The Greatest Epic Books of All Time

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This list represents a comprehensive and trusted collection of the greatest books. Developed through a specialized algorithm, it brings together 759 'best of' book lists to form a definitive guide to the world's most acclaimed books. For those interested in how these books are chosen, additional details can be found on the rankings page.

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  1. 126. Mistborn Trilogy Tpb Boxed Set by Brandon Sanderson

    In a grim, ash-shadowed world ruled by an apparently immortal tyrant, a streetwise orphan with latent metal-based powers is drawn into a daring plot by a charismatic rebel to ignite a revolution; as she trains in Allomancy and navigates shifting loyalties, the crew’s heist and political gambits grow into a battle that upends faith, uncovers ancient forces shaping the planet, and demands profound sacrifices as individuals confront leadership, identity, and the cost of remaking society.

    The 17117th Greatest Book of All Time
    Purchase from Bookshop.org
  2. 127. Three Body Problem Boxed Set by Liu Cixin

    Spanning decades and escalating from local political trauma to cosmic stakes, this sweeping science-fiction saga follows humanity’s discovery of an alien civilization from a chaotic three-sun system and the cascading consequences of contact: a covert invitation, an approaching invasion, and technological sabotage that stalls progress. As nations fracture between collaboration and fearful secrecy, unconventional strategies arise—most famously a set of human ‘wallfacers’ given secretive authority to craft long-range plans—and a chilling theoretical framework about the universe as a dangerous “dark forest” where survival requires ruthless secrecy and preemptive strikes. The narrative traces scientific breakthroughs, moral dilemmas, vast engineering projects, and both individual heroism and tragic sacrifice as humanity confronts existential risk, grapples with the ethics of deterrence, and ultimately confronts the indifferent, often brutal scales and rules of cosmic civilization.

    The 17117th Greatest Book of All Time
    Purchase from Bookshop.org
  3. 128. Frank Herbert's Dune Saga 6 Book Boxed Set by Frank Herbert

    Dune, Dune Messiah, Children of Dune, God Emperor of Dune, Heretics of Dune, andChapterhouse

    A sweeping six-volume epic that follows a noble family's rise on a desert world prized for a universe-shaping, life-extending substance, and the sweeping political, ecological and spiritual turmoil that erupts in its wake. Spanning generations, it chronicles charismatic leaders, prescient visions, genetic experiments and epic betrayals as secretive orders, political houses and new faiths vie for control, probing themes of power, prophecy, environmental stewardship, tyranny and the cost of shaping humanity’s future.

    The 16885th Greatest Book of All Time
    Purchase from Bookshop.org
  4. 129. The Half Drowned King by Linnea Hartsuyker

    Set on the storm-lashed coasts of a Viking-age kingdom, this tense historical saga follows a family shattered by conquest and betrayal as survivors navigate seafaring raids, shifting allegiances, and brutal politics to reclaim power. A fiercely determined woman who survives captivity becomes a strategist and survivor in a world where loyalty is fragile, while the displaced heir gathers allies and wages daring campaigns to regain his birthright. The novel blends vividly rendered battle and maritime life with quieter scenes of loyalty, identity, and the moral costs of vengeance and rule.

    The 17117th Greatest Book of All Time
    Purchase from Bookshop.org
  5. 130. Mémoires D'hadrien, Carnets De Notes De Mémoires D'hadrien by Marguerite Yourcenar

    A fictionalized, elegiac memoir written as the private reflections of an aging Roman emperor, it reconstructs his reign through lucid meditations on power, art, philosophy and the burdens of rule. He recalls military campaigns and administrative reforms, celebrates Greco-Roman culture and the building of cities and monuments, and mourns the loss of a beloved companion, whose death exposes the fragility of happiness and the persistence of memory. The narrative voice blends classical erudition with intimate confession, probing mortality, legacy, ethical dilemmas of empire and the inner needs that shaped public decisions.

    The 17046th Greatest Book of All Time
    Purchase from Bookshop.org
  6. 131. The Outlaw Of Torn by Edgar Rice Burroughs

    A rollicking medieval adventure that follows a man raised among brigands who rises to become a feared outlaw leader, then becomes entangled in high-stakes political intrigue, shifting loyalties, romance, and revenge as feudal conflicts and struggles for power in 13th-century England threaten to destroy him and those he loves.

    The 16851st Greatest Book of All Time
    Purchase from Bookshop.org
  7. 132. Das Lächeln Der Fortuna by Rebecca Gablé

    Ein opulent recherchierter historischer Roman, der im mittelalterlichen England spielt und das Schicksal einzelner Menschen sowie ganzer Familien in Zeiten politischer Umbrüche, Machtkämpfe und persönlicher Verrätereien verfolgt; mit dichten Beschreibungen des Alltags, klar gezeichneten Figuren, Liebes- und Loyalitätskonflikten sowie Intrigen am Hofe verwebt die Geschichte private Schicksale mit großen historischen Ereignissen und thematisiert Ehrgefühl, Aufstiegschancen und die Härte des Lebens im Spätmittelalter.

    The 17117th Greatest Book of All Time
  8. 133. Palmares by Gayl Jones

    A spare, lyrical novel that reimagines the history and afterlives of a maroon community in colonial Brazil, blending myth, memory, and imagination as its voice excavates the violent, erotic, and resistant legacies of slavery; time collapses into a haunting meditation on desire, language, collective memory, and the precarious cost of freedom.

    The 17117th Greatest Book of All Time
    Purchase from Bookshop.org
  9. 134. Outlaw by Angus Donald

    A grittily realistic retelling of the Robin Hood legend narrated by the wandering minstrel Alan-a-Dale, following a skilled archer’s journey from village life to the brutality of the Crusades and back to England as the head of a band of outlaws. The story blends bloody combat, political intrigue and rough camaraderie as the group challenges Norman corruption and the scheming of Prince John, grounding familiar mythic figures in harsh social and historical detail. Themes of loyalty, justice and the making of a folk hero run throughout as personal survival and moral choice collide on the medieval road.

    The 17117th Greatest Book of All Time
    Purchase from Bookshop.org
  10. 135. The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman

    Set against the Roman siege of Masada, this lyrical novel traces the intertwined lives of four women who find each other on the mountaintop fortress and build a fragile, fiercely loyal community; tending doves, caring for children, practicing healing arts and preserving stories, they confront love, betrayal, faith and loss as they face the extraordinary choices forced by war and the cost of resistance.

    The 17117th Greatest Book of All Time

Reading Statistics

Click the button below to see how many of these books you've read!

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If you're interested in downloading this list as a CSV file for use in a spreadsheet application, you can easily do so by clicking the button below. Please note that to ensure a manageable file size and faster download, the CSV will include details for only the first 500 books.

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