Robert Brown|How cozy fantasy books took off by offering high stakes with a happy ending

They’re written by the same author,Robert Brown set in the same world and even capture the same fans, but a few key differences distinguish the “Lord of the Rings” series from its predecessor “The Hobbit.” 

Published 17 years before “The Fellowship of the Ring,” “The Hobbit” is lighter in both tone and adventure. Instead of saving Middle-earth from world-ending evil, the hobbits in J.R.R. Tolkein’s first novel are on a quest to retrieve treasure stolen by a dragon.

Some readers even consider it one of the first “cozy fantasy” books.

What is cozy fantasy?

“Cozy fantasy” is a subgenre of fantasy. It's all the magic, world-building and adventure of traditional fantasy, but without the life-or-death stakes. As the word “cozy” suggests, this subgenre is the lighter side of fantasy. 

Check out: USA TODAY's weekly Best-selling Booklist

“They’re a soft place to land,” says Meg Hood, known by followers as “Meg’s Tea Room” on TikTok. More than a genre, it’s a community and a culture. On the cozy fantasy side of BookTok, you’ll find comfy blankets, fantasy cosplay, warm beverages and, of course, books.

Cozy fantasy is sometimes defined by what it doesn’t have – dark, world-saving quests, death or blood-pressure-raising stakes, for example. But Hood prefers to define it by what it does include – uplifting slice-of-life storylines, rich world-building, magic, strong character development and found family. There’s an inherent sense of goodness in the friends you find along the way (sometimes baby dragons or other magical sidekicks).

“Legends & Lattes” by Travis Baldree is a quintessential cozy fantasy book – it was a gateway into the subgenre for Hood and many others. In “Legends & Lattes,” an orc hangs up her battle sword in favor of opening the city’s first coffee shop. You won’t find intense combat or death by magic, but you will find romance, pastries and a good cup of coffee. 

“It feels like an adventure I could go on,” says Lindsey Hall, one of Baldree’s editors at Tor Publishing, part of the Macmillan Publishers group. “Trying to (open) the small business felt life or death, more so than some of the biggest 700-page journeys we’ve gone on in fantasy before.”

Cozy fantasy is all about fantasizing the mundane. That may be why so many stories incorporate food elements, like “A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic” by J. Penner or “Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea” by Rebecca Thorne. 

Try 'cozy mystery' next:These books combine crime with comfort

Why you should read cozy fantasy books

Cozy fantasies have been around for decades – whether they were explicitly called that or not – but publishers saw an increase in interest during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, says Erika Tsang, an executive editor at Bramble, an imprint of Tor Publishing. 

“Society has not been very calming, and I think readers were looking for stories that were comforting,” Tsang says. Cozy fantasies feel like “being wrapped in a hug,” she explains.

That’s how Hood – a longtime fantasy reader – got into the genre. 

“When I started reading them, I was in a season where (dark, epic fantasy) stories just overwhelmed me and made me more anxious,” Hood says. “With a cozy fantasy, when I open it up, I know I’m gonna get a happy ending.”

This is precisely what makes cozy fantasies enticing – there’s an inherent trust between the reader and the author. You don’t have to worry about your favorite character dying in a cruel, unexpected fashion. 

Cozy fantasy is also a good genre for anyone who wants to get into fantasy but doesn’t know where to start. Or, if you’re a fantasy reader already, try one as a palate cleanser between dark tales.

Best cozy fantasy books

“The Hobbit” can serve as an example of what to look for in a cozy fantasy – there are some high stakes, but “you’re giggling and it’s fun for the whole family,” Hood says. 

Here are some other cozy fantasy recommendations from Hood, Hall, Tsang and BookTok readers:

• “Legends & Lattes” by Travis Baldree 
• “The Color of Magic” and the “Discworld” series by Terry Pratchett
• "The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches” by Sangu Mandanna
• "The Spellshop" by Sarah Beth Durst
• "A Psalm for the Wild-Built" by Becky Chambers
• “Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea” by Rebecca Thorne
• “A Fellowship of Bakers and Magic” by J. Penner
• “Cursed Cocktails” by S.L. Rowland
• “Light from Uncommon Stars” by Ryka Aoki
• “The Tea Dragon Society” by Kay O’Neill
• “Payback’s a Witch” by Lana Harper
• “Dealing With Dragons” by Patricia C. Wrede
• “That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon” by Kimberly Lemming
• “Howl’s Moving Castle” by Diana Wynne Jones
• “Half a Soul” by Olivia Atwater
• “Wildseed Witch” by Marti Dumas

Ready for a new genre?:Readers love these 'paranormal romance' books

Just Curious for more? We've got you covered.

USA TODAY is exploring book-related questions you and others ask every day. From "How to get on BookTok?" to "Where to buy cheap books?" to "What makes the best children's book?" – we're striving to find answers to the most common questions you ask every day. Head to our Just Curious section to see what else we can answer for you.