Book description
A band of outcasts begins an arduous journey through a world of evil witches, walking trees, and miraculous gems along a path that will reunite them with their true destinies
Why read it?
2 authors picked The Unlikely Ones as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
I didn’t know I wanted a story about a girl and her talking animal friends, but when it turns out that all of them have been enslaved by an evil witch and are shackled by her torturous magic, I couldn’t put it down.
Seemingly insignificant creatures decide to try and take their fate back, all while their frailty remains. I found myself invested in the whimsy of the fairy tale juxtaposed with the horrors of enslavement. Watching the girl called “Thing” navigate the human condition was beautiful and painful, and several times, I held my breath, unsure what the outcome…
From Brandi's list on hopeful unlikely heroes who change their fate.
The Unlikely Ones is a favorite fantasy novel from back in my teenage days (it is an adult fantasy, not children’s or YA).
An unsteady heroine, a cursed knight, and talking animals round out this unexpected cast who find themselves on a journey to become heroes none of them expected. The characters are the star of this book, though the story and world are also wonderful, as they grow from self-doubt and convinced of their unworthiness to beautifully realized saviors of the day.
Written over 30 years ago, this is still one of the most original fantasies I’ve read.
From Andrea's list on if you love Dungeons & Dragons and RPGs.
If you love The Unlikely Ones...
These Blue Mountains
A moving story of love, betrayal, and the enduring power of hope in the face of darkness.
German pianist Hedda Schlagel's world collapsed when her fiancé, Fritz, vanished after being sent to an enemy alien camp in the United States during the Great War. Fifteen years later, in 1932, Hedda…
Want books like The Unlikely Ones?
Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 78 books like The Unlikely Ones.
Share your top 3 reads of 2025!
And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.
1,366
readers submitted
so far, will you?
📚 If you like The Unlikely Ones, you might also like...
The Duke's Christmas Redemption
A Duke who has rejected love, a Lady who dreams of a love match, an arranged marriage, a house full of secrets, a most unneighborly neighbor, a plot to destroy reputations, an unexpected love that redeems it all.
Lady Charlotte Wyndham, given in an arranged marriage to a man she…
Coyote Weather
Coyote weather is the feral, hungry season, drought-stricken, and ready to catch fire. It’s 1967, and the American culture is violently remaking itself while the country is forcibly sending its young men to fight in a deeply unpopular war.
Jerry has stubbornly made no plans for the future because he…
