,

Fantasy offers authors the opportunity to illustrate the best, worst and, most significantly, somewhere-in-between of human beings by setting them within a context that allows the reader to experience all the foibles of humanity through a more comfortable lens.

This list is intended to provide a forum for the most character-centric and thought-provoking fantasy novels. Kudos for world-building and other skills reside elsewhere.

However, if you've read a fantasy novel that made you consider who you are as a person--one that called into question or reverberated with the choices you've made in your life--in other words, a book that seemed to be about you despite its fantastic setting, please add it here.
1

by
4.52 avg rating — 1,079,902 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2

by
4.58 avg rating — 4,828,518 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
3

by
4.47 avg rating — 11,387,912 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
4

by
4.49 avg rating — 967,035 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
5

by
4.19 avg rating — 398,870 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
6

by
4.43 avg rating — 4,481,543 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
7

by
4.62 avg rating — 4,102,358 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
8

by
4.58 avg rating — 3,650,055 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
9

by
4.50 avg rating — 3,787,159 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
10

by
4.57 avg rating — 4,184,366 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
11

by
4.76 avg rating — 485,077 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
12

by
4.22 avg rating — 194,135 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
13

by
4.29 avg rating — 241,159 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
14

by
4.45 avg rating — 2,729,967 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
15

by
4.66 avg rating — 666,074 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
16

by
4.35 avg rating — 9,886,266 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
17

by
4.56 avg rating — 588,194 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
18

by
4.55 avg rating — 619,293 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
19

by
4.42 avg rating — 1,019,187 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
20

by
4.39 avg rating — 105,968 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
21

by
4.21 avg rating — 55,042 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
22

by
4.38 avg rating — 651,148 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
23

by
4.55 avg rating — 844,893 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
24

by
4.54 avg rating — 729,866 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
25

by
3.96 avg rating — 1,937,773 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
26

by
4.17 avg rating — 790,797 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
27

by
4.02 avg rating — 84,131 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
28

by
4.24 avg rating — 104,386 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
29

by
4.30 avg rating — 340,118 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
30

by
4.10 avg rating — 990,004 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
31

by
3.93 avg rating — 442,648 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
32

by
4.16 avg rating — 218,248 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
33

by
4.26 avg rating — 1,151,995 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
34

by
4.08 avg rating — 51,939 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
35

by
4.38 avg rating — 92,897 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
36

by
4.50 avg rating — 89,859 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
37

by
3.76 avg rating — 257 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
37

by
4.39 avg rating — 18 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
39

by
4.62 avg rating — 13 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
40

by
3.91 avg rating — 391,353 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
40

by
4.58 avg rating — 12 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
42

by
3.72 avg rating — 49,865 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
42

by
4.12 avg rating — 22,219 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
44

by
4.66 avg rating — 48,510 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
45

by
4.04 avg rating — 134,739 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
46

by
4.06 avg rating — 480,121 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
47

by
4.53 avg rating — 50,749 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
48

by
4.19 avg rating — 591,784 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
49

by
3.87 avg rating — 254,827 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
50

by
4.04 avg rating — 14,199 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
51

by
4.28 avg rating — 323,576 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
52

by
4.02 avg rating — 10,059 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
53

by
4.03 avg rating — 27,594 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
54

by
4.28 avg rating — 93,347 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
55

by
4.29 avg rating — 123,868 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
56

by
4.19 avg rating — 2,388,286 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
57

by
4.03 avg rating — 1,616,135 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
58

by
4.29 avg rating — 168,210 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
59

by
4.25 avg rating — 128,289 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
60

by
4.09 avg rating — 23,247 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
61

by
4.22 avg rating — 310,190 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
62

by
4.26 avg rating — 16,571 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
63

by
4.03 avg rating — 1,616,135 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
64

by
4.60 avg rating — 354,684 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
65

by
4.02 avg rating — 28,615 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
66

by
4.04 avg rating — 25,600 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
67

by
4.11 avg rating — 216,580 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
68

by
4.02 avg rating — 47 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
68

by
4.15 avg rating — 148,385 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
68

by
3.85 avg rating — 81 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
71

by
3.80 avg rating — 11,006 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
72

by
3.78 avg rating — 11,617 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
73

by
3.96 avg rating — 9,235 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
74

by
4.09 avg rating — 5,456 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
74

by
4.27 avg rating — 355,331 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
74

by
4.19 avg rating — 9,044 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
77

by
4.24 avg rating — 14,057 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
78

by
3.97 avg rating — 6,201 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
79

by
3.94 avg rating — 24,314 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
80

by
3.67 avg rating — 2,878 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
80

by
4.16 avg rating — 561,371 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
80

by
3.95 avg rating — 41,612 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
80

by
4.20 avg rating — 10,125 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
84

by
4.19 avg rating — 27,129 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
84

by
4.22 avg rating — 10,045 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
86

by
3.95 avg rating — 135,286 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
87

by
4.48 avg rating — 174,454 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
88

by
4.05 avg rating — 35,229 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
89

by
4.44 avg rating — 177,152 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
90

by
4.31 avg rating — 3,428,992 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
91

by
4.37 avg rating — 12,848 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
92

by
4.14 avg rating — 12,071 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
93

by
3.93 avg rating — 161,792 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
94

by
4.03 avg rating — 8,251 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
95

by
3.99 avg rating — 6,803 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
96

by
4.43 avg rating — 65,340 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
97

by
4.07 avg rating — 186,048 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
98

by
4.14 avg rating — 15,962 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
99

by
4.29 avg rating — 21,443 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
100

by
4.27 avg rating — 9,977 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
192 books · 120 voters · list created August 9th, 2009 by Jennifer (votes) .
16 likes · 
Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes.


Jennifer 46 books
4 friends
Shalimar 284 books
16 friends
Kait 167 books
8 friends
Nina 1351 books
90 friends
Greyweather 2660 books
65 friends
Sofia 1500 books
182 friends
Rhoda 2174 books
17 friends
Molly 696 books
0 friends

More voters…


Comments Showing 1-6 of 6 (6 new)

dateUp arrow    newest »

message 1: by Michaelbrent (new)

Michaelbrent Collings For consideration on this list:

Billy: Messenger of Powers by Michaelbrent Collings (check it out at www.whoisbillyjones.com)


message 2: by Zak (new)

Zak I haven't read it, but from all I've heard about it The Hunger Games is science fiction, not fantasy. I love both genres, but this list is only for fantasy. Also a bit surprised I was the first person to vote for The Blade Itself


message 3: by Garrett (new)

Garrett Gatlin There's so much Harry Potter on this list, I don't think I can take any of the other suggestions seriously. The characters in that series are so stagnant and shallow it's mind-numbing.

At least The Name of The Wind was on the list.


message 4: by Jennifer (new)

Jennifer I stoutly believe that I was right in including the first Harry Potter--I never intended this list to become a recommendation for the entire series.

Sorting through how this list has grown in my absence, if you like Mistborn, I strongly recommend Rothfuss (The Name of the Wind) and Hobb (Assasin's Apprentice), if you haven't found them yet.

And a lot of the other titles look interesting--can't wait to start my summer reading. Thanks, everyone, for adding your suggestions!


message 5: by Garrett (new)

Garrett Gatlin I love Sanderson and Rothfuss. I will definitely check out Hobb. Thank you!


message 6: by Jennifer (new)

Jennifer Oops--dizzied by how this list has grown, I mixed up my reply. Glad you understood :)

If you enjoy Assasin's Apprentice and the rest of the Farseer Trilogy, don't let yourself get bogged down in Mad Ship--skip to Tawny Man. These books are my number one overall, but that doesn't mean that every one is a masterpiece.

Enjoy--and thanks for bringing me back to this list with your comment!


back to top



Related News

  One of the great pleasures of an adventurous reading life is discovering new authors. If you’re the kind of book lover who likes to head...

Anyone can add books to this list.