Are you looking for your next fantasy must-read? From wizards and werewolves to different worlds , we’ve pulled together some of our team’s favorite fantasy series.
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Described as Game of Thrones meets Ocean’s Eleven, Six of Crows is set in the Grishaverse – like the award-winning Shadow and Bone trilogy, which is now a major Netflix show. In fact, the show might be called Shadow and Bone, but it draws from the cast of characters in Six of Crows, too. Six of Crows begins in Ketterdam, a raucous, busy hub of trade with an underbelly of crime. Kaz Brekker is a criminal mastermind who’s offered the chance to carry out a risky heist with a considerable reward. He handpicks a team to help, including a convict, excellent sharpshooter, and a spy – six outcasts in total, all trying to pull off the ultimate heist.
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
Imagine Beauty and the Beast but ramp up the romance and fantasy even more, transform Beauty into a huntress and Beast into some kind of fantastical faerie lord and that’s A Court of Thorns and Roses. Sara J. Maas might have used the classic fairytale as a starting pont for this epic fantasical romance, but it’s a brilliant story in its own right. So much so that it’s the first in a best-selling series of the same name. A Court of Thorns and Roses begins with Feyre, a huntress who kills a wolf to feed her family. But this was no ordinary wolf. In fact, it wasn’t a wolf at all and Feyre has to face the consequences of her violent actions.
The Grip of Darkness: Divinity by Kristoff Baggan
Kristoff Baggan’s debut novel, The Grip of Darkness: Divinity, is a spellbinding exploration of the supernatural that takes readers on a thrilling journey through the mysterious village of Nueyo. Centered around the Ricky, an introverted teenager who is unexpectedly thrust into a world of magic and mystery, Baggan weaves a tale that not only captivates with its supernatural elements but also delves deep into the complexities of the human condition.
The Golem and the Djinni by Helene Wecker
Helene Wecker’s debut novel is an eerie tale of two magical creatures set loose in 19th century New York. A golem – a mythical creature of Jewish lore – awakens during a sea voyage, and is taught to pass as human among the diverse groups of people living in the city. At the same time, a tinsmith in New York accidentally frees a genie from a flask after centuries of imprisonment, but he’s trapped in human form seeking a way to return to his full power. The pair meet and become friends, and must team up to counter an evil sorcerer who wants to enslave them both.
Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
Both Pratchett and Gaiman feature in their own right on this list and Good Omens, composed in part over answerphone messages three decades ago, delivers on the promise of a fantasy literature titan team up. It’s the extremely silly story of an angel, Aziraphale, and a demon, Crowley, played with glee by Michael Sheen and David Tennant in this year’s Amazon Prime Video series, trying to stop Armageddon. Most fantasy books ask for a serious commitment but Good Omens is a fully formed, read-in-an-afternoon treat.
The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher
Harry Dresden is a professional wizard in a version of modern-day Chicago where fantastical creatures lurk just underneath the surface. He makes his living as a private detective, solving cases that bridge the worlds of the real and the uncanny. In Storm Front, the first book in long-running series The Dresden Files, he finds himself duelling with vampires, werewolves, and the mob.
