Yet loving The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant is about loving the Land. But since it’s on this list, Donaldson’s trilogy obviously has plenty else going for it-the Bloodguard and some amazing battles, not the least. Granted, Thomas Covenant has reasons to be unpleasant: leprosy sucks. Donaldson’s trilogy is undeniably derivative of Tolkien (an immensely powerful ring, staff-wielding magic users, an unseen foe of supreme malevolence, etc.), the writer pulls one of the greatest switcheroos of reader loyalty seen in fantasy: its protagonist is one of the most grating main characters to ever anchor a series. Donaldsonįirst Book in the Series: Lord Foul’s Bane (1977)ĭescription: Though Stephen R. The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant by Stephen R. As a result, the series is a great introduction to the genre, as Taran, Eilonwy, Flewddur Fflam, Gurgi and Doli are characters who will hold their own in the reader’s memory alongside famous hobbits and talking lions. Soaked gently in Welsh mythos without being beholden to it, this coming-of-age tale of Assistant Pig-Keeper Taran and his friends tells a story that’s both high fantasy and touchingly human. The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexanderįirst Book in the Series: The Book of Three (1964)ĭescription: In an age when any successful tween series is hyped as a potential film franchise, Lloyd Alexander’s pentalogy has managed to stay out of the limelight (Disney’s unfortunate 1985 film The Black Cauldron notwithstanding). Even the great empires of our heroes in one entry are all swept away by the time we reach the next, ultimately showing us many sides of the land of Narnia. our own world also infuses the series with a gentle but persistent sense of remorse constant reminders that all things are impermanent. ![]() The way time passes so quickly in Narnia vs. ![]() It’s the other entries that feel more epic and filled with heraldic magic, such as the high-seas adventure and beautiful vistas of Voyage of the Dawn Treader, or the wondrous moments of Narnia’s birth in The Magician’s Nephew. Lewis’ series, though, is too often reduced to the child-friendly The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Lewis’ kindhearted Narnia series sometimes feels like the yang to Tolkien’s serious and moody yin, which makes sense, given that the two Inklings were close friends for decades. Frannie Jacksonįirst Book in the Series: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950)ĭescription: C.S. Beyond delivering memorable (if sometimes vicious) characters, Lawrence’s trilogy presents the all-too-common “teen fighting to unite the land” storyline with a twist: this protagonist won’t hesitate to leave a trail of corpses in his wake. Physically and emotionally scarred after watching the murders of his mother and brother, Jorg Ancrath, the titular “Prince of Thorns,” transitions from a tortured child to a callous leader vying for the throne. The Broken Empire Trilogy by Mark Lawrenceįirst Book in the Series: Prince of Thorns (2011)ĭescription: Mark Lawrence’s Broken Empire Trilogy wraps a war epic around a family drama within a coming-of-age story, creating a multi-layered fantasy series steeped in dark magic. Aside from fantasy aficionados, Cook found an eager audience in real-life soldiers, too, who embraced The Black Company’s more true-to-life portrayal of mercenaries handling life within their chosen profession. ![]() Though a series’ title isn’t always telling for literal descriptions of the adventures within, The Black Company couldn’t be a better fit the collection mulls morality within a group of hired mercenaries in a multi-dimensional world of wizards and magic. The tales cover more than 400 years of rich history across the 10 novels, three sub-series and plenty of short stories that followed. ![]() Enjoy reading our selections (listed in alphabetical order by series title).įirst Book in the Series: The Black Company (1984)ĭescription: Good fantasy tales rely on world building, and Glen Cook’s Black Company series has this in spades. To celebrate the heritage of the genre, we’ve assembled a list of some of our favorite fantasy series of all time. In short, fantasy is a genre of epic strength and incandescent beauty. Fantasy introduces readers to adventures starring world-conquering villains and selfless heroes (or, sometimes, tender-hearted villains and amoral heroes). It allows for the impossible to occur-for elves to fall in love with humans and for street urchins to wield magic. And that is the beauty of the genre.įantasy thrives on the creation of new worlds, species and magic systems. in Chicago or a gunslinger in a magical Wild West. Some readers equate fantasy with hobbits and magic wardrobes.
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