Fantasy Books Part 2

Written by Karlissa J.

Searching for a new fantasy book to read? For this week of highlighting fantasy titles, I’m going to recommend some of the classics! They’ve been published multiple times, with a variety of cover designs, so I came up with my own images for each - a little taste of what I found memorable in these stories!

Phantastes

By George MacDonald. An enchanted journey - through nature and village and palace - filled with delights and dangers, romance and tragedy, and above all, self-discovery. Beautiful, contemplative; I can see how this inspired future authors like C. S. Lewis. A journey to take more slowly.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass

By Lewis Carroll. Rich with word plays, puns, and banter, there's more to these books than what exists in the popular imagination. I've never seen a retelling that features Alice's older sister; yet I'd argue the meaning and purpose of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland hinges on her. Alice herself is fun and quirky, and the short books are easy to read.

Out of the Silent Planet

By C.S. Lewis. The first book in his Cosmic Trilogy.

I have to admit, this is my kind of story! Exploring an enchanting world, interacting with non-human creatures, and discovering a new language and culture! Appropriately (or perhaps conveniently), the main character is a philogist (someone who studies languages); this provides an excuse for the language barrier to be rather smoothly crossed, and an excuse for Lewis to fixate on unique words and concepts.

Perhaps the lesser fame of this work is, in part, due to the fact that it's not for kids: unlike Narnia, it contains a spattering of mature content, nudity, and mild swearing; nothing obscene, but some Christian readers may find it unexpected.

Perelandra

By C.S. Lewis. The second book in his Cosmic Trilogy.

Perelandra contains the adventure and beautiful worldbuilding of Out of the Silent Planet, but this time, it takes a back seat to a myriad of philosophical musings: about the nature of temptation, the definition of gender, the Theory of Evolution, and even why you shouldn't fear bugs. There are a few bizarre plot choices, but C.S. Lewis' imagination and thoughtfulness shine through.

Till We Have Faces

By C.S. Lewis. It's hard to argue with those who call this C.S. Lewis' greatest novel. It feels like an ancient tale brought to life by someone who understood ancient literature and culture; and it contains Lewis' classical mix of masterful storytelling and spiritual musing. Orual is a compelling and complex protagonist. This is a mature story, not designed for a family audience.