Whether you are completely new to reading fiction or just want to start fantasy at the beginning, 'The Hobbit' is one of the best places to start your adventure. J.R.R. Tolkien is widely considered the father of the whole genre, and this shorter standalone is much more accessible than 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy but still so magical for readers of all ages. For a more modern adventure with magic and dragon companions, check out Christopher Paolini's 'Eragon'. While there may not be much "new" here compared to other works, he takes all the staples and strengths of the genre and puts them together into an amazing package, making it perfect for your first big series that will get you hooked on fantasy forever. One of my all-time favourite series, even as an adult, is Philip Pullman's 'His Dark Materials'. With a much more real-world adjacent setting, we follow Lyra across parallel worlds as she tries to save her friends and discovers the truth behind the mysterious Dust. This may be a YA series but it holds up really well as an adult with some big themes around morality, power, and religion.

Presumably because of all the work that goes into good world building, fantasy tends towards a long series of huge books. It can be intimidating to commit to thousands and thousands of pages, so here are some fantastic standalones that will feel a bit more familiar to readers of general fiction, but with a fantastical setting.

Stories with familiar settings, either our world or an alternate history, offer the lowest cognitive load for a new fantasy reader. R. F. Kuang is a fantastic place to start, especially if you enjoy dark academia. 'Babel' is, at its core, a novel about British colonialism in the 1800s; it just happens to feature magic powered by the meaning that is lost in translation. Her more recent work, 'Katabasis', follows Cambridge students of magic who journey into hell to rescue their doctoral advisor. Susanna Clarke's 'Piranesi' pushes the definition of "our world" a bit, as its narrator is trapped exploring a mysterious, seemingly infinite, labyrinthine house. It's so unique and interesting that it stays with you long after you finish, and it's one of my all-time favourites.

Moving further from reality, we have Madeline Miller's stunningly beautiful 'Circe', set during the Greek Heroic Age and adapting myths such as 'The Odyssey', focusing on the witch Circe. 'Blood Over Bright Haven' is another dark academia pick, this time set in a fully imagined world. It follows the first woman to join the High Magistry as she works to uncover the truths behind the magic that keeps the city alive. A recent debut from Shen Tao, 'The Poet Empress', is such a beautiful, unconventional story about love. In a world where women are forbidden to read, Wei must compose a love poem, the only spell powerful enough to kill her abuser.

I think one of the greatest strengths of books in general, but a long series especially, is that you get to have so much more time getting to understand characters and the deeper context behind everything that happens. There’s a reason why the book is always better than the movie, and it’s even more true for fantasy. If you’re ready to sink your teeth into something longer, with the comfort of knowing there’s more to come, then here are some that are still beginner friendly.

Starting again with the most familiar to the average person, we have 'The Dresden Files' by Jim Butcher. Each entry follows Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only professional wizard, as he takes on another supernatural case: think vampires, werewolves, faeries, etc. Everyone seems to be talking about 'Dungeon Crawler Carl' at the moment, as the popularity continues to skyrocket. The premise is wild: aliens have turned Earth into a deadly, televised dungeon crawl, and Carl must survive alongside his sassy, sentient cat, Princess Donut. But don’t let that put you off; it’s also hilarious, surprisingly heartfelt, and beloved by readers of all genres. Travis Baldree’s 'Legends and Lattes' will be familiar to anyone that has passing knowledge of classic fantasy and Dungeons and Dragons tropes. Orc swordswoman, Viv, is retiring from the life of an adventurer to open one of the first coffeeshops. It’s cute, easy to read, and the quintessential cosy fantasy book. 'The Devils' is Joe Abercrombie’s latest novel and takes place in a medieval European-inspired world as a team of villains and monsters complete a suicide squad style mission from the pope. A master of prose and dialogue, Abercrombie is a giant of grim dark for a reason. The sequel comes out soon, but if you can’t wait, he has plenty of other work in 'The First Law' series.

Brandon Sanderson’s 'Mistborn' is probably the most accessible adult fantasy series out there, even with its extensive fantasy world and well-defined magic system. Vin is a street thief turned Mistborn, able to digest metals to unlock various magic, as she joins a heist to overthrow the immortal Lord Ruler. With loveable characters, plenty of action and suspense, this is one of those books you just can’t put down. Because it’s a trilogy set within the larger Cosmere universe, you get the satisfaction of a great series ending, but there is always more if you are craving it. 'Assassin’s Apprentice' follows this same pattern of a trilogy within Robin Hobb’s larger 'Realm of the Elderlings' series. This is probably the densest of all the recommendations, but it’s completely worth your time if you are looking for the absolute best of the best. Hobb writes some of the most authentic feeling characters across any genre, and getting to spend so much time with them really helps them feel like real people. It follows the life of Fitz, a royal bastard, as he begins his training as a spy and assassin.