Into the Forest discussion

Hi all, I'm hoping the fantasy lovers in our group might be able to help me out. Over the last few years, really since I started reading the Wayward Children series, I've discovered I love portal fantasies. And I loved The Hazel Wood. In December, I read The Ten Thousand Doors of January and enjoyed the unique aspects of its story - the deeper commentary.

I've looked through our previous group read nominations and winner threads for additional recommendations https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

I was wondering if anyone would want to share their top 5 (or even just their favorite) portal fantasy?

Age doesn't matter -- so whether it was published last year or 40 years ago, I'm game. I'd prefer Adult fiction, but I'm open to YA and middle grade too.

Bonus points if it's not Eurocentric.

Double bonus points if it's written by an author of color or an author who identifies as LGBT or queer.

Triple points for women in translation (available in English).

All-time favourite: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

Of the ones I've read as an adult, I highly recommend:
The Honours, The Ice House. Tim Clare's writing is just beautiful. Similar, in a way, to Perdido Street Station (which isn't portal fantasy).

Also The End of Mr. Y, 1Q84 and The Book of Lost Things.

I do NOT recommend Mythago Wood, which would be low-scoring on your points system anyway (not than any of the ones above are high-scorers). Despite its interesting premise and all its accolades, I have a real issue with the portrayal of the only female character (my review).

I've scanned through a Book Riot list of portal fantasy and identified The Ghost Bride which I might use as my Ghost category of the Reading Challenge. It also looks as though it is coming out on Netflix this month!!

Portal fantasy translates well to the screen. Lost Horizon - the (1930s) film is better than the book.

If you also include katabasis (descent into the underworld) as a portal, I thoroughly recommend Signs Preceding the End of the World.

Amanda, thank you! Including the film rec 🤓

Thank you for sharing your review of Mythago Wood - it is on my TBR list, but I likely won't ever read it now. I did have a note on it about a comment by Christine (group mod) that the premise mirrors that of The Forest of Hours, a Swedish fantasy. Have you read the latter by chance?

I had The Ghost Bride on my TBR for 2020 (it's been sitting on my TBR for too many years), but I'm gonna move it to my "next" stack.

Don't know if it can be considered portal, beacuse I still haven't read it, but the first book that comes to my mind is The Famished Road.

Then, one I liked is Every Heart a Doorway, definitely eurocentric and YA, but with lgbtq characters. The second one in the series is not as good though imo.

Leah wrote: "Thank you for sharing your review of Mythago Wood - it is on my TBR list, but I likely won't ever read it now. I did have a note on it about a comment by Christine (group mod) that the premise mirrors that of The Forest of Hours, a Swedish fantasy. Have you read the latter by chance?"

I haven't. But it looks to me that the character Skord from The Forest of Hours might be a fit for Reading Challenge 4: Nature Spirits/The Green Man. Ka-ching.

And if I enjoy The Ghost Bride I'm tempted to read The Night Tiger for Reading Challenge 10: Cats. Another ka-ching.

Leah wrote: "Hi all, I'm hoping the fantasy lovers in our group might be able to help me out. Over the last few years, really since I started reading the Wayward Children series, I've discovered I love portal f..."

You might like Into the Land of the Unicorns Chronicles by Bruce Coville. The author is a friend of Tamora Pierce, who is a well known fantasy author. LOTS of use of portals in his books, especially later in the series.

Amanda wrote: "...Ka-ching...."

🤣

Marta wrote: "Don't know if it can be considered portal, beacuse I still haven't read it, but the first book that comes to my mind is The Famished Road."

Ooo, that one looks really good, portals or no. Thank you!

Olivia wrote: "You might like Into the Land of the Unicorns Chronicles by Bruce Coville..."

That series looks like lots of fun. Thank you!

Your top three are my top three, Leah. Did you know about the sequel to The Hazel Wood that's coming out tomorrow? It's The Night Country. It's my next read.

I feel like there's nothing I can suggest that you haven't read. I also like Perdido Street Station which is sorta similar to portal fantasy (but not really). I've been meaning to read The Ghost Bride--interested in a buddy read of that one?

Here's a Book Riot post about 50 MR portal fantasies: https://bookriot.com/2019/07/17/porta...

Annika is a bit broader in her definition of portal fantasy than I am, but we usually like the same books. Of the books by nonwhite authors she has on the list that I've read, I enjoyed Kindred quite a bit, and Midnight Robber, and Rosewater.

Margaret wrote: "Your top three are my top three, Leah. Did you know about the sequel to The Hazel Wood that's coming out tomorrow? It's The Night Country. It's my next read.

I feel like there's no..."

My hold request at the library for The Night Country shipped today so hopefully I'll have it in my hands in the next couple days. Come Tumbling Down should hit my doorstep around the same time. :-)

RE Ghost Bride - Yes, I'd do a buddy read with you. What timeframe were you thinking? I'm booked for January, though. We might be able to get Amanda (above) to join in too.

I'm booked ;) for January too. How about February?

Years ago I enjoyed Guy Gavriel Kay’s Fionavar series.

Margaret wrote: "I'm booked ;) for January too. How about February?"

I'm up for that.

Marta wrote: "Don't know if it can be considered portal, beacuse I still haven't read it, but the first book that comes to my mind is The Famished Road..."

Added to my TBRs

Margaret wrote: "I'm booked ;) for January too. How about February?"

February works for me too.

The Ghost Bride looks good, I've put it on my list. Thanks for the rec!

I'm about a third of the way through The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern and it's such a good portal fantasy! I'm enjoying it more than The Night Circus!

I feel like we're in a renaissance of portal fantasy, with Seanan McGuire's series, Ten Thousand Doors of January, The Hazel Wood, and now The Starless Sea.

Let's see. I like
The Treachery of Beautiful Things by Ruth Frances Long
The Green Knight’s Squire by John C. Wright

and I perpetrated The Princess Goes Into The Forest, and so am no judge of how good it is -- though I warn you that I was doing some funny stuff with the genre so it may not turn out to be what you're looking for.

Margaret wrote: "...I'm enjoying it more than The Night Circus!"

Blasphemy! 🤣 joking, joking. Unfortunately, I ran out of renewals on The Starless Sea so I had to return it, but I'll definitely check it back out again, though probably not till March.

I really enjoyed it and know you will too, Leah. I had to return it once too, but was able to read it on the second checkout.

Most of these are YA (most portal fantasy seems to be), but they're all ones I can personally recommend as excellent :)

Seven-Day Magic
The Magician's Nephew
The Brothers Lionheart
Neverworld Wake
The Weirdstone of Brisingamen
The Hero from Otherwhere
The Phantom Tollbooth
The Door
Saturday, the Twelfth of October
The Little Broomstick

Leah wrote: "Hi all, I'm hoping the fantasy lovers in our group might be able to help me out. Over the last few years, really since I started reading the Wayward Children series, I've discovered I love portal f..."

Besides the ones already mentioned, I would suggest Phantastes by George MacDonald. Published in 1858, it's the original portal fantasy story.

Oooh, yeah, good one!

Michele wrote: "Most of these are YA (most portal fantasy seems to be), but they're all ones I can personally recommend as excellent :)


Thank you for the long list. A couple I read as a kid, but there's several I hadn't even heard of. Thanks again!