Best Fantasy Book List
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What is Fantasy?
You might want to choose some excellent works to read from our list of best fantasy books, or vote for the best fantasy novels. If there's one you think absolutely has to be on the list, feel free add it yourself!
Top Fantasy Books
A list of best fantasy book series.
You have to be a Squidoo member to vote or add a new fantasy novel. Submissions will show up after approval. Click "more..." for a description and links to buy the books.
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The Chronicles of Narnia
Highly popular seven fantasy novels for children by more...23 points
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A Song of Ice and Fire
Epic fantasy series by George R. R. Martin with seven more...22 points
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The Discworld Series
36 comic fantasy novels up to date by the famous English more...19 points
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/ 14
Mistborn Trilogy
A a trilogy of high fantasy novels by Brandon Sanderson more...10 points
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The Chronicles of Amber
Fantasy series by Roger Zelazny. Consists of two story more...9 points
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The Black Company
Series of dark fantasy novels by Glen Cook. Has 9 total more...8 points
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Stellar Wind: 2012
A mix of ancient history, Mayan prophecies and fantasy more...8 points
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The Shannara Series
Fantasy Series by Terry Brooks, including The Original more...7 points
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KnorraSky: The Deception
KnorraSky: the Deception is a fantasy novel series more...7 points
/ 23
Kingmaker, Kingbreaker
Two book series by Karen Miller (The Innocent Mage, more...6 points
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Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn Trilogy
Three books by Tad Williams, (The Dragonbone Chair, more...5 points
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Caenus and The Quiver of Artemis (Of Kings And Gods series)
A moving, romantic historical fantasy novel by Christopher more...5 points
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The Belgariad / Mallorean cycle
A fantasy cycle by author David Eddings tells the story more...5 points
/ 29
The Death Gate Cycle Series
A series of seven books by Margaret Weis and Tracy more...4 points
/ 30
Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter
This vampire fantasy novel series is written by Laurell more...4 points
/ 31
The Kingkiller Chronicle series
The Name of the Wind, The Wise Man's Fear and The Doors more...4 points
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The Black Magician Trilogy
Magic fantasy novel series by Trudi Canavan (The Magician's more...4 points
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Percy Jackson and the Olympians
Fantasy / adventure young adult novels by Rick Riordan. more...4 points
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The Legend of Drizzt
One of the best fantasy series by R. A. Salvatore which more...4 points
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MythAdventures series
Humorous light fantasy series by Robert Lynn Asprin more...3 points
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The Malazan Book of the Fallen
Fantasy series by Steven Erikson (Gardens of the Moon, more...3 points
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The Septimus Heap Series
Written by Angie Sage, this magical fiction is about more...3 points
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Dragonriders of Pern series
The sci fi / fantasy mix series by Anne McCaffrey consists more...3 points
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The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
An excellent children's fantasy novel by English author more...3 points
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The Witcher Series
Short stories and 5 epic battle fantasy novels by Andrzej more...2 points
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The Little Goddess Series
Contemporary / urban fantasy series by Amy Lane. Romance more...2 points
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The Astonishing life of Octavion Nothing, Traitor to the Nation
Historical novel by M.T. Anderson. I love this book! more...2 points
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The Dead Days Omnibus
Fiction anthology by Marcus Sedgwick. A story about more...2 points
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Kate Daniels series (Magic Bites, etc.)
Some of the best urban fantasy novels by Ilona Andrews more...2 points
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Tunnels by Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams
A subterranean fiction series by British authors, consisting more...2 points
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The Dark Tower Series
An epic saga by Stephen King which incorporates elements more...2 points
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Bartimaeus trilogy by Jonathan Stroud
The Amulet of Samarkand, The Golem's Eye, and Ptolemy's more...2 points
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Arrows Series (The Heralds of Valdemar)
Arrows of the Queen, Arrow's Flight, and Arrow's Fall more...1 point
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The Chronicles of Prydain
Award-winning children's fantasy novels by Lloyd Chudley more...1 point
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The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb
Fantasy trilogy that consists of Assassin's Apprentice, more...1 point
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The Night Angel Trilogy by Brent Weeks
Great fantasy series (The Way of Shadows, Shadow's more...1 point
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Keys to the Kingdom series by Garth Nix
Great young adult fantasy heptalogy following the adventures more...1 point
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The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant
A planned tetralogy of fantasy novels by Stephen R more...1 point
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Ellena And The Magic Lamp
A wonderful juvenile magic fantasy book from Ameri more...1 point
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Magic: The Gathering Series
A fantasy book cycle based on the popular collectible more...0 points
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Sovereign of the Seven Isles series by David A. Wells
In the first book of the series, Thinblade, a second more...0 points
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The Eirie Chronicles by Prue Batten
Intense, lyrical, gripping fantasy series by Tasma more...0 points
Best Fantasy Series: The Chronicles of Amber
This is one of my favorite fantasy book series of all time.
The Great Book of Amber: The Complete Amber Chronicles, 1-10 (Chronicles of Amber)
Amazon Price: $13.62 (as of 02/14/2012)
Amber is a magnificent immortal city, and all other worlds are but shadows of it. The royal family of Amber has the power to travel through these by manipulating reality itself, and communicate with each other by means of magical cards created by the great Dworkin. The main character is Corwin - a prince of Amber who lost his memories and spent centuries living on Earth. After an attempted murder, Corwin regains his memories and embarks on an epic journey to search for his father, battle for Amber's throne, and even reach the other side of the shadows - Chaos itself.
Buy it at the Book Depository and get free worldwide shipping.
Fantasy Book Discussion & Opinions
Do you enjoy reading fantasy books?
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byFantasy books are awesome!
Edutopia says:
Fantasy books are great and certainly have a place on any person's bookcase.
Posted February 13, 2012
Burn_the_ginger_haters says:
Those whose are discusted by fantasy discust me. I REALLY like the unicorn chronicles :) Im a 6th grader and I love fantasy and japanese manga- those are the best types of fantasy because they have humor. It just a good thing for when your feeling down- it helps you escape while other books give head aches. Stop being a bor-O non-fictoners. Its called haveing an imagination try it sometime. I get all As and the ocasional B at school and the only not fantasy book ive ever like is about the titanic, cuz its interesting. Id like to ride it, -the sinking. 
Ps: I if you havent guessed I am also Ginger_and_proud
Posted January 28, 2012
Ginger_and_proud says:
@ArmorofFaith
Youre an idiot. Im a 6th grader that grw up reading and loving fantasy. I know magic is not real and its just an interesting story. We all no its not real and I know this- like heck am I EVER going to stop reading fantasy its INTERESTING. Who knows what CRUD youve been reading but it sure as heck made you a boring little saint eh? Fantasy just 4 fun lame-O get e REAL life not one with only facts. Sounds weird to come out of the mouth of someone who wants to be an architect (architects seem to act boring all the time if u ask me). And no I am not rude from to much fantasy Im not rude period idt Im just VERY blunt. I say it as I see it and why the heck shouldnt I? Redheads opinions count 2!!!!!!!
Posted January 28, 2012
khemo53 says:
I read the Dragon Riders of Pern when I was a kid and loved them.
Posted January 20, 2012
Ayushi says:
wat about Septimus Heap by Angie Sage...I liked it very much!!
Posted January 15, 2012
pat fish says:
Crossing Borders by Michael Keller
Posted December 30, 2011
Lorenzio O says:
giving the night angel trilogy 1 point is a crime against god. these people have no idea what a good fantasy book is
Posted December 28, 2011
nephthys says:
I love fantasy! add the Pellinor books by Alison Croggon- they're my favourites. There are four, The Gift, The Riddle, The Crow, The Singing.
Posted December 12, 2011
Darran says:
yes very much
Posted December 07, 2011
adrianaheep says:
I love fantasy. Piers Anthony is my favorite author. I also really enjoy the Anita Blake series. I like that the author of Anita Blake incorporates more creatures than just vampires and it is nothing like Twilight. The Twilight books were a light, fun read, but not exactly my favorite. I like more mature themes. Plus, the movies were plain horrible... Well, I only saw the first two and that was enough for me. Sorry I sort of got off on a tangent.
Posted December 05, 2011
Shri says:
Would the Warrior Cats series be apart of it? Please!! Also HoN and Seekers!
Posted November 26, 2011
Stiles says:
not trying to start a holy war here, but i think it is rude to come on here and start talking about how "evil" the fantasy genre is. one might ask the question how you came to be at this website in the first place;
Posted November 15, 2011
Kristy says:
I am looking for a book I read when I was 10-11 years old, maybe. I am now 50, so have NO idea if anyone has ever heard of it. Don't remember any part of the title. All I think I remember is that it was about 4 sisters and each was named either after the earth's elements or had names that represented them. I would so love to find this book again as it was a favorite when I was young. I know that's very little to go on, but thought it was worth a shot.
Posted November 09, 2011
OldStones says:
Yes, fantasy novels are my favorite genre. I really enjoyed The Wheel of Time series.
Posted November 08, 2011
Stefan says:
A book not mentioned above is The Godslayer Chronicles which is very good.
Posted November 05, 2011
StacyBirch says:
I tend to read books that are for younger teens like Harry Potter, not just for the fantasy part, but I don't like the swears and other things they put in adults books for my age group.
Posted November 04, 2011
xaniver says:
I read a lot of fantasy. I prefer the historical and Celtic settings though, like the works of Stephen Lawhead, Juliet Marillier and Caiseal Mor.
Posted November 03, 2011
UtopianDreamer says:
I love fantasy books because they remove some of the restrictions placed on fiction by 'reality'. Fantasy books have a freedom that most other fiction can't have - the ability to totally reset the rules and explore very different ways of being. As a result I think many fantasy books can be deeply spiritual and challenge the reader to look beyond the boundaries of organised religion and think for themselves. Plus they make a cracking good read!
Posted November 02, 2011
I don't like fantasy fiction.
i says:
your gay
Posted January 15, 2012
bobby says:
your gay
Posted January 15, 2012
koushiro says:
Not a huge fan of western fantasy, but I do enjoy Japanese light novels ^^
Posted September 06, 2011
haverd says:
I don't hate fantasy novels or anything, but I think a lot (but not all) of them are low-quality cookie-cutter tripe with no substance or literary value. Here are a few examples I've encountered:
1) Sucky space operas which have blasters and space ship, but otherwise are the same as stories set in modern times or in the Wild West. Usually feature cliche ugly, evil aliens that eat human babies and spaceship physics which have no basis in real science (showing that the author doesn't even bother to do his homework).
2) Low quality "battle fantasy" which is little more than a retelling of some RPG game scenario (beat some enemies, acquire a "rare item", beat the boss").
3) A lot of fantasy stories which are set in "shared realms" often degenerate into something unrecognizable as more and more authors pile in their ideas without much respect for the laws of the original fantasy universe their stories are set in.
Let's not forget that majority of fantasy novels features cliches like elves (graceful, wise), dwarves (strong, live underground, generally rude) and humans - essentially copying from Tolkien.
That being said, there are some great fantasy works that don't use common cliches. Robin Hobb comes to mind....
Posted June 29, 2011
JodiVee says:
I've read a few fantasy novels -- they were ok, but I much prefer literary fiction.
Posted January 12, 2011
ArmorOfFaith says:
Fantasy books aren't "stupid", They are dangerous. Read more about how books like Harry Potter corrupt out children by promoting black magick and witchcraft. And they read this to kids in our schools!!
http://cuttingedge.org/news/n1377.cfm
Posted August 04, 2010
ArmorOfFaith says:
The Bible teaches us that any kind of supernatural "powers" or "magic" only comes from the Satan. These fantasy books promote witchcraft and sorcery both to children and impressible adults. Do not let your mind be tempted by the devil.
http://crossroad.to/
Posted August 08, 2009
Treasures-By-Brenda says:
I did not read fantasy books so I have had to stretch to learn to read them with my sons. I still cannot read many of them.
Brenda
Posted April 14, 2009
Jack says:
My father used to read a lot of those. I tried a few, but never could get into them. Magic, dragons, fairies...?? Please, is that what grown people should be reading? I just don't understand the weird fascination some people feel about this all fantasy.I wouldn't calll anyone reading them stupid, by no means,but those books have no appeal to me. Read a psychology or a self help book those will do you much more good!!
Posted August 21, 2008
Subgenres of Fantasy
Fantasy fiction can be divided into many branches.
Fantasy is very popular these days, so it's no wonder it has a lot of subgenres. They are pretty hard to define clearly, so most are just a matter of agreement. You can find the most prominent ones and their descriptions below.Contemporary fantasy
Fantasy of this subgenre is set in the real world in current times, but with added fantasy elements. Perhaps the most famous example would be the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling.
Dark fantasy
Dark fantasy refers to the stories which represent the medieval brutality, or has horror elements. A good example would be the Black Company series by Glen Cook, or some of the H. P. Lovecraft's works.
High fantasy
High fantasy usually tells the story of epic struggle between clearly distinguished sides of good and evil. A classic example would be the Lord of Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien.
Low fantasy
Low fantasy is the opposite of High fantasy. It is usually realistic and features characters who can be called neither good nor evil. A good example would be Conan the Barbarian by Robert E. Howard. Such fantasy often overlaps with other genres, like Dark fantasy. It also has less magic than High fantasy - or the magic is a more dangerous art with bigger consequences to the practitioners.
Steampunk
Steampunk fantasy is often set in Victorian or Edwardian eras. Like the name suggests, the steam power is widely used in steampunk worlds, but other fantasy or science fiction elements are present as well. It's really a cross-breed between sci-fi and fantasy; an example would be the Last Exile anime.
Historical fantasy
Historical fantasy might tell the history of an alternate fantasy world, similar to ours - or our own world, with added fantasy elements. A great example would be A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin.
[More on fantasy subgenres on Wikipedia...]
Great Heroic Fantasy Novel
Featuring magic, adventure, epic battles and a touch of humor.
Rider: Spirals of Destiny: Book 1
Amazon Price: $6.57 (as of 02/14/2012)
I have been a fan of Jim Bernheimer ever since I read his collection of short stories called Horror, Humor, And Heroes, so I simply had to read his new novel. Rider: Spirals of Destiny is the beginning of what looks to become an amazing fantasy series. It features adventures of a unicorn named Majherri who survived his rider's death - an unheard thing in the whole history of Battle Maidens, elite force of young women possessing magic powers and a deep connection with their unicorns - and Kayleigh, a 16 year old girl who forms a new bond with him. Definitely NOT a fluffy and cute unicorn story!
Buy it at the Book Depository and get free worldwide shipping.
Comments
Share your thoughts and fantasy book recommendations.
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Edutopia
Feb 13, 2012 @ 2:22 am | delete
- The Discworld series is a great fantasy series for any fan of reading, regardless of the genre. Great list!
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opheliakeith
Jan 31, 2012 @ 1:02 pm | delete
- Great list. It gives my Kindle and me something to think about
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Leopold-Blatt
Jan 30, 2012 @ 3:09 pm | delete
- What a great selection for fantasy fiction fans, i found the list of Top Fantasy Books to be very valuable with plenty of new material for me to read. Thank you, wonderful lens.
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Nimsrules Jan 28, 2012 @ 4:16 am | delete
- Awesome lens. Infact, I've loved each and every lens you've written.
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Ericastanciu
Dec 31, 2011 @ 12:20 pm | delete
- Great lens. I really love the recommendations. Maybe you could give my novel a try?
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Dec 30, 2011 @ 10:51 am | delete
- Great list - I am not familiar with many of these so will have to extend my reading repertoire.
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ladykida
Dec 25, 2011 @ 1:27 pm | delete
- Too bad we will never be able to see a work created by Robert Jordan + Terry Goodkind, together they could have beaten out Potter....maybe.
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baby-strollers
Dec 18, 2011 @ 6:41 pm | delete
- Lord of the Rings all day long.
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guyfawkes7
Nov 28, 2011 @ 11:43 am | delete
- This is a great lens you have on fantasy books. I am a very big fan of the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. Keep up the good work
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seosmm
Nov 25, 2011 @ 4:34 pm | delete
- Good info. Very nice lens!
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OldStones
Nov 8, 2011 @ 8:03 am | delete
- You have covered my favorite fantasy novels and authors. Wheel of Time, by Robert Jordan Sword of Truth, By Terry Goodkind and The Shannara series, By Terry Brooks are all favorites. Great article!
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StacyBirch Nov 4, 2011 @ 10:07 pm | delete
- Nice lens.
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dok300
Oct 5, 2011 @ 8:49 am | delete
- Epic lenses. Kayva was right everyone is missing the bartimaeus trilogy - hilarious and entertaining. More to the point why is Joe Abercrombie never mentioned?by far the best books i have ever read. Not everyones cup of tea due to its cynical outlook of human nature,violence and language but worth more respect than its given
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undraco
Sep 24, 2011 @ 7:47 pm | delete
- Mine are both CS Lewis and Tolkein. Both masters in their own way.
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PocketfulofParis
Sep 11, 2011 @ 3:45 am | delete
- i love fantast books!
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pingo21
Aug 16, 2011 @ 9:51 pm | delete
- I suggest those not yet familiar check out George R.R. Martin's 'Song of Ice and Fire' series. The 5th book is out now, and the first four have been released as a box set, which is a great deal. It's a big seller right now, so you'll find it at any bookstore (online, or brick&mortar).
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resabi
Aug 13, 2011 @ 11:16 pm | delete
- Very well presented lens on fantasy books. I'm a long-time fan of this genre -- mostly the more classical incarnations, although by this I don't necessarily mean the older books. I added a new favorite series by Prue Batten to your plexo. Blessed.
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Russia33
Jul 28, 2011 @ 8:16 pm | delete
- I don't read fantasy books, but my husband did so I thought i'd check this out. Maybe there'll be some books on here I can recommend that he checks out :)
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JeanJohnson
Jul 26, 2011 @ 3:45 pm | delete
- I love fantasy fiction. My favorite series so far is the Looking Glass Wars
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DinaDLG
Jun 13, 2011 @ 3:58 pm | delete
- My favorite is the Dragonbone Series by Tad Williams. It has it all. lol Easier to read than Lord of the Rings, but a lot in common with it.
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SusanVillasLewis
Jun 8, 2011 @ 8:34 am | delete
- We started talking about the Dragonriders of Pern last night (as we were watching some of its ideas get ripped off by Avatar). Ended up with a hunt for our copies among the shelves and a wish that they'd make it into a TV series. Glad to see it's on the list along with others of my favorites. It's the series that introduced me to fantasy. But there's a lot on that list I've never heard of, so more happy reading for me in the future!
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speaktolearn
Jun 5, 2011 @ 10:05 am | delete
- This is a really wonderful Fantasy book list!
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sharik
Jun 4, 2011 @ 6:43 pm | delete
- Any list of top fantasy fiction books should include works by Sergey Lukyanenko. I guess his books aren't very known in America or England and it's hard for English people to memorize or pronounce his name, but really you're missing out. I think Night Watch, Day Watch, etc. series is translated. It's excelent but not even his best series. My favorites are Spectrum, Rough Draft / Final Draft and the Lord from Planet Earth.
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pimbels
May 28, 2011 @ 8:02 am | delete
- Rider: Spirals of Destiny is definitely my next book. Great lens.
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sivavetukuri
May 18, 2011 @ 12:42 pm | delete
- Excellent Fantasy Books list. Nicely Presented.
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Armored Polar Bears!
His Dark Materials Trade Paper Boxed Set (Golden Compass, Subtle Knife, Amber Spyglass)
Amazon Price: $13.90 (as of 02/14/2012)
His Dark Materials takes place in a world parallel to ours, where human souls live outside their bodies as small creatures called daemons. Join Lyra and Will in their breathtaking journey to save the Universe itself. And yes, there's badass armored polar bears, too.
Get it on the Book Depository wtih free worldwide delivery.
by Chadrew
I love fantasy novels. You can see some of my favorites on this top fantasy book list. Vote for the ones you like and add your favorite titles! You ca... more »
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Death is a Black River
The Abhorsen Trilogy Box Set
Amazon Price: $13.62 (as of 02/14/2012)
Abhorsen is an epic dark fantasy trilogy telling the story of a family of necromancers who's job it is to lay the dead (and undead) to rest. Deep characters, rich world and unique magic makes Abhorsen a must-read!
Buy it at the Book Depository with free worldwide shipping.
Epic Tale of Magic
A Wizard of Earthsea (The Earthsea Cycle, Book 1)
Amazon Price: $5.80 (as of 02/14/2012)
The first book in the trilogy, A Wizard of Earthsea tells the epic story of a young mage named Sparrowhawk, who is hungry for power and knowledge and unwittingly releases a great evil upon the world.
Grab it on BookDepository with free worldwide shipping.
Today's Fantasy Bestsellers
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