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The Wonderland Of Fantasy Fiction

“When you compare the sorrows of real life to the pleasures of the imaginary one, you will never want to live again, only to dream forever.” Alexandre Dumas

At the very least, books are meant to ignite our imagination. That spark, when given full reign is arguably the most transformative and revelatory capacity we as humans have access to.

And no genre wields this influence more fully than Fantasy. Authors in this category regard a sheet of paper empty of words as a blank canvas on which to paint unfathomable universes. Their pens hold the power to remake worlds, to suspend our disbelief, to unleash the light and the darkness from places not seen, to provide knowledge both profound and invaluable.

Invite these writers to immerse you in the language of dreams. From expansive fantasy, intricate world building, myths and magic, each of these reads offer nothing less than wondrous stories in which to lose yourself. But not to worry, they will also provide your path out.

Literary Alchemy…

…books that transport you to worlds beyond your wildest imagingings

Babel – R.F. Kuang (Epic Fantasy)

Robin is brought to London by a mysterious professor to train in preparation for the day he will enroll in the Royal Institute of Translation, known as Babel. Babel is the world’s center for transcription and more importantly, magic. Silver working, the art of manifesting meaning lost in translation using enchanted silver, has made the British unparalleled in power. But Babel’s intentions are not all honorable and Robin will struggle with the knowledge he unearths. Grappling with revolutions, resistance, and the power of language, this is fantasy at its most epic in scope. Stunning, profound and an absolute must read for any lover of words and linguistics.

The Book Eaters – Sunyi Dean (Horror Fantasy)

Out on the Yorkshire Moors lives a secret group of people for whom books are food, who retain all of the book’s content after eating it. To them, spy novels are peppery, romance novels are sweet, history novels spark memories of destinations they have never been. Devon is part of The Family, a reclusive clan of book eaters. Her brothers grew up feasting on stories of adventure and Devon, like all women, consumed a carefully curated diet of fairy tales. But when Devon’s son is born with a darker hunger, not for books but for human minds, she learns that life doesn’t always come with happy endings. Gives a whole new meaning to the term voracious reader. Sorry, I couldn’t resist.

Seven Faceless Saints – M.K. Lobb (Dark Fantasy)

In the city of Ombrazia, saints and their disciple’s rule with terrifying and unjust power, playing favourites while the unfavoured struggle to survive. After her father’s brutal murder, Rossana is willing to do whatever it takes to dismantle the corruption run rampant. She taps into her powers as a disciple of Patience, joining the rebellion and facing the boy who broke her heart. After years spent fighting a never-ending war that has left him with deeper scars than he wants to admit, Damian isn’t too keen on confronting the girl he left behind. An evocative blend of genres, bringing fantasy, mystery, and romance together into one epic story.

Ninth House – Leigh Bardugo (Occult Fantasy)

Alex is the most unlikely member of Yales freshman class. Raised in LA by a hippie mom, she dropped out of school early and fell into a world of shady boyfriends, dead end jobs and much worse. By age twenty, she is the sole survivor of a horrific unsolved multiple homicide. At her hospital bed, she is offered a chance: to attend one of the world’s most prestigious universities on a full ride. The catch is that her mysterious benefactors want her to monitor the activities of Yale’s secret societies. Their eight windowless “tombs” are the well-known haunts of the rich and powerful, but their occult activities are more sinister and extraordinary than any imagination might conceive. A portal to a world you will never want to leave. Stunning!

One Dark Window – Rachel Gillig (Gothic Fantasy)

Elspeth needs more than luck to stay safe in the eerie, gloomy kingdom she calls home, she needs a monster. The monster might be her. She calls it the Nightmare, an ancient mercurial spirit trapped in her head. He protects her. He keeps her secrets. But magic never comes without a price. When she meets a mysterious man, her life takes a turn. She is thrust into a world of shadow and deception, joining him on a quest to rid the kingdom of the dark magic infecting it. But the secrets they are each keeping might prevent them from succeeding. An enchanting and lush story, but not without some sharp edges!

These Violent Delights – Chloe Gong (Epic Fantasy)

A brilliant retelling of Romeo and Juliet, set in 1920’s Shanghai, rife with debauchery. A blood feud between rival gangs turns the streets red, leaving the city in the grip of chaos. At the heart of it is Juliette, a former flapper who has returned to assume her role as the heir of the Scarlet Gang, a network of criminals above the law. She will have to face Roma, her first love and head of the rival White Flowers. But when members on each side show signs of an instability that culminates in clawing their own throats out, people believe a contagious madness has been unleashed. To battle this new threat, they must put aside their grudges and work together. Deliciously dark and heady!

The Atlas Six – Olivia Blake (Epic Fantasy)

Each decade, only the six most uniquely talented magicians are selected to earn a place in the Alexandrian Society, the foremost secret society in the world. The chosen will secure a life of power and prestige beyond their wildest dreams. But at what cost? Each of six have their reasons for accepting the elusive invitation, even if means they won’t survive the year. Full of devious, brilliant, and flawed characters, this is a story beyond magic. It’s an unexpected puzzle that plays out in a contest of wits.

Wicked Saints – Emily A. Duncan (Dark Fantasy)

A girl who can speak to gods must save her people without destroying herself. A prince in danger must decide who to trust. A boy with a monstrous secret hides in the shadows. Together, they must assassinate the king and stop the war. Their paths entwine in a shadowy world of blood and brutality and mysterious saints. Gods and monsters? Saints and sinners? I’m in! Expansive and totally immersive, this is a book to lose yourself in.

Iron Widow – Xiran Jay Zhao (Epic Fantasy)

Boys of Huaxia dream of pairing up with girls to pilot Chrysalises, giant robots that battle monsters that lurk beyond the Great Wall. It’s of little consequence that the girls often die from the mental strain. When 18-year-old Zetian offers herself up as a concubine/pilot, it’s to assassinate the pilot responsible for her sister’s murder. But she gets her revenge in an unexpected way, she kills him through the psychic link pilots share and emerges from the cockpit unscathed. She is labelled an Iron Widow, a much feared being that is rumored to sacrifice boys instead of girls to power the Chrysalises. A book full of fury and fire!

The City Of Brass – S.A. Chalcraborty (Epic Fantasy)

On the streets of eighteenth-century Cairo, Narhi is a con woman of unsurpassed skill, using her talents to swindle nobles and dreaming of earning enough to change her future. But when she inadvertently summons Dara, a sly and darkly mysterious djinn warrior, she realizes that even the cleverest of schemes can have deadly consequences. Forced to flee Cairo, they journey together to the legendary city of brass. A city stepped in magic, where blood can be as dangerous as any spell. A dizzying and opulent fantasy novel!

Keeper Of Enchanted Rooms – Charlie Holmbery (Historical Fantasy)

Estranged from his family, writer Merritt is surprised when he inherits a remote estate. Though the property has been uninhabited for over a century, he is ready to call it home; until he realizes he has no choice in the matter. With its doors slamming shut and locking behind him, the House is not about to let Merritt leave. Ever. Hulda understands the dangers of a bespelled home given to tantrums and has been trained in taming such structures in order to preserve their magic. To make the house their ally, she must move in with Merritt. Can unexpected whimsy and frights be far behind?

Uncommon Lore…

…reframing the battle for good to triumph over evil

Fairy Tale – Stephen King (Mythical Fantasy)

This novel is a love letter to the fairytales and storybooks of our childhood, the ones that left the deepest impression and endure the most retelling. The ones that assured us our happily ever after. King takes the curses we imagined from those youthful treasures and gives them substance. Inflicting new horrors on beloved characters and then giving them a savior, Charlie. Charlie made a promise that if his alcohol father, driven to the bottle by the devasting loss of his wife and Charlie’s mom, stopped drinking he would do something for whatever deity made it happen. He swore it, no matter what. After saving a curmudgeonly old man living in a mansion crumbling down around him, Charlie discovers a portal to another world, one with magic that can save his dying old dog.

A Crown Of Ivy & Glass – Claire Legrand (Medieval Fantasy)

Lady Gemma seemingly has it all, except magic. She’s young, gorgeous, and rich. Her family was anointed by the gods and blessed with incredible abilities. But underneath all the glitter, Gemma is sad. Her sister was taken to guard the kingdom against dark magic, her mother abandoned the family, and her father and eldest sister are embroiled in a deadly blood feud with the mysterious Bask family. Feeling invisible and useless, Gemma meets Talan, who is determined to redeem the honor of his family who were seduced, and ultimately destroyed by a demon. They form an alliance that could end up consuming them both. Epic and lavish!

The Cartographers – Peng Shepherd (Magical Fantasy)

Nell’s greatest passion is cartography. Her father is a legend in the field and her hero. But she hasn’t seen or spoken to him ever since he cruelly fired her and destroyed her reputation after an argument over a cheap map they found at a gas station. When he is found dead in his office with that seemingly worthless map hidden in his desk, Nell can’t resist investigating. She soon finds herself with a highly valuable map on her hands and an ominous collector on the hunt to destroy it. A spectacularly imaginative story that is and ode to both art and science. A reminder that sometimes on the trail of our greatest desire we may encounter our greatest tragedy.

The Book That Wouldn’t Burn – Mark Lawrence (Epic Fantasy)

A boy has lived his whole life trapped within a vast library, centuries old and more vast than entire cities. A girl has spent hers in a tiny settlement where nightmares have teeth and nobody leaves. The world has never noticed them, but that’s about to change in unimaginable ways. A story that takes us on a journey for knowledge that may in fact prove the adage that the pen is indeed mightier than the sword. If there was a building I had to be trapped in, it would be a library. This one sounds magical. Maybe terrifying, but no less magical.

Ordinary Monsters – J.M Miro (Historical Fantasy)

In Victorian London, two children with mysterious powers are hunted by a figure of darkness, a man made of smoke. Charlie, despite a brutal childhood, doesn’t have a scar on him. His body heals itself, whether he wants it to or not. Marlowe shines with a strange bluish light. He can melt or mend flesh, depending on his mood. When a jaded detective is recruited to escort them to a safe place, all find themselves on a journey that brings horror and wonder in equal measure. Be warned reader, once you step into this wildly inventive world you’ll never want to leave.

The Raven Tower – Ann Leckie (Mythical Fantasy)

For centuries, the kingdom of Iraden has been protected by the god known as the Raven. He watches over his territory from atop a tower, his will enacted through the Raven’s Lease, a human ruler chosen by the god himself. His magic is sustained by the blood sacrifice that every Lease must offer. While the city seems to flourish under these conditions, the Raven’s tower holds a secret, its foundations conceal a dark history waiting to reveal itself. And set in motion a chain of events that could destroy Iraden forever. Gods meddle in the fates of men, men play with the fates of the gods, what could possibly go wrong? Rich and broad worldbuilding without flaw!

The Jasmine Throne – Tasha Suri (Epic Fantasy)

A ruthless princess and a powerful priestess come together to rewrite the fate of an empire in this fierce story set in a gorgeous magical world. Exiled by her brother, princess Malini spends her days dreaming of vengeance while imprisoned in an ancient cliffside temple that was once a revered source of magic and is now little more than a decaying ruin. Little does she know that her servant Priya hides a true nature that will change everything for both and leave their destinies irrevocably entwined. The monsters in this book reside within, and they have teeth.

The Queen Of Tearling – Erika Johansen (Medieval Fantasy)

On her nineteenth birthday, Princess Kelsea, raised in exile, sets out on a perilous journey back to the castle of her birth to ascend her rightful throne. A serious girl who loves books and learning, she bears little resemblance to her mother, the vain and frivolous Queen Elyssa. Despite the Tearling sapphire, a jewel with immense magical power, Kelsea will rely on the knights led by the enigmatic Lazarus to survive the journey. Along the way she will inadvertently spark the ire of a vengeful and tyrannical ruler of a neighbouring kingdom. Full of magic and adventure, a wonderful story of a girl becoming who she truly is meant to be.

Stone Blind – Natalie Haynes (Mythical Fantasy)

The only mortal in a family of gods, Medusa is the youngest of the Gorgon sisters. Unlike her siblings, she grows older and feels weakness. The urgency of this mortal lifespan is something her family will never know. When the sea god Poseidon assaults Medusa in Athene’s temple, the goddess in enraged. Furious by the violation of the sacred space that holds her name, Athene takes revenge, on Medusa. She is forever transformed, with writhing snakes for hair and a gaze that will turn any living creature to stone. Haynes is without parallel in her talent for turning our understanding of legendary myths on their heads. Masterful and stunningly fresh.

The Blood Of Troy – Claire Andrews (Mythic Fantasy)

After saving the powers of Olympus by defeating Nyz, the Goddess of Darkness, Daphne is haunted by still looming threats, her complicated feelings for the God Apollo and the promise she made to help if called on again. When summoned, she escapes by securing a spot as one of Queen Helen’s guards. In the midst of a peace summit among the Monarchs of Greece, they uncover a plot that leads to a war unlike any seen before. One, if not both, of these women may have a destiny that could destroy the world. A myth spun tale full of glittering royalty, shining gods and the secrets that threaten to topple them all.

The Helm Of Midnight – Marian Lostetter (Horror Fantasy)

In a daring and deadly heist, thieves have stolen away with an artifact of terrible power, the death mask of Louis Charbon. Made by a master craftsman, it is imbued with the spirit of a monster from the past, a serial murderer who terrorized the city. How Charbon is loose once more, killing from beyond the grave, but he is even more sinister, using mind probing magic. Krona must enter the mind of this insatiable killer to stop the madness. Beautiful and vicious, this story will leave you awake long past your bedtime.

Not All Who Wander Are Lost…

…mere mortals on the path to becoming champions and saviours

Siren Queen – Nghi Vo (Mythical Fantasy)

Luli is beautiful, talented, and desperate to be a star. Coming of age in pre-code Hollywood, she knows how dangerous the movie business is and how limited roles are for a Chinese American, but she doesn’t care, she’ll even play a monster. Surprise surprise, the worst monsters in Hollywood are not the ones on screen. The studios run on a system of ancient magic and bargains made in blood, powered by the endless sacrifices of unlucky starlets just like her. How is Luli to achieve the fame she longs for without becoming a monster herself? A lush and brilliant reimagining of Hollywood, one where trickery and greed are par for the course.

Trine – Chris Faraday (Superhero Fantasy)

Two years after jilting his bride and escaping his hometown of Gracious, Brad returns to save his young sister and reclaim the amulet that holds a vital weapon that was used to kill a nightmarish creature with unspeakable power. Joining forces with his former finance and an aspiring astrophysicist with problems of her own, they will race against the clock to stop the Nowhere Man before he holds thrall over the world. Stephen King meets Philip K. Dick. What more could you possibly want?

The Bone Season – Samantha Shannon (Epic Fantasy)

In 2059, Scion has taken over most of the world’s cities, promising safety for all citizens it deems worthy and wiping out clairvoyants wherever it can find them. Paige is one of those clairvoyants and as part of the Seven Seals she scouts for information by breaking into other’s minds as they dream. But when she is captured, she encounters a power more sinister than she ever imagined. A multilayered and complex story that will bewitch readers.

Book Of Night – Holly Black (Dark Fantasy)

Charlie has never found a lock she couldn’t pick, a book she couldn’t steal or a bad decision she wouldn’t make. She’s spent half her life working for gloamists, magicians who manipulate shadows to peer into locked rooms or other private spaces they are not welcome. Now Charlie wants out, but it’s not going to be easy. Not with a sister desperate for her own magic, a possibly soulless boyfriend, and a maelstrom of lies on the horizon when a terrible figure from her past returns. A seductive and eerie book that will leave you unable to resist just one more chapter.

Vampire Weekend – Mike Chen (Contemporary Fantasy)

Everything you’ve ever heard about vampires in a lie. They can’t fly. No killing allowed or an intervention will likely be staged. And turning into a bat? Ridiculous. In fact, the vampire life is really just a lot of blood bags and night shifts. Having sworn off family decades ago, Louise never expects the long-lost relative that shows up. Whether it’s his love of music or his bad attitude, she feels a connection for the first time in ages. A poignant homage to vampire mythos, human connection, and the enduring power of music. There is nothing not to love about this book!

Secret Identity – Alex Segura (Superhero Fantasy)

It’s 1975, the comic book industry is struggling, and Carmen is an assistant at Triumph Comics, which doesn’t have the creative zeal or fan base of a Marvel or DC, but it doesn’t matter to her. Carmen is tantalizingly close to fulfilling her dream of writing a superhero comic. When a senior writer enlists her help to create a new character, one who will be their first female hero, she thinks she is on the cusp of seeing her dream made real. But her colleague is acting strangely and when he’s found dead, she discovers all the scripts are in his name only. A reminder that heroes and villains do exist, and that we are all quite capable of being both.

Silver Under Nightfall – Rin Chupeco (Mythical Fantasy)

Remy is an elite bounty hunter of rogue vampires and yet remains an outcast among his fellow reapers. When a terrifying new breed rises, he partners with a warmhearted vampire heiress and an infuriating elder with powers unlike any he has seen before. Can romance be far behind? Full of court intrigue, gothic monsters, and battles galore, this lush novel is sure to enthrall.

The Starless Crown – James Rollins (Epic Fantasy)

A gifted student is rewarded with a sentence of death when she foretells an apocalypse. Fleeing into the unknown she is drawn into a team of outcasts. A broken soldier who is willing to take up weapons and use them to forge a path back home. A drunken prince, who steps out of his brother’s shadow to claim a purpose of his own. An imprisoned thief, who discovers an artifact that will ignite a power struggle across the globe. On the run, hunted by enemies, they must learn to trust each other to uncover the secrets that hold the key to their salvation. A book as beautiful as it is frightening.

Mr. Breakfast – Jonathan Carolll (Superhero Fantasy)

Graham’s life has hit a dead end. His career is failing, the love of his life has dumped him, and he literally has no idea what to do next. With nothing to lose, he buys a new car and hits the road, planning to drive across the country. Along the way he does something he never would have considered before; he gets a tattoo. A decision that sets off a series of extraordinary events that change his life forever in ways he never could have imagined. Among other things, he can see in real time three different lives available to him, the choice is his. A fantastical spin on the tale of the road not taken.

City Of Stairs – Robert Jackson Bennett (Urban Fantasy)

The city of Bulikov once wielded the power of the gods to conquer the world, enslaving and brutalizing millions, until its divine protectors were killed. Now merely an outpost, the shattered landscape stands as a haunting reminder of its former glory. Into this broken city comes Shara. Officially the unassuming young woman is just another junior diplomat. Unofficially, she’s an accomplished spy, dispatched to catch a murderer. Dead gods, buried histories, and a mysterious city all add up to the perfect mix for this urban fantasy.

An Ember In The Ashes – Sabaa Tahir (Mythical Fantasy)

Laia is a slave. Elias a solider. Neither is free. Under the Marial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the emperor risk execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear. When Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, she must risk her life to spy for the rebels who promise to rescue him. Here she meets Elias, whose only desire is to be free from the tyranny he must enforce. Inspired by ancient Rome, this is a rich and layered fantasy novel!