The GREATEST Book Series I've Ever Read (In My Entire Life)

Overview

The video is a ranking of the creator’s favorite book series of all time (“greatest” list), with quick explanations for why certain major classics are not included anymore—usually because their tastes shifted or they haven’t finished the series yet.

The host repeatedly invites viewers to argue in the comments, even teasing people who’ll ask about missing fandoms like Mistborn, Stormlight Archive, and Realm of the Elderlings.

Honorable mentions (what got bumped out)

• Harry Potter: Loved it for nostalgia, but the host says they now prefer “more epic and grand” stories and liked newer reads better.
• The First Law: Praised heavily for its gritty, cynical, bloody humor and subverted epic fantasy vibe—yet still not quite top tier anymore due to a “grimdark threshold.”
• Thomas Covenant: The Unbeliever: Big praise for its belief vs. unbelief theme and how it shaped grimdark characters, but the host hasn’t finished it yet—so it holds off the main list.

Main countdown highlights

#10 — The Warlord Chronicles (Bernard Cornwell)

• A gritty, historically grounded take on Arthurian legend in 5th-century Britain, blending politics and conflict with fading paganism vs. Christianity.
• The host loves Cornwell’s “majestic” prose and calls it fantasy-like despite being historical, praising the experience of reading it back-to-back and the satisfying wrap-up.
• Framed as Arthur as a real warlord figure, seen through the eyes of Dervville.

#9 — The Faithful and the Fallen (John Gwynne)

• Epic fantasy built around a prophecy-driven angel/demon conflict in the Banished Lands, following Corbin, a blacksmith who may (or may not) be the true “chosen” figure.
• The host emphasizes how Gwynne subverts familiar fantasy tropes (including the chosen one), featuring a multi-POV structure (they mention up to 14 POVs).
• Reaction: the first book “takes a bit to get used to,” but once things “burst” near 2/3 of the way, the series allegedly becomes nonstop momentum with no “slog.”

#8 — Dune (Frank Herbert)

• A sweeping sci-fi saga exploring politics, religion, ecology, and human evolution.
• The host highlights the central ideas: messianic figures and ecological control tied directly to power.
• Standout note: one of the later books includes a “horribly problematic” scene severe enough that they didn’t finish it—yet they still strongly recommend the series for its warnings, themes, and fusion of science fiction and fantasy.
• Praise centers on Herbert’s ability to get inside characters’ heads, and their take that nobody is truly “root-worthy.”

#7 — The Witcher (Andrzej Sapkowski)

• Called “dark fantasy” at the top tier for flipping fairy-tale tropes and moral expectations.
• The host loves the idea that humans are often the monsters and that mercenaries replace flawless heroes.
• Potential barrier: it’s a translation from Polish, which may lose nuance.
• Personal enthusiasm: they call Geralt their favorite literary/fictional character and recommend revisiting if modern fantasy has burned readers out.

#6 — Red Rising (Pierce Brown)

• A dystopian Mars saga with a color-coded caste system, following Darrow (the “Red” lowly miner) who infiltrates the ruling Golds after tragedy to spark revolution.
• The host emphasizes grim tone, extreme bloodshed, and moral conflict: the lies he’s lived by collapse as he learns the truth.
• Warning: don’t get attached to characters—they may die quickly.
• They mention Lightbringer isn’t owned (but has been read), supporting the claim that the series deserves hype.

#5 — A Song of Ice and Fire (George R. R. Martin)

• Praised for violent political power struggles for the Iron Throne and the growing supernatural threat in the north.
• The host says it reignited their fiction reading after time away from it.
• Strongest compliments: Martin’s character work and dialogue—each POV feels distinct, with clear convictions and emotions.
• Criticism: they argue Martin may have “rolled himself into a corner,” adding unnecessary POV/plot complexity and lamenting that it remains unfinished.
• Joke/plea: “give us the bloody manuscript,” referencing frustration with the lack of a completed ending.

#4 — Lonesome Dove (Larry McMurtry)

• A major pivot into western fiction; the host calls it one of the greatest American novel/series experiences.
• Plot: two aging Texas Rangers (Woodrow Call and Augustus McCrae) begin an illegal, dangerous cattle drive from the Texas/Mexico border up toward Montana.
• The reaction centers on consistent pacing, intensity, and quality across books—same “caliber” and grandeur throughout.
• Strong recommendation as a “worth it” series, with particular emphasis on loving the protagonists.

#3 — Sun Eater (Christopher Ruocchio)

• Space opera set 20,000 years in the future, told as a retrospective memoir.
• Protagonist: Adrien/“Hrien Marlo”, a disgraced nobleman turned legendary figure who ends a century-long interstellar war by destroying a son—moving from scholar to reluctant savior/destroyer.
• The host’s obsession: the series feels massively epic and increasingly grand with each installment, with heavy “cosmic influence.”
• Praise for prose: extremely well-read, quoting classic literature and philosophers, plus deep realism in worldbuilding.

#2 — The Dark Tower (Stephen King)

• Ranked just below #1: it blends western, fantasy, and sci-fi into one massive quest.
• Plot: Roland Deschain, the last gunslinger, searches for the Dark Tower across a dying world to prevent the destruction of reality.
• Highlight: King’s interconnected multiverse—this series acts as the “center” of his literary world, tying together characters, locations, and themes.
• The host is currently rereading and says it keeps revealing layers even after multiple reads.
• Held back only because #1 is viewed as the ultimate peak.

#1 and biggest emotional climax

#1 — The Lord of the Rings (J.R.R. Tolkien)

• The host’s favorite series of all time: first read in sixth grade, then revisited repeatedly and still feels fresh.
• Plot recap: Frodo Baggins must destroy the One Ring to stop Sauron, traveling with the Fellowship toward Mount Doom.
• The host’s tone becomes reverent and poetic, emphasizing Tolkien’s myth-making craft:
  • Tolkien builds his world using and reworking Celtic, Norse, language study, folklore, and myth into something uniquely his.
  • They call it “mythopoetic literature,” arguing it reshaped fantasy culture so deeply that later works either mimic it or react against it.
• Key reaction/joke moment: a brief slip where the host says “The Lord of the Rings by Stephen King” (then immediately corrects back to Tolkien), played off humorously before returning to near-sermon-like praise.

Notable recurring jokes / tone

• Frequent teasing: “you’ll be asking in the comments” about missing series.
• Self-aware corrections (e.g., name/order slips, “Stephen King” vs. “Tolkien” moment).
• Dark humor in recommendations: warnings not to get attached to characters (Red Rising) and frustration about unfinished stories (ASOIAF).
• A recurring theme of “nostalgia vs taste change,” especially with Harry Potter.

Personalities appearing

• Ian — the host/narrator of the countdown.