There are an untold number of fantasy literature that exist, and it might be hard to find a starting place. So, here are some reads that we recommend.
(1) 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.
(2) 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.
(3) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter Book 7) by J.K. Rowling in 2007
Everything that happened before this novel pale in comparison to the final climax, the events leading up to the final confrontation of good against evil, Harry against Voldemort.
(4) The Wicked King (The Folk of the Air #2) by Holly Black in 2019
After the jaw-dropping revelation that Oak is the heir to Faerie, Jude must keep her brother safe. To do so, she has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world.
(5) 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.
(6) The Fires of Heaven (The Wheel of Time Book 5) by Robert Jordan in 1993
Rand al’ Thor, the Dragon Reborn, knows that he must strike at the Enemy, but his forces are divided by treachery and by ambition. Even the Aes Sedai, ancient guardians of the Light, are riven by civil war. Betrayed by his allies, pursued by his enemies and beset by the madness that comes to the male wielders of the One Power, Rand rides out to meet the foe.
(7) Sword of Destiny (The Witcher Book 2) by Andrzej Sapkowski in 1992
Geralt is a witcher, a man whose magic powers, enhanced by long training and a mysterious elixir, have made him a brilliant fighter and a merciless assassin. Yet he is no ordinary murderer: his targets are the multifarious monsters and vile fiends that ravage the land and attack the innocent. This is a collection of short stories, following the adventures of Geralt as he battles monsters, demons and prejudices alike…
(8) The Land: Predators (Chaos Seeds Book 7) by Aleron King in 2018
With core buildings, Professional fighters, and now their own Dungeon, the settlement is primed to grow into a kingdom of true power and magic. Evil nobles from the Kingdom of Law, bloodthirsty goblins from the Serrated Mountains, an undead lord with a penchant for human sacrifice, and fanatical kobolds from the Depths all plot the village’s destruction. The predators are circling. Richter’s people are horribly outnumbered by foes whose own power has been entrenched for thousands of years.
(9) A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness in 2011
Set in present-day England, it features a boy who struggles to cope with the consequences of his mother’s illness. He is repeatedly visited in the middle of the night by a monster who tells stories.
(10) 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.
(11) Witchling (Otherworld/Sisters of the Moon Book 1) by Yasmine Galenorn in 2006
Set as the first book in the Sisters of the Moon series the book follows the D’Artigo Sisters, operatives for the Otherworld Intelligence Agency, who are tasked with keeping the mysterious Shadow Wing and his minions at bay.
(12) A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire Book 1) by George R.R. Martin in 1996
A Game of Thrones follows Ned Stark who becomes Hand of the King to Robert Baratheon, Ned’s bastard son Jon Snow joins the Night’s Watch, an ancient order sworn to defend Westeros by maintaining the Wall, and the exiled Viserys Targaryen marries his sister, Daenerys, off to Dothraki warlord Khal Drogo in exchange for an army to take back Westeros.
(13) 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.
(14) 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.
(15) Eye of the World (The Wheel of Time Book 1) by Robert Jordan in 1990
When the Two Rivers is attacked by Trollocs-a savage tribe of half-men, half-beasts – five villagers flee that night into a world they barely imagined, with new dangers waiting in the shadows and in the light.
(16) The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia Book 1) by C.S. Lewis in 1950
The story follows siblings Peter, Susan, Lucy, and Edmund Pevensie who enter a wardrobe and discovers the magical world of Narnia, which is being controlled by the queen of Narina, the White Witch
(17) Moon Called (Mercy Thompson Book 1) by Patricia Briggs in 2006
Mercedes Thompson, aka Mercy, is a talented Volkswagen mechanic living in the Tri-Cities area of Washington who happens to be a walker, a magical being with the power to shift into a coyote at will. When a young werewolf seeks Mercy’s help, claiming to be on the run from a dangerous pack, she finds herself caught in the midst of a supernatural power struggle. As Mercy delves deeper into the mysterious disappearance of local werewolves, she becomes entangled in a dangerous web of deceit, betrayal, and magical intrigue.
(18) The Drawing of the Three (The Dark Tower Book 2) by Stephen King in 1987
While pursuing his quest for the Dark Tower through a world that is a nightmarishly distorted mirror image of our own, Roland, the last gunslinger, encounters three mysterious doorways on the beach. Each one enters into the life of a different person living in contemporary New York.
(19) The Dragon’s Son (The Dragonvarld Trilogy Book 2) by Margaret Weis in 2004
(20) A Storm of Swords (2000) by George R.R. Martin – 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.
(21) 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.
(22) Vector Prime (The New Jedi Order Book 1) by R.A. Salvatore in 1999
As the Jedi and the Republic focus on internal struggles after the downfall of the Empire, a new threat surfaces from beyond the farthest reaches of the Outer Rim–an enemy bearing weapons and technology unlike anything New Republic scientists have ever seen.
(23) Lord of Chaos (The Wheel of Time Book 6) by Robert Jordan in 1994
Rand al’Thor, the Dragon Reborn, builds his army of Light even as sworn enemies–and supposed allies–move against him.
(24) Dusk (Tales of Noreela Book 1) by Tim Lebbon in 2006
The story follows Kosar the thief who enlist the aid of his ex-lover and Shantasi warrior A’Meer, and their band of unexpected allies as he embarks on a journey to protect a special boy from the dark forces closing in on him.
(25) The Flaw in All Magic (Magebreakers Book 1) by Ben S. Dobson in 2018
The story follows Tane Carver, a human who lacks magic but more than makes up for it with his wits, is tasked with solving a murder on campus despite its unbreakable wards with the help of a half-orc named Kadka.
(26) Revenge of the Sith by Patricia C. Wrede in 2005
The plot follows the ending of the Clone Wars, the fall of the Republic, and Anakin’s turn to the Dark Side.
(27) The War in Heaven (Eternal Warriors Book 1) by Theodore Beale in 2000
The story follows a young man named Christopher Lewis and his sisters, Jami and Holli, who are caught up in the timeless battle between the forces of good (Heaven) and the forces of evil (Hell).
(28) The Shadow Rising (The Wheel of Time Book 4) by Robert Jordan in 1992
Rand al’Thor now wields the sword Callandor. He is both the Champion of Light and the Dragon Reborn. Now, he seeks answers to another prophecy that lies with the warrior people known as the Aiel to put him on the path of learning how to wield the One Power.
(29) 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.
(30) 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.
Thanks for checking out the post and in the comments let us know what fantasy books you’d recommend others to read.
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