Here are 100 books that Chronicles of Chrestomanci fans have personally recommended once you finish the Chronicles of Chrestomanci series.
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I’m an award-winning and USA Today Best-Selling author whose work includes everything from short stories in school journals to horror and epic fantasy. But I’ve long been obsessed with books that work as well for adults as they do for children. The prose must be beautiful and designed to read aloud; the plot must be on point, and the characters must be compelling. And all of this with a PG rating. A tricky ask, even when the authors haven’t added Easter egg extras for adults. It’s because of this that I believe these are some of the best fantasy books ever written. So, enjoy!
“Doors are very powerful things. Things are different on either side of them”’
I love this quote. There’s nothing like the threshold of a door when it comes to story magic! It’s steeped in tradition since long before Roman times. And Diana Wynne Jones is the underrated Queen of this whimsical genre. Her words flow so beautifully, and not only that, her characters are the cutest. I fell in love with Calcifer, the little fire demon, and the headstrong Sophie.
Now an animated movie from Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki, the oscar-winning director of Spirited Away
In this beloved modern classic, young Sophie Hatter from the land of Ingary catches the unwelcome attention of the Witch of the Waste and is put under a spell...
Deciding she has nothing more to lose, Sophie makes her way to the moving castle that hovers on the hills above her town, Market Chipping. But the castle belongs to the dreaded Wizard Howl, whose appetite, they say, is satisfied only by the souls of young girls...
There Sophie meets Michael, Howl's apprentice, and Calcifer…
Alien invasion is just another form of apocalypse. The terrible truth is, our civilization and our world can end in many different ways. I think of myself as being on a life-long quest to read as many variations as possible. No matter how things end, I’m always interested in how authors portray human survival. Even when we inflict harm on ourselves, humanity always seems to be capable of bouncing back. It’s a form of optimism that I just can’t resist. I try to include some of that hope in everything I write.
This is the first book in a series. It was my grade school introduction to the concept of young adult post-apocalyptic themes. The fact that one of the central characters is a visually impaired young man who finds a pair of life-changing eyeglasses was a big deal to me. This might be the book that solidified my interest in post-apocalyptic literature. The fact that this apocalypse is the result of an alien invasion is just icing on the cake.
Monstrous machines rule the Earth, but a few humans are fighting for freedom in this repackaged start to a classic alien trilogy ideal for fans of Rick Yancey’s The 5th Wave.
Will Parker never dreamed he would be the one to rebel against the Tripods. With the approach of his thirteenth birthday, he expected to attend his Capping ceremony as planned and to become connected to the Tripods—huge three-legged machines—that now control all of Earth. But after an encounter with a strange homeless man called Beanpole, Will sets out for the White Mountains, where people are said to be free…
My dad raised me on science fiction and fantasy. At first, it was enough for me to be entertained by stories of spaceflight, of rescuing maidens in distress, and of fighting bug-eyed monsters. But over the years, as I read more, I realized that I wanted stories with a moral or ethical center, stories where murder, mayhem, and war were to be avoided if possible, and where, if they couldn’t be avoided, the protagonists struggled deeply with the moral dimensions of the actions forced upon them. I wanted to see characters growing into their ethical consciousness.
I love this series of three short novels enough to have read it more times than I can count. The language of the novel is simple and evocative. I love the main character, a young wizard who starts out as proud, angry and arrogant, but becomes deeply compassionate when his hubris leads him to make a tragic and evil use of magic.
I could feel myself grabbed by the world of the novel, a world of men and dragons, of islands dotted in an endless sea, of powerful mages who interfere at their peril with the precarious balance of the world between good and evil.
The first book of Earthsea in a beautiful hardback edition. Complete the collection with The Tombs of Atuan, The Furthest Shore and Tehanu
With illustrations from Charles Vess
'[This] trilogy made me look at the world in a new way, imbued everything with a magic that was so much deeper than the magic I'd encountered before then. This was a magic of words, a magic of true speaking' Neil Gaiman
'Drink this magic up. Drown in it. Dream it' David Mitchell
Ged, the greatest sorcerer in all Earthsea, was called Sparrowhawk in his reckless youth.
From my early days of reading Fire and Hemlock and various books of mythology, I’ve loved traditional tales from all around the world. In college I didn’t aim to major in things that would be useful to me as a fantasy writer, but anthropology and folklore made a great background for that job. Nowadays, I actively seek out books based on traditional stories, especially those that go beyond the most well-known European fairy tales and myths. Sometimes, they inspire me, in turn, to write my own stories!
This is quite literally the book that made me decide to become a writer.
It draws on two Scottish ballads (“Tam Lin” and “Thomas the Rhymer”), but rather than retelling them straight, it uses them as a springboard for its own original plot. The relationship between the two main characters and the story they are telling together instilled in me a burning desire to tell my own stories for other people to read, and it also sent me off down a lifelong path of reading about the folklore that underpins the novels I pick up.
In the mind of a lonely, imaginative girl, who can tell where fiction ends and reality begins? An epic fantasy, spanning nine years...
The fire and hemlock photograph above Polly's bed sparks memories in her that don't seem to exist any more. Halloween; nine years ago; she gatecrashed a funeral party at the big house and met Thomas Lynn for the first time.
Despite the fact that he's an adult, they struck up an immediate friendship, and began making up stories together - stories in which Tom is a great hero, and Polly is his assistant. The trouble is, these…
I love escapist fantasy and science fiction. I like stories that stretch the imagination and take me places I’ve never been. I want to be lost and be completely confused after taking my eyes off the written word, still in the fantasy world of the story. My picks are those kinds of stories. Worlds where anything is possible, and the characters have skills and powers which can help them achieve anything, something I want for my own characters.
Although Jobber possesses the rare and powerful gift of fire, it comes with a heavy price - death by hanging, as is the fate of anyone discovered to have one of the Gifts of Oran.
These abilities stem from the elements themselves, and those who possess them must keep their powers hidden.
What sets this book apart is the inclusion of several strong female characters, defying the typical "sole hero" archetype. However, my favorite has always been Jobber, whose tomboyish nature resonated with me on a personal level.
Two hundred years ago, the Fire Queen destroyed her rival queens of Earth, Air, and Water in the fateful Burning and took power over Oran. No child with a trace of the elemental magic was allowed to live. Years later, the country still trembles under her oppression. But now there are rumors of hope. Four young women escaped, four who have the powers of Earth, Fire, Water, and Air, and are even now finding each other. At the same time, a ragtag army of artists and singers, orphans and vagrants, thieves and knifewielders is stealing into the city. Their sign…
I love escapist fantasy and science fiction. I like stories that stretch the imagination and take me places I’ve never been. I want to be lost and be completely confused after taking my eyes off the written word, still in the fantasy world of the story. My picks are those kinds of stories. Worlds where anything is possible, and the characters have skills and powers which can help them achieve anything, something I want for my own characters.
Peter Reidinger is confined to his bed because of a life-altering accident that renders him unable to walk.
While recuperating in the hospital, he uncovers a remarkable ability to harness generators to awaken his dormant telekinesis skills. As someone who shares a connection with a wheelchair-bound individual, I found myself closely relating to Peter's struggles.
With his new abilities and an unrelenting determination, he defies all odds to venture into space and exceed everyone's expectations. This mesmerizing tale, blends elements of science-fiction, fantasy, and gripping adventure to deliver a truly unforgettable read.
Let Anne McCaffrey, storyteller extraordinare and New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author, open your mind to new worlds and new concepts: telepathy and tele kinetics. Worlds where amazing gifts can lead to power and persecution. Perfect for fans of David Eddings, Brandon Sanderson and Douglas Adams.
'Anne McCaffrey, one of the queens of science fiction, knows exactly how to give her public what it wants' - THE TIMES 'One of those can't put it down books' -- ***** Reader review 'Anne McCaffrey does it again' -- ***** Reader review 'So exciting' -- ***** Reader review 'Absolutely fantastic!' --…
Historical fantasy is my favorite genre, combining my twin passions of history and mythology/folklore. I especially like to read about unfamiliar times, places, identities, and cultures. What I love best about the fantastical is that it allows me to think and write about deep matters symbolically. As someone still discovering my asexuality in middle age, I’ve always identified best with coming-of-age stories, which is why there are so many young protagonists in both my reading and my writing.
I first read this book when I was ill in bed, on strong painkillers, so the setting had a heightened quality in my mind that can never be replicated. But I’ve now read it several times (and watched the Netflix TV series), and it remains a wonderful book with great settings and characters, romance, and danger.
Before I read this book, I knew very little about Chinese Malaysian society in the late nineteenth century, and it was fascinating to learn. I also loved the Plains of the Dead, where ghosts live in houses and eat food that corresponds to the paper funeral offerings burned by their families. Seventeen-year-old Li Lan must go there to seek the deceased young man whose “ghost bride” she is and stop him from haunting her.
A haunting, evocative and highly unusual romantic debut and now a Netflix Mandarin original drama premiering January 2020!
Seventeen-year-old Li Lan lives in 1890s Malaya with her quietly-ruined father, who returns one evening with a proposition - the fabulously wealthy Lim family want Li Lan to marry their son. The only problem is, he's dead. After a fateful visit to the Lim mansion, Li Lan finds herself haunted not only by her ghostly would-be suitor, but also her desire for the Lims' handsome new heir. At night she is drawn into the Chinese afterlife - a world of ghost cities,…
I come from a large family, both immediate and extended. As a result, my writing often includes a spectrum of family relationships, from the functional to the toxic. Nurturing or gaslighting? Supportive or undermining? Fantasy is my genre of choice for playing with these dynamics because its otherworldliness creates a safe space to consider true-to-life patterns, including the default trust we grant to those closest to us, how quickly that crumbles when expectations fall short, and the echo effect our earliest interactions have upon the rest of our lives.
Regency aesthetic in a fantasy world? Yes, please! I adore the twisty unfolding of Arabella’s character: a girl who wants to be good, but who once did terrible things to survive alongside her vicious aunt and grandmother.
Themes of repentence, forgiveness, and redemption permeate this novel, reminding me that past wrongs don’t have to govern one’s future or worthiness of heart, and that a single determined soul can break generations of toxic behavior.
Gruesome rites. Whispers of witches. Arabella’s past has caught up to her.
Arabella finally feels like she belongs. She’s settled into her role as the Bearer of St. Brigit’s Arcana. She has family, friends, and a purpose. And assisting the Phantasm Bureau has brought her close to handsome viscount Trey Shield, a formidable magician in his own right.
But then a prized racehorse is found butchered in a grisly and familiar rite. A beloved cousin arrives unexpectedly, bringing bad news. Arabella’s family secrets create a rift between her and Trey, one that is further complicated when his intended bride comes…
I come from a large family, both immediate and extended. As a result, my writing often includes a spectrum of family relationships, from the functional to the toxic. Nurturing or gaslighting? Supportive or undermining? Fantasy is my genre of choice for playing with these dynamics because its otherworldliness creates a safe space to consider true-to-life patterns, including the default trust we grant to those closest to us, how quickly that crumbles when expectations fall short, and the echo effect our earliest interactions have upon the rest of our lives.
Everyone should have a favorite “Cinderella” story, and this fantasy romp is mine. Gingell turns the classic fairy tale upside down, maintaining its stepfamily-gone-wrong trope, but from an opposite angle. Ellen got her prince and her crown while her stepsisters Jane and Charlie received a life sentence in a magical prison. Only, she lied and schemed to do it, and now the pair of girls must plot their escape to clear their names.
I admire Jane’s quiet resolve and Charlie’s feral energy. Plus, any story with knockout lipstick earns some extra points from me.
Cinderella is married to The Prince, and the Evil Stepsisters are banished to a pocket dimension for their punishment and rehabilitation. It’s Happily Ever After.
Or is it?
Jane and Charlie have been imprisoned for two years now, serving a sentence especially chosen by their stepsister as justice for her sufferings. It seems that they’re the only two people in the world besides Ellen who know that Ellen’s “sufferings” were a carefully manipulative campaign to win a prince and a crown; the two stepsisters merely collateral damage.
But now, trouble is brewing at the castle: death threats, torn gowns, ruined…
I have always been fascinated with the idea of a dystopia. In fact, I teach it to my literature students here in the United States. Dystopias do an amazing job of teaching us what can happen when rules and regulations are too extreme. And, to be honest, it is chilling what they tell for it seems more and more like the world our society is becoming today.
Shades of Grey takes place in the imagined land of Chromatica, which is essentially an alternative version of the UK where one’s social class is determined by one’s ability to perceive color. To be honest, I thought this was so unique compared to other books that I read that I couldn’t get enough. Greys, in this society, cannot perceive color and so they are the lowest rank. 'Ultra Violets', on the other hand, hold the highest rank. The perception of color also affects their health and wellness. Certain colors have medical effects on people. Another really cool thing about this dystopia is that doctors are called “swatchmen,” since they show swatches of color to their patients. Anyway, I recommend this book because of its absolute creativity.
The New York Times bestseller and "a rich brew of dystopic fantasy and deadpan goofiness" (The Washington Post) from the author of the Thursday Next series and Early Riser
Welcome to Chromatacia, where the societal hierarchy is strictly regulated by one's limited color perception. And Eddie Russet wants to move up. But his plans to leverage his better-than-average red perception and marry into a powerful family are quickly upended. Juggling inviolable rules, sneaky Yellows, and a risky friendship with an intriguing Grey named Jane who shows Eddie that the apparent peace of his world is as much an illusion as…
