5 Fantasy Book Recommendations

 

A few years ago, I went to a graduation for my spouse’s master’s degree and one of the speakers talked about how after graduation many graduates stop reading. This was one of the motivations for me to get started in reading. I was not much of a reader prior to this experience. Anyways, I have read a lot of books and I have more books to read in the future. For those of you that are starting to read or should read here are five book recommendations that every fantasy reader should read. I will not include Young Adult series in this post because that can be their own post.

Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

Of course, the first recommendation for fantasy reads should be the one that inspired the genre, Lord of the Rings. It is a timeless tale of Frodo Baggins and his companions as they embark on a perilous quest to destroy the One Ring and defeat the Dark Lord Sauron. Set in the richly detailed world of Middle-earth, the story explores themes of friendship, heroism, and the struggle against tyranny. With its intricate mythology, diverse cultures, and stirring battles between good and evil.

The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan (and later Brandon Sanderson)

This epic journey of Rand al'Thor and his companions as they navigate a world on the brink of destruction. Set in a meticulously crafted universe where the Wheel weaves the pattern of time, the series chronicles the battle between forces of light and shadow, weaving together intricate plots, diverse cultures, and a rich tapestry of magic. Spanning fifteen volumes, it delves into themes of destiny, power, and the cyclical nature of history, offering a gripping saga of prophecy, adventure, and the struggle for survival.

The Cosmere by Brandon Sanderson

The Cosmere is a grand interconnected universe encompassing multiple series and standalone novels, each set on different worlds but sharing a common cosmology and magical system. Spanning genres from epic fantasy to science fiction, the Cosmere explores themes of power, redemption, mental health, and the nature of divinity. Through intricate worldbuilding and compelling characters, Sanderson weaves a narrative tapestry that invites readers to explore the depths of his vast and imaginative creation. See my previous post on my opinion on what order to read them in.

Cradle by Will Wight

A series where individuals strive to ascend to higher levels of power through martial arts and cultivation. In a realm governed by sacred arts and mysterious forces, the protagonist, Lindon, embarks on a journey of self-discovery and growth. Filled with exhilarating combat, intricate worldbuilding, and dynamic characters, Wight's series offers a captivating blend of action, intrigue, and exploration of the human spirit's boundless potential. If you are a fan of the anime One Piece then you will like this series.

Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

a mesmerizing tale that follows the enigmatic Kvothe as he recounts his journey from a gifted young musician to a legendary figure shrouded in myth and mystery. Set in the richly imagined world of Temerant, the narrative weaves together elements of magic, music, and adventure, exploring themes of love, loss, and the pursuit of knowledge. With its lyrical prose and intricate storytelling, Rothfuss crafts a captivating narrative that immerses readers in a world of wonder and danger.

Dealing with Quarantine Cabin Fever

What do you do when you are in Quarantine? Recently, I tested positive for COVID-19 and had to stay at home in a room for over a week (still positive while writing this post). I Usually work a lot, but the first few days I had a very high temperature and couldn’t accomplish much, but by the 5^th day my fever broke, and I was functional again. My professor told me that I can’t come back to work until I tested negative for COVID two days in a row. So, I have been getting cabin fever and been trying to make my imprisonment as enjoyable as possible. In this post I am going to share what I have been doing to enjoy my isolation.

Read Books

While I have been away from school, I have been trying to get ahead of my reading goals and I have been researching what books I want to read next. I just finished the third book in The Seventh Tower series by Garth Nix Aenir. It is a scholastic book series written in the early 2000’s where a chosen named Tal must search for a sun stone to provide for his family after the disappearance of his father. I like the series because it was something I started as a child but never finished and I like how Garth Nix doesn’t go into explanations on how the world works at the beginning of the book he starts off right into the drama like Tal falling off the red tower.

I am currently reading book four of Alcatraz vs the Evil Librarians: The shattered Lens. This is a fun series to read because it’s supposed to take place in our world but Librarians (Who control the hushlands [our world]) place this ‘nonfiction’ book into the fantasy section. The series is an autobiography by Alcatraz who uses Brandon Sanderson as a pen name to tell us about the freelands and his battle against the librarians who want world domination. Even though it is written for youth I get a lot of joy reading it.

I have been researching the next series of books that I want to read, and I have put the kingkiller chronicle on my radar by Patrick Rothfuss. I think this series will be very beautiful to read because of how important words are in the story and I want to get into the band wagon on theorizing on what will happen in the third book in the series. In the series it states that there are seven words to make a woman love you. I only need three, I love you. It worked on my wife.

Watching Shows

While having a high fever I rewatch Love is War again starting from season one because it was something that would make me laugh but since I have already seen it before I wasn't disappointed when I missed some important scenes. If you don’t know what Love is War is about read my previous post about the show. It is a perfect anime.

I am currently watching Ms. Marvel and It is not as bad as I thought it would be after, it is surprisingly getting better each episode. I gave a better update on why I like it in last week's post but if you are debating on seeing it watch the first 3 episodes then decide if you want to continue.

Being Creative

The next thing I have been doing is trying not to get cabin fever. “I got cabin Fever it’s been burning in my brain. I’ve got cabin fever it’s driving me insane” - Muppets Treasure Island. I have been working on developing a talent that I am not good at, drawing. I couldn’t draw anything that I would be proud of, but I have a child that loves animals and Disney characters, so I have been working on learning how to draw. So far, I learned to Draw Mickey Mouse, Winnie the Pooh, and a cartoon giraffe. I can’t draw on different planes, but they are recognizable characters. I am grateful for YouTube and the internet for helping me bring joy to my child.

Clean

The days that I didn’t make my bed in the morning made me feel more uncomfortable even while being really sick because by the time I went to bed my sheets would be all over the place and I felt disordered. I read a book called Make your Bed: Little Things Can Change Your Life…And Maybe the World by William H. McRaven earlier this year. The book helped me accept that we fail a lot in life but when we preserver we become better. Doing daily chores like making our bed is setting us up for success and if the day turns out to be a failure at least we succeeded in making our bed. Even though I had Covid I felt like I accomplished more throughout the day if I made my bed. Instead of being depressed and staying in bed all day making my bed helped me get out of it and stay out of it until I needed sleep.

Play Games

The last activity I have been working on is playing games, specifically Worldle. I can’t really go out an exercise how I usually do throughout the day, and I haven’t been eating much lately either, but I enjoy exercising my mind with a fun five letter word each day. My strategy for the game is for my first two guesses use two words that have all the vowels “Youth” and “Media” from there I am in a good position to get the Wordle. I did miss a couple of days while I was sick, but I am determined to surpass my Max Streak of 114 days.

I hope this is helpful for those that are experiencing COVID. It sucks and can be depressing. What did you do when you had COVID?

Check out some of our other ideas of things to do in quarantine:

• Binge New/Old Shows
• Board Games
• Video Games
• Virtual D&D