What is the best fantasy book series?

[Schadenfroh]

I am within the last 2 chapters of finishing The Hobbit and i was curious if the other LOTR books (mainly the trilogy) are just as good as this little jewel. Is the LOTR series of books considered the best among the fantasy book genre?

 

[amoeba]

it is the original fantasy and the roots of modern fantasy novels.

best is a subjective term.

 

[Yossarian]

The Hobbit was basically written as a children's story; LOTR is much darker but much better imo.

George R. R. Martin is considered by some to be the modern equivalent.

 

[xSauronx]

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh
I am within the last 2 chapters of finishing The Hobbit and i was curious if the other LOTR books (mainly the trilogy) are just as good as this little jewel. Is the LOTR series of books considered the best among the fantasy book genre?

theyre good, and i usually read through the 4 of them once every year or two because theyre my favorites.

i havent read much other fantasy, "war of the flowers" comes to mind, its just one large book though, some 800 pages i think, but i enjoyed it.

 

[yllus]

Song of Fire & Ice >> LOTR

I found LOTR pretty boring, to be quite honest. I have massive respect for the depth of Tolkien's imagination, but as a series of novel it was pretty average.

Martin's series, now... Yhat's how a master writes scenes and characters.

 

[vi edit]

The Dark Elf Series from Salvatore.

 

[agnitrate]

Harry Potter

 

[DaveSimmons]

Like amoeba said, LOTR gets a lot of respect for essentially creating the modern genre of fantasy novels (as opposed to Brothers Grimm / HC Anderson fairy tales).

Some other very good fantasy:
Elizabeth Moon - Deed of Paksenarrion (trade paper trilogy)
L.E. Modesitt Jr - Magic of Recluce (and many others in same world, best read in publication order)
Steven Brust - Book of Jhereg (trade paper trilogy)
C. J. Cherryh - The Morgaine Saga (yet another t-p-t)
David Eddings - The Belgariad (5-book series)

Some popular fantasies that I consider as artistically fulfilling as a Hilary Duff CD:
Terry Goodkind - Sword series (first book OK if you really like BDSM and clumsy descriptions of fighting)
Robert Jordan - Wheel of Time (first couple are good, goes very far downhill very fast)
Terry Brooks - Shannara series (let's slavishly and badly rip off LOTR! me write gooder!)

 

[Lonyo]

Terry Pratchett's Discworld books.
Great fun to read.

 

[Schadenfroh]

Originally posted by: Yossarian
The Hobbit was basically written as a children's story

I got that impression also, but still an amazing book.

 

[ohtwell]

LOTR and Harry Potter are pretty good series. The Unfortunate Event series by Lemony Snicket is pretty good as well.


: ) Amanda

 

[maddogchen]

I liked those Magician books by Raymond E. Feist.
Also like someone mentioned earlier, David Eddings books are really good too.

 

[EpsiIon]

I'm a pretty big fan of the entire Wheel of Time series. A lot of people get bogged down in the most recent books, but I've enjoyed all of them. I'm looking forward to number eleven in a few months.

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
Like amoeba said, LOTR gets a lot of respect for essentially creating the modern genre of fantasy novels (as opposed to Brothers Grimm / HC Anderson fairy tales).

Some other very good fantasy:
Elizabeth Moon - Deed of Paksenarrion (trade paper trilogy)
L.E. Modesitt Jr - Magic of Recluce (and many others in same world, best read in publication order)
Steven Brust - Book of Jhereg (trade paper trilogy)
C. J. Cherryh - The Morgaine Saga (yet another t-p-t)
David Eddings - The Belgariad (5-book series)

Some popular fantasies that I consider as artistically fulfilling as a Hilary Duff CD:
Terry Goodkind - Sword series (first book OK if you really like BDSM and clumsy descriptions of fighting)
Robert Jordan - Wheel of Time (first couple are good, goes very far downhill very fast)
Terry Brooks - Shannara series (let's slavishly and badly rip off LOTR! me write gooder!)

Heh, my fiancee has boxes full of your "Hillary Duff" books. Either she has crappy taste in authors, or you're just a huge fantasy snob. I don't read them, so I don't know.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Originally posted by: notfred

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
Some popular fantasies that I consider as artistically fulfilling as a Hilary Duff CD:
Terry Goodkind - Sword series (first book OK if you really like BDSM and clumsy descriptions of fighting)
Robert Jordan - Wheel of Time (first couple are good, goes very far downhill very fast)
Terry Brooks - Shannara series (let's slavishly and badly rip off LOTR! me write gooder!)

Heh, my fiancee has boxes full of your "Hillary Duff" books. Either she has crappy taste in authors, or you're just a huge fantasy snob. I don't read them, so I don't know.

Hey, "So Yesterday" is a pretty decent disposable pop song, and Hilary did say she "likes Hummers."

Having read several hundred fantasy novels (and a few hundred more SF) I wouldn't call those books _bad_ just the shallow equivalent of top 40 radio or most network TV. So I guess I am being a snob

 

[quizzelsnatch]

Dune, Dune Messiah, Children of Dune, God Emporer of Dune, Heretics of Dune, and Chapterhouse: Dune.

best. books. ever.

 

[sundev]

Chronicles of Narnia.

Yes I'm serious.

 

[AntiStatic]

Stephen King- Dark Tower

 

[Yossarian]

Originally posted by: quizzelsnatch
Dune, Dune Messiah, Children of Dune, God Emporer of Dune, Heretics of Dune, and Chapterhouse: Dune.

best. books. ever.

the last couple were some of the most boring and confusing books I've ever read.

 

[sixone]

Originally posted by: AntiStatic
Stephen King- Dark Tower

Agreed. Terry Goodkind also has a good series, but the name escapes me at the moment.