best epic fantasy short stories

Well, 'The Emperor's Soul' by Brandon Sanderson is an excellent epic fantasy short story. It has a unique magic system that is both complex and fascinating. Then there's 'A City of Saints and Madmen' by Jeff VanderMeer. This story is set in a very strange and otherworldly city, full of mystery and wonder. Also, 'The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger' by Stephen King can be considered. It's part of a larger epic saga but works great as a short story on its own, introducing a desolate and dangerous world filled with interesting characters.

Well, 'The Paper Menagerie' by Ken Liu is a remarkable epic fantasy short story. It combines elements of Chinese mythology with a heart - wrenching story about family, identity, and the power of imagination.

You can start by looking at your local library. They usually have a good collection of fantasy anthologies that contain short stories. Another option is online platforms like Amazon. They have e - books and audiobooks of many great epic fantasy short stories. There are also some dedicated fantasy websites where authors share their short works for free or for a small fee.

Sure. 'A Wizard of Earthsea' by Ursula K. Le Guin is a good start. It's a classic that introduces readers to a richly imagined world of magic and the journey of a young wizard. The story is easy to follow yet filled with depth.

There are quite a few. 'The Snow - Queen' by Hans Christian Andersen has elements of epic fantasy. It's a story that spans different worlds and has a grand adventure. 'The Fisherman and His Soul' by Oscar Wilde also falls into this category. It tells a complex and somewhat otherworldly story that has an epic quality to it. And don't forget 'The Nightingale' by Andersen as well. It has a touch of magic and a story that is more than just a simple fable, with an epic - like scope in its own way.

One great epic fantasy short story is 'The Last Unicorn' by Peter S. Beagle. It tells the tale of a unicorn who discovers she may be the last of her kind and sets out on a journey. Another is 'The Emperor's Soul' by Brandon Sanderson. It features a unique magic system and a complex plot. Also, 'The Cold Equations' by Tom Godwin has elements of epicness in a very different, more science - fictiony take on a difficult moral situation in space.

Some of the best epic fantasy novels include 'The Name of the Wind' by Patrick Rothfuss. This book tells the story of Kvothe, a young man with a mysterious past and great magical talent. 'Mistborn' by Brandon Sanderson is also excellent. It has a unique magic system based on the ingestion of metals and a world filled with political unrest. And then there's 'The Lies of Locke Lamora' by Scott Lynch, which is set in a Venice - like city and follows the adventures of a group of thieves.

You can find short epic fantasy stories in various places. One option is in anthologies. There are many fantasy anthologies available in bookstores or libraries that specifically collect short stories in the genre. Another place is online platforms. Some websites dedicated to fantasy literature often have a section for short stories. Additionally, some e - book platforms also offer a selection of short epic fantasy stories.

Yes, they can. A short story can have all the elements of an epic, like a grand theme, memorable characters, and a significant impact on the reader, even in a condensed form.

The 'Wheel of Time' series by Robert Jordan (and later completed by Brandon Sanderson) is a great choice. It has a large cast of characters and a complex magic system. The story spans over many books and follows the journey of Rand al'Thor as he tries to save the world from the Dark One. It has a lot of elements of traditional epic fantasy, such as prophecies and heroic quests.