Fantasy can be fun and there are a lot of interesting stories out there.

(1) Crewel Lye: A Caustic Yarn (Xanth Book 8) by Piers Anthony in 1984

The story follows a Castle Roogna’s ghost, Jordan the Barbarian, who tells Princess Ivy his story of betrayal and death via the magical medium of the Tapestry.

(2) The Last Wish (The Witcher Book 1) by Andrzej Sapkowski in 1990

Geralt of Rivia is a witcher. A cunning sorcerer. A merciless assassin. And a cold-blooded killer. His sole purpose: to destroy the monsters that plague the world. But not everything monstrous looking is evil and not everything fair is good… and in every fairy tale there is a grain of truth.

(3) The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien in 1937

The Hobbit is set within Tolkien’s fictional universe and follows the quest of home-loving hobbit Bilbo Baggins to win a share of the treasure guarded by Smaug the dragon.

(4) A Storm of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire Book 3) by George R.R. Martin in 2000

A Storm of Swords picks up with The Seven Kingdoms of Westeros still in the grip of the War of the Five Kings, a large host of wildlings, the tribes from beyond the Seven Kingdoms’ northern border, approach the Wall that marks the border, and Daenerys Targaryen, the daughter of a deposed former king of Westeros and “mother” of the world’s only living dragons, sails west, planning to retake her late father’s throne.

(5) Street Magic (The Circle Opens Book 2) by Tamora Pierce in 2001

Describes the further adventures of child-mage Briar Moss in his travels with his teacher, the Dedicate Initiate Rosethorn.

(6) Vale of the Vole (Xanth Book 10) by Piers Anthony in 1987

When Esk, a young ogre-nymph-human, began his pilgrimage to the Good Magician Humfrey to rid himself of a seductive demoness, little did he know it would become a mission of mercy. A running river paradise and its harmless inhabitants were perishing in the wrathful wake of a greedy demon horde. Now it is up to Esk and his companions, a winged centaur named Chex and a burrower called Volney, to defend the precious Vale of the Vole.

(7) The Approaching Storm by Alan Dean Foster in 2002

The story follows Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker as they are sent to a planet to settle a dispute as growing unrest threatens the Galactic Republic’s stability.

(8) The Great Hunt (The Wheel of Time Book 2) by Robert Jordan in 1991

The story features young heroes Rand al’Thor, Mat Cauthon, and Perrin Aybara, who join Shienaren soldiers in a quest to retrieve the Horn of Valere. At the same time, Egwene al’Vere, Nynaeve al’Meara, and Elayne Trakand go to the White Tower in Tar Valon to learn Aes Sedai ways. Finally, an exotic army invades the western coast.

(9) Ogre, Ogre (Xanth Book 5) by Piers Anthony in 1982

Smash the half-ogre (offspring of Crunch the ogre and a human Curse Fiend acting like an ogre) goes to see the Good Magician Humfrey to get his question answered, although he doesn’t know what his question is.

(10) Homeland (The Dark Elf Trilogy Book 1) by R.A. Salvatore in 1990

The story follows Drizzt Do’Urden from his time of his birth and his upbringing amongst the dark elves.

(11) A Darker Crimson (Crimson City Book 4) by Carolyn Jewel in 2005

Officer Claudia Donovan goes to the plane of Orcus, home of the demons, to rescue her daughter with the help of a vampire, Tiberiu Korzha, while dealing with the demon Lath.

(12) The Angel Experiment (Maximum Ride Book 1) by James Patterson in 2005

Max Ride and her best friends have the ability to fly. And that’s just the beginning of their amazing powers. But they don’t know where they come from, who’s hunting them, why they are different from all other humans… and if they’re meant to save mankind — or destroy it.

(13) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Harry Potter Book 1) by J.K. Rowling in 1997

The story follows Harry Potter, young wizard who discovers his magical heritage on his eleventh birthday, and his acceptance to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

(14) The Wayfarer Redemption (The Wayfarer Redemption Book 1) by Sara Douglass in 1995

Achar is under attack by an evil lord from the North, Gorgreal-his ice demons strike from the sky and kill hundreds of brave warriors in the blink of an eye. One young woman, Faraday, betrothed of Duke Borneheld, learns that all she has been told about her people’s history is untrue. While fleeing to safety from the dangerous land, Faraday, embarks on a journey, which will change her life forever, in search of the true nature of her people.

(15) The Gunslinger (The Dark Tower Book 1) by Stephen King in 1982

The story centers Roland Deschain, the last gunslinger, following Roland’s trek through a vast desert and beyond in search of the man in black “The Man in Black”, encountering an alluring woman named Alice, and begins a friendship with the Kid from Earth called Jake. 

(16) Question Quest (Xanth Book 14) by Piers Anthony in 1991

Being grown up is a drag . . . or so thinks Lacuna, one of the michievous Castle Zombie twins. So she makes the Good Magician Grey an an offer he can’t refuse. Thirsty for a taste of the Elixir of Youth, she’ll help him outwit the evil Com-Pewter if he’ll send her to Hell (in a handbasket, no less) to find Humphrey, the missing sorcerer.

(17) God Save the Queen (The Immortal Empire Book 1) by Kate Locke in 2012

Xandra Vardan is a member of the elite Royal Guard, and it is her duty to protect the Aristocracy. But when her sister goes missing, Xandra will set out on a path that undermines everything she believed in and uncover a conspiracy that threatens to topple the empire. And she is the key — the prize — in a very dangerous struggle.

(18) Armageddon’s Children (Genesis of Shannara Book 1) by Terry Brooks in 2006

Navigating the scarred and poisoned landscape that once was America and guided by a powerful talisman, Knight of the Word Logan Tom has sworn an oath to seek out a remarkable being born of magic, possessed of untold abilities, and destined to lead the final fight against darkness.

(19) A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire Book 2) by George R.R. Martin in 1999

A Clash of Kings depicts the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros in civil war, while the Night’s Watch mounts a reconnaissance to investigate the mysterious people known as wildlings. Meanwhile, Daenerys Targaryen continues her plan to conquer the Seven Kingdoms.

(20) Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor by Carrie Bebris in 2001 – A dracolich and his sorcerous queen have seized control of the Mythal, the ancient magic that once protected the war-ravaged elven capital. Once the elven ruin is completely in their thrall, the cult intends to expand its domination one city — and one soul — at a time.

Thanks for checking out the post and in the comments tell us what your favorite fantasy reads are.