6 Fantasy Books That Give The Lord of the Rings a Run for Its Money
Collider has compiled a list of six fantasy novels that its writer argues rival J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, one of the genre's most influential works. Tolkien's epic, published in three volumes between 1954 and 1955, began as a follow-up to The Hobbit before growing into a far more ambitious saga that reshaped fantasy fiction; the article contends that while it may be debatable whether these six books surpass it, their inclusion in such a conversation is itself telling.
The selection spans different styles within the genre, from grimdark to high fantasy. It includes Joe Abercrombie's The Blade Itself (2006), the opening book of his First Law trilogy, praised for its dark humour, morally ambiguous characters and subversion of traditional fantasy tropes, and Robin Hobb's Assassin's Apprentice (1995), the first instalment of her acclaimed Farseer Trilogy. The list highlights works the author considers groundbreaking and enduring, though the ranking reflects subjective critical opinion rather than a definitive measure.
– Collider names six fantasy novels rivalling The Lord of the Rings' legacy – List includes Abercrombie's The Blade Itself and Hobb's Assassin's Apprentice – Comparisons are subjective, but underline the books' lasting acclaim
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
These novels represent significant achievements in fantasy literature that merit serious comparison with Tolkien's work. Books like The Blade Itself and Assassin's Apprentice introduced innovations in characterisation, moral complexity, and narrative structure that expanded what the genre could accomplish. Rather than merely imitating Tolkien, they built upon his foundations to create works that many readers find equally compelling, culturally resonant, and enduringly influential. Including them in such a conversation is not about diminishing LOTR but recognising the genre's continued evolution and genuine literary merit.
The case against
Comparing subsequent fantasy novels to The Lord of the Rings overlooks the fundamental distinction between creating a genre and excelling within it. Tolkien's work was genuinely innovative, establishing the template for modern fantasy that all later books, however excellent, inevitably build upon. Works like The Blade Itself and Assassin's Apprentice are accomplished achievements working within a framework Tolkien essentially invented, but that historical reality sets them in a different category from the foundational original. Calling them rivals risks obscuring what makes LOTR unique: not merely its literary quality, but its revolutionary originality in establishing fantasy as a serious literary form.
Explained simply
J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings began as a follow-up to The Hobbit, but grew into a large-scale story published in three volumes between 1954 and 1955. Its imagined world, epic quest and influence on later fantasy fiction have made it a lasting reference point for the genre.
Fantasy novels take many forms, from traditional quests to darker stories about power and flawed characters. Joe Abercrombie’s The Blade Itself and Robin Hobb’s Assassin’s Apprentice are the opening books of longer series; both are among the works Collider’s writer sees as worthy of comparison with Tolkien.
There is no single measure of which fantasy book is “best”, and such comparisons reflect readers’ and critics’ opinions. The discussion matters because it shows how later writers have drawn on, challenged or broadened the conventions Tolkien helped popularise.