Fantasy Must Read List

[Benjamin Clayborne]

Ben, I'm still waiting to add the novel to this list!

I'm writin' as fast as I can, cap'n!

Actually I kind of lost a month—work got really hairy and much of my free time at home was spent working, too, so little progress was made. But that's over now and I'm back on track.

 

[Holdwyne]

Joe, a Most excellent list.......I did note one very small error however.
The Shanarra Series is by Terry Brooks....its jus a lil oops but we wouldnt want to offend Mr Magic himself

I might add also that while your list is quite comprehensive and loaded with excellent choices worthy of the finest fantasy libraries. While you did mention Terry Goodkind, I submit Wizards First Rule was a great read as were the next 2 in the series. I personally thought the author dropped the ball as the series progressed. Then again, it may have simply been me in a mood for something different.
I might deem to add a few offerings that you may have regretfully missed. A boon to you if you have not managed to read them yet.
L.E. Modessit Jr's Recluse series ( Up to i believe 15 volumes now this series has been around near on forever). His Chorean chronicles and Imager Series are also noteworthy.
Mel Odom's Librarian Series. Pure unadulterated fun.
Jennifer Fallon ( Australian Author ) Harshini Series Not her first work but a Great job of World building with a story of Epic proportions.

Weiss and Hickmans Dragonlance Series ( The Original 4 Seasons)
Ed Greenwoods Shandril Saga. The original creator of the Forgotten Realms World, Like Feist anything Greenwood writes is exceptionally entertaining...

Now for a few older offerings.... A Cult classic by i believe its John Meyers Meyers SILVERLOCK a literary adventure where characters from myth and legend abound. You need to figure out who they are while you romp through the pages. A much loved favorite of many of our most esteemed scifi and fantasy authors. Finding a copy may however be difficult to nearly impossible to find. Well worth the search.

Then there is those few books that seem to cross the bounds between sci fi and fantasy. There are quite a few but I will refrain from listing them all and lean to one that while Sci Fi at heart, reads like a great Fantasy adventure. No elves however

From Robert Silverberg..........Lord Valentines castle

And finally a Sci Fi Book worth reading. And it is the Only book from this author worth spending time with.
L RON HUBBARDS Battlefield Earth. Yes, the movie stunk but it is a great read and believe it or not, well written. Nothing else he penned was worth the ink wasted IMHO. His Planet Earth dekology (10 volumes) was so far beyond horrid I burned the complete hardcover set just to insure nobody else would be put through the torture of perusing its ugly interior. I am sorry but crap is crap and if crap were king, L Ron Hubbard would have been given the golden throne of crapdom for that set............

So there you are, If any of you haven't read any of the above mentioned offerings, you have something to look forward to..

 

[gavintonks]

Stephen Donaldson, Julian May, Anderson, Scot card just a few at my fingertips and Lindholme

 

[Holdwyne]

Just finished Hidden Empire by Orson Scott Card last week........Was well written like all of his stuff..About a future civil war ( not too distant) in the USA....Kind of timely considering the social unrest....Was a good read, Highly recommend if you Like a cross between sci fi and techno thriller ( leans more to techno thriller I would say). Say Tom Clancy but written by Heinlein.....You know Heinlein, He wouldn't need a thousand pages to tell a 400 page story.... LOL

 

[Steerpike]

Stephen Donaldson, Julian May, Anderson, Scot card just a few at my fingertips and Lindholme

Lindholme==Robin Hobb, I think. Is that right?

 

[gavintonks]

This one is quite interesting as it is a reader poll
Shop at
Move Rank Author/Editor Title Year Amazon
0 1 Orson Scott Card Ender's Game [S1] 1985 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 2 Frank Herbert Dune [S1] 1965 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 3 Isaac Asimov Foundation [S1-3] 1951 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 4 Douglas Adams Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy [S1] 1979 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 5 George Orwell 1984 1949 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 6 Robert A Heinlein Stranger in a Strange Land 1961 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 7 Ray Bradbury Fahrenheit 451 1954 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 8 Arthur C Clarke 2001: A Space Odyssey 1968 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 9 Isaac Asimov [C] I, Robot 1950 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 10 Robert A Heinlein Starship Troopers 1959 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 11 Philip K Dick Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? 1968 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 12 William Gibson Neuromancer 1984 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 13 Larry Niven Ringworld 1970 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 14 Arthur C Clarke Rendezvous With Rama 1973 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 15 Dan Simmons Hyperion [S1] 1989 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 16 H G Wells The Time Machine 1895 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 17 Aldous Huxley Brave New World 1932 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 18 Arthur C Clarke Childhood's End 1954 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
1 19 H G Wells The War of the Worlds 1898 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-1 20 Robert A Heinlein The Moon is a Harsh Mistress 1966 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 21 Joe Haldeman The Forever War 1974 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 22 Ray Bradbury [C] The Martian Chronicles 1950 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 23 Kurt Vonnegut Slaughterhouse Five 1969 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 24 Neal Stephenson Snow Crash 1992 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
1 25 Ursula K Le Guin The Left Hand of Darkness 1969 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-1 26 Niven & Pournelle The Mote in God's Eye 1975 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 27 Orson Scott Card Speaker for the Dead [S2] 1986 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 28 Michael Crichton Jurassic Park 1990 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 29 Philip K Dick The Man in the High Castle 1962 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 30 Isaac Asimov The Caves of Steel 1954 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 31 Alfred Bester The Stars My Destination 1956 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 32 Roger Zelazny Lord of Light 1967 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 33 Frederik Pohl Gateway 1977 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
1 34 Jules Verne 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea 1870 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-1 35 Stanislaw Lem Solaris 1961 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
1 36 Michael Crichton The Andromeda Strain 1969 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-1 37 Madeleine L'Engle A Wrinkle In Time 1962 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 38 Carl Sagan Contact 1985 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 39 Isaac Asimov The Gods Themselves 1972 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 40 Kurt Vonnegut Cat's Cradle 1963 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 41 Philip K Dick Ubik 1969 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 42 Vernor Vinge A Fire Upon the Deep 1991 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
1 43 John Wyndham The Day of the Triffids 1951 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-1 44 Neal Stephenson Cryptonomicon 1999 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 45 Anthony Burgess A Clockwork Orange 1962 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
1 46 Kim Stanley Robinson Red Mars [S1] 1992 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-1 47 Robert A Heinlein Time Enough For Love 1973 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 48 Walter M Miller A Canticle for Leibowitz 1959 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 49 Daniel Keyes Flowers for Algernon 1966 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 50 Isaac Asimov The End Of Eternity 1955 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 51 Mary Shelley Frankenstein 1818 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
1 52 Jules Verne Journey to the Center of the Earth 1864 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-1 53 L Ron Hubbard Battlefield Earth 1982 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 54 Ursula K Le Guin The Dispossessed 1974 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 55 Neal Stephenson The Diamond Age 1995 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 56 Iain M Banks Player Of Games [S2] 1988 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 57 Peter F Hamilton The Reality Dysfunction [S1] 1996 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 58 David Brin Startide Rising [S2] 1983 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 59 Orson Scott Card Ender's Shadow [S1] 1999 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 60 Philip Jose Farmer To Your Scattered Bodies Go 1971 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
1 61 Kurt Vonnegut The Sirens of Titan 1959 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-1 62 Greg Bear Eon 1985 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
1 63 Philip K Dick A Scanner Darkly 1977 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-1 64 Niven & Pournelle Lucifer's Hammer 1977 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 65 Arthur C Clarke The City and the Stars 1956 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 66 Margaret Atwood The Handmaid's Tale 1985 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 67 Alfred Bester The Demolished Man 1953 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 68 Harry Harrison The Stainless Steel Rat [S1] 1961 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 69 Michael Crichton Sphere 1987 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
1 70 Robert A Heinlein The Door Into Summer 1956 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-1 71 Gene Wolfe The Shadow of the Torturer [S1] 1980 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 72 Alastair Reynolds Revelation Space [S1] 2000 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 73 Robert A Heinlein Citizen Of the Galaxy 1957 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
2 74 H G Wells The Invisible Man 1897 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-1 75 Philip K Dick The Three Stigmata Of Palmer Eldritch 1964 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
1 76 Connie Willis Doomsday Book 1992 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-2 77 Dan Simmons Ilium 2003 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 78 Robert A Heinlein The Puppet Masters 1951 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 79 Robert A Heinlein Have Space-Suit - Will Travel 1958 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
1 80 C S Lewis Out of the Silent Planet [S1] 1938 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-1 81 Edgar Rice Burroughs A Princess of Mars [S1] 1912 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
3 82 Richard Morgan Altered Carbon [S1] 2002 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
1 83 John Wyndham The Chrysalids 1955 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-2 84 Ursula K Le Guin The Lathe of Heaven 1971 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
3 85 John Scalzi Old Man's War 2005 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-3 86 Iain M Banks Use of Weapons [S3] 1990 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 87 Clifford Simak Way Station 1963 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-2 88 Edwin A Abbott Flatland 1884 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 89 Cormac McCarthy The Road 2006 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
1 90 Philip K Dick VALIS 1981 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-1 91 Arkady & Boris Strugatsky Roadside Picnic 1972 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
2 92 John Brunner Stand on Zanzibar 1969 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-1 93 Stanislaw Lem [C] The Cyberiad 1974 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
1 94 David Brin The Postman 1985 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
4 95 Greg Bear The Forge of God 1987 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-3 96 Julian May The Many-Colored Land [S1] 1981 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 97 Arthur C Clarke The Fountains of Paradise 1979 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-2 98 Arthur Conan Doyle The Lost World 1912 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-1 99 James Blish [C] Cities in Flight 1955 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 100 David Brin The Uplift War [S3] 1987 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK


Site Menu
Home
Recommended Links
Comments
Lists & Polls
Top 100 Sci-Fi Books
Next 100 Sci-Fi Books
Major Sci-Fi Book Series
Top 100 Sci-Fi Films
Top 100 Sci-Fi TV Shows
Top 100 Sci-Fi Short Stories
Next 100 Sci-Fi Short Stories
Top 100 Fantasy Books
Book Poll - Submit Votes
Film Poll - Submit Votes
TV Poll - Submit Votes
Short Fiction - Submit Votes
Book Reviews
Aliens Missions
Anthologies Mysteries
Apocalyptic Newer Books
Basically Big New Wave
Bio-tech Nineties
Collections Planets 1
Cyberpunk Planets 2
Ecological Prescient
Empires Pulp Fiction
Faulty Futures Religion
Gender Robots
Histories Satires
Invasions Society
Mars Space Opera
Military Time Twisting
Mind Matters
Film
Television
Early Films Pioneers
Fifties 1 Anthologies
Fifties 2 British
Sixties Sixties
Seventies Kids
Eighties Comic Capers
Nineties 1 Anime
Nineties 2 70s & 80s
2000s Pt 1 Starships 1
2000s Pt 2 Humour
Aliens Time Trippers
Cult Films Nineties
Fun Films Aliens
Mechanoids Starships 2
Trekker Treats Trekker Treat2
Offbeat Films The 2000s
Space Sagas More 2000s

 

[gavintonks]

by Megan Lindholm
ISBN 0007127731 (0-00-712773-1)
Softcover, HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Find All Copies


› Find collectible copies of 'Cloven Hooves'

More editions of Cloven Hooves:

Cloven Hooves: ISBN 0553293273 (0-553-29327-3)
Softcover, Bantam Books
Cloven Hooves: ISBN 0586215182 (0-586-21518-2)
Softcover, Micro Data Base Systems, Incorporated (m d b s)

this is just amazing of hers

 

[Steerpike]

I checked, and Megan Lindholm is indeed Robin Hobb. So if you like Lindholm, you might check out the books written as Robin Hobb.

On the list you posted, I see Gene Wolfe. Shadow of the Torturer and the books that come after are excellent. Wolfe is highly underrated for some reason. One of the best writers we have.

 

[JBryden88]

Look up "The Last Wish" and "Blood of Elves." I don't recall the author's name (spelling wise) but it's by a Polish Author. If you've heard of the Witcher games, they are based off of his books which are a really dark fantasy (and semi tongue in cheek homage) that turns some tropes upside down on their heads. Good stuff.

 

[gavintonks]

sorry understand now the question, there were a couple of writers using nom de plum not sure why especially in a case like hers

 

[King Raven Stark]

A Song of Ice and Fire

 

[gavintonks]

I have found a few more polls on the issue

Move Rank Author/Editor Title Year Amazon
0 1 J R R Tolkien Lord of the Rings 1954 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 2 J K Rowling Harry Potter Series 1997 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 3 J R R Tolkien The Hobbit 1937 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 4 George R R Martin A Song of Ice & Fire 1996 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 5 Robert Jordan Wheel of Time Series 1990 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 6 C S Lewis The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe [S2] 1950 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 7 David Eddings The Belgariad Series 1982 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 8 Terry Goodkind Wizard's First Rule [S1] 1994 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 9 Raymond E Feist Magician [S1] 1982 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
1 10 Christopher Paolini Eragon [S1] 2002 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-1 11 Philip Pullman His Dark Materials Trilogy 1995 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 12 Terry Brooks The Sword of Shannara [S1] 1977 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 13 Robin Hobb The Farseer Trilogy 1995 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 14 R A Salvatore Dark Elf Trilogy 1990 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 15 Ursula K Le Guin A Wizard of Earthsea [S1] 1968 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 16 J R R Tolkien The Silmarillion 1977 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 17 Stephen King The Dark Tower Series 1982 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 18 Weis & Hickman Dragonlance Chronicles 1984 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 19 Roger Zelazny The Chronicles of Amber 1970 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 20 Lewis Carroll Alice's Adventures In Wonderland 1865 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 21 Richard Adams Watership Down 1972 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 22 Stephen Donaldson Thomas Covenant - The Unbeliever 1977 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 23 Neil Gaiman American Gods 2001 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 24 William Goldman The Princess Bride 1973 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
1 25 Eoin Colfer Artemis Fowl 2001 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-1 26 Stephenie Meyer Twilight 2005 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 27 Anne Rice Interview With the Vampire 1976 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 28 Madeleine L'Engle A Wrinkle In Time 1962 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 29 Terry Pratchett The Colour of Magic [S1] 1983 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
6 30 Patrick Rothfuss The Name of the Wind [S1] 2007 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-1 31 Roald Dahl Charlie & the Chocolate Factory 1964 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
1 32 David Eddings The Malloreon 1987 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-2 33 George Orwell Animal Farm 1945 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
1 34 Anne McCaffrey Dragonflight [S1] 1968 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-3 35 Bram Stoker Dracula 1897 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
1 36 Tad Williams Memory, Sorrow & Thorn Series 1988 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-3 37 Marion Zimmer Bradley The Mists Of Avalon 1983 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 38 Gaiman & Pratchett Good Omens 1990 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 39 Steven Erikson Gardens of the Moon [S1] 1999 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 40 Neil Gaiman Neverwhere 1997 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
1 41 Garth Nix Sabriel [S1] 1995 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-1 42 William Golding The Lord Of the Flies 1954 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 43 Brian Jacques Redwall [S1] 1986 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 44 Homer The Odyssey -800 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
1 45 Terry Pratchett Mort [S4] 1987 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-1 46 Piers Anthony On a Pale Horse [S1] 1983 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 47 Cornelia Funke Inkheart 2003 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
1 48 T H White The Once & Future King 1958 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-1 49 Michael Ende The Neverending Story 1979 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 50 Lloyd Alexander The Chronicles of Prydain 1964 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 51 Tamora Pierce Alanna: The First Adventure 1983 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 52 Mary Shelley Frankenstein 1818 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
1 53 Unknown Author Beowulf 700 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
1 54 Gail Carson Levine Ella Enchanted 1997 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-2 55 Weis & Hickman Death Gate Cycle 1990 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
2 56 William Shakespeare A Midsummer Night's Dream 1600 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 57 Michael Moorcock Elric of Melnibone Series 1972 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-2 58 Anthony Burgess A Clockwork Orange 1962 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 59 C S Lewis The Screwtape Letters 1942 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 60 Guy Gavriel Kay Tigana 1990 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
3 61 David Eddings The Elenium 1989 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-1 62 David Gemmell Legend [S1] 1984 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 63 Jonathan Stroud The Amulet of Samarkand [S1] 2003 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-2 64 Paulo Coelho The Alchemist 1995 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
1 65 Jim Butcher Storm Front [S1] 2000 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
1 66 Oscar Wilde The Picture of Dorian Gray 1891 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-2 67 Susanna Clarke Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell 2004 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
5 68 Peter S Beagle The Last Unicorn 1968 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
5 69 Glen Cook The Black Company [S1] 1984 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-2 70 Audrey Niffenegger The Time Traveler's Wife 2003 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-2 71 Susan Cooper The Dark Is Rising [S1] 1973 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-2 72 Jacqueline Carey Kushiel's Dart [S1] 2001 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-1 73 Richard Matheson I Am Legend 1954 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-3 74 Moore & Gibbons Watchmen 1987 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
1 75 Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol 1843 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
2 76 Trudi Canavan The Magician's Guild [S1] 2001 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 77 Diana Wynne Jones Howl's Moving Castle 1986 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-3 78 Mitch Albom The Five People You Meet in Heaven 2003 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
13 79 The Brothers Grimm Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales 1812 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
3 80 Dr Seuss The Cat in the Hat 1957 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-1 81 Frank Miller Batman - The Dark Knight Returns 1986 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
5 82 L Frank Baum The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz 1900 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-1 83 Ray Bradbury Something Wicked This Way Comes 1962 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-3 84 Norton Juster The Phantom Tollbooth 1961 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
0 85 Laurell K Hamilton Guilty Pleasures [S1] 1993 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-7 86 Diana Gabaldon Outlander [S1] 1992 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-3 87 Antoine de Saint-Exupery The Little Prince 1943 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-2 88 Gabriel Garcia Marquez One Hundred Years of Solitude 1967 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-1 89 Dante Alighieri Inferno 1321 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
1 90 Mercedes Lackey Magic's Pawn [S1] 1989 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-2 91 Yann Martel Life of Pi 2001 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-2 92 China Mieville Perdido Street Station 2000 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
2 93 Anne Bishop Daughter of the Blood [S1] 1998 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-1 94 Gene Wolfe Book of the New Sun 1980 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-1 95 Patricia C Wrede Dealing With Dragons [S1] 1990 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
1 96 Robert E Howard [C] Coming Of Conan the Cimmerian 1933 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-1 97 Alice Sebold The Lovely Bones 2002 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
11 98 Brandon Sanderson Mistborn Trilogy 2006 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
-1 99 Franz Kafka The Metamorphosis 1915 Shop at Amazon USA Shop at Amazon UK
1 100 Orson Scott Card Seventh Son [S1]

 

[gavintonks]

Top 100 Fantasy Books
Here are the 100 best fantasy books of all time:

Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay100. Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay (1990)
After losing his son in a battle against Tigana, a king places a curse on the land. All those born within it will be unable to remember its name.

Storm Front99. Storm Front by Jim Butcher (2000)
Harry Dresden is the only openly practicing wizard in his country. He uses his talents to help the police fight crime. This is the first book in the Dresden Files series

Guy Gavriel Kay trilogy98. The Fionavar Tapestry 
trilogy by Guy Gavriel Kay (1984-1986)
Five students are drawn into a magical world where they discover they each have a vital role to play in an epic conflict.

The Magic Finger by Roald Dahl97. The Magic Finger by Roald Dahl (1966)
A family that hunt ducks for fun have a change of heart after an eight-year-old girl forces them to switch places with their prey.


Over Sea Under Stone96. Over Sea, Under Stone by
 Susan Cooper (1965)
Three children try to decipher a mysterious map that leads them in search of a mythical treasure. This is the first of five books in The Dark is Rising series.

Coming up! The 95 best fantasy books:

Left Behind95. Left Behind: A Novel of the Earth’s Last Days by Tim LaHaye & Jerry B Jenkins (1995)
Biblical predictions come into play as all non-believers are left waiting for the apocalypse to wipe out Earth. This is the first of 16 book in the Left Behind series

The Wee Free Men94. The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett (2003)
The Queen of the Elves is trying to invade the Discworld by stealing children and infesting dreams. When she steals the baby brother of a young witch, the witch goes to the elves’ world to steal him back. This is the second Story of the Discworld series, which is a series aimed at younger readers.

The Magic Faraway Tree93. The Faraway Tree series by Enid Blyton (1939-1951)
This four-book series revolves around the adventures of four children who discover a host of magical lands on the top of the Faraway Tree. This is strictly speaking a children’s book, but it earned a place on this list of the best fantasy books by being my favorite childhood read.

On a Pale Horse92. On a Pale Horse by Piers Anthony (1983)
Death visits a man on the brink of suicide – and the man ends up killing Death instead of himself. Fate forces him to take up Death’s role and ride a mode of transport called Pale Horse weighing up people’s souls. This is the first of eight book in the Incarnations of Immortality series.

Dealing with Dragons91. Dealing With Dragons by Patricia C Wrede (1992)
A young princess leaves her mundane life behind to marry a dragon. This is the first book in the Enchanted Forest Chronicles series.

The 90 best fantasy books are as follows...

The Malloreon series90. The Malloreon series by David Eddings (1988-1992)
This five-book series is a sequel to the Belgariad series, which comes in at Number 17 below. It documents the hero’s fulfillment of yet another prophecy.

The Time Travelers Wife by Audrey Niffenegger89. The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (2003)
An unconventional love story involving a man who has a disorder that causes him to unintentionally time travel.


Sara Douglass trilogy88. The Axis Trilogy by Sara Douglass (1995-1996)
Horned and winged creatures fight alongside humans to save their world from a dark ruler.


The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde87. The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde (2001)
It’s Britain in the 1980s. Well, almost. In this alternate version of Britain, people can time travel and literary homicide is a crime. A detective enters a Bronte novel to stop a villain killing off the heroine Jane Eyre.

Lloyd Alexander series86. The Chronicles of Prydain
series by Lloyd Alexander (1968-1973)
A young pig keeper dreams of being a hero in this coming-of-age five-book series.

It's time for the 85 best fantasy books:

Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce85. Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce (1983)
Alana has to disguise herself as a boy to begin training as a knight and become the hero she’s always hoped she would be. This is the first of four books in The Song of the Lioness series.

Roger Zelazny84. The Chronicles of Amber series by Roger Zelazny (1970 - 1991)
Amber is the only true world. All other worlds, including Earth, are mere shadows. And the Royals of Amber have the power to alter reality. This series includes ten novels, short stories and several other works.

The Death Gate Cycle series83. The Death Gate Cycle series by Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman (1990-1994)
A seven-part series about the struggle between two powerful races, which branched off from the human race following a nuclear holocaust.

Elfsorrow by James Barclay82. Elfsorrow by James Barclay (2003)
A statue breaks, unleashing a disease lethal to elves. The only way to stop the disease is to put the statue back together. This is the first book in the Chronicles of the Raven series by James Barclay

Dragonflight81. Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey (1968)
A young girl must embrace her destiny as a dragonrider to help save her planet from invasion. This is the first book in the Dragonriders of Pern series.

Here come the 80 best fantasy books:

One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez80. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (1967)
A series of plotlines that explores the concept of time and revolves around the theme that it’s important for people to remember their history.

Sabriel by Garth Nix79. Sabriel by Garth Nix (1995)
When Sabriel’s father disappears, she is forced to return to the magical land of the Old Kingdom and take his place as the killer of the undead. This is the first book in the Old Kingdom trilogy.

The Once and Future King by TH White78. The Once & Future King by TH White (1958)
Go back in time and explore the life of King Arthur, including his childhood on the isle of Gramarye, his elevation to the throne and the romance between his best knight, Sir Lancelot, and his queen, Guinevere.

Moon Called by Patricia Briggs77. Moon Called by Patricia Briggs (2006)
Mercedes Thompson is a mechanic. She is also a shapeshifter who turns into a coyote. Her friends include werewolves, a vampire and other supernatural beings. This is the first book in the Mercedes Thompson series.

Tad Williams trilogy76. Memory, Sorrow & Thorn trilogy by Tad Williams (1988-1993)
In this fantasy epic, a magician’s apprentice learns to be a hero following the death of his high king.

Now for the 75 best fantasy books of all time:

Nightchild by James Barclay75. Nightchild by James Barclay (2001)
Lyanna is the only one who can unite the magic of the four colleges of Balaia. Some want her dead while others want to claim her powers as their own. The is the third book in the Chronicles of the Raven trilogy

Assassins Apprentice by Robin Hobb74. Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb (1995)
A stable boy with royal blood trains to become an assassin and is soon viewed as a threat to the throne. This is the first book in the Farseer Trilogy.

Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson73. Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson (1994)
A struggle for domination ensues between various interests in the Malazan Empire, which has fallen under the rule of a ruthless empress. This is the first book in the Malazan Book of the Fallen series.

Watership Down by Richard Adams72. Watership Down by Richard Adams (1972)
A rabbit who can see into the future helps the fellow members of his warren to find a new home.


Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury71. Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury (1962)
When a carnival of freaks and oddities pull into town, it’s up to two boys to stop them damning the townspeople for all eternity.

The countdown continues with the 70 best fantasy books:

 

[gavintonks]

The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley70. The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley (1982)
The women who played pivotal roles in the lives of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table give their own, female perspective on the Arthurian legends.

The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents by Terry Pratchett69. The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents by Terry Pratchett (2001)
A boy piper, a talking cat and a band of intelligent rats travel from town to town scamming people for money. They fake a plague of rats and when the townspeople pay the piper to get rid of them, share the loot among themselves. This is the 28th book in the Discworld series and the first one aimed at a younger audience.

Redwall by Brian Jacques68. Redwall by Brian Jacques (1986)
The Redwallers rise up to defend their abbey from attack by a rat and a young mouse embarks on a quest to recover the legendary sword of Martin the Warrior. This is the first book in the Redwall series, which has over 20 books and is still expanding.

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho67. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (1988)
A shepherd boy has a life-changing dream and sets out to Egypt in search of treasure.


The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Alborn66. The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Alborn (2003)
An aging veteran dies while trying to save a girl’s life and discovers that heaven is a processing area designed to examine the meaning of life.

Here are the 65 best fantasy books:

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer65. Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer (2001)
A 12-year-old boy, who happens to be a criminal mastermind, kidnaps a fairy for a large ransom of gold. This is the first book in the Artemis Fowl series

A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare64. A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare (1600)
Follow the adventures of four young lovers from Athens and their interactions with the fairies of a magical moonlit forest in this superb Shakesperian drama.

Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman63. Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman (1990)
The Earthly representatives of God and Satan have taken a liking to mankind – and to each other. So when they hear the end of the world is coming, they decide to work together to delay it for as long as they can.

The Last Unicorn by Peter S Beagle62. The Last Unicorn by Peter S Beagle (1968)
A unicorn who believes she is the last of her kind sets out to discover what happened to the rest of her species and meets a host of colorful characters along the way.

His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik61. His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik (2006)
A dragon called Temeraire prepares for battle against Napoleon’s aerial fleet. This is the first book in the Temeraire series, about intelligent thoughtful dragons who take part in aerial warfare.

It's time for the 60 best fantasy books:

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery60. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery (1943)
A pilot crashes into the Sahara Desert where he meets a mysterious little prince. They journey into space together and visit a series of tiny planets, each of which has only one human inhabitant.

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman59. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (1996)
Richard Mayhew is a young Londoner with a normal life until he meets a mysterious girl called Door. After inadvertently putting her life in danger, he journeys into the shadowy underworld of London Below to find her and put things right.

The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever trilogy by Stephen Donaldson58. The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever trilogy by Stephen Donaldson (1977-1979)
A diseased outcast finds himself in a magical world where he becomes a White Gold wielder and runs afoul of an evil lord.

A Hat Full of Sky by Terry Pratchett57. A Hat Full of Sky by Terry Pratchett (2004)
A young witch becomes possessed by a dangerous creature who causes her to abuse her powers. This is the 30th book in the Discworld series.

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold56. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold (2002)
A teenage girl who’s been raped and murdered watches her family and friends from Heaven as she tries to come to terms with her own death.

The 55 best fantasy books:

Life of Pi by Yann Martel55. Life of Pi by Yann Martel (2001)
An Indian boy survives 227 days shipwrecked and stranded in the Pacific Ocean, where he explores issues of religion and spirituality.


Matilda by Roald Dahl54. Matilda by Roald Dahl (1988)
A special little girl realizes she has psychokinetic powers and uses them to rid her school of its wicked headmistress.


The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis53. The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis (1942)
A devil called Screwtape tries to instruct his apprentice and nephew Wormwood on how to tempt a man to sin in a series of letters.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley52. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (1818)
A scientist called Victor Frankenstein learns how to create life. He sets out to create a man but ends up creating a monster, with tragic circumstances for him and all those he loves.

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine51. Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine (1997)
A retelling of Cinderella about a girl under a spell to be constantly obedient, something she must hide to protect her beloved prince.


We're halfway there! Get ready for the 50 best fantasy books of all time:

Animal Farm by George Orwell50. Animal Farm by George Orwell (1999)
The animals on a farm overthrow its human owner only to discover far greater tyrants among their own ranks. This is a brutal story of corruption, cruelty and hypocrisy.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl49. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl (1964)
Five children win golden tickets to visit a chocolate factory but only one of them can win the grand prize. This is the most famous book by Roald Dahl and the subject of two popular movies.

The 48 best fantasy books are...

Stardust by Neil Gaiman48. Stardust by Neil Gaiman (1998)
A young man ventures into the magical land of Faerie to retrieve a fallen star for the woman he loves.


Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris47. Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris (2002)
A psychic barmaid must solve the murder of a co-worker and find a missing vampire in this, the second book in The Southern Vampire Mysteries series.

Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia by CS Lewis46. Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia by CS Lewis (1951)
The four Pevensie children return to Narnia to help Prince Caspian defeat a race of men determined to drive all non-human species from the land. This is the fourth book in The Chronicles of Narnia series.

More swordplay and adventure await you in the 45 best fantasy books:

Eragon by Christopher Paolini45. Eragon by Christopher Paolini (2003)
A young farmboy finds a blue egg, which hatches a few days later and produces a dragon called Saphira. The boy and the dragon set out on a dangerous journey that tests their courage, strengthens their bond and turns the young boy into the hero he was meant to be.

Through the Looking Glass, and What Alice Found There by Lewis Carroll44. Through the Looking Glass, and What Alice Found There by Lewis Carroll (1871)
Alice explores the world on the other side of the mirror where she discovers a book of looking-glass poetry, becomes a pawn in a chess game and captures a queen.

CLICK HERE to read Lewis Carroll quotes

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke43. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke (2004)
The stubborn Mr Norrell and his colorful apprentice Jonathan Strange bring magic back to 19th century Britain.


Dragons of Autumn Twilight by Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman42. Dragons of Autumn Twilight by Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman (1984)
The Heroes of the Lance come together in this, the first of more than 190 books in the expansive Dragonlance series, which is based on a Dungeons & Dragons game session.

Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice41. Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice (1976)
The vampire Louis gives up his human form to escape the heartache of losing his wife and daughter and becomes a companion to the cold-hearted Lestat. This is the first book in The Vampire Chronicles series.

 

[gavintonks]

Here are the 40 best fantasy books:

Nation by Terry Pratchett40. Nation by Terry Pratchett (2008)
Mau finds himself on a desert island, the last survivor of his nation. Then he meets a ghost girl and they make some remarkable discoveries together.

American Gods by Neil Gaiman39. American Gods by Neil Gaiman (2001)
The ancient gods of mythology battle against the modern gods of western technology.


Inkheart by Cornelia Funke38. Inkheart by Cornelia Funke (2003)
Meggie discovers her father can draw characters out of the pages of any book by reading from them aloud. But for everyone who comes out of the story world, someone else has to go in. This is the first book in the Inkworld series

The 37 best fantasy books are...

The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi37. The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi (1883)
The story of the animated puppet Pinocchio who has to learn the grim realities of life before he earns his greatest wish, which is to become a real-life little boy.

Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson36. Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson (2006)
A teenager learns she is one of the Mistborn people, who can use ingested metal particles to enhance their abilities. She sets out on a journey of discovery – while trying to save the world at the same time.

Here come the 35 best fantasy books:

A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K Le Guin35. A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K Le Guin (1968)
An apprentice wizard learns to embrace his powers as evil threatens to overcome his homeland. This is the first book in the Earthsea Cycle series.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens34. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (1843)
Ebenezer Scrooge is a mean old miser until three ghosts appear to him on Christmas Eve and show him the error of his ways.


The 33 best fantasy books are...

The Horse and his Boy by CS Lewis33. The Horse and his Boy by CS Lewis (1954)
A boy finds out his father isn’t really his father and flees to Narnia with his talking horse. There he discovers his true identity. This is the third book in The Chronicles of Narnia series

The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks32. The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks (1977)
Shea Ohmsford is the one man in the Four Lands who can wield The Sword of Shannara and use it to defeat the Warlock Lord. This is the first book in the Original Shannara Trilogy.

Dark Elf Trilogy by R A Salvatore31. Dark Elf Trilogy by R A Salvatore (1990-1991)
Follow the adventures of the dark elf Drizzt in the Forgotten Realms universe as he struggles to reform his evil race. This is a prequel to Salvatore’s Icewind Dale Trilogy.

Ready for the 30 best fantasy books? Good, here they come:

Sophie’s World by Jostein Gaarder30. Sophie’s World by Jostein Gaarder (1991)
A series of dialogues between a young girl called Sophie and a mysterious man called Alberto Knox, who uses the most ingenious ways to teach her about the history of philosophy.

The Dark Tower Series by Stephen King29. The Dark Tower Series by Stephen King (1970-2004)
This series of seven books documents the journey of the Gunslinger as he makes his way towards the Dark Tower, a fabled building said to be the nexus of all universes.

The 28 best fantasy books are...

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by JK Rowling28. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by JK Rowling (1999)
Harry discovers that an escaped convict helped Lord Voldemort find and murder his parents – and now he’s coming to get him. This is the third book in the Harry Potter series.

CLICK HERE to read about the three main Harry Potter characters


Assassin’s Quest by Robin Hobb27. Assassin’s Quest by Robin Hobb (1997)
In this, the third book in the Farseer Trilogy, the hero returns from the dead only to find himself changed forever.



The Princess Bride by William Goldman26. The Princess Bride by William Goldman (1973)
The brave and noble Wesley risks life and limb to avenge his father’s murder and rescue the woman he loves. This story is swashbuckling fun for all the family.

Enjoy more spectacular fun and fantasy in the 25 best fantasy books:

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeliene L’Engle25. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeliene L’Engle (1962)
A girl, her brother and best friend travel through time to find her father - and learn quite a bit about science, religion and other things along the way. This is a famous children’s book but is fun at any age.

Magician by Raymond E Feist24. Magician by Raymond E Feist (1982)
Forget good and evil. This book deals with the eternal struggle between Order and Chaos and an apprentice magician called Pug who gets stuck in the middle of it. This is the first book in the Riftwar Saga series.

The 23 best fantasy books are...

The Witches by Roald Dahl23. The Witches by Roald Dahl (1983)
A young boy faces terrible danger when he tries to bring down an organization of witches intent on ridding the world of children.


Dracula by Bram Stoker22. Dracula by Bram Stoker (1897)
A British solicitor recounts his encounter with the mysterious Count Dracula, who takes an unnatural interest in his beloved fiancé.

The Magician’s Nephew by CS Lewis21. The Magician’s Nephew by CS Lewis (1955)
Two children find their way into parallel worlds and accidentally transport a wicked queen into the magical land of Narnia. This is the opening book in The Chronicles of Narnia series

The 25 best fantasy books continue...

The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame20. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame (1908)
Spoiled, rich Toad has a knack for getting his friends, Mole, Ratty and Badger, in trouble. But he can always rely on them to come to his aid.

Night Watch by Terry Pratchett19. Night Watch by Terry Pratchett (2002)
A policeman accidentally sends himself back in time where he has to change history to save the world from a devastating revolution. This is the 29th book in the Discworld series.

We're getting closer to the hot top spot! Here are the 18 best fantasy books...

Wizard’s First Rule by Terry Goodkind18. Wizard’s First Rule by Terry Goodkind (1994)
A young woodsman’s investigation of his father’s murder leads him deeper into his world than he ever intended to go. This is the first book in The Sword of Truth series

The Belgariad series by David Eddings17. The Belgariad series by David Eddings (1982-1984)
A five-book epic fantasy series about an orphaned farm boy and his relatives as they try to fulfill an ancient prophecy that will decide the fate of the universe.

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris16. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris (2001)
A psychic barmaid from a small town finds her life turned upside down when a handsome vampire takes an interest in her. This is the first book in The Southern Vampire Mysteries series.

The 15 best fantasy books are...

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum15. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum (1900)
The heartwarming story of Dorothy Gale who, in a land somewhere over the rainbow, discovers that there’s no place like home.

CLICK HERE to read about the Wizard of Oz characters

The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett14. The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett (1983)
An incompetent wizard is forced to guide a naïve tourist across the Disc and ends up leaving it behind. This is the first book in Terry Pratchett’s famous Discworld series.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling13. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling (2005)
In the fourth book in the Harry Potter series, Harry is forced to compete in a tournament that sees him battle a dragon, rescue his friends and navigate a labyrinth - only to find far greater danger awaiting him in the form of a resurrected dark lord.

The twelve best fantasy books are coming up:

Song of Ice and Fire series by George R R Martin12. A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R R Martin (1996 - present)
An epic fantasy series that’s as yet incomplete, this is a must for Sword & Sorcery fans.

Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan11. Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan (1990-present)
Another epic fantasy series, this one consisting of 12 books. Sadly Robert Jordan passed away while working on the final installment but another author, Brandon Sanderson, is finishing his work. The final novel in the series is due for release in late 2009.

We're almost there! Here are the ten best fantasy books:

Magic Kingdom for Sale – SOLD by Terry Brooks10. Magic Kingdom for Sale – SOLD by Terry Brooks (1986)
A jaded lawyer has to give up his hopes for a quiet life when he ends up in the magic kingdom of Landover. This is the first book in the Magic Kingdom of Landover series

The Neverending Story by Michael Ende 9. The Neverending Story by Michael Ende (1979)
A boy is drawn into a book about the magical world of Fantastica and the book’s story soon becomes his own.


It's time for the eight best fantasy books...

Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer8. Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer (2005-2008)
It’s not easy dating a vampire! The romance between Bella Swan and Edward Cullen is at the heart of this fantastic four-book series.

 

[gavintonks]

CLICK HERE to read about the first Twilight novel
CLICK HERE to read about the final Twilight novel, Breaking Dawn


The Lord of the Rings trilogy by JRR Tolkien7. The Lord of the Rings trilogy by JRR Tolkien (1954-1955)
Follow the adventures of Frodo and friends as they struggle to destroy the One Ring and save Middle Earth from the evil Sauron.


His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman 6. His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman (1997-2000)
Lyra Silvertongue journeys from the halls of Oxford to the snowy peaks of Arctic to worlds far beyond our own where she needs all her courage to overthrow a cruel dictatorship.

The five best fantasy books are...

Peter Pan and Wendy by JM Barre 5. Peter Pan and Wendy by JM Barre (1911)
The Darling children have a normal life until Peter Pan flies through their bedroom window and carries them off to Never Never Land, a magical place where children stay children forever.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis 4. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis (1950)
The four Pevensie children discover the entrance to another world in this, the second book (and not the first as some believe) in The Chronicles of Narnia series.

Here are the three best fantasy books:

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll3. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (1865)
Alice falls down a rabbit hole into a crazy wonderland where she shrinks herself, goes to a tea party and narrowly escapes execution.


The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien2. The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien (1937)
Bilbo Baggins leaves his cosy home in The Shire to help a band of dwarves recover their treasure from the dragon Smaug.

 

[gavintonks]

The Most Significant SF & Fantasy Books of the Last 50 Years

I ran across this list of books in the science fiction book club listings and thought it was pretty interesting. I just had to take a look and see how many of them I read and how I felt about their listing. The first thing that struck me was how they call these books “The Most Significant” which is an interesting way to phrase it. It leaves a lot of latitude and leaves it open to interpretation. Does it mean sales? Impact? Theme? etc. etc.

I guess it is a pretty tough task to compile a list like this because there are always going to be criticisms. For the most part I agree with the list and there were some things I was glad to see.

The Lord of the Rings is of course Number one and rightfully so. Riverworld by Philip Jose Farmer barely squeaked onto the list at 50. I could disagree with this but at least it’s on the list. Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone came in at 26 and as much as I am not a big fan of Harry Potter I have to think that if the operative qualification here is “Significant” then this book should be higher on the list. It seems to have taken a whole generation by storm.

Fantasy books are reasonably well represented in the list with A Wizard of Earthsea in 5th place -and deservedly so. The First Chronicles of Thomas Covenant come in at 23rd which is great. It’s a maginificent series of books.

A few other notables: Dragonflight is 21 and the Sword of Shannara is 48.

There is one thing that surprised me about the fantasy books on this list. With the exception of Harry Potter not one single fantasy book is less than 20 years old! We haven’t had a significant fantasy work in 20 years? What does this say about the genre? Is it a used up genre just swallowing itself in repetitions of the same old cliches?



The Most Significant SF & Fantasy Books of the Last 50 Years, 1953-2002

The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien
The Foundation Trilogy, Isaac Asimov
Dune, Frank Herbert
Stranger in a Strange Land, Robert A. Heinlein
A Wizard of Earthsea, Ursula K. Le Guin
Neuromancer, William Gibson
Childhood's End, Arthur C. Clarke
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Philip K. Dick
The Mists of Avalon, Marion Zimmer Bradley
Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury
The Book of the New Sun, Gene Wolfe
A Canticle for Leibowitz, Walter M. Miller, Jr.
The Caves of Steel, Isaac Asimov
Children of the Atom, Wilmar Shiras
Cities in Flight, James Blish
The Colour of Magic, Terry Pratchett
Dangerous Visions, edited by Harlan Ellison
Deathbird Stories, Harlan Ellison
The Demolished Man, Alfred Bester
Dhalgren, Samuel R. Delany
Dragonflight, Anne McCaffrey
Ender's Game, Orson Scott Card
The First Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever, Stephen R. Donaldson
The Forever War, Joe Haldeman
Gateway, Frederik Pohl
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, J.K. Rowling
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams
I Am Legend, Richard Matheson
Interview with the Vampire, Anne Rice
The Left Hand of Darkness, Ursula K. Le Guin
Little, Big, John Crowley
Lord of Light, Roger Zelazny
The Man in the High Castle, Philip K. Dick
Mission of Gravity, Hal Clement
More Than Human, Theodore Sturgeon
The Rediscovery of Man, Cordwainer Smith
On the Beach, Nevil Shute
Rendezvous with Rama, Arthur C. Clarke
Ringworld, Larry Niven
Rogue Moon, Algis Budrys
The Silmarillion, J.R.R. Tolkien
Slaughterhouse-5, Kurt Vonnegut
Snow Crash, Neal Stephenson
Stand on Zanzibar, John Brunner
The Stars My Destination, Alfred Bester
Starship Troopers, Robert A. Heinlein
Stormbringer, Michael Moorcock
The Sword of Shannara, Terry Brooks
Timescape, Gregory Benford
To Your Scattered Bodies Go, Philip Jose Farmer

 

[gavintonks]

Top 25 Best Fantasy Books

 

[gavintonks]

This past year fantasy books have topped the best seller lists like never before. Writers like Stephenie Meyer and Charlaine Harris have led the way in introducing a new audience (and in the case of Twilight, a new generation) to urban fantasy. In honor of a great year I’ve put together a list of the best selling fantasy books. I decided to cover several fantasy subgenres, not just urban fantasy.

Please Note: these lists are based on data obtained from a sole source, Amazon.com. Cumulative data for the entire year was not available from the NY Times or USA Today and neither source provides subgenre sales information. The lists are basically meant to serve as guides for introducing fantasy book fans to new titles and new fantasy subgenres and to get people talking about some of the great fantasy books they’ve read over the past year.

So, without further fanfare, here are the best selling fantasy books of 2008 organized by subgenre:

Alternate History Fantasy Books

Animal Farm and 1984 by George Orwell
Lavinia by Ursula K. Le Guin
A Meeting at Corvallis by S.M. Stirling
The Plot Against America by Philip Roth
1633 by Eric Flint
Weapons of Choice (The Axis of Time Trilogy, Book 1) by John Birmingham
Gettysburg: A Novel of the Civil War by Newt Gingrich
Planetary Vol. 3: Leaving the 20th Century by Warren Ellis
Never Call Retreat: Lee and Grant: The Final Victory (Gingrich and Forstchen’s Civil War Trilogy) by Newt Gingrich, William R. Forstchen, and Albert S. Hanser
In War Times by Kathleen Ann Goonan
Into the Storm: Destroyermen, Book I by Taylor Anderson

Fantasy Book Anthologies

Many Bloody Returns (Sookie Stackhouse) by Charlaine Harris, Tony Kelner, Kelley Armstrong, and Jim Butcher. Edited by Toni L.P. Kelner and Charlaine Harris.
Backup by Jim Butcher
Mean Streets by Jim Butcher, Kat Richardson, Simon R. Green, and Thomas E. Sniegoski.
The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes and Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman. Kudos to the artists: Sam Kieth, Mike Dringenberg, Malcolm Jones III, Chris Bachalo, Michael Zulli, Steve Parkhouse, Kelley Jones, Charles Vess and Colleen Doran, and Dave McKean.
Bite by Laurell K. Hamilton, Charlaine Harris, MaryJanice Davidson, Angela Knight, and Vickie Taylor.
My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding by Sherrilyn Kenyon, Charlaine Harris, L. A. Banks, Jim Butcher, Rachel Caine , Esther M. Friesner, P.N. Elrod, Lori Handeland, and Susan Krinard. Edited by P. N. Elrod.
Tales from the Perilous Realm by J.R.R. Tolkien. Illustrated by Alan Lee.
Unusual Suspects: Stories of Mystery & Fantasy by Charlaine Harris, Carole Nelson Douglas, Simon R. Green, and Laurie R. King. Edited by Dana Stabenow.
Men of the Otherworld by Kelley Armstrong (available January 27, 2009)
On the Prowl by Patricia Briggs, Eileen Wilks, Karen Chance, and Sunny.
WarCraft Archive by Blizzard Entertainment, Richard A. Knaak, Jeff Grubb, and Christie Golden.

Arthurian Fantasy Books

The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
Le Morte D’Arthur: King Arthur and the Legends of the Round Table (Signet Classics) by Sir Thomas Malory
The Winter King (The Arthur Books #1) by Bernard Cornwell
The Book of Merlyn: The Unpublished Conclusion to The Once and Future King by T.H. White
The Eagles’ Brood (The Camulod Chronicles, Book 3) by Jack Whyte
Lady of Avalon (Avalon, Book 3) by Marion Zimmer Bradley
The Lance Thrower (The Camulod Chronicles, Book 8 ) by Jack Whyte
Mary Stewart’s Merlin Trilogy by Mary Stewart
Sword at Sunset by Rosemary Sutcliff
Enemy of God (The Arthur Books #2) by Bernard Cornwell
The Eagle (The Camulod Chronicles, Book 9) by Jack Whyte

Contemporary Fantasy Books

Amazon distinguishes “contemporary” from “urban” fantasy books. Let’s see if they really differ:

From Dead to Worse (Southern Vampire Mysteries, Book 8 ) by Charlaine Harris
At Grave’s End (Night Huntress, Book 3) by Jeaniene Frost
Dead Until Dark (Southern Vampire Mysteries, No. 1) by Charlaine Harris
All Together Dead (Southern Vampire Mysteries, Book 7) by Charlaine Harris
Definitely Dead (Southern Vampire Mysteries, Book 6) by Charlaine Harris
Dead to the World (Southern Vampire Mysteries, Book 4) by Charlaine Harris
Dead as a Doornail (Southern Vampire Mysteries, Book 5) by Charlaine Harris
Living Dead in Dallas (Southern Vampire Mysteries, Book 2) by Charlaine Harris
The Ghost in Love: A Novel by Jonathan Carroll
Club Dead (Southern Vampire Mysteries, Book 3) by Charlaine Harris
Swallowing Darkness (Meredith Gentry, Book 7) by Laurell K. Hamilton

Urban Fantasy Books

Definitely Dead (Southern Vampire Mysteries, Book 6) by Charlaine Harris
Dead as a Doornail (Southern Vampire Mysteries, Book 5) by Charlaine Harris
Storm Front (The Dresden Files, Book 1)
Lover Unbound (Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 5) by J.R. Ward
Moon Called (Mercy Thompson, Book 1) by Patricia Briggs
Halfway to the Grave (Night Huntress, Book 1) by Jeaniene Frost
Kiss of Midnight (The Midnight Breed, Book 1) by Lara Adrian
The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes and Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman
Neverwhere: A Novel by Neil Gaiman
Fool Moon (The Dresden Files, Book 2) by Jim Butcher
Lover Revealed (Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 4) by J.R. Ward

Dark Fantasy Books

You decide if all the entries on this list are “dark” fantasy books.

All Together Dead (Southern Vampire Mysteries, Book 7) by Charlaine Harris
Storm Front (The Dresden Files, Book 1) by Jim Butcher
Moon Called (Mercy Thompson, Book 1) by Patricia Briggs
Lover Awakened (Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 3) by J.R. Ward
The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes and Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman
Lover Revealed (Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 4) by J.R. Ward
Magic Bites (Kate Daniels, Book 1) by Ilona Andrews
Song of Susannah (The Dark Tower, Book 6) by Stephen King
The Good, the Bad, and the Undead (The Hollows, Book 2) by Kim Harrison
Dream Country (The Sandman, Vol. 3) by Neil Gaiman, Malcolm Jones III, Kelley Jones, Charles Vess, Steve Erickson
The Killing Dance (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, Book 6) by Laurell K. Hamilton

Epic Fantasy Books

Although a few of these books probably shouldn’t fall into the “epic” category I have to admit that a few of the real epic novels look really interesting.

A Dance with Dragons (Song of Ice and Fire) by George R.R. Martin
His Dark Materials Trilogy (The Golden Compass; The Subtle Knife; The Amber Spyglass) by Philip Pullman
Dead Until Dark (Southern Vampire Mysteries, No. 1) by Charlaine Harris
Living Dead in Dallas (Southern Vampire Mysteries, Book 2) by Charlaine Harris
The Sword of Truth, Boxed Set I, Books 1-3: Wizard’s First Rule, Blood of the Fold ,Stone of Tears by Terry Goodkind
Cry Wolf (Alpha and Omega, Book 1) by Patricia Briggs
Princeps’ Fury (Codex Alera, Book 5) by Jim Butcher
The Sword of Truth Box Set, Books 4-6: Temple of the Winds; Soul of the Fire; Faith of the Fallen by Terry Goodkind
Sword of Truth, Boxed Set III, Books 7-9: The Pillars of Creation, Naked Empire, Chainfire by Terry Goodkind
The Final Empire (Mistborn, Book 1) by Brandon Sanderson
A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 1) by George R.R. Martin

Historical Fantasy Books

Dark Mission: The Secret History of NASA by Richard C. Hoagland and Mike Bara
The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern’s Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure by William Goldman
The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
Grendel by John Gardner
Laurell K. Hamilton Set – Guilty Pleasures, The Laughing Corpse, Circus of the Damned and The Lunatic Cafe by Laurell K. Hamilton
Empire of Ivory (Temeraire, Book 4) by Naomi Novik
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
Victory of Eagles (Temeraire, Book 5) by Naomi Novik
Taltos by Anne Rice
Heir to Sevenwaters by Juliet Marillier
Stardust by Neil Gaiman

Fantasy Books Series

Breaking Dawn (The Twilight Saga, Book 4) by Stephenie Meyer
The Sword of Truth, Boxed Set I, Books 1-3: Wizard’s First Rule, Blood of the Fold ,Stone of Tears by Terry Goodkind
Confessor: Chainfire Trilogy, Part 3 (Sword Of Truth, Book 11) by Terry Goodkind
The Sword of Truth Box Set, Books 4-6: Temple of the Winds; Soul of the Fire; Faith of the Fallen by Terry Goodkind
Sword of Truth, Boxed Set III, Books 7-9: The Pillars of Creation, Naked Empire, Chainfire by Terry Goodkind
Storm Front (The Dresden Files, Book 1) by Jim Butcher
A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 1) by George R.R. Martin
The Dark Tower Boxed Set (Books 1-4) by Stephen King
Making Money (Discworld Novels) by Terry Pratchett
Debt of Bones (Sword of Truth Prequel Novel) by Terry Goodkind
The Gypsy Morph (The Genesis of Shannara, Book 3)

So, there you have it – the top 11 books in 9 different fantasy book subgenres. Since that only adds up to 99 books I’ll include the overall bestselling fantasy book in 2008, which happens to be an urban fantasy book! This book is the top seller at both Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble:

 

[gavintonks]

Breaking Dawn (The Twilight Saga, Book 4) by Stephenie Meyer!