10 Fantasy Book Series That Are Considered Masterpieces

Few fantasy book series are considered masterpieces; fantasy is a broad genre, spanning generations across various media formats. There are many subgenres within fantasy, such as urban fantasy, high fantasy, historical fantasy, and more. The sky is the limit within this genre, containing fantasy books where the protagonist is the villain, books that blend fantasy with other genres, or fantasy books about revenge. Of course, with such a vast genre, there are some negative aspects, including fantasy movies that have aged badly and fantasy TV shows that have wasted their potential.

However, there are many amazing aspects to fantasy as well, including iconic book series that are true masterpieces. There are several reasons why certain fantasy book series are considered to be superior, including creative fantasy books that defy all the tropes, fantasy books that illustrate critical themes in groundbreaking ways, and fantasy books with villains just as compelling as the heroes. Regardless of the reason, there are at least 10 fantasy book series that are considered masterpieces in the genre; that revolutionized this genre in some form.

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The Chronicles Of Narnia By C.S. Lewis

A Children’s Fantasy Series

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The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis is a children’s fantasy series comprising seven installments. It revolves around human children discovering the magical world of Narnia, initially in Professor Digory Kirke’s wardrobe. As the series goes on, the narrative introduces new protagonists, including the Pevensies’ cousin, Eustace Scrubb, and his classmate, Jill Pole. Time passes differently in this magical world, so each Chronicles of Narnia book illustrates a different conflict within this realm.

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The Chronicles of Narnia is one of the most beloved children’s classic book series. Two of the books are on TIME‘s 100 Best Fantasy Books list, demonstrating the timelessness of this story. Furthermore, The Chronicles of Narnia has largely influenced other works of fiction, including His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman, Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson, and The Magicians by Lev Grossman. The Chronicles of Narnia continues to stand against the test of time, utilizing children’s fantasy to convey religious themes.

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The Lord Of The Rings By J. R. R. Tolkien

An Epic High Fantasy Adventure Trilogy

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The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien revolutionized modern fantasy and is largely credited as the reason for the genre’s popularity. This epic high fantasy trilogy is set in the fictional world of Middle-earth, depicting the fight against the Dark Lord Sauron, who uses The Lord of the Rings‘ One Ring to rule over the realm. The trilogy follows several characters, including the Hobbits (Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin), the humans (Aragorn and Boromir), the elves (Legolas), the dwarves (Gimli), and Gandalf, the wizard.

The Lord of the Rings is a staple in fantasy literature. It is one of the bestselling book series of all time, with over 150 million copies sold. Tolkien’s works have transformed into a franchise that includes several The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movie adaptations, a critically acclaimed TV show, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, games based on the books, and theatrical productions. The Lord of the Rings is a masterpiece for many reasons, largely including the themes of love and friendship, oppression, and tyranny.

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The Time Quintet By Madeleine L’Engle

A Young Adult Sci-Fi Fantasy Series

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Madeleine L’Engle’s Time Quintet is a book series that perfectly blends sci-fi and fantasy, revolving around Meg Murry, Charles Wallace Murry, and Calvin O’Keefe as they save their universe from various dark forces. L’Engle also wrote several spinoff books, including The Arm of the Starfish, Dragons in the Waters, and A House Like a Lotus. The Time Quintet’s first installment won the Newbery Medal, one of the highest and most prestigious achievements in children’s literature and a rare accomplishment for fantasy.

Although Disney’s adaptation of A Wrinkle in Time was unsuccessful, it does not tarnish the Time Quintet’s status as a masterpiece fantasy book series. L’Engle explores various themes, such as friendship, good and evil, religion, and grief. A Wrinkle in Time was published in 1962, a time when fantasy began to grow, and young adult fantasy was largely unheard of. However, the Time Quintet defied the odds and remains a classic staple of young adult fantasy.

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The Earthsea Cycle By Ursula K. Le Guin

A Young Adult High Fantasy Series

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Ursula K. Le Guin’s Earthsea Cycle is a young adult high fantasy book series comprising six installments and an anthology of short stories. The series is set in the fictional universe Earthsea, a large ocean containing several islands. This universe thrives on an intricate magic system that illustrates how the people of Earthsea largely depend on magic. The series has won several accolades, including a Newbery Honor, the National Book Award for Children’s Books, two Locus Awards, and the Nebula Award for Best Novel.

As of 2019, there is supposedly a TV adaptation of the Earthsea Cycle books in the works, but there is not much information on the project. The Earthsea Cycle explores several themes, including coming of age, equilibrium, and names. The series is also considered to be an epic fantasy narrative for adolescents. The Earthsea Cycle is renowned for challenging fantasy norms by steering away from Western fantasy narratives, including people of color as main characters, and testing the boundaries of fantasy.

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His Dark Materials By Phillip Pullman

A Children’s High Fantasy Trilogy

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His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman is a children’s high fantasy trilogy that follows the protagonist, Lyra Belacqua, on her journey to defeat the oppressive Church in her universe. Everyone has their own daemon, a human’s soul manifesting as a magical animal companion. The BBC adapted His Dark Materials into a TV show consisting of three seasons, each following the plot of one book. His Dark Materials is renowned for utilizing children’s fantasy to challenge oppressive elements within organized religion.

His Dark Materials is so bold in its critique of religion that the trilogy prompted some vocal opposition from religious groups. However, the books remain a timeless work of children’s fantasy fiction, receiving accolades such as the Carnegie Medal and the Whitbread Book of the Year award. His Dark Materials is included in TIME‘s 100 Best Young Adults Books and BBC’s 100 Most Influential Novels, a testament to how this book series is a literary masterpiece.

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A Song Of Ice And Fire By George R.R. Martin

A Five-Book Epic Fantasy Series

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A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin inspired the nearly-universally acclaimed TV show Game of Thrones. A Song of Ice and Fire is a high fantasy book series that follows several noble houses falling apart due to an ongoing ruling conflict in Westeros. At the same time, Daenerys Targaryen makes her way from Essos to reclaim her throne, while the world faces inevitable doom because of the White Walkers. A Song of Ice and Fire is one of the most renowned book series there is, using high fantasy to critique modern political structures, morality, and climate change.

A Song of Ice and Fire By George R.R. Martin
Book	Publication Date	Corresponding Game of Thrones Season
A Game of Thrones	August 6, 1996	Season 1
See more : Is Luana Lucci Related to Susan Lucci? Know Everything About Luana Lucci and Susan Lucci A Clash of Kings	November 16, 1998	Season 2
A Storm of Swords	August 8, 2000	Season 3, Season 4
A Feast for Crows	October 17, 2005	Season 5
A Dance with Dragons	July 12, 2011	Season 5
The Winds of Winter	TBC	N/A (Seasons 6 & 7 original material)
A Dream of Spring	TBC	” “

Although the series is notorious for its next installment being a fantasy book many have waited years for, it does not lessen its significant impact on the fantasy genre. Before A Song of Ice and Fire, very few fantasy book series featured strong female main characters. However, Martin’s novels revolutionized that aspect with the introduction of Daenerys Targaryen, one of the most popular fictional characters to date.

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The books also subvert the chosen one trope by making a female character (Daenerys) “the chosen one” (The Prince That Was Promised), also a rare occasion in fantasy before this series. The Prince That Was Promised exists in Game of Thrones, but the show does not particularly focus on the importance of this role or the prophecy the way the books do. Although the books do not officially confirm the identity of the Prince That Was Promised, several significant signs point to Daenerys holding this title.

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The Broken Earth By N. K. Jemisin

A Sci-Fi Fantasy Trilogy

The Broken Earth by N. K. Jemisin is a sci-fi fantasy book series that focuses on one continent, the Stillness, that endures a cataclysmic climate change event that occurs every few hundred years. The first installment, The Fifth Season, follows this universe as it is about to enter a devastating Fifth Season event. The Broken Earth features a society that is constructed on the oppression of orogenes, people who can manipulate earth elements. This trilogy also explores critical themes such as oppression, climate change, motherhood, identity, and family.

Jemisin is the first person to win the Hugo Award for Best Novel three years in a row and for all installments in a trilogy. The Broken Earth was also groundbreaking for the fantasy genre, illustrating how books can perfectly blend fantasy and sci-fi. This trilogy features some of the best world-building in fantasy books, detailing specific aspects that most stories do not consider. The Fifth Season was published in 2015, at a time when fantasy had already covered so much ground. Nevertheless, The Broken Earth reformed how multiple genres blend together.

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Six Of Crows By Leigh Bardugo

A High Fantasy Young Adult Duology Part Of The Grishaverse

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The Six of Crows duology is not the first series within the Grishaverse, but it is the best one. This duology revolves around six vastly different characters who come together for an epic heist. Their commonality is their circumstances: Society works against all six protagonists in some way, so if they perished during the heist, no one would come looking for them. The Six of Crows duology is also one of Leigh Bardugo’s best books, illustrating her talent for complex characters, riveting dynamics, and critical themes.

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Shadow and Bone

Release Date

2021 – 2022

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Eric Heisserer

Directors

Mairzee Almas, Lee Toland Krieger, Jeremy Webb, Bola Ogun, Karen Gaviola, Laura Belsey, Dan Liu

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Six of Crows is also featured on TIME‘s 100 Best Fantasy Books list, illustrating its impact on the genre. The duology has received other accolades, including The Independent‘s 10 Best Fantasy Novels and The Wall Street Journal‘s Best Young Adult Books. Six of Crows will stand the test of time as one of the best young adult fantasy book series because of Bardugo’s stellar craft and the truly brilliant characters.

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The Poppy War By R.F. Kuang

A High Fantasy Trilogy Based On The Second Sino-Japanese War & The Opium Wars

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The Poppy War is a high fantasy trilogy by R. F. Kuang immersed in Chinese mythology and loosely based on historical events. The narrative follows Rin, a war orphan who moves to Sinegard to attend the most prestigious military academy in the Nikan Empire against all odds. However, dark forces unfold during Rin’s time in Sinegard, leading Rin to the third Poppy War in Nikan. The Poppy War is a groundbreaking fantasy series, exploring Chinese politics and the fraught, oppressive dynamics between the British Empire and China.

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The Poppy War has numerous accolades, including nominations for the Nebula Awards and the World Fantasy Award for Best Novel. Each installment in this trilogy makes its mark on the fantasy genre and pushes the boundaries of fantasy with its unique world-building and intricate politics. The Dragon Republic ties the entire narrative together with parallels to Britain, China, Japan, and Taiwan. Finally, The Burning God features an epic conclusion that depicts an alternate reality involving the Chinese Communist Revolution failing, having both positive and negative results.

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The Scholomance Trilogy By Naomi Novik

A Dark Academia Young Adult Fantasy Trilogy

The Scholomance Trilogy is a dark academia fantasy series by Naomi Novik, revolving around Galadriel Higgins at the Scholomance in a universe where non-magical people cannot see magic, and wizards live in enclaves to fend off maleficaria. The Scholomance Trilogy is an excellent example of dark fantasy books and the unlimited potential they bring. The story surpasses other fantasy books about magical schools, moving into a darker realm, and deconstructing presumptions with this subgenre that is not always particularly dark.

The Scholomance Trilogy is notably different from Novik’s other works, such as Uprooted and Spinning Silver. However, this series, a departure from Novik’s fairy tale retellings, is a breath of fresh air that illustrates the exciting parts of dark academia, especially when mixed with fantasy. The Scholomance Trilogy stands out among magic school narratives because of its unique magic system combined with the grim aspects of the series.

Source: TIME, BBC, The Independent, The Wall Street Journal

Source: https://dinhtienhoang.edu.vn
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