The 30 Must Read Fantasy Books of All time  

Fantasy books are some of the most exciting stories you can read. Incredible worldbuilding, unique magic systems, and unforgettable characters turn every book into a full-blown adventure.

When fantasy is done right, it’s impossible to put the book down. That’s exactly why we’ve put together this list of the 30 must-read fantasy books for every book lover. It includes beloved classics alongside newer fantasy novels that deserve a spot on your reading list.

With hundreds of fantasy books to choose from, narrowing things down is never easy. The good news is that no list has to be final. As your taste evolves and you discover more stories, your personal list will continue to grow right along with you.

For this list, we’ve curated some of the best fantasy books ever written, featuring a mix of iconic series and standout standalone novels. You’ll find the full list below.     

30 Must Read Fantasy Books for Every Book Lover

• The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J. R. R. Tolkien
• A Song of Ice and Fire Series by George R.R. Martin
• 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 Broken Earth Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin
• The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
• Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett
• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
• The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis 
• The Kingkiller Chronicle, #1 by Patrick Rothfuss
• Temeraire by Naomi Novik
• The Gentlemen Bastards by Scott Lynch
• American Gods by Neil Gaiman
• The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb
• The Malazan Book of the Fallen Trilogy by Steven Erikson
• Harry Potter Series by J. K. Rowling
• The Dark Tower Series by Stephen King
• The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis
• Good Omens by Terry Pratchett
• The Once and Future King by T.H. White
• The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N. K. Jemisin

The Lord of the Rings

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. That is why you will feel like you have read this novel even if you have never opened the first page.

Without The Lord of the Rings, we wouldn’t have the adventure novel format that we have come to love. This series presents the good versus evil themes in many different ways. Even after reading dozens of fantastic fantasy novels, this one holds a special place in my heart.

After the TLOTR, I think the second best fantasy series has to be A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin. I don’t think any author has build a world this meticulously since Tolkien. Martin’s novels have over thirty protagonists and more deaths than I can count. It is filled with sex, violence, incest, and dragons.

The TV show has overshadowed the books which were some of the best works of fantasy we have seen. But the legacy of this series is in question because we might never get the conclusion. Martin has writer’s block and it has been over 12 years since the last book.

The First Law

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 characters are interesting and the protagonist has his moments. The world building is what makes this novel special and one of a kind.  

The grim dark genre imagines fantasy novels with all the violence and bloodshed of a thriller novel. These authors may have grown up on Tolkien but have went decided to go a different direction. I loved Joe Abercrombie’s novel and series and have enjoyed his other works. But this genre can go a bit too far so read at your own risk.

His Dark Materials

a fantasy series that many people are exposed to as children and teenagers is His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman. This is one of the best fantasy series that I have read and it made me fall in love with fantasy novels.

This series is easier to read than The Lord of the Rings and has a fun and unique plot. If you aren’t sure how you feel about fantasy books, then this one is worth reading because it is innocent and beautifully written for all ages.

Mistborn

Over the past decade, I have seen Brandon Sanderson rise to the top of the fantasy genre. And his novels and series are all amazing and you can feel his love and passion for the genre. The series that I have fallen in love by Sanderson is Mistborn, even know The Way of Kings is a close second.

Mistborn does a great job of world-building and like all Sanderson novels, it has a great magic system in place. The characters feel like people you may know and you can’t help but get invested in the plot. But what truly makes this series special is the time skips and how Sanderson connects all the books together.

The Broken Earth Trilogy

Even as I have read dozens of amazing fantasy series, there is always a new one that I come across that takes my breath away. The Broken Earth Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin is one series that I would recommend to everybody who enjoys fantasy books.

It is unlike any other fantasy novel and instead pushes the genre forward. We get characters of color that are the protagonists, a magic system that would make Tolkien proud, and a ton of themes and commentary about the world we live in. Jemisin has become one of the new favorite authors and she makes me excited to see where she will take this genre next.

Conclusion

That is all for our list of the 30 must read fantasy books of all time. We have included old and new books and chose the ones that we deemed the best of the best.

This is just my opinion and I am sure that there are other lists that I wouldn’t disagree with. And as I read more fantasy books, I am sure to remove some and add others. How many of these fantasy books have you read? What books should have made the list? Let us know in the comments below. Until next time, happy reading!

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook