Something I’ve always found interesting, is the mindset one has going into a book. Try listening to something that makes you laugh, a sarcastic comedian or amusing audiobook. Ask A Ninja Presents: The Ninja Handbook (audiobook, you can actually find it on YouTube) works wonders for me.

Then, I will start reading right after. The story comes oddly to life, with my spirits raised. Even the dullest book can become a source of amusement.

Try it yourself. Who knows, might work for you too. Like that comedic voice that made you laugh is narrating the story.

I’m one of those with the unpopular opinion that... King was merely a prolific author, he wasn’t a particularly good one. The Stephen King drinking game exists for a reason.

Those who say he writes ‘horror’, I don’t think ever payed much attention to his writing. He does suspense. He also can never seem to write a good ending, on the rare occasion he actually has an ending at all.

Honestly, I think his books are the literary equivalent of mock busters. He throws in the same old tired tropes and characters again and again, not to scare you, but to mock those tropes, to make fun of them and even himself. It’s like he’s actually making fun of us for taking them, and him, seriously.

In that respect, he’s a genius author. Though his intention is lost, which in turn makes him a bad author. When it came to good suspense, I far preferred Dean Koontz.

So not just fantasy, but an introduction to fantasy... Could start small with a good short classic like Jeremy Thatcher Dragon Hatcher. The Artemis Fowl books make for good intro books I think.

If they are up to something with a bit more reading, I would highly suggest the Age Of Fire series by E. E. Knight. They follow the adventures of three dragon siblings. The first is the brother, the second follows his highly intelligent sister, and the third the crippled brother. It continues on, but the first three are on the same timeline, with each of their unique adventures.

On a side note, have you also considered light novels?