Top 25 Best Fantasy Books

First Law by Joe Abercrombie. It's witty, intelligently plotted, the characters are all grey, and there's a ton of brutal action in the books. Abercrombie writes some of the best fight scenes in the genre, and his portrayal of war and battle is spot on (especially in his later books like The Heroes) and will make you really think about the ultimate cost of war. One of the best series that's come out in a few years -- one that actually tries to do something new in the genre. Even better, with every new book added to the series (or universe), Abercrombie gets better and better. It's similar to Martin's work in the sense that there is really a moral compass -- good and evil are just both sides of the same coin. Heroes are not made out to be noble paragons: they are just straight out meaner, stronger or more conniving than the rest.

If you like the grittiness of Martin where the boundary between heroes and villains is thin, Mark Lawrence's Prince of Thorns is an interesting take on the Anti Hero. This is the singular tale of a hero on a quest for revenge and glory (which eventually involves saving the whole world) but the flawed humanity present in Prince of Thorns channel the shades of Martin's brutal take on a fallen and immoral knighthood.

Try David Anthony Durham's Acacia . It's has a somewhat similar feel to A Song of Ice and Fire. The series wasn't as good as it initially promised to be by the end of it, but it's still good enough to read; the author pulls some interesting plot threads out of the blue by the end of book 2. My major complaint about the series was that I never really found the characters all that interesting.

Elric of Melnibone by Michael Moorcock. Elements are similar. You have incest, kingdoms on the cusp of decline and ruin, pacts made with monstrous powers. The landscape is dour and the heroes are partly villains.

Another series that had a somewhat similar feeling to Martin's work is The Godless World trilogy -- there are some shared elements between the works or at least the gritty, dirty feel of A Song of Ice and Fire is shared by both works. The Godless World is actually more like a cross between Martin and Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. I did find the quality of the series dipped by the end of the trilogy, but it's still a good enough read.

Daniel Abraham's The Dagger and the Coin series. Rich characterization with characters you dislike who eventual grow on you as the story progresses; oh my god -- plot twists and turns, and magic that's not at all present until the story progresses. Not as much action and drama, but a more character driven saga.

Sword of Shadows is pretty close to Martin in terms of the setting and the portrayal of gruesomeness. The setting is a cold, brutal, Arctic-ice world. It's not as "grand" or "epic" as Martin and the cast of characters is not as morally ambiguous. Still a pretty damn good read, though the author is taking her sweet time finishing the damn series already.

I would be doing you a disservice if I did not recommend Glenn Cook's The Black Company series. It's gritty military fiction with a cast of grey characters, and great battle scenes -- something that Martin focuses on in his books. The focus of the series centers on a company of soldiers.

If you like reading about Jon Snow, you might give The Farseer trilogy a read. There are some shared story elements (though the plot and world is NOTHING at all alike mind you). Farseer is pretty much the story of a young king's bastard who grows up in a castle full of intrigue. He doesn't have a lot of options and struggles to survive, and in the process gets tangled up in a series of political schemes. The main character also has a special relationship with wolves (he can speak to them mind-to-mind via a magical skill called the 'Wit') so you might read this one if you like the whole Stark and Direwolf thing. Some of the best characterization in the fantasy genre. Be warned: Jon Snow is a lot more bad-ass of a hero though.

Steven Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen is a must-read, and it's a finished 10 books long. There are some elements that are similar to Martin's work: it's got gritty and intense battle scenes, a cast of ambiguously grey characters, main character deaths, plenty of brutality that characters inflict on each other, and unpredictable (and utterly massive) plots. It's quite similar to Martin in the way that the line between villain and hero is quite blurred. You often end up rooting for characters on both sides of the war. No one is really "the hero" and every character is either trying to maintain their power status quo, or steal it from someone else. However, the work, as a whole, is a LOT MORE disjointed than Martin's work (even counting for the fact that Martin has lost his way a bit)

Try R. Scott Bakker's The Darkness That Comes Before, which features superlative prose, a unique, but fascinating storyline, and the gritty realism that Martin exhibits. It's got that world is ending element to it as well. It's also a heck of a lot more philosophical too, which may or may not be something you like. On a whole Bakker's work is sort of like Tolkien's Mordor invades Martin' Kingdoms and stirs up a lot of shit. Throw a fantasy wizard Jesus with kung fu abilities and stuff the prose subtext full of philosophy. On the surface it's a head-case trippy mix, but there is a certain power to this series.

The Grim Company by Luke Scull. There are elements of Martin in this work, which I was very impressed with as debut novels go. It's very much so a dark fantasy, with brutal violence, death, magic, and some compelling characters who are all flawed. You'll feel right at home if you are a Martin lover.

Monarchies of God -- a vastly under-appreciated series. If you like the epic struggle between kingdoms, fierce battles, strange unexplored lands across the sea, and life aboard a ship. Paul Kearny writes a compelling tale here. Elements of grim dark too.

You might also like Tad Williams newest fantasy saga: Shadowmarch which has some similar plot elements (strange fey creatures coming down from the north behind a wall of magic mist, trying to take over the world). There's a rich cast of characters scattered across the world in completely different lands (much in the way that Martin features characters living in the frozen north, characters living in exotic deserts, and so on). The creatures the north, the Quar, are similar to the Others, but more developed as mysterious, yet somewhat sympathetic entities, rather than the zombie-making horrors that Martin makes the Others to be. You might say this is the story of "The Others" and how they came to be so damn pissed off at the world of men.

The Steel Remains by Richard Morgan, of Science Fiction fame. Marin can write villains as heroes and heroes as villains, but if you want to read about a dour world without a shred of goodness, check out Morgan's foray into the fantasyscape. Its a dark and blood and cold as ice, but there's a shit load of brutal action.

Because...like Martin himself recommends Howard's masterpiece. What more could you say to that?

The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch. Elements of ASoIaF's gritty and dark but at times hilarious. Well written. Think a book made up of the Tyrion chapters, centering around a band of thieving scoundrels in an Ocean 11 fantasy plot.

The Amber Chronicles by David Zelazny. Take a royal family who can walk into different realities. Gray characters, squabbling siblings, alternate realities, a prince in exile.

The Gap Cycle by Donaldson. This is science fiction NOT fantasy and in no way is there any similar plot elements or themes, but Gap Cycle is darker than dark and features heroes who have more in common with villains. If you like the bleak outlook on flawed humanity taken up by Martin, Gap Cycle won't disappoint your disappointment in the human race.

Without a doubt, The Blood Song, a recent remarkable debut by Anthony Ryan. This is about as close in style and form to The Name of the Wind. Instead of Kvothe apprentice wizard in training, we have Vaelin, a warrior monk in training. The format of both stories is very similar recounted in an after-the-fact manner by the protagonist. Both are coming of age stories about young men in a school setting. And both books had a (somewhat) disappointing sequel. If you like The Name of the Wind, then read The Blood Song.

If you like this 21st century upgrade to the Fantasy genre similar to Abercrombie, check out: 

Abercrombie's other standalone books set in the same world as First Law: Best Served Cold and The Heroes and Red Country. He has a new YA series out as well called Half a King, with books 2 and 3 out this year (2015).

The Grim Company. A lot of similarities to Abercrombie's Blade Itself, in fact the book almost channels The Blade Itself in regards to the prose, the setting, and even the band of so called heroes. There's a cast of troubled characters including a couple Northern barbarians (read Bloody Nine), there's a cowardly sword fighting fop who bullshits his way through fights, and there's a troubled girl with a dark past. Really, this is probably as close you are going to get to Abercrombie's style in tone and setting sharp prose, witty sarcastic dialogue, troubled characters, and an entertaining if tragically dark story. For part of the novel, I felt like I was reading Abercrombie through and through. Read.

The Scourge of the Betrayer by Jeff Salyards. Oh man, shockingly good. I have to say, as of 2015, Salyards is one of my new favorite authors. Absolutely read this good good grimdark if you love Abercrombie. While it's not necessarly the same in style (The Scourge of the Betrayer reads more like of a cross between say The Black Company and Prince of Thorns), it's some of the best grimdark I've had the pleasure of recently reading. The sequel, The Veil of the Deserters, is even better than the first book. Really, pick this one up right away. Be wary though, it's grim as fuck.

Mark Lawrence's Broken Empire Trilogy. Mark takes the idea of the antihero, set within the grimdark medium, and brings in something new to the form. It's a compelling tale that really resonates. You will either love or hate the Broken Empire, but if you like Abercrombie, you should read it.

While it doesn't have the sarcastic, cutting edge wit of Abercrombie, the story is dark and the setting even darker and the characters a bunch of criminal misfits that do a lot of bad just for a pay check. Black Company, arguably, IS one of the major books that started the whole grim dark movement  Martin was hugely inspired by Glen Cook's works. You can argue Cook helped influence a major part of the 21 century fantasy movement that's still being felt today with NEW books written in the same sort of style.

Steven Erickson's Malazan Book of the Fallen -- dark epic fantasy on a grand, grand, grand scale. 

If you like the epic-fantasy-turned-on-its-head that marks Abercrombie's effort, read Richard Morgan's The Steel Remains. Morgan writes some interesting science fiction but has turned his writing chops to the fantasy genre with a new epic fantasy series. Like Abercrombie, Morgan flips some of the standard fantasy conventions on their side (including an openly gay hero). Even better, the trilogy is now completed with the last book (and best!) released the end of last year (2014). This is some of the darkest fantasy works in the whole of the genre.

R. Scott Bakker's The Prince of Nothing series. In short, an epic fantasy about a fake Jesus Christ with some of the same powers comes back to "rescue" mankind from evil. But this savior's goals are questionably self-centered. The books are full of raw action, grey characters, with an interesting hero, and a subtle mix of some deep philosophy thrown in too.

Scott Lynche's The Lies of Locke Lamora. This hero is in fact a thief. And not a thief who steals from the rich to give to the poor, but rather steals from the rich to get rich -- filthy rich. Full of sharp and witty writing, often hilarious with a dark edge to boot as you progress through the book. Probably the closest style of "writing" you'll find to Abercrombie.

Michael Stover's Cain series. Expect: dark, sarcastic humor; gritty and dirty worlds; heroes die and suffer; intelligent plots and fantastically sharp prose.

George R.R. Martin. His A Song of Ice and Fire is as gray and gritty -- maybe even more so  as Abercrombie's works. Really, I've talked enough about him here. Just read him, dammit! 

Kameron Hurley's Bel Dame Apocrypha: God's War. God's War does is a refreshing read, proving that there is still more to Grimdark then you might have thought, nearly a decade after it's become popular. 

KJ Parker. The Folding Knife. Grimdark, but a different style than Abercrombie. Really, Read anything by this author.

If you like the dark cynicism found in Abercrombie's work, you should read some Stephen Donaldson's Thomas Covenant series. You might also like his Gap sci-fi.

You might also want to check out Stephen Deas' fast paced, ultra violent fantasy Memory of Flames. Like some of the books recommended above, there are no real heroes. Everyone is willing to betray another to reach their goals. The story has some great action, though less character development. You can think of this series as a more gritty and unfeeling version of Naomi Termerak. 

Sam Sykes' Tome of the Undergates is another novel in the same vein as the Blade Itself. The book subverts some of the standard fantasy conventions. Overall, I quite enjoyed it as it's a creative and witty take on some of the standard fantasy conventions.

A new series on the fantasy scene by Daniel Abraham, one of the most gifted writers in the genre (author of The Long Price Quartet), is The Dragon's Path. It's a fresh and innovative answer to the standard epic fantasy fare, challenging quite a few of the fantasy assumptions that most people take for granted. Definitely up your alley if you appreciate authors like Abercrombie, Bakker, and Lynch. Keep in mind, it's MUCH slower paced and focuses much more on character building for the most part. We are 5 books in now and it's a love or hate sort of series. You can't argue with the writing chops present in the series, though.

If you like gritty, grimdark fantasy, we suggest you check out our Best Grimdark Fantasy Books list.

George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire saga also features an epic scope and the grey characterization that Erikson so loves. Martin's work is smaller in scale though and tends to be more focused, plot wise. 

You can also try Scott R. Baker's The Darkness That Comes Before saga, which is an alternative history saga, where the Roman Empire has never fallen and magic works. Oath of Empires is epic, featuring massive magical battles and huge opposing armies (Persian and Roman) clashing so hard you can hear the horses scream. 

Also give James Barclay's The Cry of the Newborn a whirl which is similar in style and content (though less epic) to Erikson. It's an example of a Fantasy military fiction done right. Barclay also knows how to write damn good battle scenes, giving even Erikson a run for his money. Also give David Anthony Durham a try. 

His recent novel, Acacia, is a fantastic read -- big on the epic battles and gritty dark realism of Erikson and Martin. At it's core, 

The Malazan Book of the Fallen is a military fantasy; you might want to read Glen Cook's classic Black Company series. It's dark, gritty, and has a hell of a lot of battles. It's the book that has forever defined military fantasy.

The Broken Empire

Mark Lawrence's delicious gritty anti-hero military fantasy. If you like large battles, underdog heroes, and a full scale invasion of the dead into the land of the living, well, The Broken Empire is what you need to read. One of the more interesting heroes in the genre and featuring superbly written prose.

Starts with Scourge of the Betrayer. Some new 2014 military fantasy in a good grimdark tradition. Reminds me of Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence mixed with The Black Company by Glenn Cook.

The Thousand Names came out 2013 with a serious bang. Detailed military campaign and squad tactics/warfare as several companies of foreign colonial soldiers must make their way through an inhospitable desert to escape hostile locals trying to kill them.

Starts with The Red Knight. Plenty of medieval warfare here - tactics, sieges, and fierce battles against men and monsters.

Of course, it's a given that you should read the sequel books to Lies of Locke Lamora. The third book Republic of Thieves was released in the later part of 2014 and book four is due sometime this year (2015).

What can I possibly recommend if you like Lord of the Rings? 'Rings' is the progenitor of an entire genre and one can recommend almost anything. Regardless, I'll try to suggest a couple of books based on the "feel" of Lord of the Rings. 

Tolkien has always been about the world in which his characters live, never about the characters which live in his world. He created a world full of myth and legend, starkly real and full of mystery. There is always some strange power deep in a mountain, or some magical glade in the heart of a forest. There are worlds deep in the world, and worlds high in the heavens. It's a land full of wonder, a world too large to explore; it's an earth that still has mysteries and unknown lands. 

There are several authors who recreate this type of world -- but with stronger characters and more meaningful relationships. Tolkien's characters were always too perfect, too evil; their motivations are at best unclear and at worst, unrealistic. Modern fantasy has taken the roots created by Tolkien and grown them into full trees and in some cases grafted those roots to new trees completely.

Be sure to check out our Best of the Tolkien Clones list. 

For Epic Fantasy like Tolkien but Bigger, Louder, and Broader, and more modern ideas:

Starts with The Emperor's Blades. This is a new epic fantasy (out in 2014), but takes a lot of the Tolkien ideas (sweepingly large worlds, a cast of heroes, mysterous ancient magic coming to life, different cultures, etc) and updates it with modern writing, great writing, well developed female characters, an epic storyline, and an ending-of-the-world conflict.

If you like Tolkien, read Eye of the World by Jordan. This man, when he was alive, claimed Tolkien's world-building mantle: Jordan created a massive world, richly developed cultures, and a well-defined magic system. When you read Jordan, you explore an ancient world full of secrets. I have to throw out a disclaimer though: Wheel of Time is far far from perfect; Jordan becomes lost in his own world as it grows too big even for him; (some of) his characters devolve into caricatures, and Jordan's handling of romance between characters is puerile to say the least. However, many people still find the books great fun, and if you like Tolkien's epic style, Jordan is a must read. Jordan died a few years ago, but the talented Brandon Sanderson finished the series. It's now completed and Sanderson did a good job at finishing it. Overall, I was disappointed with the series though, even if Sanderson did his best. This is one of those series that started out strong but started to die around book 5 or 6. It's still worth reading though, especially if you like heroic epic fantasy that is absolutely epic in length and scope.

For another epic fantasy with an end-of-the-world plot and a coming-of-age (sorta) story, read Brandon Sanderson's The Way of Kings. Words of Radiance, book two was released this year and for the most part carried the torch passed from the first book. The series is now THE epic fantasy saga everyone talking about. If Jordan took up Tolkien's world-building mantle with A Wheel of Time, Sanderson has replaced Jordan by building an even BIGGER world with this generation's new epic fantasy series. And he's a better writer than Jordan.

If you want a book that's like Lord of the Rings but longer, has strong female characters, and very strong characterization (FAAAR better than Jordan's), read Tad Williams' Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn saga, another classic. The series is older, yes, but it has aged remarkably well. And the writing is top notch, and good prose and good characters never age.

The Deathgate Cycle. Magic, Tolkien style fantasy races, multiple worlds, powerful sorcerers, necromancers, and lost magic. More along the lines of a D&D style story, but elevated. The series ends horribly, but the journey is pretty good. If you like Tolkien AND Wheel of Time, you'll dig it.

For beautiful, lyrical writing and a world full of mysterious magic snf ancient myths seeping through the fabric of the story:

Jack Vance's Lyonnesse trilogy -- a highly influential and absolutely wonderfully written series that channel's the same feelings that does Tolkien. These, like Lord of the Rings, are classics, steeped with English and Irish myth. The closest 'pure' epic fantasy that you'll find to Tolkien in style. However, this is HIGH fantasy, and not epic fantasy with a band of heroes seeking to overthrow a dark lord. Did I mention this has some of the most vivid and beautiful prose in the entire genre?

The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander. Welsh myths and epic fantasy by an influential writer who's often compared with the likes of Tolkien. If you like Lord of the Rings, well, you need to read these classics. I would define these as written for Young Adults and kids, but like Harry Potter and the Hobbit can absolutely be appreciated by adults just as much.

Ursula Le Guin's Earthsea Cycle is also a beautiful tale, full of lyrical, often sad, prose; a tale about a village boy who seeks his destiny. 

If you want the beautiful, almost lyrical writing of Tolkien and a world in which magic is present but still a grand mystery (i.e. not every character is throwing around magic like kids throwing sand at a beach), Sean Russell's The Swan's War is the answer. 

Patricia A. McKillip's Riddle-Master is also another series(trilogy) with similarities to Tolkien's style of writing.

Shadowmarch by Tad Williams. If you like the whole ancient mythos of Middle Earth, the histories, the tales within a tale, the small stories that Tolkien throws into his world that tell of the "early days" of mankind and of elves and of magic and gods and kings, then you'll find a lot to like in Tad William's Shadowmarch which incorporates a lot of folklore tales of gods and faeries which are directly relevant to the plot and story; there's a lot of mystery and magic to the world created by Williams. And the series is completed.

For subversion of the Tolkien conceits:

For a 12th-century version of Middle Earth set in a stark (English) European landscape that's as cold as the world is gritty and brutal where main characters can die at any moment, read George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire saga tale. This is Lord of the Rings with all the black vs white cut into strips of grey and where the bad guys are just as complex as the good guys.

Besides, everyone is now calling Martin 'The American Tolkien.' What more can I say there?

If you want to see some of Tolkien's conventions turned on their heads and enjoy a noir version of a classic high-fantasy tale with a starkly realized cast of grey characters, read Joe Abercrombie's First Law trilogy.

Richard Morgan, author of some seriously kick your ass science fiction, brings his talents to the fantasy genre with some pretty damn cool gritty fantasy with his A Land Fit for Heroes trilogy (starts with The Steel Remains). In his completed trilogy, he pretty much tries to subvert every sort of Tolkien convention. Take Tolkien, change about every equation and add an unhealthy mix of violence, graphic sex, and disturbing acts of inhumanity, and populate it with a caste of seriously flawed characters and you have something along the lines of a Tolkien gone mad. I'd say this is probably the most grimdark series I've read yet.

Another interesting tale that plays directly on the Tolkien mythos is Jacqueline Carey's The Sundering duology, which takes many of Tolkien's conventions and mixes them up. It's a story told in all that high language, high mythology glory that Tolkien wrote in. Think of it as "Sauron's Tale" as told from the perspective of the bad guys who you find out are more misunderstood than anything else, while the good guys are self-righteous pricks. The whole thing is quite serious (this is by no means a comedy but rather a tragedy) and I thought it was a pretty compelling tale all around.

It's a no brainier to read her other books set in the same universe: Live Ship Traders trilogy (set in the same world, but with different characters), and Tawny Man trilogy (direct sequel to the Assassin trilogy).  Her newest trilogy Fitz and the Fool, taking place years after the Tawny Man trilogy, with book one released late 2014 (and to awesome reviews). Also try her Soldier's Son Trilogy; it has a feel that's similar to (yet different from) her Farseer series (less well received by fans and reviewers though). 

Guy Gaverial Kay's Tigana. This book is packed with emotion. If you like the emotional intensity and pathos of Hobb, you will love Tigana.

In terms of style of prose and storytelling, the closest you'll find to Hobb is in my opinion Lyn Flewing. You can start off with her Nightrunner series, about a thief type character OR you can read her best work, The Tamir Triad, which is a magnificent trilogy -- completely character driven, horrific, dark and disturbing. And it's a series you can't put down. It brings to mind the Farseer trilogy when you read it -- not in plot, but in the way the story is told, the horrific things that happen, the wonderful writing, and the intense focus on the characters that drive the story forward rather than pure action.

The Name of the Wind is a good read if you like the compelling characterization of the protagonist. 

Also read Blood Song by Anthony Ryan's got a first person narration like the Farseer, a coming of age story, and strong characterization. If you like The Name of the Wind and Farseer, I'd be shocked if you didn't love Blood Song.

Also, if you are bedazzled with the Assassin mythos of her world, try reading Brent Weeks The Way of Shadows. Weeks is a new force on the fantasy scene with his Night Angel trilogy. With all the action, magic, and adventure, Weeks is like the John Woo of the fantasy scene, but with a grittier edge. I can't say the books are really "deep" by any means, but if you are looking for a series that's a bit dark with over the top action, magic, romance, and a teen hero full of angst, read it.

Prince of Thorns is another series that features an assassin protagonist. This is some dark anti-hero fantasy that's written in first person (like Farseer). However, the protagonist does some pretty horrific things to achieve his goals -- unlike Fritz, who for most of the story, acts like everyone's favorite doormat. If you want to read a much darker, amoral and selfish version of Fritz, one who's not afraid to seize what's rightfully his and damn anyone or anything that stands in his way, this might be one to take a good look at. It's some of the best fantasy that has come out recently, and is a must read if you like your fantasy gray and gritty; if not, skip this recommendation.

Try reading The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K Jemisin. The protagonist is female and it's written in first person with a good amount of emotional weight. There are a few similarities -- both protagonists were related to powerful families and were, for the most part, abandoned by their family line. Both are stories about a rise from obscurity to importance in a place where royal intrigue and power struggles are part of the norm.

For a non-fantasy book that will have you emotionally involved in the protagonist, you might want to give Ender's Game a read. Being science fiction, there is nothing similar about the plot itself, but it's also a detailed look at the struggle of a young boy who doesn't have a lot of options and who must struggle to survive in an unfriendly world where the odds are stacked against him. A superlative science fiction novel all round.

For an emotionally weighted story about a down-and-out soldier who becomes involved with politics (and saving a young woman who's part of that court), give Lois McMaster Bujold's Curse of Chalion a read. It was a Hugo nominee. The sequel, Paladin of Souls, won a Hugo. Both books are written in a style similar to Hobb's Farseer and the characters are complex and deep -- especially the protagonist. The relationships between characters is also very well done. Well recommended for anyone who likes character-driver fantasy tales.

For less "epic" fantasy recommendations, try Rai-Kirah by Caron Berg which is a very well written character-driven fantasy. 

Give the Sevenwaters books by Juliet Marillier a good look. It has some deep characterization of the protagonists and a very strong romantic bent to it (if you liked Hobb's Liveship Traders, then absolutely read this one).

 For another character-driven (kinky) romantic fantasy series, you may also give the Kushiel books by Jaqueline Carey a read.

For an epic military fantasy with some serious characterization, I recommend John Marco's Tyrants and Kings series. The series is about a man who abandons his kingdom and betrays an empire and turns traitor for the love of a woman who's an enemy of his country. I felt Fitz Chivalry and Marco's protagonist, Richard, had some similarities. Both books are heavy on characterization, politics, and angst.

And for a fantastic low-fantasy series with some of the best characterization I've seen, read Jennifer Fallon's Second Sons trilogy.

For some of the best fantasy about a badass assassin (not the bitch version of an Assassin that Fitz is), you must read the Heroes Die series by Matthew Stover. Some of the best stuff written in the Fantasy genre, and there are no other books as viscerally action-packed. Caine, the hero, takes violence to a whole new universe. It's not all just violence though. The Caine novels are sharply written and the plot is strong as steel.

For a book with a young, scrappy female protagonist/assassin, you can't do better than Maria V. Snyder's Poison Study.

The Crown Conspiracy by Michael J. Sullivan tells a light fantasy adventure tale about a thief falsely accused of being an assassin. It's a much lighter read and the characterization is not as well done, but worth a read if you want an adventure romp involving a pair of irascible rogues.

You may also like Mistborn by Sanderson -- the main character in the first book is sort of like a badass magical assassin/thief/terrorist who kicks ass.

And finally, read any The Book of Jhereg by Steven Brust. They are a different, but still pretty straightforward pulp fantasy fiction series: there's a ton of humor with a strong anti-hero. Don't expect the level of complexity of some of the other recommendations, but the series is a full adventure to follow.

The Bone Doll's Twin. Dark magic, mystery, coming of age, a kingdom in turmoil and gender issues? Sounds like a hit, and it is. The Bone Doll's Twin is the first book of the Tamir Triad (which is completed) and one of the most underrated fantasy books out there. Strong, compelling characters, a strong plot, and superbly written. The voice and tone of the author are somewhat similar to that of Hobb.

Have a look at Sword of Shadows by J.V. Jones. This is more of a modern sword and sorcery than Farseer, but the characterization is outstanding and both stories involve a coming of age with a young man (eventually) cast out of his home into the greater world and forced to find his place in the world. Both feature male protagonists with unique magical powers. Both characters suffer greatly. The authors of both books are female as well. The only problem is, well, Jones has NOT yet finished the series we are still waiting (it's been almost 5 years since the last book).

You might want to give Susan Clarke's Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell a read. Like Lev Grossman's The Magicians, it's a story about magic in a world that supposedly has no magic. Both novels veer from the usual fantasy conventions, weighing in as more than just "fantasy." I like to call these "literary fantasy." This novel, however, heralds back to the Victorian era and features a more conventional sort of story (that borrows heavily from the likes of a Jane Austen novel in language an description) and is NOT a postmodern take on the fantasy genre that The Magicians is.

For another novel about Magicians in training, you might like The Night Circus. It's about two young magicians locked in deadly conflict trying to outperform the other who are both part of a magical circus. It's a rich and intoxicating read, most decidedly literary and one of the best fantasy books of 2011.

Harry Potter. Yes, if you like The Magicians, read Harry Potter  the titular character who is deconstructed by Grossman and reformed into a far more complex and troubled and fallible version as the character Quinton.

If we are going to follow that rabbit down the rabbit hole into the dark and murky literary past, seeking the origin of boy-goes-to-magic school to become a wizard, we might as well get to one of the sources. If Potter made it a pop culture thing, then Ursula Le Guine helped bring it alive like no other author. Yes, I'm talking about The Wizard of Earthsea. Before there was Harry Potter, there was Ged.

Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaimen. One thing I love about The Magicians is it moves the simpler children's fiction into the adult realm with an adult perspective. It's Narnia for grown-ups.One book about that perfectly captures the child realm but transforms it for adults is Gaimen's Ocean at the End of the Lane. Thematically, Gaimen does the same thing as Grossman. While both works are completely different in scope and plot, they do take a child's perspective but remake it for an adult which changes it.

The Secret History by Donna Tart. Not specifically fantasy per say, but the writing and tone, and characterization are somewhat similar. A young group of students at a college discover another way to think about their life and the ramifications of this change everything about how they live.

Anathem by Neal Stephenson. A science fiction story about a young boy who's a sort of monk and finds out the wider world is a complicated place.

The Magicians alludes to a number of popular fantasy classics. Alice in Wonderland is one such work and The Chronicles of Narnia. In fact, if you dig down a bit, The Magican books are a postmodern version of Narnia with the friendly animals revealed to be monsters.

If you like Black Company, you should definitely read his other fantasy series, The Instrumentalities of the Night. It combines an ancient evil coming-back-into-the-world plot, a military genius hero, plenty of conflicts between worldly powers, political scheming, all filtered through Cook's military narrative. The closest you'll find to The Black Company in style and form. And duh, it's by the same freaking author. How much closer CAN you get?

Starts with Scourge of the Betrayers. About as close as you are going to get to Cook -- the narrator is even an archivist and the tale is told in first person. There's a LOT of similarities and the Bloodsounder books are gritty gritty grimdark dark. Delicious and some of the best fantasy to come out the past couple years. Do NOT pass this series by if you want something similar to The Black Company. It's the best of the similar recommendations I can give.

For another "dark" military fantasy, you should read Malazan Book of the Fallen. It's more epic in scope than The Black Company, but there are enough similarities that you'll find yourself right at home. Steven Erikson has even stated that Glen Cook's books were an influence on his own writing, so there you have it.

You may want to give Daniel Abraham's The Dagger and the Coin series a good go at it. Books one and two are out and they are seriously good -- some of the best epic fantasy that's come out. Abraham's work is a good mix of epic and military fantasy with some smart writing and a cast of compelling characters (some which are anti-heroes). Both are character driven, though Black Company has a hell of a lot more action and angst while The Dagger and the Coin is far more about the characters. It can be somewhat plodding and slow at times. However, if you like Black Company, and military fantasy with strong characters, you may just like this series. 

Paul Kearney's The Ten Thousand is a superb military fantasy by a much underrated author. If you like Black Company, you'll dig this one hard. 

Sanderson's awesome The Way of Kings is also another book you might want to read (it's first in the Stormlight Archive series). The main character (Kaladin) has a few basic similarities to The Black Company main character (Croaker). Both are retired physicians who've given up their profession to become soldiers. Both lead a squad of men (and there is the squad dynamics). Cook's work is more gray and his style more dry, however. The narrator (Croaker), is not a crazy badass super hero, while Sanderson's work is more heroic in nature as is the character. So don't get the idea that The Way of Kings is anything like The Black Company as a whole, but as stated there are some similarities.

Heroes Die by Mathew Woodring Stoover. Dark and gritty world. Check. An anti-hero character who ends up working for the bad guys most of the time? Check. Explosive and brutal action? Check. Strong characterization. Check and Check. Heroes die is MORE about a singular hero than a company of characters, as is The Black Company, but there's enough that you'll probably love it if you like Glenn Cook's work.

The Darkness that Comes Before. Ah, grimdark epic fantasy at it's best, but not your standard epic fantasy: this shit is deep and philosophical. Lots of wars and grand military battles and dark gods taking over the world. There's nothing else quite like it to be honest, but ignoring all the philosophy sprinkled between the chapters, there's a hell of a lot of bloody action, gratuitous sex, character development, and political intrigue to keep you turning the pages. Oh and there's a world-ending apocalypse coming. 

Black Sun Rising is a different sort of work. But it's a very dark and grim world featuring an anti-hero character and side kick heroes that are all flawed individuals. One of the best fantasy books in the genre. You'll probably like it, even if it's about a couple characters solving a quest rather than a military band caught up in incessant warfare.

The Thousand Names by Django Wexler. This is a new series that came out in 2013 with two books out so far (the last one was out a few months ago, mid 2014). If you like large scale battles and the story of a squad/company facing extreme survival odds in a foreign country, you'll love this series. It's one of the better fantasy books to come out the past few years. And it's certainly one of the best military fantasy series since Erikson's Mazalan. If you like Black Company, you'll love this series.

Legend by David Gemmell. A classic, but one all about a hero fighting an endless war against endless odds. There's something of beauty in this heroic treatment of an old washed up hero who's pressured by the need of his people to come back from retirement to kick some ass.

For a very medieval fantasy with magic and monsters and knights, Miles Cameron's The Red Knight. This was one of my favorite reads of 2013. There's a lot of military battles and squad/company warfare against foes with superior numbers. It's not as dark, on a whole, as The Black Company, but it's a stellar read. If you like might and magic and battles and warfare, this is one for your.

Similar recommendations: J.R.R.Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. 

I also recommend Phillip K. McKillip's wonderful Riddle-Master trilogy, which features similar prose and a similar, though at the same time, very different, story. 

You might also try Sean Russell's The Swans' War .

This book is a classic with a complex heroine and plenty of subversions. The author is from the same mold as Le Guine.

Lyonesse Trilogy

The Lyonesse Trilogy by the great Jack Vance. Plays quite a few of the same notes as does The Earthsea Cycle: beautiful, poetic writing, well developed complex characters, a magical world steeped in welsh/Celtic mythology that you want to move into, and some deep themes explored.

Starts with The Dragonebone Chair. From boy to man and from man to hero, this is a remarkable tale that's brimming with detail. It's a story where the journey's end is not the ultimate destination, but the journey itself is.

The Curse of Chalion won the World Fantasy Award and the author has won Hugos and Nebula awards already for her other series. Beautiful writing, complex characters, deep themes. Something about this book brings to mind A Wizard of Earthsea, even if the plot and story are not at all the same.

You might like Friedman's newer series (Magister Trilogy) which has some darker elements to it (one must suck the life out of a person to use magic). It's not nearly as dark as The Coldfire trilogy though and there is no anti-hero.

Read The Crooked Letter (Book One of the Cataclysism) by Sean Williams for a story set in a horror tinged world with a magic system that's sort of similar to that of The Coldfire Trilogy. It's not the same plot or anything, but it's one of those books that introduces deeper human issues into the fabric of the story and the setting is somewhat reminiscent of the weird world of The Coldfire Trilogy -- a place where monsters and creatures of the dark just lurk around the corner.

If you like the horror aspect of The Coldfire Trilogy where creatures of the dark wait just around the corner out of sight, waiting to pounce on unsuspecting humans, give Peter V. Brett's The Warded Man a read. Not the same style plot and the writing is not as good, but the world portrayed is quite interesting with demons coming out at night prowling the landscape and killing any humans not behind special wards. Only the first book is good, however; the other 2 books were absolute disappointments.

Look at The Abhorsen Trilogy; the world portrayed is one with dark creatures lurking in practically every nook and cranny of the landscape. 

Also read Joseph's Delany's Spook's Apprentice series which is a YA story about a young apprentice who works as a sort of exorcist in a landscape filled with creatures of the night.

The Coldfire Trilogy has a very strong anti-hero. For epic fantasy with a strong anti-hero, you probably can't more anti hero than The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever.

For a strong anti-hero tale about a prince who decides to take back his throne by fair means or foul (and mostly foul), read The Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence. Nothing is similar about the plot, but there may be some overlap between one of the anti-hero characters' in both novels, willing to do anything at all to achieve their goal of power. 

You should also read Glenn Cook's The Black Company books -- I would count these books as dark fantasy. The characters are morally ambiguous and in fact fighting for a side that many would consider "evil" or the "dark lord" (in this case, a "dark lady"). His new series, The Tyranny of the Night, also has some of those dark fantasy elements too -- like the ColdFire world, dark spirits come out at night to attack humans. 

For one more recommendation that features a world somewhat like the Coldfire one (in that monsters come creeping out of the shadows at night), read The Warded Man.

For another epic fantasy series that's character- and plot-driven with some anti-hero elements and morally ambiguous characters, Abercrombie's The First Law series comes to mind. 

The same goes for Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire -- a huge cast of completely amoral "hero" characters. Good and evil are not clearly delineated.

I would also suggest Steven King's The Talisman, which is about a young boy who must enter into a dark fantasy world to save his mother. There is a strong delineation between good and evil, but the world itself is pretty dark. Of course, if you like the Talisman, then King's The Dark Tower (which has some dark fantasy elements to it) is a given read too.

If you don't mind novels that are not your standard heroic fantasy, but have a strong element of "Gothic" to them and a cast of bizarre characters you might find in any horror novel, you can check out some of China Mieville's works (The Scar).

Finally, if you like the whole partial "vampire" aspect of the main hero, you might want to read George Martin's stunning Fevre Dream.'

Solaris by Stanislaw Lem. For a read about a place where people have their desires and whims fulfilled, read the classic Solaris by Stanislaw Lem. It's the same sort of premise (different setting and story of course) as the Cold Fire, just the science fiction version of it on a spacecraft.

For similar recommendations, I'm give books that fuse action, blood, grittiness, flawed humanity, and anti-heroes. Some books may also feature assassins. All these books also explore the idea of 'the hero.'

The sequels of course! There are 3 of them as of 2014 and it's more of the same with Caine's story fleshed out more and more. Each book does something new though. The books are all good, but the first books is the best and the second book nearly as good. There rest may be a dissapointment though, depending. The direct sequel to Heroe's Die is The Blade of Tyshalle.

The Steel Remains by Richard Morgan. Some elements of Heroes Die here: you have a dark and unforgiving world with a misunderstood hero who's not afraid of being a serious bad ass to those who fuck him over. This is one of the darkest fantasy books you'll read. But oh so good and something unique in the grim dark genre. It's a trilogy with the final book released by the end of 2014 making this trilogy a complete one.

The Heroes. When all villains are really just misunderstood heroes and heroes turn out to be villains. Abercrombie's best book so far, which is saying a lot since every book he's written is some of the best works in the genre. Tons of action, awesome and compelling characters, and vicious battles. Abercrombie is one of the best writers of violent scenes that just pop out of nowhere. If you love the action and blood of Heroes Die and you like the character of Caine, I think you'll like The Heroes. Note Heroes is more of a subversion of the idea of heroes, politics, and war. Heroes Die is more of a straight bad-ass anti-hero guy murdering everything around him rather than a sly statement about the state of humanity.

If you like the Assassin factor of Heroes Die, read Brent Weeks' The Night Angel Trilogy. It's a good read and Weeks is a rising star in the Fantasy world. The series is much, much lighter reading than the Acts of Caine, and the prose is not half as good. Good for light reading though.

For some compelling anti-hero reading about an assassin king, you should read Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence. Right up your alley if you like the violence and amorality of Stover's Caine character. Honorable Jorg Ancraft, the hero villain of Prince of Thorns, is an immoral and vicious bastard. Even so, you can't stop rooting for him to win.

Also read Robin Hobb's The Farseer Trilogy -- an epic tale about an assassin-in-training in a fantasy landscape, but with one of the best drawn characters ever to grace the Fantasy scene. As for being bad-ass, Fitz has nothing on Caine though and if you are expecting a heroic amount of violence and kickass-ness on the part of Fitz, expect to be disappointed. The whole kick ass that happens is to Fitz who gets ass whooped over and over. Really, he's kind of a bitch. But fabulous read, nevertheless.

The Folding Knife by KJ Parker's might just be up your alley. Dark, gritty, filled with flawed heroes with realistic motivations. Not everyone appreciate's Parker, but if you want a slower-paced 'rich' fantasy that's all about the characters, man Parker knows how to do it right.

The Red Knight. Knight heroes, monstrous elves, and damsels in distress all clash in this remarkable book released in 2013. The tale is a different one than your normal fantasy with a highly detailed and realistic medievil world built by the author who is a legit medievil historian. There's a huge cast of characters (though the focus remains on The Red Knight, the titular hero of the story and series) rather than a single one. However, like Heroes Die there's a lot of sizzling energy to this series, with brutal action, action, and lots of war. You'll probably like it if you like gritty violence and lots of fighting.

Talion: Revenant is the best work by prolific fantasy author Michael A Stackpole. Heroic fantasy with a lot of energy. One of the best 'boy becomes a man and then a hero' tales I've read and certainly Stackpool's best work.

Legend, the book that made Gemmell's career and certainly his career defining work about what it means to be a hero. He also explores the same idea in many works -- including a couple books about a bad-ass assassin turned hero (Waylander).

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss -- just about one of the best fantasy books in the genre. Another sort of heroic fantasy, but a tale that focuses on a character-driven narrative about the life of a hero. This is not a subversion of the heroic tale, but an expansion of it. It's frame story that's told after-the-fact, and we are never sure if the tale of Kvothe, a larger than life hero, is truth or exagerration. The writing is lyrical and gorgeous -- showing itself to be a perfect intersection between a powerful narrative and strong writing.

For other alternative history with the same lyrical style and emphasis on historical detail, though altered to fit a fantastical version of them, check out Kay's other books. You absolutely want to read the direct sequel to Under Heaven, River of Stars. which was released this year (2014). It's not as masterful as the first, but a very good read indeed and more of the same. The Fionvar Tapestry, Kay's version of Lord of the Rings. Last Light of the Sun is Kay's foray into Norse history and culture and an outstanding read. Lions of Al Rassan is a tragic yet powerful tale about a painter who's get caught up with the affairs of an Empire (Kay's take on Roman history). Song of Arbonne is a beautiful and haunting tale about two jongleurs. Ysabel is Kay's YA version of American Gods.

Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose. In many ways Under Heaven stands next to this great masterpiece on equal footing. Both are historical fiction with outstanding narratives.

If you like the whole fantastical mythical Asia, you should read Sean Russel's Brother Initiate. Russell in a lot of ways is similar to Kay both are outstanding writers who relish beautiful prose. Russell's work is more along the lines of a traditional fantasy, just using the trappings of ancient Chinese culture for the tale. The hero of his tale is a fighting monk and the tale is more heroic about heroes with amazing abilities who impact the fate of a kingdom. 

The Long Price Quartet by Daniel Abraham, is another series with a huge emphasis on literary types being the heroes of the day. This series is very much unique, the prose and characters are rich. It's a series that's not for everyone (if you are looking for traditional action heavy epic fantasy in the vein of Sanderson or Jordan, you probably won't like this series), but if you like to read and enjoy rich characters and a different setting and a different sort of fantasy than your usual run-of-the-mill, read it.

Master Li series by Barry Hughart. One of the best Asian fantasy series ever. It doesn't get the recognition it deserves. Not your standard fantasy novel, but it's a hell of a read and funny as hell.

The Folding Knife by KJ Parker. A series rich on details and characterization. Not so much on action. Parker is an author you love or hate. But if you enjoy Kay and a different style of fantasy, you'll enjoy Parker.

Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn. This 5 book series starts with a bang. It centers around an alternate Feudal Japan where magic works and stars ninjas, Samurai's, and warlords as the main characters. Kind of a fantasy version of Shogun. 

Alma Alexander's The Secrets of Jin-shei takes place in a similar mythical Chinese setting and centers on a princess and her friendship with a lower-class servant. It explores friendship and class systems in a changing world. An interesting read.

Susanna Clarke, Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. One of the best-written, well-plotted historical fantasy tales. This one is set in the 18th century and follows the story of Jonathan Strange, the last magician of his time. Well written, dense, and a superb story. If you like Kay, you will absolutely love this one.

A recent work but a phenomenal one. If you like the beautifully written Under Heaven with the rich themes about what it means to be human than you'll like this very different, yet equally enthralling work. The Golem and the Genie is a work you should read.

A completely different type of story than Kay's Under Heaven yet both are stories where the way words sounds are just as important as the story itself. Both are very much lyrical works, full of beautiful words and, if you dig, complex themes. If you like well written lyrical works, you'll like The Name of the Wind.

Good Omens is a brilliance of the combined mental powers of Neil Gaimen and Terry Pratchett. If you love Discworld, then this should be your next read.

Myth Adventures series by Robert Aspirin. Funny and clever, but mostly funny. Do read if you love to laugh at self-aware, bumbling fantasy tropes doing absurd thing.

Douglas Adam's The Hitchhiker's Guide to Galaxy. The famously funny parody of science fiction, life, and the universe itself. The equal to Pratchett in the science fiction world and a book that's transcended into pop culture itself.

Bridge of Birds by Barry Hughart. 'Funny' alone does not describe this. It's a masterpiece of character driven comedy set in an alternative Chinese landscape that won't disappoint.

Fantasy about Magicians and Magic Schools...

For a poignant story about competing magicians with a similar feel to it in tone and writing, read The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. Fantastic book and perhaps the CLOSEST similar read to Susanna Clarke's work that I've found. Definitely literary in tone and style. 

A remarkable trilogy by Lev Grossman that subverts many of the fantasy tropes. It also features a precise and detailed breakdown of a magic system that's internally consistent. If you like the emphasis on learning magic following consistent rules, with a captivating story, awesome prose, and many deep themes explored, then The Magician is the best you are going to find. Arguably labeled as literary fantasy, though not so high brow that you can't enjoy it if you like more low-brow style fantasy (i.e. Sanderson books).

Want more good books about 'magicians'? You may also find that you like Sean Russell's Moontide Magic Rise duology. It's kind of the same premise: magic has vanished from the world, a couple of people are trying to bring magic back to the world, etc. In my opinion, this is the closest book/series that you'll find to Susanna Clarke's work. 

Magician by Raymond E. Feist. If you want to forego all the literary aspects of fantasy and just opt to a straightforward classic style fantasy about a coming of age with a young boy becoming a powerful magician, then you could also read the standard epic village boy to might magician in Feist's Magician.

Literary Fantasy (fantasy with deep themes and beautiful writing):

The Golem and the Jinni. Another book you may just enjoy if you like fantastical tales that are touching and incredibly well written. Definitely considered literary fantasy. 

TOOTH & CLAW by Joe Walton. Dragons living in a Victorian Society? I dare you to try it! Read if you like the rich Victorian fantasy setting present int Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell.

For an epic fantasy series about fairies, you could read Shadowmarch by Tad Williams. There's lots of little folklore tales about fairies and elder creatures scattered throughout the story -- something that Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell has in abundance.

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchet. There's a lot of Brtitishness to this novel that you might just like if you liked Clarke's work.

If you like the slow pedantic pace of Clarke's work, the intense focus on characters and descriptions which almost seem to the point of excess but (finally) a fully realized magical world and with a gripping plot by the end of it, look no further than the majestic Gormenghast books.

For the rich use of the English language, read Lord Dunsany's magnificent The King of Elfland's Daughter. This is one of those proto-fanasy classics in the genre that few have read.

Jack Vance Dying Earth series. Science Fantasy, but oh god the use of the English language.

Are you a fan of fairies in a fantasy tale? Another book that deals with old fairy folk tales is Keith Donohue's The Stolen Child. A novel about the search for identity, The Stolen Child makes for a compelling read. The Stolen Child, like Susanna Clarke's work, is very well written. These books are sort of your "out of the box" fantasy. It's quite refreshing to see the fantasy genre has more to it than epic fantasy.

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke. A battle between two rival magicians vying for power and prestige, set during the baroque Victorian period and coated in flowery language. This is probably the closest recommendation I have for similar books to The Night Circus.

The Prestige by Christoper Priest is a remarkable novel. You've probably seen the movie, but have you read the book. Two stage magicians battle it out, trying to one-up one another with more and more elaborate tricks. Like the Night Circus, it features a conflict/contest between two magicians, but this one is not played out in a circus but across stage halls. The conflict becomes deadly.

The Golem and the Jinni is a beautiful and poignant character about two characters who are forced together by circumstances. It has the same sort of feeling as The Night Circus, though more character oriented.

Lev Grossman's fantastic trilogy. An entirely more depressing, postmodern take on the fantasy genre, but there's a school setting for the magically gifted.

Ah Harry Potter. Is there any fantasy fan who has not read it? Not at all the same type of story, but there is a magical school setting and students of magic. If you are looking for this, then Harry Potter is your book, though an entirely more juvenile story and with poorer writing. 

The Sorcerer's House by Gene Wolf has the same sort of feeling of mysteriousness, magic -- and subtle danger. This time it's about a magical house and two children who stay there.

The Troupe by Robert Bennett Jackson. Mysterious, magical, beautiful. These are worlds that describe this masterpiece. It has somewhat of a similar feeling as The Night Circus, but the magic here with both books featuring a company of performers where the performances are magical. On that note, if you want mysterious and strange, also read Robert Jackson's American Elsewhere.

We can't talk about antiheroes in a fantasy world without mentioning The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever. The series is older (a few decades) but a fantasy classic, with one of the original fantasy antiheroes who just does bad shit part of the time and is a general dick. Then he gets better with time.

A similar kind of vibe: a dark and gritty dilapidated world that feels like it's dying; a cast of morally gray characters (though on the darker shade of gray) who do bad shit over and over because 'they like it'; and a company of mercenaries. See some of the similarities? I would hazard a guess here and say Lawrence was heavily inspired by Cook. It's a guess that was wrong. Mark Lawrence recently tweeted us saying he's not yet read Cook. Either way, if you like The Black Company, you'll find yourself at home with Lawrence's The Broken Empire books. 

This one by Jeff Salyards takes a lot of the same gritty tendencies of Lawrence's work. There's a company of amoral solders on a quest to just fuck shit up in other kingdoms on orders from their emperor. This book is the closest I've come so far to Lawrence's style of story telling. Salyards is one of my new favorite authors and a rising star in the genre. Absolutely read him if you love Lawrence's Broken Empires.

Joe Abercrombie's books, oh yes very similar. Start with First Law trilogy. Gritty world, sharp, witty, and sarcastic prose with the same type of characters. Abercrombie's protagonists are more heroes though than villains, for the most part, though you can find a few that fit the role of an antihero. Best Served Cold and Heroes are books that feel the closest in style and tone, with Best Served Cold featuring a band of mercenaries seeking to overthrow a government -- somewhat similar of a plot to Prince of Thrones.

Give Elric of Melnibone by Michael Moorcock a read. A classic that's criminally ignored. One of the original fantasy antiheroes, way back decades ago. Dark fantasy, lyrical prose, and a bad ass hero who's partly a villain.

Among Thieves (Tales of the Kin, #1) . One of the best assassin/thief/spy fantasy books right now. It's got the ghettos and grittiness of Prince of Thorns, though the hero is not an antihero. I suspect you will like this series if you like Prince of Thorns.

Flintlock fantasy with a bang. Not the same style story, but full of violence, blood, and grit. You'll probably like A Promise of Blood. I do.

Caine, a bad-ass antihero assassin. Dirty world without hope. Lots of death and violence. Great writing. Read it and be wowed. Heroes Dieis some of the best fantasy you'll read.

Starts with A Game of Thrones. Yea, I had to drop this in. The gritty setting, the troubled characters, the struggle for power among kingdoms. The undead coming back to haunt the living. See some of the similarities here? Word is though, book 6 is coming out 2016 NOT 2015.

Read Steven King's The Talisman, which is another book set in the Dark Tower universe. It's a powerful read about a boy trying to save his mother. Jack Sawyer, a 12-year old boy, sets off on a quest to find a mythical talisman that will save his dying mother. His quest will take him across America and into the heart of a parallel world. I listened to the Audiobook version of this novel and was blown away by the story. Steven King is always at his best when he explores "worlds not our own." Several of his books explore the parallel universe concept. King's Insomnia is another such book (set in the same universe as The Dark Tower) and a great read.

Read Swan Song by Robert McCammon. It's a post-apocalyptic novel and considered one of the greats. Does have SOME similar elements.

The Crooked Letter by Sean Williams. Part of a trilogy. It's a dark and twisted tale about an afterlife gone awry. Twins who are connected are separated by murder, one very much alive on earth and cast into an afterlife gone wrong. Their special connection, however, sets a cataclysmic change in reality, pulling together the afterlife realm and the physical realm. There is much of King's haunted and forlorn world present in the novel as one of the characters struggles his way through an afterlife gone to hell, with monsters and creatures lurking around every corner and twisted versions of humanity preying on visitors. And when the afterlife begins to leak into the real world, a horrific version of reality takes over the world. It does feel very Stephen Kingish in some sections and the world, as stated, could be one of the nightmare worlds visited by Roland during The Dark Tower series.

Riverworld by Jose Farmer. Another science fiction classic, but I feel it has some of the same elements of enigma and adventure of the Dark Tower.

Read Hyperion by Dan Simmons. A very dark science fiction tale that's epic. Not the same sort of story and pure science fiction, but there are elements that you might like IF you like The Dark Tower -- particularly the tales told by the emotionally tortured pilgrims.

Last Call by Tim Powers. Some similarities I felt when reading it in tone and style to The Dark Tower. You may or may not agree, but give it a read.

Otherland by Tad Williams. A sprawling epic story with a cast of characters who travel from virtual world to world as part of an overarching quest to find answers. Very much character-driven, but about as epic an adventure you can get. You'll like it.

His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman. Multiple universes, portals to other worlds, dark story that plays out with children as the actors, grand adventures. You'll probably like it if you like King's work, though this one has an unequivocal anti-theological direction to it.

Read the classic Conan stories by Robert Howard. Together with Fritz Leiber, both authors pioneered Sword andSorcery and influenced countless writers.

For the modernized version of classic sword and sorcery, made edgy, dark, and disturbing; for themes that all modern grim dark fantasy touch on, read Elric of Melnibone by Michael Moorcock. He's that man who took sword and sorcery and made it depressing and deep.

Classic sword and sorcery but often left unmentioned, unlike the other greats like the Conan books. Kane delivers exactly what it promises: swords, sorcery, madness, revenge, loyalty, and plenty of violence. It may be old, but it's absolutely worth reading especially if you want some outstanding Sword and Sorcery.

A modern update (translated from a Polish author) on some of the classic Sword and Sorcery with complex themes, deeply trouble characters, and strong world building. The Witcher has taken the western world by storm -- you may have heard of these books through the awesome Witcher video games which are based on the books. If you have not yet picked up The Witcher books just yet, you are in for the treat -- it's really some of the best NEW fantasy out right now, and very much different than your typical western-influenced fantasy as these books were penned by a Polish author and as such feature a different perspective than you'll find in typical Tolkien-inspired fantasy.

For a modern take on Sword and Sorcery, you might look at J.V. Jones Sword of Shadows saga.It's more of an epic fantasy, but it does hearken back to some of the classic sword and sorcery conventions -- it's set on an icy world, the characters are dark and troubled, there's violence and nastiness, and plenty of magic and mayhem. Not quite grimdark, but definitely gritty.

Some ol' good sword and sorcery by Fred Saberhagan to be found in his Book of Swords books. The premise centers about god swords that fall to earth -- mortals who find them are given great power. Of course, humanity being the flawed species that it is, problems ensue. On the surface this may sound like a standard fantasy tale, but it's surprisingly deep as you get into it. Sword in Sorcery that's much better and much deeper than your usual shallow stuff. 

The Broken Sword by Poul Anderson, an absolute classic in the genre and arguably highly influential when it came out decades ago. This is Sword and Sorcery set in a Norse world and a very deep novel and highly underrated.

The Black Company by Glen Cook. Military Fantasy with a lot of Sword and Sorcery. I won't say much here that I haven't already said a million times in other recommendations, but...if you haven't read The Black Company and you like Sword and Sorcery, military battles, strategy, and plenty of anti-hero characters, read it.

See our Best Sword and Sorcery List for more specific S&S recommendations

You should read Anansi Boys by Gaiman -- features one of the same characters from American Gods and is about the same sort of story.

Really though, any of Gaiman's novels are good. His next best recommended is probably Neverwhere. Many people will tell you that Gaiman's best work of his career is his The Sandman graphic novels -- which, really, are probably the best graphic novels ever written, IMHO. 
 

Myths and Legends Co-Existing with the Modern Age:

For other Fantasy concerned with myth and legends coexisting (or struggling) with the modern world, read Robert Holdstock's Mythago Wood.

The Golem and the Jinni: Two legends from myth -- Arab myth and Jewish myth -- find themselves left over and out of place in the modern world and find they need each other to survive.

Ysabel by Guy Gaverial Kay. Kay's very good Ysabel also deals with a similar theme.

You will also enjoy Tim Power's The Anubis Gates which is a rip-roaring adventure that incorporates some of the same themes (myths coming to life).

Another (quite funny) take on the same theme is Marie Phillips' Gods Behaving Badly.

American Elsewhere by Robert Bennet Jackson. A damaged woman inherits a house and moves back after a midlife crisis only to find there's something odd about the town and she the center of it all. His newest work, City of Stairs, also explores the idea of old extinct God's coming back to haunt the modern world, though City of Stairs is more pure fantasy than urban fantasy.

Keith Donohue's The Stolen Child is another book that grapples with the reality of folk tales' (fairies') effect on the modern world. It's also a deep look into a man's search for his identity.

Kraken by China Mieville also explore the same theme (old myths living amongst and struggling with today's realities) in his novel, Kraken.

Another popular author that also likes to juxtapose myth and modern society is Charles de Lint. Myth existing in today's world does seem to be a common them with the Urban Fantasy subgenre, but the above books are the best written that feature myths living in the modern world.

City of Stairs is Jackson's best work, but check out his next best American Elsewhere and his wonderfully written The Troupe. His other books are a dime too, rich in deep themes and exploration (through fantastical tale) about the American dream.

The Mirror Empire by Kameron Hurley explores some of the same themes as does City of Stairs; it's not the same type of narrative or story, but there are some loose overlap in  themes. Both do explore themes of colonialism and power and of the oppressed becoming the oppressors

American Gods by Neil Gaimen. Recommended because besides being quite literary in theme, it's about old vanished god's fighting for their survival, sort of mirroring the old dead god's coming back idea of City of Stairs.

The Grim Company is, I fully admit, not at all similar in style to City of Stars being a gritty grimdark in the style of Joe Abercrombie, but the themes of overthrowing and killing the gods only to find out such an action has had catestrphic consequences after the fact, does mirror loosely the theme of old dead gods coming back into the world explored in City of Stairs

Starts with The Emperor's Blades. On the list here, this is the most traditional epic fantasy tale, but it does explore the idea of dead vanished gods coming back into the world of men as a very bad thing.

The Troy books are David Gemmell's best works and his last writing before he passed away (his wife had to finish the series since Gemmell died before finishing it).

Talion: Revenent. One of the closest books in terms of style and theme to Legend, Talion is a coming of age story that explores the idea of a hero and the cost of being a hero. it's thrilling, visceral, and action packed from start to finish. One of the best heroic tales I've read -- one that grabs you from the beginning and doesn't let go the whole way through.

Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson. A band of heroes take on a dark lord to save the land and the people from endless tyranny. Sounds like a Gemmell novel? Well, it is, and features some of the best battle scenes in the genre and one of the most interesting magic systems.

Dawnthief by James Barclay was highly influenced by Gemmell's style of heroic fantasy. If you want Gemmell's style of heroic fantasy with lots of action, bands of heroes against uncountable odds, heroes who kick ass, brutality and violence, then give him a read. You won't be disappointed.

Lightbringer by Brent Weeks is written in the same tradition as David Gemmell, but with more of a modern update on it. Similar themes, gob stopping amount of action, good characterization while still focusing on characters who are for the most part black and white. You could also try his first series, The Night Angel Trilogy which is not as good of a read and far more simpler in style and form, but probably closer to a pure Gemmell book than the Lightbringer. 

The Red Knight by Miles Cameron. Heroic fantasy with lots and lot of action, powerful heroes, even more powerful villains, deadly magic, and people to save. If you like the raw action and greater than life heroes of Legend, you'll probably like this one.

Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence. On the polar opposite end of Gemmell, you have an author like Mark Lawrence who writes about anti-heroes. These characters are pretty much the opposites type of Hero that Gemmell writes about. They are bad people doing mostly bad things for a mix of good, bad, and selfish reasons. 

Abercrombie's best work and his specific treatment of the idea of a hero -- filtered through his patented style of fantasy subversion. You could also give his First Law trilogy a read s well here -- it's heroic fantasy, but subverted.

Starts with The Steel Remains. Heroic fantasy in the tradition of Sword and Sorcery, but with just about every subversion under the sun written into this intoxicating trilogy. Expect lots and lots of brutality, bloodshed, and raw action perpetuated by a cast of very troubled heroes.

There aren't a lot of private eye wizards, but there are a number of books in this series

For more DETAILED breakdown of epic fat fantasy recommendations, check out the Best Epic Fantasy Recommendation list.

I'm going to go into quite a bit of detail here on recommending the top epic fantasy that's most similar to The Stormlight Archive, or that you may like if you like Sanderson's epic.

Big Battles, Good vs. Evil, Strong Magic System, Standard Epic Fantasy:

The Wheel of Time

For more rolling epics in the high fantasy style of The Way of Kings, The Wheel of Time is probably the closest you'll find in terms of "style" and plot and setting. Keep in mind that Sanderson did write the last 3 books in the Wheel of Time to complete Jordan's massive series, so it should come as no surprise The Stormlight Archive is Sanderson's own version of The Wheel of Time.

The Death Gate Cycle

Lots of magic and action in the Death Gate Cycle. And 7 big big novels in the series. An interesting setting and an interesting magic system. It's an older fantasy (a couple decades old) and not as complex as the more modern epic fantasies to come out in the 2000's, but it's a fun read, even if the final book is a huge letdown.

The Chronicles of the Unhewn Throne

Starts with The Emperor's Blades by Brian Stavely. This series was probably my favorite epic fantasy debut last year in 2014. A remarkable release and a true epic fantasy with the word epic. The style of this fantasy is very much in like with Tolkien, Jordan, and The Stormlight Archive with big strange landscapes, a cast of many characters, strange magic, a dark threat coming, powerful heroes with personal stories, etc.

Lord of the Rings

The source from which all epic fantasy is derived. Need I say more here?

If you are looking for more of a Lord of the Rings STYLE of epic fantasy in feeling, writing, magic, and form, then check out our Best of the Tolkien Clones list for books like this.

Shadowmarch

This four book series is William's latest epic fantasy. More of melding of Lord of the Rings but updated for the 21st century. Strong characters, interesting, mysterious magic system, old gods walking the lands, scheming emperor's, magical kingdoms hidden from man, etc. Some elements like The Stormlight Archive, though, again, it's more in line with Lord of the Rings.

The Lightbringer

Tons of action, tons of magic, a unique magic system, a coming of age story, the battle between good and evil, gods and men, kings and soldiers, The Lightbringer series has it all. Book one was ok, Book two was absolute kick ass, Book three in between. If you want a coming of age epic fantasy with some serious POW, this is it.

The Powder Mage Trilogy

Starts with A Promise of Blood. Flintlock 'Gunpowder with Grit' epic fantasy. Gods, gunpowder mages, and sorcerers all go at it in this one. A heady mix of unique magic, complex troubled heroes, and troubled landscapes.

The Shadow Campaigns 

Starts with The Thousand Names. Colonial military fantasy with a lot of action, squad combat, violence and complex heroes. After two books we are still seeing where this series is going (I preferred book one over book two), but is some of the best new stuff out there in the past couple years. 

The Warded Man

Epic Fantasy, but with a twist -- evil has conquered the world and men are the prey. First book (The Warded Man) was spectacular. The sequels shit. But read the first book for some of the most exciting, heart-pumping epic fantasy. Lots of focus on magic and a unique magic system at that. A coming of age story thrown in with some compelling characters.

Mistborn

Sanderson has written a lot of other good epic fantasy that you should read. The Mistborn Trilogy series is a given. His Elantris stand alone is also great. Warbreaker, I wasn't too fond of. The last three Wheel of Time books have been finished off by him as well.

Codex Alera

Jim Butcher's less famous series, but arguably just as good as his Dresden Files. Codex Alera is epic fantasy with pokemon and set in a Romaneque world. Cool beans indeed. Battles, magic, and stratagems all perfectly blended.  

Darker Epic Fantasy (gritty, grimdark, morally ambiguous heroes, antiheros, etc):

Mazalan Book of the Fallen 

Malazan Book of the Fallen is also another huge epic fantasy series, but the characters are more gray (and there are a lot more of them). Still, it's one of the best epic series out there right now. 

The Black Company

The Black Company is another style of epic fantasy with a twist that you should absolutely read. It's more of a gritty, grimdark style and the characters are all morally ambiguous, the narration is first person, but man once you get into this series, you really really get into it. Some of the most interesting gritty epic fantasy in the genre. It's not at all like The Stormlight Archive though, except for the good vs evil conceits of the epic fantasy tradition and the large scale military battles that include a lot of magic in them. This is more similar to Mazalan Book of the Fallen than Stormlight Archive. 

If you want The Black Company style epic fantasy, look at our Best Grimdark Fantasy list for more books like this. Not all are epic fantasy, but there are some epic gritty/grimdark picks on there.

The First Law Trilogy

Starts with The Blade Itself. A complete subversion of lord of the rings. Not at all like Stormlight Archive in tone or style, but you may just like it anyways.

A Song of Ice and Fire

And for a fantasy series that doesn't focus as much on magic and dark lords but more on character relationships and complex politicking (and some epic sword battles), Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire should be read.

The Traitor's Son Cycle

Starts with The Red Knight. Another epic fantasy series with two books out so far as of 2014. One of my favorite series and a different take on the genre. It merges medieval Arthurian settings and peoples with epic fantasy that's about a grand battle between monsters and men, sorcerers and heroes. There's a lot of zing to it with tons of action, magic, massive battles, military strategy, and an glorious amount of medieval detail. 

More Character driven epic fantasy:

The Wizard of Earthsea

The Wizard of Earthsea. Very much different than the modern epic fantasy that is The Stormlight Archive, but a classic epic fantasy with a compelling story, a deep magic system, and complex characters, and some underlying themes. One of the best classic epic fantasy in the genre and a must read.

The Blood Song

If you like character driven epics, you might just find The Blood Song appealing. It's not so much an epic struggle between good and evil but more of a struggle between factions. And more about martial skills than magic, though magic becomes more important later in the book.

Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn

The Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series by Tad Williams. Another remaking of Lord of the Rings and not really similar to The Stormlight Archive other than there are many different lands, different peoples, and scheming nobles tossed into the story. It's far more character driven and far less action orientated. Yet, it's a rich reworking of The Lord of the Rings and one of the best (slow) coming of age stories in the genre -- even decades after it was first published.

War of Light and Shadows

Complex characters and lyrical prose to the point of this series becomes hard to actually read, Janny Wurtz War of Light and Shadowsseries has not received the due acknowledgement it should have received. It's not at all like Wheel of Time or Stormlight Archive, but absolutely better written and far more character driven. Read if you love slow, simmering plots, deep characters with complex motivation. This is one anei-recommendation I'd say if you have a hard on for The Wheel of Time and The Stormlight Archive type epic fantasy, you WILL NOT LIKE IT.

The Sun Sword Saga

High Fantasy meets Epic fantasy in this massive 7 book series. I'm not even sure how to describe this other than procedural epic/high fantasy. It's slow and completely character driven, but oh so wonderfully written. This is another anti-recommendation just like above; I'd say if you have a hard on for The Wheel of Time and The Stormlight Archive type epic fantasy, you WILL NOT LIKE IT.
 

For more epic fat fantasy recommendations, check out the Best Epic Fantasy Recommendation list.