Best Fantasy of the 40s (47 books)

Best Fantasy published in the 1940s. Please do not add books published outside the decade of the 1940s.

Some Subgenres:
Best Epic Fantasy
Best Urban Fantasy

Fantasy by Time Period:
Pre-Tolkien Fantasy (Fantasy up through 1937)
Classic Fantasy (Fantasy written before 1980)

Fantasy by Decade:
1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s
1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s

Locus Recommended Fantasy:
2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011

Fantasy By Ratings:
More than 100000, 50000 to 99999, 25000 to 49999, 10000 to 24999
1000 to 9999, 100 to 999, Less than 100

Other Fantasy Lists of Note:
Best Fantasy Books of the 21st Century
Best Fantasy of the 20th Century
Best Forgotten Fantasy of the 20th Century
Popular Highly Rated Fantasy

Related Lists By Topic:
All, Anthropology, Astronomy, Biography, Biology, Children, Classics, Computer Science, Fantasy, Genetics, Graphic Novels, History, Horror, Language, Manga, Military Science Fiction, Music, Mysteries, Non-Fiction, Philosophy, Picture Books, Poetry, Politics, Psychology, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Stories, Travel, Young Adult

See also: Under Rated Books with 1000 to 10000 ratings

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All Votes Add Books To This List

1	The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis 4.27 avg rating — 515,930 ratings score: 1,564, and 16 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
2	Farmer Giles of Ham by J.R.R. Tolkien 3.89 avg rating — 12,252 ratings score: 1,282, and 13 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
3	Animal Farm by George Orwell 4.02 avg rating — 4,500,731 ratings score: 1,280, and 13 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	Stuart Little by E.B. White 3.89 avg rating — 132,152 ratings score: 1,144, and 12 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
5	The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry 4.33 avg rating — 2,450,082 ratings score: 1,086, and 11 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
6	Titus Groan (Gormenghast, #1) by Mervyn Peake 3.93 avg rating — 23,598 ratings score: 962, and 10 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
7	The Ill-Made Knight (The Once and Future King, #3) by T.H. White 3.80 avg rating — 2,847 ratings score: 777, and 8 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
8	The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath by H.P. Lovecraft 3.91 avg rating — 8,367 ratings score: 641, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
9	Islandia by Austin Tappan Wright 4.26 avg rating — 630 ratings score: 490, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
10	Mary Poppins Opens the Door (Mary Poppins, #3) by P.L. Travers 4.07 avg rating — 8,912 ratings score: 476, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
11	Mistress Masham's Repose by T.H. White 3.95 avg rating — 1,932 ratings score: 473, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
12	That Hideous Strength (The Space Trilogy, #3) by C.S. Lewis 3.93 avg rating — 45,720 ratings score: 470, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
13	Tarzan and the Foreign Legion (Tarzan, #22) by Edgar Rice Burroughs 3.75 avg rating — 1,084 ratings score: 459, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
14	The Twenty-One Balloons by William Pène du Bois 3.95 avg rating — 25,984 ratings score: 454, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
14	Animal Farm by George Orwell 4.02 avg rating — 4,500,731 ratings score: 454, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
16	Perelandra (The Space Trilogy, #2) by C.S. Lewis 4.01 avg rating — 59,900 ratings score: 381, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
17	Many Moons by James Thurber 4.12 avg rating — 5,542 ratings score: 375, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
18	Synthetic Men of Mars (Barsoom, #9) by Edgar Rice Burroughs 3.80 avg rating — 3,294 ratings score: 371, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
19	Silverlock (Silverlock, #1) by John Myers Myers 3.92 avg rating — 1,614 ratings score: 366, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
20	The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge 4.08 avg rating — 15,224 ratings score: 357, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
21	Portrait of Jennie by Robert Nathan 4.02 avg rating — 1,354 ratings score: 355, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
22	The Wonder City of Oz by John R. Neill 3.44 avg rating — 77 ratings score: 352, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
23	Bedknob and Broomstick by Mary Norton 3.99 avg rating — 11,707 ratings score: 348, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
24	The Dark World by Henry Kuttner 3.47 avg rating — 433 ratings score: 296, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
25	Darker Than You Think by Jack Williamson 3.50 avg rating — 1,523 ratings score: 292, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
26	Land of Terror (Pellucidar, #6) by Edgar Rice Burroughs 3.70 avg rating — 675 ratings score: 284, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
27	The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis 4.32 avg rating — 181,358 ratings score: 268, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
28	The White Deer by James Thurber 4.11 avg rating — 506 ratings score: 250, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
29	Conjure Wife by Fritz Leiber 3.80 avg rating — 2,789 ratings score: 197, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	The Adventures of Superman by George Lowther 3.71 avg rating — 136 ratings score: 194, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
31	Doctor Dolittle and the Secret Lake (Doctor Dolittle, #10) by Hugh Lofting 4.08 avg rating — 284 ratings score: 188, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
32	The Moomins and the Great Flood (The Moomins, #1) by Tove Jansson 4.04 avg rating — 21,367 ratings score: 187, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
33	No Exit by Jean-Paul Sartre 4.11 avg rating — 46,359 ratings score: 183, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
34	Seven Days in New Crete by Robert Graves 3.43 avg rating — 277 ratings score: 177, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
35	The Little Grey Men by B.B. (Author and Illustrator) 4.13 avg rating — 1,678 ratings score: 176, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
36	The Well of the Unicorn by Fletcher Pratt 3.42 avg rating — 885 ratings score: 172, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
37	The Sorcerer's Ship by Hannes Bok 3.26 avg rating — 82 ratings score: 156, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
38	The Black Wheel by A. Merritt 3.06 avg rating — 32 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
38	Jassy by Norah Lofts 4.02 avg rating — 362 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
40	The Littlest Angel by Charles Tazewell 4.28 avg rating — 6,373 ratings score: 94, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
41	Lucky Bucky in Oz by John R. Neill 3.52 avg rating — 61 ratings score: 89, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
42	The Lurker at the Threshold by August Derleth 3.83 avg rating — 2,063 ratings score: 88, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
43	The Magical Mimics in Oz: Empty-Grave Retrofit Edition by Jack Snow 4.03 avg rating — 92 ratings score: 87, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
44	The Man Who Went Back by Warwick Deeping 2.40 avg rating — 5 ratings score: 86, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
45	The Remarkable Andrew by Dalton Trumbo 3.50 avg rating — 6 ratings score: 82, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
46	The Scalawagons of Oz by John R. Neill 3.35 avg rating — 54 ratings score: 81, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
47	The Shaggy Man of Oz by Jack Snow 3.93 avg rating — 82 ratings score: 78, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars