The cozy fantasy genre feels like it was built to tell stories about the places we call home, whether that’s the charm of a well-lived cottage or the satisfaction of watching a hero create a new home with their own two hands. (Legends and Lattes, anyone?)
But what about the comfort of travel, like the quiet wonder of a new natural landscape or the mouth-watering anticipation of the local cuisine? Or the comfort that comes from a rest at the end of a long day of walking a well-worn path? And the novelty of a journey, regardless of its destination?
Those are the books that we are going to talk about today: cozy fantasy adventures. If you are interested in finding stories that are comforting but still feature a character leaving home to find something out in the world, then read on!
(Disclaimer: There are no affiliate links in this article, but I have provided the links to these books on Amazon in case you’d like to purchase them. But I always recommend checking out your local library or friends’ shelves first!)
1. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Where else could we begin other than the book that started it all? If Helen of Troy was the face that launched a thousand ships, then The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien is the story that launched a thousand cozy fantasies.
The Hobbit follows the story of cozy-lifestyle-icon Bilbo Baggins (a hobbit with excellent taste in comfort and meal practices) as he embarks on a journey with Gandalf the wizard and thirteen dwarves to recover the dwarves’ home and treasure from the evil dragon Smaug.
The episodic style of this adventure lends itself to a cozy night reading. It’s easy to dip into a few chapters and enjoy watching the gears turn in Bilbo’s head as he’s faced with each new challenge that is a far cry from the comfort of The Shire, the quaint neighborhood he calls home. This book also pioneered the concept of “there and back again”, a trope that emphasizes both the wonder of traveling and that there is nothing quite like returning home at the end of it all.
This book is such a lasting success that as of its 75th anniversary, it had sold over one million copies according to USA Today. If you haven’t read this cozy fantasy classic, I highly recommend putting it at the top of your “Next to Read” list!
2. The Color of Magic and The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett
Buy The Color of Magic and The Light Fantastic on Amazon
This pair of fantasy comedy novels, starting with the Color of Magic and continuing with The Light Fantastic, are the perfect way to unwind and find the humor in things we may overlook every day.
These are the introduction to Terry Pratchett’s Discworld universe which takes a lighter approach to high fantasy. The novels follow Rincewind, an incompetent and world-weary wizard, who is unwillingly attached to Twoflower, a starry-eyed tourist and insurance salesman that has come to enjoy the sights found in the seedy City of Ankh-Morpork. What follows is the absolute definition of “shenanigans” – a high-spirited, silly romp through the lively setting of the Discworld.
This book is perfect for a cozy afternoon because of the smile that it will inevitably bring to your face. Rincewind and Twoflower are both wonderfully relatable, and the juxtaposition between the mundane and fantastic (such as the Luggage, the sentient chest that holds Twoflower’s travel necessities) is sure to make anyone take another look at the things that surround them every day.
If you enjoy these books and a good laugh as part of your cozy fantasy collection, there are a LOT more where that came from. There are 41 novels in the Discworld series, and even more short stories! And all of them have a uniting theme – that laughter is the most powerful magic.
3. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
Buy The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe on Amazon
Have you ever dreamed of being able to step into a fantastical world, but then be able to step right back into the comfort of your own home whenever you pleased? Perhaps conveniently via your closet door?
Then the portal fantasy subgenre is perfect for you! And The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is the quintessential portal fantasy.
Step into the world of Narnia with the Pevensie family, who go from their picturesque temporary lodging in the English countryside to an idyllic world filled with talking animals, ancient magic, and a prophecy of queens and kings that the Pevensie children seem destined to fulfill. One of the first encounters is a faun (the famous Mr. Tumnus) inviting one of the Pevensie children over to his home for tea. What says “cozy fantasy” more than tea with a friendly mythological creature?
And if you enjoy this adventure, there are seven total in the series, so no shortage of Narnian hospitality.
4. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
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This might be one of the most controversial takes on this list. Generally, a cozy fantasy should be light and fairly low-stakes. The Name of the Wind, in comparison to other books on this list, is filled with darkness and grief.
But what makes it so wonderful and charming is Patrick Rothfuss’ absolutely beautiful writing style. The story is told through the first-hand account of Kvothe, a living-legend-turned-humble-innkeeper. His adventure is simultaneously heartbreaking and breathtaking, from his charmed childhood traveling with his family’s musical troupe to his teenage years fighting to survive while carving a place for himself at the world’s preeminent magical University.
Every hardship faced is matched with a satisfying and deserved victory for Kvothe. The author’s love of language also really shines through in his descriptions of foods, landscapes, and characters. While there are parts that will leave you on the edge of your seat, the relief that follows as Kvothe’s efforts are rewarded with hot meals, comfortable resting places, and meaningful relationships is well worth the anticipation.
If you enjoy this book, there is an excellent sequel, The Wise Man’s Fear. But be warned – these books are part of an incomplete trilogy, and the last installment came out in 2011. Hopefully we’ll see the end of Kvothe’s tale someday! In the meantime, I’m starting to lose count of how many times I’ve revisited his story.
5. Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
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I’d venture to say that most books that have a relationship with Studio Ghibli are guaranteed cozy-approved. (Well, with the exception of Grave of the Fireflies…)
Howl’s Moving Castle follows the story of Sophie, a girl destined to live a boring life working at her family’s hat shop. But her life is anything but boring as the Witch of the Waste places an aging curse on her, and she must seek out the enigmatic Wizard Howl to lift it.
The world is filled with everyday magic and charming characters at every turn. Although this is often advertised as a children’s book, I think Sophie’s story is engaging nonetheless. She always leaves you wondering what she’ll do next.
If you like this book, it’s actually the first of a series! (Called the Howl series)
6. The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson (Interlude #4 – Rysn)
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Okay, so this one is kind of strange. I don’t recommend The Way of Kings (and by extension, the Storm Light Archives) as a cozy fantasy adventure. Even though it’s one of my favorite series, there is just a lot to keep track of with so many intersecting and complicated plot lines. And frankly, a lot of the themes are on the darker side which keeps it far from cozy.
BUT there is one part of the first book that I think fits the cozy fantasy adventure subgenre perfectly, and that’s Interlude #4 – Rysn.
This interlude follows Rysn, a merchant-in-training following her master into an unfamiliar land to learn the art of the trade. The place she travels to is remarkably similar to our own. It’s delightful to hear Rysn wonder at the things she comes across from the perspective of someone living in a drastically different world. Listening to the loaded conversation and bartering between merchants is as enthralling as any sword fight could hope to be.
My only complaint with Rysn’s tale is its length – it’s definitely a short story that’s part of a larger universe. But don’t worry – Rysn can be found throughout the Stormlight Archives in other interludes, as well as a standalone novel called Dawnshard. I think it’s hard to jump into that book without the context of the rest of the Stormlight Archives, but if you are comfortable sticking around for the epic fantasy of the whole series, you’ll be rewarded with Rysn’s humble interludes every now and again.
7. The Inkheart series by Cornelia Funke
Another portal fantasy to check out is the Inkheart series. And this portal fantasy has every book lover’s dream: characters from a book coming to life!
Meggie and her father (Mo) are lifelong book lovers with a special power: they can read characters from stories and bring them into the real world. This leads to misadventures in our world as well as the world of Inkheart, the fantasy novel-within-the-novel that many characters originate from.
What makes this story so charming is the relationship between Meggie and her father. Their love and camaraderie feels tangible and realistic and just gives you those warm fuzzies inside.
There are three books in the original trilogy, but in 2023 there was a new addition – The Colour of Revenge. And who knows – maybe we’ll see more stories from the eclectic worlds featured in Inkheart.
8. The Books of Earthsea cycle by Ursula K. Le Guin
Buy Book 1 of the Books of Earthsea (A Wizard of Earthsea) on Amazon
If you’re looking for a classic fantasy adventure that has magic and dragons (and that was likely an inspiration for many of the other books on this list) then look no further!
The series starts with A Wizard of Earthsea which follows a young wizard, Ged, on his coming-of-age journey through magic school and beyond. His adventure is largely introspective and the language the author uses to portray his inner struggles is beautiful.
This series sparked another Studio Ghibli movie as well as a whole collection of books and short stories. That means there is no shortage of adventures for the enjoyers of the classic fantasy genre.
9. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
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Although you’ve almost certainly heard of the Harry Potter series, I would be remiss if I left it off of a list featuring heroes exploring a cozy world away from what they’ve known!
Harry Potter follows the story of a young boy who discovers that he is a wizard. He leaves the house of his abusive uncle and aunt to join the mysterious and wonderful Hogwarts school for witchcraft and wizardy.
Although I’d argue that Hogwarts eventually becomes Harry’s home, the first book is full of him exploring the fantastical world and learning about it at the same pace as we do. Every turn is filled with a new form of magic that makes you smile. And even if you’ve seen the movies, if you haven’t read the books, there is so much more to learn about the Hogwarts universe!
There are seven books total in the series, and due to their popularity I’d highly recommend checking them out from your local library rather than picking up new copies.
10. The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa
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This book doesn’t have as strong of an “adventure” theme as the rest, but the main character does leave the comfort of what he knows throughout the book to go on journeys that aren’t guaranteed to lead back home. And it is a certified cozy classic, so a great way to wrap up this list!
The Cat Who Reads Books follows the story of Rintaro, a boy that is running his recently-deceased grandfather’s bookshop. Rintaro has a love of books that is probably relatable for anyone reading this list. It’s this love of books that draws the attention of a mystical cat, who then whisks him away on excursions to save books that are in jeopardy in various ways.
This story deals with grief, but not in an uncomfortable way – it shows the gravity of the lessons Rintaro learned from his grandfather, and explores why those lessons matter in a beautiful way. The author creates a lively wordscape of the worlds of books that will leave you with a longing to find and save books of your own.
This novel is a standalone, which is honestly perfect. It has the power to reignite your passion for any book that will come next. (And will maybe leave you feeling nostalgic for those old favorites on your shelf!)
All of these books will provide a journey away from home without sacrificing the feeling of comfort and security that cozy fantasy is known for.
But this list isn’t exhaustive – are there other cozy fantasy adventures that I’ve missed? Leave a comment down below and maybe I’ll make a part 2!
Thanks for reading,
Riley