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Underrated Fantasy Books You’ll Wish You’d Read Sooner

Skip the hype and sink into 10 hidden gems full of epic quests, magical heartbreak, and chaotic hero energy.

If we had a gold coin for every time someone recommended Fourth Wing, we’d be rich enough to fund our own dragon war college. But here’s the thing. Some of the best fantasy books aren’t trending. They’re quietly waiting in the shadows, full of clever worldbuilding, swoon-worthy disaster love interests, and plot twists that hit like a rogue spell to the chest.

These are the ones that got away from the algorithm and straight into our TBR-hungry hearts.

What makes a fantasy book “underrated” anyway?

It’s not just about sales numbers or review counts. An underrated fantasy book is one that slipped through the cracks, A story with big emotions, rich magic systems, and genre-breaking brilliance that somehow didn’t make it onto your TikTok scroll or Goodreads awards list.

Whether it’s a cult favorite with a niche fandom or a new release that deserves louder applause, these books prove that the best stories don’t always come with hype stickers attached.

10 Underrated Fantasy Books Worth Your Time

Before you start mentally reorganizing your TBR, know this: these aren’t just lesser-known books. They’re the kind of stories that linger. Some are brutal, some are romantic, and some are straight-up bizarre. But every single one will remind you why you fell in love with fantasy in the first place.

*Apropos Books is an affiliate marketer and Amazon Associate. As an affiliate marketer and an Amazon Associate, we may earn from qualifying purchases.*

"Apropos Books is an affiliate marketer and Amazon Associate. As an affiliate marketer and an Amazon Associate, we may earn from qualifying purchases."
The Thousand Names by Django Wexler

The Thousand Names

Django Wexler

Fantasy

Captain Marcus d’Ivoire, commander of one of the Vordanai empire’s colonial garrisons, was serving out his days in a sleepy, remote outpost—until a rebellion left him in charge of a demoralized force clinging to a small fortress at the edge of the desert. To flee from her past, Winter Ihernglass masqueraded as a man and enlisted as a ranker in the Vordanai Colonials, hoping only to avoid notice. But when chance sees her promoted to command, she must lead her men into battle against impossible odds. Their fate depends on Colonel Janus bet Vhalnich. Under his command, Marcus and Winter feel the tide turning and their allegiance being tested. For Janus’s ambitions extend beyond the battlefield and into the realm of the supernatural—a realm with the power to reshape the known world and change the lives of everyone in its path.
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The Traitor’s Blade by Sebastien De Castell

Traitor’s Blade

Sebastien De Castell

Fantasy

Once, the Greatcoats were heroes. Now, they’re traitors. Falcio, Kest, and Brasti were once traveling magistrates, sworn to uphold justice. But after watching the Dukes impale their King’s head on a spike, they’ve been reduced to mercenaries in a lawless land. When they stumble upon their murdered employer and are framed for the crime, they realize they’ve just stepped into a conspiracy far bigger than themselves. With corruption infecting every city and a young girl’s life hanging in the balance, the Greatcoats must do what they do best—survive, fight, and outwit the worst of men. Packed with razor-sharp wit, thrilling duels, and high-stakes intrigue, Traitor’s Blade is The Three Musketeers meets Joe Abercrombie—a swashbuckling fantasy adventure that guarantees 100% more household sword fights!
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The Woods all Black by Lee Mandelo

The Woods all Black

Lee Mandelo

Fantasy, LGBTQIA+

In 1920s Appalachia, Leslie Bruin, a trans man, is sent to the backwoods town of Spar Creek as part of the Frontier Nursing Service. His mission is simple: vaccinate the locals, deliver babies, and endure the scrutiny of those who see him as a “failed woman.” Hardened by war and shaped by Paris, Leslie thinks he’s prepared for anything—until he arrives. Beneath the surface, Spar Creek hides a festering darkness. A violent tension surrounds a young tomboy whom the local congregation seeks to control. As danger escalates, Leslie realizes the woods themselves are haunted, and time is running out. Can Leslie confront both the town’s prejudice and the sinister forces lurking in the hills before it’s too late?
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Warlock Holmes

G.S. Denning

Fantasy

Sherlock Holmes is an unparalleled genius. Warlock Holmes is an idiot. Warlock Holmes is a font of arcane power—but he’s brilliantly dim. Frankly, he couldn’t deduce his way out of a paper bag. The only thing he has going for him are the might of a thousand demons and his stalwart companion. Thankfully, Dr. Watson is always there to aid him through the treacherous shoals of Victorian propriety—and save him from a gruesome death every now and again.
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The Bright Sword, by Lev Grossman

The Bright Sword

Lev Grossman

Literary Fiction, Romantasy

A gifted young knight named Collum arrives at Camelot to compete for a place at the Round Table, only to find that he’s too late. King Arthur died two weeks ago at the Battle of Camlann, and only a handful of the knights of the Round Table are left. The survivors aren’t the heroes of legend like Lancelot or Gawain. They’re the oddballs of the Round Table, like Sir Palomides, the Saracen Knight, and Sir Dagonet, Arthur’s fool, who was knighted as a joke. They’re joined by Nimue, who was Merlin’s apprentice until she turned on him and buried him under a hill. But it’s up to them to rebuild Camelot in a world that has lost its balance, even as God abandons Britain and the fairies and old gods return, led by Morgan le Fay. They must reclaim Excalibur and make this ruined world whole again—but first they’ll have to solve the mystery of why the lonely, brilliant King Arthur fell.
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A Touch of Gold and Madness, by K.L. Devore

A Touch of Gold and Madness

K.L. Devore

Romantasy

Fairytales are for the naive. Princess assassin Gray Monroe is ordered by her father to kill the villainous prince responsible for throwing the modern world into a post-apocalyptic society. In a decrepit landscape where two magical species war with one another while a human militia hunts them all, Gray has only one thing on her mind: vengeance. With the single focus to kill the man who murdered her first love, she believes nothing will stop her. That is, until she hesitates when she comes face-to-face with her nemesis at long last. Gray must return to the King’s Palace empty-handed for her annual birthday celebration to a court of vipers who lie in wait for a slip in her icy façade. When a sinister plot is revealed to assassinate the princess, she must flee into a world where she’s now the hunted and must survive to get the revenge that she’s owed. Prince Griffin Silas is on a mission of his own: to kill the King. Problem is, he’s suffering from an affliction that robs him of his sanity while making him crave violence and death. But first, he needs the princess in his hands no matter the cost. In a race against his spiraling affliction, who will achieve their goal first?
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Cursed Under London, by Gabby Hutchinson Crouch

Cursed Under London

Gabby Hutchinson Crouch

Romantasy

Two strangers bound by immortality. Two Londons hiding dark secrets. Two hearts that won’t stop beating… Fang, a restless traveler from the Ming Empire, wakes from death to discover he’s neither truly alive nor fully human. He’s not vampire, zombie, or werewolf—yet his undead life ties him to London’s shadowy depths. All he wants is to break the curse and return to peaceful oblivion. When he meets Lazare de Quitte-Beuf, a dramatic Frenchman cursed with the same condition, Fang finds a reluctant ally. Together, they plunge into Deep London, a treacherous underworld teeming with supernatural beings and deadly secrets. As they hunt for a cure, they stumble upon a sinister plot that threatens the delicate balance between worlds. But in a life ruled by curses and conspiracies, could falling in love be the most dangerous risk of all?
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The Emperor and the Endless Palace

Justinian Huang

LGBTQIA+, Romantasy

“What if I told you that the feeling we call love is actually the feeling of metaphysical recognition, when your soul remembers someone from a previous life?” In the year 4 BCE, an ambitious courtier is called upon to seduce the young emperor—but quickly discovers they are both ruled by blood, sex and intrigue. In 1740, a lonely innkeeper agrees to help a mysterious visitor procure a rare medicine, only to unleash an otherworldly terror instead. And in present-day Los Angeles, a college student meets a beautiful stranger and cannot shake the feeling they’ve met before. Across these seemingly unrelated timelines woven together only by the twists and turns of fate, two men are reborn, lifetime after lifetime. Within the treacherous walls of an ancient palace and the boundless forests of the Asian wilderness to the heart-pounding cement floors of underground rave scenes, our lovers are inexplicably drawn to each other, constantly tested by the worlds around them. As their many lives intertwine, they begin to realize the power of their undying love—a power that transcends time itself…but one that might consume them both.
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Magic of the Demon Fae, by Ava Mason

Magic of the Demon Fae

Ava Mason

Paranormal Romance, Romantasy

What if your fated mates were three dangerously irresistible demons… and being with them could destroy you? For years, I’ve hidden who I am, half-demon, half-fae, clinging to three rules: never talk to a demon, never reveal my true self, and never, ever kiss one. If anyone finds out I exist, it’s game over for me. So, when three darkly alluring demons appear at my door, my gut says to trust them… and my heart wants far more. But things get complicated when they claim I’m a prophesied “chosen one.” They want me safe, but in their world, Hell itself, danger lurks at every turn. Now, I’m battling both monsters and my own forbidden desire. Can I protect my heart from the only love I’m not allowed?
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The Real Magic Is Off the Beaten Path

Hyped books are fun, but the real magic is in the ones you didn’t see coming. The books that don’t have a million fan casts or collector’s editions—but hit you like a freight train anyway. These are the stories that feel like secrets shared between friends.

So go on—rescue a hidden gem from the depths of obscurity. Crack open that book no one’s talking about (yet). Because sometimes, the most unforgettable adventures start in the quiet corners of the bookshelf.

Your next favorite is waiting.

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