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The Best First Books in Fantasy, Sci-Fi, and YA Series

Too intimidated to start that massive sci-fi or fantasy series everyone's talking about? Don't sweat it, just read the first one. These are the books that led to sprawling, epic series but honestly work pretty well as standalone works as well.
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2001: A Space Odyssey (Arthur C. Clarke)
2001: A Space Odyssey
1
Arthur C. Clarke
The 5th Wave (Rick Yancey)
The 5th Wave
2
Rick Yancey
Alanna: The First Adventure (Tamora Pierce)
Alanna: The First Adventure
3
Tamora Pierce
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (Lewis Carroll)
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
4
Lewis Carroll
Angels and Demons (Dan Brown)
Angels and Demons
5
Dan Brown
Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery)
Anne of Green Gables
6
L.M. Montgomery
Artemis Fowl (Eoin Colfer)
Artemis Fowl
7
Eoin Colfer
Assassin's Apprentice (Robin Hobb)
Assassin's Apprentice
8
Robin Hobb
Beautiful Creatures (Kami Garcia)
Beautiful Creatures
9
Kami Garcia
The Blade Itself (Joe Abercrombie)
The Blade Itself
10
Joe Abercrombie
A Canticle for Leibowitz (Walter M. Miller, Jr.)
A Canticle for Leibowitz
11
Walter M. Miller, Jr.
Cinder (Marissa Meyer)
Cinder
12
Marissa Meyer
City of Bones (Cassandra Clare)
City of Bones
13
Cassandra Clare
Clockwork Angel (Cassandra Clare)
Clockwork Angel
14
Cassandra Clare
The Colour of Magic (Terry Pratchett)
The Colour of Magic
15
Terry Pratchett
Consider Phlebas
Consider Phlebas
16
A Darker Shade of Magic (V.E. Schwab)
A Darker Shade of Magic
17
V.E. Schwab
Daughter of Smoke and Bone (Lani Taylor)
Daughter of Smoke and Bone
18
Lani Taylor
Delirium (Lauren Oliver)
Delirium
19
Lauren Oliver
Divergent (Veronica Roth)
Divergent
20
Veronica Roth
Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Page
Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Page
21
Dragon Rider
Dragon Rider
22
Dragonflight (Anne McCaffrey)
Dragonflight
23
Anne McCaffrey
Dune (Frank Herbert)
Dune
24
Frank Herbert
Ender's Game (Orson Scott Card)
Ender's Game
25
Orson Scott Card
Eragon (Christopher Paolini)
Eragon
26
Christopher Paolini
The Eye of the World (Robert Jordan)
The Eye of the World
27
Robert Jordan
The Final Empire (Brandon Sanderson)
The Final Empire
28
Brandon Sanderson
Foundation (Isaac Asimov)
Foundation
29
Isaac Asimov
A Game of Thrones (George R.R. Martin)
A Game of Thrones
30
George R.R. Martin
Gardens of the Moon
Gardens of the Moon
31
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (Stieg Larsson)
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
32
Stieg Larsson
The Giver (Lois Lowry)
The Giver
33
Lois Lowry
Graceling (Kristin Cashore)
Graceling
34
Kristin Cashore
The Gunslinger (Stephen King)
The Gunslinger
35
Stephen King
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (J.K. Rowling)
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
36
J.K. Rowling
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
37
The Hobbit (J.R.R. Tolkien)
The Hobbit
38
J.R.R. Tolkien
Howl's Moving Castle (Diana Wynne Jones)
Howl's Moving Castle
39
Diana Wynne Jones
The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins)
The Hunger Games
40
Suzanne Collins
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