A good fantasy series is a long-term relationship. You’re signing up for thousands of pages, a world that slowly becomes familiar and a few characters you’ll miss when it’s over, plus the lingering feeling that you should be doing something more productive with your evenings. Choosing the right one matters.
These ten are the ones readers keep going back to. They range from cozy to brutal and from ancient to brand new, so there’s a starting point for nearly every taste. Where a series is unfinished, we’ve noted it, so you know what you’re getting into and can decide whether to go in with open eyes or a support group.
The Lord of the Rings
J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic is the foundation on which almost all modern fantasy stands, which is why so many other books have a council, a quest and a very long walk. Frodo, a hobbit, is charged with destroying a ring of terrible power, and the quest pulls in a fellowship of allies and a world on the brink of war.
It rewards patient readers. The prose is more formal than modern fiction, and it takes the time to describe a hill. But the emotional force of its themes, friendship, sacrifice and the corrupting pull of power, hasn’t faded in seventy years. Yes, there’s a lot of walking. It’s worth it.
Harry Potter
A boy discovers he’s a wizard and enters a school of magic, where he must face the dark wizard who killed his parents, and a surprising amount of homework. It’s the series that turned a generation into readers, and gave a lot of adults an unreasonable attachment to a particular type of candy.
The first books are light and playful, and they grow darker and more complex as Harry ages. Reread it as an adult and you’ll notice how carefully the mysteries were planted from the very beginning, and how many times the adults were really, truly not helping.
A Song of Ice and Fire
George R.R. Martin’s saga, which inspired Game of Thrones, is a story of power struggles among noble houses in a world sliding toward a long winter. It’s brutal and morally complex, and no character is safe, including the ones you grew attached to in chapter three.
Be aware that the series is unfinished, and fans have waited many years for the next volume, a wait that has become its own genre of humor. Even so, the five existing books are rich, and they differ in many ways from the TV adaptation. Do not name a pet.
The Wheel of Time
Robert Jordan’s fourteen-volume epic begins with a young man in a quiet village who learns he may be the Dragon Reborn, a prophesied savior or destroyer, which is a lot to learn on a Tuesday. It was completed by Brandon Sanderson after Jordan’s death, a handoff of astonishing commitment.
Its scale is enormous, with deep magic systems and cultures. The early books are classic fantasy, and later volumes can be dense, but fans say the payoff is worth it. Be ready to meet characters who have opinions about braids.
Mistborn
Brandon Sanderson’s first trilogy is set in a world where ash falls from the sky and a god-emperor rules, which sounds depressing until a group of thieves decides to take him down using a magic system that involves burning metals for powers. It’s a heist in a fantasy world, and it works.
It’s one of the most accessible entry points into epic fantasy, with clever plotting and a satisfying structure. The final twist in the first book is famous among fans, and you’ll understand why when you scream at the last page.
The Stormlight Archive
Sanderson’s ongoing epic is set on a world scoured by highstorms, and follows soldiers, scholars and a slave as an ancient threat returns. The books are enormous, and so is the commitment, so think of it as less of a series and more of a hobby with bookmarks.
It’s for readers who want to settle in. The world-building is intricate, and the characters’ emotional journeys are the heart of the story, which is how you end up crying about a man who carries a bridge. Weeks later, you’ll still be talking about it.
The Name of the Wind
Patrick Rothfuss’s first book tells the life story of Kvothe, a legendary figure now hiding as an innkeeper, which is the fantasy equivalent of a celebrity who moved to a small town. The prose is beautiful and musical.
The series is, once again, unfinished. If you can accept that, the first two books are among the most atmospheric in modern fantasy. Go in with your eyes open, and with a deep respect for the concept of patience.
Percy Jackson
Rick Riordan’s series imagines Greek gods living in the modern world, and a boy who discovers he’s the son of Poseidon, because every kid needs a famous parent with a complicated dating history. It’s funny, fast-paced and accessible.
It works well for younger readers and for adults who like mythology but wish it had more sarcasm. The humor keeps the stories feeling fresh, and the gods are about as reliable as you’d expect.
The Witcher
Andrzej Sapkowski’s short stories and novels follow Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter, and are a great read if you enjoy darker, more cynical fantasy where the monsters are usually the most honest characters.
The short-story collections are a great place to start, with fairy tales twisted into morality plays. They inspired the video games and the TV series, and they deserve credit for being the original source of the joke “it’s a bad time to be a witcher.”
Fourth Wing
Rebecca Yarros’s romantasy follows a young woman forced into a brutal war college for dragon riders, where the primary subject is surviving the other students. It became a huge bestseller and a social-media phenomenon, and a lot of people are very passionate about it.
It’s fast, addictive and full of romance and action. It’s a good pick if you like a page-turner with high emotional stakes, a swoony tone and a dragon who’s basically a well-armed cat.