7 Epic Fantasy Books To Read If You Love The Wheel Of Time

Published Oct 4, 2026, 6:00 PM EDT Once head of Screen Rant's Star Wars coverage and co-lead of Superheroes, Tom Bacon now works with the movies and books teams. He's a lifelong fan of the fantasy and sci-fi genres, and loves franchises such as Doctor Who and Marvel. You can find him on Twitter @TomABacon, on LinkedIn @tabacon, or on Muckrack under tombacon. Tom has a wide range of interests, and he continues to serve his university as a volunteer chaplain. He's heavily involved with his local church, and anyone who checks him out on Twitter will swiftly learn he's into British politics too. Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time is undeniably one of the best, biggest epic fantasy series of all time. That's all the more amusing given he initially planned it to be a trilogy, maybe a little longer if necessary; but his publisher knew he tended to run long, and instead gave him a contract for six books. In the end, The Wheel of Time spanned 14 books (including a prequel). The series was actually finished by Brandon Sanderson after Robert Jordan's passing, using the original author's notes. There's no fantasy series that can quite match The Wheel of Time. Jordan's story is unparalleled in every way; he has one of the best magic systems in fantasy, the characters are incredibly well-developed, and the whole world is wonderfully immersive. But if you want something like The Wheel of Time, there are other fantasy series that are well worth diving into. 7 The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson Let's start with one by Brandon Sanderson himself, the man who finished The Wheel of Time. Sanderson's ever-expanding Stormlight Archive saga kicked off in 2010 with The Way of Kings, and the author intends it to run to ten novels in total (there have currently been five books and two novellas). The Way of Kings immediately drops readers into a sweeping world packed with delightful, memorable characters. The Stormlight Archive isn't easy to get into; Sanderson is like Jordan in his length, meaning these books are quite a commitment. But they're worth it, because The Stormlight Archive keeps getting better. Even the side characters become truly compelling, and Sanderson is undoubtedly to be praised for the cutting wit possessed by some of his heroes. Consider this unmissable. You can buy The Stormlight Archive from retailers like Amazon. 6 Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson Canadian author Steve Run Lundin writes under the pen name of Steven Erikson, and he's best known for a ten-volume epic collected as the Malazan Book of the Fallen. A contemporary of Jordan, he's known for a much faster writing speed — although he joked a near-death experience while doing archeology gave him extra motivation to finish the series. The Malazan Book of the Fallen began in 1999 with Gardens of the Moon, and there's a sense in which it has an even more vast scale than Wheel of Time. This story, after all, spans thousands of years. The first five books are relatively self-contained, but the stories become increasingly interwoven as the story continues. Erikson has been compared to the likes of Joseph Conrad, Henry James, and Fyodor Dostoevsky as a true master of his craft. Malazan was originally created for a Dungeons and Dragons game, and it shows, because this is one of the most glorious and well-defined worlds in fantasy. You can buy Gardens of the Moon from retailers like Amazon. 5 The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien No list like this would be complete without the ultimate epic fantasy: J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. Memorably adapted by Peter Jackson, these three books pretty much define the entire genre. The world-building is impeccable, the characters are wonderful, and the scale is unforgettable. Jackson had to skip quite a lot for his movies (including the notable character of Tom Bombadil), so these are worth reading however much you love the films. It’s true The Lord of the Rings will feel rather familiar to lovers of epic fantasy. But that’s only because Tolkien set the standard for every writer who followed him; it’s impossible to write epic fantasy without being in a dialogue with Tolkien in some way. And if you've already read these books, here's the simple truth: it's never too soon for a re-read. You can buy The Lord of the Rings from retailers like Amazon. 4 Shannara by Terry Brooks Welcome to Shannara, the incredible fantasy universe created by Terry Brooks back in 1977; Brooks penned his final Shannara novel in 2020, and has now handed it over to Delilah S. Dawson to continue exploring this post-apocalyptic world. This stunning fantasy series is set in a future Earth, one where nuclear war has ravaged the planet, and it tells the story of the Four Lands: humans now coexist (or not) with dwarves, elves, trolls, and gnomes. The Sword of Shannara was the first ever book published by Del Rey, and its success came as a major shot in the arm to the entire fantasy genre. Robert Jordan and Terry Brooks seem to have respected one another a great deal, and many have suggested Brooks was actually one of the authors who influenced The Wheel of Time. You can buy Shannara from retailers like Amazon. 3 Dragonriders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern explores so many similar ideas to those Robert Jordan would use: powerful psychic bonds, unusually prominent female characters, stratified societies where supernatural talents determine social position, and wonderful world-building. American-Irish author Anne McCaffrey launched the franchise in 1967 with Dragonflight, and it continues to expand today (with the help of her son, Todd McCaffrey). This is a very different kind of universe, science-fantasy rather than pure fantasy. Humans have colonized the planet Pern, but have forgotten most of their history as well as technology. This is a world where humans have telepathic bonds with dragons (yes, McCaffrey foreshadowed the magical bonds now common in dragon fantasy stories such as Fourth Wing). If you love sprawling, epic fantasy, Dragonriders of Pern is pretty much unparalleled. You can buy Dragonflight from retailers like Amazon. 2 Realm of the Elderlings by Robin Hobb Robin Hobb is the pen name of Margaret Astrid Lindholm Ogden, and it is mostly associated with Realm of the Elderlings. An epic high fantasy series that explores a single world, this is divided into a range of trilogies (and one four-book series). Hobb is particularly well-known for the depth of her character work, which really sets her apart from every other fantasy author; there's nobody quite like her in this genre. Hobb takes a slow-burn approach to world-building, one that really pays off and makes the story feel wonderfully immersive. Unlike Jordan, she tends not to invest quite as much in cosmic battles and warring armies. Jordan and Hobb feel very much like different poles of the epic fantasy genre, with Jordan focused on long-form plotting, while Hobb is all about character connections. You can buy The Farseer Trilogy from retailers like Amazon. 1 First Law by Joe Abercrombie Finally, Joe Abercrombie's epic First Law series is very different to traditional fantasy. Like George R.R. Martin, Abercrombie disliked the "shiny and heroic" fantasies that seemed a little too simplistic, so he resolved to create a very different kind of world. Rather than embracing the conventions of classic epic fantasy, First Law tends to subvert them, often reacting against them. That makes it a very different kind of read, even if it's just as enjoyable as Jordan. Jordan tends to follow the classic Hero's Journey, taking a character like Rand al'Thor and questioning whether he can become the Dragon Reborn, the man the world needs him to be. First Law deliberately challenges this, asking whether change is easy or even possible, deliberately setting up the same kind of trajectory but raising an eyebrow at them in the most creative way. Jordan creates mythology, but Abercrombie interrogates it, even using reader assumptions for Gandalf and Moiraine-like characters to deceive his readers. It's the perfect follow-on from The Wheel of Time. You can buy the initial First Law Trilogy from retailers like Amazon. The Wheel of Time TV Show(s) The Wheel of Time Video Game(s) The Wheel of Time First TV Show The Wheel of Time Cast Rosamund Pike, Daniel Henney, Zoe Robins, Madeleine Madden, Josha Stradowski, Dónal Finn, Marcus Rutherford, Ceara Coveney, Kae Alexander, Ayoola Smart, Sophie Okonedo, Jennifer Cheon Garcia, Alexandre Willaume, Álvaro Morte Created by Robert Jordan, Brandon Sanderson Latest TV Show The Wheel of Time