Books like City Of Stairs
30 fantasy books to read after City Of Stairs, by Bennett, Robert Jackson, the closest match first.
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The Divine Cities book 2
1. City Of Blades
by Bennett, Robert Jackson
- Same series
- Same author
2014's City of Stairs was a remarkable read and was widely regarded by many critics as one of the best, if not the best, novel of 2014. Robert Jackson Bennett...
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2. The Tainted Cup
by Bennett, Robert Jackson
- Same author
In the mansion of a rich family in the city of Daretana, a high-ranking imperial official has died with a tree sprouting from his body. Ana Dolabra, a brilliant and...
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3. A Trade of Blood
by Bennett, Robert Jackson
- Same author
The heir to a powerful family sits in jail, accused of murder. Unless the detective Ana Dolabra can clear him, a farming canton could erupt into war, and the case...
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4. A Drop of Corruption
by Bennett, Robert Jackson
- Same author
In Yarrowdale, a canton at the very edge of the Empire's reach, a Treasury officer has vanished from a locked room, and five days later part of his remains turn...
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Under Heaven book 1 Start here
5. Under Heaven
by Kay, Guy Gavriel
- On the same lists
An alternate ancient china told with the majesty of one of fantasy's best wordsmiths.
On paper, this is the perfect setup for a grand fantasy novel: Guy Gavriel Kay (Tigana, The Fionavar Tapestry, Lions of Al-Rassan) applies his considerable literary talent to crafting an...
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6. City Of Stairs
by Bennett, Robert Jackson
- Same author
A phenomenal novel that you just donât want to finish made even better on the strength of an outstanding audiobook performance by Alma Cuervo. The novel starts off slow, but...
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7. City Of Miracles
by Bennett, Robert Jackson
- Same author
Another new entry by an author who's book won our best award a couple years ago, starring our favorite character, Sigrud je Harkvaldsson, stoic warrior, exiled prince, and merciless killer...
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8. The Troupe
by Bennett, Robert Jackson
- Same author
Vaudeville: mad, mercenary, dreamy, and absurd, a world of clashing cultures and ferocious showmanship and wickedly delightful deceptions. But sixteen-year-old pianist George Carole has joined vaudeville for one reason only:...
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9. City Of Miracles
by Bennett, Robert Jackson
- Same author
Revenge. It’s something Sigrud je Harkvaldsson is very, very good at. Maybe the only thing. So when he learns that his oldest friend and ally, former Prime Minister Shara Komayd,...
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10. The Night Circus
by Morgenstern, Erin
- On the same lists
There are two types of fantasy readers. Those who feast on action-packed epic struggles for kingdoms, glory, and maybe to save the world from certain destruction from inimical forces. And...
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11. Chronicle Of The Unhewn Throne
by Staveley, Brian
- On the same lists
The emperor is dead and the empire in turmoil. With these dark scenes, Stavely’s series opens, and things don’t let up from there. A son and heir, Valyn is training...
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12. Lord Of The Rings
by Tolkien, J.r.r.
- On the same lists
Do I even need to discuss it? The father of modern fantasy, the recreation of the English myth, an apex of English literature; Lord of the Rings is more than...
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13. Assassin's Apprentice
by Hobb, Robin
- On the same lists
Hobb is one of the best characterization writers in the Fantasy genre. Her characters are vividly real, leaping out of the pages into our minds as living characters. She has...
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14. Fafhrd And The Gray Mouser
by Leiber, Fritz
- On the same lists
Often referred to as 'the greatest fantasy author you've never read' by some. And sadly true.But if you've read any modern sword and sorcery with dark themes, complex characters, strong...
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15. Legend
by Gemmell, David
- On the same lists
The first of the Drenai Saga introduces readers to Druss, a legendary hero who awaits death and can kick your cushy behind.
If you like stories about grand heroes who stand up for the downtrodden, who fight for a righteous cause, then Legend is a shining beacon of this sort of fantasy....
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16. The Way Of Kings
by Sanderson, Brandon
- On the same lists
The Stormlight Archive has for better or worse become the poster-boy for where (classic) epic fantasy is going. It's the evolution of the Tolkien-style fantasy -- a fantasy that was...
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American Gods book 1 Start here
17. American Gods (2003)
by Gaiman, Neil
- On the same lists
An ambitious and award-winning novel that is, at its simplest, a road story, but it is also a complex story of old gods and new, of folklore, of past selves, of culture and belief.
American Gods by Neil Gaiman won the 2003 Nebula Award for Best Novel. "American Gods" is a novel written by Neil Gaiman, first published in 2001. The story follows the character...
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18. Broken Empire / Red Queens War
by Lawrence, Mark
- On the same lists
The first in The Broken Empire series, this gritty and violent novel focuses on a single character, who is an anti-hero, with a very dark past.
Mark Lawrence doesn’t use an abundance of technical explanations and diagrams, but that doesn’t make his magic system any less interesting. In fact, it lets him focus on his astonishing...
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Bobby Dollar book 3
19. Sleeping Late For Judgment Day
by Williams, Tad
- On the same lists
Tad Williams has been doing some good stuff in the Urban fantasy subgenre the past couple years. His Bobby Dollar novels are a refreshing addition to the genre and a...
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A Raven Shadow book 2
20. Tower Lord
by Ryan, Anthony
- On the same lists
A huge disappointment. Doing everything wrong that The Bone Song did right. The Tower Lord wasn't a bad book by any means and I'm sure many of you will still...
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21. Magician's Land
by Grossman, Lev
- On the same lists
When The Magicians (the first in the trilogy) was released a few years ago, it received wide critical acclaim from magazines, newspapers and high-brow critics, but was (somewhat) panned by...
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22. The Golem And The Jinni
by Wecker, Helene
- On the same lists
This is one of the more non-traditional fantasy, literary picks on this list, but don't be scared off: The Genie and the Golem is one of the most heart-warming, touching...
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The Crescent Moon Kingdoms book 1 Start here
23. Throne Of The Crescent Moon
by Ahmed, Saladin
- On the same lists
This debut novel promises a good start to a new series. The novel is an example of the Sword and Sorcery kind of swashbuckling action.
Adventure fantasy that's unlike anything you've read before. Take the setting and wonder and magic of The Arabian Nights, mix in the modern fantasy traditions, and bake it with some...
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Reckoners book 1 Start here
24. Steelheart
by Sanderson, Brandon
- On the same lists
While Sanderson excels at writing âepicâ fantasy, Steelheartwas a pleasant surprise. Sanderson takes on the âsuperheroâ fantasy genre andwrites a uniquely compelling tale about a band of ordinary humans whospecialize...
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25. Nos4a2
by Hill, Joe
- On the same lists
A child's imagination becomes a weapon in Joe Hill's chilling tale of a car that carries children away to Christmasland.
In the tradition of Steven King, the spiritual father to Joe Hill's style of horror, NOS4A2 is a novel about the tricky space of growing up and the uncanny shit...
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26. The Waking Engine
by Edison, David
- On the same lists
One of those books that takes you with the sheer imagination of it all. If you want something different that blends together a number of genres (though if I had...
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The Farseer Books book 14
27. Fool's Assassin
by Hobb, Robin
- On the same lists
This is one of those books you didn't know you needed until you actually start reading it. Kind of like that old friend you don't realize how much you really...
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Golgotha book 2
28. The Shotgun Arcana
by Belcher, R. S.
- On the same lists
The first book, Six Gun Tarot, was an impressive debut fantasy and a must read if you like an ambitiously dark novel that pushes the boundaries. It's wasn't an interesting...
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29. The Shadow Throne
by Wexler, Django
- On the same lists
This was a pretty good follow up to his amazing first The Thousand Names which set a new standard for colonial military fantasy. It was a compelling read and had...
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The Magicians book 1 Start here
30. The Magicians
by Grossman, Lev
- On the same lists
A prequel novel about a high school senior who is admitted to a school for gifted children, for a magical education in upstate New York. A typical quest story that turns dark. Things are not black and white in this world and the characters are psychologically rich.
School fantasy is often aimed at children, and it's very successful at hitting that market. It's much harder to appeal exclusively to adults, and that's where The Magicians shines. Rather...
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 City Of Stairs.
The shortlist
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