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10 Great Books To Read if You Love ‘The Lord of the Rings’
This article recommends ten fantasy books for readers looking for worlds and adventures reminiscent of J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. It argues that Tolkien’s influence can be found in later works that combine expansive settings, memorable journeys and themes connected to real-world concerns.
Among the books discussed are Kage Baker’s The Anvil of the World, a humorous adventure with steampunk elements, and Ursula K. Le Guin’s A Wizard of Earthsea, a landmark series whose island world includes political tensions. Tomi Adeyemi’s Children of Blood and Bone offers a different setting, inspired by West Africa, and follows characters seeking to restore magic after an oppressed group has been stripped of it. The article also links Tolkien’s work to his experiences in the First World War, love of England and concern about rural industrialisation.
In short
- The article suggests ten fantasy reads for Tolkien fans.
- Earthsea is noted for its richly developed world and political themes.
- Children of Blood and Bone explores oppression and the return of magic.
Explained simply
J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings is a fantasy story about a dangerous journey through a richly imagined world. Its invented histories, languages and landscapes helped shape how later writers build fantasy settings, while its characters’ travels and choices give the story a wider appeal.
Fantasy writers have taken these elements in different directions. Ursula K. Le Guin’s A Wizard of Earthsea follows a young wizard among island societies, while Tomi Adeyemi’s Children of Blood and Bone draws on West African influences to tell a story about magic and oppression. Kage Baker’s The Anvil of the World mixes adventure with humour and steampunk.
Tolkien’s own writing was shaped by his experiences in the First World War, his affection for England and his concern about the effects of industrialisation on the countryside. Those influences help explain why fantasy can offer more than escape: imagined worlds can also reflect real histories, places and social concerns.