Books like The Gunslinger
30 fantasy books to read after The Gunslinger, 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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The Dark Tower book 7
2. The Dark Tower
by King, Stephen
- Same series
- Same author
The multiverse, parrellel universes, and a gun slinger that can save the multiverse. What more can you ask for? The Dark Tower is the single body of work that ties together every book ever created by King. Read it.
"The Dark Tower" is a series of books by Stephen King that blends elements of multiple genres, including horror, western, fantasy, and science fiction. The series follows the quest of...
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The Dark Tower book 2
3. 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
4. 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
5. 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
6. 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
7. 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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The Dark Tower book 4.5
8. The Wind Through The Keyhole
by King, Stephen
- Same series
- Same author
Now a major motion picture starring Matthew McConaughey and Idris Elba The Wind Through the Keyhole is another of Master of Horror Stephen King’s New York Times bestselling installment in...
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Elric book 1 Start here
9. Elric Of Melniboné
by Moorcock, Michael
- On the same lists
Elric is the famed albino sorcerer and wielder of Stormbringer, a sentient sword that confers power upon its wielder. All for the totally-reasonable price of being fed souls. Needless to...
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The Demonata book 1 Start here
10. Lord Loss
by Shan, Darren
- On the same lists
This is the opening to a 10-book series for young adults, and holy shit is it heavy for something supposedly aimed at young people. It's urban dark fantasy rather than...
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The Red Queen's War book 1 Start here
11. Prince Of Fools
by Lawrence, Mark
- On the same lists
This first entry into the Red Queen's War trilogy is about a layabout, womanizing, alcoholic prince. He's also just funny enough not to think he's an utter bastard. Okay, he's...
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Manifest Delusions book 1 Start here
12. Beyond Redemption
by Fletcher, Michael R.
- On the same lists
In a world where belief defines reality, the world could be a paradise, right? Not in Fletcher's world of Manifest Delusions, where corpses line the streets and narcissists spawn false...
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The Crimson Empire book 1 Start here
13. A Crown For Cold Silver
by Marshall, Alex
- On the same lists
The Crimson Empire trilogy, of which there are two instalments published at the time of writing, is one of the best additions to darker fantasy in recent years. It's the...
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14. 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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15. 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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American Gods book 1 Start here
16. American Gods
by Gaiman, Neil
- On the same lists
In his novel, American Gods, Neil Gaiman ventures into the heart of contemporary America, juxtaposing the decline of America's 'Old Gods' with the rise of new 'deities' (e.g. technology, mass...
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A Song Of Ice And Fire book 1 Start here
17. 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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18. Empire Trilogy
by Wurts, Raymond E. Feist And Janny
- On the same lists
This collaboration proves that you don't have to wade neck-deep in magic to make a great fantasy. This series showcases the other side of Feist's Riftwar Saga, which is a...
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19. Codex Alera
by Butcher, Jim
- On the same lists
A refreshing break from fantasy led by a hero who is the strongest and the best at everything, Codex Alera trails 15 year old Tavi, the only Aleran who isn't...
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Low Town book 1 Start here
20. Low Town
by Polansky, Daniel
- On the same lists
Low Town (titled the Straight-Razor Cure in the UK), is the first instalment in the Low Town series, and is a gritty noir crime story that just happens to be...
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Shattered Sea book 1 Start here
21. Half A King
by Abercrombie, Joe
- On the same lists
If you don't know who Joe Abercrombie is, then shame on you. His other work is at the forefront of gritty fantasy (hint: you might spot him further down this...
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22. The Witcher
by Sapowski, Andrzej
- On the same lists
This best-selling series imported from Poland is the foundation for the popular monster-hunting video games of the same name, and a card game is soon to follow suit (beta came...
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23. Swordspoint: A Melodrama Of Manners
by Kushner, Ellen
- On the same lists
Considering the theatrical title of the book, this is a light and easy to read fantasy that manages to be equal parts refreshing and enchanting.Why it made this listWe love...
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24. The Seventh Sword
by Duncan, Dave
- On the same lists
In the 80s, a variety of subgenres, new directions and styles evolved. Some were gritty and mentally taxing – requiring some emotional work on the reader's part. Luckily, Dave Duncan...
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Milkweed Triptych book 1 Start here
25. Bitter Seeds
by Tregillis, Ian
- On the same lists
Bitter Seeds begins the Milkweed Triptych, a genre-bedning series set in an alternate version of WWII, where the Nazi's have created super-soldiers, and Britain responds by turning to warlocks and...
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26. The Lord Of The Rings
by Tolkien, J.r.r.
- On the same lists
Before J.R.R. Tolkein, there really was no "fantasy" genre of literature at all. All dragons, dwarves, and wizards belonged to folklore and fairy tales of former centuries. We can't really...
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27. Elric Of Melniboné
by Moorcock, Michael
- On the same lists
Moody and bookish, Elric the albino is no burly barbarian. Nor is he a product of heroic destiny fated to save the world, but rather kicks against prophecy and wants...
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28. Gods In Darkness: The Complete Novels Of Kane
by Wagner, Karl Edward
- On the same lists
Kane is a bloodthirsty warrior and cunning thinker, one of the first anti-heroes of sword-and-sorcery.
Kane is the original anti-hero, both a bloodthirsty warrior and a cunning intellectual, and in his stories he's more often than not one of the bad guys, but with a...
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29. The Spook's Apprentice
by Delaney, Joseph
- On the same lists
This book (and the rest of the Wardstone Chronicles) genuinely scared the absolute shit out of me when I first read it. It's the story of a young boy being...
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30. Neverwhere
by Gaiman, Neil
- On the same lists
Gaiman's work is perfect for anyone who's after stories with 'mundane' protagonists from the real world who are pulled into worlds of unsettling dark fantasy. His stories have worth not...
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 Gunslinger.
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