fantasy fiction book series for adults

Discover the 9 Best Fantasy Book Series for Adults

Fantasy books aren’t just for kids- they’re for everyone. In fact, some of the best and most complex stories are found within the pages of adult fantasy novels. With magic, mythical creatures, and worlds beyond our imagination – it’s no wonder why adults find themselves entranced in the genre. In this article, we’ll explore why fantasy books are so appealing to adults, and highlight the top fantasy book series worth reading.

Why Fantasy Books Appeal to Adults

Escapism and imagination.

As adults, we have to deal with the stresses of real life- work, bills, and all sorts of responsibilities. Sometimes, we just need an escape- a way to immerse ourselves in a world free from the constraints of reality. Fantasy books provide that outlet, transporting us to worlds filled with magic and wonder, where we can lose ourselves in the story.

For instance, imagine being able to travel through time, or having the ability to fly. These are just some of the many possibilities that fantasy books offer. They allow us to experience things that we could never experience in real life, making them all the more exciting and captivating.

Furthermore, these books allow our imagination to run wild. They spark the creativity within us, encouraging us to picture vivid landscapes, intricate magic systems, and unique cultures. This allows us to express ourselves in unique and exciting ways. It’s no wonder that so many adults find themselves drawn to these fantastical worlds.

Complex Themes and Characters

While simple stories can be great, there’s something incredibly fulfilling about a complex, multi-layered narrative. Fantasy books are capable of tackling themes that are often too abstract for other genres, dealing with issues such as politics, morality, and the human condition.

For example, the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling explores the themes of love, loss, and sacrifice. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien delves into the themes of power, corruption, and the struggle between good and evil. These are just a few examples of how fantasy books can tackle complex themes in a way that is both engaging and thought-provoking.

Furthermore, the characters within these books are often some of the most well-rounded and interesting in literature. They can be flawed, complex, and filled with nuance- making them feel all the more real and relatable. For instance, the character of Tyrion Lannister from George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series is a fan favorite due to his wit, intelligence, and moral ambiguity.

The Power of World-Building

Perhaps one of the most impressive aspects of fantasy books is their ability to create entirely new worlds from scratch. These worlds are often filled with intricate lore, unique cultures, and fascinating magic systems. This attention to detail makes the world feel alive, drawing readers in and making them feel as if they’re a part of that world.

For instance, the world of Middle-earth in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings is filled with a rich history, complete with its own languages and mythology. The world of Westeros in George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series is similarly detailed, with its own complex political system and unique cultures.

Overall, fantasy books offer a unique and immersive reading experience that appeals to adults in a way that few other genres can. Whether it’s the escapism and imagination, the complex themes and characters, or the power of world-building, there’s something for everyone in the world of fantasy literature.

Top Fantasy Book Series for Adults

Fantasy literature has always been a popular genre, with its ability to transport readers to other worlds and introduce them to fascinating characters and creatures. Here are some of the best fantasy book series for adults that you should definitely check out:

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

Arguably one of the most popular and beloved series in modern fantasy literature, A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF) has earned its place as a masterpiece of the genre. Set in the fictional world of Westeros, this series is famous for its political intrigue, complex characters, and shocking twists. With dragons, sorcery, and a cast of hundreds, ASOIAF is an absolute must-read for any fan of the genre.

What makes ASOIAF so special is its realistic portrayal of human nature. The characters are neither wholly good nor wholly evil, but rather complex individuals with their own motivations and flaws. Martin’s writing is also incredibly descriptive, bringing the world of Westeros to life with vivid detail.

The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan

The Wheel of Time is a massive, epic series that spans fourteen books. Set in a world where magic is real and the fate of the universe hangs in the balance, this incredibly detailed story is a tale of prophecy, destiny, and the struggle for power. With richly-drawn characters and a sprawling world, The Wheel of Time is an incredible journey that any fantasy fan will love.

One of the most impressive aspects of The Wheel of Time is its world-building. Jordan has created a fully-realized universe with its own history, cultures, and languages. The magic system is also incredibly intricate, with different types of magic and their own rules and limitations.

The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson

A relative newcomer to the fantasy genre, The Stormlight Archive is a masterpiece in its own right. With a unique magic system, complex characters, and intricate world-building, this series follows the lives of a group of individuals as they try to save their world from destruction. This series is a perfect example of how modern fantasy can be balanced, combining action, drama, and political intrigue in equal measure.

Sanderson’s writing is incredibly immersive, and readers will find themselves fully invested in the characters and their struggles. The magic system is also incredibly inventive, with each character having their own unique abilities that are tied to their personalities and experiences.

The Kingkiller Chronicle by Patrick Rothfuss

The Kingkiller Chronicle is a two-book series that follows the story of Kvothe, an incredibly talented musician who is also a wizard. With storytelling as one of its central themes, this series uses its lyrical prose to great effect, weaving an intricate story filled with mystery and intrigue. Rothfuss has a gift for crafting realistic, relatable characters that leap off the page and stick with readers long after they’ve finished the books.

One of the most impressive things about The Kingkiller Chronicle is its attention to detail. Rothfuss has created a fully-realized world with its own history, mythology, and culture. The characters are also incredibly well-developed, with their own unique personalities and motivations.

The First Law Trilogy by Joe Abercrombie

Joe Abercrombie’s The First Law Trilogy is a dark and gritty fantasy series that follows a group of characters as they navigate a world that’s closer to our own than most fantasy settings. With themes of betrayal, violence, and morality, this series is a refreshing break from the more trope-heavy aspects of the genre. The characters are complex and well-written, and their journeys are both emotional and fulfilling.

Abercrombie’s writing is incredibly visceral, with vivid descriptions of violence and gore. But despite the dark subject matter, The First Law Trilogy is ultimately a story about redemption and the struggle to do what’s right in a world that’s often cruel and unforgiving.

These fantasy book series for adults are just a few examples of the incredible stories that the genre has to offer. Whether you’re a longtime fan or a newcomer to fantasy literature, these books are sure to captivate and entertain you.

Underrated Fantasy Series Worth Exploring

Are you tired of the same old fantasy tropes? Looking for something fresh and exciting to sink your teeth into? Look no further than these underrated fantasy series that are well worth exploring!

The Broken Empire Trilogy by Mark Lawrence

The Broken Empire Trilogy is a dark and gritty series that follows the life of Jorg Ancrath, a young man seeking revenge on those who wronged him. But this series is so much more than just a revenge story. Lawrence’s writing has a poetic quality that elevates the books beyond their gritty origins, making them a joy to read. The world-building is strong, with detailed descriptions of the various kingdoms and their political machinations. And the characters are memorable, with Jorg being a particularly complex and fascinating protagonist. If you’re looking for a series that will keep you on the edge of your seat, The Broken Empire Trilogy is a must-read.

The Lightbringer Series by Brent Weeks

The Lightbringer Series is a unique take on the fantasy genre, using magic based on the manipulation of light to great effect. But this series is more than just a gimmick. With themes of politics, religion, and the nature of power, this series is both thought-provoking and action-packed. The characters are well-drawn and complex, with each one having their own motivations and secrets. And the world-building is intricate without being overwhelming, with detailed descriptions of the various countries and their customs. If you’re looking for a series that will challenge your assumptions about fantasy, The Lightbringer Series is a must-read.

The Powder Mage Trilogy by Brian McClellan

The Powder Mage Trilogy is a fast-paced, action-packed series that follows a group of characters navigating a world threatened by war. With elements of magic, steampunk, and politics, this series is incredibly engaging, with twists and turns that keep readers on their toes. The characters are memorable, with each one having their own unique backstory and motivations. And the world-building is unique, with a fascinating magic system based on the manipulation of gunpowder. If you’re looking for a series that will keep you on the edge of your seat, The Powder Mage Trilogy is a must-read.

The Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson

The Malazan Book of the Fallen is a massive, epic series that spans ten books. Set in a world filled with gods, magic, and ancient empires, this series is both complex and engaging. The characters are well-drawn, with each one having their own unique backstory and motivations. And the story is full of unexpected twists and turns, with each book building upon the last to create a truly epic tale. But be warned- this series is not for the faint of heart. With its complex plot and large cast of characters, it can be a challenging, but ultimately rewarding read for fans of the genre.

So there you have it- four underrated fantasy series that are well worth exploring. Whether you’re looking for a dark and gritty revenge tale, a unique take on magic, a fast-paced action-packed adventure, or an epic tale of gods and empires, these series have something for everyone. So why not give them a try and see what all the fuss is about?

Whether you’re a die-hard fantasy fan or someone looking to escape the stresses of everyday life, there’s no denying the appeal of a good fantasy book series. From the sprawling epics of Robert Jordan and George R.R. Martin to the more personal tales of Patrick Rothfuss and Joe Abercrombie, there’s something for everyone in the genre. So why not pick up a book, lose yourself in a new world, and discover the best fantasy book series for adults?

Is A Game of Thrones only suitable for adults?

Yes, the stories in George R.R. Martin’s A Game of Thrones series are very mature. They frequently include themes of violence, death, and sex, which would be unsuitable for child or YA readers.

Is The Lord of the Rings hard to read?

While The Lord of the Rings is one of the most famous and adored series of all time, it can be hard to read. Tolkien was well-known for his descriptive narration and the many different languages, concepts, and ethnicities that run throughout can be confusing.

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36 of the best fantasy books everyone should read

Are you looking for your next fantasy must-read? From wizards and werewolves to weird happenings underground, we've pulled together some of the WIRED team's favourite fantasy series. Some are set in strange and fantastic worlds, while others start a little closer to home. And, if you'd like more reading ideas, try our guide to the best sci-fi books or our picks of the best books on Audible .

It's Prime Day 2023, so we've uncovered the top discounts. Check out the best Prime Day deals in the UK here.​​

Piranesi is a wondrous, genre-defying book, but if it had to fit somewhere, 'fantasy' would be the label we'd give it. The less you know about Piranesi , the better, but as a taster, it follows the life of a man who lives within the spectacular, statue-filled halls of a vast, labyrinthine house. Waves roll into the halls, birds and sea creatures come and go, but he has no idea why he's there or how he got there. He's more concerned with writing journal entries and documenting things he encounters.

It's a twisting novel that's both beautiful and deeply unsettling. It's one you could read in a single sitting because the narrator seems so unnervingly naive, and the more you discover, the more you itch for what secrets are hiding beneath the surface. Released in 2021, Piranesi was shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction and won a massive amount of critical acclaim for author Susanna Clarke. If her name rings a bell, it's because she's already well-known for her first novel Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell , which was published in 2004 and adapted into a TV series.

Price: £7.50 | Amazon | Waterstones | Audible trial

Described as Game of Thrones meets Ocean’s Eleven , Six of Crows is set in the Grishaverse – like the award-winning Shadow and Bone trilogy, which is now a major Netflix show. In fact, the show might be called Shadow and Bone , but it draws from the cast of characters in Six of Crows , too. Six of Crows begins in Ketterdam, a raucous, busy hub of trade with an underbelly of crime. Kaz Brekker is a criminal mastermind who’s offered the chance to carry out a risky heist with a considerable reward. He handpicks a team to help, including a convict, excellent sharpshooter, and a spy – six outcasts in total, all trying to pull off the ultimate heist. Bardugo is brilliant at world-building, which is a treat if you’re entering the Grishaverse for the first time and a welcome return for anyone who’s read the Shadow and Bone trilogy or her latest duology set in the same universe, King of Scars . Yes, Six of Crows and the other Grishaverse books are technically YA, but don’t let that put you off.

If anyone deserves to be on this list twice, it’s Neil Gaiman. Stardust is a magical fantasy novel that’s a delight to read at any age. It’s about a young man called Tristran Thorn, who vows to find a star for the woman he loves after they see it fall from the night sky.

What follows is a fairy tale that weaves in stories, characters and settings that are already embedded in our cultural make-up, like pirates, spells, curses, witches, power struggles, falling stars, otherworldly beings and much more. Gaiman said: “I wanted to write a story that would feel, to the reader, like something he or she had always known” – and that’s the enduring appeal of Stardust. The book was adapted into a movie in 2007 with a star-studded cast, including Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Claire Danes. Once you’ve read the book, you should find it on your go-to streaming service, as it does Neil Gaiman’s original tale justice.

Price: £9 | Amazon | Waterstones | Audible trial

Another award-winning entry, Jade City bagged The World Fantasy Award in 2018 and was shortlisted for many others, including the Nebula Awards and the Locus Awards. It’s an epic story that many have said is reminiscent of classic Hong Kong gangster movies. However, the twist here is that it’s set in Janloon, a fantastical metropolis that Lee describes incredibly vividly.

The central premise of Jade City is, as you might guess, all about Jade. This is a stone that’s the lifeblood of the city and has magical properties as it can enhance a person’s natural abilities. That’s why it’s so precious and controlled by two warring families. But when a new drug emerges that gives anyone the power to take advantage of the mystical energies of Jade, tension rises, and violence ensues. It’s stylish, full of beautiful, gritty descriptions and, despite being a fantasy book, touches on all kinds of relatable themes, like family honour and tradition.

Price: £8 | Amazon | Waterstones | Audible trial

Considered one of the best fantasy books ever written, The Last Unicorn is a magical story about a unicorn living in a forest. One day, hunters arrive in the forest and believe it must contain a unicorn because of the magic protecting the creatures there. One of the hunters shouts a warning to the unicorn that she might be the last of her kind, which urges her to embark on a quest to find more unicorns – or learn what’s happened to them.

What comes next is full of sadness, adventure and wonder, with talking animals, witches, a harpy, spells, a magician, and much, much more. It’s another book that’s a trip back into the world of magic and fairy tales for adults, but a firm favourite for children of all ages, too. The Last Unicorn has since been adapted for the screen. In 1982, it was made into a movie featuring the voices of Alan Arkin, Jeff Bridges, Mia Farrow, Angela Lansbury, and Christopher Lee.

Price: £16 | Amazon | Waterstones

Who Fears Death, by Nnedi Okorafor (2018)

Written by award-winning science-fiction and fantasy writer Nnedi Okorafor, Who Fears Death is set in Sudan in a far off, nuclear holocaust-ravaged future. There’s genocide and suffering between two warring tribes and, amidst this immense pain and violence, Onyesonwu is born – her name means “who fears death?” in an ancient language. Onyesonwu is special, displaying all manner of magical powers from an early age. This book is a mesmerising blend of magic, folk tradition, love and spirituality. But read it soon before it hits your TV screen if you’re a book-before-adaptation kind of person. Who Fears Death is being made into a TV series for HBO and George R. R. Martin is set to be an executive producer.

Price: £9 | Amazon | Waterstones | Audible

A Court of Thorns and Roses, by Sarah J. Maas (2020)

Imagine Beauty and the Beast but ramp up the romance and fantasy even more, transform Beauty into a huntress and Beast into some kind of fantastical faerie lord and that’s A Court of Thorns and Roses . Sara J. Maas might have used the classic fairytale as a starting pont for this epic fantasical romance, but it’s a brilliant story in its own right. So much so that it’s the first in a best-selling series of the same name. A Court of Thorns and Roses begins with Feyre, a huntress who kills a wolf to feed her family. But this was no ordinary wolf. In fact, it wasn’t a wolf at all and Feyre has to face the consequences of her violent actions. This is, technically, a YA (young adult) novel, but don’t let that put you off, it has a huge adult fanbase.

Price: £7 | Amazon | Waterstones | Audible

The Power, by Naomi Alderman (2017)

The Power could also be classed as science-fiction, but we’re including it in our fantasy recommendations because what’s more fantastical than every woman in the land suddenly being able to electrocute men Palpatine-style with their fingertips? That’s the searingly smart and brilliantly-explored premise of The Power , which allows us to imagine what would happen if the present balance in the world – or, more rightly so, imbalance, – was reversed in favour of women. Would we be living in a calm utopia within a fortnight? Would we face the same problems we always have? Or would there be a whole host of new challenges to contend with?

The Fifth Season, by N. K. Jemisin (2016)

It doesn’t feel like there’s a right way to begin explaining the truly monumental premise and proportions of The Fifth Season , so let’s just dive in. This book takes place on a planet with one massive supercontinent called Stillness. Every few hundred years the ‘fifth season’ occurs – a period of catastrophic climate change. The world-building prowess of Jemisin’s The Fifth Season is epic, there are different ethnicities, species, areas and castes with all kinds of powers and conflicts, and plenty of other details that won’t make sense until you read the book – be prepared to be a little overwhelmed when you’re first introduced to this new universe. This award-winning tome is the first in the Broken Earth series, with later books also scooping up prestigious Hugo Awards in their own right.

Riot Baby, by Tochi Onyebuchi (2020)

Set in the near future, Riot Baby might be a story with fantastical elements weaved throughout it, but it explores very real, pertinent and important issues of race and bias algorithms. The riot baby in this book is Kev, a young Black man who’s in prison. His sister, Ella, has a number of special powers – like being able to see into the future. Riot Baby is novella length (perfect for anyone whose concentration span isn’t what it used to be) and written in a fast-paced style that makes us, as readers, feel as if we’re witnessing flashes of memories in a manner that’s wedded to some of the central themes of anger and injustice.

Price: £14 | Amazon | Waterstones | Audible

Kindred, by Octavia E. Butler (2018)

Some might say Octavia E. Butler’s fantastic Kindred is a work of science-fiction or speculative fiction, but it’s in our list because Butler herself called it “a kind of grim fantasy”. This is a time travel narrative, but we’d bet it’s quite unlike any you’ve read before. Kindred follows the story of a woman called Dana who’s transported from 1976 Los Angeles to a Maryland plantation in 1815, where she’s assumed to be a slave. Like all good fantasy and science-fiction, the magical, surreal, time-travelling elements act as a way into a raw exploration of race, power and gender that’s as relevant and urgent now as it was when Butler first published it in 1979.

Price: £7.50 | Amazon | Waterstones | Audible

The Lies of Locke Lamora, by Scott Lynch (2006)

Renaissance Venice meets fantasy meets the twists and turns of a well crafted crime novel. Scott Lynch builds a fascinating fantasy city with real detail and real grit. No shining heroes and wistful princesses here. Instead criminal gangs, corrupt officials and the high likelihood of being mugged in a back alley. There is almost a sense of Oceans 11 meets venetian masquerade, blink and you’ll miss the sleight of hand! Fantasy is almost an afterthought in this novel and it is really about the character building and storytelling. Sure there are shark matadors and alchemical alcoholic fruits, not to mention the mysterious Elderglass, but these are more a backdrop rather than plot driving and all combine to make, subtle and intriguing read. There are plenty of twists and turns as Locke navigates the underworld of Camorr, but it’s unlikely you’ll see all of them coming!? This is the first book of a trilogy and although it stands alone you’ll want to read the other two to see what happens next in Red Seas Under Red Skies and A Republic of Thieves .

Earthlings, by Sayaka Murata (2020)

Not one for the faint hearted, this dark fantasy comedy from the author of Convenience Store Woman is tricky to pin down into any one category and the final pages will probably leave you gobsmacked. Natsuki and Yuu are cousins who have long prepared to be abducted back to their home planet. So far, so childhood but then they grow up and the plan persists. In the meantime they have to try to function in regular society, securing partners and jobs and not drawing attention to themselves. No taboo is left unturned with Earthlings encouraging minor acts of rebellion from what 'society' tells us we have to do.

Price: £10.50 | Amazon | Waterstones | 30-day Audible trial

Circe, by Madeline Miller (2018)

Circe, daughter of Titan sun god Helios, finds herself overshadowed in the halls of the gods until she discovers her own, different power: witchcraft. Banished to a deserted island for abusing her magic, and repeatedly let down by the men she puts her trust in, Circe must forge her own path: as a goddess, a witch, and a woman. Miller’s novel offers a new perspective on tales of Greek myth, with Circe’s centuries-long story seeing her appear at the birth of the Minotaur, face off with goddess of war Athena, and host hero Odysseus on his long return from Troy. An accessible read with larger-than-life characters and an adventurous plot, Circe is mythology as you’ve never known it before.

Price: £7 | Amazon | Waterstones | 30-day Audible trial

Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn, by Tad Williams (1988 to 1993)

The three books in this trilogy, The Dragonbone Chair , Stone of Farewell and To Green Angel Tower , are beautifully crafted fantasies that deftly interweave almost comically simple tropes with a rewarding complexity and depth. Game of Thrones fans will find much to enjoy – George R. R. Martin readily admits they were a big inspiration for him – as Williams takes a similarly methodical approach to creating the fictional continent Osten Ard and the races that inhabit it. His tales of the humble kitchen scullion who has great things ahead of him are full of joyful and sorrowful moments that will have you laughing and crying, making them a delightful diversion from life's ups and downs.

Price: £6 | Amazon | Abe Books | 30-day Audible trial

Malazan Book of the Fallen series, by Steven Erikson (1999 to 2011)

Spanning 10 books and over 9,000 pages of brutal, beautiful and complex fantasy writing, Steven Erikson's series delivers world building on a larger scale than Tolkien and Jordan put together. Erikson will have you laughing and crying as you follow the lives of disparate heroes and anti-heroes across a sweeping vista of worlds peopled by a unique set of races and animals. You will fall in love with his characters and you will hate them, either way you will want to know what happens next. Beginning with the Gardens of the Moon , Erikson’s ability to write epic convergence is unparalleled and will leave you unable to stand the tension leading up to the major events he depicts.

The First Law Trilogy, by Joe Abercrombie (2006 to 2008)

Joe Abercrombie writes brilliant characters. Be it the story of an ageing berserker, a crippled torturer or a pompous noble, his The First Law Trilogy immerses you in a bloody mire of violent, visceral and gritty adventures. You will see the glory of battle in all its bowel spilling ineptitude and hopelessness, but there is always someone to root for even if it is not the god blessed heroes and heroines you might usually expect. As an added bonus there are also three standalone books and a collection of short stories that revisit some of the First Law characters and world, something you will be eager to devour once you’ve read the first trilogy.

Price: £17 | Amazon | Waterstones | 30-day Audible trial

The Golem and the Djinni, by Helene Wecker (2013)

Helene Wecker's debut novel is an eerie tale of two magical creatures set loose in 19th century New York. A golem – a mythical creature of Jewish lore – awakens during a sea voyage, and is taught to pass as human among the diverse groups of people living in the city. At the same time, a tinsmith in New York accidentally frees a genie from a flask after centuries of imprisonment, but he's trapped in human form seeking a way to return to his full power. The pair meet and become friends, and must team up to counter an evil sorcerer who wants to enslave them both.

Price: £10 | Amazon | Waterstones | 30-day Audible trial

Dune, by Frank Herbert (1965)

Welcome to a desert planet where water is more precious than gold, everyone wears moisture-preserving jumpsuits and giant worm creatures can come out of the earth's floor that can kill you at any moment. This is Dune, a stark wasteland where warring houses scheme against each other in bloody battles that can alter the course of human history. Although it's science-fiction on the surface, Frank Herbert's epic tome features the fantasy tropes of betrayal, redemption and freedom in spades, and is rightly considered one of the most important of the genre. Herbert's masterpiece not only helped to inspire Star Wars – it still resonates today, tackling environmental concerns, the rise of superpowers and rebellion of people exploited on their own land.

The Dark Tower series, by Stephen King (1998)

"The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed." This iconic line kicks off Stephen King's iconic The Dark Tower, which mashes together fantasy, westerns and elements of science fiction. The first of seven books follows gunslinger Roland as he pursues a mysterious, malevolent presence across a strange world that's linked to our own. From there, it sprawls into a rambling epic that highlight's King's imagination as well as his touch for horror.

Price: £9 | Amazon | Waterstones | 30-day Audible trial

A Song of Ice and Fire, by George R.R. Martin (1996)

Fans of the television series have been distancing themselves from Game of Thrones in droves since that disastrous final season, but George R.R. Martin's books remain relatively untainted. A Game of Thrones , the first in the A Song of Ice and Fire Series, sets the tone – with violence and adult themes rarely seen in a lot of mainstream fantasy up to that point. Each chapter follows an individual character's point of view, and although the series does becomes slightly bogged down in later entries, it is gripping – and the ending is still to come.

Price: £8.50 | Amazon | Waterstones | 30-day Audible trial

Good Omens, by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman (1990)

Both Pratchett and Gaiman feature in their own right on this list and Good Omens , composed in part over answerphone messages three decades ago, delivers on the promise of a fantasy literature titan team up. It's the extremely silly story of an angel, Aziraphale, and a demon, Crowley, played with glee by Michael Sheen and David Tennant in this year's Amazon Prime Video series, trying to stop Armageddon. Most fantasy books ask for a serious commitment but Good Omens is a fully formed, read-in-an-afternoon treat.

Rivers of London series, by Ben Aaronovitch (2011)

Set in a lovingly described version of present-day London, the Rivers of London series charts the adventures of Detective Constable Peter Grant, one of two wizards in the Metropolitan Police. It grounds its fantastical elements in the scientific method, and the mixture of flying spells and police jargon gives the ongoing series a unique and enjoyable tone. The first book, Rivers of London describes an encounter with a malevolent spirit that draws Grant into the capital's magical underworld.

Price: £8 | Amazon | Waterstones | 30-day Audible trial

The Wheel of Time series, by Robert Jordan (1990-2007)

An epic fourteen novel saga, (as well as a prequel novel and two companion books), the author James Oliver Rigney Jr. (pen name Robert Jordan), published the first entry in 1990 and was still writing on his death in 2007. Too vast to summarise, the fantasy world – actually a distant version of Earth – is epic and magical, with a gigantic cast of characters. The series has spawned a video game, a roleplaying game, a soundtrack album and a forthcoming TV series, and the books have sold more than 80 million copies, making it one of the bestselling fantasy series since Lord of the Rings .

Price: £20 | Amazon | Blackwells | 30-day Audible trial

The Gormenghast series, by Mervyn Peake (1946-56)

The first instalment of Mervyn Peake’s epic fantasy series, which features three books and a novella, was published in 1946. It follows the residents of Castle Gormenghast – a giant, gothic castle. In the first book, we meet title character Titus Groan, who stands to inherit the castle and its kingdom. Populated with a host of fantastical creatures, Gormenghast is like a Lord of the Rings that didn’t blow up. Unlike much of the fantasy genre gets high praise in literary circles too: Harold Bloom called the series best fantasy novels of the twentieth century.

Price: £20 | Amazon | Waterstones | 30-day Audible trial

His Dark Materials, by Philip Pullman (1995)

Phillip Pullman’s Northern Lights is a children’s book with a depth and complexity that can satisfy adults. We follow Lyra Belacqua and Pantalaimon, her daemon – her inner self given animal form – as she investigates rumours of children being separated from their own spiritual companions. Over the three-book series, this transitions into a battle between humanity and heaven. It functions in part as a retelling and inversion of John Milton's epic Paradise Lost . The second entry of a three-part sequel trilogy was published in late 2019.

The Book of Dust, by Philip Pullman (2018)

Philip Pullman has returned with a follow-up to the His Dark Materials trilogy. The Book of Dust is a second trilogy set in the world of Lyra Belacqua and her inner self in animal form, Pantalaimon. At the point of writing two of the trilogy have been released: La Belle Sauvage (2018) and The Secret Commonwealth (2019). The first of these is set before the tumultuous events of His Dark Materials. But the second fast forwards to a decade after their conclusion. There's espionage, spies and frantic attempts to stop the world from vanishing into darkness.

Price: £7.50 | Amazon | Waterstones | 30-day Audible trial

The Dresden Files, by Jim Butcher (2000)

Harry Dresden is a professional wizard in a version of modern-day Chicago where fantastical creatures lurk just underneath the surface. He makes his living as a private detective, solving cases that bridge the worlds of the real and the uncanny. In Storm Front , the first book in long-running series The Dresden Files, he finds himself duelling with vampires, werewolves, and the mob.

Price: £40 | Amazon | Waterstones | 30-day Audible trial

Perdido Street Station, by China Miéville (2000)

China Miéville's work falls more accurately under the banner of Weird Fiction, an amalgamation of fantasy and horror pioneered by HP Lovecraft. This work, one in a series of books set in the world of Bas-Lag, lies closer to the fantasy genre. As Mieville describes it "it's basically a secondary world fantasy with Victorian-era technology. So rather than being a feudal world, it's an early industrial capitalist world of a fairly grubby, police statey kind”.

Price: £11 | Amazon | Waterstones | 30-day Audible trial

American Gods, by Neil Gaiman (2001)

The Amazon Prime series failed to spark, but Neil Gaiman's richly described novel is well worth a read. American Gods pits the abandoned folk deities of the old world against the modern idols we worship now. It follows Shadow Moon, a convict who finds out – days before his release – that his wife has died in a car accident, and falls into the surreal orbit of Mr Wednesday (Odin) and a looming showdown between the old gods and the new.

A Wizard of Earthsea, by Ursula Le Guin (1968)

Ursula Le Guin is one of the titans of fantasy and sci-fi – her books explore political and feminist themes in fantastical settings. The Left Hand of Darkness focuses on an androgynous civilisation, and The Dispossessed is set in anarchist Utopia. The Earthsea series is more traditional but still brilliant – we follow Ged, a teenager at magic school, who causes a disaster dabbling in the dark arts. Readers have pointed to the similarities between Ged’s school and Hogwarts.

The Farseer Trilogy, by Robin Hobbs (1995-1997)

Robin Hobbs' epic fantasy series hero follows FitzChivalry Farseer, or Fitz for short, the bastard son of the crown prince. Raised in a stable and trained as an assassin, the story charts his adventures through the kingdom of The Six Duchies: magic, murder, and political intrigue abound, as well as a zombie curse. Sound familiar? Definitely a good choice for those suffering from Game of Thrones withdrawal symptoms.

Price: £9 | Amazon | Waterstones | start a 30-day Audible trial

The Accursed Kings, by Maurice Druon (1955-77)

A curveball: not fantasy (the books cover the French monarchy in the 14th century), but a book for fans of fantasy. Its author Maurice Druon is the hero of George RR Martin, who penned the series that became Game of Thrones . As Martin wrote in the Guardian: “ The Accursed Kings has it all: iron kings and strangled queens, battles and betrayals, lies and lust, deception, family rivalries, the curse of the Templars, babies switched at birth, she-wolves, sin and swords, the doom of a great dynasty and all of it (or most of it) straight from the pages of history."

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, by Susanna Clarke (2004)

One of the more recent publications on this list, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell is set in 19th-century England around the time of the Napoleonic Wars. The book’s premise is that magic has returned: two men, Gilbert Norrell and Jonathan Strange, wield it. Written in a comedy of manners, Jane Austen style, it took its author British writer Susanna Clarke (see Piranesi above) ten years to write and was widely acclaimed on its release in 2004.

Price: £11 | Amazon | Waterstones | start a 30-day Audible trial

Mort, by Terry Pratchett (1987)

One of the best entries in Terry Pratchett’s inimitable Discworld series, Mort focuses on a teenager who is taken under the apprenticeship of Death. Appearing in nearly every one of the Discworld books, Pratchett’s Death is one of the author’s greatest creations, and the source of some of the series’ most famous quotes ("Don’t think of it as dying, just think of it as leaving early to avoid the rush.”) It’s in Mort that Death grows into a sympathetic and likeable character, who loves cats and curry and is continuously baffled by the irrationally of humans.

Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James (2019)

Marlon James, who won the Booker prize for A Brief History of Seven Killings , is not traditionally a fantasy writer, but he dubbed his latest book the African Game of Thrones . (Although he later revealed the comparison was a joke). This book focuses on the political tensions between warring states, in a world populated by a host of magical creatures: cannibals, vampires, witches, ghosts and sorcerers.

This article was originally published by WIRED UK

The 30 best fantasy book series for escaping to another realm

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Fantasy novels transport readers across magical lands, introduce them to mystical creatures, and take them on mythical adventures. It can be hard to contain a great fantasy story in one novel, so book series let readers revisit their favorite characters and worlds as they take on new enemies, discover new powers, and even fall in love. 

The recommendations on this list aren't just amazing novels — they also make great gifts for the fantasy reader in your life. Many of them come in stunning box sets and gifting the whole series means they can pick up the next book as soon as they close the last. 

Whether the reader in your life loves classic fantasy tales or gripping new fantasy adventures, here are the best fantasy series to gift in 2022.

An enthralling dystopian fantasy series

"The Legend" trilogy by Marie Lu, available on Amazon and Target .

"Legend," the first book in the series, available at Amazon .

In this dystopian fantasy series set in a future Los Angeles now known as the Republic, 15-year-olds June and Day may never have crossed paths, as she is a prodigy groomed for success and he is the country's most wanted criminal. But when June's brother is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect, the two are set on a collision path toward each other until the truth of what really brought them together is revealed.

A dark academia fantasy trilogy

"The Scholomance" series by Naomi Novik, available on Amazon .

"A Deadly Education," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble .

This series kicks off with "A Deadly Education" where readers are introduced to Scholomance, a school for the magically gifted that students can't leave unless they graduate or die. Full of monsters, magic, and creepy dangers, this trilogy follows El as she navigates her dark powers, finds allies, and tries to survive.

A fantasy series well-known for its TV adaptation

"Game of Thrones" series by George R.R. Martin, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

"A Song of Ice and Fire," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

Now wildly famous after the hit HBO series of the same name, George R.R. Martin's high fantasy series of dragons, seven kingdoms, and deadly winters began with the first novel — "A Song of Ice and Fire" — published in 1996. In this series, families are in a centuries-long power struggle for control of the Iron Throne while protecting the kingdoms from the supernatural creatures that lay beyond the Wall.

A delightfully witchy YA trilogy

"Serpent & Dove" trilogy by Shelby Mahurin, available on Amazon .

"Serpent & Dove," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble .

"Serpent & Dove" is a young adult fantasy trilogy about Louise le Blanc, a witch that fled her coven, abandoned her magic, and settled in Cesarine, a town where witches are feared and burned if discovered. But when Louise is forced into a marriage with a witch hunter from the Church, she must choose to face her enemies, her true feelings, and her magic if she hopes to live.

This fantasy series that ties in epic science fiction elements

"The Broken Earth" series by N.K. Jemisin, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

"The Fifth Season," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

"The Broken Earth" series debuted with the Hugo Award-winning novel "The Fifth Season," titled after the apocalyptic-level climate change endured every few centuries. In the first novel — known for its intense plot twists — Essun is on a mission to track down her husband who killed her son and kidnapped her daughter as the world deteriorates into devastation.

A fantasy series of magical parallel Londons

"Shades of Magic" series by V.E. Schwab, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

"A Darker Shade of Magic," the first book in the series, available on Amazon .

V.E. Schwab is a renowned fantasy writer, most well-known for her "Shades of Magic" series, where readers cross parallel universes with varying degrees of magic alongside a talented smuggler and a cunning thief. The series begins with "A Darker Shade of Magic," where readers inevitably fall in love with the story of Kell and Lila, two brilliant heroes who must save the worlds from a dangerous rise of magical power.

A seven-book childrens' fantasy series

"The Chronicles of Narnia" series by C.S. Lewis, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

"The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

"The Chronicles of Narnia" is a seven-book fantasy series first published in 1956 that begins with a young girl named Lucy discovering a magical, wintry world in the back of a wardrobe in "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe." Trapped under a spell from the evil White Witch, Lucy and her siblings team up with a magical lion to free Narnia from the curse in this series that's been loved by children and adults for nearly 70 years. 

A historical, military fantasy series

"The Poppy War" series by R.F. Kuang, available on Amazon .

"The Poppy War," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

"The Poppy War" is the first novel in this historical military fantasy series inspired by the second Sino-Japanese War in 20th-century China. When Rin aces the test to attend the Empire's prestigious military school, she thinks defying everyone's expectations is the last of her problems. While trying to survive at the academy, Rin finds she holds the magical and spiritual gift of shamanism — the ability to interact with spirits — and discovers a Third Poppy War may be closer than they imagined.

An adrenaline-inducing fantasy series

"Blood and Ash" series by Jennifer L. Armentrout, available on Kindle .

"From Blood and Ash," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

The "Blood and Ash" series has captured readers' hearts since the first book, which has over 150,000 five-star ratings on Goodreads. In "From Blood and Ash," readers meet Poppy whose upcoming Ascension means the future of her kingdom rests on her shoulders — until a stunning guard named Hawke makes her question what she thought was her destiny. Readers love this series for its action-packed plot, strong heroine, and cliffhanger endings that force them to immediately grab the next book.  

An engrossing fantasy series from Stephen King

"The Dark Tower" series by Stephen King, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

"The Gunslinger," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

In this primarily dark fantasy series, Stephen King blends magical storytelling with elements of westerns, science fiction, and horror in this eight-book story which follows Roland of Gilead, the final gunslinger, on his mission to reach the Dark Tower and save the universe. Though King is mostly known for suspenseful horror, this fantasy series has proven a gripping must-read from "The Gunslinger" through the final installment, "The Dark Tower."

An emotional fantasy novella series

"Binti" series by Nnedi Okorafor, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

"Binti," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

Winner of the Hugo and Nebula Awards, "Binti" is the first in a series of fantasy novellas featuring earthling Binti, who's been offered a place at the finest university in the galaxy. She must travel through space to reach the school, surviving a furious alien race during her emotional journey.

A fantasy series that began as a "Beauty and the Beast" retelling

"A Court of Thorns and Roses" series by Sarah J. Maas, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

"A Court of Thorns and Roses," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

Sarah J. Maas is adored for her many sexy and action-packed fantasy series, including "A Court of Thorns and Roses," a bestselling young adult fantasy series that began as a "Beauty and the Beast" retelling. Feyre is a hunter dragged into a magical kingdom, accused of murdering a faerie. Closely guarded, she begins to discover the secrets of this dangerous land, her mysterious captor, and an ancient curse. 

An epic and beloved fantasy series

"The Lord of the Rings" series by J.R.R. Tolkien, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

"The Fellowship of the Ring," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

Although "The Lord of the Rings" series begins chronologically with " The Hobbit ," "The Fellowship of the Ring" kicks off this epic, high-fantasy adventure with young hobbit Frodo Baggins and his journey across Middle-Earth. Entrusted with the task to destroy a powerful ring, Frodo, along with his hobbit, elf, and wizard companions, sets out to reach the Cracks of Doom and thwart the rise of the Dark Lord.

A dystopian urban fantasy series

"The Bone Season" series by Samantha Shannon, available on Kindle .

"The Bone Season," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

Chosen as the first-ever TODAY Book Club pick, "The Bone Season" transports readers to 2059 where dreamwalker Paige Mahoney is scouting the criminal underworld for information by effectively intruding on people's minds. When she's kidnapped and taken to Oxford, a secret city ruled by a race of beings from another world, she must fight to regain her freedom in this original dystopian fantasy brought to life with elements of science fiction.

A captivating high-fantasy series

"An Ember in the Ashes" series by Sabaa Tahir, available on Kindle .

"An Ember in the Ashes," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

"An Ember in the Ashes" is a four-book dystopian fantasy series where Laia is a slave in a brutal and tyrannically ruled world under the Martial Empire, living in constant fear. When Laia's brother is arrested, she hatches a plan to rescue him by attending the Empire's military academy and teaming up with Elias, a soldier desperate to be free.

A classic young adult fantasy series

"Earthsea Cycle" series by Ursula K. Le Guin available on Amazon .

"A Wizard of Earthsea," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

"Earthsea Cycle" is a high-fantasy series of six books and nine short stories beginning with "A Wizard of Earthsea," where readers meet Ged, now the greatest sorcerer in Earthsea but once known as Sparrowhawk in his youth. In the first novel, readers follow Sparrowhawk's story of accidentally releasing a shadow over the world and his journey to right his mistake. 

A historical, magical, and whimsical fantasy series

"The Daevabad Trilogy" by S.A. Chakraborty, available on Kindle .

"The City of Brass," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

Set in 18th century Cairo, Nahri is a con woman who gets by on what seems like magic, though she's never believed any of it to be real. When she accidentally summons a mysterious warrior during a con, Nahri becomes bound to a legendary city laced with enchantments — and her schemes could leave her facing deadly consequences.

A dramatic fantasy series set in an Asia-inspired metropolis

"Green Bone Saga" series by Fonda Lee, available on Kindle .

"Jade City," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

Winner of the 2018 World Fantasy Award for Best Novel, Fonda Lee's "Jade City" is the first in an urban fantasy trilogy about the Green Bone warriors who use jade to enhance their magic and defend the island of Kekon. Four siblings of the Kaul family battle rival clans as a powerful new drug emerges, allowing anyone to wield the coveted jade and resulting in a violent (and lethal) clan war.

A magical and romantic fantasy series

"Earthsinger Chronicles" series by L. Penelope, available on Kindle .

"Song of Blood & Stone," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

Selected as one of "TIME Magazine's Best Fantasy Books of All Time, " "Song of Blood & Stone" is a romantic fantasy novel where a crack in a magical vial threatens to tear two kingdoms apart. Jasminda and her Earthsong gift seem to be the only hope to heal the nation and prevent a rising war.

A mythological fantasy series

"Percy Jackson and the Olympians" series by Rick Riordan, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

"The Lightning Thief," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

In "The Lightning Thief," fantasy lovers meet Percy Jackson, a young boy who learns he's a demigod and the son of Poseidon. He sets out with the daughter of Athena across the United States to catch the thief who stole Zeus' lightning bolt and prevent a war between the gods. The Percy Jackson mythological fantasy series has thoroughly engrossed readers of all ages across its five books.

A series of witches, wizards, and romance

"The Kingston Cycle" series by C. L. Polk, available on Kindle .

"Witchmark," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

"The Kingston Cycle" is an award-winning queer fantasy romance series starring Miles Singer, who tried to escape his troubled past and darkly destined future by joining the war efforts, faking his death, and reinventing himself as a doctor. When a tragedy forces Miles to expose his magical healing powers, he risks his freedom to investigate the murder in this series of magical battles, betrayals, and heartwarming romance.

An intense fantasy faerie series

"The Folk of the Air" series by Holly Black, available on Amazon .

"The Cruel Prince," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

"The Folk of the Air" series begins with "The Cruel Prince," where human Jude and her sisters live amongst the fey in the High Court of Faerie, taken against their will to live there after their parents' murders. Desperate to be one of the fey regardless of her mortality and their hatred of humans, Jude attempts to live among them, navigating their violence — and her complicated feelings for their prince.

A gripping fantasy series about demon hunters

"The Mortal Instruments" series by Cassandra Clare, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

"City of Bones," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

Cassandra Clare's "The Mortal Instruments" series kicked off with the bestselling "City of Bones" in 2007, a paranormal fantasy novel where 15-year-old Clary Fray meets the Shadowhunters, a group of warriors who purge demons from the Earth. There are six books and three companions to the series through which readers experience dramatic betrayals, unsuspected evil, and exhilarating love.

A fantasy series set in a Dungeons & Dragons realm

"The Legend of Drizzt" series by R.A. Salvatore, available on Kindle .

"Homeland," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

Drizzt Do'Urden is a dark elf who is destined to defend the world after emerging from an Underdark where his family wants him dead in this epic fantasy series with over 50 novels, companions, and short story compilations. This series takes place in the Forgotten Realm, a dimension in the Dungeons & Dragons universe, making this series a perfect collection for any high fantasy fan.

A fantasy series of good vs evil

"Sword of Truth" series by Terry Goodkind, available on Amazon .

"Wizard's First Rule," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

In this 21-book epic adventure fantasy series, each novel can act as a stand-alone book, but reading them in order takes readers on an epic high fantasy adventure that begins after Richard Cypher sets out to investigate his father's murder. As he navigates the woods, he meets Kahlan Amnell, who is being hunted by assassins. Together, they embark on a dangerous and magical journey of destiny, nightmarish creatures, and bending morality.

A destined faerie fantasy series

"The Iron Fey" series by Julie Kagawa, available on Kindle .

"The Iron King," the first book in the series, available on Amazon  and Bookshop .

In "The Iron Fey" series, Meghan is living a seemingly normal life until a dark stranger unveils a twisted secret: That she is the daughter of a faery king and a pawn in their deadly war. Action-packed and gripping from the start, this faerie series is full of romance, mystery, humor, and features characters from Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream."

A paranormal fantasy series with angels and vampires

"Guild Hunter" series by Nalini Singh, available on Kindle .

"Angel's Blood," the first book in the series, available on Amazon .

With 12 books, four novellas, and 13 short stories published since the series launched in 2009, the "Guild Hunter" books are set in a world where angels rule over humans and vampires. When vampire hunter Elena Deveraux is hired by the powerful archangel Raphael, she's tasked to find an archangel gone rogue. Though the mission is dangerous and potentially impossible, Elena knows failure is not an option in this inaugural book of a gripping urban/paranormal fantasy series. With 12 books, four novellas, and 13 short stories published since the series launched in 2009, the "Guild Hunter" books are set in a world where angels rule over humans and vampires. When vampire hunter Elena Deveraux is hired by the powerful archangel Raphael, she's tasked to find an archangel gone rogue. Though the mission is dangerous and potentially impossible, Elena knows failure is not an option in this inaugural book of a gripping urban/paranormal fantasy series.

A post-apocalyptic dystopian fantasy series

"Penryn & the End of Days" series by Susan Ee, available on Kindle .

"Angelfall," the first book in the series, available on Amazon  and Bookshop .

In 2020, "Angelfall" — the first book in the "Penryn & the End of Days" series- ranked as one of " TIME Magazine's" Top 100 Fantasy Books of All Time . In this paranormal and post-apocalyptic fantasy series, Penryn is 17 when the angels of the apocalypse descend upon the earth and capture her little sister. She teams up with a wounded enemy angel — her only hope for survival and finding her sister.

A romantic historical fantasy series

"The Outlander" series by Diana Gabaldon, available on Amazon .

"Outlander," the first book in the series, available on  Amazon  and  Bookshop .

The "Outlander" series was originally a practice novel for Diana Gabaldon in the 1980s, yet quickly became a bestselling historical fantasy series, with the ninth book due to be published later this year. It's about a woman named Clare who, while on a romantic trip with her husband after World War II, accidentally time travels to Scotland in 1743 where she embarks on an unprecedented journey and falls in love with a Highland warrior. 

A fantasy series with an elaborate and dangerous heist

"Mistborn" series by Brandon Sanderson, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

"Mistborn: The Final Empire," the first book in the series, available on Amazon and Bookshop .

The "Mistborn" saga is a high fantasy series made up of the original trilogy, a four-book additional series set 300 years later, and a third trilogy comprising books 8-10 which is currently in the works. The series' first book is "Mistborn: The Final Empire," where readers are introduced to the land of Scadrial, ruled by an immortal and unyielding Lord Ruler. Kelsier is a famous thief who leads an elaborate heist with a team of rebels to overthrow the emperor.

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The 13 Best Fantasy Books for Adults, Ranked

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Wizards, dragons, and elves aren't just for kids. If you're a fan of Game of Thrones or The Lord of the Rings , you already know how easy it is to get immersed in fantastical realms for the mature.

The truth is, fantasy is a genre that's even better for adults than kids. As we get older, we tend to neglect our inner child, we forget how to imagine, and we lose our sense of wonder.

Adult fantasy books help us to re-establish those important aspects that lay dormant within us. More than that, adult fantasy books reinvigorate us while providing an escape from mundane life.

Not to mention all the different kinds of fantasy subgenres ! It's not all magic and rainbows; in fact, there's plenty of dark fantasy with heavy subjects that can make even the most adult readers grimace.

Ready to dive into new fantastical worlds that'll whisk you away and fill you with magical excitement? Here are our picks for the best fantasy books for adults that'll suck you right in!

13. Wizard's First Rule

Authored by Terry Goodkind

First published in 1994

836 pages — 4.12 on Goodreads

Terry Goodkind's Wizard's First Rule introduces a world that's separated by magical borders. Richard Cypher, a woods guide in Westland, loses his father to a mysterious murder.

He takes to the forest in search of clues, only to stumble upon Kahlan Amnell, a woman who's being hunted by assassins. Richard soon learns that Kahlan needs more than protection: she needs help to prevent a great evil from taking over the world.

Wizard's First Rule is the first in the Sword of Truth saga. While the series has its issues—it's derivative, it's politically preachy, it's dated in its tropes—this first book is still a fun and solid read for adults.

12. Ninth House

Authored by Leigh Bardugo

First published in 2019

461 pages — 4.04 on Goodreads

Galaxy "Alex" Stern is a freshman at Yale University, but she doesn't really fit in because she's a high school dropout who prefers to spend her time on other activities than pursuing academic excellence.

At least, that what it seems like on the surface. The truth is actually much darker than that: Galaxy is the only survivor of a mysterious series of homicides and she can see ghosts.

While in the hospital, she's mysteriously offered a cost-free enrollment at Yale. Why her? Why now? She'll soon discover that there are dark, secret societies that put her whole life into perspective.

11. The Fifth Season

Authored by N. K. Jemisin

First published in 2015

468 pages — 4.31 on Goodreads

Essun lives in a small town and her life is more or less mundane. One day she comes home to discover the violent death of her son and the kidnapping of her daughter—at the hands of their own father.

While this personal tragedy unravels, the empire collapses and the sky is soon covered in ashes.

Essun must now find her daughter, who might be lost forever. With her world physically collapsing, without drinkable water, with so many dangers ahead, she faces the impossible to save her child.

The Fifth Season is a science fantasy book that takes place on a completely different planet and introduces us to the world of the Broken Earth series, one of the best fantasy trilogies of the last decade.

10. The Lies of Locke Lamora

Authored by Scott Lynch

First published in 2006

752 pages — 4.30 on Goodreads

The Lies of Locke Lamora takes place on the island city of Camorr. The protagonist is the young orphan Locke Lamora, who manages to survive the harsh streets by thieving.

But Locke Lamora is more than just a thief. He grows to become the leader of the Gentleman Bastards—an entire band of thieves and con artists—who are prominent in the criminal undercity.

Locke thrives by building a reputation for himself, but soon a new player emerges—one who's even more dangerous than he is. To save everything he holds dear, Locke will need to face this mysterious enemy and try to not die in the process.

9. American Gods

Authored by Neil Gaiman

First published in 2001

635 pages — 4.11 on Goodreads

Shadow Moon is about to be released from prison when he learns that his wife Laura has died in a car crash. On his way home, he meets the mysterious Mr. Wednesday, who's escaping from a faraway war.

Mr. Wednesday claims to be a former god of America—and not just a former god, but the leader of the Old Gods. His war is one against the New Gods, who have overtaken America as the people of the land have shifted in what they worship.

American Gods is a fascinating blend of different mythologies with modern fantasy, and it remains one of Neil Gaiman's best books.

8. The Starless Sea

Authored by Erin Morgenstern

498 pages — 3.86 on Goodreads

One day, Zachary Ezra Rawlins finds a mysterious book that he decides to read. While reading, he realizes that this book tells the story of Zachary's own childhood. But how could that be?

Following some clues, he soon discovers what's at the root of this strange phenomenon—yet the answer doesn't put his mind at ease. Instead, it launches him into a series of adventures taken with several companions and allies he encounters along the way.

The Starless Sea is like a narrative collage: there are many different stories, accounts, and folk tales woven together into one larger depiction of Zachary's life and purpose. It's one of the best examples of a standalone fantasy book that gets it right.

7. The Poppy War

Authored by R. F. Kuang

First published in 2018

545 pages — 4.17 on Goodreads

When we think of fantasy books, we often think straight to a medieval European setting with knights, knaves, and kings. But there are so many other kinds of fantasy settings!

One of my own favorites is the Asian-inspired setting of The Poppy War , an epic historical military fantasy book that tells a story that was heavily inspired by real-life events in 20th century China.

Follow the adventures of Rin, who discovers her shamanic power and must embrace those powers to face her destiny. She's the only one who can save her people from the schemes of long-forgotten gods.

6. The Blade Itself

Authored by Joe Abercrombie

515 pages — 4.20 on Goodreads

The Blade Itself features the intertwining stories of several intriguing characters.

Not only will you meet a barbarian named Logen Ninefingers, but you'll also encounter a crippled torturer, a hot-headed wizard, and a narcissistic nobleman.

All of these quirky characters combined with a murderous, action-packed plot make this a must-read for fantasy fans.

5. Assassin's Apprentice

Authored by Robin Hobb

First published in 1995

435 pages — 4.17 on Goodreads

Robin Hobb's Assassin's Apprentice follows FitzChivalry Farseer (known as Fitz), the illegitimate child of Prince Chivalry. Fitz is raised by his father's stableman and remains isolated from royalty.

Although he has a lonely childhood, he possesses the Wit, a shunned ability that allows him to form friendships with animals.

When King Shrewd hires Fitz, Fitz must give up his Wit and learn the ways of the assassin instead.

Assassin's Apprentice is a fantasy classic that was first published in 1995. As an older novel, it helped establish some of the popular tropes that have come to dominate fantasy stories with assassin protagonists.

4. Mistborn: The Final Empire

Authored by Brandon Sanderson

537 pages — 4.47 on Goodreads

The Final Empire is the first entry in Sanderson's Mistborn series, and it'll have you hooked. It's set in Scadrial, a place where ash always rains from the sky. The oppressed Skaa people lead miserable lives under the tyrannical rule of the Lord Ruler.

When Kelsier, the half-Skaa prisoner, finds out that has the powers of a Mistborn, he manages to escape the Pits of Hathsin. Kelsier is determined to take down the Lord Ruler, and he'll tempt fate with the help of the best allomancers and criminals.

3. The Last Wish: Introducing the Witcher

Authored by Andrzej Sapkowski

First published in 1993

400 pages — 4.14 on Goodreads

The Witcher may have its own video game franchise and Netflix original series, but it's important to know that it all started with a book.

The Last Wish is the first in Andrzej Sapkowski's Witcher collection, and was originally written only in Polish. The anthology contains six short stories, all of which connect to Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter.

As an injured Geralt rests in the Temple of Melitele, he has a series of flashbacks that comprise each story in the book.

2. The Name of the Wind

Authored by Patrick Rothfuss

First published in 2007

662 pages — 4.52 on Goodreads

The Name of the Wind follows the epic story of Kvothe, a young man who becomes one of the world's most well-known wizards.

He relays his past to a Chronicler, starting from his childhood that he spends as a traveling performer, to his experience as an orphan in the slums of a dangerous city.

With no funds but tons of motivation to expand his knowledge, Kvothe becomes a student at a famous magic university.

The Name of the Wind will have you spellbound—you'll feel one with Kvothe as he retells the entrancing story of his life.

1. Gardens of the Moon

Authored by Steven Erikson

First published in 1999

657 pages — 3.91 on Goodreads

Gardens of the Moon is the first book in Steven Erikson's acclaimed 10-book series Malazan Book of the Fallen .

From the very first page, Gardens of the Moon throws you into the deep end. The Malazan Empire is actively waging war across the continent of Genabackis with various factions struggling against them.

This is an epic-scale fantasy series unlike any other, with hundreds of characters that each feel uniquely their own, fleshed out with backstories and relationships that feel tangibly real.

Gardens of the Moon is the weakest entry, yet it's already a deeper and more complex story than most fantasy books out there. There's so much to wrestle with here—and if you're willing to put in the effort, no other fantasy series will be as rewarding as this one.

Without question, without competition, Malazan Book of the Fallen contains many of the best fantasy books for adults, period.

Beyond the Bookends

A Book Blog for Women and Moms who Love to Read

Ultimate List of Best Adult Fantasy Novels to Read in 2024

Fantasy novels have always been my favorite type of books to read. YA fantasy books have taken the world by storm in recent years. But what if YA fantasy feels too young? We made a list of the best adult fantasy novels.

Even though fantasy may not be for everyone all the time, some of our fantasy picks are so brilliant and readable, I think this list has something for everyone. What are the best adult fantasy novels? We will let you decide!

*Post contains affiliate links. Purchases made through links result in a small commission to us at no cost to you. Some books have been gifted. All opinions are our own.

Article Contents

Best Adult Fantasy Books to Read Now

Best of 2024 // best of 2023 // fantasy romance // witch books // vampire // historical fantasy // mermaid // greek mythology // magical realism // circus // adult dystopian // paranormal // pirate // diverse // fantasy series // dark academia, best fantasy books of 2024.

Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands (Emily Wilde #2) by Heather Fawcett

The first book in this series was one of my favorites of the year last year and I had high hopes for this book. It did not disappoint!

Emily Wilde is an expert in faerie folklore and has written an encyclopedia on the subject. Now, she is trying to make a map of the realms of faerie in the hope of finding a door to their land.

Brambleby, her colleague turned boyfriend who also happens to be the banished faerie king, is accompanying her on her quest. The only problem is that he is on the run from assassins sent by his mother and Emily cannot understand why now.

Why I Love It: This is a historical fantasy that has the feel of fiction and would be perfect for someone new to the fantasy realm. However, die-hard fantasy lovers will also adore this book. This book has the feel of a historical fiction with the perfect touch of magic. I recommend this book for anyone who loves Alice Hoffman’s book Magic Lessons (the prequel to Practical Magic) #gifted

Find This Book In: Best New Fantasy Books 2024

Bride by Ali Hazelwood

Misery Lark is the daughter of a Vampyre councilman who is being forced into marriage with their mortal enemy (the Weres) to form a peace treaty between the two species. She has been living with humans and trying to live her life under the radar.

Now, she must move into Were territory with her husband, Lowe Moreland, the Alpha of the Weres. She also has her reasons for going into Were territory and as long as she can stay under the radar, she should be able to stay alive. After all, the last Vampyre/ Were marriage ended in a deadly and bloody battle. This paranormal romance is SPICY. If Ali Hazelwood’s last books made you blush, this one will give your face a sunburn.

Find this book In: Ali Hazelwood Books / Adult Fantasy Books / New Romance Books 2024 / Best New Fantasy Books

A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L. Jensen

I love Greek mythology retellings and recently have started reading mythology retellings from other cultures too! Outside of Marvel’s Thor movies, I don’t know much about Norse mythology, so I was particularly eager to dive into this book.

The first in a trilogy, the story follows Freya, who goes from being a fishwife to the kingmaker after her goddess blood is discovered. Sworn in oath to one man; but burning with passion for another, Freya is one of the fiercest heroines I’ve ever read.

Why I Love It: This STEAMY romantasy is filled with blood lust, battle scenes, and world-building. I was transfixed by Jensen’s ability to weave such a mythical world. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series, especially after the way this one ended!!

Find this book in Fantasy Books / Books set in Winter / Best New Fantasy Books 2024

Best Fantasy Books for Adults 2023

Fourth Wing (Empyrean Series Book #1) by Rebecca Yarros

If you have not heard of this book and love fantasy, this is the book for you. Don’t be intimidated by the length of this dragon book for adults, I started and finished this 528-page bad boy in a day and a half. I cannot remember the last time I did that!

Violet Sorrengail had spent her life studying to be a scribe until her father died and her mother, the commanding general, ordered her to join the dragon riders. Violet will become one of the hundreds of candidates who fight to the death to be a part of this elite group.

Unlike the other candidates who have worked towards this their whole lives, Violet is small and brittle and never meant for this to be her path. And other candidates do not have the children of rebel leaders waiting to take revenge.

This adult fantasy book has everything and I loved every second. It lives up to the hype and then some. There are some very spicy parts of this romance toward the end so I would agree with the adult rating on this book!

Find this book in Adult Fantasy Books / Fourth Wing Series in Order / The Best Books Like Fourth Wing / Grumpy Sunshine Romance

Starling House for Alix E. Harrow

October 2023 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick

I read this book from the New York Times best-selling author of Ten Thousand Doors of January and I absolutely loved every minute of it. Opal is a high school dropout who would do anything for her brother Jasper. She is determined to get him out of Eden Kentucky- the small town that is plagued with bad luck.

When Opal finds a job working at Starling House, the home of E. Starling, the author of The Underland who disappeared more than one hundred years ago, it seems too good to be true. The house is steeped in rumors of hauntings and strange things happening. And many of these rumors surround the house’s mysterious owner Arthur Starling.

This is an adult fantasy book that has a little bit of everything. It is part haunted house book, part fairy tale, part love story, and entirely a fast-paced, page-turning delight.

Tress of the Emerald Sea: A Cosmere Novel by Brandon Sanderson

If you love fantasy books of any kind, stop now and make time to read this fantastic book. This is the book that you would get if The Princess Bride had a book baby that empowered women everywhere to be the heroes in their own story, seek out adventure, and be brave enough to become who they were intended to be.

Tress has grown up on her tiny island with her one friend Charlie, who is also the Duke’s son, to keep her company. When the Duke takes Charlie away and he doesn’t return, Tress sets off to rescue him from the Sorceress who lives on the deadly Midnight Sea. She will encounter pirates, talking rats, betrayal, love, and friendship on her voyage.

This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. All the stars to this cozy book. While technically this is a fantasy book for adults, it is appropriate for a young adult or teen audience as well.

Find this book in Pirate Books / YA Fantasy / Best of 2023

My Roommate Is a Vampire by Jenna Levine

I loved this vampire book. It was an absolute delight to read and very steamy in parts which I was not expecting. This book was so charming, funny, and such a nice change from the usual vampire/ human trope. This adult fantasy novel was a fun and quick read and is a perfect book for fall.

When …. needs a place to live and finds a too-good-to-be-true apartment, she has no choice but to take it. The only other choice is to move onto her best friend’s couch. Soon, she discovers that her new roommate is a vampire who needs someone to teach him how to blend in with the 21st century. #gifted

Spice Level: Graphic Sexual Content Why I Like This Book: The idea of a vampire needing to be taught how to blend into society is hilarious. The nuances of the relationship made me laugh. The romance is spicy but the story is laugh-out-loud funny. Find This Book In: Fall Books / Paranormal Romance / Vampire Books / Adult Fantasy

The Seven-Year Slip by Ashley Poston

Clementine has had her heart broken one too many times. She has inherited her beloved aunt’s apartment and is constantly mourning her loss. When she comes home one day and finds a man sitting there, she realizes that he exists seven years in the past.

And, the more time they spend together, the more she realizes she is falling for him. But she can never figure out when their paths will collide! This is a fantastic pick if you are looking for romantic comedy books.

Dead Romantics ( GMA Book Club Pick July 2022 ) was one of my favorite books last year and this book did not disappoint! This is such an adorable time travel romance book and is perfect for our ultimate beach reads 2023. I needed to include it in our list of adult fantasy novels as well! And if you are not a fantasy lover, you can definitely call this a magical realism book!

Adult Fantasy Romances Novels

Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

What started as a TikTok series, ultimately turned into this unique fantasy romance novel. It’s all about Evie, a down-on-her-luck peasant who stumbles upon the village villain and ultimately becomes his assistant.

Soon, she’s managing the Villain’s day and trying not to fall in love with him as she steps over dead bodies and creepy critters. It’s the ultimate grumpy-sunshine romance that will have you rooting for the bad guys for once!

Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match by Sally Thorne

I read this adult fantasy novel just after Halloween and I rather wish I had started it a few days before the holiday. It’s truly a perfect Halloween book !

It’s also a classic retelling as we get to see the story of Dr. Frankenstein with a twist. This story has his younger sister, Angelika, at the heart of the story as she improves upon his creature with an invention of her own.

The problem is that she has fallen for her monster! Will their love be able to survive?

The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling

This is the most charming Halloween romance book about witches EVER. I don’t think I’ve read anything quite like it, but it’s perfect for the spooky season and a perfect book for fall.

Nine years ago Rhys Penhallow broke Viviane Jones’ heart and so she cursed him. Now he’s back in the town his family founded to infuse magic back into the ley lines but everything goes wrong!

As his curse takes over the town, Rhys and Vivi have to work to end the curse and restore the right magic back to the town…if they can keep their rekindled romance at bay long enough!

This is one of the most fun urban fantasy romance books on this list. This is one of the adult fantasy novels you will not want to miss. If you love second chance romance books, this is such a great pick.

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

This book has a cult-like following for a reason. The first book in the series is a loose fairy tale retelling of Beauty and the Beast set in the world of Prythian. Magical creatures, humans, and fae are all prominent in the book.

When Feyre kills a wolf in the words, a creature arrives to her house to drag her to a magical land that she has only heard about in stories told to terrify children. Now, she is to remain a captor of Tamlin, a fae, as retribution.

This is a fast-paced, addicting, fantasy romance series with a love triangle that develops by the end of the novel. Book two is jaw-dropping! This series is on its way to becoming a classic that you will want to binge in one week.

While this book is technically a YA fantasy series, the books become very steamy and we see this as one of the best fantasy books for adults as well. We are so excited this is going to be one of the Hulu book adaptations.

Find this book in Books Like ACOTAR / Sarah J. Maas Books / Enemies-to-Lovers / YA Fantasy / Best Romance Novels of all Tim e .

Ultimate List of YA Fantasy

If fantasy books are your favorite books, then these are the perfect book lists for you. We carefully divided them into sub-genres.

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Witch Books for Adults

A Discovery of Witches (All Souls Trilogy #1) by Deborah Harkness

Diana Bishop is a witch who accidentally recovers an ancient book that has been missing for hundreds of years. In doing so, she triggers her long-forgotten magic and opens the door for vampires, witches, and demons to search out Diana and the book.

This urban fantasy book about secret societies, witches, vampires, and more is a blend of heart-pounding action, historical fiction, and romance with the perfect mix of fantasy as well.

Why We Love This Book: If you love the witch aspect of Harry Potter, Vampires, fantasy books, or time travel books then you will love The All Souls trilogy. This adult fantasy novel explores the history of witches, demons, and vampires. This series reads like a historical fiction and we are obsessed. Find this book in Books Like A Discovery of Witches / Best Fantasy Books for Adults / Books About Witches / Adult Books Similar to Harry Potter / Books About Libraries

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna

This book for fall is definitely a feel-good book of the season. Mika Moon knows that she must hide her magic and stay away from other witches so their powers do not draw the attention of other people. She also knows that witches are destined to be orphans, a very lonely existence.

When she is asked to come and teach magic to three young witches, she finds the life that she had always dreamed of, even if it is temporary. But, does it have to be? Can she find the life she always wanted?

I listened to this charming witch book in one day and loved it. This adult fantasy book is a delightful pick from our list of ultimate beach reads 2023 and if you were waiting to read this one, it is a great book for fall.

Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman

For years, the Owens women have known that their bad luck is because of a curse. This book is the first book in the Practical Magic series. I just adore this tale of magic, family, and sisterhood. At this point, this is one of the best urban fantasy books and it is truly iconic.

Gillian and Sally are sisters who have been raised by their two aunts. They both want to leave their small Massachusetts town. But, when Gillian gets into trouble, she runs to Sally for help.

The trouble comes back to haunt them and when a hunky police chief comes to town, the sisters try hard to cover up their family secrets. The powerful bond between the Owens sisters brings this story to life and is a must for a list of books about sisters. This is the first published book in the Practical Magic series and the one I recommend you read first.

If you love adult fantasy books, check out: Practical Magic Books in Order and More Witchy Books for 2023 . This is a must-read if you love witch books and my favorite of all the Alice Hoffman Books .

The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley

This is a fairy tale retelling of the story of King Arthur, featuring the Lady of the Lake, Paganism vs. Christianity, and an epic struggle for power.

Merlin and the Lady of the Lake practice pagan witchcraft, as they try to keep the old ways alive against the new religion gaining popularity, the choices they make for Arthur’s kingdom inspire the tale we know so well.

Why I Loved it: This was my first high fantasy book series, which I routinely think about. I read it in middle school (which I absolutely shouldn’t have) and devoured this tome in days. It captivated my imagination unlike anything I had ever read before.

The mini-series adaptation of this adult fantasy book is wonderful too and well worth the watch! It’s perfect for our list of Cornwall Books. If you love witch books, you will love this pick.

Find this book in Cornwall Books / Fairy Tale Retellings / Lake Books / Adult Fantasy Novels / Witch Books

Weyward by Emilia Hart

This is such a well-thought-out book and one of the best witch books I have read in a while. This adult fantasy book follows three Weyward women. In 2017, Kate is fleeing an abusive partner to her great-aunt’s cottage. In 1619, Altha is awaiting her own witch trial and in 1942 we meet Violet whose father keeps her trapped in her house because she cannot fit into what society expects of her.

Each of these women finds themselves and who they are as the story progresses and I found myself completely sucked in. I loved this debut urban fantasy novel and I cannot wait to see what comes next from this author. It is also a perfect book to read if you love the Practical Magic Series or the All Souls Trilogy . If fantasy books are your favorite, you will love this pick from ultimate beach reads 2023.

The Witches of Moonshyne Manor by Bianca Marais

I am a huge fan of Ms. Marais’ writing. I read her previous two books and was so excited to read this adult fantasy book because fantasy is my favorite genre. This book did not disappoint. The writing is beautiful and very much Marais’ style and the witches in this book are hilarious. They are witty and funny and there is never a dull moment in the Manor.

The magic in this book is woven seamlessly into the story that has non-stop surprises. The book begins with the people of the town descending onto the manor with a wrecking ball to destroy it and the distillery and leave the witches homeless. They are left with less than two weeks to save their house but in order to do so, they must reveal long-kept secrets.

I do not want to give anything away. This family drama book made me laugh out loud often and shed a few tears as well. I absolutely loved this witch book and it is a definite must-read from our list of adult fantasy novels.

For more adult fantasy books like these, check out our list of Witch Books

Vampire Novels for Adults

The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix

I do not usually like horror but I love thrillers, book clubs, and vampires so I decided to read this urban fantasy book. I absolutely loved every minute- even when I was completely scared out of my wits. This vampire book will have you on your toes.

This book really is Steel Magnolias meets Dracula. Patricia is a housewife with two kids who don’t appreciate her and a husband who travels a lot. She spends a lot of her time caring for her senile mother-in-law who lives with them. When her elderly neighbor attacks her one night, James comes to the rescue. James seems well-read and well-traveled but Patricia is convinced he is a monster in disguise.

Patricia knows what she sees but nobody else agrees with her. The psychological warfare in this adult fantasy book is next-level creepy – it definitely earns its spot on our best books of 2020 list and is one of the best urban fantasy books I have read! Be warned that this pick from adult fantasy novels is scary and creepy but is one of the best books for fall!

Dead Until Dark (Sookie Stackhouse #1) by Charlaine Harris

I watched this show before I knew that it was an adult fantasy book series and then I obviously had to read these vampire books as well. Sookie Stackhouse is a waitress at a bar in her small town in Louisiana. She is quiet and keeps to herself except for the fact that she can read people’s minds.

When Bill Compton comes into the bar one night, Sookie cannot hear anything he is thinking and she is quickly infatuated. The feeling is mutual. But when murders start taking place and the two suspects are Bill and Sookie’s womanizing brother, Sookie starts to question her choices. There is nothing PG about this steamy urban fantasy romance series.

Storm Front by Jim Butcher

A friend who is an avid fantasy reader recommended this book to me. I had never heard of this series before but, I really enjoyed it and I cannot wait to read the next one in the series. This is the first book in the 17-book series, The Dresden Files.

Wizards, Vampires, and warlocks are all a part of this book in which Harry Dresden is consulting with the Chicago PD on a homicide committed with magic. This is a dark urban fantasy series that will keep you turning pages. If you love vampires, this is one of the fantasy books for adults that is a must-read.

Interview With the Vampire by Anne Rice

This is the story of a 200-year-old vampire named Louis who is telling the story of his life to a reporter. He tells the tale of his life with the Vampire Lestat who was his maker.

Louis’s life has been filled with turmoil as he tries to come to terms with who he is and what he must do to survive. His story is a story of loss, love, and danger. This vampire book is a classic story for a reason. Anne Rice is the queen of adult fantasy books with this book.

For more books like these, check out our list of Vampire Books

Best Adult Historical Fantasy Novels

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (Outlander #1)

How do we love Outlander? We cannot count the ways. There is a reason this is one of my favorite books of all time .

This epic story begins in 1945 when Claire Randall and her husband take a second honeymoon to the Scottish Highlands to celebrate being reunited after the war. When Claire touches one of the standing stones, she is transported to 1743.

This is when the real story begins. In order to stay safe as an English woman in Scotland, she must depend on Jamie Frasier for protection. This book is definitely at the top of our list of best romance novels of all time but you will love it equally if you love historical fiction , magical realism , romance , or witches . This is one of the iconic and epic time travel romance books that has it all and is perfect for a list of books like A Discovery of Witches . It was easy to include this on the best fantasy books for adults as well.

The London Séance Society by Sarah Penner

I was so excited about this new book written by the author of The Lost Apothecary, a book on our Ultimate List of Best Historical Fiction Books , and this newest book did not disappoint!

In 1873, The Seance Society is looking for answers about the death of their leader and turned to a renowned spiritualist for help. Out of loyalty and obligation, she leaves Paris and returns to London with her trainee, a woman seeking answers about her dead sister.

If you love magical realism books, this book is a perfect pick. The story takes twists and turns and kept me turning the pages. It was just too good not to include it in our list of best fantasy books for adults as well. If you are looking for a great fall read, this one is for you.

The World That We Knew by Alice Hoffman

During WWII, in Germany, Hanni Kohn knows that she must do something to save her daughter from the Nazis  In desperation, she seeks out someone who can make a Golem take her daughter to safety. 

Instead of the Rabbi, it is his daughter Ettie who helps and creates Ava. The life of the three women is forever intertwined. This beautiful story about love, life, and friendship is more than I could have hoped for.

I love Alice Hoffman books and for me, this was her best book yet.  Every time I read a book, it becomes my new favorite. If you love fantasies and are looking for historical fiction, this pick from fantasy books for adults is an amazing book. The fact that it is also a book about WWII makes it that much better!

Darker Shade of Magic: A Novel (Shades of Magic Book 1) by V.E Schwab

In this historical fantasy, travel between parallel Londons is possible by powerful magicians known as Antari. Kell is one of the last Antari who lives in Red London and who serves as an ambassador. He is also a smuggler.

When Kell is robbed by Delilah, a pickpocket and petty thief, he is forced to bring her on an adventure she always dreamed of despite the life of deadly peril.

This is London like you have never imagined it before. The characters, while flat at first, begin to have more depth as the story continues. I think this adult fantasy novel is slowly becoming a classic.

A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross

Rebecca Ross’s historical fantasy books are sweeping magical stories. This particular one is about the island of Cadence and its warring inhabitants. It’s also a love story between Jack, a bard who can sing to the elements, and Adaira, the heiress of the East.

The story slowly builds but ends on a cliffhanger, which concludes in the second book of the duology. The story is perfect for fans of books like Outlander because it’s inspired by Scotland. This is one of our favorite books on the list of adult fantasy novels and books set in Scotland.

For more books like these, check out our list of Historical Fantasy Books to Capture your Imagination .

Mermaid Books for Adults

Hex for Danger (An Enchanted Bay Mystery #2) by Esme Addison

I did not read the first book in this series but now I want to go back and read it. It was not necessary to understand and enjoy this cozy mystery that is also an adult fantasy novel.

Aleksandra runs an herbal apothecary with her family in the hall town of Bellamy Bay. Other than the fact that Alex and her family are descendants of mermaids and they can do a little magic, Bellamy Bay is a perfectly ordinary town.

When the town arranges for a well-known artist to paint a mural for the town’s annual mermaid festival and she turns up dead, secrets threaten to spill.

The Mermaid, the Witch and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall

Flora and her brother are pirates on the Dove. In order to protect her identity, she has become Florian and is tasked with protecting Lady Evelyn on the ship until the time she can be sold.

Flora does not intend to fall in love with Evelyn and when the two free a captured mermaid, they change the fate of more than just her.

I am so glad that someone recommended this adult fantasy book to me. It is one of those books that really did not get the visibility that it should have. This book is so well written and is filled with magic while also exploring the power of love.

Museum of Extraordinary Things by Alice Hoffman

Coralie Sardien spends her days in a Coney Island freak show called the Museum of Extraordinary Things. There, appears as the mermaid in the museum run by her father. She is one of many attractions in the show.

One night, Coralie meets Eddie Cohen who has run away from his Orthodox community. What follows is a love story during tumultuous times in New York history.

This historical fiction carnival book is a must-read and one of the best books set in New York I have read. Alice Hoffman writes some of the best adult fantasy novels on this list. This is one of my favorite Alice Hoffman books .

The Mermaid’s Daughter by Anne Claycomb 

Kathleen has always suffered horrible stabbing pain in her feet. There is no explanation for her constant pain. Both her mother and grandmother committed suicide and a young age and now, at 25 with a promising career ahead of her, her girlfriend Harry is worried about her.

This modern retelling of Hand Christian Andersen’s story the Little Mermaid is a powerful adult fantasy novel that you will not want to put down.

Best Greek Mythology Novels

Ariadne by Jennifer Saint

I’m such a huge fan of historical fantasy stories about the Greek Gods. I find the mythology to be captivating, so it’s not a surprise that I loved Saint’s take on Ariadne’s story.

Ariadne is the child of the king of Crete who goes on to become the wife of the god, Dionysus. The story tells her story, as well as the stories of Theseus, the Minotaur, and Phaedra, all big names in mythology.

If you loved The Odyssey or A Thousand Ships, pick up this pick from adult fantasy novels!

Circe by Madeline Miller

Circe, the nymph who is a footnote in mythology and gets overshadowed in The Odyssey. I was fascinating to see this goddess get her own moment in the sun. I can’t believe I knew so little about her before this story.

Why I Love it: The Odyssey is one of my all-time favorite books and I think I read Du’Laires Book of Greek Myths more than any other book when I was in middle school. I ADORED Circe because it has all my favorite things about Greek mythology but for adults!

Find this book in Greek Mythology / Books Set at the Beach / Classic Book Retellings / Best Books 2018

A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes

I absolutely loved this take on the traditional Greek stories surrounding the Trojan War. They are all told by the women in the mythology which is certainly a perspective that doesn’t get much play.

Penelope’s chapters in particular had me laughing out loud. I highly recommend this classic retelling to Greek mythology lovers and lovers of adult fantasy books.

The Odyssey by Homer

There is a reason this boat book is one of my favorite books of all time. I find this classic tale to be so entertaining. This is one of the OG adult fantasy novels.

My 11th grade english teacher taught it to us then had our class act it out and shoot it as a movie. As a result,   I adored the story so much that I used to reread it every summer. It’s a classic for a reason. Odysseus’s struggle to get home to his family is truly epic. Those Greeks sure knew what they were doing.

I’m constantly picking up something new and reading it along with A Thousand Ships and The Lost Sisterhood gave me so much to think about.

Find this book in Literary Classics / Long Books / Boat Books

Neon Gods by Katee Robert

I was expecting a modern retelling of Hades and Persephone’s love story from the description – I was not expecting a book like Fifty Shades of Grey!

WHEW… this was one STEAMY story! I wasn’t quite prepared for how devious Hades was in this version. I did love seeing Olympus in a modern setting and I really enjoyed how Hades and Persephone outwitted the rest of the 13 in this grumpy sunshine romance.

While I liked the story a great deal, if you aren’t into erotica, you won’t want to pick up this adult fantasy novel. This is the first in a series of Greek mythology retellings and is a great urban fantasy romance book.

Adult Circus Fantasy Novels

The Inheritance of Orquidé Divine by Zoraida Córoda

I do not know how to begin to describe this wonderful and complex adult fantasy. The characters are deep and the magic from this story seeps from the pages

The Montoya family are summoned to their grandmother’s house to collect their inheritance. They are hoping to obtain answers from her before she dies. They are used to living with secrets and unexplained phenomenon.

But when Orquidea Divina is transformed into a tree before their eyes, they must seek the answers themselves.

Circus Rose by Betsy Cornwall

Rosie and Ivory have grown up in their mother circus and are returning to Port’s End. It is a place closest to any home after years traveling. As the circus prepares for opening night, fundamentalists seek to stop the show for continuing.But, as the show begins, a massive fire strikes the tent and that is only the beginning.

This book is a queer re-telling of Snow White and Rose Red (not to be confused with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs). It has been thoroughly reimagined and transformed in this book.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Every word captivated me from beginning to end and I couldn’t put it down. The story was magical- both literally and figuratively and the descriptions are so vivid.

The stage has been set for a magical competition between the pupils of two very powerful magicians. The stage: the night circus. The pupils, a man and a woman, are unsure of the rules, unsure how to win or when the competition will end. As the competition continues, the opponents fall in love- a situation that only complicates their predicament.

This is magic in a way that I never imagined it before. The story has twists and surprises that left me wondering how I didn’t see what was right there all along.

The Ladies of the Secret Circus by Constance Sayers

Have you ever loved a book so much that you couldn’t put it down but also didn’t want it to end? That is how I felt about book! ⁣In 2004 Lara Barnes’s fiancé disappears on their wedding day. As Lara searches for answers, she starts to unravel a family mystery that goes back to 1925. ⁣This book has everything. It’s a dark fantasy filled with mystery, disappearances, and magic. I don’t want to give more detail because I don’t want to spoil any part of this book- it is my favorite fantasy of 2021 so far!⁣

For more books like these, check out our list of Circus and Carnival Books .

Magical Realism Books for Adults

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

I loved Matt Haig’s last book and was so excited to read this one. I loved it even more- it is definitely one of my favorite books of the year and my favorites on this list of adult fantasy novels.   

This is a library that has books filled with the infinite possibilities of the lives not lived.  Have you ever wondered about a choice, or a path not taken? When Nora finds herself in the library she is forced to face the choices that she made in her life- relationships, education, profession…This is a magical book and I loved every minute of it

The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

I absolutely loved this book and it was one of the first reviews we ever did on the blog. I love the way this book examined the underground railroad with a touch of magical realism.

The story is about Cora and Caesar, two run-away slaves in the south who run away to the underground railroad which, in this book, is an actual railroad.

Each stop along the way is reminiscent of a different place in history and it is interlaced with actual ads placed for runaway slaves. This book is profound and beautiful and a must read.

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

To say that I was excited about Erin Morgenstern‘s new book might be the understatement of the year.  How to describe this book that is an ode to storytelling…..it’s a love story to books, a fantasy within a love story within a fairy tale.

The writing is beautiful- Erin’s signature style of vivid imagery left me completely captivated. I listened with Libro.fm and I read it as well. I truly loved every minute of this novel. It was pointless to predict the story. So, I let it take me away with the lyrical prose. I adored it and recommend it for anyone that loved The Night Circus.

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix. E Harrow

I’ve never read a book quite like this and I have to say that I was very pleasantly surprised. The writing is subtle, the plot is driven by character and intrigue rather than action-packed suspense.  It has a feel of historical fiction about it that lovers of this genre may love this book as well. 

When January is seven years old, she stumbles upon a door that leads her to a different place.  When she is reprimanded for lying about the door, she eventually forgets about it until she finds the book “The Ten Thousand Doors of January” years later.  January becomes intrigued and the real story begins. 

The story alternates between the story of January and the book.  The concept is such a fun way to narrate the plot. At times, the plot moved a little bit slowly as one storyline stopped and another began in the alternating chapters.  This is such a unique and wonderful book.

Love Magical Realism? We do too! That’s why we created the Ultimate List Magical Realism !

Adult Dystopian Novels

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

In 2045, most people spent their days in the OASIS, a virtual reality world. When the elusive creator of the OASIS dies and leaves clues behind, the first person to solve the riddles will be in control of the entire OASIS and a massive fortune.

When Wade Watts solves the first clue, he might fight for his survival to win along with his group of misfit friends. Love, a fight for survival, and a group of loyal friends all give me Lunar Chronicle vibes.

Find this book in YA Dystopian Books / Best Sci-Fi Books / Books Like the Hunger Games / Puzzle Books for Adults

Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro

March 2021 Good Morning America Book Club Pick

I’m not usually a sci-fi girl, but this book was just so special. It’s told from the perspective of Klara, an artificial friend who starts the story waiting to be purchased.

We see Klara’s life in the store as she waits for a friend, and then what her life is like when she’s chosen to be a companion for a young girl with a mysterious illness.

Klara draws her power from the sun, and so she believes she can use the sun’s healing rays to save her friend too.

Why We Love This Book: This moving story had me caring for a robot in a way I knew would have thought possible. It is definitely on my list of best sci-fi books of all time. Find This Book In Best Sci-Fi Novels / Popular Dystopian Novels / Good Morning America Book Club

Vox by Christina Dalcher

Once I got into this is a sci-fi/ fantasy novel, I could not put down. The story takes place in the United States when a fundamentalist has become the president. Slowly, he has removed all rights from women, included the right to speech.

Every woman is given 100 words a day and a bracelet with a counter to ensure to compliance. This book was so well written and creepy. I loved it although I have to say that it was a little close to how I feel these days

Paranormal Fantasy Novels for Adults

Under the Whispering Door by T.J Klune

How many stars can I give? T.J Klune has done it again with the wonderful novel. House on the Cerulean Sea was my favorite book last year and I am not sure that anything will top it. I read it in a day and loved every minute of this wonderful book.

Wallace is dead. When the reaper collects him at his funeral and brings him to a strange tea shop, Hugo is waiting with the promise of helping him cross over. This light fantasy will make you smile until the last page.

Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward

This book is an award winner and the writing is undeniably wonderful.  The story itself has elements of magic that added to the difficult subject matter.  The story deals with drugs, violence, and poverty- all of which are completely relevant in today’s society. 

The characters did not develop throughout the story as much as I would have liked but, when added with the wonderful writing, this book is a worthwhile read.

Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders

Strange, but probably one of the most imaginative novels I have ever experienced. It’s about the night that Abraham Lincoln buried this son and takes place entirely in the cemetery.

I  listened via Audible  which was great because they used 166 voices including David Sedaris, Lena Dunham, Ben Stiller, Julianne Moore, Susan Sarandon, Kat Dennings and Don Cheadle among others.

Tokyo Ueno Station by Miri Yu

This book was incredibly well-written, utterly captivating, and rather depressing. Kazu is dead, but he can’t find peace in the afterlife so he haunts Tokyo’s Ueno Station.

We learn about his life, his family, and how they faired during some of Japan’s most important moments in modern history from the Tokyo Olympics to the recent tsunami.

The Best Pirate Fantasy Books

The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton

A historical fantasy romance about pirate assassins with magical powers? SIGN ME UP!

I gravitated toward this story because of the gorgeous cover, but I was hooked from the first page. I loved all the women in The Wisteria Society. I loved how they could fly around their homes like ships, how they stole and plundered with abandon, and how they did it all while making sure they were the picture of polite womanhood.

The love story was charming, but it was the antics of Cecilia and her quest to save her fellow society members that kept me turning the pages.

Darling Girl: A Novel of Peter Pan by Liz Michalski

This classic fairy tale retelling of Peter Pan is anything but innocent and whimsical. In this adult fantasy novel, Holly Darling, the Granddaughter of Wendy, runs a very successful skincare company. She is a single parent to Jack after a terrible accident killed her husband and Jack’s twin.

When she gets a call that her daughter Eden is missing from the home where she has been hidden away in a coma for a decade, she knows that Peter Pan is the one responsible.

Peter Pan is dark, sinister and grown-up. Holly must get Christopher Cooke to help her find her daughter and defeat Peter. Like all retellings of classic novels, this story is different from the original!

Diverse Adult Fantasy Novels

The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris

June 2021 gma book club pick.

Wow. I’m still processing this genre-defying novel. It’s a social commentary and a thriller all in one. It makes me want to sit down and discuss it with everyone.

Nella is the only black girl at her publishing house until Hazel is hired. Thinking she’s found an ally, instead, she begins to wonder if Hazel might be an enemy instead.

As Hazel’s career soars, Nella is left questioning her identity, her ideals, and what it means to be a black woman in the business world, while trying to uncover who is behind the scary notes she keeps receiving.

Exit West by Mohsin Hamid

I have so many thoughts about Exit West by Mohsin Hamid but, I am not sure how to express them all. I am not even sure that I can express them coherently.  

This is not a long book but it doesn’t need to be to make a profound statement about the world that we live in.  Part love story, part melancholy of a war-torn world, and part magical realism, this story will carry the reader through a rainbow of emotions before the end.

Best Fantasy Book Series for Adults

House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas

House of Earth and Blood is the first in a new series by Sarah J. Maas, of ACOTAR fame . It’s an urban fantasy – which is new to me. 

There were skyscrapers, cellphones, and video surveillance, but also fairies, werewolves, angels, demons, and witches with history and power.⁣ It was a wild ride.

My initial turn off of too many names/places/tribes/species types was quickly overcome by the insane world-building. I cannot wait for the next book to come out.

A Game of Thrones: Song of Ice and Fire by George RR Martin

This is a book that I learned about after I watched the series on HBO. In my case, watching the show first helped me remember (and put a face to) the plethora of characters within this series.

Truth be told, I still needed reminders now and then. Winter is coming. The House of Stark is preparing for winter after a centuries long summer. They must prepare to defend themselves from the creatures behind the wall.

There is no way to briefly summarize this epic world building historical fantasy with powerful women and an intricate, captivating story.

Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkein

It is hard to believe that this trilogy was published in 1954. This epic fantasy has definitely withstood the test of time. Hobbits and elves, humans and wizards join together in Middle-Earth to destroy a ring.

This is the ultimate story of the fight between good and evil and the fight to overcome the evil within.

If you love fantasy and have not read this book, it is an absolute must.

Dark Academia Novels

The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake

There are so many twist and turns to this dark academia fantasy, I am not sure where to begin. I do know that I will be reading the next book!

The alexandrian Society are the guardians of knowledge from the greatest civilizations that have ever existed. Six of the most brilliant magical academicians are chosen every decade. Five will go on the secure a life filled with all the wealth and power they could dream of.

When the candidates of this decade are chosen, they each have powerful and abilities that could lead to greatness or destruction. When the society may not be everything it appears, will they have to knowledge and the ability to recognize it before it is too late?

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

Alex Stearn is the sole survivor from a horrible homicide. While recovering in the hospital, she is offered a chance to go to Yale on a full scholarship. What she finds are the Secret Societies of Yale that each practice a unique type of magic. Can anyone say Hogwarts University?

The Magicians by Lev Grossman

Quentin Coldwater is a high school student obsessed with the made up world of Fillory.  He finds himself admitted to a magical college that is both secret and elite. If you are looking for books set in college, this one has an almost cult-like following.

The best way I can describe this series is if Harry Potter was admitted to Hogwarts in College.  It has a different, darker feel but it is fun, imaginative, and entertaining. The magic in this school is definitely a little bit dark and steamy and for this reason, is perfect for a list of dark academia novels. If you love urban fantasy books, you must read this series of books like Harry Potter. This is a witch book unlike any other.

For more books like these, check out our complete list of Dark Academia Books

What is your favorite on this list of adult fantasy novels.

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Jackie is the mother of three children and a Speech-Language Pathologist who uses her love of books to create language-based learning opportunities in her speech therapy practice and with her own children. Her 20+ years of experience in regular and special education classrooms ensures the website content is relevant and informative. She started this website with Kirsten to share their passion for literacy with other moms and kids.

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Blog – Posted on Saturday, May 30

The 60 best fantasy books of all time.

Whether you’ve sat around waiting for your Hogwarts letter or looked for Narnia in the back of a closet, you've probably dreamt of stepping into your favorite fantasy books and leaving the real world behind. But the genre isn’t all witches, wardrobes, and whimsy! Beyond offering temporary escape from the pressures of daily life, the best fantasy books help us confront them. 

Stories of the otherworldly allow readers to make sense of this world, refracting change, wickedness, and heartache through a magical lens so we can see them all more clearly — and face them head-on. A good fantasy book illuminates the mind with childlike wonder, but also lingers in our memories because of its connection to real life.

In other words, great fantasy books show us the world in another guise, yet each is also a universe unto itself. We hope you enjoy exploring them in this list of the best fantasy books of all time!

If you're feeling overwhelmed by the number of amazing fantasy books on hand, you can also take our 30-second quiz below to narrow it down quickly and get a personalized fantasy series recommendation  😉

Which fantasy series should you read next?

Discover the perfect fantasy series for you. Takes 30 seconds!

1. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (1865)

Even if you’re not a math geek, you’re probably familiar with the algebraist Charles Dodgson — you just know him his much more famous alter-ego, Lewis Carroll. Unlike Dodgson, Carroll wrote stories that defied logic, twisting it into dreamlike, fantastical shapes: a hookah-smoking caterpillar, a flamingo-filled croquet-ground, a perpetually tardy White Rabbit. The result was Alice's Adventures in Wonderland , which has delighted adults and children alike since it was published over a century and a half ago — and today is recognized as a momentous early foray into the fantasy genre as a whole.

2. The King of Elfland’s Daughter by Lord Dunsany (1924)

The King of Elfland’s Daughter is a fairy tale with deep, dark roots — as well as a love story rendered with piercing emotional honesty. It’s also an unlikely immigration novel, about an elfin princess’s attempts to deal with her fractured sense of self as she adjusts to the homeland of her beloved human husband. Another remarkably early entry into the fantasy genre, this book prompted Arthur C. Clarke to name Dunsany as one of the greatest writers of his century, and World Fantasy Award winner Jane Yolen to call him “the great grandfather of us all.”

3. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (1937)

It might be a childhood favorite, but The Hobbit gives adult fantasy readers one of the genre’s most relatable protagonists: a middle-aged homebody who just wants to chill. The iconic Bilbo Baggins speaks to all grownup introverts who like nothing more than a good meal and a cozy chair. But we all hope we’d find Bilbo-like reservoirs of heroism within us — yes, while a career as a Chosen One might be out of reach for us, we can all aspire to be Bilbo Baggins. 

4. The Sword in the Stone by T.H. White (1938)

We all know what happens after King Arthur pulls the sword out of the stone; The Sword in the Stone takes a look at the before . Predictably, it’s much less glamorous. In this telling, the archetypical fantasy monarch was once just a boy called Wart — teased by his foster-brother Kay and subjected to a punishing round of lessons that would make any modern high-schooler wince in sympathy. Only Wart’s education doesn’t involve AP Calculus and JV Track... and his teacher, Merlyn, prefers to instruct by turning his students into animals instead of grilling them with the Socratic method.

5. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis (1950)

When the four Pevensie siblings leave bomb-ravaged London to wait out World War II in the countryside, they discover a portal to the magical land of Narnia behind a pile of fur coats. But their magical new vacation spot suffers from bad leadership: it’s governed by a witch whose only policy decisions are about ensuring eternal winter with no Christmas cheer. The Pevensies have to oust her — with the help of a talking lion! If you’re a fantasy buff, you’ll already know that the lion is a Christological stand-in, and that The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is a meditation on redemption, sacrifice, and faith. But you don’t need to worship anything to want to drop in on Narnia for an hour or two.

6. The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov (1966)

Like the first five books on this list, The Master and Margarita is often considered one of the 20th century’s finest novels. Unlike them, it’s definitely not for kids. Written at the height of Stalinist repression, it braids together two narrative strands: one a psychologically subtle take on the death of Christ, the other a devilish satire on Soviet intellectual life. And where does the mysterious Muscovian author, known only as the Master, fall in all of this? In reality, fearful of political repression, Mikhail Bulgakov fed his first attempt at this story to the flames; fortunately for Russophiles and demonologists everywhere, he gave it another try.

7. The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle (1968)

With its shimmering, lilac-scented prose, The Last Unicorn treads the line between novel and poetry — reading with the ease of a bedtime story and the depth of an allegory. In this gossamer world, we meet an immortal Unicorn, who’s grieved to learn from a hunting party that she might be the last of her kind. Upon leaving her enchanted forest to investigate their claims, she finds that humans perceive her as an ordinary white horse. The Unicorn’s wanderings put her in the company of ringmasters and harpies, magicians and kings: some who want to harm her, and some who do their best to help.

8. A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin (1968)

On a dense cluster of islands, inhabited by dragons and raised out of the water by a god, master fantasist Ursula K. Le Guin spins out elegant, character-driven tales, enriched by her knowledge of world mythology. Her first installment in the Earthsea series, A Wizard of Earthsea , is a bildungsroman of the old school, albeit enlivened with wizardry: a magical coming-of-age that treats hefty themes like death, the environment, and cosmic balance — all with Le Guin’s characteristically deft touch.

9. The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien (1968)

The Lord of the Rings has made its mark on high fantasy’s DNA more than any other work — and this is the volume that started it off. Like The Hobbit , its prequel of sorts, The Fellowship of the Ring is a story that turns on ordinary acts of courage. Running as a counterpoint alongside the thundering motifs of kingly destiny and good-versus-evil, we see the innocent bravery of country gentlemen and the loyalty of gardeners. These, the book argues, are the real engines of historical change. And in today's fantasy landscape overshadowed by the grimdark, returning to Tolkien’s brand of clear-eyed hope can be a real breath of fresh air.

10. Watership Down by Richard Adams (1972)

If you don’t think a rabbit warren could be reasonably described as epic fantasy, clearly you’ve never read Watership Down . This stirring adventure story has it all: warriors and visions, harrowing escapes and heartbreaking deaths — its stars just happen to be unusually soft of fur and long of ear. Indeed, when human encroachment on their environment threatens their way of life, the rabbits react the way any self-respecting group of noble warriors would: by going on a quest. Despite its adorable premise, Richard Adams’ novel draws on a rich wellspring of literary precedents, and reads like Beowulf by way of Beatrix Potter.

11. The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper (1973)

A perennial favorite of both elementary schoolers and their teachers, The Dark is Rising renders the cosmic conflict between Light and Dark in lively style, at a scale accessible to young readers. It centers on British schoolboy Will Stanton, who discovers, on his eleventh birthday, that he’s actually an immortal Light warrior known as an Old One — bound to play out an eternal struggle against the forces of the Dark. This story is perfectly contextualized by Susan Cooper's vast mythological knowledge, drawing generously from the sea-scented myths of her native British Isles, especially the Arthurian legend.

12. The Princess Bride by William Goldman (1973)

Besides its iconic adaptation , Goldman’s novel is most famous for its delightfully complicated framework: the core story deals with a farm boy called Westley, a gentrywoman named Buttercup, and the many colorful — and hilarious — obstacles that impede their love. According to The Princess Bride 's extensive (fictional) footnotes, this picaresque romance was drawn from Goldman’s favorite childhood tale, which his father had always read aloud. Years later, when he finally read it for himself, he found out that Goldman Sr. strayed pretty liberally from the text... but the heartwarming adventure story that resulted as all the better for it.

13. The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia A. McKillip (1974)

With its elegant language and a thoughtfully rendered heroine, The Forgotten Beasts of Eld has won the love of readers young and old (not to mention the 197 World Fantasy Award). The story centers on teenage orphan Sybel, whose only companions are the sentient, mythical creatures who share her mountain home — and with whom she cohabits happily. But one day, a stranger named Coren arrives, along with a newborn he claims to be the rightful heir to the kingdom of Eld. Together, the man and the baby conscript Sybel into single parenthood — and drag her quiet mountain refuge into a world of political turmoil. 

14. A Midsummer Tempest by Poul Anderson (1974)

Poul Anderson is better known for his science fiction, but this slim, strange, and utterly engrossing book demonstrates his range as a storyteller. A Midsummer Tempest takes place in an alternate version of 17th century — one where everything Shakespeare wrote actually happened and fairies were very much real. Inventive as the premise sounds, this one’s really quite faithful as far as Shakespearean fanfic goes: all the noble characters speak in iambic pentameter, as if they were written by the Bard himself. 

15. Lord Foul’s Bane by Stephen R. Donaldson (1977)

The first installment in the 10-book Chronicles of Thomas Covenant , Lord Foul’s Bane starts off in a decidedly un-Tolkien-esque fashion: with a protagonist who’s American, a novelist, and newly recovered from leprosy, a disease to which he lost two fingers. And as far as his new neighbors are concerned, the titular Thomas, with his two missing fingers, is a dead ringer for their culture-hero, Berek Halfhand — a misunderstanding that kicks off this complicated and morally grey giant of the genre.

16. The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks (1977)

Terry Brooks’ 1977 fantasy takes place in a post-nuclear-holocaust Pacific Northwest, in which the surviving humans have diverged into five species: Men, Dwarves, Gnomes, Trolls, and Elves. The plot centers on Shea Ohmsford, a half-elven boy destined to wield a legendary sword against a dreaded Warlock Lord. Thanks to this post-apocalyptic premise, The Sword of Shannara interweaves fantasy with science fiction; you might say it depicts fantasy as a result of science fiction, unimaginable violence producing a future that looks like an enchanted vision of the past.

17. Kindred by Octavia Butler (1979)

Kindred has been described as a “neo-slave narrative using science fiction framework” — a designation that effectively encompasses the thematic complexity of the book. The author herself, however, called Kindred “a kind of grim fantasy.” Indeed, its time-traveling protagonist, a young black woman named Dana, finds herself flickering between 1976 Los Angeles and 1815 Maryland. In the antebellum South, she winds up in the company of her own ancestors — an enslaved woman named Alice and a slave-owner named Rufus. Butler’s spare prose and mastery of psychological detail render the human cost of slavery with devastating clarity. 

18. The Neverending Story by Michael Ende (1979)

Like fellow multimedia phenomenon The Princess Bride , The Neverending Story uses a framework narrative to reflect on the power of, well, stories. The title refers to a book within the book: an antique volume unearthed by a boy called Bastian, an outsider at odds with schoolyard bullies and a distant father. As he reads — with us peering over his shoulder — Bastian is literally pulled into the story of Fantastica, a magical realm ruled by an immortal Childlike Empress. But the empress is dying, and without her power, Fantastica and all its people will disappear. It’s up to reader-turned-protagonist Bastian to save her.

19. Little, Big by John Crowley (1981)

Little, Big is the perfect fantasy novel for people who don’t like fantasy. It reads like a prestigious generational saga, the kind of thing you’d find in English dissertations and on Booker Prize shortlists — just with a few fairies thrown into the mix. No wonder literary critic Harold Bloom, notorious for thumbing his nose at the likes of Harry Potter , praised it as a “neglected masterpiece.” At its center is the Drinkwater family, whose architect patriarch built their sprawling family estate in the hazy borderlands between the Faerie world and New York — which invites a great deal of complexity into their lives.

20. The Gunslinger by Stephen King (1982)

Stephen King is best known for infiltrating our nightmares with stalkers and murderous clowns. But The Gunslinger proves he’s got a gift for fantasy too — just don’t expect it to be light and fluffy! This novel pulls from a broad palette of influences, from cowboy westerns to the poetry of Robert Browning. The hero, Roland of Gilead, wields his gun in pursuit of a shadowy Man in Black who's as dangerous as he is mysterious, with the power to spawn demons and raise the dead. Luckily or not, Roland's not alone in his pursuit; he finds a traveling companion in Jake Chambers, a schoolboy from our world.

21. The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett (1983)

Beloved fantasy writer Terry Pratchett made his name on tales from Discworld: a flat, circular planet, carried on the backs of four elephants balanced on a turtle. The 41-book series is a world unto its own — and it all began with The Color of Magic . Pratchett conceived the book as an antidote to the dark lord-y, paint-by-numbers fantasy that saturated the market at the time. The result is playful-yet-thoughtful story about an incompetent wizard and a ignorant tourist, whose adventure reads like a hilarious, sparkling travelogue.

22. The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley (1983) 

The most influential reimagining of the Arthurian legend since The Sword and the Stone , this sharply observed novel turns a feminist gaze on age-old tales. The Mists of Avalon centers on Arthur’s sorcerous half-sister Morgaine — better known as Morgan le Fay. A pagan priestess of Avalon blessed with clairvoyance, she’s troubled by the encroachment of Christian missionaries into the land she loves. Her sister-in-law Gwenhwyfar, meanwhile, emerges as her opposite: a devout and increasingly fanatical Christian. The ideological clash between them represents a far greater conflict, which the book unflinchingly depicts with all the dark tragedy of the original legend.

23. The Bridge of Birds by Barry Hughart (1984)

In an era when “fantasy” was synonymous with “fake medieval Europe,” The Bridge of Birds gave us something wonderfully original: a novel set — as its subtitle explains — in “an ancient China that never was.” We see this reimagining through the eyes of Number Ten Ox, a young man those village is ravaged by a mysterious plague that destroys silkworms and renders its children unconscious. He finds aid in Master Li Kao, a scholar with a drinking problem — and an encyclopedic knowledge of poisons. Together, Number Ten Ox and Master Li set off in search for a cure... only to be drawn into the heady world of imperial politics.

24. Mythago Wood by Robert Holdstock (1984)

Celebrated for its dazzling prose, Mythago Wood is as densely enchanting as the English forest at its center: the ancient, otherworldly Ryhope Wood. Make your way between the old-growth trees and you'll discover its inhabitants — myth-images, or mythagos, who have come out of ancestral memory and the story-seeped subconscious of the human mind. These might be monsters, centaurs, or several different versions of King Arthur. We explore Ryhope Wood with the Huxley brothers: World War II veteran Stephen regards the forest’s mysteries with measured skepticism, even as his brother Christian starts to lose himself within it.  

25. Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones (1986)

Gorgeously brought to life by the Studio Ghibli anime of the same name, Howl’s Moving Castle combines whimsy and poignancy in the tradition of the best children’s fiction — and doesn't skimp on the allusions, moving breezily from Shakespeare to Lewis Carroll. The story begins with 18-year-old Sophie Hatter, who seems condemned to a lifetime of drudgery at the family hat shop. But when she’s aged several decades by a witch’s curse, a suddenly geriatric Sophie finds her way to a moving castle ruled by the eccentric wizard Howl, whose fire-demon servant holds the key to restoring her youth. 

26. Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett (1990)

The end of the world has never been so funny. Equal parts biting and heartwarming, this charmingly English take on the Apocalypse combines the talents of golden-age Terry Pratchett and a young Neil Gaiman just discovering his novelistic voice. Take this dream team, add 50% more laughter than you think is possible, and you’ll have Good Omens . The book’s tween Anti-Christ, Adam, is refreshingly human and irresistibly likable. But its true stars are the fussy angel Aziraphale and sauntering demon Crowley, who steal the show with their unlikely bond — and their rogue efforts to put a pin in Armageddon.

27. The Famished Road by Ben Okri (1991)

Booker Prize winner The Famished Road makes an eloquent case for the place of magical creatures in the literary big leagues — and, in 1991, brought fantasy out of its traditional Anglo-American silo. Author Ben Okri moves fluidly between genres and influences: combining Yoruba oral traditions and Shakespearean allusions, mixing magical realism with Enlightenment philosophy. His very protagonist, Azaro, is a creature of the hybrid and the in-between: an abiku , or child spirit, he dwells between the realms of the living and the dead. But Okri manages to ground this unorthodox story with spare, elegant prose and devastating pathos.

28. Was by Geoff Ryman (1992)

This wildly inventive novel snagged a nomination for the World Fantasy Prize, but it’s about as far from sword and sorcery as you can get. A gritty remix of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz , Was uses L. Frank Baum’s sunny fable to examine the mundane tragedies of modern life, from child abuse to HIV. The main character of this tale is an orphan named Dorothy Gael, whose Uncle Henry abuses her with Aunty Em’s tacit consent. Her story runs alongside another one equally tragic — that of a gay actor weakened by AIDS. Close to dying, he rallies for a final pilgrimage to Kansas, drawn by memories of his childhood fascination with Oz.

29. Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice (1994)

Haunting, sexy, and grim, Anne Rice’s gothic novel paved the way for Twilightmania — just don’t expect her vampires to sparkle. Interview with the Vampire centers on 200-year-old, world-weary Louis, who finds himself telling his life story to a cub reporter. As we listen in on their interview, we meet the colorful characters who shaped Louis’ long afterlife: his cruelly charismatic lover Lestat — the vampire who turned him — and their tragic “daughter” Claudia, whose eternally childish form can’t contain her sharp wit and grown-up rage.

30. Towing Jehovah by James Morrow (1994)

This oddball religious satire spins the famous Nietzsche quote into a fantastic story: God is dead, and now there’s another corpse in the Atlantic, looking like any old white guy — except two miles long. As a result, oil tanker captain Anthony Van Horne finds himself with an unexpected new gig, courtesy of the archangel Raphael. The heavenly hosts expect him to, well, tow Jehovah : transport His corpse to the Arctic to be embalmed by its icy waters. Morrow’s effervescent cleverness has drawn endless comparisons to Kurt Vonnegut , but Towing Jehovah ’s theological snark evokes Good Omens , too. 

31. Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb (1995)

A stunning example of high, epic fantasy played straight, Assassin’s Apprentice introduces us to the bravest bastard this side of Jon Snow. The illegitimate son of a prince named Chivalry, the boy called Fitz grows up a loner. If he wants company, he prefers to draw on the Wit — his telepathic link to animals — instead of talking to another human. But when his powerful relations finally summon him to court, Fitz is forced to change his wild ways — and soon begins training as an assassin and kingsman to the new ruler, Shrewd (another symbolic name).

32. The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman (1995)

This stunning YA fantasy opens the His Dark Materials trilogy, which can only be described as the anti-Narnia: a literary monument to secular humanism. This first installment centers on Lyra Belacqua, an orphan raised by a committee of graybeards at Oxford. Her fantastical world is crafted by Pullman with all the deft-fingered care of a Renaissance painter, laying on the details stroke by stroke. Perhaps most excitingly, here there be daemons: externalized souls that tail each person in animal form. Lyra’s daemon, Pantalaimon, is one of the book’s most lovable (and important) characters — and after reading The Golden Compass , you’ll definitely want your own.

33. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin (1996)

While we wait for G.R.R. Martin to finish up his long-running series’ sixth installment, it’s worth revisiting the book that made his name — and gave its name to the show that brought TV fantasy into the mainstream. If His Dark Materials is the anti-Narnia, then A Game of Thrones and its sequels are the anti-LOTR. In a sharp-toothed reaction to Tolkien’s idealism, Martin gives us a quasi-medieval setting as rich in magic as Middle-earth, though it runs on cynical realpolitik instead of quiet courage. In this grimdark world , winter is coming, debts must be paid, and noble characters can die ugly, senseless deaths at any time.

34. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling (1997)

If you need a summary of this book, you’ve been living under a rock for the past few decades. Love them or hate them, the Harry Potter series has shaped millennials more than any other media phenomena, creating a generation of bookworms inclined to question authority. The Boy Who Lived is now approaching middle-age — canonically born in 1980, he's just about 40 now. But as the book that kickstarted his literary career, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone remains as influential as ever, with Hogwarts houses being as legitimate a source of identity as zodiac signs.  

35. The Moon and the Sun by Vonda N. McIntyre (1997)

A Game of Thrones might be the more famous book today, but The Moon and the Sun narrowly beat it out to win the prestigious Nebula Award for Best Novel in 1998! An intricate historical romance made magical through the addition of mermaids and immortality quests, The Moon and the Sun takes place in the palace of the Sun King, who ruled over late 17th-century France. We encounter his dazzling world through the eyes of Marie-Josèphe de la Croix, a lady-in-waiting who is the only person at court able to see Versailles’ new mermaid resident as a person instead of a monster (with delicious shades of The Shape of Water ).

36. Perdido Street Station by China Miéville (2000)

China Miéville has defined his own work as “a breathless and genre-slippery macabre fiction” — and with its heady mixture of Victorian tech , black magic, and organized crime, this book is par for the course. Perdido Street Station takes place in the steampunk city of New Crobuzon, where humans rub shoulders with other strange and intelligent species. But this peaceful coexistence is jeopardized when a hallucinogenic experiment unleashes the slakemoth: a mind-eating monster with paralytic in its wings. As they attempt to save the city, protagonist Isaac and his friends soon find themselves pulled into the seedy underbelly of New Crobuzon politics, discovering more than they ever wanted to know about their bizarre home.

37. American Gods by Neil Gaiman (2001)

A decade after Good Omens , Neil Gaiman returned to the world of religious fantasy with this magnificent solo venture. American Gods blends old legends with a modern noir sensibility — it’s peopled with deities and convicts, and the distinctions between them aren’t always clear. At its center is the improbably named Shadow Moon, a new widower who drifts into the employ of a con-man named Mr. Wednesday. They go on a good, old-fashioned American road-trip — but Shadow soon discovers that their cross-country trek isn’t all that it appears to be

38. The Etched City by K.J. Bishop (2003)

The Etched City ’s cloak-and-dagger plot stands out thanks to a richly drawn setting — one that crosses the Wild West with the medieval Islamic world. Following a civil war where their side lost, bounty hunter Gwynn and healer Raule are chased out of their homeland. As the pair attempt to find their footing in this Etched City, they experience the very human costs of exile and political turmoil. This is K.J. Bishops’ first and only work of book-length fiction, but it’ll make you look out eagerly for more. 

39. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke (2004)

Every once in a while, you encounter a voice of such talent and originality it stands out like a signal fire against the night. In the world of fantasy, Susannah Clarke is that voice. Her magnum opus, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell , is an alternate history of England during the Napoleonic Wars, combining Gothic fiction with comedy of manners to interrogate romantic myths of the English past. After a full decade in the making, it catapulted straight from Bloomsbury’s press to The New York Times bestseller list. The rest is history — or, should we say, alternate history.

40. The World of the End by Ofir Touché Gafla (2004)

This witty, sci-fi/fantasy take on the afterlife has shades of both The Good Place and Black Mirror — and fittingly enough, reflects consistently on the notion of endings. Before his suicide, protagonist Ben Mendelssohn was a professional ender: a ghostwriter for authors unable to finish their own stories . And after putting a bullet in his own head, Ben emerges in the Other World: a strangely sterile afterlife where the shades of the dead can customize their own microclimates. Clearly, The World of the End was an incredibly precocious — maybe even prophetic — work, anticipating pop cultural themes a decade ahead of time. 

41. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss (2007)

The Name of the Wind boasts another complicated framework narrative that, in this case, turns the entire work into a meditation on the importance of storytelling. It’s told as a fictional autobiography whose subject — and narrator — is the legendary culture-hero Kvothe, living incognito at the novel’s beginning as a humble innkeeper. But his cover’s blown following the appearance, in the flesh, of a demon long relegated to the realm of myths. Long story short — or if you read the whole thing, long story long — Kvothe ends up recounting the submerged stories of his past, from his magical education to his myriad heartbreaks.

42. The Magicians by Lev Grossman (2009)

This high fantasy novel (in the guise of New Yorker -friendly lit fic) follows a high school senior named Quentin, who finds his way into magic college en route to his Princeton interview. But there are no sun-drenched Quidditch matches at Brakebills: instead, the curriculum turns on classical philology and the memorization of magical hand positions. Indeed, between this and its frank treatment of sexuality and mental health, The Magicians has often been touted as a “Harry Potter for grownups.” And if you’re more Ravenclaw than Gryffindor, you might find yourself daydreaming about Brakebills instead of Hogwarts — at least until Grossman deconstructs the trope of the magical boarding school with devastating acuity.

43. Under Heaven by Guy Gavriel Kay (2010)

Guy Gavriel Kay is a sorcerer in the realm of alternate history — his usual M.O. entails magic-drenched versions of ancient Constantinople or Renaissance Italy. In Under Heaven , Kay turns his talents to medieval China, with a version of the country called Kitai having recently achieved a hard-fought peace. Shen Tai, the second son of a legendary general, takes advantage of the ceasefire to bury the long-abandoned dead: both his own Kitai countrymen and their Taguran enemies, whose ghosts still haunt the site of their fatal defeats. In response, the Taguran empress gifts him a herd of 250 prized horses — making him an immediate target in the next round of Kitai political intrigues.

44. The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin (2010)

These days, N.K. Jemisin is a bona fide thought leader who writes full-time, but The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms was the match that sparked her incandescent career. It opens as such: following her mother's death, a biracial woman named Yeine Darr is summoned to the floating city of Sky and told she’s descended from Sky’s ruling house. But on her father’s side, she belongs to the Darre — a people considered barbarians by her mother's kin. This revelation pulls her into a struggle of succession and identity, all of which Yeine must navigate as she tries to solve her mother's mysterious murder.

45. Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor (2010)

This searing novel is rooted in the real-life tragedy of weaponized rape in the Darfur conflict, which Okorafor read about just as she was beginning work on it. The narrator of Who Fears Death , Onyesonwu, is the product of similar racial violence; she's born to an Okeke woman, raped by the light-skinned Nuru sorcerer responsible for the massacre of her village. Named for a question — “Who Fears Death?”— she develops magical gifts to rival her wicked father’s. And after honing her abilities under the tutelage of a powerful shaman, Onyesonwu takes on a quest: to end the genocide of her mother’s people forever.

46. Among Others by Jo Walton (2011)

This inventive, award-winning book portrays the coming-of-age of Morwenna Phelps, a teenager who recently lost both her twin and the use of her legs thanks to a magical accident. Her story is refracted in a charmingly meta fashion, and has a comforting familiarity of form, as we see everything through Mori’s journal entries — where she vents about math classes, bra shopping, and first love along with the difficulties of spell-casting. If you’re into quirky, genre-bending works, you’ll definitely find Mori a charming and relatable guide to the world of Among Others , a place at once totally strange and achingly familiar.

47. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (2011)

The Night Circus began as a stab at NaNoWriMo , but its success has long since transcended its origins. This romantic, quasi-Victorian confection of a fantasy takes place, predictably enough, at a circus that’s only open at night. The mysterious carnival has been prepared as the dazzling battleground for a duel between two magicians, Celia and Marco — both raised as puppets in the rivalry between their two powerful mentors. But instead of giving their all to the coming battle, Celia and Marco have done something unforgivable: they’ve fallen in love, and now must find a way to fulfill their contracts without killing each other.

48. The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker (2013)

This wildly imaginative historical fantasy involves an unexpected pair of magical creatures — the titular golem and jinni, from Jewish and Arabic mythology respectively. The former, Chava, was brought to life by a wicked kabbalist to serve as a mail-order bride; the latter, Ahmad, lived for centuries inside a copper flask, only to end up as a tinsmith once freed. After a chance encounter in the 19th century, Chava and Ahmad become friends — swapping stories on their struggles to pass as human. The Golem and the Jinni draws the reader in with a touching portrait of friendship while weaving in tantalizing threads of history and myth. 

49. A Stranger in Olondria by Sofia Samatar (2013)

This gorgeous debut novel turns fantasy into poetry, telling a story of hauntings both literal and figurative. It tracks the son of a pepper merchant, Jevick of Tyom, who finds himself in unwanted company — he’s tailed by the ghost of an illiterate little girl. And when he seeks help from a group of exorcist-priests, Jevick quickly finds himself enmeshed in a power struggle that he never anticipated. A Stranger in Olondria writes out the power of narrative in a way that’s human and moving, with just the right amount of meta.

50. The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell (2014)

The Bone Clocks shines with both literary pedigree and imaginative worldbuilding, up for both the Man Booker Prize and the World Fantasy Award in 2015. Its title hints at the darkly magical world we find inside — “bone clocks” are what immortals call the rest of us, ordinary humans whose bodies tick out the passage of time through their slow decay. We soon encounter two groups of immortals through a bone clock named Holly Sykes. But mortal as she is, Holly isn’t an ordinary young woman. Her psychic abilities make her a lightning rod for unusual phenomena — and the eventual focal point for an epic supernatural war.

51. The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro (2015)

Nobel laureate Kazuo Ishiguro penned this elegiac, post-Arthurian fantasy over the course of a difficult decade. The result was well worth the wait: The Guardian’ s glowing review hailed it as “Game of Thrones with a conscience.” The Buried Giant considers the entanglement of old age, memory, and national history in a setting infused with the otherworld. At its center are an elderly couple named Axl and Beatrice, Briton villagers living in a world where King Arthur has died, leaving behind a seemingly durable peace. But everyone in Axl and Beatrice’s village continues to suffer: not from armed conflict, but from the mist, an amnesia that seems to have eaten away all their memories of a son they’re certain they’ve lost. 

52. The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin (2015)

The Fifth Season is perhaps N.K. Jemisin's most fully realized work, combining her trademark psychological complexity with an ultra-immersive world and a magic system of startling originality. It's set in a Pangaea-like supercontinent called the Stillness — an ironic name, since the land is ravaged periodically by earthquakes. Because of this, the Stillness is a dangerous place for orogenes, who have the ability to control earthquakes and channel temperature. Called “roggas” and savaged by mobs because of their dangerous powers, orogenes rarely make it to adulthood. But those who survive — generally by hiding their abilities — are herded towards a training facility called the Fulcrum, where they suffer oppressions of their own.  

53. The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu (2015)

The first installment in a planned trilogy, The Grace of Kings is entertaining as well as erudite. It’s already become a foundational work of the sensibility Liu terms “silkpunk” : an East Asian-inflected spin on steampunk that trades in gears and goggles for bamboo and paper. The Grace of Kings uses this silkpunk framework to rewrite some of the most exciting stories from a canonical Han-dynasty text. The result is a page-turner even for bookworms who don’t have knowledge of Chinese history — and full of delightful easter eggs for those who do. 

54. A Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho (2015)

In A Sorcerer to the Crown , debut novelist Zen Cho serves up historical fantasy with humor and heart. Set in a magical version of Regency England, it's equal parts white-gloved gentility and side-splitting wit. But the story also tackles race with a deft touch: Zacharias Wythe is the new Sorcerer Royal of black African descent, and Prunella Gentleman is a biracial, magical finishing school drop-out. Together, they have to prevent an all-out war between powerful magical factions — all while dealing with the constant indignities of prejudice.

55. All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders (2016)

All the Birds in the Sky is a love story for nerds. Sparks fly between the compelling leads — and between the two speculative genres they represent. Patricia Delfine, a witch, is fantasy. Her childhood friend Laurence Armstead, a gadgeteer, is science fiction. But after banding together against junior high bullies, the two lose touch: Patricia runs from witchcraft accusations to wind up in a school of magic, while Laurence is shipped off to military school to shape up among other ill-behaved teenage Muggles. Luckily, they reunite as adults — just in time to tap into their combined skills to stop the Unraveling of the universe.

56. Scythe by Neal Shusterman (2016)

In the world of Neal Shusterman's Scythe , hyper-advanced technology has eliminated death by natural causes, rendering humans biologically immortal. But this seemingly utopian premise turns dys topian with the reality that overpopulation is still a problem — and to cull it, a select group of citizens must act as “Scythes” to determine who will live and die. This is the role taken on by our teenage protagonists, Citra and Rowan, who grapple with intense issues of mortality and morality as they train to be Scythes — growing more suspicious all the while of inner-circle corruption that threatens to derail their society.

57. The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty (2017)

A dazzling fantasy set in the 18th-century Egypt, The City of Brass wraps a tale of magical adventure around a core of Islamic mythology. But its heroine is a skeptic — at first. A talented swindler with an instinct for healing, Nahri tricks Ottoman nobles into filling her purse by claiming magical powers she doesn’t actually have. Then one day, she fakes an exorcism... only to find herself face-to-face with a very real djinn. This unexpected new acquaintance, named Dara, spirits her away to the enchanted, brass-walled city of Daevabad. Here Nahri finds out the truth about her own heritage — the key to her talent for the healing arts. 

58. Jade City by Fonda Lee (2017)

Jade City reads like Game of Thrones meets The Godfather , with a modern, pan-Asian aesthetic all its own. In its vividly drawn magical underworld, organized crime centers around jade — not the green jewel we know, but a mineral that grants superpowers to those who wield it, provided they have the right training and genes. After a cataclysmic conflict, the One Mountain Society that protected the island of Kekon has shattered into rival crime families. As they fight over the future of the jade trade, their battles spring to life in stunning fight sequences undergirded by Lee's martial arts knowledge and rich worldbuilding. 

59. Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo (2019)

For anyone ever intrigued by the hush-hush and vaguely felonious undercurrents of Ivy League secret societies, Ninth House is the novel to sate your imagination. It kicks off with 20-year-old Alex Stern, ghost-seer and sole survivor of a brutal homicide, receiving a full-ride scholarship to Yale — under the condition that she use her spiritually perceptive powers to monitor the university's eight Houses of the Vale. As part of the titular ninth house, Lethe, Alex must work to uncover the magical abuses of these occult organizations — but what she can't know is how dark things will get, and how deeply she's enmeshed in them already.

60. Starsight by Brandon Sanderson (2019)

Finally we've arrived at Starsight , the most recent undertaking by fantasy phenom Brandon Sanderson. In this outer-space spectacular, Sanderson seamlessly picks up the narrative thread of Spensa Nightshade — a passionate, psychically gifted young pilot who's become a key weapon in the human war against the alien Krell. Here, Spensa embarks on a dangerous undercover mission to steal a Krell hyperdrive, but what will happen when her true identity is revealed? (Our only advisory before diving headfirst into Starsight is to read the previous installment, Skyward, first — especially if you have an Ender's Game -shaped hole in your life.)

Can’t get enough top-shelf fantasy? Check out our roundup of the best fantasy series of all time . Or try listening — to this list of 45 fantasy audiobooks !

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40 Best adult fantasy books

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Written by: Cory

I decided to curated my top 40 adult fantasy books, a hand-picked selection of literary gems that have captivated my imagination in the past couple of years. Each of these books holds a special place in my heart, and I can honestly say that I loved every single one of them! Of course, there are hundreds of awesome adult fantasy books out there, but these are my top picks that I always recommend friends and family. And I know that finding new books to read can be challenging sometimes, so I thought I can help with the task.

This is a fairly diverse list of adult fantasy, offering something for every reader’s taste. Some of these novels fall into the category of new adult fantasy, with a dash of spice and romance to keep you enthralled. Others harken back to the classic, old-school fantasy tradition, whisking you away on epic adventures in uncharted realms.

I’ve curated this list intending to cater to all fantasy enthusiasts – those who crave a blend of romance and magic, as well as those who yearn for the timeless thrill of high-fantasy escapades. The books on this list are not ranked in any particular order, but I must admit that Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros holds a special place in my heart as my absolute favourite book of all time.

Whether you’re seeking a thrilling new fantasy series or a nostalgic journey into the realms of classic fantasy, this list of adult fantasy books has something magical in store for you.

Top Adult Fantasy Books

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros ⭐ 4.61/5

In Rebecca Yarros’ gripping novel, Violet Sorrengail is unexpectedly pulled away from a quiet life among books to join a war college for dragon riders. Tasked by her mother, the tough general, she faces the elite but dangerous world of Navarre’s dragon riders. Violet , smaller and more fragile than her peers, is in constant danger, as dragons usually reject the ‘fragile’. Many cadets, eyeing their own advancement or bearing grudges against her mother, see her as a target. Among them is Xaden Riorson , a formidable wingleader. With a war intensifying outside and dark secrets within, Violet’s survival hinges on her sharp wits in a place where the only ways out are either graduation or death.

Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros ⭐ 4.37/5

In the intense sequel to Rebecca Yarros’ novel, Violet Sorrengail faces brutal challenges in her second year at Basgiath War College . Having narrowly survived the first year, she now confronts a grueling training regime and a vice commandant determined to prove her powerless, possibly forcing her to betray a loved one. Despite her physical frailty, Violet’s sharp wit and iron will are her strengths. She discovers a centuries-old secret at Basgiath , a revelation so grave that even her resilience and dragon might not be enough to confront it. This year, survival hinges on more than just determination.

From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout ⭐ 4.24/5

Poppy, chosen since birth as the Maiden, leads a life devoid of touch, gaze, and speech, bound by solitude until her Ascension. Despite her role in a prophecy that holds the kingdom’s fate, she yearns for a life beyond the confines of her duties. Her world upends with the arrival of Hawke, a golden-eyed guard tasked with ensuring her Ascension. Hawke challenges her beliefs, stirring a conflict between duty, desire, and the forbidden. Meanwhile, a forsaken kingdom, abandoned by gods and feared by mortals, threatens to rise in vengeance. As danger looms, Poppy grapples with her heart’s desires and her role in a world on the brink of chaos, where the line between right and forbidden blurs, risking her heart, worthiness, and life itself.

The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent ⭐ 4.35/5

Oraya, the human adoptive daughter of the Nightborn vampire king, strives to transcend her prey status in a world where trust is a liability. Her path to power leads to the Kejari, a deadly tournament hosted by the goddess of death. Amidst fierce competitors from vampire houses, Oraya allies with Raihn, a dangerous and efficient vampire, and an enemy to her father. This alliance challenges Oraya as she’s unexpectedly drawn to him, risking her heart in a realm where love is lethal. As war looms within the House of Night, Oraya discovers that Raihn may understand her deepest self. Yet, their growing attraction could be her undoing in a kingdom where emotions are as dangerous as the enemies they face. “The Serpent and the Wings of Night” offers a tale of intense romance, dark magic, and treacherous intrigue, appealing to fans of heart-wrenching fantasy romances.

The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen ⭐ 4.05/5

Lara, a warrior princess trained in seclusion, is certain of two things: King Aren of the Bridge Kingdom is her foe, and she’s destined to defeat him. Sent as a bride to infiltrate this kingdom, which thrives by controlling a vital bridge in a storm-ravaged world, Lara plans to break its defenses from within. However, as she learns more about the kingdom and its king, her perspective shifts. Lara’s initial hostility towards Aren turns into passionate love, blurring the lines between hero and villain. Torn between her homeland and newfound love, Lara faces a harrowing choice between saving one kingdom and destroying the other. “The Bridge Kingdom” is a tale of intense passion and conflict, appealing to fans of fantasy romance and dramatic narratives.

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard ⭐ 4.01/5

In a world where blood color determines your destiny, Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the impoverished Stilts, finds herself thrust into the world of the Silver elite, rulers with god-like powers. Surprisingly, Mare discovers she has a unique and deadly power despite her Red blood, upsetting the societal balance. The Silvers, fearful of her potential, disguise her as a lost Silver princess and betroth her to a Silver prince. While navigating this perilous charade, Mare covertly aids the Red Guard, a group fighting to overthrow the Silver regime. In this treacherous landscape of betrayals, Mare is caught in a deadly dance of Red against Silver, prince against prince, and a personal struggle against her own conflicted heart.

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang ⭐ 4.17/5

This epic historical military fantasy, set in a world inspired by China’s tumultuous 20th century, follows Rin, a war orphan from Rooster Province who unexpectedly aces the Empire-wide test. She gains entry to Sinegard, the prestigious military school in Nikan, facing challenges due to her background and gender. Rin discovers her formidable shamanic abilities and learns about gods long thought dead. With the threat of a Third Poppy War looming, she must harness her powers to save her people, but the cost might be her humanity.

House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas ⭐ 4.5/5

Bryce Quinlan enjoyed a carefree life of hard work and parties until a demon murdered her closest friends, leaving her devastated and alone. When the killings continue despite the accused being in custody, Bryce becomes central to the investigation, determined to seek justice. Hunt Athalar, a notorious Fallen angel enslaved to the Archangels, is offered a deal to assist Bryce in finding the murderer in exchange for his freedom. Together, they uncover a dark threat, igniting a passionate connection that could set them both free. This fantasy series by Sarah J. Maas explores loss, freedom, and the strength of love in a gripping tale.

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin ⭐ 4.44/5

In a distant era where seasons are erratic, with summers lasting for decades and winters stretching a lifetime, a looming crisis threatens the land. Sinister forces gather beyond the protective Wall in the frozen north of Winterfell, while to the south, the king’s rule weakens. The Starks of Winterfell, a stern and unyielding family, find themselves at the heart of this turmoil. Lord Eddard Stark is reluctantly appointed as the king’s Hand, a move that risks tearing apart not only his family but the entire kingdom. “A Game of Thrones” weaves a gripping tale of lords, ladies, soldiers, sorcerers, and intrigue, where power-hungry factions vie for control in a perilous struggle for the throne.

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss ⭐ 4.52/5

Narrated by Kvothe himself, “The Name of the Wind” chronicles the life of a young man gifted with magic who would become the world’s most infamous wizard. It delves into his early years within a traveling troupe, his time as a resourceful orphan in a crime-ridden city, his audacious journey to enroll in a renowned school of magic, and his life on the run following the murder of a king. This coming-of-age tale combines high-action storytelling with poetic prose, offering readers a masterful and immersive experience as they delve into the mind and adventures of a wizard.

The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson ⭐ 4.48/5

In a desolate world plagued by ash and oppression for a thousand years, Kelsier, a gifted thief, discovers he possesses Mistborn powers, setting his sights on an audacious heist to overthrow the tyrannical Lord Ruler. Alongside a team of skilled allomancers, Kelsier’s plan seems near impossible until he encounters Vin, a wary half-Skaa orphan with untapped abilities. Together, they navigate a treacherous world of betrayal and danger in Brandon Sanderson’s genre-defying tale, “Mistborn,” where the hero’s failure to defeat the Dark Lord leads to a fresh perspective on fantasy storytelling.

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon ⭐ 4.21/5

In a divided world, the House of Berethnet has ruled Inys for a millennium. Queen Sabran the Ninth, still without an heir, must bear a daughter to safeguard her kingdom from impending doom. However, assassins draw closer. Ead Duryan, a court outsider and member of a clandestine mage society, secretly shields Sabran with forbidden magic. Far across the sea, Tané, a dragonrider-in-training, faces a life-altering decision. As the East and West remain in discord, and ancient threats awaken, a tale of intrigue, magic, and impending chaos unfolds.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab ⭐ 4.2/5

In 1714 France, a young woman, in a moment of despair, strikes a Faustian deal for eternal life but is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she encounters. Thus begins Addie LaRue’s extraordinary and lonely existence, spanning centuries and continents. She strives to make her mark on the world, but her fate changes when, after nearly 300 years, a chance encounter in a hidden bookstore leads to a young man who remembers her name, altering the course of her timeless life.

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab ⭐ 4.06/5

Kell is a rare Antari, possessing the ability to traverse between parallel Londons: Red, Grey, White, and the long-lost Black. Officially serving as an ambassador for the Maresh Empire in Red London, he unofficially moonlights as a smuggler, offering glimpses of other worlds to those willing to pay. When a risky exchange goes wrong, Kell escapes to Grey London, where he encounters Delilah Bard, a thief with big dreams. After a series of events, they embark on a perilous journey, facing treacherous magic and danger to preserve the multiverse.

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo ⭐ 4.03/5

Galaxy “Alex” Stern, an unlikely Yale freshman, grew up in the outskirts of Los Angeles, plagued by a troubled past involving drug-dealer boyfriends and a gruesome unsolved homicide. At twenty, she becomes the lone survivor of this horrific event. Unexpectedly, Alex is offered a second chance: a full scholarship to one of the world’s most prestigious universities. However, there’s a catch she doesn’t yet understand. She arrives in New Haven with a mission: to monitor Yale’s secretive and enigmatic societies. These underground “tombs” are frequented by future elites, but their occult activities turn out to be far more sinister and extraordinary than anyone could have imagined.

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson ⭐ 4.66/5

“The Way of Kings,” the first book in Brandon Sanderson’s epic series, The Stormlight Archive, unveils the world of Roshar, characterized by stone and relentless storms that have shaped its ecology and civilizations. Centuries have passed since the fall of the Knights Radiant, but their mystical Shardblades and Shardplate remain highly sought after, driving wars and trade. Kaladin, once a medical apprentice, becomes a slave on the Shattered Plains, fighting in a senseless war. Brightlord Dalinar Kholin questions his sanity as he experiences haunting visions. Meanwhile, Shallan, an aspiring scholar, uncovers secrets that could change the course of the war. This monumental work sets the stage for a rich and expansive fantasy series.

The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin ⭐ 4.31/5

“The Fifth Season” depicts a world teetering on destruction. In a single day, Essun discovers her husband’s heinous act and embarks on a quest to find her kidnapped daughter in a world plagued by disasters. A great red rift splits the continent, releasing ash that shrouds the sky. With resources scarce, nations battle not for power but for survival. Essun, determined to save her daughter, will stop at nothing, even if it means breaking the world herself. This story of resilience unfolds against the backdrop of an impending apocalypse.

Jade City by Fonda Lee ⭐ 4.11/5

“Jade City” offers a gripping narrative akin to “The Godfather,” featuring intergenerational blood feuds, ruthless politics, magic, and martial arts. The Kaul family is one of two crime syndicates controlling Kekon, the sole source of magical jade, which grants superhuman abilities to those with the right heritage and training. Once protectors of the island from foreign threats, the Green Bone clans now engage in commerce and city management. When tensions with rival clans escalate into violent conflict, the outcome will shape the future of Kekon and all its Green Bone families

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern ⭐ 4.02/5

“The Night Circus” introduces a mysterious and enchanting spectacle, Le Cirque des Rêves, which appears without warning, existing only at night within black-and-white striped tents. Unbeknownst to its visitors, a fierce competition unfolds between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, trained since childhood for this purpose by their enigmatic mentors. Though their deep, magical love for each other complicates matters, they are locked in a duel where only one can survive. As the fate of the circus and its inhabitants hangs in the balance, this spellbinding tale of love and magic unfolds with rich, captivating prose, creating a sensory and emotional feast for readers.

The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty ⭐ 4.15/5

Nahri, a streetwise con artist in 18th-century Cairo, has always considered magic a mere illusion, relying on her cunning to swindle Ottoman nobles through palm readings and healings. However, her world shatters when she accidentally summons a mysterious djinn warrior, revealing that the magical realm of childhood tales is real. The warrior introduces Nahri to a new reality, taking her on a journey through fantastical landscapes to Daevabad, the legendary city of brass. There, within the enchantment-laden walls and amidst political turmoil, Nahri discovers the brutal nature of true power and the perilous intricacies of court politics. As she navigates this treacherous world, she learns that wishes can have deadly consequences, and magic won’t shield her from its harsh realities.

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas ⭐ 4.2/5

In “A Court of Thorns and Roses,” nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre faces dire consequences after killing a wolf in the woods. She’s taken to a treacherous magical realm, discovering that her captor, Tamlin, is not a true beast but an immortal faerie. As Feyre adjusts to her new home, her initial hostility towards Tamlin transforms into a passionate love. However, an ancient malevolent force threatens the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it to save Tamlin and his world. Sarah J. Maas weaves romance, adventure, and faerie mythology into an enchanting and unforgettable tale.

Vicious by V.E. Schwab ⭐ 4.22/5

“Vicious” by V. E. Schwab is a masterful tale of ambition, envy, longing, and superhuman abilities. Victor and Eli, brilliant and arrogant college roommates, share a fascination with adrenaline, near-death experiences, and the potential for extraordinary powers. When their research turns from theory to experimentation, it goes terribly awry. A decade later, Victor escapes from prison with a vendetta against Eli, while Eli is on a mission to eliminate super-powered individuals. Both are armed with formidable abilities, driven by betrayal and loss, in a riveting story where heroism isn’t guaranteed, and allegiances are tested. Schwab paints a gritty comic-book-style world with vivid prose, blurring the lines between hero and villain.

Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb ⭐ 4.18/5

In a distant realm where royal family members are named for their virtues, a young boy stands as an enigma. Fitz, the illegitimate son of Chivalry Farseer, finds himself an outcast from birth. Friendless and abandoned, his only solace lies in his magical bond with animals, a forbidden art called the Wit. When Fitz is taken into the royal household, he must forsake his old life and adopt one of weaponry, education, court etiquette, and the clandestine skills of an assassin, training to become a lethal instrument of the monarchy.

Circe by Madeline Miller ⭐ 4.24/5

In “Circe,” a daughter is born in the house of Helios, the sun god and mightiest of the Titans. Unlike her powerful father or seductive mother, Circe is peculiar. Seeking companionship among mortals, she discovers her own unique strength: the power of witchcraft. Her abilities can transform rivals into monsters and threaten even the gods. Zeus, feeling threatened, exiles her to a deserted island, where she refines her magic, tames wild beasts, and encounters famous mythological figures. However, Circe’s isolation draws the wrath of both men and gods, leading to a showdown with a formidable Olympian. To protect what she holds dear, Circe must harness her strength and decide whether she belongs with the gods or the mortals she’s grown to love.

The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan ⭐ 4.19/5

“The Eye of the World” begins with the eternal cycle of Ages, where memories turn into legends and legends into myths, only to be forgotten when the Age returns. In a world threatened by the malevolent Dark One, Moiraine Damodred arrives in Emond’s Field on a quest to find the prophesized savior. When half-human, half-beast creatures attack the village in search of their master’s foe, Moiraine convinces Rand al’Thor and his friends to leave their home and embark on a perilous journey. They enter an expansive world filled with hidden dangers lurking in both the light and the shadows, setting the stage for a gripping epic adventure.

The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie ⭐ 4.21/5

In “The Blade Itself,” Logen Ninefingers, an infamous barbarian, finds himself on the brink of death due to his many feuds. Captain Jezal dan Luthar, a self-centered nobleman, is more focused on card games and personal glory. However, a looming war in the frozen North brings brutal conflicts and new rules of engagement. Inquisitor Glokta, a former cripple turned torturer, seeks vengeance against Jezal. Amidst this chaos, the wizard Bayaz enters the scene, and as murderous conspiracies surface, old grudges resurface, blurring the line between hero and villain in a world where survival is paramount.

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness ⭐ 4.02/5

In “A Discovery of Witches,” Diana Bishop, a young scholar descended from a long line of witches, unintentionally summons a bewitched alchemical manuscript while researching in Oxford’s Bodleian Library. Despite her reluctance to embrace her magical heritage, her discovery triggers a series of events drawing daemons, witches, and vampires to the library. Diana possesses the key to a coveted treasure lost for centuries. Debut novelist Deborah Harkness combines history and magic, romance and suspense, in a tale where Diana finds an equal in vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont. Their growing alliance defies ancient taboos, creating a captivating and contemporary story reminiscent of Anne Rice’s novels with a touch of historical realism.

The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake ⭐ 3.62/5

In “The Atlas Six,” the Alexandrian Society is a secretive group of magicians tasked with preserving lost knowledge from ancient civilizations. Every decade, six exceptionally talented magicians are considered for initiation into the society, promising a life of wealth and prestige. Among the latest candidates are Libby and Nico, who control physicality; Reina, a naturalist who understands the language of life; Parisa, a telepath delving into the human subconscious; Callum, an empath who influences inner selves; and Tristan, who sees through illusions to a new reality. Under the guidance of Atlas Blakely, they have a year to prove themselves, but only five will be initiated, leaving one eliminated. The candidates must compete, collaborate, and confront the mysteries of magic to secure their future in this thrilling story of ambition and competition.

Babel by R.F. Kuang ⭐ 4.21/5

In “Babel” by R. F. Kuang, set in 1828, Robin Swift, an orphan from Canton, is taken to London by Professor Lovell after the cholera outbreak in his hometown. He undergoes rigorous training in Latin, Ancient Greek, and Chinese in preparation for his enrollment at the Royal Institute of Translation, also known as Babel, at Oxford University. Babel is the world’s center for translation and magic, specifically silver-working, which empowers the British Empire in its quest for colonization. As a Chinese boy raised in Britain, Robin grapples with the conflict between loyalty to Babel and his homeland. He becomes entangled with the Hermes Society, a group opposing imperial expansion, and faces the choice of whether change can come from within powerful institutions or if revolution necessitates violence, especially when Britain wages an unjust war against China over silver and opium.

Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett ⭐ 4.19/5

Sancia Grado is a skilled thief tasked with stealing a powerful artifact from a heavily guarded warehouse in Tevanne. Unbeknownst to her, the object holds the potential to revolutionize scriving, a magical technology that controls everyday objects using coded commands. The Merchant Houses, who control scriving and have transformed Tevanne into a ruthless capitalist hub, seek the artifact’s secrets to reshape the world to their advantage. Now, Sancia must contend with deadly enemies within the Houses while marshaling unexpected allies, harnessing the artifact’s power, and undergoing a transformation that will lead her down an unforeseen path to survival.

Rhapsodic by Laura Thalassa ⭐ 3.94/5

Callypso Lillis, a siren, bears a bracelet of black beads, each representing a magical favor she owes. These debts, accrued over seven years, can only be settled by repayment or death. Known as the Bargainer, he’s the go-to for those needing favors, infamous for always collecting his dues. However, he’s never reclaimed his debts from Callie—until now. When he appears in her room, their past romance reignites, starting with a single kiss for a bead’s debt. Beyond personal matters, the Bargainer faces a crisis in the Otherworld: missing fae warriors, women returned in glass caskets with children, and whispers of a reawakened evil. To save his people, he needs Callie’s help, but she’s also at risk, being a prized target for the malevolent force they face.

The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune ⭐ 4.41/5

Linus Baker is a quiet, middle-aged man who works as a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth. His job involves overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages. However, his life takes an unexpected turn when he’s summoned by Extremely Upper Management for a classified assignment: he must travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six unique and potentially dangerous children reside. Linus is tasked with evaluating whether these children pose a threat to the world. As he delves into this mission, he discovers not only the secrets of the children but also a surprising connection with their enigmatic caretaker, Arthur Parnassus. This heartwarming and enchanting tale explores the themes of family, acceptance, and the bonds that can form in unexpected places.

The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart ⭐ 4.02/5

“The Bone Shard Daughter” by Andrea Stewart is set in an empire ruled by an emperor who controls bone shard magic to power animal-like constructs that maintain order. The story follows Lin, the emperor’s daughter, who is determined to prove herself as the rightful heir to the throne. She sets out to master the forbidden art of bone shard magic, but the power comes with a heavy cost. As a revolution threatens the empire, Lin must make difficult choices about the extent of her power and what she’s willing to do to save her people and claim her birthright. This fantasy novel explores themes of power, identity, and sacrifice in a richly imagined world.

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden ⭐ 4.1/5

“The Bear and the Nightingale” by Katherine Arden is set in the Russian wilderness where winter lasts most of the year, and the snowdrifts grow taller than houses. The story revolves around Vasilisa, a young girl who loves listening to her nurse’s chilling fairy tales, especially the one about Frost, the blue-eyed winter demon who claims unwary souls. When her mother dies, her devout and city-bred stepmother arrives, forbidding the family from honoring the household spirits. As a result, misfortune befalls the village, and Vasilisa must use her hidden gifts to protect her family from the impending threat. This debut novel weaves a magical and captivating tale set in a richly atmospheric Russian landscape.

Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse ⭐ 4.2/5

“Black Sun” by Rebecca Roanhorse is a captivating fantasy novel set in a world inspired by Pre-Columbian Americas. In the holy city of Tova, a rare solar eclipse coincides with the winter solstice, setting in motion a tale of prophecy, intrigue, and forbidden magic. A disgraced Teek captain, Xiala, and a mysterious passenger named Serapio journey to Tova, their fates intertwined. This richly imagined book explores power, destiny, and choice in a unique and culturally diverse setting.

American Gods by Neil Gaiman ⭐ 4.11/5

In Neil Gaiman’s “American Gods,” Shadow, a man just released from prison, faces tragedy as his wife dies suddenly. On his journey home, he encounters Mr. Wednesday, a mysterious figure who claims to be a former god and king of America. As they travel across the USA, they find themselves caught in a supernatural storm of epic proportions. Gaiman’s novel delves into the soul of America, exploring its myths, gods, and the unsettling aspects of its identity, making for a gripping and thought-provoking read.

Uprooted by Naomi Novik ⭐ 4.04/5

In “Uprooted” by Naomi Novik, Agnieszka lives in a quiet village near the corrupted Wood, protected by the enigmatic wizard known as the Dragon. Every ten years, the Dragon chooses a young woman from the village to serve him in exchange for his protection against the Wood’s malevolent power. Agnieszka fears for her friend Kasia, who seems the obvious choice, but when the time comes, it’s Agnieszka herself who is selected. As she serves the Dragon, Agnieszka discovers her own magical abilities and becomes entangled in a battle against the dark forces of the Wood.

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir ⭐ 4.22/5

In “Gideon the Ninth” by Tamsyn Muir, Gideon is a swordswoman who is tired of her life serving as a servant in the Ninth House, surrounded by undead and nuns. She plans to escape her grim existence, but her nemesis, Harrowhark Nonagesimus, who is a powerful necromancer, summons her for a crucial mission. The Emperor has called for a trial of skill, and if Harrowhark succeeds, she’ll gain immense power. However, she needs Gideon’s sword to do so. Reluctantly, Gideon agrees, and they both become embroiled in a deadly competition with dark secrets and challenges.

The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter ⭐ 4.31/5

The Omehi people have been engaged in a seemingly endless war for centuries. Some individuals possess extraordinary powers, like the ability to call down dragons or transform into formidable fighters. However, the majority of the population lacks these gifts and are fated to become soldiers in the ongoing conflict. Tau, a young man without special abilities, plans to escape the war and live a peaceful life. But when tragedy strikes and he loses his loved ones, he becomes consumed by vengeance. Determined to seek retribution against those who wronged him, Tau embarks on a perilous journey to become an unparalleled swordsman and avenge his losses.

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik ⭐ 4.2/5

Miryem comes from a family of moneylenders who struggle financially due to her father’s inability to collect debts. Determined to change her family’s fortune, Miryem takes it upon herself to collect the outstanding debts, earning a reputation for her ability to turn silver into gold. However, her boastful claims catch the attention of the Staryk, eerie fey beings with an affinity for ice. The nameless Staryk king presents her with an impossible challenge, setting in motion a series of events that involve a peasant girl named Wanda and the daughter of a local lord who hopes to marry her off to the enigmatic tsar. As the story unfolds, secrets are revealed, alliances are formed, and Miryem, along with her unexpected allies, embarks on a perilous quest that could affect both human and Staryk realms. “Spinning Silver” weaves together elements of myth and fairy tale in a captivating narrative filled with sacrifice, power, and love.

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20 Best Fantasy Books for Adults (Classic and Modern)

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Ready to embark on an enchanting journey into the realms of imagination? Seeking the ultimate answer to “best fantasy books for adults”?

Look no further!

Uncover captivating tales, epic quests, and magical worlds that’ll ignite your inner adventurer.

Let’s dive into a world where dragons roam and dreams take flight!

Best Fantasy Books for Adults

Welcome to the captivating realm of fantasy literature tailored for adults.

In this curated collection, you’ll embark on journeys through mystical worlds, encounter unforgettable characters, and immerse yourself in stories that blend imagination with reality.

Whether you’re drawn to epic battles, enchanting romance, or dark mysteries, our selection of the best fantasy books for adults has something for every discerning reader.

Explore Subcategories:

• Fantasy Romance Books : Discover fantasy novels that weave romance into enchanting worlds.
• Dark Fantasy Books : Explore the darker and more mysterious side of fantasy storytelling.
• High Fantasy Books : Immerse yourself in epic tales set in grand and fantastical realms.
• Sci-Fi Fantasy Books for Adults : Experience the fusion of science fiction and fantasy in adult-oriented narratives.
• Fantasy Books for Adults with Romance : Delve into fantasy stories that intricately blend love and magic.
• Best Epic Fantasy Books : Discover sprawling and epic fantasies that capture the imagination.
• Urban Fantasy Books : Explore modern settings interwoven with mythical elements.
• YA Fantasy Books : Dive into young adult fantasy adventures that resonate with readers of all ages.
• Adventure Fantasy Books : Embark on thrilling journeys filled with daring quests and heroic feats.

Join us on an exploration of the fantastical and extraordinary, where each page holds the promise of new worlds to discover.

Whether you’re a seasoned fantasy reader or new to the genre, our handpicked selection promises to ignite your imagination and leave you yearning for more.

20 Best Fantasy Books for Adults: Unveiling the Magical Chronicles

1. the fifth season by n. k. jemisin.

Story Synopsis:

Hold onto your hats for “The Fifth Season” by N. K. Jemisin, a tale as powerful as a seismic shift and as intriguing as a hidden mystery.

Set in a world plagued by cataclysmic events known as Seasons, this novel follows three protagonists with unique abilities—one who can manipulate the earth, another who can sense vibrations, and a young girl who may hold the key to survival.

Essun’s journey to find her missing daughter leads to secrets that challenge reality.

Damaya, a young girl, is sent to a place that teaches her to control her powers.

Syenite, a powerful orogene, faces unexpected challenges

As the earth trembles and society faces collapse, the characters’ paths intertwine, revealing secrets that challenge everything they thought they knew.

Why You’ll Love It:

Buckle up for an electrifying ride of elemental forces and unyielding resilience!

“The Fifth Season” is a tour de force that immerses you in a vividly crafted universe where survival hinges on mastering the elements.

The magic system is a bit vague but I loved the creative winding of the three stories into one!

Jemisin’s masterful prose and inventive storytelling will ensnare your imagination, while the exploration of societal dynamics and personal strength will resonate on a deep level.

This novel boasts a captivating plot that keeps you guessing at every turn and characters whose struggles and triumphs mirror our own.

Get ready to be awed by the sheer magnitude of imagination and emotions that this gripping tale delivers.

2. A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin

Enter the realm of best fantasy books for adults where power, politics, and honor collide in “A Game of Thrones” by George R. R. Martin.

In the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, noble families vie for the Iron Throne, setting off a chain of events that will reshape the realm.

As alliances are forged, broken, and betrayed, characters like the honorable Ned Stark, the cunning Tyrion Lannister, and the determined Daenerys Targaryen navigate treacherous waters of power, loyalty, and survival.

The looming threat of the White Walkers adds an element of supernatural danger to the political turmoil.

Hold onto your swords and shields, because “A Game of Thrones” is a rollercoaster of epic proportions!

You will know this book from the super popular drama from a couple of years ago!

This novel doesn’t just tell a story; it plunges you headfirst into a world where dragons soar, direwolves howl, and allegiances shift like the winds.

Martin’s uncanny ability to breathe life into a sprawling cast of characters ensures you’ll be emotionally invested from the very first page.

Be prepared for jaw-dropping twists, heart-rending choices, and a narrative that refuses to hold back on the shocks.

Whether you’re drawn to the political machinations or the supernatural elements, this is a fantasy saga that’s as addictive as it is unforgettable.

3. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

Prepare to be swept into a world of music, magic, and mystery in “The Name of the Wind” by Patrick Rothfuss, a tale as lyrical as a bard’s ballad and as enigmatic as a riddle.

This novel follows Kvothe, a talented musician and arcane student, as he recounts his life story to a chronicler.

From his childhood as a traveling performer to his time at the University learning the mystical arts, Kvothe’s journey is one of discovery, tragedy, and unrelenting determination.

As he strives to uncover the truth behind his family’s murder and unlock the secrets of ancient magic, he becomes a figure of both legend and infamy.

Is ‘The Fourth Wing’ by Rebecca Yarros Worth Your Time? Find Out Now!

By the beard of a wizard, “The Name of the Wind” is a captivating tale that’ll ensnare your imagination like a spell!

How cool is diving into the first person of a real-life wizard. You can tell there is going to be some excitement just from the book description!

When it comes to discovering the best fantasy books for adults, Rothfuss’ work is a true gem.

His prose is as melodic as a troubadour’s tune, evoking a world where music and magic intertwine.

Kvothe’s journey is as relatable as a quest for knowledge and understanding, and the novel’s intricate world-building and richly developed characters add layers of depth to the narrative.

Whether you’re drawn to stories of magic, mystery, or characters with unwavering determination, this book offers a read that’s as enthralling as a well-spun tale by a roaring hearth.

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

Get ready to embark on an epic adventure with “The Lord of the Rings” by J.R.R. Tolkien.

This is the tale where a hobbit named Frodo Baggins, along with a band of unlikely heroes, sets out on a perilous journey to destroy the One Ring and thwart the dark lord Sauron’s malevolent plans.

From the idyllic Shire to the treacherous Mount Doom, their quest is a rollercoaster of danger, friendship, and self-discovery.

Along the way, they encounter mystical creatures, battle fierce foes, and learn the true meaning of bravery.

It’s a tale of fellowship, courage, and the indomitable human spirit that’ll keep you glued to the pages.

By the beard of Gandalf, “The Lord of the Rings” is a masterpiece that’s as timeless as second breakfast!

Of course, you’ve watched the movie trilogy now! So, the next mission is the read the books.

There is a lot more information and story than just the movies.

If you’re seeking the best fantasy books for adults, look no further.

Tolkien’s vivid descriptions will transport you to a world of lush landscapes, ancient lore, and captivating characters.

The camaraderie between Frodo, Sam, Aragorn, and the rest of the fellowship will warm your heart, while the battles against orcs, trolls, and the Ringwraiths will leave you on the edge of your seat.

Whether you’re a fan of high-stakes quests or immersive world-building, this is a saga that’ll whisk you away to Middle-earth and make you believe in the power of courage and friendship.

5. Black Leopard, Red Wolf: The Dark Star Trilogy #01 by Marlon James

Hold onto your hats for “Black Leopard, Red Wolf” by Marlon James, a tale that’s as wild as a jungle at midnight.

Set in a fantastical Africa, this novel follows Tracker, a hunter with a keen nose and a knack for finding people.

When he’s hired to locate a mysterious boy, Tracker becomes embroiled in a labyrinthine plot involving shape-shifting creatures, powerful sorcery, and a journey that’ll challenge his beliefs and sanity.

As he navigates a world teeming with danger and deception, Tracker’s path intersects with a range of captivating characters, including the enigmatic Leopard and the beguiling Red Wolf.

Holy bananas, “Black Leopard, Red Wolf” is a whirlwind of intrigue that’ll keep you guessing till the cows come home!

I loved the book cover as well as the African culture infused in this book! It’s like marvel’s Black Panther with a fantastical African setting.

If you’re on the hunt for the best fantasy books for adults, look no further.

James’ prose is a masterclass in atmospheric storytelling, transporting you to a realm where mythical beasts and ancient legends roam free.

The story’s twists and turns are as unpredictable as a monkey in a hat shop, and the morally ambiguous characters add layers of complexity that’ll keep you riveted.

Whether you’re drawn to stories of heroism, magic, or the bonds between unlikely allies, this is a book that delivers a fresh take on fantasy and leaves you hungry for more.

6. A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin

Get ready to set sail on a voyage of magic and self-discovery in “A Wizard of Earthsea” by Ursula K. Le Guin.

This enchanting tale follows Ged, a young boy with innate magical abilities, as he embarks on a journey to master his powers and confront the darkness he inadvertently unleashes.

From the shores of Gont to the mysterious Archipelago of Earthsea, Ged’s quest for knowledge leads him to encounter dragons, wizards, and his own inner demons.

As he battles dark forces and grapples with the consequences of his actions, Ged’s transformation into a wise and powerful wizard unfolds.

Well, butter my biscuit, “A Wizard of Earthsea” is a spellbinding adventure that’s as captivating as a firework show!

Ursula K. Le Guin is the Queen of science fiction and fantasy. You must read her books!

When it comes to the best fantasy books for adults, Le Guin’s work is a true gem.

Her poetic prose and world-building whisk you away to a realm where magic is both a gift and a burden.

Ged’s journey from a naive boy to a seasoned wizard is a coming-of-age tale that resonates with readers of all ages, and the themes of balance, identity, and the consequences of one’s actions are as relevant as ever.

If you’re a fan of spellcasters, mythical creatures, and tales of personal growth, this is a book that’ll leave you enchanted and craving more magical exploits.

7. The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

Hold onto your hats for “The Way of Kings” by Brandon Sanderson, a tale as vast as the open sky.

Set in a world of shattered kingdoms and stormy skies, this epic follows Kaladin, a warrior burdened with the weight of his past, Shallan, a scholar seeking to unlock secrets, and Dalinar, a noble striving to unite warring factions.

As a desolate landscape is plagued by highstorms and ancient conflicts, the fate of these characters becomes intricately intertwined.

Prepare for battles that shake the earth, intrigue that’s as deep as a chasm, and a world where magic, honor, and destiny collide.

Well, butter my biscuit, “The Way of Kings” is an immersive adventure that’ll keep you hooked from dawn till dusk!

When it comes to seeking the best fantasy books for adults, Sanderson’s work hits the bullseye.

His knack for world-building is as sharp as a shardblade, transporting you to a realm brimming with unique cultures, awe-inspiring magic systems, and characters whose struggles mirror our own.

The multifaceted narrative is as intricate as a Kholin family feud, and the themes of resilience, leadership, and the search for purpose resonate deeply.

If you’re a fan of epic tales that don’t hold back on the surprises, this is a book that promises a journey as vast and unpredictable as a highstorm.

8. American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Get ready to be whisked away into a world where old gods clash with new beliefs in “American Gods” by Neil Gaiman.

When ex-convict Shadow Moon is released from prison, he finds himself thrust into a battle between deities seeking relevance in the modern age.

As he traverses a surreal landscape of roadside attractions, gambling deities, and enigmatic figures, Shadow becomes entangled in a cosmic power struggle that could reshape reality itself.

Gaiman’s narrative blurs the lines between mythology and reality, leaving you questioning the very nature of faith, identity, and the forces that shape our world.

Hot dang, “American Gods” is a mind-bending journey that’ll have you pondering the mysteries of life over a cup of joe!

The novel has now been turned into a Netflix series. Read the book to see where it all started.

When it comes to finding the best fantasy books for adults, Gaiman’s work is a goldmine.

His prose dances on the edge of dreams and reality, immersing you in a landscape where the mundane and the mythical collide.

The cast of characters is as diverse as a roadside diner menu, each with their own quirks and agendas that keep you guessing.

With its exploration of belief, cultural evolution, and the collision of old and new, this is a novel that challenges conventions and invites you to question the world around you.

9. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke

Hold onto your top hats for “Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell” by Susanna Clarke, a tale where magic and history intertwine in a most peculiar manner.

Set in a reimagined 19th-century England, this novel follows the revival of practical magic in a world where it was believed to be lost.

Enter Mr. Norrell, a reserved magician determined to restore magic to its former glory, and Jonathan Strange, a charismatic newcomer whose unorthodox methods challenge tradition.

As their paths cross and diverge, the boundaries between reality and fantasy blur, and a tale of ambition, power, and the consequences of meddling with magic unfolds.

Well, slap me with a spellbook, “Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell” is a whimsical delight that’ll enchant you faster than you can say “abracadabra”!

This book hit me hard. I loved the rival wizard story set in the past.

When it comes to uncovering the best fantasy books for adults, Clarke’s work is a hidden gem.

Her fusion of history and fantasy creates a world that’s as intriguing as a magician’s act, with footnotes and historical context that lend an air of authenticity.

The characters are as quirky as a misfired spell, each with their own eccentricities and desires that drive the plot.

Whether you’re drawn to Regency-era charm or the allure of arcane mysteries, this novel offers a glimpse into a world where magic isn’t just an illusion—it’s a force that shapes the course of history.

10. The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

Buckle up for a wild ride with “The Lies of Locke Lamora” by Scott Lynch, a tale as cunning as a fox in a thief’s den.

Set in the sprawling city of Camorr, this novel follows Locke Lamora, a master thief with a penchant for swindling the city’s elite.

Alongside his band of merry miscreants, known as the Gentlemen Bastards, Locke navigates a world of heists, double-crosses, and elaborate schemes that would make even the wiliest con artist green with envy.

When an enigmatic figure known as the Gray King threatens to disrupt the delicate balance of power, Locke’s wit and resourcefulness are put to the ultimate test.

Hold onto your hats, because “The Lies of Locke Lamora” is a rollercoaster of thrills and shenanigans that’ll have you grinning like a cat with cream!

When it comes to seeking out the best fantasy books for adults, Lynch’s work hits the bullseye.

His snappy dialogue and clever plotting are as satisfying as a perfectly executed heist, while the camaraderie between the Gentlemen Bastards warms the heart like a cozy tavern fire.

The city of Camorr comes to life with its rich descriptions and vibrant characters, offering a vivid backdrop for the twists, turns, and audacious escapades that fill every page.

If you’re a fan of swashbuckling adventures with a healthy dose of wit, this is a novel that’s sure to steal your heart.

11. Circe by Madeline Miller

Get ready to be bewitched by “Circe” by Madeline Miller, a tale that’s as enchanting as a siren’s song.

This novel transports you to the world of Greek mythology, offering a fresh perspective on the story of Circe, the enchantress best known for her encounter with Odysseus in Homer’s “Odyssey.”

Miller’s narrative delves into Circe’s journey from a scorned nymph to a powerful witch, exploring themes of identity, love, and the pursuit of autonomy.

As she navigates a world of gods, mortals, and mythical creatures, Circe’s transformation into a formidable figure of legend unfolds.

Well, blow me down with a feather, “Circe” is a spellbinding journey that’ll leave you entranced from cover to cover!

This book was super popular, along with her other book “The Song of Achilles”.

When it comes to uncovering the best fantasy books for adults, Miller’s work is a true gem.

Her lyrical prose is as enchanting as a siren’s call, drawing you into a world of divine machinations and mortal struggles.

Circe’s evolution is as empowering as a thunderbolt from Zeus, and her determination to forge her own path resonates deeply.

With its exploration of mythology, feminism, and the complexities of human emotions, this novel offers a tale that’s as thought-provoking as it is immersive.

If you’re a fan of reimagined myths with a modern twist, this is a book that’ll leave you captivated and craving more tales from the ancient world.

12. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Step into the enchanting world of “The Night Circus” by Erin Morgenstern, a tale as mesmerizing as a moonlit dance.

Set within the confines of a mysterious and magical circus that only appears at night, this novel follows the rivalry between Celia Bowen and Marco Alisdair, two young magicians trained from childhood to compete in a high-stakes game of skill and imagination.

As the circus becomes the battleground for their extraordinary abilities, the lives of those caught in its enchanting spell become intertwined.

Amidst the ethereal tents and mesmerizing performances, a love story unfolds that defies the boundaries of reality.

Holy moly, “The Night Circus” is a feast for the senses that’ll leave you spellbound and starry-eyed!

This book was one of the most popular fantasy books in the 2010s!

Morgenstern’s prose is as lush as a garden in full bloom, immersing you in a world where magic and reality intermingle with breathtaking beauty.

The circus itself is a character as captivating as any performer, with its black-and-white aesthetic and mysterious wonders that unfold like secrets in the moonlight.

The romance between Celia and Marco is as tender as a whispered promise, and the novel’s intricate structure adds an air of mystery that keeps you turning pages long into the night.

Whether you’re drawn to tales of magic, romance, or the delicate dance between light and darkness, this is a book that’ll transport you to a realm where dreams become reality.

13. Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb

Hold onto your daggers for “Assassin’s Apprentice” by Robin Hobb, a tale as twisty as a labyrinth and sharp as a blade.

In the realm of the Six Duchies, young FitzChivalry Farseer is thrust into a world of intrigue and danger.

Born to royal blood but raised in secrecy, Fitz becomes the apprentice to the kingdom’s assassin.

As he learns the art of silent killing, he also uncovers courtly machinations, political maneuverings, and the existence of a dark force that threatens the realm.

With his unique abilities and keen wit, Fitz navigates a treacherous landscape where loyalties shift as swiftly as shadows.

Well, strike me down with a poisoned dart, “Assassin’s Apprentice” is a captivating tale that’ll keep you on the edge of your seat!

When it comes to discovering the best fantasy books for adults, Hobb’s work is a bullseye.

Her storytelling is as immersive as a stealthy approach, and Fitz’s journey from an outsider to a force to be reckoned with is a rollercoaster of emotions.

The intricate courtly dynamics and complex characters are as enthralling as a spy’s dossier, and the novel’s exploration of identity, sacrifice, and the price of loyalty will strike a chord with your heartstrings.

If you’re a fan of character-driven plots, cloak-and-dagger intrigue, and a dash of magic, this is a book that’ll keep you hooked until the very last page.

14. Northern Lights by Philip Pullman

Get ready to journey to the Arctic wilderness in “Northern Lights” by Philip Pullman, a tale as epic as the northern lights themselves.

Set in a parallel universe where people’s souls manifest as animal companions called daemons, this novel follows Lyra Belacqua, a young girl who embarks on a quest to rescue her kidnapped friend.

As she delves into a world of mystical particles, enigmatic scholars, and hidden truths, Lyra’s path crosses with armored bears, aeronauts, and a mysterious substance known as Dust.

With themes of science, spirituality, and the search for truth, the novel offers a blend of adventure and philosophy.

Goodness gracious, “Northern Lights” is a spellbinding journey that’ll leave you breathless and starry-eyed!

I really loved the animal companions in this book! It’s like you have your own fantastical beast as a pet like in the millions of other fantasy games on PC.

When it comes to unearthing the best fantasy books for adults, Pullman’s work is a treasure trove.

His prose is as enchanting as a whispered secret, painting a world where the line between reality and fantasy is as thin as ice.

Lyra’s determination and bravery are as fierce as a polar bear’s roar, and the complexity of the characters and their relationships adds depth to the narrative.

With its exploration of parallel worlds, moral dilemmas, and the power of knowledge, this novel is a feast for the mind and the heart.

If you’re a fan of stories that challenge perceptions and ignite the imagination, this is a book that’ll leave you eager to explore every corner of its multilayered universe.

15. The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro

Prepare for a journey through memory and myth in “The Buried Giant” by Kazuo Ishiguro, a tale as haunting as a forgotten melody.

Set in a post-Arthurian Britain, this novel follows an elderly couple, Axl and Beatrice, as they set out to find their long-lost son.

However, a mysterious mist shrouds the land, clouding memories and concealing ancient conflicts.

As Axl and Beatrice encounter knights, dragons, and a strange Saxon warrior, they unearth truths that challenge their perceptions of love, loyalty, and the passage of time.

Well, knock me over with a feather, “The Buried Giant” is a thought-provoking journey that’ll linger in your mind like a half-forgotten dream!

I love the other King Arthur legends. But this book really takes the cake with Anglo-Saxon vibes.

When it comes to uncovering the best fantasy books for adults, Ishiguro’s work is a true gem.

His lyrical prose is as haunting as a ghostly whisper, creating an atmosphere that’s as mysterious as the mist itself.

The characters’ introspective journeys are as poignant as a bittersweet memory, and the novel’s exploration of memory, forgiveness, and the impact of history adds layers of depth to the narrative.

If you’re a fan of tales that delve into the human psyche and grapple with existential questions, this is a book that’ll leave you pondering its themes long after you’ve turned the last page.

16. A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab

Hold onto your hats for “A Darker Shade of Magic” by V. E. Schwab, a tale as vibrant as a kaleidoscope and as dangerous as a cutlass in the night.

In a world where multiple Londons exist in parallel universes, Kell is one of the last of the Antari, magicians with the ability to travel between these worlds.

As he navigates the different versions of London—Red, Grey, White, and the forbidden Black—Kell finds himself entangled in a web of power, politics, and treachery.

When a powerful artifact from another world threatens to disrupt the delicate balance between realities, Kell must join forces with a cunning thief named Lila Bard to save all that he holds dear.

Well, buckle my swash, “A Darker Shade of Magic” is a whirlwind of magic, mayhem, and marvelous storytelling that’ll leave you breathless!

The parallel worlds are so enchanting in this book. I loved how it reminded me of Marvel’s Dr Strange and the Multiverse of Madness.

If you’re after the best fantasy books for adults, Schwab’s work is a bullseye.

Her prose is as sharp as a dagger’s edge, transporting you to a world where danger and wonder lurk around every corner.

The dynamic between Kell and Lila is as fiery as a dragon’s breath, and the intricate world-building adds depth and complexity to the narrative.

Whether you’re a fan of high-stakes adventure, intricate magic systems, or characters who walk the line between light and darkness, this novel promises a journey that’s as exhilarating as a ride on a magical ship between worlds.

17. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab

Get ready to be swept away by “The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue” by V. E. Schwab, a tale as haunting as a whisper in the dark.

In 18th-century France, Addie LaRue makes a Faustian bargain for immortality, but the price she pays is to be forgotten by everyone she meets.

As she roams through centuries, leaving no mark on history, Addie’s existence is a lonely one—until she crosses paths with a young man who remembers her.

The novel weaves through time and touches on themes of identity, love, and the human desire for connection.

Hot diggity, “The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue” is a mesmerizing journey that’ll tug at your heartstrings and keep you turning pages like a whirlwind!

The ultimate challenge: live forever but nobody remembers you. Such a tragic story just like Wolverine’s “almost immortality” which ended in Logan.

When it comes to discovering the best fantasy books for adults, Schwab’s work hits the nail on the head.

Her prose is as lyrical as a forgotten melody, infusing the story with a sense of timelessness and longing.

Addie’s journey is as relatable as a dream of being remembered, and the novel’s exploration of what it means to leave a mark on the world is as thought-provoking as a riddle.

With its blend of romance, introspection, and the allure of immortality, this is a book that’ll resonate with anyone who’s ever wished to be seen and remembered.

18. Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson

Get ready for a heist of epic proportions in “Mistborn: The Final Empire” by Brandon Sanderson, a tale as cunning as a master thief’s plan.

In a world where ash falls from the sky and a tyrannical Lord Ruler reigns with an iron fist, Vin, a street-smart skaa, discovers that she possesses the rare ability to manipulate metals.

Drawn into a group of rebels planning to overthrow the Lord Ruler’s regime, Vin embarks on a daring mission to use her powers and bring hope to the oppressed.

As alliances are formed and secrets are unveiled, the stakes rise to a crescendo in a city where mist holds secrets of its own.

Well, slap me with a pouch of allomantic metals, “Mistborn: The Final Empire” is a pulse-pounding adventure that’ll leave you gasping for breath!

Firstly, how cool is that book cover? One look got me hooked!!

If you’re seeking the best fantasy books for adults, Sanderson’s work is a bullseye.

His world-building is as intricate as a complex heist, transporting you to a realm where magic is both a weapon and a tool.

The characters, from Vin’s growth to the enigmatic Kelsier, are as multifaceted as a set of allomantic powers, and the intricate plot is as suspenseful as a tense standoff.

Whether you’re drawn to stories of rebellion, intricate magic systems, or tales of underdogs defying impossible odds, this novel offers a whirlwind of action, intrigue, and heart that’ll keep you glued to the page.

19. Jade City by Fonda Lee

Hold onto your hats for “Jade City” by Fonda Lee, a tale as gripping as a warrior’s grip on their weapon.

Set in the bustling city of Janloon, this novel follows the Kaul family, powerful Green Bone warriors who control the supply of jade—a precious substance that grants superhuman abilities.

As the city becomes a battleground for control over jade and territory, the Kauls must navigate rival clans, political intrigue, and the threat of external forces.

The novel delves into themes of power, loyalty, and the costs of ambition as the characters grapple with tradition and change.

Well, slap me with a jade amulet, “Jade City” is a high-stakes thriller that’ll have you hooked from the first page!

The Godfather meets Hong Kong triad crime-thriller. I loved this book.

If you’re on the hunt for the best fantasy books for adults, Lee’s work is a bullseye.

Her prose is as sharp as a Green Bone’s blade, immersing you in a world where honor and violence are intertwined.

The intricate world-building and complex characters are as mesmerizing as a display of jade magic, while the struggles of the Kaul family reflect universal themes of power dynamics and family bonds.

Whether you’re drawn to tales of crime syndicates, intricate magic systems, or the clash of tradition and modernity, this novel offers a riveting blend of action, drama, and suspense that’ll leave you breathless.

20. Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson

Get ready to be swept into a world of war and magic in “Gardens of the Moon” by Steven Erikson, a tale as vast as an open battlefield and as intricate as a spellcaster’s incantation.

In the Malazan Empire, an ancient power struggles for dominance, and the city of Darujhistan becomes a focal point for conflict.

Assassins, soldiers, mages, and gods vie for control, and alliances shift like sand in a desert storm.

The novel weaves multiple perspectives and threads as it delves into themes of power, destiny, and the consequences of ambition.

By the hounds, “Gardens of the Moon” is an epic journey that’ll leave you spellbound and yearning for more!

When it comes to discovering the best fantasy books for adults, Erikson’s work is a true treasure.

His prose is as immersive as a portal to another realm, transporting you to a world brimming with diverse cultures, intricate magic, and a sprawling cast of characters.

The narrative’s complexity is as dazzling as a fireworks display, and the novel’s exploration of morality, loyalty, and the nature of power invites thought-provoking reflection.

Whether you’re a fan of sprawling epics, political intrigue, or tales of gods and mortals, this book promises a read that’s as challenging as it is rewarding.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About The Best Fantasy Books For Adults

Q: which fantasy book should you read.

Finding the perfect fantasy book can be exciting yet overwhelming. Our article highlights some of the best fantasy books for adults that cater to different preferences and interests, helping you discover a read that suits your taste.

Q: Is fantasy good for adults?

Absolutely! Fantasy isn’t just for children. Many fantasy books are written with complex themes, intricate plots, and mature character development, making them engaging and thought-provoking reads for adults.

Q: What fantasy book should I read first?

If you’re new to the genre, starting with a classic like “The Lord of the Rings” or a renowned work like “A Game of Thrones” can be a great entry point into the world of adult fantasy.

Q: What is considered a high fantasy book?

High fantasy books are those set in entirely fictional worlds, often with intricate magic systems, diverse races, and epic quests. They transport readers to realms completely different from our own.

Q: Is fantasy good for mental health?

Engaging with fantasy literature can provide a healthy escape from reality, reducing stress and anxiety. It allows your imagination to flourish and provides a break from the demands of everyday life.

Q: Why is fantasy the best book genre?

Fantasy offers limitless possibilities, transporting readers to magical worlds where anything can happen. It’s a genre that fosters creativity, encourages exploration of complex themes, and ignites the imagination like no other.

Final Thoughts on the Best Fantasy Books For Adults:

Embark on your reading journey: In the world of fantasy literature, adults can find a treasure trove of captivating tales that transport them beyond the confines of reality.

The Best Fantasy Books for Adults listed above encompass a spectrum of themes, styles, and magical realms that promise to ignite your imagination and kindle your sense of wonder.

Whether you’re seeking epic battles, intricate magic systems, or enchanting love stories, these novels offer a literary escape like no other.

So, arm yourself with these recommendations and embark on journeys that will lead you through mythical landscapes, challenge your perceptions, and leave you yearning for more.

Dive into the pages of these novels and allow yourself to be swept away into worlds where anything is possible.

Learn why readers are raving about ‘From Blood And Ash’ by Jennifer Armentrout .

If you enjoyed this article, don’t forget to subscribe for more!

Happy reading! A.J. McMahon . . . (P.S. Got any other books you want me to review? Then…)

Let’s Connect! –  GoodReads: A.J. McMahon –  Instagram: FlyIntoBooks –  Pinterest: FlyIntoBooks –  Facebook: FlyIntoBooks –  Twitter: @FlyIntoBooks

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10 comments.

Love Romantic Fantasy books?? Then I have the best list for you here: https://www.flyintobooks.com/best-fantasy-romance-books/

Loved this post, A.J.!! I’ve read a lot of books but missed out a few from my times as a book lover.

If I were to pick a power, it would be the ability to commune with the creatures of the woods and whisper with the winds. As for a fantasy BFF, oh, the memories flood in! Gandalf from the realm of Middle-earth, a sage guide through the ages, imparting wisdom and kindling courage. The wonders of imagination, my friends, are timeless treasures to be cherished.

Thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoyed the post. It’s amazing how books continue to surprise us, even after reading many. Your choice of magical power sounds enchanting – connecting with nature’s creatures and the winds is truly magical. And Gandalf as a fantasy BFF? Absolutely timeless and wise. Imagination truly is a treasure that knows no bounds. 📚✨ #FantasyLovers #ImaginationUnleashed

Alright, fellow fantasy lovers, let’s chat! 📚✨ If you could live in any fantasy world, where would you set up camp? 🏰🌄 If you could have one magical power, what would it be? 🪄✨ And let’s not forget the crucial question: which fantasy character would you want as your BFF? 💫📖 Dive into the comments and let your imagination run wild! 💬🌟 #FantasyFaves #BookTalk

If I were to dwell within the tapestry of a fantastical realm, my heart would undoubtedly yearn for the alluring embrace of the mystical forests of Elvenkind. Imagine strolling through verdant glades bathed in the ethereal glow of dappled sunlight, where ancient trees whisper secrets and enchanted creatures flit amongst the leaves. A realm where time seems to dance to the rhythm of a different tune, and the very air hums with the enchantment of ages past. Within this serene haven, I can envision myself wandering freely, connecting with the harmonious ebb and flow of nature’s magic, and perhaps even learning a few ancient spells from wise forest spirits. The allure of Elvenkind’s mystique beckons, promising an existence woven with wonder and splendor beyond the realm of mortal imagination.

Your words paint a vivid and enchanting picture of the mystical forests of Elvenkind. The imagery you’ve crafted truly captures the essence of such a fantastical realm. The idea of walking amidst ancient trees and communing with enchanted creatures is utterly captivating. It’s as if you’ve transported us into the heart of your imagined world. Your description is a testament to the power of imagination and the allure of fantasy. 🌳🍃✨ #FantasyDreams #ImaginationUnleashed

Your questions have got my imagination running wild. Shape-shifting, hands down. Just think about how handy it would be to transform into any creature or person! And when it comes to choosing a fantasy BFF, I’ve gotta give it to Tyrion Lannister. His wit and sharp mind would make for some unforgettable adventures.

I’m right there with you! Shape-shifting would be an incredible magical power – the possibilities would be endless. And Tyrion Lannister as a fantasy BFF? That’s a fantastic choice! His wit and wisdom would undoubtedly lead to some memorable escapades. It’s fascinating how these questions spark our imaginations and let us explore the realms of fantasy in our minds. 🪄🐉🌟 #FantasyMagic #ImaginationUnleashed

Good post, A.J.!

You better believe I’d snatch up telekinesis in a heartbeat. I mean, imagine the possibilities – moving objects with nothing but the flicker of a thought? That’s like having a super handy invisible helper always by your side!

Without a shadow of doubt, my heart’s set on none other than Luna Lovegood as my BFF. Oh, her whimsical spirit is like a breath of fresh air, and her love for all things magical and extraordinary is nothing short of infectious. Can you picture it? Adventures filled with uncovering hidden mysteries, befriending fantastical creatures, and exploring uncharted territories of enchantment, all while sharing laughter and awe with Luna.

Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed the post! Your choice of telekinesis is spot on – having an invisible helper at your beck and call would be incredibly convenient. And Luna Lovegood as a BFF? That’s such a heartwarming choice! Her whimsy and zest for the magical would indeed lead to extraordinary adventures and countless magical discoveries. Your imagination knows no bounds, and the scenarios you’ve painted are simply enchanting. 🪄🌙🌟 #FantasyAdventures #ImaginationUnleashed

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10 best fantasy books for adults to get into the genre and inspire your imagination

It’s easy to think of the entire fantasy book genre being aimed at children, but that’s just not the case. There are hundreds of fantasy books and series aimed at adults and young adults that will free you from the shackles of grounded reads and help you dream beyond the rules of reality.

I always loved reading fantasy books growing up because they take you away from the mundanity of everyday life. I can’t say if the best ones blend real life with their fantasy concepts or not because I genuinely love them all and devoured any sci-fi and fantasy I could get my hands on as a kid. However, there are still plenty of fantasy books to dig into as an adult that you probably didn’t come across as a child and make for accessible reads to help you get into the genre.

The best fantasy books for adults

Below, I’ve listed what I think are the best fantasy books for adults who want to get into the genre or return to it after a long hiatus of living a busy day-to-day work life. I’ve tried to veer away from anything too niche but also include a few books that are the beginnings of a really engrossing series, just in case you’re hooked after the first page and know you need the next dozen novels.

10. The Hobbit – J.R.R. Tolkien

To me, if you’re looking to read the best fantasy books for adults, then you can’t go wrong with anything from J.R.R. Tolkien. Author of the incredible The Lord of the Rings series , he’s got a huge backlog of titles for you to delve into if you adore this universe. However, I’d recommend you begin with The Hobbit .

Unlike the movies, this story is fairly short and to the point but extremely gripping. Where the films drew out everything they could, the book is well-paced and follows the original Hobbit on his unexpected journey across Middle-Earth. During this journey, he encounters all manner of fantasy creatures, establishing the very foundations of everything we know about fantasy today.

Regardless of whether you’ve seen the movies or not, this is a fantastic starting point for a journey into fantasy. If you love it, you can continue on into The Lord of the Rings and far beyond. You could try the LEGO game if you want to experience the book through a new medium.

9. A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire #1) – George R.R. Martin

If The Hobbit didn’t exist, A Game of Thrones may be the most well-known fantasy book and TV series of all time. It all begins with this first book, where absolutely everything that could go wrong goes wrong. It’s the start of an epic saga that sees one family torn apart by greed, and a world that doesn’t know it’s about to fall to darkness come closer than is comfortable to complete annihilation.

The story follows the Stark family as they enter into the highest level of society and the fight for the Iron Throne that plays out behind the scenes. No one is safe, not even the king, and there’s a threat looming over the world that no one is prepared to even admit exists. Winter.

What I love about this first book in an entire series that could all be the best fantasy books for adults is how well it introduces every character, setting the tone for what’s to come. You get to know a colorful cast of genuinely interesting people who have all found themselves somewhere in the royal court that extends around the entire region where it’s set. There’s political drama on a global and local level and some of the best lines you’ll ever read.

Don’t go into this if you can’t take losing your favorite characters, though. This series as a whole is pretty brutal and will absolutely not hold your hand while you grieve. It delves into the darkest parts of the human heart in a world where power is everything, and you must do whatever you can to seek it.

8. The Gunslinger (The Dark Tower #1) – Stephen King

The Gunslinger is the first book in The Dark Tower series, all of which are great fantasy books for adults, but it can be read in isolation and enjoyed without needing to continue through the full set. It follows a lonely character who equates to a fantasy cowboy on a journey of vengeance to find one man. This man has been evading him for a long time and has the ability to twist the minds of those around him, but this cowboy is more than capable of looking after himself.

This book does a fantastic job of setting up the series and makes you fall in love with some really well-realized characters. Everyone the protagonist has a meaningful relationship with becomes a friend to you as the reader, and you end up missing them when the story moves on.

If you like a bit of dark fantasy but not too dark, this is the perfect book for you. It doesn’t require you to read all about tentacled monsters and flying whales, but it does invite you into a desolate world that’s intrinsically linked to ours and tells a tale of reluctant fatherhood that will have you rooting for everyone involved as they trudge ever onward.

7. Neverwhere (London Below #1) – Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman is a master storyteller, and Neverwhere is one of his most underappreciated books. I first discovered it as an audio drama created by the BBC, which is a great way to consume this fantasy book for adults, and was hooked on London Below from that point. the universe feels similar to Fallen London but takes a much more literal approach to its translation of the surface world.

The story follows a young man who innocently helps a young girl one night, only to be transported from Earth into London Below. This underground version of the city twists it in whimsically dark ways that make it feel oppressive at first but also somehow welcoming and charming after a while.

It’s a fantastic read and a great way to get into the universe. I’d say it’s probably better if you have at least some level of knowledge of the city of London because some of the characters and locations and their twists might be lost on you without any.

6. Outlander (Outlander #1) – Dianna Gabaldon

You might know Outlander from the impeccable Amazon Prime show. If not, you’re in for a treat once you’ve read this amazing fantasy book for adults. While the series is close to historical fiction, it’s all framed through a fantasy tale of a woman falling through time without any real knowledge of how she did it. She must find a way to exist in a time when women hold no power and any woman with an ounce of intelligence is treated as a witch.

I adore the setting for this book and the rest of the series: Scotland in the 1700s. It takes a beautiful country and transports you to a time when it was as lush and green with a reasonable amount of civilization as it has ever been—before the English came in and ruined it all.

Through this book and the series at large, you’ll learn so much about the history of England and Scotland, but it’s the love story between Jamie and Claire that will stick with you. Fair warning: pretty much every book has a few adult scenes, so if that’s not the kind of thing you’re after, maybe skip this one.

5. Rivers of London – Ben Aaronovich

Rivers of London is the first book in a fabulous fantasy series that’s intrinsically English and explores folklore in a way I guarantee you’ve not experienced before. The first book here follows a police officer who, standing guard at a crime scene all night, notices what appears to be a ghost dog. This leads him into a world filled with mystical wonder and starts him on a path you don’t expect when you join the force.

What I really enjoy about this book and the series at large is how it blends folklore into modern life without it ever feeling jarring. If you enjoy this entry, there’s so much more for you to dig your teeth into. It’s also quite a fresh series in terms of when it was published, so it’s got loads of modern tropes that will help you really get lost in it.

This series can really bridge the gap between standard fiction and the best fantasy books for adults out there. Author Ben Aaronovich has worked on a number of popular TV shows and is brilliant at bringing stories to the table that are self-contained but add to a wider story arc without making you feel like you’ve missed something.

4. The Drowning City (The Necromancer Chronicles #1) – Amanda Downum

The Drowning City is a fantasy book I picked up in a second-hand bookshop because I liked the blurb and cover. It’s hard to tell what the story is from either, and that’s partly because it’s completely bonkers. It’s set in a rich fantasy world that’s thick with lore from centuries of history. Every event is fueled by something that happened in the past, and it makes the whole thing feel like you’re exploring a culture more than reading a book.

What makes The Drowning City one of the best fantasy books for adults is how dark some of its subject matter is. Each location is so vivid that I felt like I was walking down their streets or getting pulled into the canals by their ghosts. the

I really can’t tell you much about this story without needing to add context that will spoil the plot. What I can say is that you enter the titular location as a newcomer alongside the protagonist and learn all about the magic and politics of the local region as she does. It’s so much fun to explore and is part of a trilogy that you could go on to read if you like a bit of dirty fantasy.

3. The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials #1) – Philip Pullman

Before the TV adaptation was created, I wouldn’t have included The Golden Compass in this list of the best fantasy books for adults. However, I believe that the show opened a lot of people’s eyes to how dark the world that Philip Pullman created really is.

In this book, you enter into a world where human souls stand by their side as creatures that can change shape until they hit puberty when they settle into one form. What starts out as a tale of children disappearing quickly morphs into one that spans entire dimensions, leading to a war between worlds that’s worthy of Magic: The Gathering .

The best part of this book, in particular, is its characters. Each one is beautifully flawed and feels like a firm friend you’ll never forget. The book brings them all to life from mere words on a page, and I think any book that can do that is worth your time, regardless of your age.

2. Carve the Mark – Veronica Roth

You might know Veronica Roth’s much more popular work, the Divergent trilogy . This follow-up is smaller in size but much broader in scope. It’s set in a star system where the people of each planet have different roles within the stellar society and explores what happens when one society seeks to overthrow and take control of another.

This series only consists of two entries, but they’re gripping and explore the fantastical side of sci-fi that sees humanity intertwined with elements of the universe in a way I’ve never seen explored before or since. That’s why they’re some of the best fantasy books for adults you could hope to read.

At the heart of the plot is a love story that’s probably one of the easiest to understand and identify with, how your weaknesses and strengths can complement someone else’s. It’s beautiful in its own way, a small time investment, and a couple of books you won’t regret picking up.

1. 14 (Threshold #1) – Peter Clines

I went into 14 expecting to be reading something along the lines of Silent Hill 4: The Room , but I was so, so wrong. While it treads the line between sci-fi and fantasy, I think it fits more into the fantasy genre because it’s more of a mystery book about an apartment building and a group of people who all take the oddities they notice about it as a given, and don’t ask questions. That is until one of them starts poking around and makes a startling discovery.

This book is part of a series that’s connected, but you don’t need to read in order. That’s why I love it. If you enjoy a good mystery thriller with twists that are so out of this world you’ll never see them coming, this is a fantastic book to pick up first.

The fantasy elements lean quite heavily on the work of H.P. Lovecraft. So, if you’d rather avoid the tentacled region of fantasy, give this a miss. I will say that it does a great job of not being anywhere near as vague as some of those old horror novels and won’t scare you so much as it will get your adrenaline going. Especially in the final chapters.

•   Science Fiction & Fantasy
•   The best fantasy books of 2024, and all time

The best fantasy books of 2024, and all time

Check out our picks of the most exciting new fantasy novels of 2024, the best of 2023, as well as the top fantasy books of all time..

Fantasy books offer readers the perfect escape into another world. Here we share some of the top fantasy books to give you some inspiration for your literary bucket list. From cosy fantasy to curl up with, to the gothic horrors of dark fantasy , we've got you covered. 

The best fantasy books of 2024

Can’t spell treason without tea, by rebecca thorne.

Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea is a cosy sapphic fantasy story of following your heart and building a community of found family. Tired of their high-stakes existence in the cruel Queen’s kingdom, bodyguard Reyna her partner, and powerful mage Kianthe, embark on a new adventure: to open a bookshop and teahouse together. As the pair flee to Tawney, a snow-covered town in the heart of dragon country, they discover a whole new world of adventure. As Reyna and Kianthe encounter mishaps and mysteries along the way, their love for each other is put to its greatest test yet. 

The Ashes and the Star Cursed King

By carissa broadbent.

Full of twists, intrigue and bloodthirsty romance, The Ashes and the Star Cursed King is the second book in Carissa Broadbent’s vampiric fantasy Crowns of Nyaxia series . A prisoner in her own kingdom, Oraya finds herself fighting for freedom and forced to enter into a secret alliance with Raihn, the vampire who betrayed her. With the rival Houses threatening to wage warfare against one another, and Oraya’s only hope of reclaiming her kingdom at the hands of her enemies, will she reclaim the throne or will her heart lead her astray? 

The Courting of Bristol Keats

By mary e. pearson.

This is the long-awaited adult debut from bestselling YA author Mary E. Pearson. Expect forbidden romance, deadly faerie curses and pulse-pounding action. Bristol Keats and her sisters are struggling to survive after the death of their parents. In her desperation, Bristol agrees to meet with a mysterious 'aunt' she's never heard of, who has been writing to her offering help. What she learns changes everything she thought she knew about her family, and sets Bristol off on a journey to a land of gods, fae and monsters, and a deadly bargain with the fae king. 

The Atlas Complex

By olivie blake.

In The Atlas Complex Olivie Blake offers a riveting conclusion to the internationally acclaimed The Atlas Six trilogy. Following a dramatic incident at the library, the Alexandrians must navigate their dangerous recruitment terms. With alliances crumbling and ethical dilemmas concerning their exceptional abilities, the initiates are split. Meanwhile, global forces are plotting their downfall, and Atlas Blakely, their Caretaker, might be planning something catastrophic. As they face decisions about power and betrayal, everyone is in a desperate race for survival.

by TJ Klune

Heartsong , the third book in the Green Creek series, is a queer, paranormal romance set in Oregon's enchanting wilderness. Robbie Fontaine, having moved from pack to pack following his mother's death, yearns for a place to belong. His journey brings him to Caswell, Maine, where he experiences pack life as Michelle Hughes's trusted deputy. But when a mission incites doubt about his place and exposes whispers of treachery and magic, Robbie seeks answers, especially concerning Kelly Bennett, a wolf he believes may be his mate, and a rumored traitor. With the inevitable revelation of truth, everything stands to fall apart.

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A tempest of tea, by hafsah faizal.

Vampires. Secrets. Tea. What more do you want?! Already causing a ruckus on TikTok, in  A Tempest of Tea , Hafsah Faizal takes us to Arthie Casimir's prestigious tea establishment in the city of White Roaring. Tearoom by day, illegal bloodhouse by night, Arthie caters to both humans and vampires – but this arrangement is under threat, and Arthie can't save it alone. . .

by Lucy Jane Wood

Such is the excitement around YouTube star Lucy Jane Wood's cosy fantasy, that when she announced it, it flew to number one on the Amazon book chart on pre-orders alone. Balancing work at her beloved Lunar Books and concealing her witchcraft from the non-witches around her has left Belle burnt out. But when her thirtieth birthday brings a summons from her coven, Belle risks losing her magic forever. With the month of October to fix things, and signs that dark forces may be working against her, Belle will need all the help she can get – from the women in her life, from an unlikely mentor figure, and even an (infuriating) watchman who’s sworn to protect her.

by Genevieve Cogman

Daring, adventurous, and elusive, for Eleanor life as a member of the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel is never boring. As the League travels through revolutionary France rescuing vampires and aristocrats from the revolting masses, they learn that Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand, a notorious French diplomat, has gone missing and offer their services to find him. Learning that de Talleyrand’s disappearance is part of a bigger plot, Eleanor must take matters into her own hands. From Genevieve Cogman, author of The Invisible Library series , comes the second novel in her thrilling fantasy retelling of The Scarlet Pimpernel .

Running Close to the Wind

By alexandra rowland.

If you found yourself accidentally in possession of the world’s biggest secret, what would you do? For Avra Helvaçi, former loyal servant of the Arashti Ministry of Intelligence, the answer is to flee to the open sea on his ex, pirate Captain Teveri az-Haffar’s galleon. Will the pair be able to sell the secret and secure a lifetime of wealth and their place in the history books? A queer pirate adventure fantasy from the author of A Taste of Gold and Iron , Running Close to the Wind is a story of betrayal, lust, secrets, and riches beyond belief.

Daughter of Calamity

By rosalie m. lin.

Jingwen lives two lives. While the sun is up, she delivers the bones of the dead to the doctor of the city’s most feared gangster family. In darkness, she charms the city’s wealthiest patrons at a decadent cabaret club. When hidden attackers start stealing the faces of the women who dance at the club, Jingwen must become something she has always feared if she is to survive the Shanghai underworld. A dark fantasy set amidst the glittering glamour, gangsters, and gods of 1930s Shanghai, Rosalie M. Lin’s debut novel is sure to sweep you up and transport you to her reimagined historical setting.

Children of Anguish and Anarchy

By tomi adeyemi.

Locked in a cage and trapped on a foreign ship by warriors, thousands of miles from her people and her homeland, Zélie is forced to confront her enemies once more. Facing King Baldur, the man who has destroyed everything in his path in search of her, Zélie, Amari, and Tzain set off in search of new allies to their cause to help the maji rise once and for all. With Baldur and the Skulls closing in, will Zélie save her people? The epic conclusion to Tomi Adeyemi’s Legacy of Orïsha trilogy, Children of Anguish and Anarchy is one of the most anticipated fantasy novels of 2024.

The best fantasy books of 2023

Sword catcher, by cassandra clare.

Two outcasts find themselves at the centre of world-altering change in the start of an epic fantasy series from author of The Shadowhunter Chronicles. In Castellane, Kel is stolen to become Prince Conor Aurelian’s body-double. As his ‘Sword Catcher', Kel lives for one purpose: to die for Conor. Lin Caster is an Ashkar physician, part of a community ostracised for its rare magical abilities. But events pull her and Kel together and into the web of the mysterious Ragpicker King who rules Castellane’s criminal underworld. Together, they’ll discover an extraordinary conspiracy. But can forbidden love bring down a kingdom? 

The Serpent and the Wings of Night

In Carissa Broadbent's series opener, a human-vampire survival game akin to The Hunger Games, unfolds. Oraya, an adopted human daughter of the Nightborn vampire king, battles for more than mere survival in the Kejari, a legendary contest run by the goddess of death. To win, Oraya must ally with perilous Raihn, a deadly vampire and fierce competitor. Despite being an enemy to her father's reign, Oraya is irresistibly drawn to Raihn. In the merciless Kejari, compassion is scarce, and love could prove fatal.

Bookshops & Bonedust

By travis baldree.

From cosy fantasy author Travis Baldree comes the prequel to BookTok sensation Legends & Lattes, Bookshops & Bonedust. Wounded while hunting a necromancer, Viv, from Rackam's Ravens mercenary company, is sent against her will to recover in the remote beach town of Murk. Who would think she'd end up in a struggling bookshop with a grumpy proprietor as her main company? Despite the seclusion, adventure lurks close with strange visitors, a resentful gnome, a summer romance, and countless skeletons, making Murk more eventful than Viv expected.

Starling House

By alix e. harrow.

Nobody in Eden remembers when Starling House was built – stories of the house’s bad luck have been passed down the generations. Opal knows better than to mess with haunted houses, or brooding men. But when an opportunity to work there arises, the money might get her brother out of Eden. Starling House is uncanny and full of secrets – just like Arthur, its heir. Sinister forces converge on Eden – and Opal realizes that if she wants a home, she’ll have to fight for it, even if it involves digging up her family’s ugly past. This is a romantic and spellbinding Gothic fairytale from Hugo, Nebula and Locus Award-shortlisted Alix E. Harrow.

Set in the dreamy backwoods of Oregon, Ravensong is the second book in TJ Klune’s beloved Green Creek series. Gordo Livingstone, scarred by past betrayals, isolates himself from his wolf pack in a mountain town. However, when the wolves return, he teams up with Mark Bennett to face a common enemy and emerges victorious. A year later, Gordo becomes the witch of the Bennett pack, battling his feelings for Mark and a mysterious impending threat. As Green Creek settles, internal turmoil arises. Unbreakable bonds may prove fragile as danger looms.

Stone Blind

By natalie haynes.

The sole mortal raised in a family of gods, Medusa lives with an urgency that her family will never know, and is alone in her ability to experience change and to be hurt. Then, when the sea god Poseidon commits an unforgivable act in the temple of Athene, the goddess takes her revenge where she can. Writhing snakes replace her hair, and her gaze now turns any living creature to stone. Unable to control her new power, she is condemned to a life of shadows and darkness. Until Perseus embarks upon a quest. Shorlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2023, this retelling of the famed myth of Medusa asks who the real monsters are, after all.

A guide to Natalie Haynes' books

He who drowned the world, by shelley parker-chan.

He Who Drowned the World  is the sequel to the  Sunday Times  bestseller  She Who Became the Sun. After triumphing over the Mongol rulers, Zhu Yuanzhang aspires to become emperor. However, her ambitions are challenged by Madam Zhang, who seeks the throne for her husband, and Wang Baoxiang, a scorned scholar craving revenge. To secure her position, Zhu forms a risky alliance with the unstable eunuch general, Ouyang, while all contenders push their limits for power. As desire and ambition clash, the question remains whether even the most ruthless heart can bear the steep price of their pursuits. 

Masters of Death

This book is about an estate agent. Only she’s a vampire, the house on sale is haunted, and its ghost was murdered. When Viola Marek hires Fox D’Mora to deal with her ghost-infested mansion, she expects a competent medium. But unbeknownst to Viola, Fox is a fraud – despite being the godson of Death. As the mystery unfolds, Viola and Fox are drawn into a quest that neither wants nor expects. And they'll need the help of a demonic personal trainer, a sharp-voiced angel and a love-stricken reaper. And it transpires that the difference between a mysterious lost love and a dead body isn’t nearly as distinct as you’d hope.

Spirits Abroad

Drawing inspiration from Asian myth and folklore, Zen Cho's short story collection combines magic, joy, humour and tenderness. We’ll meet an elderly ex-member of parliament, who recalls her youthful romance with an orang bunian. Then a teenage vampire struggles to balance homework, bossy aunties, first love . . . and eating people. A mischievous matriarch returns from the dead to disrupt her own funeral rites and Chang E, the Chinese moon goddess, spins off into outer space – the ultimate metaphor for diaspora. Enjoy this journey into magical new worlds, each with its own meaning. 

The First Bright Thing

By j. r. dawson.

Ringmaster, or Rin for short, can jump to different moments in time. With the scars of World War I feeling more distant as the years pass, Rin is focusing on the brighter things in life, like the circus she’s built and the magical misfits and outcasts. But while the present is bright, threats come at Rin from the past as a malevolent shadow looms, and from the future with an impending war on the horizon. The First Bright Thing  by J. R. Dawson is a spellbinding debut for fantasy fans that also asks the difficult question – if you knew how dark tomorrow would be, what would you do with today?

Fall of Ruin and Wrath

By jennifer l. armentrout.

From the author of  From Blood and Ash,   Fall of Ruin and Wrath  is a scorching romance with high stakes, breathtaking magic and a searing enemies-to-lovers romance. In a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by vengeful gods, nine surviving cities thrive under pleasure-seeking rulers. Calista, possessing infallible intuition, hides as a courtesan. She rescues a prince, triggering warnings of joy and doom. As the prince and her protector vie for power, she navigates rebellion, danger, and desire, torn between intuition's safety and heart's risk. Fall of Ruin and Wrath  is a captivating romantic fantasy from a mega bestselling author and global sensation.

One For My Enemy

In New York City, two rival witch families fight for the upper hand in Olivie Blake's new fantasy fiction. The Antonova sisters and their mother, Baba Yaga, are the elusive supplier of premium intoxicants while the Fedorov brothers and their crime boss father, Koschei the Deathless, dominate the shadows of magical Manhattan. For twelve years, the two families have been in stalemate, but that is about to change. While fate draws together a brother and sister from either side, the siblings still struggle for power, and internal conflicts could destroy each family from within. 

A guide to The Atlas Six and Olivie Blake's books

A taste of gold and iron.

Kadou, the modest prince of Arasht, has no plans to wrestle for imperial control with his sister, the queen. Yet he is in conflict with the father of queen's new child, who is a powerful ambassador at the court. Then a hunting expedition goes badly wrong, and Kadou finds himself accused of murder. This sensual tale of courtly intrigue, backstabbing politics and romance set against the backdrop of an Ottoman Empire-inspired world, is a must-read.

The Mystery at Dunvegan Castle

By t. l. huchu.

Ghostalker Ropa Moyo and her rag-tag team of magicians are back in The Mystery at Dunvegan Castle, the third book in the spellbinding Edinburgh Nights series. Ropa Moyo is no stranger to magic or mysteries. But she’s still stuck in an irksomely unpaid internship. So she’s thrilled to attend a magical convention at Dunvegan Castle, on the Isle of Skye, where she’ll rub elbows with eminent magicians. For Ropa, it’s the perfect opportunity to finally prove her worth. Then a librarian is murdered and a precious scroll stolen. Suddenly, every magician is a suspect, and Ropa and her allies investigate.

Fourth Wing

By rebecca yarros.

Welcome to the brutal and elite world of Basgiath War College, where everyone has an agenda, and every night could be your last . . . Violet, destined for a quiet life among books, is forced by her commanding mother to become a dragon rider, despite her fragility. With dragons rarely bonding with humans like her, danger looms. Amidst a deadly war and failing protective wards, she suspects a dark secret among the leadership. Forming alliances and facing treacherous foes, Violet fights for survival. Romance and betrayals intertwine as she navigates this perilous path. Graduation or death awaits in the world of dragon riders. 

Immortal Longings

By chloe gong.

In the kingdom of Talin, the deadly games held in the capital twin cities of San-Er attract thousands, offering unimaginable riches to those skilled enough to jump between bodies and enter the fight to the death. Princess Calla Tuoleimi seeks to take down her tyrannical uncle, King Kasa. To achieve her goal, she must win the games, where Anton Makusa, desperate to save his comatose childhood love, enters to secure the prize money. An unexpected alliance between Calla and Anton forms, leading to a consuming partnership. As the games near their end, Calla faces a crucial choice: her lover or her kingdom.

by Frances Hardinge

In a world where anyone can cast a life-destroying curse, only one person has the power to unravel them. Kellen does not fully understand his unique gift, but helps those who are cursed, like his friend Nettle who was trapped in the body of a bird for years. She is now Kellen's constant companion and his closest ally. But the Unraveller carries a curse himself and, unless he and Nettle can remove it, Kellen is a danger to everything – and everyone – around him . . .

The Women Could Fly

By megan giddings.

Part fantasy, part dystopia,  The Women Could Fly  is a powerful novel that speaks to our times. In a world where witches are real and unmarried women over the age of thirty must be monitored by the state, Josephine Thomas is twenty-eight, ambivalent about marriage and on the cusp of losing autonomy over her own life. It's been fourteen years since her mother's disappearance, and Jo has heard ever possible explanation from kidnapping to murder . . . to witchcraft; but all these years later, she feels she's never understood her mother more. So when she's offered an opportunity to honour one last request from her mother's will, she takes it . . .

When Ox Matheson was twelve his father taught him that he was worthless, destined to be misunderstood, and then he left him. Four years later, the energetic Bennett family moved in next door, harbouring a secret that would change his life forever: they are shapeshifters, and can transform into wolves at will. Drawn into an unimaginable new world, Ox found a friend in Joe, the youngest Bennett brother, but when the pack was pulled apart by tragedy and murder, Joe left town . But now, he has returned, and Ox can no longer ignore the song that howls between them.

Origins of The Wheel of Time

By michael livingston.

This companion to Robert Jordan's internationally bestselling series, The Wheel of Time, will delve into the creation of a masterpiece, drawing from interviews and an unprecedented examination of his unpublished notes. Michael Livingston tells the behind-the-scenes story of who Jordan was (including a chapter that is the very first published biography of the author), how he worked, and why he holds such an important place in modern literature.

The best fantasy books of all time

The atlas six.

Dark-academia fantasy novel  The Atlas Six  was originally self-published by Olivie Blake, and was then snapped up for re-publication after it shot to fame on TikTok. The story follows six young magical practitioners as they compete to join the secretive Alexandrian Society, whose custodians guard lost knowledge from ancient civilizations. Yet each decade, only six practitioners are invited – to fill five places. Following recruitment by the mysterious Atlas Blakely, they travel to the Society’s London headquarters. Here, each must study and innovate within esoteric subject areas. And if they can prove themselves, over the course of a year, they’ll survive. Most of them.

Legends & Lattes

After decades of adventuring, Viv the orc barbarian is finally hanging up her sword for good to open the first coffee shop in the city of Thune. Even though no one there knows what coffee actually  is . But old rivals and new stand in the way of success, and Thune’s shady underbelly could make it all too easy for Viv to take up the blade once more. If you've already read Legends & Lattes then Bookshops & Bonedust , the highly anticipated prequel, is available to pre-order now. 

The Invisible Library

The Invisible Library is the astounding debut fantasy book by Genevieve Cogman, and the first novel in The Invisible Library series. Professional spy Irene works for the mysterious Library, along with her enigmatic assistant Kai. Their mission is to steal a dangerous book from an alternative London. But when they arrive, it's already been stolen. And to make things more complicated, this alternative world is infested with chaos, full of supernatural creatures and unpredictable magic.

The Invisible Library books in order

A marvellous light, by freya marske.

For fans of Bridgerton who'd like to welcome magic into their lives. Set in an alternative Edwardian England, this is a comedy of manners, manor houses, and hedge mazes: including a magic-infused murder mystery and a delightful queer romance. Young baronet Robin Blyth thought he was taking up a minor governmental post. However, he's actually been appointed parliamentary liaison to a secret magical society, and he’ll need the help of Edwin Courcey, his adversarial magical-society counterpart, as together they discover a plot that threatens every magician in the British Isles.

Empire in Black and Gold

By adrian tchaikovsky.

This epic fantasy novel is the first book in Adrian Tchaikovsky’s critically acclaimed fantasy series The Shadows of the Apt. The Lowlands have lived in peace and prosperity for decades, but now an ancient Empire is conquering city after city, and the Lowlands are next . . . Stenwold Maker, spymaster, artificer and statesman, sees the threat, but can he convince his people of the danger that is coming? 

Adrian Tchaikovsky's books in order

Blood of an exile, by brian naslund.

In Brian Naslund's must-read debut fantasy novel we meet Bershad, an adventurer sentenced to kill dragons for a living after being caught trying to assassinate a fellow noble. When the king who sentenced Bershad offers him a way out of his forced occupation and exile, Bershad sees a way to earn redemption, but it won't be easy.  Blood of an Exile , the first book in the Dragons of Terra series is packed with adventure and of course, lots of dragons.

The Lord of the Rings

By j. r. r. tolkien.

J.R.R. Tolkien’s trilogy is a classic of fantasy fiction and is a must-read for all fantasy fans. The story of the hobbit Frodo and his epic quest to reach Mount Doom and defeat the Dark Lord, Sauron, by destroying the One Ring, Tolkien’s epic fantasy was adapted into three of the most popular films of the 2000s. One of the best fantasy books ever written. 

The Witchlands series books in order

Fury of a demon.

The third and final instalment in Brian Naslund's Dragons of Terra trilogy has come to paperback this year. Osyrus Ward has subdued most of Terra, but to finish the job and annihilate the dragons he must add to his huge army of skyships and create a machine that possesses unheard-of power. Rebels Bershad and Ashlyn are doing every everything they can to prevent this, but they have been captured in Dainwood by Ward's mercenaries. Ashlyn employs her dark magic against the terrifying forces massing around them, and Bershad summons his history of victory in battle. But will their combined energies be enough to save the world?

The Empire's Ruin

By brian staveley.

In the first book in Brian Staveley's epic fantasy trilogy, Ashes of the Unhewn, the great Annurian Empire is on its last legs, and its elite soldiers – the Kettral – are dwindling. Kettral soldier Gwenna Sharpe is given a quest, in order to restore the hawk-riding battalion. She must travel beyond the known world, to the place where the mighty war hawks nest. She will face obstacles along the way, from poisoned land to a monk turned conman to sinister forces massing against the empire. Gwenna's quest to save it is fraught with danger, but full of potential for recovery and renewal.

by Neil Gaiman

In the tiny town of Wall, young Tristan Thorn is madly in love with the beautiful Victoria Forrester. When she agrees to marry him if he retrieves a fallen star he doesn’t hesitate. But to find the fallen star he’ll need to cross the ancient wall which the town is named for, into a world of magic and danger. This charming fairytale fantasy will delight fans of Naomi Novik’s Uprooted and Spinning Silver . 

The Colour of Magic

By terry pratchett.

Terry Pratchett’s wonderfully inventive fantasy fiction series Discworld begins with  The Colour of Magic . Set in a flat world resting on the back of four elephants who are balanced on the shell of a giant turtle, this is a parallel time and place full of magic. When the first-ever tourist arrives, their survival is charged to a comically inept wizard who must face robbers, mercenaries and Death himself. Terry Pratchett is the author of some of the most-loved fantasy books of all-time.  

The Star-Touched Queen

By roshani chokshi.

Maya's world is torn apart when her father, the Raja, arranges her marriage for political advantage. She becomes the Queen of Akaran and the wife of Amar despite a horoscope that promised a marriage of death and destruction. As Akaran's queen, she finds her voice and power. As Amar's wife, she finds something else entirely: Compassion. Protection. Desire. But Akaran has its own secrets. Soon, Maya suspects her life is in danger, but who besides her husband can she trust? Steeped in Indian folklore and mythology The Star-Touched Queen is an enthralling fantasy read.

A Game of Thrones

By george r.r. martin.

No list of the best fantasy fiction is complete without George R. R. Martin’s epic fantasy fiction series, universally acknowledged to be some of the best fantasy books of all time. The first book in the series gave its name to the TV series that became one of the most talked-about in history. In a world where summers span decades and winter can last a lifetime, the battle for the Iron Throne has begun. The breakout success of A Game of Thrones means the series will feature on best fantasy books lists for years to come.

Books series to read if you love Game of Thrones

The fifth season, by n. k. jemisin.

The Fifth Season is the first fantasy novel in N. K. Jemisin's Broken Earth trilogy. In a far-future Earth, a continent known as the Stillness is plagued by apocalyptic natural disasters known as Seasons, that can last for generations. Book one follows the story of Essun, a woman living an unremarkable life in a quiet town until three tragedies strike in one day. Her husband murders their beloved son in cold blood and kidnaps their daughter, a world-spanning empire falls, and a great rift has been torn into the Stillness throwing ash into the sky and blocking the sun's light for years to come. And so Essun's fight to save her daughters in this dying land, begins . . .

Sorcerer to the Crown

Sorcerer to the Crown is the first book in Hugo Award-winning author Zen Cho’s fantasy series. In Regency London, Zacharias Wythe is England's first African Sorcerer Royal. He leads the Royal Society of Unnatural Philosophers, whose duty it is to keep the levels of magic stable   – but they're failing. The supply of magic is being disrupted by the Fairy Court, and war with France means the government wants to drain this scarce resource even further. When Zacharias meets ambitious orphan Prunella Gentleman they find that her recent magical discovery might just change the nature of sorcery forever.  

by John Gwynne

Malice is the first book in John Gwynne’s The Faithful and the Fallen series , from bestselling author Conn Iggulden. Set in the Banished Lands where armies of men and giants clash in battle, Young Corban watches enviously as boys become warriors, learning the art of war. He yearns to wield his sword and spear to protect his king’s realm. But that day will come all too soon. Only when he loses those he loves will he learn the true price of courage.

The Ruin of Kings

By jenn lyons.

The hugely anticipated debut by Jenn Lyons is the first fantasy book in the A Chorus of Dragons series. Brim-full of big ideas – body-swapping, prophecy, rich worldbuilding and grim commentaries on many aspects of empire – to name but a few, this is the tale of Kihrin, a young prince cursed with bad luck and worse prophecy.  The Ruin of Kings  is a fantastically complex and multi-layered fantasy book, and characters like Doc and Galen, alongside Kihrin's own well-balanced set of talents and flaws make this a promising new fantasy series. 

Children of Blood and Bone

Tomi Adeyemi’s YA fantasy book is the first in her West African-inspired fantasy fiction series Legacy of Orisha. Zélie remembers when Orisha was full of magic. When different clans ruled with unique powers, including her Reaper mother who could summon forth souls. But everything changed when the ruthless king had anyone with powers killed. Now only a few people still have the power to use magic, and they must stay hidden. Zélie is one of those people, but now she has the chance to bring magic back to her people and strike against the monarchy . . . Tomi Adeyemi is the author of some on the best fantasy books for YA readers in recent years.

She Who Became the Sun

A Number One  Sunday Times  Bestseller, this absorbing historical fantasy novel from Shelley Parker-Chan reimagines the rise to power of the Ming Dynasty’s founding emperor. In 1345, China lies restless under harsh Mongol rule, and when a bandit raid wipes out her home and her brother perishes, Zhu resolves to overcome her destiny by taking her dead brother’s identity. Can Zhu escape what’s written in the stars, as rebellion sweeps the land? Or can she claim her brother’s greatness – and rise as high as she can dream?

Black Leopard, Red Wolf

By marlon james.

Black Leopard, Red Wolf  is the first fantasy novel in Marlon James's Dark Star Trilogy. A New York Times bestseller, National Book Award finalist and Ray Bradbury Prize winner, it's no stranger to accolades. Set in an African-inspired fantasy world, the first book in the series follows Tracker, a mercenary with an extraordinary ability to follow scents, as he hunts down a missing boy. On his journey Tracker's crosses paths with strange companions, from shapeshifters to giants, who seek the same child and hide their own secrets . . .

The Buried Giant

By kazuo ishiguro.

Booker Prize-winning author Kazou Ishiguro does not disappoint in his first fantasy book, The Buried Giant . The book begins as a couple, Axl and Beatrice, set off across a troubled land of mist and rain in the hope of finding a son they have not seen for years. They expect to face many hazards - some strange and other-worldly - but they cannot yet foresee how their journey will reveal to them dark and forgotten corners of their love for one another. Sometimes savage, often intensely moving, this is a novel about lost memories, love, revenge and war.

Howl's Moving Castle

By diana wynne jones.

Now also a movie from Studio Ghibli, this beloved modern classic follows Sophie Hatter from the land of Ingary as she catches the unwelcome attention of the Witch of the Waste and is put under a spell. Deciding she has nothing more to lose, Sophie makes her way to the moving castle that hovers on the hills above her town, Market Chipping. But the castle belongs to the dreaded Wizard Howl, whose appetite, they say, is satisfied only by the souls of young girls . . . 

Northern Lights

By philip pullman.

First published in 1995, and acclaimed as a modern masterpiece, this first book in the Hid Dark Materials series is a must-read for all fantasy fans. Lyra Belacqua and her animal daemon live half-wild and carefree among scholars of Jordan College, Oxford. The destiny that awaits her will take her to the frozen lands of the Arctic, where witch-clans reign and ice-bears fight. Her extraordinary journey will have immeasurable consequences far beyond her own world. 

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The best new adult fantasy books (2024 edition).

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When you think of the fantasy genre, it is likely that you think of fairy tales, princesses, and dragons.

While these are all aspects of the genre, they can seem a bit juvenile.

Fortunately, a whole world of adult fantasy novels incorporates mature themes into fantasy worlds.

Adult fantasy is a great way to escape the harsh realities of real life.

There are so many possibilities within the genre that make it a great choice for many types of mature readers.

Whether you are a lifelong fantasy fan or you are just getting into the genre, there is bound to be a book for you.

If you are looking for recommendations on the best new adult fantasy books, you have come to the right place.

Check out the novels below and get started on a fantastic new journey. 

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is a 2020 adult fantasy novel by V.E. Schwab. It has been widely recognized and praised as one of the best fantasy novels of the century so far. It was on the New York Times Bestseller list for 37 consecutive weeks, indicating the wide success and fan base of this novel. 

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue follows the story of a young woman who feels stuck in an unhappy marriage, something that many adults around the world can relate to.

Addie makes a deal with the devil that allows her to live forever.

The only caveat is that everyone she meets instantly forgets her.

The author uses flashbacks to go back and forth between the early 1700s to the present day to give insight into Addie’s life when she made the deal and how she is living now.

Throughout this novel, there are many adult themes, including depression, the passing of time, and contentment with life.

There is also plenty of magic and mysterious occurrences throughout. 

Ninth House  

Ninth House is the first novel in the Alex Stern series by Leigh Bardugo .

It is currently the only novel in the series that has been published, but the second installment is slated to be released in early 2023.

This novel is quite dark and sinister.

It is full of many adult themes and situations, including mass murder, drug dealers, and abusive boyfriends.

If you enjoy reading about young people with horrible lives, then this is the novel for you. 

Ninth House follows the life of Alex, a young girl who has been through some incredibly hard times in her life. Alex attends Yale, but she is on scholarship under very suspicious circumstances.

She gets involved with some of Yale’s secret societies and uncovers terrifying secrets.

She becomes incredibly paranoid and deals with these secrets in some unconventional ways.

There are occult activities, dark mysteries, and terrifying happenings in the pages of this novel.

It is certainly meant for mature readers who are able to deal with the heavy content within.

After you read this novel, you will be counting down the days to the next release, awaiting the day when you can reunite with Alex and her challenges. 

The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires  

The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires is a 2020 novel by Grady Hendrix.

Though it is definitely a fantasy novel, it would also be at home in the horror genre.

It is a supernatural thriller that leaves readers feeling scared and satisfied. 

This novel takes place in the early 1990s in the Deep South.

A stranger moves into this small southern town, and strange things begin to happen.

People go missing, children turn up dead, and there is a sense of terror in the air.

There is suspicion that this stranger may have something to do with these crimes, and that he may actually be a vampire.

As the title suggests, the novel’s main plot revolves around a women’s book club and their dealings with a vampire.  

This novel touches on many aspects of real life that are heavy and difficult to deal with, including racism, sexism, and serial killers.

It may not be the fantastic escape you are looking for if you want to leave the real world behind.

However, it is still a great novel, and it is definitely one that you will want to enjoy with the lights on. 

The Dark Star Trilogy  

The Dark Star Trilogy is a series of novels by Marlon James.

Currently, only the first two novels are in publication, with the third and final installment coming in the next few years.

This series takes place in a mythical African world.

Though it could be considered historical fiction, it certainly has a sense of fantasy about it.

Each novel in the series takes on different points of view.

This gives the reader a lot of information and insight into the world. 

The main storyline of this series centers on the disappearance of a young boy.

Eight mercenaries are tasked with solving this mystery.

After nine years of searching, the boy is dead, and only three mercenaries remain.

These mercenaries are locked in a cell awaiting trial to answer for the boy’s death. This series is rooted in African mythology.

It also takes many old folktales and spins them in new and more modern ways. 

Though this series largely focuses on a child, it is definitely not a series for children.

There are many mature scenes and themes throughout, many of them sexual in nature.

Before reading this series, it may be a good idea to check the content warnings given by the author and other readers.

Death, violence, and sex are very important to the plot and the overall series.

It is vital that readers know what they are getting into before picking it up.

Best New Adult Fantasy Books: Conclusion

I hope this article has given you some ideas of good new adult fantasy books to read.

And if you have some of your own recommendations you want to be featured in this list, leave a message in the comments below!

Lastly, if you want to read more about book recommendations on this website, check out:

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So what happened in book one, clean ya books for teens, tweens, or anyone.

*Our site contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases....hey, we had to upgrade our hosting due to our amazing number of readers...we're just trying to pay for it! ;)*

Are you looking for clean YA books for teens? Us, too.

There is a particular conversation that keeps cropping up between Stacy and me (the editors of this website…who both happen to be moms of teens) and many of our readers: the face of YA is changing. There is no doubt about it. Young Adult books are becoming more and more mature , and the trend will probably continue. Parents and readers alike are looking for clean teen books.

According to our conversations with several librarians, we are losing readers as they hit the tween and early teen years . This is a time when they are not yet comfortable with YA books but feel too old for middle-grade books. Did you read that? We’re losing them as readers …many, perhaps, for the rest of their lives.

Our goal with this section of our website is to find clean teen books that are great for tweens, teens, or anyone looking for exciting books without sexual content and without excessive language. We have found that violence is usually not the main concern, but we will always make note if we think the violence is excessive (even if there is no sex or language).

If you like, you can go straight to our favorites list on our CLEAN READS BOOKSTORE !

(paid link – Yes, this is an affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases . We don’t make much money on these, but we do make enough to pay for the hosting on this growing website. Thank you! )

Please join our mailing list for readers who are looking for clean teen books:

Join the thousands of other teens, parents, and educators who have signed up to receive book suggestions from us! We never share email addresses. You can expect three to four emails a year from our clean teen list. We’ll let you know when we find more great clean YA books for teens.

Don’t forget to check out these clean book lists:

☀️ Clean Teen Summer Romance Books (on evaaustin.com)

Clean books for teen and tween boys

Reader-recommended clean books for teens

Clean romance books for adults

Clean Fantasy Romance Books for Teens

Clean Contemporary Romance Books for Teens

Clean Contemporary Romance for adults – Clean Romcom books

Clean YA books by Christian authors

Sweet Christmas Romance Books – Holiday Romcom

OUR CLEAN READS BOOKSTORE – our favs from this list!

Here are some of our favorite clean teen books we’ve come across in recent years. If you see only one book listed in a series, that probably just means we haven’t read the others in the series.

(**Yes, these are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases . We don’t make much money on these, but we do make enough to pay for the hosting on this growing website.  Thank you!**)

**Didn’t find these books at your library? Request them! It’s easy!**

Clean YA books for teens or anyone:

Click the image for a synopsis:

**Note: as some parents in the comments have pointed out, the Selection Series has a fair amount of kissing/making out. FYI

Clean YA books for teens with Elevated Violence only:

As we mentioned above, from what we have heard, most readers and parents are concerned with sexual content over mild language and violence. Let us know what your main concerns around in the comments. Here are a few clean ya books for teens that come with a strong violence warning:

* As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases .

Clean YA Books for Tweens:

If you have a tween or a young teen, then this category is for you! Even if the books mentioned above are clean, your young reader might not be ready to read about older characters or the issues facing them. These are the clean books we’ve found which have a younger feel to them.

* As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases .

The Enchanted Sonata

Scripted Unscripted

The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel Series

Septimus Heap Series

TodHunter Moon Series

Magisterium Series

The Palace Chronicles

Wildwood Series

A Curse as Dark as Gold

Heir to the Sky

The Two Princesses of Bamarre

Ella Enchanted

A Tale of Two Castles Series

A Twisted Tale Series

Princess Academy Series

Kingdom Keepers Series

Kingdom Keepers: The Return Series

How can you help? Send us your clean young adult book suggestions!

We are constantly looking for more clean YA books for teens, so we need your help . Please add your own suggestions for clean YA books to the comments. Kids today want to read current literature, so while we will add some classics, we would love to have suggestions for books that have recently been published . This would be a great place to promote a new author you’ve discovered who writes clean YA fiction. Stacy and I are passionate about this subject, and we want to help these authors find their place in the publishing world. We need more authors that fit this category!

We only have so many hours in the day and cannot read all suggestions. If someone else makes a suggestion that you think should not be on our clean teen book list, please let us know and be sure to include why you feel this way. We want to partner with you and are excited to work with our readers on this project!

Check back on this page for updates to our lists of books and websites. We’ll recap our most recent additions in our Clean Teen Newsletter . Don’t forget to leave your suggestions in the comments and scroll up to join our clean teen mailing list. We’d love to hear from you and find more clean reads and authors in the bookish world! 🙂

*Looking for more ideas? Visit our Reader-Recommended Clean Teen Book List !

We created a new page for all of your wonderful suggestions! Take a look at our reader-recommended clean teen page and check back often. We’ll periodically update the page as new suggestions emerge in the comments of this page. Happy reading!

If you like, you can view our favorites list on our CLEAN READS BOOKSTORE !

289 thoughts on “Clean YA books for teens, tweens, or anyone”

I recently read The Girl of Fire and Thorns… the first two are clean, but the last book has on-page sex. Just a heads up. Everless is also a great, clean book without sex. So is Heartless, by Marissa Meyer.

Thank you Madeline! I will adjust the page. Sounds like The Girl of Fire and Thorns is not worthy of this list. I am going to remove it.

Fairy tale reform school!

ah yes I loved fairy tale reform school when I was younger!

Jennifer E Smith books (This Is What Happy Looks Like, Geography of you and Me eat al), Morgan Matson (Amy & Rogers Epic Detour, Since You’ve been Gone).

The Allegra Biscotti Collection.

Not all of Morgan Matson’s books are clean though

Bill Myers Eli, God Hater

The Society (Forbidden Doors #1) by Bill Myers – whole Forbidden Doors series.

Fame Fate and the fist kiss

Fame, Fate and The Fist Kiss is a good book.

Julie Kagawa … Iron Fey Series

I have not read it but according to this review there is considerable language in the Iron Fey Series.

http://www.theliteratemother.org/the-iron-king-by-julie-kagawa

I agree that there is a fair amount of language in this series, and two of the main characters do end up having sex in one of the later books, although it is not graphically described or anything, but it is very clear that it happens.

Those books are really good, but they do have lots cursing.

Neal Shusterman …. Scythe & Thunderhead, Unwind Dystology, The Dark Side of Nowhere.

I would also recommend Shusterman’s Bruiser. We use it for summer reading for freshman.

Yes, these books are really good, and Scythe definitely shows the sacredness of life as a main theme… I love this author

Ally Carter – Embassy Row Series Meg Cabot – Heather Wells Mysteries – Size 12 Is Not Fat, size 14 Is Not Fat Ether, Big Boned.

Heather Wells is very much an adult series.

River of Time Series by Lisa Tawn Bergren – Waterfall – Cascade – Torrent. Front Lines by. Micheal Grant. The Runnung Dream by Wendy Van Draanen. Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch. The Keeper Cronicles Deries by Becky Wallace (Storyspinner, Skylighter) The.Night Circus by Erin Morgensten Amy & Rogers Epic Detour Morgan Matson A Girl Called Featless by Catherine Linka The Goos Girl by Shannon Hale Michael Vey Series. BY Richard Paul Evans Shelter, seconds Away, Found by Harlan Coben Charlotte Holmes Series – A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavalarro Graceling by Kristin Cashore Red QueebySeries by Victoria Aveyard

Red Queen series has language in the last book.

Graceling by Kristin Cashore has a sex scene in it.

And Amy & Rogers Epic Detour by Morgan Matson apparently has a non-graphic sex scene.

http://www.kids-bookreview.com/2015/02/review-amy-rogers-epic-detour.html

Keeper of the lost cities series by Shannon messenger and the land of stores series by Chris Colfer although maybe you’d concider them middle grade?

Keeper of the lost cities is one of my favorite series and totally clean!!

I do love the Night Circus, but it should be mentioned that that book does have a sex scene in it.

Charlottle Holmes series has this review on Amazon. Definitely not a clean read “At my daughter’s urging, I did read it, and by page 15, where the “F” bombs began to fly, I was not happy. But I had to keep reading to see what other uglies I needed to explain. That turned into conversations of the characters experiencing sex, rape, drugs, and casual gambling at school. So, yeah, thanks. Awkward conversations, and these things are now in my kid’s head.”

Red Queen series is definitely not clean. Red Queen is the first book, and it can be considered innocent enough, but the rest of the series is a political statement by the author. I think you should not include it on your list.

I definitely agree, my daughter read the first book but it got too mature by the second and third. The plot wasn’t even that spectacular and the maturity wasn’t worth the read.

Hey..YES!! I’m a YA author and have 12 and 13 year old girls who want to read YA. It’s SO difficult without reading everything first.

My two YA Sci-fi series are completely clean. Some violence, but not graphic.

The Configured Trilogy- by Jenetta Penner The Starfire Wars- by Jenetta Penner

Thank you Jenetta!

no problem!

Hi!!! First of all I LOVE your website. I stumbled across it when I realized I really didn’t remember half of One Dark Throne when I started my fresh new just-in copy of Two Dark Reigns and you’ve saved me. Thank you! To this list, I’d like to add The Girl Who Drank The Moon by Kelly Barnhill which is, in my opinion, the most “clean book” I’ve had in years! I loved it 🙂 also, I read The Novice by Taran Matharu, and it does have fighting so there’s the warning for that, but in the first book, there’s not really any sign of romance,which I greatly appreciated 🙂 I hope this helps you!

An oldie but a goodie, Ally Carter’s Gallagher Girls series is clean! It has one mention of ‘the B-word,’ but it calls it ‘the B-word,’ rather than uses it.

Yes they are great

She Loves You, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah by Ann Hood… Normal teen angst-your best friend is hanging out with the popular girls-genuinely engaging without 2018 problems

I’m a school librarian (K-8), and I wouldn’t include Meyer’s Fairest on the clean list. There is sex in it, and I wouldn’t call it consensual.

Thanks for letting us know, Erika! 🙂 I had forgotten about that part of the book. I removed Fairest from the list.

This is an awesome idea! Good, clean stuff is so hard to find! Some of my suggestions are: The Wish Granter by C.J. Redwine; The Beautiful Pretender by Melanie Dickerson; A Noble Masquerade by Kristi Ann Hunter; The Princess in the Opal Mask by Jenny Lundquist; Miss Burton Unmasks a Prince by Jennifer Moore; Chances Are by Tracy Hunter Abramson; Love, Life and The List by Kasie West; The Traitor Prince by C.J. Redwine; Not if I Save You First by Ally Carter; Kiss of the Spindle by Nancy Campbell Allen; and Love at First Note by Jenny Proctor

Thank you so much for all of the great ideas, Maree!

Not if I Save You First is a great and clean read! My younger sister and I love it, nothing too mature. There is a small amount of violence, not enough to go under the “elevated violence” category (Not close to Hunger Games; the plot includes kidnapping, explosions, some blood from injury, and more, but not anything too mature for the clean-teen crowd).

Thanks for this list! I have a tween and soon-to-be one who are voracious readers, and well above their age level in reading. It’s a challenge to find clean series for them. Can’t wait to join your list to keep up to date! Do you only list/review SciFi or Fantasy? If not, please list more ‘adventure’ and ‘mystery’ genre books, when you can.

Here are a few recommendations from my kids: Spy School series by Stuart Gibbs Warriors (and others) series by Erin Hunter Dragonet Prophecy series by Tui Sutherland

Thank you for your recommendations, Catherine. Our list, as well as our reviews and recaps, lean more toward SciFi/Fantasy because that’s what we love to read the most! I will take your advice into account. 🙂

Thanks, Sara! Warriors series (1st is Into the Wild) and Dragonet Prophecy series both fall into Fantasy genre. 🙂

My 11 year old kiddo love, love, loves all the Stewart Gibbs novels. He is currently devouring “The Mysterious Benedict Society” by Trenton Lee Stewart. John Grisham also has a “Kid Lawyer” series that I was going to try next. Agreed that adventure/mystery novels would be a good category to add. So glad I stumbled onto this website!

So glad I came across this list, it’s really hard to find good YA books without mature content. I would like to suggest Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger to be added to this list

Thanks for the recommendation!

Oh my gosh i love that series! i was happy to come upon this because there are very few books that don’t have anything inapropriate while still having a good plot.

I would like to add Skyward by Brandon Sanderson and it’s sequel Starsight, i love them and they’re clean

Love both of those! Brandon Sanderson is a fab author and a lot of his works are clean

I really appreciate you compiling this list! Even as an older teen I like to read cleaner YA novels when at all possible, but it can be hard to know before actually getting into a book what content is in it!

Fawkes by Nadine Brandes is a really good and clean YA novel. Also I would argue that Shadow of the Fox is pretty clean except for some innuendos, BUT I will mention that there is a lot of violence in that book.

Hi Sara and Stacy, Another suggestion for the Clean Teen Books with Elevated Violence only section: the half bad trilogy by Sally Green.

I am still looking for adventure and historical fiction for my teen boys who don’t like fantasy or sci fi. They like books like Bear Grylls and thé Mapmaker series. Many of the reviewers seem to be women and the book choices are weighted accordingly !

What about Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom? It’s a series about all the prince charmings

I love that series! The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom is a series that we read together as a family (kids from age 8-16), and all enjoyed. I would say that it is geared a little more towards the 12-13 age range.

Wendy – Try this list: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/lists/adventure-books .

Also, if you pull up a book in Goodreads that they liked, the top right area of the page gives “Readers Also Enjoyed” short list of books like the one you’re looking at.

I would recommend Micheal Marpurgo’s books,, like War Horse and Private Peaceful. They do deal with WWI, but they aren’t overly explicit and violent as other books are.

Sorry, I guess that is fantasy. How about classics like Man In the Iron Mask, Three Musketeers, Treasure Island, or autobio like Unbroken? Depends on their age of course.

“The Lie Tree”, and “A Face Like Glass” (both by Francis Hardinge) are both really good clean YA books. Both could be classified as children’s books, but the themes are very thought-provoking, and younger readers might not fully understand some of the deeper thoughts.

“Thirteenth Child” by Patricia Wrede is also a very fun clean YA (maybe Tween?) read!

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to everyone who has commented on this post!!! Sara & I are thrilled we have so many readers who are also passionate about clean books for teens. We have decided to start a second page of clean YA books based on all of your recommendations. So check back soon for details on this new page. We’ve also found some additional resources to check for clean YA books. We’re excited to share more books with everyone very soon. Please help spread the word about our project, and please keep your recommendations coming! 🙂

Dianna Wynne Jones wrote for children, to teens and YA. All her books I’ve read so far are clean.

Thanks so much for this list. I have a 9yo/4th grader who reads well above his grade level, but the content begins to be inappropriate and this is the exact kind of list I’ve been hoping for. My wife did suggest getting a couple to read myself first and leaving them laying around – he always shows interest – but I’m waist deep in a stack I’m already behind on.

Thank you so much for this initiative!

Here are some series I would suggest: Artemis Fowl – Eoin Colfer Children of the Red King – Jenny Nimmo Children of the Lamp – P. B. Kerr Redwall – Brian Jacques Inheritance – Christopher Paolini (violence) Chronicles of Narnia – C. S. Lewis

When I was 11 and 12 I devoured all of the Redwall books, definitely second that suggestion! Another suggestion: I never really got into them but all my friends loved the Warriors series by Erin Hunter!

Loved the Inheritance Series! Very clean, not a whole lot of violence, some though.

I LOVE the Inheritance series!

Lots of romance but no LGBT books that I can see? Are you taking the stance that LGBT characters automatically make a book “dirty”? Or can you include them as “clean” provided there are no sex scenes? How about Ash by Malinda Lo, in that case? Or the Wayward Children series by Seanan McGuire or Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo (both of these need a violence warning, but no sex)?

Nope. No stance. We only put books Sara, Jacee, or I have read on this page, and the only one of those we have read is Six of Crows. We loved Six of Crows (and Crooked Kingdom, too—check out our reviews of each book here ) and have recommended this series too many times to count. But we didn’t put them on this list because this series feels more mature to us. The subject matter and writing style feel closer to adult books, and we’ve developed this page to try to identify books on the younger side of YA. These more mature YA books (even if we love them) won’t hit this list. So check our reviews for our overall recommendations, but check this list if you’re looking for books that, in our opinion, fall on the younger side of YA. 🙂

I can appreciate your “no stance” but for some it is. Could that be included in descriptions as you do with violence and “sex scenes” , so we can be aware that this is included?

That is my thing, too. I’d like to know if that’s in a book because I would not recommend it for my kids if it is.

Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan, A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares by Krystal Sutherland, Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple, and Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman!

Where’d You Go and Eleanor Opliphant is Completely Fine are both adult books. Clean and good, but younger readers probably won’t get into them.

I heard that was a lot of swearing in a couple of those books. I don’t think they are clean adult books!

I just finished “The Murderbot Diaries” series of 4 novellas and cannot recommend it more for your Clean Teen Books with Elevated Violence Section. Fantastic protagonist.

I’ve outgrown some of the series and am looking for clean books for teens, so thank you! Your lists rock! I think someone already mentioned thies series, but the Mysterious Benidict Society is a great, clean series, as is The Viking Quest series…Boxcar Children and The Cooper Kids Adventure series for younger readers, Red Rock Mysteries for anyone, (well, probably not older teens…) E. D. Baker’s Frog Princess and Ed Dunlop’s Young Refugees series

The pfp is my bro, I didn’t find a random pic of the web haha

All of the Kasie West books are amazing and very clean!!!

You should also do something like this but for people who are transitioning from YA to more mature books, because I love YA books but now they feel a little too childish for me and I have a few friends who do not know what to read either (for the same reason). I think this list is a great idea for tweens and I think it would be great to do it for other stages also 🙂

Unwanteds – Lisa McMann and Wingfeather Saga – Andrew Peterson

I love this idea so much! It’s so important to get kids reading and even as a college student I still enjoy many of these books. Disclaimer: I haven’t read most of these in a while so I might be not remembering correctly, but I did look them up on commonsensemedia.org and they all seemed to pass. Some of my favorites: Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli — one of my absolute favorites growing up. There’s some romance but very innocent and no sex Wonder by R.J. Palacio — clean and I highly recommend The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman — has a fair amount of fantasy violence so probably for around 11 and 12 year olds (older tweens) The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale — it’s a series and I’ve only read the first one so I can’t vouch for all of them Don’t know if people are interested in graphic novels, but I personally loved (and continue to love) reading them. Here’s two: Nimona by Noelle Stevenson — violence but very cartoon-like and nothing disturbing or overly graphic Lumberjanes by Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, and Shannon Watters — again only read the first, but enjoyed it very much. A little language but pretty tame

I love the Goose Girl series!! It is clean, but there is a bit more violence in Enna Burning, the second book of the series.

The Akarnae series by Lynette Noni is also an excellent clean series, with the last book being released feb 2019. Rangers Apprentice by John Flanagan is also amazing and clean. The Whisper series by Lynette Noni is also terrific and clean, with more books being released later.

There are quite a few minor swear words in Ranger’s Apprentice, and Halt in particular often says d**n.

The book series circle of nine is a fantastic book series. Great characterization, and only mild language.

I have found the unfortunate fairy tales (starts with UnEnchanted) by Chanda Hahn very clean and enjoyable.

I love that series! Would also recommend, very clean

The Blackhope enigma books by Teresa flavin. The peculiar series by Ransom Riggs. The midnighters by Scott Westerfield. Lock and Mori by Heather Petty is a good one, and an interesting take on Sherlock Holmes. Abarat by Clive Barker is cool, as well as his book Thief of Always.

The 1st book of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is slightly creepy, but it is clean.

Why do they all seem to be futuristic or fantasy? Also, I disagree with at least one series, The Selection Series. As the books go on they get worse. I wouldn’t classify them as clean at all.

I’m sorry that our genre range is small! We only put books that Sara, Jacee, or I have read on this page, and sci-fi and fantasy are favorites for all three of us. We’re going to try to broaden our range by adding a user-suggested page soon. We’ve had so many recommendations in the comments above that we want to incorporate them into a separate section.

I haven’t read the Selection series, but one of our contributors has and deemed it clean. But we can certainly forget things and get it wrong! So I just did a follow-up check on Common Sense Media, one of the sources I like to use when researching a specific book or series. And according to the write-up on that website, the Selection series seems to meet the criteria we’re using on this page. I’ll check some of my other sources as well to make sure there isn’t something that Common Sense has left out.

Thanks for your comment! 🙂

I would agree that the Selection Series is a little too sensual in parts for my teenager. I’m returning the book and will need to really check out the other selections on this post before I purchase them for my daughter.

I can also answer this from speaking to many Contemporary Genre YA authors.

I think cleaner writing in sci-fi and fantasy YA is more plentiful because the author is creating a whole new world… including new rules and sometimes even new words. So it doesn’t seem “unrealistic” for there not to have swear words sometimes.

In dystopian fiction (what I write) the characters are often too busy saving the world to have time for… eh hem.. too much romance. 😉

For authors writing Contemporary Genre YA it’s hard for a lot of them to feel like the story isn’t genuine if there are not swearing characters and sex… because a lot of teens are swearing and having sex.

Personally? I think it can be done in a way that can feel genuine, but I can see the side of those authors that don’t.

I agree with so much of what you’ve said. I’ve published 2 picture books and am now revising a contemporary YA that I was told is a “sanitized” version of a teen. I’m struggling a bit now about what to do with that feedback.

I’d buy your “sanitized” teen book! Not everyone wants reading material that’s been dirtied up, for their kids or for themselves. I admire what you’re doing!

I would buy it too! Parents need to request from editors and publishers that this is what is wanted! That we don’t want our kids reading smutt and often times they don’t want to and it makes them uneasy.

I would love if there was more of a separation between tween, teen and YA.

Self publish!

I completely agree. There needs to be a rating system for books—more separation between the genres. Your best bet may be to find books on a list like this one and also to search out self-published authors. Big publishing companies want to push the envelope and won’t even look at books that don’t. (I know from experience.) I would be wary of new titles that you find at a book store if you want something squeaky clean. Several big-name authors once wrote YA but now write adult books. The kids who love their stories follow them. Instagram is a good place to look. Clean self-published authors want to get their books out there, but it isn’t easy. Search hashtags like #cleanya #cleanbooks #cleanfantasy, etc.

Tamora Pierce’s Circle of Magic Quartet Book #1 – Sandry’s Book is safe and it has been a WHILE since I read them, but I believe Tanith Lee’s Wolf Tower series is also safe. I read them in high school and I was definitely not ready to read anything explicit back then. Shug by Jenny Han (this is a contemporary)

The whole first Circle series (Circle of Magic not The Circle Opens) is clean as far as I remember. The characters are 10-13ish throughout the series, and the curses are made up (“catdirt”). The sequel series The Circle Opens has elevated violence but is clean of sex (and possibly clean of kissing).

It’s been a while since I’ve read Tamora Pierce’s Immortals series, but outside of a kissing scene in the last book, I’m not remembering any sexual content (though some parents may object to the romance as it is an older man, younger woman where he had previously been her instructor).

I do remember there being a little sex in that book, but it wasn’t really explicit. I might be remembering wrong, though, because I read that book some time ago before I really understood what was going on.

Hi! You can also include the Nancy Drew books by Carolyn Keene is amazing, plus there is zero violence and is absolutely clean and good!

The School for Good and Evil (there are 3 books) is a pretty clean series. They’re almost a retelling of our favorite fairy tales but with a twist.

In my opinion, I thought this had a fair amount of violence. There are good themes there, good vs evil, doing the right thing. But some of the vocabulary was a little to much. It stated for 8 and up on the back cover, but i would be surprised if many 8 year old know the word “bosom” I read the first two only. I know there are now like 6 or more books in the series.

I don’t know if this has been suggested already, but all of Kaiser West’s books are clean and cute. I highly recommend her books.

Thank you so much for this article! My daughter is 11 and has the exact issue that you described- she is interested in more “grown-up” themes, but she and I both don’t want her reading anything inappropriate.

In today’s society, reading is done more by imposition than by pleasure, which is leading young people to not understand the deep meaning behind a handful of letters, words and sentences. They have stopped enjoying to obey what they dictate and this prevents them from developing with pleasure their vocabulary and their ease of comprehension and writing through all that it offers to read.

I have not seen it posted, but I wasn’t able to read everything. If you haven’t read John Flanagan’s Ranger’s Apprentice and the spin-off series, BrotherBand , they are excellent and clean for 6th graders and up. Fairly high reading level, so they appeal to Fantasy readers, but there is not as much fantasy as say, Harry Potter. There is some violence, but nothing excessive. Definitely appeal to boys, but I do have some of my girls that love it as well. I highly recommend it.

YES!!! Second John Flanagan’s books. They are also fabulous audiobooks. We home educate and do a ton of driving to practices and games and on trips – The Brother Band Chronicles have kept us company all fall!

I definitely second all of John Flanagan’s books. He is clean without language and while there is romance later in the Rangers Apprentice series it is all clean (no sex) and leads the characters toward matrimony. My 11 and 9 year-olds loved all of his series as did my husband and I.

Maybe the Caraval Series by Stephanie Garber? There is some mild language, but no “f words,” assuming Finale has no sex or language. There’s also some scenes that are on the more passionate side (i.e. kissing), but no sex.

First off, you so much for creating this list of clean reads! While I’m not yet a parent, I do love reading clean ya fiction myself and appreciated the work put into this.

Here’s a list a books I’ve discovered over time that I’ve really enjoyed:

-The Running Dream by Wendelin van Draanan – The Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter – The Embassy Row Series by Ally Carter – Not if I Save You First by Ally Carter – Long May She Reign by Rhiannon Thomas – The Redwall Series by Brian Jacques (I enjoyed these as a tween) – The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stieffater (I haven’ t read this one in a while. No language or sex as far as I remember, though I do believe there were a few crude references and would recommend for older teens.) Even the Darkest Stars by Heather Fawcett (though I haven’t yet read the second book in the series) Entwined by Heather Dixon Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine City of a Thousand Dolls by Miriam Forster Gullstruck Island/The Lost Conspiracy by Frances Hardinge

Great idea! My debut YA fantasy novel, Gems of Fire, was published November 2018 by Clean Reads. It’s aimed a little more for the younger end of YA and has mild battle-type violence. It’s the first in a series of three, but the next two are not published yet.

The “Caraval” Trilogy by Stephanie Garber. All 3 books are just out! Mild language (No f–words) No sex (Maybe a couple allusions) Some passionate scenes (passionate kissing) This series is the probably best one I’ve ever read!

Could I suggest my own series? It’s YA Fantasy which I began writing back when I was a teen myself. I would describe them as a mix of Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and the His Dark Materials series. I focus more on the adventure and it has hints of romance but definitely no sex. The first book is The Order of the Rose, and the second in the series is due out later this year.

I would recommend the Leviathan series by Scott Westerfield. Set in an alternative history of WWI, the series is a weird but cool combination of historical fiction, adventure, and sci-fi. If I remember correctly, it’s pretty clean and would be interesting to middle schoolers.

The Ember in the Ashes series, I do not remember and explicit sex scenes, but there is violence.

The Queens if Fennbrin Series, same as above.

The Red Queen series, same as above.

Scythe series, same as above.

Unwind series, same as above.

Between Shades of Gray and it’s companion book Salt to the Sea.

The Librarian of Auschwitz

And of course the Harry Potter, Narnia, Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland, Little House on the Prairie, series as well as great classics like The Secret Garden, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Frankenstein, Dracula, and Little Women.

On the younger end of YA there is:

The Giver series, don’t stop at the first book.

Out of My Mind, really a great read for all ages.

One for the Murphy’s, same as above.

The Mr. Terupt series.

Wonder, really a great read for all ages.

The War that Saved My Life, this is a two book series.

Island of the Blue Dolphins.

The Man Who Loved Clowns, better have a box of tissues handy!

Hope these are worthy additions. I liked/loved most of them and so did my daughters.

Wow! Thank you for all of your suggestions!

I loved The War That Saved My Life series and would recommend. More for younger tweens but still a great read.

I love so many of those books!

The Librarian of Auschwitz was awful if I remember right. Very graphic and awful language!

Yes!!! In the first pages it had awful language and the detail of violence was sickening!

I forgot to add an author I read when I was younger and loved, devoured every book I could get my hands on Christopher Pike.

Jeff Wheeler’s book series are all great and clean fantasy books

I, an adult, read the first Thirst book (it is an omnibus). Then I went on to the 2nd Thirst omnibus. The first omnibus has SO MUCH violence i.e rape attempts, murder etc, plus sex. A good amount of it too. The 2nd omnibus got to weird for me I actually stopped. I actually LOVED the first omnibus, but like i said the 2nd one just got weird. I would not suggest this for a young kiddos/teen.

The Galendor Trilogy is squeaky clean fantasy with Christian principles (much like Narnia). The voice is humorous and mixes modern verbiage with High Fantasy tropes.

Galendor: Ye Dude from Yonder Forest Galendor: The Five Mugical Items Galendor: The Middle of Next Week

A great clean book is Geekerella by Ashley Poston. It’s a sweet nerdy contemporary book.

I’ve just completed Abbie Emmon’s 100 Days of Sunlight and it is so pure and definitely clean. I’m being asked increasingly by friends to suggest clean YA reads so will be sharing this link!

I wish this list had existed when I was a teen! Some clean series I read then are: The Door Within trilogy and Isle of Swords/Isle of Fire by Wayne Thomas Batson Dragonkeeper Chronicles by Donita K Paul (first book is Dragonspell and companion series first book is Dragons of Chiril) Dragons in Our Midst series and Echoes from the Edge trilogy by Bryan Davis The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson The Heritage of Shannara by Terry Brooks

And then one of my favorite (clean) reads of 2019 is To Best the Boys by Mary Weber!

Yes! Wingfeather and all of the Dragons series by Bryan Davis are beloved at my house!

Hi, Thank you so much for undertaking this task. Two comments, my kids don’t like fantasy series, would you please try to find more books out of that genre? Also, I would highly recommend the Alex Rider series and the Theodore Boone series. Thank you

Any by Brandon Mull, especially Fablehaven but also all the others. Great Fantasy writer aimed for younger and “cleaner” audiences

Rick Riordan and Brandon Mull!!!!!! Would recommend to anyone and these writers fit the YA for both older teens and younger. Rick Riordan does have more thought provoking ideals later on, but series like Percy Jackson and The Olympians or the Kane Chronicles (both have mythology) are great, and Fablehaven and Five Kingdoms, etc. by Brandon Mull for anyone. I am an older teenager and would like to personally thank you for putting together lists like this so I can choose a random book off of it and not have to worry about what is inside, just enjoy it.

I totally agree! The only “thought provoking” would be one gay character in the Olympus Series (SPOILERS for book 4) but nothing happens other than admitting a crush and holding hands with someone. That’s it and I totally support.

I literal LOVE ALLL OF THOSE BOOKS

Return to Isle of the Shallows by Debra A White is a really good and clean book for teens with great morals and teaching moments woven into a fantasy adventure story.

https://www.amazon.com/Return-Isle-Shallows-Debra-White/dp/154397161X/ref=nodl_

Hi, there. Ty for making this list. Really it means a lot. And about a CLEAN YA book, I think you can try this The Last Boy and Girl in The World by Siobhan Vivian.

Hi, there. Ty for making this list. Really it means a lot. And about a CLEAN YA book, I think you can try this The Last Boy and Girl in The World by Siobhan Vivian. 🙂

The Colours of Madeleine series by Jaclyn Moriarty – the titles are A Corner of White, the Cracks in the Kingdom and A Tangle of Gold.

I love “The Queen’s Thief” series by Megan Whalen Turner. Great characters.

Return to Isle of the Shallows by Debra A White is great for tweens and teens. It tackles bullying issues very well in a fantasy adventure story. Other themes are familial bonds, friendship, love and respect among others.

I would recommend Slated trilogy by teri terry, altough it has a few bad language though the whole series there isnt that much.

A Thousand Night by EK Johnston. This book is SOO unique and beautifully written and perfectly clean

I highly recommend the Keeper of the Lost Cities series by Shannon Messenger. It’s an absolutely amazing series, and it’s very clean.

👍 yes please add this

Yeah Please

My son discovered the Bodyguard series by Chris Bradford. No language (at least not in the first 3 that I read.

Love this site! So glad to see there is still demand for clean YA fiction as an author in that genre!

My debut novel, The Heir of Ariad, is a YA fantasy free of profanity or sexual content. There’s some medieval action, but no gratuitous violence.

Checkout The Gateway Chronicles series by K.B. Hoyle. There are 6 books in this series. The author was heavily influenced by C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and many others. There is a some violence and romance (kissing & feelings of love). I would recommend it for YA readers as the themes could be a little too intense for tweens. K.B. Hoyle also has another series out, The Breeder Cycle, but I have yet to read those.

Thank you for this website!

Thanks for the suggestions! Niki, I put The Heir of Ariad on my list in Goodreads. 🙂

An uncertain choice series by Jody Hedlund is clean but violence.

I have read the fable haven and dragon watch series and they are both great and clean. The dragon watch series is still coming out, though the third book of five just came out. I would recommend reading fable haven and then dragon watch because dragon watch is the sequel series of fable haven.

Dreamhouse Kings by Christian author Robert Liparulo is excellent and clean!

The Kalila Chronicles by Erin R. Howard is a clean YA urban fantasy series. The first two are out now, and the third will be released in February.

This list is amazing! I was looking for a list where lgbq is ruled out too or at least done tastefully, it’s hard to find new YA that I would let a kid read right now. Most of these books above, from what I remember and have read anyway, are pretty ‘straight’ too?

Our nonprofit publishes a list of new clean reads for grades 3-12 each year. Check out the lists for ideas here: http://www.tomesociety.org/books.html

I would like to recommend an action and adventure series for tween/teens for both boys and girls. It’s called, The Fuller Creek Series by David C. Reyes. Beginning with The Mystery of Fuller Creek Mine, this series takes you on a journey of the lives of Jess and Katie who become friends in the seventh grade. From there, it is one adventure after another which spans until their senior year in high school. It has action, adventure, drama, mystery, friendships, and coming of age romance. It is very clean, and it does have some Christian values weaved into the storylines. I have provided a link from Amazon, as well as the author’s website. Amazon Author’s website

Dear Editors; in regards to the comment by David R. (author) please note: that if you wish to receive a free copy of the first book in The Fuller Creek Series for your review, just leave your name and address through my website in my “contact” page, and I will be more than happy to send you a copy. Thank you.

Do you think that the first book of the ‘The Fuller Creek’ series would be easy and kiddish for a high schooler to read? could you also tell me if the other books in the series that if for the high school kids if they are as clean as the first book? Thanks.

We just read City of Ember. It is fabulous, and very clean. It is the first in a trilogy, but we’re only halfway through the second book, People of Sparks.

All three of us (my husband, my daughter, and myself) write clean books. Freddie Perez has: Children of the Stars series, Dragon’s World, Rangers of Prydous, and Phoenix Regeneration. Stephanie Perez has: Supernatural Police Academy series and Odd Hollowe. Roseann Perez has the Safe Haven series. All are clean. Mostly SF and fantasy. All available on Amazon.

Any clean books that are not sci fi/fantasy? Something lighthearted, not depressing and dark. Funny, even? Thank you.

For the Middle Grade section, “Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes” & “Sophie Quire and the Last Storyguard” (a duet), along with any other book published by Jonathan Auxier. They’re clean, beautiful, and read like prose, but are exciting page-turners. Like a proper quirky modern classic, they can be enjoyed by any age.

A few more I should mention: The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson, Furthermore & Whichwood by Tahereh Mafi, “Snow and Rose” by Emily Winfield Martin, Keeper of The Lost Cities series by Shannon Messenger (Teen), the Serafina series by Robert Beatty (Serafina and the Black Cloak), “The Girl Who Drank the Moon” & “The Witch’s Boy” by Kelly Barnhill, the Fairyland series (The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making) by Catherynne M. Valente, The Peter and the Starcatchers series by Dave Berry, The Greenglass House series by Kate Milford, The Nevermoor Series by Jessica Townsend, and The Winterhouse Series by Ben Guterson. All of these are appropriate and well written, with minimal violence.

Celia’s Journey and The Keeper of the Lost City Series.

I’m thrilled to have stumbled upon your site! I’m always looking for good reads for my teen boys. It’s tough enough to find good books for boys, much less try to read ahead of them for content. You have several series on here that they have not yet read so we will check them out! Thanks so much. I would also like to return the favor and suggest some additions to your list (I have personally read and approved all books in these series and thoroughly enjoyed them as well!) – the Beyonders Trilogy by Brandon Mull (some violence), the Five Kingdoms Quintet by Brandon Mull (some violence but not as much as Beyonders), The Brotherband Chronicles by John Flanagan (Language & Violence, I would suggest age 13 for these), The Summoner Trilogy by Taran Matharu (some violence) – I’ve only read the first book and a half of this series so far.

I agree! Even all of the comments give even more ideas of books to check out. My son reads a lot, and it is impossible to stay ahead of him. It baffles my that there is not a better rating system for books like there are for movies and even video games.

Hi! I loved The Crescent Stone by Matt Mikalatos Clean and hilarious!!!

P.s. it is a series that is in the process so I haven’t read all the ones that have come out, but I imagine the rest will be clean as well.

I love all things by Brandon mull. Fablehaven, Dragonwatch, The Beyonders, and Five Kingdoms are all good and I recommend them to people a lot. I also am in love with The Keeper of the Lost Cities series by Shannon Messenger. I got my whole family reading and loving it. I’m dying for the 9th and finally book, which won’t be out until November 2021.

Triligy: Howl’s Moving Castle, Castle in the Air, and House of Many Ways all by Diana Wynne Jones. These are some of my Go-To books with my kids.

I’m a huge proponent of clean literature leaning towards fantasy! Here’s what I have recently read and would allow my kids to read: The Broken Lands Series by Carrie Summers (3 books in the series) Book 2 has one profanity, light graphic imagery. Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George (3 books in the series) I can vouch for book 1. Red Rope of Fate by K.M. Shea (2 books in the series) I can vouch for book 1. The Lovely Deep by Michelle Pennington. A couple of profanities. Modern fantasy. The Dragon Princess by Lichelle Slater. (4+ books in the series) I can vouch for book 1. Escape the Woods by Gabriella Catherine. One profanity Elven Alliance Series by Tara Grayce (2 book series, book 3 coming soon) I can vouch for book 1-2 Silver and Orchids (5 book series) by Shari L. Tapscott The Four Kingdoms (9 book series) by Melanie Cellier Beyond the Four Kingdoms (6 book series) by Melanie Cellier Eledntimber by Shari L. Tapscott (7 book series) Andari Chronicles by Kenley Davidson (3 book series) Some light profanity throughout The Spy in the Silver Palace by Jordan Rivet (3 books in the series) I can vouch for book 1. 4 profanities (same word each time) Warning-face melting scene. The Prophet’s Apprentice by Cassandra Boyson Fairy Tale Adventures by Angela Marshall (3 book series, book 4 coming soon) The Spoken Mage by Melanie Cellier (4 book series, maybe more to come) Entwined Tales Various Authors (6 book series) Book 5 has light profanity Pathways by Camille Peters (4 books in the series) I can vouch for book 1. The Tethered World by Heather L.L. FitzGerald (3 books in the series) I can vouch for book 1. The Firethorn Crown by Lea Doue (6+ books in the series) I can vouch for book 1. Magic Forged by K.M. Shea. (3 books in the series) I can vouch for book 1. Handful of profanities. Vampires The Grimm Laws by Jennifer Youngblood (4 books in series) I can vouch for books 1-3. Fae of the North by E. Hall (4 books in series) I can vouch for book 1. Ebba-Viva Fairisles: Immortal Plunder by Kelly St. Clare (7 books in the series) I can vouch for book 1. The Godseeker Duet by David A Willson (2 books in the series) I can vouch for book 1. Very religious overtones. Resistance by Jaye L Knight (9 books in the series) I can vouch for book 1 Before Beauty by Brittany Fichter (7 books in the series) I can vouch for book 1 A Reluctant Assassin by J.C. Morrows (10 books in the series) I can vouch for book 1 The Ravenwood Saga by Morgan L. Busse (3 books in the series) Some religious overtones. Protectors of the Spear by MaryLu Tyndall (3 books in the series) Very religious overtones. Follower of the Word by Morgan L. Busse (3 books in the series) Very religious overtones. A Branch of Silver, A Branch of Gold by Anne Elisabeth Stengl This one is dark but YA doable Tales of Goldstone Wood by Anne Elisabeth Stengl (13 books in the series) Huntress by Julie Hall (4 books in the series) I can vouch for book 1 Beauty and the Beast by Jenni James (14 books in the series) I can vouch for book 1 The Door by Lorilyn Robeerts (6 books in the series) I can vouch for book 1

My favorite this year has to be, new author, Sylvia Mercedes. The Venatrix Chronicles (total of 7 books in series). Handful of profanities in each book. Some books are a bit more violent and graphic than the others in regards to the war going on. Homosexual relationship hinted at in book 2 (if this bothers you, NO details).

A couple more: The Subtle Beauty by Ann Hunter (7 books in the series) I can vouch for book 1. A Medieval Fairy Tale by Melanie Dickerson (3 books in the series) Hagenheim by Melanie Dickerson (11 books in the series) I can vouch for books 1-9

If you are looking for books other than fantasy, reply and I can try to help with historical fiction & pirate novels!

We would love to hear all of your ideas. Yes, we need more non-fantasy books on our list. Historical fiction would be amazing additions.

Of course! These are clean novels & most have some religious overtones. There are a few with very heavy overtones. Trouble in Store by Carol Cox The Everstone Chronicles by Dawn Crandall (5 books in the series) I can vouch for book 1-2 The Lady and the Lionheart by Joanne Bischof The Feud Series by Tamara Leigh (3 books in the series) Lady Series by Tamara Leigh (6 books in the series) Age of Faith Series by Tamara Leigh (8 books in the series) Beyond Time Series by Tamra Leigh (2 books in the series) I can vouch for book 1 Marisol by Elva Cobb Martin In a Pirate’s Debt by Elva Cobb Martin Surrender to Destiny by Marylu Tyndall (3 books in the series) Escape to Paradise Series by Marylu Tyndall (3 books in the series) Legacy of the King’s Pirates Series by Marylu Tyndall (6 books in the series) The Falcon and the Sparrow by Marylu Tyndall Charles Towne Belles series by Marylu Tyndall (4 books in the series) Tears of the Sea by Marylu Tyndall Daughters of the Mayflower by various (12 books in the series) Ladies of Distinction series by Jen Turano (5 books in the series) comedy A Class of Their Own series by Jen Turano (3 books in the series) comedy Apart from the Crowd series by Jen Turano (4 books in the series) comedy American Heiresses series by Jen Turano (3 books in the series) I can vouch for books 1-2 comedy A Tailor-Made Bride by Karen Witemeyer To Win Her Heart by Karen Witemeyer Archer Brother series by Karen Witemeyer (3 books in the series) A Worthy Pursuit series by Karen Witemeyer (2 books in the series) Head in the Clouds by Karen Witemeyer The Ashford Chronicles series by Laurie Alice Eakes (2 books in the series) I can vouch for book 1 A Match Made in Texas by various (4 books in the series) The Regency Spies of London by Melanie Dickerson (3 books in the series) Deeanne Gist books Regency Refuge series by Heather Gray (3 books in the series)

Michelle Griep books California Historical series by Cathy Marie Hake (2 books in the series) Only in Gooding series by Cathy Marie Hake (5 books in the series) Jennifer Moore books A Rumored Forturne by Joanna Davidson Politano Lady Jayne Disappears by Joanna Davidson Politano Second Chance Cinderella by Carla Capshaw Legacy of Love Series by Melanie Dobson (6 books in the series) I can vouch for book 1 The King Raven Trilogy by Stephen Lawhead The ChristKeepers by Grace Walton (3 books in the series) I can vouch for book 1

i am a teen and an avid reader, but i despise when books have really bad language and sex scenes, so i am forever grateful for this list!! i would like to suggest a couple reads that i adore. my taste is centralized around two specific genres, which are regency romance and military action/suspense. all of the books on this list have absolutely no sex and no language, but great plots. – any traci hunter abramson book(my favorites are the guardians and saint squad series). a lot of her books have quite a few religious references, which not everyone may be into, but the guardians series isn’t at all focused on religion if that is preferred. – edenbrooke and blackmoore by: julianne donaldson – girl from nowhere by: tiffany rosenhan – esther hatch books – undercover saint duo by: frank holdaway(very religion centered and awesome plot) – heidi kimball books hope this is helpful!!

Thank you so much! This is great!

Wow! Thank you!

Thank you very much for creating this website. I am a reader for 13 years and counting. I am now a big fan of the bookseriesrecaps! I am very particular in what I read and I really want to read good books that are wholesome and free from explicit contents. More power and God bless.

Thank you so much for this website. I have been desperate for something new to read that I know is clean and those has been a lifeline. I will is also like to suggest the Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson (with a sequel due sometime) and the Skyward series also by Brandon Sanderson. (probably another book coming too) They are both clean books with mild language that were really good.

For fans of Cinder, I recently read Renegades (same author) and loved it! Fair warning: There is some violence, especially towards the end of book 3; and one of the main characters’ (shifting POV) adoptive parents are gay. This probably isn’t a big deal for some of you or your kids, but personally goes against my standards so I thought I’d mention it. It wasn’t the focus of the book or anything, though. Shannon hale was probably my favorite author in elementary school, and I didn’t see the Ever After High series on here. One of my favorites. Also recommend Brandon Mull- I liked Beyonders and Fablehaven the best. Five kingdoms was good too, but I started to age out/ lose some of my interest waiting for the last two to come out. Divergent is great for dystopia fans (no sex, but there are some make-out scenes I didn’t notice until the second read through). Legend is another, although I can’t remember how clean it was, so you might want to double check on that one. But definitely read Slated. I read Blue Sword recently, which was good. I hadn’t heard of it until I read on a website or something that it was a childhood favorite of Shannon Hale’s. It is a hard/ advanced/ long read. Finally, Brandon Sanderson is my FAVORITE author right now and you absolutely have to read the Way of Kings series (Stormlight Archive). Best series I’ve read in a LONG time- maybe ever. Detailed world building and characters.

‘The Seed of America’ series by Laurie Halse Anderson is a great series with no sex or language, although it does have some violence.

Good book options. They look interesting to read!

Hi! The selection series does imply sex in it and talked about rape and how she wishes she could have sex so I would take that off the clean list because it is definitely not clean

Check out the Character Club Series for tweens. http://Www.characterclubonline.com

Some great clean books 1. The lost princesses trilogy by Jody hedlund 2. The unblemished trilogy by Sara Ella 3. Coral by Sara Ella ( this book does have a trigger warning though so be aware of that) 4. There you’ll find me by Jenny b Jones 5. I’ll be yours by Jenny b Jones 6. Jupiter winds by c.j. Darlington 7. The max and Liz/order of the seven series by Jenny cote 8. Gilt hollow by lorie Langdon (could have one or two minor words in it) 9. A medieval fairy tale trilogy by Melanie Dickerson 10. The scourge by Jennifer a Nielsen 11. Circle of stones by Catherine fisher (again could have a word or two) 12. Windfall by Jennifer e Smith 13. Also all of Kasie west’s books (there’s a lot )

I am thrilled to find your site. I have 3 girls always looking for clean reads. May I suggest my YA Romantic Fantasy (squeaky clean) called Starlight Legend. I can send you a free copy if you’re interested.

We are always interested! I’ll contact you privately. Thanks!

I enjoyed ‘Cinder’ by Marissa Meyer, however be warned, the next in the series ‘Scarlet’ contained what I would call extreme violence. It is a shame that the author chose to go in this direction as the series was enjoyable up to that point. I won’t be reading any more of the books in the series. Also should it really be in the ‘clean’ list as it most definitely isn’t squeaky clean – it’s the stuff of nightmares.

While I appreciate your intentions – as a mom with advanced readers, it was hard to navigate when they were 11 but read like seniors -I am concerned that your list is overwhelmingly white. Please consider books by authors of color.

Jason Reynold’s Track Series (Ghost, Patina, Sunny, Lu) Ibi Zoboi – My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich Kelly Yang – Front Desk (the sequel drops soon, as well) The entire Rick Riordan Presents imprint from Disney Hyperion. Mr. Riordan used his influence as a crazily successful author to promote authors of color writing fantasy novels out of their cultures’ myths, much like he did with The Lightning Thief series and Greek mythology. Any and all of Alan Gratz’s books. He’s not an author of color, but he brings various cultures together in super exciting historical fiction novels centered on famous conflicts. Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed – probably the most beautiful book cover out there and a great story inside I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai

I suggest “The Headspace” by Shaylin Klassen ( https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GLCGR6W ). It deals with some heavy topics like domestic violence and drug/alcohol abuse, but has zero language and is suitable for both tweens and teenagers.

Thank you for your post!! It’s hard to actually search for books with very minimal cursing and 1% to nothing sex scene and this really helps A LOT! I have a 10 year old kid and I wanted to make sure that when she grow up a little, she would start by reading clean YA books.

Suggestions: -The Hero and the Crown -Beauty -The Unicorn Chronicles -Redwall series -Artemis Fowl series

A good clean teen book is skyward by Brandon Sanderson

Dianna Wynne Jones’s Howl’s Moving Castle series also is a fun clean read. There’s even a anime movie based off the first book. It’s one of my favorite series.

The Young Sherlock Holmes series by Andrew Lane appeals to both boy and girl reader alike and are clean reads.

I would suggest Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger. It is a good book for tweens and teens alike. No language, some minor violence, and no sex.

I absolutely love that series and I also recommend it!

Ally Carter’s YA books/series Gallagher Girls (6 books), Heist Society (3 books), Embassy Row (3 books), and Not If I Save You First (stand-alone).

I highly recommend the Keeper of the Lost Cities series! I have recently read all of the books that have been released (Up to book 8, Legacy) and they are all clean. I believe there will be two more books in the series that have not been released yet.

Definitely! These books are marketed as middle-grade novels. There is some violence, but nothing graphic, and the farthest romance goes is kissing. They’re full of action and great characters and are super thick, great for higher level readers who want something clean.

Love this idea! Didn’t have time to read all the comments but my 11 year old loves The Land of Stories series. We did the first one on audio as a family and it was clean. I recommend it to so many Friends with tweens!

Great list! I also suggest ‘The Headspace’, a powerful coming-of-age romance, and perfect for teens or even adults looking for a clean and enjoyable read! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08NDT5JTQ

Morgan Madsen’s Amy and Rogers Epic Detour have on page sex (twice) at the beginning and the end. Just an FYI.

I’d love to get on this list with my YA Fantasy Series – The Arch Mage Series https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0848R1NY4 I’m also interested in clean YA Fantasy for my 6 children and started writing to help my daughter with her chronic illness, depression and anxiety. I plan to have 5 books in the series revolving around Agnes who was injured as a baby and has scars and chronic pain, self doubt, and still manages to summon the courage to save worlds.

I recommend the Blood Rose Rebellion trilogy by Rosalyn Collings Eves. Excellent YA historical fantasy, great reviews, riveting reads, clean and not too violent.

One of my favorite series is the Faylinn series by Mindy Hayes. It is a cute fantasy and romance series and is a very clean and good read for early teens (13+) (all include some kisses, but not like mature): 1. Kaleidoscope 2. Ember 3. Luminary (There is a big battle scene and killing/blood; not super descriptive but still a battle scene). 4. Glimmer (Two friends end up sleeping on same bed, no sex at all or reference to sex!!; a girl suggests why her guy friend has dated so many girls but doesn’t really suggest sex unless you really think about it, like “I see you dating all these girls, you are living a fraternity-college-guy’s dream”).

Just Ella (and all of Annette K Larsen’s books I’ve read so far) are clean and super fun to read too! I would also recommend the Children of Willesden Lane.

This were awesome to read. The last thing I remember by Andrew Klaven (4 in the series called Homelanders). – there were some references to God, should that bother you. But only like a quick prayer when something intense is going on.

Boy Nobody (the unknown assassin series) 3 in the series. I would put this on in the elevated violence category.

Some of my personal favorite clean books that have a younger feel are The Renegades by Marissa Meyer and Elementals by Amie Caufman. I also love the Janitors by Tyler Whitesides. Elementals and Janitors are great for young children with absolutely no language and mild violence. I highly recommend them for the whole family.

Margaret Peterson Haddix’s books are clean! Some of my personal favorites are “Full Ride” and “Double Identity”. I also really liked Jenna Evans Welch’s “Love & Gelato” and “Love & Luck”. They were both clean but interesting at a young adult level, which was good!

Megan Turner’s The Queen’s Thief series. I found it in the JFIC section of my library and it’s clean, sex wise, with some violence. It’s a good series for tweens and even for teens who don’t want to read romancy stuff.

Everless has a sequel, it’s called Evermore

Omg I love reading and I just want to say what a great website for us students to read!!!

I think these books are clean- House of Salt and Sorrows Invictus The Betrothed 10 Blind Dates The Fountains of Silence Uglies Dangerous Harry Potter You already have a bunch of good ones though! I’m glad you had Shannon Hale and Kasie West on there!! And The Lunar Chronicles is so good! Want to reread that someday!

I would like to recommend the Bring me their Hearts series by Sara Wolf. It is a triology followed by Find me their Bones and Send me their Souls.

It is a pretty clean series which is intense enough to keep the teens interested. Though, I do have to warn about a bit of violence towards the end of the first book.

It has a strong and very much likable female lead. Despite her minimum flaws, she has a lot of great qualities to look up to. Compassion being one of them.

It has the PERFECT blend of humor, sarcasm, friendship, action, adventure, romance. I recommend it for fantasy-loving teens out there.

Echo by Pam Muñzo Ryan

would be a great read for Tweens

I recommend The Hidden World: a Novel by Gabriella Sulzbach. It is clean, beautifully written, and by a 12-year-old author.

My almost 13-year old daughter is a voracious reader and always has been! Thanks for this site, it is hard to find clean, high-quality, well-written books with meaningful themes and now that she is moving beyond middle-grade books I’m a bit worried we won’t be able to find engaging series for her to enjoy. We have very high standards for content and try to find not only “clean” books but books with resonant ideas and/or themes.

Our absolute favorites include:

House Above the Trees and Wind Boy by Ethel Cook Eliot – both very sweet and enlightening fantasy stories with deeper themes and child-like innocence.

Classics like Heidi by Johanna Spyri; Anne of the Green Gables Series and Emily of New Moon Series by Lucy Maud Montgomery; Little Women Series by Louisa May Alcott; The Secret Garden, A Little Princess, and Little Lord Fauntleroy by Frances Hodgson Burnett; Trumpet of the Swan and Stuart Little by E.B. White; Emily’s Runaway Imagination by Beverly Cleary; Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne; Wheel on the School by Meindert DeJong remain some of our favorites.

She also really enjoyed these series for younger/middle-grade readers The Emily Windsnap Series by Liz Kessler; Phantom Stallion and Phantom Stallion: Wild Horse Island Series by Terri Farley; Where the Mountain Meets the Moon Series and other books by Grace Lin; Animal Ark Series by Ben Baglio; Boxcar Children Series by Gertrude Chandler Warner; The 13-Story Treehouse Series by Andy Griffiths; Mr. Lemoncello’s Library Series by Chris Grabenstein; The Faun and the Woodcutter’s Daughter, The Lady of the Linden Tree, the Goldfinch Garden by Barbara Leonie Picard (compilation of short of fairytales); and the list goes on…

More recently her favorites have been the Keeper of the Lost Cities series by Shannon Messenger; The Warriors Series by Erin Hunter; the Wings of Fire Series by Tui Sutherland; Charlie Bone Series by Jenny Nimmo; The Last Dragon Chronicles by Chris d’Lacey; the Rick Riordon series starring Percy Jackson; The Pendragon Series by D.J. Machale; The Septimus Heap Series by Angie Sage; The Map to Everywhere Series by Carrie Ryan; The Edge Chronicles Series by Paul Stewart; The Jack Blank and Order of the Majestic Series by Matt Myklusch; Wonder and related books by R.J. Palacio; The Green Glass House Series by Kate Milford; A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park; The Silver Wings Series by Kenneth Opal; and more!

Favorite Graphic Novels: The Smile series and other books by Raina Telgemeier; Magus of the Library Series by Mitsu Izumi; The Complete Chi’s Sweet Home by Konami Kanata; The New Kid and Class Act by Jerry Craft; and others.

Thank you! This is great!

One more favorite, the Dragonsdale series by Salamanda Drake.

My YA novel, Going for the Record (Eerdmans BFYR 2021) is a clean read. I hear from many readers who are as young as 9, 10, 11, and a 7th grade teacher in our area teaches the book in a unit in his classes.

Lockwood & Co

Super fabulous series. Minimal “violence”…mainly against ghosts. No sex. Don’t remember much cursing either. Great series!

Clean YA books? Oh GOD!!!!! The Gallagher Girl series, it’s AMAZING because they’re clean but you can feel the shift in the writing and the characters as they grow and mature. Another favourite series is The Harry Potter series of course. Any Rick Riordan, Sarah Dessen, or Katie West books. All VERY talented authors, all with very clean books. I’ve read just about every Kasue West, Sarah Dessen, and Rick Riordan books and have loved them all. Another really good clean book I absolutely love is A Secret Service by Joy Jenkins, she is FOR SURE one of the most talented authors I’ve recently read from. She has so many beautiful works on Wattpad and I was beyond elated to discover she FINALLY PUBLISHED! a Secret Service everyone, just check it out.

Thank you for adding to our list!

The Giver series by Lois Lowry. It’s my favorite book!!!

I’d love to whole-heartedly recommend The Thief series, for young adults, by Megan WhalenTurner. I read them all as an adult and was drawn in, deeply impressed by both their intelligence and story-building suspense. So good!

Do you mind if authors recommend themselves? I write a contemporary/historical clean series called Between Worlds. It’s about two teen girls a century apart–Juliana today and her great-grandmother Elisabeth a century ago in Eastern Europe. They’re connected via Elisabeth’s diary of drawings, which Juliana’s grandfather–Elisabeth’s son–has to interpret for Juliana despite his being in the early stages of dementia. For parents: it looks at family dynamics, dementia, mental health, and the after-effects of war (but nothing graphic). The arts play an important role, too.

Of course, you can! Thanks for recommending your book! Sounds awesome. -Sara http://www.sarawatterson.com

Paranormalcy series by Kiersten White is good and clean. Thank you for this list!

The Ascendance Series (only the first three because the last two books in the series are very recently published.) and the Mark of the Thief Series. I’ve only read the first book of Mark of the Thief, but I’ve never seen anything inappropriate from Jennifer A. Nelson.

I am so happy to have found this site. I’m the YA author of the Kindle Vella story: The Uncertainty of Fire. (The story image is listed and linked above under The Impossible Princess, which I believe is a different Kindle Vella story that I’ve not had a chance to read yet.) But my story is also a clean and Christian YA historical offering. Though written for teens, I hope moms and adults will also find it enjoyable should they pre-screen. The story is now complete and you don’t have to wait for episodes. And I’m finding new titles on this list that I want to add to my tbr. Thank you for compiling such a wonderful resource.

Thanks for reaching out, Stephanie! Let us know if you publish your story as one complete work, and we’ll update the link. (I think most of our readers prefer a paper book or e-book, but perhaps they just don’t know about Kindle Vella yet.) Don’t hesitate to list any other clean suggestions on this page. We’re committed to finding them! Also, I updated the text link above. 🙂

– Sara, Author of This Dreamer (Kindle Vella)

Thank you so much. You’re quick! My story has been updated to complete. I was so shocked and thrilled to find this page and see my story listed. I am in the process of publishing it as a book and ebook now with a goal of releasing this spring. This is a series but with different main characters featured as the protagonist. Working on Story/Book 2 now. I look forward to being able to make recommendations here. I love reading clean YA.

The four kingdoms series and beyond the four kingdoms series by Melanie Cellier are great! And clean <3

Thanks, Tina!

Signifigance series by Shelly Crane and Starstruck series by Brenda Hiatt. My two favorites.

Sins of Our Ancestors series by Bridget E. Baker is the one I’m currently reading and it’s amazing.

I actually write clean Fantasy Romance novels for teens and young adults. I have a free Kindle Promotion today if anyone is interested in checking out one of my novels. It’s called Unwritten, and it’s the first book in a series called The Written World. I will try to include a link, but if I am unable to, you can simply type in: Unwritten Summer McRae Copy and paste: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01L4QF7LK/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0 Hope you enjoy!

Thanks for providing sharing your book!

Anything by K.M. Shea is clean and fun, and same with W.R. Gingell and Brittany Fichter.

I also write clean fantasy and currently have nine books out. (I’m currently working on an epic fantasy series that involves elemental magic, and a portal fantasy series with one book currently released) Here’s the link to my Amazon profile: https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B086WRWGVN

Thank you so much for putting this list together! Finding clean, good books for teens is one of my passions as well!

Thanks for the info Meagan! I’ll check out your book!

I recommend “Out of My Mind” by Sharon M. Draper. It is a great book and it’s clean.

Jeff Wheeler has several fantasy adventure series that appeal to both YA and adults that are clean. I pre-read them and my girls have enjoyed them very much. There is violence, but zero language or sex. The favorite here is the first Muirwood trilogy.

Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger

It looks nice.

A mages influence series : Melanie Cellier Spoken mage series : Melanie Cellier The hidden mage series : Melani Cellier The four kingdoms series : Melanie Cellier Beyond the four kingdoms series : Melanie Cellier Return to the four kingdoms series : Melanie Cellier Inheritance cycle : Christpher Poalini Inkhert Trilogy : Cornelia Funke Keeper of the lost cities series : Shannon Messanger Rangers apprentice series : John Flannagan The underland chronicles : Suzanne Collins

Thank you for putting this out there. I agree with your opinion and I hope more people would come to agree with this as well.

I am surprised that Robin McKinley didn’t make this list. Beauty Spindle’s End Outlaws of Sherwood Blue Sword Hero and the Crown

Michael Vey Series (clean although violence but if I recall correctly the first one is fine and then it gets more violent as the series goes along)

I just finished reading a NEWly published book (it’s only been a week!) called Silver Sparks by J. S. Bowers. Once I finished reading, I thought it would be an excellent clean read for my teenage nieces, who are growing up in a Christian home and visit their grandparents in the countryside often! It has an environmental theme and a touch of fantasy. The main character, Kaneia, grows up in an unorthodox (hippy-dippy?) rural Christian home, and has wonderful interactions with other characters that share her faith, but also characters that have different or non-religious/secular viewpoints. She’s also homeschooled, unlike the other children/teens, but she is never ridiculed for it.

There are a few things to mention (which I will mention to my nieces’ parents): Even though the characters are about 16 years old/high school age, it reads very pre-teen for the first half of the book. There is some kissing later in the book, and one instance where one of them has an involuntary reaction, and the lead character does the best thing: walks away and pretends not to notice so as not to embarrass him. The author writes intelligently and doesn’t rely on any cursing to relay what a character is feeling, which I appreciate! There is a scene with a frightful accident that could be considered graphic (blood and contusions from a falling injury), but there are no violent, malicious acts towards people and everything ends up okay in the end. Kaneia was also orphaned as a child and is raised by her adopted mother and older sister. They do mention that the parents died in a fire when she was a baby, but the scene isn’t replayed in any way.

I haven’t finished reading J. S. Bowers’s other book, Wash Away, so I can’t recommend it yet is a clean read. Like Silver Sparks, the cover illustration is gorgeous! If you are looking for a brand new author on the scene and a clean gem of a book, I highly recommend Silver Sparks. There’s a current promotion to get the book for free on Kindle, but I splurged for the paperback version. Worth every penny.

(I am including a link for reference, not to solicit).

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B7NTJ8VS/ref=dbs_a_def_awm_bibl_vppi_i1

Thank you so much for writing this article! I am 14 now and I am still reading mostly middle grade books because I dare not venture into the teen section. I’d like to recommend anything written by Jennifer A. Nielsen (I have yet to read a book by her that has anything inappropriate) or Brandon Mull. Most of the series written by Erin Hunter are good, but Bravelands is a little heavy for younger readers, and the Warriors series seems to get slightly darker with each series that is written (though I have yet to come across anything bad). Wings of Fire by Tui T. Sutherland is also fairly clean, but the standalone book Darkstalker is, as the name suggests, much heavier and darker than the others. It has more violence and a lot of the characters grapple with problems that younger readers may not sympathize with.

Thank you, Jocelyn! Great suggestions. Jennifer A. Nielsen is a favorite at our house as well!

Harley Merlin by Bella Forrest…. a great series for teens and adults alike

The Hunger Game isn’t clean. It has romance.

Enemy Brothers by Constance Savery This is an excellent book set (and written) during World War ll. A very special story about a boy faced with the difficult choice of choosing/discovering where he belongs. The Letter for the King and the sequel The Secrets of the Wild Wood by Tonke Dragt YA, but appropriate for younger readers as well Song of Seven by Tonke Dragt Creative, mysterious fantasy The Great and Terrible Quest by Margaret Lovett YA, a bit too wordy for most middle-grade readers to follow and a bit violent for sensitive children Jonathan by Margaret Lovett A moving story of sacrifice and found family. Historical fiction set during the industrial revolution in England. My Diary from the Edge of the World by Jodi Lynn Anderson Awesome alternate Earth fantasy story about a family on an extended road trip. The Goldsmith and the Master Thief by Tonke Dragt This is a compilation of short stories centering around twin brothers. Witty and unique. Throne of Athlumney by Charline Davis and C.E. Boyle Funny light-hearted medieval novella. Sherwood Ring by Mary Elizabeth Pope Humorous fantasy historical fiction novel set during revolutionary America. Friendly ghosts and family secrets abound. Circle Trilogy (Black, Red, and White) by Ted Dekker YA, Action-packed powerfully written fantasy/real-world allegory. (Some mature themes so recommended for teens and up.) Red Sails to Capri by Ann Weil Amusing historical fiction The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge Enchantingly written fantasy story with a likeable heroine. The Giant-Slayer by Iain Lawrence This is a sweet historical fiction mashed up with an adorable fantasy story. Ronja (or Ronia in some editions) by Astrid Lindgren A Swedish classic. Fantasy world with sweet childhood friendship and an important message about standing for what’s right. What Katy Did (series) by Susan Coolidge These stories written by a Civil War nurse are wonderful for girls. What Katy Did, What Katy Did at School, What Katy Did Next, Clover, and In the High Valley. Easy to find in the library, buy used, or read free online or in iBooks etc. Otherwood by Pete Hautman Intriguing middle-grade and above fantasy about slipping into alternate worlds. (Does have a sudden death that might be upsetting to younger readers.) Wikkeling by Steven Arntson Creative middle-school level novel, but funny enough to be enjoyed by all ages. Treekeepers by Susan McGee Britton Another must-read. This wonderful allegory isn’t heavy-handed like some, but fresh, unique and very special. We read this aloud as a family and it is one of my daughter’s favorites. Heartwood Hotel (series of 4 books) by Kallie George My daughter loved this novel series back when she only wanted to read graphic novels. There’s enough illustrations to keep struggling readers motivated. Sweet animal friendships. The Journey with the Golden Book and The Quest for the Silver Castle by Lela Gilbert Fantasy allegories for children you won’t want to miss. Prince Vance by Arlo Bates This is an old book about a selfish young prince being challenged to become more. Available for free on iBooks etc The Bridge, The Crown and Jewel, and The Two Collars (series) by Jeri Massi Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli Middle grades; Medieval historical fiction Behind the Bedroom Wall by Laura E. WIlliams Middle grades; historical fiction set during WWll. GRAPHIC NOVELS: Jim Henson’s Power of the Dark Crystal (3 volumes) by Simon Spurrier Amazing art, complex world, middle-grade to adults. Zita the Spacegirl trilogy and Mighty Jack trilogy by Ben Hatke The BEST middle-grade graphic novel series ever! The Flying Beaver Brothers series (6 books) by Maxwell Eaton lll Elementary age. Silly action and humor. Bird & Squirrel series (6 books) by James Burks Little Robot by Ben Hatke (author of the Zita and Mighty Jack books) Wordless and cute Korgi series by Christian Slade Another wordless one, creative and with beautiful drawings. Books 1 & 2 are great for young children, but the later ones get quite a bit darker. Robot Dreams by Sara Varon Interest for ages 8-12. Almost wordless. There’s words in the pictures but not dialogue. Kerry and Knight of the Forest by Andi Watson Interest for ages 8-14 Missile Mouse (2 books) by Jake Parker Interest for ages 8-14 Alice in Wonderland Graphic Novel by Russell Punter Lightfall: The Girl & the Galdurian by Tim Probert Interest for ages 8-14.

Wow! Thank you for all the great suggestions!

Glad to! I hope some of them can be helpful!

Keeper of the lost cities is a great series

it’s by Shanon Messenger

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart is another great series. It is also a TV show on Disney +

Fish in a tree by Lynda Hunt The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S Lewis and my personal favorite, The Wingfeather saga by Andrew Peterson

The Spoken Mage series by Melanie Cellier The Four Kingdoms series by Melanie Cellier Fablehaven series by Brandon Mull Dragon watch series by Brandon Mull The Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander Pathways series by Camille Peters Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling

Here’s a few more suggestions that I didn’t remember to include in the list last week, but they are too deserving to be missed.

Rapunzel and the Lost Lagoon and Rapunzel and the Vanishing Village by Leila Howland Great for fans of the amazing Tangled the series TV show The Mistmantle Chronicles (5 book series) by M. I. McAllister Anthropomorphic squirrels, hedgehogs and moles inhabit this (slightly allegorical) fantasy world. It’s full of struggles for honor, truth, and bravery, with endearing, relatable characters and meaningful relationships. Highly recommend. The Tripod series (4 book series) by John Christopher Well-written and action-packed, this series is perfect for any sci-fi fan.

I’m a YA author and chose to publish my own books so I could keep them clean. I wrote a Duology that is YA fantasy with some romance, but for ages 15 and up it’s very clean.

Alliance by E.B. Bridenstine Devotion by E.B. Bridenstine

I would also like to put the Hollow Kingdom trilogy by Clare B Dunkle forward. Great books for this age group!

The Winternight trilogy is amazing but might not be for tweens. The Girl in the Tower has a scene where the main character, a teenage girl disguising herself as a young man, has her breasts forcibly bared to a crowd to ruin her disguise.

Toward a Secret Sky by Heather Maclean is a really good book. It’s been a while since I read it, but I don’t remember any cussing or inappropriate scenes.

The Arch Mage series by Cami Murdock Jensen.

Ranger’s Apprentice series is appropriate with no weird scenes.

The Stoker and Holmes Series by Colleen Gleason is a really good series. It is clean with no sex scenes, good characters, lots of funny things, romance. It has a few swears, but other than that it is good. I highly recommend it for anyone wanting to read a clean YA book.

The Book Thief (some language and violence) – Markus Zusak The maze runner series (violence) – James Dashner Before we were yours – Lisa wingate Fahrenheit 451 (violence) – Ray Bradbury

I see the Wings of Fire series was recommended a couple of times in the comments. This is not a clean series. It has strong LGBTQ themes introduced in the later books (10 and on). Book 13, The Poison Jungle, features a lesbian dragon relationship as a major plot point. The Wings of Fire series also contains some gruesome violence.

Agree. The first set of books were decent but LGBTQ was added into the later books

I loved Lockwood & Co and it’s totally clean.

Young Samurai series by Chris Bradford is great. Read them to my daughter then to my sons a few years later. Does have some violence.

Also John Flanagan’s Brotherband series and the Ranger’s Apprentice series are also great books. They do have some violence. Language is mild. No Sex.

The Forgotten Five series- Lisa McMann (probably middle grade) Gordon Korman ( all of his books are great) The Five Ancestors series-Jeff Stone Explorer Academy series – Trudi Truit Jennifer Nielsen ( all of her books are great)

The City of Ember series by Jeanne DuPrau is a good clean series. Stuart Gibbs is also a good author. Haven’t read all of his books, but the ones we have read are clean. Also James Ponti’s – City Spies series, and Framed series are good middle grade books

My trilogy, The Lost Stones of Argonia, is a high fantasy clean read, and I would love to have it listed here. (I mentioned it a year or two ago, not sure what happened. :)) Books 1 and 2–Kingdom Lost, and Quest of the Queen are out. 3rd book in the trilogy–Battle for the Crown–is due out in September.

Melline cellers books are good

Rick riordans books are all clean

I have just one thing to say: Thank you for existing! Teaching at a Christian middle school is so tough when I am updating my library myself and can’t read all the books or trust commonsense.org to give me the right details.

Can anyone comment on the Ben Archer book series by Rae Knightly? I researched and they seemed clean so sent them to my nephew.

All of Kate Stradling’s books are clean and very entertaining. My favorites are: Soot and Slipper Bone and Brine The Heir and the Spare Goldmayne (the kids and my favorite!) Thrushbeard There are a few others as well that I can’t think of at the moment. Check out her books. Totally clean and very captivating!

As a teen I personally love Melanie Cellier’s books. The books are clean by pretty much anyone’s standards, but still deliver action and romance.

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The Best Book Series for Adults in Every Genre

Emily Martin

Emily has a PhD in English from the University of Southern Mississippi, MS, and she has an MFA in Creative Writing from GCSU in Milledgeville, GA, home of Flannery O’Connor. She spends her free time reading, watching horror movies and musicals, cuddling cats, Instagramming pictures of cats, and blogging/podcasting about books with the ladies over at #BookSquadGoals (www.booksquadgoals.com). She can be reached at [email protected].

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Forget about spending your summer marathoning your favorite Netflix shows (again). Try powering through your next favorite book series. With so many great books out there and so little time, it can be hard to know where to begin with book series. So, to make it a little easier for you, I’ve put together a list of some of the best book series for adults in every genre. Now pick your favorite, pick a comfy reading spot, and get to your summer reading marathon ASAP!

Science Fiction

The broken earth series by n.k. jemisin.

On a planet with a single supercontinent called The Stillness, the inhabitants endure what is called a “Fifth Season” every few centuries. The Fifth Season brings on disastrous climate change, and the people on the planet must struggle to survive. The series centers around Essun and her daughter Nassun, two magically talented people (orogenes) who are separated before the start of the most recent Fifth Season.

Area X by Jeff VanDerMeer

Also known as The   Southern Reach Trilogy,  Jeff VanDerMeer’s  Area X  books are now available in one volume for your marathon reading convenience. Area X is a remote location that’s been cut off from the rest of the continent for decades. Expeditions into the area have proven unsuccessful, with the majority of the explorers dying. The 12th expedition is a group of women: an anthropologist, a surveyor, a psychologist, and our narrator, a biologist. This is how  Annihilation , the first book in the trilogy, begins. From there, expect the unexpected.

The MaddAddam Trilogy by Margaret Atwood

This trilogy, featuring the novels  Oryx and Crake ,  The Year of the Flood , and  MaddAddam ,  is set in a dystopian future world that has been forever changed by plagues, floods, and genetic engineering. Only a few humans remain on Earth, fighting to survive. What makes this novel all the more unsettling is how easy it is to imagine our world devolving into the place Atwood has imagined in her series.

The Mars Trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson

What would happened if humans colonized Mars? Kim Stanley Robinson explores that idea in this series. The first novel,  Red Mars ,  is about the settlement of a colony on Mars.  Green Mars   picks up thirty years later as the colony is terraforming the planet. Lastly, with a wider scope than the first two books,  Blue Mars   examines the long term effects of the colonization of Mars, with the book covering an entire century. In addition, Robinson has written a collection of short stories called  The Martians   that take place over the same period of time as the three novels in the trilogy. Robinson uses these stories to imagine a successful colonization of Mars while Earth is suffering from ecological disasters and overpopulation.

The Lady Astronaut series by Mary Robinette Kowal

As a newer series, Mary Robinette Kowal’s  Lady Astronaut  series is only two books long; however, Kowal has promised more books in the series are forthcoming. The series starts off in 1952 after a meteorite falls to earth and destroys Washington D.C. along with much of the U.S.’s Eastern coast. The Meteorite will ultimately lead to a climate cataclysm, forcing Earth to accelerate their efforts to colonize space.

The Kingkiller Chronicle by Patrick Rothfuss

Another newer series, Patrick Rothfuss’s Kingkiller Chronicles consists of two published books, with the third book in the series,  The Doors of Stone , forthcoming. This is the story of Kvothe, an adventurer and musician, as he recalls his life’s adventures to a scribe named Devan Lochees, also called The Chronicler. Eventually, Kvothe will grow up to be the most notorious wizard the world has even known. This is his journey, alternating between the present timeline and looking back at how Kvothe got to where he is today.

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

This series is so new that there is only one book currently available, but the second book in the series,  The Dragon Republic,  will be released in August of this year. So you won’t have to wait much longer! This adult fantasy series is based on the history and politics of mid-20th century China and the Second Sino-Japanese War. The story follows protagonist Rin as she goes from being a poor orphan to training to be a part of an elite militia academy.

The Malazan Book of the Fallen series by Steven Erikson

For an epic fantasy series with many books currently published, check out this series, starting with the first of the ten books,  Gardens of the Moon .  In this series, Steven Erikson tells the epic fantasy story of the Malazan Empire, including many characters’ stories spanning thousands of years across multiple continents. Interestingly, this world was first created as a backdrop for a  Dungeons & Dragons   campaign, which partially explains why the world and characters in it are so detailed.

Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor

Part fantasy and part dystopian fiction,  Who Fears Death  is set in the distant future in a post-nuclear-holocaust Africa. Onyesonwu (whose name means “who fears death?”) is born into this world out of violence. But she is also born with magic and a destiny to end the genocide of her people. Currently, Who Fears Death  and the prequel  The Book of Phoenix ,  but with HBO recently optioning this for a television series, it’s likely there will be more to this story soon.

The Lady Sherlock series by Sherry Thomas

In this gender-swapped series inspired by Sherlock Holmes ,  Charlotte Holmes investigates crimes under the pseudonym “Sherlock.” Charlotte first gets into investigation in order to clear her family name after her father and sister are suspected of a crime. What follows from there are a series of investigations starring Charlotte and her helpful assistant Mrs. Watson. Thomas’s feminist take on these characters, reimagined as women subverting the gender norms of their time, is a whole lot of fun, and there are currently four novels available in this series. The fifth is expected to release in 2020.

Dublin Murder Squad by Tana French

Each novel in this mystery series follows a different detective character loosely connected to previous protagonists in the series because they all work within the same murder squad in Dublin, Ireland. If you’re interested in a character-driven mystery series, Tana French’s novels cannot be missed. Start with the first book in the series,  In The Woods,  or read them in whatever order you’d like. For a thoughtful suggestion on which Dublin Murder Squad books you should read first, check out this Book Riot article .

The Easy Rawlins series by Walter Mosley

Walter Mosley’s private detective Easy Rawlins is a compelling character for many reasons. He’s an African American private detective working in the often racist setting of Los Angeles in the 1940s to the 1960s. Because of this, issues of racism and social justice are just as integral to the storyline as the mysteries Rawlins is solving. Mosley has written 14 novels and a collection of short stories featuring Rawlins, so there are plenty of Rawlins mysteries to get you through the rest of the summer.

The Perveen Mistry series by Sujata Massey

If you’re looking to jump into a newer mystery series, Sujata Massey’s  Perveen Mistry  series is the way to go, with the second novel in the series,  The Satapur Moonstone ,  having just been published a month or so ago. This series is set in 1920s Bombay, and it is based on an actual person from history, Cornelia Sorabji, India’s first woman lawyer.

The Loyal League series by Alyssa Cole

There are three books currently available to read in this historical romance set during the Civil War in America. The books in this series follow the story of a group of Black spies who are working for the Union Army. While on missions, however, these spies find much more than just the information they need to fight against the Confederate soldiers. They find romance.

The Beautiful series by Christina Lauren

Written by Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings under the singular pen name Christina Lauren, The Beautiful Series(also known as The Beautiful Bastard Series) is a collection of romance novels and novellas featuring Chloe, a hardworking intern, and Bennett Ryan, her no-nonsense, extremely demanding (and yet extremely attractive) boss.

Bollywood by Sonali Dev

Sonali Dev’s  Bollywood  series currently consists of four loosely connected romance novels which can be read in any order. The first novel in the series,  A Bollywood Affair ,  follows Mili, a girl who grew up in a small village and was promised to a man when she was only four years old. In order to prepare her for this marriage, Mili’s family sends her off to America to go to school and learn how to be the perfect modern wife. However, unbeknownst to Mili, the man she is meant to marry has moved on and is involved with another woman. Samir Rathod, a beloved Bollywood director, goes to America to find Mili and secure a divorce for his brother. But when Samir meets Mili, he becomes much more involved in her life than he intended.

The Crossfire Series by Sylvia Day

The Crossfire Series  follows the romantic journey of Eva Tramell and Gideon Cross. Eva moves to New York from San Diego for a chance at a new start after an abusive childhood. When she meets her boss Gideon Cross, she immediately feels a connection. Then she discovers Gideon also comes from a troubled past, and the two begin to find ways to heal one another.

The Newsflesh series by Mira Grant

In the year 2014, humans discovered a means for curing diseases. Cancer became a thing of the past. The only problem? The cure created something new: an infection that spreads quickly and takes over a person’s body and mind, essentially creating zombie-like beings. This series starts twenty years after the spread of this infection. Protagonists Georgia and Shaun are trying to discover what lead to this infection. But in a future America paralyzed by fear, no one with any sense dares to leave their home. Georgia and Shaun’s search for the truth might just kill them.

The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice

Interview with the Vampire   by Anne Rice is basically a classic by now, and for good reason. Anne Rice’s vision of vampires has essentially shaped the way we view vampires in contemporary literature. With 13 books currently available in the series, you could be following Lestat and his fellow vampire’s storylines through an intense marathon reading session all summer long. The most recent novel in the series,  Blood Communion ,  just came out last year, so it doesn’t look like Anne Rice’s successful vampire chronicles are going anywhere anytime soon.

Historical Fiction

The war of the roses series by conn iggulden.

There are many adult series about The War of the Roses out there, but Con Iggulden’s is by far the best, especially if you’re looking for thoughtful and meaningful characterization. The first novel,  Stormbird ,  begins in 1437, following the death of King Edward III. Following what was a mostly peaceful regency, Henry VI ascends the throne to an atmosphere of political unrest and uncertainty.

The Wolf Hall series by Hilary Mantel

Wolf Hall chronicles one of the most fascinating moments in British history, the reign of Henry VIII. The novels are told from the perspective of Thomas Cromwell, one of Henry Tudor’s most trusted advisors. Mantel follows Thomas Cromwell’s journey from his humble beginnings, to his rise to a powerful advisor of the court, and finally to his eventual downfall. The first two books in the series are currently available, and the third is coming out in 2020. So catch up on the first two now so you can start preparing for this series’ thrilling conclusion.

Still not sure which is the best book series for adults for you to read? Be sure to check out Book Riot’s subscription service TBR for tailored book recommendations, picked out just for you. Specify that you’re looking for an adult series, and your Bibliologist will hook you up!

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Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Books of 2024 So Far

Congratulations to Kaliane Bradley on The Ministry of Time , our pick for the best science fiction and fantasy of 2024 so far. Looking for more? Browse all of the best books of 2024 so far

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All Nominees • 497,369 votes total

2022 Rules & Eligibility

The 2022 Goodreads Choice Awards have two rounds of voting open to all registered Goodreads members. Winners will be announced December 08, 2022.

Opening Round: Nov 15 - 27

In the first round there are 20 books in each of the 15 categories, and members can vote for one book in each category.

Final Round: Nov 29 - Dec 04

The field narrows to the top 10 books in each category, and members have one last chance to vote!

2022 Eligibility

Books published in the United States in English, including works in translation and other significant rereleases, between November 17, 2021, and November 15, 2022, are eligible for the 2022 Goodreads Choice Awards. Books published between November 16, 2022, and November 12, 2023, will be eligible for the 2023 awards.

We analyze statistics from the millions of books added, rated, and reviewed on Goodreads to nominate 20 books in each category. Opening round official nominees must have an average rating of 3.50 or higher at the time of launch. A book may be nominated in no more than one genre category, but can also be nominated in the Debut Novel category. Only one book in a series may be nominated per category. An author may receive multiple nominations within a single category if he or she has more than one eligible series or more than one eligible stand-alone book. Learn more

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10 of the Most Heartbreakingly Romantic Books Ever Written

Abandon all hope of a happy ending, ye who enter here. If you’re looking for a sexy beach read, you might wanna find another list. Like in a real world, romance in these books is gonna be rough going. After all, the course of true love never did run smooth. Sometimes it runs in the other direction all together.

The Great Gatsby

I’m coming in hot to say that The Great Gatsby , despite a conspicuous lack of kisses, is one of the greatest romantic novels of all time. It’s really more of a romantic elegy. The romance already happened, and now the characters are looking back upon it. Despite what roaring ’20s Hollywood adaptations would have you believe, the source material’s tone is one of sheer melancholy. It feels like looking at old Polaroids of a party you went to long ago. That’s the point of the book!

The nouveau riche Jay Gatsby is attempting to reignite his old romance with socialite Daisy Buchanan, and this novel provides a gorgeous cautionary tale about why attempting to reflame old passions is never a good idea.

Giovanni’s Room

Another heartbreaker, Giovanni’s Room is an incomparable work of queer romantic fiction by the late, great James Baldwin. The narrator recounts an old romance he sparked up while in Europe with the gorgeous Giovanni. Taking place at a time when queer men were met with particular stigma, their romance was practically doomed to fall apart from the beginning. And fall apart it does, beautifully, like watching the slow and graceful wilting of a flower. It’s a reflection on the difficulty of love and relationships, no matter one’s sexuality or gender.

The Song of Achilles

And the sobbing continues. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller is a crushingly beautiful read. Painstakingly revised over the course of a decade, the novel reads more like a long-form poem than prose. It centers around the mythical relationship between Ancient Greek demigod Achilles and his lover Patroclus. Miller reimagines the lovers as a pair of childhood best friends who soon discover that their love for one another is deeper than they once thought. The lovers defy kings, gods, and the stars themselves to stay together to the bitter, prophesied end.

Pride and Prejudice

We’re taking a break from all the sad lovers biz to bring you what is widely considered the greatest work of romantic fiction ever written! Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is the ultimate enemies to lovers arc, and begins with the quick-to-judge Elizebeth Bennet and the aloof Fitzwilliam Darcy immediately rubbing each other the wrong way at the fancy English countryside party to which they were both invited. As time passes, the pair begin to let their pride and prejudices (title drop) toward one another go and see the hearts of gold that beat inside both their chests. There’s a reason that this novel has been interpreted for the screen a bajillion times, because it deserves no less.

Call Me By Your Name

Uh oh. What is that young twink about to do with that fresh produce? You’re about to find out. Call Me By Your Name is a love story between a teenage boy who falls in love with a graduate student in the summer of 1983 in Northern Italy. While initially reluctant to get the love fires a-burning, the pair’s passions reach inferno levels after spending their summer days together. The novel features a swoon-worthy theme of calling a lover by your own name, treating them as an extension of yourself. And sex with peaches. Witheringly romantic.

The fantasy romance Outlander just works . Who among us hasn’t dreamed of being swept up in the burly arms of an 18th-century Scottish warrior man? After a honeymoon trip to see some ancient standing stones, British nurse Claire Randall is whisked away from her husband through the annals of time! She discovers that she has been transported to the 1700s after coming in contact with one of the stones, and she comes in contact with a highlander who desperately needs her medical knowledge (and tender love) to help his clan survive. Things get even more complicated when Clair meets her future husband’s evil past ancestors, and a wild historical fantasy romp is born.

The Notebook

The heartbreak train keeps on rolling. The Notebook tells the story of a pair of lovers over five decades, beginning with their passionately romantic beginnings and ending with the heroine Allie’s eventual Alzheimer’s diagnosis. The details of their relationship are recorded in a notebook, which Allie’s husband Noah reads to her in their final years in an effort to get her to remember him once again. World War II, family tragedies, these two people have been through a lot . It’s a testament to the fleeting nature of youth, and the enduring power of love to keep people young nonetheless.

Morning Glory

What is it about World War II that makes for such good romance stories? Morning Glory revolves around a pair of social outcasts in Georgia who find what they need in one another at the beginning of the war. Will Parker is a drifter and ex-con, while Ellie Dinsmore lives a shuttered-up life in her grandparents’ house and is known as “Crazy Ellie” throughout her small town. The strength of the novel lies in its powerful portrayal of the little things. Ellie and Will slowly begin to heal one another simply by living a domestic life together. No big battles or time travel, just the coziness and comfort of love at home.

The Time Traveler’s Wife

Henry is an artist with some freaky genetics. He time travels. Totally at random. Just disappears and reappears throughout history. One might think that this would make him undatable, but one would be wrong. Clare falls and love with and marries Henry nonetheless, and the novel centers around her struggle to cope with his frequent absence, as chapters alternate between their perpesctives. What makes loving him even HARDER is that whenever they try to make a baby the baby ends up time traveling right of her … Yes it’s messy. No it doesn’t have to make sense. It’s just high-octane romantic longing. What we’re all here for.

Written On The Body

Written On The Body is unique for its portrayal of its narrator, who is assigned neither name nor gender. They begin an affair with a married woman and deal with the complex emotional fallout that results. The strength of the novel lies in its gorgeous prose, with lines like “ the world will come and go in the tide of a day but here is her hand with my future in its palm .” Banger. In a genre so often defined by gender roles, Written On The Body ‘s non-binary narrator forces the reader to forego such notions and view love as a universal experience undefined by gender. We all love in the same way, after all.

Clinics and Suns: Free Science Fiction and Fantasy eBooks

Summer Tales From Cozy Vales (A Cozy Fantasy Collection Book 2) by L.A. Scott, G Clatworthy, and More: Grab your picnic basket and favorite cold beverage because this anthology of cozy fantasy stories has hours of summer reading waiting for you! Summer Tales is set in Cozy Vales, an original fantasy shared world, and features eight delightful stories set against the solstice holidays of Summer’s Tide and High Summer.

This book is Free on June 27, 2024

I, Warden (The Last Raptori Book 1) by Charles Brass: Fourteen-year-old Warden-trainee Maels Raptori faces off against implacable alien invaders using powerful—and deadly—new technology to conquer Earth. Enslaved, spirited away to their homeworld, and alone in a society of violence, he needs all his wits and skills to fight back if he hopes to save Earth—and himself—from annihilation.

The Bush Clinic (The Tribal Wars Book 1) by Stella Atrium: On Dolvia, Lt. Mike Shaw demands Dr. Greensboro’s doctoring skills at the hospital, forcing the closure of her bush clinic. She witnesses forced labor, forced migration, and the threat of an epidemic from bad water. She sees how tribal women–often wearing burkas–find solutions for saving the children in a conflict zone, and she commits to their cause for Home Rule.

Dissension (Heirs of Denuitia Book 1) by M.J. Rosay: The military caste has always ensured the Imperial line survived, even if they had to create backup heirs themselves. No one told Nyren he was one of them before he violated direct orders and burned a trail of glory across the frontier sectors to save the woman he loved. Now in exile, he has spent the last ten years trying to restore his lover’s memory unaware of his true lineage…

Into the Shadows (Shadowlands Book 1) by Linda Kaye: Lady Snowlark knows her duty in life: to marry the prince and ensure that the throne is secure. But when she is taken captive by one of the dreaded Shadow Warriors who are stirring war across the country, there is only one thought on her mind: to escape her annoying and utterly disdainful captor and return to her life at the palace.

Dawn of the Black Sun (The Silver Empire series Book 1) by Timo Burnham: His family murdered, his home burned to the ground. Young Ryu is left with nothing but his own weakness and a burning vengeance. At the peak of the great Mount Gharun, live legendary martial artists. If Ryu can reach them, he can finally begin to master both his body and mind. But the journey is full of danger and the climb up the mountain is one that most fail. He has two options. Rise or die.

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8 books that perfectly blend fantasy & sci-fi.

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8 Incredible Sci-Fi Books That Are More Science Than Fiction

10 movies that perfectly blend sci-fi & fantasy, 10 most rewatchable sci-fi movies.

• The combination of the sci-fi and fantasy genres results in amazing works of speculative fiction.
• Works like Ursula K. Le Guin's The Left Hand of Darkness expand upon typical narrative with discussions of gender and sexuality.
• The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman showcases how children's literature can include complex discussions of science and morality.

Sci-fi and fantasy books are a favorite among readers of all ages, and many fans of these genres appreciate books that blend the aspects of each story to create something new. It makes sense that they would overlap, as they both belong to the overarching niche of speculative fiction. Writers behind sci-fi and fantasy works ask themselves what their imagined world would look like if they pushed the boundaries of reality. The reason many readers turn to novels of this type is to escape the mundanity of the every day and to reflect on the larger problems of the world.

Though a true blend of sci-fi and fantasy doesn't necessarily have otherworldly science or incredible magic, these devices consistently appear throughout these works.

Many of the best sci-fi and fantasy book series that never get old are defined by their singular characters and amazing dedication to world-building. Writers who specialize in these genres must have a keen eye for detail and create a strict internal logic for the science and magic systems within the story. Though a true blend of sci-fi and fantasy doesn't necessarily have otherworldly science or incredible magic, these devices consistently appear throughout these works. After readers have encountered the best of sci-fi and fantasy combinations, they develop a discerning taste for the perfect blend.

While some speculative fiction goes off the rails & departs from any possible scientific realism, others stay true to fact & extrapolate from there.

8 The Left Hand Of Darkness (1969)

Written by ursula k. le guin.

Ursula K. Le Guin might be the greatest science fiction writer of all time, and The Left Hand of Darkness is easily one of her best works. The story is set on an alien planet on which a human envoy travels to establish contact and convince them to join an interplanetary union. Through the eyes of Genly, the protagonist, the world of Winter, the planet, could not be more foreign, as the concept of binary gender does not exist there. All the people living on Winter are capable of physically expressing the traits of either biological sex.

This exploration of gender and sexuality and the imagined differences of alien races is not uncommon among sci-fi books but also has deep roots in fantasy. Additionally, there are inexplicable aspects of the future, like mind speak, and the ability to predict the future cements the book as a curious blend of many genres. Reading The Left Hand of Darkness today is so urgent and relevant that it's easy to forget it was written many years ago. The lessons Genly learns in Winter are applicable to any human on Earth right now.

7 The Book Of The New Sun (1983)

Written by gene wolfe.

The conflicts and desires of the story's characters represent a shadowy but undeniable reflection of the contemporary world.

The Earth that The Book of the New Sun is set on is practically unrecognizable from the one readers know. However, the conflicts and desires of the story's characters represent a shadowy but undeniable reflection of the contemporary world. Severian, the book's protagonist, is tasked with a great and terrible journey to find his future and redeem his past in a narrative that draws many parallels to the story of Christ in the Bible. However , Severian is equally a representation of humanity and of the innate desire within people to become better and push themselves to be good.

In The Book of the New Sun , the world has not heated beyond habitability but cooled down as the faraway sun begins to dim, and life starts to flicker out. The Book of the New Sun is considered a hallmark of both high fantasy and sci-fi. The series is an epic in the truest sense and is no beach read. However, The Book of the New Sun so completely creates an unbelievable but insistent world that it's impossible to turn away from until the story ends.

6 The Golden Compass (1995)

Written by philip pullman.

Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials series is a standby of young adult literature, and The Golden Compass is a 90s kids' book worth reading today . Though it's more often lumped into the fantasy genre, this categorization doesn't do justice to the complexities of the work. Additionally, as the books progress, questions of parallel universes and the ability to travel between worlds become increasingly relevant. Characters from the real world are added in The Subtle Knife , lending credibility to the discussions of science throughout the series.

The line between science and magic is somewhat blurred in The Golden Compass , but Pullman is quick to remind the audience that what seems like magic in the reader's reality is the work of science in Lyra's. Though she possesses what appear to be otherworldly abilities, they're controlled by measurable and concrete forces. The entire journey of the book revolves around Lyra and the other characters' relentlessly curious minds and their innate desires to explore and learn more about the fabric of the universe.

5 Aether Ones (2020)

Written by wendi coffman-porter.

There is a literal divide between science and magic in Wendi Coffman-Porter's Aether Ones , but it doesn't take long for one reality to spill into the other. One side of the universe uses advanced technology to fuel its empire, while the other relies on magic to sustain itself. Leilani Falconi resides somewhere in between as a member of the Imperial Investigative Service, monitoring the space between the two realms. However, as this nebulous arena starts to grow more dangerous she finds herself questioning her own role in the organization.

Like many books that cross genres, Aether Ones has to incorporate a lot of exposition and worldbuilding to help the reader understand how to navigate the book.

Though Leilani is a resident of the technologically driven empire first, Aether Ones imbues plenty of mystical energy into its narrative and challenges the audience to wrap their head around a multitude of realities. Like many books that cross genres, Aether Ones has to incorporate a lot of exposition and worldbuilding to help the reader understand how to navigate the book. However, once the rules of the story are established, it's relentlessly exciting to bounce between the lands of sci-fi and fantasy alongside Leilani.

4 Dune (1965)

Written by frank herbert.

There are many details in the Dune movies only book readers will understand , but the director, Denis Villeneuve, has done an amazing job bringing the acclaimed novel series to a whole new generation of readers. The story of Paul Atreides and his rise to power in Frank Herbert's revolutionary series is complex and full of intricate descriptions of interplanetary life and political and religious uprisings. Though some might say that Dune falls more closely into the sci-fi category than fantasy, elements like the Bene Gesserit's abilities and the absence of computing devices bring it into the fantasy sphere.

The future that Herbert imagines is one of prophetic dreams, betrayal, and religious fervor and is frequently misunderstood. Paul's use of the Fremen to support his claim of the imperial throne and position as a false messiah quickly turns him from an intriguing protagonist to the ultimate villain of the story. As Herbert's novel series progresses, Paul becomes increasingly irredeemable and begins to believe the fabricated prophecy that he is the king the universe has been waiting for. When watching the recent Dune film adaptations, it's remarkable to see the atmosphere and conflicts of the story brought to life.

3 Gideon The Ninth (2019)

Written by tamsyn muir.

Gothic overtones are interwoven throughout Gideon The Ninth , as well as a great LGBTQ+ love story at the heart of the narrative.

The first installment of The Locked Tomb series, Gideon The Ninth ​​​​​​, centers on a female necromancer and her rise from servitude to power. Gideon, the titular protagonist, is an expert with her sword but is trapped in her service to the Ninth House, a group of necromancers who serve the immortal emperor of the universe. While necromancy is usually reserved for pure fantasy, Gideon The Ninth pushes the boundaries of its genre by setting its story in space and having Gideon and her unlikely companion, Harrowhark, travel across the stars to compete in a deadly competition.

Gothic overtones are interwoven throughout Gideon The Ninth , as well as a great LGBTQ+ love story at the heart of the narrative. Gideon is a great character who interacts with the world with her sharp wit and deadly blade. Ostracized in her community from a young age, Gideon wants to escape her life and prove her worth. The author, Tamsyn Muir, includes elements of more than just sci-fi and fantasy in the writing, but somehow all angles of the novel come together in one cohesive and explosive story.

Movies like Star Wars and Dune are commonly considered sci-fi, but they incorporate elements of fantasy as well. Here are other great examples.

2 A Wrinkle In Time (1962)

Written by madeleine l'engle.

Although A Wrinkle in Time was written for children, the book has become a cultural touchstone for readers of all ages, and for good reason. Described as a science fantasy book, A Wrinkle in Time is the kind of adventure every child dreams of having, but it's not without its dangers. Despite being published decades ago, in 1962, A Wrinkle in Time is just as relevant and poignant as ever. Much like other sci-fi stories, the novel sees Meg, its protagonist, traveling across time and space searching for her father. However, there are inexplicably magical events along her path.

A Wrinkle in Time has received both praise and criticism for the fact that it uses complex and high-minded descriptions and philosophies about science, math, time, love, and morality. However, the author, Madeleine L'Engle, understood that it's a mistake to talk down to children and treat them as if they can't understand the nuance of difficult situations. A classic for a reason, A Wrinkle in Time uses elements of sci-fi to lead its readers through an odyssey of the essential fight between good and evil and has enough enchanting aspects to appeal to audiences bogged down by science.

1 The Fifth Season (2015)

Written by n. k. jemisin.

The Broken Earth trilogy begins with The Fifth Season and encapsulates such strong comments on climate change, inequality, and familial bonds that it's hard to pick just one genre it belongs to. Luckily, saying that it's part of both sci-fi and fantasy allows for a deeper discussion about the novel's themes. Its story revolves around Essun, a woman who embarks on a quest to save her daughter after society collapses and the world begins to end. It's weighty subject matter, but the author, N.K. Jemisin delivers it was beauty and tragedy.

The horrible natural disasters that are faced by Essun and the inhabitants of The Fifth Season 's world are commonplace, and it's not a stretch to imagine that this might be the case one day on Earth.

The Fifth Season could be considered post-apocalyptic, a genre deeply connected to science fiction, as the innovation that's sparked by the scarcity of resources is often revolutionary. The horrible natural disasters that are faced by Essun and the inhabitants of The Fifth Season 's world are commonplace, and it's not a stretch to imagine that this might be the case one day on Earth. At the same time, Essun and the other women the novel follows have power over the Earth, but it comes at the cost of persecution and responsibility.