Best Fantasy Series

GRRM's epic fantasy series-turned-hit HBO series has won the hearts of fantasy and nonfantasy readers alike. A Song of Ice and Fire's mélange of house politics, interweaving character arcs, warfare, historical fiction, romance, and well, dragons in the world of Westeros and Essos never lets you down. There are seven books planned for the series, but only five have been released thus far.

Arguably, two of the greatest classics of all time, J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy and prequel The Hobbit, offer a thrilling adventure tale full of wizardry, Hobbits, an all-seeing eye, and Smaug.

The part-fantasy, part-romance seven-piece Outlander series is one of our top picks because of its vigilant female protagonist, Claire Randall, who, at the height of World War II, travels back in time and meets James Alexander Fraser. Needless to say, adventures ensue in this masterpiece of historical fiction.

The Kingkiller Chronicles trilogy is a modern marvel in the world of epic fantasy. The books follow the story of Kvothe, who attempts to enter an esteemed school of magic and eventually becomes one of the most notorious magicians of all time. It's Harry Potter — for grown-ups.

The seven-part Chronicles of Narnia classics are a testament to bravery, fear, belief, and magic. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is just one part of Peter, Edmund, Lucy, and Susan's epic adventures in the land of Narnia.

Lyra, the heroine of the His Dark Materials trilogy, is an orphan whose infectious audacity in Philip Pullman's science- and theology-intensive imagined world appeals to readers of all ages.

The literature juggernaut of our era, the seven-part Harry Potter series dives deep into the magical world of the books' protagonist of the same name. The highly entertaining, humorous, and fantastical Harry Potter series tells a traditional tale of good vs. evil, but through the lens of an alternative universe of witches, wizards, Muggles, and goblins.

The Wheel of Time was originally planned as a six-book series but has since expanded to 14 volumes. Those interested in European and Asian mythology will be enthralled by Robert Jordan's epic novels, which integrate elements of Hinduism, Buddhism, duality, balance, and eternal prophecies. Like other classics in the genre, The Wheel of Time books feature a large cast of characters and complex systems that exist only in its imaginary world.

The Darkover series by famed female author Marion Zimmer Bradley are science fantasy, including both science fiction and sweeping fantasy themes. There are more than 30 in publication about a human colony on a faraway planet — the first is Darkover Landfall.

The Mistborn series, about the failed hero of a prophecy, has all the elements of classic fantasy: a multicharacter arc, an original magic system, and climactic, high-action events. While the books are on the longer side, the story line is fast-paced and will draw you right in.

The 12 books of The Sword of Truth series are not for the faint of heart. There are some vivid adult themes in this tale of the magically gifted people of the New World and the Old World. Preserving family legacy, revenge, sorcery, fallen empires . . . this series has it all.

The 14-part urban fantasy Dresden Files novels are written in the first person and offer an intimate look into the supernatural activity of modern-day Chicago.

Wordsmiths will enjoy the seven-part Thursday Next series, written by the whip smart Jasper Fforde. The alternative history novels are set in a world where England is a republic and the countries of the United Kingdom are separated by intense politics. Genetic engineering and shadow governments play a huge role in this series that refuses to be pigeonholed into any single genre.

The 10 volumes of Malazan Book of the Fallen follow the complicated plots of the Malazan Empire, which is plagued by bitter warfare, ancient sorcerers, and imperial legions. Steven Erikson's literature is most often compared to George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire.