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Picking a fantasy book series to start is an investment, so it's worth planning around one that can promise a strong ending. Due to the vast influence of Game of Thrones, the lateness of The Winds of Winter has become a common discussion among fantasy readers, leading many fans of the A Song of Ice & Fire books to turn elsewhere, looking for fantasy that has an ending. Fans of The Kingkiller Chronicle by Patrick Rothfuss will likely have a similar dilemma, as both reader bases have been waiting for the next volume since 2011.

Good fantasy endings can come in many different forms, be they happy and fulfilling, bittersweet, or downright depressing. Without spoiling what exactly happens in various books, it's worth mentioning the tone of these stories and how that reflects in the way they stick their landing. From Brandon Sanderson to Fonda Lee to R. F. Kuang, there are...

Warning! This article contains major spoilers for many popular fantasy book series!

One of the reasons I love reading fantasy books is because of how the magical worlds lend themselves so well to incorporating thrilling plot twists. While many of these narrative developments involve deaths or feature terrible tragedies for the characters, they make the stories interesting and compel the reader to stick with the series. The effectiveness of a plot twist depends on how well the author has foreshadowed the shocking turn of events without giving away the secret of what's coming. A plot twist shouldn't come out of nowhere, but the audience shouldn't be able to predict it too easily.

When done right, a plot twist is an incredibly satisfying and exciting addition to a fantasy story and is sometimes framed as a cliffhanger to encourage readers to pick up the next installment of the franchise. Many of...

The 2000s were a pivotal decade for the fantasy genre, with some books standing out in how they laid the foundation for much of what's popular today. It's impossible to discuss fantasy without mentioning J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings books and how they established a significant number of the commonplace ideas in the genre. Much of the 20th century saw fantasy books written as emulations of Tolkien's novels, as this was the perceived notion of the genre.

It wasn't until the latter decades of the 20th century that authors like Robert Jordan, George R.R. Martin, and more began to deliver works that questioned that notion. The gradual shift from their work to the best fantasy books of the past decade, including the works of Leigh Bardugo, Sarah J Maas, and R.F. Kuang, is fascinating to examine, and the exceptional fantasy books of the 2000s are crucial in that regard.

Lionsgate Television has optioned the R.F. Kuang novel “Yellowface” with plans to develop it as a scripted series, Variety has learned exclusively.

Karyn Kusama is onboard to direct and executive produce the potential series. Captivate Entertainment, known for the Jason Bourne film franchise, and Constance Wu and Justine Suzanne Jones of Tempo Wubato Productions are also set to produce, with Ben Smith of Captivate executive producing. Adam Docksey, vice president of development at Captivate, is helping to oversee the project for the company. No writer is currently attached.

The official logline states, “After watching friend and literary rival Athena Liu die in a freak accident, June Hayward steals the only copy of Athena’s just-finished masterpiece, passing off the experimental novel about Chinese laborers during WWI as her own. Newly styled as ‘Juniper Song,’ June rides high until the escalating consequences of her con threaten to crash down around her.

Enemies to lovers is one of the most popular young adult/new adult literary tropes of the modern age, with particular fantasy novels featuring enemies-to-lovers arcs emerging as the best. Books that perfectly blend romance and fantasy are among BookTok's favorite titles, typically featuring some stubborn and charismatic characters who give rise to the namesake's intense dynamic. At its core, enemies to lovers is about overcoming initial misunderstandings and prejudices to find a life-changing romance.

Readers also typically enjoy the mystery of an enemies-to-lovers story, with one or both characters having concealed motivations, giving the relationship a thrilling element. Most readers would also hate these fantasy book boyfriends in real life, demonstrating how the appeal of the trope lies in its fictionality. However, such romance novels are still among the BookTok books that deserve their hype when the charged emotions of hate and love are sometimes closely entwined essentially this book trope's bread and butter.

A lot of well-known fantasy fiction is inspired by Western Europe, but there are many great books that draw inspiration from elsewhere. Books like The Poppy War, Jade City, and Daughter of the Moon Goddess offer perspectives based on Eastern history and culture. These modern additions to the fantasy genre provide rich, detailed storytelling while incorporating elements of history and mythology into their world-building.

Many well-known fantasy narratives draw inspiration from Western Europe, but there are some truly great books that pull their settings and lore from other parts of the world. As a genre, fantasy can go almost anywhere it wants to but most authors use the real world to create their fictional ones. And because classics like J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia books are heavily inspired by Western Europe, many modern fantasy novels continue to utilize the landscape, politics,...

The best long fantasy book series may have planned or open-ended narratives. The Shadowhunters Chronicles and A Song of Ice and Fire are equally thrilling but distinguish how different stories evolve. Some fantasy series are not yet complete, like From Blood and Ash and The Bone Season, making now the perfect time to start reading.

Most lengthy fantasy book series are a significant commitment if one plans to read it all the way through, but many are completely worth the investment. Several highly anticipated fantasy book series coming out in 2024 demonstrate that the taste for epic sci-fi and fantasy sagas has endured. Very few series will reach the level of success of the biggest fantasy franchises that defined the genre. However, the slim odds of massive success have not stopped talented writers from creating riveting new worlds in which to tell extensive stories.

The best long-running fantasy novel series convey...

The Bright Sword subverts a common fantasy narrative, offering a more grounded approach to Arthurian legend. Lev Grossman's new fantasy book continues The Magicians trilogy's trend of taking a well-known story and upending expectations. The Bright Sword proves heroes aren't always valiant, humanizing legendary figures and emphasizing the impact of ordinary people.

Lev Grossman is best known for writing The Magicians trilogy, but the author has a new fantasy book hitting shelves and The Bright Sword continues a great trend from his earlier series. The Bright Sword is one of the most-anticipated fantasy books of July 2024, and given Grossman's impressive track record, the excitement surrounding this release isn't surprising. Although The Bright Sword is a standalone fantasy story rather than a series, it weaves a compelling narrative that will keep readers invested in its fictional world and complex cast of characters.

A reimagining of Arthurian legend, The Bright Sword...

Older and recent young adult fantasy series differ due to cultural and political influences, impacting tropes and structure. If written today, famous YA fantasy series like Percy Jackson and Twilight would reflect modern society. Key adjustments may include changing magic systems, the age of characters, and narrative devices to match current trends.

Some lengthy fantasy book series that are worth reading which are also categorized as young adult would be completely different if they were written today. YA novels, like any example of pop culture, are influenced by the cultural and political landscape of the time in which they are written. In the realm of fantasy and sci-fi, it is usually possible to discern what topics were of concern and what tropes were most popular at the time while reading. It also provides an interesting conversation to imagine how the book would differ if it were written 10, 20, or 50 years later.

To stand out in the thriller genre, a book must deliver a jaw-dropping twist that keeps readers hooked till the end. Skilled authors like Agatha Christie and William Diehl expertly manipulate reader expectations to deliver shocking and satisfying twists. From psychological thrillers to crime dramas, these captivating novels use intense suspense and endless twists to keep readers on edge.

There's nothing more frustrating than a thriller book that leaves readers disappointed with its final twist, but that only makes the stories that get it right stand out all the more. Mysteries, psychological thrillers, unsettling crime dramas, and more have been a key feature of fiction for centuries, going back to James Fenimore Cooper's The Spy in 1821. Of course, the longer this genre has been popular, the harder it is to take avid readers by surprise.

Standard thriller tropes can be a double-edged sword, and so often, a book falls...

Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn series introduces magic with clear rules and characters with unique abilities. R. F. Kuang's Babel features linguistic magic and impeccable world-building in what is currently a standalone story. Cassandra Clare's Shadowhunters series combines supernatural beings with established and broken rules in a well-structured world.

A strong magic system is a key part of any successful fantasy book series. However, some lengthy fantasy book series worth committing to demonstrate more unique magic systems than others. Book series such as these involve magic systems that are often dependent upon a certain gimmick that, out of context, is incredibly strange. However, the author builds a complex system and world around that idea and captures readers with a riveting story about magic. In most examples, the measure of an effective magic system is that it comprises hard rules that are not contradicted.

However, authors have been known to...

In recent years, the fantasy genre has fallen into place with some of pop cultures most beloved genre, rivaling novels, shows, and movies from beloved categories such as mystery and romance. Though popular shows such as The Vampire Diaries and Game of Thrones played a major part in popularizing the genre, fantasy also captures countless fans in novel form.

Though adapting novels into movies and TV shows is controversial among book lovers, despite it being a great way to introduce the stories to a wider audience. Some of the best fantasy novels, from icons like Brandon Sanderson to modern bestsellers like John Gwynne, have magical worlds and fascinating characters that would make extraordinary additions to the fantasy TV show genre.

Related: 10 Fantasy Books Deserve The Hogwarts Legacy Treatment

The Shadow of the Gods John Gwynne

The Shadow of the Gods is the first novel in John Gwynne's Bloodsworn Trilogy. The...