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Fantastical Fiction — Anthony to Zelazny

All titles shelved in Fiction collection, except as noted: SF=science fiction, SS=short story collection, Y=young adult.

Anthony, Piers: On a Pale Horse

(1983)

Y

When Zane shot Death, he learned that he would have to assume Death's place, speeding over the world riding a pale horse and ending the lives of others. The first novel of the Incarnations of Immortality series.
Bradley, Marion Zimmer: The Mists of Avalon

(1982)

Bradley retells the legend of King Arthur through the women who were part of the power and magic. The Camelot politics and intrigue take place when Christianity is taking over the island-nation of Britain. Winner of the 1984 Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel.
Brooks, Terry: The Sword of Shannara

(1977)

Young Shea Ohmsford discovers that he is the only one who can wield the legendary Sword of Shannara, the sole weapon that might have the power to destroy the newly risen Warlock Lord.
Butcher, Jim: Storm Front

(2000)

SF

Harry Dresden, Wizard for Hire. He finds lost items, conducts paranormal investigations, does consulting work, gives advice and charges reasonable rates.
Clarke, Susanna: Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell

(2004)

English magicians were once the wonder of the known world, but by the early 1800s they have lost the ability to perform magic. Rich, reclusive Mr. Norrell has assembled a wonderful library of lost and forgotten books from England's magical past and regained some of the powers of England's magicians. All goes well until rival magician Jonathan Strange appears.
Eddings, David: The Elenium

(2007)

This trilogy begins with Sparhawk, Pandion Knight and Queen's Champion, returning from exile to find Elenia overrun with evil and his young Queen trapped in a block of crystal and gravely ill. Only Sparhawk can defeat the evil plots against Elenia and find the cure to save his queen. Together in one volume: Diamond throne, Ruby Knight and Sapphire Rose.
Feist, Raymond E.: Flight of the Nighthawks

(2006)

SF

Bestselling author Feist revisits his signature world of Midkemia in this first book in a new trilogy, The Darkwar Saga.
Gaiman, Neil: Neverwhere

(1997)

The day after Richard Mayhew rescues a young girl he finds bleeding on the sidewalk, his life is radically changed. Erased from the world he knows, he finds himself living in a subterranean labyrinth beneath London.
Goodkind, Terry: Wizard's First Rule

(1994)

SF

In the aftermath of the brutal murder of his father, a mysterious woman appears in Richard Cypher's forest sanctuary seeking help, and more. Neither knows that the rules of battle have just changed, or that their time has run out. First of the The Sword of Truth series.
Hilton, James: Lost Horizon

(originally published 1939)

Three men and a woman survive an airplane crash in the Himalayas and stumble upon the hidden paradise of Shangri-La.
Hobb, Robin: Ship of Magic

(1999)

Though expected to inherit her family's animate, intelligent liveship, Althea Vestrit loses the honor to her scheming brother-in-law, who plans to use it as a slave ship. The ruthless pirate Captain Kennit also sees a captured liveship as his key to success. Soon Althea is forced to fight both men. First of the Liveship Traders series.
Hoffman, Nina Kiriki: A Fistful of Sky

(2002)

Gypsum LaZelle is part of a magically talented family in California. When her own gifts finally manifest, the self-effacing Gypsum must learn how to use her dark power without harming others.
Jordan, Robert: The Eye of the World

(1990)

After their village is attacked, several young people discover they are pursued by dark forces. They flee with the enigmatic sorceress Moiraine in an attempt to defeat the Dark Lord and return Spring to the land. This difficult journey is only the beginning of their troubles, for within one of them a dangerous power stirs. Book One of the Wheel of Time.
Kay, Guy Gavriel: A Song for Arbonne

(1992)

The story evokes the Provence of the troubadours and courtly love. Blaise of Gorhaut comes from a northern warrior culture to Arbonne where the goddess Rian is worshipped and poetry, music and love hold sway.
Lackey, Mercedes: Serpent's Shadow

(2001)

Living most of her 25 years in her native India, Doctor Maya Witherspoon is the daughter of a prominent British physician and a Brahmin woman of the highest caste. Maya's mother was a former priestess of the magic fueled by the powerful pantheon of Indian gods. When her parents are murdered, Maya flees to Edwardian London where she must master her own magic.
Le Guin, Ursula K.: A Wizard of Earthsea

(1975)

Y

A boy grows to manhood while attempting to subdue the evil he unleashed on the world as an apprentice to the Master Wizard. Award-winning first book in the classic Earthsea series.
Martin, George R. R.: A Game of Thrones

(1996)

In a land where seasons can extend for decades, winter returns. Ice vampires and direwolves are emboldened, and two powerful families will stop at nothing to control the Iron Throne. Loosely based on the conflict between the York and Lancaster families of the Wars of the Roses. Book One of A Song of Ice and Fire.
McCaffrey, Anne: Dragonflight

(1978)

SF

After her family is killed, Lessa is reduced to a filthy scullery girl until she attracts the attention of a Dragonrider. An almost-forgotten threat from which dragon and rider once protected Pern has not been seen in hundreds of Turns, but there are signs it may be returning…and Pern isn't ready. A desperate Lessa devises a dangerous, perhaps foolhardy plan that just might save the planet. Book One of the Dragonriders of Pern .
McKillip, Patricia A.: Riddle-master : the Complete Trilogy

(reprinted together 1999)

Y

The epic journeys of a young prince in a strange land, where wizards have long since vanished…but where magic is waiting to be reborn.
McKinley, Robin: The Blue Sword

(1982)

Y

Living in the desert country of Damar, shared by the Homelanders and the secretive magical Hillfolk, orphan Harry Crewe is kidnapped by Corlath, the Hillfolk king, who intends to train her in the arts of war until she is a match for any of his men.
Mieville, China: Perdido Street Station

(2001)

SF

In the sprawling gothic city of New Crobuzon, a stranger requests the services of Isaac, an overweight and slightly eccentric scientist. But it is an impossible request — that of flight — and in the end Isaac's attempts will only succeed in unleashing a dark force upon the city.
Nix, Garth: Sabriel

(1995)

Y

Sabriel, daughter of the necromancer Abhorsen, must journey into the mysterious and magical Old Kingdom to rescue her father from the Land of the Dead.
Novik, Naomi: His Majesty's Dragon

(2006)

Y

The first adventure in a new fantasy series introduces the remarkable dragon Temeraire and his heroic captain, Will Laurence, who are thrust into the world of the Aerial Corps, offering aerial support to the British during the Napoleonic Wars.
Paolini, Christopher: Eragon

(2003)

Y

In Alagaësia, a 15-year-old boy of unknown lineage called Eragon finds a mysterious stone that weaves his life into an intricate tapestry of destiny, magic and power. Inheritance, Book One.
Pratchett, Terry: The Color of Magic : a Discworld Novel

(2000, c1983)

Y

This title, which launched the legendary Discworld series, introduces the tourist Twoflower and his wizard guide, Rincewind.
Pullman, Philip: The Golden Compass

(1996)

Y

A world as convincing and thoroughly realized as Earthsea, wherein lives a half-wild, half-civilized girl named Lyra Belacqua, whose carefree life among the scholars of Jordan College is about to be shattered by the arrival of two powerful visitors. First in the His Dark Materials series.
Tarr, Judith: Queen of the Amazons

(2004)

Queen Hippolyta insists on raising her firstborn daughter as heir to the Amazon throne, even though she has been born without a soul. Booklist declared that "readers effortlessly enter a fantasy world seamlessly constructed from anthropological and archeological verities" in this historical fantasy.
Tolkien, J. R. R. (John Ronald Reuel): The Hobbit; or, There and Back Again

(1937)

Y

Bilbo Baggins, the hobbit, is persuaded by Gandalf, the wizard, and a company of dwarfs to leave his comfortable hobbit-hole in pursuit of the treasures of Smaug, the dragon. The Hobbit serves as a prelude to The Lord of the Rings. It can be read as the introduction to the Rings or on its own.
Weis, Margaret: The Soulforge

(1998)

SF

The New York Times bestselling author writes about her favorite character in this revealing tale that describes the early years of Raistlin, archmage of Krynn and one of the most popular characters of the Dragonlance setting, which Weis co-created.
Zelazny, Roger: The doors of his face, the lamps of his mouth

(2001)

SF

A collection of strange, beautiful stories covering the full spectrum of the remarkable talents of the late Roger Zelazny, whose vivid imagination and fine prose made him one of the most highly acclaimed writers in his field.