Doesn’t necessarily have to be fantasy or magic related, but I’d like to read something with a phenomenal story and world, and something that is similar in terms of readability. After work I take a train home for an hour and would like to read something that isn’t Uber complicated- but still quite enjoyable. Thanks!
by FaithlessnessExotic3
12 Comments
The Artemis Fowl books by Eoin Colfer are worth a look.
wheel of time is my first thought
Vorkosigan might be another
Dresden files series by Jim Butcher if you want a more grown up theme. A wizard detective in modern day Chicago with books ranging from local cases with were-wolves and vampires, to dealing with Faerie Queens and fallen angels.
Codex Alera series (a complete series) by Jim Butcher. A fantasy setting where humans command elementals in a Roman style civilization.
“So you want to be a Wizard” by Diane Duane is a story of kids discovering magic and learning about the eternal battle against dark forces.
Kinda hard to suggest based on your description but i will just go by feeling.
Percy jackson series (fantasy/mythology)
The portalwar saga (fantasy/politic/war)
Lord of the ring (kinda seem scary but its actually a easy and enjoyable reading. Try reading the hobbit first tho)
The black egg (first book of the dragonspire chronicles)
Any book by brandon sanderson
{{The Screaming Staircase}} and the rest of the Lockwood and Co. series! Very atmospheric in a similarly charming/cosy way.
Alcatraz vs The Evil Librarians
Differently Morphus and Existentially Challenged by Yahtzee Croshaw. Governmental agency involved in the regulation of magic and extra dimensional beings.
Kiki’s Delivery Service by Eiko Kadono
Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
Charmed Life by Diana Wynne Jones
– Diana Wynne Jones has several books that Harry Potter fans would enjoy.
Hunger Games Series
Jonathan Stroud’s Bartimaeus books, magical underground British society, but apprenticed, better female representation and a darkly hilarious Djinn.
Ursula K. Le Guin’s Earthsea Trilogy. Le Guin did a wizard school series long before J.K Rowling, and in my opinion she did it much better. It’s geared towards the same age group so it’s an easy read.
Her Hainish Cycle books also have really interesting and original world-building. They’re not as much of a series as they are a loosely-connected universe, so you can read them in any order you like.
A Deadly Education (The Scholomance series) by Naomi Novik is also about a magic school, but a little bit darker and published more recently.
Other than that I second someone else’s recommendation of The Percy Jackson series which is a similar reading level to Harry Potter.