Guest post written by The Geomagician author Jennifer Mandula
Jennifer Mandula lives in Cleveland, OH with her husband, three daughters, and a neurotic corgi. She first learned of the historical Mary Anning while studying for her master’s in education at the University of Oxford. In her spare time she visits local bakeries and plans her next escape to the beach. The Geomagician is her debut novel.
About The Geomagician: When a Victorian fossil hunter discovers a baby pterodactyl, she vows to protect him, with the help of a fellow scholar—her former fiancé—in this enchanting and transporting historical fantasy. Out March 31st 2026.
I went on a quest when I was eight. I wrapped an apple, string cheese, and a piece of bread into a tea towel, tossed it over my shoulder, and called for Sammy the cat to follow.
Sammy, scrappy and thin, with short, black fur, trotted gamely after me. Together we walked, oh, about twenty feet from the house, sat under the kumquat tree, and ate our victuals. I felt wild and brave, venturing away from home all on my own. But it was even sweeter because I wasn’t really alone. I had Sammy to share the adventure with me.
The animal companion trope is as much a staple of fantasy as that bundle of apple, cheese, and bread. They can be non-speaking, telepathic, or capable of speech. Mundane or magical. Scaled, furred, winged, pawed, or hooved. And just like pets in the real world, fictional animal friends tend to bring out the best in their humans, helping characters grow kinder and braver than if they were alone.
I’m sure you will likely have a list of your own favorites, but here are seven of my favorite animal companions, plus one adorable pterodactyl you’ll meet in my historical fantasy, THE GEOMAGICIAN.
The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley
Talat (Horse)
I imprinted deeply on this lyrical story of a girl-and-her-horse hunting dragons. Talat is an aggressive, retired warhorse who slowly comes to trust the outcast princess who seeks to ride him. Talat and Aerin were the blueprint for fantasy horse girlies born in the 80s and 90s.
Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb
Nighteyes (Wolf)
In Robin Hobb’s epic Realm of the Elderlings series some people possess a magic called ‘Wit’ that allows them to bond with animals. The main character, Fitz, bonds to a wolf named Nighteyes, and their relationship is genuinely one of the most moving depictions of friendship I’ve ever read. But prepare yourself if you pick this one up—you’re going to cry.
His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik
Temeraire (Dragon)
This delightful series by Naomi Novik reimagines the Napoleonic Wars—with dragons. After Temeraire imprints on Captain Will Laurence, an English naval officer, the pair join the ranks of the British Aerial Corps. Clever and inquisitive, Temeraire the dragon slowly breaks down Laurence’s defenses, as the pair get themselves in and out of various military, interpersonal, and political hijinks.
Emily Wilde Series by Heather Fawcett
Shadow (Dog?)
Emily Wilde is a no-nonsense scholar researching the fae. She is accompanied (and protected) on fieldwork by her enormous gentle giant of a dog named Shadow. Shadow doesn’t speak, but he is a steady, constant friend to Emily, and I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say he is more than he appears. As a bonus, you also get to meet Orga—a cat who is also more than meets the eye—as the series continues.
The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart
Mephi (Ossalen)
When Jovis, a smuggler, sees a tiny, fluffy animal swimming behind his ship, he pulls the creature aboard. Mephi, described as something like an otter-kitten, grows rapidly into an otter-dragon called an ossalen and learns to speak. If an otter-dragon companion isn’t enough to sell you on it, this series has one of my favorite magic systems in which coding on pieces of bone can control animal constructs.
Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher
Bone Dog (Bone dog)
It was difficult to choose my favorite T. Kingfisher animal because she often includes pets or animal friends in her work and they’re all wonderful (honorable mention to the sarcastic armadillo from Minor Mage.) But Bone Dog stole my heart from the first ghost lick he gives heroine Mara after she assembles him in a charnel pit. Bone Dog becomes Mara’s loyal companion as she sets out to kill a prince and save her sister in this funny, dark, sweet fairytale.
The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgkins
Sol (Not-Quite-A-Raven)
Admittedly Sol—short for Solitary Raven—is more of a metaphysical concept than an animal, but he is the reluctant companion of Neema, a scribe forced to compete to become Emperor. Sol is as histrionic as Neema is practical, but I adored watching their unwanted bond transform into mutual respect and friendship.
The Geomagician by Jennifer Mandula
Ajax (Pterosaur)
When a fossilized egg miraculously hatches in her hands to reveal a baby pterodactyl, fossil hunter Mary Anning names him Ajax. She immediately starts scheming how to use him to further her career and become a geomagician, a magical paleontologist. But spirited little Ajax—who looks like a puffin if it were also a gargoyle—slowly thaws her heart, and will hopefully win yours, too.
