Fantasy books to read in 2021
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@ dreaming by dusk
Last year, I experienced a reading slump unlike any other. I didn’t have any new books to read, and worse, I simply didn’t feel like reading. At. All. It was awful because I’ve always prided myself on being a bookworm, and because of bookstagram, I felt like I wasn’t productive as a reader.
Thankfully, I was gifted new books for Christmas. I started reading one of them, “Throne of Glass” by Sarah J. Maas. As soon as I did, I felt my reading slump slipping away. Everyone has a genre they love to read the most. Mine’s Fantasy – YA, NA, or in general.
So, in light of my regained love for reading and fantasy fiction, I thought it would be fun to share a list of Fantasy books to read in 2021. Some of these I’ve read before. Others are new, and many more are beginning to pile up in my Goodreads TBR.
If you’re like me and have been struggling to find a new book to read, stay here and read the rest of this post for some book recs.
“Legacy of Orisha” series by Tomi Adeyemi
I was BEYOND excited when this series was first announced and then released in 2018. Soon after the release of the MCU’s “Black Panther” film, this book was a must-read for fans of fantasy fiction set in African-inspired settings.
This series features a magic system tied to the gods, the persecution of a generation of magic-wielders, and fictional animal companions. Most of all, the book focuses on a group of young individuals travelling their world on an important mission. They're also pursued on that mission by the son of a King.
When I first read this book, it reminded me of “Avatar: The Last Airbender”. All the twists and turns, explorations, and brushes with danger and the law. While it’s a little slow to start, once the action begins, it is a fast-paced adventure that sees its characters jump from cities to jungles, deserts, and more. And its ending sets up an exciting sequel.
“Graceling Realm” series by Kristin Cashore
I first read this book when I was in high school…Perhaps a little earlier than that, too. I recently found out that this book series is not YA fantasy but targeted at NA/Adult Fantasy audiences.
These books take place in a world with magic-wielders called Gracelings, individuals born with two different eye colours, a distinctive marker that makes them a target. The series is an anthology, and each book introduces a new character and period within this world.
In the first book, readers meet Katsa, a Graceling with a skill for killing. The second introduces Fire, a gifted girl with incredible power. The coolest part? The villain that appears in “Graceling” appears as a child in “Fire”. The third book also features a child from “Graceling” as a young woman in “Bitterblue”…If that makes sense.
Who wouldn’t love a story led by an entourage of female leads over several years?
“Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal” series by JM Lee
Those of us who watched – and fell in love with – the world and story of “The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance” were sad to learn that Netflix cancelled the tv series. However, the creators have promised to find new ways to continue telling the story of Thra. It includes a comic series and a book series.
These books show new and returning characters, and in parts, act as a prequel to the Netflix series and the original Jim Henson film. It unveils the world of Thra in a new medium that lovers of fantasy fiction will love.
“The Blood of Stars” series by Elizabeth Lim
I saw the cover of the first book, “Spin The Dawn” on Goodreads, and knew that I have to read this book. It is described as a blend of Project Runway and Mulan. Who would’ve thought fashion could have a major standing in fantasy fiction?
I haven’t read this book yet but I have a feeling it will push boundaries. Too often, I’ve heard that fantasy fiction focuses on warfare, royalty, and evil sorcerers. For once, the hero of a book isn’t a sword-clashing soldier or a rogue travelling alone (not that I don’t love those characters).
“The Blood of Stars” follows Maia, the daughter of a tailor, and a tailor herself, entering a competition under the guise of a man. What makes it better is that the world is inspired by Chinese folklore, adding more diversity and depth to the Fantasy genre and its pool of authors.
“Grishaverse” series by Leigh Bardugo
If you didn’t already know, these books are being adapted into a TV series on Netflix in April 2021. Fans are excited to see their favourite characters, stories, and settings brought to life.
All the books together tell a story over time, featuring new and returning characters, new settings, and stories and conflicts. The first three books introduce a civil war in Ravka. The next two focuses on the aftermath of that war and its effect on other parts of the world. The third extends on those repercussions and returns to Ravka to tell the story about picking up the pieces and returning things to normal.
And much like “Legacy of Orisha” and “The Blood of Stars”, the “Grishaverse books introduce a fantasy setting that seems more similar to 17th-18th century Russia. When I first read these, the settings felt archaic in part, but also Victorian and magical in others. A BIG change compared to your classical medieval fantasy setting (again, I still love those too).
On a final note, here are some honourable mentions from my Goodreads TBR:
“The Maiden Ship” by Micheline Ryckman
“A Deadly Education” by Naomi Novik
“The Bridge Kingdom” by Danielle L. Jensen
“The Starless Sea” by Erin Morgenstern
“Girl, Serpent, Thorn” by Melissa Bashardoust
“Bone Crier’s Moon” by Kathryn Purdie
“The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue” by V.E. Schwab
“House of Earth and Blood” by Sarah J. Maas
“Lore: Olympus” (web comic) by Rachel Smythe
“Winds of Spring” (web comic) by nikbi
“The Croaking” (web comic) by echorise
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