Ink92

The Eragon film totally ruined the books for me.

Z for Zachariah by R.C. O'Brien was a hit for me and it checks all the boxes of what you're looking for. Here is a summary from GoodReads: A gripping, thought-provoking story about life after a nuclear holocaust, by a Newbery Medalist. Ann Burden is sixteen years old and completely alone. The world as she once knew it is gone, ravaged by a nuclear war that has taken everyone from her. For the past year, she has lived in a remote valley with no evidence of any other survivors. But the smoke from a distant campfire shatters Ann's solitude. Someone else is still alive and making his way toward the valley. Who is this man? What does he want? Can he be trusted? Both excited and terrified, Ann soon realizes there may be worse things than being the last person on Earth. Though the summary doesn't do it justice, it really is an outstanding novel. (It also doesn't have much violence and the little that is included is brought about when the characters are pushed to their very limit, so no pointless violence . )

My absolute favourite manga was Immortal Rain. Clean beautiful artwork, a compelling plot. It was great! I also liked Deadman Wonderland, Claymore, Skip Beat and SOOOO many more. Don't get me wrong, I LOOOVE anime and manga, I just wish it wasn't sucking up so many hours in my day. <Where has my life gone?!?!?!? Oh, that's right into manga and anime!>

Z for Zachariah by Robert C. O'Brien. Although this is more a post-apocalyptic novel than dystopian it is worth reading. I stumbled across this book by accident and it changed my view of the genre completely. It's a simple read and the plot isn't anything immensely complex but it definitely messes with your mind. This is one of those books where what's not put on the page is what really makes the story. Its in those intense moments where your mind is left to its own devices that really grip you. I would definitely give this book a go if you're into paranoia inducing fiction

I absolutely adored Howl's Moving Castle (both the book and the anime) as well as the other two novel in the series and have been debating for months which of her books I should read next. I think I've just decided! I think what I love best about Diana Wynne Jones is the sense of wonderment and infinite possibility that we see as children but forget as we grow. Reading her novels is a refreshing reprieve from the boundaries and restrictions of everyday life and allows me to let my imagination run wild like it did when I was young. I don't care what age group these books are supposedly aimed at I love, love, love them! And if that makes me a child at heart then I gladly accept the title

If you're new to fantasy then I would suggest something that is "watered down". Diving straight into hard epic fantasy for many people can leave you confused, frustrated and hating the genre for eternity. I think it's best to start with something that I like to call "soft" fantasy. Something cross-genre that has a simple but intriguing plot and doesn't explode your brain with magic systems loaded with complex rules that you need a users guide to navigate. As for recommendations I would probably go for something like Graceling by Kristin Cashore which combines a small dose of romance with the fantasy and focuses more on the complexities of the characters. Anything by Robin McKinley is also great starting point for the fantasy enthusiast. Warprize by Elizabeth Vaughan is also good or if you like fantasy mixed with steampunk then titles like Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff may appeal to you. If you want something a little deeper in the fantasy pool then Brandon Sanderson is the way to go! His worlds are so well constructed and his plots so well planned out that even the most beginner of fantasy readers will find it intriguing. (I'd start with either his Mistborn series or the Stormlight Archive series.) Hope that helps

When I finish a really compelling novel I tend to fall into what I like to call a "book hangover". It takes me a few days to shake off the world I'd submerged myself in while reading and afterwards I feel a deep sense of loneliness like I've just lost my best friend (which I suppose the novel was as I spent more time with it than I did with any living being!) I can totally understand wanting to have realty be like one of the novels you read or movies you watch, in fact I find myself thinking it all the time, especially when real life slaps you in the face and a good book is like a cold compress. Anime and manga are my secret pleasure and perfect for killing reality and there is nothing abnormal about investing yourself in fiction. Hey, isn't that what authors do all the time? An imagination is a rare quality and one that I think is undervalued, so don't let reality kill your sense of wonder! I know I haven't LOL (By the way Howl's Moving Castle by Diane Wynne Jones is fantastic. It's one of my favourite books and if you liked the anime you will definitely like the novel. Hope that helps.)

For me it was Kafka's The Metamorphosis. Something about the transformation from human into giant cockroach with no explanation was disturbing enough but what really got to me was his misery upon being felt a burden by his family and eventually dying to relieve them of it. I read this when I was in school and to this day it still deeply disturbs me.

I loved Grave Mercy by R.L. LaFevers. It incorporates a mix of true events and fiction into the story of late Britany history. The best thing about this novel is that the facts are so well researched and the fiction woven so well into the original history that its almost seamless. While the backstory is a central focus the compelling characters keep it from becoming overwhelming. It was an outstanding read. (The second book Dark Triumph was even better than the first!)

I adore Diana Wynne Jones. Though most her works are focused more towards younger readers I love the sense of wonder her books hold. One of my favourite books of all time is her novel Howl's Moving Castle.

Anything by Brandon Sanderson is worth reading if your looking for well developed fantasy series. I would also recommend the Graceling series. Its not an epic fantasy but it does have an intriguing concept and enough plot twists and mysteries to make it well worth reading. I usually look for fantasy novels with cross over genres. I like to think of fantasy like sugar, everyone loves something sweet but that doesn't mean you want to eat it by the spoonful, but mix it with other elements though and you end up with the perfect desert:)

I just finished The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson and loved it! The plot is intriguing, the magic system is well constructed the characters are fantastically developed. I had my qualms about reading a Sanderson book to begin with but now that I've picked it up I can definitely understand why everyone is praising his work. The second book was not long released also titled Words of Radiance.