Visit Redbubble using my link: rdbl.co/capturedinwords-bts23 and you can use my unique promo code: RBC-BTS23-capturedinwords to get 15% off your entire Redbubble order! What completed fantasy series would you recommend?
I can wholeheartedly recommend the poppy war trilogy by R. F. Kuang. A grimdark fantasy series exploring the horrors and fallout of war. While the first book occasionally has moments where it shines through that it was the author's first novel, it isn't so much that you get annoyed by it. The few shortcomnings of the first book is very much made up for by having one of the best "magic school training" arcs I have ever read and also it makes you all the more impressed by how much her writing improves in the subsequent two books.
@andersnrbkmadsen6706 Thanks for the recommendation! I've been meaning to read The Poppy War, and you just reminded me that I need to do that soon! It sounds super interesting and I love magic school/training arcs
I also recommend the poppy war, especially for people into mythology! I’m also currently reading the Cradle series, and it’s very enjoyable. There are 10 books, but they aren’t very lengthy. They are about the size of Tress of the Emerald Sea, maybe even shorter. I’m almost done with book 4 and nothing has made me want to stop yet!
Even if you count LOTR as one book and you discount the Silmarilion because Tolkien never finished it, LOTR is still part of a fantasy series as a sequel to The Hobbit.
Came to the comments to mention Riyria and was so excited to hear you list it. I'm doing a reread right now and it's so good, even the second time around.
I’m on the final book right now and it really is so enjoyable to read! I usually read 20 pages of a book here and there but this series finally got me in the ‘zone’ and I could read nearly 100 pages at a time without even noticing
So great to see Memory, Sorrow and Thorn by Tad Williams here. It's so overlooked and underrated it's insane. I just started rereading and man it's a delight
Wild to come back to this channel 2nd year into University when last I was here I was so much younger... time flies. Also dope as hell hearing you love Malazan so far
Codex Alera! Mad underrated, I've loved this series for years and reread it a dozen times. Thought that Raboniel/Navani dynamic from Rhythm of War is very reminiscent of the Void Queen/Isana relationship in First Lord's Fury. I'd love to ask Brandon if it influenced him since I know read the series.
Hey i haven't seen too many Picture Audio Books these days. Here is a short story about pirates trying to reach the holy land. Its a free picture audio of the book Odyssey of Nirvana 📖 th-cam.com/video/xYhV7jTH4-Q/w-d-xo.htmlfeature=shared
@MetalGildarts I'm in the same boat with it. I've read the first book twice trying to find some like for it but I don't like any of the characters and the writing and story just aren't that great in my opinion.
Some of my favorites that are rarely mentioned on booktube: The Riftwar Saga by Feist The Belgariad by Eddings The Cleric Quintet by Salvatore Symphony of Ages by Elizabeth Haydon Dragon Prince by Melanie Rawn The Seventh Sword by Duncan The Wars of Light and Shadow by Janny Wurtz
"Gunslinger" is so sexist it put me of from reading Steven King ever again. I know he was 19, but there is no excuse to write wemen characters like that.
The Gunslinger and the drawing of the three are magnificent reads...the rest barring Wolves of Calla...all over the place... Such a pity this series couldn't continue as it started but that's King for ya. He's either incredible ( The Stand, Mysery, The Shining, The drawing of the three etc ) or he's terrible...with a list too long to mention...
His Dark Materials is majestic and heart-wrenching and a fast read and ought to be on all lists like this - we'll see how the new book of dust trilogy stacks against it when Pullman's finished, but HDM stands alone. And if you like Dragonlance Chronicles/Legends then certainly try out Weis and Hickman's other complete series, usually 3 or 4 books. I'll always stand by the Death Gate Cycle (7 books), the ending might be slightly rushed, but the characters are great and world building is so special 5 times over.
Some people, myself included were let down by the ending of his dark materials. Left a bad taste in my mouth. Other people I know kind of felt the same.
@@ramspencer5492 I've heard this is true for some, though I can't really understand when to me each book just got better. I think everyone should try it out though and see for themselves - probably worth it even if they only like book one, or they have reservations, it's still a unique experience.
I love the Cycle of Arawn. I listen to the audiobook (3 in 1 from audible) at least every 18 months. Great magic, banter and story lines. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Wizard of the Earthsea is one of my favorite fantasy series of all time. I can always go back and reread it. I was also going to suggest Chronicles of the Black Company and Powder Mage if you hadn't recommended them.
The way you described the Discworld series to be a good in between series reads is the perfect description!! That’s exactly what I do. If anyone knows where to find the Nigel Planer narrator audio versions please let me know!! They’re the BEST
Just found your video and enjoyed very much. I've been reading fantasy for at least 35 years. Here are my additions - Steven Donaldson - Mordants Need. Anne McCaffrey (faboulous writer) Pern and her Killishandra set is fun. Mercedes Lackey - Valdamar ,. Raymund Feist and Jenny Wurts - Empire Trilogy, and Sara Douglass - Wayfarer Redemption
The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini deserved to be on this list! So underrated. I binged the whole thing during the pandemic and fell absolutely in love. The magical system. The character. It was EXACTLY the kind of fantasy everyone needs when they want to escape reality for a magical place.
They're a good starting place if you want to get into fantasy and they do get better as they go along, but they're very derivative and the actual prose is so awkward and bad that I've tried to reread them as an adult (I first read them in middle school) and I can't get more than like 50 pages into the first book before putting it down.
I read it four times in middle and high school (7 to 10 years ago), and am now rereading it again. This time around, I've been paying more attention to details and catching things I never noticed before. It was always a fun series, but I find it even more interesting now, and appreciate it more despite its limitations.
A couple of completed fantasy trilogies I would recommend are The Daevabad Trilogy by S.A. Chakraborty and The Scholomance by Naomi Novik. I also recently read the first book in The Founders Trilogy by Robert Jackson Bennett, and it was really good!
Thanks for the recs, definitely I needed a list like this because I’m tired of starting 100+ books sagas that never ends lmao. I knew some of them, but I haven’t read any, so time to get to work
A favorite of mine is The Faithful and The Fallen by John. Gwynne. 4 books in length and they are hard to put down. Great and memorable characters. Great world built. Animal sidekick. Love it and it was hard to finish as I knew it would be.
So glad to see the Black Company on here. In addition to being the granddaddy of grimdark, what always has stuck with me is some of the amazing names and titles Cook came up with: The Ten Who Were Taken, Toadkiller Dog, Shadowcatch, the list goes on and on.
Howl’s Moving Castle by Diane Wynn Jones is actually a trilogy of stand alones which I would highly recommend for a cozy fantasy book full of banter and fun characters and mystical setting.
Gotta agree that im a bit sad i havent read Malazan earlier. It really is such a tremendous series and not as complex as people say, you rally just have to read on and trust that things are being revealed down the road. Also Yeay for RotE and for Tad Williams, they do deserve more praise then they are getting imho.
One of my favourites fantasy books are Eon by Allison Goodman (#1) and Eona (#2). Love how she is able to describe setting so vividly. Also, personal development of the characters is well written
I freaking love First Law! I hate Joe for crushing my heart into pieces after Wisdom of Crowds but god damn that man is a master storyteller. I love how we jump from multiple POVs happening at the same time during a chaotic scene including side characters and even extras 🤣
I love The Alex Verus series, written by Benedict Jacka. It's urban fantasy set in contemporary London, but centers on a society of wizards and the social dynamics that develop between them. Think of a grim-dark version of the Dresden files. Gritty, merciless, cut-throat politics rule the day, and there's a healthy serving of philosophy thrown in on the side (Jacka was a philosophy major, at Cambridge, I believe.) This ten book series just finished this year.(2023)
I LOVED Codex Alera, and I never hear anyone talk about them. I (personally) am not a Dresden fan. 🤷♀️ I was super excited to see Codex Alera on your list!
Really nice video. You mentioned some of my favorites (Black Company & Memory Sorrow, and Thorn in particular), some that I've been meaning to read (Malazan & Broken Earth), and some I don't think I've even heard of, but now want to check out.
I also recommend: Crown of Stars by Kate Elliott, The Coldfire Trilogy by Celia S Friedman, The Soldier Son trilogy by Robin Hobb, and Shadowmarch by Tad Williams.
Thanks for this list! I have so many fantasy series I still need to read, and it makes sense to focus on completed ones. A completed series I’d recommend is The Dark Tower by Stephen King. I love it and it’s unlike any other fantasy series. But It’s similar to Malazan in that it’s not for everyone. People seem to either love it or hate it.
I'm a huge fan of Codex Alera. The magic system is one of my favorites. Dragonlance was the first fantasy series I ever read and will always spark great memories. Michael J Sullivan is one of my newer favorites. His books are most excellent. One of my favorite things about the series is how he wants his stories throughout multiple books for big reveals. I have read some of Robin Hobbs series but I didn't realize that they were tied together. I'll have to try more. Lotr is another good series. Unfortunately I couldn't make it through the Dragonbone Chair. Mistborn is on my tbr list. Thank you for the info on these other series. I love the parts of the wheel of time that Robert Jordan wrote, but it seemed so different when Brandon Sanderson finished it. I didn't end up finishing it even though I was 10 books in.
So glad you mentioned The Black Company. This series seriously refashioned fantasy and while I enjoy a good old-fashioned quest series it was seriously overdone after Tolkiens's massive success with LOTR. Cook takes the viewpoint of the common soldier, makes war gritty and shocking. His style can be a choppy at times and unique but very well worth it. And the Malazan series is my absolute favorite.
--I was so happy to see Dragonlance on this list. I remember enjoying the Chronicles as a teenager, and it remains a favorite to this day. --Also thrilled to see Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn. What a fantastic series. --The Fifth Season was fantastic. It's embarrassing that I have yet to complete the trilogy. --Speaking of embarrassing: I still need to finish Narnia! --Of course this list would not be complete without Lord of the Rings. Simply unmatched and timeless. The rest of these series are on my TBR. So many books, but so little time. Thanks for sharing!
Love the winnowing flame trilogy!! A series i just finished that would make it on my top 15 list is The Faithful and the Fallen by John Gwynne, an action packed good time with great characters
Great list, I think first law its safe to assume is still in progress, the ending of wisdom of crowds really sets up the next narrative and joe said he hopes to do some more standalones and eventually another trilogy.
Not enough people talk about The Faithful and the Fallen series. It grabbed me right from the beginning and carried that through to the end. I recommend it to as many people as I can.
I Just love The fact you Dragonlance again. I love you, but where are either The Classic than Lotr like Conan and Anderson and Leguin’s Earthsea?:) however very Good work:)
The Dragonlance Chronicles & codex alera!! Glad someone still recommends these series'. The five warrior angel trilogy by brian lee durfee is fantastic too.
Some of my favorite completed series that almost nobody on booktube is talking about are : "Shadows of the Apt" by Adrian Tchaikovsky "Ambergris" by Jeff VanderMeer "Bas-Lag" by China Miéville
Massively late to the party but I’ve just got back into reading again thanks to a series that had me hooked as a teenager- and re reading it currently! Books are called The Saga of Darren Shan, by Darren Shan. I’m not sure it falls into the fantasy genre but is basically about a young boy who gets blooded as a vampire and his travels, trials and tribulations within the vampire world. I have to say, I remember it to be a LOT different back then compared to my current read through, and I’m not sure it’s just purely nostalgia but I really am enjoying it again! It’s a book series of 12 volumes and I recommend you giving it a go! Very easy reading and is designed for young adults.
I subscribed because you are the only person who ever brought up Codex Alara and The Black Company. I know there are a lot of haters for the Sword of Truth, but it should get a nomination if you consider book 11 the ending.
It might be debatable if it is flintlock fantasy, but you ought to check out Mistborn. Era 1 is standard fantasy, but era 2 is western/"cowboy/outlaw" fantasy and heavily centered around guns and how they interact with the magic system he set up. Also Tress of the Emerald Sea does touch up on magic-based guns/cannons, but it isn't the main focus in the action.
I know I am late to the party - sorry, so most of these will probably have already been mentioned somewhere. The Chronicles of Amber by Roger Zelazny. Two 5 book series. David Eddings: The Belgariad (5 Books), The Malloreon (5 books), Plus, Belgarath the Sorcerer, Polgara the Sorceress, The Rivan Codex L. E. Modesitt Jr: The Spell Song Cycle (5 books) Larry Correia: The Grimnoir Chronicles Katherine Kurtz: The Deryni Chronology: 6 series totaling 16 books Joel Rosenberg: Guardians of the Flame (6 books) Stephen R. Donaldson: The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever (3 books) Robert Lynn Asprin (also with Jody Lynn Nye): Myth Adventures (21 primary works, 39 total works) Piers Anthony: Apprentice Adept series (7 books), Battle Circle (3 books), Mode books (4 books) I also really like the following, but you specified COMPLETED series. These are pretty large sets of books though... L E Modesitt Jr, The Recluse Saga (23 books - but he has a new one coming out in 2024) Piers Anthony: The Xanth series. (47 books). the last came out this year. He has been writing one a year for 47 years now so I really would expect one next year as well - unless he dies. He is 89 years old. Personally, I think the concept gets old after awhile but the first 10 or so are fun. I got tired of it around book 15 or so and haven't read any since. However I do recommend the first few anyway as they are fun. So glad you mentioned The Black Company. I really liked that series but hardly ever hear it mentioned anywhere.
One of my favorite fantasy series is called the godblind trilogy by Anna Stephens 1. Godblind 2. Dark soul 3. Bloodchild I read the series last year it's so underrated
The Green Bone Saga is probably my top 5 book series of all time, and the last book is a masterpiece Also The Raven Boys by Maggie Steifvatar is a Fantastic 4 book urban fantasy series, so good
Two strong series that didn't make your list: Katherine Kurtz's Deryni novels: Deryni Trilogy Chronicles of King Kelson Camber of Culdi Trilogy Heirs of Saint Camber Trilogy Childe Morgan Trilogy King Kelson's Bride (stand alone) Some of the strongest middle ages politics in Fantasy and an engaging magic system. Elizabeth Moon's Paksworld books: Deed of Paksenarrion (trilogy) Legacy of Gird (duology) Paladin's Legacy (Quintet) She is also working on a new trilogy set in the same world, but the above books are complete series. I was very happy to see the Black Company make this list. It's one of my all-time favorite stories.
Baomi Novik’s series: Temeraire -Napoleonic Wars with Dragons Scholomance -Datk fantasy trilogy (YA-ish but excellent) Other series: Lady Trent books -“Victorian era” draconologist Mark Lawrence’s Book of the Ancestor trilogy and the Book of the Ice trilogy
The Legend of Eli Monpress by Rachel Aaron - 5 books with the first 3 available in a bindup. Starts as heist fantasy and builds into epic with some truly unique worldbuilding. The Grave of Empires by Sam Sykes - Trilogy with some additional short stories. A revenge quest that really delves into whether or not revenge is worth the price you pay to avhieve it. For some urban fantasy fun The Twenty-sided Sorceress by Annie Bellet is great. The titular sorceress learned to control her powers by thinking of them as dnd spells. She might not be the nerdiest character in the series. About love, found family, and the lengths you're willing to go to protect it.
The Grimnoir Chronicles by Larry Correia is fantastic and no one seems to have ever heard of this trilogy. I especially recommend the audiobooks. The first one is called hard magic.
I need more first law in my life so bad😭😭 more specifically I would love more of Shivers, he steals every scene he’s in especially the more he developes
You can't forget the rest of Micheal J. Sullivan's books set in the world of Elan, (Riyria Revolations, Legends of the First Empire, and The Rise and Fall) All top-notch.
I would recommend Mercedes Lackey and her Valdemar series, and of course Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern. That is a must-read for any fantasy/sci-fi lovers......
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What completed fantasy series would you recommend?
I can wholeheartedly recommend the poppy war trilogy by R. F. Kuang. A grimdark fantasy series exploring the horrors and fallout of war. While the first book occasionally has moments where it shines through that it was the author's first novel, it isn't so much that you get annoyed by it. The few shortcomnings of the first book is very much made up for by having one of the best "magic school training" arcs I have ever read and also it makes you all the more impressed by how much her writing improves in the subsequent two books.
@andersnrbkmadsen6706 Thanks for the recommendation! I've been meaning to read The Poppy War, and you just reminded me that I need to do that soon! It sounds super interesting and I love magic school/training arcs
I also recommend the poppy war, especially for people into mythology! I’m also currently reading the Cradle series, and it’s very enjoyable. There are 10 books, but they aren’t very lengthy. They are about the size of Tress of the Emerald Sea, maybe even shorter. I’m almost done with book 4 and nothing has made me want to stop yet!
Even if you count LOTR as one book and you discount the Silmarilion because Tolkien never finished it, LOTR is still part of a fantasy series as a sequel to The Hobbit.
Who else is watching for recommendations instead of reading your current read
Leave me alone, I finished another book earlier
Leave me alone! 😭😭😭
Didn’t expect to be attacked when coming here…lolz
Quilty..
Ouch
Me having 100s of books on my reading list: “yeah might need some more book recommendations!”
Me too!!😂😭
relatable
Dragonlance was my gateway drug into fantasy novels. I'm glad you mentioned it.
Came to the comments to mention Riyria and was so excited to hear you list it. I'm doing a reread right now and it's so good, even the second time around.
I’m on the final book right now and it really is so enjoyable to read! I usually read 20 pages of a book here and there but this series finally got me in the ‘zone’ and I could read nearly 100 pages at a time without even noticing
So great to see Memory, Sorrow and Thorn by Tad Williams here. It's so overlooked and underrated it's insane. I just started rereading and man it's a delight
It’s goated
SO GOOD!
I almost DNF'd it less than 200 pages in and by the end of the books I was so glad I fought through that slow start!
@@NerdBookReview It really is like that!
I read the Dragon bone chair over 20 years ago . One of my favs
Wild to come back to this channel 2nd year into University when last I was here I was so much younger... time flies. Also dope as hell hearing you love Malazan so far
The Belgariad by David Eddings, and the follow up series The Malloreon are both great classic fantasy!
Thank you for so many additions to my reading list! Mistborn is my favorite of the ones you mentioned.
When you learn to master the arts of the headcannon... every series is a completed series
Codex Alera! Mad underrated, I've loved this series for years and reread it a dozen times. Thought that Raboniel/Navani dynamic from Rhythm of War is very reminiscent of the Void Queen/Isana relationship in First Lord's Fury. I'd love to ask Brandon if it influenced him since I know read the series.
I think its probably not spoke about much as its very YA
Hey i haven't seen too many Picture Audio Books these days. Here is a short story about pirates trying to reach the holy land. Its a free picture audio of the book Odyssey of Nirvana 📖 th-cam.com/video/xYhV7jTH4-Q/w-d-xo.htmlfeature=shared
Glad you mentioned Codex Alera! Loved that series.
The Green Bone Trilogy by Fonda Lee is another great finished fantasy series, definitely one of my favorites.
I basically DNF’d Jade Legacy. Just not my kind of fantasy.
I really need to read Green Bone soon!
@MetalGildarts I'm in the same boat with it. I've read the first book twice trying to find some like for it but I don't like any of the characters and the writing and story just aren't that great in my opinion.
@@LordNovaPrime1 same
@@CapturedInWordssame😂
Some of my favorites that are rarely mentioned on booktube:
The Riftwar Saga by Feist
The Belgariad by Eddings
The Cleric Quintet by Salvatore
Symphony of Ages by Elizabeth Haydon
Dragon Prince by Melanie Rawn
The Seventh Sword by Duncan
The Wars of Light and Shadow by Janny Wurtz
Raymond e feist is a 🐐 the whole series from magician to magicians end is amazing.
And the Belgariad is also really good.
Anyone heard of Wizard War Chronicles by Hugh Cook
I know it is mainstream, but Stephen King's Dark Tower series got me into fantasy and is something I have re-read many times.
Books 2, 3, and 4 are amazing. The audio books for those three are absolutely incredible as well.
"Gunslinger" is so sexist it put me of from reading Steven King ever again. I know he was 19, but there is no excuse to write wemen characters like that.
@@mariareadsssf ugggghhhhh touch grass
@@mariareadsssf good grief, do grow up
The Gunslinger and the drawing of the three are magnificent reads...the rest barring Wolves of Calla...all over the place...
Such a pity this series couldn't continue as it started but that's King for ya.
He's either incredible ( The Stand, Mysery, The Shining, The drawing of the three etc ) or he's terrible...with a list too long to mention...
His Dark Materials is majestic and heart-wrenching and a fast read and ought to be on all lists like this - we'll see how the new book of dust trilogy stacks against it when Pullman's finished, but HDM stands alone.
And if you like Dragonlance Chronicles/Legends then certainly try out Weis and Hickman's other complete series, usually 3 or 4 books. I'll always stand by the Death Gate Cycle (7 books), the ending might be slightly rushed, but the characters are great and world building is so special 5 times over.
Some people, myself included were let down by the ending of his dark materials. Left a bad taste in my mouth. Other people I know kind of felt the same.
@@ramspencer5492 I've heard this is true for some, though I can't really understand when to me each book just got better. I think everyone should try it out though and see for themselves - probably worth it even if they only like book one, or they have reservations, it's still a unique experience.
I really like how you’ve edited this and the style of it, good job 🙌🏻
I love the Cycle of Arawn. I listen to the audiobook (3 in 1 from audible) at least every 18 months. Great magic, banter and story lines. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Just read the synopsis and it sounds very interesting! I'll have to check it out, thanks for the rec!
Yeah, that's a good one, great buddy fantasy book, pretty funny too.
Alright, was looking for a new journey to dive in. Will give a review after finishing the cycle 🎉
I was so happy to see the Memory, Sorrow and Thorn trilogy on your list. It is one of my favorite series by my favorite fantasy author.
Just finished listening to the (1st) first law series from your recommendation and loved it! Thank you 😁
Awesome!! I'm happy to hear you enjoyed it!
Wizard of the Earthsea is one of my favorite fantasy series of all time. I can always go back and reread it. I was also going to suggest Chronicles of the Black Company and Powder Mage if you hadn't recommended them.
The way you described the Discworld series to be a good in between series reads is the perfect description!! That’s exactly what I do. If anyone knows where to find the Nigel Planer narrator audio versions please let me know!! They’re the BEST
Just found your video and enjoyed very much. I've been reading fantasy for at least 35 years. Here are my additions -
Steven Donaldson - Mordants Need.
Anne McCaffrey (faboulous writer) Pern and her Killishandra set is fun.
Mercedes Lackey - Valdamar ,.
Raymund Feist and Jenny Wurts - Empire Trilogy,
and Sara Douglass - Wayfarer Redemption
The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini deserved to be on this list! So underrated. I binged the whole thing during the pandemic and fell absolutely in love. The magical system. The character. It was EXACTLY the kind of fantasy everyone needs when they want to escape reality for a magical place.
Have you read those books as an adult? They are fine but not that strong.
I did. Recently. Stand by my opinion too.
They're a good starting place if you want to get into fantasy and they do get better as they go along, but they're very derivative and the actual prose is so awkward and bad that I've tried to reread them as an adult (I first read them in middle school) and I can't get more than like 50 pages into the first book before putting it down.
I read it four times in middle and high school (7 to 10 years ago), and am now rereading it again. This time around, I've been paying more attention to details and catching things I never noticed before. It was always a fun series, but I find it even more interesting now, and appreciate it more despite its limitations.
They're excellent! It's so sad that it's become a meme to hate on them
Love your videos!!! Your editing is out of this world! Amazing art in your vids!!!
Thank you so much!! Glad you enjoy the videos!
The Deryni Chronicles by Katherine Kurtz - one of the most influential fantasy series that doesn't get much love anymore.
A couple of completed fantasy trilogies I would recommend are The Daevabad Trilogy by S.A. Chakraborty and The Scholomance by Naomi Novik. I also recently read the first book in The Founders Trilogy by Robert Jackson Bennett, and it was really good!
Endings and Feist should be central to most fantasy lists imo. Such enjoyable works and just epitomize fantasy as a genre.
Finally someone putting some light on The Black Company ! 100% agree with what you said. Thank you for all the recommendations !
This is my first video of yours I've watched and I just habe to say your editing and commentary is amazing and incredible❤
Thank you so much!!! I'm happy you found the channel, and I hope you check out more videos 😉 we just reached 100k subscribers which is so exciting!
Thanks for the recs, definitely I needed a list like this because I’m tired of starting 100+ books sagas that never ends lmao. I knew some of them, but I haven’t read any, so time to get to work
Glad my list could help! :)
A favorite of mine is The Faithful and The Fallen by John. Gwynne. 4 books in length and they are hard to put down. Great and memorable characters. Great world built. Animal sidekick. Love it and it was hard to finish as I knew it would be.
Raven's Shadow by Anthony Ryan. The first book is called Blood Song
So glad to see the Black Company on here. In addition to being the granddaddy of grimdark, what always has stuck with me is some of the amazing names and titles Cook came up with: The Ten Who Were Taken, Toadkiller Dog, Shadowcatch, the list goes on and on.
I'm delving into Michael J. Sullivan's writing for the first time - currently on Theft of Swords and I'm enjoying 🎉
Glad you're enjoying it! Riyria Revelations is so great
I’d mention the Bartimaeus sequence, I never see it spoken about but I think it’s really interesting
Bartimaeus is sooo good. And absolutely and unexpectedly hilarious
And Lockwood & Co. is amazing too!
Raymond e feist - the magician, silver thorn and a darkness at sethanon. Great series
Loved this series
@@kathleenwheeler5573 Kathleen, you have impeccable taste.
Howl’s Moving Castle by Diane Wynn Jones is actually a trilogy of stand alones which I would highly recommend for a cozy fantasy book full of banter and fun characters and mystical setting.
Gotta agree that im a bit sad i havent read Malazan earlier. It really is such a tremendous series and not as complex as people say, you rally just have to read on and trust that things are being revealed down the road. Also Yeay for RotE and for Tad Williams, they do deserve more praise then they are getting imho.
Just started reading Malazan! I’ve been told to ride it out cuz it gets amazing
One of my favourites fantasy books are Eon by Allison Goodman (#1) and Eona (#2). Love how she is able to describe setting so vividly. Also, personal development of the characters is well written
I loved those books!!
What is the name of the series? I read it 10 years ago and I never saw an official series name.
Also, it's one of the few duologies I've read, maybe the only one.
Finishing the Last Argument of Kings today and I just got Gardens of the Moon as a gift so I am running out of excuses there.
Continue with the First Law Standalones
@@tyrson4331 i absolutely will!
You just earned a subscriber!
Honestly, I've been watching you for about a year. But your description about LOTR and WoT got me to do it!
For me Malazan is number one. In regards to recommendations, Daniel Abraham's Long Price Quartet.
I freaking love First Law! I hate Joe for crushing my heart into pieces after Wisdom of Crowds but god damn that man is a master storyteller. I love how we jump from multiple POVs happening at the same time during a chaotic scene including side characters and even extras 🤣
I love The Alex Verus series, written by Benedict Jacka. It's urban fantasy set in contemporary London, but centers on a society of wizards and the social dynamics that develop between them. Think of a grim-dark version of the Dresden files. Gritty, merciless, cut-throat politics rule the day, and there's a healthy serving of philosophy thrown in on the side (Jacka was a philosophy major, at Cambridge, I believe.) This ten book series just finished this year.(2023)
Glad to See Codex Alera and Memory, Sorrow, Thorn getting some love! Both very underrated!
Great list malazan is on my list next and In the first law, Gloktas honey porridge song got me 😂😂
I LOVED Codex Alera, and I never hear anyone talk about them. I (personally) am not a Dresden fan. 🤷♀️ I was super excited to see Codex Alera on your list!
Have you read his third series, The Cinder Spires? It puts the other two to shame
Really nice video. You mentioned some of my favorites (Black Company & Memory Sorrow, and Thorn in particular), some that I've been meaning to read (Malazan & Broken Earth), and some I don't think I've even heard of, but now want to check out.
I also recommend: Crown of Stars by Kate Elliott, The Coldfire Trilogy by Celia S Friedman, The Soldier Son trilogy by Robin Hobb, and Shadowmarch by Tad Williams.
Thanks for this list! I have so many fantasy series I still need to read, and it makes sense to focus on completed ones.
A completed series I’d recommend is The Dark Tower by Stephen King. I love it and it’s unlike any other fantasy series. But It’s similar to Malazan in that it’s not for everyone. People seem to either love it or hate it.
Thanks for this list, I've added the first book of each series I haven't checked out yet to my Waterstones wish list 😉
I'm a huge fan of Codex Alera. The magic system is one of my favorites. Dragonlance was the first fantasy series I ever read and will always spark great memories. Michael J Sullivan is one of my newer favorites. His books are most excellent. One of my favorite things about the series is how he wants his stories throughout multiple books for big reveals. I have read some of Robin Hobbs series but I didn't realize that they were tied together. I'll have to try more. Lotr is another good series. Unfortunately I couldn't make it through the Dragonbone Chair. Mistborn is on my tbr list. Thank you for the info on these other series. I love the parts of the wheel of time that Robert Jordan wrote, but it seemed so different when Brandon Sanderson finished it. I didn't end up finishing it even though I was 10 books in.
So glad you mentioned The Black Company. This series seriously refashioned fantasy and while I enjoy a good old-fashioned quest series it was seriously overdone after Tolkiens's massive success with LOTR. Cook takes the viewpoint of the common soldier, makes war gritty and shocking. His style can be a choppy at times and unique but very well worth it. And the Malazan series is my absolute favorite.
Your amazing! I need more books! Thanks for the recs!
100% agree about Winnowing Flame series - and Vintage 😊
--I was so happy to see Dragonlance on this list. I remember enjoying the Chronicles as a teenager, and it remains a favorite to this day.
--Also thrilled to see Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn. What a fantastic series.
--The Fifth Season was fantastic. It's embarrassing that I have yet to complete the trilogy.
--Speaking of embarrassing: I still need to finish Narnia!
--Of course this list would not be complete without Lord of the Rings. Simply unmatched and timeless.
The rest of these series are on my TBR. So many books, but so little time. Thanks for sharing!
Love the winnowing flame trilogy!! A series i just finished that would make it on my top 15 list is The Faithful and the Fallen by John Gwynne, an action packed good time with great characters
Wow I am planning to read these this Autumn and Winter! So excited!😊
Faithful and the fallen is in my top 5
Great list, I think first law its safe to assume is still in progress, the ending of wisdom of crowds really sets up the next narrative and joe said he hopes to do some more standalones and eventually another trilogy.
Not enough people talk about The Faithful and the Fallen series. It grabbed me right from the beginning and carried that through to the end. I recommend it to as many people as I can.
I really need to read that series soon, I've heard so many great things! Thanks for the rec!
I will say, I’ve seen it gaining momentum on booktok
I Just love The fact you Dragonlance again. I love you, but where are either The Classic than Lotr like Conan and Anderson and Leguin’s Earthsea?:) however very Good work:)
The Dragonlance Chronicles & codex alera!! Glad someone still recommends these series'. The five warrior angel trilogy by brian lee durfee is fantastic too.
Some of my favorite completed series that almost nobody on booktube is talking about are :
"Shadows of the Apt" by Adrian Tchaikovsky
"Ambergris" by Jeff VanderMeer
"Bas-Lag" by China Miéville
Nice to see the Codex of Alera finally mentioned somewhere!
Massively late to the party but I’ve just got back into reading again thanks to a series that had me hooked as a teenager- and re reading it currently! Books are called The Saga of Darren Shan, by Darren Shan. I’m not sure it falls into the fantasy genre but is basically about a young boy who gets blooded as a vampire and his travels, trials and tribulations within the vampire world.
I have to say, I remember it to be a LOT different back then compared to my current read through, and I’m not sure it’s just purely nostalgia but I really am enjoying it again! It’s a book series of 12 volumes and I recommend you giving it a go! Very easy reading and is designed for young adults.
Thank u for new recommendation. Love your editing ❤❤❤❤
Adding a few of these to my TBR 😃
I subscribed because you are the only person who ever brought up Codex Alara and The Black Company. I know there are a lot of haters for the Sword of Truth, but it should get a nomination if you consider book 11 the ending.
Thomas Covenant chronicles, Stephen Donaldson, now in reprint, most excellent.
Thanks for the video. Codex Alera was extremely good. Narnia really remains excellent.
Never heard of flintlock fantasy, but as someone who doesn't mind seeing more guns in the genre, it intrigues me.
It might be debatable if it is flintlock fantasy, but you ought to check out Mistborn. Era 1 is standard fantasy, but era 2 is western/"cowboy/outlaw" fantasy and heavily centered around guns and how they interact with the magic system he set up. Also Tress of the Emerald Sea does touch up on magic-based guns/cannons, but it isn't the main focus in the action.
I know I am late to the party - sorry, so most of these will probably have already been mentioned somewhere.
The Chronicles of Amber by Roger Zelazny. Two 5 book series.
David Eddings: The Belgariad (5 Books), The Malloreon (5 books), Plus, Belgarath the Sorcerer, Polgara the Sorceress, The Rivan Codex
L. E. Modesitt Jr: The Spell Song Cycle (5 books)
Larry Correia: The Grimnoir Chronicles
Katherine Kurtz: The Deryni Chronology: 6 series totaling 16 books
Joel Rosenberg: Guardians of the Flame (6 books)
Stephen R. Donaldson: The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever (3 books)
Robert Lynn Asprin (also with Jody Lynn Nye): Myth Adventures (21 primary works, 39 total works)
Piers Anthony: Apprentice Adept series (7 books), Battle Circle (3 books), Mode books (4 books)
I also really like the following, but you specified COMPLETED series. These are pretty large sets of books though...
L E Modesitt Jr, The Recluse Saga (23 books - but he has a new one coming out in 2024)
Piers Anthony: The Xanth series. (47 books). the last came out this year. He has been writing one a year for 47 years now so I really would expect one next year as well - unless he dies. He is 89 years old. Personally, I think the concept gets old after awhile but the first 10 or so are fun. I got tired of it around book 15 or so and haven't read any since. However I do recommend the first few anyway as they are fun.
So glad you mentioned The Black Company. I really liked that series but hardly ever hear it mentioned anywhere.
Raistlin is my favourite character of all time🖤
I've read some of The Black Company. I definitely need to go back and finish it. It's great!
Great video as always
Glad you enjoyed!
Cradle series by Will Wight is so so epic!
Yesss I need to read more Cradle soon! Really enjoyed the first couple books
This is my favorite completed series.
The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant by Stephen R Donaldson. Excellent 10 novel series which I read in my late teens and got me hooked on Fantasy.
Please check out the dark tower series, it’s one of the best series I’ve read, it blends so many genres together, including fantasy
One of my favorite fantasy series is called the godblind trilogy by Anna Stephens
1. Godblind
2. Dark soul
3. Bloodchild
I read the series last year it's so underrated
Just watched this, even your pronunciations are spoiler free, I love it!
The Green Bone Saga is probably my top 5 book series of all time, and the last book is a masterpiece
Also The Raven Boys by Maggie Steifvatar is a Fantastic 4 book urban fantasy series, so good
The rift war by Raymond E Feist.
John Marco - Tyrants and Kings - Not a lot of people talk about it but it's great!
Two strong series that didn't make your list:
Katherine Kurtz's Deryni novels:
Deryni Trilogy
Chronicles of King Kelson
Camber of Culdi Trilogy
Heirs of Saint Camber Trilogy
Childe Morgan Trilogy
King Kelson's Bride (stand alone)
Some of the strongest middle ages politics in Fantasy and an engaging magic system.
Elizabeth Moon's Paksworld books:
Deed of Paksenarrion (trilogy)
Legacy of Gird (duology)
Paladin's Legacy (Quintet)
She is also working on a new trilogy set in the same world, but the above books are complete series.
I was very happy to see the Black Company make this list. It's one of my all-time favorite stories.
Nice to see Codex Alera on the list. Roman Empire meets Pokémon but it’s great.
Really underrated series!
Wasn't expecting to see the Black Company books here, but goddamn are you right! Basically fantasy Vietnam, and I love every word of it
Baomi Novik’s series:
Temeraire -Napoleonic Wars with Dragons
Scholomance -Datk fantasy trilogy (YA-ish but excellent)
Other series:
Lady Trent books -“Victorian era” draconologist
Mark Lawrence’s Book of the Ancestor trilogy and the Book of the Ice trilogy
The Legend of Eli Monpress by Rachel Aaron - 5 books with the first 3 available in a bindup. Starts as heist fantasy and builds into epic with some truly unique worldbuilding.
The Grave of Empires by Sam Sykes - Trilogy with some additional short stories. A revenge quest that really delves into whether or not revenge is worth the price you pay to avhieve it.
For some urban fantasy fun The Twenty-sided Sorceress by Annie Bellet is great. The titular sorceress learned to control her powers by thinking of them as dnd spells. She might not be the nerdiest character in the series. About love, found family, and the lengths you're willing to go to protect it.
The Grimnoir Chronicles by Larry Correia is fantastic and no one seems to have ever heard of this trilogy. I especially recommend the audiobooks. The first one is called hard magic.
Bronson is an awesome reader, this series was so good.
Thanks for your work bro
I love Jim Butcher books. I started off with "the dresden files" series and behind it "codex alera" series. I'm glad to see the "codex alera" as #3
Have you read his third series, The Cinder Spires? It puts the other two to shame
@joedoe7572 Really? I guess I'm going to have to take a look at that.
Kinda sad to see no one here mentioning the Witcher series, both books and games. One of the best and most realized worlds in fantasy
Powder Mage is criminally underrated and underappreciated!
All time favorite completed fantasy series: James Clemens The Banned & the Banished quintet. Highly original and underrated. Such a fantastic series
The Ranger's Apprentice by John Flanagan, its my favorite. Its the saga that made me comeback into reading
I need more first law in my life so bad😭😭 more specifically I would love more of Shivers, he steals every scene he’s in especially the more he developes
How about vintage fantasy books. Like Harry turtledove books?
You can't forget the rest of Micheal J. Sullivan's books set in the world of Elan, (Riyria Revolations, Legends of the First Empire, and The Rise and Fall) All top-notch.
I still need to read the others! Looking forward to getting to them soon
I would recommend
Mercedes Lackey and her Valdemar series, and of course Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern. That is a must-read for any fantasy/sci-fi lovers......
MST and Realm of the Elderlings are my life ❤ thank you!
Love the part where he says how interesting each series is without giving any kind of synopsis or reason for why we should read it