5 Heartwarming Fantasy Novels That Will Make You Smile

Heartwarming fantasy novels will make you laugh, smile and sometimes even cry. These poignant treats have the power to melt your heart and spark your imagination.

If this is the sort of story you’re eager to read next, here’s a list that could have your next incredible read.

Here are 5 heartwarming fantasy novels to read:

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis
The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle
The Neverending Story by Michael Ende
The Last Dragon by Silvana de Mari
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle

And for a quick comparison of these books side-by-side, take a look at this chart at the end of the post.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

Description

Four adventurous siblings — Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie — step through a wardrobe door and into the land of Narnia, a land frozen in eternal winter and enslaved by the power of the White Witch.

But when almost all hope is lost, the return of the Great Lion, Aslan, signals a great change. . .and a great sacrifice.

What Do Readers Say?

Goodreads Rating: 4.26

Most Common Rating: 5

Positive Comments

First on our list of heartwarming fantasy novels is The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the first book in C.S Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia series.

Readers who adored the story enthused that The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was a swashbuckling tale brimming with adventure, a truly wondrous world and a fantastic conclusion.

Several of these readers had read the story as children and found that, when rereading the book as an adult, it still inspired and enchanted them.

Negative Comments

Several readers didn’t find The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe for them, however. Lewis originally published the book more than 50 years ago, and unfortunately, several of the terms of phrase rubbed readers the wrong way.

Other readers were sensitive to the allegorical connections to the Christian faith. While many cited it as giving the story more dimension and depth, some felt that it came across too strongly.

The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle

Description

The Last Unicorn is one of the true classics of fantasy, ranking with Tolkien’s The Hobbit, Le Guin’s Earthsea Trilogy, and Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland.

Beagle writes a shimmering prose-poetry, the voice of fairy tales and childhood:

The unicorn lived in a lilac wood, and she lived all alone. She was very old, though she did not know it, and she was no longer the careless color of sea foam but rather the color of snow falling on a moonlit night.

But her eyes were still clear and unwearied, and she still moved like a shadow on the sea.

The unicorn discovers that she is the last unicorn in the world, and sets off to find the others.

She meets Schmendrick the Magician – whose magic seldom works, and never as he intended – when he rescues her from Mommy Fortuna’s Midnight Carnival, where only some of the mythical beasts displayed are illusions.

They are joined by Molly Grue, who believes in legends despite her experiences with a Robin Hood wannabe and his unmerry men.

Ahead wait King Haggard and his Red Bull, who banished unicorns from the land.

What Do Readers Say?

Goodreads Rating: 4.18

Most Common Rating: 5

Positive Comments

The Last Unicorn, a cherished classic by Peter S. Beagle, is next in out list of heartwarming fantasy novels. Readers who raved about this books said that it was imaginative, magical and unexpectedly profound. Beagle’s poetic prose wove a spell over these readers, who said the novel immersed them in its world and characters.

Others mentioned how much they appreciated the story’s message. Brimming with themes of hope even in despairing circumstances, the story touched and inspired them.

Negative Comments

Readers who didn’t think The Last Unicorn was their cup of tea said the book was slow-paced and didn’t grip them. Moreover, several readers mentioned that the plot itself seemed episodic and disjointed.

The story didn’t seem to build up toward anything, while the individual events came across more as a happening rather than a step along a larger narrative journey.

The Neverending Story by Michael Ende

Description

The story begins with a lonely boy named Bastian and the strange book that draws him into the beautiful but doomed world of Fantastica.

Only a human can save this enchanted place by giving its ruler, the Childlike Empress, a new name.

But the journey to her tower leads through lands of dragons, giants, monsters, and magic and once Bastian begins his quest, he may never return.

As he is drawn deeper into Fantastica, he must find the courage to face unspeakable foes and the mysteries of his own heart.

What Do Readers Say?

Goodreads Rating: 4.18

Most Common Rating: 5

Positive Comments

Another story on our list of heartwarming fantasy novels is The Neverending Story. This famous classic delighted readers – both children and adults – with how imaginative and engrossing it was.

The Neverending Story, fans said, transported them into its world as completely as Bastian was pulled into Fantastica. It was fast-paced, filled with intriguing mythology and led by a protagonist they enjoyed following.

Negative Comments

Almost half of The Neverending Story‘s readers rated it five stars on Goodreads. However, those who didn’t enjoy this fantasy novel cited its second part as why. While most of the story bristled with suspense, the middle lost momentum.

The Last Dragon by Silvana de Mari

Description

When the last dragon and the last elf break the circle, the past and the future will meet, and the sun of a new summer will shine in the sky.

In a world shrouded in darkness and continually lashed by rain, a young elf named Yorsh struggles to survive. His village has been destroyed by the torrential waters, leaving Yorsh suddenly orphaned and alone – the earth’s last elf.

But soon Yorsh discovers he is part of a powerful prophecy to save the world from the Dark Age that has begun. First, however, the young elf will have to find another orphaned creature-the world’s last dragon.

Full of great tenderness and humor, this magical journey tells the story of a world plagued by intolerance and wickedness, and the elf and the dragon who will fight for its redemption and bring it back into the light.

What Do Readers Say?

Goodreads Rating: 4.02

Most Common Rating: 5

Positive Comments

The Last Dragon is another story on our list of heartwarming fantasy novels. Readers described this fantasy novel as deeply moving, a story that is at once hopeful and sorrowful.

Despite living in a harsh world, the characters overcome their bleak surroundings and strive to change it into a better place. While The Last Dragon doesn’t shy away from sad and darker moments, several readers described this as only making The Last Dragon more inspiring and powerful. As such, fans reported that they were glued to the pages, desperate to know what happened next to the characters.

Readers also mentioned that this fantasy novel is a great choice for those looking for a ‘deeper’ story. They recommended it for both children and adults, saying that The Last Dragon touched them with its ability to show the high value of human life and relationships.

Negative Comments

If readers didn’t enjoy The Last Dragon, what did they say? These readers generally cited the main character, Yorsh, as their reason for disliking the story. Critics said that he came across as too sad and self-pitying, which made it difficult to connect with him.

Others, however, said that they expected the book to be a lighthearted fairy tale. Since the novel deals with heavier themes, these readers found the novel depressing, especially as a fantasy book geared toward younger readers.

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle

Description

It was a dark and stormy night; Meg Murry, her small brother Charles Wallace, and her mother had come down to the kitchen for a midnight snack when they were upset by the arrival of a most disturbing stranger.

“Wild nights are my glory,” the unearthly stranger told them. “I just got caught in a downdraft and blown off course. Let me sit down for a moment, and then I’ll be on my way. Speaking of ways, by the way, there is such a thing as a tesseract.”

A tesseract is a wrinkle in time. To tell more would rob the reader of the enjoyment of Miss L’Engle’s unusual book.

A Wrinkle in Time, winner of the Newbery Medal in 1963, is the story of the adventures in space and time of Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin O’Keefe (athlete, student, and one of the most popular boys in high school). They are in search of Meg’s father, a scientist who disappeared while engaged in secret work for the government on the tesseract problem.

What Do Readers Say?

Goodreads Rating: 4.01

Most Common Rating: 5

Positive Comments

A Wrinkle in Time is next on our list of heartwarming fantasy novels. This book delighted readers as children as well as now, as adults. It has also surged in popularity thanks to a 2018 movie and a slew of graphic novels.

Fans cited its atmospheric prose and authentic characterization as major pluses. The main character, Meg, struck them as particularly well-developed when compared to other childrens’ or Young Adult novels. Readers often said she came across as brave, but also reacted realistically to what felt like encounters with true evil.

Negative Comments

Other readers, however, weren’t so enthusiastic. They mentioned that while A Wrinkle in Time was a great coming-of-age story, particularly for young girls, it felt too simple for adults.

These readers often also mentioned that while Meg is initially sympathetic, she’s later prone to too many overreactions.