I read 200+ fantasy books and these are the best series

Summary

In this video, the creator ranks their top 11 favorite fantasy series of all time as of April 2023. They also mention 50 series in total, with highlights on honorable mentions such as 'The Winnowing Flame Trilogy,' 'Empire of the Wolf Trilogy,' 'The Blossom Saga,' and 'The Lord of the Rings Trilogy.' The video includes details about a new reading app called Commonplace and a Discord server for book discussions. The top 11 list includes series like 'The Bound and the Broken,' 'The Wheel of Time,' and 'The Dark Tower,' each praised for unique elements and personal impact on the creator.

Takeaways

• 📚 The speaker has read over 200 fantasy books and is ranking their top 11 favorite fantasy series as of April 2023.
• 🗣️ They are currently trialing a Discord server for book discussions and have provided a link in the description for interested individuals.
• 🔥 The Winnowing Flame Trilogy by Jen Williams is highlighted as a modern fantasy with unique world-building and immersive storytelling.
• 🐺 The Empire of the Wolf Trilogy by Richard Swann is praised for its fresh approach, deep analysis of law and morality, and brilliant dialogue.
• 🌸 The Blossom Saga by John Gwynne is noted for its Norse inspiration, character development, and the author's improving writing skills.
• 🏰 The Lord of the Rings trilogy is given an honorable mention, with the speaker acknowledging its influence despite not having read it recently.
• 📱 The speaker introduces a reading app called Commonplace, which allows readers to connect, discuss literature, and create a digital library of favorite passages.
• 🐉 The Bound to the Broken series by Ryan Kyle is recommended for fans of classic fantasy with modern twists, featuring dragons, elves, and magic.
• 🌊 The Faithful and the Fallen series by John Gwynne is lauded for its accessible prose, ruthless pacing, and emotional storytelling.
• 🌙 The Illborn Saga by Daniel T. Jackson is highly praised as an underrated series with balanced POVs and addictive episodic chapters.
• 📖 The Farse Trilogy by Robin Hobb is commended for its deep character study, exploring themes of trauma, identity, and loss.
• 🤖 The Age of Madness trilogy by Joe Abercrombie is appreciated for its world progression, steampunk elements, and character development.
• 🛶 The Liveship Traders Trilogy by Robin Hobb is described as one of the best trilogies with impactful character moments and masterful storytelling.
• 🌪️ The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson is acknowledged for its epic character moments and is expected to rise in the speaker's rankings after reading more books in the series.
• 🔮 The Mistborn trilogy by Brandon Sanderson is recognized for its accessible writing, great characters, and unique magic system.
• 🌿 The Green Bone Saga by Fonda Lee is celebrated for its ambitious storytelling, character work, and unique setting blending Asian influences with a modern urban feel.
• 🌈 The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan is cherished for its world-building, character arcs, and intricate plot despite its flaws.
• 🏰 The Dark Tower by Stephen King is the speaker's top pick, loved for its uniqueness, blending of genres, and iconic character of Roland Deschain.

Q & A

What is the purpose of the Discord server mentioned in the script?

The Discord server is for chatting about books, book rants, and general book talk.

What is unique about the 'Winnowing Flame Trilogy' by Jen Williams?

The world-building is very strange, the pacing is ruthless, and it features incredible animal companions, witches, an alien race that drinks human blood, giant bats, mystical beasts, spirits, and UFO-like structures.

Why might the 'Empire of the Wolf Trilogy' by Richard Swann break into the top 10 favorite series?

If Richard Swann nails the third book in the series, it might break into the top 10 due to its wonderful prose, analysis of law, morality, and characters, and excellent dialogue and atmosphere.

What is notable about the 'Blossom Saga' by John Gwynne?

The 'Blossom Saga' is inspired by Norse mythology, features incredible characters, and showcases Gwynne's constantly improving writing. The pacing is intentionally slowed down to explore characters in different scenarios.

Why is 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy an honorable mention instead of in the top 10?

It is an honorable mention because the author hasn't read the series in about 12 years and feels they have changed too much as a reader to fairly include it in the top 10.

What features does the 'Commonplace' reading app offer?

The 'Commonplace' app allows users to capture reading excerpts with their phone's camera, add personal annotations, create a digital library of favorite passages, follow friends to see their quotes and annotations, and engage in discussions modeled after Reddit.

What are some elements of the 'Bound to the Broken' series by Ryan Cahill?

The series features dragons, elves, dwarves, magic, a family trope, a chosen one trope with an interesting take, and a farm boy to hero trope, all executed incredibly well.

What makes the 'Faithful and the Fallen' series by John Gwynne similar to the 'Bound to the Broken' series?

Both series have a classic feel with chosen ones and prophecies, but Gwynne's accessible prose and ruthless pacing make 'Faithful and the Fallen' feel fresh and addictive.

Why is the 'Illborn Saga' by Daniel T. Jackson highly praised despite having only two books?

The series is praised for its balance between four POVs, equally engaging characters, and a writing style that makes each chapter feel like an episode in a show with mini cliffhangers, making it addictive.

What is the focus of the 'Farseer Trilogy' by Robin Hobb?

The 'Farseer Trilogy' is a character study that explores trauma, identity struggles, grief, confusion, loss, and heartache, with occasional high moments like experiencing first true love. The prose is lush and beautiful.

What is unique about the 'Age of Madness' trilogy by Joe Abercrombie?

The trilogy allows the world to progress from a grim medieval setting to a more steampunk era, with discussions about workers' rights, and features Abercrombie's skill in crafting interesting characters and dialogue.

What makes the 'Liveship Traders' trilogy by Robin Hobb stand out?

The series is a third-person multiple POV story with high and impactful character moments, analyzing grief and loss masterfully. It differs from the first-person single POV style of the 'Farseer Trilogy'.

What are some highlights of the 'Stormlight Archive' by Brandon Sanderson?

The series has epic character moments, with 'Words of Radiance' being a standout book. The series is expected to move up in ranking as more books are read.

Why is the 'Mistborn' trilogy by Brandon Sanderson significant?

The trilogy got the author into fantasy as an adult and features the author's favorite magic system. It is accessible, well-paced, with phenomenal characters and plot.

What is the premise of the 'Green Bone Saga' by Fonda Lee?

The series is a godfather-esque story set in a modern urban setting with Asian inspirations, focusing on politics and dialogues, and featuring strong character work and generational storytelling.

Why does 'The Wheel of Time' by Robert Jordan hold a special place in the author's heart?

The series helped the author fall in love with fantasy, featuring some of the best world-building, character arcs, magic system, and plot in fantasy, despite its imperfections.

What makes 'The Dark Tower' by Stephen King unique and special to the author?

The series is a blend of horror, Western, time traveling, and meta elements, starting in a dystopian futuristic Western setting. It was the author's gateway into fantasy and features the iconic character Roland.