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Hello! If you clicked on this blog, you’re most likely a fantasy reader like me. You probably have read some famous books like Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, or just some classic Grimm’s fairy tales. But maybe you want to know what others think about the fantasy genre. That’s what I’m here for. In this blog, you will find pages on book reviews. These are some of my all time favorite fantasy books, and I will give an explanation of the plot, characters, and why I like them. You will also see pages on things like: Top Ten Worst Wizards of All Time, Best Female Fantasy Characters, Worst Characters That I’ve Ever Read, and others. These provide a good explanation on why I chose to put these characters in these categories.

When rating a book, the system I will use is unicorns. Unicorns? You ask out loud, thinking you have not read correctly. Yes, unicorns. Who doesn’t love them? Not me. I will use them like stars. One to ten unicorns ten being the best. I tend to give a fair rating on most books. (I’ve read so many fantasy books!) If I give one unicorn, I will explain why. Oh, I like that book. It’s wonderful! You might say. That’s fine. We all have different tastes. But if you are considering which books you might like, the one unicorns might waste your time. Still wondering why unicorns and not dragons, or mermaids, or poop emojis? Unicorns are perfect for fantasy books. They’re not taken from a specific book or myth. They’re sparkly and rainbow and awesome!

See? Awesome, right?

Anyway, maybe you haven’t read many books or stories. What is fantasy? You may be wondering. Well, here is my definition:

My Definition of Fantasy: 

Fantasy is a genre in literature. In fantasy books, characters may be involved with another world, supernatural powers, animals that can talk, and an epic journey. The hero in a fantasy book usually is on a quest to fit in or discover something new. In the end, the character ends up discovering him/herself. Heroes and main characters in fantasy books are not necessarily human.

The Hero’s Journey (Simplified):

The Hero’s Journey is a plot that exists in many books and movies. For example, Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, and  Luke Skywalker all travel this path.

Stage one: The Hero/Heroine lives in a world of abuse and sadness. They are often deprived of something the want. There is an urge for adventure and to explore the world around them.

Stage two: There are many trials the hero faces. He or she becomes over confident. A friendship might end. (Example: Harry Potter briefly stops speaking to Ron Weasley, his best friend.) A great mentor might “die.”

Stage three: Hero is now ready to face the great evil. They have suffered loss and experienced the world. Usually there is an epic battle. (Examples: Battle of Hogwarts-Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Battle in Narnia at the end of the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, Battle against the titans-Percy Jackson and the Olympians book five.)

Joseph Campbell, an American mythologist, writer, and lecturer, had seventeen stages of the hero’s journey. I have tried my best to simplify these.

So, back to fantasy. How do we create amazing worlds such as Narnia, Middle Earth, Mt. Olympus, and so many others? This is called Worldbuilding. The setting is very important. The year the story takes place, the town or country or even a different world that it is set in. Other elements to think about are: Clothing, (Like the long wizarding robes worn in Harry Potter.) Food, (Like Nectar and Ambrosia in the Greek myths and the Percy Jackson series.) Geography, (In Tolkien’s Middle Earth, the geography changes over the four ages of Middle Earth. There are maps in some books, which are great if the story is set in a different world. This helps the reader to visualize where the characters in the story are.) and Culture. (What do these characters believe in? Do they worship gods/goddesses? Do they use different technology? Are there different peoples and animals? Do they get along? What are their meetings like? In the Percy Jackson and Heroes of Olympus series, meetings are held around a ping-pong table.)

These elements are very important when inventing a new world.

But maybe you don’t want all these definitions. Okay. I hope you enjoy my blog and understand why I like these books and characters!

I will start by reviewing my favorite book ever, the one that introduced me to the fantasy genre. Harry Potter.