15 First in a series you don't want to miss

If you're a binge-reader like me and standalones are not enough, this post is for you!

Have you ever started a hyped-up series and wondered what the fuss was all about? I feel that the first book drags, especially in high fantasy, where there’s a lot of world-building and such. There’s a lot to take in, and it takes a long time, sometimes more than half of the first book, until the plot makes sense. But then it’s all fast-paced and hard to put down. Now, if you’re a patient reader, you will savor every page. But if you’re like me, you’ll huff and puff and ask yourself if you should throw the book into the DNF pile or bear with it hoping it will make sense soon. There’s also the option to skim until you get to the good part. Yes, I’m guilty of skimming through lengthy descriptions of beautiful world-building and characters’ inner monologues.

On occasion, after reading other people’s reviews that promised the story gets better, I would pick up a book I had given up on. For instance, the first book in the From Blood and ash series has a slow start, but I kept reading, and the action started. I couldn’t put it down, and I’m glad I didn’t because this series became one of my favorite. Other books, like The Lies of Locke Lamora, remained in my DNF pile. I tried reading it three times before I gave up on it. Seriously, I tried so hard to like it. I have a beautiful edition that I received as a gift, but the story is not my cup of tea.

So, if you’re looking to start a new series, I compiled a list of first books in a series that don’t beat about the bush and throw you right into the middle of the action. A few of them are well-known, popular books, but most of them, I hope, are books you haven't discovered yet.