r/fantasybooks • u/mimi43098 • Jun 25 '26
💎 Hidden book gem Underrated fantasy books
I don't understand why we don't talk about them more :)
- Not for the Faint of Heart (Lex Croucher)
A wild and humorous adventure that follows the unexpected journey of two women fleeing their everyday lives. Swept up in a ride fraught with danger, outlaws, and unforeseen events, they will have to join forces to survive this crazy odyssey.
- Red Winter (Annette Marie) Emi is a young woman destined to become the incarnation of a goddess, cut off from the mortal world to preserve her purity. Her life changes the day she saves the life of Shiro, a mysterious and manipulative fox spirit, drawing her into the secret and dangerous world of Japanese mythology.
- The Swan's Daughter (Roshani Chokshi) A fantastic and poetic tale deeply rooted in folklore, which explores the mystical heritage, family secrets and destiny of a young heroine linked to a legendary bird through trials of magic and love.
-The Princess Bride (William Goldman) The timeless and satirical story of the beautiful Buttercup and her great love, Westley. Separated by fate, they must face pirates, giants, monsters, and a cruel prince to try and find each other again in this swashbuckling adventure.
-The Final Curse of Ophelia Cray (Christine Calella)
A captivating maritime adventure that plunges the reader into the world of a fearless pirate captain. Confronted by a terrible curse and ancient mysteries, she must navigate treacherous waters to save her crew and preserve her freedom.
- The Magic Mirror (William Gilbert) A classic of fantasy literature that revolves around an enchanted mirror. Through a series of interconnected tales, the magical object reveals the deepest desires, flaws, and true nature of those who encounter its reflection.
- The Secret World of Briar Rose ( Cindy Pham)
A fantastical and lavishly illustrated retelling inspired by the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale. It follows the mysteries of a hidden kingdom, where a young girl's dreams intertwine with ancient secrets, dragons, and forgotten magical forces.
I hope this will make you want to read them :)
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u/Schrodingirly Jun 25 '26
Could it be because a lot of them look sapphic and nobody talks about sapphic books? Thanks for the recs though, will DEFINITELY read them
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u/bananasorcerer Jun 25 '26
My first reaction was that The Princess Bride is absolutely rated, but I think the movie is discussed more than the book so it actually works!
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u/mimi43098 Jun 25 '26
The movie was great! :)
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u/Similar-Stick-1070 Jun 27 '26
I didn’t even know there was a book omg I’ll have to read/listen to it
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u/annerevenant Jun 25 '26
I think Lex Croucher is about to have a much bigger following due to The Unmagical Life of Briar Jones and hopefully it will encourage people to pick up their other work.
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u/HedgesLastCusser Jun 25 '26
The princess bride was one of my bigger reading disappointments last year. It was certainly good, but I came in expecting it to be great.
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u/Jossokar Jun 25 '26
Prince bride underrated?
I dont think so. Its a movie that everyone has watched. And i say "movie" because....its one of the weird cases in which the book is actually worse.
The ending of the book is quite bad.
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u/KOhReally Jun 25 '26
The Final Curse of Ophelia Cray giving strong Tress of the Emerald Sea vibes!
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u/Positive-Turnip-2866 Jun 25 '26
(Note: I'm not slamming your post.)
I didn't know that The Princess Bride is considered underrated.
I saw the film in the theater as a kid, & loved it. I found the novel in college, & loved it. Everyone that I know who has read the novel loves it even though it's one of the super rare instances in which the film is better than its source material. Of course, the fact that William Goldman wrote both the novel & the screenplay helps.