13 thinkers, books, and ideas connected to this field.
C. S. Lewis was a British novelist and theologian best known for 'The Chronicles of Narnia' and 'Mere Christianity', who was also a noted scholar of medieval English literature at Oxford.
HBO fantasy drama series based on George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire novels — depicting a medieval-style world of dynastic struggle, political intrigue, and warfare — which became the most-watched television series in history and brought sophisticated political realism to fantasy television.
J.K. Rowling's 1997 first novel — introducing Harry Potter's discovery of the wizarding world, Hogwarts, and his destiny — which launched the best-selling book series in history.
British author — author of the Harry Potter series — the best-selling book series in history — who went from single mother on welfare to the world's first billion-dollar author — and whose public statements on gender identity made her one of the most controversial public figures of the 2020s.
L. Frank Baum was an American author who created the Land of Oz in 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz' (1900) and fourteen subsequent Oz novels, producing one of American literature's most enduring fantasy worlds.
J.R.R. Tolkien's three-volume epic fantasy novel — The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King — following Frodo Baggins's quest to destroy the One Ring and the War of the Ring against Sauron — the foundational text of modern fantasy literature.
American science fiction and fantasy novelist whose Red Rising series — set in a caste-divided solar system — became one of the most praised science fiction sagas of the 2010s, combining Roman mythology, political fiction, and epic adventure.
American author who won six Hugo Awards and three Nebula Awards — known for The Chronicles of Amber (a 10-volume epic fantasy), Lord of Light, and This Immortal — blending mythology, philosophy, and science fiction into a distinctive lyrical style.
Ken Liu's 2015 epic fantasy novel that transposes the Chu-Han contention (the conflict between Liu Bang and Xiang Yu following the fall of the Qin dynasty) into a richly imagined Pacific archipelago world — the first volume of the Dandelion Dynasty series.
J.R.R. Tolkien's 1954–55 three-volume epic — set in Middle-earth — following the Fellowship's quest to destroy the One Ring — the foundational text of the high fantasy genre and the best-selling novel of the 20th century (150M copies).
A 1953 fantasy novel by C. S. Lewis and the fourth book in 'The Chronicles of Narnia', in which two children and a Marsh-wiggle quest to rescue a prince from an underground enchantress.
Scottish author and Christian minister (1824-1905), a pioneering figure of fantasy literature whose works directly influenced C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and G.K. Chesterton. Lewis credited him as his master and spiritual director. His work blends fairy tale, myth, Christian universalism, and psychological depth.
Mexican filmmaker born 1964 in Guadalajara. Director of Pan's Labyrinth (2006), The Shape of Water (2017, Academy Award Best Picture), Crimson Peak, The Devil's Backbone, and Hellboy. His films fuse fairy tale, myth, horror, and political allegory, treating monsters as more humane than humans.