Fantasy books tend to take a lot of time to build worlds, and that can make them difficult to get into. Some people may even stop partway through. The problem with that is that you may drop a series right before it gets really good.
Of course, there are going to be books that end up on your did-not-finish pile. I try not to DNF a book, and will just slowly work my way through it, reading other books in between. These are five series that I’m glad I didn’t stop with, because once they get past the initial worldbuilding, the stories come to vivid life.
1. The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson
The Stormlight Archive saga by Brandon Sanderson is one of the best fantasy sagas you will ever read. It all starts with The Way of Kings, which can feel drawn out as Sanderson sketches out this unique world ravaged by periodic storms. Sometimes, I wonder why so much time is spent on the description of buildings or on the backstory of the different types of people who live here. In the end, The Way of Kings has characters and arcs that you’ll end up rereading the books for to see how it all comes together.
When the Knights Radiant fell, it seemed like all was lost. However, their Shardblades and Shardplate remained, transforming any man wearing them into near-invincible warriors. That leads to various wars, and we enter in the middle of one called the Shattered Plains. We follow multiple characters, learning about the past and the current setting, but also seeing them defy the expectations of their people, which leaves us eager to see what they do next.
2. The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang
If you’re a fan of military epics, you may have initially picked this title up thinking it would be set during World War I just based on the title. But this is an epic fantasy story as well as a historical novel, which means plenty of potentially tiresome worldbuilding up top. Stick with this one, because the worldbuilding is both necessary and beautifully done. The first book in this series, simply titled The Poppy War, delves into colonialism, war, and belonging.
Rin has realized that she’s different to everyone else, but not just because of the color of her skin. She has the skill of shamanism, and she’s on a journey to learn how to control it and feel like she belongs somewhere.
3. Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn by Tad Williams
Tad Williams' Memory, Sorrow and Thorn trilogy begins with The Dragonbone Chair, and you need to get through the first 200 pages or so to get to the best parts. That might sound a big ask, but it's worth it experience this incredible story. There's a lot of backstory involving the world of Osten Ard, its denizens, factions and conflicts. All of it comes into play before we meet our hero: Simon, a 14-year-old kitchen boy serving in the great castle of Hayholt.
Simon is lucky enough to become apprenticed to Doctor Morgenes, the castle's healer and wizard. But soon enough, he stumbles on evidence of a political conspiracy and has to make a run for it. He'll travel the country, meet elves, train as a warrior, and get caught up in an adventure the scale of which is beyond anything he ever dreamed of.
Memory, Sorry and Thorn is a coming-of-age story for Simon, but also an imaginative fantasy journey full of fights, riddles and fantasy creatures. There are elements that will remind you of The Lord of the Rings in the best way.
4. Terra Ignota by Ada Palmer
While a lot of fantasy is set in a fantasy world that draws inspiration from Earth's real-life past, Too Like the Lightning — the first book in Ada Palmer four-part series — is set in the future. Specifically, we're in the 25th century, and we have to wade through a lot of exposition before we understand how the world became what it has. If you’re like me, all that groundwork can take you out of the story and make it hard to follow.
But don't give up! This book series does more than throw the characters into perilous situations. Set in a world where religion has been outlawed and technology has become a god-like entity, Terra Ignota poses intriguing moral and philosophical questions that you’ll end up mulling along the way.
5. The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan
If you’re new to high fantasy, The Wheel of Time book series isn’t something I would usually recommend. Get a few other fantasy stories under your belt first, and then you’ll be ready for the slow burn that is Robert Jordan's beloved epic, which runs for a full 14 books.
The first book in the series, The Eye of the World, introduces us to a number of unassuming characters living in and around a quiet country village. When Moiraine, an Aes Sedai sorceress, shows up, their lives are changed forever as they set off on a grand journey that will end with them fighting the Dark One, the source of all evil in existance.
At first it seems like the characters are going to travel together on the same journey, but they soon go off throughout the world on their own adventures, with their stories intertwining occasionally. Throw in tons of factions, a complicated magic system, and an outlook on the world that incorporates eternity and reincarnation, and have you a rich tale worth reading again and again. The Wheel of Time series gets better as it goes, so opting out near the start would be a huge mistake.
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