The Ultimate Top 10 Fantasy Book Must Reads
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- čas přidán 6. 06. 2024
- The top 10 must read fantasy series of all time! Am I wrong? How many have you reads?
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Books Mentioned:
0:00 - Intro
1:11 - Stormlight Archive
3:09 - Realm of the Elderlings
4:17 - The Wheel of Time
6:14 - Kingkiller Chronicles
8:11 - The First Law
9:25 - A Song of Ice and Fire
10:27 - Malazan Book of the Fallen
12:06 - Discworld
13:06 - The Faithful and the Fallen
13:59 - Lord of the Rings
15:09 - Outro
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Glen Cook’s The Tales of the Black Company never gets the recognition it deserves.
I’m with you on that.
I always describe the Black Company as "Imagine you're reading about a combat medic in Vietnam from his perspective, but it's in the Lord of The Rings type world. And the guys you're reading about work for Sauron." I know it's much more than that but that is basically what it feels like at first. And I'm all for it.
@@thelawrencewoods2871I had a friend describe it as a group of lawful neutral officers in charge of evil mercenaries working in the service of an epically evil master who is fighting against an even more evil monster.
My favorite fantasy author is Raymond E Feist. His Magician saga, Riftwar saga and other works are so well crafted!
100% agree. Talon of the Silver Hawk was my introduction to his work and boy howdy did I immediately go shopping for more. Feist is so good.
Best writer ever
Came here to make this comment
"There is no magic!"
Plus the Empire series taken over by Janny Wurts.
Tad Williams’ Memory, Sorrow and Thorn has always been my favorite fantasy series.
My jaw dropped when this one was omitted. Even George RR Martin references inspiration from this series in interviews. Stone of Farewell is one of the best books I’ve read!!
For real. Tad Williams anything. All his books are amazing
I thought they were excellent, Robert Jordan or Brando level of world building and writing. Even more so for Otherland
Exactly, should be included here instead of Rothfuss' books
Hi,I have a recommendation for you. Please read "Avalon's Secret: The legacy of Arthur" in kindle unlimited. It's a fantasy novel about a teenager named Arthur and his friend Nia, and their journey on the mystical world of King arthur and the land of magic: Avalon.At its core, this tale is an odyssey that transcends centuries, inviting readers to follow in the footsteps of a teenager Arthur and his steadfast companion, Nia. Together, they navigate a labyrinthine narrative that takes them through landscapes both real and mystical, unearthing the long-lost relics of a bygone era. It is a quest that unearths cryptic threads of destiny, weaving them into a captivating narrative that holds readers in its thrall.
Belgariad series by David Eddings - classic farmboy vs dark lord, but deals with love (family / romantic / self).
MYTH series by Robert Asprin - excellent and original comedy fantasy.
Magic Kingdom for sale by Terry Brooks - reluctant hero from modern world thrust into fantasy setting.
Dragonriders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey - top draw high fantasy.
Redwall by Brian Jacques - classic fantasy stories where the characters are anthropomorphised animals, aimed at kids but great for adults.
I just wrote that silk is da man
I tried really hard to get into Dragon Riders of Pern...... the world building was cool and the characters were interesting but the story......... WAS SO BORING. I got to book 5 and just couldnt go on. It would prob make a better movie or TV series then books (and i never say that)
Yeah, I can't take any top 10 list seriously if it doesn't have some of the titles you mentioned in the list. Brooks' Shannarra, Ursula K. LeGuin, Katherine Kurtz's Deryni Chronicles, Michael Moorcock's Elric Saga would be others.
I am so surprised Redwall didn't make the list. I also love the Belgariad and I think it's getting recognized more and more!
I really enjoyed the MYTH series... as a kid.
BUUUUTT... going back to it many years later - yeah, it's pretty rough! Not nearly as good as I remembered. So maybe just appropriate for pre-teens
Not just The Lord of the Rings, but the entire Legendarium. The Silmarillion, Fall of Gondolin, Unfinished Tales, Beren and Luthien and Fall of Numenor are all fantastic too.
I think you can safely count the entire fantasy "universe" of an author
I agree, but Lord of the Rings is the standout story of them all. Beren and Luthien, for example, is one of my favorite stories (as told in the Silmarillion, I'm not as big of a fan of variants where Beren isn't a human), but it's still just a story. LotR is a huge epic, where when you break down the parts and how the thing functions on a technical level... it's clearly something beyond the rest, because the rest also serve as a foundation that lets the world as told in LotR feel completely alive without having to read the rest.
Beren and Luthien TwT
Do you think someone should read the Unfinished Tales, Fall of Gondolin and others before reading the Silmarillion?
@@IlovetheNBA I actually think it’s better the other way around. Silmarillion for the overarching story and then dive into the individual story, that’s how I read them though so may be biased.
Micheal Moorcock cannot be left off of this list, Elric, Corum etc classic fantasy at its best
Michael Moorcock and Roger Zelazny never get the recognition they deserve
Aye ! Hear hear ! and I agree ! Moorcock was hands down one of the best British Science Fantasy / Sword and Sorcery Authors ever. He raised the bar for writing quality across several genres. Also love The Eternal Champion and Count Brass.
My first thought, read so much as a youth but now out of "Fashion".
Yeah, i came to see if Zelazny was listed and of course once again he was forgotten :( thanks for your comment@@markh4473
His best novel I think is "The War Hound and the World's Pain."
When people talk about epic fantasy, Sir Terry Pratchett tends to be overlooked. Some of my best memories are of rainy days, reading about the witches of the Ramtops. Thank you for mentioning Discworld.
I loved the books, and thought he was one of the more funny, creative authors. I only wish for a few more.
@@DS-cf1zc I think that, because he was so funny, he's not often given the credit he deserves as an epic world builder and character creator. He was so good at both that the universe he built stood as a character in its own right, shaping the very human people he imagined up with which to populate it.
He brought epic fantasy home for many of us in much the same way Douglas Adams did for science fiction, making it accessible to those with no patience for long passages about a fictional world history. I definitely also wish there could be more.
My ex introduced me to Terry Pratchett, good dude after all.
40 years ago I enjoyed the some of The Shannara series by Terry Brooks, and Dragon Riders of Pern series by The McCaffreys.
Terry Brooks and the Shannara series is my favorite series. So many good books and such amazing world building.
I read Shannara some years ago and it wasn’t my favourite tbh, but I definitely see it as an important earlier contribution to the Fantasy genre.
The Shannara series is like 35 books long now and I found it got better as it went along
I discovered the Dragonriders of Pern series in college & go so wrapped up in the stories I actually skipped class to keep reading, lol. I just finished re-reading the whole series on audiobook last month, really top notch story telling!
Dragonriders of pern were great young adult books
Another vote for Zelazny’s Nine Princes of Amber. Also, Moorcock’s Elric of Melnibone series which weaves into his other series’ of the Eternal Champion - the OG multiverse fantasy style.
Well, all the Champions are actually one, just different facets of a die, so when they meet it's always interesting.
Great list and I will check some of those recommendations out! I would certainly have Raymond E. Feist, Magician and, particularly Rift War and Stephen R Donaldson, particularly, the first Chronicles of Thomas Covenant on my list.
It’s Quite old and so probably by todays standard a little tropey, but there’s something whimsical about old series like The Belgariad, short and sweet, a Farm boy to king story. Perfect for reading the winter away under a blanket by lamplight. I call it Comfort reading, and recommend.
Thank you for this ....looking for my next series, this certainly helped!
The Gentleman Bastards series is a fun one! The first book is the lies of Locke lamora. I see you mentioned it right at the end. It is a true page turner! Godfather meets oceans 11 meets renaissance fantasy.
If you want something a bit more "old skool": Feist's Riftwar Saga (the first 3 books), anything by Janny Wurtz (especially the Servant of the Empire series she co-wrote with Feist), and Robin Hobb's Farseer trilogy. For "fantasy, but not high fantasy", Neil Gaiman's got your back.
Oh gosh, the Kelewan Saga is my favourite part of all the Riftwar books. Janny and Raymond created a masterpiece. As much as I love Kelewan and the original Riftwar series, the later entries are mediocre at best. I agree with the first 3 books though, they are amazing.
@@althelas Agree! Feist (co)wrote 6 fantastic books (Riftwar and Empire). The rest are just bog standard, unfortunately. I think this is only natural - it's pretty hard to keep coming up with new ideas, characters and plots when you've already examined a world in detail (as with Midkemia/Kelewan). I find I just get bored of longer series' as well for the same reason - Robert Jordan, Terry Goodkind etc. All start out with a bang but by book 5 or 6 all the lustre is gone.
@@lordthundyr894 i had the same problem with Outlander. The first 3 books were amazing, but then they felt drawn out. I own them but never felt the urge to read further, maybe one day I'll do. Dragonlance has the same problems and as you've said, it is a common problem and I often think that authors should tell their editors to f**k off when they want more of the same world. It can't be very fullfilling for an author to rehash the same world over and over again, just for the sake of making more money from the same old things. I hope Naomi Novik finished the Temeraire stories with the last book (haven't bought it yet) because she too suffers from the same thing, while I have to admit her premise for Temeraire was very unique when the first book came out.
I went thru a period of frantic reading by Robin Hobb. Great author.
The Riftwar books are just a bad ripoff of M.A.R Barkers "Tekumel" world.
This list is much appreciated, I enjoyed coming across a mix of ones I knew and ones I didn't. I figured you were talking about the Malazan series when you started describing it. This year I've read the whole Witcher saga and started Malazan and First Law, it's been a good year.
Best Top Fantasy Book series video I can find on CZcams
Great work Andrew!
The Drenai Series by the late David Gemmell is my favourite ever. If you like Joe Abercrombie you will like Gemmell - great fight description, less grim dark, but more heart.
The Black Company's first trilogy by Glen Cook is in my top ten fantasy list.
i just bought the omnibus. i love garret files and am finally ready to try my first grim dark series.
That is a fantastic series. I’ve probably read all of them at least a half dozen times.
Even the clearly inferior last books are pretty good.
Agreed. A top contender on my list as well.
Shadows linger is an amazing book
Raymond Feist’s books were what drove me into epic fantasy. Super approachable, easy to follow, great for teenager me. Later read Jenny Wurts which is complete opposite of approachable due to archaic terms and language she uses but still an interesting world.
Hi,I have a recommendation for you. Please read "Avalon's Secret: The legacy of Arthur" in kindle unlimited. It's a fantasy novel about a teenager named Arthur and his friend Nia, and their journey on the mystical world of King arthur and the land of magic: Avalon.At its core, this tale is an odyssey that transcends centuries, inviting readers to follow in the footsteps of a teenager Arthur and his steadfast companion, Nia. Together, they navigate a labyrinthine narrative that takes them through landscapes both real and mystical, unearthing the long-lost relics of a bygone era. It is a quest that unearths cryptic threads of destiny, weaving them into a captivating narrative that holds readers in its thrall.
Absolutely. I’d put Ursula le Guin in there; the original A Wizard of Earthsea trilogy might be short by epic standards, but read it again and you will realize that the prose might seem simple, but it’s deep (Jenny Wurts is the reverse IMO). Also, I’d say the original Thomas Covenant Unbeliever trilogy hits like an emotional steam train.
The First Chronicles of Thos. Covenant were excellent. Couldn't really get into the 2d set.
Major upvote for mentioning the Thomas Covenant Chronicles.
p.s. - it's a trilogy of trilogies (9 books) ... Lord of the Rings was only 3 books.
Ah, the reluctant hero, and white gold wielder. Loved it. I also love Stephen Donaldson's other works. The Gap series is excellent, Mordant's Need is great, and his short stories are just brilliant.
LeGuin is one of the most lyrical writers I’ve ever encountered. Even when I don’t her narrative direction (which only happens occasionally), the prose itself is simply beautiful.
Hi,I have a recommendation for you. Please read "Avalon's Secret: The legacy of Arthur" in kindle unlimited. It's a fantasy novel about a teenager named Arthur and his friend Nia, and their journey on the mystical world of King arthur and the land of magic: Avalon.At its core, this tale is an odyssey that transcends centuries, inviting readers to follow in the footsteps of a teenager Arthur and his steadfast companion, Nia. Together, they navigate a labyrinthine narrative that takes them through landscapes both real and mystical, unearthing the long-lost relics of a bygone era. It is a quest that unearths cryptic threads of destiny, weaving them into a captivating narrative that holds readers in its thrall.
Great video! Wheel of Time is my favorite full book series, Lord of the Rings inspired me to write and compose, Stormlight has a few of my all-time favorite books, and I just finished Assassin's Apprentice, and it might be one of the best books I've ever read. Malazan is also just a beast that stands on its own. It took me a full year to read, but I'm glad I did.
I have read all of the wheel of time and really liked the first 5 books or so. Then the series got very baggy and a greater proportion of the characters became just annoying rather than engaging - so much so I was kinda hoping the black Aja would just kill them off.
I have always loved the Dragonlance Chronicles. There are a ton of books by other authors in the works, as well as additions by the original authors, but if you stick with the original 3 it’s excellent.
My favorites. I wish they would make a movie trilogy of the first three books, but I am also aware that it would probably be written by, directed by, and acted by people who never read the source material and wouldn’t bother trying to bring it to life. It would be something else.
Raistlin .... love his character and is my #1 fantasy recommendation.
read them all over the years, can't wait for new dragonlance to come out.
@@apmartini70 they are making a tv series out of dragonlance, it's going to be an original story written by an actor that has played dragonlance for 30 years.
the original 3 plus the lost chronicles, filling in the gaps :)
I love this top 10 and definitely think you chose the BEST of the best!! Thanks a lot!
The Chronicles of Amber series by Roger Zelazny is one that doesn't seem to get the mentions I think it should.
My favorite series by far
hear hear!
i think it's cause the first 5 are great , and the 2nd 5 , the merlin set aren't anywhere as good . with Merlin being every thing that Corwin isn't .
God, I love those books
Thank you; i remembered this series, but could not remember the title.
I love the Inheritance cycle as well. Also RA Salvatore’s dark elf and ice wind dale trilogy are must reads for me. Glad to see Robbin Hobbs on your list! Some good suggestions for me to try out also
Nice list. Very glad to see Robin Hobb made the cut. Another personal favourite is Katherine Kerr and what starts as the Deverry series.
Enjoyed that Andrew. Thank you
Piers Anthonys Incarnations of Immortality and the Xanth series are my favorites. Black Company is underappreciated as well. The Necroscope series maybe should be there as well although its maybe more fantasy/horror
The Black Company is one of my favorites, even if you shouldn’t get too attached to most of the main characters.
As I have gotten older, the last section of the entire series resonates with me more and more.
Anthonys Apprentice Adept series was his best I think but the others are good also
Loved the Anthony books, and Necroscope is just plain amazing.
@@jsedbe0624 I much prefer The Garret Papers to The Black Company.
I love the Xanth series! One of my very first series I ever picked up, way back in 1988.
The Chronicles of Amber (Roger Zelazny), The Elric of Melnibone series (Michael Moorcock), Dragon Riders of Pern (Anne McCaffery)
Amber isn't on this list? Well, no need to even let the ads finish.
Oof, I still cringe today at the fact I actually read that.
A bunch of obnoxious over privileged princes galavanting across the kingdom. Not one likable character. Only snobs.
Edit: about Amber
@@kevbrown3760 Interesting take. I've read through all the books at least twice and never got that vibe from it at all.
@elric58 actually, what I find interesting is you listed Amber, AND Elric. I love Moorcocks work.
I'm a huge fan of Elric.
More often when I hear hot takes on Elric it's "that series only appeals to teenage boys". To which I go, that's my age when I started.
Anyway, best when "bestfantasybooks" website had an active forum, there were a few debates on Amber, and Elric. For either, amongst those with an opinion, the majority hated either. And amongst those defending one, there was zero overlap with the other. Ie, those few that loved Amber, either hated or had no opinion on Elric. Those that loved Elric, either hated or had no opinion on Amber.
This is all purely anecdotal, as is my opinion, and your opinion.
I just thought it was interesting.
In the end, we can agree on Elric, and a passion for reading.
Cheers.
Dragonriders of Pern - Anne McCaffrey
Tolkien will always be my most favorite of all time, but credit for so much of what we now have as fantasy, in many genres, can trace some bit of influence to Frank Herbert and Dune. It’s quite an extensively detailed world and character series. I don’t know if this isn’t quite the same as the fantasy theme you are listing, it might totally be considered sci-fi only, but I thought I could throw it out there. Thank you for the reading ideas.
i wholeheartedly agree... Dune is a masterwork that is only rivaled by WoT.
Thanks so much! I love this!
The Witcher series is worth reading. I personally love it!❤️
It is incredible. Lol, the first books are mainly twisted fairy tales.
Definitely on my own list of "Must acquire and read"
Amazing series
I don't understand why R.A.Salvatore never gets any credit. Drizzt Do'Urden is one of the best characters ever written. His description of sword fighting is the best I've ever read and I've read a lot. I know it's DnD based but he brings the world to life and his character development is world class.
Even though I've heard of the series for decades (it was way too intimidating) I've just recently started reading it and OMG I got sucked right in 😁 I don't know why I was so nervous about it! (The printing errors could use a bit of fixing but overall it's very enjoyable so far....)
I always felt like his characters were just too damn over powered which made me read them with skepticism. I knew his main characters would survive and so I felt like I knew how situations would turn out before I completed the chapter. I don't have a strong position here, it's just how i felt while reading his work.
@@tugboatsvideoemporium6476 except all the main characters die some more than once lol
It's for kids how pretentious are you I am 50 years old read the Lord of the rings at age 9 and have read all kinds of fantasy and Salvatore is as good as any
@@susiederkins6612 forgotten realms is not for kids, i started reading drizzit in my late teens in the 90s and i am 43 and still read them.
OK, great list. However, my all-time favorite fantasy series is the Dragonriders of Pern ny Anne McCaffery.
Agreed Dragon Risers is my favorite of all time
She thought her series was science fiction, not fantasy.
Finally! I’ve been scrolling down just hunting for someone who mentions McCaffery.
Dragonriders of Pern is science fiction not fantasy, even the "dragons" are bio-engineered by the original colonists to be that way.
While I agree it is Science Fiction, The Fire Lizards that dragons are bio engineered from are Fantasy. So, in my Opinion there an element of fantasy to the series
The Riftwar by Raymond E, Feist would be near the top of my list.
This is a series I've been meaning to go through for far too long!
Pug gets me mad sometimes . But I guess u just have nerf him
Andrew this is a fantastic list!! Some of my favorites that are not on the list are: The Empire Trilogy, the Warlord Chronicles & Gywnne’s Bloodsworn Saga! Currently reading the Bound & the Broken and listening to Suneater.
Agree with alot of these - would also suggest some old favourites such as David Eddings, and the Dragonriders of Pern (a fantasy/sci-fi mix)?
Chronicles of Belgarath and Mallorean have always been my top favorites though they are hardly included in this kind of tops.
Good list, one or two I hadn't heard of but many I had - might pick up Abercrombie. Just a shoutout for Katharine Kerr - Deverry series - she has 3 or 4 short series of books, they are light reading but beautiful story telling, inspired by celtic lore and very different to anything I've read.
Great list. I think the only change I’d suggest is Feist Riftwar saga
Thanks Andrew! Added a few new series to my Goodreads list as after watching this video.
My personal favourite series is the Kingkiller Chronicles. I could read about Kvothe at the University time and time again. It’s so comforting.
Also a shoutout to the Gentleman Bastards series. Incredibly underrated.
Hi, I am not a huge fantasy reader (just a beginner at this point) however I really enjoy your videos for these reasons:
1) I learn a lot about it
2) You have a great accent
3) Love the humour you bring into your videos
4) I think you have a cat
Thanks for another great video!🐉
Ahaha thank you so much! I can confirm I do have a cat
Hi,I have a recommendation for you. Please read "Avalon's Secret: The legacy of Arthur" in kindle unlimited. It's a fantasy novel about a teenager named Arthur and his friend Nia, and their journey on the mystical world of King arthur and the land of magic: Avalon.At its core, this tale is an odyssey that transcends centuries, inviting readers to follow in the footsteps of a teenager Arthur and his steadfast companion, Nia. Together, they navigate a labyrinthine narrative that takes them through landscapes both real and mystical, unearthing the long-lost relics of a bygone era. It is a quest that unearths cryptic threads of destiny, weaving them into a captivating narrative that holds readers in its thrall.
I notice that the most mentioned are often the most violent. I thing Eddings' Belgariad series is brilliant and I have lost track of how many times I have read it. Tad Williams Memory, Sorrow and Thorn is beautiful, with permeable layers of reality, again I have read it dozens of times. The Deryni Chronicles do read almost like a 15th century historical novel, but the political realities concern a struggle for power and control between the Deryni with "magic" powers and the humans.
I have the first two in my to read list 😁
The Belgariad is great! IMO you won't be disappointed. The Redemption of Athalus is a stand alone book by Eddings, that is also a favorite of mine.@@andreww4751
I have a soft spot for the Belgariad (and the Malorian) but I find a certain character so annoying (no guesses as to who she is) it puts me off giving it a top mark
I just picked up the Faithful and the Fallen series and I can't recommend it enough! It's terrific for all ages. So glad you mentioned it on your channel.
Hi,I have a recommendation for you. Please read "Avalon's Secret: The legacy of Arthur" in kindle unlimited. It's a fantasy novel about a teenager named Arthur and his friend Nia, and their journey on the mystical world of King arthur and the land of magic: Avalon.At its core, this tale is an odyssey that transcends centuries, inviting readers to follow in the footsteps of a teenager Arthur and his steadfast companion, Nia. Together, they navigate a labyrinthine narrative that takes them through landscapes both real and mystical, unearthing the long-lost relics of a bygone era. It is a quest that unearths cryptic threads of destiny, weaving them into a captivating narrative that holds readers in its thrall.
Short list of excellent fantasy book series not on your list but should be: Dragon riders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey, Myth adventures by Robert Asprin, any fantasy series by S. M. Stifling, the Divergent series by Veronica Roth…. Even the series Outlander is often labeled as fantasy fiction.
The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever are quite good. I have only read the first six books, but I consider them a treasure.
The world building is superb. Fantasy stories are mostly stories about black vs white, Lord Foul is vantablack which made Thomas Covenants unbelieving and passiveness in the greater part of book 1-3 so painful to read and a point Stephen Donaldson certainly hammered into the reader. Most Epic Fantasy stories follow "The Heroes Journey" , however in this case Thomas lack a mentor and "the refusal of the call" is taken to eleven.
I can see how book 1-3 are not for everyone, however book 4-6 certainly is, Thomas return and this time he and Linden are certainly committed to the call from the very start. The ending was so good that I am still not tempted to read book 7-10.
The first adult fantasy I ever read was The Hobbit, and the Lord of the Rings, by Tolkien. I read it when I was eleven years old and every year for twenty-five years. I read a lot of fantasy and science fiction over the next two decades. Every other adult Fantasy I read for two decades was always somewhat disappointing until I read The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever.
@@Trowarr The final trilogy is heavy reading - it's a bit like the middle book of Lord of the Rings in that it's a slog to get through.
If frequently thinking back to a series that you read almost fourty years ago is a measure of it’s impact, the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant has to be among the greatest of all time.
Right there with you my man!
Conan the Barbarian, Harry Potter and The Chronicles of Narnia make all the historical lists. I enjoyed The Hedge Knight books very much as well
I love the Conan stories, I have this huge tome called the complete chronicles of Conan. I read it cover to cover its brilliant.
All three would be in my list as well. Narnia is burdened by its Christian allegory; so many fantasy enthusiasts find that offputting.
Thank you for this!
I highly recommend the Belgariad series.
Fantasy books are really good, I love them, and the Belgariad got me started on that.
Guess what.
Farm boy who gets thrust into the unknown under the threat of a dark enemy.
Despite the common trope, it’s such a good book.
Book 1: Pawn of Prophesy
Book 2: Queen of Sorcery
Book 3: Magician’s Gambit
Book 4: Castle of Wizardry
Book 5: Enchanter’s Endgame
Also by the same author (and his wife), the Elder Gods series, the Mallorean Series and the Elenium (my favorite) Series. It seems like most of these "top 10" fantasy lists only lists recent books, with the exception of LoTR. So many great ones (older) out there. From Zalazny's Amber series, Ann McCaffery's Dragon Rider series, Feist's Riftwar series (30 books in all), to Terry Brooks Shannara series most lists leave these off. Not putting down the newer fantasy series, but to leave some of these authors off these lists, shows that the commentators aren't really immersed in the fantasy realm IMO.
@@clarenceobert5860 I haven’t read the Elenium yet, and I’ve only read half of the Mallorean.
I plan on finishing them soon.
@@Iso20227 I highly encourage you to read the Elenium. It's even more entertaining with the banter between the characters than Belgarath/Silk was. Thanks for the reply
Also Elric of Melnibone@@clarenceobert5860
I appreciate your comment and will check those out@@clarenceobert5860
An often forgotten and under-appreciated series is Katherine Kerr's Deverry Cycle (and more books) about a land, somewhere not really defined, settled by celts fleeing Gallia after the roman conquest. Its magic system, based on celtic traditions is one of the best I've come across and the story is truly epic in nature.
I absolutely devoured these books in high school! Thanks for reminding me.
I found the first book, daggerspell to be very good until close to the end, and into the second book it just started to drag. I skipped the middle and went to the end. Did not even look for any more books by her.
I read quite a few of those books, and enjoyed them very much but towards the end, they got a little dark and depressing. I felt like there was no way there was going to be a happy ending, so I quit reading. I was big into happy endings in high school!
Absolutely agree, still highly regard it.
Nice list, I'll sure try some of these titles.
What I enjoyed reading was "The sword of truth" from Terry Goodkind.
Yes! I love this one as well and I was surprised I had to scroll through so many comments before someone mentioned it.
It is good.
LOL. It's dreadful.
Wow, thanks for the tips. Some of these I would like to check out. I am sure you could do a prt 2 video, 20-11.
Reading Stormlight series right now - really enjoying them!
The Conan stories by Robert E. Howard are second only to Tolkien's works in creating the modern fantasy genre. And a strong argument can be made that the Conan stories, with their grit and horrifying magic, are an even stronger influence than LotR.
I'm not sure how strong of an argument that is, but I'm sure there are arguments to be made. That said, Conan is certainly amazing.
I'm just finishing re-reading the Conan saga (the original Howard stories): I can definitely agree about it being influential, and I believe it should be a recommended read to understand the development of fantasy tropes (together with LotR, obviously).
But, heck, it really didn't age well.
I'd throw in Fritz Leiber's "Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser" saga, too, if one wants to go full "Influential Sword&Sorcery sagas"
They both are fun runs, but no real food for the thought.
Agreed re: Leiber's books! Regarding the Conan stories, I would differ with you a little about the nutrition content (so to speak). Howard's "The Hyborian Age" is a meticulous description of the anthropological and political history of Conan's world.
Whereas Tolkien's Silmarillion is stylistically influenced primarily by myths and scripture, Howard's fiction-disguised-as-an-essay takes its cue from historiographical writing, and the depth of lineage that Howard ascribes to the various races (although I really dislike that word) and political structures lend a strong verisimilitude to the Conan saga.
What other sword & sorcery works would you recommend?
I'm passingly familiar with Brak the Barbarian (by John Jakes, of all people) and the works of Fred Saberhagen, Michael Moorcock, Dave Duncan, and Steven Brust, but I'm sure there must be more that I would love! @@federicogiana7430
Put Fritz Lieber, Jack Vance and a few others at least as high on the list. Grit and horror were more popular back then in an age where short novels and stories were more popular for fantasy.
Dragon Riders of Pern and The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. I know some people hate the Thomas Covenant series, but I never really understood why myself.
Hi,I have a recommendation for you. Please read "Avalon's Secret: The legacy of Arthur" in kindle unlimited. It's a fantasy novel about a teenager named Arthur and his friend Nia, and their journey on the mystical world of King arthur and the land of magic: Avalon.At its core, this tale is an odyssey that transcends centuries, inviting readers to follow in the footsteps of a teenager Arthur and his steadfast companion, Nia. Together, they navigate a labyrinthine narrative that takes them through landscapes both real and mystical, unearthing the long-lost relics of a bygone era. It is a quest that unearths cryptic threads of destiny, weaving them into a captivating narrative that holds readers in its thrall.
I think it has something to do with the rape....
@@mwells219 Yes. The protagonist was a horrible human being. Made it hard to care about the story. Wonderful world building though.
Just reread the first three Thomas Covenants after several decades and they still grab me like they did back then. I also like JV Jones books - A Cavern of Black Ice etc. Good to see what else is out there. Sanderson is amazing - what an imagination!
I’m just about to open up the Covenant books for the first time in about 30 years.
I hope you enjoy them as much as I have done!
Excellent list!
Glad to see Malazan on the list, I really like the other sagas you mention but Malazan is my favorite by a lot. I´m from Mexico and the only bad thing is that Malazan is not well know here and is very rare to see any of the books on bookshops. And I'm still waiting for the Door of Stones damn Rothfuss is taking a lot of time and you missed to speak about the spinoff, see the world in the eyes of Auri was a great experience.
I concur. Malazan is amazing. And Rothfuss is taking an eternity to finish his amazing work
Compa he is never finishing.
I am still waiting for Martin but... yeah, 11 years. At this point, Sanderson would have 3 new Stormlight books and Erikson another saga and series completed.
The Paksenarrion series by Elizabeth Moon is fantastic. I haven't seen a recommendation for it yet, but it's definitely on my list
Agreed. The first two books in particular are top notch.
Thanks for your tips. I'd like to add two of my own favorites to the list. Right now I'm reading the Shannara series by Terry Brooks for the second time. And after that I'l be reading Raymond E. Feist (Magician saga, Riftwar saga etc) for what must be the third time now. Every time I step into their world, I'm hooked and can't stop reading...
Have you tried L.E. Modesitt Jr.? He has done some of my favorite older series. The Magic of Recluse is a good starting point.
Hi,I have a recommendation for you. Please read "Avalon's Secret: The legacy of Arthur" in kindle unlimited. It's a fantasy novel about a teenager named Arthur and his friend Nia, and their journey on the mystical world of King arthur and the land of magic: Avalon.At its core, this tale is an odyssey that transcends centuries, inviting readers to follow in the footsteps of a teenager Arthur and his steadfast companion, Nia. Together, they navigate a labyrinthine narrative that takes them through landscapes both real and mystical, unearthing the long-lost relics of a bygone era. It is a quest that unearths cryptic threads of destiny, weaving them into a captivating narrative that holds readers in its thrall.
You forgot the Riftwar series from Raymond feist. And having a soft spot for dragonlance too❤
Ursula Le Guin, Anne McCaffery, Moorcock, Tad Williams, Jack Vance, Fritz Leiber. Are on my list. Thanks for your insight
Wasn't Leiber a sci-fi writer?
I highly recommend Mercedes Lackey and her Valdemar books. It is truly massive and addictive. It has several series in a vast world throughout a very long timeline. My absolute favorites.
Agreed! And the series is still growing all the time!
David Gemmel - Druss the Legend particularly.
Absolute top pick is Raymond Feist with the Servant of the Empire trilogy.
Reminded by someone else below - Codex Alera by Jim Butcher
Legions of Videssos - Harry Turtledove (roman legion transplanted to a fantasy world)
The Videssos books are awesome!
Julian May's Saga of Pliocene Exile series , The Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne and Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files would find a place on my list
I really enjoyed the first 3 books of The Iron Druid Chronicles the 4th is ok and after that the series really falls off a cliff, I could not even finish the series.
Yes on Julian May, I was wondering why it did not make top ten on SciFi as well. Intervention was extraordinary
The Sword of Truth series (Terry Goodkind) Amazing books. 👍👍👍👍
Utter crap. Same level of trash as Eragon, just longer.
Everyone hates on this series but I like it much better than Jordan's word fest myself. Did you ever see the soso tv show that ran for two seasons on the WB? It loses a lot of the edginess and is a little Disney like in it's delivery but I found it entertaining.
@@boki1693 There were a number of liberties taken in the TV series, but it was well cast, well written and well acted. I was sad to see it go away.
I agree with you, I enjoyed the Sword of Truth series a lot more than Wheel of Time.
Let's not forget Philip `Jose Farmer and The Riverworld Series. My first taste of Farmer hooked me on fantasy. Love the Dragonlance series. Loved Dune.
Glad to see Riverworld getting nominated.
Riverworld is only nominally fantasy. It's more Scifi.
Glad to see Dune being nominated
Thank you for the great recommendations. I also recommend the king killer chronicles to people. Despite the missing last day of story telling (for now;)
My two favorite authors when I really dug into the fantasy realm were Robert Jordan and Terry Goodkind, I then found the Lord of the Rings series which I truly enjoyed. I must admit that I also enjoyed the Harry Potter series as well. I have read most of the authors from your list and many more. I started years ago with paperback books from several bookstores that are no longer around which I find sad, I loved looking through all the different offerings on the shelves, I was a fan of Tor books as I felt they had some of the best authors. Those days are now passed but fondly remembered. I still read but now on my Kindle and have quite a library to keep me busy. Thank you for the time and work you put into your list, I thought it was well done. Good job!
I would add the elric of menibone series as well they were my introduction to fanstasy books after reading conan the barbarian comics as a kid and the elric saga is just fantatstic.
Absolutely. I always found the Elric saga to be something of an Anti Lord of the Rings, but written almost the same year, where taking similar inspirations from Tolkien, he just didn’t make Elves bright and beautiful, he kept that tone really dark like they were in mythology.
Great to see Malazan getting recognition. I’ve read all but one of your recommended series - and for me, the malazan universe is head and shoulders over them all.
Of course the downside is you need to read it three times through 😂
First in, last out!
haha, that is the most true statement i have ever read, going through my 2nd time right now.
I needed a buddy that already read them to basically tell me “don’t worry, you’re not supposed to know/it get explained later” a dozen times each book
Malazan is fantastic, but you really need to be comfortable reading a book and accepting that you won't understand good chunks of it. I think that is going to limit the people who get through it and ultimately recommend it.
And even then, big chunks of it won't make sense until you read the Ian Esslemont Malazan books.
No mention of Magician by Feist, Dragonlance by Weis and Hickman, Eternal Champion by Moorcock, Amber Chronicles by Zelazny. With the exception of Wheel of Time and LotR, most of what you listed was fairly new. Yes, Game of Thrones came out in the 90s, but that series is not finished yet.
What are your thoughts on The Night Angel Trilogy? I was completely hooked. I felt the same when I read Rothfuss, hope he does finally get that third book done.
I remember reading it when the third book came out, but I haven’t read any Brent Weeks since. Have you read his other series?
I love it !! I just finished the night angel nemesis !! Sooooooo goooodd
Jack Vance's Lyonesse Trilogy is one of the best things I've ever read. He's known more as a sci-fi writer, but this trilogy is pure medieval-flavoured fantasy ...with some of the most intriguing, multi-layered characters ever. And you will NOT be able to predict what happens. Furthermore, his writing style is SO accessible ...just a perfect series. I have no idea why it travels under the radar. It's as good as anything else out there.
I also love Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials, and his near-finished prequel/sequel The Book of Dust.
Absolutely agree. Lyonesse is the perfect fairy tale for grown-ups. I loved it so much I bought a set of the Underwood-Miller first editions.
Jack Vance always seems to go under the radar. My favorite author. Planet of Adventure (it's not medieval fantasy) but fantasy nevertheless is an absolute blast.
Just found your channel, I'm huge into Sci-Fi and Horror novels but I love fantasy and was looking for recommendations, I was gonna pick up the ASOIAF box set because everyone says it's so much better than the show but I wanted to go for something less mainstream and out of this list the Robin Hobb series really stands out so I'm going to take your recommendation and pick up the Farseer trilogy since its only like $50 for the trilogy in paperback on Amazon, I'm trusting you lol, plus I like reading books by authors that aren't afraid to push the limits in their writing.
Oh so many series could be on this list. I enjoyed ...
L.E Modesitt Jr - Magic of recluse series
Terry Goodkind - Sword of truth series
and Jim Butcher - Dresden series
Katherine Kurtz, Fred Saberhagen, David Eddings, Anne McCaffrey, Raymond E Feist, Stephen R Donaldson, Terry Brooks, Piers Anthony, Patricia McKillip........ Oh, So Many to choose from!!! I would venture that these authors could replace at least 5 on your list. Also, Frank Herbert's Dune.
Dune is technically Science Fiction. But yes. The world building there is probably the best of all Fantasy and SciFi Books.
The Riddle Master series i read when i was a young man, and had forgotten them until you mentioned Mckillip. Tyvm.
Sword of Truth series -Terry Goodkind Right after Tolkien. One of the few with the real moral fiber. Stuff you can learn and USE in life, not simply time wasting...
Yes!! Totally agree. If you love fantasy you can just read this one for its life lessons
Hi,I have a recommendation for you. Please read "Avalon's Secret: The legacy of Arthur" in kindle unlimited. It's a fantasy novel about a teenager named Arthur and his friend Nia, and their journey on the mystical world of King arthur and the land of magic: Avalon.At its core, this tale is an odyssey that transcends centuries, inviting readers to follow in the footsteps of a teenager Arthur and his steadfast companion, Nia. Together, they navigate a labyrinthine narrative that takes them through landscapes both real and mystical, unearthing the long-lost relics of a bygone era. It is a quest that unearths cryptic threads of destiny, weaving them into a captivating narrative that holds readers in its thrall.
All of these are on my tbr and can't wait to read them.
It was very interesting to see a list based on general recommendations rather than personal favorites - while I think more people are looking for the latter, they can just go to pretty much any list other than this one. :D And It was nice seeing some series I like on the list, like Wheel of Time!
First Law is my favorite series of all time. Best way to describe it is “imagine if Game of Thrones were written by Quentin Tarintino”
Hi,I have a recommendation for you. Please read "Avalon's Secret: The legacy of Arthur" in kindle unlimited. It's a fantasy novel about a teenager named Arthur and his friend Nia, and their journey on the mystical world of King arthur and the land of magic: Avalon.At its core, this tale is an odyssey that transcends centuries, inviting readers to follow in the footsteps of a teenager Arthur and his steadfast companion, Nia. Together, they navigate a labyrinthine narrative that takes them through landscapes both real and mystical, unearthing the long-lost relics of a bygone era. It is a quest that unearths cryptic threads of destiny, weaving them into a captivating narrative that holds readers in its thrall.
I am old, I know very few of these. I suggest The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant by Stephen R Donaldson.
I have read all of Robin Hobb's books, they are amazing, i have the first three Wheel of Time books to start next. Really enjoyed this list, there are a few there i will try in the future.
Raymond E Feist Magician Saga and Mistress Trilogy. Anne Macaffery and the Dragons of Pern - awesome story line. David Edding's and the Belgarard/Mallorian series.
Those are my top 3.
Starting with Anne McCaffrey at #1.
Stormlight archive by Sanderson is one of the best series I've read. Though waiting on the remaining installment is a commitment 😊 All your recommendations are awesome, excellent suggestions. ❤️
Considering it'll easily be like 20 years before all ten books are done, yeah the waiting is brutal.
@Darth_Xionn by then, I'll be a senior retired. Lol, hey, I'll tbr and read a marathon 😀
Haha, nah Brandon finished the series years ago. It's the audiobook readers and publishers who can't keep up.
@MrKlarc19 well its definitely spin to Our Wheel Of Time. 😉 The anticipation of waiting! Lol
Announcement by Sanderson fifth installment is coming out on Dec 6th, 2024!! An actual date!! 😀
The Black Company and Legend of the Five Rings are great as well.
the kingkiller chronicles is INCREDIBLE! I just really hope that 3rd book comes out sometime...... please
Some fantasy series' I go back and re-read are: The Riddlemaster trilogy by Patricia McKillip, the Winter of the World trilogy by Michael Scott Rohan and for urban fantasy, the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher and the Newford books by Charles de Lint.
Hi,I have a recommendation for you. Please read "Avalon's Secret: The legacy of Arthur" in kindle unlimited. It's a fantasy novel about a teenager named Arthur and his friend Nia, and their journey on the mystical world of King arthur and the land of magic: Avalon.At its core, this tale is an odyssey that transcends centuries, inviting readers to follow in the footsteps of a teenager Arthur and his steadfast companion, Nia. Together, they navigate a labyrinthine narrative that takes them through landscapes both real and mystical, unearthing the long-lost relics of a bygone era. It is a quest that unearths cryptic threads of destiny, weaving them into a captivating narrative that holds readers in its thrall.
Here are a few series that I think would be worthy of the top 20. Barbara Hambly's Darwath trilogy, Jack L. Chalker's Soul Rider series and Dancing gods series and Piers Anthony with his Xanth series and Apprentice Adept series and Incarnations of Immortality series.
Barbara Hambley should be mentioned in this List
I was looking to see if anyone mentioned Jack L. Chalker. Dancing Gods is so much fun. I'm also fond of the Well of Souls series which has a fascinating premise.
Personally, I absolutely love the Powder Mage trilogy and the Gods of blood and powder trilogy. Freaking magic snipers and Privileged, where everyone's an Avatar. It's masterful storytelling.
I am currently reading the storm archives, and not going to lie, it took me the better half of the first book to figure what is even going on. But once I did, I really fell in love with the series. The amount of details in the world building is absolutely insane.
Add the following to the list, but all for different reasons:
1) The Coldfire trilogy by C.S. Friedman. Wonderful story and one of the best protagonists in fantasy in the form of Gerald Tarrant.
2) The Black Company series by Glen Cook. Gritty story telling throughout all 10 books.
3) The Crimson Shadow series by R.A. Salvatore. Easy reading good swashbuckling style story. Thoroughly enjoyable.
Great list. The Green Bone saga is missing there, though. An absolute must.
I am so happy to see Malazan on here! I finished it two months ago or so, and man is it worthwhile!
It's the only series on the list I haven't read but I've tried so many times.
@@MrKlarc19 its fantastic but I would say it isn't for everyone. Its definitely my favorite series so🤷
@@alexanderworley5235 yeah I've gotten halfway through Gardens on the Moon and still had no idea what was going on. I remember a puppet but that's about it. I'll give it another try once I finish Licanius trilogy.
@@MrKlarc19 I'd say that the second half of Gardens is where it gets really good.
@@MrKlarc19Yea, Malazan is absolutely amazing but you have to be willing to go through it with the understanding that you won't understand good chunks of it until later. That tends to turn a lot of people off, but man, is it worthwhile once you get through it.
I began reading The Wheel of Time series about 20 years ago but I gave up at book 9 as the story didn't seem to go anywhere and with no end in sight. I'm not surprised it took another 5 books and another author to bring it to a conclusion. I'm not starting again.
May I suggest The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe? It is on the surface a fantasy story with some science fiction elements in a somewhat fairytale-like atmosphere but things are not what they seem. A lot is left up to the reader to figure out. One of those books you can read several times and still find new things.
One of my favorites is Perdido Street Station by China Miéville, though that probably falls more in the category of steampunk or weird science.
David Gemmell and the Drenai books along with Terry Goodkind and the Wizards first rule series I really enjoyed.
Hi,I have a recommendation for you. Please read "Avalon's Secret: The legacy of Arthur" in kindle unlimited. It's a fantasy novel about a teenager named Arthur and his friend Nia, and their journey on the mystical world of King arthur and the land of magic: Avalon.At its core, this tale is an odyssey that transcends centuries, inviting readers to follow in the footsteps of a teenager Arthur and his steadfast companion, Nia. Together, they navigate a labyrinthine narrative that takes them through landscapes both real and mystical, unearthing the long-lost relics of a bygone era. It is a quest that unearths cryptic threads of destiny, weaving them into a captivating narrative that holds readers in its thrall.
Already read some fantasy series, and I also loved "The Sword Of Truth" series by Terry Goodkind
Careful.. The NPCs will come after you for liking Goodkind in some corners of the internet. But yes The Sword of Truth series it quite good.
Absolutely love The Sword of Truth saga
Four years ago I discovered fantasy through Gardens of the Moon when it popped up on my Amazon page. For reasons I still don't know I started to read the chapter 1 excerpt and kept reading. I had no idea fantasy could be written like this and this well. I was hooked.
While reading the series I discovered booktube and Goodreads. So after finishing Malazan 14 months later and based on recommendations, I purchased The Way of Kings (trade paperback, Kindle and Audible). I dnf'd it at about 370 pages (37%) 🙁
I loved Liveship Traders which I had read first, then dnf'd Assassin's Apprentice because at the time I wasn't interested in reading 1st person POV, so I may revisit those books in the future.
First Law books were ok, but the audiobooks were a lot of fun. I dnf'd the second book about half way through and had to finish that book and book three through the audiobooks. Almost also dnf’d the audiobooks halfway through the third book, but instead doubled the speed just to see how it ended.
Dnf’d Malice. I did read Shadow of the Gods but it took 4 months and three temporary dnfs to get through it. Won't be trying Malice again.
The Name of the Wind was fantastic, but I quite A Wise Man's Fear because it felt like it was starting again at the one third point of the first book. Same sequence of events, same jokes, same schemes.
I haven't read any of the other mentioned books.
My current favourites are;
The Osten Ard series by Tad Williams. Looking forward to the release of Navigator's Children 🙂
All Guy Gavriel Kay books starting with A Song for Arbonne onward.
The Wars of Light and Shadow by Janny Wurts. Based on my reading preferences, I should not be liking this series at all, yet I have not been this immersed in any series since reading Malazan despite the fact that they have nothing in common.
Gardens of the Moon was the first one I read of the Malazan series, just a random book I picked up from the bookshop when I needed something to read. That's not the first book in the series, but then again it's not necessary to read them in order. Anyway, I was hooked and I read all the books eventually.
Hi,I have a recommendation for you. Please read "Avalon's Secret: The legacy of Arthur" in kindle unlimited. It's a fantasy novel about a teenager named Arthur and his friend Nia, and their journey on the mystical world of King arthur and the land of magic: Avalon.At its core, this tale is an odyssey that transcends centuries, inviting readers to follow in the footsteps of a teenager Arthur and his steadfast companion, Nia. Together, they navigate a labyrinthine narrative that takes them through landscapes both real and mystical, unearthing the long-lost relics of a bygone era. It is a quest that unearths cryptic threads of destiny, weaving them into a captivating narrative that holds readers in its thrall.
I would add Raymond E Feist as well as David Gemmell's books as well. Magician and Druss were what started me off in the fantasy genre..! Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn ranks highly for me as well.
Great list.
I love robin hobb. Read them all, still collecting them all.
Some new titles and series i Never heard of sonthat is always interesting.
2 series that are missing according to me :
Markus heitz - the dwarves
Weis & hickmann - the death gate cycle
Everything from Licia Troisie or Trudi Canavan or Marion Zimmer Bradley need to be on the list.