“Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”
Fantasy books capture our imaginations in a way no other genre can. One of the few genres that allow an author’s imagination to completely run wild, fantasy books usually come complete with entire new worlds filled with captivating lore and characters that have etched themselves into mainstream society even decades after their initial release. With so many stellar legacies finding a home in the genre, What We Reading takes you through 7 fantasy books you have to read before you die.
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland – Lewis Carroll (1865)
Is there a fantasy as timeless as Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland? Over 150 years on from its initial release, Wonderland and all its bizarre array of characters still capture the imagination of children and adults across the world. The tale of a young woman named Alice falling down the rabbit hole into a strange world has become one of the most famous recreated images in literature, film, radio and television ever since its first printing in 1865.
Presenting a world without logic, Carroll’s unique writing style and imagination have meant the book has never been out of out print, being translated across 174 languages during this time.
The Hobbit – J.R.R. Tolkien (1937)
J.R.R. Tolkien is responsible for possibly the most beloved fantasy world of all time with his Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit series. From The Shire to the foot of Mount Doom, the English author has garnered a legendary reputation for his breathtaking attention to detail, cultivating one of the most immersive reading experiences you could ever hope to find.
What’s more, although Peter Jackson could stretch an entire trilogy out of the material, the first edition of The Hobbit only has a page count of 310 in total, making it a nice gateway into the world of Middle Earth.
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The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe – C.S. Lewis (1950)
Undoubtedly one of the most iconic pieces of British literature ever produced, C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe is an absolute classic. With themes ranging from childhood wonder to monotheistic religion, its fantasy world of Narnia is still one of the finest works we have ever read.
Written for his goddaughter Lucy Barfield, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe has been listed on the BBC’s The Big Read poll, and Time’s 100 Best Young-Adult Books of All Time and 100 best English-language novels lists.
The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger – Stephen King (1982)
Taking a slightly darker turn on the list, The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger is a fantasy novel released in 1982 and written by legendary horror author Stephen King. Originally produced as a fix-up novel made up of five different short stories written between 1978 and 1981, The Gunslinger is the first in the eight-novel-strong The Dark Tower series.
The story follows Roland Deschain, the last gunslinger, as he attempts to hunt down his nemesis ‘the man in black’. Set in a vast desert, The Gunslinger incorporates horror and Western elements and remains one of King’s most beloved works.
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Good Omens – Terry Pratchett / Neil Gaiman (1990)
Another book that has spawned a hugely beloved series, Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch is a collaboration between two titans in English fantasy: Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman.
For those who love a bit of humour with their fantasy, Good Omens is the go-to book to pick up. Following the angel Aziraphale and the demon Crowley, as they attempt to prevent the coming of the End Times, Good Omens is charming, funny and still able to pack some hefty emotional weights over the course of its 288 pages.
A Game of Thrones – George R.R. Martin (1996)
With The House of the Dragon launching on HBO, it seems a fitting time to revisit the land of Westeros with the book that started it all. With the release of A Game of Thrones back in 1996, author George R.R. Martin did the seemingly impossible and created a world that rivalled Tolkien in terms of depth and detail.
Taking inspiration from the real-world War of the Roses in British history, the book was a number one New York Times bestseller and won a Hugo Award in 1997. The different perspectives offer a unique reading experience, and there are plenty of added layers here that even diehard fans of the HBO series are sure to discover something new.
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Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone – J.K. Rowling (1997)
With the Harry Potter franchise becoming the fourth-highest-grossing movie franchise of all time, it’s easy to overlook just how iconic J.K. Rowling’s paperbacks are in their own right. The original story of The Boy Who Lived and his quest to rid the Wizarding World of Lord Voldemort spanned seven different books, though it all kicked off with 1997’s Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone.
Still the most in-depth and detailed magical world available in the world of literature, you never need an excuse to dive back into the Hogwarts grounds.
The Name of the Wind – Patrick Rothfuss (2007)
Also known as The Kingkiller Chronicle: Day One, The Name of the Wind is a fantasy novel by Patrick Rothfuss in 2007. The first in a trilogy of heroic fantasy books, Rothfuss wrote The Name of the Wind whilst studying for his Bachelor of Arts in English with the aim of producing a story that went against all of the typical tropes attached to the genre.
Set in the world of Temerant, The Name of the Wind is a thrill-a-minute story told through the eyes of protagonist Kvothe as he forges a path to becoming the greatest wizard in the land. One of the best coming-of-age stories we’ve ever encountered, Rothfuss is a master at narrating a character’s life and dropping them into one of the most vibrant worlds in the genre.
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
