Summary
Thefantasybook genre is an enormous part of publishing, and some of the most popular novels and series take place in the real world because that makes the most sense for the story.Famous novels likeThe Lord of the Ringsseries andDuneare set in imagined realms or faraway planets,as their events wouldn’t make sense if they took place on Earth at any point in history. However, for some narratives, not only is the setting of a real place necessary, it adds to the way the plot unfolds and is essential to the reader’s enjoyment.
Some of these books go so far as to take place in contemporary times or at pivotal points in history, changing how audiences view that period.
Some of these books go so far as to take place in contemporary times or at pivotal points in history, changing how audiences view that period. This is an effective way for authors to express deeper messages and meanings. Many recentfantasy books are getting movie and TV adaptations, and this is even easier to manage if they’re set in the real world. It also elevates the sense of mystery and excitement asfantasy books that take place on Earth let the audience imagine there could be a hidden world of magic and romance right beneath their feet.
10 Fantasy Book Series With The Most Unique Magic Systems
Popular fantasy books including Babel, Ninth House, and Mistborn have unique magic systems that offer readers something new while being consistent.
10Percy Jackson And The Olympians (2005–2009)
Written by Rick Riordan
One of the most popular young adult fantasy series of all time,Percy Jackson and the Olympiansrecently got a TV series adaptation on Disney+.Percy Jacksonseason 2 will have certain book changesas season 1 did. However, alterations in the story on screen won’t stopPercy Jacksonfrom remaining in the hearts and minds of audiences, especially since it’s so tied to the geography of the modern world. Mount Olympus is located on top of the Empire State Building in New York City, andevery book allows the characters to take a cross-country odyssey.
Modern retellings of Greek myths were made relevant by thePercy Jacksonbooks and through this reimagining, landmarks, buildings, and the natural world are given new life when looked at through the books' lens. It’s not only New York that’s heavily featured in the story, but also famous locations like the Hoover Dam, the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, and even casinos in Las Vegas.Part of Percy’s journey is that he’s a regular kid with strong ties to the mortal world,and this connection to his humanity is shown through the real places throughout the books.
9The Hazel Wood (2018–Present)
Written by Melissa Albert
The Hazel Woodis the first in Melissa Albert’s series about Alice, a young woman who finds her ordinary world upended by the existence of fairytale creatures and monsters. Using the fun conceit of having Alice’s grandmother be an author who wrote about the hidden world of the Hinterland, Alice soon discovers that it’s all too real and part of her seemingly mundane world.InThe Hazel Woodreality and fantasy are blended with the fantastical realm sitting just outside the real worldand the characters finding their way there via a bridge.
Much of the plot comes down to Alice’s desire to live out her life in the real world as she intends, not to be part of anyone else’s story.
The setting is predominantly confined to New York City and upstate New York,andThe Hazel Woodhas the softness and sensitivity for the real world that Alice carries with her. For the existence of the Hinterland to matter and to be both terrifying and thrilling, the story needs the mundane natural world with all of its own beauty and danger. Much of the plot comes down to Alice’s desire to live out her life in the real world as she intends, not to be part of anyone else’s story.
8The Moral Instruments (2007–2014)
Written by Cassandra Clare
Neither the film nor the TV iterations of theMortal Instrumentsseries did the long-running series justice, but after reading six of Cassandra Clare’s books, it’s easy for the reader to understand why it’s set in the real world. Thebest quotes fromThe Mortal Instrumentsbooksare from a variety of characters, but they all show the same thing. Despite its fantastical elements, the story is full of uniquely human characters with feelings anyone can empathize with. Like so many young adult fantasy books,The Mortal Instrumentsuses New York City as a setting to create excitement.
The first novel in the series,City of Bones, introduces Clary, the protagonist, to the world of Shadowhunters and pulls her out of her regular life. With YA novels that feature a chosen-one narrative, having the main character live in the real world and have to discover their secret potential alongside the reader is a common tactic. It makes their transition from bystander to hero more poignant and creates an immediate connection with the audience. Additionally,Clary runs into issues of loyalty and split priorities because of her connection to normal life.
7Gods Of Jade And Shadow (2019)
Written by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Casiopea Tun lives in her grandfather’s house in Yucatán during the Jazz Age, but when she awakens the Mayan god of the dead, Hun-Kamé.
Mexican folklore is explored and brought to life vividly in Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s epic tale of Mayan gods and self-discovery. Casiopea Tun lives in her grandfather’s house in Yucatán during the Jazz Age, but when she awakens the Mayan god of the dead, Hun-Kamé. Together, they leave home and traverse across the country through Mexico City up to California.Moreno-Garcia brings her characters into the hidden corners of Mexico during this periodand intersperses the rich landscape with the history of Mayan culture and folklore.
Fantasy novels have historically overrepresented European myths and legends, andGods of Jade and Shadowis one in a long list of contemporary fantasy exploring new territory. The history of the Mayans excites and thrills the reader whileCasiopea simultaneously discovers her place in the world as the 20th century erupts with music,technology, and innovations. As two incredible pieces of history collide,Gods of Jade and Shadowensures that the audience feels fully immersed in all aspects of the story.
6Outlander (1991–Present)
Written by Diana Gabaldon
TheOutlanderTV show changes the book series, but the essential aspects of the novels that have made them such a phenomenon remain. Beginning in the early 1990s, Diana Gabaldon created the enormously complex, lush, and romantic world ofOutlanderthat closely follows the life of Claire, a woman living in the 1940s, who is transported back in time to Scotland in the early 1700s, when the country was torn apart by war. The true-to-life conflicts andwars from all parts of history in England and Scotland are heavily featured across the novels.
WatchOutlanderon Netflix and Starz.
Claire is in the unique position of living in multiple timestreams, so she’s aware of what the future holds when she’s sent back in time. The romance draws most audiences to theOutlanderseries, and it’s no wonder considering the love that Claire and her 16th-century lover, Jamie, share. However, for history buffs reading the series, there are some anachronisms in store, but there are also many historically accurate events.True political intrigue and machinations are pivotal to the fictional storyat the heart of the novels.
5The City Of Brass (2017)
Written by S. A. Chakraborty
City of Brassis the first book inThe Daevabad Trilogy, a series that flings the reader into the past to 18th century Cairo. Nahri, the protagonist, is a con artist on the streets of Cairo, andS.A. Chakraborty imbues her story with the folklore and religious talesthat populate the region. In many ways, it’s much more difficult to create a fictional story that takes place in the past rather than the present because there are many facts and specific timelines to juggle for the narrative to ring true.
However,The City of Brasscarefully balances historical facts with unbelievable fiction as Nahri leaves behind her life in Cairo and follows a Djinn, Dara, to the mythical city of Daevabad.
However,The City of Brasscarefully balances historical facts with unbelievable fiction as Nahri leaves behind her life in Cairo and follows a Djinn, Dara, to the mythical city of Daevabad. It’s there that she meets Ali, a resident of Daevabad who’s just as interested in learning about Cairo and the real worldas Nahri is in discovering the secrets of the city of Djinn. Many of their conversations and experiences color in the many hidden facets ofCity of Brass, and demonstrate that one world cannot exist without the other.
4Vicious (2013–Present)
Written by V.E. Schwab
Viciousis the first of theVillainsseries by V.E. Schwab, and is an interesting addition to the superhero genre as it calls into question the nature of who should get to have powers, and who will abuse them. The main character,Victor, is betrayed by a man he once called a friend after they realize that there’s a way to spontaneously create these superhuman powerswithin themselves. This ends with Victor in prison and his former friend, Eli, on the run trying to take out anyone else who develops these abilities.
Set in the modern world,Viciousis concerned with the legacy of superhero abilities that are increasingly expanded upon in movies and TV. Technology is a surprisingly large part ofVicious, with computers, phones, and scientific experiments taking up a large part of Victor and Eli’s time in their quest for power. However, this makes sense considering the message ofViciousand the follow-up novel,Vengeful.It’s a contemporary take on superpowers where there’s no black-and-white fight between good and evil,like most modern conflicts.
3American Gods (2001)
Written by Neil Gaiman
The magic and gods inAmerican Godsonly exist because of the real people who believe in them, and it’s their beliefs that hold the true power.
American Godsis one ofNeil Gaiman’s best booksand one of the longest novels that the prolific author has written. Every god humans have ever prayed to is made real inAmerican Godsand they exist just at the periphery of society, influencing much more than people realize. However, their power is fading, andit’s up to Shadow, an ex-con suddenly recruited by the mysterious Mr. Wednesday to ensure the old gods band together and stop themselves from disappearingcompletely.
Gaiman deftly weaves together mythology and legends from all parts of the worldand extrapolates what happens when the gods become corrupted. Throughout the story, Shadow travels across the U.S. at the best of Mr. Wednesday learning about the trappings of the gods, but, more importantly, how people pray to them and use them in daily life. The magic and gods inAmerican Godsonly exist because of the real people who believe in them, and it’s their beliefs that hold the true power.
2Book Of Night (2022–Present)
Written by Holly Black
Book of Nightsubverts the traditional fantasy format by having its protagonist not gain entry into a world of unbelievable power and mystery, but by having her try to escape it. Charlie Hall was deeply entrenched in magic until she left that world and became a regular bartender, but she can’t outrun the past for long.It’s set in the Berkshires of Massachusettes, a rural part of the U.S.that is easily believed to be a place harboring enough secrets to fill a novel.
There, Charlie has one foot in a life of typical petty crime and one of shadows. Shadows are the source of magic inBook of Night, as they can be manipulated to create false memories, experiences, and appearances that are impossible to believe.Holly Black has penned many other fantasy series,butBook of Nightwas her first outing into the purely adult genre. However, Black easily transitions into the work and brings Charlie to life so well that audiences feel as if they’ve met her.
10 Underrated Fantasy Book Series That Should Be On Everyone’s Radar
Not every fantasy book series can be The Lord of the Rings or A Song of Ice and Fire, but there are 10 underrated fantasy sagas worth reading anyway.
1Legendborn (2020–Present)
Written by Tracy Deonn
In Tracy Deonn’s thrilling take on the legend of King Arthur,Legendbornfollows the story of Bree Matthews, a young woman who is torn between her past life and her loyalty to her mother, and her newfound connection to the Legendborn society.Bree begins her journey at UNC-Chapel Hill, the real university,and much of Bree’s motivation is rooted in the recent passing of her mother, who also attended the school. Arthurian legends are a great choice for fantasy books with ties to reality as there are aspects of the tales that are rooted in the history of nobility.
As it takes place in the American South,Legendbornis in constant conversation with the history of the area and its future the same way Bree grapples with the history of King Arthur and her own perception of right and wrong.
TheupcomingLegendbornTV adaptation can finally get King Arthur rightby looking at the well-tread stories from the perspective of a young Black woman uncovering the depth of her power.Book two,Bloodmarkedcontinues the story and only adds to the incredible taleand has increased interest in the trilogy’s conclusion. As it takes place in the American South,Legendbornis in constant conversation with the history of the area and its future the same way Bree grapples with the history of King Arthur and her own perception of right and wrong.
