There are so many great hyped Fantasy books that “I absolutely adore” (guess which movie that quote comes from) but I wanted to recommend a few underrated fantasy books for you too. You probably have never heard of these, or maybe saw once but glanced over, but they are all worth reading. I have a range of YA to adult fantasy depending on your preferences.
YA Underrated Fantasy Books
ABARAT
One of my all time favorite YA Fantasy books with one of the most interesting magic systems I have read. The “scene” is set around 25 islands, with each Island representing an hour of the day…the 25th island is something else entirely. It’s dark and fabulous, and I recommend reading the edition with the author’s artwork.
There are currently only 3 books written in the series and it may or may not be completed, so it’s basically a Game of Thrones situation, but it is still completely worth reading! And we can all hope that maybe we get a conclusion to the series! Fingers crossed.
The Casquette Girls
I talk more about this one on my BOOKS TO READ IF YOU LIKE TWILIGHT post, but it is a majorly underrated YA historical fantasy series. If you like historical elements, vampires and witches in your fantasy then give this one a go. There is also a love triangle, not sure if that is a selling point or not, but it gives Twilight vibes for that reason alone.
What We Devour
This book revolves around the idea of self sacrifice to call on magic, which is really unique but make sure to check content warnings before reading. If you love dark fantasy books with a lot of character dialogue, with characters who are deliciously morally grey than you will love this. It can be confusing to read at times, because the magic system is really intricate and the reader is left to learn as they go…but I loved that about this book.
The Library of Fates
I am currently reading this one now but it has been compared to The Wrath and the Dawn and I was immediately sold. I’m currently really enjoying it and love the inspiration from Indian/Hindu mythologies. I will come back to revise this blurb when I finish.
The Tiger at Midnight
The first book in a YA fantasy series that is inspired by Hindu mythology. If you are looking for a fantasy series with great characters and an action packed adventure plot then give this one a try.
Underrated Adult Fantasy Books
The Night Watch
This is a Russian Fantasy series that really plays into the juxtaposition of good versus evil, and where the grey area may lie. I have only read the first book and it was separated into three stories, all revolving around the same characters. I have trouble reading short stories within a novel so that wasn’t my favorite part of the book, but I still really enjoyed it.
We have shape shifters, vampires, and sorcerer’s from both the light and the dark, and the “others” are their to keep the peace between the two sides.
The Wars of Light and Shadow
This is one of the most immersive high fantasy series I have read and it remains one of my favorites. I don’t talk about it nearly enough but if you are a fan of The Name of the Wind, another book I rarely talk about but love, then I think you should give this one a try. The book answers the question of what a war between mercy and vengeance would look like. It is beautiful!
The Lies of Locke Lamora
If you like your main characters snarky and a bit stabby…then this one is for you. Please don’t be discouraged by the slow start, because about 1/4 of the way in you will become intensely invested! The world is so unique, and the banter between the two main characters is amazing!
Queen of the Conquered
A Caribbean inspired fantasy about a young woman who can control minds. It is intense, brutal and is super twisty, which I LOVE in my fantasies. If you are a fan of political fantasies and enjoy CLUE inspired mysteries than I recommend you try this.
Under the Pendulum Sun
This one is vastly underrated but is definitely not for everyone. It is a theological fantasy book centered around missionaries who travel to a fictional land to convert the fae to Christianity. It deals with a lot of theological questions and definitely makes the reader question what is right vs wrong vs morally grey. It is a hauntingly mysterious Victorian Fantasy.
The Faceless Woman
I talk about this book more in my WHAT TO READ AFTER BINGE READING A COURT OF SILVER FLAMES, but I think it deserves a place here too. This is one of my favorite underrated fantasy books, from one of my favorite indie authors Emma Hamm. The Faceless Woman has elements of the fae and a witchy undertone which I personally love.
City of Dark Magic
This one has to be one of the weirdest fantasy books I have ever read, but it’s also really interesting. I’m going to sell this by revealing one fact about the plot…there is a hallucinogenic toe nail. If that sounds remotely interesting to you then you should probably stop what you are doing and give this series a try. It also revolves around time travel and music, which is super unique.
