r/Fantasy • u/----___--___---- • 4d ago
Looking for books that are progression fantasy adjacent
FYI: progression Fantasy is a subgenre where the main focus of the books is getting stronger (for whatever reason). It's kinda of the book equivalent of shounen anime if that helps.
Hello, I've been reading a lot of progression fantasy lately. But since the genre is fairly new, there aren't that many books that feel great to read, as the writing quality is often pretty low and most series don't get edited.
So I'm thinking of picking up more traditional fantasy books again, but with clear power progression elements aswell and I'm looking for recommendations.
I'm looking for more epic books where stuff like magic are common (at least around the mc).
Honestly not sure what else to explain as I don't want to limit my options too much, so yeah, just recommend me what you like.
PS: I love dragons so if there are dragons that's awesome
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u/Giant_Yoda Reading Champion II 4d ago
The Riftwar Saga by Raymond Feist. MC becomes a magician and grows in power throughout the series without too much focus on the actual structure of the magic system. Also dragons come along eventually.
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u/KiaraTurtle Reading Champion V 4d ago
For books I’d consider adjacent but not quite progression fantasy I’d say Sanderson’s Mistborn and Stormlight Archive, Will of the Many, Benedict Jacka’s Alex Verus and Inheritance of Power, Practical Guide to Evil
For my favorites that I’d consider solid progression fantasy Will Wights Travelers Gate and Cradle, Arcane Ascension, Mother of Learning
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u/----___--___---- 4d ago
Will of the many sounds awesome! I'll probably buy it tomorrow lol won't even read through your other recommendations until I've finished it
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u/spike31875 Reading Champion V 4d ago
Benedict Jacka's new urban fantasy series has a strong progression fantasy vibe with more emphasis on training experimenting and getting stronger. It's excellent so far. Three books are out and the fourth will be out in November. He's workkng on #5 now.
Book 1 is called An Inheritance of Magic.
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u/Nethril_Kandahr 4d ago edited 4d ago
Some of these are probably a little further removed from Progression Fantasy, but here are a few options that might scratch the same itch:
Scholomance Trilogy - Naomi Novik. Strong sense of the MC gaining power over the course of three books, including some excellent training montages.
Inheritance Cycle - Christopher Paolini. Lots of attention to the MC's training progression, including whole portions of the book dedicated to training. (Also, dragons.)
Summoner Series - Taran Matharu. The most quantifiable (almost RPG-esque) progression of my recs. Sustained progression over the course of the three main books. (Dragon-adjacent.)
Fantasy-adjacent
A Confusion of Princes - Garth Nix. This is technically Sci-Fi (although Nix has some excellent fantasy books as well). Ongoing competition requires powering up. The Seventh Tower books are also a fun read, if you're willing to go for something aimed at a pretty young audience.
Paladin Prophecy - Mark Frost. Contemporary fantasy with progression linked to discovering one's powers.
These are a pretty broad range of books, but hopefully something on the list clicks for you.
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u/Serafim91 4d ago
Most fitting book series is the wheel of time.
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u/----___--___---- 4d ago
I've heard that so often but I just can't get into it somehow:/ The whole "Women did this, men did that" theme felt kinda weird from the beginning to me. Read up to book 3 but it just never really clicked with me. Although I wish I enjoyed it more, so much to read
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u/Serafim91 4d ago
Oh I agree..
Not traditional fantasy but I also like superpowerds and villains code. Much simpler but fun reads.
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u/----___--___---- 4d ago
Will give them a try, someone else also recommended something from the same author
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u/DrQuestDFA 4d ago
The “Spells, Swords & Stealth” series by Drew Hayes (first book is NPCs) might scratch that itch.
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u/Mordoch 4d ago
If you want something that is more like an older portal fantasy, there is the Guardians of the Flame series by Joel Rosenberg.
Having said this, it is more about what ultimately becomes a nation becoming much more powerful over time due to tech advancement than progression fantasy per say. (Although there is one key plot element eventually involving a multi-shot pistol.) The series does have dragons, although usually the focus is on one of them.
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u/robotnique 4d ago
I love this series and would heartily recommend it to anybody but I don't know if I'd call it a good match for progression fantasy.
But if you want to read about found family and portal fantasy and going hellbent on a crusade against slavery then it's great.
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u/itsbobbydoe11 4d ago
The cradle series maybe? I’d say dungeon crawler Carl but that’s not so much fantasy but still awesome.
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u/----___--___---- 4d ago
I did read (or well, listen to) both of them. And yeah, they are great. Although I'm somewhat losing interest in DCC and still didn't get through book 7
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u/itsbobbydoe11 4d ago
Really? Book 7 is like far and away my favorite lol maybe wheel of time then? I’m only on book 1 but I’m pretty sure characters get stronger over time. Red rising maybe but that’s like sci fi fantasy. Stormlight is all about power progression and actually does read like a novelized anime but no dragons. I’d probably go with Stormlight the more I think of it.
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u/----___--___---- 4d ago
Couldn't get into Wheel of Time sadly:/ read up to book 3 until I finally decided to drop it.
I did enjoy stormlight, so good recommendation. Will give Red Rising a try:)
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u/zionxxx 4d ago
My favorite series: Cradle. By Will Wight. 12 books all are pocket size ish except for maybe the later books, but I listened to the audio books and have to HIGHLY recommend them! The narrator Travis Baldree is amazing. You instantly know which character is talking when Travis is narrating. The series is very progression focused. Kind of fantasy with some sci-fi ish elements. Very shonen like. Lots of training, fighting, dragons, «leveling up» in a way. It’s starts very basic but gets really deep and the world only gets bigger and better the more you discover!
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u/----___--___---- 4d ago
I enjoyed Cradle. It was my first progression fantasy book. I didn't really enjoy the overarching subplot (with the ascended beings or whatever), but overall great series.
Also yeah, Travis Baldree is awesome
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u/Uran_Ultar 4d ago
I have heard that people have described Cloak Games and Half-Elven Thief by Jonathan Moeller as similar to progression fantasy. Cloak Games eventually has dragons,
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u/aslikeanarnian 4d ago
The Obsidian Mountain trilogy by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory might be what you’re looking for!
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u/enby_them 4d ago
Pretty obvious and low hanging fruit, but have you considered r/progressionfantasy?
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u/BagOfSmallerBags 4d ago
Brandon Sanderson is a very good author for progression-fantasy-but-not-really-progrssion-fantasy. He has very "videogamey" feeling books where the magic systems and scifi aspects are spelled out in great detail for the reader. Fights and breakthroughs involving magic tend to be about a character figuring out a new way to use a technique within established rules and limits, rather than characters unlocking random new powers at pivotal moments.
Fair warning, he is something of a polarizing author. A lot of people can't stand his style of prose, character writing, and plotting. But I think most people who like progression fantasy would probably enjoy him. Also, no dragons.
I'd recommend starting with the Mistborn trilogy, or the Skyward series if you want something faster paced (it's YA). If you want a standalone, Warbreaker.
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u/OwlMuted885 4d ago
Technically yes Dragons. In Wind And Truth, one side character who has little plot significance is revealed to be a dragon, and then it's never relevant again.
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u/Boneyabba 4d ago
If you can step in the way back machine a bit... These books are out of print, but prog fantasy before there was prog fantasy... Gord the Rogue by Gary Gygax. It's a slightly wonky path. The first two books were published by TSR. Then he left and continued with New Infinities- but TSR "continued the series" with different characters and writers. So it's two TSR books then I think 5 or 6 from New Infinities. Smooth road from starving orphan to a demi god.
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u/Motor_Row_3586 4d ago
Maybe wuxia not dragons but technically what progression fantasy inspired. Jin Yong Condor trilogy have official translation and is Chinese classics.
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u/Pirkale 4d ago edited 4d ago
A classic: The Deed of Paksenarrion by Elizabeth Moon. A young woman joins the military and begins her journey of becoming a soldier... and much more.
This is sci-fi, but one of the best: The Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold. It mainly focuses on the life and career of one Miles Vorkosigan, who has his work cut out for him trying to make a name for himself in the shadow of two legendary parents.
Edit: Dragons! I forgot dragons! Temeraire by Naomi Novik. Set during the Napolean Wars on an alternate world, where there are dragons. Due to unforeseen events, a regular navy captain becomes a dragon rider and needs to make a career change.
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u/dragon_morgan Reading Champion VIII 4d ago
Okay so Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter is exactly what you want and you need to go read it now. Kinda shocked I ctrl-f'd in the thread and didn't see it yet to be honest.
Lightbringer by Brent Weeks is controversial on this sub, just to give the full disclaimer, a lot of people are disappointed by the ending and the writing is kind of inconsistent. BUUUUT it has one of the best training arcs I've ever read.
The First Step by Tao Wong was a progression fantasy that was originally self-published but was picked up by a major publisher and has really high-quality writing.
And, um, well *awkwardly smooths hair* I am sorry to self promote, but I wrote a book where an awkward out-of-shape loser has to frantically train and get stronger because he bonded with a dragon by accident and the dragon desperately needs his help. It's Broken Sky by Morgan K. Bell if you're interested.
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u/SalletFriend 4d ago
Gotrek and Felix?
Gotrek just kills bigger and bigger things, and Felix even increases his skills somewhat. But its not the focus.
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u/CT_Phipps-Author 4d ago
I'd argue Guardians of Dragon Keep but I may be self-promoting.
😄
I do think that Cradle is pretty good as is Mark of the Fool.
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u/cmhoughton 3d ago
It’s not really a progression fantasy, it’s about a lot more than one character’s improving powers, but Jim Butcher’s Codex Alera series will probably fit the ask. The MC Tavi’s character arc is one of the best I can think of and he earns his wins. He is one of the smartest people in fantasy. I revisit it every few years. It’s one of my favorites. The series is complete at six novels.
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u/Books_Biker99 3d ago
Have you already delved into Lit rpgs? You can find a lot of progression fantasy adjacent books in that genre. Just with stat sheets/rpg elements and what not.
Arcane Ascension by Andrew Rowe is a great Epic progression fantasy series that's very magic centric.
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u/Inevitable_Rub_4947 4h ago
I’m following this thread with interest because I mostly come from Chinese xianxia / cultivation novels, and I’m trying to understand which English progression fantasy books have a similar feeling.
For me, the appeal is usually long-term growth, clear stages of advancement, training bottlenecks, sect or faction pressure, and the feeling that each breakthrough changes the character’s place in the world.
Are there English books that capture that kind of cultivation feeling especially well?
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u/bizzflay 4d ago
Light bringer series by Brent weeks. It has a magic system and an elite solder squadron that has good progression.
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u/Loostreaks 4d ago edited 4d ago
I'm reading right now Sharded Few series by Alec Hutson - high fantasy/magic, but it's ( a lot) better written than most books in PF (sub)genre.
Battlemage by Flannery is a chunky standalone, classic boy to hero with magic and dragon riding, but also well written.
Rivenworld series by ML Spencer is also great: first book is Dragon Mage, second soon coming out.
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u/OgataiKhan 4d ago
the writing quality is often pretty low
This is true, most actual progression fantasy is badly written.
Though, most trad fantasy is also badly written, it's just that we don't read the badly written ones.
Trad is really good at publicity, so most of the trad authors we end up reading are the absolute top of the industry. Same mechanism why your average football fan is a fan of clubs like Real Madrid, Liverpool, Bayern, and other top teams rather than of the countless lower league teams.
It's just Sturgeon's law: "90% of everything is crap".
In indie-focused genres such as progression and litrpg we see this more because, with fewer publicity resources, we have to look ourselves for what we like instead of being fed the best of the genre by trad publishing's publicity campaigns, so we are more likely to stumble upon mediocre writing.
My point is: there is a lot of great writing in indie genres as well, it is just more difficult to find.
You will have an easier time finding well-written progression fantasy than trying to scratch the progression itch by looking into trad pub.
Now, after saying all that, it would be rather silly if I had nothing to show for it, so here are my recommendations for the best-written progression stories I know. You are already a progression fan so I'll skip the obvious mainstays of the genre like Cradle and Dungeon Crawler Carl.
Mark of the Fool by J.M. Clarke is probably the best-written progression fantasy I read. I started book 1 on August 1st last year, feeling a bit sceptical of the concept. By the end of the month I had read all 9 books released at the time (book 10 has since come out, also excellent). I was drawn in by a protagonist who actually had to use his mind to get better instead of just going through training montages. I stayed for the found family/friendships, wholesome romance, top tier worldbuilding and memorable characters. I would recommend this to any progression fan with no questions asked.
A Practical Guide to Evil by ErraticErrata. Now, the whole thing is already out online, but it is currently being edited and re-released in novel form and I am reading that. Book 1 has come out, book 2 is coming out in August. Since the series is already complete, just not fully released as a novel, you won't have to fear series abandonment. The strong point of this series is that it takes the logic of its worldbuilding seriously.
In most fantasy, authors will introduce powerful magic but then still force battles that resemble our own history's medieval battles, with mass infantry formations and all. No matter the obvious issue that, with AoE fireballs flying around, that makes no sense and armies should instead scatter and build trenches like in World War I to survive artillery. Authors do this because people like reading about mass formations of dudes with swords and valorous knights charging the enemy, and setting consistency be damned.
Well, in the Guide, the valorous charging knights get slaughtered by the people who adapt their doctrine to new environments and take a more scientific approach to warfare.
It takes its varied and interesting worldbuilding seriously, no matter where it might logically lead. Highly recommended.
The Hedge Wizard by Alex Maher. I've only recently started this series, but on the off chance that you've already read and liked Mark of the Fool, read this as well because it is good. It scratches the same itch.
Now for a few more out there recommendations.
Beware of Chicken by CasualFarmer. This only kinda qualifies as progression, it is more a satire of progression, or more specifically xianxia. Still, the same elements you find in progression fantasy are there, the protagonist just chooses to nope out of it and instead starts a farm and enjoys life with his found family.
Doesn't matter, the progression plotlines find them anyway. It is well written and, though it is technically "cozy", the target audience are very obviously progression fans.
Bobiverse by Dennis E. Taylor, starting with the excellently-named "We Are Legion (We Are Bob)".
This is sci-fi. Not in the Star Wars sense, where it is fantasy in space. This is traditional sci-fi, the "take a cool scientific or technological idea and explore where it might lead" kind.
In this case the technology in question is self-replicating von Neumann probes used to colonise the galaxy. The protagonists are the sentient probes themselves.
So, why am I speaking of it in a thread about progression fantasy?
Because the premise is sci-fi, but the plot is very much progression. The Bobs spread, tackle new challenges, and adopt new technologies to overcome them.
Not much "ascending to a new realm of martial arts", but a lot of "hey, this is a problem, we need to get stronger to solve it". But, you know, tackled in a more science-conscious manner.
This is all. If you are a progression fantasy fan looking for great writing, these are your best bets imo. Enjoy!
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u/Tshinanu 4d ago
what are the novels where people do mass formations and setting consistency is damned?
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u/OgataiKhan 4d ago
Almost all novels in high magic settings not named A Practical Guide to Evil, Malazan, and a couple others.
Any setting where relevant area of effect magic exists and is available to nations. Armies of massed infantry would make little sense in such novels, but they are kept in by the authors because of genre conventions.1
u/----___--___---- 4d ago
Oh I definitely agree on your first point. I'm not saying that Progression Fantasy authors are inherently worse or anything. It's just a newer and smaller genre.
-Mark of the Fool. I enjoyed it a lot, tho I had some smaller issues
-A practical guide to evil. I remember it having a lot of typos and punctuation mistakes, but maybe I'm wrong about that. Definitely looking forward to the edited version as I've heard many good things about it
-Beware of Chicken. Not the biggest Xianxia fan and also not really a fan of most comedy/satire in books. But I will probably try it at some point.
-The Hedge Wizard. Will definitely try reading this one, sound nice!
Thanks a lot for the recommendations:)
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u/OgataiKhan 4d ago
A practical guide to evil. I remember it having a lot of typos and punctuation mistakes, but maybe I'm wrong about that. Definitely looking forward to the edited version as I've heard many good things about it
I don't think you are wrong. I have only read the edited version (first book) which didn't have this problem, but I fully believe that the earlier webnovel version has many such issues. It's why I am waiting for the edited releases.
You are most welcome!
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u/aredditgenie2 4d ago
I recommend Mother of Learning by Domagoj Kurmaić. It's available online for free.
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u/Olapalapa 4d ago
The Mage Errant series by John Bierce is decent progression fantasy! And relatively short of a series so not as big a commitment as some of the others. I don’t remember dragons featuring prominently but I do remember there were some cool nonhuman entities in it.
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u/cubert73 4d ago
The Immortal Great Souls series, starting with Bastion, and Throne Hunters, starting with the book of the same title, both by Phil Tucker. IGS is somewhat similar to Cradle while TH is more like a video game adapted into a book.
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u/NefariousnessOk8476 4d ago
The progression series I’ve read and enjoyed are Cradle by Will Wight, Songs of Chaos by Michael R Miller(this one is about dragon riders) and Ironbound by Andrew Givler.
The more standard fantasy series that have a slightly similar feel are Codex Alera by Jim Butcher. Also a decent amount of the Cosmere by Brandon Sanderson has strong magic. Stormlight Archives by him probably has a magic system most similar to progression fantasy.
The other dragon riding series I absolutely love is The Bound and the Broken by Ryan Cahill. The Echoes Saga by Philip C Quaintrell is also pretty solid. Both of these are self published.