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Celebrate Father’s Day with 12 Great Dad’s in Literature

These are just a few Fantastic Fathers in Fiction that were Done Right!

Happy Father’s Day, everyone!
(I know.. it’s a still little early)

Am I the only one who’s noticed the sheer amount of characters with seriously twisted-sometimes disturbing-too often abusive-and(at times) unbelievable parental issues? And, yet..
There are some pretty amazing fictional dads out there.

Here’s to you.. the dad who tries.


(Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. Any purchases made through my links may earn me a small commission at no additional cost to you.)

Kindling the Moon by Jenn Bennett

Publication date: June 2011
Pages: 386
Genre: Urban fantasy, Fantasy Fiction, Paranormal romance, Occult Fiction
Series: Book 1 of 4: Arcadia Bell

Demonologist. Love interest. Single father to a quick-on-his-feet preteen son, Jupe(short for Jupiter),this shady academic never ceases to put his son first. The relationship that develops between these two is charming and authentic.

Meet Arcadia Bell: bartender, renegade magician, fugitive from the law. . . .

Being the spawn of two infamous occultists (and alleged murderers) isn’t easy, but freewheeling magician Arcadia “Cady” Bell knows how to make the best of a crummy situation. After hiding out for seven years, she’s carved an incognito niche for herself slinging drinks at the demon-friendly Tambuku Tiki Lounge.

But she receives an ultimatum when unexpected surveillance footage of her notorious parents surfaces: either prove their innocence or surrender herself. Unfortunately, the only witness to the crimes was an elusive Æthyric demon, and Cady has no idea how to find it. She teams up with Lon Butler, an enigmatic demonologist with a special talent for sexual spells and an arcane library of priceless stolen grimoires. Their research soon escalates into a storm of conflict involving missing police evidence, the decadent Hellfire Club, a ruthless bounty hunter, and a powerful occult society that operates way outside the law. If Cady can’t clear her family name soon, she’ll be forced to sacrifice her own life . . . and no amount of running will save her this time.


Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

Publication date: October 1998
Pages: 345
Genre: Novel, Children’s literature, Fantasy Fiction, High fantasy
Series: Book 1 of 7: Harry Potter

While Dumbledore is widely respected for his role as headmaster of Hogwarts, from page one, this weathered wizard takes Harry under his wing and becomes a deeply beloved father-figure to ‘the boy who lived’.

Mr. Weasely is a true unsung hero in these books. A steady and curious man, Mr. Weasely’s seemingly bookish nature leads him to be often overlooked, but his love and devotion for his family is unquestionable.

Turning the envelope over, his hand trembling, Harry saw a purple wax seal bearing a coat of arms; a lion, an eagle, a badger and a snake surrounding a large letter ‘H’.

Harry Potter has never even heard of Hogwarts when the letters start dropping on the doormat at number four, Privet Drive. Addressed in green ink on yellowish parchment with a purple seal, they are swiftly confiscated by his grisly aunt and uncle. Then, on Harry’s eleventh birthday, a great beetle-eyed giant of a man called Rubeus Hagrid bursts in with some astonishing news: Harry Potter is a wizard, and he has a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. An incredible adventure is about to begin!


Moon Called by Patricia Briggs

Publication date: January 2006
Pages: 295
Genre: Novel, Urban fantasy, Fantasy fiction, Paranormal romance
Series: Book 1 of 12: Mercy Thompson

Uptight alpha werewolf. Grumpy neighbor of our main character. And single father to a sweet(but rebellious) teenage daughter Jesse. It’s not easy being the human daughter of the divorced leader to a pack of werewolves, over protective doesn’t begin to cut it, but they make it work.

Moon Called is the novel that introduced Patricia Briggs’s Mercy Thompson to the world and launched a #1 bestselling phenomenon… 

Mercy Thompson is a shapeshifter, and while she was raised by werewolves, she can never be one of them, especially after the pack ran her off for having a forbidden love affair. So she’s turned her talent for fixing cars into a business and now runs a one-woman mechanic shop in the Tri-Cities area of Washington State.

But Mercy’s two worlds are colliding. A half-starved teenage boy arrives at her shop looking for work, only to reveal that he’s a newly changed werewolf—on the run and desperately trying to control his animal instincts. Mercy asks her neighbor Adam Hauptman, the Alpha of the local werewolf pack, for assistance. 

But Mercy’s act of kindness has unexpected consequences that leave her no choice but to seek help from those she once considered family—the werewolves who abandoned her…


The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

Publication date: August 2002
Pages: 352
Genre: Novel, Psychological Fiction, Domestic Fiction, Mystery, Suspense
Standalone

One of only two books I can recall ever bringing me to tears, this and Jodi Picoult‘s ‘My Sister’s Keeper‘ are both deeply moving and emotionally demanding. But there is no denying the love this father has for his daughter. It’s heartbreaking and incredibly touching.. I would have loved to have seen their lives, and relationship, before this book.

“My name was Salmon, like the fish; first name, Susie. I was fourteen when I was murdered on December 6, 1973.”

So begins the story of Susie Salmon, who is adjusting to her new home in heaven, a place that is not at all what she expected, even as she is watching life on earth continue without her — her friends trading rumors about her disappearance, her killer trying to cover his tracks, her grief-stricken family unraveling. Out of unspeakable tragedy and loss, The Lovely Bones succeeds, miraculously, in building a tale filled with hope, humor, suspense, even joy.


Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin

Publication date: August 1996
Pages: 819
Genre: Novel, Epic fantasy, Fantasy fiction, Action and Adventure
Series: Book 1 of 5: A Song of Ice and Fire

Father to an entire busload of trouble making Stark kids..and a few miscellaneous ones. The fierce love these children have for their father, and one another, is a powerful force that drives so much of their individual stories. I get the feeling that, had this dad been around, most of the characters wouldn’t have pulled half the crap they did.

Winter is coming.
Such is the stern motto of House Stark, the northernmost of the fiefdoms that owe allegiance to King Robert Baratheon in far-off King’s Landing. There Eddard Stark of Winterfell rules in Robert’s name. There his family dwells in peace and comfort: his proud wife, Catelyn; his sons Robb, Brandon, and Rickon; his daughters Sansa and Arya; and his bastard son, Jon Snow. Far to the north, behind the towering Wall, lie savage Wildings and worse—unnatural things relegated to myth during the centuries-long summer, but proving all too real and all too deadly in the turning of the season.

Yet a more immediate threat lurks to the south, where Jon Arryn, the Hand of the King, has died under mysterious circumstances. Now Robert is riding north to Winterfell, bringing his queen, the lovely but cold Cersei, his son, the cruel, vainglorious Prince Joffrey, and the queen’s brothers Jaime and Tyrion of the powerful and wealthy House Lannister—the first a swordsman without equal, the second a dwarf whose stunted stature belies a brilliant mind. All are heading for Winterfell and a fateful encounter that will change the course of kingdoms.

Meanwhile, across the Narrow Sea, Prince Viserys, heir of the fallen House Targaryen, which once ruled all of Westeros, schemes to reclaim the throne with an army of barbarian Dothraki—whose loyalty he will purchase in the only coin left to him: his beautiful yet innocent sister, Daenerys.


Echo North by Joanna Ruth Meyer

Publication date: January 2019
Pages: 400
Genre: Young adult, Fantasy fiction, Fairy tale, Action and Adventure, Mystery
Standalone

Although we don’t see too much of our main character’s father in this book.. he holds a significant place in Echo’s heart. This story begins and ends with the heartwarming love of this father and daughter.

Echo Alkaev’s safe and carefully structured world falls apart when her father leaves for the city and mysteriously disappears. Believing he is lost forever, Echo is shocked to find him half-frozen in the winter forest six months later, guarded by a strange talking wolf—the same creature who attacked her as a child. The wolf presents Echo with an ultimatum: if she lives with him for one year, he will ensure her father makes it home safely. But there is more to the wolf than Echo realizes.

In his enchanted house beneath a mountain, each room must be sewn together to keep the home from unraveling, and something new and dark and strange lies behind every door. When centuries-old secrets unfold, Echo discovers a magical library full of books- turned-mirrors, and a young man named Hal who is trapped inside of them. As the year ticks by, the rooms begin to disappear and Echo must solve the mystery of the wolf’s enchantment before her time is up otherwise Echo, the wolf, and Hal will be lost forever.


House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig

Publication date: August 2019
Pages: 406
Genre: Young adult, Fantasy fiction, Fairy tale, Dark Fantasy, Mystery
Standalone

Despite the tragedy and heartbreak this family faces, theirs is one dad who remains a strong and steady port in the storm for his girls (all twelve of them!) And it’s not difficult to see that these daughters are equally attached to their father.

Get swept away by the New York Times bestseller that’s sold over 100,000 copies. As one by one her beautiful sisters mysteriously die on their isolated island estate, Annaleigh must unravel the curse that haunts her family. Be careful who you dance with…

In a manor by the sea, twelve sisters are cursed

Annaleigh lives a sheltered life at Highmoor with her sisters and their father and stepmother. Once there were twelve, but loneliness fills the grand halls now that four of the girls’ lives have been cut short. Each death was more tragic than the last–the plague, a plummeting fall, a drowning, a slippery plunge–and there are whispers throughout the surrounding villages that the family is cursed by the gods.

Disturbed by a series of ghostly visions, Annaleigh becomes increasingly suspicious that her sister’s deaths were no accidents. The girls have been sneaking out every night to attend glittering balls, dancing until dawn in silk gowns and shimmering slippers, and Annaleigh isn’t sure whether to try to stop them or to join their forbidden trysts. Because who–or what–are they really dancing with?

When Annaleigh’s involvement with a mysterious stranger who has secrets of his own intensifies, it’s a race to unravel the darkness that has fallen over her family–before it claims her next. House of Salt and Sorrows is a spellbinding novel filled with magic and the rustle of gossamer skirts down long, dark hallways. Get ready to be swept away.


Home Before Dark by Riley Sager

Publication date: June 2020
Pages: 397
Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Horror, Psychological Fiction
Standalone

I debated on putting this book on the list because, from an outside perspective, this father and daughter combo don’t appear to have a good relationship. But it’s not a daughter’s job to always like or agree with their parents, that’s not what makes them good at their job, it’s what they do for the best of their child that matters. And here? He did his best and, in my eyes, that makes a good dad.

In the latest thriller from New York Times bestseller Riley Sager, a woman returns to the house made famous by her father’s bestselling horror memoir. Is the place really haunted by evil forces, as her father claimed? Or are there more earthbound—and dangerous—secrets hidden within its walls?

What was it like? Living in that house.

Maggie Holt is used to such questions. Twenty-five years ago, she and her parents, Ewan and Jess, moved into Baneberry Hall, a rambling Victorian estate in the Vermont woods. They spent three weeks there before fleeing in the dead of night, an ordeal Ewan later recounted in a nonfiction book called House of Horrors. His tale of ghostly happenings and encounters with malevolent spirits became a worldwide phenomenon, rivaling The Amityville Horror in popularity—and skepticism.

Today, Maggie is a restorer of old homes and too young to remember any of the events mentioned in her father’s book. But she also doesn’t believe a word of it. Ghosts, after all, don’t exist. When Maggie inherits Baneberry Hall after her father’s death, she returns to renovate the place to prepare it for sale. But her homecoming is anything but warm. People from the past, chronicled in House of Horrors, lurk in the shadows. And locals aren’t thrilled that their small town has been made infamous thanks toMaggie’s father. Even more unnerving is Baneberry Hall itself—a place filled with relics from another era that hint at a history of dark deeds. As Maggie experiences strange occurrences straight out of her father’s book, she starts to believe that what he wrote was more fact than fiction.


Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Publication date: June 2021 (Originally January 1813)
Pages: 314
Genre: Classic literature, Fiction, Romance novel, Satire
Standalone

The patient and quick witted hero of our beloved Jane, and father to a total of five daughters, Mr. Bennet is a fondly remembered character for me. At a time when a daughter was seen as a possession.. this man treasures his girls and their happiness above all else. That’s one heck of a dad!

The novel is set in rural England in the early 19th century. Mrs. Bennet attempts to persuade Mr. Bennet to visit Mr. Bingley, a rich bachelor recently arrived in the neighbourhood. After some verbal sparring with her husband, Mrs. Bennet believes he will not call on Mr. Bingley. Shortly afterwards, he visits Netherfield, Mr. Bingley’s rented residence, much to Mrs. Bennet’s delight. The visit is followed by an invitation to a ball at the local assembly rooms that the entire neighbourhood will attend.

At the ball, we are first introduced to the whole Netherfield party, which consists of Mr. Bingley, his two sisters, the husband of one of his sisters, and Mr. Darcy, his dearest friend. Mr. Bingley’s friendly and cheerful manner earns him popularity among the guests. He appears attracted to Jane Bennet (the Bennets’ eldest daughter), with whom he dances twice. Mr. Darcy, reputed to be twice as wealthy, is haughty and aloof, causing a decided dislike of him. He declines to dance with Elizabeth (the Bennets’ second-eldest daughter), stating that she is not attractive enough to tempt him. Elizabeth finds this amusing and jokes about it with her friends.

Mr. Bingley’s sisters, Caroline and Louisa, later invite Jane to Netherfield for dinner. On her way there, Jane is caught in a rain shower and develops a bad cold, forcing her to stay at Netherfield to recuperate, much to Mrs. Bennet’s delight. When Elizabeth goes to see Jane, Mr. Darcy finds himself getting attracted to Elizabeth (stating she has “fine eyes”), while Miss Bingley grows jealous, as she herself has designs on Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth herself is indifferent and unaware of his developing interest in her


Supernatural Prison by Jaymin Eve

Publication date: December 2019
Pages: 288
Genre: Young adult, Fiction, Urban fantasy, Paranormal romance
Series: Book 1 of 7: Supernatural Prison

If being responsible for leading their supernatural community wasn’t enough, being a single dad with a shapeshifting teenage daughter at home.. definitely keeps him on his toes. These two have a close and trusting relationship that withstands many trials down the road.

It’s time for the dragon marked to rise…

Jessa Lebron doesn’t have a lot to complain about. Her father is the alpha of their wolf pack, she lives in Stratford, a protected supernatural prison town, and her best friends, the Compass quads, are the strongest dudes of the four races: shifter, vampire, fey, and magic user.

Yep, life is pretty much exactly how she wants it. Until the fateful day, just after her twenty-second birthday, when the mother who abandoned her, returns to the pack bearing secrets that change everything.

The biggest secret of all: Jessa is dragon marked, a designation that places her in grave danger.

For a thousand years, every supernatural child born with the mark was eliminated to prevent the rise of the dragon king, a fearsome ancient warmonger. In a bid to learn more about her fate and how to avoid the hunters, Jessa finds herself locked in Vanguard, the notorious supernatural prison. Thankfully she’s not alone. Braxton Compass, the most feared of the dragon shifters, is right there with her. Together they’ll have to survive long enough to free themselves and the other dragon marked.

Before the king rises.

*Note from author: this story was previously published by Skyscape. There are no changes to this version.

Stray by Rachel Vincent

Publication date: May 2007
Pages:
624
Genre:
Romance novel, Fantasy fiction, Urban fantasy
Series:
Book 1 of 5: The Shifters

What dad doesn’t have his hands full with a wild and aggressively independent daughter? But when push comes to shove.. these two have a deep bond that supersedes his willful daughter’s stubborn pride.

I look like an all-American grad student. But I am a werecat, a shape-shifter, and I live in two worlds.

Despite reservations from my family and my Pride, I escaped the pressure to continue my species and carved out a normal life for myself. Until the night a Stray attacked

I’d been warned about Strays—werecats without a Pride—constantly on the lookout for someone like me: attractive, female and fertile. I fought him off, but then learned two of my fellow tabbies had disappeared.

This brush with danger was all my Pride needed to summon me back…for my own protection. Yeah, right. But I’m no meek kitty. I’ll take on whatever—and whoever—I have to in order to find my friends. Watch out, Strays—’cause I got claws, and I’m not afraid to use them….


The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line by Rob Thomas

Publication date: March 2014
Pages: 338
Genre: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery,
Series: Book 1 of 2: Veronica Mars

Okay, this one holds a special place in my heart. ‘Veronica Mars‘ smart mouth and snark got me through many a long night in my own emotionally charged teenage years. Our protagonist and her father, ‘the hero is the one who stays‘, have such a fun and genuine relationship that it’s hands down my favorite father/daughter duo.

From Rob Thomas, the creator of the television series and movie phenomenon Veronica Mars, comes the first book in a thrilling mystery series that picks up where the feature film left off. 
 
Ten years after graduating from high school in Neptune, California, Veronica Mars is back in the land of sun, sand, crime, and corruption. She’s traded in her law degree for her old private investigating license, struggling to keep Mars Investigations afloat on the scant cash earned by catching cheating spouses until she can score her first big case.
 
Now it’s spring break, and college students descend on Neptune, transforming the beaches and boardwalks into a frenzied, week-long rave. When a girl disappears from a party, Veronica is called in to investigate. But this is no simple missing person’s case; the house the girl vanished from belongs to a man with serious criminal ties, and soon Veronica is plunged into a dangerous underworld of drugs and organized crime. And when a major break in the investigation has a shocking connection to Veronica’s past, the case hits closer to home than she ever imagined.
 
In Veronica Mars, Rob Thomas has created a groundbreaking female detective who’s part Phillip Marlowe, part Nancy Drew, and all snark. With its sharp plot and clever twists, The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line will keep you guessing until the very last page.



There you have it: 12 dad’s who knocked it out of the park just by doing their best!

The world needs more great dad’s and I’m only too happy to share some of my favorite written ones.

Do you have a favorite book dad?

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This Post Has 27 Comments

  1. Happy Panda

    Love the post idea! Inspired me to write something similar too.
    Love Mr. Weasley – for being a great father to his own kids as well as Harry.

    I think my favourite book dad is Atticus Finch from To Kill A Mockingbird. I read the book in school and was so inspired by him.

    1. Sheri Dye

      Thank you! I’m so glad, I’ll have to check it out!
      And I agree about Mr. Weasley.. I always loved their how chaotic(and loyal) the Weasley family is.

      And I have to admit.. That book has been on my tbr for over ten years now so, unfortunately, I’m not very familiar with it. I’ll have to find the time to read it!

      Thank you for taking the time! Have a beautiful Father’s Day weekend!

  2. Mae Clair

    I’m reading Riley Sagar’s latest right now. I still have to catch up with Home Before Dark. Thanks for the reminder that it’s waiting on my Kindle! 🙂

    1. Sheri Dye

      I still need to read that! ‘Survive the Night’, right? I also want to eventually read ‘Final Girls’, too! Are you enjoying it so far?
      And I’m glad I could help! Thanks for reminding me that I still need to read most of this authors other stuff.. 😂

  3. Staci Troilo

    There’s a lot to unpack here, so I’ll just say three things:

    1) Thank you for giving Mr. Weasley some love.
    2) The father’s love for his daughter in The Lovely Bones was tragically beautiful.
    3) The cover of House of Salt and Sorrows is striking.

    Great post.

    1. Sheri Dye

      Lol, well then!

      1. You’re very welcome. I have a soft spot for the unsung heroes and he just never gets enough love!
      2. That book just.. so emotional. I’m such a daddy’s girl and this just killed me.
      3. Covers have certainly stepped it up in the last few years and Erin A. Craig has great taste!

      Thank you so much for reading and taking the time to comment! ☺

  4. Carla

    What a great idea for a Father’s Day Post. I don’t read a lot of fantasy, but I have read a few of the Harry Potter books and seen all the movies and definitely agree that Mr. Weasley is a great dad.

    1. Sheri Dye

      Thank you so much! Harry Potter has reached a lot readers who wouldn’t normally like young adult or fantasy, etc. The entire Weasley family is pretty special.. but Mr. Weasley doesn’t get nearly enough love!

  5. Jacqui Murray

    That’s an eclectic list! Sharing…

    1. Sheri Dye

      What can I say? I like variety.. 😅
      Thank you so much!

  6. Marje @ Kyrosmagica

    Wow, hurrah for dads! Great post which I just study in more detail especially as one of my characters is a dad! Lots of ideas to unpack here. Thank you. 🙂

    1. Sheri Dye

      Dad’s can be pretty amazing.
      And that’s so great! I hope you find what you’re looking for! Best of luck writing!

      1. Marje @ Kyrosmagica

        Thank you Sheri. Currently visiting my dad and he is a legend!

    1. Sheri Dye

      Thank you so much for sharing! I love your spin on it!

  7. Great post! I love the Harry Potter books and I totally agree, Mr Weasley is an amazing dad!

    1. Sheri Dye

      Thank you! He really is and, with that many kids(especially the twins), he could’ve been a Lot different. 😆

  8. Carrie

    Great idea for a post, never would’ve thought of that myself picking out books!

    1. Sheri Dye

      Thanks so much! Some of the best ideas can come from the weirdest conversations.. 😆

  9. Leah's Books

    This is such a great post idea! I definitely agree about Ned Stark – he was such a good dad, and I love that you included the dad from House of Salt and Sorrow.

    1. Sheri Dye

      Thank you! I’m such a daddy’s girl but he isn’t a reader so.. this is what I had. Also.. Thank You for being the First person to mention Ned Stark! He was such a pivotal character! And I had to add House of Salt and Sorrows, he really was a terrific father, and to that many girls? Sheesh.
      Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by and comment!

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