Poll: Best fantasy series

[Xertheria]

I was a huge Tolkien nerd in my youth, I had all all the unfinished lore books and was quite fluent in High Elvish.

I still consider SoIaF a better, more well constructed series though. I recently re-read the old Tolkien lore books and for me they don't quite reach the lofty heights they used to.

 

[InnerRebellion]

The Night Angel Trilogy by Brent Weeks was beyond amazing.
Assassins, death, dragons, swords, magic, war... it had everything... EVERYTHING!

You win. I came into this thread, thinking, "Midcyru, obviously." And bam, there you are, you sly dog.

 

[Xixikal]

You win. I came into this thread, thinking, "Midcyru, obviously." And bam, there you are, you sly dog.

Unfortunately, not many people appear to have read it. But that problem can easily be fixed, just add white ka'kari.

 

[s0m3th1ng]

A tie between Jim Butcher's Codex Alera series and WoT. Jim Butcher is my favorite author, and I've been reading WoT since the first book came out.

Codex is laced with Butcher's sharp humor and I think I read the entire series in 5 sittings. It has magic mixed with Roman themes and has so many Moments of Crowning Awesome it will make your head spin.
Wheel of Time has the best character development I have ever witnessed in literature.

 

[RedEyesBlackGamer]

I vote other.

'The Wheel of Time', by Robert Jordan.

It's the only series I've read over 6 times.

Same here. *fistbump*
I too have read every book in the series at least 3 times. (Excluding the latest one. I read through every book again when a new one is released and am in the middle of doing that.) Mat Cauthon is a God.

 

[InnerRebellion]

You win. I came into this thread, thinking, "Midcyru, obviously." And bam, there you are, you sly dog.

Unfortunately, not many people appear to have read it. But that problem can easily be fixed, just add white ka'kari.

I just re-read the series, and god dammit, Brent better not be lying when he said he's going to write a book involving Midcyru, even though the original characters will be less important.

I've noticed that the series does have a small following here on the Escapist.

 

[DJDarque]

You are obviously all wrong. If we're talking High Fantasy, which it sounds like, then the answer would have to be the Codex Alera series by Jim Butcher. If we're not limited to High Fantasy, then The Dresden Files by the same author is even better.

Codex is laced with Butcher's sharp humor and I think I read the entire series in 5 sittings. It has magic mixed with Roman themes and has so many Moments of Crowning Awesome it will make your head spin.

Exactly! An Escapist with good taste this one is.

 

[Snotnarok]

Phantasy Star, because they dared to spell it differently and actually end the series at IV. ...Oh wait books, I'm not really able to argue here D:

 

[Saulkar]

I vote Dealing With Dragons and Looking For Group.

 

[Lim3]

Steven Erikson's Malazan book of the fallen is the best by far.
Followed by wheel of time.
Followed by song of fire and ice.

 

[Lim3]

Steven Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen.
Followed by Wheel of Time.
Followed by a Song of Fire and Ice.

 

[Xixikal]

I just re-read the series, and god dammit, Brent better not be lying when he said he's going to write a book involving Midcyru, even though the original characters will be less important.

I've noticed that the series does have a small following here on the Escapist.

He's written a novella about Blint (called Perfect Shadow) and it appears he's started a new series called the Lightbringer Series, first book is The Black Prism which looks to be interesting but set in a world where they use light to make objects or something rather.

Though, I too, wish that he's expand on Midcryu. He's given it a lot of detail, it would be a shame not to fully flesh out the world because it's got so much promise.

 

[sir.rutthed]

Martin kills too many of his characters. Halfway through book 3, there was pretty much nothing left there to keep me involved. Wheel of Time is very solid, but the middle books are downright boring in that they spend way too much time setting up the scene. Right now I'm gonna have to say anything by Brandon Sanderson is my favorite. Elantris, Mistborn, Stormlight Archives, they're all fantastic in every sense of the word. Sanderson is an amazing author, he even revived the Wheel of Time books and made them not a chore to read, though it is sad that he still doesn't seem to get how Mat Cauthon works at all.

 

[Scarynerd]

I haven't read Salvatore's books, so not him.
Tolkien is good, and he has my thanks and respect for inventing this genre but nowadays there are better books.
Robert Jordan is great, but i think The wheel of time is an overkill(but i still love it), i mean 14-15 books,come on...
SoIaF is absolutely amazing, it's my favorite series, it has everything, murder, sex, magic, dragons,midgets,gore,sex,gore,swords,knights,crazy rulers,spoiled brats, you name it ...

 

[Scarynerd]

I haven't read Salvatore's books, so not him.
Tolkien is good, and he has my thanks and respect for inventing this genre but nowadays there are better books.
Robert Jordan is great, but i think The wheel of time is an overkill(but i still love it), i mean 14-15 books,come on...
SoIaF is absolutely amazing, it's my favorite series, it has everything, murder, sex, magic, dragons,midgets,gore,sex,gore,swords,knights,crazy rulers,spoiled brats, you name it ...

 

[InnerRebellion]

[

He's written a novella about Blint (called Perfect Shadow) and it appears he's started a new series called the Lightbringer Series, first book is The Black Prism which looks to be interesting but set in a world where they use light to make objects or something rather.

Though, I too, wish that he's expand on Midcryu. He's given it a lot of detail, it would be a shame not to fully flesh out the world because it's got so much promise.

I'll be honest, the idea of Kylar and Vi being together has grown on me, and I really want to find out how they turn out, and what happens to Dorian, and the twins (well, technically not twins.. Kylar's son, and I believe Dorian's also?). So much potential. He sold the movie rights, I saw on his website. I hope, if it does get made, they don't screw it up.


Black Prism does sound interesting... and I'll have to find Perfect Shadow. Is it pre-Trilogy? Or post-Trilogy?

 

[wezzipooh]

Many people complain that he is cruel to his characters,

I think people make these complaints because they are so used to boring, predictable stories and characters.
What makes "a song of ice and fire" so thrilling to read is its unpredictability; the good guys DONT always win or get revenge, the bad guys DONT always get their come-uppance. ANY character can die at ANY time and by any means.
In this way, it reminds me of the excellent TV show "the wire"

 

[hittite]

I vote other.

'The Wheel of Time', by Robert Jordan.

It's the only series I've read over 6 times.

Same here. *fistbump*
I too have read every book in the series at least 3 times. (Excluding the latest one. I read through every book again when a new one is released and am in the middle of doing that.) Mat Cauthon is a God.

Well, let's see. He wears a wide brimmed hat, has a spear that never misses, is ridiculously lucky, sacrificed his eye for knowledge, and is closely associated with ravens. Sound familiar? *cough Odin cough*

 

[GrimTuesday]

Many people complain that he is cruel to his characters,

I think people make these complaints because they are so used to boring, predictable stories and characters.
What makes "a song of ice and fire" so thrilling to read is its unpredictability; the good guys DONT always win or get revenge, the bad guys DONT always get their come-uppance. ANY character can die at ANY time and by any means.
In this way, it reminds me of the excellent TV show "the wire"

While I haven't seen The Wire, ASoIaF reminds me of another HBO show which will be out next week, its a little show called Game of Thrones

 

[Xixikal]

I'll be honest, the idea of Kylar and Vi being together has grown on me, and I really want to find out how they turn out, and what happens to Dorian, and the twins (well, technically not twins.. Kylar's son, and I believe Dorian's also?). So much potential. He sold the movie rights, I saw on his website. I hope, if it does get made, they don't screw it up.


Black Prism does sound interesting... and I'll have to find Perfect Shadow. Is it pre-Trilogy? Or post-Trilogy?

I've always hated Elene - she was so fake and naive, and when I envision Kylar and Vi together, I squeal with girlish joy.

Dorian the Mad, it has a lovely ring to it. Speaking of Mad, I really want to know more about Ezra and what his plans are with the ka'kari and whatnot. I also can't wait to see what happens with Uly being super powerful and all, as well as the twins.

Movie you say? That could be the world's greatest creation or a film of such filled with such disgusting horribleness that it causes many people to die of blood loss through their eyes.

Perfect Shadow is pre-Trilogy, all about Durzo and his past - including Momma K.