If you tore through all fourteen books of The Wheel of Time and found yourself staring at an empty shelf wondering what to read next, you are not alone. Robert Jordan built a world so rich and detailed that most fantasy fans struggle to find something that scratches the same itch.
Luckily, the world of epic fantasy is packed with sweeping stories, unforgettable characters, and magic systems that will blow your mind. Here are seventeen incredible books and series that belong on every Wheel of Time fan’s reading list.
1. The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson
Brandon Sanderson literally finished The Wheel of Time after Robert Jordan passed away, so reading his own magnum opus feels like a natural next step. The Stormlight Archive features some of the most detailed world-building in all of fantasy, set on the storm-battered world of Roshar.
The magic system, called Stormlight, is creative and deeply tied to the story’s themes. Characters like Kaladin and Dalinar carry emotional weight that rivals any of Jordan’s best creations.
Start with The Way of Kings and prepare to lose sleep.
2. Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson
Few series in fantasy history can match the sheer scale of Malazan Book of the Fallen. Steven Erikson drops readers into a world with thousands of years of history, dozens of cultures, and a cast of characters so large it comes with its own glossary.
Gardens of the Moon is the first book, and yes, it is challenging. Stick with it, because the payoff is unlike anything else in the genre.
Fans who loved the political depth of The Wheel of Time will feel right at home here.
3. Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn by Tad Williams
Before George R.R. Martin wrote A Song of Ice and Fire, he pointed to Tad Williams as a major inspiration.
Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn kicked off with The Dragonbone Chair in 1988, and it helped reshape what epic fantasy could look like.
A young kitchen boy named Simon stumbles into a world of ancient prophecy, warring kingdoms, and dark magic. The pacing is patient and immersive, much like Jordan’s style.
Readers who appreciate slow-burn world-building will absolutely treasure this trilogy.
4. The Licanius Trilogy by James Islington
James Islington wrote The Licanius Trilogy with The Wheel of Time explicitly in mind, which makes it one of the most direct recommendations on this entire list. The Shadow of What Was Lost kicks things off with a world recovering from a devastating war against dark forces.
Prophecy, fate, and time play huge roles in the story, echoing themes that Jordan fans will recognize immediately. The magic system is inventive, and the plotting is tight and satisfying.
Best of all, the trilogy is already complete, so no waiting required.
5. Realm of the Elderlings by Robin Hobb
Robin Hobb writes characters so real and emotionally complex that readers often report feeling genuinely heartbroken by her stories. The Realm of the Elderlings begins with The Farseer Trilogy, following a royal bastard named Fitz who trains as an assassin while a mysterious threat called the Red Ship Raiders terrorizes the kingdom.
Hobb’s magic, called the Skill, feels personal and dangerous. The emotional depth here rivals anything in The Wheel of Time.
Grab Assassin’s Apprentice and clear your weekend schedule.
6. The First Law by Joe Abercrombie
Not every fantasy hero is noble, and Joe Abercrombie made a career out of proving that. The First Law trilogy begins with The Blade Itself, introducing Logen Ninefingers, one of the most morally complicated protagonists in modern fantasy.
Abercrombie writes with sharp wit and brutal honesty, pulling no punches when it comes to war, politics, and human nature. Wheel of Time fans who always wanted grittier stakes and morally gray characters will find exactly what they are looking for here.
The trilogy is also self-contained and satisfying.
7. The Belgariad by David Eddings
Classic, warm, and endlessly fun, The Belgariad is the kind of fantasy series that feels like sitting by a fireplace on a rainy day. David Eddings started this five-book series with Pawn of Prophecy in 1982, following a farm boy named Garion who discovers he is part of an ancient prophecy.
The chosen one trope is front and center, much like Rand al’Thor’s journey in The Wheel of Time. Eddings writes with humor and heart, making this series a joy to read from cover to cover.
8. The Riftwar Saga by Raymond E. Feist
Raymond E. Feist’s Riftwar Saga has been sitting on fantasy fans’ shelves since Magician was published in 1982, and it has never gone out of style.
The story follows Pug, a kitchen boy who discovers a remarkable gift for magic just as an alien world begins invading through a dimensional rift.
The scope grows enormous across the series, with politics, war, and magic all weaving together in satisfying ways. Fans of The Wheel of Time’s grand scale will feel right at home with Feist’s storytelling from book one.
9. The Demon Cycle by Peter V. Brett
Every night, demons rise from the earth and humanity cowers behind magical wards just to survive. That is the terrifying premise of The Warded Man, the first book in Peter V.
Brett’s Demon Cycle series.
Brett builds a world where the fight for survival has shaped every culture, religion, and relationship in fascinating ways. Three very different protagonists carry the story forward, each bringing a unique perspective on courage and resistance.
Wheel of Time fans who loved the multiple point-of-view structure will feel immediately comfortable here.
10. The Lightbringer Series by Brent Weeks
Color is power in Brent Weeks’ Lightbringer Series, and few magic systems in fantasy feel as fresh and inventive as Chromaturgy. The Black Prism introduces Gavin Guile, the most powerful man in the world, who is hiding a secret that could shatter civilization.
Weeks writes fast-paced action scenes and political intrigue with equal skill. The story rewards patient readers with jaw-dropping twists that genuinely feel earned.
Jordan fans who loved complex plots and layered mysteries will find this five-book series completely addictive from the first chapter onward.
11. Shadows of the Apt by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Adrian Tchaikovsky built one of the most original worlds in fantasy for his Shadows of the Apt series. Empires in Black and Gold introduces the Kinden, human races who each carry the traits and abilities of different insects, from the inventive Beetles to the fierce Mantis-Kinden.
An industrial revolution is changing the balance of power, and war is coming fast. The series blends military fantasy with political drama in a way that feels genuinely unlike anything else.
Readers who loved the many cultures of Randland will adore the Kinden world.
12. The Riyria Revelations by Michael J. Sullivan
Royce and Hadrian are two thieves-for-hire who keep stumbling into world-changing adventures they never asked for, and readers absolutely love them for it. Michael J.
Sullivan’s Riyria Revelations begins with Theft of Swords, a fast-moving and deeply satisfying fantasy adventure.
Sullivan’s writing is accessible and fun without sacrificing depth or a surprisingly grand overarching plot. The friendship between the two leads gives the series a warm, character-driven heart.
Fans who loved Mat Cauthon’s reluctant heroism will find a lot to enjoy in Royce and Hadrian’s misadventures.
13. The Dagger and the Coin by Daniel Abraham
Daniel Abraham, who co-writes The Expanse under a pen name, brings the same sharp intelligence to his fantasy work. The Dagger and the Coin series opens with The Dragon’s Path, exploring a world where economics and politics drive conflict just as much as swords and sorcery.
The series features a diverse cast of viewpoint characters whose stories slowly converge in clever and surprising ways. If the political maneuvering of The Wheel of Time kept you hooked, Abraham’s thoughtful approach to power and consequence will hit exactly the right notes.
14. Dragonriders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey
Anne McCaffrey began publishing her Pern stories in 1967, and they have never stopped captivating readers. Dragonflight is the first novel, set on a planet called Pern where telepathically bonded dragons and their riders protect humanity from deadly silver threads that fall from the sky.
The bond between dragon and rider is one of the most emotionally powerful relationships in all of speculative fiction. McCaffrey blends science fiction origins with pure fantasy feel in a way that is completely unique.
Fans who loved the Warder bonds in The Wheel of Time will feel that same warmth here.
15. The Chronicles of Amber by Roger Zelazny
Roger Zelazny’s Chronicles of Amber is one of those series that fantasy readers whisper about like a secret. Nine Princes in Amber introduces Corwin, a man who wakes up on Earth with no memory, only to discover he is a prince of Amber, the one true world of which all others are mere shadows.
The concept of infinite parallel realities controlled by a royal family with extraordinary powers is wildly creative. Zelazny writes with wit and elegance that feels timeless.
Fans of Jordan’s layered mysteries and royal intrigue will be hooked from page one.
16. Shannara by Terry Brooks
Terry Brooks published The Sword of Shannara in 1977, making it one of the first true heirs to Tolkien’s legacy in modern fantasy publishing. The series follows generations of heroes across a post-apocalyptic world that has regrown into something resembling a mythic age of elves and magic.
Brooks builds his world across dozens of novels, covering centuries of history much like Jordan did with the Age of Legends. Readers who love sprawling, generational epic fantasy with a classic feel will find Shannara a deeply rewarding long-term reading commitment worth making.
17. The Dark Tower Series by Stephen King
Stephen King spent over thirty years writing The Dark Tower, his most ambitious and personal work, which blends epic fantasy, horror, and classic western storytelling into something genuinely one-of-a-kind. The Gunslinger opens with one of the most iconic first lines in all of fiction.
Roland Deschain is a gunslinger on a quest to reach a mysterious tower that holds all of reality together, and his journey pulls in characters from across multiple worlds. Fans who loved the mythology and cosmic scale of The Wheel of Time will find King’s multiverse equally fascinating and strange.