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Book cover of Dune

L. S. O'Dea Author Of Escape

From my list on create new worlds and unique fictional characters.

Why am I passionate about this?

I was sick as a child and bedridden for several months. This was before 24/7 TV and computers. I began to read A LOT. I read everything and anything that I could find, but my favorite topics were animals and nature. I also read science fiction and fantasy. It’s not a surprise that those topics merged into my writing and life. I currently live on five acres that I’ve left mostly for the wildlife. My nephew calls me his aunt who lives in the forest with reindeer. That is way cooler than my real life, so I’m good with that. All my books have nature and friendship as main themes.

L. S.'s book list on create new worlds and unique fictional characters

L. S. O'Dea Why L. S. loves this book

This entire series was amazing. Okay, a few of the books were a bit slow, but overall, it was great. The new worlds, the political intrigue, everything about this story was great. There were histories that drove the characters that were only hinted at or mentioned in passing, but they brought life to them. Just like we are all shaped by our past, our countries, and our places in society, so are all the characters in this book.

My favorite character wasn’t Paul, though; it was Duncan Idaho. I was so sad when he was killed, but I was fascinated when they brought him back from the dead in the second book and others because Herbert made it so interesting. The bodyguard programmed, created even, to kill the one he once died to protect. Now, that’s some drama right there. 😊 

The twists, turns, and world-building were amazing. I learned…

By Frank Herbert ,

Why should I read it?

76 authors picked Dune as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Before The Matrix, before Star Wars, before Ender's Game and Neuromancer, there was Dune: winner of the prestigious Hugo and Nebula awards, and widely considered one of the greatest science fiction novels ever written.

Melange, or 'spice', is the most valuable - and rarest - element in the universe; a drug that does everything from increasing a person's lifespan to making interstellar travel possible. And it can only be found on a single planet: the inhospitable desert world of Arrakis.

Whoever controls Arrakis controls the spice. And whoever controls the spice controls the universe.

When the Emperor transfers stewardship of…


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Book cover of The Time-Jinx Twins

The Time-Jinx Twins by Carol Fisher Saller,

Twelve-year-old identical twins Ellie and Kat accidentally trigger their physicist mom’s unfinished time machine, launching themselves into a high-stakes adventure in 1970 Chicago. If they learn how to join forces and keep time travel out of the wrong hands, they might be able find a way home. Ellie’s gymnastics and…

Book cover of Mistborn: The Final Empire

Wayne Kramer Author Of Heroes of Time Legends: The Healer

From my list on unlikely heroes in magical worlds.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve loved creating and writing stories since childhood, and my ambitions started early. I started one of my largest and longest writing endeavors back in middle school—novelizing a popular video game called Chrono Trigger—and even into adulthood, it stretched into a serious effort. I used it to hone my writing craft for years, constantly bouncing feedback off others. Eventually, people started to tell me that the best parts of that story were the scenes I added to enhance it, and I finally decided that I wanted to pursue the creation of my own fantasy series. 

Wayne's book list on unlikely heroes in magical worlds

Wayne Kramer Why Wayne loves this book

This particular book/series by Sanderson is a quickly-paced fantasy heist with a very cool magic system involving different metals. The main character, Vin, is a lowly commoner who ends up navigating the complex social web of nobility. It’s a fascinating progression with a fascinating and satisfying result.

This book has loosely inspired some aspects of action, nobility, and the gem-based magic system found in my Heroes of Time series. One review of my book Murdoch’s Choice called it “Mistborn on a Boat.”

By Brandon Sanderson ,

Why should I read it?

38 authors picked Mistborn as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 13, 14, 15, and 16.

What is this book about?

Brandon Sanderson - the international phenomenon who finished the Wheel of Time sequence - introduces a fantasy trilogy which overturns the expectations of readers and goes on to tell the epic story of evil overturned in a richly imagined world.

A thousand years ago evil came to the land and has ruled with an iron hand ever since. The sun shines fitfully under clouds of ash that float down endlessly from the constant eruption of volcanoes. A dark lord rules through the aristocratic families and ordinary folk are condemned to lives in servitude, sold as goods, labouring in the ash…


Book cover of Nevernight

Danny Beeson Author Of The Origin of the Wolf

From my list on fantasy with unlikely but loveable heroes.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am an avid fantasy reader and writer. I have been writing for many years and love to craft detailed worlds and complex characters that surprise and delight readers. Stories are about challenges, overcoming the barriers that are put in front of us, and growing in the process. Characters do not have to be good or bad; they can be both, a mixture, just like real people. I strive to create characters that make people stop and think, make them question their assumptions, or relate to them in ways that they had not expected. Fantasy is about bringing real emotions to readers through an imaginary setting, and I love it.

Danny's book list on fantasy with unlikely but loveable heroes

Danny Beeson Why Danny loves this book

I loved the Nevernight books because the main character is not necessarily always a hero. Mia is an assassin and cares only about killing. This means it can be uncomfortable to support her decisions and actions when they involve so much death and bloodshed.

She kills for reasons that she thinks are justified, but that isn’t always right, and it is great to see her grow and become something more than just a killing machine. She has a great personality and endures many hardships through the series but I loved reading along and seeing how she overcame everything she faced.

By Jay Kristoff ,

Why should I read it?

7 authors picked Nevernight as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In a world where the suns almost never set, a woman gains entry to a school of infamous assassins, seeking vengeance against the powers that destroyed her family. Daughter of an executed traitor, Mia Corvere is barely able to escape her father's failed rebellion with her life. Alone and friendless, she wanders a city built from the bones of a dead god, hunted by the Senate and its thugs. But her gift for speaking with the shadows leads her to the hearth of a retired killer, and a future she never imagined. Now, Mia is apprenticed to the deadliest flock…


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Book cover of The Time-Jinx Twins

The Time-Jinx Twins by Carol Fisher Saller,

Twelve-year-old identical twins Ellie and Kat accidentally trigger their physicist mom’s unfinished time machine, launching themselves into a high-stakes adventure in 1970 Chicago. If they learn how to join forces and keep time travel out of the wrong hands, they might be able find a way home. Ellie’s gymnastics and…

Book cover of The Eye of the World

Anderson W. Frost Author Of Thorns, Feathers & Bones

From my list on fantasy books to get completely lost in.

Why am I passionate about this?

I write stories where consequence comes first. I grew up immersed in Greek/Egyptian mythology and fairy tales, but I was always more drawn to the parts they left out. I wanted to know what daily life looked like for someone like Hercules, not just the story beats. Or what happens when the moral of the story isn’t learned. My passion lies in exploring the cost of power, the wounds we carry (that are often excluded from stories), and the myths we create to justify them. I believe the best fantasy doesn’t just help us escape the world, it helps us to look at ours differently.

Anderson's book list on fantasy books to get completely lost in

Anderson W. Frost Why Anderson loves this book

I can’t remember if I read WOT or GOT first… but this book was one of my entries into epic fantasy.

It begins with normal people trying to figure out something they can’t fully understand, and fearing being powerless in the face of what’s coming. Jordon really takes his time to slowly build the world, but even then, it feels like it is already established, and it is the reader who is new here.

What made it memorable was the way it balanced massive stakes with human fragility. It explores the theme that power isn’t always just a gift or a curse; it can be a burden that costs the wielders and those who are in orbit of it.

By Robert Jordan ,

Why should I read it?

21 authors picked The Eye of the World as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth returns again. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.

When a vicious band of half-men, half beasts invade the Two Rivers seeking their master's enemy, Moiraine persuades Rand al'Thor and his friends to leave their home and enter a larger unimaginable world filled with dangers waiting in the shadows and in the light .

Since its debut in 1990, The Wheel…


Book cover of The Girl from Everywhere

D.L. Gardner Author Of Sword of Cho Nisi Book 1: Rise of the Tobian Princess

From my list on fantasy with characters you love getting to know.

Why am I passionate about this?

I write, I read, I love people, and I have been living in a fantasy world ever since I was small. Personalities fascinate me and I have studied the little quirks and oddities that flavor individuals both in my artwork (I’m a portrait artist/oil painter), in my college major (counseling), and while writing my stories. What makes us who we are, and who our characters are, involves our backstories, our hopes, our fears, our dreams. Everyone has them and our characters in our stories should too. Oftentimes when I’m writing I find myself exploring a character more than I thought I would and that’s the fun part. I enjoy authors who do the same. 

D.L.'s book list on fantasy with characters you love getting to know

D.L. Gardner Why D.L. loves this book

It’s not often you can pick up a fantasy book and laugh. Not only laugh but travel with a rogue group of people and enjoy every minute of it. The Girl from Everywhere is just plain fun! I loved the characters, so much personality! That it’s a time travel story makes it exciting, and I have a passion for tall ships, so she had me with the sailing adventure. Add to that humor and a feisty dialogue. I can’t say enough about this book.

By Heidi Heilig ,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked The Girl from Everywhere as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 13, 14, 15, and 16.

What is this book about?

The Girl from Everywhere, the first of two books, blends fantasy, history, and a modern sensibility. Its sparkling wit, breathless adventure, multicultural cast, and enchanting romance will dazzle readers of Sabaa Tahir and Leigh Bardugo. 

As the daughter of a time traveler, Nix has spent sixteen years sweeping across the globe and through the centuries aboard her father’s ship. Modern-day New York City, nineteenth-century Hawaii, other lands seen only in myth and legend—Nix has been to them all.

But when her father gambles with her very existence, it all may be about to end. Rae Carson meets Outlander in this…


Book cover of The Fellowship of the Ring

John W. Milor Author Of Jimmy Prophet's Library

From my list on paranormal science fiction or fantasy books with a Christian worldview.

Why am I passionate about this?

At five years old, I heard my great-grandmother, a God-fearing Pentecostal wife of an evangelist, give her personal testimony of seeing a UFO when she was a child. This event brought together two very different realities for me: the Christian worldview and the existence of ETs. Since that time, I had many supernatural encounters, some demonic, others divine, and others undefined. I am a retired Chief Master Sergeant with two associates, a Bachelor, and two Master’s degrees. To reconcile my faith with the paranormal, I put my academic proclivities to task by writing fourteen books of varying genres, which I define as a unique blend of Paranormal Sci-fi/Fantasy Christianity.

John's book list on paranormal science fiction or fantasy books with a Christian worldview

John W. Milor Why John loves this book

I love this book because Tolkien took the fantasy genre to a new, unprecedented level, resurrecting ancient legends of old, with countless mythical creatures.

His magnificent characters defined their races, occupations, and even their languages, later inspiring the game, Dungeons and Dragons, of which I was once a Dungeon Master. Many of The Fellowship serve messianic roles. Gandalf, for example, conquers death following his battle with a demon, and Stryder, an obscure ranger, turns out to be Aragorn, heir of the fallen kingdom.

Tolkien captures keen insight into the human condition regarding the struggle against sin. He also whispers a mystery; while an evil wizard created the One Ring to rule them all, a hidden, even more powerful force is clearly behind the ring’s eventual destruction.

By J.R.R. Tolkien ,

Why should I read it?

30 authors picked The Fellowship of the Ring as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

This brand-new unabridged audio book of The Fellowship of the Ring, the first part of J. R. R. Tolkien's epic adventure, The Lord of the Rings, is read by the BAFTA award-winning actor, director and author, Andy Serkis.

In a sleepy village in the Shire, a young hobbit is entrusted with an immense task. He must make a perilous journey across Middle-earth to the Cracks of Doom, there to destroy the Ruling Ring of Power - the only thing that prevents the Dark Lord Sauron's evil dominion.

Thus begins J. R. R. Tolkien's classic tale of adventure, which continues in…


Book cover of Malice

Danny Beeson Author Of The Origin of the Wolf

From my list on fantasy with unlikely but loveable heroes.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am an avid fantasy reader and writer. I have been writing for many years and love to craft detailed worlds and complex characters that surprise and delight readers. Stories are about challenges, overcoming the barriers that are put in front of us, and growing in the process. Characters do not have to be good or bad; they can be both, a mixture, just like real people. I strive to create characters that make people stop and think, make them question their assumptions, or relate to them in ways that they had not expected. Fantasy is about bringing real emotions to readers through an imaginary setting, and I love it.

Danny's book list on fantasy with unlikely but loveable heroes

Danny Beeson Why Danny loves this book

I loved these books, and I loved Corban, especially because he is just a simple man who is thrust into something far bigger than he could ever have imagined. Corban is loyal and kind, a young boy who dreams of becoming a warrior but perhaps lacks the skill. When the world begins to fall apart around him, Corban is suddenly thrown into a fight he does not understand and is unsure if he can truly win.

Facing a powerful evil, I love how Corban always puts his friends and family first, doing everything he can to protect the ones he loves from the dangers they face.

By John Gwynne ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Malice as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The first book in acclaimed epic fantasy author John Gwynne's Faithful and Fallen series, Malice is a tale of blind greed, ambition, and betrayal set in a world where ancient monsters are reawakening -- and a war to end all wars is about to begin.

The world is broken. . .and it can never be made whole again.

Corban wants nothing more than to be a warrior under King Brenin's rule -- to protect and serve. But that day will come all too soon. And the price he pays will be in blood.

Evnis has sacrificed -- too much it…


Book cover of The Gates of Troy

Danny Beeson Author Of The Origin of the Wolf

From my list on fantasy with unlikely but loveable heroes.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am an avid fantasy reader and writer. I have been writing for many years and love to craft detailed worlds and complex characters that surprise and delight readers. Stories are about challenges, overcoming the barriers that are put in front of us, and growing in the process. Characters do not have to be good or bad; they can be both, a mixture, just like real people. I strive to create characters that make people stop and think, make them question their assumptions, or relate to them in ways that they had not expected. Fantasy is about bringing real emotions to readers through an imaginary setting, and I love it.

Danny's book list on fantasy with unlikely but loveable heroes

Danny Beeson Why Danny loves this book

Eperitus is not a hero. He is a soldier with a murky past who just wants to serve a noble lord and do better with his life. I love that he always strives to do the right thing, even when he is caught in the center of the great war for Troy.

Eperitus is surrounded by great men, Odysseus, Achilles, and Agamemnon, and yet many turn to him for advice or counsel, and he never once lets himself be overawed or manipulated by those around him. I admire his truth and his steadfast desire to stick to what he believes is right and to fight for those that he believes in.

By Glyn Iliffe ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Gates of Troy as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

It's ten years since Odysseus and the warrior, Eperitus, joined the heroes of the age to compete for the hand of Helen of Sparta. Settled in his small island kingdom, Odysseus wants nothing more than to rule Ithaca in peace. Meanwhile Eperitus, frustrated at his quiet life, dreams of glory in battle.

When the lion-motifed sails of Agamemnon appear on the horizon, Odysseus knows that the time for peace is over and a time of war is beginning. Helen of Sparta has been abducted by a prince of Troy and the hosts of ancient Greece are gathering.

As the greatest…


Book cover of Furies of Calderon

Rick Stepp-Bolling Author Of Patch Man

From my list on most provocative series first fantasy books.

Why am I passionate about this?

I fell in love with fantasy and science fiction when I was a boy and began reading Greek and Roman mythology, DC Comics, and Tom Swift kids' books. The interest never waned. Of course, I made my way through Asimov, Tolkien, Herbert, Clarke, Heinlein, and LeGuin when I was older, and that hooked me to be a forever science fiction/fantasy reader. So when I began my own writing career, I had ample role models to fall back on in my chosen genre. It helped that I obtained a Master's degree in English. Now I have written seven books in the Patch Man series, with five already published, and a fantasy entitled Gray Riders.

Rick's book list on most provocative series first fantasy books

Rick Stepp-Bolling Why Rick loves this book

I was looking for a series that caught my attention from the first page, and Jim Butcher’s Furies of Calderon did not disappoint me.

This is another series that uses the Roman Empire as a basis for the story, so I was immersed in Roman legionaries and their use of fighting techniques, but what involved me the most were Butcher’s characters.

loved the relationship between the main character, Tavi, and the woman he connects with, Kitai, who is also a member of the horse clan and one-time enemy of the Empire. Characters are also connected with earth elements such as wind, fire, earth, and water, my favorite being a wind fury that allows characters to fly.

By Jim Butcher ,

Why should I read it?

6 authors picked Furies of Calderon as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 14.

What is this book about?

In this extraordinary fantasy epic, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Dresden Files leads readers into a world where the fate of the realm rests on the shoulders of a boy with no power to call his own...
 
For a thousand years, the people of Alera have united against the aggressive and threatening races that inhabit the world, using their unique bond with the furies—elementals of earth, air, fire, water, wood, and metal. But in the remote Calderon Valley, the boy Tavi struggles with his lack of furycrafting. At fifteen, he has no wind fury to help…


Book cover of Out of My Mind

Rachel Bithell Author Of Brave Bird at Wounded Knee: A Story of Protest on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation

From my list on middle grade that feature inspiring teachers.

Why am I passionate about this?

Teachers and children’s writers are some of each other’s biggest fans, and I have been both, so I couldn’t resist putting a teacher in my book. Besides that, teachers are very useful characters because they can make kids in books do things like write reports or keep a journal. Initially, my main character, Patsy, doesn’t especially like her teacher, Miss Ashman. Patsy thinks she’s too strict. But by the end of the book, she realizes that challenging students and having high expectations are some of the things that make a great teacher. If you’ve ever had a teacher you loved, you’ll want to check out the books on this list. 

Rachel's book list on middle grade that feature inspiring teachers

Rachel Bithell Why Rachel loves this book

Despite cerebral palsy preventing her from speaking, Melody Brooks, the main character of this novel, loves language and aptly describes the teachers who have taught her in both her special needs and general education classrooms – the good, the bad, and ugly.

But the character who really spoke to me was her educational aide. So I’m bending the rules of my list a bit to give a shout out for the aide, Catherine, who quietly advocated for respect and inclusion for all students through her example.

As a parent of a child with special needs I’m grateful for all the Catherines that come into my child’s life.

By Sharon M. Draper ,

Why should I read it?

6 authors picked Out of My Mind as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 10, 11, 12, and 13.

What is this book about?

A New York Times bestseller for three years and counting!

"A gutsy, candid, and compelling story. It speaks volumes." -School Library Journal (starred review)
"Unflinching and realistic." -KirkusReviews (starred review)

From award-winning author Sharon Draper comes a story that will forever change how we all look at anyone with a disability, perfect for fans of RJ Palacio's Wonder.

Eleven-year-old Melody is not like most people. She can't walk. She can't talk. She can't write. All because she has cerebral palsy. But she also has a photographic memory; she can remember every detail of everything she has ever experienced. She's the…


Book cover of Dune
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