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Quick answer: If you loved Lightbringer, try The Way of Shadows, Mistborn: The Final Empire, The Way of Kings, Red Rising, The Name of the Wind and The Lies of Locke Lamora. Each one offers a unique magic system, political intrigue and big, twisty epic fantasy.
Brent Weeks's Lightbringer series begins with The Black Prism. In the Seven Satrapies, magic comes from light: drafters turn colors into a physical substance called luxin. Gavin Guile, the Prism, is the most powerful man in the world, but he is hiding a secret, and his newly discovered son Kip is a clumsy teenager with surprising talent. Readers love its color magic, its humor and its huge twists. These books share its magic systems and its politics.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Heat level | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Way of Shadows | Brent Weeks | Low | readers who want more Weeks |
| Mistborn: The Final Empire | Brandon Sanderson | Low | readers who love clever magic systems |
| The Way of Kings | Brandon Sanderson | Low | readers who want epic scale |
| Red Rising | Pierce Brown | Low | readers who like color-coded worlds |
| The Name of the Wind | Patrick Rothfuss | Low | readers who like a gifted young hero |
| The Lies of Locke Lamora | Scott Lynch | Low | readers who like clever schemes |
| The Blade Itself | Joe Abercrombie | Low | readers who like gray characters |
| Elantris | Brandon Sanderson | Low | readers who want a standalone |
| The Poppy War | R.F. Kuang | Low | readers who like war academies |
| Prince of Thorns | Mark Lawrence | Low | readers who like dark antiheroes |
| Sabriel | Garth Nix | Low | readers who like unique magic |
| Kings of the Wyld | Nicholas Eames | Low | readers who like humor |
| The Wheel of Time: The Eye of the World | Robert Jordan | Low | readers who want a long epic |
| Sorcery of Thorns | Margaret Rogerson | Low | readers who want a lighter magic system |
| Assassin's Apprentice | Robin Hobb | Low | readers who like royal bastards |
1. The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks
A street kid apprentices to a deadly assassin.
Best for: readers who want more Weeks.
2. Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
A street thief joins a crew to overthrow a god-king.
Best for: readers who love clever magic systems.
3. The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
Soldiers, scholars and lords face a returning war.
Best for: readers who want epic scale.
4. Red Rising by Pierce Brown
A miner infiltrates the elite Golds on Mars.
Best for: readers who like color-coded worlds.
5. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
A legendary hero tells his own story.
Best for: readers who like a gifted young hero.
6. The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
A gang of thieves runs cons in a Venice-like city.
Best for: readers who like clever schemes.
7. The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie
A torturer, a barbarian and a nobleman are drawn into war.
Best for: readers who like gray characters.
8. Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
A prince wakes cursed in a fallen magical city.
Best for: readers who want a standalone.
9. The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang
A war orphan discovers a deadly power.
Best for: readers who like war academies.
10. Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence
A ruthless young prince seeks revenge.
Best for: readers who like dark antiheroes.
11. Sabriel by Garth Nix
A girl uses bells to walk into death.
Best for: readers who like unique magic.
12. Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames
Retired mercenaries reunite for one last quest.
Best for: readers who like humor.
13. The Wheel of Time: The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
A farm boy is drawn into a war against the Dark One.
Best for: readers who want a long epic.
14. Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson
A librarian's apprentice fights sorcerers.
Best for: readers who want a lighter magic system.
15. Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb
A royal bastard is trained as an assassin.
Best for: readers who like royal bastards.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with Lightbringer: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the first three picks in the table: they are the closest match to Lightbringer. The rest of the list moves further out, so it works well once you know which part of the original you liked most. If a pick is part of a longer series, read the first book before you commit, and check the age or content notes in the table before passing a book to a younger reader.
How to Choose
For more Weeks, The Way of Shadows is a faster, darker read. If you loved the color magic, Mistborn and Red Rising both play with color and power. For epic scope and secrets, try The Way of Kings. Readers who enjoyed the twists and gray characters should read The Blade Itself or Prince of Thorns.
Related: Elantris by Brandon Sanderson: Summary and Key Takeaways · Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames: Summary and Key Takeaways
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Lightbringer about?
In a world where magic comes from light, the powerful Prism Gavin Guile and his son Kip face war and dark secrets.
How many books are in Lightbringer?
Five: The Black Prism, The Blinding Knife, The Broken Eye, The Blood Mirror and The Burning White.
What is chromaturgy?
The series' magic, where drafters turn colored light into luxin.
Is Lightbringer finished?
Yes. The final book, The Burning White, came out in 2019.
Is Lightbringer good for new fantasy readers?
Yes, though the later books are long and complex.