Christmas Special: My Top 10 Fantasy Series
Which isn't really Christmas themed, but I wanted to make this now
We all have our favorite fantasy books. You know, the ones that we defend from all criticism and will talk about to anyone who listens (and many who don’t). In this post, I am writing the top ten personal favorite fantasy series out of those that I’ve read. Of course, that means that these are objectively the best fantasy series out there and no disagreement will be allowed.
My criteria: Only books. No anime, video games or movies allowed. The list is not limited to high fantasy — dark, urban and even YA fantasy series are taken into account.
Honorable mention: The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
Premise
A series of children stumble into the fantastical world of Narnia, which contains (amid other things) talking animals, creatures from Greek mythology, and Santa Claus. They must save the world from a number of different forces threatening it.
Thoughts
I’m putting this series here for nostalgia’s sake. I read it when I was seven or eight years old, and I really enjoyed it back then, but I don’t know how well it would hold up if I were to reread it. Looking back, the religious themes were pretty overt and the morality was pretty simplistic. A fun book for a child, but not something I’d enjoy as an adult.
Favorite Book
My personal favorite book in the series is A Horse and His Boy. As the title suggests, it is the story of a boy and a talking horse who escape slavery together and find themselves trying to prevent a war. I enjoyed the novel’s themes of found family and the search for a place to belong.
Favorite Character
My favorite character in the series is probably Reepicheep — a Puss-in-Boots-esque talking mouse, whose antics were the high point of some of the series’ less interesting books.
10. A Chorus of Dragons by Jenn Lyons
Premise
Kihrin, a small-time thief, is captured by a royal family, and learns that he is their long-lost heir. While escaping from his abusive new family, he discovers that he is the reincarnation of an insane god and has a major part to play in the ongoing war between gods and demons.
Thoughts
This series definitely puts the ‘epic’ in epic fantasy, with a huge cast of characters, extensive lore and worldbuilding, wizards, dragons, demons and gods galore. I especially loved the characters. There’s a lot of trope subversion as well, which I found pretty cool. The first book is pretty difficult to get through, but I enjoyed almost everything after it.
Favorite Book
My favorite book in the series is The House of Always. The main characters are trapped in a tower with an evil god, forced to relive their worst moments, and work together to escape their situation. I love scenarios like these when done right, as it makes for some great character writing.
Favorite Character
I have a couple of favorite characters, but if I had to pick one, it would be Terindel. A mentor to the main characters, he is revealed to be an immortal king with a dark past. He has some of the coolest moments in the series, and I love his dynamics with the other characters.
9. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
Premise
You know what Harry Potter is about. Come on.
Thoughts
There’s been a revisionism surrounding these books after Rowling’s recent controversies. While I do not endorse transphobia, I also believe in separating the art from the artist. I really enjoyed Harry Potter both as a kid and when I was older. The worldbuilding makes absolutely no sense, but the series creates a tone of mystery and wonder that makes the plot holes easier to ignore.
Favorite Book
The Prisoner of Azkaban is easily my favorite book in the series. I feel like the later books could have been edited better, but this was the perfect length. It wasn’t afraid to get dark, and I did not expect the plot twists.
Favorite Character
Neville. I don’t feel the need to explain myself.
8. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
Premise
In case you live under a rock: Frodo Baggins, a hobbit, inherits a magic ring from his uncle. This ring belongs to the Dark Lord Sauron, and Frodo and his friends must travel to the land of Mordor to destroy it before Sauron reclaims it and uses it to conquer Middle-Earth.
Thoughts
This series is the foundation for all epic fantasy. Almost every piece of media that falls under the fantasy genre draws some form of inspiration, conscious or otherwise. I enjoyed the prose, but the pace was a little slow. Tolkien seemed more focused on story and themes than he was on his characters, which is antithetical to more modern fantasy books. Still, the effort that went into this book is clear, and I really enjoyed it.
Favorite Book
The Return of the King was the perfect ending to the series. It satisfactorily wrapped up all plot threads, was thematically resonant, and ended on a perfect, if bittersweet, note.
Favorite Character
Sam. Everyone talks about how badass Aragorn and Boromir are, but no one talks about the hobbit gardener who fought the last descendant of an Lovecraftian spider god and won.
7. The Earthsea Cycle by Ursula K. Le Guin
Premise
These stories are set in an archipelago of thousands of islands surrounded by an unmapped ocean. While they contain fantastical elements of dragons and wizards, these stories are more simple and grounded in character development.
Thoughts
I only began the series this year, and it's already one of my favorites. The prose is some of the best I’ve ever read. I loved the character development and coming-of-age stories, as well as the masterfully woven themes. Le Guin’s father was the famous anthropologist Alfred Kroeber, and his work shows in the depth of the culture and world in the series.
Favorite Book
The Tombs of Atuan tell a compelling story about power, devotion, indoctrination, freedom, and growth. I loved the dynamic between the two main characters, as well as Tenar’s personal growth.
Favorite Character
Speaking of which, Tenar is the protagonist of The Tombs of Atuan. I absolutely loved her journey as she discovered herself and broke the shackles chaining her. I’ve written about it in depth in this post
6. His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman
Premise
This series follows the growth of two children, Lyra and Will, as they travel through parallel universes. In the background is a mysterious substance known as Dust and a war against religious authority.
Thoughts
I loved the coming-of-age story of the two main characters, and enjoyed the supporting cast as well. The series is bold in its criticism of organized religion, the dangers of dogmatism and the use of God to oppress. However, I did find the messaging a little heavy-handed in parts. The ending was bittersweet, but in a way that I enjoyed.
Favorite Book
The Subtle Knife was the best book in the trilogy, in my opinion. The worldbuilding was enjoyable, the side characters like Lee and Mary had some great moments, and Mrs. Coulter once again established herself as a chilling antagonist.
Favorite Character
I really enjoyed Mary Malone. She was a figure of great support to the main duo, and her own arc in the third book was extremely fun to read. I also liked the biblical imagery surrounding her.
5. Discworld by Terry Pratchett
Premise
The Discworld is a flat planet that sits on the backs of four huge elephants, themselves standing on the back of a world turtle, named Great A'Tuin, as it slowly swims through space. The books of this series are rich with comedic elements, parodying and poking fun at fantasy cliches.
Thoughts
This series contains some of the funniest books I’ve ever read. I am by no means an expert - I’ve only read a handful of the forty-something books in the series. Whatever I’ve read has been enough to cement this series as one of my all-time favorites. The cast of characters is diverse and interesting, and there are some truly dark moments and compelling themes behind the humor.
Favorite Book
I Shall Wear Midnight features the young witch Tiffany Aching as she navigates adolescence, caring for the people of the Chalk, and dealing with discrimination against witches. One of the darkest books in the series, heavily focusing on human discrimination against the other.
Favorite Character
I can’t pick one, so here are my top five in no particular order:
Death: The personification of, well, death, who cares deeply for humanity.
Tiffany Aching: A young, but clever and powerful witch.
Susan Sto-Helit: Death’s granddaughter and occasional agent.
Havelock Vetinari: A Machiavellian politician who rules the city of Ankh-Morpork
Samuel Vimes: The grizzled commander of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch
Honorable mentions to Carrot and Nobby.
4. The Percy Jackson Universe by Rick Riordan
Premise
The Greek gods have taken up residence in modern-day America, and continue to have children. These children, known as demigods, are targeted by monsters and fight to defend the world from mythological threats. Spinoff series also explore Egyptian and Norse mythology.
Thoughts
This book series may have been written for middle-graders, but it has fans of all ages. I read it when I was eight or nine years old, but I keep coming back to it and anticipate each new release. I also love how diverse it is, with each character feeling three-dimensional and fully fleshed out where in many series they just feel like tickmarks on some sort of inclusivity checklist.
Favorite Book
The House of Hades, third book in the Heroes of Olympus series, is my personal favorite Riordan book. It shows our characters at their lowest point, ambitiously going darker than most middle-grade books would dare to go. It also masterfully juggles the arcs of many characters through its limited pagecount.
Favorite Character
A lot of books have interesting side characters but quite flat and boring protagonists. Riordan does not have this problem. Percy Jackson is brimming with personality and character, making him one of the most beloved characters in the franchise, as well as my personal favorite.
3. The Cosmere by Brandon Sanderson
Premise
The Cosmere is the universe that holds multiple book series written by Brandon Sanderson. It is ruled by the Shards of Adonalsium, sixteen godlike beings who have settled on various planets and imbued their residents with various forms of magic.
Thoughts
Reading Sanderson’s books, it is clear how much thought goes into them. Everything from the worlds to the magic systems are detailed and logically consistent. Still, I feel that at a times it feels to scientific, without the sense of mystery and wonder that is a characteristic of epic fantasy. Still, Even with the worlds and magic systems, I think Sanderson’s biggest asset is his characters. They are flawed, even broken, but ultimately heroic in a way that is incredibly inspiring.
Favorite Book
Oathbringer is the third book in the epic fantasy series The Stormlight Archive. It focuses on the knight Dalinar Kholin, and his attempts to unify the world against a common enemy while simultaneously grappling with his own past. It has everything I love about the Stormlight books, while mostly avoiding their pitfalls, and masterfully completes Dalinar’s character arc.
Favorite Character
As I’m sure you already realize, Dalinar is my favorite character. I already loved him in the first two books, and Oathbringer just cemented him as my favorite. I haven’t read Wind and Truth yet, but I have high hopes.
2. A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin
Premise
The book series that inspired Game of Thrones, ASOIAF is a darker, grittier low fantasy series than those I have described before, dominated by political intrigue. Set in the aftermath of a rebellion against the Targaryen dynasty, it shows a struggle for power among the various noble houses of the continent of Westeros, with a looming threat in the north.
Thoughts
The political aspect of the series is masterfully written. No character is truly good, and few are objectively evil. Most are simply looking out for themselves and acting in accordance with their own motives in a way that feels realistic. Something I also feel is underrated about this series is that it portrays hyper-masculine warrior societies and how that affects those who are unable to live up to those masculine ideals. My biggest criticism is probably the abundance of sex scenes that just feel unnecessary and gratuitous.
Favorite Book
A Storm of Swords holds so many of the series’ most iconic moments — the Red Wedding, the Battle on the Wall, and several others I cannot mention without spoiling. It contains turning points for characters like Jon, Dany, Tyrion, and Arya. In my opinion, this book was Martin at the peak of his abilities.
Favorite Character
Tyrion Lannister is not your typical fantasy dwarf. Rather than being a separate race, he is just a human with dwarfism, and the story deeply explores how that affect him — the discrimination he faces, his inability to live up to the ideals of Westerosi society, and how he uses his mind to make his way up in a world that only values strength.
1. The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson
Premise
Three thousand years before the beginning of the series, Lews Therin Telamon used the One Power to seal away the Dark One, preventing him from touching the Pattern of Ages. However, the Dark One tainted the power, driving all men who could use it insane. With the Dark One’s prison coming undone, Rand al’Thor is revealed as Lews Therin’s reincarnation and is destined to give up his life to save the world from the Dark One. The only problem is - can he do so before his own power drives him insane?
Thoughts
This is possibly the biggest fantasy series ever, with fourteen sizable novels and a prequel novella. There are a lot of negatives — the romance is unconvincing, the gender conflict gets annoying pretty quickly, and there is a massive drop in quality between books seven and ten before it picks up again in book eleven. That being said, the positive aspects outweigh the negative ones (at least for me). The benefit of fourteen books is that we are able to see our characters’ growth in great detail. The world and cultures are also shown in great detail as well. The power system is creative and well fleshed out. Even side characters with relatively little page time, such as Verin and Ituralde, were incredibly interesting. There were some interesting themes about fate and free will. And the conclusion to the series did not disappoint. It was as epic and satisfying as the series deserved.
Favorite Book
The Shadow Rising is my favorite book by Robert Jordan. I love all the revelations about the world. It has some great moments from characters like Rand, Mat, and Nynaeve. But the standout aspect of this book is the exploration of the Aiel. I absolutely love how Jordan wrote their culture and history.
The best Sanderson book on the other hand, is the final book of the series, A Memory of Light. There are a lot of epic and emotional moments, as well as satisfying endings to all character arcs. And the final battle itself is probably my favorite ever. Despite being larger than some of the Harry Potter books, the fighting never got boring. The ending genuinely had me in tears at the amazing journey the books had led me through. The highest praise I can give to Sanderson is that he was the best choice to succeed Jordan after his untimely passing.
Favorite Character
My favorite character from this series is easily Mat Cauthon. He starts out as a lovable rogue, whose luck-based abilities provide comedic shenanigans. he quickly grows into a brilliant general and skilled warrior. Through it all, he remains one of the most genuinely kind and selfless people in the series, and constantly makes sacrifices for the sake of the people around him.
Well researched writings on world of Fantasy.
Really good choices! I like that you included your favorite book and character within the series, it's a cool format