Penn Scripter’s Top 10 Fantasy Books

10 Recommended Fantasy Books of All Time

The Books That Inspired Us Through Our Lives

Of course, we would like to put The Demon of Reginhart in this grouping, but to be real, we have selected the fantasy books that have had the most influence on us! Here they are (in no particular order):

The Game of Thrones Series by George R. R. Martin

(Carol)
The world that is created in this wonderful series is beyond epic. The warring houses, the twists and turns, the dire wolves, and most of all, the dragons! Martin’s imagination is a thing of wonder! Better than the television series!
(Stephanie)
SOME THINGS were better than the show. Peter Dinklage pulled out the imp and truly made him more likable, significant and powerful than in the book. I felt the Prologue was not necessary in the book as White Walkers are just frightening enough. The prologue seemed more author boasting I must have a prologue than anything. 

A friend told me to stop reading the series and I didn't understand at the time. Now, I do. It was more about the author's work ethic than anything else. While Mr. Martin is not my bytch, it would be nice to have books come out regularly. Hell, I don't even know if his last episode of the series is out or not.  

The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling

(Carol)
Harry Potter, a boy who learns on his eleventh birthday that he is the orphaned son of two powerful wizards and possesses unique magical powers of his own. He is summoned from his life as an unwanted child to become a student at Hogwarts, an English boarding school for wizards. There, he meets several friends who become his closest allies and help him discover the truth about his parents' mysterious deaths. That is just the beginning. The wonderful magic and magical creatures are beyond everyone’s wildest imagination. 
(Stephanie)
I picked this exact book up during my 30's. While the writing was for young readers I still had a great time with it. I kept reading the series till the end and was so frustrated in waiting for the last book (I got into HP very late in the wave). Still, this book has a hold on me like many others. 

Le Morte De’Arthur by Sir Thomas Mallory

(Carol)
This is one of the earliest printed works of the fantasy genre. French for “the death of Arthur,” the book, published in 1485, is a collection of stories, myths and folklore surrounding the exploits of King Arthur. These stories, which are retellings, reimaginings or consolidations of oral tradition and disparate epic poems, contain classic tales including Arthur receiving Excalibur from the Lady of the Lake and the Knights of the Round Table’s search for the Holy Grail. We love it because of the supernatural hidden in the known world, the magic of Merlin and the threat of French giants! 
(Stephanie)
This is all momma! I love King Arthur and will watch just about anything with the boy who would be king in it. Except maybe a certain show that has the timeline wrenched and twisted. Not naming names though. 

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

(Carol)
This epic tale of a curious girl who falls down a rabbit hole into a magical, tantalizing, and terrifying world populated by anthropomorphic animals never ceases to ignite children’s imaginations. It certainly did that for us. What is so amazing is the fantastical world that Carroll created. 
(Stephanie)
This one was read to me as a little girl. It's still very nebulous in my mind. I love the movies with Johnny Depp. 

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis


(Carol)
Four adventurous siblings - Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie - step through a wardrobe door and into the land of Narnia, a land frozen in eternal winter and enslaved by the power of the White Witch. But when almost all hope is lost, the return of the Great Lion, Aslan, signals a great change...and a great sacrifice. This is one of those books that never gets old and can be enjoyed by both children and adults. We love it. Although it is the second book in the series (a prequel was written after it), it is still our fav.
(Stephanie)
I cried at every single book in the series. Want your heart ripped out? Trust C.S. Lewis to hold the still pumping, bleeding muscle in front of you as you read these. 

The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien

(Carol)
The New York Times says it the best: “A unique, wholly realized other world, evoked from deep in the well of Time, massively detailed, absorbingly entertaining, profound in meaning.” This is the book blurb: In ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elven-smiths, and Sauron, the Dark Lord, forged the One Ring, filling it with his own power so that he could rule all others. But the One Ring was taken from him, and though he sought it throughout Middle-earth, it remained lost to him. After many ages it fell into the hands of Bilbo Baggins, as told in The Hobbit. In a sleepy village in the Shire, young Frodo Baggins finds himself faced with an immense task, as his elderly cousin Bilbo entrusts the Ring to his care. Frodo must leave his home and make a perilous journey across Middle-earth to the Cracks of Doom, there to destroy the Ring and foil the Dark Lord in his evil purpose. What a concept; what great characters; what wonderfully profound meaning. Of course we loved all these books.
(Stephanie)
My favorite story about J.R.R. Tolkien is the he wrote these books over 50 years. He would write, let his beta readers look at it and adjust the story according to feedback. Amazing. There can be so much backstory in there that watching the movies gives you the gist of everything and answers the whole "why didn't they fly on the eagles backs to Mordor" questions. If you'd read the book, there was about a 25 page explanation for it. Or maybe there was one word. Who knows. I can't remember. But if you're one to think DUNE is twisty turny, Frank Herbert has nothin' on Tolkien.

The Princess Bride by William Goldman

(Carol)
We mean, how could you not fall in love with a man who says, “As you wish” to the woman he loves? It’s inconceivable! Rich in character and satire, this exceptional story covers it all: quests for riches, revenge, power, and true love. It’s simply wonderful to us.
(Stephanie)
This was a story written for a daughter. The book sorta came after the movie. It was written and kept that someone found or remember (I can't recall which) and wanted to hail a tribute to the original writer. This story will forever be one that must be retold and the film movie version needs housing in a perfectly temperature controlled museum so we can all know it, love it and cherish this beautiful, perfect love story. 

Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman

(Carol)
This is the book blurb from Amazon: “There is a distinct hint of Armageddon in the air. According to The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch (recorded, thankfully, in 1655, before she blew up her entire village and all its inhabitants, who had gathered to watch her burn), the world will end on a Saturday. Next Saturday, in fact. So, the armies of Good and Evil are amassing, the Four Bikers of the Apocalypse are revving up their mighty hogs and hitting the road, and the world's last two remaining witch-finders are getting ready to fight the good fight, armed with awkwardly antiquated instructions and stick pins. Atlantis is rising, frogs are falling, tempers are flaring. . .. Right. Everything appears to be going according to Divine Plan.

“Except that a somewhat fussy angel and a fast-living demon ─ each of whom has lived among Earth's mortals for many millennia and has grown rather fond of the lifestyle ─ are not particularly looking forward to the coming Rapture. If Crowley and Aziraphale are going to stop it from happening, they must find and kill the Antichrist (which is a shame, as he is a really nice kid). There's just one glitch: someone seems to have misplaced him. . . .”

We are, like, this was awesome. Entertaining beyond belief. And angels and demons! Love.
(Stephanie)
I'd like to admit that I've watched the show, but have not read the book. But these two authors are amaze balls. I will find the time to read the two books because the second season of the show is not coming fast enough. Also... cute note... Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman are polar opposites that work perfect together. 

The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle

(Carol)
Whimsical. Lyrical. Poignant. The Last Unicorn is a tale for any age about the wonders of magic, the power of love, and the tragedy of loss. Unicorns are precious, and so is this book.
(Stephanie)
Read the book. Watch the movie. The art for both the comic and movie are gorgeous. The story is amazing. Everytime I hear the song "The Last Unicorn" by America I ball my eyes out. 
… When the last eagle flies
Over the last crumbling mountain
And the last lion roars
At the last dusty fountain
In the shadow of the forest
Though
She may be old and worn
They will stare unbelieving
At the last unicorn
(See the lyrics here: https://youtu.be/L2_oyGwdX14

Watership Down by Richard Adams

(Carol)
An epic journey, a stirring tale of adventure, courage, and survival… about rabbits! We love rabbits. Fiver could sense danger. Something terrible was going to happen to the warren; he felt sure of it. They had to leave immediately. So begins a long and perilous journey of survival for a small band of rabbits. As they skirt danger at every turn, we become acquainted with the band, its humorous characters, and its compelling culture, complete with its own folk history and mythos. A stirring epic of courage and survival against the odds, Watership Down is an exciting adventure story and an involving allegory about freedom, ethics, and human nature.
(Stephanie)
As a child I owned the picture book. It had dialogue and screen shots of the movie but it was a book all the same. It was one of my prized possessions until it fell apart from the worn glue keeping the pages together. At a young age I didn't know books could be repaired and preserved. If I'd known, I'd still have that book today. 
It had a profound imprint on me. The lesson learned was don't let them catch you. To this day I consider Fifel, Big Wig and the others my people. 

All these books combine epic adventure, creatures beyond imagination, and the most creative world-building of all time. We highly recommend each and everyone.

Unexpectedly yours,
​Penn Scripter