The Harry Potter books and movies were incredibly popular and shaped the childhoods of many millennials, blending everyday life with magical elements. While the original series remains beloved and launched the careers of its actors, revisiting the books as an adult reveals they don’t quite measure up to some other fantasy series.
While the Harry Potter series may feel familiar and bring back fond memories for many, it’s worth exploring other fantastic fantasy novels. There are plenty of excellent books, including those with magical school settings, that were actually published before the Harry Potter books, and it’s becoming harder to ignore the issues surrounding the author. It’s a good time to discover new worlds and authors in the fantasy genre.
The Worst Witch
By Jill Murphy
As the Harry Potter series went on, the stories became quite dark, and it’s easy to forget they started as books for children. In contrast, Jill Murphy’s The Worst Witch books are clearly written for younger readers and tell the story of Mildred Hubble, a clumsy witch-in-training at Miss Cackle’s Academy. Recently, the series was adapted for television with Bella Ramsey in the lead role as the Worst Witch.
Unlike Harry Potter, The Worst Witch doesn’t focus on a single character destined for greatness. Mildred, the main character, frequently struggles with self-doubt and improves through her own efforts, often rescuing her school from danger. This makes the eight-book series more appealing and often funnier for young readers.
The Elemental Masters
By Mercedes Lackey
The Elemental Masters series reimagines classic fairy tales for today’s readers, often placing them in historical settings like World War II. While Harry Potter sorts students based on their personalities, this series takes a different approach: magical characters are naturally drawn to a specific element – like earth, air, fire, or water – and the creatures connected to it.
The Elemental Masters series features a new main character in each book, following their journey of magical discovery. Similar to the Harry Potter books, these stories explore characters growing up, but instead of being sorted into groups, each character learns to shape their magic in a unique way. It’s a fantasy series with optimistic endings, and the stories focus on strong female heroes who both rescue others and discover their own potential.
The Rain Wild Chronicles
By Robin Hobb
While the Harry Potter series sometimes portrays Harry as an outsider, this is due to his situation rather than his personality – unlike characters like Luna Lovegood. If you’re looking for a true outsider to connect with, The Rain Wild Chronicles is a better choice. The story follows Thymara, who is born with physical differences that lead to rejection by her community. She decides to join a challenging quest: leading newly hatched dragons on a journey home.
Robin Hobb is known for creating complex and rewarding fantasy series, and her Rain Wild Chronicles is particularly captivating. The story features a unique world filled with ancient ruins and a dangerous, acidic river. Dragon enthusiasts might even enjoy it more than Harry Potter because Hobb portrays dragons as fully developed characters with their own distinct culture and history, rather than simply as magical creatures or companions.
Wicked
By Gregory Maguire
One challenge with the Harry Potter series is its difficulty in explaining complex issues of unfairness to younger readers. Wicked, a novel by Gregory Maguire (which inspired the popular stage show and films), handles this much more effectively. The story focuses on a character who is ostracized and unfairly targeted by misleading information as she battles against an unjust system.
This book is set at a school for magic and delves into the complexities of good versus evil. Unlike Harry Potter, it bravely examines the consequences of staying silent when prejudice grows. While Harry Potter is now often criticized for some of its older ideas, Wicked still feels powerfully current and meaningful.
The Earthsea Cycle
By Ursula K. Le Guin
At first glance, the plot of The Earthsea Cycle seems a lot like Harry Potter. The main character, Ged, goes to a secluded school for magic, learns from an experienced teacher, has a competitive relationship with a classmate, and battles a shadowy being. But The Earthsea Cycle remains a timeless fantasy series because it combines familiar fantasy elements with a truly captivating story.
Many readers consider Ursula K. Le Guin’s Earthsea Cycle to be a more impactful series than Harry Potter. It’s known for its intricate storytelling, deeper emotional resonance, and slower, more deliberate pace. The books also feature a wider range of cultures, and emphasize that true strength comes from wisdom, not just natural ability. Ultimately, Earthsea suggests that how you use your gifts is more important than the gifts themselves.
The Magicians
By Lev Grossman
Lev Grossman’s The Magicians begins like Harry Potter, with a young man named Quentin Coldwater being admitted to a school for magic where he finally feels like he belongs. But the series quickly diverges, exploring the dangerous consequences of magic when Quentin unintentionally releases a terrifying creature.
The TV series based on The Magicians has been hailed as a perfect fantasy show, and its quick adaptation makes sense. The books’ gritty and realistic approach to magic translated well to the screen. While Harry Potter characters acknowledge that magic isn’t a cure-all, the characters in The Magicians truly demonstrate its limitations.
Percy Jackson & The Olympians
By Rick Riordan
The Percy Jackson books tell the story of Percy, a boy who discovers he’s a demigod. He goes to Camp Half-Blood, a training ground for other demigods, to learn how to defend himself. Similar to Harry Potter, the series blends the normal world with a magical one, but Percy Jackson feels more realistic, and it’s praised for its positive portrayal of dyslexia and ADHD.
Both the Harry Potter and Percy Jackson & The Olympians series are exciting and written for younger readers, but enjoyable for adults as well. However, the Percy Jackson books are generally funnier, feature more diversity in terms of race and LGBTQ+ characters, and are set in the modern world, cleverly blending mythology with real places like the Empire State Building and Long Island.
His Dark Materials
By Philip Pullman
While Harry Potter experiences typical teenage struggles, he doesn’t have the imperfections that make characters truly engaging and believable. In contrast, Philip Pullman’s Lyra feels incredibly real and relatable. Many of us know someone like Lyra – fiercely loyal, headstrong, curious, and remarkably bright, even without a traditional education, despite growing up surrounded by academics.
Both His Dark Materials and Harry Potter feature a ‘chosen one’ character, but Lyra’s importance feels like something she achieves through her actions, not just because of who she is. The series confidently tackles complicated themes and mature storylines about the risks of organized religion, all while maintaining the captivating charm and adventure that define great fantasy series.
The Kingkiller Chronicle
By Patrick Rothfuss
The Kingkiller Chronicle stands out for its incredibly original magic system. The story centers on Kvothe, a talented musician who grows up with a traveling troupe before experiencing a terrible tragedy. While the first two books of the planned three-book series are easy to get into, similar to Harry Potter, the world they build is far more intricate and detailed.
This story feels like a grand, classic tale, filled with adventures, romance, and deceit. Even the smaller side stories enrich the plot and keep things moving. We follow Kvothe as he studies magic and secretly prepares to avenge his parents’ death. Throughout his journey, he encounters believable cultures and well-developed characters, and despite the series being incomplete, the existing books are truly exceptional.
The Old Kingdom
By Garth Nix
Fantasy novels frequently fall into a pattern of unoriginal magical jobs. While Harry Potter cleverly reimagined common professions with a magical twist, Garth Nix’s Old Kingdom series goes further. It presents a unique world where Necromancers exist, and characters even have jobs centered around guiding people to the afterlife.
The main characters are figuring out their roles in life, but they take charge instead of just responding to events. Unlike many “chosen one” stories – like Harry Potter – this series often surprises viewers with unexpected turns that highlight the characters’ cleverness and ability to solve problems, rather than simply fulfilling a predetermined fate. Netflix should definitely turn this fantasy series into a show next.
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2026-01-29 23:34