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Quick answer: If you loved The Fellowship of the Ring, try The Two Towers, The Return of the King, The Hobbit, The Silmarillion, The Wheel of Time: The Eye of the World and The Name of the Wind. Each one is an epic fantasy with a perilous quest, a richly built world and companions who must stand together.
J.R.R. Tolkien's 1954 novel, the first part of The Lord of the Rings, begins in the Shire, where Frodo Baggins inherits a magic ring from his uncle Bilbo. The wizard Gandalf reveals it is the One Ring of the Dark Lord Sauron, and Frodo must take it away. Joined by Sam, Merry, Pippin, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli and Boromir, he sets out toward Mordor. Readers love its world, its friendships and its sense of history. These books share its epic quests.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Style | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Two Towers | J.R.R. Tolkien | Classic | readers who want the next part |
| The Return of the King | J.R.R. Tolkien | Classic | readers who want the ending |
| The Hobbit | J.R.R. Tolkien | Classic | readers who want the prequel |
| The Silmarillion | J.R.R. Tolkien | Mythology | readers who want Middle-earth's history |
| The Wheel of Time: The Eye of the World | Robert Jordan | Epic | readers who want a long epic |
| The Name of the Wind | Patrick Rothfuss | Epic | readers who like gifted heroes |
| A Game of Thrones | George R.R. Martin | Epic | readers who want darker politics |
| The Sword of Shannara | Terry Brooks | Classic | readers who like Tolkien-style quests |
| Mistborn: The Final Empire | Brandon Sanderson | Epic | readers who like clever magic |
| The Belgariad: Pawn of Prophecy | David Eddings | Classic | readers who like farm-boy heroes |
| A Wizard of Earthsea | Ursula K. Le Guin | Classic | readers who want a thoughtful fantasy |
| The Chronicles of Prydain: The Book of Three | Lloyd Alexander | Classic | younger readers |
| Dragonlance: Dragons of Autumn Twilight | Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman | Classic | readers who like adventuring parties |
| The Way of Kings | Brandon Sanderson | Epic | readers who want vast worlds |
| The Dragonbone Chair | Tad Williams | Epic | readers who like slow-building epics |
1. The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Fellowship splits as war spreads.
Best for: readers who want the next part.
2. The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien
The final battle for Middle-earth.
Best for: readers who want the ending.
3. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Bilbo joins dwarves on a quest for treasure.
Best for: readers who want the prequel.
4. The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien
The ancient legends of Middle-earth.
Best for: readers who want Middle-earth's history.
5. The Wheel of Time: The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
Farm youths flee a dark power.
Best for: readers who want a long epic.
6. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
A legend tells his own story.
Best for: readers who like gifted heroes.
7. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
Families fight for the Iron Throne.
Best for: readers who want darker politics.
8. The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks
A young man must wield a legendary sword.
Best for: readers who like Tolkien-style quests.
9. Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
A thief joins a rebellion.
Best for: readers who like clever magic.
10. The Belgariad: Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings
A boy discovers his destiny.
Best for: readers who like farm-boy heroes.
11. A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
A young wizard faces a shadow.
Best for: readers who want a thoughtful fantasy.
12. The Chronicles of Prydain: The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander
An assistant pig-keeper becomes a hero.
Best for: younger readers.
13. Dragonlance: Dragons of Autumn Twilight by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
Friends reunite as war comes.
Best for: readers who like adventuring parties.
14. The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
Soldiers and scholars face a returning war.
Best for: readers who want vast worlds.
15. The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams
A kitchen boy is caught in a war.
Best for: readers who like slow-building epics.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with The Fellowship of the Ring: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the first three picks in the table: they are the closest match to The Fellowship of the Ring. The rest of the list moves further out, so it works well once you know which part of the original you liked most. If a pick is part of a longer series, read the first book before you commit, and check the age or content notes in the table before passing a book to a younger reader.
How to Choose
Finish the story with The Two Towers and The Return of the King, and read The Hobbit if you haven't. For Middle-earth's deeper history, The Silmarillion is rewarding. If you want another long epic, The Wheel of Time and The Dragonbone Chair were inspired by Tolkien. A Game of Thrones is a darker, more political choice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Fellowship of the Ring about?
Frodo inherits the One Ring and sets out with companions to destroy it.
Is The Lord of the Rings one book or three?
Tolkien wrote it as one story, published in three volumes.
Should I read The Hobbit first?
It helps, but it is not required.
How long is The Fellowship of the Ring?
Around 400 to 500 pages.
Who is in the Fellowship?
Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin, Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli and Boromir.
Is there a movie?
Yes. Peter Jackson's 2001 film.
What age is it for?
It suits confident readers about 11 and up.