Best Fantasy Series of All Time

Well, here we are! The votes have been compiled and we now have our list. Instead of just doing a Top 5 and include the 5 runner-ups, I've decided to compile a Top 15. Acting thus, we have a broader range of series, giving readers an idea of the diversity of people's tastes.

Nearly 80 different fantasy series or sagas were submitted. As I did with the last poll, every first place vote was worth 5 points, each second place vote was worth 4 points, and so on. The final number of points determined each series' position.

Again, I would like to thanks the usual suspects: wotmania.com, shadowmarch.com, hallofworlds.net, worldsoffantasy.net, robinhobb.com, kevinswatch.com, brightweavings.com, as well as a number of other internet fantasy communities. You are the ones who bring all the fun into this!;-)

So here is our little list. Once more, I encourage people to comment, keeping in mind that this list is based on our votes!:-)

BEST FANTASY SERIES OF ALL TIME

1- Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien
2- A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin
3- The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan
4- The Farseer/The Tawny Man by Robin Hobb
5- Memory, Sorrow and Thorn by Tad Williams
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6- Malazan Books of the Fallen by Steven Erikson
7- The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant by Stephen R. Donaldson
8- The Riftwar Saga by Raymond E. Feist
9- The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant by Stephen R. Donaldson
10- Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling
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11- The Dark Tower by Stephen King
12- Discworld by Terry Pratchett
13- The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolf
14- The Belgariad by David Eddings
15- The Sarantine Mosaic by Guy Gavriel Kay / The Liveship Traders by Robin Hobb / The Fionavar Tapestry by Guy Gavriel Kay

Personally, I find it quite surprising and interesting to find Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire at number 2, given the fact that this author only has 3 yarns under his belt pertaining to this series. I'm not saying it doesn't deserve to be ranked this high. Martin and Hobb are loved by readers lurking on every message board, which explains their high rankings. Once more, only Tolkien had more votes than they did.

Erikson's position is also surprising. But it may also be an indication that this writer might be the next big thing to hit the fantasy genre.

I have to admit that I did not expect to see Harry Potter in the Top 10. But again, it shows how J. K. Rowling's tale transcends the genres and age groups! And that is a very good thing, for readers of all ages!

Some honorable mentions for series which did not make the list: Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin, The Coldfire Trilogy by C. S. Friedman, The Dragonlance Chronicles by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, Mordant's Need by Stephen R. Donaldson, and the Shannara saga by Terry Brooks.

In the same vein, here is an interesting link to a list of 101 things to read in the science fiction and Fantasy genres. Copy and paste this one in your browser: http://www.fantasybookspot.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=471