The best fantasy books to make you love the world you live in

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a 68-year-old Emergency Room Physician who deals with life and death and tremendous stress every hour at work. When I read, I want to relax and be entertained I personally like YA fantasy books. I do not want to read adult fictionized stories about the life I live every day. I want to be taken off to a new world. Emersed in it. And made to believe the unbelievable. 


I wrote...

Ignatius and the Swords of Nostaw

By D. A. Mucci,

Book cover of Ignatius and the Swords of Nostaw

What is my book about?

Fifteen-year-old Iggy is prepared to face his first days of high school...but is he ready to face mythical creatures, black magic wizards, and sword fights where people get killed?

Iggy’s never thought of himself as a fighter. But as he learns more about the strange place he’s landed, one thing becomes abundantly clear, I the World of Skye needs a hero. And Iggy just might be the one they’re looking for, even if he’s not so sure.

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of Elizabeth's Legacy

D. A. Mucci Why did I love this book?

The Royal Institute of Magic was a story that was character driven. Victor Kloss did such a great job distinguishing each character from the other that I felt I knew them personally. At the end of each book, I found myself ordering up the next installment because I wanted to find out what happened to each character and how they grew into adults and as friends. It was pure entertainment.

By Victor Kloss,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Elizabeth's Legacy as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 9, 10, 11, and 12.

What is this book about?

Like most normal people, Ben hadn't the faintest idea there was an Institute of Magic...

Two years after his parents’ sudden disappearance, Ben Greenwood stumbles upon a cryptic letter that could shed some light on their whereabouts. But before he can track them down, he’ll need to find the mysterious organization that sent the letter:

The Royal Institute of Magic.

To succeed, Ben will have to navigate a land filled with fantastic creatures and Spellshooters, where magic can be bought and sold, to unravel an ancient family secret that could hold the key to defeating an evil the Institute has…


Book cover of Neverwhere

D. A. Mucci Why did I love this book?

How can one not like this book? It sucks you in without you realizing what life’s moral story it is based on. There is no preaching or in your face. Just excitement and entertainment. In the end when you realize the story is about homeless people who are totally ignored in everyday life you say “Wow” and realize the moral of the story. And it hits many of us one way or another and how we look at those less fortunate. What a master Neil is, to entertain and teach

By Neil Gaiman,

Why should I read it?

7 authors picked Neverwhere as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

THE EXTRAORDINARY FIRST NOVEL BY THE MASTER OF STORYTELLING

'Prose that dances and dazzles . . . Gaiman describes the indescribable' SUSANNA CLARKE

'It's virtually impossible to read more than ten words by Neil Gaiman and not wish he would tell you the rest of the story' OBSERVER

'Much too clever to be caught in the net of a single interpretation' PHILIP PULLMAN

ACCLAIMED BBC RADIO 4 DRAMATISATION WITH ALL-STAR CAST INCLUDING JAMES MCAVOY, NATALIE DORMER, DAVID HAREWOOD, SOPHIE OKONEDO AND BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH

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'I love doors. Anything that leads to possibilities' NEIL GAIMAN

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Under the streets of London…


Book cover of Artemis Fowl

D. A. Mucci Why did I love this book?

Artemis Fowl is simply a fun and relaxing story. As an adult, I enjoyed how Eoin Colfer was able to take a YA story and write it so an adult in his 60s kept turning the pages. It was well thought out and the science behind it was completely believable, for a fantasy. 

By Eoin Colfer,

Why should I read it?

6 authors picked Artemis Fowl as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 10, 11, 12, and 13.

What is this book about?

Now an original movie on Disney+!

Twelve-year-old criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl has discovered a world below ground of armed and dangerous--and extremely high-tech--fairies. He kidnaps one of them, Holly Short, and holds her for ransom in an effort to restore his family's fortune. But he may have underestimated the fairies' powers. Is he about to trigger a cross-species war?

Disney's “Artemis Fowl” is directed by Kenneth Branagh and stars Ferdia Shaw, Lara McDonnell, Tamara Smart, Nonzo Anozie, with Josh Gad, and Judi Dench.


Book cover of The Eye of the World

D. A. Mucci Why did I love this book?

Adventure awaits you in each and every book in this series. It is easy to see why they made a TV series around the books. However, the books are much better than the series. The weaving of the plot with the wonderful characterization makes this series a page-turner. 

By Robert Jordan,

Why should I read it?

13 authors picked The Eye of the World as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth returns again. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.

When a vicious band of half-men, half beasts invade the Two Rivers seeking their master's enemy, Moiraine persuades Rand al'Thor and his friends to leave their home and enter a larger unimaginable world filled with dangers waiting in the shadows and in the light .

Since its debut in 1990, The Wheel…


Book cover of The Mortal Instruments: The Graphic Novel, Vol. 1

D. A. Mucci Why did I love this book?

I loved this series because it took a person who was struggling in life and brought them into a new and more deadly world where her struggles became more intense and real. She had to grow, trust herself, and learn how and who to trust in this new world. It was filled with Runes magic and though character driven it had a plot that pulled you along. 

By Cassandra Clare, Cassandra Jean (artist),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Mortal Instruments as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Cassandra Clare's bestselling series, The Mortal Instruments, is adapted into a graphic novel series!


You might also like...

Nemesis and the Vault of Lost Time

By PJ Davis,

Book cover of Nemesis and the Vault of Lost Time

PJ Davis

New book alert!

What is my book about?

Featured in "Best Middle Grade Fantasy Books" - Reedsy Discovery

"Fun & Fast Paced, This is Middle Grade Fantasy at its Best!" — Shaun Stevenson

"If you know any middle-grade readers who enjoy science fiction/fantasy with a mix of action, danger, and humor - recommend this book to them, or just go ahead and give them a copy." — The Fairview Review

“With elements of adventure, exploration, other worlds, and fantastical science, Nemesis and the Vault of Lost Time is an exciting middle-grade novel with plenty of suspense… Behind the adventure are important messages about believing in oneself and finding inner strength.” — The Children's Book Review

"The plot of Nemesis and The Vault of Lost Time is a tapestry of surprises characterized by its unforeseen twists and turns. It’s this element of suspense that grips the readers, while the vivid descriptions create immersive visual experiences. Beyond its adventurous core, this mystery novel delves into themes of friendship and the nuanced dynamics of father-son relationships, offering a multi-layered reading experience." — The Literary Titan

Nemesis and the Vault of Lost Time

By PJ Davis,

What is this book about?

Thirteen-year-old Max is a daydreamer. It gets him into trouble at school, but his restless curiosity really turns problematic when he runs into a mysterious professor at his uncle's bookstore.

The old man informs Max that time is being sucked out of the planet by invisible bandits, stolen from unsuspecting people one breath and one sneeze at a time, and is being stored in a central vault. Once full, the vault will fuel a hungry horde of invaders looking to cross into earth, and cross out all its people.

What's more, the professor claims he knew Max's missing scientist father.…


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