Underrated Fantasy Gems

Fantasy is dominated by a handful of mega-franchises, and while they deserve their success, there are incredible books flying completely under the radar. These are the ones I press into people's hands at bookstores. The ones I get genuinely upset about when I see their Goodreads ratings. Every single book on this list deserves ten times the readership it has.

7 books in this list

  1. The Shadow of What Was Lost (The Licanius Trilogy Book 1) by James Islington — This book has fewer ratings than it deserves. The magic system is fascinatingly unique, and the protagonist's journey through a crumbling empire is both epic and intimate. I genuinely don't understand why more people haven't read this.
  2. An echo of things to come by James Islington — An absolute hidden gem. The worldbuilding is intricate without being overwhelming, and the character dynamics are some of the most authentic I've encountered in fantasy. This deserves a massive audience.
  3. The Light of All That Falls (The Licanius Trilogy, #3) by James Islington — I stumbled on this by accident and it became one of my favorite reads of the year. The prose is gorgeous, the pacing is perfect, and it does something genuinely new with familiar fantasy tropes.
  4. The Will of the Many by James Islington — Criminally overlooked. The author creates a sense of place that rivals Tolkien, but the story is much more personal and character-driven. It rewards patient readers beautifully.
  5. Promise of Blood (Powder Mage, #1) by Brian McClellan — This one has a cult following for a reason. The magic system is wild, the humor is sharp, and the plot takes turns you absolutely won't see coming. Give it 50 pages and you're hooked.
  6. Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman — A slow burn that pays off magnificently. The first half builds the world with patient precision; the second half detonates everything in the most satisfying way possible.
  7. The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch — The most recent addition to this list, and already one of my favorites. Fresh, original, and written with a confidence that belies the author's debut status. Watch this author — they're going places.