The Best Epic Fantasy Novels and Series of All Time

[tim1]

i personaly feel tolkien is tops followed by dragon lance all then the pern series

[Ralgrl]

 I had never read any fantansy books and didn't think I would like them but I accidentally picked one up of the Rhapsody series and thought it was something else.  I couldn't put them down once I started reading.  Do you have any idea when the next one is going to be out.  I didn't find anything on the author's website as yet. They are really good though.  I was disappointed when I loaned them to other friends who read as much or more and they didn't like them.

[Nelsmom]

Ralgrl,

If you are meaning the series by Elizabeth Hayden they are all out and there are six books in the series and it is call Symphany Of Ages with the books in the following order:

Rhapsody: Child Of Blood

Prophecy: Child Of Earth

Destiny: Child Of The Sky

Requiem For The Sun

Elegy For A Lost Star

The Assassin King

 I hope that helps you.  She is finished with that series but she is writing a series of Young Adult books and they are Lost Journals of Ven Polyphene

The Floating Island (2oo6)

The Thief Queen's Daughter (2007)

the Dragon's Lair (June 2009)

Toni

Message Edited by Nelsmom on 03-04-2009 09:04 PM

[MJS74]

THE WHEEL OF TIME series to me is the best . a few i have'nt seen mentioned. DAVID WEBER'S HONER HARRINGTON SERIES, STEVEN ERIKSON'S TALE OF THE MALAZAN BOOK OF THE FALLEN( A LITTLE STRANGE BUT VERY GOOD) LAURELL HAMILTON'S ANITA BLAKE VAMPIRE HUNTER ( AS THE SERIES GOES ON YOU GET LESS VAMPIRE HUNTING AND MORE SEX,BUT I LIKED THE FIRST FEW BOOKS ALOT). if you like military SF try INTO THE LOOKING GLASS series by JOHN RINGO (SOME OF HIS OTHER WORKS I DONT LIKE, TO MUCH POLITICS)if you like wizards get JIM BUTCHER'S DRESDEN FILES.

[Bonnie824]

The Mists of Avalon  

The House of Gaian (The Tir Alainn Trilogy Series)  

Sebastian  

Belladonna (Ephemera Series #2)  

Beguilement (Sharing Knife Series #1), Vol. 1  

[PetorThird]

So many to choose from...to me...gotta be The Lord of the Rings or Dragonlance series.

[Rukus]

The Night Angel Trilogy - Brent Weeks

Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams

[dalnewt]

Although I'm no connoisseur, these are my picks:

The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien

Dune by Frank Herbert

The Once and Future King by T. H. White

Furies of Calderon series by Jim Butcher

I also like:

Shadow Fall and Hinterland by James Clemens

A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin (I obtained the next two books, A Clash of Kings and A Storm of Swords, but haven't gotten around to reading them yet. Apparently, Martin never concluded the series after the 4th book.)

First two books of the Twilight Reign series by Tom Lloyd (I'll eventually read third book entitled The Grave Thief.) 

[mdez]

There's two glaring examples that are absent from this thread, at least in my eyes.

Stover - Heroes Die, Blade of Tyshalle, Caine Black Knife

Abercrombie - The First Law Trilogy

The latter I just recently finished, and found myself completely engrossed with it throughout its entirety.  I would rank it right among Zelazny's Amber as well as Cook's Black Company.  Heroes Die has been a long time favorite of mine, and the rest of Stover's books are just as amazing (he's still going with Caine books too).  If you haven't checked these out yet, you won't be dissappointed!

[bmeadows]

Morning--

I haven't read many Sci-Fi/Fantasy novel collections, but of what I've read, I've enjoyed the following very much so!

The Dune Saga - Frank Herbet, Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson

The Foundation Series - Isaac Asimov

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy - Tolkein

The Blade of the Flame Trilogy - Tim Waggoner

The Legend of Drizzt Saga - R.A. Salvatore

B.Meadows

[ParkerS17]

There a ton of fantasy series that I love, but I have to say that my favorite is...

The Mistborn Series by Brandon Sanderson

     1) The Final Empire

     2) The Well of Ascension

     3) The Hero of Ages

The magic is extremely original and inventive, but it took me a bit to get used to.  I actually read the prologue of The Final Empire and then put the book down for a while because I thought it was too strange and took itself too seriously.  But when I finally got my head in the game and got into the book, I couldn't put it down.  Sanderson has amazing twists that are amazing and surprising, but afterwards it seems so obvious.  The ending The Hero of Ages blew my mind.  The final, huge twist has hints throughout the entire series, there's even one of the first page of the first book.  The whole series is extrememly well written and works together better than any series I've ever read.

[totnbomb]

Perhaps I missed it in the mix.

The Ender Series by Orson Scott Card

[SeanCampbell]

Maybe I missed it in the list but one fantasy series that gets overlooked sometimes is the Dragonlance series. Specifically the Chronicles and Legends trilogies.

[Permacav50]

Just about all the titles I can think of have already been mentioned but one I can add is the Death Gate Cycle by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman.

The Minotaur Wars by Richard Knaak in Dragonlance is often overlooked as well. Great trilogy.  

[Tektonica]

You've mentioned most of my favorites:

JRR Tolkien, the grandaddy of them all.

Hobb's, Farseer and Tawny Man trilogies

GRRMartin's, Game of Thrones, etc.

Feist's, Magician, etc.

Brandon Sanderson's, Mistborn series

Robert Jordan's, Wheel of Time series.  

On the Wheel of Time:  Yes, it bogged down in the middle few books, but the depth of allegory, history, research, is truly amazing.  It functions on so many levels.

 Brandon Sanderson of Mistborn and Elantris is finishing the series, since RJ's death.  He has sped up the pace and is an excellent writer.  He's staying very true to the characters and the conclusion is coming soon!  Tor, the publisher, is doing a systematic reread on it's site with Leigh Butler moderating, and many people commenting on plot threads and character arcs, if you are interested.  The rereads have revived my interest and taught me alot!  

Brandon's first book in the conclusion (which will be 3 books total) is out now and excellent.  

[Felicia_220]

The Lost Years of Merlin Epic by T. A. Barron:

The Lost Years of Merlin

The Seven Songs of Merlin

The Fires of Merlin

The Mirror of Merlin

The Wings of Merlin

Artemis Fowl Series by Eoin Colfer:

Artemis Fowl

The Arctic Incident

The Eternity Code

The Opal Deception

The Lost Colony

The Time Paradox

The Atlantis Complex

The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini:

Eragon

Eldest

Brisingr

The Fire Within Series by Chris D'Lacey:

The Fire Within

IceFire

Fire Star

The Fire Eternal

The Great Tree of Avalon Trilogy by T.A. Barron:

Child of the Dark Prophecy

The Eternal Flame

Shadows on the Stars

These are all great books to read!

[Catlyn99]

Most of my top picks have already been listed.  A few that haven't been mentioned yet:

Telzey Amberdon series by James H. Schmitz

Miles Vorkosigan series by Lois McMaster Bujold

Paksenarrion series by Elizabeth Moon

Witch World series by Andre Norton (couldn't remember if this one had made the list yet)

Wolfwalker series by Tara k Harper (not really a classic, but a very good read =)

[paulgoatallen]

---

Catlyn99 wrote:

Most of my top picks have already been listed.  A few that haven't been mentioned yet:

Telzey Amberdon series by James H. Schmitz

---

Catlynn:

I never even heard of James H. Schmitz series. Exactly what type of series is it? Just curious – thanks!

Paul

[Nelsmom]

Paul,

I can answer that one for you.  Here  is what Wikipedia has to say about the author and his books. 

Schmitz is best known as a writer of so-called "space opera", and for strong female characters (such as Telzey Amberdon and Trigger Argee) that didn't conform to the damsel in distress stereotype typical of science fiction during the time he was writing. His first published story was Greenface, published in August 1943 in Unknown.

Most of his works are part of the "Hub" series, though his best known novel is The Witches of Karres, concerning juvenile "witches" with genuine psi-powers and their escape from slavery. Karres was nominated for a Hugo Award. During recent years, his novels and short stories have been republished by Baen Books, edited and with notes by Eric Flint.  I have read the books and really enjoyed them.  I will say except for The Witches Of Karres they are mostly a collection of related short stories.

Toni

[paulgoatallen]

You're awesome, Toni – thanks so much!  

Paul