Best series

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I know that this question has probably been raised several times, but im gonna ask it anyways since A) there are new series out B) i cant do a search and find out

I want to know what you think is the best series ever written and why[/B. you can say like up to the 3rd book X series is the best(not that i could stop you if i wanted). I ask this mainly because A) i love reading B) christmas is coming up and books are one of the few things that my parents always get me what i want.

 

i agree with raymond E feists original series. And with LOTR i never can finish the return of the king, i just dont like his style of writing, but i must admit they are great books.

But to add some more, The Dark Elf Trilogy, is extremely good, the best of Salvatore's works

The first 6 books of the wheel of time are great.

...would the illiad and the odyssey be considered a series? either way i put them on the list, though they be archaic.

also i have to put gary gygax's gord the rouge series(starting with saga of old city) up until dance with demons... they get obscenly(sp?) powerful there.

the first three books of the apprentice adept series by piers anthony are great

and although most of you will disagree, the sword of truth by terry goodkind is a great...for the first 3-4 books, then skip until you get to faith of the fallen.

the prey trilogy by jon...sanderman i think, not posotive.

David Eddings first series, the belgariad. The others are just run offs from that.

the original books in the Xanth series by piers anthony.

David Gemmels Legends is one of my favorite series, maybe not among the best but to me one of the most interesting... no more than 2 books on one character/time.

joel rosenburg's gaurdian of the flame is great, but it sounds like im gonna have to check out The Fionavar Tapestry.

and finally the dragonprince series by melanie rawn is one of my favs...maybe because its so much different from all the others

tom clany books are also great

i know i said series but im going to add a single book... The watchers by dean koontz(sp?) its an extremly good book, a mix betweem sci-fi and mystery.

stephen kings the stand is phenomenal

and while terry pratchetts(sp?) books arent phenomenal ive loved all the ones that i read.

Edit: i cant beleive i forgot Richard Marcinko's books are all very good, if a bit exaggerated, although they arent exactly a series having nothing to do with each other but still...

 

Robin Hobb's Assassin series and Tawny Man series (the Liveship traders are good and should be read as well, especially since the stories got intertwined in the Tawny man book) are together with Martin's A song of ice and fire outstanding and uncomparable to almost any series or even single book I have ever read. Even outclassing Tolkien and that by a long shot. I was once a big Wheel of time fan and still am in a way as I am going to get every book but the series has lost *alot* in the latest installments. I still love the world and the characters thought but the story got to get going soon!

 

A few more:

Chronicles of Thomas Covenant (first series; 2nd was kind of 'draggy')
Terry Brooks - Shannara series
Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy - humorous sci-fi

 

i thought about adding the shannarra series but decided not to...glad to see someone else likes the series too, as ive seen alot of terry brooks bashing on various forums(almost as much as terry goodkind and robert jordan)

 

Loved the Dark Elf Trilogy

Tolkien's LoTR is a must for me too

As is Robert Jordan's Wheel Of Time

The Dark Tower by Stephen King rocks, hooked on it for life

I'll chuck in a vote for The Iliad and Odyssey as well in case they DO count as a series

I've just finished "The Temple Of A Million Years" in Christian Jacq's Ramses series and so far the series definitely has a solid vote from me

David Eddings' Belgariad and Malloreon series were pretty cool too, even though they were a little too similar to each other, same goes for his Tamuli and Elenium

Thoroughly enjoyed Guy Gavriel Kay's trilogy which I can't remember the name of, something about Summer Tree or something like that

* Edit - sorry just read dmc's post properly and saw The Fionavar Tapestry in there, that's the one I mean, maybe that'll teach me to read posts properly in future*

Another one I can't remember the name of and can't even remember the author's name (maybe someone out there can help with this brief description) was about a young magic-user who turned out to be gay (I think the term in the book was 'fey') and I think there was a unicorn in it. I did enjoy it though, unfortunately an ex pinched the books

 

The Fionavar Tapestry is a good trilogy, but personally I think the best work by Kay is his Sarantine Mosiac. The Fionavar books were his first ones if I remember correctly and his writing has greatly improved since then. I read the Sarantine Mosiac within days of reading the Fionavar Tapestry and how much he has matured as an author was quite apparent. Also though Fionavar has a great story, but for some reason they really reminded me of L.S. Lewis' Narnia series. I can't really say why. Just an overall feeling I think.

That being said, I'm going to agree with joacqin and say that Robin Hobb's Farseer (it's not called Assassin joacqin ) trilogy as well as the Tawny Man trilogy are the best trilogies I've read. If you haven't read them then read them. Now.

 

I recomend the Dragoncrown War Cycle and the prelude Dark Glory War are the best books I have ever read. Thay have good characters and plot development.

 

LoTR - and anything else to do with Middle Earth or Arda.

 

there was one series, i cant remember the name of it or the author, but the main character was a guy named sparrowhawk, he was a wizard IIRC. The series was good, very different from what im used to. It's been aboutt 5 years since i read the series and i borrowed it from a friend.

 

The song of Ice&Fire.

Really good books. Detailed descriptions of everything. Rather complex storyline too. And most of all really precise chapter cuts. Story is split on different characters in the world, and each chapter covers another part of the story. And on they go circling and forming a complete story. Thing is, just at the end of each chapter you're getting really interested in that person again. And then next chapter

*end of babble*


Well, for a normal amount of money you get a lot of reading (each book has about 1000+ pages).


Warmly recommended

 

@ LoS_DrIzZt4 - That would be A Wizard of Earthsea and its sequals by Ursula Le Guin. I liked A Wizard of Earthsea but I was never particularly fond of the rest of the series.

 

I like the Hyperion series by Dan Simmons. Great Sci-Fi books.

 

A Song of Ice and Fire - G.R.R. Martin.

Best fantasy I've read sofar.

 

Definitely agree, Faragon. I just wish GRRM would write a bit quicker.

 

I have to go along with several of the previous selections (although, I have to admit that many of the ones listed I have not read yet).
The Wheel of Time series (at least the first 5 or 6 books) are very captivating. I could not put them down until I finished.
The Belgariad series by David Eddings is also very captivating, although I would not recommend the Malorean series which is a follow-up.
The Shanara series has some great action, but I found that the author disappointed me several times with his conclusions.
LOTR is very good.
The Blue Adept series is very good.
Piers Anthony's Xanth series is outstanding and also very light reading. Books 1,3,4,5, and 7 are really good. The best is probably either Ogre Ogre or Castle Roogna.

 

Hi!
I like these types of fun posts!

I like the Starlight and Shadows series by Elaine Cunningham (might have the first name wrong). About Liriel Baenre. Im almost done with the second book, but Ill have to wait for the third one to come into paperback...
I think its the best Faerun series, or atleast one of them, It involves the Drow princess and her subsequent exilement to the Night Above where she falls in love with a Rashemi (sp) warrior. Its got everything a GREAT fantasy novel needs: suspense, intrigue, romance, fighting, and lots of humour provided by Hrolf the Unruly and pleanty of sarcasm provided by Liriel... most of all it has several tiny plots that seem to mesh together seemlessly by the end of each book.

I just hope she writes more stories about my new favourite Drow.

I also like the War of the Spider Queen series by Salvatore, even though I only managed to get halfway through the first book before jumping into the Liriel trilogy... Gromph is the best.
-giggle-

My best friend say that the Icewind Dale trilogy is GREAT (her exact spelling), haven't read it yet though...

Let see... Ive read everyone of the Witch World books by Andre Norton, loved every one of them!

The Firebird by Mercedes Lackey was awesome, its a retelling of the old Russian fairytale "Tsarevich Ivan, the Firebird and the Grey Wolf."

The Shapechanger's Wife was pretty good too, I cant remember who wrote it, and cant dig it out at the moment (its at the bottom of a trunk).

Please excuse the lack of apostrophes(') in certain words, my wrists complain when I type to much.

 

for me the best xanth book would be castle roogna rcoutme. Thanks JSBB and i agree the first is the best of those. hmm, sounds like im gonna have to get songs of ice & fire. And yes, the mallorean isnt too great, but i like the elenium and tamuli, i just like the characters better in general, specially Talen, although Silk is still the best. It STILL amuses me that he marries Liselle.

 

I absolutely loved all the Xanth books up until Demons Dont Dream or one or two of the books after that, but I agree too, it was the first six or seven books that were the very best.

After Princess Irene and Bink (thats the right guy right?) got married, and then they had a daughter, I think it kinda got dull. I really like Bria Brassie.

Might have to go read the books I have again after Im done with Tangled Webs.