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8 Fantasy Book Series With the Most Masterful World-Building
One of the reasons why fantasy books enjoy such a dedicated audience is the way they create intriguing worlds that readers can escape to. Whether the approach is meticulous and highly detailed or intentionally simple yet effective, this act of creating imaginative worlds is one of the hallmarks of great fantasy. But while all fantasy books aspire to some degree of inventive world-building, only a handful have truly succeeded at this endeavor.
These are the books that truly engage with the fundamental building blocks of their worlds, expertly drawing readers in and keeping them engaged for years and years. Again, sometimes this takes the form of painstaking detail; other times it’s not about the details but about their effectiveness; either way, the result is a series you can’t help but devour. With that in mind, here’s our handpicked selection of fantasy book series that have truly masterful world-building.
1
Discworld (1983–2015)
Created and primarily written by English author Terry Pratchett, Discworld is a fantasy comedy series comprising novels, graphic novels, short stories, and related works, all connected by the titular setting. Discworld (the planet) is a magical flat world balanced on the backs of four elephants, in turn standing on the back of a giant turtle. The novel series includes a whopping 41 books, beginning with 1983’s The Colour of Magic. Pratchett also wrote 11 short stories within the series.
A brilliant satire of classic fantasy, science fiction, folklore, and contemporary culture, Discworld is widely regarded as one of the greatest fantasy comedy series of all time. The books masterfully use their wit to illustrate deeper truths about the real world, and also to bring out the absurdities of human existence through their mocking, self-aware tone. Over the course of their publication, the Discworld books became regular bestsellers and garnered several accolades, including the Prometheus Award and the Carnegie Medal.
2
The Lord of the Rings (1954–1955)
J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings is arguably the most influential piece of 20th-century fantasy literature. A sequel to Tolkien’s The Hobbit and part of the greater Middle-earth legendarium, The Lord of the Rings unfolds a single epic story divided into three volumes: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King. The plot follows young hobbit Frodo Baggins, who embarks on a quest to destroy the One Ring, an artifact tied to the power of the Dark Lord Sauron.
Textually, The Lord of the Rings is a masterpiece of high fantasy literature that paints a beautiful (and exhaustively detailed) tapestry of numerous characters, settings, and motifs. But metatextually, the appendices at the end of the third book are where you see Tolkien’s full mastery of world-building. Painstakingly crafting entire languages, cultures, and histories, these notes are what transform the already-epic story into a full-fledged world that fans have returned to over and over for generations.
3
Mistborn (2006–Present)
Written by Brandon Sanderson, the Mistborn series is a collection of dark fantasy novels organized into four eras, beginning with the trilogy, Mistborn: Era One. Each era takes on a new genre: fantasy in the first and detective fiction in the second, with the forthcoming third and fourth eras reportedly exploring the early computer age and a space opera setting, respectively. Era One revolves around a secret group of Allomancers — individuals who wield magical powers by consuming certain metals, following their attempts to overthrow a dystopian empire.
Among fantasy authors, Brandon Sanderson is particularly renowned for his intensive world-building, and this is most famously seen in the meticulously designed magic system at the heart of the Mistborn novels. All the books in the series that have been released so far have earned high acclaim from critics and readers, and they’re pretty much the gold standard for modern fantasy. Mistborn has also expanded beyond its literary roots to include audiobooks, video games, and board games, with multiple screen adaptations currently in development at Apple TV.
4
The Earthsea Cycle (1968–2001)
Written by Ursula K. Le Guin, The Earthsea Cycle is a classic high fantasy series that explores a magical world of sea and islands. Consisting of five novels and a short story collection, the series begins with a young and impulsive mage named Ged whose recklessness unleashes an evil shadow into the world. From there, the story expands to include several characters from across its world, growing into a truly epic saga.
The Earthsea Cycle is notable within the fantasy genre for several reasons, from its foundational take on the magical academy setting to its use of deep philosophical themes and Taoist motifs. Breaking from the contemporary tradition of setting fantasy stories in worlds that are essentially medieval Europe, Earthsea presents a racially and culturally diverse setting that lives and breathes on its own, without drawing from real-life parallels. The result is one of the most fascinating and memorable fantasy worlds of all time, and The Earthsea Cycle remains a true landmark of the genre.
5
A Song of Ice and Fire (1996–Present)
Created by George R. R. Martin, A Song of Ice and Fire is a high fantasy novel series that depicts a violent world torn apart by civil war, beginning with the first and most recognizable book, A Game of Thrones. The epic saga follows several interconnected plotlines set within the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros and its neighboring continent, Essos, including a brutal war of succession, an exiled princess coming into her power, and the return of magic and supernatural threats from beyond a giant wall of ice. Five books of the series have been released so far, with two more in the works, and it’s also inspired several spin-offs.
While A Song of Ice and Fire is often hailed as a 21st-century counterpart of Tolkien’s work, Martin’s fantasy saga differentiates itself through its political and historical realism. The real masterstroke lies in the fact that, despite the dragons and wights and other magical forces, the story is ultimately a reimagining of the historical War of the Roses, using historical facts and references to illustrate its world. The series became a household name with the release of its phenomenal HBO adaptation, as well as the greater TV franchise that it has since inspired.
6
Broken Earth Trilogy (2015–2017)
Written by N. K. Jemisin, the Broken Earth Trilogy is a collection of science fantasy novels that begins with 2015’s The Fifth Season. The trilogy is set on a planet with a single supercontinent called the Stillness, which experiences a catastrophic “fifth season of climate change every few centuries.” The books also feature individuals called Orogenes, who have the power to cause geological upheaval by manipulating energies.
The Broken Earth Trilogy is a unique entry on this list in that, while its world feels like one of fantasy, the underlying architecture is pure science fiction. With powerful socio-political themes, fascinating characters, and a highly original use of the unreliable narrator trope, the books are easily among the greatest novels of the 21st century. Every book in the series has won a Hugo Award for Best Novel, making Jemisin the first African-American writer to win in that category, the first to win three years in a row, and the first to win for all books in a trilogy.
7
The Craft Sequence (2012–2017)
Written by Max Gladstone, The Craft Sequence is a series of urban fantasy novels that’s set in a universe where gods and magic are real, but unlike anything you’ve seen before. The series utilizes a magic system called the Craft, which bases magic on laws and contracts, equating magicians to lawyers. The series begins with 2012’s Three Parts Dead, which follows Craftswomen Tara Abernathy and Elayne Kavarian as they deal with the unexpected death of the fire god Kos, uncovering a complex conspiracy in the process.
Critically acclaimed and popular with readers, The Craft Sequence is easily one of the most exciting fantasy series of recent decades, bringing both excellent worldbuilding and entertaining humor to its proceedings. The magic system at its heart is both original and intriguing, with effects and consequences that are truly wild. Additionally, each of the six books in the sequence is a standalone story that can be read in any order, making it an accessible read for newcomers. Since 2023, Gladstone has also been writing a second series set in the same universe titled The Craft Wars.
8
The Wheel of Time (1990–2013)
A series of high fantasy novels that draws inspiration from both European and Asian mythologies, The Wheel of Time was written primarily by Robert Jordan, with Brandon Sanderson as co-author of the final three installments. Set in the magical World of the Wheel, the series explores the cyclical history of its world and its people, primarily revolving around the prophesied reincarnation of a being with the power to destroy the world or save it. Though it was originally planned as a trilogy, the series includes 14 books, a prequel novel, and three companion books.
One of the bestselling fantasy book series since The Lord of the Rings, The Wheel of Time is an acclaimed favorite of critics and readers alike that has earned high praise for its detailed world, interesting magic system, and massive cast. Taking inspiration from Buddhist, Taoist, Hindu, and Zoroastrian philosophies, the series crafts a truly unique and engaging world that far exceeds all expectations. The books have, in turn, inspired comic book adaptations, a collectible card game, a video game, a roleplaying game, and a soundtrack album, not to mention an acclaimed Prime Video series adaptation starring Rosamund Pike.
- Release Date
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2021 – 2025-00-00
- Network
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Prime Video
- Showrunner
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Rafe Judkins
- Directors
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Sanaa Hamri, Ciaran Donnelly, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Thomas Napper, Maja Vrvilo, Wayne Che Yip
- Writers
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Amanda Kate Shuman, Dave Hill, Rohit Kumar, Justine Juel Gillmer, Celine Song, Rammy Park, The Clarksons Twins, Katherine B. McKenna
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