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The 10 Greatest Fantasy Books of the Last 20 Years, Ranked
The fantasy genre has always been pretty popular in the world of literature, and saw a major surge in the 1980s and ’90s with the rise of tabletop RPGs. Previously, it was only seen as something “for nerds,” but it has lately become much more mainstream. It feels like fantasy novels are about a dime a dozen nowadays, because there are a ton of new ones coming out each and every month. It’s impossible to keep up with them all.
Though some amazing fantasy books have come out over the course of the genre’s history, there have been some extra special ones released just over the last 20 years. This might be a small time frame, yet it has seen some revolutionary works of fantasy, some of which have even received screen adaptations. Whichever subgenre you like best, these are some of the best fantasy novels that have come out over the last 20 years.
10
‘Children of Blood and Bone’ (2018)
Children of Blood and Bone is the first in a YA trilogy by Tomi Adeyemi. Taking inspiration from her Nigerian heritage, the story is set in a fantastical world inspired by West Africa, where an oppressive empire has separated people into two classes: the Kosidán majority and the Divîners. The Divîners were formerly a race of magic-users and are recognizable by their stark-white hair. However, the empire somehow disrupted the source of their magic, leaving the Divîners unable to access it.
In the midst of political turmoil, a young Divîner girl named Zélie teams up with the Kosidán princess, Amari, on a quest across the land of Orïsha to restore magic to her people. The magic system in this book is simple, but very easy to digest, and the story actually plays upon a lot of real-life issues that Adeyemi feels passionately about. It’s got a really fresh and interesting setting, a good message behind it, and it’s easy to access for youths and adults alike. While not the best book of the last 20 years, it has found a sizable following and has done very well with critics. Fans will be glad to know that Children of Blood and Bone is set to receive a movie adaptation very, very soon.
9
‘The Name of the Wind’ (2007)
The Name of the Wind is the first book in Patrick Rothfuss‘ The Kingkiller Chronicle duology. Though it was initially planned as a trilogy, it has been 15 years since the second book came out, so the third is unlikely to be released any time soon, if at all. The book opens up with the introduction of Kvothe, an innkeeper who was quite a famed figure in his youth. He recounts his story to a Chronicler, talking about why he became famous and how he is to blame for the terrible things to come.
The book switches between third-person “present day” sequences and first-person flashbacks, though flashbacks make up the majority of it. Kvothe tells the story of how he began life as part of the Edema Ruh, a travelling group of entertainers, and how he came to study at the University, where he learned magic. The book includes enough mysteries to string the reader along and keep them hanging on every word. Not only is it adventurous, but it sets up a lot of questions and teases the answers. It hooks people really easily. It’s unfortunate that those answers may never come.
8
‘The Blade Itself’ (2006)
Joe Abercrombie‘s The Blade Itself belongs to the grimdark subgenre. Grimdark fantasy is basically any fantasy (typically high fantasy) where basically nothing is good. People are manipulative, selfish, or rude, and the world is constantly in a state of war. It’s a genre that exposes the worst of humanity, even if it takes place in a completely fictional world.
This book is the first in a trilogy, and the first in a shared universe, as well. The story is primarily about three major empires at war with each other on two fronts, with three key figures caught in the middle of it all. They offer different perspectives of the conflict, and their stories begin separately from each other, though they do eventually intersect. If you like gore, grittiness, or the most depraved parts of human nature, this is a great fantasy book you should totally check out.
7
‘Prince of Thorns’ (2011)
Prince of Thorns, written by Mark Lawrence, is set in the Rhineland region of Europe, centuries after a nuclear war destroyed the planet and reverted the world back to the Dark Ages. What remains of humanity comes in the form of the Broken Empire, a group of approximately 100 kingdoms and realms sprawling across Europe, Western and Southern Asia, and Northern Africa. In the midst of it all is Prince Jorg Ancrath, a 14-year-old who is a self-described sociopath. He leads a band of mercenaries across the ruined landscape, trying to escape his father’s legacy.
Jorg Ancrath is objectively a horrible person. At just 14, he is morally bankrupt and utterly reprehensible, yet he is so much fun to read. Written in a first-person perspective, the book allows audiences to really see his thought process, showing his deep trauma and how little he cares for anyone other than himself. The first in a trilogy, this book isn’t even all that long, and is pretty average in terms of novel length. Still, it’s perfectly paced and worth every word. It’s dark, gritty, completely messed up, but so enjoyable, all at the same time.
6
‘The Lies of Locke Lamora’ (2006)
The Lies of Locke Lamora, written by Scott Lynch, is the first novel in the Gentleman Bastard sequence. It’s a sort of urban fantasy rather than an epic fantasy adventure. The setting is the fictitious city of Camorr, which resembles Venice with its weaving canals and elaborate architecture. The plot unfolds into two storylines: the first is set in the “present,” where a crew known as the Gentleman Bastards take on a new threat in Camorr’s criminal underworld. The other storyline is mostly about the history of Camorr and its dark underbelly.
This book in particular was a massive hit for urban fantasy fans, as were its sequels, but you just can’t beat the original. It’s such a great story because, unlike many of the other books on this list, it isn’t about large-scale wars of empires or resurrected forms of magic or ancient threats from millennia ago; it’s just an Ocean’s Eleven-style adventure through a dark and layered world.
5
‘Between Two Fires’ (2012)
Between Two Fires is a low fantasy novel set in France during the Hundred Years’ War and the Bubonic Plague. As you can imagine, this means the streets are riddled with corpses, and there’s a general aura of misery that hangs thick over everyone and everything. The fantasy aspect comes in the form of demons, which prowl the French countryside, as if everything else going on weren’t bad enough.
In the midst of one of the darkest periods of France’s history, a lone knight saves a young girl from a fate worse than death. Directionless in life, the knight decides to see the girl to safety, evading and battling demons in the process. This horror/fantasy/historical fiction hybrid is one of the bleakest stories out there, but it’s absolutely brilliant at the same time. Christopher Buehlman really knocked it out of the park with this one.
4
‘A Memory of Light’ (2014)
A Memory of Light is the final book in the enormous The Wheel of Time saga, coming in as the 14th entry. This is also one of the longest ones at well over 1,000 pages. The series was primarily written by Robert Jordan, beginning all the way back in the 1990s. Unfortunately, Jordan died at a relatively young age due to a heart attack following the release of the 11th book, prompting fellow author Brandon Sanderson to take over. While Sanderson did technically write the book, much of the credit is given to Jordan, provided he had the original notes and had already outlined the book in meticulous detail long before his passing.
The most remarkable part about this book is the chapter titled “The Last Battle,” which goes on non-stop for over 200 pages. It’s a huge feat to tackle, but a rewarding and exhilarating experience. It’s so exciting that it’s easy to lose track of time while reading it, to the point that before you know it, the chapter is over and the sun has set. Every part of the complex plot comes together, and it leaves off with a bittersweet ending that fans loved. It’s the best book in the Wheel of Time series and easily one of the best books of the 2010s.
3
‘The Crippled God’ (2011)
The Crippled God is the tenth and final installment in Malazan: Book of the Fallen, the main sequence of a massive literary universe kickstarted by Canadian author Steven Erikson. Malazan is a big hit in the fantasy fandom, though books one and 10 of the series are generally considered its strongest points. It can be daunting for some people due to how much lore is behind the series, but most fans are perfectly fine with this.
The story of the series is about the Malazan Empire, and about how it rapidly expanded to cover an entire continent. Now, they’re setting their sights on another continent. That’s the extremely short version of the story, anyway. As far as conclusions go, this one is absolutely epic. It’s rife with massive battle sequences, the kind that no TV or movie adaptation could ever hope to capture. It’s perfectly written and very cinematic.
2
‘A Dance with Dragons’ (2011)
A Dance with Dragons is the fifth and final book in the unfinished A Song of Ice and Fire series, which, of course, became the massive television phenomenon, Game of Thrones. Though there were two sequels planned to wrap up the series, it’s been 15 years, and George R. R. Martin is still dragging his feet, so it’s unlikely fans will ever see the literary conclusion. In any event, this book is absolutely fantastic. Sure, it has some weaker parts, and no, it’s not as good as the others in the series, but it’s the only one that actually came out in the last 20 years, save for its previous installment, A Feast for Crows. The latter is considered the low point of the series, though, so that certainly wasn’t going to make the list.
Like the prior installments, this book is about a civil war in Westeros, where nine royal families are competing for a throne, all while a primal threat from centuries ago is quietly building up strength in the North. This book is pretty large, at about 900-1,100 pages depending on which format you get it in. Still though, it was a marked improvement over the book that came before it in both scale and story, and it definitely earns a spot as being one of the best fantasy books of the last 20 years.
1
‘Oathbringer’ (2017)
Oathbringer is the third book in the ongoing The Stormlight Archive series by Brandon Sanderson. The series is part of Sanderson’s shared literary universe known as the Cosmere. Basically, each stand-alone or series in the Cosmere is set on a different planet within the same galaxy. Each planet has its own unique magic system. This monstrous tome of nearly 1,300 pages is set on the barren world of Roshar, which is constantly bombarded with hurricane-like events known as highstorms. There is little to no plant life, and any animals are typically crustaceous, even on land.
The overall story of the series concerns a war between the crustaceous race of humanoids called the Singers and humanity, with the stakes being extinction. Each side has resurrected an ancient and lost form of magic to use to their advantage. Each book in the series also features flashback sequences from one character per novel, with this one focusing on the backstory of military leader Dalinar Kholin. There are tons of epic battles in this book, profound moments of moral wisdom, excellent character development, and some quippy humour, too. This is one of Sanderson’s finest efforts, and a real jewel in the crown of the Cosmere as a whole.
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