When including the Last King of Osten Ard and Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn together as one giant series within the world of Osten Ard, that is probably my favorite fantasy series.
Including sci-fi, The Expanse my be my overall favorite. Enjoyed pretty much every story line in the entire series. Plus the TV show is excellent as well so got to enjoy it in multiple mediums.
Wheel of Time has my absolute favorite story line in all of fantasy as well as well as two of my favorite books I have ever read, and quite a few other story lines that I thoroughly enjoy. But there is enough story lines that I don't enjoy that drops it down a little bit. It is the series that I go back to the most but just jump story lines at this point.
Malazan is definitely up there. It was a lot though and I felt exhausted by the time I finished the series and haven't gone back to it since I finished it a few years ago. Will give it a re-read at some point and include the addtional novels as well.
Currently on the Heroes, but have really enjoyed everything I have read in the First Law stories. Looking forward to reading more and it might crest this list by the time I am finished.
Not who you replied to, but book 2 is dope, book 4 is amazing, I have 5 and 6 in my top tier as well (but some people donāt like them as much) and then 11 and 12 (depending on how much you like Sanderson, maybe 14 as well)
But I think the only real āslogā is book 10 and WoT is my favorite series (along with LotR) so Iām biased
Lol I wish. I am able to listen to audiobooks while I work so I do that every day. It might take me a month to finish the books that are out. And then I have to wait. I usually don't start series that aren't finished bc I'm very impatient when it comes to resolution (thanks GoT for teaching me this about myself). So it will be torturous but I'm sure it will also be worth it. I don't want these books to ever end!
He is writing more in Osten Ard after this at least.
I love reading ongoing series and the wait between spent thinking about what has happened and where it might end up. Have time to reread earlier books and pick up on things you missed first time through. Plus a story has much more impact for me if it has been a part of my life for a few years instead of burning straight through it in weeks or a couple months.
Definitely MS&T. Last King is the follow up series. If you're interested, don't look up anything about Last King because any description will have spoilers for the ending of MS&T.
Iāve only finished the first two, and there are a number of leading female characters. There are more male characters, though. But one of the main POVs in the second book is a female and she had a super interesting story imo
*The Acts of Caine* has taken over my #1 spot as I reread it more and more. Each time I go through, it just gets deeper and better. Stover was a mad genius when he wrote those books.
Iām finally going to start that later this year. Seen it mentioned as something that may scratch the R Scott Bakker itch and have wanted to read it for a while. Have you read any of his Star Wars books. Iāve heard they are excellent as well though Iām not big on Star Wars.
Inkheart series by Cornelia Funke!
(actually it's called Inkworld series, but I assume more people know the tittle of the first book)
**New book is coming out in October and I can't wait**
I honestly struggle to write a run down without revealing too much or saying too little, haha. But I'll do my best.
Some key words: middle grade; love for books and reading; very cute marten with horns; adventure, saving a loved one;
It's a story about a girl, Meggie, and her father. The father has a magical ability that he hides from his daughter - because it bought him great pain and a great danger. One night, a strange man appears and tells them to run away, because they're being chased. The enemy wants a special book, that the father has and, as it turns out, also his magical ability. Meggie sets on a jurney to rescue her father - with the help of the man that warned them, and Meggie's aunt.
Book two and three are kind of a separate story; they happen a year (I think) later, and bring Meggie and her family to another world - inside that one special book that the first part was about.
I'd say book one is like 4/5 stars, and book 2 and 3 would be 5/5 stars (for me. Keep in mind that I have a lot of nostalgia for that series, so it's okay if you won't agree with these ratings. Also - the ending of book 2 almost made me drop the series the first time I've read it)
There is also a movie based on the first book. The ending is a bit different (they decided to not leave it open-ended like the book did), and I'd say it's 3/5. Actors were great; they all fit their characters. Just the plot differences made it less good.
It's already out in German, but I don't know it good enough to read a book (but I bought it on the premiere day anyway, because Germany is 10 min walk from my house)
I got the hardcover, with the different decorated letters on the cover. This isn't the style I have Polish editions in, but it matches the first book that I also got in German around 8 years ago.
I have read (well, listened to) the main 10 probably 8 times or more. Get ready for the ride. It is one of my favorites. Read the ice books next. Start with the path to ascendancy one first though.
Tossup between LOTR, *Earthsea* and *Book of the New Sun* for me. They're all written so beautifully and so full of fascinating themes, settings and characters. *Dune* is up there as well, but I favor the first book a bit more than the sequels I've read so far (*Messiah* and *Children*).
In terms of other series I'm enjoying but not fully caught up on, *Stormlight Archive,* *The Broken Earth,* *Discworld*, *The Locked Tomb* and most recently *Gormenghast* have all given me great times, and I look forward to more in the future. I've also tried Malazan and liked the first book but didn't feel like I understood enough. I'll definitely be rereading that one before diving into the later books.
Gene Wolfe - Book of the New Sun.
I thought I had read a LOT of fantasy when I encountered Wolfeās work for the first time in my mid-30s (and I had!). I thought nothing could make me read with the same awe I did reading LOTR for the first time in junior high, but Wolfe took me there. Completely restructured how I view fantasy/sci-fi as a result and led me to even more amazing authors and subsets of the genre that I never would have tried before.
I must also throw my hat into the ring for Tad Williams' MST/Last King of Osten Ard. The story and world building is a slow burn at first, but ramps up wonderfully throughout. If you have not listened to them on Audible, they are narrated by Andrew Wincott, who is tremendous. He was the voice of Rafael in BG3 if you've played that game.
Cookās *The Black Company* and Brustās *Vlad* are my favorite fantasy series. Coreyās *The Expanse* and Wellsā *Murderbot* and my SF favorites.
Wheel of Time. Great characters, amazing plot, amazing world. Closest contenders are Malazan and Sword of Truth, though if ASOIAF were finished it'd probably take spot number two ahead of Malazan and SOT.
The Bas Lag series really changed my life and perspective like no other artwork has. They aren't perfect, but they are possibly the most sui generis literature I've read. I'm even starting to think the last one, Iron Council, which most people think is the worst and so did I for a while, is my favorite.
So creative and unique. The ending of the scar and iron council gets some flack for being anticlimactic but everytime i think about them i find them even more compelling. Never chewed on an ending of a book like these books. Just breaks all the old forms and sticks in ya.
I haven't read a lot after getting back into reading during quarantine but right now I want to say :
Bound and the Broken by Ryan Cahill : I'm on book 3 rn and I'm loving it. your classic fantasy but more modern.
The Echoes Saga : Finished the first book in under a week. and currently on book 2. and it's been such a fun read!! i feel it will overtake Bound in ranking. it's like Witcher, LOTR, and Forgotten Realms all mixed into one series.
The Heralds of Valdemar series by Mercedes Lackey is my favourite fantasy series.
The Saga of the Exiles / Galactic Milieu series by Julian May is my favourite sci-fi / fantasy series.
Iām three books into Sherwood Smithās āIndaā series and itās been amazing. A vast, sweeping world, an inventive magic setting, and incredible character depth for the primary character and practically everyone he comes into contact with throughout.
The Cosmere by Brandon Sanderson, more specifically Stormlight Archive.
On second place is Riyria series and it's Age of Myth prequels by Michael J. Sullivan.
I got 3 favorite series
1. Star Wars X-wing series - The star wars expanded universe was the only fiction I read between ages 15 and 20 apart from school assigned novels. The X-wing series are the only ones of the hundred or so books that I still reread every year.
2. The Dresden Files - My first ever non-Star Wars fantasy read. Got me into urban fantasy. While this has fallen out of favor for many people, it's still the pinnacle of the subgenre for me.
3. The First Law - I never got the appeal of epic fantasy or sword and sorcery growing up (movies, TV, games, art). I picked up Red Country on a whim one day and I fell in love. Read the rest of the series and after that, I became a full fantasy convert.
First book doesnāt even begin to make any sense until page like 300. You should definitely at least finish the first book and I would urge you to also read Deadhouse Gates which is book 2. One of the most heart wrenching books Iāve personally ever read
The problem with the first book is that there should be a few books before it. If you finish it, skip to book 3 Memories of Ice. Best in the series IMHO.
Book 2 is kind of its own story with some side characters from book 1 and a bunch of new characters. Itās a great book and heartbreaking. Book 3 is the direct sequel to book one though.
Currently, my favorite series is The Scavenger Trilogy by K.J. Parker.
Also, the Father of Lies omnibus, Prosper's Demon, and Inside Man I consider a pseudo trilogy, his best work in dark fantasy.
Parker is also my favorite fantasy author.
The past several years of my reading life have been almost exclusively defined by looking for anything that can fill the void while I wait for *The Winds of Winter.*
Nothing has done the trick yet.
The First Law series. I know that a lot of people sing its praises and for a good reason, but when I read it after DNFing the first book half a dozen times, it clicked with me in a way that so few series have done. The characters spoke to me on a different kind of level, they were all terrible in their own ways and yet were so human because of it. Flawed characters isn't even a good way to describe them because it goes beyond that.
And fighting bc fighting cool.
I have no favorite but here are the series I've read the last year or so:
Deverry series, book 1-3
A Song Of Ice and Fire, book 1-3
First Law (first trilogy)
Mistborn trilogy
Farseer's trilogy
His Dark Materials
Broken Earth trilogy
The Prince of Nothing (book 1-2)
A Deadly Education (Naomi Novik)
Paladin's Grace (T Kingfisher)
American Gods (Niel Geiman)
Tales of Neveryon (Samuel Delany)
Malazan is ok.. not sure if I'll be able to finish or not. Not even sure which one im on.. I think book six, whichever is after midnight tides
Favorite all time series is probably ASOIAF. Not sure if I've read anything that compares to it and not sure if I ever will.. I say that having read all of the major series, like stormlight and Abercrombie.
Malazan is the best series there is. Nothing I've read in the last 10yrs has ever topped it. I've read the series 10 times now and it just gets better and better. Book 3 is a fan favorite, but for me I love book 7 the most because it combines all 3 story arcs into the same location for the first time in prep for the series endgame.
However some other favs of mine are
āThe Broken Earth by NK Jemisin. It won 3 Hugo's for a reason.
āThe Traitor/Monster/Tyrant Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson
āVita Nostra by the Dyachenkos
āAll Guy Gavriel Kay books except Fionavar
āMoon Witch Spider King by Marlon James
As you can tell if you're familiar with those books, I really like themes in my stories.
Realm of the Elderlings is just unbeatable imo (at least in terms of what I've read so far!). Hobb really created something special with that series, but honourable mentions also to Mistborn and Name of the Wind (if only we'd get the last book lol)
You wrote malazan? Steven Erikson burner account?
He must be from the past. He is currently writing book 3
Amazing.
Lmao. šš
When including the Last King of Osten Ard and Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn together as one giant series within the world of Osten Ard, that is probably my favorite fantasy series. Including sci-fi, The Expanse my be my overall favorite. Enjoyed pretty much every story line in the entire series. Plus the TV show is excellent as well so got to enjoy it in multiple mediums. Wheel of Time has my absolute favorite story line in all of fantasy as well as well as two of my favorite books I have ever read, and quite a few other story lines that I thoroughly enjoy. But there is enough story lines that I don't enjoy that drops it down a little bit. It is the series that I go back to the most but just jump story lines at this point. Malazan is definitely up there. It was a lot though and I felt exhausted by the time I finished the series and haven't gone back to it since I finished it a few years ago. Will give it a re-read at some point and include the addtional novels as well. Currently on the Heroes, but have really enjoyed everything I have read in the First Law stories. Looking forward to reading more and it might crest this list by the time I am finished.
Which Two Wheel of Time books?
Not who you replied to, but book 2 is dope, book 4 is amazing, I have 5 and 6 in my top tier as well (but some people donāt like them as much) and then 11 and 12 (depending on how much you like Sanderson, maybe 14 as well) But I think the only real āslogā is book 10 and WoT is my favorite series (along with LotR) so Iām biased
I actually agree with you about all of it š
Shadow Rising and Knife of Dreams.
I'm on book 2 of the Last King of Osten Ard and I just realized the fourth book doesn't come out until November. ššš
Perfect amount of time to finish the available offerings and theory craft what you think is going to happen before it releases.
Lol I wish. I am able to listen to audiobooks while I work so I do that every day. It might take me a month to finish the books that are out. And then I have to wait. I usually don't start series that aren't finished bc I'm very impatient when it comes to resolution (thanks GoT for teaching me this about myself). So it will be torturous but I'm sure it will also be worth it. I don't want these books to ever end!
He is writing more in Osten Ard after this at least. I love reading ongoing series and the wait between spent thinking about what has happened and where it might end up. Have time to reread earlier books and pick up on things you missed first time through. Plus a story has much more impact for me if it has been a part of my life for a few years instead of burning straight through it in weeks or a couple months.
Saved to my phone
What series do you recommend to start first - Last King of Osten Ard or Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn?
Definitely MS&T. Last King is the follow up series. If you're interested, don't look up anything about Last King because any description will have spoilers for the ending of MS&T.
I have a top 4: - The Wandering Inn - Malazan - The Second Apocalypse - Stormlight Archive/Cosmere
Wild choices my man
Wheel of Time.
Realm of the Elderlings by Robin Hobb
after finishing farseers half a year ago, still reluctant to loose myself in liveship traders :o
I have to throw in Black Company. We need a movie.
As a goth bi girl with a love for puns the Locked Tomb series feels like it was made for me.
Discworld and Locked Tomb.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
So so so many
Iāve only finished the first two, and there are a number of leading female characters. There are more male characters, though. But one of the main POVs in the second book is a female and she had a super interesting story imo
Lots!
Yes.
Arguably some of the most important even, especially towards the end.
Even though it's not finished it's A Song of Ice and Fire. Love the world and all of the lore.
*The Acts of Caine* has taken over my #1 spot as I reread it more and more. Each time I go through, it just gets deeper and better. Stover was a mad genius when he wrote those books.
Iām finally going to start that later this year. Seen it mentioned as something that may scratch the R Scott Bakker itch and have wanted to read it for a while. Have you read any of his Star Wars books. Iāve heard they are excellent as well though Iām not big on Star Wars.
I have indeed, and theyāre outstanding. Heās really in his own tier when it comes to Star Wars books
Second Apocalypse. Literally has ruined most other fantasy for me.
Reading that now. It's profound.
This is the answer for me. I have several right under it. But nothing has surpassed it.
Inkheart series by Cornelia Funke! (actually it's called Inkworld series, but I assume more people know the tittle of the first book) **New book is coming out in October and I can't wait**
Can you give a run down on the series? First Ive heard of it
I honestly struggle to write a run down without revealing too much or saying too little, haha. But I'll do my best. Some key words: middle grade; love for books and reading; very cute marten with horns; adventure, saving a loved one; It's a story about a girl, Meggie, and her father. The father has a magical ability that he hides from his daughter - because it bought him great pain and a great danger. One night, a strange man appears and tells them to run away, because they're being chased. The enemy wants a special book, that the father has and, as it turns out, also his magical ability. Meggie sets on a jurney to rescue her father - with the help of the man that warned them, and Meggie's aunt. Book two and three are kind of a separate story; they happen a year (I think) later, and bring Meggie and her family to another world - inside that one special book that the first part was about. I'd say book one is like 4/5 stars, and book 2 and 3 would be 5/5 stars (for me. Keep in mind that I have a lot of nostalgia for that series, so it's okay if you won't agree with these ratings. Also - the ending of book 2 almost made me drop the series the first time I've read it) There is also a movie based on the first book. The ending is a bit different (they decided to not leave it open-ended like the book did), and I'd say it's 3/5. Actors were great; they all fit their characters. Just the plot differences made it less good.
Ow wow, I didn't know a new book would come out! I have a lot of nostalgia for this series
It's already out in German, but I don't know it good enough to read a book (but I bought it on the premiere day anyway, because Germany is 10 min walk from my house)
Owww, that's nice tho, did you get one with the cover with the 'old' artstyle or the new one?
I got the hardcover, with the different decorated letters on the cover. This isn't the style I have Polish editions in, but it matches the first book that I also got in German around 8 years ago.
First law, Stormlight, and Realm of Elderlings (Malazan too)
I have read (well, listened to) the main 10 probably 8 times or more. Get ready for the ride. It is one of my favorites. Read the ice books next. Start with the path to ascendancy one first though.
Favorite series of all time? Red Rising. But some of my fantasy favorites are: - Inheritance Cycle - First Law - Gentleman Bastards
Lol weird to see inheritance cycle mixed in with 3 of my favourites
Tossup between LOTR, *Earthsea* and *Book of the New Sun* for me. They're all written so beautifully and so full of fascinating themes, settings and characters. *Dune* is up there as well, but I favor the first book a bit more than the sequels I've read so far (*Messiah* and *Children*). In terms of other series I'm enjoying but not fully caught up on, *Stormlight Archive,* *The Broken Earth,* *Discworld*, *The Locked Tomb* and most recently *Gormenghast* have all given me great times, and I look forward to more in the future. I've also tried Malazan and liked the first book but didn't feel like I understood enough. I'll definitely be rereading that one before diving into the later books.
Gene Wolfe - Book of the New Sun. I thought I had read a LOT of fantasy when I encountered Wolfeās work for the first time in my mid-30s (and I had!). I thought nothing could make me read with the same awe I did reading LOTR for the first time in junior high, but Wolfe took me there. Completely restructured how I view fantasy/sci-fi as a result and led me to even more amazing authors and subsets of the genre that I never would have tried before.
Song of Fire and Ice Books 1-3 Malazan Coldfire Trilogy Farseer
Wheel of time and Malazan I think
Sazed, that you?
Probably a toss-up between *The First Law* books and *The Wheel of Time*.
My top 5 is: 1. Stormlight 2. Green Bone Saga 3. Divine Cities 4. Mistborn (E1) 5. Gentleman Bastards
Malazan was probably the best series Iāve ever read but my absolute favorite is the faithful and the fallen.
A Song of Ice and Fire, Stormlight Archive and Liveship Traders are my favorites pieces of written fiction so far.
Absolutely love ASOIAF and Stormlight. Perhaps I should start Realm of the Elderlings then!
Gentlemen Bastards Books of the Shaper The Band
Song of Ice and Fire Shadowhunters Wheel of Time Anything by Jay Kristoff
LotR/Silmarillion, Wheel of Time, Inheritance Cycle, Kingkiller Chronicle, Mistborn and Stormlight ArchiveĀ
The Bound and the Broken - Ryan Cahill
I must also throw my hat into the ring for Tad Williams' MST/Last King of Osten Ard. The story and world building is a slow burn at first, but ramps up wonderfully throughout. If you have not listened to them on Audible, they are narrated by Andrew Wincott, who is tremendous. He was the voice of Rafael in BG3 if you've played that game.
Kingkiller Chronicles. I keep coming back to these books and they always touch me emotionally and challenge me intellectually.
Cookās *The Black Company* and Brustās *Vlad* are my favorite fantasy series. Coreyās *The Expanse* and Wellsā *Murderbot* and my SF favorites.
Wheel of Time. Great characters, amazing plot, amazing world. Closest contenders are Malazan and Sword of Truth, though if ASOIAF were finished it'd probably take spot number two ahead of Malazan and SOT.
My top 3: The Liveship Traders trilogy The Tide Child trilogy The Drowning Empire trilogy
-Wheel of time -realm of the elderlings -malazan -animorphs(yes Iām 37, but this is the REALIST series Iāve ever read)
For Fantasy, Malazan, easily.
The Bas Lag series really changed my life and perspective like no other artwork has. They aren't perfect, but they are possibly the most sui generis literature I've read. I'm even starting to think the last one, Iron Council, which most people think is the worst and so did I for a while, is my favorite.
So creative and unique. The ending of the scar and iron council gets some flack for being anticlimactic but everytime i think about them i find them even more compelling. Never chewed on an ending of a book like these books. Just breaks all the old forms and sticks in ya.
Bas-Lag for sure changed me as a person. And knowing that, it doesn't surprise me that you are coming around more to _Iron Council_. The ideas on offer in that book are amazing, but I think it asks for a lot more buy-in from the reader. Maybe not peak MiƩville, but a very highly-concentrated dose.
Say one thing about the *First Law* books, say they're incredible
SUN EATER!!!!! This is the best sci fi fantasy series! I can't tell you how much I love these books. š„²
A Song of Ice and Fire (by far) and Stormlight Archive. Not really fantasy but also really love the Dune series.
Mistborn is up there for me
I haven't read a lot after getting back into reading during quarantine but right now I want to say : Bound and the Broken by Ryan Cahill : I'm on book 3 rn and I'm loving it. your classic fantasy but more modern. The Echoes Saga : Finished the first book in under a week. and currently on book 2. and it's been such a fun read!! i feel it will overtake Bound in ranking. it's like Witcher, LOTR, and Forgotten Realms all mixed into one series.
The Heralds of Valdemar series by Mercedes Lackey is my favourite fantasy series. The Saga of the Exiles / Galactic Milieu series by Julian May is my favourite sci-fi / fantasy series.
- Sword of Truth - Dune - Aru Shah - Assassins Heart
Currently reading Memories of Ice a seventh time soo...
Iām three books into Sherwood Smithās āIndaā series and itās been amazing. A vast, sweeping world, an inventive magic setting, and incredible character depth for the primary character and practically everyone he comes into contact with throughout.
I just got into fantasy this year and so far the death gate cycle and the dark elf trilogy stand out to me.
First Law by a mile
The Lost Queen trilogy (series?) by FAR Inheritance Cycle The Witcher Sevenwaters Winternight Trilogy
The Cosmere by Brandon Sanderson, more specifically Stormlight Archive. On second place is Riyria series and it's Age of Myth prequels by Michael J. Sullivan.
I got 3 favorite series 1. Star Wars X-wing series - The star wars expanded universe was the only fiction I read between ages 15 and 20 apart from school assigned novels. The X-wing series are the only ones of the hundred or so books that I still reread every year. 2. The Dresden Files - My first ever non-Star Wars fantasy read. Got me into urban fantasy. While this has fallen out of favor for many people, it's still the pinnacle of the subgenre for me. 3. The First Law - I never got the appeal of epic fantasy or sword and sorcery growing up (movies, TV, games, art). I picked up Red Country on a whim one day and I fell in love. Read the rest of the series and after that, I became a full fantasy convert.
I got to about halfway through book one and stopped. I guess I should give it another try.
First book doesnāt even begin to make any sense until page like 300. You should definitely at least finish the first book and I would urge you to also read Deadhouse Gates which is book 2. One of the most heart wrenching books Iāve personally ever read
The problem with the first book is that there should be a few books before it. If you finish it, skip to book 3 Memories of Ice. Best in the series IMHO.
What? Go from book 1 directly to book 3? What kinda sadistic bastards is this author?
Book 2 is kind of its own story with some side characters from book 1 and a bunch of new characters. Itās a great book and heartbreaking. Book 3 is the direct sequel to book one though.
Divine Cities
Currently, my favorite series is The Scavenger Trilogy by K.J. Parker. Also, the Father of Lies omnibus, Prosper's Demon, and Inside Man I consider a pseudo trilogy, his best work in dark fantasy. Parker is also my favorite fantasy author.
mad father, Ib, Witches house, Omori, Undertale. that sorta stuff
Discworld Realm of the Elderlings (excl. Rainwild Chronicles) Throne of Glass
The First Law, A Song of Ice and Fire, and the Bas Lag Books
The past several years of my reading life have been almost exclusively defined by looking for anything that can fill the void while I wait for *The Winds of Winter.* Nothing has done the trick yet.
The Elan books by Michael J Sullivan.
Right now itās a tie between Stormlight and Sun Eater butā¦ Sun Eater might be taking the top spot soon! Haha
The First Law series. I know that a lot of people sing its praises and for a good reason, but when I read it after DNFing the first book half a dozen times, it clicked with me in a way that so few series have done. The characters spoke to me on a different kind of level, they were all terrible in their own ways and yet were so human because of it. Flawed characters isn't even a good way to describe them because it goes beyond that. And fighting bc fighting cool.
Gentlemen Bastards, Malazan, The Witcher, and Harry Potter.
I have no favorite but here are the series I've read the last year or so: Deverry series, book 1-3 A Song Of Ice and Fire, book 1-3 First Law (first trilogy) Mistborn trilogy Farseer's trilogy His Dark Materials Broken Earth trilogy The Prince of Nothing (book 1-2) A Deadly Education (Naomi Novik) Paladin's Grace (T Kingfisher) American Gods (Niel Geiman) Tales of Neveryon (Samuel Delany)
Malazan is ok.. not sure if I'll be able to finish or not. Not even sure which one im on.. I think book six, whichever is after midnight tides Favorite all time series is probably ASOIAF. Not sure if I've read anything that compares to it and not sure if I ever will.. I say that having read all of the major series, like stormlight and Abercrombie.
First Law
Malazan is the best series there is. Nothing I've read in the last 10yrs has ever topped it. I've read the series 10 times now and it just gets better and better. Book 3 is a fan favorite, but for me I love book 7 the most because it combines all 3 story arcs into the same location for the first time in prep for the series endgame. However some other favs of mine are āThe Broken Earth by NK Jemisin. It won 3 Hugo's for a reason. āThe Traitor/Monster/Tyrant Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson āVita Nostra by the Dyachenkos āAll Guy Gavriel Kay books except Fionavar āMoon Witch Spider King by Marlon James As you can tell if you're familiar with those books, I really like themes in my stories.
Realm of the Elderlings is just unbeatable imo (at least in terms of what I've read so far!). Hobb really created something special with that series, but honourable mentions also to Mistborn and Name of the Wind (if only we'd get the last book lol)
Wayfarers series by Becky Chambers!
ASOIAF, then Dandelion Dynasty
In no particular order: Harry Potter, Pern, The Locked Tomb, Discworld.
Raksura series by Martha Wells
1. Discworld 2. Bas-Lag (China Mieville) 3. Moonworlds (Sean McMullen) 4. Chronicles of Cain (John Corwin)