Best Fantasy Books of 2015

Below you will find a list of the fantasy books published in 2015 that we enjoyed most. Click on a book title to read the full review.

  15. The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin

    The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin book cover

    The Fifth Season is a masterclass in subverting epic fantasy tropes. N.K. Jemisin introduces the Stillness, a world plagued by apocalyptic "Seasons" where the earth literally rebels against its inhabitants. The story follows three women across different timelines, tied together by Orogeny - the ability to manipulate tectonic energy. What makes it fantastic is its emotional weight; it uses the "end of the world" to explore systemic oppression and the cost of survival. With its unique second-person narrative and a magic system rooted in geology, Jemisin delivers a visceral, heartbreaking, and ultimately revolutionary tale that redefined the genre's boundaries.

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  40. Arm of the Sphinx by Josiah Bancroft

    I am absolutely besotted with this wondrous story. It is utterly enchanting and I cannot recommend this series higher! It has become one of my all-time favorites!

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  43. The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins

    The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins book cover

    Scott Hawkins' debut is a masterpiece of the "weird" and the dark. It follows the "librarians" of Father - a god-like figure who has vanished - as they vie for his throne. Each librarian has spent centuries mastering a specific "catalog" of power, ranging from the language of animals to the art of war. The result is a visceral, often horrific exploration of divinity and trauma. Hawkins balances cosmic horror with a grounded, gritty reality. It is a story where knowledge is literally power, and the cost of that power is everything. Pure, dark brilliance.

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  44. Beyond Redemption by Michael R. Fletcher

    Beyond Redemption by Michael R. Fletcher book cover

    This is a "manifestation" fantasy where the world is shaped by human insanity. If you believe something strongly enough, it becomes true - which is a nightmare in a world filled with psychopaths and deluded tyrants. The characters are all varying degrees of broken, from the greatest swordsman who fears he is losing his edge to the priest who wants to "believe" a god into existence. It is grotesque, highly imaginative, and incredibly dark, focusing on how the mind can be its own worst enemy.

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