As a fantasy fanatic, I love coming across new fantasy books to read. The genre is filled with new and old classic. That is why I have made a list of the 15 must read fantasy books of all time. Keep reading to find out which books made the list!
Choosing only 15 books means that many great books will be left off. Hopefully, the books that made the list encourage you to seek out even more fantasy novels. The genre is filled with all sorts of books and even obscure novels that might become your favorite series.
I know that my list of favorite fantasy novels changes often as I revisit older books. Some books age like fine wine and you come to appreciate them a lot more as you get older. This list has old and new novels that you will want to read more than once. You can see the full list below!
The 15 Must Read Fantasy Books of All Time
- The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J. R. R. Tolkien
- A Song of Ice and Fire Series by George R.R. Martin
- American Gods by Neil Gaiman
- His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman
- Mistborn Series by Brandon Sanderson
- The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan
- Dune by Frank Herbert
- The Night Angel by Brent Weeks
- The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
- The First Law series by Joe Abercrombie
- The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher
- A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
- The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
- Discworld by Terry Pratchett
- The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
The Lord of the Rings
I If you love fantasy novels, then you have to read The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. Not only is it an amazing series but it is the formula that many fantasy authors have used to write their novels. If you have read a bunch of fantasy novels, then you have most likely come across troupes that were popularized by Tolkien.
I have come to hold this series dear to my heart and always recommend it to fantasy lovers. Many people know about this series but may be intimated at first. But once you read the first few pages, then you’ll be hooked and forget about everything else.
A Song of Ice and Fire Series
Like many people, I first got into the A Song of Ice and Fire series by watching Game of Thrones on HBO. I was curious and wondered how good the books were compared to the popular show. And i just wanted to know what happens next. After reading the first book, I fell in love with the series and the attention to detail that Martin includes in the books.
I think this fantasy series is one of the best written all time and if and when Martin finally completes this series, we can properly discuss its place as one of the best fantasy series ever written. But until then, I do recommend people to go out and read these series and see why the final two seasons were a letdown.
The First Law Series
One of my favorite series on the list is The First Law by Joe Abercrombie. It is a gritty and bloody series that feels like it belongs on HBO. The novel uses a different format in that isn’t common in fantasy novels and yet, it works brilliantly. I really enjoyed this series and hold it high in my list of favorite fantasy books.
The characters are interesting and the protagonist has his moments. The world building is what makes this novel special and it is one of a kind. I believe this would make a great TV adaption with the right budget but it may be years before this is ever greenlit.
The Mistborn Series
My current favorite fantasy writer has to be Brandon Sanderson without a question. He has many great fantasy series and all of them have made me a fan. His characters are likable and his world-building is great. it is no surprise that Sanderson has come to dominate the bestselling charts.
His Mistborn series are just one of the dozen of amazing books he has written. If you have the time, I would recommend reading all his books. Not only is a great storyteller and woldbuilder, his characters are well written and are a big reason why his novels resonate with millions of readers around the world.
Before fantasy novels came to dominate the charts, it was a risk for authors to turn to writing fantasy novels. An author that surprised everyone with an amazing novel and series is Ursula K. Le Guin. A Wizard of Earthsea is a beautiful novel that looks inward as well as challenging the fantasy stereotypes of its time.
While J.K. Rowling hasn’t publicly credited Le Guin for inspiring the Harry Potter series, it is pretty evident. Le Guin’s novel introduces the idea of a young wizard and a wizard school. She is also credited with creating the naming magical system that many authors have used over the decades.
But despite all that, the novel and series is a feel good story that offers a lot of wisdom. Nobody would have blamed Le Guin to use the format created by Tolkien but she had her own ideas. And it has led to one of the most underrated fantasy series that every fantasy fan needs to check out.
Conclusion
That is all for this list of the 15 must read fantasy books of all time. This list includes classics as well as newer fantasy novels worth checking out. And yes, we included some obvious picks but we also included some lesser known titles that you may not have read.
How many of these fantasy books have you read or plan to read? What books should have made the list? Let us know in the comments below. Until next time, happy reading!
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You’re missing out if you’re not considering The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever by Stephen Donaldson on this list…!
Yes and also Terry Brooks shanara series and magic kingdom for sale series.
LOL, they’re dreadful
Magic Kingdom, great series really enjoyed it.
Fascinating series.
Read” Jonathan Livingston Seagull”.
I loved the first half of it, but not so much the second half.
Nope, that doesn’t belong on this list
Dude… That’s at least 40 books.
No “Iron Druid” by Kevin Hearne?
I’ve read all but two mentioned here. Will finish those in a week or so. Thanks for the list!
Once I start I don’t stop. And don’t start til I’m convinced the series is complete. I think a series is all one story and can’t stand waiting for the next installment.
I’d add David Eddings’ 5-book series “The Belgariad”
What about the Kingkiller Chronicle?
How about he finish the series before including it? Martin and Sanderson shouldn’t be included either.
You’ve missed out one of the greatest true fantasy series ever: ppl, wizards, heroes, and gods. The Malazan Book of the Fallen!
Couldn’t agree more
I think you could also add the Monarchies of God series by Paul Kearney. It’s written in third person omniscient, but I really think it’s a masterful series, honestly.
You are missing Guy Gavriel Kay’s Fionavar Tapestry, and Tad Williams’ Osten Ard books.
Lists like this shouldn’t include an incomplete series. It lacks integrity.
#2 get that worthless piece of trash off of the list
This list shows a lack of breadth and depth in reading. By the time I was 18 I had read fantasy books by over a dozen different authors. Some really strong fiction is missing here. The Riddlemaster of Hed series for one. The Dragons of Pern series, although it straddles the line between SF and fantasy. Even Stephen King’s Gunslinger saga is excellent high fantasy. You need to read more from different authors. A list like this should never have the same author twice, unless you title it “some of my favorite fantasy books”. But to try to pass this off as a list of some of the best the fantasy world has to offer makes it a travesty to include the same author twice.
I am surprised to not see “Gulliver’s Travels” by Johnathan Swift.
I have read the Malazan Book Of The Fallen series several times and put up there with the wheel of time
Peter Brett, The Demon Cycle
Love this series. And his newest one has started off wonderfully!
One more name that should be on the list :-
LINDSAY BUROKER
The title says “books” and then there’s even unfinished series… Was this done with Chat GPT?
Where is Magician by Raymond E Feist? A better book than most on this list.
Any listing of “all time best fantasy” that ignores Endings and Moorcock absolutely CANNOT be taken seriously!
Eddings’ Belgarion and Moorcock’s Elric are up near the top of my list, too. I’d also include Zelazny’s Nine Princes of Amber to the list.
Sorry, but this is a generic, unimaginative list of bestsellers, with no attempt at exploring the depth and breadth of the genre.
Personally I’m disappointed that there’s no mention of any D&D authors. Between Chronicles and Drizzt let’s be honest that’s the fantasy we grew up reading.
These are almost all series, not books. How many actual books are here? Got to be close to a hundred at least.
The throne of glass novels should be added to this list
Dog shit. Read L.m kerr & aleron Kong.
40 rules of love very kind and this book is written by Elif shafa.elif shafak is the writer ✍️ from turkey
Andre Norton…Witch World series….and an old but good one. The Well at Worlds End
No Thomas Covenant? No Memory sorrow and thorn? No Malazan? No Fionaver tapestry? No Elric of Melnibone? No Pilocene exiles? No Conan? No broken sword? This list is amatuer hour for noobs.
Damn the Julian may books were so damn good they should be made into a movie. Incredible story. Have read them multiple times. Eric the black company…. this guy is 20 years old and has no idea on the foundation these books were written.. Also sci fi but foundation by Asimov..
You have forgotten the best trilogy the rift war saga by Raymond.E. Feist. Also there is no book called disc world it’s a series
Enjoyed Sanderson’s Stormlight archive at least the first two books in the series, then kind of petered out. Also The Lord of the Rings was good. I haven’t read any of the others on the list. Star Wars Darth Bane Trilogy by Drew Karpyshyn was really good. Also Christopher Paollini’s Eragon series at least the first two books or so was good that I recall but I believe it petered out subsequently. I’m not a huge reader, the books have to be real page turners for me to get throught them. I was a big comic book reader and collector when I was young.
Realm of the Elderlings by Robin Hobb over anything that Sanderson has done.
Read”Jonathan Livingston Seagull”.
No list of the best novels in Sci-Fi / Fantasy can be considered complete without David & Leigh Eddings’ Belgariad / Malloreon. Two five book series and two standalone novels all featuring the same characters and storyline. Hands down, the best developed characters and most engaging story I have ever had the repeated pleasure of reading. My fondest wish is that someone will make live action movies of them. I have not read all the books on your list, but the ones I have read can’t compare to Eddings’ masterpiece.
It annoys me so much that I had to come leave a comment……one incomplete series should never be included. Two..game of thrones one of the worst series I have ever read, he is a truly terrible writer.
Otherwise great list, surprised not to malazan here though.
This is a very cis het male list, mostly. Let’s spice that up a bit.
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
The Liveship Traders by Robin Hobb
The Nightrunners by Lynn Flewelling
The World of Five Gods by Lois McMaster Bujold
The Blood Ties/Shadow books by Tanya Huff
Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune
The Broken Earth Trilogy by NK Jemison
The Last Herald Mage (or just Valdemar books in general) by Mercedea Lackey
The Tamir Triad by Lynn Flewelling
The Bards of Shkodor by Tanya Huff
Scholomance series by Naomi Novik
A Charm of Magpies by KJ Charles
The Dragonriders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey
The Locked Tomb books by Tamsyn Muir
The Adam Binder books by David R. Slayton
Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
Rules by FT Lukens
The Extraordinaries by TJ Klune
Dark Moon, Shallow Sea by David R Slayton
The Fire’s Stone by Tanya Huff
Sookie Stackhouse by Charlaine Harris
Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
Babel by RF Kuang
Land Fit for Heroes by Richard K Morgan
The Knight and the Necromancer AH Lee
Crimson Smoke and the Emerald Flame by KC Norton and Riley Rookhouse
The Lodestar of Ys by Amy Rae Durreson
Kingston Cycle by CL Polk
Tarot Sequence by KD Edwards
40Winks – Bookseller 2 decades
GREAT POINT, and I agree. Which ones on your list would you say has the best writing and character development? TJ Klune is imaginative and breaks the character norms but I thought the dialogue and descriptions were pretty awful. Just wondering which of these you think is most well written (and I really welcome these alternatives to the myriad cis-het-male-based stories).
We should hang out
I’ve read nearly all the books/series on your list (fantasy book freak that I am) and would suggest so many more but the series Cephrael’s Hand by Melissa McPhail is one that I have yet to see on any list and it deserves mentioning. You won’t be disappointed.
You forgot the Shannara series from Terry brooks
Magician by Raymond e. Feist. Has to be on any must read list, especially a fantasy one.
Any “best of” or “must read” list in the fantasy realm without Moorcock is a joke.
As Much as Some of these Titles are Masterpieces of Work and deserve Thier placi v on the Top 15 List , There are So Many other Authors and Titles worth Mentioning! For Example William Horwoods Duncton Hex-alogy, Issac Ashimovs Foundation Series, The Pillars of the Earth books by Ken Collette, Mercedes Lackey many Veledamar Books, Farthing Wood Collection by Colin Dann or even The Walking Weasels by Garry Kilworth, To Name Just a Few
Who can leave the biggest fantasy fiction series out of this…have you even heard of the Book of the Fallen..the malazan
Little Big by John Crowley
What about magician
Only one female author on the entire list? You should think about your biases friend.
How is this a list of 15 books?
Larry Niven’s Ringworld series. The Heechee Chronicles by Frederik Pohl. The Well of Souls series by Jack L. Chalker. The Adventures of David Falkayn, by Poul Anderson (several connected novels), the Riverworld series (been a while, but I think Philip Jose Farmer) and last but decidedly NOT least, the Lensman series, by E.E. ‘doc’ Smith.
I’d add Stephen King’s “The Gunslinger ” and Sylvain Neuvel’s “Sleeping Giant Series.” I loved those series. I’ve read and agree with all but two on your list. Thanks for giving me two new series to check out.
Also I might add the following:
The Kingkiller Chronicles -Name of the Wind and To Fear the Wind By Patrick Rothfuss
George Orwell 1984, Illustrated Man, and Fahrenheit 451
J.R.R. Tolkein- LOTR and The Hobbit should be at the top of everyones list
Games Of Thrones -by George R. Martin.
The Wheel of Time
Harry Potter Series
Books of the Narnia Chronicles
Edgar Allen Poe
Frankenstein
Dracula
If Rothfuss ever writes the final book in the Kingkiller Chronicles, I think it’ll be one of the best series of all time. But since he hasn’t, and seems like he might not ever finish it, I don’t recommend it to people (or if I do, I give that caveat).
Awesome list! I love discovering fantasy books with magic and quest-driven fantasy stories — these are exactly the kinds of tales that make a best fantasy adventure book truly unforgettable. For adult readers looking for rich worlds and thrilling journeys, an adventure fantasy for adult readers that feels like the best fantasy adventure book with epic quests and magic is a must-read. Thanks for the great recommendations!
— Sandra Reel
https://seledorsaga.com/best-fantasy-adventure-book/
Does whoever wrote this list not realise that women write books too
Fantastic list of must-read fantasy books—so many classics included! I’d also recommend Gods and Men by Adam Kyle Gilbert as a fantasy book for young adults and a standout among modern titles. It’s gaining traction as a best seller fiction book and often appears in fiction book recommendations for readers seeking the fantasy book for young adults. Definitely worth checking out for fans of the genre.