Fantasy Subgenres Tier List (With Strong Opinions)
Epic, dark, urban, cozy. A completely biased ranking of fantasy subgenres and what each one does best.
I've been reading fantasy since I picked up The Hobbit at age 12. That was 15 years ago. I've developed opinions.
Here's my completely biased breakdown of every major fantasy subgenre, what they're good at, and when they fail.
S-Tier: Peak Fantasy
Dark Fantasy
This is where fantasy gets interesting. Morally grey characters, graphic consequences, and a refusal to pretend the good guys always win.
What makes it work: Authors like Joe Abercrombie (The First Law) and Mark Lawrence (Prince of Thorns) understand that flawed characters are more compelling than heroic ones. The world feels real because actions have consequences.
Best example: The First Law trilogy. Logen Ninefingers is one of the best characters in fantasy because he genuinely tries to be good and keeps failing.
When it fails: When "dark" just means edgy for no reason. Grimdark that's all shock value and no substance is exhausting.
Epic Fantasy (Done Right)
The genre that built the genre. Massive worlds, detailed magic systems, multi-volume stories.
What makes it work: Brandon Sanderson's Stormlight Archive shows what happens when you combine meticulous worldbuilding with actual payoff. Every Chekhov's gun fires. Every mystery has an answer.
Best example: The Stormlight Archive for the complete package. Malazan Book of the Fallen if you want the hardest version.
When it fails: When 200 pages of worldbuilding don't lead anywhere. When the author is more in love with their map than their characters.
A-Tier: Excellent When Done Well
Urban Fantasy
Magic hiding in modern cities. The Dresden Files basically invented the modern version of this.
What makes it work: The juxtaposition is fun. A wizard detective in Chicago fighting with a revolver and a staff hits different than standard medieval fantasy.
Best example: The Dresden Files for long-form. American Gods for literary.
When it fails: When it's just paranormal romance pretending to be urban fantasy. Also when every urban fantasy protagonist is a snarky white dude with relationship issues.
Progression Fantasy / Cultivation
New to Western audiences but massive in Asia. Characters get systematically stronger through training, levels, or cultivation.
What makes it work: Clear power progression is satisfying. You know exactly how strong the MC is and can track their growth.
Best example: Cradle by Will Wight. Western accessibility with cultivation structure.
When it fails: When it's just power creep with no character development. When "training arc" means nothing interesting happens for 100 pages.
Cozy Fantasy
The hot new subgenre. Low stakes, found family, comfort over conflict.
What makes it work: Sometimes you want fiction that feels like a warm blanket. Legends & Lattes showed there's a market for adventurers who just want to open coffee shops.
Best example: Legends & Lattes. A retired barbarian opens a café. That's it. It's great.
When it fails: When there's literally zero conflict or stakes. Even cozy needs some tension.
B-Tier: Solid Choices
Portal Fantasy / Isekai
Characters transported to magical worlds. Narnia did it first. Anime perfected it.
What makes it work: Fish-out-of-water perspective helps readers experience the world alongside the protagonist.
When it fails: When the MC is boring and just exists to react to the cool world. When it's wish fulfillment without substance.
Romantic Fantasy
Romance where the worldbuilding actually matters. A Court of Thorns and Roses basically created the modern genre.
What makes it work: You get the emotional highs of romance with the escapism of fantasy. When done well, neither element suffers.
When it fails: When the fantasy is just aesthetic. "He's a fae prince" shouldn't be a substitute for actual characterization.
Sword and Sorcery
Old-school adventure fantasy. Conan the Barbarian territory. Less common now but still fun.
What makes it work: Fast pacing, low commitment. You can pick up a Conan story without reading 10 previous books.
When it fails: When it's just violence and sexism pretending to be "classic."
C-Tier: Hit or Miss
High Fantasy
Overlaps with epic fantasy but usually means more traditional good-vs-evil structure.
What makes it work: Sometimes you want clear stakes and a true hero. Nothing wrong with that.
When it fails: When it's just Tolkien with the serial numbers filed off. When the Chosen One has no personality beyond being Chosen.
Gaslamp / Steampunk Fantasy
Victorian-era aesthetics with magic. Corsets and clockwork.
What makes it work: Strong aesthetic appeal. Different vibe from standard medieval settings.
When it fails: When the aesthetic is the entire content. "Look, it's a steam-powered thing!" isn't a story.
The Actual Best Approach
Here's a secret: the best fantasy novels blend subgenres.
Stormlight Archive is epic fantasy with progression elements. The Lies of Locke Lamora is sword and sorcery meets heist story. House in the Cerulean Sea is cozy fantasy with romance.
When I use narrator, I lean into this. "Dark fantasy with cultivation elements and found family" or "cozy urban fantasy with mystery plotting." The specific combinations are where it gets interesting.
What's Your Tier List?
I know some people will disagree violently with these rankings. Dark fantasy haters exist (they're wrong). Cozy fantasy detractors exist (they're tired and should try it).
Drop your tier list. Tell me I'm wrong. That's half the fun.
(And if you want to generate your perfect fantasy blend, narrator's there for that.)