Bookish Things

Top Ten All Time Favorite Fantasy Books

Jocelyn @ 52Letters33 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

This week’s topic is Top Ten ALL TIME Favorite Books Of X Genre, and I knew I had to choose fantasy. It is the genre I read the most often, and the genre that has most consistently blown me away.

1. All of the Mistborn novels by Brandon Sanderson

cover mistborn

Do you love intricate world building, vibrant characters, and lots and lots of plot twists? Then you HAVE to read Mistborn!

2. Graceling and Fire by Kristen Cashore

These are some of the first YA fantasy books I ever read, and I have to thank them for making me fall in love with the genre. They have the perfect balance between creative fantasy elements, powerful female characters, and swoon-inducing romance.

3. Uprooted by Naomi Novik

cover uprooted

This book is CREEPY AF. It blurs the line between fantasy and horror, fairy tale and nightmare, and does it all while creating one of my favorite heroines and love interests ever.

4. the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas

cover throne of glass new

If you haven’t heard of this series yet, you’ve probably been living under a rock. The series doesn’t hit its stride until the third book (in my opinion), but once it does, it becomes one of the most captivating YA fantasy stories out there.

5. The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater

cover the raven boys

I am in love with everything about this series: the characters, the world-building, the magic, and the writing style. I could read these books forever.

6. Elantris by Brandon Sanderson

cover elantris

Brandon Sanderson writes fantasy like no other. This is one of the most complex, moving fantasy stories ever—and it is a standalone.

7. Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho

cover sorcerer to the crown

I did not expect to love this book as much as I did, but it’s relentless dedication calling out sexism and racism won me over. It’s characters break the expected mold and the world building is unique even if it is not extremely complex.

8. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

cover the scorpio races

This is one of my comfort books. The story is gorgeous, with perfectly flawed characters and a wonderful hate-to-love romance. This is a must read.

9. The Queen’s Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner

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Though the fantasy elements in this series are subtle, I still love them. This is one of my favorite series ever, and the small bits of fantasy thrown in only make it better.

10. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

cover night circus

This book is MAGNIFICENT. Both the fantasy world Morgenstern creates and the way she writes about it are unique and unforgettable. If you haven’t read this book yet GO READ IT.

11. the A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas

cover court of thorns and roses

Finally, how could this list be complete without my current obsession, the ACOTAR series? A Court of Mist and Fury DESTROYED me, earning the title of one of the most powerful stories I have ever read.

Have you read these books? What are your favorite fantasy books? 

33 thoughts on “Top Ten All Time Favorite Fantasy Books”

  7. Oh boy, okay I need to kick myself for not having read like MOST of these. Except for ACOTAR of course *swoons* How I have gone this far in my life Sanderson-less I shall never know. I do have the first book for the Mistborn series though so let’s hope I get to that this year!! ALSO. Thank you for reminding me that I haven’t read The Thief yet, sheesh. Too many books, I tell ya. Don’t mind me, I’m just going to save this list to remind myself later that I NEED to get on top of my Fantasy TBR.

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    • How have you not read Brandon Sanderson yet????!!! He is the king of fantasy. All of his books are SUPER LONG though (but it’s worth it!!!).
      Haha you’ll read The Thief someday. I haven’t gotten to the books you recommended to me either so it’s okay. I hope you like it when you eventually read it–it’s a subtle story, but it will totally capture your heart if you let it.

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  8. You’re SO right that Uprooted is creepy! I finished it a couple of weeks back and I LOVED the Wood and how it’s so dark and dangerous and practically undefeatable. I love the love interest too with the heroine, but I’m trying to step back and think what about that relationship made me OK with their age difference (since Sarkan is like 100+ years? Is that right?) but so not OK with Rowan/Aelin. 🙈

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    • Oh my god the romance in Uprooted took over my life the first time I read it. I had to know if they got together (and then I reread the last page like ten times to get the happiness over and over).
      Rereading Uprooted I was less into the romance (but I still enjoyed it). I think knowing how it ends up made it less overpowering. The age difference (and personality difference) was definitely more noticeable to me the second time. I don’t know what made me okay with it…but then I love Rowan with Aelin so I don’t know about that one either.

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  15. Great list, it’s nice to see stiefvather on a list other than mine. Why is there little love for the Dresden Files on all the blogs i’ve visited? That series would make an excellent addition to your list. The fantasy universe depicted is realistic, believable and above all hilarious. It’s a present day wizard in chicago working as a private investigator. Its full of love, action and comedy its a must read for any fantasy enthusiast.

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