Fantasy contains a plethora of subgenres for readers who wish to escape from the troubles of the real world. Readers can jump onto the back of a fire-breathing dragon, uncover an ancient king’s forgotten vault of treasures or discover the destiny of an unlikely hero.
The fantasy genre truly has it all; children’s, young adult and adult high fantasy novels all provide entertaining stories that anyone can enjoy. High fantasy is a subgenre that takes readers completely out of the world they know and tells epic adventures to the backdrop of rich, in-depth world building.
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Children’s high fantasy addresses simpler themes compared to young adult high fantasy which generally follows coming of age stories. Adult high fantasy focuses on heavier, often darker themes, and also features more complex plots and characters.
Children’s High Fantasy
“The Chronicles of Narnia”
“The Chronicles of Narnia” by C.S. Lewis has become a classic series of children’s novels. The most well-known is “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” which follows Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy Pevensie falling through a wardrobe and discovering a fantastic world called Narnia.
They go on an epic adventure, helping Aslan the Lion save the magical denizens of Narnia from the White Witch, Jadis. However, the less well-known stories are just as enthralling. “The Magician’s Nephew” depicts the creation of Narnia and “The Horse and His Boy” is a thrilling journey that even features a few adult Pevensies as side characters.
“Peter and the Starcatchers”
“Peter Pan” by J.M. Barrie is another classic, and there is a lot of media that explores his backstory and how he might have become the boy who “never grows up.” “Peter and the Starcatchers” is one such series that tells not only Peter’s story, but also the origins of Never Land and pixie dust.
Authors Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson send Peter on a voyage from England aboard the Never Land. He and his future lost boys meet Molly Aster, whose father is transporting “starstuff,” which we know as pixie dust, the most valuable substance on Earth. When they shipwreck on Mollusk Island, later known as Never Land, they must contend with Black Stache, captain of The Sea Devil who becomes Captain Hook.
“The Neverending Story”
“The Neverending Story” by Michael Ende blends the line between reader and hero. Bastian, a lonely boy, escapes into an antique store while running from his bullies. He swipes a book from the shelves and discovers the world of Fantastica, a realm shaped by the imagination of its reader.
But the Nothing, a mysterious force threatening to destroy the realm, approaches. Themes of imagination, melancholy and self-worth make this an enchanting tale for both children and adult readers.
Young Adult High Fantasy
“The Shadows Between Us”
“The Shadows Between Us” is one of those books that holds attention from the very first line.
Alessandra Stathos can finally wed, now that her sister has found a match. However, she will not settle for a mere earl or even a duke. She has her sights set on The Shadow King, a mysterious figure no woman has managed to draw the attention of.
Her plan: seduce him, marry him, kill him and become queen. Unfortunately for her, the king has a lot of enemies, and she must first keep him alive long enough to fall for her.
“Earthsea Cycle”
Readers who enjoy a more introspective philosophical take on fantasy tropes will enjoy “A Wizard of Earthsea” by Ursula K. Le Guin. Ged, a boy born with immense magical potential, trains at the School of Wizardry, where he is forced to confront a shadow born of his own untempered flaws.
Before J.K. Rowling penned the story of the boy who lived, Ursula K. Leguin showed that magic is not just about power but about responsibility. Readers who are drawn to themes of darkness, power and magical responsibility will definitely enjoy the “Earthsea Cycle” series.
“Folk of the Air”
“The Cruel Prince” by Holly Black is the first book in the “Folk of the Air” series. Jude, a mortal girl, is taken and forced to live in the fae, a treacherous realm where survival requires power.
Fans who enjoy a political element to their fantasy romance will enjoy the morally gray characters and relentless pace.
Holly Black writes a story filled with emotional stakes in a beautiful world that is full of cruel fae traditions. As the protagonist, she doesn’t need to be perfect, she just needs to survive.
Adult High Fantasy
“The Witcher”
Readers who enjoyed the Netflix series “The Witcher” may want to check the original English translations of the Polish short stories “The Last Wish” by Andrej Sapkowski, as they vividly portray a medieval fantasy world based in Slavic mythology and folklore.
In “The Last Wish,” Geralt of Rivia, a mutated monster hunter known as a witcher, travels across The Continent taking contracts that border the line between good and evil.
The poetic rhythm of Sapkowski’s Polish translation to English can be felt, as Geralt slays monsters of all different types while trying to hold on to his morals in a world that refuses to accept what it forced him to become.
“Inferno”
“Inferno” by Larry Niven and Jerry Pounelle is a part theological satire and part fantasy that pulls the science fiction genre into hell – literally. When a science fiction author falls seventeen stories to his death at a party, he wakes up in Dante Alighieri’s “Inferno.”
As a direct homage to 700-year-old “The Divine Comedy,” this story puts a metaphysical twist on science fiction, using the classic Italian poem as its framework. It is told through the eyes of a skeptic, as he journeys through hell.
Guided by a mysterious companion, the author follows in the footsteps of Alighieri’s travels through the underworld. Niven and Pournelle tell a genuinely funny and strikingly original tale that is chock-full of thoughtful questions and vivid imagery.
“Gods of Jade and Shadow”
Readers who enjoy a coming-of-age adventure with bittersweet endings will enjoy “Gods of Jade and Shadow” by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.
Set in the 1920s in Uukumil, Mexico, Casiopea Tun is a girl living in obscurity, cleaning up after a family that acts like she does not exist. When she accidentally awakens the Mayan death god Hun-Kame, she finds the threads of fate pulling her away on a life-changing quest through the Yucatan.
Fans of strong female leads and rich cultural settings will enjoy Moreno-Garcia’s elegant writing, featuring themes of tragic romance, fate, ancient magic and the hero’s journey retold through an indigenous backdrop.
