Who Drew the Internal Art for the Wheel of Time Books
Before diving into the list itself, I'd like to establish a few things: beginning, these are completely subjective rankings based on my own favorite series. The list takes into consideration things similar prose, dialogue, characters, worldbuilding, and plot. In some cases, weight volition exist given more to astounding prose; in others, the focus will be on setting or characters or whatever the books' major strengths happen to exist.
It as well ignores incomplete serial, so yous won't see whatsoever love for The Kingkiller Chronicle or The Stormlight Annal, among others. Similarly, it ignores standalone books, so noUprooted or The Windup Girl or Roadside Picnic.
Additionally, this list in many ways represents scientific discipline fiction and fantasy of the past (mostly the belatedly 20th century). Information technology'due south likely that a few of these will still exist on my list in a decade, but SFF of the by few years has taken a much-needed turn toward more diverse viewpoints and voices. This means that I just haven't read some of the best new authors still—and others, whom I accept, don't have their series finished. So while the largely male and white voices of the 1980-2010 era have provided some excellent groundwork, the future of science fiction and fantasy will undoubtedly characteristic more diverse voices at the top of the board.
For example, I haven't yet read the Broken Earth trilogy by Northward.K. Jemisin (which is by all accounts a stunning literary work). Authors similar Jemisin are sure to figure into time to come lists of this sort…and the opportunity to find and read new stories from new voices is 1 of the most heady things almost reading SFF.
That said, permit's dive on in!
ten. The Runelords ("Earth King" serial) by David Farland
David Farland's Runelords serial occupies an interesting spot in the fantasy canon, especially for me. Mayhap because of the timing of my introduction to it, and perhaps because of the cover art, but I've e'er idea of Runelords as a more traditional series. LikeThe Bike of Time, Runelords had embrace fine art for nigh of the books done past the legendary Darryl K. Sweet.
Indeed, information technology was that cover art that led me to purchase the first book, The Sum of All Men, in a footling beachfront bookstore on vacation in Hawaii when I was 12. I saw something that looked similar The Cycle of Time and jumped in with both feet.
I'thousand glad I did. Farland's a talented writer, and he truly excels at giving depth to things that normally get glossed over in fantasy.
There are two main magic systems, for lack of a better term, in Runelords. The get-go involves a pretty standard elemental magic: you've got magic-users who can perform magic based effectually earth, air, fire, and h2o. There are some interesting applications here, but the genius in this series lies with the other magic system.
In this world, people can grant endowments—physical or mental attributes—to other people. Those who have acquired such endowments are called Runelords, and tend to be nobles or soldiers. Afterwards all, a warrior with the force of five men and the stamina of three is going to exist tough to fight on a battlefield.
Farland could have left the magic there and made the series somewhat interesting. Instead, he dug deeper, exploring the ethical, moral, and even economical implications behind such a organization.
When an endowment is given to a Runelord, information technology's transferred. Thus, if a Runelord wants the sight of 2 men, his Dedicate volition be left blind, and the endowment only works for the Runelord while the Dedicate is living.
The result is tremendous expense given to keep Dedicates live. The giving of endowments similar grace (the ability to relax muscles), brawn (the power to flex them), and stamina leaves such Dedicates in extremely frail states. A Dedicate who gave stamina, for instance, is susceptible to disease.
On top of that, Runelords are almost unstoppable in battle, except by other similarly powered Runelords. Instead of facing them down on the field, strategy has evolved to focus on assassins, who endeavour to break into Dedicates' Keeps and impale the helpless Dedicates, weakening Runelords out on the field. Information technology's a fascinating look at all of the implications of the way this magic works.
I should note that while, technically speaking, the extended series equally a whole will run nine books, it's actually dissever into two: the first 4 books comprise the "Earth Rex" serial, and the adjacent iv (and forthcoming fifth) contain the "Scions of the Earth" series. The kickoff 4 are where Farland's story and globe piece of work the best.
9. The Harry Potter Series by J.1000. Rowling
Equally ane of my friends noted when I mentioned this list to her, "one of these things is not like the others."
Harry Potter may be aimed at a younger audience than the rest of the series here, only information technology is without a incertitude i of the most influential series of the last 30 years.
Sure, Rowling's writing is a bit elementary during the showtime few books, merely it improves equally the series goes on. Her worldbuilding is excellent (despite mail service-publishing missteps), the characters are undeniably vibrant, and the plotting is, for the most function, tight.
Virtually impressive, all the same, is the pacing of these books. There truly isn't much wasted infinite, even in the 800-plus-page The Gild of the Phoenix. They are eminently re-readable, buzzing along at a healthy speed and filled with moments of thrills, sadness, and exuberance.
8. The Mistborn Trilogy (Era 1) past Brandon Sanderson
The simply completed serial in Sanderson'southward Cosmere deserves a identify in this listing. While many of the serial that I have ranked higher are at that place because of incredible prose or vibrant characters, Sanderson's forcefulness lies in his worldbuilding.
Scadrial is perchance the most "traditional" of the worlds in the Cosmere, with the typical medieval tech and armies of high fantasy. But Sanderson'southward world around those staples is unique, with the mists and the ashmounts—and the Metallic Arts.
The 3 main types of magic used in Mistborn revolve effectually the use of metals to fuel (or steal) magic, with an intricate, thorough grounding. Mysteries are explored and revelations abound, remaining satisfying and surprising despite how logical they are.
While the second volume, The Well of Rising, suffers from pacing issues and a bit of a lackluster conflict through the start 2-thirds, its final third and climax are truly outstanding work—some of Sanderson's best.
The Hero of Ages presents the kind of bombastic determination hoped for, with twists, surprises, and a beautiful, bittersweet ending. By all accounts, Era 2 ofMistbornis even improve, but that review will have to wait for the release ofThe Lost Metal, expected former in late 2019.
7. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
This may be a somewhat controversial pick; or it may not. Either way, Tolkien'south famed trilogy holds a special place in my heart. Lord of the Rings is not the best-paced story, nor the most intricate, only it does several things extraordinarily well.
The way Tolkien handles tropes is straightforward simply meaningful: Samwise Gamgee, for example, truly is the hero of the story. Information technology'south not Aragorn or Legolas or Gimli, of grade, but neither is it Frodo. Samwise is the ultimate sidekick, considering at the root of the story, he's not a sidekick.
Tolkien's prose gets knocked adequately often, though I don't mind it. But where he really knocks it out of the park is with his dialogue. The elevated language flows beautifully, and there are some absolutely fantastic conversations and exchanges in these books. Take Gandalf's see with the Witch Male monarch inside the gates of Minas Tirith:
In rode the Lord of the Nazgûl, nether the entrance that no enemy always yet had passed, and all fled before his face up.
All relieve one. There waiting, silent and still in the infinite before the Gate, sat Gandalf upon Shadowfax: Shadowfax who alone among the gratis horses of the world endured the terror, unmoving, steadfast as a graven epitome in Rath Dínen.
"You cannot enter hither," said Gandalf, and the huge shadow halted. "Go back to the abyss prepared for you! Go back! Fall into the pettiness that awaits you and your Primary. Become!"
The Black Rider flung back his hood, and behold! he had a kingly crown; and nevertheless upon no caput visible was information technology set. The cherry fires shone between information technology and the mantled shoulders vast and dark. From a mouth unseen there came a deadly laughter.
"Old fool!" he said. "Old fool! This is my hr. Do you non know Death when you encounter it? Die now and expletive in vain!"
Not many writers tin craft something so smooth, foreboding, and powerful. Similar scenes between Eowyn and the Witch King, and between Aragorn and the Rima oris of Sauron, stand out.
The Silmarillion technically doesn't belong hither, just I must annotation that it is also a tremendous bit of storytelling in a dissimilar mode. The tales in the Quenta Silmarillion vary from exciting to romantic to outright heartrending (looking at you lot, Túrin Turambar…).
6. The Ender Quartet/Shadow Quartet by Orson Scott Card
I struggled with whether or not to split these into two serial, since they really do follow ii separate (just intertwined) stories. In the end, I felt that the way Carte du jour has written in new novels since completing the main quartets shows he considers them more than connected.
Ender'south Game is certainly one of the most popular science fiction novels always written, and for proficient reason. It resonates with younger audiences, while exploring themes and morality suitable for whatsoever adult. The subsequent Ender books carry forward that more adult-oriented focus.
Speaker for the Dead remains the single best science fiction book I've ever read, and while Xenocide and Children of the Listen practice not maintain that lofty standard, they at least give a decent conclusion to the series.
Meanwhile, the Bean installments are uniformly splendid. Ender'south Shadow was a vivid idea, and the way the subsequent Shadow books handle the characters of Peter Wiggin and Petra Arkanian is wonderful.
5. The Acts of Caine by Matthew Woodring Stover
Like The Gap Cycle by Stephen R. Donaldson, Stover's quartet can get rather gruesome at points. It's the kind of no-holds-barred chance story that fantasy often aspires to be, but misses. Information technology's grimdark, simply not for the sake of existence grimdark.
Starting with Heroes Die, Stover's series blends science fiction and fantasy: in the far-time to come of World, the world finds its entertainment in the recorded Adventures of Actors, sent by inter-dimensional technology to a fantasy world called Overworld, inhabited past elves and dragons, wizards and ogrilloi.
As the serial goes on, it becomes clear that the fates of Overworld and World are more intertwined than people believed, and Hari Michaelson, a.1000.a. Caine, is at the center of it all.
The characters are truly what shine in Stover's series. His prose is excellent, riddled with fight scenes and one-liners to make any reader express mirth, just the near impressive part is how he molds a wide cast of characters.
Caine is, of course, the focus. Nevertheless, his estranged married woman Shanna (or Pallas Ril, as she's known on Overworld) is a deeply interesting adult female with psychological depths of the kind rarely explored in other series. The antagonists are at turns pure evil and startlingly sympathetic. Arturo Kollberg, Hari's boss on Earth, undergoes one of the most shocking transformations you tin can imagine. Ma'elKoth, the god-emperor of Ankhana on Overworld, is ruthless however tender.
Almost of all, The Acts of Caine is an aggressive series. Heroes Die is a near-perfect gamble novel, with sublime pacing and a cathartic climax. The Blade of Tyshalle follows up Heroes Die every bit a flawed masterpiece.
In Bract, Stover plays with mythology and legend while taking the former authors' maxim "think of the worst thing you tin do to your protagonist, and so practice it" to 11. It is in this book that we see the darkest depths of characters; it is as well hither where we see promise shine the brightest.
The 3rd volume, Caine Blackness Pocketknife, is an unadulterated love letter from Stover to Caine, covering his most famous Adventure. The final volume, Caine's Law, is a runaway roller coaster, total of flatulent twists and mind-boggling revelations.
The Acts of Caine is, at heart, an adventure story—merely one with all the trappings of high literature already in place. Information technology allows the reader to enjoy the thrill of the action, but likewise forces you to consider the entertainment you're consuming, and what it ways to consume it.
four. The Gap Wheel past Stephen R. Donaldson
Donaldson'southward Gap Cycle is my highest-ranked pure sci-fi serial. This is the peak of infinite opera, every bit far every bit I'm concerned.
The v-book series starts with a shorter volume: The Real Story is basically a novella, laying the groundwork for the fireworks to come. It tells a story from several different perspectives, showing how bespeak-of-view impacts what people might think of as "the existent story."
Donaldson's clever introduction explodes in the second installment, Forbidden Noesis. From here, the series just gets more intense, more tightly woven, and develops ever-increasing stakes.
The Gap Cycle is, in fact, probably the only serial I've ever read where each book is demonstrably better than the last. The terminal volume, This Twenty-four hour period All Gods Die, was a white-knuckle thriller from folio ane to the epilogue—on top of having ane of the almost incredible titles I've e'er seen.
(Content of the stories bated, Donaldson's titles are just fantastic.A Dark and Hungry God Arises? Awesome. This Day All Gods Die?Hell aye.)
This series has i major knock, and that's the subject matter. The first ii books especially deal with graphic violence, of both sexual and psychological natures. It can get pretty tough to read at points. Despite that, information technology'due south an incredible story, well-written, with some of the most complex and layered characters in scientific discipline fiction.
three. The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe
Cistron Wolfe is probably the most decorated, celebrated, and accomplished SFF writer that most people have never heard of.
(Okay, that'south a little chip of an exaggeration. But not past much.)
Wolfe's iv-part Book of the New Dominicus is a awe-inspiring literary accomplishment. His use of symbolism, metaphor, an unreliable narrator, and constant foreshadowing beggars anything that Robert Hashemite kingdom of jordan or George R.R. Martin take ever washed.
Wolfe's story is compelling, but unorthodox. The pacing of the serial—especially in the start two books—is foreign, as the narrative meanders virtually, touching on seemingly inconsequential events and glossing over (or leaving out entirely) big action scenes.
But the action and gamble isn't the point. Wolfe'southward writing is so rich and his storytelling then involved that he grips you and pulls you forth in a riptide of linguistic communication and mystery.
The Book of the New Lord's day is a challenging read, to be certain. Primitive linguistic communication abounds, and layered storytelling forces the reader to pay attention, smarten up, and read more critically.
My favorite office of Wolfe's work is his writing, though. The way he uses words, conjuring everyday images in beautiful means, is unparalleled amidst writers I've read (really, just Kai Ashante Wilson is even in the same conversation):
How glorious are they, the immovable idols of Urth, carved with unaccountable tools in a time inconceivably aboriginal, still lifting above the rim of the earth grim heads crowned with mitres, tiaras, and diadems spangled with snow, heads whose eyes are equally large every bit towns, figures whose shoulders are wrapped in forests.
Who else would depict mountains like that? Who else would turn such an everyday writing opportunity into lyrical, evocative imagery?
I retrieve it says a lot that, after I finished Citadel of the Autarch, I couldn't make myself read any other authors for almost two months. Everything simply felt banal after the richness of Book of the New Sun.
2. The Black Company past Glen Cook*
Glen Melt is a lesser-known name, but his mark on fantasy is everywhere. His knack for approaching the grittier, more downwardly-to-earth aspects of fantasy inspired the grimdark genre. The Blackness Company itself eschews the deep worldbuilding of Jordan or Martin or Sanderson, instead concentrating on the day-to-day stories of soldiers in the mercenary Black Company.
Tropes are twisted on their heads, humour abounds, and settings move from standard European fare to vibrant Center Eastern analogues and beyond.
The Black Company is a rollicking good time, interspersed with creepy demons and eldritch castles, mad wizards and the horrifying weather condition of besieged cities.
This series features some of my favorite characters. Whether it's the snarky Croaker, brooding Murgen, competent Sleepy, or the irrepressible Voroshk girls, at that place's a wide and diverse bandage. Not just that, simply the emotional touch built upwards over the course of ten books leaves the reader stunned at the end of Soldiers Live.
It's that lasting impression from the end of the serial that sticks with me—it'south the most perfect series catastrophe I've read.
Every bit Croaker says at one bespeak, "Memory is immortality of a sort."The Blackness Company left this reader with indelible memories.
*The full narrative arc of the series is completed inSoldiers Live, but Melt may non be totally finished just even so.Port of Shadows, a sort of "interquel" between books one and two, was recently released. Another book has long been rumored, calledA Pitiless Rain.
1. The Bike of Time by Robert Hashemite kingdom of jordan (and Brandon Sanderson)
I almost feel bad virtually how piddling there is to say in this department. When it comes down to it, I can't do justice to this serial in a list review. The meat, the immersion, the pure reality of reading Robert Jordan'south magnum opus is something that must be experienced to be understood.
The Cycle of Time is i of the preeminent fantasy series of the belatedly '90s/early 2000s. Jordan was an absolute titan of fantasy, with his books selling upwards of 80 1000000 copies, co-ordinate to some sources.
Jordan took Tolkien's legacy and transformed it for the mod era. The serial purposely starts in a similar, familiar fashion, but quickly comes off the track and grows into its own monster. The level of worldbuilding is incredible, down to histories, cultures and customs, genealogies and magic.
The Wheel of Time defined a generation of fantasy. Robert Jordan didn't turn out sparkling prose like Factor Wolfe, only he certainly had his moments. His characters aren't necessarily every bit compelling as those inThe Acts of Caine orThe Blackness Company, just they're however rich, dynamic, and feature the kind of warmth that makes readers consider them friends.The Bicycle of Time is, in its fashion, the complete fantasy bundle.
Drew McCaffrey lives in Fort Collins, CO, where he is spoiled by all the amazing craft beer. You can find him on Twitter, talking virtually books and writing, just mostly just getting worked upwardly about the New York Rangers.
citation
Source: https://www.tor.com/2018/09/25/the-10-best-completed-sf-and-fantasy-series-according-to-me/
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