(Brief personal backstory.)
I’m 26 now. Most of my life has been watching TV. I’m a very visual-based person. When I read books, my brain treats it like a chore. My imagination only wants to deal with things I already like, so most books are not enjoyable for me. I was forced to read a lot of boring books as a kid so it’s difficult to get back into them for a hobby as an adult. I’m sure someone out there can relate to that.
More to the point, suggest me a book intended for adults but isn’t a super high reading level. I don’t need several pages of descriptions about what the trees look like.
My favorite genre of entertainment is drama, however I’m just looking for anything that is uplifting and full of passion. I want a book that will make me say “wow, that was a beautiful story.”
Preferably 300 pages at bare minimum or longer.
And preferably not something with sequels and prequels and all that baggage. I’m not looking to get into a whole franchise.
Thank you guys in advance.
Edit: I’ve already read Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings.
by Zer0nyx
10 Comments
*Railsea* by China Mieville, *Ready Player One* by Ernest Kline (I think there are sequels but the first was a well contained story), *American Gods* by Neil Gaiman are all pretty good and I think might fit the feeling you’re asking for.
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The Last Unicorn
Blood Over Bright Haven by ML Wang is a recently released self published fantasy about the first female high mage in an isolated city and her finding out some very dark truths and working to dismantle systems that are incredibly broken, and a man who came from outside of the city and has lost everything but he manages to regain lost hope and trust. Completely stand alone, very unique, and it’s a beautiful story.
I’ve also heard amazing things about this authors other stand alone novel Sword of Kaigen, but I haven’t personally read that one, so you could check that out as well to see if that’s interesting.
Edit: both are like 500~ pages
If you’re visual-based I totally recommend night circus. The author describes the book in so much detail and in such a magical way that you can’t help but fall in love with it. It’s a long standalone book. I’d guess about 500-600 ISH pages. 2 children are raised to face eachother in a competition where they develop their magical skills, it’s set in Victorian era and is set, the majority of the time, in a circus. It’s audience is targeted at adults but there isn’t too much hard language. It’s easy to read
‘The Chronicles of Narnia’ by C.S. Lewis, starting with ‘The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe,’ is a series I suggest for its classic good versus evil narrative set in the magical land of Narnia. It’s a series that delights with talking animals, noble quests, and allegorical depth.
Claire North: the FIrst 15 Lives of Harry August.
The library of Mount Char, I’ve just finished reading it and it’s brilliant, action packed with funny and visual descriptions. Essentially it’s about the adopted children of “God” as a cruel librarian, and each one is assigned a catalogue, to learn something about the world, ie war and murder, or animals and beasts. But now they are stuck in the real world and all sorts of crazy twists and adventures occur.
This is one that people ask a lot (standalone fantasy) and it’s tough, because most fantasies are written in at least trilogy form.
_By the Sword_ by Mercedes Lackey is part of her larger Velgarth/Valdemar series, but it has enough context that you can read it by itself. I’d also suggest her book _The Fire-Rose_, which is essentially Beauty and the Beast set in 1900s San Francisco.
People often recommend _Tigana_ by Guy Gavriel Kay, but Kay tends to Tolkien-level backstory and wordiness, so he may not be your thing.
Likewise, Tim Powers can be an acquired taste; you love him or you hate him. _The Anubis Gates_ or _The Stress of Her Regard_ are the two I’d recommend. _Last Call_ can be read standalone, but it also begins a series.
I know of two two-book series that have also been published as single volumes; I’ll give them here:
_The Infinity Concerto_ and _The Serpent Mage_, aka _Songs of Earth and Power_ by Greg Bear
_Child of the Grove_ and _The Last Wizard_, aka _Wizard of the Grove_ by Tanya Huff
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
Just try it. It has the best descriptions of trees anywhere in the galaxy. I guarantee you’ll never look at trees the same way. (You’ll ask yourself if you maybe should try to go back on living on them 😉 ) It’s just ridiculously insightful.
If you think you know the story from the movie, just forget it. The movie is a crime. But the books are not about the story. What matters is how the story is told.