There are certain books, you understand, that settle into one’s heart and refuse ever to leave. The Princess Bride is decidedly one of these—a story of true love, daring swordplay, and deliciously wicked wit that has charmed readers for generations. Should you find yourself, as so many do, yearning for more of that peculiar magic, then pray allow this guide to point the way.
What follows is a carefully curated collection of books that capture that same rare alchemy of adventure and romance, of humor and heart, that makes William Goldman’s masterpiece so utterly unforgettable. Each possesses its own brand of enchantment, and yet all share that indefinable quality that makes one stay up far too late reading by candlelight.
The Wendy by Erin Michelle Sky and Steven Brown
If The Princess Bride is the story of a farm boy who becomes a legend, then The Wendy is the story of an orphan girl who refuses to accept the life the world has assigned her. Set in 1780s England, this Peter Pan reimagining follows young Wendy Darling as she dreams of something quite impossible for a girl of her station: to become a ship’s captain and sail the seven seas.
The writing style shall feel delightfully familiar to lovers of Goldman’s work—a third-person narrator with keen wit and a sharp sense of humor that adds something rather special to the proceedings. One reviewer declared it “a classic in its own right,” while another proclaimed they “couldn’t put it down once started.” The prose has been described as having “all the markings of a classic” with “the magical quality that Barrie used to tell the story.”
What sets this tale apart is Wendy herself—a heroine both soft and fierce, diplomatic yet tenacious, who uses her wits to navigate a world full of pirates, magic, and the eternally pompous Captain Hook. There are sword fights aplenty, secrets upon secrets, and a flying ship that shall capture your imagination entirely.
The magic, incidentally, smells green and tastes like pickles. (One really cannot explain it better than that.)
The complete Tales of the Wendy trilogy is now available, beginning with The Wendy, followed by The Navigator and The Captain, with a bonus novella, Tigerlilja, tucked in between. For those seeking the same swashbuckling wit and romance that makes The Princess Bride so beloved, this adventure delivers splendidly.
Stardust by Neil Gaiman
Here is a fairy tale written for those who believe they have outgrown fairy tales—only to discover they have not. Young Tristran Thorn ventures beyond the wall that separates his English village from the realm of Faerie, seeking a fallen star to win the heart of his beloved. What he discovers is that stars, when they fall, become rather beautiful young women with decidedly strong opinions about being given away.
The tale unfolds in the sort of tongue-in-cheek fantasy world that makes The Princess Bride so memorable. There are witches seeking immortality, princes battling for a throne, and a romance that blooms in the most unexpected circumstances. Gaiman’s prose possesses that rare quality of being both whimsical and wise.
Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
Poor Sophie Hatter has the great misfortune of being the eldest of three daughters, which everyone knows means she is destined to fail should she ever seek her fortune. When the Witch of the Waste transforms her into an old woman, Sophie takes refuge in the moving castle of the infamous Wizard Howl—a vain, cowardly, and thoroughly charming young man who is rumored to eat the hearts of young girls.
What follows is a delicious comedy of manners, magic, and misunderstandings, told with a fairy tale sensibility that feels both classic and utterly fresh. Sophie and Howl spar with words as brilliantly as any Westley and Buttercup, and the supporting cast includes a fire demon with a bargain to strike.
The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle
Published in 1968, this luminous tale concerns a unicorn who discovers she may be the last of her kind. Her journey to discover what became of the others leads her through a world that has largely forgotten how to believe in magic—and into the path of a bumbling magician, a past-her-prime heroine, and a monster called the Red Bull.
Beagle’s prose is as much poetry as narrative, filled with melancholy beauty and unexpected humor. The story walks the same knife’s edge between sincerity and wit that makes The Princess Bride so affecting. One simply cannot read it without being moved.
Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson
This delightful romp was written as an explicit homage to The Princess Bride, and it shows in all the best ways. When simple window-washer Tress’s beloved Charlie is kidnapped by the dread Sorceress of the Midnight Sea, she does what any sensible heroine would do: she joins a pirate crew to rescue him.
The narrator addresses the reader directly with Goldmanian wit, the world-building is wonderfully inventive (the seas are made of deadly spores rather than water), and the romance is sweet enough to satisfy without overwhelming the adventure. It possesses that rare quality of being both a proper fantasy and a knowing wink at the genre.
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
At her birth, Ella receives a fairy’s gift of obedience—which proves to be more curse than blessing, as she must obey any command given to her. This clever reimagining of Cinderella follows Ella as she navigates a world of ogres, elves, and wicked stepsisters while seeking to break her enchantment.
The tale won a Newbery Honor for excellent reason: it transforms a passive heroine into an active one, maintains a witty and engaging voice throughout, and builds toward a climax where love conquers all—but only because Ella chooses to fight for it herself.
A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher
Fourteen-year-old Mona possesses magical abilities of a decidedly modest sort: she can make bread rise faster and gingerbread men dance. These talents serve her well enough in her aunt’s bakery, until she discovers a body on the floor and finds herself caught up in a plot that threatens all the magic-folk of her city.
Kingfisher writes with tremendous wit and heart, managing to be genuinely funny whilst tackling rather serious themes about heroism and responsibility. If you appreciate The Princess Bride‘s ability to balance humor with genuine stakes, this tale shall suit you admirably.
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
A mysterious circus that appears without warning and opens only at night. Two young magicians, trained since childhood, locked in a competition they do not fully understand. A love story that unfolds amidst the most wondrous illusions ever imagined.
Morgenstern’s prose is lush and atmospheric, creating a dreamlike world that feels both Victorian and timeless. The romance builds slowly and inevitably, and the circus itself becomes a character—filled with tents of cloud, gardens of ice, and wonders beyond imagining.
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
Meggie’s father possesses a rare and dangerous gift: when he reads aloud, characters from stories come to life. This ability has already cost him dearly, and when villains from a book called Inkheart come seeking to exploit his power, Meggie must discover whether stories can be rewritten—and whether she has inherited her father’s gift.
A tale for book-lovers about the power of stories, written with the same understanding that fairy tales matter that makes The Princess Bride resonate so deeply.
The Neverending Story by Michael Ende
Bastian Bux is a lonely boy who steals a book and loses himself in the magical land of Fantastica—only to discover that this is a story he is meant to become part of. The tale is both an adventure and a meditation on the power of imagination, written with European fairy tale sensibility.
Like The Princess Bride, it plays with the conventions of storytelling itself, creating something that works for readers of all ages whilst never condescending to any of them.
Find Your Next Great Adventure
Each of these books captures something of what makes The Princess Bride so eternally beloved: the sense that stories matter, that true love is worth fighting for, and that the right tale can make us believe in magic all over again.
Whether you seek swashbuckling adventure, star-crossed romance, or simply the pleasure of a story told with wit and wonder, these recommendations shall serve you well. And remember—as you wish.
