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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 — 445,501 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 — 359,578 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 — 4,441,356 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 — 67,149 ratings
score: 690,
and
7 people voted
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| 5 |
|
Stardust
by
Neil Gaiman (Goodreads Author)
4.10 avg rating — 480,855 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 — 35,872 ratings
score: 587,
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6 people voted
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| 7 |
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Dragons of Autumn Twilight (Dragonlance: Chronicles, #1)
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4.01 avg rating — 122,597 ratings
score: 495,
and
5 people voted
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| 8 |
|
The Lives of Christopher Chant (Chrestomanci, #2)
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4.25 avg rating — 24,007 ratings
score: 492,
and
5 people voted
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| 9 |
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Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
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3.87 avg rating — 254,625 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 — 82,888 ratings
score: 477,
and
5 people voted
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| 11 |
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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 |
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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)
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3.92 avg rating — 15,249 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 — 1,146,805 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 — 40,047 ratings
score: 277,
and
3 people voted
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| 19 |
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Terrier (Beka Cooper, #1)
by
Tamora Pierce (Goodreads Author)
4.16 avg rating — 70,038 ratings
score: 276,
and
3 people voted
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| 20 |
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Lud-in-the-Mist
by
3.85 avg rating — 9,645 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 — 37,804 ratings
score: 195,
and
2 people voted
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| 22 |
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Beguilement (The Sharing Knife, #1)
by
Lois McMaster Bujold (Goodreads Author)
3.76 avg rating — 13,493 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 — 1,221 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 — 11,100 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 — 954,312 ratings
score: 193,
and
2 people voted
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| 26 |
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The Quartered Sea (Quarters, #4)
by
3.76 avg rating — 1,804 ratings
score: 191,
and
2 people voted
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| 26 |
|
Voyage of the Fox Rider (Mithgar, #9)
by
Dennis L. McKiernan (Goodreads Author)
3.98 avg rating — 1,221 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 — 2,392 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 — 13,031 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 — 46,132 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 — 159,340 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 — 35,659 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 |
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Rose Daughter
by
3.79 avg rating — 21,732 ratings
score: 186,
and
2 people voted
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| 35 |
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Sing the Four Quarters (Quarters, #1)
by
3.87 avg rating — 5,650 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 — 30,139 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 — 104,127 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 — 6,857,749 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 — 1,078,190 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 — 134,996 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 — 665 ratings
score: 99,
and
1 person voted
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| 43 |
|
The Book of Words (Book of Words, #1-3)
by
4.16 avg rating — 310 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 — 602 ratings
score: 98,
and
1 person voted
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| 46 |
|
Zel
by
Donna Jo Napoli (Goodreads Author)
3.61 avg rating — 7,140 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 — 10,088 ratings
score: 98,
and
1 person voted
|
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| 49 |
|
Zahrah the Windseeker
by
Nnedi Okorafor (Goodreads Author)
4.16 avg rating — 2,702 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 — 2,051 ratings
score: 94,
and
1 person voted
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| 51 |
|
Snow in Summer
by
Jane Yolen (Goodreads Author)
3.52 avg rating — 1,990 ratings
score: 94,
and
1 person voted
|
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| 53 |
|
The Shamer's Daughter (The Shamer Chronicles, #1)
by
3.91 avg rating — 10,743 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 — 12,837 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 — 8,120 ratings
score: 91,
and
1 person voted
|
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| 56 |
|
A Book Dragon
by
4.06 avg rating — 302 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 — 7,416 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 — 7,482 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 — 27,379 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 — 22,791 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 — 9,204 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 — 23,817 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 — 11,944 ratings
score: 87,
and
1 person voted
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| 66 |
|
The Bell at Sealey Head
by
4.02 avg rating — 2,809 ratings
score: 86,
and
1 person voted
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| 67 |
|
Castle Hangnail
by
4.24 avg rating — 3,308 ratings
score: 85,
and
1 person voted
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| 68 |
|
NPCs
by
Drew Hayes (Goodreads Author)
4.05 avg rating — 14,577 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 — 7,581 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 — 684 ratings
score: 82,
and
1 person voted
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| 71 |
|
A Witch's Printing Office, Vol. 2
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3.99 avg rating — 280 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
5216 books
1478 friends
1478 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
682 friends
682 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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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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