What are the top five best fantasy series since 1990?

[Daikini]

I would add the Black Jewels by Anne Bishop and the Kushiel series by Jaqueline Cary. Both have strong female leads as well as strong male leads. I dislike the damsel in distress storyline where she sits back and waits for rescue. These series show very proactive male and female's in distress and each are giving 100% to rescue themselves and help their people. The characters are written well and I really enjoyed the writing styles.

Black Jewels is a twist on the dark story of hell and its people, which I really enjoyed reading about. Unique and imaginative. I love dark stories, and while this wasn't as dark as I usually go...... it was emotional and fun. with a bit of romance and beat the odds adventure thrown in.

The Kushiel series introduces a new take on the darker side of love. Jaqueline Cary has a few series that spin off from the initial Kushiel's Dart, moving to different generations of characters. I find that refreshing and exciting. I get disinterested when book 7 comes out and I have to follow so and so on another journey. Give the character a rest! How tragic can one person's life or country be?

[The Reckoner]

I enjoyed Tim Lebbon's Dusk. Moorcock's Second Ether trilogy is also good fantasy. More polished than his Elric works, and the rest of the Eternal Champion cycle.

[Darth Richard II]

Hoooooly shit? Anne Bishop? STRONG female leads? Oh my fuck no. Goodkind has better portrayal of women.

[Night's_King]

In no particular order:

1. Wheel of Time - Robert Jordan

The first 3-4 books were probably some of the best fantasy books I've ever read. The books in the middle were, well, not really good imho. But the last books saved a lot.

2. A Song of Ice and Fire - George RR Martin

The first three books were just perfectly written. There are very vew books in fantasy which are on the same level. The latest two were not really great, but I have high hopes for the last two or three books!

3. Lightbringer - Brent Weeks

This series has probably the most original magic system I've ever read about. The pacing is great, the story is awesome, the characters are okay. But the writing is not the best imho...

4. The First Law - Joe Abercrombie

One of the best written series I've read. Great characters and an awesome story. But I found the ending somehow disappointing.

5. Kingkiller Chronicles - Patrick Rothfuss

Perfect and beautiful prose. A great story. But Kvothe sucks, sorry.

But having said that, many of my favourite fantasy series are older than the 90s.

[Toblakai]

3. Lightbringer - Brent Weeks

This series has probably the most original magic system I've ever read about. The pacing is great, the story is awesome, the characters are okay. But the writing is not the best

I really like your list but haven't read Lightbringer yet. Is the writing at least better than Nighy Angel? I generally liked that series but the writing was flat out shitty and I don't want to inflict that on myself again.

[Night's_King]

I really like your list but haven't read Lightbringer yet. Is the writing at least better than Nighy Angel? I generally liked that series but the writing was flat out shitty and I don't want to inflict that on myself again.

He got better since Night Angel, but the writing still isn't great. I mean, you have no problem getting along and understanding what he wants to say, but sometimes there are phrases where you just think "No, he hasn't just said that..." and you only want to bang your head to a wall. There a sometimes sentences which seem just out of place.

But like I said, the story is great, imo. And the magic system is awesome, even if the physics are just wrong sometimes. There are some characters you can connect with, some you love, others you will hate, but overall a great read.

The biggest strength of those books is there pacing, I think.

You should try to read them, because my opinion often differs from others... :D

[Toblakai]

He got better since Night Angel, but the writing still isn't great. I mean, you have no problem getting along and understanding what he wants to say, but sometimes there are phrases where you just think "No, he hasn't just said that..." and you only want to bang your head to a wall. There a sometimes sentences which seem just out of place.

But like I said, the story is great, imo. And the magic system is awesome, even if the physics are just wrong sometimes. There are some characters you can connect with, some you love, others you will hate, but overall a great read.

The biggest strength of those books is there pacing, I think.

You should try to read them, because my opinion often differs from others... :D

Thanks. I do plan to try it but might wait until the 4th is finished.

Do you read Sanderson because your reasons for liking Lightbringer generally apply to Sanderson?

[Night's_King]

Thanks. I do plan to try it but might wait until the 4th is finished.

Do you read Sanderson because your reasons for liking Lightbringer generally apply to Sanderson?

Yup. I think the first book by him that I read was The Gathering Storm. I read the first two Stormlight-Archive books and I began reading his mistborn novels, but I have yet to finish the first one.

I think he is a great writer and I am looking forward to the next installment of the Stormlight Archive!

[End of Disc One]

While I still prefer Night Angel over Lightbringer, Lightbringer definitely has better writing. Still as Night's_King said, it has those occasional lines that make you do a double take. I'm not used to reading about "butt cheeks" in fantasy.

[First of My Name]

A Song of Ice and Fire, GRRM
The Kingkiller Chronicle, Patrick Rothfuss
The Acts of Caine, Matthew Stover
The First Law, Joe Abercrombie
Harry Potter, JK Rowling

There are others that might be better, but I haven't read those yet.

[frodostark]

I reckon you should read Tolkien then...

Yeah, Daniel Abraham and no, he's not particularly traditional fantasy. Certainly not Long Price, but even Dragon's Path, though closer to the norm in its medieval-Europe setting (though towards the renaissance end), is more akin to aSoIaF-style political maneuvers, though with closer focus on a few choice characters.

He's popular because he's fantastic. Kind of hard to describe why, really. He's great at character, at slow-building but eventually dramatic political/personal plots, and his prose is brilliant.

All this AND he's very prolific. Since 2008 he has published

--A complete epic fantasy quartet;

--Five novels in an urban fantasy series;

--Four out of five novels in another epic fantasy series;

--The three volume comic adaptation of Game of Thrones;

--A scifi standalone novel (co-written);

--A Star Wars novel about Han solo (co-written); and

--Four novels (co-written) in a space opera series that's set to be the next big scifi TV drama.

[Darth Richard II]

Wait what, what SciFi stand alone novel?

[frodostark]

Wait what, what SciFi stand alone novel?

Hunter's Run with GRRM and Gardner Dozois...

[Zarafrustra]

Guys guys guys!!!!!

Get Sapkowski's The Witcher Series! Most of it is already translated into english and it's definately a lot of fun. Also, the books are not as long as GRRMs or Eriksons.

[Faint]

How many of y'all think this Anthony Ryan series has the potential to creep up onto a lot of these lists?

Doubtful. The first book was very good but its sequel was noticeably less impressive and there is only one book left in the series.

[Darth Richard II]

Hunter's Run with GRRM and Gardner Dozois...

Oh, duh. For some reason I thought it was a lot older than 2008.

Guys guys guys!!!!!

Get Sapkowski's The Witcher Series! Most of it is already translated into english and it's definately a lot of fun. Also, the books are not as long as GRRMs or Eriksons.

Yes, but GRRM and Erikson's books don't suck ass.

How many of y'all think this Anthony Ryan series has the potential to creep up onto a lot of these lists?

I do, but I seem to be alone in actually liking the second book.

[frodostark]

Oh, duh. For some reason I thought it was a lot older than 2008.

Actually, I think it was 2007, so shame on me...regardless, Abraham's output is impressive.

[RedEyedGhost]

Actually, I think it was 2007, so shame on me...regardless, Abraham's output is impressive.

A Shadow in Summer came out in March of 2006.

[The Reckoner]

1. Malazan Cycle: I've laughed, I've cried, I really love the worlbuilding and characters. A fantastic series overall.

2. The Dark Tower Cycle: The first book hooked me with the sense of...being thrown into a strange, new world. The Drawing of the Three, in particular, is excellent character building. The Ka-Tet is my favorite group of fantasy companions.

3. The Twilight Reign: Epic sword and sorcery at its finest.

4. The Elric Saga: I include this because Moorcock published four Elric novels--The Revenge of the Rose, The Dreamthief's Daughter, The Skrayling Tree and The White Wolf's Son in the early 90's. I came to Elric fairly late, in 2009 via Del Rey's reprints, but I really enjoyed his character and the strange setting.

5. A Song of Ice and Fire: This one makes it on the strength of intriguing characters like Euron, Aeron, Victarion, Theon, Stannis, Davos, and Melisandre. Its these that keep me enamoured in the saga, as do the dragons, Others, and children of the forest.

[Zarafrustra]

Yes, but GRRM and Erikson's books don't suck ass.

Lol. With the combination with the games, it's a lovely read.