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A little late, sorry. I'm sure it's still Thursday somewhere!

What are the top three books you seem to always be recommending to people?

1. The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski - I keep wanting people to read the Witcher books, since almost everyone is familiar with the game.

2. The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams - A surprisingly little known book to a lot of people I've talked to.

3. Titus Groan - I just encountered it recently, but already it's an amazing work and I love it.

1- Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
2- Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
3- Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson

Place of 2 and 3 may vary.

1. Gardens of the Moon - this is now my all-time favorite fantasy series

2. The Way of Kings - this one is, IMO, the best out of the SA books published so far

3. Retribution Falls - a fun series that still gives its characters a lot of room to evolve

And if #3 isn't fantasy enough, then...

3a. Kushiel's Dart or Kushiel's Scion - both the starts to different trilogies (though you really shouldn't read Scion before reading Dart and that trilogy first)

It always changes depending on what I have read recently but these have been some long standing ones.

1. Inda by Sherwood Smith - really amazing series with a pretty small fan base.

2. Malazan both Erikson and Esslemont - I’ve kind of slowed done on recommending this as it seems to have so many vocal fans.

3. Courtney Schafer, Elizabeth Moon and Janny Wurts - I always try recommending these authors depending on what people are looking for.

The Complete Malazan Book of the Fallen -Epic and compassionate beyond anything else.

The Way of Kings - Terrific characters and world building.

Beyond Redemption - Complete and utter macabre madness that is hilarious.

1. Mistborn Trilogy Boxed Set. Most of the time I recommend books, it's to people that are relatively unfamiliar with fantasy and are curious to give it a go. This series both a) is easy to read like most Sanderson works and b) opens people's minds to fantasy being something other than a LotR clone. This is also the series that made me fall in love with the genre.

2. A Shadow in Summer. Typically my recommendation to people that already enjoy the fantasy genre and are looking for something slightly off the beaten path.

3. The Blade Itself. This is my response to people who say "I watch Game of Thrones but won't read it, because I don't have time for five 1,000 page books." Oh really, well then how about three 600 page books with somewhat comparable levels of court intrigue, violence, and whit?

Like Veronica, I did join the Malazan cult and I advertise it everywhere I can and in few places I shouldn't.

Like Bill, I believe Inda should have its own hype train or at lease be read more widely.

My last successful recommendation was Anathem which I sold to poor, unsuspecting Mr de Vries telling him it's a philosophical treaty merged with a mystery very similar to the Name of the Rose albeit in slightly different settings (as you might have heard Mr de Vries frowns upon the trashy fairy-tales and dragons genre). I know. I am evil.

I'm going to put series instead of just books. because I usually recommend whole series to people.

1. Riyria or Legends of the First Empire by Michael J Sullivan
2. The Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher
3. Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews

People mostly seem to ask me about uplifting fantasy books for children - so here are my top 3 (at the moment :-)

1. For kindergarten/lower primary: Puck The Gnome (Jakob Streit).

2. For lower/middle grade:
First Aid For Fairies and Other Fabled Beasts (Lari Don) - series of 4.

3. For middle/upper primary:
Brotherhood Of Thieves (Stuart Daly) - series of 3.

They change quite often but these are 3 fantasy books that people should read!

1.
2.
3.

1. Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
2. Red Rising by Pierce Brown
3. Troy by David Gemmell

Don’t let the classic fantasy of Drenai Saga fool you with Mr. Gemmell. The Troy series is a fucking masterpiece

You got me interested here as I grow tired of the Drenai.

Brittany wrote: "They change quite often but these are 3 fantasy books that people should read!

1.
2.
3."

I love the Green Rider series.

Margret wrote: "1. Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
2. Red Rising by Pierce Brown
3. Troy by David Gemmell

Don’t let the classic fantasy of Drenai Saga fool you with Mr. Gemmell. The Troy series is a fucking master..."

I'm more surprised you have two YA series listed.

Mayim wrote: "You got me interested here as I grow tired of the Drenai."

I hated Legend, but loved the first Troy book.

Fantasy.

1. Like many Malazan is easiest my favourite fantasy series. I recommend the Ultimate reading order as after having now read a few ICE books I think he really helps to round out the series.

2. A Song of Ice and Fire by GRRM
3. The Faithful and the Fallen by John Gywnne

Non Fantasy

1. Anything by Sharon Kay Penman
2. Cork O'Connor by William Kent Krueger
3. Sebastian St Cyr by C.S. Harris

1. Malazan - Gardens of the Moon - I don't have a lot of fantasy-loving friends in real life, but for those who are into it, Malazan is always something I bring up.

2. Mistborn - The Final Empire - I recommend this one a lot to people interested in fantasy who are starting to read adult fantasy, especially people here in Korea because it is one of the few that has been translated to Korean.

3. Bloodsounder's Arc - Scourge of the Betrayer - Anyone who has seen my posts in these top three threads has seen me put this series on the past 3 or 4 lists.

Nowadays, these three keep popping up. All are first in series, perfected with top-notch writing:
1. A Game of Thrones - a must read for all epic fantasy/grimdark subgenre fan or anyone who wants to start.
2. The Curse of Chalion - old school fantasy but has lots of heart and great magic.
3. The Fifth Season - simply a masterpiece.

If I could have an honorable mention, it would be Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett for those who want to inject a dose of quality humor to their fantasy intake.

Scott wrote: "Margret wrote: "1. Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
2. Red Rising by Pierce Brown
3. Troy by David Gemmell

Don’t let the classic fantasy of Drenai Saga fool you with Mr. Gemmell. The Troy series is ..."

The qualifications on those two are shaky at best for YA, but yes it is kinda surprising to me too!

Silvana wrote: "Nowadays, these three keep popping up. All are first in series, perfected with top-notch writing:
1. A Game of Thrones - a must read for all epic fantasy/grimdark subgenre fan or anyone who wants t..."

Oooh The Curse of Chalion was a great book. Good choice.