5 Fantasy Series Perfect for Your Book Club

While I've never been a member of a book club, every once in a while I come across a series of novels that I know without a doubt would be perfect for one. Enjoying a novel or series doesn't necessarily mean either is the perfect book club choice. There needs to be something of substance to talk about that perhaps not everyone will agree on; and even if you do all agree on certain things, the perfect series/novel has enough facets that there's still something left to discuss beyond, "I agree." Let's face it, not every series or novel has this quality. There are quite a few books that I love, but I know that all of them wouldn't make for the greatest discussion.

Therefore, I've compiled a list of series that would be great for any book club. My goal here is to stay away from series that are common place - meaning that I wanted to suggest series that you may not have seen on a list like this before, as well as young adult series that haven't been adapted into a film. With that said, I'll be excluding Harry Potter and The Hunger Games, but would like you to know that they would also make suitable choices for a book club in need.


 1.

Who isn't interested in the story of an assassin who's been caught? Questions abound. How was she caught? How can a trained assassin not avoid capture? What would drive someone to choose that life? The Throne of Glass series has morphed into something much larger than what the first three novels presented. When this series started, it was solely about an assassin; as it has progressed though, new layers and characters have been introduced. While not every change is welcomed by all, the continued exploration of character relationships and the evolving series plot give readers a lot to think and talk about. There will be plenty of conflicting opinions to keep a discussion interesting and, as I'm sure most will agree, there will also be plenty of reasons to keep you and your fellow book club friends united. 

 2.

While the Falling Kingdoms series and I had a rocky start in 2013, I have come to fully embrace it in all its barbaric glory. Some readers (like me) may see a lot of things coming, but the character driven plot will keep everyone fully invested. The sometimes taboo subject matter sunk within a fully developed world is great for spirited discussions with peers. Whether or not everyone likes the characters, they won't put the series down until they see the twisted story play out. Warning: you may not be able to slow everyone down enough to read one book a month.

3.

You've seen the movies, now it's time to read the books. Tolkien has built a world ripe for discussion and questions and I wouldn't be a good blogger if I didn't include The Lord of the Rings trilogy on this list. It may take a bit longer to get through than some, but every book club needs a few books built for the long haul. Anyone who claims they like books, should give The Lord of the Rings a chance at least once in their reading lives. The epic story is particularly great for discussions on themes such as: loyalty, friendship, good and evil, and even redemption. The Hobbit is technically a standalone novel, but you can throw it in with The Lord of the Rings trilogy for good measure. This also happens to be one of the few series that you can put down for months but pick up again later with very few repercussions.

4.

It's not often that you see gargoyles take the front and center in a novel. At least, I haven't heard of that many. In The Dispossessed series, their existence and the specifics of their past and present restraints keeps readers curious. The historical setting perfectly suits the content and the demons will have you looking over your shoulder as you read before bed. (Perhaps you shouldn't read these before bed...) Additionally, the romance (if nothing else does the trick) will have you clamoring for more, effectively entrapping you in a never ending cycle of, "Just one more chapter."

5.

It's not every day you get to read a sci-fi take on Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, and Rapunzel. The novels featured here are just three in a series of five (with the last novel, Winter, releasing this November). The technical aspects of The Lunar Chronicles, will have your book club in a type of awe as it complicates the relationships between the characters, who each come with their own set of special issues - some bigger than others.

What books have you read with a book club? Have you ever thought of starting one yourself?

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