-
1. The Golem And The Jinni
by Wecker, Helene
- On the same lists
This is one of the more non-traditional fantasy, literary picks on this list, but don't be scared off: The Genie and the Golem is one of the most heart-warming, touching...
-
The Crescent Moon Kingdoms book 1 Start here
2. Throne Of The Crescent Moon
by Ahmed, Saladin
- On the same lists
This debut novel promises a good start to a new series. The novel is an example of the Sword and Sorcery kind of swashbuckling action.
Adventure fantasy that's unlike anything you've read before. Take the setting and wonder and magic of The Arabian Nights, mix in the modern fantasy traditions, and bake it with some...
-
Reckoners book 1 Start here
3. Steelheart
by Sanderson, Brandon
- On the same lists
While Sanderson excels at writing âepicâ fantasy, Steelheartwas a pleasant surprise. Sanderson takes on the âsuperheroâ fantasy genre andwrites a uniquely compelling tale about a band of ordinary humans whospecialize...
-
4. Craft Sequence
by Gladstone, Max
- On the same lists
If a magic system was by alawyer, this would be it. That may sound like a boring concept, but Max Gladstone’s execution is far from it. In his urban fantasy...
-
5. The Dagger And The Coin
by Abraham, Daniel
- On the same lists
Abraham wowed everyone with his Long Price Quartet books, a fundamentally different sort of fantasy tale that was beautifully written and character driven, very much a different fantasy than you've...
-
6. Ocean At The End Of The Lane
by Gaiman, Neil
- On the same lists
A nameless protagonist had a magical childhood where he became part of a battle between the supernatural forces of good and evil. This book does not necessarily reveal the wonder within our mundane world. But, it is a kind of fairy tale.
A powerful story that deals with themes of childhood, innocence, and growing up. What's particularly powerful is Gaiman's ability to harness feelings that most of us, as children, have experienced...
-
7. King Sorrow
by Hill, Joe
- Same author
Joe Hill's dark-academia horror: a group of Oxford students makes a terrible bargain and pays for it.
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Joe Hill, a chilling tale of modern-world dangers, dark academia, and the unexpected consequences of revenge as six friends dabble in the occult...
-
8. Nos4r2
by Hill, Joe
- Same author
One of those weird trips into a nightmare land that you want to wake up from but can't. NOS4R2 reads with the same style and power of Stephen King horror...
-
9. The Shadow Campaigns
by Wexler, Django
- On the same lists
First book in The Shadow Campaigns series and a military fantasy.
The first book was pure awesomeness -- that pure intersection between military strategy, adventure, and unbridled action with a cast of interestingly complex characters. The first book's desert setting was...
-
The Traitor Son Cycle book 1 Start here
10. The Red Knight
by Cameron, Miles
- On the same lists
The first in its series, this book introduces readers to a mysterious character who returns from a campaign and fights for money.
The Red Knight and the Traitor Son Cycle it begins are the most historically-accurate depictions of medieval-era warfare that I've ever read. In fact, if you want to continue enjoying...
-
11. A Tale Of The Kin
by Hulick, Douglas
- On the same lists
A gritty novel, the first in the Tales of Kin series, that centers on a relic smuggler who happens upon a very powerful ancient book.
It's not often you get a likable murderer, but in his Tales of the Kin series Douglas Hulick manages to do just that. Drothe lives in a world of snitches,...
-
Alex Verus book 1 Start here
12. Alex Verus
by Jacka, Benedict
- On the same lists
Alex Verus by Benedict Jacka A lot of the books on this list have a similarity. They may be in wildly different settings and various fantasy worlds, but most of...
-
Bobby Dollar book 1 Start here
13. Dirty Streets Of Heaven
by Williams, Tad
- On the same lists
This one by Tad Williams, a master at writing well plotted, rich fantasy tales.This is his second foray into urban fantasy territory (first being War of the Flowers - another...
-
Under Heaven book 1 Start here
14. Under Heaven
by Kay, Guy Gavriel
- On the same lists
An alternate ancient china told with the majesty of one of fantasy's best wordsmiths.
On paper, this is the perfect setup for a grand fantasy novel: Guy Gavriel Kay (Tigana, The Fionavar Tapestry, Lions of Al-Rassan) applies his considerable literary talent to crafting an...
-
15. The Lightbringer
by Weeks, Brent
- On the same lists
The Lightbringer series holds one of the best magic systems in fantasy, straight from the mind of Brent Weeks. It manages to be simple in concept, yet holds tons of...
-
The Divine Cities book 1 Start here
16. City Of Stairs
by Bennett, Robert Jackson
- On the same lists
Robert Jackson Bennett is one of the most talented writers in the genre but who has, for whatever reason, been mostly overlooked by the average reader. His best book (in...
-
17. Chronicle Of The Unhewn Throne
by Staveley, Brian
- On the same lists
The emperor is dead and the empire in turmoil. With these dark scenes, Stavely’s series opens, and things don’t let up from there. A son and heir, Valyn is training...
-
The Powder Mage book 1 Start here
18. Powder Mage
by Mcclellan, Brian
- On the same lists
Like many books on this list, The Powder Mage Cycle doesn’t contain just one magic system. However, the one synonymous with its name stands out the most, and it’s easy...
-
19. The Night Circus
by Morgenstern, Erin
- On the same lists
There are two types of fantasy readers. Those who feast on action-packed epic struggles for kingdoms, glory, and maybe to save the world from certain destruction from inimical forces. And...
-
First Law World book 5
20. The Heroes
by Abercrombie, Joe
- On the same lists
The title is a bit tongue-in-cheek, as Abercrombie himself describes it this way: "Three men. One battle. No heroes." It was designed to be a standalone novel, but is set...
-
Grim Company book 1 Start here
21. The Grim Company
by Scull, Luke
- On the same lists
With 'grim' in the title, it's not hard to guess that this book is clearly camped in the grimdark sub-genre, and it hits all the right beats for gritty, amoral...
-
22. The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms
by Jemisin, N. K.
- On the same lists
First book in The Inheritance Trilogy, The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms centers on the novel's narrator, Yeine, granddaughter of the ruler of the world. Yeine suddenly is named heir to this...
-
23. The Stormlight Archive
by Sanderson, Brandon
- On the same lists
Understandably, some readers prefer series more epic in their nature, and Sanderson also has that covered. Though it’s magic systemsaren’t quite as compelling as in Mistborn, The Stormlight Archive is...
-
24. The Demon Cycle
by Brett, Peter V.
- On the same lists
At night, Peter V. Brett’s world changes. Demons rise from the planet’s core, infused with supernatural powers and with a hunger for human flesh.Constant bombardment has knocked humans back into...
-
25. Broken Empire / Red Queens War
by Lawrence, Mark
- On the same lists
The first in The Broken Empire series, this gritty and violent novel focuses on a single character, who is an anti-hero, with a very dark past.
Mark Lawrence doesn’t use an abundance of technical explanations and diagrams, but that doesn’t make his magic system any less interesting. In fact, it lets him focus on his astonishing...
-
Raven's Shadow book 1 Start here
26. Blood Song
by Ryan, Anthony
- On the same lists
One of the best fantasy novels in recent times, Blood Song also happens to have many school-like elements. Left as a child at the gates of the Sixth Order, Vaelin...
-
The Magicians book 1 Start here
27. The Magicians
by Grossman, Lev
- On the same lists
A prequel novel about a high school senior who is admitted to a school for gifted children, for a magical education in upstate New York. A typical quest story that turns dark. Things are not black and white in this world and the characters are psychologically rich.
School fantasy is often aimed at children, and it's very successful at hitting that market. It's much harder to appeal exclusively to adults, and that's where The Magicians shines. Rather...
Matches come from series and authors, from the lists the books share, and from the books readers open together. They are rebuilt every night. Back to Nos4a2.
The shortlist
Liked Nos4a2? New releases and the lists readers are opening most, by email.