Thefantasygenre encompasses many titles from all generations of literature, making it easy for certain books to be forgotten, even though they make incredible reads.The early 2000s saw the publication of some of the most iconic works of speculative fiction in recent memory,like several installments of theHarry Potterseries andThe Name of The Wind, arecent fantasy book that will be a classic someday. However, since there were so many groundbreaking works being released, some equally engaging and high-quality works didn’t get the notoriety they deserved and are due for a resurgence in popularity.
Some of thebest fantasy books of the 2000sbecame so famous that they were adapted for the screen, cultivating an even larger audience thanks to their movies. Even though film iterations of these stories help to preserve their relevance, it’s not always a guarantee that readers will continue to discuss these books for many years to come. However, these fantasy books deserve more time in the spotlight regardless of whether they ever get a screen adaptation, as they’re a credit to the genre and transport the audience to thrilling new worlds.
10The Way Of Shadows (2008)
Written by Brent Weeks
Brent Weeks' debut,The Way of Shadows, unfolds similarly to many fantasy talesabout young heroes and their rise to power. However, just becauseThe Way of Shadowsis part of a long tradition of fantasy doesn’t mean that it isn’t original or that it’s not fun to join the characters on their journeys. The first in theNight Angelseries,The Way of Shadows, follows the protagonist, Azoth, as he sheds his original name and becomes a new, more dangerous version of himself under the tutelage of his assassin mentor.
For readers who enjoy action, political conspiracies, and moral ambiguity,The Way of Shadowsis the perfect escape from the real world.
All three of the firstNight Angelbooks were released at the same time in 2008, allowing readers to devour the story and immerse themselves in its supernatural world of deadly assassins. For readers who enjoy action, political conspiracies, and moral ambiguity,The Way of Shadowsis the perfect escape from the real world. With epic battles and choices that force Azoth to question who he’s really working for and what he’s willing to leave behind,The Way of Shadowsis on par with many of the most famous works of fantasy today.
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9Inkheart (2003)
Written by Cornelia Funke
Cornelia Funke’sInkheartseries had the potential to be one of the biggest fantasy franchises of the 2000s,but the failed movie adaptation in 2008 put an end to this possibility. However, had the other two books in the series been brought to life for the screen, audiences everywhere would’ve fallen in love with the magical and literary world ofInkheart. Based on the idea that there are certain people who can bring the words and characters of a book to life by reading aloud,Inkhearttakes the reader on a dangerous and emotionally fraught quest.
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On its own, this is a great premise, especially for book lovers, but Funke doesn’t let the concept carry the story.The heart and soul ofInkheartis the relationship between young Meggie and her father, Mortimer,who has been on the run from the villains that Mortimer accidentally brought to life from a book. The pair have a deep bond, and their love for each other is a key part of what makesInkheartso memorable. As the books continue, Meggie has even more adventures and learns she can count on herself as much as her father.
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8Graceling (2008)
Written by Kristin Cashore
As much a romantasy book as it is a story of independence and adventure,Gracelingis a story about defying expectations and refusing to capitulate to other people’s expectations.Katsa, the main character ofGraceling, is one of the Graced, but her special power is not one of beauty but violence. Kristin Cashore draws the reader into Katsa’s world as she grapples with the opposing sides of herself and wonders why she was given such a gift and what her responsibility is to the people around her.
The way Graces work inGracelingmakes for an interesting magic system.
Katsa’s journey is elevated by her romance with Po, a prince who seems like the opposite of everything she’s been told she is. The way Graces work inGracelingmakes for an interesting magic system. Graces can take on both physical and mental forms, and Katsa quickly discovers that her gifts aren’t what she’s always believed. Though romance plays a significant role in Katsa’s development, it’s clear that Cashore is working hard to weave a narrative of female empowerment through the chapters while catering to a YA audience.
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7Who Fears Death (2010)
Written by Nnedi Okorafor
Nnedi Okorafor takes on racism, colorism, and oppressive histories of violence in her post-apocalyptic novel,Who Fears Death.Okorafor describes her work as part of the Africanfuturism movement,as she sets her work in Africa and differentiates it from the Afrofuturism genre (viaNnedi Blogspot). InWho Fears Death, Onyesonwu is raised in a dystopian world of magic and conflicting identities, but she comes to recognize her power and position in ending the genocide of her people.
Okorafor isn’t afraid to touch upon the violence and terror of the world inWho Fears Deathanddraws clear and direct comparisons between her fictional universe and the real world.However, this doesn’t mean there isn’t light, love, and the preservation of tradition and family inWho Fears Death, even in the face of the intensity of the forces Onyesonwu comes up against.Who Fears Deathdistinguishes itself with a protagonist as complex and enthralling as Onyesonwu and Okorafor’s writing.
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6Fablehaven (2006)
Written by Brandon Mull
TheFablehavenseries might be for kids, but its memorable storytelling and unique conceit make it worth reading for any generation. However, for those who did pick upFablehavenin their youth, there’s no question thatBrandon Mull’s series is especially nostalgic because there are so many magical creatures that haunt the pages of the story.InFablehaven, the siblings Kendra and Seth are exposed to the fantastical world of Fablehaven when they go to visit their grandparents and discover a hidden world of monsters and magic.
Unfortunately, many amazing books fulfilled the niche of fantasy for younger audiences during the 2000s, so theFablehavenseries hasn’t been as widely discussed.
Fablehavenis achildren’s fantasy book that still hits home as an adultsince the references to classic legends and fairy tales are such a large part of fiction. Unfortunately, many amazing books fulfilled the niche of fantasy for younger audiences during the 2000s, so theFablehavenseries hasn’t been as widely discussed. However, since Mull recently released the companion seriesDragonwatch, beginning in 2017, there’s plenty of great material that fleshes out the world andFablehavenand gives the heroes plenty of adventures to bravely embark on.
2006
5Powers (2007)
Written by Ursula K. Le Guin
Many ofUrsula K. Le Guin’s best booksfall into the sci-fi category, but she wrote many fantasy novels that helped push the genre forward.Later in her career, Le Guin penned the seriesAnnals of the Western Shore,which began in 2004 withGifts. ThoughPowersis the third book in the trilogy, it’s an unforgettable conclusion to the story, andPowersmakes it well worth reading the first two installments. Like all of her work, the trilogy is deeply intertwined with the natural world and the structures of power.
ThoughPowersis a YA book, Le Guin loses none of her potency when she isn’t writing for adults, as seen in the critically acclaimedEarthsea Cycle.Powersis an emotionally raw and arresting book, forcing readers to confront their fears and wishes alongside Gav, the main character. After slowly developing his gifts for sight and memory, Gav’s thrown into a world he doesn’t know and must assert himself and his desire for freedom. As always,Le Guin imparts critical cultural and social messages to the audience but does so in the form of a story worth getting lost in.
2004
4The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms (2010)
Written by N. K. Jemisin
N.K. Jemisin’sBroken Earthtrilogy was immediately hailed as essential reading within the fantasy genre, but before the author received record-breaking accolades for that series, she penned theInheritancebooks. Published just as the 2000s became the 2010s,The Hundred Thousand Kingdomswas Jemisin’s debut and made its mark on the fantasy world,demonstrating that Jemisin was a voice to watch in the coming decade. Yeine Darr makes for a captivating protagonist as she’s thrust from the safety of her world to a kingdom of gods and betrayal.
One of the most vivid parts of Jemisin’s writing inThe Hundred Thousand Kingdomsis the immediacy of gods and magic in the story.
In the wake of her mother’s sudden death, Yeine journeys to her mother’s homeland, a city in the sky, to compete for the right to rule and uncover the secrets that have been kept for her. One of the most vivid parts of Jemisin’s writing inThe Hundred Thousand Kingdomsis the immediacy of gods and magic in the story. Yeine is constantly speaking and making deals with the gods in the palace, and the existence of these higher powers is something the humans in the book use as tools to amass more power.
2011
3Best Served Cold (2009)
Written by Joe Abercrombie
Best Served Coldmight take place in the same universe as theFirst Lawseries,but this addition to Joe Abercrombie’s oeuvre is rarely mentioned when discussing the best parts of the series. While Abercrombie’s many works all have their merits,Best Served Coldis a fun, swashbuckling novel that thrills readers until the final pages. Led by the female protagonist, Monza Murcatto,Best Served Coldassembles a motley crew of thieves and brigands who come together to help Murcatto take down the most powerful man in the land.
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It might be an uphill battle, and Murcatto might have her work cut out for her getting her crew into fighting shape, but even during their worst moments, they’re a team worth rooting for.Best Served Coldis concerned first and foremost with revenge, but it leads its characters down a path of adventure and growth even as they commit violent, bloodthirsty acts. Murcatto is a protagonist worth rooting for, andAbercrombie does an excellent job bringing an exciting new corner of theFirst Lawuniverse to life.
2Perdido Street Station (2000)
Written by China Miéville
China Miéville’sPerdido Street Stationcemented the author as one of the best minds in contemporary fantasy. Blending fantasy and sci-fi,Perdido Street Stationwhisks the reader away to a world where technology has gone further than the audience can imagine and human-animal hybrids are commonplace. The protagonist,Isaac, is one of the scientific minds who pushes boundaries inPerdido Street Station,but his curiosity and thirst for discovery come at a cost.
Isaac pays dearly for his experimentation by the end of the novel, and Miéville has no qualms about delving into the darkest corners of fantasy and the human experience.
Isaac pays dearly for his experimentation by the end of the novel, and Miéville has no qualms about delving into the darkest corners of fantasy and the human experience.Perdido Street Stationwas immediately hailed by fantasy critics and fans as a pivotal addition to the genre. However, it doesn’t have the same far-reaching name recognition as similar novels. Fortunately, this didn’t stop the author from adding to his vividly imagined universe. Miéville’s other works,The ScarandIron Council, are set in the same world asPerdido Street Station, but all three books can be read as standalone projects.
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1Leviathan (2009)
Written by Scott Westerfeld
Scott Westerfeld’s steampunk fantasy series kicks off withLeviathan, a fantastical reimagining of the First World War. Though Westerfeld is better known for writing the YA dystopian sci-fi seriesUglies, which came out a few years beforeLeviathan, his other work shouldn’t be overlooked. Blending alternative history withfantasycan be tricky to pull off, butLeviathaneasily engages the audience thanks to the central dynamic between Aleksander and Deryn, the stories' protagonists.
The magic and technological systems inLeviathanare what set the novel apart, as Westerfeld uses elements of advanced weaponized machinery as well as genetically engineered animals. Putting this otherworldly twist on an international conflict that most readers know well is an interesting way into this history and makes for an exciting backdrop to the characters' development. While the story is already immersive on its own,theLeviathanbooks are elevated by the gorgeous illustrations that accompany the text,giving the reader visual insights into the landscape of the world.
