The Greatest "Low Fantasy" Books Since 2010

Click to learn how this list is calculated.

This list represents a comprehensive and trusted collection of the greatest books. Developed through a specialized algorithm, it brings together 305 '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.

Filter by: Genres Dates Countries
Follow on:

Genres

Low Fantasy

Low Fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy literature that is characterized by its grounding in the real world or a world very similar to ours, with the inclusion of magical or fantastical elements being minimal and often more subtle than in high fantasy genres. Unlike high fantasy, which transports readers to entirely different worlds or realms filled with magic and mythical creatures, low fantasy stories are set in a recognizable world where magic intrudes on reality but does not dominate it. This genre often explores the juxtaposition of the mundane with the extraordinary, focusing on how ordinary characters react to and interact with the slight, often unsettling, supernatural or magical elements that enter their world. The magic in low fantasy can serve as a metaphor for real-world issues, and the stories often delve into themes of moral ambiguity, realism, and the complexities of human nature, making them appealing to readers who enjoy nuanced storytelling that blurs the lines between the fantastical and the plausible.

Add additional genre filters

Countries

Date Range

Filter

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.

Download
  1. 26. A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher

    "A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking" is a young adult fantasy novel by T. Kingfisher. The story follows fourteen-year-old wizard Mona, who uses her magical abilities to defend her town from dangerous creatures. However, when a mysterious assassin begins targeting the town's wizards, Mona finds herself in the middle of a dangerous conspiracy. With the help of a talking sourdough starter and a few unlikely allies, Mona must use her baking skills and her magic to save her community and uncover the truth behind the attacks.

    The 10740th Greatest Book of All Time
  2. 27. Castle Hangnail by Ursula Vernon

    "Castle Hangnail" follows the story of a young witch named Molly who is determined to become a proper wicked witch and take over the abandoned Castle Hangnail. However, when she arrives, she finds out that the castle's minions are not what she expected and the castle itself is in danger of being sold. Molly must use her wit and magic to prove to the castle's Board of Magic that she is fit to be the new master and save the castle from destruction. Along the way, she befriends the quirky minions and learns the true meaning of friendship, loyalty, and bravery.

    The 10742nd Greatest Book of All Time
  3. 28. The Inquisitor's Tale: Or, The Three Magical Children and their Holy Dog by Adam Gidwitz

    "The Inquisitor's Tale" is a medieval adventure story about three children with magical powers and their faithful dog, who embark on a dangerous journey across France to save their fellow Jews from persecution. Along the way, they encounter knights, monks, and even the King of France, while facing challenges that test their courage, loyalty, and faith. This book is a blend of history, mythology, and fairy tale, told in a humorous and engaging style that will captivate readers of all ages.

    The 10770th Greatest Book of All Time
  4. 29. Frogkisser by Garth Nix

    "Frogkisser" by Garth Nix is a whimsical fairy tale about a young princess named Anya who is tasked with saving her kingdom from an evil sorcerer. Along the way, she must go on a quest to gather magical items and enlist the help of various creatures, including talking dogs and a transformed prince who has been turned into a frog. With humor and heart, Anya learns the true meaning of bravery, friendship, and what it means to be a hero.

    The 10782nd Greatest Book of All Time
  5. 30. Bob by Rebecca Stead, Wendy Mass

    "Bob" is a heartwarming story about a girl named Livy who returns to her grandmother's house after 5 years and finds a small, green creature named Bob waiting for her. Bob claims to have been waiting for Livy for 5 years and Livy has no recollection of him. As Livy tries to figure out who Bob is, she embarks on a magical adventure that leads her to uncover the truth about Bob and herself. Through their journey, Livy learns about the power of friendship, imagination, and the importance of being true to oneself.

    The 10798th Greatest Book of All Time
  6. 31. Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee

    "Dragon Pearl" is a science fiction novel that follows the story of Min, a young fox spirit who dreams of leaving her impoverished planet and joining the Space Forces like her older brother Jun. When Jun is accused of deserting his post to search for the mythical Dragon Pearl, Min sets out to clear his name and find the pearl herself. Along the way, she discovers secrets about her family and the universe that threaten to unravel everything she knows. With the help of new friends and her shape-shifting abilities, Min embarks on a thrilling adventure filled with danger and discovery.

    The 10810th Greatest Book of All Time
  7. 32. A Discovery Of Witches by Deborah Harkness

    This novel unfolds the tale of Diana Bishop, a young scholar and descendant of witches, who stumbles upon a bewitched manuscript in Oxford's Bodleian Library. Her discovery pulls her back into the world of magic, propelling her into the heart of a dangerous mystery. Alongside Matthew Clairmont, a mysterious vampire and geneticist, Diana is thrust into a forbidden alliance and an enchanted journey through time. As they seek to understand the manuscript's secrets, they must navigate the perilous waters of forbidden love and the age-old enmities among witches, vampires, and daemons, unraveling a history that threatens the fragile peace that has long existed between creatures and humans.

    The 10913th Greatest Book of All Time
  8. 33. Cuckoo Song by Frances Hardinge

    This novel is a gripping, dark fantasy tale set in post-World War I England, where a young girl wakes up after an accident to find herself changed in inexplicable ways. As she struggles to piece together what happened to her, she discovers that she is not who she thought she was, and her family seems to be harboring sinister secrets. With the help of unlikely allies, she embarks on a journey to uncover the truth about her identity and to confront the eerie, otherworldly forces that have begun to invade her world. This story masterfully blends elements of horror, mystery, and historical fiction, creating a haunting narrative about loss, identity, and the lengths we go to for love.

    The 11052nd Greatest Book of All Time
  9. 34. The Once And Future Witches by Alix E Harrow

    In this enchanting narrative set at the cusp of the 19th and 20th centuries, the story weaves together the lives of three sisters who, estranged and battered by their past, find themselves drawn together in the suffragist movement of New Salem. Amidst the fervor for women's rights, they discover that the echoes of witchcraft from their childhood hold the key to unlocking not just personal empowerment but also societal change. As they delve deeper into the forgotten words and ways of witchcraft, they face a society vehemently opposed to both their gender and their magic. This tale masterfully blends the struggle for equality with the mystical, proposing that the fight for women's rights is intertwined with a deeper, magical battle for freedom and recognition.

    The 11085th Greatest Book of All Time
  10. 35. The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson

    The book is a gripping fantasy novel centered around Baru Cormorant, a young woman from a colonized island who is thrust into the heart of the empire that conquered her home. With her family torn apart by the empire's influence, Baru becomes an agent within the imperial bureaucracy, driven by a deep-seated desire to dismantle the colonial system from within. As she climbs the ranks, she must navigate treacherous political waters, conceal her true intentions, and make devastating sacrifices. Her journey is one of strategic brilliance, emotional turmoil, and the complex interplay between power, identity, and resistance, as she becomes entangled in a web of rebellion and deceit, questioning the price of her own soul in the quest for justice.

    The 11108th Greatest Book of All Time
  11. 36. Every Heart A Doorway by Seanan McGuire

    In a narrative that blends fantasy with a touch of the macabre, the story unfolds in a boarding school for children who have returned from magical worlds where they felt they truly belonged. These wayward souls struggle to adapt to their mundane lives, yearning to find their way back to the fantastical realms from which they were expelled. The protagonist, a girl who once wandered a land of the dead, must navigate the complex dynamics of her fellow students while the school becomes the setting of a mysterious and sinister series of events. As she delves into the investigation, the school's purpose and the students' stories intertwine, revealing the painful reality that not all doors to magical worlds can or should be reopened.

    The 11212th Greatest Book of All Time
  12. 37. City Of Blades by Robert Jackson Bennett

    In this dark and gripping fantasy sequel, a retired general is called back into service to investigate the disappearance of a government agent in a city that was once the heart of a magical civilization. The city, now ruins from a devastating war, holds a dangerous secret that could change the world—a miraculous technology that once powered an entire civilization, now sought by various factions for their own purposes. As the general delves deeper into the mystery, he encounters old adversaries and unearthly forces, and he must confront his own demons and the cost of his past actions while trying to prevent a cataclysm that could once again engulf the world in conflict.

    The 11212th Greatest Book of All Time
  13. 38. Beneath The Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire

    In this fantastical novella, readers return to a whimsical world where doors lead to magical lands reflecting the true nature of the children who find them. The narrative follows a diverse group of friends who embark on a quest across these fantastical realms to resurrect a friend who has died before her time. Their journey is one of self-discovery, facing the complexities of identity and belonging, and challenging the very rules of life and death. With its vivid world-building and poignant exploration of what it means to find one's place in the world, the story weaves a tale of adventure, friendship, and the lengths one will go to right the balance of the universe.

    The 11231st Greatest Book of All Time
  14. 39. Revenant Gun by Yoon Ha Lee

    In the final installment of a science fiction trilogy, the universe is still reeling from the aftermath of a vast interstellar war, where calendrical mathematics dictate the nature of reality itself. An artificial intelligence with the memories of a brilliant tactician is resurrected in a cloned body to serve a faction seeking to maintain its dominion over the remnants of the shattered empire. Meanwhile, a soldier who has survived against all odds must navigate the shifting allegiances and political machinations of various factions, as they all converge on a looming, final confrontation that could reshape the fabric of society and the very stars they inhabit. With intricate world-building and complex characters, the narrative explores themes of identity, memory, and the cost of war.

    The 11231st Greatest Book of All Time
  15. 40. In An Absent Dream by Seanan McGuire

    This novel follows the journey of a young girl who discovers a magical doorway that leads her to the Goblin Market, a realm where fair value must be given for fair value received. As she navigates this enchanting yet strict world, she finds a place where she truly belongs, with rules that make sense to her. However, the girl must balance her life between the Market and her reality at home, grappling with the consequences of her choices and the price that must be paid for the life she desires. Her story is a poignant exploration of the sacrifices we make for the places we call home and the sometimes painful decisions involved in growing up and finding where we belong.

    The 11238th Greatest Book of All Time
  16. 41. Harrow The Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

    In this darkly imaginative and complex sequel, the protagonist, a necromancer with unmatched powers, confronts the aftermath of an epic space battle and the loss of her mentor. Now, she must navigate the treacherous politics of an immortal empire as its empress's right hand. While grappling with unreliable memories and a mind that seems to be unraveling, she faces internal and external threats, including potential madness and a lingering, enigmatic enemy. As she trains in the arcane arts of the dead, she must solve the mysteries of her past and the riddles of her present to protect the future of her world.

    The 11253rd Greatest Book of All Time

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.

Download