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I've been thinking about what it means to be a successful Epic Fantasy author.

Requirements:

  • Must have finished the Epic (not sure what to do about Robert Jordan).
  • Standard of quality across all books.

Does publishing schedule come into it? I'm not sure. Tolkien had a pretty relaxed thing going on.

Note: Finishing the Epic rules out a few in my mind. Especially GRRM, JVJones, Jim Butcher (you probably have a different list). These are all successful (esp. Jim Butcher in "standard of quality" terms), but they haven't finished the story yet.

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Vote to close. This seems more like a reading related question, not a writing one. – Ralph Gallagher Feb 10 '11 at 2:22
could you please modify this question such that instead of just being about reading, you make it about your own writing in some way? – justkt Feb 10 '11 at 13:25
Oh! My apologies. Entirely correct. – Stu Andrews Feb 11 '11 at 1:46
This is a list question in its current form. Woud vote to close if I could. – neilfein Sep 23 '11 at 4:32
@kitukwfyer Unshelved Answers closed down as of April 19, 2011. – Ashley Nunn Sep 26 '11 at 4:01
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migrated from writers.stackexchange.com Sep 22 '11 at 23:47

2 Answers

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David Eddings has completed two five book epics (the Belgariad and the Malloreon) and two trilogies (the Elenium and the Tamuli). The Belgariad was of a consistent standard, although the Malloreon was basically a retread of the first series. I haven't read his other works.

Stephen Donaldson has also completed two trilogies: The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant and The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. He hasn't finished the Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant yet, though. I greatly disliked them myself, although I know many others who think they're great.

I would also put in a word for Michael Scott Rohan, whose Winter of the World trilogy is rather good.

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Good call. I really felt like I'd achieved epic-ness myself reading through Donaldson's Covenant books. Like going through the ringer. – Stu Andrews Feb 10 '11 at 10:00
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Melanie Rawn has two excellent trilogies, Dragon Prince and Dragon Star. They are related, rather like Eddings's two pentologies.

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