Subject spotlight: Fantasy

Welcome back to Subject spotlight, the blog series where we give you quarterly data-driven insights into a specific corner of the Canadian book market. In our previous post, we shared sales and library circulation data for the Fiction / Thrillers BISAC subject. This time, we’re diving into the world of fantasy.

Fantasy is everywhere — in books, TV shows, movies, board games, RPGs, and video games, it’s impossible to miss the exciting and immersive worlds it creates. With more than 80 unofficial literary subgenres — and 16 BISAC subcategories — fantasy offers endless possibilities. From the comfort of cozy fantasy to the enchantment of romantasy, this diverse genre ensures there’s something for everyone.

According to data recently published in our free study, Turning Pages: Print Book Use in Canada 2023, Fantasy is the most popular Fiction subject among print book buyers, accounting for 14% of paperback purchases and 21% of hardcover purchases. For book borrowers, Fantasy ranks as the third most popular Fiction subject, representing 30% of Fiction loans.

Now, let’s see how the Fiction / Fantasy subject performed during the second quarter of 2024, with the help of our SalesData and LibraryData services.

To the the data!

Buying Fiction / Fantasy

As shown in the graph below, the growth in popularity of Fantasy titles in 2024 compared to 2023 is significant, with year-over-year sales increasing by 75%, 86%, and 18% in April, May, and June, respectively.

In 2023, sales saw a small increase of 3% from April to May, followed by a 35% jump from May to June. Overall, sales for the second quarter of 2023 increased by 39%.

In contrast, 2024 saw a 9% increase from April to May, but this was followed by a 15% decrease from May to June. As a result, overall sales for the second quarter of 2024 dropped by 7%.

These are the BISAC subcategories with the highest year-over-year increase in sales:

• Fiction / Fantasy / Romance — up 155%;

• Fiction / Fantasy / Dark Fantasy — up 82%; and

• Fiction / Fantasy / Urban — up 73%.

From April to June, the most purchased Fiction / Fantasy subcategories were:

• Fiction / Fantasy / Romance — 45% of all Fiction / Fantasy sales;

• Fiction / Fantasy / Epic — 28% of all Fiction / Fantasy sales; and

• Fiction / Fantasy / Dark Fantasy — 5% of all Fiction / Fantasy sales.

Borrowing Fiction / Fantasy

Year-over-year, loans of Fiction / Fantasy titles were also up — they increased by 34%, 60%, and 9% in April, May, and June, respectively. Overall, loans rose by 24% in the second quarter of 2023 and by 1% in the second quarter of 2024.

Year-over-year, renewals increased by 23% in April, 50% in May, and decreased by 3% in June. Overall, renewals increased by 27% in the second quarter of 2023 but remained flat in the second quarter of 2024.

Which Fiction / Fantasy subcategories were the most popular in Canadian libraries? From April to June 2024, these subcategories saw the greatest increases in library circulation compared to 2023:

• Fiction / Fantasy / Romance — loans up 199% and renewals up 94%;

• Fiction / Fantasy / Gaslamp — loans up 51% and renewals up 171%; and

• Fiction / Fantasy / Humorous — loans up 36% and renewals up 31%.

During the second quarter of 2024, the most circulated Fiction / Fantasy subcategories were:

• Fiction / Fantasy / Epic — 31% of all loans of Fiction / Fantasy and 37% of all renewals of Fiction / Fantasy;

• Fiction / Fantasy / Romance — 20% of all loans of Fiction / Fantasy and 9% of all renewals of Fiction / Fantasy; and

• Fiction / Fantasy / Historical — 10% of all loans of Fiction / Fantasy and 12% of all renewals of Fiction / Fantasy.

Reading Fiction / Fantasy

Here are the top selling and top borrowed Fiction / Fantasy titles from the second quarter of 2024.

Top borrowed

1. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

2. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

3. Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros

4. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab

5. The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien

Top selling

1. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

2. Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros

3. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

4. The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo

5. A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L. Jensen 🍁

Stay tuned for future instalments of this series or sign up to our eNews for more digestible data on the Canadian book market.

Until next time!