Which Fantasy Book Series is Better?

[Menlas]

And I'll add the Deathgates cycle by Weis&Hickman

 

[alhimik]

I say other!

His dark materials
by Phillip Pullman!

the 2nd choice would be either Discworld or LOTR prolly...

 

[Simon Darkshade]

Fritz Leiber also deserves a mention, and the Hawk and Fisher series by Simon Green is quite good.

 

[Mescalhead]

4 people voted for Harry Potter and 1 voted for Narnia. Shame on you. Your phonics teacher will hear of this!

Lovecraft's Dream Cycle is the tops.

 

[baldeagle]

Of those three, LotR is the one and only!

 

[Bozo Erectus]

LOTR stands alone in a class by itself and is hard to compare with others. Among the others, Id say the original Dune is the best. Im reading Dune: The Butlerian Jihad at the moment, written by Frank Herberts son and another guy. Its a far cry from the original work, but once you stop comparing the two you can get into it. Cant stand Harry Potter, its fantasy-lite for the masses.

 

[Pontiuth Pilate]

I just finished the first Dune book. Good stuff! I might even say it rivals the Lord of the Rings in some respects.

But of the choices you provided, LOTR stands uncontested. Although Prydain and LeGuin have some nice stories. And Phillip Pullman also deserves Honorable Mention

 

[aaminion00]

Tom Bombadilo was the worst character and chapter in any book in the history of mankind.

ever.

EVER!!!

 

[CivCube]

LOTR isn't a series; it's a single novel that was conveniently split into three volumes for easier publishing. That said, I still voted for it.

 

[onejayhawk]

Originally posted by CivCube
LOTR isn't a series; it's a single novel that was conveniently split into three volumes for easier publishing. That said, I still voted for it.

Name a series that isnt? BTW JRRT called it 6 books, combined for easy publication.

Originally posted by Pontiuth Pilate
I just finished the first Dune book. Good stuff! I might even say it rivals the Lord of the Rings in some respects.

Unfortunately the rest compare to the first like The Sword of Sha na na compares to LotR. Spare yourself. The precursur books are not bad, but not up to the same standard either. Herbert is a very good writer, but Dune sticks out as his best like a SF Democrat in an Orange County political rally.

What would be interesting is a thread of juvenile fantasy series: Harry Potter, Narnia, Earthsea, etc. Those are three of my favorites (yes I read juvenile fiction) though I admit a particular spot for Ged. Juvenile SF is another topic.

J

 

[CivCube]

Name a series that isnt? BTW JRRT called it 6 books, combined for easy publication.

"Books" in quotations, Tolkien said. He was using the term for a divider point, like "Part One". It is still a single novel, as he wrote it as one. This is a difference to the conventional book series, where the author may not have intended to write sequels. If it is written with a meta-plot in mind, then yes, it is a single novel.

 

[Perfection]

Fantasy, BAH!

 

[bobgote]

The series that Robin Hobb is doing - Royal Assasin series/ Liveship Traders. Coming up to the 9th book - altho the series is split up - different stories but same world/characters. Anyway, it's all good.

Also have to credit Sara Douglass's Axis Trilogy. Was also very good, the follow on to it lost a bit in the end unfortunately. Of the ones you've said, I'd say LOTR but i haven't read the others.

Originally posted by wilbill
Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time.

Was good for a while, but have you read crossroads of twilight or whatever? nothing happened at all! what a waste of money. when that happens you look back and see which the last good book in the series was...

 

[Leowind]

Originally posted by CivCube


"Books" in quotations, Tolkien said. He was using the term for a divider point, like "Part One". It is still a single novel, as he wrote it as one. This is a difference to the conventional book series, where the author may not have intended to write sequels. If it is written with a meta-plot in mind, then yes, it is a single novel.

By your definition Harry Potter would be a single novel as Rowlings had the entire over-arching storyline in mind from before starting the first book, and has had the last chapter of the last book written since writing the first book. A better definition of series might be "multiple volumes that carry on a single story line"

from the list, and compared to all others I've read up to this point (including Dune and Wheel of Time), LotR stands far and above all others. The only book I've reread several times

 

[CivCube]

Leowind, I stand corrected. LOTR is still one book, though....

 

[Pontiuth Pilate]

By your definition Harry Potter would be a single novel

That would have to be the longest novel ever written! [outside of Faulkner and Melville of course ]

 

[JonathanValjean]

LoTR receives my vote. I prefer Tolkien's style over the other authors' , and the world he created is amazing!

 

[WickedSmurf]

Something else. Discworld!

I'm still waiting for the Unholy Radioactive Monkey series...

 

[Hawkster]

OF the books listed LOTR is my choice but I prefer many others, some mentioned like Discworld , Riftwar series and Thomas Covenant and Eddings but my choices would be:-

Michael Moorcock Champion Eternal books (all of them)

Katherine Kutrz - Deryni Books

Larry Niven's fanstasy books (all too few) - esp The Magic Goes Away

Christopher Stasheff - wizard series - the first book The Wizard In Spite of Himself is still one of my all time favorites

Lawrence Watt Evans - the Esthar series (misenchanted sword is the best)

What do you mean I read too much fantasy ? Except when reading SF as well.......

 

[P.I.M.P]

Lord of the rings and Harry Potter and equal but different,
the movies Lord of the rings is way better than Harry potter. a good series is the Half men of O series,