The past couple of years have been a mix of reading for me, but fantasy is ALWAYS my biggest read genre. So in 2023 I want to complete some of the big fantasy series I’ve had on my shelf for a while.
Fantasy Books
Fantasy is a genre characterised by elements of magic or the supernatural involved in the story.
Fantasy is often inspired by myths, legends and folklore, with fairytales being a strong part of the fantasy literature.
Fantasy also includes many a sub-genre, of which you can get lost within. But a brief categorisation is high fantasy and low fantasy. In high fantasy these magical elements are at the forefront of the plot, whilst also taking place in an entirely fictional world. In low fantasy or magical realism, however, magic is subtly woven into an otherwise familiar, real-world setting.
Uptown Oracle Reads… A Ruinous Fate | A Fantasy That Lies With the Luck of the Roll 🎲
A Ruinous Fate by Kaylie Smith (Affiliate Links) Fate does not choose the weak. Fate chooses the ready. Calliope Rosewood is a witch with a long streak of bad luck. Like all witches in Illustros, her fate is directly tied to Witch’s Dice—powerful artifacts that have blessed her kind with limitless magic but also set … View Post
Uptown Oracle Reads… The Stolen Heir | A Fantasy Quest in the World of Elfhame ✨
The Stolen Heir was one of my most anticipated books of 2023, as a fan of Holly Black and it didn’t disapoint. The story itself is a fantasy quest, road-trip style. With Oak, Tiernan and Wren heading off on an adventure, but there’s some tensions here and there, some untrustworthy companions, some deceit going on. There’s a lot of relationship building and changing with all the characters, but most notably is the first person perspective of Suren (Wren) and seeing how her mind changes throughout the story based on information on and actions of the other characters.
Uptown Oracle Reads… The Changeling’s Journey | Scottish Inspired Fae Story With Warm Cosy Vibes ✨
The Changeling’s Journey is clearly heavily inspired by Scotland and this can be seen throughout the villages and locations we visit, the language used and descriptions of the world. The world building really allows you to feel like you’re travelling with our characters through the fairy hills and lochs which makes you think you’re on your own little adventure.
Uptown Oracle Reads… The Hand of the Sun King
The Hand of the Sun King follows Wen Alder as he grows up in an almost coming of age style story. It has an introspective first person narrative, like an autobiography or journal of sorts. Despite this very singular focus on the character of Foolish Cur, he’s not always a likeable character and it displays his flaws and wrongdoings, making sure we note him as a fairly reliable narrator.
Uptown Oracle Reads… The Drowned Woods
There’s very clear Welsh influence in the names of places especially throughout the story which was a welcome surprise for me. I believe some of the magic/stories within the world are influenced by folktales from Wales too although I don’t have the knowledge to know which ones. I did love the influence though and would love to continue seeing Welsh folklore and language used more in books.