Just getting started in fantasy? These are the must-read books...
If you’re coming from a literary fiction background, fantasy can sometimes feel a bit immature at first, but there are plenty of beautifully written, thoughtful novels that make the transition more seamless. R. F. Kuang is a fantastic place to start, especially if you enjoy dark academia. Babel, or The Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution, is, at its core, a novel about British colonialism in the 1800s; it just happens to feature magic powered by the meaning that is lost in translation. Her more recent work, Katabasis, follows Cambridge students of magic who journey into hell to rescue their doctoral advisor.
If you’re a diehard romance reader, then good news: the romantasy subgenre has absolutely exploded in recent years, and there is now so much choice in this space, whatever your preferred level of spice. A great place to start is the series that helped define the trend: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas. It follows 19-year-old hunter Feyre, who is taken to the land of the fae in what is essentially a seductive retelling of Beauty and the Beast. It’s addictive, emotional, and hugely popular for a reason. Now is the perfect time to jump in with books 6 & 7 just announced.
If you already know your way around classic fantasy tropes through things like Dungeons and Dragons, check out Matt Dinniman’s Dungeon Crawler Carl series. The premise is wild: aliens have turned Earth into a deadly, televised dungeon crawl and Carl must survive alongside his sassy, sentient cat, Princess Donut. If that sounds too out there for you, don’t let it put you off; it’s also hilarious, surprisingly heartfelt, and beloved by readers of all genres.
Recommended authors from Fantasy
It’s impossible not to mention Brandon Sanderson, a true powerhouse of the genre. His clear, accessible prose makes him perfect for beginners, while his intricate worldbuilding keeps even seasoned readers hooked. While he has many different reasonably sized series, the majority of them are in the same larger connected universe called the Cosmere. These are perfect for biting off a narratively satisfying chunk of his catalogue without needing to read everything, but there is always more when you inevitably want to keep going. If you like unique world building, satisfying character arcs, epic finales (affectionately known as the sanderlanche) and cool magic systems, you really can’t go wrong here. Start with Mistborn for a gripping trilogy, Tress of the Emerald Sea for a cosier standalone, or The Emperor’s Soul for a quick, award-winning novella.
If you are looking for something less hopeful and a bit more violent and grim, Joe Abercrombie is for you. A master of prose and dialogue with some of the best characters you will come across, his books are perfect if you want something cynical, witty, and clever, and don’t need that happy ending. The entry point to the main series is The Blade Itself, but if you want a standalone with a chaotic, “suicide squad” energy, check out The Devils: a violent, darkly funny adventure through an alternate medieval world (James Cameron has already bought the movie!).
Another amazing series made up of many smaller ones, and my personal favourite, is the Realm of the Elderlings by Robin Hobb. These books have it all: beautiful prose, believable world-building, a satisfying plot, but what really shines is how deep and believable the characters are. I have never read a book (let alone a fantasy book) where characters felt so much like real people, even if sometimes that means they make some terrible decisions. Her books tend to be long and slower-paced, but you just don’t want them to ever end. Start with Assassin’s Apprentice and don’t skip any of them, you might be desperate to get back to the characters you love, but you will grow to love the new ones too.
If, like me, you've read all the big names, here are some excellent titles you may never have heard of
Jade City by Fonda Lee is like magic, kung fu The Godfather. Jade is a mineral that endows its wearer with enhanced abilities, but only the Kekonese have the genetic disposition to access that power without succumbing to it. The story follows a clan war between competing crime families vying for control of Jade and the city of Janloon. Lots of scheming, politics, excellent characters, and of course, violence; this urban fantasy should be a must-read for everyone.
The Red Winter is a recent debut from Cameron Sullivan. After living for hundreds of years with his demon Sarmodel, Professor Sebastian Graves joined the hunt for the terrible Beast of Gévaudan. Twenty years later, with France on the verge of revolution, the beast has returned, and Sebastian is lured back with the promise of reconciliation with his estranged lover, Antoine, and the chance to defeat the Beast for good. Told through a fictionalised account from Sebastian (complete with footnotes and a fake foreword), spanning multiple time periods, this is clever, gory, and surprisingly funny.
Delivering a unique mix of gothic horror, sci-fi, and razor-sharp humour, Gideon the Ninth may have one of the greatest taglines in fantasy: “lesbian necromancers in space”. From Kiwi author Tamsyn Muir, it’s great to see a Māori protagonist and NZ culture sprinkled through an epic fantasy. Lots of mystery, memes, magic, and big swords; this whole series is surprisingly touching with loveable characters you can’t help but root for.
Upcoming books I'm looking forward to
Eccentric, genius investigator Ana solves crimes with the help of her engraver, Din, and his perfect memory in Shadows of the Leviathan by Robert Jackson Bennett: a really cool fantasy Sherlock Holmes set in an empire whose people are bio-enhanced with modifications derived from the Kaiju that they have to drive back into the ocean every wet season. The first two have been 5-star reads, and I cannot wait for the latest instalment, A Trade of Blood, coming in August.
I really liked James Islington’s first series, The Licanius Trilogy, and Hierarchy has improved on pretty much everything. Taking place in a rigid republic where power is ceded from the many to the powerful few. Secret prince, Vis infiltrates the elite academy to find answers and secure a place in the society that murdered his family. Interesting magic system, lots of mystery, twists, and increasingly epic scope. Really excited for book three, A Justice For One, coming soon.
I’m a sucker for a Sanderson book, so there’s no way I’m passing up the upcoming Songs of the Dead, co-written with author and musician, Peter Orullian. A London rocker is killed and awakens in a hidden magical version of the city where music and light create magic living eras of the past, layer upon layer. He discovers a powerful society manipulating a growing war that could rewrite all of history as the dead sow revolution against the living. Coming June, so not long to wait for this one.