This hub is going to be a pleasure to write, edit and update.

When I was a child of 5 I used to stomp on the ground and demand to be taken to the library. My mother cleverly kept me secluded from bookstores and I thought the only places in the world where books were to be found was in people's homes, and those were all very boring, and at the library. She wasn't even taking me to the MAIN library! Just a small hub, but for me, books that had pictures of dinosaurs were the launching of a thousand tales. I knew the Norse Gods better than any adult alive (or at least any that I was acquainted with!) But, no matter how much my mom pointed out the negative characteristics of Loki whenever anyone would ask I would gleefully shout, "Loki! Loki! Loki!" Not Thor. Not Odin. Hmmmm, portent of things to come? I like to think if there were a fantasy book about me some version of that would be between a chapter heading and the first line of the chapter....

#1 - A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin (series: A Song of Ice and Fire)

Immediately regarded by many to be the best fantasy series of all time this series eclipsed Tolkien by abandoning characters who either fought for good or fought for evil and replaced them with people. This world, this wonderous world, is inhabited by people who are at the same time inhabited by greed, by sadism, and sometimes by nobility.

Published in Aug of 2000 and went on to win the 01 Locust Award, the 02 Geffen Award and was nominated for the Hugo and Nebula Award. This particular novel lost to one in the Harry Potter series but make no mistake, this is the best fantasy novel ever published. It's dark and uncomforting nature was the cause of its defeat but also the nature of it's brilliance. Quite simply, this novel has plot twists that surprise at every turn, some are sickeningly final, but all of them are executed with the dexterity of a great writer and the flourish of a truly brilliant mind.

However, don't start the series here. This book holds it's true power only after you've read the first two.

#2 - A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin (series: A Song of Ice and Fire)

The first book in any series holds the weight of the series. If the first book isn't good then no one will bother to read any of the others. And, well, if the first isn't good none of the other are likely to be either! It was a good thing that A Game of Thrones was absolutely perfect from the first page. Rarely do I read a book that I don't mentally rewrite as I'm reading. I discover weaknesses and wonder what the author could have done to shore them up.

There were none here. It was an amazing read cover to cover and that's 835 pages! A truly Epic Novel in all respects. Martin uses the vices and occasionally the virtue of mankind to give his world a feel that's both startlingly real and gritty while also nurturing a budding but subdued element of magic. I've never seen magic handled so deftly. It never infringes on the world of men and women (the women in this novel are both real and complex!) and their battles over greed, fear and honor. You can be sure that when someone throws around the word honor in this novel someone is about to get stabbed in the back!

I'll give a synopsis link below which will serve for all 4 novels of the series although only 3 will likely appear on this list. Synopsis here.

#3 - House of Chains by Steven Erikson (series: A tale of The Malazan Book of the Fallen)

This book and this series is a joy to follow!

With that being said, well, very they are also difficult to follow. If these books weren't so good I would berate them for being so complex. Normally I am adamant about simple being best. If you're making something complex you are doing so for no purpose. It holds out in mathematics, elite writing programs and even acting.

BUT...

I just can't imagine this book or any of the others being as good if they were any less complex!

In a world where Gods walk amongst mortals, men ascend to become weak versions of gods, legends become truthful nightmares and history crackles with evil lifeblood comes a sordid group of men, hardened soldiers, defiant dissidents: The Bridgeburners - the elite munitions experts of the Malazan Empire! The members of this unit become the through line in a complex war that rages across this world, encumbered with the sons of Gods, bitterly destructive magic, warrior tribes, assassins, Emperors and Gods and near God like Ascendants!

You might have to go back and reread a section from time to time! But, wow, is all I can say. This book being the best of the first 5! I love the T'lan Imass... what a side story! Good enough for its own series, easily!

#4 - A Clash Of Kings by George R.R. Martin (series: A Song of Ice and Fire)

Reading something as good as the first novel in this series (A Game of Thrones) leads me to wonder two things... is there a sequel and is it as good. There are quite a number of books whose sequels were less than equal to the original. I loved the first book, despite the strange cover art, but couldn't imagine a series this good that I hadn't heard of. A single book could slip by all the people I knew who read fantasy on a regular basis but an entire series? No way.

It turns out there was a second written at that time (there are now 4 as of this writing) but the second A Clash of Kings was monumental! I didn't believe there was this quality of writing in fantasy! Quite simply, Martin had a series that ranked high on my All Time Reading List! It was amazing. I consider Dumas' 3 books: The 3 Musketeers, The Man in the Iron Mask, and The Count of Monte Cristo as a trilogy in theme. (my own vanity, I know!) Call of the Wild and White Fang? Maybe.

No other fantasy series even touched this one. Not Tolkien and not any of his followers. This became my series and has been ever since. A much weaker 4th installment is merely the result of too many newly introduced characters while simultaneously leaving out many of the favored characters in a dividing of the work that would be the 4th and 5th (forthcoming) installments. His writing quality did not lesson, far from it, but some of the love was lost (or merely misplaced for a time!)

#5 - The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss (series: The Kingkiller Chronicle: Day One)

This one was unexpected. I wasn't looking for it, I didn't have it recommended (strangely enough!) and it doesn't really have great cover art which I don't rely on for choosing books but hey, nice cover art catches my eye (see above!) I was looking for something by Brandon Sanderson because I just found out he was going to be finishing the Wheel of Time series and wanted to read something by him. I grabbed Mistborn by Sanderson. Then the book next to this one caught my eye. I grabbed it. (don't remember what is was) and Next to it was this book. It was the title that caught my eye... it wasn't a title put in place just to sell the book which made me wonder... it was also 600 pages... alot for a "throw away book". What a strange cover with the robed figure and the tree in the background done in blue and black. I admit, it made me curious. I don't like to read the back of the book... it's never a good tell. I just open it and read ten pages. And it was ten really good pages.

I was hooked. And a little irritated to find out he didn't have any other books in this series (at the time.) I was already waiting for Martin and Jordan to pick up the pace.

The base form of this book is a nobody kid becoming the world's savior but Rothfuss handles it very, very well. If you like my other four then you'll love this one! Try it out!

The first of a 3 book series that introduced the most awesome character I've ever experienced.  If you're tired of reading fantasy that is without any realism then pick up this book!  While this series does come together at the end a little too neatly for me to this first book is pretty much flawless.  It's gritty, but in a very stylized way.  I love the farm boy turned earth shattering wizard/warrior as much as all of you... but you won't find that here.  In fact, you won't find anything close. 

This series has the single best character ever but what helps to make it great is the second character, Glotka, who is nearly as enjoyable as Logain himself.  It doesn't quite have the gritty realism as A Game of Thrones but it's close enough to really make this series enjoyable. 

There are things I would like slightly different but I was mesmerized by many chapters, as Abercrombie is a master at character building and has a sparse, swift prose that compliments his story telling style perfectly.  Just meeting The Bloody Nine makes this book worth reading and the method of introducing Logan (Nine) adds to the realism... he refrains from giving away information about Logan with exposition and instead lets you get to know him through the course of the book, through his actions and the curses of those who know him.

This book isn't Harry Potter or Eregon but if you like the above 5 then I think you'll like this one as well.

Yes, another of the Book of the Fallen near the top of the list.  While the first book begins in a very... er, uh... confusing way I don't want you to to be turned off of it for any reason.  This series is just plain fascinating!

No reason to try to hash out the plot... so many things are going on in this series that it's a shame to even try to lay it out.  Summarizing any of these books would take 8 or 9 pages in order for you to know what, as a dim overview, will happen in the course of this very thick book.

Begin with Gardens of the Moon but remember, this book and the book that follows this book are some of the best I've ever read.  This series is unique in a way that almost demands that it not be compared to any other fantasy novel.  It might almost, be able to stand outside of the fantasy genre!