Written by Emma Kolakowski
Sometimes, good books just never get the popularity that they deserve. They have the plot, the prose, the characters – and yet these novels just never quite get famous. Ranging from retellings of less popular fairytales to lesser-known works by beloved authors, here’s some hidden gems from the past decade of fantasy literature to tide you over while you wait for new releases!
The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor
Loosely based on Lewis Caroll’s Alice In Wonderland, and the real-life events that are said to have inspired him, this three part series tells the story of a matriarchal Wonderland where those with powerful enough imaginations can create and destroy at will. A coup forces Princess Alyss to flee Wonderland and make a life for herself in London, where she tells her story to the author of Alice in Wonderland, who terribly distorts it into a happy tale. Alyss all but forgets about her power and her people until her past catches up to her, and she finds herself thrown back into a Wonderland teeming with revolutionaries eager to restore her to the throne.
The Fairy-Tale Detectives by Michael Buckley
When Sabrina and Daphne Grimm are placed with a grandmother they thought was dead after spending over a year in the foster system, they aren’t sure what to expect. Their grandmother admits that the sisters come from a line of fairy-tale detectives, and that the sisters must now take up the responsibility of investigating the strange happenings in the town, where many of the inhabitants bear suspicious resemblance to the characters they’ve grown up reading about. One of the most humorously accurate depictions of siblings in literature unfolds around these tough sisters and their quest to rescue their grandmother from a giant.
The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
Every century in Orovalle, one person is born with a gemstone in their navel. Performers of miracles, their stones are called Godstones, and the bearers are considered holy. Teenage princess Elisa can’t understand why she has a Godstone, since she’s fat, socially awkward, and miserable in an arranged marriage. A kidnapping forces Elisa to search for the secrets buried in the history of her country and its religion, as well as for the strength and magic buried in herself.
A Tale of Two Castles by Gail Carson Levine
A lighthearted, lesser-known fantasy adventure by author Gail Carson Levine of the beloved, Newberry-winning Ella Enchanted. Elodie leaves her family’s farm to seek her fortune as an actress in the city. Along the way she finds a clever dragon, a thieving cat-trainer, and a mystery that she must solve in order to protect the throne, herself, and her new-found friends.
Court of Fives by Kate Elliot
Jessamy wants nothing more than to sneak out and participate in the ancient game of her country – the dangerous obstacle course called the Court of Fives. But political schemes, deep racial and class divides, and a plot that endangers her family will challenge Kate Elliot’s athletic heroine just as much as running the Fives. This three-part series powerfully confronts societal divides in a country that draws inspiration from the Roman Empire, but still retains the culture of the people who were conquered. Jess is forced to grow up quickly and to change what she thought she knew about her country when her family gets drawn into a political scheme by the uncle of a boy Jess trains with.
Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
This beautiful and very unique Peter Pan retelling differentiates itself from others by delving into who Pan was before he became a flying, immortal boy, providing thoughtful and unique explanations for every detail of his famous tale. The next three books in the series continue his stardust-driven adventures with a cast of delightfully fleshed-out characters including the know-it-all Darling family, the Lost Boys, and, of course, Captain Hook.
Princess of Thorns by Stacy Jay
Princess Aurora wants nothing more than to rescue her brother from the clutches of the ogre queen who murdered Aurora’s mother, the original Sleeping Beauty. Disguised as a boy, and with the training of the fae, she travels with the prince of a neighbouring country who saved her from a tough spot on the road. Their hesitancy to trust each other is only complicated by the secrets they are keeping, as both Prince Niklaas and Aurora are cursed. If Aurora kisses someone, it destroys their mind, but she can’t stop wishing she could kiss Niklaas. (Don’t worry, it’s not a romance novel. There’s still an ogre queen to deal with).
Rowan Hood: Outlaw Girl of Sherwood Forest by Nancy Springer
Centered around a new generation of forest-dwelling, benevolent outlaws, Nancy Springer’s tale of a group of misfits incorporates the perfect amount of fae lore into the classic territory of Robin Hood. Fueled by a desire for vengeance upon the men who killed her woods-witch mother, young Rosemary disguises herself as Rowan and sets off into Sherwood Forest. Along the way she befriends a wolf, a giant minstrel, a runaway princess, and Robin Hood’s men. It’s a charming tale suitable for younger fantasy readers, but Rowan is an entertaining and independent enough heroine that this book is a pleasant read for people of all ages.
Hawksmaid: The Untold Story of Robin Hood and Maid Marian by Kathryn Lasky
If that Robin Hood variation doesn’t sound interesting, try this one. Centering on Matty, the future Maid Marian, this novel explores the beginnings of Robin Hood’s famous band of outlaws. Matty grew up as the daughter of a lord, until her mother was killed and her father’s keep destroyed. With her friends, Matty tries to protect herself and her people from the Sheriff of Nottingham and other villains, while realising the talent for falconry she inherited from her father goes far deeper than a learned skill – almost to the point of magic.
Magyk by Angie Sage
A whimsical, seven-part series about a lonely boy, his long-lost family, and magic. Angie Sage’s series is notable for the size and details of its cast of characters and plotlines. Sage has a remarkable talent for making the most innocuous detail wonderfully relevant to the plot by the end of the book. This series is appropriate for readers as young as twelve, but the phenomenal world-building, delightfully fleshed-out characters, and gorgeously detailed chapter-opening illustrations make the series enjoyable for all ages.
Entwined by Heather Dixon Wallwork
While it certainly has several romantic subplots, this novel does still fit within the fantasy genre due to the magic that remains in the palace where Azalea lives, remnants of the enchantments of an evil, magical king. She lives a relatively carefree life, surrounded by the lingering vestiges of magic, until her father puts his foot down and insists that she behave in a way that befits a girl who is almost a woman. Azalea and her twelve sisters have one freedom – Azalea a secret passage in their room, leading to a beautiful pavilion, and made a deal with the handsome and magical keeper. He lets the girls dance there, but as Azalea becomes more and more entwined in the deals she makes, she will have to rely on her wits to protect herself and her family.
Castle Waiting by Linda Medley
Following the lives of the castle inhabitants after Sleeping Beauty’s Prince rescued her and swept her away, this graphic novel focuses on the little people who live in the wake of fairy-tale characters. Detailed black-and-white illustrations simultaneously explore the day-to-day adventures of the characters and the events of their pasts, which, in some cases, are shrouded in mystery. The run-down castle becomes a home to Jain, a mother-to-be fleeing an unknown stranger, and the castle’s inhabitants – both human and not – band together to protect her and give her a new home.
