these are the stories where the things
from our imaginations come to life in
the name of God’s and Michael and st.
George I give you the right to bear arms
and a power to meet justice at duty
I will solemnly obey as Knight and Kate
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re
counting down our picks for the top 10
fantasy books what are you well I’m not
a thorn and what about you you must be
some kind of bedless dwarf
I’m us a dwarf for this list we’re
looking specifically at novels in the
fantasy genre and not the sci-fi genre
as those are novels for another list
we are also looking at entire series not
specific novels unless the series
consists of just one book however we’re
excluding Suzanne Collins Hunger Games
series as it’s really more sci-fi than
fantasy number 10 American Gods Neil
Gaiman you write a book as called
American Gods
it’s it becomes a classic and everyone
loves it and you’re very clever and you
know and all that the winner of both the
Nebula and Hugo Awards this 2001 novel
by Neil Gaiman brought mythological gods
to the modern world the novel
incorporates gods from many of the
ancient Pantheon and features many
subplots about how these gods came to
America the main story follows the
protagonist shadow and his role in the
developing war between the new gods who
represent modern greed and the old gods
who are struggling to exist in a world
that no longer believes in them an
allegory for today’s society Stephen
King has the same fanatical group of
people that love everything he does and
just and you have that too I do but I
feel much safer with my fans
yeah number 9 the Discworld series Terry
Pratchett and so I expect you’ll be in a
hurry to slay the Dragons and rescue him
and a fantastic feat of derring-do no
not really no trouble who said fantasy
had to be serious and all the Giants
children didn’t have a daddy anymore but
he got away with it and lived happily
ever after without so much as a guilty
twinge about what he had done which
proves that you can be excused just
about anything if you’re a hero because
no one asks inconvenient questions the
Discworld series written by Terry
Pratchett
parodies many common fantasy tropes and
features one of the most creative world
designs in the fantasy genre the world
is go figure a flat disk which is poised
atop the backs of a group of elephants
all of whom stand on the great attune a
giant turtle the incredibly complex
realm is filled with witches wizards
zombies trolls and a police force called
the city watch that consists of odd
beings like trolls zombies and then
at Aryan werewolves well the hell I am
your parole officer and your safety is
my concern
most of the 40 Discworld novels tend to
be thrillers or murder mysteries with
plenty of satire thrown in for good
measure no no the pixie no I’m a fairy
cobbler mr. net just keep quiet number 8
the Wheel of Time Robert Jordan and
Brandon Sanderson The Wheel of Time
turns and ages come in pairs
leaving memories that become legend
legend fades to myth and even myth is
long forgotten one of the most famous
fantasy series ever The Wheel of Time is
renowned for its sophisticated scheme of
magic which works in perfect cohesion
with its incredibly comprehensive unreal
world coming out in the new york times
is the number one bestseller does that
ever get old
oh no good God the universe is
controlled by the Wheel of Time which
has seven sections each of which denotes
a specific era in world history I can
remember picking up the eye of the world
off the bookshop I was 14 maybe 15 and I
had no idea the scope of what I was
getting into
written by Jordan until his 2007 death
then taken over by longtime fan
Sanderson the series follows the main
characters in their attempt to unify the
various territories of the world against
the dark one in fantasy you face a great
deal of danger a great deal of of
uncertainty but you have one particular
certainty when you get into fantasy you
know that evil is not going to win the
final victory while the traditional good
versus evil theme is present in the 14
novels this series also explores themes
like gender roles and destiny versus
freewill it’s impossible to
gage the effect of these books on the
genre number seven the once and future
king th white one lawn one king
th White’s the once and future king
first published in 1958 further enhanced
the famous Arthurian legend
the series chronicles the life of king
arthur including his initial training
from Merlin his rule as king and his
relationship with Queen Guinevere I’ve
made these only for you I’ve mixed into
the things that will heal you
no too quickly and then make Ulysses
sleepy so you can’t escape the final
novel ends with Arthur our route to face
his son Mordred in battle come father
let us embrace at last White differs
from other authors in that he gives the
already known Arthurian characters
multifaceted personalities and goals
even changing Lancelot from a handsome
knight to an ugly sadist a character
flaw he tries to overcome throughout the
series it is the old wound my king he
does never heal
number six The Chronicles of Narnia CS
Lewis every stick and stone you see
every icicle is not yet Narnia is one of
the most famous fictional worlds in
literature full of talking animals
terrifying beasts and magic
while the line the witch in the wardrobe
is the most famous book the series
actually consists of seven novels
welcome Peter son of Adam welcome Susan
and Lucie daughters of Eve and welcome
to you beavers you have my thanks
the main human protagonists of the
series are the four Pevensey siblings
who are magically transported to the
world when Aslan the godlike lion needs
to protect Narnia from evil famous for
exploring themes like gender and race
this series stands as an allegory for
Christianity which has sold over 100
million copies
number five His Dark Materials Philip
Pullman like our previous entry His Dark
Materials has actually received
criticism for its portrayal of
Christianity though in the case of
Philip Pullman’s novel that portrayal
has been seen as less than positive what
does she tell you yes I gave us a BA
nevertheless it’s a famously popular
series consisting of three different
novels set across parallel worlds one
compass remains however and only one who
can read it
the trilogy centers on Lyra Belacqua
considered the second Eve and follows
her as she grows from childhood to
womanhood while the story consists of
many fantasy elements including armored
polar bears and witches it also acts as
a reinvention of John Milton’s Paradise
Lost and alludes to ideas from theology
and philosophy it is eel war – whether
you know it or not
what would the core will be about
nothing less than freewill number four
the Dark Tower series Stephen King when
you sit down to write a book do you know
how vast its universe is going to be
when you settle into it I knew this was
going to be a big one the man in black
fled across the desert and the
gunslinger followed anyone who’s read
this vast legend by one of our
generations most popular and prolific
authors knows those as its opening words
beginning with 1982’s the gunslinger
King began dabbling in fantasy tying
together many of his previously created
worlds into one the series follows
roland deschain the last living member
of the night order called the
gunslingers roland travels across mid
worlds post-apocalyptic landscape to
find the heart of all universes the dark
tower which he must protect to
essentially save the world boy I’m glad
I’m not that guy consisting of eight
genre bending books King describes this
series as his magnum opus don’t you get
me going it’s hearty
stop number three a Song of Ice and Fire
george RR martin
linzer’s cooling an epic fantasy series
in the truest sense of the definition a
Song of Ice and Fire follows the events
that occur on the fictional lands of
Westeros and Essos put your pinched
little head atop a gate somewhere might
be quite amusing so that my head will be
up there too much likes my head don’t
want to see it removed just yet
Martin’s epic incorporates numerous
fantasy elements people coming back from
the dead and dragons but in general it
favors realism / magic and has received
critical acclaim for its story and
characters if you won’t defend your own
City why should they what would you have
me do lead get down there and lead your
people against the invaders who want to
kill them
inspired by real historical events like
the War of the Roses Martin abandoned
the good versus evil trope in favor of
realistic characters whose motivations
change frequently and who can die at any
moment
tell me if your precious Renly commanded
you to kill your own father and stand by
one thousands of men women and children
panting life would you’ve done it
she kept you wrote that number to the
Harry Potter series
JK Rowling you’re a wizard Harry with
those four words the lives of one young
boy and an entire generation changed
forever JK Rowling’s magical world
captured imaginations when the first
novel was released in 1997 reponse
receives one hundred and fifty points
for catching the ribbond all growing up
with the children who read it the series
follows Harry Potter his adventures
through Hogwarts School of Witchcraft
and Wizardry and his quest to defeat the
dark wizard Voldemort
while it touched on subjects like the
value of friendship and loyalty it also
explored the serious themes of
corruption death and Prejudice noshka
pretending there’s bones Brown Harry
Potter
the boy who stopped the Dark Lord friend
my Bloods and blood traitors are like
despite being rejected by eight
publishers the fantasy epic became one
of the best-selling book series in
history how am I still write to some
folks you I won’t in hell I won’t how
well weren’t you yeah every week Oh
before we open the pages on our number
one pick here are a few honorable
mentions oh the great oz has spoken
Oh pay no attention to that man behind
the curtain so far I’ve been assaulted
threatened kidnapped and nearly raped
and somehow I knew that my journey had
only just begun
hello my name is inigo montoya
you killed my father
prepare to die number one the Lord of
the Rings j.r.r tolkien the common
tongue it says one ring to rule them all
one ring to find them one ring to bring
them all the darkness fight the one book
to rule them all this epic fantasy novel
started its life as a sequel to The
Hobbit a box without hinges key or or
lid yet golden treasure inside is hid
but with over 150 million copies sold
through the years it ended up becoming
one of the best-selling series of its
kind ever the Lord of the Rings follows
Frodo Baggins attempt to destroy the One
Ring and defeat the Dark Lord Sauron
while the free folk of middle-earth
tried to withstand an all-out assault
from Mordor
taking place in a sweeping fictional
landscape that hosted a wealth of
colorful races and characters the series
had a huge impact on the fantasy genre
with Tolkien’s characters themes and
world influencing countless authors in
the years to come
do you agree with our list what’s your
favorite fantasy book for more epic top
10s published every day be sure to
subscribe to watchmojo.com I will build
a round table where there’s fellowships
on me and a whole about the time and a
castle about the whole
from our imaginations come to life in
the name of God’s and Michael and st.
George I give you the right to bear arms
and a power to meet justice at duty
I will solemnly obey as Knight and Kate
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re
counting down our picks for the top 10
fantasy books what are you well I’m not
a thorn and what about you you must be
some kind of bedless dwarf
I’m us a dwarf for this list we’re
looking specifically at novels in the
fantasy genre and not the sci-fi genre
as those are novels for another list
we are also looking at entire series not
specific novels unless the series
consists of just one book however we’re
excluding Suzanne Collins Hunger Games
series as it’s really more sci-fi than
fantasy number 10 American Gods Neil
Gaiman you write a book as called
American Gods
it’s it becomes a classic and everyone
loves it and you’re very clever and you
know and all that the winner of both the
Nebula and Hugo Awards this 2001 novel
by Neil Gaiman brought mythological gods
to the modern world the novel
incorporates gods from many of the
ancient Pantheon and features many
subplots about how these gods came to
America the main story follows the
protagonist shadow and his role in the
developing war between the new gods who
represent modern greed and the old gods
who are struggling to exist in a world
that no longer believes in them an
allegory for today’s society Stephen
King has the same fanatical group of
people that love everything he does and
just and you have that too I do but I
feel much safer with my fans
yeah number 9 the Discworld series Terry
Pratchett and so I expect you’ll be in a
hurry to slay the Dragons and rescue him
and a fantastic feat of derring-do no
not really no trouble who said fantasy
had to be serious and all the Giants
children didn’t have a daddy anymore but
he got away with it and lived happily
ever after without so much as a guilty
twinge about what he had done which
proves that you can be excused just
about anything if you’re a hero because
no one asks inconvenient questions the
Discworld series written by Terry
Pratchett
parodies many common fantasy tropes and
features one of the most creative world
designs in the fantasy genre the world
is go figure a flat disk which is poised
atop the backs of a group of elephants
all of whom stand on the great attune a
giant turtle the incredibly complex
realm is filled with witches wizards
zombies trolls and a police force called
the city watch that consists of odd
beings like trolls zombies and then
at Aryan werewolves well the hell I am
your parole officer and your safety is
my concern
most of the 40 Discworld novels tend to
be thrillers or murder mysteries with
plenty of satire thrown in for good
measure no no the pixie no I’m a fairy
cobbler mr. net just keep quiet number 8
the Wheel of Time Robert Jordan and
Brandon Sanderson The Wheel of Time
turns and ages come in pairs
leaving memories that become legend
legend fades to myth and even myth is
long forgotten one of the most famous
fantasy series ever The Wheel of Time is
renowned for its sophisticated scheme of
magic which works in perfect cohesion
with its incredibly comprehensive unreal
world coming out in the new york times
is the number one bestseller does that
ever get old
oh no good God the universe is
controlled by the Wheel of Time which
has seven sections each of which denotes
a specific era in world history I can
remember picking up the eye of the world
off the bookshop I was 14 maybe 15 and I
had no idea the scope of what I was
getting into
written by Jordan until his 2007 death
then taken over by longtime fan
Sanderson the series follows the main
characters in their attempt to unify the
various territories of the world against
the dark one in fantasy you face a great
deal of danger a great deal of of
uncertainty but you have one particular
certainty when you get into fantasy you
know that evil is not going to win the
final victory while the traditional good
versus evil theme is present in the 14
novels this series also explores themes
like gender roles and destiny versus
freewill it’s impossible to
gage the effect of these books on the
genre number seven the once and future
king th white one lawn one king
th White’s the once and future king
first published in 1958 further enhanced
the famous Arthurian legend
the series chronicles the life of king
arthur including his initial training
from Merlin his rule as king and his
relationship with Queen Guinevere I’ve
made these only for you I’ve mixed into
the things that will heal you
no too quickly and then make Ulysses
sleepy so you can’t escape the final
novel ends with Arthur our route to face
his son Mordred in battle come father
let us embrace at last White differs
from other authors in that he gives the
already known Arthurian characters
multifaceted personalities and goals
even changing Lancelot from a handsome
knight to an ugly sadist a character
flaw he tries to overcome throughout the
series it is the old wound my king he
does never heal
number six The Chronicles of Narnia CS
Lewis every stick and stone you see
every icicle is not yet Narnia is one of
the most famous fictional worlds in
literature full of talking animals
terrifying beasts and magic
while the line the witch in the wardrobe
is the most famous book the series
actually consists of seven novels
welcome Peter son of Adam welcome Susan
and Lucie daughters of Eve and welcome
to you beavers you have my thanks
the main human protagonists of the
series are the four Pevensey siblings
who are magically transported to the
world when Aslan the godlike lion needs
to protect Narnia from evil famous for
exploring themes like gender and race
this series stands as an allegory for
Christianity which has sold over 100
million copies
number five His Dark Materials Philip
Pullman like our previous entry His Dark
Materials has actually received
criticism for its portrayal of
Christianity though in the case of
Philip Pullman’s novel that portrayal
has been seen as less than positive what
does she tell you yes I gave us a BA
nevertheless it’s a famously popular
series consisting of three different
novels set across parallel worlds one
compass remains however and only one who
can read it
the trilogy centers on Lyra Belacqua
considered the second Eve and follows
her as she grows from childhood to
womanhood while the story consists of
many fantasy elements including armored
polar bears and witches it also acts as
a reinvention of John Milton’s Paradise
Lost and alludes to ideas from theology
and philosophy it is eel war – whether
you know it or not
what would the core will be about
nothing less than freewill number four
the Dark Tower series Stephen King when
you sit down to write a book do you know
how vast its universe is going to be
when you settle into it I knew this was
going to be a big one the man in black
fled across the desert and the
gunslinger followed anyone who’s read
this vast legend by one of our
generations most popular and prolific
authors knows those as its opening words
beginning with 1982’s the gunslinger
King began dabbling in fantasy tying
together many of his previously created
worlds into one the series follows
roland deschain the last living member
of the night order called the
gunslingers roland travels across mid
worlds post-apocalyptic landscape to
find the heart of all universes the dark
tower which he must protect to
essentially save the world boy I’m glad
I’m not that guy consisting of eight
genre bending books King describes this
series as his magnum opus don’t you get
me going it’s hearty
stop number three a Song of Ice and Fire
george RR martin
linzer’s cooling an epic fantasy series
in the truest sense of the definition a
Song of Ice and Fire follows the events
that occur on the fictional lands of
Westeros and Essos put your pinched
little head atop a gate somewhere might
be quite amusing so that my head will be
up there too much likes my head don’t
want to see it removed just yet
Martin’s epic incorporates numerous
fantasy elements people coming back from
the dead and dragons but in general it
favors realism / magic and has received
critical acclaim for its story and
characters if you won’t defend your own
City why should they what would you have
me do lead get down there and lead your
people against the invaders who want to
kill them
inspired by real historical events like
the War of the Roses Martin abandoned
the good versus evil trope in favor of
realistic characters whose motivations
change frequently and who can die at any
moment
tell me if your precious Renly commanded
you to kill your own father and stand by
one thousands of men women and children
panting life would you’ve done it
she kept you wrote that number to the
Harry Potter series
JK Rowling you’re a wizard Harry with
those four words the lives of one young
boy and an entire generation changed
forever JK Rowling’s magical world
captured imaginations when the first
novel was released in 1997 reponse
receives one hundred and fifty points
for catching the ribbond all growing up
with the children who read it the series
follows Harry Potter his adventures
through Hogwarts School of Witchcraft
and Wizardry and his quest to defeat the
dark wizard Voldemort
while it touched on subjects like the
value of friendship and loyalty it also
explored the serious themes of
corruption death and Prejudice noshka
pretending there’s bones Brown Harry
Potter
the boy who stopped the Dark Lord friend
my Bloods and blood traitors are like
despite being rejected by eight
publishers the fantasy epic became one
of the best-selling book series in
history how am I still write to some
folks you I won’t in hell I won’t how
well weren’t you yeah every week Oh
before we open the pages on our number
one pick here are a few honorable
mentions oh the great oz has spoken
Oh pay no attention to that man behind
the curtain so far I’ve been assaulted
threatened kidnapped and nearly raped
and somehow I knew that my journey had
only just begun
hello my name is inigo montoya
you killed my father
prepare to die number one the Lord of
the Rings j.r.r tolkien the common
tongue it says one ring to rule them all
one ring to find them one ring to bring
them all the darkness fight the one book
to rule them all this epic fantasy novel
started its life as a sequel to The
Hobbit a box without hinges key or or
lid yet golden treasure inside is hid
but with over 150 million copies sold
through the years it ended up becoming
one of the best-selling series of its
kind ever the Lord of the Rings follows
Frodo Baggins attempt to destroy the One
Ring and defeat the Dark Lord Sauron
while the free folk of middle-earth
tried to withstand an all-out assault
from Mordor
taking place in a sweeping fictional
landscape that hosted a wealth of
colorful races and characters the series
had a huge impact on the fantasy genre
with Tolkien’s characters themes and
world influencing countless authors in
the years to come
do you agree with our list what’s your
favorite fantasy book for more epic top
10s published every day be sure to
subscribe to watchmojo.com I will build
a round table where there’s fellowships
on me and a whole about the time and a
castle about the whole
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