This post has been a long time coming. I’ve been reading modern fantasy since the mid-80’s, and it’s been one of the great passions of my life. In fact I’d say fantasy is one of the main reasons I began to love reading at all. I am making this list for a few reasons, but the primary one is so that other folks out there can enjoy what I have enjoyed, and other fantasy connoisseurs can maybe find a novel or a series they haven’t read yet and give it a shot.
I’m going to set a few parameters on this list. This is a list of my favorite series, NOT a ranked ‘best of’ list of fantasy novels. I find the idea vaguely ridiculous, inevitably subjective, and a little childish. I will be listing these in alphabetical order by author. I will confine my list to modern fantasy–I will not be including stuff from the middle ages or earlier, like The Faerie Queene, Beowulf or Gilgamesh. I believe modern fantasy started with The Well at World’s End by William Morris, published in 1896. Why? His book was the first to be set in an entirely invented world: a fantasy world. One final caveat: I prefer “clean” fantasy. In other words, fantasy where this is little or no swearing, graphic sex, or gross immoral conduct–such as torture being condoned by the hero. Okay, so here we go:
Piers Anthony, Xanth: I really enjoyed a few of his series, so I will include them here. His most famous series is the Xanth series. The first book, A Spell for Chameleon, is excellent. If you have a child and want to introduce them to fantasy this is a prime candidate. This is about a boy who lives in a land where everyone has some magic, but he can’t seem to figure out what his is. Each novel has a self-contained story with a beginning and an end. The first six or seven books are all of a similar quality, and are great for kids and teens. After that the quality declines and more sensual elements tend to intrude. Be warned, this series has no end. Book 47 is currently being written!
The Apprentice Adept series begins with Split Infinity, and is still one of the most creative series I’ve read. The protagonist, Stile, is a master Gamesman and lives on a science fiction-based world, but gets transported to a fantasy world. Be aware there is some sensuality and sexuality in this series. Another notable entry is his Incarnations of Immortality series. Read the first book, On a Pale Horse. In this series a regular guy living in our world accidentally kills the incarnation of Death, and has to take his place!
Terry Brooks, The Shannara series: The Sword of Shannara is the first book in Terry’s iconic trilogy. This series is one of the pillars of the genre. It was made into a pretty crappy TV series so ignore that and read this. This story begins with a half-elf, Shea Ohmsford, who gets swept up into adventure by the last druid, who tells him Shea is last true heir of Shannara–and only he can save the world. Brooks has written a ton of other books set in the same universe since, but if you want to consider yourself a true student of fantasy you need to read this seminal trilogy.
Jim Butcher, the Dresden Files: Jim may not have invented the urban fantasy sub-genre but he seems to be the current king. Everything begins with Storm Front. Set in modern-day Chicago, Harry Dresden advertises in the yellow pages as a professional wizard: “Lost items found. Paranormal investigations. Reasonable rates.” This series starts out with Harry as a world-weary noirish detective down on his luck, and over the course of the series ramps up into an exceptionally well developed world (actually two worlds), where the guy keeps getting involved in things way over his head. There is occasional profanity and some sexual tones in this series, so this is at least PG-13 rated for parents out there. I found out about Dresden through the TV series, it’s one of the few I think is decent.
Stephen R Donaldson, The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant: What a series! It’s a shame they redid the covers with the generic ring, because the earlier ones were much better. Thomas is a guy living in our contemporary world, and he has a disease: leprosy. It’s lost him everything, including this family. In Lord Foul’s Bane he gets pulled into a fantasy world and is miraculously healed, and heralded as the reincarnation of the world’s greatest hero due to the white gold wedding ring he still wears. The only problem is he doesn’t quite believe what’s happening to him is real, and not just a delusion. Thus begins another of the strong tent-poles in the history of fantasy novels. One caveat here is that something nasty occurs early in the first book that many readers may object to, and may have difficulty understanding or forgiving him for. There is also a second trilogy, which I also thought was great, and a third trilogy which is more recent that I have not read.
David Eddings, The Belgariad: The Belgariad and the Chronicles of Narnia are the two series that first sold me on fantasy. Again, if you have a child around 10 or 12 you can’t do much better to introduce them to fantasy than this series, beginning with Pawn of Prophecy. A young boy named Garion lives with his Aunt Pol on a farm. He loves his life, and hearing stories from an old storyteller named Wolf who occasionally visits. Little does he know he will play a pivotal role in the world, affecting the fates of nations and even gods. It’s a shame they changed the cover, the earlier edition had a better cover.
Raymond E Feist, the Riftwar Saga: One of the classic fantasy series of all time, I love everything about it. The first time I read it I was pretty bored at first, and came close to quitting. Thank goodness I didn’t! Again, updating the covers really seems to be a mistake. Childhood friends Pug and Tomas both want to be knights, but when Pug is rejected and apprenticed to a wizard instead (which he thinks is incredibly lame), the fate of his life–and two worlds–is forever altered. Start with Magician: Apprentice.
Terry Goodkind, The Sword of Truth: This is a series that I recommend to everyone for about the first six books. After that, dump it. Starting with Wizard’s First Rule, this series has a lot to recommend it. Richard Cypher is just a regular guy who likes tromping through the forest and hanging out with Zed, a crazy old dude. When he meets Kahlan, a beautiful woman who comes from outside the valley he lives in, his life is turned upside down as he learns he is the wielder of the legendary Sword of Truth. I initially thought the concept for the sword was copied from the sword of Shannara, which has similar properties, but the stories themselves are completely different.
Benedict Jacka, Alex Verus: I heard about this guy from Jim Butcher (Dresden Files author), who raved about him. Whereas Dresden is a pretty powerful wizard, Alex Verus is not. He lives in England and is a diviner–the kind of wizard that can see possible futures, but he’s relatively weak compared to most. He’s also on the outs with magical society in general, running a small magic shop. When he is approached by multiple parties to open an artifact from long ago he knows it will be trouble, and likely reduce his life expectancy. Does he do it anyway? Of course he does. Fated gets the ball rolling and is one of the best urban fantasy series ever. While there isn’t much sexual content, there is some language in this series.
Robert Jordan, Wheel of Time: Does this series need an introduction? Maybe this cover does, which is a step down from the original. This cover is from the TV series that was recently attempted, with very mixed results. The isolated village of Emond’s Field is visited by a couple of strangers, an Aes Sedai witch and her Warder, not long before their village is attacked by monsters. For Rand, Matt, Perrin, Egwene and Nynaeve, their lives will never be the same. The strangers become protectors as the five friends are hunted by an ancient enemy of their world, because one of them is the Dragon Reborn. This massive 14-book series is one of the most well known fantasy series of all time, and I’ve been reading it since The Eye of the World first came out. Jordan actually died before the series ended, but Brandon Sanderson took over for the final three books and did a great job.
A.F. Kay, Divine Apostasy: This is an example of both litRPG and cultivation fantasy, two subgenres of fantasy. On Ruwen’s Ascension Day, he will die for the first time. Dying allows his god Uru to evolve his body into having greater abilities when he is raised a few days later. However his ascension day goes disastrously, and not long after he is raised with a completely inappropriate class, a rival god kills him again! For reasons he doesn’t know he is targeted by assassins and will need a lot of help if he is to survive and realize his destiny. Shade’s First Rule starts this series out, and is nearly complete.
C.S. Lewis, The Chronicles of Narnia: This series transcends the genre and is a classic. I think practically everyone knows about it, right? Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy are staying in the countryside to escape the Blitz in 1940, and while there pass through a magic wardrobe to an even more magical land: Narnia. Those of you younger than 40 have probably been reading these books in the wrong order. Read them in the order they were published in, NOT the order the books are numbered. The Lion, Witch and Wardrobe ought to always be read first. Long live Aslan!
Robin McKinley, The Hero and the Crown: I’ve listed a couple of novels that are great entries into fantasy if you have a child you want to interest in the genre. This is another one. The Hero and the Crown is categorized for young adults but it’s really for everyone. Aerin is the shy, retiring daughter of the king, who through the book becomes the savior of the kingdom. I didn’t realize when I read it this book was the second in the series, but it’s actually a prequel so I’d still recommend reading this one first.
Michael Moorcock, The Eternal Champion: MM has written a ton of novels. Want to know where to start? There are tons of suggested reading orders on the web, believe me it’s a quagmire. I think you should start with The Eternal Champion, because it introduces the central concept that ties everything else together. This is part of a trilogy, but really this book alone is worth the price. It’s hard to describe this novel without giving stuff away, but let’s say John Daker dreams of other worlds and finds himself in a different land, where two nations are at war. Moorcock has written an even more famous hero, Elric of Melnibone, and the link is a great place to start with that character.
Terry Pratchett, Discworld: I didn’t discover this series until I was an adult but I wish I’d found it earlier. This is a terrific series that spans multiple characters, covers lots of ground, and the only thing the novels have in common is they take place on Discworld–a flat world that sits on four huge elephants, which are in turn on top of a gigantic space turtle. What’s great about Discworld is what makes other fantasy worlds great, except this one is also hilarious! Rincewind is a third-rate wizard who reluctantly spends time with Twoflower, a tourist to Discworld, and the results launched a series. It all begins with The Color of Magic. Be aware this turns into a very long series, but each book is a self-contained story like the Xanth series.
Jennifer Roberson, Tiger and Del: There are now seven books in this series but it’s the first four that are awesome. This story begins with Sword-Dancer: the main characters are two sword masters, and I mean masters. Sandtiger is a southern master, at home in the desert. Del comes down from the cold northern mountains looking for her brother, and hires Tiger to help her find him. They find more than they bargain for. This is a series more folks should read. While the plot is important, it’s the chemistry between the leads that makes you want to keep reading.
Andrew Rowe, Arcane Ascension/Weapons and Wielders: There are two series he’s written I like, and they are interrelated. The first is the Arcane Ascension series, the second is the Weapons and Wielders series. In Sufficiently Advanced Magic, Corin lives in a world with towers, and if one can get to the top they are granted a boon by a goddess. Corin’s brother disappeared five years ago in one of them. He enters against his family’s advice, and that is just the beginning of his adventure. This is progression lit, which is a subgenre of fantasy, and I recommend both series to everyone. The second series is something to read after a certain point in the first series. It will make sense when you get there. This series is not yet complete.
R.A. Salvatore, Homeland: This is a rare D&D-based series that really works. I’ll be honest I’m not really a fan of Salvatore, with one exception: this trilogy. In Homeland Drizzt is a dark elf, part of a subterranean nation of elves, all of whom are evil. As he grows up he realizes his sense of right and wrong are very different from his culture’s, and has to decide what to do about it. This trilogy is about his odyssey from his homeland to the surface world.
JRR Tolkien, Lord of the Rings: This is another fantasy series that has transcended its genre, and is simply a classic. Arguably the classic. Start with The Hobbit, where Bilbo Baggins gets a visit from the wizard Gandalf and some dwarves, and practically gets forced to leave his home and go on an adventure. If there’s a series that set the tone for virtually all fantasy since this is it. Of course even Tolkien was influenced by others. If you enjoy Tolkien you may also want to consider reading the incredibly influential King of Elfland’s Daughter by Lord Dunsany and The Broken Sword by Poul Anderson.
Rohan M. Vider, The Gods’ Game: This is a litRPG series. In this series Kyran is someone from earth who is accidentally summoned to another world, appearing in a meeting of gods. The fact that he is an unknown factor and possibly a foreign agent causes them all to decide to kill him–only a timely intervention on his behalf saves his life. He is given a virtually hopeless chance at life, tossed into the deepest layer of an undead dungeon. Can he escape? Is there even a point? Find out in this riveting series. If you have doubts in the first couple of chapters keep reading, it is very hard to put down. Start with Crota and after this series try his other one, The Dragon Mage.
Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman, Dragonlance: Oh man, if there was ever a Dungeons and Dragons series to read this is it. Actually, these two series are it because you need to read them both. The Chronicles, starting with Dragons of Autumn Twilight, needs to be read first. The world of Krynn is one where the gods have abandoned humanity. Old friends come together at an inn after some years apart. While there some trouble ensues, and they end up with a barbarian and a woman who claims to be a cleric in tow, declaring that the old gods are returning. This is truly a series that has everything, including one of my favorite characters in all of fantasy. If you can’t get enough Weis & Hickman try The Deathgate Cycle. You’ll be glad you did.
Will Wight, Cradle: This is another example of cultivation/progression lit, and IMO an extraordinary series. Lindon lives in a valley with his family and other martial artists. However where others have a sacred path that is revealed to them Lindon does not, he is considered Unsouled. As a result he is forbidden to follow or learn any path. When a catastrophic event occurs his courage causes even a celestial visitor to take notice, and Lindon decides to start making things happen himself. Can’t recommend this one enough, and the series is complete!
That’s my list for now. As time passes I will doubtless add more books to it, but I think this is a good start. Please feel free to share your thoughts below!