My History with Fantasy

I love fantasy novels. I seriously cannot get enough of them! What I love best about fantasy is easily condensed into one paragraph full of reasons, and yet, that’s still not enough to explain the all-consuming love I’ve got, too.

I love fantasy for the new worlds I’m introduced to with every book or series, especially when these worlds + their history + their lore are brought to life so perfectly with every detail. I love fantasy for the characters I meet, both heroes and villains, who are both flawed and strong and real, in spite of abilities that might make them otherworldly. I love fantasy for the fantastical stories – for the journeys to find treasure or the attempts to overcome a greater evil, for the battles and wars to win back a kingdom or the discovery of new magical creatures or abilities. Fantasy brings together real emotions with whimsical situations and characters, and the marriage of those two things (when done well) is beautiful to behold.

As I mentioned in yesterday’s event introduction, I have loved fantasy for what feels like forever. I’ve been wracking my brain in an attempt to figure out what the first fantasy novel I ever read was, and I really can’t actually recall! The first fantasy series I do remember reading and loving with a passion? Harry Potter, of course! In an attempt to chart some sort of timeline for my fantasy love, I’ve created the graphic below, with six of the most important milestones in my fantasy reading:

1999 – Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling

While I've read many fantasy novels, this is the one I remember most from my childhood. It's the series of a generation, and I'm very proud to be a Potterhead. There was something magical about being transported into the world JK Rowling created, and I fell hard for her characters and her story.

2000 – The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

In my opinion, this is totally a classic fantasy read. Sure, there might be a deeper meaning to the story CS Lewis constructed. But the reason I loved it so? It was the kind of magical adventure that felt like it could possibly, maybe someday happen to me.

2005 - Tamora Pierce

2005 was the year I first met my husband, Macky. He, in turn, introduced me to Tamora Pierce - and I was instantly, crazily addicted after reading the first book in the Song of the Lioness quartet. I binge read every single book she had out then, and continue to be a big fan up until now!

2007 – So You Want To Be A Wizard by Diane Duane

On a random trip to one of the bookstores in the Philippines, Macky and I came across this book on the shelves. The word "wizard" stood out, and so, we skimmed the summary, read the first chapter... and bought it. We ended up devouring that book and the succeeding installments together!

2010 – Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

My cousin Carmela gets all the credit for my discovery of this series! She had binge read all five books in the series, and encouraged me to do so when I was hanging out at home, taking a few months off post-graduation. Holy moly, but I loved Riordan's take on mythology! (And still do!)

2012 – Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas / my review

This book changed my life. Seriously. It was one of those books that I knew I would love early on, and was happily proven right. But most importantly, this is the book that inspired me to start writing again after a long break brought on by self-doubt and a lack of confidence. It is definitely a favorite!

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Even though I couldn't include them all for the sake of brevity, it gladdens my heart to see how much fantasy I've read over the years. The titles included in this graphic are titles I would wholeheartedly recommend to fantasy readers old and new, as they have passed the reread test I use. 

Which of the fantasy novels mentioned have you read? Which fantasy novels do you think I should read next? And feel free to share your fantasy timeline too!