The most recommended troll books

Who picked these books? Meet our 20 experts.

20 authors created a book list connected to trolls, and here are their favorite troll books.
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Book cover of I am a Troll: Inside the Secret World of the BJP's Digital Army

Shivam Shankar Singh Author Of How to Win an Indian Election

From my list on understanding Indian politics.

Why am I passionate about this?

I graduated early from the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor to come back to my home country and work in Indian politics. Since then Iā€™ve worked with a Member of Parliament, handled campaign design in states across India, and headed data analytics for Indiaā€™s largest political party. This experience gave me an inside view of how politics operates and how elections are actually won. The fact that this was at a time when Indian politics was going through massive changes with micro-targeting, digital technologies and disinformation gaining ground made the experience even more unique. Based on this experience, my books detail how power is gained, (mis)used, and lost.

Shivam's book list on understanding Indian politics

Shivam Shankar Singh Why did Shivam love this book?

When I started working in Indian politics, I believed fixing issues that people faced was the prime driver of votes. It soon became obvious that it wasnā€™t facts and issues that determined election results, it was emotions. It was also clear that emotions could be manipulated, and the information people chose to believe in wasn't necessarily based in reality. This book details how troll farms built by political parties can be used to shape the conversation on social media, generate fake outrage, and derail rational thought, and how this influences election results. 

By Swati Chaturvedi,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked I am a Troll as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Social media in India is awash with right-wing trolls who incite online communal tension and abuse and sexually harass journalists, opposition politicians and anyone who questions them. But who are they? Why do they do what they do? And how are they organized? In this explosive investigation conducted over two years and including interviews with top politicians, bureaucrats, marketeers and trolls, Swati Chaturvedi finally lifts the veil over this murky subject. Riveting, urgent and deeply shocking, I Am a Troll is an essential read.


Book cover of How Mirka Got Her Sword

Sylvie Kantorovitz Author Of Sylvie

From my list on middle-grade depicting different cultures.

Why am I passionate about this?

When I was five, my family moved from Morocco to France. We were Jewish in a very homogeneously Catholic world. My French upbringing didnā€™t include much exposure to other cultures and I often felt uncomfortably different. I would have liked to know more about various lifestyles, cultures, and traditions than those I observed around me. I now love to learn about other cultures through personal accounts, stories, and memoirs. I feel engaged and interested in a way I never experienced with textbooks. Reading about people who live a different life from our own can be an eye-opening experience.

Sylvie's book list on middle-grade depicting different cultures

Sylvie Kantorovitz Why did Sylvie love this book?

Mirka is a dreamer, unlike what her Orthodox Jewish family expects of her: to prepare herself for a future husband, to help around the house, to knit, to study. She dreams of witches, of trolls, and of fighting dragons. 

I loved the character of Mirka: bravely standing up to local bullies, cleverly outwitting the giant knitting troll, and also dealingā€”more or less successfullyā€”with parental expectations and a large number of siblings. 

I found the mix of fantasy and cultural traditions delightful. I loved the few words of Yiddish sprinkled here and there (with their translation), and the cozy world of the Sabbath during which even concerns about trolls must stop. This is a really fun and funny book.

By Barry Deutsch,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked How Mirka Got Her Sword as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Spunky, strong-willed eleven-year-old Mirka Herschberg isn't interested in knitting lessons from her stepmother, or how-to-find-a-husband advice from her sister, or you-better-not warnings from her brother. There's only one thing she does want: to fight dragons! Granted, no dragons have been breathing fire around Hereville, the Orthodox Jewish community where Mirka lives, but that doesn't stop the plucky girl from honing her skills. She fearlessly stands up to local bullies. She battles a very large, very menacing pig. And she boldly accepts a challenge from a mysterious witch, a challenge that could bring Mirka her heart's desire: a dragon-slaying sword! Allā€¦


Book cover of Hilda and the Troll

Joshua Hauke Author Of Doom's Day Camp

From my list on monster loving middle grade reads.

Why am I passionate about this?

I always used to want to sleep with a nightlight. Then one night my dad said, ā€œwhat does it matter, if when you close your eyes itā€™s dark anyway?ā€ Thatā€™s when I realized, he was completely right. I'd been vulnerable to monsters this whole time and since none of them had tried to snack on me yet, then that must mean some were friendlyā€¦ right? The only way to be sure was to learn more about them. So, I did. Here's a list of some of my favorite middle grade books featuring monsters. Because the only thing better than a book about a monster, is a book about kiddos that they scare or befriend.

Joshua's book list on monster loving middle grade reads

Joshua Hauke Why did Joshua love this book?

There are so many things to love about Hilda and the Troll that it is hard to pin down why I enjoy it so much.

Is there an awesome monster? Of course. Amazing art work? Sure. A magical adventure? Absolutely. But, probably the best thing about this book is Hilda. She is the type of character that is downright infectious. All she wants to do is help.

From tiny invisible people trying to kick her out of her own house, to enormous giants that can crush cities, Hilda does her best to make sure everyoneā€¦ or, rather everything she meets is heard and cared for.

By Luke Pearson,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Hilda and the Troll as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

While on an expedition to seek out the magical creatures of the mountains around her home, Hilda spots a mountain troll. As she draws it the blue-haired explorer starts to nod off. when she wakes, she finds herself lost in a snowstorm and her troll has totally disappeared. On her way home, Hilda ventures deep into the woods, befriends a lonely wooden man and narrowly avoids getting squashed by a lost giant.


Book cover of Monstrous Regiment

Raymond Walker Author Of Under Dark Skies

From Raymond's 3 favorite reads in 2024.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author

Raymond's 3 favorite reads in 2024

Raymond Walker Why did Raymond love this book?

Terry Pratchett never ceases to amaze me. Serious philosophical points, political and religious dogma, current affairs, social commentary on what affects our lives today. He wraps it all up in a fantasy world which is sailing through the universe on the back of four giant elephants carried on the back of a gigantic turtle. Oh and there are jokes and satire too. Lots of jokes.

By Terry Pratchett,

Why should I read it?

9 authors picked Monstrous Regiment as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A new stage adaptation of one of Pratchett's best-selling novels The Monstrous Regiment in question is made up of a vampire (reformed and off the blood, thank you), a troll, Igor (who is only too happy to sew you a new leg if you aren't too particular about previous ownership), a collection of misfits and a young woman discovers that a pair of socks shoved down her pants is a good way to open up doors in a man's army."One of the funniest English authors alive" (Independent)


Book cover of Elf Killers

Bruce A. Borders Author Of Over My Dead Body

From my list on entertaining a restless mind.

Why am I passionate about this?

While the subject matter of the books on my list may vary, the thing that ties them together is the suspenseful tension that builds and keeps the reader on edge. The unexpected twists and turns are the "secret sauce"  that adds flavor and fervor. I like the way each of these books keeps your mind from wandering by combining vivid imagery with a compelling storyline. As an author myself, I am always fascinated by those who make it look so easy and effortless. And as an avid reader, I constantly search for these kind of books; the kind that make you feel as if you just have to keep reading.

Bruce's book list on entertaining a restless mind

Bruce A. Borders Why did Bruce love this book?

Welcome to the world of elves. It's a different world, one that takes a little getting used to. The language of the Trolls is, at first, a bit confusing. But I thought it was interesting how quickly the reader's mind can adapt, making the unfamiliar words meaningful and understandable. (The included glossary helps). The story of the elves is told very well and kept me interested to the end. An enjoyable read!

By Carol Phipps, Tom Phipps, Marija Vilotijevic (illustrator)

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Elf Killers as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

ā€œNot for the fainthearted! Kids die horribly, and amid the trolls jockeying for leadership is trial by head bashing.ā€
For the Elves, it's the very worst time to be in the woods.
Trolls are hunting them down.
Will they live long enough to reach a safe place to live?
"Elf Killers is a fast-moving Fantasy Adventure with a ton of heart and boundless imagination."

Oisinā€™s plan is to come with his bow to help Aedan and Doona lead a party of children into the forest to gather the maidenhair seedlings his people would take across the sea as they fleeā€¦


Book cover of Shadowrun Legends: Changeling

Kell Shaw Author Of Final Night: The Revenant Records, Book One

From my list on hard-edged urban fantasy that explores identity.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love how urban fantasy mixes magic and the real world, and Iā€™m obsessed with stories that explore identity, especially when life throws you a curve ball and you need to recalibrate your existence around questions like ā€œWho am I? Where am I going?ā€ These books are set in contemporary fantasy universes and explore the themes of identity in different ways. Their worlds are bleak, which makes the spots of humor shine brighter and the protagonistsā€™ triumphs all that more satisfying. As Ursula LeGuin said, ā€œThere must be darkness to see the stars.ā€

Kell's book list on hard-edged urban fantasy that explores identity

Kell Shaw Why did Kell love this book?

I love this not only for the nostalgia (I first read it in the 1990s as a teenager) but also for its themes of exploring identity in the Shadowrun urban fantasy universe. One day, Peter wakes up and transforms into a troll.

His entire life changes, and becomes a career criminal (well, thatā€™s what you do in Shadowrun) while searching for a cure to become human again. But does he really want to go back? Even today, I still enjoy re-reading this one.

By Christopher Kubasik,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Shadowrun Legends as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

OUT ON THE STREETSā€¦

By 2053, the return of magic to the world has filled the streets of Chicago with beings and creatures from mythology. For those in the politically dominant mega-corporations, the underworld, and everywhere in between, it is a time of chaos and wonderā€”and incredible opportunities ripe for the taking.

For fifteen-year-old Peter Clarris, transformed by his Awakened genes from a human into a troll, the forces of magic are a curse to be broken with science. Torn from the comfortable biotech fast-track of his childhood, he becomes an pariah, shunned by friends and strangers alike. Now, livingā€¦


Book cover of A Monster Like Me

Helen M. Pugsley Author Of The Tooth Fairy

From my list on learning the old legends.

Why am I passionate about this?

I remember being gifted a copy of a fairy tale book for children by someone my dad worked with as a kid. "Wow, these are really close to the originals," Mom murmured under her breath.
"Wait, there are originals?" That set off a chain reaction of a lifelong love of fairy tales, myths, legends, and folk stories. Writing The Tooth Fairy forced me to double-check my lifetime of accumulated knowledge. Plus, being trapped indoors with audiobooks during a global pandemic left me a lot more time to learn! In short: I simply love the old legends.

Helen's book list on learning the old legends

Helen M. Pugsley Why did Helen love this book?

This is a story about a girl with a port-wine stain under her eye. Looking different, people treat her differently. The main character, Sophie, copes by carrying around a book called "The Big Book of Monsters" and identifying the monsters and humans around her. I found Sophie pretty knowledgeable on the subject of old legends! There were a few I hadn't heard of and had to look up myself. I also like her character development, and how she becomes more empathetic. Overall, it was entertaining and informative.

By Wendy S. Swore,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked A Monster Like Me as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

There are trolls, goblins, and witches. Which kind of monster is Sophie?

Sophie is a monster expert. Thanks to her Big Book of Monsters and her vivid imagination, Sophie can identify the monsters in her school and neighborhood. Clearly, the bullies are trolls and goblins. Her nice neighbor must be a good witch, and Sophie's new best friend is obviously a fairy. But what about Sophie? She's convinced she is definitely a monster because of the "monster mark" on her face. At least that's what she calls it. The doctors call it a blood tumor. Sophie tries to hide itā€¦


Book cover of Stolen Songbird

Emily Layne Author Of Of Starlight and Bone

From Emily's 3 favorite reads in 2023.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Stay at home mom Introvert Romantic Coffee connoisseur

Emily's 3 favorite reads in 2023

Emily Layne Why did Emily love this book?

I first wanted to read The Stolen Songbird when I was 16, but my local library didn't buy a copy, and I eventually forgot about the book. But a few months ago, I stumbled upon it againā€¦ and immediately remembered how much younger I wanted to read it! Was it worth the fourteen-year wait? ABSOLUTELY!

If you're looking for a forced marriage and bond to an otherworldly creature (without instalove or spice), I would highly recommend this book. The characters were fleshed out and complex, as is the world-building.

And as for the "trolls?" They may not be what you assume them to be... But that's all I'll say!

By Danielle L. Jensen,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Stolen Songbird as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 14, 15, 16, and 17.

What is this book about?

USA Today bestseller

For five centuries, a witchā€™s curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the ruins of Forsaken Mountainā€”time enough for their nefarious magic to fade from human memory and into myth. But a prophecy has spoken of a union that will set the trolls free, and when CĆ©cile de Troyes is taken beneath the mountain, she learns there is far more to the myth than she could have imagined.

CĆ©cile has only one thing on her mind after she is brought to Trollus: escape. But if she is to succeed, she must bide her time andā€¦


Book cover of The Scions of Shannara

J.D. Edwards Author Of The Scions of Faerie: The Faerie Chronicles Book 1

From my list on epic fantasies with immersive world building.

Why am I passionate about this?

I was bullied throughout grade school until my senior year of high school. As a child, I only read Hardy Boy mysteries, so my mother tried to expand my range of literature by having me read The Hobbit. Reading epic fantasies allowed me to escape into another world and set my imagination on fire. ADHD has always been a part of my life, but fantasy novels helped to channel my creativity, allowing me to sit down and focus on something for hours on end. Readers will find themes from several fantasy authors in my books. They say to write what you know. I know epic fantasy and teen fiction.

J.D.'s book list on epic fantasies with immersive world building

J.D. Edwards Why did J.D. love this book?

I first read The Scions of Shannara when I was 13 years old. At the time, this book was the first in a new series from Terry Brooks. In less than a year, I devoured his first series, The Shannara Chronicles, and wanted more. Terry did not disappoint. This book picked up 300 years after the original series and expanded his initial world-building of the Four Lands. While it contained Elves, Dwarves, Gnomes, and Trolls, like most fantasy books, Terry developed his world based on a post-apocalyptic Earth. The sign of a good series is its ability to connect to the readerā€™s soul. With The Scions of Shannara, I connected to the story to the point where I became emotional and could not put the book down.

By Terry Brooks,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

***50 MILLION TERRY BROOKS COPIES SOLD AROUND THE WORLD***

THE SHANNARA CHRONICLES IS NOW A MAJOR TV SERIES

'Terry's place is at the head of the fantasy world' Philip Pullman

Three hundred years have passed in the Four Lands. The Federation now controls all of the Southland. In the West, the Elves have vanished. In the East, the dwarves are enslaved. Par Ohmsford has retained some of the magical powers of his ancestors, although he does not fully understand the way they work. He is troubled by dreams of Allanon, the Druid whose fate has always seemed linked with thatā€¦


Book cover of The Snow Queen: With Original Illustrations

Teresa Anne Power Author Of Yoga at the Zoo: Little Mouse Adventures

From my list on books for preschoolers that they'll want you to read over...and over...and over....

Why am I passionate about this?

Years ago, as I began teaching kids yoga, I noticed a lack of quality yoga-inspired childrenā€™s books. So, I took matters into my own hands and published my first book, The ABCs of Yoga for Kids, filling a void and sparking a series published in five languages. This success led to my Little Mouse Adventures series, blending storytelling with yoga and life skills. I believe in subtly imparting positive messages through playful storytelling, weaving in lessons along the way. My hope is young readers not only enjoy my stories but develop a lasting love for yoga and valuable life skills, just like the impact stories had on my own children. 

Teresa's book list on books for preschoolers that they'll want you to read over...and over...and over...

Teresa Anne Power Why did Teresa love this book?

This book is like stepping into a time machine with your little ones and emerging into a time long ago.

One of the things I love about this story is the timeless quality and rich layers of storytelling. Kids love it because of the characters, magical settings, and adventures, while adults will relate to the universal themes and find something new to relate to with every reading.

In a fast-paced world, sometimes itā€™s nice to escape into the classics. 

By Hans Christian Andersen, Vilhelm Pedersen (illustrator), H.B. Paull (translator)

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

"The Snow Queen" is one of Hans Christian Andersenā€™s longest and most popular tales. Itā€™s about Gerda and her friend Kai growing up through many adventures. Exploring the struggle between good and evil, itā€™s a story of a magic mirror, trolls, sorceresses, and power.


Book cover of I am a Troll: Inside the Secret World of the BJP's Digital Army
Book cover of How Mirka Got Her Sword
Book cover of Hilda and the Troll

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