If you are ready to set out on a magical adventure, check out these fantasy epic quest trope books and join in on one amazing adventure from the comfort of your own home.
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Looking for a new adventure but don’t really want to leave the comfort of your own home? You can easily get lost in a fast-paced fantasy book where the main characters head out on an epic quest. They may head out to save the world, defeat the big bad, or save someone from certain doom, but they all have one thing in common. The epic quest trope.
Fantasy Epic Quest Books
The epic quest is one of my favorite fantasy book tropes. It can be done so many different ways, with so many different character types. While most people will likely think of Lord of the Rings or The Wheel of Time, there are so many different books out there all featuring a magical quest. These are some of my personal favorites.
The Bone Maker by Sarah Beth Durst
I am a sucker for books following older characters, and this one really hits the mark. The Bone Maker by Sarah Beth Durst is a standalone epic fantasy book. We are following a group of heroes who 25 years prior to the start of this book saved the world from the big bad.
We get to see what these heroes are doing now and how they acclimated to life after saving the world. Now that it has been 25 years though, we find out that the big bad may not actually be dead, and the gang has to get back together and set out to save the world once more.
Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames
Speaking of older characters getting the band back together, you absolutely need to read Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames. This is the first book in the Band series.
It has a wild sense of humor. We follow middle-aged men who were once the most famous mercenary band in the world. While they used to be the best of the best, now they are overweight, tired, and have bad backs. But when one member of the band needs help to save his daughter, they hook back up and head out to save the day.
If you are a fan of classic rock music and classic fantasy tropes, then this is one book you need to pick up now.
Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne
From saving a daughter to saving a son. In the first book of John Gwynne’s new epic fantasy series, Shadow of the Gods, we follow a few different characters, all on their own quest. Some are our for glory, others are on the run, and one is out to save her son and avenge her family.
This book not only has an epic quest, but it also has a badass mom main character, forbidden magic, and a whole host of interesting backstories.
The Fifth Season by NK Jemisin
Another book where we have a kick-ass mom trying to find her child is the Fifth Season by NK Jemisin. This isn’t a book for everyone, but it is one of my favorites. Jemisin is not an author that will hold your hand. If you pick this up, expect to be completely confused for at least the first two-thirds of the book. That being said though, the writing is beautiful and this is such a unique world with fantastic characters.
Our main character has forbidden powers, she’s a badass mom, and she is trying to find her daughter during the middle of a climate apocalypse event! Seriously, this book is amazing, just give it a try if you are really looking to get lost in a crazy world.
Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
This pre-Columbian-inspired fantasy book will take you on one epic adventure! Black Sun is the first in the Between Earth and Sky series by Rebecca Roanhorse, and fun fact, book two is coming out soon in April 2022!
In this book, we are following three different characters who all have different objectives. One of our main characters is pretty much the “chosen one”, which is another of my favorite fantasy book tropes. We also have a poor girl trying to make it in a world that doesn’t really want her, and an outsider fighting her way through life the best way she knows how.
Two of our three characters in this book are on quests, though for pretty different reasons. This is such a great book, and very different from the “typical” European-inspired fantasy.
All the Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace
All of the other books on this list have been adult fantasy books. This one though is our one YA fantasy book with an epic quest featured here. All The Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace is a fast-paced sea fairing ya fantasy that even adult readers will enjoy.
This book takes place on island nations. We follow a princess, who must take to the sea on a journey to discover the secrets to her kingdom’s magic. All The Stars and Teeth is a completed duology too. This means you can start this book and finish a series quickly.
When I first read this, it reminded me of a grown-up Moana. It hits a lot of the same beats in all the best ways.
The Best Epic Quest Fantasy Books to Read This Year
So if you are looking for epic fantasy with a magical quest, these six books are a great place to start. There are so many books with this trope, and I would love for you to recommend more books for me to check out as well.
Book lover, coffee addict, mom of dragons (aka rambunctious kids). I share book recs, mom life survival tips, and the occasional existential crisis.
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