The Fantasy Review’s list of 11 Completed Fantasy Book Series to Read in 2025.
#1 – The Stormlight Archive (Arc 1) by Brandon Sanderson
Brandon Sanderson’s The Stormlight Archive might be a planned 10-book series, but the whole story is two arcs. The first of which, is books 1-5, which are all out now.
Stormlight is epic fantasy for people who love the old, classic fantasy style you get with The Wheel of Time or Tolkien, but told in a modern voice with some twists on those classic tropes.
Oh, and the books are 1000+ pages each, so you get to dive deep into this world.
Check out my review of The Way of Kings, book 1 in The Stormlight Archive.
#2 – The Riyria Revelations by Michael J. Sullivan
I read The Riyria Revelations by Michael J. Sullivan in 2024 and got completely addicted to that series. It starts off with a typical rouge-ish cast and some classic fantasy tropes, but it quickly turns into one of the best fantasy series of all time.
These books are easy to read with characters you will absolutely fall in love with. Another bonus is there are several spin-off book series, some taking place decades before the events of Revelations and others 100s or 1000s of years.
Check out my review of Theft of Swords, book 1 in The Riyria Revelations.
#3 – Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson
Going in a different direction, here is the most difficult fantasy series in the world, but it is absolutely worth the time and effort you put into it. If you are looking for a challenging completed fantasy series to start in 2025, dive into Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson.
If you want a series with plenty of books, there are 10 massive tomes in Book of the Fallen, and this series is one of several written by Steven Erikson and the world’s co-creator, Ian C. Esslemont. You definitely won’t run out of things to read in the near future with these books!
Check out my review of Gardens of the Moon, book 1 of Malazan Book of the Fallen.
#4 – The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan
Talking of long, completed fantasy series The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan is perfect for those of you looking for thousands of hours of reading in one fantastical world. This series is much easier to read than Malazan, but has the massive, in-depth world, colossal cast of characters, etc, you’re looking for.
There are fourteen books in the main series (completed by Brandon Sanderson) and one prequel novel. Also, another benefit of starting The Wheel of Time is there is an ongoing TV adaptation of the series over on Amazon, so you get to see the characters brought to life on the screen.
Check out my review of The Eye of the World, book 1 in The Wheel of Time.
#5 – Age of the Five by Trudi Canavan
Turning away from massively long series, Age of the Five by Trudi Canavan is a completed fantasy series of just three books, but they pack a punch. These are the adult fantasy books that catapulted me into the genre as a whole after I’d had enough of kid’s fantasy.
With a fascinating look into religion, colonisation, and an awesome magic system, Age of the Five is the perfect fantasy series to start in 2025.
#6 – The Five Warrior Angels by Brian Lee Durfee
Arguably the most underrated epic fantasy series of all time, I highly recommend The Five Warrior Angels by Brian Lee Durfee. These books are badass. If they were a person they would be one of the bikers in Sons of Anarchy.
Influenced by the likes of Malazan and The Wheel of Time, fans of those series will adore this trilogy of massive tomes.
Check out my review of The Forgetting Moon, book 1 in The Five Warrior Angels.
#7 – The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
This is an obvious pick, but many people who love the movies have never read the books. I was in that camp myself for quite a while because I just couldn’t get into the writing style of the books – it is just so different to more modern books I’d been reading.
However, I listened to the audiobooks read by Andy Serkis and suddenly the books became as addictive and magical as the movies were when I first watched them. So, however you want to read them, you should definitely read The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien!
#8 – The Bloodsworn Saga by John Gwynne
The Bloodsworn Saga by John Gwynne is one of the most recently completed fantasy series on this list and is well worth diving into now that the final book of the trilogy has been released.
This is a series based on vikings and norse mythology, set in a fantasy world with badass characters and an intriguing world.
#9 – Empire of the Wolf by Richard Swan
If you’re looking for something with a little more political intrigue and a little less massive battles and magical beasties, Empire of the Wolf is worth starting in 2025. Dive into some fantasy law drama with the looming threat of rebellion and war making for some very tense, atmospheric storytelling.
#10 – The Erland Saga by R.S. Moule
If you have read all the series on this list of completed fantasy series to start in 2025, I can almost guarantee that you haven’t read The Erland Saga and you will absolutely love it.
These books read like George R.R. Martin, John Gwynne, etc, are perfect for epic fantasy fans who want something new and fresh, while leaning on a lot of those classic fantasy tropes we love.
#11 – Codex Alera by Jim Butcher
Finally, check out Codex Alera by Jim Butcher. The author sells it as Pokemon meets ancient Rome and that’s exactly what you get. This premise is brought to life through some amazing characters and intense plotting that will propel you through the six books in the series.
