Favorite fantasy epic novel series of all time?

[Elijah]

So most of us RPG'ers from old have been influenced by table top D&D style gaming, to as well reading fantasy novels like Lord of the Rings and the Wheel of Time, etc, while us and newer generations were also introduced to video gaming whether on PC, console, or mobile device of different brands/titles. But what I am really asking, is what have you actually read, not played, that you feel is the best fantasy series of all time and why?

For me without a doubt no debate is the combination of books written by Steve Erickson and Ian Esslemont, Canadian table top RPG gamers, who wrote about 20 books between them based on the same world, collectively known as the "Malazan Book of the Fallen".

Steven Erickson wrote a 10 book series that was the main story line, though like a Game of Thrones or Wheel of time style with multiple parties of characters scattered across the entire fantasy set world all doing their part in the epic saga that leads to the eventual cataclysmic potential creshendo. He also has written some "prequel style" books about things mentioned of the world's past that effect the main story line. The other author, his gaming partner, wrote the companion "side story" adventures of things often referred to in the written main story series by the main author. Which I really liked because I have often wished that the "tales of legendary lore" often referred to in epic series I have read by other authors never get fleshed out, regardless if important or not to the main story line is irrelevant, be cool to know the details of the story played out. That is what these two have accomplished.

There are no dwarves, elves, and typical fantasy creatures but they do have different species that are compelling, nor is their concept of "magical/arcane arts" the typical trendy normal seen in a lot of fantasy series. Besides all of that, the relational commentary to our own existence, is not only existential, illuminating, but raw and real if not relevantly poignant.

If you haven't read them, I highly recommend you do.

What about your favorites?

[Vanion Shadowcast]

Beyond A Song of Ice and Fire, which I've loved for the majority of my life now ... I'm a big fan of Patrick Rothfuss' The Kingkiller Chronicles. It's a trilogy, two books of which have been released, and both of them are pretty much as critically acclaimed as George R.R. Martin's series.

It's set up a lot like Arabian Nights in that there are a lot of "stories within stories". It follows a rather flawed protagonist and is sort of like Harry Potter in college/post-college. It develops a distinct pre/post Apocalyptic dread as the story rolls on, and it's definitely more adult than Harry Potter in terms of gravitas, tone and content.

I also always go back and re-read some of the classics that I really love every few years:

Tolkien's The Children of Hurin, by far the darkest and most compelling of Tolkien's novels, IMO.

The short stories of Robert E. Howard, particularly a lot of the really pulpy Conan the Barbarian stuff. I also love the Darkhorse graphic novels from the past 10-15 years following Conan; many of them are legitimate masterpieces of art and writing.

And Lovecraft. I'm a sucker for Lovecraft.

Those aren't all quite series, though. In that regard, ASoIaF and The Kingkiller Chronicles remain my favorites.

If we venture into more sci-fi territory, two series that I really dig are The Expanse (which now has a Game of Thrones quality TV series following its books) and Stephen King's The Dark Tower series. I'd recommend those, almost on par with the others I've mentioned. The Expanse is particularly great, a sort of hard sci-fi noir adventure story in space: Chinatown meets Game of Thrones in the Asteroid Belt. The Dark Tower series is Stephen King's magnum opus, and that sorta speaks for itself.

[Sylus Kurgen]

A solid stand alone Sci-Fi novel would be John Steakley's Armor. It follows a space marine named Felix through several battles where, by rights, he should have just died. More psychological than anything.

The first fantasy novel I ever read on my own as Conan the Freelance, from there I got into Elminster: Making of a Mage by Ed Greenwood for a newer read I'd recommend The Ranger's Apprentice series hands down to anyone.

[Kruger]

So, I just found this thread. My fault for looking where I wanted for what I wanted, instead of where I could for what I didn't know I wanted to see! Clear as mud!

So I have loved many series. Salvatore's Icewind Dale, and Underdark stories were fantastic. I'm not sure I've read anyone better for a one on one fight scene.

I have also enjoyed Terry Brooks and his Shannara books, especially when he tied in his Knight of the Word series as the prequel! Awesome mind on that guy!

Wheel of Time, what can I say about that except Jordan's ability to include so much detail over so many books to find its way to a single point ending was phenomenal. Another great mind, I miss his writing.

I have one from a long time ago though that taught me something else. The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant by Stephen R. Donaldson. It was this which showed me that purity may be valuable for its rarity, but true strength lies in the addition of impurities. Iron is soft, Diamonds are brittle. Together they are strong. I'm sure that Stephen meant this as a metaphor for humanity as well. We are stronger in diversity than we ever could be without it, IMO.

[Ammy Spiritor]

I would have to say for me it's about three or four series I've read that give me a good scope of fantasy and solidness in the worlds the books regale.

First series that I fell in love with in the Philippines was the Dragon Lance novels by various authors and I had ended up with nearly 20 some odd books. The lands of Krynn were fascinating and held together solidly across every book regardless of author or adventure.

Second series I would have to agree a lot with Kruger was Forgotten Realms books written by Salvatore and cutting teeth on the Ice Wind Dale trilogy. That trilogy was where I really got my first solid introduction and fascination with mythical armor, adventure and dynamic among a group of different races and of course seeing how well things could be done without high powered sorcery. Was also where I learned how cool Dark Elves could be due to Drizzt Do'urden.

Third series is the Codex Alera series by Jim Butcher giving a fascinating world that takes Roman Empire methods and structure and weaves it masterfully together with a bit of sorcery and a lot of good old fashioned military hand to hand combat. Showing how humanity came to survive many border disputes with other warring tribes of humanity, those gifted with Fury's and magic, and the beast men and insect plague race sweeping in to kill them all.

Fourth series would have to the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. The Dresden Files really helped me find and feel a good mixture of arcane and 'out of the corner of the eye' fantasy in the middle of every day life on Earth. The series is a great way to see how practical the arcane can be when kept on the down low and working to deal with other oddities while no one believes you. The potion making methods in the series is actually a method Ammy uses in her shop and she credits the method as the Dresdenian Method of Potion Brewing.

Outside of these for outstanding series to me, the only other I can thing of is a wide variety of Star Wars novels, but that may be fantasy in a different spectrum than asked here.

[Sabine]

My daughter is named after the Sword of Truth and Wheel of Times series... soooo yeah those.