Top 20 Fantasy Series of All Time
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- Опубліковано 4 сер 2024
- I watched 20 Top fantasy lists to try and answer: what are the best fantasy series according to booktube!
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0:00 - Intro
00:33 - How does the list work?
1:59 - Biggest surprises
2:57 - Ranking 19 (3 series)
4:05 - Rank 17 (2 series)
4:42 - Rank 15 (2 series)
5:31 - Rank 14
6:01 - Rank 13
6:42 - Rank 11 (2 series)
7:18 - Rank 10
7:56 - Rank 9
8:22 - Rank 8
9:00 - Rank 7
9:30 - Rank 5 (2 series)
10:31 - Rank 4
11:08 -Rank 3
12:01 - Rank 2
12:26 - Rank 1
Song used:
Music by Mark Generous, Jasper The Cat - Serene - thmatc.co/?l=7AE92C22
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The fantasy lists I have based this ranking on are as follows:
@DanielGreeneReviews : • TOP 10 SCIFI/FANTASY S...
@merphynapier42 : • My Top 10 Fantasy Seri...
@PeruseProject : • MY TOP 10 FAVORITE FAN...
@CapturedInWords : • Top 10 Fantasy Series ...
@mikesbookreviews : • My Top 10 Fantasy Seri...
@PetrikLeo : • My Top 15 Completed Fa...
@JessieMaeBooks : • TOP 10 FAVORITE FANTAS...
@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy : • My top ten fantasy sto...
@Bookborn : • Best fantasy series (2...
@AllBookedUp : • My Top 10 Fantasy Seri...
@nikosbookreviews : • My Top 10 Fantasy Seri...
@MattsFantasyBookReviews : • Top 10 Best Fantasy Se...
@dominishbooks : • My All-Time Top Ten Fa...
@WhatCassRead : • TOP 10 FANTASY SERIES ...
@TheLibraryofAllenxandria : • My Top 10 Favorite Ser...
@TheShadesofOrange: / watchv=ha8azqzvcma&t=945s
@ebnovels : • TOP FIVE FANTASY SERIES
@AverageJoesLibrary : • Top 10 Fantasy/ Sci-Fi...
@B.LEE.DbrianleedurfeeREVIEWS : • The Top 40 GREATEST Fa...
@LauraRoseReviews : • Top 10: Fantasy Series!
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This is an incredible amount of homework. As someone who works in finance and has a special love affair with spreadsheets, I salute thee.
Thank you Mike! I appreciate you taking time watching this video and appreciating my spreadsheet skills (although they are quite bad haha!)
So you play eve online heh ?
@@libraryofaviking One non-native speaker to another, in English substandard skills are described as "poor", not as "bad".
Don't allow many native speakers' illiteracy to ruin your English...😝
any chance of getting a copy of that spreadsheet lol
@@rizwanbhatti5722 It's on my Patreon!
Twilight getting a point higher than PERCY JACKSON makes me feel uneasy
Hahah same!
Exactly
Percy Jackson has to be the greatest YA series ever imo
@@specialknees6798 the original series was good but all the books after that have been repetitive and predictable
@@jerms6642 yeah I tried many times to get into the sequel series and I just couldn’t do it. It just lacks the charm of the original series(which came, in large part from Percy’s narration and the novelty of the premise), and I simply don’t care about any of the characters.
2:57 - Ranking 19 (3 series)
Ash and Sand By Richard Nell
The Dandelion Dynasty By Ken Liu
The Earthsea Cycle by Ursula Le Guin
4:05 - Rank 17 (2 series)
Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
The Kingkiller Chronicle by Patrick Rothfuss
4:42 - Rank 15 (2 series)
Books of Babel by Josiah Bancroft
The Broken Earth Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin
5:31 - Rank 14
Memory, Sorrow and Thorn by Tad Williams
6:01 - Rank 13
The Green Bone Saga by Fonda Lee
6:42 - Rank 11 (2 series)
The Poppy War Trilogy by R.F. Kuang
The Gentleman's Bastard by Scott Lynch
7:18 - Rank 10
The Grate Coats by Sebastien De Castell
7:56 - Rank 9
Discworld by Terry Pratchett
8:22 - Rank 8
Malazan by Steven Erikson and Ian Esslemont
9:00 - Rank 7
The Realm of the Elderlings by Robin Hobb
9:30 - Rank 5 (2 series)
A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin
First Law Universe by Joe Abercrombie
10:31 - Rank 4
The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan
11:08 - Rank 3
The Banished Lands by John Gwynne
12:01 - Rank 2
Middle earth by J.R.R. Tolkien
12:26 - Rank 1
Cosmere by Brandon Sanderson
The Greatcoat series by Sebastien De Castell
Just got back into reading a couple months ago starting with the Stormlight Archive, about to start Oathbringer. I've read more in the last 2 months than I have in the last 7ish years, and I'm loving every second of it. Thank you Brandon Sanderson
Agreed. Sanderson sparks the reading fire. I fondly remember my first read through of Stormlight. Great reads.
Sanderson is king! Seriously though. Once you’ve read through the entire cosmere you will wish you could go back to before you read them for the first time to gain that magical feeling all over again. 😊
Oathbringer disappointed me. Loved Way of Kings and Words of Radiance, but OB just didn't move me like the first two.
@@EzekielPrellus agreed
Stormlight just brought me back into reading too!
When you finish all the books that are out and need to fill the void, start the Mistborn series by Sanderson. So so good.
This might be the most fascinating fantasy series ranking I have seen on UA-cam. Nice work man I would have loved to see the full list you made maybe linked in the description.
Glad you enjoyed it! I really appreciate the kind words! The full list is on my Patreon!
I recently finished Mistborn book 1 on a whim after hearing so many good things about it. First book since high school forced reading. Less than 2 weeks later I’m almost done with book 2, have book 3 already purchased… and the entire storm light archive waiting to be read!!! I’ve read more in the last month than the last 7 years and have no intention of slowing down. Thanks Sanderson!
UPDATE- 11/24/2022
I have finished now finished way of kings!! Kaladin is my dog man I loved his chapters and watching him grow was great. Shallan's story was the least captivating for most of the book but had arguably the best ending. Dalinar was just a badass when the book started and was a bad ass when the book ended. His kids are cool too. 10/10 GREAT READ CANT WAIT TO START WoR!
UPDATE- 1/12/2023
I have now finished WoR. I took a break from reading during the holidays but WOW. WoR is officially the best book I've ever read. Roshar is the most well developed world I've ever been exposed to. Sanderson's writing is tight, even for 1000+ pages I never felt like a scene was going on too long or I got bored with a section. Kaladin's trauma was captivating and watching his relationship with Sil was amazing. Dalinar continues to be the biggest badass in the book, and watching him struggle in unfamiliar territory was great. Shallan tho.... SHALLAN wow. She is the star of this book and at times I wished the whole book was just her chapters. I think I might take a break from Sanderson for a bit to take it all in and read Jade City or The Blade Itself. Excited to start both series.
The stormlight archives is the magnum opus of the cosmere and while I wouldnt say it requires you to read the others it greatly enhances the experience if you have read all the other main entries in the cosmere. I would say read mistborn, elantris and warbreaker before touching it.
As a fair warning Stormlight archive could just be renamed as Emotional Damage in book form.
Also it is the most connected of his books so I would probably read at least Elantris and Warbreaker before going into it
I started with Mistborn (both the Vin saga and the Wax and Wayne saga) and I’m currently on the 2nd Stormlight book. Both have been awesome, and I can see why they are so highly ranked.
a tip: Read his entire fantasy bibliography (Cosmere) in order of publishing, I wont say anything more than that because I dont want to give anything away, just trust me and do it^^
@@immasurvivor you can read anything pre stormlight in any order you want and it won't change anything
I’m surprised that Raymond Fiest doesn’t ever get mentioned in these lists. I understand his writing is a little light than some people prefer but he has created such an incredible world and some amazing characters along the way.
Interesting observation! There is definitely a receny bias in this list!
wow i didnt even think of it
Agreed. The Riftwar Saga is so good. Feist is always off these lists. And, it’s BS.
Agreed I also love him and Magician was my first ever fantasy book read. What I have heard from several booktubers is that his writing is somewhat old school and that they more prefer the more modern language of newer authors.
I can understand the rift war saga not being in the list. some are a bit light as you said. but the king of ashes series, his new ish series is amazing.
Please do this with Science fiction books! Awesome job btw!!!
I second this. ^
It’s funny how you tell him how awesome of a job he did making this video only after you demand that he spend another 8 more hours to fulfill your request of him doing a science fiction series, almost as if one is more important to you than the other.
For sci fic three body is best
@@lasinloser3979 you must felt very fulfilled making this comment. Commendable job mate.
@@oneminsol7418 nope, Asimov.
*_Consequences of watching this video is that I just purchased the following:_*
*_Richard Nell's Ash & Sand Series, The Dandelion Dynasty Series by Ken Liu._*
Seems like a good repercussion to me. X)
Anytime i'm watching booktube this be happenin 🤣
add The First Law Trilogy to that lol
They have now made my list as well lol
Dude - you put a lot of work into this - thank you for sharing the fruits of that labor with us. That's a real service to the community.
Very cool concept for a video, and you did a great job explaining your methodology, Johan. Of the self-published books I've read, Kings of Paradise definitely deserves to be on this list. Kingkiller Chronicle is likely suffering from the long delay to book three, but it if comes out, I would not be shocked to see it rise on the lists. That's high praise for Jade Legacy, which I hope to read soon. #10 was indeed a surprise to me, but everything that followed in the top ten, including #3 (it's a BookTube darling, for sure), makes sense. Thanks for the fun video!
Thank you Philip! That is very kind of you.
I need to give Kings of Paradise a read! I hope you will pick up The Green Bone Saga soon! Best wishes.
I loved the Greatcoats. The final book was a bit over the top, but always fun and exciting
The king killer chronicals are awful books. Patrick Rothfuss is an awful writer
Wow, this was an incredible project with some fascinating results! I’ve been too nervous to do a top fantasy series video, and it seems like there are some interesting trends. Amazing work on this!
Thank you Johanna! I would love to see your top 10 favourite fantasy list!
Thanks for the video! There are a couple of series you mentioned that I will give a try. I'm really surprised to not see the Dresden Files in the top 20!
AHHH Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn and the Greatcoats are in the top twenty! They're two of my top series, but feel quite obscure from the general reading realm, so very happy to see them up there!
Also, I've really been appreciating your 'booktube compilation/analysis' videos so far - they're so fascinating and interesting to watch 🤗
I really need to give Memory, Sorrow and Thorn a read! Thank you Verise. I appreciate it!
@@libraryofaviking it was one of my first ever fantasy books that I read when I was 11, though I got the German translation at the time. Arguably the single best translation I've ever read; it was so good that I actually struggle to read the books in English now.
M,S&T is probably my #1 favorite of all time
Thanks for this! I found a couple more series to add to my list! I was not surprised at all by the top 2 haha
My brother, who is a huge reader, and knowing that I'm a die hard Tolkien fan, bought me some of the books mentioned in this video, yet I didn't read them yet. I'm going through a rough time and watching you motivated me into letting myself get lost again into the marvelous depths of fantasy stories.
I am sorry to hear you are going through a rough time! I hope you will feel better soon and enjoy these books! All the best!
Recency bias has to play a major role in this
I mean Sanderson is a fucking titan in fantasy. He practically owns the genre right now. I’m sure the enthusiasm will wane eventually, but the dude’s work is absolutely and consistently solid, and often phenomenal.
@@specialknees6798 Yeah Sanderson is my favorite author. I took his class at college. He's the best!
@@dinocollins720 oh wow that’s so sick dude! I love his online lectures and I’d kill to take his class.
@@specialknees6798 Yeah it was pretty sweet! So are you a writer or just a fantasy fan interested in hearing about the process like I am?
It absolutely does. 10 of the series mentioned got their start in the '10's. You also have a bunch that got their start late 90's, early 00's. But who is on booktube? Gen-z and Millennials. These are books that I loved as a teen and made me fall in love with the fantasy genre, like Wheel of Time and I'm sure for most of booktube this is the case. I'd be curious to know what several Boomers and Gen-xers would say and then re-do the rankings. My gut says that Sanderson probably wouldn't be at the top of the list anymore but Tolkien, Wheel of Time and Song of Ice and Fire would still rank up there. Tolkien would probably take the top spot to the point I'd put money on it. Sanderson would probably get shaken down a few pegs, Harry Potter would probably be off, Tad Williams would probably jump up and there would probably be books I haven't even heard of on that list.
The Green Bone saga is my all time favourite - it’s so good, one of the few I will re-read one day after I get to some of the others on this list. Great video!
Your channel is becoming one of my favorites very quickly!!!
Wowwwww!! Such an incredible list, and thank you so much for doing all the dirty work! This had several surprises, and I was also excited to see John Gwynne ranked so high! And, I'm honored you picked my video as part of your research!!!
I'm guessing the reason the Chronicles of Narnia wasn't mentioned is because it is more a fairy tale series than fantasy--though technically that fits into fantasy. I think that when most people say fantasy, they're talking about either Young Adult fantasy or plain adult fantasy.
Chronicles of Narnia are definitely great works of literature, but in a way they're almost in their own genre/category because of their depth.
I actually watched some other booktubers' top 10 lists and Narnia was on their honorable mentions but not in their top 10 so I guess that's why Narnia didn't make it into this list.
@@flamingflamingo76 That's quite possible too.
Though I enjoyed reading them. The hidden religious messages would put me off ranking them highly in a fantasy list
@@davidodonovan6141 Everyone's uneasy with that huh
@@vicckyyy2001 where did I say everyone I referred to myself only,
What a cool video idea! Very pleased to make such an august list. I've long said you booktubers/bloggers are doing heroic work to separate wheat from chaff. Long may it continue.
Thank you Richard! I appreciate it! Also congratulations on the success of your series!
Now I gotta check out your books!
❤
Shout out to you for putting together this list! Love the idea
I loved this video, it's the best book ranking I have ever seen. And the amount of work you just put in it is astonishing! Good job! (I'm also very happy because the Cosmere is my absolute favourite one)
Thank you! I appreciate it!
That Dark Tower placement is criminal.
I would have ranked it in my top 10!
@sami I definitely think The Gunslinger is the weakest book! I would recommend giving Drawing of the Three a try and if you don't enjoy it then it is probably not for you!
@sami I loved it. But the rest of the series isn't written in the same style, so you might enjoy the next book more.
I agree, it would be in my top 5!
Agreed. It’s in my top 10
Thanks for doing the research and sharing.
It’s definitely has stuff on my to be read list, glad the Cosmere came out on top. I agree with you Brandon is going to be the next generation defining author.
I am glad you enjoyed it! Absolutely! Sanderson is everywhere!
The next? I'm pretty sure he already is.
This is a great idea for a video!! (wish I had thought of it) Thanks for putting in all the work.
Wow, certainly a few surprises there, and plenty that I haven't read/heard of/thought about. Appreciate your time and stats work compiling this.
Definitely lots of surprises! Thank you! I appreciate it!
This was great! Would you consider doing the same sort of list for science fiction?
Great listing and video. I really much appreciate the work you put into it. Not suprised Sanderson is no.1, currently planning on reading his books!
Would it be possible to publish the whole spreadsheet via google docs or something similar? I think a lot of us would be interested in seeing all the other rankings!
I second this.
Thank you! I was looking for a list like this!
Definitely a great video. There’s a number of series here I’d never heard of and now want to tackle. Thanks
Thank you for watching!
This is awesome. I am surprised but not surprised about Malazan's ranking. It is tough... but so rewarding and amazing. Definitely need to be paying close attention, but it is so good!
Thank you Drakkan! Definitely need to pay close attention!
I’m busy working my way thru this series now
This was a fantastic idea! What a list! Love Realm of the Elderlings, The Greatcoats, First Law, LotR, and of course, awesome to see The Faithful and the Fallen 😍
Will
Thank you! So many great series! Fantastic to see TFATF this high 👏
This is the kind of research I've been meaning to do. Thanks for doing the 'heavy lifting' and putting this list together.
Watching this has got me excited to get into some new reading after thinking I might need some decompressing time from all the books I've read recently
I think that more recent series have an advantage for this kind of ranking, as do longer series. More recent series will be in the minds of more book tubers because the release of a book is a news event all book tubers are aware of, and such series are currently being marketed. Longer series will get a higher ranking because book tubers who have read the whole series will have more time and effort invested in the series.
I'm shocked by John Gwynne's series, but not in a bad way!!! I'm working through book 2 right now and I have a lot of respect for John Gwynne as a person and a writer. I know he's been getting a lot of love on fantasy booktube and I'm so glad to see it.
I was also really surprised by how popular it is! I hope you will enjoy the rest of the series!
The hype for this video. The ultimate book nerd countdown! Great video!
Super helpful video! Thanks ☺️
Memory Sorrow and Thorn is incredible. It pacing is slow, but it's character building and world building is amazing. I've read the series five times.
Also after thirty years, author Tad Williams has returned to the world of Osten Ard, with four new books.
The new series is called, The Last King of Osten Ard.
That is high praise! Hopefully I will get to it someday!
Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn, escpecially The Dragonbone Chair, is old school fantasy at it's best. You're in for a treat.
Fantastic video my man! Clearly put the work in!
Cool concept and I am gonna use this list for book recommendations ✨️
I literally did this same thing about a month ago. My process was just slightly different, but incredibly similar and my results were almost identical!
That is awesome! 🙌
I am so sad the Fred Saberhagen's Book of Sword or Book of Lost Swords series seems to be forgotten or not reached by so many. Purchase the first book of Swords at a book store instead of Goosebumps like everyone else my age, back in the 90s, and it's the reason I became enthralled with reading.
Your videos are just something else! Keep up the good work 👏🏽
Thank you Omid! That is really kind!
Hey, this is the first I've ever heard of your channel. I liked the video but I subscribed because of your library.
I would love to see, one day, the Ghormenghast trilogy have the love and respect it deserves. Also, I would have put The Sandman in my personal list, but I'm not sure if it can be categorized into Fantasy
A special mention needs to be given to David Gemmell. His Drenai series and most of his other series & stand alones are great... especially his Jon Shannow trilogy (aka Jerusalem man trilogy). Probably the greatest writer of heroic fantasy, a genre which I think (but not sure) has morphed into the terribly named grimdark. Although Gemmell could be considered proto-grimdark I guess... definitely a massive influence on the genre.
I read all different types of things and know nothing about sub genres but I've wondered the same thing. I think of Gemmell as the Elmore Leonard of fantasy. Cool stories about interesting people, regardless of any ideas of good or bad.
First, thank you for this. I appreciate the work you put in.
I’m not sure if the ranking point system is appropriate but I love the roll up.
Second, thank you sir!
Great job with this video! My TBR just got a little longer :)
it's bothersome that standalone novels don't get much recognition in booktube. I think it takes a great deal of skill to create an engaging fantasy world, develop characters and execute a plot in under a thousand pages. Imajica comes to mind.
I have genuinely no idea what you are talking about.
Sanderson is one of the most popular writers in booktube. The only reason you may feel different is because not all booktube channels are fantasy based and so they haven’t read it yet.
@@pramshukumai7436 what
@@pramshukumai7436 Imajica is by Clive Barker. to use your own phrase: I have genuinely no idea what you are talking about. oh wow you thought "standalone" was "Sanderson," is that it?
@@iamfishmind omgggg I’m so sorry.
I’m dyslexic so I just schemed through and interpreted standalone as Sanderson.
Also very true, probably has to do with people getting more engagement out of a series compared to a standalone.
@@pramshukumai7436 lol all good it gave me a laugh
Clubbing Mistborn with Stormlight was a mistake.
This was such a cool video! Really cool to see how many of my personal top 10 made it on the overall list! I only did finished series and series I've finished too, so definitely some other favorites on here (and some that will probably be on my new list this year!)
Thank you! I am glad you enjoyed it!
Great concept! I love your tweaks and takes to the Booktube tropes. 👏
Thank you João!
Memory Sorrow and Thorn is, without a doubt, my favorite fantasy series of all time. Not only is Tad Williams's writing beyond beautiful but the story is phenomenal as well. Malazan is a masterpiece too IMO.
Thank you very much for your research. I have watched 3 booktubers top list videos and I was suprised to see that none of them mentioned R A Salvatore's books!
Thank you for doing this. Helped solidify what to buy 😀
Magican was my favourite, but ... I haven't read many others, so I look fowards to the books on this list. Still, Magician will be my favourite afterwards - childhood nostalgia surpasses all objective opinions. Thanks for the vid. :)
I definitely need to give The Magician a read soon!
Thank you for watching Sean!
Well done putting so much work into this! I’m surprised that Terry Brooks isn’t in this list anywhere. Shannara needs some love ❤️
Thank you Lydia! I need to give Terry Brooks a read!
I’m not surprised about any of this ranking: you did wonderful.
I never comment on videos, but this one absolutely deserves a comment and like. Fantastic concept and gives me a great video to reference when deciding how to read through some of these massive series. In the midst of Brandon Sanderson's world currently and it is AMAZING!
Aww thank you so much Stephanie! That is really kind of you!
I'm glad The Gentleman Bastards series is getting some notice. Maybe if people keep talking about it, he'll finish writing book 4. Unlikely, but I can dream.
Right? It doesn't need to blow my mind. I just want some goddamn resolution. The longer I wait the more I'll be disappointed.... Hopefully not
David Gemmell never makes any lists, but has a couple of really good series.
Good video, it's interesting to see what people like.
I'm a huge fan of Gemmel's Drenai novels - Legend; Waylander and Waylander II are phenomenal.
@@simonfernandes6809 The three Waylander books are my favorite, but I've read everything Gemmell has written and love it all. Have you read Waylander 3? That's a nice finish to his story.
Thought this was a great ranking and creative way of going about it. This was helpful for someone like myself trying to dive back into fantasy. Gonna add a lot of these to be my TBR!
Thank you for the kind words!
What an excellent research project. Kudos to you! I’m happy to see Gwynne getting the recognition his works so deserve. One of my favorite authors of all time.
I think the reason The Dresden Files didn't make the list is probably because it is set in present day Chicago. That said Butcher has done an incredible amount of world building and magic construction. I haven't read all of these series yet (Abercrombie is high on my list to read) and so for now Malazan is number one. Just mind-boggling in philosophical complexity, characters created, empathy.
My personal top five would be (from five to one) - Earthsea, His Dark Materials, The Winter night trilogy, Realm of the Elderlings, LOTR.
I've only read the Mistborn trilogy and really didn't care for it so can't agree with the top spot, but definitely motivated to try Gwynne's series now.
Great video!
That's a great list! I need to give The Winter Night trilogy a read!
Thank you for watching!
I would encourage you to give The Stormlight Archive a try even if you didn’t enjoy Mistborn. It is far superior in my opinion, and was a blast to read.
That's kinda like saying 'I read the Hobbit and didn't really care for it, so I'm not a big fan of Middle Earth'
Like, Mistborn is good but no one is ranking Sanderson #1 for Mistborn, they're doing it because of the Stormlight Archive. If I were going only off the Mistborn trilogy, Sanderson definitely doesn't make the top ten, but the Stormlight Archive is easily my number 1 series.
@@aidaneyre3430 Meh, typically when I read three books from an author, books I see highly praised by their fans and I don't like the writing style, the plot or the characters, I'm not going to give them any more time. I've very rarely seen anyone comment that these books were weak, but Sanderson's writing gets better, they seem highly regarded in their own right. I like both the Hobbit and LOTR, the style is different, but both were enjoyable. Sanderson just isn't for me, the Mormon influence was incredibly obvious and distracting.
@@faithhammond10 Fair enough. I will say that every single complaint you have is done better in Stormlight (especially the characters by a long shot), but I won't lose any sleep if you aren't willing to give them a try.
rly appreciate the effort that went into this!!Nice to see there’s only a few new names for me & I’ll def be looking into them, considering the context of the video, you were very concise and I enjoyed the video format!! I’ve only recently gotten into epic/high fantasy through reading YA fantasy for years and I’m so glad to have found your channel! just subscribed
Thank you so much for the kind words and for subscribing!
Fun video of a really cool idea - thanks for doing the work putting this together!
Thank you! I appreciate it!
It's really good to see the broken earth trilogy has a large fan base. It was my favourite fantasy series until I read The stormlight archive
I am hoping to start it soon!
Love your channel and the concept of this video. However, outside a few heavyweight classics, it seems like there is recency bias within the top 20. I’m curious what this list will look like in five years.
Thank you Jeff! Recency bias is definitely impacting this list!
Or the newer books more accurately align with people's views of our world today and so are enjoyed more
This is awesome! And I can’t help but agree with #1 😊
Great video! Keep up the good work!
I discovered Sanderson during COVID. Basically grabbed a series off the shelf at the bookstore with amazing art that reminded me of Wheel of Time. That book was The Way of Kings and I read it in two days when my power was out. Immediately brought Words of Radiance. Now, after some time apart due to the less-enjoyable parts of life, I've made my way back to Oathbringer!
Warning spoilers below...
Warning again for people who read too fast and continued to the next sentence....
Spoiler:
Wit and Kaladin are my favorite characters and I'm worried for their fates in Stormlight 5 because of rumors and hints. Kaladin is a very special character to me for multiple reasons. It's complicated, trying to word how much I care for this character, but, in short, he brought me out of depression. I listen to the story of Fleet every time I feel it return, to help me overcome the invasive thoughts. I've heard this story over 40 times and never tire from Wit saying "ah forgot myself for a moment sorry let me make it more appropriate for you. A piece of wet slime and a disgusting crab thing with 17 legs slunk across the rocks together on an insufferably rainy day". I laugh aloud every single freaking time, no matter where I am (which can get me into trouble). But its Fleet's resilience that is inspiring, its a trait Kaladin seems to share, even after the lowest points and breakdowns.
Sanderson has to be a truly amazing writer to make such characters and to weave a story within a story. He has all of my respect.
👍
SPOILER ALERT:
If you like Wit it is time to pick up more books from the Cosmere and try to spot him in it. He can be seen more. Also if you read Mistborn and then MIstborn Era 2 you might find another character you like as much as you like Wit.
I can't get into Sanderson. Pages of video game mechanics nerding with the magic is the most off-putting part for me, but I just don't click with the characters either.
My guesses:
1) Lord of the Rings
2) Cosmere
3) The first law
4) Malazan
5) The Realm of the elderlings
Ok, not too bad. I was gonna put WoT in the top 5, but I assumed it was not for everyone. Glad it is
Good guess! Not too far off 😊
WoT is an easier read than Malazan though. I love Mslazan is my favorite but I can understand people struggling with it. Dident think it would be as high as it was. Thought Harry Potter would be higher but I guess its aimed at younger readers
@@Honken55 my thought process was that when people read Malazan they usually love it and his one of their favorite. Although Wot is easier to get through many people hate the love descriptions. Also it has 14 books, many people won't finish and I don't think they will rank it as favorite without finishing. I'm happy WoT is up there tho. I'll read book 6 soon and I'm really enjoying it
@@Honken55no, Harry Potter is for everyone, I read it as an adult and loved the series, also this list here is "the current popular fantasy series" "not the most popular fantasy series of all time", or else Narnia would be here and HP would rank higher.
Wowwwww .this is the best video for me as i am always searching for next fantasy book to read... 🔥🔥
Looking at your bookshelf behind you I will check these out since I found some of those books interesting. Have a nice weekend.
Not too surprised about Sanderson making it to the top. Tolkien is one of the originals but not everyone enjoys reading his work. I'm actually surprised that Raymond E Feist didn't make it to the top 20.
Yeah, Sanderson is obvious more approachable, but i tend to think that, for some, the work of Tolkien can be an acquired taste that comes with time...
Personally I didn't love LOTR when I read it. The prose felt a bit like childish Shakespearean to me and I couldn't really get all that invested in the characters. But there's no denying that it might very well be the greatest fantasy work of all time.
I cannot believe that The Dark Tower isn’t in the top 10, let alone the top 20! But great video! It was definitely interesting to see what every one else loves. I am excited to see John Gwynne getting so much love!
I would definitely put it in my top 10! Thank you! I am glad you enjoyed it!
They have forgotten the face of their father.
@@nikolagregic7709 YES! 🙌
Oof thanks for reminding me. I'm on book 6 but put it off to read Cormac McCarthy and then went on a reading binge through most of this books. Tile for me to remember the face of my father.
I don't think most people see The Dark Tower as a typical 'Fantasy' book, it's pretty unique and weird in its genre, so I guess it got pretty few mentions
Wow, this is an incredible analysis of the top fantasy series according to BookTube! Your dedication and thoroughness in watching 20 different booktubers' lists and compiling the rankings is commendable. It's fascinating to see the variety of series mentioned and how they were ranked based on points. Your attention to detail, such as making slight adjustments for certain lists and combining series for easier classification, shows your commitment to creating an accurate and comprehensive list.
I appreciate the surprises you shared along the way, like the Witcher's lower ranking despite its popular adaptation and games, as well as the absence of series like the Dresden Files and the Dark Tower in the top 20. It's also interesting to see how certain series received only one or two points, while others rose higher in popularity.
I'm thrilled to see some lesser-known series breaking into the top 20, such as "Ash and Sand" by Richard Nell, a self-published grimdark series. It's a testament to the power of independent authors and the recognition they deserve. Similarly, the rise of "The Dandelion Dynasty" by Ken Liu and the timeless classic "Earthsea Cycle" by Ursula K. Le Guin in popularity is delightful to witness.
It's no surprise that "Harry Potter" holds a significant position in the rankings, given its immense influence on the fantasy genre. However, it's unexpected to see "The Kingkiller Chronicle" by Patrick Rothfuss and "The Books of Babel" by Josiah Bancroft sharing the 17th spot. The fact that "The Kingkiller Chronicle" isn't ranked higher due to its unfinished status is understandable, yet it still showcases the impact of Rothfuss's storytelling.
"The Broken Earth Trilogy" by N.K. Jemisin's inclusion in the top 20 aligns with its consecutive award wins and widespread acclaim. I'm excited to see it for myself, as it's on my TBR list. Another intriguing addition is "Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn" by Tad Williams, known for inspiring "A Song of Ice and Fire." I'll definitely be checking it out.
I'm thrilled to see "The Green Bone Saga" by Fonda Lee on the 13th spot, as it's one of your all-time favorite series. Your enthusiasm for its unique blend of the Godfather-esque narrative set in a modern Asian setting has piqued my curiosity, and I'll be adding it to my reading list.
The surprises keep coming with "The Greatcoats" by Sebastien de Castell making it to the top 10. Although you personally had mixed feelings about it, the high rankings it received from those who mentioned it have contributed to its placement. It's interesting to see the wide range of opinions among readers.
Finally, I must state that your dedication to providing accurate rankings and sharing surprises along the way has made this an incredibly informative and entertaining watch. Thank you for sharing this list of the top fantasy series according to BookTube and congratulations!
Wow, that sounds like it was a lot of work to put this together. Definitely paid off though, I loved seeing this list!!
I'm honestly not *that* surprised that FatF is so high up on the list, but I do think it's mostly a huge hit here on BookTube and still flies a bit under the radar outside of our community.
Also, really pleased to see Dandelion Dynasty and Greenbone in the top 20, those both deserve allll the love!!
Thanks for making this video, I loved it!
Thank you Esmay! TFATF is definitely a booktube darling so it may not be that surprising!
And yes, so glad to see The Greenbone Saga doing so well!
Thank you for watching!
Reread Memory, Sorrow and Thorn last year and it was even better than I remembered. For a series written in 1989 it is so fresh.
That is high praise! I really need to give it a read!
Given that most lists have mistborn and stormlight as two different entries, it’s no surprise to see a combined Cosmere entry at #1 by a commanding lead.
I think it’s well-deserved, honestly, but the way the math was done here left almost no doubt as to what was taking the top spot.
He said if both were in the same list, he would combine them into one and use the highest ranking.
I think he either took the average or took the higher rating
Several others got the same treatment
No he only took whichever had the higher ranking... so if mistborn was #10 and cosmere was #1 he only gave it 10 points not eleven
This randomly popped across my homepage and I’m so glad it did, I loved this video! I love how much effort this must have taken and it was so interesting! You sir have a new sub, looking forward to watching more of your stuff dude!
Thank you so much for checking out the video and the sub, David!
@@libraryofaviking no problem at all! I’ve already watched a bunch more haha! even more stoked now that I’ve learned you live in England too! 😁
This was a fantastic concept for a video! Big shocks in here!
Thank you Ben!
I can’t believe Terry Goodkind’s Sword of Truth wasn’t on the list!
I came here to say this lol. Richard is literally one of the greatest hero's ever written. I was told I would love the wheel of time because of my love for the sword of truth but to be honest I just did not like Rand and disliking the main hero kinda taints the series for me.
I am surprised to see the banished lands at 3. I don’t know why as it’s my number 1 series ever but wasn’t sure if it was as highly regarded by so many people. It thoroughly deserves the spot though
I was also very surprised by how high it ranked!
My exact reaction to the letter. Awesome to see John Gwynne getting so much recognition.
i try not to follow too many people on UA-cam but really like your style. Subscribed.
Thank you Michael!
Thanks 'Library Of A Viking' for compiling this survey. As a bookaholic, I appreciate finding some new books.
Two series that I did not see mentioned I would recommend to someone.
First is Kane by Karl Edward Wagner. My favorite of the sword & sorcery genre.
For the urban fantasy genre, I recommend the 'Alex Verus' saga by Bendict Jacka. Top of my list for urban fantasy by a wide margin.
Oh no the Belgariad below Twilight? Thats insane I love the Belgariad, I’m genuinely shocked it’s so low!
I wonder if you still have the raw data spreadsheet to share? I would like to know the split of votes for Cosmere between Mistborn, Stormlight, etc. I also might call into question the consistency of "combining series set in the same world" when "Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn" is counted as a separate entity from Osten Ard. Were the other Malazan books counted towards Malazan? Was Fire and Blood counted towards ASOIAF? Were they never mentioned at all so you never had to worry about them? It'd be interesting to know.
It's a long time since I read books... I was looking for something in fantasy... U really did your homework.. Such a well curated video.. Thanks loads for all that.. Really cut my research ☺
Thanks so much for doing this! Great place to start! ^_^
I really like the Riddle Master series by Patricia McKillip and The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant by Stephen R. Donaldson.
The first earthsea book took me a while to get into then i absolutely devoured the rest of the series. Once the world building was set up the series was just so amazing. Ursula K Leguin is on the top of my list
It's cool to hear people are still reading it. The Earthsea books were in our library/reading club in school back in the day, A wizard of Eatrhsea and The Hobbit were the first two fantasy books I read as a kid
The magic those books evoke is unparalleled
I really cant remember a single moment of the first part of book 1. I was so bored I dropped it. How far in before it starts to really feel magical?
@@VperVendetta1992 when does that magic begin? How far into book 1?
Great video! I've added a lot of books to my list to read, and I thought I was running out of ideas. Turns out I needn't have feared :)
One quibble though, grouping all of Brandon Sanderson's works as one is a bit misleading because, while the series are in the "Cosmere," they are not _really_ connected and exist independently of each other. I get why you had to do it this way though.
I better get to reading. I have a lot of books to get through. Thanks!
(That said, every list of great fantasy should include Ray Feist and Garth Nix. Sometimes, quite often actually, booktubers choose "trendy" over excellent.)
Well done doing all this work and thank you for some new books to check out.
Thank you Eloke!
I've read a lot of these. At least the first book if not the entire series. My favorite epic series is Wheel of Time followed by A Chorus of Dragons by Jen Lyons (completed quartet) and The Stormlight Archive. My favorite urban fantasy is The Dresden Files. I'm surprised at some of the ones that made the top 20 though. I will not mention The Song of Ice and Fire because I have moved from hope to despair that we will ever get an ending to that series in novel format. As someone who read the first book when it was released I cannot tell you my level of anger at the author. So I can't and won't put it in my top ten.
I still haven't read A Chorus of Dragons. I have heard a lot of mixed things about it!
Hopefully we will get a release date for book 6 in ASOIAF soon! Fingers crossed!
Thank you for watching Joylynn06 :)