48 Addictive Adult Fantasy Books

In the first book of the epic high fantasy series Wheel of Time, Moiraine Damodred arrives in a remote village searching for the chosen one prophesied to be able to defeat the Dark One. After human-like monsters attack the town, Moiraine convinces three men to embark on a journey that will be filled with unimaginable dangers. These massive fantasy adult books have been a mainstay of fantasy for decades, with the series running so long that Brandon Sanderson finished it after Robert Jordan’s death.

Publication Date: 15 January 1990
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George R. R. Martin kicks off his epic mastery of political machinations with the first book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series. With winter creeping into the land of summer and the king’s advisors mysteriously dying, Lord Eddard Stark is called to serve as the king’s new Hand, but Stark’s position places his family at risk from the ambitions of the rival houses. One of the best adult fantasy books, A Game of Thrones will hook you with its grim world and shocking twists. Unfortunately, George R. R. Martin has only finished five of the seven promised books, with no further books in sight.

Publication Date: 6 August 1996
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In the 1950s, Tolkien swept the fantasy world by storm when he returned to the land of his children’s classic, The Hobbit, with an updated high fantasy novel. In ancient times, Sauron the Dark Lord created eleven rings of power but made one ring to rule them all. Lost for ages, the one ring has resurfaced in the Shire, where a hobbit named Frodo Baggins must set out on a quest to destroy the ring and save Middle-Earth.

Publication Date: 29 July 1954
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Brandon Sanderson introduces you to the epic fantasy series The Stormlight Archive by thrusting you into a world where a hurricane-force storm constantly circles the planet. Amid a multi-year war, humans seek revenge and The Way of Kings follows three characters that will hook you from the start. Sanderson will lure you in with his imaginative world-building and get you to stay with his deeper themes of identity and power dynamics.

Publication Date: 31 August 2010
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After a fight at school that will surely have her expelled, Karigan G’ladheon sets off through the forest on a long journey home. When she comes across a dying Green Rider, one of the king’s elite messengers, he begs Karigan to carry his urgent message to King Zachary. Suddenly her life is changed forever as she battles deadly danger and complex magic and is stalked by a dark being intent on keeping the message from the king at any cost. If you want page turners that will hook you from the start, this adult fantasy series full of gripping action and fun characters is a must-read.

Publication Date: 1 November 1998
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In the first book of the Misborn series, we find out that for a thousand years, the Lord Ruler has enslaved the Skaa with no hope that his despotic rule will ever end. From a hellish prison, Kelsior snaps and develops the powers of a Mistborn. As a brilliant thief, Kels instigates the ultimate heist against the Lord Ruler with a crew of the underworld’s elite. But adding in a ragged orphan girl might just be what they need to succeed, if they can teach her to use her powers and to learn to trust others. 

Publication Date: 16 July 2006
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In The Color of Magic, Terry Pratchett introduces the fantasy-comedy universe of Discworld, a flat world that resides on the back of four elephants atop a turtle shell. Rincewind, an incompetent and cynical wizard, falls in with Twoflower, a naive and insanely rich tourist, who travel around Discworld unaware that they are actually just pawns in a game the gods are playing.

Publication Date: 1 December 1983
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Kvothe, a living legend in the world he lives in, tells how he cultivated his life into a myth of epic proportions to a local biographer. The intricate details of the world Rothfuss creates will captivate your attention for days on end. Be warned, Rothfuss never released the third book in the series, so start this book at your own risk.

Publication Date: 27 March 2007
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Violet Sorrengail is all set to live a quiet life among her books until her mother orders her to become a candidate for the highly competitive dragon riders. But dragons usually prefer to kill rather than bond with weak humans like Violet. With half the competition willing to kill her to improve their odds and the other half hating her because of her mother, Violet must use all her wits to survive the war college. Fourth Wing took the book world by storm in 2023, so if you haven’t read it yet, steamy adult fantasy romance books with dragons might be the perfect choice.

Publication Date: 2 May 2023
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With the rise in popularity of young adult fantasy, Sarah J. Maas takes the genre one step further into adult fantasy. In her super popular series, Sarah J Maas introduces you to Feyre, a teenage girl turned huntress doing all she can to provide for her poor yet ungrateful family. After she kills a faerie disguised as a wolf, Feyre is taken to an enchanted land run by her captor, a powerful man who can turn into a beast. Maas starts the story as a typical Beauty and the Beast retelling but transforms it into her own original work.

Publication Date: 5 May 2015
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Gabaldon’s Outlander series creates a sweeping love triangle that made waves for its well-researched historical fantasy romance. Recently returned from serving as a WWII nurse, Claire Randall decides to take a second honeymoon with her husband. When she steps through standing stones in the British Isles, she finds herself transported back to 1743 in war-torn Scotland. As Claire allies with the great warrior James Fraser, she must decide between the love of two completely different men in two completely different times.

Publication Date: 1 June 1991
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Ali Hazelwood switched from STEM Romance to paranormal with her newest adult fantasy book. Misery Lark’s days of living in obscurity among humans are over. As the daughter of the most powerful councilman of the Vampyres, she is promised in marriage to their mortal enemies, the Weres, as a peacekeeping measure. Lowe Moreland, the Weres alpha, is suspicious of Misery from the start. And he should be, because Misery has her own hidden agenda, and she will do whatever it takes to get back what’s hers.

Publication Date: 6 February 2024
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Chosen from birth, Poppy has lived her whole life in solitary confinement waiting for her Ascension where she will be given over to the gods. However, Poppy is never told what exactly her Ascension will entail, only that it is the only way to save her kingdom. When a handsome new guard enters her life, Poppy must reconcile her desire with her duty.

Publication Date: 30 March 2020
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The adopted human daughter of the Nightborn vampire king, Oraya enters Kejari, the legendary tournament to the death, to prove her her place. Full of the vicious warriors from all three vampire houses, Kejari will be no easy task. To survive, Oraya allies herself with the ruthless vampire Raihn. But what scares her the most is how much she is drawn to him in this action-packed fantasy romance book for adults that is described as The Hunger Games with vampires.

Publication Date: 30 August 2022
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Without warning, Le Cirque de Rêves arrives in town, a circus that only operates at night. Within its walls are two competing magicians, Celia and Marco, bound together in a high stakes challenge. When they fall in love, a love so magical it affects the world around them, their dangerous game becomes even more precarious. From the first page to the last, Morgenstern’s historical fantasy book will captivate you with her seductive and mysterious prose.

Publication Date: 13 September 2011
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One of the best grimdark fantasy books out there, The Black Company is the first book about a company of mercenaries. While the bad for good and evil plays out, the members of the Black Company just do what they are paid for. As chronicled by Croaker, the company historian, The Black Company displays its own moral code in a grim and dark world.

Publication Date: 15 May 1984
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After years of war between Empress Laseen’s Malazan Empire and Anomander Rake and his sorcerers, even the imperial legions are tired of the bloodshed. Instead of mourning their dead, Sergeant Whiskyjack and Tattersail are forced on another expedition to capture the last free city in this first novel of the acclaimed series of epic dark fantasy books.

Publication Date: 1 April 1999
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Although lovingly raised as a privileged royal child, Jorg Ancrath’s life has led him to become The Prince of Thorns. As a ruler of a grim company of outlaws, Jorg has used his charm and ferocity to carve a place for himself in a ruined land. Yet despite all he’s seen, Jorg’s return to his father’s castle brings the horrors of his childhood to light in this well-regarded grimdark fantasy. 

Publication Date: 2 August 2011
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Joe Abercrombie’s debut novel, the first in his First Law series, showcases his astounding ability to bring complicated characters to life. An old wizard with a temper will change the lives of an infamous barbarian at the end of his luck, a selfish noble captain preparing for war, and an inquisitor set on rooting out treason. Full of deadly conspiracies and determined retribution, Abercrombie brilliantly blurs the line between hero and villain.

Publication Date: 4 May 2006
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After a century of peace, fighting has broken out among humans, gnomes, dwarves, and elves. Cunning assassin Geralt of Rivia has been awaiting the birth of a prophesied child with extraordinary powers, a child who will change the world, for good or for evil. With the threat of war on the horizon, Geralt must protect the child at all costs. If you are looking for popular fantasy adult books made into tv series, you can’t miss this inspiration for The Witcher.

Publication Date: 1994
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In a world rocked frequently by catastrophic earthquakes over the millennia, Jemisin tells a story of three women – a young girl just coming into her magical powers, a young woman learning of the injustice of the current system, and a grieving mother hunting for her child as the world collapses around her. Jemisin won three Hugo Awards for Best Novel in three consecutive years for the books in this trilogy, making them some of the top fantasy books for adults to read.

Publication Date: 4 August 2015
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In her first novel for adults, Leigh Bardugo jumps into dark academia books with a dark tale set among the Ivy League elite. After surviving a horrible multiple homicide, Alex Stern is offered a full-ride scholarship to Yale. There she is put in charge of watching the secret societies, who have been dabbling into dark and dangerous magic.

Publication Date: 8 October 2019
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At Scholomance, a cutthroat school of magic, students are expected to graduate or die. The main rule: don’t ever walk the hallways alone for monsters lurk everywhere. A standoffish loner, El doesn’t have the advantages of the bigger cliches, but she does have a powerful magic that tends toward destruction. When she befriends the popular hero of the school, El must balance her survival with the survival of the other students in one of the best dark magic books out there. A Deadly Education is shelved under fantasy books for adults at my local library but could also be considered young adult fantasy.

Publication Date: 29 September 2020
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Just before his release from prison, Shadow finds out his wife has died in a car accident. While flying home, Shadow meets the mysterious Mr. Wednesday who seems to know a lot about Shadow’s life. Accepting a job as Mr. Wednesday’s bodyguard, Shadow travels across America with a man who claims to be a former god and King of America. Exploring the fringes of American society, American Gods is considered one of the best urban fantasy books for adults.

Publication Date: 19 June 2001
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At midnight on August 15, 1947, India celebrates its independence. Born at the midnight hours, Saleem Sinai finds himself endowed with special powers connecting him to his nation. His actions and health seem to mirror the state’s well-being. Yet, Saleem is not alone, connected to a thousand other children also born in that midnight hour, all gifted with magical abilities.

Publication Date: 1 April 1981
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In the Midnight Library, there are two books – one book for the life you’ve lived and one for the one you could have lived. After attempting suicide, Nora Seed finds herself there. Now she must decide which book to choose from. What if she had made different choices? Would her life have been any better? All of us have regrets, and by allowing Nora the possibility to redo her life, Haig does a brilliant job showing how we can never predict the outcomes of our choices. A thoroughly enjoyable read that intimately talks about the pain depression and second-guessing has on our life.

Publication Date: 29 September 2020
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A man returns home for a funeral and reflects upon his childhood forty years ago. A visit to the house at the end of the lane brings back a flood of memories that are hard to believe are true. When he was seven, he meets a girl named Lettie Hempstock who knows just what to do when strange things begin happening.

Publication Date: 18 June 2013
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To escape a forced marriage, Addie LaRue makes a bargain with the devil in 1714. She gets to live forever, but the catch is she will be forgotten by everyone she meets. After 300 years, Addie has become resigned to her fate until she meets a young man who remembers her name. An all-around joy of a read that is a must-read for those looking for good adult fantasy books.

Publication Date: 6 October 2020
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In 2019, Kate flees London and her abusive partner to settle in the broken-down Weyward cottage. Inherited from an aunt, Weyward cottage seems to be hiding secrets that go back centuries. In 1619, Altha is on trial for witchcraft; her extensive knowledge of the natural world puts the villagers on edge. In 1942, Violet feels trapped in her family’s crumbling estate, searching for any clues to better know her deceased mother. With witchy vibes and a gorgeous connection to nature, Weyward beautifully weaves three stories telling the transformative power of female resilience against the fear and limitations placed on them by men.

Publication Date: 7 March 2023
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Eleven-year-old Ren is given one final task when his master dies: to find his master’s severed finger and return it, in the next 49 days, or his master’s soul will be doomed to wander the earth. From there, his story will mingle with that of dance hall girl Ji Lin who has found the finger, all while a tiger stalks the town. Mixing Chinese folklore and superstition with historical fiction, Choo brings the time period to life in this beautifully written and imaginative story.

Publication Date: 12 February 2019
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In her imaginative new historical adult fantasy book, Kelly Barnhill details the Mass Dragoning of 1955. In a shocking event, hundreds of thousands of ordinary mothers and wives transform into dragons and fly away. Was it by choice and where did they go? Alex can’t stop wondering after her beloved aunt is involved, but the subject is taboo though the consequences to her family are far-reaching.

Publication Date: 3 May 2022
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In 1828, Robin Swift, an orphan, is brought from Canton to London by the mysterious Dr. Lovell. For years he trains in different languages to be accepted to Oxford’s Royal Institute of Translation, known as Babel. Learning to translate, and the magic that comes with it, soon puts Swift on a collision course between loyalty to his homeland and his adopted company when Britain starts a war with China.

Publication Date: 23 August 2022
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Reclusive Mr. Norrell has accumulated one of England’s largest book collections about magic. Working in forgotten magic, Mr. Norrell uses his abilities for England in the war with Napoleon. When he finds another practicing magician, he accepts the young man as his apprentice. But Jonathan Strange is the complete opposite of Mr. Norrell – handsome, charming, talkative, and attracted to the wildest forms of magic, including the shadowy figure of the Raven King.

Publication Date: 8 September 2004
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In Victorian England, two detectives escort teenagers Charlie and Marlowe from the dangers of London to an Edinburgh estate for gifted children. For Charlie has the remarkable ability to heal himself and Marlowe can mend or melt flesh at will. Gathered with other gifted children, The Talents, Charlie and Marlowe begin to investigate their strange powers and eventually realize that those who appear the most innocent can be the most monstrous.

Publication Date: 7 June 2022
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In this retelling of the Greek myth, Circe, the daughter of the sun god, feels out of place among the gods of Olympus. Yet, among the mortals, she has magical powers of witchcraft. Banished by Zeus, Circe must decide where she belongs – with the gods of her birth or the mortals she’s come to live among. An intriguing premise and the perfect book for anyone who loves stories that give a different take on classic tales.

Publication Date: 10 April 2018
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In a small town in 1920s Mexico, Casiopea Tun is too busy working as a maid to enjoy the Jazz Age. When she accidentally unleashes the Mayan god of death, she must accompany him on a cross-country adventure to help him reclaim his throne where failure will cause death and success will make her wildest dreams come true.

Publication Date: 23 July 2019
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For those looking for mythology-based adult fantasy books, Pat Barker takes you back to the Battle of Troy. Instead of Achilles, Helen, Paris or Agamemnon, The Silence of the Girls chooses Briseis as its main character – the captured queen forced to be one of Achilles’s concubines. When Agamemnon demands her for himself, Briseis finds herself in a unique position between two extremely powerful men. If you love fiction that brings history to life, try Barker’s look at the Trojan War from a new perspective.

Publication Date: 30 August 2018
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A retelling of the Greek myth of the daughters of King Minos. Ariadne grew up hearing her brother, the dreaded Minotaur, hidden away in the Labyrinth on Crete. When Theseus, the Prince of Athens, arrives, Ariadne falls desperately in love. Now Ariadne must decide whether to betray Crete to aid Theseus and if she does, will she get her happy ending or will Theseus betray her in return?

Publication Date: 4 May 2021
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In a retelling of the Iliad, Achilles is the epitome of a hero: strong, beautiful and irresistible to all who meet him. On the other hand, Patroclus is an awkward young prince exiled from his homeland. Yet the two form an inseparable bond training together in war and medicine. When Helen of Sparta is kidnapped, all of the heroes of Greece must aid in the siege of Troy. Where Achilles goes, Patroclus follows even as the Fates have plans to test them, demanding a sacrifice.

Publication Date: 20 September 2011
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In medieval Russia, Vasya and her family live in the far north, where winter lasts most of the year. She loves to hear tales of spirits who live that protect their home from evil, especially of the Frost Demon. When Vasya’s mother dies and her father remarries, her stepmother forbids the pagan practices, the weakened household spirits cannot protect them from a growing evil. Beautifully blending folklore with an unforgettable atmosphere, you’ll be completely drawn into this imaginative historical fantasy series.

Publication Date: 10 January 2017
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In Agnieszka’s quiet village, life is peaceful though the shadow of the corrupt Wood surrounds the town. A powerful wizard known as the Dragon keeps the darkness at bay: for a price. Every ten years, the Dragon claims a young woman from the village as his servant. The next choosing is fast approaching and Agnieska is so terrified her beautiful best friend will be chosen that she is unprepared to be his selection in this imaginative medieval fantasy.

Publication Date: 19 May 2015
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Linus Baker enjoys his solitary life working as a caseworker for magical youth in orphanages. When Linus is assigned to Marsyas Island Orphanage, he must investigate whether the six orphans there will bring about the end of the world. But as Linus befriends the mysterious caretaker of the orphanage, he struggles to decide whether he can protect the orphanage without destroying the rest of the world.

Publication Date: 17 March 2020
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After a lifetime of fighting, Viv is ready to hang up her blade and settle down to a nice calm life. The battle-tested orc decides to open a coffee shop in the town of Thune. With old enemies and the underground getting in the way, Viv must make new friends to let her business succeed in this series of cozy adult fantasy books.

Publication Date: 22 February 2022
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The only life Tress has known on her island home in an emerald-green ocean has been a simple one, with the simple pleasures of collecting cups brought by sailors from faraway lands and listening to stories told by her friend Charlie. But when Charlie goes missing, Tress must stow away on a ship and seek the Sorceress of the deadly Midnight Sea. Can this fair maiden save the day?

Publication Date: 1 January 2023
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Nine years ago after a break-up, young witch Vivi Jones set a half-hearted hex on her ex-boyfriend, thinking it will just cause him a bad day or two. When the just-as-handsome ex comes to town, everything begins to go disastrously wrong. To save the town, Vivi must work with her ex to break the curse in this cute Halloween romance.

Publication Date: 28 September 2021
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Cambridge professor Emily Wilde may be the world’s foremost expert on faeries but she has never learned how to properly connect with humans. Traveling to the far northern town of Hrafnsvik, Emily Wilde searches for the secrets of the Hidden Ones with as little interaction as possible with the townspeople. When the charming Wendell Bambleby, Emily’s academic rival, arrives in town, Emily finds the key to unlocking the secrets she needs might be to unlock her own heart.

Publication Date: 10 January 2023
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What’s Your Favorite Subgenre of Adult Fantasy Books?

What do you think? Do you agree or disagree with my adult fantasy books list? What adult fantasy books have I forgotten? As always, let me know in the comments!

More Fantasy Reading Lists:

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• 32 Mind-Bending Time Travel Books
• 23 Startling Climate Fiction Novels
• The Best Grimdark Fantasy Books
• 40 Standalone Fantasy Books to Read

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