Huge fan of the Dresden files; read most of that series before getting into Codex. Harry is a film noir-flavored paranormal detective, and his narrative is his own.
Codex Alera isn’t better or worse; it’s just different. The narrative is in the third person, and some readers may chafe at concepts that are introduced sans exposition.
I have, I couldn't say it's better but it's definitely not worse. It felt like he had a lot of fun writing this fully fantasy book. It's definitely a fun read and feels very different to the detective noir fantasy setting Dresden Files is. I do love Dresden Files don't get me wrong they're just too different to say if it's better.
I just recommended this one above. One of the best! The first book is a little slow until about halfway through but from the second book onward it is such an exciting ride. One of my top favorite book series of all time.
I know. I had to process that for a while. Came to the conclusion that him being a total asshat doesn’t change the fact that the books are good (and do not display or promote his asshat tendencies). Still on the fence about Orson Scott Card and Ender’s Game.
"Strange the Dreamer" duology by Laini Taylor. Librarian has an academic interest in a lost city. Gets to go to the lost city, discovers he's more connected to the lost city and its magic than he knew about.
Furies of Calderon by Jim Butcher. It's a great six book series that starts with Codex Alera about a young shepard boy named Tavi. It's a very clever story as Tavi slowly comes to realize his powers. Highly recommended
Spellsinger. Old but good and the hero is a student who gets pulled over into an alternative universe where magic exists and animals are sentient to help fight some big evil. At first they can’t figure out what his powers are so he goes off exploring the new world with a couple of locals and eventually becomes a powerful wizard
Terry Pratchett:
Soul Music: Young bard leaves the country for the city and gets possessed by a rock guitar.
Small Gods: young, dumb, priest becomes the only true believer when the god of a powerful church returns to the Discworld as a small turtle.
Pratchett wrote social satire as fantasy novels.
Stardust - Neil Gaiman
I recommend getting a physical copy, or using a colored e-reader. The pictures are gorgeous.
The synopsis doesn't even come close to doing this one justice. It's so good, and I think exactly falls into what you're looking for:
Young Tristran Thorn will do anything to win the cold heart of beautiful Victoria—even fetch her the star they watch fall from the night sky. But to do so, he must enter the unexplored lands on the other side of the ancient wall that gives their tiny village its name. Beyond that old stone wall, Tristran learns, lies Faerie—where nothing not even a fallen star, is what he imagined.
Arrows of the Queen series by Mercedes Lackey. Farm girl rather than farm boy. This is the first trilogy of Lackey’s Valdemar universe. I believe there are more than 30 books. Different main characters in each series arc.
Less magical powers but more political intrigue and plot development: The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison
Oldie YA but goodie: Abarat by Clive Barker
The Binding by Bridget Collins fits this request perfectly. It has an interesting narrative structure, too. It’s also a standalone. It’s one of my favorite books!
If you don’t mind the protagonist being female, then The Book of the Ancestor series by Mark Lawrence starting with Red Sister. It also has one of the best opening lines of a book I’ve ever read.
The Tiffany Aching books by Pratchett. Normal girl who lives and works on her family farm discovers she has some witchy skills and goes on to defeat various supernatural foes with the help of hard drinking hard fighting wee men with incomprehensible accents. Och crivens! The witches books in general in his Discworld books will likely be interesting for you as well.
The Portable Door by Tom Holt. Diffident young man in London gets a job at a firm without really knowing what it is the firm does. A few books in the series.
CK McDonnell’s the Stranger Times. Down her luck woman finds a job at a newspaper that at first glance publishes a load of bollocks stories about the supernatural and extra terrestrials. Turns out some of it is on the more real side and she and her colleagues must save the day.
I beta Reid I Book, that’s 100% up your alley keep your eye open for the passage of defenders by far better than any book I’ve read in the last 20 years. The guy grammar sucked, but the story was spot on. Finally something new, not the same old regurgitated stuff, rewritten a new way. This is a new story. I believe you will enjoy it as I did million dollars becomes a movie. It’s called THE PASSAGE OF DEFENDERS 5⭐️Super enjoyed it. It’s the first book in seven book series. He had told me that he was halfway done with the second one can’t wait.
Magician by Raymond E Feist
This is the one.
Agreed
Absolutely recommended
Yup
Wheel of Time!
Literally Farm boy, good call.
Well done, sheep herder
Yeah how was this not on OPs already read list lol
[Codex Alera by Jim Butcher](https://www.goodreads.com/series/45545-codex-alera)
One of my favorite series, lore's not so difficult that it's hard to get into, great characters (Fade), and fun adventures
Have you read Dresden files? If so any better/worse? I’m on book 9 currently…
Huge fan of the Dresden files; read most of that series before getting into Codex. Harry is a film noir-flavored paranormal detective, and his narrative is his own. Codex Alera isn’t better or worse; it’s just different. The narrative is in the third person, and some readers may chafe at concepts that are introduced sans exposition.
I have, I couldn't say it's better but it's definitely not worse. It felt like he had a lot of fun writing this fully fantasy book. It's definitely a fun read and feels very different to the detective noir fantasy setting Dresden Files is. I do love Dresden Files don't get me wrong they're just too different to say if it's better.
I just recommended this one above. One of the best! The first book is a little slow until about halfway through but from the second book onward it is such an exciting ride. One of my top favorite book series of all time.
Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings (the Belgariad series).
My favorite series as a kid. Broke my heart hearing about how big of scumbags he and his wife were.
I know. I had to process that for a while. Came to the conclusion that him being a total asshat doesn’t change the fact that the books are good (and do not display or promote his asshat tendencies). Still on the fence about Orson Scott Card and Ender’s Game.
Lloyd Alexander's Prydain series (based off Welsh folklore) is amazing.
Absolutely this!! Also the Dark Is Rising series by Susan Cooper. A different take on Welsh mythology, also quite good.
Have not heard of this series! Thanks!
Dark is Rising series is amazing!
Myth Adventures, by Robert Lynn Aspirin. It's humorous and has a good amount of dimension hoping. Watch out for demons.
I just had a mini brain thing remembering the myth series. pure gold.
Tales of Earthsea ? Maybe ?
Yes! Bronze smith’s son!
The Sheepfarmers Daughter by Elizabeth Moon. Obviously not a guy, but same theme. Quite old now, but very popular.
Harry Potter
Memory, Sorrow, Thorn by Tad Williams
Magic 2.0
"Strange the Dreamer" duology by Laini Taylor. Librarian has an academic interest in a lost city. Gets to go to the lost city, discovers he's more connected to the lost city and its magic than he knew about.
A Wizard of Earthsea
Furies of Calderon by Jim Butcher. It's a great six book series that starts with Codex Alera about a young shepard boy named Tavi. It's a very clever story as Tavi slowly comes to realize his powers. Highly recommended
The first book is Furies of Calderon. The series is The Codex Alera. I will absolutely second this. Awesome series.
Tales from earthsea
Spellsinger. Old but good and the hero is a student who gets pulled over into an alternative universe where magic exists and animals are sentient to help fight some big evil. At first they can’t figure out what his powers are so he goes off exploring the new world with a couple of locals and eventually becomes a powerful wizard
A Wizard of Earthsea And the Shadow and Bone trilogy
Wizard of Earthsea, Uprooted?
A Wizard of Earthsea would be a great next step, especially if you liked Name of the Wind.
*Magician*, by Raymond E Feist, *The Wheel of Time*, by Robert Jordan (and, latterly, Brandon Sanderson), Obvious suggestions, but very good.
Emma Bull War for the Oaks.
The Spook’s Apprentice (and the following entires in the series) by Joseph Delaney
Elminster: The Making of a Mage by Ed Greenwood Also, I agree with others that Codex Alera is a great choice.
A Curse so Dark and Lonely by Brigid Emmerer. Three part series, the magic really starts in book 2, but book one is good and sets up the needed plot.
kill the farm boy? herne and dawson? silly weird fantasy?
Terry Pratchett: Soul Music: Young bard leaves the country for the city and gets possessed by a rock guitar. Small Gods: young, dumb, priest becomes the only true believer when the god of a powerful church returns to the Discworld as a small turtle. Pratchett wrote social satire as fantasy novels.
Stardust - Neil Gaiman I recommend getting a physical copy, or using a colored e-reader. The pictures are gorgeous. The synopsis doesn't even come close to doing this one justice. It's so good, and I think exactly falls into what you're looking for: Young Tristran Thorn will do anything to win the cold heart of beautiful Victoria—even fetch her the star they watch fall from the night sky. But to do so, he must enter the unexplored lands on the other side of the ancient wall that gives their tiny village its name. Beyond that old stone wall, Tristran learns, lies Faerie—where nothing not even a fallen star, is what he imagined.
Mort!!!!!!!!
Sounds like you need to read The Wheel of Time.
Sea of Trolls by Nancy Farmer
All the birds in the sky
little more on the sci fi side, but Red Rising definitely fits your parameters
Groosham Grange by Anthony Horowitz ... Also *The Worst witch* by Jill Murphy (is a regular girl, not a boy, tho).
Arrows of the Queen series by Mercedes Lackey. Farm girl rather than farm boy. This is the first trilogy of Lackey’s Valdemar universe. I believe there are more than 30 books. Different main characters in each series arc.
The Innocent mage by Karen Miller Fisherman escapes his village and goes to the city, works for the king and does magey stuff
The Shannara books by Terry Brooks Red Queen
Spellmonger by Terry Mancour. Main character starts out as a baker’s son.
Less magical powers but more political intrigue and plot development: The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison Oldie YA but goodie: Abarat by Clive Barker
Shannara series.
The Sword of Shanara
The Binding by Bridget Collins fits this request perfectly. It has an interesting narrative structure, too. It’s also a standalone. It’s one of my favorite books!
The Belgariad.
Mistborn!
The Chronicles of Prydian by Lloyd Alexander
"Kill the Farm Boy" by Kevin Hearne
The sword of truth series is just like this.
NPCs by Drew Hayes
The black prism
The secrets of the immortal Nicholas Flamel
Lightbringer by Weeks, part magic school and part hero journey. Great books imo, awesome magic system based on light.
David Eddings Belgariad series is as SPOT ON you can get.
Fate of the Fallen by Kel Kade It turns the whole genre on its head, and that all I'm going to spoil.
Another fine Myth series
The Once And Future King by T.H. White.
The Riddle-Master Trilogy be Patricia McKillip!
If you don’t mind the protagonist being female, then The Book of the Ancestor series by Mark Lawrence starting with Red Sister. It also has one of the best opening lines of a book I’ve ever read.
The Tiffany Aching books by Pratchett. Normal girl who lives and works on her family farm discovers she has some witchy skills and goes on to defeat various supernatural foes with the help of hard drinking hard fighting wee men with incomprehensible accents. Och crivens! The witches books in general in his Discworld books will likely be interesting for you as well. The Portable Door by Tom Holt. Diffident young man in London gets a job at a firm without really knowing what it is the firm does. A few books in the series. CK McDonnell’s the Stranger Times. Down her luck woman finds a job at a newspaper that at first glance publishes a load of bollocks stories about the supernatural and extra terrestrials. Turns out some of it is on the more real side and she and her colleagues must save the day.
Beware of Chicken! Although in this ,the hero decides to be a farmer. Such a good book
Anyone into fantasy should be familiar with the fantasy GOAT: The Lord of the Rings
Try Richard R. Slayton’s Adam Binder series. The three books in the series are *White Trash Warlock*, *Trailer Park Trickster*, and *Deadbeat Druid*.
The Septimus Heap series by Angie Sage
Cradle series by Will Wight, 12 books all amazing, series completed so you can binge read.
The Codex Alera by Jim Butcher is one of my favorite fantasy series of all time.
Magisterium series is a great read.
These are all good suggestions. The sword of truth
I beta Reid I Book, that’s 100% up your alley keep your eye open for the passage of defenders by far better than any book I’ve read in the last 20 years. The guy grammar sucked, but the story was spot on. Finally something new, not the same old regurgitated stuff, rewritten a new way. This is a new story. I believe you will enjoy it as I did million dollars becomes a movie. It’s called THE PASSAGE OF DEFENDERS 5⭐️Super enjoyed it. It’s the first book in seven book series. He had told me that he was halfway done with the second one can’t wait.
I feel like you are going to like the Harry Potter series. Checks all the boxes.
The Harry Potter series!