Three underrated fantasy series you need to read now

We’ve all read or watched Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Hunger Games, and the like. They’re great, sure, but are they really the best? That’s up for debate. These pop-culture staples are so huge that they can sometimes overshadow the other wild, weird, and wonderful stories fantasy has to offer—the ones that are complex, gripping, infuriating, mind-blowing, and sometimes downright heartbreaking. Most importantly, they’re the stories that never get the recognition they truly deserve.

Fantasy can feel intimidating—long pages, intricate worlds, and endless rules—but who says the best stories have to be complicated? Whether you love fast-paced adventures, twisted politics, or myth reimagined, there’s a whole world of underrated fantasy waiting to be discovered. Here are the top three fantasy books and series that deserve way more attention.

The Watersong Series by Amanda Hocking

Ms Hocking is an icon, she’s a legend, and she is the moment. The main character, Gemma, is literally a Greek legend. If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if Greek mythology got a modern YA glow-up, The Watersong Series is your answer. Following the tales of sirens—yes, the gorgeous, and unfathomably deadly kind that ruin men’s lives with a song—this series is fast-paced, chilling, and breathtakingly addicting. 

It begins with Gemma, a 16-year-old girl with a love for the ocean, who discovers she’s been cursed by a group of mysterious sirens. Just a regular Tuesday for a town that has now begun to play host to legendary sirens. Her mundane home in a seaside town found itself warped into a place of secrets, survival, and mythology brought to life. It’s a romance, a supernatural mystery, with a Pinterest beach aesthetic. This series is guaranteed to have you go at least 2 nights without sleeping because this series has the ability to make you think ‘I am so sat’.

The Form and Void Series by A J Smith

For those of you who crave the gravitas and formidability of a modern LOTR, this is your gold mine. A J Smith’s Form and Void series is the kind of high fantasy that makes you sit and read the series with cartography tools (in case you need to draw maps, of course), memorise bloodlines from start to finish, and question whether you’ll ever fully understand the politics of invented kingdoms. Spoiler: you won’t, but isn’t that the fun? 

Smith’s calling card and indulgence is complexity. You will not find any section of this series that doesn’t hold within itself at least three other subplots and Easter eggs. His books are brutal, rich in lore, and not afraid to push readers into dark, morally murky places. Expect empires at war, magic that feels as if it's from another dimension, and enough character arcs to make you scream into the void (pun intended). This series is designed for obsession so deep, it will feel like you’re working a second job in another universe. The goth, morally grey cousin of LOTR, The Form and Void series is a must-read.

Girl, Goddess, Queen by Bea Fitzgerald

If you’ve also been craving a modern rendition of Greek mythology enemies-to-lovers, grumpy meets sunshine, with a feminist twist and humour so cutting, Dr House is taking notes. The Greek classic tale of Persephone being kidnapped into the underworld is flipped. Here, Persephone jumps into the underworld instead. It’s quite a leap from the original. Fitzgerald reimagines and rewrites the entire narrative of the damsel in distress into a story about agency, power, and desire. It’s endearingly witty, sharp, and reads like your favourite best friend retelling Greek myths over rose and curated reels.

Enemies to lovers is the cornerstone of modern fiction, and Girl, Goddess, Queen is no exception. By excavating the Greek myth into something outrageously sharp and entertaining, Fitzgerald gives Gen. Z readers what they want: a fictional mythology that feels modern, accessible, and feminist. It’s also laugh-out-loud funny while still nailing the heart of the myth. If Madeline Miller walked with soulful and emotional retellings of Greek Myth, Bea Fitzegerald is her unhinged and boldly feminist younger sister, one who will not rest if the Gods have the last word. 

Why these stories are worth reading

Starting new books can be scary for some, but a complicated and layered fantasy tale can spark some intimidation. It's always easier to stick to known classics. But the payoff on reading these books is incredibly high, and will make for engaging book club nights. Trust me, throw a bottle of wine and roundtable conferences on the floor of your living room, and it’s going to be a good night. They may not dominate TikTok tables at Barnes & Noble, Waterstones, or Crossword, but these are the underrated gems that remind us fantasy isn’t just about dragons and chosen ones. It’s about escaping into worlds that feel like secrets, waiting to be discovered. And guess what? These are discoveries you will never stop talking about.

Lead image credit: Amazon.in

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