By Genre • 2026 Edition
Best Epic Fantasy Books
Sprawling worlds, complex magic systems, and stories so immersive you forget your own reality exists.
Words of Radiance
The epic Stormlight Archive continues — Shallan's secrets deepen, Kaladin faces impossible choices, and the war for Roshar escalates. 1087 pages of Sanderson at his most ambitious.
The Way of Kings
An immersive, world-spanning epic built around three distinct characters whose fates intersect on a storm-ravaged world. Hard magic systems, military strategy, and genuine emotional depth across a thousand pages that most readers say didn’t feel long.
Empire of Storms
A epic adventure, dark & intense Young Adult ya fantasy built around fated mates, enemies to lovers, found family. 693 pages with a moderate to high-heat romance and a Cliffhanger conclusion.
Queen of Shadows
A action-packed, dark & intense Young Adult ya fantasy built around enemies to lovers, found family, forbidden love. 648 pages with a low-heat romance and a HFN conclusion.
Oathbringer
A epic, emotional Adult epic fantasy built around war, mental health, found family. 1220 pages and a satisfying conclusion.
The Wise Man's Fear
A immersive, literary Adult fantasy built around coming of age, unreliable narrator, magic. 994 pages with a gentle romantic thread and a satisfying conclusion.
Wind and Truth
A epic, climactic Adult epic fantasy built around final battle, oaths, cosmere. 1300 pages and a satisfying conclusion.
The Name of the Wind
A legendary figure sits in a tavern and tells his own story — from orphaned street kid to the most notorious wizard of his age. 662 pages of the most beautiful prose in modern fantasy.
A Storm of Swords
A epic, devastating Adult epic fantasy built around war, betrayal, shocking deaths. 1128 pages with a gentle romantic thread and a satisfying conclusion.
The Return of the King
A epic, emotional Adult fantasy built around final battle, sacrifice, return home. 416 pages and a satisfying conclusion.
Kingdom of Ash
A epic, devastating Young Adult fantasy built around final battle, sacrifice, war. 980 pages with moderate to high-heat romance and a satisfying conclusion.
Mistborn: The Final Empire
A crew of thieves with metal-based magic plan the ultimate heist: overthrowing an immortal god-emperor. 541 pages of Sanderson's tightest magic system and most satisfying plot.
Rhythm of War
A epic, dark Adult epic fantasy built around war, mental health, science magic. 1232 pages and a satisfying conclusion.
A Court of Wings and Ruin
A dark & intense, epic adventure New Adult romantasy built around established couple, found family, war romance. 699 pages with a moderate to high-heat romance and a HEA conclusion.
The Hero of Ages
A epic, devastating Adult fantasy built around prophecy, sacrifice, epic conclusion. 572 pages and a satisfying conclusion.
A Game of Thrones
A dark, political Adult epic fantasy built around political intrigue, war, multiple povs. 694 pages with moderate to high-heat romance and a satisfying conclusion.
The Two Towers
A epic, dark Adult fantasy built around war, friendship, quest. 352 pages and a satisfying conclusion.
A Clash of Kings
A dark, political Adult epic fantasy built around war, political intrigue, multiple povs. 768 pages with a gentle romantic thread and a satisfying conclusion.
Heir of Novron
A adventurous, epic Adult epic fantasy built around found family, heist, chosen one. 720 pages and a satisfying conclusion.
Crown of Midnight
A dark & intense, action-packed Young Adult ya fantasy built around enemies to lovers, forbidden love, secret identity. 418 pages with a low-heat romance and a Cliffhanger conclusion.
The Fellowship of the Ring
A epic, immersive Adult fantasy built around quest, found family, good vs evil. 432 pages and a satisfying conclusion.
Heir of Fire
A dark & intense, epic adventure Young Adult ya fantasy built around chosen one, training arc, forbidden love. 565 pages with a low-heat romance and a Cliffhanger conclusion.
Rise of Empire
A adventurous, epic Adult epic fantasy built around war, found family, political intrigue. 648 pages and a satisfying conclusion.
A Dance with Dragons
A epic, dark Adult epic fantasy built around political intrigue, war, dragons. 1040 pages with a gentle romantic thread and a satisfying conclusion.
The Well of Ascension
A political, dark Adult fantasy built around siege, political intrigue, romance. 590 pages and a satisfying conclusion.
Every Sort By Cravings profile is written after a full read-through — not scraped from publisher blurbs. We cross-reference BookTok discussions, Goodreads reviews, and 500+ reader reactions before publishing any mood tag, spice rating, or compatibility note. Read our editorial standards.
FAQ
Best Epic Fantasy Books Questions
This curated list features 25 books, totaling 19,406 pages. Every book has been read and rated by our team.
Rankings are based on our read-through ratings, reader community feedback, and how well each book delivers on the promise of its genre and mood. We cross-reference BookTok discussions and Goodreads data.
The average spice level across this list is 1.2/5. Individual books range from clean to scorching — check each book's spice rating for details.
We update our best-of lists quarterly to include new releases and adjust rankings based on ongoing reader feedback and our own re-reads.
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