Popular 1970s Fantasy Novels

February 11, 2019April 14, 2019 / Nicola @ Thoughts on Fantasy / 41 Comments

Image: hardcover first edition of The Princess Bride

The Princess Bride First Edition, William Goldman, 1973. Image from Biblio.com

The fantasy boom of the late 60s came to full fruition in the 70s, drawing older works back into the light as well as bringing many new ones. The decade also saw the publication of important works in particular sub-genres, such as vampire fiction, fairy tale retellings, time travel fiction and more.

Below I’ve listed what I believe to be the 12 most popular or significant fantasy novels published between 1970 and 1980. I’ve used the year each novel was first published and I’ve tried to use the original cover or jacket from that year: Continue reading →

Popular 1960s Fantasy Novels

January 14, 2019February 11, 2019 / Nicola @ Thoughts on Fantasy / 40 Comments

Image: Hardcover first edition, A Wizard of Earthsea

A Wizard of Earthsea First Edition, 1968. Image from AbeBooks

While the 1950s might have seen the publication of crucial series like The Lord of the Rings and Narnia, it was during the 60s that the fantasy genre skyrocketed to new levels of popularity and mainstream appeal. Publishers eager to meet rising demand sought out fantasy works, and the decade brought many beloved classics to the genre.

Below I’ve listed what I believe to be the 12 most popular or influential fantasy novels published between 1960 and 1970. I’ve tried to use the original cover from that year where possible. Series titles are included in brackets: Continue reading →

Popular 1950s Fantasy Novels

December 3, 2018January 14, 2019 / Nicola @ Thoughts on Fantasy / 17 Comments

The Lord of the Rings First Editions, 1954-1955. Image from LOTR Wikia

Many would say that fantasy literature as we now know it began in the 50s – specifically with the publication of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy. Add to that the release of C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia, and you have the emergence of two fantasy worlds that shaped the genre for years to come. These works had such a profound impact they tend to overshadow other fantasies from this decade, but there are still some worth mentioning.

Below I’ve listed what I believe to be the 8 most popular or influential fantasy novels published between 1950 and 1960. I’ve tried to use the original cover or jacket from that year where possible: Continue reading →

Popular 1930s and 40s Fantasy Novels

November 6, 2018December 3, 2018 / Nicola @ Thoughts on Fantasy / 34 Comments

Book Cover: The Hobbit, based on original dust jacket

Cover of The Hobbit (based on 1937 first edition dust jacket). Photo by breki74 (CC BY-SA)

The 30s and 40s were a crucial period for the fantasy genre. Not only did they see the publication of The Hobbit and the meeting of the Inklings group of fantasy writers, but also a rise in the number of pulp magazines publishing fantasy stories. While the genre had not yet become mainstream, the stories of these decades significantly contributed to its development and definition.

Below I’ve listed what I believe to be the 12 most significant fantasy works published between 1930 and the end of 1949, with their original covers where possible. Because some serialised stories didn’t appear in novel form till later decades, I’ve instead included the covers of magazine issues they featured in (if possible): Continue reading →

Popular 1900s, 10s and 20s Fantasy Novels

October 22, 2018November 6, 2018 / Nicola @ Thoughts on Fantasy / 24 Comments

Poster for The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, 1900

Poster advertising Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, 1900

At beginning of the 20th Century, books with fantasy elements – magic, invented worlds, supernatural beings – weren’t as mainstream as they would later become (and were often described as pulp fiction or children’s stories, since “fantasy” still wasn’t yet a genre term). However, several fantasy books from this era still enjoyed great success or paved the yellow brick road for future authors.

Below I’ve listed what I believe to be the 8 most popular or significant fantasy novels published between 1900 and 1930. I’ve used the year each novel was first published (if stories appeared earlier in another form those dates are included in brackets), and I’ve tried to use the original cover or jacket from that year: Continue reading →

Popular Pre-1900 Fantasy Novels

October 9, 2018October 22, 2018 / Nicola @ Thoughts on Fantasy / 31 Comments

Photo credit: MartinaYach on VisualHunt / CC BY-NC-ND

The word “fantasy” wasn’t used to describe a literary genre until the mid 20th Century, when fantasy books were distinguished from other kinds (particularly from children’s literature) and gained popularity. However, many novels of the 18th and 19th Centuries had all the hallmarks of what we’d now call fantasy, or influenced later fantasy writers.

Below I’ve listed what I believe to be the 12 most significant of these works published before 1900. I’ve tried to use their original covers, or failing that, their title pages: Continue reading →

What Are the Best-Selling Fantasy Books and Series of All Time?

June 15, 2016April 16, 2019 / Nicola @ Thoughts on Fantasy / 18 Comments

Image: People Waiting for Release of Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows

Photo from Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 2.0) – People waiting for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows release

The other day I came across this Wikipedia article listing best-selling books, and as I scrolled through the list (which is based on estimated number of copies sold), it struck me that many of the titles listed – including the top 4 – are fantasy novels. And I’m not just talking about Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings… these two series undoubtedly dominate the top of the lists, but there are other fantasy books in the mix too.

So this got me to thinking, what are the most popular fantasy books and series of all time, in terms of book sales? I thought I’d use the list to answer this question, compiling those fantasies that are estimated to have sold 50 million copies or more: Continue reading →

Are The Most Popular Fantasy Books The Best Fantasy Books?

November 2, 2015November 2, 2015 / Nicola @ Thoughts on Fantasy / 6 Comments

A month or so ago while trawling through Facebook I came across a Buzzfeed article titled The 51 Best Fantasy Series Ever Written. The image, for maximum click-enticing effect, was additionally headlined “The 51 Fantasy Series You Need to Read Before You Die”.

And yes, like the lemming I am, I clicked on it. Continue reading →