The Bestselling Fantasy Books of All Time

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First book: A Game of Thrones

Published in: 1996

Copies sold: +90 million

It’s astir apt nary astonishment that A Song of Ice and Fire is the adjacent bid connected this list! George R.R. Martin’s epic phantasy bid is afloat of governmental intrigue — and truthful galore fans are keen connected uncovering retired however it ends. The archetypal publication begins erstwhile Lord Eddard Stark is summoned to King’s Landing arsenic the caller Hand of the King. But what helium finds determination is that everyone is scheming for power, and calamity and betrayal awaits him and his household astatine each turn.

First book: The Eye of the World

Published in: 1990

Copies sold: +90 million

The Wheel of Time is different ace fashionable and beloved phantasy series. It was really concluded posthumously by Brandon Sanderson, who helped constitute books 12–14 based connected Jordan’s notes. This bestselling phantasy bid begins with The Eye of the World, and it follows Moiraine Damodred arsenic she continues her quest to find the chosen one. This takes her to Emond’s Field, wherever she persuades Rand al’Thor and his friends to articulation her combat against The Dark One.

First book: The Colour of Magic

Published in: 1983

Copies sold: +80 million

The Discworld bid is truthful big: it is made up of 41 books that travel antithetic characters and storylines. No wonderment they’re immoderate of the bestselling phantasy books of each time! The Colour of Magic kicks disconnected wizard Rincewind’s adventures. In it, helium is hired by a naïve tourer named Twoflower arsenic a guide. Twoflower is really an security cause for the Agatean Empire, and Rincewind volition person to support him astatine each costs lest his decease provoke an invasion.

First book: Interview with the Vampire

Published in: 1976

Copies sold: +80 million

Moving connected to a antithetic benignant of fantasy, Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles has earned its spot arsenic 1 of the bestselling phantasy books of each time. The communicative begins with the beloved Interview with the Vampire, which tells the communicative of a vampire named Louis. He was really turned by Lestat — the series’ astir celebrated character. Sometime aft his unwilling instauration to the vampiric lifestyle, Louis finds a kid named Claudia and is truthful taken by her helium turns her into a vampire arsenic well. Their hunt for belonging volition instrumentality them astir the globe, but uncovering different vampires whitethorn beryllium much unsafe than they ever imagined.

First book: The Gunslinger

Published in: 1982 

Copies sold: +30 million 

Stephen King whitethorn beryllium fashionable for his fearfulness stories, but his phantasy books are bestsellers arsenic well! The Dark Tower bid follows Roland of Gilead, a.k.a. The Gunslinger. In a western-inspired parallel world, Roland is connected a quest to drawback the enigmatic Man successful Black. Relentless successful his pursuit, helium travels crossed the godforsaken and 1 of the galore radical helium meets is the “Kid from Earth” called Jake — who volition beryllium his companion connected this adventure.

First book: Outlander

Published in: 1991

Copies sold: +26 million

Diana Gabaldon’s humanities romance bid depends connected its phantasy elements and it has grown rather fashionable implicit the years. The communicative begins successful 1945, erstwhile Claire Randall visits the Scottish Highlands with her hubby connected a 2nd honeymoon. But erstwhile she walks done a lasting stone, Claire is hurled backmost successful clip to 1743. And it won’t beryllium agelong earlier the gallant Jamie Fraser wins implicit her heart.

First book: Wizard’s First Rule

Published in: 1994

Copies sold: +25 million

Terry Goodkind’s bestselling epic phantasy bid is made up of 15 books, the archetypal 1 being Wizard’s First Rule. It follows the communicative of Richard Cypher, who is trying to lick his father’s murder. This leads him to conscionable a mysterious pistillate named Kahlan — and the 2 of them squad up to find these magical boxes that mightiness assistance halt the evil lord Darken Rahl from becoming all-powerful.

First book: Mistborn

Published in: 2006

Copies sold: +10 million

The Mistborn bid is 1 of the much caller bestsellers connected this list, but Sanderson has rapidly made a sanction for himself with his unsocial phantasy books — and these are his astir fashionable ones. The communicative begins with a antheral named Kelsier. He has the powers of a Mistborn, and tin usage metals successful bid to get magical abilities. He’s besides a cunning thief readying what seems similar an intolerable heist. Enter his caller apprentice Vin. It turns retired she’s a Mistborn too, and she mightiness beryllium the cardinal to his success.

First book: The Name of the Wind

Published in: 2007

Copies sold: +10m

Is this trilogy (in)famous due to the fact that determination hasn’t been a hint of publication #3 successful years? Yes. But it’s besides rather the bestseller contempt its deficiency of conclusion. The communicative begins with an older Kvothe. He’s hiding arsenic an innkeeper, contempt his past arsenic a skilled magician and musician. We don’t truly cognize however helium went from being the astir notorious wizard the satellite had ever seen to moving this small, secluded inn. But erstwhile a storyteller discovers who helium is, Kvothe decides to archer him his beingness communicative afloat of love, music, magic, and betrayal.

NYT bestseller

R.F. Kuang’s bestselling humanities phantasy is an awesome exploration of colonialism, connection and academia. Set successful an alternate 1800s, the communicative follows an orphan named Robin who was taken from his location successful Canton to go a translator for the British Empire. Professor Lovell trained him from a young property truthful Robin could articulation the ranks of Oxford’s Institute of Translation, a.k.a. Babel. And erstwhile helium gets there, Robin starts to recognize that this seeming utopia is thing but — and that sometimes it takes unit to enact change.

NYT bestseller

Next comes an unforgettable reimagining of the vilified queen from the Ramayana! This publication tells the communicative of Kaikeyi, the lone girl of the kingdom of Kekaya. She grows up arsenic an overlooked princess, and contempt not being peculiarly adjacent to her parents, it comes arsenic a daze to Kaikeyi erstwhile her begetter banishes her mother. Kaikeyi seeks comfortableness successful the texts she utilized to work with her mother, and that’s wherever she learns she carries large powerfulness wrong her — a powerfulness that volition crook her into a large warrior, diplomat, and queen.

National bestseller

The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina is simply a magical household saga that is perfectly unputdownable. The communicative follows the Montoya family, who person grown up utilized to their matriarch Orquídea’s eccentricities and her house’s penchant for magic. But 1 day, Orquídea surprises everyone by inviting them to her funeral, successful which she turns into a tree. The Montoyas are near with adjacent much questions — and 7 years volition walk earlier information lurks person and the answers are yet astatine hand.

Publisher’s Weekly bestseller and Sunday Times bestseller

Series: Celestial Kingdom

We’re moving connected to an adventurous phantasy romance inspired by the fable of the Chinese satellite goddess. This publication follows the communicative of Xingyin, who has grown up successful the satellite hidden by her parent Chang’e. The Celestial Kingdom doesn’t cognize of her existence, until her magic flares and Xingyin is forced to fly her home. She really winds up successful the mediate of the Celestial Kingdom itself, and adjacent befriends Prince Liwei. The 2 of them turn and larn and bid unneurotic — but Xingyin hasn’t forgotten her parent and she’ll bash thing to prevention her from her confinement.

NYT bestseller

Series: The Dark Star

Black Leopard, Red Wolf is simply a acheronian and profoundly imaginative phantasy caller that draws inspiration from African past and mythology. The communicative follows a mercenary named Tracker who is hired to find a lad who disappeared 3 years ago. Tracker usually works alone, but this clip helium breaks his regularisation and joins a ragtag squad of antithetic characters — which includes a shapeshifter named Leopard. Together, they volition look for the missing child, a task easier said than done.

National bestseller

The adjacent publication is simply a beauteous phantasy communicative written by Nobel Prize victor Kazuo Ishiguro. The Buried Giant is the communicative of an aged Briton mates named Axl and Beatrice. They endure from a selective amnesia they telephone “mist.” This amnesia really affects everyone successful the post-Arthurian England the communicative is acceptable in. Nevertheless, they’re definite they utilized to person a son. With that certainty, Axl and Beatrice acceptable retired connected a quest to the adjacent colony successful hopes of uncovering him. 

NYT bestseller

Series: Atlas

Next comes The Atlas Six, a acheronian academia phantasy caller that went viral connected TikTok. The communicative follows this year’s candidates to articulation The Alexandrian Society. They are magicians and keepers of the world’s mislaid knowledge, and each twelvemonth they fto 5 caller radical articulation their ranks. This year’s candidates are Libby Rhodes, Nicolás Ferrer, Reina Mori, Parisa Kamali, Tristan Caine, and Callum Nova. The six of them volition person to beryllium themselves to articulation the Society — oregon dice trying. 

International Bestseller

Series: The Radiant Emperor

She Who Became the Sun is simply a fantastic literate phantasy that reimagines the emergence of China’s Ming Dynasty. The communicative follows a miss who is destined for nothingness portion her younger member is destined for greatness. But her full beingness changes erstwhile her begetter is murdered and her member dies of grief. With them gone, she is hopeless to survive. So she takes her brother’s sanction and his destiny — and frankincense becomes the monk Zhu Chongba. At the monastery and aboriginal with a rebel group, Zhu learns that she is susceptible of thing to get what she wants.

International bestseller

Last but surely not slightest comes a darker phantasy caller that is perfectly worthy of its bestseller status. The Book Eaters follows Devon. She is portion of The Family, a clan of publication eaters that feast connected stories. Devon grows up with a dependable fare of fairytales and cautionary stories — portion her brothers feast connected escapade and courage. The clan dictates Devon’s path, but her full beingness is turned upside down erstwhile her lad is calved — due to the fact that helium feeds connected minds alternatively of words.