Today I’m excited to share my second list of Fantasy Top Fives for Wyrd & Wonder: top five forest fantasy recommendations! I’m a huge sucker for fantasy books with a forest setting, especially when fantasy creatures lurk about in them. It was a lot of fun going through my book archives to find my favorite forest fantasy reads for this list. I found some new and old favorites. I hope you love them as much as I do!
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Top Five Forest Fantasy Recommendations
1. Savage (Dragonrider Legacy #1) by Nicole Conway
This forest fantasy is unique in that the forest is actually a jungle! Reigh was raised by the grey elves in the jungle of Luntharda, and as the only human, he’s always been an outsider. It doesn’t help that he possesses a mysterious dark power that he struggles to keep hidden. But when the Tibran Empire brings war to the grey elves’ doorstep, Reigh’s power becomes more than a secret to be hidden away. The world needs a hero, and Reigh will answer the call.
2. The Last Wish (The Witcher #0.5) by Andrzej Sapkowski
This collection of short stories introduces you to the world of The Witcher, where humans are turned into monsters and paid to hunt other monsters. Geralt is one of those monsters. He lives by a strict code of honor and expects no thanks for his work. He hunts monsters and gets paid. That’s all his life is, and all it needs to be.
Despite its dark premise, The Witcher series can be surprisingly funny and heartfelt. If you’re a fan of morally grey women, slutty men, and journeys through monster-infested forests, this is definitely the series for you.
3. The Ruins of Gorlan (The Ranger’s Apprentice #1) by John Flanagan
As I was looking through my list of all the books I’ve ever read, I came across the Ranger’s Apprentice series and was hit by a wave of nostalgia. I read this series years ago with my brother, and we were both obsessed with it. It was one of those series we could go back to and read again and again.
The story follows Will, a 15-year-old boy from a medieval kingdom. Will is small for his age, so he’s denied the opportunity to become a knight. Instead, he’s selected to become a Ranger’s apprentice. Rangers, who are rumored to practice black magic, have always scared Will, but his options are limited after being rejected from the knight’s academy. He has no other choice but to face his fear and become a Ranger’s apprentice.
4. Of Honey and Wildfires (Songs of Sefate #1) by Sarah Chorn
This Old-West-inspired fantasy story made it onto my list of Top Five Fantasies Since Last May. The lyrical prose and ethereal aura of Shine Territory pulled me right into this tragic and beautiful story.
The main characters, Arlen and Cassandra, seemingly have nothing in common. Arlen is the son of a successful businessman, and Cassandra is the orphaned daughter of a notorious outlaw. Yet both of their stories are inescapably intertwined with the secrets of Shine Territory. Their decisions will determine if their loved ones survive, and change the fate of Shine Territory forever.
5. Eragon (The Inheritance Cycle #1) by Christopher Paolini
When a farm boy named Eragon finds a mysterious stone in the mountains, he knows his life is going to change forever. The stone hatches into the dragon, Saphira, but Eragon’s luck is short-lived. Trouble comes looking for the dragon egg, and Eragon is forced into a world of destiny, magic, and dragons.
Eragon epitomizes everything I think of when I hear traditional European-inspired fantasy: the chosen one trope, revenge quests, wizards, dragons, and evil kings. It’s the perfect go-to for anyone looking for a classic fantasy tale.
What’s your favorite fantasy setting? Let’s chat in the comments!
Isabel
Peyton
Awww, Eragon! One of my faves growing up.
It’s a classic! Definitely one of my favorites dragon fantasies too
The Ruins of Gorlan is a good one. I read that before.
It was one of my favorite series in high school!!