The Lord of the Ringsbooks are difficult to find a substitute for. Once you’ve read them, they set the bar for the genre, and it can feel like nothing can take you back to the time you first read them. However, all hope is not lost, and if you’re a Lord of the Rings fan, there are many great books out there waiting to be discovered to scratch the itch for the underdog hero who needs to sacrifice everything to vanquish evil.
Below, we’ve recommended some of the best books for Lord of the Rings fans. Something that will give you the feeling you’re stepping back in time to experience the joy of reading the series all over again while experiencing something entirely new. While some of these entries may not capture the grand scale of the universe created by J. R. R. Tolkien, they certainly share enough similarities to keep you engaged for hours.
Best Books For Lord Of The Rings Fans
A Wizard of Earthsea
This novel follows the story of Ged, the greatest sorcerer in the land of Earthsea. However, Ged wasn’t always the best, although he was always very powerful. In his quest to become the best, he unleashes a shadow he must rid himself of through trials, tribulations, and self-discovery.
What’s something that makes Lord of the Rings so good? It’s a coming-of-age story in a sense, with young Frodo setting out into the world to learn who he is. A Wizard of Earthsea captures that with Ged, taking you back to when he was younger and learning how to wield his power. Plus, there’s magic and dragons, making it an excellent choice for any Lord of the Rings fan looking to satiate that hunger for adventure and fantasy.
The Ruins of Gorlan (Ranger’s Apprentice Book 1)
This book is one of 11 in the series and is centered around a 15-year-old boy named Will. Will wants to become a knight more than anything but is instead chosen to become an apprentice with the Ranger Corps. Things aren’t as they seem, and Will’s world suddenly becomes a lot bigger and more dangerous.
Without giving away too many spoilers, a threat is rising (yes, the monstrous kind, which is very reminiscent of Lord of the Rings), and this coming-of-age story doesn’t hoist the protagonist into the savior role. Instead, it focuses on his experience and learning his destiny in the world. If you’re looking for an epic tale and numerous books to get into, this series is perfect. If you’re sentimental, the original books were short stories, later fleshed out, written by the author for his son to inspire him to read.
Wizard’s First Rule (Sword of Truth Book 1)
Wizard’s First Rule is the first book of a whopping 22 in the Sword of Truth series and follows the story of Richard Cypher, an unassuming woods guide living in the very small town of Hartland. His life takes an unexpected turn after his father’s murder, and his fate is intertwined with Kahlan, a stranger, and Zedd, his mentor.
Many fans fell in love with The Lord of the Rings for the grand scale of the world and how an entire universe was created. Terry Goodkind has done the same thing with the Sword of Truth series. The books take you on an epic tale of revenge, self-discovery, love, and most of all, action and taking it to the bad guys. Plus, there are monsters and dragons which is always fun.
A Game of Thrones: The Graphic Novel Volume One
Another epic book series is A Song of Ice and Fire, which everyone colloquially calls Game of Thrones, although that’s actually the name of the first book. Ned Stark is entrusted with the position of the Hand of the King. Ned quickly realizes that things aren’t as they appear, and scandals and treachery are rife within King’s Landing, and taking on this position has changed the fate of his family forever.
While there may not be any monsters (save for White Walkers), there are dragons and a beautiful, intricately crafted world by George R. R. Martin. Fans of The Lord of the Rings will appreciate the complex plot, character progressions, and how fleshed out the universe where everyone is vying for power is. Need more Game of Thrones in your life as well as more Lord of the Rings? Check outour guide to the very best toys and collectibles inspired by the series.
Ghost King (The Stones of Power Book 1)
The Ghost King is the first book of seven in the Stones of Power series. This book follows the story of Thuro, who needs to find a ghost army and to do that, he must travel to the land of the Mist and defeat the Witch Queen to save the realm. However, Thuro won’t be doing this alone and can only be trained by Culain, a mountain warrior.
The book has an all-powerful antagonist, monsters, and someone who needs to go on an epic quest to save the world: everything that a Lord of the Rings fan would need from a fantasy tale. What makes this series unique, though, is that everything takes place over multiple periods. From Ancient Greece through to the Wild West. If you’re looking for something similar to Lord of the Rings but different enough to be its own thing, this is it.
Homeland: The Dark Elf Trilogy
Homeland is the first book of the Dark Elf Trilogy written by R. A Salvatore. Drizzt Do’Urden, the main protagonist, is raised to be a sacrifice, which is demanded of the drow tradition. However, Drizzt is spared this fate when his older brother dies, creating a larger chasm between him and his family. Drizzt is now struggling to find his place within his family and has difficult choices to make about who he wants to be.
Although Lord of the Rings fans are familiar with the elves in the movies and games, the elves in Salvatore’s universe are slightly darker. Fun fact: R.A Salvatore’s Dark Elf Trilogy came before the Icewind Dale Trilogy, and if that sounds familiar, it’s because the video games exist in the same universe, but the books came before. If you’re looking for a well-crafted world set in an expansive universe that covers genres like adventure and high fantasy, Homeland might scratch that itch.
The Golden Compass Graphic Novel
Do you know the popular His Dark Materials television series? Well, they’re based on a trilogy of books, and The Golden Compass (also known as Northern Lights) is the first. The story follows Lyra, a young girl who needs to rescue her friends who have been stolen by the Gobblers and travel to the far North to either help or prevent her uncle from opening a portal to a parallel world.
While there aren’t orcs or elves, there are armored bears and witches, parallel worlds, and various plots unfolding across a multiverse. Of course, the various factions are either trying to survive or vie for power; some are fighting the seemingly undefeatable Magisterium. The fate of many worlds hangs in the balance, and Lyra needs to discover her place in all of it.
FAQ
Which Book To Begin With?
While many of these books offer something unique, they’re very similar in some way to Lord of the Rings and should scratch that itch. However, The Golden Compass might offer something similar yet different enough to give you something new to like. But for a more classic experience, A Wizard of Earthsea is recommended.
It might seem like an obvious answer, but if you’ve just finished watching the Lord of the Rings movies and you’re not quite ready to leave that world for some of the books above, give The Hobbit a try, the book and the movies.
