10 Near-Perfect Fantasy Books Recommended by Brandon Sanderson

There are so many other complex magic systems and rich worlds to explore

Brandon Sanderson is such a prolific author that just getting through his bibliography could keep a reader busy for years. But Sanderson also teaches creative writing and has lectured on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, often sharing his thoughts on the fantasy genre and its leading talent. He’s suggested his fans read Robin Hobb, George R.R. Martin, Anne McCaffery, and Mary Robinette Kowal. Sanderson has also made a host of specific recommendations spanning the novels that inspired him as a kid to brand new releases. If you’re looking for something to read while waiting for the next Cosmere book, here are 10 books Sanderson suggests picking up.

10 Dragonsbane by Barbara Hambly (1985)

Sanderson said that reading Dragonbane in middle school opened his eyes to the power authors had to connect to their readers. Perfect for fans of The Hobbit, Dragonbane unites a prince, a lord, and a witch on a quest to kill a dragon that has taken up residence in the heart of a gnomish cavern. But the mission and the monster are more complicated than they initially seem, offering the potential to harness incredible magic power that could change the fate of the realm.

9 Dragon Prince by Melanie Rawn (1988)

Melanie Rawn’s debut novel follows Rohan, a prince who finds himself thrust into leadership after his father is wounded by a dragon. The High Prince Roelstra has 17 daughters and no heir, so he sees an opportunity to marry one of the princesses to Rohan and then kill his new son-in-law to steal his lands. Rohan has to play along with the courtship in order to hold onto his new power, but winds up entangled in further schemes with brutal results.

8 Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay, (1990)

Guy Gavriel Kay is known for putting a fantasy spin on real history. Tigana is inspired by Renaissance Italy and the long history of conflict between the provinces before the nation was unified. The vengeful sorcerer king Brandin has erased all memory of the province of Tigana, and those who were born there must start a war to keep their home from being truly lost.

7 Sabriel by Garth Nix (1995)

The first novel in Garth Nix’s six-book Old Kingdom series follows a teenage girl who inherits her father’s job as a necromancer tasked with protecting the Old Kingdom from the dead. Sabriel has to outrun monsters and find new friends in order to stop a necromancer who wants to break the rules that keep magical beings in check.

6 The Truth by Terry Pratchett (2000)

Terry Pratchett was Sanderson’s favorite living author until his death in 2015, and Sanderson has recommended several Pratchett novels including The Truth. The book focuses on William de Worde, who teams up with a group of dwarves to start a newspaper, The Ankh-Morpork Times. The budding investigative reporters are embroiled in a murder plot where the key witness is a terrier.

5 The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss (2007)

The innkeeper Kote is secretly Kvothe the Kingkiller, a legendary warrior and magician who went into hiding after starting a war. He agrees to tell his story to a travelling scribe, and the book follows Kvothe’s adventures as a traveling performer, beggar, and university student. His tale is interwoven with that of the Chandrian, supposedly mythical evil creatures who kill anyone who learns too much about them. Read this one at your own peril. Sanderson is always providing updates about his writing progress and delivers new books each year, but fans have been waiting 15 years for the culmination of Rothfuss’ The Kingkiller Chronicle trilogy.

4 The Black Prism by Brent Weeks (2010)

Weeks’ five-book Lightbringer series is perfect for readers who enjoy Sanderson’s complex magic systems. Gavin Guile is the Prism, the one person capable of efficiently using color magic by splitting light. But his power is challenged by the appearance of a teenage son he didn’t know he had and a self-declared king who is trying to earn independence for his lands. The Black Prism has a wild ending that will make you want to pick up the sequel, The Blinding Knife, to figure out what’s really going on.

3 The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin (2010)

Yeine Darr winds up the center of a complex power struggle involving the royal family and the enslaved gods they use as weapons. While Yeine searches for answers about her mother’s murder, she finds herself infatuated with a captive god. Their dangerous romance reveals Yeine’s destiny is even greater than succeeding her grandfather, and she has powerful enemies who will do anything to preserve the status quo.

2 Jade City by Fonda Lee (2017)

The six jade disciplines of Fonda Lee’s Green Bone Saga have the same sort of meticulous magic rules Sanderson is known for. While most of his picks are medieval fantasy, Jade City’s setting more closely resembles a mob story set in post World War II Hong Kong. Rival clans battle for territory and resources in a book that involves drugs, strip clubs, shipping controls, and characters reluctant to get into the family business.

1 The Devils by Joe Abercrombie (2025)

Sanderson and Joe Abercrombie have done numerous talks together, and Sanderson especially praised Abercrombie’s latest book by comparing it to Pratchett’s work. An unlikely band including a monk, a vampire, a werewolf, a necromancer, and an elf go on a quest to bring a princess home to Troy. Their journey includes getting shipwrecked, cutting deals with a crime lord, braving a cursed house, and evading bounty hunters.