So you love fantasy. The feeling of opening a book and stepping into another world. The magic systems that make you wish they were real. The characters who become friends. The epic battles between good and evil, or maybe the morally gray ones where you’re not sure who to root for.

Fantasy is the most generous genre. It gives you everything. Dragons, magic, quests, found family, ancient evils, talking animals, gods walking among mortals. There’s room for every kind of story.

But with so many books out there, where do you start? What do you read next?

I’ve gathered recommendations from readers, critics, and fantasy lovers to bring you the essential fantasy reads. Whether you’re new to the genre or a seasoned veteran looking for your next obsession, there’s something here for you.

1. The Earthsea Cycle by Ursula K. Le Guin

Before there was Hogwarts, there was Roke Island, a school of magic for budding sorcerers in Le Guin’s Earthsea .

The series follows Ged, a boy from humble beginnings who discovers he has immense magical power. Sent to study at the school on Roke, he learns that magic isn’t about power and control. It’s about balance. About understanding the true names of things. About knowing yourself .

The first book, A Wizard of Earthsea, is a coming-of-age story unlike any other. When Ged’s pride leads him to unleash a shadow creature into the world, he must spend years hunting it, only to discover that the shadow is actually part of himself .

Le Guin’s prose is quiet and beautiful. One reader calls it “a deeply philosophical story of maintaining equilibrium with nature, but don’t worry, there’s plenty of demon-fighting and dragon slaying to keep things riveting, too” .

2. His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman

“My favorite fantasy series,” one reader admits, “and it centers around one little girl’s quest to kill God” .

Lyra Belacqua lives in a world like ours but different. Everyone has a daemon, an animal companion that is part of their soul. The mysterious Dust particles float through the air. And children have been disappearing.

When Lyra’s friend is kidnapped, she embarks on a journey to the far north to save him. Along the way, she meets armored bears, witches, and a boy named Will from another world. The story expands across dimensions, into questions about consciousness, religion, and love.

Pullman rewrites thousands of years of religious dogma to tell a tale where romantic love is not the source of humanity’s sin but what makes us truly divine . It’s daring, beautiful, and unforgettable.

3. Discworld by Terry Pratchett

If you want fantasy that doesn’t take itself too seriously, Discworld is your home.

A series of over forty books set on a flat world carried through space on the back of four elephants standing on a giant turtle. It’s absurd. It’s hilarious. And it’s also deeply wise .

Pratchett uses fantasy to explore real-world issues. Racism, religion, politics, death, journalism. But he does it with such wit and warmth that you barely notice you’re learning. The books can be read in any order, with different sub-series focusing on different characters. The witches. The watch. Death. The wizards.

One reader describes them as: “Witty humor, subverts and harnesses tropes, iconic characters, thought-provoking themes and subjects, light and fun reads, many jumping-off points” .

4. The Broken Earth Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin

This is fantasy that will break your heart and rebuild it.

The world is called the Stillness, a single supercontinent plagued by catastrophic climate events called Fifth Seasons. Some people, called orogenes, can manipulate seismic energy. They’re feared, hated, and controlled by a mysterious organization .

The trilogy follows three women whose stories intertwine across time. It’s about oppression and survival, about mothers and daughters, about the end of the world and the hope of building something new .

Jemisin won the Hugo Award for each book in the trilogy, the first time any author had done that. One reader describes it as “high-concept, beautifully written, and heartbreakingly human” . Another calls it “a gut-punch of emotion” .

5. The Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson

This is the series for readers who want the deepest possible immersion.

Ten massive books spanning thousands of years, dozens of characters, and a world of incredible complexity. It’s not an easy read. The first book drops you in with no explanation, expecting you to figure things out as you go .

But for readers who stick with it, the rewards are immense. One fan describes it as: “Gritty dark fantasy, insane depth of history and world-building, incredible dialogue and complex characters, soldier humor, can be a harder read, pays dividends on re-reads” .

This is fantasy for people who want to live in another world, not just visit it.

6. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

Kvothe is many things. A legendary magician. A notorious fighter. A man who may have killed a king. But when we meet him, he’s just an innkeeper hiding from his past .

The story follows Kvothe as he tells his life story to a chronicler over three days. Day one is The Name of the Wind. Day two is The Wise Man’s Fear. Day three, well, we’re still waiting .

One reader warns: “Technically a trilogy, but Patrick Rothfuss has put off the 3rd book for ages” . But despite the unfinished series, the first two books are worth reading for the beautiful prose alone. Another reader calls it “a refreshing and unforgettable break from reality and a look into the face of greatness, gently lined with age” .

7. Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

After the massive success of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, Clarke disappeared for sixteen years. Then she returned with this tiny, strange, beautiful book .

The narrator calls himself Piranesi. He lives in the House, an infinite structure filled with statues. There are three levels. The upper levels have clouds. The lower levels have an ocean. Tides come in and out. Piranesi keeps a journal, talks to the birds, and visits the Other, the only other person he knows, twice a week.

Then things start to change. And Piranesi starts to remember things he’d forgotten .

One reader calls it “gloriously inventive and softly lyrical, aimed at adult readers” . It’s a book about memory, loneliness, and the beauty of a simple life.

Final Thoughts

The books on this list have delighted millions of readers. They’ve sparked conversations, created communities, and changed lives. Some will become your new favorites. Others might not be for you. That’s okay. Fantasy is a big genre with room for every taste.

The important thing is to keep reading. Keep exploring. Keep finding new worlds to lose yourself in.

Because somewhere out there, on a shelf waiting for you, is a book that will become your favorite. A world you’ll never want to leave. Characters who will feel like friends.

Happy reading. May your journey be filled with magic.

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