Top Seven Sci-Fi Fantasy Series

Number Seven - Dragonriders of Pern

Written by: Anne McCaffrey

First book: Dragonflight

Published: 1967

McCaffrey spins a tale of a society that settled on a planet but spurned technological advances. When the planet becomes endangered from falling organic threads from a rogue planet, a group of brave warriors mount dragons to combat the threat. The society is built around holds, with lords, harpers, and skilled artisans comprising this pre-industrial styled world.

The series is not all fantasy, however, as later books describe the establishment of the colony in a prequel fashion. In those novels, starships, computers, and genetic engineering all play prominent roles, making the Dragonrider series an excellent mesh of fantasy and hard Science Fiction.

Number Six - The Sword of Truth

Written by: Terry Goodkind

First book: Wizard's First Rule

Published: 1994

The New World is threatened by invasion of the Imperial Order, the major power in the Old World. In the Westland of the New World, a forest guide is raised to be a Seeker of Truth who roams the world meting justice upon evil forces.

This excellent series tops most fantasy buffs "must-read" lists, its well-earned reputation creating a loyal and dedicated fan base.

Number Five - Wheel of Time

Written by: Robert Jordan / Brandon Sanderson

First book: The Eye of the World

Published: 1990

The world is falling into darkness, and long awaited prophecies are coming true. The saga centers on the exploits of the "Dragon Reborn" as he must cleanse the male half of the one power while uniting a fractured world against the foretold doom and the Dark Lord's forces. Not politically savvy, the Dragon finds himself besieged on all sides by so-called allies and invaders from across the sea.

This epic tale grew from the original six planned books to fourteen and even outlived its original author. With family and publisher permission, the final three books of this amazing series has been completed from Robert Jordan's extensive notes by fellow fantasy author and Wheel of Time fan, Brandon Sanderson.

Number Four - Harry Potter

Written by: J.K. Rowling

First book: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Published: 1997

In this classic tale of good versus evil, a young wizard attends the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to learn his craft. Time is running out for Harry though, as the evil Dark wizard Lord Voldemort is growing in power, threatening to rain evil on the world of magic and of normals ("muggles").

This fantastic, easy to read, epic saga of heroism, friendship, and loyalty was brought to the big screen with all the fanfare and stunning visual effects one imagined while reading the books. The popular series became the highest-grossing film series of all-time with approximately $7.7 billion in worldwide receipts.

Number Three - The Chronicles of Narnia

Written by: C. S. Lewis

First book: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Published: 1950

This classic children's series tells the tale of a fictional land, Narnia, and the children that visit there. The magic, the mythical beasts, the talking animals make Narnia a truly wondrous land, yet it is not without hardships. The children must assist the inhabitants of their world in fighting back evil forces and dark magic.

Number Two - Song of Ice and Fire

Written by: George R.R. Martin

First book: A Game of Thrones

Published: 1996

The land of Westeros is at civil war, with several self-proclaimed kings vying for rule of the entire continent. Meanwhile, evil is building north of the Wall, a large barrier in the north lands, and must be combated with men who swear their allegiance and their lives to defending the Wall. Furthermore, a threat grows from across the sea as an exiled royal raises three thought to be extinct dragons and makes her own bid to reclaim the iron throne of Westeros in the name of her family.

This intriguing tale is so vividly described, expertly constructed, that HBO has turned it into the hit series, A Game of Thrones. The imagined scenes in the book are adeptly brought to life by the wizardry of a competent staff of directors, producers, and actors.

Number One - Lord of the Rings

Written by: J. R. R. Tolkien

First book: The Fellowship of the Ring

Published: 1954

Taking elements of ancient mythology, Tolkien masterfully created a world of elves, dwarves, orcs, wizards, hobbits, and more to weave an epic tale of good versus evil. Immortalized in the immensely popular film trilogy, nearly everyone is familiar with the exploits of Frodo and his companions as they venture across Middle Earth to melt the One Ring in the fires of Mordor under the ever-present eye of the evil Sauron.

This classic tale has set the standard for which all other fantasy series are measured.

Honorable Mentions (in no particular order):

• Tales of Alvin Maker by Orson Scott Card
• Saga of Recluse by L.E. Modesitt, Jr.
• Stones of Power by David Gemmell
• Codex Alera by Jim Butcher
• The Darkness Series by Harry Turtledove
• Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss
• Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson
• The Farseer by Robin Hobb
• The Dark Tower by Stephen King
• Discworld by Terry Pratchett
• Earthsea by Ursula LeGuin
• Memory, Sorrow and Thorn by Tad Williams
• The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe
• Incarnations of Immortality by Piers Anthony