Books like Hard Magic
30 fantasy books to read after Hard Magic, by Correia, Larry, the closest match first.
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The Grimnoir Chronicles book 2
1. Spellbound
by Correia, Larry
- Same series
- Same author
A professional magician and illusionist—the head magic consultant for the hit film Now You See Me—reveals how to bridge the gap between perception and reality to increase your powers of...
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The Grimnoir Chronicles book 3
2. Warbound
by Correia, Larry
- Same series
- Same author
New York Times and Wall Street Journal best-selling author. Gritty urban fantasy set in an alternate noir 1930s. A tough P.I. battles an interdimensional monster that wants to suck magic...
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Runelords book 1 Start here
3. The Runelords
by Farland, David
- On the same lists
David Farland’s Runelords series may be divisive in some regards, but his unique magic systemsare hard to deny. The concept of Endowments is by far the most interesting of the...
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Magic Ex Libris book 1 Start here
4. Libriomancer
by Hines, Jim C.
- On the same lists
Many feel a sense of wonder when they’re absorbed in a novel, but in Libromancerthis feelingtakes on a physical form. Mages are able to reach into works of fiction and...
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Dance Of The Rings book 1 Start here
5. Ring Of Lightning
by Fancher, Jane S.
- On the same lists
Though physical buildings often play their part in magic-based strategy games, they rarely make it into novels. An exception is Jane S. Fancher’s Ring Dancers series, where powerful leylines device...
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6. The Crooked Letter
by Williams, Sean
- On the same lists
Two young men on a trip to Europe, the twins Seth and Hadrian, are separated when Seth is murdered. His spirit is taken to a strange and hostile realm, while...
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7. The Books Of Change
by Williams, Sean
- On the same lists
Earth’s greatest feats of power come from nature, and this holds true in Sean Williams’ world. Magic in The Stone Mage and the Sea is stored in natural locations, built...
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8. The Magister Trilogy
by Friedman, C.s.
- On the same lists
Friedman has featured on this list already, but like all good world-builders, she has more than one idea floating around. The trilogy’s first book, Feast of Souls, ends up being...
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The Age Of Discovery book 1 Start here
9. Cartomancy
by Stackpole, Micheal A.
- On the same lists
They say it takes 10,000 hours to master a skill, but anything after that and you reach the point of diminishing returns. In Cartomancy, practice doesn’t just make perfect, it...
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10. The Horns Of Ruin
by Akers, Tim
- On the same lists
In Tim Akers’ world, the gods were once mortal. At face value, that doesn’t sound particularly interesting, but there’s a caveat. Gods become powerful by performing amazing feats, be it...
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11. Craft Sequence
by Gladstone, Max
- On the same lists
If a magic system was by alawyer, this would be it. That may sound like a boring concept, but Max Gladstone’s execution is far from it. In his urban fantasy...
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Magics book 1 Start here
12. Master Of The Five Magics
by Hardy, Lyndon
- On the same lists
With magic, it’s difficult to craft a system that’s both complex and interesting. Lydon Hardy is a master of that balance, his series inspiring Magic: The Gathering, The Name of...
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Mistborn book 1 Start here
13. Mistborn
by Sanderson, Brandon
- On the same lists
Brandon Sanderson is well-known for his magic systems, and Mistborn standshigh above the rest. In the Final Empire, ash falls from the sky, mist moves unnaturally through the night, and...
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14. Kingkiller Chronicle
by Rothfuss, Patrick
- On the same lists
The Kingkiller Chronicles has multiple magic systems, and the first won’t excite at first glance. As in The Wizard of Earthsea, certain magicians can create powerful magic by learning the...
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15. The Rithamatist
by Sanderson, Brandon
- On the same lists
The Rithmatist’s magic system has been likened to a real-time strategy game, if it incorporated chalk, and it was a life or death situation. Rithmastists use their magic to give...
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The Death Gate Cycle book 1 Start here
16. 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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17. Skullsworn
by Staveley, Brian
- On the same lists
Most magic systems have a single source. In Earthsea, it’s words, Mistborn has metals, and so on. With his worldseries, Stavely does things a little differently. Magic users, known as...
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Warbreaker book 1 Start here
18. Warbreaker
by Sanderson, Brandon
- On the same lists
Brandon Sanderson proves his expertise in magic once more with Warbreaker, a story of two princesses, separated and each trying to prevent a war. In theShardworld of Nathis, every individual...
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19. Sufficiently Advanced Magic
by Rowe, Andrew
- On the same lists
With his ambitious title, Andrew Rowe promises a complex magic system, and he delivers on it. Despite its status as a LitRPG, the book moves outside of traditional magic systems...
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20. The Lightbringer
by Weeks, Brent
- On the same lists
The Lightbringer series holds one of the best magic systems in fantasy, straight from the mind of Brent Weeks. It manages to be simple in concept, yet holds tons of...
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The Powder Mage book 1 Start here
21. Powder Mage
by Mcclellan, Brian
- On the same lists
Like many books on this list, The Powder Mage Cycle doesn’t contain just one magic system. However, the one synonymous with its name stands out the most, and it’s easy...
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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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23. The Stormlight Archive
by Sanderson, Brandon
- On the same lists
Understandably, some readers prefer series more epic in their nature, and Sanderson also has that covered. Though it’s magic systemsaren’t quite as compelling as in Mistborn, The Stormlight Archive is...
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Watch book 1 Start here
24. Night Watch
by Lukyanenko, Sergei
- On the same lists
The unusual Moscow setting of Night Watch is echoed by its magic system. Lukyanenko’s contemporary world is inhabited by both humans and ‘Others’, supernatural beings who can attune to Dark...
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Codex Alera book 1 Start here
25. Furies Of Calderon
by Butcher, Jim
- On the same lists
What happens to soldiers after the war is fought? This book tells the story of five veterans and some secrets too.
Most of theitems on this list made it thanks to their unique ideas. Instead, Codex Alera takes a system familiar to millions of children. While many authors claim inspiration from...
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The Wheel Of Time book 1 Start here
26. The Eye of the World
by Jordan, Robert
- On the same lists
One of the most definitive versions of classic epic fantasy -- especially the Fat Fantasy version of it.
The Wheel of Time is known for its extraordinary characterization and epic plot, but it also features some of the best elemental magic. It integrates classic and unique components, crafting...
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27. Malazan Book Of The Fallen
by Erikson, Steven
- On the same lists
A grand and epic series with a huge cast of characters with epic battles, sieges, mages, and carnage.
Steven Eriksen has been both lauded and criticized for his extreme detail, and that extends to his magic system. In Malazan, magic comes from warrens, a realm from which mages...
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28. 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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29. The Demon Cycle
by Brett, Peter V.
- On the same lists
At night, Peter V. Brett’s world changes. Demons rise from the planet’s core, infused with supernatural powers and with a hunger for human flesh.Constant bombardment has knocked humans back into...
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30. The Coldfire Trilogy
by Friedman, C.s.
- On the same lists
Influenced by Isaac Asimov, the magical force in these novels is derived from natural forces and governed by consistent rules, a force that humans must learn to control.
There are few things harder to control than emotion and this makes magic in The Cold Firetrilogy immensely difficult. The planet Erna is controlled by a force known as the...
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 Hard Magic.
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