MY TOP FIVE FANTASY SERIES

[Elder]

1. Belgariad- Eddings

2. WoT - Jordan

3. Riftwar Saga- Feist

4. Mirror of her Dreams/A Man Rides Through- Donaldson (Doesn't get any better than these two novels)

5.Dragonlance(first 3 novels)

 

 

I would put the Shannara series (first 2 books) right behind these. This series got a lot of people interested in fantasy. I am a teacher and get a few middle school students hooked on it every year.

[Direwolf Jon]

1. Wot

2. ASoIaF

3. HP

4. LotR

5. SoT

[Guest Wynne Jessal]

1) Wars of Light and Shadow by Janny Wurts

 

and then in no particular order

 

Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling

The Histories of Middle Earth, J.R.R Tolkien

Prydain Chronicles, Lloyd Alexander

and of course, The Wheel of Time

[Ishydin]

Aside from WoT and Harry Potter at the top, and Tolkien holding a special place of honor that can't be touched, my other fantasy series are

 

-The riftwar saga and all the following books - Raymond E. Feist

-The Dragonlance novels, but only the ones that were written by Weiss and Hickman, particularly the original three

-The Guardians of the Flame series by Joel Rosenberg.

-The Bazil Broketail series by Christopher Rowley, although this series really starts to drag at the end.

 

 

I tried reading Terry Goodkind once and almost vomited into the book it was so bad.

 

 

edit: interestingly enough, you guys seem to really enjoy the empire trilogy that feist did with janny wurts. I personally didnt enjoy it very much when i read it, but maybe i should try again since that was 6 years ago and i was only 12.

[the dude]

I tried reading Terry Goodkind once and almost vomited into the book it was so bad.

 

i like this guy.

[Werthead]

The only author who's made me want to vomit is L. Ron Hubbard, who makes Goodkind like a writer of rare and subtle genius.

[Dweller]

In no particular order:

 

Wheel of Time - RJ

Song of Fire & Ice - GRR Martin

Scavenger Triology - KJ Parker

Malazan Book of the Fallen - S Erikson

Necroscope line of books - B Lumley

 

The last though not strictly 'fantasy' have elements of Sci-fi, fantasy, gothic horror.

 

Others that i have enjoyed immensely would be Farseer Triology - Robin Hobb, early RA Salvatore books (although his last 3 concentrating on Artemis/Jarlaxle have redemed some of his later work), first 6 Dagonlance novels from Hickman/Weiss and the Riftwar Saga from Fiest, add in numerous others to the pot aswell

[SBoydW]

Belgarath the Sorcerer- David Eddings

Song of Fire and Ice- George R.R. Martin

The Wheel of Time- Robert Jordan

Elenium/Tamuli- David Eddings

Crown of Stars- Kate Elliot

 

Yes I love David Eddings, Even though all his stories tell pretty much the same story they're easy reading and entertaining. Mainly because Eddings' books don't have the eternal descriptions of RJ, or the eternal twisting of plots by Martin(even though some of which are really good) that confuse to the point of not know whos where or doing what. Maybe i'm just to simple but that's my list and I'm done rambling.

[SBoydW]

Correction #1 should actually be anything about Belgarath. The Belgaraiad, Belgarath the Sorcerer, Polgara,(not really about Belgarath but it counts because he's in it) amd last but not least The Mallorean.

 

I know those aren't in order oh well.

[details]

Oooh.

1. Lord of the Rings (give it up for the originator)

2. Wheel of Time

3. Dragon Lance (you know you love it! 8) )

4. The Dark is Rising

5. Threeway tie: the Prydain Chronicles (Lloyd Alexander's series), Chronicles of Narnia, and the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (I dunno if that counts as fantasy, LoL).

 

I have to hang on to the things I loved as a kid, and those were definitely Dragon Lance, the Dark is Rising, and the High King. Plus, of course, Lord of the Rings.

 

Also, has anyone ever read Lloyd Alexander's books?

[Kadere]

I have! I have! Black Calduron was my fav!

[Kaznen]

The only author who's made me want to vomit is L. Ron Hubbard, who makes Goodkind like a writer of rare and subtle genius.

 

I agree about Hubbard. And a religion based on WoT would be more believable then Scientology.

[slothrop]

no order:

Wot

ASoIaF (the one i recommend most to people at work)

Dark Tower

HP

Farseer/Tawnyman

 

I have read Alexander's books. Good stuff. SOme of the first fantasy i have ever read. Black Cauldron is the best, i agree.

[racha_giurgiu]

ooo

 

1. The Wheel of Time-obviously, I spend my free time on this board.

2. Novels of Tiger and Del-Jennifer Roberson

3. Chronicles of the Cheysuli-Jennifer Roberson

4. Chronicles of Narnia-Elliot

5. I read Mattimeo a lot when I was young, Ineed to read the whole series. So I'll add Redwall based on high hopes.

[maeve]

I can't really order them as they change depending on when i read them.

 

WOT

LOTR

Robin Hobbs - all her work so far is great.

Stephen Donaldson - in particular Mordant's Need

Raymond E Feist and Janny Wurts - again all of their work but in particular the daughter of the empire trilogy.

 

I noticed a lot mention A Song of Ice and Fire by George RR Martin. I haven't read that. i checked out his website and he seems pretty amazing and i liked what he was reading so i'll put that on my christmas list.

 

there are so many great books!!!!

[Guest Majsju]

WOT - RJ

ASOIAF - Martin

Robin Hobbs, I read her three trilogies as one long series

Gormenghast - Peake

Narnia - Lewis

 

SOT gets a nod for being the worst fantasy ever written.

[Werthead]

I don't like SoT, but there's certainly worse out there: Newcombe cannot write at all and there's L. Ron Hubbard's appaling novels from the 1980s that are so filled with hatred of homosexuals, liberals and women that they're utterly unreadable. Eddings' Tamuli trilogy is also notable for its total lack of logic, coherence or entertainment value.

[Master of the Blades]

1) Harry Potter (JK Rowling)

 

2) LOTR (JRR Tolkien)

 

3) Wheel of Time (R Jordan)

 

4) ASOIAF (GRR Martin)

 

5) Fionvar Tapestry (GG Kay)

 

 

The more I read Harry Potter the more I am convinced it will be come a classic tale outliving all the others except for LOTR. Wheel of Time is too poorly written to become a classic. Too bad it is the best story of them all.

[RobertAlexWillis]

Wow Maj .... for people with very different world views, we enjoy reading the same stuff ...

[circumventor]

1)The Wheel of Time

2)A Song of Ice and Fire

3)Dune

4)The Dark Tower

5)??

 

I'm about to start The Malazan Book of the Fallen, maybee it'll be number 5.

[Ravenfire]

1. Wheel of Time

2. Mordant's Need by Stephen Donaldson

3. The Deryni books by Katherine Kurtz

4. The Empire trilogy by Raymond Feist, but I also like the Riftwar series.

5. Anything by David Gemmell; Druss, Waylander, Jon Shannow....

 

Belgarath the Sorceror nearly made it onto the list too. The rest of Eddings books, I'd maybe like, if he could come up with new storylines instead of recycling the same ones over...and over...and over.

[Balor]

In no particular order...

• The Dark Tower - Stephen King.
  Wheel of Time - Robert Jordan
  Dune - Frank Herbert (and the Brian Herbert/Kevin J. Anderson prequels)
  The Thomas Covenant Chronicles - Stephen Donaldson
  The Books of Corum - Michael Moorcock

Hmmm... there seems to be a kind of common denominator in some of these stories... hands.

[battousai]

In no particular order:

 

Wheel of Time - RJ

Sword of Truth - Goodkind

Memory, Sorrow, Thorn - Williams

Runelords - David Farland (im surprised no one mentioned this)

A Song of Ice and Fire - Martin

 

Of course there is always Harry Potter, and the Belgariad by Eddings.

[Guest Barmacral]

1 - Wheel of Time... Robert Jordan

2 - The Dark Tower... Stephen King

3 - The Troy Game (its all about the last book)... Sara Douglas

4 - Lord of the Rings... J.R.R. Tolkien

5 - Sword of Truth... Terry Goodkind

[Mardragon]

The Dark Tower series is definitely good (although not without flaws in my opinion, but it still captivated me).

 

Shannara books- The first I disliked (almost exact same plot as Lord Of The Rings but not as good), but I enjoyed the others, although parts of the books did drag a bit for me. Also not so good writing, but the stories are interesting, if that makes sense.

 

Someone I don't think anyone has mentioned - Terry Pratchett's Discworld books. Not a series as such (you can pretty much read em in any order) but very entertaining. Read if you want a bit of comedy with your fantasy.

 

Someone mentioned Drizzt- I haven't read any of those books,but I'd like to (I have played the character as an unlockable in the Baldur's Gate:Dark Alliance games though. Good fun!) I've read one other book by Salvatore though-I forget the name but it was one of the Assassin books (I believe his name was Artemis. He was an unlockable character in BG:DA2 ;) ). Since his work is based on Dungeons and Dragons I thought it would be trashy. I actually found it rather good.

 

As for Stephen R Lawhead- I think I've got most of his books (except perhaps the very latest). I think the Pendragon books were my favourite too.