The 10 Best Fantasy Books of All Time, Ranked

Fantasy is a genre that has come a long way since its inception. As many already know, the genre refers to stories that involve the use of magic and monsters, or other concepts that break all known laws of reality. Sometimes these stories are set in our world, with mythical aspects mixed in, other times they are set in completely new worlds invented by the creator.

Fantasy is more popular than ever, although the genre owes its popularity to excellent works that have come out over the course of human history. Not all of these works are novels either–some are epic poems. Either way, these books have become known as some of the best and most influential fantasy books of all time, which are still being reread and rediscovered even now.

10

‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ (1964)

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Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a children’s novel by Roald Dahl, which goes pretty light on the fantasy elements. There are some aspects of fantasy in there, including the mild use of what seems to be magic and the mysterious race of humanoids called the Oompa-loompas, but that’s about it. The story is about Charlie Bucket, a poor boy who receives one of five golden tickets in a chocolate bar he purchases. This golden ticket grants him the opportunity to tour Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory.

This book received a few different movie adaptations, the first coming out in 1971, starring Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka. Dahl has always been a popular author, but this one got especially popular because it’s a morality tale. It teaches children to always be honest and to never submit to greed. If they abide by the rules and these pieces of advice, good things will happen to them. It’s a whimsical story that is absolutely timeless, and which continues to inspire awe in young readers to this day.

9

‘Oathbringer’ (2017)

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Oathbringer is the third installment in Brandon Sanderson‘s The Stormlight Archive series, which is part of his shared literary universe known as the Cosmere. The basic concept of the Cosmere is that all the stories are set within the same galaxy, just on different planets. Each planet has its own corresponding magic system. Oathbringer is set on the barren world of Roshar, which is plagued by tempests called highstorms, which have the strength of hurricanes.

The plot of the series is that the crustaceous race of humanoids known as the Listeners (known to humans as the Parshendi) are waging a war against humanity, resurrecting a form of magic that hasn’t been seen in over a millennium to do so. Forced into a war for survival, the kingdoms of humanity must unite, bringing back their own magic system in turn. This book is a monster at well over 1,200 pages long, but it’s still perfectly placed. There are so many fantastic moments in this book. It’s got epic battles, moral wisdom, political intrigue, romance, character development, and high emotions. Add a unique fantasy world on top of that, and you’ve got the recipe for one of the finest works of fiction the world has ever seen.

8

‘A Wizard of Earthsea’ (1968)

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Ursula K. Le Guin‘s A Wizard of Earthsea is the first novel in the Earthsea series, which completely took the world by storm. The story is set on an ocean planet, where the only land is a small archipelago of islands inhabited by various cultures. Dragons populate the islands, too, which bring a hefty dose of magic along with them. Story-wise, it’s about a young man who discovers he is a wizard, intending to use his power to exact vengeance on the raiders who ransacked his hometown.

A Wizard of Earthsea is not only a fantastic coming-of-age story; it’s also one of the best examples of world-building you can find. The book was praised for its immersive and fleshed-out world, which comes with a hefty dose of lore and history. The cultures and conflicts feel realistic, even though the setting is entirely fictional. This book is one of the most iconic fantasy novels ever, which is still celebrated to this day.

7

‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’ (1950)

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The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was the first book written in The Chronicles of Narnia series by C. S. Lewis. Although the book is chronologically the second entry in the series. This one is set in the Second World War, where four English children are sent out to live in a lavish manor in the countryside to escape the constant air strikes and dogfights happening over London. There, the youngest child discovers a wardrobe that serves as a portal to the fantastical land of Narnia.

In Narnia, mythology comes to life. There are monsters, magic, and even talking animals, providing the children with a true sense of escapism. However, trouble is brewing in Narnia, too, and it all begins with a witch whose cold heart is as hard as ice. Famously made into a movie in the 2000s, this book is one of the first entries in the portal fantasy subgenre. It’s also a deeply influential book, which went on to inspire many different works of fantasy.

6

‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’ (1900)

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The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum is a children’s fantasy novel about a little girl named Dorothy, who lives in Kansas. By some fluke, Dorothy is sucked up by a tornado and deposited in the magical land of Oz. In order to get home, she must seek help from the eponymous Wizard of Oz, whom the residents of the land all revere. Making friends and witnessing many wonders along the way, Dorothy begins her journey to see this wizard.

This book was famously made into a 1939 musical film starring Judy Garland, which became known as one of the greatest movies ever made. While the Wizard of Oz book varies significantly from the film, that doesn’t change the fact that it became one of the most influential and important fantasy books ever written. It wouldn’t be wrong to say it was one of the first true members of the genre, which pioneered not just fantasy, but the medium as a whole.

5

‘Divine Comedy’ (1321)

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Divine Comedy is a trilogy of epic poems written by Florentine author Dante Alighieri. The first part of the poem is easily the most accessible, as well as the most exciting. The first part is called Inferno, which details the narrator’s descent through the nine circles of Hell in search of his lover. The remaining two parts are called Purgatorio and Paradiso, which are more philosophical, political, and religious commentaries rather than a traditional narrative.

Many find the latter two poems in the trilogy to be a bit of a slog, which is understandable, but they’re still pretty good in their own right. Where it really shines is, of course, in the first poem, as this became the most famous part of the trilogy. At the time the poems were written, there really was no concept of fantasy fiction. However, it still fits modern definitions of the term, which is why it earns a spot on this list.

4

‘A Storm of Swords’ (2000)

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A Storm of Swords is the third book in George R. R. Martin‘s A Song of Ice and Fire series of novels. This book makes up the third and fourth season of the massive cultural phenomenon Game of Thrones, the hit HBO original series that took the world by storm. Like the rest of the books in the series, the plot follows nine noble families, who spend their days warring over the throne, all while a primal and supernatural threat is slowly gathering strength in the North.

This is one of the lengthiest books in the series, but it’s also arguably the best. There’s quite a lot of plot development in this one, and a lot of major events as well. There’s the infamous Red Wedding, for example, as well as the Battle of Castle Black. The political narrative is made even more complex, and the book introduces some new and exciting characters. This is really where the series peaked–it’s a shame Martin has no desire to finish the remaining two books.

3

‘Dracula’ (1897)

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Okay, so Bram Stoker‘s Dracula is technically a Gothic horror novel, but it inspired so many works of fantasy that it just has to be included on this list. As many already know, the book is about a London-based solicitor who travels to the region of Transylvania to meet with a mysterious man named Count Dracula, who is interested in buying a house in London. While staying at the Count’s castle, the solicitor discovers that the Count is actually a vampire.

This book established so many of the vampire tropes that wormed their way into fantasy fiction. From their aversion to sunlight, their ability to turn into bats, and their effortless suave, this novel started it all. It wasn’t the first book to ever include a vampire by a long shot, but it was certainly the one that had the most influence on vampires in fiction. This is a pioneering and legendary fantasy book that is exceptionally well-written, and which should be read by any dark fantasy fan.

2

‘Odyssey’ (c. 8th Century BCE)

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The oldest entry on this list, Homer‘s Odyssey is a book-length epic poem about a multi-year journey to return home. The protagonist, Odysseus, faces numerous dangers on his nautical voyage through the Greek Isles, encountering many beasts and beings from Greek mythology. Though this was written long before fantasy fiction was even a thing, it definitely fits the modern definition of a low fantasy book.

Odyssey has been adapted for the screen countless times, with the most recent movie adaptation coming out in July of 2026, which was directed by Christopher Nolan. Some people find this book challenging because of its format and archaic language, but the broader consensus is that Odyssey is an absolute masterpiece. It’s arguably one of the most influential fantasy books ever written due to the sheer amount of other works it inspired.

1

‘The Return of the King’ (1955)

The Return of the King is the third and final installment in J. R. R. Tolkien‘s The Lord of the Rings trilogy. These novels were made into a phenomenal film trilogy in the early 2000s, and were directed by Peter Jackson. The story is about a quest to destroy a magical ring, which belongs to the Dark Lord Sauron, as a means of vanquishing his source of power. While this is a great story, truth be told, it’s only a small part of Tolkien’s immense legendarium.

Tolkien detailed thousands upon thousands of years of history throughout his life, detailing cultures, historic battles, and full mythologies. It’s easily the most impressive work of fantasy fiction ever created. This is one of the few works that is actually presented in novel form rather than a fictitious account of history. This epic conclusion contains moments of heroism, enormous battles, and a heartfelt, good-triumphing-over-evil narrative that never fails to inspire. Many fantasy tropes came from this book and the ones before it, making it easily the best and most influential fantasy book ever written.