10 epic sci-fi/fantasy book series to binge

Credit: Tor Books
Credit: Tor Books /
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8. Discworld

If you’re looking for something a bit lighter to help you forget world events, then it’s hard to find a series more fun than Discworld. There are many, many books in the Discworld universe — 41, to be exact — but most are easy reads compared to the typical fantasy fare, and all are packed with Terry Pratchett’s supremely hilarious sense of humor. Think The Hitchiker’s Guide to the Galaxy but in a fantasy setting, and you’ll have a pretty good idea of what Discworld is about.

To give an example…

The first Discworld book (The Colour of Magic) follows the exploits of Rincewind, an inept and sarcastic wizard who is hired to guide a tourist named Twoflower around the beautiful kingdom of Ankh-Morpork (a place whose name is truly meant to be said out loud). Twoflower is an insurance clerk on vacation, but due to how common gold is in his kingdom, he’s absurdly rich by Ankh-Morporkian standards, and incredibly naive. He gets into all sorts of trouble, which Rincewind usually makes worse before the pair find a way to make it better. There is a ton of social commentary, lots of magic and schemes (most of which usually go wrong), and it’s all set on a world that is being carried through space by four elephants who are standing on the back of a giant turtle.

If that all sounds like a bit too much to you, pray, hold thy skepticism. You can sample the genius of The Colour of Magic on YouTube or Amazon, where a BBC miniseries of Pratchett’s first book is available. It’s a great way to see what Discworld is all about before investing in other books. This ridiculously entertaining adaptation features a who’s-who of great actors, including Sean Astin as the hapless Twoflower, Tim Curry as the evil wizard Trymon, and Christopher Lee as the sardonic grim reaper Death.

One of the other beautiful things about Discworld is that you don’t need to actually start with The Colour of Magic. The series is comprised of many smaller series and standalone works, so there are any number of places to jump in and forget your worries.