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Quick answer: If you loved The Blade Itself, try Before They Are Hanged, Last Argument of Kings, Best Served Cold, A Game of Thrones, The Lies of Locke Lamora and The Name of the Wind. Each one is a gritty, darkly funny fantasy full of morally gray characters and brutal politics.
Joe Abercrombie's debut, the first in the First Law trilogy, follows three unforgettable characters: Logen Ninefingers, a notorious barbarian; Sand dan Glokta, a crippled war hero turned torturer; and Jezal dan Luthar, a vain nobleman fencing for glory. Readers love its dark humor, sharp dialogue and refusal to follow fantasy clichés. These books share the same grimdark edge and unforgettable anti-heroes.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Genre | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Before They Are Hanged | Joe Abercrombie | Grimdark fantasy | readers continuing the trilogy |
| Last Argument of Kings | Joe Abercrombie | Grimdark fantasy | readers finishing the trilogy |
| Best Served Cold | Joe Abercrombie | Grimdark fantasy | readers who like revenge |
| A Game of Thrones | George R. R. Martin | Epic fantasy | readers who like political intrigue |
| The Lies of Locke Lamora | Scott Lynch | Fantasy | readers who like con men |
| The Name of the Wind | Patrick Rothfuss | Fantasy | readers who like charismatic narrators |
| Prince of Thorns | Mark Lawrence | Grimdark fantasy | readers who like dark anti-heroes |
| The Black Company | Glen Cook | Military fantasy | readers who like mercenaries |
| The Poppy War | R. F. Kuang | Fantasy | readers who like brutal war |
| Gardens of the Moon | Steven Erikson | Epic fantasy | readers who want a challenge |
| Red Rising | Pierce Brown | Science fiction | readers who like revenge and politics |
| The Way of Kings | Brandon Sanderson | Epic fantasy | readers who like epic battles |
| Mistborn: The Final Empire | Brandon Sanderson | Fantasy | readers who like heists |
| The Witcher: The Last Wish | Andrzej Sapkowski | Fantasy | readers who like monster hunters |
| Kings of the Wyld | Nicholas Eames | Fantasy | readers who want humor with battles |
1. Before They Are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie
Logen, Glokta and Jezal face war, sieges and a dangerous quest.
Best for: readers continuing the trilogy.
2. Last Argument of Kings by Joe Abercrombie
The trilogy ends with brutal battles and shocking turns.
Best for: readers finishing the trilogy.
3. Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie
A betrayed mercenary sets out to kill the seven men responsible.
Best for: readers who like revenge.
4. A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin
Noble families fight for the Iron Throne.
Best for: readers who like political intrigue.
5. The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
A gang of thieves pulls off elaborate scams.
Best for: readers who like con men.
6. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
Kvothe tells the story of his life.
Best for: readers who like charismatic narrators.
7. Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence
A young prince leads a band of outlaws on a path of revenge.
Best for: readers who like dark anti-heroes.
8. The Black Company by Glen Cook
A company of mercenaries serves a dark empire.
Best for: readers who like mercenaries.
9. The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang
A war orphan becomes a powerful shaman.
Best for: readers who like brutal war.
10. Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson
The first Malazan novel follows soldiers and mages in a sprawling war.
Best for: readers who want a challenge.
11. Red Rising by Pierce Brown
A miner infiltrates the elite.
Best for: readers who like revenge and politics.
12. The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
Soldiers and kings face a looming war.
Best for: readers who like epic battles.
13. Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
A street thief joins a rebellion.
Best for: readers who like heists.
14. The Witcher: The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski
Stories introducing Geralt of Rivia.
Best for: readers who like monster hunters.
15. Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames
An aging band of legendary mercenaries gets back together for one last job.
Best for: readers who want humor with battles.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with The Blade Itself: 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.
How to Choose
Continue with Before They Are Hanged and Last Argument of Kings, then the standalones such as Best Served Cold. If you love political intrigue, try A Game of Thrones. For con artists and wit, choose The Lies of Locke Lamora. Readers who want darker anti-heroes should read Prince of Thorns or The Black Company. If you want epic scale, try Gardens of the Moon or The Way of Kings. Abercrombie's books include graphic violence and torture, and most of these picks do too, so they are best for adult readers who enjoy darker fantasy.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Blade Itself slow?
The first half sets up the characters, and the plot picks up later.
How many First Law books are there?
The original trilogy has three books, followed by three standalones and the Age of Madness trilogy.
Is The Blade Itself grimdark?
Yes. It is one of the best-known grimdark fantasy novels.
Who is the best character in The Blade Itself?
Many readers say Glokta, the sarcastic torturer.
Is The Blade Itself violent?
Yes. It includes graphic violence and torture.
Do I need to read the standalones?
They can be read alone, but they are richer if you read the trilogy first.