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