There are of course many more than 10 great fantasy novels, H. Warner Munn’s “Merlin’s Ring” made a big impression on me when I first read it in 1974. It was a sweeping love story that spanned eons, cultures and ages … from the Aztecs to Roland’s stand at Roncevaux, to Marco Polo’s trade route, to the defeat of Kublai Khan’s armada by the Japanese and Joan of Arc. Munn’s first stories in the series were repatriated in the prequel, “Merlin’s Godson,” in 1976. I still have the paperbacks in my collection and have read them several times.

Zelazny’s Amber series really is fantastic. Awesome to see it given love alongside such already well-known touchstones. Can’t recommend the entire series enough.

I will always have to give this a shout-out in any list of wonderful fantasy reads:

“Little, Big” by John Crowley.

It’s perfection.

Great list. It’s not all of fantasy, but it nails down the continents and larger islands, and the “why this is good” explanations read like the outline of the best fantasy course ever.

Some post-it notes:

Amber: We all understand wanting to stay longer, but you’ll remember it as a better series if you don’t go on to the third and subsequent books.

Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser: IMO, Fritz Leiber is the most underrated writer in the history of the field. One small example: all of fantasy’s real cities are descended from Lankhmar, which is the third great character in that series. (Also, have you read Night’s Black Agents?)

Other works: Little, Big. Bridge of Birds. Any collection of Dunsany’s very short fantasy. Edward Whittemore’s Jerusalem Quartet, if you’re enough of a history junkie to follow what’s happening and appreciate the additions.

This list isn’t counting graphic novels, right? Because otherwise, Sandman.

That sense that there’s another book I can almost (but not quite) remember is what keeps us reading, and makes some of us start writing.

[...] I would pass along the link to another one. Lev Grossman, author of The Magicians, named his 10 must-read fantasy novel in a post over at Flavorwire.com and I thought his list was pretty interesting. Here’s the [...]

[...] I would pass along the link to another one. Lev Grossman, author of The Magicians, named his 10 must-read fantasy novels in a post over at Flavorwire.com and I thought his list was pretty [...]

I really must disagree with this list — but then, that’s what Top Ten lists are for. I’d put “Lord of the Rings” at the top of the list, it’s still influential and defined fantasy for several decades (even in this list – how many of these novels are described in *comparison* to LotR? Second, anything by Neil Gaiman, especially “American Gods” and “Neverwhere”. Then JK Rowling’s Harry Potter, followed by Jim Butcher’s “Harry Dresden”. You don’t get more urban than the ‘only professional wizard in Chicago’. Then CS Lewis’s Narnia — another traditional fantasy series. Followed by “Mists of Avalon” (Marion Zimmer Bradley) and “The Handmaiden’s Tale” (Margaret Atwood) both feminist takes on fantasy (tho Atwood could also be called SF).

Did we forget the Wheel of Time series? Say what you like, but Jordan really was a master of weaving countless numbers of characters into a captivating tale.

Victoria, the Wheel of Time does not deserve to be anywhere near this list. While I have fond memories of the earlier books, the fact is that it’s a bloated mess by an author who neither knows how to end a story or how to write about women.

Wheel of Time was absolutely terrible. The only thing Jordan was a master of was incoherent, rambling plot lines. They could have cut 7 books out of that series and it probably would have been a lot more enjoyable. He’s almost as much of a hack as Terry Goodkind.

I’ll never understand the popularity of the Harry Potter books. I couldn’t get through the first one. Nor have the films done anything for me. Boring.

I disagree with Grossman’s opinion of TLOTR. Also, he selected some weak novels, especially Jonathan Strange and American Gods (enjoyable but NOT classic). Inexplicably, he didn’t include Eddison’s The Worm Ouroboros and Jack Vance’s Lyonesse.

Oooh, Jonathan Strange is so good!

Although the title of the list is “Must Read”, the intro describes is as L. Grossman’s favorites. To each their own then. Most will agree that choosing The Hobbit over LOTR is bizarre. Conspicuous by their absence are Moorcock’s Elric Saga & REH’s Conan. And shouldn’t there be a representative of the contemporary vampire? If not Interview With a Vampire, then what?

No Steven Erikson? Meh.

There are some good books on this list, but really – only three women out of ten authors? And five children’s books on a list of ten must-read fantasies? And not a single non-white author? And an updated medieval romance/social satire?

I know this is Lev Grossman’s list, but seriously – someone who’s just started reading fantasies is in for a shock when s/he goes to the bookstore and finds that the field is much, much, much more than these ten books.

[...] Lev Grossman’s 10 Must-Read Fantasy Novels [...]

[...] Lev Grossman’s 10 “must read” fantasy novels [...]

Too bad I can’t see the selections, as I’m not clicking through 11 pages.

Mervyn Peake’s Gormenghast Trilogy. And Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass — especially with Peake’s illustrations!