10 Fantasy Books That Are Perfect From Start to Finish
Dyah (pronounced Dee-yah) is a Senior Author at Collider, responsible for both writing and transcription duties. She joined the website in 2022 as a Resource Writer before stepping into her current role in April 2023. As a Senior Author, she writes Features and Lists covering TV, music, and movies, making her a true Jill of all trades. In addition to her writing, Dyah also serves as an interview transcriber, primarily for events such as San Diego Comic-Con, the Toronto International Film Festival, and the Sundance Film Festival.
Dyah graduated from Satya Wacana Christian University in October 2019 with a Bachelor's degree in English Literature, concentrating on Creative Writing. On March 2026, Dyah graduated with Master's degree in English Literature Studies, with a thesis on intersectionality in postcolonial-feminist studies in Asian literary works.
Born and raised between Indonesia and Singapore, Dyah is no stranger to different cultures. She now resides in the small town of Kendal with her husband and four cats, where she spends her free time cooking or cycling.
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It takes more than spells and dragons to make a solid fantasy book. A genre that promises to take readers to worlds beyond our wildest imaginations, fantasy requires authors to dedicate time and care to crafting an almost unrecognizable realm, often from scratch. From creating a new language to developing a new hierarchical system, fantasy often requires extensive research. But at the same time, no matter how far-fetched the imagination can take readers, the secret to a perfect fantasy novel is how it is able to relate to common human conundrums.
Once you bring the two together, these fantasy books will collide. From an essential fantasy read by one of the most celebrated authors of the genre to more contemporary East Asian takes on typical Western-centric fantasy tropes, here are 10 fantasy books that are perfect from start to finish.
1 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' (1997)
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone takes readers back to Harry’s childhood, long before he becomes the powerful wizard we know today. An orphan raised by the abusive Dursleys, Harry’s life changes when giant Rubeus Hagrid introduces him to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Unlike his more confident peers, Harry still has a long way to go before he can tap into his magical potential.
Harry Potter is arguably every child’s entry point into fantasy, and J.K. Rowling’s bestselling debut novel is proof of its lasting appeal. Harry’s journey is a classic underdog story that grows into one of the most celebrated literary phenomena worldwide. Whether you’re into "Wingardium Leviosa" or Harry’s camaraderie with his pals, this book is a perfect introduction to fantasy.
2 'The Bird That Drinks Tears' Series (2003)
In a world divided between humans and other mythical races, an ancient war has left the reptilian Nhaga isolated in a southern forest. When three warriors from different races are sent to escort a Nhaga to a sacred temple, a young runaway named Ryun Paye takes the place of a murdered envoy, unknowingly setting an ancient prophecy in motion.
Often praised as Korea’s The Lord of the Rings, The Bird That Drinks Tears has all the components of an epic fantasy. Its diverse characters embark on a quest rooted in an ancient conflict while drawing inspiration from Korean folklore. From giant, war-prone bird people called Rekons to goblin-like Tokkebi, this fantasy world brings mythical creatures together in one unforgettable adventure.
3 'The Hobbit' (1937)
For fantasy newcomers looking to jump into the J.R.R. Tolkien-verse, The Hobbit offers a more approachable way to explore Middle-earth, introducing its strange creatures, magical landscapes, and unexpected dangers without the heavier commitment of Tolkien’s famous trilogy.
The story centers on Bilbo Baggins, a comfort-loving hobbit whose quiet life takes a turn when he joins a quest to reclaim a lost kingdom and its treasure from Smaug, a fearsome dragon. Bilbo is hardly the adventurous type, but his journey pushes him far beyond the comforts of home. Readers get to discover Middle-earth alongside him, making every new encounter feel like part of their own adventure.
Collider Exclusive · Middle-earth Quiz
Which Lord of the Rings
Character Are You?
One Quiz · Ten Questions · Your Fate Revealed
The road goes ever on. From the green hills of the Shire to the fires of Mount Doom, every soul in Middle-earth carries a destiny. Ten questions stand between you and the truth of who you are. Answer honestly — the One Ring has a way of revealing what we most want to hide.
💍Frodo
🌿Samwise
👑Aragorn
🔥Gandalf
🏹Legolas
⚒️Gimli
👁️Sauron
🪨Gollum
01
You are handed a responsibility that could destroy you. What do you do? The weight of the world falls on unlikely shoulders.
02
Your closest companion is heading into terrible danger. You: True loyalty is revealed not in comfort, but in crisis.
03
Enormous power is within your reach. Your instinct is: Power corrupts — but only those who reach for it.
04
What does "home" mean to you? Where we long to return reveals who we truly are.
05
When a battle is upon you, your approach is: War reveals what we are made of — whether we like it or not.
06
Someone comes to you for advice in their darkest hour. You: Wisdom is not knowing all the answers — it's knowing which questions to ask.
07
How do you see yourself, honestly? Self-knowledge is the most dangerous kind.
08
Which of these best describes your relationship with the natural world? Middle-earth speaks to those who know how to listen.
09
You encounter a wretched, pitiable creature who has done terrible things. You: How we treat the fallen reveals the height of our character.
10
When the quest is over and the songs are sung, what do you hope they say about you? In the end, we are all just stories.
The Fellowship Has Spoken Your Place in Middle-earth
The scores below reveal your true character. Your highest number is your match. Even a tie tells a story — the Fellowship was never made of simple people.
💍 Frodo
🌿 Samwise
👑 Aragorn
🔥 Gandalf
🏹 Legolas
⚒️ Gimli
👁️ Sauron
🪨 Gollum
You carry something heavy — and you carry it alone, even when you don't have to. You were not born for greatness, and that is precisely why greatness chose you. Your courage is not the roaring, sword-swinging kind; it is quiet, stubborn, and terrifying in its refusal to quit. The Ring weighs on you more than anyone can see, and still you walk toward the fire. That is not weakness. That is the rarest kind of strength there is.
You are, without question, the best of them. Not the most powerful, not the most celebrated — but the most essential. Your loyalty is not a trait; it is a force of nature. You would carry the person you love up the slopes of Mount Doom if it came to that, and we both know you'd do it without being asked. The world needs more people like you, and the world is lucky it has even one.
You were born to lead, and you have spent years running from it. The crown is yours by right, but you know better than anyone that right means nothing without the will and the worthiness to back it up. You are tempered by loss, shaped by long roads, and defined by a code of honour you hold to even when no one is watching. When you finally step forward, the world shifts. Because it was always waiting for you.
You have seen more than you let on, and you say less than you know — which is exactly as it should be. You are a catalyst: you do not fight the battles yourself, you ignite the people who can. Your wisdom comes not from books but from an age of watching what happens when it is ignored. You arrive precisely when you mean to, and your presence alone changes what is possible. A wizard is never late.
Graceful, perceptive, and almost preternaturally calm under pressure — you see things others miss and act before others react. You do not need to make a scene to be remarkable; your presence speaks for itself. You are loyal to those you choose to stand beside, and that choice is not made lightly. You have lived long enough to know that the most beautiful things in this world are also the most fragile, and that is why you fight to protect them.
You are loud, proud, and absolutely formidable — and beneath all of that is one of the most fiercely loyal hearts in Middle-earth. You don't do anything by half measures. Your friendships are forged like iron, your grudges run as deep as mines, and your courage in battle is the kind that makes legends. You came into this fellowship suspicious of everyone and ended it willing to die for an elf. That is not a small thing. That is everything.
You think in centuries and act in absolutes. Order, dominion, control — not because you are cruel by nature, but because you have decided that the world left to itself always falls apart, and you are the only one with the vision and the will to hold it together. You were not always this. Something was lost, or taken, or betrayed, and the version of you that stands now is the answer to that wound. The tragedy is that you're not entirely wrong — just entirely too far gone to course-correct.
You are a study in contradiction — pitiable and dangerous, cunning and broken, capable of both cruelty and something that once resembled love. You are defined by loss: of innocence, of self, of the one thing that gave your existence meaning. Two voices war inside you constantly, and the tragedy is that the better one sometimes wins, just not often enough, and never at the right moment. You are a warning, yes — but also a mirror. We are all a little Gollum, given the right ring and enough time.
4 'The Last Unicorn' (1968)
The Last Unicorn follows an immortal unicorn living in the lilac woods. Used to her peaceful existence, she refuses to believe she might be the last of her kind. Determined to find her missing kin, she leaves her home and embarks on a journey that teaches her the true meaning of life.
Humans can learn a lot from magical creatures. The Last Unicorn explores the loneliness of being timeless in a world that keeps changing. When given the chance to become human, the unicorn must confront mortality and heartbreak firsthand. After all, grief is a sign of having lived a life filled with love.
5 'A Wizard of Earthsea' (1968)
If you're looking for a classic fantasy adventure that predates Harry Potter by decades, Ursula K. Le Guin's A Wizard of Earthsea is your next read. The novel centers on Ged, a gifted boy whose natural ability for magic sets him on a path far beyond his village. After learning from the quiet, wise mage Ogion, Ged seeks further training at the School of Roke, where his ambitions soon get the better of him.
Magic in Earthsea isn't something characters can use without consequences. Every spell can upset the world's balance, forcing Ged to confront the damage caused by his own pride. Beneath its fantastical setting, the story explores responsibility, restraint, and knowing when power should be left alone.
6 'The Dark Tower' series (1982–2012)
Stephen King might be best known for IT, Carrie, and The Shining, but the prolific author also wrote an eight-book epic that rivals The Lord of the Rings. The Dark Tower series follows Roland Deschain, a gunslinger traveling across the strange and dangerous land of Mid-World in search of a tower that holds the multiverse together.
Blending fantasy, horror, sci-fi, and the American Old West, The Dark Tower is one of King's most ambitious works. The series also reveals how far his imagination stretches, connecting his fictional universe to other novels and showing that the King-verse is much bigger than any single story.
7 'The Poppy War' (2018)
Fantasy often relies on European castles, medieval kingdoms, and mythical creatures, but R. F. Kuang takes a different approach in The Poppy War. Inspired by Chinese history, the novel follows Rin, an orphan who enters an elite military academy to escape an arranged marriage. There, she faces prejudice and fierce competition before discovering her shamanic abilities.
Instead of your typical supernatural source, the novel’s magic is connected to drugs. Instead of simply casting spells, shamans use opium to enter altered states of consciousness and access divine powers. However, opium serves a darker purpose beyond magic. Its real-life historical significance gives more nuance to Rin’s journey, showing how relying on metaphysical abilities comes at a devastating cost.
8 'Jade City' (2017)
Jade has always been a prized mineral, but Jade City reimagines its significance through a fantasy lens. In the island nation of Kekon, jade grants its wearers extraordinary abilities. Not only is it a source of incredible power, but it also fuels ruthless conflict between rival clans. At the center of the conflict is the Kaul family’s No Peak clan, which struggles to maintain its power against the rival Mountain clan.
Jade City combines the mafia storyline of The Godfather with traditional wuxia, a genre that combines martial arts with fantasy elements. Thanks to jade’s magical properties, wearers gain superhuman strength, speed, heightened reflexes, and enhanced fighting abilities. The result is nonstop, Hong Kong-style kung fu action with a fantasy twist.
9 'One Hundred Years of Solitude' (1967)
One Hundred Years of Solitude plays out just like its title suggests. Spanning seven generations, the family saga takes place in the fictional Colombian town of Macondo, founded by José Arcadio Buendía and Úrsula Iguarán. However, as the decades pass, their descendants struggle with inescapable personal tragedies and destructive obsessions.
Whether during the civil wars or the Banana Massacre, one thing remains constant: the cycle of pain and grief. But instead of offering a full-on discourse on trauma, One Hundred Years of Solitude tells its tale of family, fate, and forgotten history by drawing from Latin American myths and folklore, which are intentionally incorporated to reflect the characters’ deepest fears through supernatural happenings.
10 'Dungeon Crawler Carl' (2020)
It’s a game of a lifetime in Dungeon Crawler Carl. Former Coast Guard veteran Carl isn’t having the best day. Apart from breaking up with his ex-girlfriend, he must also tend to her pampered cat, Princess Donut. But there’s no time for whining. When Earth is destroyed by a powerful interstellar corporation, Carl finds himself stuck in the World Dungeon.
With 14 million readers to boot and a TV adaptation in the works, the hype for Dungeon Crawler Carl is undeniable. Readers are transported to an 18-level death game similar to The Hunger Games or Squid Game. Each level is harder than the one before, and it’s here that Carl does the most—from battling monsters while leveling up to completing quests across the galaxy.
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