Fantasy books - what to ask for Christmas

Do you know Harry Potter by heart? Already read The Lord of the Rings several times? Long since accepted that G. R. R. Martin would do literally anything but finish the last Game of Thrones book? Here are 10 fantasy books for you, that are not necessarily very similar to those, but still, you should read them. Next time I will think of a more consistent introduction, I promise.

1. Neil Gaiman: Neverwhere

In the last decade or so Gaiman finally started to get the attention and popularity he deserves. Back in the ‘90s, however, despite starting to win literary awards left and right, he was a much smaller player, so when BBC agreed to make a TV show based on his idea, he didn’t have the creative freedom he would have preferred. In fact, they changed his original screenplay so much, that he decided to write his own version. And thus, Neverwhere the book was born.

It’s about people who had fallen through the cracks of society, about a hidden city under London, about Richard Mayhew, a prime example of the slightly neurotic Englishman, your regular Arthur Dent. And about magic of course, and revenge and family and a bunch of other stuff. It also features one of the coolest characters ever in the fantasy genre: Marquis de Carabas.

2. Lev Grossman: The Magicians

What if Hogwarts gave even less of a damn about student safety, and Harry Potter was depressed and constantly drunk? What if despite being a real magician, the adventure of a lifetime still wouldn't come? What do you do when it actually comes and you realize adventures suck? What if being nearly omnipotent and super rich somehow still doesn’t mean you have a purpose in life? That you are happy?

Grossman’s novel shows us that you can be a wizard, talk to gods and dragons, and fly to the Moon and back, but you still will be what you’ve always been: yourself. Revolving around Quentin, the young and talented, but seriously depressed magician, the book lines up a variety of characters in a vast, well-built fantasy world, all of them with their own problems and limits, all trying to get the next fix of momentary happiness in whatever way they can, just like all of us, in the magicless real world always do.

The story has two follow-up books, a TV series and a sequel in graphic novel form so far.

3. Patrick Rothfuss: The Name of the Wind

A story about a boy who first became a legend, then an innkeeper. Kvothe was born on the road, in the travelling performer clan, the Edema Ruh. He realises at an early age that he is really talented in just about everything and above all, at self-promotion and at getting in trouble.

A story that let us glimpse behind the legend and see the real man, a rare feat in the genre of demi-gods and unbeatable swordsmen. It all spiced up with a relatable love story and some really despicable enemies, like every good fantasy book.

The first volume in this trilogy shows Kvothe’s starting steps, his eventual admission to the magical school, and the first days of the legendary figure he later presumably becomes. Presumably, because the author sadly suffers from a rare disease called Martin syndrome, which made him unable to finish his trilogy-ending novel in the last 8 years or so. But maybe this year. Or perhaps the next. We are waiting, Mr Rothfuss.

4. William Goldman: The Princess Bride

Though maybe more adventure than fantasy, The Princess Bride cannot be missing from any self-respecting book list. You think you know it, because you’ve seen the movie, and that’s just fine, really, I’m not gonna be gatekeeping on this one, but if you really want to read a book that will stay with you for the rest of your life, this is the one.

5. Erin Morgenstern: The Night Circus

The circus comes at night. It has magic and weirdness and good food, as every circus should. It also hides the most spectacular duel wizards have ever fought, with every new attraction being a blow in the endless, silent battle in plain sight. A battle between two young people who don’t even want to fight, who would rather just amaze one another with their beautiful magic, but who has no chance of living peacefully. They are locked in a deadly fight to amuse and entertain their cruel masters.

The Night Circus is, hands down, one of the most beautiful and beautifully written romantic fantasy novels out there. A slow, detailed story with memorable characters to hate or root for, written for young adults, but highly recommended to all generations.

6. Christopher Moore: A Dirty Job

Perhaps best known for “Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal”, Christopher Moore is one of the funniest contemporary authors out there. His 2006 novel, A Dirty Job follows Charlie Asher, as he struggles to have it all: raise his baby daughter alone, keep his second-hand thrift shop afloat, collect and relocate souls, battle ancient gods, stop the end of the known world, and maybe even find love again, if there is any time left for such things.

Moore’s knack for the absurd and for mixing hilarious with deeply sad shows in this book maybe even more so than in “Lamb”. A Dirty Job is a part of a bigger world full of ancient gods and vampires and monsters, all equally ridiculous, all of which appear in Moore’s other works.

7. Stephen King: The Dark Tower

Not one book, but a whole series, King’s masterpiece of epic fantasy about the last gunslinger, Roland of Gilead, who travels across worlds to find the Dark Tower, this mythical building that is supposed to be the ground zero of existence, the very thing that keeps everything together and in motion. Wow, that was a long sentence. Anyway, King built his own universe of tales, with characters walking out of one story to find themselves in another, and The Dark Tower has enough place to give a cameo to many of them, including King himself. Fantasy, western, romantic drama, sci-fi, a story impossible to label.

8. Terry Pratchett: The Colour of Magic

Or literally any other book Pratchett wrote. His main work, the Discworld novels alone has 41 entries, that’s 41 hilarious, absurd, thought-provoking fantasy books right there. Some feature wizards, some ageing barbaric warriors, some have trolls or witches, lost kings, dragons, or elves, and some shows the struggle of a police force that has about half a dozen members in a city where crime is basically legal.

In Pratchett’s world nothing ever is what it seems to be and only one thing could be guaranteed: that the reader will have a great time.

9. Ben Aaronovitch: Rivers of London

Peter Grant feels like his career as a London policeman hit an early dead end. Not only has he no hope to join any respectable division now that he served his years as a beat cop, but he started to see actual dead people, too. Seeing dead people is very rarely a good sign and even more rarely helps advance one’s career, but that is exactly what happens to Peter.

He draws the attention of Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale, the leading (and only) member of the Metropolitan Police’s Special Assessment Unit. SAU deals with everything supernatural: ghosts, wizards, vampires, shapeshifters, witches, gods, elves, all “the weird stuff”, as they so elegantly put it at some point.

Aaronovitch’s London isn’t really different from the real one, and Peter Grant takes the existence of the supernatural as a real Englishman would: with dry humour and some mild neurosis as he jumps head first (sometimes literally) into this strange new world.

The Rivers of London series is currently at its ninth entry, with the next due to be released any day now.

10. Susanna Clarke: Jonathan Strange and Mr Norell

Speaking of Brits and magic, here comes Clarke’s debuting novel. A lengthy and slow chronicle of the only two real wizards of the Kingdom in a time when being a wizard and having delicious dinners while talking about being a wizard was a gentlemanly thing to do, while actually practising magic was just utterly ridiculous as an idea. That might just be for the best, anyway: in this world magic is mysterious and scary, it makes people disappear and it leaves a mark on everything and everyone it touches.

Using this dangerous power that they barely understand, Mr Strange and Mr Norell start to compete for the rank of being the greatest of all, causing quite a ruckus around. If you like Jane Austen but always thought that Pride and Prejudice could use some fairies and magic, this book is for you.