Books like The Black Company
25 fantasy books to read after The Black Company, by Cook, Glen, the closest match first.
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1. Works By Clark Ashton Smith
by Smith, Clark Ashton
- On the same lists
This author, together with Robert Howard and HP Lovecraft, helped pioneer a whole genre of "weird tales" that the public had never encountered before. Clark blends together different genres: horror,...
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2. Death Dealer
by Frazetta, Frank
- On the same lists
True to classic Sword and Sorcery, there are plenty of barbarians, wizards, and seductresses lining the pages of this classic work. The story centers on Gath of Baal, a barbarian...
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Imaro book 1 Start here
3. Imaro
by Saunders, Charles
- On the same lists
A classic example of the Sword and Sorcery sub-genre, features a hero who fights humans, beasts, and demons. A noteworthy example that mixes somewhat familiar histories with legend.
You don't normally read about an African hero in fantasy literature, but Saunders creates a compelling episodic Sword & Sorcery tale with Imaro.The titular hero grows up as an outcast...
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4. The Sword, The Ring, And The Chalice
by Chester, Deborah
- On the same lists
Another modern sword & sorcery tale. There’s a lot of swashbuckling swordplay, adventure, and romance present in this novel. While some might say the series is more high fantasy than...
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5. The Book Of Sword
by Saberhagen, Fred
- On the same lists
A great tale that doesn’t take itself too seriously and one that doesn’t get bogged down with the little details. This fantasy marks the heyday of the 60s and 70s...
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The Chronicles Of The Black Company book 1 Start here
6. The Black Company
by Cook, Glen
- Same author
- On the same lists
An elite mercenary unit is the focus of this series. It is a mix of fantasy, gritty realism, and military fiction. It is often cited as an inspiration for the Grimdark sub-genre.
In an era when fantasy was about honorable farm boys with magic swords and a noble destiny, Glen Cook said 'fuck that mess; let's have some amoral pricks doing bad...
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Instrumentalities Of The Night book 1 Start here
7. The Tyranny Of The Night
by Cook, Glen
- Same author
Another entry from the always awesome Glen Cook, a new almost mystical figure in the fantasy world with his genre defining work The Black Company which pretty much helped birth...
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The Chronicles Of The Black Company book 1 Start here
8. Black Company
by Cook, Glen
- Same author
This epic fantasy series is quite a bit different from your standard fantasy fare. If you want an epic military fantasy series where good and bad are not so clearly...
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Drenai Tales book 1 Start here
9. Legend
by Gemmell, David
- On the same lists
Gemmell specializes in heroic fantasy. His best book is widely regarded as Legend. Legend doesn’t try to be anything but what it is: a heroic adventure with lots of blood,...
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10. Conan The Barbarian
by Howard, Robert E.
- On the same lists
When someone mentions Sword and Sorcery, what comes to mind is Conan the Barbarian, arguably the greatest representation of the genre. It’s true that the story of Conan has been...
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Tiger And Del book 1 Start here
11. Sword-dancer
by Robertson, Jennifer
- On the same lists
If you are looking for some classic sword and sorcery that combines action and romance in equal spades, The Sword Dancer series delivers on this. The characters evolve dramatically over...
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The Chronicles Of The Black Company book 9
12. Water Sleeps
by Cook, Glen
- Same author
The survivors of the Black Company attempt to rescue some of their cohorts, long imprisoned.
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13. Dark War
by Cook, Glen
- Same author
A plot trilogy featuring magic powered spaceships and psionic powers.
A plot trilogy featuring magic powered spaceships and psionic powers.
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14. Jirel Of Joiry
by Moore, C. L.
- On the same lists
Jirel of Joiry was a character that featured in a series of short stories in Weird Tales. Ruling her own fictional kingdom somewhere in medieval France, her stories usually revolve...
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15. A Tale Of The King's Blades
by Duncan, Dave
- On the same lists
Duncan’s managed to make this list with 3 series. King’s Blades are some sword-heavy fantasy for those who like fantasy full of swashbuckling, politics, and raw action. This is not...
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16. Garrett, P.i. Series
by Cook, Glen
- Same author
Gritty detective fantasy in a warzone - this is The Dresden Files before Dresden. Garrot PI has been vastly overshadowed by Cook’s The Black Company, but these are actually some...
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Garrett, P.i. book 2
17. Bitter Gold Hearts
by Cook, Glen
- Same author
The Stormwarden's children have been kidnapped and Garrett, P.I. is on the case. But caught between the bewitching beauty of a half-elf and the fearsome power of a horde of...
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Garrett, P.i. book 3
18. Cold Copper Tears
by Cook, Glen
- Same author
Garrett, a very human private eye in a fantastical world, puzzles over a mysterious case that involves a coveted copper casket, the disappearance of valuable relics, and death threats against...
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19. Sword Of Shadows
by Jones, J. V.
- On the same lists
I can't say enough good things about this amazing fantasy series except that the author has gone completely AWOL and, as of 2015, looks like she's pretty much abandoned writing...
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20. The Broken Sword
by Anderson, Poul
- On the same lists
The Broken Sword explores what happens when a human child is exchanged at birth and taken and raised by the elves. It is a solid bit of writing and a...
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21. Fafhrd And The Gray Mouser
by Chaykin, Howard
- On the same lists
Leiber helped to pioneer the sword-and-sorcery genre and is widely hailed as one of the most influential fantasy writers ever. Unfortunately, he's never received the credit he deserves for such...
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The Acts Of Caine book 1 Start here
22. Heroes Die
by Stover, Matthew Woodring
- On the same lists
A novel about two worlds that blends Science Fiction and Fantasy. An action packed adventure filled with real danger, sorcery, and a complex social system.
The Acts of Caine series takes adventure fantasy and drags it sixteen miles through the mud, and then tortures what's left. In a dystopian future, humanity has discovered a way...
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23. 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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24. Chronicles Of Amber
by Zelazny, Roger
- On the same lists
A 10 book chronicle--these stories combine other worlds, magical elements, mystery, shadow, and science.
The Amber Chronicles is a complex blend of genres and plot. It starts like a murder mystery, drawing the reader in, then it moves on to a mixture of sci-fi...
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Elric book 1 Start here
25. Elric Of Melnibone
by Moorcock, Michael
- On the same lists
The first of the Elric Saga, this novel is signficant because the protagonist is a magic user and a bit frail—not quite the typical Sword and Sorcery hero.
Elric is the prince of a dying race, a pale, morose champion of right, despite the cards stacked against him. He's a physical weakling who needs to take drugs and...
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 The Black Company.
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