Where to go after Harry Potter - Page 2

s1mp13m4n · 02-06-2011, 10:33 PM

My wife and a Kindle 3 have helped me to enjoy reading very much. I now see why people like to read for fun and not just to learn something. It is relaxing.

Latinandgreek · 02-07-2011, 05:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by floridamom

If you're enjoying the HP series, I'd like to suggest that you reread it at some point. You'll see things you didn't see the first time, because the second time around you'll know so much more. Those books are an enjoyable reread.

Very true. I'm thinking of doing a re-read soon, myself.

WillAdams · 02-07-2011, 07:51 AM

Susan Cooper's _The Dark is Rising_ Pentalogy is an excellent work which both of my kids enjoyed:

Over Sea, Under Stone
The Dark Is Rising
Greenwitch
The Grey King
Silver on the Tree

William

mediax · 02-07-2011, 08:22 AM

Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy is somewhat darker than Harry Potter, but pushed many of the same buttons (for me, at least).

Another series you might find of interest is The Black Magician by Trudi Canavan, which features a young girl discovering magical powers she didn't know she possessed and gaining entry to a university of Magicians.

DiapDealer · 02-07-2011, 09:15 AM

Quote:

I now see why people like to read for fun and not just to learn something.

Some of us even manage to both at once.

ATDrake · 02-07-2011, 02:13 PM

Second Susan Cooper, recursively second the seconding of my recommendation for Diana Wynne Jones being extended to her Howl's Moving Castle series (Dark Lord of Derholm didn't do much for me, but her Tough Guide to Fantasyland is a hoot).

Add also Lloyd Alexander's Prydain and Westmark series (a classic loosely based on Welsh mythology and excellent, ignore the Disney movie; and vaguely post-medieval pre-industrial urban ghetto, respectively) and Garth Nix's Old Kingdom series starting with Sabriel, which has an older magical kingdom existing almost side by side with a regular English-y sort, much like Harry Potter does.

bookfiend · 02-07-2011, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ATDrake

Garth Nix's Old Kingdom series starting with Sabriel, which has an older magical kingdom existing almost side by side with a regular English-y sort, much like Harry Potter does.

You beat me to this recommendation.

A very good series (the other books are Lirael and Abhorsen, if I remember off the top of my head). They're also sometimes referred to as The Abhorsen Trilogy. Wonderful female protagonists (one of them a librarian, too!

), and a great parallel-worlds scenario.

On a more classic (and less light-hearted, perhaps) note, I also like Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast books as a series (Titus Groan, Gormenghast, and Titus Alone). There's no magic, but it's still considered fantasy (I guess they could be called Gothic).

Latinandgreek · 02-07-2011, 03:27 PM

I third the Garth Nix recommendation. Wow, this thread is really going to extend my TBR list, so many books that I'd love to check out have been mentioned!

s1mp13m4n · 02-07-2011, 03:28 PM

Thank you for all this help, this is a great forum with very helpful people.

Rizla · 02-07-2011, 09:08 PM

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is really good. I couldn't put it down and that's rare for me. It's not "magic" though.

I'm reading The Secret Hour by Scott Westerfield at the moment and that's also very good, and less serious. It's magical too.

jhempel24 · 02-08-2011, 01:27 AM

Since Brian Jaques has just passed away, and I really think that his books are great, while not in the same style as Harry Potter, but Redwall is a really great read!

beespeckled · 02-08-2011, 02:48 AM

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke. quick plot: England, the year 1806. England is at war w/Napoleon and it has been centuries since practical magic has been a part of society, but then scholars of magic history find out there is one practicing Magician left, the reclusive Mr. Norrell. Mr. Norrell is pressured to prove his powers, with wonders like making statues speak and sing, when a new young powerful magician appears, Jonathan Strange.
Jonathan becomes Mr. Norrell's pupil. Strange & Norrell are complete opposites in temperament. As Jonathan's powers and skills increase, so do his ambitions.

I have to mention I own this book, but haven't read it yet. I am looking forward to reading it, but I'm always getting book request from the library that take priority! Anyway, this book was hailed as the grown-up Harry Potter by some critics, IT may have even been Stephen King who said this.

Latinandgreek · 02-08-2011, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beespeckled

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke. quick plot: England, the year 1806. England is at war w/Napoleon and it has been centuries since practical magic has been a part of society, but then scholars of magic history find out there is one practicing Magician left, the reclusive Mr. Norrell. Mr. Norrell is pressured to prove his powers, with wonders like making statues speak and sing, when a new young powerful magician appears, Jonathan Strange.
Jonathan becomes Mr. Norrell's pupil. Strange & Norrell are complete opposites in temperament. As Jonathan's powers and skills increase, so do his ambitions.

I have to mention I own this book, but haven't read it yet. I am looking forward to reading it, but I'm always getting book request from the library that take priority! Anyway, this book was hailed as the grown-up Harry Potter by some critics, IT may have even been Stephen King who said this.

I really liked Dr. Strange and mister Norrell, so much so that I plan on re-reading it. There are a lot of details in the story that I think I might have missed first time around. It is very obvious when reading the book that a lot of care and love went into writing it; as a reader, I really, truly appreciate that.

The Magicians by Lev Grossman was also hailed as the grown-up HP, and that's not an exaggeration at all. It did have it's flaws, but it's still a good read. I do plan on reading the sequel when it gets published later this year.

s1mp13m4n · 02-08-2011, 11:17 AM

This is some great help. Now to switch things up a bit, I also liked Lawrence Block the Bernie Rhodenbarr series and the Janet Evanovich Stephanie Plum series, so any ideas based on those as well?

Bricorn · 02-09-2011, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ATDrake

Second Susan Cooper, recursively second the seconding of my recommendation for Diana Wynne Jones being extended to her Howl's Moving Castle series (Dark Lord of Derholm didn't do much for me, but her Tough Guide to Fantasyland is a hoot).

Add also Lloyd Alexander's Prydain and Westmark series (a classic loosely based on Welsh mythology and excellent, ignore the Disney movie; and vaguely post-medieval pre-industrial urban ghetto, respectively) and Garth Nix's Old Kingdom series starting with Sabriel, which has an older magical kingdom existing almost side by side with a regular English-y sort, much like Harry Potter does.

Thanks for that, the tough guide looks excellent. I think my eyes skipped over it before because of the "non-fiction" tag.

02-08-2011, 02:48 AM	#27
beespeckled Zealot Posts: 148 Karma: 80874 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Pacific NW USA Device: KOBO Aura One; Kindle Oasis 3	Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke. quick plot: England, the year 1806. England is at war w/Napoleon and it has been centuries since practical magic has been a part of society, but then scholars of magic history find out there is one practicing Magician left, the reclusive Mr. Norrell. Mr. Norrell is pressured to prove his powers, with wonders like making statues speak and sing, when a new young powerful magician appears, Jonathan Strange. Jonathan becomes Mr. Norrell's pupil. Strange & Norrell are complete opposites in temperament. As Jonathan's powers and skills increase, so do his ambitions. I have to mention I own this book, but haven't read it yet. I am looking forward to reading it, but I'm always getting book request from the library that take priority! Anyway, this book was hailed as the grown-up Harry Potter by some critics, IT may have even been Stephen King who said this. Last edited by beespeckled; 02-08-2011 at 02:50 AM. Reason: spelling phrasing correction

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02-06-2011, 10:33 PM	#16
s1mp13m4n Zealot Posts: 127 Karma: 1278 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Virginia, USA Device: Kindle Oasis	My wife and a Kindle 3 have helped me to enjoy reading very much. I now see why people like to read for fun and not just to learn something. It is relaxing.

02-07-2011, 07:51 AM	#18
WillAdams Wizard Posts: 1,242 Karma: 3439432 Join Date: Feb 2008 Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (300ppi), Samsung Galaxy Book 12	Susan Cooper's _The Dark is Rising_ Pentalogy is an excellent work which both of my kids enjoyed: Over Sea, Under Stone The Dark Is Rising Greenwitch The Grey King Silver on the Tree William

02-07-2011, 08:22 AM	#19
mediax Readaholic Posts: 255 Karma: 1058454 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Swindon, UK Device: Sony PRS-T2 (previously 505 and 650)	Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy is somewhat darker than Harry Potter, but pushed many of the same buttons (for me, at least). Another series you might find of interest is The Black Magician by Trudi Canavan, which features a young girl discovering magical powers she didn't know she possessed and gaining entry to a university of Magicians.

02-07-2011, 02:13 PM	#21
ATDrake Wizzard Posts: 11,517 Karma: 33048258 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Roundworld Device: Kindle 2 International, Sony PRS-T1, BlackBerry PlayBook, Acer Iconia	Second Susan Cooper, recursively second the seconding of my recommendation for Diana Wynne Jones being extended to her Howl's Moving Castle series (Dark Lord of Derholm didn't do much for me, but her Tough Guide to Fantasyland is a hoot). Add also Lloyd Alexander's Prydain and Westmark series (a classic loosely based on Welsh mythology and excellent, ignore the Disney movie; and vaguely post-medieval pre-industrial urban ghetto, respectively) and Garth Nix's Old Kingdom series starting with Sabriel, which has an older magical kingdom existing almost side by side with a regular English-y sort, much like Harry Potter does.

02-07-2011, 03:27 PM	#23
Latinandgreek Warrior Princess Posts: 5,038 Karma: 9724231 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: PRS-505; PRS-350, PRS-T1, iPad, Aura HD	I third the Garth Nix recommendation. Wow, this thread is really going to extend my TBR list, so many books that I'd love to check out have been mentioned!

02-07-2011, 03:28 PM	#24
s1mp13m4n Zealot Posts: 127 Karma: 1278 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Virginia, USA Device: Kindle Oasis	Thank you for all this help, this is a great forum with very helpful people.

02-07-2011, 09:08 PM	#25
Rizla Member Retired Posts: 3,183 Karma: 11721895 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Nook STR (rooted) & Sony T2	The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is really good. I couldn't put it down and that's rare for me. It's not "magic" though. I'm reading The Secret Hour by Scott Westerfield at the moment and that's also very good, and less serious. It's magical too.

02-08-2011, 01:27 AM	#26
jhempel24 Wizard Posts: 2,157 Karma: 7068605 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite, B&N Nook Colro	Since Brian Jaques has just passed away, and I really think that his books are great, while not in the same style as Harry Potter, but Redwall is a really great read!

02-08-2011, 11:17 AM	#29
s1mp13m4n Zealot Posts: 127 Karma: 1278 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Virginia, USA Device: Kindle Oasis	This is some great help. Now to switch things up a bit, I also liked Lawrence Block the Bernie Rhodenbarr series and the Janet Evanovich Stephanie Plum series, so any ideas based on those as well?

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