10 Fantasy Books You Should Read Right Now

This book started the massive resurgence of the fantasy genre in media that we are currently experiencing. A Game of Thrones is the first book of the A Song of Ice and Fire series, which HBO adapted to the hit show Game of Thrones. If you have already watched the show, you should definitely read the book series because it adds so many exciting and compelling details. George R. R. Martin writes a gritty, realistic, and dark world. If you are not a fan of the show, then this might not be the book for you. I think it's important to note that the Game of Thrones series covers many really sensitive issues. Characters are traumatized in numerous ways, and sometimes the graphic way Martin depicts war crimes can feel gratuitous. The story follows the world of Westeros and the various political machinations that the characters of Great Houses have to navigate as the kingdom falls into war. One of the main themes that A Game of Thrones explores is power, and while the story mostly focuses on people with a privileged background, it also focuses on characters from more humble stations.

It may be a controversial opinion, but The Hobbit is so much better than The Fellowship of the Ring, which is the first book in the Lord of the Rings series. The Hobbit is a prequel to the Lord of the Rings, and it is a much smaller and more self-contained fantasy adventure. This smaller focus makes it the perfect fantasy book for readers who are getting into the genre for the first time. There is not a sprawling cast of characters to keep track of, and the book is exciting but uncomplicated.

Readers cannot say enough good things about the Mistborn series, which earns every scrap of praise. Mistborn: The Final Empire is the first book in the series, focusing on Kelsier. Kelsier is a talented thief that wants to steal from the Lord Ruler. The Lord Ruler has been in authority for a thousand years over the Skaa, who live in a constant state of terror. Kelsier meets a girl named Vin with mysterious power, and the journey the story takes them on is truly unconventional.

Written by the acclaimed Terry Pratchett, The Color of Magic is an older fantasy comedy novel from 1983 and starts off the incredible Discworld series. Terry Pratchett creates such a rich world and hits on a lot of interesting class dynamics and political struggles in a way that can hit close to home. In this book, the plot follows the wizard Rincewind in his attempts to mentor the rich tourist, Twoflower. It is a unique addition to the fantasy genre and deconstructs a number of popular tropes.

Neil Gaiman is an incredible author, and his strength for world-building and character arcs is apparent in American Gods. American Gods is yet another novel on this list that has since been adapted to the screen. If you enjoyed those adaptations, you would absolutely love the book, which adds a lot to the story. American Gods blends fantasy with mythology and American lore. It also features continuous mysteries as the main character named Shadow gets abducted into this strange world.

N. K. Jemisin is the author of this science fantasy book, which is the first in the Broken Earth trilogy. It features three terrible and tragic events that occur on the same day. A woman named Essun's husband murders her son and kidnaps her daughter. Most of the citizens of a giant empire are brutally killed by a dictator. Finally, a giant gash into the earth has opened, and ash is pouring out and devastating the world. The story follows an unlikely protagonist in Essun, who must navigate this destruction as she goes to find her daughter.

Popularized into the mainstream because of its Netflix adaptation, Shadow and Bone is the first book in the trilogy. It follows the life of Alina Starkov, who discovers she has a rare ability when she saves her friend's life. As others around her recognize her power, she is ushered into a world of political machinations and danger.

Stephen King is one of the most famous authors in the world for a reason. He does not disappoint with The Gunslinger, which is an intriguing dark-fantasy novel and the first in the Dark Tower series. Roland of Gilead holds the title of The Last Gunslinger, and he pursues the Man in Black. Like most of Stephen King's novels, this story focuses on the themes of good and evil.

The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe is the first published and best known of seven novels in The Chronicles of Narnia (1950–1956).  It is the most famous book in the series for a reason.  C.S. Lewis weaves together a compelling tale of four children who find a secret world in the back of a wardrobe.  The adventures they go on and the dangers they face feel pressing and real, but the writing is so charming and cozy that you feel happy the entire time.

A Wrinkle in Time is another fantasy novel that blends science fiction elements into the story. It focuses on one of the greatest main characters ever in Meg Murry. Meg Murry is a teenage girl who gets pulled into a fantastical battle against evil with her gifted brother Charles Wallace and her new friend Calvin O'Keefe. A Wrinkle in Time's greatest strength is its characters and character interactions. Everyone feels real in a very endearing way.