The best fantasy novels about unlikely heroes finding hope where it’s lost and changing their fate

This is one of those books that sticks with you. It permeates your thoughts; it entangles itself in your psyche. I find myself wandering into the world of Red Rising on the regular because he built his characters to be real and so flawed.

When I read this book, I was in a personal state of turmoil, which drew me closer to the characters and the rigorous trials they faced. I identified with their fierce desperation and often modeled my mindset after Darrow, the main character.

The first in a series of six (but soon to be seven), the story overflows with love, pain, desperation, and, most importantly, hope. 

I never wanted to reach into a book and pluck a character out of their situation more than I did with this one. I ached for Fitz Chivalry, beat my fists on whatever chair I sat in as I read, and ultimately wept openly as I completed the series. But my tears weren’t of sadness. A real journey had ended, and I was grieving the tale's end.

No one seeks out painful stories, but those that sting can resonate. Robin Hobb spins a bittersweet tale full of characters you love, characters you root for, and others you’d like to punch in the face. The worldbuilding and lore are extravagant, rich, and believable, as are the characters.

This is a book and series that you will reach for to reread time and time again.

I didn’t know I wanted a story about a girl and her talking animal friends, but when it turns out that all of them have been enslaved by an evil witch and are shackled by her torturous magic, I couldn’t put it down. 

Seemingly insignificant creatures decide to try and take their fate back, all while their frailty remains. I found myself invested in the whimsy of the fairy tale juxtaposed with the horrors of enslavement. Watching the girl called “Thing” navigate the human condition was beautiful and painful, and several times, I held my breath, unsure what the outcome would be.

This story is an unusual tale of hopelessness transformed into determination and a beautiful bond formed through shared trauma and circumstance.

Remember A-ha’s video for Take on Me? In it, a man in a comic book pulls a woman into that two-dimensional world, and in a moment of desperation, he sends her back to save her. But true love prevails, and she pulls him into a three-dimensional life. I loved this video far more than the song, and I think I know why.

I have long been fascinated by interdimensional travel, and Donaldson’s book might be the root of the reason. A young woman, dissatisfied and disillusioned with everyday life, is offered an opportunity to escape and she takes it by following a man who crashed through her mirror. She becomes the unlikeliest of heroes as she navigates enemies and intrigue in a world she knows nothing about. The escapist in me relished the thought of finding another world and slipping away. Not knowing if the return was possibly teased out a dread that made this story swell with tension and question whether the escape was a good thing after all. 

No matter how long since I entered the world of Magiere and Leesil, I find my mind wandering back occasionally. Perhaps I connected with Magiere’s awareness of her difference to all those around her. Her desire to walk away from life as a mercenary vampire slayer intrigued me because, though she had a hard exterior, the book offered a smattering of opportunities to see beneath her rough surface into the human part of her heart.

Magiere’s emotional dichotomy resonates with me in an unexpected, life-altering manner. In fact, the story might have been a catalytic element in the crucible where the main character for my novel was born. Snarky humor permeates in places that bring levity to long periods of darkness, and a diverse and interesting cast of characters brings depth to the worldbuilding that Hendee crafts through their storytelling.