Best Fantasy Series Last 10 Years (2026): 5 Picks Compared

A reader finishes one fantasy series and wants the next world to fall into. Some want a new arc to grow with; others want a finished set to binge. This guide compares the best fantasy series last 10 years, from middle-grade adventures to epic boxed sets, on age range, format and publisher.

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The picks

#	Product	Shelf Score	Buy
1	Warriors: Changing Skies	9.8/10	Buy on Amazon
2	Last Kids: Forbidden Fortress	9.8/10	Buy on Amazon
3	Endling #1: The Last	9.8/10	Buy on Amazon
4	Book of Maladies Boxset	9.6/10	Buy on Amazon
5	The Last Kids on Earth by Brallier	9.6/10	Buy on Amazon

1

Warriors: Changing Skies

Erin Hunter·9.8/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

Book 1 of the new Warriors: Changing Skies arc, 288 pages for ages 8-12.

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Pros

• New arc, book 1 of 5
• Ages 8-12, grades 3-7
• 288 pages

Cons

• 2026 publication
• No warranty stated
• First book of a 5-book arc

2

Last Kids: Forbidden Fortress

Max Brallier·9.8/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

The eighth book in the Last Kids on Earth series, 368 pages for ages 8-12.

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Pros

• 8th book, series momentum
• Ages 8-12, grades 3-7
• 368 pages

Cons

• Mid-series entry
• 2022 publication
• No warranty stated

3

Endling #1: The Last

Katherine Applegate·9.8/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

Byx the dairne may be the last of her kind in this 416-page middle-grade fantasy, book 1 of 3.

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Pros

• 416 pages, the longest here
• Book 1 of 3, start of the trilogy
• Reading age 9 to 11 years

Cons

• Middle grade, not adult science fiction
• 2019 publication
• Fantasy more than science fiction

4

Book of Maladies Boxset

D.K. Holmberg·9.6/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

An epic fantasy boxed set with the first three Book of Maladies volumes.

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Pros

• 3 books in one set
• Epic fantasy
• Boxed set format

Cons

• No reading age stated
• 2020 publication
• No warranty stated

5

The Last Kids on Earth by Brallier

Max Brallier·9.6/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A boy in a monster apocalypse builds a team of friends to take on a fearsome monster; suits readers who like humorous adventure.

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Pros

• Text and black-and-white illustrations across 256 pages
• A team of friends and a quest against monsters suit readers who like humor
• Book 1 of 10 gives a new reader a clear place to start

Cons

• The series runs to Book 10, so a reader who finishes this one will want more
• Reading age is marked as from customers, not stated by the publisher
• The description sets the story in a monster apocalypse with zombies, so preview it for a sensitive reader

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Compare the picks

Specifications are manufacturer rated as listed, collected 22 October 2026.

How we scored them

The Shelf Score weighs series position, age fit, value and recency. The Warriors launch leads as a new arc; the Last Kids eighth book leads on series momentum; Endling leads as an Applegate starter. How we pick explains the weights.

Scores run from 9.2 to 9.8: each book’s point total is placed on that range, so more points always means a higher score. Reading age or level counts on a list where at least one listing gives one, and a book whose listing gives none then scores zero on it. Where no listing gives one, the score is taken over the other 85 points. Books carry no warranty, so warranty is not scored.

How to choose the best fantasy series last 10 years

Age range

Three list ages 8-12 and grades 3-7; the Maladies set and Last Kids 1 state no age. Match the age to the reader.

Format

The Maladies is a 3-book boxed set; the others are single books. A set suits binge reading; a single suits trying a series. See the fantasy books shelf for more.

Series position

Warriors and Endling are book 1; Last Kids: Forbidden Fortress is book 8; Last Kids on Earth is the series starter. Start at book 1 for a new reader; jump in at book 8 only for a fan of the series.

Match the reader

Ages 8-12 suit the Warriors, Last Kids and Endling picks; the Maladies set suits epic fantasy fans. Pick the world that matches the reader’s shelf, not the longest series.

Before you buy

• Three of the five list ages 8-12.
• Warriors is book 1 of a 5-book arc.
• Last Kids: Forbidden Fortress is the 8th book.
• The Maladies set holds books 1-3.
• The Endling listing names Katherine Applegate as author.
• None of the five states a warranty.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is best for ages 8-12?

Warriors, Last Kids and Endling list ages 8-12.

Which is a complete set?

The Maladies boxset holds books 1-3.

Which starts a new series?

Warriors: Changing Skies is book 1 of a new arc.

Which is the 8th book?

Last Kids: Forbidden Fortress.

Which is best for epic fantasy fans?

The Book of Maladies boxset.

Still deciding? Our top pickWarriors: Changing Skies

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Related guides

See every fantasy books guide and the fantasy books in the last 5 years list.

More lists: fantasy series for 10 year olds and modern fantasy series.