Modern retellings of iconic, ancient tales

A collection of the pilot books for popular series, for those of us who love to follow a character's journey for as long as an author will let us! Some of the below series have heavily debated starting points and book read orders--in those cases the pilot was selected based on what seems to be the most popular approach.

Step into the Cosmere... Listed in the order that Brandon Sanderson recommends to new readers of his work in 2024.

The four books in Tolkien’s main Middle-earth saga + several other collections published posthumously.

Books that have been adapted into TV series.

Dramatic battles, tense political intrigue, unique world building...and is that maybe some romance I'm sensing? These books are not Romantasy but focus primarily on the SFF elements. Romance is a subplot and may not appear until later in the series, but when it does, you won't be disappointed.

An introduction to Literary Fiction, these books are part of the cultural zeitgeist or the 'canon' that many would recognize. Look for more niche titles in later Starter Pack volumes.

An introduction to Non-Fiction, these books are part of the cultural zeitgeist or the 'canon' that many would recognize. Look for more niche titles in later Starter Pack volumes.

An introduction to the Thriller genre, these books are part of the cultural zeitgeist or the 'canon' that many would recognize. Look for more niche titles in later Starter Pack volumes.

An introduction to the Horror genre, these books are part of the cultural zeitgeist or the 'canon' that many would recognize. Look for more niche titles in later Starter Pack volumes.