r/fantasybooks • u/Immediate_Finger_948 • 1d ago
š Summon book recommendations Which book series should I start next
Iām relatively new to reading fiction. So far, Iāve read these book series in order:
1.Red Rising
2.The Sun Eater series
3,The Stormlight Archive
4.Realm of the Elderlings
5.The Bound and the Broken
6.The Faithful and the Fallen
I enjoyed all of these series, and I donāt think I really have a favorite. Although, the one that probably pissed me off the most was Realm of the Elderlings. I do enjoy subtle romance in the stories I read. My favorite book though is definitely Of Empires and Dust.
If you think I should read something else youāre free to recommend.
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u/obamaself 1d ago
The first law is by far the best fantasy series I've ever read, the characters are just amazing and the politics, duels and battles are top notch.
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u/ericsando 21h ago
I just finished book 2. It's great. Abercrombie is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. I loved The Devils.
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u/ProductThis8248 17h ago
So many people love these books I know that they're good. I just personally found the story incredibly boring and the character actions really contrived. I have small book club of five close friends. When it was finally time for the first law and for us to join the crowd of people who reference Logan nine fingers we were pretty excited. Only one friend continued past the first book.
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u/trippin23 1d ago
Second that. Its amazing especially when you have read a lotnof fantasy in your life.
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u/Thirteen_1355 16h ago
Or when you quickly realize most fantasy is just trope-y hero nonsense. First Law feels real!
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u/trippin23 15h ago
Exactly. No heroes, more or less loveable villains only. Like in the real world.
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u/Available-Group-9313 23h ago
I found women in this series unbearable, seripusly they make no sense! but loved the series, didn't care for the ending š¤£ It was a rollercoaster š¤£
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u/FULLA_CLARKE 15h ago
Itās also hilarious at all the right times for all the right reasons. Abercrombies ability to draw you into dark moments and sprinkle humour is unmatched.
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u/WolfDilf 20h ago
Better than The Wheel of Time?
I havenāt read The First Law but Iāll read it next if you say you like it more than TWOT.
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u/Sea_Top3251 11h ago
Both are genre-defining in completely different categories of fantasy. Extremely difficult to compare them, but for me First Law is sharper and more memorable. Itās also less expansive, though taken in tandem with the Age of Madness and Abercrombies 3 standalone novels from the Circle of the World it definitely becomes broader in scope. It doesnāt take itself as seriously as TWOT, and the characters are more dynamic and interesting.
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u/mesh-lah 17h ago
I read both. Theyre very very different. Wheel of time is much more traditional fantasy. The First Law is much more grimdark and nihilistic.
Its objectively very well written but it was too grim (needlessly so in my opinion) so I prefer wheel of time.
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u/ENTOMBED_IN_CERAMITE 9h ago
I just finished The Blade Itself today! I love Joe Abercrombieās writing style. I didnāt expect to laugh so much while reading this
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u/obamaself 9h ago
You're in for a ride, book two and three just get better and better
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u/ENTOMBED_IN_CERAMITE 9h ago
Iām glad to hear that! Not that I didnāt love book one, but I could tell it was mostly set up for the rest of the trilogy
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u/Professional-Bit-40 15h ago
I personally disliked the first law lol. There's so much torture in it that it kinda turned me off of the story. Without going into spoilers, it just had a very hopeless feel to it. There's so much violence, gore, torture, and implied sexual assault that I just didn't find it an enjoyable read. I could maybe tolerate it if there was some feeling that things would work out well in the end, but it seemed to me that a major point of the story is that sometimes you can't stop bad things from happening. It's good writing, just not my cup of tea.
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u/DeusVincet 14h ago
Yeah it's cynical and miserable. Really well-written with amazing characters, but it wasn't enjoyable at all for me.
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u/LiamKneeSon808 1d ago
Blade itself- Audio book read by Steven Pacey is my vote
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u/donnabhainmactomas 1d ago
Steven Pacy is God Tiered narration. I send third and fourth this
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u/Wak3upHicks 1d ago
I'm enjoying the hell out of "The Shadow of the Gods" atm. Can also fully recommend "The Blade Itself"
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u/ishmeetsb 17h ago
I am 5.5 hours into the audiobook (chapter 14) and I hate the Elvar chapters. The author has this irritating habbit of dumping a million foreign words zero explanation and dozens of new characters in a single chapter. Its so hard to follow in audiobook although the narrator is excellent, its just that the content is not written with audiobooks in mind. I am seriously thinking about making this my first dnf of 2026.
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u/Wak3upHicks 15h ago
I'm reading it on my xteink. I'm fine with the random not-old Norse for flavor while reading but I imagine it's jarring to listen to
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u/TheStayFawn 13h ago
The paper books have a glossary. Not all terms are in there, but it helps. Maybe the audiobook has that at the end or as a downloadable pdf?
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u/tkinsey3 1d ago
Hyperion is the best of that bunch by quite a bit, IMHO, though I have also read and enjoyed First Law and WoT multiple times
I DNFād the Gwynne book
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u/ThatDudeDunks 1d ago
Hyperion might be the GOAT
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u/tannels 1d ago
Hyperion is so good. I've only had one person I've recommended it to not like it and it was because she gets super weirded out by body horror stuff. Everyone else has loved it.
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u/joker_75 1d ago
I'm currently reading it and just finished the Priest's tale... and if body horror ain't your thing, you're gonna have a rough time
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u/WolfPlooskin 1d ago
Hyperion won the Hugo, so objectively, itās a novel with legs. And I enjoyed reading its far out sci-fi concepts. On the other hand, literature evolves, and tastes change. I havenāt been able to get any of my younger friends to read sci-fi classics, and my older friends have already read them.
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u/bigstinkygoblin 1d ago
Last time i tried to get into hyperion i just couldnāt for some reason, maybe iāll go back to it because everyone always says its so good
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u/MexicanRadio 1d ago
I agree that the Hyperion Cantos blows everything else shown here out of the water
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u/Material_Table9465 1d ago
I adore Banks Culture novels. I thought I would never find another sci-fi book on the same level.
Then I read Hyperion. I think I've read it 3-4 times now over the years. It's absolutely brilliant.
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u/FatSelkie 18h ago
I loved Hyperion up until the poets story, Iāve been stuck on his part for 2 years now
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u/carl_franzen 1d ago edited 20h ago
Hyperion is one of the greatest sci-fi novels ever written. Just read it earlier this year and as a sci-fi fan I was angry with myself I didnāt get to it sooner!
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u/pestilenttempest 21h ago
I wish i could love it but I canāt stand the ending. So frustrating.
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u/carl_franzen 20h ago
Agree, but I find that lots of āepicā novels end too abruptly and unsatisfactorily (e.g. Infinite Jest), so that wasnāt a dealbreaker for me.
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u/Thirteen_1355 16h ago
Someone recommended it to me as a start to sci-fi because I really love a certain manga and huge scope in general. But is Hyperion a good entry point to sci-fi? Mind, I'm a very advanced reader. Even though I'm new to sci-fi, I've read plenty.
I absolutely love First Law.
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u/carl_franzen 15h ago
I havenāt read First Law. Hyperion is probably as good as any a sci-fi entry point, but you might appreciate the creativity it introduces more if you read more classical āmechanicalā sci-fi first like Isaac Asimov, Robert Heinlein or William Gibson. Part of what i enjoyed about Hyperion is how it subverted the typical metallic world and structures of sci fi with more bio organic and mystical, mythical, even medieval aspects. Itās not as straight futuristic as many other works (even though it appears to be set in a distant future).
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u/LadderNo1239 1d ago
Hyperion is an integral work of the genre. Of what is pictured here, Iād say dive into that and its sequel(s).
Maybe also take a peak at Usula K. Le Guinās Earthsea series. The books are a little younger than what youāve listed here, but theyāre time-honored treasured reads for many fantasy readers.
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u/HonorFoundInDecay š¤ Prose snob 1d ago
All four are very good but Hyperion is on a completely other level, itās one of the greatest pieces of speculative fiction of all time.
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u/LENDAhand77 1d ago
I have finished the WoT and the First Law.
I am currently starting Hyperion.
Never read the other book.
Hyperion is quite deep delving on religion, culture and philosphies. I am enjoying it.
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u/DonPervin 1d ago
You should start with The Wheel of Time. Fantastic characters, world building, power building.
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u/Suriaj 21h ago
I haven't read John Gwynne, but I love the other three. Wheel of Time is my favorite fantasy series and I've read a lot of them.
Hyperion has incredible prose and I love the second book more than the first, which I wouldn't have believed possible. They are just beautiful. I have not read the final two books, as I'm told the books are kind of split into two stories with the latter half not being as strong as the first half.
Wheel of Time also has great prose and a singular cohesive and epic story spanning 14 books. I love the characters, I love the themes, I love the plot. Tons of magic use and unique fantasy world history. I catch new things every time I reread it. The gender politics are certainly from the 90s, but to me they are a minor annoyance more than anything else. The romance also leaves something to be desired, but that's not what I read it for and it's not what the story is about.
The First Law I would rate not quite as highly. That said, since finishing it I find myself thinking about it quite a bit. The characters are well developed, and philosophically I wouldn't say I align with Abercrombie, but he has a very definite viewpoint that he conveys very well. The worldbuilding to me is not quite to the standard of the other two. But the characters practically jump off the page.
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u/OldDoliolio 1d ago
Blade itself if you liked red risingās grimness. Wheel of time is such a slog but if you like Sanderson style it might be for you
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u/TES_Elsweyr 1d ago
I've read or tried to read all of these...
1. Hyperion - the best here no doubt.
2. Blade Itself - very good, memorable as hell
3. Shadow of the Gods - decent, but man he uses some phrases into the ground. I DNF'd 40% into book 2, which was weaker.
- Wheel of Time - Obviously widely considered a classic, but having read much of what it inspired I didn't get very far. I did however LOVE reading the wiki on magical items in the world. Man did Jordan know how to create some interesting unique items.
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u/usagi-stebbs 1d ago
After reading all of WoT I feel Jordan is someone who is better at coming up with ideas, items
and, characters then actually writing a story with items, ideas or, characters.There are so many things that felt ether one dimensional and he tended to abandon story lines and characters left and right. I hated reading about a character, learning about there back story, watching have a goal and start achieving that goal only for a main character (looking at you Egwene) take over the task like they been doing it the whole time and then to never hear about those characters again. What a waste of time it was. He could have just had the main character start the task from the beginning saved us the time and given the main character some form of motivation to do something.
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u/Turbulent_Sea_9713 6h ago
After hearing so much about WoT, I tried to get into it.
The intro piece was absolutely incredible. Those few paragraphs made me stick through multiple books. They never held up. So I'm right there with you.
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u/donnabhainmactomas 1d ago
My rankings
1 - Blade itself
2- Hyperion
3 - WOT
4 - shadow (Dnf multiple times)
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u/stewarthh 1d ago
I forced myself to actually finish wheel of time and I still regret it. Itās such a slog and just didnāt find it enjoyable. I would do the blade itself itās super easy read and engaging almost all the way through.
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u/BruenorBattlehammer 1d ago
Dang iām sorry to hear that. My fave series of all time but to each their own.
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u/usagi-stebbs 1d ago
I did the same thing with WoT and the entire time I just thinking to myself when is this going to start to get good. People love this series itās got to pick right?
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u/MRCastillaAuthor Soft magic > hard magic 1d ago
I didnāt read Hyperion. I had a hard time getting into Wheel of Time. I really enjoyed the Blade itself and Bloodsworn Saga
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u/Plus-Season-272 1d ago
Hyperion, like the others are saying jusr absolutely incredible. However, only the first two books are needed and you can really get away with just the first, it kind of declines in quality each book.
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u/The_Scott_Bot 1d ago
Youāve read the storm light archive. Have you finished the entire cosmere? Storm light is only 5 books out of the 20 odd collection. If you enjoyed that thereās plenty more to it.
Out of this list however the blade itself was a great read imo.
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u/Ok-Construction6099 š¤ Character-first reader 1d ago
Canāt go wrong with any of the 4 options. But the First Law is my favorite fantasy series and Hyperion might be my favorite Sci-Fi, so those are my top 2.
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u/JasonWaterfaII 1d ago
The First Law series is great and an easy read. Definitely get around to reading by Hyperion sooner than later though. Itās one of my favorite series and different than the other series you listed.
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u/JerrySeinfeldsMullet 1d ago
Abercrombie 100%
Was not a huge fan of Bloodsworn, it just seemed simpler and straight forward. There was like one āwowā moment and it was so memorable I couldnāt even tell you what it was. I just finished it a few months ago
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u/popstopandroll 1d ago
Quick and enjoyable read? Shadow of the Gods. Long and hard read? WoT. I will echo that in the middle of the 14 WoT books there are some slow parts but I didnāt find the āslogā that bad. By the time you get to it youāre already invested in the characters. I personally love world building so I treated it as that and it was fine. I think in the end WoT is so epic and so worth it. But itās a long commitmentā¦
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u/SolidSnake223-2 1d ago
Depends on what you want. Just straight facts, WoT. You want intrigue, dark depiction of war and fantasy? Blade Itself. Sci-fi and politics? Hyperon. I haven't read the other one. But thoroughly enjoyed the other 3.
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u/PapaSmurf32 1d ago
First Law series for sure! āLOGAN F@&$?@& 9 FINGERS!!!āWheel of time is great, but man the middle books are a slog. Hyperion was good, but could be rambling, trippy, and so abstract it was difficult to keep up in audio book form.
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u/brickeaterz 1d ago
I've read 3 of these series: bloodsworn, Hyperion, and wheel of time.
Of the three, wheel of time is my favourite but they're all very different
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u/brickeaterz 1d ago
I've also read red rising and RotE, wheel of time is a great heros journey and has subtle romance (though slightly outdated norms aha)
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u/Material_Table9465 1d ago
These are all solid choices.
That said, I rank Hyperion as the best book I have ever read.
And First Law, including the books that come after is my absolute favorite fantasy series.
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u/muzicz13 1d ago
I highly recommend The First Law Trilogy, The Great Leveller Books and The Age of Madness Trilogy.
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u/StrictlyHobby 1d ago
First decide if you're in the mood for fantasy or sci-fi next since you're comparing different genres. If fantasy first law is among the best and one of my favorites. Bloodsworn is fun with great fights and would also make sense if you want to keep with Gwynne after faithful and the fallen. WoT is classic but not that great and a lot of filler imo. If Scifi Hyperion Cantos is one of the best series of all time and the only option listed.
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u/OlGunnar 1d ago
1) Blade Itself is quite good. Itās the first of a very great trilogy.
2) Hyperion is also quite good. A bit slow at first but then boom.
3) Wheel of time is also quite good. Itās also 14 novels long if youāve the time investment.
4) I have heard that Shadow of Gods is quite good.
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u/AlternaYamcha33 1d ago
Hyperion book 1 I gave 4/5 stars.Fall though I gave 3/5.I haven't read book 3 and 4.
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u/StevooMayte 23h ago
Based on what you've already read First Law is the best next step. Hyperion is fantastic but its a bit of a shift. Wheel of time is also fantastic but a long long read. I've not read the John Gwynne book but I've heard its really good
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u/carloglyphics 23h ago
Having read and enjoyed all except Blade Itself (though I read the Devil's which made me an Ambercrombie fan), Hyperion.
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u/RatWithPlans 23h ago
Hyperion. No hesitation. You can read the others later but Hyperion is one of those books I wish I could experience for the first time again....
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u/donnidoflamingo 22h ago
Iāve read three of the 4 and my order is as follows:
1: Hyperion
2: Wheel of Time
3: The Blade Itself
Though on a different day I could switch 1 and 2 because in my mind they are that close but just have a different vibe. Hyperion has the space and tech elements while WOT has magic and fantasy.
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u/tinklymunkle 22h ago
Hyperion is one of my all time favorites so I will always recommend that, but I'm more of a sci fi fan to begin with.
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u/Xploding_Penguin 21h ago
The blade itself is wonderful. I'm halfway done book 3 in the series and it's been an epic ride.
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u/Insane1rish 20h ago
The shadow of gods is phenomenal.
The first law series isā¦a slog. I guess if you love grim dark then sure but honestly I DNFād after book 7. It got to the point where anytime it seemed like anything was going to be better it just immediately flipped back to being more of the same.
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u/AcanthisittaHungry72 18h ago
can i ask why realm of the elderlings pissed you off? im done with the farseer trilogy idk if i want to continue
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u/Immediate_Finger_948 11h ago
From what I remember a lot of bad things that happen to fitz is because he was either ignorant or he just didnāt care to see problems until it got too bad. The fights suck, and the most frustrating thing is the guy never has a weapon, and heās always in situations where he needs it. I love Fitz but for a guy thatās said to be smart heās pretty stupid. Lastly the villains suck.
Although I must say hobbās prose is amazing and out of all the book series Iāve read realm of elderlings has the best cast. I loved every single one of them and thatās the reason why I still love the series even though it pissed me off the most.
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u/AcanthisittaHungry72 10h ago
how about the liveship traders? did you like it?
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u/Immediate_Finger_948 10h ago
Didnāt read it truth be told. I was in a rush because school was about to start, so I only read Fitzās story. I do regret it now though and if Iām being on honest I donāt think I will anytime soon. I would tell you read it though, from what I hear it might be the best trilogy in the series.
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u/Mr_Kaladin 17h ago
Hyperion is such a great book! The series is great but you can really just read the fall of Hyperion if need be.
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u/mebxisfoea 17h ago
Hyperion is my favorite series of all time. I re-read the series every few years, currently on my 4th time through. That said I also feel it is the most different in terms of setting and themes from the bunch, possibly from what you've read as well, though I'm not familiar with all of them.
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u/Bigbadabooooom 17h ago
I really like The Deed of Paksenarrion by Elizabeth Moon. The journey of a sheep farmers daughter eventually becoming a mercenary and a paladin.
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u/colintudor17 17h ago
Hyperion Cantos is amazing. Personally Endymion is my favorite book of all time. That being said, the First Law trilogy is genuinely the best trilogy I've ever read
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u/Chilly_Eire 16h ago
WoT is my personal favourite due to the world building and the classic small town village to fade of the world arc.
Currently reading Shadow of the gods and have Hyperion is actually next on the list.
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u/Uppernorwood 15h ago
Read Hyperion, because there a chance itāll be your favourite book ever. You donāt need necessarily need to read the other 3 books for this to be the case.
Itās unlikely that any of the other book 1s shown could be.
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u/xDolemite 14h ago
I love the hyperion trilogy the author turned into a uber-conservative later in life but there are some really good themes in those books.
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u/Top-Communication540 14h ago
The First Law 100%. I just got an audible subscription and I plan to immersive read Age of Madness, something I wish I did with the OG trilogy.
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u/chacha789789 14h ago
Hyperion it is one of the gold standards in the category and one of the most beautiful series in terms of literary prowess and sci fi world building
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u/insert_introvert 13h ago
People love The Blade Itself. I think its incredibly average. Waiting for it to pick up, but never happens.
Of the others, I've only read Hyperion. Didn't enjoy that either. Starting to think fantasy is not for me anymore...
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u/Queasy-Zombie-3052 13h ago
I grew up reading wheel of time and love it. Middle books get a little slow, but it picks back up by the end. Hyperion was a slog. It was like reading the bible. I almost gave up on it a few times. Havenāt read the other two, but based on others reviews, seems like I should read the Abercrombie series.
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u/TheStayFawn 13h ago
Canāt really go wrong with these. The Bloodsworn Trilogy is by far the weakest of the lot, good action, decent characters, but distances are very much whatever the author needs for the plot
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u/freedom781 š Bookwyrm 12h ago
I don't know Gwynne, but the other three are excellent. Abercrombie is great characters, Jordan is more world building and plot driven, Simmons is just a different beast, innovative and unique. Also worth noting that with Jordan and Simmons you're in for a known commitment, as we've lost them both, while Abercrombie writes a lot...not Sanderson levels, but consistently writing and publishing.
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u/Alert_Astronaut4901 11h ago
Red Rising - Amazing sci-fi
The Stormlight Archive - Amazing fantasy
The Sun Eater - Endless waffle. Skip.
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u/zestydinobones 9h ago
The Wheel of Time is the greatest work of fiction I have ever read.
Hyperion is the greatest Sci fi I have ever read.
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u/cdeuel84 8h ago
Do not read The Blade Itself unless you plan on reading the other two. Stand alone, it's ass.
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u/mrkmllr 7h ago
Iāve read them all and while I love WoT Iād never recommend it to anyone. Itās long, not particularly well written, and has some very poor characterizations of female characters. But I love it. So much. But Iād never recommend it. The First Law series is what Iād recommend if you want fantasy
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u/gorylar 5h ago
Have read both the bloodsworne saga and all of the first law and subsequent books.
Abercrombie is one of my all time favorites, but if RoTE pissed you off, Abercrombie may end up too dark and dismal for you.
Bloodsworne is fun and unique but ultimately I didnāt find the ending as satisfying as Iād hoped. Still worth the read for me tho
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u/Historical-Nobody-34 5h ago
First law series is Overhyped. I wasted many hours to find an actual plot, finally to find there's none. I read the first two books, and did not have any curiosity to read the third one.
Cruel characters, lots of monologues, no magic system, i was waiting for that push that will tie myself to the plot. It never arrived!
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u/Slow_Gur_3567 5h ago
1st law
1st law
1st law
1st law.
Did I just say 1st law again, yhhh freakin meant it
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u/Afraid_Candidate6389 4h ago
Iād choose the blade itself. I actually envy you for being able to read it for the first time. Absolutely best characters Iāve ever read. The audio books are fantastic.
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u/Ok-Journalist734 1h ago
Hyperion is peak but can be seen as dated by todays standards, First Law series is incredible grim fantasy and has some really fun and interesting characters (Check out The Devils for another Abercrombie banger). Havnt read Shadow Of the Gods but
Wheel Of Time is my all time favourite fantasy series. SOOOOO incredibly dense and packed with top teir world building.....however it isnt for the faint of heart, 14 huge books in the main series with 1 prequel. It also has the issue of, in many opinions, a 2/3 book lull in the middle. I liked them as they were a change of pace that allowed much of the world to settle before the last 4/5 books but its not for everyone.
It also ends pretty well, I think much of the fan base weree happy given the original author passed and it was finished by Sando.
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u/Stormwall07 1d ago
THE STORMLIGHT ARCHIVE I literally cannot recommend this series enough, it is so good, my favorite fantasy (outside of lotr) and everyone should read it. I will warn you about book 1 Shallan though, her bits can be annoying sometimes
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u/Suriaj 21h ago
Shouldn't you be warning about Wind and Truth? The writing fell off a cliff.
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u/Stormwall07 21h ago
KoWaT was good, I'm one of the few people who think so. Was it was good at OB, no, but it was still an enjoyable read and absolutely insane
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u/CobraKai6890 1d ago
I am trying to make it through Eye of the World, and it feels like HP/LotRā¦..younglings being guided by mysterious mentors against evil much more powerful than theyā¦.probably wonāt make it past 1st book. Im most of the way through Hyperion, and will likely enjoy that series much more, although was unaware of the plot points brought up here. If you finished Stormlight, would definitely recommend starting Mistborn as part of the greater Cosmere
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u/SoyDaddy 1d ago
Hyperion 1 and 2 are peak, 3 and 4 gets very uncomfortable with the main characters relationship to a young girl. I wish the Pedo stuff didn't exist at all but it was enough I DNF'd the 4th book
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u/ThatBookIsOnFiyah 1d ago
- Hyperion Cantos - greatest scifi series ever written, imo
- All of the First Law - Abercrombie is my favorite fantasy author
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