This week’s Top Ten Tuesday (hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl) is about our favorite series, especially those series that are consistently good throughout. These are all series of at least three books (no duologies) and while I haven’t completed all these series, I’ve read most of them. I’m not great at finishing long series, but that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy them. I just rarely focus on any one author at a time so it takes me a while.
I didn’t include children’s series because I’d want to include so many. It’s a mix of mystery, science fiction, fantasy, and history. I hope you’ll be inspired to check one of these out.
- Outlander by Diana Gabaldon: I’ll admit I’ve fallen off this one a bit, maybe because the show gets so much attention and maybe because the books are just so long. But I’ll go back to Jamie and Claire one of these days!
- Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin: A long-time favorite of mine, Maupin is still adding to this series about a group of friends who meet in San Francisco in the 70’s. Maupin began writing this as a serial and it’s a fantastic look at the 70’s and onward.
- Mercy Thompson by Patricia Briggs: This is the one urban fantasy series I recommend over and over again. I just love the characters so much. This series is getting a little long in the tooth, but I really enjoy re-reading the earlier stories.
- Planetfall by Emma Newman: If you’re looking for excellent science fiction with a bit of mystery thrown in, I can’t recommend this series highly enough.
- The Brown Sisters by Talia Hibbert: One of my favorite romance trilogies, these are funny and snarky and full of heart. They are on the “spicy” side, which I enjoy, but won’t be for everyone.
- The Kopp Sisters by Amy Stewart: This series about one of the first female deputy sheriff in 1914 is based on real people and events. I love the humor and the relationship among the sisters.
- The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells: This is a series of mostly novellas, about a high-powered robot who’s able to think and act independently. Great for anyone who likes books about neurodiverse characters.
- Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes by Laurie R. King: In this series, Sherlock Holmes meets young Mary Russell and the two form a friendship and begin solving mysteries together. I love the characters, the complex stories and the historical setting.
- The Bear and the Nightingale (Winternight) by Katherine Arden: This trilogy is based on Russian folklore. Arden is a fantastic writer and I loved the story.
- A League of Extraordinary Women by Evie Dunmore: This is a fantastic series of historical romances set in the time of women’s suffrage in England, and it addresses other legal/historical matters as well like the Women’s Property Act. Great historical detail and very romantic to boot.
- Dublin Murder Squad Series by Tana French: These are complex, very dark mysteries, and I like the way this series has recurring characters but each book is told from a different point of view. I’ve read five in the series so far, and I think my favorite has been Faithful Place.
- The Expanse by James S.A. Corey: I’ve read 6 of the 9 books and watched the whole TV series. There’s also a lot of novellas. This is the series for anyone who likes deep world-building and a long story arc.
And just to add a few more: Naomi Novik’s Temeraire series, Anne Perry’s William Monk series, and the Silo trilogy by Hugh Howey. Have you read any of these? What are some of your favorite series?
