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Take a Reading Quest With Reader-Approved Epic Fantasies
For those of us on the nerdier end of the book-person spectrum, nothing satisfies quite like epic fantasy. There’s something about the grand themes, the detailed world-building, and, yes, the colossal page counts. Epic fantasy is the endurance sport of recreational reading. It toughens you up.
But with those book page counts that run into the thousands (and series that run into the dozens), epic fantasy demands commitment. If you’re embarking on a new quest, you want to know what you’re getting into.
We’ve gathered here several dozen of the most popular and beloved epic fantasies in this ever-expanding genre, from stone-cold classics (J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings) to recent and intriguing variations on the theme (R.F. Kuang’s The Poppy Wars).
Quite a few of the books here wander away from strict high fantasy categorization, but that’s a good thing. The epic flavor can be found in African mythology, secondary worlds inspired by medieval Italian city-states, or steampunk-adjacent adventures in an alternative city of Cairo, circa 1912.
Scroll over the book covers below for more details about each title, and add any promising leads to your own Want to Read shelf.
Comments Showing 1-50 of 72 (72 new)
Sarah wrote: "You seem to be missing Steven Erikson's 'Gardens of the Moon' ... (?)"
I second this
How about Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind?? Added some more to by tbr list
Lol I was also looking for Steven Erikson. If anyone reads the comments and is looking for an absolutely EPIC fantasy, def check out the Malazan series.
I'd love some lesser known, "discovery" options; do people need advertising on half these books? Who needs awareness on blah Game of Thrones these days? Would be cool to include a few unexpected gems with high rating/positive reviews!!
Amy: Feist & Wurts are well known authors but would consider The Empire Trilogy a rare gem?
The Belgariad is still a treat followed by The Mallorean by David (and Leigh) Eddings
Sarah wrote: "You seem to be missing Steven Erikson's 'Gardens of the Moon' ... (?)"
My exact thoughts.
D wrote: "Michael J Sullivan's Riyria series definitely belongs on this list! Michael J. Sullivan"
Either the Riyria series or The Legends of the First Empire Series which is also epic and awesome!
Marc *Dark Reader of the Woods* wrote: "Congrats on finding the absolute worst cover for Assassin's Apprentice."I was thinking the same. Those books have one of the best covers ever.
I wish R. Scott Bakker was on the list. In my opinion, there are hardly more epic novels than his The Second Apocalypse series.
The fact that Tad Williams isnt on here is sad.
You must include Raymond E Feist's Midkemia novels, alongside David Eddings' Belgariad/Tamuli series. Surely some of the finest late 20th century additions to the genre
What about Dragonlance? Does anyone still read those?
Thomas Covenant series by Stephan Donaldson, the Shannara Series by Terry Brooks, and the Dragonriders of Pern stories by Anne McCaffery and later her son Todd.
David Anthony Durham, the Acacia series. Wish he would write some more of these!!
For beautiful atmosphere and writing you have to read Guy Gabriel Kay, The Fianavor Tapestry. Love his books.
Guy Gabriel Kay Fianovar Tapestry is beautiful
I would have liked to see Children of Blood and Bone on this list.
Amy wrote: "I'd love some lesser known, "discovery" options; do people need advertising on half these books? Who needs awareness on blah Game of Thrones these days? Would be cool to include a few unexpected ge..."Ryan Cahill. Start with The Fallen novella & then Of Blood and Fire. It starts out like a lot of others but stick w it & it's the best ongoing series I've read in a long time.
Dren wrote: "I wish R. Scott Bakker was on the list. In my opinion, there are hardly more epic novels than his The Second Apocalypse series."
What are the names of the books. I cannot find R Scott Baker & Second Apocalypse. Thanks.
D wrote: "Michael J Sullivan's Riyria series definitely belongs on this list! Michael J. Sullivan"
Yes, Helloooo!
Sarah J Maas is an embarrassment to fantasy. Stay in the romance genre.
Where is Narnia? My Narnian personality is revolted, offended and is now moving to Canada. Lol 😂
Amy wrote: "I'd love some lesser known, "discovery" options; do people need advertising on half these books? Who needs awareness on blah Game of Thrones these days? Would be cool to include a few unexpected ge..."I agree. Try looking up theses:
Jay Boyce- A Touch of Power series
Loren K. Jones- Stavin Dragonblessed series
M.L. Forman- Adventurers Wanted series
Cinda Williams Chima- The Seven Realms series
J.S. Kennedy- Mackenzie Green series
Leo Petracci- Places of Power series
Andrew Shvarts- It Ends in Fire
Tricia Levenseller- Blade of Secrets
I'd not heard of any of these authors until I stumbled across their books. depending on what you look for in a book I think you may like at least one of these.
Why famous series like gane of turones tolkien... I want to discover new books goodreads
Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon. It's freaking brilliant, and really easy to read.
Any book by Naomi Novik is a must read for all fantasy lovers.
Marion Zimmer BradleyKate Eliott
Carol Berg
Juliette Marillier
Naomi Novik
Steven Eikson
Miles Cameron
Scott Bakker
Michael Manning
Jenny Wurts
Michelle Sagara/West
Orion Scott Card
All of These are brillant
Including "Game of Thrones" and "The name of the wind" is terrible in my opinion. Nobody knows if these series will ever get completed and encouraging readers to pick them up...at least highlight authors with enough respect for their readers to finish what they start.
Gotta recommend Alison Croggon's Pellinor series (starting with The Naming). It's kind of lesser-known, but still absolutely fantastic!
Sword-Dancer, first book of the Tiger and Del series, by Jennifer Roberson. Classic.
To be called truly EPIC, a tale must be about fickle and incomprehensible gods who take (and switch) sides in human conflict, about human heroes who are vulnerable but still are able to go beyond their limits. It should be poetic, appeal to our most basic emotions. It should leave things to the reader's fantasy, not only be a YA Hollywood script where we read the color and the dimensions of every door and the length of the heroine's braid. These were the features of the archetypal example, the Ilias by Homeros. When judged by these criteria, the Malazan series by Erikson would be at the top of the list and not in the comments.
Frank wrote: "To be called truly EPIC, a tale must be about fickle and incomprehensible gods who take (and switch) sides in human conflict, about human heroes who are vulnerable but still are able to go beyond t..."This! Exactly This!
I think one of my favourite aspects of Malazan Book of the Fallen though, has to be how Erikson literally just drops us on a battlefield and says 'Here, figure it out. See you after book ten.'
- and even then, I still had to re-read the series many, many times to feel even halfway up to speed.
... (?)