BookRank
Where to start

Fantasy books to read

Not sure which fantasy books to read? We ranked 200 of them using 274,685 reader ratings; the average is 8.6/10. Below: three books to start with, then short reads, series starts, new books, and classics.

If you read only one, make it The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson (9.2/10). If you prefer a series: Mistborn starts with Mistborn: The Final Empire.

Start here

Three fantasy books that many readers rate highly — each one a first volume or a book that stands alone.

  1. The Way of KingsBrandon Sanderson · 2010 · 1008 pages9.2/10 · 3,927 ratingsThe Stormlight Archive · book 1 of 5A thousand-page opening to a sprawling epic series, and it behaves like one.
  2. The Will of the ManyJames Islington · 2023 · 720 pages8.9/10 · 1,528 ratingsHierarchy · book 1 of 2
  3. The Name of the WindPatrick Rothfuss · 2007 · 752 pages8.9/10 · 4,080 ratingsThe Kingkiller Chronicle · book 1 of 2

Short reads: under 300 pages

For a weekend or a commute. 6 of the rated fantasy books are this short; these score best.

  1. The Emperor's SoulBrandon Sanderson · 2012 · 96 pages8.8/10 · 1,352 ratings
  2. KindredOctavia E. Butler · 1979 · 287 pages8.6/10 · 800 ratings
  3. A Monster CallsPatrick Ness · 2011 · 224 pages8.6/10 · 719 ratings
  4. PiranesiSusanna Clarke · 2020 · 272 pages8.4/10 · 3,052 ratings

Series worth starting

The first volume of each series, with the full reading order one click away.

  1. Mistborn: The Final EmpireBrandon Sanderson · 2006 · 669 pages8.9/10 · 5,819 ratingsMistborn · book 1 of 7 · Reading order →
  2. The Fellowship of the RingJ. R. R. Tolkien · 1954 · 496 pages8.8/10 · 5,853 ratingsThe Lord of the Rings · book 1 of 3 · Reading order →
  3. Dungeon Crawler CarlMatt Dinniman · 2020 · 466 pages8.7/10 · 3,741 ratingsDungeon Crawler Carl · book 1 of 8 · Reading order →
  4. A Game of ThronesGeorge R. R. Martin · 1996 · 801 pages8.7/10 · 6,459 ratingsA Song of Ice and Fire · book 1 of 7 · Reading order →

New in 2025 and 2026

The best-rated new books with at least 50 reader ratings.

  1. The EverlastingAlix E. Harrow · 2025 · 320 pages8.5/10 · 262 ratings
  2. The Poet EmpressShen Tao · 20268.4/10 · 156 ratings

Classics from before 1976

Still read, still rated: the older books that hold up best.

  1. The HobbitJ. R. R. Tolkien · 1937 · 310 pages8.6/10 · 8,321 ratingsMiddle Earth · book 1 of 3
  2. MomoMichael Ende · 1973 · 269 pages8.4/10 · 287 ratings

Liked this? Try that

Pairs from our similarity data: the same kind of story, a different author.

If you likedtry
Mistborn: The Well of AscensionBrandon SandersonMore like this in “Find a book” →A Little HatredJoe Abercrombie · 8.6/10
The Name of the WindPatrick RothfussMore like this in “Find a book” →The Will of the ManyJames Islington · 8.9/10
A Clash of KingsGeorge R. R. MartinMore like this in “Find a book” →Fool's ErrandRobin Hobb · 8.6/10

How long are the rated fantasy books?

Under 300 pages6
300–499 pages64
500 pages or more101

171 of 200 rated titles with a known page count. Largest group: 500 pages or more.

Narrow it down with “Find a book”

“Find a book” holds 675 fantasy books. Pick a shortcut — the filters are already set:

Fantasy books in a series357Standalone fantasy books324Short fantasy books (under 220 pages)71New fantasy books91Fantasy books, mood: adventurous490Fantasy books with a film or series45
All fantasy books in “Find a book” →

Questions readers ask

What fantasy books should I read first?

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson: 9.2/10 from 3,927 ratings, and it needs no earlier book. Next on our list: The Will of the Many and The Name of the Wind.

What is a good fantasy book under 300 pages?

The Emperor's Soul (96 pages, 8.8/10) is the highest-rated one under 300 pages.

Which fantasy book series should I start?

Mistborn: begin with Mistborn: The Final Empire, the first of 7 books. The reading order page lists every volume.

What are the best new fantasy books?

The Everlasting (2025) leads the recent titles at 8.5/10 from 262 ratings.

How are these books chosen?

Only books with enough reader ratings to be ranked (at least 50) are picked. The score is a weighted average across independent rating sources, pulled toward the category average when ratings are few.

Go further

Other genres: where to start

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