This one if for all high fantasy fans! It’s an exciting time to be alive, with high fantasy getting its much-deserved flowers. The Game of Thrones spinoff, House of the Dragon, just dropped its second season, for one thing, and the broader culture is finally catching onto a secret we’ve known about for a long time: high fantasy is a rewarding, rich, and thrilling genre.
Given that we’re officially in the full swing of summer, it’s the perfect time to dive a bit deeper into a new high fantasy series. The days are longer, and curling up in the cool evening air with a book (or three!) is our favorite plan for these hotter months.
To make things easier, we’ve compiled ten of the best high fantasy series to add to your summer reading list. (Be sure to listen to our latest podcast discussion about our favorite high fantasy series as well!)
Let the adventure begin!
10. The Dark Tower by Stephen King
Stephen King is no stranger to most genres: while he’s most famous for his work writing horror novels, he’s been known to branch out into memoir, crime, and even comedy, with a new film adaptation of his story The Monkey due out soon!
But we especially love his work in high fantasy, with The Dark Tower series which follows protagonist Roland Deschain as he undertakes a complicated quest to reach the eponymous Dark Tower. He even considers it the best book series he’s ever written.
Why we recommend it: I love this series for its unique blend of science fiction, high fantasy, Western, and horror. It also dives deep into the human emotions, and connections and creates a tight bond between the main characters. A must-read!
Blurb
Set in a world of ominous landscape and macabre menace, The Dark Tower series features one of Stephen King’s most powerful creations – The Gunslinger – a haunting figure who embodies the qualities of the lone hero through the ages, from ancient myth to frontier Western legend. As Roland crosses a desert of damnation in a treacherous world that is a twisted image of our own, he moves ever closer to the Dark Tower of his dreams – and nightmares.
9. The First Law Trilogy by Joe Abercrombie
Opening with The Blade Itself, Joe Abercrombie’s First Law Trilogy is a dark, gritty, and groundbreaking high fantasy series that subverts a lot of the conventional expectations of the genre all with Abercrombie’s trademark sense of black humor. It follows a cast of morally complicated characters through a war-torn world of betrayal, danger, and revenge.
Why we recommend it: The complex characterization and dark comedy featured in this series are among the reasons I would recommend it to high fantasy fans.
Blurb
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, and packed with unforgettable characters, the First Law trilogy is a noir fantasy with a real cutting edge.
This boxed set includes: the blade itself, before they are hanged, the last argument of kings.
Related10 Of The Best Epic High Fantasy Books For Adults
8. The Inheritance Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin
This richly imagined high fantasy series takes place in a world of mortals, gods, and demigods and explores real-world ideas of power, justice, and otherness. It follows the protagonist, Yeine Darr, who is unexpectedly plunged into a power struggle between members of the ruling Arameri family, as she navigates magic and politics in order to survive.
Why we recommend it: I adored this series’ use of high fantasy to create social commentary and real-world critiques of power structures.
Blurb
Yeine Darr is an outcast from the barbarian north. But when her mother dies under mysterious circumstances, she is summoned to the majestic city of Sky. There, to her shock, Yeine is named a heiress by the king. But the throne of the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms is not easily won, and Yeine is thrust into a vicious power struggle.
The Inheritance Trilogy omnibus includes the novels: The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, The Broken Kingdoms, The Kingdom of Gods, and a brand new novella set in the same world: The Awakened Kingdom.
7. The Kingkiller Chronicle by Patrick Rothfuss
This contemporary high fantasy series is the story of Kvothe, a rural innkeeper whose life story contains much more than meets the eye. Presented as a story-within-a-story, the reader learns of Kvothe’s errant past and adventures, and exactly what caused him to assume his current identity of anonymity.
Why we recommend it: I enjoyed this series’ narrative structure, as well as its exploration of complex magic systems.
No ordinary fantasy full of pointless quests and overblown drama. Rather, it is a finely tuned coming-of-age story, full of humor, action and the occasional dose of magic. – San Francisco Chronicle
6. The Realm of the Elderlings by Robin Hobb
Assassin’s Apprentice
Google Books Preview:
Author:
Robin Hobb
Published:
05/01/1995
Genre:
Publisher:
Spectra Books
Number of pages:
435
ISBN:
9780553573398
Robin Hobb’s high fantasy series The Realm of the Elderlings is expansive, featuring an astonishing nineteen novels among its ranks. It follows a cast of lovable characters, led by the trained assassin FitzChivalry Farseer, as they undertake quests and embark upon adventures in a richly detailed world.
Why we recommend it: I love how extensive this series is, allowing for deep development of plotlines and characters.
It’s grimdarkiness isn’t as blatant as Lawrence, but it’s there in lighter shades throughout this beautiful, wonderful book. – GrimDark Magazine
RelatedWhat Fantasy Novels Are A Must Read?
5. Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson
Malazan Book of the Fallen is an epic high fantasy series known for its vast scope, complex narrative, and richly detailed world. Set in a universe where mortals and gods clash, the series spans multiple continents and follows a diverse cast of characters through intricate plots of war, politics, and magic.
Why we recommend it: This series challenged my ideas of what a high fantasy work could do, and the world-building is incredible.
I am so glad I read this book. It’s given me a new appreciation for what highly complex plots and unique worldbuilding can do for a story. – FanFiAddict
4. The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson
Brandon Sanderson’s high fantasy series The Stormlight Archive is set in the world of Roshar, and follows a cast of seemingly unconnected characters, incorporating flashbacks to relate their backstories.
Why we recommend it: As this series is still being released and its characters are continually being developed, I find it a particularly exciting high fantasy read.
Blurb
The Way of Kings is set on Roshar, a world shaped by powerful storms. It follows three main characters: Kaladin, a slave with a mysterious past; Dalinar, a war leader haunted by visions; and Shallan, a scholar with hidden motives.
In a world where ancient magical weapons grant immense power, these characters navigate war, politics, and long-buried secrets. Brandon Sanderson’s novel kicks off the epic Stormlight Archive series, blending complex world-building with deep character development.
3. A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin
A Game of Thrones
Google Books Preview:
Author:
George R. R. Martin
Published:
08/01/1996
Genre:
Publisher:
Bantam
Number of pages:
865
ISBN:
9780553573404
One of the most famous high fantasy series out there, A Song of Ice and Fire follows a vast and diverse group of individuals as they fight to gain control of the Iron Throne and the Kingdom of Westeros.
Why we recommend it: I love the juicy drama in this series: betrayal, secrecy, and double-allegiances abound!
RelatedWhat Are The Differences Between High Fantasy And Low Fantasy?
2. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Lord of the Rings
Google Books Preview:
Author:
J. R. R. Tolkien
Published:
01/01/1954
Genre:
Publisher:
Allen & Unwin
Number of pages:
1,216
ISBN:
345339703
This high fantasy series tells the story of Frodo Baggins and his hobbit friends as they seek to destroy the One Ring and save their world of Middle Earth. (If you’re a fan, be sure to watch the second season of Rings of Power!)
Why we recommend it: J.R.R. Tolkien’s high fantasy masterpiece is about friendship, loyalty, and love, and I couldn’t get enough of the characters.
1. The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan
With its opening novel, The Eye of the World, frequently appearing on best-of lists, his massive high fantasy series is about protagonist Rand al’Thor, his wide and varied group of friends and allies, and their mission to defeat the evil Dark One.
Why we recommend it: I love how detailed the adventures and world were in this series.
Blurb
The inner workings of the closed country, Shara, are revealed, as is the existence of a hitherto unknown continent called The Land of the Madmen. This stunning volume also includes double-page spreads of the first seven book jackets by Darrell Sweet so that the art can be enjoyed without type, and all the known maps of the world, including maps of the Seanchan Empire, the nations of the Covenant of the Ten Nations, and the nations as they were when Artur Paendrag Tanreall began his rise to legend.
If you’re looking for a classic high fantasy series to dig into this summer, or you’re searching for a contemporary series to sink your teeth into, we hope this list has given you some ideas for your next high fantasy summer read.
As always, happy reading. Onward!
