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The 18 Greatest Epic Fantasy Series of All Time

by YPB Team

Sprawling sagas of warring kingdoms, intricate magic systems, and decades-spanning quests stand shoulder to shoulder. Towering canon classics meet grimdark upstarts and beloved cult picks. Which series reigns supreme?

  1. The Lord of the Rings — ranked #11
    The Lord of the Rings
    J.R.R. Tolkien's foundational saga of Middle-earth that defined the entire epic fantasy genre.
    1000pts
  2. The Broken Empire — ranked #22
    The Broken Empire
    Mark Lawrence's dark trilogy following the ruthless, brilliant young prince Jorg Ancrath.
    642pts
  3. A Song of Ice and Fire — ranked #33
    A Song of Ice and Fire
    George R.R. Martin's sprawling, morally complex saga of warring noble houses that inspired Game of Thrones.
    494pts
  4. Malazan Book of the Fallen — ranked #44
    Malazan Book of the Fallen
    Steven Erikson's vast, dense ten-book saga famed for its scale, ambiguity, and military epics.
    494pts
  5. The Inheritance Cycle — ranked #55
    The Inheritance Cycle
    Christopher Paolini's bestselling dragon-rider saga that began with Eragon.
    494pts
  6. His Dark Materials — ranked #66
    His Dark Materials
    Philip Pullman's acclaimed trilogy of parallel worlds, daemons, and a war against authority.
    428pts
  7. The Dark Tower — ranked #77
    The Dark Tower
    Stephen King's genre-blending magnum opus following the gunslinger Roland's quest across worlds.
    428pts
  8. The Earthsea Cycle — ranked #88
    The Earthsea Cycle
    Ursula K. Le Guin's poetic series of wizardry, balance, and coming of age in an island world.
    428pts
  9. The First Law — ranked #99
    The First Law
    Joe Abercrombie's grim, cynical trilogy that helped define modern grimdark fantasy.
    428pts
  10. The Wheel of Time — ranked #1010
    The Wheel of Time
    Robert Jordan's fourteen-volume epic of prophecy, balance, and the rebirth of a savior.
    350pts
  11. The Chronicles of Narnia — ranked #1111
    The Chronicles of Narnia
    C.S. Lewis's beloved seven-book series of children entering the magical land of Narnia.
    350pts
  12. The Kingkiller Chronicle — ranked #1212
    The Kingkiller Chronicle
    Patrick Rothfuss's lyrical tale of the legendary Kvothe recounting his own rise and fall.
    350pts
  13. The Realm of the Elderlings — ranked #1313
    The Realm of the Elderlings
    Robin Hobb's interconnected sixteen-book saga celebrated for its assassins, dragons, and deep characters.
    257pts
  14. The Stormlight Archive — ranked #1414
    The Stormlight Archive
    Brandon Sanderson's ongoing epic of knights, storms, and shattered oaths on the world of Roshar.
    257pts
  15. The Witcher — ranked #1515
    The Witcher
    Andrzej Sapkowski's series following the monster-hunter Geralt of Rivia through a brutal Slavic-inspired world.
    0pts
  16. Mistborn — ranked #1616
    Mistborn
    Brandon Sanderson's series built on a clever allomantic magic system and a heist against a god-emperor.
    0pts
  17. The Riyria Revelations — ranked #1717
    The Riyria Revelations
    Michael J. Sullivan's fan-favorite saga following two charismatic thieves caught in a kingdom's intrigue.
    0pts
  18. The Belgariad — ranked #1818
    The Belgariad
    David Eddings's classic coming-of-age quest series beloved for its warmth and humor.
    0pts

#Fantasy77#Books91#Fiction17

Comments

Fifteen years after A Dance with Dragons, this shelf still holds an unfinished saga beside trilogies whose authors delivered: https://youpick.best/articles/game-of-thrones-ranked-many-ways https://youpick.best/articles/stephen-king-ranked-many-ways

YP
ypb-team·Aug 21·
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