Five Literary Fantasies You Should Read

Art by Wren Hunter

Greetings Traveler,

Welcome to The Arcanist. We are a new literary magazine focusing on Literary Fantasy. But what is Literary Fantasy and how does it differ from normal Fantasy? To us, the primary difference is LitFan will employ character driven narratives over plot driven narratives.

This means the characters, their progression, and their growth should be the core focus. Often Fantasy is dismissed as pulp and accused of being shallow, entirely dependent on tropes and stereotypes. While there is nothing wrong with the fun adventure tale about an epic quest, we are looking for more out of the genre.

Fantasy is a lens through which we can approach dense and difficult topics from a safe distance. We can leverage the secondary world to comment about our own. Because of our inherent separation from a fantastic setting, readers can be exposed to ideas that they normally might not seek out. Good literature challenges the reader and makes them think after putting it down. Fantasy can absolutely provide this experience as well.

The Arcanist is now accepting submissions for new Literary Fantasy! Find more information on how to submit your work down below. We are open to a variety of work, but for a better idea of the EiC's preferences, read onward!

Now that we've defined what LitFan is, let's talk about some works that represent it. LitFan can be a hard thing to track down because it's not a widely used genre tag, but we hope to help change that. Here are some reading recommendations that we feel accentuate the genre:

1. Malazan Book of the Fallen by Stephen Erikson and Tales of the Malazan Empire by Ian C. Esslemont.

The Malazan series contains many dense and sprawling narratives. The main series by Erikson spans 10 books and has several spin offs. While hard to approach for newcomers, Malazan has obtained legendary status among fans for its incredible world building, beautiful writing, and memorable characters.

If you enjoy many point of views, meticulously crafted history and mythology, and poems between every chapter, this is your new obsession and a wonderful work of art.

2. The Broken Earth Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin

Jemisin is one of the most prolific SFF writers of our generation. Broken Earth presents a world ravaged by climate change, which can only be quelled by Origins; people innately able to control and interact with seismic activity. Jemisin masterfully symbolizes the struggles of racism, classicism, and systemic hatred with an emotional tale of a mother pursuing her daughter during the end of the world. The Fifth Season won a Hugo Award in 2016.

If you enjoy different styles of perspective and want to have your view of the world altered, this is the series for you.

3. A Stranger in Olondria by Sofia Samatar

Samatar does not claim to be a fantasy writer, but she did have something to say about the genre. Having released two fantasy novels, Samatar's world captivates the imagination with uncanny descriptions that engage all five senses. A Stranger in Olondria is unconventional novel written in the first person and acts an in-world memoir of the Mystic Jevick Tyom. A Stranger in Olondria won the World Fantasy Award in 2014.

If you enjoy vivid detail on every page, non-eurocentric world building, and beautiful prose, Olondria will be your jam.

4. The King's Justice by Stephen R. Donaldson

Donaldson is one of those authors that brought about a generation of authors in his wake. His recent novella, The King's Justice tells a tale that treads old, trampled paths but does so in a unique and experimental fashion. Making use of present tense omnipotent narration, Donaldson leads the reader on a swift quest of duty, honor, and moral ambiguity.

If you have an afternoon to flip through a good book, this one will do your time justice.

5. The First Law Trilogy and The Age of Madness by Joe Abercrombie

The Blade Itself was one of the first notable works to give George a run for his money in the Grim Dark scene. However, I've never felt that Grim Dark accurately describes The First Law series. Yes, the world is dismal, the powers that be abhorrent, and death is spattered at every turn; but so is our own world.

Abercrombie masterfully crafts relatable character-driven narratives in a strange historical world. His use of voice, tone, and rhythm make his work stand out in a sea of dark tales and marks The World of the First Law one of the best Fantasy series I've come across.