List Your Top 3 Fantasy Reads of All Time

[D.H.]

Okay, now for the fun! What are your top 3 fantasy reads of all time?

[A.F.]

American Gods by Neil Gaiman
A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1) by George R.R. Martin
The Fionavar Tapestry (The Fionavar Tapestry #1-3) by Guy Gavriel Kay

[D.H.]

I've read the other two, but I never heard of The Fionavar Tapestry. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. I checked it out and it looks fantastic. Just added it to my to read shelf. :)

[Tom]

Kushiel's Dart - Engrossing, intricate and (have to be honest) damned sexy.
The Blade Itself - A gritty new take on epic fantasy.
Harry Potter: Order of the Phoenix - Have to love a book that brings a tear to your eye.

[A.F.]

D.H. wrote: "I've read the other two, but I never heard of The Fionavar Tapestry. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. I checked it out and it looks fantastic. Just added it to my to read shelf. :)"

All of Guy Gavriel Kay's books are fantastic.

[Mercedes]

Harry Potter
Armageddon's Children
Bartimaeus Trilogy

[[deleted user]]

I choose to interpret 'top three reads' as being series rather than individual books. My top three would be Lord of the Rings by Tolkien, Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer, and His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman.

[Christopher, Founder]

Yvette wrote: "I choose to interpret 'top three reads' as being series rather than individual books. My top three would be Lord of the Rings by Tolkien, Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer, and His Dark Materials by Phil..."

All fantastic recommendations--love them all, at least the ones I've read in each series (I can't say I was fond of Silmarillion, however), and can't wait to continue with the ones I haven't read in both Colfer and Pullman. Such a great suggestion, Yvette.

[Christopher, Founder]

This is a great thread, D.H., and I can't wait for more recommendations like the ones here so far. I think this might be my favorite thread on the group right now.

[Yakara]

Road to Underfall Simply because it introduced me to fantasy. I read this trilogy when I was 11 or 12 and reread it about 10 years later. Is it the height of fantasy storytelling? Probably not. But I loved it anyway.


A Spell for Chameleon The series is fun. It's weird, goofy and inventive. Loved it.

Gregor the Overlander This is definitely a kids series, but I loved it. It strays from the traditional fantasy stories.

[Halyna]

1. Harry Potter series - no surprise here.

2. Seraphina by Rachel Hartman - exceptional book!!!

3. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor - unparalleled in its creativity and unconventionality.

[Angel]

"Eragon Series"


"The One Kingdom"


And I have to go with "Gregor the Overlander" series

[Angel]

omg how could i forget Robin Hobb -

[D.H.]

I haven't read Robin Hobb, Angel. So what am I missing? Please tell us why it's one of your favourites. :)

[B.D.]

Oh my gosh, I love this thread! I am finding so many books I want to read! So many books, so little time.

1)
2)
3)

[B.D.]

Mercedes wrote:
Armageddon's Children "

Ok, this is one I have to read now. It sounds really interesting. :-)

[P.I.]

Okay, I'm cheating a little with this first one: Mary Stewart's Merlin series (The Crystal Cave, The Hollow Hills, etc,) and Evangeline Walton's Mabinogion series, and the sometimes silly, very dated but beloved (by me) House of Scorpio by Pat Wallace.

[Jonathan]

Loved the far seer trilogy by robin hobb
Also American Gods by Neil Gaimen.
Also the the name of the wind and wise mans fear by Patrick rothfuss

[Tessa]

Difficult decision, but I think these are probably my top three:


1.

2.

3.

[Gregory]

Hmmm. Just Three? Tough. This list might change every other day, but here are three of my favorites, in no particular order:


- for artful mix of sci-fi, fantasy and Celtic myth.
- for being about the most different work of fantasy I'd ever read at the time, and for the dense prose.
- for the plotting and patient plot development, and for mortality of its main characters.

[Lana]

The Lord of the Rings series is number one for me. After that would come the Witcher Saga, even though only two of them have so far been translated into English. The third is finally going to be released this month. The jury is still out on my third favorite. There are so many awesome fantasy book series that I have a very hard time choosing. LOTR and the Witcher saga are ones that I read over and over, so it's obvious they are my favorites. I do enjoy Game of Thrones, but I have yet to re-read any of the books.

[Stan]

1) LOTR
2) The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart (Merlin Series)
3) Harry Potter

[Carl]

3. Game of Thrones
2. Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever
1. Lichgates by S.M. Boyce

[Jim]

'The Stolen Child' by Keith Donohue
'Lord of the Flies' by William Golding*
'Never Let Me Go' by Kazuo Ishiguro

*Stephen King said this:
"Lord of the Flies is the book that changed my life; because it is both a story with a message and because it is a great tale of adventure. My advice about reading is to do a lot of it." (For the National Book Foundation)

[Antoinette]

Robin Hobb
CL Wilson

[Gregor]

I'll change my mind tomorrow, but today...

[Scarlett]

My top three series:

[Troy]

Man, so many to choose from... For now, I'm going to have to go with:

(I would add the entire series here if I could)

(entire series here, too)

(haven't finished the entire series yet, but I'm sure I'll say the entire series here, too)

[Donna]

I would choose :
The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin

[Jennifer]

SO my three.... The Lord of the Rings; I love the Mary Stewart trilogy ; and lastly...The Morgaine Saga.

[[deleted user]]

It depends on my mood and where I'm at on my journey of life. Only three is a tough call, I cannot box myself in like that. A lot of you knew right away though and I applaud you for that.

[Susan]

Only three? Hmmm. I would have to say Lord of the Rings trilogy, LOVED Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy, and the fantastical world of Harry Potter.

Of course, I still have a lot of reading to do...

[Sosa]

Probably the Alchemist by Michael Scott, Once and Future King, and game of thrones series.

[Jennifer]

Perusing this thread is like meeting up with old friends. Instead of reading anything new, I just might revisit them.

[[deleted user]]

A Game of Thrones
Wit'ch Fire
The Last Unicorn

[Stephanie]

Well first and foremost The Dune books, then comes The Lord of the Rings and Robert Silverberg's The Majipoor Cycle I'm still reading G

[Michael]

The Silmarillion
The Hobbit
Redwall

[Philip]

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
Gormenghast by Mervyn Peake
The Once and Future King by T.H. White

[F.J.]

Voices of Dragons by Carrie Vaughn
Dragon Companion by Don Callander
Age of Fire series by E.E. Knight (Dragon Avenger, if I have to pick one book)

[Mubbles]

3..The Chronicles Of Thomas Covenant.
2..The Malazan Books Of The Fallen.
1..The Book Of The New Sun.
I've got to put Gene Wolfs epic in the top slot as in my humble opinion no other series comes close in terms of complexity,world building,and beautiful use of language.a truly wonderful and many layered read.