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Great Immersive Books For Getting Lost In New Worlds
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items A selection of my favourite books and authors. These are the reads I turn to when I need to immerse myself in another world for a while! These novels are outstanding reads, hidden gems that don't get nearly enough attention. These are not your standa...
Sections
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Signe Pike
Raymond E. Feist
Scott Lynch
George R. R. Martin
Robert Jordan
J. R. R. Tolkien
Signe Pike
Powerful descriptions and depth of emotion are Signe's hallmarks. Her characters are deep and thoughtful, flawed and well-rounded. She has a deep knowledge of history and it shows in how she crafts her world.
The Lost Queen is a compelling read with a breathtaking blend of history and fantasy. It is the story not of King Arthur, not of Lancelot, and not even of Merlin. Rather, it is the story of Merlin's beloved sister and the life she sought to forge for...
The Lost Queen: A Novel
The second book in Signe Pike's Lost Queen series. I just picked this one up. I haven't read it yet, but I absolutely loved the first one, and I've read it at least twice. Looking forward to digging into this one!
The Forgotten Kingdom: A Novel
I have yet to pick this one up, but if the first two novels in the series are anything to go by, I'll be absolutely enthralled when I do. This is the third book in the outstanding series by Signe Pike, who has a phenomenal talent for immersing you in...
The Shadowed Land: A Novel
Raymond E. Feist
I grew up reading Raymond E. Feist; his Riftwar Saga was my favorite. I get lost in the world of Midkemia, and each successive series calls back throughout the history of the world. I love seeing mentions of old favorite characters, remembered genera...
My father gifted me the Riftwar Saga when I was a little girl. I spent my childhood sitting in front of the woodstove with a warm blanket and soft music, losing myself in the world of Midkemia. Outstanding series!
Magician: Apprentice (Riftwar Saga Series #1)|Paperback
The second book in the Riftwar Saga, following Magician: Apprentice. Our main character Pug is branching out into a new world, and we're getting insights into the politics we didn't know were happening behind the scenes.
Magician: Master (Riftwar Saga Series #2)|Paperback
Silverthorn is the third book in the Riftwar Saga, but it represents a departure from the previous two. Pug is not the main point-of-view character, and instead we follow a new storyline in another part of the world.
Silverthorn (Riftwar Saga Series #3)|Paperback
The fourth book in the Riftwar Saga, culminating the story with one hell of a bang. It's exciting, it's heart-wrenching and it draws together many of the loose ends of the previous novels. Easily my favorite of the four.
A Darkness at Sethanon (Riftwar Saga Series #4)|Paperback
Jimmy The Hand is easily my favorite character of the Riftwar Saga. It's really cool to learn he has his own novel now, and I can't wait to read it!
Jimmy and the Crawler | Indigo
The story of Midkemia continues with the next generation. Krondor's Sons is a series following the children of Prince Arutha, with the characters of the Riftwar Saga passing the torch on to their young successors.
Prince of the Blood (Krondor's Sons Series #1)|Paperback
Scott Lynch
Scott Lynch has a spectacular talent for grabbing you by the heartstrings and making you cry. His Gentlemen Bastards series is one part post-apocalypse, one part fantasy and one part crime drama. Every part is worth digging into!
The Gentleman Bastards series is a hell of a ride! The Lies of Locke Lamora is the first book in the series, and it's one of the best fantasy heist stories I've ever read. Be prepared to laugh, to rage and to cry.
The Lies of Locke Lamora (Gentleman Bastard Series #1)|Paperback
The second book in the Gentleman Bastards series. It cranks up the emotional gut punches of the first book, takes us to new uncharted lands, and expands on the darkness of the world.
Red Seas Under Red Skies (Gentleman Bastard Series #2)|Paperback
Book number three of the Gentleman Bastards. This one carries some heavy twists, and continues the author's bad habit of absolutely stomping on my heart like a cruel, cruel jerk. 10/10!
The Republic of Thieves|Paperback
George R. R. Martin
The master of fantasy himself, lord of the written word, king of murdering off your favorite characters. Am I bitter? A little bit.
The Song of Ice and Fire series has a special place in my heart. My partner keeps teasing me about never getting an ending to the books and I really hope he's wrong. The books are ten times better than the show, I promise!
George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones Leather-Cloth Boxed Set (Song of Ice and Fire Series): A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows, and A Dance with Dragons|Paperback
George R. R. Martin is a master of worldbuilding, and he's thrown so much effort into crafting a living, breathing history for the world of A Song of Ice and Fire. Fire and Blood is a fantastical history book disguised as a novel, and it's all about ...
Fire & Blood: 300 Years Before A Game of Thrones|Paperback
It's a common complaint among fans of George R. R. Martin - myself included - that he focuses on building the world rather than completing the story of his novel series. I agree…but also, the history is really cool!
The World of Ice & Fire: The Untold History of Westeros and the Game of Thrones|Hardcover
The first book in the Song of Ice and Fire series. If you don't want to buy the whole set right away, starting with the first novel never hurts. Trust me, you're going to get hooked. This book is where the Game of Thrones show gets its name. Ugh, the...
Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire #1) (HBO Tie-In Edition)|Paperback
I'm a huge fan of A Song of Ice and Fire. And yes, I'm still absolutely furious over what the showrunners did- my partner refuses to do a re-watch even of the good seasons because he feels so betrayed. Thank goodness for House of the Dragon; the Targ...
The Rise of the Dragon: An Illustrated History of the Targaryen Dynasty, Volume One|Hardcover
Robert Jordan
The late Robert Jordan is famous for his beautifully written Wheel of Time series. It just got adapted to a show on Amazon Prime, so the series is seeing a well-deserved resurgence.
The Eye of the World is the first book in the Wheel of Time series. I'd love to get around to finishing these books at some point, but my mother keeps ‘borrowing’ them from me. She must have read the whole run of them five times by now, which is impr...
The Eye of the World (The Wheel of Time Series #1)|Paperback
The boxed set of the first three books of the Wheel of Time series. The new show has raised the popularity of the books again, and if you decide to get into them, it never hurts to buy multiple books at a time. That way, there's no wait!
Wheel of Time Premium Boxed Set I: Books 1-3 (The Eye of the World, The Great Hunt, The Dragon Reborn)|Other Format
J. R. R. Tolkien
I was in elementary school when I first read the Fellowship of the Ring. I was the lone kid out in what was supposed to be a group book project, and my teacher thought it was far too advanced for my age. I read it in 5 nights. My whole family are Rin...
You can't beat the classics. The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings are treasures, and I still utterly adore the Peter Jackson movies- extended editions, of course. These illustrated copies of the books are stunning.
The Hobbit & The Lord Of The Rings Boxed Set | Indigo
The Hobbit is a timeless classic. Tolkien originally wrote it as a bedtime story for his kids, and it later blossomed into the whole Lord of the Rings trilogy later in his life. It's a hell of a movie franchise these days, but the simplicity of the b...
The Hobbit (75th Anniversary Edition)|Paperback
The Silmarillion is more of a historical and genealogical book than a novel. It provides background and context into the world of a Lord of the Rings, with all of the love and passion that the classical literature and mythology lover that Tolkein was...
The Silmarillion: Illustrated by J.R.R. Tolkien|Hardcover
Margaret Atwood
Margaret Atwood is one of my greatest inspirations for fiction writing. I love her style, her knack for writing fascinating and introspective characters, and her fearlessness in her choice of subjects.
The Handmaid's Tale is an absolute must-read. Especially in the world today, where some people seem utterly hell-bent on ignoring the lessons of the past, and seem to view Gilead as a blueprint rather than a cautionary tale.
The Handmaid's Tale|Paperback
The Testaments is the sequel to the Handmaid's Tale, and it covers the beginning of the end for the country of Gilead. It goes deeper into the world, and provides insight into hated characters from the first book and their true motivations.
The Testaments: A Novel|Hardcover
Robin Hobb
The author of the spectacular Farseer Trilogy, as well as other series set within the same world. Easily on the same level as George R. R. Martin, and clearly sharing some of the same inspiration.
The first book in the Farseer Trilogy. This is the introduction to the world of the Six Duchies, and the beginning of an epic fantasy adventure. Assassins, spies, animal companions and heroic shenanigans- an all around good read!
Assassin's Apprentice (Farseer Series #1)|Paperback
The second book in the Farseer trilogy is just as powerful and immersive as the first. Fitz' journey continues, and the stakes keep on growing higher and higher.
Royal Assassin|Paperback
Another outstanding book in the Farseer series by Robin Hobb! This one brings the trilogy to its thrilling conclusion, and it will push you to the limits of tolerance if you -like me- enjoy these characters. This one hurts. But it's a great read, nev...
Assassin's Quest|Paperback
Deborah Harkness
Harkness is the author of the popular All Souls trilogy. This is one of my absolute favourites, and every year, I break out A Discovery of Witches to obsess over it and turn it into my entire personality for the whole autumn season. It's incredibly i...
This is the box set of all 3 books in the All Souls trilogy. It's a wild ride, and the main character is a hoot. I absolutely love the witches in this series, and the magic system is delightfully fleshed out and grounded. The vampires and demons are ...
The All Souls Trilogy Boxed Set book by deborah harkness, ('BX') | Indigo
The first book in the All Souls trilogy. This is where we meet our main character and her love interest and establish their relationship, and the wondrous world they live in. This is the book you will find me curled up with on a chilly autumn morning...
A Discovery Of Witches: Large Print Edition book by deborah harkness, ('TP') | Indigo
If you love this series as much as I do, you need this companion book. This is the guide of background lore, worldbuilding and character bios for the All Souls trilogy. It's amazing!
The World Of All Souls: The Complete Guide To A Discovery Of Witches, Shadow Of Night, And The Book Of Life
Travis Baldree
I didn't know how badly I needed cozy fantasy novels. I love coffee, I love fantasy, I love Dungeons & Dragons, and I love ‘after the legend ends’ stories. Fantasy heroes retiring into soft lives and building new spaces for themselves is, apparently, my jam! Travis understands this and holy hell does he deliver!
An Orc adventurer retires from hunting beasts and completing epic quests. What does she do in her later years? Why, she withdraws the funds she earned in her wilder days and opens a coffee shop! The main problem she has is that nobody in the city she...
Legends & Lattes: A Novel of High Fantasy and Low Stakes