Best Fantasy Books of 2001

Below you will find a list of the fantasy books published in 2001 that we enjoyed most. Click on a book title to read the full review.

  4. The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

    The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde book cover

    The Eyre Affair is a dizzying, delightful plunge into a world where literature is life. Jasper Fforde crafts an alternate 1985 Britain where dodos are common pets and SpecOps agents police the pages of classic novels. Our heroine, Thursday Next, is a sharp, witty literary detective tasked with rescuing Jane Eyre from a kidnapper. Fforde's world is packed with puns, surrealism, and a genuine love for the written word. It is a masterclass in meta-fiction that never loses its sense of fun. For fans of Douglas Adams or Terry Pratchett, this genre-bending romp is pure, unadulterated, and truly imaginative joy.

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  7. Child of the Prophecy by Juliet Marillier

    Child of the Prophecy is regarded by many (my lady included), as the worst of the series, largely because of its borderline villainous protagonist. Yet in many ways, I found it a more captivating book than either of its predecessors, perhaps not as simply beautiful as Daughter of the Forest, or as richly nuanced a character study as Son of the Shadows, but in terms of sheer uncertainty and that all important hook to keep reading, standing above either.

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  10. Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve

    Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve book cover

    In a far-future "Post-Apocalyptic" era, cities have become massive, mobile machines that roam the wasteland, consuming smaller towns for resources. This concept, known as "Municipal Darwinism," sees a traction-city version of London chasing down prey across the Great Hunting Ground. Tom, a young apprentice historian, is thrown from London and must team up with a scarred girl named Hester to stop a weapon of mass destruction. It is a grand, imaginative epic that turns geography into a literal engine of war.

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  16. American Gods by Neil Gaiman

    American Gods by Neil Gaiman book cover

    Neil Gaiman's American Gods is a visionary masterpiece that redefined urban fantasy by blending road-trip Americana with ancient mythology. It follows Shadow Moon, an ex-con caught in a brewing war between the "Old Gods" of myth and the "New Gods" of technology and media. Gaiman's brilliance lies in his premise: gods only exist as long as people believe in them. The book is a profound meditation on faith, national identity, and the power of stories. It is atmospheric, surreal, and deeply thought-provoking, offering a unique perspective on the hidden, spiritual pulse of the modern United States.

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