“A book is a dream that you hold in your hands.”
– Neil Gaiman
Not sure what to read next? This is my masterlist of most magical manuscripts – books I believe to be the very best of fantasy. Under each category is a description of the sub-genre, and links to relevant posts.
New to fantasy? Check out my guide, Fantasy 101: A Beginner’s Guide to Magic.
Contents
Cozy
Hot drinks. Good company. Everyday magic. Cozy Fantasy delivers comfortable settings, lower stakes, and themes of friendship, found-family, and community.
Dark
Dark Fantasy incorporates elements of horror, venturing into the uncanny, creepy, and unsettling. It may also include Gothic tropes such as crumbling mansions, looming evil, and romantic elements.
- What Is Dark Fantasy? 20 Creepy Reads
- What Is Grimdark Fantasy?
Epic
High, world-scale stakes and large casts of (usually) heroic characters. Epic fantasy typically focus on themes of good vs. evil. Lord of the Rings is the classic example, wherein the heroes journey through danger to protect the world.
Grimdark
“Realistic” fantasy, Grimdark is less hopeful, more violent, and generally darker in tone, with amoral characters and antiheroes. Like epic fantasy, many of these stories have world-scale scope, but with less heroism and no guaranteed happy ending.
Science Fantasy
Science Fantasy incorporates science fiction elements like futuristic or space settings, super-human powers, and magitech. Though similar to science fiction, science fantasy features things not existing in the real world (example: The Force in Star Wars).
Sword & Sorcery
Sword & Sorcery focuses on the personal stakes and struggles of the characters. These stories include adventure and violence (hence the sword), generally for personal gain rather than heroism.
Urban
In Urban Fantasy, the supernatural co-exists with the real world in modern day. It may still have all the magic and adventure of any other sub-genre, but set in the real world.
Whimsy & Wonder 