The fantasy genre is filled with hundreds of amazing novels and many people won’t read most of them. This list will focus on classic fantasy novels that have influenced many other works of fiction and are beloved by many. Keep reading to see which classic fantasy books to read in 2024!
I am a big fantasy fan and I am always scouring the internet for the next fantasy book to read. As many as I have read, there are still tons more that I can’t wait to get around to reading. And one group of fantasy novels that are always fun to read are classic fantasy novels.
The fantasy genre has changed a lot since J.R.R. Tolkien was writing The Lord of the Rings in the 1930’s and the 1940’s. But the classic novels by Tolkien still hold up well decades later. Many fantasy novels took the format from those books and the influence of Tolkien on the genre is still noticeable.
But Tolkien is one of many fantasy authors with classic novels that have influenced books over the years. Many of the books on the list are part of a series so you will be kept bust for weeks on out. You can see the full list below!
Classic Fantasy Books to Read in 2024
- The Once and Future King T.H. White
- The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams
- A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
- The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
- The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
- The Wizard of OZ by L. Frank Baum
- Watership Down by Richard Adams
- The Witcher by Andrzej Sapkowski
The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams
I hate to say this but I haven’t gotten around to reading The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams. I have actually a book written by Williams so I am familiar with his work and he is a great writer and a gifted world builder. Besides that reason, another reason to read this fantasy series is that it influenced George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series.
A Wizard of Earthsea
If you loved Harry Potter, then you have to read A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin. Even though J.K. Rowling hasn’t credited Le Guin, many people have noticed the similarities between the books. But after reading this novel, you will learn just how much similarities both novels have. And Le Guin also invented a magic system by using the power of names, a system that many fantasy authors have borrowed.
The Witcher
Lastly, I want to talk about The Witcher by Andrzej Sapkowski. Unlike the other fantasy novels, this one hasn’t influenced western fantasy. That is unfortunate and I would have loved seeing many authors borrow ideas from this novel. The Netflix show has made this series a household name and has rightfully given it the spotlight it deserves.
Conclusion
That wraps up this list of classic fantasy novels that you should read in 2024. Readers will be familiar with most of these novels. But like many classics, many people never get around to reading them. Hopefully this list gets you curious enough to read some if not all of these amazing classic fantasy books. Happy reading!
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