Books like The Last Unicorn
30 fantasy books to read after The Last Unicorn, by Beagle, Peter S., the closest match first.
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The Last Unicorn book 2
1. Two Hearts
by Beagle, Peter S.
- Same series
- Same author
The long-awaited sequel to the popular classic The Last Unicorn is the centerpiece of the powerful collection of new tales from a fantasy master. As longtime fans have come to...
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The Last Unicorn book 2
2. Two Hearts
by Beagle, Peter S.
- Same series
- Same author
Sooz is nine when a malignant griffin lands in Midnight Wood near her home. It has preyed on the village's sheep and goats for years, but now it has started...
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The Last Unicorn book 2
3. Two Hearts
by Beagle, Peter S.
- Same series
- Same author
From the #1 bestselling author of Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas and Sundays at Tiffany's, two heartwarming tales about the power of a good story to open our eyes to life's...
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4. The Last Unicorn: The Lost Version
by Beagle, Peter S.
- Same series
- Same author
An early draft of The Last Unicorn, written in 1962 and published for the first time in 2006. As in the finished novel, an immortal unicorn leaves her lilac wood...
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5. The Last Unicorn
by Beagle, Peter S.
- Same author
A beautiful, beautiful tale that will haunt you for the rest of your life. It's a simple story with a hell of a lot of heart. There's a good reason...
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6. The Once And Future King
by White, T. H.
- On the same lists
An Arthurian retelling and is also very much a coming of age story.
This classic is the Arthurian tale standard by which modern iterations are measured. Or blatantly ripped off ('cough' Disney 'cough'). While the first section is a bright and comical depiction...
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7. The Worm Ouroboros
by Eddision, E. R.
- On the same lists
If there was an award given out for the Most Influential Fantasy Novel Ever Written That No One Ever Reads, this book would get it. The book tells a stylized...
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Ghormenghast book 2
8. 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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9. Chronicles Of Narnia
by Lewis, C. S.
- On the same lists
In the first book of this series a wardrobe serves as the portal to the magical land of Narnia.
Nearly half a century ago, fantasy was dividing into two fantasy worlds: Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia. Narnia has entertained generations of children and...
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Watership Down book 1 Start here
10. Watership Down: A Novel
by Adams, Richard
- On the same lists
On one level a classic tale of adventure, with anthropomorphized rabbit characters. On another level, it is an epic struggle between tyranny and freedom.
Yes, we're talking about that book about bunnies. No, we haven't lost our minds. Take note: This isn't a children's book, despite it being about fluffy animals. If you've read...
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11. Conan The Barbarian
by Howard, Robert E.
- On the same lists
Conan – the name conjures up images of swords, bare chests, sweat, blood and lots of furs (like a non-campy version of Dolf Lungren's He-Man). It's hard to believe that...
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Mistborn book 1 Start here
12. 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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Lyonesse book 1 Start here
13. Lyonesse
by Vance, Jack
- On the same lists
If you were to open a copy of Lyonesse and give it a good shake, a bunch of (very annoyed) fairies would fall out. Because they're everywhere in this book....
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Mythago Wood book 1 Start here
14. Mythago Wood
by Holdstock, Robert
- On the same lists
There are many novels and novellas in this cycle which take place in a forest that has been untouched since the last ice age. It is a labyrinth, a place of peril and living myths.
'Unique' is a vastly overused word. It has about as much meaning as Kim K's twitter feed. But in the case of Mythago Wood, it's warranted. Firstly, Holdstock tells the...
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15. The Broken Sword
by Anderson, Poul
- On the same lists
Dark gritty fantasy the way it's meant to be: violent, brutal, mythical, and supremely well written. Much has been made about the recent grimdark movement, with much credit being given...
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16. Chronicles Of Amber
by Zelazny, Roger
- On the same lists
A 10 book chronicle--these stories combine other worlds, magical elements, mystery, shadow, and science.
The Amber Chronicles is a complex blend of genres and plot. It starts like a murder mystery, drawing the reader in, then it moves on to a mixture of sci-fi...
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Thursday Next book 1 Start here
17. The Eyre Affair
by Fforde, Jasper
- On the same lists
Imagine an alternate world where the world of books and people collide. It does in this delightful series by Jasper Fforde. I could spend the next 10,000 words trying to...
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18. Neverwhere
by Gaiman, Neil
- On the same lists
An example of the crossover between Urban Fantasy and Crossworlds. An ordinary man is transported to a world of shadows and darkness and must make his way home.
Most (all?) of Gaiman’s works are urban fantasy. The crowd favorite is Neverwhere, which is an interesting take on the whole multiverse conceit found in science fiction. The premise is...
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19. 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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Elric book 1 Start here
20. Elric Of Melnibone
by Moorcock, Michael
- On the same lists
The first of the Elric Saga, this novel is signficant because the protagonist is a magic user and a bit frail—not quite the typical Sword and Sorcery hero.
Elric is the prince of a dying race, a pale, morose champion of right, despite the cards stacked against him. He's a physical weakling who needs to take drugs and...
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First Law World book 5
21. 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...
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22. The King Of Elfland's Daughter
by Dunsany, Lord
- On the same lists
The King of Elfland's daughter tells the tale of a human prince who is dispatched by his father to woo and wed the elf princess of a mystical land.Why it's...
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23. Tigana
by Kay, Guy Gavriel
- On the same lists
Tigana is based on Renaissance Italy. Kay uses Italian politics to make the story seem plausible.
Tigana is both a sweeping epic and a look into human nature – flaws and all. The characters and plot exist in an area of grey where good and evil...
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New Crobuzon book 1 Start here
24. 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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25. Empire Trilogy
by Wurts, Raymond E. Feist And Janny
- On the same lists
This collaboration proves that you don't have to wade neck-deep in magic to make a great fantasy. This series showcases the other side of Feist's Riftwar Saga, which is a...
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The Monarchies Of God book 1 Start here
26. Hawkwood's Voyage
by Kearney, Paul
- On the same lists
One of the best undiscovered epic fantasy series out there a sort of A Song of Ice and Fire lite if you will. Yes, if you want to look at...
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27. Codex Alera
by Butcher, Jim
- On the same lists
A refreshing break from fantasy led by a hero who is the strongest and the best at everything, Codex Alera trails 15 year old Tavi, the only Aleran who isn't...
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28. The Well At The World's End
by Morris, William
- On the same lists
challenging classic literary fantasy that will appeal to those who love The Lord of the Rings. This is not as easy a work to follow though, as the pages incorporate...
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29. Phantastes
by Macdonald, George
- On the same lists
Labeled as a faerie romance for men and women to which it is in fact, is. Much of the story reads as an clever allegory. The style of writing is...
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30. The Witcher
by Sapowski, Andrzej
- On the same lists
This best-selling series imported from Poland is the foundation for the popular monster-hunting video games of the same name, and a card game is soon to follow suit (beta came...
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 The Last Unicorn.
The shortlist
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