Why Read Fantasy?
Fantasy is an amazing genre for novels, with the power to transport you into new worlds, new universes. A big part of the appeal of reading novels is escapism, the ability to take yourself out of your own life and look through the window into the lives of others from places and times you can never visit yourself. It’s a testament to the quality of the book if you find yourself invested in the lives of the characters of fantasy novels.
Given that escapism is a powerful element to fantasy, it makes sense for the fantasy to be paired with romance for the ultimate escape. Many very entertaining and excellent novels fall under this cross-genre and could bring something special to your life.
So let’s take a look at five examples of great fantasy romance novels …
1) A Court Of Thorns And Roses by Sarah J. Maas
An excellent medieval take on the fantasy thriller, written by Sarah J. Maas, that sets the story in a wintery world. The main character Feyre is caught up in events after being captured for killing a faerie only to discover her feelings for the one who has captured her. It’s a sprawling epic, with masses of lore and world building which makes the whole thing feel that much more alive and believable. Maas is a NYT bestselling author with an amazing eye for intrigue and a skill for burying her readers in the story. Well worth a read!
2) A Stitch In Time by Amanda James
A Stitch In Time, by Amanda James, is one of those rare novels that combines a subtle element of fantasy with an altogether believable story about a woman who is very much bogged down with her life and times. She is a single (divorced) 30 something history teacher with no degree of interest or excitement in her life and everything slowly trundling on without her knowing how to make more of her life. Everything is interrupted by John Needler, a man who reveals to her the ability to time travel. Soon she finds herself travelling through time periods helping others achieve the life they’ve always wanted. The only question is whether she can achieve the life that she wants. A fun, moving romance with a dash of fantasy, that is sure to get your mind wandering.
3) Graceling by Kristin Cashore
Graceling, by Kristin Cashore, is the first of an amazing trilogy of fantasy works. Katsa is a Graceling, a rare type of fighter who is prized as a fighter and, despite being a relation of the king’s, is forced to be hired muscle. Her life is turned inside out when she falls in love with the Prince and begins to realize the origin of her skills and the terrible secret behind them. Cashore’s prose are flowing and elegant and her world-building is excellent as well, making for a really enjoyable first installment in the series.
4) Kushiel’s Dart by Jacqueline Carey
Kushiel’s Dart is an erotic fantasy book by Jacquline Carey, that birthed at trilogy and creates a fascinating world to surround the otherwise fiery and passionate romance that encircles Phedre, a young woman with a certain gift and a life that is shaped around her unique origins. She often has to use her body as a way to get what she or her master wants from others in a treacherous world of intrigue and backstabbing. Extremely readable and intense, Kushiel’s Dart is not one to miss.
5) Dance Until Dawn by Berni Stevens
Dance Until Dawn by Berni Stevens is the first of the Immortals of London trilogy and centers on the life of a young, twenty something dancer on London’s West-End, called Ellie Wakefield. The only problem is that she has gotten caught up with a vampire, who has killed her, and she lives on in vampirical form. She and William, the vampire, have a fascinating relationship that it’s so easy to get caught up in, amongst all the other bizarre magic of this special novel.
Conclusion
No matter what you’re interested in specifically, fantasy romance will have a book that you will find enjoyable. Each of these five offers something new to feast on and as an entry point for more research into the genre. Enjoy!
BIO: Michael Dehoyos is a book marketer and publisher at PhD Kingdom and Academic Brits. He assists book companies in developing strategies for sales, as well as sharing his knowledge by contributing to numerous sites and publications, the academic service, Case Study Help, amongst them.
