BookOwl Picks: Favorite Fantasy Titles

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"Spongebob" GIF: Spongebob in glasses flipping through a book

I'll go out and say up front that fantasy is one of my favorite genres. There's Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings (more popular series that have been adapted into very successful movie franchises), but I have found some unique stand-alones that I believe deserve some more love. Fantasy is made up of many sub-genres, from epic fantasy to fairy tales and sorcery, so there are always tales out there waiting for your consideration.  

My picks list will encompass these and other fantasy sub-genres. 

Harry Potter series (7 volumes) by J.K. Rowling

While I am not a fan of the author, Rowling's Harry Potter series contributed to my budding love for reading as a kid. The protagonist is Harry Potter, a first-year wizard attending Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry in England. His friends, Hermione and Ron, accompany Harry on many magical adventures, although it is not all fun and games. 

These books are entertaining and have great characters (Hermione remains my favorite), but tackle some heavy themes, such as oppression and war as the series progresses towards an inevitable clash with dark wizard Voldemort. 

Image of the seven volumes of the "Harry Potter" series by J.K. Rowling

Lore Olympus series (4 volumes) by Rachel Smythe

I have been fascinated with all sorts of mythologies around the world, particularly the Greek pantheon (thanks in large part to the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan). This series of graphic novels (with the fourth one slated for publication in 2023) is a modern take on the tale of Persephone (goddess of spring) and Hades (god of the underworld). 

Smythe has a gorgeous art style and the story is entrancing, tracing both the well-tread and not so well-tread story paths when it comes to this popular tale (another modern-day take of this love story is Sarah J Maas' ongoing Court of Thorns and Roses series). Also, always a fan of Greek mythology that refocuses on the often omitted or minimized female characters!

Covers of books 1-3 of "Lore Olympus" series by
Cover of the fourth book in the "Lore Olympus" series by Rachel Smythe

The Binding by Bridget Collins

A fantasy world based on 19th century England, where people can go to book binders and get rid of unwanted memories. We learn the secrets of this world through former farmhand turned book binding apprentice Emmett Farmer. 

The idea of being able to rid yourself of painful memories is a fascinating one. It brings up all sorts of questions around what kind of people we would be if this were a possibility in our world. Would we change or evolve as people in the same way?

Cover of "The Binding" by Bridget Collins

Six Crimson Cranes series (2 volumes) by Elizabeth Lim

This immersive YA fantasy duology, steeped in Asian mythology, is set in a fictional land known as Kiata. In Kiata, sorcery is taboo and prohibited. The daughter of the emperor of this country, Shiori, is our protagonist. (Shout-out to strong female leads!) No surprises here, but Shiori turns out to have a magical gift, which she has concealed well most of her life, until the day of her betrothal ceremony. 

Shiori's stepmother, Raikama, picks up on this fact, and banishes Shiori, while turning her brothers into cranes. In this series, readers will be taken across land and under the sea, as Shiori and her brothers try to save their family and Kiata itself.

Book covers of the two volumes in the "Six Crimson Cranes" duology by Elizabeth Lim

The Deathless series (3 volumes) by Namina Forma

My last pick is in regards to a YA fantasy world based on African mythology and folklore (yes, I am a sucker for mythology from around the world). Currently, two volumes are out, but the concluding volume is pending publication in 2023 or 2024. Our heroine, Deka, lives in an empire awash with magic. Sixteen year old girls must undergo a blood ceremony, to prove that they are pure and fit to become a true member of their society. 

Bleeding red is good, but bleeding gold is bad, and girls are often put to death for having this "impure" gold blood. Deka bleeds gold, the taboo color. However, Deka is given a second chance at life by a mysterious agent of the empire, who invites her to join an army of girls like her ("alaki" or near immortal women with unique powers) fighting a supernatural force that threatens the empire. As Deka finds friends and bonds with other alaki in the army, she finds that things are not as they seem.

Covers of the first two books in the "Deathless" series by Namina Forna


Happy reading!

--BookOwl

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