Debut Fantasy Novels
Discover the best debut fantasy novels of all time, from Patrick Rothfuss’s *The Name of the Wind* to David Anthony Durham’s *Acacia*. Explore fresh voices and epic world-building in this curated list of standout first books, including Auralia’s Colors and The Outback Stars, perfect for fans of new fantasy series.
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Acacia
by David Anthony Durham
"Acacia" offers a thrilling work of literary imagination that creates an all-enveloping and mythic world. Durham has written a timeless tale of heroism and betrayal, of treachery and revenge, of primal wrongs and ultimate redemption.
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Wind Follower
by Carole McDonell
McDonnell's fantasy debut portrays a land inhabited by the black-skinned Theseni, brown Ibeni and tan Doreni. Peace among the three tribes is disrupted by the paler-skinned, domineering Angleni as well as inner clan conflicts. Loic tyu Taer, the son of the wealthy headman of the Doreni Pagatsu clan, falls in love at first sight with Satha tya Monua, the impoverished but proud daughter of his father's old Theseni friend.
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Auralia's Colors
by Jeffrey Overstreet
When thieves find an abandoned child lying in a monster’s footprint, they have no idea that their wilderness discovery will change the course of history. Cloaked in mystery, Auralia grows up among criminals outside the walls of House Abascar, where vicious beastmen lurk in shadow. There, she discovers an unsettling--and forbidden--talent for crafting colors that enchant all who behold them, including Abascar’s hard-hearted king, an exiled wizard, and a prince who keeps dangerous secrets. When Auralia’s gift opens doors from the palace to the dungeons, she sets the stage for violent and miraculous change in the great houses of the Expanse. Auralia’s Colors weaves literary fantasy together with poetic prose, a suspenseful plot, adrenaline-rush action, and unpredictable characters sure to enthrall ambitious imaginations.
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The Outback Stars
by Sandra McDonald
A fresh and engaging military-SF debut novel by a US Navy veteran
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The Name of the Wind
by Patrick Rothfuss
Discover #1 New York Times-bestselling Patrick Rothfuss’ epic fantasy series, The Kingkiller Chronicle. “I just love the world of Patrick Rothfuss.” —Lin-Manuel Miranda OVER 1 MILLION COPIES SOLD! DAY ONE: THE NAME OF THE WIND My name is Kvothe. I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during day. I have talked to Gods, loved women, and written songs that make the minstrels weep. You may have heard of me. So begins a tale unequaled in fantasy literature—the story of a hero told in his own voice. It is a tale of sorrow, a tale of survival, a tale of one man’s search for meaning in his universe, and how that search, and the indomitable will that drove it, gave birth to a legend.
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Magic Lost, Trouble Found
by Lisa Shearin
Raine Benares is a Sorceress Seeker of average ability until she comes into possession of an amulet that amplifies her powers-and her enemies.