Preferably a standalone novel, but a strong first novel to a series is fine.
I have read the entirety of ASOIAF twice, but find myself struggling to finish other books. I tend to gravitate toward classics I feel I need to read, and then getting burnt out early on and not finishing. (So, not classics – unless of course they really hold up to modern expectations, I loved Fahrenheit 451 for example but not Brave New World)
I like a higher level of prose I can really sink my teeth into, but not so high as to give you a headache (GRRM himself could stand to put down the archaic thesaurus every once in a while).
Whatever genre I want it to on some level be a thriller. Not necessarily the genre trappings of a “thriller” (but that’s fine too), but something that will keep me excited to read the next page, with plenty of little satisfying reveals and twists. And of course deep and compelling characters I can become obsessed with.
Anything you think meets this criteria, feel free to go with weird picks! Thank you!
EDIT: The discussion has become entirely about Brandon Sanderson. Please suggest something other than Brandon Sanderson. I’m sure Way of Kings is good.
by ghost-church