Over the years, there have been numerous fantasy books which have become bestsellers. Some received acclaim upon their initial release. Others only gained recognition years later. The most notable fantasy books have been adapted for the screen.
The Lord of the Rings
This expansive series was written by British novelist J.R.R. Tolkien. It is set in a fictional land called Middle Earth. The first book in the series is The Hobbit. Tolkien then expanded the characters and geography with his Rings trilogy. After his death, an unfinished booked called The Silmarillion was released. The bulk of the story concerns an evil, powerful ring created by the Necromancer, Sauron. A hobbit named Frodo is tasked with travelling across the land to destroy the ring for good.
A Game of Thrones
George R.R. Martin created this series as a response to The Lord Of The Rings. His story has much more complex characters and scenarios. Many of the stories are based on real examples from history. These books are notable for often killing off major characters. A Game Of Thrones was adapted into a very successful television show which ran for eight seasons. Despite this, the book series has not ended yet.
The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe
C.S. Lewis is most famous for writing this fantasy book and its sequels. It is about four evacuees during the Second World War who discover a wardrobe which transports them to a magical world called Narnia. This land is filled with fantasy creatures and talking animals. It is ruled by an evil figure called the White Witch. A lion known as Aslan helps the children on their quest to defeat her.
Alice in Wonderland
Few fantasy books have been as influential as this one by Lewis Carroll. It is about a girl called Alice, who travels to a strange and surreal realm. She meets an assortment of odd characters including the Cheshire Cat and the Mad Hatter. Over the years, this story has been adapted a large number of times for the stage and screen. This has included versions by Walt Disney, Tim Burton and Jan Svankmajer.
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
This book is a mixture of photographs and prose by Ransom Riggs. It is about a boy who follows clues in his grandfather’s scrapbook to uncover a mystery. The story features children who have strange powers and live together in an old manor house.
Harry Potter
The Harry Potter series is the most financially successful literature franchise of all time. It has spawned films, games, merchandise and even theme parks. In the books, a boy named Harry Potter discovers he has magical powers. He is then sent to a boarding school for wizards and witches.
Harry Potter was split into seven books, each dealing with a different year in Harry’s life. After the end of the series, a play was made about Harry in the future. The author, J.K. Rowling, continues to write expanded content for the Harry Potter universe.
Coraline
This dark children’s fantasy by Neil Gaiman first came out in 2002. It was then turned into a popular animation film in 2009. The story concerns a girl called Coraline who finds a portal to a parallel universe. In it, there is a sinister being with buttons for eyes posing as her mother.