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The days can be long and uninspired without a little imagination in your life. Whether you’re a physician fixing hammertoes or an accountant dealing with tax season, you should take some time to dust off the cobwebs on the creative side of your brain and jump into a world that takes you far away into a land of magic, flying cars, chilling suspense, or even just the ordinary life of a fictional character. Books are your gateway into these worlds, and while television and movies are wonderful, books allow you to connect with the characters on a whole new level. But if you’re new to the world of literature, where do you even start? Not to worry, we have a few recommendations to keep you busy for a while.
The Harry Potter Series
As the most successful book series of all time, spawning a slew of merchandise, theme parks, spin-offs, movies, and more, you’d be hard-pressed to find a bookworm that hasn’t read Harry Potter. But just because it’s popular doesn’t mean it’s overhyped; if by some chance you’ve yet to pick up The Philosopher’s Stone—or Sorcerer’s Stone for readers in the United States—you should do yourself a favour and pick it up. Or perhaps you’re a fan of the films but not much of a reader? Trust us, this one is worth it. Seven books, four of them being particularly large, can be intimidating, but once you get started, you’ll fly through them.
The Dexter Series
Fans of the television series may not even be aware that it is based on a series of novels—eight to be exact—by author Jeff Lindsay. The television series was very popular during its initial run on the air, albeit with a generally agreed upon disappointing ending. However, with the recent revival series, Dexter: New Blood, having just premiered on Showtime, fans have been reinvigorated. The books do not follow the television series hardly at all, mostly just bringing the characters to life and deviating in every other aspect, but the iconic Dexter voice is still ever-present. Fans that are eager for more Dexter should consider giving the books a try.
A Song of Ice and Fire Series
Winter is coming . . . eventually. George R.R. Martin’s incredibly famous series was adapted into a little television series in the early 2010s called A Game of Thrones—maybe you’ve heard of it? Lucky for fans, the books are just as good if not better. Martin brings the large cast of characters to life in compelling and entertaining ways that tugs at our hearts and leaves us biting our nails out of fear that they won’t make it to the next page. While only five of the seven books have been released, with the last one hitting shelves in 2011, the next novel is sure to come out soon . . . any day now. We’re sure of it.
The Dark Tower Series
Stephen King’s acclaimed series ventures outside of his typically adopted horror genre and instead gives us a landscape that is part post-apocalypse, part western, and part fantasy, with just a sprinkle of sci-fi. It might sound like a lot of ingredients, but they come together to create a treat that is oh-so-sweet. The story starts off with The Gunslinger, who is chasing The Man in Black across the desert, and from there, chaos ensues. Many of King’s other works are referenced and alluded to throughout the series, providing long-time fans with keen eyes some easter eggs to look out for along the way.
The End
Whichever series you decide to pick up, you can rest assured that they’ll take you a little bit to get through, even if you consider yourself a fairly fast reader. It might be a fantasy, like The Lord of the Rings, or a sci-fi like The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, or even a children’s series like A Series of Unfortunate Events, but eventually, that story will come to an end, leaving you with a feeling of fulfilment, elation, wonder, and possibly even a little bittersweet, depending on the series. But after the final page has turned, there’s always another book to dive into.
