I read a lot of fantasy, and most of them feature some sort of magical creatures. Faeries, vampires, dragons, you name it. I figured that today, I’d give some book recommendations based on the inclusion of particular fantasy creatures, either as a main role, or simply for their inclusion. I’ll try not to spoil too much while still giving you enough details, but some discretion is still advised if you recognize any books you’re already planning on reading. With that, please enjoy!
Vampire: A Dowry of Blood – S.T. Gibson
I recently ate this book UP. It was such a unique perspective on vampires and immortality, and I loved it to pieces. It features a woman named Constanta, who becomes the vampiric bride of Dracula, gaining immortality and the chance to see the world change over hundreds of years. Constanta is the beloved wife of Dracula, and is willing to follow him wherever he goes, until his true nature becomes more and more clear to her. She must also deal with the simultaneous jealousy and delight over his additions to their fold.
This book is sexy, dark, and is the definition of feminine rage. If you want a different take on vampires, go check this one out. You won’t regret it.
Faerie: The River Has Roots – Amal El-Mohtar
This short story is brief, but very enjoyable, and has a portrayal of fae and magic that is very unique. I talked about this book quite a bit already in my book review series, but it’s the perfect standalone book for anyone who wants some fae magic.
The book stars two sisters, who are caretakers for a magical grove of trees that their family has sung to for generations. One of the sisters, fascinated by the fae on the other side of the river, begins to grow close to one, which puts her in danger. Sisterly love, romance and identity, and magic about in this short but sweet novella that has charmed many. Oh, and make sure you get the audio book. Trust me.
Zombie: World War Z – Max Brooks
This book is different from most that I read, but boy has it still stood out to me. It was one of my top books of last year, for good reason. This book provides the history of a zombie apocalypse in the form of interviews taken after the fact. The stories range from before, during, and after the worst of the zombie’s reign on humanity. It really makes you think about all aspects of a zombie outbreak, from the political conflicts, to the lives of those just trying to survive, and to the clean-up after the fact. it’s not just about the zombies; in fact, I’d claim it’s more about humanity. It made me think about current global conflicts, the recent COVID pandemic, and about the resilience we have in hard times. This book is good, and a wonderful collection that will stun you with its brilliance.
Dragon: Tress of the Emerald Sea – Brandon Sanderson
Okay so bear with me a little bit. Very little of this book deals with dragons.
BUT! The dragon that we do see in this book is super cool.
You see, dragons in the Cosmere have been pretty elusive, only just starting to make major appearances in Sanderson’s mystery projects. The dragons are intelligent, powerful, and even have human forms. They inspire awe and fear, and the inclusion of the dragon Xisisrefliel is the first time we see a dragon as a dragon in all of the universe.
Even if you know very little about Sanderson and the Cosmere, this book is well worth the read, and holds up as its own book. I was apprehensive about dragons being in the Cosmere before reading tress, but now I understand where he’s going with it, and I’m excited to see more as the universe progresses.
Mermaid: When the Tides Held the Moon – Venessa Vida Kelley
This book feels classic and timeless, even with a 1910s New York City setting. It’s about found family, romance, and finding a place for yourself, no matter who, or what, you are. This book is about Benigno, a young Puerto Rican blacksmith, who builds a tank for a Coney Island menagerie owner. He’s unaware that the tank will be the home for a newly trapped merman, who is to be the newest exhibit in the sideshow. Benigno must decide if he is going to help the merman, if he has a place in the menagerie himself, and if his feelings for the merman are more than just passing flights of fancy. Magical, romantic, and very enjoyable, this book is perfect for fans of merfolk and queer acceptance.
Ghosts: The Shining – Stephen King
Okay, I know everyone and their grandma knows about The Shining, so I’ll keep this brief.
This book is great. So spooky, a fantastic setting, and tons of paranormal energy. The Overlook Hotel itself being a haunted entity, fueled by decades of violence and debauchery, means the entire novel is steeped with foul vibes. Not to mention the actual humanoid ghosts, who haunt young Danny and bring Jack deeper and deeper into his madness. This is maybe the perfect ghost story, and one of the best King books for a reason.
Gargoyle: The Knight and the Moth – Rachel Gillig
Everyone who has read this book will tell you how delightful the gargoyle companion is. When Six, one of the Diviners, leaves on a quest to find her other five missing friends, she is accompanied by a grouchy knight, an ambitious prince, and the quirky and delightful gargoyle, who insists on calling everyone Bartholomew. He’s seriously a highlight of the book, and the reveal behind his origins, as well as his connections to the other gargoyles of the world, is well worth the wait. If you somehow haven’t read this book yet, go pick it up before the sequel comes out.
Witch: The Crimson Moth Series – Kristen Ciccarelli
I read many books with witches, but I picked this book to share here because of how unique the witches magic is here. In this series, those who are born witches can cast spells, but they must use blood in order to do so. Runes must be drawn, and the way that the blood is obtained can affect the spell, and even leave marks on the caster. After a spell is cast, a symbol is left floating in the air, indicating that a witch has used their magic. Before the events of the book, witches are identified by the scars they carry and are killed or driven into hiding. Rune, the main character of the duology, must find ways to keep her magic secret while using it to save other witches in hiding. The series here is enjoyable, the magic fascinating, and the politics behind witches and magic was handled well.
Wizard: The Dresden Files – Jim Butcher
Do you know how hard it was to not say Dresden Files for almost every creature on this list? Because this series has them all. Literally. I think everything on here is featured other than mermaids (which likely exist in the world, but just haven’t been featured). This series has even more to offer, like bigfoot, fomorians, Svartalves, and more. But I’m here to talk about wizards.
If you like magical tools, potions, and the crafting of spells, try this one out. Harry Dresden is the true definition of a wizard. Someone who studies the craft, hones his skill, and masters the elements. He uses wands and staves, brews various potions, and develops new spells and powers as the series progresses. He trains apprentices, summons demons and dark forces, and goes after the things that bump in the night. Combining his wizard skills with his profession as a PI makes the series unique and enjoyable, starting off fairly tame before throwing you headfirst into magical pandemonium.
The urban setting is awesome, the folklore and inclusion of magical creatures is handled very well, and the series is ramping up to end within the next couple of books. Give the series a try if you haven’t yet. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Werewolf: The Devils – Joe Abercrombie
Like the Dresden Files, this book could count for many of the categories here, but I’m giving it to Vigga, the werewolf, who was chaotic and humorous and heartfelt all at once. This book is a wild ride, sure to make you laugh with DnD style antics and a colorful cast of characters. We have elves, vampires, priests, magicians, and of course, our werewolf. This unlikely party of characters is forced to work together to aid the church in restoring the long-lost princess to her uncle, where she can take the throne and hopefully end the split between the church.
All of the characters in this book are pleasant twists on their typical roles. Specifically Vigga, who is trapped by the dark voice of the wolf inside her, sometimes hating it, sometimes loving it. The lore of her Nordic background is wonderfully tied to her character and her decisions, and the perspectives of her wolf-form are unique and thought provoking. She was a favorite character, for sure, and helped to make this book chaotic and wonderful.
This was really fun to put together, and made me think hard about some of the different magic creatures I’ve read about. When creating this list, I have found many magical creatures that I need to find books for! Can you believe I haven’t read a book that heavily features a unicorn? I also need a good pegasus book, I need a selkie book, and I need to read a lot more books with Greek monsters. I guess that means that one day, I’ll do a part two. For now, enjoy the book recommendations!
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