Books like Abhorsen
30 fantasy books to read after Abhorsen, by Nix, Garth, the closest match first.
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Abhorsen book 1 Start here
1. Sabriel
by Nix, Garth
- Same series
- Same author
Garth Nix's Sabriel is marketed to the young adult audience but easily appeals to a wider readership. Fantastic world-building paints both the realm of Ancelstierre, and The Old Kingdom, where...
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Abhorsen book 2
2. Lirael
by Nix, Garth
- Same series
- Same author
Who is Lirael? Lirael has never felt like a true daughter of the Clayr. Abandoned by her mother, ignorant of her father's identity, Lirael resembles no one else in her...
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3. Abhorsen Trilogy
by Nix, Garth
- Same series
- Same author
A dark epic fantasy tale about a girl who will go into the land of the dead to save her father. It's an exciting adventure that's also scary. Nix is...
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Abhorsen book 4
4. Clariel
by Nix, Garth
- Same series
- Same author
Award-winning author Garth Nix returns to the Old Kingdom with a thrilling prequel complete with dark magic, royalty, dangerous action, a strong heroine, and flawless world building. This epic fantasy...
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Abhorsen book 5
5. Goldenhand
by Nix, Garth
- Same series
- Same author
The long-awaited fifth installment in Garth Nix’s New York Times bestselling Old Kingdom series, for readers who enjoy series by Rae Carson, Kristin Cashore, Scott Westerfeld, and Cassandra Clare. Goldenhand...
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6. A Tale Of The Malazan Book Of The Fallen
by Erikson, Steven
- On the same lists
Starting this series is like being thrown into a tornado. Strapped to a cow. With a lightning rod attached to your head. It's chaotic and you'll find yourself confused but...
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7. The Nightrunners
by Lansdale, Joe R.
- On the same lists
Considering that fantasy gives authors the opportunity to create entirely new cultures, it's surprising that so few erase the negative aspects of our own society – sexism, racism, and homophobia...
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8. The Sandman
by Gaiman, Neil
- On the same lists
Neil Gaiman is Neil Gaiman. Picking which of his books should be on these lists is kind of like picking the best Queen song. They're (mostly) brilliant, so it comes...
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9. The Book Of Atrix Wolfe
by Mckillip, Patricia A.
- On the same lists
Patricia McKillip is one of the most eloquent fantasy writers in modern fantasy. She combines great characters with epic adventures to create books imbued with mystery. Why it's on this...
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10. The Dark Elf Trilogy
by Salvatore, R.a.
- On the same lists
A disclaimer: If you're not a Dungeons and Dragons aficionado and have read extensively within the genre, you might be tempted to avoid The Dark Elf Trilogy. This is because...
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11. 2003: The Facts Of Life
by Joyce, Graham
- On the same lists
The Facts of Life is set during and after World War II in Coventry, England. The novel begins with a young girl, Cassie, and her newborn baby, Frank. Cassie was...
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12. The Acts Of Caine
by Stover, Matthew Woodring
- On the same lists
The Acts of Caine is another series that takes traditional fantasy and turns it upside down. The books take us away from boring clichés and blends sci-fi, dystopia, and fantasy...
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13. Deverry Cycle
by Kerr, Katherine
- On the same lists
This series is an example of Celtic/Historical Fantasy and does a wonderful job bringing ancient Welsh culture to life.
Deverry Cycle is a twelve-book series, but don't panic, it's broken up into "cycles," so every four books or so you get a satisfying ending. The heavy Celt flavor is...
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14. The Sword Of Truth
by Goodkind, Terry
- On the same lists
Most would argue that this series gets worse with every addition. But Wizard's First Rule is good enough to get the series included on the list. It's probably more of...
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15. Accross The Wall
by Nix, Garth
- Same author
A collection of thirteen stories by Garth Nix, with the author's own introductions to each. It opens with "Nicholas Sayre and the Creature in the Case", a novella set in...
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The Old Kingdom book 4
16. Clariel: The Lost Abhorsen
by Nix, Garth
- Same author
The long-awaited fourth book in the New York Times bestselling Old Kingdom series by Garth Nix Award-winning author Garth Nix returns to the Old Kingdom with a thrilling prequel complete...
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The Keys To The Kingdom book 1 Start here
17. Mister Monday
by Nix, Garth
- Same author
Book one in a blockbuster series, The Keys to the Kingdom, by the internationally acclaimed Garth Nix. Moving between our familiar world and bizarre other realms where nothing is predictable,...
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The Death Gate Cycle book 1 Start here
18. Dragon Wing
by Weis, Margaret
- On the same lists
The Death Gate Cycle
The Death Gate Cycle has been praised endlessly for its world-building, so it’s no surprise that an incredible magic system backs it up. Humans are split into two races, the...
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Farseer book 1 Start here
19. Assassin's Apprentice
by Hobb, Robin
- On the same lists
Several sets of linked trilogies and short stories of high fantasy set in the same world.
How could a story about the apprentice of an assassin not be grimdark? It couldn't, that's how. This first entry sparked off three trilogies about the one protagonist, which contain...
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20. His Dark Materials
by Pullman, Philip
- On the same lists
A trilogy of young adult novels where science, theology, and magic are intertwined.
This series is challenging. Not because it's badly written or because there's a complex world to understand, but because it asks the reader to consider their beliefs and question everything...
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21. War Of Light And Shadow
by Wurts, Janny
- On the same lists
This series is epic in every sense of the word. It takes place over many generations, its world is complex and detailed and the quest at the heart of the...
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The Saga Of Recluce book 1 Start here
22. The Saga Of Recluce
by Jr., L. E. Modesitt
- On the same lists
The Saga of Reclucedescribes a constant war between order and chaos, and its magic system is a significant part of that. Where Order is present in the molecular bonds that...
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Ile-rien book 2
23. The Death Of The Necromancer
by Wells, Martha
- On the same lists
Martha Wells is best known for her Books of Raksura series, but this nebula nominated book is one of her best by far. Despite its publication in the late nineties,...
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A Song Of Ice And Fire book 1 Start here
24. A Game Of Thrones
by Martin, George R. R.
- On the same lists
Noble houses scheme for a throne while an ancient winter gathers in the north, the epic that made grimdark mainstream.
Because, duh, it was going to be on here somewhere. I almost feel as if it isn't worth writing an entry on this one, because everyone knows it so well,...
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25. Crown Of Stars
by Elliott, Kate
- On the same lists
If there's one thing that can be taken from our own history, it's that that watching monarchies fight for and over power is fascinating. As long as you don't get...
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26. Tigana
by Kay, Guy Gavriel
- On the same lists
Tigana is based on Renaissance Italy. Kay uses Italian politics to make the story seem plausible.
Tigana is both a sweeping epic and a look into human nature – flaws and all. The characters and plot exist in an area of grey where good and evil...
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The Dark Tower book 1 Start here
27. The Gunslinger
by King, Stephen
- On the same lists
Soon to be a major motion picture starring Matthew McConaughey and Idris Elba An impressive work of mythic magnitude that may turn out to be Stephen Kings greatest literary achievement...
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28. Good Omens
by Gaiman, Neil
- On the same lists
A sushi-loving angel, a gearhead demon and Death as a gamer nerd. Do we even need to be a plot?Why it's on this listSometimes fantasy (and its audience) takes itself...
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Memory, Sorrow, And Thorn book 1 Start here
29. Memory, Sorrow, And Thorn
by Williams, Tad
- On the same lists
Epic fantasy with attention to characters and details.
Tad Williams' series was the source of inspiration for many of the titles on the listand some outside of it. Authors like R.R. Martin, Patrick Rothfuss, and more all cite...
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Sevenwaters book 1 Start here
30. Daughter Of The Forest
by Marillier, Juliet
- On the same lists
This series follows several generations of a family who have a special relationship with the Otherworld and takes place mostly in ancient Ireland.
This intricate retelling of the Celtic Swans fairy tale takes an enchanting story and embellishes it with depth, believable backstory, ancient magic, and great characters. It is painfully dark, at...
Matches come from series and authors, from the lists the books share, and from the books readers open together. They are rebuilt every night. Back to Abhorsen.
The shortlist
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