Come away, dear reader, for we have the most splendid news—2026 has arrived with its arms full of wonders, and those arms overflow with high fantasy novels of such magnificence that one hardly knows where to begin. You see, some years are merely adequate for fantasy readers, but this year? This year is extraordinary.
Whether you fancy dragons with hearts of fire, thieves with tongues of silver, or academies where kindness wears a rather dark disguise, the following tales shall transport you to realms where magic crackles in the very air and adventure waits around every cobblestoned corner.
The Thrice-Bound Fool by Christopher Buehlman
Now, here is a thing you must understand about Kinch Na Shannack: he is a thief, a trickster, and altogether incorrigible—which is precisely why we adore him. In The Thrice-Bound Fool, our beloved rogue returns with a predicament most dire. He has stolen a sentient book, you see, one that attempts to murder him whenever he dares open its pages.
The knight Galva accompanies him, sworn to protect this charming scoundrel whilst they flee the known world entirely. Buehlman writes with such rollicking wit and dark delight that one cannot help but laugh even as danger mounts. If you loved The Blacktongue Thief, this October 2026 release shall feel like reuniting with the dearest of old friends.
Daughter of Crows by Mark Lawrence
At the Academy of Kindness, a hundred young women enter each decade. Only three emerge. One might think this rather poor odds, and one would be entirely correct—yet that is the point. Mark Lawrence returns to grimdark fantasy with a vengeance in this tale of Rue, a woman who once sold herself to become an avatar of retribution.
The Academy forges its students into instruments of divine vengeance, and the halls run crimson with blood. But here is the wonder of it: Rue has found peace at last. Until, that is, war arrives at her doorstep. Releasing in March 2026, this dark and atmospheric tale features necromantic magic, found family, and Lawrence’s signature razor-sharp humor beneath all that shadow.
The Unicorn Hunters by Katherine Arden
Katherine Arden, beloved architect of The Bear and the Nightingale, brings us a historical fantasy of breathtaking beauty. Young Anne of Brittany has lost everything—her father, her treasury, her freedom—and faces marriage to her conquerors. But Anne made a promise, and promises, you understand, are rather important things.
She ventures deep into a legendary forest to conduct a secret wedding, where no court diviners can spy. When a unicorn appears—magnificent, impossible—Anne discovers that a doomed sovereign might yet find the power to change destiny itself. Diana Gabaldon calls it “a book you won’t want to let go of.” Arriving June 2026, this is enchantment itself bound between covers.
The Tapestry of Fate by S.A. Chakraborty
Our favorite middle-aged pirate queen sails again! Amina al-Sirafi, that most magnificent combination of swashbuckling adventurer and devoted mother, returns in this continuation of her sea-soaked adventures. This time, she must steal a spindle capable of rewriting fate itself from a sorceress on an island no one can escape.
The complication? Her spirit husband Raksh has provoked the council of immortal peris, and her daughter Marjana grows increasingly frustrated with her mother’s mysterious absences. Chakraborty weaves magic and maritime adventure with the skill of the finest storyteller. Arriving May 2026, this sequel to the Hugo-nominated Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi promises rollicking fun and high-seas wonder.
To Ride a Rising Storm by Moniquill Blackgoose
The Nebula Award-winning To Shape a Dragon’s Breath captured countless hearts, and now Anequs and her dragon Kasaqua return in this magnificent sequel. Having survived her first year at Kuiper’s Academy with honors—despite her professors’ low expectations—Anequs heads home for summer. But colonizers have followed.
For the first time, there is an Anglish presence on Masquapaug, and Anequs will fight for her people’s right to self-govern. Publishers Weekly awarded this January 2026 release a starred review, praising how it “digs into the colonialism and classism of magic academy and dragon rider tropes.” This is dragon fantasy with purpose, with heart, with fire.
Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett
Sometimes, dear reader, one desires comfort alongside one’s magic. Enter Heather Fawcett’s cozy new fantasy, arriving February 2026. Agnes Aubert runs a perfectly organized cat rescue in 1920s Montreal until she discovers her new landlord operates an internationally disreputable magic shop.
That landlord? Havelock Renard—a failed Dark Lord, if you can imagine such a thing. When enemies from his past threaten both shelter and shop, Agnes must begrudgingly ally with the man who once tried to destroy the world. Early readers describe “Howl’s Moving Castle vibes” and “the most perfect cat side characters.” It is, quite simply, a hug wrapped in pages.
The Lord of Demons by Evan Winter
Evan Winter’s The Rage of Dragons was named one of TIME’s 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time, and October 2026 brings the third installment of his Burning series. Set in an African-inspired world of giants, shapeshifters, sorcerers, and dragons, this saga features a brutal caste system and combat that readers call “all high octane.”
Winter drew upon his Xhosa ancestry to create these vivid landscapes, writing the epic fantasy he wished existed—featuring characters who looked like him. The result is fresh, dynamic, and absolutely thrilling. For readers who crave intensity alongside their world-building, this is essential reading.
Radiant Star by Ann Leckie
The Hugo Award-winning creator of the Imperial Radch returns with a standalone novel set in that magnificent universe. May 2026 brings us to Ooioiaa, where “The Temporal Location of the Radiant Star” creates both conflict and hope.
As the Radch prepares to absorb this religious site into their empire, they make one final concession: one last man may join the mummified saints. Meanwhile, food shortages worsen, riots erupt, and a communication blackout isolates the city. Through the eyes of a religious savant, a socialite, and a young man sold into servitude, Leckie weaves another intricate tale of power, faith, and humanity.
Alecto the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
We must speak of Alecto the Ninth with both hope and patience, for Tamsyn Muir’s conclusion to the Locked Tomb series remains forthcoming—expected sometime in 2026, though without a confirmed date. The fans call this waiting period “The Alectopause,” which is rather clever, don’t you think?
This necromantic space fantasy has been described as a blend of Dune, Riddick, and Gormenghast, featuring lesbian necromancers, bone magic, and wickedly sacrilegious humor. The series began with Gideon the Ninth and continued through Harrow and Nona. When Alecto finally arrives, it shall be an event of considerable magnitude.
Your 2026 High Fantasy Reading List Awaits
What magnificent fortune we have, dear reader! This year brings us thieves with murderous books, academies of vengeance, unicorn-touched sovereigns, pirate queens wrestling fate, indigenous dragon riders challenging empire, failed Dark Lords befriending cat rescuers, African-inspired epic warfare, imperial intrigue among living saints, and necromancers in space.
The high fantasy genre has never been more diverse, more imaginative, or more welcoming. Whatever corner of the magical realm calls to your heart, 2026 holds a key to that very door.
Now then—which adventure shall you choose first?
