In an era where the news cycle feels like a never-ending barrage of political strife and cultural division, one conservative media writer has found an unlikely refuge: the pages of fantasy novels. Olivia Murray, a contributor at American Thinker, argues that immersing oneself in fictional worlds—especially those of high fantasy—offers a much-needed mental reset from the exhaustion of being “radically informed” about the real world.
The Childhood Roots of a Lifelong Escape
Murray traces her love of fantasy back to childhood, when her mother read her The Magician’s Nephew, the first book in C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia. From there, she became obsessed with the Redwall series, where noble woodland creatures battled villainous rats and weasels—a clear-cut moral universe far removed from the ambiguities of adult life. “Themes of nobility, self-sacrifice, and honor were the foundation,” she writes, recalling nights spent sneaking extra chapters under the covers.
From Middle-Earth to Maas’s Multiverse
As an adult, Murray’s tastes evolved but never lost their fantastical bent. J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings became a touchstone, and more recently, she’s devoured Sarah J. Maas’s sprawling fantasy series, particularly A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR). Though Maas’s books—with their steamy romantic subplots—aren’t for everyone, Murray praises their intricate world-building and “psychotic levels of intelligence and plotting.” She’s currently engrossed in the sixth installment, A Court of Splintered Harmony, which she describes as “enchantingly consuming.”
The Case for Fantasy as Self-Care
For Murray, fantasy isn’t just entertainment; it’s a form of self-preservation. “Being radically informed on all the specifics isn’t good for the soul,” she admits, especially in conservative media, where the daily grind of political coverage can be spiritually draining. Her prescription? A nightly ritual of magnesium supplements, a red-light sleep mask, and a deep dive into a fictional realm. “Find a fantasy world you can explore like a child,” she urges. “It does wonders for the soul.”
Source: www.americanthinker.com — https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/11/the-best-escape-from-the-news-cycle-fantasy-books/