The best fantasy novel series, according to hackers
11 fantasy novel series were recommended on Hacker News between November 2025 and November 2026. We rank them by how many separate people recommend each one, and 4 earn the Hacker Approved badge.
Top picks
The three most recommended fantasy novel series with the badge. Each figure is 2 people. RecommendsCriticizes One comment
Sharp satire of society and tropes
Loved for sharp satire, warm flawed characters and witty prose. Critics find the moralizing hamfisted and some books ponderous.
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Gets kids reading and read aloud
Recommended for its world-building, storytelling and its power to get children reading; critics point to weak prose and the author's controversial views.
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The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan
20 recommend, 10 criticize, 67% approval
Ranked 3 of 11 by recommenders
Excellent, classic epic fantasy
Epic fantasy series that people call a classic and enjoy reading; the most common caveat is slow pacing and padding in later books.
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We may earn a commission. It never changes the order.
All 11 fantasy novel series, ranked
Select a column heading to sort. Approval share is recommenders out of everyone who gave an opinion; the tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs. Months counts the months, out of 13, in which someone recommended it.
| Rank | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Discworldby Terry Pratchett | 33 | 4 | 89% | 10 | — | Approved |
| 2 | Harry Potterby J. K. Rowling | 28 | 7 | 80% | 9 | 1 yr4 owners | Approved |
| 3 | The Wheel of Timeby Robert Jordan and Harriet McDougal and Alan Romanczuk and Maria Simons | 20 | 10 | 67% | 8 | — | Approved |
| 4 | The Stormlight Archiveby Brandon Sanderson | 12 | 1 | 92% | 6 | — | Approved |
| 5 | Malazan Book of the Fallenby Steven Erikson | 7 | 0 | 100% | 3 | — | — |
| Tied 6 | A Song of Ice and Fireby George R. R. Martin | 5 | 4 | 56% | 4 | — | — |
| Tied 6 | The Dark Towerby Stephen King | 5 | 0 | 100% | 4 | — | — |
| Tied 6 | Tiffany Achingby Terry Pratchett | 5 | 0 | 100% | 2 | — | — |
| 9 | The Dresden Filesby Jim Butcher | 4 | 0 | 100% | 3 | — | — |
| Tied 10 | Riftwar Sagaby Raymond E. Feist | 3 | 0 | 100% | 2 | — | — |
| Tied 10 | The Broken Earth Trilogyby N. K. Jemisin | 3 | 0 | 100% | 1 | — | — |
How we rank
Rank is the number of separate people who recommend a product in a Hacker News comment over the past year. Someone who praises the same fantasy novel series in five threads counts once.
The badge goes to fantasy novel series that at least 10 people recommend, with recommenders outnumbering critics at least 2 to 1, recommended in at least 4 of the 13 months.
Rankings are never for sale. We may earn a commission when you buy through our links. It never changes the order.