17 Insanely thrilling fantasy books with immortal characters you need to read

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Recently updated on June 17th, 2024 at 03:47 pm

Are you looking for books with immortal characters? Here are 15 fantasy books about immortality that you’ll absolutely love

This post contains affiliate links. That said, I won’t ever recommend a book I haven’t read and loved myself.

There is something so intriguing about books with immortal characters. Especially when the author thinks through the implications of immortality.

But books with immortal characters aren’t as common as you might first think. And it can be hard to find fantasy books about immortality. So I’ve compiled a list of the absolute best books with immortal characters.

Whether you’re looking for elves, fae or immortal humans. I’ve got you covered.

Keep reading to see the best books with immortal characters

Best fantasy books with immortal characters

1. This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron

Kalynn Bayron writes some of the best contemporary fantasy books. This Poison Heart is about plant magic and a mystery. It also features an immortal love interest.

We follow Briseis. She has a magic gift where she can magic tiny seeds grow into rich blooms with a single touch.

Her aunt dies and wills her a dilapidated estate in rural New York. And it’s there she must uncover her family’s heritage and secrets.

 This is a quick, fast-paced and easy read. You could easily pick this up and binge read it in one setting. Kalynn Bayron writes plant imagery beautifully.

It features an immortal love interest. And the duology discusses the backstory and implications of immortality. The romance was insta-lovey but more developed in the second book.

If you’re searching for cozy fantasy books with immortal characters then you HAVE to read this. The cottagecore imagery makes this so cozy. It also features a Black heroine, supportive same-sex parents and elemental magic.

 2. Silver in the Wood by Emily Tesh

Searching for fantasy books with immortal characters? You should read Silver in the Wood. This fantasy book features an immortal, magical forest guardian caring for mythological creatures.

We follow forest guardian Tobias. He is tasked to look after the forest. One day Henry Silver moves into Greenhollow Hall and everything changes. Silver starts to dig up old secrets that are best left forgotten.

Cottagecore fans will love this book. The enchanting forest imagery is filled with imagery about mythical creatures such as dryads in the forest.  And it makes you want to live in a cottage in the woods.

This is a short and easy read. I listened to the audiobook. And the whole duology is only 5 hours. So you can easily binge read this in one setting.

3. Under the whispering door by T.J. Klune

Cozy fantasy fans will love Under the Whispering Door. While it does discuss death and immortality, the tea imagery feels comforting.

We follow Wallace Price. A reaper comes to collect him from his own funeral. But instead of taking him directly to the afterlife, leads him to a tea shop in a small village.

Hugo runs the teashop but is also the ferryman to souls who need to cross over. But Wallace isn’t ready to abandon the life he barely lived.

This book deals with so many heavy topics such as death, grief and loss. But despite such heavy topics this is such a light-hearted, comforting read. T.J. Klune uses laughter,  emotions and romance to it.

If you’re looking for fantasy books with immortal characters, you should definitely pick up some of Under The Whispering Door.

4. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

One of my top picks for books with immortal characters is A Court of Thorns and Roses. Full of immortal fae. The series touches on the implications of immortality. Plus, this is a gripping fantasy series.

We follow Feyre, living with her father and two sisters. She has to hunt to care for the family.

One day she sees a deer and can’t resist killing it to sell. But it was actually a faerie she murdered. And the owner comes to kidnap her to live at the castle as punishment.

At first, this is slow to start as Sarah J Maas does dump a lot of information about the fantasy world on you. But stay with it – it gets so much better. The second book is the best in the series where many of my favourite characters are introduced.

5. A Dark and Hollow Star by Ashley Shuttleworth

DO you enjoy reading about immortal fae? Then you’ll love A Dark and Hollow Star.   It’s an urban fantasy with fae, queer main characters and an enticing mystery.

A series of gruesome murders threatens to expose the faerie world to humans.  Four queer teens – Nausicaä, Arlo, Vehan, and Aurelian – each hold a piece of the truth. And they must track down the mysterious killer.

This book features multiple immortal mythical creatures such as furies and fae. The characters are well developed, flawed and have intriguing backstories.

I listened to the audiobook version which you can find on audible. It features a full cast of narrators which made it really engrossing.

The voices of Vehan and Nausicaä are so spot on! And you can listen to it on Audible with a free trial.  It’s a great audiobook to put on  if you’re looking for some escapism while you’re cleaning or relaxing before bedtime.

6. The Guild Hunter Series by Nalini Singh

This urban fantasy features a romance with an immortal angel. As well as angels, the series features immortal vampires and a human vampire hunter.

We follow Elena. She’s a vampire hunter and she knows she’s the best. But the Archangel Raphael hires her for a job. And it’s clear failure is not an option – even if the task is impossible.

There are so many similarities between Crescent City! It’s a dark urban fantasy with angels and vampires. It features a romance between an angel and someone who is not quite human. It even references wings a lot!

If you’re looking for immortal characters then you will absolutely love this book. This is also perfect for Crescent City fans. It has a great romance but there is still a mystery and strong plot. The heroine is also a strong female main character reminscent of the heroines in Sarah J Maas’ books.

7. Malice  by Heather Walter

Fan of books with fae? Then you’ll love Malice. This Sleeping Beauty retelling features the immortal fae. It

Malice is a Maleficent retelling. The book is set in a Kingdom called Briar. Once upon a time, a wicked fairy cursed a line of princesses to die. Only true love’s kiss can break the curse.

The book follows Alyce – the dark grace. She was left abandoned in Briar from a dark kingdom. The dark magic that runs in her veins abhors residents in Briar.

Except for Princess Aurora who accepts her. And she encourages Alyce to accept herself.

If you’re looking for books with fae  then you should absolutely pick up this duology. They are described as cut-throat and cruel. This book is almost a cross between Wicked and The Hunger Games. But with fae. The world building is darkly magical. And the residents of Briar reminded me of the residents of the Capitol.

8. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

The Cruel Prince is one of my favourite depictions of immortal fae. It highlights the cruelty of the fae and the cut-throat nature of the courts. If you love a fast paced fantasy romance book or a twisty plot – then you absolutely need to read the Folk of Air Trilogy. 

Holly Black is seriously amazing at writing a killer plot twist. The Cruel Prince and Wicked King both open with a bang and keep you hooked throughout.  

We follow Jude. As a child, she gets kidnapped with her two sisters. She’s taken to live with the hidden world of the fae. They live in the woods in a secret world concealed from humans. 

Jude grows up wanting to be like the wicked fae she lives with. 

There are also only 3 books in the series. And none of them are too long. So it makes the series more manageable. If you like books with fae and forest vibes then you should read this. Definitely a great choice if you’re looking for books with immortal characters.

9. The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

The Iron King is an excellent choice if you’re looking for books with immortal fae. This YA Fantasy book describes a hidden world with immortal fae. And many of the characters are based on characters from A Midsommer Night’s Dream.

We follow 16-year-old Meghan Chase. Her father disappeared mysteriously when she was six years old. And ever since, something has been off.

But things start to change drastically. On her birthday, her brother is kidnapped and replaced by a  faerie  changeling. And Meghan has to  venture into a mysterious place called Nevernever to rescue him.

The Iron King divides readers. Some dislike this book. But personally, I enjoyed it. The setting is beautifully described. And Meghan is a great heroine. She’s not perfect but a very realistic 16-year-old.

This book takes many characters from classic literature and myths (such as a Midsommer Night’s Dream) and modernises it in this coming of age story. Some of the characters are retold in a YA context. If you’re a Shakespeare fan then you might not like this. But if you love YA Fantasy books with fae then you should definitely read this one.

10. An Enchantment of Ravens by Magaret Rogerson

An Enchantment of Ravens is yet another fantasy romance with immortal fae. In this book, the fair folk are dangerous and ruthless.

We follow Isobel who paints stunning portraits for the dangerous fair folk. One day she creates a portrait of the Autumn Prince. But she makes a deadly mistake. She paints humanity in his eyes. And for that, she has to be punished.

The romance in this book is questionable and at times the behaviour of the Autumn Prince borders on too cruel. However, I like that it doesn’t shy away from protraying how dangerous the immortal characters are.

The cottagecore imagery makes this book stand out. Full of magical woodland imagery. And it also has a lot of Autumnal imagery because the Autumn Prince features so prominently.

11. Lore by Alexandra Bracken

Lore is perfect for any Greek mythology fans out there. Greek Mythology meets The Hunger Games.  It features a strong, female main character, a romance and a competition element.  Plus it features immortal Greek Gods.

Every seven years Greek Gods are hunted by descendants of ancient bloodlines. If the hunters succeed they seize their immortality. It follows Lore Perseus who has turned her back on this world.  But as the next hunt dawns, two participants seek out her help.

The plot of Lore is complex but executed perfectly.  Bracken did a great job of building the concept. I was intrigued and hooked from the first chapter.

The immortality elements gives this book a unique twist. Characters can compete to get immortality when they kill a Greek God/Goddess.

It has a great revenge storyline. So if you liked the revenge elements in Six of Crows then this is a great book to read.

12. Eragorn by Christopher Paolini

Eragon is an easy to read fantasy book with immortal elves, dragons and magic. The fast-paced writing is easy to read. An excellent fantasy book for beginners.

We follow Eragorn. He discovers a dragon egg in the forest. And it unhatched to reveal a dragon. The first to unhatch in many years.

Please don’t let the terrible movie adaptation put you off! It’s an excellent YA Fantasy book – the plot is gripping. And I found the writing style very easy to read.

The series features a prominent character who is an elf. The elves felt very Tolkein-esque to me – strong, battle hardy.

This book is very much a YA Fantasy and features many of the typical YA Fantasy tropes/cliché’s – a poor orphan, ancient swords and a quest. Personally, I loved this. But if you’re not normally a YA Fantasy fan you might not enjoy this.

13. The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkein

The Hobbit is a classic. If you’re looking to read more adult fantasy books then this is a great place to start. I recommend this as a great starting point over the Lord of the Rings. It features immortal elves.

The Hobbit follows Bilbo Baggins. He is A Hobbit who lives in The Shire. One day he meets Gandalf and goes on an adventure.

The Hobbit the most charming adventure story. Also, the imagery in the hobbit – particularly around food is lovely. I want to be able to eat seven meals a day much like a hobbit.

The Hobbit is such a cosy, comforting book. It’s not as long and drawn out as Lord of the Rings. And it’s a really light-hearted read.

 14. Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas

The Throne of Glass series includes immortal fae. These play a more prominent role later in the series.

While it’s aimed at a younger audience, there is a lot in common with Crescent City. And it becomes more grown up later in the series.

We follow Celaena Sardothien who is imprisoned in a horrific prison called Endovier. She is an assassin. And one day she is summoned by the Prince to fight in a competition. The winner will become the king’s personal assassin.

Celaena is a sassy, badass main character.  If you’re looking for a long fantasy book series to get into – then this is the book series  for you.

15. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

A Daughter of Smoke and Bone references immortal creatures and angels. It also has an excellent hate at first sight romance.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone follows Karou. She has 2 lives which she has always managed to keep balanced. On one hand, she’s a seventeen year old art student living in Prague. On the other hand, she runs errands for a monster. 

But then black hand prints start appearing on doorways. Scorched there by winged creatures. And Karou must choose between the safety of her human life or war. 

If you’re looking for books with characters like Rhysand then this is a great choice. Particularly if you’re looking  for books with mythical creatures. This book features angel and chimera.  It also has slightly darker tone for a fantasy novel.

16. Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning

Darkfever is an urban fantasy featuring fae and vampires. It also has a morally grey dark haired immortal love interest and a sassy human protagonist.  

We follow Mackayla. She lives a relatively normal life until her sister is brutally murdered. She journeys to Ireland in search of answers. 

But Mac is soon faced with an even greater challenge: staying alive long enough to master a power she had no idea she possessed.

I loved this book and I completely understand why book lovers would enjoy this.

However, some of the characters did annoy me. Mackayla was portrayed as a barbie and Barrons is manipulative. The book was clearly published in the  noughties and I couldn’t take the descriptions of Mackayla’s ‘expensive Juicy Couture bag’ seriously.

17. The Serpent and The Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent

Searching for immortal Characters? The Serpent and The Wings of Night features immortal vampires. And

the book discusses the corruption that happens when characters live for a long time.
We follow Oraya, the adopted daughter of the Nightborn vampire king. She carved her place in a world designed to kill her. Her only chance to become something more than prey is entering the Kejari: a legendary tournament held by the goddess of death herself.

This is a fast-paced, addictive read full of plot twists. The shorter trials paired with the longer mystery, kept me hooked until the very end.

This book describes the cruelty of the vampires. And how they belittle the humans in the novel. Plus it features trials and a spicy romance. Highly recommend.

This post was all about fantasy books with immortal characters

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