EVERYBODY loves Harry Potter, young and old. And well they should. The books
are well-written, and uphold a fine tradition of children's fantasy. But it's a
long time til the next book comes out, and that gives you plenty of time to
discover these other great fantasies. Some of them, like Tolkien and C.S. Lewis,
have long had their own cult followings, and after you read them, you will
understand why. Fantasy is the ultimate escape from everyday life, and these
books will sweep you away to lands so rich and varied they'll become a part of
your world.
This is my favorite book of all time, and possibly the greatest King Arthur
story ever told, by a master storyteller at the top of his art. DON'T judge it
by the Disney "Sword in the Stone," which only shares the name of the first
part, and not much else.
Tolkein, J.R.R. The Lord of the Rings
Nobody who has not read The Lord of the Rings can consider themselves to have
read epic fantasy. Don't just see the movies; read the books! I do think
Peter Jackson did a wonderful job of bringing them to life, but nothing compares
to actually reading and re-reading these books for yourself.
Lewis, C.S. The Chronicles of Narnia
Journey to the magical land of Narnia through the wardrobe.. The new Disney
movie has renewed interest in this classic, but children were discovering the
glories of Narnia long before, and will be discovering it for many years to
come.
L'Engle, Madeleine: A Wrinkle in Time
This is the book that got me hooked on fantasy, back in the 1960's. Years later,
my daughter loved it. I can't wait to introduce my grandchildren to it, as well.
There are a quartet of books in the Time Quartet, and all of them are wonderful.
Cooper, Susan:The Dark is Rising
This series will captivate young and old readers, with its complex blend of dark
and light, which will seem familiar to Harry's fans.
Lackey, Mercedes: Arrows of the Queen
Mercedes Lackey is my favorite writer of scifi/fantasy, and this story, with its
thirteen year old heroine, is the beginning of the wonderful Heralds of Valdamar
series, which will keep you enthralled for quite a while.
Siegel, Jan: Prospero's Children
A Young British girl and a Magical Key...the British seem to be better than
Americans in general at fantasy, probably because they have a tradition of
folklore that stretches back long before there was an America to draw upon.
Christopher Paolini started writing this book when he was
fifteen years old. It is an amazing adventure from a very talented young writer.
The next book, Eldest, is already out.
Enjoy your magical voyage, and when the next Harry Potter comes out, you'll have
a whole collection of great books to add it to!
