The 12 Best Epic Fantasy Series Books Like Game of Thrones

We Get It: It's been a long time since the last part of A Song of Ice and Fire was released, and since the show's final season doesn't premiere until 2019, there's a void in the epic fantasy part to be filled.

To help you get over this rest, we've put together a list of 12 more epic fantasy books like Game of Thrones: full of action, drama, and some pretty fantastic world build. With dynamic characters, complex relationships, beautiful landscapes and action-packed scenes, nothing beats diving into epic fantasy stories.

If you don't know which great fantasy series to pick up next, you can also take our 1 minute quiz below to get a personalized fantasy book recommendation 😉

1. The Lord of the Rings series by JRR Tolkien

An epic fantasy list would be nothing without The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien's magnum opus and an absolutely archetypal work in the genre.

Named after the series' villain, the trilogy follows the Fellowship of the Ring in their quest to destroy the One Ring - with the future of all of Middle-earth resting on their shoulders. No pressure! While some in the group face epic battles, others have to face off against their personal demons and complete smaller (but no less important) quests that will determine the fate of their world.

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2. Wheel of Time Series by Robert Jordan

If you want length, development and a maze of storylines, then Jordan 's fourteen book epic fantasy series is enough.

The story takes place in a world where women can use magic, but men cannot - or rather not. It follows a group of friends from a small town who are swept up in events that will change the world forever. In a battle between Light and Dark, the one who can save them is also the one who can destroy the world.

This series is also a beautiful demonstration of fantasy camaraderie and collaboration. Robert Jordan died while writing the series, but it was concluded by longtime fan and fellow fantasy writer Brandon Sanderson, who used Jordan's extensive notes to write the final three episodes. About who ...

3.'s spoken Mistborn Brandon Sandersonseries

Harry defeated Voldemort. Aragorn took the throne. It is usually quite simple: the hero fulfills the prophecy. But have you ever wondered what would happen if the hero fails? The Sanderson Mistborn series is here to answer that question.

set in a world of complex magical systems creating an intricate social and political structure and Mistborn plays out with the story of an enslaved, half Skaa (lower class) thief named Kelsier. After years in a prison camp, he discovers that he is a Mistborn - one who has great magical powers that allow him to overthrow the tyrannical rule of the Lord Ruler.

Kelsier manages to escape and reunite his old squad of thieves, along with another Mistborn named Vin, to set his plan in motion. But overthrowing a thousand-year-old empire is not easy, and they must risk their lives to change the world.

4. The First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie set

in a world reminiscent of medieval Europe and DeThe First Law is set series following a handful of characters in the midst of the war. This series is packed with great action scenes, three-dimensional characters, blood, blood and more blood. Did we mention it has blood?

The cast of characters may lack typical 'heroic' qualities. But Abercrombie uses their disturbing and antagonistic traits to turn his characters into true anti-heroes, compelling readers to give up on them and their fate.

Fun fact: the titles of all three books in this series have a literary origin. The Blade Itself comes from the quote, "The blade itself incites acts of violence," by Homer. Before They Are Hanged comes from the quote, “We must forgive our enemies, but not until they are hanged,” by Heinrich Heine. Last but not least, Last Argument of Kings is taken from a quote on Louis XIV's guns.

5. The Malazan Book of the Fallen Series by Steven Erikson

This monumental series is the product of two authors: Steven Erikson and Ian Cameron Esslemont. They created the world together, but each wrote different stories set in it. While Esslemont's series is as canonical as Erikson, it is known by the quirky name Novels of the Malazan Empire. In case you're wondering, those plus Erikson's books bring the total of the series to a whopping twenty-two books! You certainly won't run out of reading material any time soon.

Malazan Book of the Fallen Has a vast history, complex world structure, a powerful magical system and a story spanning multiple continents and plots. In other words, it is a dream come true for any lover of epic fantasies. But be warned, the series doesn't follow a linear storyline and can be very confusing at first. Add to that the fact that the characters themselves don't know much about what's going on and that they are the storytellers… it's up to you to decide whether they are reliable or not.

If you decide to give this series a try, the authors themselves recommended in order of publication and reading chronological order, especially if it's your first time reading them.

6. Memory, Sorrow and Thorn Tad Williams Trilogy

Osten Ard Is a peaceful continent where a variety of human and non-human races live together in relative harmony under the rule of King John the Presbyter. When the king's health deteriorates, sibling rivalry and long-kept secrets threaten the stability of the kingdom.

The series follows the story of Simon, a young kitchen worker from the castle, who, as an apprentice of the League of the Scroll, becomes involved in the events that confront the enemy who threatens his country. Throughout the trilogy, a host of characters - both good and bad - are introduced, growing, changing and questioning their way of life through the conflict that surrounds them. The story is told from the point of view of various characters, including both protagonists and antagonists, giving readers a well-rounded view of the events that are taking place.

George RR Martin has cited Williams himself as an influence on his own epic fantasy series. So why not explore the series that may have helped form A Song of Ice and Fire?

7. The Empire Trilogy by Raymond Feist and Janny Wurts.

Written together, this trilogy follows the story of Mara of the Acoma, a young nun-in-training who, after the death of her father and brother, grows up to be the Ruling Lady of the Acoma. From there, numerous plans, conspiracies, assassination attempts and the altering of tradition come in her path to become the most powerful ruler. While many epic fantasies take place in a world inspired by medieval Europe, this one has Asian-inspired elements that set it apart.

If you like this book there is a lot more where it came from. This trilogy is part of The Riftwar Universe, which consists of twenty-seven additional books!

8. The Acacia Trilogy by David Anthony Durham

Starting with Acacia: The War with the Mein, this trilogy begins with Leodan Akara, ruler of the known world. He is leading a peaceful and prosperous kingdom, but his world is full of much more darkness than he realizes.

After his death, his four children are forced to face the reality of their kingdom and try to radically change their world. Unlike many fantasy novels, where the end goal is to defeat the opposing forces and maintain the statu-quo, in Acacia the character's aim is to change the world for the better for everyone. If you're a fan of complex world-building, ancient magic, political and moral dilemmas, and morally ambiguous characters, this is a series that will have you turning pages to the end.

9. The Broken Empire Trilogy by Mark Lawrence

In a way, Batman has gone wrong: instead of a child's tragic life taking them on the path of righteousness, it drags them down the path of pure and unadulterated evil.

Told from the standpoint of Jorg Ancrath, this trilogy tells the story of how he went from being a privileged prince to a leader of a band of bandits. If that isn't intriguing enough for you, it is followed by his attempts to rebuild the life he left behind and rise to the throne of the Broken Empire. He is the antihero who will end all antiheroes, and you will probably hate him, but you will still - surprisingly - root for him.

Be warned that this series is not really for the faint of heart, and contains a lot of violence and abuse that some may not enjoy.

10. The Earthsea Cycle by Ursula K. Le Guin

While this series does not have the detailed world structure that other epic fantasy stories have, it is nonetheless complex and real, making it one of the classic examples of the genre. It follows the coming-of-age story of Ged, a young dragon lord of great powers who is sent away to study magic.

Unlike other fantasy series, where magic is carelessly practiced, Earthsea is all about careful balance. After all, there are dragons, labyrinths, and evil forces to overcome. Throughout the series, the characters must grow and face the darkness that threatens to engulf their world.

Where JRR Tolkien built Middle-earth with detailed prose and descriptions, Le Guin builds Earthsea with a light prose and digestible story that can be very refreshing. There are five books in total, and each novel in the series has received an award.

11. The Dagger and the Coin Series by Daniel Abraham

What happens when one person has all the power?

In a world once ruled by dragons, thirteen races now coexist. But when a great nation threatens to extend its influence to the free cities, citizens of both sides must do their best to survive. Fans of A Song of Ice and Fire will enjoy the political and military battles developed by the quintet.

With a light and engaging writing style, Abraham draws his readers to a sense of comfort and familiarity with his characters as they move through chaos and war. The Dagger and the Coin series is told from the third-person perspective of each of the main characters, something that effectively juxtaposes the two sides that Abraham shows through the series and deals with a big question: What wins wars? Military might or financial influence? (It's called the dagger and coin series, after all.)

12. The Cursed Kings series by Maurice Druon

Although this is not fantasy - it is historical fiction - The Cursed Kings is one of the main inspirations behind A Song of Ice andFire. the story begins with the French King Philip the Fair, who curses his family. The series follows the succession of European monarchs that led to the Hundred Years' War, a series of conflicts between the House of Plantagenet in England and the House of Valois in France between 1337 and 1453.

Translated from the French, there are seven books in this series and more than sixty characters to follow with lots of intrigue, drama, battles, deceit, rivalry, lies and lust. If you're in desperate need of more books like Game of Thrones Then this is for you - even if it's not an epic fantasy.