My Favorites: Fantasy/Sci-fi
Hello, all you lovely ladies and lads! I’m back with a continuation of the “My Favorites” series, in which I post about my favorite titles within a specific genre! If you’re interested, I’ve already posted about my favorite dystopian books in a previous post, check it out!
Today, I’ll be discussing another beloved genre, fantasy/science fiction! I’ve always been a fan of this genre, but have gotten back into it recently (thank you, Ms. Samantha Shannon). I am always blown away by the skill it takes to craft a novel of this genre—truly amazing worldbuilding and character development skills at work! I’d like to endeavor to share with you all some of the best fantasy/sci-fi books I’ve come across in all my reading years.
Without further ado, here my top five titles:
1) The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon—many of you might know that I read this novel recently, and I truly loved it. Shannon employs some amazing storytelling through wonderful, unforgettable characters. It’s truly amazing work. I recently posted a full review of the book on the blog; anyone interested who hasn’t already read it can read my review here.
2) Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor—here is another wonderfully crafted novel with amazing characters you won’t easily forget. The story follows the orphan Lazlo Strange as he navigates his way through training to become a librarian (the mythical kind…come on, guys). In Lazlo’s world, dreams choose the dreamer, and not the other way around. Lazlo’s dream is far-fetched and daring—something he thinks is more fit for a brave person (which he thinks he is not). A series of events leads Lazlo on a wonderul adventure of navigating dreams and lost cities. Laini Taylor’s brain has to be the most amazing place, because the premise and execution of this novel is so tantalizing. I’d highly recommend.
3) The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman—you all didn’t think I’d write this post and not include the contemporary king of realistic fantasy/sci-fi himself? Think again! Neil Gaiman has always been one of my favorite writers—he is a true writing giant and I have learned so much from him. This novel is teeny tiny—only 171 pages—but it sure does pack a punch. As I mentioned above, Gaiman’s signature is realistic fantasy that borders on magical realism. His worlds look very much like ours does, except crazy, magical things happen too. The story follows our narrator as he comes back to his childhood home to attend a funeral. While there, he reminisces about his childhood—one full of monsters and magic (for real, though). His “retelling” of the events surrounding his leaving that home as a kid come forth in vivid detail, almost dream-like. By the end, the daring and care-free Lettie Hempstock and her family are consecreted in myth, and the reader is left questioning what was real, and what, perhaps, wasn’t. In true Gaiman fashion, this book will leave you thinking and questioning and then thinking again.
4) Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr—I debated back and forth on if I wanted to add this novel to my list, but I’ve decided to. It is actually both a historical fiction novel and a fantasy novel, which proved to be a combination I really enjoyed. The novel follows five different characters in three different settings—15th century Constantinople, present day Idaho, and an interstellar spaceship decades in the future. Doerr somehow finds a way to brilliantly, masterfully, tie all of these people and times together with the story of the Greek shepherd Aethon and his attempt to discover the magical Cloud Cuckoo Land. Doerr took some serious risks with all that intermingling of plot and genre, but I can say that it really did pay off for him. It is a brilliant idea that worked out so well on paper. The characters are unforgettable, and the ending? Super meta. I love those kinds of endings. If you do too, I’d highly recommend.
5) Piranesi by Susanna Clarke—saving one of the best for last, of course. I could rave about this book all day. I’d say it’s more of a realistic fantasy/magical realism novel, so if you’re looking for queens and dragons, sorry. But this is an interesting and thought-provoking look into the human condition. It is a showcase on trust, friendship, and power of trauma disguised as good intention. Here’s the link to a past post where I discussed it.
Even though I could write about this stuff all day, I’ll end this post here. I’m always open for discussion about any of these books, of course. Let me know if you read any of these!
Fashionably Yours,
Hanna