If you're a fan of Game of Thrones, Wheel of Time or His Dark Materials, and looking for your next world to escape to then look know further. Our curated list of Epic fantasies allows you step into worlds of ancient magic, explore beautiful, expansive worlds, and follow a cast of complex characters on magical quests or epic journeys. Prepare to lose yourself in a new epic fantasy, so well-drawn you'll never want to leave.
The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson
The first book in a masterfully woven and playfully inventive epic adult fantasy from award-winning author Antonia Hodgson, The Raven Scholar follows one scholar's quest to uncover the truth. She might win the throne. She might destroy an empire. Either way, it begins with murder.
After twenty-four years on the throne, it is time for Bersun the Brusque, emperor of Orrun, to bring his reign to an end. In the dizzying heat of mid-summer, seven contenders will compete to replace him.
Trained at rival monasteries, each contender is inspired by a sacred animal - Fox, Raven, Tiger, Ox, Bear, Monkey, and Hound. An eighth - the Dragon proxy - will be revealed only once the trials have begun. Eight exceptional warriors, thinkers, strategists - the best of the best.
Then one of them is murdered.
Full of imperial intrigue, cutthroat competition, and one scholar's quest to uncover the truth, The Raven Scholar is an epic fantasy for the ages, and one you won't be able to put down.
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Sister Wake by Dave Rudden
The first in a high fantasy trilogy, Sister Wake is an unputdownable epic fantasy inspired by Ireland’s history of rebellion and fight for independence.
For three hundred years the wild island of Croí has been subject to the Empire of the Answering. Clans have been subjugated, their language outlawed, their religion reduced to the whisper of fugitive priests. Until Croí's prayers are answered. The Gods return. Feral and majestic, they stride the land as colossi, throwing the Empire into chaos.
The dispossessed and the vengeful struggle for power. A ruthless priestess rallies the faithful, offering a simple choice - believe, or die - even as the empire's Queen makes the first moves in a long and dangerous game. But for all their machinations, one woman will decide the fate of them all . . . Sister Wake, unwilling saint of the Goddess of Death.
With the help of their newly arisen gods, Croí is finally about to fight back against the Empire of the Answering - but are the gods on their side, after all?
Exquisite and expansive world-building, leap off the page characters and a pacey, action-packed plot, Dave Rudden is a hugely exciting new voice in the genre. Sister Wake is not to be missed.
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Saltswept by Katalina Watt
If you’re looking for a swashbuckling epic fantasy brimming with found family, high-seas adventure, and lush mythology, then Katalina Watt’s Saltswept is the perfect voyage to embark on!
A pirate awaiting the gallows. A farmer desperate to save her daughter. An acolyte whose priestesshood proves more curse than blessing. Alongside a sly pickpocket and a talking ottercat, this ragtag crew set out on the most impossible of quests: to sail into the Maelstrom—a raging whirlpool from which no one has ever returned—and uncover the treasure hidden within.
But their fragile alliance will be tested at every turn. Beyond riches, the fate of the world’s magic hangs in the balance, and the barrier between life and death grows dangerously thin. Meanwhile, in the Bastion, the queen’s insatiable thirst threatens to consume everything.
Lyrical and vibrant, Saltswept is the first book in an epic duology inspired by Southeast Asian mythology. This is a dazzling tale of honour, betrayal, and the bonds that can be forged on the high seas.
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The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
A peculiar crime. A brilliant investigator. A mystery of epic proportions. The Tainted Cup is immersive fantasy reimagining of the classic crime novel from the the bestselling author of The Founders Trilogy.
In an opulent mansion at the borders of the Empire, an Imperial officer lies dead - killed when a tree spontaneously erupted from his body. Even here, where contagions abound and the blood of the Leviathans works strange magical changes, it's a death at once terrifying and impossible. Called in to solve the crime is the eccentric dectective, Ana Dolabra, and her new assistant, Dinios Kol, an engraver, magically altered to possess a perfect memory.
Prepare to be captivated by Robert Jackson Bennetts' immersive world-building and formidable characters, whilst enjoying all the twists and turns of a classic whodunnit.
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Written on the Dark by Guy Gavriel Kay
If you’re searching for an epic fantasy that blends sweeping history with lyrical storytelling, then Guy Gavriel Kay’s Written on the Dark is a must-read.
Thierry Villar is a notorious tavern poet, more at home among rogues and shadows than in the halls of power. But when a bitterly cold night in his beloved city of Orane pulls him into the deadly games of kings, assassins, and armies, Thierry finds himself caught in a struggle that could tear his country apart.
As war looms and rival factions vie for control, Thierry must rely on his wit and charm to survive. Along the way, he encounters his poetic equal in an aristocratic woman, and a young woman driven by voices to heal the ailing king and rally his forces. Together, they form part of a vivid tapestry of characters whose lives intertwine against the backdrop of ambition, art, and memory.
Sweeping yet intimate, Written on the Dark is a masterful tale of power, beauty, and the human need to leave something behind. It’s an unforgettable addition to the canon of epic fantasy—perfect for readers who crave stories that are as rich in emotion as they are in grandeur.
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The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams
If you’re looking for a classic epic fantasy that defined a generation, then Tad Williams’ The Dragonbone Chair is the perfect place to begin.
Simon is a bored, restless fourteen-year-old kitchen boy whose life changes forever when he’s apprenticed to the castle’s resident wizard, Doctor Morgenes. What begins as lessons in reading and writing quickly spirals into something far greater, as forces beyond his imagination gather to reshape the world of Osten Ard.
When Good King John dies, the realm is thrown into chaos. His sons battle for control of the fabled Dragonbone Chair—the throne and symbol of power—and civil war erupts. Simon is forced to flee the only home he has ever known, embarking on a perilous journey that will test his courage, loyalty, and heart in ways he never dreamed possible.
With The Dragonbone Chair, Tad Williams introduced readers to the unforgettable world of Osten Ard and launched the internationally bestselling Memory, Sorrow and Thorn series. Sweeping, immersive, and richly detailed, this is epic fantasy at its finest—the kind of story that stays with you long after you’ve turned the last page.