Fantasy books can take you on any imaginable quest, from monster-hunting warriors to dragons, unicorns and sirens. But they all promise an epic adventure that will keep you hooked. Check out our top fantasy books now!
The Last Wish – Andrezj Sapkowski
The prequel and first book in the Witcher series that inspired the bestselling games and Netflix show starring Henry Cavill.
The Last Wish is the perfect introduction to this one-of-a-kind fantasy world.
The Lord of the Rings – J. R. R. Tolkien
Book one in the international bestselling trilogy that inspired the films. The Lord of the Rings tells of the great quest undertaken by Frodo and the Fellowship of the Ring: Gandalf the Wizard; the hobbits Merry, Pippin, and Sam; Gimli the Dwarf; Legolas the Elf; Boromir of Gondor; and a tall, mysterious stranger called Strider.
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.
Game of Thrones – George R. R. Martin
There are three houses with their own kings and queens – House Stark, House Lannister, and House Targaryen – that all are struggling for control of the throne. The book that inspired the acclaimed HBO series.
Winter is coming.
The Hobbit – J. R. R. Tolkien
Prelude to the Lord of the Rings, the Hobbit follows Bilbo Baggins as his peaceful life is disturbed by a plot to raid the treasure haud guarded by a dragon.
“A glorious account of a magnificent adventure, filled with suspense and seasoned with a quiet humor that is irresistible . . .” – New York Times
American Gods – Neil Gaiman
Shadow Moon is released from prison, but hours before his release his wife is killed in a freak accident. Then, he meets Shadow an enigmatic stranger who claims to be an ancient god.
“Original, engrossing, and endlessly inventive” – George R. R. Martin
Dark Tower – Stephen King
Roland is on an epic journey to the mysterious Dark Tower as he pursues the man in black. Now a major motion picture.
The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.
The Colour of Magic – Terry Pratchett
Discworld exists on a frontier between thought and reality, a parallel time and place that may seem like our own, but vastly different. And Twoflower is the Discworld’s first tourist.
The Discworld novels can be read in any order but The Colour of Magic is the first Discworld book.
Dune – Frank Herbert
Dune is a planet of fabulous wealth – it is the only source of a prized drug. Paul Atreides is the new leader of the native people of Dune, who they believe can help them harness the force of the planet.
One of the most brilliant science fiction novels ever written, as engrossing and heart-rending today as it was when it was first published half a century ago.
Good Omens – Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman
Aziraphale, an angel, and his long-time frenemy the demon, Crowley, have lived on earth since the beginning of time. And they don’t want the Apocalypse to ruin it.
What if, for once, the predictions are right, and the Apocalypse really is due to arrive next Saturday, just after tea?
The Magicians – Lev Grossman
Quentin Coldwater turns up for an interview at Princeton University, but he finds the interviewer dead and a strange envelope with his name on it, that leads him down a path very different to what he expected.
‘The Magicians is to Harry Potter as a shot of Irish whiskey is to a glass of weak tea . . . dark and dangerous and full of twists’ – George R. R. Martin
The Eye of the World – Robert Jordan
Rand al’Thor and his friends’ village is attacked, and they’re forced to flee. An ancient evil is stirring and its servants are searching for the hero who can deliver the world from darkness.
Prepare to turn the Wheel of Time – discover the first novel in one of the most influential and popular fantasy epics ever published.
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland – Lewis Carroll
Alice returns back down the rabbit hole to revisit the place she once visited as a child to embark on a journey for her true destiny.
Alice falls down, down, down into a land of wonder, a place filled with White Rabbits, Mock Turtles, screaming Queens, and Mad Hatters. Join Alice as she experiences the silliness and excitement of a place gone crazy.
The Goblin Emperor – Katherine Addison
Maia, the youngest half-goblin son of the Emperor, has lived his life in exile. Until his father and brothers are killed in an ‘accident’. Now Maia has no choice but to take his place on the throne.
“If courtly intrigue is your wine of choice, The Goblin Emperor is the headiest vintage I’ve come across in years.” – Scott Lynch
The Dragonbone Chair – Tad Williams
Simon, a bored and restless 14-year old kitchen boy, becomes the apprentice to a wizard. He thinks his life is getting better, but forces are gathering – forces that will change his life and world forever.
With THE DRAGONBONE CHAIR, Tad Williams introduced readers to the incredible fantasy world of Osten Ard and kicked off the beloved, internationally bestselling series Memory, Sorrow and Thorn.
The Sword of Shannara – Terry Brooks
Half-human, half-elf Shea Ohmsford lives in peace until a druid appears and reveals that the supposedly long-dead Warlock, that tore apart the world before, lives.
Volume one in the classic bestselling series – from one of the all-time masters of fantasy
Gardens of the Moon – Steven Erikson
Empires and imperial legions are pitted against each other. But they are not alone, sinister forces gathering as the gods themselves prepare to intervene.
A novel in which grand design, a dark and complex mythology, wild and wayward magic and a host of enduring characters combine with thrilling, powerful storytelling to resounding effect.
A Wizard of Earthsea – Ursula K. Le Guin
Ged, the greatest sorcerer in Earthsea, was the reckless Sparrowhawk in his youth. In his hunger for power and knowledge, he released a terrible shadow upon the world.
“The magic of Earthsea is primal; the lessons of Earthsea remain as potent, as wise, and as necessary as anyone could dream.” — Neil Gaiman
Assassin’s Apprentice – Robin Hobb
Young Fitz is the bastard son of the noble Prince Chivalry, hidden from the world and raised by his father’s stableman. All the royalty treats him as an outcast, except King Shrewd, who secretly taught him the arts of an assassin.
“Fantasy as it ought to be written” – George R. R. Martin
The Way of Kings – Brandon Sanderson
The entire world is at war with itself. Kings will do anything to gain more Shardblades, the possession of which makes a man nearly invincible on the battlefield. Each wishing to unite the world under a single throne.
‘I loved this book. What else is there to say?’ – Patrick Rothfuss
The Blade Itself – Joe Abercrombie
An inquisitor, a nobleman, and an infamous warrior are about to have their lives made more difficult by a bald old man, who might be the First of the Magi.
‘Delightfully twisted and evil’ – Guardian
Tigana – Guy Gavriel Kay
The tale of people cursed by the black sorcery of a cruel despotic king that even the name of their homeland cannot be spoken or remember…
A masterful epic of magic, politics, war, and the power of love and hate—from the renowned author of The Fionavar Tapestry and Children of Earth and Sky.
Circe – Madeline Miller
Circe grows up in the shadows, at home neither with the mortals or the gods. She has a power of her own: witchcraft. When her power threatens the gods, she is sent to Aiaia where she hones her craft.
Woman. Witch. Myth. Mortal. Outcast. Lover. Destroyer. Survivor. CIRCE.
The Night Circus – Erin Morgenstern
The Circus of Dreams, open only at nightfall. It appears without warning. The gates shudder and unlock, seemingly of their own violation, inviting the crowd inside.
“A Romeo and Juliet tale drenched in magic realism, The Night Circus defies both genres and expectations. In short, it’s a showstopper.” – The Boston Globe
Uprooted – Naomi Novik
The villagers require protection off the wizard, but his help comes at a price: one young woman must serve him for ten years. Agnieszka fears that her best friend will be chosen, but it’s not her best friend he chooses.
A dark enchantment blights the land in the award-winning Uprooted – a enthralling fantasy inspired by fairy tales, by Naomi Novik, author of the Temeraire series.
The Name of the Wind – Patrick Rothfuss
The tale of Kvothe, the notorious magician, the accomplished thief, the masterful musician, the dragon-slayer, the legend-hunter, infamous assassin, and unassuming inkeepter.
‘This is a magnificent book’ – Anne McCaffrey
A Deadly Education – Naomi Novik
There are no teachers, no holidays, friendships are purely strategic, and the odds of survival are never equal. Once you’re inside, there are only two ways out: you graduate or you die.
Enter a school of magic unlike any you have ever encountered.
Tempests and Slaughter – Tamora Pierce
Arram Draper is set to be one of the realm’s most powerful mages. With his best friends, Varice and Ozorne, they form a bond that will one day shape the kingdom.
“Tamora Pierce’s books shaped me not only as a young writer but also as a young woman. She is a pillar, an icon, and an inspiration.” – SARAH J. MAAS
His Dark Materials – Philip Pullman
Lyra is heading North, where the Gobblers take the children (including her friend) and her fearsome uncle is trying to build a bridge to a parallel world. Lyra knows she needs to act, but to help one is to betray the other.
The modern fantasy classic that Entertainment Weekly named an “All-Time Greatest Novel” and Newsweek hailed as a “Top 100 Book of All Time.”
Howl’s Moving Castle – Diana Wynne Jones
Sophie is the eldest of three sisters, destined to fail miserably. But she attracts the attention of the Witch of the Waste and finds herself transformed into an old lady. The only person who can break the spell is the wizard Howl.
Diana Wynne Jones’ entrancing, classic fantasy novel is filled with surprises at every turn.
The Last Unicorn – Peter S. Beagle
The unicorn lived in the safety of an enchanted forest, all alone. So she ventured out to find more of her kind, joined by a wizard and Molly Grue.
“The Last Unicorn is the best book I have ever read. You need to read it. If you’ve already read it, you need to read it again.” — Patrick Rothfuss
The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe – C. S. Lewis
Four adventurous siblings—Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie—step through a wardrobe door and into the land of Narnia, a land frozen in eternal winter and enslaved by the power of the White Witch.
Don’t miss one of America’s top 100 most-loved novels, selected by PBS’s The Great American Read.
Six of Crows – Leigh Bardugo
Criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams – but he can’t pull it off alone. Six outcasts and one impossible heist.
Nominated for the CILIP Carnegie Medal 2017, this fantasy epic from the No. 1 NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of the Grisha trilogy is gripping, sweeping and memorable
Shadow and Bone – Leigh Bardugo
Alina Starkov is a soldier who knows she may not survive her first battle. But she has a dormant magic inside of her that she didn’t know about.
Enter the Grishaverse with book one of the Shadow and Bone Trilogy by number one New York Times-bestselling author, Leigh Bardugo.
Children of Blood and Bone – Tomi Adeyemi
Zélie remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic, when three different clans ruled. Everything changed when magic suddenly disappeared. A ruthless king killed everyone who had powers, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope.
Tomi Adeyemi conjures a stunning world of dark magic and danger in her West African-inspired fantasy debut Children of Blood and Bone.
Eragon – Christopher Paolini
Poor farm boy, Eragon, finds a stone in the forest. It turns out it wasn’t a stone at all when it hatches a dragon. His simple life has changed drastically and now he must take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders.
The fate of the Empire rests in his hands. . .
A Court of Thorns and Roses – Sarah J. Maas
Feyre is a huntress. But her life changes when she sees a wolf hunting a deer – she kills the wolf and takes its prey. However, that wolf was not what it seemed and now she has a huge price to pay for its death.
“With bits of Buffy, Game Of Thrones and Outlander, this is a glorious series of total joy ” – Stylist
Throne of Glass – Sarah J. Maas
The beautiful and deadly Celaena is a lethal assassin, until she gets caught. Young Captain Westfall offers her a deal: her freedom in return for representing him in a to-the-death match.
The book that started the phenomenon. Sarah J. Maas’s global #1 bestselling THRONE OF GLASS series has taken the world by storm.
Cinder – Marissa Meyer
Cinder is a gifted mechanic and a cyborg, she’s reviled by her mother and blamed for her sister’s illness. Then her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai and she needs to learn the secrets about her past for the world’s future.
“A mash up of fairy tales and science fiction . . . a cross between Cinderalla, Terminator, and Star Wars.” ― Entertainment Weekly
Red Queen – Victoria Aveyard
The Reds are commoners ruled by the Silvers. Mare Barrow is a Red who finds herself working in the Silver Place. There, she discovers that she possesses a deadly power. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power.
THIS IS A WORLD DIVIDED BY BLOOD – RED OR SILVER
To Kill a Kingdom – Alexandra Christo
Princes Lira is siren royalty and the most lethal of them all. But as a punishment for killing one of her own, Lira is transformed into a human. Then she meets Prince Elian, a siren hunter, and she promises him the key to destroying sirens for good.
Dark and romantic YA fantasy about the siren with a taste for royal blood and the prince who has sworn to destroy her.
