I've been asked several times what the difference between science fiction and fantasy is. We shelve the two together, but they are not necessarily similar. Science fiction usually incorporates some sort of advanced technology or scientific capability. The story might have robots, or clones, or space travel. On the other hand, fantasy normally incorporates magic and supernatural powers. Star Wars is more science fiction, while Harry Potter is fantasy.
I have read three fantasy books lately. The first was awful. The second was a re-read because I was desperate for something good to read. The third was new-to-me and very enjoyable.
I read The Magicians because I heard that there was a show based on it airing on the SciFi channel. I always like to read the books before I watch the show or movie, and after reading this book, I will not be watching the show. I don't understand why people love this book. (And they do. Just read the reviews on Amazon.) The main character, Quentin Coldwater, discovers, as he is finishing high school, that magic is real and becomes a student at a secret magical university in upstate New York. After finishing at the University, Quentin and his friends discover that books they had loved in childhood are based on a real place in another world and they travel there to visit. The first part of the book draws heavily from Harry Potter, and the second part from Narnia. The author seems to have taken both of those stories and tried to make them darker and more adult. He only succeeds in proving that his world building is not as compelling as either J.K. Rowling's or C.S. Lewis's. My biggest problem with the book is that Quentin and his friends are entirely unlikable. They are always depressed, spend lots of time either getting drunk or recovering from hangovers, and when a decision needs to be made, they can be counted on to make the wrong one. Obviously, I do not recommend The Magicians, but if you wish to read it, it and its sequels are available at FCL.
Eragon is a re-read for me. Written when the author was just a teen, Eragon is the beginning of an epic adventure. Our title character, Eragon, discovers a strange blue stone in the mountains near his village. The stone quickly reveals itself to be an egg when a dragon hatches from it. Eragon's uncle is killed by creatures know as Ra'zac and Eragon, his dragon Saphira, and an old storyteller named Brom set off on an adventure to try and find the Ra'zac and avenge Eragon's family. There are four books in this series and we get to travel along with Eragon as he and Saphira learn what it means to be dragon and rider. They battle forces of evil, learn magic, and help unite humans, elves, and dwarves in the battle against evil. Do not bother with the movie as it does not do justice to this story. The entire series is available at FCL. 
I finished The Name of the Wind this weekend. Kote is an innkeeper, with his friend Bast, in a tiny village off the beaten path. Trouble abounds in the countryside and a spider-like creature called a skrael is menacing the area. We discover quickly that Kote is an alias for Kvothe, a legendary hero and magician. Chronicler has discovered Kvothe's whereabouts and has come to try and convince the legend to tell his story in his own words. Kvothe was born to a family of troupers and spent his early life traveling from town to town as an entertainer. At one town they picked up a man called Abenathy (Ben) who began to teach Kvothe on a variety of subjects including Sympathy in preparation for sending him to the University. Eventually Kvothe's family is killed and after much hardship, he comes to the University to learn more about Sympathy, magic, and the Chandrian who killed his family. His curiosity gets him into trouble a few times, but he is a prodigy and advances through the ranks very quickly. He learns to use his musical skills to make enough money to pay his tuition and survive, but remains very poor. Occasionally the story breaks and returns us to the little country inn, but for the most part we hear about Kvothe's time at the University. I am excited about reading the next book in this series. The library does not have physical copies of this book, but I found it on our e-reading service, Overdrive. 
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