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Quick answer: If you liked The Aeronaut's Windlass, read The Olympian Affair for the next book, then try Storm Front, Furies of Calderon, The Alloy of Law and Soulless. All mix action, humor and unusual worlds.
Jim Butcher's novel follows airship crews, cat-like warriors and young heroes in a world of towering spires and war. It is the first book in The Cinder Spires. The books below share its swashbuckling spirit, steampunk flavor and quick pace. Most are adult or older teen fantasy, and all are real, in-print books.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Olympian Affair | Jim Butcher | Adult | the sequel |
| Storm Front | Jim Butcher | Adult | more Butcher |
| Furies of Calderon | Jim Butcher | Adult | epic fantasy |
| The Alloy of Law | Brandon Sanderson | Adult | Wild West fantasy |
| Soulless | Gail Carriger | Adult | steampunk comedy |
| Foundryside | Robert Jackson Bennett | Adult | magic as technology |
| Boneshaker | Cherie Priest | Teen and adult | steampunk adventure |
| Mortal Engines | Philip Reeve | Teen | moving cities |
| Leviathan | Scott Westerfeld | Teen | alternate history |
| Airborn | Kenneth Oppel | Teen | airship adventure |
| Perdido Street Station | China Miéville | Adult | weird city fiction |
| The Lies of Locke Lamora | Scott Lynch | Adult | heist fantasy |
| Mistborn: The Final Empire | Brandon Sanderson | Adult | magic systems |
| The Golden Compass | Philip Pullman | Teen | parallel worlds |
| Skyward | Brandon Sanderson | Teen and adult | flying heroes |
1. The Olympian Affair by Jim Butcher
The second Cinder Spires book follows the airship crew into politics and war. Big and fast.
Best for: the sequel.
2. Storm Front by Jim Butcher
Harry Dresden, a wizard private eye in Chicago, takes on a murder case. Funny and fast, the first Dresden Files book.
Best for: more Butcher.
3. Furies of Calderon by Jim Butcher
A young man without magic faces a kingdom full of power. First of the Codex Alera.
Best for: epic fantasy.
4. The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson
A Mistborn sequel in a world of guns and trains, with a lawman and a rogue. Light, witty and fast.
Best for: Wild West fantasy.
5. Soulless by Gail Carriger
A soulless woman in Victorian London fights vampires and werewolves. Funny and romantic.
Best for: steampunk comedy.
6. Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett
A thief steals a powerful object in a city of magical inscription. Inventive and tense.
Best for: magic as technology.
7. Boneshaker by Cherie Priest
A mother goes into a walled, gas-filled Seattle to find her son. Steampunk zombies for older readers.
Best for: steampunk adventure.
8. Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve
Cities roll on wheels and eat smaller cities. A strange and gripping world with a revenge plot.
Best for: moving cities.
9. Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld
In an alternate World War I, a prince and a girl meet aboard a living airship. Illustrated and fun.
Best for: alternate history.
10. Airborn by Kenneth Oppel
A cabin boy on a luxury airship meets a girl in search of a mysterious creature. Adventure and romance.
Best for: airship adventure.
11. Perdido Street Station by China Miéville
A scientist, an artist and a monster in the weird city of New Crobuzon. Dense and inventive.
Best for: weird city fiction.
12. The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
A gang of thieves in a canal city plot elaborate cons. Funny and dark.
Best for: heist fantasy.
13. Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
A thief joins a crew to topple a god-king using metal-based magic. Fast and clever.
Best for: magic systems.
14. The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
Lyra travels north with her daemon to rescue lost children. Rich and bold.
Best for: parallel worlds.
15. Skyward by Brandon Sanderson
A girl dreams of becoming a starfighter pilot. Action-packed and heartfelt.
Best for: flying heroes.
How to Choose
For more Butcher, start with Storm Front or Furies of Calderon. For steampunk, Soulless and Boneshaker. For airship adventure, Airborn and Leviathan. For heist fun, The Lies of Locke Lamora. The Cinder Spires books are fast, so you may want the sequel ready before you start. Fantasy with airships is a niche, so keep an eye out for new releases. Pair the book with a map of the Spires and an audiobook narrated by Euan Morton, whose voices for Rowl and others are praised. Reading the first chapter will tell you whether the world suits you.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Aeronaut's Windlass about?
Young Grimm, a cat warrior named Rowl and a crew of airship hands fight to save their spire from an enemy spire's assault.
How many Cinder Spires books are there?
Two so far: The Aeronaut's Windlass and The Olympian Affair.
Is Cinder Spires like the Dresden Files?
It has similar humor and pacing, but the setting is a world of airships and spires.
Is it steampunk?
Yes, with airships, ether crystals and guns.
Who is Rowl?
A fierce talking cat who becomes a key ally.
Who are the main characters?
Captain Francis Madison Grimm, Gwendolyn Lancaster, Benedict, Bridget and the cat warrior Rowl.
What are the spires?
Giant cities built high above a poisonous surface world, with airships for travel.
Is it comic?
It has humor, but the story also has war and death.
Will there be more Cinder Spires books?
Butcher plans more, but the schedule is unclear.
Is The Aeronaut's Windlass a standalone?
No. It starts a series, but its story is complete enough for a satisfying read.
Is there an audiobook?
Yes, and fans often say that listening brings out the humor.