Top 10 Fantasy/Sci-Fi Book/Audiobook Series

In the genres of sci-fi and fantasy, both inundated with superficial attempts at characterization and worldbuilding and generally lacking depth, I find it increasingly difficult to hit on series I find truly enjoyable.  I thought I'd start a top ten list to see what others have hit on and maybe finding something new to "read" (mostly listen to audiobooks these days).  Let's see if this goes anywhere.

1.  The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson - books & audiobooks - excellent characters, world building, Matt Cauthon is simply the best character ever.  Books 7-11 really drag though and feel like those could have been condensed into 2-3 books.

2.  The Traitor Son Cycle by Miles Cameron - audiobooks - a recent discovery I made last year and have already listened to it 4 times.  Best description is it's King Arthur meets the Witcher.  Another series with excellent characters and world building.

3.  Old Man's War series by John Scalzi - books & audiobooks - a very simple read/listen but with depth, excellent humor, and has the greatest hook of any book I've ever read.

4.  The Witcher series by Andrzej Sapkowski - audiobooks - I actually avoided this series for the longest time assuming it was in the vein of the old Dragonlance books...boy, was I wrong.  Really good characters and world building.  I particularly liked how the first to books take a series of short stories to tell a larger one and set the stage for the subsequent books.

5.  Dune Series by Frank Herbert - books & audiobooks - One of the series I devoured when I was younger and influenced me as a whole.  Considering this series is pushing 60 years old and stood up to the test of time tells you much.

6.  The Broken Earth series by N.K. Jemisen - audiobooks - I jumped into this series because each of the 3 books won the Hugo Award (best scifi/fantasy) in consecutive years.  I may be a bit biased on this one 'cause I'm a bit of a geology geek of which the author builds the entire lore around (brilliantly).  Either she shares my passion or she did a ridiculous amount of research to write this series.

7.  Hyperion Series by Dan Simmons - books - more brilliant lore building and interesting characters.  The Shrike is the best, most terrifying enemy.

8.  Red Rising series by Pierce Brown - audiobooks - This is hard sci-fi and if you like themes like classism and revolution you will definitely appreciate this series.

9.  *Kingkiller Chronicle by Patrick Rothfuss - audiobooks

10. Gentleman Bastards by Scott Lynch - Locke Lamora is one of the truly great scoundrels in storytelling.  I've listen through the 3 books in the series...awaiting book 4. 


*series unfinished