Epic fantasy is a subgenre of the fantasy world that covers fantasy stories set in grand, epic tales with complex world building, high stakes adventures, and so much more. I personally love epic fantasy and I think that it has a lot to tell and that the story elements are just absolutely fantastic. Epic fantasy, to me, is a journey and one that is worth sharing any day. So, this post will be covering 10 amazing epic fantasy series that you need to get started reading right away!
(affiliate disclaimer: some of the links in this post are affiliate links which means that I make a small commission at no additional cost to you when you purchase something through my links).
New to epic fantasy? Start here → 12 Tips for Writing Epic Fantasy Books
The Fallen Age Saga by Zainah Yousef
Although I classify my books as being more grimdark sci-fantasy, I do think that as a collective, the series is very much in-line with epic fantasy. It’s currently set to be six books total and there will be more novels released in the world itself outside of the main series. Book 1, Malware, starts out more like a sci-fi but once you hit the fantasy components… be ready for a wild ride, I’m just going to put it at that. Malware is about a hacker named Blide Stevens who is a former mercenary. He uncovers a deep conspiracy that he is deeply involved in and he doesn’t even realize it. He finds out about ancient demons, militaristic aliens, occult religions, sacrificial cults, mercenary organizations, secret societies, and the involvement of major global figures in this conspiracy. The book’s general tone is about a very dark future where a war overtakes everything and the series itself is titled The Fallen Age Saga because it’s about the fallen age of humanity.
The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson
Arguably one of my favorite epic fantasy series ever written, The Stormlight Archive is an in-progress series by Brandon Sanderson that tells the story of a world called Roshar broken up by war, ancient conflicts, and the return of the orders of old. There are so many great characters, high stakes conflicts, war, political intrigue, and more. This is honestly a quintessential rite of passage for any fantasy reader out there and I really think that if you’re looking for a fantasy series that gives you everything you could love about fantasy, it would have to be this one. The books are definitely on the longer side, but they are some of the best fantasy has to offer.
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
No list about fantasy books is complete without The Lord of the Rings, which is definitely one of the grandfathers of epic and high fantasy literature out there. Tolkien’s works continue to influence pretty much all fantasy books out there to this day, and he helped to establish a lot of what we consider fantasy as readers. The world of Middle-Earth is rife with war, peril, conquest, and the threat of Sauron and his army of Orcs as they march to conquer all the land and decimate the armies of Men. It’s definitely a series that’s worth reading and the movies are fantastic as well!
The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan
The Wheel of Time is definitely a classic in the world of epic fantasy and it has some of the best elements of fantasy out there. The series is set in a sprawling, richly detailed world where time is basically cyclical. In this world, history repeats itself in a never-ending wheel. There’s so many cultures, societies, languages, and more present in The Wheel of Time. It definitely invokes the idea of good vs evil and it has a really complex magic system, which is great for epic fantasy fans.
A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin
A Song of Ice and Fire is definitely a series that every fan of epic fantasy should consider reading in their lifetime. Although it’s still not complete, let’s hope one day Martin decides to release the final book. But for now, there’s a lot of story to get through in the first place, and it’s a very popular one for a reason. With dragons, noble houses, political intrigue, high stakes, and epic battles, A Song of Ice and Fire is not a story of heroes, but more a story of people fighting in an epic game of power and conquest.
The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb
The Farseer Trilogy is a great epic fantasy story about an assassin named FitzChivalry (Fitz) Farseer who is the illegitimate son of a prince. There are so many elements of epic fantasy in this story, and two magic systems that exist in the world. Fitz uses both forms and he must fight against the instability caused by political espionage, naval raids, and more in his kingdom. It’s one of the most beloved series out there and everyone who has read it basically recommends it for a reason. Fitz’s character grows throughout the series and we learn more about him as a person and explore a lot of great themes and psychology.
The Bloodsworn Saga by John Gwyne
John Gwyne is definitely well-known for his work in the epic fantasy genre and he’s done a great job at crafting interesting, engaging, and amazing worlds for readers. His series, The Bloodsworn Saga has been described as being similar to games like Skyrim (which is an AMAZING video game) and is set in a world inspired by the Norse. If you like Vikings, giant monsters, mythology and more, this is the perfect series for you!
The First Law Trilogy by Joe Abercrombie
There are not enough words I can use to describe how much I enjoy Abercrombie’s writing style and his trilogy, The First Law, is no exception to that. I absolutely loved this trilogy and it has been one of the few books I’ve read that genuinely made me laugh, which is not something many books can do. The world of The First Law is very grimdark, with corrupt kings, fallen empires, and malevolent sorcerers, and it’s amazing. The first book is very character-driven, but honestly, how can you not like Logen Ninefingers and Sand dan Glokta? Absolutely amazing characters in a really engaging setting.
The Faithful and the Fallen by John Gwyne
Another John Gwyne series, The Faithful and the Fallen is a fantastic example of what epic fantasy is supposed to be like. The story is set in a dark world plagued by war where giants and wyrms and other creatures are rising, and the stakes are really high. There’s magic, there’s prophecies, there’s kingdoms, and there’s a lot going on and it honestly is an amazing series that any fan of epic fantasy should be picking up.
Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson
Gardens of the Moon is about a squad of Bridgeburners led by Sergeant Whiskeyjack in a land called The Malazan Empire, which is plagued by constant warfare, infighting, bloody conflicts, and sorcerers. However, the Empress doesn’t seem to be backing down, and her rule is maintained by her Claw assassins. The Bridgeburners are in the last of the Free Cities of Genabackis, Darujhistan, but the Empress Laseen wants it next. The series itself is very expansive and sometimes a bit confusing, but it’s a very complex and intricate world that’s definitely worth giving a read.
Conclusion
Epic fantasy is a genre that has a lot of books written under it, but the idea of epic fantasy is that there is a world and things are just much grander, much more important, and the stakes are so much higher. There’s a lot that happens in epic fantasies, but you’ll be missing out if you don’t give them a chance. I think that epic fantasy is probably some of the best fantasy has to offer, and I really enjoy seeing what different writers do for their own epic fantasy worlds.
Before you head on out, be sure to check out my series, The Fallen Age Saga and don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter to get updates on my latest books, WIPs, posts and more!