Bookle reading guide: Fantasy
⏱️ 5 min read
Think fantasy is all dragons, wizards and impossible quests?
There’s plenty of that.
But fantasy can also be a story about a girl who discovers that the strange things happening in her city aren’t so strange after all. It can take you into a completely imagined world, send you back into a version of history where magic is real, or give an old fairy tale a very different ending.
Some fantasy is enormous and epic. Some is dark and unsettling. Some is funny, romantic, whimsical or downright strange.
In other words, if you think you don’t read fantasy, it might be worth looking at the shelf again.
In this guide you'll discover:
- Epic and high fantasy
- Urban fantasy
- Dark fantasy
- Sword and sorcery
- Historical fantasy
- Fairy-tale fantasy
- Romantasy
- Paranormal fantasy
1. Epic fantasy
Kingdoms at war. Ancient prophecies. Powerful magic. A cast of characters you will eventually have to keep track of with a notebook.
Epic fantasy goes big.
These are often stories about enormous conflicts, powerful forces and the fate of kingdoms, worlds or sometimes rather a lot of both. They frequently stretch across several books, giving you plenty of time to become thoroughly invested in the characters and their world.
You might like it if: you enjoy huge adventures, complicated alliances, detailed worlds and stories where the stakes are very, very high.
Look out for: J.R.R. Tolkien, Robert Jordan, Brandon Sanderson, George R.R. Martin, Robin Hobb and Joe Abercrombie.
Try:
- J.R.R. Tolkien – The Hobbit; The Lord of the Rings
- Robert Jordan – The Eye of the World; The Great Hunt
- Brandon Sanderson – Mistborn; The Way of Kings
- George R.R. Martin – A Game of Thrones; A Clash of Kings
- Robin Hobb – Assassin’s Apprentice; Royal Assassin
- Joe Abercrombie – The Blade Itself; Before They Are Hanged
2. High fantasy
High fantasy takes place in a world that isn’t our own.
There might be kingdoms, invented languages, ancient histories, unfamiliar cultures and an entire map that you will eventually know better than your own neighbourhood.
The important thing is the world itself. High fantasy gives the author room to build somewhere completely new, with its own history, magic and rules.
There is plenty of overlap with epic fantasy — in fact, many books can comfortably be called both. The difference is that high fantasy is about the setting, while epic fantasy is more about the scale of the story.
You might like it if: you love getting completely lost in another world and don’t mind a little world-building along the way.
Look out for: Ursula K. Le Guin, Terry Brooks, Patrick Rothfuss, Tad Williams and N.K. Jemisin.
Try:
- Ursula K. Le Guin – A Wizard of Earthsea; The Tombs of Atuan
- Terry Brooks – The Sword of Shannara; The Elfstones of Shannara
- Patrick Rothfuss – The Name of the Wind; The Wise Man’s Fear
- Tad Williams – The Dragonbone Chair
- N.K. Jemisin – The Fifth Season; The Obelisk Gate
3. Urban fantasy
What if the city you know had a secret magical side?
Urban fantasy brings magic, supernatural creatures or other fantastical elements into recognisable modern settings. The characters might be walking down an ordinary street one minute and dealing with vampires, ghosts, wizards or magical conspiracies the next.
The fun is in the contrast: our world, but not quite as we know it.
You might like it if: you enjoy modern settings, supernatural mysteries, hidden magical worlds and stories that move at a good pace.
Look out for: Neil Gaiman, Jim Butcher, Ben Aaronovitch, Seanan McGuire, Ilona Andrews and Patricia Briggs.
Try:
- Neil Gaiman – Neverwhere; American Gods
- Jim Butcher – Storm Front; Fool Moon
- Ben Aaronovitch – Rivers of London; Moon Over Soho
- Seanan McGuire – Rosemary and Rue
- Ilona Andrews – Magic Bites
- Patricia Briggs – Moon Called; Blood Bound
4. Dark fantasy
Fantasy doesn’t always mean enchanted forests and happy endings.
Dark fantasy brings a darker, sometimes frightening edge to the genre. You might find horror, violence, disturbing creatures, grim worlds and characters whose moral compass isn’t exactly pointing north.
Some books lean heavily towards horror. Others are firmly fantasy with a much darker atmosphere.
You might like it if: you prefer your magic sinister, your worlds unsettling and your heroes a little less heroic.
Look out for: Clive Barker, Tanith Lee, Joe Abercrombie, Christopher Buehlman, Mark Lawrence and Anna Smith Spark.
Try:
- Clive Barker – Weaveworld; Imajica
- Tanith Lee – Night’s Master; Death’s Master
- Joe Abercrombie – The Blade Itself; Best Served Cold
- Christopher Buehlman – The Blacktongue Thief; The Daughters’ War
- Mark Lawrence – Prince of Thorns; King of Thorns
- Anna Smith Spark – The Court of Broken Knives
5. Sword and sorcery
Forget saving the entire world.
Sometimes you just need a sword, a dangerous wizard and a hero with questionable decision-making skills.
Sword and sorcery tends to focus on individual heroes and their adventures rather than vast conflicts between kingdoms. Expect monsters, treasure, dangerous magic, ancient ruins and plenty of action.
These stories are often shorter and more episodic than sprawling epic fantasy, making them easy to pick up when you want an adventure without committing to a ten-book series.
You might like it if: you want fast-moving adventures, daring heroes, monsters, magic and plenty of action.
Look out for: Robert E. Howard, Fritz Leiber, Michael Moorcock, Karl Edward Wagner, Glen Cook and Scott Lynch.
Try:
- Robert E. Howard – Conan the Barbarian
- Fritz Leiber – Swords and Deviltry
- Michael Moorcock – Elric of Melniboné
- Karl Edward Wagner – Bloodstone
- Glen Cook – The Black Company
- Scott Lynch – The Lies of Locke Lamora
6. Historical fantasy
What if history had taken a slightly more magical turn?
Historical fantasy takes a real historical period or setting and adds something fantastical — magic, mythical creatures, folklore or events that never actually happened.
You might find yourself in Tudor England with magic, ancient China with supernatural forces, or a version of Europe that looks familiar until you realise something is very definitely not right.
You might like it if: you enjoy history but don’t mind the author changing a few things.
Look out for: Susanna Clarke, Guy Gavriel Kay, Naomi Novik, Katherine Arden, Juliet Marillier and S.A. Chakraborty.
Try:
- Susanna Clarke – Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
- Guy Gavriel Kay – The Lions of Al-Rassan; Sailing to Sarantium
- Naomi Novik – Temeraire; Spinning Silver
- Katherine Arden – The Bear and the Nightingale; The Girl in the Tower
- Juliet Marillier – Daughter of the Forest; Son of the Shadows
- S.A. Chakraborty – The City of Brass; The Kingdom of Copper
7. Fairy-tale fantasy
You know those fairy tales you thought you knew?
This is where authors take them, turn them around, add a few things, remove a few others and see what happens.
Fairy-tale fantasy draws on folklore, mythology and familiar stories, but it doesn’t necessarily stick to the version you remember. Some books are whimsical and enchanting. Others take the darker parts of old tales and make them considerably darker.
You might like it if: you enjoy folklore, fairy tales, enchanted forests, unusual magic and stories that feel familiar but aren’t quite what you expected.
Look out for: Robin McKinley, Patricia A. McKillip, Naomi Novik, Erin Morgenstern and T. Kingfisher.
Try:
- Robin McKinley – Beauty; Spindle’s End
- Patricia A. McKillip – The Forgotten Beasts of Eld
- Naomi Novik – Uprooted; Spinning Silver
- Erin Morgenstern – The Night Circus; The Starless Sea
- T. Kingfisher – Nettle & Bone; Thornhedge
8. Romantasy
What happens when the love story gets tangled up with the fate of the kingdom?
Romantasy combines fantasy and romance, with the romantic relationship playing a significant role alongside the magical world and its adventures.
Think dangerous kingdoms, forbidden relationships, powerful magic, enemies who may become something rather more interesting, and plenty of emotional tension.
And yes, there may be dragons.
You might like it if: you want your fantasy to come with a strong love story.
Look out for: Sarah J. Maas, Jennifer L. Armentrout, Rebecca Yarros, Carissa Broadbent, Danielle L. Jensen and Holly Black.
Try:
- Sarah J. Maas – A Court of Thorns and Roses; A Court of Mist and Fury
- Jennifer L. Armentrout – From Blood and Ash; A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire
- Rebecca Yarros – Fourth Wing; Iron Flame
- Carissa Broadbent – The Serpent and the Wings of Night
- Danielle L. Jensen – The Bridge Kingdom; The Traitor Queen
- Holly Black – The Cruel Prince; The Wicked King
📚 Where to find it on Bookle: You’ll find romantasy in our Fantasy & Science Fiction category.
9. Paranormal fantasy
Not all supernatural stories are about romance.
Paranormal fantasy brings vampires, witches, ghosts, shapeshifters and other supernatural beings into stories that often have one foot in the world we know.
There’s plenty of overlap with urban fantasy, particularly when the story is set in a modern city. The distinction isn’t always neat — book genres rarely are — but paranormal fantasy puts more emphasis on the supernatural characters and elements themselves.
You might like it if: you enjoy supernatural creatures, magic, mystery and a world that is just a little stranger than ours.
Look out for: Anne Rice, Laurell K. Hamilton, Deborah Harkness, Charlaine Harris, Patricia Briggs and Kelley Armstrong.
Try:
- Anne Rice – Interview with the Vampire; The Vampire Lestat
- Laurell K. Hamilton – Guilty Pleasures; The Laughing Corpse
- Deborah Harkness – A Discovery of Witches; Shadow of Night
- Charlaine Harris – Dead Until Dark; Living Dead in Dallas
- Patricia Briggs – Moon Called; Blood Bound
- Kelley Armstrong – Bitten; Stolen
📚 Where to find it on Bookle: You’ll find paranormal fantasy in our Fantasy & Science Fiction category.
What kind of fantasy reader are you?
Maybe you want to disappear into a completely different world.
Maybe you want magic hiding in the city you already know.
Maybe you want sword fights, ancient prophecies and a quest that will take several thousand pages to complete.
Or perhaps you just want a fairy tale with teeth.
That’s the beauty of fantasy. You don’t have to leave reality in the same way every time.
Continue exploring
📚 Browse fantasy books on Bookle
Have a look through our collection of preloved fantasy books and see where the shelves take you.
📖 Read another reading guide
If the romance is the part you’re really here for, explore our Bookle Reading Guide: Romance and discover the many different ways love stories can unfold.
💬 Talk books with us
Which fantasy subgenre do you keep coming back to? Or which book would you recommend to someone who says they “don’t read fantasy”?
Come tell us in the Bookle – Let’s Talk Books Facebook group.