Fantasy novels William Morris was one of the inventors of the modern fantasy novel, quests set in self-contained worlds with Celtic, Icelandic and fairy-tale elements. Morris' mastery of English prose make each and every one of these books a joy to read.
The Hollow Land William Morris, 1856 — One of William Morris' first fantasy tales, featuring a quest for a realm only half-glimpsed by mortals. The Roots of the Mountains William Morris, 1889 — A fantasy novel set in the world of the Icelandic sagas. The House of the Wolfings William Morris, 1889 — Morris' fantasy novel set among the ancient Germanic tribes was cited as in influence Tolkien. The Story of the Glittering Plain William Morris, 1891 — A quest for a stolen fiance leads us into the utopian Land of the Glittering Plain. The Wood Beyond the World William Morris, 1894 — The Wood Beyond the World is one of Morris' masterpieces which he originally published using hand-set type. Child Christopher and Goldilind the Fair William Morris, 1895 — Morris' retelling of the medieval Lay of Havelock the Dane, cited as an influence on C.S. Lewis' Prince Caspian. The Well at the World's End William Morris, 1896 — A classic journey 'there and back again' to find a well which confers near-imortality. The Water of the Wondrous Isles William Morris, 1897 — One of the first fantasy novels with a well-developed female heroine. The Sundering Flood William Morris, 1897 — Morris' last fantasy novel, finished on his death-bed. Site copyrights Terms of Service