Books like Lord Of The Rings
30 fantasy books to read after Lord Of The Rings, by Tolkien, J.r.r., the closest match first.
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The Lord Of The Rings book 1 Start here
1. The Hobbit
by Tolkien, J.r.r.
- Same series
- Same author
Smaug is the classic dragon figure lying under the mountain—a scary creature who keeps the dwarves from their home and who must be defeated.
The Hobbit is one of the most well-loved fantasy novels of all time. Written by J.R.R Tolkien as a bedtime story for his children, The Hobbit is a light-hearted tale,...
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The Lord Of The Rings book 3
2. The Two Towers
by Tolkien, J.r.r.
- Same series
- Same author
Presents a boxed set including the complete "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, as well as its prequel, "The Hobbit."
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The Lord Of The Rings book 4
3. The King Returns
by Tolkien, J.r.r.
- Same series
- Same author
Presents a boxed set including the complete "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, as well as its prequel, "The Hobbit."
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4. Children Of Hurin
by Tolkien, J.r.r.
- Same series
- Same author
Long before the One Ring was forged in the fires of Mount Doom, one man—Húrin—dared to defy Morgoth, the first and greatest of the dark lords to plague Middle-earth. Thus...
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5. The Samarillion
by Tolkien, J.r.r.
- Same series
- Same author
Edited by Christopher Tolkien from his father's papers, The Silmarillion is the history of the First Age of Middle-earth. It begins with the creation of the world in the music...
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The Lord Of The Rings book 4
6. The Return Of The King
by Tolkien, J.r.r.
- Same series
- Same author
Now a New York Times bestseller! The inside story of LeBron James's return and ultimate triumph in Cleveland. What really happened when LeBron James stunned the NBA by leaving a...
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Hyperion Cantos book 1 Start here
7. Hyperion
by Simmons, Dan
- On the same lists
So most of this series is in fact, not Dying Earth but it is a pinnacle of science fiction. The Poet's Tale: Hyperion Cantos in the first novel of Hyperion is a part of the Dying Earth sub-genre and it is the connection the readers have from Earth to the strange new universe of Hyperion.
A grand intelligent space opera tale that also tells a series of very personal tales. This juxtaposition between epic and the personal gives real life to the story. The whole...
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8. The City & The City
by Miéville, China
- On the same lists
A startling premise that was so foreign yet so fascinating. This is a detective novel like you've never read, with such a distinct setting that you'll never forget it. And...
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9. Armor
by Steakley, John
- On the same lists
Some of best battlefield action scenes I’ve ever read. You literally feel the rush of adrenaline, the shock, confusion, and horror of the battlefield. There is literally never, ever a...
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10. The Road
by Mccarthy, Cormac
- On the same lists
A father and son walk a burned-out America toward the sea, in McCarthy's bleak and beautiful end-of-the-world novel.
robably one of the most depressing books I’ve read in my life. Oh yes, it’s well written, brilliant maybe, and all that. However, this book stripped all hope away and...
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11. The Hobbit
by Tolkien, J.r.r.
- Same author
An unforgettable story and a tale that never gets old. It's not as broad in scope as Lord of the Rings which is not really a standalone, nor does it...
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12. Lord Of The Rings
by Tolkien, J.r.r.
- Same author
Do I even need to discuss it? The father of modern fantasy, the recreation of the English myth, an apex of English literature; Lord of the Rings is more than...
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13. The Fifth Sorceress
by Newcomb, Robert
- On the same lists
This one falls under the "Terribly Written Books" categoryOh man, what can I say about this except that it's probably one of the worst written novels in the history of...
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Takeshi Kovacs book 1 Start here
14. Altered Carbon
by Morgan, Richard K.
- On the same lists
Humans can transfer their conciousness into new bodies. This sets up a detective style story about a murder.
After dying in a particularly gruesome death, ex UN-envoy Takeshi Kovacs wakes up to find himself "re-sleeved" into a fresh body with a job offer: find who killed Laurens Bancroft...
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15. Gor
by Norman, John
- On the same lists
These belong to the "Controversial Books" category. A few people love them, but most hate the books -- mainly due to the author's strident views towards women.There's supposed to be...
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The Chronicles Of The Black Company book 1 Start here
16. Black Company
by Cook, Glen
- On the same lists
This epic fantasy series is quite a bit different from your standard fantasy fare. If you want an epic military fantasy series where good and bad are not so clearly...
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17. The Long Price Quartet
by Abraham, Daniel
- On the same lists
This is NOT your standard epic fantasy. But oh man, there's a lot to love about this one. If you want to take a much needed break from the standard...
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18. Starship Troopers
by Heinlein, Robert A.
- On the same lists
The world government in this future Earth is run by veterans and citizens must earn the right to vote and hold public office with federal service.
Book Flap Description A recruit of the future goes through the toughest boot camp in the universe and into battle with the Terran Mobile Infantry against humankind's most frightening enemy. ...
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The Ender Quintet book 1 Start here
19. Ender's Game (1986)
by Card, Orson Scott
- On the same lists
The first in a famous series that seems to become more literary as its characters age. Follows a child prodigy and in the process makes the reader think about war, the means to war, and even loneliness.
Earth has survived two invasions by an insect-like alien race, and the International Fleet is training the most gifted children to lead the next defence. Six-year-old Andrew "Ender" Wiggin is...
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A Song Of Ice And Fire book 1 Start here
20. A Game Of Thrones
by Martin, George R. R.
- On the same lists
Noble houses scheme for a throne while an ancient winter gathers in the north, the epic that made grimdark mainstream.
Because, duh, it was going to be on here somewhere. I almost feel as if it isn't worth writing an entry on this one, because everyone knows it so well,...
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New Crobuzon book 1 Start here
21. Perdido Street Station
by Miéville, China
- On the same lists
The cycle blends multiple genres, including Steampunk, Sci Fi, and Horror. Magic is commonplace and practiced by skilled professionals.
The famous (or infamous, depending how you view the New Weird movement) novel is generally considered one of the founding pillars of the New Weird genre. This novel meets many...
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Dune Chronicles book 1 Start here
22. Dune
by Herbert, Frank
- On the same lists
The whole series over time shows the colonization and taming of the wild planet Dune over thousands of years.
A blend of sci-fi and fantasy, Frank Herbert's Dune created a foundation for many of the themes in modern genre fiction. Its exploration of ecology, pacifism, and mysticism pairs with...
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The Book Of The New Sun book 1 Start here
23. 1981: The Shadow Of The Torturer
by Wolfe, Gene
- On the same lists
The sun has dimmed, the Earth is cooler and has been transformed in wondrous ways.
'The Shadow of the Torturer' is the first book in Gene Wolfe's The Book of the New Sun tetralogy. Narrated by Severian, a member of the Guild of Torturers, the...
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Ghormenghast book 2
24. Gormenghast
by Peake, Mervyn
- On the same lists
The first real Fantasy of Manners series and is set in a Byzantium kingdom rife with intrigue, treachery, manipulation and murder.
A startling work of imagination that will evoke feeling when you read it. Reading Gormenghast is like feasting your eyes on a masterfully drawn painting -- you might not always...
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The Acts Of Caine book 1 Start here
25. Heroes Die
by Stover, Matthew Woodring
- On the same lists
A novel about two worlds that blends Science Fiction and Fantasy. An action packed adventure filled with real danger, sorcery, and a complex social system.
The Acts of Caine series takes adventure fantasy and drags it sixteen miles through the mud, and then tortures what's left. In a dystopian future, humanity has discovered a way...
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Mistborn book 1 Start here
26. Mistborn
by Sanderson, Brandon
- On the same lists
Though Sanderson's main criticism is a lack of character depth, it's hard to deny the satisfying coming of age stories in Mistborn. The novel describes a classic rags-to-riches story, Vin...
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27. The First Law
by Abercrombie, Joe
- On the same lists
This series takes place in an epic fantasy world at war and contains gritty violence and realistic characters.
Murderous conspiracies rise to the surface, old scores are ready to be settled, and the line between hero and villain is sharp enough to draw blood. Unpredictable, compelling, wickedly funny,...
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28. Malazan Book Of The Fallen
by Erikson, Steven
- On the same lists
A grand and epic series with a huge cast of characters with epic battles, sieges, mages, and carnage.
Steven Eriksen has been both lauded and criticized for his extreme detail, and that extends to his magic system. In Malazan, magic comes from warrens, a realm from which mages...
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29. The Kingkiller Chronicles
by Rothfuss, Patrick
- On the same lists
A world that is vast, fantastical, and strongly rooted in logical world-building—it is a trilogy and biography of a famous musician and adventurer.
If you haven't heard of The Kingkiller Chronicles by now, you'll want to pick it up as soon as possible. Rothfuss' award-winning series took the genre by storm in 2007...
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The Magicians book 1 Start here
30. 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 Lord Of The Rings.
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