10 Fantasy Books Set On Isolated Islands
There’s something mesmerizing, eerie, and magical about islands. Cut off from the rest of the world, these secluded landscapes hold mysteries both wondrous and perilous. Some hide forgotten civilizations, others are shrouded in curses, and some exist outside the boundaries of time itself.
In fantasy, isolated islands serve as the perfect backdrop for legendary quests, eerie secrets, and breathtaking magic. Whether they’re home to ancient deities, haunted ruins, or creatures that defy imagination, these islands pulse with possibility.
Prepare to set sail—here are 10 fantasy books that will transport you to islands unlike any you’ve ever imagined.
1. The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu
🏝 An Archipelago of Warring Kingdoms
In the lands of Dara, islands are the heart of power and conflict. As a crumbling empire collapses, two unlikely allies—a ruthless bandit and a bookish noble—rise to rewrite destiny. But in this world, the gods meddle freely, and revolutions are as unpredictable as the seas.
📖 Read if you love: Epic fantasy, intricate politics, and mythological influences.
2. The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells
🔬 A Forbidden Island of Nightmarish Creations
Marooned on an uncharted island, a man stumbles upon a mad scientist’s laboratory, where strange creatures walk the jungle—part animal, part human. As he uncovers the horrifying truth, the island becomes a suffocating prison, where the laws of nature have been rewritten in grotesque ways.
📖 Read if you love: Gothic horror, unsettling science fiction, and eerie island mysteries.
3. The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh
🐉 A Mythic Island Beneath the Waves
Every year, a girl is sacrificed to the Spirit Realm to appease the Sea God. When Mina takes her doomed sister’s place, she is swept into a dreamlike underwater island, a world of gods, demons, and spirits. There, she must unravel the Sea God’s curse before she is lost to the realm forever.
📖 Read if you love: Myth-inspired fantasy, Studio Ghibli aesthetics, and lush, lyrical storytelling.
4. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
🐎 An Island Where the Horses Are Monsters
On the remote island of Thisby, every autumn brings the deadly Scorpio Races, where riders attempt to tame and race the flesh-eating water horses that emerge from the sea. Puck Connolly, the first girl to enter, risks everything to save her family—on an island where the sea always claims its due.
📖 Read if you love: Atmospheric fantasy, folklore-inspired creatures, and slow-burn competition stories.
5. The Magus by John Fowles
🎭 An Island of Illusions and Psychological Games
When a disillusioned English teacher takes a job on a Greek island, he is drawn into the enigmatic world of a wealthy recluse who orchestrates elaborate, mind-bending games. Reality and illusion blur, and as secrets unfold, the island itself seems to shift like a dream—or a nightmare.
📖 Read if you love: Psychological fantasy, unreliable narrators, and eerie, mind-twisting tales.
6. The Isle of Blood and Stone by Makiia Lucier
🗺 An Island With a Map That Leads to Lost Princes
Eighteen years ago, the princes of St. John del Mar vanished at sea. Now, a young mapmaker discovers a mysterious island drawn on a forgotten chart, hinting that the lost heirs may still be alive. As he sets out across treacherous waters, forbidden lands, and whispered legends, the truth proves more dangerous than he ever imagined.
📖 Read if you love: Fantasy mysteries, cartographers as heroes, and adventure stories with a hint of danger.
7. A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske
🌿 A Magical Estate Hidden on an Island
In an alternative Edwardian England, magic is kept secret—hidden behind glamour and illusion. But when a mundane bureaucrat is accidentally entangled in an enchanted conspiracy, he finds himself trapped on a secluded estate where reality bends, riddles must be solved, and love is the most dangerous magic of all.
📖 Read if you love: Historical fantasy, magic-infused romance, and books full of puzzles and secrets.
8. The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi
🚰 An Island Oasis in a Dying World
In a future ravaged by climate change, water is the most precious currency. Amidst the drought-ridden wastelands of America, whispers speak of a secret, self-sustaining island, untouched by the chaos. To find it, one must navigate mercenaries, water warlords, and betrayals deep as the ocean.
📖 Read if you love: Dystopian fantasy, ecological themes, and survivalist storytelling.
9. The Black Tides of Heaven by Neon Yang
🌊 An Archipelago Where Magic and Fate Collide
Twin children of the Protector are born in a world where islands float in the sky, and magic is shaped by the currents of fate. As war brews between rebels and rulers, the twins must choose between their destiny and their freedom.
📖 Read if you love: Silkpunk fantasy, non-binary protagonists, and intricate worldbuilding.
10. The Tempest by William Shakespeare
🌀 An Enchanted Island Where Storms Are Summoned
Stranded on an island after a shipwreck, a banished duke-turned-magician conjures spirits, storms, and illusions to manipulate those who wronged him. As magic weaves through the air, love blossoms, revenge simmers, and the island itself becomes a realm of both dreams and nightmares.
📖 Read if you love: Classic literature, magical realism, and poetic, evocative storytelling.
🌊 Set Sail for Adventure
From islands suspended in the sky to those hidden beneath the sea, these books prove that some of the most spellbinding, eerie, and enchanting stories take place where the world ends, and the unknown begins.
Which of these islands would you dare to visit? Or do you have a favorite island-based fantasy book that deserves a place on this list? Let’s chat in the comments! 🏝✨📖
