Looking for a fantasy read? Here are a few must read options
Given the times we live in, everyone can use some fantasy even if it is just in the form of reading alone. Here is a list of reading recommendations that will work for both types of readers, the existing fans of the genre and first timers.
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
This is a 1953 dystopian novel, which presents a future world where books are outlawed and “firemen” burn any that are found. The tagline of the book reads as “‘the temperature at which book paper catches fire, and burns”: the autoignition temperature of paper.
The lead character, Guy Montag, is a fireman who becomes disillusioned with his role of censoring literature and destroying knowledge, eventually quitting his job and committing himself to the preservation of literary and cultural writings.
Circe by Madeline Miller
Published in 2018, Circe is set during the Greek Heroic Age. The story covers various Greek myths, most notably the Odyssey, as told from the perspective of the witch Circe.
The novel explores Circe’s origin story and narrates her encounters with mythological figures such as Hermes, the Minotaur, Jason, and Medea, and ultimately her romance with Odysseus and her son by him, Telegonus.
Midnight Doorways: Fables from Pakistan by Usman T. Malik
This is a first of its kind anthology from Pakistan.
Midnight Doorways’ collection includes seven short stories. The genre of the stories taps into various forms of speculative fiction. While each of the story is quite unique, the common denominator for all of them is the desi context around which they are developed, combining the cultural norms, history and folk lore.
The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegge
The Time Traveler’s Wife is Audrey Niffenegger’s debut novel, published in 2003. It is a love story that revolves around a husband and wife duo, Henry and Clare.
Henry has a genetic disorder called chrono-displacement disorder that causes him to time travel unpredictably. Clare is an artist, who has to cope with his frequent absences and dangerous experiences of reappearing in odd places. The novel has been classified as both science fiction and romance, explores the themes of love, loss, free will, miscommunication and distance in relationships and deeper existential questions.
Watership Down by Richard Adams
This is an adventure novel by Richard Adams, published in 1972. It plot is set in southern England, featuring a small group of rabbits. Young rabbit Fiver and his brother Hazel, set out on an epic journey to find a new home after their own warren is destroyed, encountering perils and temptations along the way.
The rabbits are anthropomorphised, and have their own culture, language, proverbs, poetry, and mythology evoking epic themes.
Originally published at https://pk.mashable.com on September 11, 2021.
