10 best fantasy books with elves, ranked

Don’t let The Lord of the Rings’ Gimli discover you’re reading this list, or he’ll take it personally. He’s still mad that the Woodland elf, Legolas, took down a whole oliphaunt alone in The Battle of the Pelennor Fields (even if it only counted as one). It’s a sensitive subject. After all, elves are seen as beautiful and wise beings full of grace and magic, while dwarves get a reputation for being a bunch of smelly, hairy dudes living in caves. So yeah, these are the 10 best fantasy books about elves, but if you see Gimli, will you tell him that he’s better than them? I think it would mean a lot to him.

10. The Legend of Drizzt by R.A. Salvatore

Dungeons and Dragons fans are in for a hoot. Veterans of the game know that there’s a variety of elves species in the world dreamed up by Gary Gygax, but none are more infamous than the infamous dark elves, aka the drow. The drow are a subterranean society of bloodthirsty killers ruled by spider god-worshipping matriarchs who wish to subjugate the free peoples above. Drow are generally the baddest of bad news, except for Drizzt Do’Urden, a dark elf who rejects the evils of the society that raised him and strives to become a hero. To achieve glory in the surface world above, Drizzt must overcome the powerful monsters that roam it and the anti-drow prejudice of the people that populate it. Despite the odds, Drizzt becomes a valued adventurer who earns his fair share of friends and sweet dungeon loot.

9. The Witcher: The Last Wish by by Andrzej Sapkowski

Set in the wonderful (and horrible) world of The Witcher, Andrzej Sapkowski’s The Last Wish is a collection of short stories about the exploits of monster hunter extraordinaire Geralt of Rivia. During his travels around the Kingdom, Geralt runs into his fair share of elves, known in The Witcher’s world as the Aen Seidhe. Unlike many works of Western fantasy, the elves are not the dominant species in the land. They are an oppressed race of refugees who have been subjugated by mankind. Bitter, mistrustful, and ever proud, the Aen Seidhe eke out an existence on the fringes of the world, sometimes waging bloody revolt against their human oppressors.

8. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss is unique among fantasy tales because its protagonist has already found all the glory! At an unassuming inn in a small town, there works a man named Kvothe, who was once one of the most renowned adventurers in the land. By his own admission, he has talked to gods, killed kings, and written songs that could make the stones weep. Now he’s laying low and tells his tales to travelers who pass by. In his many adventures, Kvothe had run-ins with many an elven being, including the elf-like Felurian, a succubus-like creature capable of driving men mad.

7. Path of the Warrior by Gav Thorpe

In the grimdark universe of Warhammer 40k, the elves (or Aeldari) suffered one of the cruelest fates imaginable. After establishing themselves as the dominant species in the galaxy, the Aeldari empire began to crumble under the weight of its excess. Millennia of hedonism caused the psychically attuned Aelderi to manifest a dark god of pleasure into the physical universe, which devoured the souls of billions and sent the few survivors fleeing across the stars in planet-sized ships known as Craftworlds. Now the Aeldari dedicate their lives to strict training to stave off the growing forces of chaos. Gav Thorpe’s Path of The Warrior focuses on an Aeldari trainee named Korlandril who embarks on a quest to join the ranks of the most elite Eldar warriors. The book dives deep into Aeldari culture and tradition and is a must for any Warhammer fan looking to expand their knowledge of the lore.

6. The Broken Sword by Poul Anderson

Poul Anderson’s The Broken Sword is a dark fantasy novel based on ancient Norse mythology. It’s the tale of Skafloc, a mortal child raised as a fosterling by the elves after being stolen from his crib. Meanwhile, the elf who kidnapped Skafloc left a changeling in the crib, a magical being that can take the form of a human child. In this world, elves are not kindly paragons of wisdom and good that offer guidance to mortals, they are crafty and cunning creatures locked in an eternal war with the trolls. If you’re looking for a more traditional faerie tale, where fae beings are morally grey at best, The Broken Sword is a must-read.

5. The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks

Terry Brooks’ The Sword of Shannara centers around Shea Ohmsford, the last scion of an ancient elven bloodline, who must find the mythical Sword of Shannara to turn the tide in a war against the Warlock Lord. While the wise and long-lived elves of Shannara are Tolkien-esque, the world they live in is not. The action takes place not in a mythical world separate from our own, but in a post-apocalyptic version of Earth in the far future! The elves are one of the few races that survived the cataclysm and are the only people old enough to remember the world that was.

4. The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

Brandon Sanderson’s The Way of Kings may not feature elves in the traditional sense, but the nigh-immortal Parshendi race was clearly inspired by Tolkien’s work. The Parshendi (or “singers”) are wise people who share a deep communion with nature and were descendants of the elf-like Ancient Listeners, the continent’s original inhabitants. Currently, the Parshendi are locked in conflict with humankind, but the novel’s soldier protagonist Kaladin begins to realize that the elf-like race may not be the ultimate enemy that his superiors told them they were.

3. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

The reputations of the elves in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings precede them. Who hasn’t heard of the might of Legolas? The wisdom of Elrond? The grace of Galadriel? This trilogy singlehandedly created the modern idea of an elf, a powerful and sage-like being eternally dedicated to the forces of good. Tolkien’s Elves inspired virtually every other book on this list. Whether other authors chose to utilize or subvert elf tropes, modern writers owe it to Tolkien for popularizing the idea of elves in the first place. If you’re looking for the most traditional and no-nonsense depiction of elves in the modern world, look no further, The Lord of the Rings is the blueprint.

2. The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams

Tad Williams’ The Dragonbone Chair follows the exploits of Simon, a kitchen boy turned unlikely hero in a war between neighboring kingdoms. Caught in the crossfire are the Sithi, an ancient and alien race somewhat similar to Tolkien elves. To put an end to the conflict, Simon will have to seek out the help of the Sithi, whose eldritch knowledge and magic may help him put an end to the reign of the Storm King, a dark sorcerer who threatens to take control of the world and turn its populace into undead thralls. Yikes.

1. The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien

While The Lord of the Rings may have stamped the modern idea of elves upon pop culture consciousness, J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Silmarillion deepens the lore of Middle-earth’s most magical species. The story takes place entirely during the First Age of Middle-earth and tells the tale of the world’s creation, the rise and fall of the elven kingdoms, and the great war they fought with Morgoth (basically, Sauron’s great-granddaddy). Before Tolkien penned the books that would change fantasy forever, he was a linguist who made up eleven languages and then dreamed up an entire world around them. The elves are the main characters of The Silmarillion, and their victories and follies are recorded for all the world to see. And there are a lot of follies, seriously. The elves put a lot of effort into keeping up their wise appearances, but they sure did some foolish stuff in the days of yore. After you’re done with this book, let Gimli take a gander, Legolas will never hear the end of it.