The Fantasy genre is full of hundreds of classics and the list is ever-growing. As someone who loves fantasy novels, I am always eager to discover new fantasy novels. For new readers, finding the right books to read is not easy. That is why we decided to list the 20 best fantasy books of all time!
There are a lot of classic fantasy novels and modern fantasies that everyone must read at least once. But it isn’t always easy to find the best books to read. There are too many books and if you don’t know any better, you will read whatever crosses your eyes first.
This list of the 20 best fantasy books will guide you. And you don’t have to read all of them. We know that not every book is going to pique your curiousity. But if you love fantasy novels, then most of these books are worth reading.
The 20 Best Fantasy Books of All Time
- The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien
- A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin
- Northern Lights by Philip Pullman
- The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
- American Gods by Neil Gaiman
- A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
- The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis
- Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb
- Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson https://amzn.to/3Kz316N
- The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J. K. Rowling
- Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
- The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
- The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett
- The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
- The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie
- A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
- Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
- Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
- The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
Classics and Modern Classics
It should be no surprise to see The Lord of the Rings on the list. I associate The Hobbit as part of the trilogy and think both are equally great. The classics that everyone should read include The Northen Lights series, The Blade Itself, and A Game of Thrones.
The Blade Itself
The Blade Itself is one of my favorite fantasy series because of how gritty it is. The protagonists are not your typical heroes but are brought together and must work together despite their different upbringings and personal investments.
I have seen a bunch of novels influenced by this style of writing and I love seeing fantasy novels trying new things and giving us something as spectacular like this.
Recent Fantasy Novels
I did add some more recent novels such as Gideon the Ninth and Mistborn, and The Way of Kings. Brandon Sanderson has become a go-to for me and I haven’t come across a Sanderson novel that I haven’t enjoyed. If you need more fantasy novels, you can read novels written by Sanderson and it’ll take many months to read all of his books.
Brandon Sanderson Books
The fantasy genre is in great hands at the moment with authors like Sanderson, Neil Gaiman, Leigh Bardugo, and Tamsyn Muir to name a few. The blending of genres creates new stories that haven’t been created yet and pushes the genre even further. And as a fan of fantasy novels, you can’t ask for much.
Romantasy Novels
Lastly, I want to touch on the emergence of romantasy novels. They have become very popular as of late and authors like Sarah J. Maas and Rebecca Yarros have become household names. The genre is changing and catering to a newer audience and I am all for it. And I can’t wait to see all the new tropes that these authors bring to my favorite genre.
Conclusion
That is all for our this list of the 20 best fantasy books of all time. What books should we have included on our list? Let us know in the comments below!
This list is an absolute joke.
Tell me more.
Lord Foul’s Bane (Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever), by Stephen R. Donaldson.
Nothing by Roger Zelazny?
I can’t believe that you left out Anne McCaffrey. Her books are amazing!
Agreed, Zelazny, and Raymond Fiest…
Going to be fair, Assassin Apprentice isn’t Robin Hobbs best. The Tawny man trilogy is better. Assassin Apprentice is just medieval spiderman, and very predictable.
How about Lois McMaster Bujold?
No Holly Black or Sarah J Maas?