10 of the most absorbing reads for people who want to get lost in another world

Sometimes the everyday stresses of life have a way of getting on top of you, and you can find yourself wishing you could escape and be somewhere else entirely.

Whether you turn to the past in search of simpler times, dream of alternate realities, or look up to the stars in search of some greater perspective, there is always one refuge waiting for you when needed - the joy of reading.

However, not all books are made equal and some are more therapeutic than others when you are looking to temporarily bury your head in the sand. So, to help you find the right read, we’ve rounded up 10 of the best escapist books.

The Lord of the Rings series

Tolkien's fantasy trilogy is undoubtedly the epitome of escapist reads. Whether you've read them a hundred times or not at all, these books are always guaranteed to fully immerse you into the ancient magical world of hobbits, dragons and wizards.

This fantastical tale follows the story of Frodo, a young hobbit who finds a long-lost, ancient and all powerful ring. This discovery leads to an epic yet daunting adventure to destroy the ring and defeat the evil forces threatening to destroy the world. With a series like this in your hand, boredom will be a thing of the past.

Noughts & Crosses series

The best escapist reads tend to keep you thinking long after the final page has turned. Malorie Blackman’s Noughts & Crosses is that kind of read.

This thought-provoking series follows a blossoming Romeo & Juliet-style romance, set in an alternate reality, where Africa has colonised Europe. The black ruling class, the Crosses, heavily oppress the white lower class, the Noughts.

The series essentially turns the very real history of apartheid and racial segregation on its head, introducing you to a newly envisioned England, now named Albion.

While it is classed as a young adult series, Noughts & Crosses has also proved largely popular with a not-so-young adult audience. This is a thoroughly engrossing read which encourages the reader to personally reflect upon the uncomfortable subject matter of ethnic dominance, privilege, and a lack thereof.

Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series

Sometimes all you need from an escapist novel is a really good laugh to make any present woes disappear. If your spirits are in need of a lift and you wish to put the real world on hold for a little while, this is the book for the job.

A science fiction trilogy in five parts, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy was initially released as radio episodes, with the book adaptation published the following year. The story begins just before the earth is to be destroyed to make way for an hyperspace bypass. It focuses on earthling Arthur Dent, who after being saved from the destruction, embarks on a mind boggling adventure through the universe with alien, Ford Prefect - a researcher for the titular Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

Its combination of outrageous characters, a surreal yet playful universe and its quintessential dry English wit make it an unforgettable read.

Cloud Atlas

David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas doesn't provide you with just one engrossing plotline to get lost in, but spoils you with six. These six narratives follow the lives of six very different people from very different walks of life.

With tales spanning from the mid-19th century to the far reaches of the future, there’s never a dull moment in this book. It almost reads like a collection of short stories. Yet - without giving away any spoilers - these individual tales are more linked than they seem, allowing the overarching narrative to muse upon the interconnectedness of humanity.

Gone Girl

This 2012 thriller by Gillian Flynn is an intense yet atypical 'whodunit' novel, in which the main detective is none other than the reader themselves.

The narrative alternates between the perspective of the two central characters, Amy and Nick Dunne - a young married couple. After Amy mysteriously goes missing on their wedding anniversary, the reader is left to question the trustworthiness of both characters and their accounts of the events which lead up to it.

This is a book with several twists and turns that will keep you constantly on your toes. The book gained a great deal of popularity, featuring on the New York Times Best Seller list, and was made into a successful film.

Call Me By Your Name

Set in an endless Italian summer, Call Me By Your Name is a moving story about a blossoming gay romance between a young boy and an older American Jewish scholar, who is staying at his parent’s home in the beautiful Italian Riviera.

While it is a short-lived romance spanning merely six weeks, it soon develops into a highly charged experience for both of them, and one that is not forgotten. Spanning the 20 years that follow, this is a compelling read about the rare beauty of true intimacy.

Sapiens

Not all escapist reads are fiction, as Yuval Noah Harari’s Sapiens proves. Initially published in Harari’s native Hebrew in 2011, and subsequently in English three years later, it leans on natural sciences, such as evolutionary biology, to examine the magnitude of human evolution.

The book's escapism lies in its encouragement of big picture thinking. This book will take you from some of the earliest years of human existence up to the present day, and on a mind-blowing discovery of our past.