Books like The Princess Bride
30 fantasy books to read after The Princess Bride, by Goldman, William, the closest match first.
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1. Good Omens
by Gaiman, Neil
- On the same lists
A sushi-loving angel, a gearhead demon and Death as a gamer nerd. Do we even need to be a plot?Why it's on this listSometimes fantasy (and its audience) takes itself...
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2. The Curse Of Chalion
by Bujold, Lois Mcmaster
- On the same lists
Lois McMaster Bujold is famous for her very atypical characters. She demonstrated this with her Miles Vorkosigan character, and she does the same thing with the Curse of Chalion. The...
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3. 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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4. Among Others (2012)
by Walton, Jo
- On the same lists
An award-winning and break-out novel, that is about good versus evil magic, about books, about self-discovery, about imagination. It is an example of an unfolding and nonlinear plot.
Morwenna Phelps grew up in the Welsh valleys talking to fairies among the ruins of old factories. After a disaster involving her mother, a witch, she is left with a...
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5. 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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6. The Golem And The Jinni
by Wecker, Helene
- On the same lists
In Wecker's debut novel, two very unusual immigrants arrive, separately, in 19th century immigrant New York. These two characters are (unsurprisingly) a golem named Chava, created by a Jewish rabbi...
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7. 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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8. Bartemaus
by Stroud, Jonathan
- On the same lists
This series follows a magician in training and Bartimaeus, a 5,000 year old djinni (who has quite the wit).
In a genre that's collapsing under the weight of cloned Tolkien worlds, hackneyed plots, and stick-thin characters, it's hard to find something new and interesting. That is until you read...
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9. Nos4r2
by Hill, Joe
- On the same lists
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...
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10. The Lightbringer Trilogy
by Weeks, Brent
- On the same lists
A recent epic fantasy trilogy, but one of the most exciting epic fantasy series the past decade. The Lightbringer has probably the most unique magic system I've seen yet in...
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11. World Without End
by Russell, Sean
- On the same lists
Sean Russell writes books for people who like to read. Ponderous, slow, and often steeped in mystery, his worlds are rich with characterization and plot. His "Moontide and Magic" is...
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12. Forgotten Beasts Of Eld
by Mckillip, Patricia A.
- On the same lists
An endearing modern classic that won the World Fantasy Award, The Forgotten Beasts of Eld is a powerful tale about a good young sorceress who is wronged because of man's...
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13. A Song For Arbonne
by Kay, Guy Gavriel
- On the same lists
An Historical Fantasy that focuses on the clash between two cultures and features intrigue, romance, mystery, revenge and redemption.
A book that's powerful in the beauty of its lyrical prose, the powerful descriptions, and the deep characters. This is a book that has more in common with pure historical...
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14. 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...
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15. The Neverending Story
by Ende, Michael
- On the same lists
The protagonist is a shy and awkward boy with a grand imagination. He becomes a character in a book where he takes on a mission of heroic significance.
The Neverending Story is a perfect example of how badly a film version of a beloved book can go. For people who hadn't read the book, the film was probably...
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16. 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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17. War For The Oaks
by Bull, Emma
- On the same lists
What happens when a rock star is pulled into a supernatural conflict between good and evil? Well, let's head on over to Minneapolis of all places and find out
It was in the 80s that the subgenres of fantasy we know today started. One of these – urban fantasy – owes much of its development from War for the...
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18. 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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Lyonesse book 1 Start here
19. 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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The Lord Of The Rings book 1 Start here
20. The Hobbit
by Tolkien, J.r.r.
- On the same lists
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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21. Riddle-master Trilogy
by Mckillip, Patricia A.
- On the same lists
This trilogy offers another refreshing take on traditional coming of age stories. Often in fantasy, magic is seen as a way out for the protagonist. It lets them move away...
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Watership Down book 1 Start here
22. 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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23. Talion: Revenant
by Stackpole, Michael A.
- On the same lists
List more than a few entries on this Top 100 list, Talion is a completely underrated fantasy book. Stackapole is a prolific author, writing everything from Star Wars novels, video...
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24. Elantris
by Sanderson, Brandon
- On the same lists
This fantasy fiction novel will suck you in. Elantris is one of the best standalone fantasy books in the genre. It's about addictive as chocolate and a whole lot healthier!...
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25. Lord Of The Rings
by Tolkien, J.r.r.
- On the same lists
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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26. Assassin's Apprentice
by Hobb, Robin
- On the same lists
Hobb is one of the best characterization writers in the Fantasy genre. Her characters are vividly real, leaping out of the pages into our minds as living characters. She has...
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27. Fafhrd And The Gray Mouser
by Leiber, Fritz
- On the same lists
Often referred to as 'the greatest fantasy author you've never read' by some. And sadly true.But if you've read any modern sword and sorcery with dark themes, complex characters, strong...
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28. Legend
by Gemmell, David
- On the same lists
The first of the Drenai Saga introduces readers to Druss, a legendary hero who awaits death and can kick your cushy behind.
If you like stories about grand heroes who stand up for the downtrodden, who fight for a righteous cause, then Legend is a shining beacon of this sort of fantasy....
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29. The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz
by Baum, L. Frank
- On the same lists
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Another classic quest story about a young girl who just wants to go home.
A true classic and not at all like the movie. Because of the popularity of the movie, many assume the book and the movie are the same; but this is...
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30. The Etched City
by Bishop, K.j.
- On the same lists
The Etched city was formed from the love union between Stephen King and China Mieville. If you want a more complex fantasy novel with a good dose of the bizarre,...
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 Princess Bride.
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