodreads.com/series/40739-the-belgariad) There is a sequel pentalogy, The Malloreon, and then three prequel novels, giving you thirteen books in total.
* *The Dresden Files* series, by Jim Butcher, audiobooks narrated by James Marsters (“Spike” from Buffy The Vampire Slayer). Urban fantasy: a wizard is a private investigator in Chicago. Some find the first two books a bit rough, but the series definitely improves at book 3, when the wider magical world begins to be revealed. It takes a quantum leap upward with Book 7, which, not coincidentally, is the first one published in hardcover. [https://www.goodreads.com/series/40346-the-dresden-files](https://www.goodreads.com/series/40346-the-dresden-files) Start with Book 1, *Storm Front*.
* *A Song Of Ice And Fire*, by George R. R. Martin, the basis for the HBO series *Game Of Thrones* (which is actually the name of the first book in the series). There is so much more depth and worldbuilding in the books, reading these will help you better understand who’s who and what’s going on in the TV show…at least through the third book. Also, not only are there maps in each book to reference, but there’s an appendix in each book listing the named characters and their relationships/allegiances (literally a Who’s Who). If you’re not already aware, the series is unfinished, but these are such engrossing reads that you should tackle these doorstopper books, anyway. Start with book #1, A Game Of Thrones, and go back to read book #0 after you’ve finished #1-5. [https://www.goodreads.com/series/43790-a-song-of-ice-and-fire](https://www.goodreads.com/series/43790-a-song-of-ice-and-fire)
* A Practical Guide To Evil: [https://practicalguidetoevil.wordpress.com/](https://practicalguidetoevil.wordpress.com/) Seven volumes, plus many extra bonus chapters; entire series completed as of February 2022. Epic fantasy (as in swords & sorcery). The MC is an orphan, who chooses to become a collaborator with the Evil Empire which conquered her home country in order to mitigate its brutal occupation. Later, while representing Team Evil, uses the methods of Good in order to make the world a little less on fire all the time. The MC gains tremendous personal, military, political, and even religious power, collecting a very impressive set of both allies and enemies. Lots of drama, intrigue, murders, duels, and set-piece battles. Even the treaty negotiations and political conferences are tense and dramatic; the author does a good job in showing how the military strategies intersect with the politics…and how both intersect with Heroic and Villainous narratives. While there are plenty of stories with anti-heroes, this is the only one I can think of with a well-executed anti-villain. This is a fantasy kitchen sink of a crapsack world, including multiple human ethnicities & languages, orcs, goblins, elves, drow, dwarves, ogres, Summer faeries, Winter faeries, angels, devils, demons, the undead, at least one dragon, conflicting schools of arcane magic, divine magic, and especially, *Heroes* and *Villains*.
**Beware Of Chicken**: this slice-of-life story is a parody of the *isekai* (transported to another world) and *xianxia* (magic kung fu) genres. I didn’t know anything about either of these tropes, and I’m enjoying the hell out of this story! [https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/60888209](https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/60888209)
MC (a modern Canadian) nopes out of the xianxia sect he’s been dropped into, and runs to the other end of the continent to…become a farmer? Romance, dick jokes, talking animals, and the best food in the world happen to him, anyway. The backstory and some action begin to come to the fore in the later books, but the world-building and relationships are all quite enjoyable.
The books talk a lot about the search for meaning in life vs. the struggle for power; surprisingly insightful and inspirational at times! The MC’s notions of politeness, helping others (he is SO quintessentially Canadian, LOL!), and mental health confuses and inspires the people he meets in equal measure, particularly in a world where those with power are *supposed* to fight to gain ever more in order to literally ascend to the Heavens. “We give to the earth, and the earth gives back” is a recurring quote and motif. The MC is no blindly altruistic hippie, however; he’s quite happy to reap the rewards of his efforts, though he mostly uses the profits to help his family, friends and neighbors in their own endeavors. The MC consciously chooses to focus on living in the now, rather than the quest for personal power.
Books 1, 2, and 3 are available on Amazon as both ebook and audiobook (performed by Travis Baldree); Book 4, and the just-completed book 5 are still currently available completely for free on Royal Road. Book 6 just began this month on Royal Road.