There exists in every reader’s heart a peculiar ache—a longing that settles in after closing that final page of Middle-earth’s grand tale. One has adventured with hobbits, wept for elves departing westward, and felt the very earth tremble beneath the march of great armies. And now? Now one sits quite forlorn, wondering if such magic might ever be found again.
Dear reader, take heart! For just as second stars to the right lead to extraordinary places, so too do these fifteen remarkable books lead to worlds every bit as wondrous as the one you’ve left behind.
The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan
If ever there was a tale spun on a loom as vast as Tolkien’s own, it is this one. Robert Jordan crafted a world where time moves in a great wheel, where ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend, and legends that fade to myth.
Young Rand al’Thor begins as a simple shepherd—yes, quite as humble as any hobbit—before destiny reveals him to be the Dragon Reborn, prophesied to save the world or destroy it utterly. The magic here flows like poetry, and the cultures Jordan built could fill encyclopedias. Fourteen volumes await, each more thrilling than the last, completed posthumously by Brandon Sanderson with such loving care that Jordan himself would surely approve.
A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
Here is a tale of a young wizard named Ged, whose pride summons a shadow that pursues him across a world of islands and sea. Le Guin writes with the elegance of moonlight on water, and her Earthsea is a place where names hold power and balance governs all things.
This is a quieter sort of adventure than some—more akin to The Hobbit than the grand battles of Pelennor Fields. Yet its wisdom runs deep, and Ged’s journey toward self-knowledge will resonate with any soul who has ever had to face the darkness within. The prose alone is worth the journey, beautiful as starlight.
Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn by Tad Williams
George R.R. Martin himself has named this trilogy among his favorites, and one can readily see why. Tad Williams writes with melancholy and beauty in equal measure, crafting a world where magic has faded and the immortal Sithi have withdrawn from mortal affairs—much as Tolkien’s elves departed for the Grey Havens.
Young Simon begins as a castle scullion, dreaming of adventure, only to find himself thrust into a conflict between ancient evils and failing kingdoms. The writing aches with loss and rings with hope. This is epic fantasy at its most Tolkienesque, a cornerstone of the genre.
The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson
Brandon Sanderson builds worlds the way master architects build cathedrals—meticulously, magnificently, and meant to inspire awe. Roshar is a world of stone and storms, where magic flows from ideals sworn and oaths kept, where ancient knights may rise again.
The characters here grapple with questions of honor, mental health, and what it means to be a leader worth following. Sanderson writes with clarity and wonder, and his magic systems are brilliantly constructed. This is modern epic fantasy at its finest, planned for ten volumes, with five already published.
The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks
This is the book that proved Tolkien’s success was no fluke—that readers hungered for more tales of this kind. Terry Brooks wrote with American verve, creating a post-apocalyptic world where magic has returned and a young man must wield an ancient sword against a terrible Warlock Lord.
Some critics called it derivative; readers called it delightful. Brooks made epic fantasy accessible and exciting, blending Tolkien’s scope with the pacing of adventure serials. Thirty subsequent books prove readers agreed with the critics less than the critics supposed.
The Riddle-Master Trilogy by Patricia A. McKillip
Patricia McKillip wrote prose so lyrical it ought to be read aloud by firelight. Her Riddle-Master trilogy follows Morgon, Prince of Hed, as he pursues a mystery written in stars upon his own forehead across a world of wind harps and ancient powers.
What feels most Tolkienesque here is McKillip’s evident love for the world she created—stunningly unique, hauntingly beautiful. The riddles themselves are marvelous, and the answers more marvelous still. This trilogy belongs in a genre all its own.
The Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson
Here is worldbuilding that rivals—some says surpasses—even Tolkien’s own. Steven Erikson, drawing upon his background in anthropology and archaeology, crafted a ten-book epic spanning thousands of years and hundreds of characters across dimensions and dying gods.
This is not a gentle introduction to fantasy. This is a plunge into deep waters, where readers must swim or sink. But for those who persevere, the rewards are extraordinary: themes of compassion, sacrifice, and what it means to be mortal in a universe that does not care. Challenging, devastating, magnificent.
The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander
For younger readers—or for those who treasure the spirit of adventure—Lloyd Alexander’s Newbery Medal-winning series offers pure delight. Taran the Assistant Pig-Keeper dreams of becoming a hero, only to discover that heroism means something quite different than he imagined.
Drawing upon Welsh mythology, these five books move from whimsy to genuine emotional depth as Taran grows from impetuous boy to worthy man. The characters are unforgettable, the themes timeless, and the ending earned every tear it draws.
The Old Kingdom Series by Garth Nix
Garth Nix created something utterly original: a world where the dead do not always stay dead, and the Abhorsen’s sacred duty is to send them back beyond the ninth gate of Death. Young Sabriel must take up her father’s bells and face necromancers, Free Magic creatures, and horrors beyond imagining.
The magic system is brilliant—bells with names and personalities, each with different powers over the dead. The worldbuilding is immersive and strange. Brandon Sanderson himself called Nix “one of the best worldbuilders in fantasy.”
Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay
Guy Gavriel Kay worked with Christopher Tolkien on The Silmarillion, and that education shows in every line of Tigana. A tyrant sorcerer has erased an entire province from memory—only those born there can even speak its name. A band of rebels poses as traveling musicians, plotting revolution.
This standalone novel explores memory, identity, and what we owe to those who came before. Kay writes with heartbreaking beauty, and his characters are morally complex in ways that challenge and reward. Brandon Sanderson called this the best single-volume epic fantasy ever written.
The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb
Robin Hobb writes characters so deeply realized they feel like old friends—or old wounds that never quite heal. FitzChivalry Farseer is a royal bastard trained as an assassin, pulled between duty to his king and his own desperate longing to simply be free.
The magic here is intimate rather than spectacular: a telepathic Skill that runs in royal blood, a despised Wit that bonds humans with animals. Hobb explores loyalty, loneliness, and the weight of impossible choices. Prepare to have your heart thoroughly broken.
Discworld by Terry Pratchett
If The Lord of the Rings and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy had a love affair, they would produce something like Discworld—a flat world balanced upon four elephants standing on a giant turtle swimming through space.
Sir Terry Pratchett wrote forty-one novels in this series, each funnier and wiser than strictly necessary. Beneath the jokes lie profound observations about humanity, justice, and belief itself. Start with Guards! Guards! or Mort, and prepare to find new favorite characters around every corner.
The Pendragon Cycle by Stephen Lawhead
Stephen Lawhead weaves together Arthurian legend with the fall of Atlantis and the fading of Roman Britain. Beginning with Taliesin, this series follows the immortal life of Merlin and the rise of King Arthur in a world where Christianity blooms amid older magics.
Lawhead researched Celtic mythology meticulously, creating an Arthurian tale that feels historically grounded while retaining all the wonder of legend. The prose is rich, the scope epic, and the spiritual themes genuinely moving.
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
Tolkien’s dear friend and fellow Inkling created his own beloved fantasy world—though the two had rather different philosophies about allegory. Four children step through a wardrobe into a land of talking animals, eternal winter, and a great lion named Aslan.
These seven books span from Narnia’s creation to its end, offering adventure, wonder, and deep themes accessible to readers of all ages. Lewis wrote with clarity and joy, and his Narnia remains one of the most beloved fantasy worlds ever created.
The Dark Elf Trilogy by R.A. Salvatore
Drizzt Do’Urden is a dark elf born into a society of cruelty and betrayal—and he refuses to accept it. R.A. Salvatore created one of fantasy’s most beloved characters in this tale of a hero who chooses honor against every expectation of his people.
Set in the Dungeons & Dragons Forgotten Realms, these books offer thrilling action, memorable characters, and genuine heart. Salvatore has written over forty novels featuring Drizzt, testament to readers’ enduring love for this heroic outcast.
Finding Your Next Great Adventure
There you have it, dear reader—fifteen doorways to worlds as rich and wondrous as Middle-earth itself. Some are epic in scope, spanning thousands of pages. Others are intimate, focusing on the journey of a single heart. All share that ineffable quality that made Tolkien’s work immortal: they take us somewhere worth going and return us changed.
The real magic of fantasy literature lies not in escaping our world but in returning to it with new eyes. These books offer quests that matter, friendships that inspire, and the enduring hope that even the smallest person—or hobbit, or scullion, or assistant pig-keeper—can change the course of the future.
So choose your next adventure. The pages await, and wonderful things are waiting to happen.
