When a newfantasybook series first comes out, it’s easy to get lost in the pages and invested in the story, overlooking some of the major flaws throughout the narrative. However,with time, some of these issues become more clear,and when we return to these novels, they’re not quite as good as we remember. This doesn’t mean they’re bad or not worth reading. However, when reflecting on a beloved piece of fiction, it’s okay to admit that not everyone will connect with the plot and characters.
It’s hard to write aperfect fantasy book series, as at least one installment of a set of novels will have problems. The world-building and creation of magic systems are two of the hardest parts of writing speculative fiction, and it’s often here where authors can go wrong. Spending too much time developing the world, or not enough, can ruin a series before it’s properly begun. Additionally, paying attention to the characters and their relationships will go a long way in helping the longevity of a series.
10The Twilight Saga (2005–2020)
Written by Stephanie Meyer
Part of the fun of readingTwilightis reveling in the melodrama and intensityof the connection between Bella and Edward, even if their relationship doesn’t always make sense. Bella is aprotagonist I wouldn’t want saving the day, considering the fact that she gets into a lot of trouble throughoutThe Twilight Sagaand doesn’t always exercise her best judgment. Other than these character issues, time has also shined a light on the problems with Stephanie Meyer’s writing style and themes.
Despite it being a romance, many have criticizedTwilightfor its puritanical messages in the relationship between Edward and Bella.
Despite it being a romance, many have criticizedTwilightfor its puritanical messages in the relationship between Edward and Bella. Additionally, the portrayal and representation of Indigenous Americans are problematic, showcasing that Meyer didn’t do thorough research when crafting her characters. In 2020, Meyer releasedMidnight Sun, which tells the story of the first book from Edward’s perspective, and though it shares the flaws of the other books, it’s clear that the popularity ofTwilighthasn’t diminished.
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2020
9The Inheritance Cycle (2002–2011)
Written by Christopher Paolini
One of the reasons the first book inThe Inheritance Cycle,Eragon, was so exciting and popular when it first came out was because Christopher Paolini was such a young author. Only 19 years old whenEragonwas published, Paolini’s age does come through in the text (viaThe Washington Post).The clear love and reverence that Paolini has for the genre are prevalentthroughoutThe Inheritance Cycle. However, there are very few new or original ideas to be found throughout the series.
In some ways, Paolini’s age made the character of Eragon realistic and relatable,as Paolini was still coming-of-age when he wrote the books. However, it also means that many of the characters and their relationships are underdeveloped or too rooted in a fantastical idea of what a romance or friendship is. This compounds the criticism thatThe Inheritance Cyclecopies the structure and format of more famous works. Reading the series as an adult can prove difficult, as it exposes many of the errors.
2002
2011
8The Magicians (2009–2014)
Written by Lev Grossman
Lev Grossman’s series,The Magicians, is frequently described as a grown-upHarry Potter,with a snappy sense of humor, adults going to magic school, and tongue-in-cheek pop culture references. ReadingThe Magicianstoday, it’s easy to see where Grossman got this writing style, as the novels read very much as a product of the late 2000s and early 2010s. While this isn’t a bad thing, it makes some of the dialogue feel a little uncomfortable, and the way some of the female characters are treated is upsetting.
In many ways, the TV seriesThe Magicianstook the best parts of Grossman’s work and updated them to be even more relevant and reflect the themes of the work more clearly. From aging up the characters, exploring LGBTQ+ themes and relationships, and the way the show propelled the story past the source material,watchingThe Magiciansis just as good, if not sometimes better, than reading the books.However, it’s still fun to revisit the original series to compare it to the choices in the adaptation.
2009
2014
7Shadow And Bone (2012–2014)
Written by Leigh Bardugo
The popular recent YA fantasy seriesShadow and Bone, by Leigh Bardugo, follows the story of Alina Starkov, a young woman who realizes her magical powers and comes into her own as the chosen one throughout the trilogy. The story is exciting and engaging, with an interesting magic system the reader will enjoy learning about. However, as time has progressed,Bardugo’s other, more complex work has demonstrated the flaws within theShadow and Boneseries.
Bardugo’s spinoff series,Six of Crows, which is set within theShadow and Boneuniverse, is widely considered the better set of books and has been praised for its characters and storytelling.Six of Crowsbenefits from multiple narrators and bucks the trend of centering a chosen one at the heart of the narrative. Unfortunately,Shadow and Bonesuffers from Alina’s predictable arc as a hero,and the way her arc concludes is controversial, as it can be seen as undermining her power as a character.
Shadow and Bone
2012
Siege and Storm
2013
Ruin and Rising
6All Souls (2011–Present)
Written by Deborah Harkness
The TV series based on Deborah Harkness’sAll Soulsseries only ran for three seasons, butHarkness is still going strong, releasing books as recently as 2024.However, looking back at the beginning of the series,A Discovery of Witches, released in 2011, some of the early issues with the work become clear. Full of supernatural creatures and dark academia, theAll Soulsbooks are appealing to a wide variety of audiences, even if they aren’t perfect.
Within the first three books themselves, the pacing is a little rocky, with Diana and Matthew put in a holding pattern before their true journey begins.
Originally intended to be a trilogy, the adventures of Matthew and Diana, the book’s central characters and the source of the romance plotlines, are wrapped up inThe Book of Life. This makes the additional novels feel a little forced and unnecessary after the supposed conclusion of the story. Within the first three books themselves, the pacing is a little rocky, with Diana and Matthew put in a holding pattern before their true journey begins.
2018
2024
5The Sword Of Truth (1994–2015)
Written by Terry Goodkind
Terry Goodkind made a name for himself by writing the fifteen-book seriesThe Sword of Truth, which is a rich and winding exploration of the protagonist, Richard Cypher, and the Old and New Worlds. It’s inarguably impressive that Goodkind created such a vivid world and chronicled so many of Richard’s adventures, butthere’s also no question that some of the story is dated.It’s not uncommon for older fantasy books to suffer from weakly written female characters and sexist tropes, andThe Sword of Truthfalls victim to this.
Many of thelongest fantasy book series and sagasare well-known additions to the genre because they stand out due to their length and the commitment it requires to read them. However, it’s understandable if some readers wouldn’t want to dive intoThe Sword of Truthif there are characterizations that rub them the wrong way.The Sword of Truthis unlikely ever to be forgotten,but that doesn’t mean it can’t be critiqued and reflected on today.
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Blood of the Fold
1996
Temple of the Winds
1997
Soul of the Fire
1999
Faith of the Fallen
2000
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2015
4Throne Of Glass (2012–2018)
Written by Sarah J. Maas
Few authors are as relevant within the romantasy sphere as Sarah J. Maas,with series likeThrone of Glass,A Court of Thorns and Roses, andCrescent Citymaking waves. However, despite her popularity, there are elements of her books that don’t hold up under deeper scrutiny. Of course, the purpose of books likeThrone of Glassis to entertain and transport the audience to a far-away land, but it’s hard to ignore the weakness of the world-building and the stagnant character arcs that plague the series.
Romance and fantasy are two niches of fiction that are often unfairly criticized, butThrone of Glassdeserves some of the arguments against the books.
There are plenty ofbooks likeThrone of Glassto read, as the series has inspired countless additions to the romantasy genre. Romance and fantasy are two niches of fiction that are often unfairly criticized, butThrone of Glassdeserves some of the arguments against the books. ThoughThrone of Glassisn’t as explicit as some of Maas’s other work, it’s still packed with romantic tension, sometimes delving further into the character relationships than the plot.
2016
2017
3The Heroes Of Olympus (2010–2014)
Written by Rick Riordan
After the smashing success of his first Greek mythology-inspired series,Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Rick Riordan expanded the story’s canon withThe Heroes of Olympus. The series still includes familiar characters from the first series, eventually bringing Percy back inThe Son of Neptune, but the scope of the story gets a lot bigger inThe Heroes of Olympus, even though the stakes feel repetitive. Percy already saved the world at the end ofThe Last Olympian, making the battles of the series feel familiar.
Greek and Roman mythology are vast and expansive, so there’s no shortage of Gods and monsters to touch uponinThe Heroes of Olympus, but the series doesn’t reach quite the same level as the original books. The best part ofThe Heroes of Olympusis still Percy, as he’s the character Riordan knows the best and has spent the most time with. However, it’s easy to miss Percy’s adventures when he was growing up when readingThe Heroes of Olympus.
2010
2The Mortal Instruments (2007–2014)
Written by Cassandra Clare
Cassandra Clare’sThe Mortal Instrumentsseries is part of the larger fictional universe,The Shadowhunters, that follows the story of Clary Fray, a woman whose life is changed forever in the first novel,City of Bones.The Mortal Instrumentswas immensely popular within the YA genre while Clare was releasing the novels, but as time has progressed, some flaws in the series have come to light. One of the most confusing parts of the series is whenClary mistakenly believes her love interest, Jace, is her brother.
The urban fantasy setting is one of the strongest pieces ofThe Mortal Instruments, an element that lent itself to screen adaptions in film and TV.
While this is cleared up and doesn’t turn out to be true, it sticks out in the novels, creating some uncomfortable drama for the characters and the reader. The urban fantasy setting is one of the strongest pieces ofThe Mortal Instruments, an element that lent itself to screen adaptions in film and TV. However, Clare doesn’t push many boundaries outside of the setting, treading familiar territory and crafting romances that haven’t aged well in some cases.
1Malazan Book Of The Fallen (1999–Present)
Written by Steven Erikson
The long and complexfantasyseries,Malazan Book of the Fallen, is full of different installments and layered world-building that can be intimidating at first. However, one of the key parts of an epic series like this is that it must keep the reader engaged throughout each installment of the journey and not lose steam as the books progress. Due tothe sheer number of pages and storylines withinMalazan Book of the Fallen,there are some secondary plotlines that fall through the cracks, as well as too many characters to remember easily.
Though it’s exciting that Erikson takes his craft seriously and pushes his readers to expand their conception of the genre, there are times when the novels in theMalazan Book of the Fallenseries are needlessly complicated. It’s natural and exciting for a work to challenge the reader and make them work hard to delve into the story, butMalazan Book of the Fallencan take this too far.Only the most dedicated readers will have the stamina and patience to feel satisfiedby the end of book 10.
Gardens of the Moon
2004
