Spencer Steeves's Blog: The Fantasy Collective. - Posts Tagged "ranking"

I feel like every author and reader alike has to do one of these at some point. I have read many, many books, but there are several series that still stick out firmly in my mind. There are, of course, still so many books on my to-read list, and there is no telling when this will change, but I'm sure I'll write a new one of these when that happens.

#1 Obsidian Mountain/Enduring Flame, by Mercedes Lackey.
I'm always surprised when I mention these books to people I talk to, and they say they've never heard of the author. I first listened to this book several years ago when I was in the car with my father driving back and forth to play rehearsals. It captured my heart then. Since that time, I've read the series once and listened to it again very recently on vacation. It never fails to excite or capture me. To this day, Jermayan and Ancaladar are legends in my mind, and Kellen, Vestakia, and Shalkan will always be close to my heart. Lackey and Mallory are amazing at building a world and drawing you through it with grace. Their imagining of Elves is my favorite I've ever seen, and I can't wait to read more of their work.

#2 The Symphony of Ages, by Elizabeth Haydon
I found this series one day at a Savers store, and slowly collected all nine books over several visits to various bookstores. From the first page, Haydon captured my heart, and this is probably the best worldbuilding I've read to date. if it weren't for nostalgia and familiarity with the author, this series might be wrestling with Lackey for my number one spot. The world lore in this series was wonderfully deep and inclusive, and the flavorful touches of Celtic lore were fantastic. As a harpist and madrigal singer, Haydon brought her expertise to work in this fantasy tale following Rhapsody, a modest and generous Singer. I'll not spoil any more of the story. Just suffice to say, you have to read it. The lyrical flow of the series is unmistakable, even for someone who is tone-deaf like me, and the characters will leave you nearly unable to put the series down. I read the full thing in half-to three quarters of a year, including the time it took me to find the pieces of the tale I was missing.

#3 The Drizzt Do'Urden Series, by R.A Salvatore.
I'd heard about this series for a long time before I ever actually had the chance to read it. I started playing D&D in my last year of high school and had seen references to Salvatore's wonderful works in so many other books I'd read. I knew it was set in the Forgotten Realms, the primary setting of D&D 5e, and wanted to read it quite badly. Then, one day, while on a tag sale run, we came upon a huge box of R.A Salvatore books, and I scooped them right up. I'm still perhaps twenty books away from finishing the series(especially since he's still writing) but though his books often go by very quickly for me, I love all the characters, and his take on the world. I searching for the Neverwinter trilogy now, and I can't wait to see what comes next in the legacy of the Companions of the Hall.

#4 Falling Kingdoms, by Morgan Rhodes
I was shocked to learn that this was actually a secondary moniker for an established horror novelist. It was amazing to me how she so succinctly picked up the fantasy style and wove such an emotional, compelling tale. Nothing like an exciting story about nobles and peasants alike fighting a king and then the gods themselves to get your blood boiling! The only complaint I really have for this story is that it was over too fast. It got me through a strike at my workplace, but it took me less than two or three days after getting a book in the series to reach the back cover. Another author who has relationships down pat. This book and the first one on my list were two of my primary inspirations for writing my own novel, Everything Under the Sun.

#5 The Dragonlance Series, by Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman
When I first picked up this series, I had no idea it was based on a world in the D&D multiverse, and learning that only made the story better. The books weave a compelling story, and follow a huge cast of changing characters without ever seeming clunky or awkward, a feat that cannot go understated. I loved the conclusion, and the character arcs and emotional relationships were well played. I will miss Tanis, Laurana, and Tasslehoff for the rest of my days, I'm sure. The masterful creation of the politics of a dragon cult/army, and the way the authors developed and worked in the histories of various D&D creatures was fantastic. I only wish that the movies had treated it more kindly.