P.L. Stuart
  • Home
  • The Drowned Kingdom Saga
    • Book 1: A Drowned Kingdom
    • Book 2: Last of the Atalanteans
    • Book 3: Lord & King
  • About the Author
  • Media
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • P.L.'s Bookshelf and Reviews
  • Six Elementals Author Interviews
    • Interview with Angela Boord
    • Interview with Sean R. Bell
    • Interview with Elizabeth Eckstein
    • Interview with Bjorn Larssen
    • Interview with Michele Quirke
    • Interview with Zack Argyle
    • Interview with Eve Koguce
    • Interview with Krystle Matar
    • Interview with HL Tinsley
    • Interview with T.L. Coughlin
    • Interview with Lucien Telford
    • Interview with Jacob Sannox
    • Interview with Tim Hardie
    • Interview with Natania Barron
    • Interview with Janny Wurts
    • Interview with E.G. Radcliff
    • Interview with Zamil Akhtar
    • Interview with Joy Demers
    • Interview with Shane Scott
    • Interview with Stephen Aryan
    • Interview with A.J. RETTGER
    • Interview with Clayton Synder
    • Interview with Daniel T Jackson
    • Interview with R.P.Lauer
    • Interview With Micheal R Fletcher
    • Interview with Branwen OShea
    • Interview With Tony Debajo
    • Interview with J.D.Evans
    • Interview with Sean Crow
    • Interview with A.J. CALVIN
    • Interview with Ben Galley
    • Interview With L.L.MacRae
    • Interview with Marian L. Thorpe
    • Interview with Virgina McClain
    • Interview with A.R. MIRABAL
    • Interview with M.L. Spencer

P.L. Stuart's blog

P.L.'s Top Ten Fantasy First Book of Fantasy Series

10/2/2022

0 Comments

 
Hello everyone! Welcome to my blog post for the month of October.

A lot of people love "best of" lists, and I'm no different. Of course such lists are very subjective. Nevertheless, nothing incites discussion and interest when it comes to things such as books, as calling out one's favourites. For this month's blog post I have a special list, where I note my all-time favourite opening installments in a fantasy series. These books are not ranked in any particular order - just know that they are those that made the cut as my top-ten. 

Many of the series these books are part of are, no surprise, some of my most beloved fantasy series ever. In several instances, I liked the second or third or other books in the series better than the first. Still, in some cases, the overall body of work for the series did not quite crack my top ranking. 

Regardless, these books are dynamite, iconic, my favourite first installments, and I still think about them, long after reading them. These books often truly launched the careers of the writers who wrote them, turning them into household names among fantasy readers. The ten novels I have listed below have certainly made a huge impact on me, as both a reader and a writer.   

With my ranking, I've tried to include a short review, to elaborate on why each book is so great. 

Hopefully this top ten list will inspire you to add these wonderful books to your TBR! Or perhaps my list will motivate you to consider your own top ten list, and perhaps re-read some old favourites or recommend them to a friend, and ultimately, hopefully read more fantasy books!

Please feel free to comment on this and future blogs and I will be sure to get back to you. Chat soon!
Picture
The Curse of the Mistwraith - Janny Wurts is a scintillating writer, one of the best in fantasy, who needs to be heralded in the same class as the Sandersons, Jordans, et all. Once you read The Curse of the Mistwraith, you may have a hard time reading any other writer's writing. For me, no one writes as beautifully and as completely as Janny Wurts.
Picture
A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin's first novel in the iconic grimdark fantasy series introduced us to a gritty, completely immersive world full of divided houses, unforgettable morally grey characters, and War of the Roses-inspired political scheming and treachery.
Picture
The Fellowship of the Ring - J.R.R. Tolkien remains one of the world's most famous, most beloved and most iconic writers, and the first book of The Lord of the Rings is one of the biggest reasons why. The combination of the perilous quest to destroy the One Ring by the brave hobbits, the journey to glory and kingship of Aragon, and the fate of Middle-Earth's elves, make for an enduring classic of staggering scope that has set an almost insurmountable bar for all future fantasy writers to leap over for the first book of any series.
Picture
The Winter King - My absolute favourite Arthurian retelling, Bernard Cornwell makes ancient Britain come alive and adds some new twists to the old legends, including a villainous Lancelot, a humble Arthur who does not seek to rule, and thrusts minor character Derfel to the forefront as a memorable hero and protagonist.
Picture
The Red Knight - When you speak of realistic, brilliant, brutal medieval warfare depicted in fantasy, you need to include Miles Cameron in every such conversation - he is a master of it, and one of my favourite authors.
Picture
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms - The most decorated fantasy novelist of our modern era, N.K. Jemisin creates an absolute masterpiece full of poignancy, love, violence, incredible world-building, enormous scope, and captivating storytelling. Read her work, especially this book, and be amazed.
Picture
Malice - John Gwynne has plenty of accolades and is already acknowledged in the fantasy world as one of its brightest stars, thanks to his The Faithful and the Fallen, Of Blood and Bone and Bloodsworn Trilogy series. It all started with Malice, putting Gwynne on the map as one of the best heroic fantasy writers since Gemmell.
Picture
The Blade Itself - I don't know if anyone has better characterization in fantasy than Joe Abercrombie, and he also ranks highly in terms of his battlefield action sequences. But let's face it, The Blade Itself is on this list because it introduces us to San Dan Glokta who is potentially my favourite character ever written in a fantasy or any other book.
Picture
Picture
Gardens of the Moon - Gardens of the Moon begins the incredibly ambitious, jaw-dropping feat of imagination, depth, and definitely genre-changing fantasy that is the Malazan Book of the Fallen. A history and backstory encompassing thousands of years, an absolutely immense cast of characters, and a twisting, complex, multi-layered plot, it will make your head spin at times, but when the dizzying stops, you will come to comprehend the wonder that is the writing of Steven Erikson. ​
Prince of Thorns - I love great fiction, love great fantasy, and for me there is no denying this novel is both. Nor is there any denying for me that Mark Lawrence is simply a phenomenal writer. Be warned though, the main character Jorg is one of fantasy's most bloody and unlikeable protagonists, and while you won't forget him, you may despise him. ​
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    P.L. Stuart's Blog

    I am a Canadian high fantasy author. My debut novel, A Drowned Kingdom - first in The Drowned Kingdom Saga, is now available! Book 2 in The Drowned Kingdom Saga, The Last of the Atalanteans, is now available here!
    ​
    @plstuartwrites on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    December 2022
    October 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • The Drowned Kingdom Saga
    • Book 1: A Drowned Kingdom
    • Book 2: Last of the Atalanteans
    • Book 3: Lord & King
  • About the Author
  • Media
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • P.L.'s Bookshelf and Reviews
  • Six Elementals Author Interviews
    • Interview with Angela Boord
    • Interview with Sean R. Bell
    • Interview with Elizabeth Eckstein
    • Interview with Bjorn Larssen
    • Interview with Michele Quirke
    • Interview with Zack Argyle
    • Interview with Eve Koguce
    • Interview with Krystle Matar
    • Interview with HL Tinsley
    • Interview with T.L. Coughlin
    • Interview with Lucien Telford
    • Interview with Jacob Sannox
    • Interview with Tim Hardie
    • Interview with Natania Barron
    • Interview with Janny Wurts
    • Interview with E.G. Radcliff
    • Interview with Zamil Akhtar
    • Interview with Joy Demers
    • Interview with Shane Scott
    • Interview with Stephen Aryan
    • Interview with A.J. RETTGER
    • Interview with Clayton Synder
    • Interview with Daniel T Jackson
    • Interview with R.P.Lauer
    • Interview With Micheal R Fletcher
    • Interview with Branwen OShea
    • Interview With Tony Debajo
    • Interview with J.D.Evans
    • Interview with Sean Crow
    • Interview with A.J. CALVIN
    • Interview with Ben Galley
    • Interview With L.L.MacRae
    • Interview with Marian L. Thorpe
    • Interview with Virgina McClain
    • Interview with A.R. MIRABAL
    • Interview with M.L. Spencer