It’s the most wonderful time of the year: International Hobbit Day (September 22nd). This beloved holiday is a time to revisit J.R.R. Tolkien’s iconic books, especially The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings series.
But if you’re like me, after you’re done rereading those, you might want another fantasy book to sink into. One that’s different, but with the same things you love about The Lord of the Rings.
These ten fantasy books, like The Lord of the Rings, have many of the qualities that made this book special. Detailed worldbuilding. Memorable heroes and villains. Beautiful descriptions of the land our characters travel through. Quests, magic, and monsters galore. And beneath all of that high fantasy goodness, a compelling story with meaningful themes that leave us feeling different than we were before.
Are you looking for books like The Lord of the Rings?
The Broken Sword by Poul Anderson
“Happier are all men than the beings of faerie – or the gods, for that matter,’ he said. ‘Better a life like a falling star, brief and bright across the dark, than the long, long waiting of the immortals, loveless and cheerlessly wise.”
Published the same year as The Fellowship of the Ring, this epic fantasy written by Poul Anderson can be described as “ The Lord of the Rings , but with Vikings .”
Born to human parents, our hero, Scafloc, was kidnapped by elves, who swapped him out for a monster. But, when Scafloc is sent on a journey to repair a sword (broken by, of course, Thor), he finds himself right back where it all started, face to face with the beast that replaced him.
The Broken Sword reads as a lyrical epic inspired by the same works that Tolkien loved so much, like the Iliad, but based on Scandinavian legends instead of English folklore. Scafloc is a brooding man in the midst of people that resemble Tolkien’s own immortal elves, except with a sinister edge.
Though this story is fairytale-like, it has a grim undertone that modernizes it more than other books of its time. In a world where humans are the pawns of gods and the threat of monsters
Ombria in Shadow by Patricia A. McKillip
“Parts of the city's past lay within time's reach, beneath the streets in great old limestone tunnels: the hovels and mansions and sunken river that Ombria shrugged off like a forgotten skin, and buried beneath itself through the centuries.”
This book is about two cities: Ombria and the ghost-filled city beneath it. The story begins with a tragedy: After the king dies, his wicked aunt wastes no time in kicking out his mistress, Lydea, and capturing the little crown prince.
Lydea, now doomed to the streets, finds help in a little girl who may or may not be made of wax. Covering her heartbreak with fury for the young prince’s capture, Lydea and the wax girl team up with the late king’s strange nephew to save him.
Like the two cities—one light and one shadowed—this book is a journey through duality. It reads like a fairytale but is grounded in real-world consequences. It’s dreamy, but realistic. There’s a grim tinge to the world, but it still has moments of fantastical brevity that Tolkien would often weave through The Lord of the Rings. The characters are also very endearing and clever with each interaction, which makes the story even more entertaining.
Lud-in-the-Mist by Hope Mirrlees
“The country people, indeed, did not always clearly distinguish between the Fairies and the dead. They called them both the 'Silent People'; and the Milky Way they thought was the path along which the dead were carried to Fairyland.”
Though it was released 30 years before Tolkien’s iconic trilogy, Lud-in-the-Mist has an impact to this day, inspiring the likes of Neil Gaiman and Susanna Clark.
Rather than a grand quest, this book mostly takes place in the city of Lud-in-the-Mist , a place that lies along the river that flows from the sinister land of fairies. Anything to do with what lies on the other end of the river is forbidden, but when Mayor Nathaniel Chanticleer’s son literally eats the forbidden fruit, Chanticleer is driven by desperation to delve into the secrets of Fairyland.
The scope of this story is much smaller than The Lord of the Rings, but it feels like reading a story set in Middle Earth that all takes place in one town. The vibes of this story are absolutely gorgeous, with lush descriptions of the town and the surrounding nature. Every single character is alive on the page, all of them interesting and lovely. Plus, there’s British charm written all over every page.
The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett
“If complete and utter chaos was lightning, then he'd be the sort to stand on a hilltop in a thunderstorm wearing wet copper armour and shouting 'All gods are bastards!’”
If The Lord of the Rings and Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy had a love affair, it would be this book. Terry Pratchett shows off his worldbuilding prowess by introducing us to Discworld, a planet that is simultaneously absurd and compelling.
Our main characters are a bizarre trio: an idiot wizard, a precious ray of sunshine, and a vicious guard dog. Unfortunately, the guard dog is also a walking treasure chest, so the trio is forced to travel all over the planet to avoid the powerful beings that seek to take the treasure for themselves.
The Color of Magic is witty, smart, and surprisingly impressive in how detailed the world is. If you’re a high fantasy lover like me, you’ve probably seen the same general story and worldbuilding cliches a few times. Steeped in originality, this gem is a breath of fresh air.
The King of Elfland’s Daughter by Edward J. M. D. Plunkett, Lord Dunsany
“And she would not hold back his limbs when his heart was gone to the woods, for it is ever the way of witches with any two things to care for the more mysterious of the two.”
A 100-year-old romantasy for the ages. This 1924 book introduces us to Prince Alveric, who has had a bizarre quest thrust upon him: Because the people of the land demand there be magic in the royal bloodline, the King sends his son on a journey to take the elven princess in the enchanted forest as his bride. Though he faces witches and horrors, the real danger of his quest isn’t at all what he expects.
On the surface level, this story is about the whimsy of wild magic and ethereal elves. But deeper, this is a still-relevant commentary on how our homes make us who we are and the negative impact it has on others when we elevate our own cultures above others. Beyond the beautiful writing, The King of Elfland’s Daughter forces us to give a hard look at our own pride and the consequences that come with it.
The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
“And so, does the destination matter? Or is it the path we take? I declare that no accomplishment has substance nearly as great as the road used to achieve it. We are not creatures of destinations. It is the journey that shapes us. Our callused feet, our backs strong from carrying the weight of our travels, our eyes open with the fresh delight of experiences lived.”
If your favorite thing about Tolkien’s work is the almost obsessive level of detail put into worldbuilding, then it is absolutely imperative that you check out Brandon Sanderson’s The Stormlight Archive series.
There are many expertly juggled storylines in the first book, but it begins with a soldier-turned-slave and a young scholar/wannabe thief.
In a world battered by supernatural storms like Category 1000 hurricanes, a war is fought against a bizarre enemy army. But underneath it all is a conspiracy that puts the entire point of the war into question.
Besides all of the Middle Earth literature, Sanderson’s series possibly has the most detailed worldbuilding I have ever read. The Way of Kings destroys the limits of what fantasy worlds can look like, from the alien landscape to the many detailed cultures in the land. The level of complexity in the world, plot, and characters would bring a proud scholarly tear to Professor Tolkien’s eye.
The Worm Ouroboros by E. R. Eddison
“The sun stooped to the western waves, entering his bath of blood-red fire. He sank, and all the ways were darkened.”
This is a special one: The Worm Ouroboros is one of the works that Tolkien credits as being the inspiration for The Lord of the Rings. Extremely reminiscent of old poems like The Canterbury Tales (though not as hard to read), this is a book about a grand war between noble demon warriors and the sinister King of Witchland. Through beautiful, almost archaic language, E.R. Eddison takes the reader across fog-shrouded mountaintops and deep ocean floors.
Surface-level, this might seem like a tough read. But underneath the fancy language is a genuinely interesting commentary about the cycle of war and the sad reasons why war comes about. Though inspired by old epic poems, the characters we meet throughout this book are complex, flawed heroes that are faced with treachery in their friendships. Also, some absolutely wild things happen in this story, so you’re in for a rollercoaster of a time.
The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
“As the Wheel of Time turns, places wear many names. Men wear many names, many faces. Different faces, but always the same man. Yet no one knows the Great Pattern the Wheel weaves, or even the Pattern of an Age. We can only watch, and study, and hope.”
The beginning of The Wheel of Time series is both praised and criticized as being heavily inspired by The Lord of the Rings. If you’re looking for a story and worldbuilding similar to Tolkien’s series but unique in its own way, The Eye of the World will be both familiar and refreshing for you.
This is a tale as old as time: A magical stranger whisks a group of friends away to go on a quest to defeat the dark lord. The band of adventurers goes on a quest across this beautiful world, beginning a journey that has captured the hearts of the fantasy community.
Like I said, those familiar with The Lord of the Rings will see the similarities, but you can tell the author was intentional about making the concept his own . While The Lord of the Rings leans more on the “good versus evil” theme, The Eye of the World focuses more on morally gray situations. This reveals the nuance in the characters as they are forced to grapple with the hard choices they must make.
Sir Hereward and Mister Fitz by Garth Nix
“Hereward knew as well as he that if it came to fighting, and the arts the puppet employed, there would be no choosing who among those who opposed them lived or died.”
In a world of gods, both sleeping and waking, two travelers wander the land: Sir Hereward the witch-knight and Mister Fitz the puppet-sorcerer. But the pair aren’t the mercenaries they seem to be since they’re on a mission to slay the gods.
I was originally wary of this book because it’s a short story collection with not much in the way of an overarching plot. However, each individual story is so strong and entertaining that it’s easily one of my favorites.
Think of it as an episodic fantasy story that takes us from pirate adventures to snowy expeditions, with a plethora of magical creatures and iconic side characters to keep us company.
While the stories range from darker to lighthearted, all of them pack an emotional punch . Our two main characters are loveable, and their longstanding friendship is a joy to watch unfold.
A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
“I had forgotten how much light there is in the world, till you gave it back to me.”
It’s easy to see why this iconic book is compared to The Lord of the Rings so much: Ursula K. Le Guin mastered a beautiful writing style similar to the one Tolkien’s stories are known for.
A Wizard of Earthsea follows Ged, an arrogant but powerful wizard who rejects common sense time and time again until his luck runs out. Originally a village nobody, Ged finds himself pulled away from his mundane life by a fatherly woodland wizard. But once he finds out about an elite wizard school in a nearby city, Ged chooses the path of glory rather than the path of wisdom.
Throughout his journey, the reader experiences the waterlogged world of Earthsea, which is made up of sparse continents and many islands occupied by people and magical creatures alike. The descriptions of Ged traveling Earthsea are vivid, immersing you completely into the setting.
There’s also something really special about every single character in this book. Some are introduced for just one chapter, or even a page, and never seen again. But I found myself caring about them so much in such a short period because of how skilled the author is at writing powerfully emotional scenes, even in quiet moments. And though he has a bumpy start, Ged’s friendships are meaningful, reminding me of the loyalty between Sam and Frodo.
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