If you liked
Books like Last Argument Of Kings
by Joe Abercrombie
Joe Abercrombie's Last Argument of Kings finished the First Law trilogy with a third-act resolution that earned the grimdark reputation. If you closed the book and wanted more grimdark fantasy in the same register, these five next.
The shortlist
What to read next
The Blade Itselfby Joe Abercrombie
“Grimdark fantasy with a beating heart underneath the cynicism. Abercrombie writes the kind of characters you would cross a kingdom for.”
Before They Are Hangedby Joe Abercrombie
“The second First Law novel. Three plot threads in three different countries, all going progressively worse. Abercrombie at his peak.”
Paladin of Soulsby Lois McMaster Bujold
“Bujold's 2003 Hugo and Nebula double. The middle Chalion book. A middle-aged widow becomes the unexpected vessel of a god. One of the great fantasy novels of its decade.”
The Algebraistby Iain M. Banks
“Iain M. Banks's standalone space opera. A galaxy without faster-than-light travel, a millennia-old gas-giant civilization, and one of his best villains.”
Steles of the Skyby Elizabeth Bear
“Steles of the Sky by Elizabeth Bear 2014 review. The final book of the Eternal Sky trilogy lands its Mongol-empire-inspired epic fantasy with rare grace.”
FAQ
Common questions about Last Argument Of Kings read-alikes
- I have finished First Law. What is next?
- Best Served Cold (standalone), then The Heroes (standalone), then Red Country (standalone) for the First Law universe expanded universe. The Age of Madness trilogy (A Little Hatred, The Trouble with Peace, The Wisdom of Crowds) is the direct sequel set thirty years after.
- Are these all grimdark?
- Two of the five (First Law). Paladin of Souls is patient literary fantasy in a different register. The Algebraist is hard SF. Steles of the Sky is patient Mongol-empire-inspired fantasy. The connective tissue is ambition rather than darkness.
- I want grimdark from other authors. What else?
- Mark Lawrence's Prince of Thorns and Anna Smith Spark's The Court of Broken Knives are the strongest non-Abercrombie grimdark debuts.
The original