Best Fantasy Series of All Time

Post by **pat5150** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 3:47 am

Hi guys!

Well, since the last 2 polls were extremely popular, and since I've been asked when the next survey would be held ever since results of the last one were announced, I've decided to give it another go!;)

Again, this poll will be held here, but also in other internet communities, making the whole process much more interesting.

So this one will determine what are your Top 5 All-Time Favourite Fantasy Series. The last time around, it was about "ongoing" series. This time, everything goes!;)

The results will be tallied the same way the last Top 5 was compiled. Let's see what we come up with. I'll probably post the results on the weblog at the end of the week...

Patrick
www.fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com

Post by **danlo** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 6:01 am

The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant-Donaldson
A Song of Ice and Fire-Martin
The Lord of the Rings/The Silmarillion-Tolkien
Book of the New Sun-Wolfe
Earthsea-Le Guin

Post by **Ainulindale** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 7:33 am

This is really tough, first I want to note I absolute love Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire, but I can't bring myself to name it the best series all time when not even half way completed, but a phenominal series IMHO! Upon completeion, if the aace continues, I have NO doubts it will be on this list.

So here's my my lsit and brief reasons why:

1. Gormenghast

The first two installments,, Titus Groan, and Gormenghast are absolute classics the genre, period. the third Titus Alone was not on that level and admitedly somewhat crazy, but this was due to Peake's severe deteriation in health both physically and mentally and was written largely from his notes. This is my pick because he is the influence of most of the works I like now (ie Mieville, Moorcock etc)

2. The Lord of the Rings/Silmarillion

No Tolkien wasn't blessed with the prose of authors like Peake or Wolfe, and he certainly didn't invent fantasy, but he is epic fantasy's foundation, and thus if taken back far enough, the foundation for fanatsy's popularity in modern publishing. Has to be the most influential author ever (whetehr thats good or bad is another subject), whether some authors like it or not. He built the model for secondary world building, a model that hasn't been surpassed often.

3. Fafhrd and Gray Mouser/Lankhmar

Hands down (with all due respect to Robert Howard) the best Sword/Sorcery author ever.

4. Viriconium

M. John Harrison, maybe the most brilliant of all the works listed thsu far, again a key inspiratio nfor msot of the authors/works I like presently Read Them.

5. Book of the New Sun

I agree with Danlo here, amazing series, by an amazing author. Gene Wolfe owns.

Next Five:

6. Elric Saga - Michael Moorcock
7. Tales of the Dying Earth - Jack Vance
8. First Chronicles of Amber - Roger Zelanzy
9. Incomplete Enchanter - L. Sprague de Camp
10. China Mieville's bas-Lag novels (Yes I think they are that good)

I feel Compelled to mention various works by Clark Ashton Smith as well, who wrote mostly short stories, but they are outrageously good.

Post by **danlo** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 11:07 am

6-10
The Chronicles of Amber-Zelazny
The Riddle Master of Hed-McKillip
The Worm Oroborous/The Zimiamvian trilogy-Eddison
Elric-Moorcock
The Ice Saga-Fortchen

Post by **pat5150** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 12:02 am

Hi everyone!

Just wanted to encourage everybody to vote. The more people who do so, the better the ultimate Top 5 will be. The more disparate the votes, the more interesting the list will be.

I see that a lot of people view the posts, but not many respond with their personal Top 5! Go ahead!

The more, the merrier, remember!?!

Patrick
www.fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com

Post by **drew** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 12:08 am

1) 2nd chronicles of Thomas Covenant
2) 1st Chronicles of Thomas Covenant
3) Lord of the Rings
4) Earth's Children (Clan of the Cave Bear) Jean Auel
5) Belgaraid (Eddings)

Post by **pat5150** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 1:45 am

Here's my Top 5:

1- Robert Jordan, THE WHEEL OF TIME
2- Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, THE DEATHGATE CYCLE
3- Raymond E. Feist, THE RIFTWAR SAGA
4- Katherine Kurtz, THE DERYNI SAGA
5- Stephen R. Donaldson, THE CHRONICLES OF THOMAS COVENANT

Patrick
www.fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com

Website · Post by **Khaliban** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 1:52 am

drew wrote:1) 2nd chronicles of Thomas Covenant
2) 1st Chronicles of Thomas Covenant
3) Lord of the Rings
4) Earth's Children (Clan of the Cave Bear) Jean Auel
5) Belgaraid (Eddings)

AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

Someone put the Belgariad next to Covenant! SOMEONE PUT THE BELGARIAD NEXT TO COVENANT!!! THE WORLD WILL END!

(Sorry. I've got this thing about Eddings.)

Anyway...

1) Lord of the Rings
2) Covenant
3) Elric
4) Song of Ice and Fire
5) Chronicles of Amber

Post by **drew** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 7:14 pm

I don't care what people..the Belgaraid is NOT That Bad!!!
May I add that it was at the Bottom of the list while SRD took the Top Two spots!!

I'm sorry; I like to laugh; It was funny!

Post by **Steerpike** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 7:14 pm

Can we separate juvenile and adult fiction? Jordan is fine if you are 12.

How about King of Elfland's Daughter?

Post by **I'm Murrin** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 11:13 pm

Steerpike wrote:Can we separate juvenile and adult fiction? Jordan is fine if you are 12.

Now, I'm not saying Jordan deserves to be in the 'best fantasy series' list, but I'd argue that it isn't juvenile fiction. In fact, the first couple books were in a different format when re-released as "young adult" versions, so the publishers at least consider it adult fiction.

Post by **Steerpike** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 11:39 pm

Murrin wrote:
Steerpike wrote:Can we separate juvenile and adult fiction? Jordan is fine if you are 12.
Now, I'm not saying Jordan deserves to be in the 'best fantasy series' list, but I'd argue that it isn't juvenile fiction. In fact, the first couple books were in a different format when re-released as "young adult" versions, so the publishers at least consider it adult fiction.

I think for myself and am not really interested in the publisher's categorization.

Jordan is trash. Please read some of the books recommended above, especially by Ainulindale. Then come back and tell me that Jordan is not trash.

Post by **danlo** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 11:46 pm

So you're saying you don't like my choices eh?

I agree that Jordan is trash, so are Brooks and Eddings. We all have different tastes-if not everyone would be driving a Thunderbird!

Post by **I'm Murrin** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 11:48 pm

Now you're putting words in my mouth. I never gave an opinion on whether Jordan was trash or not (other than saying he doesn't deserve to be in a best authors list?), I just said it wasn't juvenile fiction. In fact, you'll find that I carefully avoided any mention of how good or bad I personally consider the series to be.

Post by **Steerpike** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 11:53 pm

danlo wrote:So you're saying you don't like my choices eh?

I agree the Jordan is trash, so are Brooks and Eddings. We all have different tastes-if not everyone would be driving a Thunderbird!

Actually I agree with you about Brooks and Eddings.

But I'm not denigrating trash! Believe me, when I'm waiting in line for cashier to check me out at the grocery, I'm the first one to pick up and browse through all of the trashy magazines. I'd be damn disappointed if they weren't there! Trash has its place. Just not alongside Mervyn Peake, in the case of Jordan.

Post by **danlo** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 12:05 am

Now I get it! It was my failure to include Peake on that list--I regret that and I also regret that Hannes Bok never wrote a series...

Post by **Saarak** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 2:08 am

I read The Sword of Truth series over the last few years and I thought it was fantastic and possibly the best I have read. Then I rediscovered The Thomas Covenant series with book #7 The Runes of Earth and I realized it had just been too long since I read them to appreciate them. The funny thing is I bought Chainfire book # 9 in The Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind and The Runes of the Earth the same week. What to do, what to do.......well I went with Donaldson and was extremely glad I did. I realized that his wriiting is by far superior to Goodkind's. Goodkind's story line is fantastic as so is Donaldson's but Donaldson writes art.

Post by **MsMary** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 4:21 am

Lord of the Rings
Chronicles of Thomas Covenant
Earth Sea Cycle
Riddlemaster Trilogy
Abhorsen Trilogy

Post by **pat5150** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 2:57 pm

Just to let everyone know that I will be closing the poll at midnight tonight. Hopefully the results can be posted on my weblog this weekend.

A lot of people have asked if I could include a list of all the nominees, which I'll try to do, if time permits...

Patrick
www.fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com

Post by **Ainulindale** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 4:03 pm

In the last couple of days I have been accummulating my top 101 favorite reads. If any are interested, I'd love some feedback. BTW, it sounds easy to make such a lsit, but damn it was arduous! Check it out www.fantasybookspot.com/forum/viewtopic ... nterested.

Kevin's Watch

Kevin's Watch

Best Fantasy Series of All Time

Best Fantasy Series of All Time