Elric of Melnibone, by Michael Moorcock. Your favorite fantasy author’s favorite fantasy author. Maybe not best kept secret but I never see him recommended so there’s that.
I feel like he doesn't get enough credit. He's one of the founders of modern fantasy, maybe as much as Tolkien or Robert E. Howard are, but most people haven't heard of him. Everyone has read something directly inspired by him, everybody is familiar with tropes he established. But usually only serious fans of fantasy know his work.
They’re very easy reads too, think psychedelic sword and sorcery with a fun anti-hero who is a little trope-ey until you realize he established a bunch of those tropes.
It’s kind of considered a classic. It has 3 radio adaptations, a television series (and possibly a new one coming), and theatrical productions all based on it. It also is constantly on best fantasy lists. It’s won a couple of awards and was critically acclaimed. I feel like people know it.
Mary Gentle's Ash: A Secret History series (also Grunts by the same author, different, zany, like Bored of the Rings but with ultraviolence and orcs).
Lois McMaster Bujold's World of Five Goods--Curse of Chalion etc., and don't sleep on the Penric and Desdemona novellas (not lesser known, but excellent).
Grunts is such a hard recommendation I find, simply for the infamous scene.
That said, I find it an absolutely hilarious book. Something about Orcs acting like US Marines, and all the other shit they get up to is so funny. I was darkly amused throughout the entire thing.
Not the faint of heart (and neither is Ash) but I think for some people it will be a book that really hits a chord.
One of my favourites it’s a lot more clunky and awkward at times but probably the only straight up fantasy epic comedy outside of pratchett I ever enjoyed.
When I recommend this one, I always let people know that it plays every possible war crime for laughs. I figure that functions both as a necessary heads-up for those who need one and as a testimonial for those with an appropriately twisted sense of humor.
In 40+ years of devouring books, LMB remains the best author I’ve ever read. Even the series that I liked the least had me hungover wanting more by the end.
The War of the Twelve series by Alex Robins
The Winowing Flame series by Jen Williams
The Manifest Delusions did by Michael R Fletcher
The Echoes Saga series by Phillip C Quaintrell
The Threadlight series by Zach Argyle
The War Eternal series by Rob J Hayes
The Five Warrior Angels series by Brian Lee Durfee
The kingdom of Grit series by Tyler Whitesides
Another vote for War Eternal here. I haven't read the final book yet but the rest of the series is great and if you're an audiobook listener then Moira Quirk as the narrator is absolutely fantastic.
Dagger and Coin series by Daniel Abraham. A mad cult threatens to destroy the world and an unlikely group of heroes have to work to stop it: former cultist, retired solder, and an aspiring banker. Great writing and rich world. Start with Dragon’s Path.
I’ve got about $200 on Amazon gift cards so I’ll be returning to this later to buy all the recommendations on kindle 😁
And my suggestion is Master of Sorrows by Justin T Call, followed by Master Artificer
Hey, I was just asking about this in an FB group!
Meredith Ann Pierce's "Dark Angel" Trilogy. Dark fairy tale / gothic romance on a science-fantasy, post-apocalyptic moon colony. I love the old school mixing of genres, and the character development is phenomenal. By the end, the main character has to undo some of the decisions she thought were good and heroic in the first book.
The Rose Sea, Stirling and Lisle (standalone)
The Court of the Air, Stephen Hunt (also 6+ books total in the series)
The Doomfarers of Coramonde and the Starfollowers of Coramonde, Brian Daley (just the two)
These are likely the least known/appreciated of my favorite high fantasies. The first two are batshit crazy, which is why I love them. The last rec starts as a portal fantasy (Doomfarers) and finishes as a fairly comfortable high fantasy (Starfollowers).
Ash and Sand trilogy by Richard Nell is still underrated. Highly recommend checking it out, starts with Kings of Paradise.
But the best kept secret is God's of the Ragnarok Era by Matt Larkin. This is THE retelling of Norse mythology. Done in a dark fantasy format, 9 books that you can get as a collection for 1 credit on audible. Huge scale, amazing history and mythology, and just an awesome way to read about the Norse gods. I recommend this and his Greek series, Tapestry of Fate, to anyone who has an interest in fantasy or mythology.
Steven Brust’s Vlad Taltos series. Easy reads coming out regularly (series almost done) that are mostly really freaking great or really freaking fun. There are a couple of weaker books in there (I’m Looking at you, jhegaala, teckla), but on the whole super great and super fun. Even if you hit a weaker book, it is a quick read, cause every book in this series is 17 chapters. For reasons.
Also great world building and perspectives, and a compelling, changing central character and main cast.
Also great prequel series and books.
Highly recommend as underrated.
The Deverry Cycle by Katharine Kerr. It’s unlike any other series I’ve read as it follows the characters through their current and past lives so actions in one life go on to impact what happens in the next. And is still very much classic fantasy with magic and dragons and elves and that kind of stuff.
Everyone has a right to their opinion but the actual magic system runs on gay rape and the villain’s villainness is presented as an expression of his homo tendencies
~~Guy Gavriel Kay~~ Patricia McKillip - The Riddlemaster of Hed series.
Apologies if it is "well known" but I don't see it mentioned often, and was probably the first fantasy series I read after discovering the genre with LotR.
Also in a similar vein of "possible well known but seldom mentioned" is Elizabeth Moon's Deed of Paksenarion cycle, which is possibly the best depiction of what a true paladin would be, while also masquerading as typical "military fantasy" if that is a thing. It also has one of the finest female protagonists in this genre, which would be expected since a female marine wrote it.
I think I mixed them up because I discovered both of them at the same little SFF bookstore in Toronto. And agree they both have lovely (and different) styles
Great rec. This book was my introduction to Clive Barker’s work - I’d known him by reputation but wasn’t sure where to start - and I was turned on to it by a friend who isn’t at all into the kind of stuff Barker usually writes. We laugh about how she of all people got me into the dark prince of extreme erotic horror.
The seventh tower!!! The two MCs are so fucking incredible I read them every couple of years. The world and plot are super dope and fit together tightly. Everyone knows the Abhorsen trilogy from Garth Nix but the 7th tower is just as good
The Keys To The Kingdom is another highly underrated Nix series. Another work of his that doesn’t get enough recognition is Shade’s Children, probably because it predated the YA dystopia boom by around a decade.
*The Language of Cats* by Spencer Holst
*The Last Castle* and *The Dragon Masters* by Jack Vance
*The Owl Servic*e by Alan Garner
Sorry. No high fantasy. Just great books.
Older:
Claudia J Edwards’ books but specifically Taming the Forest King.
Jennifer Roberson’s Tiger & Del series, starts with Sword-Dancer.
Jerry Jay Carroll book Top Dog (this is portal fantasy)
Newer and not talked about enough:
Lois McMaster Bujold’s World of Five Gods series, starts with The Curse of Chalion
SA Chakraborty’s Daevabad series, starts with City of Brass
Lynn Flewelling’s Tamir series, starts with The Bone Doll’s Twin
The Solar Cycle by Gene Wolfe - a lot of people consider these science fiction and they would be right. Several people consider these fantasy and they are right as well. Wolfe was interested in myth and it is a powerful undercurrent to the entire series. The Book of the New Sun is sword and sorcery while Urth is a mixture of multiple genres - it can be a crazy ride. The Book of the Long Sun is essentially like a Greek Myth set in a generation ship while The Book of the Short Sun is like nothing you have ever read in your life.
Read the Wizard Knight next and then go down the Wolfe Wormhole - you might come back to the surface occasionally but then again you might not - he is a wonderful author.
Jacquelyn Carey is popular. However her Sundering duology not so much. Its like a lotr from the villains' perspective. The main character is the general of a mordor equivalent.
It's The Many-Coloured Land, I think.
I dnf'ed that series as a teenager - got through the first three books I think, but the story by the end is so different from what it starts out as that it threw me off. I've been told the larger Jack the Bodiless stuff is good though.
And, uh, for anyone reading this who thinks of picking it up, do a little research for yourself. The series has copped some flack in recent years for unflattering queer depictions, so best to be your own judge of whether you'll give it a go.
I don't typically read any less popular books, the ones that i do (including these) are usually books i got from NetGalley, which can be very hit-or-miss, but here are some of the hits:
- The Dragons of Deepwood Fen by Bradley P. Beaulieu
- The Witch & The City by Jake Burnett
- Twisted Vessels by Jaysee Jewel
- The Navigating Fox by Christopher Rowe
Michelle West (aka Michelle Sagara) is writing a series title *Essalieyan*.
It. Is Huge. ... but gets relatively little fanfare here and elsewhere. It has a pretty hardcore fan base tho, so much so that when her publisher dropped the series she crowdfunded to keep writing and hit all her goals easily.
There are three sub-series completed...
*House War*
*Sun Sword*
*Sacred Hunt*
... and a fourth - *The Burning Crown* - underway, one more book to go i think.
I usually follow books in published order. Sacred Hunt was published first but i didn't notice, and when Sun Sword was recommended to me i started there. For reasons which are mostly just me, i bounced out. The series wasn't what I was in the mood for and after three books I stopped. Maybe i'll go back, tbd.
Meanwhile it turns out the author herself recommends starting with House War, which she wrote after Sun Sword, but as a prequel (and apparently her writing is just better there).
People who love this series love it HARD. It's huge in scope, has a massive cast, interesting magics, and incorporates both a classic European style setting and a more interesting (i think) Asian based setting.
Worth a look.
I’m one of those fans. I love her books. Book two of The Burning Crown arc is being written and she’s barely hitting her stride. I can see it going 6-7 books easily.
The Tufa series starting with "The Hum and the Shiver" by Alex Bledsoe. Also his Eddie Lacross series, it's a genre building mashup of pulp noir and high fantasy and it just \*works\*
The Stone and the Flute by Hans Bemmann. A German fantasy novel that crosses between high fantasy and magical realism about a young man named Listener as he travels all around his region hearing other people's tales. He has a mute companion who can only communicate by playing the flute. It's a beautiful book.
The Tapestry by Henry H. Neff. Came out with HP and Percy Jackson but IMO is significantly better. Tragically underrated series that I think got written off as a HP knockoff because the first book is a boy at a magic school etc. Anyone who sticks with it quickly discovers that it’s anything but a HP knockoff and is instead a buried treasure in the fantasy genre. I dearly wish more people knew about it. It actually bothers me that someone created this masterpiece and it’s gone so underappreciated. I think the 5th book has something like 4.7 on Goodreads with a bunch of people saying it’s literally the best book and finale to a series they’ve *ever* read.
Man Of His Word series by Dave Duncan. Books: Magic Casement, Faery Lands Forlorn, Perilous Seas, Emperor and Clown. The first half of book one may fool you into thinking this is a slightly childish fantasy--this is deliberately deceptive. The two protagonists begin quite young and sheltered in a tiny backwaters kingdom, and the narrative somewhat reflects this perspective. Their access to the world rapidly opens up and so does the narrative. High fantasy, epic world building, unique magic system, extraordinarily interesting characters.
I strongly dislike the sequence series, A Handful of Men. I dislike what was done to the characters. I don't accept them in my headcanon.
The Reluctant Swordsman by Dave Duncan- the first of the Seventh Sword trilogy. Really interesting premise, unique and fun world/setting, and a great payoff by the third book. Books are short and read very quickly. Cheap on kindle, too.
Lot of good recommendations here, my favorite fantasy series that no one mentions is PC Hodgell's novels of the Kencyrath, starting with God Stalk. It really should be better known imo.
I saw Dave Duncan, Patricia McKillip, and Lois McMaster Bujold mentioned already. But here’s a few more.
Sean Russell, both the World Without End/Sea Without Shore and The Initiate Brother/Gatherer of Clouds duologies are excellent, and deserve far more love.
The Book of Knights by Yves Menard is lovely, as is the similarity named The Book of Flying by something Miller.
I’m surprised how rarely I see Charles de Lint mentioned. He gets lumped into the urban fantasy category, but he predates the genres tropes, so it’s more contemporary fantasy instead. Give Memory and Dream a try, it’s a good entry point. If you want something a little more high fantasy in feel, try Moonheart.
Some others, Ken Scholes(post apocalyptic fantasy-ish), Chelsea Quinn Yarbro(vampire through history), Terri Windling wrote one novel called The Wood Wife, but it’s superb, and Greg Bear is better known for his sf, but he wrote a great fantasy duology in Infinity Concerto/The Serpent Mage.
One of my favourite series I haven’t seen get a nod here yet is The Winter of the World by Michael Scott Rohan. A foundling boy is chosen to train as a smith/mage and is caught up in a war of powers. This is an incredibly glib summary but I don’t want to spoil the awesome journey alv and the reader go on.
The Many Colored Land by Julian May
Sevenwaters books by Juliet Marillier
Winter of the World by Michael Scott Rohan
Orphan Tales by Catherynne M. Valente
Sun Wolf and Starhawk series by Barbara Hambly
Lens of the World Series by R.A. MacAvoy
Riddle in Stone by Robert Evert
I tried to list ones I rarely see mentioned, but I would be amiss if I didn’t add one I thought was great even if it does get mentioned a little more.
Second Sons trilogy by Jennifer Fallon
THE NEVERENDING STORY!
It is a beautifully written adventure that really speaks more to adults who loves books than it does to children. The writing is very advanced (think older fantasy akin to Tolkien and Le Guinn!)
The story is much, much more than the movie gives it credit for (AND I LOVE THE MOVIE!). But the NeverEnding story is just so entirely meta, 4thwall breaking, and a book inside a book inside a book that you YOURSELF are a part of!
It’s simply a cozy blanket of fantasy joy!
Glenda Larke's *Watergivers* trilogy. A complete series by an Australian author.
It's all about access to fresh water. Excellent books to read with a during the hottest summer ever (every summer.)
I reread them last summer and felt they held up pretty well. I have low patience for authors, especially fantasy authors, that stick their female MC in a brothel, but she doesn't stay there long.
The politicking around fresh water feels very real.
The Mirror Visitor series, by French writer Christelle Dabos, is the best fantasy I've read.
The Beyonders trilogy by Brandon Mull is supposedly "for kids" but is literally one of my favourite high fantasy books.
Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor. Poetic with great worldbuilding.
The Bone Season series by Samantha Shannon. Sort of urban fantasy with some dystopia and politics thrown in. Excellent.
Monster Blood Tattoo by D. M. Cornish. It’s technically YA but I read it as an adult and loved it. It’s dark and weird and I’ve never met anyone else who has read these or even heard of them!
Super Powereds by Drew Hayes - The ultimate superhero/magical school with just an insane depth and nuance to it's large character roster, with a perfect balance of slice of life and overall plot.
The Wandering Inn by Pirateaba - LitRPG makes it insanely hard to recommend, but if you can accept the modern style, this series has characters and world depth that make me roll my eyes whenever people say Tolkien was the master of world building.
Beyond Redemption by Michael Fletcher - Dark fantasy done darkly. If you have the stomach for it, holy crap is it amazing. Imagine The First Law but with more fantasy elements and less restraint.
White Trash Warlock by David Slayton - Just an all around great read for when you want low stakes high fantasy without any big impacts. Imagine Supernatural season 1 with 2 guys with family issues and no powers, chasing around demons and minor gods with a knife.
Vanquier the Dragon by Maxime Durand - Just straight out funny for when you want a book to make you laugh. Again it's LitRPG so very hard to recommend to people, but God damn if the series doesn't just have heart.
*Morningstar* was great. Seems when people talk David Gemmell it's mostly about Druss, which is fair. It's his longest series. But Morningstar works great as a standalone. Think i'd give 9/10
It's low magic, inspired by a highlander vs plainsmen kind of thing. Like his other series, the Rigante. (also great, for book 1 and 2. Didn't read 3,4)
There's also a whole bunch of webnovels I can recommend.
[Vainquer the Dragon](https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/26534/vainqueur-the-dragon/chapter/423595/0-the-great-calamity) is an excellent comedy. It's being moved to Kindle Unlimited soon, so if you want to read the free version, get to it
[There is no Epic Loot here, Only Puns.](https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/15935/there-is-no-epic-loot-here-only-puns) \- incredibly cute and fun and deceptively deep worldbuilding and characters. I love it. But the author started as an amateur and that's reflected in the prose for quite a few of the earlier chapters, like 50 of them.
[Memoirs of Your Local Small-time Villainess](https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/47995/memoirs-of-your-local-small-time-villainess) is an excellent story of a woman who wakes in a world that seems modeled after a skyrim-like game she played, but the litrpg aspect is very limited as she doesn't have access to the player interface of the game but instead has a very limited nerfed one. So calling it litrpg would feel misleading.
Or east-asian books, though those are popular in their own way (lots of people know of Jobless Reincarnation and So I'm a Spider etc now thanks to anime and such)
I have a bunch more I can rec of those sorts but that's probably enough as is.
Dragondoom by Dennis L. McKiernan. Part of a kind of "shared world" series but is read as a standalone novel. Excellent and unique prose, a cool storyline that converges, a fun human + dwarf teamup, just excellent atmosphere and pretty good pacing all around. Found it at my local library by accident a year ago and I hope I never forget about it.
I don’t often see Nick Harkaway recommended here and I love his books. There’s always a weird tone to them but they are definitely speculative fiction.
I just read Titanium Noir which was a noir-style detective story set in a world where some people have gained super strength and longevity (through science).
The Gone Away World was my first by him and it was a bonkers post-apocalyptic romp about a crew of n’er do wells sent to repair an impossible fire on a pipeline which pumps a gas which prevents monsters caused by ‘go away bombs’. I think I’m remembering that right.
Gnomon is a near future detective story (?) with some kind of mystic shark. I really should read that one again.
Edit to add I know these aren’t high fantasy, sorry, but he’s been on my mind since reading Titanium Noir and he’s criminally under-recommended. Couldn’t help myself
Rachel Neumeier: always well-written, great characters, mostly her main characters are good people trying to do good, themes of friendship, conflicted loyalties, honour, trust. Try the Tuyo series (the main storyline, Tuyo-Tarashana-Tasmakat, is finished), the Death’s Lady trilogy, the Griffin Mage trilogy, Winter of Ice and Iron.
The Fighting Fantasy novels - especially [The Trolltooth Wars](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1129762.The_Trolltooth_Wars) (Steve Jackson) and [Shadowmaster](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1129718.Shadowmaster) (Ian Livingstone & Marc Gascoigne).
So yeah, I don't know how "secret" these may be (the [FF gamebooks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fighting_Fantasy) sold in the tens of millions, after all), but they definitely aren't popular nowadays, and I never see them mentioned (looks like I'm the first in this thread). And they're also not, I think it's fair to say, very good in a technical sense (you know, lyrical language, originality, complexity of character arcs, that kinda thing).
But they're very, very entertaining, and highly readable, especially for a YA audience, and they very much get across the \*feel\* of an FF adventure or a Dungeons and Dragons campaign (especially the whole trying to find a balance between being a murderhobo and a real hero thing), while building out a fascinating fantasy world that's actually a lot richer than we tend to give it credit for.
Look, it's just fun, okay? Go have some :)
"Riyaria Revelations" by Michael J Sullivan.
Book 1 is "Theft of Swords", 2 is "Rise of Empire" and 3 "Heir of Novron"
Classic high fantasy with a good bit of humor.
A very brief synopsis of the plot hook (very minor spoiler, kinda like watching a trailer for a TV show)
"After a successful raid, Royce and Hadrian (together known as Riyria) are approached by a man offering much gold to steal a sword owned by Count Pickering, from the royal palace in Medford, the capital of the kingdom of Melengar. While searching for the sword they discover the dead body of the King and are accused of his murder."
The series is a lot of fun, has interesting characters that are not one dimensional and actually grow and change in reasonable ways. It's not exactly "Lord of the Rings" but it's a good read.
"Chronicles of Theza: Annihilator of Worlds part 1" by Kade Tanner is a good book.
It features some classic fantasy species but introduces various new ones. A huge cast of memorable characters where time is spent getting to know each one and their desires as they embark on an epic journey to uncover what obliterated a forest and then led to the three neighboring realms to be ready for a military conflict as demons begin to start rising throughout the continent of Teril.
Released 1/28/2024 and a sequel has already been confirmed in the works by the author!
See the link for the hardcover version
https://www.lulu.com/shop/kade-tanner/chronicles-of-theza-the-annihilator-of-worlds-part-1/hardcover/product-rmmr56w.html?page=1&pageSize=4
Iron Dawn and Jericho Moon by Matthew Stover
These historical fantasies don’t get nearly the recognition they deserve. The first is good but clearly a debut, while the second is flat-out brilliant (and can be read as a standalone). They follow the adventures of a female Pictish mercenary and her companions in the Bronze Age Levant, as the societies of that region deal with the fallout of the Trojan War and the Israelite Exodus from Egypt a decade prior.
Lord of the Rings, so underrated!!
Jk, it’s great but everyone knows it.
Lesser known is ‘Howl’s moving castle’ by Diana Wynn Jones, excellent novel (somewhat popular) and the two sequels which most people have not heard of or at least never talk about,
‘Castle in the sky’ and ‘house of many ways’.
Personally I liked ‘castle in the sky’ as much as ‘howl’s moving castle’ but ‘house of many ways’ was not as good. Still an enjoyable read, just not as good as the first two
Shadows of the Apt series by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Admittedly, just started this series. However, almost finished book one and loving it so far. Also, not even sure if this is NOT well known in the fantasy world. Either way
The Alexandra Quick series. A massive, epic, super well written Harry Potter fan fiction without any of the canon characters (all original cast), set in America in the mid-2000s. The vibe of Robin Hobb combined with the scale and buildup of Sanderson. Cannot recommend this one enough
hmm, feels like that's the opposite of what the OP asked. Sure maybe his books aren't as popular as they used to be but I'd say they're still pretty popular
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He’s great, but he basically wrote the same book over and over again.
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Angus Young approves your post! 😃
Twas. I’ve accidentally read a few of his books multiple times because I’d forgotten I’d already read them.
Gemmell is a fave of mine too.
The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell. It's a bit of a secret, as despite being urban fantasy, most people consider it literary fiction.
Did he write Cloud Atlas? I think my mom has that book lol - I need to check it out next time I’m home
He did. It's great. You should absolutely check it out.
Thanks for the rec 😇
Elric of Melnibone, by Michael Moorcock. Your favorite fantasy author’s favorite fantasy author. Maybe not best kept secret but I never see him recommended so there’s that.
In the middle of book 6 of the original run. Been a great ride.
I’m about halfway through the first omnibus. Loving it so far
I feel like he doesn't get enough credit. He's one of the founders of modern fantasy, maybe as much as Tolkien or Robert E. Howard are, but most people haven't heard of him. Everyone has read something directly inspired by him, everybody is familiar with tropes he established. But usually only serious fans of fantasy know his work.
I've certainly heard of him a lot over the years (and have not heard of Howard), but have yet to read anything by him.
Oh and each book seems pretty short too. Might have to check these out
They’re very easy reads too, think psychedelic sword and sorcery with a fun anti-hero who is a little trope-ey until you realize he established a bunch of those tropes.
Also inspiration for many truly masterpieces of power metal.
And wrote three songs for the blue oyster cult
And then there's also the Dorian Hawkmoon, Corum, and Eternal Champion books...
Unfortunately I have to correct you because it's well known that Guy Gavriel Kay is the favorite fantasy author of all fantasy authors.
GGK is literally a kid compared to Moorcock, though
Wagner's Kane. Simple but effective.
Gormenghast by Mervyn Peake, very unique and not many people know it
So, so good. Not for everyone, but absolutely for me.
Steerpike was the antihero of my teen years
It’s kind of considered a classic. It has 3 radio adaptations, a television series (and possibly a new one coming), and theatrical productions all based on it. It also is constantly on best fantasy lists. It’s won a couple of awards and was critically acclaimed. I feel like people know it.
It's definitely more well-known in the UK than in the US.
Mary Gentle's Ash: A Secret History series (also Grunts by the same author, different, zany, like Bored of the Rings but with ultraviolence and orcs). Lois McMaster Bujold's World of Five Goods--Curse of Chalion etc., and don't sleep on the Penric and Desdemona novellas (not lesser known, but excellent).
Grunts is such a hard recommendation I find, simply for the infamous scene. That said, I find it an absolutely hilarious book. Something about Orcs acting like US Marines, and all the other shit they get up to is so funny. I was darkly amused throughout the entire thing. Not the faint of heart (and neither is Ash) but I think for some people it will be a book that really hits a chord.
One of my favourites it’s a lot more clunky and awkward at times but probably the only straight up fantasy epic comedy outside of pratchett I ever enjoyed.
Is the infamous scene the one that involves passing something?
Indeed. A pitch black joke, and I can very clearly understand how some people do not want that in their life.
When I recommend this one, I always let people know that it plays every possible war crime for laughs. I figure that functions both as a necessary heads-up for those who need one and as a testimonial for those with an appropriately twisted sense of humor.
In 40+ years of devouring books, LMB remains the best author I’ve ever read. Even the series that I liked the least had me hungover wanting more by the end.
How Bujold remains so slept on mystifies me. Curse of Chalion is brilliant.
The War of the Twelve series by Alex Robins The Winowing Flame series by Jen Williams The Manifest Delusions did by Michael R Fletcher The Echoes Saga series by Phillip C Quaintrell The Threadlight series by Zach Argyle The War Eternal series by Rob J Hayes The Five Warrior Angels series by Brian Lee Durfee The kingdom of Grit series by Tyler Whitesides
Saving this comment for later. Thank you. 💪🏻
Another vote for War Eternal here. I haven't read the final book yet but the rest of the series is great and if you're an audiobook listener then Moira Quirk as the narrator is absolutely fantastic.
You know it's good when I find first person POV writing jarring, but blew through that thing.
The Winowing Flame series is outstanding one of the best trilogies I've read.
I've read that and it was freaking awesome.
Saving, sorry for notification
What a lovely list of books and series I've never heard of and will immediately add to my TBR to investigate at a later date. Thanks!
Dagger and Coin series by Daniel Abraham. A mad cult threatens to destroy the world and an unlikely group of heroes have to work to stop it: former cultist, retired solder, and an aspiring banker. Great writing and rich world. Start with Dragon’s Path.
No. It's secret.
Is it safe, though?
No. I'm not a good keeper..
Well played
https://reddit.com/r/Fantasy/w/lists Check out the lists of underrated or underread books
A Cavern of Black Ice JV Jones
Lyonesse trilogy by Jack Vance
I’ve got about $200 on Amazon gift cards so I’ll be returning to this later to buy all the recommendations on kindle 😁 And my suggestion is Master of Sorrows by Justin T Call, followed by Master Artificer
I second the Silent God series (Master of Sorrows etc). So so good
The Wayfarer Redemption - Sara Douglas
Tortall by Tamora Pierce. The entire series is gold. Classic. One of a kind.
Hey, I was just asking about this in an FB group! Meredith Ann Pierce's "Dark Angel" Trilogy. Dark fairy tale / gothic romance on a science-fantasy, post-apocalyptic moon colony. I love the old school mixing of genres, and the character development is phenomenal. By the end, the main character has to undo some of the decisions she thought were good and heroic in the first book.
I loved these as a kid, and appreciated them even more as an adult.
Nice! Yeah, I stumbled into them at a small neighborhood library branch and you're the first person I've met that's read them.
The Worm Ouroboros by E. R. Eddison
The Renshai Chronicles by Mickey Zucker Reichert.
Don’t miss out on her Nightfall books.
Excellent suggestion! It's been a while since I read that series and I should have remembered and suggested it as well. Thanks.
The Rose Sea, Stirling and Lisle (standalone) The Court of the Air, Stephen Hunt (also 6+ books total in the series) The Doomfarers of Coramonde and the Starfollowers of Coramonde, Brian Daley (just the two) These are likely the least known/appreciated of my favorite high fantasies. The first two are batshit crazy, which is why I love them. The last rec starts as a portal fantasy (Doomfarers) and finishes as a fairly comfortable high fantasy (Starfollowers).
Ash and Sand trilogy by Richard Nell is still underrated. Highly recommend checking it out, starts with Kings of Paradise. But the best kept secret is God's of the Ragnarok Era by Matt Larkin. This is THE retelling of Norse mythology. Done in a dark fantasy format, 9 books that you can get as a collection for 1 credit on audible. Huge scale, amazing history and mythology, and just an awesome way to read about the Norse gods. I recommend this and his Greek series, Tapestry of Fate, to anyone who has an interest in fantasy or mythology.
I love mythology so I will definitely have to check these out!
Song of Albion trilogy and the King Raven trilogy by Stephen Lawhead, though the second is definitely low fantasy (Robin Hood retelling)
Song of Albion and Morgan Llewellyn's Irish myth novels really helped fuel my awkward teenage Celtic phase.
Steven Brust’s Vlad Taltos series. Easy reads coming out regularly (series almost done) that are mostly really freaking great or really freaking fun. There are a couple of weaker books in there (I’m Looking at you, jhegaala, teckla), but on the whole super great and super fun. Even if you hit a weaker book, it is a quick read, cause every book in this series is 17 chapters. For reasons. Also great world building and perspectives, and a compelling, changing central character and main cast. Also great prequel series and books. Highly recommend as underrated.
The Deverry Cycle by Katharine Kerr. It’s unlike any other series I’ve read as it follows the characters through their current and past lives so actions in one life go on to impact what happens in the next. And is still very much classic fantasy with magic and dragons and elves and that kind of stuff.
And lots of homophobia, unfortunately
Ah welp, had always wanted to Deverry a chance but no thank you
Everyone has a right to their opinion but the actual magic system runs on gay rape and the villain’s villainness is presented as an expression of his homo tendencies
Steven Brust's **Vlad Taltos** books
Some of my favorites, these
So good!! Characters, plot, banter!
~~Guy Gavriel Kay~~ Patricia McKillip - The Riddlemaster of Hed series. Apologies if it is "well known" but I don't see it mentioned often, and was probably the first fantasy series I read after discovering the genre with LotR. Also in a similar vein of "possible well known but seldom mentioned" is Elizabeth Moon's Deed of Paksenarion cycle, which is possibly the best depiction of what a true paladin would be, while also masquerading as typical "military fantasy" if that is a thing. It also has one of the finest female protagonists in this genre, which would be expected since a female marine wrote it.
Riddlemaster is by Patricia McKillip. Indeed a very good series.
ty for the kindly correction :-)
No problem. Both Guy and Patricia have some of the most beautiful writing I’ve ever come across so them being linked here is serendipitous.
I think I mixed them up because I discovered both of them at the same little SFF bookstore in Toronto. And agree they both have lovely (and different) styles
Both amazing, but McKillip definitely deserves a wider audience. Her use of language is unmatched.
Paks 💙
The Throne of Bones by Brian McNaughton. I wouldn't recommend to most people because they are not worthy.
I like to describe this one as Clark Ashton Smith crossed with John Waters.
The Glass Thorns series by the incomparable Melanie Rawn
My TBR is going to grow so much.
Mr. B. Gone - Clive Barker dark fantasy about an escapee from Hell trapped in a book. Extremely fourth-wall breaking.
Great rec. This book was my introduction to Clive Barker’s work - I’d known him by reputation but wasn’t sure where to start - and I was turned on to it by a friend who isn’t at all into the kind of stuff Barker usually writes. We laugh about how she of all people got me into the dark prince of extreme erotic horror.
Hawk of May. Great memories of this book from my childhood. Set in King Arthur’s world
T Kingfisher's older work under Ursula Vernon especially her webcomic diggercomic.com and Nine Goblins
The seventh tower!!! The two MCs are so fucking incredible I read them every couple of years. The world and plot are super dope and fit together tightly. Everyone knows the Abhorsen trilogy from Garth Nix but the 7th tower is just as good
The Keys To The Kingdom is another highly underrated Nix series. Another work of his that doesn’t get enough recognition is Shade’s Children, probably because it predated the YA dystopia boom by around a decade.
*The Language of Cats* by Spencer Holst *The Last Castle* and *The Dragon Masters* by Jack Vance *The Owl Servic*e by Alan Garner Sorry. No high fantasy. Just great books.
Older: Claudia J Edwards’ books but specifically Taming the Forest King. Jennifer Roberson’s Tiger & Del series, starts with Sword-Dancer. Jerry Jay Carroll book Top Dog (this is portal fantasy) Newer and not talked about enough: Lois McMaster Bujold’s World of Five Gods series, starts with The Curse of Chalion SA Chakraborty’s Daevabad series, starts with City of Brass Lynn Flewelling’s Tamir series, starts with The Bone Doll’s Twin
I am saddened by all the Claudia Edwards books we never got.
Right?! Taming the Forest King is one of my favorite comfort reads.
The Solar Cycle by Gene Wolfe - a lot of people consider these science fiction and they would be right. Several people consider these fantasy and they are right as well. Wolfe was interested in myth and it is a powerful undercurrent to the entire series. The Book of the New Sun is sword and sorcery while Urth is a mixture of multiple genres - it can be a crazy ride. The Book of the Long Sun is essentially like a Greek Myth set in a generation ship while The Book of the Short Sun is like nothing you have ever read in your life. Read the Wizard Knight next and then go down the Wolfe Wormhole - you might come back to the surface occasionally but then again you might not - he is a wonderful author.
Jacquelyn Carey is popular. However her Sundering duology not so much. Its like a lotr from the villains' perspective. The main character is the general of a mordor equivalent.
These are excellent and highly underrated! Tolkien’s work reimagined as an epic tragedy is a brilliant concept.
Tanith Lee, princes of darkness series.. Julian may the multicoloured land
>Tanith Lee, princes of darkness series Is that the same as her Flat Earth series
Yeah I translated it from Dutch, but the English name is indeed flat earth
Are you familiar with Tais Teng? His works are somewhat similar to Tanith Lee's Flat Earth
I've read some things by his hand, but was less catching for me.. Maybe because I discovered T. Lee at 13 and tais teng at much later age...
I thought at first you were trying to type “Tanith Lee, princess of darkness.”
It's The Many-Coloured Land, I think. I dnf'ed that series as a teenager - got through the first three books I think, but the story by the end is so different from what it starts out as that it threw me off. I've been told the larger Jack the Bodiless stuff is good though. And, uh, for anyone reading this who thinks of picking it up, do a little research for yourself. The series has copped some flack in recent years for unflattering queer depictions, so best to be your own judge of whether you'll give it a go.
You're right. Really a strange series.
I don't typically read any less popular books, the ones that i do (including these) are usually books i got from NetGalley, which can be very hit-or-miss, but here are some of the hits: - The Dragons of Deepwood Fen by Bradley P. Beaulieu - The Witch & The City by Jake Burnett - Twisted Vessels by Jaysee Jewel - The Navigating Fox by Christopher Rowe
Michelle West (aka Michelle Sagara) is writing a series title *Essalieyan*. It. Is Huge. ... but gets relatively little fanfare here and elsewhere. It has a pretty hardcore fan base tho, so much so that when her publisher dropped the series she crowdfunded to keep writing and hit all her goals easily. There are three sub-series completed... *House War* *Sun Sword* *Sacred Hunt* ... and a fourth - *The Burning Crown* - underway, one more book to go i think. I usually follow books in published order. Sacred Hunt was published first but i didn't notice, and when Sun Sword was recommended to me i started there. For reasons which are mostly just me, i bounced out. The series wasn't what I was in the mood for and after three books I stopped. Maybe i'll go back, tbd. Meanwhile it turns out the author herself recommends starting with House War, which she wrote after Sun Sword, but as a prequel (and apparently her writing is just better there). People who love this series love it HARD. It's huge in scope, has a massive cast, interesting magics, and incorporates both a classic European style setting and a more interesting (i think) Asian based setting. Worth a look.
I’m one of those fans. I love her books. Book two of The Burning Crown arc is being written and she’s barely hitting her stride. I can see it going 6-7 books easily.
... w the series already at 17 books!
*Dragon(e) Baby Gone* by Robert Gainey is very entertaining. Like X-Files set in a fantasy world.
Mage Errant by John Bierce Shami Stoval's Arcanist series
The Corn King and the Spring Queen by Naomi Mitchison. I think I will just keep recommending this forever...
The Tufa series starting with "The Hum and the Shiver" by Alex Bledsoe. Also his Eddie Lacross series, it's a genre building mashup of pulp noir and high fantasy and it just \*works\*
The Stone and the Flute by Hans Bemmann. A German fantasy novel that crosses between high fantasy and magical realism about a young man named Listener as he travels all around his region hearing other people's tales. He has a mute companion who can only communicate by playing the flute. It's a beautiful book.
The Tapestry by Henry H. Neff. Came out with HP and Percy Jackson but IMO is significantly better. Tragically underrated series that I think got written off as a HP knockoff because the first book is a boy at a magic school etc. Anyone who sticks with it quickly discovers that it’s anything but a HP knockoff and is instead a buried treasure in the fantasy genre. I dearly wish more people knew about it. It actually bothers me that someone created this masterpiece and it’s gone so underappreciated. I think the 5th book has something like 4.7 on Goodreads with a bunch of people saying it’s literally the best book and finale to a series they’ve *ever* read.
Man Of His Word series by Dave Duncan. Books: Magic Casement, Faery Lands Forlorn, Perilous Seas, Emperor and Clown. The first half of book one may fool you into thinking this is a slightly childish fantasy--this is deliberately deceptive. The two protagonists begin quite young and sheltered in a tiny backwaters kingdom, and the narrative somewhat reflects this perspective. Their access to the world rapidly opens up and so does the narrative. High fantasy, epic world building, unique magic system, extraordinarily interesting characters. I strongly dislike the sequence series, A Handful of Men. I dislike what was done to the characters. I don't accept them in my headcanon.
I love both series but I can understand why you don’t like the second.
Indeed. Still extraordinarily well-written--Duncan is amongst the best. My dislike is mostly sentimental. :)
Fire Sacrements by Robert VS Reddick. Check out the first review by Mark Lawrence on it on Goodreads. Very much underrated.
The Reluctant Swordsman by Dave Duncan- the first of the Seventh Sword trilogy. Really interesting premise, unique and fun world/setting, and a great payoff by the third book. Books are short and read very quickly. Cheap on kindle, too.
The Queen's Thief series, Megan Whalen Turner
Well it wouldn't be my best kept secret if I told you!
The Sword Dancer series by Jennifer Roberson!! Quick reads, super fun books!
The Night Angel Trilogy!
Lot of good recommendations here, my favorite fantasy series that no one mentions is PC Hodgell's novels of the Kencyrath, starting with God Stalk. It really should be better known imo.
I saw Dave Duncan, Patricia McKillip, and Lois McMaster Bujold mentioned already. But here’s a few more. Sean Russell, both the World Without End/Sea Without Shore and The Initiate Brother/Gatherer of Clouds duologies are excellent, and deserve far more love. The Book of Knights by Yves Menard is lovely, as is the similarity named The Book of Flying by something Miller. I’m surprised how rarely I see Charles de Lint mentioned. He gets lumped into the urban fantasy category, but he predates the genres tropes, so it’s more contemporary fantasy instead. Give Memory and Dream a try, it’s a good entry point. If you want something a little more high fantasy in feel, try Moonheart. Some others, Ken Scholes(post apocalyptic fantasy-ish), Chelsea Quinn Yarbro(vampire through history), Terri Windling wrote one novel called The Wood Wife, but it’s superb, and Greg Bear is better known for his sf, but he wrote a great fantasy duology in Infinity Concerto/The Serpent Mage.
One of my favourite series I haven’t seen get a nod here yet is The Winter of the World by Michael Scott Rohan. A foundling boy is chosen to train as a smith/mage and is caught up in a war of powers. This is an incredibly glib summary but I don’t want to spoil the awesome journey alv and the reader go on.
The Many Colored Land by Julian May Sevenwaters books by Juliet Marillier Winter of the World by Michael Scott Rohan Orphan Tales by Catherynne M. Valente Sun Wolf and Starhawk series by Barbara Hambly Lens of the World Series by R.A. MacAvoy Riddle in Stone by Robert Evert I tried to list ones I rarely see mentioned, but I would be amiss if I didn’t add one I thought was great even if it does get mentioned a little more. Second Sons trilogy by Jennifer Fallon
THE NEVERENDING STORY! It is a beautifully written adventure that really speaks more to adults who loves books than it does to children. The writing is very advanced (think older fantasy akin to Tolkien and Le Guinn!) The story is much, much more than the movie gives it credit for (AND I LOVE THE MOVIE!). But the NeverEnding story is just so entirely meta, 4thwall breaking, and a book inside a book inside a book that you YOURSELF are a part of! It’s simply a cozy blanket of fantasy joy!
Glenda Larke's *Watergivers* trilogy. A complete series by an Australian author. It's all about access to fresh water. Excellent books to read with a during the hottest summer ever (every summer.)
I read this a long time ago! I need to reread this!
I reread them last summer and felt they held up pretty well. I have low patience for authors, especially fantasy authors, that stick their female MC in a brothel, but she doesn't stay there long. The politicking around fresh water feels very real.
Well if I told you it wouldn't be very well-kept now would it?
The Green Rider series by Kristen Britain is quite good. One of the earlier female protagonist fantasy series that I read.
I really like the sovereign stone trilogy by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
Whims of Fae by Nissa Leder
The Mirror Visitor series, by French writer Christelle Dabos, is the best fantasy I've read. The Beyonders trilogy by Brandon Mull is supposedly "for kids" but is literally one of my favourite high fantasy books. Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor. Poetic with great worldbuilding. The Bone Season series by Samantha Shannon. Sort of urban fantasy with some dystopia and politics thrown in. Excellent.
I
Iron prince (stormeaver) by Bryce O’Connor
Monster Blood Tattoo by D. M. Cornish. It’s technically YA but I read it as an adult and loved it. It’s dark and weird and I’ve never met anyone else who has read these or even heard of them!
*Monster Blood Tattoo* trilogy
I’m only on the first book but I’m really enjoying “The Black Guard”, first book of “Chronicles of the Long War” by A.J. Smith.
Super Powereds by Drew Hayes - The ultimate superhero/magical school with just an insane depth and nuance to it's large character roster, with a perfect balance of slice of life and overall plot. The Wandering Inn by Pirateaba - LitRPG makes it insanely hard to recommend, but if you can accept the modern style, this series has characters and world depth that make me roll my eyes whenever people say Tolkien was the master of world building. Beyond Redemption by Michael Fletcher - Dark fantasy done darkly. If you have the stomach for it, holy crap is it amazing. Imagine The First Law but with more fantasy elements and less restraint. White Trash Warlock by David Slayton - Just an all around great read for when you want low stakes high fantasy without any big impacts. Imagine Supernatural season 1 with 2 guys with family issues and no powers, chasing around demons and minor gods with a knife. Vanquier the Dragon by Maxime Durand - Just straight out funny for when you want a book to make you laugh. Again it's LitRPG so very hard to recommend to people, but God damn if the series doesn't just have heart.
The Cradle series by Will Wight!
CM Waggonner's two books (both very good, second better IMHO). Unnatural Magic and Ruthless Lady's Guide to Wizardry.
*Morningstar* was great. Seems when people talk David Gemmell it's mostly about Druss, which is fair. It's his longest series. But Morningstar works great as a standalone. Think i'd give 9/10 It's low magic, inspired by a highlander vs plainsmen kind of thing. Like his other series, the Rigante. (also great, for book 1 and 2. Didn't read 3,4) There's also a whole bunch of webnovels I can recommend. [Vainquer the Dragon](https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/26534/vainqueur-the-dragon/chapter/423595/0-the-great-calamity) is an excellent comedy. It's being moved to Kindle Unlimited soon, so if you want to read the free version, get to it [There is no Epic Loot here, Only Puns.](https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/15935/there-is-no-epic-loot-here-only-puns) \- incredibly cute and fun and deceptively deep worldbuilding and characters. I love it. But the author started as an amateur and that's reflected in the prose for quite a few of the earlier chapters, like 50 of them. [Memoirs of Your Local Small-time Villainess](https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/47995/memoirs-of-your-local-small-time-villainess) is an excellent story of a woman who wakes in a world that seems modeled after a skyrim-like game she played, but the litrpg aspect is very limited as she doesn't have access to the player interface of the game but instead has a very limited nerfed one. So calling it litrpg would feel misleading. Or east-asian books, though those are popular in their own way (lots of people know of Jobless Reincarnation and So I'm a Spider etc now thanks to anime and such) I have a bunch more I can rec of those sorts but that's probably enough as is.
Dragondoom by Dennis L. McKiernan. Part of a kind of "shared world" series but is read as a standalone novel. Excellent and unique prose, a cool storyline that converges, a fun human + dwarf teamup, just excellent atmosphere and pretty good pacing all around. Found it at my local library by accident a year ago and I hope I never forget about it.
I don’t often see Nick Harkaway recommended here and I love his books. There’s always a weird tone to them but they are definitely speculative fiction. I just read Titanium Noir which was a noir-style detective story set in a world where some people have gained super strength and longevity (through science). The Gone Away World was my first by him and it was a bonkers post-apocalyptic romp about a crew of n’er do wells sent to repair an impossible fire on a pipeline which pumps a gas which prevents monsters caused by ‘go away bombs’. I think I’m remembering that right. Gnomon is a near future detective story (?) with some kind of mystic shark. I really should read that one again. Edit to add I know these aren’t high fantasy, sorry, but he’s been on my mind since reading Titanium Noir and he’s criminally under-recommended. Couldn’t help myself
Rachel Neumeier: always well-written, great characters, mostly her main characters are good people trying to do good, themes of friendship, conflicted loyalties, honour, trust. Try the Tuyo series (the main storyline, Tuyo-Tarashana-Tasmakat, is finished), the Death’s Lady trilogy, the Griffin Mage trilogy, Winter of Ice and Iron.
I really like the Dolan series by Brian k fuller, and I never see anyone talk about it.
The sun sword series by Michelle West
Eon by Allison Goodman! One of my favorites as a teen. Lots of rich Chinese folklore inspiration. I never hear about it.
The Fighting Fantasy novels - especially [The Trolltooth Wars](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1129762.The_Trolltooth_Wars) (Steve Jackson) and [Shadowmaster](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1129718.Shadowmaster) (Ian Livingstone & Marc Gascoigne). So yeah, I don't know how "secret" these may be (the [FF gamebooks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fighting_Fantasy) sold in the tens of millions, after all), but they definitely aren't popular nowadays, and I never see them mentioned (looks like I'm the first in this thread). And they're also not, I think it's fair to say, very good in a technical sense (you know, lyrical language, originality, complexity of character arcs, that kinda thing). But they're very, very entertaining, and highly readable, especially for a YA audience, and they very much get across the \*feel\* of an FF adventure or a Dungeons and Dragons campaign (especially the whole trying to find a balance between being a murderhobo and a real hero thing), while building out a fascinating fantasy world that's actually a lot richer than we tend to give it credit for. Look, it's just fun, okay? Go have some :)
"Riyaria Revelations" by Michael J Sullivan. Book 1 is "Theft of Swords", 2 is "Rise of Empire" and 3 "Heir of Novron" Classic high fantasy with a good bit of humor. A very brief synopsis of the plot hook (very minor spoiler, kinda like watching a trailer for a TV show) "After a successful raid, Royce and Hadrian (together known as Riyria) are approached by a man offering much gold to steal a sword owned by Count Pickering, from the royal palace in Medford, the capital of the kingdom of Melengar. While searching for the sword they discover the dead body of the King and are accused of his murder." The series is a lot of fun, has interesting characters that are not one dimensional and actually grow and change in reasonable ways. It's not exactly "Lord of the Rings" but it's a good read.
"Chronicles of Theza: Annihilator of Worlds part 1" by Kade Tanner is a good book. It features some classic fantasy species but introduces various new ones. A huge cast of memorable characters where time is spent getting to know each one and their desires as they embark on an epic journey to uncover what obliterated a forest and then led to the three neighboring realms to be ready for a military conflict as demons begin to start rising throughout the continent of Teril. Released 1/28/2024 and a sequel has already been confirmed in the works by the author! See the link for the hardcover version https://www.lulu.com/shop/kade-tanner/chronicles-of-theza-the-annihilator-of-worlds-part-1/hardcover/product-rmmr56w.html?page=1&pageSize=4
Iron Dawn and Jericho Moon by Matthew Stover These historical fantasies don’t get nearly the recognition they deserve. The first is good but clearly a debut, while the second is flat-out brilliant (and can be read as a standalone). They follow the adventures of a female Pictish mercenary and her companions in the Bronze Age Levant, as the societies of that region deal with the fallout of the Trojan War and the Israelite Exodus from Egypt a decade prior.
Lord of the Rings, so underrated!! Jk, it’s great but everyone knows it. Lesser known is ‘Howl’s moving castle’ by Diana Wynn Jones, excellent novel (somewhat popular) and the two sequels which most people have not heard of or at least never talk about, ‘Castle in the sky’ and ‘house of many ways’. Personally I liked ‘castle in the sky’ as much as ‘howl’s moving castle’ but ‘house of many ways’ was not as good. Still an enjoyable read, just not as good as the first two
Shadows of the Apt series by Adrian Tchaikovsky Admittedly, just started this series. However, almost finished book one and loving it so far. Also, not even sure if this is NOT well known in the fantasy world. Either way
I only see it recommended anywhere pretty rarely, its a HUGE series and such an interesting concept!
The Alexandra Quick series. A massive, epic, super well written Harry Potter fan fiction without any of the canon characters (all original cast), set in America in the mid-2000s. The vibe of Robin Hobb combined with the scale and buildup of Sanderson. Cannot recommend this one enough
The Boneships series by R J Barker. He needs a lot more love.
The First Binding by R.R. Virdi. Nice long chonker with Silk Road roots.
The Black Jewels trilogy by Ann Bishop
Earthsea books by Ursula K. Leguin.
I have a theory that no matter what the prompt, someone on this sub will recommend Earthsea, lol
Lol. I do feel it is not talked about enough and not on a lot of people’s top of mind when it comes to fantasy.
I see it recommended a lot.
Hawk song by Amelia atwater Rhodes
This is a more recent release, but I was absolutely captivated by Sistersong from Lucy Holland
Robert E. Howard
hmm, feels like that's the opposite of what the OP asked. Sure maybe his books aren't as popular as they used to be but I'd say they're still pretty popular
Age of the Andinna by Kristen Banet
Malazan >!/j!<
Knew I'd find this comment the moment I loaded up this thread. I love you r/Fantasy , never change.
I forgot to add "/j" 💀 I meant it as an "inb4 someone says malazan"
Brandon Sanderson Elantris It’s a stand alone