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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126. Lord Of The Horizon by Joan Grant
Lord of the Horizon is the fourth of Joan Grant's Far Memory novels and the sequel to Eyes of Horus. Told in the first person, it follows Ra-ab, heir to the Nomarch of the Oryx, in Egypt at the close of the XIth Dynasty. Pharaoh Amenemhet marries the deposed ruler's daughter, letting her Babylonian mother manipulate the court to secure Senusert. Amenemhet asks Ra-ab to raise Senusert in the Oryx, leading to a final confrontation with the Babylonian intrigues.
The 17058th Greatest Book of All TimePurchase from Bookshop.org -
127. Sita by Amish Tripathi
Warrior of Mithila
A bold retelling of a well-known epic that follows Sita from her miraculous origins and education in the court of Mithila to her rise as a fiercely intelligent warrior, stateswoman and moral philosopher; the narrative reframes familiar episodes—her marriage to a noble prince, life at court, exile and eventual abduction by a powerful adversary—as tests of agency, courage and leadership, exploring how she navigates politics, duty and personal conviction to become both a leader in her own right and the architect of a legend.
The 17163rd Greatest Book of All TimePurchase from Bookshop.org -
128. The Secret Of The Nagas by Amish Tripathi
A legendary warrior continues his quest beyond the borders of the civilization that worshipped him, pursuing clues about a mysterious, ostracized people called the Nagas. His journey overturns simple myths of good and evil as political conspiracies, betrayals and hidden histories come to light, revealing the Nagas’ tragic origins and forcing him to form unexpected alliances while suffering personal loss — revelations that change his purpose and set the stage for a larger conflict over the future of the land.
The 17163rd Greatest Book of All TimePurchase from Bookshop.org -
129. The Oath Of The Vayuputras by Amish Tripathi
In this epic finale, Shiva races to prevent a civilization-ending catastrophe while uncovering hidden histories and conspiracies that upend the myths and loyalties he once trusted; as ancient custodians and rival armies converge, he faces wrenching moral choices about duty, justice and sacrifice, and the truths he reveals ultimately reshape his world’s understanding of divinity, destiny and freedom.
The 17163rd Greatest Book of All TimePurchase from Bookshop.org -
130. Remembrance Of Earth's Past by Liu Cixin
The Three-Body Trilogy
Across decades, humanity's first contact with an advanced alien civilization—triggered by a disillusioned scientist and a clandestine message sent into space—sparks political turmoil, scientific breakthroughs, and the unraveling of long-hidden cosmic dangers. An alien species from an unstable three-sun system intervenes, using subatomic surveillance and the threat of invasion to destabilize Earth's societies, prompting competing human factions to pursue collaboration, betrayal, and radical strategies for survival. The story develops a chilling cosmic-sociology idea known as the Dark Forest, explores the construction of interstellar deterrence and mutual-assured destruction on a galactic scale, and follows the moral, technological, and existential costs of confronting truly alien minds. It is an expansive, mind-bending examination of civilization, survival, and the terrible choices provoked by contact with a hostile cosmos.
The 17163rd Greatest Book of All TimePurchase from Bookshop.org -
131. 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 17163rd Greatest Book of All TimePurchase from Bookshop.org -
132. 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.
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133. 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 16880th Greatest Book of All TimePurchase from Bookshop.org -
134. 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 17163rd Greatest Book of All TimePurchase from Bookshop.org -
135. 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 17091st Greatest Book of All TimePurchase from Bookshop.org -
136. Fire Bringer by David Clement-Davies
Born with a strange star-marking and an uncanny gift for inspiring others, a young stag endures exile, danger, and mystical revelations as he learns the ancient truths of his kind; gathering allies among deer and other creatures, he challenges a ruthless, power-hungry leader and the forces that threaten the herd’s freedom, undergoing trials of loyalty and sacrifice that reshape his identity and determine the future of his world.
The 17163rd Greatest Book of All TimePurchase from Bookshop.org -
137. Le Comte De Monte Cristo Ii by Alexandre Dumas
After escaping his unjust imprisonment and discovering a vast hidden fortune, Edmond Dantès adopts a wealthy, enigmatic persona and sets in motion intricate plans to expose and avenge the friends and acquaintances who conspired against him. Using disguises, financial manipulation, and carefully timed revelations, he dismantles the lives of his chief betrayers while rewarding the loyal and innocent; as his vengeance unfolds he confronts the moral cost of his actions, experiences unexpected loyalties and love, and ultimately faces a bittersweet reckoning that pushes him toward forgiveness and renewal.
The 17075th Greatest Book of All TimePurchase from Bookshop.org -
138. 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 16911th Greatest Book of All TimePurchase from Bookshop.org -
139. 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 17163rd Greatest Book of All Time -
140. 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.
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141. 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 17163rd Greatest Book of All TimePurchase from Bookshop.org -
142. 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 17163rd Greatest Book of All Time -
143. The Fellowship Of The Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien
Being the First Part of The Lord of the Rings
A young hobbit inherits a powerful, corrupting ring and leaves his peaceful homeland on a desperate quest to destroy it before a rising dark power can reclaim it; a diverse fellowship of hobbits, a ranger, an elf, a dwarf, a nobleman, and a wizard is formed to guide and guard him, and together they face ancient evils, treacherous landscapes, and bitter internal strains that culminate in a catastrophic loss and the breaking of their company, forcing friends onto separate paths while the hobbit and his loyal companion press on toward Mordor.
The 17092nd Greatest Book of All TimePurchase from Bookshop.org
Reading Statistics
Click the button below to see how many of these books you've read!
Download
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.
DownloadTo download this list as a CSV file, please log in to your account. Once logged in, you'll be able to download the data for use in spreadsheet applications.
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