The Greatest Fantasy Books Since 1900
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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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Fantasy is a genre of literature that typically involves imaginative and supernatural elements, often set in a fictional world or alternate reality. These stories often feature mythical creatures, magic, and epic battles between good and evil. Fantasy books can range from high fantasy, which includes complex world-building and intricate plotlines, to urban fantasy, which blends fantastical elements with contemporary settings. The genre allows readers to escape into a world of wonder and adventure, where anything is possible.
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1501. Die Kunst Des Verschwindens. by Jim Dodge
In this captivating tale, a young man embarks on a journey of self-discovery and adventure, navigating the complexities of identity and belonging. Set against the backdrop of a vibrant and mysterious world, he encounters a cast of eccentric characters who challenge his perceptions and push him towards unexpected revelations. As he grapples with the art of disappearing, both literally and metaphorically, he learns to embrace the fluidity of life and the transformative power of embracing one's true self.
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1502. Saint's Blood by Sebastien de Castell
In a realm where the divine once walked among mortals, the world is thrown into chaos as the saints, revered for their miraculous powers, begin to fall victim to a mysterious and deadly force. The story follows Falcio val Mond, a former leader of the Greatcoats, as he grapples with the unraveling of faith and the rise of a sinister cult threatening to plunge the kingdom into darkness. With his loyal companions, Falcio must navigate political intrigue, confront his own doubts, and uncover the truth behind the saints' demise to restore hope and justice to a land on the brink of despair.
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1503. Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
In a kingdom where dragons can take human form under a fragile peace, a gifted court musician hides her half-dragon heritage while being drawn into the investigation of a royal murder that threatens to reignite war. Haunted by vivid visions and a secret mental “garden” tied to others like her, she partners with a principled prince to uncover a conspiracy at court, confronting prejudice, tangled loyalties, and the perilous truth about her identity as music and wit become her most powerful tools.
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1505. Die Insel Der Tausend Leuchttürme by Walter Moers
Ein phantastischer Roman, in dem ein auf einer geheimnisvollen Insel voller Leuchttürme gestrandeter Erzähler auf skurrile Bewohner, seltsame Kreaturen und rätselhafte Geheimnisse trifft; in surrealen, oft humorvollen Episoden entfaltet sich ein labyrinthartiges Geflecht aus Geschichten, Intrigen und metafiktionalen Wendungen, das Fragen nach Sprache, Erinnerung und Identität stellt und zugleich Gesellschaftssatire mit fantasievoller Abenteuerlust verbindet.
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1506. This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab
In a grim, divided city where violence spawns literal monsters, a mob boss’s driven daughter seeks to prove herself by hunting these Others, while a young Other created to feed on human sin begins to resist his nature. When their paths intersect they form a tense, unlikely alliance that forces both to confront what really makes someone a monster as darker forces rise and the line between predator and protector blurs.
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1507. Sherwood by Meagan Spooner
A fresh, YA reimagining of the Robin Hood legend that follows a fiercely independent young woman who rejects the limited life laid out for her and becomes a force in Sherwood’s outlaw world. Trained in archery and deception, she stages daring raids, navigates shifting loyalties and romantic tension, and confronts what leadership, identity, and justice truly demand. The novel mixes action, political intrigue, and emotional stakes as she transforms from a sheltered life into a symbol of resistance.
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1508. Nobody by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
In a world where some people are literally invisible to others and trained as hidden assassins, sixteen-year-old Claire has lived unnoticed her whole life—until the Institute identifies her as a threat. They send seventeen-year-old operative Nix to eliminate her, but when he sees her he can’t complete the hit: for reasons neither understands, they appear to be the only two people who notice each other, forcing both teens into a dangerous choice.
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1509. रश्मिरथी by Ramdhari Singh 'Dinkar'
An epic poetic narrative that gives voice to a tragic hero born of humble origins, tracing his lifelong struggle for honor, identity, and acceptance amid rigid social hierarchies. It vividly portrays his unwavering generosity, loyalty to friends, and the moral dilemmas he faces on the battlefield and in society, culminating in a poignant exploration of fate, dignity, and sacrifice. The work blends mythic grandeur with passionate social critique, rendering the protagonist both a national symbol and a deeply human figure.
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1510. The Fires Of Vengeance by Evan Winter
After surviving crushing personal loss, a vengeful warrior rises from exile to unite outcasts and lead a brutal campaign against the aristocratic system of ritualized warfare that created his suffering. As he wages incendiary battles and forges uneasy alliances, supernatural forces and ruthless politics complicate his quest, forcing him to confront whether his pursuit of revenge will save his people or consume him. The story blends relentless action, moral ambiguity, and epic stakes as the protagonist struggles to break a cycle of violence while battling the corrosive power of his own rage.
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1511. Witcher Series 6 Books Set Collection by Andrzej Sapkowski
A gritty, character-driven fantasy epic following a hardened monster-hunter and the young woman bound to his fate as they navigate brutal wars, court intrigue, and the manipulations of sorcerers; blending folklore, moral ambiguity, and dark humor, the novels explore destiny, prejudice, and the cost of choices in a violent, politically charged world.
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1512. Januaries by Olivie Blake
Stories of Love, Magic & Betrayal
A dark, intimate novel that follows a woman's obsessive, sometimes destructive relationship as it unfolds over recurring Januaries, using fragmented time and spare, lyrical prose to explore grief, memory, and how desire can warp identity; the story moves between past and present to reveal the emotional consequences of choices and the ache of trying to hold on to a person and a moment that won’t stay still.
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1513. Divided Allegiance by Elizabeth Moon
Paksenarrion leaves the Duke’s company to follow the path of Gird, traveling alone across a perilous land. Along the way she encounters other sentient races and heads west in search of the fabled stronghold of Luap, facing dangers that test her courage and purpose.
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1514. Oath Of Gold by Elizabeth Moon
Paks must reconcile her identity as a hardened warrior with her human doubts while undertaking a sacred mission to find a lost elven prince. The quest provokes divine interference and forces her to face moral choices, leadership challenges, and the limits of her endurance. The novel completes her arc with a blend of military realism and mythic conflict, focusing on personal growth and high-stakes adventure.
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1515. ヴァイオレット・エヴァーガーデン 1 by Kana Akatsuki
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1516. Eyes Of Horus by Joan Grant
Eyes of Horus is the third of Joan Grant's Far Memory novels, set in Egypt near the end of the XIth Dynasty. Told in the first person, Ra-ab, heir of the Oryx, discovers his province remains in touch with the light while the rest of Egypt is ruled by fear and corruption. From the Oryx arises a silent brotherhood, the eyes of Horus or Watchers of the Horizon, whose password is Send Fear into Exile.
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1517. 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.
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1518. 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.
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1519. 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.
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1520. You Sexy Thing by Cat Rambo
Far Station sits at the edge of the known universe. Former Admiral Niko Larson retired from the Grand Military of the Hive Mind and now works at a restaurant called The Last Chance with the remnants of her old unit. They are forced onto a sentient ship convinced that it is being stolen and must survive the machinations of a sadistic pirate king to keep the dream of The Last Chance alive.
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1521. The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi
A down-on-his-luck delivery driver is unexpectedly recruited into a clandestine scientific organization that studies and protects gigantic kaiju living in a parallel ecosystem reached through a portal; what begins as a temp job becomes a fast-paced mix of monster action and workplace comedy as the team works to preserve the creatures while fighting off corporate and military forces that want to exploit them. The protagonist learns the ropes amid bureaucratic absurdities, ethical dilemmas about conservation versus profit, and growing personal bonds, leading to high-stakes rescue missions and battles in both worlds. The novel pairs sharp humor and social observation with energetic monster-adventure storytelling.
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1522. The Square Of Sevens by Laura Shepherd-Robinson
Cornwall, 1730. Red learns the Cornish Square of Sevens from her father, who before his death places her with a gentleman scholar and leaves a document with the method's secret. Raised in Bath, she uses fortune telling to delight high society while she pursues who her mother was and the enemies her father feared. Her search takes her to London, Devon, the Bartholomew Fair, and the grand houses of two powerful families, bringing the possibility of reward and the risk of grave danger.
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1523. Red Side Story by Jasper Fforde
Chromatacia was rebuilt after an unspecified catastrophe and is ordered by citizens' limited color perception. Professions, marriages, and leisure are dictated by visual ability, and the National Color enforces the rules. On the fringes of Red Sector West, Eddie Russett is pressured into an arranged marriage while facing trial for a murder he denies and risking execution by soporific color exposure. He is in an illegal relationship with his co-defendant Jane Grey, and they search for a hidden truth that might save them.
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1524. To Sleep In A Sea Of Stars by Christopher Paolini
A xenobiologist surveying an uncolonized world discovers an ancient alien relic that bonds with her, transforming her body and mind and thrusting her into a galaxy-spanning conflict; as she struggles to control a sentient, invasive technology that grants terrifying powers and links her to other intelligences, she becomes both a target and a fulcrum in escalating wars, political intrigue, and desperate attempts to understand and survive forces far older and stranger than humanity, blending big-picture space opera battles with intimate character-driven reckonings about identity and otherness.
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1525. Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Set in a dark, pulsing Mexico City, this gritty urban fantasy follows a young vampire who flees the provinces into the metropolis and becomes entangled with a small-time thief and violent blood-dealing factions; as rival clans and corrupt humans clash over supply, power and survival, the story unfolds as a noir-tinged exploration of hunger, migration, class and the brutal compromises required to live in the city’s shadowy margins.
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