I know what it’s like: sometimes you finish a book and you just don’t know what to read next. Maybe you’re feeling a bit lost, or perhaps your imagination just needs a serious jolt. That’s why I’ve put this list together! In honor of April Fool’s day this week’s theme is truly Books You’d be a Fool Not to Read. Since I primarily read fantasy novels, I’ve decided to focus on my favorite fantasy books that I think should be on everyone’s shelves or TBR lists. Looking back over the books I’d read and loved over the past few years, it turns out there are plenty of fantasy books that have been absolute home runs for me. Though I’ve often said fantasy books aren’t my genre of choice, I’ve realized that the ones that truly connect become my favorite fantasy books they’re the best fantasy books for a reason.
So, without further ado, here’s my list of fantasy books you’d be a fool not to read. That’s why I’ve put this list together of 6 of the best fantasy books (in no particular order) that should be at the top of your to read list. Here are some of my favorite fantasy books, plus I asked my Instagram community to share the best fantasy books they’d read and I’m sharing those recommendations below my list! If you’ve been around Everyday Reading for a while, you know that I always strive to find those stories that offer more than just a momentary distraction, but a genuine new perspective. This list goes beyond dragons and magic to the core of human experience these are the essential fantasy tales that will change your life.
6 Best Fantasy Books
Assassin’s Apprentice
For any list of the best fantasy books, you has to start with Assassin’s Apprentice it’s just required reading. This novel is the beginning of the Farseer trilogy, and also the beginning of a nine book series that tells the life of Fitz, the bastard son of a disgraced prince, and his remarkable, hidden role in history. Hobb’s Fitz books are very much a coming of age story, focusing deeply on emotional growth. If you’re a fan of tight action and lean prose, pass on this one, but if you like a fantasy book that enjoys its time with the world and it’s characters, take a look at Assassin’s Apprentice. Fitz is a great viewpoint character, incredibly flawed but full of good intentions, and he’s supported by a huge range of varied characters that are easy to love, and opposed by villains that are easy to hate.
When people hear this is the beginning of a story that will take nine books to tell, they often ask if they should even start. Don’t worry about getting sucked into a nine book series immediately; the first trilogy stands alone. In fact, I think it’s the best of the three, although the second trilogy is very good too. From my personal experience reading these, the magic isn’t in the action, but in watching Fitz navigate his difficult life. It is, quite simply, one of the best fantasy books out there.
A Sorcerer Slain
If you liked the sound of a murder mystery in a fantasy novel, but didn’t really want a fantasy-Sherlock Holmes, then A Sorcerer Slain is for you. The story is set in the city of Andruan, where the Sorcerer Supreme has been murdered (he would be the sorcerer slain). This act threatens to topple the king and spark a civil war. With so many interested parties, no one can be above suspicion. But I’ve seen too many crime stories where someone always is; there’s always someone the hero never suspects for a moment, and it’s always them that did it. Always. But Dashiel suspects nearly everyone at one point or another, and I wanted to applaud every time that kind of smart writing extends to the genre blending that takes place in this novel. When I first heard that Sivers was writing fantasy crime, my first thought was that those genres were unusual bedfellows. But A Sorcerer Slain is proof they make an excellent match; it calls no attention to itself, borrowing tropes from both fantasy and crime as it wills. At no point do these genres clash, and most of the time they’re perfectly balanced.
It’s funny, action-packed, and clever. And perhaps the greatest praise I can heap upon this book is that the lead character and investigator, Lowmar Dashiel, thinks like a real person. In fact, the only thing that lets down this novel is when those genres become unbalanced, and it embraces the fantasy genre too strongly. For instance, there’s a great battle which on paper sounds great for a fantasy novel. But this book is smaller, more intimate, and the battle felt out of place to me. Once things had got back to Dashiel’s smaller world, things felt more natural. So if epic fantasy is the only kind of fantasy you’ll entertain, give this one a pass. But if you’re in the mood for something a little different, this crime fantasy might just scratch that itch.
Children of Blood and Bone
If you’re tired of medieval-European fantasy, this is an excellent choice for your next read. Children of Blood and Bone tells the tale of Zélie Adebola, whose mother was killed when tyrannical King Saran ordered the deaths of all magic-wielding magi. Saran also severed the magi’s connection with the gods, and now magic is no more. Adeyemi has written a story of persecution, magic, and raw emotion that will catch you by surprise at times. This might be a YA novel, but it doesn’t pull any punches; alongside the smiles and the romance, there’s a lot of death, violence, and heartache too. Adeyemi’s novel moves at a pace, hammering through the story. The Kingdom of Orisha feels huge, but there’s also a sense that there’s a big wide world beyond its borders. Filled with character-driven, action-filled fantasy that differs from the usual medieval-European fare, and unexpectedly moving at times, Children of Blood and Bone really is one of the best fantasy books out there.
After a chance encounter, Zélie leads a quest to bring magic back with the help of her brother, Tzain, and Saran’s daughter, Princess Amari. Standing in their way is Amari’s older brother, Prince Inan, but whether he is friend or foe is uncertain, and there is a strange connection between Inan and Zélie that might be more than it seems. There’s a great sense of world, too. All of the characters have depth, too, and are full of the conflicts and uncertainties that make a character human. So much of the story hinges on these conflicting desires that I honestly wasn’t sure which way the story was going to go, which is always a good thing! A little note from me: I got a copy of the audiobook for Children of Blood and Bone, and I can’t recommend enough experiencing the book this way. It’s beautifully narrated by Bahni Turpi, whose work is reason enough to pick up the audiobook instead!
The Lies of Locke Lamora
I always think of The Lies of Locke Lamora as Ocean’s 11 meets epic fantasy. But if you love a good heist but you like fantasy worlds too, this is the book for you. Locke Lamora is a member of the Gentlemen Bastards, a gang of thieves working under the leadership of Father Chains. They all find themselves wrapped up in the mysterious machinations of the Gray King, and the story is filled with twists, double crosses, and desperate races to save the day, not all of which are entirely successful. Locke is a witty, smooth-talking character, so don’t come to this novel for a gritty time. Yes, there’s violence, but there’s also jokes and hijinks too. The body count gets pretty high, and there’s even a bit of torture thrown in for good measure.
But the general tone is less Game of Thrones and more, well, Ocean’s Eleven. It’s a good time, and a classic for a reason. It’s not a perfect analogy; for instance, Scott Lynch’s novel doesn’t feature Don Cheadle gamely trying to squeeze as much Cockney rhyming slang into his dialogue as he can. From my perspective as a fantasy reader, what makes this book special is that it’s high-stakes crime dressed up in a gorgeous fantasy setting. I personally believe this blend of slick con artistry and world-building is why it has become one of the best fantasy books out there.
Ship of Magic
Fresh off the back of the Farseer trilogy, Hobb wrote a new trilogy set in the same world, but with a very different setting. This series introduces the captivating concept of Liveships: ships made from wood imbued with magic that makes the ship come alive. These ships absorb the personalities of the people who have died on deck, which is a fascinating and slightly disturbing idea! If you read Assassin’s Apprentice and you weren’t a fan of the main character, Fitz, then give Ship of Magic a chance. It’s full of very different characters: you’ll meet a woman trying to become captain of a ship, a boy taken from his life training to be a priest, and a pirate who would be king. Because it’s a book about ships, of course there are pirates! Hobb’s writing is as strong as ever, focusing intensely on character journeys.
I always recommend this series because it offers such a sharp contrast to the previous one, showing the breadth of fantasy. There are some interesting, subtle links to her Fitz books for the eagle eyed, but this trilogy stands apart from her other work entirely, focusing on the sea and trade rather than courts and kings. It’s full of very different characters, and that is why it is truly a hidden gem among the best fantasy books.
Redwall
Brian Jacques’ Redwall is the first in an epic fantasy series for children starring English woodland animals. It’s a fantastic introduction to fantasy for children or, if you’re an adult, it’s a great read between thick fantasy tomes a delightful palate cleanser. The eponymous Redwall is an abbey, populated by mice, which faces the threat of Cluny the Scourge, the appropriately named rat leader of an army curiously hell-bent on conquering the abbey. The hero, Mathias, is a young mouse who is always being told by his elders to be calm and mindful, but lusts for adventure and excitement. Naturally, it falls to him to somehow find a way to defend Redwall against the oncoming threat. The story is rich with everything that makes fantasy great, just on a smaller scale.
It’s quaint and it’s sweet and it’s fun. There’s legendary warriors, an ancient sword, and riddles that will puzzle and please young minds (although quite how the logic works will puzzle older ones). Redwall should definitely be on your reading list, and is undoubtedly one of the best fantasy books around! I can personally vouch that this series taught me the true meaning of heroism, showing that courage comes in all sizes. If you want charming, low-stakes adventure and a genuinely heartwarming narrative, this is the book for you.
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