January 22, 2014

The Best Epic Fantasy Books

In honor of The Shadow Soul, my new young adult epic fantasy series, I thought I would list out my top epic fantasy books (young adult and adult)!


I've read a TON of fantasy--some of it is great, some of it is horrific--but that's the great thing about reading. One man's pain is another man's pleasure, as they say. Listed below are my absolute favorite fantasy authors.

Click on the Amazon link to read more about the first book in each series!

Enjoy! And let me know what your favorites are! 


Song of the Lioness



 Tamora Pierce is the queen of fantasy in my humble opinion! The Alanna books were the first epic fantasy series I can remember reading, and since then I've been hooked. Alanna was the original female  badass--Katniss and Tris can step aside! These books also gave me an unhealthy love for thieves in stories...if you've read them, you know what I'm talking about! (My second favorite of hers is The Protector of the Small series, but everything set in Tortall is great!)


The Riftwar Saga



Raymond Feist was my first introduction to adult epic fantasy, and it is still of one my favorites of the genre! The Riftwar Saga is just the starting place--I adore every single book he has ever written and I greedily gobble them up! Pug is the best! Some of this might be nostalgia speaking, but I do love these books. (My second favorite series in Feist's world is The Empire Trilogy--it has a female lead! Rare in adult epic fantasy)




Wheel of Time


Don't let the images above intimidate you--yes the series is long, but it's also amazing! Rand al'Thor is still on of the best fantasy names I've heard and his character is excellent. With each book, the journey grows bigger and bigger--but also more complex and more interesting! The romance gets a little convoluted at times, but that only made the journey sweeter--who needs a love triangle when you can have a square?



The Lord of the Rings


Some people I know have a hard time reading these books because of the world building tangents that Tolkien tends to launch into--but I love it! If you love fantasy, you need to read the series that started it all! The end. 



Graceling Realm


I admit, I've only read the first two books in this series, but Graceling alone is one of the best fantasy books I've ever read! Cashore not only writes beautifully, but Katsa is one of the most complex and entertaining female protagonists I've read in the genre! 



A Song of Fire and Ice


 

The books are amazing. The HBO show is amazing. And I'm dying for the next one. Enough said!



Mistborn


This was my first introduction to Brandon Sanderson and all I can say is, I WANT MORE! One of the most imaginative worlds I've ever lost myself in. Pair that with great action, fantastic characters, and a bit of romance--and I'm hooked!




So, those are my favorite epic fantasy books! 

Now, onto my wishlist! So little time...so much reading to do! 


         

   


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