Depressed that the magic is over? Fear not, ’cause we at Buzzle have got just the list to get the magic back in your veins. Just say ‘Alohomora’ and continue reading to know more.
Harry Potter Book Series
The publisher decided to print the Harry Potter books under the name of J.K. Rowling, and not use the author’s first name ‘Joanne’, as he didn’t think the market would widely accept a female author.
Harry Potter is one of the most popular fantasy franchises around, be it the books or the movies. Who among us couldn’t empathize with his fate when he was left with the Dursleys? The book immersed into a world of magic and adventure, to which there seemed no end. I myself drooled in my sleep thinking of all the sweets inside Honeydukes.
But, the world of magic isn’t restricted just to Harry Potter, and magic isn’t restricted to the corridors of Hogwarts. There are many books other than Harry that reintroduce young fans to fantasy. Widen up your world to include creatures greater than dragons and wizards more powerful than Lord Voldemort.
10 Books Like Harry Potter
Mort
Author: Terry Pratchett
Published: 1987
Welcome to the magical realm of Discworld, home to many mythical and fantastic creatures. In this adventure, Mort is hired by Death to be his assistant. But when Death chooses the next victim to be a beautiful princess, can Mort resist his instinct and continue as per his job requirements? Read the book find out.
Daughter of Smoke and Bone
Author: Laini Taylor
Published: 2011
Any seventeen-year old girl does odd jobs from time to time. But this one collects teeth. Our protagonist, Karou, continues these missions for the chimeras she lives with. But everything changes when she meets a seraph called Akiva, and she discovers she’s in the middle of a war between chimeras and seraphs.
Bartimaeus Sequence
Author: Jonathan Stroud
Published: 2003 – 2010
The story focuses on a djinn named Bartimaeus, and the master he serves at present a fifteen-year old apprentice named Nathaniel. If magic enthralls you, then read this book for its inner workings on the ministry in London. Watch out for Bartimaeus’s acerbic wit, as he narrates the story in his style. Follow more of his adventures in The Golem’s Eye and Ptolemy’s Gate. There’s also a prequel called The Ring of Solomon.
The Lord of the Rings
Author: J.R.R. Tolkien
Published: 1954
The story follows a hobbit named Frodo from a simple land, as he journeys through the lands with his companions collectively called the Eleven to Destroy the One Ring at Mordor. The journey leads them through many diverse lands, where friendship and loyalty are just to mask the betrayals at every step. Will he succeed in his journey. Read the book know more. On a side note, if you finish reading The Lord of the Rings, read The Hobbit, which serves as a prequel to the story.
Percy Jackson
Author: Rick Riordan
Published: 2005 – 2009
What if you find out that you are the son of a God? This is exactly what happened to Percy Jackson, as he’s sucked into a magical world where Gods exist side-by-side with humans. Follow his adventures as he discovers that being the son of Poseidon is not as easy as it seems. The series has 10 novels in total, each of them chronicling an adventure related to the demigods.
Eragon
Author: Christopher Paolini
Published: 2002
Enter the magical world of dragons, as Eric, a normal farm-boy, discovers a stone which turns out to be a dragon. As elves, kings, and all mythical monsters fight it out for the control of the dragons. Eragon has three more books in its quadrology, namely Eldest, Brisingr, and Inheritance.
The Chronicles of Narnia
Author: Clive Staples Lewis
Published: 1950 – 1956
This one chronicles the adventures of Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie, as they enter the magical world of Narnia. They soon discover that they are in the middle of a war between The White Witch, who has ruled the lands for 100 years, and Aslan, the rightful heir of the land. The children realize that they are part of a prophecy which may soon decide the future of Narnia. There are six more books, namely Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The Silver Chair, The Horse and His Boy, The Magician’s Nephew, and The Last Battle.
His Dark Materials
Author: Philip Pullman
Published: 1995 – 2000
This follows the adventures of Lyra Belacqua, a thirteen-year old waiting to hit puberty. She lives in a parallel universe, where souls exist outside bodies in animal forms, known as daemons. The daemons can change their form at will, but after puberty, retain a single form. Her daemon is called Pantalaimon. In her custody is a four-handed pocket watch called an alethiometer, designed with ornate symbols, which tells the user the truth always. Turns out Lyra is the only one who can read it. There exists an organization called the Magisterium, commonly called the’ Church’, which intends to sever the connection between the children and daemons, as it considers it unnatural and evil. There’s also the mystic element called ‘Dust ‘, which follows adults rather than children. Follow the adventures of Lyra as she travels the world and meets different creatures, and meets an assortment of people associated with fairytales with gypsies and witches, and finds the true meaning of Dust. His Dark Materials has three books, namely Northern Lights, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass. It has two more short stories taking place in the same universe, called Lyra’s Oxford and Once Upon a Time in the North.
Stardust
Author: Neil Gaiman
Published: 1999
What lengths would you go to find love? How about retrieving a fallen star? Follow Tristan as he tries to find the whereabouts of the star, and unexpectedly finds Yvaine. Add to his mix, a trio of witches searching for immortality, and a prince killing all his rivals to gain the throne, and you get a perfect fantasy novel. Read this book to find if true love really lasts that long.
The Iron Fey Series
Author: Julie Kagawa
Published: 2012 – 2013
If fairies remind you of gentle beings with fluttering wings, get ready for a new perspective. Watch Meghan as she enters this new world of fairies, and tries to make sense of the war and also the implications of being the last remaining heir of the former king of Nevernever.
Some Other Options
- The Dark is Rising
- The Westing Game
- The Phantom Tollbooth
- The Earthsea Cycle
- Alice in Wonderland
All these books similar to Harry Potter are sure to enthrall you, and you’d be left wanting more. If you have other suggestions, please feel free to share them with us in the comments section below.
