Ending a story is no easy feat, but there are some greatfantasyseries that stick the landing with a final book that’s 10/10. When it comes to writing a series, it can be difficult to maintain a strong momentum all the way through. This is even true forfantasy stories that begin with a standout first novel, as near-perfect introductions can set high expectations for what comes next. These can be hard to live up to. And the more books that follow, the more challenging it is to deliver a conclusion that ties everything together well.
Satisfying endings need to answer all the questions raised throughout the story — or have good reasons not to — and they need to give the series' biggest plots and characters satisfying send-offs. When a final book fails to do this, it can alter a series' legacy, changing the way readers view everything that came before. Fortunately, most final books fall somewhere in the middle; they don’t totally ruin the series or reach perfection. However,there are a few incredible fantasy series that boast 10/10 last books, and they’re worth picking up for that reason alone.
8The Lord Of The Rings By J.R.R. Tolkien
Final Book: The Return Of The King
All threeLord of the Ringsnovels are pretty much perfect, andThe Return of the Kingends J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy story on a high note. The third and final installment seesthe One Ring destroyed at last, and it finds Tolkien’s heroes triumphing over the darkness plaguing Middle-earth. While such hopeful endings aren’t always what fantasy readers are looking for, this one suitsThe Lord of the Ringswell. And the fact that Frodo doesn’t voluntarily part with the One Ring in the end adds a layer of realism to Tolkien’s finale, which is a nice touch.
In that sense,The Return of the Kingstrikes the ideal balance between leaving readers on a positive and hopeful note and continuing to highlight the very real evil that Middle-earth’s heroes must grapple with again and again.The Return of the Kinghas everything you could want from a final book: epic action, world-changing stakes, and emotional beats that will leave readers thinking about the series' characters long after they’ve finished it. There’s a reason Tolkien’sfantasy series is considered a masterpieceand a classic.
7Mistborn Era 1 By Brandon Sanderson
Final Book: The Hero Of Ages
MistbornEra 1 is anotherfantasy series where every book is a 10/10, and that includes the final installment,The Hero of Ages.Brandon Sanderson’s 2008 conclusion successfully raises the stakes of his story once more, following Vin, Elend, and the remainder of their crew as they save Scadrial — this time, from a powerful god dubbed Ruin.Sanderson upping the stakes allowsThe Hero of Agesto feel like a proper finale, packed full of action and losses that will leave readers reeling.
In typical Sanderson fashion,The Hero of AgescontinuesMistborn’s habit of delivering impressive twists.
In typical Sanderson fashion,The Hero of AgescontinuesMistborn’s habit of delivering impressive twists. In fact, the identity of the titular hero is one of the best revelations in the series, and that’s saying something afterThe Final Empire’s Lord Ruler reveal andThe Well of Ascension’s plot twists.The Hero of Agescontains everything that makes Sanderson’s firstMistbornseries great, and it gives Vin and the other characters a satisfying send-off. Plus,it cements the series as one of the best additions to the fantasy genre.
6The Mortal Instruments By Cassandra Clare
Final Book: City Of Heavenly Fire
The Mortal Instrumentsis a bit of a mixed bag, with some books proving much stronger than others. But there’s no denying thatCassandra Clare’s firstShadowhuntersseriesends on a high note, withCity of Heavenly Firepacking an emotional punch on every single read. Despite the two installments beforehand creating a lull in the series,City of Heavenly Firedoesn’t let up on the action, emotional beats, and twists. For a book that’s over 700 pages long, that’s an impressive feat.
City of Heavenly Firedoesn’t just bring the events of the previous fivebooks inThe Mortal Instrumentsseriestogether in a meaningful way, either. It also manages to connect Clare’s original story toThe Infernal Devices,all while setting the stage forThe Dark Artifices.It accomplishes a lot during its run, and it still expands Jace and Clary’s narrative one last time. It delivers on the romance, and it features plenty of action and suspense. The ending is also a tearjerker, with Clare nailing the final chapters of the story. It’s worth pushing through prior books for.
5The Six Of Crows Duology By Leigh Bardugo
Final Book: Crooked Kingdom
Leigh Bardugo’sSix of Crowsduology consists of only two books, and both of them are easily 10/10 reads. WhileSix of Crowsis a bit stronger structurally,Crooked Kingdomis a solid follow-up that leaves little to complain about. The 2016 sequel ties up all the loose ends from the previous book, revealing what becomes of Bardugo’s gang of misfits after the Ice Court heist.Crooked Kingdombuilds on the group’s bonds in really interesting ways, and the character development is a highlight of the second and final novel.
In addition toCrooked Kingdom’s incredible character moments, the sequel has action and thrills on par with its predecessor.
In addition toCrooked Kingdom’s incredible character moments, the sequel has action and thrills on par with its predecessor, even though it doesn’t have the same heist setup. It feels similar, though, which works to the novel’s benefit.Crooked Kingdomalso boasts some of the best quotes in Bardugo’s Grishaverse, one of the most tragic losses of her fantasy saga, and plenty of entertaining banter. It builds on book one’s strengths and leaves an impression that’s nearly as good.
4The First Law Trilogy By Joe Abercrombie
Final Book: Last Argument Of Kings
Joe Abercrombie’sFirst Lawtrilogy is one of thebest grimdark fantasy seriesout there, and it just gets better as it continues. Given how impressiveThe Blade ItselfandBefore They Are Hangedare,it goes without saying, then, thatLast Argument of Kingsis a 10/10 read. Perhaps it’s because readers are fully attached to Abercrombie’s deeply flawed cast of characters by the time they reach book three, but the emotional heights ofLast Argument of Kingsare unmatched.
Last Argument of Kingsdoesn’t pull its punchesas it brings Abercrombie’s trilogy to a close. And even after two books following these characters, readers will still find themselves shocked by where things go — a testament to Abercrombie’s knack for upending expectations. The finalFirst Lawbook has everything from fascinating characterization to action and brutal twists, and it makes for a satisfying ending to the series.
3The Broken Earth Trilogy By N.K. Jemisin
Final Book: The Stone Sky
N.K. Jemisin’sBroken Earthtrilogy tells a compelling and unique fantasy story all the way through, andThe Stone Skysticks the landing as the final book. One of the biggest strengths of Jemisin’s series is its ability to tackle relevant and difficult topics through its fantasy narrative, commenting on real-world issues as it does.The Stone Skydoes the story’s themes justice with its striking ending, which is simultaneously tragic and hopeful.
The Stone Skyfeatures more of Jemisin’s stunning prose, along with some truly emotional losses that will stick with readers.
The Stone Skyfeatures more of Jemisin’s stunning prose, along with some truly emotional losses that will stick with readers. The final book in a fantasy series won’t always leave such a strong impression, even when it’s a near-perfect read. However,The Stone Skyis one that’s sure to leave its mark. It cementsThe Broken Earthas one of the most impressive modern fantasy stories.
2Percy Jackson & The Olympians By Rick Riordan
Final Book: The Last Olympian
There’s a reasonPercy Jackson & the Olympiansremains one of the most popular children’s fantasy books after all these years, andit’s because Rick Riordan’s series doesn’t falter at the finish line.The Last Olympianconcludes the originalPercy Jacksonseries, and it’s probably the best book of the bunch. Not only does the finale see Percy coming into his own as a hero, but he does so in the midst of an Earth-shattering conflict with Kronos and the Titans. There’s action, there’s loss, and there’s plenty of suspense as Riordan closes out the narrative.
Rick Riordan has written two newPercy Jackson & the Olympiansbooks focused on Percy trying to get into college:The Chalice of the GodsandWrath of the Triple Goddess.
The Last Olympiansuccessfully delivers on the promises of the previous four books, revealing how Percy’s prophecy is meant to play out and giving the most prominent characters the fates their arcs have been building to. Nothing in the finalPercy Jacksonbook feels unearned, and the high-stakes conflict coming to a head proves the perfect way to end this story — even if Riordan expands on it in other series and spinoffs.
1The Stormlight Archive Arc 1 By Brandon Sanderson
Final Book: Wind And Truth
Not many authors manage to write a fantasy series where every book is 10/10, butBrandon Sanderson is responsible for twosuch additions to the genre.MistbornEra 1 is the first, butThe Stormlight ArchiveArc 1 is just as impressive in its execution.Wind and Truthcemented its legacy when it hit shelves in December 2024, as the conclusion to Arc 1 is almost flawless. The fifthStormlight Archivebook manages to bring together all its storylines and characters in a satisfying way, an impressive accomplishment given the complexity of Sanderson’s series.
In addition to wrapping upThe Stormlight Archive’s first arc with action and stunning emotional beats,Wind and Truthalso builds excitement for later additions to the Cosmere. After reading it, Sanderson fans will be eager to get their hands onMistbornEra 3 andThe Stormlight ArchiveArc 2. It’s a good sign when such a massivefantasyseries leaves readers wanting more, and that’s absolutely the case with this one.
