Works of modern fantasy owe much to the classics, which we have in abundance: books about fairies and goblins and giants, from the classic Gulliver’s Travels to Alice in Wonderland. There are the Fairy Tales by the Brothers Grimm, and the Fairy Books of every color by Andrew Lang - all twelve - from The Blue Fairy Book to The LIlac Fairy Book. How about some Japanese, Indian, or Irish Fairy tales? Aladdin and the Magic Lamp and Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night are here, as well as Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast.

Definitely check out William Morris whose two most famous novels are The Well at the World's End and The Wood Beyond the World. Edith Nesbit’s books for children are famous: New Treasure Seekers and Five Children and It are some of her best. J.R.R. Tolkien was inspired by Beowulf and The Worm Ouroboros by E.R. Eddison. Edgar Rice Burroughs’ book The Time Machine is a fantasy/sci-fi classic. The Necromancers by Benson is an intriguing novel by an ordained Catholic priest.