Recommendations

So you are looking for a book? Below are some of our all-time favorites that everyone should read. The books are some of the top picks from each contributor to The Quill to Live. Be sure to check them all out!

The books are listed: Series (First Book) – Author.

Andrew – Prioritizes characters/growth, interesting thematic exploration, and creative stories/settings

• Acts of Caine (Heroes Die) – Matthew Stover
• Between Earth and Sky (Black Sun) – Rebecca Roanhorse
• The Black Company (Chronicles of the Black Company) – Glen Cook
• Clocktaur Universe (Swordheart) – T Kingfisher
• Culture (Consider Phlebas) – Iain M. Banks
• The Divine Cities (City of Stairs) – Robert Jackson Bennett
• Dragons of Terra (Blood of an Exile) – Brian Naslund
• Exhalation – Ted Chiang
• The Expanse (Leviathan Wakes) – James S. A. Corey
• The Final Architecture (Shards of Earth) – Adrian Tchaikovsky
• The First Law (The Blade Itself) – Joe Abercrombie
• Greatcoats (Traitor’s Blade) – Sebastian de Castell
• The Licanius Trilogy (The Shadow of What Was Lost) – James Islington
• The Malazan Book of the Fallen (Gardens of the Moon) – Steven Erikson
• The Salvagers (A Big Ship at the Edge of the Universe) – Alex White
• Scarlet Odyssey (Scarlet Odyssey) – C.T. Rwizi
• The Stormlight Archive (The Way of Kings) – Brandon Sanderson
• The Sarantine Mosaic (Sailing to Sarantium) – Guy Gavriel Kay
• Vorkosigan Saga (Shards of Honour) – Lois McMaster Bujold
• Wayfarers (The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet) – Becky Chambers

Alex – Prioritizes well realized themes explored through character interaction with interesting and developed worlds

• The Age of Madness ( A Little Hatred) – Joe Abercrombie
• The Sarantine Mosaic (Sailing to Sarantium) – Guy Gavriel Kay
• Cage of Souls – Adrian Tchaikovsky
• Blindsight – Peter Watts
• Terra Ignota (Too Like The Lightning) – Ada Palmer
• Wormwood (Rosewater) – Tade Thompson
• Teixcalaan (A Memory Called Empire) – Arkady Martine
• Xenogenesis (Dawn) – Octavia Butler
• Noumenon (Noumenon) – Marina J. Lostetter
• Luna (New Moon) – Ian McDonald
• The Disposessed – Ursula K. Le Guin
• Culture (Consider Phlebas) – Iain M. Banks
• The Divine Cities (City of Stairs) – Robert Jackson Bennett
• The Book of the New Sun (Shadow of the Torturer) – Gene Wolfe
• Malazan Book of the Fallen (Gardens of the Moon) – Steven Erikson
• Frankenstein – Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
• Radiance – Cathrynne M. Valente
• Machineries of Empire (Ninefox Gambit) – Yoon Ha lee
• The Raven Tower – Anne Leckie

Cole – Prioritizes pacing, character development, strong magic systems, anything weird and wacky

• The Divine Cities (City of Stairs) – Robert Bennett
• The Cosmere – Brandon Sanderson
• 2001: A Space Odyssey – Arthur C. Clarke
• Gentleman Bastard Sequence (The Lies Of Locke Lamora) – Scott Lynch
• The House In The Cerulean Sea – TJ Klune
• Under The Whispering Door – TJ Klune
• Monk & Robot (A Psalm For The Wild-Built) – Becky Chambers
• Children of Time and Children of Ruin – Adrian Tchaikovsky
• The Shining – Stephen King
• Wayfarers (The Long Way To A Small, Angry Planet) – Becky Chambers
• The Kingkiller Chronicle (The Name of the Wind) – Patrick Rothfuss
• The Witcher (The Last Wish) – Andrzej Sapkowski
• Tender Is The Flesh – Agustina Bazterrica
• Prosper’s Demon – KJ Parker

Brandee – Prioritizes character development, world-defying relationships, sad times, and binge-worthy plots 

• A Song of Ice and Fire (A Game of Thrones) – George R.R. Martin
• Fionavar Tapestry (The Summer Tree) – Guy Gavriel Kay 
• Folklorn – Angela Mi Young Hur
• Howl’s Moving Castle – Diana Wynne Jones
• The Celestial Kingdom (Daughter of the Moon Goddess) – Sue Lynn Tan
• The Dark Star (Black Leopard, Red Wolf) – Marlon James
• The Folk of the Air (The Cruel Prince) – Holly Black
• The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue – V.E. Schwab 
• The Last Binding (A Marvellous Light) – Freya Marske
• The Mirror Visitor (A Winter’s Promise) – Christelle Dabos
• The Queen’s Thief (The Thief) – Megan Whalen Turner

Julia – Prioritizes high action/adventure plots, likable protagonists, fun magic systems, and female casts with character depth

• Alex Stern (Ninth House) – Leigh Bardugo
• Burningblade & Silvereye (Ashes of the Sun) – Django Wexler
• Craft Sequence (Three Parts Dead) – Max Gladstone
• The Founders Trilogy (Foundryside) – Robert Jackson Bennett
• Gentleman Bastard Sequence (The Lies Of Locke Lamora) – Scott Lynch
• The Nevernight Chronicle (Nevernight) – Jay Kristoff
• The Rook – Daniel O’Malley
• Song of the Lioness (Alanna: The First Adventure) – Tamora Pierce
• Troy (Lord of the Silver Bow) – David Gemmell
• Thursday Next (The Eyre Affair) – Jasper Fforde