I read 200+ fantasy books and these are the best series

It's finally time to discuss my what my favourite fantasy series of all-time are!

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0:00 - Intro
0:30 - Honourable mentions
4:44 - Top 11
5:54 - Top 10
6:47 - Top 9
8:08 - Top 8
9:17 - Top 7
10:59 - Top 6
12:15 - Top 5
12:45 - Top 4
13:21 - Top 3
14:48 - Top 2
15:52 - Top 1

Other links!

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[jwjohnson]

David Eddings- The Belgariad series, The Mallorean series, Belgarath the Sorcerer, Polgara the sorceress

[pgpegxp]

Tolkien’s LOTR is to fantasy as Beethoven’s 9th is to symphonies.

[Caneniah]

The Redwall Series has been my favorite fantasy series for over 20 years. Simple to read, but full of great world building and characters

[Wissenskontor]

Steven Erikson: Malazan Book of the Fallen
Eddings: Belgariad, Mallorean, Belgarath the Sorcerer, Polgara the Sorceress
Terry Pratchet: Discworld Series

[mmaguire]

honestly thank you for leaving lotr as an honorable mention. We all love it. we all get it. I am looking for new stuff.

[gufrias]

Some of you might shake your heads at this, but to me the Discworld series was a gamechanger. Suddenly almost every otther fantasy series seemed boring and predictable. The crazy comedy, the weird world building, the personalities of the characters, the way Pratchett plays with the language, and not least the way he mirrors the oddities of our own society... marvellous.

I also want to mention Ben Aaronovich's series Rivers of London. Why shouldn't you build your story in modern day London, and create plots around the mythology and traditions that so many og us are familiar with?

[barryschwarz]

You must read The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant by Stephen Donaldson. The protagonist starts in our world and when he is taken to The Land he refuses to believe in it. He is the ultimate anti-hero, a jagged presence in a beautiful world full of honour and sacrifice. Because of the starting conceit I've never felt such connection with a main character. The dialogue is poetic and uplifting, the writing has a tremendous sweep, and the inner and external tribulations on our hero's journey are wonderfully crafted. The first book was written in 1977 and the 10th and final book in 2013, making R.R Martin's hiatus look a like a blink of an eye. It's truly worth a visit.

[fredsmith]

The last 100 or so pages of Words of Radiance still hit me even after reading it four or five times. SO GOOD

[amyrlinseat]

The Memory, Sorrow and Thorn series by Tad Williams (starts with The Dragonbone Chair) is consistently underrated. It's one of my favs but I never hear anyone talking about it.

[paulp]

The Belgariad (Pawn of Prophecy, Queen of Sorcery, Magician's Gambit, Castle of Wizardry, and Enchanter's Endgame) and The Malloreon (Guardians of the West, King of the Murgos, Demon Lord of Karanda, Sorceress of Darshiva, and Seeress of Kell), along with Belgarath the Sorcerer and Polgara the Sorceress. By David and Leigh Eddings. Fantasy grounded in gritty reality. Highly recommended.

[jonashansson]

It seems like Elizabeths Moons "Deed of Paksenarrion" is criminally underrated. One of the few fantasy series where I have thought "This seems realistic". Way to many are unrealistic in some ways, the logic falls short, everything happens too fast or the people act wrong. Most are "neutral" in that they work fine, but you don't really have a sense of that this is how it should be. The deeds of Paksenarrion stands out in the positive way.
And also. I'm happy everytime I run across a series that is not about saving the world from an evil god or saving humanity from a mad sorcerer/demon/whatever that wants to conquer the world. :)

[les]

I like "His Dark Materials" trilogy by Phillip Pullman, "The Magic Kingdom of Landover" series by Terry Brooks, "The Dragonriders of Pern, " and "The Harperhall Trilogy" by Anne McCaffrey, "The Harry Potter" series by J.K. Rowling, "The Heroes of Olympus" series by Rick Riordan...and I'm saluting your #1 pick, "The Dark Tower" series by Stephen King was phenomenal!

[AmyLeraje]

finished green bone saga cause you mentioned it several times and absolutely love it - that was exactly what I've been looking for considering so much cliché and repetitiveness in literature or TV these days. definitely a breath of fresh air! Thank you for introducing me to this masterpiece!

[greggrimes]

L. E Modessitt, Jr. deserves a top spot on this list. Any of his series will comfortably rise to the top of any fantasy list.

[TheGlssr]

The entire Drizzt Do'Urden series by R.A. Salvatore. The Dragonrealm series by Richard A. Knaak. The Thomas Covenant Chronicles by Stephen R. Donaldson.

[T-Flow]

Love this!!! The Dark Tower is what I read when I got back into reading fantasy again! It holds a special place in my heart

[CryptikConstruct]

Magician by Feist had to be there
No Obernewtyn by Carmody?
Two of the top fantasy series ever written.

[danjackson]

Fantastic video, Johan. Thanks for including The Illborn Saga within such a fantastic selection of fantasy series.

[RazvanCosti]

Lord of the Rings, The Wheel of Time, A song of Ice and Fire, The First Law are my top choices. And if he EVER got around to finishing it, Patrick Rothfuss’ The Kingkiller Chronice series could very well make the Top 5

[Guyonnn]

So happy to see your #1 choice! I would give anything to reread that series for the first time! It has every genre woven masterfully together in a way no one has come even close to replicating since.