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Dragonlance Chronicles Trilogy, Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
The trilogy that started the Dragonlance world of books. It's a very traditional Tolkienesque fantasy world following a group of men, women, a dwarf, and a kender on their adventures.
Classified: Epic fantasy or classic fantasy
Pictured: Raistlin Majere
The Dark Tower, Steven King
The last living member of a knightly order known as gunslingers and the last of the line of "Arthur Eld", his world's analogue of King Arthur. Politically organized along the lines of a feudal society, it shares technological and social characteristics with the American Old West but is also magical.
Classified: Horror fantasy
Pictured: Roland Dechain
Elric Saga, Michael Moorcock
The brooding albino emperor of the dying nation of Melniboné, is a sort of Superman for Goths. The Elric Saga is just a part of Moorcock's Eternal Champion series which is truly staggering in scope.
Classified: Epic fantasy
Pictured: Elric of Melnibone
The Riftwar Saga, Raymond Feist
Human magicians and other creatures on the two planets are able to create rifts through dimensionless space that can connect planets in different solar systems. The novels and short stories of The Riftwar Universe record the adventures of various people on these worlds.
The Riftwar Saga is followed by the Serpentwar Saga and quite a few other sagas.
Classified: Epic fantasy
Pictured: Jimmy the Hand (Possibly my favorite fictional character...ever.)
The Dark is Rising, Susan Cooper
The Dark Is Rising features Will Stanton, age 11, who learns on that birthday that he is an "Old One" and thus destined to wield the powers of The Light in the ancient struggle with The Dark.
Classified: Contemporary fantasy
Sidenote: Quite a few similarities between this and Harry Potter. I've never read that the HP series was inspired by this, but one has to wonder.
Pictured: Merriman Lyon
The Wheel of Time, Robert Jordan (Finished by Brandon Sanderson)
the Dark One, the embodiment of pure evil, is breaking free from his prison. The overall plot is about a man who learns that he is once again destined to save the world from the Dark One -- but possibly destroy it in the process. This saga is not only his story, but the story of an entire world's struggle to deal with war and change, destruction and hope.
Classified: Epic fantasy
Side note: It's 14 large books long. It starts to drag in the middle from books 7-10, but then gets amazing again.
Pictured: Rand Al'Thor, The Dragon
The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, Stephen R. Donaldson
An embittered and cynical writer, afflicted with leprosy and shunned by society, is fated to become the heroic savior of The Land, an alternate world.
Classified: Epic Fantasy
Side note: This story is Dark with a capital D, be prepared if you read it.
Pictured: Thomas Covenant
Vlad Taltos Series, Steven Brust
The events of the series take place in an Empire mostly inhabited and ruled by the Dragaerans, a genetically engineered humanoid species, having characteristics such as greatly extended lifespans and heights averaging about seven feet. Referred to as "elfs" by some humans, they refer to themselves as "human."
Classified: High Fantasy or Comedy Fantasy
Side note: Hilarious
Pictured: Vlad Taltos (And Loiosh)
The Drenai Saga, David Gemmell
This saga is more about a nation than any one hero (or anti-hero), which becomes obvious when the reader realizes that the saga takes place over thousands of years from the founding of the Drenai Empire until well after it's fall.
Classified: Epic fantasy
Pictured: Druss the Legend, Captain of the Axe, Deathwalker, The Silver Slayer
The Fionavar Tapestry, Guy Gavriel Kay
Four friends find themselves on another world, the oldest world, where all legends and myths are spawned. They also discover that they, somehow are integral to new legends yet to come.
Classified: High fantasy
Pictured: Curdardh (a bad guy demon thingy)
arf777
Who claims to be a fantasy fan and HASN'T heard of the Elric novels????
korcio
Sadly, almost everyone under the age of 40 is unaware that Michael Moorcock's writing (primarily Elric) is what fueled gaming before the net
smacdad
You had me at Dragonlance.
WhenYouMissoutOntheCoolUsernames
Same, amazing series!
proppypandango
I read a ton of the Dragonlance books in HS but there were just too many of them. They are really good fantasy though.
ScubaDivingSteve
The Vlad Taltos books are amazing! +1
egaode
Dragonlance was my life in high school.
ColorblindCartographer
I love dragonlance. I used to read it all the time
lethaldoseoverdose
+1 for Dragonlance Chronicles but you missed out The Legend of Drizzt series
mycompletecooking
No Stephen Erickson :'(
TharrickLawson
Malazan marines heavily inspired my current fighter/rogue D&D character. Methodical violence with shortsword and shield :D
mycompletecooking
Nice I miss D&D
LordBumbershoot
The Wheel of Time is my all time favorite. That being said. This list provides me with hope. I've craved material as good as WOT.
Krosfaz
Start The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson. You'll love it.
TanstaaflTovarisch
I'd recommend the Drenai Saga. The order doesn't really matter, but order of release is what most people do.
LordBumbershoot
Awesome I'll check it out. I'm reading the Malazan series now and it's pretty good so far.
CookieOfAwesome
Haven't read WoT, but currently reading the Mistborn series, also by Sanderson
TanstaaflTovarisch
Actually, I'd recommend all of them, but as a WoT lover I think you'd like the Drenai Saga best of the list.
DoggoMcDoggoFace
I own every Raymond E. Fiest book and love them all I sold over half my clothes and my xbox so I'd have room for them in my car when I moved
MonkeyMook
Jimmy the Hand!
DoggoMcDoggoFace
I also love all DragonLance Forgotten Realms and Ravenloft(I think that's it it's been awhile lol) books they are worth all the reads
thesolamnus
Dragonlance is my favourite
BiteTheHandsThatThieve
They were great. Kinda got... Uninterested towards the end of the series. Some continuity errors bothered me.
Secular
I kinda liked how he spent 20 years building his universe only to burn the entire thing to ground. Maybe he was bored too?
LipMyStockings
Feist is the King of fantasy
Twist1000
Feist is an amazing writer :)
AncientWeapons
I might be about to make you very jealous:![]()
and every single book in between ^^
General450
Don't forget the Stormlight Archive and Mistborn! Brandon Sanderson is an amazing author!
TheRelevancyOfMyNameIsRelativelyIrrelevant
What, no Black company?
soso456
apaprently he isn't much into dark fantasy
Cere4l
*signs retreat, outnumbered*
AdonalsiumShard16
There are strangers on the plain, Croaker...
qlippoth
Also his Garrett, P.I. Series is great, though Wicked Bronze Ambition feels a little sloppy and drags a bit.
n4chtm4hr
Croaker 2016. Oh wait, he died ;_;
Cere4l
I HADNT ARRIVED AT THAT POINT YET
iivoTheZ
As far as i remember he just... switches places (to keep this spoiler free)
ReaLifeSmeagol
The Dark Tower series is becoming a film series in 2017. Please read the books first to fully enjoy what it has to offer.
DropDeadArtemus
I'm working on it. I'm about halfway through book #2. Gunslinger had a slow start but piqued my interest as it went on. I'm loving #2 so far
bad52292
I heard they are gonna make Roland a black guy. Maybe im racist but I always pictured him as a crusty old white dude.
themadstork
My mom read the first one to me when I was 10. I've been waiting most of my life for this!
jiewux
Working on it atm. Reading the 5th book:) God, I hope the series will be good.
Salocin1
Goth is my favorite.
FarceMajeure
Little worried about the script being in NYC, but maybe they're combining the first two books. Hard to like Roland at the end of Gunslinger.
barotrauma
Isn't that the point? he's not a good man, hes obsessed with finding the tower, and only cares about that, abandoning people he loves for it
EvilTwinSoftware
Based on history: No, it won't happen. Could be nice, though. Sorry, Sai.
dethpanda
I am SO excited that they cast Idris Elba as Roland and Matthew McConaughey as Flagg. God, I hope it's good.
DenverCoderIX
WHY WASN'T I NOTIFIED OF THIS? Gotta go buy new panties, brb.
SaintMaceToTheFace
I don't understand why they are casting him as a white guy. He is a very Clint Eastwood type
Okiegoon
Kinda wondering how they're going to deal with the whole "honkey" dynamic though with Roland and Odetta.
FarceMajeure
Eddie is probably still a honkey. Maybe Roland will be accused of being an Uncle Tom mafah.
Okiegoon
Yeah, sure they'll work around it. Just weird though as Roland was definitely depicted as white. Still excited for the movie though.
Somemufukinasian
The chronicles of Thomas covenant is amazing h
ChuckChuckRazool
I couldn't get into it. Way too many overwrought, overly florid similes. Also books where the main character is an author are masturbation.
matchesmalone248
But jesus christ man, its depressing as all hell. Even when he's pretty much saved the day and won, you still feel hollow. Its great :D
ITotallyShouldBeWorkingRightNow
I started them as a kid, totally unprepared. I only got to the first rape scene before I realised I was way too young to read it...
TharrickLawson
I read it as a schoolkid. It's still one of my favourite fantasy series
ITotallyShouldBeWorkingRightNow
Picked it up later though, when I was 17-18, and they remain a favourite of mine to this day.
SerpentWearer
That's the same situation I was in. Poor Lena... but I picked it back up and continued on to love the series greatly.
Picc4dilly
So nice to see the Wheel of Time mentioned. I know nobody personally who read them (mainly bc of the 14 books :'D . Hopefully more will :D
Karpethian
I was like that until I got a friend into them after nearly 20 years. She loved them.
Picc4dilly
Awesome! :D
Swiggy1957
But for comedy relief, read The Myth-Adventures of Skeeve and Ahz by Robert Aspirin.
wraith9
Upvoted for Raymond Feist awareness!
TanstaaflTovarisch
The Riftwar saga is the series that really got me into fantasy. Best characterization in a fantasy series imo. Jimmy the Hand was amazing.
AliBarber
Wot no David Eddings?!
ThatEdward
The Redemption of Althalus; EXCELLENT read. Highly enjoyed it.
Kennshin
Sometimes these posts will include some Eddings..sometimes not. There are dozens of us!
BearKurt
The dragonlance books are so good +1
DenverCoderIX
They turned my perfect elementary school marks into mediocre middle school ones, but they kept me away from alcohol and drugs which is nice.
newsguycraigevans
Love me some Dragonlance!
Nual
Dragonlance was the series that got me into reading. Great stuff. I have a Est Sularus Oth Mithas tattoo :P Yes, I'm a nerd.
WhenYouMissoutOntheCoolUsernames
Same!
htmwc
Ah man. Dragon lance was my teenage years. Sturm, you god damned hero.
DatFlounder
You meant to say a god damn LEGEND!!!
ggemmell
TOO SOON
WhenYouMissoutOntheCoolUsernames
For me that's what I loved about the books. Added a sense of depth, and believability for the characters.
doompixie
I had a big teenage girl-crush on Kitiara <3
newsguycraigevans
They got so much hate mail when Sturm died. People really loved the character. A tragic hero for the ages.
ShadyBuddha
The authors said they intended him to die from the beginning
TJonesTG
I wanted to be a Knight of the Rose after his story line ended~!
WardenOfTheWhiteCouncil
I've played through The War of the Lance twice. Knight of Solamnia both times. The DM used my Paladin as a stand in for Goldmoon second time
RogerSeagull
That was a series that went on forever too. I remember at least reading 20 or 30 of them
macboorex
Sturm's death was hard, but I feel he died how he would've wanted. The deaths of Flint and then Tas just gutted me. "Moo to a Minotaur" ;_;
iamthelawl
I was reading this in class when Flint died. It took all I had not tear up right there in the classroom. Tas's reaction...
IcyhotFeelsNice
Forgot about those books. I read the second first because I found it at a garage sale with the spine duck taped. Had to hunt the rest down.
IcyhotFeelsNice
Always buy books that look well read! It's a sign that it's something good. Same advice doesn't apply to much else though.
TekPriest1975
All Hail Tasslehoff King of the Kleptos!!!
Whyshouldicare
"A lock defeats the purpose of a door."
lostlittletimeonthis
so many laughs out of the kender, always pulling stunts
TanstaaflTovarisch
Stop with the onions already...gah.
htmwc
Don't get me started on Flint...
TanstaaflTovarisch
Oh, poor Tasselhof. It was his reaction more than anything that crushed my soul.
htmwc
Ugh. Then you have the Twins trilogy. Raistlin being one of the more interesting fantasy characters around to say the least...
DenverCoderIX
Decades will past, and I'll still remeber him as my first teenage crush... No wonder I fancy Kylo now!
TanstaaflTovarisch
That series was way darker than the original chronicles. Raistlin tried so hard to be evil and almost made it, but in the end...
pizzaparty
I never got into Dragonlance, but the Death Gate Cycle (same authors) was super good. It's only 7 books long and I recommend it.
iselfdstruct
I have read a lot of Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman's work (both separately and together). They are amazing authors
TheDudeanator
I loved that series! I read them till my books were falling apart.
gunslingermigz
ahh my two favorite series in the top two!! raistlin is my favorite character too fuuuuck
iselfdstruct
Raistlin was my favorite but gotta love fizban
theshoeminator
Sturm, the broody, moustached emo of the bunch
SaltedPorkIsParticularlyGood
Ah Raistlin, so badass
FRX51
Ah yes, Emo Elminster.
Avenged7x85
my internet handle for the longest time was RaistMajere that man was my hero
AlwaysTrustTheManInABigWhiteVan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DCU-80FT28 This song is about him. That's how I found Blind Guardian in the first place
Raig228
I enjoy Blind Guardian, but never knew of this song. Thanks!
liriodelagua
Blind Guardian has songs about the Wheel of Time and also The Eternal Champion mentioned above (Wheel of Time and Tanelorn, respectively).
Noob3rts
You should check out the Robin Hobb series called "The Farseer Trilogy" (which is longer now) and The Mistborn series.
doompixie
Yes and yes!!
YouLast
The read the first Farseer Trilogy and was so heartbroken at the end of the third book that I've not caught up with the recent additions. :(
Noob3rts
Trust me. Catch up. It's worth it. TRUST me.
SerpentWearer
I would like to second the Mistborn trilogy. Brandon Sanderson did an amazing job with that one.
Noob3rts
Oh yes. It was brilliantly done. I don't read many novels often anymore (I usually stick to Warhammer 40K Horus Heresy and the ones I said).
Z3ra7ul
Robin Hobb is great stuff!
greatgoatman
Mistborn trilogy...and then Alloy of Law, and the second Mistborn trilogy! Steris is my hero.
Noob3rts
Wait, there is a second Mistborn?
greatgoatman
Yep! Set 300 years later, has an Old West/Victorian England vibe. Started with Alloy of Law, and a trilogy after that, 2 of which are out.
greatgoatman
AND, he has plans for a THIRD trilogy, set in a sci-fi futuristic setting. But more Stormlight Archive first, please sir!
VoPo
[TUGGING OF BRAIDS INTENSIFIES] [SOUNDS OF SKIRT SMOOTHING]
IHadAMoustacheOnceThatWasAGoodTime
This is exactly why I couldnt stomach WoT.
TanstaaflTovarisch
haha, I think Brandon carried that on as a homage.
nebworb
[threatening to box Matrim Cauthon's ears intensifies]
HotPinkHobbitMess
[MEGA SNIFFING][SUPER SHAWL TWITCHES]
Andunistar
That pain is real, thats got to be at least 40 percent of the series.
BowlingTrophyWife
[COLDEST STARE EVER INTENSIFIES]
EdemahRuh
That was pretty much four whole books in the middle there.
GandolphLundgren
blood and bloody ashes!
TossMyAlbatross
And then the bit where R. Jordan wrote a lot of bare bottom spankings and "pillow friends". Dirty old man years. xD
dethpanda
I swear, "Bosom" was Robert Jordan's favorite word.
grandfalloon
As favorite words go, you could do a lot worse.
TanstaaflTovarisch
By book 8 he was really stretching to find adjectives to enhance the word so it didn't get stale. Ample bosom, astonishing amounts of bosom.
Opportunist
VAST TRACTS OF BOSOM XP
TheDudeanator
Huge, huge tracts of bosom.
SLAANESHonNSFWposts
The Wheel of Time is one of my favorite sagas although it was painful waiting 20 years from start to finish.
blgns
Still didnt read last book because of this, this series is part of my life, started in at 15, 9 years ago and read it 4 times already, feels
theGovernmint
I started reading these in Jr. High. I finished the last book shortly after the birth of my 3rd child....
KenMmmkay
Wheel Of Time is gr8
ChickenSun
I'm currently on the 7th. It's been a marathon already but I've come so far how can I possibly turn back.
WreckTim
These books got me through undergrad :)
aduntoridas
Didn't make it through the first time in highschool, but I restarted and now I'm on book 11, going strong. Pretty great stuff.
SaintMaceToTheFace
I have read the whole thing six times and I think I'm going to have to start again
admiralbenson
I read it start to finish twice. In not sure what year it is any more
Lysergian
I had stopped @ book 11 and waited for the rest to come out, re-read from start to finish over about 3 or 4 months, I'm still recovering...
IndianaNeedsMoreCorn
I'm lucky that I picked up the series after it was completed. I read it so quickly. So good. But it introduced me to Sanderson.
IndianaNeedsMoreCorn
I'm reading Elantris right now. I've finished gather Reckoners and both parts of the Mistborn series. I love his writing.
IndianaNeedsMoreCorn
* the not gather
youareprobablyanidiot
Same! Reading The Way of Kings right now.
SaintMaceToTheFace
Dovie'andi se tovya sagain
HelloAlaska
My husband just finished the 4th book! He's loving it!
MFfromHell
He's past the first set of good ones, then. 5-11 can get a bit tedious. Sanderson really rejuvenated that series.
firestorm559
http://m.ign.com/articles/2016/04/29/the-wheel-of-time-will-be-adapted-as-a-tv-series more waiting for you. You're welcome!
PervyAesSedai
Greatest series ive ever read. And I've read the whole thing three times now xD
Aelinsaar
I've read it one or two times myself. :p
Pharius
I just saw that his estate announced a tv project (unlike the abortion from last year it may be good).
forgetthisnoise
Seriously that was torture. From 11 to 29, just wanting to know what would happen
ITotallyShouldBeWorkingRightNow
Started reading when I was 13. A trip abroad with no more library books made me have to buy the 3rd book in English. It was a turning point!
ITotallyShouldBeWorkingRightNow
Ended up spending most of my youth writing in English on a wotRP message board. It made sure I passed all English exams with flying colours!
GilderoyPopDropNLockart
I started it in 7th grade at age 11, and finished at age 24. I would start at the beginning each time a new book was released. I put a lot
GilderoyPopDropNLockart
Time into that series.
Karpethian
That's what I did, since about 1995. Then finished it in 2014 around the same time as the birth of my first kid. I was 34. Long journey!
TanstaaflTovarisch
That's how I did it as well, with a few reads in between.
Karpethian
Harriet (Jordan's wife) announced a tv series is due soon!
zagibu
Please no.
EatPurplePeople
Isn't it fx? There's a pilot on YouTube, it's ok.its tied up in litigation for now though.
demaniak
Maaaaan I hope they don't screw it up.
Kingofdahoops
Omg omg omg really
skidbladnir31
https://youtu.be/7ZOCCEuROPk here's a previous attempt/abortion
DrKriegersClone
I don't think it would adapt well. We're talking a scope of characters and locations on the order of GoT, but with exponentially higher 1/2
Karpethian
Yeah it is epic in scale and vision but I think I'd enjoy it all the same. I agree with some comments below about anime.
DrKriegersClone
2/2 numbers of flashy special effects scenes in the source material. Probably several equivalent to the Blackwater per season.
Krosfaz
Really? Any links to an article? That would be so great. I have 2 books to go.
Karpethian
I'm out the house but it was on io9.com.
Krosfaz
I hope they give this a good budget and do this right. This story deserves it.
Idontius
http://www.ign.com/articles/2016/04/29/the-wheel-of-time-will-be-adapted-as-a-tv-series
IndianaNeedsMoreCorn
I hope that they do it justice. I'm afraid they will HBO it up and all the sudden they'll be Perrin/Rand sex scenes added or something.
MaenadWine
I'm ok with that
SerpentWearer
There are already a few in the books. Rand's 3 especially are all healthy young women with fire in their blood.
SaltedPorkIsParticularlyGood
I loved it too, I'm sad it's over.
SLAANESHonNSFWposts
*spoilers* I cried real adult tears when Bela the horse died; just an ordinary plow horse made it through so much.
Curiousone545
I was SO MAD about what Jordan did to her.. so so mad. :/
SLAANESHonNSFWposts
Well technically Sanderson did it to her since Jordan died two books before the end.
Curiousone545
We don't know that though. Since Jordan left pretty extensive notes, especially about key characters. Bela was fo sho a key character ;)
Karpethian
I thought it was unnecessary. Bela was the R2-D2 of wot.
SaltedPorkIsParticularlyGood
I was SO sad about that
Renardthefoxy
Bela had finally carried them to the end of their long journey :(
TanstaaflTovarisch
I actually refused to finish the last book for about six months. I just couldn't imagine my life without the series anymore.
WhereDidJonGo
Don't say who Rand is for Wheel of Time! That's a big spoiler for the first few books.
TanstaaflTovarisch
The reader should know he's the dragon in the first 3rd of the 1st book. You hear bits of the prophecy of the dragon + Tam's fever talk.
Karpethian
I waited a year then reread them all.
ThePastmaster
The publisher in Sweden refuse to translate the last book and finish the series. >:/
VanDerJoik
Good. It sucks so bad it dont deserve a translation
venividicommentati
I've left the series after reading the first 10 books. I liked the first 3, but it became a drag.Question: does it getter better later on?
VanDerJoik
No, Worse
Curiousone545
It really does, and the ending is actually pretty well done. They tie up a ton of the story lines. Also, skimming through 10 is a must.
nerdyvet
I still haven't.now half the delay is that I really need a re-read to appreciate the ending properly. We all know the time that requires...
ThatJerkYouKnow
Yeah, I read through to book 7... Years later through to book 10. I'm gonna have to wait a few more years to restart AGAIN, might just wiki.
ThatJerkYouKnow
The first like 6 books I mean.
TanstaaflTovarisch
Re-read the first 5 or 6, wiki the middle, then continue reading the end. That's what I would do.
BwanaTwiga
I wholeheartedly agree, though maybe you shouldn't have named Rand as the dragon in your description. Not a major spoiler but still.
ThePastmaster
Please, it's obvious from page 1 he's the hero. :P
BwanaTwiga
I mean I do get that but in the opening of the book the dragon is not portrayed as a hero
ThePastmaster
Because he sort of isn't.