3 New Fantasy Books You Need to Read in 2026 (Hidden Gems + Big Names)

If you’re looking for the best new fantasy books to read in 2026, you’re in the right place. Whether you want epic world-building, short fantasy novellas, or stories from bestselling authors like Brandon Sanderson, these three books completely pulled me in.

No matter how many fantasy books I read, I always discover a new novel or series that is worth reading. That always keeps me on the lookout for books in bookstores and listicles. And sometimes, you just have to go out on a limb and give a new novel a read and see if you lucked out.

The three fantasy books I read are mostly new with and by authors who have made a name for themselves over the years. Sometimes, the best thing to do is turn to an author you know and love. And other times, you give a popular novella a read and see why people can’t stop talking about it!

Best Fantasy Books in This List:

• Nine Goblins by T. Kingfisher
• Tailored Realities by Brandon Sanderson
• The Magician of Tiger Castle by Louis Sachar

Nine Goblins by T. Kingfisher (Review)

Every now and then, authors like to break free from their contractual obligations and try something different. Author Ursula Vernon decided to write the short novella Nine Goblins under the pen name and self published the book on her personal website.

It was a hilarious story about goblins that Vernon wanted to write about for fun. But now, the novella has finally been published by Tor in 2026, giving it the spotlight that it deserved. I really enjoyed this story and the writing was fun and playful and yet, the characters will make you read on until the last page.

The Goblin War has not agreed upon beginning but the masses will agree that goblins are rude and violent, among other things. But the goblins don’t kill unless forced to. They are misunderstood and trying to fight for their rights.

During a battle against the enemies, goblin sergeant Nessilka and her group, Nineteenth are teleported along with the wizard thorugh a portal. They find themselves in a forest that is behind enemy lines. It is up to Nessilka to lead the goblins back hime safely.

But the forest is filled with elves, trolls, monsters, and humans that will attack them on sight. Will they make it back home safe and sound or will they fall short of their goal?

Tailored Realities by Brandon Sanderson (Short Story Collection Review)

As a big fantasy fan, I have found that Brandon Sanderson’s novels are the ones that I tend to enjoy the most. He has written a variety of epic fantasy novels that have made him a household name and the most popular fantasy writer alive. His worldbuilding, storytelling, magic systems, and characters make him a must read in my opinion.

When I found out that he released a new book called Tailored Realities, a book filled with short stories by Sanderson, I knew I had to read it. The book contains a bunch of work by Sandersont that has been released before and two new works.

The novel starts off with one of my favorite works in the book called Snapshap. It is about two detectives named Anthony and Chaz who travel back to the past via a virtual snapshot. They get caught up in a murder mystery that is being hidden by the department. With no supervision in the Snapshot, the duo decide to hunt for the serial killer for a lead to arrest the killer in the real world.

The other short story that I fell in love with was Moment Zero. It is a zombie/vampire novel with a fun twist added by Sanderson. If I didn’t know Sanderson was a fantasy and sci-fi writer, I would have believed he was an up and coming thriller novel because he knows how this genre works.

Even if you haven’t read a book by Sanderson before, I still recommend reading Tailored Realities. Sanderson experiments with other genres and you also see his writing growing over time. This is an accumulation of the past 25 years of writing by Sanderson and an impressive time capsule.

The Magician of Tiger Castle by Louis Sachar (Fantasy Review)

Many readers will recognize Louis Sachar for his classic novel Holes. In late 2025, he returned with his first adult novel, The Magician of Tiger Castle. As someone who loved Holes, I was curious as to how his newest novel, a fantasy book, would be and I was not disappointed.

Sachar is a super talented storyteller and a talented writer who has mastered his craft. You wouldn’t know that this is his first adult novel because he makes it look effortless. This novel was one of my favoritre fantasy books of 2025 and I can’t wait to see what else Sachar does in the near future.

Centuries ago, there was a kingdom in France called Esquaveta. The kingdom needed money and the quickest way to do that was for the kingdom to forge an alliance. That is why the king arranged for his daughter, princess Tullia, with a less than pleasant prince.

But a month before the wedding, the princess falls in love with an apprentice scribe. To save the marriage, the king turns to the magician Anatole. The last few months have not gone well for Anatole and his reputation as the king’s magician has taken a hit. He needs to succeed or he may be out of a job soon.

The king tells Anatole that he needs to make a potion that ensures the wedding goes on. But the princess is like a daughter to Anatole. He has to choose between his job or the princess’s happiness. With the wedding day around the corner, Anatole must make his choice and ensure its success or suffer the consequences.

Conclusion

These are the three fantastic fantasy novels that I recently read and loved. All three novels were recently published with Nine Goblins getting a print format for the first time. Sanderson is busy doing a million things but always finds a way to write a new book. And I love seeing authors I grew up releasing new books in this day and age.

This year is off to a great start and I can’t wait to discover even more incredible fantasy books to read. Novels like these are why I keep coming back to this amazing genre. Which of these fantasy books are you adding to your TBR? Let me know in the comments—and share your favorite fantasy reads of 2026!

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