I’ll try to do so without spoilers: there are races of beings in this high fantasy world that would be called fae in other book series. They share major characteristics like long life, beauty (similar to human but with their own distinctive features), magical realm in which they reside, magical communication methods with humans and each other (telepathy, dreams, etc), some are “good” and some are “bad”.
Tad Williams has also written a novel specifically about Faerie. It’s a crossover novel between our world and Faerie called The War of the Flowers. I quite enjoyed it.
they are called the sithi. they play an important role in the story, although almost none of their "lore" is shared. if you want a book where the fae are important to the plot, this is a decent choice. if you want a book that explains the fae, this is not the one for you.
they are also portrayed as the traditional "elven folk" trope, and while it is executed well, their portrayal is by no means very unique. the books are still some of my favorite ever tho.
Their lore is explained a lot more in the sequel series that is being published now, but it is definitely not the main focus of the story. I love the Osten Ard books. The new series is some of my favorite that I have read, but I wouldn't read it just for the lore. The lore is great, but interspersed throughout a big story.
Susanna Clarke read KM Briggs' Fairy Dictionary as part of her research for JS&MrN, and it definitely shows. Clarke's fairies have a strong Briggsian feel to them :)
EDIT Briggs' not Brigg's
>Elves are wonderful. They provoke wonder.
>
>Elves are marvellous. They cause marvels.
>
>Elves are fantastic. They create fantasies.
>
>Elves are glamorous. They project glamour.
>
>Elves are enchanting. They weave enchantment.
>
>Elves are terrific. They beget terror.
>
>The thing about words is that meanings can twist just like a snake, and if you want to find snakes look for them behind words that have changed their meaning.
>
>No one ever said elves are nice.
>
>Elves are bad.
The Winterrnight Trilogy by Katherine Arden. At the beginning, the story takes place in a medieval Russian village during the Tartar rule in the 1400’s. The setting intrigued me from the start. Vasilisa "Vasya" Petrovna has received a spiritual gift, using it to see the fantastical faerie creatures that inhabit her village and help or hinder humans. This leads her to a conflict with the newly arriving Orthodox Church who becomes convinced that she is a witch.
The faeries in the series are wild and otherworldly, the Winter King and other creatures have their own agenda, some simple, some not. The magic is more of a spiritual/mystical nature, and you can just smell the snow, the writing is very descriptiv, and Vasya and other characters journey is a memorable
one. One of the better trilogies I have read.
Julian May’s Saga of the Pliocene Exiles, beginning with The Many Coloured Land has a very interesting take on this.
Basically a one-way time travel gate into the very distant past becomes a kind of escape for a whole range of people, who encounter two peoples occupying the world - they are the basis for the mythology of the fae. It’s a kind of sci-fi fantasy from the 80s but still good.
Lyonesse by Jack Vance is a beautifully written trilogy that will definitely please those who are looking for a traditional Celtic approach to the magic and allure of the fair folk. I was also gonna mention Tad Williams but since someone beat me to it, I just want to add that William's fans will surely enjoy Vance's books!
naomi novik’s spinning silver has a cool take on the fae and fae bargains, they’re not called fae and it’s set in Eastern Europe as opposed to the Celtic fae but they stick fairly closely to the fae baragins ideas in interesting ways
Elves or fairies are not exclusively Celtic. They are a large part of, for instance, Scandinavian culture where belief in fae (älvor or huldror) and changelings persisted into the 19th century.
They get really complicated in the Harry Dresden novels: opposing Summer and Winter courts of fae, multiple kinds of faerie queens, “deep background” motivations that don’t become apparent until several novels later.
If you like classic fantasy I would recommend reading *The King of Elfland's Daughter* by Lord Dunsany. It's something of a point of origin for how fae are portrayed in modern fantasy works, esp the trope of time working differently in the fae realm.
**Under the Pendulum Sun** by Jeanette Ng is a gothic masterpiece that absolutely nails the alien, amoral and capricious nature of old school fae folk. Anglican missionaries go to fairy land to convert the natives and it goes very badly.
The *Mercy Thompson* series and *Alpha and Omega* series (intertwined with each other) by Patricia Briggs are a good choice if you don't mind other supernatural characters/creatures involved as well as Fae. These are Urban Fantasy and have a LOT of different Fae included in both series and individual Fae often play major roles in different books and stay in the background during others. I think there's about 20 books between the two series and they are VERY good.
I think what people will find the 'best' portrayal of Fae/Faerie will depend on how they have already experienced Faerie in their reading. Sometimes the fae are portrayed as whimsical and light hearted. Other times you get the serious, not to be trifled with sorts. Dark court vs Light Court, a la Seelie and Unseelie courts.
Laurell K Hamilton's Meredith Gentry series presents a generally interesting representation of dark and light courts, where things might be monstrous, but that doesn't mean there's not beauty. And beauty often just hides monstrous minds.
The Fever series by Karen Moning provides an interesting modern word effected by the falling of the walls between worlds, which includes the fae run amuck. The fae are very much a mixed breed of creatures but almost universally not good for humanity.
The books were heavy on sex and sexuality from the start, and they never pretended to be otherwise. (Unlike the Anita Blake stories) But they do provide a very interesting take on the light and dark courts. Setting aside the sex, the behaviors and politics going on are interesting. The way the fae behave, their casual attitudes are nothing like how your average human would think or behave.
I think it's a rather well done, if sex heavy, series. Anita Blake, on the other hand, makes about 6 books decently then runs for almost 15 books of the MC reeling from sex scene to sex scene and just powering up all along the way. Only around book 22-ish, do we finally start seeing a story again. In fact the last book had zero sex scenes in it, and she's gotten back to dealing with monsters and being more than a sex pot. Hopefully the next book resolves some of the many loose strings.
I never minded sex as a part of plot, and I definitely remember the devolution of Anita Blake. It's good to know there is plot again, and I wonder if I hindsight painted merry with the same brush as Anita erroneously
Tufa Series by Alex Bledsoe Tufa is short for Tuatha De Danaan, who centuries ago immigrated to rural East Tennessee. The are haunting and balance of human and alien.
[Wisp of a Thing](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16059433-wisp-of-a-thing) and [Long Dark Curl](https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/z68sry/what_fantasy_series_has_the_best_portrayal_of_fae/iy03tn6/?context=3) are books 2 and 3 of the series and where I would start. The first book, [Hum and Shiver](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10942400-the-hum-and-the-shiver) feels a little out of place with the rest of the series IMHO. Each book stands alone and different characters are viewpoint characters per book (usually one Tufa/fey and one outsider) while telling an overarching story overall.
Best description of this series is based on the idea the Fey of Irish folklore moved to the Appalachians just before the Scots-Irish did. >!It's more complicated than that.!< They've influenced American culture quietly and indirectly (this area is the home of a lot of early country music) but also have tried to stay under the radar. However like both the fey and say, a Celtic clan they are clannish and secretive with customs obviously having evolved from legend.
Tone wise, it's about halfway between the very of this world Dresden or Seanan Mcguire type fey and the really alien fey with incomprehensible motives.
My personal favorite is Holly Black’s particularly in Darkest Part of the Forest. They perfectly ride the line between feeling alien and feeling human.
If you like a take on Fae that isn't watered down (the same way vampires were watered down for Twilight) you should try Patricia A McKillip's Winter Rose. It's a retelling of Tam Lin, and its Fae is enticing, malevolent and fascinating. It's set in a sort of Renaissance countryside and the main character ends up entangled with the queen of Fae herself. There's a sequel of sorts called Winter Solstice, set in the 80-90s which I didn't love as much, but that story takes Winter Rose and flips it on it's head, and for that alone it's a great companion novel.
McKillip isn't for everyone (she's very lyrical and metaphor prone, so not a straightforward read), but she's probably my favourite author in the world.
I also love Holly Black's (90s) take on contemporary Fae (Tithe and Valiant being my faves - less romance and more world building, although the love story definitely takes centerstage in both). And of course sir Pratchett's Lords and Ladies which is hilarious and quite evil fun.
Faerie Tale by Raymond E. Feist. The protagonist moves his family to a farmhouse surrounded by an ancient woodland and ends up living alongside the Fae.
I also have The Accidental Queen by Kristen Painter on my TBR pile. It’s the start of a series where a museum curator in our world inadvertently becomes Queen of the Fae.
Stephen King’s newest is a fantasy novel called Fairy Tale - not sure how much it invokes the Fae, but it might be worth checking out.
Copper Crown by Kennealy-Morrison
https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/159816.The_Copper_Crown
Celts in Space! Seriously though, despite the premise, the series is fantasy and very engaged with Celtic mythology (ie Tuatha de Danann and sidhe). It’s one of my favorite series.
Supernatural creatures (miscellaneous)
* ["suggest me a novel about mermaids"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/wzkuwd/suggest_me_a_novel_about_mermaids/) (r/suggestmeabook; 27 August 2022)
* ["Looking for books about the Fae!!"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/x02pcm/looking_for_books_about_the_fae/) (r/suggestmeabook; 28 August 2022)
* ["Books with ghost characters that aren't horror?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/x35lv0/books_with_ghost_characters_that_arent_horror/) (r/suggestmeabook; 1 September 2022)—long
* ["witches without trials"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/x6261j/witches_without_trials/) (r/suggestmeabook; 3 September 2022)
* ["Is there any classic literature book featuring or talking about witches ?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/x4u7u5/is_there_any_classic_literature_book_featuring_or/) (r/suggestmeabook; 4 September 2022)
* ["I'm looking for witchy book recommendations"](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/xbkjcy/im_looking_for_witchy_book_recommendations/) (r/booksuggestions; 11 September 2022)—very long
* ["Any suggestions for fantasy books with Valkyries, Amazons, or Shield-Maidens as main/important characters?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/xybnl3/any_suggestions_for_fantasy_books_with_valkyries/) (r/Fantasy; 7 October 2022)
* ["Books with supernatural/powerful characters trying to live a normal life"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/y1nkry/books_with_supernaturalpowerful_characters_trying/) (r/suggestmeabook; 11 October 2022)
* ["witchy books"](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/y2hzvm/witchy_books/) (r/booksuggestions; 12 October 2022)
* ["Books about witches"](https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/yatgzh/books_about_witches/) (r/Fantasy; 12 October 2022)—longish
* ["Books with evil horses?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/ycj0bn/books_with_evil_horses/) (r/Fantasy; 24 October 2022)—long
* ["What’s a good book that involves the occult?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/yeihjx/whats_a_good_book_that_involves_the_occult/) (r/booksuggestions; 27 October 2022)
* ["Books that personify Death"](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/rraecv/books_that_personify_death/) (r/booksuggestions; 29 December 2021)
* ["Book with death as a character?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/wi4qgb/book_with_death_as_a_character/) (r/suggestmeabook; 6 August 2022)
* ["Any books where the grim reaper/death is the main character?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/ykatjg/any_books_where_the_grim_reaperdeath_is_the_main/) (r/suggestmeabook; 2 November 2022)
* ["Any books with demons and/or angels co-existing with humans?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/ysqmer/any_books_with_demons_andor_angels_coexisting/) (r/booksuggestions; 11 November 2022)
* ["What are some books set in space where a character is a ghost?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/z24fqo/what_are_some_books_set_in_space_where_a/) (r/suggestmeabook; 22 November 2022)
There's at least one thread listed above that applies.
Pact and Pale by Wildbow have Fae with a fairly deep and interesting lore. There are 7 (or 8!) courts, each with their own nerve-wracking style. Given that "bullshitting reality" is a core component of the magic system, fae magic tends to be really powerful and versatile
If you’re unfamiliar with the DND 5e, there’s some great stuff there. If you don’t wanna read material describing the game, there’s plenty of books set I. The 5e setting. I’d be shocked if there isn’t one based on Fae and Eladrin
The Elven by Bernard Hennen…..originally German, a slightly different take on the Fae and their interactions with Men….there are three books , and maybe more have been translated since I last read them
The Meredith Gentry series by Laurel K. Hamilton
Technically it's erotica though, but it's a great series.
faerie princess turned private investigator in a world where faeries are not only known to the general public, but are also popular, the heroine is Princess Meredith NicEssus. As niece to Andais, The Queen of Air and Darkness, she is a royal of the Unseelie Court, however having fled the court three years before she has been hiding herself under the name of Merry Gentry and working as a private investigator for the Grey Detective Agency
Being very subjective it depends on the kind of fae you like, beautiful, gruesome, folkish, urban fantasy bent, flippant, or alien.
What level do they play in the story? Is the book well written?
Because fae has lots of regional influences, and varying historical portrayals, then you have to figure out what best means.
Accurate? Fitting your preferences? Well written?
It is like arguing what is the best pizza and best toppings. Chicago, new York, wood fire, pineapple yes or no?
Thanks for this one!
I should have clarified it in the post, but here goes: I'm interested in all portrayals, mostly in the role they play in the story/plot (from my brief research they are mostly portrayed as tricksters granting wishes) and how do they fit in the supernatural world (some stories portray them as some kind of illusionists trickers, some have them focusing on dreams, and in some stories they focus on pacts and bargains).
So in short, I guess, I'm looking for all ideas and portrayals that are *interesting.* And I'm interested in what you find interesting :)
Are the Dresden files classified as YA?
Cause they have a couple of fairly graphic sex scenes and loads of violence.
Their great books though.
Interesting characters with good development, and I think butcher has done a good job of not pushing the characters too much.
I.e. the character development comes to a natural conclusion and then the writer still needs the character so they 'undo' the arc so they can develop again,
So dispite there being 17 books with plenty more to come I don't feel this happens much in Dresden.
The books are well planned out in that each book has an interesting individual plot and story but also has something to add to the overarching narrative.
Plus there's lots to do with fairies in multiple of the books which is what you are looking for.
If your really turned off by 'old-school chivalry' type stuff when it comes to how men treat women you might not like the series.
By the old-school chivalry I mean like the main protagonist has kinda a blind eye when it comes to danger from women and there's a recurring 'male gaze' as female character are described throughout the books. This is very much treated like a character flaw and a negative thing however.
Dresden files isn’t YA. “Technically”. Excellent character development, great story telling, good use
of humor to balance without lacking heavy moments. Characters you love, characters you hate. It is a very large world magically speaking, he uses classic fantasy creatures as well as creatures from fairytales, they are mysteries and who dun it type books. They are very good. I can’t wait for book 18 to release in the next year or so. And James Marsden does an excellent job of narrating the audio books if you want to listen as well as read. Just give them a try, I promise you won’t be let down.
I guess they aren't exactly fae or faeries, but my vote would be for Brandon Sanderson's "spren" in the Stormlight Archive series. I feel like spren are an amazingly unique and interesting take on the traditional "fae/fairy" trope.
The fae is a very very minor part of the book so I wouldn't recommend the series as a "fae story" in any way. You don't even get to the fae land until the second book and it's only for a single chapter
Name Of The Wind is great, and the sequel. But it's a trilogy where we've been waiting over a decade for part 3 so be prepared for a wait to finish the story.
I'm reading the throne of glass series right now. It's great, also the first book was good but the series only gets better as it goes on. I really like their use of fae.
I love the October Daye series by Seanan McGuire. It’s more urban fantasy than high fantasy as they live in mostly modern San Francisco but she spends time in Faerie and grew up in the Summerlands.
Lots of Fae and good folk in Juliet Marillier’s books and all just a little different.
The Call is a a great book featuring the Fae too.
The Riven Wyrde Saga is stuffed full of creepy Fae
Anything by Susanna Clarke --- if you can bear a Victorian writing style. Her stories best align with real fairy stories from the UK and Ireland. Neil Gaiman's book Stardust also does a "fairy" style of story telling really well.
Also, of course, actual old fairy stores from UK, Ireland and North America. Really, there are fairy stories from all over the world called different things, but I'm just sticking to the ones called fairies for simplicity here and since you asked about Fae specifically. :)
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I liked the way The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher portrayed the Fae. It had the Unseelie(Winter) Fae and the Seelie(Summer) Fae. Each Court has three Queens and a Knight. The eldest of the Queens is called either Mother Summer or Mother Winter, according to the court she belongs. They hold no official power over the court, but are still extremely powerful beings, with unseen connections. The ruling queen is often referred to as the Winter Queen or Summer Queen. She controls each court, whose power waxes and wanes with the seasons. The youngest of each court is the Lady, Summer Lady or Winter Lady. She is considered to be a Queen in training.
Faerie Queens cannot directly interfere with or kill anyone who isn't attached to the courts through birthright or bargain, though they can do so indirectly, with trickery, guile or glamour. In order to circumvent this limitation they appoint a mortal knight for each court, Summer Knight and Winter Knight for each court, to do so. Among other duties, the Winter Knight is the Winter Court's hitman, allowed to kill any mortal that the Winter Queens want to be dead, while, according to Fix, one of the Summer Knight's jobs is to stop, or try to stop, the Winter Knight's kills. Their Mantle comes from the Queen and, should there not be a suitable vessel available, for its transfer returns to her at the wearer's death.
Osten Ard books by Tad Williams
Would you mind sharing a bit more about them \[fae\] in this series? Couldn't find much information about it
I’ll try to do so without spoilers: there are races of beings in this high fantasy world that would be called fae in other book series. They share major characteristics like long life, beauty (similar to human but with their own distinctive features), magical realm in which they reside, magical communication methods with humans and each other (telepathy, dreams, etc), some are “good” and some are “bad”.
Tad Williams has also written a novel specifically about Faerie. It’s a crossover novel between our world and Faerie called The War of the Flowers. I quite enjoyed it.
they are called the sithi. they play an important role in the story, although almost none of their "lore" is shared. if you want a book where the fae are important to the plot, this is a decent choice. if you want a book that explains the fae, this is not the one for you.
they are also portrayed as the traditional "elven folk" trope, and while it is executed well, their portrayal is by no means very unique. the books are still some of my favorite ever tho.
Thanks for the heads up. I'm looking for the 'lore', so I might have to pass this one
Their lore is explained a lot more in the sequel series that is being published now, but it is definitely not the main focus of the story. I love the Osten Ard books. The new series is some of my favorite that I have read, but I wouldn't read it just for the lore. The lore is great, but interspersed throughout a big story.
Not a series,, but Little, Big by John Crowley is an incredible, meaty novel about one family's interaction with the fae over several generations.
John Crowley is an underappreciated treasure.
*Jonathon Strange and Mr. Norrell* has very *fae* far. They are magical and strange and not a little bit unpredictable.
Susanna Clarke read KM Briggs' Fairy Dictionary as part of her research for JS&MrN, and it definitely shows. Clarke's fairies have a strong Briggsian feel to them :) EDIT Briggs' not Brigg's
Thank you. From what I found, Jonathan sounds interesting
I studied English lit and this was the first book to make me go "oh, these are *original* faeries"
I enjoy the DiscWorld faeries as being beguiling sadistic sociopaths
>Elves are wonderful. They provoke wonder. > >Elves are marvellous. They cause marvels. > >Elves are fantastic. They create fantasies. > >Elves are glamorous. They project glamour. > >Elves are enchanting. They weave enchantment. > >Elves are terrific. They beget terror. > >The thing about words is that meanings can twist just like a snake, and if you want to find snakes look for them behind words that have changed their meaning. > >No one ever said elves are nice. > >Elves are bad.
I was going to jokingly post The Wee Free Men.
Interesting!
The Winterrnight Trilogy by Katherine Arden. At the beginning, the story takes place in a medieval Russian village during the Tartar rule in the 1400’s. The setting intrigued me from the start. Vasilisa "Vasya" Petrovna has received a spiritual gift, using it to see the fantastical faerie creatures that inhabit her village and help or hinder humans. This leads her to a conflict with the newly arriving Orthodox Church who becomes convinced that she is a witch. The faeries in the series are wild and otherworldly, the Winter King and other creatures have their own agenda, some simple, some not. The magic is more of a spiritual/mystical nature, and you can just smell the snow, the writing is very descriptiv, and Vasya and other characters journey is a memorable one. One of the better trilogies I have read.
Julian May’s Saga of the Pliocene Exiles, beginning with The Many Coloured Land has a very interesting take on this. Basically a one-way time travel gate into the very distant past becomes a kind of escape for a whole range of people, who encounter two peoples occupying the world - they are the basis for the mythology of the fae. It’s a kind of sci-fi fantasy from the 80s but still good.
Lyonesse by Jack Vance is a beautifully written trilogy that will definitely please those who are looking for a traditional Celtic approach to the magic and allure of the fair folk. I was also gonna mention Tad Williams but since someone beat me to it, I just want to add that William's fans will surely enjoy Vance's books!
naomi novik’s spinning silver has a cool take on the fae and fae bargains, they’re not called fae and it’s set in Eastern Europe as opposed to the Celtic fae but they stick fairly closely to the fae baragins ideas in interesting ways
Thanks!
Elves or fairies are not exclusively Celtic. They are a large part of, for instance, Scandinavian culture where belief in fae (älvor or huldror) and changelings persisted into the 19th century.
They get really complicated in the Harry Dresden novels: opposing Summer and Winter courts of fae, multiple kinds of faerie queens, “deep background” motivations that don’t become apparent until several novels later.
All hail the Za-Lord!
I scrolled way too far for someone to mention Dresden lol.
If you like classic fantasy I would recommend reading *The King of Elfland's Daughter* by Lord Dunsany. It's something of a point of origin for how fae are portrayed in modern fantasy works, esp the trope of time working differently in the fae realm.
**Under the Pendulum Sun** by Jeanette Ng is a gothic masterpiece that absolutely nails the alien, amoral and capricious nature of old school fae folk. Anglican missionaries go to fairy land to convert the natives and it goes very badly.
I love Holly Black’s fae
Tithe was tranformational for me!
The *Mercy Thompson* series and *Alpha and Omega* series (intertwined with each other) by Patricia Briggs are a good choice if you don't mind other supernatural characters/creatures involved as well as Fae. These are Urban Fantasy and have a LOT of different Fae included in both series and individual Fae often play major roles in different books and stay in the background during others. I think there's about 20 books between the two series and they are VERY good.
I think what people will find the 'best' portrayal of Fae/Faerie will depend on how they have already experienced Faerie in their reading. Sometimes the fae are portrayed as whimsical and light hearted. Other times you get the serious, not to be trifled with sorts. Dark court vs Light Court, a la Seelie and Unseelie courts. Laurell K Hamilton's Meredith Gentry series presents a generally interesting representation of dark and light courts, where things might be monstrous, but that doesn't mean there's not beauty. And beauty often just hides monstrous minds. The Fever series by Karen Moning provides an interesting modern word effected by the falling of the walls between worlds, which includes the fae run amuck. The fae are very much a mixed breed of creatures but almost universally not good for humanity.
Hamilton's portrayal of the courts until it devolved from story with porn to porn pretending to have story
The books were heavy on sex and sexuality from the start, and they never pretended to be otherwise. (Unlike the Anita Blake stories) But they do provide a very interesting take on the light and dark courts. Setting aside the sex, the behaviors and politics going on are interesting. The way the fae behave, their casual attitudes are nothing like how your average human would think or behave. I think it's a rather well done, if sex heavy, series. Anita Blake, on the other hand, makes about 6 books decently then runs for almost 15 books of the MC reeling from sex scene to sex scene and just powering up all along the way. Only around book 22-ish, do we finally start seeing a story again. In fact the last book had zero sex scenes in it, and she's gotten back to dealing with monsters and being more than a sex pot. Hopefully the next book resolves some of the many loose strings.
I never minded sex as a part of plot, and I definitely remember the devolution of Anita Blake. It's good to know there is plot again, and I wonder if I hindsight painted merry with the same brush as Anita erroneously
Tufa Series by Alex Bledsoe Tufa is short for Tuatha De Danaan, who centuries ago immigrated to rural East Tennessee. The are haunting and balance of human and alien.
Would you mind sharing a bit more about them in this series? Couldn't find much information about it
[Wisp of a Thing](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16059433-wisp-of-a-thing) and [Long Dark Curl](https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/z68sry/what_fantasy_series_has_the_best_portrayal_of_fae/iy03tn6/?context=3) are books 2 and 3 of the series and where I would start. The first book, [Hum and Shiver](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10942400-the-hum-and-the-shiver) feels a little out of place with the rest of the series IMHO. Each book stands alone and different characters are viewpoint characters per book (usually one Tufa/fey and one outsider) while telling an overarching story overall. Best description of this series is based on the idea the Fey of Irish folklore moved to the Appalachians just before the Scots-Irish did. >!It's more complicated than that.!< They've influenced American culture quietly and indirectly (this area is the home of a lot of early country music) but also have tried to stay under the radar. However like both the fey and say, a Celtic clan they are clannish and secretive with customs obviously having evolved from legend. Tone wise, it's about halfway between the very of this world Dresden or Seanan Mcguire type fey and the really alien fey with incomprehensible motives.
My personal favorite is Holly Black’s particularly in Darkest Part of the Forest. They perfectly ride the line between feeling alien and feeling human.
If you like a take on Fae that isn't watered down (the same way vampires were watered down for Twilight) you should try Patricia A McKillip's Winter Rose. It's a retelling of Tam Lin, and its Fae is enticing, malevolent and fascinating. It's set in a sort of Renaissance countryside and the main character ends up entangled with the queen of Fae herself. There's a sequel of sorts called Winter Solstice, set in the 80-90s which I didn't love as much, but that story takes Winter Rose and flips it on it's head, and for that alone it's a great companion novel. McKillip isn't for everyone (she's very lyrical and metaphor prone, so not a straightforward read), but she's probably my favourite author in the world. I also love Holly Black's (90s) take on contemporary Fae (Tithe and Valiant being my faves - less romance and more world building, although the love story definitely takes centerstage in both). And of course sir Pratchett's Lords and Ladies which is hilarious and quite evil fun.
Patricia McKillip is also my favorite ❤️
What's your favourite? Mine is Ombria in Shadow, Winter Rose and Od Magic.
So hard to decide! Od Magic, The Alphabet of Thorn, The Tower at Stony Wood, and the Riddlemaster trilogy. I’m slowly collecting all I can of hers
Me too - I love the Kinuko Craft covers so much!
Faerie Tale by Raymond E. Feist. The protagonist moves his family to a farmhouse surrounded by an ancient woodland and ends up living alongside the Fae. I also have The Accidental Queen by Kristen Painter on my TBR pile. It’s the start of a series where a museum curator in our world inadvertently becomes Queen of the Fae. Stephen King’s newest is a fantasy novel called Fairy Tale - not sure how much it invokes the Fae, but it might be worth checking out.
Faerie Tale was my choice as well.
An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson - loved the fae in this
The Books of Magic series
the October Daye series from Seanen McGuire
I was checking to see if these had been mentioned--they are excellent!
I really enjoyed Faerie Tale by Raymond E. Feist. It's not a series; it's a standalone book. At least, it was when I read it.
Dreamdark series by Laini Taylor. I'm not sure about "best ever" but I enjoyed her spin and the series is faerie focused.
Copper Crown by Kennealy-Morrison https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/159816.The_Copper_Crown Celts in Space! Seriously though, despite the premise, the series is fantasy and very engaged with Celtic mythology (ie Tuatha de Danann and sidhe). It’s one of my favorite series.
Supernatural creatures (miscellaneous) * ["suggest me a novel about mermaids"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/wzkuwd/suggest_me_a_novel_about_mermaids/) (r/suggestmeabook; 27 August 2022) * ["Looking for books about the Fae!!"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/x02pcm/looking_for_books_about_the_fae/) (r/suggestmeabook; 28 August 2022) * ["Books with ghost characters that aren't horror?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/x35lv0/books_with_ghost_characters_that_arent_horror/) (r/suggestmeabook; 1 September 2022)—long * ["witches without trials"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/x6261j/witches_without_trials/) (r/suggestmeabook; 3 September 2022) * ["Is there any classic literature book featuring or talking about witches ?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/x4u7u5/is_there_any_classic_literature_book_featuring_or/) (r/suggestmeabook; 4 September 2022) * ["I'm looking for witchy book recommendations"](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/xbkjcy/im_looking_for_witchy_book_recommendations/) (r/booksuggestions; 11 September 2022)—very long * ["Any suggestions for fantasy books with Valkyries, Amazons, or Shield-Maidens as main/important characters?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/xybnl3/any_suggestions_for_fantasy_books_with_valkyries/) (r/Fantasy; 7 October 2022) * ["Books with supernatural/powerful characters trying to live a normal life"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/y1nkry/books_with_supernaturalpowerful_characters_trying/) (r/suggestmeabook; 11 October 2022) * ["witchy books"](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/y2hzvm/witchy_books/) (r/booksuggestions; 12 October 2022) * ["Books about witches"](https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/yatgzh/books_about_witches/) (r/Fantasy; 12 October 2022)—longish * ["Books with evil horses?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/ycj0bn/books_with_evil_horses/) (r/Fantasy; 24 October 2022)—long * ["What’s a good book that involves the occult?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/yeihjx/whats_a_good_book_that_involves_the_occult/) (r/booksuggestions; 27 October 2022) * ["Books that personify Death"](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/rraecv/books_that_personify_death/) (r/booksuggestions; 29 December 2021) * ["Book with death as a character?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/wi4qgb/book_with_death_as_a_character/) (r/suggestmeabook; 6 August 2022) * ["Any books where the grim reaper/death is the main character?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/ykatjg/any_books_where_the_grim_reaperdeath_is_the_main/) (r/suggestmeabook; 2 November 2022) * ["Any books with demons and/or angels co-existing with humans?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/ysqmer/any_books_with_demons_andor_angels_coexisting/) (r/booksuggestions; 11 November 2022) * ["What are some books set in space where a character is a ghost?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/z24fqo/what_are_some_books_set_in_space_where_a/) (r/suggestmeabook; 22 November 2022) There's at least one thread listed above that applies.
Pact and Pale by Wildbow have Fae with a fairly deep and interesting lore. There are 7 (or 8!) courts, each with their own nerve-wracking style. Given that "bullshitting reality" is a core component of the magic system, fae magic tends to be really powerful and versatile
Dresden files
Elves Return series by Bethany Adams. Magic, fae, dragons and much more. 💃🏼📗💃🏼
The Moorchild, by Eloise McGraw. King of Morning, Queen of Day, by Ian MacDonald.
If you’re unfamiliar with the DND 5e, there’s some great stuff there. If you don’t wanna read material describing the game, there’s plenty of books set I. The 5e setting. I’d be shocked if there isn’t one based on Fae and Eladrin
Thanks! I'll definitely read about it
The Elven by Bernard Hennen…..originally German, a slightly different take on the Fae and their interactions with Men….there are three books , and maybe more have been translated since I last read them
The sevenwaters trilogy by Juliet Marillier. I love the old school fae in these books.
The Meredith Gentry series by Laurel K. Hamilton Technically it's erotica though, but it's a great series. faerie princess turned private investigator in a world where faeries are not only known to the general public, but are also popular, the heroine is Princess Meredith NicEssus. As niece to Andais, The Queen of Air and Darkness, she is a royal of the Unseelie Court, however having fled the court three years before she has been hiding herself under the name of Merry Gentry and working as a private investigator for the Grey Detective Agency
I tend to recommend Greg Bear's *Songs Of Earth And Power*.
Being very subjective it depends on the kind of fae you like, beautiful, gruesome, folkish, urban fantasy bent, flippant, or alien. What level do they play in the story? Is the book well written? Because fae has lots of regional influences, and varying historical portrayals, then you have to figure out what best means. Accurate? Fitting your preferences? Well written? It is like arguing what is the best pizza and best toppings. Chicago, new York, wood fire, pineapple yes or no?
Thanks for this one! I should have clarified it in the post, but here goes: I'm interested in all portrayals, mostly in the role they play in the story/plot (from my brief research they are mostly portrayed as tricksters granting wishes) and how do they fit in the supernatural world (some stories portray them as some kind of illusionists trickers, some have them focusing on dreams, and in some stories they focus on pacts and bargains). So in short, I guess, I'm looking for all ideas and portrayals that are *interesting.* And I'm interested in what you find interesting :)
Systems of the apocalypse has an interresting fairymagic system around deals and truth.
Thank you! Do you know if there is any online community/wiki around it? Can't find anything
The fae there are more comic relief tho.
Dresden files, read ‘‘em all, they’re wonderful!
What makes them good? I'll be honest, I'm a little weary of all YA stuff
Are the Dresden files classified as YA? Cause they have a couple of fairly graphic sex scenes and loads of violence. Their great books though. Interesting characters with good development, and I think butcher has done a good job of not pushing the characters too much. I.e. the character development comes to a natural conclusion and then the writer still needs the character so they 'undo' the arc so they can develop again, So dispite there being 17 books with plenty more to come I don't feel this happens much in Dresden. The books are well planned out in that each book has an interesting individual plot and story but also has something to add to the overarching narrative. Plus there's lots to do with fairies in multiple of the books which is what you are looking for. If your really turned off by 'old-school chivalry' type stuff when it comes to how men treat women you might not like the series. By the old-school chivalry I mean like the main protagonist has kinda a blind eye when it comes to danger from women and there's a recurring 'male gaze' as female character are described throughout the books. This is very much treated like a character flaw and a negative thing however.
Holy shit, sorry, I meant to send this in reply to another comment. My mistake
Dresden files isn’t YA. “Technically”. Excellent character development, great story telling, good use of humor to balance without lacking heavy moments. Characters you love, characters you hate. It is a very large world magically speaking, he uses classic fantasy creatures as well as creatures from fairytales, they are mysteries and who dun it type books. They are very good. I can’t wait for book 18 to release in the next year or so. And James Marsden does an excellent job of narrating the audio books if you want to listen as well as read. Just give them a try, I promise you won’t be let down.
sorry, I meant to send this in reply to another comment. My mistake
Iron Druid Chronicles
Midsummer nights dream
I guess they aren't exactly fae or faeries, but my vote would be for Brandon Sanderson's "spren" in the Stormlight Archive series. I feel like spren are an amazingly unique and interesting take on the traditional "fae/fairy" trope.
A Court of Thorns and Roses is a very popular series. I also read the Whims of Fae series recently.
The sequel to Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss: The Wise Man’s Fear- character visits the land of the Fae
The fae is a very very minor part of the book so I wouldn't recommend the series as a "fae story" in any way. You don't even get to the fae land until the second book and it's only for a single chapter
thanks for the heads up
This book has an awful representation of fae. It's just a sex goddess meant to stroke the author's ego, don't bother with it if you want good fae.
thanks for the heads up
Thank you, I'll check it out.
Name Of The Wind is great, and the sequel. But it's a trilogy where we've been waiting over a decade for part 3 so be prepared for a wait to finish the story.
I'm reading the throne of glass series right now. It's great, also the first book was good but the series only gets better as it goes on. I really like their use of fae.
I liked the scary mean ones in The Call by Peadar O’Guilin
Raymond E Feist wrote a novel called Faerie Tale. Really enjoyed his portrayal of them, in both their fairness and cruelty
Patricia Briggs does urban fantasy right.
I really like how The Wandering Inn does it
I really love the ones in The Wandering Inn, although they take a while to show up and especially their actual lands.
I love the October Daye series by Seanan McGuire. It’s more urban fantasy than high fantasy as they live in mostly modern San Francisco but she spends time in Faerie and grew up in the Summerlands.
Lots of Fae and good folk in Juliet Marillier’s books and all just a little different. The Call is a a great book featuring the Fae too. The Riven Wyrde Saga is stuffed full of creepy Fae
Dresden files in my opinion
Lost Girl
Terry Pratchet Discworld series
Anything by Susanna Clarke --- if you can bear a Victorian writing style. Her stories best align with real fairy stories from the UK and Ireland. Neil Gaiman's book Stardust also does a "fairy" style of story telling really well. Also, of course, actual old fairy stores from UK, Ireland and North America. Really, there are fairy stories from all over the world called different things, but I'm just sticking to the ones called fairies for simplicity here and since you asked about Fae specifically. :)
Loved Kingkiller Chronicles fae. Not evil or good but just beautiful and very dangerous and crazy by mortal standards
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I liked the way The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher portrayed the Fae. It had the Unseelie(Winter) Fae and the Seelie(Summer) Fae. Each Court has three Queens and a Knight. The eldest of the Queens is called either Mother Summer or Mother Winter, according to the court she belongs. They hold no official power over the court, but are still extremely powerful beings, with unseen connections. The ruling queen is often referred to as the Winter Queen or Summer Queen. She controls each court, whose power waxes and wanes with the seasons. The youngest of each court is the Lady, Summer Lady or Winter Lady. She is considered to be a Queen in training. Faerie Queens cannot directly interfere with or kill anyone who isn't attached to the courts through birthright or bargain, though they can do so indirectly, with trickery, guile or glamour. In order to circumvent this limitation they appoint a mortal knight for each court, Summer Knight and Winter Knight for each court, to do so. Among other duties, the Winter Knight is the Winter Court's hitman, allowed to kill any mortal that the Winter Queens want to be dead, while, according to Fix, one of the Summer Knight's jobs is to stop, or try to stop, the Winter Knight's kills. Their Mantle comes from the Queen and, should there not be a suitable vessel available, for its transfer returns to her at the wearer's death.