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Quick answer: If you liked Stephen King's Fairy Tale, try The Talisman, The Eyes of the Dragon, Neverwhere, Stardust, The Ocean at the End of the Lane and The Last Unicorn. All send ordinary people into hidden magical worlds.
In Fairy Tale, Charlie Reade inherits a secret gateway from an old man named Mr. Bowditch and enters a land called Empis, where a fallen kingdom and a dark power wait. It combines King's down-to-earth style with classic fairy-tale structure. The 15 books below include King's own fantasies, portal stories and modern retellings that feel just as strange and warm.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Talisman | Stephen King and Peter Straub | Adult | readers who want King's portal story |
| The Eyes of the Dragon | Stephen King | Adult | King fans who want a fantasy |
| The Gunslinger | Stephen King | Adult | readers who want an epic |
| Neverwhere | Neil Gaiman | Adult | readers who like urban fantasy |
| Stardust | Neil Gaiman | Adult | fans of classic fairy tales |
| The Ocean at the End of the Lane | Neil Gaiman | Adult | readers who like memory and dread |
| The Last Unicorn | Peter S. Beagle | Adult | readers who want a classic |
| Uprooted | Naomi Novik | Adult | readers who like fairy-tale fantasy |
| Spinning Silver | Naomi Novik | Adult | readers who like retellings |
| The Bear and the Nightingale | Katherine Arden | Adult | readers who like folklore |
| Howl's Moving Castle | Diana Wynne Jones | Teen/Adult | readers who want a lighter pick |
| The Magicians | Lev Grossman | Adult | readers who want a grown-up Narnia |
| The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe | C.S. Lewis | All ages | readers who want the classic |
| The Neverending Story | Michael Ende | Teen/Adult | readers who love books about books |
| The Princess Bride | William Goldman | Adult | readers who want laughs |
1. The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub
Jack Sawyer, a boy, travels across America and into the Territories to find a talisman that can save his mother. The closest in structure.
Best for: readers who want King's portal story.
2. The Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King
King's fairy tale for his daughter follows a kingdom, a wicked wizard and a prince locked in a tower. A shorter, gentler King.
Best for: King fans who want a fantasy.
3. The Gunslinger by Stephen King
Roland of Gilead chases the man in black across a strange desert. The first of the Dark Tower series.
Best for: readers who want an epic.
4. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
Richard Mayhew helps a hurt girl and falls into London Below, a hidden city under the city. Funny and creepy.
Best for: readers who like urban fantasy.
5. Stardust by Neil Gaiman
Tristran crosses a wall into Faerie to fetch a fallen star. A short fairy tale for adults.
Best for: fans of classic fairy tales.
6. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
A man returns to his childhood home and remembers a strange and terrifying summer. Short and haunting.
Best for: readers who like memory and dread.
7. The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle
A unicorn leaves her forest to find the others of her kind, with the help of a magician. Lyrical and bittersweet.
Best for: readers who want a classic.
8. Uprooted by Naomi Novik
Agnieszka is taken by the Dragon, a wizard, to his tower, and discovers the Wood is a threat. A dark fairy tale with Polish roots.
Best for: readers who like fairy-tale fantasy.
9. Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
A moneylender's daughter makes a deal with the ice kings of the Staryk. A reimagining of Rumpelstiltskin.
Best for: readers who like retellings.
10. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
Vasilisa lives in medieval Russia and must protect her village from spirits. Rich, cold and atmospheric.
Best for: readers who like folklore.
11. Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
Sophie is cursed into an old woman and seeks help from the wizard Howl in his moving castle. Funny, sharp and charming.
Best for: readers who want a lighter pick.
12. The Magicians by Lev Grossman
Quentin finds a school for magic and a land like his favorite childhood books. Darker, with adult themes.
Best for: readers who want a grown-up Narnia.
13. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
Four children enter Narnia through a wardrobe and face the White Witch. The portal classic that started it all.
Best for: readers who want the classic.
14. The Neverending Story by Michael Ende
Bastian reads a book that pulls him into the land of Fantastica. A story about stories, with big ideas.
Best for: readers who love books about books.
15. The Princess Bride by William Goldman
Westley and Buttercup face Prince Humperdinck, Inigo Montoya and Fezzik in a funny, romantic story. A cult classic.
Best for: readers who want laughs.
How to Choose
For King's own fantasy, start with The Talisman or The Eyes of the Dragon. For a hidden world in our own, choose Neverwhere or The Ocean at the End of the Lane. For lyrical fairy tales, pick Stardust, The Last Unicorn or Uprooted. Pick The Princess Bride or Howl's Moving Castle if you want a lighter read. The Gunslinger and The Talisman contain adult content and violence.
Related: 15 Best Fairy Tale Retelling Books for Teens · 15 Best Fairy Tale Retelling Books for Middle Schoolers
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fairy Tale part of The Dark Tower?
No, but King includes a few nods to his larger universe, and it is a standalone novel.
Is Fairy Tale for children?
No. It is written for adults and includes violence, though it has a fairy-tale tone.
What should I read first from King's fantasy?
The Eyes of the Dragon is shorter, and The Talisman is the closest in structure.