The Colour of Magic | Discworld Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia The Colour of Magic For other uses, see The Colour of Magic (disambiguation) . The Colour of Magic The Colour of Magic is a 1983 comic fantasy novel by Terry Pratchett , and is the first book of the Discworld series. Contents Edit On a world supported on the back of a giant turtle (sex unknown), a gleeful, explosive, wickedly eccentric expedition sets out. There's an avaricious but inept wizard, a naive tourist whose luggage moves on hundreds of dear little legs, dragons who only exist if you believe in them, and of course THE EDGE of the planet… Plot summary Edit The main character is an incompetent and cynical Wizard named Rincewind . He involuntarily becomes a guide to the naive tourist , Twoflower . Forced to flee the city of Ankh-Morpork to escape a terrible fire, they begin on a journey across the Disc. Unbeknownst to them, their journey is controlled by the Gods playing a board game.

They visit the temple of Bel-Shamharoth , where they meet the Hero, Hrun and then head towards the Wyrmberg , an upside-down mountain which is home to dragons that only exist in the imagination. After escaping (leaving Hrun behind), Rincewind and Twoflower nearly go over the waterfall on the edge of the Disc, only to be rescued by Tethis the sea-troll, and are taken to the country of Krull , a city perched on the very edge of the Discworld by a hydrophobic wizard. The Krullians wish to discover the gender of Great A'Tuin , the giant turtle which carries the Discworld through space, so they have built a space capsule to launch over the edge. They intend on sacrificing Rincewind and Twoflower to get Fate to smile on the voyage. Instead, Rincewind and Twoflower hijack the capsule in an attempt to escape and are launched off the Disc themselves. The story is continued in the succeeding Discworld novel, The Light Fantastic .

Structure The Colour of Magic is one of only eight Discworld novels to be divided into sections or chapters, the others being Pyramids , Going Postal , Making Money , and the four books for younger readers, specifically The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents and the three Tiffany Aching books, The Wee Free Men , A Hat Full of Sky , and Wintersmith . Adaptations Main article: The Colour of Magic (graphic novel) A graphic novel, illustrated by Steven Ross and adapted by Scott Rockwell , was published by Corgi in 1992. The graphic novel is split up into several chapters like the book, and is faithful to the source material in that it is built up like classic barbarian stories. Crucial differences between the book and comic include the cutting-out of some of the adventures in Ankh-Morpork and Krull. Also, in the book, the female Dragonriders are described as being topless, as barbarian women in fiction tend to be. However, to keep the graphic novel child-friendly, the women wear chain-mail bras as well as the clothing described in the book.

It has been published in hardcover along with the graphic novel of The Light Fantastic, as The Discworld Graphic Novels. ( ISBN 9780061685965 ) TV adaptation Main article: The Colour of Magic (television film) The Mob Film Company and Sky One have produced a two-part television adaptation, combining both The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic broadcast over Easter 2008. Sir David Jason starred in the role of Rincewind. [1] Sean Astin took the role of Twoflower. Christopher Lee took over the role of Death from Ian Richardson [2] (a role Lee previously portrayed in the animated series Soul Music and Wyrd Sisters ). Computer game Our top fantasy book series recommendations Fantasy Book Review blog Our top fantasy book series recommendations From the Taoist beliefs of Ursula Le Guin’s Earthsea books to the complexity of Steven Erikson’s Malazan Book of the Fallen . From the ambition of Stephen Donaldson’s Thomas Covenant books to the beautifully written Realm of the Elderlings by Robin Hobb . These are the top fantasy book series that you simply must read. We have listed our recommendations below and we have also listened to the many suggestions made – hence the larger selection!

The criteria? For the purpose of this list we have decided that a series must consist of at least four books. So no trilogies, that is deserving of a page all of its own. So without any further ado, here are our recommendations, beginning with Ursula Le Guin. You may also be interested in our list of recommended fantasy trilogies . Ursula Le Guin’s creation, Earthsea – an ancient world of wizards, magic, darkness and light, and an ever-shifting balance of power – is an acknowledged masterpiece. “One of the major works of fantasy in this century.” Observer The Earthsea Quartet (A Wizard of Earthsea, The Tombs of Atuan, The Farthest Shore and Tehanu) The Other Wind The Realm of the Elderlings by Robin Hobb Robin Hobb is an author of rare skill and imagination and the books (13 and counting) that make up her Elderlings series are among the best the genre has to offer. She writes beautifully and her characters are so real you can almost touch them. As the series begins we meet Fitz, a royal bastard cast out into the world with only his magical link with animals for solace and companionship.

But when Fitz is adopted into the royal household, he must give up his old ways and learn a new life; weaponry, scribing, courtly manners; and how to kill a man secretly. “Hobb is one of the great modern fantasy writers! what makes her novels as addictive as morphine is not just their imaginative brilliance but the way her characters are compromised and manipulated by politics.” The Times The Farseer Trilogy Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson Steven Erikson has no peer when it comes to action and imagination and A Tale of the Malazan Book of the Fallen has established itself as the most significant work of epic fantasy since Stephen R. Donaldson’s Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. Erikson is the master of lost and forgotten epochs, a weaver of ancient epics drawing upon fantasy to recreate histories and legends as rich as any found within our culture. Bled dry by interminable warfare, infighting and bloody confrontations with Lord Anomander Rake and his Tiste Andii, the vast, sprawling Malazan empire simmers with discontent. Even its imperial legions yearn for some respite.

For Sergeant Whiskeyjack and his Bridgeburners and for Tattersail, sole surviving sorceress of the Second Legion, the aftermath of the siege of Pale should have been a time to mourn the dead. But Darujhistan, last of the Free Cities of Genabackis, still holds out – and Empress Lasseen’s ambition knows no bounds. However, it seems the empire is not alone in this great game. Sinister forces gather as the gods themselves prepare to play their hand… “Erikson is an extraordinary writer… my advice to anyone who might listen to me is: treat yourself to Gardens of the Moon.” Stephen R. Donaldson “I stand slack-jawed in awe of The Malazan Book of the Fallen. This masterwork of the imagination may be the high watermark of epic fantasy.” Glen Cook “The imagination of Steven Erikson can only be marveled at as he breathes new life into the fantasy genre with his new ideas and creations. A work of great skill and beauty.” Fantasy Book Review Gardens of the Moon Dragonlance novels by Margaret Weis and Laura and Tracy Hickman Every generation can point to a fantasy book or series that defines their teenage years.

Currently, that would likely be Harry Potter; for those now edging towards or into their 40s it would be Dragonlance. Weis & Hickman’s core six books took the 70s and early 80s concept of Dungeons & Dragons and pulled it firmly into the big-haired, techno-pop world of the late 80s and early 90s in a manner that enthralled a generation as much then as Potter does now. For a full list of Dragonlance novels, visit Wikipedia . The Duncton Chronicles by William Horwood Duncton Wood is the moving love story of Bracken and Rebecca and the trials they must face and overcome to be as one. It is unfortunate that this work must be compared to Watership Down but that is the only book with which I can really compare it to in terms of story-line and excellence. This book is about moles and unlike anything you have ever read before. The animal kingdom is savage and survival of the fittest is a fact of life (or death). This is a book for adults and is at times as dark as it is uplifting. The book was first published in 1980 and has since become a best-selling novel.

A story of courage, loyalty and the power of love… inspired by the shadows and light of England’s most beautiful countryside. Duncton Wood The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant by Stephen R Donaldson The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever are a series of fantasy novels with tremendous scope and a psychological depth never before attempted. Written by Stephen R. Donaldson the Chronicles reveal the existence of another Earth, and recount the otherworldly adventures and struggles of a human from our Earth, Thomas Covenant. First Chronicles of Thomas Covenant Lord Foul’s Bane Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant The Wounded Land Third Chronicles of Thomas Covenant The Runes of the Earth Fatal Revenant A Song of Ice and Fire by George RR Martin George R R Martin’s glorious high fantasy tells the tragic story of treachery, greed and war that threatens the unity of the Seven Kingdoms south of the Wall. Martin unfolds with astonishing skill a tale of truly epic dimensions, thronged with memorable characters, a story of treachery and ambition, love and magic.

Set in a fabulous world scarred by battle and catastrophe over 8000 years of recorded history, it tells of the deeds of men and women locked in the deadliest of conflicts and the terrible legacy they will leave their children. In the Game of Thrones, you win or you die. And in the bitter-cold, unliving lands beyond the Wall, a terrible winter gathers and the others – the undead, the neverborn, wildlings to whom the threat of the sword is nothing – make ready to descend on the realms of men. Fantasy literature has never shied away from grandeur, but the sheer mind-boggling scope of this epic has sent other fantasy writers away shaking their heads… Its ambition: to construct the Twelve Caesars of fantasy fiction, with characters so venomous they could eat the Borgias. A Game of Thrones The Harry Potter Series by JK Rowling Harry Potter is an ordinary boy who lives in a cupboard under the stairs at his Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon’s house, which he thinks is normal for someone like him who’s parents have been killed in a ‘car crash’.

He is bullied by them and his fat, spoilt cousin Dudley, and lives a very unremarkable life with only the odd hiccup (like his hair growing back overnight!) to cause him much to think about. That is until an owl turns up with a letter addressed to Harry and all hell breaks loose! He is literally rescued by a world where nothing is as it seems and magic lessons are the order of the day. Read and find out how Harry discovers his true heritage at Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft, the reason behind his parents mysterious death, who is out to kill him, and how he uncovers the most amazing secret of all time, the fabled Philosopher’s Stone! All this and muggles too. Now, what are they? Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows The Wardstone Chronicles by Joseph Delaney ‘Someone has to stand against the dark. And you’re the only one who can.’ For years, the local Spook has been keeping the County safe from evil.

Now his time is coming to an end, but who will take over? Many apprentices have tried… Some floundered, some fled, some failed to stay alive. Just one boy is left. Thomas Ward. He is the last hope. But does he stand a chance against Mother Malkin, the most dangerous witch in the County? The Spook’s Apprentice The Mythago Cycle by Robert Holdstock Deep within the wildwood lies a place of myth and mystery, from which few return, and none remain unchanged. Ryhope Wood may look like a three-mile-square fenced-in wood in rural Herefordshire on the outside, but inside, it is a primeval, intricate labyrinth of trees, impossibly huge, unforgettable . . . and stronger than time itself. Stephen Huxley has already lost his father to the mysteries of Ryhope Wood.

On his return from the Second World War, he finds his brother, Christopher, is also in thrall to the mysterious wood, wherein lies a realm where mythic archetypes grow flesh and blood, where love and beauty haunt your dreams, and in promises of freedom lies the sanctuary of insanity… Mythago Wood Gate of Ivory, Gate of Horn Avilion The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher Meet Harry Dresden, Chicago’s first (and only) Wizard P.I. Turns out the ‘everyday’ world is full of strange and magical things – and most of them don’t play well with humans. That’s where Harry comes in. Harry is the best at what he does – and not just because he’s the only one who does it. So when the Chicago P.D. has a case that transcends mortal capabilities, they look to him for answers. There’s just one problem. Business, to put it mildly, stinks. So when the police bring him in to consult on a grisly double murder committed with black magic, Harry’s seeing dollar signs. But where there’s black magic, there’s a black mage behind it. And now that mage knows Harry’s name. And that’s when things start to get… interesting.

Magic – it can get a guy killed. Storm Front (2000) Thursday Next by Jasper Fforde There is another 1985, where London’s criminal gangs have moved into the lucrative literary market, and Thursday Next is on the trail of a new crime wave’s Mr Big. Acheron Hades has been kidnapping characters from works of fiction and holding them ransom. Jane Eyre is gone. Missing. Thursday sets out to find a way into the book to repair the damage. But solving crimes against literature isn’t easy when you also have to find time to halt the Crimean War, persuade the man you love to marry you , and figure out who really wrote Shakespeare’s plays. The Eyre Affair Lost in a Good Book The Well of Lost Plots Something Rotten One of our Thursdays is Missing The Woman Who Died a Lot The Dark Tower by Stephen King Stephen King introduces readers to one of his most enigmatic heroes, Roland of Gilead, the Last Gunslinger. He is a haunting figure, a loner, on a spellbinding journey into good and evil, in a desolate world which frighteningly echoes our own.

In his first step towards the powerful and mysterious Dark Tower, Roland encounters an alluring woman named Alice, begins a friendship with Jake, a kid from New York, and faces an agonising choice between damnation and salvation as he pursues the Man in Black. The Gunslinger The Drawing of the Three The Waste Lands The Wind Through the Keyhole Wolves of the Calla The Edge Chronicles by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell Quint, son of sky pirate captain, and new apprentice to Linius Pallitax, the Most High Academe, has been set some highly important tasks. Just how important, Quint is about to find out as he and Linius’s only daughter, Maris, are plunged into a terrifying adventure that takes them deep within the rock upon which Sanctaphrax is built. Here, they unwittingly invoke an ancient curse – the curse of the gloamglozer… The Quint Sequence Clash of the Sky Galleons The Twig Sequence Last of the Sky Pirates Vox Chronicles of the Black Company by Glen Cook Darkness wars with darkness as the hard-bitten men of the Black Company take their pay and do what they must. They bury their doubts with their dead.

Then comes the prophecy: The White Rose has been reborn, somewhere, to embody good once more… The Black Company – Books of the North Shadows Linger – Books of the North The White Rose – Books of the North Shadow Games – Books of the South Dreams of Steel – Books of the South Bleak Seasons – Books of the Glittering Stone She Is The Darkness – Books of the Glittering Stone Water Sleeps – Books of the Glittering Stone Soldiers Live – Books of the Glittering Stone Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan Life in Emond’s Field has been pretty boring for Rand Al’Thor and his friends until a strange young woman arrives in their village. Moraine is an Aes Sedai, a magician with the ability to wield the One Power, and she brings warnings of a terrible evil awakening in the world. That very night, the village is attacked by bloodthirsty Trollocs – a fearsome tribe of beast-men thought to be no more than myth. As Emond’s Field burns, Moraine and her warrior-guardian help Rand and his companions to escape. But it is only the beginning of their troubles.

For Moraine believes Rand Al’Thor is the Dragon Reborn, and that he is fated to unite the world against the rising darkness and lead the fight against a being so powerful and evil it is known simply as the Dark One. The Eye of the World (1990) The Great Hunt (1990) The Fires of Heaven (1993) Lord of Chaos (1994) A Crown of Swords (1996) The Path of Daggers (1998) Winter’s Heart (2000) Riftwar Saga by Raymond E Feist At Crydee, a frontier outpost in the tranquil Kingdom of the Isles, an orphan boy, Pug, is apprenticed to a master magician – and the destinies of two worlds are changed forever. Suddenly the peace of the Kingdom is destroyed as mysterious alien invaders swarm the land. Pug is swept up into the conflict but for him and his warrior friend, Tomas, an odyssey into the unknown has only just begun. Tomas will inherit a legacy of savage power from an ancient civilization.

Pug’s destiny is to lead him through a rift in the fabric of space and time to the mastery of the unimaginable powers of a strange new magic. The Rigante Novels by David Gemmell Fierce and proud, the Rigante dwell deep in the green mountain lands, worshiping the gods of air and water, and the spirits of the earth. Among them lives a warrior who bears the mark of fate. Born of the storm that slew his father, he is Connavar, and tales of his courage spread like wildfire. The Seidh – a magical race as old as time – take note of the young warrior and cast a malignant shadow across his life. For soon a merciless army will cross the water, destroying forever the timeless rhythms of life among the Rigante. Swearing to protect his people, Connavar embarks on a quest that will take him into the heart of the enemy. Along the way, he receives a gift: a sword as powerful and deadly as the Seidh who forged it. Thus he receives a name that will strike fear into the hearts of friend and foe alike – a name proclaiming a glorious and bitter destiny… Demonblade.

Discworld by Terry Pratchett Twoflower was a tourist, the first ever seen on the Discworld. Tourist, Rincewind decided, meant idiot. Somewhere on the frontier between thought and reality exists the Discworld, a parallel time and place which might sound and smell very much like our own, but which looks completely different. It plays by different rules. Certainly it refuses to succumb to the quaint notion that universes are ruled by pure logic and the harmony of numbers. But just because the Disc is different doesn’t mean that some things don’t stay the same. Its very existence is about to be threatened by a strange new blight: the arrival of the first tourist, upon whose survival rests the peace and prosperity of the land. But if the person charged with maintaining that survival in the face of robbers, mercenaries and, well, Death is a spectacularly inept wizard, a little logic might turn out to be a very good idea… Moving Pictures Reaper Man The above are just the first ten books in the Discworld series, click here for the complete list. Obernewtyn Chronicles by Isobelle Carmody In a world struggling back from the brink of apocalypse, life is harsh.

But for Elspeth Gordie, born with enhanced mental abilities, it is also dangerous. Survival is only by secrecy and so she determines never to use her forbidden powers. But it is as if they have their own imperative and she is brought to the attention of the totalitarian Council that rules the Land. Banished to the remote mountain institution of Obernewtyn, she must throw off her cloak of concealment and pit herself against those that would resurrect the terrible forces of the apocalypse. Only then will she learn most truly who and what she is …Elspeth is determined to uncover the plot and so, accompanied only by her cat, Maruman, embarks on a terrible adventure full of danger, the conclusion to which promises not just uncertainty about her safety but also that of many around her. A Tale of Einarinn by Juliet E McKenna In Einarinn, the secret of magic is known only by an elite few. They live in deliberate isolation, under the watchful eye of the Archmage. But nothing last for ever. Livak is a part-time thief and a full-time gambler, long accustomed to living by her wits and narrowly avoiding serious trouble.

When she attempts to sell a stolen antique to a passing merchant, she finds herself pulled into a new and dangerous world of political intrigue in which the stakes are higher than anyone involved can imagine. For the antique she has acquired dates from a particular period in the history of Einarrin about which little is known, but much has been speculated. And when the truth begins to emerge, Livak decides to take the greatest gamble of her life. The Drenai Novels by David Gemmell The Legend. Druss, Captain of the Axe: the stories of his life were told everywhere. Instead of the wealth and fame he could have claimed, he had chosen a mountain lair, high in the lonely country bordering on the clouds. There the grizzled old warrior kept company with snow leopards and awaited his old enemy death. The Fortress. Mighty Dros Delnoch, protected by six outer walls, the only route by which an army could pass through the mountains. It was the stronghold of the Drenai empire. And now it was the last battleground, for all else had fallen before the Nadir hordes.

And hope rested on the skills of that one old man… The King Beyond the Gate (1985) Waylander (1986) Quest for Lost Heroes (1990) Waylander II – In the Realm of the Wolf (1993) The First Chronicles of Druss the Legend (1993) The Legend of Death Walker (1996) Winter Warriors (1996) The Ravens series by James Barclay The Raven are an elite. Formed of six men and an elf, they’re swords for hire in the wars that have torn their land apart. For years their only loyalty has been to themselves, and to their code. But that time is coming to an end. The Wytch Lords have escaped and The Raven find themselves fighting for the Dark College of magic, on a mission which soon becomes a race for the secret location of Dawnthief. It’s a spell – one created to end the world – and there’s a danger that someone is going to use it… Ravensoul The Deverry Cycle by Katherine Kerr The celebrated Deverry series, an epic fantasy rooted in Celtic mythology that intricately interweaves human and elven history over several hundred years.

Green Rider series by Kristen Britain Karigan G’ladheon always seemed to be getting into a fight, and today was no exception. But as she trudged through the forest, using her long walk home to contemplate her depressing future – and the expulsion it was bound to hold – a horse burst through the woodland and charged straight for her. The rider was slumped over his mount’s neck with two arrows embedded in his back. Wherever his horse was taking him, he would be dead before they got there. There’s nothing Karigan can do, as the young man lies dying on the road. He had sworn to carry out his mission as a Green Rider – one of the legendary messengers of the king – and he has a life or death message that must reach King Zachary. Karigan may be unable to save him, but she can deliver his message. He makes her swear to it, to keep it secret and, with his last breath, he warns her to ‘beware the shadow man…’ Pursued by an unknown assassin, following a path only her horse seems to know, and accompanied by the silent specter of the original messenger, Karigan is going to become a legendary Green Rider herself.

Caught up in a world of deadly danger and complex magic, compelled by forces she cannot understand, her simple promise to deliver a letter is about to become a race against time… and a race for her life… The High King’s Tomb Blackveil The Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind One man, Richard Cypher, holds the key to the fate of three nations, of humanity. But until he learns the Wizard’s First Rule his chances of succeeding in his task are slim. And his biggest problem is admitting that magic exists at all…A novel of incomparable scope and brimming with atmospheric detail: in a world where heart hounds stalk the boundaries for unwary human prey, blood-sucking flies hunt on behalf of their underworld masters, and where artists can draw more than your likeness, there is no place to hide, nowhere safe. Here magic makes love twice as sweet, betrayal and loss twice as bitter. The First Confessor: The Legend of Magda Searus Debt of Bones The Keys to the Kingdom by Garth Nix Seven days. Seven keys. Seven virtues – and seven sins. The moment Arthur meets sinister Mister Monday, the world turns inside out.

The next seven days will bring seven fearful challenges – and a billion grisly ways to die. As his world is attacked by a plague of hellish creatures, Arthur retreats into a mysterious house , a house that only he can see. Inside, unlikely hero Arthur must unravel the secrets of the Seven Keys, battling monsters and treacherous Denizens in a bid to save his world… Fallen Blade Novels by Kelly McCullough Once a fabled Blade of Namara, Aral Kingslayer fought for justice and his goddess alongside his familiar, a living shadow called Triss. Now with their goddess murdered and her temple destroyed, they are among the last of their kind. Surviving on the fringes of society, Aral becomes a drunken, broken and wanted man, working whatever shadowy deal comes his way. Until a mysterious woman hires him to deliver a secret message – one than can either redeem or doom him. The Belgariad by David Eddings A battle is coming… And in that battle shall be decided the fate of the world. Myths tell of the ancient wars of Gods and men, and a powerful object – the Orb – that ended the bloodshed.

As long as it was held by the line of Riva, it would assure the peace. But a dark force has stolen the Orb, and the prophecies tell of war. Young farm boy Garion knows nothing of myth or fate. But then the mysterious Old Storyteller visits his aunt, and they embark on a sudden journey. Pursued by evil forces, with only a small band of companions they can trust, Garion begins to doubt all he thought he knew… Hyddenworld by William Horwood It has lain lost and forgotten for fifteen hundred years in the ancient heartland of England – a scrap of glass and metal melded by fierce fire. It is the lost core of a flawless Sphere made by the greatest of the Anglo-Saxon CraeftLords in memory of the one he loved. Her name was Spring and contained in the very heart of this work is a spark from the Fires of Creation. But while humans have lost their belief in such things, the Hydden – little people existing on the borders of our world – have not. Breaking the silence of centuries they send one of their own, a young boy, Jack, to live among humans in the hope that he may one day find what has been lost for so long.

His journey leads him to Katherine, a girl he rescues from a tragic accident – it’s a meeting that will change everything. It is only through their voyage into the dangerous Hyddenworld that they will realize their destiny, find love and complete the great quest that will save both their worlds from destruction. The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis The Chronicles of Narnia have enchanted millions of readers over the last fifty years and the magical events described in C.S. Lewis’s immortal prose have left many a lasting memory. For here is a world where a witch decrees eternal winter; where there are more talking animals than people; and where battles are fought by Centaurs, Giants and Fauns. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe The Horse and His Boy Prince Caspian The Voyage of the Dawn Treader The Silver Chair The Demon Cycle by Peter V Brett The Painted Man book cover image Sometimes there is very good reason to be afraid of the dark… Eleven-year-old Arlen lives with his parents on their small farmstead, half a day’s ride from the isolated hamlet of Tibbet’s Brook.

As dusk falls upon Arlen’s world, a strange mist rises from the ground; a mist that promises a violent death to any foolish enough to brave the coming darkness, for hungry corelings – demons that cannot be harmed by mortal weapons – materialize from the vapours to feed on the living. As the sun sets, people have no choice but to take shelter behind magical wards and pray that their protection holds until the creatures dissolve with the first signs of dawn. When Arlen’s life is shattered by the demon plague, he is forced to see that it is fear, rather than the demons, which truly cripples humanity. Believing that there is more to his world than to live in constant fear, he must risk leaving the safety of his wards to discover a different path. In the small town of Cutter’s Hollow, Leesha’s perfect future is destroyed by betrayal and a simple lie. Publicly shamed, she is reduced to gathering herbs and tending an old woman more fearsome than the corelings. Yet in her disgrace, she becomes the guardian of dangerous ancient knowledge.

Orphaned and crippled in a demon attack, young Rojer takes solace in mastering the musical arts of a Jongleur, only to learn that his unique talent gives him unexpected power over the night. Together, these three young people will offer humanity a last, fleeting chance of survival. The Skull Throne Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley Here is the tragic tale of the rise and fall of Camelot – but seen through the eyes of Camelot’s women: The devout Gwenhwyfar, Arthur’s Queen; Vivane, High priestess of Avalon and the Lady of the Lake; above all, Morgaine, possessor of the sight, the wise, the wise-woman fated to bring ruin on them all… The Shadow Campaigns by Django Wexler In the desert colony of Khandar, a dark and mysterious magic, hidden for centuries, is about to emerge from darkness. Marcus d’Ivoire, senior captain of the Vordanai Colonials, is resigned to serving out his days in a sleepy, remote outpost, when a rebellion leaves him in charge of a demoralised force in a broken down fortress.

Winter Ihernglass, fleeing her past and masquerading as a man, just wants to go unnoticed. Finding herself promoted to a command, she must rise to the challenge and fight impossible odds to survive. Their fates rest in the hands of an enigmatic new Colonel, sent to restore order while following his own mysterious agenda into the realm of the supernatural. The Ryria Chronicles by Michael J. Sullivan A warrior with nothing to fight for is paired with a thieving assassin with nothing to lose. Together they must steal a treasure that no one can reach. The Crown Tower is the impregnable remains of the grandest fortress ever built and home to the realm’s most valuable possessions. But it isn’t gold or jewels the old wizard is after, and this prize can only be obtained by the combined talents of two remarkable men. Now if Arcadius can just keep Hadrian and Royce from killing each other, they just might succeed. The Viscount and the Witch The Rose and the Thorn The Death of Dulgath Lockwood & Co by Jonathan Stroud When the dead come back to haunt the living, Lockwood & Co. step in… For more than fifty years, the country has been affected by a horrifying epidemic of ghosts.

A number of Psychic Investigations Agencies have sprung up to destroy the dangerous apparitions. Lucy Carlyle, a talented young agent, arrives in London hoping for a notable career. Instead she finds herself joining the smallest, most ramshackle agency in the city, run by the charismatic Anthony Lockwood. When one of their cases goes horribly wrong, Lockwood & Co. have one last chance of redemption. Unfortunately this involves spending the night in one of the most haunted houses in England, and trying to escape alive. The Faithful and The Fallen by John Gwynne Young Corban watches enviously as boys become warriors, learning the art of war. He yearns to wield his sword and spear to protect his king’s realm. But that day will come all too soon. Only when he loses those he loves will he learn the true price of courage. The Banished Lands has a violent past where armies of men and giants clashed in battle, the earth running dark with their heartsblood. Although the giant-clans were broken in ages past, their ruined fortresses still scar the land. But now giants stir anew, the very stones weep blood and there are sightings of giant wyrms.

Those who can still read the signs see a threat far greater than the ancient wars. Sorrow will darken the world, as angels and demons make it their battlefield. Then there will be a war to end all wars. High King Aquilus summons his fellow kings to council, seeking an alliance in this time of need. Prophesy indicates darkness and light will demand two champions, the Black Sun and the Bright Star. They would be wise to seek out both, for if the Black Sun gains ascendancy, mankind’s hopes and dreams will fall to dust. Malice Ruin Wrath Are you agreeing with the selection of top fantasy book series? If you do, do not, or if you have any further recommendations then please let us know by leaving a comment below . Thank you, we hope you enjoyed reading our list. Further reading: 158 thoughts on “Our top fantasy book series recommendations” Will says: December 17, 2016 at 8:35 pm lol this list snubbed Lawrence, Lynch, Abercrombie, AND Stover but the commenters are whining about “Butth muh Peeeeers ANTHUH’NEEEE!

Wheres Terry Brooks ermagerd!” But i must give credit where credit is due. I’m glad Wheel of Time, Ice&Fire, and Malazan made the list. December 2, 2016 at 1:23 am LOTR is a must of course and that has been true for decades. Jack Forsithe’s Heart in the Cloud is an interesting one. I couldn’t put down once I started reading and at first did not realize it was fantasy. Then suddenly it was and it was believable too, sort of like track 9 1/2. Sword of Truth has got to go. Predictable and truly not in league with the other series noted here. One series missed here is Blood Song by Anthony Ryan. It’s a great epic tale. August 7, 2016 at 10:11 am Thanks for your comment. Sword of Truth does have its fans although it is not for everyone. But it has I believe given thousands of readers a lot of enjoyment, and that is why it is listed on this page. In regards to Blood Song, we agree it’s great and it can be found on our Recommended Fantasy Trilogies page. No Dragonlance?

This is criminal. A quarter of those series are nothing more than Dragonlance knock offs anyway. There never has been a fantasy character more intriguing as Raistlin Majere. August 7, 2016 at 10:20 am Thanks Jeff, the problem is, we just don’t have this series reviewed on the site at the moment. This is something that needs to be rectified so you should see reviews appear over the coming weeks and then hopefully we can add the Dragonlance series to this page. Hello again Jeff. Dragonlance novels now added! Thanks for the suggestion. Scull says: July 13, 2016 at 6:26 pm Sword of Truth is ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE. Goodkind is the worst author ever. I can’t stress enough how bad this series is. The fact that this series is on your best list makes me question your judgement about all the other books on this list. Quit trolling. Goodkind is definitely in the top five of all time. My guess is you’ve never read them. Bryan Chappell says: July 7, 2016 at 8:49 pm Thanks for the list.

I am going to check out Duncton Wood. The series that got me into fantasy writing to begin with was Brian Jacques Redwall series. Granted they did get a little repetitive and predictable, but the first 5 books were great. As children’s fantasy goes they are top notch and hold up to other classics such as Watership Down and Wind in the Willows. I feel like Michael Moorcock should be on this list somewhere. Elric of Melnibone series is one of my all-time favorites. Patricia McKillip – Riddle Master Trilogy Riddle Master of Hed Heir of Sea and Fire Harpist in the Wind I agree with the mckillop recommendation. As an older teenager this series fired my now 45 year old love for fantasy fiction ( that and Tolkien). It is a great tale of self discovery. Jerry gruple says: April 29, 2016 at 11:54 pm I liked a new book and fantasy series which is Dragon Spindle book 1 in the Ningazia Balance series . It’s really good and I am looking forward to the rest of the series .

Definatly worth a look if you like fast paced dragon fantasy with dragons, elfs , orcs and loads of magic . April 21, 2016 at 4:39 pm Honestly, Peter V Bretts Demon Cycle crashes faster than windows 98 with no service packs. The first book is indeed awesome, but after that, the entire thing goes down the drain. Zero innovation, bullshit character development (He might has well had an alien parasite take over Leesha), inconsistent pacing…. Just… bad. I really dont understand why you would chose the Demon Cycle over the Stormlight Archives, whose second book managed to SURPASS its first book, that, by itself, outclasses the Demon Cycle without breaking a sweat. April 4, 2016 at 5:33 pm A book series that I highly recommend is Rangers Apprentice. It is not your average fantasy novel, it takes place in a world much like middle age England and does not include magic surprisingly. You follow the adventures of Will Treaty becoming a Ranger, a legendary warrior using the tools of stealth and archery to guard the crown.

February 15, 2016 at 11:39 pm How by all that’s holy has this thread been going 7 years and *no one* has mentioned Anne McCaffrey?!?! This list cannot be considered complete without the Chronicles of Pern! I would also mention The Saga of Recluce by L.E. Modesitt Jr as being worthy of inclusion, certainly well above the risible Sword of Truth series. January 22, 2016 at 10:09 pm The Dredsen Files is the best fantasy book written by the best author – Jim Bucher. Often it’s said that the ideas or twists in a good book is the expression of the mind of the writer behind it, and you truly have to read the Dredsen Files. You would definitely agree that The Dredsen Files is the Best Fantasy Series around I have read each book 3 times over just to fully understand the characters and the plot of the series. I mean, the ideas in the books are just mind boggling, the facts seamlessly fit in and sometimes when Dredsen has a sharp thought I actually think he is too mentally/socially/magically blind to be that insightful.

Seriously, read it, and get your mind literally blown away (you know those moments you have when reading books when all the clues come together to explain the situation at hand and you think “Hmmn I should have thought about that”… You are going to be having a lot of those) November 20, 2015 at 10:08 pm Hi Milotius, I had to re-purchase the Duncton Chronicles about 5 years ago due to my originals being lost somewhere in the midst of time. You’re right – no Kindle, no audiobooks, not even any new copies – my wife bought the trilogy for me for a Christmas present off Amazon, all used. But I treasure them as much as any other books, they have character and history. The first Duncton book is a real gem, a worthy companion to Watership Down. Interesting what you say about inconsistencies in the Hyddenworld series. I have to admit a few elements of the story did not piece together perfectly, especially the legend of the Peace Weaver and Beormund, but I am very, very forgiving of the authors I hold dearest!

Happy reading, November 20, 2015 at 2:52 am Thanks for the nice answer Lee! I’ve just finished of the Hyddenworld Quartet by William Horwood after reading about it here (for some reason Kindle/Amazon doesn’t have the Duncton Chronicles – their first fail for me..). I found it quite enjoyable – few fresh ideas there! Only thing that bugged me was that there was rather a lot of inconsistencies throughout. Guess the author must be even more forgetful than I am! Now, The Name of the Wind and Mr. Rothfuss! Read it when it first came out. It was a solid page turner and I loved it but it also annoyed me a bit (too much “darn Harry Potter hero, can’t do anything wrong, even when he does it turns out a miracle, kind of thing”). By the second book it gets a whole lot better though, in my opinion. Also give Rothfuss’ blog a go – he’s a funny – and by all standards a great guy – and he’s got some awesome book tips to boot!

/M November 2, 2015 at 2:37 pm Thanks Milotius, this is exactly the type of comment that provides real value. You’re right about many things, the lack of non-English written fantasy and so it’s great to have those suggestions. We have reviewed Lukyanenko, Pehov and Sapkowski on the site, but not enough of a series to get them onto this page. I think the advancement in the standard of translation will open up these books to a wider audience. I have read several translated books recently and they have lost nothing in the translation. Oh, and I can’t read The Wheel of Time either, tried the first book 5 times and just couldn’t quite make it to the end. It’s just not for me – the reason it is on this page is because it is loved by so many and if it gives reading pleasure to so many, it’s worthy of inclusion. I’ve just started reading The Name of the Wind. Now this might be a new series to add. So far, wonderful story, wonderfully told. Just a shame I’m so late in getting to it. Thanks, November 2, 2015 at 4:46 am Great list!

S. Erikson, Ursula Le Guin, Elisabeth Moon, Robin Hobb and Joe Abercrombie being my favourites here I think… So hard to choose! Anyway, thought I’d add a few suggestions. Way too few non-English-speaking authors on this list I’d say. There are some amazing books out there once you start exploring! These are kind of top of the iceberg, most well known ones and they are quality! My personal favourite: The Labyrinths of Echo series, starting with The Stranger by Max Frei (a.k.a. Svetlana Martynchik). Kind of an urban fantasy, modern day, Russian version of Narnia if you will. But with so much dark humour, strangeness and sometimes creepiness it should definitely not be recommended for kids. Second: The Watcher series, started by Night Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko. Yet again an urban fantasy and I suppose (hope) well known. Yet again for its mix of lightheartedness and angst!

Also “bravo!” to ReadingEnthusiast for mentioning Andrzej Sapkowski and his Witcher series (which has also been turned in to a computer game b.t.w.) Would want to mention Alexey Pehov’s The Chronicles of Siala as well – only a triology but just for the recommendation. My only negative note on this list: Wheels of Time… Why, oh why are people so in to it? It’s the only series I’ve never managed to finish. Could not stomach more after book 6. It’s not going nowhere fast – it’s going nowhere, oooooh sooooo veeeery slowly! Also Jordan’s female characters were starting to really piss me off. He seems to have (had) only two categories for females – evil or annoying (or possibly both). Anyway, thanks for a great list – a few there I’m looking forward to try out! Sitting at my desk with my morning tea I just found this site Amazing, u have given me so many ideas of future reading But, but how about Tad Williams & Markus Heitz, two of my favorites Markus Heitz: 2. The War of the Dwarves (2010) 3.

The Revenge of the Dwarves (2011) 4. The Fate of the Dwarves (2012) 5. The Triumph of the Dwarves (2015) Book 5 is, as far as I know, only yet to buy in German I love those books because they are action packed, but mostly caz they are loaded with humor, it’s not very often u find it in fantasy books, but when a small dwarf with a HUGE beard and an axe is running towards an orc screaming :” Go away he is mine and mine alone” u can’t help laughin. Also to dedicate a whole series to a certain race is rare He has also written about Älfar “The Legends of the Älfar” 1. Righteous Fury” 2, 3, 4, 5, is unfortunately still only in German, but they have gotten an English title so I hope they are soon to come, I hate reading in German And then my absolute favorite: Tad Williams Memory, Sorrow and Thorn: 1. The Dragonbone Chair (1988) 2. Stone of Farewell (1990) 3.

To Green Angel Tower (1993) The paperback publication of “To Green Angel Tower” was divided into 2 volumes so the series could be seen as a tetralogy instead of trilogy Otherland: 1. City of Golden Shadow (1996) 2. River of Blue Fire (1998) 3. Mountain of Black Glass (1999) 4. Sea of Silver Light (2001) I know it is said to be SF but I think it could be considered fantasy too as I find a lot of Tolkien’s fiction in it, but basically it’s about what can happen when too old men with too much power and too many money get together Shadowmarch: September 7, 2015 at 4:30 am Here are some thoughts on some of the comments and then 2 series that don’t seem to get any recognition and I am not quite sure why. I think that most people who like these other series would enjoy these. The WOT situation: The first three books were fantastic, interesting world, characters with room to grow and a story to tell. Somewhere though it got off track.

It seemed to require story lines that were way to separate and did not seem to come together much. Characters that did not seem to keep growing and a story that wasn’t going anywhere until Brandon Sanderson came into it and made it interesting again. Great series but after starting out to be the best ever, it never quite lived up to that. The two series that don’t get mentioned: Tad Williams-The Dragonbone Chair Classic fantasy adventure story. Well told. Interesting story and characters. Dave Duncan-A Man of his Word He is just a very good story teller. Interesting form of magic. August 8, 2015 at 12:46 am Hi all… Just thought I’d mention one of my all time favorite series: The Twilight Reign by Tom Lloyd. For those who have not read it yet, do yourself a favor – you won’t be disappointed. Otherwise, all the comments and remarks are very acurate, and although I am a fan of Terry Goodkind, some of the books did stink… Wheel of Time is epic! I can see why Mistborn, Gentleman Bastards, Night Angel, Kingkiller, Stormlight, etc.

are not on the list (however brilliant they are), they are all either trillogies, or incomplete. Let’s hope Rothfuss manages to complete Kingkiller in the next decade, as it is dragging on quite a bit now………. At least this leaves me time to catch up on lost of new and exciting authors though. July 28, 2015 at 6:32 am Yay! Great books! I’ll show this to my 11-year-old son. He loves reading. In fact, he just finished reading the first novel by Jim West called Libellus de Numeros (The Book of Math) that makes math and science relevant and fun in a story of magic and danger. The story is about Alex, a young precocious girl, who mysteriously gets transported to a strange world where Latin and Math combine in formulas and equations with magical effects. With a cruel council leading the only safe city of its kind in this world, she will have to prove her worth to stay as well as help this city as it is the target for two evil wizards who seek to destroy the city and its ruling council.

To help the city and also get back home, she will need the help of the greatest mathematician of all time, Archimedes. In a world where math is magic, Alex wishes she paid more attention in math class. Search for the book on Goodreads for reviews. July 23, 2015 at 7:25 pm This thread has been opened since 2009. Wow! Great choices presented. I’ve read a few of these series, and have gotten some interesting suggestions to try out. Gonna finally give WoT a try (way too many of you have suggested it). I get why His Dark Materials isn’t on this list. It’s still worth mentioning that it is, to date, one of my favorite reads. Another series that can be given a mention (maybe) is the Delver Magic Books by Jeff Inlo. I don’t even remember how I came across these. Was probably looking for something new to try out and voila . The story managed to completely draw me in after a couple of chapters. I think I’ve read 4/5 of them so far. Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles should be a definite add to this list.

For those of you who enjoy the VC’s, L.A Bank’s Vampire Huntress is a must read (forgive me if the last two aren’t classified as “fantasy” per se). July 7, 2015 at 12:17 pm Hi all! That is one great list of beloved series you got there, so I felt compelled to express a concern and immediately suggest an entry. Please consider foreign authors – not just UK/US authors (or English in general) but authors such as Andrzej Sapkowski and his Witcher series (the suggestion). I am not Polish myself so I had to wait for translation but his work is truely masterful and entertaining, for lack of a better word. The subtle references to classic pieces are simply genius while the series follows its own engaging story. Believe me, I would never look at Cinderella or the Beauty and the Beast the same way as I did before! Definitely a recommended read! June 27, 2015 at 1:46 pm Good call including Malazan and Black Company, Wheel of Time and A Song of Ice and Fire. Those are great.

Katharine Kerr’s Deverry is great too, for about the first two-thirds of the series. After Days of Air and Darkness, it sinks to somewhere between pretty good and so-so. You can get rid of Terry Goodkind’s Sword of Truth, though, because it stinks. Twilight stinks too. Most Dragonlance stinks, as badly, though I haven’t read it all and so can’t swear that there isn’t a decent book in the collection somewhere. R.A. Salvatore is so-so. He isn’t as bad as some, but he hasn’t written any series good enough to show on anybody’s BEST list. Same goes for David Eddings, whose stuff ranges from stinky on the low side to middlin’ OK on the high end. No I take it back. Belgarath the Sorceror and Polgara the Sorceress actually rate Quite Good (just below Great). The Belgariad is okay. The Malloreon is so-so. The Elenium is blah. The Tamuli is just plain bad. Terry Brooks’ Shannara books are almost good enough to be called good, but not quite.

I really wish that Guy Gavriel Kay would write a series with each book being as good as Tigana was. That’s probably impossible though. He’d contest the #1 Fantasy Author position with Martin if he did. Farseer by Robin Hobb is great. You have to like a book authored by a liberal where the hero is a guy who murders people for a living. Way to go, Margaret. Do it again! Mistborn was great-minus, with flashes of great here and there. Although I have yet to read Stormlight Archive for myself, I’ve had people whose judgement I trust swear that it is a series safely within the Great Category. The Saga of Recluce is another great-minus series, with some of the books being marginally great and others being just pretty good. The repetitive use of the boy-from-the-sticks-grows-up-and-does-well theme holds it down half a notch. January 29, 2015 at 8:23 pm I’ve been giving a lot of thought to whether Tolkien’s work should be on this page. I decided that Lord of the Rings was a trilogy and didn’t fit the criteria but when I thought on it yesterday I have changed my mind.

You have the The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion and all the Christopher Tolkien edited books posthumously released. I think when you look at all from a distance, J. R. R. Tolkien is the author of all these books and they are all set in the same world. So I now think they should be included. What to call them though? The Tolkien Legendarium? Possibly. Whatever the series will be called, it will be added in the coming days. December 18, 2014 at 9:06 pm Great comments. I don’t just like Guy Gavriel Kay’s work, I adore it. The only reason he is not on this page is that he hasn’t (to the best of my knowledge) written a series of books. He has the Fionavar Tapestry (which is a trilogy) and some wonderful duologies (if that’s a real word?!). I’m reading A Song for Arbonne at this very moment in time. I think you’re right in regards to The Sword of Truth series – it has given a lot of people a lot of reading pleasure, so I will add this evening. Good call.

Have a great Christmas, December 18, 2014 at 8:23 pm Thank you for the original list. I used to read lots of fantasy but what with my career and children etc have only recently got back into it. I’m going to try S. Erikson next. Just finished WoT after a 7 year break- agree it lost its way in the middle at times and I despaired of it ever finishing; great finale though, a really good fight! I probably ought to re-read them now! I would say Goodkind’s Sword of Truth series deserves a place; it gets very bogged down in political preaching over and over again but has some good fantasy and some great ideas/twists. I agree with the comments on Eddings; great entrance to the genre after LOTR when younger, and one I intend to get my son to read when he’s older, but out-matched by so many authors mentioned above. I know he writes more stand alone novels, but would like to recommend Guy Gavriel Kay. And one day I’ll finish Martin’s Song of Fire and Ice assuming he ever does. Interesting comments Batto and Lawler, I tend to agree.

Cheers everyone, have a good Christmas! October 6, 2014 at 1:48 pm I read fantasy fiction to escape and I enjoy it for that purpose, but I have to admit that very little of it is high-quality literature, and I find that the longer series are little more than endless plot, with little substance. It is often a simplistic clash of good vs evil, where the bad guys are evil for evil’s sake, which is not very realistic. In human history, people who commit great evil, like Hitler implementing the Final Solution, Stalin carrying out the Great Purges, Kennedy and Johnson bombing Indochina, or Bush Jr. invading Iraq, have reasons for committing evil and an ideology or a world view which justifies their actions. Good literature makes you reflect on and better understand something, whether it be history, current events, human nature, love, friendship, pyschology, politics, etc. Fantasy fiction is often heavy on interpersonal relationships and emotions like love and courage, but it often has a very simplistic understanding of society in general. Maybe that is why we read it.

We want to escape to a simpler time, where you don’t have to understand the enemy and there is a simple choice between right and wrong. What I enjoy about fiction fiction as a genre is its world building. I delight in the way the authors construct language, culture, history and myth. The creativity is boundless, although as a student of history and anthropology I find that most fantasy fiction authors don’t know much about the past or non-Western society, so their constructions are often lacking in my opinion. September 26, 2013 at 12:20 pm Hi Tob, for the purposes of this list I decided to include only series of 4 and more books. So no trilogies. However, I am aware there are two more Dark Materials books besides the trilogy itself in Once Upon A Time in the North and Lyra’s Oxford (please forgive any inaccuracies) but I see these more as companion pieces than additional novels. So that’s why the series is not on the list. I’m wondering whether a Recommended Fantasy Trilogy page is worth doing… If we did His Dark Materials would probably be on there. My thoughts on the trilogy is that the first two books are excellent but book three left me very disappointed.

I plan to re-read very soon so I’ll see how it goes second time around. Book 3 was rather preachy and confusing from what I remember. July 11, 2013 at 4:27 pm I would say Eddings Sparhawk character is one of the best heroes. Eddings also sprinkles his work with something a lot of fantasy writers struggle to do well… humour. David Gemmell is quite easily the best heroic fantasy writer. His characters are easily likeable and identifiable and his stories are action packed and to the point. Jon Shannow trilogy is one of the best characters ever written! If you are after a quick enjoyable read between or to break up a larger series then Gemmell is the man for the job. Also I can never understand the criticism of Terry Goodkind. So what if people think his writing is simplistic. I found his books engrossing and very hard to put down. All the above authors are from the last generation though and I think writing has improved to the point where the above writers shouldn’t be compared side by side with the Sandersons, Rothfuss’ and Arbercrombie’s of the new wave.

Also, I never see this book mentioned but Battle Royale by Koushun Takami is excellent. August 28, 2012 at 2:56 pm Hi Jerome, Ah, Eddings. I loved the Belgarion and Sparhawk books and always have a hankering to re-read them every year. Unfortunately I rarely have the time to re-read for pleasure and have so far only managed The Diamond Throne, which I found to be a great little read. Quite a lot of people are quite dismissive of Eddings but I think they are doing him a great disservice, his books are great fantasy and lovely to lose yourself within. Is is Shakespeare or Tolstoy? No, of course it isn’t, but it a great tale of epic fantasy and a lot of fun. Yes, it has racial stereotypes but not in a way that I found offensive. I’m glad you mentioned him. I’m not a fan of The Wheel of Time books myself (I plan to write a post on why soon), the reason they are in the top 100 is because so many people obviously do love them, including many reviewers for the site.

Right, might go and start reading the second Sparhawk book… Lee September 13, 2012 at 7:14 am As much as I hate to admit it, the David Eddings books have not aged very well. We should definitely acknowledge the importance of his books in making the fantasy genre what it is today – Pawn of Prophecy was one of the first fantasy books I ever read and was a gateway novel to fantasy for many of my friends – but the problem with writing one of the first popular fantasy series to come after Tolkien is that his books will always be talked about in comparison to Tolkien, while everything that came after his books will talk about they learnt from his mistakes. A Top 10 of Important Authors would be a very interesting one. I would almost definitely include Eddings in that list, but probably as a conglomerate addition with Raymond E. Feist, David Gemmell and Terry Brooks called Children of Tolkien. You would also have to include Tolkien, probably Frank Herbert for Dune, Stephen King for his various works, Robert Jordan for showing us it’s possible to do very large scale fantasy epics in a readable manner, George R.R. Martin for finally bringing fantasy into the mainstream, H.P.

Lovecraft for creating a mythology that continues to haunt us (you would almost lump him together with guys like Robert E. Howard, Bram Stoker, and maybe Kenneth Grahame), the Grandchildren of Tolkien (Rothfuss, Sanderson, Erikson, Lynch, Abercrombie, Weeks, etc.), J.K. Rowling for getting children and adults to read again, and maybe you would include the likes of Amanda Hocking and Michael J. Sullivan for ushering in this new era of high quality self publishing. Oh and Sir Pterry Pratchett. And I still feel like I’m leaving out big names would easily deserve to be on a Top 10 Important Fantasy Authors. Ursula Le Guin, Robin Hobb, China Mieville, Neil Gaiman, Susanna Clarke, Philip Pullman, R.A. Salvatore, N.K. Jemisin, Anne Rice, Orson Scott Card, Connie Willis, Garth Nix, Jim Butcher, Diana Wynne Jones, Anne McCaffrey etc. etc. etc.

Jerome says: August 27, 2012 at 6:43 am I must say I thought that David Eddings would have made the list although I can see why it hasn’t in favour of the others on the list. I grew up with The Belgariad and The Mallorean, I must have read these two series a handful of times in high school. I was later recommended Wheel of Time by the librarian and, like you Lee, found the similarities in the earlier part of the series with Eddings’ work refreshing! Another series that didn’t make the list that I quite enjoyed was the Axis Triology by Sara Douglass…I recently learned she had followed it up with further books so must get back to read them! July 10, 2012 at 7:24 am I am looking for a trilogy about a girl who must either master or understand each race on the planet to stop something form happening. Not much to go on I know, I sort of remember she is in a dancing/magic act during a performance gets attacked by an assassin, a female warrior ghost who battled against a race of super beings (also the last race the girl must understand).

The girl finds this ghost in the dungeons of an old castle, she can travel through earth and rock, there’s one part I remember where she comes out of the earth into a lake and because she’s so hot from the lava evaporates the water. If anyone knows what this series is could you let me know, I read the books about 8 years ago while on holidays with friends (I borrowed them from the library) but cannot remember what they were called or who wrote them. November 20, 2011 at 7:55 pm Hi Emer, I think the whole Darkover universe is pretty cool, but there are better written works out there. Diplomacy of Wolves doesn’t get any appreciation because Lisle writes boring characters and because this book failed in its attempt to emulate G.R.R.M. It promised to be a complex dark fantasy, but it quickly devolved into a boring quest novel with a protagonist who the author made pains to point out was a woman almost every page. Empire could have gone on there, I think it is the best of the Feist trilogies, but which series would you replace? Spook’s series by Delaney possibly.

The reasons for why Wheel of Time isn’t up there I think have been made through all the comments, as you say the list could go on and for us the Wheel of Time is very close but just misses the cut. Rothfuss doesn’t meet the criteria here because at the time of writing this list he only had the one book out. And its probably remiss of me, but I haven’t read any Jack Vance and I don’t think I will because every time I pick up a Vance book I find nothing that appeals to me. November 9, 2011 at 11:11 am I think there is a subtle difference between simplicity and simplistic. Some writers can do amazing things with some very simple concepts, while other writers take a concept that should be complex but give it a very simplistic treatment. With the criteria for determining what actually counts as a series, I dont know if I like the “more than 3 books” restriction. A series like Harry Potter would qualify because it has more than three novels in the series, but a series like Mistborn with only three novels would not qualify, despite being longer in total word count than the entire Harry Potter series.

Just food for thought Lee 😛 November 9, 2011 at 10:10 am Ah, you see I hold simplicity very dear to my heart! I’m going to be re-reading the Jon Shannow novels over Christmas so it will be interesting to see how they hold-up. This page really needs some serious attention and a bit of a spruce up, some images at the very least. There is nothing I love more than people leaving suggestions (the criteria is a series consisting of more than 3 books – so this will mean the removal of His Dark Materials, The Lord of the Rings and the Duncton Wood books and expanding the Robin Hobb and Stephen Donaldson entries to encompass all in the series). I will also attempt to put some voting mechanism so that the masses can have their say! In fact a poll running on the site might be a great idea too. November 9, 2011 at 9:48 am I like Gemmell and Eddings, but for me they are good entry level fantasy.

As you start to mature your tastes in fantasy and read some of the better works out there, it becomes hard to go back to Eddings and Gemmell without feeling like they are just a bit to simplistic. I will always remember these authors fondly for what they did in bringing fantasy into the mainstream, and they will hold a place in my heart as being the authors of the first fantasy books I ever read, but they haven’t aged well and I just dont enjoy reading them anymore. November 8, 2011 at 12:15 pm Oh, and to add to an earlier post. I have just begun reading The Wheel of Time. I know, I am a little behind on this one. I’ve read the opening three chapters and I did catch myself fondly remembering Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings as I believe the two stories have parallels. I first tried to listen to The Wheel of Time on audio book but am beginning to discover that high fantasy and audio books don’t mix very well – too many made-up names and words that can make the story hard to follow – you really need to see them written down I feel.

June 24, 2011 at 8:07 pm Good call Jeremy, the Dresden Files are an excellent series. I haven’t read The Wheel of Time books yet (although many of our other reviewers have) so that is why they are not on there (yet). Stephen King’s Dark Tower books would be on there too, if you only judge the first 5 books… David Gemmell’s Drenai novels, Feist’s Riftwar Saga, the Discworld novels… Should A Song of Ice and Fire be on there being as it is unfinished? I have to admit that this list is flawed but hopefully one day it will be in better shape. One thing I am certain of is that Steven Erikson’s Malazan books deserve to be on there – an incredible ten books and a series now complete. April 20, 2011 at 9:44 am Wot def. should be on this list. There has never been a series including Lotr that can top it. 12 books and a prequel so far. More too come and still keeps you wondering about the world that youve come to love.

Not to mention that if Robert Jordan had lived for ever which is what it would have took to finish the series. There could have been many other spin off series based on prequels for the early ages and future times and ages possibly. No set of books have had as much detial put into the world and character base as Wot. Middle earth can not even come close. Look at all that we don’t know about Shiara and Seachen and the land of mad men that we don’t know yet you know you want to. Look at the Wiki created for it. It is amazing how gifted Robert Jordan was with this. Just my humble opinion. April 1, 2011 at 11:09 pm The Wheel of Time is one of the greatest Epic Fantasy series, but the Fantasy genre is so much more than Epic Fantasy and so it becomes hard to fit everyones favourite series into a Top 10. While this may not be my Top 10, these are all great series deserving of the various accolades bestowed upon them.

My Top 10 fantasy series in no particular order: – Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson – Harry Potter by JK Rowling – The Dark Tower by Stephen King – The Sword of Truth by Terry Goodkind – His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman – The Obernewtyn Chronicles by Isobelle Carmody – The Riftwar Saga by Raymond E. Fiest – The Thursday Next Series by Jasper Fforde – The Stone Dance of the Chameleon by Ricardo Pinto – The Old Kingdom (Abhorsen) by Garth Nix Other series that I wanted to fit in there but just couldn’t were Wheel of Time, Alvin Maker by Orson Scott Card, Word/Void by Terry Brooks, Magic Kingdom for Sale by Terry Brooks, The Engineer Trilogy by K. J. Parker, New Crobuzon by China Mieville, A Song of Ice and Fire by GRRM, The Gentleman Bastards by Scott Lynch, Discworld by Terry Pratchett… the list goes on and on… January 18, 2010 at 5:06 am Although Twilight is an entertaining read it is nothing more than cheap thrills filled with angst. It shouldn’t be on the list.

Wheel of Time, in my opinion, should be, but it did have some problems along the middle of the series. It’s still my favorite but I can see why it wouldn’t be on here. Terry Pratchett has written so many books, all of which can’t really be described as a series and can’t be seen as anything by themselves. Maybe they just couldn’t be defined as easily.

Question: 'The Colour of Magic' is the first novel in which comic fantasy book series?
Answer: DISCWORLD