Folklore in Fantasy — Stories Steeped in Legend and Lore

Having passed through generations for centuries and centuries, folklore weaves wisdom into the tales and the traditions of communities all around the world. It is the legends and fairytales that celebrated heroes and captivated those gathered around flickering flames, or were whispered through ancient villages to explain the unexplainable and warn of unseen dangers. Although separated by not just time but geography and culture, too, folklore reminds us that despite our differences, humans have always found wonder and hope in similar ways. 📜🔥

It’s no surprise that folklore serves as a rich source of inspiration for fantasy writers. They can take timeless notions of fae, dragons, or other mythical beings, and expand upon them to create entrancing fantastical worlds infused with history and lore. Inspired by traditional myths but told with a twist, these stories create a mesmerising sense of magic that transports and fully absorbs the reader, while also teaching them valuable life lessons. Such stories invite us to step into worlds that are both enchantingly unfamiliar and strangely akin. 🐉🧚‍♀️

Ready to embark on an unforgettable adventure? Here are our favourite fantasies deeply rooted in legend and lore. ✨

🏰 Uprooted by Naomi Novik

With its nods to Baba Yaga, dark but magical forests, and a powerful wizard living in isolation, Uprooted is highly inspired by Slavic and Polish folklore. Agnieszka loves her valley home, but her quiet village is reliant on a cold wizard to keep the surrounding wood’s powers at bay, and he demands a terrible price for his help.

⭐ The Wrath and the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh

The Wrath and the Dawn is derived from the Middle Eastern folk tales found in One Thousand and One Nights. Khalid, the Caliph of Khorasan, is a monster. Each night he takes a new bride only to have a silk cord wrapped around her throat come morning. But when Shahrzad’s dearest friend falls victim to Khalid, she vows vengeance and is determined to end the Caliph’s reign of terror.

🎼 A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Laing

A tale about the Chinese legend of Xishi, one of the Four Beauties of ancient China, A Song to Drown Rivers is an epic historical fantasy about womanhood, war, sacrifice, and love against all odds. Xishi’s beauty is seen as a blessing by the villagers, but it actually hides a deadly purpose.

🩶 Silver in the Bone by Alexandra Bracken

Inspired by medieval stories on the legendary King Arthur, Silver in the Bone is steeped in Celtic lore. It is a story of a teenage girl who seeks her destiny in the cursed ruins of Avalon, driven by love, revenge, and pure adrenaline.

🩸Children of Blood and Bone by Tomy Adeyemi

Children of Blood and Bone is deeply rooted in West African mythology, particularly with its magic system that requires spoken Yoruba incantations to be channeled, and is ruled by deities. Once, the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic, and now Zélie has one chance to bring it back and strike against the monarchy.

❄️ The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

With its abundance of spirits and tales of a winter king, The Bear and the Nightingale is full of Russian folklore and Slavic mythology inspirations. After Vasilisa’s mother dies, her father goes to Moscow and brings home a new wife. Fiercely devout and city-bred, Vasilisa’s new stepmother forbids her family from honouring the household spirits, and soon danger begins to circle.

🍂 The Book of Fallen Leaves by A. S. Tamaki

The fates of gods and samurai converge in this Japanese folklore inspired story filled with vengeful spirits. In The Book of Fallen Leaves, the exiled son of a traitor is determined to restore his decimated clan to their former power. But when his path collides with a lowborn woman who once saved his life, he discovers his family ambitions may have paid a darker price than he ever knew.