10 Fantasy Books About Epic Quests
For Those Who Crave Danger, Destiny, and the Open Road
There’s something timeless and irresistible about a good quest story. The kind that begins with a whisper of prophecy or a desperate mission. The kind that takes you over wind-lashed mountains, through enchanted forests, across broken kingdoms and into the heart of ancient mysteries. These are the tales where destiny weighs heavy on the hero’s shoulders, where companions are found (and lost), and where courage is forged in fire, blood, and impossible choices.
Epic quests are more than just a journey from Point A to Point B—they’re trials of spirit, battles against darkness (both without and within), and sweeping sagas that remind us: the road may be long, but it’s on the road that we find who we truly are.
Here are 10 fantasy books that embrace the soul of the epic quest—where legends are born, kingdoms rise and fall, and the fate of the world hangs in the balance.
1. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
🌋 The One Ring. Nine companions. One impossible journey.
It’s the quest that defined all quests. Frodo Baggins, a quiet hobbit of the Shire, must travel to the heart of darkness—Mordor—to destroy the One Ring and end the reign of evil. Alongside him: wizards, warriors, a ranger with a secret, and the unbreakable loyalty of friends.
Why it belongs on your shelf: It’s the original epic. A tale of endurance, sacrifice, and hope in the face of shadow.
2. The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
🐉 Dragons. Divided kingdoms. A long-forgotten evil stirring once more.
In a world on the brink of chaos, queens and mages, spies and warriors must unite—or perish. As a nameless terror rises from the depths, ancient prophecies collide with political intrigue in a sprawling tale of resistance and renewal.
Why it belongs on your shelf: It’s a modern epic with fierce women, rich world-building, and quests that span oceans and continents.
3. The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
🌪️ A farm boy. A mysterious woman. A world teetering on the edge of rebirth.
When Rand al’Thor’s quiet village is attacked by creatures from nightmare, he and his friends are thrust into a battle far larger than any of them imagined—one that stretches across the Wheel of Time itself.
Why it belongs on your shelf: It’s an enormous, layered world of prophecy, magic, and destiny—the very essence of an epic fantasy quest.
4. An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
🔥 A slave. A soldier. A rebellion kindling beneath the empire’s heel.
Laia’s quest begins with a choice: infiltrate the empire’s deadliest military academy to save her brother from execution. Elias, a warrior questioning his fate, finds himself entangled in her mission—and in a destiny neither of them asked for.
Why it belongs on your shelf: It’s brutal, heart-wrenching, and utterly relentless in its forward momentum.
5. The Broken Earth Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin
🌍 A dying world. A mother on a mission. A journey through ruin and revelation.
In a world torn apart by cataclysm, Essun sets out to find her daughter—while carrying the secret to either saving or ending everything. Earth itself is alive and angry, and her path winds through grief, survival, and unimaginable power.
Why it belongs on your shelf: It redefines what a quest looks like—with a sharp, unflinching gaze and world-building like volcanic fire.
6. The Inheritance Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin
🕊️ Gods walk among mortals. A kingdom built on divine power teeters.
When Yeine Darr is summoned to the capital, she finds herself named heir to a throne she never sought. But to claim it, she must survive divine politics, unravel ancient mysteries, and confront gods whose loyalties are as deadly as their whims.
Why it belongs on your shelf: This is a quest of identity, power, and reckoning—with the fate of gods and mortals intertwined.
7. The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
⚔️ Storms rage. Oaths are broken. A war for the soul of the world begins.
Across shattered plains and ancient secrets, three lives converge: a slave with hidden strength, a noblewoman chasing forbidden knowledge, and a broken man haunted by the past. Their paths form the backbone of a series that redefines epic.
Why it belongs on your shelf: Sanderson weaves world-building, magic, and emotional depth into a towering saga with a quest at its core.
8. Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
❄️ A daughter of debt collectors. A tsar possessed. A land locked in ice and myth.
Miryem’s quest begins with a coin and a deal. But in a land where winter never ends and ancient creatures lurk behind every shadow, she must navigate fairy bargains, cold ambition, and tangled magic.
Why it belongs on your shelf: It’s a fairy tale reimagined as a slow-burning quest of wit, bravery, and unexpected alliances.
9. The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman
🐦 A thief with a debt. A blind cat. A warrior on a mission of vengeance.
Kinch Na Shannack was trained in lies, knives, and trickery. But when he’s roped into escorting a fierce knight across a war-ravaged world, his life becomes one long, hilarious, and dangerous detour from the plan.
Why it belongs on your shelf: It’s a gritty, funny, fast-paced adventure with razor-sharp writing and heart beneath the grime.
10. The Once and Future King by T.H. White
🛡️ King Arthur. Merlin. Knights bound by honor, and a kingdom doomed by love.
This timeless retelling of Arthurian legend is a quest in many parts—of becoming, of leading, and of trying (and failing) to shape a better world.
Why it belongs on your shelf: It’s nostalgic and heartbreaking, rich with magic, wit, and the tragedy of noble quests gone awry.
Final Word:
Epic quests aren’t just about slaying dragons or crossing kingdoms—they’re about the transformation that happens along the way. These books remind us that the most important part of any journey isn’t the destination, but the growth, the pain, and the people who walk beside us.
So grab your sword, your satchel, or your spellbook—the road awaits. Adventure is calling.
