The 10 Best Fantasy Books of 2026 to Add to Your Reading List

The best fantasy books of 2026 offer a little of everything: dragon-rider adventures, myth-inspired romantasy, sprawling series, and stories where magic opens a door to bigger questions about purpose, belonging and power. This reader’s shortlist brings together nine 2026 releases and one upcoming book to watch, with a note where a title leans into science fiction as well as fantasy. It’s a set of fantasy book recommendations, not an attempt at a definitive ranking; the right next read depends on the world you’re longing to enter.

At a glance: 2026 fantasy picks

Book	Best for	2026 status
The Fires of December: Brandon Sanderson	A new Cosmere adventure	Due 8 December
Isles of the Emberdark: Brandon Sanderson	Science fantasy and Cosmere lore	2026 release; editions vary by market
Threshing Day, Rebecca Yarros	More of the Empyrean world	2026 companion collection
Dominion, Jean Kwok	Myth-inspired romantasy	Published 14 July
The Dragon Has Some Complaints. John Wiswell	Funny, heartfelt dragon fantasy	Published 14 July
Tempest, Victoria Aveyard	Epic fantasy on the high seas	Published 8 September
Reap & Sow: Charlotte B. Plumb	Dark magic and a demon pact	Published 6 October
Seek the Traitor’s Son: Veronica Roth	Prophecy, conflict and romance	Published 12 May in the US
The War Beyond: Andrea Stewart	Gods and divided loyalties	Published 26 May
Tales of Khayaal: Cin, Rehan Khan and Peter Gould	Spiritually grounded epic fantasy	2026 release to watch

The 10 best fantasy books of 2026 to put on your list

1. The Fires of December: Brandon Sanderson

Best for: readers who want a new Cosmere tale without signing up for another enormous series.

A poor young woman named December discovers that a cataclysmic plague is coming. To warn the court, she must travel up a river that carries colourful demon blood, navigating royal intrigue and a world that has already decided what place she belongs in. This standalone Cosmere novel is due on 8 December 2026, so it’s one for the end-of-year list rather than a book to pick up today.

The premise pairs Sanderson’s taste for intricate worldbuilding with a heroine whose greatest challenge may be persuading anyone to listen.

2. Isles of the Emberdark, Brandon Sanderson

Best for: readers who enjoy fantasy that reaches for the stars.

Sanderson expands his novella “Sixth of the Dusk” into a Cosmere novel of dangerous islands, supernatural birds and far-reaching spacefaring powers. Trapper Dusk and Starling, a dragon-like being living in human form, are unlikely allies whose journeys cross in the mysterious emberdark.

It’s a striking choice for readers who like their fantasy to brush against science fiction. Release timing can vary by edition and territory, so check the official Cosmere book page for the version available where you live.

3. Threshing Day, Rebecca Yarros

Best for: Empyrean fans who want to revisit Basgiath.

This companion collection brings together thirteen stories centred on Threshing, the legendary day when dragon bonds are made. It’s a return to the world of Fourth Wing, Iron Flame and Onyx Storm, but not the next main-series instalment. If you’re looking for more glimpses of the characters and the traditions surrounding the dragon riders, this collection offers a different path back into the Empyrean.

That distinction matters: go in expecting a set of stories about one pivotal day, not the continuation of the main plot.

4. Dominion, Jean Kwok

Best for: romantasy readers drawn to myth, magic and a heroine seeking her past.

Rubi Morningtail has little magic and no memory of her homeland. When she injures a battle tyger, she is pulled into a dangerous trial where the creatures choose their riders, and the unchosen may not survive. The story unfolds across rival Dominions, with a romance and a struggle over the fate of the mortal realm.

Published in July, Dominion begins the Silk and Iron trilogy. Its mix of Chinese-mythology-inspired fantasy, political danger and high-stakes attraction makes it a vivid option for readers looking for fantasy with a fresh-feeling world.

5. The Dragon Has Some Complaints: John Wiswell

Best for: readers who like their dragons formidable, funny and surprisingly tender.

Garrodigh is a three-headed dragon with three very different opinions. After sneaking into a dragon-rider academy in search of shelter, he finds an unexpected connection with Rania, a rider who is willing to take a chance on him. When the academy and their homeland face danger, the unlikely pair must decide what they’re willing to protect.

Published in July, this heartfelt fantasy blends academy adventures and battles with comic bickering and the slow discovery of family. A good choice when you want your epic stakes served with warmth.

6. Tempest, Victoria Aveyard

Best for: readers ready to trade a castle tour for a voyage.

Aveyard’s adult epic fantasy sets sail into a world of pirates, rebellion and danger. Published in September, Tempest opens a new series, offering a sea-swept setting for readers who enjoy big conflicts and a world with room to keep unfolding.

If your favourite fantasy scenes involve a crew, a dangerous crossing and shifting allegiances, this is one to consider for the voyage ahead.

7. Reap & Sow: Charlotte B. Plumb

Best for: readers who like their romance threaded through dark magic.

Plumb’s 2026 debut draws on demon bargains and illicit magic for a slow-burn romantasy. The premise promises a dangerous supernatural pact at the heart of a story where attraction and risk are difficult to separate.

Published in October, it’s a timely pick for readers who like fantasy with romantic tension and a darker edge. As a first book from a debut author, it also offers the pleasure of stepping into a new world at its beginning.

8. Seek the Traitor’s Son: Veronica Roth

Best for: readers who enjoy prophecy, political conflict and romantasy with a dystopian edge.

Elegy Ahn is a soldier defending her country against the powerful Talusar. When she is summoned alongside the enemy’s general, Rava Vidar, a prophecy turns both their lives towards a shared and uncertain fate. Their countries’ survival hangs in the balance, but the prophecy offers no simple map to victory.

Released in May in the US, Seek the Traitor’s Son is an epic fantasy with a tense premise: two opponents, a foretold future and the question of who will shape it.

9. The War Beyond: Andrea Stewart

Best for: readers who want sweeping fantasy with sisters at the centre.

The second book in the Hollow Covenant follows sisters Hakara and Rasha, separated by war and drawn into the designs of a tyrant god. Their loyalties are tested as rebels, divine power and the secrets of the past converge.

Published in May, this is a strong pick for those who prefer a series that grows its conflicts across several characters and shifting allegiances. It’s also a reminder that the best fantasy book series don’t just build bigger worlds; they make the choices within those worlds matter.

10. Tales of Khayaal: Cin, Rehan Khan and Peter Gould

Best for: readers seeking fantasy books with spiritual themes, human-drawn art and high stakes.

Tales of Khayaal: Cin is Book Two of the Tales of Khayaal series, set on the planet Ikleel during its third epoch. Alifa, once a medical assistant, becomes a Nurani Conduit: one of those able to wield Kha, a divine energy that flows from the Source through the Isthmus. As the Syndicate threatens Arön, she must find her footing amid upheaval, resistance and forces that reach beyond the everyday world.

The Khaverse draws inspiration from Islamic cosmology and the metaphysical idea of khayaal, or spiritual imagination, while telling its own fantasy adventure. Its fictional spiritual framework is part of the worldbuilding, not a religious ruling. One Goodreads reviewer describes Book One as “Assassin’s Creed meets Dune and The Lord of the Rings”.

Book One, Tales of Khayaal: Arön, is out now and being refreshed with new artwork. The series’ illustrations are human-drawn, made with care to bring the world and its people to life.

Which 2026 fantasy read should you choose?

For a new Cosmere adventure, try The Fires of December or Isles of the Emberdark. For dragon riders, Threshing Day returns to Basgiath, while The Dragon Has Some Complaints offers a more comic and tender academy tale. Readers after romantasy can explore Dominion, Tempest or Reap & Sow. For a layered epic with prophecy, gods and difficult loyalties, Seek the Traitor’s Son and The War Beyond are compelling places to turn.

And if you’re looking for fantasy book recommendations that weave spiritual imagination into an original setting, Tales of Khayaal: Cin is a 2026 release to watch.

Your next step into the Khaverse

If Alifa’s journey calls to you, read the first five chapters of Tales of Khayaal: Arön and explore Book Two through the Khayaal crowdfund. The campaign ends on 30 December 2026; early supporters can receive Book Two, exclusive merchandise and the Khayaal Cards card game.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best fantasy books of 2026?

There’s no single definitive list, but standout picks include Dominion, The War Beyond, Threshing Day and The Dragon Has Some Complaints. The right choice depends on whether you’re after romantasy, an ongoing series, dragons or a more unusual fantasy world.

Which 2026 fantasy books are part of a series?

Threshing Day returns to the Empyrean setting; Dominion begins the Silk and Iron trilogy; and The War Beyond is the second book in the Hollow Covenant. Tales of Khayaal: Cin is Book Two of the Tales of Khayaal series.

Is Tales of Khayaal: Cin suitable for readers who aren’t Muslim?

Yes. The Khaverse is inspired by Islamic cosmology and diverse Muslim cultures, but the story is an imaginative fantasy adventure, not a religious text. Readers of any background are welcome to step into Ikleel.