149 Fantasy Books To Add To Your Reading List ASAP

If your to-be-read pile is already giving your nightstand a structural engineering challenge, congratulations: you are exactly the right person for this list. Fantasy readers are a special breed. We say things like “I’ll just read one chapter,” and then suddenly it is 2:17 a.m., a dragon has started a civil war, and we are emotionally attached to a sentient sword.

This guide rounds up 149 fantasy books to add to your reading list ASAP, with a mix of classics, epic fantasy, dark fantasy, YA fantasy, romantasy, cozy fantasy, and modern genre-benders. The goal is simple: help you find your next great fantasy read without spending an hour scrolling recommendations and somehow ending up rereading the same three titles.

To keep the list useful, not repetitive, and genuinely fun to browse, it balances canon favorites with newer standouts, award-recognized titles, bookseller staples, and reader-loved series openers. Some entries are standalones. Others are early books in a series so you can test the waters before committing to a shelf-bending saga.

How This List Was Built

This fantasy book list was curated by synthesizing major editorial lists, bookseller recommendations, award conversations, and reader-voted favorites, then organizing the picks into practical subgenres. In other words: I did the magical sorting so you can do the fun reading.

Think of this as a fantasy reading list you can actually use. If you are new to fantasy, start with the “Foundations” and “YA and Crossover” sections. If you are a seasoned reader chasing your next obsession, jump into “Dark, Grim, and Weird,” “Modern Standouts,” or “Myth, Folklore & Historical Fantasy.”

The List: 149 Fantasy Books To Add To Your Reading List ASAP

Pro tip: Bookmark this page now. Your future self, stranded between series finales, will be grateful.

Fantasy Foundations & Timeless Classics

1. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
2. The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien
3. The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien
4. The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien
5. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
6. A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
7. The Tombs of Atuan by Ursula K. Le Guin
8. The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle
9. The Once and Future King by T.H. White
10. The Princess Bride by William Goldman
11. The Neverending Story by Michael Ende
12. Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
13. Bridge of Birds by Barry Hughart
14. Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay
15. The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia A. McKillip
16. Little, Big by John Crowley
17. Watership Down by Richard Adams
18. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
19. Lud-in-the-Mist by Hope Mirrlees
20. The Arabian Nights by Anonymous / various translators

Epic Fantasy Heavy Hitters

21. The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
22. The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan
23. The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
24. Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson
25. Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
26. The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson
27. The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson
28. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
29. The Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss
30. Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb
31. Royal Assassin by Robin Hobb
32. Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb
33. The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie
34. Before They Are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie
35. Last Argument of Kings by Joe Abercrombie
36. The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
37. Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch
38. The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
39. A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon
40. The Shadow of What Was Lost by James Islington
41. The Ruin of Kings by Jenn Lyons
42. The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams
43. Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn: To Green Angel Tower by Tad Williams
44. The Black Company by Glen Cook
45. The Thousand Names by Django Wexler

Myth, Folklore & Historical Fantasy

46. Circe by Madeline Miller
47. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
48. Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel
49. Ariadne by Jennifer Saint
50. The Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec
51. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
52. The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh
53. Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan
54. Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
55. Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
56. Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse
57. The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker
58. The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty
59. The Kingdom of Copper by S.A. Chakraborty
60. The Empire of Gold by S.A. Chakraborty
61. The Wolf in the Whale by Jordanna Max Brodsky
62. Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
63. Uprooted by Naomi Novik
64. Spear by Nicola Griffith
65. The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall

Dark, Grim, and Weird Fantasy

66. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
67. A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin
68. A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin
69. The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang
70. The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang
71. The Burning God by R.F. Kuang
72. Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James
73. The Justice of Kings by Richard Swan
74. Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff
75. The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins
76. Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher
77. The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe
78. Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman
79. The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro
80. Perdido Street Station by China Miéville
81. The Scar by China Miéville
82. The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
83. The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin
84. The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin
85. The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett

YA and Crossover Favorites

86. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
87. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
88. The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
89. The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman
90. The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman
91. Sabriel by Garth Nix
92. Lirael by Garth Nix
93. Eragon by Christopher Paolini
94. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
95. The Wicked King by Holly Black
96. A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik
97. The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik
98. The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik
99. Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
100. Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn
101. Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
102. Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi
103. An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
104. A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir
105. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
106. Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
107. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
108. Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson
109. Caraval by Stephanie Garber
110. Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber

Cozy, Comic, and Comfort-Fantasy Picks

111. Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
112. Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree
113. The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune
114. Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune
115. The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
116. Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
117. Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett
118. The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison
119. Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater
120. Stardust by Neil Gaiman
121. Good Omens by Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
122. Mort by Terry Pratchett
123. Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett
124. The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett
125. The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley

Romantasy and Romance-Forward Fantasy

126. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
127. A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
128. A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas
129. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
130. Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
131. Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross
132. Ruthless Vows by Rebecca Ross
133. One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig
134. Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig
135. The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen
136. Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin
137. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Modern Standouts, Literary Fantasy, and Genre-Benders

138. Babel by R.F. Kuang
139. Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
140. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
141. The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty
142. The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez
143. The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart
144. The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri
145. The Bone Shard Emperor by Andrea Stewart
146. The House of Rust by Khadija Abdalla Bajaber
147. Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger
148. Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor
149. Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor

How to Choose Your Next Fantasy Book (So You Actually Start One)

If you want classic adventure and big “quest energy”

Start with The Hobbit, A Wizard of Earthsea, or The Eye of the World. These are excellent entry points if you want maps, mythic stakes, and the feeling that someone is about to make a brave decision in terrible weather.

If you want political intrigue, moral grayness, and high stakes

Try A Game of Thrones, The Blade Itself, The Justice of Kings, or The Fifth Season. These picks work well for readers who like layered world-building and plots where every alliance has a hidden cost.

If you want magic plus romance

A Court of Thorns and Roses, Divine Rivals, One Dark Window, and The Night Circus are strong picks. They bring atmosphere, emotional stakes, and the kind of yearning that makes readers stare at the ceiling after a chapter ends.

If you want something imaginative but less emotionally exhausting

Go cozy with Legends & Lattes, The House in the Cerulean Sea, The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, or Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries. Think charm, warmth, and enough magic to make your daily routine feel suspiciously under-enchanted.

If you want fantasy that expands the genre

Pick up The City of Brass, Black Sun, Babel, Elatsoe, Akata Witch, or The Jasmine Throne. These books showcase how modern fantasy keeps growing through new mythologies, histories, languages, and points of view.

Reading This Kind of List in Real Life: The Experience (500+ Words)

There is a very specific experience that comes with building a giant fantasy reading list, and if you know, you know. It usually starts with innocent optimism. You see a headline like “149 Fantasy Books To Add To Your Reading List ASAP” and think, “Perfect. I will grab three or four.” Ten minutes later, you have opened seventeen tabs, placed seven library holds, and started a phone note called “Dragons / Urgent.” This is normal. This is the way.

The first emotional stage is possibility. A big fantasy list feels exciting because it reminds you how wide the genre really is. Fantasy is not one lane. It can be myth retelling, political drama, coming-of-age story, murder mystery, romance, satire, horror, or comfort readsometimes all in the same novel. One week you want ancient prophecies and continent-wide wars. The next, you want a charming story about tea, friendship, and a mildly chaotic witch. A long list gives you permission to read by mood, which is often the secret to reading more consistently.

The second stage is decision fatigue. This is where a lot of readers get stuck. You have too many excellent options, so instead of starting a book, you spend an hour researching which book to start. Congratulations: reading has become a spreadsheet hobby. The fix is simple and surprisingly effective: choose a lane for tonight. Ask yourself one questionwhat do I want to feel? If the answer is “cozy,” pick a comfort fantasy. If the answer is “wreck me emotionally,” you have options for that too. The point is to choose for your actual mood, not for your imaginary future self who always reads dense epics on weeknights.

Then comes the best part: the hook. Every fantasy reader knows the moment when a book clicks. It might be a brilliant opening line, a strange piece of world-building, a sharp bit of dialogue, or the instant a character makes a deal they absolutely should not make. Suddenly, you are in. The laundry can wait. Your snacks become “intermission food.” You tell yourself one more chapter and then somehow meet the sunrise. Fantasy is especially good at this because it combines plot momentum with discovery; you are learning the rules of an entirely new world while the story unfolds.

Another part of the experience is community. Big fantasy lists are conversation starters. You text friends, join reading groups, compare rankings, and trade recommendations like potion ingredients. One person swears by epic battle scenes, another only wants court intrigue, and someone else is searching for “books that feel like autumn in a magical village.” That shared language is part of the fun. Fantasy readers are excellent at matching books to vibes, and honestly, that skill is underrated. A list like this becomes more useful when people say things like, “Read Piranesi if you want mystery and atmosphere,” or “Read Legends & Lattes before you return to emotional damage.”

Over time, the coolest thing happens: you start recognizing your own patterns. Maybe you keep gravitating toward folklore-inspired stories. Maybe you love training arcs, magical schools, and found family. Maybe you are a “standalone over series” reader. Maybe you are the opposite and want six books minimum so you can move into a world and stay there. That self-awareness makes future reading decisions faster and more satisfying. You stop chasing only what is popular and start choosing what actually works for your taste, your attention span, and your schedule.

And that is really the magic of a long fantasy reading list. It is not a homework assignment. You do not need to finish all 149 titles to do it “right.” The list is a map, not a mandate. It is there when you are in a slump, when you finish a great series and panic, when you want to branch into a new subgenre, or when you simply need a reminder that there are still incredible worlds left to explore. Pick one book tonight. Let it surprise you. Then come back for the next portal.

Conclusion

A great fantasy reading list should do more than recycle the same famous titles. It should help you discover books that fit your mood, your pace, and your favorite kind of magic. Whether you want epic sagas, YA page-turners, cozy fantasy comfort reads, romantasy hits, or genre-bending standalones, this list gives you a practical, high-variety place to start. Save it, revisit it, and use it whenever your reading life needs a portal to somewhere better.