Fantasy Reading List

Best Fantasy Books

Science Fiction and Fantasy (SFF) are my favourite genres in fiction.

This page is my list of the best fantasy books I have read – series and standalone.

Some of the books listed are absolute masterpieces in fantasy. This is not an exhaustive list of everything I have read in fantasy, I have only included books I enjoyed reading ‘when I read them.’

Hope the list helps you pick up your next read. Enjoy!


FANTASY – SERIES

The Cosmere by Brandon Sanderson

The Stormlight Archive series by Brandon Sanderson

Books in the Stormlight Archive series

  • The Way of Kings
  • The Words of Radiance
  • Oathbringer
  • Edgedancer (novella)

Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson

Books in the Mistborn series

  • The Final Empire
  • The Well of Ascension
  • The Hero of Ages
  • Mistborn: Secret History

Brandon Sanderson later added more novels to this series in different setting set years after the events of the Hero of Ages.

  • The Alloy of Law
  • Shadows of Self
  • The Bands of Mourning

Reckoners series by Brandon Sanderson

Books in the Reckoners series

  • Steelheart
  • Mitosis (novella)
  • Firefight
  • Calamity

Legion series by Brandon Sanderson

Books in the Legion series

  • Legion
  • Legion: Skin Deep
  • Legion: Lies of the Beholder

Elantris by Brandon Sanderson


Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson


Arcanum Unbounded by Brandon Sanderson


The Emperor’s Soul by Brandon Sanderson


Perfect State by Brandon Sanderson


Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell by Brandon Sanderson


Sixth of the Dusk by Brandon Sanderson


Farseer Series of Trilogies by Robin Hobb

The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb

Books in the Farseer Trilogy

  • Assassin’s Apprentice
  • Royal Assassin
  • Assassin’s Quest

The Tawny Man Trilogy by Robin Hobb

Books in the Tawny Man Trilogy

  • Fool’s Errand
  • Fool’s Fate
  • The Golden Fool

Fitz and the Fool Trilogy by Robin Hobb

Books in the Fitz and the Fool Trilogy

  • Fool’s Assassin
  • Fool’s Quest
  • Assassin’s Fate

The Liveship Traders Trilogy by Robin Hobb

Books in the Liveship Traders Trilogy

  • Ship of Magic
  • The Mad Ship
  • Ship of Destiny

Rain Wild Chronicles by Robin Hobb

Books in the Rain Wild Chronicles series

  • Dragon Keeper
  • Dragon Haven
  • City of Dragons
  • Blood of Dragons

Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson

Books in the Malazan Book of the Fallen series

  • Garden of the Moon
  • Deadhouse Gates
  • Memories of Ice
  • House of Chains
  • Midnight Tides
  • The Bonehunters
  • Reaper’s Gale
  • Toll the Hounds
  • Dust of Dreams
  • Crippled God

The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien

Books in the Lord of the Rings series

  • The Fellowship of the Rings
  • The Two Towers
  • The Return of the King

While not part of the Lord of the Rings series, but sharing the same story arc and characters are the following novels. Of the two, I definitely recommend reading The Hobbit before or after the trilogy above.

  • The Hobbit
  • The Silmarillion

A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin

Books in A Song of Ice and Fire series

  • A Game of Thrones
  • A Clash of Kings
  • A Storm of Swords
  • A Feast for Crows
  • A Dance with Dragons

The Broken Earth series by N. K. Jemisin

Books in The Broken Earth series

  • The Fifth Season
  • The Obelisk Gate
  • The Stone Sky

The Riftwar Saga by Raymond E. Feist

Books in The Riftwar Saga

  • Magician
  • Silverthorn
  • A Darkness at Sethanon

Raymond E. Feist has written number series that extends the story line in the Riftwar Saga. However I haven’t managed to read so far. But I have enjoyed whatever I have read so far.


The Riyria Series by Michael J. Sullivan

Books in The Riyria Series

  • Theft of Swords (Riyria Revelations)
  • Rise of Empire (Riyria Revelations)
  • Heir of Novron (Riyria Revelations)
  • The Crown Tower (Riyria Chronicles)
  • The Rose and the Thorn (Riyria Chronicles)

The Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss

Books in The Kingkiller Chronicles series

  • The Name of the Wind
  • The Wise Man’s Fear
  • The Slow Regard of Silent Things

Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling

Books in the Harry Potter series

  • Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (called Sorcerer’s Stone in some countries)
  • Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
  • Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
  • Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
  • Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
  • Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
  • Harry Potter and the Dealthly Hallows

The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordon

Books in the Wheel of Time series

  • The Eye of the World
  • The Great Hunt
  • The Dragon Reborn
  • The Shadow Rising
  • The Fires of Heaven
  • Lord of Chaos
  • A Crown of Swords
  • Path of Daggers
  • Winter’s Heart
  • Crossroads of Twilight
  • Knife of Dreams
  • The Gathering Storm (Robert Jordon and Brandon Sanderson)
  • Towers of Midnight (Robert Jordon and Brandon Sanderson)
  • A Memory Of Light (Robert Jordon and Brandon Sanderson)

Robert Jordon also wrote a prequel below to the series

  • New Spring

The Cycle of Arawn and Galand series by Edward W. Robertson

Books in The Cycle of Arawn series

  • The White Tree
  • The Great Rift
  • The Black Star

Books in The Cycle of Galand series

  • The Red Sea
  • The Silver Thief
  • The Wound of the World
  • The Light of Life
  • The Spear of Stars
  • What Lies Beyond

The Dandelion Dynasty series by Ken Liu

Books in the Dandelion Dynasty series

  • The Grace of Kings
  • The Wall of Storms

Powder Mage Trilogy by Brian McClellan

Books in the Powder Mage Trilogy

  • Promise of Blood
  • The Crimson Campaign
  • The Autumn Republic

The First Law Trilogy by Joe Abercrombie

Books in The First Law Trilogy

  • The Blade Itself
  • Before they are Hanged
  • Last Argument of Kings

The Licanius Trilogy by James Islington

Books in The Licanius Trilogy

  • The Shadow of What Was Lost
  • An Echo of Things to Come
  • The Light of all that Falls

Tarzan series by Edgar Rice Burroughs

Books in the Tarzan series

  • Tarzan of the Apes
  • Jungle Tales of Tarzan
  • The Return of Tarzan
  • Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar
  • Tarzan the Terrible
  • Tarzan the Untamed
  • Son of Tarzan
  • Beasts of Tarzan
  • Tarzan and the Golden Lion

The Greatcoats series by Sebastien de Castell

Books in The Greatcoats series

  • Traitor’s Blade
  • Knight’s Shadow
  • Saint’s Blood
  • Tyrant’s Throne

FANTASY – STANDALONE

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman


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