While most bucket list items require at least a trip out your front door, some of the best ones ask for nothing more than a comfortable chair, a cup of tea, a purring cat, and a book. Not everyone thinks of reading as a bucket list activity, but plenty of readers consider finishing the “greats” an accomplishment worth doing before you “kick the bucket.”
Lists of Books to Read Before You Die are everywhere, compiled by literary authorities, publishers, or critics. The argument for reading them is solid: classics can enrich your life through timeless themes, enduring wisdom, and universal insights into the human condition. They can expand your vocabulary, sharpen your writing, and deepen your appreciation for culture and history. Sometimes, one book really does shift your perspective forever.
And yet, I don’t always agree with these lists. It’s not that the classics aren’t worthy, it’s just that… well… many of them are boring. There, I said it and I shan’t take it back! I’m a fantasy and science fiction reader at heart. Outside a few exceptions, books outside those genres are of little interest to me. Oh, do not mistake me for an uneducated plebian. I’ve read my share of “required” classics (even in German, no less), but some really do go on. Did I really need to know that much about the Parisian sewer system, Victor? I appreciate the symbolism, but I nodded off halfway through. Perhaps, it’s my ADHD mind which just wanders off when things don’t spark my intrigue.
That doesn’t mean I don’t have a reading bucket list outside my “To Be Read Pile”, which we aren’t discussing. They will be read, when they are read! I digress.
My Reading Bucket List simply reflects my love for fantasy and science fiction, the genres that spark my imagination most. A few years ago, I stumbled upon a “Top 20 Fantasy Series of All Time” list, not compiled by critics, but by a survey of BookTube influencers. Yes, it’s biased toward modern titles (and leans millennial/Gen Z), but I liked the idea of readers (not industry insiders) deciding which stories deserved a place on the list. (We won’t get into all the politics behind what books get placed on those classic lists, we’d be here all day with me ranting.)
To my delight, I had already read about half. The rest became my summer project in 2022. Armed with my library card and Kindle, I sampled each new series, reading at least the first book to see if it hooked me. Some didn’t, but then not every book will be my cup of tea. Others were revelations, hidden gems I never would have found without the list. They were witty, profound, beautifully written, and layered with history, culture, and insight, even while transporting me to other worlds. While none of them were life-changing, they certainly sparked introspection and reflection, opened up ideas, and at times challenged my ways of thinking.
If you’ve struggled through traditional “must-read” lists and found yourself uninspired, maybe it’s time to look at fantasy. Between epic sagas and modern masterpieces, there’s a wealth of stories waiting to change the way you think, or at least keep you delightfully entertained. The list below is a great place to start. You’ll find household names alongside underappreciated treasures, each with the potential to expand your reading horizons.
Suggested Top 20 Fantasy Series to Read Before You Die
Rank 19 (3 series)
- Ash and Sand — Richard Nell
- The Dandelion Dynasty — Ken Liu
- The Earthsea Cycle — Ursula K. Le Guin
Rank 17 (2 series)
- Harry Potter — J.K. Rowling
- The Kingkiller Chronicle — Patrick Rothfuss (warning this series is unfinished and has been for over 10 years)
Rank 15 (2 series)
- The Books of Babel — Josiah Bancroft
- The Broken Earth Trilogy — N.K. Jemisin
Rank 14
- Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn — Tad Williams
Rank 13
- The Green Bone Saga — Fonda Lee
Rank 11 (2 series)
- The Poppy War Trilogy — R.F. Kuang
- Gentleman Bastard — Scott Lynch (also an unfinished series, my recommendation is you read the first as a stand alone as it does give a satisfying ending)
Rank 10
- The Greatcoats — Sebastien de Castell
Rank 9
- Discworld — Terry Pratchett
Rank 8
- Malazan — Steven Erikson & Ian Esslemont,
Rank 7
- The Realm of the Elderlings — Robin Hobb
Rank 5 (2 series)
- A Song of Ice and Fire — George R.R. Martin (Also unfinished, but feel like you all should know this by now)
- The First Law Universe — Joe Abercrombie
Rank 4
- The Wheel of Time — Robert Jordan
Rank 3
- The Banished Lands — John Gwynne
Rank 2
- Middle-earth — J.R.R. Tolkien
Rank 1
- The Cosmere — Brandon Sanderson
Final Thought
Reading bucket lists don’t need to be confined to dusty classics or daunting tomes. If fantasy and sci-fi are what light you up, then let those genres guide your journey. After all, books are more than assignments, they’re invitations into new worlds. And what better way to spend your limited time than wandering through worlds filled with wonder?
Budget Bliss: Bucket List 