Epic fantasy can mean different things to different readers.
For some, it is about vast kingdoms, ancient histories and enormous battles. For others, it is the companionship of a group setting out together, the discovery of strange lands, the rise of forgotten powers or the feeling that the fate of an entire world is at stake.
The best epic fantasy books combine scale with characters we care about. They give us worlds large enough to get lost in and journeys that feel worth following.
If you are looking for your next epic fantasy read, here are some of the most rewarding series to explore.
The Lord of the Rings — J. R. R. Tolkien
For many readers, The Lord of the Rings remains the defining work of epic fantasy.
Its influence can be felt across almost everything that followed: fellowship, quests, ancient peoples, lost kingdoms, courage in the face of overwhelming darkness and the idea that ordinary individuals can play an extraordinary part in the fate of the world.
Tolkien's world feels old because it has history beneath the story. Songs, legends, languages and ruined places all suggest that Middle-earth existed long before the characters entered it.
Good for readers who enjoy: quests, fellowship, ancient history, courage, myth and traditional high fantasy.
Start with: The Fellowship of the Ring.
The Wheel of Time — Robert Jordan
The Wheel of Time is one of the great long-form epic fantasy journeys.
Beginning with a group of young people drawn away from their rural home, the story expands into a vast struggle involving kingdoms, prophecy, magic, war and the possible return of an ancient enemy.
Across fourteen main novels, Robert Jordan built an enormous world of different cultures and histories. The final books were completed by Brandon Sanderson after Jordan's death, bringing the central story to its conclusion.
Good for readers who enjoy: huge worlds, prophecy, magic, long journeys, large casts and completed sagas.
Start with: The Eye of the World.
The Stormlight Archive — Brandon Sanderson
Brandon Sanderson's The Stormlight Archive is modern epic fantasy on an enormous scale.
The world of Roshar is shaped by violent storms, ancient conflicts, powerful orders of warriors and a detailed system of magic. The story follows several major characters whose individual struggles gradually become part of something much larger.
It is particularly suited to readers who enjoy detailed world-building, elaborate magic and large, interconnected storylines.
Good for readers who enjoy: complex magic, enormous battles, intricate world-building, multiple viewpoints and long-form fantasy.
Start with: The Way of Kings.
The Realm of the Elderlings — Robin Hobb
Robin Hobb's Realm of the Elderlings takes a more character-driven route into epic fantasy.
Across sixteen books and several connected sub-series, the story explores kingdoms, dragons, magic, political conflict and the consequences of choices made across generations. At its centre is FitzChivalry Farseer, whose life readers follow from youth into later adulthood.
The scale is large, but the emotional lives of the characters remain central.
Good for readers who enjoy: deeply developed characters, long emotional journeys, court intrigue, dragons and completed worlds.
Start with: Assassin's Apprentice.
Malazan Book of the Fallen — Steven Erikson
For readers who want complexity and scale, Malazan Book of the Fallen is one of the most ambitious fantasy series available.
The ten-book main sequence moves through empires, armies, gods, ancient races and conflicts that stretch across thousands of years.
It asks more of the reader than many fantasy series because explanations are often limited and the world is already in motion when the story begins. For those who enjoy piecing together history and discovering how apparently separate events connect, that is part of its appeal.
Good for readers who enjoy: military fantasy, vast histories, enormous casts, gods, empires and challenging world-building.
Start with: Gardens of the Moon.
The First Law — Joe Abercrombie
The First Law offers a darker and more cynical approach to epic fantasy.
Its characters are rarely straightforward heroes or villains. They are flawed, frequently compromised and often caught between personal ambition and forces larger than themselves.
The original trilogy develops into a wider sequence of novels set in the same world, combining warfare, politics, brutality and dark humour. It has become one of the best-known examples of modern grimdark fantasy.
Good for readers who enjoy: morally grey characters, dark humour, brutal battles, political manoeuvring and grimdark fantasy.
Start with: The Blade Itself.
The Faithful and the Fallen — John Gwynne
John Gwynne's The Faithful and the Fallen is a four-book epic fantasy series built around war, prophecy, loyalty, betrayal and the struggle between opposing powers.
It has a strong traditional fantasy feel while using a more modern pace, with warriors, battles and friendships playing an important role throughout the story.
For readers who want recognisable epic fantasy ingredients without committing to a very long series, it offers a complete four-book journey.
Good for readers who enjoy: warriors, battles, prophecy, friendship, traditional fantasy and completed series.
Start with: Malice.
The Licanius Trilogy — James Islington
The Licanius Trilogy is a completed fantasy trilogy built around prophecy, forbidden powers, time, responsibility and the consequences of past choices.
Its story becomes increasingly intricate as characters discover that events are connected across generations and that apparently simple questions of good and evil may be more complicated than they first appear.
It is a good choice for readers who enjoy puzzles, revelations and stories where earlier events gain new meaning as the series progresses.
Good for readers who enjoy: prophecy, magic, mysteries, complex plotting and completed trilogies.
Start with: The Shadow of What Was Lost.
Chaos and Creation — A. J. Andersson
Chaos and Creation is a completed four-book epic fantasy saga written for readers who enjoy the older traditions of fantasy storytelling.
The story begins with The Coming of Darkness, as signs of an ancient threat draw ordinary people into a struggle that becomes far larger than any of them expected.
Across the series are journeys, battles, dwarves, ancient races, wolves, bears, ravens, dragons and alliances between peoples who must decide whether they will stand together.
At the centre of the saga are courage, loyalty, duty, fellowship and the belief that even when darkness is gathering, ordinary people still have choices to make.
The complete series
Book One — The Coming of Darkness
The journey begins.
Book Two — The Dawn of Chaos
The darkness spreads and alliances are tested.
Book Three — The Dragons Bane Chronicles
Ancient powers and great creatures are drawn into the conflict.
Book Four — The Honour of Men
The completed saga reaches its final struggle.
Good for readers who enjoy: Tolkien-inspired fantasy, fellowship, quests, dwarves, great battles, mythical creatures, courage, honour and completed epic fantasy.
What Makes a Great Epic Fantasy Book?
Epic fantasy is not defined simply by the number of pages or the size of the map.
What matters is the sense that the world extends beyond the immediate story.
There may be old wars whose consequences are still being felt. Kingdoms may have risen and fallen before the first chapter begins. Characters may inherit duties, grudges or hopes that began generations earlier.
The best epic fantasy also gives its characters something personal to lose.
The world may be in danger, but the story becomes meaningful because individual people must decide what they are prepared to protect, sacrifice or become.
Which Epic Fantasy Series Should You Read Next?
If you want the classic foundation, begin with The Lord of the Rings.
If you want a huge completed saga, try The Wheel of Time.
If you want intricate magic and modern world-building, explore The Stormlight Archive.
If you want deep character development, try The Realm of the Elderlings.
If you want complex military fantasy, consider Malazan Book of the Fallen.
If you prefer dark, morally grey fantasy, begin with The First Law.
And if you miss traditional, story-first fantasy built around fellowship, courage, ancient peoples and a completed struggle between darkness and hope, you may enjoy Chaos and Creation.
Discover More Fantasy
If you are looking for a particular kind of fantasy, explore the other reader guides in Discover Fantasy.
You can find recommendations for completed epic fantasy, books like The Lord of the Rings, epic fantasy without spice, and completed fantasy series on Kindle Unlimited.
You can also discover Chaos and Creation — The Complete Epic Fantasy Saga, beginning with The Coming of Darkness.