- Morgan R.
- Wednesday, February 21
So you’re a fantasy fanatic. You’ve read the entire Wheel of Time series, The Poppy War trilogy, are eating up the Empyrean series, have read any and everything by George R.R. Martin, and you keep up with the latest titles published by Tor. Now what?
Now it’s time to try something new! It can be scary to try new things, but we are here to help. We’ve put together this list of fiction titles that have common themes or elements found in fantasy fiction but can also help you expand your reading horizons as you take on the 2024 #BroaderBookshelf challenge.
How does the #BroaderBookshelf challenge work?
DISCOVER
Use fresh reading prompts each year to discover authors, genres and books you might not otherwise pick up. Current year's prompts are listed below.
SHARE
Take a photo of the book cover and share it on social media using #BroaderBookshelf.
Don't forget to jot each title down next to the prompt on your tracking sheet. Yes! You can check off more than one category with the same book! E-books and Audiobooks count.
WIN
Complete all 14 reading prompts and turn in your paper tracking record at your preferred location or e-mail a picture of your completed tracking record to readfreely@richlandlibrary.com. You'll receive a Richland Library #Broader Bookshelf tote bag and a small prize. Your name will be entered into a Grand Prize drawing for an e-Reader. Submissions are due by December 31, 2024.
What is it about fantasy that readers of the genre are drawn to?
Common themes found in fantasy:
- “The Chosen One”
- Court Intrigue and power play
- Laws of Magic
- Quests
- “Zero to Hero”
Readers of fantasy enjoy:
Imaginative, world building, memorable characters, immersive experience, and reading series.
The following fiction titles have some of the elements that fantasy readers crave. Ready to expand your reading horizons?
2024 Prompts:
1. Read a book suggested by a Richland Library staff member.
Your friendly local library staff are more than happy to help you find a great book! Browse our Staff Picks. You can also get a Personalized Reading Recommendation.
2. Read a fiction or nonfiction title that confronts the topic of aging or death.
3. Read a book by or about someone that identifies as ability diverse.
4. Read a book set in Georgia or Alabama.
5. Read a book about war.
6. Read a graphic novel by a marginalized author or illustrator (BIPOC, or LGBTQIA+).
7. Read a Blind Date with a Book selection (March, July and December).
Be on the lookout for these special displays during the months of March, July and December at each location. Read a teaser description and choose a wrapped book for a surprise checkout!
8. Read a book with If or When in the title.
9. Read a book that takes place on a college or university campus.
10. Read a novel set in the 1980s.
11. Read a book based on the theme of addiction.
12. Read a book by or about someone from an Indigenous culture (Native American, Aboriginal, First Nations, etc.).
13. Read a book that has been on your TBR forever.
That book that has been sitting on your bedside table for a year? The book your best friend has been begging you to read? How about the one you bought and promptly stuck on your bookshelf never to have opened? Any and all of these will work!