George R. R. Martin may be standing on the back of fantasy legends, and this series can still be ruined by a terrible ending, but there is nothing yet written that can compare to what Martin has done so far. A Song of Ice and Fire contains a few standard fantasy troupes, but beyond that it stretches the limits of what fantasy can be. The brutality and honesty in his words bring the characters to life and simply draw you into this amazing story.
While not the first major work of fantasy fiction, The Lord of the Rings is by far the most important. Tolkien pretty much originated every fantasy trope that seems played out today. With a compelling story that speaks to the heart of important ideas like true friendship and good defeating evil, The Lord of the Rings is the classic fantasy story that almost all others aspire to be.
This is far from a standard fantasy story, even though it contains many aspects that place it in the genre. Gene Wolfe spins an epic tale with intricacy and precision that has this series treated as a true literary work. While the story is excellent, the writing itself is what truly soars in this epic work.
While I haven't cared for most of what Tad Williams has written recently, this remains one of my absolute favorite fantasy stories. The characters seem to just click with me and every time I start reading it, I just get sucked in, even though all the surprises are gone for me.
This may not make a ton of top 5 fantasy lists, but I can't think of a more fun and entertaining set of stories than the original two Dragonlance trilogies. These stories, at times, seem like a chronicle of a role-playing game (and the authors did roleplay out some of the scenes) and I just find myself engrossed in the companion's mission.
Good book list.h5
Nice list, thanks! H5!
select one here...