10 Fantasy Books You Need To Read, According to Brandon Sanderson

Brandon Sanderson has built a career on enormous fantasy worlds, intricate magic systems, sprawling casts, and stories that reward readers for paying close attention. Yet his own reading recommendations reveal tastes that extend well beyond the kind of epic fantasy he writes himself. From historical fantasy and romantic adventure to dark comedy and gangster-inspired magic, his picks cover a very broad stretch of the genre.

Sanderson has specifically recommended several of these books through his website and other public discussions, praising everything from Barbara Hambly's influence on his early love of fantasy to Patrick Rothfuss' prose and Melanie Rawn's epic storytelling. A few of the selections also come from books and authors he has enthusiastically discussed more recently.

10 The Black Prism by Brent Weeks

Published in 2010, The Black Prism begins Brent Weeks' five-book Lightbringer series and introduces a magic system based on color. Drafters manipulate different colors of light, while the rare Prism, Gavin Guile, is capable of working across the spectrum. The story also follows Kip, a young man whose connection to Gavin changes everything he believes about his identity.

Sanderson's official site has featured a particularly enthusiastic recommendation from him for The Black Prism, in particular, calling it one of the most entertaining books he had read. That recommendation is revealing because Weeks combines detailed magical rules, political maneuvering, and escalating revelations in a way likely to appeal to readers who enjoy Sanderson's own style.

9 Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay

First published in 1990, Tigana takes place on the Peninsula of the Palm, a divided region influenced by the history and culture of Renaissance Italy. Two powerful sorcerers, Brandin of Ygrath and Alberico of Barbadior, have conquered much of the peninsula, while survivors of Tigana struggle to reclaim their homeland.

The main idea is especially haunting, because Brandin uses magic to erase Tigana's name and history from the memories of people who were not born there. Sanderson has repeatedly singled out Tigana as one of his top fantasy recommendations, making it an especially useful choice for readers who want political fantasy where the emotional stakes are tied to memory, identity, and cultural survival.

8 Dragonsbane by Barbara Hambly

Barbara Hambly's Dragonsbane, published in 1985, follows witch Jenny Waynest and lord John Aversin after Prince Gareth asks them to confront the dragon threatening the kingdom. Rather than presenting the characters as youthful chosen ones, Hambly centers the story on adults with complicated responsibilities, making the book feel noticeably different from many traditional coming-of-age fantasies.

Sanderson has explained that Dragonsbane helped get him into fantasy and particularly remembered being introduced to it as a young reader despite its middle-aged heroine. That distinction mattered to him: instead of another story about characters his own age, he encountered a fantasy centered on someone whose life experience was fundamentally different.

7 The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin

N.K. Jemisin's 2010 debut novel, The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, opens the Inheritance Trilogy and follows Yeine Darr after she is summoned to the floating city of Sky following her mother's mysterious death. There, she discovers that she has been named one of the potential heirs to a powerful throne and becomes trapped in a dangerous struggle for power.

Sanderson included the novel on his public recommendation list, alongside several authors he considers essential fantasy reading. Jemisin's approach stands out for the way divine beings, political power, and family conflict intersect, creating a story that feels considerably stranger than a conventional royal succession fantasy while still delivering the large-scale stakes readers expect from epic fantasy.

6 Going Postal by Terry Pratchett

Published in 2004, Going Postal is the 33rd Discworld novel and introduces one of Terry Pratchett's most memorable protagonists, Moist von Lipwig. A professional con artist facing execution is instead given a government job by Lord Vetinari: rebuilding Ankh-Morpork's collapsing postal service while competing with the powerful clacks communication system.

Sanderson has said that Going Postal was his favorite Pratchett novel at the time of his recommendation, while also advising readers not to begin Discworld with Pratchett's earliest books. His praise highlights how much the later Discworld novels had developed in humor, sophistication and social commentary, making this a strong entry point for readers who want fantasy with plenty of wit.

5 Glamourist Histories by Mary Robinette Kowal

Mary Robinette Kowal's Glamourist Histories is a five-book series beginning with Shades of Milk and Honey in 2010 and concluding with Of Noble Family in 2015. Set in an alternate Regency-era England, the books imagine "glamour" as a form of magic used to create elaborate illusions, particularly among women expected to master the refined arts of their society.

Sanderson's praise for the series is especially direct: he has described the books as an ideal combination of adventure, character, and magic. The series also has a personal connection to Sanderson through Writing Excuses, the long-running podcast Kowal co-hosted with him and other writers. For readers who enjoy romance, historical detail and low-key magical intrigue, this is one of his more unusual recommendations.

4 The Green Bone Saga by Fonda Lee

Fonda Lee's Green Bone Saga begins with Jade City, published in 2017, and follows rival clans in the fictional island nation of Kekon. Its magic revolves around jade, a resource that gives trained users enhanced physical abilities, while the broader story draws inspiration from organized crime, martial arts cinema and modern East Asian settings.

Sanderson has specifically recommended the "Jade books," describing Jade City as a fantasy world inspired by mid-20th-century Hong Kong gangster stories and praising its combination of magic and criminal-family drama. The trilogy is particularly notable for making family loyalty, economics, and political influence as important as battles and supernatural abilities.

3 Dragon Prince by Melanie Rawn

Published by DAW Books in 1988, Dragon Prince is the first novel in Melanie Rawn's original Dragon Prince trilogy. It introduces Rohan, ruler of the Desert, and Sioned, a Sunrunner witch destined to become his bride. Their relationship develops alongside political maneuvering, magical conflict and a struggle to protect the last dragons.

Sanderson has been remarkably emphatic about this recommendation, calling Dragon Prince one of his favorite books of all time. He has also described Rawn's epic fantasy as the part of her work he particularly enjoys. The combination of romance, dynastic politics, prophecy and magic makes the novel a strong choice for readers who prefer character relationships to matter as much as warfare.

2 The Devils by Joe Abercrombie

Joe Abercrombie's The Devils arrived in 2025 as the first book in a new series. It imagines a Europe threatened by invading elves, where plague and famine spread while Brother Diaz is tasked with assembling a group of convicted monsters. Their mission is to put a thief on the throne of Troy and unite a divided church before catastrophe arrives.

Sanderson's connection to the book goes beyond simply reading it: he interviewed Abercrombie during the author's 2025 tour and praised The Devils for its combination of humor, pacing, characters and darker elements. He compared its energy to the kind of experience readers once got from Terry Pratchett, making this a particularly interesting recommendation for fans of fantasy that is both brutal and funny.

1 The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

Patrick Rothfuss' The Name of the Wind introduces Kvothe, who recounts his extraordinary life story, from childhood tragedy and years on the streets to his education at a university for magic. First published in 2007, the novel places enormous emphasis on music, language, reputation and the storytelling process itself, giving its fantasy setting a distinctly literary quality.

Sanderson has repeatedly recommended the novel, calling Rothfuss a genius and placing The Name of the Wind alongside Tigana and Dragonsbane among his major fantasy recommendations. He has also praised its magic system, noting its unusual blend of science, historical pseudoscience and wonder. For Brandon Sanderson readers, it offers a more lyrical alternative to traditional epic fantasy while retaining an intricate magical core.