8 Best Fantasy Book Series Of The 1980s

Published Oct 9, 2026, 12:08 PM EDT

Mary Kassel is a Senior Writer & Critic who joined the Screen Rant team in 2023. 

After graduating from Emerson College with a degree in Media Arts Production, Kassel started at Screen Rant with a focus on the critical analysis side of movies and television while continuing to work on set in film production. 

At Screen Rant, Kassel primarily writes for the Classic TV section, mining their encyclopedic knowledge of television history for content. However, they also contribute to the Books team and review both film and television as a critic. 

While earlier additions to the fantasy genre are remembered as foundational texts and later works as experimental, the 1980s occupy a unique space in speculative fiction. Sometimes inspired by tabletop games like Dungeons & Dragons, which were exploding in popularity at the time, and always weaving in incisive commentary about the real world, these fantastical worlds are easy to get lost in. Whether they're feel-good works or the grittiest grimdark, the '80s have a fantasy book for everyone.

Though the 1980s were a great decade for sword-and-sorcery storytelling, few of these novels have become overrated fantasy books. If anything, readers looking for exciting new genre works should look back to the '80s for overlooked classics that feel as fresh today as they did when they were published. The high fantasy books of the 2020s that readers can't put down owe a lot to classics of the '80s.

The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger (1982)

Stephen King

Readers might associate Stephen King more closely with science fiction or horror, but the prolific author has written some iconic works of fantasy. The first installment of The Dark Tower series, The Gunslinger, proves that King is as comfortable in the fantasy realm as any other. The Gunslinger isn't afraid to directly comment on the real world within its fictional story. Roland Deschain​​​​​, the protagonist, will remind readers of the iconic lone heroes of the Western genre.

Roland is a complex main character with a strong moral compass, but violence follows him everywhere he goes. Genre-bending and sharp, The Gunslinger provides elements of horror, sci-fi, and Westerns, like all of King's best works. Unlike many fantasy series of the era, The Gunslinger isn't set in a medieval world, but in a more contemporary desert that offers just as many challenges and betrayals as traditional high fantasy.

The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger is available for purchase here.

The Dragonbone Chair (1988)

Tad Williams

In every decade, there is at least one fantasy series that incorporates dragons into the fabric of the magical world, and the best to come out of the 1980s might be Tad Williams' The Dragonbone Chair. In classic speculative fiction fashion, The Dragonbone Chair follows a character, Simon, who seems insignificant at first, but comes to change the fate of the world. As the novel progresses, Simon changes, stepping into the role of hero and making many sacrifices along the way.

The best medieval fantasy books take their time setting up the character dynamics and world-building. In The Dragonbone Chair, Williams is thorough in this process. However, the payoff is well worth the wait, as the complex layers of the plot draw the reader further in as the series progresses. The Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series spans three total books, and The Dragonbone Chair is the perfect introduction to Williams' fantastical realm.

The Dragonbone Chair is available for purchase here.

Mort (1987)

Terry Pratchett

The fourth installment of Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, Mort, kicks off arguably the best subseries of the fantasy universe. Following Death, the literal Grim Reaper, who collects souls and finds himself always questioning humanity, Mort's publication was a turning point for Pratchett and Discworld. Still full of humor and misadventures, Mort proves that Discworld isn't just a fun satire, but a timeless exploration of what it means to be human.

The other books that center on Death and his family are some of the best Pratchett has ever written, offering his sharpest psychological analysis. In Mort, Death takes on an apprentice, the titular character, Mort, and the pair find themselves learning unexpected lessons from each other. Pratchett is at his best in Mort, a novel that sets the stage for the long and successful future of Discworld.

Mort is available for purchase here.

The Black Company (1984)

Glen Cook

Glen Cook's The Black Company is not for audiences looking for a feel-good read. Thanks to The Black Company, Cook is known as a pre-eminent author in the grimdark subgenre. Full of violence, war, betrayal, and sacrifice, The Black Company is set against the backdrop of a dark world full of characters hoping for a chance at a better life. The mercenary group from which the novel takes its name, the Black Company, roots the fantastical story in reality, with characters full of flaws and idiosyncrasies.

The best grimdark fantasy books of recent years owe a lot to The Black Company. Reading the series today is a thrill, as audiences can see how much darker additions have evolved since The Black Company was published, and how much inspiration is still drawn from works like The Black Company​​​​​​. Fans of complex characters with moral ambiguity and great action sequences will find what they're looking for in The Black Company.

The Black Company is available for purchase here.

Howl’s Moving Castle (1986)

Diana Wynne Jones

Most audiences will recognize the title, Howl's Moving Castle, thanks to the 2004 Studio Ghibli film adaptation, but more people need to check out Diana Wynne Jones' book. While the movie retains the broad strokes of the story, the Howl's Moving Castle book is vastly different, providing a lot more interiority for both Sophie and Howl. Though Howl's Moving Castle is meant for younger readers, adult audiences will get just as much out of the story.

The lore and magic systems of Howl's Moving Castle come to life in the book, as Jones vividly paints the fantasy world Sophie and Howl inhabit. It's not surprising that the story was eventually adapted for the screen, as Jones' descriptions transport the reader from the first pages of the book. Sophie's agency and development as a character throughout the story make her a stunning example of a strong female protagonist for young audiences.

Howl's Moving Castle is available for purchase here.

The Mists Of Avalon (1982)

Marion Zimmer Bradley

One of the major critiques of the fantasy genre, both in the 20th century and today, is that books centering on well-written female protagonists and written by women authors are harder to come by. There's a conception that speculative fiction can be a bit of a "boys' club," but works like The Mists of Avalon prove this isn't the case. Turning Arthurian legend on its head by focusing on the women in the myths, The Mists of Avalon is an epic retelling.

The Arthurian canon is remembered for focusing on Arthur's coming of age and rule as king. The Mists of Avalon finally provides the same level of backstory and context to the female characters, like the misunderstood villain, Morgaine​​​​​​. Readers might think they know the story of King Arthur and his Round Table, but The Mists of Avalon brings them to life in ways never before seen.

The Mists of Avalon is available for purchase here.

Magician (1982)

Raymond E Feist

As long as there have been fantasy stories, there have been tales of reclusive magicians and their wild workings, but Raymond E. Feist's series is far from the expected. Weaving in elements of science fiction in addition to the high fantasy setting reminiscent of Dungeons & Dragons, Magician follows the adventure of the young Pug, who is apprenticed to the magician Kulgan​​​​​​. Feist was clearly influenced by the giants of speculative fiction that came before him, but that doesn't make Magician feel stale or recycled.

Originally split into two installments, Magician: Apprentice and Magician: Master​​​​​​, Feist's sprawling epic sees Pug rise and fall from power and touches upon many different characters within the world. Despite having much in common with many of the most popular high fantasy epics of the 21st century, Magician doesn't have the same name recognition. Anyone who picks up Feist's seminal novel will see that it's time to change that.

Magician is available for purchase here.

The Color Of Magic (1983)

Terry Pratchett

It's only fair for Pratchett's work to make more than one appearance, as the influence of Discworld is felt strongly to this day. The importance of the debut installment of the series, The Color of Magic, cannot be overstated. Pratchett sets the stage for the sprawling fantasy universe, and did so with enough success to warrant the epic scale of Discworld​​​​​​, clocking in at 41 books in the main series. None of this would've been possible without The Color of Magic.

In The Color of Magic, readers are introduced to the lore, structure, and topsy-turvy magic systems that come to define the stories. Pratchett carefully reveals the rules of his world while taking the audience on a hilarious adventure. While the tone of Discworld is defined by its comedy, satirically poking fun at the tropes of fantasy, this is done with love and the utmost appreciation for the genre. Readers remain grateful for Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, as The Color of Magic is as fresh today as it was in 1983.