Calling all fantasy fans! Are you ready to embark on a journey through sprawling landscapes, encounter unforgettable characters, and delve into worlds brimming with magic? Then buckle up, because we’re diving headfirst into the realm of epic fantasy!
This is your guide to some of the most acclaimed and captivating epic fantasy novels. From intricate world-building to heart-pounding quests and characters that stay with you long after the last page, epic fantasy offers an unparalleled escape into the extraordinary.
Whether you’re a seasoned fantasy reader or just starting to explore the genre, here is something for everyone. So, grab your favorite reading beverage, settle in, and prepare to be swept away the magic of fantasy.
Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire)
Blurb from Goodreads
Long ago, in a time forgotten, a preternatural event threw the seasons out of balance. In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes to the north of Winterfell, sinister forces are massing beyond the kingdom’s protective Wall. To the south, the king’s powers are failing—his most trusted adviser dead under mysterious circumstances and his enemies emerging from the shadows of the throne. At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the frozen land they were born to. Now Lord Eddard Stark is reluctantly summoned to serve as the king’s new Hand, an appointment that threatens to sunder not only his family but the kingdom itself.
Sweeping from a harsh land of cold to a summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, A Game of Thrones tells a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens. Here an enigmatic band of warriors bear swords of no human metal; a tribe of fierce wildlings carry men off into madness; a cruel young dragon prince barters his sister to win back his throne; a child is lost in the twilight between life and death; and a determined woman undertakes a treacherous journey to protect all she holds dear. Amid plots and counter-plots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, allies and enemies, the fate of the Starks hangs perilously in the balance, as each side endeavors to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones.
My Thoughts
A fantasy world that is filled with characters that are gritty and realistic. These are characters that make mistakes and are immensely flawed, not cardboard good guys and bad guys. I enjoyed the world building, too, in the way it was both vast and familiar, with details provided for all the minutiae of daily life but against the backdrop of huge landscapes that are almost, but not quite, like our own. For me, it made this series feel like something that could have come out of history, if history had included dragons and monsters. Martin also did not fall into the trap of predictability, as he does not seem to be too bothered by the tropes of what is and is not allowed in a good fantasy novel. I’m not going to go into detail, for fear of spoilers, but I definitely had a couple “you can’t do that!” moments in this book. Find it, read it, and be prepared to work your way through the rest of the series, ideally before you ever watch the show.
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss (The Kingkiller Chronicle)
Blurb from Goodreads
Told in Kvothe’s own voice, this is the tale of the magically gifted young man who grows to be the most notorious wizard his world has ever seen.
The intimate narrative of his childhood in a troupe of traveling players, his years spent as a near-feral orphan in a crime-ridden city, his daringly brazen yet successful bid to enter a legendary school of magic, and his life as a fugitive after the murder of a king form a gripping coming-of-age story unrivaled in recent literature.
A high-action story written with a poet’s hand, The Name of the Wind is a masterpiece that will transport readers into the body and mind of a wizard.
My Thoughts
The world-building is rich and immersive, with a unique magic system and a university unlike any other. Whether it’s the bustling marketplace or the halls of academe, Rothfuss brings the setting to life with vivid detail. If you’re looking for a fast-paced adventure, this might not be the perfect fit. The story unfolds at a leisurely pace, allowing you to savor the language and truly inhabit Kvothe’s world. However, for those who appreciate a beautifully written story with complex characters, “The Name of the Wind” is a good one. Just be prepared for the frustration of an unfinished series – the third installment is still not out.
The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan (The Wheel of Time)
Blurb from Goodreads
The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth returns again. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.
Moiraine Damodred arrives in Emond’s Field on a quest to find the one prophesized to stand against The Dark One, a malicious entity sowing the seeds of chaos and destruction. When a vicious band of half-men, half beasts invade the village seeking their master’s enemy, Moiraine persuades Rand al’Thor and his friends to leave their home and enter a larger unimaginable world filled with dangers waiting in the shadows and in the light.
My Thoughts
I remember loving this series. The world feels vast and ancient, with echoes of forgotten legends and a looming sense of danger. The characters, though still young and finding their way, are instantly engaging. We meet a group of friends from a small village thrust into an extraordinary situation. Rand, the potential hero, grapples with self-doubt and destiny. Mat, a trickster, is a good foil for the more serious Perrin. Moiraine, the enigmatic Aes Sedai, is a powerful mentor shrouded in secrets. The camaraderie and banter between the characters adds warmth and humor to the narrative.
Jordan excels at world-building. The magic system, called “saidin” and “saidar,” is intriguing and complex. The societal structures, with Aes Sedai, Warders, and the various nations, are fascinating to explore. While the initial chapters establish the setting, the true adventure kicks off quickly, propelling the reader on a thrilling escape filled with Trolloc encounters and desperate choices. While each book in this series is written with an insane amount of detail, the pacing worked well enough to maintain my interest, though admittedly I do like a good amount of detail in my epic fantasy. Recommended, especially if you want a project that’s going to take some time – there are 15 books of substantial length.
Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay (standalone)
Blurb from Goodreads
A masterful epic of magic, politics, war, and the power of love and hate — from the renowned author of The Fionavar Tapestry and Children of Earth and Sky.
Tigana is the magical story of a beleaguered land struggling to be free. It is the tale of a people so cursed by the black sorcery of a cruel despotic king that even the name of their once-beautiful homeland cannot be spoken or remembered…
But years after the devastation, a handful of courageous men and women embark upon a dangerous crusade to overthrow their conquerors and bring back to the dark world the brilliance of a long-lost name…Tigana.
Against the magnificently rendered background of a world both sensuous and barbaric, this sweeping epic of a passionate people pursuing their dream is breathtaking in its vision, changing forever the boundaries of fantasy fiction.
My Thoughts
It has been many years since I read this book but it has stuck with me. I found Kay’s fantasy books to have historical flavours that were rooted in a particular country, even if the events of the book are not those of our history. If that makes sense. His ability to evoke the way a culture feels and then use it to tell an entirely different story is impressive and I have enjoyed all of his work, particularly the ones from this era, including The Lions of al-Rassan and The Fionavar Tapestry. Good reads, all.
The Gunslinger by Stephen King (The Dark Tower)
Blurb from Goodreads
In the first book of this series, Stephen King introduces readers to one of his most enigmatic heroes, Roland of Gilead, The Last Gunslinger.
He is a haunting figure, a loner on a spellbinding journey into good and evil. In his desolate world, which frighteningly mirrors our own, Roland pursues The Man in Black, encounters an alluring woman named Alice, and begins a friendship with the Kid from Earth called Jake. Both grippingly realistic and eerily dreamlike, The Gunslinger leaves readers eagerly awaiting the next chapter.
My Thoughts
Left to itself, this book feels more like a piece of creative departure from Stephen King’s other works. It’s dreamlike and bleak, with unexpected moments of warmth. As the beginning to the Dark Tower series, it is a door into a world that is thrown wide with the second book. The precision of King’s writing uses brevity and concisely welcomes the reader into something that is part Western, part fantasy, and part horror. It’s a land that is referred to multiple times through books that are not even part of the Dark Tower, including The Stand and The Talisman, making it feel ever more real with each book. This is a series unlike any other that I’ve read and I highly recommend it.
The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams
Blurb from Goodreads
A war fueled by the powers of dark sorcery is about to engulf the peaceful land of Osten Ard—for Prester John, the High King, lies dying. And with his death, the Storm King, the undead ruler of the elf-like Sithi, seizes the chance to regain his lost realm through a pact with the newly ascended king. Knowing the consequences of this bargain, the king’s younger brother joins with a small, scattered group of scholars, the League of the Scroll, to confront the true danger threatening Osten Ard.
Simon, a kitchen boy from the royal castle unknowingly apprenticed to a member of this League, will be sent on a quest that offers the only hope of salvation, a deadly riddle concerning long-lost swords of power. Compelled by fate and perilous magics, he must leave the only home he’s ever known and face enemies more terrifying than Osten Ard has ever seen, even as the land itself begins to die.
My Thoughts
I read this book many, many years ago, and the characters remains with me still. I liked how personal Williams’s writing felt, as he placed regular, simple people into momentous roles in history. The worldbuilding is intricate and detailed, and the characters are both larger than life and very ordinary. In fact, the main character is not a momentous figure at all. He’s a simple kitchen boy swept up in events that are out of his control. He is not called by prophecy or magical beings, or possessed of any particular talents or powers. Instead, in his simplicity he simply grows as a person, one of kindness and simple hope, as he tries to make good decisions in the face of events out of his control. Recommended.
So…
I wish you the best on your epic travels. There is far more to find on this journey, so if you have recommendations, please comment with the titles and why you loved them!
Want recommendations from other genres? Check out these lists:
A List of the Best Science Fiction Novels – Blue Light Yonder
The Best Books with Magical Realism – Blue Light Yonder