7 Tips On How To Read Fantasy Books For Beginners

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7 Tips On How To Read Fantasy Books For Beginners

When I started reading fantasy books, I wondered how to read fantasy books especially because I am a beginner and they can tend to be overwhelming.

In this article, I am going to share with you some tips on how to start reading fantasy books plus some easy to get into fantasy books for beginners.

I discovered in the last year that I really enjoy reading fantasy. I usually read asian literature and historical fiction romance, but I felt like I wanted to diversify my reading.

If you want to learn how to read fantasy books for beginners, keep reading!

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7 Tips On How To Read Fantasy Books For Beginners

1. Pick An Easy To Start With Fantasy Book

But what is an easy to get into fantasy book?

An easy to get into fantasy book would be a book that has simple world-building, magic systems and a minimal amount of characters so you can keep up with them.

I’m going to be recommending The Folk of Air Series for this first point because the world-building is explained in great detail, the magic system is easy to understand and there were only a handful of characters to focus on in each of the three books.

2. Listen To An Audiobook While Reading

The key here is to read while listening to an audiobook. Not just listen to an audiobook.

Just listening to an audiobook might help you get through a fantasy book really quickly.

But if you are a beginner and want to train your mind to get used to reading fantasy which involves different worlds, characters, magic systems and more, you might want to listen to an audiobook while training your eyes to read through the pages.

It will be much easier. Trust me, this is what I did when I wanted to explore the fantasy genre.

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3. Read The First Two Books Of A Fantasy Series

Here’s one thing i’ve noticed about most fantasy series – the story doesn’t really pick up until the second book in the series.

To give a fantasy book series a chance, try to get through the second book.

I know some readers who quit reading a series after reading the first book because they felt it was too slow pace.

This can be true for most first books as they introduce characters and focus on world-building.

4. Always Refer To The Map (If There’s A Map)

I love maps. If a fantasy book does not have a map, I wouldn’t read it (especially because I’m a beginner).

Maps are great for beginner fantasy readers. It helps you visualise the world the author is describing to the reader.

While reading, whenever a new place pops up, I’ll make an effort to refer back to the map.

Sometimes, authors tend to include directions (north, south east, etc) and this can be confusing.

But once you refer back to the map, you see where these places are actually placed in the world of the fantasy book you’re reading.

5. Google

Don’t be afraid to GOOGLE. Especially if the world’s setting is influenced by cultures you are not familiar with.

When reading Six Crimson Cranes, I had to google a few things like the food and musical instruments to imagine them better while reading as they were Chinese and Japanese influenced.

I was also not familiar with faes and their characteristics when reading The Cruel Prince, so I had to google to imagine how they actually look like.

6. Use Sticky Tabs & Annotate

Even though you picked an easy to read fantasy book to start with, a fantasy book generally has a lot going on compared to other genres.

Besides the mystical and adventurous plot, there’s also world-building and characters to keep track of.

Using sticky tabs that are different in colour to represent different things within the book might be helpful.

For example, I would have one colour associated with the below:

World-building facts to remember (magic systems, places, etc)
Main character development.
Significant events in the plot.
Quotes.
New character introduction
Romance scenes

You don’t have to follow my tabbing system. Here is a youtube video that’ll help you understand better.

These are my favourite sticky tabs. I use them all the time and they’re so inexpensive.

7. Explore Fan Art (But With Caution)

If you’re having trouble visualising, exploring fan arts on Pinterest or Instagram is a great idea.

Just be careful of spoilers!

I had trouble getting used to the world Six Crimson Crane was set in, so I searched some fan art on Pinterest for better visualisation.

Is Reading Fantasy Books Good For You?

Yes. I believe it helps stimulate creativity and also broadens your vocabulary and knowledge on different cultures around the world.

What Are The Benefits Of Reading Fantasy Books?

Some of the benefits of reading fantasy fiction would be:

Stimulates creativity
Broadens knowledge on different cultures
Widens your vocabulary
More readers to connect with (there are a lot of fantasy book readers)
Great bookstagram niche (there a lot of bookstagrammers that love fantasy, you’ll be able to grow your account faster than others)
Is a great escape (i’m guilty of doing this, I read fantasy to escape my everyday life)

Which Fantasy Book Should I Read First?

If you’re a beginner, pick an easy-to-read fantasy book so that it will be less intimidating.

Also, it is not wise to pick a book just because it is an “easy read”. It will only feel like an easy read if you enjoy the plot or story line in the first place.

Easy-To-Read Fantasy Book Recommendations For Beginners

Here are some beginner fantasy book recommendations that i’ve personally read:

1. Six Crimson Cranes

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If you’re looking for a beginner friendly YA fantasy read, this would be a good option. Simple world-building and magic system.

Not many characters, the journey this book takes you on is mostly by the side of the female protagonist.

2. The Folk Of Air Series

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This is one of the best completed fantasy series. It is a series loved by many avid fantasy readers.

It has a strong mortal female main character who despises a cruel faerie prince. This is also an enemies to lovers fantasy book.

3. Daughter Of The Moon Goddess

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This fantasy novel is based on Chinese mythology. Although it is a thick book with a lot of information, it is well-paced and easy to understand.

If you’re a beginner and want to read a book that has other elements besides fantasy, this is a good choice as there’s a love triangle present in this book.