The 10 Greatest Final Lines in Fantasy Books, Ranked

Image via Ballantine Books Published Oct 28, 2026, 8:20 AM EDT Sign in to your Collider account Warning: Spoilers for every book discussed! Writing itself is an art form, and it's not an easy thing to master. It's equally difficult to paint a picture with words as it is to paint a picture with actual paints, although the two forms require two different skill sets. Writing isn't just slapping words onto paper: it's weaving a tapestry, using only the reader's imagination as a canvas. While writing can be hard enough on its own, one of the hardest aspects of it is coming up with an ending to a story. The ending is one of the most vital pieces of a story, and it's important to ensure it feels appropriate and satisfying while also leaving the audience with some sort of key takeaway. In the realm of fantasy literature, there have been a lot of books that have delivered some really interesting final lines, which have become renowned not just for tying the story up in a neat little bow, but for how they leave their readers feeling. These are the best final lines in fantasy novels. 10 'The Anvil of the World' (2003) Image via Tor Fantasy The Anvil of the World is a really underrated fantasy novel by the late Kage Baker and the first in a trilogy that is less one coherent narrative and more three different stories all set in the same world. This first book is about a smuggler named Smith, who takes on a contract to escort Lord Ermenwyr to a seaside city. At the end of the book, Ermenwyr becomes a constant companion for Smith, despite the fact that Smith finds him rather annoying. The young lord eventually leads the smuggler to a mountain, where it is revealed that Smith is the eponymous Anvil of the World, and that his arm holds the power to completely reforge the world. Accompanied by Ermenwyr and his father, Smith opts to cut his arm off and prevent this power from getting to anyone else. The last line is only seven words, but it's super satisfying: "The shadow has passed from the door." This might not sound like much, but considering Smith is a cynical fellow, hearing him actually find hope in something marks a major shift that implies good things to come. It might not be the best conclusion ever, but it's pretty darn great. 9 'The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure, the "Good Parts" Version' (1973) Image via Harcourt Brace Jovanovich The Princess Bride was famously made into an '80s romantic fantasy film starring Cary Elwes and Robin Wright. However, the book is substantially different. The novel is largely a meta take on the actual writing process of the book, which feels like a parody of old fairy tales. The movie couldn't exactly adapt that approach, so they opted to frame it as a grandfather telling the story to his sick grandson. The story, of course, is a familiar classic: a princess is engaged to a prince whom she despises, only to be reunited with her long-lost love. Though the book and the movie are both hilarious, the book ends on a surprisingly philosophical note: "I mean, I really do think that love is the best thing in the world, except for cough drops. But I also have to say, for the umpty-umpth time, that life isn't fair. It's just fairer than death, that's all." Too right, William Goldman. This closing remark gives the reader a new perspective on things and invites them to be grateful for the good things in life, despite its shortcomings. 8 'Inheritance' (2011) The front cover of 'Inheritance' by Christopher Paolini The Inheritance Cycle is generally not looked upon with favor in the fantasy community; however, it holds a special place in many readers' hearts due to the fact that it serves as a great introductory story into fantasy literature. The saga begins with a farmer named Eragon finding a dragon egg and learning to become the first Dragon Rider in ages, other than the tyrannical king Galbatorix himself. In this final novel, Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, have led a resistance force to the capital and defeated Galbatorix, yet he remains unfulfilled. Eragon has grown weary of his homeland, and opts to leave for lands unknown so he can raise the next generation of dragons in a safe place and remain politically neutral in the power vacuum he left behind. The final line of the book takes place as Eragon travels down a river to the far East of the continent. It is simple, but effective: "And then he turned his back on Alagaësia and looked toward the dark." It is such a heavy line because it emphasizes the massive burden Eragon is undertaking and how the war may be over, but his fight is only just beginning. 7 'The Last Battle' (1956) Image via HarperCollins The Last Battle is chronologically the final installment in The Chronicles of Narnia, which were all written by C. S. Lewis. The chronicles detail everything from Narnia's very creation to violent rebellions and upheavals, eventually culminating in this climactic showdown. The Battle of Stable Hill, also known as the titular Last Battle, is fought between the benevolent King Tirian, the last king of Narnia, and Rishda the Tarkaan's evil forces. Since this is a series geared towards younger viewers, it's obvious that good will triumph over evil. The battle results in catastrophic casualties, with many valiant beasts and beings slain. Aslan unleashes the apocalypse, bringing his creation to ruin. However, there is a tiny, shrivelled flower of hope in the darkness. See, Narnia isn't being brought to a complete and total end — it is being remade, and it is time for the world to begin anew. "And as He spoke, He no longer looked to them like a lion... now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on Earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before." It's a magnificent ending because it shows that the series was just a prelude to a world that is only going to get better, and that can finally know the peace it so desperately deserves. 6 'The Lions of Al-Rassan' (1995) Image via Harper Voyager The Lions of Al-Rassan is a historical fantasy novel set in the fictitious realm of Al-Rassan. The land is in turmoil and is in the midst of a brutal civil war, which is only exacerbated by a rival empire seizing the opportunity to conquer the land. Two men, who are both military leaders of the two kingdoms, end up serving the same figure, challenging their ideals and causing a greater rift between the lands. At the end of the novel, there is a fatal duel between two of the main players, ending in one of their deaths. This duel is the last croak of a once mighty kingdom ravaged by war — the land breathes its final breath along with the dead man. The final lines read, "Then he turned away from them to the man lying on the ground, and he sank to his knees beside him as the sun went down. No sun, no moon, no stars over Al-Rassan." This final line is a bleak reminder of the historical cost of war and how humanity's greatest folly is our apparent love for killing each other. In the end, all it begets is darkness and ruin. 5 'A Game of Thrones' (1996) Image via Bantam Spectra A Game of Thrones is the first in the saga that began HBO's legendary TV series. The story is about nine royal families squabbling over the throne of Westeros whilst an ancient supernatural threat is gathering strength in the North. One of the main characters is Daenerys Targaryen, an exiled princess of a once-proud family that was usurped and exiled to the land of Essos following a violent rebellion. Daenerys' brother, Viserys, forces her to marry a Dothraki warlord to forge an alliance and build an army to retake their home. At the end of the book, Daenerys burns the witch Mirri Maz Duur for killing her new husband and walks into the fire with the dragon eggs she received as a wedding gift. Surprisingly, she comes out completely unscathed, and the eggs hatch. The last lines are: "As Daenerys Targaryen rose to her feet, her black hissed, pale smoke venting from its mouth and nostrils. The other two pulled away from her breasts and added their voices to the call, translucent wings unfolding in the air, and for the first time in hundreds of years, the night came alive with the music of dragons." This closing line really shows what a monumental event this moment is and provides a cliffhanger to keep the reader wanting more. Collider Exclusive · Game of Thrones Personality Quiz Which Game of Thrones House Do You Belong To? Stark · Lannister · Targaryen · Baratheon · Tyrell Five great houses. Five completely different answers to the same question: how do you hold power in a world that will take it from you the moment you stop paying attention? Eight questions will determine where your loyalties — and your nature — truly lie. 🐺Stark 🦁Lannister 🐉Targaryen 🦌Baratheon 🌹Tyrell FIND YOUR HOUSE → 01 Someone powerful is acting dishonourably and everyone knows it. What do you do? In Westeros, the answer to this question has ended more than one great house. ACall it out, openly and on the record. If honour means anything, it has to mean something when it's costly. BUse it. Information about someone else's dishonour is leverage — and leverage is power. CAct decisively to correct it — with or without the approval of those around me. DChallenge them directly. Strength settles disputes more honestly than courtroom manoeuvring. ENavigate carefully — build alliances, apply quiet pressure, and create a situation where the right outcome becomes inevitable. NEXT QUESTION → 02 What is the source of your power? Every house endures because of something. What is it for yours? AThe loyalty of people who trust me — earned over generations, not bought with gold. BWealth, intelligence, and the willingness to use both without sentiment. CA legacy so fearsome and a vision so total that opposition becomes unthinkable. DPhysical strength, military force, and the respect that comes from being the kind of person nobody wants to fight. ECharm, connection, and the ability to make powerful people feel that my success is also theirs. NEXT QUESTION → 03 Who do you truly fight for? Strip away the banners and the words. The honest answer tells you everything. AMy family and my people — those who depend on me and have kept faith with me through everything. BMy family — the ones who share my blood, even when they exhaust me, even when they disappoint me. CMy cause — a vision larger than any single person, including me. DMyself, and those few who've proven themselves worth fighting beside. EMy house — its name, its future, the position I intend to leave it in when I'm gone. NEXT QUESTION → 04 How do you deal with your enemies? A house's method reveals its character as clearly as its words ever could. AHonestly — I face them directly, and I give quarter when it's warranted. BThoroughly — I don't leave loose ends, and I don't make the same enemy twice. CDecisively — fire answers questions that diplomacy only delays. DHead-on — I'd rather meet a threat on the battlefield than behind closed doors. EElegantly — I prefer to make former enemies into allies, or at least into people who owe me something. NEXT QUESTION → 05 What kind of ruler do you believe in? Westeros is full of answers to this question. Most of them end badly. AA just one — someone who serves the realm rather than using it, who leads by example rather than fear. BA capable one — someone smart enough to navigate the game, ruthless enough to win it, and realistic about what winning costs. CA transformative one — someone who doesn't just rule what exists but reshapes what's possible. DA strong one — someone whose authority is beyond question because the alternative is obviously worse. EA wise one — someone who understands that the realm is fed by more than armies, and that a full stomach keeps more peace than a sharp sword. NEXT QUESTION → 06 You suffer a devastating loss. How does your house respond? How a house handles defeat tells you more about it than how it handles victory. AWe grieve, properly and together — and then we endure, because endurance is what we do. BWe adapt. We reassess. And we ensure that whoever caused this loss comes to regret it completely. CWe burn hotter. Setbacks don't soften us — they clarify what needs to happen next. DWe hit back. Grief and revenge are the same motion in our house. EWe regroup quietly, rebuild our position, and return when we're ready — on our terms, not theirs. NEXT QUESTION → 07 Which of these truths about Westeros do you most believe? Every house has a philosophy. This is yours. AThe lone wolf dies, but the pack survives. Nothing matters more than the people you protect. BA Lannister always pays their debts — in gold or in kind. Reputation is built on consistency. CI am the blood of the dragon. Some destinies are written before the person who carries them is born. DOurs is the fury. When we move, we move completely — and we don't stop until it's done. EGrowing strong means knowing when to bloom and when to wait. Patience is its own kind of power. NEXT QUESTION → 08 The Iron Throne is within reach. What do you do? The answer reveals not just your ambition — but your character. AClaim it only if the realm needs me to — and rule in a way that makes it worth having. BEnsure someone who owes us sits in it. The power behind the throne is safer than the throne itself. CTake it. It was always meant to be mine — I feel that in my bones and in my blood. DSeize it — with both hands, without hesitation. Opportunity in Westeros does not wait to be asked. EPosition my house to be indispensable to whoever sits there — influence outlasts any single reign. REVEAL MY HOUSE → The Maester Has Spoken Your House Is…Your answers point to the great house whose words, values, and way of surviving in Westeros match your own. Bend the knee — or don't. That's very much up to you. 🐺 House StarkWinter is Coming — and you have always known it. You prepare not out of fear but out of duty, because the people who depend on you deserve someone who takes the long view. You lead with honour even when it costs you, because you understand that a reputation built on integrity is the only one worth having. Your loyalty to family and people runs deep — not as sentiment but as a code that doesn't bend when things get difficult. The North endures because Starks endure — not by being the cleverest players in the game, but by being the kind of people others are willing to follow into the cold. You are that kind of person. The pack survives. The lone wolf dies. You already know which one you are. 🦁 House LannisterYou understand the game — its rules, its exceptions, and exactly when the rules become the exception. You play it without illusions and without apology. You are sharper than most people realise, and you have learned to use that gap to your advantage. A Lannister always pays their debts — and you always keep your word, because your word is an instrument of power, and instruments must be kept in working order. You love your family with a ferocity that sometimes blinds you, and you know it, and you do it anyway. The lion doesn't concern itself with the opinion of sheep. Neither, in the end, do you. 🐉 House TargaryenYou carry a sense of destiny that is difficult to explain and impossible to ignore — the feeling that you are not simply participating in the world but meant to reshape it. You are capable of extraordinary things, and you know it, and that knowledge is both your greatest strength and your most dangerous quality. Fire and blood are not just words to you — they are a philosophy about what change requires and what it costs. The Targaryens at their best were transformative rulers who broke chains and defied the limits of what anyone thought possible. At your best, so are you. The dragon has three heads. You are one of them. 🦌 House BaratheonYou are a force — direct, powerful, and difficult to ignore when you enter a room or a conflict. You do not negotiate with challenges. You meet them. Ours is the fury — and yours is a kind of intensity that commands attention, respect, and occasionally fear from those who underestimate what's behind it. You value strength and straight dealing. You'd rather know where you stand in a fight than navigate a web of courtly whispers. The Baratheons built their house on the back of one of the greatest military victories in Westerosi history — and then struggled with what came after. The lesson of your house is that winning is not the end of the story. Governing is. You are learning that too. 🌹 House TyrellYou understand that power does not always announce itself — that sometimes it arrives with flowers, good wine, and a smile that doesn't quite reach the eyes. Growing strong is your house's motto, and you live it: patiently, strategically, always investing in the relationships and resources that will matter most when it counts. You are charming by choice and calculating by nature — a combination that makes you one of the most effective players in any room you enter. The Tyrells fed King's Landing and shaped its politics without ever sitting on the Iron Throne — and they were arguably more powerful for it. You know that the person who controls the food controls the kingdom. And you always know where the food is. ↻ RETAKE THE QUIZ 4 'Yumi and the Nightmare Painter' (2023) Image via Tor Fantasy Yumi and the Nightmare Painter is a stand-alone Cosmere novel set in the UTol system, heavily inspired by East Asia. The story stars two protagonists: Yumi, a spiritual guide known as a yoki-hijo, and Painter, a nightmare painter. Yumi lives in a Medieval world, where her job is to stack stones and summon spirits to grant wishes for ailing villagers. Meanwhile, Painter lives in a cyberpunk-esque metropolis, and his job is to hunt down dangerous creatures called Nightmares and turn them into something harmless by magically painting them. While the two are initially disdainful of each other due to how vastly different they are, they eventually warm up to each other. They begin as the first true friends they have ever had, before eventually developing a romantic relationship. In the epilogue, the narrator, a recurring Cosmere character named Hoid, describes their kiss when they reunite. Hoid admits it's an amateurish kiss. However, he says, "Things only have the value we give to them. And likewise, actions can be worth whatever we decide them to be worth. And so, to these two, that kiss was priceless." Considering the story is largely about finding one's own worth and identity, this closing line is sweet, satisfying and... well, priceless. 3 'The Crippled God' (2011) Image via Tor Fantasy The Crippled God is the tenth and final entry in Malazan: Book of the Fallen. It is the main sequence of events in the series; however, it has also expanded to feature other, smaller series as part of an expanded universe. The books are pretty dark and often devoid of any happy endings. The Malazan Empire is, after all, built on blood and conquest, and the world reflects it by being a miserable place to live. When The Crippled God comes to a close, it reflects upon the tragedy of the core conflict and of all the bloodshed. "And now the page before us blurs. An age is done. The book must close. We are abandoned to history. Raise high one more time the tattered standard of the Fallen. See through the drifting smoke. To the dark stains upon the fabric. This is the blood of our lives; this is the payment of our deeds, all soon to be forgotten. We were never what people could be. We were only what we were. Remember us." This solemn ending really feels like a weight pressing down on the reader, emphasizing the futility of conflict and providing a bitter, heartfelt close to a thrilling saga. 2 'The Name of the Wind' (2007) Image via Hachette Both novels in The Kingkiller Chronicle begin and end in much the same way, almost word for word. Yet, the weight of the closing sentences and the overall emotional impact cannot be understated. The story is a frame narrative, where an innkeeper named Kvothe tells the tale of his youth to a Chronicler. He recounts the great deeds he accomplished as well as how he became an enemy of the mysterious group of beings known as the Chandrian. While the trilogy is unfinished and it's doubtful readers will ever see the conclusion, the first book still ends on a cliffhanger. The first novel, The Name of the Wind, ends with Kvothe going to bed for the night in his room at the Waystone Inn. The final paragraph describes the silence of the night, split into three different ones: "The Waystone was his, just as the third silence was his. This was appropriate, as it was the greatest silence of the three, wrapping the others inside itself. It was deep and wide as autumn's ending. It was heavy as a great river-smooth stone. It was the patient, cut-flower sound of a man who is waiting to die." The imagery is phenomenal, and it really hits viewers with a sense of impending doom, raising questions about what Kvothe knows that he is not telling the audience. 1 'A Memory of Light' (2014) Image via Tor Books Every novel in The Wheel of Time series begins the exact same way. "The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth comes again." The paragraph then goes on to describe the time frame, being the Third Age, followed by a passage about the wind. However, the first paragraph always ends with "The wind was not the beginning. There are neither beginnings nor endings to the Wheel of Time. But it was a beginning." After 15 novels of this same introductory paragraph, it begins to hold deep symbolic significance rather than being an annoyance. However, the payoff comes in the final novel, A Memory of Light. Following the apocalyptic Last Battle, the deaths of many major characters, and the world being saved, the book once again describes the wind before the final line is delivered: "This wind, it was not the ending. There are no endings, and never will be endings, to the turning of the Wheel of Time. But it was an ending." This final line is perfect because it is a callback to the all-too-familiar intro paragraph, and it gives a sense of resolution and peace to a multi-volume epic saga. Closing lines just don't get much better than this.