# Recommend me some good FINISHED fantasy series... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 19, 2006, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-finished-fantasy-series/384849 "2006-12-19T23:47:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-finished-fantasy-series/384849/21 "2006-12-20T16:06:34Z")
If you’re willing to read something written for younger readers, Lloyd Alexander’s five-book _Chronicles of Prydain_ is one of the best fantasy series ever. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-finished-fantasy-series/384849/22 "2006-12-20T16:09:43Z")
> [@](#): > > L. Sprague de Camp & Fletcher Pratt: The Compleat Enchanter Intriguingly, Christopher Stashief (mentioned by **simster** has recently been writing new books for this series, so you could argue that it isn’t “finished” anymore ( as if de Camp and Pratt ever did…) ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-finished-fantasy-series/384849/23 "2006-12-20T16:46:50Z")
[QUOTE=LANmom] How so? I am on book seven and I devour it each night. Jordan is an excellent writer. (newbie here) [/QUOTE] You’re on book seven. See if you still feel the same in a couple of books when you realize the books _are never going to end!_ That’s what it feels like anyway. ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-finished-fantasy-series/384849/24 "2006-12-20T19:54:12Z")
Recommendations: The 3 Gormenghast books by Mervyn Peake. Weird & enthralling (at least the 1st 2) The quartet of books based on the Mabinogion (Welsh mythology) written by Evangeline Walton. Simply wonderful. I get boring by recommending these so much. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-finished-fantasy-series/384849/25 "2006-12-20T21:41:24Z")
[QUOTE=Kat] Some of the ones that I like that haven’t been mentioned are: Michelle West’s Hunter/Sun Sword series Steven Brust’s Jhereg series - which may or may not be finished; I haven’t gotten _Dzur_ yet to see if that’s the end or not. Juliet E. McKenna’s Tales of Einarinn series [/QUOTE] It’s not over, but it’s like the other books - episodic and not a cliff hanger or anything. The new ones haven’t been as good, I think. ---
**Author:** ![LANmom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c89c15/32.png) [@LANmom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LANmom)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2006, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-finished-fantasy-series/384849/26 "2006-12-23T04:03:58Z")
[QUOTE=DeadlyAccurate] You’re on book seven. See if you still feel the same in a couple of books when you realize the books _are never going to end!_ That’s what it feels like anyway. [/QUOTE] Oh see I really really LIKE books that go on and on! Its like the Nancy Drew series, the Hardy Boys, Cherry Ames, Bobbsie Twins, and I am most definitely dating myself here, but I LIKE that! So, good thing there are so many different types of authors. I do think Jordan is very good. I am saving all these other suggestions tho’ because I can read 'em faster than they can be written! ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2006, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-finished-fantasy-series/384849/27 "2006-12-23T04:16:43Z")
[QUOTE=LANmom] Oh see I really really LIKE books that go on and on! Its like the Nancy Drew series, the Hardy Boys, Cherry Ames, Bobbsie Twins, and I am most definitely dating myself here, but I LIKE that! So, good thing there are so many different types of authors. I do think Jordan is very good. I am saving all these other suggestions tho’ because I can read 'em faster than they can be written! [/QUOTE] Hmm i hate to be the bearer of bad news but apparently Jordan has some sort of terminal disease and hes no where near finishing the series. The problem also wasn’t that the books went on and on, it was that they went on and on without anything actually happening. More and more minor characters and plots keep getting added, not to mention brought back from the dead, with no resolution in sight for anything and very little chance than Jordan could possibly tie it all together and resolved every single thing hes been added for like 11 books now, that is if the poor guy wasn’t actually dying which he is so its a moot point anyways. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2006, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-finished-fantasy-series/384849/28 "2006-12-23T04:29:39Z")
[QUOTE=LANmom] Oh see I really really LIKE books that go on and on! Its like the Nancy Drew series, the Hardy Boys, Cherry Ames, Bobbsie Twins, and I am most definitely dating myself here, but I LIKE that! [/QUOTE] There’s a difference between an episodic series like Nancy Drew where each book is standalone and a series like, say \The Lord of the Rings\ where each book functions as (and was even written as) part of a whole that can’t be pleasurably read as standalone books. I haven’t read Jordan, but my impression is that he’s writing the latter, only without Tolkien’s coherence. Many mystery writers write episodic series. It seems much less common in fantasy. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2006, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-finished-fantasy-series/384849/29 "2006-12-23T05:25:30Z")
Jordan has a median life expectancy of only [four years](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_jordan#Illness), if wikipedia has it right. I haven’t read them in years, but I enjoyed C. S. Friedman’s Coldfire Trilogy, which starts with Black Sun Rising ([amazon](http://www.amazon.com/Black-Rising-Coldfire-Trilogy-Book/dp/0886775272/ref=ed_oe_p/002-8957244-8323245)) No idea if I’d still like it now, but I enjoyed her books back in 8th grade. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2006, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-finished-fantasy-series/384849/30 "2006-12-23T05:41:53Z")
[QUOTE=Ruken] I haven’t read them in years, but I enjoyed C. S. Friedman’s Coldfire Trilogy, which starts with Black Sun Rising ([amazon](http://www.amazon.com/Black-Rising-Coldfire-Trilogy-Book/dp/0886775272/ref=ed_oe_p/002-8957244-8323245)) No idea if I’d still like it now, but I enjoyed her books back in 8th grade. [/QUOTE] I recall them as being good but quite grim. Louise Cooper’s Time Master trilogy - which was recently reprinted, as it happens. There’s a sequel trilogy, but not quite as good IIRC. Her Indigo series is also good. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2006, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-finished-fantasy-series/384849/31 "2006-12-23T05:47:40Z")
Someone mentioned Jack Vance’s Dying Earth above, but if you like faerie-heavy “High Fantasy”, then his Lyonesse trilogy is also well worth checking out. I’ll also note I just bought the complete omnibused Chronicles of Amber\* for someone as a Christmas gift. So a strong fourthed ( I think ), though the first pentology is better than the second. - Tamerlane ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2006, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-finished-fantasy-series/384849/32 "2006-12-23T06:56:14Z")
[QUOTE=Kat] Some of the ones that I like that haven’t been mentioned are: Michelle West’s Hunter/Sun Sword series Steven Brust’s Jhereg series - which may or may not be finished; I haven’t gotten _Dzur_ yet to see if that’s the end or not. Juliet E. McKenna’s Tales of Einarinn series [/QUOTE] Related to the suggestion of Jhereg, there’s the Paarfi of Roundwood “Trilogy,” composed of _The Phoenix Guards_, _Five Hundred Years After_, and the _Viscount of Adrilankha_ trilogy. It might be wise to read at least one of Mr. Brust’s other books first, so that you don’t mistake what he’s doing as Paarfi for his own writing style, though. (What he IS doing is parodying/paying homage to Alexandre Dumas and the Three Musketeers books, partly by adopting a rather wordy, convoluted, and pretentious prose style. IMO, it’s hilarious, but it might be rather odd if you weren’t in on the joke.) ---
**Author:** ![Meurglys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2006, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-finished-fantasy-series/384849/33 "2006-12-23T12:43:41Z")
I don’t think anyone’s mentioned _Memory, Sworrow and Thorn_ (aka The Dragonbone Chair series) by **Tad Williams** yet. Back when it was coming out, it was the series people were waiting on… ---
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2006, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-finished-fantasy-series/384849/34 "2006-12-23T14:31:57Z")
I mentioned it. I love it. Especially Binabik. ---
**Author:** ![Meurglys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2006, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-finished-fantasy-series/384849/35 "2006-12-23T14:39:29Z")
Whoops! I read this thread yesterday but forgot… sorry! ---
**Author:** ![alphawulf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ea5d25/32.png) [@alphawulf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphawulf)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-finished-fantasy-series/384849/36 "2006-12-28T07:17:49Z")
the first fantasy series I read was Cronicles of Amber and coming from devotion to hard core SF usually space oriented I was hooked–The others are right to recommend it. The Deed of Paksenarrion by Eliz. Moon was so addictive I struggled to put it down when I had other things to do. I also enjoyed the Chanur series by Cherryh and also by her the 2 related books not called a series Rider at the Gate and Cloud’s Rider Have you considered the Harry Potter series–not truely sci fi fantasy but a compelling series of obvious fantasy–the last book will be out in the next year if the rumors are true but the published 6 get increasingly long and complex and depending on how fast one reads could last until 7 comes out. ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-finished-fantasy-series/384849/37 "2006-12-28T07:45:50Z")
[QUOTE=LANmom] How so? I am on book seven and I devour it each night. Jordan is an excellent writer. (newbie here) [/QUOTE] I stopped reading at the end of book 8. I think 7 and 8 could easily have been condensed down into one novel, and the series would be the better for it. I’ve read summaries of later books, in which even less of interest happens. And to top it all off, Jordan decided that he would throw in a couple of prequels set in the previous age. He has the potential to be an excellent writer, and the first couple WoT books are really good. I feel bad that the guy has this horrible disease, but that doesn’t make me like his latest work any better. ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-finished-fantasy-series/384849/38 "2006-12-28T07:51:20Z")
Oh yeah, I forgot. Mercedes Lackey has a number of trilogies and single novels set in and around the kingdom of Valdemar. They refer to each other from time to time, but each one can be read and enjoyed independently of the others. The character of Vanyel is one of the few gay protagonists in fantasy - he is in the Magic’s Pawn/Promise/Price trilogy. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-finished-fantasy-series/384849/39 "2006-12-28T08:50:40Z")
[QUOTE=alphawulf] I also enjoyed the Chanur series by Cherryh … [/QUOTE] That’s more SciFi than Fantasy. However, having said that, her [Morgaine](http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Morgaine_Stories&oldid=94446446) series was fantasy, and very good, IMO. I like Cherryh, and telling Morgaine’s story from the POV of her retainer Vanye adds an almost Quixotic note to her quest. I consider it a must-read. Also, for Urban Fantasy, English writer Michael de Larrabeiti’s [Borrible Trilogy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borribles) is a GREAT, if mostly-unknown, series. China Mieville cites it as an inspiration for his work, if that helps. Also, the first book nicely skewers _The Wombles_, which may only mean something to all those who had to suffer through _Wombling For Christmas_. ---
**Author:** ![Future\_Londonite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9dc877/32.png) [@Future\_Londonite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Future_Londonite)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-finished-fantasy-series/384849/40 "2006-12-28T09:59:06Z")
Here’s my pick… **The Chronicles of Amber** by Zelazny (mentioned a few times before) **The Dying Earth** by Jack Vance (mentioned previously as well) **Memory, Sword and Sorrow** by Tad Williams **Coldfire Trilogy** by C.S. Friedman **Lord Valentine’s Trilogy** by Robert Silverberg (Consisting of ‘Lord Valentine’s Castle’, ‘The Majipoor Chronicles’ and ‘Valentine Pontifex’) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-finished-fantasy-series/384849.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-good-finished-fantasy-series/384849.md?page=3)