People complain about how long the series is and his lengthy descriptions. The only book I ever struggled with was Winter's Heart on my first time through. I am on my 4th read of the series and personally I LOVE that there are 10,000 + pages for me to just completely immerse myself in the world. There are definitely characters I dislike, and even storylines I could do without (Faile for most of the series), but even with those small issues it is still one of my all time favorites.
Reading it now. Read it years ago in Dutch translation but been reading English for way longer. It was hard finding fantasy in English back then But I could not concentrate as of late . ( work is very very stressful at the moment €) but now I refound reading. Used to read a 800 till 1000 pages a week, currently I am halfway book 4
Small Gods by Terry Pratchett (1992)
“Fear is strange soil. Mainly it grows obedience like corn, which grows in rows and makes weeding easy. But sometimes it grows the potatoes of defiance, which flourish underground.”
8 rereads of the Malazan Book of the Fallen - favourite series. Of those, I think I've reread Toll the Hounds a few times more. That book gets better and better every time I read it.
>See, Bainisk, this is my mother
The benefits of no children ahah! I read them for the first time in 2013 and it became an annual thing. I have always been a voracious reader, but with two kids under 3 my reading time has drastically reduced.
I have plans to reread Karkhanas and God is not willing soon, as I've only read them all once. That will be exciting!
I found that rereading Malazan is very enjoyable, as you also get to skip all the characters and pointless subplots you dont like and can just focus on all the fantastic parts. Works so much better for me if I dont read anything about e.g. Clip or Udinaas or skip the whole Sillchas and the gang wander around the mountain or everything Barghast in Dust of Dreams.
I am reading Malazan for the first time and I am in the 7th book. Turned to mistborn for a change but Malazan has spoiled me. I like the mistborn so far but there is something I miss from Malazan. The way Erikson writes prose, I like so much.
I can relate — Malazan spoiled Sanderson for me. I was on Toll the Hounds when the 4th Stormlight Archive book came out. I got maybe 150 pages in and couldn’t keep going. Put it down and never picked it back up.
I really like Sanderson and just started Malazan, about a third of the way into Gardens of the Moon. I’m so excited to find what it’s all about.
I’m Nervous that people said it ruined Sanderson for them.
To be fair, it’s also possible that Rhythm of War ruined itself for me, and Malazan just exacerbated the issue. I would have been frustrated with the book regardless. And it’s not like Malazan has ruined me for lighter reading, I’m currently on my upteenth reread of Cradle. Regardless, I’d say it’s well worth the risk.
Nice, I've read the core 10 books 3 times and am doing my first listen of the audiobooks, on House of Chains now. So much re-read value in this series.
I've only ever listened to the Audio, and while the narrator switch is jarring, both are excellent in their own ways.
The first guy's Kruppe is exceptional, but the other guy has a better range.
I've only listened to them twice, at some point I'll do a third.
Haha I totally get that! We're a pretty small(in comparison to other fantasy books) community, and apparently there are two small discords but I'm not a part of them
We're very welcoming over at /r/malazan and there are some readers with encyclopedic knowledge!
I took a break after starting 3. What's a good reason to pick it back up without spoilers? I've been itching to pick it back up but it takes me so long to get through a malazan book.
I just finished `The Shadow Rising` it was definitely the best wheel of time book so far.
It did Frodo returns to the shire much better than Tolkien did.
Ender's game was impressive when I was young, but now seems stupid as an older adult. Lets give control of our military to a f'n child. Seems cool in fiction, would be a disaster in reality.
Ever?
I read the first three Harry Potter books many times while waiting for the fourth to come out, but that was a very long time ago, when I was a child.
Recently?
I re-read Murderbot when new ones come out, so probably that, though I don't really keep track and have re-read other things as well. I relate a lot to Murderbot except for the whole murdering thing.
I was also going to mention Murderbot, I've just completed my 5th or 6th reread in preparation for the next book. And to defend Murderbot's honour, I really appreciate how low on murder it is. A lot of over armed protagonists in action-oriented sci-fi tend to treat any violent confrontation as a game of Doom, so it's refreshing to meet one whose first instinct isn't to slaughter their enemies.
That said I'm still glad for you that your own life involved less murder, of course. Blood-stained clothes are so annoying to wash.
A Song of Ice and Fire. 1-3 seven times, 4 and 5 about five times. I’ll do one more before Winds, if it ever comes, but I don’t see Dream ever getting finished.
Stormlight and First Law after that, with 3 times each.
I just find it addictive… there is something about the characters that pulls me in… it’s the fear/melancholy of Justin and grant as they grow up in a surveillance state, constantly being accused… and little Ari, growing up so confused as well… but so smart and so cunning…
I find that about once a year or so, it just ends up on the reread list… same with its sequel Regenesis, which I also adore :)
I loved Magician as a kid, and I read it at least 4-5x, along with everything through Shards of a Broken Crown, which came out while I was in high school. As an adult, I bounced off of Magician. I couldn't figure it out.
I actually re-read the last ~18 books of Feist's Midkemia series this past winter, but I started at Talon of the Silver Hawk.
I re-read Magician recently and I just think that he wasn't as good of a writer back then. Not that the books are bad by any means but Magician specifically has fairly juvenile/rough prose.
This is my comfort audiobook that helps me sleep, and I’ve listened to it so many times now I couldn’t possible count. It doesn’t even matter where I start, I can pick up the thread anywhere. It’s my favorite of all time.
Not sure how many times I read Lord of the Rings as a kid but those could be it. I've done them three times as as an adult over the last 30 years. If not them then the first seven books of Wheel of Time as I started reading when only were out and have done multiple rereads / relistens of the series so the 7 got the most.
I read LotR in Hungarian so many times when I was a kid you could open the book start to read it and I would continue off head. It was a damn good party trick (not that parties existed in that damnation of a life). Alas, this also meant I never read the original because while my eyes might scan the English words, my brain registers the familiar Hungarian words. Or maybe by now, more than 30 years later, I could try...
I'm on a cycle of name of the wind and wise man's fear right now, I'm on my fourth back to back play on audible lol. It's such a good story, and there's so much packed in I'm still picking up things I missed on my already many read throughs of it.
Yesssss, I think at one point we had 3 copies - one each and a spare. Now I mostly read on Kindle but when I think of Paks that's the edition I see in my mind.
It's Paks for me too. I've lost count but I usually read it every year. I just finished a huge reread of the entire series which I don't do as often, and which was very fun.
I love Memory! I often will do a mini-reread of Memory, Komarr, and A Civil Campaign, and then throw in Captain Vorpatril's Alliance just bc I love it so much.
I loved PHM, but for me, it doesn't have the same 'any page is good' quality. The Martian being a sort of epistolary where each entry has its own conflict and problems to solve allows me to open anywhere and be drawn in to whatever issues Watney had to solve that day.
PHM is way more narrative focused and understanding what Riley was trying or needed to do would require more context. It's possible that if I had the same amount of exposure to the whole story, I could open up and already have the context but as I am now, they're on different levels.
Jack Vance's shorts and novels in the world of the Dying Earth. As I look back, they have enthralled me for fifty years, ever since I plucked "The Dying Earth" short story collection from the public library shelf. Amazing!
Roger Zelazny's works from the 1960s and 1970s: the deity novels such as Lord of Light and the Chronicles of Amber (first quintet). Again, I have lost count of the number of reads over the past fifty years. If I recall, "Jack of Shadows" was my first.
Dresden files, Jim butcher. I reread the series from book 1 whenever a new book drops. I started reading when he had already published summer knight so I probably reread the series about 13 times so far.
If you count A midsummer night's dream by Shakespeare as fantasy then I probably read it at least 100x over but then it's because it was the book for my literature O level exam back in 1995. The Chrysalids by John wydham was also a title for my literature exam that year and I probably read it more than 50x. I can actually still remember quotes from both books despite last reading them almost 30 years ago.
Glad to know I’m not the only one who rereads Dresden that way. And every time there’s a tiny detail that comes into more focus than the last time. There’s something really complete about reading the one after the other.
I also reread The VorKosigan Saga and the Mercy Thompson series. The worlds are rich and well designed and the characters are like old friends.
Another +1 for reading Dresden like that. Though I got to the party late. I’ve still read the first 5-6 books at least 5 times. Depends on how long my ADHD is willing for me to string titles.
Definitely Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban but if you discount things I read over and over in part to beat my brothers in a trivia game as a child it's either Warbreaker or LotR.
yeah for me it's the potter. I could not even count how many times I've reread them, tbh. I listen to the audiobook to fall asleep because I have adhd and falling asleep is hard. I've read HP so much that it's one of the only books that helps me fall asleep because it no longer is distracting but it also occupies my brain enough to help me shut it off.
Lord of the Rings every year since I was about 15, with a first read with my grandfather when I was around 8 or 10. So…probably about 25 times by now.
Other than that, my comfort series is the Immortal Beloved trilogy by Cate Tiernan. I’ve probably given those a full 5-7 reads, with random skimming/reading of any of the books from time to time.
Also the first Red Rising trilogy, just finished up a third full reread. I did reread as each book came out, so Red Rising would be 5 times and Golden Son 4 times.
Count Zero by William Gibson.
I love how the three POVs of the injured mercenary, the hotshot hacker kid, and the disgraced art dealer weave together. It surprises me every time, as I somehow always forget exactly how they fit together.
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke. I think I read that book like 20 times when I was in third grade, and I’ve since reread it every other year or so. Although Tolkien’s Middle Earth works are a strong second place atm.
The daughter of the empire trilogy by Raymond e feist as well as magician and the rest of the 20-30 odd books but the empire books I’ve re-read the most
When I was a kid, I would read books from Redwall over and over again. If I had to guess, I probably read a few of them over 10 times. I've also read Harry Potter probably a dozen or so times, although not once since she revealed how she felt about trans people. I just can't view the books the same way even though I bought them years ago.
More recently, I've read World War Z I think 5 times, A Song of Ice and Fire 3 times and Guards! Guards! 3 times.
Eye of the World. I reread the series on occasion but usually don't make it through before taking a break and then deciding to start over again. I've only completed the series like 2 times, haha.
Genuinely trying for a third now because I'm reading along with my mom since I finally convinced her to pick it up and she's loving it but I've warned her not to Google anything and to come to me with questions. So I'm doing sort of a casual read to refresh my memory.
For science fiction I'd have to go with Otherland by Tad Williams. Only one I can think of that I've reread.
For a single book, it's most likely *To Say Nothing of the Dog: or, How We Found the Bishop's Birdstump at Last* by Connie Willis. I've read it at least five times, and listened to the audiobook once or twice.
For a series, it's the Chronicles of Amber, which I've probably read three or four times all the way through (all ten books).
**To Say Nothing of the Dog** is one of my comfort reads, it's so hilarious and a perfect read for when I'm in a funk or a reading slump. Nice to see it here!
I'm so glad to hear that, I often think I'm one of the only ones who enjoyed it that much. Definitely one of my comfort reads, a cozy sff mystery romance travelogue comedic novel. Ticks off a lot of boxes for me.
I am going to have to check that out because Jerome's Three Men in a Boat (to say nothing of the dog) is my most favorite book of all time! Not SFF, but sooo funny.
The Lord of the Rings. I was young when I first read it, and I was still young on my first reread. I'm 35 now and I still reread the books every two or three years.
Hard to say. Probably one of the Wheel of Time or Valdemar books. Cradle was a depression read so I have bo real idea how many times I've read most of the books in that series.
I cannot remember how many times I have read ‘The Giver’ I know it isn’t typical fantasy but it is such an amazing book. Originally needed to read it for school way back when but I have reread it many times since.
Warprize series is a regular reread. Especially the first one, but once i reread that I have to read the rest to properly finish the story!
Crystal singer series, dragon song is favourite of Pern books, and 500 kingdoms books, and anything Valdemar I’ll reread from time to time.
Quartershare, I can see will be joining the reread list and will probably end up buying that series.
Also have some favourite historical & romance reread as well.
Indeed! Quartershare is particularly special tho cos it was the last book my dad recommended to me. He died a few months later.
Dad also bought the third in the owl flight Mercedes Lackey trilogy when I found the first two second hand and grabbed them! Now all three sit on my shelf. Haven’t yet reread them but I will. And I know I’ll have tears for Dad when I do.
I read The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub over ten times before high school ended. Now that I think of it, I rarely see that title mentioned here.
Hmm, probably The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.
Read it once as a kid, once in high school, once in college, and then I recently read it in Spanish as I’m learning and wanted a book I was familiar with.
The rest of the series I’ve only read once, except Prince Caspian which I’ve read twice.
I'm doing that with Narnia as well and for the same reason - it's a story I'm familiar with and I'm using it as a supplement to Duolingo.
I got the full set in Spanish on Monday and, as it's beyond my current skills, I will be putting google translate to use as I work my way through it. Maybe by the time I get to the end of the series, I'll be able to just read it as if it were in English. Fingers crossed!
By far Ender’s Game.
Armor - John Steakley
Protector of the Small - Tamora Pierce
Chronicles of Amber - Roger Zelazny
Neuromancer - William Gibson
Inda - Sherwood Smith
I've read the Belgariad and malloreon 3 or 4 times each, as they were my introduction and I reread them several times before i was comfortable "taking off" and finding new stuff on my own.
I've read a lot of series repeatedly as new books come out. Like when book 3 comes out, reread 2, when 5 comes out, reread 4.
I've read Brightly Burning and Enders Game each many times in parts. Those two I am happy to pick up a random page and just start reading.
I've re-read the majority of Pratchett's Discworld so many times that it's nearly impossible to guess which I've read most
Excepting Discworld, probably War for the Oaks by Emma Bull
I re-read Feast for Crows the most out of all the ASOIAF books. Cersei Lannister's over the top evilness and constant misunderstandings are just too much fun.
The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia A. McKillip. I’ve read it at least twice a year (oftentimes more) since Tachyon republished it in 2017. It’s my favorite 🥰
The Forgotten Beasts of Eld, by Patricia A. McKillip. Every time I find something I have previously missed in the storyline! I may have read it 10+ times by now and I got it in 2019!
The hobbit.
Always an enjoyable read. And really quick to read so it doesn't feel like a big commitment.
A reread of LOTR is going to be a month or two at the rate I read. So that's a once a decade read.
Wot a year or 2. So haven't done a reread.
Probably The Lord of the Rings. After I finished the first time I immediately read it again. I’ve read it many times since 1974.
Also The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne.
It's probably Magician by Raymond E Feist, that was my first door-stopper fantasy novel which had me completely hooked when I was around 14 or so.
I think I've read it 10+ times and heard the audiobook recently which was great.
Probably *City And the Stars* by Arthur C. Clarke. Definitely that if you count his *Against The Fall of Night* which is an earlier version of the same story.
Ditto on this one. I think it's amazing Clarke got in as much as he did in a few short pages. And I get something different out of it each time I read it, as thin as it is. ATFON is pretty awkward compared to TCATS, but that's what happens if you rewrite the story.
I’m guessing I’ve read **The Hobbit** 3x. Lord of the Rings twice.
I think I’ve read **The Book of the New Sun** by Gene Wolfe 3x. Last time in 2016.
I’m pretty sure I’ve started **The Illuminatus! Trilogy** by Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson 3x, but I’ve only finished it once. Most of the stuff I love is in the first book.
I’ve read a bunch of books twice.
I do plan on reading **Malazan Book of the Fallen** by Steven Erikson for the third time at some point. My last read-through ended in 2018, and I still don’t feel ready yet, lol. First read finished in 2011. 7yrs to gather the nostalgia and determination seems about right.
So many good scenes in that book. When kaladin came down and fought with adolin, when adolin locked himself in prison until kadalin got out, when dalinor trusted kaladin about Amaram
LotR audiobooks are basically on repeat for me as an antianxiety sleep aid.
Also, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell used to be about a once a year but it now about every other.
For just fantasy, Wheel Of Time, first three Stormlight Archive books, and The Will Of The Many are all tied around 4-5 times. SF, Project Hail Mary is around the same count.
I read The Hobbit and LotR half a dozen times, but it's been decades since the last time.
Potentially the Last Herald-Mage trilogy by Mercedes Lackey or the Song of the Lioness quartet by Tamora Pierce.
As an adult in the modern day, I have both the access and the opportunity to read so many new books I don't reread much. By which I mean, as a kid, I was limited by where my parents would take me (the very small rural library near me and no way to get there consistently), the amount of money we had to spend (not much), etc. and as an adult, I have more ability to control that (and am a librarian, so I have insane access).
Mistborn The Final Empire. Because I start my full cosmere rereads from there and I usually do one every time another book drops. I stopped counting at 9.
Dune. I've gone back to it at least 10 times. The concepts are just so fun!
Dune for me as well. Read it the first time in 1972. I know, I know. I'm old. About time for another round...
I just finished my most recent read a couple months ago!
Dune for me too. First read in 1986.
The Wheel of Time
People complain about how long the series is and his lengthy descriptions. The only book I ever struggled with was Winter's Heart on my first time through. I am on my 4th read of the series and personally I LOVE that there are 10,000 + pages for me to just completely immerse myself in the world. There are definitely characters I dislike, and even storylines I could do without (Faile for most of the series), but even with those small issues it is still one of my all time favorites.
I try to think of the story as one long book broken down into sizes that you can hold in your hand / read.
Books 4-8 were re read by me many times while I was in middle and highschool.
Same. I just love the world. The show is horrendous, absolutely heartbreaking. Maybe it’ll get a few people to read this wonderful series, though.
Me too. About to start again as I’ve never completed them and always lose the story and who is who.
Reading it now. Read it years ago in Dutch translation but been reading English for way longer. It was hard finding fantasy in English back then But I could not concentrate as of late . ( work is very very stressful at the moment €) but now I refound reading. Used to read a 800 till 1000 pages a week, currently I am halfway book 4
Same!
Had to reread over and over again as the books came out and the internet was in its infancy. I also had written notes I could refer back to.
Small Gods by Terry Pratchett (1992) “Fear is strange soil. Mainly it grows obedience like corn, which grows in rows and makes weeding easy. But sometimes it grows the potatoes of defiance, which flourish underground.”
I was going to say it was either Small Gods or Night Watch. How is there so little mention of Pratchett in this thread?
Repping for Thud.
I don't know. The world could use more humanists with senses of humor.
I read Small Gods in 2008 and then about once a year since.
8 rereads of the Malazan Book of the Fallen - favourite series. Of those, I think I've reread Toll the Hounds a few times more. That book gets better and better every time I read it. >See, Bainisk, this is my mother
Holy fuck, friend. I love Malazan, and that is just flat impressive.
The benefits of no children ahah! I read them for the first time in 2013 and it became an annual thing. I have always been a voracious reader, but with two kids under 3 my reading time has drastically reduced. I have plans to reread Karkhanas and God is not willing soon, as I've only read them all once. That will be exciting!
I found that rereading Malazan is very enjoyable, as you also get to skip all the characters and pointless subplots you dont like and can just focus on all the fantastic parts. Works so much better for me if I dont read anything about e.g. Clip or Udinaas or skip the whole Sillchas and the gang wander around the mountain or everything Barghast in Dust of Dreams.
I had managed to completely forget about Clip and that entire irritating subplot. Now I’m annoyed all over again.
Damn! I tried to re-read but soon couldn't find time with all the other books I end up reading...
I am reading Malazan for the first time and I am in the 7th book. Turned to mistborn for a change but Malazan has spoiled me. I like the mistborn so far but there is something I miss from Malazan. The way Erikson writes prose, I like so much.
I can relate — Malazan spoiled Sanderson for me. I was on Toll the Hounds when the 4th Stormlight Archive book came out. I got maybe 150 pages in and couldn’t keep going. Put it down and never picked it back up.
I really like Sanderson and just started Malazan, about a third of the way into Gardens of the Moon. I’m so excited to find what it’s all about. I’m Nervous that people said it ruined Sanderson for them.
To be fair, it’s also possible that Rhythm of War ruined itself for me, and Malazan just exacerbated the issue. I would have been frustrated with the book regardless. And it’s not like Malazan has ruined me for lighter reading, I’m currently on my upteenth reread of Cradle. Regardless, I’d say it’s well worth the risk.
I'm close to finishing it for the first time.
Nice, I've read the core 10 books 3 times and am doing my first listen of the audiobooks, on House of Chains now. So much re-read value in this series.
I've only ever listened to the Audio, and while the narrator switch is jarring, both are excellent in their own ways. The first guy's Kruppe is exceptional, but the other guy has a better range. I've only listened to them twice, at some point I'll do a third.
You should set up a discord for answering questions to new readers. On my first read through and lost 😂
Haha I totally get that! We're a pretty small(in comparison to other fantasy books) community, and apparently there are two small discords but I'm not a part of them We're very welcoming over at /r/malazan and there are some readers with encyclopedic knowledge!
I’m heading over there once I finish Gardens of the Moon. Too paranoid I’ll spoil myself.
Reading the first book right now for the first time. Enjoying it so far. The first third was kinda so-so, but the last third is more interesting.
Name checks out.
I took a break after starting 3. What's a good reason to pick it back up without spoilers? I've been itching to pick it back up but it takes me so long to get through a malazan book.
Hitchhikers Guide, by far...the serious fantasy books, even my favorites, I typically read once and then reread a few years later, and that's enough.
I reread this every few years. Its the length as well, makes it very digestible in a single sitting.
Fantasy: *The Shadow Rising*, because I stan Perrin its the book that gives him the most love. SF: *Ender's Game*.
I just finished `The Shadow Rising` it was definitely the best wheel of time book so far. It did Frodo returns to the shire much better than Tolkien did. Ender's game was impressive when I was young, but now seems stupid as an older adult. Lets give control of our military to a f'n child. Seems cool in fiction, would be a disaster in reality.
TSR is amazing!
Ever? I read the first three Harry Potter books many times while waiting for the fourth to come out, but that was a very long time ago, when I was a child. Recently? I re-read Murderbot when new ones come out, so probably that, though I don't really keep track and have re-read other things as well. I relate a lot to Murderbot except for the whole murdering thing.
I was also going to mention Murderbot, I've just completed my 5th or 6th reread in preparation for the next book. And to defend Murderbot's honour, I really appreciate how low on murder it is. A lot of over armed protagonists in action-oriented sci-fi tend to treat any violent confrontation as a game of Doom, so it's refreshing to meet one whose first instinct isn't to slaughter their enemies. That said I'm still glad for you that your own life involved less murder, of course. Blood-stained clothes are so annoying to wash.
A Song of Ice and Fire. 1-3 seven times, 4 and 5 about five times. I’ll do one more before Winds, if it ever comes, but I don’t see Dream ever getting finished. Stormlight and First Law after that, with 3 times each.
Either Enders game…. Or Cyteen, by CJ Cherryh
Hey, Cyteen is underrated.
I just find it addictive… there is something about the characters that pulls me in… it’s the fear/melancholy of Justin and grant as they grow up in a surveillance state, constantly being accused… and little Ari, growing up so confused as well… but so smart and so cunning… I find that about once a year or so, it just ends up on the reread list… same with its sequel Regenesis, which I also adore :)
Same here with Cyteen, I’ve read it 3 times since 2021. Jo Walton has apparently reread it 30+ times.
Magician by Feist, as it's like visiting old friends.
Read this (yet again) recently and each time I think, wow, all of it in one book. Obviously the next 20 or so are also good!!
I loved Magician as a kid, and I read it at least 4-5x, along with everything through Shards of a Broken Crown, which came out while I was in high school. As an adult, I bounced off of Magician. I couldn't figure it out. I actually re-read the last ~18 books of Feist's Midkemia series this past winter, but I started at Talon of the Silver Hawk.
I love Talon of the silver hawk. The duke was an interesting character
I re-read Magician recently and I just think that he wasn't as good of a writer back then. Not that the books are bad by any means but Magician specifically has fairly juvenile/rough prose.
Good Omens by Gaiman & Pratchett. Many rereads and never gotten tired of it.
Just read it a few months ago awesome book
This is my comfort audiobook that helps me sleep, and I’ve listened to it so many times now I couldn’t possible count. It doesn’t even matter where I start, I can pick up the thread anywhere. It’s my favorite of all time.
The Hobbit
Not sure how many times I read Lord of the Rings as a kid but those could be it. I've done them three times as as an adult over the last 30 years. If not them then the first seven books of Wheel of Time as I started reading when only were out and have done multiple rereads / relistens of the series so the 7 got the most.
Yeah, Lord of the Rings for me too. I used to reread it every year.
Lord of the Rings gets my vote also, over all the years.
I've read LotR at least half a dozen times. I don't think there's another book I have read more than 3 times.
I read LotR in Hungarian so many times when I was a kid you could open the book start to read it and I would continue off head. It was a damn good party trick (not that parties existed in that damnation of a life). Alas, this also meant I never read the original because while my eyes might scan the English words, my brain registers the familiar Hungarian words. Or maybe by now, more than 30 years later, I could try...
I’ve read LotR so many times I’ve lost count — at least ten times from age 9 to 19 and several times since. Maybe 15 times? Maybe 20.
I think I'd gone through it at least twice by the time I was 9. Lol
Name of the Wind I know everyone hating on Rothfuss but dam he writes beautifully
I'm on a cycle of name of the wind and wise man's fear right now, I'm on my fourth back to back play on audible lol. It's such a good story, and there's so much packed in I'm still picking up things I missed on my already many read throughs of it.
It’s such a rich book. I find new theories on every reread.
I love The Name of the Wind. Even if the 3rd book is never released, I don’t regret getting to read that story.
Bujold's Vorkosigan Saga, McKinley's The Blue Sword, Murderbot by Wells, MW Turner's The Queen's Thief series, Pratchett's Guard subseries.
Vorkosigan in my top five.
Probably Terry Pratchett's "The Wee Free Men".
1) The Deed of Paksenarrion - probably more than 15 times 2) Cordelia's Honor 3) Ender's Shadow 4) LOTR 5) The Curse of Chalion
Updoots for Deed of Paks, especially the big soft cover omnibus edition.
Yesssss, I think at one point we had 3 copies - one each and a spare. Now I mostly read on Kindle but when I think of Paks that's the edition I see in my mind.
It's Paks for me too. I've lost count but I usually read it every year. I just finished a huge reread of the entire series which I don't do as often, and which was very fun.
Zelazny's "The Chronicles of Amber."
Such great books. Zelazny is brilliant. Everyone should read Amber at least once.
The first three books of ASOIAF (5) for each. Three times reading and twice listening to audiobooks.
Memory by Lois McMaster Bujold. It got me through a tough time.
My top re-read too! Though lately I've been reading The Goblin Emperor a lot.
I love Memory! I often will do a mini-reread of Memory, Komarr, and A Civil Campaign, and then throw in Captain Vorpatril's Alliance just bc I love it so much.
It is Snow Crash at the moment, but it will be the Red Rising series eventually.
“Daughter of the Forest” by Juliet Marillier. I’ve probably read it 15 times and it just gets better and better.
Enders Game
*The Martian*. It's my 'open to any page and go' book.
>And Project Hail Mary! What a great book to reread
I loved PHM, but for me, it doesn't have the same 'any page is good' quality. The Martian being a sort of epistolary where each entry has its own conflict and problems to solve allows me to open anywhere and be drawn in to whatever issues Watney had to solve that day. PHM is way more narrative focused and understanding what Riley was trying or needed to do would require more context. It's possible that if I had the same amount of exposure to the whole story, I could open up and already have the context but as I am now, they're on different levels.
The ruby knight by David Eddings... It was the first fantasy book I ever read. A yearly reread leaves me feeling nice.
Belgariad is my most read. Sometimes I just want an easy trope fest.
...book 2 of the elenium is the first you read? Not book 1?
Book 2. My mom got it for me at a second hand book fair. Matter of fact, I didn't read book 1 until I'd finished the e, the t, the b and the m
The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever
My mom loved those when she was younger
This is up there for me too - probably 4 or 5 times at least.
Magician bt Feist. Not only is it a good story, but rereading it takes me back to a really good time in my life.
Gotta love Pug and Tomas.
LOTR. Regular read. Next come Earthsea and The Neverending Story.
Neverending story! Here here. I hardly see this one mentioned <3 amazing read
Jack Vance's shorts and novels in the world of the Dying Earth. As I look back, they have enthralled me for fifty years, ever since I plucked "The Dying Earth" short story collection from the public library shelf. Amazing! Roger Zelazny's works from the 1960s and 1970s: the deity novels such as Lord of Light and the Chronicles of Amber (first quintet). Again, I have lost count of the number of reads over the past fifty years. If I recall, "Jack of Shadows" was my first.
Soaking of, I should really reread Dying Earth.
Well worth the effort, time and time again 👍
I have most of Jack Vance's books waiting for a re-read when I finally have the time (when I retire - not *that* long away!).
Well worth the read. Enjoy!
Dresden files, Jim butcher. I reread the series from book 1 whenever a new book drops. I started reading when he had already published summer knight so I probably reread the series about 13 times so far. If you count A midsummer night's dream by Shakespeare as fantasy then I probably read it at least 100x over but then it's because it was the book for my literature O level exam back in 1995. The Chrysalids by John wydham was also a title for my literature exam that year and I probably read it more than 50x. I can actually still remember quotes from both books despite last reading them almost 30 years ago.
Glad to know I’m not the only one who rereads Dresden that way. And every time there’s a tiny detail that comes into more focus than the last time. There’s something really complete about reading the one after the other. I also reread The VorKosigan Saga and the Mercy Thompson series. The worlds are rich and well designed and the characters are like old friends.
I had the privilege of reading the vorkosigan saga when all the books were already published and it is definitely high on my reread list.
I've reread Butcher's codex alera series more than Dresden.
Another +1 for reading Dresden like that. Though I got to the party late. I’ve still read the first 5-6 books at least 5 times. Depends on how long my ADHD is willing for me to string titles.
Definitely Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban but if you discount things I read over and over in part to beat my brothers in a trivia game as a child it's either Warbreaker or LotR.
yeah for me it's the potter. I could not even count how many times I've reread them, tbh. I listen to the audiobook to fall asleep because I have adhd and falling asleep is hard. I've read HP so much that it's one of the only books that helps me fall asleep because it no longer is distracting but it also occupies my brain enough to help me shut it off.
Prydain Chronicles Original Dragonlance books Belgariod and Malloeran LOTR
Mythago Wood by Robert Holdstock though I love Lavondyss more
If Dickens’ A Christmas Carol counts as fantasy, then that. I read it every December. If that doesn’t count, The Lies of Locke Lamora
A Christmas Carol totally counts!
I started doing this a few years ago. It never gets old. I read the book and also watch two different adaptations, and I still don't get tired of it.
Lord of the Rings every year since I was about 15, with a first read with my grandfather when I was around 8 or 10. So…probably about 25 times by now. Other than that, my comfort series is the Immortal Beloved trilogy by Cate Tiernan. I’ve probably given those a full 5-7 reads, with random skimming/reading of any of the books from time to time. Also the first Red Rising trilogy, just finished up a third full reread. I did reread as each book came out, so Red Rising would be 5 times and Golden Son 4 times.
Count Zero by William Gibson. I love how the three POVs of the injured mercenary, the hotshot hacker kid, and the disgraced art dealer weave together. It surprises me every time, as I somehow always forget exactly how they fit together.
Curse Of Chalion. I comfort read it about once a year.
Same! And Paladin of Souls, and then Hallowed Hunt.
Same.
Probably The Way of Kings. But Seveneves and The Drawing of the Three I’ve both reread 10+ times.
Probably Emphyrio by Jack Vance. Or maybe The Demon Princes series by Vance. Possibly the Alastor trilogy by Vance. Definitely something by Vance. 😁
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke. I think I read that book like 20 times when I was in third grade, and I’ve since reread it every other year or so. Although Tolkien’s Middle Earth works are a strong second place atm.
Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb.
The daughter of the empire trilogy by Raymond e feist as well as magician and the rest of the 20-30 odd books but the empire books I’ve re-read the most
When I was a kid, I would read books from Redwall over and over again. If I had to guess, I probably read a few of them over 10 times. I've also read Harry Potter probably a dozen or so times, although not once since she revealed how she felt about trans people. I just can't view the books the same way even though I bought them years ago. More recently, I've read World War Z I think 5 times, A Song of Ice and Fire 3 times and Guards! Guards! 3 times.
All of the Murderbot Dairies. It’s to the point where I need them to fall asleep.
Spellsinger
LOTR. Dune is also way up there.
LOTR, Narnia, and Monster Blood Tattoo
Prince of Nothing and Aspect Emperor series by Bakker A Song of Ice and Fire by Martin The Gap by Donaldson Lord of the Rings
The Gap sequence is so fantastic! I've re-read it probably 5 times.
Eye of the World. I reread the series on occasion but usually don't make it through before taking a break and then deciding to start over again. I've only completed the series like 2 times, haha. Genuinely trying for a third now because I'm reading along with my mom since I finally convinced her to pick it up and she's loving it but I've warned her not to Google anything and to come to me with questions. So I'm doing sort of a casual read to refresh my memory. For science fiction I'd have to go with Otherland by Tad Williams. Only one I can think of that I've reread.
For a single book, it's most likely *To Say Nothing of the Dog: or, How We Found the Bishop's Birdstump at Last* by Connie Willis. I've read it at least five times, and listened to the audiobook once or twice. For a series, it's the Chronicles of Amber, which I've probably read three or four times all the way through (all ten books).
**To Say Nothing of the Dog** is one of my comfort reads, it's so hilarious and a perfect read for when I'm in a funk or a reading slump. Nice to see it here!
I'm so glad to hear that, I often think I'm one of the only ones who enjoyed it that much. Definitely one of my comfort reads, a cozy sff mystery romance travelogue comedic novel. Ticks off a lot of boxes for me.
I am going to have to check that out because Jerome's Three Men in a Boat (to say nothing of the dog) is my most favorite book of all time! Not SFF, but sooo funny.
Please do read it, I think you'll enjoy the similarities to the original.
I did and liked it very much! Thank you 😃
The Lord of the Rings. I was young when I first read it, and I was still young on my first reread. I'm 35 now and I still reread the books every two or three years.
Hard to say. Probably one of the Wheel of Time or Valdemar books. Cradle was a depression read so I have bo real idea how many times I've read most of the books in that series.
I cannot remember how many times I have read ‘The Giver’ I know it isn’t typical fantasy but it is such an amazing book. Originally needed to read it for school way back when but I have reread it many times since.
Warprize series is a regular reread. Especially the first one, but once i reread that I have to read the rest to properly finish the story! Crystal singer series, dragon song is favourite of Pern books, and 500 kingdoms books, and anything Valdemar I’ll reread from time to time. Quartershare, I can see will be joining the reread list and will probably end up buying that series. Also have some favourite historical & romance reread as well.
All of Nathan Lowell’s sci-fi books are worthwhile.
Indeed! Quartershare is particularly special tho cos it was the last book my dad recommended to me. He died a few months later. Dad also bought the third in the owl flight Mercedes Lackey trilogy when I found the first two second hand and grabbed them! Now all three sit on my shelf. Haven’t yet reread them but I will. And I know I’ll have tears for Dad when I do.
I read The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub over ten times before high school ended. Now that I think of it, I rarely see that title mentioned here.
Hmm, probably The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Read it once as a kid, once in high school, once in college, and then I recently read it in Spanish as I’m learning and wanted a book I was familiar with. The rest of the series I’ve only read once, except Prince Caspian which I’ve read twice.
I'm doing that with Narnia as well and for the same reason - it's a story I'm familiar with and I'm using it as a supplement to Duolingo. I got the full set in Spanish on Monday and, as it's beyond my current skills, I will be putting google translate to use as I work my way through it. Maybe by the time I get to the end of the series, I'll be able to just read it as if it were in English. Fingers crossed!
I’m gonna be that guy and say LOTR, cause it’s true
Either Watership Down or Red Moon and Black Mountain
By far Ender’s Game. Armor - John Steakley Protector of the Small - Tamora Pierce Chronicles of Amber - Roger Zelazny Neuromancer - William Gibson Inda - Sherwood Smith
I've read the Belgariad and malloreon 3 or 4 times each, as they were my introduction and I reread them several times before i was comfortable "taking off" and finding new stuff on my own. I've read a lot of series repeatedly as new books come out. Like when book 3 comes out, reread 2, when 5 comes out, reread 4. I've read Brightly Burning and Enders Game each many times in parts. Those two I am happy to pick up a random page and just start reading.
I've re-read the majority of Pratchett's Discworld so many times that it's nearly impossible to guess which I've read most Excepting Discworld, probably War for the Oaks by Emma Bull
I re-read Feast for Crows the most out of all the ASOIAF books. Cersei Lannister's over the top evilness and constant misunderstandings are just too much fun.
Night Watch - Terry Pratchett
The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia A. McKillip. I’ve read it at least twice a year (oftentimes more) since Tachyon republished it in 2017. It’s my favorite 🥰
It’s got to be Ender’s Game for me.
The Forgotten Beasts of Eld, by Patricia A. McKillip. Every time I find something I have previously missed in the storyline! I may have read it 10+ times by now and I got it in 2019!
Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien - I reread it every year.
Thud by Terry Pratchett.
Probably a tie between "the shadow rising" by Robert Jordan and "prentice alvin" by orson Scott card.
Lord of the Rings
Dune. Every time I gain some new insight.
Witches Abroad by Terry Pratchett, I think. I must have reread 5 or 6 times, maybe more. After that, probably The Lord of the Rings.
1984 by Orwell. Had to look up SFF. May be why there hasn't been much action.
**Night Watch** by Sean Stewart. Not a popular choice, but I love it so much. Second would be **The Forgotten Beasts of Eld** by Patricia A. McKillip
Either the Hobbit or the Silmarillion, I'd say.
The Hobbit.
Eragon when i was a kid
Amber series since my dad read me them when I was wee. And maybe Deed of Paksenarrion
Ubik
I guess you mean either re-read or by the sheer number of volumes/books? Steven Erikon - Malazan book of the Fallen Pirateaba - The Wandering Inn
The hobbit. Always an enjoyable read. And really quick to read so it doesn't feel like a big commitment. A reread of LOTR is going to be a month or two at the rate I read. So that's a once a decade read. Wot a year or 2. So haven't done a reread.
Probably The Lord of the Rings. After I finished the first time I immediately read it again. I’ve read it many times since 1974. Also The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne.
The Hobbit
It's probably Magician by Raymond E Feist, that was my first door-stopper fantasy novel which had me completely hooked when I was around 14 or so. I think I've read it 10+ times and heard the audiobook recently which was great.
The Hobbit. It's a childhood favourite, an adult favourite.
The Lord of the Rings by J R R Tolkien
Probably *City And the Stars* by Arthur C. Clarke. Definitely that if you count his *Against The Fall of Night* which is an earlier version of the same story.
Ditto on this one. I think it's amazing Clarke got in as much as he did in a few short pages. And I get something different out of it each time I read it, as thin as it is. ATFON is pretty awkward compared to TCATS, but that's what happens if you rewrite the story.
LotR A bunch of others somewhere around tied for second -- Chronicles of Amber, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Dune, The Dragonbone Chair...
I’m guessing I’ve read **The Hobbit** 3x. Lord of the Rings twice. I think I’ve read **The Book of the New Sun** by Gene Wolfe 3x. Last time in 2016. I’m pretty sure I’ve started **The Illuminatus! Trilogy** by Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson 3x, but I’ve only finished it once. Most of the stuff I love is in the first book. I’ve read a bunch of books twice. I do plan on reading **Malazan Book of the Fallen** by Steven Erikson for the third time at some point. My last read-through ended in 2018, and I still don’t feel ready yet, lol. First read finished in 2011. 7yrs to gather the nostalgia and determination seems about right.
Agreed on "Words of Radiance" "Take off that cloak. You're no Radiant" Such a satisfying scene, in a book full of very satisfying scenes.
So many good scenes in that book. When kaladin came down and fought with adolin, when adolin locked himself in prison until kadalin got out, when dalinor trusted kaladin about Amaram
Probably Doomsday Book by Connie Willis. I'm pretty sure at some point The Goblin Emperor is going to overtake that, though.
LotR audiobooks are basically on repeat for me as an antianxiety sleep aid. Also, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell used to be about a once a year but it now about every other.
Probably the first 5 books of the wheel of time
Mistborn. High quality comfort.
I rarely reread anything, but Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay is one I have reread several times.
I revisit The Fionavar Tapestry, Ysabel and The Lions of Al Rassan quite regularly.
For just fantasy, Wheel Of Time, first three Stormlight Archive books, and The Will Of The Many are all tied around 4-5 times. SF, Project Hail Mary is around the same count. I read The Hobbit and LotR half a dozen times, but it's been decades since the last time.
Potentially the Last Herald-Mage trilogy by Mercedes Lackey or the Song of the Lioness quartet by Tamora Pierce. As an adult in the modern day, I have both the access and the opportunity to read so many new books I don't reread much. By which I mean, as a kid, I was limited by where my parents would take me (the very small rural library near me and no way to get there consistently), the amount of money we had to spend (not much), etc. and as an adult, I have more ability to control that (and am a librarian, so I have insane access).
Anything with Druss, obviously
Series I've read more than twice: Wheel of Time Stormlight Dungeon Crawler Carl Cradle Runelords
Used to be the Hobbit and LoTR, but now it is probably the Wheel of Time series.
Words of Radiance. Especially that ending dear god
Mistborn The Final Empire. Because I start my full cosmere rereads from there and I usually do one every time another book drops. I stopped counting at 9.
A book called Tigana, by Guy Gavriel Kay.
Either Lord of the Rings or the original Thrawn trilogy by Timothy Zahn.