If you liked
Books like The Blade Itself
by Joe Abercrombie
Joe Abercrombie's The Blade Itself wrote the new template for grimdark fantasy: Logen Ninefingers, Glokta the torturer, Bayaz the wizard, and one of the most distinctive prose voices in modern secondary-world fiction. These five next.
The shortlist
What to read next
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.”
Last Argument Of Kingsby Joe Abercrombie
“The final First Law book. Abercrombie sticks every landing he had been setting up for two books, and the result is bleak in the best way.”
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.”
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.”
The Hidden Queenby Alma Alexander
“The Hidden Queen by Alma Alexander 2004 review. A Croatian-Australian fantasy debut that opens a duology about a princess in hiding learning to use magic she should not have.”
FAQ
Common questions about The Blade Itself read-alikes
- Should I just read the rest of the First Law trilogy first?
- Yes. Before They Are Hanged and Last Argument of Kings are the natural next reads, and the picks above are for after the trilogy. If you have already finished, the Bear and Banks picks are the most direct tonal cousins.
- I want more grimdark specifically. What else?
- Mark Lawrence's Prince of Thorns and Anna Smith Spark's The Court of Broken Knives are the two strongest non-Abercrombie grimdark debuts of the post-First Law decade.
- What about the Age of Madness sequel trilogy?
- A Little Hatred is the entry point. Recommended for First Law fans without reservations, though the prose is denser and the politics are heavier.
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