Best Fantasy books

The 200 highest-rated Fantasy books, scored from 274.7K reader ratings.

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Sort byDecadeMinimum ratingsAdaptation200 results

By year of first publication, 1937–2026. The busiest stretch is 2010–2019, with 64. Select a bar to narrow the list.

1
9.49.4 / 10
Words of RadianceBrandon Sanderson3.5K ratingsThe second Stormlight volume is where some readers only half won over by the first become committed.Our view
2
9.29.2 / 10
The Way of KingsBrandon Sanderson3.9K ratingsA thousand-page opening to a sprawling epic series, and it behaves like one.Our view
3
9.19.1 / 10
Mistborn: The Hero of AgesBrandon Sanderson4.2K ratings“The Hero of Ages” closes the Mistborn trilogy with unusual precision.Our view

Why Words of Radiance is #1

Words of Radiance (Brandon Sanderson) scores 9.4/10 from 3.5K ratings — 0.2 points ahead of The Way of Kings in second place.

The score is a weighted average across 3 independent rating sources. A title with few ratings is pulled toward the category average, so a handful of enthusiastic reviews cannot outrank a book that thousands of readers have judged. To keep the list varied, the top 20 holds at most two books from one series and three by one author; the rest follow further down. Method →

How to pick good fantasy

Good fantasy has rules, and the rules have costs. Look for books where those rules change what the characters decide.

Magic has a priceIf a spell solves every problem, the tension dies. What matters is what the character pays.
The world lives beyond the plotTrade, faith and politics keep working even when the heroes don’t need them.
Judge the first volume separatelyVolumes are rated separately here. If only later ones rank high, expect a slow start.

Frequently asked questions

Which title here has the most ratings?

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (J. K. Rowling) — 11.9K ratings and 8.6/10, which puts it at #85 on this list.

What is the best book of recent years in Fantasy?

Of the books here published since 2022, This Inevitable Ruin (2024) ranks highest: #6, 9.0/10.