Creativity can lead to beautiful things. As a child I needed glasses and didn’t know it. Instead of reading books, my brother and I would tell stories to each other while we were supposed to be sleeping in our bunk beds at night. Eventually, I did get glasses and found that all the fantastical things that my mind came up with gave me quite the propensity toward fantasy. And once my eyes were set, it was game on! Over the years, I’ve authored numerous pieces in other genres, but my first books were always going to be fantasy. And that’s how the Stone & Sky series was born.
I recommend The Crystal Shard to everyone I know, because it is an absolute classic of the fantasy genre. It’s the first book to introduce the legendary dark elf Drizzt Do’Urdan.
When I first read this book, it reignited my passion for fantasy adventures filled with elves, dwarves, halflings, and monsters. What we learn from Drizzt’s outsider experience is the hope that someday we all find our people. There are people out there that will be our friends, champions, and family.
No matter how odd we feel sometimes, we’re not meant to be alone, and there are people out there who can build us up if we’re willing to take the chance and step into the adventure of finding them.
Drizzt Do’Urden finds new friends and foes in the windswept towns of Icewind Dale, also the setting of the Dungeons & Dragons adventure book Rime of the Frostmaiden.
With his days in the Underdark far behind him, drow ranger Drizzt Do’Urden sets down roots in the windswept Ten-Towns of Icewind Dale. A cold and unforgiving place, Ten-Towns sits on the brink of a catastrophic war, threatened by the barbarian tribes of the north.
It’s in the midst of battle that a young barbarian named Wulfgar is captured and made the ward of Bruenor, a grizzled dwarf leader and a companion…
When I was young, I had a terrible problem. I hated reading. Apparently, I needed glasses but never knew it. I would lay my head down on books (the only way I could get my eyes to move to the next line) and eventually get in trouble for laying down. It became a punishment and a chore. That is, until a copy of The Hobbit was placed in my hand.
I blazed through the magical adventure of the unknowing Bilbo Baggins and his zany companions. I couldn’t put it down. And for the first time ever, my brain and heart were ignited by the magic of books! The Hobbit will forever hold a place in my heart as the book that started me on this unexpected journey.
Special collector's film tie-in hardback of the best-selling classic, featuring the complete story with a sumptuous cover design inspired by THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY and brand new reproductions of all the drawings and maps by J.R.R. Tolkien.
Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely travelling further than the pantry of his hobbit-hole in Bag End.
But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard, Gandalf, and a company of thirteen dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day to whisk him away on an unexpected journey 'there and back again'. They have a plot to raid…
This was a recent surprise for me. I had a friend recommend the Rover for me when I was complaining about not having enough books with that classic fantasy adventure fun. And boy am I grateful!
Following the adventure (or misadventures) of the Third-Level Librarian halfer Wick is an absolute blast. The unlikely hero is forced into our adventure when he’s kidnapped by pirates. And things only get wilder from there. Wick learns that there is more to life than his work at the library.
While on his wild adventure he finds new friends and even some new family in the midst of goblin raids and dragon volcanoes. You can thank me later for this recommendation.
Edgewick Lamplighter (Wick to his friends) is a humble librarian in the isolated halls of Greydawn Moors until dreams of wanderlust and a bit of dereliction in his duties result in his being shanghaied to a far-off land. Captured by pirates, sold into slavery, and adopted by a gang of thieves, Wick soon finds himself with more adventures than even a halfling librarian can imagine. Rival gangs, goblin marauders, evil wizards, and monstrous dragons are soon after the wee adventurer and his new found allies in a tale of treasures and treachery, magic and mystery where even a little guy…
A list of fantasy adventure books filled with fun, magic, and hope would hardly be complete without one entry from The Chronicles of Narnia. And though it’s hard to pick just one, I think we have to go with The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.
When Edmund, Lucy, and Eustace are swept away into the magical world of Narnia to sail with king Caspian and his ragtag crew across the sea, there is no shortage of adventure. They face many challenges along the way, including the incessant whining of Eustace.
Our protagonists never give up, even in the face of difficult bouts with sea serpents, wizard’s tricks, and dragon curses. And at the end of their journey, they grow into the heroes they were meant to be.
A beautiful paperback edition of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, book five in the classic fantasy series, The Chronicles of Narnia. This edition is complete with cover and interior art by the original illustrator of Narnia, Pauline Baynes.
A king and some unexpected companions embark on a voyage that will take them beyond all known lands. As they sail farther and farther from charted waters, they discover that their quest is more than they imagined and that the world's end is only the beginning.
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is the fifth book in C. S. Lewis's classic…
How about another one you may never have heard about? The Lamplighters is a fun fantasy adventure about Gan and Lyona, two newly recruited lamplighters who are the only survivors of their squad.
They go on an epic adventure to find more fire flowers and their captured compatriots, meeting new friends in the ancient woods. One particular friend, Staghorn the wild, a brownie, helps them get all the way to the evil Fairy Empress Nymia’s castle, where things get really crazy.
Suffice it to say, Gan comes to learn that not everything he believed about duty was right while Lyona learns what it means to be a true friend. This one is a lot of fun.
Orin, a stalwart member of the Griffin Guard, wakes to find his entire squadron fallen to deadly wyvern riding orcs, leaving the guardian bloody and alone. With his squad dead, Orin has his mind set on saving others from the same fate. Teaming up with a local huntsman’s family, Orin and his new friends must push themselves past their limits to face mysterious dangers and ancient magics. Shocked to discover the orcs’ secret weapon, the lone guardian’s last chance to save his home could require the ultimate sacrifice.
Fly off to the world of Finlestia in this epic fantasy story for readers looking for adventure, magic, and just plain fun; a tale where friendships must overcome insurmountable odds and remind readers to never lose hope.
As a child, I lived in a small valley sheltered from the night city lights. I could see the stars, and from that time, that is where my imagination dwelled. As a teenager, I read several of the books I have listed here, and from that point, I was inspired to read more and also to write myself. I sincerely believe that despite our current problems, humanity will outlive its troubled childhood and reach for the stars. We are destined for the stars, and only in the works of science fiction writers is that future explored. The books below helped me to become a successful author in my own right.
An alien starship appears in the Solar System! Humanity faces a glorious future, or total extinction, and only Joe Falcon can make the choice. Never would Joe have imagined it would fall to him to make the decision that would alter the destiny of two worlds, launching humanity towards a glorious future, or to extinction.
Falcon's Call is an action packed dive into the unknown, written in the style of the great, classic, science-fiction stories. If you like surprising plot twists, compelling characters and a hero who actually cares, you must read this new novel by Mike Waller.
Reader's Favorite Gold Medal winner 2019 B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree 2019 Chill With A Book Premier Award 2019
In a heart-pounding battle for humanity's survival, one man holds the key to a glorious future or utter extinction.
In a race against time, Earth and Mars race to claim a derelict alien ship as it enters the Solar System, both aware that whichever planet succeeds might in so doing achieve technological advantage over the other. But who should they send? Joe Falcon, an unlikely candidate, never saw himself as the "right" person. Accompanied by a crew of misfits, each fleeing their own…
