Totaly agree with your opinion on Harry Potter. I read it last year, as a 19 year old, and absolutely loved it. My grandma of 72 is reading it right now and is loving it!
@@TheDopekitty I don't think that her having an opinion that contrary to a lot other people makes her a terrible person. And even if it did, that would not change the fact that the series she wrote is one of the best of all time. It is my favourite fantasy series since I was a child and I never loved the author per se, but I loved and continue to love the series and what it stands for. Even if she changed and became a worse person than she was, that does not change the series at all. In other words, never loved her before, don't love her now, will always love Harry Potter.
@@GeorgeZimmermen You mean a woman who compares all trans people to rapists, advocates against autistic people having rights, writes antisemitic tropes into her novels, insults other cis women for looking like men, insults intersex people, happily casts men who abuse their wives and more? I guess you're right that that is all sadly normal these days, but it shouldn't be.
I totally agree. People are starting to lose interest in Asoiaf because it has been a long time since the last release, the books aren't getting finished and the show finale sucked, but these five books are still incredibly good!
Are they?? I was such a big fan of the show (still not over the finale), but I have never been sure if I should try the books, mainly because I feel that I know all the spoilers. Should I try them anyway?
@@Usernameforsf yes ,you should,I was in same positiok as you,the first two book are kinda similar to the first seasons,but after that the books are really different and much more complex
@@UsernameforsfI mean this respectfully, but you dont know anything. There are entire plots, dozens of characters, areas explored in the books that did not even exist in the show, and what was there, was portrayed from kinda meh to disastrously bad. The series is probably never going to be completed, or even get another book, but they're still worth it
@@Usernameforsf I've done similarly with other adaptation/books and except for a few very special cases, books are always worth reading if you love the adaptation. It just gives you so much more depth that cannot be done on the TV screen. In case of Asoiaf, Book 3 is just peak fantasy, Martin pretty much outdid himself with that one. Many people dislike Book 4 due to the fact that Book 4 and 5 are in the same timeline but POVs are separated, and the more popular POVs were in Book 5. This meant that people had to wait 11 years to read about Jon/Tyrion/Danny again. Jokes on them, now 13 years have passed since book 5. Anyways book 4 is also great.
I read Harry Potter when I was in my 30s and loved it. I was reading it at the same time as my god daughter, and we talked about it as we read each book. It will always have a place in my heart, for that reason.
ASOIAF will always be my favorite. It was my first love. I thought that it would lessen my enjoyment of other books since it was my first time reading fantasy but no. And it still stands the test of time with me now that I’m 200+ deep in to SF&F. Best dialogue, best characters.
Thank you for talking about Harry Potter... A lot of youtubers gloss over it or there's zero mention of it in top fantasy lists for whatever reason but I tell people like you were saying that there will never be another time when masses of people camp out at book stores until mid-night. Kids don't even like to read these days. As a kid in high school who didn't like reading I stayed up until 4 in the morning opening night reading and that feeling of wonder and magic is something I've never found again. The casual reader was captured into this world. The emotions of this book if you were waiting for the next one to come out and were reading them before the movies came out just hit different.
0. Lord of the Rings 1. Malazan (All Erikson and Esslemont books) 2. A song of Ice and Fire 3. First Law 4. Earthsea books 5. Black Company series 6. Wheel of time 7. Book of the New Sun 8. Witcher 9. Kingkiller Chronicle
What I love the most about ASOIAF is use of the magic. It would’ve been so easy to flood Westeros with a tonne of magic and fantastical things everywhere. Instead, George uses magic sparingly but so powerfully. Almost makes me feel like Westeros could’ve actually been real place! Such a shame that the story will probably never be finished.
My top 5 because I just got back into fantasy 2 years ago 1. Malazan 2. A song of ice and fire 3. First Law 4. Mistborn 5. Ranger’s Apprentice (went unbelievably hard when I was 11)
I used to judge people that had Harry Potter in their favorites...reread it this year and finally finished the last book... the series is definitely in my top 5 lol
1. Malazan 2. Book of the New Sun (honestly felt like a total clash between fantasy and sci/fi, so it's hard to distinguish) 3. Discworld 4. A Song of Ice and Fire 5. First Law
Nice list Mike- I’d say my Top 5 are 1. Five Warrior Angels 2. Bloodsworn 3. DiscWorld 4. Malazan 5. Immortal Technique- I can’t decide on the last 5 for a top 10
Was glad to hear about you continuing Malazan, I'm looking to start it this year and wondered your thoughts since you haven't talked about it in a while. Absolutely agree with Song of Ice and Fire, I reread the whole series last year and it's just so good! I think your praising Storm of Swords is actually what got me into your channel since that book is just amazing. I recommend Jemisen's Broken Earth trilogy if you haven't read it yet, we read it for my book club and I enjoyed the world building.
I love this list! My top 10 in no order is Stormlight archive, WoT, Divine Cities, the winternight trilogy, roots of chaos, first law, broken earth, kingkiller, the bound and the broken, and the Nevermoor series. I can’t wait to read malazan and more of Dresden!
Dude it feels pretty great to have found your channel years ago when you first started your wheel of time read and to see it in your top ten. I've read it six times and there's still so much to unpack in that series that I pick up on rereads. I just wish you continued Berserk without taking a break for so long, it's easy to forget everything that happens if you put it down partway through but I'm happy that you at least got through a good chunk of it. I'm about one third of the way through book 3 of the First Law trilogy and I like the series a lot but for some reason it didn't feel like it grabbed me as much as I thought it would from what I've heard about it. Book two honestly was kind of "meh" for the most part, sure there were some very cool moments but it wasn't as great as I was hoping. I will say though that the characters are amazing, I don't think I've ever related to a character more than I have with Glokta and not in the good ways haha. I'm 40 now and I've had a lot of major physical issues and surgeries throughout my life that left me with many physical scars and missing body parts. At 19 I had cancer which required a major jaw surgery including removing an entire 14 inch section of leg bone from my left tibia, which had me limping with a cane for nine months and I still have to be careful with how much weight I put on my leg. The right side of my jaw from the center to my right ear was removed, teeth and all (I had a large malignant tumor in my jaw so the tibia I mentioned was grafted as a replacement jaw and is held with a titanium chain, the x-rays of it look crazy). Five years later i was diagnosed with Crohn's disease and that caused many many issues including erosion of tooth enamel, so I had to have nine teeth pulled and now i have dentures up top. This is along with missing teeth on the entire lower right side of my mouth from the cancer surgery, so I truly understand Glokta when he's talking about missing teeth🤣 Throw in a ruptured intestine last year that almost killed me so there's another major surgery with months of recovery and the list goes on. I should stop rambling now about my problems but the point stands that I truly sympathize with my man Glokta, I just don't share his proclivity for "enhanced interrogation" techniques😅 Anyway sorry for the T.M.I., just wanted to throw in a comment to not only show my appreciation for what you've done with this channel but to explain a bit on why the character of Glokta really resonates with me. Thanks for all you do here Mike I'm a big fan, much love🙏
What a great list of favorites. Realm of the Elderlings, Stormlight Archives, The Dark Tower, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and A Song of Ice and Fire are all on my list as well.
I can't make a top 10 list in order. But my favorite series include: The Expanse, Outlander, Dresden Files, RotE, Stormlight, Malazan, Dark Tower, the Empire trilogy by Janny Wurtz and Raymond Feist, WoT, and...I guess I can throw in First Law. I used to love ASoIaF. I'm just burned out from that world. I couldn't even finish HotD.
You should totally finish HotD, the show is so amazing, it really makes up for season 8 of GoT. Episode 8 of HotD in particular is so emotional and beautifully devastating.
@Jrdn357 ugh! I know. Lol. I actually watched the first 7 episodes and then I got stuck. I just decided to back off for awhile and try again in a year or so.
hey man thanks! I'm a 29 year old Dark Tower fan, massive Stephen King universe fan, trying to branch out and finally read other *real* fantasy series. So far it's been tough for me to adjust my mindset since The Dark Tower series sort of spoiled me with all its variety. So far, the coolest world since Dark Tower that's sucked me right in has been Discworld
Mike!!!! Your channel is a treasure chest. So much insight. Thank you. Currently reading Lonesome Dove (loving it so far), and I’ll be reading Blackwater next. From Miami with massive props. Big up, champion. 💪🏼🍻
I also read Lonesome Dove per his recommendation. It's not a book I'd normally pick up, but his reading tastes and mine are pretty similar, so I gave it a shot, and yes, it's great! Enjoy!
Having been a fantasy reader for decades, and a role player, I can't say enough about Harry Potter. Books or films, love them all. Keep up the good work.
I think my Top 10 is probably: 1. Harry Potter 2. The Faithful and the Fallen 3. The Wheel of Time 4. The Lord of the Rings 5. Riyria Revelations 6. The Chronicles of Conan 7. The Dresden Files 8. Mistborn Era 1 9. The Legends of Drizzt 10. The Chronicles of Narnia I think it’ll change a lot over time, but that’s it for now.
There is something about HP. I was an adult already when they were coming out and as addicted. AND I actually went to Waterstones on Piccadilly and queued overnight for the last book. It was magical. So many people, of all ages, from all around the world, all there for the same thing. The atmosphere was unreal, and I got my book at 2 am. Still remember fondly 😊
I have a group of friends who all love fantasy and we read a bunch. That being said, if the following books are not on a list in 2024 I would caution whatever list you are reading/watching; - Red Rising - Name of the Wind (king killer chronicles) - Stormlight Archives
Your comments on Wheel of Time was perfect! 😘 Thank you so much!!!! WOT needs booktube love at the moment! So many haters out there who put it down and they have not even read it!!
10.King Killer Chronicles 9.Lord of The Rings 8.Mistborn Era 1 7.Drenai Saga (Druss novels only) 6.Bloodsworn Saga (Potentially in top 5 after I read the Fury of the Gods) 5.Asoiaf 4.Wheel of Time 3.Stormlight Archive 2.The Faithful and The fallen + Of Blood and Bone 1.The First Law World 0.The whole cosmere > anything in fantasy ... too many awesome books :D
For me it will always be Lord of the Rings followed very quickly by Malazan. I left fantasy many years ago specifically because of Wheel of Time. Got halfway through and said 'nope, not spending any more damn time on this'. Malazan brought me back in and now I'm looking at other series as well.
I've been wanting to read The Wheel of Time for years now, but always something gets in my way. I've noticed that despite the fame, many people who have read at least five books in the saga end up saying that the series isn't that good after all, but I've never seen anyone explain why.
Mike - I'm not a fantasy reader (or a reader in general) but I stumbled upon your 3 years ago and you brought to the First Law and I can't thank you enough. Keep up the good work.
1: Manifest Delusions 2: The Second Apocalypse 3: Berserk 4: The Dark Tower 5: The Eternal Champion 6: Conan 7: Song of Ice and Fire 8: First Law 9: Black Company 10: (The Belgariad & Harry Potter, I have a soft spot for these two lol)
I’ve mostly read thrillers and mysteries and am just getting into Sci Fi Fantasy and haven’t read most of these. You’ve basically set me up for a few years of reading! Thank you! Love your channel.
I respect that you put A Song Of Ice and Fire at number 1 despite it not being finished. I believe if GRRM finishes strong with the last two books then I'm not sure anything in fantasy will ever top it. It's an amazing world that GRRM created. Come on, George! Please finish the series!
Thank you for standing up for Harry Potter. Most of us 30-35 year olds owe our love of reading to JK Rowling but now we…aren’t allowed to acknowledge that? Also shout out to Joe and Stephen Pacey ❤
Very interesting list. I can do a top 7 series maybe and then it gets all murky. The GOATs 1. LoTR by JRR Tolkien 2. Gormenghast by Mervyn Peake The contemporary greats (because as you said legacy takes time) 3. Harry Potter by J K Rowling 4. Kingkiller Chronicle by Patrick Rothfuss (Eyeroll amirite 🤣 but hey we love what we love) The really good 5. Memory, Sorrow and Thorn by Tad Williams 6. A Song of Ice and Fire by George R R Martin 7. Earthsea by Ursula K Le Guin Some good series which are very well-written and/or have good ideas but something makes it not quite a favourite (not ranked): - The Winnowing Flame trilogy by Jen Williams - The Books of Babel by Josiah Bancroft (this would have been in my top 5 but the finale...) - The Dandelion Dynasty by Ken Liu - The Lyonesse trilogy by Jack Vance - The Magicians by Lev Grossman - The Five Warrior Angels by Brian Lee Durfee What would I recommend hmm...if you want a bit more literary aligned fantasy, then Lyonesse, Jack Vance is GRRM's favourite writer besides Tolkien. If ASOIAF is your #1, I think The Last King of Osten Ard by Tad Williams is worth a try as is Shadowmarch. He is an excellent writer imo. Happy reading!
I might be a little confused how you organized it Mike. I'm not totally sure, but why is Faithful and the Fallen separated from A Blood and Bone but Mistborn Era 1 not separated from Era 2? Why did you group all of Mistborn as 1 single series? Is it just because of the title? I feel like Mistborn 2 series are more different than Faithful an d the Fallen 2 series.
My list has changed a bit in the last couple years as well. I've added a few new entries and some of my old ones have shuffled around; mainly because of the new entries of course but two have fallen because of other reasons. Here is my current list: Honorable mentions: Deed of Paksenarrion, ASOIAF, Mistborn Era 1, Faithful & the Fallen, Chronicles of Thomas Covenant & LotR. All of these have at one time or the other been in my top 10 if only briefly (F&F). Some of them might come back into the top 10 if I ever get around to a reread (Thomas Covenant). But like you I'm getting older and have so many things I want to read, lol. 10. Broken Empire/Red Queen's War by Mark Lawrence (new entry this year; I group them together because they tell 2 sides of 1 story) 9. Belgariad/Malloreon by David Eddings (been on my list for over 2 decades but is in danger of falling out as time goes on) 8. Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss (this has fallen because it isn't finished; it will probably fall out of top 10 like ASOIAF eventually because of that) 7. The Band by Nicolaus Eames (added last year) 6. Mistborn Era 2 (added this year; I seperate the Era's because they are so different in style and tone) 5. Malazan Book of the Fallen (added in 2022) 4. Drenai Saga by David Gemmell (been a top 10 for over 2 decades and I don't see if falling out anytime soon) 3. First Law (Abercrombie became my favorite living author last year; even ahead of my #2 author if that makes any sense, lol) 2. Stormlight Archive (it's #2 because I like epic fantasy more than grimdark overall but really it's basically a tie) 1. Wheel of Time (has been my #1 series for 27 years and counting and I don't see it changing)
Mike’s list is great. I would like to add a few that I haven’t seen mentioned One of my favorites: The Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind - falls somewhere between PG-13 and R The Shannara series by Terry Brooks The Chronicles of Amber by Roger Zelazny The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant by Stephen R. Donaldson
Similar to how Brandon Sanderson finished the Wheel of Time for Robert Jordan. Do you think that Joe Abercrombie would be a great choice to finish A Song of Ice and Fire?
My top 10 1. ASOIAF 2. First law 3. Wheel of time 4. Faithful and the Fallen 5. Storm light Archive 6. Malazan (Only on book 4 will probably be top 3 when I’m done) 7. The Dark Tower 8. Empire of the vampire (will probably move up when it’s completed) 9. Bloodsworn saga 10. Riyeria Revelations
Hey Mike, just got to drop you a word, you were the first to plant the seed of fantasy novels for me, and on June 16, 2024 i finally got started. So much to look forward to, thanks so much for being a reliable resource for wading through this densely populated genre, without guides i would be wasting too much time on stuff that would be perhaps not worth spending time in, thanks so much!!!
I've read nearly all of these and wholeheartedly agree. I think The Bound and the Broken will stand the test of time for sure. Dresden Files are fun, funny fantasy stories with a flair and I love them. I always said I couldn't do grim dark, but when you recommended The First Law trilogy it was a game changer. Powered through every book like a maniac! The Faithful and the Fallen was another fantastic series. Thanks for all the great recommendations, keep them coming!
Nothing beats a good top 10 list! Hope to see Bound and the Broken break into the official list someday, it deserves the love! And can't blame you for putting ASOIAF on number one, I read that for the first time last year and it is just as good as I had been led to believe. Great picks!
I've always been a big fan of Raymond E. Feist's fantasy series--beginning with Magician: Apprentice. I haven't read any of the books in his universe since I was a kid, but if you're looking for something off the beaten path, he's worth a read!
Great list, Mike! I’m a bit of a newbie when it comes to my fantasy journey but I’ve absolutely loved the Dark Tower, First Law, and FaTF… planning on reading the Bloodsworn Trilogy next in anticipation of the final book later this year! Keep up the great content 👍
I haven't done a top 10 fantasy-specific list, but ours are so similar! I think 7 of these were on my top 10 series, albeit in a different order. But 3 of our top 5 are the same: LOTR, First Law and Dark Tower.
Just browsing the comments and there are some great lists. One thing that i observe is a large recency bias. No mention of Elric of Melnibone, Fafhrd & The Grey Mouser, Robert E. Howard, Guy Gavriel Kay, Raymond E Feist, etc. For the younger or new to fantasy i would say these are all so worth reading. Even just to appreciate the journey the genre has taken.
There’s a lot from the last 20 years that I haven’t read due to life getting in the way, but my top 5 FAVORITE (not necessarily best): 1 - Wheel Of Time - Robert Jordan 2 - Otherland - Tad Williams (many may call it SF but it think it straddles both worlds) 3 - SOIAF - George RR Martin 4 - LOTR - Tolkien 5 - Chronicles Of Prydain - Lloyd Alexander
Just picked up some hard covers of ASOIAF yesterday! I love the show, but I’ve been putting off reading the books for years now. I think it’s about time I change that.
Brilliant video! I have a question, I'm very new to reading books, I've read LOTR and the hobbit and Harry Potter! I've just started wheel of time this year and I'm 3 books in and loving it......however I want to read some other books can I take a break or should I finish WoT?
I think personally that I would tell you not to read the wheel of time in one sitting or attempted. It’s a great series, but it is very easy to experience burn out with something this long so my advice is get some stuff on the side. Take some breaks if the series becomes grading after a while, take a break, read something else and then come back.
You can mix it up with something very different, last month I reread Dune, then I read Messiah , Children of Dune and God Emperor of Dune one after the other. I left Heretics of Dune and Chapterhouse: Dune for a future occasion. So during this month I read a lot of horror and sci-fi short stories, some novels and so on.
I'm really interested in what you will think when you finish your Dark Tower reread. I just finished a reread at the end of last year and I was surprised that I did not dislike book 6 as much as I expected. And the series has grown for me to the point that it is my favorite ending.
Hi, Mike! I highly recommend you the Manifest Delusions series. It feels to me very similar in tone with The First Law, but with a unique world. I think of it as worthy of breaking your TBR and it would definitely have a place on this list. (Just read it 😁 )
Your reasons for liking the history and who-did-what-to-whom of A Song of Ice and Fire makes me think you'd like the Deverry Cycle by Katherine Kerr, it's a fantastic back-and-forth look through time at the stories of how individuals and their personal decisions can shape history down through the ages because of friendships, rivalries, reconciliations. It's the series I put up there with the Malazan books for not just insanely good worldbuilding, but tying the characters into the world building, but it's at a much more intimate scale than the Malazan books. That lets it focus far more on the richness and detail of the world and "small scale" aspects that makes it feel almost like the Earthsea books, where everything feels so much closer to "a few hundred villagers leading a subsistence lifestyle being what passes for a large settlement" rather than "the Roman Empire revisited".
Like the list, love that the dark tower is on there, underrated for its pure audacity and originality! I’d say Malazan, The First Law and The Dark Tower are my top three, couldn’t decide on any others?! And Tolkien, that third book… is as unique a reading experience as any you’re likely to find???… the finale, the appendices, the languages, it’s like nothing else I have ever read, or probably ever will…
I’m taking the “scenic route” of the Dark Tower series and am a little over a third of the way through (and on Wastelands in the series proper). I’ve just finished the Blade Itself and rushed right into Before They are Hanged. I just started the Eye of the World. So far, I am really enjoying all three of these series. Just amazing worlds, characters and writing. However, I realized just the other day that ASOIAF is truly on another level. I blew through the five books between the 7th and 8th seasons of the show and they were absolutely enthralling. However, like many people, season 8 was a massive let down. On top of that, I got sick of G.R.R.M. constantly saying Winds of Winter was just around the corner and then being let down, so I sort of laid the series to rest in my mind. It had been years since I even thought of it, but getting so into these other series made me want to go back for a quick sample reading of Storm of Swords just to confirm if ASOIAF really was as good as I remembered. It is. It’s in its own league. The character development, the world building, the dialogue, and the overall writing are just superb. I do think we eventually get Winds of Winter one way or another, but I also doubt we’ll get an ending to the book series.
Love it man. Song of Ice and Fire was my first big fantasy series. I have been reading others for years (and enjoying mostly all) but still searching for the feeling I got reading about Jon, Dany, Arya, Ned, and the rest of the crew. I do think we will see Winds Of Winter, but Dream Of Spring may be out of the cards.
Have read most of this list, and might have a bit of a different order, but I cannot disagree too much. Top ten lists and discussing differences are always fun. I have three glaring holes in my fantasy read reptoire, and am planning to fill them in late 24 or early 25 after I complete my Sanderson run and devour Stormlight 5 :) Great Video as always!
It’s great to see WOT on your list. I feel like the slog criticism is valid but overstated and it seems worse for a lot of new readers because of confirmation bias. I read the series not knowing there’s a slog in the middle so it wasn’t that big of a deal for me. Overall, it’s an amazing series.
Logan Ninefingers in the First Law is the most interesting thing about the story, and it left me craving to know more and more about him and his powers to my disappointment. Dark tower should be on top of First Law. Don't get me wrong though, the trilogy was great.
ASOIAF is #1 for me, and there is no close second. The plot, characters and world building are all amazing. I don’t expect to ever read other books as good as those. I think the only way it gets finished is if another author completes it after GRRM’s death, similar to Sanderson with WoT.
Since your last top 10. I have read everything Joe Abercrombie has written. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the suggestion. Still trying to decide what series to start next.
Personally, The Bartimaeus Trilogy will always hold a very special place in my heart. I think you and your son would have a lot of fun reading it together since you enjoyed Percy Jackson and Harry Potter
I can’t argue with the top 2, tough to put them in an order as they are so different. It will be interesting to see where you put Malazan. I’ve read the first 2 books and it’s so different to anything else I’ve read, it’s hard to make a comparison..
In no particular order my favorites are as follows Lotr The elderlings and everything written by Robin Hobb, truly magnificent. Raymond e Feists complete works. Wheel of time series. The dark tower series His dark materials David Eddings series are also well worth checking out for those who haven’t! I need a new gripping series to read, but don’t know where to go!
I just read the Silmarillion for the first time in my 40s. Definitely worth the wait as I thoroughly enjoyed it. I almost want to re-read it with a family tree next to me as there ate so many names mentioned and they are mostly linked through blood relationships.
A Song of Ice and Fire bored the ever-loving poop out of me. It took me 13 years to finish it because I couldn't stay focused. There were a lot of things that could have been entirely taken out and the story wouldn't have changed. If I didn't have Wiki of Ice and Fire then I wouldn't have had any clue what was going on. If he dies, hopefully he leaves enough notes for Gaiman, Colfer, or Sanderson to finish it up for us.
Malazan will always be my number one and will never be topped it sucks because now I end up always comparing everything to Malazan and nothing for me scratches the itch Malazan gave me and still does.
Mike! You’ve got to read the Lyonesse trilogy by Jack Vance, especially since you love ASOIAF so much. Both Vance and Lyonesse were huge influences on Martin and the books are phenomenal.
Just watched your top 10 Sci-Fi. I just recently got into reading as my girlfriend is very big into it. I started with Hyperion and moved to 2001: A Space Odyssey and just now finished Martian Chronicles. I got a few other books in the log, but her and I are planning on starting The Way of Kings before too long. Anyways, appreciate these videos as you gave me other books to look forward to!
The thing about Harry Potter and how they can capture so many people's hearts when reading is that each of the books all have one thing in common: They are a mystery book. Book 1 had us wonder what was being protected in Hogwarts that was so special. Book 2 has children turning to stone and we must find out why. Book 3 has a criminal escape prison and is going after Harry, Book 4 had Harry compete in some dangerous games despite it being impossible. etc. etc. Meanwhile, the story featured us in a magical setting that also had a turning of age character that grew as the story conitnued year after year. And of course, ignoring all the various flaws in the series.
An interesting selection of Fantasy tales. Excellent cover art. You are correct that some of your choices are less appreciated than others. I thought the Dark Tower series was a slogging, alternate real estate excursion. But the Harry Potter tales are gems. Liked and subscribed
finishing Wheel of Time is graduating from fantasy school - very nicely put, sir... right now I am on book 4 re-reading spree, enjoying it as I did the first time around...
I completely agree with ASoIaF, I cannot find any flaws with the series - except for the fact that it is not finished. There is no other series that has a combination of this level of world building AND amazing character writing. I also somewhat soured on it for a while due to the later seasons of the show and waiting for ages for the next book (started reading it somewhere around 2006-ish?), but my re-read last year has fully restored my love for these books. Here is my current Top 10: 1. A Song of Ice and Fire by GRRM 2. The First Law by Joe Abercrombie 3. Manifest Delusions by Michael R. Fletcher 4. Green Bone Saga by Fonda Lee 5. Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien 6. Dresden Files by Jim Butcher 7. Ash and Sand Trilogy by Richard Nell 8. Liveship Traders by Robin Hobb 9. Raven's Mark Trilogy by Ed McDonald 10. Demon Cycle by Peter V. Brett Honourable mentions: Discworld by Terry Pratchett, Harry Potter by JK Rowling, Lot Lands Saga by Jonathan French, The Dark Elf Trilogy by RA Salvatore, Kingkiller Chronicles by Pat Rothfuss, Elric of Melnibone by Michael Moorcock
I have been looking for good fantasy series as well as mystery series. I never heard of the Dresden Files and will now definitely try it. Looks like it might hit 2 birds with 1 stone with this one. Thanks.
Dresden Files is great! It's a lot of fun and great to see the series and characters develop. First few books are a little rougher, but they're all fast-paced and exciting reads.
I feel like you're being very generous to Song of Ice and Fire being at number 1 over literally anything Tolkien lol while I loved Song of Ice and Fire you cannot put aside the fact that the entire series owes it's deepest gratitude to the fact that Tolkien existed. The Lord of the Rings is literal literary masterpiece that set the standard for Fantasy literature for generations to come after it and I feel Martin had a very difficult time trying to live up to that standard. Just my opinion on your opinion.
as someone that is just a little younger than you Harry Potter came out when I was fairly young and I loved it, it honestly made me fall in love with reading all over again to be honest my first love in reading was the Laura Ingalls wilder Little house books they were amazing to a small town country kid from TN, they for sure weren't anything to do with fantasy but they opened my eyes to how amazing book worlds could be which lead me to all of these fantastical worlds that everyone loves today
1 - The Dark Tower (King) 2 - Harry Potter (Rowling) 3 - The Lord of the Rings (Tolkien) 4 - The Wheel of Time (Jordan) 5 - A Song of Ice and Fire (Martin) 6 - The War for the Rose Throne (McLean) 7 - The Last War (Shackle) 8 - The Five Warrior Angels (Durfee) 9 - Red Rising (Brown) - I know it's SciFI, but I don't have a top 10 SciFi list. Gotta put it somewhere. 10 - Nevernight (Kristoff) I still have a lot of ongoing series, so this list will probably change in the next 2 years.
Harry Potter above the wheel of time and a song and ice? How? I mean, I know it’s a childhood series but again it’s childhood series which has a lot of faults.
I'm a simple man. I see a top ten by Mike, I click on it at the speed of light.
Same 😂
lol😂
Same. He is one of the most underrated book RUclipsrs on the platform.
Totaly agree with your opinion on Harry Potter. I read it last year, as a 19 year old, and absolutely loved it. My grandma of 72 is reading it right now and is loving it!
I used to love it until JKR turned out to be a terrible person
@@TheDopekittyyou mean a normal person with common sense who stands up to the trans cult?
@@GeorgeZimmermenjk believes that women exist. Crazy right! 😂
@@TheDopekitty I don't think that her having an opinion that contrary to a lot other people makes her a terrible person. And even if it did, that would not change the fact that the series she wrote is one of the best of all time. It is my favourite fantasy series since I was a child and I never loved the author per se, but I loved and continue to love the series and what it stands for. Even if she changed and became a worse person than she was, that does not change the series at all.
In other words, never loved her before, don't love her now, will always love Harry Potter.
@@GeorgeZimmermen You mean a woman who compares all trans people to rapists, advocates against autistic people having rights, writes antisemitic tropes into her novels, insults other cis women for looking like men, insults intersex people, happily casts men who abuse their wives and more?
I guess you're right that that is all sadly normal these days, but it shouldn't be.
I totally agree. People are starting to lose interest in Asoiaf because it has been a long time since the last release, the books aren't getting finished and the show finale sucked, but these five books are still incredibly good!
Are they?? I was such a big fan of the show (still not over the finale), but I have never been sure if I should try the books, mainly because I feel that I know all the spoilers. Should I try them anyway?
@@Usernameforsf yes ,you should,I was in same positiok as you,the first two book are kinda similar to the first seasons,but after that the books are really different and much more complex
@@UsernameforsfI mean this respectfully, but you dont know anything.
There are entire plots, dozens of characters, areas explored in the books that did not even exist in the show, and what was there, was portrayed from kinda meh to disastrously bad.
The series is probably never going to be completed, or even get another book, but they're still worth it
@@Usernameforsf I've done similarly with other adaptation/books and except for a few very special cases, books are always worth reading if you love the adaptation. It just gives you so much more depth that cannot be done on the TV screen. In case of Asoiaf, Book 3 is just peak fantasy, Martin pretty much outdid himself with that one. Many people dislike Book 4 due to the fact that Book 4 and 5 are in the same timeline but POVs are separated, and the more popular POVs were in Book 5. This meant that people had to wait 11 years to read about Jon/Tyrion/Danny again. Jokes on them, now 13 years have passed since book 5. Anyways book 4 is also great.
@@LeoSkyro wow! They sound great! I really should give them a try then :)
I read Harry Potter when I was in my 30s and loved it. I was reading it at the same time as my god daughter, and we talked about it as we read each book. It will always have a place in my heart, for that reason.
ASOIAF will always be my favorite. It was my first love. I thought that it would lessen my enjoyment of other books since it was my first time reading fantasy but no. And it still stands the test of time with me now that I’m 200+ deep in to SF&F.
Best dialogue, best characters.
Thank you for talking about Harry Potter... A lot of youtubers gloss over it or there's zero mention of it in top fantasy lists for whatever reason but I tell people like you were saying that there will never be another time when masses of people camp out at book stores until mid-night. Kids don't even like to read these days.
As a kid in high school who didn't like reading I stayed up until 4 in the morning opening night reading and that feeling of wonder and magic is something I've never found again. The casual reader was captured into this world. The emotions of this book if you were waiting for the next one to come out and were reading them before the movies came out just hit different.
People are avoiding Harry Potter because JKR is a massively transphobic person trying to remove support for transgender people
0. Lord of the Rings
1. Malazan (All Erikson and Esslemont books)
2. A song of Ice and Fire
3. First Law
4. Earthsea books
5. Black Company series
6. Wheel of time
7. Book of the New Sun
8. Witcher
9. Kingkiller Chronicle
What I love the most about ASOIAF is use of the magic. It would’ve been so easy to flood Westeros with a tonne of magic and fantastical things everywhere. Instead, George uses magic sparingly but so powerfully. Almost makes me feel like Westeros could’ve actually been real place! Such a shame that the story will probably never be finished.
My top 5 because I just got back into fantasy 2 years ago
1. Malazan
2. A song of ice and fire
3. First Law
4. Mistborn
5. Ranger’s Apprentice (went unbelievably hard when I was 11)
Brooo i forgot about Rangers Apprentice i used to be obsessed
Ranger's Apprentice is so good
Halt was a boss in Ranger’s Apprentice.
The justification for pick number five had me rolling😂
Ranger's Apprentice is amazing great shout
Great call on HP. I grew up with them and then reread last year again in my 30s with kids and I was wrecked by some parts. Hit different as an adult
Love your take on Harry Potter. I’ll never get tired of re reading those books
same!!!
When people say "I have never seen or read any HP." I just feel sorry for them, missing the ride as the Thestrals start off with my carriage, again.
JKR is a transphobe
@HaroonHamza-wj6dq Did you just have a stroke?
can you do a top 10 tv shows of all time?
Great idea
He did top 15 sci-fi shows of all time. It’s on the ‘Off The Books’ playlist, as well as Mike’s Media Reviews. But it is just sci-fi.
I used to judge people that had Harry Potter in their favorites...reread it this year and finally finished the last book... the series is definitely in my top 5 lol
I'd like to see more people who missed out on the Harry Potter craze read the books. If you like fantasy, they are worth a look.
1. Malazan
2. Book of the New Sun (honestly felt like a total clash between fantasy and sci/fi, so it's hard to distinguish)
3. Discworld
4. A Song of Ice and Fire
5. First Law
Nice list Mike- I’d say my Top 5 are 1. Five Warrior Angels 2. Bloodsworn 3. DiscWorld 4. Malazan 5. Immortal Technique- I can’t decide on the last 5 for a top 10
Was glad to hear about you continuing Malazan, I'm looking to start it this year and wondered your thoughts since you haven't talked about it in a while. Absolutely agree with Song of Ice and Fire, I reread the whole series last year and it's just so good! I think your praising Storm of Swords is actually what got me into your channel since that book is just amazing. I recommend Jemisen's Broken Earth trilogy if you haven't read it yet, we read it for my book club and I enjoyed the world building.
I never get sick of these videos
I love this list! My top 10 in no order is Stormlight archive, WoT, Divine Cities, the winternight trilogy, roots of chaos, first law, broken earth, kingkiller, the bound and the broken, and the Nevermoor series. I can’t wait to read malazan and more of Dresden!
Dude it feels pretty great to have found your channel years ago when you first started your wheel of time read and to see it in your top ten. I've read it six times and there's still so much to unpack in that series that I pick up on rereads. I just wish you continued Berserk without taking a break for so long, it's easy to forget everything that happens if you put it down partway through but I'm happy that you at least got through a good chunk of it.
I'm about one third of the way through book 3 of the First Law trilogy and I like the series a lot but for some reason it didn't feel like it grabbed me as much as I thought it would from what I've heard about it. Book two honestly was kind of "meh" for the most part, sure there were some very cool moments but it wasn't as great as I was hoping. I will say though that the characters are amazing, I don't think I've ever related to a character more than I have with Glokta and not in the good ways haha. I'm 40 now and I've had a lot of major physical issues and surgeries throughout my life that left me with many physical scars and missing body parts. At 19 I had cancer which required a major jaw surgery including removing an entire 14 inch section of leg bone from my left tibia, which had me limping with a cane for nine months and I still have to be careful with how much weight I put on my leg. The right side of my jaw from the center to my right ear was removed, teeth and all (I had a large malignant tumor in my jaw so the tibia I mentioned was grafted as a replacement jaw and is held with a titanium chain, the x-rays of it look crazy). Five years later i was diagnosed with Crohn's disease and that caused many many issues including erosion of tooth enamel, so I had to have nine teeth pulled and now i have dentures up top. This is along with missing teeth on the entire lower right side of my mouth from the cancer surgery, so I truly understand Glokta when he's talking about missing teeth🤣 Throw in a ruptured intestine last year that almost killed me so there's another major surgery with months of recovery and the list goes on. I should stop rambling now about my problems but the point stands that I truly sympathize with my man Glokta, I just don't share his proclivity for "enhanced interrogation" techniques😅
Anyway sorry for the T.M.I., just wanted to throw in a comment to not only show my appreciation for what you've done with this channel but to explain a bit on why the character of Glokta really resonates with me. Thanks for all you do here Mike I'm a big fan, much love🙏
What a great list of favorites. Realm of the Elderlings, Stormlight Archives, The Dark Tower, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and A Song of Ice and Fire are all on my list as well.
I would include Robert E. Howard's fantasy universe, including Conan, Kull, Solomon Kane, & Bran Mak Morn. One of the greatest writers who ever lived.
Conan and the other REH characters are timeless I highly suggest younger readers check them out. 👍
I can't make a top 10 list in order. But my favorite series include: The Expanse, Outlander, Dresden Files, RotE, Stormlight, Malazan, Dark Tower, the Empire trilogy by Janny Wurtz and Raymond Feist, WoT, and...I guess I can throw in First Law. I used to love ASoIaF. I'm just burned out from that world. I couldn't even finish HotD.
You should totally finish HotD, the show is so amazing, it really makes up for season 8 of GoT. Episode 8 of HotD in particular is so emotional and beautifully devastating.
@Jrdn357 ugh! I know. Lol. I actually watched the first 7 episodes and then I got stuck. I just decided to back off for awhile and try again in a year or so.
Always interesting to see how people's lists change over time. And always a delight to watch your videos and heard your insights!
GRRM's prose can be really addictive. Especially in Clash of Kings.
Found you through your Dresden reviews and I've been here since. Glad it made the list.
hey man thanks! I'm a 29 year old Dark Tower fan, massive Stephen King universe fan, trying to branch out and finally read other *real* fantasy series. So far it's been tough for me to adjust my mindset since The Dark Tower series sort of spoiled me with all its variety. So far, the coolest world since Dark Tower that's sucked me right in has been Discworld
Mike!!!! Your channel is a treasure chest. So much insight. Thank you. Currently reading Lonesome Dove (loving it so far), and I’ll be reading Blackwater next. From Miami with massive props.
Big up, champion. 💪🏼🍻
I also read Lonesome Dove per his recommendation. It's not a book I'd normally pick up, but his reading tastes and mine are pretty similar, so I gave it a shot, and yes, it's great! Enjoy!
I love your shirt! I'm so jealous of your Red Rising paraphernalia. Where are you getting all of it? Great video. Never get tired of these lists.
My top 1) The first law
2) Discworld
3) Dresden files
4) Stormlight archives
5) Harry Potter
Having been a fantasy reader for decades, and a role player, I can't say enough about Harry Potter. Books or films, love them all. Keep up the good work.
I think my Top 10 is probably:
1. Harry Potter
2. The Faithful and the Fallen
3. The Wheel of Time
4. The Lord of the Rings
5. Riyria Revelations
6. The Chronicles of Conan
7. The Dresden Files
8. Mistborn Era 1
9. The Legends of Drizzt
10. The Chronicles of Narnia
I think it’ll change a lot over time, but that’s it for now.
There is something about HP. I was an adult already when they were coming out and as addicted. AND I actually went to Waterstones on Piccadilly and queued overnight for the last book. It was magical. So many people, of all ages, from all around the world, all there for the same thing. The atmosphere was unreal, and I got my book at 2 am. Still remember fondly 😊
I have a group of friends who all love fantasy and we read a bunch. That being said, if the following books are not on a list in 2024 I would caution whatever list you are reading/watching;
- Red Rising
- Name of the Wind (king killer chronicles)
- Stormlight Archives
Your comments on Wheel of Time was perfect! 😘 Thank you so much!!!! WOT needs booktube love at the moment! So many haters out there who put it down and they have not even read it!!
10.King Killer Chronicles
9.Lord of The Rings
8.Mistborn Era 1
7.Drenai Saga (Druss novels only)
6.Bloodsworn Saga (Potentially in top 5 after I read the Fury of the Gods)
5.Asoiaf
4.Wheel of Time
3.Stormlight Archive
2.The Faithful and The fallen + Of Blood and Bone
1.The First Law World
0.The whole cosmere > anything in fantasy ... too many awesome books :D
For me it will always be Lord of the Rings followed very quickly by Malazan. I left fantasy many years ago specifically because of Wheel of Time. Got halfway through and said 'nope, not spending any more damn time on this'. Malazan brought me back in and now I'm looking at other series as well.
I've been wanting to read The Wheel of Time for years now, but always something gets in my way.
I've noticed that despite the fame, many people who have read at least five books in the saga end up saying that the series isn't that good after all, but I've never seen anyone explain why.
Mike - I'm not a fantasy reader (or a reader in general) but I stumbled upon your 3 years ago and you brought to the First Law and I can't thank you enough. Keep up the good work.
1: Manifest Delusions
2: The Second Apocalypse
3: Berserk
4: The Dark Tower
5: The Eternal Champion
6: Conan
7: Song of Ice and Fire
8: First Law
9: Black Company
10: (The Belgariad & Harry Potter, I have a soft spot for these two lol)
Have u tried Kull by K. e. Wagner? Its a bit kike conan. Very overlooked by some. If u haven't its worth a read if u can find a paperback
The Belgariad is my all time favorite!
I’ve mostly read thrillers and mysteries and am just getting into Sci Fi Fantasy and haven’t read most of these. You’ve basically set me up for a few years of reading! Thank you! Love your channel.
I respect that you put A Song Of Ice and Fire at number 1 despite it not being finished. I believe if GRRM finishes strong with the last two books then I'm not sure anything in fantasy will ever top it. It's an amazing world that GRRM created. Come on, George! Please finish the series!
Thank you for standing up for Harry Potter. Most of us 30-35 year olds owe our love of reading to JK Rowling but now we…aren’t allowed to acknowledge that?
Also shout out to Joe and Stephen Pacey ❤
Amen!!!
Because the creator is a terrible person.
Very interesting list.
I can do a top 7 series maybe and then it gets all murky.
The GOATs
1. LoTR by JRR Tolkien
2. Gormenghast by Mervyn Peake
The contemporary greats (because as you said legacy takes time)
3. Harry Potter by J K Rowling
4. Kingkiller Chronicle by Patrick Rothfuss (Eyeroll amirite 🤣 but hey we love what we love)
The really good
5. Memory, Sorrow and Thorn by Tad Williams
6. A Song of Ice and Fire by George R R Martin
7. Earthsea by Ursula K Le Guin
Some good series which are very well-written and/or have good ideas but something makes it not quite a favourite (not ranked):
- The Winnowing Flame trilogy by Jen Williams
- The Books of Babel by Josiah Bancroft (this would have been in my top 5 but the finale...)
- The Dandelion Dynasty by Ken Liu
- The Lyonesse trilogy by Jack Vance
- The Magicians by Lev Grossman
- The Five Warrior Angels by Brian Lee Durfee
What would I recommend hmm...if you want a bit more literary aligned fantasy, then Lyonesse, Jack Vance is GRRM's favourite writer besides Tolkien.
If ASOIAF is your #1, I think The Last King of Osten Ard by Tad Williams is worth a try as is Shadowmarch. He is an excellent writer imo.
Happy reading!
I might be a little confused how you organized it Mike. I'm not totally sure, but why is Faithful and the Fallen separated from A Blood and Bone but Mistborn Era 1 not separated from Era 2? Why did you group all of Mistborn as 1 single series? Is it just because of the title? I feel like Mistborn 2 series are more different than Faithful an d the Fallen 2 series.
My list has changed a bit in the last couple years as well. I've added a few new entries and some of my old ones have shuffled around; mainly because of the new entries of course but two have fallen because of other reasons. Here is my current list:
Honorable mentions: Deed of Paksenarrion, ASOIAF, Mistborn Era 1, Faithful & the Fallen, Chronicles of Thomas Covenant & LotR. All of these have at one time or the other been in my top 10 if only briefly (F&F). Some of them might come back into the top 10 if I ever get around to a reread (Thomas Covenant). But like you I'm getting older and have so many things I want to read, lol.
10. Broken Empire/Red Queen's War by Mark Lawrence (new entry this year; I group them together because they tell 2 sides of 1 story)
9. Belgariad/Malloreon by David Eddings (been on my list for over 2 decades but is in danger of falling out as time goes on)
8. Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss (this has fallen because it isn't finished; it will probably fall out of top 10 like ASOIAF eventually because of that)
7. The Band by Nicolaus Eames (added last year)
6. Mistborn Era 2 (added this year; I seperate the Era's because they are so different in style and tone)
5. Malazan Book of the Fallen (added in 2022)
4. Drenai Saga by David Gemmell (been a top 10 for over 2 decades and I don't see if falling out anytime soon)
3. First Law (Abercrombie became my favorite living author last year; even ahead of my #2 author if that makes any sense, lol)
2. Stormlight Archive (it's #2 because I like epic fantasy more than grimdark overall but really it's basically a tie)
1. Wheel of Time (has been my #1 series for 27 years and counting and I don't see it changing)
Mike’s list is great. I would like to add a few that I haven’t seen mentioned
One of my favorites: The Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind - falls somewhere between PG-13 and R
The Shannara series by Terry Brooks
The Chronicles of Amber by Roger Zelazny
The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant by Stephen R. Donaldson
Phew! Glad I found a fell covenant fan! 👍👍
@@threestringsomg Yup good call. The Chronicles of Amber is a great series as well.
I cannot stop talking about ASOIAF either, my favourite of all time as well!
I wish i could read something similar but really there is none
Similar to how Brandon Sanderson finished the Wheel of Time for Robert Jordan. Do you think that Joe Abercrombie would be a great choice to finish A Song of Ice and Fire?
Oooohhhhh!!!! 😮
A Storm of Swords is perfection
My top 10
1. ASOIAF
2. First law
3. Wheel of time
4. Faithful and the Fallen
5. Storm light Archive
6. Malazan (Only on book 4 will probably be top 3 when I’m done)
7. The Dark Tower
8. Empire of the vampire (will probably move up when it’s completed)
9. Bloodsworn saga
10. Riyeria Revelations
Hey Mike, just got to drop you a word, you were the first to plant the seed of fantasy novels for me, and on June 16, 2024 i finally got started. So much to look forward to, thanks so much for being a reliable resource for wading through this densely populated genre, without guides i would be wasting too much time on stuff that would be perhaps not worth spending time in, thanks so much!!!
I've read nearly all of these and wholeheartedly agree. I think The Bound and the Broken will stand the test of time for sure. Dresden Files are fun, funny fantasy stories with a flair and I love them. I always said I couldn't do grim dark, but when you recommended The First Law trilogy it was a game changer. Powered through every book like a maniac! The Faithful and the Fallen was another fantastic series. Thanks for all the great recommendations, keep them coming!
Nothing beats a good top 10 list! Hope to see Bound and the Broken break into the official list someday, it deserves the love! And can't blame you for putting ASOIAF on number one, I read that for the first time last year and it is just as good as I had been led to believe. Great picks!
I've always been a big fan of Raymond E. Feist's fantasy series--beginning with Magician: Apprentice. I haven't read any of the books in his universe since I was a kid, but if you're looking for something off the beaten path, he's worth a read!
Great list, Mike! I’m a bit of a newbie when it comes to my fantasy journey but I’ve absolutely loved the Dark Tower, First Law, and FaTF… planning on reading the Bloodsworn Trilogy next in anticipation of the final book later this year! Keep up the great content 👍
I haven't done a top 10 fantasy-specific list, but ours are so similar! I think 7 of these were on my top 10 series, albeit in a different order. But 3 of our top 5 are the same: LOTR, First Law and Dark Tower.
I’m currently up to book 5 in The Dark Tower so I’m looking forward to seeing where it ends up on my list!
Just browsing the comments and there are some great lists. One thing that i observe is a large recency bias. No mention of Elric of Melnibone, Fafhrd & The Grey Mouser, Robert E. Howard, Guy Gavriel Kay, Raymond E Feist, etc. For the younger or new to fantasy i would say these are all so worth reading. Even just to appreciate the journey the genre has taken.
There’s a lot from the last 20 years that I haven’t read due to life getting in the way, but my top 5 FAVORITE (not necessarily best):
1 - Wheel Of Time - Robert Jordan
2 - Otherland - Tad Williams (many may call it SF but it think it straddles both worlds)
3 - SOIAF - George RR Martin
4 - LOTR - Tolkien
5 - Chronicles Of Prydain - Lloyd Alexander
Good call. Otherland is fantastic and I really like all of Tad Williams work.
I was gonna say that was a Shyamalan esque twist at the end there, but it actually made sense.
Just picked up some hard covers of ASOIAF yesterday! I love the show, but I’ve been putting off reading the books for years now. I think it’s about time I change that.
Enjoy!
Brilliant video! I have a question, I'm very new to reading books, I've read LOTR and the hobbit and Harry Potter! I've just started wheel of time this year and I'm 3 books in and loving it......however I want to read some other books can I take a break or should I finish WoT?
I think personally that I would tell you not to read the wheel of time in one sitting or attempted. It’s a great series, but it is very easy to experience burn out with something this long so my advice is get some stuff on the side. Take some breaks if the series becomes grading after a while, take a break, read something else and then come back.
You can mix it up with something very different, last month I reread Dune, then I read Messiah , Children of Dune and God Emperor of Dune one after the other. I left Heretics of Dune and Chapterhouse: Dune for a future occasion.
So during this month I read a lot of horror and sci-fi short stories, some novels and so on.
Great vid Mike, I just completed a reread of the HP books, just adore the series!
I'm really interested in what you will think when you finish your Dark Tower reread. I just finished a reread at the end of last year and I was surprised that I did not dislike book 6 as much as I expected. And the series has grown for me to the point that it is my favorite ending.
Hi, Mike! I highly recommend you the Manifest Delusions series. It feels to me very similar in tone with The First Law, but with a unique world. I think of it as worthy of breaking your TBR and it would definitely have a place on this list. (Just read it 😁 )
Your reasons for liking the history and who-did-what-to-whom of A Song of Ice and Fire makes me think you'd like the Deverry Cycle by Katherine Kerr, it's a fantastic back-and-forth look through time at the stories of how individuals and their personal decisions can shape history down through the ages because of friendships, rivalries, reconciliations.
It's the series I put up there with the Malazan books for not just insanely good worldbuilding, but tying the characters into the world building, but it's at a much more intimate scale than the Malazan books. That lets it focus far more on the richness and detail of the world and "small scale" aspects that makes it feel almost like the Earthsea books, where everything feels so much closer to "a few hundred villagers leading a subsistence lifestyle being what passes for a large settlement" rather than "the Roman Empire revisited".
Like the list, love that the dark tower is on there, underrated for its pure audacity and originality!
I’d say Malazan, The First Law and The Dark Tower are my top three, couldn’t decide on any others?!
And Tolkien, that third book… is as unique a reading experience as any you’re likely to find???… the finale, the appendices, the languages, it’s like nothing else I have ever read, or probably ever will…
I’m taking the “scenic route” of the Dark Tower series and am a little over a third of the way through (and on Wastelands in the series proper). I’ve just finished the Blade Itself and rushed right into Before They are Hanged. I just started the Eye of the World. So far, I am really enjoying all three of these series. Just amazing worlds, characters and writing. However, I realized just the other day that ASOIAF is truly on another level. I blew through the five books between the 7th and 8th seasons of the show and they were absolutely enthralling. However, like many people, season 8 was a massive let down. On top of that, I got sick of G.R.R.M. constantly saying Winds of Winter was just around the corner and then being let down, so I sort of laid the series to rest in my mind. It had been years since I even thought of it, but getting so into these other series made me want to go back for a quick sample reading of Storm of Swords just to confirm if ASOIAF really was as good as I remembered. It is. It’s in its own league. The character development, the world building, the dialogue, and the overall writing are just superb.
I do think we eventually get Winds of Winter one way or another, but I also doubt we’ll get an ending to the book series.
Love it man. Song of Ice and Fire was my first big fantasy series. I have been reading others for years (and enjoying mostly all) but still searching for the feeling I got reading about Jon, Dany, Arya, Ned, and the rest of the crew. I do think we will see Winds Of Winter, but Dream Of Spring may be out of the cards.
Have you read the Lord of the Rings?
@@ozzyshreds2017 oh yes. Multiple times. Love it
Have read most of this list, and might have a bit of a different order, but I cannot disagree too much. Top ten lists and discussing differences are always fun. I have three glaring holes in my fantasy read reptoire, and am planning to fill them in late 24 or early 25 after I complete my Sanderson run and devour Stormlight 5 :) Great Video as always!
It’s great to see WOT on your list. I feel like the slog criticism is valid but overstated and it seems worse for a lot of new readers because of confirmation bias. I read the series not knowing there’s a slog in the middle so it wasn’t that big of a deal for me. Overall, it’s an amazing series.
When it comes to the Dark Tower I block out book 5,6 & 7. In my mind it ends at Wizard & Glass!!
The problem with the last book isn't even the ending, but everything else.
No.1 Well deserved for ASOIAF, it’s just on another levels imo.
Logan Ninefingers in the First Law is the most interesting thing about the story, and it left me craving to know more and more about him and his powers to my disappointment. Dark tower should be on top of First Law. Don't get me wrong though, the trilogy was great.
ASOIAF is #1 for me, and there is no close second. The plot, characters and world building are all amazing. I don’t expect to ever read other books as good as those.
I think the only way it gets finished is if another author completes it after GRRM’s death, similar to Sanderson with WoT.
Since your last top 10. I have read everything Joe Abercrombie has written. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the suggestion. Still trying to decide what series to start next.
I started ASOIAF a week after first release. Its been a journey but dont fret GRRM is a red priest it will be finished.
Personally, The Bartimaeus Trilogy will always hold a very special place in my heart. I think you and your son would have a lot of fun reading it together since you enjoyed Percy Jackson and Harry Potter
I can’t argue with the top 2, tough to put them in an order as they are so different.
It will be interesting to see where you put Malazan. I’ve read the first 2 books and it’s so different to anything else I’ve read, it’s hard to make a comparison..
In no particular order my favorites are as follows
Lotr
The elderlings and everything written by Robin Hobb, truly magnificent.
Raymond e Feists complete works.
Wheel of time series.
The dark tower series
His dark materials
David Eddings series are also well worth checking out for those who haven’t!
I need a new gripping series to read, but don’t know where to go!
Yeahhhhh! We now share a number 1!! Awesome list Mike.
Besides "The First Law", I also love Terry Mancour's "Spellmonger" series. Great world.
I just read the Silmarillion for the first time in my 40s. Definitely worth the wait as I thoroughly enjoyed it. I almost want to re-read it with a family tree next to me as there ate so many names mentioned and they are mostly linked through blood relationships.
I am going through WOT a third time but I utilize audio books since my daily drive for work is 3 hours each day.
A Song of Ice and Fire bored the ever-loving poop out of me. It took me 13 years to finish it because I couldn't stay focused. There were a lot of things that could have been entirely taken out and the story wouldn't have changed. If I didn't have Wiki of Ice and Fire then I wouldn't have had any clue what was going on. If he dies, hopefully he leaves enough notes for Gaiman, Colfer, or Sanderson to finish it up for us.
Dune, Enders, and Red Rising have really started an obsession
Can I include incomplete series?
5. Harry Potter
4. Empire of the Vampire
3. Stormlight Archive
2. ASOIAF
1. Red Rising
Malazan will always be my number one and will never be topped it sucks because now I end up always comparing everything to Malazan and nothing for me scratches the itch Malazan gave me and still does.
Mike! You’ve got to read the Lyonesse trilogy by Jack Vance, especially since you love ASOIAF so much. Both Vance and Lyonesse were huge influences on Martin and the books are phenomenal.
Just watched your top 10 Sci-Fi. I just recently got into reading as my girlfriend is very big into it. I started with Hyperion and moved to 2001: A Space Odyssey and just now finished Martian Chronicles. I got a few other books in the log, but her and I are planning on starting The Way of Kings before too long. Anyways, appreciate these videos as you gave me other books to look forward to!
Mistborn trilogy is on my list as is the Malazan series haha
The thing about Harry Potter and how they can capture so many people's hearts when reading is that each of the books all have one thing in common: They are a mystery book.
Book 1 had us wonder what was being protected in Hogwarts that was so special. Book 2 has children turning to stone and we must find out why. Book 3 has a criminal escape prison and is going after Harry, Book 4 had Harry compete in some dangerous games despite it being impossible. etc. etc.
Meanwhile, the story featured us in a magical setting that also had a turning of age character that grew as the story conitnued year after year.
And of course, ignoring all the various flaws in the series.
An interesting selection of Fantasy tales. Excellent cover art. You are correct that some of your choices are less appreciated than others. I thought the Dark Tower series was a slogging, alternate real estate excursion. But the Harry Potter tales are gems. Liked and subscribed
finishing Wheel of Time is graduating from fantasy school - very nicely put, sir... right now I am on book 4 re-reading spree, enjoying it as I did the first time around...
My top 3 is
1, Rift war Saga by Robert E Feist
2, Imager series by LE Modesitt
3, Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hob
I completely agree with ASoIaF, I cannot find any flaws with the series - except for the fact that it is not finished. There is no other series that has a combination of this level of world building AND amazing character writing. I also somewhat soured on it for a while due to the later seasons of the show and waiting for ages for the next book (started reading it somewhere around 2006-ish?), but my re-read last year has fully restored my love for these books. Here is my current Top 10:
1. A Song of Ice and Fire by GRRM
2. The First Law by Joe Abercrombie
3. Manifest Delusions by Michael R. Fletcher
4. Green Bone Saga by Fonda Lee
5. Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien
6. Dresden Files by Jim Butcher
7. Ash and Sand Trilogy by Richard Nell
8. Liveship Traders by Robin Hobb
9. Raven's Mark Trilogy by Ed McDonald
10. Demon Cycle by Peter V. Brett
Honourable mentions: Discworld by Terry Pratchett, Harry Potter by JK Rowling, Lot Lands Saga by Jonathan French, The Dark Elf Trilogy by RA Salvatore, Kingkiller Chronicles by Pat Rothfuss, Elric of Melnibone by Michael Moorcock
1. The Kingkiller Chronicles
2. The First Law
3. A Song of Ice and Fire
I have been looking for good fantasy series as well as mystery series. I never heard of the Dresden Files and will now definitely try it. Looks like it might hit 2 birds with 1 stone with this one. Thanks.
Dresden Files is great! It's a lot of fun and great to see the series and characters develop. First few books are a little rougher, but they're all fast-paced and exciting reads.
I feel like you're being very generous to Song of Ice and Fire being at number 1 over literally anything Tolkien lol while I loved Song of Ice and Fire you cannot put aside the fact that the entire series owes it's deepest gratitude to the fact that Tolkien existed. The Lord of the Rings is literal literary masterpiece that set the standard for Fantasy literature for generations to come after it and I feel Martin had a very difficult time trying to live up to that standard. Just my opinion on your opinion.
as someone that is just a little younger than you Harry Potter came out when I was fairly young and I loved it, it honestly made me fall in love with reading all over again to be honest my first love in reading was the Laura Ingalls wilder Little house books they were amazing to a small town country kid from TN, they for sure weren't anything to do with fantasy but they opened my eyes to how amazing book worlds could be which lead me to all of these fantastical worlds that everyone loves today
1 - The Dark Tower (King)
2 - Harry Potter (Rowling)
3 - The Lord of the Rings (Tolkien)
4 - The Wheel of Time (Jordan)
5 - A Song of Ice and Fire (Martin)
6 - The War for the Rose Throne (McLean)
7 - The Last War (Shackle)
8 - The Five Warrior Angels (Durfee)
9 - Red Rising (Brown) - I know it's SciFI, but I don't have a top 10 SciFi list. Gotta put it somewhere.
10 - Nevernight (Kristoff)
I still have a lot of ongoing series, so this list will probably change in the next 2 years.
Great picks!
Harry Potter above the wheel of time and a song and ice? How? I mean, I know it’s a childhood series but again it’s childhood series which has a lot of faults.
@@IzzyZil20 He's just approaching the situation nostalgically.
@@IzzyZil20 I like what I like.
@@reixx-_- Nostalgia has nothing to do with it. I'm currently rereading the series.