My Pick: 5 Fantasy Series Based on Books to Discover Beyond 'The Witcher'
Five worlds to dive into when the big franchises aren’t enough.
Fantasy on screen is a tricky, expensive beast. Pretty costumes and impressive CGI aren’t enough — you need a whole, living world that makes you want to return again and again.
We all know Game of Thrones and The Witcher. But I believe there are other adaptations out there that are just as enchanting — and sometimes even bolder. Here are five fantasy series based on books that deserve a place on your watchlist.
1. His Dark Materials (2019–2022)
BBC’s answer to The Golden Compass movie, based on Philip Pullman’s books. In this world, science, magic, and faith intertwine, and everyone has a dæmon — an animal embodiment of their soul. Lyra, a girl with a rare destiny, sets out to rescue stolen children and uncovers a conspiracy that could shake the universe.
2. Legend of the Seeker (2008–2010)
From Terry Goodkind’s Sword of Truth saga. Classic heroic fantasy: prophecies, ancient relics, battles with dark sorcerers. Yesterday Richard Cypher was an ordinary man; today he’s the Seeker of Truth, facing the evil Darken Rahl himself.
3.The Magicians (2015–2020)
Quentin enrolls at Brakebills University dreaming of the wonder from childhood stories. But magic here is dangerous, twisted, and bound to a world called Fillory, where good and evil trade places faster than you can master a spell.
4. Shadow and Bone (2021–2023)
A magical rift has split the nation of Ravka, and monsters swarm within it. Soldier Alina discovers a power that could seal this wound — but the brighter her light shines, the longer her shadow grows, and hunters are already on her trail.
5. The Watch (2020–2021)
In Ankh-Morpork, you can buy a license for theft — or murder. Keeping order falls to the Watch, a ragtag band of stubborn defenders. Based on Terry Pratchett’s books, it’s chaos with a capital C, and never dull.
