Since epic fantasy is a genre that incorporates all other literary traditions, it is not unusual to find a broad range of wildly different tales, characters, and worlds among the most well-known works that have shaped the genre during its lengthy history.
The Fantasy genre has something to offer everyone, whether it's the petty feuds of the lords and ladies of the Seven Kingdoms and the commoners ever embroiled in their conflicts, or the rolling hills of Middle-earth, where the Free Peoples fight against the Shadow emerging from the eastern sky, or the high storms of Roshar sweeping across the continent and reminding the world of what it has forgotten.
Even though fantasy literature has been around for a very short period of time—the number of critically praised novels is already uncountable—some names have managed to endure the test of time due to their popularity, impact, or other factors.
J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter
With more than 500 million copies sold globally, Harry Potter is without a doubt the most well-known and well-liked name in fantasy. Every generation of young readers finds new admirers for the tale of The Boy Who Lived, and the critically acclaimed film adaptations have guaranteed J.K. Rowling's longevity in the field of speculative fiction. Even for seasoned fantasy readers, Harry Potter may be cliched and uninspired at times, but there's a genuine warmth in J.K. Rowling's writing that you just can't get anywhere else.
J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings (and The Hobbit)
The much expected follow-up to The Hobbit was The Lord of the Rings .and when it was released in 1954, it went viral. "The English-speaking world is divided into those who have read The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit and those who are going to read them," The Sunday Times said in one of the book's early reviews, praising Tolkien's accomplishment. These remarks seem almost prescient now, many years later. Although we lack Eru Ilúvatar's omniscience to assert that Tolkien would not have created High Fantasy today, we do know that the entertainment industry would not be the same.
The Wardrobe, the Lion, and the Witch was originally the fantasy novel that many children remembered reading before moving on to more serious works. I was completely captivated by the universe that C.S. Lewis was creating as I turned through the pages. I also recall that before the first book was even done, I begged my parents to get the sequel. In many respects, Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, which created an imaginary universe from the ground up, and Rowling's Harry Potter, which blended the fantastical with the real, are comparable to The Chronicles of Narnia.
via Tor Books The Wheel of Time, authored by Robert Jordan
Unquestionably, Tolkien left a huge legacy behind, but what came following The Lord of the Rings was a series of cliched, uninspired rip-offs that all tried to cash in on the popularity of the book. In reality, Epic Fantasy as a genre didn't really take off until authors like Robert Jordan and George R.R. Martin arrived to give this precarious new beast some fresh air. The Time WheelOne such effort by the former, which expanded on Tolkien's legacy, is still one of the most extensive attempts at creative worldbuilding to date, having sold almost 100 million copies since its inception.
The fact that Westeros is here to stay, whether it be true popular spinoffs like House of the Dragon or the books' own lingering hype despite the decade-long drought, can only be a testament to George R.R. Martin's power as an author. True, HBO's Game of Thrones may not have helped him become as successful and well-known as he is now. More crucially, this is precisely what Epic Fantasy needed to remain relevant following Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy in the early 2000s. Martin has altered the game permanently.
Image courtesy of Dunmanifestin LimitedTerry Pratchett's Discworld
A voice to be honored is Terry Pratchett, whose Discworld trilogy is still among the best-selling and most well-liked fantasy novels ever published. Now, it makes no difference how many (or how few) publications choose to write ridiculous pieces about how Pratchett's literary accomplishments are exaggerated (if you know, you know); there will always be a place in Pratchett's books for readers seeking a little lighthearted fantasy to help them forget their troubles.
Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Saga
Discourse about Twilight is welcome.and its literary value—or lack thereof—but Stephenie Meyer's extraordinary success should at the very least be examined. Although I gave up on the first book after only 100 pages, the tale has undoubtedly had an impact on the fantasy genre. Numerous well-liked and even critically acclaimed book series, such as A Court of Thorns and Roses or the recently popular Fourth Wing, on BookToktracing their rise to fame and stepping back to Meyer's contributions.
Stephen King, The Dark Tower
Although the fantastical is a constant presence in Stephen King's writing, it wasn't until The Dark Tower that the author abandoned his attempts to dabble in the genre and dove straight in, crafting a grim story that combined elements of fantasy, sci-fi, and Spaghetti Western literature. The seven-book series is one of the best in the Epic Fantasy genre and has sold 30 million copies.