There are many magical fantasy books out there, and it is not an easy task to choose the best ones. For that, and so that you can have more books to enjoy, we have made a huge list of the 50 best magical fantasy books for you to choose from.
We also have a list of the best sci-fi movies you’ve never seen, and you can check them out at our link.
You are reading: Best fantasy books with magic
Without further ado, let’s get started on our list. we hope you find something for yourself, because our team really enjoyed reading these books.
best magical fantasy books
These books are not ranked in any particular order, because we think they’re great and we’ll let you decide which one is best for you.
1. the final empire
(mistborn #1) by brandon sanderson
Where ash falls from the sky, and mist dominates the night, evil cloaks the land and stifles all life. Criminal mastermind Kelsier teaches Allomancy, the magic of metals, to another Mistborn, urchin Vin 16. The unlikely heroine is distracted by rich Venture heir Elend. Can Kelsier’s thieving crew take on the tyrant Lord Ruler and bring back color to their world?
The first book in the Mistborn series of epic fantasy novels written by American author Brandon Sanderson and published by Tor Books. the first series, published between 2006 and 2008, consists of the final empire, the well of ascension and the hero of the ages.
2. the name of the wind
(the kingkiller chronicle #1) by patrick rothfuss
Told in Kvothe’s own voice, this is the tale of the magically gifted young man who grows to be the most notorious wizard his world has ever seen.
the intimate retelling of his childhood in a traveling troupe of actors, his years as a nearly feral orphan in a crime-ridden town, his daring but successful attempt to enter a legendary school of magic, and his life as a fugitive after the assassination of a king he forms a gripping coming-of-age story unrivaled in recent literature.
An action-packed story written in the hand of a poet, The Name of the Wind is a masterpiece that will transport readers into the body and mind of a magician.
3. harry potter and the philosopher’s stone
(harry potter #1) by j.k. paddle
Harry Potter’s life is miserable. His parents are dead and he’s stuck with his heartless relatives, who force him to live in a tiny closet under the stairs.
But his fortunes change when he receives a letter that tells him the truth about himself: he is a wizard. A mysterious visitor rescues him from his relatives and takes him to his new home, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
After a lifetime of repressing his magical powers, Harry finally feels like a normal kid. but even within the magical community, he is special.
He is the boy who survived: the only person to survive a killing curse inflicted by the evil lord voldemort, who launched a brutal conquest of the wizarding world, only to disappear after failing to kill harry.
Although Harry’s first year at Hogwarts is the best of his life, not everything is perfect. There’s a dangerous secret item hidden within the castle walls, and Harry believes it’s his responsibility to keep it from falling into evil hands. but doing so will bring him into contact with forces more terrifying than he could ever have imagined.
Filled with likeable characters, wildly imaginative situations, and countless exciting details, the first installment in the series brings together an unforgettable magical world and sets the stage for many high-stakes adventures to come.
4. the way of kings
(the stormlight file #1) by brandon sanderson
According to mythology mankind used to live in The Tranquiline Halls. Heaven. But then the Voidbringers assaulted and captured heaven, casting out God and men. Men took root on Roshar, the world of storms. And the Voidbringers followed…
they came against the man ten thousand times. To help them cope, the Almighty gave the men powerful armor and mystical weapons, known as Shardblades. led by ten angelic heralds and ten orders of knights known as radiant, mankind finally won.
or so the legends say. today, the only remnants of those supposed battles are the shardblades, the possession of which makes a man nearly invincible on the battlefield. the entire world is at war with itself, and has been for centuries since the radiants turned on humanity. the kings strive to win more shardblades, each one secretly wishing to be the one to finally unite all mankind under one throne.
In a world razed to the rock by terrifying hurricanes that strike every few days, a young lancer forced to join a shardbearer’s army, led him to war against an enemy he doesn’t understand and truly doesn’t understand. wants to fight. .
What happened deep in humanity’s past?
Why did the radiants turn against humanity, and what happened to the magic they used to wield?
5. the golden compass
(his dark materials #1) by philip pullman
Lyra is rushing to the cold, far North, where witch clans and armored bears rule. North, where the Gobblers take the children they steal-including her friend Roger. North, where her fearsome uncle Asriel is trying to build a bridge to a parallel world.Can one small girl make a difference in such great and terrible endeavors? This is Lyra: a savage, a schemer, a liar, and as fierce and true a champion as Roger or Asriel could want-but what Lyra doesn’t know is that to help one of them will be to betray the other.
6. the eye of the world
(the wheel of time #1) by robert jordan
The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and pass. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.
Let the dragon once again ride the winds of time.
Since its debut in 1990, Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time® has captivated millions of readers around the world with its scope, originality, and engaging characters.
The wheel of time turns and ages come and go, leaving behind memories that become legend. legend fades into myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the age that gave rise to it returns. in the third age, an age of prophecy, the world and time itself hang in the balance. what was, what will be and what is, can still fall under the shadow.
When the two rivers are attacked by Trollocs, a savage tribe of half man, half beast, five villagers flee that night into a world they barely imagined, with new dangers waiting in the shadows and in the light.
7. sabriel
(the old kingdom #1) by garth nix
Sent to a boarding school in Ancelstierre as a young child, Sabriel has had little experience with the random power of Free Magic or the Dead who refuse to stay dead in the Old Kingdom. But during her final semester, her father, the Abhorsen, goes missing, and Sabriel knows she must enter the Old Kingdom to find him.With Sabriel, the first installment in the Abhorsen series, Garth Nix exploded onto the fantasy scene as a rising star, in a novel that takes readers to a world where the line between the living and the dead isn’t always clear—and sometimes disappears altogether.
8. warbreaker
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson, Warbreaker is the story of two sisters, who happen to be princesses, the God King one of them has to marry, the lesser god who doesn’t like his job, and the immortal who’s still trying to undo the mistakes he made hundreds of years ago.Their world is one in which those who die in glory return as gods to live confined to a pantheon in Hallandren’s capital city and where a power known as BioChromatic magic is based on an essence known as breath that can only be collected one unit at a time from individual people.By using breath and drawing upon the color in everyday objects, all manner of miracles and mischief can be accomplished. It will take considerable quantities of each to resolve all the challenges facing Vivenna and Siri, princesses of Idris; Susebron the God King; Lightsong, reluctant god of bravery, and mysterious Vasher, the Warbreaker.
9. elantris
(elantris #1) by brandon sanderson
Elantris was the capital of Arelon: gigantic, beautiful, literally radiant, filled with benevolent beings who used their powerful magical abilities for the benefit of all. Yet each of these demigods was once an ordinary person until touched by the mysterious transforming power of the Shaod. Ten years ago, without warning, the magic failed. Elantrians became wizened, leper-like, powerless creatures, and Elantris itself dark, filthy, and crumbling.Arelon’s new capital, Kae, crouches in the shadow of Elantris. Princess Sarene of Teod arrives for a marriage of state with Crown Prince Raoden, hoping — based on their correspondence — to also find love. She finds instead that Raoden has died and she is considered his widow. Both Teod and Arelon are under threat as the last remaining holdouts against the imperial ambitions of the ruthless religious fanatics of Fjordell. So Sarene decides to use her new status to counter the machinations of Hrathen, a Fjordell high priest who has come to Kae to convert Arelon and claim it for his emperor and his god.But neither Sarene nor Hrathen suspects the truth about Prince Raoden. Stricken by the same curse that ruined Elantris, Raoden was secretly exiled by his father to the dark city. His struggle to help the wretches trapped there begins a series of events that will bring hope to Arelon, and perhaps reveal the secret of Elantris itself.A rare epic fantasy that doesn’t recycle the classics and that is a complete and satisfying story in one volume, Elantris is fleet and fun, full of surprises and characters to care about. It’s also the wonderful debut of a welcome new star in the constellation of fantasy.
10. eragon
(the cycle of inheritance #1) by christopher paolini
One boy…One dragon…A world of adventure.
When Eragon finds a polished blue stone in the forest, he thinks it’s the lucky find of a poor farmer; he may buy meat for his family for the winter. But when the stone brings forth a young dragon, Eragon soon realizes that he has stumbled upon a legacy almost as old as the empire itself.
Overnight, his simple life is shattered and he is thrust into a dangerous new world of fate, magic and power. With only an ancient sword and the advice of an old storyteller to guide, Eragon and the budding dragon must navigate the dangerous terrain and dark enemies of an empire ruled by a king whose evil knows no bounds.
can eragon take up the mantle of legendary dragon riders? the fate of the empire may be in his hands.
11. the black prism
(lightbringer #1) by brentweeks
Guile is the Prism, the most powerful man in the world. He is high priest and emperor, a man whose power, wit, and charm are all that preserves a tenuous peace. Yet Prisms never last, and Guile knows exactly how long he has left to live.
When Guile discovers he has a son, born in a faraway kingdom after the war that brought him to power, he must decide how much he’s willing to pay to protect a secret that could shatter his world.
12. graceful
(graceful kingdom #1) by kristin castore
Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight—she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug.
she never expected to fall in love with the handsome prince po.
He never expects to discover the truth behind his grace, or the terrible secret that lies far away. . . a secret that could destroy the seven kingdoms with words alone.
With elegant, evocative prose and an unforgettable cast of characters, first-time author Kristin Castore creates a riveting world, a death-defying adventure, and a thrilling romance that will consume you, hold you captive, and leave you wanting. more .
13. the lightning thief
(percy jackson and the olympians #1) by rick riordan
Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can’t seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. And lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worse – Percy could have sworn his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him.
When Percy’s mom finds out, she knows it’s time for him to learn the truth about where he came from and go to the only place he’ll be safe. She sends Percy to Camp Half-Blood, a summer camp for demigods (on Long Island), where she learns that the father she never knew is Poseidon, god of the sea.
A mystery soon unfolds and, along with his friends, one a satyr and the other the demigod daughter of Athena, Percy sets out on a quest across the United States to reach the gates of the underworld (located in a recording studio in hollywood) and prevent a catastrophic war between the gods.
14. storm front
(the dresden files #1) by jim butcher
Lost Items Found. Paranormal Investigations. Consulting. Advice. Reasonable Rates. No Love Potions, Endless Purses, or Other Entertainment.
harry dresden is the best at what he does. well, technically, he’s the only one at what he does. So when the Chicago Police Department has a case that transcends mortal creativity or ability, they turn to it for answers. because the “everyday” world is full of strange and magical things, and most of them don’t get along with humans. that’s where harry comes in. it takes a wizard to catch a… well, anything. there is only one problem. business, to put it mildly, sucks.
So when the police bring him in to inquire about a grisly double murder committed with black magic, Harry is seeing dollar signs. but where there is black magic, there is a black magician behind. And now that wizard knows Harry’s name. And that’s when things start to get interesting.
magic: can kill a guy.
15. the fellowship of the ring
(the lord of the rings #1) by j.r.r. tolkien
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
In ancient times, rings of power were made by elven smiths, and sauron, the dark lord, forged the one ring and filled it with his own power so that he could rule all others. but the one ring was taken from him, and though he searched for it throughout middle-earth, it remained lost to him. After many ages he fell into the hands of Bilbo Baggins, as told in The Hobbit.
In a sleepy shire town, young Frodo Baggins faces a daunting task as his elderly cousin Bilbo entrusts him with the ring. Frodo must leave his home and embark on a perilous journey through Middle Earth to the Cracks of Doom, to destroy the Ring and thwart the Dark Lord in his evil purpose.
16. assassin’s apprentice
(the clairvoyant trilogy #1) by robin hobb
See Also: A to Z Mysteries – Book Series In Order
Fitz is a royal bastard, cast out into the world with only his magical link with animals for solace and companionship.
But when Fitz is adopted into the royal household, he must abandon his old ways and learn a new life: weaponry, writing, courtly manners; and how to kill a man secretly.
Meanwhile, raiders ravage the shores, leaving the people forged and soulless. As Fitz grows into adulthood, he’ll face his first terrifying mission, a task that puts both him and his target at risk: Fitz is a threat to the throne…but he may also be the key to the future of the kingdom.
17. city of bones
(the mortal instruments #1) by cassandra clare
When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder― much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It’s hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing―not even a smear of blood―to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?
This is Clary’s first encounter with Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the land of demons. It’s also his first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a bit like an angel and acts like an idiot. Within twenty-four hours, Clary is drawn into Jace’s world with a vengeance when her mother goes missing and Clary is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get her sight? Shadowhunters would like to know…
18. the protected man
(demonic cycle #1) by peter v. brett
As darkness falls after sunset, the corelings rise—demons who possess supernatural powers and burn with a consuming hatred of humanity.
For hundreds of years, demons have terrorized the night, slowly slaughtering the human herd that takes refuge behind magical wards, symbols of power whose origins are lost in myth and whose protection is terrifyingly fragile. it wasn’t always like this.
Once, men and women fought corelings on equal terms, but those days are long gone. Night after night, the demons grow stronger, while the number of humans dwindles under their relentless assault.
Now, hoping for the future to fade, three young survivors of vicious demon attacks will dare the impossible, stepping beyond the crumbling safety of wards to risk it all in a desperate quest. to recover the secrets of the past. together, they will resist the night.
19. furies of calderon
For a thousand years, the people of Alera have united against the aggressive and threatening races that inhabit the world, using their unique bond with the furies – elementals of earth, air, fire, water, and metal.
but now, gaius sextus, first lord of alera, grows old and has no heir. Ambitious lords plot and maneuver to place their houses in positions of power, and a succession war looms on the horizon.
Away from the politics of the city in Valle del Calderón, the boy Tavi struggles with his lack of fury. at fifteen, he does not have the fury of the wind to help him fly, nor the fury of fire to light his lamps. However, when the Alerans’ most savage enemy, the Marat, returns to the valley, he discovers that his fate is greater than he could ever imagine.
Caught in a storm of deadly raging winds, Tavi saves the life of a runaway slave named Amara. but she is actually a spy for gaius sextus, sent to the valley to gather intelligence on traitors to the crown, who may be in league with the barbarian horde of the marat. And as the valley erupts into chaos, as rebels battle loyalists and furies clash with furies, Amara will discover that Tavi’s courage and wit are a power greater than any fury, one that could turn the tide of war.
20. howl’s moving castle
Sophie has the great misfortune of being the eldest of three daughters, destined to fail miserably should she ever leave home to seek her fate.
But when she unknowingly draws the wrath of the Trash Witch, Sophie finds herself under a horrible spell that transforms her into an old woman.
Your only chance to break it lies in the ever-moving castle in the hills: Wizard’s Howl’s Castle. To unravel the enchantment, Sophie must wield the merciless howl, make a deal with a fire demon, and face the trash witch head-on.
Along the way, she discovers that there is much more to Howl, and herself, than meets the eye.
21. an earthsea mage
(Tierramar cycle #1)by ursula k. the script
Ged, the greatest sorcerer in all Earthsea, was called Sparrowhawk in his reckless youth.
Hungry for power and knowledge, Sparrowhawk tampered with long-kept secrets and cast a terrible shadow over the world. this is the story of the test of him, how he mastered the mighty words of power, tamed an ancient dragon, and crossed the threshold of death to restore balance.
22. the lion, the witch and the wardrobe
(the chronicles of narnia (publication order) #1) by c.s. louis
Narnia…the land beyond the wardrobe door, a secret place frozen in eternal winter, a magical country waiting to be set free.
Lucy is the first to find the secret wardrobe in the professor’s mysterious old house. At first, her brothers and her sister do not believe her when she tells of her visit to the land of Narnia. but soon edmund, then peter and susan pass through the closet themselves.
In Narnia, they find a country buried under the evil enchantment of the White Witch. When they meet the lion Aslan, they realize they have been called to a great adventure and bravely join the battle to free Narnia from the witch’s sinister spell.
23. Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 1
(fullmetal alchemist #1) by hiromu arakawa, akira watanabe (translator)
alchemy: the mystical power to alter the natural world; something between magic, art and science.
When two brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric, tapped into this power to grant their greatest wish, one of them lost an arm and a leg…and the other became nothing more than a soul encased in a body of live steel.
Edward is now a government agent, a slave to the military-alchemical complex, using his unique powers to obey orders…even to kill. except that his powers aren’t unique.
The world has been devastated by the abuse of alchemy. and in the search for the ultimate alchemical treasure, the Philosopher’s Stone, their enemies are even more ruthless than they are…
24. the amulet of samarkand
(bartimaeus #1) by jonathan stroud
Nathaniel is a boy magician-in-training, sold to the government by his birth parents at the age of five, and sent to live as an apprentice to a master. Powerful magicians rule Britain, and its empire, and Nathaniel is told he is the “ultimate sacrifice” for a “noble destiny.”If leaving his parents and erasing his past life isn’t tough enough, Nathaniel’s master, Arthur Underwood, is a cold, condescending, and cruel middle-ranking magician in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The boy’s only saving grace is the master’s wife, Martha Underwood, who shows him genuine affection that he rewards with fierce devotion. Nathaniel gets along tolerably well over the years in the Underwood household until the summer before his eleventh birthday. Everything changes when he is publicly humiliated by the ruthless magician Simon Lovelace and betrayed by his cowardly master who does not defend him.Nathaniel vows revenge. In a Faustian fever, he devours magical texts and hones his magic skills, all the while trying to appear subservient to his master. When he musters the strength to summon the 5,000-year-old djinni Bartimaeus to avenge Lovelace by stealing the powerful Amulet of Samarkand, the boy magician plunges into a situation more dangerous and deadly than anything he could ever imagine.
25. american gods
(american gods #1) by neil gaiman
Days before his release from prison, Shadow’s wife, Laura, dies in a mysterious car crash. Numbly, he makes his way back home. On the plane, he encounters the enigmatic Mr Wednesday, who claims to be a refugee from a distant war, a former god and the king of America.
Together they embark on a deeply bizarre journey through the heartland of America, while all around them, a storm of supernatural and epic proportions threatens to erupt.
Frightening, gripping, and deeply unsettling, American Gods takes a deep dive into America’s soul. you’ll be surprised what, and who, you find there…
26. the path of shadows
(night angel #1) by brentweeks
From New York Times Bestselling author Brent Weeks…For Durzo Blint, assassination is an art-and he is the city’s most accomplished artist.
for azot, survival is precarious. something you never take for granted. As a guild rat, she grew up in the slums and learned to quickly judge people and take risks. risks such as becoming a durzo blint apprentice.
But to be accepted, Azoth must turn his back on his old life and take on a new identity and name. As Kylar Stern, he must learn to navigate the assassin’s world of dangerous politics and strange magics, and cultivate a knack for death.
27. a wrinkle in time
(time quintet #1) by madeleine l’engle
It was a dark and stormy night.
Out of this wild night, a strange visitor arrives at the Murry house and invites Meg, her brother Charles Wallace, and their friend Calvin O’Keefe on an extraordinary and dangerous adventure, one that will threaten their lives and our universe.
winner of the 1963 newbery medal, a wrinkle in time is the first book in madeleine l’engle’s classic quintet of time.
28. Jonathan Strange & mr norrell
by susanna clarke
Sophisticated, witty, and ingeniously convincing, Susanna Clarke’s magisterial novel weaves magic into a flawlessly detailed vision of historical England. She has created a world so thoroughly enchanting that eight hundred pages leave readers longing for more.English magicians were once the wonder of the known world, with fairy servants at their beck and call; they could command winds, mountains, and woods. But by the early 1800s, they have long since lost the ability to perform magic. They can only write long, dull papers about it, while fairy servants are nothing but a fading memory.But at Hurtfew Abbey in Yorkshire, the rich, reclusive Mr Norrell has assembled a wonderful library of lost and forgotten books from England’s magical past and regained some of the powers of England’s magicians. He goes to London and raises a beautiful young woman from the dead. Soon he is lending his help to the government in the war against Napoleon Bonaparte, creating ghostly fleets of rain-ships to confuse and alarm the French.All goes well until a rival magician appears. Jonathan Strange is handsome, charming, and talkative-the very opposite of Mr Norrell. Strange thinks nothing of enduring the rigors of campaigning with Wellington’s army and doing magic on battlefields. Astonished to find another practicing magician, Mr Norrell accepts Strange as a pupil. But it soon becomes clear that their ideas of what English magic ought to be are very different. For Mr Norrell, their power is something to be cautiously controlled, while Jonathan Strange will always be attracted to the wildest, most perilous forms of magic. He becomes fascinated by the ancient, shadowy figure of the Raven King, a child taken by fairies who became king of both England and Faerie, and the most legendary magician of all. Eventually, Strange’s heedless pursuit of long-forgotten magic threatens to destroy not only his partnership with Norrell but everything that he holds dear.
29. wild magic
(the immortals #1) by tamora pierce
Young Daine’s knack with horses gets her a job helping the royal horsemistress drive a herd of ponies to Tortall.
It soon becomes clear that Daine’s talent, as much as he tries to hide it, is downright magical. horses and other animals not only obey, but listen to his words.
However, Daine will have to learn to trust humans before she can come to terms with her powers, her past, and herself.
30. ink heart
(inkworld #1) by cornelia funke, anthea bell (translator)
From internationally acclaimed storyteller Cornelia Funke, this bestselling, magical epic is now out in paperback!
One cruel night, Meggie’s father reads aloud from a book called Heart of Ink, and an evil ruler escapes the confines of fiction and lands in her living room. Suddenly, Meggie is right in the middle of the kind of adventure he’s only read about in books. Meggie must learn to harness the magic that this nightmare has conjured. Well, only she can change the course of history that has changed her life forever.
this is inkheart: a timeless story about books, about imagination, about life. dare to read it aloud.
31. dune
(dune #1) by frank herbert, holy sunday (translator)
Set in the far future amidst a sprawling feudal interstellar empire where planetary dynasties are controlled by noble houses that owe an allegiance to the Imperial House Corrino, Dune tells the story of young Paul Atreides (the heir apparent to Duke Leto Atreides and heir of House Atreides) as he and his family accept control of the desert planet Arrakis, the only source of the ‘spice’ melange, the most important and valuable substance in the cosmos. The story explores the complex, multi-layered interactions of politics, religion, ecology, technology, and human emotion as the forces of the empire confront each other for control of Arrakis.
Published in 1965, it won the 1966 Hugo Award and the inaugural Nebula Award for Best Novel. dune is frequently cited as the world’s best-selling science fiction novel.
32. the color of magic
(discworld #1) by terry pratchett
Terry Pratchett’s profoundly irreverent, bestselling novels have garnered him a revered position in the halls of parody next to the likes of Mark Twain, Kurt Vonnegut, Douglas Adams, and Carl Hiaasen.The Color of Magic is Terry Pratchett’s maiden voyage through the now-legendary land of Discworld. This is where it all begins — with the tourist Twoflower and his wizard guide, Rincewind.On a world supported on the back of a giant turtle (sex unknown), a gleeful, explosive, wickedly eccentric expedition sets out. There’s an avaricious but inept wizard, a naive tourist whose luggage moves on hundreds of dear little legs, dragons who only exist if you believe in them, and of course THE EDGE of the planet…
33. gardens of the moon
(Malazan Book of the Fallen #1) by steven erikson
The Malazan Empire simmers with discontent, bled dry by interminable warfare, bitter infighting and bloody confrontations with the formidable Anomander Rake and his Tiste Andii, ancient and implacable sorcerers. Even the imperial legions, long inured to the bloodshed, yearn for some respite. Yet Empress Laseen’s rule remains absolute, enforced by her dread Claw assassins.
For Sergeant Whiskeyjack and his squadron of bridge burners, and for Tattersail, the surviving wizard of the Second Legion, the aftermath of the Siege of Pale should have been a time of mourning the many dead. But darujhistan, the last of the genabacki-free cities, is still holding out. it is to this ancient citadel that laseen turns his predatory gaze.
See Also: Beverly Jenkins – Book Series In Order
However, it seems that the empire is not alone in this great game. Sinister shadow-bound forces are gathering as the gods themselves prepare to play their hand…
Conceived and written on a panoramic scale, gardens of the moon is an epic fantasy of the highest order: a gripping adventure from an outstanding new voice.
34. wizard’s first rule
(sword of truth #1) by terry goodkind
In the aftermath of the brutal murder of his father, a mysterious woman, Kahlan Amnell, appears in Richard Cypher’s forest sanctuary seeking help . . . and more.His world, his very beliefs, are shattered when ancient debts come due to thundering violence. In a dark age it takes courage to live, and more than mere courage to challenge those who hold dominion, Richard and Kahlan must take up that challenge or become the next victims. Beyond awaits a bewitching land where even the best of their hearts could betray them. Yet, Richard fears nothing so much as what secrets his sword might reveal about his own soul. Falling in love would destroy them—for reasons Richard can’t imagine and Kahlan dare not say.In their darkest hour, hunted relentlessly, tormented by treachery and loss, Kahlan calls upon Richard to reach beyond his sword—to invoke within himself something nobler. Neither knows that the rules of battle have just changed . . . or that their time has run out.This is the beginning. One book. One Rule. Witness the birth of a legend.
35. poisoning study
(venom study #1) by maria v. snyder
Choose: A quick death… or slow poison…
On the verge of being executed for murder, Yelena is offered an extraordinary pardon. she will eat the best meals, have rooms in the palace, and be at risk of being killed by anyone who tries to kill the commander of ixia.
and so, yelena chooses to become a food taster. but the head of security, leaving nothing to chance, deliberately feeds the powder to her butterfly, and only showing up for her antidote from her diary will delay an agonizing death from the poison.
As Yelena tries to escape her new dilemma, the disasters keep mounting. The rebels plot to take over Ixia, and Yelena develops magical powers she can’t control. her life is threatened again and decisions must be made. but this time the results are not so clear…
36. stardust
by neil gaiman
Life moves at a leisurely pace in the tiny town of Wall—named after the imposing stone barrier which separates the town from a grassy meadow.
Here, young Tristran Thorn has lost his heart to the beautiful Forester victory and for the coveted prize at his hand, Tristran swears to retrieve a fallen star and deliver it to his beloved.
It is an oath that sends him over the ancient wall and into a world that is dangerous and strange beyond imagination…
37. a game of thrones
(a song of ice and fire #1) by george r.r. martin
Here is the first volume in George R. R. Martin’s magnificent cycle of novels that includes A Clash of Kings and A Storm of Swords. As a whole, this series comprises a genuine masterpiece of modern fantasy, bringing together the best the genre has to offer. Magic, mystery, intrigue, romance, and adventure fill these pages and transport us to a world unlike any we have ever experienced. Already hailed as a classic, George R. R. Martin’s stunning series is destined to stand as one of the great achievements of imaginative fiction.
game of thrones
A long time ago, in a time forgotten, a supernatural event threw the seasons out of balance. In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastelands north of Winterfell, sinister and supernatural forces are gathering beyond the realm’s protective wall. At the center of the conflict are the Winterfell Stiffs, a family as tough and unyielding as the land they were born into. From a land of brutal cold to a distant summer kingdom of epicurean abundance, this is a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim foreshadowing.
here an enigmatic band of warriors carry swords that are not made of human metal; a tribe of ferocious savages drive men to madness; a cruel young dragon prince trades his sister to win back his throne; and a determined woman undertakes the most treacherous of journeys. Amid plots and counterplots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, the fate of the Starks, their allies and their enemies hangs dangerously in the balance, as each strives to win the deadliest of conflicts: the Game of Thrones. .
source: georgerrmartin.com
38. his dark materials
(his dark materials #1-3) by philip pullman
The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass are available together in one volume perfect for any fan or newcomer to this modern fantasy classic series.
These exciting adventures tell the story of Lyra and Will, two ordinary kids on a perilous journey through other haunted and glittering worlds. They will encounter witches and armored bears, fallen angels and soul-eating specters. and in the end, the fate of both the living and the dead will depend on them.
Phillip Pullman’s riveting Dark Materials trilogy has captivated readers for over twenty years and won accolades every time. It will make you question everything you know about your world and wonder what is really out of your hands.
39. magical bites
(kate daniels #1) by ilona andrews
The world has suffered a magic apocalypse. We pushed the technological progress too far, and now magic returned with a vengeance. It comes in waves, without warning, and vanishes as suddenly as it appears. When magic is up, planes drop out of the sky, cars stall, electricity dies. When magic is down, guns work and spells fail.
atlanta would be a good place to live, if it weren’t for magic… at one point magic takes over, cars stall and weapons fail. the next, technology takes over and defensive spells no longer protect your house from monsters. here the skyscrapers collapse under the onslaught of magic; werebears and werehyenas roam the ruined streets; and the masters of the dead, necromancers driven by their thirst for knowledge and wealth, pilot bloodthirsty vampires with their minds. Kate Daniels lives in this world. kate likes his sword too much and has a hard time controlling his mouth. the magic in her blood makes her a target, and she spent most of her life hiding in plain sight. But when Kate’s guardian is murdered, she must choose to do nothing and stay safe or pursue her supernatural killer. hiding is easy, but the right choice is seldom easy…
40. daughter of smoke & bone
(daughter of smoke & bone #1) by laini taylor
Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.
In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth is running dangerously low.
and on the tangled back roads of prague, a young art student is about to be drawn into a brutal supernatural war.
meet karou. she fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real, she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious “errands,” she speaks many languages, not all of them human, and her bright blue hair actually grows on her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her and she is about to find out.
When the beautiful and tormented Akiva sets eyes on her in a Marrakesh alley, the result is blood and starlight, secrets revealed, and an ill-fated love whose roots lie deep in a violent past. But will Karou live to regret knowing the truth about herself?
41. mugwort
(artemis fowl #1) by eoin colfer
Twelve-year-old Artemis Fowl is a millionaire, a genius, and above all, a criminal mastermind.
But not even Artemis knows what he’s up against when he kidnaps a fairy, Captain Holly of the Goblin unit.
These are not the fairies of bedtime stories, they are dangerous! Full of unexpected twists and turns, Artemis Fowl is a captivating and magical adventure.
42. the night circus
by erin morgenstern
The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas, tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.
But behind the scenes, a fierce competition rages: a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their fickle instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game of the only one left standing, and the circus is but the scene of a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco fall head over heels in love: a deep and magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room warm every time their hands brush.
True love or not, the game must unfold, and the fates of all involved, from the circus’s cast of extraordinary performers to patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats above their heads.
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Written in rich, seductive prose, this spellbinding novel is a feast for the senses and the heart.
43. never anywhere
(london below, the world of neverwhere #1) by neil gaiman
Under the streets of London there’s a place most people could never even dream of. A city of monsters and saints, murderers and angels, knights in armour and pale girls in black velvet. This is the city of the people who have fallen between the cracks.
richard mayhew, a young businessman, is going to find out more than enough about this other london. a single act of kindness catapults him out of his working existence and into a world that is both eerily familiar and utterly alien. and a strange fate awaits him down here, below his hometown: never anywhere.
44. prophecy pawn
(the belgianism #1) by david eddings
A magnificent epic set against a history of seven thousand years of the struggles of Gods and Kings and men – of strange lands and events – of fate and a prophecy that must be fulfilled! THE BELGARIAD
Long ago, so the narrator stated, the evil god Torak sought dominion and led men and gods to war. but Belgarath the sorcerer led the men to reclaim the orb that protected the men of the west. As long as he remained in riva, said the prophecy, the men would be safe.
But that was just a story, and Garion didn’t believe in magical dooms, even though the Shadowless Dark Man had haunted him for years. raised on a quiet farm by his aunt by him, how could he know that the apostate planned to awaken dread torak, or that he would be led on a quest for magic and unparalleled danger by those he loved, but that he didn’t know? for a time, his dreams of innocence were safe, undisturbed by the knowledge of his strange heritage. for a while… that’s how book one of the belgiariad’ begins
45. night watch
(see #1) by sergei lukyanenko, andrew bromfield (translator)
Set in contemporary Moscow, where shapeshifters, vampires, and street-sorcerers linger in the shadows, Night Watch is the first book of the hyper-imaginative fantasy pentalogy from best-selling Russian author Sergei Lukyanenko.This epic saga chronicles the eternal war of the “Others,” an ancient race of humans with supernatural powers who must swear allegiance to either the Dark or the Light. The agents of the Dark – the Night Watch – oversee nocturnal activity, while the agents of the Light keep watch over the day. For a thousand years, both sides have maintained a precarious balance of power, but an ancient prophecy has decreed that a supreme Other will one day emerge, threatening to tip the scales. Now, that day has arrived. When a mid-level Night Watch agent named Anton stumbles upon a cursed young woman – an uninitiated Other with magnificent potential – both sides prepare for a battle that could lay waste to the entire city, possibly the world. With language that throbs like darkly humorous hard-rock lyrics about blood and power, freedom, and responsibility, Night Watch is a chilling, cutting-edge thriller, a pulse-pounding ride of fusion fiction that will leave you breathless for the next installment.
46. walking dead witch
(the gaps #1) by kim harrison
All the creatures of the night gather in “the Hollows” of Cincinnati, to hide, to prowl, to party… and to feed.
Vampires rule the darkness in a world where predators eat predators, fraught with unimaginable dangers, and it’s Rachel Morgan’s job to keep that world civilized.
a bounty hunter and a witch with serious sex appeal and attitude, will bring them back alive, dead…or undead.
47. the hobbit, or back and forth
(the hobbit) by j.r.r. tolkien
In a hole in the ground, there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.Written for J.R.R. Tolkien’s own children, The Hobbit met with instant critical acclaim when it was first published in 1937. Now recognized as a timeless classic, this introduction to the hobbit Bilbo Baggins, the wizard Gandalf, Gollum, and the spectacular world of Middle-earth recounts of the adventures of a reluctant hero, a powerful and dangerous ring, and the cruel dragon Smaug the Magnificent. The text in this 372-page paperback edition is based on that first published in Great Britain by Collins Modern Classics (1998), and includes a note on the text by Douglas A. Anderson (2001).
48. the rhythmist
(rhythmatic #1) by brandon sanderson
The Rithmatist, Brandon Sanderson’s New York Times bestselling epic teen adventure is now available in paperback.
more than anything, joel wants to be a rhythmist. Rithmatists have the power to breathe life into two-dimensional figures known as chalks. the rithmatists are humanity’s only defense against the wild chalks. Having nearly invaded the Nebrask Territory, the Wild Chalks now threaten all of the American islands.
As the son of a humble chalk maker at Armius Academy, Joel can only watch Rithmatist students learn the magical art that he would do anything to practice. then the students begin to disappear, kidnapped from their rooms at night, leaving trails of blood. Assigned to help the professor investigating the crimes, Joel and his friend Melody find themselves on the trail of an unexpected discovery, one that will change arithmetic and his world forever.
49. the mists of avalon
(avalon #1) by marion zimmer bradley
Here is the magical legend of King Arthur, vividly retold through the eyes and lives of the women who wielded power from behind the throne.
a fascinating novel, an extraordinary literary achievement, the mists of avalon will stay with you for a long time…
50. harassed
(the iron druid chronicles #1) by kevinhearne
Atticus O’Sullivan, the last of the Druids, lives peacefully in Arizona, runs an occult bookstore, and shapeshifts in his spare time to hunt with his Irish Wolfhound. His neighbors and clients think that this handsome tattooed Irishman is about twenty-one years old, when in fact he is twenty-one centuries old. Not to mention: he draws his power from the earth, possesses a sharp wit, and wields an even sharper magical sword known as Fragarach, the Responder. Unfortunately, a very angry Celtic god wants that sword, and he’s been after Atticus for centuries. Now the determined deity has tracked him down, and Atticus will need all his power, plus the help of a seductive goddess of death, her team of vampire and werewolf lawyers, a Hindu witch-possessed bartender, and a little good luck to kill. the old one. of the Irish: kick some Celtic butt and get rid of evil.