Small Review: Peter S. Beagle

Spotlight List is a feature I do where I pick a topic or theme and then highlight some books that fall into that theme.

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Fantasy Classics

I often feel like I should read more classics, but, honestly, a lot of them look sort of boring! I like fantasy adventures, not erudite critiques of the modern man's role in society juxtaposed against a blah blah blah. Have I lost you? I don't blame you.

I actually have found a bunch of classics that I really do love (Classics that are Actually Fun to Read), but the following list delves into pure fantasy with epic battles, incredible villains, swoon-worthy heroes, questing, fantastic creatures, and true love. Even better, they combine my love of fantasy with my desire to be (or at least pretend to be) "well read" because even hoity toity "high brow" readers recognize how much these books rock!

The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle

Release Date: 1968
Pages: 224

Goodreads Page

I first fell in love with the animated movie, so I was a little nervous to read the book in case the two were widely different. Thankfully, they’re not. If you love one, then you’re sure to love the other. I, of course, highly recommend both. You follow a unicorn on her journey to find out what happened to all of the other unicorns (they’ve all disappeared). Along the way, she meets both friends and enemies, and the reader meets characters who will worm their way into your heart and memory. I’m a character girl, but the plot here is just as strong as the characters. Heartwarming, heartbreaking, hilarious, and scary, I’ve read the book and watched the movie about a bazillion times and I love the story more each time.

The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien

Release Date: 1955

Books in the series: 3

Goodreads Page

Do I really need to explain why this is a fantasy classic? Tolkien set the standard for epic fantasy. There’s questing, romance, battles, magic, mystery, and lore aplenty! The world building is top notch. If you enjoy the original trilogy, then there’s a wealth of companion books to get your Middle Earth fix. I’ll commit a little blasphemy by admitting that I find the story a lot more interesting than Tolkien’s writing style. I’m also really thankful to have seen the movies first. The movie characters breathe life into the more distant way Tolkien writes them.

The Princess Bride by William Goldman

Release Date: 1973

Pages: 328

Goodreads Page

This is one of the rare cases where I actually prefer the movie version, but the book is still excellent in its own right. The book is written in a style that may lead some readers to think this is a non-fiction account by William Goldman discussing the book The Princess Bride written by a man named S. Morgenstern. In reality, S. Morgenstern is a figment of Goldman’s imagination and The Princess Bride is entirely Goldman’s creation. I think this approach is initially clever, but dragged after a while and fell apart toward the end. You can easily skip the “non-fiction” sections of the book, however, and read only the sections that relate the Princess Bride storyline. Those parts are awesome. The story is engaging and laugh-out-loud hilarious. The movie basically took these funny fantasy parts and left out all the “non-fiction” parts.

The Once and Future King by T. H. White

Release Date: 1938-1941, omnibus in 1958
Pages: 640

Goodreads Page

I adore this book! For fans of Arthurian tales, this is an excellent choice. The book is broken up into four parts, and each part can be read separately. The first is The Sword in the Stone and follows Arthur as he grows up and learns from Merlin. This part is light and fun. If you’ve seen the Disney version, then you’ll have a fair idea of what happens here (the Disney movie is based on White’s story). The second section starts getting darker, introducing the characters who will play a role in the fall of Camelot and telling of the seduction of Arthur by his half-sister. The third part tells of the romance and betrayal of Arthur by Lancelot and Guenevere. The final part tells of Mordred and the fall of Camelot. Heavily influenced by world events (chiefly, WWII and psychoanalysis), White’s story can be read on multiple levels: A fantasy story about King Arthur, a psychoanalytic study, or a critique on war and different forms of government. His critiques are interesting and well-formed, but I love this book for the way he made Camelot and its inhabitants come alive.

The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis

Release Date: 1950-1956

Books in the series: 7

Goodreads Page

When I was in elementary school, I used to watch the BBC version of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe every morning before school. I finally read the book years later, but I have to say it didn’t hold up for me. I found Lewis’s writing a little dry and better suited for a younger audience. I wish I had read the series when I was younger. The story is solid, though, and well worth a read. Aslan and the White Witch are epic characters every fantasy lover should acquaint themselves with. I have only read two of the seven stories, but I fully intend to finish the rest at some point. I can see the Christian messages, but I think they’re easily ignored if that’s not your thing.

Can you think of any other great fantasy classics?
Please feel free to share in the comments. I'm always on the lookout for suggestions!