The 18 Best Fantasy Novels of the 1980s

Genre-defining epics, comic classics, and cult gems from a golden decade of imagination, some that shaped whole shelves and others that quietly earned devoted followings. Which one wins?

1

The Mists of Avalon

Marion Zimmer Bradley's 1983 retelling of the Arthurian legend from the women's perspective.

1000pts

2

The Black Company

Glen Cook's 1984 gritty military fantasy narrated by a mercenary company's annalist.

856pts

3

Weaveworld

Clive Barker's 1987 dark fantasy about a world woven into a magical carpet.

814pts

4

Guards! Guards!

Terry Pratchett's 1989 Discworld comedy introducing the Ankh-Morpork City Watch.

814pts

5

Dragons of Autumn Twilight

Weis and Hickman's 1984 novel that kicked off the Dragonlance Chronicles.

723pts

6

Redwall

Brian Jacques' 1986 adventure set in an abbey of anthropomorphic animals under siege.

723pts

7

The Wounded Land

Stephen R. Donaldson's 1980 opener to the Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant.

678pts

8

The Dragonbone Chair

Tad Williams' 1988 doorstopper that opens the Memory, Sorrow and Thorn trilogy.

678pts

9

Mythago Wood

Robert Holdstock's 1984 World Fantasy Award winner set in a wood where myths take living form.

626pts

10

The Hero and the Crown

Robin McKinley's 1984 Newbery Medal winner about the dragon-slaying heroine Aerin.

626pts

11

Pawn of Prophecy

David Eddings' 1982 opener to The Belgariad, following farm boy Garion toward his destiny.

565pts

12

The Colour of Magic

Terry Pratchett's 1983 first Discworld novel, a comic fantasy on a disc borne by a giant turtle.

565pts

13

On a Pale Horse

Piers Anthony's 1983 fantasy in which a man takes over the office of Death itself.

565pts

14

The Anubis Gates

Tim Powers' 1983 time-travel fantasy through a sorcery-riddled 19th-century London.

565pts

15

Magician

Raymond E. Feist's 1982 epic that launched the sprawling Riftwar Saga.

493pts

16

Howl's Moving Castle

Diana Wynne Jones' 1986 tale of a hatter cursed into old age and a wandering wizard's castle.

493pts

17

Legend

David Gemmell's 1984 heroic-fantasy debut about the aging warrior Druss defending a fortress.

493pts

18

The Eyes of the Dragon

Stephen King's 1987 fairy-tale fantasy of a framed prince and an evil magician.

493pts