There's no denying the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling is one of the most popular book series of all time! Millions of readers from all over the world have read, and continue to read, the hit fantasy series about Harry Potter, a young wizard who embarks on a journey to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and beyond.
While I know millions more will read Harry Potter for the first time and fans will always revisit the series, especially as it becomes a TV series on HBO Max in the next few years, there are many other fantasy book series Harry Potter fans absolutely need to read next.
I picked up the Harry Potter books way back in the late '90s and was hooked instantly. It's one of the first book series I remember truly loving as a kid. While my fandom has wavered in recent years, I'm always looking for books that capture that magical feeling. I'm confident the eight fantasy books I picked for his list will do that for other fantasy book fans like me!
Let's get the list started with a personal fave, Percy Jackson and the Olympians!
Percy Jackson and the Olympians
Percy Jackson and the Olympians is my top pick for Harry Potter fans to read next! Rick Riordan's five-book series about demigod Percy Jackson is a must-read for younger audiences, but it also works for adults, parents, or anyone who likes mythology, epic adventures, and a hero who constantly puts his life on the line.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians begins with a young Percy who finds out his life is much more important than he originally thought. After learning about his powers, Percy and his friends, Annabeth Chase and Grover Underwood, set out on a quest to retrieve the stolen lightning bolt of Zeus.
That's just where the series begins, though! It gets even more exciting as the series continues. I also recommend Riordan's Heroes of Olympus series, which continues the stories of some characters from this series. And, recently, Riordan has revisited his most popular character for a new books in this series, too!
Oh, and there's a very popular Percy Jackson and the Olympians TV series on Disney+. The first season premiered in 2023, but Percy Jackson season 2 premieres on Dec. 10. There's still plenty of time to read and watch before season 2 premieres.
The Empyrean series
The Empyrean series from Rebecca Yarros, also known as the Fourth Wing books, is also a must-read for Harry Potter fans. I should warn you, though; this series is much more mature than the Harry Potter books. It's definitely not YA, but I do think many YA fans will enjoy Yarros' series.
In the series, Violet Sorrengail, a teenager and daughter of the Navarre's general, takes a new path to become a dragon rider at Basgiath War College, despite years of training to become a scribe. Shortly after completing her first task, Violet tries to understand and find her new place in the world with plenty of foes all around.
The Empyrean series begins with Fourth Wing and continues in Iron Flame and Onyx Storm. There are three books in the series with a fourth on the way, not-so-soon.
If you're into dragons, magic, romance, and fantasy, it doesn't get much better than the Fourth Wing books in 2025!
A Throne of Glass
A Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas is one of my favorite fantasy book series of the last decade and some change. The seven-book series, with some shorter stories in the mix as well, tells the story of the world's most dangerous assassin, Celaena Sardothien, a 17-year-old who is chosen to compete in a tournament to serve the King of Adarlan. When a mysterious evil force begins taking out the competition, Celaena tries to get to the bottom of the mystery, stay alive, and most importantly, win against all odds.
A Throne of Glass is full of action, magic, romance, and much more. There are so many epic twists, turns, and moments over the course of the seven books. There are very few dull moments!
Maas is one of the biggest names in fantasy at the moment. While many prefer Maas's A Court of Thorns and Roses, I'm a much bigger fan of A Throne of Glass. I think Harry Potter fans will resonate with a lot of the themes and tropes, but again, it's a much more mature series.
A Song of Ice and Fire
Speaking of mature fantasy book series, A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin is up next on the list. We are Winter is Coming after all, and no fantasy series list feels complete without A Song of Ice and Fire, which is one of the best fantasy series of all time, in my opinion. It also serves as the story and inspiration behind one of the best TV series of all time, Game of Thrones, which came to an end after eight seasons on HBO in the spring of 2019.
The series, of course, tells the story of the many Houses of Westeros in their many battles for the Iron Throne. There are too many characters and storylines to mention, but it's certainly one of the most ambitious stories I've ever read and am still reading. We're still waiting for The Winds of Winter, obviously, and what comes next!
You can't go wrong with A Song of Ice and Fire if you haven't read it yet. Like the other picks on this list, it's for a much more mature audience than Harry Potter.
Legacy of Orisha series
The Legacy of Orisha book series by Tomi Adeyemi, on the other hand, is a much more age-appropriate series for Harry Potter fans. The three-book series begins with Children of Blood and Bone tells the story of Zélie Adebola, a young girl who lives in Orisha.
A decade ago, Zélie's mother and others with magical powers were killed when the king turned off the source of magic on the continent. Zélie is Orisha's first hope to restore magic in a long time. Will she be able to do it? You'll have to read to find out! And, I highly recommend you do!
Children of Blood and Bone is also coming to the big screen in 2027! You have plenty of time to catch up and read the series before it hits theaters.
An Ember in the Ashes
An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir is one of my favorite fantasy series of the last decade. The first book of the series, titled An Ember in the Ashes, was released in 2015. The story begins with Laia, a young girl who attends a vicious military academy and begins to fulfill her true destiny.
There are four books in the series, and each one is as good or better than the next. You won't be able to put this series down once you start reading.
I've been waiting for a TV or film series based on An Ember in the Ashes, but so far, there haven't been many developments on that side of the industry. A spinoff of the series, titled Heir, was released in 2024. There's another book in the Heir duology on the way, too!
Shadow and Bone
Leigh Bardugo's Grishaverse is an absolute must-read for fans of Harry Potter, as well. The series begins with Shadow and Bone about Alina Starkov, a young mapmaker in the Ravkan forces who discovers she has the powers to bring prosperity and peace back to her wartorn nation, but all power comes with a price. Is Alina willing to pay it?
There are seven Grishaverse books, along with collections of short stories, as well. Following the Shadow and Bone trilogy, there are two duologies, Six of Crows and King of Scars, that you simply must read.
Don't let the canceled-after-only-two-seasons Netflix series stop you from reading one of the truly transformative YA fantasy book series of the last decade.
The Lord of the Rings
Last but not least, The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien is the perfect way to finish this list. If you haven't read The Lord of the Rings but you have read Harry Potter, it's time to stop the madness and read the best fantasy book series of all time. (Sorry, fans of The Wheel of Time!)
The Lord of the Rings explores Frodo Baggins' adventure to destroy the Ring of Power and stop Sauron's return to Middle-earth. When it comes to fantasy series, it just doesn't get any better than The Lord of the Rings.
There are so many lessons to be learned from The Lord of the Rings, especially in tough times when the lines between right and wrong and good and evil are so obvious and apparent. As Gandalf says, "All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."
That's the list of fantasy book series to read if you're a fan of Harry Potter or just like reading in general. Stay tuned for more lists of good books you should read next!