Fiction
Fantasy Worth Getting Lost In
Doorway fantasy and deep epics alike — where to begin if you want somewhere else to live for a while.
14 books · ranked
-
1
The Hobbit
A comfortable hobbit is swept into an adventure with dwarves and a dragon; the cosy doorway into Middle-earth.
-
2
The Lord of the Rings
A small hobbit carries a world-ending ring toward the only place it can be destroyed; the epic that defined the genre.
-
3
A Game of Thrones
Noble houses scheme for an iron throne while an ancient threat stirs in the north; ruthless, intricate epic fantasy.
-
4
Mistborn: The Final Empire
A street thief joins a crew plotting to overthrow an immortal god-emperor, using a brilliantly worked magic of metals.
-
5
The Name of the Wind
A legendary figure tells the story of his own rise from orphan to arcanist; lyrical, immersive and beloved.
-
6
Guards! Guards!
A drunken night watch must stop a dragon and a conspiracy; warm, funny and secretly wise Discworld.
-
7
Piranesi
A man lives alone in an endless house of statues and tides; a short, strange, haunting puzzle of a novel.
-
8
A Wizard of Earthsea
A gifted boy at a school of wizardry must face the darkness he unleashed; spare, wise coming-of-age fantasy.
-
9
Northern Lights
A girl and her animal soul-companion journey north into a war over the nature of the soul; thrilling and profound.
-
10
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Four children step through a wardrobe into a frozen magic kingdom; the gateway to Narnia.
-
11
The Silmarillion
The deep mythology behind Middle-earth, from creation onward; demanding but rewarding for devotees.
-
12
The Way of Kings
Storms, ancient weapons and converging destinies open a vast, meticulously built fantasy saga.
-
13
Assassin's Apprentice
A royal bastard is trained in secret as a poisoner; intimate, character-driven fantasy with real emotional weight.
-
14
The Colour of Magic
The first stop on the Discworld, following an inept wizard and the worst tourist alive; the start of a comic legend.