I’m a fantasy girlie. I love big, expansive worlds to get lost in; worlds where things aren’t quite the same as ours. Maybe there’s magic, maybe there’s dragons, maybe our main character is a 500 year old fae warrior with bat wings. All this to say, fantasy is one of my favourite genres.

If you, like me, want to get completely engrossed in an epic story, here are 5 of my all time favourite series

I’ve intentionally chosen five long book series. Series where there are multiple series taking place in the same world, or following different generations in one place across time. I love these expansive universes, and I hope you will enjoy diving into them just as much as I have!

At a Glance: Comparison of Top Epic Fantasy Universes

Series	Author	Total Books	Sub-Genre	Where to Start
Realm of the Elderlings	Robin Hobb	16	Character-Driven / Low Magic	Assassin’s Apprentice
The Cosmere	Brandon Sanderson	20+	Hard Magic System / High Fantasy	Mistborn: The Final Empire or Elantris
The First Law	Joe Abercrombie	10	Grimdark / Political Intrigue	The Blade Itself
The Faithful and the Fallen	John Gwynne	7	High Fantasy / Epic Battle	Malice
The Dragons of Pern	Anne McCaffrey	24	Science-Fantasy / Dragon Riders	Dragonflight

1. The Realm of the Elderlings by Robin Hobb

Robin Hobb is truly the Queen of Fantasy. The Realm of the Elderlings world is composed of 16 books divided into five distinct series (four trilogies and one quartet). This structure makes a 16-book undertaking feel much less daunting.

• Reading Order: Publication order is best! Start with Assassin’s Apprentice.
• What It’s About: The first trilogy follows Fitz, the bastard son of a prince, who is brought to the royal castle and raised by the stablemaster. With his unique position between royalty and commoners, Fitz is secretly trained to become the royal assassin. Later series follow Fitz across various stages of his life, alternating with storylines set in different parts of the world featuring sentient live ships and wild dragons!
• Why You Should Read It: If you love slow-paced, character-driven plots with deeply lovable characters and subtle magic, this is an absolute must-read.

2. The Cosmere Universe by Brandon Sanderson

If Robin Hobb is the Queen of Fantasy, then Brandon Sanderson is certainly the King. His epic series, The Cosmere is a vast fantasy universe containing seemingly unconnected standalones and series that all share underlying mechanics and will eventually cross over completely.

• Reading Order: Options abound! Many readers start with Mistborn: The Final Empire or Elantris, while others dive straight into The Way of Kings.
• What It’s About: The Cosmere spans multiple planets, each governed by unique and highly structured hard magic systems—ranging from burning metals for physical abilities to painting with color and light.
• Why You Should Read It: Brandon Sanderson is renowned for his phenomenal magic systems, rich lore, lovable characters, and explosive climax endings (commonly referred to by fans as the “Sanderson Sanderstorm”).

3. The First Law World by Joe Abercrombie

For readers looking for a grittier edge, The First Law series offers a realistic, character-centric take on dark high fantasy with very light magic elements. The universe currently encompasses ten books across two trilogies, three standalones, and a short story collection.

• Reading Order: Start with The Blade Itself and follow publication order.
• What It’s About: The underlying premise of The First Law is that real life doesn’t stop when a story ends. The first trilogy follows an unlikely party on a quest to find a ancient artifact meant to save the world. Meanwhile, complex political games, brutal wars, and personal conflicts unfold across the rest of the world.
• Why You Should Read It: Joe Abercrombie writes some of the most morally gray, complex, and memorable characters in modern fiction. It’s dark, clever, and subverts classical quest tropes brilliantly.

4. The Faithful and the Fallen by John Gwynne

Comprising a core quartet (The Faithful and the Fallen) and a sequel trilogy (Of Blood and Bone), John Gwynne’s 7-book saga delivers classic high fantasy at its absolute finest.

• Reading Order: Start with Malice (Book 1 of The Faithful and the Fallen).
• What It’s About: Set in the Banished Lands, we follow a rich cast of characters. This includes humans, giants, and ancient warrior bands. The plot follows an impending war between the forces of Light and Dark, where prophecies are far more treacherous than they seem.
• Why You Should Read It: If you love classic fantasy stories like The Wheel of Time or A Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones), but prefer fast-paced storytelling, fantastic shield-wall combat, and complete series, this is the perfect match.

5. The Dragons of Pern by Anne McCaffrey

This iconic classic series spans 24 books, originally authored by Anne McCaffrey and later expanded by her son, Todd McCaffrey. Unlike modern 800-page doorstops, most Pern books are quick, fast-paced reads around the 300-page mark.

• Reading Order: Start with Dragonflight or Dragonquest.
• What It’s About: On the planet Pern, deadly spores fall periodically from a neighboring planet. To protect their world, humans form telepathic bonds with fire-breathing dragons to destroy the threat mid-air.
• Why You Should Read It: The Dragons of Pern laid the groundwork for modern dragon-rider fantasy. If you enjoyed Rebecca Yarros’s Fourth Wing, this classic series is essential reading to see where the trope originated.

What Is Your Favorite Fantasy Universe?

There you have it—five epic fantasy book series to keep you reading for months (or years!). Have you read any of these yet, or do you have a favorite sprawling world that I missed? Let me know in the comments below!