The most recommended high fantasy books

Who picked these books? Meet our 937 experts.

937 authors created a book list connected to high fantasy, and here are their favorite high fantasy books.
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Book cover of Seven Blades in Black

K.E. Andrews Author Of The Assassin of Grins and Secrets

From my list on morally gray woman in dark fantasy.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always been a huge fan of fantasy books, especially ones that focus on women protagonists. Morally gray protagonists are the most interesting because they straddle the line between hero and villain, often making questionable choices to achieve a goal. I like to write characters who struggle with mental health issues because so often it can be overlooked in a fantasy story in favor of the bigger plot at hand. Women struggling with mental health, who are single mothers, those with disabilities, and those who have long been poorly represented in fiction are characters I like to read and write about.

K.E.'s book list on morally gray woman in dark fantasy

K.E. Andrews Why did K.E. love this book?

The book is filled to the brim with powerful descriptions and enough sass to fill an ocean. You’ll fall in love with Sal, even though she’s rough around the edges and has revenge pulsing in her veins. Each page has lines that make you stop and sit with them in order for them to sink in, and when they do, they follow you around for days. Sykes brings Sal and her world alive with vivid writing that is just *chef’s kiss*. It holds its own against Game of Thrones, the works of Sanderson, and Robert Jordan. If you like morally gray characters and gritty fantasy, this is the book for you. 

By Sam Sykes,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Seven Blades in Black as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Acclaimed author Sam Sykes returns with a brilliant new epic fantasy that introduces an unforgettable outcast mage caught between two warring empires.

Her magic was stolen. She was left for dead.

Betrayed by those she trusts most and her magic ripped from her, all Sal the Cacophony has left is her name, her story, and the weapon she used to carve both. But she has a will stronger than magic, and knows exactly where to go.

The Scar, a land torn between powerful empires, where rogue mages go to disappear, disgraced soldiers go to die and Sal went with a…


Book cover of A Bond Undone

Alice Poon Author Of The Heavenly Sword

From my list on wuxia/xianxia fantasy books with strong-willed and free-spirited female leads.

Why am I passionate about this?

My passion for Chinese history took root when I began reading Jin Yong’s wuxia novels, which are all steeped in Chinese historical background. My fiction writing career began with historical fiction based on Chinese history. Through my earlier research work, I discovered that Chinese historians have always given short shrift to the influence of women on cultural, political, and social developments throughout the ages. That led me to decide to center my writing around inspiring Chinese female historical figures. After publishing The Green Phoenix and Tales of Ming Courtesans, I branched out to write wuxia fantasy novels, but with the same objective of featuring admirable female historical/fictional characters.

Alice's book list on wuxia/xianxia fantasy books with strong-willed and free-spirited female leads

Alice Poon Why did Alice love this book?

The carefree Lotus Huang comes into her own in this volume as she charms her way with wiles through problems and obstacles she and Guo Jing encounter as a couple, including two girls to whom Guo Jing is betrothed against his will. She is not as frivolous as she appears, and she always watches bumbling Guo Jing’s back.

This is the second English volume in Legends of the Condor Heroes, which is a popular novel by Jin Yong that I had read in Chinese as a child and which I recently re-read and still loved. I picked out this volume mainly because I adored the translation of one poetic passage describing the hallucinating “Ode to the Billowing Tide” flute melody played by Apothecary Huang. 

By Jin Yong, Gigi Chang (translator),

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

A Bond Undone is the second book in Jin Yong's epic Chinese classic and phenomenon Legends of Condor Heroes, published in the US for the first time!

In the Jin capital of Zhongdu, Guo Jing learns the truth of his father’s death and finds he is now betrothed, against his will, to two women. Neither of them is his sweetheart Lotus Huang.

Torn between following his heart and fulfilling his filial duty, Guo Jing journeys through the country of his parents with Lotus, encountering mysterious martial heroes and becoming drawn into the struggle for the supreme martial text, the Nine…


Book cover of Spinning Silver

Lindsey Lamh Author Of A Voracious Grief

From Lindsey's 3 favorite reads in 2023.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Old book omnivore Author of dark tales Mom to 6 Ordinary saint Intuitive introvert

Lindsey's 3 favorite reads in 2023

Lindsey Lamh Why did Lindsey love this book?

I enjoy discovering fantasy based on cultures other than medieval.

In Spinning Silver, the protagonist’s family feel like Polish Jews living where they’re neither accepted nor openly persecuted.

Miryam’s character is compelling. She harbors a bitter delight in prying gold from her neighbor’s closed fists, money her father lent them and was too cowardly to insist they repay, and greed is a sore temptation. Throughout the story, she teeters between kindness and coldheartedness, slowly becoming more and more like the Staryk ice people everyone fears.

I was actually afraid to finish the book because I was worried she would topple over to the dark side. I’d grown to love her, so I didn’t want to see her become a terror! But Miryam’s story ended up being more satisfying and redemptive than I could’ve imagined.

By Naomi Novik,

Why should I read it?

8 authors picked Spinning Silver as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Following her award-winning novel Uprooted, Naomi Novik has once again been influenced by classic folktales. Taking Rumpelstiltskin as her starting point, Spinning Silver is rich, original and a joy to read.

Will dark magic claim their home?
Miryem is the daughter and granddaughter of moneylenders, but her father's too kind-hearted to collect his debts. They face poverty, until Miryem hardens her own heart and takes up his work in their village. Her success creates rumours she can turn silver into gold, which attract the fairy king of winter himself. He sets her an impossible challenge - and if she fails,…


Book cover of To be a Fae Queen

Tricia Copeland Author Of To be a Fae Queen

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been obsessed with fantasy since my grandmother bought me the entire Dorothy and the Land of Oz series as a kid. I love discovering new types of fantasy characters, spins on characters, new lore in genres, and mythology woven in creative ways. For my fantasy group, I’ve researched many interpretations of fae, witches, elves, vampires, and shapeshifters. I’m always looking to add to my list, and I love finding Indie authors new to their niche. I feel so privileged to interview many authors like these and Jennifer L. Armentrout (squeal) for my podcast, The Finding the Magic Book Podcast. I hope you love these books as much as I did.

Tricia's book list on Indie Fantasy books with creative spins

What is my book about?

After losing her brothers, Titania studied and trained to rule Aubren. But she hadn’t planned on becoming Queen at fifteen. Now with her reign challenged from within the castle walls, she must decide what is best for her kingdom. Should another rule in her stead? Or has fate led her to this moment?

Only she can decide a path that becomes littered with choices. Will a marriage shore up her reign? Could naming a successor be enough? And what of the creatures of the deep and a tale of one who can end all evil? Faced with a choice to…

To be a Fae Queen

By Tricia Copeland, Jo Michaels (editor), Jennifer Oberth (editor)

What is this book about?

With an endearing yet fierce female protagonist, fans of Sarah J. Maas and Jenna Wolfhart will love this epic Fae fantasy.

The last of her line, a faerie princess prepares to take the throne. But multiple forces plot against her, some trusted friends…

After losing her brothers Titania trained and studied to rule Aubren. But she hadn’t planned on becoming Queen at fifteen. Now with her reign challenged from within the castle walls she must decide what is best for her country. Should another rule in her stead? Or has fate led her to this moment?

Only she can decide…


Book cover of The Way of Kings

Tim Facciola Author Of A Vengeful Realm: The Scales of Balance - Book 1

From my list on epic fantasy with unforgettable characters.

Why am I passionate about this?

Psychology, the human condition, and interpersonal relationships fascinate me. I’ve studied the psychology of stories, their effect on readers, and things like moral development to understand better how to structure growth arcs and falls from grace in my writing. However, these studies have also changed the way I consume stories. Through books, movies, and video games, I can’t help but analyze story structure and its impact on its audience. As an author of epic fantasy, I am also active on TikTok and Instagram, reviewing stories and their structures and talking about all things fantasy. I hope you enjoy the stories on this list as much as I have!

Tim's book list on epic fantasy with unforgettable characters

Tim Facciola Why did Tim love this book?

This book epitomizes what I want in a book! The worldbuilding has a degree of depth, breadth, and imagination that has kept me coming back for multiple rereads. While the world is fascinating, and the magic system is evocative and intriguing, they are not what put this story at the top of my reading list. 

Character. I love it when there is a full cast of complex characters to get lost in, and Sanderson can (and does) teach a master class on how to write unforgettable characters. The character motivations, the “Why” behind what they are doing, is so profoundly believable if not relatable. Every single character has a past that is drip-fed throughout the story, gradually delivering the formative wounds that made the characters who they are. That so many are written well in one book is just a bonus.

And this by no means detracts from the plot.…

By Brandon Sanderson,

Why should I read it?

10 authors picked The Way of Kings as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson, The Way of Kings, Book One of the Stormlight Archive begins an incredible new saga of epic proportion.

Roshar is a world of stone and storms. Uncanny tempests of incredible power sweep across the rocky terrain so frequently that they have shaped ecology and civilization alike. Animals hide in shells, trees pull in branches, and grass retracts into the soilless ground. Cities are built only where the topography offers shelter.

It has been centuries since the fall of the ten consecrated orders known as the Knights Radiant, but their Shardblades and…


Book cover of Dawn

Ricardo Henriquez Author Of The Catcher's Trap

From my list on those who love a good nightmare.

Why am I passionate about this?

I write horror, read horror, watch horror, and live horror. The last one may be a bit of an exaggeration. When I was 10 years old, I begged my parents to take me to the theater to see Friday the 13: The Final Chapter. Of course, they said no. When I was 14, and a horror rebel, I sneaked into a movie theater to watch Friday the 13: New Blood. Thank goodness when they said The Final Chapter, they didn’t mean it. It was around this age that I discovered Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot; that book changed my life for good. I can talk to you about horror books for hours and hours.

Ricardo's book list on those who love a good nightmare

Ricardo Henriquez Why did Ricardo love this book?

Full disclosure, Rick is my friend, but he is also a great world builder and storyteller. The Seventh Age trilogy is as funny and entertaining as it is terrifying. Rick creates a rich world full of monsters and gods fighting for world domination in the shadows of our unaware society. One of my favorite things about this book is Mike, the main character. No, he is not a damaged mess, he is a true unlikely hero in the best possible way. Mike’s journey is fascinating and the obstacles he faces are monumental. In my humble opinion, the book reads like a video game, each chapter is a new level, and each level has higher stakes than the last.

By Rick Heinz,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

The Rational World Is No Match For What Lies Beyond DeathObsessed with discovering evidence of the afterlife, Mike Auburn has come closer than anyone to piercing the veil of death often at the risk of his own life.

However, his efforts have not gone unnoticed by organizations in our world and those that seek to enter it from the other side.

One such organization led by a shadowy figure known as “O’Neil” works to desperately prepare Chicago for the coming Ragnarök where the rational world that is known will face coming darkness with Mike in the middle of the war…


Book cover of A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking

Caitlin Rozakis Author Of Dreadful

From my list on make you laugh and punch you in the feels.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve never been a fan of polemics or schmaltz. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to learn or see new perspectives or feel deep feelings; I just think humor is the best way to get past people’s defenses. (All the better to sucker punch them in the feels.) I also think the world can be a pretty dark and scary place. I love books that give us hope, enough hope to have the courage to change what we can to make the world a little brighter.

Caitlin's book list on make you laugh and punch you in the feels

Caitlin Rozakis Why did Caitlin love this book?

I loved this book because it combines three of my favorite things—humor, fantasy, and baking. What’s not to like about a wizard whose familiar is a sourdough starter?

There’s a small army of hilarious gingerbread men, to boot. T. Kingfisher manages a weird balance between humor, horror, and heart. Her world, like ours, has some really dark stuff in it, but she has such a deft touch that I felt cozy even during murder, political scapegoating, and siege.

By T. Kingfisher,

Why should I read it?

5 authors picked A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Fourteen-year-old Mona isn't like the wizards charged with defending the city. She can't control lightning or speak to water. Her familiar is a sourdough starter and her magic only works on bread. She has a comfortable life in her aunt's bakery making gingerbread men dance.

But Mona's life is turned upside down when she finds a dead body on the bakery floor. An assassin is stalking the streets of Mona's city, preying on magic folk, and it appears that Mona is his next target. And in an embattled city suddenly bereft of wizards, the assassin may be the least of…


Book cover of Taliesin

R. A. Whitworth Author Of A Retreating Tide

From my list on breaking the fantasy cliché with mythical themes.

Why am I passionate about this?

Ever since I was a child the world has fascinated me. I’ve grown up with a deep love of reading and passion for the natural world, so much so that this often inspires both my writing and my artwork. As an artist and writer I seek to showcase the wonder and magic in the world. I have been able to draw upon ancient legends for inspiration into how people’s minds worked in the deep past and use it to enrich my writing further to cement the stories into our world and become more tangible. As a part-time adventurer, it’s only natural that my novels should be that.

R. A.'s book list on breaking the fantasy cliché with mythical themes

R. A. Whitworth Why did R. A. love this book?

Although magic doesn’t feature as strongly in this as the other recommendations and in the subsequent books in the series, I recommend this it cleverly disguises magic within the world, it's not showy but still believable, something which makes you think. It's also a gripping tale that connects Atlantis with the stories around King Arthur.

By Stephen R. Lawhead,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

A magnificent tale which begins with the tragedy of Atlantis and the arrival in Britain of King Avallach. In this world, Celtic chieftains struggle for survival in the twilight of Rome's power, and one heroic figure towers over all, the Prince Taliesin, in whom is the sum of human greatness. This is a tale of a love that spawns the miracle of Merlin and Arthur and a destiny that is more than a kingdom.


Book cover of The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage

J.S. Watts Author Of A Darker Moon

From J.S.'s 3 favorite reads in 2023.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Poet Novelist Reader Writer French Horn Player

J.S.'s 3 favorite reads in 2023

J.S. Watts Why did J.S. love this book?

The first book in Pullman’s Book of Dust series, extending the story of Lyra from His Dark Materials trilogy of novels.

I fell in love with Lyra’s world when I read the first fantasy trilogy, and then all over again when it became a wonderful series on the BBC. So, yes, I am biased. The book is written for young adults, and I haven’t been a young adult for a very long time, but Pullman’s storytelling and world building ability had me hooked from the get-go.

I also know Oxford well, having spent three formative years there. Lyra’s Oxford is an alternative city with technologies and places that don’t exist in real life, but it is also very familiar to me. It drew me in and wouldn’t let go.

By Philip Pullman,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Book of Dust 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?

From the world of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials- now a major critically acclaimed BBC series

*Now coming to the stage in the summer of this year! Performed at The Bridge Theatre from July 2020, it will be a theatrical spectacle not to be missed*

A rich, imaginative, vividly characterised rite-of-passage tale - Nicolette Jones, The Sunday Times

WINNER- AUTHOR OF THE YEAR, BRITISH BOOK AWARDS
WINNER- UK AUTHOR, NATIONAL BOOK AWARDS 2018

A coming of age story like no other . . .

Philip Pullman's magnificent bestseller is now in paperback, with new additional illustrations.

Malcolm Polstead's Oxford life…


Book cover of Children of Blood and Bone

R.J. Wilson Author Of Awakening

From my list on powerful young adults and supernatural worlds.

Why am I passionate about this?

Reading certain texts in the Bible growing up began my love for all things supernatural. The more I studied the subject and understood the worldview of the biblical authors and of other ancient cultures, the more I began to see these scenes in vivid color. With my passion for theological study (personally and as part of a master’s program), my work as a police officer, and my love for fantasy fiction perfectly positions me to write stories in which deep supernatural elements intersect with the gritty and real space of everyday life.

R.J.'s book list on powerful young adults and supernatural worlds

R.J. Wilson Why did R.J. love this book?

Adeyemi’s book features wonderful powers and magic, all set in an epic setting.

The masterful way she writes, the supernatural world she paints, and her expert use of story elements all caused me to emote out loud in fits of “oh my god!”, “don’t do it!”, and “I can’t stand (insert person)!” while reading the book.

I’m always a sucker for writers who construct worlds in which powers fall into categories.

I love the idea of wondering which type of power would be best and which one would I want to have in real life.

By Tomi Adeyemi,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Children of Blood and Bone 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?

Tomi Adeyemi conjures a stunning world of dark magic and danger in her West African-inspired fantasy debut Children of Blood and Bone. Winner of the Tonight Show Summer Reads with Jimmy Fallon.

They killed my mother.
They took our magic.
They tried to bury us.
Now we rise.

Zelie remembers when the soil of Orisha hummed with magic. When different clans ruled - Burners igniting flames, Tiders beckoning waves, and Zelie's Reaper mother summoning forth souls.

But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, anyone with powers was targeted and killed, leaving Zelie without…


Book cover of The Unspoken Name

Gillian Grant Author Of Where the Shadows Beckon

From my list on fantasy with worlds to get lost in.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always sought to escape this world for another; one more exciting. Whether it was reading, or playing D&D, I constantly looked for new places to explore. Building my own has become one of my favorite things about writing. What starts as a simple ‘What if...’ turns into a place I find myself in daily. I’m no longer just an explorer, but a builder, and my craving for unique worlds hasn’t gone away. I’m still learning, still creating new worlds beyond my first, and always still walking new ones. I hope you love escapism as much as I do, because these books will transport you.

Gillian's book list on fantasy with worlds to get lost in

Gillian Grant Why did Gillian love this book?

Why have one world when you can have multiple? The Unspoken Name took me by surprise when our main character was taken from her death cult and whisked through a gateway that would lead her to many worlds all connected by a misty maze. Dead worlds and gods, flying ships, undead cities, and a revenge plot that twists into something far bigger, The Unspoken Name feels like three stories in one, but in the best way. The various worlds and their cultures are intricate and vibrant, brought to life by the lovely cast of characters the story is told through. From an orc mercenary outrunning a god, to a wizard with godlike ambitions, the cast is phenomenal and diverse in both race and sexuality, something I love reading in fantasy. 

By A. K. Larkwood,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

The Unspoken Name by A. K. Larkwood is the incredible first epic fantasy in the Serpent Gates duology.

'An astounding debut . . . unlike anything I've read before' - Nicholas Eames, author of Kings of the Wyld

Does she owe her life to those planning her death . . .

Csorwe was raised by a death cult steeped in old magic. And on her fourteenth birthday, she'll be sacrificed to their god. But as she waits for the end, she's offered a chance to escape her fate. A sorcerer wants her as his assistant, sword-hand and assassin. As this…