Classic Fantasy Books Readers Of All Ages Will Enjoy

When we think of classic fantasy books, most people, like myself, think of The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. So naturally, I had to include the three-book series as the first recommendation. 

This story begins with the hobbit Bilbo Baggins on his birthday, when he embarks on a quest to save Middle-earth from Sauron by destroying the One Ring Sauron covets with the Fellowship of the Rings. 

A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K Le Guin follows the great sorcerer, Ged, as a young adult named Sparrowhawk. He unleashes a terrible evil on the world and then is tasked with repairing the damage he causes. This story follows his life as he attempts to learn and become the great sorcerer Ged.

Originally intended to be a trilogy, the Earthsea Cycle is now a completed fantasy series made up of six addicting books for you to enjoy as you discover more about the world and it's characters.

A more contemporary take on fantasy, but still a classic, is Eragon by Christopher Paolini. The titular character, a poor farm boy, finds a bright blue stone, which turns out to be a dragon’s egg, and his world is turned upside down. What happens next could save or destroy the Empire. The bond between Eragon and Seraphina, his dragon companion, is remarkable and allows the reader to be swept up in a magical adventure of epic proportions.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis is another example of classic fantasy that comes to mind when anyone asks me to think of fantasy books. This series is great for both children and adults, and once you finish reading, you can enjoy the story all over again by watching the movies.

The first book in the series follows four Pevensie children who are displaced by World War II and taken in by an elderly gentleman. While exploring the house, the children discover a hidden world called Narnia, hidden behind a wardrobe. The children must free Narnia from the clutches of the White Witch with the help of Aslan, the great lion. 

Return to the Grishaverse with Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, where protagonist Kaz Brekker is tasked with a deadly heist, but he has to recruit five more people to pull it off. One becomes six when Inej, Wylan, Matthias, Nina, and Jeesper join him. To succeed, the group of outcasts must work together and use their talents to pull off the heist. 

This was one of my favourite books/series of the past decade, and I loved that it was adapted into the show Shadow and Bone on Netflix. If you haven’t read / watched it already, I can’t recommend it enough!

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle is a young adult science fantasy novel that was published in the 60’s. This book is part of the Time Quintet series, which includes four more magical books worth every minute of your time.

In this book, Meg Wallace and her brother, Charles, embark on a quest to save their father, who disappears while researching time travel. The two, alongside their new friends, must travel through space to find him and stop the forces of evil.

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn is a retelling of the well-known Arthurian legend, but for a new audience. 

Bree Matthews loses her mother and takes the opportunity to attend her mother’s alma mater, UNC-Chapel Hill. 

Once there, she is embroiled in a secret society and a magical war and discovers her mother’s death might not have been the accident she thought it was all along. 

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi is a classic story for a new generation of fantasy readers. 

Zelie remembers the times before magic disappeared, but that all changed when a ruthless king killed all of the maji, including Zelie’s mother. 

Following this event, Zelie discovers a way to restore magic to her people, and with the help of a rogue princess, she attempts to do so. 

Will she succeed, or will her powers and feelings get out of control along the way? You’ll need to add this book to your TBR list and read it as soon as possible to find out.