It is impossible to work in a bookstore and not read widely. Everyday brings new temptations begging to be added to my shelves. Sometimes a co-worker recommends a nonfiction book they loved, or a customer raves about the latest mystery in their favorite series, and I take home books I never would have expected to love. All genres have squeezed their way into my heart, but there is one that has a special place of adoration because of all the years we’ve spent together.
There is something, dare I say, magical about the fantasy genre, and it isn’t the literal magic. I think fantasy lends itself well to allegory — the dragon is never just a dragon — and so writers can hide real-world plotlines and political inspirations within an invented world. The “hiding” allows readers across the political spectrum to pick up the story, widening the reach of the writing. Some readers might never allow the story to leave the fantasy world within their mind, but for those that let it grow, the connections are often endless. There is freedom within fantasy, freedom to create any world you can think up, freedom to change the laws of physics, or erase them entirely, freedom to invent all manner of creatures and cultures, and this freedom is the perfect stage for story.
As children, magical stories are often brought to us. From fairytales to ghost stories, there is so much whimsy in the world of children’s literature. But as we age, there comes a pressure to leave the magic behind. Purveyors of literary fiction may be less likely to read a fantasy book because it takes place in an invented world, but I think that is the very reason they should. To read a fantasy book is to travel universes, to walk in a world that operates differently than our own, which is a great lesson in empathy and imagination both. Fantasy is such a wide genre. There is endless potential when inventing worlds, so I like to think there is a fantasy book for every type of reader.
I created Friends of Fantasy Day as a way for independent bookstores to encourage readers of all ages to seek out fantastical worlds. It is a day to let magic sweep you away, whether celebrating in person at a bookstore or listening to a good audiobook at home. Whether you are already a lover of fantasy or if you haven’t picked up a book with magic in thirty years, I hope you’ll find something to read in the selections below.
— Rachel Randolph, Parnassus bookseller & founder of Friends of Fantasy Day
Scroll down to see the schedule for Friends of Fantasy Day at Parnassus on January 31!
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Classic fantasy with an epic scope, The Realm of the Elderling series spans 16 novels and you will come to love these characters as if you had lived each adventure with them.
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Friends of Fantasy Day at Parnassus Books
January 31, 2026
10:30 AM – Fantasy-Themed Storytime with Hannah and Aly
11:00 AM – Crafting with Jennifer Lynn Alvarez
12:00 PM – Memory Games with Julian Vaca
1:00 PM – DnDoggos Character Creation with Scout Underhill
2:00 PM – Map Making with Erica Ivy Rodgers
3:00 PM – Speculative Black Out Poetry with Hannah Whitten
4:00 PM – Fortune Telling with Meredith Lyons and Tarot Reading with Kristin O’Donnell Tubb
After hours, starting at 6:30 PM, we will be hosting a special event Maggie Stiefvater, author of The Scorpio Races. This is a ticketed event and tickets must be purchased in advance. The event is currently SOLD OUT, but if any ticketholders cannot come and request a refund, their tickets will be made available again, first come first served. Click here for tickets and more information.
Musing 