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Most fantasy books center around royalty and nobility, at least in part. These books focus on the point-of-view of middle-class characters: merchants, artisans, sailors, soldiers, shopkeepers and everyone else. Urban fantasy books don't really belong on this list, since most modern characters are middle-class.
Score
A book’s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book.
| 1 |
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Howl’s Moving Castle (Howl’s Moving Castle, #1)
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4.28 avg rating — 450,401 ratings
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| 2 |
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A Wizard of Earthsea (Earthsea Cycle, #1)
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4.01 avg rating — 362,689 ratings
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| 3 |
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The Hobbit, or There and Back Again
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4.30 avg rating — 4,472,000 ratings
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| 4 |
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Castle in the Air (Howl's Moving Castle, #2)
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3.86 avg rating — 67,812 ratings
score: 690,
and
7 people voted
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| 5 |
|
Stardust
by
Neil Gaiman (Goodreads Author)
4.10 avg rating — 482,364 ratings
score: 681,
and
7 people voted
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| 6 |
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Charmed Life (Chrestomanci, #1)
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3.97 avg rating — 35,988 ratings
score: 587,
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6 people voted
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| 7 |
|
Dragons of Autumn Twilight (Dragonlance: Chronicles, #1)
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4.01 avg rating — 122,883 ratings
score: 495,
and
5 people voted
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| 8 |
|
The Lives of Christopher Chant (Chrestomanci, #2)
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4.24 avg rating — 24,070 ratings
score: 492,
and
5 people voted
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| 9 |
|
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
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3.87 avg rating — 255,975 ratings
score: 485,
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5 people voted
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| 10 |
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Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast
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4.05 avg rating — 82,997 ratings
score: 477,
and
5 people voted
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| 11 |
|
The Merchant and the Menace (The Seraphinium, #1)
by
Daniel McHugh (Goodreads Author)
3.71 avg rating — 196 ratings
score: 397,
and
4 people voted
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| 12 |
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The Pool and the Pedestal (The Seraphinium Book 2)
by
Daniel McHugh (Goodreads Author)
3.91 avg rating — 122 ratings
score: 395,
and
4 people voted
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| 13 |
|
The Trees and the Night (The Seraphinium, #3)
by
Daniel McHugh (Goodreads Author)
3.89 avg rating — 100 ratings
score: 393,
and
4 people voted
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| 14 |
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Raising Sleeping Stones
by
P.H.T. Bennet (Goodreads Author)
4.42 avg rating — 31 ratings
score: 299,
and
3 people voted
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| 15 |
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The Mirror and the Maelstrom (The Seraphinium, #4)
by
Daniel McHugh (Goodreads Author)
3.90 avg rating — 81 ratings
score: 294,
and
3 people voted
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| 16 |
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Witch Week (Chrestomanci, #3)
by
3.92 avg rating — 15,302 ratings
score: 289,
and
3 people voted
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| 17 |
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Six of Crows (Six of Crows, #1)
by
Leigh Bardugo (Goodreads Author)
4.46 avg rating — 1,159,625 ratings
score: 284,
and
3 people voted
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| 18 |
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Bloodhound (Beka Cooper, #2)
by
Tamora Pierce (Goodreads Author)
4.28 avg rating — 40,127 ratings
score: 277,
and
3 people voted
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| 19 |
|
Terrier (Beka Cooper, #1)
by
Tamora Pierce (Goodreads Author)
4.16 avg rating — 70,107 ratings
score: 276,
and
3 people voted
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| 20 |
|
Lud-in-the-Mist
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3.85 avg rating — 9,748 ratings
score: 198,
and
2 people voted
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| 21 |
|
Haroun and the Sea of Stories (Khalifa Brothers, #1)
by
3.98 avg rating — 37,949 ratings
score: 195,
and
2 people voted
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| 22 |
|
Beguilement (The Sharing Knife, #1)
by
Lois McMaster Bujold (Goodreads Author)
3.76 avg rating — 13,545 ratings
score: 194,
and
2 people voted
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| 23 |
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On the Origin of PCs (The Order of the Stick, #0)
by
4.23 avg rating — 1,225 ratings
score: 193,
and
2 people voted
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| 23 |
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Conrad's Fate (Chrestomanci, #5)
by
4.09 avg rating — 11,138 ratings
score: 193,
and
2 people voted
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| 23 |
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The House in the Cerulean Sea (Cerulean Chronicles, #1)
by
T.J. Klune (Goodreads Author)
4.36 avg rating — 986,026 ratings
score: 193,
and
2 people voted
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| 26 |
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The Quartered Sea (Quarters, #4)
by
3.77 avg rating — 1,805 ratings
score: 191,
and
2 people voted
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| 26 |
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Voyage of the Fox Rider (Mithgar, #9)
by
Dennis L. McKiernan (Goodreads Author)
3.98 avg rating — 1,223 ratings
score: 191,
and
2 people voted
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| 28 |
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No Quarter (Quarters, #3)
by
3.92 avg rating — 2,393 ratings
score: 189,
and
2 people voted
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| 28 |
|
Melting Stones (The Circle Reforged, #2)
by
Tamora Pierce (Goodreads Author)
3.87 avg rating — 13,040 ratings
score: 189,
and
2 people voted
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| 28 |
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The Man Who Was Thursday: A Nightmare
by
3.82 avg rating — 46,594 ratings
score: 189,
and
2 people voted
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| 28 |
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Red Seas Under Red Skies (Gentleman Bastard, #2)
by
Scott Lynch (Goodreads Author)
4.25 avg rating — 160,528 ratings
score: 189,
and
2 people voted
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| 28 |
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Legend (The Drenai Saga, #1)
by
4.26 avg rating — 35,842 ratings
score: 189,
and
2 people voted
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| 33 |
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Fifth Quarter (Quarters, #2)
by
3.93 avg rating — 3,165 ratings
score: 187,
and
2 people voted
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| 34 |
|
Rose Daughter
by
3.79 avg rating — 21,787 ratings
score: 186,
and
2 people voted
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| 35 |
|
Sing the Four Quarters (Quarters, #1)
by
3.87 avg rating — 5,656 ratings
score: 185,
and
2 people voted
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| 36 |
|
Mastiff (Beka Cooper, #3)
by
Tamora Pierce (Goodreads Author)
4.27 avg rating — 30,211 ratings
score: 181,
and
2 people voted
|
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| 37 |
|
Ship of Magic (Liveship Traders, #1)
by
Robin Hobb (Goodreads Author)
4.24 avg rating — 105,727 ratings
score: 100,
and
1 person voted
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| 37 |
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The Automation (The Blacksmith's Circus, #1)
by
3.52 avg rating — 82 ratings
score: 100,
and
1 person voted
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| 37 |
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Albion Imperilled
by
3.79 avg rating — 63 ratings
score: 100,
and
1 person voted
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| 37 |
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To Kill a Mockingbird
by
4.26 avg rating — 6,913,839 ratings
score: 100,
and
1 person voted
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| 37 |
|
The Name of the Wind (The Kingkiller Chronicle, #1)
by
Patrick Rothfuss (Goodreads Author)
4.52 avg rating — 1,086,807 ratings
score: 100,
and
1 person voted
|
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| 37 |
|
Strange the Dreamer (Strange the Dreamer, #1)
by
Laini Taylor (Goodreads Author)
4.28 avg rating — 135,784 ratings
score: 100,
and
1 person voted
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| 43 |
|
Digger, Volume One (Digger, #1)
by
4.39 avg rating — 1,282 ratings
score: 99,
and
1 person voted
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| 43 |
|
Lifelode
by
Jo Walton (Goodreads Author)
3.88 avg rating — 671 ratings
score: 99,
and
1 person voted
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| 43 |
|
The Book of Words (Book of Words, #1-3)
by
4.15 avg rating — 312 ratings
score: 99,
and
1 person voted
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| 46 |
|
The Bird of the River (Lord Ermenwyr, #3)
by
4.11 avg rating — 603 ratings
score: 98,
and
1 person voted
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| 46 |
|
Zel
by
Donna Jo Napoli (Goodreads Author)
3.61 avg rating — 7,141 ratings
score: 98,
and
1 person voted
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| 46 |
|
The Spirit Thief (The Legend of Eli Monpress, #1)
by
Rachel Aaron (Goodreads Author)
3.88 avg rating — 10,104 ratings
score: 98,
and
1 person voted
|
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| 49 |
|
Zahrah the Windseeker
by
Nnedi Okorafor (Goodreads Author)
4.16 avg rating — 2,712 ratings
score: 97,
and
1 person voted
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| 49 |
|
The Legendary Siblings
by
3.67 avg rating — 3 ratings
score: 97,
and
1 person voted
|
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| 51 |
|
The Anvil of the World (Lord Ermenwyr, #1)
by
3.88 avg rating — 2,052 ratings
score: 94,
and
1 person voted
|
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| 51 |
|
Snow in Summer
by
Jane Yolen (Goodreads Author)
3.52 avg rating — 1,989 ratings
score: 94,
and
1 person voted
|
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| 53 |
|
The Shamer's Daughter (The Shamer Chronicles, #1)
by
3.92 avg rating — 10,774 ratings
score: 93,
and
1 person voted
|
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| 53 |
|
Snow White and Rose Red
by
Patricia C. Wrede (Goodreads Author)
3.76 avg rating — 8,579 ratings
score: 93,
and
1 person voted
|
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| 55 |
|
The First Chronicles of Druss the Legend (The Drenai Saga, #6)
by
4.37 avg rating — 12,887 ratings
score: 92,
and
1 person voted
|
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| 56 |
|
Passage (The Sharing Knife, #3)
by
Lois McMaster Bujold (Goodreads Author)
3.97 avg rating — 8,144 ratings
score: 91,
and
1 person voted
|
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| 56 |
|
A Book Dragon
by
4.06 avg rating — 306 ratings
score: 91,
and
1 person voted
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| 58 |
|
The Tailor of Gloucester (World of Beatrix Potter, #3)
by
4.07 avg rating — 7,471 ratings
score: 90,
and
1 person voted
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| 59 |
|
Horizon (The Sharing Knife, #4)
by
Lois McMaster Bujold (Goodreads Author)
4.06 avg rating — 7,503 ratings
score: 89,
and
1 person voted
|
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| 59 |
|
The Magician's Elephant
by
Kate DiCamillo (Goodreads Author)
3.87 avg rating — 27,462 ratings
score: 89,
and
1 person voted
|
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| 59 |
|
Cold Fire (The Circle Opens, #3)
by
Tamora Pierce (Goodreads Author)
4.11 avg rating — 22,796 ratings
score: 89,
and
1 person voted
|
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| 62 |
|
Legacy (The Sharing Knife, #2)
by
Lois McMaster Bujold (Goodreads Author)
3.87 avg rating — 9,235 ratings
score: 88,
and
1 person voted
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| 62 |
|
Land of Mist and Snow
by
3.36 avg rating — 74 ratings
score: 88,
and
1 person voted
|
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| 62 |
|
Shatterglass (The Circle Opens, #4)
by
Tamora Pierce (Goodreads Author)
4.22 avg rating — 23,821 ratings
score: 88,
and
1 person voted
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| 65 |
|
Thirteenth Child (Frontier Magic, #1)
by
Patricia C. Wrede (Goodreads Author)
3.84 avg rating — 11,958 ratings
score: 87,
and
1 person voted
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| 66 |
|
The Bell at Sealey Head
by
4.02 avg rating — 2,810 ratings
score: 86,
and
1 person voted
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| 67 |
|
Castle Hangnail
by
4.25 avg rating — 3,317 ratings
score: 85,
and
1 person voted
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| 68 |
|
NPCs
by
Drew Hayes (Goodreads Author)
4.05 avg rating — 14,666 ratings
score: 84,
and
1 person voted
|
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| 69 |
|
Split the Party (Spells, Swords, & Stealth, #2)
by
Drew Hayes (Goodreads Author)
4.26 avg rating — 7,616 ratings
score: 83,
and
1 person voted
|
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| 70 |
|
A Witch's Printing Office, Vol. 1 (A Witch's Printing Office, #1)
by
3.58 avg rating — 692 ratings
score: 82,
and
1 person voted
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| 71 |
|
A Witch's Printing Office, Vol. 2
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really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 283 ratings
score: 81,
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1 person voted
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71 books ·
49 voters ·
list created April 5th, 2010
by Hazel Gold (votes) .
Hazel
244 books
25 friends
25 friends
Ricki
5231 books
1476 friends
1476 friends
Antoine
949 books
177 friends
177 friends
Daniel
67 books
2 friends
2 friends
Celena
663 books
7 friends
7 friends
Jenna
234 books
681 friends
681 friends
Phoenixfalls
851 books
50 friends
50 friends
Jenn
661 books
0 friends
0 friends
More voters…
Comments Showing 1-2 of 2 (2 new)
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message 1:
by
Hazel
(new)
Jan 26, 2014 01:32AM
The Hobbit should definitely not be listed here. "The king under the mountain" is not particularly middle class. Dragonlance also, for one thing Laurana is a princess. I'd say the same for Stardust, although I'm not that familiar with it.
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flag
The Hobbit is told from the point of view of the definitely middle class hobbit. Laurana is only one character in Dragonlance, and not even point of view much. Stardust, the main character was raised middle class -- or working class -- and his status does not change until near the very end.
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