10 Fantasy Books That Are Better Than Harry Potter

When it comes to fantasy books, very few are more popular or iconic than the fourth-highest-selling non-religious book in history: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. It was far more than just a children's fantasy book: it was a cultural revolution, and so the book series and subsequent film adaptations that it spawned were unsurprisingly one of the biggest parts of the 21st-century pop-culture zeitgeist.

However, no installment in the saga earns the title of best fantasy book ever written—not even close. Several novels over the years, many of them directly inspired by Harry Potter, are better than the story of the Boy Who Lived by virtually every important metric. From adult-oriented books to stuff more aimed at kids of around the age of Harry Potter's target demographic, these are some of the greatest fantasy books ever written.

'The Enchantress' (2012)

Those familiar with the original Harry Potter book will be perfectly familiar with the name of Nicholas Flamel, a real French alchemist who lived during the 14th and 15th centuries, and who was believed to have discovered the secret to immortality. Flamel is one of the main characters of Michael Scott's (no relation to The Office) Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel book series, one of the most underappreciated fantasy novel series of the 2010s.

The saga is composed of six hugely imaginative books that borrow elements from several global mythologies, legends, and historical figures. The final chapter in the narrative is The Enchantress, which closes off the series with some jaw-dropping twists and just the right mixture between emotional satisfaction and unexpected conclusions. A movie adaptation of the first book in the series has been in the works since 2006, and if the franchise were to ever actually come together, by the time they get to The Enchantress, they could potentially have one of the best fantasy movies of modern times on their hands.

'The House of Hades' (2013)

By this point, Rick Riordan's hugely expansive Riordanverse has become such a crucial pillar of modern fantasy pop culture that it needs no introduction. Riordan followed the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series with the Heroes of Olympus series, whose fourth and penultimate installment, The House of Hades, is Riordan's highest-rated book on Goodreads.

It's easily the darkest and most mature installment in the series up to that point, kicking things off with Percy and Annabeth in Tartarus after the literal cliffhanger that concluded The Mark of Athena. Here, Riordan's handling of multiple perspectives is at its smoothest, delivering a teen fantasy tale so gripping that even grown-up genre veterans are guaranteed to have a blast.

'Northern Lights' (1995)

Best known as The Golden Compass, its title in North America and some other countries, Philip Pullman's first installment in the His Dark Materials trilogy is proof of the heights that YA fantasy can reach when done right. Upon release, the book's potent critique of organized religion (the Catholic Church in particular) made it hugely controversial.

With time, however, praise for the book has become far more universal—and for good reason. Philosophical profoundity, high-stakes adventure, and complex world-building that one just can't get enough of are the name of the game here. Pullman tells his story with a level of maturity not often seen in YA fantasy, resulting in a complex but deeply rewarding literary experience unlike anything in the medium.

'A Wizard of Earthsea' (1968)

Ursula K. Le Guin is one of the most groundbreaking and influential fantasy authors of her generation, and the high fantasy series The Earthsea Cycle is a landmark in the history of fantasy novels. Its first installment is A Wizard of Earthsea, and there's a strong argument to be made that Le Guin was never able to surpass that gold standard with any of its sequels.

There's a reason why Le Guin's crowning achievement is widely regarded as one of the most perfect fantasy book series ever. For one, it kicks off with one of the best fantasy books ever written. A Wizard of Earthsea is a profound, epic coming-of-age story that's not only a masterclass in children's fiction but also a generational masterpiece of fantasy storytelling in its own right.

'The Magicians' (2009)

Lev Grossman's The Magicians and its two sequels are popularly referred to as "Harry Potter for adults," and quite frankly, that's a well-deserved and entirely complimentary moniker. The source material of one of the best fantasy shows of the 2010s, The Magicians, is urban fantasy at its very best, a hugely original gem that questions whether a magical education would be taxing rather than whimsical.

The way the book identifies fundamental problems with magic and explores their implications makes for a phenomenally sharp study of the fantasy genre that feels like the next step for people who have outgrown Rowling's world and writing.Grossman wears his influences on his sleeve while still delivering an entirely original experience, one whose edginess works perfectly with the material.

'Memories of Ice' (2001)

The Malazan Book of the Fallen series by Canadian author Steven Erikson is fantasy at its most epic, and it's not exactly easy to pick out a best installment out of the ten exceptional chapters that Erikson provided fans with. The third entry in the series, however, Memories of Ice, is the highest-rated part of the saga on Goodreads, and for good reason.

Capturing the spirit of classic Greek and Norse sagas and putting a uniquely modern twist on them, Memories of Ice is a masterpiece full of compelling characters and enthralling plot lines. Gripping character development and a beautiful use of language make Erikson's magnum opus stunningly vivid and irresistibly entertaining, a true juggernaut of 21st-century fantasy.

'Words of Radiance' (2014)

The highly prolific Brandon Sanderson is one of the modern kings of high fantasy, and his Stormlight Archive series is one of the greatest fantasy sagas of the 21st century. The best installment in the series so far also happens to be Sanderson's highest-rated novel on Goodreads: Words of Radiance, the stunning second chapter in the Stormlight Archive.

This brilliant and absorbing novel would no doubt make for one of the best fantasy epic movies ever. Words of Radiance is a 1,000+ page behemoth of practically unprecedented proportions. While the prospect of engaging with it might sound intimidating, the actual experience of reading it can only be described as addictive. Every single page contains some of the most complex world-building, most masterful character development, and most intricate plotting of any fantasy book ever written.

'A Storm of Swords' (2000)

Whether he will ever actually finish the series remains to be seen, but there's no denying that George R. R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire saga is one of the most important high fantasy book series of all time. It all started with A Game of Thrones, but when choosing the best installment in the saga, there's an easy pick: the third chapter, A Storm of Swords.

It's a giant of a novel in every sense of the word, the kind of high fantasy story that you can only get in the medium of literature. Martin's descriptions are so evocative and beautiful that Westeros feels at its most immersive here, with character work and plotting so complex that several book series take several installments to achieve even a fraction of that artistic power. The book served as the main basis for Game of Thrones' third season, but even that couldn't live up to its source material's sheer scope and brilliance.

'The Name of the Wind' (2007)

When asked what the greatest fantasy book of the 21st century is, many would point to Patrick Rothfuss' The Name of the Wind, and no fan of the genre would hold it against them. The first installment in the ongoing Kingkiller Chronicle is a character study like no other, praised by the likes of George R. R. Martin, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Rothfuss wields the English language like a sword, making use of some of the most gorgeous prose that the fantasy genre has seen in decades. Lay on top of that some incredibly immersive world-building, an awesome magic system, an enthralling framing device, and some of the strongest character work that the genre has ever seen, and you've got yourself a winner. Movie and television adaptations of the book have been stuck in development hell for over a decade (and even that's not as long as the third novel in the series has been in the works). Regardless of what happens in the future, The Name of the Wind will forever deserve to be remembered as one of the best fantasy books of the 21st century.

'The Fellowship of the Ring' (1954)

There's no need to introduce J.R.R. Tolkien or his Lord of the Rings high fantasy epic, one of the greatest works of literary fiction ever produced. Tolkien meant for the story to be a single volume, but for economic reasons, he had to publish it in three volumes, which has now led people to consider this a trilogy. And when engaging in the nigh-impossible task of picking a best installment in the trilogy, it's perhaps easiest to land on the one that started it all, The Fellowship of the Ring.

The movie adaptation is one of the most perfect and timeless fantasy movies ever, but there's no beating the source material. Tolkien's mastery of the English language is truly a spectacle to behold, and the intricate world-building, compelling character work, and gripping story that it provides in The Fellowship of the Ring must be read to be believed. It's the pillar upon which all of modern fantasy fiction rises, and every subsequent fantasy novel is deeply indebted to it.