Diving into the mystical world of witchcraft and wizardry always offers an exciting adventure. J.K. Rowling, the acclaimed author behind the globally successful Harry Potter series, further extended this captivating universe with the Fantastic Beasts series.
This spin-off plunges readers into an era before Harry Potter’s time, introducing many intriguing new characters and beasts. From magical creatures to complex characters, Fantastic Beasts uncovers an unexplored part of the magical world that’s both intriguing and enchanting.
This article aims to provide a chronological list of the Fantastic Beasts books to help fans follow the narrative with ease.
Fantastic Beasts Books in Order
As of my knowledge cutoff in September 2021, the Fantastic Beasts series, adequately known as Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, started as a single companion book to the Harry Potter series. It is presented as a textbook about magical creatures, purportedly authored by a magizoologist named Newt Scamander.
- “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” (Original 2001 Edition) – This book is an A to Z listing of magical creatures and their attributes. The book is mentioned throughout the Harry Potter series as a required textbook for Hogwarts students.
- “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay” – Published in 2016, this screenplay by J.K. Rowling is for the film of the same name. The film follows the character Newt Scamander in the Harry Potter universe, set several decades before the original series.
- “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald – The Original Screenplay” – The second screenplay, published in 2018, is based on the second movie of the Fantastic Beasts series, focusing on the dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald.
Summary of Each Book
“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” (Original 2001 Edition)
This book is a replica of Harry Potter’s textbook in the wizarding world. Presented as written by Newt Scamander, a renowned magizoologist, it is an A-Z compendium of magical creatures and their characteristics.
Quick Fact: The book contains the history of Magizoology, details of the 85 magical species found worldwide, and Scamander’s various notes about beasts he encountered during his travels.
“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay”
In this book, the adventures of Newt Scamander are brought to life in New York’s secret community of witches and wizards. Set in 1926, decades before Harry Potter attends Hogwarts, the story follows Newt as he arrives in New York with a case full of magical creatures.
However, some creatures escape, causing a domino effect of complications and casting the wizarding community into disarray, thereby risking their exposure to the non-magical community.
“Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald – The Original Screenplay”
This book continues Newt Scamander’s journey as he is tasked by Albus Dumbledore to thwart Gellert Grindelwald’s plans of raising pure-blood wizards to rule over all non-magical beings. The story takes us from New York, through London, to Paris, introducing a host of new characters and magical creatures along the way.
As loyalties are tested, love and friendship are under threat in an increasingly divided wizarding world.
Order of the Fantastic Beasts Books
As per the publication timeline and story progression, the Fantastic Beasts books should be read in the following order:
- “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” (Original 2001 Edition)
- “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay”
- “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald – The Original Screenplay”
Expert Tip: It’s worth noting that the 2001 edition of “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” stands independently from the screenplays, acting as a guidebook, while the two screenplays tell a continuous narrative and should be read in order.
What is the premise of the original “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” book?
The original “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” book, published in 2001, is a compendium of magical creatures within the Harry Potter universe. Written in the guise of a Hogwarts textbook, this guidebook, authored by the fictional character Newt Scamander, explores 85 species of magical creatures and provides an in-depth study of Magizoology.
The book serves as a comprehensive guide to the magical beasts that inhabit the wizarding world, discussing the classification of these creatures, their habitats, and their characteristics.
How does the “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay” relate to the original book?
The “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay” published in 2016, brings to life the character of Newt Scamander, who was introduced as the author of the original “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” book. The screenplay takes place in 1926, a good deal of time before the events of the Harry Potter series.
It narrates the adventures of Newt Scamander as he navigates through the magical community in New York, having arrived with a case full of magical creatures that eventually escape and wreak havoc.
What is the central plot of “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald – The Original Screenplay”?
“Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald – The Original Screenplay” is a continuation of Newt Scamander’s adventures. This time, the renowned magizoologist is called upon by his former teacher, Albus Dumbledore, to foil the dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald’s plans to establish the dominance of pure-blood wizards over non-magical beings.
The plot moves from New York to London and then Paris, unveiling new characters and magical creatures. The narrative grapples with themes of loyalty, friendship, and love, all set against the backdrop of an increasingly divided wizarding world.
Who is Newt Scamander and what is his role in the Fantastic Beasts series?
Newt Scamander is a magizoologist in the wizarding world created by J.K. Rowling. He is introduced as the author of the textbook “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”, which is used by Hogwarts students. In the screenplays, he is the main character, whose life and adventures in studying magical creatures are portrayed.
Newt’s character is significant as he acts as the connecting point between the magical creatures and the larger issues unfolding within the wizarding world.
How does the Fantastic Beasts series tie in with the Harry Potter universe?
The Fantastic Beasts series is part of the broader Harry Potter universe and is set several decades before the Harry Potter series. The characters and events within the Fantastic Beasts series serve as the historical backdrop to the world that Harry Potter later inhabits.
Characters like Albus Dumbledore, who play significant roles in the Harry Potter series, are also central characters in the Fantastic Beasts series. Moreover, the book “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is mentioned in the Harry Potter series as a textbook for Hogwarts students.
How does the Fantastic Beasts series expand the Harry Potter universe?
The Fantastic Beasts series deepens the understanding of the wizarding world beyond the confines of Hogwarts and the United Kingdom. It takes us across the Atlantic to explore the magical society in the United States and Paris, introducing new characters and magical creatures.
The series also delves into the historical events of the wizarding world, expanding the lore and timeline of the universe established by the Harry Potter series.
What themes are explored in the Fantastic Beasts series?
The Fantastic Beasts series explores a variety of themes. Apart from the central premise of magical creatures and their attributes, the series delves into more complex issues such as the division within the magical community, the ethical treatment of magical creatures, and the power struggle.
Themes of friendship, loyalty, love, and sacrifice are also woven into the narrative, providing depth to the characters and their interpersonal relationships. These themes resonate across the series and contribute significantly to the dramatic tension and character development in the storyline.
How does the 2001 edition of “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” complement the Harry Potter series?
The 2001 edition of “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is a supplement to the main Harry Potter series. Presented as a textbook used by Hogwarts students, it deepens the readers’ understanding of the magical creatures that inhabit the wizarding universe.
The book, attributed to the fictional character Newt Scamander, enhances the realism and depth of the wizarding world, making it more immersive for the readers.
Who are some of the new characters introduced in “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay”?
In “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay,” several new characters are introduced. These include Tina Goldstein, an employee of the Magical Congress of the United States of America (MACUSA), her sister Queenie Goldstein, who is skilled in Legilimency, and Jacob Kowalski, a No-Maj (non-magical person) who becomes inadvertently involved in the magical world.
Why does Albus Dumbledore entrust Newt Scamander with stopping Gellert Grindelwald in “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald – The Original Screenplay”?
In “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald – The Original Screenplay,” Albus Dumbledore, who is aware of the impending threat from Gellert Grindelwald, cannot move against Grindelwald himself due to a blood pact they made in their youth.
Hence, he entrusts Newt Scamander with the task, given Newt’s inherent goodness, intelligence, and knowledge of magical creatures, which could prove advantageous in stopping Grindelwald.
What is the significance of the setting of the Fantastic Beasts series?
The Fantastic Beasts series significantly expands the setting of the wizarding world. Moving away from the UK-centric location of the Harry Potter series, Fantastic Beasts introduces the magical communities in the United States and Paris.
This broader geographical range enhances the understanding of the global wizarding community, its rules, practices, and societal structures, adding depth and complexity to the overarching universe.
What are the crimes of Grindelwald mentioned in the title of the second Fantastic Beasts screenplay?
In “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald”, the titular character Grindelwald escapes from MACUSA custody and starts gathering followers for his cause of raising pure-blood wizards to dominate all non-magical beings.
Grindelwald is manipulative, using both persuasive rhetoric and force to advance his cause, resulting in escalating conflict and tension in the wizarding world. His actions and their consequences form the ‘crimes’ referenced in the title.
How does the Fantastic Beasts series continue the exploration of themes from the Harry Potter series?
The Fantastic Beasts series carries forward and further develops many themes from the original Harry Potter series. Themes of friendship, loyalty, love, and sacrifice are central to the narrative.
However, the series also delves into new themes, like the conflict between magical and non-magical communities, the ethical treatment of magical creatures, and the struggle for power in the wizarding world.
What makes the Fantastic Beasts series a must-read for fans of the Harry Potter universe?
The Fantastic Beasts series is a must-read for Harry Potter fans because it enriches the universe that they already love. It introduces new characters, explores various corners of the magical world not touched upon in the original series, and provides a historical context to the wizarding world.
Moreover, the series furthers the understanding of magical creatures, a fascinating element of the Harry Potter universe, and weaves an engaging narrative around them.
Conclusion
The Fantastic Beasts series is an exciting exploration into the vast and vibrant universe of Harry Potter. It illuminates corners of the wizarding world that the original series didn’t touch upon and breathes life into magical creatures in the most compelling ways.
Whether it’s the enchanting compendium of magical creatures in the original book or the thrilling narratives in the screenplays, the series offers a captivating read for Harry Potter enthusiasts and new readers alike.
With unforgettable characters, intriguing plotlines, and a deeper understanding of the wizarding world, the Fantastic Beasts series is a magical journey worth embarking upon.