Series I Think Are Positioned to Be Big in 2026
Had a Great TBR in 2025. A Month Into 2026, Here’s What Feels Big This Year.
2025 ended up being a solid reading year. A lot of long series, a lot of time spent deep in worlds. Now that we’re about a month into 2026, a few series already feel like they’re going to have a strong year.
1. Dungeon Crawler Carl
Still everywhere, for good reason. New readers keep finding it, and people who started it last year are still moving through the series. It continues to be one of those easy recommendations when someone asks what to read next.
2. 1% Lifesteal
This one feels like it’s lining up for a strong year. Readers who like clear systems and progression that carries weight tend to stick with it and recommend it after finishing. It doesn’t rely on hype, but it keeps showing up when people talk about series that are worth committing to.
3. The Legend of William Oh
This one has been getting a lot of attention from readers who like long-form progression and Tower-style worlds. It’s a big commitment at around a thousand pages, but people who start it tend to stick with it. The mix of myth-building, steady power growth, and a central figure that feels larger than life makes it easy to see why it keeps coming up in recommendation threads.
4. Restarting the Apocalypse
is currently on book three, with somewhere between eight and twenty books planned. I’m a pantser, so I don’t usually know exactly where a series will end, but so far this one has been really well received. Readers seem to be enjoying the long books, the tactical focus, and the way progression builds over time instead of resetting.
👉 Read on Amazon | Listen on Audible
5. The Ten Realms
The Ten Realms originally launched on January 14, 2022 and has since grown into a complete twelve-book series. Recently, the first book was picked up by a traditional publisher, opening the door to a new phase for the series.
New covers are rolling out, and the series is expanding into big-box retailers including Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Target, and Walmart. There are also additional announcements coming VERY SOON - so stay tuned.
Volume one of The Ten Realms is currently available for preorder and will be released on May 12.
👉 Preorder at Barnes & Noble:
http://barnesandnoble.com/w/the-the-ten-realms-vol-1-michael-chatfield/1149305075?ean=9781638493495
Closing Thoughts
Early in the year, I usually get a sense of which series I think are going to have a good run. These are the ones that feel lined up for a strong 2026. We’ll see how it plays out.
Join the Discussion
What’s already standing out for you this year?
Are you starting new series or finishing ones you carried over from 2025?