The Ruins of Gorlan

This book goes beyond just comfort food and makes straight for “guilty pleasure”: While it’s simple, formulaic (if well-executed!) Fantasy, I can’t help but feel good when I read it. Its plot and characters trigger all the right pleasure centres: Sympathetic but imperfect orphan boy becomes the mysterious ranger’s apprentice, learns the nearly supernatural arts of tracking, hunting, espionage, and hiding in plain sight. Saves the day, keeps his friends, and one former enemy also turns into a friend. The series goes on (forever, it seems), but the book stands on its own and has a satisfying ending. It’s very easy to make me happy, really.