Good vs evil is one of fantasy's oldest themes. It dates back to ancient myths and continues into the modern age through authors like Tolkien.
Despite the occasional criticism that good vs evil fantasy narrows the genre's scope, its timeless appeal can spawn many new, exciting stories.
In this blog post, I've chosen five outstanding book series that offer unique takes on the theme and feature remarkable narrative elements, making them ideal candidates for your next read.
Pullman's His Dark Materials is a trilogy that feels epic in scope while remaining narratively intimate. The story unfolds across multiple universes with ambitious designs.
However, its heart centres on Lyra and Will, two preteens who face constant peril, but thrive by supporting one another.
Through the grim magisterium, His Dark Materials highlights a potential shortcoming of organized religions. When malevolent people attain leadership positions, they can persuade their followers to disregard the peaceful religion's doctrines in favour of doing evil "in the service of God."
For this reason, the book series is often categorized as a critique of organized religion. Howevessential essential to note that the story does not condemn religiosity as an inherently evil system.
Instead, it cautions us not to assume that all religious people are virtuous. After all, some people will commit bad acts and use 'God' as the justification.
His Dark Materials stands out for its excellent and layered character writing. Taking Lyra as an example, her tendency to lie might make her seem untrustworthy. However, one of her defining traits is loyalty.
In The Golden Compass, she boldly leaves home to rescue her friend Roger from the nefarious Gobblers. Although she got distracted while travelling with Mrs. Coulter, who can blame her? She was a young person experiencing many marvellous things for the first time. In any case, she didn't allow herself to be distracted for long before escaping Mrs Coulter's influence.
I love the characters in His Dark Materials, but the secondary world makes it stand out.
Whether it's the fascinating daemons (animal-like creatures that exist in the real world as manifestations of human souls), the fearsome and intriguing armoured bears, or the mysterious human witches, all of them make me adore the depth of Pullman's creativity.
Set on the rocky planet of Roshar, the Stormlight Archive delivers a character-driven narrative enriched with history, culture, architecture, science, and magic.
Although only five of the planned ten books have been released, the consistent quality of each novel suggests that the rest of the series will be equally impressive.
I mean, it's already mindblowing that a half-completed series has already garnered such high praise and a dedicated following.
The lines between good and evil are often blurred in many modern fantasy stories. However, the Stormlight Archive presents its protagonists as characters who struggle to find their moral grounding but ultimately strive for goodness.
Even after committing wrongful acts, they seek sincere redemption. And I can tell you it feels rewarding to identify with and support characters who do good, even when it's challenging.
I admire the Stormlight Archive because the characters feel authentic. Even when I disagree with their choices, I can understand the reasons behind them. This is because the series excels at conveying the characters' personalities and convictions while effectively portraying their stories.
As a fan of action fantasy, I particularly enjoy battle sequences. That's why The Stormlight Archive, which is filled with heart-pumping action scenes, remains one of my favourite series to date.
One Piece by Eiichiro Oda is one of the longest-running and best-selling comic book (manga) series ever. It follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy and his Straw Hat pirate crew during their quests for the ultimate treasure known as the One Piece.
The series is divided into eleven distinct sagas, each comparable in structure and length to full-length novels. While the overall series is extensive, it is not overwhelming. Each saga is wickedly funny and tells a complete story that you can enjoy either on its own or in conjunction with the others.
Pirates are often viewed as villains, but One Piece subverts this expectation by portraying Luffy and his crewmates as heroes. In contrast, traditional symbols of order, such as the world government and its Navy, are depicted as evil villains.
This subversion highlights a theme similar to His Dark Materials, where simple labels of hero or villain do not fully capture the complexity of people's capabilities. For example, Luffy and his crewmates are good pirates, but Kaidou, Crocodile, Doflamingo, and many others are evil pirates. On the other hand, Garp, Fujitora, and Koby are good navy men, while Morgan, Akainu, and many others serve as navy villains.
One Piece masterfully balances comedy with heartfelt drama. What I mean by this is that One Piece is a very funny series! But you'll be forgiven if that's all you think you'll get. Heartfelt dramatic stories are between the character hijinks, comically absurd worldbuilding, and recurring gags.
For example, when the Strawhats first meet their close ally Princess Vivian in the Alabasta saga, she tries to kill them, but she hilariously fails because the Strawhats are that strong. Later, when the Strawhats find out about her situation, they go out of their way to help her, and by the end, their bond is strong enough to transcend years of separation.
The world of One Piece is split by a continuous mountain known as the Red Line, with each hemisphere further divided by a perilous equatorial sea called the Grand Line. Most of the events occur in the Grand Line's many bizarre islands. For instance, an island might consist of deserts, sky clouds, or even sentient cakes, with inhabitants that include ordinary humans, dwarfs, fishmen, or sentient toys.
Just as the absurd character designs play crucial roles in the plot, so do the unique features of the islands and the world. For example, in the Skypiea Saga, the presence of rare soil needed for growing plants is a central cause of the conflicts.
Inspired by Russian folklore, The Winternight Trilogy blends myth and magic with a personal coming-of-age story. The trilogy follows Vasya, who has the unique ability to see and communicate with spirits, as she stands against human and supernatural threats.
The trilogy explores how misplaced paranoia can lead to evil. For instance, Vasya's stepmother perceives the village's protective spirits as demonic. As a result, she unjustly criticizes Vasya for communicating with them, even though Vasya and her friendly spirits have good intentions. This leads her into the thrall of the newly possessed village, a cleric who stokes her fears further and manipulates her into committing evil deeds.
The Winternight trilogy excels because of its great villains. Book one, The Bear and the Nightingale, is one of my favourites. Although its name makes it seem mundane in comparison to other fantasy creatures, experiencing its intimidating presence alongside Vasya was enough to make us feel a deep sense of dread.
The Winternight trilogy is set in medieval Russia, and as its name implies, much of the plot takes place during winter. But this isn't just an aesthetic. We observe characters' daily lives and choices, which increase their chances, which in turn makes us understand the many roots of their beliefs and personalities.
The book series villains are compelling because they pose genuine threats to our protagonist, Vasya. In short, we cared about the threats they posed because we cared about Vasya and her family, and this is undeniably due to Ms Katherine Arden's compelling character writing.
Faery Rebels is a cosy trilogy that follows three faeries on different aspects of the same quest to save their home and the faery world.
Through the actions of its protagonists, Knife, Linden, and Rhosmari, the series offers fresh perspectives on the good vs. evil trope. It challenges us to consider adopting nonviolent actions to enforce peace even when we can easily dispense violence.
In the first novel, Knife confronts her Queen when they disagree about whether to trust their human neighbour. Although Knife could easily use force to subdue her Queen, she commendably seeks alternative solutions.
The second and third novels introduce a more malevolent antagonist, who provides Linden and Rhosmari with additional reasons to abandon their principles. However, they hold onto their values until the end.
Each of the three characters has a distinct voice and personality, yet they all share one unifying trait: their charm. It is equal parts relatable, adorable, and unforgettable. That's why I still think fondly of them, even though a few years have passed since I finished reading the series.
Each novel's gradual build-up of romance is delightful. Fans of slow-burn relationships and the friends-to-lovers trope will particularly enjoy this aspect.
I also appreciated how the author clearly explains the mysteries of the faerie world, including key details about how it functions and coexists with the human world.
I love all five book series mentioned above and wholeheartedly recommend them. However, I acknowledge that everyone has different preferences. Based on that, here are my suggestions for the best good vs evil fantasy novel series to begin with:
- If you're excited about a coming-of-age adventure that explores themes of theology and morality, start with His Dark Materials.
- If you prefer an epic tale with fantastic characters and thrilling action scenes, look no further than the Stormlight Archive.
- If you're looking for a series that'll make you laugh and move your heart, start with One Piece.
- If you enjoy winter settings and can't get enough of folklore-inspired fantasy, then the Winternight Trilogy is your perfect choice.
- Finally, if a cosy fantasy series with charming protagonists sounds appealing, you should start with Faery Rebels.
Regardless of which series you choose from these five, I am confident that you'll have a great time. Happy reading, dear Littafi reader!
