Books like The Dark Tower
30 fantasy books to read after The Dark Tower, by King, Stephen, the closest match first.
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The Dark Tower book 1 Start here
1. The Gunslinger
by King, Stephen
- Same series
- Same author
For a fantasy-ish recommendation, which features a whole many worlds concept.
Roland, the world's last gunslinger, tracks an enigmatic Man in Black toward a forbidding dark tower, fighting forces both mortal and other-worldly on his quest
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2. The Dark Tower Series
by King, Stephen
- Same series
- Same author
In his self-acclaimed magnum opus, The Dark Tower series, Stephen King has crafted a unique multi-genre tale that blends fantasy with science fiction and Western fiction. Comprised of 8 books,...
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The Dark Tower book 1 Start here
3. The Gunslinger
by King, Stephen
- Same series
- Same author
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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The Dark Tower book 2
4. The Drawing Of The Three
by King, Stephen
- Same series
- Same author
Roland is drawn through a gateway of time and space into the drug-and-crime-ridden world of the twentieth-century to battle a dark power determined to prevent his search for the Dark...
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The Dark Tower book 3
5. The Waste Lands
by King, Stephen
- Same series
- Same author
Roland, the Last Gunslinger, and his companions--Eddie Dean and Susannah--cross the desert of damnation, drawing ever closer to the Dark Tower, a legion of fiendish foes, and revelations that could...
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The Dark Tower book 5
6. Wolves Of The Calla
by King, Stephen
- Same series
- Same author
Now a major motion picture starring Matthew McConaughey and Idris Elba Set in a world of extraordinary circumstances, filled with stunning visual imagery and unforgettable characters, the DARK TOWER series...
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The Dark Tower book 6
7. Song Of Susannah
by King, Stephen
- Same series
- Same author
Soon to be a major motion picture starring Matthew McConaughey and Idris Elba The penultimate volume in the Dark Tower series, The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah, a #1...
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The Dark Tower book 1 Start here
8. The Gunslinger
by King, Stephen
- Same series
- Same author
The first in the Dark Tower series, the Gunslinger pursues the evil "Man in Black" across a desolate wasteland.
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9. The Kingkiller Chronicle
by Rothfuss, Patrick
- On the same lists
The Name of the Wind is a stunning work of imagination and storytelling triumph and currently ranks very near the top of my Top 25 Best Fantasy List. I won't...
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10. The Chronicles Of The Unhewn Throne
by Staveley, Brian
- On the same lists
A new epic fantasy series that just hits pitch perfect notes. This is really one of the best new fantasy series to come out the past decade.There's royal siblings separated...
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11. The Killing Moon
by Jemisin, N. K.
- On the same lists
A series that's immensely well written and one that takes quite a few of the epic fantasy archetypes and runs away with them in a slightly new direction.Expect complex politics,...
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12. Man Of His Word
by Duncan, Dave
- On the same lists
A beloved fantasy series by all who've read it, though few modern fantasy readers have read it. This is probably one of the best hidden epic fantasy gems out there...
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13. 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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14. The Traitor Son Cycle
by Cameron, Miles
- On the same lists
Epic fantasy meets medieval historical fiction.And about fucking time.No more cutting off heads with butter knives, riding days in full plate armor without feeling a scratch of discomfort, fighting for...
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15. 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...
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16. 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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17. The Long Price Quartet
by Abraham, Daniel
- On the same lists
This is NOT your standard epic fantasy. But oh man, there's a lot to love about this one. If you want to take a much needed break from the standard...
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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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The Magicians book 1 Start here
19. 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...
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20. The Wheel Of Time
by Jordan, Robert
- On the same lists
This award winning magical realism novel creates a complex world that is literal and magical, that has a history of unrest, and chronicles human experience.
The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and go, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave...
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21. Abhorsen Trilogy
by Nix, Garth
- On the same lists
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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Dresden Files book 1 Start here
22. Storm Front
by Butcher, Jim
- On the same lists
A crime version of the Urban Fantasy sub-genre. Harry Dresden is a wizard and a private investigator
Harry Dresden is a wizard. He has decided to use his power to solve minor crimes to make a living, so he opens up his own private eye firm, the...
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Watch book 1 Start here
23. 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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24. The Color Of Magic
by Pratchett, Terry
- On the same lists
A huge series, these books are part of the Comic Fantasy sub-genre. It parodies and is influenced by canonical authors like Tolkien, Lovecraft, and Shakespeare in addition to folklore, mythology, and fairy tales.
What would a list of best fantasy books be without mentioning Terry? Not that Brooks dude who wrote an entire series about glowing pebbles. The other one. The funny one....
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25. The Dagger And The Coin
by Abraham, Daniel
- On the same lists
Five books in now, this series is turning out to be one of the best in the genre. If you are expecting another sort of Wheel of Time or Stormlight...
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26. The Prince Of Nothing
by Bakker, R. Scott
- On the same lists
In a world saturated by religious fanaticism, Maithanet, enigmatic spiritual leader of the Thousand Temples, declares a Holy War against the infidels. Ikurei Conphas, military genius and nephew to the...
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27. 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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28. 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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29. 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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30. 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....
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 Dark Tower.
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