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.

Memories of Ice by Steven Erikson (A Tale of the Malazan Book of the Fallen: Book 3)

Memories of Ice is the third book of the series entitled A Tale of the Malazan Book of The Fallen. It follows directly after the events of the first book, Gardens of the Moon, and runs concurrently to the events in the second book, Deadhouse Gates.

Published: 2001

Nightchild by James Barclay (Chronicles of the Raven: Book 3)

One thing that is always tinged with a measure of trepidation is the treatment of children in a fantasy world. A measure of reality must always be held in one hand while you attempt to watch over them. For as much as you would love to see them always come through unharmed, happy, and well, it is just not how it would have played back in the middle ages and before.

Published: 2001

Ravenheart by David Gemmell (The Rigante Novels: Book 3)

The style of the Rigante series need not be introduced again, since all books have the same kind of main character, who starts out as a hateful youth but grows significantly when he matures. The oppressed Rigante and the Varlish façade of justice make for a great setting, and I just can’t get it over my heart to spoil anything. Ravenheart truly is the best novel in the Rigante series, the conclusion one of the best and most touching I have ever read.

Published: 2001

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde (Thursday Next: Book 1)

There is another 1985, where London’s criminal gangs have moved into the lucrative literary market, and Thursday Next is on the trail of a new crime wave’s Mr Big. Acheron Hades has been kidnapping characters from works of fiction and holding them ransom. Jane Eyre is gone. Missing. Thursday sets out to find a way into the book to repair the damage. But solving crimes against literature isn't easy when you also have to find time to halt the Crimean War, persuade the man you love to marry you , and figure out who really wrote Shakespeare’s plays.

"The Eyre Affair shows a great combination of humour thriller, sci-fi, detective and fantasy, in my opinion this book really takes the fantasy fiction genre further. I know I am going to repeat myself but this book is how Thursday would have said it “mad as pants”. It combines some great elements that truly make this book comes to life in more than one dimension. Combining funny and witty dialogues but also numerous literary ideas with the bookworms and names of several of the characters make this a terrific read and should be compulsory for everyone. You won’t regret this."

Published: 2001

Harshini by Jennifer Fallon (The Demon Child Trilogy #3)

Medalon has surrendered to foreign invaders and Tarja is once more an outlaw. The Defenders have scattered and their only hope is Damin Wolfblade and his Hythrun army. But Damin has his own problems. The High Prince is dead and he must lift the siege on the Hythrun capital and defeat an usurper before he can come to Medalon's aid. For R'shiel time is running out. She has finally accepted her destiny as the Demon Child, but must search for answers. She must defeat Xaphista soon or the Harshini will be destroyed; she must find a way to bring peace to the divided southern nations, to free Medalon from Karien occupation and to find the strength to finally put an end to Loclon. But how do you defeat a God?

"A sparkling trilogy that has created a world that offers far more stories than we have been served so far. Any fan of the genre must recognise the quality that Fallon has produced and hopefully more will come from her pen."

Published: 2001

Always Forever by Mark Chadbourn (Age of Misrule: Book 3)

The Eternal Conflict between the Light and Dark once again blackens the skies and blights the land. On one side stand the Tuatha de Danaan, golden-skinned and beautiful, filled with all the might of angels. On the other are the Fomorii, monstrous devils hell-bent on destroying all human existence. And in the middle are the Brothers and Sisters of Dragons, determined to use the strange power that binds them to the land in a last, desperate attempt to save the human race. Church, Ruth, Ryan, Laura and Shavi have joined forces with Tom, a hero from the mists of time, to wage a guerrilla war against the iron rule of the gods.

Published: 2001

Child of the Prophecy by Juliet Marillier (The Sevenwaters Trilogy: Book 3)

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.

Published: 2001

Treason Keep by Jennifer Fallon (The Demon Child Trilogy #2)

R'shiel is on the brink of death, her destiny unfulfilled. To save her, the renegade Harshini Brak reluctantly makes a terrible bargain, as survival of the hidden Harshini race hangs in the balance. Political turmoil spreads across Medalon and its neighbouring countries as the gods vie for power, using humans as pawns in a deadly battle for supremacy. On Medalon's northern border, Tarja and the Defenders are far too few to stand against the invaders from Karien. The only thing that can save them is an alliance with Hythria. But can Tarja trust his former enemy, Damin Wolflblade, warlord and heir to the throne of Hytrhia? Meanwhile, King Hablet of Fardohnya weds his eldest daughter, Princess Adrina, to the Karien Heir. hoping to place his grandchild on the Karien throne. But the wayward and rebellious Adrina has her own plans, and the fate of three nations dangle upon her whim. To avert bloodshed on a massive scale, three warring kingdoms must unite to diffuse the threat of Karien, a nation led by possessed priests and fanatics. Only the demon child - half human and half Harshini - has the power to compel obedience, but will she master her new talents in time to stop a divine war...

"So... a well-crafted, utterly gripping second fantasy novel where the quality of writing legitimately declares Fallon to be as good as the likes of Eddings, Feist and co rather than some wishful thinking quotes on the jacket that inevitably disappoint."

Published: 2001

Dragons of a Lost Star by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman (Dragonlance)

The War of Souls continues as the shield over the elven kingdom of Silvanesti falls, Mina and her forces invade that conquered nation, and Goldmoon follows the river of the dead, which now threatens to destroy all.

"It is difficult to praise Weis and Hickman in a manner that they haven't rightly heard before. Over the last twenty years Dragonlance has become a huge phenomenon with lots of spin offs and development of the world of Krynn on a scale that is truly exhilarating. However, one thing that is noticeable is that, amongst all the necessary surrounding dragonlance novels, a book from the pens of the creators stands head and shoulders above the rest and it is perhaps right that it should do so. Dragonlance has defined a generation of fantasy fans and any book produced by this peerless duo deserves six stars and beyond."

Published: 2001

The Other Wind by Ursula Le Guin (Earthsea Saga: Book 5)

This is another wonderful book from Ursula Le Guin. Exploring themes such as fear of death and belief in reincarnation. This is not a fantasy book full of large battles and insurmountable odds but a book about people and how they live life, deal with grief and try to make the right choices when they are presented.

Published: 2001

Lirael by Garth Nix (The Abhorsen Chronicles: Book 2)

Lirael has never felt like a true daughter of the Clayr, a powerful group of clairvoyant oracles responsible for assisting the Abhorsen and the Royal Family in keeping the Old Kingdom safe from the threat of the Dead. Not only does she look completely different to everyone else, she is long past the age that she should have received the Sight. She feels alone, abandoned, and utterly unsure of who she really is. Meanwhile, across the Wall in Ancelstierre, Prince Sameth is equally lonely. He knows he has a great role to fulfil - he must one day take over as Abhorsen from his mother, Sabriel - but the prospect horrifies him. He fears the Dead, and after a terrifying incident with a rogue Necromancer, he is mortally afraid of his own destiny. But unbeknownst to Lirael and Sameth, they are part of an even greater future plan. The forces of evil are growing once more in the Old Kingdom, and Lirael and Sameth will find themselves at the heart of a desperate mission to stop them.

"This is the sequel to Sabriel, the award winning book from Garth Nix. I have to say that I enjoyed this book far more than it's predecessor, although, without Sabriel doing most of the ground work, this book wouldn't be as free to thunder along at such a roaring pace."

Published: 2001

Tales From Earthsea by Ursula Le Guin (Earthsea Saga: Book 6)

Tales from Earthsea comprises of five magical stories of Earthsea, the realm created by master storyteller Ursula Le Guin. The stories help explain the mythology of Earthsea and fill in the gaps between the four prior stories, most notably between Tehanu and The Other Wind.

Published: 2001

The Curse of the Gloamglozer by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell (The Quint Sequence: Book 1)

Quint, son of sky pirate captain, and new apprentice to Linius Pallitax, the Most High Academe, has been set some highly important tasks. Just how important, Quint is about to find out as he and Linius’s only daughter, Maris, are plunged into a terrifying adventure that takes them deep within the rock upon which Sanctaphrax is built. Here, they unwittingly invoke an ancient curse – the curse of the gloamglozer…

"The Curse of the Gloamglozer is the perfect place to begin your journey within The Edge Chronicles. It also marks the beginning of the Quint trilogy, promising – and indeed succeeding – in taking your imagination to The Edge. The story, narration, settings, characters and illustrations are uniformly excellent and provide the complete fantasy experience."

Published: 2001

Fool's Errand by Robin Hobb (The Tawny Man: Book 1)

You may have already noticed that we absolutely loved The Farseer Trilogy. Robin Hobb is a much praised and admired author due to the fact that she is a storyteller of rare skill with a unrivalled command of the English language. There is also, of course, the fact that her books are highly enjoyable and feature many strong and memorable characters. The experience of reading of a Robin Hobb book is one to be cherished; there are no safer hands that you could place your leisure time in. From the first page to the very last you are treated like royalty with a tale that will last with you for a long time. I could not recommend Robin Hobb’s books highly enough – the Farseer, Liveship Traders and Tawny Man trilogies are a must for every fantasy enthusiast. As a body of work, the nine books are arguably the finest fantasy series ever written.

Published: 2001

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

American Gods manages to broach several genre barriers all the while making it look as if Gaiman was creating his own genre. The end result is very much like creating a new species of rose; you take those qualities from other roses that you want, and then splice them all together. The outcome is beautiful.

Published: 2001

The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold (Chalion Series: Book 1)

Battered ex-soldier Lupe dy Cazaril returns home only to be swept up in court and theological intrigue as tutor to the Royesse Iselle of Chalion. Cazaril's honor and courage in the face of not only his former adversaries but the demands of Chalion's five gods shine through in this spellbinding tale of hard-won triumph.

"This is a masterful slow burner of a book, who’s intricate and subtle plotting and engaging characters and thought-provoking insights into faith kept me intrigued, surprised and delighted all through its not inconsiderable length. The characters are real and three dimensional, and a real sympathy for Cazaril is at the heart of the book. The prose understated yet evocative and the description just enough to show you everything without showing you the kitchen sink too."

Published: 2001