The Complete Fairy Tales

If C.S. Lewis and Tolkien say that Macdonald is their master and that they build on his foundation in every story they write… The Complete Fairy Tales must be a seminal read. His stories are full of weird creatures, magical women, golden keys and dreamy atmosphere, but they're also, unlike the later stories by Lord Dunsany, more grounded and traditionally fairy-tale like. The Complete Fairy Tales is an excellent selection of short stories and is definitely for fans of fantasy and fairy tales. Why it's on the list This is an exceptional compilation from an exceptional writer. Put simply – C.S. Lewis, Tolkien, and Madeleine L'Engle all consider George Macdonald to be a master storyteller and the "Grandfather of all of us who struggle to come to terms with truth through fantasy". MacDonald's stories are full of imagination and wonder. This sense of wonder is exactly what modern fantasy writers try to do. It isn't enough anymore (has it ever been enough?), to just write a drab old fantasy story. A true fantasy narrative is one where the readers submerge their own selves into the adventure and BECOME the story. George Macdonald showed modern authors exactly how this is best achieved. Read if you like: An interesting subtext. To understand what inspired the great authors. Fairy-tales. To be reminded that courage, trustworthiness and love are virtues for a reason.