Most Underrated Fantasy series

[Zackery Arbela]

Let us not forget the Videsso series by Harry Turtledove. Think Byzantine Empire with magic.

[StephenLivingston]

Zackery you should try the Wraeththu books there's nothing offensive in them.
Best wishes, Stephen Livingston.

[purplepen79]

Totally second the Chronicles of Amber recs.  Love the main character Corwin's ironic, world-weary voice as he navigates the twisted intrigues and backstabbing of his unnaturally gifted royal family.  Also The Once and Future King is an excellent read.

I recommend Jan Siegel's Prospero's Children, which is the first book in a trilogy that deals with the lost city of Atlantis and witches.  The prologue is worth reading if nothing else, one of the best, most chilling descriptions of a mermaid I've ever read.

Couldn't find the first book of this series on Amazon (The Snow Queen), so here's a link to the third book (a pretty visual of one of Michael Whelan's beautiful covers):

The first book, The Snow Queen, is an odd fantasy/sci fi hybrid that retells the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale by the same title.  A couple of the character portrayals were a little problematic for me, but overall a very good, entertaining read, including a deft handling of space politics and an interesting use of cloning.

[flipside]

I'm just surprised at the Thomas Covenant and Chronicles of Amber series because as far as genre history is concerned, they're often cited and far from underrated. Thomas Covenant, for example, was an important series post-Tolkien as it along with Terry Brooks's Shannara series catered to the adult fantasy market and began what would be the glut of Tolkien and trilogy derivatives. Chronicles of Amber is now collected (either just the Corwin arc or including the Merlin arc). If you mention the name Roger Zelazny, the two titles that come to mind are his Amber series and Lord of Light.

Now the Barry Hughart novels--those are underrated (to the point that Hughart won't be writing any more novels in the series). In fact, it's a bit difficult to acquire the second and third books, and thankfully Subterranean Press reprinted all three volumes in one book.

One underrates series for me is Terry Brooks's Knight of the Word series. It didn't really do well, definitely not as popular as his Shannara series, and was actually one of the earlier urban fantasy novels before the noir detective sub-genre became associated with the term.

Right now, I think the Pathfinder Chronicles novels (from Paizo Publishing) are underrated. It's a wonderful D&D-esque series (without falling into the trap of telling your gaming group's RPG session) with various talented writers penning the books.

There's also Jeff VanderMeer's Ambergris series. The series tends to get critical acclaim, but not so much when it comes to mainstream fan popularity.

[Zackery Arbela]

Totally second the Chronicles of Amber recs.  Love the main character Corwin's ironic, world-weary voice as he navigates the twisted intrigues and backstabbing of his unnaturally gifted royal family.  Also The Once and Future King is an excellent read.

I recommend Jan Siegel's Prospero's Children, which is the first book in a trilogy that deals with the lost city of Atlantis and witches.  The prologue is worth reading if nothing else, one of the best, most chilling descriptions of a mermaid I've ever read.

Couldn't find the first book of this series on Amazon (The Snow Queen), so here's a link to the third book (a pretty visual of one of Michael Whelan's beautiful covers):

The first book, The Snow Queen, is an odd fantasy/sci fi hybrid that retells the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale by the same title.  A couple of the character portrayals were a little problematic for me, but overall a very good, entertaining read, including a deft handling of space politics and an interesting use of cloning.

Joan Vinge...I haven'r read her since high school. Anyone remember another book she wrote called Psion? Not strictly fantasy, but it did skit the edges,

Also, consider Margaret Weis's The Star of the Guardians. First time anywhere I came across the term "Science Fantasy."

[Matt Larkin]

Jennifer Fallon's Hytrun Chronicles.


Great pacing. Read Wolfblade in, I think two sittings.

[sandrasstories]

Shadowmarch by Tad Williams is a great fantasy read. Although I doubt Game of Thrones can be compared to LotR. I could barely manage to get through a few chapters of GoT because of all the sexual scenes. That really turns me away from novels, especially when none of it needs to happen to make the book better. I think it would be fine without it. And it's a shame, because the plot seemed to be good.

Also, I heard The Sword of Truth series was a good read too. I've only read the first book in the series, but I really liked it.

[BTackitt]

Looks like I win. No one here seems to have heard of Randall Garrett's Gandalara Cycle/River Wall series either.. ergo=most underrated. unfortunately it is NOT kindled..

And no ASINs for them so I can't get the link-maker to work.
Book 1
http://www.amazon.com/Gandalara-Cycle-I-Randall-Garrett/dp/0553259423/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1328566569&sr=1-1
Book 2
http://www.amazon.com/Gandalara-Cycle-II-Randall-Garrett/dp/0553259431/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1328566569&sr=1-2
And Book 3
http://www.amazon.com/River-Magnificent-Conclusion-Gandalara-Cycle/dp/0553255657/ref=pd_vtp_b_1

I have worn out 2 copies of each book. I would LOVE it if they were Kindled... sigh..

[Zackery Arbela]

Shadowmarch by Tad Williams is a great fantasy read. Although I doubt Game of Thrones can be compared to LotR. I could barely manage to get through a few chapters of GoT because of all the sexual scenes. That really turns me away from novels, especially when none of it needs to happen to make the book better. I think it would be fine without it. And it's a shame, because the plot seemed to be good.

Also, I heard The Sword of Truth series was a good read too. I've only read the first book in the series, but I really liked it.

Terry Goodkind is one of those authors who tends to polarize. You either love him or your hate him...usually depending on whether or not you agree with his politics. The later books in the series are influenced by the ideas of Ayn Rand.

Also, the Legend of the Seeker series didn't help.

[Andrew Warwick]

Legend of the Seeker is probably better than the books.  At least it strips out the anvilicious political preaching.

[Phyllis Lily Jules]

This is where I usually throw in--

"THE CHRONICLES OF THOMAS COVENANT THE UNBELIEVER" by Stephen R. Donaldson

1.  Lord Foul's Bane (1977)
2.  The Illearth War (1978)
3.  The Power that Preserves (1979)

--though I'm not sure they're exactly "undiscovered".  What I do know is, outside of the internet, I know very few people who have actually read them.  A couple other observations:

- I realize this trilogy is not universally loved.  I've already read some pretty disparaging remarks right here on the KindleBoards.  Many people have a strong adverse reaction to a scene early in Book I that dooms the remainder of the story for them.  I am not one of these people.  While I agree with you that Tolkien reigns supreme, Donaldson is one of the few fantasy writers I've read who "could give the Old Master a run for his money" (I have yet to read George R.R. Martin, but look forward to doing so when his saga is complete).  No, Donaldson is no Tolkien.  But he has a facility with prose that many fantasy writers don't possess, their talents seemingly honed more to meticulous imitation of the genre.  The "Covenant" trilogy is somewhat dark, perhaps even grayer than most, but at least Donaldson knows how to put together a sentence.

- That said, the second chronicles of Thomas Covenant (the sequel trilogy) were an Epic Fail.

Anyway, when it comes to Thomas Covenant, I myself sometimes feel alone in "The Land", isolated atop "Kevin's Watch"...

...surrounded by unbelievers.

Todd

Not alone, no. I was so taken with Donaldson's trilogy. The leprosy issue was amazing, and has stuck with me ever since. It was a series unlike any other. My heart was with Thomas Covenant, no doubt about it. I was also equally taken with Tolkien's series. Those were the days...

[bxs122]

Piers Anthony's Xanth Series.

[R. M. Reed]

I don't even remember "that scene" in Thomas Covenant. I did read it shortly after it was published, which was a long time ago.

Someone mentioned Tad Williams. If you want something a little different try Otherland. It's science fiction but people enter all sorts of mythological and literary worlds via a vast virtual reality system.

[purplepen79]

Joan Vinge...I haven'r read her since high school. Anyone remember another book she wrote called Psion? Not strictly fantasy, but it did skit the edges,

Also, consider Margaret Weis's The Star of the Guardians. First time anywhere I came across the term "Science Fantasy."

Psion (Cat) is the Joan Vinge you mentioned.  There are also two more in that particular series called Catspaw and Dreamfall.  Those are next on my list to check out.  Because of this discussion, I started rereading The Snow Queen and will likely reread World's End, which falls between The Snow Queen and The Summer Queen and is, IMO, Joan Vinge's most haunting book--poor BZ Gundhalinu, disgraced and cut off from the woman he loves, wanders into the desert on a mission and goes mad.  There's a really neat plot point involving a ship's hyperdrive--just beautifully done. 

[Zackery Arbela]

I don't even remember "that scene" in Thomas Covenant. I did read it shortly after it was published, which was a long time ago.

Someone mentioned Tad Williams. If you want something a little different try Otherland. It's science fiction but people enter all sorts of mythological and literary worlds via a vast virtual reality system.

I always thought that Tad Williams should have sued for copyright infringement when Sucker Punch came out....

Here's an obscure reference...Judith Tarr's in the Halls of the Mountain King. One of those series no one ever thinks about anymore.

Or try Stephen Lawheads Arthurian series....

[Joseph_Evans]

Joe Abercrombie's series that starts with The Blade Itself is great. Very grim, but darkly humorous.

[Zackery Arbela]

Joe Abercrombie's series that starts with The Blade Itself is great. Very grim, but darkly humorous.

Wouldn't consider it all that obscure...he's listed right up there with Steve Erikson, R. Scott Bakker and GRRM when it comes to "gritty" fantasy....

[KMA]

And it is something of a tear jerker as well.  Admittedly I was going through a bit of a rough period when I first red it, but I'm not ashamed to say that for large portions of the last book and a half it left me in tears.

Me, too. I was in high school and totally wept through The Darkest Road.

On a far more cheerful note: Pamela Dean. Her Secret Country trilogy is beautifully constructed and captures the feeling of being an imaginative child perfectly.

[KMA]

Psion (Cat) is the Joan Vinge you mentioned.  There are also two more in that particular series called Catspaw and Dreamfall.  Those are next on my list to check out.  Because of this discussion, I started rereading The Snow Queen and will likely reread World's End, which falls between The Snow Queen and The Summer Queen and is, IMO, Joan Vinge's most haunting book--poor BZ Gundhalinu, disgraced and cut off from the woman he loves, wanders into the desert on a mission and goes mad.  There's a really neat plot point involving a ship's hyperdrive--just beautifully done. 

Oh, I loved those! I still have my hardcovers of World's End and Summer Queen.

[Zackery Arbela]

here' s something to consider...Robert Jordan (may he rest in peace) wrote several conan the barbarian novels, back before he hit it big with the WHeel of Time. To my mind they're some of the entries in the series since REH himself...definitely get the atmosphere of Hyborian down to the smallest detail.