The 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time

With a panel of leading fantasy authors—N.K. Jemisin, Neil Gaiman, Sabaa Tahir, Tomi Adeyemi, Diana Gabaldon, George R.R. Martin, Cassandra Clare and Marlon James—TIME presents the most engaging, inventive and influential works of fantasy fiction, in chronological order beginning in the 9th century

good fantasy fiction books

N.K. Jemisin on the Timeless Power of Fantasy

good fantasy fiction books

The Arabian Nights

good fantasy fiction books

Le Morte d’Arthur by Thomas Malory

good fantasy fiction books

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

good fantasy fiction books

Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll

good fantasy fiction books

Five Children and It by E. Nesbit

good fantasy fiction books

Ozma of Oz by L. Frank Baum

good fantasy fiction books

Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers

good fantasy fiction books

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

good fantasy fiction books

The Palm-Wine Drinkard by Amos Tutuola

good fantasy fiction books

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis

good fantasy fiction books

The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien

good fantasy fiction books

My Life in the Bush of Ghosts by Amos Tutuola

good fantasy fiction books

The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien

good fantasy fiction books

The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien

good fantasy fiction books

A Hero Born by Jin Yong

good fantasy fiction books

The Once & Future King by T.H. White

good fantasy fiction books

James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl

good fantasy fiction books

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

good fantasy fiction books

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

good fantasy fiction books

The Wandering Unicorn by Manuel Mujica Lainez

good fantasy fiction books

Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey

good fantasy fiction books

The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle

good fantasy fiction books

A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin

good fantasy fiction books

The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart

good fantasy fiction books

The Tombs of Atuan by Ursula K. Le Guin

good fantasy fiction books

Watership Down by Richard Adams

good fantasy fiction books

The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper

good fantasy fiction books

The Princess Bride by William Goldman

good fantasy fiction books

Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt

good fantasy fiction books

A Swiftly Tilting Planet by Madeleine L’Engle

good fantasy fiction books

The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter

good fantasy fiction books

The BFG by Roald Dahl

good fantasy fiction books

Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce

good fantasy fiction books

Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

good fantasy fiction books

Redwall by Brian Jacques

good fantasy fiction books

Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner

good fantasy fiction books

The Lives of Christopher Chant by Diana Wynne Jones

good fantasy fiction books

The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan

good fantasy fiction books

Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman

good fantasy fiction books

Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salman Rushdie

good fantasy fiction books

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

good fantasy fiction books

Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay

good fantasy fiction books

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman

good fantasy fiction books

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

good fantasy fiction books

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

good fantasy fiction books

The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman

good fantasy fiction books

Brown Girl in the Ring by Nalo Hopkinson

good fantasy fiction books

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

good fantasy fiction books

Spindle’s End by Robin McKinley

good fantasy fiction books

A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin

good fantasy fiction books

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

good fantasy fiction books

The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett

good fantasy fiction books

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling

good fantasy fiction books

Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson

good fantasy fiction books

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

good fantasy fiction books

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

good fantasy fiction books

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

good fantasy fiction books

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin

good fantasy fiction books

Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor

good fantasy fiction books

Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor

good fantasy fiction books

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

good fantasy fiction books

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

good fantasy fiction books

Angelfall by Susan Ee

good fantasy fiction books

A Stranger in Olondria by Sofia Samatar

good fantasy fiction books

The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell

good fantasy fiction books

The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro

good fantasy fiction books

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

good fantasy fiction books

The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin

good fantasy fiction books

Get in Trouble by Kelly Link

good fantasy fiction books

The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu

good fantasy fiction books

Shadowshaper by Daniel José Older

good fantasy fiction books

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

good fantasy fiction books

The Wrath & the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh

good fantasy fiction books

All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders

good fantasy fiction books

A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir

good fantasy fiction books

The Wall of Storms by Ken Liu

good fantasy fiction books

Beasts Made of Night by Tochi Onyebuchi

good fantasy fiction books

The Black Tides of Heaven by Neon Yang

good fantasy fiction books

The Changeling by Victor LaValle

good fantasy fiction books

Jade City by Fonda Lee

good fantasy fiction books

The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin

good fantasy fiction books

Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi

good fantasy fiction books

Blanca & Roja by Anna-Marie McLemore

good fantasy fiction books

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

good fantasy fiction books

Circe by Madeline Miller

good fantasy fiction books

Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri

good fantasy fiction books

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

good fantasy fiction books

Song of Blood & Stone by L. Penelope

good fantasy fiction books

Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse

good fantasy fiction books

Witchmark by C.L. Polk

good fantasy fiction books

Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James

good fantasy fiction books

Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi

good fantasy fiction books

The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang

good fantasy fiction books

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

good fantasy fiction books

Pet by Akwaeke Emezi

good fantasy fiction books

Queen of the Conquered by Kacen Callender

good fantasy fiction books

The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter

good fantasy fiction books

We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal

good fantasy fiction books

Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger

good fantasy fiction books

Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibañez

  • Science Fiction & Fantasy

The 50 best fantasy books of all time

Check out our picks of the most exciting new fantasy novels of 2024, the best of 2023 and 2022, as well as the top fantasy books of all time..

good fantasy fiction books

Fantasy books offer readers the perfect escape into another world. Here we share some of the top fantasy books to give you some inspiration for your literary bucket list. From Megan Giddings dystopian The Women Could Fly , to the magical multi-dimensional universe of Genevieve Cogman’s The Invisible Library, and the dark academia world of The Atlas Six – if you’re a fantasy fiction fan we’ve got you covered.

  • New fantasy books

The best new fantasy books of 2023 & 2024

The atlas complex, by olivie blake.

Book cover for The Atlas Complex

In The Atlas Complex Olivie Blake offers a riveting conclusion to the internationally acclaimed The Atlas Six trilogy. Following a dramatic incident at the library, the Alexandrians must navigate their dangerous recruitment terms. With alliances crumbling and ethical dilemmas concerning their exceptional abilities, the initiates are split. Meanwhile, global forces are plotting their downfall, and Atlas Blakely, their Caretaker, might be planning something catastrophic. As they face decisions about power and betrayal, everyone is in a desperate race for survival.

by TJ Klune

Book cover for Heartsong

Heartsong , the third book in the Green Creek series, is a queer, paranormal romance set in Oregon's enchanting wilderness. Robbie Fontaine, having moved from pack to pack following his mother's death, yearns for a place to belong. His journey brings him to Caswell, Maine, where he experiences pack life as Michelle Hughes's trusted deputy. But when a mission incites doubt about his place and exposes whispers of treachery and magic, Robbie seeks answers, especially concerning Kelly Bennett, a wolf he believes may be his mate, and a rumored traitor. With the inevitable revelation of truth, everything stands to fall apart.

A Tempest of Tea

By hafsah faizal.

Book cover for A Tempest of Tea

Vampires. Secrets. Tea. What more do you want?! Already causing a ruckus on TikTok, in  A Tempest of Tea , Hafsah Faizal takes us to Arthie Casimir's prestigious tea establishment in the city of White Roaring. Tearoom by day, illegal bloodhouse by night, Arthie caters to both humans and vampires – but this arrangement is under threat, and Arthie can't save it alone. . .

Sword Catcher

By cassandra clare.

Book cover for Sword Catcher

Two outcasts find themselves at the centre of world-altering change in the start of an epic fantasy series from author of The Shadowhunter Chronicles. In Castellane, Kel is stolen to become Prince Conor Aurelian’s body-double. As his ‘Sword Catcher', Kel lives for one purpose: to die for Conor. Lin Caster is an Ashkar physician, part of a community ostracised for its rare magical abilities. But events pull her and Kel together and into the web of the mysterious Ragpicker King who rules Castellane’s criminal underworld. Together, they’ll discover an extraordinary conspiracy. But can forbidden love bring down a kingdom? 

by Lucy Jane Wood

Book cover for Rewitched

Such is the excitement around YouTube star Lucy Jane Wood's cosy fantasy, that when she announced it, it flew to number one on the Amazon book chart on pre-orders alone. Balancing work at her beloved Lunar Books and concealing her witchcraft from the non-witches around her has left Belle burnt out. But when her thirtieth birthday brings a summons from her coven, and a trial that tests her worthiness as a witch, Belle risks losing her magic forever. With the month of October to fix things, and signs that dark forces may be working against her, Belle will need all the help she can get – from the women in her life, from an unlikely mentor figure, and even an (infuriating) watchman who’s sworn to protect her . . .

Bookshops & Bonedust

By travis baldree.

Book cover for Bookshops & Bonedust

From cosy fantasy author Travis Baldree comes the prequel to BookTok sensation Legends & Lattes, Bookshops & Bonedust. Wounded while hunting a necromancer, Viv, from Rackam's Ravens mercenary company, is sent against her will to recover in the remote beach town of Murk. Who would think she'd end up in a struggling bookshop with a grumpy proprietor as her main company? Despite the seclusion, adventure lurks close with strange visitors, a resentful gnome, a summer romance, and countless skeletons, making Murk more eventful than Viv expected.

The Serpent and the Wings of Night

By carissa broadbent.

Book cover for The Serpent and the Wings of Night

In Carissa Broadbent's series opener, a human-vampire survival game akin to The Hunger Games, unfolds. Oraya, an adopted human daughter of the Nightborn vampire king, battles for more than mere survival in the Kejari, a legendary contest run by the goddess of death. To win, Oraya must ally with perilous Raihn, a deadly vampire and fierce competitor. Despite being an enemy to her father's reign, Oraya is irresistibly drawn to Raihn. In the merciless Kejari, compassion is scarce, and love could prove fatal.

Starling House

By alix e. harrow.

Book cover for Starling House

Nobody in Eden remembers when Starling House was built – stories of the house’s bad luck have been passed down the generations. Opal knows better than to mess with haunted houses, or brooding men. But when an opportunity to work there arises, the money might get her brother out of Eden. Starling House is uncanny and full of secrets – just like Arthur, its heir. Sinister forces converge on Eden – and Opal realizes that if she wants a home, she’ll have to fight for it, even if it involves digging up her family’s ugly past. This is a romantic and spellbinding Gothic fairytale from Hugo, Nebula and Locus Award-shortlisted Alix E. Harrow.

Book cover for Ravensong

Set in the dreamy backwoods of Oregon, Ravensong is the second book in TJ Klune’s beloved Green Creek series. Gordo Livingstone, scarred by past betrayals, isolates himself from his wolf pack in a mountain town. However, when the wolves return, he teams up with Mark Bennett to face a common enemy and emerges victorious. A year later, Gordo becomes the witch of the Bennett pack, battling his feelings for Mark and a mysterious impending threat. As Green Creek settles, internal turmoil arises. Unbreakable bonds may prove fragile as danger looms.

Stone Blind

By natalie haynes.

Book cover for Stone Blind

The sole mortal raised in a family of gods, Medusa lives with an urgency that her family will never know, and is alone in her ability to experience change and to be hurt. Then, when the sea god Poseidon commits an unforgivable act in the temple of Athene, the goddess takes her revenge where she can. Writhing snakes replace her hair, and her gaze now turns any living creature to stone. Unable to control her new power, she is condemned to a life of shadows and darkness. Until Perseus embarks upon a quest. Shorlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2023, this retelling of the famed myth of Medusa asks who the real monsters are, after all.

Don't Miss

A guide to Natalie Haynes' books

He who drowned the world, by shelley parker-chan.

Book cover for He Who Drowned the World

He Who Drowned the World  is the sequel to the  Sunday Times  bestseller  She Who Became the Sun. After triumphing over the Mongol rulers, Zhu Yuanzhang aspires to become emperor. However, her ambitions are challenged by Madam Zhang, who seeks the throne for her husband, and Wang Baoxiang, a scorned scholar craving revenge. To secure her position, Zhu forms a risky alliance with the unstable eunuch general, Ouyang, while all contenders push their limits for power. As desire and ambition clash, the question remains whether even the most ruthless heart can bear the steep price of their pursuits. 

Masters of Death

Book cover for Masters of Death

This book is about an estate agent. Only she’s a vampire, the house on sale is haunted, and its ghost was murdered. When Viola Marek hires Fox D’Mora to deal with her ghost-infested mansion, she expects a competent medium. But unbeknownst to Viola, Fox is a fraud – despite being the godson of Death. As the mystery unfolds, Viola and Fox are drawn into a quest that neither wants nor expects. And they'll need the help of a demonic personal trainer, a sharp-voiced angel and a love-stricken reaper. And it transpires that the difference between a mysterious lost love and a dead body isn’t nearly as distinct as you’d hope.

A Power Unbound

By freya marske.

Book cover for A Power Unbound

Set in an alternative Edwardian England,  A Power Unbound  is the third book in The Last Binding trilogy. Start the series with   A Marvellous Light  and  A Restless Truth . Jack Alston seeks a peaceful life after his twin sister's death forced him to abandon magic. However, a perilous ritual threatens British magicians, forcing Jack back into the magical world. In a London townhouse he joins the owner to find the Last Contract's final piece, enlisting the help of Alan Ross, a money-driven writer and thief. But the alliance will become entangled in a night of secrets and bloody sacrifice as the foundations of magic in Britain risk being torn up. 

Spirits Abroad

Book cover for Spirits Abroad

Drawing inspiration from Asian myth and folklore, Zen Cho's short story collection combines magic, joy, humour and tenderness. We’ll meet an elderly ex-member of parliament, who recalls her youthful romance with an orang bunian. Then a teenage vampire struggles to balance homework, bossy aunties, first love . . . and eating people. A mischievous matriarch returns from the dead to disrupt her own funeral rites and Chang E, the Chinese moon goddess, spins off into outer space – the ultimate metaphor for diaspora. Enjoy this journey into magical new worlds, each with its own meaning. 

The First Bright Thing

By j. r. dawson.

Book cover for The First Bright Thing

Ringmaster, or Rin for short, can jump to different moments in time. With the scars of World War I feeling more distant as the years pass, Rin is focusing on the brighter things in life, like the circus she’s built and the magical misfits and outcasts. But while the present is bright, threats come at Rin from the past as a malevolent shadow looms, and from the future with an impending war on the horizon. The First Bright Thing  by J. R. Dawson is a spellbinding debut for fantasy fans that also asks the difficult question – if you knew how dark tomorrow would be, what would you do with today?

Fall of Ruin and Wrath

By jennifer l. armentrout.

Book cover for Fall of Ruin and Wrath

From the author of  From Blood and Ash,   Fall of Ruin and Wrath  is a scorching romance with high stakes, breathtaking magic and a searing enemies-to-lovers romance. In a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by vengeful gods, nine surviving cities thrive under pleasure-seeking rulers. Calista, possessing infallible intuition, hides as a courtesan. She rescues a prince, triggering warnings of joy and doom. As the prince and her protector vie for power, she navigates rebellion, danger, and desire, torn between intuition's safety and heart's risk. Fall of Ruin and Wrath  is a captivating romantic fantasy from a mega bestselling author and global sensation.

The Thousand Eyes

By a. k. larkwood.

Book cover for The Thousand Eyes

The epic sequel to The Unspoken Name – could you sacrifice your dreams to escape a nightmare? Csorwe, Shuthmili and Tal survey abandoned Echentyr worlds to make a living. The empire’s ruins seem harmless but fascinating. Yet disaster strikes when they stumble upon ancient magic during a routine expedition. This revives a warrior who’d slept for an age, reigniting a conflict thousands of years old. And the soldier binds Csorwe to her cause. Shuthmili is desperate to protect the woman she loves. However, as events escalate, she’s torn. Can she help Csorwe by clinging to her own humanity or by embracing her eldritch powers? 

One For My Enemy

Book cover for One For My Enemy

In New York City, two rival witch families fight for the upper hand in Olivie Blake's new fantasy fiction. The Antonova sisters and their mother, Baba Yaga, are the elusive supplier of premium intoxicants while the Fedorov brothers and their crime boss father, Koschei the Deathless, dominate the shadows of magical Manhattan. For twelve years, the two families have been in stalemate, but that is about to change. While fate draws together a brother and sister from either side, the siblings still struggle for power, and internal conflicts could destroy each family from within. 

A guide to The Atlas Six and Olivie Blake's books

By genevieve cogman.

Book cover for Scarlet

Revolutionary France is no place to be, especially for aristocrat vampires facing the guillotine. But the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel are determined to rescue them. And they have an ace up their sleeve: Eleanor, a lowly maid from an English estate with a striking resemblance to French royalty. For Eleanor, the League and their legendary deeds are little more than rumour – until she’s drawn into their most dangerous plot yet. Revolution's a bloodthirsty business . . .  Scarlet  is a thrilling reinvention of the tale of  The Scarlet Pimpernel  with the addition of magic and even more mayhem.

A Taste of Gold and Iron

By alexandra rowland.

Book cover for A Taste of Gold and Iron

Kadou, the modest prince of Arasht, has no plans to wrestle for imperial control with his sister, the queen. Yet he is in conflict with the father of queen's new child, who is a powerful ambassador at the court. Then a hunting expedition goes badly wrong, and Kadou finds himself accused of murder. This sensual tale of courtly intrigue, backstabbing politics and romance set against the backdrop of an Ottoman Empire-inspired world, is a must-read.

The Mystery at Dunvegan Castle

By t. l. huchu.

Book cover for The Mystery at Dunvegan Castle

Ghostalker Ropa Moyo and her rag-tag team of magicians are back in The Mystery at Dunvegan Castle, the third book in the spellbinding Edinburgh Nights series. Ropa Moyo is no stranger to magic or mysteries. But she’s still stuck in an irksomely unpaid internship. So she’s thrilled to attend a magical convention at Dunvegan Castle, on the Isle of Skye, where she’ll rub elbows with eminent magicians. For Ropa, it’s the perfect opportunity to finally prove her worth. Then a librarian is murdered and a precious scroll stolen. Suddenly, every magician is a suspect, and Ropa and her allies investigate.

Fourth Wing

By rebecca yarros.

Book cover for Fourth Wing

Welcome to the brutal and elite world of Basgiath War College, where everyone has an agenda, and every night could be your last . . . Violet, destined for a quiet life among books, is forced by her commanding mother to become a dragon rider, despite her fragility. With dragons rarely bonding with humans like her, danger looms. Amidst a deadly war and failing protective wards, she suspects a dark secret among the leadership. Forming alliances and facing treacherous foes, Violet fights for survival. Romance and betrayals intertwine as she navigates this perilous path. Graduation or death awaits in the world of dragon riders. 

Immortal Longings

By chloe gong.

Book cover for Immortal Longings

In the kingdom of Talin, the deadly games held in the capital twin cities of San-Er attract thousands, offering unimaginable riches to those skilled enough to jump between bodies and enter the fight to the death. Princess Calla Tuoleimi seeks to take down her tyrannical uncle, King Kasa. To achieve her goal, she must win the games, where Anton Makusa, desperate to save his comatose childhood love, enters to secure the prize money. An unexpected alliance between Calla and Anton forms, leading to a consuming partnership. As the games near their end, Calla faces a crucial choice: her lover or her kingdom.

The best fantasy books of 2022

Legends & lattes.

Book cover for Legends & Lattes

After decades of adventuring, Viv the orc barbarian is finally hanging up her sword for good to open the first coffee shop in the city of Thune. Even though no one there knows what coffee actually  is . But old rivals and new stand in the way of success, and Thune’s shady underbelly could make it all too easy for Viv to take up the blade once more. If you've already read Legends & Lattes then Bookshops & Bonedust , the highly anticipated prequel, is available to pre-order now. 

The Atlas Six

Book cover for The Atlas Six

Dark-academia fantasy novel  The Atlas Six  was originally self-published by Olivie Blake, and was then snapped up for re-publication after it shot to fame on TikTok. The story follows six young magical practitioners as they compete to join the secretive Alexandrian Society, whose custodians guard lost knowledge from ancient civilizations. Yet each decade, only six practitioners are invited – to fill five places. Following recruitment by the mysterious Atlas Blakely, they travel to the Society’s London headquarters. Here, each must study and innovate within esoteric subject areas. And if they can prove themselves, over the course of a year, they’ll survive. Most of them.

Guns of the Dawn

By adrian tchaikovsky.

Book cover for Guns of the Dawn

For generations, peace reigned over Denland – until revolutionaries assassinated their king. Next, they clashed with Lascanne, their neighbour. Both countries are now locked in fierce war, pitching war machines against warlocks. Genteel Emily Marshwic has lost much to the war. Then the call for more soldiers comes for her. Alongside other conscripted women, she finds herself on the battlefield, braving the harsh reality of warfare. But she begins to doubt her country’s cause, and her choices could determine the fate of these two nations.

The Discord of Gods

By jenn lyons.

Book cover for The Discord of Gods

The unmissable conclusion to the epic A Chorus of Dragons series by Jenn Lyons, containing the final battle between gods, demons and dragons. As Kihrin seeks an eleventh-hour reprieve for the universe – with Relos Var and the demon Xaltorath continuing to wage war on each other – his body threatens to betray him. Reeling from the aftereffects of a corrupted ritual, one that twisted both him and the last dragons. Worse, he’s now bound to the avatar of a star, a form that’s becoming catastrophically unstable. All of which means he's running out of time. One curse. One man. One destiny.

Jenn Lyons on world-building in her fantasy novels

By frances hardinge.

Book cover for Unraveller

In a world where anyone can cast a life-destroying curse, only one person has the power to unravel them. Kellen does not fully understand his unique gift, but helps those who are cursed, like his friend Nettle who was trapped in the body of a bird for years. She is now Kellen's constant companion and his closest ally. But the Unraveller carries a curse himself and, unless he and Nettle can remove it, Kellen is a danger to everything – and everyone – around him . . .

Fury of a Demon

By brian naslund.

Book cover for Fury of a Demon

The third and final instalment in Brian Naslund's Dragons of Terra trilogy has come to paperback this year. Osyrus Ward has subdued most of Terra, but to finish the job and annihilate the dragons he must add to his huge army of skyships and create a machine that possesses unheard-of power. Rebels Bershad and Ashlyn are doing every everything they can to prevent this, but they have been captured in Dainwood by Ward's mercenaries. Ashlyn employs her dark magic against the terrifying forces massing around them, and Bershad summons his history of victory in battle. But will their combined energies be enough to save the world?

The Empire's Ruin

By brian staveley.

Book cover for The Empire's Ruin

In the first book in Brian Staveley's epic fantasy trilogy, Ashes of the Unhewn, the great Annurian Empire is on its last legs, and its elite soldiers – the Kettral – are dwindling. Kettral soldier Gwenna Sharpe is given a quest, in order to restore the hawk-riding battalion. She must travel beyond the known world, to the place where the mighty war hawks nest. She will face obstacles along the way, from poisoned land to a monk turned conman to sinister forces massing against the empire. Gwenna's quest to save it is fraught with danger, but full of potential for recovery and renewal.

The Women Could Fly

By megan giddings.

Book cover for The Women Could Fly

Part fantasy, part dystopia,  The Women Could Fly  is a powerful novel that speaks to our times. In a world where witches are real and unmarried women over the age of thirty must be monitored by the state, Josephine Thomas is twenty-eight, ambivalent about marriage and on the cusp of losing autonomy over her own life. It's been fourteen years since her mother's disappearance, and Jo has heard ever possible explanation from kidnapping to murder . . . to witchcraft; but all these years later, she feels she's never understood her mother more. So when she's offered an opportunity to honour one last request from her mother's will, she takes it . . .

A Marvellous Light

Book cover for A Marvellous Light

For fans of Bridgerton who'd like to welcome magic into their lives. Set in an alternative Edwardian England, this is a comedy of manners, manor houses, and hedge mazes: including a magic-infused murder mystery and a delightful queer romance. Young baronet Robin Blyth thought he was taking up a minor governmental post. However, he's actually been appointed parliamentary liaison to a secret magical society, and he’ll need the help of Edwin Courcey, his adversarial magical-society counterpart, as together they discover a plot that threatens every magician in the British Isles.

Witchshadow

By susan dennard.

Book cover for Witchshadow

Susan Dennard’s  New York Times  bestselling fantasy series continues – with the story of Iseult, the Threadwitch. The Witchlands have been on the brink of war, and in the fourth book in this epic fantasy series, it arrives. Iseult has found her heartsister Safi at last, but their reunion is brief. For Iseult to stay alive, she must flee Cartorra while Safi remains. As villains from legend reawaken across the Witchlands, only the mythical Cahr Awen can stop the gathering war. Iseult could embrace this power and heal the land, but first she must choose on which side of the shadows her destiny will lie.

The Witchlands series books in order

Book cover for Wolfsong

When Ox Matheson was twelve his father taught him that he was worthless, destined to be misunderstood, and then he left him. Four years later, the energetic Bennett family moved in next door, harbouring a secret that would change his life forever: they are shapeshifters, and can transform into wolves at will. Drawn into an unimaginable new world, Ox found a friend in Joe, the youngest Bennett brother, but when the pack was pulled apart by tragedy and murder, Joe left town . But now, he has returned, and Ox can no longer ignore the song that howls between them.

Origins of The Wheel of Time

By michael livingston.

Book cover for Origins of The Wheel of Time

This companion to Robert Jordan's internationally bestselling series, The Wheel of Time, will delve into the creation of a masterpiece, drawing from interviews and an unprecedented examination of his unpublished notes. Michael Livingston tells the behind-the-scenes story of who Jordan was (including a chapter that is the very first published biography of the author), how he worked, and why he holds such an important place in modern literature.

by Lucy Holland

Book cover for Sistersong

This folklore-inspired tale of betrayal, magic and murder is a 2022 must read. King Cador’s children inherit a land abandoned by the Romans, torn by warring tribes. Riva can cure others, but can’t heal her own scars. Keyne battles to be seen as the king’s son, although born a daughter. And Sinne dreams of love, longing for adventure. All three fear a life confined within the hold, protected from Saxon invaders. But when Myrdhin, meddler and magician, arrives, the siblings discover the power within themselves and the land.  

She Who Became the Sun

Book cover for She Who Became the Sun

A Number One  Sunday Times  Bestseller, this absorbing historical fantasy novel from Shelley Parker-Chan reimagines the rise to power of the Ming Dynasty’s founding emperor. In 1345, China lies restless under harsh Mongol rule, and when a bandit raid wipes out her home and her brother perishes, Zhu resolves to overcome her destiny by taking her dead brother’s identity. Can Zhu escape what’s written in the stars, as rebellion sweeps the land? Or can she claim her brother’s greatness – and rise as high as she can dream?

The best fantasy books of all time

The invisible library.

Book cover for The Invisible Library

The Invisible Library is the astounding debut fantasy book by Genevieve Cogman, and the first novel in The Invisible Library series. Professional spy Irene works for the mysterious Library, along with her enigmatic assistant Kai. Their mission is to steal a dangerous book from an alternative London. But when they arrive, it's already been stolen. And to make things more complicated, this alternative world is infested with chaos, full of supernatural creatures and unpredictable magic.

The Invisible Library books in order

Empire in black and gold.

Book cover for Empire in Black and Gold

This epic fantasy novel is the first book in Adrian Tchaikovsky’s critically acclaimed fantasy series The Shadows of the Apt. The Lowlands have lived in peace and prosperity for decades, but now an ancient Empire is conquering city after city, and the Lowlands are next . . . Stenwold Maker, spymaster, artificer and statesman, sees the threat, but can he convince his people of the danger that is coming? 

Adrian Tchaikovsky's books in order

Blood of an exile.

Book cover for Blood of an Exile

In Brian Naslund's must-read debut fantasy novel we meet Bershad, an adventurer sentenced to kill dragons for a living after being caught trying to assassinate a fellow noble. When the king who sentenced Bershad offers him a way out of his forced occupation and exile, Bershad sees a way to earn redemption, but it won't be easy.  Blood of an Exile , the first book in the Dragons of Terra series is packed with adventure and of course, lots of dragons.

The Lord of the Rings

By j. r. r. tolkien.

Book cover for The Lord of the Rings

J.R.R. Tolkien’s trilogy is a classic of fantasy fiction and is a must-read for all fantasy fans. The story of the hobbit Frodo and his epic quest to reach Mount Doom and defeat the Dark Lord, Sauron, by destroying the One Ring, Tolkien’s epic fantasy was adapted into three of the most popular films of the 2000s. One of the best fantasy books ever written. 

Book cover for Bloodwitch

The brilliantly imagined coming-of-age fantasy series, Witchlands, continues with  Bloodwitch . The Bloodwitch Aeduan and Iseult the Threadwitch race for safety, desperate to evade the Raider King. His attempts to subdue the Witchlands are gaining momentum, as his forces sow terror in the mountains, slaughtering innocents. Despite differing goals, Aeduan and Iseult have grown to trust one another in the fight to survive. Yet trust is a tenuous bond . . .

by Neil Gaiman

Book cover for Stardust

In the tiny town of Wall, young Tristan Thorn is madly in love with the beautiful Victoria Forrester. When she agrees to marry him if he retrieves a fallen star he doesn’t hesitate. But to find the fallen star he’ll need to cross the ancient wall which the town is named for, into a world of magic and danger. This charming fairytale fantasy will delight fans of Naomi Novik’s Uprooted and Spinning Silver . 

The Colour of Magic

By terry pratchett.

Book cover for The Colour of Magic

Terry Pratchett’s wonderfully inventive fantasy fiction series Discworld begins with  The Colour of Magic . Set in a flat world resting on the back of four elephants who are balanced on the shell of a giant turtle, this is a parallel time and place full of magic. When the first-ever tourist arrives, their survival is charged to a comically inept wizard who must face robbers, mercenaries and Death himself. Terry Pratchett is the author of some of the most-loved fantasy books of all-time.  

The Star-Touched Queen

By roshani chokshi.

Book cover for The Star-Touched Queen

Maya's world is torn apart when her father, the Raja, arranges her marriage for political advantage. She becomes the Queen of Akaran and the wife of Amar despite a horoscope that promised a marriage of death and destruction. As Akaran's queen, she finds her voice and power. As Amar's wife, she finds something else entirely: Compassion. Protection. Desire. But Akaran has its own secrets. Soon, Maya suspects her life is in danger, but who besides her husband can she trust? Steeped in Indian folklore and mythology The Star-Touched Queen is an enthralling fantasy read.

A Game of Thrones

By george r.r. martin.

Book cover for A Game of Thrones

No list of the best fantasy fiction is complete without George R. R. Martin’s epic fantasy fiction series, universally acknowledged to be some of the best fantasy books of all time. The first book in the series gave its name to the TV series that became one of the most talked-about in history. In a world where summers span decades and winter can last a lifetime, the battle for the Iron Throne has begun. The breakout success of A Game of Thrones means the series will feature on best fantasy books lists for years to come.

Books series to read if you love Game of Thrones

The fifth season, by n. k. jemisin.

Book cover for The Fifth Season

The Fifth Season is the first fantasy novel in N. K. Jemisin's Broken Earth trilogy. In a far-future Earth, a continent known as the Stillness is plagued by apocalyptic natural disasters known as Seasons, that can last for generations. Book one follows the story of Essun, a woman living an unremarkable life in a quiet town until three tragedies strike in one day. Her husband murders their beloved son in cold blood and kidnaps their daughter, a world-spanning empire falls, and a great rift has been torn into the Stillness throwing ash into the sky and blocking the sun's light for years to come. And so Essun's fight to save her daughters in this dying land, begins . . .

Sorcerer to the Crown

Book cover for Sorcerer to the Crown

Sorcerer to the Crown is the first book in Hugo Award-winning author Zen Cho’s fantasy series. In Regency London, Zacharias Wythe is England's first African Sorcerer Royal. He leads the Royal Society of Unnatural Philosophers, whose duty it is to keep the levels of magic stable   – but they're failing. The supply of magic is being disrupted by the Fairy Court, and war with France means the government wants to drain this scarce resource even further. When Zacharias meets ambitious orphan Prunella Gentleman they find that her recent magical discovery might just change the nature of sorcery forever.  

by John Gwynne

Book cover for Malice

Malice is the first book in John Gwynne’s The Faithful and the Fallen series , from bestselling author Conn Iggulden. Set in the Banished Lands where armies of men and giants clash in battle, Young Corban watches enviously as boys become warriors, learning the art of war. He yearns to wield his sword and spear to protect his king’s realm. But that day will come all too soon. Only when he loses those he loves will he learn the true price of courage.

The Ruin of Kings

Book cover for The Ruin of Kings

The hugely anticipated debut by Jenn Lyons is the first fantasy book in the A Chorus of Dragons series. Brim-full of big ideas – body-swapping, prophecy, rich worldbuilding and grim commentaries on many aspects of empire – to name but a few, this is the tale of Kihrin, a young prince cursed with bad luck and worse prophecy.  The Ruin of Kings  is a fantastically complex and multi-layered fantasy book, and characters like Doc and Galen, alongside Kihrin's own well-balanced set of talents and flaws make this a promising new fantasy series. 

Children of Blood and Bone

By tomi adeyemi.

Book cover for Children of Blood and Bone

Tomi Adeyemi’s YA fantasy book is the first in her West African-inspired fantasy fiction series Legacy of Orisha. Zélie remembers when Orisha was full of magic. When different clans ruled with unique powers, including her Reaper mother who could summon forth souls. But everything changed when the ruthless king had anyone with powers killed. Now only a few people still have the power to use magic, and they must stay hidden. Zélie is one of those people, but now she has the chance to bring magic back to her people and strike against the monarchy . . . Tomi Adeyemi is the author of some on the best fantasy books for YA readers in recent years.

Black Leopard, Red Wolf

By marlon james.

Book cover for Black Leopard, Red Wolf

Black Leopard, Red Wolf  is the first fantasy novel in Marlon James's Dark Star Trilogy. A New York Times bestseller, National Book Award finalist and Ray Bradbury Prize winner, it's no stranger to accolades. Set in an African-inspired fantasy world, the first book in the series follows Tracker, a mercenary with an extraordinary ability to follow scents, as he hunts down a missing boy. On his journey Tracker's crosses paths with strange companions, from shapeshifters to giants, who seek the same child and hide their own secrets . . .

We Hunt the Flame

Book cover for We Hunt the Flame

A TikTok sensation, We Hunt the Flame  is a brilliant YA fantasy debut about exploration and claiming your own identity. Zafira is a Hunter, who disguises herself as a man to try to provide for her people. Nasir is the Prince of Death, a notorious assassin in thrall to his sultan father. Both are reluctant legends, and both are on dangerous missions. As they embark on these perilous tasks, a long buried evil begins to stir. We Free the Stars is the epic sequel in Hafsah Faizal's duology.

The Buried Giant

By kazuo ishiguro.

Book cover for The Buried Giant

Booker Prize-winning author Kazou Ishiguro does not disappoint in his first fantasy book, The Buried Giant . The book begins as a couple, Axl and Beatrice, set off across a troubled land of mist and rain in the hope of finding a son they have not seen for years. They expect to face many hazards - some strange and other-worldly - but they cannot yet foresee how their journey will reveal to them dark and forgotten corners of their love for one another. Sometimes savage, often intensely moving, this is a novel about lost memories, love, revenge and war.

Howl's Moving Castle

By diana wynne jones.

Book cover for Howl's Moving Castle

Now also a movie from Studio Ghibli, this beloved modern classic follows Sophie Hatter from the land of Ingary as she catches the unwelcome attention of the Witch of the Waste and is put under a spell. Deciding she has nothing more to lose, Sophie makes her way to the moving castle that hovers on the hills above her town, Market Chipping. But the castle belongs to the dreaded Wizard Howl, whose appetite, they say, is satisfied only by the souls of young girls . . . 

Northern Lights

By philip pullman.

Book cover for Northern Lights

First published in 1995, and acclaimed as a modern masterpiece, this first book in the Hid Dark Materials series is a must-read for all fantasy fans. Lyra Belacqua and her animal daemon live half-wild and carefree among scholars of Jordan College, Oxford. The destiny that awaits her will take her to the frozen lands of the Arctic, where witch-clans reign and ice-bears fight. Her extraordinary journey will have immeasurable consequences far beyond her own world. 

You may also like

The best sci-fi audiobooks to listen to right now, 20 best ya fantasy books to escape in, must reads: 50 best books of all time.

We may earn a commission if you buy something from any affiliate links on our site. Learn more .

36 of the best fantasy books everyone should read

36 of the best fantasy books everyone should read

Are you looking for your next fantasy must-read? From wizards and werewolves to weird happenings underground, we've pulled together some of the WIRED team's favourite fantasy series. Some are set in strange and fantastic worlds, while others start a little closer to home. And, if you'd like more reading ideas, try our guide to the best sci-fi books or our picks of the best books on Audible .

It's Prime Day 2023, so we've uncovered the top discounts. Check out the best Prime Day deals in the UK here.​​

Image may contain Advertisement Poster Novel Book Brochure Paper and Flyer

Piranesi is a wondrous, genre-defying book, but if it had to fit somewhere, 'fantasy' would be the label we'd give it. The less you know about Piranesi , the better, but as a taster, it follows the life of a man who lives within the spectacular, statue-filled halls of a vast, labyrinthine house. Waves roll into the halls, birds and sea creatures come and go, but he has no idea why he's there or how he got there. He's more concerned with writing journal entries and documenting things he encounters.

It's a twisting novel that's both beautiful and deeply unsettling. It's one you could read in a single sitting because the narrator seems so unnervingly naive, and the more you discover, the more you itch for what secrets are hiding beneath the surface. Released in 2021, Piranesi was shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction and won a massive amount of critical acclaim for author Susanna Clarke. If her name rings a bell, it's because she's already well-known for her first novel Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell , which was published in 2004 and adapted into a TV series.

Price: £7.50 | Amazon | Waterstones | Audible trial

Image may contain Advertisement Poster Brochure Paper and Flyer

Described as Game of Thrones meets Ocean’s Eleven , Six of Crows is set in the Grishaverse – like the award-winning Shadow and Bone trilogy, which is now a major Netflix show. In fact, the show might be called Shadow and Bone , but it draws from the cast of characters in Six of Crows , too. Six of Crows begins in Ketterdam, a raucous, busy hub of trade with an underbelly of crime. Kaz Brekker is a criminal mastermind who’s offered the chance to carry out a risky heist with a considerable reward. He handpicks a team to help, including a convict, excellent sharpshooter, and a spy – six outcasts in total, all trying to pull off the ultimate heist. Bardugo is brilliant at world-building, which is a treat if you’re entering the Grishaverse for the first time and a welcome return for anyone who’s read the Shadow and Bone trilogy or her latest duology set in the same universe, King of Scars . Yes, Six of Crows and the other Grishaverse books are technically YA, but don’t let that put you off.

36 of the best fantasy books everyone should read

If anyone deserves to be on this list twice, it’s Neil Gaiman. Stardust is a magical fantasy novel that’s a delight to read at any age. It’s about a young man called Tristran Thorn, who vows to find a star for the woman he loves after they see it fall from the night sky.

What follows is a fairy tale that weaves in stories, characters and settings that are already embedded in our cultural make-up, like pirates, spells, curses, witches, power struggles, falling stars, otherworldly beings and much more. Gaiman said: “I wanted to write a story that would feel, to the reader, like something he or she had always known” – and that’s the enduring appeal of Stardust. The book was adapted into a movie in 2007 with a star-studded cast, including Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Claire Danes. Once you’ve read the book, you should find it on your go-to streaming service, as it does Neil Gaiman’s original tale justice.

Price: £9 | Amazon | Waterstones | Audible trial

Image may contain Advertisement Poster Novel Book Brochure Paper and Flyer

Another award-winning entry, Jade City bagged The World Fantasy Award in 2018 and was shortlisted for many others, including the Nebula Awards and the Locus Awards. It’s an epic story that many have said is reminiscent of classic Hong Kong gangster movies. However, the twist here is that it’s set in Janloon, a fantastical metropolis that Lee describes incredibly vividly.

The central premise of Jade City is, as you might guess, all about Jade. This is a stone that’s the lifeblood of the city and has magical properties as it can enhance a person’s natural abilities. That’s why it’s so precious and controlled by two warring families. But when a new drug emerges that gives anyone the power to take advantage of the mystical energies of Jade, tension rises, and violence ensues. It’s stylish, full of beautiful, gritty descriptions and, despite being a fantasy book, touches on all kinds of relatable themes, like family honour and tradition.

Price: £8 | Amazon | Waterstones | Audible trial

Image may contain Novel and Book

Considered one of the best fantasy books ever written, The Last Unicorn is a magical story about a unicorn living in a forest. One day, hunters arrive in the forest and believe it must contain a unicorn because of the magic protecting the creatures there. One of the hunters shouts a warning to the unicorn that she might be the last of her kind, which urges her to embark on a quest to find more unicorns – or learn what’s happened to them.

What comes next is full of sadness, adventure and wonder, with talking animals, witches, a harpy, spells, a magician, and much, much more. It’s another book that’s a trip back into the world of magic and fairy tales for adults, but a firm favourite for children of all ages, too. The Last Unicorn has since been adapted for the screen. In 1982, it was made into a movie featuring the voices of Alan Arkin, Jeff Bridges, Mia Farrow, Angela Lansbury, and Christopher Lee.

Price: £16 | Amazon | Waterstones

Who Fears Death, by Nnedi Okorafor (2018)

Image may contain Human Person Advertisement and Poster

Written by award-winning science-fiction and fantasy writer Nnedi Okorafor, Who Fears Death is set in Sudan in a far off, nuclear holocaust-ravaged future. There’s genocide and suffering between two warring tribes and, amidst this immense pain and violence, Onyesonwu is born – her name means “who fears death?” in an ancient language. Onyesonwu is special, displaying all manner of magical powers from an early age. This book is a mesmerising blend of magic, folk tradition, love and spirituality. But read it soon before it hits your TV screen if you’re a book-before-adaptation kind of person. Who Fears Death is being made into a TV series for HBO and George R. R. Martin is set to be an executive producer.

Price: £9 | Amazon | Waterstones | Audible

A Court of Thorns and Roses, by Sarah J. Maas (2020)

36 of the best fantasy books everyone should read

Imagine Beauty and the Beast but ramp up the romance and fantasy even more, transform Beauty into a huntress and Beast into some kind of fantastical faerie lord and that’s A Court of Thorns and Roses . Sara J. Maas might have used the classic fairytale as a starting pont for this epic fantasical romance, but it’s a brilliant story in its own right. So much so that it’s the first in a best-selling series of the same name. A Court of Thorns and Roses begins with Feyre, a huntress who kills a wolf to feed her family. But this was no ordinary wolf. In fact, it wasn’t a wolf at all and Feyre has to face the consequences of her violent actions. This is, technically, a YA (young adult) novel, but don’t let that put you off, it has a huge adult fanbase.

Price: £7 | Amazon | Waterstones | Audible

The Power, by Naomi Alderman (2017)

36 of the best fantasy books everyone should read

The Power could also be classed as science-fiction, but we’re including it in our fantasy recommendations because what’s more fantastical than every woman in the land suddenly being able to electrocute men Palpatine-style with their fingertips? That’s the searingly smart and brilliantly-explored premise of The Power , which allows us to imagine what would happen if the present balance in the world – or, more rightly so, imbalance, – was reversed in favour of women. Would we be living in a calm utopia within a fortnight? Would we face the same problems we always have? Or would there be a whole host of new challenges to contend with?

The Fifth Season, by N. K. Jemisin (2016)

36 of the best fantasy books everyone should read

It doesn’t feel like there’s a right way to begin explaining the truly monumental premise and proportions of The Fifth Season , so let’s just dive in. This book takes place on a planet with one massive supercontinent called Stillness. Every few hundred years the ‘fifth season’ occurs – a period of catastrophic climate change. The world-building prowess of Jemisin’s The Fifth Season is epic, there are different ethnicities, species, areas and castes with all kinds of powers and conflicts, and plenty of other details that won’t make sense until you read the book – be prepared to be a little overwhelmed when you’re first introduced to this new universe. This award-winning tome is the first in the Broken Earth series, with later books also scooping up prestigious Hugo Awards in their own right.

Riot Baby, by Tochi Onyebuchi (2020)

36 of the best fantasy books everyone should read

Set in the near future, Riot Baby might be a story with fantastical elements weaved throughout it, but it explores very real, pertinent and important issues of race and bias algorithms. The riot baby in this book is Kev, a young Black man who’s in prison. His sister, Ella, has a number of special powers – like being able to see into the future. Riot Baby is novella length (perfect for anyone whose concentration span isn’t what it used to be) and written in a fast-paced style that makes us, as readers, feel as if we’re witnessing flashes of memories in a manner that’s wedded to some of the central themes of anger and injustice.

Price: £14 | Amazon | Waterstones | Audible

Kindred, by Octavia E. Butler (2018)

36 of the best fantasy books everyone should read

Some might say Octavia E. Butler’s fantastic Kindred is a work of science-fiction or speculative fiction, but it’s in our list because Butler herself called it “a kind of grim fantasy”. This is a time travel narrative, but we’d bet it’s quite unlike any you’ve read before. Kindred follows the story of a woman called Dana who’s transported from 1976 Los Angeles to a Maryland plantation in 1815, where she’s assumed to be a slave. Like all good fantasy and science-fiction, the magical, surreal, time-travelling elements act as a way into a raw exploration of race, power and gender that’s as relevant and urgent now as it was when Butler first published it in 1979.

Price: £7.50 | Amazon | Waterstones | Audible

The Lies of Locke Lamora, by Scott Lynch (2006)

36 of the best fantasy books everyone should read

Renaissance Venice meets fantasy meets the twists and turns of a well crafted crime novel. Scott Lynch builds a fascinating fantasy city with real detail and real grit. No shining heroes and wistful princesses here. Instead criminal gangs, corrupt officials and the high likelihood of being mugged in a back alley. There is almost a sense of Oceans 11 meets venetian masquerade, blink and you’ll miss the sleight of hand! Fantasy is almost an afterthought in this novel and it is really about the character building and storytelling. Sure there are shark matadors and alchemical alcoholic fruits, not to mention the mysterious Elderglass, but these are more a backdrop rather than plot driving and all combine to make, subtle and intriguing read. There are plenty of twists and turns as Locke navigates the underworld of Camorr, but it’s unlikely you’ll see all of them coming!? This is the first book of a trilogy and although it stands alone you’ll want to read the other two to see what happens next in Red Seas Under Red Skies and A Republic of Thieves .

Earthlings, by Sayaka Murata (2020)

36 of the best fantasy books everyone should read

Not one for the faint hearted, this dark fantasy comedy from the author of Convenience Store Woman is tricky to pin down into any one category and the final pages will probably leave you gobsmacked. Natsuki and Yuu are cousins who have long prepared to be abducted back to their home planet. So far, so childhood but then they grow up and the plan persists. In the meantime they have to try to function in regular society, securing partners and jobs and not drawing attention to themselves. No taboo is left unturned with Earthlings encouraging minor acts of rebellion from what 'society' tells us we have to do.

Price: £10.50 | Amazon | Waterstones | 30-day Audible trial

Circe, by Madeline Miller (2018)

36 of the best fantasy books everyone should read

Circe, daughter of Titan sun god Helios, finds herself overshadowed in the halls of the gods until she discovers her own, different power: witchcraft. Banished to a deserted island for abusing her magic, and repeatedly let down by the men she puts her trust in, Circe must forge her own path: as a goddess, a witch, and a woman. Miller’s novel offers a new perspective on tales of Greek myth, with Circe’s centuries-long story seeing her appear at the birth of the Minotaur, face off with goddess of war Athena, and host hero Odysseus on his long return from Troy. An accessible read with larger-than-life characters and an adventurous plot, Circe is mythology as you’ve never known it before.

Price: £7 | Amazon | Waterstones | 30-day Audible trial

Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn, by Tad Williams (1988 to 1993)

36 of the best fantasy books everyone should read

The three books in this trilogy, The Dragonbone Chair , Stone of Farewell and To Green Angel Tower , are beautifully crafted fantasies that deftly interweave almost comically simple tropes with a rewarding complexity and depth. Game of Thrones fans will find much to enjoy – George R. R. Martin readily admits they were a big inspiration for him – as Williams takes a similarly methodical approach to creating the fictional continent Osten Ard and the races that inhabit it. His tales of the humble kitchen scullion who has great things ahead of him are full of joyful and sorrowful moments that will have you laughing and crying, making them a delightful diversion from life's ups and downs.

Price: £6 | Amazon | Abe Books | 30-day Audible trial

Malazan Book of the Fallen series, by Steven Erikson (1999 to 2011)

Image may contain Human Person Advertisement Poster Novel and Book

Spanning 10 books and over 9,000 pages of brutal, beautiful and complex fantasy writing, Steven Erikson's series delivers world building on a larger scale than Tolkien and Jordan put together. Erikson will have you laughing and crying as you follow the lives of disparate heroes and anti-heroes across a sweeping vista of worlds peopled by a unique set of races and animals. You will fall in love with his characters and you will hate them, either way you will want to know what happens next. Beginning with the Gardens of the Moon , Erikson’s ability to write epic convergence is unparalleled and will leave you unable to stand the tension leading up to the major events he depicts.

The First Law Trilogy, by Joe Abercrombie (2006 to 2008)

Image may contain Advertisement Text Document Id Cards Passport and Poster

Joe Abercrombie writes brilliant characters. Be it the story of an ageing berserker, a crippled torturer or a pompous noble, his The First Law Trilogy immerses you in a bloody mire of violent, visceral and gritty adventures. You will see the glory of battle in all its bowel spilling ineptitude and hopelessness, but there is always someone to root for even if it is not the god blessed heroes and heroines you might usually expect. As an added bonus there are also three standalone books and a collection of short stories that revisit some of the First Law characters and world, something you will be eager to devour once you’ve read the first trilogy.

Price: £17 | Amazon | Waterstones | 30-day Audible trial

The Golem and the Djinni, by Helene Wecker (2013)

36 of the best fantasy books everyone should read

Helene Wecker's debut novel is an eerie tale of two magical creatures set loose in 19th century New York. A golem – a mythical creature of Jewish lore – awakens during a sea voyage, and is taught to pass as human among the diverse groups of people living in the city. At the same time, a tinsmith in New York accidentally frees a genie from a flask after centuries of imprisonment, but he's trapped in human form seeking a way to return to his full power. The pair meet and become friends, and must team up to counter an evil sorcerer who wants to enslave them both.

Price: £10 | Amazon | Waterstones | 30-day Audible trial

Dune, by Frank Herbert (1965)

36 of the best fantasy books everyone should read

Welcome to a desert planet where water is more precious than gold, everyone wears moisture-preserving jumpsuits and giant worm creatures can come out of the earth's floor that can kill you at any moment. This is Dune, a stark wasteland where warring houses scheme against each other in bloody battles that can alter the course of human history. Although it's science-fiction on the surface, Frank Herbert's epic tome features the fantasy tropes of betrayal, redemption and freedom in spades, and is rightly considered one of the most important of the genre. Herbert's masterpiece not only helped to inspire Star Wars – it still resonates today, tackling environmental concerns, the rise of superpowers and rebellion of people exploited on their own land.

The Dark Tower series, by Stephen King (1998)

Image may contain Book and Furniture

"The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed." This iconic line kicks off Stephen King's iconic The Dark Tower, which mashes together fantasy, westerns and elements of science fiction. The first of seven books follows gunslinger Roland as he pursues a mysterious, malevolent presence across a strange world that's linked to our own. From there, it sprawls into a rambling epic that highlight's King's imagination as well as his touch for horror.

Price: £9 | Amazon | Waterstones | 30-day Audible trial

A Song of Ice and Fire, by George R.R. Martin (1996)

36 of the best fantasy books everyone should read

Fans of the television series have been distancing themselves from Game of Thrones in droves since that disastrous final season, but George R.R. Martin's books remain relatively untainted. A Game of Thrones , the first in the A Song of Ice and Fire Series, sets the tone – with violence and adult themes rarely seen in a lot of mainstream fantasy up to that point. Each chapter follows an individual character's point of view, and although the series does becomes slightly bogged down in later entries, it is gripping – and the ending is still to come.

Price: £8.50 | Amazon | Waterstones | 30-day Audible trial

Good Omens, by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman (1990)

36 of the best fantasy books everyone should read

Both Pratchett and Gaiman feature in their own right on this list and Good Omens , composed in part over answerphone messages three decades ago, delivers on the promise of a fantasy literature titan team up. It's the extremely silly story of an angel, Aziraphale, and a demon, Crowley, played with glee by Michael Sheen and David Tennant in this year's Amazon Prime Video series, trying to stop Armageddon. Most fantasy books ask for a serious commitment but Good Omens is a fully formed, read-in-an-afternoon treat.

Rivers of London series, by Ben Aaronovitch (2011)

36 of the best fantasy books everyone should read

Set in a lovingly described version of present-day London, the Rivers of London series charts the adventures of Detective Constable Peter Grant, one of two wizards in the Metropolitan Police. It grounds its fantastical elements in the scientific method, and the mixture of flying spells and police jargon gives the ongoing series a unique and enjoyable tone. The first book, Rivers of London describes an encounter with a malevolent spirit that draws Grant into the capital's magical underworld.

Price: £8 | Amazon | Waterstones | 30-day Audible trial

The Wheel of Time series, by Robert Jordan (1990-2007)

36 of the best fantasy books everyone should read

An epic fourteen novel saga, (as well as a prequel novel and two companion books), the author James Oliver Rigney Jr. (pen name Robert Jordan), published the first entry in 1990 and was still writing on his death in 2007. Too vast to summarise, the fantasy world – actually a distant version of Earth – is epic and magical, with a gigantic cast of characters. The series has spawned a video game, a roleplaying game, a soundtrack album and a forthcoming TV series, and the books have sold more than 80 million copies, making it one of the bestselling fantasy series since Lord of the Rings .

Price: £20 | Amazon | Blackwells | 30-day Audible trial

The Gormenghast series, by Mervyn Peake (1946-56)

36 of the best fantasy books everyone should read

The first instalment of Mervyn Peake’s epic fantasy series, which features three books and a novella, was published in 1946. It follows the residents of Castle Gormenghast – a giant, gothic castle. In the first book, we meet title character Titus Groan, who stands to inherit the castle and its kingdom. Populated with a host of fantastical creatures, Gormenghast is like a Lord of the Rings that didn’t blow up. Unlike much of the fantasy genre gets high praise in literary circles too: Harold Bloom called the series best fantasy novels of the twentieth century.

Price: £20 | Amazon | Waterstones | 30-day Audible trial

His Dark Materials, by Philip Pullman (1995)

Image may contain Advertisement Poster Brochure Paper Flyer Novel and Book

Phillip Pullman’s Northern Lights is a children’s book with a depth and complexity that can satisfy adults. We follow Lyra Belacqua and Pantalaimon, her daemon – her inner self given animal form – as she investigates rumours of children being separated from their own spiritual companions. Over the three-book series, this transitions into a battle between humanity and heaven. It functions in part as a retelling and inversion of John Milton's epic Paradise Lost . The second entry of a three-part sequel trilogy was published in late 2019.

The Book of Dust, by Philip Pullman (2018)

36 of the best fantasy books everyone should read

Philip Pullman has returned with a follow-up to the His Dark Materials trilogy. The Book of Dust is a second trilogy set in the world of Lyra Belacqua and her inner self in animal form, Pantalaimon. At the point of writing two of the trilogy have been released: La Belle Sauvage (2018) and The Secret Commonwealth (2019). The first of these is set before the tumultuous events of His Dark Materials. But the second fast forwards to a decade after their conclusion. There's espionage, spies and frantic attempts to stop the world from vanishing into darkness.

Price: £7.50 | Amazon | Waterstones | 30-day Audible trial

The Dresden Files, by Jim Butcher (2000)

36 of the best fantasy books everyone should read

Harry Dresden is a professional wizard in a version of modern-day Chicago where fantastical creatures lurk just underneath the surface. He makes his living as a private detective, solving cases that bridge the worlds of the real and the uncanny. In Storm Front , the first book in long-running series The Dresden Files, he finds himself duelling with vampires, werewolves, and the mob.

Price: £40 | Amazon | Waterstones | 30-day Audible trial

Perdido Street Station, by China Miéville (2000)

Image may contain Advertisement Poster Brochure Paper and Flyer

China Miéville's work falls more accurately under the banner of Weird Fiction, an amalgamation of fantasy and horror pioneered by HP Lovecraft. This work, one in a series of books set in the world of Bas-Lag, lies closer to the fantasy genre. As Mieville describes it "it's basically a secondary world fantasy with Victorian-era technology. So rather than being a feudal world, it's an early industrial capitalist world of a fairly grubby, police statey kind”.

Price: £11 | Amazon | Waterstones | 30-day Audible trial

American Gods, by Neil Gaiman (2001)

36 of the best fantasy books everyone should read

The Amazon Prime series failed to spark, but Neil Gaiman's richly described novel is well worth a read. American Gods pits the abandoned folk deities of the old world against the modern idols we worship now. It follows Shadow Moon, a convict who finds out – days before his release – that his wife has died in a car accident, and falls into the surreal orbit of Mr Wednesday (Odin) and a looming showdown between the old gods and the new.

A Wizard of Earthsea, by Ursula Le Guin (1968)

Image may contain Advertisement Poster Brochure Paper Flyer Human and Person

Ursula Le Guin is one of the titans of fantasy and sci-fi – her books explore political and feminist themes in fantastical settings. The Left Hand of Darkness focuses on an androgynous civilisation, and The Dispossessed is set in anarchist Utopia. The Earthsea series is more traditional but still brilliant – we follow Ged, a teenager at magic school, who causes a disaster dabbling in the dark arts. Readers have pointed to the similarities between Ged’s school and Hogwarts.

The Farseer Trilogy, by Robin Hobbs (1995-1997)

Image may contain Novel Book Human and Person

Robin Hobbs' epic fantasy series hero follows FitzChivalry Farseer, or Fitz for short, the bastard son of the crown prince. Raised in a stable and trained as an assassin, the story charts his adventures through the kingdom of The Six Duchies: magic, murder, and political intrigue abound, as well as a zombie curse. Sound familiar? Definitely a good choice for those suffering from Game of Thrones withdrawal symptoms.

Price: £9 | Amazon | Waterstones | start a 30-day Audible trial

The Accursed Kings, by Maurice Druon (1955-77)

36 of the best fantasy books everyone should read

A curveball: not fantasy (the books cover the French monarchy in the 14th century), but a book for fans of fantasy. Its author Maurice Druon is the hero of George RR Martin, who penned the series that became Game of Thrones . As Martin wrote in the Guardian: “ The Accursed Kings has it all: iron kings and strangled queens, battles and betrayals, lies and lust, deception, family rivalries, the curse of the Templars, babies switched at birth, she-wolves, sin and swords, the doom of a great dynasty and all of it (or most of it) straight from the pages of history."

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, by Susanna Clarke (2004)

36 of the best fantasy books everyone should read

One of the more recent publications on this list, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell is set in 19th-century England around the time of the Napoleonic Wars. The book’s premise is that magic has returned: two men, Gilbert Norrell and Jonathan Strange, wield it. Written in a comedy of manners, Jane Austen style, it took its author British writer Susanna Clarke (see Piranesi above) ten years to write and was widely acclaimed on its release in 2004.

Price: £11 | Amazon | Waterstones | start a 30-day Audible trial

Mort, by Terry Pratchett (1987)

36 of the best fantasy books everyone should read

One of the best entries in Terry Pratchett’s inimitable Discworld series, Mort focuses on a teenager who is taken under the apprenticeship of Death. Appearing in nearly every one of the Discworld books, Pratchett’s Death is one of the author’s greatest creations, and the source of some of the series’ most famous quotes ("Don’t think of it as dying, just think of it as leaving early to avoid the rush.”) It’s in Mort that Death grows into a sympathetic and likeable character, who loves cats and curry and is continuously baffled by the irrationally of humans.

Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James (2019)

36 of the best fantasy books everyone should read

Marlon James, who won the Booker prize for A Brief History of Seven Killings , is not traditionally a fantasy writer, but he dubbed his latest book the African Game of Thrones . (Although he later revealed the comparison was a joke). This book focuses on the political tensions between warring states, in a world populated by a host of magical creatures: cannibals, vampires, witches, ghosts and sorcerers.

28 Fantasy Books That Will Transport You to Other Worlds

Nothing sweeps you off your feel like a novel about an imaginary world—preferably one with a few mermaids or dragons or powerful yet unappreciated sorcerers.

fantasy books

Our editors handpick the products that we feature. We may earn commission from the links on this page.

There was a time, in recent memory, when fantasy lovers hid their affection for sword and sorcery from the world, when talk of wizards and warlocks was relegated to comic book conventions and groups of sweaty teens huddled around card tables in suburban basements. That time is long, long over: Game of Thrones was the most popular TV shows of all time, Amazon has thrown tens of millions of dollars at fantasy IP, and Dungeons and Dragons is proudly played by celebrities like Vin Diesel and Aubrey Plaza.

In terms of books, fantasy might be the oldest literary genre, dating back to ancient texts like the Illiad and Beowulf . The most moving stories use magical devices as a foil for the real world, speculating on how society would act and react if the rules of reality were different. Others establish elaborate universes and characters that span generations and multiple volumes.

Though coming up with 28 was tricky, here’s a selection of the best of the best of the genre, from YA all the way to treasured literary classics. May you fall under the spell of each and every one.

The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi, by Shannon Chakraborty

Adventures are typically for young men, unencumbered by responsibilities or maturity. Unless you’re Amina al-Sirafi, a kick-ass pirate mom who used to sail the Indian Ocean in search of treasure, and is now on a desperate mission to find a young heiress in the company of an unscrupulous sorcerer. This middle-aged woman is in her prime and showing the kids how it’s done: fighting monsters, outwitting demons, and exploring islands drenched in dangerous magic. When things are at their toughest, you want Amina al-Sirafi at your back, with a sharp sword and a clever remark at the ready. This book has some great stuff about being true to yourself versus fulfilling your family obligations, and it’s based on solid historical research on medieval seafaring in the area, but what it mostly is, is fun. —Amy Goldschlager

Be Sure: Wayward Children, Books 1-3 , by Seanan McGuire

The Hugo Award–winning Wayward Children series ( Every Heart a Doorway , Down Among the Sticks and Bones , and Beneath the Sugar Sky, all collected in Be Sure ) is set at a school for children who have visited magical worlds of dancing skeletons, strawberry-soda seas, and deep-diving mermaids and can’t quite readjust to their old life on Earth. Some are so desperate to find a door back to their fantastical adventures that they’re willing to do anything—even murder. McGuire uses a fantasy lens to compassionately explore the struggles of young people looking for that place where they finally fit, despite societal pressure that demands that they pretend to be “normal.” If you used to be that “weird kid,” hiding in corners and inside books, this series is for you. —A.G.

The Eye of the World , by Robert Jordan

The Dark One, an evil force imprisoned inside a weakening cell, threatens the world. The Dragon Reborn, a reincarnated savior with powerful magical abilities, is born to a dying warrior woman on the slopes of a snowy mountain. Accompanied by a band of village youths, he seeks to defeat the Dark One, in The Wheel of Time, the sprawling, 14-book series. The depth of world-building is incredible, the characters indelible, and it comes to satisfying conclusion. —Sam McKenzie

Witch King, by Martha Wells

Kaiisteron, a body-swapping demon, and his good friend, the Witch Ziede, escape from captivity in an underwater tomb. Picking up companions along the way, the two set out to discover who put them there, rescue Ziede’s kidnapped wife, and explode a conspiracy that has roots in their mutual past, when they fought a massive invasion from a genocidal army of unknown origin. Here you’ll find multiple magic systems, believably self-serving political intrigue, tender moments of found family, and really interesting exploration of gender identity (but in a pleasantly matter-of-fact, not preachy, way). While fairly self-contained, there are sufficient dangling threads at the end that lend themselves comfortably to a series, if Wells is so inclined; let’s hope so. —A.G.

Game of Thrones, by George R. R. Martin

A civil war breaks out in the kingdom of Westeros, and House Stark finds itself embattled in a bitter conflict with the rest of the Seven Kingdoms. Meanwhile, a displaced queen gathers an army to retake her former home while an evil force from the icy North threatens to wipe out humanity. A Song of Ice and Fire is a gritty, realistic fantasy series where magic and mythical species take a back seat to political machinations and impeccable character development. —S.M.

The Way of Kings , by Brandon Sanderson

An assassin from a faraway land murders the Alethi King, Galivar. Five years later, Galivar’s brother, Dalinar, leads a war of attrition against the race of monstrous creatures known as the Parshendi who are blamed for the killing. Meanwhile, Kaladin, a disgraced former soldier turned slave, and Shallan, a noblewoman from a powerless family, seek to improve their fortunes in seemingly disconnected ways, while an ancient force of power intent on exterminating the world of men pulls the strings. —S.M.

The Fellowship of the Ring , by J.R.R. Tolkien

The armies of Men, Elves, and Dwarves square off against Sauren, a god-like villain who leads a tide of Orcs and Trolls bent on consuming the world. Frodo Baggins and his loyal friend Sam embark on a quest to deliver a magical ring to the fires of Mordor, guided by the wizard Gandolf. The Lord of the Rings is required reading for fantasy fanatics, notable for its rich and detailed world, satisfying story of loyalty and courage, and fanciful characters. —S.M.

Dune , by Frank Herbert

On the unforgiving desert planet Arrakis, where water is more valuable than gold and giant worms eat mining rigs whole, House Atreides attempts to ally with the local Fremen people to battle their historical foe, House Harkonnen, for supremacy. Paul Atreides is the young heir to his house, prophesied to lead humankind to a better future. Combining political intrigue, environmentalism, and mysticism, Dune remains relevant to conversations about consumption and stewardship of our planet nearly 60 years after publication. —S.M.

Sourcery , by Terry Pratchett

A magical staff wielded by a powerful sorcerer leads a hostile takeover of Unseen University and subverts its wizardly faculty into a campaign of world domination. The cowardly Rincewind, a wizard incapable of performing magic, and Canina the Hairdresser (daughter of Conan the Barbarian) attempt to come to the rescue with mixed, zany results. Terry Pratchett’s hilarious, inventive, and rich Discworld novels are an interconnected series of 41 books that can pretty much be read in any order. —S.M.

The Fifth Season , by N.K. Jemisin

In a dark, brutal world where magic users are feared and hated, those lucky enough to avoid being lynched by ignorant townspeople are forced to live as slaves, part of the Fulcrum, an organization tasked with limiting the damage caused by the frequent tectonic shifts that wrack the land. Meanwhile, three women in disparate stages of life, all of whom possess the forbidden gift of Oregeny, embark on dangerous journeys. The Fifth Season is a tragic and beautiful post-apocalyptic yarn. —S.M.

The Name of the Wind , by Patrick Rothfuss

A chronicler records the story of a washed-up hero turned innkeeper; an orphaned boy named Kvothe who comes from humble beginnings becomes a wizard university’s most talented pupil, attracting enemies with the speed of his rise. Obsessed with escaping poverty and discovering the mystery behind his parents’ murder, Kvothe pushes his luck and talent to the limit. Rothfuss constructs a compelling world with richly detailed economies, cultures, and history that is home to a thrilling story. —S.M.

The Lies of Locke Lamora , by Scott Lynch

The island of Camorr is a city divided between powerful criminal gangs and a mercantile nobility. A sticky-fingered young orphan named Locke is raised by a con-man priest to lead a band of thieves, known as the Gentlemen Bastards, who pull off one elaborate scam after another, living above the law until a dark and violent competitor threatens everything Locke has gained. Lynch’s writing is fast-paced and witty, and readers will be drawn into the action from page one. —S.M.

Assassin's Apprentice , by Robin Hobb

A young boy is born, the bastard son of a prince, growing up in the shadow of his legitimate family at the king’s court. Raised by the reticent keeper of hounds and mentored by an assassin, young Fitz learns he has a larger-than-expected role to play in the fate of the kingdom. The setting is engaging and vibrant, the characters jump off the page and pull the reader in, and the plot moves at breakneck speed. —S.M.

The Blade Itself , by Joe Abercrombie

The Union is threatened by the incursions of the self-styled King of the North and the sadistic Emperor to the South. A barbarian with a violent past, an arrogant, spoiled nobleman, a twisted torture victim turned inquisitor par excellence, and a vengeful former slave find themselves in the thick of it, while an old, cantankerous wizard hides big plans for them all. The Blade Itself is dark and plain old hilarious at times, each POV dripping with personality. —S.M.

The Once and Future King , by T.H. White

T.H. White’s fanciful retelling of the beloved Arthurian legend is full of humor and wit, following the life of England’s most famous knight, from his childhood adventures fighting alongside Robin “Wood” to being transmogrified into fish and fowl to his coming-of-age finding of Excalibur and ascension to Knight of the Round table and king of all the land. At times tragic, undoubtedly epic, and always funny, The Once and Future King belongs on any fantasy lover’s bookshelf. —S.M.

Redwall , by Brian Jacques

A rat named Cluny and his army of vermin lay siege to the walls of Redwall Abbey, a peaceful monastery populated by talking mice. A young hero Mattheus fights to defend the abbey, befriending a warlike clan of sparrows and battling an evil serpent along the way. Each Redwall installment features a battle between benevolent woodland creatures fighting evil “vermin” in a formulaic yet comforting series that spans hundreds of years, jumping forward and backward through time. —S.M.

Gardens of the Moon , by Steven Erikson

The Malazan Empire, a militaristic, expansionary society, is in the midst of a 100-year campaign to conquer the world. A company of soldiers fighting for the empire known as the Bridgeburners attempt to infiltrate the last remaining Free City and undermine it from within. However, as the Empress grows more and more tyrannical, the Bridgeburners are forced to reconsider their true loyalties. Gardens of the Moon is a complex and interesting novel packed with magic, gods, assassins, and war. —S.M.

American Gods , by Neil Gaiman

The old gods are living beings who walk the Earth and draw power from those who worship them, increasingly finding themselves endangered as the world turns toward newer gods like Technology, Media, and Conspiracy Theories. Shadow gets out of jail early when his wife is killed in a car accident, setting off on a road trip with his mysterious new employer, Mr. Wednesday. American Gods is packed with Americana and fascinating tidbits of lore alongside ample humor and wit. —S.M.

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell , by Susanna Clarke

In an alternative England during the early 19th century, true magic once existed but now belongs to scholars who cannot practice it. Two magicians reveal themselves and attempt to restore magic to its rightful place. The relationship between Jonathan Strange and his tutor, Mr. Norell, degrades as rivaling techniques to pursue a common goal drives a wedge between them. A dense yet playful take on the supernatural that channels authors like Charles Dickens and Jane Austen with expertise and flair. —S.M.

Perdido Street Station , by China Miéville

New Crobuzon is a decrepit and sprawling city where races of humanoid creatures coexist uneasily together. When a human scientist named Isaac takes on the task of healing a bird-man’s wings, he accidentally unleashes a monster loose on the city. Meanwhile, his insectile girlfriend, Lin, entangles herself with a powerful mob boss who drags the couple into an underworld of crime and corruption. Perdido Street Station is a perversely unique Victorian steampunk blend of horror, fantasy, and science fiction. —S.M.

Sam McKenzie is a tech employee by day and fantasy author by night. He writes about fiction, technology, and culture. Follow him on Twitter @samckenz 

preview for Oprah Daily Entertainment

The Cornbread with 200 Years of Black History

deborah landau

How to Write a Real Love Poem

love letters stamps

Love Letter Ideas—from Lizzo to Virginia Woolf

5 Steamy Literary Sex Scenes

underestimated the wisdom and power of teenage girls

If You Have a Teen Girl in Your Life, Read This

best historical fiction black history month colson whitehead toni morrison

13 of the Best Historical Fiction Books

black bookstores map

A Directory of Black-Owned U.S. Bookstores

spicy romance books valentines day novels

Romance Books for a Spicy Valentine’s Day

qr code

25 Best True Crime Books

website

36 Best Dystopian Novels

books by black authors

25 Books to Read by Black Authors

The 30 best fantasy book series for escaping to another realm

When you buy through our links, Business Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more

Fantasy novels transport readers across magical lands, introduce them to mystical creatures, and take them on mythical adventures. It can be hard to contain a great fantasy story in one novel, so book series let readers revisit their favorite characters and worlds as they take on new enemies, discover new powers, and even fall in love. 

The recommendations on this list aren't just amazing novels — they also make great gifts for the fantasy reader in your life. Many of them come in stunning box sets and gifting the whole series means they can pick up the next book as soon as they close the last. 

Whether the reader in your life loves classic fantasy tales or gripping new fantasy adventures, here are the best fantasy series to gift in 2022.

An enthralling dystopian fantasy series

good fantasy fiction books

"The Legend" trilogy by Marie Lu, available on Amazon and Target .

"Legend," the first book in the series, available at Amazon .

In this dystopian fantasy series set in a future Los Angeles now known as the Republic, 15-year-olds June and Day may never have crossed paths, as she is a prodigy groomed for success and he is the country's most wanted criminal. But when June's brother is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect, the two are set on a collision path toward each other until the truth of what really brought them together is revealed.

A dark academia fantasy trilogy

good fantasy fiction books

"The Scholomance" series by Naomi Novik, available on Amazon .

"A Deadly Education," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble .

This series kicks off with "A Deadly Education" where readers are introduced to Scholomance, a school for the magically gifted that students can't leave unless they graduate or die. Full of monsters, magic, and creepy dangers, this trilogy follows El as she navigates her dark powers, finds allies, and tries to survive.

A fantasy series well-known for its TV adaptation

good fantasy fiction books

"Game of Thrones" series by George R.R. Martin, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

"A Song of Ice and Fire," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

Now wildly famous after the hit HBO series of the same name, George R.R. Martin's high fantasy series of dragons, seven kingdoms, and deadly winters began with the first novel — "A Song of Ice and Fire" — published in 1996. In this series, families are in a centuries-long power struggle for control of the Iron Throne while protecting the kingdoms from the supernatural creatures that lay beyond the Wall.

A delightfully witchy YA trilogy

good fantasy fiction books

"Serpent & Dove" trilogy by Shelby Mahurin, available on Amazon .

"Serpent & Dove," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble .

"Serpent & Dove" is a young adult fantasy trilogy about Louise le Blanc, a witch that fled her coven, abandoned her magic, and settled in Cesarine, a town where witches are feared and burned if discovered. But when Louise is forced into a marriage with a witch hunter from the Church, she must choose to face her enemies, her true feelings, and her magic if she hopes to live.

This fantasy series that ties in epic science fiction elements

good fantasy fiction books

"The Broken Earth" series by N.K. Jemisin, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

"The Fifth Season," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

"The Broken Earth" series debuted with the Hugo Award-winning novel "The Fifth Season," titled after the apocalyptic-level climate change endured every few centuries. In the first novel — known for its intense plot twists — Essun is on a mission to track down her husband who killed her son and kidnapped her daughter as the world deteriorates into devastation.

A fantasy series of magical parallel Londons

good fantasy fiction books

"Shades of Magic" series by V.E. Schwab, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

"A Darker Shade of Magic," the first book in the series, available on Amazon .

V.E. Schwab is a renowned fantasy writer, most well-known for her "Shades of Magic" series, where readers cross parallel universes with varying degrees of magic alongside a talented smuggler and a cunning thief. The series begins with "A Darker Shade of Magic," where readers inevitably fall in love with the story of Kell and Lila, two brilliant heroes who must save the worlds from a dangerous rise of magical power.

A seven-book childrens' fantasy series

good fantasy fiction books

"The Chronicles of Narnia" series by C.S. Lewis, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

"The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

"The Chronicles of Narnia" is a seven-book fantasy series first published in 1956 that begins with a young girl named Lucy discovering a magical, wintry world in the back of a wardrobe in "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe." Trapped under a spell from the evil White Witch, Lucy and her siblings team up with a magical lion to free Narnia from the curse in this series that's been loved by children and adults for nearly 70 years. 

A historical, military fantasy series

good fantasy fiction books

"The Poppy War" series by R.F. Kuang, available on Amazon .

"The Poppy War," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

"The Poppy War" is the first novel in this historical military fantasy series inspired by the second Sino-Japanese War in 20th-century China. When Rin aces the test to attend the Empire's prestigious military school, she thinks defying everyone's expectations is the last of her problems. While trying to survive at the academy, Rin finds she holds the magical and spiritual gift of shamanism — the ability to interact with spirits — and discovers a Third Poppy War may be closer than they imagined.

An adrenaline-inducing fantasy series

good fantasy fiction books

"Blood and Ash" series by Jennifer L. Armentrout, available on Kindle .

"From Blood and Ash," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

The "Blood and Ash" series has captured readers' hearts since the first book, which has over 150,000 five-star ratings on Goodreads. In "From Blood and Ash," readers meet Poppy whose upcoming Ascension means the future of her kingdom rests on her shoulders — until a stunning guard named Hawke makes her question what she thought was her destiny. Readers love this series for its action-packed plot, strong heroine, and cliffhanger endings that force them to immediately grab the next book.  

An engrossing fantasy series from Stephen King

good fantasy fiction books

"The Dark Tower" series by Stephen King, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

"The Gunslinger," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

In this primarily dark fantasy series, Stephen King blends magical storytelling with elements of westerns, science fiction, and horror in this eight-book story which follows Roland of Gilead, the final gunslinger, on his mission to reach the Dark Tower and save the universe. Though King is mostly known for suspenseful horror, this fantasy series has proven a gripping must-read from "The Gunslinger" through the final installment, "The Dark Tower."

An emotional fantasy novella series

good fantasy fiction books

"Binti" series by Nnedi Okorafor, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

"Binti," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

Winner of the Hugo and Nebula Awards, "Binti" is the first in a series of fantasy novellas featuring earthling Binti, who's been offered a place at the finest university in the galaxy. She must travel through space to reach the school, surviving a furious alien race during her emotional journey.

A fantasy series that began as a "Beauty and the Beast" retelling

good fantasy fiction books

"A Court of Thorns and Roses" series by Sarah J. Maas, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

"A Court of Thorns and Roses," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

Sarah J. Maas is adored for her many sexy and action-packed fantasy series, including "A Court of Thorns and Roses," a bestselling young adult fantasy series that began as a "Beauty and the Beast" retelling. Feyre is a hunter dragged into a magical kingdom, accused of murdering a faerie. Closely guarded, she begins to discover the secrets of this dangerous land, her mysterious captor, and an ancient curse. 

An epic and beloved fantasy series

good fantasy fiction books

"The Lord of the Rings" series by J.R.R. Tolkien, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

"The Fellowship of the Ring," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

Although "The Lord of the Rings" series begins chronologically with " The Hobbit ," "The Fellowship of the Ring" kicks off this epic, high-fantasy adventure with young hobbit Frodo Baggins and his journey across Middle-Earth. Entrusted with the task to destroy a powerful ring, Frodo, along with his hobbit, elf, and wizard companions, sets out to reach the Cracks of Doom and thwart the rise of the Dark Lord.

A dystopian urban fantasy series

good fantasy fiction books

"The Bone Season" series by Samantha Shannon, available on Kindle .

"The Bone Season," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

Chosen as the first-ever TODAY Book Club pick, "The Bone Season" transports readers to 2059 where dreamwalker Paige Mahoney is scouting the criminal underworld for information by effectively intruding on people's minds. When she's kidnapped and taken to Oxford, a secret city ruled by a race of beings from another world, she must fight to regain her freedom in this original dystopian fantasy brought to life with elements of science fiction.

A captivating high-fantasy series

good fantasy fiction books

"An Ember in the Ashes" series by Sabaa Tahir, available on Kindle .

"An Ember in the Ashes," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

"An Ember in the Ashes" is a four-book dystopian fantasy series where Laia is a slave in a brutal and tyrannically ruled world under the Martial Empire, living in constant fear. When Laia's brother is arrested, she hatches a plan to rescue him by attending the Empire's military academy and teaming up with Elias, a soldier desperate to be free.

A classic young adult fantasy series

good fantasy fiction books

"Earthsea Cycle" series by Ursula K. Le Guin available on Amazon .

"A Wizard of Earthsea," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

"Earthsea Cycle" is a high-fantasy series of six books and nine short stories beginning with "A Wizard of Earthsea," where readers meet Ged, now the greatest sorcerer in Earthsea but once known as Sparrowhawk in his youth. In the first novel, readers follow Sparrowhawk's story of accidentally releasing a shadow over the world and his journey to right his mistake. 

A historical, magical, and whimsical fantasy series

good fantasy fiction books

"The Daevabad Trilogy" by S.A. Chakraborty, available on Kindle .

"The City of Brass," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

Set in 18th century Cairo, Nahri is a con woman who gets by on what seems like magic, though she's never believed any of it to be real. When she accidentally summons a mysterious warrior during a con, Nahri becomes bound to a legendary city laced with enchantments — and her schemes could leave her facing deadly consequences.

A dramatic fantasy series set in an Asia-inspired metropolis

good fantasy fiction books

"Green Bone Saga" series by Fonda Lee, available on Kindle .

"Jade City," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

Winner of the 2018 World Fantasy Award for Best Novel, Fonda Lee's "Jade City" is the first in an urban fantasy trilogy about the Green Bone warriors who use jade to enhance their magic and defend the island of Kekon. Four siblings of the Kaul family battle rival clans as a powerful new drug emerges, allowing anyone to wield the coveted jade and resulting in a violent (and lethal) clan war.

A magical and romantic fantasy series

good fantasy fiction books

"Earthsinger Chronicles" series by L. Penelope, available on Kindle .

"Song of Blood & Stone," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

Selected as one of "TIME Magazine's Best Fantasy Books of All Time, " "Song of Blood & Stone" is a romantic fantasy novel where a crack in a magical vial threatens to tear two kingdoms apart. Jasminda and her Earthsong gift seem to be the only hope to heal the nation and prevent a rising war.

A mythological fantasy series

good fantasy fiction books

"Percy Jackson and the Olympians" series by Rick Riordan, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

"The Lightning Thief," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

In "The Lightning Thief," fantasy lovers meet Percy Jackson, a young boy who learns he's a demigod and the son of Poseidon. He sets out with the daughter of Athena across the United States to catch the thief who stole Zeus' lightning bolt and prevent a war between the gods. The Percy Jackson mythological fantasy series has thoroughly engrossed readers of all ages across its five books.

A series of witches, wizards, and romance

good fantasy fiction books

"The Kingston Cycle" series by C. L. Polk, available on Kindle .

"Witchmark," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

"The Kingston Cycle" is an award-winning queer fantasy romance series starring Miles Singer, who tried to escape his troubled past and darkly destined future by joining the war efforts, faking his death, and reinventing himself as a doctor. When a tragedy forces Miles to expose his magical healing powers, he risks his freedom to investigate the murder in this series of magical battles, betrayals, and heartwarming romance.

An intense fantasy faerie series

good fantasy fiction books

"The Folk of the Air" series by Holly Black, available on Amazon .

"The Cruel Prince," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

"The Folk of the Air" series begins with "The Cruel Prince," where human Jude and her sisters live amongst the fey in the High Court of Faerie, taken against their will to live there after their parents' murders. Desperate to be one of the fey regardless of her mortality and their hatred of humans, Jude attempts to live among them, navigating their violence — and her complicated feelings for their prince.

A gripping fantasy series about demon hunters

good fantasy fiction books

"The Mortal Instruments" series by Cassandra Clare, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

"City of Bones," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

Cassandra Clare's "The Mortal Instruments" series kicked off with the bestselling "City of Bones" in 2007, a paranormal fantasy novel where 15-year-old Clary Fray meets the Shadowhunters, a group of warriors who purge demons from the Earth. There are six books and three companions to the series through which readers experience dramatic betrayals, unsuspected evil, and exhilarating love.

A fantasy series set in a Dungeons & Dragons realm

good fantasy fiction books

"The Legend of Drizzt" series by R.A. Salvatore, available on Kindle .

"Homeland," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

Drizzt Do'Urden is a dark elf who is destined to defend the world after emerging from an Underdark where his family wants him dead in this epic fantasy series with over 50 novels, companions, and short story compilations. This series takes place in the Forgotten Realm, a dimension in the Dungeons & Dragons universe, making this series a perfect collection for any high fantasy fan.

A fantasy series of good vs evil

good fantasy fiction books

"Sword of Truth" series by Terry Goodkind, available on Amazon .

"Wizard's First Rule," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

In this 21-book epic adventure fantasy series, each novel can act as a stand-alone book, but reading them in order takes readers on an epic high fantasy adventure that begins after Richard Cypher sets out to investigate his father's murder. As he navigates the woods, he meets Kahlan Amnell, who is being hunted by assassins. Together, they embark on a dangerous and magical journey of destiny, nightmarish creatures, and bending morality.

A destined faerie fantasy series

good fantasy fiction books

"The Iron Fey" series by Julie Kagawa, available on Kindle .

"The Iron King," the first book in the series, available on Amazon  and Bookshop .

In "The Iron Fey" series, Meghan is living a seemingly normal life until a dark stranger unveils a twisted secret: That she is the daughter of a faery king and a pawn in their deadly war. Action-packed and gripping from the start, this faerie series is full of romance, mystery, humor, and features characters from Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream."

A paranormal fantasy series with angels and vampires

good fantasy fiction books

"Guild Hunter" series by Nalini Singh, available on Kindle .

"Angel's Blood," the first book in the series, available on Amazon .

With 12 books, four novellas, and 13 short stories published since the series launched in 2009, the "Guild Hunter" books are set in a world where angels rule over humans and vampires. When vampire hunter Elena Deveraux is hired by the powerful archangel Raphael, she's tasked to find an archangel gone rogue. Though the mission is dangerous and potentially impossible, Elena knows failure is not an option in this inaugural book of a gripping urban/paranormal fantasy series. With 12 books, four novellas, and 13 short stories published since the series launched in 2009, the "Guild Hunter" books are set in a world where angels rule over humans and vampires. When vampire hunter Elena Deveraux is hired by the powerful archangel Raphael, she's tasked to find an archangel gone rogue. Though the mission is dangerous and potentially impossible, Elena knows failure is not an option in this inaugural book of a gripping urban/paranormal fantasy series.

A post-apocalyptic dystopian fantasy series

good fantasy fiction books

"Penryn & the End of Days" series by Susan Ee, available on Kindle .

"Angelfall," the first book in the series, available on Amazon  and Bookshop .

In 2020, "Angelfall" — the first book in the "Penryn & the End of Days" series- ranked as one of " TIME Magazine's" Top 100 Fantasy Books of All Time . In this paranormal and post-apocalyptic fantasy series, Penryn is 17 when the angels of the apocalypse descend upon the earth and capture her little sister. She teams up with a wounded enemy angel — her only hope for survival and finding her sister.

A romantic historical fantasy series

good fantasy fiction books

"The Outlander" series by Diana Gabaldon, available on Amazon .

"Outlander," the first book in the series, available on  Amazon  and  Bookshop .

The "Outlander" series was originally a practice novel for Diana Gabaldon in the 1980s, yet quickly became a bestselling historical fantasy series, with the ninth book due to be published later this year. It's about a woman named Clare who, while on a romantic trip with her husband after World War II, accidentally time travels to Scotland in 1743 where she embarks on an unprecedented journey and falls in love with a Highland warrior. 

A fantasy series with an elaborate and dangerous heist

good fantasy fiction books

"Mistborn" series by Brandon Sanderson, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

"Mistborn: The Final Empire," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

The "Mistborn" saga is a high fantasy series made up of the original trilogy, a four-book additional series set 300 years later, and a third trilogy comprising books 8-10 which is currently in the works. The series' first book is "Mistborn: The Final Empire," where readers are introduced to the land of Scadrial, ruled by an immortal and unyielding Lord Ruler. Kelsier is a famous thief who leads an elaborate heist with a team of rebels to overthrow the emperor.

You can purchase logo and accolade licensing to this story here . Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at [email protected] .

good fantasy fiction books

  • Main content
  • Skip to main content
  • Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

NPR Books Summer Poll 2021: A Decade Of Great Sci-Fi And Fantasy

We asked, you answered: your 50 favorite sci-fi and fantasy books of the past decade.

Petra Mayer at NPR headquarters in Washington, D.C., May 21, 2019. (photo by Allison Shelley)

Petra Mayer

Deborah Lee for NPR

The question at the heart of science fiction and fantasy is "what if?" What if gods were real, but you could kill them ? What if humans finally made it out among the stars — only to discover we're the shabby newcomers in a grand galactic alliance ? What if an asteroid destroyed the East Coast in 1952 and jump-started the space race years early?

Summer Reader Poll 2021: Meet Our Expert Judges

Summer Reader Poll 2021: Meet our expert judges

Click If You Dare: 100 Favorite Horror Stories

Summer Reader Poll 2018: Horror

Click if you dare: 100 favorite horror stories.

We Did It For The LOLs: 100 Favorite Funny Books

Summer Reader Poll 2019: Funny Books

We did it for the lols: 100 favorite funny books.

This year's summer reader poll was also shaped by a series of "what ifs" — most importantly, what if, instead of looking at the entire history of the field the way we did in our 2011 poll , we focused only on what has happened in the decade since? These past 10 years have brought seismic change to science fiction and fantasy (sometimes literally, in the case of N.K. Jemisin's Broken Earth series), and we wanted to celebrate the world-shaking rush of new voices, new perspectives, new styles and new stories. And though we limited ourselves to 50 books this time around, the result is a list that's truly stellar — as poll judge Tochi Onyebuchi put it, "Alive."

As always, a pretty extensive decision-making process went into the list, involving our fabulous panel of expert judges — but we know you eager readers want to get right to the books. So if you're inclined, follow these links to find out how we built the list (and what, sadly, didn't make it this year ). Otherwise, scroll on for the list!

We've broken it up into categories to help you find the reading experience you're looking for, and you can click on these links to go directly to each category:

Worlds To Get Lost In · Words To Get Lost In · Will Take You On A Journey · Will Mess With Your Head · Will Mess With Your Heart · Will Make You Feel Good

Worlds To Get Lost In

Are you (like me) a world-building fanatic? These authors have built worlds so real you can almost smell them.

The Imperial Radch Trilogy

Ancillary Justice, by Ann Leckie

Breq is a human now — but once she was a starship. Once she was an AI with a vast and ancient metal body and troops of ancillaries, barely animate bodies that all carried her consciousness. Poll judge Ann Leckie has created a massive yet intricate interstellar empire where twisty galactic intrigues and multiple clashing cultures form a brilliant backdrop for the story of a starship learning to be a human being. Your humble editor got a copy of Ancillary Justice when it came out and promptly forced her entire family to read it.

Buy Featured Book

Your purchase helps support NPR programming. How?

  • Independent Bookstores

The Dead Djinn Universe (series)

A Master of Djinn, by P. Djélì Clarke

What a wonderful world P. Djélì Clarke has created here — an Arab world never colonized, where magic-powered trams glide through a cosmopolitan Cairo and where djinns make mischief among humans. Clarke's novella Ring Shout also showed up on our semifinalists list, and it was hard to decide between them, but ultimately our judges felt the Dead Djinn Universe offered more to explore. But you should still read Ring Shout , a wild ride of a read where gun-toting demon-hunters go up against Ku Klux Klan members who are actual, pointy-headed white demons. Go on, go get a copy! We'll wait.

The Age of Madness Trilogy

A Little Hatred, by Joe Abercrombie

One of my pet peeves with fantasy novels is they sometimes don't allow for the progression of time and technology — but in Joe Abercrombie's Age of Madness series, the follow-up to his debut First Law trilogy, industrialization has come to the world of The Union, and it's brought no good in its wake. More than that — machines may be rising, but magic will not give way, and all over the world, those at the bottom of the heap are beginning to get really, really angry. This series works as a standalone — but you should also read the excellent First Law series (even though it's old enough to fall outside the scope of this list).

The Green Bone Saga

Jade City, by Fonda Lee

This sprawling saga of family, honor, blood and magical jade will suck you in from the very first page. Poll judge Fonda Lee's story works on every conceivable level, from minute but meaningful character beats to solid, elegantly conveyed world-building to political intrigue to big, overarching themes of clan, loyalty and identity. Plus, wow, the jade-powered martial arts sequences are as fine as anything the Shaw Brothers ever put on screen. "Reviewing books is my actual job," says fellow judge Amal El-Mohtar, "but I still have to fight my husband for the advance copies of Fonda's books, and we're both THIS CLOSE to learning actual martial arts to assist us in our dueling for dibs."

The Expanse (series)

Leviathan Wakes, by James S.A. Corey

Yes, sure, you've seen the TV show (you HAVE, right? Right?) about the ragtag crew of spacers caught up in a three-way power struggle between Earth, Mars and the society that's developed on far-off asteroid belts. But there's much, much more to explore in the books — other planets, other characters, storylines and concepts that didn't make it to the screen. Often, when a book gets adapted for film or TV, there's a clear argument about which version is better. With The Expanse , we can confidently say you should watch and read. The only downside? Book- Avasarala doesn't show up until a few volumes in.

The Daevabad Trilogy

The City of Brass, S.A. Chakraborty

Nahri is a con woman (with a mysteriously real healing talent) scraping a living in the alleys of 18th century Cairo — until she accidentally summons some true magic and discovers her fate is bound to a legendary city named Daevabad, far from human civilization, home of djinns and bloody intrigues. Author S.A. Chakraborty converted to Islam as a teenager and after college began writing what she describes as "historical fanfiction" about medieval Islam; then characters appeared, inspired by people she met at her mosque. "A sly heroine capable of saving herself, a dashing hero who'd break for the noon prayer," she told an interviewer . "I wanted to write a story for us, about us, with the grandeur and magic of a summer blockbuster."

Teixcalaan (series)

A Memory Called Empire, by Arkady Martine

The Aztecs meet the Byzantines in outer space in this intricately imagined story of diplomatic intrigue and fashionable poetic forms. Mahit Dzmare is an ambassador from a small space station clinging desperately to its independence in the face of the massive Teixcalaanli empire . But when she arrives in its glittering capital, her predecessor's dead, and she soon discovers she's been sabotaged herself. Luckily, it turns out she's incredibly good at her job, even without her guiding neural implant. "I'm a sucker for elegant worldbuilding that portrays all the finer nuances of society and culture in addition to the grandness of empire and the complexity of politics," says judge Fonda Lee. "Arkady Martine delivers all that in droves."

The Thessaly Trilogy

The Just City, by Jo Walton

Apollo, spurned by Daphne, is trying to understand free will and consent by living as a mortal. Athena is trying to create a utopia by plucking men and women from all across history and dropping them on an island to live according to Plato's Republic. Will it all go according to plan? Not likely. "Brilliant, compelling, and frankly unputdownable," wrote poll judge Amal El-Mohtar , "this will do what your Intro to Philosophy courses probably couldn't: make you want to read The Republic ."

Shades of Magic Trilogy

A Darker Shade of Magic, by V.E. Schwab

V.E. Schwab has created a world with four Londons lying atop one another : our own dull Grey, warm magic-suffused Red, tyrannical White, and dead, terrifying Black. Once, movement among them was easy, but now only a few have the ability — including our hero, Kell. So naturally, he's a smuggler, and the action kicks off when Grey London thief Lila steals a dangerous artifact from him, a stone that could upset the balance among the Londons. Rich world building, complex characters and really scary bad guys make Schwab's London a city — or cities — well worth spending time in.

The Divine Cities Trilogy

City of Stairs, by Robert Jackson Bennett

On the Continent, you must not, you cannot, talk about the gods — the gods are dead. Or are they? Robert Jackson Bennett's Divine Cities trilogy builds a fully, gloriously realized world where gods are the source of power, miracles and oppression, and gods can also be killed. But what happens next, when the gods are gone and the work of running the world is left to regular human men and women? What happens in that unsettled moment when divinity gives way to technology? This series spans a long timeline; the heroes of the first volume are old by the end. "And as ancient powers clash among gleaming, modern skyscrapers, those who have survived from the first page to these last have a heaviness about them," writes reviewer Jason Sheehan , "a sense that they have seen remarkable things, done deeds both heroic and terrible, and that they can see a far and final horizon in the distance, quickly approaching."

The Wormwood Trilogy

Rosewater, by Tade Thompson

Part of a recent wave of work celebrating and centering Nigerian culture, this trilogy is set in a future where a fungal alien invader has swallowed big global cities, America has shut itself away and gone dark, and a new city, Rosewater, has grown up around a mysterious alien dome in rural Nigeria. It's a wild mashup of alien invasion, cyberpunk, Afro-futurism and even a touch of zombie horror. "I started reading Rosewater on vacation and quickly set it down until I got home, because Tade Thompson's work is no light beach read," says judge Fonda Lee. "His writing demands your full attention — and amply rewards it."

Black Sun (series)

Black Sun, by Rebecca Roanhorse

Author Rebecca Roanhorse was tired of reading epic fantasy with quasi-European settings, so she decided to write her own . The result is Black Sun , set in a world influenced by pre-Columbian mythology and rich with storms, intrigue, giant bugs, mysterious sea people, ritual, myth and some very scary crows. (They hold grudges, did you know?) This is only Book 1 of a forthcoming series, but we felt it was so strong it deserved to be here, no matter where Roanhorse goes next.

Words To Get Lost In

If you're one of those people who thought genre fiction writing was workmanlike and uninspiring, these books will change your mind.

Piranesi, by Susanna Clarke

Susanna Clarke at last returns to our shelves with this mind-bendingly glorious story — that's a bit hard to describe without spoiling. So we'll say it's about a mysterious man and the House that he dearly loves, a marvelous place full of changing light and surging tides, statues and corridors and crossings, birds and old bones and passing days and one persistent visitor who brings strangely familiar gifts. Clarke "limns a magic far more intrinsic than the kind commanded through spells," wrote reviewer Vikki Valentine , "a magic that is seemingly part of the fabric of the universe and as powerful as a cosmic engine — yet fragile nonetheless."

Circe, by Madeline Miller

Imagine Circe, the fearsome witch of the Odyssey, as an awkward teenager, growing up lonely among scornful gods and falling for what we modern folks would call a f***boy, before coming into her own, using her exile on the island of Aiaia to hone her powers and build an independent life. Circe only shows up briefly in the Odyssey, but Madeline Miller gives her a lush, complex life in these pages. She has worked as a classics teacher, and as our reviewer Annalisa Quinn noted , Miller "extracts worlds of meaning from Homer's short phrases."

Mexican Gothic

Mexican Gothic, by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

A sharp young socialite in 1950s Mexico City travels to a creepy rural mansion to check on her cousin, who has fallen ill after marrying into a mysterious family of English landowners. What could possibly go wrong? Silvia Moreno-Garcia "makes you uneasy about invisible things by writing around them," said reviewer Jessica P. Wick. "Even when you think you know what lurks, the power to unsettle isn't diminished." Not to be too spoilery — but after reading this stylishly chilling novel, you'll never look at mushrooms the same way again.

The Paper Menagerie And Other Stories

The Paper Menagerie, by Ken Liu

"I taught Liu's 'The Man Who Ended History' in a graduate seminar one semester," says judge Tochi Onyebuchi, "and one of the toughest tasks I've ever faced in adulthood was crafting a lesson plan that went beyond me just going 'wtf wtf wtf wtf wtf' for the whole two hours. Some story collections are like those albums where the artist or record label just threw a bunch of songs together and said 'here,' and some collections arrive as a complete, cohesive, emotionally catholic whole. The Paper Menagerie is that."

Spinning Silver

Spinning Silver, by Naomi Novik

Judges had a hard time deciding between Spinning Silver and Uprooted , Novik's previous fairy tale retelling. Ultimately, we decided that this reclamation of "Rumpelstiltskin" has a chewier, more interesting project, with much to say about money, labor, debt and friendship, explored in unflinching yet tender ways. Judge Amal El-Mohtar reviewed Spinning Silver for NPR when it came out in 2018. "There are so many mathemagicians in this book, be they moneylenders turning silver into gold or knitters working to a pattern," she wrote at the time . "It's gold and silver all the way down."

Exhalation: Stories

Exhalation: Stories, by Ted Chiang

"I often get the same feeling reading a Ted Chiang story as I did listening to a Prince song while he was still with us," says judge Tochi Onyebuchi. "What a glorious privilege it is that we get to share a universe with this genius!" This poll can be a discovery tool for editors and judges as much as audience, so hearing that, your humble editor went straight to the library and downloaded a copy of this collection.

Olondria (series)

A Stranger in Olondria, by Sofia Samatar

In Olondria, you can smell the ocean wind coming off the page, soldiers ride birds, angels haunt humans, and written dreams are terribly dangerous. "Have you ever seen something so beautiful that you'd be content to just sit and watch the light around it change for a whole day because every passing moment reveals even more unbearable loveliness and transforms you in ways you can't articulate?" asks judge Amal El-Mohtar. "You will if you read these books."

Her Body And Other Parties: Stories

Her Body and Other Parties, by Carmen Maria Machado

These eight stories dance across the borders of fairy tale, horror, erotica and urban legend, spinning the familiar, lived experiences of women into something rich and strange. As the title suggests, Machado focuses on the unruly female body and all of its pleasures and risks (there's one story that's just increasingly bizarre rewrites of Law & Order: SVU episodes). At one point, a character implies that kind of writing is "tiresome and regressive," too much about stereotypical crazy lesbians and madwomen in the attic. But as our critic Annalisa Quinn wrote , "Machado seems to answer: The world makes madwomen, and the least you can do is make sure the attic is your own."

The Buried Giant

The Buried Giant, by Kazuo Ishiguro

Axl and Beatrice are an elderly couple, living in a fictional Britain just after Arthur's time, where everyone suffers from what they call "mist," a kind of amnesia that hits long-term memories. They believe, they vaguely remember that they once had a son, so they set out to find him — encountering an elderly Sir Gawain along the way, and long-forgotten connections to Arthur's court and the dark deeds the mist is hiding. Poll judge Ann Leckie loves Arthurian legends. What she does not love are authors who don't do them justice — but with The Buried Giant , she says, Kazuo Ishiguro gets it solidly right.

Radiance, by Catherynne M. Valente

Do you love space opera? Alternate history? Silent film? (OK, are you me?) Then you should pick up Catherynne M. Valente's Radiance , which mashes up all three in a gloriously surreal saga about spacefaring filmmakers in an alternate version of 1986, in which you might be able to go to Jupiter, but Thomas Edison's death grip on his patents means talkies are still a novelty. Yes, Space Opera did get more votes, but our judges genuinely felt that Radiance was the stronger book. Reviewing it in 2015, judge Amal El-Mohtar wrote , " Radiance is the sort of novel about which you have to speak for hours or hardly speak at all: either stop at 'it's magnificent' or roll on to talk about form, voice, ambition, originality, innovation for more thousands of words than are available to me here before even touching on the plot."

Will Take You On A Journey

Sure, all books are some kind of journey, but these reads really go the distance.

The Changeling

The Changeling, by Victor LaValle

It's easy(ish) to summarize The Changeling : Rare book dealer Apollo Kagwa has a baby son with his wife, Emma, but she's been acting strange — and when she vanishes after doing something unspeakable, he sets out to find her. But his journey loops through a New York you've never seen before: mysterious islands and haunted forests, strange characters and shifting rhythms. The Changeling is a modern urban fairy tale with one toe over the line into horror, and wherever it goes, it will draw you along with it.

Wayfarers (series)

Wayfarers (series), by Becky Chambers

Becky Chambers writes aliens like no one else — in fact, humans are the backward newcomers in her generous, peaceful galactic vision. The Wayfarers books are only loosely linked: They all take place in the same universe, but apart from that you'll meet a new set of characters, a new culture and a new world (or an old world transformed). Cranky space pacifists, questing AIs, fugitives, gravediggers and fluffy, multi-limbed aliens who love pudding — the only flaw in this series is you'll wish you could spend more time with all of them.

Binti (series)

Binti (series), by Nnedi Okorafor

Binti is the first of her people, the Himba, to be offered a place at the legendary Oomza University, finest institution of learning in the galaxy — and as if leaving Earth to live among the stars weren't enough, Binti finds herself caught between warring human and alien factions. Over and over again throughout these novellas, Binti makes peace, bridges cultures, brings home with her even as she leaves and returns, changed by her experiences. Our judges agreed that the first two Binti stories are the strongest — but even if the third stumbles, as judge and critic Amal El-Mohtar wrote, "Perhaps the point is just having a Black girl with tentacles for hair possessing the power and freedom to float among Saturn's rings."

Lady Astronaut (series)

Lady Astronaut (series), by Mary Robinette Kowal

What would America's space program have looked like if, say, a gigantic asteroid had wiped out the East Coast in 1952 — and started a countdown to destruction for the rest of the world? We'd have had to get into space much sooner. And all the female pilots who served in World War II and were unceremoniously dumped back at home might have had another chance to fly. Mary Robinette Kowal's Hugo Award-winning series plays that out with Elma York, a former WASP pilot and future Lady Astronaut whose skill and determination help all of humanity escape the bonds of Earth. Adds judge Amal El-Mohtar: "Audiobook readers are in for a special treat here in that Kowal narrates the books herself, and if you've never had the pleasure of attending one of her readings, you get to experience her wonderful performance with bonus production values. It's especially cool given that the seed for the series was an audio-first short story."

Children of Time (duology)

Children of Time (duology), by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Far in the future, the dregs of humanity escape a ruined Earth and find what they think is a new hope deep in space — a planet that past spacefarers terraformed and left for them. But the evolutionary virus that was supposed to jump-start a cargo of monkeys, creating ready-made workers, instead latched on to ... something else, and in the intervening years, something terrible has arisen there. Poll judge Ann Leckie says she can't stand spiders (BIG SAME), but even so, she was adamant that the Children of Time books deserve their spot here.

Wayward Children (series)

Wayward Children (series), by Seanan McGuire

Everyone loves a good portal fantasy. Who hasn't looked in the back of the closet hoping, faintly, to see snow and a street lamp? In the Wayward Children series, Seanan McGuire reminds us that portals go both ways: What happens to those children who get booted back through the door into the real world, starry-eyed and scarred? Well, a lot of them end up at Eleanor West's School for Wayward Children. The prolific McGuire turned up on our semifinalists list A Lot. We had a hard time deciding between this and her killer stand-alone Middlegame , but the Wayward Children won the day with their shimmering mix of fairy tale, fantasy and emotional heft — not to mention body positivity and solid queer and trans representation. (As with a lot of the also-rans, though, you should really read Middlegame too.)

The Space Between Worlds

The Space Between Worlds, by Micaiah Johnson

There are 382 parallel worlds in Micaiah Johnson's debut novel, and humanity can finally travel between them — but there's a deadly catch. You can visit only a world where the parallel version of you is already dead. And that makes Cara — whose marginal wastelands existence means only a few versions of her are left — valuable to the high and mighty of her own Earth. "They needed trash people," Cara says, to gather information from other worlds. But her existence, already precarious, is threatened when a powerful scientist figures out how to grab that information remotely. "At a time when I was really struggling with the cognitive demands of reading anything for work or pleasure, this book flooded me with oxygen and lit me on fire," says judge Amal El-Mohtar. "I can't say for certain that it enabled me to read again, but in its wake, I could."

Will Mess With Your Head

Do you love twisty tales, loopy logic, unsolved mysteries and cosmic weirdness? Scroll on!

Black Leopard, Red Wolf

Black Leopard, Red Wolf, by Marlon James

Poll judge Amal El-Mohtar once described Black Leopard, Red Wolf as " like being slowly eaten by a bear ." Fellow judge Tochi Onyebuchi chimes in: " Black Leopard, Red Wolf is a Slipknot album of a book. In all the best ways." Set in a dazzling, dangerous fantasy Africa, it is — at least on the surface — about a man named Tracker, in prison when we meet him and telling his life story to an inquisitor. Beyond that, it's fairly indescribable, full of roof-crawling demons, dust-cloud assassins, blood and (fair warning) sexual violence. A gnarly book, a difficult book, sometimes actively hostile to the reader — yet necessary, and stunning.

Southern Reach (series)

Southern Reach (series), Jeff VanderMeer

The Southern Reach books are, at least on the surface, a simple tale of a world gone wrong, of a mysterious "Area X" and the expeditions that have suffered and died trying to map it — and the strange government agency that keeps sending them in. But there's a lot seething under that surface: monsters, hauntings, a slowly building sense of wrong and terror that will twist your brain around sideways. "If the guys who wrote Lost had brought H.P. Lovecraft into the room as a script doctor in the first season," our critic Jason Sheehan wrote , "the Southern Reach trilogy is what they would've come up with."

The Echo Wife

The Echo Wife, by Sarah Gailey

Part sci-fi cautionary tale, part murder mystery, The Echo Wife is a twisty treat . At its center are a famed genetic researcher and her duplicitous husband, who uses her breakthrough technology to clone himself a sweeter, more compliant version of his wife before ending up dead. "As expertly constructed as a Patek Philippe watch," says poll judge Tochi Onyebuchi. "Seamlessly blends domestic thriller and science fiction," adds fellow judge Fonda Lee. "This book is going to haunt my thoughts for a long time."

The Locked Tomb (series)

The Locked Tomb (series), by Tamsyn Muir

This series is often described as "lesbian necromancers in space," but trust us, it's so much more than that. Wildly inventive, gruesome, emotional, twisty and funny as hell, the Locked Tomb books are like nothing you've ever read before. And we defy you to read them and not give serious consideration to corpse paint and mirror shades as a workable fashion statement. There are only two books out now, of a planned four-book series, but Gideon the Ninth alone is enough to earn Tamsyn Muir a place on this list: "Too funny to be horror, too gooey to be science fiction, has too many spaceships and autodoors to be fantasy, and has far more bloody dismemberings than your average parlor romance," says critic Jason Sheehan. "It is altogether its own thing."

Remembrance of Earth's Past (series)

Remembrance of Earth's Past (series), Liu Cixin

Liu Cixin became the first author from Asia to win a Hugo Award for Best Novel, for The Three-Body Problem , the first volume in this series about one of the oldest questions in science fiction: What will happen when we meet aliens? Liu is writing the hardest of hard sci-fi here, full of brain-twisting passages about quantum mechanics and artificial intelligence (if you didn't actually know what the three-body problem was, you will now), grafted onto the backbone of a high-stakes political thriller. Poll judge Tochi Onyebuchi says, "These books divided me by zero. And, yes, that is a compliment."

Machineries of Empire (series)

Machineries of Empire (series), by Yoon Ha Lee

In the Hexarchate, numbers are power: This interstellar empire draws its strength from rigidly enforced adherence to the imperial calendar, a system of numbers that can alter reality. But now, a "calendrical rot" is eating away at that structure, and it's up to a mathematically talented young soldier — and the ghost of an infamous traitor — to try to repair the rot while a war blazes across the stars around them. " Ninefox Gambit is a book with math in its heart, but also one which understands that even numbers can lie," our critic Jason Sheehan wrote . "That it's what you see in the numbers that matters most."

Will Mess With Your Heart

Books that'll make you cry, make you think — and sometimes make you want to hide under the bed.

The Broken Earth (series)

The Broken Earth (series), by N.K. Jemisin

In the world of the Stillness, geological convulsions cause upheavals that can last for centuries — and only the orogenes, despised yet essential to the status quo — can control them. N.K. Jemisin deservedly won three back-to-back Hugo awards for these books, which use magnificent world building and lapidary prose to smack you in the face about your own complicity in systems of oppression. "Jemisin is the first — and so far only — person ever to have won a Hugo Award for Best Novel for every single book in a series. These books upheaved the terrain of epic fantasy as surely and completely as Fifth Seasons transform the geography of the Stillness," says poll judge Amal El-Mohtar.

Station Eleven

Station Eleven, by Emily St. John Mandel

Author Emily St. John Mandel went on Twitter in 2020 and advised people not to read Station Eleven , not in the midst of the pandemic. But we beg to disagree. A story in which art (and particularly Shakespeare) helps humanity come back to itself after a pandemic wipes out the world as we know it might be just the thing we need. "Survival is insufficient," say Mandel's traveling players (a line she says she lifted from Star Trek ), and that's a solid motto any time.

This Is How You Lose the Time War

This Is How You Lose the Time War, Max Gladstone & Amal El-Mohtar

Enemies-to-lovers is a classic romance novel trope, and it's rarely been done with as much strange beauty as poll judge Amal El-Mohtar and co-author Max Gladstone pull off in this tale of Red and Blue, two agents on opposite sides of a war that's sprawled across time and space. "Most books I read are objects of study. And more often than not, I can figure out how the prose happened, how the character arcs are constructed, the story's architecture," says judge Tochi Onyebuchi. "But then along comes a thing so dazzling you can't help but stare at and ask 'how.' Amal and Max wrote a cheat code of a book. They unlocked all the power-ups, caught all the Chaos Emeralds, mastered all the jutsus, and honestly, I'd say it's downright unfair how much they flexed on us with Time War , except I'm so damn grateful they gave it to us in the first place." (As we noted above, having Time War on the list meant that Max Gladstone couldn't make a second appearance for his outstanding solo work with the Craft Sequence . But you should absolutely read those, too.)

The Poppy War Trilogy

The Poppy War Trilogy, by R.F. Kuang

What if Mao Zedong were a teenage girl? That's how author R.F. Kuang describes the central question in her Poppy War series . Fiery, ruthless war orphan Fang Runin grows up, attends an elite military academy, develops fire magic and wins a war — but finds herself becoming the kind of monster she once fought against. Kuang has turned her own rage and anger at historical atrocities into a gripping, award-winning story that will drag you along with it, all the way to the end. "If this were football, Kuang might be under investigation for PEDs," jokes judge Tochi Onyebuchi, referring to performance-enhancing drugs. "But, no, she's really just that good."

The Masquerade (series)

The Masquerade (series), by Seth Dickinson

Baru Cormorant was born to a free-living, free-loving nation, but all that changed when the repressive Empire of Masks swept in, tearing apart her family, yet singling her out for advancement through its new school system. Baru decides the only way to free her people is to claw her way up the ranks of Empire — but she risks becoming the monster she's fighting against. "I've loved every volume of this more than the one before it, and the first one was devastatingly strong," says judge Amal El-Mohtar — who said of that first volume, "This book is a tar pit, and I mean that as a compliment."

An Unkindness of Ghosts

An Unkindness of Ghosts, by Rivers Solomon

The Matilda is a generation ship, a vast repository of human life among the stars, cruelly organized like an antebellum plantation: Black and brown people on the lower decks, working under vicious overseers to provide the white upper-deck passengers with comfortable lives. Aster, an orphaned outsider, uses her late mother's medical knowledge to bring healing where she can and to solve the mystery of Matilda 's failing power source. Poll judge Amal El-Mohtar originally reviewed An Unkindness of Ghosts for us , writing "What Solomon achieves with this debut — the sharpness, the depth, the precision — puts me in mind of a syringe full of stars."

The Bird King

The Bird King, by G. Willow Wilson

G. Willow Wilson's beautiful novel, set during the last days of Muslim Granada, follows a royal concubine who yearns for freedom and the queer mapmaker who's her best friend. "It is really devastating to a critic to find that the only truly accurate way of describing an author's prose is the word 'luminous,' but here we are," says judge Amal El-Mohtar. "This book is luminous. It is full of light, in searing mirror-flashes and warm candleflame flickers and dappled twists of heart-breaking insight into empire, war and religion."

American War

American War, by Omar El Akkad

This was judge Tochi Onyebuchi's personal pick — a devastating portrait of a post-climate-apocalypse, post-Second Civil War America that's chosen to use its most terrifying and oppressive policies against its own people. "It despairs me how careless we are with the word 'prescient' these days, but when I finished American War , I truly felt that I'd glimpsed our future," Onyebuchi says. "Charred and scarred and shot through with shards of hope."

Riot Baby, by Tochi Onyebuchi

Poll judge Tochi Onyebuchi centers this story on the kind of person who's more often a statistic, rarely a fully rounded character: Kevin, who's young, Black and in prison . Born amid the upheaval around the Rodney King verdict, Kevin is hemmed in by structural and individual racism at every turn; meanwhile, his sister Ella has developed mysterious, frightening powers — but she still can't do the one thing she truly wants to do, which is to rescue her brother. This slim novella packs a punch with all the weight of history behind it; fellow judge Amal El-Mohtar says, "I've said it in reviews and I'll say it again here: This book reads like hot diamonds, as searing as it is precise."

On Fragile Waves

On Fragile Waves, by E. Lily Yu

Every year, we ask our judges to add some of their own favorites to the list, and this year, Amal El-Mohtar teared up talking about her passion for E. Lily Yu's haunted refugee story On Fragile Waves . "I need everyone to read this book," she says. "I wept throughout it and for a solid half-hour once I had finished it, and I know it's hard to recommend books that make you cry right now, but I have no chill about this one: It is so important, it is so beautiful, and I feel like maybe if everyone read it the world would be a slightly less terrible place."

Will Make You Feel Good

Maybe, after the year we've just had, you want to read a book where good things happen, eventually? We've got you.

The Goblin Emperor

The Goblin Emperor, by Katherine Addison

In a far corner of an elven empire, young half-goblin Maia learns that a mysterious accident has left him heir to the throne. But he has been in exile almost all his life — how can he possibly negotiate the intricate treacheries of the imperial court? Fairly well, as it turns out. Maia is a wonderful character, hesitant and shy at first, but deeply good and surprisingly adept at the whole being-an-emperor thing. The only thing wrong with The Goblin Emperor was that it was, for a long time, a stand-alone. But now there's a sequel, The Witness for the Dead — so if you love the world Katherine Addison has created, you've got a way back to it. "I just love this book utterly," says judge Amal El-Mohtar. "So warm, so kind, so generous."

Murderbot (series)

All Systems Red, by Martha Wells

Oh Murderbot — we know you just want to be left alone to watch your shows, but we can't quit you. Martha Wells' series about a murderous security robot that's hacked its own governing module and become self-aware is expansive, action-packed, funny and deeply human . Also, your humble poll editor deeply wishes that someone would write a fic in which Murderbot meets Ancillary Justice 's Breq and they swap tips about how to be human over tea (which Murderbot can't really drink).

The Interdependency (series)

The Collapsing Empire, by John Scalzi

John Scalzi didn't mean to be quite so prescient when he started this trilogy about a galactic empire facing destruction as its interstellar routes collapse — a problem the empire knew about but ignored for all the same reasons we punt our problems today. "Some of that was completely unintentional," he told Scott Simon . "But some of it was. I live in the world." The Interdependency series is funny, heartfelt and ultimately hopeful, and packed with fantastic characters. To the reader who said they voted "because of Kiva Lagos," we say, us too.

The Martian

The Martian, by Andy Weir.

You don't expect a hard sci-fi novel to start with the phrase "I'm pretty much f****d," but it definitely sets the tone for Andy Weir's massive hit. Astronaut Mark Watney, stranded alone on Mars after an accident, is a profane and engaging narrator who'll let you know just how f****d he is and then just how he plans to science his way out of it. If you've only seen the movie, there's so much more to dig into in the book (including, well, that very first line).

Sorcerer to the Crown/The True Queen

Sorcerer to the Crown/The True Queen, by Zen Cho

A Regency romp with squabbling magicians, romance and intrigue, with women and people of color center stage? Yes, please! These two books form a wonderful balance. Sorcerer to the Crown is more whimsical and occasionally riotously funny despite its serious underlying themes. The True Queen builds out from there, looking at the characters and events of the first book with a different, more serious perspective. But both volumes are charming, thoughtful and thoroughly enjoyable.

How We Built This

Wow, you're some dedicated readers! Thanks for coming all the way down here to find out more. As I said above, we decided to limit ourselves to 50 books this year instead of our usual 100, which made winnowing down the list a particular challenge. As you may know, this poll isn't a straight-up popularity contest, though, if it were, the Broken Earth books would have crushed all comers — y'all have good taste! Instead, we take your votes (over 16,000 this year) and pare them down to about 250 semifinalists, and then during a truly epic conference call, our panel of expert judges goes through those titles, cuts some, adds some and hammers out a final curated list.

What Didn't Make It — And Why

As always, there were works readers loved and voted for that didn't make our final list of 50 — it's not a favorites list if you can't argue about it, right? Sometimes, we left things out because we felt like the authors were well known enough not to need our help (farewell, The Ocean at the End of the Lane , Neil Gaiman, we hope you'll forgive us!), but mostly it happened because the books either came out before our cutoff date or already appeared on the original 2011 list. (Sorry, Brandon Sanderson! The first Mistborn book was actually on this year's list, until I looked more closely and realized it was a repeat from 2011.)

Some books didn't make it this year because we're almost positive they'll come around next year — next year being the 10th anniversary of our original 2012 YA poll, when (spoiler alert!) we're planning a similar redo. So we say "not farewell, but fare forward, voyagers" to the likes of Raybearer , Children of Blood and Bone and the Grishaverse books; if they don't show up on next year's list I'll, I don't know, I'll eat my kefta .

And this year, because we had only 50 titles to play with, we did not apply the famous Nora Roberts rule, which allows particularly beloved and prolific authors onto the list twice. So as much as it pains me, there's only one Seanan McGuire entry here, and Max Gladstone appears alongside poll judge Amal El-Mohtar for This Is How You Lose the Time War but not on his own for the excellent Craft Sequence . Which — as we said above — you should ABSOLUTELY read.

One Final Note

Usually, readers will vote at least some works by members of our judging panel onto the list, and usually, we let the judges themselves decide whether or not to include them. But this year, I put my editorial foot down — all four judges made it to the semifinals, and had we not included them, the final product would have been the less for it. So you'll find all four on the list. And we hope you enjoy going through it as much as we enjoyed putting it together!

100 Best Fantasy Series Ever

Join Discovery, the new community for book lovers

Trust book recommendations from real people, not robots 🤓

Blog – Posted on Thursday, Jan 31

100 best fantasy series ever.

100 Best Fantasy Series Ever

Reading ( or listening to! ) fantasy is the ultimate escape: from stress, work, and indeed all of life’s more mundane realities. Because what’s the opposite of reality ? Fantasy!

That’s why we’ve compiled this comprehensive mega-guide of the 100 best fantasy series of all time: to enable your escapism as much as possible. With so many titles to choose from, you’re bound to find something you like — urban , paranormal, epic , and classic fantasy , we’ve got it all. Get ready to dive in!

If you're feeling overwhelmed by the number of great fantasy books on hand, you can also take our 30-second quiz below to narrow it down quickly and get a personalized fantasy series recommendation 😉

Which fantasy series should you read next?

Discover the perfect fantasy series for you. Takes 30 seconds!

1. A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin

Before the award-winning HBO series Game of Thrones , there was A Song of Ice and Fire . George R.R. Martin’s epic fantasy series takes place on the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos, and revolves around three central plotlines: familial feuds for control of Westeros, the looming threat of the northern-based “Others,” and of course the grand political ambitions of Daenerys Targaryen — perhaps better known as the “Mother of Dragons.”

2. The Abhorsen Trilogy Box Set by Garth Nix

The Abhorsen series centers around Sabriel, a girl from Ancelstierre (an alternate version of England) who becomes the protector of the mysterious, reality-bordering “Old Kingdom,” leading herself and her descendants down a path of dark, unpredictable magic.

3. Acacia by David Anthony Durham

When Leodan Akara, peaceful ruler of the “Known World,” passes away, his children must take up his responsibilities… and soon find that their father’s kingdom isn’t quite as harmonious as they thought. The Acacia series follows them in their attempts to preserve peace and keep the Known World from crumbling, not just for their own reputations, but for the good of the people.

Looking for something new to read?

Trust real people, not robots, to give you book recommendations.

Or sign up with an email address

4. Alex Verus by Benedict Jacka

After a schism with the mages’ Council, future-seer Alex Verus just wants a quiet life, running his magic shop and staying out of trouble. But that’s not what fate has in mind for him — ironically, getting tangled up again in the world of Light vs. Dark magic is something this diviner never saw coming.

5. Amber Chronicles by Roger Zelazny

The little-known but much-praised Amber Chronicles weaves tales within the two “true” worlds of the series, Amber and Chaos, as well the “Shadow” worlds in the middle, born from the tension between them. Zelazny’s incredible worldbuilding plus his fascinating characters — including superhuman royalty — make this series truly worthy of its “epic” label.

6. The Bartimaeus Sequence by Jonathan Stroud

This imaginative four-book sequence follows a teenage magician named Nathaniel and his djinni (or genie), a lively spirit called Bartimaeus who enjoys disobeying his master above all else. Though technically a children’s series, the Bartimaeus Sequence will no doubt entertain readers of all ages with its skillful balance of speculative fiction and magical fantasy.

7. Chronicles of the Black Company by Glen Cook

For those craving an out-of-the-box take on fantasy, these are the books for you. Glen Cook’s military fantasy series, Chronicles of the Black Company , deals with both an unusual branch of the genre and unusually nuanced questions of morality: the two sides of the main conflict have been described as “evil vs. evil,” and readers may be surprised who they end up rooting for.

8. The Black Magician Trilogy by Trudi Canavan

The Black Magician trilogy tells the story of Sonea, a girl from the slums of the magical country Kyralia. Though normally only upper class-citizens have the capacity for magic, Sonea soon discovers she possesses magical gifts — leading to her capture by the Magician’s Guild of Kyralia and, once she escapes, the necessity of teaching herself how to control her abilities.

9. Boreal Moon by Julian May

Military and political tensions are high among the four kingdoms in Boreal Moon — but one Prince Conrig, in the kingdom of Cathra, plans to unite them with the help of his lover, Princess Ullanoth of Moss. However, are their motives purely diplomatic, or do they have something else up their sleeves?

10. The Bounds of Redemption by M. D. Ireman

As Tallos ventures to the north to recover what he believes will be the corpses of his friend’s children, he only hopes his mission will be swift. He never expects to find something worse than corpses: something that will unleash a much greater struggle for him and his people. Ireman is especially famous for his plot twists, and the flabbergasting turns that take place in this series are “bound” to leave readers gaping.

11. The Broken Earth Trilogy by N. K. Jemisin

The title of this inventive series refers to a catastrophic climate change that wreaks havoc on the world every few centuries. The change is brought about by powerful “orogenes,” who can control energy and are persecuted in society for their impact. Jemisin’s Broken Earth trilogy follows three prominent female orogenes throughout history, and how each of their destinies is intertwined with the others.

12. The Broken Empire Book by Mark Lawrence

Prince Jorg Ancrath lived a perfect life until his mother and brother were killed, prompting him to run away and join a band of savages — but he’s not done with the throne just yet. This series tracks Jorg’s dogged pursuit to re-ascend the throne of his “broken empire,” using his street-learned violence to change the rules of the monarchy game.

13. Cassandra Palmer by Karen Chance

Cassie Palmer can see the future and speak to the spirits of the past. But her skills don’t make her immune to danger: it still follows her everywhere she goes, especially in the form of a vampire mobster who wants her dead. Join Cassie on seven nail-biting adventures to elude and defeat her foes, prudently trading her wits and skills for help from the most unlikely of sources.

14. Chicagoland Vampires by Chloe Neill

When grad student Merit is transformed into a vampire, she has to seriously retool her five-year plan into, well, an immortality plan. A light alternative to some of the darker fantasies on this list, the Chicagoland Vampires series will still grip readers with the very real challenges of Merit’s life-adjustment crisis.

15. Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis

Even though you’ve all surely heard of it, we couldn’t leave this absolute legend off the list. An unassuming exploration of an old professor’s house leads to a fantasy saga of epic proportions: full of unforgettable moments , unexpected twists, and mind-bending questions about the universe’s infinite possibilities.

17. Chronicles of Thomas Covenant by Stephen R. Donaldson

Thomas Covenant is the emblematic antihero of the fantasy genre , reluctant to do anything that doesn’t directly benefit him. But he does have an “antihero’s journey” of sorts — over the three impressive trilogies in this series, he becomes much more altruistic and admirable. For those who tire of the standard “valiant hero swoops in and saves the day” storylines, this original series will reignite your fantasy-loving flame.

18. Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne by Brian Staveley

This debut trilogy from Staveley involves three royal children, separated at birth, who grow up to become a monk, a soldier, and a politician respectively. If that sounds like the beginning of a joke, they don’t all walk into a bar — rather, they reunite to get to the bottom of an inter-kingdom conspiracy, coming into contact with mysterious gods and unknown magic along the way.

19. Codex Alera by Jim Butcher

From the author of the acclaimed Dresden Files (#30 on this list) comes Codex Alera , another coming-of-age series about a young man called Tavi. Interestingly, Tavi’s plight is the reverse of one of the most common tropes in fantasy: instead of being the “chosen one,” he’s more like the unchosen one. As in, everybody else in Alera has powers except for him. But that only makes his fight to protect his family from danger all the more a thrilling and courageous risk.

20. Coldfire by Celia S. Friedman

The Coldfire trilogy takes place on the planet Erna, where sorcery is conducted through a magical energy source called the Fae. The Fae is also extremely dangerous, however; it destroyed the first waves of colonists on Erna and still poses a constant threat. Priest Damien Vryce wants peace between humans and the Fae more than anything — but how can one man control such a potent force? You’ll find out in this dark and heart-pounding series.

21. Crimson Moon by L.A. Banks

Special Ops soldier Sasha Trudeau is a werewolf attack survivor, serving on an elite team with other survivors to keep paranormal activity out of the public eye. But what Sasha doesn’t realize is that some things are too powerful to be contained — both within herself and out in the world. Lycanthropy, vampirism, and other supernatural forces abound in the Crimson Moon series, as Sasha comes to terms with who she is and what she can do to help protect others.

22. Crown of Stars Book by Kate Elliott

Crown of Stars takes place in Novaria, a Westeros-esque alternative Europe in which tension persists from a long-ago rift between elf-like creatures and humans. The former (called “Ashioi”) have since been banished to another plane of existence by sorcerers, but Novaria continues to struggle. As our human heroes soon figure out, the Ashioi are still closer to them than anyone thinks… and they’re about to unleash a new cataclysm that may destroy all of Novaria in its wake.

23. Dagger and the Coin by Daniel Abraham

Nations clash, factions struggle, and individuals strive in this mesmerizing tale of power and control. Though countless plotlines and themes are wrapped up in Abraham’s quintet, the question at the heart of it is: what truly wins wars, the militant (dagger) or monetary (coin)?

24. Dark Is Rising Sequence by Susan Cooper

This series brings together countless age-old sources, from Arthurian legends to Celtic and Norse mythology to English folklore. It features Will Stanton, who discovers on his eleventh birthday that he is an “Old One” and destined to battle forces of evil for the preservation of the “Light.” You might think of it as the 1970s precursor to Harry Potter — kids taking matters into their own hands, getting into trouble, and pretty much always magicking their way out just in time.

25. Dark Tower by Stephen King

This dark fantasy series from the indisputable king of horror follows Roland Deschain, the last member of an Arthur-descending knightly order called the gunslingers. Roland must find the “dark tower,” where all universes are said to meet, before his own crumbles into nonexistence. King really plays with the boundaries of reality and disbelief throughout the series so that both Roland and the reader must interpret and deconstruct the setting for themselves.

26. Deed of Paksenarrion by Elizabeth Moon

In Elizabeth Moon's epic trilogy, Paksenarrion, aka Paks, finds herself locked into an undesirable arranged marriage. She has no choice but to flee — and what better way to protect herself than by joining a company of mercenaries? Paks soon realizes that she herself is a gifted paladin, and uses her skills to help her comrades and instate the rightful heir to the throne: her friend and commander Kieri.

27. The Demon Cycle by Peter V. Brett

The Demon Cycle has raged on for centuries: every night, supernatural demons called corelings arrive to attack and destroy humans, who shrink from them in fear. But humans once fought valiantly against the corelings, and so they will again. In this series, three young survivors of demon assaults stand to take back the realm of the living.

28. Discworld by Terry Pratchett

Just when you think there’s nothing else fresh in the fantasy genre, along comes Discworld . This series pokes fun at classic fantasy tropes : there’s a talentless, cowardly wizard who’s constantly forced into adventures, a skeletal personification of death who rides a horse named Binky, and the entire story takes place on a disc-shaped planet atop four elephants… which themselves stand on top of a turtle. So if you ever get tired of Chosen Ones and medieval-ish settings, just remember there’s always Discworld .

29. Dreamblood by N.K. Jemisin

Ehiru is a peacekeeper in the city of Gujaareh, amassing the city’s collective magic and using it as a shield against the corrupt. Yet when people start dying in their dreams, allegedly in sacrifice to the “dream-goddess” Hananja, Ehiru must go above and beyond the call of duty to discover who’s responsible and what their end goal actually is. Dreamblood is a powerful story by a master fantasist.

30. The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher

Wizard Harry Dresden works with the Chicago P.D. to solve their most unsolvable, supernatural cases. From magically mutilated bodies to vampire and werewolf witnesses, this series is a unique whirlwind of hardboiled detective fiction and dark fantasy.

31. Earthsea Cycle by Ursula K. Le Guin

From one of the most renowned fantasy and science fiction writers of all time comes the Earthsea series, a classic yet visionary tale. It tracks the journey of Ged, who grows from a young, immature boy to the greatest magician of his generation, and who must use his powers to save his home of Earthsea from imminent decline.

32. Elemental Assassin by Jennifer Estep

Gin Blanco may be a professional assassin, but her skills are by no means limited to stabbing and shooting. No, Gin is an Elemental Assassin ; she can control the elements of Ice and Stone, using them to kill when needed. And after a betrayal from one of her associates sets her down a road of vengeance, others would be wise to stay out of her way.

33. Empire by Raymond Feist and Janny Wurts

The Empire trilogy takes place in a fascinating amalgam setting of medieval Europe and Asia, and stars Mara of the Acoma, the newest Ruling Lady of her empire. Not everyone is happy for her, however; many of those close to the throne want her dead. Even besides the juicy political drama and feminist overtones, there’s another great reason to read this series: it’s part of a mega-verse called The Riftwar Universe, which includes a whopping twenty-seven more books!

34. Farseer by Robin Hobb

Contrary to what his name would suggest, Fitz Farseer can’t see the future, but he does have other talents. Namely, he is an assassin in the land of the the Six Duchies, adjacent to a war being waged by his royal uncle. But who is truly in the right, and with whom will Fitz side in the conflict? The Farseer books answers these questions with wit, intrigue, and a touch of magic.

35. First Law by Joe Abercrombie

If you fast-forward through all the sex and dialogue in GoT to get to the battle scenes, First Law is definitely the series for you. This seriously bloody (and bloody good) trilogy focuses on barbarians and warriors fighting it out in an elaborate medieval European/Mediterranean world.

36. Fionavar Tapestry by Guy Gavriel Kay

Think Chronicles of Narnia, but older, and in Canada. The Fionavar Tapestry series involves five University of Toronto postgraduates who get sucked into the “first world of the tapestry,” Fionavar. There they discover that they are magical leaders, each based on different legendary figures and roles, and must determine what purpose they will serve within Fionavar — and whether that purpose is worth giving up all they had in the “real” world.

37. Folk of the Air by Holly Black

Jude and her sisters have lived among faeries (aka the Folk of the Air ) for years, but they’re still not accepted as part of their world — until Jude makes up her mind to boldly defy the beautiful, cruel Prince Cardan, and succeeds. Now Jude has just as much power as faerie royalty, but she has to figure out how to use it… with Cardan looming over her shoulder all the while.

38. Greywalker by Kat Richardson

This urban fantasy series stars Harper Blaine, a Seattle P.I. with unusual perceptive abilities, even for a P.I. That’s because she’s a “greywalker,” one who can traverse between the human and supernatural worlds and see things happening on both sides. But is being a greywalker a gift or a curse? Harper’s going to have to find out the hard way.

39. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

What more can be said about Harry Potter ? Rowling’s worldbuilding is wondrous to behold, her characterization so extensive that you’ll feel like Harry, Ron, and Hermione are your very own best friends. Not to mention that her stories involve some of the most masterful plot twists you’ll see in any book, from any genre (Prisoner of Azkaban, anyone?). So if for whatever reason you haven’t read Harry Potter yet, just know that it’s never too late to experience the magic .

40. His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman

And for those who have read Harry Potter and are itching for something similar, you could do much worse than His Dark Materials . Twelve-year-old Lyra Belacqua and her spiritual “dæmon” travel across the many different worlds of this series, on a variety of imaginative missions that will ultimately help save the entire multiverse.

41. The Hollows by Kim Harrison

The Hollows is full of alternative history combined with magical elements, so try to keep up: genetic engineering gone wrong has killed off much of the human population, and supernatural species now live openly among them. Half-mortal, half-magic detective Rachel Morgan is a partner at “Vampiric Charms,” a security/bounty hunting service for this unpredictable new world — and indeed, the assignments she receives are anything but ordinary.

42. The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini

Fun fact: Christopher Paolini wrote Eragon when he was just a teenager, and initially self-published the book — so it’s a testament to youthful determination if nothing else! The series ' plot is also pretty exciting, however: farm boy Eragon finds a mysterious stone in the mountains near his home, only to realize when it starts to crack that it’s actually a dragon egg. And when you’ve just hatched an unexpected dragon, there’s bound to be trouble ahead.

43. The Inheritance Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin

Not to be confused with Paolini’s series, Jemisin’s Inheritance trilogy details the story of Yeine, a powerful woman of the Darre tribe, who becomes heir to the throne of all the Arameri people. However, despite her power, she’s still forced to battle the expectations and ill wishes of those against her. Not to mention the struggle to hold on to herself, when the soul of a mystical god is placed inside her mind.

44. The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare

This accompaniment to Clare’s Mortal Instruments series (#67 on our list) is just as imaginative and action-packed as its predecessor, if not more so. Infernal Devices follows Tessa Gray, an orphan girl who discovers she can shape-shift and goes to live at the Shadowhunter Institute in nineteenth-century London, where she must learn to control her abilities.

45. Georgina Kincaid Book by Richelle Mead

Georgina Kincaid 's titular star may be a succubus, but that doesn’t mean her job doesn’t suck — if she’s not dreading her repulsive clients, she’s arguing with the middle-manager demon who’s her boss. Luckily (or unluckily, depending on how you look at it), there’s always a bit of deadly drama to be found in the realm of the supernatural… and it usually finds Georgina first.

46. Gentleman Bastards by Scott Lynch

The titular “gentleman bastards” of this series start off pretty much true to their name: Locke Lamora is their gang leader, and thieving and trickery is all he’s ever known. But what happens when someone else tries to con the con man? As their battles of wits and wiles escalate, Locke and his fellow bastards take a journey of both worldly and personal discovery.

47. Gormenghast by Mervyn Peake

The widely praised Gormenghast series has oft been called a “fantasy of manners.” Rather than a life-or-death battle between massive forces, the books centers around the bizarre dynamics of the Groan family, who live in Gormenghast Castle. It’s The Addams Family meets a Jane Austen novel! In any case, if you’re looking for a total break from the sometimes-exhausting tropes of epic fantasy, you’ll be delighted to pick up Gormenghast .

48. Joe Pitt Casebooks by Charlie Huston

If Gormenghast is dark fantasy Jane Austen, Joe Pitt is vampire Mario Puzo. Joe Pitt is a New York City vampire living among factions of other vamps, unwilling to commit to a single clan — but being pressured by each of them to join, since he has exclusive underworld connections they all want. In any case, Joe had better watch his back, because their tolerance could turn into suspicion at any moment… and things get messy pretty quickly when you have fangs.

49. Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan

Carter and Sadie Kane have been raised apart all their lives. But when their Egyptologist father is captured by Set (the Egyptian god of evil), the two siblings must band together to try and understand their shared history, as well as how they can use it to save their family. The Kane Chronicles offer another spellbinding tale from the celebrated author of the Percy Jackson series.

50. Kan Savasci Cycle by Chase Blackwood

This ongoing cycle details the exhilarating journey of Kan Savasci, the “Bane of Verold” (his native land) who steps into his fate as the most powerful, feared warrior of his time — only to disappear when the world needs him most . If you’re looking for a not-too-daunting intro to epic fantasy, this series is the way to go, as only two books have been released so far and you can easily catch up before the next comes out.

51. Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews

Kate Daniels has magic in her blood, but she doesn’t want anyone to know. Not least because the world she lives in has been wrecked by it: other humans resent magic for taking down their technology in the “magic apocalypse,” while supernatural creatures hunt humans whom they see as a threat. However, after Kate’s guardian is killed, she realizes she can no longer remain passive in her world, and sets off with her sword on her back to become a ruthless mercenary.

52. Keys to the Kingdom by Garth Nix

Keys to the Kingdom , by the same author as the Abhorsen series, similarly focuses on a young mage coming into their destiny. However, in this case it’s Arthur Penhaligon, who’s to become the heir of “the House” — the focal point of the universe. Arthur must quickly grow into his role as heir and in the process defeat the “Morrow Days” council, who wish to corrupt the House.

\n I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during day. I have talked to Gods, loved women, and written songs that make the minstrels weep. \n \n

\n You may have heard of me. \n \n

So begins a tale unequaled in fantasy literature--the story of a hero told in his own voice. It is a tale of sorrow, a tale of survival, a tale of one man's search for meaning in his universe, and how that search, and the indomitable will that drove it, gave birth to a legend.

53. Kingkiller Chronicle by Patrick Rothfuss

An unusual format, the Kingkiller Chronicle consists of its protagonist, Kvothe, narrating his life to the scribe who will record it. Kvothe delves into the trauma that befell his childhood and the many battles that wore him down in adulthood… but all the while, his scribe (dubbed “the Chronicler”) takes a slyly active role in the story, knowing it’s not over yet.

54. Kitty Norville by Carrie Vaughn

Closeted werewolf Kitty Norville starts “The Midnight Hour,” a late-night radio show devoted to dissecting supernatural phenomena — not realizing that by shining the spotlight on things that go bump in the night, she’s leading her enemies closer and closer to finding her.

55. Phèdre Trilogy by Jacqueline Carey

Phèdre nó Delaunay is born with a red mote in her eye, marking her as one pricked by “Kushiel’s dart,” an anguissine who derives pleasure from pain. As Phèdre matures, she must figure out how to balance her personal relationships with her cosmic purpose: to provide balance to the universe. This original and provocative trilogy is also just the beginning of the Kushiel's Legacy series, which comprises nine books in total.

56. Legacy of Orïsha by Tomi Adeyemi

Though only one book in this anticipated trilogy has been released so far, Children of Blood and Bone was no doubt the breakout YA fantasy of 2018. It tells the story of Zélie, a young diviner who must restore magic to the land of Orïsha — before its tyrant ruler King Saran destroys her, just as he did her magical ancestors.

57. Lightbringer Series by Brent Weeks

Another ongoing series, Lightbringer centers around “the Prism,” the most powerful man in the world of the Seven Satrapies, where magic is channeled through light and color. The Prism of this series, Gavin, contends with stormy relations between the Satrapies, a treacherous brother trying to undercut him, and a secret son whose existence threatens Gavin’s way of life.

58. Long Price Quartet by Daniel Abraham

The Long Price Quartet begins in the wealthy, seemingly utopian city-state of Saraykeht, where a sorcerer called Heshai stokes the fire beneath the surface. But Heshai grows weak, and Saraykeht becomes vulnerable to attack; the fate of the metropolis now rests in the hands of outsiders, who will use unknown forms of magic to protect it.

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

The revolutionary magic of Lord of the Rings has united generations, incited epic movies, and probably inspired every series on this list in one way or another. Join Frodo, Sam, Aragon, Gandalf and the rest of the glorious gang in their quest to obliterate the One Ring — facing massive questions of friendship, morality, and what truly lies within each of them along the way.

60. Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

Cinderella’s a cyborg, Rapunzel’s a hacker, Snow White has “Lunar Sickness,” and they all hang out in space. If steampunk interstellar princesses is your thing, the Lunar Chronicles are just the series you’ve been looking for. (Plus, for a dose of writerly inspiration, the whole thing started out as a NaNoWriMo project !)

61. Lyonesse Trilogy by Jack Vance

In this Dark Ages-era trilogy, King Casmir is the ruthless and twisted ruler of Lyonesse, intent on marrying his own daughter to consolidate his power. But Princess Suldrun is just as sly as her father, and finds the perfect accomplice to thwart him when a mysterious prince washes up on her shores. Together, they embark on a plan to unite and stabilize all of the Elder Isles, and push Casmir off the Lyonesse throne.

62. Magic Ex Libris Book by Jim C. Hines

If you loved Inkheart as a kid, you’ll love Magic Ex Libris as an adult. It follows the adventures of Isaac Vainio, a “Libriomancer” who can summon objects and other elements from books into the real world. But when Isaac is attacked by fictional vampires brought to life, he sees firsthand how dangerous libriomancing can be, and must learn how best to control it — even if that means giving up his abilities forever.

63. Magicians by Lev Grossman

Another great mature alternative to a popular kids’ fantasy series is the Magicians trilogy, often described as “grown-up Harry Potter.” Quentin Coldwater attends Brakebills, a magical university where he and his classmates learn the grueling theory and practice of sorcery. Yet despite Quentin’s excitement to become a full-fledged magician, a lurking threat jeopardizes not only his success at Brakebills, but his whole life.

64. Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson

Malazan Book of the Fallen is another deeply iconic fantasy series, often cited as one of the best high fantasies in recent years. Its exhaustive narrative spanning multiple continents and thousands of years is too complex to effectively describe here, but all eventually comes back to the Malazan Empire and who gains (as well as who deserves) power within it.

65. Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn by Tad Williams

Young kitchen worker Simon becomes an apprentice to the League of the Scroll, and dedicates himself to protecting his land of Osten Ard from its formidable enemies. This masterfully plotted, impressively detailed trilogy is also one of George R.R. Martin’s greatest influences, so if you’re looking to write your own HBO-worthy fantasy series , you might want to start here.

66. Mercy Thompson by Patricia Briggs

Mercy Thompson is just your average mechanic — who also happens to be a shapeshifter in a world full of vampires, werewolves, and other such creatures. When Mercy realizes that some of her supernatural fellows are in danger, she jumps into action, using both her human and superhuman skills to save their lives as well as her own.

67. Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson

The Mistborn trilogy commences with a prophecy about a hero, as so many fantasies do… only this hero, after repelling “the Darkness” centuries ago, has now come to embody it himself in the form of a tyrant king. Now it’s up to our dark horse champion, Kelsier the Mistborn, to reclaim the world of Scadrial in the name of the Light — but will he be able to resist the pull of darkness, or will he suffer the same fate as the first hero?

68. Modern Faerie Tales by Holly Black

Holly Black’s Modern Faerie Tales series imagines modern heroines in mythical situations. Such as sixteen-year-old Kaye, who accidentally becomes entwined in an age-old conflict between two rival faerie kingdoms. Both darkly themed and written with a light touch, this series is perfect for YA readers who love getting lost in Black’s enchanting world of faeries.

69. Monarchies of God by Paul Kearney

This fast-paced series details a violent war among five nations, with a central narrator who’s at sea, trying to sway the battle in his nation’s favor by colonizing a lost land. Kearney injects a great deal of his own sailing knowledge into the narrative, resulting in vivid descriptions that will make the reader feel like they’re practically at sea themselves.

70. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Perhaps the best-known urban fantasy series of the twenty-first century, Mortal Instruments follows the path of NYC teenager Clary Fray, who discovers she’s a Shadowhunter — one with the power to hunt demons. Clary is plunged into an underground world full of magical secrets, with demonic danger around every corner and other Shadowhunters who may or may not be trying to sabotage her missions.

71. Night Angel by Brent Weeks

From the author of Lightbringer comes the Night Angel trilogy, another inventive tale about a world of hierarchies and life-defining positions. Over the course of this series, protagonist Azoth rises from lowly “guild rat” to assassin and finally to the destructive Night Angel, ultimately using his immense power to punish those who deserve it.

72. Oath of Empire by Thomas Harlan

Four colorful stories come together in this intricate series about Rome in 600 AD, but with sorcery. Brutal battles are being waged for control of the empire, fought through both military and magical force, and our four central characters each play a surprisingly vital role in the final outcome.

73. October Daye Book by Seanan McGuire

This urban fantasy series is full of suspense. When an old faerie friend is murdered under strange circumstances, jaded October “Toby” Daye is forced to return to the world she once resolved to leave behind, renewing former alliances and wondering who among them she can really trust.

74. Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson has become one of the best-known children’s fantasy series in recent years, and with good reason. Between kids finding out they’re related to Greek gods and having to go on modern-day odysseys to save themselves (and also the world, no big deal), what’s not to like? Even if you’re long past childhood, you’ll still enjoy every minute of Percy and his friends’ mythologically inspired adventures.

75. Powder Mage by Brian McClellan

The Powder Mage trilogy is a “flintlock fantasy,” meaning it’s set during the early stages of the industrial revolution. The titular powder mage, Taniel, is able to extract magic from gunpowder, and uses his supernatural abilities to aid his father in overthrowing the monarchy. But Taniel has no idea about the true consequences of his father’s plans — especially when an ancient curse called “Kresimir’s Promise” comes into play.

76. Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater

“If Blue ever kisses her true love, he will die.” Such is the prophecy that kicks off the Raven Cycle : a four-book series revolving around young Blue and the mysterious “Raven boys,” an alluring quartet of private school boys on a highly unusual mission.

77. Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

In the Red Queen series, people are divided by blood: red is common and lower-class, while silver blood indicates royal lineage. Mare Barrow is a red-blooded commoner, but with powers that threaten the control of the Silvers. To placate her, they allow her into their upper ranks, calling her a “lost princess” and bettrothing her to a prince. But Mare isn’t in it for the celebrity; little do the Silvers know, this Red princess is about the become the queen of insurrection.

78. Redwall by Brian Jacques

Another landmark children’s fantasy series, Redwall revolves around the animals of Mossflower Woods.These mice, squirrels, badgers, foxes, ravens, snakes and more must live together in harmony, or else fight for the fate of the forest and their own lives. This lively, detailed portrait of the animals’ many generations will delight anyone who’s ever imagined kingdoms out there in the wilderness.

79. Riddle-Master by Patricia A. McKillip

In this Celtic-inspired world of lands ruled by mystical leaders, an evasive figure called “the High One” binds all kingdoms together. This trilogy follows the quest of Morgon of Hed and Raederle of An, two other land-leaders, as they attempt to discover the High One’s identity and how his purpose intertwines with theirs.

80. Riftwar Cycle by Raymond E. Feist

The Riftwar Cycle originated with Feist and his friends creating a Dungeons & Dragons alternative: a tabletop/role-playing game based on their own world, Midkemia. Later, Feist expanded the stories of Midkemia and another land, Kelewan, into the Riftwar Universe. The thirty books (yes, you heard that right) of the cycle detail the escapades of people and creatures in many different lands, with all the rollicking excitement and suspense of a live-action game.

81. Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch

This inventive series mixes fantasy with police procedural. After witnessing a ghost on the job, Peter Grant of the London Metropolitan Police joins their supernatural specialty branch, becoming an apprentice wizard in the process — the first one in seventy years. As he discovers more about the supernatural realm, he understands that with his new position comes great responsibility, to both humans and the gods and creatures they fear.

82. Riyria Revelations by Michael J. Sullivan

Riyria Revelations centers on Royce Melborn and Hadrian Blackwater, partners in crime. One of their greatest talents is flying under the radar — until they’re swept up in an assassination plot and sentenced to death. In order to escape, they must run, and the unwitting journey they embark upon is both mythic in scale and very intimate in human emotion.

83. Saga of Recluce by L.E. Modesitt, Jr.

In the Recluce universe, magic exists in two forms: order and chaos. “Black” mages can channel order, “white” mages can channel chaos, and “gray” mages can do both, though they are extremely rare. This series, which spans two thousand years, involves a variety of heroes and villains trying to harness their powers and find their fortunes as mages — despite the grave personal costs that magic accrues.

84. The Prince of Nothing by R. Scott Bakker

Bakker’s The Prince of Nothing series is fascinating because the main character’s powers aren’t derived from a magical source, but rather from logic and reasoning. Warrior Anasûrimbor Kellhus has incredible abilities of prediction and persuasion, leading him to be labeled a diviner. But as Kellhus’s influence grows, those close to him realize that he may not be a force of benevolence after all, and indeed may bring about the “Second Apocalypse” of their universe.

85. Sevenwaters by Juliet Marillier

Told from the perspectives of several generations’ daughters, the Sevenwaters series is a refreshingly female-focused fantasy series. It begins with Sorcha, daughter of Lord Colum, who must save her father and brothers from the spell of an evil enchantress — even after being kidnapped herself. From there Sorcha’s legacy multiplies, with each of the Sevenwaters books focusing on a new daughter and her own unique challenge to fulfill her destiny.

86. Shades of Magic by V.E. Schwab

In Shades of Magic , magician Kell has the ability to travel among four different parallel Londons: Grey, Red, White, and Black. His life has always been one of transition, always relying on a variety of Londons to serve him… until one day he meets pickpocket Delilah Bard. The two of them soon become embroiled in a plot that could either save or dismantle not just one, but every London they know.

87. Shadowmarch by Tad Williams

Another epic series from the man who inspired George R.R. Martin, Shadowmarch is full of great detail and even more dramatic action. It depicts the struggling province of Southmarch: the true king is imprisoned, his son has just been killed, and his twin children have no idea how to handle their new duties. Things only become more difficult as the twins, Briony and Barrick, learn more about their true ancestry and old enemies who threaten their already-tenuous rule.

88. Shannara by Terry Brooks

In the post-apocalyptic world of the Four Lands, the Sword of Shannara wields ultimate power. Young Shea Ohmsford is the only living descendant of Shannara blood, meaning he is the only the one who can use it — and use it he must, if he is to defeat the Warlock Lord and save the Four Lands from imminent destruction. This pentalogy chronicles Shea’s quest, as well as those of his descendants, to protect their nation with mysterious age-old magic.

89. Song of the Lioness by Tamora Pierce

If Mulan lived in the kingdom of Tortall, she and Alanna of Trebond would be best buds. Alanna may be a young lady, but she knows it’s her destiny to become a knight — so when her twin brother gets sent to knight school against his will, they hatch a plan to secretly switch places. “Alan” then begins the long uphill battle of proving herself to her peers and countrymen: first in disguise, but eventually as her true self, the lioness with a battle cry in her heart. The series that recounts her journey is full of wonder and excitement.

90. Sookie Stackhouse by Charlaine Harris

A Song of Ice and Fire may have inspired Game of Thrones , but what inspired the equally dramatic (if perhaps less critically acclaimed) HBO series True Blood ? The answer is the Sookie Stackhouse series. Charlaine Harris weaves an intricate saga of bloodlust and actual lust in the American South, centering around telepathic waitress Sookie Stackhouse, who gets caught up in the many complexities of the supernatural world.

91. SPI Files by Lisa Shearin

This series centers on the Supernatural Protection & Investigation agency, which handles New York’s most sensitive cases — supernaturally sensitive, that is. From subway monsters to hellfire designer drugs to dragon eggs at the Met, there’s never a dull moment in the life of Detective Makenna Fraser and her SPI associates.

92. Swan's War by Sean Russell

Not to be confused with Proust, though almost as elaborate, Swan’s War is about a kingdom in turmoil. One king’s failure to name his heir has resulted in a War of the Roses-type scenario, with two families brutally battling for control… yet some still desire peace, believing the houses can be united. What they don’t know is that there are much deeper, malevolent forces at work that conspire to keep the people dying and the kingdom in chaos. And if no one puts a stop to them, not only will peace be impossible, but so will survival in this realm.

93. Sword of Shadows by J. V. Jones

In Sword of Shadows , Ash March and Raif Sevrance have always known they are different — not least because their abilities prevent them from connecting with their families and clans, leaving them perpetual outsiders. But it’s these abilities that will ultimately bond them together, allowing them to rescue each other and potentially save everyone in their land from the wrath of the horrific “Endlords.”

94. Temeraire by Naomi Novik

The Temeraire series reimagines the Napoleonic Wars of the early nineteenth century upon the backs of — what else? — dragons. The true feat of this series, however, is not imagining the dragons themselves but the societal milieu surrounding them: where they’re based, how they’re viewed in different cultures, and most importantly, the delicate individual relationships between dragons and humans, especially when it comes to working with each other.

95. Sword of Truth by Terry Goodkind

These twenty-one epic fantasy novels are absolutely perfect for readers looking to really dive into the classic fantasy experience. The heroes of Sword of Truth are on a continuous quest: that quintessential pursuit of evil’s defeat — evil that appears in countless incarnations but is always slain in one thrilling way or another. Though it may not be the most unpredictable series, it’s a great romp to return to time and time again.

96. Theatre Illuminata by Lisa Mantchev

Beatrice Shakespeare has grown up in the Theatre Illuminata , where all the world literally is a stage. And while Beatrice has always enjoyed her lifestyle of drama and entertainment (again, a very literal description), in this series she realizes that dark magic plagues the theatre, and that she may be the only one who can sate it.

97. Traitor Son Cycle by Miles Cameron

The Red Knight is the hero of this medieval-era series, and a worthy one at that: not only is he genetically gifted and expertly trained, he’s also notoriously lucky and shrewd when it comes to picking his battles. Or at least he always has been — until the day he and his company venture to protect a nunnery from wyverns, which sets off a sequence of dark disasters.

98. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

While it may not be the most sophisticated of fantasy plots, the Twilight saga still has a place on this list for its mesmerizing character dynamics and surprisingly lyrical prose. You all probably know the classic “girl meets vampire” story by now, but if you haven’t read the books, just know they hold up better than you think.

99. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

In this fantasy series, the stakes are personal. After being imprisoned for a year, young assassin Celaena Sardothien has the chance to get her life back — if she’s willing to risk her death first. She’ll be pitted against other assassins in a competition to serve the king, and if she wins, her crimes will be pardoned. If not, however, she’ll wind up six feet under. Celaena’s just desperate enough to take the deal… but does she have a chance at winning, or is someone out to sabotage her before the contest even begins?

100. Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan

We’ve really saved one of the best for last with Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series. The colossal cast of characters, masterfully developed magic system, and creative timeline (or should we say time-wheel) of these books make for an absolutely unforgettable read, even if you’re already a seasoned fantasy enthusiast. Wheel of Time is often ranked next to a A Song of Ice and Fire as one of the most iconic epic fantasy series ever — and it’s especially poignant knowing that, after Jordan passed away in the midst of writing the last installment, friend and fan Brandon Sanderson took over for him in order to finish the series with justice.

Continue reading

More posts from across the blog.

30 Best Memoirs of the Last Century

Whether you're looking to travel back in time or journey out to the frontiers of the latest thinking, we've got you covered with the 30 best memoirs from the last one hundred years.

The 30 Best Biographies of All Time

Biographer Richard Holmes once wrote that his work was “a kind of pursuit… writing about the pursuit of that fleeting figure, in such a way as to bring them alive in the present.” At the risk of sounding cliché, the best biographies do exactly this...

The Ultimate Guide to Reading the Star Wars Books In Order

Say you decided you’d like to read all the Star Wars books in existence. You would find yourself reading for a long, long time. In other words, you wouldn’t have time to finish them all by the time Rogue Squadron hits theaters in 2023. The...

Heard about Reedsy Discovery?

Or sign up with an

Or sign up with your social account

  • Submit your book
  • Reviewer directory

Bring your stories to life

Our free writing app lets you set writing goals and track your progress, so you can finally write that book!

Top 100 Fantasy Books

The 100 fantasy books that we - and other readers - simply cannot recommend highly enough; books that we've all loved reading. Click on a book title to read the full review.

1. A Game Of Thrones by George RR Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire)

A Song of Ice and Fire is the history lesson you wish you’d had in school. An immense, incredible work of epic fantasy written by a hugely talented author who has created an effortless, enchanting read that is rich, rewarding and completely enthralling.

Published: 1996 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 2012 (A Dance With Dragons), 1997 (A Game of Thrones) | British Fantasy Award Nominee: 2012 (A Dance With Dragons), 2006 (A Feast for Crows)

  • Buy on Amazon

2. The Colour Of Magic by Terry Pratchett (The Discworld Series)

Carnegie Medal Winner: 2002 (The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents)

In his Discworld Series, Terry Pratchett, one of Britain’s best and funniest authors created a true delight of modern fiction. Satirical, clever and hilarious the forty-one books that make up the series are a pure and fantastic joy.

Published: 1983

3. The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien

International Fantasy Award Winner: 1957

The Lord of the Rings is unquestionably one of the greatest works of imaginative fiction of the twentieth century. J. R. R. Tolkien’s epic, written using a beautifully descriptive narrative, tells an enchanting tale of friendship, love and heroism. Steeped in magic and otherworldliness, this sweeping fantasy is beautiful, perfect and also timeless. A must read for every  fantasy fan.

Published: 1954

4. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell is a genuinely original story, beautifully told. The Telegraph succinctly says it all with 'an elegant and witty historical fantasy which deserves to be judged on its own (considerable) merit'. It is unquestionably one of the finest historical fantasy books ever written.

Published: 2004 | World Fantasy Award Winner: 2005 | British Fantasy Award Nominee: 2005

5. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss (The Kingkiller Chronicle)

David Gemmell Award for Fantasy Winner: 2012 (The Wise Man’s Fear)

The Name of the Wind and Wise Man’s Fear are the very finest examples of first-person storytelling. It’s comparable to sitting across from someone, in a comfy chair, before a log fire, listening to them recount one of the most intricate and fascinating stories you’ve ever heard. To quote Ursula Le Guin: “It is a rare and great pleasure to find a fantasist writing... with true music in the words”.

Published: 2007

6. The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch (The Gentleman Bastard Sequence)

Scott Lynch’s trilogy features wonderful characters, plot and camaraderie, all set within a setting beautifully inspired by ancient Venice. It is sometimes laugh-out-loud funny, often shocking but ultimately – and frequently - heart-warming. If you are looking for fantasy novels with relatable thieves and rogues then the Gentlemen Bastards are perfect for you. 

Published: 2006 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 2007 | British Fantasy Award Nominee: 2007

7. American Gods by Neil Gaiman

American Gods manages to broach several genre barriers all the while making it look as if Gaiman was creating his own genre. The end result is very much like creating a new species of rose; you take those qualities from other roses that you want, and then splice them all together. The outcome is beautiful.

Published: 2001 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 2002 | British Fantasy Award Nominee: 2002

8. The Fifth Season by NK Jemisin (The Broken Earth)

Reading the Broken Earth trilogy can be a brutal, painful experience. There is much tragedy, despair and the characters’ futures often look nothing but bleak. But these ambitious, heartbreaking books mark a new stage in the evolution of the fantasy genre and their complexity, world-building and themes break new ground.

Published: 2015 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 2017 (The Obelisk Gate), 2016 (The Fifth Season)

9. The Earthsea Quartet by Ursula Le Guin (Earthsea Saga)

The Earthsea books can be read by children and enjoyed simply for the magic, wizards, adventure and beautifully imagined world. They can also be read by adults and enjoyed for the thought-provoking ideas and themes that the books conjure. They are truly timeless, exploring human behaviour without being preaching or judgmental, encouraging readers to think deeply and form their own opinions. To quote a reader review: “The wisdom and the quiet ancient beauty of these books grow every time I reread them.”

Published: 1993 | World Fantasy Award Winner: 2002 (The Other Wind)

10. Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb (The Farseer Trilogy)

The Realm of the Elderlings is a glorious, classic fantasy combining the magic of Le Guin's The Wizard of Earthsea with the epic mastery of Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. It is a master class of characterisation, imbued with the richest of narratives, all combining to produce one of the very finest fantasy series ever written.

Published: 1995 | British Fantasy Award Nominee: 1997

11. Gardens Of The Moon by Steven Erikson (A Tale of the Malazan Book of the Fallen)

The ten novels that make up A Tale of the Malazan Book of the Fallen are works of great skill, imagination, ambition, depth and beauty. But not for the faint-of-heart, Erikson throws you in at the deep end and encourages you to swim. This series is one of the greatest fantasy literature achievements of the past one hundred years.

Published: 1999 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 2000 (Gardens of the Moon)

12. Northern Lights by Philip Pullman (His Dark Materials)

Carnegie Medal Winner: 1995 (Northern Lights)

Imagine a world that is as alike as it is dissimilar to our own. Where huge zeppelins litter the skyline and a person’s soul is a living breathing animal companion, or 'daemon'. This is the wonderfully engrossing world of Lyra Belacqua. Although written for children it is equally as absorbing for any adult reader, enthralling from its very first page.

Published: 1995 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 2001 (The Amber Spyglass)

13. Perdido Street Station by China Mieville (New Crobuzon)

Perdido Street Station is a work of art. At times horrific, beautiful, tragic, comic and even uplifting, with a plot which takes unexpected turns and twists and revelations, one of the most unique settings imaginable and above all a style of dark poetry that is truly exceptional.

Published: 2000 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 2005 (The Iron Council), 2003 (The Scar), 2001 (Perdido Street Station) | British Fantasy Award Winner: 2003 (The Scar), 2000 (Perdido Street Station)

14. Lord Foul's Bane by Stephen Donaldson (Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever)

Thomas Covenant is arguably one of the most famous characters in fantasy, but not all who know it love it. Whether it is due to the Covenant character himself, or simply as a response to the series as a whole, readers find themselves divided in their opinions: Some love it, some hate it. But few dismiss it. The Chronicles are a very complex piece of work but at heart a good old-fashioned tale of epic fantasy deserving of being labeled classic.

Published: 1977 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 2005 (The Runes of the Earth), The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever (1978) | British Fantasy Award Winner: 1979 (The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever) | British Fantasy Award Nominee: 1981 (The Wounded Land)

15. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by JK Rowling (Harry Potter)

Nestlé Smarties Book Prize Winner: 1999 (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban), 1998 (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets), 1997 (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone)

The seven Harry Potter books are very well-written and laugh-out-loud funny, and it makes for an intoxicating combination. The Philosopher’s Stone is where, for young Harry Potter, it all begins. The Potter books are infused with charm and wit and adored by readers of all ages, the wizarding world a wonderful place for any reader, of any age, to escape to.

Published: 1997

16. The Gunslinger by Stephen King (The Dark Tower series)

Many who have read and enjoyed the Dark Tower series have found a companion for life. The journey for many has been one of years, if not decades. And many will have found within the series parallels to their own lives: It’s not always gone the way they would have liked, many parts were better than others (though upon re-read these conceptions can change). This is King’s magnum opus, he poured everything into its writing and it is a towering achievement.

Published: 1982 | World Fantasy Award Winner: 2005 (The Dark Tower)

17. The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson (The Stormlight Archive)

With The Stormlight Archive, Brandon Sanderson clearly stamps his authority as the master of the "Hollywood" style of epic fantasy. It is hard to comprehend just how much stuff is going on and how this book impacts the wider Cosmere (the universe that ties all of Sanderson's books together). Big action set pieces of extraordinary people doing extraordinary things is exactly what many want from their epic fantasy.

Published: 2010

18. The Lion The Witch And The Wardrobe by CS Lewis (The Chronicles of Narnia)

Carnegie Medal Winner:  1956 (The Last Battle)

With the Chronicles of Narnia cemented himself as a master story teller and perfected writing novels that would survive the test of time and still entertain and educate children and adults everywhere to this day. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is arguably one of the finest stories in English literature from the 20th century.

Published: 1950

19. The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie (The First Law)

The First Law trilogy was a real game changer for the fantasy genre. It worked in shades of grey. It makes the reader like characters they should possibly, really dislike. And dislike characters they should possibly, really like. The dialogue is witty and often the cause of out-loud laughter. It’s a captivating read and has everything a fantasy fan could wish for. Any books that can add humour to torture scenes has something special going on.

Published: 2006

20. The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan (Wheel of Time)

The Wheel of Time is one of the most popular and influential fantasy epics ever written. It puts the epic in epic fantasy, a hugely ambitious undertaking that redefined a genre. This skillfully written fourteen book series is filled with unforgettable characters and set in a world steeped in rich history and legend.

Published: 1990

21. Good Omens by Terry Pratchett

Good Omens is one of the funniest works of fiction ever. Pratchett and Gaiman have managed to create a story that weaves together large doses of satire, cynicism, slapstick and wacky unconventional humour into a cohesive yet surprisingly accurate observation of human life all over the world. The characters, one of the biggest strengths in this book, bring a lot of charm and humour to the book. This collaboration between two fine fantasy authors is nothing short of brilliant.

Published: 1990 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 1991

22. The Once And Future King by TH White

Once upon a time, a young boy called “Wart” was tutored by a magician named Merlyn in preparation for a future he couldn’t possibly imagine. A future in which he would ally himself with the greatest knights, love a legendary queen and unite a country dedicated to chivalrous values... The Once and Future King is a serious work, delightful and witty, yet very sombre overall. The volume published as The Once and Future King is actually four works separately composed over about 20 years. 

Published: 1958

23. Under Heaven by Guy Gavriel Kay

Under Heaven, inspired by the Tang Dynasty of Ancient China, is as beautiful and enriching a novel as you could possibly wish for. Kay is an expert storyteller, his writing style strong and fluid, his exposition always necessary and worked seamlessly into the narrative. He has successfully re-imagined Ancient China in the same accessible and absorbing way that he previously achieved with medieval France, Ottoman Spain and Renaissance Italy.

Published: 2010 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 2011

24. The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by NK Jemisin (The Inheritance Trilogy)

N.K. Jemisin has won the Hugo Award for Best Novel, Nebula Award for Best Novel, Audie Award for Science Fiction and the Crawford Award. Enough said. You want more? Okay, every now and again books comes out that deserves all the hype they get. N.K. Jemisin writes books that are at times smart, at times funny, and at times downright heartbreaking, all wrapped up in the the most original stories. This is a must for your bookshelf. This book is flat out 10 out of 10.

Published: 2010 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 2011 (The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms)

25. The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson (Mistborn)

In his Mistborn series Brandon Sanderson has written one of the seminal fantasy stories of his generation. Compelling and flawlessly executed with exquisite skill, the enormous magnitude of the story being told showcases the breathtaking imagination at work here. Themes like religion and death are dealt with, power and helplessness, corruption and goodness. Weaved together like a master basket maker, this story lets you grow attached too, love, and lose, characters that you never thought would be lost.

26. The Shadow of the Torturer by Gene Wolf (Book of the New Sun)

The Book of the New Sun is a science fantasy classic that improves with every read. Too often overlooked, possibly due to being dense in allegory and symbolism, the joy of coming to understand Wolfe’s craft is part of the joy of reading it. The lead character Severan, is an unreliable narrator, and this adds another layer of complexity. If you’re a fan of both science fiction and fantasy, it is a must-read.

Published: 1980 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 1983 (The Sword of the Lictor), 1982 (The Claw of the Conciliator), 1981 (The Shadow of the Torturer) | British Fantasy Award Winner: 1983 (The Sword of the Lictor)

27. Jade City by Fonda Lee (The Green Bone Saga)

Emotionally shocking moments, intricate and otherworldly fight scenes, and lots of loyalty, honour and tradition. Jade City is an epic, unique and often unforgiving gangster fantasy narrative intertwined with glimpses of hope and goodness. The haunting nature of the world is also mixed with betrayals and a huge death toll. Recommended.

Published: 2017 | World Fantasy Award Winner: 2018 (Jade City)

28. Magician by Raymond E Feist (Riftwar Saga)

Feist's Magician is one of the best known and well read fantasy books; it is a powerful and memorable book that any reader who derives pleasure from reading epic fantasy should read being classic fantasy imbued with many elements of originality. The character development is excellent and the reading experience effortless. In 2003 Magician was voted the 89th most popular book of all time in the BBC's Big Read Top 100. I found the first read of this book to be one of those special moments when you are reading a book that has shaped the fantasy fantasy landscape as it now appears.

Published: 1982

29. Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay

I once read an interview with Guy Gavriel Kay where he explained his approach to writing. He said that he wrote what he needed to write and then went over it a second time, adding layers and textures, making improvements, rather like a painter. And then he repeated the process for a third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and then eighth time. And this is why his writing is so good, it's not just natural talent, which he has in abundance, but attention to detail and hard, painstaking work. It pays off and in Tigana he wrote a book that influenced me as much as The Lord of the Rings when I was a youngster. It is a book I hold very dear. But Kay is the second Canadian on this list and although they may appear the nicest, politest people on the planet I secretely fear plans for world domination, so I'll keep on eye of the Empire of Canadia's ratio. 

30. The Last Unicorn by Peter S Beagle

The Last Unicorn is one of the greatest fantasy novels of all time. Its lyrical writing, it’s memorable and very human characters, and its exploration of mortality, immortality, and the meeting of the two never fail to move. The novel deals in a very deep and profound way with love, and loss, and the value of love; which in the case of the unicorn becomes important enough to surrender immortality to possess. There are also recurring themes of loss and grief, and the contemplation of the meaning and purpose of life (and death).

Published: 1968

31. Watership Down by Richard Adams

Watership Down is a book which will always hold a special place in my heart. It has captivated and moved me for over three decades and I do not believe this will change for what I hope will be a further three. It has the elements that I enjoy in a story: a quest, the journey, plus the bravery, belief and inability to accept defeat. The rabbit characters are glorious: the nerviously intelligent Fiver and his kind, loyal brother Hazel. The no-nonsense Bigwig, the controlling Woundwort and the ingenious Blackberry - all are rich and wonderful to spend time with. Is it fantasy? Google lists it as Fairy tale, Fantasy Fiction, Adventure fiction. Good enough for me. How many talking rabbits have you met?

Published: 1972

32. The Magicians by Lev Grossman (The Magicians series)

The fantasy genre always needs an author to come along a show it in a different light and this is exactly what has Grossman has done with The Magicians. He has injected sexual tension and questionable morals into a school for wizards and the result is a rousing, perceptive and multifaceted coming of age story that is both bright and beguiling. The Magicians is a perfect fantasy book for older teens that will find that the author understands them, and their feelings, possibly better than they do themselves.

Published: 2009

33. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

Alice in Wonderland was Lewis Carroll’s first novel and its fantasy plot, humorous rhymes and brilliant use of nonsense was revolutionary. Nineteenth-century children’s writing usually served moral or educational purpose, but Alice was written firmly and purely for the amusement of children. Critical response was lukewarm, but the book was still a great success, and remains a hugely influential classic of children’s literature.

Published: 1965

34. The Princess Bride by William Goldman

"One of the most laconic, tightly-plotted tales of mythical morality you'll ever read, an anti-establishment satire disguised as a love story, more of a scary tale than a fairy tale" Uncut

"There's nothing fluffy about The Princess Bride. The rocket-powered narrative tricks you without being merely tricksy, and is both modern and timeless" Neon

"A funny thriller for readers who are about ten years of age or wish they were ... Readers of a nervous disposition should be prepared to skim rapidly over the Zoo of Death episode or stick to fiction meant for grown-ups" Spectator

Published: 1973

35. Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey (Kushiel's Legacy)

Within Jacqueline Carey’s Kushiel’s Legacy books we find a complex, refined work of fantasy. This skillfully written trilogy stars an unforgettable heroine who finds herself mixed up in a dangerous world of politics, magic and romance. The trilogy begins with Kushiel’s Dart, a tale that will enthrall readers of fantasy fiction.

Published: 2001

36. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

You have to ask yourself… Wouldn’t it be great to believe in magic? I found this book extraordinary, with so much thought put into the story which unfolds like a carefully constructed maze.

Published: 2011

37. Dune by Frank Herbert

Hugo Award Winner: 1966

Nebula Award Winner: 1966

One of the most layered works of fiction produced during the twentieth century. If you are a fan of epic fantasy or large-scale science fiction (and are not afraid to examine weighty issues such as religion and politics) Dune cannot be strongly recommend enough. Anyone who considers themselves a fan of this genre must read it at some point in their lives.

38. Sailing to Sarantium by Guy Gavriel Kay (The Sarantine Mosaic)

The Sarantine Mosaic and Lord of Emperors, inspired by ancient Byzantium, tell a magnificent, sweeping story of empire, conspiracies and journeys, both physical and spiritual. One of the very best examples of alternate history merged with fantasy.

Published: 2000 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 2001 (Lord of Emperors), (1999) Sailing to Sarantium

39. City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett (The Divine Cities)

The Divine Cities trilogy is quite unlike anything I’ve ever read before. It treats its audience with the same respect and consideration as it shares with its cast. It is a rich, lovingly-crafted world that is both thematically complex and wonderfully entertaining. Shara, Mulaghesh and Sigrud have all been ensconced in my personal Fictional Character Hall of Fame, and I will miss them dearly. If you’re looking to discover something new, something original, and something memorable, then this is the series you’re looking for.

Published: 2014 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 2015 (City of Stairs)

40. The Golem and the Djinni by Helene Wecker

Helene Wecker writes elegantly and fluently, her characters are constantly fascinating and exploring their histories is a joy. The main setting and the narrative evoke wonderful images of nineteenth century New York and we, as the fortunate reader, get to experience Jewish and Arabic folklore fundamental to the book’s being. Many authors have written about a golem, many have written about a djinni, but few have brought them both together in a story so seamlessly. The Golem and the Djinni is first rate historical fantasy fiction that consistently delights; a charming love story with pleasing emotional depth.

Published: 2013 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 2014

41. Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey (The Dragon Rider's Saga)

If you want to see how the Pern saga began, and indeed see how a young writer converted two Hugo winning novellas to form her first steps into a historical world of alien dragons, Dragonflight is for you. Wonderfully descriptive narrative, impressive world building and above all a great story.

42. The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell

One drowsy summer's day in 1984, teenage runaway Holly Sykes encounters a strange woman who offers a small kindness in exchange for 'asylum'. Decades will pass before Holly understands exactly what sort of asylum the woman was seeking....

Published: 2014 | World Fantasy Award Winner: 2015

43. The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien

One of the best known and best loved fantasy books, J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit introduced the reading world to the unforgettable hobbit Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf the wizard, and Smaug the dragon. A book that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike it is a tale full of adventure, heroism, song and laughter. Many who read this magical tale will find their inner-hobbit.

Published: 1937

44. The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams (Memory Sorrow and Thorn)

Epic, traditional fantasy of a high standard. At nearly 800 pages it is excellently paced and brings together all the elements that are found in many a fantasy book and re-produces them in a beautiful and endearing way.

Published: 1988

45. The Black Company by Glen Cook (Chronicles of the Black Company)

The Black Company by Glen Cook is the first book of the nine that make up The Black Company series. First published in 1984 this book was responsible for taking the fantasy genre and turning it on its head with his introduction of realistic characters and its complete disregard for fantasy stereotypes and the age-old battle of good versus evil.

Published: 1984

46. The Silmarillion by JRR Tolkien

If you've not read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings this may not be for you. But I honestly don't know, it's such a brilliant book, a book about creation really, that maybe it will work for you regardless. But if you have read Tolkien's masterpieces this is a must-read. If you are as captivated by them as most of the reading world is – the Silmarillion will give you the extra information you crave and answer the questions that the two prior books threw up – Who exactly are Gandalf and Sauron? How did the Orcs come into being? Why are the Elves leaving Middle-earth and where are they going?

Published: 1977

47. Titus Groan by Mervyn Peake (The Gormenghast Trilogy)

Deliciously dark, Titus Groan is the first book of the Gormenghast trilogy. The book is written in the third person, which allows the characters and events unfold simultaneously. The land of Gormenghast is described in enough detail for you to realise that this is a land unlike any other.

Published: 1946

48. The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks (The Shannara Trilogy)

Long ago, the world of the Four Lands was torn apart by the wars of ancient Evil. But in the Vale, the half-human, half-elfin Shea Ohmsford now lives in peace - until the mysterious, forbidding figure of the druid Allanon appears, to reveal that the supposedly long dead Warlock Lord lives again. Shea must embark upon the elemental quest to find the only weapon powerful enough to keep the creatures of darkness at bay: the fabled Sword of Shannara.

"And while I will agree that Brooks draws inspiration from Tolkien, he doesn't copy him. The reason I linger on this is to hopefully, impress upon you an open mind to reading this book. Do not cross this book off your “to read” list because you've heard people knock it. Similarly, do not go into reading this book attempting to cross reference everything back to some other work. This is a book that deserves being critiqued on its own merit."

Published: 0000

49. Circe by Madeline Miller

A 10/10 book. Sean: ‘This is a beautiful book; it is flawless and intelligent. I do not have a single criticism for this fantastic piece of writing. I loved it! I could not recommend it more highly. I really liked The Song of Achilles though this surpassed it in every way. I really hope to see more from this author in the future’.

Published: 2018

50. The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks (The Night Angel Trilogy)

Another reader favourite, The Way of Shadows is one of the most entertaining fantasy books available, a rich, engrossing and creative novel. The action sequences are awesome and the plot and characterisation also. If you're looking for all of the above within the framework of a great story, look no further.

51. Storm Front by Jim Butcher (The Dresden Files)

Take your standard noir detective with a sarcastic frame of mind and a weakness for helping damsels in distress, add in wizardry, vampires, werewolves, talking skulls, pizza loving fairies and all things paranormal and this is what you get. A quirky, fast paced and thrilling ride through a Chicago you never thought possible. Great characters, a mystery that twists and turns like a corkscrew and above all, Harry, a wizard with a world weary sense of humour, who takes life on the chin.

Published: 2000

52. Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch (Rivers of London series)

There is something eminently satisfying about coming across a new author and finding that he is utterly brilliant. That is exactly what happened when I received Ben Aaronovitch’s book ‘Rivers of London’. You have to read this book. Whether you like good writing, good fantasy or urban fantasy, good characters, or simply a breath-taking story set in a breath-taking world, this book is for you. Because it is all of those things, and much much more. Aaronovitch has written a book that will surely become a favourite on many shelves the moment they’ve finished it at 3 in the morning.

53. James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl

World Fantasy Award for Lifetime Achievement: 1983

When Dahl made up James and the Giant Peach as a bedtime story for his daughters Olivia and Tessa, little could he have know that half a century later millions of parents would have read exactly the same story to their own children; a book that fully deserves the accolade of children’s classic.

Published: 1961

54. Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence (Broken Empire)

Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence was a book steeped in controversy - a book that seemed to have divided the Science Fiction and Fantasy community with regards to what is acceptable for people to like and enjoy. A confronting story, deliberately so, that follows a 13 year old boy named Jorg who leads a gang of marauders as they pillage their way across the countryside. Jorg is a sociopath, a willing participant, and readers get to experience the world through his damaged viewpoint. Readers get to see, through Jorg's eyes, the cold apathy with which he dispatches his enemies. It is discomforting. But Prince of Thorns is a fantastic tale of one boy’s fight for control in a world threatening to engulf him.

55. Swan Song by Robert McCammon

I would give it a 12 out of 10 if I could. If you could only read one book about the apocalypse this should be it. I have read every post apocalypse book I could get my hands on, old ones, new ones, Kindle only ones. Nothing compares to Swan Song. The hardest part of reading Swan Song was the knowledge that there was no book to follow. But it didn't need one. Thank you Robert, it is the best book I ever read, and about every 5 years I pick it up ad read it again... (Reader review by Lisa from Canada)

Published: 1987 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 1988

56. The Stand by Stephen King

If you call yourself any kind of reader of speculative fiction and can appreciate a truly rich and complex book, The Stand is a must read. Even if you’ve never read Stephen King before, even if neither horror nor post-apocalyptic are your usual genre choice, you won’t be disappointed. The writing is excellent, the imagery horrifying and the atmosphere hypnotic. After the first few pages you will either find yourself hooked or repelled… it’s that kind of book. But if you want to read one of the greatest examples of dystopian fiction with a healthy dose of fantasy thrown in then look no further.

Published: 1978 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 1979

57. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

Ryan: An intimate trip down memory lane to a time when things were much more fantastical than what they are now. This a story that is simple on the surface, but with a depth of immersion that depends entirely on how much you connect with the story. My guess is that the further you are away from your childhood, be it through age or experience, the more you will connect with this story and the more you will fall in love with it.

58. All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders

All the Birds in the Sky is an intense emotional roller-coaster that flits between genres, using both sci-fi and fantasy to get its message across and although it does pit them against each other, the novel never says one is better than the other, each has its place in this story and it is by both of these working together that the best outcome will be found. All the Birds in the Sky is also a very human story focusing on the confusion and mistrust that can come from not understanding the unknown.

Published: 2016

59. It by Stephen King

It is the children who see - and feel - what makes the town so horribly different. In the storm drains and sewers "It" lurks, taking the shape of every nightmare, each one's deepest dread. As the children grow up and move away, the horror of "It" is buried deep - until they are called back.

"As an exploration of childhood, growing up, friendship and facing both real and supernatural fears I still hold It up as a great book. But the ending, and the book’s length in general, will be unpalatable to many readers."

One of the greatest storytellers of our time - The Guardian

A writer of excellence... King is one of the most fertile storytellers of the modern novel - The Sunday Times

Published: 1986 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 1987

60. The Ninth Rain by Jen Williams (The Winnowing Flame Trilogy)

Jen Williams “The Ninth Rain” is unlike anything I have ever read. For a fantasy lover, it’s one of those rare books that pulls at your heartstrings but also at the knowledge that it’s okay to be imperfect, inquisitive and slightly mad.

Published: 2017

61. The Poppy War by R F Kuang (The Poppy War)

Simply put, R.F. Kuang’s The Poppy War is a towering achievement of modern fantasy. Kuang writes in a descriptive and narrative style that presents many sides of an issue without trying to persuade the reader into thinking which path is the “correct” one, if one such exists. As the book descends into its bleak final act, the connection we’ve built with Rin and her companions is put to the test. It is a testament to Kuang’s skill as a writer to establish such a strong connection with her protagonists that the impact of the events in third act hit as hard as they do.

Published: 2018 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 2019

62. A Brightness Long Ago by Guy Gavriel Kay

Guy Gavriel Kay’s A Brightness Long Ago is a masterpiece; perhaps the finest work of one of the world’s greatest living storytellers. This story is shocking, devastating, and beautiful. Kay’s language is elegant in its simplicity, yet painstakingly profound as it cuts to the core of what makes us think, and act, and remember. 

Published: 2019

63. The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

The “feminist successor to The Lord of the Rings” - Laura Eve. The Priory of the Orange Tree is a story told with grace and infused with rich history and lore in its gloriously huge scope: it is magnificent in every regard. It’s all about the girl power here! I recommend this to readers who enjoy female driven fantasy that is also carefully paced like the works of Robin Hobb, Tad Williams and Chris Wooding.

64. The Raven Tower by Ann Leckie

Another 10/10 book and the most recently published book to appear on this list, published as it was in 2019. Ann Leckie first came to our attention with her highly-regarded science fiction books. When she turned her hand to fantasy she produced, in the words of the book's reviewer, Joshua: A magisterial tour de force of subverted narrative expectations that wrestles with what it means to find identity as a human, and as a god. Unlike anything being written, Ann Leckie will likely be remembered as a literary pioneer, and not as similar to someone else. A masterpiece of storytelling that leaves a willing reader humbled, The Raven Tower is quite simply the best book of the year – mighty, subtle, captivating, unputdownable.

Published: 2019 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 2020

65. The 10,000 Doors of January by Alix E Harrow

It is a rare thing to relate to a book’s character in such a way that similar situations evoke empathy across your lives. Enough parallels can be drawn to feel almost as if the book is catered specifically toward you in some existential way. I have not read much portal fantasy, but I have always felt a feeling of smothered repression through my youth that has tamped down my will to explore. Instead, my portals to elsewhere revealed themselves in books and stories at an early age, and they’ve been with me ever since. Alix Harrow captures this feeling of finding oneself through the stories we share in her stunning and unforgettable debut novel The 10,000 Doors of January. It is a beautifully written and lovingly crafted adventure about the strength of love, the importance of stories, and the timeless power of words.

66. Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

I can’t remember the last time I wanted to step into a book so much, be part of a world so desperately. Even with all the danger, with the pain and darkness and death, it’s a place that feels like possibility…

67. Some Kind of Fairy Tale by Graham Joyce

Twenty years ago , sixteen year old Tara Martin took a walk into the mysterious Outwoods in the Charnwood Forest and never came back. Extensive searches and police investigations find no trace and her family is forced to accept the unthinkable. Then on Christmas day Tara arrives at her parents' door, dishevelled, unapologetic and not looking a day older than when she left. It seems like a miracle and Tara's parents are delighted, but something about her story doesn't add up. When she claims that she was abducted by the fairies, her brother Peter starts to think she might have lost her sanity. But as Tara's tale unfolds, those who loved and missed her begin to wonder whether there is some truth to her account of the last two decades.

Published: 2012 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 2013

68. Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir (The Locked Tomb Trilogy)

The Emperor needs necromancers.

The Ninth Necromancer needs a swordswoman.

Gideon has a sword, some dirty magazines, and no more time for undead nonsense.

Tamsyn Muir’s Gideon the Ninth unveils a solar system of swordplay, cut-throat politics, and lesbian necromancers. Her characters leap off the page, as skillfully animated as arcane revenants. The result is a heart-pounding epic science fantasy.

Brought up by unfriendly, ossifying nuns, ancient retainers, and countless skeletons, Gideon is ready to abandon a life of servitude and an afterlife as a reanimated corpse. She packs up her sword, her shoes, and her dirty magazines, and prepares to launch her daring escape. But her childhood nemesis won’t set her free without a service.

Harrowhark Nonagesimus, Reverend Daughter of the Ninth House and bone witch extraordinaire, has been summoned into action. The Emperor has invited the heirs to each of his loyal Houses to a deadly trial of wits and skill. If Harrowhark succeeds she will be become an immortal, all-powerful servant of the Resurrection, but no necromancer can ascend without their cavalier. Without Gideon’s sword, Harrow will fail, and the Ninth House will die.

Of course, some things are better left dead.

Published: 2019 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 2020 (Gideon the Ninth)

69. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Although The Book Thief is set in such dark times, when almost unimaginable atrocities were being commited, it manages, by its end, to be an uplifting, life-affirming book due to the kindness, love and bravery of its many characters.

Published: 2005

70. The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia McKillip

The characterisation is excellent, creating well-formed, sympathetic and most importantly, realistic characters. The Forgotten Beasts of Eld is reminiscent of Ursula Le Guin’s Earthsea masterpiece, the writing of this generation contains a magic that few modern authors have managed to successfully retain. This is a beautiful, thought-provoking book that will stay with the reader forever.

Published: 1974

71. Duncton Wood by William Horwood (The Duncton Chronicles)

Some authors write beautifuly and can induce an almost meditive state in the reader. Tolkien, Hobb, Le Guin, Martin can achieve this, and so can William Horwood. There are two books on the site that generate an effusive outpouring of love from readers, two books which will be well know to some but perhaps not as widely known as many books on this list, they are Swan Song by Robert McCammon and Duncton Wood. It is the moving love story of Bracken and Rebecca and the trials they must face and overcome to be as one. It is unfortunate that this work must be compared to Watership Down but that is the only book with which I can really compare it to in terms of story-line and excellence. Read my review and the reader reviews below it if you want to get a real sense of how highly this book is regarded.

Published: 1980

72. Legend by David Gemmell (The Drenai Novels)

David Gemmell is unquestionably one of my favourite fantasy authors. For the past 30 years his books have been read and re-read and I am still not weary of them, and I hope that will always be the case. I personally do not think that this is Gemmell's finest but it surely has to be his most important, as without it nothing may have followed. Legend is a great place to start if you have not read any of his work before and a great blend of sword, sorcery and heroism. A MUST read for any heroic fantasy fans.

73. Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind (The Sword of Truth Series)

Terry Goodkind has created a consice, intelligent book that is believable from the start. This is fantasy that is definately aimed at the adult. It is evident that Terry Goodkind has strong political and social views that he is keen to get across in his books. Rather than finding this spoilt the narrative, I found it healthy reading a book that makes you think about what the author is trying to say. I found that Ursula Le Guin's works had the same effect on me.

Published: 1994

74. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

If you are a fan of trains, history, or London, then this book is definitely for you. Gaiman once again, just like he did in American Gods, shows an uncanny research ability, matched with his inimitable writing style. We are soon introduced to a mass of underground railway stations, and a group of people that, unbeknownst to London Above, are living rather content lives beneath their feet. A bit of mythology, a bit of fantasy, a bit of urban drama and a whole lot of London makes this book a definite must read.

Published: 1996

75. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

The Graveyard Book won the Carnegie medal for children’s fiction, and it deserved to win. The writing style, though easy enough for children, is very descriptive and distinctive.

"If asked to put The Graveyard Book into a genre, I'd have to say: this is a Neil Gaiman book. It's in the Genre of Excellence" Fortean Times

Published: 2008 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 2009

76. The City and the City by China Mieville

This is a great story. Mieville has delivered and lived up to the hype generated by his early work, in particular the Bas-Lag series. While this is a vastly different book to that epic series, there is no change in quality.

Published: 2009 | World Fantasy Award Winner: 2010

77. Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan

Liga raises her two daughters in the safe haven of an alternative reality, a personal heaven granted by magic as a refuge from her earthly suffering. But the real world cannot be denied forever and when the barrier between the two worlds begins to break down, Liga’s fiery daughter, Urdda, steps across it…

"Tender Morsels never once tries to show that life has a happily ever after ending. It shows that life is full of hardship; you will experience hurt, you will watch loved ones die and you will often be afraid. It also shows that live can be full of love, caring and kindness and that it is better to experience something, be it good or bad, than to experience nothing at all." Fantasy Book Review

78. Palimpsest by Catherynne M Valente

Sei, November, Ludov, and Oleg -- four people unknown to each other but united by grief and their obsession with the city of Palimpsest. Located beyond the human realm, Palimpsest is accessible only by those who sleep after generating the energy which comes from sex. Once anyone arrives in the city, they indulge in sense pleasures and are able to obtain their innermost desires -- two things which ensure that Palimpsest visitors return.

"Like other Cathryn Valente books (Orphan's Tales, In the Garden of Coin and Spice), this poignant poetic work is a feast for the mind. Palimpsest is the gift of a fairy tale wrapped in an allegory and tied with a mystical ribbon. A gift that readers can enjoy again and again." Fantasy Book Review

79. The Shadow Year by Jeffrey Ford

Jeffrey Ford throws genuine easy gas with this little semi-autobiographical gem. The book pulls you in, keeps pulling you, yanking you, in fact, but you never feel anything but a slight trace of a tug. So familiar is he with his world - the south shore of western Suffolk County (NY) in the late sixties - and so skilled is he at drawing you into it, that you scarcely notice the creepy, dark water leaking in under your mental door.

Published: 2008 | World Fantasy Award Winner: 2009

80. Boy's Life by Robert McCammon

Published: 1991 | World Fantasy Award Winner: 1992

81. The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon

The leading man, one Meyer Landsman, is a festival of flaws and possibilities. The characters are alive, dynamically three-dimensional, and refreshingly complicated. Chabon’s world and its collapsing-star reality you completely buy. The analogs of human behaviour are poetic, tenderly ironic and brilliantly designed. Chess is key, but not in such a fashion that it bans the non-chess playing reader. And there is a seemingly self-perpetuating sense of devilish humour that had me choking every other page.

82. The Moon and the Sun by Vonda N McIntyre

A winner of the 1997 Nebula award for best novel, Vonda N McIntyre’s The Moon and the Sun is a sumptuous work of alternate history. Set in 17th century France, at the court of the Sun King, the book’s attention to detail and flowing narrative help create an absorbing tale of fantasy, romance, science and history.

83. Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice (The Vampire Chronicles)

In a darkened room a young man sits telling the macabre and eerie story of his life - the story of a vampire, gifted with eternal life, cursed with an exquisite craving for human blood. Anne Rice's compulsively readable novel is arguably the most celebrated work of vampire fiction since Bram Stoker's Dracula was published in 1897. As the Washington Post said on its first publication, it is a 'thrilling, strikingly original work of the imagination ...sometimes horrible, sometimes beautiful, always unforgettable'.

Published: 1976 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 1986 (The Vampire Lestat)

84. Anno Dracula by Kim Newman (Anno Dracula series)

It is 1888 and Queen Victoria has remarried, taking as her new consort Vlad Tepes, the Wallachian Prince infamously known as Count Dracula. Peppered with familiar characters from Victorian history and fiction, the novel tells the story of vampire Geneviève Dieudonné and Charles Beauregard of the Diogenes Club as they strive to solve the mystery of the Ripper murders. Anno Dracula is a rich and panoramic tale, combining horror, politics, mystery and romance to create a unique and compelling alternate history. Acclaimed novelist Kim Newman explores the darkest depths of a reinvented Victorian London. This brand-new edition of the bestselling novel contains unique bonus material, including a new afterword from Kim Newman, annotations, articles and alternate endings to the original novel.

"Kim Newman's Anno Dracula is back in print, and we must celebrate. It was the first mash-up of literature, history and vampires, and now, in a world in which vampires are everywhere, it's still the best, and its bite is just as sharp. Compulsory reading, commentary, and mindgame: glorious." Neil Gaiman

"The book succeeds not just as horror but also as a thriller and detective novel combining politics, romance and history. Newman has produced an excellently crafted, well-plotted, fast-paced, sure-footed, incident-packed and macabre thrill fest." Fantasy Book Review

Published: 0000 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 1993

85. The Silent Land by Graham Joyce

A brilliant story which from the first chapter is hard hitting and the bleakness of the story brings the action to the fore. Graham Joyce has created in the first chapters a sense of uncertainty that makes it a real page turner. A very good read; a mix of fantasy and love story. It flows well and is well worth reading at least twice.

Published: 2010 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 2011 | British Fantasy Award Nominee: 2011

86. 11.22.63 by Stephen King

WHAT IF you could go back in time and change the course of history? WHAT IF the watershed moment you could change was the JFK assassination? 11/22/63, the date that Kennedy was shot - unless... King takes his protagonist Jake Epping, a high school English teacher from Lisbon Falls, Maine, 2011, on a fascinating journey back to 1958 - from a world of mobile phones and iPods to a new world of Elvis and JFK, of Plymouth Fury cars and Lindy Hopping, of a troubled loner named Lee Harvey Oswald and a beautiful high school librarian named Sadie Dunhill, who becomes the love of Jake's life - a life that transgresses all the normal rules of time.

"11.22.63 finds Stephen King on top form. A compelling tale of alternate history and time travel showcasing King’s skill as a storyteller as he effortlessly weaves together fact and fiction, highlighting the benefits of meticulous research." Floresiensis, Fantasy Book Review

Published: 2011 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 2012

87. The Killing Moon by NK Jemisin (Dreamblood duology)

In the first of her Dreamblood duology, N K Jemisin presents a vivid world of dreams and reality, sanity and insanity, and the stories of the people caught up within it. It’s a compelling tale of corruption and justice and the lengths people will go to in pursuit of both.

88. Alif the Unseen by G Willow Wilson

He calls himself Alif - few people know his real name - a young man born in a Middle Eastern city that straddles the ancient and modern worlds. When Alif meets the aristocratic Intisar, he believes he has found love. But their relationship has no future - Intisar is promised to another man and her family's honour must be satisfied. As a remembrance, Intisar sends the heartbroken Alif a mysterious book. Entitled The Thousand and One Days, Alif discovers that this parting gift is a door to another world - a world from a very different time, when old magic was in the ascendant and the djinn walked amongst us. With the book in his hands, Alif finds himself drawing attention - far too much attention - from both men and djinn. Thus begins an adventure that takes him through the crumbling streets of a once-beautiful city, to uncover the long-forgotten mysteries of the Unseen. Alif is about to become a fugitive in both the corporeal and incorporeal worlds. And he is about to unleash a destructive power that will change everything and everyone - starting with Alif himself.

"I would highly recommend this book to anybody who like a ripping yarn, whether they are into fantasy or not because this is more of a thriller with echoes of the computer acrobatics seen in the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series, which I find really interesting, but set against an exotic landscape that really comes to life. You can feel and smell the duststorm as it sweeps over the houses, seeping its way in through the cracks, the panic as The Hand, an unbending, alien force, closes in, and the awkwardness of a young American scholar who tries to help Alif but is so clearly out of place. Overall, a sumptuous, colourful and many-layered novel." Fantasy Book Review

Published: 2012 | World Fantasy Award Winner: 2013

89. Nights at the Circus by Angela Carter

This is a book written about the cusp of the 20th century, where so many things were promised and hoped for and so many changes happened. This story focuses on two people, bound together because of a newspaper story: Jack Walser, the journalist sent to write a story on Sophie Fevvers the “aerialiste extraordinaire”, to find out whether she is fact or fiction, as instead of being a typical trapeze artist she has wings that allow her to fly through the air. Angela Carter has written a fantastical microcosm of life.

Published: 1984 | British Fantasy Award Nominee: 1985

90. Zoo City by Lauren Beukes

An intriguing “what if?” urban fantasy story that gives a twist to the contemporary world we live in. This story involves animals and magic, that fits into the world of Zoo City. As well as inviting questions as to why people who are different from the norm are treated in different circumstances.

91. The Dark is Rising Sequence by Susan Cooper

Susan Cooper is a natural storyteller, and all five The Dark is Rising novels grip the reader tightly, helped in this with copious amounts of mythology and spectacular prose. The prose of the second book in the series, The Dark is Rising, is some of the best in its genre. The sequence is an absolute classic, and should be required reading for children between the ages of seven and fifteen. Those who are older who haven't read them yet are really missing out on something wonderful. Highly recommended.

92. Weaveworld by Clive Barker

Weaveworld is a true epic of a story – a whirlwind of base instincts and heights of imagination that brings together fantasy and horror, whilst grounding the fantastical in a recognisable, mundane, suburban England.

93. A Darker Shade of Magic by VE Schwab (A Darker Shade of Magic)

Most people only know one London; but what if there were several? Kell is one of the last Travelers - magicians with a rare ability to travel between parallel Londons. There’s Grey London, dirty and crowded and without magic, home to the mad king George III. There’s Red London, where life and magic are revered. Then, White London, ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne. But once upon a time, there was Black London...

"Like the best books I have read, V. E. Schwab has left me wanting to read more about these characters that have come alive in my mind."

94. The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison

From the quietly sad story of a lonely young man out of his depth, to the equally quietly triumphant story of a hero who has accepted himself, learned to cope and promises to do a great deal of good for others, this is a story with magic, airships and elves set around a very ritualistic royal court. In some ways The Goblin Emperor is one of the most grittily hopeful books I’ve read for quite a significant while, and one I’d definitely agree deserves its accolade.

Published: 2014 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 2015

95. The Sudden Appearance of Hope by Claire North

The Sudden Appearance of Hope is an excellent novel, one that looks at complex themes with much more depth before providing a biased social commentary. There is barely any escapism to be found here. This book will engage you with the prevalent social issues of today (mid-2016), making you pause and think about our pursuit of perfection as defined by Hollywood and the mainstream media.

Published: 2016 | World Fantasy Award Winner: 2017

96. Blackwing by Ed McDonald (The Raven’s Mark)

This is quite a dark story full of gritty and macabre deaths aplenty with a good, but not an overwhelming amount of adrenaline fueling action. Certain sections are superbly intense though and this book is highly unpredictable. It features twists, betrayal, political disputes and half the time when I thought I had analysed where the story was going, I was then blindsided or completely shocked by a revelation. The publisher stated that this as being "gritty epic fantasy for fans of Mark Lawrence and Scott Lynch" and I cannot disagree.

97. Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett (Founders)

It’s rare that a story catches me off guard with so many inventive and thrilling ideas, yet still only scratches the surface of the directions it could take. The potential here is so vast; I see these ideas as prime material to turn into its own RPG world, or spinoff novels, or fill-in-the-blank. Great writing, characters of substance, and thoughtful exploration of original ideas elevates Foundryside into rare territory.

98. The Chimes by Anna Smaill

The Chimes is one of the most difficult, and yet most rewarding books I’ve read for quite some time. Breaking so many rules of writing to explore its central premise, yet blending together dark poetry, a truly unique post-apocalyptic world, love, music and memory into one great symphonic whole that is far greater than the sum of its parts, and an experience which you won’t easily forget.

Published: 2015 | World Fantasy Award Winner: 2016

99. The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter (The Burning)

The Rage of Dragons explodes at a breakneck pace. Complex characters, dragons, revenge, ALL THE STABBY-STABBY-STAB-STAB. I adored everything about this book! The cover, the chapter titles, the maps, the wee dragon on the spine, the notes from Winter at the back.,. it was just phenomenal. Truly. What a brilliant debut!

100. Middlegame by Seanan McGuire

Alternate timelines, manifestations, Hands of Glory, alchemy, Doctrine of Ethos and immortality and and and GODDAMN. McGuire provides a clinic in storytelling with Middlegame. This is her magnum opus (so far!) It’s magical... truly magical. I could not love it more!!!

good fantasy fiction books

Top 100 Fantasy Books Of All Time

Looking for great fantasy books? Take a look at the 100 pages we rate highest

good fantasy fiction books

Fantasy Series We Recommend

There's nothing better than finding a fantasy series you can lose yourself in

good fantasy fiction books

Fantasy Books Of The Year

Our fantasy books of the year, from 2006 to 2021

A collage image of titles featured in this list: The Candy House, Speaking Bones, The Hacienda, The Daughter of Doctor Moreau, The Oleander Sword, Babel, and The Spear Cut Through Water.

Filed under:

  • Best of the Year

The best science fiction and fantasy books of 2022

Impressive debuts, returning favorites, and much more

If you buy something from a Polygon link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement .

Share this story

  • Share this on Facebook
  • Share this on Reddit
  • Share All sharing options

Share All sharing options for: The best science fiction and fantasy books of 2022

We’ve run through our favorite games , movies , and TV shows of 2022, and now it’s time to talk about our favorite science fiction and fantasy books of the year.

2022’s best SFF books feel like an apt reflection of the past few years, as so much has changed. It may come as no surprise that this year ushered in a tidal wave of terrifying gothics and hauntings — books where protagonists were trapped in by the spaces around them. Science fiction gave us visions of the future, from white flight and space exploration to hopeful philosophical ramblings about the nature of being alive to post-pandemic technofuturism. At the same time, much of this year’s best fantasy looked backward, retelling mythologies and critiquing institutions of power.

This list has a range of titles from beloved authors, impressive debuts, and short-story collections, that all share one thing in common: We absolutely loved the time we spent with them. And we hope you do too. The list is in reverse chronological order of release, so the most recently released books will be at the top — with honorable mentions at the end.

The cover for Africa Risen, featuring a Black person whose hair is blending in with green growth behind them, wearing a colorfully painted outfit that looks like a space suit

Africa Risen edited by Sheree Renée Thomas, Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki, and Zelda Knight

Africa Risen showcases some of the most talented contemporary speculative writers — ranging from established writers to debut authors — whose works are set in Africa and across the African diaspora. This large volume reimagines fantasy and science fiction with stories about capturing lost memories and minds, those of climate crisis, and interpretations of folklore and myth. Stories range from whimsical and imaginative to hefty and contemplative, and each is the perfect size to read over a morning commute or before bed (which is how I have been slowly savoring this book). The breadth of this anthology harkens back to the seminal Dark Matter: A Century of Speculative Fiction From the African Diaspora . Africa Risen ’s editors take care, in their introduction, to mention numerous other publishers and collections of short speculative fiction set in the African diaspora and written by Black authors — including independent presses, zines, and other short-story collections. As the editors write in their introduction: “Africa isn’t rising — it’s already here.” — Nicole Clark

Cover image for Heart of the Sun Warrior, a colorful image with a castle, clouds, and a person aiming a bow.

Heart of the Sun Warrior (The Celestial Kingdom #2) by Sue Lynn Tan

Sue Lynn Tan’s debut, Daughter of the Moon Goddess , took the world by storm earlier this year. And she published the second in the duology this year as well, gifting us with a short wait and another romance- and action-packed adventure. In the first book, Xingyin, daughter of the moon goddess Chang’e, worked her way into the palace’s army in order to ensure her family’s survival — falling for Liwei the prince, son of the Celestial Emperor, in the process.

Heart of the Sun Warrior picks up right where the previous book left off, throwing Xingyin back into action. The Celestial Emperor once again found reason to punish the moon goddess and her daughter, forcing them to flee for their lives. Wenzhi attempts to curry Xingyin’s favor, even after his betrayals. It is unwise to attempt to outsmart the gods, but this is once again the choice our heroine is given. This sequel packs an impressive, near-breathless amount of plot into its pages, telling a tale of love for one’s family, and the quiet dignity of never giving up. — NC

Cover image for N.K. Jemisin’s The World We Make, with a black-and-white apartment building that has colorful octopus-like graffiti on it

The World We Make (Great Cities #2) by N.K. Jemisin

New York City may be the fifth character in Sex and the City , but it’s all six main characters in The World We Make . The conclusion to Jemisin’s Great Cities duology finds five of the city’s avatars still struggling to figure out how to stop the R’lyeh — a feat made more difficult without the aid of Staten Island, who remains allied with the enemy despite idly watching her borough’s boroughness be leached out of existence. The rest of the city is similarly threatened by a popular mayoral candidate whose campaign built on hateful rhetoric and gentrification threatens the very fabric — and existence — of the city. The battle for New York is thus fought across two planes in The World We Make , with some of the avatars focusing on the multidimensional fight for survival against an eldritch terror, and others standing off against Proud Men chanting “Make New York great again.” Subtle, this book is not. Though not as strong as the first installment in the duology, The World We Make still has enough grit, heart, and humor to propel you through to the very end. Though maybe I’m biased. I am a New Yorker, after all. — Sadie Gennis

Cover image for Bliss Montage by Ling Ma, with oranges in plastic wrapping

Bliss Montage by Ling Ma

Bliss Montage is a departure from Ling Ma’s bestselling debut, Severance , in the best of ways. I was sucked into this collection of short stories from the very first page as Ma melds the fantastical with reality, serving it all in a witty deadpan. The opening paragraph from “Los Angeles” immediately sets the tone:

The house in which we live has three wings. The west wing is where the Husband and I live. The east wing is where the children and their attending au pairs live. And lastly, the largest but ugliest wing, extending behind the house like a gnarled, broken arm, is where my 100 ex-boyfriends live. We live in L.A.

Stories deftly blur the lines between reality and satire, borrowing from speculative fiction conventions to create something entirely new and satisfyingly odd. It is a must-read. — NC

Cover image for The Spear Cuts Through Water, which depicts two figures fighting — one with a spear, one with a sword — through an opening in a tree canopy.

The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez

The Spear Cuts Through Water is many things. At its core, it’s the tale of Jun and Keema, two strangers who help a fallen god escape her captivity at the hands of her cruel husband, the emperor, and their sons, aptly dubbed the Three Terrors. But Jun and Keema’s adventure is actually being acted out in a magical theater in another dimension hundreds of years later, with the book’s narrative winds between Jun and Keema’s story, the performance of it, and the experience of one man watching from the audience — though he’s fated to forget what he’s witnessed as soon as he leaves the theater.

The Spear Cuts Through Water recalls Gabriel García Márquez with its surreal fluidity, though the way Jimenez weaves together first-, second-, and third-person perspectives creates an immersive style just his own. And his decision to consistently disrupt the primary story with the flowing thoughts of surrounding characters gives you the sense that you’re floating through this world, both tethered to and set free by Jimenez’s mesmerizing prose.

So, as I said, The Spear Cuts Through Water is many, many things. It’s a spellbinding tribute to oral storytelling and folklore. It’s a thoughtful exploration of identity and family. But more than anything, The Spear Cuts Through Water is a love story, and one unlike anything you’ve read before. — SG

Cover image for The Oldeander Sword, featuring a woman in a gorgeous dress lifting up a green curtain while holding a sword.

The Oleander Sword by Tasha Suri

While the first Burning Kingdoms book was a beautifully lush piece of world-building and slow-burn romance, The Oleander Sword is a brutal epic that relentlessly builds toward utter devastation. The Jasmine Throne ends with Malini’s and Priya’s paths diverging, as Malini wages her vengeful war against her brother to claim the throne and Priya steps into her role as an Elder of Ahiranya. But when the two women see an opportunity to come together to help each of their people, the lovestruck pair leap at the chance to reunite and end Parijatdvipa’s reign. Malini’s brother is not the only threat facing the kingdom, though. The rot continues to spread throughout the kingdom, and new revelations about the Yaska leave Priya and Bhumika reevaluating their people’s history and relationship to their faith. A series already beloved for its thorniness, Suri muddies the dynamics further in The Oleander Sword as political plots, romantic desires, and religious beliefs intertwine and clash in in engrossing and often heartbreaking ways. — SG

The cover image for Babel, a stark black-and-white drawing of a tall tower, with white birds around it and smaller buildings.

Babel: Or The Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators’ Revolution by R.F. Kuang

In this masterful, lengthy book, R.F. Kuang sharply critiques British imperialism and the bureaucratic institutions that hold it up — particularly academic scholarship and monarchy. Historical fiction intertwines with fantasy, as a cohort of four students pursue translation studies at Oxford’s Babel. The end goal of their academic pursuits is to make magic-imbued silver for the crown. These magical silver bars are created through a process of translation — namely, that bit of meaning that’s lost between words in different languages, or as they’ve evolved over time.

One such example comes early in the book: the gulf between triacle and treacle , the former from Old French and Middle English with herbalist connotations of curing poisons and ailments. The contemporary in English is a kind of sweet and bitter syrup. This creates a silver bar with the power to heal, and that leaves a sweet aftertaste in the mouth. It is also the bar that Professor Lovell uses to save Robin Swift (this is the English name the boy chooses) from cholera in 1828, before whisking him from his home in Canton.

While studying at Babel, Robin and his cohort are given access to abundant resources they could have never dreamed of. At the same time, they see the ugly agenda of Oxford, and how even their mother tongues become tools of British imperialism. Their professors and classmates see the value in the silver they may produce, with their knowledge of such “exotic” languages, but view those who live in foreign countries as less than human and ultimately expendable. Robin and his friends must choose between two paths set before them: comfort and wealth in the bosom of the crown, or simply burning it all down. — NC

Cover image for Ramona Emerson’s Shutter, featuring a person walking down a dirt road in a red and brown landscape, as seen through  concentric circles.

Shutter by Ramona Emerson

The National Book Award-winning novel follows a forensic photographer who — unfortunately for her — can see ghosts. The traumatized spirits haunt Rita at all hours, refusing to let her sleep and purposefully sabotaging her life. These hauntings are also what pushed her out of the Navajo reservation she grew up on, where even discussing death was seen as taboo. But no ghost has given her as much trouble as an alleged suicide victim, whose crime scene Rita is sent to photograph at the start of the novel. The rageful ghost is insistent that she was murdered and won’t stop terrorizing Ramona until her case is solved. Soon, Rita is in deep over her head as she finds herself immersed in a web of crime and corruption involving one of New Mexico’s top cartels.

A thrilling yet melancholy read, Shutter delivers on all levels. But be warned: If you can’t stomach too much gore, you might need to skim through the crime scene descriptions where Emerson’s own experience as a forensic photographer shines through in her grisly prose. — SG

Cover image for Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s The Daughter of Doctor Moreau, featuring a woman in a teal dress standing in a large orange doorway, surrounded by growing vines on the house.

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s newest novel is a retelling of the 1896 classic by H.G. Wells. But Moreno-Garcia sets it in 1871 in Yucatán, during the Caste War — a time when the Mayan people fought back against their Mexican and European oppressors.

As in her other works, this Gothic tale is told through the perspective of the young woman at its center. Sequestered in her father’s estate in the Yucatán Peninsula, Carlota Moreau lives alongside hybrid creatures, formed of animal and human DNA. She grows up alongside these hybrids, treating them as siblings, though the outside world would see them otherwise. She has long suffered from a “disease of the blood” that her father has treated with a regular injection of jaguar “gemmules.” To keep their work private, her father claims that he runs a sanatorium — attempting to hide the Lovecraftian horrors that lie within.

Carlota loves her home, and feels as if no other place would contain such natural beauty — though she begins to suspect all is not well. When Eduardo Lizalde, son of the doctor’s benefactor, visits the estate, her doubts only intensify. The Daughter of Doctor Moreau explores themes of colonization, class, and what it means to be human, all while being a suspenseful page turner. — NC

Cover image for A Prayer for the Crown-Shy, filled with bright colors and an orange skyline with circular shapes, as well as a cart going along a hilly road.

A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers

Becky Chambers’ newest installment of her Monk and Robot series follows Sibling Dex and Splendid Speckled Mosscap’s journey through the wilds of future human civilization. A Psalm for the Wild-Built , the first in the series, details the context of this world. In the future, AI has gained sentience — and in response, humans decided to let them form agency and leave to build their own civilization in the wilderness.

Sibling Dex had been a Tea Monk, a profession that led them to human settlements; they would prepare tea and chat or offer guidance to those who sought their various brews. But one day the monk chose to eschew this path, leaving behind their profession to wander in the wilderness — where they stumbled upon Mosscap, a robot on a quest to learn about humans and their needs. In the first book, the two wander through uninhabited lands, discussing philosophical questions about the nature of being alive. In this second slim volume, the two finally enter a settlement of humans.

Chambers builds an alternate, gentler world than the one we live in — though it has its fair share of melancholy, sorrow, and prejudice. Through their questions back and forth, Dex and Mosscap get closer to the tender marrow of what keeps them going, and what their friendship might look like once their “quests” have come to a close. Chambers’ work has been called “hopepunk” by various critics, and this small novel continues on this theme. — NC

The cover image for Ken Liu’s Speaking Bones, which depicts a cornucopia of fruits and vegetables inside an antlered skull.

Speaking Bones by Ken Liu

I was dreading having to write this blurb because it’s incredibly intimidating — and I think, frankly, impossible — to do justice to Speaking Bones in a few hundred words or less. Though, my struggle is thematically aligned with one of the Dandelion Dynasty series’ larger points: that people’s truths are too complicated and contradictory to ever be fully captured. Often, the intricacies of people’s hearts, minds, and relationships become stripped of context, simplified, misinterpreted, or erased until what’s left is a cohesive, neatly wrapped-up history that’s easy to digest. But even within these stories, there’s truth and there’s power. And learning how to wield the power of storytelling is just as important in Speaking Bones as the ability to wield a sword, the might of a garinafin, or the grace of kings.

Speaking Bones is a detail-rich, multigenerational saga with a scope and ambition that would be unwieldy if not helmed by someone of Liu’s masterful talent. There are gods and war, political cunning and philosophical debates, pages upon pages of technical specifications for inventions, and dialogue that reads more like poetry. The questions the book raises and the empathy it extols are not things easily forgotten. But what has stayed with me the most is the gap between the characters’ stories that I read and the ways those stories get retold — within the book, but also outside it, as I try to share my love for this story with others. There’s so much that gets lost in that translation, but it doesn’t make either version any less true. — SG

Cover image of Saara El-Arifi’s The Final Strife, with a dark-skinned woman with long hair backgrounded by blue flowers.

The Final Strife by Saara El-Arifi

This epic fantasy remixes tropes to create something entirely new and impossible to put down. As in other dystopias, society is separated by a strict class system — this time by blood color. Embers have red blood, which affords them the powers and privileges of blood magic. Dusters, the middle classes, have blue blood, while Ghostings, the servant class who are maimed at birth, have transparent blood.

Sylah was raised as a Duster and trained to overthrow the Embers by winning the Wardens’ annual trials. But when the rebellion was quashed — killing her family, or so she believed — she coped by turning to other vices, hoping to vanish into the background. All of this changes when she sneaks into an Ember princess’s quarters and gets roped right back in. The Final Strife sets its bureaucratic squabbles and a gripping love triangle against the backdrop of a deadly competition. It’s thrilling and entertaining from start to finish. — NC

The cover image of Isabel Cañas’s The Hacienda, featuring a woman in a red dress standing in front of a dilapidated building and behind some spiky plants.

The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas

If you loved Mexican Gothic , then The Hacienda will be right up your (haunted) alley. This Gothic is set at the lavish Hacienda San Isidro, in the aftermath of the Mexican War of Independence. Beatriz faces dire prospects — her father had been executed, and she and her mother are near penniless. When Don Rodolfo Solórzano proposes marriage, she feels as if her problems have been solved. She’ll turn Hacienda San Isidro into the home she and her mother have long craved, with bright windows and beautiful gardens.

But the Hacienda is not what it first appears. It is profoundly haunted, projecting visions of blood-soaked floors and walls caved in, blacking out the lights and rattling doors. In this tale, the monster is in the house — but the monster also is the house. Beatriz is abandoned without allies: Rodolfo has left on a business trip and his sister, who lives at the estate, turns her nose at Beatriz at every turn. Who will save her from this house? And who will give her and her mother a place to live if she cannot make this work? Only Padre Andrés, the young priest — with other secrets of his own — is there to help. — NC

Cover for Eyes of the Void, which features a planet and multiple space ships.

Eyes of the Void by Adrian Tchaikovsky

The Architects, an alien species of moon-sized planet destroyers, are back, and the one thing that used to ward them off is no longer effective. So, how does humanity respond? With infighting, power grabs, and petty squabbles. At the center of all this is Idris Tellemier, the only person to ever communicate with an Architect, who spends the majority of Eyes of the Void being bargained over, used, and kidnapped for political gain and protection. But while Idris is the one burdened with saving the world, his friends on the Vulture God are tasked with saving Idris. Eyes of the Void finds Solace, Kris, Kit, and Ollie (who rightfully gets her own POV chapters this time around) navigating the tense political atmosphere and facing down enemies ranging from the Architects to cultists to their own people in order to protect their unusual family.

Adrian Tchaikovsky has built a dizzyingly complicated narrative, and his inventive world-building gets a chance to shine in Eyes of the Void, as the Vulture God crew becomes further entangled with new characters, species, and cultures — most of whom the crew finds various ways to piss off. And though the book raises more questions than answers, the compounding mysteries raise the stakes to heart-pounding heights as Idris’ quest to learn how to stop the Architects unravels startling truths about the very makeup of the universe. — SG

The cover for John Gwynne’s The Hunger of the Gods, which features a very angry wolf.

The Hunger of the Gods by John Gwynne

In its second outing, The Bloodsworn Saga remains a merciless and brutal series filled with graphic action, impeccable world-building, and an ever-growing ensemble of characters who straddle the lines of morality. Only now, it’s no longer just about mortals fighting for power, revenge, or family. Gods have returned to Vigrið, throwing the balance of society into chaos. As many scramble to find footholds of power in the shifting world order, our original protagonists — Okra, Elvar, and Varg — continue resolutely down their paths to rescue and avenge those taken from them, even if that means fighting (or enslaving) a god. While characters’ storylines were largely separate in the first novel, here they weave in and out of each other’s lives as fate and (mis)fortune reveal how intricately their paths intertwined. Tightly paced and with invigorating action throughout, The Hunger of the Gods is the epic payoff to the foundation Gwynne meticulously laid down in The Shadow of the Gods and a thrilling setup for the series conclusion. — SG

The cover for Jennifer Egan’s The Candy House, with a pixelated image of horizontal lines of all kinds of colors.

The Candy House by Jennifer Egan

Like A Visit From the Goon Squad before it, The Candy House , the newest novel from Jennifer Egan, is written in the mode of its subject matter. While the 2010 outing’s connected-yet-discrete short stories functioned much like a mixtape, or an experimental album from a band that had gotten sick of releasing catchy singles, The Candy House functions more like the omniscient, hyper-reactive style of communication that defines social media, and the internet writ large.

Following ancillary characters from Goon Squad , the sort-of sequel focuses on a groundbreaking consciousness-sharing app, its celebrity creator, and the multifarious cast that gave rise to its existence. As in Goon Squad, and even Manhattan Beach , Egan is above deploying the ramifications of such a godlike technology for soapbox diatribes — instead, she explores her own winding maze of characters and conflicting interests with disgust, empathy, and some of the year’s best prose: ”My problem is the same one had by everyone who gathers information: What to do with it? How to sort and shape and use it? How to keep from drowning in it? Not every story needs to be told.”

Above all, The Candy House explores both the danger and the sublime in humans’ compulsion to share their lives with others. Weaving stories from dozens of points of view in New York, the redwood forests, and the deserts of the American Southwest, among many others, it’s a sobering reminder that the connective technology — the “social media” — that could either save or ruin us is already here. — Mike Mahardy

The cover for Sea of Tranquility showing a moon behind the horizon

Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel

Emily St. John Mandel has demonstrated her talent for penning interlacing stories, with both Station Eleven and The Glass Hotel introducing their casts in piecemeal fashion, slowly revealing how each of these characters know each other. Sea of Tranquility is even more sprawling, stretching from the 1910s and into the further future, a time when people live in moon colonies. The book also creates an official Mandel multiverse , if that’s your thing, with characters from The Glass Hotel serving as some of the novel’s primary focuses.

My favorite part of Sea of Tranquility is its wholesale embrace of one of my favorite science fiction tropes. It’s a time travel story with a number of well-plotted turns, all in Mandel’s fluid, introspective writing style. It’s a great read for anyone who loves The Matrix movies or enjoyed Disney’s Loki (but maybe wished it stuck the landing a bit better). — NC

The cover of This Rebel Heart, with a young woman overlaidd on a burning city.

This Rebel Heart by Katherine Locke

Budapest is where Csilla’s family has lived for hundreds of years. It’s also where they died. In 1956, seven years after her parents were executed by the Soviet police, Jewish newspaper typist Csilla and her aunt are preparing to flee to Israel. But after chance encounters with a student revolutionary and an angel of death, Csilla begins questioning what means more to her: fighting to survive or fighting for a better life.

With its richly drawn characters and gutting depictions of post-Holocaust trauma and antisemitism, This Rebel Heart is a grounded, often heartbreaking account of Jewish life under Russian occupation. As Csilla finds herself on the forefront of the Hungarian revolution, she navigates the dueling realities that have shaped her — remembering and forgetting, survival and freedom, and loving a city that has never loved her back. Elegantly blending history with magical realism and Jewish folklore, Katherine Locke has created a profound tribute to those willing to risk everything for hope. — SG

The cover of The Way Spring Arrives And Other Stories, a collection of Chinese science fiction and fantasy in translation from a visionary team of female and nonbinary creators, edited and collected by Yu Chen and Regina Kanyu Wang. The cover features flowers.

The Way Spring Arrives and Other Stories edited and collected by Yu Chen and Regina Kanyu Wang

Chinese science fiction has become increasingly popular in the United States, as Ken Liu (an accomplished author in his own right) translated Liu Cixin’s groundbreaking Three-Body Problem into English. Since then, Chinese speculative fiction has gained popularity, making way for other literary talent.

The Way Spring Arrives is a collection of 17 Chinese science fiction and fantasy stories — and all of them have been written, translated, and edited entirely by women and nonbinary writers. Curated by Yu Chen and Regina Kanyu Wang, the excellent collection spans topics and tropes. — NC

The cover for Goliath showing big block text in front of a few profile images of a Black woman

Goliath by Tochi Onyebuchi

In the near future, a mass white flight to space colonies has left the largely poor, BIPOC population to eke out an existence on Earth, which has become uninhabitable after ecological and human-made disasters. But though the powerful and privileged abandoned the planet, the system they profit off of remains intact. Now, years later, the space colonists have begun to return — some to gentrify the neighborhoods their ancestors deserted and others as trauma tourists seeking to gawk at those who’d been left behind. A nonlinear series of vignettes, Goliath switches between several characters’ perspectives, but the main focus is on a group of stackers, a Black and brown crew of workers who scrape by salvaging bricks from demolished buildings to send to the colonies. With no hope of circumstances improving, they’ve long ago come to accept that grief will be the primary constant in their inevitably short lives — if the cancerous air doesn’t kill them, the automated drone police will. But while so much of their lives are defined by pain, the stackers keep moving forward, searching for meaning and fleeting moments of joy in a world designed to destroy them.

Impressive in its scale, ambition, and range of voice, Goliath is a shattering work that is so much more than the sum of its parts. In addition to the stackers, Tochi Onyebuchi weaves in tales of a gay white couple leaving the colonies to play pioneer on Earth, a journalist hoping to tell the stackers’ story (but really, hoping to assuage her white guilt), an incarcerated Yale grad who becomes a negotiator in a prison protest, and a Black marshal dragging a slaver across the West to retrieve the body of a murdered boy. Goliath is simultaneously sprawling and intimate, exploring racism, classism, gentrification, the prison system, and the climate crisis through brief moments in these largely disconnected lives. But taken together, these small moments add up to a powerful look at America’s broken system and the harrowing trajectory we find ourselves on. — SG

The cover for Akata Woman showing the semi-profile of a woman with an afro, illustrated in grayscale

Akata Woman by Nnedi Okorafor

If the first two installments in The Nsibidi Scripts series were about Sunny discovering and exploring her identity, Akata Woman is about her defining it. The inventive, adventurous novel follows Sunny during a period of great growth as she and Chichi are forced to uphold their bargain with the giant spider Udide to return her stolen ghazal. With Orlu and Sasha tagging along, the coven’s treacherous journey to retrieve the ancient scroll leads them to discover breathtaking new worlds and the increasing limits of their juju abilities. But as Sunny strains to keep up with her rapidly evolving powers, she must also face the growing fracture in her relationship with her spirit face, Anyanwu.

Being doubled and being a free agent both carry heavy burdens in Leopard culture, but throughout Akata Woman , Sunny discovers a strength and comfort in who she is and what she can do. It’s yet another beautiful leg in Sunny’s coming-of-age journey, made all the more impactful by Nnedi Okorafor’s rhythmic prose. — SG

The cover for How High We Go in the Dark which shows clouds as a backdrop

How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu

Sequoia Nagamatsu’s How High We Go in the Dark is easily one of the best books I’ve read this year so far — and I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s my absolute favorite by the end of the year. Tender and dystopian, the pandemic novel is told in a series of vignettes, each exposing a different pocket of future society — and eventually connecting through characters and circumstances.

Nagamatsu sharply paints a picture of society inevitably building industry out of grief, as people fight for basic human dignity and struggle to hold onto memories of loved ones. It’s an ambitious critique of late-stage capitalism, wrapped up in a series of family dramas that sound wild out of context: a robo-dog toy that contains recordings of a deceased mother’s lullabies, a euthanasia state park for children whose parents want them to have happy final memories, and tech-bro-created funereal currencies are just a few of the scenarios. — NC

The cover of Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lyn Tann, with a blue background, flowers, a figure in a dress, and the moon.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan

This heartfelt, lyrical fantasy follows Xingyin, a young immortal raised in secret by her mother Chang’e, the moon goddess exiled to a life of solitude by the cruel Celestial Emperor. But when Xingyin’s existence is discovered, she must flee the only home she’s ever known and carve a new path for herself while hiding the truth of who she is.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess sweeps through the years of Xinglin’s journey with efficient, effortless speed, chronicling her evolution from a sheltered child to the Celestial prince’s unlikely but dearest companion and a decorated archer serving the very emperor she despises. All the while, Xingyin must juggle the desires and duties she develops in her new life with her long-held determination to free her mother from under the emperor’s thumb. A story about how far we go for love and the painful choices we must make along the way, Daughter of the Moon Goddess weaves together Chinese mythology, court intrigue, romance, action, and betrayal into one of the year’s most exciting debuts. –SG

Runners-up:

  • House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson
  • The Genesis of Misery by Neon Yang
  • The Last White Man by Mohsin Hamid
  • What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher
  • Fruiting Bodies: Stories by Kathryn Harlan
  • Walk the Vanished Earth by Erin Swan
  • Fevered Star (Between Earth and Sky #2) by Rebecca Roanhorse
  • The Memory Librarian by Janelle Monáe
  • Woman, Eating by Claire Kohda
  • Scattered All Over the Earth by Yōko Tawada, translated by Margaret Mitsutani
  • Dead Silence by S.A. Barnes
  • The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan

whatNerd

  • Fantasy Books

The 13 Best Fantasy Books for Adults, Ranked

good fantasy fiction books

If you buy something using our links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support!

Wizards, dragons, and elves aren't just for kids. If you're a fan of Game of Thrones or The Lord of the Rings , you already know how easy it is to get immersed in fantastical realms for the mature.

The truth is, fantasy is a genre that's even better for adults than kids. As we get older, we tend to neglect our inner child, we forget how to imagine, and we lose our sense of wonder.

Adult fantasy books help us to re-establish those important aspects that lay dormant within us. More than that, adult fantasy books reinvigorate us while providing an escape from mundane life.

Not to mention all the different kinds of fantasy subgenres ! It's not all magic and rainbows; in fact, there's plenty of dark fantasy with heavy subjects that can make even the most adult readers grimace.

Ready to dive into new fantastical worlds that'll whisk you away and fill you with magical excitement? Here are our picks for the best fantasy books for adults that'll suck you right in!

13. Wizard's First Rule

good fantasy fiction books

Authored by Terry Goodkind

First published in 1994

836 pages — 4.12 on Goodreads

Terry Goodkind's Wizard's First Rule introduces a world that's separated by magical borders. Richard Cypher, a woods guide in Westland, loses his father to a mysterious murder.

He takes to the forest in search of clues, only to stumble upon Kahlan Amnell, a woman who's being hunted by assassins. Richard soon learns that Kahlan needs more than protection: she needs help to prevent a great evil from taking over the world.

Wizard's First Rule is the first in the Sword of Truth saga. While the series has its issues—it's derivative, it's politically preachy, it's dated in its tropes—this first book is still a fun and solid read for adults.

12. Ninth House

good fantasy fiction books

Authored by Leigh Bardugo

First published in 2019

461 pages — 4.04 on Goodreads

Galaxy "Alex" Stern is a freshman at Yale University, but she doesn't really fit in because she's a high school dropout who prefers to spend her time on other activities than pursuing academic excellence.

At least, that what it seems like on the surface. The truth is actually much darker than that: Galaxy is the only survivor of a mysterious series of homicides and she can see ghosts.

While in the hospital, she's mysteriously offered a cost-free enrollment at Yale. Why her? Why now? She'll soon discover that there are dark, secret societies that put her whole life into perspective.

11. The Fifth Season

good fantasy fiction books

Authored by N. K. Jemisin

First published in 2015

468 pages — 4.31 on Goodreads

Essun lives in a small town and her life is more or less mundane. One day she comes home to discover the violent death of her son and the kidnapping of her daughter—at the hands of their own father.

While this personal tragedy unravels, the empire collapses and the sky is soon covered in ashes.

Essun must now find her daughter, who might be lost forever. With her world physically collapsing, without drinkable water, with so many dangers ahead, she faces the impossible to save her child.

The Fifth Season is a science fantasy book that takes place on a completely different planet and introduces us to the world of the Broken Earth series, one of the best fantasy trilogies of the last decade.

10. The Lies of Locke Lamora

good fantasy fiction books

Authored by Scott Lynch

First published in 2006

752 pages — 4.30 on Goodreads

The Lies of Locke Lamora takes place on the island city of Camorr. The protagonist is the young orphan Locke Lamora, who manages to survive the harsh streets by thieving.

But Locke Lamora is more than just a thief. He grows to become the leader of the Gentleman Bastards—an entire band of thieves and con artists—who are prominent in the criminal undercity.

Locke thrives by building a reputation for himself, but soon a new player emerges—one who's even more dangerous than he is. To save everything he holds dear, Locke will need to face this mysterious enemy and try to not die in the process.

good fantasy fiction books

9. American Gods

good fantasy fiction books

Authored by Neil Gaiman

First published in 2001

635 pages — 4.11 on Goodreads

Shadow Moon is about to be released from prison when he learns that his wife Laura has died in a car crash. On his way home, he meets the mysterious Mr. Wednesday, who's escaping from a faraway war.

Mr. Wednesday claims to be a former god of America—and not just a former god, but the leader of the Old Gods. His war is one against the New Gods, who have overtaken America as the people of the land have shifted in what they worship.

American Gods is a fascinating blend of different mythologies with modern fantasy, and it remains one of Neil Gaiman's best books.

good fantasy fiction books

8. The Starless Sea

good fantasy fiction books

Authored by Erin Morgenstern

498 pages — 3.86 on Goodreads

One day, Zachary Ezra Rawlins finds a mysterious book that he decides to read. While reading, he realizes that this book tells the story of Zachary's own childhood. But how could that be?

Following some clues, he soon discovers what's at the root of this strange phenomenon—yet the answer doesn't put his mind at ease. Instead, it launches him into a series of adventures taken with several companions and allies he encounters along the way.

The Starless Sea is like a narrative collage: there are many different stories, accounts, and folk tales woven together into one larger depiction of Zachary's life and purpose. It's one of the best examples of a standalone fantasy book that gets it right.

good fantasy fiction books

7. The Poppy War

good fantasy fiction books

Authored by R. F. Kuang

First published in 2018

545 pages — 4.17 on Goodreads

When we think of fantasy books, we often think straight to a medieval European setting with knights, knaves, and kings. But there are so many other kinds of fantasy settings!

One of my own favorites is the Asian-inspired setting of The Poppy War , an epic historical military fantasy book that tells a story that was heavily inspired by real-life events in 20th century China.

Follow the adventures of Rin, who discovers her shamanic power and must embrace those powers to face her destiny. She's the only one who can save her people from the schemes of long-forgotten gods.

6. The Blade Itself

good fantasy fiction books

Authored by Joe Abercrombie

515 pages — 4.20 on Goodreads

The Blade Itself features the intertwining stories of several intriguing characters.

Not only will you meet a barbarian named Logen Ninefingers, but you'll also encounter a crippled torturer, a hot-headed wizard, and a narcissistic nobleman.

All of these quirky characters combined with a murderous, action-packed plot make this a must-read for fantasy fans.

5. Assassin's Apprentice

good fantasy fiction books

Authored by Robin Hobb

First published in 1995

435 pages — 4.17 on Goodreads

Robin Hobb's Assassin's Apprentice follows FitzChivalry Farseer (known as Fitz), the illegitimate child of Prince Chivalry. Fitz is raised by his father's stableman and remains isolated from royalty.

Although he has a lonely childhood, he possesses the Wit, a shunned ability that allows him to form friendships with animals.

When King Shrewd hires Fitz, Fitz must give up his Wit and learn the ways of the assassin instead.

Assassin's Apprentice is a fantasy classic that was first published in 1995. As an older novel, it helped establish some of the popular tropes that have come to dominate fantasy stories with assassin protagonists.

good fantasy fiction books

4. Mistborn: The Final Empire

good fantasy fiction books

Authored by Brandon Sanderson

537 pages — 4.47 on Goodreads

The Final Empire is the first entry in Sanderson's Mistborn series, and it'll have you hooked. It's set in Scadrial, a place where ash always rains from the sky. The oppressed Skaa people lead miserable lives under the tyrannical rule of the Lord Ruler.

When Kelsier, the half-Skaa prisoner, finds out that has the powers of a Mistborn, he manages to escape the Pits of Hathsin. Kelsier is determined to take down the Lord Ruler, and he'll tempt fate with the help of the best allomancers and criminals.

good fantasy fiction books

3. The Last Wish: Introducing the Witcher

good fantasy fiction books

Authored by Andrzej Sapkowski

First published in 1993

400 pages — 4.14 on Goodreads

The Witcher may have its own video game franchise and Netflix original series, but it's important to know that it all started with a book.

The Last Wish is the first in Andrzej Sapkowski's Witcher collection, and was originally written only in Polish. The anthology contains six short stories, all of which connect to Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter.

As an injured Geralt rests in the Temple of Melitele, he has a series of flashbacks that comprise each story in the book.

good fantasy fiction books

2. The Name of the Wind

good fantasy fiction books

Authored by Patrick Rothfuss

First published in 2007

662 pages — 4.52 on Goodreads

The Name of the Wind follows the epic story of Kvothe, a young man who becomes one of the world's most well-known wizards.

He relays his past to a Chronicler, starting from his childhood that he spends as a traveling performer, to his experience as an orphan in the slums of a dangerous city.

With no funds but tons of motivation to expand his knowledge, Kvothe becomes a student at a famous magic university.

The Name of the Wind will have you spellbound—you'll feel one with Kvothe as he retells the entrancing story of his life.

good fantasy fiction books

1. Gardens of the Moon

good fantasy fiction books

Authored by Steven Erikson

First published in 1999

657 pages — 3.91 on Goodreads

Gardens of the Moon is the first book in Steven Erikson's acclaimed 10-book series Malazan Book of the Fallen .

From the very first page, Gardens of the Moon throws you into the deep end. The Malazan Empire is actively waging war across the continent of Genabackis with various factions struggling against them.

This is an epic-scale fantasy series unlike any other, with hundreds of characters that each feel uniquely their own, fleshed out with backstories and relationships that feel tangibly real.

Gardens of the Moon is the weakest entry, yet it's already a deeper and more complex story than most fantasy books out there. There's so much to wrestle with here—and if you're willing to put in the effort, no other fantasy series will be as rewarding as this one.

Without question, without competition, Malazan Book of the Fallen contains many of the best fantasy books for adults, period.

good fantasy fiction books

Top 100 Science-Fiction, Fantasy Books

The lord of the rings by j. r. r. tolkien.

Cover of 'The Lord of the Rings' by J. R. R. Tolkien

This epic high-fantasy novel centers around a modest hobbit who is entrusted with the task of destroying a powerful ring that could enable the dark lord to conquer the world. Accompanied by a diverse group of companions, the hobbit embarks on a perilous journey across Middle-earth, battling evil forces and facing numerous challenges. The narrative, rich in mythology and complex themes of good versus evil, friendship, and heroism, has had a profound influence on the fantasy genre.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

Cover of 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' by Douglas Adams

This comedic science fiction novel follows the intergalactic adventures of an unwitting human, Arthur Dent, who is rescued just before Earth's destruction by his friend Ford Prefect, a researcher for a galactic travel guide. Together, they hitch a ride on a stolen spaceship, encountering a range of bizarre characters, including a depressed robot and a two-headed ex-president of the galaxy. Through a series of satirical and absurd escapades, the book explores themes of existentialism, bureaucracy, and the absurdity of life, all while poking fun at the science fiction genre and offering witty commentary on the human condition.

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

Cover of 'Ender's Game' by Orson Scott Card

A young prodigy is enlisted into a military academy in space, where he is trained through complex war games to combat an impending alien invasion. Despite his initial struggles with isolation and manipulation by the academy's leaders, he rises through the ranks due to his strategic genius and leadership skills. The protagonist grapples with the moral implications of war and the cost of his own humanity, as he is groomed to be the Earth's ultimate weapon against the alien threat.

Dune by Frank Herbert

Cover of 'Dune' by Frank Herbert

Set in a distant future, the novel follows Paul Atreides, whose family assumes control of the desert planet Arrakis. As the only producer of a highly valuable resource, jurisdiction over Arrakis is contested among competing noble families. After Paul and his family are betrayed, the story explores themes of politics, religion, and man’s relationship to nature, as Paul leads a rebellion to restore his family's reign.

A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin

Cover of 'A Game of Thrones' by George R. R. Martin

This epic fantasy novel is set in the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, where 'summers span decades and winters can last a lifetime'. The story follows three main plot lines: the Stark family's struggle to control the North; the exiled Targaryen siblings' attempt to regain the throne; and the Night's Watch's fight against the supernatural beings beyond the Wall. As these stories intertwine, a game of power, politics, and survival unfolds, where you either win or you die.

Nineteen Eighty Four by George Orwell

Cover of 'Nineteen Eighty Four' by George Orwell

Set in a dystopian future, the novel presents a society under the total control of a totalitarian regime, led by the omnipresent Big Brother. The protagonist, a low-ranking member of 'the Party', begins to question the regime and falls in love with a woman, an act of rebellion in a world where independent thought, dissent, and love are prohibited. The novel explores themes of surveillance, censorship, and the manipulation of truth.

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Cover of 'Fahrenheit 451' by Ray Bradbury

In a dystopian future where books are banned and burned by the government to prevent dissenting ideas, a fireman named Guy Montag, whose job is to burn books, begins to question the society he serves. After a series of events, including meeting a free-thinking teenager and witnessing a woman choosing to die with her books, Montag begins to secretly collect and read books, leading to his eventual rebellion against the oppressive regime. The narrative serves as a critique of censorship, conformity, and the dangers of an illiterate society.

Foundation by Isaac Asimov

Cover of 'Foundation' by Isaac Asimov

This science fiction novel centers around Hari Seldon, a mathematician who has developed a branch of mathematics known as psychohistory. With it, he can predict the future on a large scale. Seldon foresees the imminent fall of the Galactic Empire, which encompasses the entire Milky Way, and a dark age lasting 30,000 years before a second great empire arises. To shorten this period of barbarism, he creates two Foundations at opposite ends of the galaxy. The book follows the first few centuries of the Foundation's existence, focusing on the scientists as they develop new technologies and negotiate with neighboring planets.

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

Cover of 'Brave New World' by Aldous Huxley

Set in a dystopian future, the novel explores a society where human beings are genetically bred and pharmaceutically conditioned to serve in a ruling order. The society is divided into five castes, each with its specific roles. The narrative follows a savage who rejects the norms of this new world order and struggles to navigate the clash between the values of his upbringing and the reality of this technologically advanced, emotionless society. His resistance prompts a deep examination of the nature of freedom, individuality, and happiness.

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Cover of 'American Gods' by Neil Gaiman

A recently released convict discovers that his wife and best friend died in a car accident. He then meets a mysterious stranger who hires him as a bodyguard. As they journey across America, it is revealed that the stranger is an old god, traveling to rally his fellow forgotten deities to wage a war against the new American gods born from society's modern obsessions with media, technology, drugs, celebrity, and more. The story blends elements of fantasy, mythology, and Americana to explore themes of faith, belief, and the nature of American identity.

The Princess Bride by William Goldman

Cover of 'The Princess Bride' by William Goldman

This book is an illustrated edition of a classic tale of true love and high adventure. It tells the story of a beautiful princess and her one true love. After he is reportedly killed, she agrees to marry a wicked prince instead, only to be kidnapped and face numerous dangers. The story is filled with humor, romance, and swashbuckling action, all brought to life by vivid illustrations.

The Wheel of Time Series by Robert Jordan

Cover of 'The Wheel of Time Series' by Robert Jordan

The Wheel of Time series is a high fantasy saga that follows a group of friends from a small village as they are thrust into a world teeming with magic, political intrigue, and ancient prophecies. The main protagonist, a young man destined to be the reincarnation of a powerful figure who could either save or destroy the world, must navigate complex alliances, face dark forces, and learn to control his own burgeoning powers. The series is renowned for its detailed world-building, complex plotlines, and large cast of characters.

Animal Farm by George Orwell

Cover of 'Animal Farm' by George Orwell

"Animal Farm" is a satirical fable set on a farm where the animals revolt, overthrow their human farmer, and take over the running of the farm for themselves. The story is an allegory of the Russian Revolution and the rise of Stalin, and the tale is told by the animals that inhabit the farm, primarily pigs who become the ruling class. Despite their initial attempts at creating an equal society, corruption and power ultimately lead to a regime as oppressive as the one they overthrew.

Neuromancer by William Gibson

Cover of 'Neuromancer' by William Gibson

In this groundbreaking cyberpunk novel, a washed-up computer hacker is hired by a mysterious employer to pull off the ultimate hack. As he navigates a dystopian future filled with artificial intelligence, corporate espionage, and virtual reality, he must confront his own past and the dark realities of the digital world. The narrative explores themes of technology, identity, and consciousness, pushing the boundaries of science fiction literature.

Watchmen by Alan Moore

Cover of 'Watchmen' by Alan Moore

Set in an alternate history where superheroes emerged in the 1940s and 1980s, the story follows a group of retired superheroes who are brought out of retirement after the murder of one of their own. As they investigate, they uncover a plot that could change the course of history and the balance of world power. The book explores complex themes such as the morality of power, the definition of heroism, and the value of human life.

I, Robot by Isaac Asimov

Cover of 'I, Robot' by Isaac Asimov

The book is a collection of nine short stories that revolve around the interaction of humans and robots. The stories are tied together by a framing narrative featuring a reporter interviewing a retiring robopsychologist, Dr. Susan Calvin. The stories explore the three "Laws of Robotics" and how they are interpreted and manipulated by humans and robots. Throughout the stories, the robots often end up behaving in unexpected ways due to their interpretation of these laws, leading to thought-provoking and often ironic outcomes.

Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein

Cover of 'Stranger in a Strange Land' by Robert A. Heinlein

The novel follows the life of Valentine Michael Smith, a human who was raised on Mars and returns to Earth in early adulthood. Smith struggles to understand human culture, norms, and conventions, while also possessing extraordinary psychic abilities. As he navigates Earth society, he begins to question many of its institutions and values, ultimately creating his own religion to pass on the wisdom he gained on Mars. The book explores themes of freedom, self-reliance, and the nature of humanity, and is considered a classic of science fiction literature.

The Name Of The Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

Cover of 'The Name Of The Wind' by Patrick Rothfuss

This fantasy novel follows the tale of a gifted young man who grows from a precocious child into a notorious wizard, known as the most notorious magician, musician, thief, and assassin. His life is one of hardship and danger, as he seeks knowledge and revenge following the tragic murder of his family by a group of supernatural beings. The story is told in retrospect as the protagonist recounts his past to a chronicler over the course of three days, revealing the truth behind the myths and legends that have come to surround his enigmatic persona.

Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

Cover of 'Slaughterhouse-Five' by Kurt Vonnegut

The novel follows the life of Billy Pilgrim, a World War II veteran who has become "unstuck in time," experiencing his life events out of order. This includes his experiences as a prisoner of war in Dresden during the Allies' firebombing, his post-war life as a successful optometrist, his abduction by aliens from the planet Tralfamadore, and his eventual death. The book is a critique of war and a demonstration of the destructive nature of time, with a nonlinear narrative that reflects the chaos and unpredictability of life.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Cover of 'Frankenstein' by Mary Shelley

This classic novel tells the story of a young scientist who creates a grotesque but sentient creature in an unorthodox scientific experiment. The scientist, horrified by his creation, abandons it, leading the creature to seek revenge. The novel explores themes of ambition, responsibility, guilt, and the potential consequences of playing God.

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick

Cover of 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?' by Philip K. Dick

Set in a post-apocalyptic world, the novel presents a future where Earth's life has been greatly damaged by a nuclear global war, leaving most species extinct. The remaining human population has been encouraged to emigrate to off-world colonies to preserve the human race. Those who remain on Earth are tasked with maintaining the ecological balance by owning and caring for animals, replacing extinct species with mechanical replicas when necessary. The story revolves around a bounty hunter, who is tasked with "retiring" rogue androids that pose a threat to humans, and his emotional and moral struggles as he goes about his work.

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

Cover of 'The Handmaid's Tale' by Margaret Atwood

Set in a dystopian future, this novel presents a society where women are stripped of their rights and are classified into various roles based on their fertility and societal status. The protagonist is a handmaid, a class of women used solely for their reproductive capabilities by the ruling class. The story is a chilling exploration of the extreme end of misogyny, where women are reduced to their biological functions, and a critique of religious fundamentalism.

The Gunslinger by Stephen King

Cover of 'The Gunslinger' by Stephen King

In a desolate and archaic world that mirrors the Old West, a stoic and enigmatic gunslinger embarks on a relentless quest across a desolate landscape to find the mysterious figure known as the Man in Black. Along his journey, he encounters strange characters, reflects on his troubled past, and confronts both physical and metaphysical challenges. His ultimate goal is to reach the elusive Dark Tower, a place that is said to be the nexus of all universes, where he believes he can right the wrongs of his decaying world. The narrative blends elements of fantasy, horror, and Western genres, creating a unique and haunting tapestry that sets the stage for an epic series of interdimensional proportions.

2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke

Cover of '2001: A Space Odyssey' by Arthur C. Clarke

This science fiction novel follows a voyage to Jupiter with the sentient computer HAL after the discovery of a mysterious black monolith affecting human evolution. Dealing with themes of existentialism, human evolution, technology, artificial intelligence and extraterrestrial life, it is a journey of discovery that takes a dangerous turn when the onboard computer begins to malfunction. The story is a complex mix of science, philosophy, and conjecture.

The Stand by Stephen King

Cover of 'The Stand' by Stephen King

This post-apocalyptic horror/fantasy novel presents a world devastated by a deadly plague, killing 99% of the population. The survivors, drawn together by dreams of a charismatic and benevolent figure, gather in Boulder, Colorado to form a new society. However, a malevolent figure also emerges, attracting a following of his own and setting the stage for a classic battle between good and evil. The story delves into themes of community, morality, and the capacity for both destruction and regeneration within humanity.

Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson

Cover of 'Snow Crash' by Neal Stephenson

In a future America where the federal government has largely collapsed and been replaced by corporate entities, a computer hacker and pizza delivery driver becomes embroiled in a plot involving a dangerous new drug and a computer virus called "Snow Crash". He is joined by a teenage skateboard courier and a host of other characters in a high-stakes race to uncover the truth behind the virus and its origins in ancient Sumerian culture. The narrative explores themes of linguistics, philosophy, computer science, religion, and cryptography.

The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury

Cover of 'The Martian Chronicles' by Ray Bradbury

This science fiction novel is a collection of intertwined short stories that depict the colonization of Mars by humans fleeing from a troubled Earth, and the conflict between aboriginal Martians and the new colonists. The book delves into issues such as nuclear war, racism, and censorship. As the human settlers arrive and begin to shape the Martian landscape to their needs, they face a series of strange and haunting encounters with the Martian civilization, leading to unexpected and often tragic outcomes.

Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut

Cover of 'Cat's Cradle' by Kurt Vonnegut

This novel is a satirical commentary on modern man and his madness, exploring issues of science, technology, and religion. The story revolves around a narrator who becomes involved with the children of a deceased scientist, who had developed a substance capable of freezing water at room temperature. This substance, if misused, has the potential to end all life on earth. The novel is filled with strange and twisted characters, and culminates in a cataclysmic event, highlighting the dangers of uncontrolled technological advancement.

Sandman by Neil Gaiman

Cover of 'Sandman' by Neil Gaiman

"Sandman" is a dark and fantastical series that follows the character Dream, also known as Morpheus, one of the seven Endless who personify certain universal concepts that transcend beyond gods. The narrative explores Dream's realm and responsibilities, his interactions with humans, gods, and his own family, as well as the consequences when he is captured and subsequently escapes after 70 years. The series is renowned for its blending of myth, history, and contemporary issues, creating a richly nuanced universe that delves into the nature of storytelling itself.

A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess

Cover of 'A Clockwork Orange' by Anthony Burgess

This novel follows the life of a violent young man named Alex, who is part of a youth subculture in a dystopian future England. Alex and his gang engage in a nightmarish spree of rape, assault, and robbery, until he is arrested and subjected to a psychological experiment by the government to "cure" him of his violent tendencies. The novel explores themes of free will, morality, and the nature of evil, while using a unique slang language invented by the author.

Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein

Cover of 'Starship Troopers' by Robert A. Heinlein

The book is a military science fiction novel set in the future, where humanity is engaged in an interstellar war against an alien species known as the Arachnids or "Bugs." It follows the story of Juan "Johnny" Rico, a young infantryman in the Mobile Infantry, a futuristic military unit equipped with powered armor suits. The narrative delves into Rico's experiences and growth from a naïve recruit to a seasoned officer, exploring themes of citizenship, duty, and the moral complexities of war. Through Rico's eyes, the novel examines the structure of a militaristic society where full citizenship and the right to vote are earned through military service, presenting a society that values sacrifice and responsibility in a perpetual struggle for survival against a hostile universe.

Watership Down by Richard Adams

Cover of 'Watership Down' by Richard Adams

This novel follows a group of rabbits as they flee their warren due to a foreseen catastrophe. The rabbits, led by Hazel and his psychic brother Fiver, face numerous challenges and adventures as they search for a new home. They encounter predators, hostile rabbit communities, and human threats. The book explores themes of leadership, survival, and freedom, all set within the natural world and its inherent dangers.

Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey

Cover of 'Dragonflight' by Anne McCaffrey

In a world where telepathic dragons and their riders protect the land from the destructive Thread that rains down from the sky, a young woman unexpectedly becomes the new Weyrwoman, bonding with the last queen dragon. As the traditional ways of the past clash with the urgent need to defend their world, she and her enigmatic dragonrider ally must rediscover ancient secrets and take to the skies in a perilous quest to unite the dragonriders and save their planet from annihilation. Their journey is fraught with challenges, both political and personal, as they strive to harness the full power of the dragons and ensure the survival of their way of life.

The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein

Cover of 'The Moon is a Harsh Mistress' by Robert A. Heinlein

In the late 21st century, the moon has become a penal colony where the inhabitants, known as "Loonies", live under harsh conditions and are exploited by the Earth's government. A supercomputer named Mike, a one-armed computer technician named Mannie, and a revolutionary named Wyoming Knott lead an uprising against the Earth's oppressive rule. With Mike's intelligence, Mannie's technical skills, and Wyoming's charisma, they successfully instigate a rebellion, navigating political intrigue, military strategy, and complex human relationships along the way.

A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller

Cover of 'A Canticle for Leibowitz' by Walter M. Miller

"A Canticle for Leibowitz" is a post-apocalyptic science fiction novel that explores the cyclical nature of history through the lens of a Catholic monastery in the American Southwest. After a devastating nuclear war, the monks of the Albertian Order of Leibowitz work to preserve the remnants of mankind's scientific knowledge until the world is again ready for it. Over the course of centuries, civilization rises and falls, wars are fought, and scientific advancements are rediscovered and then lost again. The novel is a poignant commentary on the potential for humanity to repeat its mistakes.

The Time Machine by H. G. Wells

Cover of 'The Time Machine' by H. G. Wells

A Victorian-era scientist invents a machine that allows him to travel through time. He first journeys to the year 802,701 A.D., where he encounters the Eloi, a society of small, elegant, childlike adults who live in harmony but lack curiosity and drive. He later discovers the Morlocks, a nocturnal, subterranean species who prey on the Eloi. After rescuing an Eloi named Weena, the protagonist loses his time machine and must devise a plan to recover it and return to his own time, all while exploring the social and evolutionary implications of the two distinct societies.

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne

Cover of 'Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea' by Jules Verne

This classic science fiction novel follows the adventures of Professor Aronnax, his servant Conseil, and harpooner Ned Land as they are captured by the enigmatic Captain Nemo aboard the Nautilus, a technologically advanced submarine. As they journey 20,000 leagues under the sea, they encounter a variety of sea creatures and underwater phenomena. The narrative explores themes of exploration, scientific discovery, and man's relationship with nature.

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

Cover of 'Flowers for Algernon' by Daniel Keyes

The book is a poignant science fiction narrative that follows the life of Charlie Gordon, a man with an IQ of 68, who undergoes an experimental surgical procedure intended to increase his intelligence. The story is told through Charlie's progress reports, which initially showcase his limited comprehension and writing ability. As the treatment takes effect, Charlie's intelligence surpasses that of the average person, leading to a dramatic increase in his understanding of the world, relationships, and his own past. However, the transformation is not without its pitfalls, as Charlie grapples with the emotional and social implications of his newfound abilities, and the impermanence of the experiment's success becomes a haunting reality. The novel explores themes of intellect, human dignity, and the ethics of scientific experimentation.

War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells

Cover of 'War of the Worlds' by H. G. Wells

This classic science fiction novel tells the story of a Martian invasion of Earth, as experienced by an unnamed protagonist and his brother. The Martians, who are technologically far superior to humans, cause widespread devastation with their heat-ray weapons and towering tripods. Despite humanity's best efforts to resist, they seem unstoppable. The novel is a commentary on British imperialism and explores themes of human survival and evolution.

The Chronicles Of Amber by Roger Zelazny

Cover of 'The Chronicles Of Amber' by Roger Zelazny

The series unfolds the complex tale of a royal family from Amber, the only true world, with the rest of reality being mere shadows of it. The protagonist, suffering from amnesia, discovers his identity as a prince of Amber and becomes embroiled in intricate family politics, magical battles, and the manipulation of different realities. As he regains his memory and navigates the treacherous landscapes of Amber and its shadow worlds, he uncovers dark secrets about his family and the nature of their universe, all while contending with the machinations of his ambitious siblings who vie for the throne of Amber.

The Belgariad by David Eddings

Cover of 'The Belgariad' by David Eddings

The series follows the journey of a young farm boy who discovers his extraordinary destiny as the heir to a powerful artifact that must be retrieved to prevent a dark god from dominating the world. Raised in a rural village, he is initially unaware of his royal lineage and the prophecy that foretells his role in an epic battle between good and evil. As he travels across diverse lands with a group of companions, including a wise old sorcerer, a fierce knight, a cunning thief, and a beautiful princess, he learns about his true heritage and the magical powers he possesses. Together, they face numerous challenges and adversaries, all while the fate of the world hangs in the balance, culminating in a climactic confrontation with the forces of darkness.

The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley

Cover of 'The Mists of Avalon' by Marion Zimmer Bradley

This novel reimagines the Arthurian legends from the perspectives of the women involved. It centers around Morgaine, Arthur's half-sister, who is a priestess of Avalon, and Gwenhwyfar, Arthur's queen. The story explores their roles in the political and spiritual conflicts that arise as Christianity begins to replace the old pagan ways. It delves into themes of love, loyalty, and power, while offering a fresh take on a classic tale.

Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson

Cover of 'Mistborn' by Brandon Sanderson

In a grim, ash-covered world ruled by the immortal Lord Ruler, a young street urchin discovers she possesses unique magical abilities—Allomancy, the power to ingest and burn metals to enhance physical and mental capabilities. She joins a group of rebel skaa, the oppressed class, led by a charismatic criminal mastermind, to overthrow the centuries-old tyranny. Together, they devise an elaborate heist to infiltrate the noble houses and spark a revolution, uncovering dark secrets and unexpected truths about their world and the origins of the Lord Ruler's power along the way.

Ringworld by Larry Niven

Cover of 'Ringworld' by Larry Niven

In this science fiction novel, a motley crew of explorers, including a 200-year-old human, a young woman with lucky genes, a cat-like alien, and a two-headed alien guide, embark on a journey to investigate an artificial ring orbiting a star. This colossal structure, known as the Ringworld, has the surface area of millions of Earths and harbors many mysteries. As the team explores the vast, enigmatic world, they encounter a variety of advanced technologies and alien species, while also grappling with the physics and dangers of the ring's environment. Their mission becomes a struggle for survival and a quest to uncover the origins and purpose of the Ringworld.

The Left Hand Of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin

Cover of 'The Left Hand Of Darkness' by Ursula K. Le Guin

The novel is a groundbreaking work of science fiction that explores themes of gender, politics, and identity. Set on a planet called Gethen, where the inhabitants are ambisexual, shifting between male and female, the story follows an envoy from Earth who struggles to understand this alien society. As he navigates the complex political landscape of Gethen, he must also grapple with his own preconceptions about gender and sexuality. The book is a profound exploration of difference, otherness, and what it means to be human.

The Silmarillion by J. R. R. Tolkien

Cover of 'The Silmarillion' by J. R. R. Tolkien

The book is a collection of mythopoeic stories that form the prelude to a well-known fantasy saga, detailing the creation of the world and the history of its early ages. It encompasses the tragic tale of the quest for the titular jewels, which imbue their creators with great power and beauty. The narrative follows the rebellion of a group of elves against the gods, the subsequent wars and the downfall of noble houses, interwoven with themes of heroism, fate, and the struggle against the ultimate evil. The work is rich with languages, cultures, and epic poetry, setting the stage for the later adventures in the renowned fantasy realm.

The Once and Future King by T. H. White

Cover of 'The Once and Future King' by T. H. White

This novel is a retelling of the Arthurian legend, from Arthur's childhood tutelage under the wizard Merlyn to his eventual death. The story follows Arthur's journey from a naive boy to a wise and just king, his establishment of the Round Table, his marriage to Guinevere, and his complex relationship with his illegitimate son, Mordred. The narrative explores themes of power, justice, war, and human nature, offering a nuanced and humanizing portrayal of a well-known mythical figure.

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

Cover of 'Neverwhere' by Neil Gaiman

In this dark and imaginative fantasy, a young Londoner named Richard Mayhew finds his mundane life turned upside down when he stumbles upon a young woman named Door, bleeding on the sidewalk. After aiding her, he is thrust into the shadowy, parallel world of London Below, a realm of magic, danger, and intrigue that exists beneath the streets of London Above. As Richard journeys through this eerie underworld with a cast of bizarre and fantastical characters, he must confront malevolent forces and unravel a complex conspiracy to help Door discover why her family was murdered, all while trying to find a way back to his old life.

Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke

Cover of 'Childhood's End' by Arthur C. Clarke

"Childhood's End" is a thought-provoking science fiction novel that explores the evolution of humanity under the guidance of mysterious extraterrestrial beings known as the Overlords. Set in the near future, the book follows the transformation of society as the Overlords bring peace, prosperity, and advanced technology to Earth. However, as the human race reaches a new level of enlightenment, questions arise about the true intentions of the Overlords and the future of humanity itself.

Contact by Carl Sagan

Cover of 'Contact' by Carl Sagan

The book is a science fiction novel that explores the concept of human contact with extraterrestrial life. The protagonist, a scientist, deciphers a radio signal from a distant star system that contains plans for a complex machine. After building and entering the machine, she and her team are transported to a distant star system where they meet an alien species. The novel delves into philosophical discussions about religion, science, and the nature of human existence.

Hyperion by Dan Simmons

Cover of 'Hyperion' by Dan Simmons

The book is a science fiction narrative that weaves together the tales of seven pilgrims as they journey to the distant world of Hyperion on the eve of interstellar war. Each pilgrim has their own reason for undertaking this pilgrimage to the Shrike, a mysterious and feared creature that resides in the Time Tombs, which are moving backwards through time. As they travel, they share their stories, revealing personal quests, humanity's complex relationship with technology, and the overarching mystery of the Shrike and Hyperion itself. The novel combines elements of space opera with a frame story structure reminiscent of "The Canterbury Tales," exploring themes of love, religion, politics, and art, all set against the backdrop of an impending catastrophe.

Stardust by Neil Gaiman

Cover of 'Stardust' by Neil Gaiman

"Stardust" by Neil Gaiman is a fairy tale adventure set in the land of Faerie. The story follows the journey of a young man named Tristran Thorn, who sets out to capture a fallen star in order to win the heart of his true love. Along the way, he encounters a variety of magical creatures and characters, including witches, unicorns, and a ruthless prince. As Tristran navigates the dangers and wonders of Faerie, he learns valuable lessons about love, sacrifice, and the power of destiny.

Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson

Cover of 'Cryptonomicon' by Neal Stephenson

The book is a sprawling narrative that intertwines two timelines: the first during World War II, focusing on the efforts of cryptographers and mathematicians working to break Axis codes, and the second in the late 20th century, following a group of entrepreneurs and hackers establishing a data haven in Southeast Asia. The novel explores themes of cryptography, mathematics, and the history of computing, weaving together real historical figures with fictional characters. As the plot unfolds across different continents and eras, it delves into the impact of information technology on society and the perpetual conflict between governments and individuals over the control of information and privacy.

World War Z by Max Brooks

Cover of 'World War Z' by Max Brooks

The book is an apocalyptic horror novel presented as a collection of individual accounts in the aftermath of a global pandemic that leads to a catastrophic zombie outbreak. Through interviews with survivors from various countries and walks of life, the narrative unfolds the social, political, cultural, and environmental implications of the zombie crisis, known as World War Z. The personal stories explore the widespread panic, the collapse and resurgence of governments, military strategies employed to combat the undead, and the human resilience in the face of a decimated world. The novel serves as a critique of societal responses to disasters and a commentary on the human condition.

The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle

Cover of 'The Last Unicorn' by Peter S. Beagle

In this enchanting fantasy tale, a solitary unicorn, believing she is the last of her kind, embarks on a poignant journey to discover what has become of the other unicorns. Along the way, she is joined by a bumbling magician and a tough yet tender-hearted woman. Together, they face trials and confront an evil king to unravel the mystery of the missing unicorns. The unicorn must also grapple with the complexities of love, the loss of innocence, and the painful beauty of existence, as she seeks to restore her kind and witness the return of magic to the world.

The Forever War by Joe Haldeman

Cover of 'The Forever War' by Joe Haldeman

This science fiction novel follows the story of a soldier conscripted to fight in an interstellar war against an alien species known as the Taurans. Due to the time dilation effects of space travel at near-light speeds, the soldier experiences only months of combat, while centuries pass on Earth. Each time he returns from a mission, he finds an unrecognizable society with new technologies and altered social norms. The narrative explores the psychological and emotional impact of war, time displacement, and the soldier's struggle to find a sense of belonging in a constantly changing world. As the conflict drags on through the eons, the soldier begins to question the purpose of the war and the high cost of human life in the face of such temporal vastness.

Small Gods by Terry Pratchett

Cover of 'Small Gods' by Terry Pratchett

In a satirical fantasy world, a once-powerful god finds himself nearly forgotten, his power diminished to almost nothing as he's left with a single believer, a novice monk. This unlikely duo embarks on a journey to confront the corrupt religious institution that has lost sight of true faith, challenging dogma and hypocrisy. Along the way, they encounter a host of quirky characters and navigate philosophical quandaries, ultimately seeking to restore genuine belief and the god's rightful place in the hearts of the people. The narrative cleverly explores themes of religion, belief, and the nature of power through a humorous and thought-provoking lens.

The Chronicles Of Thomas Covenant The Unbeliever by Stephen R. Donaldson

Cover of 'The Chronicles Of Thomas Covenant The Unbeliever' by Stephen R. Donaldson

The series follows Thomas Covenant, a cynical writer who is transported to a magical realm called "The Land" after a tragic accident leaves him a leper and an outcast in his own world. In "The Land," he is mistaken for a reincarnated hero and is reluctantly drawn into a struggle against an evil entity known as Lord Foul, who seeks to escape the metaphysical barriers of the realm and wreak havoc. Despite his disbelief in the reality of this other world and his own role as a savior, Covenant's actions have profound consequences for both "The Land" and his personal redemption, as he grapples with power, responsibility, and the possibility of hope amidst despair.

Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold

Cover of 'Falling Free' by Lois McMaster Bujold

In this science fiction narrative, the story revolves around an engineer who is assigned to a space station where genetically engineered humans, designed with four arms and no legs for zero-gravity work, are being bred by a corporation for economic gain. When the company decides to abandon the project, viewing these beings, known as "quaddies," as obsolete and a liability, the engineer faces a moral dilemma. He must choose between his own safety and career or the welfare of the quaddies. Ultimately, he decides to rebel against the corporation, leading a daring escape plan to save the quaddies from being decommissioned and to find them a new home where they can live free.

Going Postal by Terry Pratchett

Cover of 'Going Postal' by Terry Pratchett

In this satirical fantasy novel, a notorious con artist is given a second chance at life by being forced to revive the defunct Ankh-Morpork Post Office. As the new Postmaster, he must contend with outdated mail systems, a haunted post office, and the competition from a powerful, unscrupulous clacks communication company. Using his wits and a motley crew of postal employees, he embarks on a madcap journey to restore the postal service, outmaneuver the corporate villains, and ultimately redefine the meaning of communication in a city teeming with magic and mayhem.

The Mote In God's Eye by Larry Niven , Jerry Pournelle

Cover of 'The Mote In God's Eye' by Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle

"The Mote In God's Eye" is a gripping science fiction novel set in the distant future, where humanity has expanded its reach to the stars. When a mysterious alien race, known as the Moties, is discovered, a team of human scientists and diplomats embark on a mission to establish contact and learn more about their civilization. However, as they delve deeper into the Moties' society, they uncover dark secrets and hidden agendas that could have catastrophic consequences for both species. Filled with political intrigue, moral dilemmas, and thought-provoking themes, this book explores the complexities of interstellar relations and the potential dangers of encountering an unknown extraterrestrial civilization.

The Sword Of Truth by Terry Goodkind

Cover of 'The Sword Of Truth' by Terry Goodkind

In this epic fantasy novel, a young woods guide named Richard Cypher embarks on a quest to stop the sinister spread of the dark magic that threatens his world. After the brutal murder of his father, Richard's life is turned upside down when he discovers his own hidden destiny and the powerful artifact known as the Sword of Truth. Guided by a mysterious woman named Kahlan and a wizard named Zedd, Richard must navigate a world of dangerous magic and political intrigue, confronting his own fears and moral dilemmas while fighting to prevent a tyrannical ruler from unleashing an ancient and malevolent power.

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

Cover of 'The Road' by Cormac McCarthy

In a post-apocalyptic world, a father and his young son journey through a desolate landscape, struggling to survive. They face numerous threats including starvation, extreme weather, and dangerous encounters with other survivors. The father, who is terminally ill, is driven by his love and concern for his son, and is determined to protect him at all costs. The story is a haunting exploration of the depths of human resilience, the power of love, and the instinct to survive against all odds.

Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke

Cover of 'Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell' by Susanna Clarke

Set in a parallel 19th-century England, this novel tells the story of two practicing magicians, Mr. Norrell and Jonathan Strange. Norrell, who aims to restore magic to respectability in England, is initially thrilled by Strange's natural aptitude for magic, and the two form a student-teacher relationship. However, their partnership soon deteriorates into rivalry as Strange, driven by the loss of his wife to the fairy realm, seeks to reintroduce the old, wilder forms of magic that Norrell disdains. Their conflict escalates, culminating in a magical duel that has profound consequences for the future of magic in England.

I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

Cover of 'I Am Legend' by Richard Matheson

The novel is a post-apocalyptic horror story that centers around a solitary man who may be the last human alive on earth after a pandemic has turned the rest of humanity into vampire-like creatures. He spends his days fortifying his home, hunting for food, and killing these creatures while they sleep. At night, he is tormented by their attempts to break into his home and kill him. His isolation drives him to the brink of insanity, and the novel explores themes of loneliness, survival, and the human capacity for hope in the face of utter despair.

Magician by Raymond E. Feist

Cover of 'Magician' by Raymond E. Feist

The book is a fantasy epic that follows the journey of a young boy named Pug, who rises from humble beginnings as an orphaned kitchen boy to become a powerful magician in the Kingdom of the Isles. His life takes a dramatic turn when he and his friend Tomas are swept into a conflict against an ancient enemy from another world, threatening not only their homeland but also the very fabric of reality. As Pug masters the arts of magic under the tutelage of the enigmatic magician Kulgan, he must navigate a path fraught with danger, political intrigue, and war. Alongside a diverse cast of characters, Pug's destiny unfolds as he becomes a key player in the struggle to save his world from destruction.

The Sword Of Shannara by Terry Brooks

Cover of 'The Sword Of Shannara' by Terry Brooks

In a classic epic fantasy tale, a young man named Shea Ohmsford discovers his royal heritage and embarks on a perilous quest to retrieve the legendary Sword of Shannara. With the guidance of the mysterious druid Allanon, Shea and a diverse group of companions must navigate treacherous lands filled with malevolent creatures and dark magic. Their mission is critical: to use the Sword's power to vanquish the fearsome Warlock Lord and prevent his dominion over the Four Lands. The journey tests their courage and bonds, as they confront the darkness both around them and within themselves.

Conan The Barbarian by R.E. Howard

Cover of 'Conan The Barbarian' by R.E. Howard

The book follows the epic tales of a formidable warrior from the ancient, mythical land of Cimmeria. Known for his exceptional strength, courage, and swordsmanship, the protagonist embarks on a series of adventures across treacherous lands filled with sorcery, fierce creatures, and ruthless enemies. His journey is marked by battles for power, the quest for treasure, and encounters with a diverse cast of characters, both friend and foe. Throughout his exploits, the barbarian hero confronts the dark forces of civilization and the mysteries of an age-old world, all while forging his own legend in a savage, untamed world.

Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb

Cover of 'Assassin's Apprentice' by Robin Hobb

The novel follows the journey of Fitz, the bastard son of a noble prince, who is taken into the royal household of the Six Duchies and secretly trained in the art of assassination. As he grows, Fitz is caught between his loyalty to the throne and his own moral compass. He must navigate a court rife with political intrigue, magic, and treachery, all while grappling with his own identity and the magical Skill that he possesses. His quest for acceptance and purpose is further complicated by the kingdom's need for his unique talents to protect the realm from internal and external threats.

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Cover of 'The Time Traveler's Wife' by Audrey Niffenegger

The novel tells the story of a man with a genetic disorder that causes him to time travel unpredictably, and his wife, an artist who has to cope with his frequent absences and dangerous experiences. Their love story endures many separations and dangerous experiences due to his condition. The story's central theme is the effects of time travel on their marriage and their passionate love for each other.

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

Cover of 'The Way of Kings' by Brandon Sanderson

In a world ravaged by ferocious storms and embroiled in war, three main characters navigate their own paths. Kaladin, a skilled soldier turned slave, struggles to protect his fellow slaves while grappling with his own inner demons. Shallan, a brilliant and ambitious scholar, is on a dangerous quest to steal a powerful artifact to save her family from ruin. Dalinar, a high-ranking military leader, is plagued by visions of ancient times and a mysterious warning. As their lives intertwine, they must confront their own truths and fight for survival in a world on the brink of destruction.

Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne

Cover of 'Journey to the Center of the Earth' by Jules Verne

This science fiction novel revolves around a German professor who believes there are volcanic tubes leading to the center of the Earth. He, his nephew, and their guide embark on an adventurous expedition down an Icelandic volcano into the Earth's core. They encounter prehistoric animals, natural disasters, and otherworldly phenomena along their journey. The expedition is both thrilling and dangerous, testing the limits of their courage and survival skills.

The Crystal Shard by R.A. Salvatore

Cover of 'The Crystal Shard' by R.A. Salvatore

In the icy realm of Icewind Dale, a young barbarian named Wulfgar seeks to prove his worth, while the cunning dark elf Drizzt Do'Urden, an outcast from his own people, strives to find his place in the world. Their lives are thrown into chaos when a powerful mage discovers a magical crystal shard with the ability to dominate the minds of others. As the shard's dark influence spreads, the two unlikely heroes must join forces with a dwarf named Bruenor and a halfling, Regis, to prevent the malevolent artifact from unleashing an ancient evil upon their land, facing a host of dangerous creatures and treacherous enemies in their quest to keep the shard from the clutches of those who would use its power for domination.

Old Man's War by John Scalzi

Cover of 'Old Man's War' by John Scalzi

In this science fiction novel, elderly citizens of Earth are given a chance to join an interstellar army, trading their decrepit bodies for rejuvenated, genetically enhanced versions to fight in a seemingly endless war across the galaxy. The protagonist, a widower who enlists on his 75th birthday, navigates the complexities of his new existence, including the physical and emotional challenges of being young again, the camaraderie and loss within the ranks, and the ethical quandaries posed by the conflict with various alien species. As he rises through the military's ranks, he confronts the harsh realities of this expansive and deadly cosmic battlefield.

The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson

Cover of 'The Diamond Age' by Neal Stephenson

Set in a future where nanotechnology has revolutionized society, the narrative revolves around a young girl named Nell who comes into possession of a powerful, interactive book called "A Young Lady's Illustrated Primer." This book, designed to educate and guide a young girl to a more enlightened state, was originally intended for an elite clientele but falls into Nell's hands by chance. As Nell uses the primer to navigate her complex, cyberpunk world, the story explores themes of education, social class, and the impact of technology on society. The book weaves together the lives of various characters across different strata of a stratified culture, examining how access to technology can both empower and divide.

Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke

Cover of 'Rendezvous with Rama' by Arthur C. Clarke

In this science fiction classic, humanity encounters an enigmatic alien starship that enters the solar system. Named after the Hindu god, the cylindrical vessel is initially thought to be an asteroid but is soon revealed to be a spacecraft. A team of astronauts is dispatched to intercept and explore the mysterious object, embarking on a high-stakes mission to unlock its secrets. As they journey through the ship's interior, they discover a world of astonishing complexity, artificial landscapes, and advanced technology, all of which challenge their understanding of life and intelligence in the universe. The explorers must race against time to learn as much as possible before the ship, indifferent to their presence, continues on its voyage through the cosmos.

Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey

Cover of 'Kushiel's Dart' by Jacqueline Carey

In a world where political intrigue and divine destinies intertwine, a young woman born with a scarlet mote in her eye is marked by the gods for a unique destiny. Trained in the arts of love and espionage, she navigates the complex web of courtly life in a realm where sensuality and pain are intertwined. As a pawn and a player in the game of thrones, she uses her unique gifts to uncover secrets and protect her homeland, all while serving a mysterious patron whose motives are as enigmatic as the unfolding divine plan. Her journey is one of self-discovery, loyalty, and betrayal, set against a backdrop of opulence, ritual, and power struggles, where love can be both a weakness and a formidable weapon.

The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin

Cover of 'The Dispossessed' by Ursula K. Le Guin

The novel is a profound exploration of two vastly different societies on twin planets, Urras and Anarres. The protagonist is a brilliant physicist from Anarres, a planet with an anarchist society, who travels to Urras, a planet with a capitalist and authoritarian regime. The book explores his struggle to reconcile his anarchist beliefs with the stark realities of a different socio-political system. It's a thought-provoking investigation of human nature, power structures, and the idea of utopia.

Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury

Cover of 'Something Wicked This Way Comes' by Ray Bradbury

In this dark fantasy novel, two thirteen-year-old friends, Jim Nightshade and William Halloway, encounter a sinister traveling carnival that arrives in their small Midwestern town just before Halloween. The carnival's malevolent proprietor, Mr. Dark, possesses the power to grant the townspeople's deepest desires, but at a terrible cost. As the boys uncover the nightmarish truth behind the carnival's attractions, they must confront their own fears and temptations. A battle between good and evil ensues, with the fate of their souls and the soul of the town hanging in the balance. The story is a coming-of-age tale that explores the struggle between youth and maturity, and the recognition that every individual harbors both darkness and light within them.

Wicked by Gregory Maguire

Cover of 'Wicked' by Gregory Maguire

This novel reimagines the land of Oz, telling the story from the perspective of the misunderstood green-skinned witch Elphaba. It explores her early life, education, and complex relationship with Glinda, the Good Witch, as well as her eventual transformation into the infamous Wicked Witch of the West. The book delves into themes of good versus evil, the nature of wickedness, and the societal structures that label and ostracize individuals. It provides a rich backstory to a classic tale, challenging readers to reconsider their preconceived notions about villainy and the true cost of standing against injustice.

Gardens Of The Moon by Steven Erikson

Cover of 'Gardens Of The Moon' by Steven Erikson

In a dark and complex fantasy world, an elite group of soldiers known as the Bridgeburners navigate political intrigue and ancient magic as part of a vast empire's expansionist wars. The city of Darujhistan becomes the focal point of conflict, where gods, mages, and various factions vie for power. Amidst the chaos, an ancient force is awakening, threatening to change the balance of power. The soldiers and citizens alike must contend with betrayal, ancient prophecies, and their own personal demons in a struggle that blurs the lines between heroism and ambition, with the fate of the empire and the world itself hanging in the balance.

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

Cover of 'The Eyre Affair' by Jasper Fforde

In a parallel 1985 where literature is taken to extremes, a literary detective named Thursday Next navigates a world where the boundaries between reality and fiction are blurred. When a criminal mastermind begins kidnapping characters from classic novels, Thursday must enter the pages of Charlotte Brontë's "Jane Eyre" to pursue the villain and restore the beloved story to its rightful course. Her journey is fraught with danger, wit, and a touch of romance, as she contends with a time-traveling father, a pet dodo, and the complexities of her own life entwined with the fictional landscapes she protects.

Consider Phlebas by Iain Banks

Cover of 'Consider Phlebas' by Iain Banks

"Consider Phlebas" is a science fiction novel set in a vast and chaotic universe where different civilizations and species clash. The story follows a protagonist named Bora Horza Gobuchul, a shape-shifting mercenary who becomes entangled in a dangerous mission to retrieve a powerful artifact from a religious cult. As Horza navigates treacherous alliances and battles, he also grapples with questions of identity, loyalty, and the nature of humanity. With its epic scope and thought-provoking themes, the novel explores the complexities of war, morality, and the search for meaning in a universe teetering on the brink of destruction.

The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart

Cover of 'The Crystal Cave' by Mary Stewart

"The Crystal Cave" is a historical fiction novel that tells the story of Merlin, the legendary wizard of King Arthur's court. The book follows Merlin's early life, from his birth as the illegitimate son of a Welsh princess to his discovery of his magical powers and his journey to become a wise and powerful advisor to the future King Arthur. Set against the backdrop of early medieval Britain, the novel explores themes of destiny, power, and the struggle between pagan and Christian beliefs.

Anathem by Neal Stephenson

Cover of 'Anathem' by Neal Stephenson

In a parallel world where intellectuals and scientists are cloistered in monastic communities called "concents," the story follows a young monk named Erasmas, who is drawn out of his secluded life by the discovery of an alien spacecraft orbiting his planet. As he and his companions are selected to interact with these extraterrestrial visitors, they are thrust into a complex web of political intrigue, philosophical debate, and existential risk. The narrative weaves together themes of mathematics, quantum mechanics, and multiple world theory, challenging the characters to question the nature of reality and their place within it as they strive to avert global catastrophe.

Furies Of Calderon by Jim Butcher

Cover of 'Furies Of Calderon' by Jim Butcher

In a fantasy realm where humans bond with elemental forces known as furies, a young shepherd named Tavi struggles with his apparent lack of this magical connection. As his homeland, the Calderon Valley, faces an invasion by a savage tribe, Tavi finds himself embroiled in a desperate conflict. Without the aid of his own fury, he must rely on his wits and courage to help defend his people and uncover a deeper, sinister plot that threatens not only Calderon but the entire realm. Alongside a diverse cast of characters, including a powerful female Cursor and a steadfast warrior, Tavi's journey is one of growth, bravery, and the discovery of his own unique strengths.

The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe

Cover of 'The Book of the New Sun' by Gene Wolfe

"The Book of the New Sun" is a four-volume science fiction series set in a far future, post-apocalyptic Earth, known as Urth. The story follows a journeyman torturer named Severian who is exiled for showing mercy to one of his victims. As he navigates through a world filled with strange and mythical creatures, political intrigue, and ancient technology often perceived as magic, Severian discovers his destiny is far greater than he could have ever imagined. The narrative is dense and complex, filled with allegory and symbolism, making it a challenging yet rewarding read.

Heir To The Empire by Timothy Zahn

Cover of 'Heir To The Empire' by Timothy Zahn

Set five years after the fall of the Galactic Empire, the book follows the New Republic as it struggles to maintain peace in the galaxy. The remnants of the Empire, under the strategic command of Grand Admiral Thrawn, are regrouping and pose a new threat. Thrawn's tactical genius and his discovery of a hidden cache of Emperor Palpatine's warships give him the tools to challenge the New Republic. Meanwhile, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Han Solo face personal challenges and the burden of leadership as they fight to protect the fledgling democracy from both external and internal turmoil. The story weaves a complex tapestry of intrigue, betrayal, and battles, setting the stage for a new chapter in the Star Wars saga.

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Cover of 'Outlander' by Diana Gabaldon

The novel follows a World War II nurse who accidentally time travels back to 18th century Scotland. There, she meets a handsome and brave Scottish warrior and is torn between her loyalty to her husband in her own time and her growing love for the warrior. As she becomes more entwined in the past, she must navigate the dangers of a time not her own, including political unrest and violence, while trying to find a way back home.

Elric Of Melniboné by Michael Moorcock

Cover of 'Elric Of Melniboné' by Michael Moorcock

The book follows the tale of a brooding albino emperor with a frail constitution who wields a soul-drinking sword, Stormbringer. As the ruler of the ancient island of Melniboné, he is a sorcerer of considerable power, yet he is an atypical leader, filled with introspective doubt and conflicting emotions. His story is one of tragic heroism, as he navigates political intrigue, eldritch threats, and cosmic battles, all while grappling with his own moral compass and the dark destiny that his sword seems to bring. The narrative is steeped in dark fantasy, exploring themes of fate, power, and the struggle for personal identity against the backdrop of a decaying, once-mighty empire.

The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury

Cover of 'The Illustrated Man' by Ray Bradbury

"The Illustrated Man" is a collection of eighteen science fiction short stories that revolve around the mysterious figure of the illustrated man, whose body is covered in moving tattoos that predict the future. Each story explores themes of technology, humanity, and the consequences of our actions, taking readers on a thought-provoking journey through dystopian worlds, alien encounters, and the depths of human imagination. With vivid imagery and compelling narratives, the book delves into the complexities of human nature and the potential dangers of our own creations.

Sunshine by Robin McKinley

Cover of 'Sunshine' by Robin McKinley

"Sunshine" is a dark fantasy novel by Robin McKinley that follows the story of a young woman named Rae "Sunshine" Seddon, who works as a baker in a small town. One night, she is kidnapped by a group of vampires and taken to an abandoned mansion where she is held captive with a vampire named Constantine. As they work together to escape, Sunshine discovers her own hidden powers and becomes entangled in a dangerous world of magic and supernatural beings. The novel explores themes of identity, acceptance, and the power of love and friendship.

A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge

Cover of 'A Fire Upon the Deep' by Vernor Vinge

In this science fiction epic, a human expedition inadvertently unleashes a malevolent superintelligence in the far reaches of the galaxy. As the entity spreads destruction across civilizations, a diverse group of characters, including a family stranded on a planet with a medieval-level society of dog-like aliens, must navigate complex political landscapes and the vast scales of a universe with zones of thought that dictate the level of technological and cognitive potential. The novel intertwines multiple narratives, exploring themes of consciousness, technology, and communication, while a desperate race against time unfolds to stop the spreading menace before it can reach the High Beyond, where even more advanced societies are vulnerable to its insatiable hunger for power and control.

The Caves Of Steel by Isaac Asimov

Cover of 'The Caves Of Steel' by Isaac Asimov

"The Caves of Steel" is a science fiction novel set in a future where Earth is heavily populated and humans live in massive enclosed cities. The story follows a detective and his robot partner as they investigate a murder that could potentially spark a conflict between Earth's human population and the Spacers, a group of humans who live on other planets. As they delve deeper into the case, they uncover a complex conspiracy that challenges their beliefs about robots, humanity, and the future of their world.

Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson

Cover of 'Red Mars' by Kim Stanley Robinson

The book is a science fiction narrative that chronicles the initial efforts to colonize Mars. It delves into the complex dynamics among the first group of settlers, who come from diverse cultural and scientific backgrounds, as they confront the challenges of terraforming the hostile Martian environment. The story explores themes of ecological transformation, political struggle, and the ethical implications of altering an alien world, while also examining the personal lives and evolving relationships of the colonists. As the settlers work to create a new society on the red planet, their actions set the stage for future generations and the emergence of Mars as a new frontier for humanity.

Lucifer's Hammer by Larry Niven , Jerry Pournelle

Cover of 'Lucifer's Hammer' by Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle

In this science fiction novel, humanity faces an apocalyptic threat when a comet, initially an awe-inspiring celestial event, collides with Earth, unleashing catastrophic destruction. As civilization crumbles, survivors are plunged into a brutal struggle for existence. The story follows a diverse group of characters, including a television scientist, an astronaut, and a senator, who must navigate the chaos and lawlessness of a drastically changed world. Amidst the backdrop of natural disasters and societal breakdown, these survivors must band together to rebuild society while contending with dangerous factions and the harsh realities of a new world order.

Doomsday Book by Connie Willis

Cover of 'Doomsday Book' by Connie Willis

In this science fiction novel, a young historian undertakes a time-travel journey to the 14th century for academic research, only to find herself stranded amidst the onset of the Black Death. As she navigates the challenges of medieval England, her colleagues in the 21st century grapple with a deadly influenza pandemic, complicating efforts to retrieve her. The narrative weaves between the past and the present, exploring themes of human resilience, the universality of suffering across time, and the ethical implications of time travel, all while the historian and her contemporaries confront mortality, history, and their own personal crises.

Perdido Street Station by China Mieville

Cover of 'Perdido Street Station' by China Mieville

In a sprawling steampunk metropolis teeming with bizarre creatures and arcane technologies, a gifted scientist unwittingly unleashes a nightmare upon the city. When his experiment with a rare caterpillar goes awry, monstrous, dream-eating moths are set loose, preying upon the citizens' minds and plunging the city into terror. As the scientist grapples with the consequences of his actions, a motley group of individuals, including a renegade artist, a wingless bird-man, and other outcasts, come together in a desperate attempt to save their city from the eldritch horrors that now haunt its shadowy streets. Their journey takes them through the city's various layers, from the opulent heights to the grimy depths, revealing the complex tapestry of cultures and conflicts that define this urban labyrinth.

A Spell For Chameleon by Piers Anthony

Cover of 'A Spell For Chameleon' by Piers Anthony

In this fantasy novel, we follow the adventures of Bink, a young man from the magical land of Xanth, who lacks his own magic in a realm where magic is the norm. Facing exile for his deficiency, Bink embarks on a quest to discover his true magical talent. Along the way, he encounters a variety of creatures, challenges, and a mysterious woman named Chameleon, whose beauty and intelligence shift with the phases of the moon. Bink's journey reveals not only the secret of his own latent magic but also addresses themes of self-discovery, the value of nonconformity, and the nature of love and loyalty in a world where everything and everyone is more than they seem.

Out Of The Silent Planet by C. S. Lewis

Cover of 'Out Of The Silent Planet' by C. S. Lewis

In this science fiction novel, a man named Dr. Elwin Ransom finds himself transported to another planet called Malacandra. As he explores this strange new world, he encounters various intelligent beings and learns about their unique cultures and languages. Ransom soon realizes that he has been brought to Malacandra as a sacrifice, but he manages to escape and embarks on a thrilling journey to return home. Along the way, he grapples with themes of good versus evil, the nature of humanity, and the existence of a higher power.

NPR , 100 Books

NPR did a readers survey of the Top 100 Science Fiction and Fantasy books in 2011. More than 60,000 ballots were cast in our annual summer reader's survey — click here to see the full list of 100 books, complete with links and descriptions. Below is a list of the top 100 winners.

This list has a weight of 1% . To learn more about what this means please visit the Rankings page .

Here is a list of what is decreasing the importance of this list:

  • voted on by the general public
  • List is genre specific (covers only 1 genre)
  • voters are mostly from 1 location or country

If you think this is incorrect please e-mail us at [email protected] .

Purchase this book

  • International edition
  • Australia edition
  • Europe edition

Abstract open magic book on table with light inside.

The best recent science fiction and fantasy – reviews roundup

The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown; Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon by Wole Talabi; Red Side Story by Jasper Fforde; Past Crimes by Jason Pinter; The City of Stardust by Georgia Summers

Cover image of the Book of Doors by Gareth Brown

The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown (Bantam, £16.99 ) When Cassie receives the gift of a small leatherbound book, her life is transformed. It has the power to make “any door every door”, allowing her to walk out of her New York apartment on to a street in Paris, Venice, Prague – anywhere she’s been, or seen a picture of. Her best friend, Izzy, worries about how criminals could use it, while Cassie thinks they should just enjoy this amazing freedom. But Izzy was right to worry: the Book of Doors is just one of a small number of magical books, each with a different power, and although not many know they exist, some collectors won’t stop at murder to get what they want. What begins like a joyous daydream soon becomes a suspenseful thriller. It’s a truly magical book: exciting, intricately plotted and emotionally compelling.

Cover image of Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon by Wole Talabi

Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon by Wole Talabi (Gollancz, £2 2) The first novel from the Nigerian author of award-winning short stories is set in two worlds: ours, and the spirit side, where ancient gods have modernised into corporate board members who employ lesser spirits to deal with prayers and petitions. Shigidi, a minor god of nightmares, falls in love with the sexy, mysterious Nneoma, a succubus who feeds on human souls, and convinces him to be her partner in the freelance life. But his employer, the Orisha Spirit Company, won’t release him unless he steals back a precious sacred object from the British Museum. With their supernatural powers, the partners expect it to be an easy heist – until they tangle with London’s own spirit guardians. Moving back and forth in time, and between Lagos, London, Singapore and Algeria, this is a vivid, entertaining tale of love, power and revenge.

Cover image of Red Side Story by Jasper Fforde

Red Side Story by Jasper Fforde ( Hodder & Stoughton , £ 20 ) The long-awaited sequel to 2010’s Shades of Grey continues the story set in a country that used to be Britain – before Something Happened. Society now operates on a hierarchical, colour-based system, where everyone’s place and role are determined by the range of colours they are able to see. Eddie and Jane belong to hues of red and green: strictly prohibited from marriage, and now awaiting trial for a murder they did not commit. No one is allowed to question the many strict rules , no matter how absurd. But Eddie and Jane are in love, smart and curious, willing to run any risk to find out the truth about their world. Cleverly constructed, with engaging characters and lots of good jokes, this sparkling Wizard of Oz-inspired fantasy is the second book in an intended trilogy, and one of the quirkiest dystopias ever imagined.

Cover image of Past Crimes by Jason Pinter

Past Crimes by Jason Pinter ( Severn House, £21.99 ) The first venture into science fiction by a well-regarded crime writer is set in the 2040s, when Americans are spending most of their waking hours in an immersive virtual reality network known as Earth+. The popularity of true crime as entertainment has grown exponentially, with new tech allowing total sensory engagement. Subscribers to the simulations produced by entertainment company Past Crimes have the option of being not merely observers but players in famous historic crimes. Cassie West, the widow of the man held responsible for an outbreak of mass suicides and murders known as the Blight, is probably the only person in the world who believes the real culprit got away with it. She thinks she’s found evidence that he’s planning to strike again, with a massacre timed to coincide with the release of the highly anticipated Blight simulation. But will anyone believe her? A tense, unputdownable near-future thriller, chillingly believable about some of the drawbacks of life lived increasingly in non-physical spaces.

Cover image of The City of Stardust by Georgia Summers

The City of Stardust by Georgia Summers ( Hodderscape, £20 ) The Everly family is cursed: for generations, their youngest has been taken by the terrifying, ageless Penelope in payment of a long-ago debt. Violet is the last of the line, since her mother vanished on a quest to break the curse; unless she returns, Violet will be sacrificed instead. As the deadline approaches, newly adult Violet goes on her own quest. She looks to Penelope’s assistant, Aleksander, for help, knowing she shouldn’t trust him, but tempted by his stories of another world, where he lives in a city of scholar-magicians. Things soon turn very dark in an ambitious debut that doesn’t live up to its initial promise, flawed by an overly complicated, confusing plot and thin characterisations.

  • Science fiction books
  • Science fiction roundup
  • Fantasy books

More on this story

good fantasy fiction books

Authors ‘excluded from Hugo awards over China concerns’

good fantasy fiction books

‘Reading is so sexy’: gen Z turns to physical books and libraries

good fantasy fiction books

Pity by Andrew McMillan review – men and memories in a Yorkshire pit town

good fantasy fiction books

The Great Undoing by Sharlene Allsopp review – experimental debut takes on the tech apocalypse

good fantasy fiction books

Bernardine Evaristo defends Royal Society of Literature over ‘false accusations’

good fantasy fiction books

Five of the best recent books from Ukraine

good fantasy fiction books

This month’s best paperbacks: Salman Rushdie, Greta Thunberg and more

good fantasy fiction books

‘We didn’t expect this phenomenon to last’: France’s comic-book tradition is hitting new heights

Most viewed.

30 Most Anticipated Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books of 2024

With a few notable horror picks, too.

a collage of various fantasy and scifi books

FANTASY, SCI-FI, AND horror are among the most popular book genre every year, and for good reason: there's a vast amount of creativity and variety within each of them. They're the perfect books to turn to when you need an escape from the world, but also exactly where to go when you want commentary on the real world through the lens of aliens, fairies, and all kinds of monsters.

In case you didn't already have a pile of books stacked up to your ceiling to read, here are all the books in 2024 that we can't wait to crack open.

Faebound: A Novel

Faebound: A Novel

The first in an exciting new trilogy, Faebound follows a warrior in an elven army alongside her sister, a diviner. When the two are ousted from the Elven Lands, they have to fend for themselves in the wilderness, only to come up against the Fae Court.

Release Date: January 23

The Tainted Cup

The Tainted Cup

If you love Sherlock Holmes but want a bit of a fantasy twist, check out The Tainted Cup . The book follows Ana Dolabra, who's known as the Empire's greatest detective. She's joined by her assistant, who at first finds her grating, but soon learns to appreciate her skill. The two investigate the death of an imperial officer, whose body sprouts a tree upon his demise. It's a strange and seemingly impossible case.

Release Date: February 6

The Book of Doors: A Novel

The Book of Doors: A Novel

Fans of The Midnight Library and The Night Circus will enjoy The Book of Doors . When a bookseller's favorite customer dies, she only has a strange book to remember him by: The Book of Doors. She soon learns the book is actually a powerful tome, and there's a number of collectors who are willing to do anything to get it...

Release Date: February 13

The Book of Love: A Novel

The Book of Love: A Novel

With a release date (the day before Valentine's Day) that feels particularly fitting for the title, Kelly Link's highly-anticipated The Book of Love follows three high school students who disappeared years ago. They suddenly return and find their music teacher waiting for them with a series of tasks he claims will help them to reclaim their lives. While they work to complete the magical tasks, they find themselves in opposition to other supernatural beings, and the teens must also grapple with how to stop the paranormal activity from threatening their town.

Medea: A Novel

Medea: A Novel

For fans of Madeline Miller, Medea is an expanded tale of the much aligned Medea, a famous character from an Ancient Greek play. She's known for killing her children in defiance of her husband, Jason of the Argonauts. But what if that wasn't the whole story? What if there was more to the character? That's what Eilish Quin's book provides.

Blackstone Publishing Exit Black

Exit Black

Exit Black, a spaceship thriller from author Joe PItkin, follows the resident biologist of a space hotel, who has to protect the lives of wealthy tourists who are suddenly held hostage by a global terrorist group.

Release Date: February 20

Redsight

Redsight is a space opera following Korina, a blind priestess with the power to manipulate space-time. She learns she's been raised to be a weapon for the ship she inhabits, but her fate changes when a space pirate attacks the ship, and Korina finds herself inexplicably drawn to her.

Release Date: February 27

The Other Valley: A Novel

The Other Valley: A Novel

The Other Valley has a fascinating premise that's sure to make you teary-eyed. The book centers on two sides of the same town: one is 20 years in the past, and the other is 20 years in the future. When 16-year-old Odile learns her closest friend is dead in the future side of the village, she decides to do everything she can to change what the future holds.

Baby X: A Thriller

Baby X: A Thriller

In a world where anyone can create an egg or sperm from anyone's cells, black market groups look to steal celebrity's DNA. That means people like Ember—security personnel who ensure no one gets unauthorized DNA from the rich and famous—are needed. But when she's tasked with protecting a famed singer's DNA, not only does she end up falling for him, but her entire job is in jeopardy when a woman claims she's pregnant by him.

Release Date: March 5

The Haunting of Velkwood

The Haunting of Velkwood

Fans of Yellowjackets (or at least stories of young people grappling with survivor's guilt) may enjoy The Haunting of Velkwood , which follows three teens who managed to live through the night the rest of the town turned into ghosts. Twenty years later, the three have to grapple with their pasts and return to the place that brought them nothing but pain. Release Date: March 5

Jumpnauts: A Novel (Folding Universe)

Jumpnauts: A Novel (Folding Universe)

Translated by Ken Liu (who is a celebrated writer in his own right and known for translating books in the The Three-Body Problem trilogy), Jumpnauts follows two major factions of Earth as they simultaneously discover extraterrestrial life. To solve their stalemate (and see if they can potentially overtake the other faction), both groups race to make contact before the other.

Release Date: March 12

The Day Tripper: A Novel

The Day Tripper: A Novel

This time-traveling mystery follows a college kid from 1995 who goes to Cambridge University and is with the love of his life. But one night, after a fight, he wakes up and it's 2010. The next day? It's 2019. To get back to his rightful time, he has to unravel his past, present, and future. Release Date: March 19

The Woods All Black

The Woods All Black

This queer historical horror is set in 1920s Appalachia, where Leslie Bruin is assigned to the small religious town of Spar Creek. The congregation is focused on a young person they believe to be an unruly tomboy, but Leslie must act fast if he wants to stop the violence of the townspeople and their mysterious lands.

Release Date: March 19

Floating Hotel

Floating Hotel

If you liked Station Eleven , check out Floating Hotel . It follows a hotel that flies through space, all year moving to different planets and systems and providing guests with a delightful stay. While the hotel itself is intriguing (no one knows who is driving the ship), there's also much to learn about the various guests and staff who stay there. And the hotel's manager specifically has his own personal conflicts, about when to stay at this lovely hotel, or when to leave.

Cascade Failure: A Novel (Ambit's Run, 1)

Cascade Failure: A Novel (Ambit's Run, 1)

This sci-fi adventure follows the crew of a Guild ship called the Ambit and reminds us of Guardians of the Galaxy . When the ship responds to a distress call and finds a mass grave, they learn a corporate power called The Trust is responsible. Who's going to stop them from killing more planets? Looks like the Ambit will have to come to the rescue.

Sound Effect Infinity: A Novel of Mind Control, Altered States, and Music

Sound Effect Infinity: A Novel of Mind Control, Altered States, and Music

This paranormal mystery follows a police sergeant who handles ghosts who haunt people in Columbia, Missouri. Also going on in Missouri at the same time? A paranormal scientist hears a voice telling him to find the disciple of a psychedelic guru, and a defense contractor believes the disciple has the key to mind control.

Sounds like a book that'll make your head spin.

Release Date: March 25

A View from the Stars

A View from the Stars

Now known in the states for his epic trilogy The Three-Body Problem , Chinese author Cixin Liu has a short story and non-fiction essay collection out in 2024 that could be the perfect gift for a sci-fi fan.

Release Date: April 2

Road to Ruin (Magebike Courier)

Road to Ruin (Magebike Courier)

Jin-Lu braves the wastelands on her magic motorbike to deliver her wares. But Jin-Lu is one day thrust into chaos when she helps the princess escape her abusive family, and must protect her from her father, a determined bounty hunter, and her betrothed.

Release Date: May 14

How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying

How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying

A young woman is trapped in a frustrating (and amusing) time loop where she tries–and always fails–to defeat a villainous figure known as the Dark Lord. After trying everything she can think of, it's time for her to switch sides. Maybe becoming the Dark Lord is the way to stop the loop?

Release Date: May 21

Goddess of the River

Goddess of the River

Goddess of the River reimagines the story of Ganga. Ganga takes care of mischievous godlings. When they anger a sage, Ganga is punished with mortality. She marries a king and has a child. But when she is freed from her curse, she must leave her son behind.

Headshot of Milan Polk

.css-82v9cx:before{background-color:#d2232e;color:#fff;content:'';display:inline-block;position:absolute;top:calc(40% - .1875rem);width:100%;z-index:-1;}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-82v9cx:before{height:0.3rem;}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.css-82v9cx:before{height:0.4rem;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-82v9cx:before{height:0.625rem;}} Entertainment

dakota johnson, sydney sweeney, madame web

'Madame Web' Might Actually Be a Perfect B-Movie

the tonight show starring jimmy fallon season 11

Alan Ritchson Would 'Absolutely Love' to Be Batman

love is blind l to r ashley wala, jessica in episode 601 of love is blind cr courtesy of netflix copy 2024

Here's Where Jessica From 'Love Is Blind' Is Now

love is blind matthew in episode 601 of love is blind cr courtesy of netflix copy 2024

‘Love Is Blind’ Season 6 Has a Love Bombing Mess

vince staples in the vince staples show

Vince Staples's Netflix Series Is Normalized Chaos

madame web bad dakota johnson

‘Madame Web’ Is a Disaster. I Loved Every Minute.

a group of people in black uniforms

‘The Traitors’ Season 2 Is Totally Worth Watching

early billy joel portrait

40 Throwback Photos of Celebrities at 21 Years Old

masters of the air apple true story

‘Masters of the Air’ Is a Historical TV Marvel

larry david curb

It's Time For One Last ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ Run

one day, leo woodall, ambika mod, netflix

That Gut-Wrenching 'One Day' Ending, Explained

Every product was carefully curated by an Esquire editor. We may earn a commission from these links.

a hand holding a paint brush

Inside the Censorship Scandal That Rocked Sci-Fi and Fantasy's Biggest Awards

Last week, the Hugo Awards melted down over unexplained disqualifications. Insiders tell Esquire what really happened—and what it could mean for the future of literary awards.

A thousand miles west of Shanghai, on a vast plain between two mountain ranges teeming with giant pandas, it looks like an alien spacecraft has landed in the fourth-largest city in China.

Designed by Zaha Hadid Architects to resemble a star nebula, this is the 59,000-square-foot Chengdu Science Fiction Museum, constructed at lightspeed over the course of a single year to host the 81st World Science Fiction Convention, also known as WorldCon. For writers and readers of science fiction and fantasy, it's like the National Book Awards, the Academy Awards, and San Diego Comic-Con all rolled into one.

On Saturday, October 21st, 2023, thousands of people gathered here for panels, parties, and the annual Hugo Awards ceremony, which celebrates the best works of science fiction and fantasy published or released during the previous calendar year.

In Hollywood, a Hugo Award for best film or TV series may not carry the same cachet as an Oscar or an Emmy, but in bookstores from New York to Moscow, a bright Hugo Award badge on the cover of a novel can help it stand out. “We usually make a display in the store for the nominees and winners,” says Matthew Berger, co-owner of the Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore in San Diego. In their early days, the Hugo Awards recognized writers who have since become genre legends, like Isaac Asimov, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Frank Herbert; more recently, honorees have included modern masters like George R.R. Martin, Brandon Sanderson, and N.K. Jemisin.

main venue for 81st world science fiction convention

That evening in Chengdu, in a massive auditorium shaped like the belly of a whale, Dave McCarty—a middle-aged software engineer for an Illinois trucking company and lifelong sci-fi fan who was chosen by the convention’s leaders to oversee last year’s Hugo Awards—walked onstage to thundering applause. Within the WorldCon community, he’s nicknamed the “Hugo Pope” for serving on so many awards committees over the years.

“With the help of fans from all over the world, including many fans here in China participating for the very first time, we identified a ballot of 114 deserving finalists,” McCarty said behind a podium, wearing a black tux over a white waistcoat and bow tie. “We then asked the community to rank those choices as they saw fit.”

But that’s not what happened. Something had gone horribly wrong.

Among sci-fi and fantasy fans, the uproar was immediate and intense. Had government officials in the host country censored the finalists? Did the awards committee make a colossal mistake when tallying the votes, then try to cover it up? Or did something even stranger occur?

To get to the bottom of the mystery, I spoke with more than a dozen past Hugo winners, finalists, and committee members, some of whom requested anonymity. But to understand what these insiders believe really happened —and what it means for the future of the Hugos and other literary awards—we have to utilize a science fiction trope and go back in time.

The Hugo Awards have courted controversy before. In 2015, a right-wing voting bloc led by Brad R. Torgersen dominated the ballot after he complained that the Hugos had become “an affirmative action award” for “underrepresented minority or victim group” authors and characters. In 2021, the voting process to select the host city for the 2023 convention became a lightning rod for conspiracy theories. Each year, anyone who purchases a membership in the World Science Fiction Society can vote on where WorldCon will be held two years later. In 2021, voters could choose between Chengdu and Winnipeg, Canada for the 2023 convention. “There were concerns that a couple thousand people from China purchased memberships [in the World Science Fiction Society] that year to vote for Chengdu,” says Jason Sanford, a three-time Hugo finalist. “It was unusual, but it was done under the rules.”

While Sanford welcomed the participation of new Chinese fans, other people were alarmed that many of the Chinese votes for Chengdu were written in the same handwriting and posted from the same mailing address. The chair of the convention that year, Mary Robinette Kowal, says some members of the awards committee wanted to mark those votes as invalid. “But if you’re filling out a ballot in English and you don’t speak English, you hand it to a friend who does,” she says. “And the translation we’d put in could be read as ‘where are you from,’ not ‘what is your address.’”

Eventually, a few votes were invalidated by the committee, but most were allowed to stand. “China has the largest science fiction reading audience on the planet by several magnitudes, and they are extremely passionate,” Kowal says.

Later, when Chengdu was announced as the winning site for the 2023 convention, more than 100 authors—including N. K. Jemisin, G. Willow Wilson, S. A. Chakraborty, and Tochi Onyebuchi—signed an open letter “in protest of serious and ongoing human rights violations taking place in the Uyghur region of China.” Other authors were concerned about the Chinese Communist Party’s history of censoring LGBTQ content, as well as material that criticizes the party’s government.

These concerns planted the seeds for this year’s crisis, which reached a boiling point on January 20, 2024.

the 81st world science fiction convention opens in chengdu

Compared with other literary awards, the Hugos are usually remarkably transparent and democratic. While the National Book Awards and the Booker Prizes are selected behind closed doors by a panel of judges, anyone can vote for the Hugos by purchasing a supporting membership in the World Science Fiction Society for each year’s convention.

Most years, the Hugo committee shares the nominating statistics later the same evening after the winners are announced, or a few days later, at most. This year, Dave McCarty didn’t share the statistics until January 20—91 days after the awards ceremony, with no explanation for the delay. “The World Science Fiction Society’s constitution says the statistics have to be released within three months, but it’s never taken that long before now,” says Sanford.

When McCarty finally shared last year’s nominating statistics on his Facebook page, authors, fans, and finalists were shocked. In the history of the awards, no works had ever been deemed ineligible like this. Many people who had expected Kuang to win for Babel were now stunned to see she very well could have, and McCarty’s refusal to explain what happened made everything worse. (McCarty did not respond to interview requests for this story.)

“Fandom doesn't like people fucking with their awards, no matter who does it or why,” says John Scalzi, a three-time Hugo Award winner who was a finalist last year in the Best Novel category: the very same category in which R.F. Kuang should have been nominated for Babel, according to the nomination count on page 20 of McCarty’s document. “The reason people are outraged right now is because they care about the award, in one fashion or another, and this lack of transparency feels like a slap,” Scalzi says.

Brandon Sanderson , another past Hugo winner, says this incident damages the reputation of the award: “To find out that the committee behind the scenes [overrode] the voter base without saying anything AND with possible political motivations is extremely unsettling.”

Neil Gaiman didn’t respond to my interview request, but he did comment directly on McCarty’s Facebook post : “Is there anyone who could actually explain WHY Sandman episode 6 was ineligible?”

McCarty responded: “The only statement from the administration team that I can share is the one that I already have, after we reviewed the constitution and the rules we must follow, we determined the work was not eligible.”

Since then, hundreds of people have asked McCarty to explain what exactly in the World Science Fiction Society (WSFS) constitution or rules made these works ineligible, but his responses quickly deteriorated into insults, such as “Are you slow?” and, “Clearly you can't understand plain English in our constitution.” However, there isn’t a single rule in the WSFS constitution that could possibly explain why any of these writers were deemed ineligible.

“When I started seeing Dave McCarty’s responses, I was utterly unsurprised,” a former WorldCon committee member who asked to remain anonymous tells me. “That is very consistent with who he is, and how he’s treated other people. It’s incredibly disrespectful on every level.”

china sichuan chengdu worldcon cn

A few days later, McCarty apologized for his “inappropriate, unprofessional, condescending” responses, but still refused to explain the ineligibles. Without answers from McCarty, many Hugo enthusiasts have coalesced around two theories: either the awards committee miscounted early-round votes and realized their mistake too late, or the ineligible writers were censored under pressure from the Chinese Communist Party.

“If they had issued a statement saying there was a miscount and we’re deeply sorry about it, people would have been mad, but it would have been understandable,” Kowal says. Some fans have pointed to mathematical irregularities in the voting statistics compared to past years, and an additional former WorldCon committee member tells me, “I’m guessing someone made a mistake—probably more than one.”

Meanwhile, allegations of censorship have spread like Star Trek tribbles, especially because the protagonist of R. F. Kuang’s Babel is queer, Zhao is non-binary, and all four “ineligible” writers have criticized the Chinese Communist Party or its policies at some point in the past.

Gaiman, Kuang, and Zhao declined to comment on this story, but confirmed on social media that they were just as shocked as everyone else. Weimer says one of his Patreon posts from 2021, where he expressed concerns about holding the Hugos in China, may have marked him for censorship. “It's possible that the [Chinese Communist Party] took umbrage at my piece, or the [convention] felt that they might, and so I was rendered ineligible,” he says.

However, multiple former WorldCon committee members who spoke with me on the condition of anonymity do not believe the Chinese government—nor the Chinese members of last year’s Hugo Awards administration—directly or indirectly censored the awards. Rather, they believe that one or more members of the executive committee mismanaged this year’s awards—and failed to explain why four popular works were deemed ineligible.

On January 31, less than two weeks after McCarty revealed the voting statistics that kicked off the controversy, the California nonprofit that owns the Hugo Awards trademarks released a bombshell statement : McCarty resigned from the organization, alongside the chair of its board of directors, Kevin Standlee. Additionally, the nonprofit censured McCarty “for his public comments that have led to harm of the goodwill and value of our marks and for actions of the Hugo Administration Committee of the Chengdu Worldcon that he presided over.” Two other members of the Chengdu awards committee, Ben Yalow and Shi Chen, were censured as well, “for actions of the Hugo Administration Committee of the Chengdu Worldcon that [they] presided over.”

Yalow and the rest of the 2023 awards committee did not respond to my interview requests for this story. None of my sources know why Yalow or Chen were censured, though as co-division heads of the convention, they would have been McCarty’s superiors.

Meanwhile, organizers of the upcoming 2024 Hugo Awards in Glasgow, Scotland, released a statement of their own to calm the waters: “We will also publish the reasons for any disqualifications of potential finalists, and any withdrawals of potential finalists from the ballot.”

china sichuan chengdu worldcon cn

While this may be the last we hear about the Chengdu crisis, each year’s WorldCon and Hugo Awards are run by a different crop of volunteers, leaving many authors, fans, and finalists hopeful about the future, albeit insistent that permanent changes need to be made to the WSFS constitution that can’t be ignored by individual committees.

“At the very least, I think those [writers] who were removed should have their eligibility extended by a year, and perhaps it's time for a long hard look at the Hugo committee and overhaul how the award is managed,” Sanderson says.

Scalzi agrees. “The thing I would like to stress here is that the Hugos have been to this point pretty resilient: there have been major crises involving them before… and the [community] moved to address them,” he says. “So while this is a problem and needs to be addressed, quickly and comprehensively, I feel pretty confident the community will address it and the Hugos will come out the other side a better award.”

One thing everyone seems to agree on is that the transparent voting process makes the Hugo Awards special. “I love the Hugo for its unique method of walking the line between being a juried award and an open-voting, ‘who has the most fans’ award,” Sanderson says. “It's like an Academy Award, except if any person dedicated enough to the genre were able to join the Academy and participate.”

Perhaps in the future, other literary awards will be inspired by the transparency of the Hugos, if not the controversies that have occasionally accompanied them. Imagine the thrill and tragedy of finding out a book was one vote away from winning or becoming a finalist for the National Book Awards or the National Book Critics Circle Awards. Imagine the drama!

.css-f6drgc:before{margin:-0.99rem auto 0 -1.33rem;left:50%;width:2.1875rem;border:0.3125rem solid #FF3A30;height:2.1875rem;content:'';display:block;position:absolute;border-radius:100%;} .css-1aglugu{font-family:Lausanne,Lausanne-fallback,Lausanne-roboto,Lausanne-local,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:1.625rem;line-height:1.2;margin:0rem;}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-1aglugu{font-size:1.75rem;line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-1aglugu{font-size:2.375rem;line-height:1.2;}}.css-1aglugu b,.css-1aglugu strong{font-family:inherit;font-weight:bold;}.css-1aglugu em,.css-1aglugu i{font-style:italic;font-family:inherit;}.css-1aglugu:before{content:'"';display:block;padding:0.3125rem 0.875rem 0 0;font-size:3.5rem;line-height:0.8;font-style:italic;font-family:Lausanne,Lausanne-fallback,Lausanne-styleitalic-roboto,Lausanne-styleitalic-local,Arial,sans-serif;} "Fandom doesn't like people fucking with their awards."

But when I reached out to those award organizations, they didn’t sound too wild about the idea. “The National Book Awards judges make their decisions independently of the National Book Foundation staff and Board of Directors, and deliberations are strictly confidential,” says Ale Romero, communications and marketing manager at the National Book Foundation, which presents the National Book Awards.

A rep for the National Book Critics Circle (NBCC) says that privacy is part of what gives the award its personality. “Much like the Quakers, nearly every decision made at the NBCC is one undertaken by the entire group, [and] I believe it would be very difficult to persuade a majority of our board to vote for such a change,” says Keetje Kuipers, vice president of awards and diversity, equity, and inclusion for the NBCC. “Releasing a voting statistics tally would not be in keeping with the tenor of our traditional deliberation style, which favors passionate critical argument over all else.”

At the end of my Zoom call with Sanford, I see some emotion in his face around the eyes. “When I was young, science fiction and fantasy books literally saved my life,” he says. “I looked for books that were Hugo finalists or winners, and they showed me a way forward. They showed me there are other people out there who think like me.”

Whatever happens to the Hugos moving forward, one thing is clear: No one should have the power to erase books from the reading lists of future Jason Sanfords.

preview for HDM All sections playlist - Esquire

@media(max-width: 73.75rem){.css-1ktbcds:before{margin-right:0.4375rem;color:#FF3A30;content:'_';display:inline-block;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-1ktbcds:before{margin-right:0.5625rem;color:#FF3A30;content:'_';display:inline-block;}} Books

a stack of books

Meet Your New Robot Co-Writer

dune books

How to Read the 'Dune' Book Series in Order

the bullet swallower

The Western Renaissance Begins With This Novel

filterworld

How to Take Back Your Life From Algorithms

the end of the multiverse

The End of the Multiverse

historical texts

Rewriting The Rules of Historical Fiction

best horror books

The Best Horror Books of 2023

text, calendar

The Esquire Book Club Holiday Gift Guide

e

The Holiday Napkin Project: Jeff VanderMeer

e

The Holiday Napkin Project: Ottessa Moshfegh

e

The Holiday Napkin Project: Zakiya Dalila Harris

Observer Logo

  • Entertainment
  • Rex Reed Reviews
  • What to Watch
  • Editorial Ethics and Guidelines
  • Advertise With Us
  • Observer Advertising Guidelines

10 Must-Read Books By Black Authors Using Fantasy to Explore Black Imagination

We've rounded up the best fantasy books by black authors whose tales will transport you to new worlds of magic, mystery, dragons and more..

The outsized impact Fantasy has had on literature is often minimized because so many people view this genre as escapist fiction. But historically, authors have used Fantasy not only to entertain but also to comment on issues and injustices society avoided engaging with, and today, many talented Black authors are turning to Fantasy to shatter seemingly impossible-to-break-through glass ceilings, drive awareness of unchecked injustice and shine a light on revelatory Black storytelling.

SEE ALSO: The Best Books to Cozy Up With When You’re Feeling Romantic

Why Fantasy? Because the genre can do something other forms of storytelling often can’t: reshape reality entirely, for better or for worse, to showcase the best and the ugliest truths about us all. Black History Month is a great time to restock your shelf with books by Black authors who are telling fantastical tales inspired by true events and otherworldly stories with wild Star-Wars-meets-the-Authurian-legend vibes. It’s also a great time to acknowledge that the best books in the genre are increasingly being penned by diverse voices. There’s a lot to love in this list of ten amazing books that use Fantasy to explore Black imagination.

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

A book cover featuring a woman with red light swiling around her wrist

Legendborn is one of the most stunning books of recent years. Bree Matthews enters a secret society she discovers is connected to her mother’s mysterious death. They are the Legendborn, the exalted heirs of King Arthur’s knights who fight demons in the contemporary South. Members keep the famous tales of King Arthur alive but also exemplify the institutional racism of historical and modern-day America. This is a complicated tale of grief and Black girlhood but one that’s so full of what readers of Young Adult Fantasy find so appealing: secret societies, intense romantic moments in between demon fights, brooding goth boys and shocking family secrets. Deonn’s fresh take on the genre has been much needed.

I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast Is Me by Jamison Shea

A book cover featuring a woman floating in water

Jamison Shea’s Young Adult novel is a fantastical read focused on Black girl excellence in a racist institution—it’s also one of the best books of 2023 . Laure Mesny, a talented ballerina in the cutthroat world of Parisian ballet, is continuously overlooked for top positions. She’s ready to go to such extreme lengths to reach her ambitions that she makes a deal with a river of blood, and her monstrous instincts pull her down into a grim underworld in this book that’s both perfectly disturbing and spectacularly cathartic.

Within These Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood

A book cover featuring a woman with braided hair looking outward

If you’re looking to read more gothics by Black authors, Lauren Blackwood’s Young Adult novel is a perfect book to add to your list. Within These Wicked Walls is an Ethiopian re-imagining of Jane Eyre with an exorcist in the titular protagonist’s role. Andromeda is hired to cleanse the household of ghostly manifestations and finds herself drawn toward Magnus Rochester, who is as interested in her as she is in him.

The Deep by Rivers Solomon

A book cover featuring the words THE DEEP

The Deep , written by the author of An Unkindness of Ghosts , is ostensibly about the African slave women tossed overboard during the Middle Passage but in this short read, they are immortalized as mermaids in a mesmerizing underwater society. Originally a Hugo Award-nominated song by Daveed Diggs’ band, Clipping, this brilliant story tells the story of Yetu, who holds the memories of her people to keep the painful archives of their ancestors from disappearing. But keeping that trauma with her continuously proves traumatic. It’s a smart story that uses Fantasy to unpack the nuances of modern survival and generational trauma.

Kindred by Octavia Butler

A book cover featuring a close up of a woman looking down

Remembered as one of Science Fiction’s most iconic and canonical authors, Octavia Butler’s Kindred should be on every American’s shelf. Butler originally wrote Kindred as a response to the minimization of slavery and its impact. It’s an insightful, emotionally packed story about a Black woman facing the everyday horrors of her female ancestors. Dana is transported to the Antebellum South to the home of Rufus, the heir of the plantation where her ancestors were enslaved. Every time Dana is transported back in time, the closer she grows to knowing her ancestors and the difficult, complicated realities of their lives.

The Unbroken by C.L. Clark

A book cover featuring a woman with her arms outstretched

A story of colonialism, The Unbroken was inspired by France’s brutal colonization of North Africa. Touraine, stolen as a child to be groomed as a soldier of the empire, breaks off from what is expected of her and joins the rebellion. Luca, a princess who takes a liking to her, brings Touraine into her plot against her uncle. Together, they live lives of allyship, revenge, political maneuvering and romance. C.L. Clark’s debut Fantasy novel is perfect for fans of military fiction—this book adds a complex perspective-driven layer that enriches the usual narrative.

Ring Shout by P. Djeli Clark

A book cover featuring black gloves

In Ring Shout, or, Hunting Ku Kluxes in the End Times , P. Djeli Clark puts a demonic twist on the rise of the Klan after the release of 1915’s Birth of a Nation . Across America, the Klan spreads fear as part of a plan to bring Hell to Earth. Maryse Boudreaux, a Harlem Hellfighter , hunts the Klan’s demons and then sends them back to Hell. With fascinating worldbuilding and strong characterization, Clark uses Fantasy paired with African American folklore to comment on real historical events that had a long-lasting impact on the U.S.

The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter

A book cover featuring a dragon skull

Evan Winter’s debut novel, The Rage of Dragons , is a coming-of-rage tale for anyone who has been searching for a beautifully told, Africa-inspired Dragon Fantasy. The Emehi, who have the power to call dragons, have been stuck in a centuries-long war. Tau, enraged at the loss of a loved one, becomes a warrior intent on taking revenge on his enemy.

A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow

A book cover featuring two women underwater

Tavia is a siren forced to keep her identity hidden in a society threatened by her kind. By her side is Effie, who is bent on escaping her own traumatic past in a city (a magical version of Portland, Oregon) that is buzzing about a siren murder trial. The girls try to live their lives as normally as they possibly can given this terrifying news. But when the murderer goes free, Tavia reveals her identity at the worst possible moment. A Song Below Water is Young Adult Fantasy set in a world where Black girls get to be mermaids, embrace Black girlhood and fight for justice in the same breath.

Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia

A book cover featuring two people, one shorter and younger and one older and taller

Tristan Strong is mourning the loss of his friend after a catastrophic bus accident. When he’s sent to Alabama to live with his grandparents, a strange creature takes his friend Eddie’s journal and pulls them both into a world inspired by African-American folklore. With John Henry and Brer Rabbit, Tristan is determined to find a way back home—but he’ll have to barter with the famed trickster god of West African mythology, Anansi. Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky is a middle-grade Fantasy story that emphasizes the importance of children hearing the tales of their ancestors and knowing where their families come from.

10 Must-Read Books By Black Authors Using Fantasy to Explore Black Imagination

  • SEE ALSO : ‘Suncoast’ Is Another Mediocre Coming-of-Age Movie That Makes Too Many Wrong Choices

We noticed you're using an ad blocker.

We get it: you like to have control of your own internet experience. But advertising revenue helps support our journalism. To read our full stories, please turn off your ad blocker. We'd really appreciate it.

How Do I Whitelist Observer?

Below are steps you can take in order to whitelist Observer.com on your browser:

For Adblock:

Click the AdBlock button on your browser and select Don't run on pages on this domain .

For Adblock Plus on Google Chrome:

Click the AdBlock Plus button on your browser and select Enabled on this site.

For Adblock Plus on Firefox:

Click the AdBlock Plus button on your browser and select Disable on Observer.com.

good fantasy fiction books

good fantasy fiction books

The Books Must Flow: 8 Rad New SFF Books Out February 2024

' src=

Liberty Hardy

Liberty Hardy is an unrepentant velocireader, writer, bitey mad lady, and tattoo canvas. Turn-ons include books, books and books. Her favorite exclamation is “Holy cats!” Liberty reads more than should be legal, sleeps very little, frequently writes on her belly with Sharpie markers, and when she dies, she’s leaving her body to library science. Until then, she lives with her three cats, Millay, Farrokh, and Zevon, in Maine. She is also right behind you. Just kidding! She’s too busy reading. Twitter: @MissLiberty

View All posts by Liberty Hardy

There’s a tale of Indigenous survivors of the apocalypse searching for a new home and resources; three dead teenagers who are returned to life to help fight in an epic magic battle; a book that gives its owner the ability to open a door anywhere in the world; a haunting story of real events during WWI with a supernatural twist; two fantastic collections of short stories, one fantasy and one science fiction; and more! If you love SFF, I guarantee at least one of these is already on your TBR, and you’ll end up putting a couple down as your favorite books at the end of the year. So let’s get started!

cover of The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden; illustration of hands holding a rose

The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden (February 13)

Katherine Arden is well-known for her Winternight fantasy trilogy and the Small Spaces quartet for kids, all of which are fabulous. But this is her best book to date. It’s a speculative work of historical fiction set during World War I. Laura Iven was a field nurse in Flanders when she was injured and sent home to Nova Scotia. Shortly after, she loses her parents in the Halifax munitions explosion and then receives her brother Freddie’s possessions, indicating that he was killed in battle. But when no one can tell Laura how or where he died, and now, with nothing keeping her in Halifax, she gets a new job. Her nursing position takes her back to Belgium in the hopes that there is the slightest chance that Freddie is alive. Meanwhile, in alternating chapters, readers are taken back a few months in the story to learn what happened to Freddie. It is a story of family, love, and survival. It’s one of the most harrowing works about war written in the last decade: its speculative plot line captures the classism, devastation, and futility of war.

cover of The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown; blue, with a staircase running across the front with an open door in the middle and a woman falling from the door

The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown (February 13)

If you love books, magic, and adventure, this is the dark fantasy debut for you! Cassie is a bookseller in NYC, where she makes friends with an elderly man who often comes into the store. But sadly, one day, he dies, and she discovers he left a book with a note for her. The book is called — you guessed it — The Book of Doors . While Cassie doesn’t know why he left it for her, she soon learns it opens doors. Like, actual doors to any place in the world for whoever is in possession of it. Just pick up the book, imagine the door to the place you want to go and step through — voilà! You’re there. But Cassie will find out that not only are there other books like this that give the owner different special abilities, but there are people who would stop at nothing to get their hands on them, including one of the scariest villains anyone has ever seen, simply known as The Woman. She’s like Cruella de Vil’s less-nice sister. (+5 Sliding Doors reference!) This is an imaginative read that sticks the landing and is perfect for fans of V.E. Schwab and Erin Morgenstern!

cover of The Book of Love by Kelly Link; red with different phases of the moon

The Book of Love by Kelly Link (February 13)

This is simply the most exciting fiction release of the year: Kelly Link’s debut novel! Link has published several collections of award-winning stories, but now we are invited to visit her longest work yet. (Seriously, it’s over 600 pages!) In a small, sleepy Massachusetts town, three teenagers are returned to the town. Returned, because they’ve been dead for a year. Their high school music teacher, who it turns out is more than just a teacher, has brought them back to life to enlist their help in fighting the coming battle between good and evil. This is a remarkable tale of love, family, magic, books, and chosen ones, but told only as Link would tell it…meaning it’s really freaking brilliant. It’s a lush, hypnotic fantasy novel like no other.

cover of The Butcher of the Forest by Premee Mohamed; illsutration of green foliage, with red candles, and a crow, a unicorn, a fox, and a rabbit, all with skulls for faces

The Butcher of the Forest by Premee Mohamed (February 27)

Readers of SFF could subsist on amazing Tordotcom Publishing novellas for a very, very long time. This one is from award-winning author Premee Mohamed. It’s a dark fairytale about a woman who, as a child, was the only villager to survive a stay in the dark, magical woods. Now, she is forced to return as an adult to rescue the children of the village tyrant, and the trappings she escaped all those years ago may prove too much for her this time around. This is one of three new books Mohamed has coming out in 2024. The second is The Siege of Burning Grass , out March 12, and the third is We Speak Through the Mountain , out June 18. (And if you haven’t read it yet, the novella And What Can We Offer You Tonight is also excellent.)

cover of Fifty Beasts to Break Your Heart: And Other Stories by GennaRose Nethercott; illustration of black vines, pinks roses, a black wolf, and a black goat wearing a black dress

Fifty Beasts to Break Your Heart: And Other Stories by GennaRose Nethercott (February 6)

In 2022, GennaRose Nethercott dazzled readers with an adult fantasy novel about Baba Yaga’s descendants and her chicken leg house. Now, she is back with a collection of fantasy tales for adults about the terrors and dark desires that reside within us all. In this anthology, a woman begins to change after moving in with her boyfriend; an unusual detective — okay, a zombie rooster — is working a missing persons case; two teens get drawn into the roadside attraction where they work; a group of students use black magic to fight a terrible classmate; an unusual romantic match is made between a goat woman and a vampire; and much more. Get ready to sink into this weird, wonderful book, perfect for one sitting or to read in bite-sized bits!

cover of Moon Of The Turning Leaves by Waubgeshig Rice; an orange glow seen through a black forest under a starry night sky

Moon Of The Turning Leaves by Waubgeshig Rice (February 27)

This is the exciting follow-up to 2018’s Moon of the Crusted Snow ! In that book, an isolated Anishinaabe community was cut off from the coming horrors of the outside world, left with no electricity and no news of what was happening around them. (I recently saw someone online say they had to stop reading the first book because it was too unsettling in the best way, which is a great way to sum it up.) This new book contains the same community and characters but can be read as a standalone. In it, it’s two decades after the apocalypse for the Anishinaabe people, and they have run out of supplies. In order to survive, they will have to leave the only place they have known for 20 years and go out into the wilds of the post-apocalyptic country. Relying on their wits and gut feelings, they will encounter help and dangers in the form of people, animals, and nature.

cover of Lore of the Wilds by Analeigh Sbrana; illustration of a young Black woman holding an open book with wisps coming out of it, standing in front of two young Black men

Lore of the Wilds by Analeigh Sbrana (February 27)

In keeping with the surge of interest in romantasy these past couple of years, here is another thrilling adult debut featuring Fae, a cursed library, and and a human willing to risk her life to save the people she loves. Lore Alemeyu’s human village has been being kept prisoner by the Fae for many years. No one has been able to leave without serious harm. But when the villagers need protection, Lore makes a deal with the Fae — she will catalog the cursed library in exchange for the safety of the village. No Fae has ever been able to enter the library, and but Lore thinks a human can. She convinces them she will organize it and relay all the information she learns there about magic. Of course, Lore also has her own reasons for wanting to enter the library. As she works to gain the trust of the very creature who has caused so much harm to her and the rest of her village, she begins to fall for the two Fae men charged with keeping her safe in their world. How awesome does that sound?? What book lover wouldn’t jump at the chance to spend time playing with books in a library untouched for a millennium??!

cover of Convergence Problems by Wole Talabi; illustration done in purple, white, black, and yellow of a Black astronaut and a deity

Convergence Problems by Wole Talabi (February 13)

And last but not least, we have this exciting anthology from a Hugo-, Nebula-, Locus- and Nommo award-nominated author, featuring 16 new and collected stories and a novella, all inspired by or set in Africa. In these speculative works, a technical support engineer must contend with malfunctioning AI; a man looking for revenge submits to an experimental procedure to electrify his skin; a woman must figure out how to rescue her brother from the surface of Mars; a young woman puts her consciousness in a robot in order to escape a city run by machines; and lots more! These stories are electrifying takes on the limits of the human body but not the human imagination.

Bonus mentions: Because I can’t just stop at eight books, in February, be sure to watch for the kids and YA books Bumps in the Night by Amalie Howard and Infinity Alchemist by Kacen Callender. In sequels, there are Tales of the Celestial Kingdom by Sue Lynn Tan and The Imposition of Unnecessary Obstacles (The Investigations of Mossa and Pleiti) by Malka Older. And Robert Jackson Bennett, author of the Founders Trilogy, is back with The Tainted Cup , a fantasy-mystery that is sure to be a great time!

If you want to learn about more sci-fi and fantasy books, check out The Most Anticipated SFF of 2024, According to Goodreads , and be sure to sign up for our SFF newsletter, Swords and Spaceships , and listen to our SFF podcast, SFF Yeah !

Finally, you can also find a full list of new releases in the magical  New Release Index , carefully curated by your favorite Book Riot editors, organized by genre and release date.

You Might Also Like

10 of the Best Historical Fiction Books About Books

IMAGES

  1. 10 Best Fantasy Books of 2018

    good fantasy fiction books

  2. Best Fantasy Chapter Books For Kids

    good fantasy fiction books

  3. 5 fantastic fantasy novels for teens

    good fantasy fiction books

  4. 15 Must-Read YA Fantasy Books

    good fantasy fiction books

  5. https://vk.com/photo-94522517_456240620?rev=1

    good fantasy fiction books

  6. 22 Standalone Fantasy Books for When You Don’t Have Time for a Series

    good fantasy fiction books

VIDEO

  1. MY TOP TEN FAVORITE FANTASY BOOKS || Fantasy Book Recommendations for Realmathon || 2023

  2. I Read 43 Fantasy Books So Far & THESE Are Worth Your Time

  3. Need good fantasy books?

  4. Every Fantasy Book I Own! FANTASY BOOK COLLECTION

  5. why fantasy books are so popular? // a discussion

  6. Three fantasy books you gotta read #booktubers #fantasybooks #bookrecommendations #bookrecs

COMMENTS

  1. The 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time

    The 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time | TIME With a panel of leading fantasy authors—N.K. Jemisin, Neil Gaiman, Sabaa Tahir, Tomi Adeyemi, Diana Gabaldon, George R.R. Martin, Cassandra Clare...

  2. The 60 Best Fantasy Books of All Time

    The 60 Best Fantasy Books of All Time Whether you've sat around waiting for your Hogwarts letter or looked for Narnia in the back of a closet, you've probably dreamt of stepping into your favorite fantasy books and leaving the real world behind. But the genre isn't all witches, wardrobes, and whimsy!

  3. The Best Epic Fantasy (fiction) (3967 books)

    Some typical characteristics of epic fantasy include fantastical elements such as elves, fairies, dwarves, magic or sorcery, wizards or magicians, invented languages, quests, coming-of-age themes, and multi-volume narratives. Whether a single book or a series, what do you think is the best epic fantasy of all time?

  4. Best Fantasy 2022

    Best Fantasy New to Goodreads? Get great book recommendations! Start Now Want to Read Rate it: Open Preview WINNER 105,718 votes House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas (Goodreads Author)

  5. Best Fantasy 2021

    Best Fantasy New to Goodreads? Get great book recommendations! Start Now Want to Read Rate it: Open Preview WINNER 111,498 votes A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas (Goodreads Author) Prolific author Sarah J. Maas notches her sixth GCA prize with this fourth installment in the insanely popular series A Court of Thorns and Roses.

  6. 25 Of The Top Fantasy Books On Goodreads

    25 Of The Top Fantasy Books On Goodreads Vernieda Vergara Jul 19, 2020 If you're a new—or old—fantasy reader, you might be wondering what the top fantasy books are. It's a reasonable question. It makes sense to begin with what's popular if you're starting out in the genre. Or maybe you're just curious to see how mainstream your preferences are.

  7. The 50 best fantasy books of all time

    The 50 best fantasy books of all time Check out our picks of the most exciting new fantasy novels of 2024, the best of 2023 and 2022, as well as the top fantasy books of all time. Fantasy books offer readers the perfect escape into another world. Here we share some of the top fantasy books to give you some inspiration for your literary bucket list.

  8. 36 of the best fantasy books everyone should read

    36 of the best fantasy books everyone should read Looking for your next read? Cast your eyes upon our list of some of the best fantasy novels of all time Are you looking for your next...

  9. 50 Best Fantasy Books of All Time

    48 Vintage The Buried Giant, by Kazuo Ishiguro Now 22% Off $14 at Amazon The author of Never Let Me Go has only written one fantasy novel, but he knocked it out of the park. In the Dark Ages...

  10. 28 Best Fantasy Books to Read in 2024

    In terms of books, fantasy might be the oldest literary genre, dating back to ancient texts like the Illiad and Beowulf. The most moving stories use magical devices as a foil for the real world, speculating on how society would act and react if the rules of reality were different. ... 13 of the Best Historical Fiction Books. A Directory of ...

  11. 25 Best Fantasy Book Series of All Time

    1. The Green Bone Saga by Fonda Lee Series starter: Jade City What you're in for: A war between rival gangster families Jade City hit shelves in 2017, kicking off a must-read fantasy book series...

  12. The 30 Best Fantasy Book Series to Escape to

    The 30 best fantasy book series for escaping to another realm Written by Katherine Fiorillo Updated Nov 30, 2022, 10:33 AM PST Some of the best fantasy book series include "The Lord of the...

  13. The 50 best science fiction and fantasy books of the past decade

    "Ancillary Justice (Imperial Radch Book 1)" by Ann Leckie The Dead Djinn Universe (series) Tordotcom What a wonderful world P. Djélì Clarke has created here — an Arab world never colonized, where...

  14. 100 Best Fantasy Series Ever

    100 Best Fantasy Series Ever Reading ( or listening to!) fantasy is the ultimate escape: from stress, work, and indeed all of life's more mundane realities. Because what's the opposite of reality? Fantasy! That's why we've compiled this comprehensive mega-guide of the 100 best fantasy series of all time: to enable your escapism as much as possible.

  15. 23 Of The Best Fantasy Book Series for Adults

    1. The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang. In The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang, you will find a military fantasy with an orphan girl at the center of it all. Based on historical events, The Poppy War, brilliantly written, shows you how this war orphan aced the Keju, a test that finds the most talented youth, entered the most elite military school, and discovered her unknown power!

  16. Top 100 Fantasy Books

    The Golem and the Djinni is first rate historical fantasy fiction that consistently delights; a charming love story with pleasing emotional depth. Published: 2013 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 2014 ... One of the best known and best loved fantasy books, J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit introduced the reading world to the unforgettable hobbit ...

  17. 20 Must-Read Feel-Good Fantasy Books

    The following feel-good fantasy books run the gamut of sub-genres, center different kinds of characters, and take diverging, pleasant paths. Some are whimsical. Others are wild. ... 10 of the Best Historical Fiction Books About Books. 9 Romantic Dark Academia Books. The Best Fantasy Series Books To Fill Your Life with Magic.

  18. The best fantasy and sci-fi books of 2022

    Scattered All Over the Earth by Yōko Tawada, translated by Margaret Mitsutani. Dead Silence by S.A. Barnes. The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan. If you're looking for great new books ...

  19. The 13 Best Fantasy Books for Adults, Ranked

    The 13 Best Fantasy Books for Adults, Ranked - whatNerd Fantasy Books Fiction The 13 Best Fantasy Books for Adults, Ranked Take a break from reality and immerse yourself in these awesome fantasy books for adults. That's right—fantasy isn't just for kids. By Gaia Kriscak Aug 9, 2023

  20. Best Fantasy 2023

    Best Fantasy New to Goodreads? Get great book recommendations! Start Now Want to Read Rate it: Open Preview WINNER 75,800 votes Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo (Goodreads Author) Leigh Bardugo is back on top with Hell Bent, the winner of this year's Fantasy category. Not coincidentally, the book is the sequel to Ninth House, 2019's winner in Fantasy.

  21. 91 Best New Fantasy Books of 2023

    Release date: Jan. 31. From "Iron Flame" by Rebecca Yarros to "Tonight, I Burn" by Katharine J. Adams, here are the best fantasy books coming out in November 2023.

  22. The Greatest Books: Top 100 Science-Fiction, Fantasy Books from NPR

    All the books on the list "Top 100 Science-Fiction, Fantasy Books" from NPR. NPR did a readers survey of the Top 100 Science Fiction and Fantasy books in 2011. More than 60,000 ballots were cast in our annual summer reader's survey — click here to see the full list of 100 books, complete with links and descriptions. Below is a list of the top 100 winners.

  23. The best recent science fiction and fantasy

    Cleverly constructed, with engaging characters and lots of good jokes, this sparkling Wizard of Oz-inspired fantasy is the second book in an intended trilogy, and one of the quirkiest dystopias ...

  24. 30 Most Anticipated Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books of 2024

    FANTASY, SCI-FI, AND horror are among the most popular book genre every year, and for good reason: there's a vast amount of creativity and variety within each of them. They're the perfect books to ...

  25. The 100 Most Popular Fantasy Books on Goodreads

    How many have you read? Tell us in the comments below, and don't forget to add titles that catch your eye to your Want to Read shelf! #1 Want to Read #2 Want to Read #3 Want to Read #4 Want to Read #5 Want to Read #6 Want to Read #7 Want to Read #8 Want to Read #9 Want to Read #10 Want to Read #11 Want to Read #12

  26. Hugo Awards 2024: What Really Happened at the Sci-Fi Awards ...

    On Saturday, October 21st, 2023, thousands of people gathered here for panels, parties, and the annual Hugo Awards ceremony, which celebrates the best works of science fiction and fantasy ...

  27. 10 Must-Read Books By Black Authors Using Fantasy to Explore Black

    We've rounded up the best fantasy books by Black authors whose tales will transport you to new worlds of magic, mystery, dragons and more. By Brigid Flanagan • 02/16/24 11:53am

  28. 8 Rad New Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books Out February 2024

    Katherine Arden is well-known for her Winternight fantasy trilogy and the Small Spaces quartet for kids, all of which are fabulous. But this is her best book to date. It's a speculative work of historical fiction set during World War I. Laura Iven was a field nurse in Flanders when she was injured and sent home to Nova Scotia.

  29. The Best Fantasy Books (1634 books)

    The Best Fantasy Books (1634 books) Discover new books on Goodreads Meet your next favorite book Join Goodreads Listopia The Best Fantasy Books flag All Votes Add Books To This List ← Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 16 17 Next → 1,634 books · 1,194 voters · list created August 29th, 2008 by deleted user.