#88: Reading fantasy in 2023
What should be on the list?
Hey there readers,
Any epic fantasy buffs out there? I’m looking ahead to next year’s reading project, which will be “A Year of Fantasy,” and I need your input!
What books in the fantasy genre do you consider “must-read?”
Let me know in the comments and keep reading to see what might already be on the list.
Why fantasy?
As I casually scroll through my “Read” list on Goodreads (as one is wont to do), I realize that I have not read some of the classics in the fantasy genre, The Lord of the Rings being the most glaring example.
I’ve always been a little standoffish about fantasy, associating it with D&D nerds and cosplayers in cloaks. It all felt too medieval Ren Fest with the same magical creatures and arcane magic systems.
But the genre has evolved and will continue to do so. These days there seems to be a broader fantasy horizon with more entries by women and people of color. Fonda Lee’s Green Bone Saga proves that fantasy can take place in a country resembling Asia - what a concept!
Can I put a list together that honors the past and looks ahead to the future…
…and has plenty of adaptations to boot?? :)
What could go on the 2023 “Year of Fantasy” list?
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien - With the new series on Prime Video, The Lord of the Rings has returned to pop culture. I love the Peter Jackson trilogy so much that it’s time I actually read the source material.
Anything by Brandon Sanderson, Patrick Rothfuss, and Robert Jordan - These are three heavy hitters in the genre and I’d like to eventually read all their stuff.
The Last Unicorn by Peter Beagle - A friend at work loaned me a copy and encouraged me to read it.
Shadow and Bone Series by Leigh Bardugo - Also a Netflix series so this could be a fun adaptation discussion.
N.K. Jemisin’s Broken Earth Trilogy - Fantasy with a mother as the protagonist. This trilogy is a must next year.
Jade War and Jade Legacy by Fonda Lee - Really enjoyed book 1 and intend to finish next year.
Hyperion by Dan Simmons - A friend at work raves about this series so I’ll have to give book 1 a shot.
Red Rising Saga by Pierce Brown - I liked book 1 and intend to continue on with this exciting series. Is it fantasy or sci-fi? Maybe in between?
What fantasy have I already read?
I don’t need to re-visit Westeros (unless W.o.W. releases next year, which is hard to say with a straight face), Hogwarts, Narnia, or Arrakis. Here is what I’ve already read in the genre:
A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin - 5 stars
Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling - 5 stars
Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis - 5 stars
Watership Down by Richard Adams - 5 stars
Stardust and The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman - 4 stars
His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman - 4 stars
Earthsea Cycle 1 & 2 by Ursula K. Le Guin - 4 stars
Dune 1 by Frank Herbert - 3 stars
The Gunslinger by Stephen King - 2 stars
Hopefully, based on my ratings of what I’ve read, you might have some recommendations!
Got a reading plan of your own for next year? I’d love to hear about it.
Thanks for reading,
Kyle
Given your recent review of Babel, it would be remiss of me not to recommend R. F. Kuang's debut trilogy The Poppy War. A very intense historical military fantasy that takes great inspiration from the Second Sino-Japanese War.
I would argue Red Rising is sci-fi but still great! Absolutely obsessed with The Scholomance series by Naomi Novak which is like a darker Harry Potter and The Atlas Six (Olivie Blake) is a fun new magical series.
Also Six of Crows is superior to Shadow and Bone (spinoff from the author) but maybe that's just me. And finally...does Circe by Madeline Miller count?