1. The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
Sure, they were largely written for a young audience. Sure, everyone already knows what they’re about. Sure, you’ve probably already read them. But all of these factors make the Harry Potter series a solid pick for a book club. The point of a book club is to have a fun discussion and maybe pair some beers in there to liven it up. There’s plenty to discuss in Harry Potter. The allusions to other fantasy works (some of which also make our list), the oblique commentary on English life, and the nerdy etymological tidbits are some of the aspects you can get lost in conversation over. There’s also the fact that Hogwarts is probably the most dangerous school on earth. And the confounding wizard law system leaves much to be discussed in an over-excited way.
Despite the intimidating length of the later entries in the series, these books are fast and fun reads. The stories are easy to get into and the world Rowling created is pretty amazing in its richness. You don’t have to do all seven books (fuck you, Cursed Child) in a row. The main points are quickly reviewed at the start of each book. They make a nice way to break up reading denser, more intense, or more serious books. Since the whole series is now out, there’s no need to wait for the next release should you find yourself really engrossed (hurry the fuck up, George RR Martin). The Drunk Guys have been working our way through the series, taking on a book every few months. Check out our progress here.
If you can’t find butterbeer to drink while you read, try Warlock by Southern Tier, Bloodline by Flying Dog, or Back in Black by 21st Amendment.
2. The Lord of the Rings / The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Ask any fantasy reader (nerd) what is the most important and influential series and they’ll tell you Lord of the Rings. They’ll also tell you that they prefer to not have a girlfriend, though, so don’t trust them on everything. In all seriousness, Tolkien set the bar for high fantasy. Sure, there were fantasy writers before, but how many people have actually read anything by Lord Dunsany? Tolkien virtually created the genre as we understand it now. Anything that is vaguely about medieval castles, dragons, stuff with magic, dwarves, or really hot elf chicks has its literary roots in Tolkien.
You can cheat and watch the acclaimed Lord of the Rings films or the not-acclaimed Hobbit films. But, there are some changes.
Fortify your epic reading quest with Mikkeller Beer Geek Breakfast, or Founders Canadian Breakfast Stout for second breakfast.
Check out our episode on The Hobbit here.
3. American Gods by Neil Gaiman
This is one of the more famous, acclaimed and generally bad ass fantasy novels to come out in the last two decades. Like Harry Potter, this one is set in the present day but incorporates mythology cultures all over the world. Cool things to discuss: How much are we still influenced by our myths and stories even in the modern day? What do we lose when we forget them? Should we work more to remember them?
Or, you can forget all about myths and stories by getting really drunk on mead. If mead isn’t your thing (because you’re not a viking), try Norse Mythology by Sam Adams or Arrogant Bastard by Stone Brewing.
Check out our episode on American Gods here.
4. A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin
Since everyone (except Mike) has already read these and seen the show, there’s not much needed here in terms of introduction. They’re great to discuss for many reasons. First, George R.R. Martin set out to write his own version of the fantasy epic with the same common themes, but by breaking fantasy tropes and turning them upside down. Killing off the main characters, for example. There’s tons of hints and foreshadowing and the details are very important. Great for discussion. Also, since the last few books aren’t out yet there’s plenty of nerdy discussion to be had trying to guess what is going to happen next or at the end. Be the one who drinks and knows things at your next Game of Thrones watch party.
One challenge here is that all of the books are not out yet and Martin seems to be in no rush to get the remaining volumes published. Hopefully he finishes them before his watch has ended.
Because beer cuts deeper than swords, drink a nice Dornish Red or Arbor Gold while you read. If you can’t find those, there are some licensed Game of Thrones beers from Ommegang to try. But stock up, these are really long books. When you read A Game of Thrones, you drink or you die. Valar Beerghulis (every man must drink). Beer is Coming. Ok, I’ll stop now.
5. The Bible
Pick any translation you want, this is probably the most influential fantasy book ever written. The world building is intense and the cast of characters is immense. You’ll need to take careful notes to keep track of the various tribes of Israel as they are shunted from forsaken place to promised land and back several times over. The battle sequences are a bit dated, mostly summarizing the smiting instead of showing the gory details, but there’s plenty of male genital mutilation, slavery, and talking inflamed shrubberies to make up for it.
The main character is God, an all-powerful, all-knowing and yet perennially disappointed egomaniac. He was the one character I really had a hard time identifying with, but the other characters are very rich and interesting. There’s the sell-out Judas, the drunkard Noah, a woman who becomes an architectural condiment, a dude who is all powerful while rocking a proto-mullet, and an unabashed hippie in Jesus, just to name a few.
Sure, there have been other fantasy books since, and many have improved on virtually all aspects of The Bible, but this one did it first. If you ignore The Epic of Gilgamesh. Hardcore fans will want to check out The Dead Sea Scrolls, what we call The Silmarillion of this series. Also the unofficial sequel The Koran. Oh, and the alternative history The Book of Mormon version is wild too. Maybe a bit too crazy for us, though, unless drunk.
As beer apostles we recommend: The Blood of Christ, anything from Hebrew, Original Sin hard cider, and Sweet Baby Jesus from EvilTwin.
The Drunk Guys Book Club Podcast can be found on on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, PlayerFM and where ever fine podcasts can be found. If you’re drunk enough to enjoy the Podcast, please give us a rating. To save time, just round up to five stars. Also, please follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Pinterest. There’s no excuse to miss another Drunk Guys episode, announcement, or typo!
It’s not too late to join our reading challenge – for help read how to read 100 books a year. Maybe consider some sci-fi books and Drunk Guy approved discussion questions.
Do you want to read more books? Of course, everyone does. Don’t be one of the 40% of people (and 100% of current US Presidents) who doesn’t read a single book after high school or college. One of the best ways to motivate yourself to read is to give yourself a goal. Make it your New Year’s Resolution. You can lose weight next year.