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Quick answer: If you liked Stephen King's The Eyes of the Dragon, read The Gunslinger, The Talisman, The Princess Bride and The Hobbit. All mix fairy-tale adventure with sharp storytelling and a hint of darkness.
King's rare fantasy tells of the kingdom of Delain, a murdered king and a prince framed for the crime. It reads like a classic fairy tale with a wicked magician. The books below share that mix of castle intrigue, magic and plain storytelling. Most are fantasy for teens and adults, and all are real, in-print books.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Gunslinger | Stephen King | Adult | more King fantasy |
| The Talisman | Stephen King and Peter Straub | Teen and adult | road quests |
| The Princess Bride | William Goldman | Teen and adult | fairy-tale adventure |
| The Hobbit | J.R.R. Tolkien | 8 and up | classic fantasy |
| The Eye of the World | Robert Jordan | Adult | epic journeys |
| A Game of Thrones | George R.R. Martin | Adult | palace intrigue |
| Assassin's Apprentice | Robin Hobb | Adult | court stories |
| Magician | Raymond E. Feist | Teen and adult | classic epic fantasy |
| Dragonflight | Anne McCaffrey | Teen and adult | dragon riders |
| A Wizard of Earthsea | Ursula K. Le Guin | Teen and adult | short classics |
| The Dragonbone Chair | Tad Williams | Adult | slow epics |
| Tigana | Guy Gavriel Kay | Adult | lyrical fantasy |
| The Black Company | Glen Cook | Adult | grimdark roots |
| Wizard's First Rule | Terry Goodkind | Adult | fast epics |
| Ella Enchanted | Gail Carson Levine | 8–12 | younger readers |
1. The Gunslinger by Stephen King
Roland of Gilead chases the man in black across a desert. King's Dark Tower begins here, with a mix of Western and fantasy.
Best for: more King fantasy.
2. The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub
A boy travels across America and a parallel world to save his mother. A road story with fantasy and horror.
Best for: road quests.
3. The Princess Bride by William Goldman
Swashbuckling adventure, true love and clever banter in a made-up abridgement. A classic of comic fantasy.
Best for: fairy-tale adventure.
4. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Bilbo joins dwarves to reclaim treasure from a dragon. The classic quest.
Best for: classic fantasy.
5. The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
Rand al'Thor and his friends leave their village. First of the Wheel of Time.
Best for: epic journeys.
6. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
Noble houses fight for the Iron Throne. Political and violent.
Best for: palace intrigue.
7. Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb
A royal bastard is trained as a killer. Character-driven and emotional.
Best for: court stories.
8. Magician by Raymond E. Feist
Two boys from a castle kitchen find magic and war. Classic and fast.
Best for: classic epic fantasy.
9. Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey
Riders bonded to dragons defend their planet from falling threads. Imaginative and warm.
Best for: dragon riders.
10. A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
A boy wizard makes a terrible mistake and must face it. Short, wise and lovely.
Best for: short classics.
11. The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams
A kitchen boy at a castle is drawn into a war. Slow and rich.
Best for: slow epics.
12. Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay
A conquered land fights to remember its name. Lyrical, tragic and moving.
Best for: lyrical fantasy.
13. The Black Company by Glen Cook
A band of mercenaries serves a sorceress. Gritty and darkly funny.
Best for: grimdark roots.
14. Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind
A woodsman meets a woman fleeing assassins and a sword that changes everything. Fast and dramatic.
Best for: fast epics.
15. Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
A girl cursed to obey every order sets out to break the spell. A gentle and funny Cinderella retelling.
Best for: younger readers.
How to Choose
For more King, read The Gunslinger or The Talisman. For fairy-tale charm, The Princess Bride. For classic quests, The Hobbit and A Wizard of Earthsea. For epic length, The Eye of the World. For grim humor, The Black Company. Eyes of the Dragon works well as a read-aloud for older children, so share it if you can. If you want to read King's fantasy in order, begin with The Eyes of the Dragon, then The Gunslinger and The Dark Tower books. If you prefer a classic fairy-tale feel, read The Princess Bride and The Hobbit. These titles share short chapters and strong narrators, which makes them good bedtime reading.
Related: Is Reading on a Kindle Bad for Your Eyes? · 15 Best Dragon Books for Teens
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Eyes of the Dragon about?
The wicked Flagg frames Prince Thomas for the king's murder, while the true heir Peter plots his escape.
Is it connected to The Dark Tower?
Yes. Flagg appears in the Dark Tower and The Stand.
Who wrote it?
Stephen King originally wrote it for his daughter.
Is it horror?
It is dark fantasy, with some scary scenes but mostly fairy-tale in tone.
Is it suitable for kids?
Many families read it aloud with older children.
Is The Eyes of the Dragon a good read-aloud?
Yes. King wrote it for his daughter, and its fairy-tale tone suits families with older children.
How long is it?
About 400 pages.
Who is Flagg?
He is the royal magician and villain, who also appears in other King novels.
What is Delain?
It is the fictional kingdom where the story takes place.
Is the book similar to The Dark Tower?
It shares some characters and settings, but it is lighter and more like a fairy tale.