Best Fantasy Books of 1989

Below you will find a list of the fantasy books published in 1989 that we enjoyed most. Click on a book title to read the full review.

The Stress of Her Regard by Tim Powers

When Michael Crawford discovers his bride brutally murdered in their wedding bed, he is forced to flee not only to prove his innocence, but to avoid the deadly embrace of a vampire who has claimed him as her true bridegroom. Joining forces with Byron, Keats, and Shelley in a desperate journey that criss-crosses Europe, Crawford desperately seeks his freedom from this vengeful lover who haunts his dreams and will not rest until she destroys all that he cherishes. Told in the guise of a secret history, this long-awaited tale of passion and terror is finally back in print after over 20 years.

"This is an excellent novel and fully deserves the plaudits it already has, and it should enjoy new fans and a wider readership this second time around." Fantasy Book Review

Published: 1989

Duncton Quest by William Horwood (The Duncton Chronicles: Book 2)

Duncton Wood was a wonderful book and so is its sequel. William Horwood does not take the easy path in keeping with the characters that readers would know and love from the first book but presents a whole new cast charged with enthralling the characters as their predecessors did. The animal kingdom is savage and brutal and this is forever the case in Duncton Quest, a far darker and brooding book than the far from light-hearted prequel. Death, disease and the loss of hope and faith are the themes that stand out, any small success or happiness comes at a cost. In Tryfan and Spindle we are given lead characters that are as memorable as Bracken and Boswell, Henbane every bit as menacing as the evil Mandrake.

Published: 1989

Shadow Games by Glen Cook (Chronicles of the Black Company: Books of the South, Book 1)

Shadow Games left me feeling (apart from numb at my inability to write as well as Cook) a deep attachment to Croaker and Lady. They strike me as someone I know, if not as myself and my own partner. I can relate to what they endure, feel, and do. I think that’s one of this books greatest strong points; the ability to leave the reader on the page, rather than sitting in a chair or on the train.

Published: 1989

Duncton Found by William Horwood (The Duncton Chronicles: Book 3)

On a personal level, I also felt a connection to several areas of landscape mentioned in the novel since many principle events occur in the Derbyshire dales, an area of great natural splendour who's essence Horwood captures magnificently, and indeed my familiarity with that part of the country made those events even more real. Duncton Found is not a casual or easy book, and is far less accessible than Duncton Quest. For those who read Duncton Quest simply as an adventure story, or skipped over passages of spiritual significance, or for those who do not like the idea of bloody, shocking and unexpected things happening to beloved main characters this is likely not the right book. If however someone is able to appreciate all elements of Duncton Found, and bear in mind how each element, each chapter, each character and each passage contributes to those around it, then they will be in for a truly remarkable and unforgettable experience. Duncton Found is one of the best examples of a book where the committed reader, or indeed rereader is rewarded, but where the casual reader will find themselves left out.

Published: 1989

The Silver Spike by Glen Cook (Chronicles of the Black Company: Barrowlands, Book 1)

In the end, I was really stoked with reading this book. It did leave me wanting a bit more of an epilogue, but that’s just me and my desire to see things fleshed out, never finished, etc. And I’d guess that you could probably pick this book up without having read any of the previous Black Company books, though I don’t know why you’d want to miss out on them.

Published: 1989