10 best fantasy books for beginners
If fantasy wasn’t your thing when you were younger, or you never had a chance to get into it, the genre can be daunting. Fantasy books can be enormous tomes, filled with dictionaries, glossaries, maps, pronunciation guides, and more, all to understand what should be a simple story. It’s a lot to deal with. I promise you, though, that getting into fantasy is worth it. Some of the world’s greatest storytellers work within this genre, and fantasy can provide a powerful reflection of our world.
Sometimes, it’s also just nice to escape from our day-to-day lives, and … everything we’re subjected to each day on the news and social media. If you want to lose yourself in worlds filled with dragons, wizards, witches, and more, but you don’t know where to start, you’ve come to the right place.
Here are the 10 best fantasy books for beginners, from epic fantasy and romantic fantasy to cozy fantasy, and everything in between.
The Earthsea Cycle by Ursula K. Le Guin
If you’re looking for accessible, classic high-fantasy, then Ursula K. Le Guin’s Earthsea cycle is the perfect place to begin your fantasy journey. The first book, A Wizard of Earthsea, introduces readers to Ged, one of the greatest sorcerers the world of Earthsea has ever known. Before he became Ged, though, he was a young, reckless, and naive magician named Sparrowhawk, who, in his quest for forbidden knowledge, unleashes a dangerous shadow upon the world. As you journey through the Earthsea novels, you’ll see Ged become the best version of himself, as he overcomes his inner demons, embraces harmony with the natural world, saves a young girl from a terrible cult, and meets some dragons. This is high fantasy at its finest.
The Black Magician Trilogy by Trudi Canavan
The Black Magician trilogy by Trudi Canavan is a perfect stepping stone for the novice fantasy reader. Marketed to be YA but easily enjoyed by adults, The Black Magician trilogy starts with The Magician’s Guild, in which an all-powerful and ancient cabal of magicians receive the shock of a lifetime when a young and slightly feral child penetrates their protective magical shield with nothing but a stone. Will they be able to teach her to wield her power in time, or is she destined to destroy the city she calls home?
Babel by R.F. Kuang
Some might be surprised by the inclusion of R.F. Kuang’s Babel on this list. I genuinely believe that, for adult readers transitioning from literary fiction into fantasy, Babel is a perfect jumping-off point. This is historical fiction, dark academia fiction, and fantasy fiction all rolled into one, woven into a story about oppression, colonization, rebellion, and a love of language and translation. Though magic is undoubtedly a key part of the story, it doesn’t overwhelm the main narrative, so if you’re not used to magic in books, this standalone novel might be just where you need to start.
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Listen, I’m assuming that most people, at some point in their lives, have watched Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings film trilogy. I’m here to tell you though, that if you think you can start with The Lord of the Rings books by J.R.R. Tolkien because you’ve seen the films, even if you’ve never read fantasy before, you’d be making a mistake. They are gorgeous but dense, powerful but also slow. You’re much better off starting with The Hobbit, which is just one book that follows a relatively simple story: dwarves want to take back their mountain from an angry, gold-hoarding dragon, and they need a burglar to do it. Who better to call than a light-footed Hobbit?
Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan
Ancient mythologies are a huge part of fantasy, but if you want to read some updated mythology, Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson books are where it’s at. The first series, Percy Jackson and the Olympians skews more middle-grade, while the sequel series, The Heroes of Olympus, is closer to YA. Honestly, though, these books are fun for all ages, and the way Riordan intertwines Percy’s hero’s journey with fun, zany takes on Greek mythology is a blast. You’ll love the characters, you’ll wish you went to Camp Half-Blood, and you’ll root for Percy and his friends as they tell Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, and more, that they’re the worst. It’s fabulous.
Legacy of Orïsha by Tomi Adeyemi
YA fantasy is undeniably massive, and there are so many options to choose from. If you want to know what the hype is all about and discover just what goes into writing a YA fantasy book, look no further than Tomi Adeyemi’s Legacy of Orïsha series. Starting with the bestselling Children of Blood and Bone, this West-African-inspired high-fantasy world is rife with elemental magic, romance, and badass female characters. It also explores socially relevant topics such as segregation, subjugation, and abuse. Nothing will stand in Zélie Adebola’s way as she tries to give her people back the magic that was stolen from them by a ruthless king.
The Celestial Kingdom by Sue Lynn Tan
There’s a nearly 0% chance that you haven’t heard of the romantasy genre by now. It’s essentially a sub-genre of fantasy in which romance is a central, inextricable, and influential part of the plot. There’s a lot of romantasy to choose from, however, so where to begin? If you’re a bit apprehensive about all the “spicy” romantasy recs out there, Sue Lynn Tan’s debut novel Daughter of the Moon Goddess is a great place to start. The first in the Celestial Kingdom duology—which also means it’s less of a commitment than one of Sarah J. Maas’ massive series, for instance—Daughter of the Moon Goddess is based on the ancient Chinese myth of Chang’e. The Moon Goddess’ daughter, Xingyin, is forced to fight for her mother’s freedom in a celestial world that would rather see her dead, but thankfully, two handsome, intelligent, and honorable men are more than willing to help her see her dreams come true.
Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
Ah, the warm embrace of cozy fantasy. This is a low-stakes, high-reward sub-genre in which we see the loveliest characters grow and learn to embrace who they are alongside their friends and family, and sometimes they also get to fall in love. One of the writers who kickstarted this trend is undoubtedly Travis Baldree, whose novel, Legends & Lattes, became a worldwide hit. Legends & Lattes follows an exhausted orc with a violent past who hangs up their weapons to open a coffee shop. What more do you need to know?
Shades of Magic by V.E. Schwab
If you want to try reading something with a bit more complex world-building but are worried about becoming … overwhelmed, V.E. Schwab’s Shades of Magic is a perfect series to begin with. In this universe, there are four parallel versions of London: Red, Grey, White, and Black, though White and Black aren’t doing so well. Grey London is aptly named because there’s no magic there, but Kell, an ambassador and secret smuggler from Red London, travels there anyway, reveling in the mundane. That is until he runs into Delilah Bard, a pickpocket with lofty aspirations whom he’ll need to work with to save all the Londons, as there’s treachery at work in the shadows.
All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness
Deborah Harkness’ All Souls trilogy features everything that makes fantasy so delicious to read—witches, vampires, demons, academia, magic, time travel, treasure, history, romance, and suspense. When Diana, an Oxford scholar descended from a long line of witches, discovers an ancient secret buried in a long-lost manuscript, the paranormal forces she so vehemently distanced herself from knock down her door. How will she handle being the only one capable of unlocking a powerful and dangerous spell?
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