I was never a fan of epic fantasy. The only fantasy reading I had ever done was The Hobbit. Impressed, I tried reading Ursula Leguin’s Earthsea Cycles. It turned out to be a rather confusing experience. I just couldn’t wrap my head around all the characters; there were so many characters and so many worlds and so so many…well, everything. It was like trying to make sense of a whole new world full of a new history from a new perspective.
That was around a year ago. Then I read the A Song of ice and Fire series. And there was no looking back from there.
I’m currently reading Book 4 of The Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson and loving it. So here is a list of some of the best epic fantasy books. I know the list isn’t complete or by any means exhaustive, and i will be adding more as and when I get time.
Vote for your favorites and suggest more to add to the list.
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The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien
The Hobbit [J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien] This deluxe hardcover edition of J.R.R. Tolkien's classic prelude to his Lord of the Rings trilogy contains a short introduction by Christopher Tolkien
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The Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis, Pauline Baynes
The Chronicles of Narnia [C. S. Lewis, Pauline Baynes].
Journeys to the end of the world, fantastic creatures and epic battles between good and evilthe book that has it all is the lion
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The Lord of the Rings-J.R.R. Tolkien
The Lord of the Rings. One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind themIn ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elven-smiths
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George R.R. Martin Song Of Ice and Fire
The George R.R. Martin Song Of Ice and Fire.
George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series has become, in many ways, the gold standard for modern epic fantasy. Martin--dubbed the American Tolkien by Time magazine--has created a world that is as rich and vital as any piece of historical fiction -
Malazan Book of the Fallen - Steven Erikson
Gardens of the Moon (Malazan Book of the Fallen) [Steven Erikson]The Malazan Empire simmers with discontent, bled dry by interminable warfare, bitter infighting and bloody confrontations with ancient and implacable sorcerers. Even the imperial legions
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TARANOR (Prophecy) - Helen Ellwood, John Raybould
Added by John Raybould on Sep 27, 2012
The veil between the worlds is narrow here. Twists and turns on almost every page right from the gory beginning to the intriguing finale.
If Bryony cannot save Sheean in time, the Human and Faerie realms will be destroyed and her dreams of becoming a queen along with them. -
Eragon - Christopher Paolini
Fifteen-year-old Eragon believes that he is merely a poor farm boy—until his destiny as a Dragon Rider is revealed. Gifted with only an ancient sword
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The Silmarillion - J.R.R. Tolkien
The Silmarillion [J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien, Ted Nasmith]
The tales of The Silmarillion were the underlying inspiration and source of J.R.R. Tolkien's imaginative writing; he worked on the book throughout his life but never brought it to a final form. Long preceding in its origins The Lord of the Rings -
His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman, Lucy Hughes-Hallett
His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, The Amber Spyglass (Everyman's Library (Cloth)) [Philip Pullman, Lucy Hughes-Hallett].
Philip Pullman's trilogy is a masterpiece that transcends genre and appeals to readers of all ages. His heroine
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The Gunslinger - Stephen King
The Gunslinger (The Dark Tower, Book 1) [Stephen King]. Eerie, dreamlike, set in a world that is weirdly related to our own, The Gunslinger introduces Roland Deschain of Gilead
