Fantasy is one of the most beloved book genres of all time, transporting readers to lands of wonder and awe while dropping them alongside legendary heroes and wicked villains. While most readers have upcoming books and series they are eagerly looking forward to, it can also be fun and informative to dive back into the past and see which books stole readers’ hearts and helped define the previous decades. Now, thanks to user data generously shared by Goodreads, Screen Rant has identified the six fantasy books/series that defined the 1990s.
With over 150 million members, Goodreads is the world’s largest site for readers and book recommendations, serving as one of the most authoritative voices in the reading community. Many readers treat Goodreads as their go-to stop before picking up a book, as the site offers insights from reader data that can help them decide whether a book is right for them.
This data is driven by a combination of site-defining features, including its signature digital bookshelf, which allows users to track their reading progress, review books, receive personalized recommendations, and connect with the wider reading community. It is data gathered from these features that Goodreads provided to Screen Rant that determined the entries on this list. As a result, each book earned its spot based on data pulled by the Goodreads team from shelvings, ratings, and reviews.
Screen Rant has ordered the list by highest rating, in descending order. However, readers should note that user data, such as the number of times a book was added to readers’ personal Goodreads bookshelves, also helped determine these rankings. So, without further ado, here are the fantasy book giants that dominated the ’90s.
6
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (The Wicked Years, #1) by Gregory Maguire (1995)
Rating: 3.50 | Adds: 1.31M | Want to Read: 414K
Most famously known for reimagining L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz from the perspective of the Wicked Witch of the West, Gregory Maguire’s Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West kicks off our list of the most popular books of the ’90s. Goodreads identified the 1995 novel as one of the top fantasy novels of the decade, based on its solid 3.5-star average rating and 1.31 million adds to Goodreads members’ bookshelves, with 414,000 readers adding it specifically to their “Want to Read” shelf.
Even those unfamiliar with Maguire’s novel are likely to know its story through the 2003 Broadway musical Wicked, which it inspired, or the Wicked (2024) and Wicked: For Good (2025) films starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo. The recent films may have contributed to a resurgence in interest, but the novel’s lasting popularity goes well beyond its adaptations, firmly cementing its place as one of the decade’s most notable fantasy books.
5
Neverwhere (London Below, #1) by Neil Gaiman (1996)
Rating: 4.16 | Adds: 1.19M | Want to Read: 509K
If you love urban fantasy with a dash of adventure and horror, then you’ve likely already read Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere, which reimagines London as a fantasy world hidden in plain sight. The novel stands out from many other books because its story originally aired as a six-part BBC series before Gaiman’s novelization was released later that same year, reversing the typical process of adapting books for television.
Goodreads data reveals that Neverwhere holds an impressive 4.16-star average rating and has been added to the bookshelves of 1.19 million members, with 509,000 of those readers adding it specifically to their “Want to Read” shelf.
4
Assassin’s Apprentice (Farseer Trilogy, #1) by Robin Hobb (1995)
Rating: 4.20 | Adds: 1.07M | Want to Read: 526K
Known for helping contribute to the rise of character-focused, emotionally heavy epic fantasy is Robin Hobb’s Assassin’s Apprentice, the first book in her Farseer Trilogy. What makes this such an impressive entry is the fact that it was Hobb’s debut novel under the Robin Hobb name, making it particularly iconic that her very first novel is among the top fantasy books that helped define the 1990s.
Assassin’s Apprentice holds an extremely impressive 4.20-star average rating while boasting 1.07 million adds, with 526,000 of those being “Want to Read” shelvings. It’s also worth noting that Hobb’s trilogy later became part of her much larger Realm of the Elderlings universe, which spans multiple interconnected series and follows characters across several generations.
3
Good Omens by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman (1990)
Rating: 4.25 | Adds: 1.72M | Want to Read: 697K
It’s no surprise that Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman’s Good Omens is one of the defining fantasy novels of the ’90s, especially considering its impressive 4.25 average star rating, 1.72 million adds, including 697,000 “Want to Read” bookshelf adds, while also later earning itself a TV series adaptation starring legends David Tennant and Michael Sheen to boot.
Returning to more urban fantasy, this book offers a hilarious, irreverent take on the biblical apocalypse, starring a missing Antichrist and the unlikely duo of an angel named Aziraphale and a demon named Crowley. It’s also a standout on this list because it expertly blends fantasy and comedy, offering readers something exceptionally unique.
2
The Eye of the World (The Wheel of Time, #1) by Robert Jordan (1990)
Rating: 4.19 | Adds: 1.24M | Want to Read: 443K
This next entry is particularly notable because it technically represents three books that helped define the ’90s rather than just one. However, since all three books were written by the same author and belong to the same series, we’ve condensed them into a single entry: the first three books in Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time series. The Wheel of Time is considered one of the most influential and popular epic-fantasy sagas not only of the ’90s but of the modern era.
The Eye of the World, the first book in the series, released in 1990, boasts an impressive 4.19-star average rating, 1.07 million adds, and 526,000 “Want to Read” shelvings. The Great Hunt (The Wheel of Time, #2) saw that average rating climb to 4.27 stars, along with 564,000 adds and 79,000 “Want to Read” shelvings. The third book in the series, The Dragon Reborn, earned an even higher 4.28-star rating, with 509,000 adds and 69,000 “Want to Read” shelvings.
Given that Robert Jordan claimed three spots on the nine-entry list of books Goodreads provided to ScreenRant, it’s clear that if one fantasy author reigned over the ’90s, it was Robert Jordan and his Wheel of Time series.
1
A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1) by George R.R. Martin (1996)
Rating: 4.45 | Adds: 4.59M | Want to Read: 1.27M
Last but certainly not least, and what will come as a surprise to no one, are the first two entries in George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series. Even without the Goodreads data, fans likely could have guessed that the 1996-published A Game of Thrones and the 1998-published A Clash of Kings would make it onto this list, because what would the ’90s be without the start of what would later become one of the most popular franchises of the 21st century?
A Game of Thrones holds an exceptional 4.45 average star rating and perhaps an even more impressive 4.59 million adds, which is more than 2.5 times the number of adds as the next-closest title, Good Omens. A Game of Thrones also boasts an impressive 1.27 million “Want to Read” shelvings. A Clash of Kings is nearly as impressive, with a more-than-solid 4.42 average star rating, 1.72 million adds, and 316,000 “Want to Read” shelvings. Now, thanks to Goodreads member data, fans finally have a data-backed answer to which fantasy books helped define the ’90s.
Disclaimer: Goodreads data is based on user activity and is constantly changing. Additionally, Goodreads didn’t launch until 2007, meaning it wasn’t active during the ’90s. As a result, the data may be somewhat skewed toward fantasy titles that have remained popular and endured with readers long after their original publication.
If you were reading in the ’90s, which fantasy books do YOU think defined the decade?