Top Fantasy Post Series: Epic Fantasy

Welcome back to my series on top fantasy books/series I’ve enjoyed! I started this series before my recent hiatus, and now I’m continuing it with the Epic Fantasy subgenre. Epic Fantasy can also be equated to High Fantasy, as the two often overlap quite a lot. The idea behind Epic Fantasy is generally long, winding series with a lot of characters and gradually higher stakes as time goes on.

A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin

I think we all know what this series is about, at least on some level. Though the show did an absolute nosedive and has faded from its previous spotlight in pop culture, the books did cause waves in the fantasy genre. I wouldn’t go so far as to say the books are stunning or wholly original, but they were interesting.

The Rains Wild Chronicles by Robin Hobb

This was my first series by Hobb, which I picked up on a whim from a bookstore. And oh boy was that a great whim. This series blends the magic and fascination of dragons with some seriously creative fantasy ideas. I loved the liveship idea, the subversion of expectations when it came to the dragons, and the surprising twists that sometimes occurred mid-book!

The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini

This series is what got me into true fantasy, and will always hold a special place in my heart. Eragon evolves so well into the rest of the series with Paolini’s writing growing stronger and his characters become more detailed and lifelike. What starts out very traditionally high fantasy quickly transforms into something far more interesting, with real thought put into the growth of the characters and the world alike.

The Furyck Saga by A.E. Rayne

Will I ever stop talking about this series? Probably not. Rayne’s Furyck Saga is a Viking inspired epic fantasy story in which the fantasy elements start out very slow, gradually becoming stronger over time. It reminds me of A Song of Ice and Fire in that way, where minor fantasy elements gradually begin to evolve into major magical threats. But unlike Martin’s work, Furyck Saga is largely women-led and that’s actually pretty damn awesome.