Bookwyrm’s Hoard: Escaping into Spring Fantasies

There’s a story I once heard about J.R.R. Tolkien, someone once scoffed at him that he only wrote escapist fantasies. Being the very talented and opinionated wordsmith that he was he replied: “Fantasy is escapist and that’s its glory. If the soldier is imprisoned, don’t we consider it his duty to escape? If we value the freedom of mind and soul, if we’re partisans of liberty, then it’s our plain duty to escape and to take as many people with us as we can”. I think this is one of the most beautiful defenses of reading to escape and one with which I whole-heartedly agree.                                                                            

I have thought of myself as an “escape artist” since I learned the phrase of reading as an escape, as a child books have been the secret tunnels that have freed me from my fears, stresses, and sorrows. I also love helping other people, (and as Tolkien said it is my solemn duty), find the perfect book that will help them escape as well.                                                                                                                                           

Fantasy is the perfect genre for busting out of your personal prison; it allows the reader to get lost in other realms while often granting the reader the ability to examine the struggles and issues facing humanity from a unique perspective. The genre holds a special place in my heart, it was my first love- fairytales and stories of dragons and unicorns, talking animals, mermaids, and magical powers- all have enchanted me out of many a hard time. Fantasy captures dreams on paper, creating a vision shared between author and reader.                                                                                                           

This spring has been challenging for me and I have found myself reaching to the comfort of well written fantasy, so I share with you now some of my picks for the best fantasy of the first quarter of 2023. Cozy fantasy is a new sub-genre I have fallen head over heels in love with, it shares many of the trappings of cozy mysteries: descriptions of everyday life and foods, a colorful cast of quirky characters usually working together to overcome obstacles, and a gentle sense of humor. My favorite book of the spring falls into this category: Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Fairies by Heather Fawcett, it follows the curmudgeonly Professor Wilde as she embarks on a research trip to Iceland to catalogue the fairies found there. This takes place in a fantasy version of the Victorian era in which fairies are real and so is magic (not unlike the gargantuan Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell). Trouble begins from the moment she arrives met by unwelcoming villagers and gets worse with the arrival of her only friend and rival, a fellow scholar with more charm and less of a work ethic than her. They face a creepy changeling and a cursed tree that will reveal dark secrets and put both their lives and sanity at risk. It is a delightful book that appears to be the first in a series and I am very much looking forward to the sequel. If you have ever wondered what characters in Dungeons & Dragons do when they decide they’re done with all the questing you’ll love Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree, the tale of an orc warrior named Viv who decides she’s had enough monster slaying. After trying a strange new beverage being sold by gnomes she’s had an idea for a business unlike any other in her world. I found myself imagining Baldree as a dungeon master who loves Terry Pratchett and spent his college years as a barista. Make sure you have a cozy hot (or iced) drink with you when you cuddle up with this book.                                                                                 

If you are looking for a more traditional fantasy with magic, quests, and a lot more danger, I recommend Among the Beasts and Briars by Ashley Poston. The daughter of the royal gardener has a secret that could save, or destroy, the peaceful kingdom she lives in after a childhood tragedy changes her irrevocably. When monsters arrive at her best friend’s coronation, our heroine Cerys has only her wits, a magically altered fox, and a strange power in her blood to protect her. This is a well-written edge-of-your-seat YA novel that you’ll be sure to enjoy.                                                                                           

Another fast and fantastical read with a dark edge that reminds me of a Grimm fairytale is the novella: Silver in the Wood by Emily Tesh. Part one in The Greenhollow Duology tells of a Wild Man who lives in an enchanted wood. Tobias’ only friends are his cat, the dryads, and spirits of the forest which he keeps in check as he patrols the forest. One day his whole existence is turned upside down by the arrival of a gentleman scholar named Henry Silver, who says he now owns Greenhollow Hall and the forest that surrounds it.                                                                                                                             

Finally, to bring you full circle, I wish to encourage our patrons to read the books of Tolkien himself. I read through all of The Lord of the Rings this past February and found the wonder, magic, and escape that I always encounter when reading this beloved series. Tolkien was a true master of the great escape, and I hope he opens a way for you to leave your worries and troubles behind. Have a lovely spring, summer is fast approaching and my to-be-read pile continues to grow, I promise to share more recommendations soon!