Joe Abercrombie Fans discussion

Do you know any works similar to Joe's in terms of writing style, story depth, character development etc.?

I personally would be most interested in books with a similar amount of realism/cynicism. I mean books with no happy endings but with realistic endings and with realistic characters, with unique characters (like Friendly or Day or Worth).

As for my recommendations, I can definitely recommend Heroes Die if you are looking for action, non obvious story lines and non trivial character development.

Contrary to some people's opinion, I would NOT recommend Scott Lynch nor Patrick Rothfuss - in my opinion they are most certainly not in the same league as Joe and you are better off looking elsewhere if you want to find something on par.

Lastly, I can point you to the following threads on other web sites that have been a food for thought for me when searching for my next book:

http://www.sffworld.com/forums/showth...
http://www.sffworld.com/forums/showth...
http://www.sffworld.com/forums/showth...

Good luck and please share your findings.

Heroes Die keeps coming. I think I'm going to make that next on my list. I'm having a real hard time getting to Gardens of the Moon, but I'll try to plow through.

I also greatly enjoyed Peter V. Brett's The Warded Man and The Desert Spear. As for the "realistic" angle you can't go wrong with A Song of Ice and Fire. A Storm of Swords is one of my favorite all-time books.

I liked The Lies of Locke Lamore. Not awesome, but good. I've read both of Rothfuss' books and wasn't blown away. They were ok. He's a good writer just not a very exciting story. I've also heard good things about Brent Weeks' Night Angel triology. I have the firstt book sitting my shelf.....

I'll check out those links!

Nick, Heroes Die is great although keep in mind that it is part fantasy and part science fiction! I am not a big SF fan but in Heroes Die the blend is just perfect. Plus there is a nice dystopian sauce all over it. Great book. I am just starting Blade of Tyshalle today, second book in the series, it's supposed to be solid, can't wait.

As for Gardens of the Moon - I have read it just recently after being inspired by one of the reviews here on Goodreads. I give it 3 stars - I liked it but it is just a little "too epic" for me. And there is too much magic. I am not convinced to invest the time to read the whole series (10 books I think!).

Peter V. Brett is on my "to consider" list, comes recommended from one of my friends.

Hmmmm...... I felt the same way about The Prince of Nothing but I pushed through it. I've heard Gardens of the Moon is the weakest book in the series so you've got to read book 2 to get a real feel for it. We'll see how I feel when I finish it.

Sounds like we have some similar tastes. Have you read any of the Conan novels? I've heard good and bad. I love the blood and guts and harshness of barbarians, but have also read Conan can be a little "campy." Be curious to hear other thoughts.

Other recommendations I've been given but haven't read yet are Glen Cook's The Black Company and Brian Ruckley's Godless World Trilogy. Anybody with thoughts on those?

Nick, I actually bought and read Deadhouse Gates (the second Malazan book) for a while (just a few dozen pages) but it turned out that there is another batch of new races, new places, new people, new legends, types of magic etc. etc.

I feel like Joe strikes a perfect balance with world building and with the scope of it all - there is a right number of characters, some are major, some are minor. Some minor characters become major characters, everything is well connected but still I get this impression of vastness.

With Malazan the core story is actually pretty good but there is just too much stuff and also the characters feel a little bit underdeveloped. While reading Gardens of the Moon, I had a quick look at the Malazan Wiki (http://malazan.wikia.com/wiki/Malazan...) and was stunned at the amount of information that is there. Maybe some day I will go back and try again, for now my to-read / to-consider list is just too long.

I have not read Conan novels but I've seen some "old school" "sword and sorcery" books recommended for Joe fans, namely the Fafrd and Gray Mouser series or Swords & Dark Magic: The New Sword and Sorcery. I guess Conan books may fall into that category and be enjoyable.

I've got Chronicles of The Black Company (all three books in one Kindle e-book) high on my to-consider list, it really does sound interesting, I like the "They bury their doubts with their dead." tag line - reads somewhat Joe-ish :-)

One more thing I would recommend is checking out this profile here on Goodreads:

http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/14...

This guy writes good reviews, seems to like Joe's books and has some very interesting bookshelves, like:

hardboiled-and-noir: http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/...
dark-and-gritty: http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/...
kings-of-badassia: http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/...

Ok. I'll take a look at those links.

I also have JV Jones A Cavern of Black Ice on my shelf. Read that one or have any thoughts?

Maybe Joe will just hurry up and get Red Country in our hands!

I just thought, I think there's an Abercrombie short story in Swords & Dark Magic: The New Sword and Sorcery. Has anybody read. I haven't been able to find at the bookstores i go to. I'm a cheap old school guy, I know I can buy it online but something in me wants to find it at my used bookstore. haha

mark Lawrence writes quite dark brutal books...liked them a lot...someone recommended black company to me also so on my tbr pile.

No other author have captured me the way Joe Abercrombie has. His characters, dialogue and universe is quite unique

...sorry, my finger slipt so I'll have to try again

No other author has captured me the way Joe Abercrombie has. He's characters, dialogue and universe is quite unique. But still I keep looking for authors who can keep my entertained while I'll wait for his next novel.
You mention Rotfuss, Brett, Weeks and Martin. They are all among my top 10 favorite authors, although their books are nothing like Abercrombies in style.

The author I have found that resemble Abercrombie is Alan Campbell, in the book "Sea of Ghosts". Although the universe is completely different you'll find som of the dark humor and the dubious main character somewhat reminds me of Logan.

As of other books with no resemblance to the ones of Joe Abercrombie, but still very good, here is:
Hugh Howey and his Wool 1-5 (only one book) as one of the best books I have ever read, because he keeps me in the dark for so long.
Brandon Sanderson : The way of Kings (book 2 in the series is supposedly due in 2013)
Stephen King : The dark Tower series, containing 8 novels and 2 short stories. (Have patients with book 1, The Gunslinger, the story will grow on you)

If these books are new to you, at least you'll be kept occupied for a while :-)

Regards

Hans Erik

I read Richard Morgan's The Steel Remains while waiting for Red Country to come out, and enjoyed it a lot. Similar style to Joe, good characterisation, definitely worth a read! just about to start the next in the series The Cold Commands.

I definitely second the Richard K. Morgan recommendation. I am currently in the middle of The Steel Remains and it is not bad although I was hoping for something better after reading first two books of his Takeshi Kovacs trilogy. I especially recommend Altered Carbon.

I'm so sorry, I couldn't agree less about The Steel Remains. I tried to read it, thought it was a great idea, but the dialogue - it read like something a bunch of London's 'yoof' would've come up with. I just couldn't suspend my disbelief with that book. And I really wanted to like it too...

just recently finished Mark Lawrence king of thorns..book 2 in broken empire trilogy..really great books with loads of twists and turns and characters you love but think to yourself..I really shouldn't like this guy..a la glotka.

A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin is another great fantasy story with a lot of grey characters and a dark, bloody story with heaps of political intrigue and backstabbing.

James wrote: "A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin is another great fantasy story with a lot of grey characters and a dark, bloody story with heaps of political intrigue and backstabbing."

I read 3 or 4 books and gave up... There is just too many characters and places and stuff. I also hated all the descriptions of what people are wearing and other fillers like that.

I think it requires more skill to fit a vast world into 3 books like Joe did with the First Law trilogy than just produce books endlessly (and thick ones, too - I remember that one of the books was ~1600 pages on my e-reader).

However, I agree that the story and (some of) the characters are interesting. If it just weren't that bloated...

Waiting for Red Country, I looked for authors similar to Joe Abercrombe. I've decided that there aren't any. To say he is unique and clever doesn't even begin to scratch the surface. I will say that I read The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch and enjoyed it (and Red Seas under Red Skies, the follow up). It has witty dialogue, characters you care about and a well-developed world. Now, though, I am stuck waiting for the third one!

Paweł wrote: "James wrote: "A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin is another great fantasy story with a lot of grey characters and a dark, bloody story with heaps of political intrigue and backstab..."

Really? you didn't like them? Fair enough I guess, each to there own :)

James wrote: "Paweł wrote: "James wrote: "A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin is another great fantasy story with a lot of grey characters and a dark, bloody story with heaps of political intrigu..."

I liked the first two books very much but at some point later on I became tired with the myriad of characters and plot twists. I guess I might come back and at least finish the "A Feast for Crows" which I started and gave up...

Yeah Feast of Crows is the weakest of the five books so far, but A Dance With Dragons is great. If you can get through the fourth book, the fifth is worth it.

I have just finished The Heroes, and must say that Abercrombie drives his world forward pretty well and I can't wait for the next one, of course. Best Served Cold is my favourite as of yet. It seemed the setting gave Abercrombie a lot of freedom, away from Bayaz, while expanding the universe a lot.

I have read all ASOIAF there is to date - these were my starting points in reading popular fantasy, and from what I've read so far the most interesting series was probably Bakker's Prince of Nothing.

As Rothfuss would somewhat annoyingly write, its devilishly complex, and I'd be amazed to know how Bakker copes with all that information and subplots and whatever. I found that I didn't mind it being very dark, and it feels like a viscous text, where underlying meanings and discussions are almost omni-present, and to me - a non-native speaker seemed to give the most English-wise. It feels as a on a slightly different level intellectualy, and so the underlying themes it explores are varied, and of course shockingly brutal.

Mark Lawrence's Prince of Thorns is a nice little book - not sure if physically little, but it definitely felt that way, and it was very refreshing.

Sanderson's Way of Kings was also pretty good, aside from being a monster to read. It is somehow still the strangest of all the fantasy books I've recently read, not only for not going with the current character trends ( sometimes in almost unnatural ways )... but the fighting here is awesome. Cheesy equipments with nice twists and you got mega-knights in godly exoskeletons and soul-swords ravaging the battlefields.

Scott Lynch's Lies of Locke Lamora might be interesting in the company of the other novels mentioned because it does not have a war-driven story, but is much more personal and revolves around two main protagonists, rather than a plethora from each faction. Red Seas under Red Skies was a little bit weaker, but still a fine read.

Rothfuss, retrospectively is probably the weakest of this lot, and while his story has its high points, it mostly feels generic, and the University setting does not feel all too well. Not that it'd be all Harry Pottah, [SPOILER] Rothfuss cleverly evaded falling wholly into that, but its all angsty boi going to school and getting to be a badass set on to kill an age old demonguy, who almost destroyed the world sometime back and ALSO actually his family. Darn. What a coincidence. That is unless Rothfuss pulls of a great plot twist in the finale. This is definitly the mildest book in terms of violence. More of a pop fairytale.

And then I am amiss with what to read next :)

Another good series I've read a bit of it "The Old Kingdom Trilogy" by Garth Nix, The world I thought was pretty cool and the characters are pretty interesting.

It's not as dark or bloody as "The First Law" series or "ASOIAF". but if you're into fantasy I'd say it's worth a look.

Can I just ask - what is ASOIAF? Sorry if as a fantasy fiction fan I should really know this!

@ Matthew.
ASOIAF stands for "A Song of Ice and Fire" by George RR martin

It's A Song of Ice and Fire, the book series by George R.R. Martin, after which the popular HBO series A Game of Thrones is made.

I really enjoyed Peter Brett's series. It's not like Abercrombie's stuff, but it is unique and a really good read. Books 1 and 2 are out and book 3 The Daylight War comes out in February.

can't wait for the daylight war.

I started a new job and have had zero reading time. Hoping I can finish Red Country before Daylight War comes out. Been waiting for it for a long time!

Ah of course, seems embarassingly obvious now! I've read all the way through to Dreams & Dust aswell ... (hanging head in shame). Thankyou though James/Stas.

Had no idea the next Peter Brett book is out so soon. I really enjoyed the Warded Man and Desert Spear. Daylight War is a good name - think it could be pretty bigtime with the fight scenes.

My next line of attack is the Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson. After I've finished re-reading the First Law of course. Priorities.

First law never gets old. Reading it again soon, 4th time, Then who could stop there!

I hear that the black company comes close and the Darkness that comes before supposed to be good as well though that is rather more epic in scope.

I am a big Eriksen fan as well. I love sweeping epic fantasy. And the world he creates is extremely intriguing. But i can understand this would hardly be for everybody since the characters and book and even time periods can get confusing a little.

Brett suppose to be good as well. I bought the books but did not have the time yet.

But i am not very sure that anybody can achieve the level of greatness with comparable so few characters. Abercromie is rather unique in that sense. He writes almost like a movie in a sense.

And thx so much for all the threads and all the advice on the books.

Most of my friends don't read fantasy at all. I have some old buddies who still play RPG at times (big Skyrim fan) but thats about the extend of it.

Apart from the dude at the American bookstore in my city (Amsterdam) i hardly get a chance to discuss these books. So i feel rather privileged.

I'm reading K. J. Parker's Sharps right now and so far I'm enjoying it. The characters in it have a very similar type of dry humour that's so prevalent in Joe's work, a very realistic setting with complex yet believable politics and central bank that more or less runs an entire country. :P

Just a warning though: it's on the very trough end of low fantasy, with absolutely no magic or miracles but if that's your thing then definitely check it out.

I have tried many of these suggestions but only enjoyed a few to the same extent as Abercrombie. Until Joe discovers some way to pump out a new novel every month, I would recommend that you fill the time with Alex Marshall's/Jesse Bullington's Crimson Empire series (A Crown for Cold Silver, A Blade of Black Steel, No 3 pending...) which finally rewarded my slavish trawling through pages of suggestions like this one. Mark Lawrence should also be high on your hit list, especially for those who love an anti-hero.

Yeah I must say I almost completely gave up on looking for similar authors... I can't read another blurb for "hot and new" fantasy author's book which ends with something like:

"'Angels are dead. And I killed them. Now I'm a lonely and silent assassin/magician doing unspeakable things.'

He is the unknown heir of the whole kingdom. He was gone for 50 years but now he's back... and he is the only one standing between complete doom and rainbows. Will he make it? Will he save the world or will he die on the 10th page?"

Umm, no, thanks. Wake me up when you write something from multiple point of views and your characters and stories are multi-layered (and let's not confuse this with "plot twists") and there are background threads like Bank of Valint and Balk tying everything nicely together in a somehow non-obvious ways. Then throw some "everyday stories" on top like Sharp Ends and I'm happy.

I'm not ready yet to reread First Law so in the meantime I switched to some cyberpunk...

The red knight by miles Cameron is it guys! 3 books so far. I have read the first 50 pages of so much garbage fantasy between retreads of Abercrombie. It's the real deal, check it out!

I tried the Red Knight, on my brother's recommendation. I liked it at first, then it kind of lost me... I must have got about half way through, and just gave up! I hope you find it better mate!

Shafer wrote: "The red knight by miles Cameron is it guys! 3 books so far. I have read the first 50 pages of so much garbage fantasy between retreads of Abercrombie. It's the real deal, check it out!"

I'll give it a try. Thanks for the suggestion!

Old thread, but I would like to add Michael J. Sullivan to the list. I love his universe in the Riyria Revelations, I really like his characters, all in all very enjoyable books. Perhaps not a perfect match here but seeing what other books mentioned I think he is worth a huge recommendation.

I've been trying to find similiar authors/books for YEARS after having read the First Law Trilogy, Red Country and Heroes.
I found a few that come very close to Joe Abercrombie:

- The Black Guard
- Traitor's Blade
- The Way of Shadows
- The Price of Faith
- The Barrow (kinky-sex-fantasy side might scare some people off lol)

Thanks for adding to the thread, someone finally posted a books I haven't read (The Black Guard and Traitor's Blade.) I think I'll try Traitor's Blade first.

Definitely agree about the other three and would add a couple:

Broken Blade
The Conqueror's Shadow

I recommend giving John Gwynne's Bloodsworn trilogy a go, it takes place in a similar world/time period...fast-paced efficient prose, jumps from different engaging, imperfect violent characters.