Fantasy books have an incredible way of boiling life down to good and evil and making us more sensitive to the actual real world around us. The darkness, the light- we usually see all of these components mirrored in epic tales of dragons and elves and dwarves. These stories tell the same story of the world: the growth of corruption and evil, heroes, battles and the eventual victory of goodness. During some of these series I have wept with relief, knowing that it’s all true. We will live in a world with a powerful King, mighty and just that oversees a kingdom that we have all longed for our entire lives. One without the curse of darkness in our natures and land. We will finally be free in all senses of the word. After reading one or all of these books, I hope you’re able to feel what I felt.
1) The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings Trilogy (11+)
Ya’ll. Lord of the Rings! In addition to being one of the most epic cinematic journeys in all of life, the books are the original story and simply a masterpiece. Adventure, friendship, and the call for goodness to prevail in an ever darkening world- a classic story that is uniquely compelling. One of my favorite things about the hobbit and the following trilogy is its subtle exposure to our own condition as humans. Our innate sin nature and our inability to fix it. The story circles around a ring of power that enslaves the bearer, and also enables complete domination of the will of the wearer. Sauron, the great antagonist, is ruthlessly searching for the ring as he builds his kingdom of darkness. In order for Sauron to be halted, the ring must be returned to the volcanic mountain that it was forged in. The ring has a few things it could represent-sin, the subtlety of power, greed- honestly whatever your “sin struggle” is, you could probably create a parallel to your own life.
2) Red Rising (16+)
Though technically considered dystopian/science fiction, the Red Rising series reads like a fantasy and I absolutely had to mention it because it was FANTASTIC. I have had a 6 month bout of gratitude etched into my heart all due to this incredible series. Leadership, sacrifice, friendship, justice. The reality of our world and relationships are so clearly unveiled through this story that it made me weep several times. The main character, Darrow, is a miner of the lowest ranking hierarchical class that slowly grows to the highest ranking group of individuals, “the golds”. The story is of a war for justice in light of great prejudice and corruption. My hope in Jesus and his kingship became wholly real throughout this series, and I couldn’t stop tearing up at the reality that we will truly live in a world that is whole and good, redeemed by Christ’s blood and the epic story of God and man. The humor is genuinely hilarious, however very crude, and the story is also very gory, hence the 16+ rating.
3) Throne of Glass (24+)
Throne of Glass (24+): Disclaimer: This series got pretty spicy in the last three books. This series is for someone who is able to maturely handle sexual pieces or skip over them. However, the series in general is well-written, witty and horribly addictive. I slammed through these books because of the twists and turns as well as the compelling relational dynamics. The quest for a better world and the commitment to friendship throughout had me treasuring my own dear friends. My favorite takeaway, however, is the contemplation the series offers of how truth and light can heal the darkest parts of us and others. A beautiful ending. Also, who doesn’t love a bad ass female lead role destined to save the world?
4) Chronicles of Narnia (7+)
This is such a wholesome read, with so many life lessons sprinkled within. Accompany our favorite sibling squad grow up and learn the ins and outs of trusting what is good through epic adventure and the discovery of an entirely new world, Narnia. Each character brings pieces of ourselves out and the whole premise challenges us to fight for love, sacrifice and hope.
5) Eragon (13+)
This series is the perfect read through for a 13-15 year old boy, and generally a great read for anybody above. It has dragons, elves, dwarves, magic, the whole gambit, all tied together in a solid story line and premise of evil versus good. Chirstopher Paolini only gets better with each book. The series follows Eragon, and his companion dragon, Saphira, in a tale to conquer the corrupt King, Galbotrix, for the kingdom of Alagaësia. It’s endearing in its simplicity and thoughtful in its principles. It also has a great ending that evokes compassion and understanding. *A small disclaimer that there are spiritual components introduced in the book that are not christian based* However, it could help cultivated some good discussion if you and your kids talked about Ergaon’s personal wrestling with how the world works!
And that’s what I got! Happy reading, mah dudes.
