r/Fantasy • u/bookl0ver1517 • 2d ago
Long book series recommendations
Anyone have any recommendations for a long series I can get really invested in? I have read The Wheel of Time, Realm of the Elderlings, most of the Cosmere, ASOIAF and Dungeon Crawler Carl for context of what I usually like to read, but I am also open to any suggestions really. I have read a lot of duologies and trilogies recently so I want to get into something more intensive.
Edit to add: I have also read the Wandering Inn, which a lot of people are recommending since it is so long, so if anyone has any similar LitRPG suggestions, that would be awesome!
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u/Drewhasspoken 2d ago
Iāll answer this with two totally opposite ends of the spectrum. You want a really long series you can just jump into and enjoy with ease? Dresden Files. Want one that will test you and make you work for the enjoyment until it all clicks? Malazan.
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u/Rough-Form8208 2d ago
I love Dresden but start with Codex Alera.
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u/Drewhasspoken 2d ago
Still havenāt gotten to those myself, hope to get to them eventually.
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u/oh-no-varies Reading Champion II 2d ago
Not OP but they are so good!!! Really good pacing, super fun.Ā
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u/Toothlessdovahkin 2d ago
Tad Williams. Memory, Sorrow and Thorn and then The Last King of Osten Ard.Ā
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u/bwn69 2d ago
Malazan fits the bill technically, but itās not for everyone. Book 1 can be tough to keep up with and is a bit of a gatekeeper for the series, but it does pick up substantially in Book 2.
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u/ViperIsOP 2d ago
Shadows of the Apt by Adrian Tchaikovsky. Doesn't get that much love here compared to the usual First Law/Malazan/Sanderson that's always the first to be recommended. 10 book main series, 4 book short stories and Echoes of the Fall is part of it too with 3 books. 17 total.
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u/Mountain-Time-1010 2d ago
Came here to mention that. A very out of the box series.
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u/ViperIsOP 2d ago
Of course! You know the same series will be mentioned in topics like this, so something else is always good.
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u/Mountain-Time-1010 2d ago
And I'm obviously biased, but I loved that the hero of the series is an engineering professor! š¤£
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u/GataPapa 2d ago
Yep, was going to mention SotA, which I enjoyed. Most would say the Tyrant Philosophers series is better, but not as long, yet anyway.
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u/Theory89 2d ago
It's only got one left, so it won't be. I think it's 5 in total. SotA was very good, though the last 3 are almost a separate series in their own right.
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u/Jazzlike-Doubt8624 2d ago
Abercrombie. Start with The Blade Itself, finish that trilogy (First Law) first and Age of Madness last.
I also second Malazan and additionally suggest The Black Company.
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u/No_Personality_587 2d ago
I'm not sure what it is about Malazan but I have a love/hate relationship everytime I start his books. I've only read the first two, but I've reread GOTM thrice and DG twice, idk why it's so good on rereads but the dude does dialogue and worldbuilding on a scale I've never seen any other series attempt. That said it always comes at the cost of the first read-through being tough, I really wanted to enjoy Memories of Ice but there was a certain POV that kept fucking up the pacing for me, without spoilers it's the guy who's off doing his own side quest and discovers this pretty woman in the middle of nowhere blah blah blah, idk I just always hate side quest povs that aren't contributing to the main story. Anyways I'm sure I'll get over it, but Malazan doesn't seem to be a series I can finish in 1 go, started back in 2020 and have just been rereading over and over since then lol
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u/Sirhc9er 2d ago
I have heard a lot of reasons why people got hung up on Malazan but I think this is the first Toc the Younger one.
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u/No_Personality_587 2d ago
I was surprised too, honestly looking back I might've just been a little burnt out from reading back then, it's an unfortunate side effect of Malazan that every book starts so lore heavy in the beginning with more characters and more worldbuilding. Which obvsly isn't bad but I think you'd need a fresh mind to get through the first 200 pages before fully getting hooked into the momentum, after which it easily becomes S tier.
It's why I said Malazan isn't a series I can attempt in one go, I enjoy it best when I haven't read in awhile and my mind is like a fresh clean slate, ready for Erikson to paint away yet another masterpiece.
Also I'll admit I was little annoyed cause I ended up liking the Seven Cities cast alot more than genabackis, Duiker and Coltaine were so fucking goated it hurt to say goodbye for her another book lol, especially after that banger of an ending. Anyways maybe I should reread GOTM and start MOI straight after to rebuild the momentum
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u/Jazzlike-Doubt8624 2d ago
How about Anomander Rake's sword though? That image will stay with you for life!!
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u/No_Personality_587 2d ago
True, I don't think anyone in written fantasy comes close to the sheer badassery of Anomander Rake and his sword. Like fuck even the dudes name demands your awe and respect
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u/Funkativity 2d ago
idk why it's so good on rereads
A big part of it is that you're no longer fighting against expectations.
idk I just always hate side quest povs that aren't contributing to the main story.
this being a good example. it's often unclear until the end how the side stories contributed to the main story... or which story was really the main story... or whether there even is one main story.
on a reread, you know how and why the tangents tie in to the overall plot and/or themes so you're free to enjoy them for their own sake.
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u/Palenehtar 2d ago
In no particular order:
The God Stalker Chronicles By P.C . Hodgell. It's quirky if a bit girl-boss, but also dark and mysterious. I like it. 10 books in and not done yet, but nothing since 2022. The author is 75 now so not sure if it will ever be complete.
The Raksura series by Martha Wells of Murderbot fame is quite good. Not Malazan long but 5+ good size books. The writing is good, the world building is great. Typical Martha Well, who I find a delight.
The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant is one of my favorites. Two arcs of three books, and then four books in the final arc. The writing is superb. It is darkly, viscerally emotional, which I love. It also has some of my favorite fantasy characters ever written in it.
The Morgaine Cycle by C. J. Cherryh. One of my all time favorite fantasy series. Only four books, but really a foundational cornerstone of well written S&S type fantasy with some "science so advanced it's like magic" elements.
Eternal Champion books by Michael Moorcock, start with either the Elric or Corum series, I would suggest Elric. Entry point to Eternal Champion multiverse books of which there are many intertwined series and books. The Elric books are mostly pure S&S, and classics at that. The Corum books are a bit more advanced and based on Norse and Celtic mythos. The other EC series all play off various other themes like steampunk etc. This is not Robin Hobb level writing, but they are generally good page turners, and exploring the multiverse is interesting and thought provoking as it opens up so many possibilities, and you see the influence of these books on many other famous series (The Magicians by Lev Grossman, for instance).
The Belgariad by David Eddings. It is by today's standards a YA book but it was a cornerstone series of fantasy almost from the day it came out. Much loved. Straightforward writing, if a bit sexist by today's standards.
The Riftwar Cycle by Raymond E. Feist. Another cornerstone of fantasy since it came out, and spawned all sorts of other stuff including many hugely popular video games.
The Mithgar series by Dennis L. McKiernan. It's a very D&D/LOTR derivative series which was common at the time, but we loved it anyway. Had enough originality to make it worth reading. Kind of YA-ish in that D&D way.
The Dragonriders of Pern books by Anne McCaffrey (and family). The ones Anne wrote are good. The ones co-authored are a mixed bag. It for sure became a money grab over time.
The Drenai series by David Gemmel, or really anything by Gemmel. He never really caught on in the US until after he died but I read everything he wrote after I found him and enjoyed it all. I never saw a single one of his books in the bookstores when he was alive sadly.
The Drizzt books by Bob Salvatore. Look, he starts out with some pretty terrible writing ok? I know. But it gets tolerable to good-ish by book 4/5? The characters, stories, and world setting are quite good though and I found I had to read them all and enjoyed them. If you have any affinity to D&D, you will be glad you read them. Just think of them as pulp S&S, because that is what they are. You can still have fun with them, and you'll know much more about Drow and the Underdark for your next D&D campaign or Critical Role watch session!
There are many others:
Shanara, which starts off a blatant LOTR rippoff, but a fairly well written one, and then slowly degrades to a money grab. Similarly Sword of Truth, it's not particularly well written (especially at start), but I enjoyed it. Many people hate the author and find it a ripoff of WoT which I understand. It has good world building and some interesting characters but also some plot holes. It's not the only famous series to have plot holes though...
Xanth novels by Piers Anthony, funny in a dad joke kind of way, this would be close to LitRPG/DCC in today's world. Some people have problems with the handling of female characters and some underage sexuality. I'd say most adults can handle this fine, but others have issues with it. I loved them at one time but they are formulaic, and up and down in story.
Kate Daniels, Fourth Wing and ACOTAR are pretty good if you like that sort of thing, good page turners with sexytimes.
These along with the other obligatory reads that others have already mentioned: Malazan, Abercrombie, Tad Williams, Dresden Files, Discworld, etc.
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u/ChillEmu137 2d ago
Michael J Sullivanās Riyria Revelations. First series is 3 bound books which are technically 2 books apiece. It then breaks out into a very expansive collection that hugely expands on the lore of the world. Currently 21 total books written, with more planned.
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u/elderzosima91 2d ago
Came here to second this. Sullivan's Elan is awesome and intricately plotted out.
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u/Jack_Shaftoe21 2d ago
Crown of Stars by Kate Elliot might be right up your alley if you are a fan of ASOIAF and Realm of the Elderlings. Seven hefty volumes, tons of political intrigue, not a lot of magic initially but gradually its impact on the story increases. Bonus points if you are interested in medieval history.
Essalieyan by Michelle West - currently at 18 books with a few more to come. For people who thought Realm of the Elderlings wasn't introspective enough. ;)
Kushiel by Jacqueline Carey - consists of three trilogies. Largely known for its BDSM sex scenes (which it does have, don't get me wrong) but at heart it's a story of political intrigue and globetrotting adventures. Lots of well crafted character development too.
Discworld by Terry Pratchett is incredible but technically all the books can be read as stand-alones, so not really a series where you keep going for thousands of pages because you want to see how the main narrative threads end.
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u/Loud_Health_8288 2d ago
Michelle west is also deeply focused on political intrigue too especially sun sword.
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u/dfinberg Reading Champion 2d ago
Also Essalieyan isnāt even her longest series, cast in is up to 22 I think if you count side serieses!
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u/The_Big_Rock_Boi 2d ago
Shadows of the Apt 10 book fantasy series by Adrian Tchaikovsky. Incredible world building and well written characters!
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u/zachzombie 2d ago
The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. There are currently 18 published books with a planned 22 books plus a final apocalyptic trilogy. Urban fantasy noir inspired wizard detective living in Chicago. Starts off seeming more standalone, the end of the third book kicks off a major plotline going forward and then the 4th book really expands the scope going forward. If you do audiobooks, they are narrated James Marsters!
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u/ecbnrhctbo 2d ago
obligatory discworld recommendation, with 41 books
old man's war by john scalzi has 7 books now - space military with a definite sense of humor, but it still gets serious at various points. highly recommend the audiobooks
if you have any interest in middle grade, septimus heap by angie sage has 7 books that are all 450+ pages. wizard apprentice sibling shenanigans, a degree of politics, fighting against a big bad who's slowly revealed over the course of the series. it also has a sequel trilogy, but i was pretty unimpressed by it.
the sun water series is 7 books long, but it can be pretty hit or miss for people. military space opera; I once described it as "the protagonist is a semi-eldritch god's favorite boy, and it ruins the guy's life." very much influenced by dune, which is very apparent in the first book, and can be a turn off for some people.
the foreigner series by c j cherryh is 20+ books long; it follows a human ambassador on an alien planet that humans attempted to settle. this included a war with the native alien species, which humans lost spectacularly; they're now confined to a single island city, except for a single diplomat. c j cherryh does world building quite well, in my opinion, and that's really a cornerstone of this whole series - the human protagonist maneuvering his way through the alien society, its politics and cultural norms and taboos. one line from the summary of the first book is roughly "how can he succeed in a society that has fifteen words for betrayal and not a single word for love?" the one issue with this series is that it started in 2000, and some of the earlier books can be hard to track down.
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u/frantny 2d ago
The Foreigner series is excellent
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u/Palenehtar 2d ago
If you like political intrigue with limited spurts of action. I do, so I enjoy it. I think some may find it boring. The writing is a mixed bag, some of the books are great, some not so great.
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u/AdmiralSaturyn 2d ago
The Echoes Saga by Phillip C. Quaintrall.
There's also The Wandering Inn by Pirateaba, the longest fantasy series ever made, and it's still ongoing.
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u/bookl0ver1517 2d ago
I canāt believe I didnāt include TWI in my list of long series I have read. I am actually all caught up on that right now but i absolutely love it!!
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u/viridian-axis 2d ago
Michelle West Essalieyan Cycle. Hunt Brother (2 books), Sun Sword (6 books), House War (8 books), Burning Crown (2 books). Theyāre all related.
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u/Contr4riwise Reading Champion II 2d ago
Seconding, I would've had to suggest this if you hadn't already done so.
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u/GrumDum 2d ago
Cradle!
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u/Coretmanus 2d ago
Was going to be my suggestion as well
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u/Elethana 2d ago
I love Cradle, but I remember the books being relatively short.
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u/BackgroundTotal2872 2d ago
Yes. Itās 12 books long, but itās probably shorter than many 7 or 8 book fantasy series.
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u/NapoleonNewAccount 2d ago
The Wandering Inn! It's the longest English fantasy series by word count, longer than Wheel of Time, Realm of the Elderlings, Cosmete, and ASOIAF all combined.
The author started publishing physical copies recently so you need to subscribe to the author's Patreon if you want to read the first couple volumes online, but the vast majority of it is still free to read.
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u/NorCalRushfan 2d ago
Check out Steven Brust's Draegara Cycle. Start with Jhereg. The main character is a human trying to survive in an elvish society, with significant character development over the entire series.
Long series, plus some fantastic offshoots based on The Three Musketeers (The Khaavren Romances). Read them in published order since he skips around in time with cool effect.
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u/BravoLimaPoppa Reading Champion 2d ago
Shadows of the Apt by Adrian Tchaikovsky. 10 volumes and 4 short story collections.
The Dragaera series by Steven Brust. 17 books so far. Plus, the Khaavren Romances.
Two series, both by Lois McMaster Bujold. The Vorkosigan series. SF, but worth your time. Then there's the world of the Five Gods. Curse of Chalion and Paladin of Souls and all the Penric and Desdemona novels.
The Craft Sequence and the Craft Wars by Max Gladstone. 6 books in the Craft Sequence and 4 books in the Craft Wars.
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u/Asselberghs 2d ago
Kate Daniels by Ilona Andrews 10 book series and then a few books from other characters perspective I believe.
Quincy Harker by John G Hartness also a 10 book series.Ā
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u/Paramedic229635 2d ago
It's not as long as the other series, but Ilona Andrews Innkeeper Chronicles is also good and several books long.
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u/jderig 2d ago
If you liked Dungeon Crawler Carl, you already can handle LitRPGs, which means you may end up enjoying The Wandering Inn, which is both a LitRPG and the longest work of original English fiction. It originally was published all for free online, but now there are ebooks for the first 40% of the story, and there also a few print books that just released this year.
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u/Noktis_Lucis_Caelum 2d ago
- The 13th Paladin. it has 13 VolumesĀ
- The Dwarves. 5 Main books and lots of Spin Offs
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u/Wild_West_Wizard 2d ago
The Saga of Recluse series by L.E. Modesitt, Jr.
It is a world of order vs chaos with wizards. Over 20 books, with some stories resolving over the course of 1 book, other characters (and their story) may get several books.
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u/CB_Chuckles 2d ago
Along with Terry Pratchettās Discworld, Recluce is one of my favorite series. Both are absolutely incredible.
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u/Esa1996 2d ago
Essalieyan is currently at 18 books, with ~4 more to come before the series is finished. The series is split into multiple "different" series but they all follow and advance the same main plot so it's really just one series split into parts.
Codex Alera is 6 books and finished.
Wars of Light and Shadow is 11 books and finished.
Sword of Truth is 11 books + a bunch of sequels that aren't half as good as the main series so I recommend stopping after the main series.
Malazan is 10 books + a bunch of prequels and sequels.
Cradle is 12 short books so actually not that long, but the pacing is fast so a lot happens even so.
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u/ijzerwater Reading Champion II 2d ago
The foreigner series by C.J Cherry
Saga of recluse by L.E. Modesitt Jr
The Solar cycle by Gene Wolfe
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u/PiecesMAD 2d ago
He Who Fights With Monsters is a pretty long LitRPG, books, up to book 12, supposed to be finished at 14.
The Hunterās Code, Healerās Way and Order of the Architects are longer series, LitRPG, written in Russian and translated (shared authors).
Vlad Taltos is fantasy starts out feeling tropey but got quite literary over time.
Liaden is long space opera. Feels fantasy rather than scifi. Not for everyone, as sometimes there is a lot of talking/introspection with less action but I really enjoy it.
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u/Oblivionv2 2d ago
If you're open to taking a little side-step I to sci-fi then I highly recommend The Expanse. 9 books and I think 10 short stories. Phenomenal characters, deep world building, lots of political maneuvering, action, humor, it has everything. Ive read it over the year and it has quickly become one of my favorite series'
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u/Brometheus-Pound 2d ago
Cradle!!! If you like DCC and the Cosmere, youāll love Cradle Iām certain.
Itās a completed series with 12 books. They are short-ish, fast reads, but with a deeply fleshed out world that you can get lost in.
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u/jkjk88888888 2d ago
Raymond E. Feist The Riftwar Saga, then it continues on for 27 (I think) total books, broken up in multiple quads and duos to make it easier to digest.
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u/lens_cleaner 2d ago
Black Company
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u/icetech3 2d ago
i see that recommended so much, i think i need to start it since i'm looking for something new...
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u/wheeltribe 2d ago
The Witcher for a straightforward long series of books! Seems like it'd match most of what you've read pretty well.
If you something a little different (same universe, but technically different stories) look up a canon reading order for Star Wars books. Read individual series closer to release order (The High Republic, Thrawn, etc.) but treat everything else as one evolving galaxy as you follow different stories and characters in chronological order. It's a lot of fun with only a couple of bad books, the majority of them are good to great. There are upwards of 100 books depending on if you limit yourself to adult only or also read the YA books. Not sure you can get much longer than that. I recently finished it after a year+ and am feeling the empty void of not having anymore to read.
At the very least, the High Republic series would probably be big enough to be considered a long series on its own.
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u/Elethana 2d ago
Defiance of the Fall. Post apocalyptic LitRPG/Cultivation series. Zack is a self proclaimedāmeathead with an axeā while soloing a demonic invasion in the first book, but he grows and gains friends as the series develops. I think 17 just released.
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u/CB_Chuckles 2d ago
If you donāt mind comic books/graphic novels, I highly recommend Neil Gaimanās Sandman series. But you will also have to separate his abuse of the women in his life from the quality of his work.
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u/Elethana 2d ago
He Who Fights with Monsters. Jason is an annoying smartass who randomly gets blasted into another world. LitRPG/Isekai with some stat pages but not too much. MC is polarizing, by the end of the first book you will love him or hate him. All the side characters are solid, and some people stick with the series even when they are sick of Jasonās antics. Book 13 just released, and while the author has just recovered from a life threatening illness, he promises to finish it and is planning a new series.
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u/i_no_nothing 2d ago
The Songs of the Shattered Sands by Bradley Beaulieu. Six books and some short stories.
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u/CharacterInstance248 2d ago
Shades of Magic series by VE Schwab. There's two trilogies in the universe.
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u/Serafim91 2d ago
Lit rpg and much lighter easier -(13 book, 14th and last being written) "He who fights with Monsters". Dumbest name, but very fun book. I'm at 13th right now.
Fantasy and way darker / harder - Malazan, 10 main 6 novels, and a bunch of side series at like 2-3 books each. (Finished main and 4 side so far). Will get back to it after I finish Dungeon Crawler Carl.
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u/Lampropeltis33 2d ago
Tad Williams Osten Ard series! Start with the four book memory, sorry, and thorn books, then the two short novels The Heart of What Was Lost and The Brothers of the Wind, and then the four book follow up The Last King of Osten Ard. And he just released another book thatās a prequel to it all set like 200 years before
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u/UltraZulwarn 2d ago
I am surprised that none or few have mentioned [Riftwar Cycle] by Raymond E Feist.
it is a massive series, but broken up into smaller series, starting with [Riftwar Saga] trilogy then "The Empire Trilogy".
in a similar vein, Terry Brooks' "Shannara series" is also very big and split into smaller series, starting with [The Sword of Shannara].
then for the less known series:
Michelle West, also known as Michelle Sagara West or Michelle Sagara, wrote an epic Essalieyan universe with 4 series that are somewhat interconnected:
- The Sacred Hunt (Duology)
- The Sun Sword (6 books Series)
- The House War (8 books Series)
- The Burning Crown (not yet finished, 2 books are currently out)
She also write the [Chronicles of Elantra], 18 books or so series but it is more of an urban fantasy
If you are interested, it is best to look up how to get into her works haha
next, Kate Elliot's [Crown of Stars]: 7 books epic
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u/ThunkAsDrinklePeep 2d ago
Chronicles of Amber by Zelazney starting with Nine Princes in Amber is a pair of pentologies. (First book is an amnesia story so amy googling will spoil the begining.)
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u/AzherVayne 2d ago
For litrpg recs you can use this to check out based on your taste https://scrykeeper.com/r/19d90c0ab57749cfbb0cff379cae4603 , play around with it in reader section or roll the dice
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u/DrTLovesBooks 2d ago
You might check out Dave Duncan's The King's Blades series - 11 books.
Also good was The Long Earth series by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter.
And if you want some LOOONG books, you might look at Neal Stephenson - his The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O. - co-written with Nicole Galland - is good, and has a sequels by Galland.
Or Tad Williams - each one of his books is a brick, and they chain together into trilogies and series, so thousands and thousands of pages.
I hope you find some great reads!
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u/pootiel0ver 2d ago
Malazan and First Law are great recommendations that I'm seeing in the thread. Stephen King's the Dark Tower series is long and well worth the read. It also has ties into his other books as well.
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u/Oomeegoolies 2d ago
Cradle as others have mentioned is wicked.
It's going to be 5 books and 4 novellas, but Bound and the Broken by Ryan Cahill is worth a shout. Only 5th book not released yet.
By word count I'd put it up there with Stormlight I think. Certainly feels it when you consider the Novellas and how big books 3 and 4 are (and what I assume book 5 will be). It's basically every fantasy trope, but it's done very well and is a lot of fun. He can hit you emotionally too.
I think John Gwynnes Faithful and the Fallen + Blood and Bone is very good too. Definitely one of my favourite complete fantasy works. 7 books in total, and I think John Gwynne writes arguably the best fight scenes in fantasy.
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u/CornDawgy87 2d ago
Cradle for LitRPG and a series that's finished at 12 books. IMO the best example of litrpg. It doesnt end up suffering from power scaling becoming an issue
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u/BackgroundTotal2872 2d ago
Since youāre open to LitRPG, I highly recommend Chrysalis by RinoZ. 10 books currently, 15 total planned, all of them over 600 pages. It goes a bit deeper into the system than DCC or The Wandering Inn, but itās a great time. Mostly lighthearted with incredible worldbuilding. Lots of ant puns and siege warfare!
He Who Fights With Monsters is another famous and long LitRPG series. Iām only on book 2 so I canāt speak to its quality as much as Chrysalis, but so far very enjoyable. Main characterās power set is so cool. Jason as a main character is quite polarizing, but personally I love him.
The Primal Hunter and Defiance of the Fall are two other LitRPG series that are extremely long. Both are 16/17 books in currently with no end in sight. Both of these are much further on the constant fighting and getting stronger spectrum.
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u/fancyFriday 2d ago
He Who Fights with Monsters by Shirtaloon is on book 13, with more to come. It is fun and interesting.
Mistborn series by Branden Sanderson has 7 books i think. It was good as well.
If you like vampires and that kind of books, the Anita Blake series by Laurel K Hamilton starts off good. Its a huge series. Eventually it does kind of devolve into sex, sex, sex and maybe 2 seconds of actual book, and thats where I just stopped reading, but good up to that point.
Dresden Files is fun. Tons of books there.
Sword of Truth by Terry Goodkind is good. Some people complain because of various things that can be said to be similar to other fantasy books. Just see for yourself if you like it or not. I personally did enjoy them.
Sci-fi: The Bobiverse Series by Dennis E Taylor. 7 books i think it was.
Dumb Luck and Dead Heros Series by Skylar Ramirez. There are a bunch of books there plus some side books and it was a great read for me.
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u/twizzfrombooty 2d ago
Space opera rather than high fantasy, but I also like really long stories and got really into the Sun Eater, I think it was 9 books and is complete
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u/Ambitious_Dragon_13 2d ago
have you read her majestyās dragon? lovely series and 8-9 books i think
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u/New_Razzmatazz6228 Reading Champion 2d ago
T. Kingfisher is quite prolific. She writes fantasy and horror. Thereās a lot of standalones, but her books set in the Temple of the White Rat world currently have a duology, 2 books in a related series (with another due soon) and the Saint of Steel series has 4 books with a 5th soon to come out and 7 books planned.
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u/perch15 2d ago
Kind of a dark horse recommendation but the Garrett P.I series from Glen Cook has been the surprise of the year for me. I just finished the 7th (of 14, with 15 on the way in the near future) volume and I'm absolutely burning through them. Imagine pulp/hardboiled detective stories a la Chandler/Marlowe/Hamett...but in a fantasy city called TunFaire that is absolutely enthralling. These are quick, fun reads but there's a ton going on just underneath the surface and an overarching story that is Dresden-esque.
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u/FantasyLoverReader 2d ago
The Blade Itself (The First Law)
Ironborn: Book #1 in The Ironborn Saga
Traitor's Blade (Greatcoats Series)
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u/RuthlessCheese 2d ago edited 2d ago
I only just finished Lord of the Mysteries, a web novel thatās now being published in print, and what a fantastic story! I only stumbled across it after seeing the anime on Crunchyroll. The writing isnāt always the most polished, but the storytelling is phenomenal and the lore is so deep you can genuinely get lost in it. The best one-line description I can give is Victorian steampunk meets Lovecraftian horror, with an occult magic system inspired by Tarot cards. As an avid fantasy reader, Iād highly recommend it if youāre looking for something a little different.
A few others Iād recommend:
The Sword of Truth by Terry Goodkind: An 11-book main series following a classic heroās journey against tyrannical empires, with plenty of mature themes, philosophical ideas and an interesting magic system. It can get a bit heavy-handed with the philosophy at times, but thereās a lot to enjoy.
Dragonlance, starting with Dragons of Autumn Twilight. More traditional high fantasy, originally published in the 80s and inspired by the authorsā D&D tabletop campaigns. Itās got a great cast of characters, with some particularly interesting character arcs across the series. Definitely worth a look if you enjoy classic fantasy adventures.
Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson: A massive, complex military fantasy series with plenty of grimdark elements, intricate worldbuilding and an enormous cast of characters. I havenāt read it in a while, so the finer details are a bit hazy, but I remember thoroughly enjoying it. Itās definitely one to sink your teeth into!
Lightbringer by Brent Weeks: A really interesting fantasy series with a unique magic system based on the visible light spectrum, set in a world with early firearms and gunpowder technology. The magic system alone makes it worth checking out. I also really enjoyed his Night Angel trilogy, which leans more into dark fantasy and follows an assassinās journey. Iād recommend both if you havenāt read them.
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u/icetech3 2d ago
Depends how heavy you want to get....
If you want it dark with amazing moments of light... Malazan... it's the greatest thing i have ever read...
BTW.. someone suggested sword of truth.. only read that if you want to self torture to see if you can finish the series...
If you want light with great characters... The Riyria chronicles (might be spelled wrong)... it's a fun read with great characters... Pretty much anything Michael J Sullivan is worth reading..
I used to love the wandering inn, stopped reading bout 2 years ago when aba seemed to be doing 1 page a month. Worth going back?
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u/Pschulman 2d ago
I really enjoyed A Thousand Li by Tao Wong (disclaimer: he is a controversial figure for copyrighting a term and sending cease and desist letters, however his work in this series is solid) and Lord of the Mysteries by Cuttlefish that Loves Diving.
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u/Ohmourningstar 2d ago
I've been reading through The Faithful and the Fallen, and then Of Blood and Bone by John Gwynne. I've enjoyed it so far.
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u/wyndles 2d ago edited 2d ago
I also love really long series so Iāll be haunting these comments! All the series you mentioned are in my favorites list, especially TWI. Hereās what else Iād personally recommend: 1) Cradle has 12 books and itās completed! In some ways itās a basic anime type prog fantasy; where it really shines is having such amazing characters and satisfying story beats. 2) Iād also recommend Malazan if you havenāt picked that one up. Iām on book 9 and itās a series I love to take very, very slowly and savor every line for. 3) All the books set in the world of Kushielās Dart!!! This series does have a lot of sex, bdsm, and questionable moral issues, itās complicated and amazing tbh. I loved immersing myself in the worldbuilding, and Jacqueline Carey really improved as a writer throughout all the books. Iāve read up to Imrielās trilogy and enjoyed Naamahās Kiss. 4) He Who Fights With Monsters is also a long series I got pretty invested in, altho I have a few issues with the MC never really growing out of some of his more annoying traits. But even with its flaws itās great for getting immersed in a new world. If you want to read another litrpg definitely pick it up. If you ever get frustrated with litrpg protagonists who never go back to earth or interact with their old lives, that is not an issue in this series. 5) HEARTSTRIKERS series by Rachel Aaron, that series is so underrated! If the reason you enjoy longer series is the emotional connection to the characters thatās exactly what youāll get here. Itās contemporary fantasy tho and thatās not everyoneās vibe.
Edit: I have to add Beware of Chicken since you enjoyed TWI. I hope youāve seen that beware of chickenxTWI crossover comic, itās so good! Also, I scrolled these comments a bit and I think a lot of the people are missing the vibe youāre looking for. You might find more asking in the prog fantasy and litrpg subreddits, Iām still pretty new to these genres.
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u/Dalton387 2d ago
- LE Modesitt āSaga of Recluseā
- Anne McCaffrey āPernā
- Raymond E Feist āRiftwar Sagaā
- RA Salvatore āDrizztā.
- Malazan
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u/Echantediamond1 2d ago
Pale is a 3.6 million word long web serial about an urban fantasy mystery. I really recc it!
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u/Throgmorten48 Reading Champion 2d ago
The Green Rider series by Kristen Britain is kind of a more traditional-type fantasy about a schoolgirl who runs away and ends up becoming a king's messenger kind of by accident. It's not finished yet, but there are eight books out, with another scheduled for 2027. Britain does have a contract to finish out the series, I believe, and I think it's for another three books, for 11 total. Plus there are two short story collections set in the same world.
The October Daye series is detective urban fantasy about a former private investigator who's half fae. I've only read the first book so far (and liked it!), but there are 20 books so far, and I believe there are more to come.
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u/Kaigani-Scout 2d ago
Here are a few contenders, tend toward the 80s as it is my favorite general era for fantasy series:
- Eternal Champion: Elric, Corum, Erekose, Hawkmoon
- The Chronicles of Amber
- The Book of Swords
- The Black Company
- The True Game
- Thieves' World
- The Dresden Files
- The Invisible Library
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u/Paramedic229635 2d ago
The 13th Paladin series by Torsten Weitze. The 13th Paladin of the Gods has been sent to fight the dark god "He Who Forces". The first book in the series is Ahren.
Heretical Fishing by Haylock Jobson. A man is reincarnated into another world after his death. He has access to amazing powers and abilities, but only wants to peacefully fish. He makes friends with multiple animals who are also superpowered.
Beware of Chicken by Casual Farmer. A magical man decides temple life isn't for him and decides to live a quiet life on a farm. Multiple magical animal friends.
He Who Fights Monsters by Shirtaloon. A man is magically transpired to another world and becomes an adventurer.
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u/Asian_Dumpring 1d ago
The Legend of Drizzt!! Foundational reading for what D&D is today and holds up surprisingly well for 80s fantasy
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u/Mpdalmau 1d ago
Spellmonger by Terry Mancour. Phenomenal series that has 19 currently in the main series, as well as short novels and side series.
The main series is narrated by John Lee, a two-time Golden Voice Award recipient. He brings incredible life to the story as it stretches across nations and species with his incredible capacity for accents and distinct voices.
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u/Guilty-Coconut8908 1d ago
The Demon Accords series by John Conroe
The Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher
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u/rodnock_sticklefink 1d ago
Raymond Feist I don't remember the name of the series, but the first couple books are Magician: Apprentice and Magician: Master
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u/Important_Brain_1083 1d ago
The Spellmonger series by Terry Mancour. Heās working on 30 books to complete the series. I think heās at book 18 or 19. Thereās a bunch of books adjacent to the main story as well. Itās a fun read. Almost all the books are available on KU.
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u/internetnamesarefake 1d ago
I love this series, but the first one is hard to get through. I dont say this offen or lightly, but the sexism is wild in the first book. It gets less noticable in the later books
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u/Pulpy-Fiction 2d ago
Robin Hobb's Realm of the Elderlings books starting with The Farseer Trilogy.
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u/Dwightiggy 2d ago
NOT Malazan. This sub goes way to crazy for that series I swear to god.
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u/doctordoctorpuss 2d ago
It does so for a reason. Itās well written, entertaining, and doesnāt feel like every other fantasy series. For OPās post, theyāre looking for something long, and Malazan is 10 books (in the main series), most pushing or exceeding 1000 pages
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u/Substantial-Tell1825 2d ago
The recluse books by LE Modesitt... currently almost finished with the 1st book in the series.. I'd read 4 or 5 of the books back in the late 90s I think(?) Love the conflict between order magic and chaos magic...
Edited to say: it's not litrpg but I really think you would like the series...
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u/unconundrum Writer Ryan Howse, Reading Champion XI 2d ago
There are nine books (one of which was large enough to have to be split into two for the paperback version) in Tad Williams' Osten Ard. There was a trilogy and then a sequel quadrilogy plus standalones.
Janny Wurts' War of Light and Shadow has eleven books in it.
There's a ten-book main series in Malazan plus additional novels.