Banned Books Week is a celebration of freedom and literacy in the face of censorship. It spreads the idea that every book is written for someone. If you don't agree with a certain book's message, you can pass on it, but you should not stop others from reading it.
This year, Banned Books Week falls on Oct. 5-11, 2025, and we are joining the celebration to talk about popular fantasy and science fiction books that have been banned. There are too many books to list them all, but here are a few of our favorites. You should read them or other banned books, and fight censorship with us!
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire
The novel that began all the Elphaba and Glinda hype, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, is a much more mature story than the musical or the movie. It tells the story of the Wicked Witch of the West from Frank L. Baum's The Wizard of Oz, but it is definitely not children's literature. However, that difference is one of the biggest points of the book.
Wicked is about seeing the grim reality of things once the childhood innocence fades away. It tells us to look back at society and history with a more critical eye, and to see that things were not all sunshine and rainbows. Yes, there are graphic sex scenes, drug use, and political power plays, but those things are intentionally placed in the world of Oz to shine a mirror on our own society. Wicked begs us to open our eyes and see the darkness so we can work to change things for the better.
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
From one of the absolute queens of science fiction, Ursula K. Le Guin, is a story that questions gender and sexuality. The Left Hand of Darkness is about an Earth man on a diplomatic mission to an alien planet where the people are gender-fluid. Published in 1969, Le Guin's novel was extremely radical as she tried to ask us what society would be like if there was no gender binary.
The people of Gethen are androgynes for most of their lives, only becoming male or female by choice during the mating season. Bearing and raising children, work, and other aspects of life are taken on equally by all. Of course, society then and still today are intimidated by this book and the idea that gender norms are not as essential as we've been taught.
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series by Douglas Adams
"In the beginning, the universe was created. This had made many people very angry and was widely regarded as a bad move." This and many other lines throughout Douglas Adams' science fiction series, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, are considered offensive enough by some people that they have had the books banned in schools.
Apparently, Adams was mocking faith and religion, or sometimes even questioning the existence of God. There are also some crude words used. So, the story of Arthur Dent traipsing around the universe with his alien friend, Ford, after the destruction of Earth was deemed too inappropriate for younger readers. Personally, I'm a believer in God and still love the above quote. I find it hilarious, along with the rest of the books.
The Lord of the Rings series by J.R.R. Tolkien
The epic fantasy tale so meticulously imagined and written by a Christian man, J.R.R. Tolkien, was considered too "satanic" and has been banned in certain schools. Yep, the joining of elves, humans, dwarves, and hobbits to defeat an evil entity in The Lord of the Rings was actually of the devil. Who knew?
Instead of seeing the temptations of the One Ring as an allegory to the temptations of sins, some Christians immediately put the kibosh on Tolkien's masterpiece because it included magic, sorcery, and inhuman species. Way to let all the morals, hope, and light go over your head, if you ask me.
The Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis
The Chronicles of Narnia tell many different stories throughout each book, though the most well-known is of the Pevensie children saving Narnia from the White Witch in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. C.S. Lewis was a staunch Christian who made overt symbolism to the religion, as well as to Christ in the form of the lion, Aslan.
The reasons The Chronicles of Narnia books have been banned are twofold. Some people felt that the series had too much magic and that portraying Christ as an animal was offensive. Others felt it promoted Christianity as the only religion. So, it's both too satanic because of magic and too religious.
His Dark Materials series by Philip Pullman
One of the people who felt The Chronicles of Narnia was too focused on Christianity was Philip Pullman. He wrote the His Dark Materials series in direct answer to C.S. Lewis's works. Pullman's series is considered anti-Christian and anti-religion because of his blatant criticisms of the Church.
Pullman is an atheist and has just as much right to share symbolism that is meaningful to him as Christian authors do. His Dark Materials portrays the Magisterium as a tyrannical theocracy that commits untold atrocities. And while that might be offensive to some religious people, it calls into question some of the reprehensible actions taken in the name of religion.
A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin
It would be weird not to include the A Song of Ice and Fire series in this list. We are Winter is Coming after all! George R.R. Martin's books are graphic in both sexual scenes and violence. No one is arguing that. But when you learn that much of the grisly aspects of this fantasy series are based on historical events, it can change your perception of the novels. They have a lot more substance than just "trash and gore."
I have enough anxiety and trauma that I choose not to read about such a bloody fight to rule, but I do not agree with Martin's books being banned. People should be free to read about Westeros and Essos as much or as little as they wish. Most commonly, the A Song of Ice and Fire series has been banned in prisons because they're afraid it will give prisoners violent ideas, I suppose. Maybe the Iron Throne has too much real-world allure?
The "most dangerous" books are the ones that teach empathy and compassion, and force society to take a good look at itself. Fantasy and science fiction books are some of the best genres for this, which would logically make them the most dangerous of books. So, go be a rebel and read some banned fantasy and science fiction!