9 Fantasy Books Based on Beloved Stories

	Title	Author(s)	More by the Author
1.	Mark of the Black Arrow	Debbie Viguié & James R. Tuck	The Two Torcs
2.	The Fairest of Them All	Carolyn Turgeon	Godmother: The Secret Cinderella Story
3.	Beastkeeper	Cat Hellisen	When the Sea Is Rising Red
4.	Romanov	Nadine Brandes	Fawkes
5.	Out of Darkness Rising	Gillian Bronte Adams	Orphan's Song
6.	The Ugly Stepsister	Aya Ling	Twice Upon A Time
7.	Heart of the Fae	Emma Hamm	Veins of Magic
8.	A Feast of Sorrows	Angela Slatter	Vigil
9.	Sherlock Holmes and the Shadwell Shadows	James Lovegrove	Sherlock Holmes and the Miskatonic Monstrosities

Fun Activities For Fantasy Fans

Host a magical movie night
Enter a Magic: The Gathering tournament
Play a fantasy video game with friends
Use a Ouija board to contact the spirits
Create a cosplay of your favorite character
Have a board game night
Podcast about your favorite show, movie, or book
Host a Dungeons and Dragons campaign

An Introduction to Fairy Tales

In Depth

We have all had a favorite story growing up. Whether it's a fairy tale, a classic novel, or a Bible story, it's always fun to revisit the familiar places, characters, and themes from the stories we love. If you want to delve into some of the most compelling fantasy books that are based on beloved tales, then take a look at our list of nine, presented here in no particular order.

Starting off at #1 is "Mark of the Black Arrow." Debbie Viguie and James R. Tuck give readers a unique twist on the legend of Robin Hood, where the young hero battles against supernatural evil. The story begins with King Richard entrusting the kingdom to his brother as he goes on a mission to the Holy Land. However, the new king and his right-hand man, the Sheriff of Nottingham, both serve demonic forces. Now, those who are loyal to King Richard must fight back, and look for a hero who can lead them to victory.

At #2 is "The Fairest of Them All." Carolyn Turgeon combines the origin stories of Rapunzel and Snow White in one enthralling fairy tale. Growing up in a mystical forest, Rapunzel shares an afternoon of passion with a young prince she just met. However, the prince is betrothed to someone else. He leaves her, marries his fiance, and they have a beautiful daughter named Snow White. When the queen dies, he returns to the forest and marries Rapunzel, who receives an evil magic mirror from her witch mother as a wedding gift.

Growing up in a mystical forest, Rapunzel shares an afternoon of passion with a young prince she just met.

Coming in at #3 is "Beastkeeper." Penned by Cat Hellisen, it follows the perspective of Sarah, a thirteen-year-old girl who is always on the move with her family. When her mother abandons them, her father starts transforming into a hideous beast, causing him to leave Sarah with her grandparents, whom she never knew existed. There, she discovers that her grandfather also once turned into a beast. This forces her to find a way to confront and break their bloodline's curse, which she also possesses.

Next, at #4 is "Romanov," a heartfelt narrative that combines the real-life journey of Anastasia Romanov with magic. Nadine Brandes's novel explores the viewpoint of Anastasia, who wants to be a spell master, a magical being with the ability to heal. On her way to exile, she smuggles a spell to help her family survive. However, it's not easy to escape the Bolshevik army, and Anastasia must either choose to depend on magic or seek help from a Bolshevik soldier, who she's developing feelings for.

At #5 is "Out of Darkness Rising." Gillian Bronte Adams presents a breathtaking allegory about the biblical fall of man. It begins with the story of a traitor who is transformed into a serpent. After being banished from the kingdom, he lures the king's peasants to a barren island that he claims is full of riches. Upon learning about their treachery, the king curses the island but promises salvation for the villagers. Years later, the promise becomes a myth, and a young girl's parents are executed for believing in the arrival of a redeemer.

Gillian Bronte Adams presents a breathtaking allegory about the biblical fall of man.

At #6 is "The Ugly Stepsister." Aya Ling's first entry in her Unfinished Fairy Tales series follows Kat as she accidentally tears her old Cinderella book, which transports her inside the story. The only way she can get back to her world is finishing the tale up to the happily ever after. However, she is not the main character, but one of the stepsisters. To make it worse, Cinderella is interested in someone else, the fairy godmother is missing, and she finds herself falling for Prince Edward, who dislikes balls.

At #7 is "Heart of the Fae" by Emma Hamm, which is based on the tale of Beauty and the Beast, with a twist of Irish mythology. It follows Sorcha, whose father only has months to live after a plague sweeps across their town. In exchange for a cure, she travels to look for a forgotten fae king. Stabbed by his brother, King Eamonn has been banished to a cursed island by his people. His tragic past causes him to be angry and bitter, but as Sorcha continues on her mission, she and Eamonn find themselves falling for one another.

Next up, at #8 is "A Feast of Sorrows." Written by Angela Slatter, the book consists of fourteen short stories, which all take place in the same magical world. These dark retellings feature strong female protagonists, vengeful women, and witchcraft. The first tale, "Sourdough," follows a woman who falls deeply in love with a witch's fiance. In another story, a former queen lives as a whore after her sister steals her palace. Slatter presents a powerful set of narratives that portray the struggle of good versus evil.

In another story, a former queen lives as a whore after her sister steals her palace.

Finally, at #9 is "Sherlock Holmes and the Shadwell Shadows," which combines the story of Sherlock Holmes with Lovecraftian horror. James Lovegrove's first entry in his Cthulhu Casebooks series follows the legendary fictional detective as he investigates a series of bizarre murders that make victims seem like they have been starved to death. After coming home from Afghanistan, Dr. Watson is accidentally dragged into the investigation. Together, the duo deduces how a powerful drug lord is connected to the presence of shadowy elements.