by Ellie Coverdale
There’s nothing better than escaping the reality of our current world by jumping in to a great fantasy novel rich with detail and magical intrigue.
These 7 fantasy books are sure to reel you in from the first page and might even make you believe in magic – a little bit.
1. ‘The City of Brass’ by S.A. Chakraborty
Nahri works her own type of magic on the streets of Cairo in the 18th-century, posing as a healer or palm reader.
Starting off as a con artist, she accidentally summons Dara, a djinn warrior.
Although Nahri is skeptical of magic, she is startled to discover that the powers of the djinn are within her as well, following a visit to Dara’s homeland of Daevabad.
Can Nahri use her newfound gifts to bring peace to a war-torn Daevabad?
Although this historical fantasy is Chakraborty’s debut, the detail and scope of the novel has led to comparisons with George R.R. Martin.
2. ‘The Red Magician’ by Lisa Goldstein
In a small Hungarian village, there is a hint of war in the air and Vörös, a magician, warns of a Nazi threat.
No one listens to his prophecy except for young Kasci, an eleven-year-old villager.
Their lack of belief has tragic consequences for Europe, as Hitler takes over the whole continent.
Set during the Holocaust, Kasci and Vörös work their magic together for survival and love.
3. ‘The Time of the Dark’ by Barbara Hambly
The last thing that Gil Patterson, a history graduate student, expected to find in her apartment is an ancient wizard.
The beer-loving wizard, Ingold Inglorion, has travelled through worlds to recruit Gil for his mission.
Inglorion’s magical homeland of Darwath is at risk of total destruction at the hand of the Dark, and Gil and an infant prince are the magical world’s only hope of survival.
Can the mortal Gil save the royal baby and the fate of Darwath?
4. ‘The Sentinel Mage’ by Emily Gee
Prince Harkeld’s sole purpose is to save his people in the Seven Kingdoms from a blood curse they’re struggling under.
But he is a reluctant savior to say the least, and he must work with the shapeshifter Innis, whom he considers a witch, to try to save the Seven Kingdoms.
As these two struggle to even get along, they are faced with assassins and different magical beings, and find a growing attraction to each other that may very well turn Harkeld’s world upside down.
5. ‘Tigana’ by Guy Gavriel Kay
Guy Gavriel Kay is more than a celebrated fantasy author – he’s a legend in his own right, helping J.R.R. Tolkien’s son Christopher write the history of Middle Earth.
In this fantasy novel, we are plunged into the Principality of Tigana after twenty years of oppression.
Tigana is nearly wiped out completely and its existence is almost a thing of the past as non-natives barely remember its presence and it’s removed from all maps.
We follow a group of rebels as they plan an uprising to reclaim their homeland and restore its glory.
They must use sorcery to have any hope of destroying the tyrannical wizard who now rules Tigana.
6. ‘Uprooted’ by Naomi Novik
Uprooted could very well fit right in with the Grimm fairy tales, as Novik paints a picture of a small village protected by the Dragon, their wizard ruler, from a malevolent “Wood”.
In order to continue to protect the village, the Dragon selects a 17-year-old girl to become his secret servant every 10 years, with the villagers unable to do anything about it.
Agnieszka is the one selected this Choosing, and she will learn that there is far more to her captor than she previously thought.
She will also discover that her role as the Dragon’s servant may be much grimmer, and more important, than anyone thought.
7. ‘Shadow and Bone’ by Leigh Bardugo
Alina, a forgotten orphan of little consequence, is faced with her destiny when she unleashes a hidden power to save her best friend Mal from an attack by monsters of the Shadow Fold.
She goes from a nobody to a highly desirable magical military recruit for the Grishas overnight.
Within this military force, she becomes involved in their exclusive inner circle and the leader, the Darkling, and discovers a dangerous plot that may obliterate the world she’s responsible for protecting.
IN CONCLUSION
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About the Author:
Ellie Coverdale, a spiritual writer at UK Writings and Essay Roo, loves reading and writing reviews of her favorite books. Her passion is the world of fantasy and magical beings, and you can find more of her articles at Boom Essays.
featured image via Unsplash
