Core Best Fantasy Lists
- Top 25 Fantasy Books
- Top 100 Fantasy Books
- Best Fantasy Series
- Best Stand Alone Fantasy
- Best Young Adult Fantasy
- Top 25 Best Indie Fantasy
- Best Fantasy Audiobooks
- Best Fantasy You've Never Read
- Most Influential Fantasy
- Best Non-English Fantasy
- Great Fantasy Books
- Good Fantasy Books
- Worst Fantasy Books Ever
Best Yearly Lists
Best Decade Lists
- Best Fantasy Since 2010
- Best Fantasy of the 90's
- Best Fantasy of the 80's
- Best Fantasy of the 70's
- Best Fantasy of the 60's
- Best Early Modern Fantasy (30's-50's)
- Best Pre-Tolkien Fantasy
Best Thematic Lists
- Best Anti-Hero Fantasy
- Best Asian Fantasy
- Best Feel Good Fantasy
- Best of the Tolkien Clones
- Best of the Dresden Clones
- Fantasy That Will Blow Your Mind
- Best Fantasy Books for Women
- Best Fantasy Books by Female Authors
- Best Fantasy Books for Children
- Best Vampire Books for YA
- Best Vampire Books for Adults
Best Subgenre Lists
- Top 50 EPIC Fantasy
- Best Grimdark Fantasy
- Best Military Fantasy
- Best Urban Fantasy
- Best Steampunk Fantasy
- Best Literary Fantasy
- Best Vampire Fantasy
- Best Sword and Sorcery
- Best Fantasy Mysteries
- Best Romance Fantasy
- Best Paranormal Romance
- Best Vampire Romance
- Best Dragon Fantasy
Fantasy Award Winners
Fantasy Guides
- Guide to Fantasy Genres
- How to Find Your Next Read Here
- Guide to Vampire Books
- Beginner's Fantasy Guide
Movies & Games Lists
- Best Science Fiction Books
- Best Fantasy Games
- Best Sci-Fi Games
- Best Sci-Fi Movies
- Best 'Thinking' Sci-Fi Movies
Fantasy Subgenres
- Epic Fantasy
- High Fantasy
- Low Fantasy
- Mundane Fantasy
- Hard Fantasy
- Young Adult Fantasy
- Juvenile Fantasy
- Quest Fantasy
- Coming-of-Age Fantasy
- Heroic Fantasy
- Sword and Sorcery Fantasy
- Swashbuckling Fantasy
- Wuxia Fantasy
- Gods & Demons / Shenmo Fantasy
- Grimdark Fantasy Books
- Colonial Fantasy Books
- Silk Road Fantasy Books
- Flintlock Fantasy Books
- Gunpowder Fantasy Books
- Military Fantasy
- Gritty Fantasy
- Dark Fantasy
- Vampire Fantasy
- Urban Fantasy
- Contemporary Fantasy
- Paranormal Fantasy
- Fantastic Romance
- Romantic Fantasy
- Erotic Fantasy
- Classical Fantasy Books
- Medieval Fantasy
- Court Intrigue Fantasy
- Fantasy of Manners
- Science Fantasy
- Sword and Planet Fantasy
- Dying Earth Fantasy
- Futuristic Fantasy
- Steampunk Fantasy
- Arcanepunk Fantasy
- Gaslamp Fantasy
- Weird West Fantasy
- Political Fantasy
- Literary Fantasy
- Magic Realism
- New Weird Fantasy
- Weird Fiction
- Fantastic Poetry
- Fantastique
- Comic/Humorous Fantasy
- Magical Girl Fantasy
- Series Fantasy
- Super Hero Fantasy
- Media-tie-in Fantasy
- Prehistoric Fantasy Books
- Historical Fantasy
- High Historical Fantasy
- Alternate History Fantasy
- Alternate World Fantasy
- Crossworlds Fantasy
- Portal Fantasy
- Christian Fantasy
- Celtic Fantasy
- Arthurian Fantasy
- Mythic Fantasy
- Mythopoeia
- Legend-Retelling Fantasy
- Allegorical Fantasy
- Fables/Fairy Tale Books
- Anthropomorphic Fantasy
- Dragon Fantasy Books
- Bangsian Fantasy Books
- Assassin Fantasy Books
- Arabian Fantasy Books
High Fantasy / Epic Fantasy
What is High / Epic Fantasy?
A popular subgenre that's often used interchangebly with Epic Fantasy. We feel there is a distinction, however. High Fantasy tends to focus more on the setting and the change and choices made by the protaganist while epic fantasy tends to focus on the SCALE of conflict which affects the world at large. Epic fantasy features a large cast of characters while High Fantasy usually fewer.
Because these two genres can include elements of the other, it's easy enough to see why people call HIgh and Epic fantasy one and the same.
Click here if you want to read the differences between Epic and High fantasy.
The classic definition of “High Fantasy” often refers to the secondary or parallel world created for readers. The world we live in may be acknowledged, in the form of visitors, or exile, or some other oblique reference; but it is not the world in which the story’s action takes place. There, magic is a commonplace tool much in demand due to the power and cunning of evil characters attempting to thwart our heroes’’ attainment of their objectives (which tend to be grand and involve saving the world and all its good inhabitants).
Are you still confused about High Fantasy? Another way to think about High Fantasy is that it is usually about the journey of the hero through an exotic landscape where the journey and change upon the protagonist (and companions) is JUST as important as the ultimate quest or goal.
Other Features of High High Fantasy

- Level of Magic
Magic figures strongly in this type, but it is not used willy-nilly. It is a commodity that must be used wisely to be effective. Typically, magic is very common in quest fantasy, epic fantasy, and high fantasy though it depends on the style of the author.
- Level of Characterization
The level of characterization in High Fantasy tends to be high. The focus, afterall is often on the hero and his or her choices and the consequence on the world at large of those same choices.
- Level of Plot Complexity
Usually complex. The end goal is usually to fulfill some quest -- either a personal quest or a quest on behalf of someone (or something) else.
- Level of Violence
Variable, but usually not graphic enough to be offensive to most readers.
Related Type of Fantasys

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Pretty much anything having an identifiable hero up against a capable thwarter can be considered related. The main elements—hero, quest, obstacles—are found to some degree in the Epic, Realistic, Coming-of-Age, Historic, Heroic,Political, and, to some extent, Romantic Fantasy subgenres.
High Fantasy Isn’t For You If...
If all fantasy fiction seems the same to you, you probably don’t appreciate the subtle distinctions that make High Fantasy different from, say Political Fantasy. Which probably means that the alien-ness of this genre doesn’t appeal to you. If you generally don't like the standard fantasy with magic, strange races, and exotic settings, you probably won't find High Fantasy appealing.
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499
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386
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347
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- Wizard's First Rule ()
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4027
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2511
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2412
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112
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