What Are The 10 Top Books Recommended For Fantasy Fans?

I'm a lifelong fantasy enthusiast, and my bookshelf is overflowing with magical worlds. The must-read list starts with 'The Name of the Wind' by Patrick Rothfuss, a masterclass in storytelling with its lyrical prose and intricate magic system. 'Mistborn' by Brandon Sanderson is another favorite, blending heist elements with a unique metallic magic system. For epic scale, nothing beats 'The Way of Kings'—also by Sanderson—with its sprawling world and deep lore. 'The Lies of Locke Lamora' by Scott Lynch offers a gritty, clever take on fantasy thieves. And of course, 'The Hobbit' is the cozy classic that started it all for many of us.

For darker tones, 'The First Law' trilogy by Joe Abercrombie delivers brutal realism and unforgettable characters. 'The Poppy War' by R.F. Kuang merges fantasy with harrowing historical inspiration. 'Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell' by Susanna Clarke crafts magic into Regency England with mesmerizing detail. Urban fantasy fans should devour 'The Dresden Files' by Jim Butcher for its wizard-detective hybrid charm. Rounding out the list is 'The Fifth Season' by N.K. Jemisin, a revolutionary work with geology-based magic and jaw-dropping narrative structure.

Fantasy is my escape hatch from reality, and these ten books are my golden tickets. 'A Song of Ice and Fire' by George R.R. Martin redefined political intrigue in fantasy—every backstab feels personal. If you prefer whimsy, 'The Discworld' series by Terry Pratchett packs more wit and wisdom per page than anything else. 'The Stormlight Archive' (yes, more Sanderson) is my productivity ruin; I’ve lost weekends to its 1,000-page tomes. For something lush and melancholy, 'The Goblin Emperor' by Katherine Addison is a standalone gem about an unlikely ruler navigating court politics.

'Black Sun' by Rebecca Roanhorse draws from Indigenous myths to create a fresh, vibrant world—perfect for readers tired of Eurocentric tropes. 'The Broken Earth' trilogy shattered my expectations with its second-person narration and apocalyptic stakes. 'Circe' by Madeline Miller turns Greek mythology into intimate, lyrical character study. 'Kings of the Wyld' by Nicholas Eames is like D&D meets rock nostalgia, hilarious and heartfelt. 'The Priory of the Orange Tree' by Samantha Shannon is feminist dragon fantasy at its finest. And don’t skip 'The Rage of Dragons' by Evan Winter—it’s relentless action with emotional depth.

Honorable mentions: 'The Wheel of Time' for commitment-philes (14 books!), and 'Good Omens' for those who like their apocalypses cheeky.

As someone who judges books by their map quality, these fantasies deliver. 'The Blade Itself' by Joe Abercrombie hooks you with its morally gray characters and dark humor—think 'Game of Thrones' but punchier. 'The City of Brass' by S.A. Chakraborty blends Middle Eastern folklore with political scheming in Djinn society. For a standalone, 'Uprooted' by Naomi Novik feels like a dark fairy tale with a sentient forest antagonist. 'The Lies of Locke Lamora' is basically 'Ocean’s Eleven' in a Renaissance-esque fantasy Venice, complete with snarky dialogue.

'His Dark Materials' by Philip Pullman remains a masterpiece of young adult crossover appeal, mixing theology and armored bears. 'The Ten Thousand Doors of January' by Alix E. Harrow is a love letter to wanderlust, where doors literally lead to other worlds. 'The Bear and the Nightingale' by Katherine Arden wraps Russian folklore into a wintery coming-of-age story. 'Gideon the Ninth' is 'lesbian necromancers in space,' which is all you need to know. Finally, 'The Library at Mount Char' by Scott Hawkins is batshit cosmic horror disguised as urban fantasy—not for the faint-hearted.