9 Books Like Harry Potter That Aren’t for Kids
Ok, I’ll address the elephant in the room: what’s metal about Harry Potter? Well, my aunt used to think reading about Hogwarts was training kids to do evil witchcraft, so that’s metal enough for me.
In all seriousness, this one will be a little nerdier than usual, but who cares? Harry Potter is cool, and if you don’t think so, you probably watched Friends or beat up that kid who walked with a limp in middle school.
Are There Really Any Books Like Harry Potter?
We’re going to have to be very careful with our definition of “like” here, because if you’re looking to spend another school year with Ron and Hermoine, you’re in for a terrible disappointment. There’s something about the Harry Potter books that the world latched onto—a formula, a vibe, a yearning for a magical escape, or something like that—that can’t be replicated.
JK Rowling is a billionaire, and you can call this luck, but Robert Jordan had all the marketing in the world, and most people still have no idea who he is. What we’re including here are books that include the best elements of the Harry Potter series. Arguably, these are:
Humor that actually lands
Magic and/or mystery
Escape
Cohesiveness
Likable characters
Ease of reading
As you’ll see, it’s tough finding all of these traits in a single book or series. Still, plenty of authors have managed to write fascinating page-turners with equal or better technical skill than Rowling.
Swedish black metal scene or Hogwarts express?
1. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
The Name of the Wind is one of those books that everyone seems to love. It’s a classic fantasy in some ways and a fresh take on the genre in others.
It follows and details the talented and somewhat arrogant main character, Kvothe, including his childhood and later years. There are creatures and magic and even a magical education, but it’s a completely different type of adventure than Harry’s.
It’s hard to give away much without ruining the story, but it has plenty of world and character-building over its 600 or so pages.
We should note that The Name of the Wind isn’t a single story arc that unveils itself across the book but multiple points of interest that come up gradually. This is likely because Rothfuss wrote all three of his books in the series at once, dividing them later during the editing process.
2. The Elder Wyrm by K. R. VanderBrooke
JK Rowling wasn’t the first, nor was she the last author to introduce a novel’s magic system by means of young charismatic pupils. The Elder Wyrm is our latest fantasy novel that thrives on classic fantasy nostalgia and even heavy metal themes.
While it spans many settings, the one that best explains its unique magic system is a disturbingly unethical school for brilliant young students.
The book is similarly readable to the HP series, though it contains some dark, rude humor suitable for an older audience. It also features a bright, fun cast of characters viewed from a 3rd-person-limited perspective reminiscent of Harry’s. If you’re looking for some dark and occasionally obscene fun, The Elder Wyrm is your book.
3. Discworld by Terry Pratchet
Before there was JK Rowling, there was Terry Pratchet. The '80s wasn't a dead time for literature, and while it lacked a new Lord of the Rings, it still offered plenty of quality fantasy titles for discerning readers.
Discworld doesn’t take itself nearly as seriously as many of its contemporaries, and the whole series is considered comedic fantasy. Discworld, a predictably flat place, exists on the back of a giant turtle, and its many inhabitants are inspired by previous tropes, film, music, and politics.
Pratchet wrote a stunning 41 books in his disc universe, so if you often have trouble finding plots that appeal to you, you aren’t exactly limited here. The only throughline throughout all of it is the satirical British humor Pratchet is known for.
4 Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman
Neil Gaiman is a master of modern prose. His writing is tight and minimal but expressive and fun. This means that almost all of his work feels lively and well-paced, even when the source material is over a thousand years old.
In Norse Mythology, Neil Gaiman takes a few liberties with our Christian records of Norse myths, spinning them into a fantastical epic. The book brings cohesion to otherwise unrelated and contradictory stories, which are a lot more fun to read this way.
Norse and Celtic myths are at the heart of nearly every European fantasy story, including Harry Potter, so if you’re looking for something with a similar vibe, Norse Mythology might be your book.
5. The Bartimaeus Trilogy by Johnathan Stroud
Bartimaeus isn’t quite like anything else, and that’s a good thing. It’s set in London around the same time period as HP and features plenty of magical elements, but it otherwise stands on its own.
The trilogy begins in an alternative-history UK, in which people can summon demons to do their bidding. When the protagonist, twelve-year-old John Mandrake, summons a 5,000-year-old Djinni called Bartimaeus out of spite, he finds himself at the center of a much larger conflict than he had imagined.
The trilogy is imaginative and wide-reaching and has drawn plenty of critical acclaim for good reason. Despite its unique qualities, both the setting and overall vibe make this one perfectly suited for those looking for books like Harry Potter.
6. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
This list will be a bit Gaiman-heavy, but he’s British and doesn’t take himself too seriously, so he’s right at home here. The Graveyard Book is a slightly macabre reinterpretation of The Jungle Book, it’s not similar enough to be mistaken for a cheap ripoff.
The story follows a boy named Bod (short for nobody), who winds up under the care of a community of ghosts after his parents are killed. Leaving the graveyard means certain death, and the mystery of Bod’s circumstances gradually unravels throughout the novel.
With its parent death, pseudo prophecy, and urban fantasy, The Graveyard Book lands very close to Harry Potter in tone and content. It’s tough to put down, so a definite recommend.
7. Earthsea Chronicles by Ursula K. Le Guin
This will be our most literal interpretation of the blog title, as the first book in the series spends many of its pages detailing a young protagonist’s experience attending a school for wizards while being hunted by an otherworldly shadow being. It draws so many comparisons to Rowling’s world, in fact, that most cite it as a major influence.
The series is regarded as a classic by some, though it does seem to have aged prematurely in light of HP’s brilliance. The world is exotic and imaginative, but the characters aren’t quite as fun to be around. If you’re looking for something with more of a solemn tone, Earthsea might be right for you.
8. Stardust by Neil Gaiman
Stardust has more of a typical fairy tale setting than Potter’s world, but it’s technically an urban fantasy. owing to the fact that the community of Wall resembles a non-magical, non-fantastical scene in the early 20th century.
Across Wall’s wall, though, is a strange world, in which fairies and other strange creatures interact with humans and native humanoids.
The story is part convoluted romance and part adventure, but it can get surprisingly dark. It’s also not intended for young audiences and features some amusingly graphic sex scenes.
9. Scholomance Series by Naomi Novik
Another book about magical schools, Scholomance is a more sinister take on the genre. Children are being attacked by strange creatures, and their parents enroll them in Scholomance, a school for wizards, to improve their survival rate.
Scholomance has been at the center of a number of twitter debates, but these mostly seem to be the kinds of things propagated by blue-hair types with nothing better to do. And while it hasn’t had the critical acclaim that other books have, it’s a neat concept and fun adventure for adventurous readers.
So there you have it. Books like Harry Potter do exist, though you’ll have to broaden your horizons just a little.
And that’s it for today. For more metal art, literature, and music stuff, keep browsing Metalblog, and as always, check out our latest book releases.