Recs if you like The Black Company...

I've noticed most fantasy lists are saturated with YA and romantasy books, but some of us crave adult high-stakes adventures. If you enjoy epic stakes, deep characters, and majestic world-building (without the distraction of romance) this list is for you. For series, I've only added the first book. 📖

Suggestions always welcome in the pursuit of women's rights and women's wrongs! For the terrible women in science fiction and fantasy who are gaslighting, gatekeeping, and girlbossing their way to the top, using any and all tools at their disposal—the more war crimes, the better. These women are generally characterized as ruthless, cunning, scheming, manipulative, and as all around horrible people.

you can enter a space. you are a regular guy, you can enter a room. you are a regular guy, you can do that transaction. you are a regular guy, you know how to answer the phone. you are a regular guy, you know what sleep is. you are a regular guy, you know what it means to be you.

all of these books have regular people as the protagonist doing all sorts of things, from kissing to killing!

as always, open to all suggestions!

These books utilize first person, second person, and third person perspective- ideally all three but books with some combination of the three are also included.

The top 100 fantasy novels according to the r/fantasy list as voted on by the community - this includes series (represented by the first book in the series) and standalones.

The list is in order with Middle Earth ( represented by Lord of the rings) being number 1 going down to the 100th.

(Note: Mistborn is position 8 while Cosmere is position 35 - as Mistborn is within the Cosmere I lumped it in with the 35th position so it is lower down than on the original list)

Books that ignore the traditional way of telling a story. These books tell their stories in unexpected ways, through letters, transcripts, diaries, documents, text messages, or unconventional layouts.

fantasy series that feature iconic duos or characters that complement one another and are a well-known pairing in their world.

Unreliable narrator, my beloved (Fantasy edition)

No fairy-tale endings, no tender interludes, just morally ambiguous anti-heroes clawing their way through betrayal, war, and chaos.

As the name suggests this list is for my beloved fantasy thieves and criminals, lying, cheating, charming, their way out of situations. Yet we root for them, we love them.

For all those who love a bit of a medical vibe, but make it fantasy, here a list of books that have a main character who is a healer 🧑‍⚕️❤️‍🩹🌱 They can have healing as a magical power, or it can be a completely non-magical learned skill, and it is not necessary for it to be the main plot point; all books with this « trope » / theme are welcome here 🫶

I haven’t read every book on this list, so please correct me if one doesn’t fit well. Book recs are always very very welcome

This is a not quite exhaustive list of notable fantasy works from the Tolkien era to pretty much today. In the case of series I have only included the first book. I know there are books I am missing so if you can see any let me know and I will add them. (Not necessarily in order of release date)

Grimdark is about the dirt, the blood, and the crushing weight of reality in a world where "might is right." The genre takes its name from the tagline of 'Warhammer 40,000': "In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war." Here is a list of 100 essential Grimdark works including standalone novels, series starters, and graphic novels.

Technically for the HRCYED rainbow challenge and the coat of many colors secret challenge but if you just like your color titles then I hope you find something for you!

Another item of the list of "things I don't like irl that I'm eating up in books" : Military Fantasy

Have you ever wanted a PhD in English Lit? Do you think fantasy is a legitimate field of literary criticism? Would you like a glimpse into the psyche of someone who does?

These are the books included (or excerpted from) on my comprehensive exams list for a dissertation on fantasy. It is not even a remotely comprehensive list of fantasy texts and criticism (yes, I see the irony).

A list of all the books republished as part of TOR's Essentials series (I'm going to read them all eventually). Please let me know if I've missed any!!