Fantasy television can be incredible, stunning and riveting with gorgeous effects and cinematography. But making it tends to be very expensive, and oftentimes fantasy series get canceled faster than shows in other genres due to those hefty price tags. While there are some staples out there that we can all fall back on, there are also losses like Amazon's recent cancellation of The Wheel of Time, that genuinely sting.
That's why sometimes it's nice to turn the television off altogether and escape into a good fantasy novel, especially one that is just the start of a well-written trilogy, one that can take us to farther reaches and more creative places than a TV show can. The following trilogies are just a few of the best ones out there right now that are generally better than most any fantasy show.
1. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
I first read the Shadow and Bone trilogy earlier this year and immediately loved it. I’ve enjoyed Leigh Bardugo’s other works, particularly her Ninth House series, and I put the Grishaverse off for years because people often claimed the main trilogy wasn’t as good as the spinoffs, but I have to disagree. I loved Alina’s story and the complicated relationship she had with the Darkling.
Shadow and Bone has the kind of intrigue and moral complexity we don’t often get from YA fantasy. Netflix did adapt some of the story, but the series was canceled before they could finish. I think part of the problem was that the writers didn’t trust in Bardugo’s original story enough and they fell into the trap of fan service, incorporating popular characters and elements from her related series Six of Crows rather than letting Shadow and Bone stand on its own.
2. The Daevabad Trilogy by S.A. Chakraborty
I can be a little picky about the YA fantasy novels I choose to read, so it took me longer than I'd like to admit to pick up The City of Brass and start Chakraborty's Daevabad trilogy. Now I'm very glad that I did. Chakraborty is incredible at descriptions and really brings the legendary brass city to life in all its resplendent glory.
The first book introduces us to the character Nahri, who has never believed in magic but is a gifted con artist. One day, she mistakenly summons a mysterious djinn warrior and discovers the magical world she's been trying to ignore her entire life is actually real, and more than that, she shares a surprising connection to it.
3. Remembrance of Earth's Past by Liu Cixin
This entry is admittedly cheating, as the Remembrance of Earth’s Past trilogy is definitely science fiction and not fantasy, but I think it’s relevant to include in that it is leagues better than any television series, and that includes the actual TV adaptations, one of which is ongoing at Netflix.
Beginning with The Three-Body Problem, Liu Cixin’s fascinating and complex saga about a world at war with a highly intelligent alien race is totally engrossing. It has been labeled “hard” sci-fi, because it delves into real scientific theories, but I think it’s one of those books where as long as you pay attention, you’ll understand what’s going on.
The first book is great, but the second one, The Dark Forest, is the series standout. It deals with the real Fermi paradox and resulting dark forest theory. The theory suggests that the reason we cannot ascertain whether or not other intelligent civilizations exist is because we’re all hiding, afraid of telling whoever might be listening in the vast expanse of our universe that we're there on the off chance they choose to destroy us.
4. The First Law by Joe Abercrombie
Joe Abercrombie's series The First Law is an underrated entry on this list. Technically, there are many other additions to this series, but the main trilogy encompasses the first three books, The Blade Itself, Before They Are Hanged, and Last Argument of the Kings.
A mix of epic and noir fantasy, The First Law starts with several compelling and richly developed characters like the barbarian Logan Ninefingers and torture Inquisitor Glokta. As the story unfolds, we learn about a series of murderous conspiracies that completely alters the lives of these characters, who you're bound to become attached to while reading.
5. Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
Brandon Sanderson is a beloved author of high fantasy for very good reason. His Cosmere Universe is layered and brimming with addictive stories and compelling characters. If you want to get started with his books, it is recommended to begin with the Mistborn trilogy, which introduces us to a wild and breathtaking adventure that stretches across a memorable saga.
The story takes place on a world ruled over by a seemingly immortal tyrant. One woman, Vin, will find herself at the center of a plot to take him down.
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