✨ Where Do I Start? A Beginner's Guide
You've heard about Xianxia, cultivation novels, or LitRPG and you want to try one. But where do you start with thousands of books available? This guide has you covered.
Step 1: Pick Your Genre
Xianxia & Cultivation
Chinese web novels. Protagonists train to become immortals. Epic scope, complex power systems, often philosophical. The granddaddy of progression fantasy.
- If you love: wuxia films, anime like Naruto/Bleach, or epic fantasy
- Start with: A Will Eternal
LitRPG & Progression Fantasy
Western stories where characters grow through game-like leveling systems. Faster pacing, often more humor, deeply influenced by video game culture.
- If you love: fantasy RPGs, isekai anime, power fantasy
- Start with: Cradle or Dungeon Crawler Carl
Step 2: Our Top Beginner Picks
Each of these series is an excellent entry point. We've picked them specifically because they're accessible, complete (or nearly so), and represent the best of their respective genres.
A Will Eternal
Funniest + most accessible Xianxia. A great first Chinese web novel.
See reading order →
Cradle Series
The gold standard of Western progression fantasy. 12 books, all excellent.
See reading order →
Dungeon Crawler Carl
Best LitRPG for newcomers who want to laugh out loud.
See reading order →
Lord of the Mysteries
If you're OK with complexity, this is the greatest Chinese web novel in translation.
See reading order →
He Who Fights With Monsters
Best character-driven LitRPG. Funny, deep, widely loved.
See reading order →
Mother of Learning
Free online. If you love magic systems and time loops, this is unmissable.
See reading order →
Step 3: Common Questions
Do I need to read the novels in a specific order?
For most standalone series, no — just start at Book 1. But within a series, absolutely read in order. Our guides for each series tell you exactly what order to read everything.
Where can I read these novels for free?
Many series have free options: Royal Road (royalroad.com) for LitRPG, WuxiaWorld or WebNovel for Xianxia. We list the best source for each series. If you like a series, consider buying the official version to support the authors.
What about audiobooks?
Audible has excellent versions of most major LitRPG series (Dungeon Crawler Carl's narration is legendary in the community). Xianxia audiobooks are more limited but growing. We link to available audiobooks on each series page.
Are these novels appropriate for all ages?
Most are suitable for teens and adults. Some series (Reverend Insanity, certain cultivation novels) contain dark themes. We note maturity level concerns in individual series guides.