The most recommended elf books

Who picked these books? Meet our 142 experts.

142 authors created a book list connected to elves, and here are their favorite elf books.
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Book cover of Forging

Shami Stovall Author Of Knightmare Arcanist

From my list on progression fantasy.

Why am I passionate about this?

Ever since I was young, I’ve loved fantasy novels, movies, and video games. When I got to high school, I finally met people who played Dungeons and Dragons, and it was all downhill from there! I started Dungeon Mastering at a young age, but everyone said I had a real talent for it. The stories I created always caught the imagination of the players, and more than once, people told me I should write books. Well, here I am. I love escapist fantasy, epic adventures, wonderful characters, and terrible villains. I can’t get enough of them, and every day I immerse myself in the fantastical, whether it be reading another book, writing another story, or booting up another Final Fantasy game.

Shami's book list on progression fantasy

Shami Stovall Why did Shami love this book?

The Land by Aleron Kong is the third litRPG on this list, and probably the most famous. Every litRPG uses a few ways to denote progression, but this book has an almost unending series of charts, numbers, rules, and powers for everything. And I do mean everything.

Character growth. Weapon quality. Town building. To career building. Even dungeon building.

Everything progresses. Everything has level-ups. The world is huge, and the events feel extremely epic. This is also the longest series on the list, with books so massive, you could knock a fool out with one.

Definitely worth the time, though. Don’t miss out.

By Aleron Kong,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Forging as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Discover Dr. Aleron Kong, the Father of American LitRPG! #1 in Cyberpunk and Video Game Science Fiction! Over SEVENTEEN HUNDRED positive reviews on Goodreads!!! The second captivating installment of Aleron Kong's, Chaos Seeds series. "We are life takers and heart breakers," Richter shouted. "Let's go!" Richter and Sion are at it again! Even more of what you loved in the first book! Leveling, world building, awesome items, and what's that you say? Sure! Why not? What's a little necrophilia between friends!?! Join your favorite Chaos Seed as he answers the call of adventure and deals with the invaders, greedy dwarves,…


Book cover of Impossible

Jo Schaffer Layton Author Of Badlands

From my list on characters who go through hell, survive, and also find love.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love books that entertain and uplift when characters learn and overcome. As a teenager, things happened that threw me into a painful tailspin, ending in a wilderness program for troubled kids. It taught me that I can do hard things and face challenges in life. I’ve lost loved ones, have a special needs child, divorced, been broke, earned my black belt, returned to school as a single mom for a degree, and co-founded a nonprofit to support literacy for kids. None of that was easy, but it increased my compassion and hope. Stories can be powerful reminders of human resilience, and that battle scars make someone more beautiful than before.

Jo's book list on characters who go through hell, survive, and also find love

Jo Schaffer Layton Why did Jo love this book?

This paranormal fantasy follows a story about what is possible when family and friends unite against evil. I stayed up late to finish reading–it really grabbed me!

I had to know how Lucy would overcome a very dark and scary generational curse. Don’t we all want to know how to do that on some level? I love the idea of breaking chains and having hope in an unseen future. I think it’s easy to feel doomed to whatever fate has been programmed in us–but there is always hope where there is love. It was a fun read.

By Nancy Werlin,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Impossible as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

For fans of Beautiful Creatures and Wicked Lovely comes this New York Times Bestselling modern fairy tale from National Book Award Finalist Nancy Werlin.

Inspired by the classic folk ballad “Scarborough Fair,” this wonderfully riveting novel is rife with suspense, romance, and fantasy. Seventeen-year-old Lucy discovers that she is the latest recipient of a generations-old Elvin curse that requires women in her family to complete three impossible tasks or risk falling into madness and passing the curse on to the next generation. Unlike her ancestors, Lucy has the support of her fiercely protective adoptive parents, and her best friend Zach,…


Book cover of Artemis Fowl

Sam Middleton Author Of Eluthienn: A Tale Of The Fromryr

From my list on novels that blend science fiction and fantasy.

Why am I passionate about this?

Science fantasy uniquely combines elements of science fiction (advanced technology, futuristic settings) with those of fantasy (magic, mythological creatures, and supernatural elements). This fusion creates rich and versatile storytelling that often comes with a deep sense of mystery beyond what science fiction or fantasy achieves on their own.

This blend also requires greater “buy-in” from the reader to believe in the world we’re being presented. As readers, we often accept dwarves in fantasy with little to no explanation. We do the same with spaceships in science fiction. But dwarves in spaceships require truly creative storytelling to achieve a much higher buy-in threshold. The author who can pull this off has my attention.  

Sam's book list on novels that blend science fiction and fantasy

Sam Middleton Why did Sam love this book?

The only Young Adult book on this list but firmly deserving of its place, this book is the perfect example of how to successfully blend science fiction and fantasy. 

Colfer takes a traditional fantasy fairy society and gives them advanced weaponry, surveillance gadgets, and time-stopping devices. It works incredibly well, and through convincing world-building I was immediately bought into the idea of fantasy creatures with sci-fi technology. 

A standout feature of the novel is the characters, whose backstories, motivations, and behaviours all help to build this science fantasy world. We get an elf “LEPRecon” officer with access to bionic wings, a centaur who heads the technology department of the “Lower Elements Police,” and a dwarven thief who sells stolen human property on the black market. They were all enormously fun to read.

By Eoin Colfer,

Why should I read it?

7 authors picked Artemis Fowl as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 10, 11, 12, and 13.

What is this book about?

Now an original movie on Disney+!

Twelve-year-old criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl has discovered a world below ground of armed and dangerous--and extremely high-tech--fairies. He kidnaps one of them, Holly Short, and holds her for ransom in an effort to restore his family's fortune. But he may have underestimated the fairies' powers. Is he about to trigger a cross-species war?

Disney's “Artemis Fowl” is directed by Kenneth Branagh and stars Ferdia Shaw, Lara McDonnell, Tamara Smart, Nonzo Anozie, with Josh Gad, and Judi Dench.


Book cover of Elfland

Rhonda Denise Johnson Author Of Queen of the Quantum Realm

From my list on sci-fantasy on non-human worlds that act human.

Why am I passionate about this?

I was talking to some scientifically minded people online when I came across quantum physics. When I read that there’s something scientists call the Quantum Realm, I knew I had to write a book. I took the information a German scientist who specialized in quantum theory gave me and created a science fantasy world. I have a masters in English and a bachelor's in communication. Two of the most important questions a fiction author can ask are What if? and Why not? Instead of having a regular guy fall into a magic world, I had the magician’s apprentice fall into a world of science just to see what he’d do. 

Rhonda's book list on sci-fantasy on non-human worlds that act human

Rhonda Denise Johnson Why did Rhonda love this book?

The elves in this small English town have to blend in with their human neighbors. And a good job of it they do, too. I like the tenacity of Rosie Foxx. Her brother insists that she marry a human, and going along to get along seems the best course of action. But her elven heritage will not be denied. In a way, she is like the positrons in queen of the Quantum Realm—outcasts as they are, they think it better to be transformed into something they are not. this is very human.   

By Freda Warrington,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Elfland as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Winner of the 2009 Romantic Times Award for BEST FANTASY NOVEL

“Even the most jaded fantasy reader will quickly fall under the spell of her characters and the warm, intimate voice Warrington uses to tell their stories. Highly recommended.” —Charles de Lint, The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction

Rosie Fox is a daughter of Aetherials, an ancient race from the Spiral—the innermost realm of the Otherworld—who live secretly among us. Yet she and her kind are bereft of their origins, because on Earth, in a beautiful village named Cloudcroft, the Great Gates between worlds stand sealed.

Her parents, Auberon…


Book cover of The Spirit of Things

C.J.R. Isely Author Of Ranger of Kings

From my list on action driven young adult fiction.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been more than lucky to live a life of adventure from the start. My family did things a little unusually – we lived on a boat, we bought a ranch, we trained (and I still train) horses, we traveled, and through it all, we read. My entire adventuring family always had books, even on that boat when we have very little space. We would all go to the main cabin at night and either escape to a new world in novel or, in my case quite often, a note book. I’ll be forever grateful for these experiences because it was adventure shaped who I am as an author and reader.

C.J.R.'s book list on action driven young adult fiction

C.J.R. Isely Why did C.J.R. love this book?

I won’t lie, I am an audiobook fan because I can listen to them as I work. The story in The Spirit of Things, combined with the excellence of Nigel Peever as a narrator, is seriously fantastic! A Human boy raised among elves wants to find his way to finally being accepted. After having a vision, Fulco realizes what just might be his answer – he needs to find a way to possess magic.

By Ben McQueeney,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Spirit of Things as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A land in peril, a traitorous goddess, a human outcast living among the elves. Will he learn to harness his mysterious powers before it is too late?

By the age of seventeen rotations, Fulco has had a tough time growing up in a forest village. Abandoned as a baby and raised by a loving elven family, he is despised by the village elves as humans are deemed a plague upon the land. 

Hoping to gain their approval through sportsmanship, Fulco dreams of winning a position on the elven Portare team. An epic sport where players must ride upon a beast,…


Book cover of The Lord of the Rings

Carla Louise Robinson Author Of All The King's Horses

From Carla's 3 favorite reads in 2024.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Teacher Historian Animal lover Bibliophile Dog lover

Carla's 3 favorite reads in 2024

Carla Louise Robinson Why did Carla love this book?

I love that Tolkien built a world that emulates so much hope. I love that, even in the face of darkness, the hobbits always keep their optimism. I love, in particular, Sam’s love for everything, everyone, and every animal – especially his love for Bill the Pony.
I love how Sam is the first to rush to protect Frodo when the Watcher attacks; I love his bravery, and I love how he understands the perils from the first, but that never causes him to waiver.
I love that Tolkien, even now, no matter how many times I’ve read his novels or seen the movies, still reminds me of the most important thing there is: Hope.
And it’s something you can find anywhere, even when all other lights go out.

By J.R.R. Tolkien,

Why should I read it?

54 authors picked The Lord of the Rings as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 14, 15, 16, and 17.

What is this book about?

One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them

In ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elven-smiths, and Sauron, the Dark Lord, forged the One Ring, filling it with his own power so that he could rule all others. But the One Ring was taken from him, and though he sought it throughout Middle-earth, it remained lost to him. After many ages it fell by chance into the hands of the hobbit Bilbo Baggins.

From Sauron's fastness in the Dark Tower of…


Book cover of Silk & Steel

Elle Arroyo Author Of The Nine: Zane

From my list on dark fantasy enemies to lovers mm romance.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am an author and avid reader of romance, especially those full of conflict in a world heavy with magic, shifters, vampires, and others. My dad was a great storyteller and sparked my interest in the paranormal. When I was a kid, he’d tell me stories about growing up in the mountains of Puerto Rico. The evil that lived there. My imagination took it from there. I wish I would’ve written down those stories. I can’t get him to talk about them anymore. It might be the reason why The Nine: Zane had started out as a contemporary romance story until Zane took over with all his paranormal drama. 

Elle's book list on dark fantasy enemies to lovers mm romance

Elle Arroyo Why did Elle love this book?

Another one of Ariana Nash’s books. This one about a dragon shifter and an elf.

The elves are at war with the dragons. Their kind do not mix, which is the major conflict in the story. The elf hates the dragon while the dragon continues to prove that he’s not evil. It’s heartbreaking at times and satisfying in others.

A slow burn with an eventual HEA which is satisfying. 

By Ariana Nash,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Silk & Steel as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A tormented dragon prince.

A captured elven assassin.

Duty demands they fight for their people but love has other plans.


Eroan, one of the last elven assassins, lives for one purpose: kill the queen. 


He would have succeeded if not for her last line of defense: Prince Lysander. Now, captured and forced into the queen's harem, Eroan sees another opportunity. Why kill just the queen when he can kill them all? It would be simple, if not for the troubled and alluring dragon prince. A warrior, a killer, and something else... something Eroan finds himself inexplicably drawn to. 


Trapped in…


Book cover of King of the Dark

Elle Arroyo Author Of The Nine: Zane

From my list on dark fantasy enemies to lovers mm romance.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am an author and avid reader of romance, especially those full of conflict in a world heavy with magic, shifters, vampires, and others. My dad was a great storyteller and sparked my interest in the paranormal. When I was a kid, he’d tell me stories about growing up in the mountains of Puerto Rico. The evil that lived there. My imagination took it from there. I wish I would’ve written down those stories. I can’t get him to talk about them anymore. It might be the reason why The Nine: Zane had started out as a contemporary romance story until Zane took over with all his paranormal drama. 

Elle's book list on dark fantasy enemies to lovers mm romance

Elle Arroyo Why did Elle love this book?

I really love a good anti-hero and Ariana Nash delivers it in this series.

The story centers around a soldier and a prince bound by dark magic. Needless to say, the soldier hates the monarchy, prince included, which instantly drives the conflict between the two. This is a slow-burn romance. The way the prince uses the soldier is reprehensible until you figure out why he does it.

Can he be redeemed? I think so. 

By Ariana Nash,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked King of the Dark as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"Your love is worthless, it's your hate I need." ~ Prince Vasili Caville 


When King Talos Caville surrendered the war to the elves, soldier Nikolas Yazdan vowed never to serve the royals again. He said the same to the prince who tried to buy his loyalty, and learned that the Caville princes don't take no for an answer. 


Whipped for his insolence, Nikolas is also forced into slavery in a palace full of vicious, brutal royals. Prince Vasili is the worst Caville of all. Malicious and cruel, the prince is more viper than man, and someone inside the palace wants…


Book cover of Bitter Medicine

Ruby Lang Author Of I Am Trying to Break Your Heart

From Ruby's 3 favorite reads in 2023.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Book nerd Professional nosy person

Ruby's 3 favorite reads in 2023

Plus, Ruby's 12-year-old's favorite books.

Ruby Lang Why did Ruby love this book?

Bitter Medicine is the book you read when you want to have big feelings in a new and exciting world.

In this romantic contemporary fantasy, Elle, whose magic works through calligraphy, is hiding herself away from a treacherous relative, and Luc, a dangerous man who’s done dangerous things, has given up on trying to disentangle himself from a boss who asks too much.

The magical universe Tsai creates is both familiar and fresh, and I loved Lus and Elle together and was on the edge of my seat when it seemed they’d be kept apart.

By Mia Tsai,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Bitter Medicine as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

[STARRED REVIEW] “Sparks fly in Tsai’s refreshing and enchanting paranormal debut.... With brilliantly developed, multifaceted characters; a clever magic system; and witty prose, the pages of this fantasy fly. This marks Tsai as a writer to watch.”
―Publishers Weekly

“There are so many joys in this paranormal. The wealth of languages, mythologies, religions and magicks are a weight that balances the emotional tenderness.”
―New York Times Book Review

In this inspired contemporary fantasy, a Chinese immortal and a French elf try to balance new romance, familial loyalty, and workplace demands. In her debut novel, Taiwanese American author Mia Tsai has…


Book cover of Two Necromancers, a Bureaucrat, and an Elf

HDA Roberts Author Of The Magician's Brother

From my list on light reading from heavy genres.

Why am I passionate about this?

A few years ago, I read the Sword of Truth Series. I thought that it was well-written, but the tone was so horrifically, irredeemably dark, and miserable, with such truly horrible things happening to just about everybody in them that it actually put me off reading for a while. It was books like these that brought me back, that showed me that modern literature could show the best of mankind. They reminded me that even though bad things happened, human beings were inherently good, and that they tried to do their best, that the world was a bright place, not a dark one.

HDA's book list on light reading from heavy genres

HDA Roberts Why did HDA love this book?

This is a truly remarkable series. It made me laugh, and it only gets better as time goes on. If you’re tired of the darkness that seems to be creeping into modern fantasy, then this is the series for you. The characters are delightful, the stories are engaging, the writing style is spot on, and nothing terrible happens to anyone you like.

By L. G. Estrella,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Two Necromancers, a Bureaucrat, and an Elf as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Two necromancers, a bureaucrat, and an elf – it sounds like the start of a bad joke, only the joke is on Timmy.

Timothy Walter Bolton – better known as Timmy – has spent most of his life as a necromancer. When he isn’t terrorising his enemies, he’s plotting inside his castle, which is built on top of lightless chasms filled with nameless horrors and beings of a generally malevolent and megalomaniacal nature. But after one of his latest creations, a zombie hydra-dragon-bear, tries to eat him, he decides that maybe it’s time to find a new, less dangerous, career.…


Book cover of Forging
Book cover of Impossible
Book cover of Artemis Fowl

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