Shop Epic Fantasy Books, Films, & More
March 25th is one of my favorite days of the year, as it is Tolkien Reading Day. Why was this date selected to celebrate the writings the greatest author of epic fantasy ever? Because in the timeline of the Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, this is the day that Frodo (with a little help from Gollum) cast the One Ring “back into the fiery chasm from whence it came.” In other words, it’s the day Middle-earth was saved.
So, why should we still read J.R.R. Tolkien? Well, for one, so we know that my quote above is actually from the movie, not the book. (Book and movie differences are somewhat important to me. In fact, I will fight people about why Gandalf telling the Balrog he “cannot pass” is vastly superior to the movie’s “shall not pass.”) Another big reason we should keep reading Tolkien is because all of epic fantasy owes a debt to the master.
Now is the time to begin, or continue, your journey with Tolkien, which will take quite a while if you go down the road of the Middle-earth history books that the Tolkien estate, beginning with his son, Christopher, have published. (It’s truly a road that goes ever on and on, as Bilbo would have it.) And when you’re finished with that, below are additional recommendations for some other great epic fantasy reads!
Books you should know about
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
New readers discover Tolkien every day. Get all three books of The Lord of the Rings trilogy (The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King), in one volume so they can dive straight in.
The Fall of Númenor: And Other Tales from the Second Age of Middle-earth by J.R.R. Tolkien
The most recent book about history of Middle-earth history is The Fall of Númenor. As the focus of this book is about the Second Age of Middle-earth, it will be of particular interest to those watching the TV show, The Rings of Power. (For non-Tolkien fans, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings take place at the end of the Third Age, so this is the era before.)
Galaphile by Terry Brooks
Terry Brooks has been writing his Shannara books for a bit shy of 50 years. Just this month, he launched his latest series in this world with Galaphine, book 1 of The First Druids of Shannara. Sentimental epic fantasy fans are going to want this one, as Brooks has announced it will be his last book. But don’t fear too much, Shannara lovers. Brooks didn’t launch a new series, never to see it finished, as he has already announced that Delilah S. Dawson will be taking over this fantasy world.
The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang
R. F. Kuang’s award-winning series is a grimdark epic inspired by 20th Century Chinese history. The series opens as something of a magic school story, before morphing into a fierce war tale, and finally, the fallout of a world turned inside out. Of special note, the books are getting a gorgeously illustrated rerelease.
Heir by Sabaa Tahir
Bestselling and award-winning Tahir works her magic again in this GMA YA pick and launch to the Heir Duology. This one is great for court intrigue fans, revenge story lovers, and any who also wants a side of romance in their fantasy. And of course, it’s all pulled together brilliantly with the extraordinary worldbuilding Tahir is known for.
The Navigator’s Children by Tad Williams
I’ve often thought the link connecting Tolkien to the more recent grimdark fantasy of George R.R. Martin is Tad Williams’s Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn trilogy. That series wrapped up in 1993 with the truly monumental To Green Angel Tower. (The audio is over 63 hours!) But in 2017, Williams returned to this world with a new series, Last King of Osten Ard. The final entry, The Navigator’s Children, dropped just a few months ago, as the ancient secret behind the Queen of the Norn’s war against Osten Ard threatens to destroy literally everyone.
The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
Jordan’s sprawling Wheel of Time series has been a fantasy staple since this first book hit shelves in 1990, all the way through the final volume in 2013, penned by Brandon Sanderson after Jordan’s death. It’s a series about destiny and power that remains hugely popular today, in part thanks to the TV Show, just back for its third season.
The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
And speaking of Brandon Sanderson, when he’s not finishing other people’s epic fantasy series, he’s writing several of his own. (Or maybe not several, maybe just one, as almost everything he writes fits somehow into his mysterious Cosmere.) The main series at the moment is The Stormlight Archive, which opens with The Way of Kings, a densely worldbuilt universe, featuring many POV characters vying for power and just trying to survive. The latest book, Wind and Truth, like the four books before it, is big enough to use as a doorstop, and it only marks the series halfway point, according to the author.
If you’re interested in more titles that center around Epic Fantasy and J.R.R. Tolkien, you can explore these great lists!
Must-Watch Films and Series
Beowulf: Return to the Shieldlands (2016)
From the Studio: Heroic legend Beowulf (Kieran Bew) gallops through the epic and mythical Shieldlands, to his childhood home of Herot, hoping to set right past wrongs. It’s a race against time for Beowulf as he seeks to protect the town from a killer, be it human or beast.
Excalibur (1981)
From the Studio: The epic tale of King Arthur roars to life in this story of Arthur’s rise to power, the Knights of the Round Table, Merlin the Magician, the golden age of Camelot and the search for the Holy Grail. Adapted from Malory’s Le Morte D’Arthur.
A little Extra something (1 extra)
Support your community by diversifying your Libby offerings with Libby Extras. Today we’re highlighting The Great Courses, which offers engaging and understandable lectures by esteemed professors, professionals, and experts about history, better living, science, language learning, and many more topics. Topics include various literature courses and medieval history, perfect for the Tolkien fan!
Test run Libby Extras to see how each service can entertain and educate your patrons.
Thank you for joining us for a look at Epic Fantasy and all things Tolkien! Reach out to your Digital Content Librarian or Account Manager for more information on how to provide the best content for your community.
About the author: Shelia did everything from answering questions at the Reference Desk to tech training to running a classic lit book club in her 17 years in public libraries. Now she helps other public libraries make the most of their OverDrive collections. In her spare time, she’s either writing or reading, usually with an opera playing in the background. If you ever run into her, ask Shelia about #WITMonth.
