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Books like The Curse of Chalion
by Lois McMaster Bujold
Lois McMaster Bujold's The Curse of Chalion opened the Five Gods world that includes Paladin of Souls and The Hallowed Hunt. Cazaril's arc remains one of the most interior fantasy protagonists in modern SFF. These five next.
The shortlist
What to read next
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.”
Falling Freeby Lois McMaster Bujold
“Lois McMaster Bujold's 1988 Nebula winner. The Quaddies and Leo Graf. The first book of what became one of the great SF series.”
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 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.”
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.”
FAQ
Common questions about The Curse of Chalion read-alikes
- Should I read Paladin of Souls next?
- Yes. Paladin is the direct successor in the Five Gods world and won the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus the year of its release. The Hallowed Hunt is the third Five Gods novel.
- What about the rest of the Vorkosigan Saga?
- Falling Free is the chronological first Vorkosigan novel. The natural entry point for most readers is The Warrior's Apprentice. Memory is the structural pivot of the series and one of Bujold's best.
- I want more patient literary fantasy. What else?
- Robin Hobb's Farseer trilogy and Guy Gavriel Kay's Tigana are the strongest non-Bujold cousins outside our catalog.
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